Day 10: Masks

"Sabrina?" A man walked down the blue halls. He looked around eighteen or nineteen. His blond hair was spiky and unruly. His good eye was a deep, ocean blue as his left eye was covered by an eyepatch, a scar cut through his flesh diagonally. He let out a sigh as silence answered him. He walked down the hall before stopping at a door, third to the end. He twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, revealing an empty bedroom and a note. The man picked up a note and read it.

"Dear Shade,

If you're reading this, I'm probably in Japan by now. I can't let Edhas run around in Japan with how strong the MILF is there. Since someone has forgotten the meaning of family, I've decided to take matters into my own hands. Please don't come after me.

-Godslayer"

Shade heaved a sigh. As much as he wanted to be mad at Sabrina for running off, she was right. "I hope she knows what she's doing," Shade muttered to himself, placing the note down and walking out. This was out of his hands now.

-

"KIKKERIKII~" Kiara's morning call has become so familiar Ryan didn't have to move the phone away anymore.

"Morning, Tenchou," Ryan said, stretching. As he finished stretching, he felt another tugging sensation on the back of his head. "Ugh, I feel like I'm being watched."

"That doesn't make sense," Kiara said, her tone turning confused. "Suisei-senpai should be-,"

"SO, IT WAS HOSHIMACHI-SAN!" Ryan exclaimed!

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kiara giggled.

"Whatever," Ryan grumbled. "I'll be there in five."

-

"I'm so nervous," Yo-chan adjusted her mask. The white mask covered her entire face, leaving no openings for her eyes and mouth. The entire mask was covered by a gigantic number 4. "How's my hair, Kurokami-san?"

"For the last time, Yo-chan, don't worry about your hair," Kurokami said, her arms crossed. "He's not the same guy you once knew."

"I know, I know," Yo-chan muttered, adjusting her long, brown hair. "It's just… been a long while since I've seen him."

"Do you have a name to use?" Kurokami asked. Yo-chan moved her head towards her ear and whispered something.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" Kurokami smacked Yo-chan on the head. "Even Fubuki doesn't agree with that choice."

"Kurokami-san!" Yo-chan frantically arranged her hair. "Not the head!"

"Fine," Kurokami grumbled, before punching Yo-chan square in the gut. "Let's just go already."

As she turned to leave, something buzzed in Kurokami's shirt pocket. She took out her phone and looked at it. "Great," she groaned.

-

Ryan facefaulted onto the counter. "Ugh…"

"You alright?" Kiara asked, placing a tub of chicken next to Ryan.

"I just have a bad feeling about something," Ryan replied, taking a chicken leg and taking a bite. "I don't know what, though."

Like a prophecy coming true, the doors opened, and three girls walked in. Ryan recognized one to be Fubuki, or rather Fubuki if she inverted her color scheme. The one to Nega-Fubuki's right was what seemed to be a wolf girl with two tantos sheathed at her side. The girl to Nega-Fubuki's left was an odd one. A hood covered her head, barely concealing the brown hair flowing down her back. She had a white mask with no openings for her eyes or mouth and a giant number 4 covering the mask.

"Yo-chan!" Kiara smiled, speaking in English. "It's been a long time."

"Takanashi-san," The hooded girl bowed respectfully, speaking in Japanese. "It's been a while."

"Oh, so you've learnt Japanese!" As the three sat down, Kiara patted Yo-chan's head comically. Ryan didn't miss the tick mark appearing through the mask. How does that even happen? "Kuro-senpai must have been a good teacher."

"Nothing a good punch couldn't fix," Nega-Fubuki replied, an ever-present scowl on her face.

"That doesn't sound effective," Ryan said off-handedly.

"You don't get to judge, kid," Nega-Fubuki shot Ryan a glare.

"Kurokami-san, no need to be rude," The wolf girl said patiently.

"Tch," Nega-Fubuki scoffed, looking away. "You're no fun."

"I'm Ryan Shade by the way," Ryan introduced himself.

"Konbanmion!" The wolf girl cheered, raising her hand excitedly. "My name is Ookami Mio! Nice to meet you!"

"Just call me Kurokami," Kurokami glared at Ryan.

"I'm…" Yo-chan paused for a moment. "Brianna Edhas."

"That name…" Ryan rubbed his chin. "It seems familiar, but I can't place my finger on why."

"It's a pretty unique name," Brianna offered, holding her hand to shake. "People call me Yo-chan because of my mask."

"I see," Ryan shook her hand, smiling. "Would you mind if I called you that?"

"Of course not," Brianna replied.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Yo-chan," Ryan's smile grew soft.

"It's nice to meet you too," Brianna said.

"Enough with this sappy sh-," Kurokami cringed. "Fine, fine, I'll refrain from swearing, jeez."

"Is that normal?" Ryan turned to Mio, who seemed a bit more sensible than some of the other people he's met in this restaurant.

"Ah, Kurokami-chan and Fubuki-chan are the same person," Mio replied. "It's a side effect of her magic. Splitting her magic between yin and yang also split her personality."

"Well at least my magic is actually strong," Kurokami shot back. "Unlike some people."

"Calm down, Kurokami-san," Brianna put a hand on Kurokami's shoulder. "She wasn't attacking you. She was just explaining."

"Whatever," Kurokami pouted.

"So, what brings you here, Yo-chan?" Kiara asked. "Shouldn't you be back in America?"

"Japan's situation is worse, so I was deployed here," Brianna replied. For some reason, Ryan knew she was lying, but he didn't know how. "I was supposed to be under the radar, but someone wanted me to come here."

"Oh, please," Kurokami scoffed. "Brianna over here was being Ms. How's-My-Hair a few minutes earlier. She was practically begging to come."

"What did you say?!" Biranna's opened her hand, letting a fireball form.

"Now, now," The fireball floated and flew into Kiara's mouth. To Ryan's horror, she swallowed it. "No fighting in my restaurant."

"Tenchou..?" Ryan asked, both shocked and terrified. "Are you okay?"

"You met the avatar of death, a dragon, and a literal goddess, and me eating fire is what scares you?" Kiara deadpanned.

"Yes!" Ryan shouted. "Also, when did I meet a goddess?"

"Matsuri-senpai," Kiara answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, that makes sense," Ryan nodded.

"It does?" Mio asked.

"Of course it doesn't!" Ryan exclaimed. "How could that lolicon be an actual goddess?!"

"Don't look at me," Kurokami put her hands up. Funnily enough, no one was looking at her until she said that. "I didn't make the rules."

"Yeah, YAGOO did," Kiara joked, causing all of them to laugh.

"Wait," Ryan said, holding his hands up. "Who's YAGOO? I'm lost."

"Our boss," Everyone except Brianna said at once.

"Really?" Ryan turned to Kiara. "I thought you were the CEO."

"Actually, KFP is my side business," Kiara smiled. "I'm mainly an idol."

"Sure…" Ryan narrowed his eyes. "Like I'll believe that."

"Really!" Kiara exclaimed, leaning forward, her fists clenched at knee level in a pout. "I'm an idol!"

"I think you lost that title when you tried to drink Calliope-san's 'milk' in public," Brianna said, her hand over her mask in a feeble attempt to cover a snicker.

"That was one time!" Kiara pouted before stopping to think. "Or was it two? I don't remember."

"It was twenty-six," Mio offered helpfully.

"How are you still alive?" Ryan asked in shock. "More importantly, don't do it again! I'm not losing my boss to something like that!"

"That's what you're concerned about?" Brianna, Mio, and Kurokami deadpanned all at once.

"I just don't want my boss to die," Ryan answered simply. "Nothing's going to stop her from being a perv."

"My sl- employee knows me so well!" Kiara tried to tackle Ryan in yet another hug, in which Ryan had gotten skillful at dodging.

"I dread the day I become as clingy as you are," Ryan grumbled as Kiara hit the floor.

"Maybe it'll come sooner than you think," Brianna giggled.

"Doubt it," Ryan said. "Anyways, you guys didn't even order."

"Can I have one of those?" Brianna pointed to the tub of chicken.

"Sure," Ryan said. "In fact, it's pretty much full. You can have that one."

"Thank you," Brianna took the tub of chicken and took a leg. Ryan expected her to take off her mask, but she moved the leg towards her mouth, somehow taking a bite through the mask.

"How the hell do you do that?" Ryan asked.

"Magic," Brianna replied.

"I feel like I'm getting that answer way too much and-," Ryan jumped back when he saw the XXL tub of Birb Legs completely gone. "What the hell?"

"Sorry!" Mio patted her belly, offering Ryan a smile.

"Hey!" Kurokami glared at Mio. "What about my share?!"

"We'll get one to go!" Mio chirped.

"Alright!" Ryan headed to the back. He felt like he wasn't doing enough of the actual cooking. When he left to the back, he heard a snap of fingers, then… nothing. That was odd. From his experience, he could still hear people talking from the back. He shrugged it off. Well, with magic and all, they're probably gossiping. Ryan wondered what they were talking about. Boys? No, they didn't seem the time. Judging Kurokami's nature, they were probably talking about fighting someone. Ryan shook his head as he started putting the chicken he was cooking in a tub. What they talked about was none of their business.

"Well, it's nice we came to a conclusion," Kiara clasped her hands together with a scary smile on her face as Ryan returned from cooking. He's never seen an expression on Kiara like that before. Everyone, even Kurokami looked slightly freaked out.

"What-," Ryan stopped himself. "You know what? I don't even want to know."

"Probably a good idea," Brianna supplied as he placed the tub in front of Kurokami.

"Ookami-san, please remember this is for Kurokami-san," Ryan offered Kurokami a smile.

"Jeez, you sound like a mother," Kurokami said.

"Probably because I spend so much time babysitting Tenchou," Ryan muttered.

"Awhhh, you know I appreciate you," Kiara smiled.

"Well, I guess it's time for us to go," Mio stood up. "We still have an appointment with YAGOO, right?"

"Ugh, fine," Brianna sighed as Mio gave her a glare. "Thank you for the food. It was nice meeting you, Ryan."

"You too," As they left, Ryan noticed that there was money where Brianna was sitting at. "At least there are some decent people around here."

-

"Good evening, Sabrina," YAGOO and Sabrina were sitting at a table in the Hololive office. A complex expression laid on YAGOO's face. "Shade predicted this you know."

"Knowing him, he probably learned divinity and looked the next five days into the future," Sabrina grumbled. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"Either way, introducing yourself as Edhas's dead sister wasn't the wisest move," YAGOO sighed, taking a sip from a "World's Best Sage" coffee mug.

"I just…" Sabrina looked down at her hands. "I miss him, you know. I love him."

"You loved who he once was," YAGOO put a hand on her shoulder. "Look at him. He looks so much happier than he once did. Edhas hated the world. Ryan looks happy where he is."

"You're right," Sabrina heaved a sigh. "I know I'm being selfish… it's just that…"

"It's okay to feel feelings," YAGOO smiled softly as Sabrina trailed off. "I think you need some time to reflect. Seeing him at this point and time isn't healthy."

"I guess you're right…" Sabrina looked up to meet YAGOO's eyes. "I guess I'll go back to America."

"No, you should stay here," YAGOO said. "Everyone needs a break every now and then."

Sabrina smiled through her mask. "Thank you, YAGOO."

-

Ryan dialed Sabrina's number as he flopped on the bed. "Hey Sabrina," he said, talking out of instinct. "I had a good day today. I met a wolf girl, an alternate personality, and an odd girl. Magic is really weird. I didn't know you could split your personality with magic. Well, it's magic, so I guess you could do anything. That girl, though. She said her name was Brianna. For some reason, she seems familiar. I don't really have all the answer. Some part of me doesn't even want to know, to be honest. Well, who knows? I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

As Ryan hung up, something clicked in his head. The call never went to voicemail.