The Wild Ones | ✔️

Mask Off

Emily shuddered as she recollected Brent's words, "The leader of the no face gang wears an ogre shaped noh mask to hide his identity. No one has ever seen his face before."

The headmaster's office suddenly felt like it got 20 degrees colder and Emily couldn't help but regard everything in suspicion.

Her fingers trembled as she held the wooden red mask with its pitch black eyes, pointed white teeth, and protruding horns. It was smooth and cold in her hands. She stared at the mask's face, half hoping it would suddenly begin to speak and tell her the truth.

"What could this mean?" She whispered to herself in dread. Maybe it's a souvenir from Japan? A gift from a student? She scoured her brain for reasons why Headmaster Reuka would have a mask like the one she was holding other than the one she was wary of. There was just no way that Headmaster Reuka, her savior, the one person she thought she could trust forever, was the leader of the crime syndicate that was taking over the world.

She flash backed to when he had offered her a place at Tuscany three years ago in this very office...

Headmaster Reuka handed her a purple box tied with a bright blue bow.

"Open it, Emily," said Headmaster Reuka. His purple eyes glimmered with excitement. Emily was still getting used to be called "Emily" and not "Ice", and would never admit to anyone how much she liked how he called her name.

"What is it?" She asked suspiciously.

"Just open it will you?" He said.

She opened it gingerly, a bit flustered to be receiving a gift after all the hell she had given him.

Her green eyes widened as she took in the carefully folded and pressed uniform of Tuscany Academy. The ones she would admire from her room as she watched students walk in and out of campus. Starch white button up top, black woolen sweater with the Tuscany Academy insignia embroidered at the right chest, a plaid skirt, a tweed jacket with the same insignia on the right chest, as well as the silk tie. At the very bottom of the box was a embossed, brand new edition of the student handbook for Tuscany Academy.

She gently touched the fabric of the uniform and looked up at Headmaster Reuka. He was grinning widely, his eyes shining like amethysts.

"Well go on and try it," said the headmaster eagerly, sounding more like a young boy than a man in his late twenties. "There's a bathroom right in that corner."

Emily blinked back the tears forming in her eyes. "You don't have to do this."

"Nonsense. Go try it on now, let me know what you think," said Headmaster Reuka.

Emily came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. Uncomfortable, she dawdled by the bathroom door.

"Come closer," said Headmaster Reuka. "Let's get a good look at the newest student of Tuscany Academy," he said proudly.

Emily flushed and stepped a little closer.

"Well, it looks like I really struggled with the sizing," he laughed in embarrassment as he took in how the jacket swallowed her. "I'm afraid I don't know much about women's clothing. I will order a smaller size for you."

"No it's fine," said Emily hastily. "It's perfect. Reuka, you didn't have to do this."

Headmaster Reuka merely smiled at her.

"I want to formally invite you to attend this school."

Tears started rolling down Emily's cheeks. It was everything she wanted.