A Surprise Present

I'm not sure how long I was asleep for, but upon waking up, I was immediately hit with something unexpected. I'm laying down in the bed, but more importantly, instead of being met with the familiar darkness from the mask, light broke through instead, revealing numerous things around me. I can actually see? This ceiling... It's not white like the room that I was in before. I begin to scour over the ceiling some more, trying to make sense of what I'm seeing. Is this a dream?

"Ah, you're awake? Hello~" Sitting up, I quickly turn around, snapping my head to where Charlotte's voice is coming from. And there I could see her...

"A-aah!" It was for but an instant, but I begin to panic as I quickly shield my eyes, shutting my eyes tightly, trying to escape back into the darkness. It only happened once when someone took my mask off, but what transpired was something truly horrific. Heads fell from people's bodies in front of me, blood spraying all over me while dying the white room in red. It's also been a common occurrence in my dreams; considering that it's all I remember seeing until now. However, as I try to shield my eyes with my hands, my hands are instead met with something metallic covering my eyes. "Huh?"

"Don't worry. I switched it out while you were asleep. You don't need to worry about that mask anymore." Her words had a reassuring tone to it as I continue to inspect what's on my head. It definitely feels a lot different than the mask I'm familiar with. The most obvious difference is that I can see through whatever this mask is, but also it seems as though it's only covering my eyes. My mouth itself is actually completely open as I press my fingers against my lips. So soft...

"With this, you'll be able to see without worry." I still choose to cover the my eyes over this new mask, not wanting to see Charlotte. But as if opposite to what I want, I feel my hands being grabbed before Charlotte as she gently pries my hands away from the mask. I quickly look away from her as she holds my hands in hers, not wanting to cause her any harm. She's the first person to show me any of this, these new experiences, warmth... I don't want to-

"You won't kill me." Huh? Wait, what does she mean by that? Is she saying that her head won't be ripped off if I look at her? "This mask is special. I won't be able to see you, but you'll be able to see me. Like a one-way mirror." Is it really okay to look at her? She doesn't seem to be forcing me, but instead she continues to gently squeeze my hands in her own.

I hesitate for a few moments in silence before slowly moving my face back to where Charlotte is. I slowly open my eyes as light soon breaks itself through the darkness once more. There, I saw a pair of eyes, staring right into my own. Her golden eyes shined brightly through the lit room. Her long, azure hair falling down her back only made her eyes stand out even more, drawing me into them as if putting me in some kind of trance. I found myself staring into those eyes until I realized something.

"Not, dead?" I say those words in disbelief. There's no way that I should be able to look at her for this long without her dying. Then does that mean that the mask is somehow helping with it?

"Mhmm! I'm perfectly fine, Shiro." She said that name again, no... My name. Her smile also left me speechless as it's the first time I've seen such a thing. The only thing I ever saw were the faces of those people during that time. I still remember their faces even now. But Charlotte, right now, seems to be quickly overwriting it.

"Once again, my name is Charlotte, Charlotte Ilaria. I look forward to working with you, Shiro." Is that her last name? And what's this about working with me? My worries would be answered however, as Charlotte shoots me another bright smile, washing away all of them in but an instant.

For the first time in my left, I can finally gaze upon someone, the same person who showed me many new things. I even had my first bath before falling asleep in Charlotte's arms, something I never thought I could do considering how I've always seen people as someone who harvests my body. Charlotte could've done that to me at some point without me knowing, but after seeing this expression of hers, I just can't see her doing something like that...