Don't ask why I wrote this, or what it is. I don't actually know. The idea just came to me and then wouldn't leave me alone until I'd written something.

This... thing is spoiler-free, and takes place before the crew goes to the Taintclouds.

Disclaimer: Baten Kaitos and its characters, locations, and plot line belong to Bandai-Namco, or whatever they call themselves now.

"Ask Mizuti."

"No, you ask Mizuti!"

"Sure, the incorporeal spirit should ask. Is that because if you ask, the Great Mizuti might decapitate you with that chakram of… its?"

"You were the one that starting wondering about it!"

"And you hopped on the bandwagon."

"Kingfisher! You're not helping!"

"Something be the matter with Kalas and Guardian?"

Kalas turned to see Mizuti, who was giving them its normal, wooden stare. It was always hard to guess what Mizuti was thinking with that mask on. Oh that mask, that was the source of Kalas' current problems…

"Since when have you been shy about being a blunt idiot?" asked Kingfisher, Kalas' invisible Guardian. Mizuti could hear Kingfisher's voice, of course, otherwise Mizuti might worry about Kalas' mental health.

"What be Guardian talking about Kalas?" asked Mizuti, as the mysterious magic-user cocked its masked head to one side, "He and you have another argument? A row? A disagreement of two points of view?"

"Uh, not really." Said Kalas.

"But Kalas was wondering," started Kingfisher, "Mizuti, why do you wear that mask all the time?"

There was a pause. Then Mizuti said, "Why be you wondering this Kalas?"

If Kingfisher had a body, I'd be strangling him right now. Thought Kalas, not liking the spotlight, "I was just wondering… 'cuz…" Kalas trailed off, then tried again, "It just doesn't seem… to have a point, you know?"

"The Great Mizuti's mask have very important function!" asserted Mizuti.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"What does it do then?" asked Kalas. And then crossed the little red line of Stupid Things Never To Say To Other People when he said, "I mean, is it like a paper bag? Do you wear it because you're ugly?"

"Why be Kalas making fun of the Great Mizuti!" said Mizuti, her strange voice chocked in what sounded like a sob.

"I-I'm not trying to make fun of you!" said Kalas defensively, "I just wanted to know! I mean, it's not like that with that thing on all the time we can know what you look like!"

Mizuti made a noise that sounded like a sniff. "Why Kalas be so mean to the Great Mizuti?!" sobbed Mizuti, "Kalas be mean! Hurtful! Spiteful!"

"T-that's not what I meant!" protested Kalas, as Kingfisher started to laugh.

Mizuti's chakram suddenly appeared as if it had just been called into existence out of nothing. "Kalas pay for being mean to Mizuti!" said Mizuti, her strange voice coated with the anger of a vigilante.

Kalas' eyes widened in horror, and he backed away a step, waving his arms in the air trying to indicate that he was surrendering, "W-wait!"

"PROMINENCE!!"

Xelha came by several minutes later, to find Mizuti sitting sadly on the ground, the little bird on the top of her mask turning slowly, indicating that she was upset about something.

"Hey Miztui, are you feeling okay?" Xelha sat down next to her companion.

"Kalas be mean to the Great Mizuti," said Mizuti sadly, "Kalas make fun of the Great Mizuti's mask."

"I'm sure he didn't mean it," reassured Xelha, "I'm sure when he comes back he'll apologize for being mean to you!" she looked around, "Where did he go anyway?"

Mizuti shrugged, "The Great Mizuti thought he heard Kalas say something about asking Gibari for a bandage."