Now three remain 
The next two chapters look like they will be the longest in the entire book, but weโll see if that ends up being the case. Just know that for one person who signed up(and is hopefully still reading), the next chapter is going to be very satisfying 
nevermind the story is over racie figured everything out thereโs no point anymore 
Tonight on Top Gear
I crash my brand new car
James wasnโt watching
And Hammond is definitely responsible for crashing my brand new car
โ
Chapter Forty Eight
Psychopomp
โ
Ren took a deep breath.
The cold air above Japan rushed into his lungs, reminding him of how improperly he was dressed for the time of year. The suitcoat he wore was tattered, numerous small tears letting his white shirt peek through. Taking a moment to find his bearings, Ren slowly accelerated forwards, increasing in speed until the land beneath him stretched into dark smudges of treetops and empty fields.
โ๐ป๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ ?โ
โFine.โ Ren murmured, unable to open his mouth very much with the high wind around him. โI now realize why this mask has such small eye holes.โ
โ๐ด๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐น๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐.โ The Demonโs voice rippled through the air around him. โ๐ด๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ถ๐ท๐๐. ๐ต๐ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐ป๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐ป ๐ ๐๐๐๐พ๐น๐๐.โ
โThanks for the insight.โ Ren rolled his eyes, slowing his flight as the lights of the city beneath caught his gaze. โIs that it?โ
โ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐.โ The Demon cooed. โ๐๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐. ๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐.โ
BANG
โ๐ช๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.โ
Renโs lids slowly parted, his pupils locking onto the glowing orange sphere floating just above the snow. The sensation of tears running down his cheek abruptly reasserted itself, stinging in the cold air.
โ๐ด๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐.โ
Renโs gaze did not travel far enough to see the fractured arm he lay upon, but it did allow his perceiving the crimson circle which crept into the snow beneath him. His eyes searched the back of his mind, trying to recall where the shock had gone after it had driven him unconscious.
โ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐น๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐น๐โ๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ท๐ถ๐.โ The demonโs voice rang in both his mind and ears, bombarding his senses with the message. โ๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐น ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐พ๐, ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ธ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ
โ๐ป๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐พ๐๐.โ The demon eye quickly zipped back into Renโs pocket. โ๐ด๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐, ๐ธ๐ฝ๐พ๐๐น. ๐๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐ถ๐, ๐ท๐๐ ๐ป๐๐, ๐ท๐๐ป๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐.โ
With a deep inhale, Ren pushed forward with the power of his mask, sliding across the rooftop and into the open air as he slipped off the edge, oblivious to the gloved hands that gripped it just as he passed. And as he accelerated further, the gloved figure matched his speed below.
โ
Kohaku slowly opened her eyes.
The rocking of the vehicle had abruptly appeared, indicating it had finally landed back on its tires. The massive hand of Goshiki was still pressed up against her shoulder, unintentionally flattening her against the side window, while its owner stared out the open door with wide eyes and the present unspoken frustration at having an entire row of seats in his way, preventing him from lunging out the open door to stand aside his master.
Perhaps open was a poor descriptor, as the door had been entirely blown off by Oisim, who had reacted when the ominous figure smashed into the road in front of them and caused the panic driver to send the vehicle into a roll, prompting the patriarch of Koi Blood to emerge and restrain the vehicle with the power of his mask. he now stood, staring down the inhuman machine which looked up at him, no eyes present on its slab face. After a moment of silent staring, the figure turned towards the treeline and leapt with tremendous force across the dark sky.
โWe must hurry.โ Oisim grumbled, casually lifting and throwing the ruined door as if it weighed nothing, another hiss of stead erupting from his body as he did so. โIf we are to survive what is to comeโฆ We must hurry.โ
โ
Ren looked back.
The flash of red on the highway below made clear the identity of his pursuer. Undoing his suitcoat, Ren slipped it off pulled it over his shoulder, too preoccupied with tying it into a sling to notice the large electric sign he barreled towards.
The blinding flash of sparks that erupted around him as he passed through the massive hole in the sign drew his attention upwards once more. โWas that him or you?โ
โ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐ถ๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐ป๐พ๐๐พ๐๐.โ The demon replied. โ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น. ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ผ ๐น๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐น. ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ถ ๐ธ๐พ๐๐ธ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐พ๐ธ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐โฆ ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ฝ ๐ผ ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ธ๐. ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ธ๐ฝ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐น ๐๐ถ๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐.โ
โWhat do I do?โ
โ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐,โ The demonโs voice quieted as the lights of Asahikawa appeared beneath him, hundreds of small street corners in an angled grid directing his course. โ๐ฎ๐๐พ๐๐ธ๐ฝ ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐. ๐๐๐น ๐ท๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐น๐.โ
Ren barely had time to look back down before the demon forced its way back into his mind, blasting all his senses in one furious shout. โ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฒ!!โ
BANG
The hawk mask shattered the instant he removed it.
Ren tumbled about, trying to reach his left hip pocket for the wolf mask as he fell from the sky. Barely able to twist his body around enough to reach inside, he placed the wolf mask on his face just before he rolled across the rooftop he landed upon. His open palm raised to catch the smallest fragments of the former mask which landed around him, stuffing them into the pocket of his red-stained shirt.
Usul wordlessly ascended the roofโs edge, swinging the rifle in his hand around to wield as a club, glancing casually at the red stain on the butt of the rifle as he adjusted his grip. There was a silent second shared between the two adversaries, the black skull mask finally close enough to observe the small gold lines running through it, sealing the cracks the impact of Rookโs frame had caused.
Renโs eyes traveled to the outside of Usulโs suitcoat. The weight of it in the cold wind revealed the gun hidden inside. Renโs hand stole towards the side of his own suitcoat, where the second of Usulโs firearms was tucked away. Usul mirrored the motion, and the two shared another unsteady second of silence as the first drops of rain began to fall.
โIโm ready.โ Ren muttered.
The demon eye zipped out from his pocket, landing inside the limp hand of Renโs fractured arm. Usulโs confident demeanor shifted to visible anger as his stance lowered, muscles tightening for the inevitable spring forwards.
With a grunt, Ren pushed himself towards the red-clad Pangolin, who matched his approach at the same speed. Both guns appeared as the rifle clattered against the roof, and both fired in perfect unison. Usul matching the speed of the bullet and striking at Ren was matched with the wolfโs reaction speed amplified by the demon eye.
Blows were exchanged, both accelerating to compensate and avoid the strikes. Two more shots were fired simultaneously, the barrels of the guns that fired them nearly scraping against each other. Faster their attacks grew, more viciously they struck at the empty air the other previously occupied. With each shot fired the barrels almost touched, both refusing to give the other even the slightest advantage.
As the guns clicked, having expended all their ammo, they were struck together, both attempting to strike his opponent with the firearm. The strikes matched with absolute precision, sparks slowing to a crawl as the speed and ferocity of their blows grew exponentially.
Finally the pair came to a halt, both looking down in surprise as there was nothing to react to or match the speed of beyond the rain, which they had so thoroughly outpaced it appeared frozen in time, abruptly catching up to them as it hissed against the melted slides of their firearms, which heated up to the point that they fused together. The bullets splashed onto the roof, having been fired with such precision that they too had merged, each one melted into the other.
With little time for reaction, the roof exploded into debris around the pair, somehow finding the strength to not instantly collapse under the sudden and demanding arrival of five inhuman figures. The tallest of the group stood high over Usul, its slab face displaying the two crude circles the Pangolin had carved into it.
Ren flinched as the two at his sides passed by him, pulling Usul away from the fused firearms and towards the tallest one, before all five began slamming their fists into his tailored suit in rhythmic fashion. He never once wavered, his eyes remaining locked on Ren until the bones in his legs were too fractured to keep him aloft, and all visibility of the black skull-shaped mask was obscured by the endless barrage of mechanical hands.
Ren didnโt wait to see what happened. Turning, he leapt off the rooftop, rolling across the sidewalk and yelping as he impacted his fractured arm. But the pain didnโt stop him. His desire to react to the agony melted away in an instant. All that remained was the painโฆ And the eye.
โ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐ป๐๐๐ .โ The Demonโs voice spoke entirely in his ear. โ๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐น ๐๐ ๐พ๐. ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ท๐ ๐๐ถ๐พ๐๐พ๐๐.โ
With zero hesitation, Ren vaulted up the side of the wall, his one hand gripping the edge of an apartment balcony. The gunshots had awoken some of the denizens of the small city, who now cautiously peeked out into the night air, unsure where the sounds had originated. Despite only having one arm available to him, Renโs wolf mask did most of the heavy lifting, allowing him to scale from balcony to balcony with little issue. As he ascended the top of the building, he pocketed his wolf mask and took the eye out of his limp hand, walking to the center of the roof.
โIโm here.โ
The door or the airplane, suspended in midair on an unending wave of vibrations distorting the air beneath it, softly descended onto the rooftop, the gravel parting as it settled.
Tone stepped forwards.
โ
Both of these goobers rn:
Only two chapters remain 
Itโs been a long time building up to this, but I think itโll be worth it. If you donโt know what Iโm talking about, read like the last chapter man ugh smh idk what to tell you 
Tonight on Top Gear
I have a gun
Jamesโs plane is plain in the rain
And Hammond really wishes he could be here 
minor typo, unsubscribing
Bro read an entire chapter where Usul gets turned into cranberry mush and only mentioned the typo 
Several during the parts where Ren is flying, where commas apparently were forgotten.
I donโt believe you
want me to check? I can ignore everything youโve written in favor of minor and inconsequential details again
Heyo! Betcha didnโt expect to see me not posting a chapter after so long.
I am on track to finish the story by the end of the year, but as is typical with my stupid endeavors, there comes a time (December 25th) where I typically include a rather lacking Christmas chapter which usually has nothing to do with anything and is non-canon to the events of the story.
However, in those instances I had not previously finished the story and, if I were to include one here, it would not only be written after the story was formally concluded, but would also be entirely canon within the narrative.
The question is, therefore:
Should I write The Wild Masks: Christmas Special?
โ
Chapter Forty Nine
Guerdon
โ
Ren felt the rain around him for the first time.
The eye kept his broken arm from overwhelming him, the great pain radiating from it smearing and blurring to the corners of his vision as the eyes behind the metal mask locked with his, driving every other sensation to the furthest corners of his mind.
His hand tightened. Was it the demon that sent him here? Had this unfathomable evil constructed so elaborate a plan only to destroy it all at the last moment? Or had his friend made some kind of pact with the ancient one, that some unknowable end would be achieved?
No, not Tone. He didnโt change.
The wind increased. Toneโs eyes were colder than the water, or the air, or the snow not long ago. His hands kept themselves concealed in his pockets as the silence stretched on, the rain impacting the gravel roof being the only interruption.
โI can bring him back.โ
Ren collapsed onto the ground, the muscles in his legs instantly giving out. He barely had time to push himself up on his functional elbow before the sensation of three ribs dislocating on his right side drove him to the ground again. Strengthened by the eye, he angrily shoved one knee under his body and began to rise when the pain in his arm suddenly slammed into his mind at full force.
Clapping his hand over his mouth, Ren did all he could to smother the cry that dared to escape his lips. A further attempt to stand was met by a series of pulses that smashed into his stomach, slowing his ascent as he pushed upwards with all his might. Staggering forwards, Renโs shoulder rested against Toneโs open hand as he tried as hard as he could not to throw up.
โPlease.โ He gurgled, his words muffled, his hand still atop his mouth. Tone stretched his free hand out to meet Renโs arm, softly placing it around the fracture and closing his grip.
Crack
Renโs eyes widened to an impossible degree, staring into the bent elbow of the arm that supported him. The pain, however smothered, could not compare to the horror of all sensation fleeing his fingertips. No amount of forcing his arm to move could counteract its sudden lack of function, and he could not feel it slipping its sling and scraping against the rocks.
Toneโs eyes had broken from their target and looked in shock at the affected limb. For a moment the muffled cries of his friend, whose body slumped further against his hand, overrode the incontestable will behind the metal mask. For a moment, the violet fabric took form again.
And then it passed. Tone shifted his grip to hold aloft Renโs body by the fractured limb, and Renโs head drooped from the pressure. The gloved hand that had supported his shoulder was now extended, palm upwards, with none of the ferocity and zeal that had so defined his prior actions.
But it was unyielding. He knew what it meant.
Finally lowering his hand from across his lips, Ren weakly reached back, worming his fingers into his pants pocket. Reaching past the extended hand Tone had offered, he raised his tight grip to Toneโs eyes and uncurled his fingers.
Renโs eyes peeked out from under his silver brows, his teeth bared in fury. An orange light shone from behind his incisors as the unfurled fingers of his functioning hand reached for the mask above him.
Ren looked down at the mask. It stained the water red.
Something floated around the edge of the mask. Ren didnโt want to think about what it was.
The hood obscured the face which now looked out, locking eyes with Ren, whose wounded arm hung loosely against his body. A trail of crimson stained the jacket below the hood, further intensifying the piercing white eyes framed in darkness. A moment passed before he slowly tipped towards Ren, slamming into the rooftop with a wet crunch.
Ren stood in silence, the eye freeing itself from behind his teeth and enabling him to take a deep breath. His gaze followed the amber sphere, staring towards a salmon-colored building across the street corner.
โ
โThere,โ Wild smirked, putting a tremendous amount of effort into not acting like an overbearing father as he applied the bandage. โThatโs just to keep it from wiping off.โ
โI really donโt care if I get a scar or not, boss.โ Tone protested, doing his best to resist the ever-present itch from the stitches in his hand. โItโs the middle of my palm, itโs not that big of a deal.โ
โItโs a big deal if it interferes with the movement of your hand.โ Wild wrapped up the loose bandage and stuffed it into his pocket instead of the open medical kit it came from. โTrust me, I got a scar from sliding on a nail once, cut my calf right open. Now whenever I do anything with my leg, I can feel it refusing to move. Itโs really bothersome.โ
โReally, whatโs that like?โ Tone leaned forwards, his faux interest doing a very poor job of hiding his grin at the jab. Wild rolled his eyes and brushed against the medical kit, reminding him of its existence as well as the location of the bandage.
โIโll replace it tomorrow so your skin has some time to breathe.โ He stuffed the roll into the kit with no regard for its proper place and squeezed the top down until it latched. โYouโd better be more cautious with how you handle swords in the future. I donโt want to have to sew any of your fingers back on.โ
โYou think your mask plan will work out?โ Toneโs attitude shifted to greatly imply a lack of interest, but Wild glanced towards the wall as he immediately read Toneโs excitement at the prospect and focused on restraining his expression. โItโs a sword, so Iโm not sure itโll convert the way you think. But if it does Iโll take your sage advice to heart.โ
โDonโt worry.โ Wild winked, his grin growing exponentially as he turned to go. โIโll make sure to dull the edges for you.โ
Tone finally allowed a smile as his superior left, shaking his head as he stared down at the impromptu bandage. The shipping container Wild chose as his temporary headquarters was cramped with clutter and furniture, but it did conceal his whereabouts from his very determined enemy.
โ๐ด๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐น ๐ฝ๐พ๐.โ
The room grew cold. Tone looked to the door of the container, but it was empty. Wild had disappeared, Hie had not returned, and the creeping darkness that blanketed the walls did not carry any familiarity. Blue flames licked the edges of his vision as all his senses began pulling him back to face the wall. He could taste the void behind his eyes.
No sooner had he turned than the orange orb, carved from amber centuries ago, met his eyes and consumed all but a fraction of his consciousness. The depth inside it pulled more and more, the world around him crawling into the bottomless abyss that he could not find the strength to pull away from. And as it felt like his resistance was about to fail, that he would yield to the impending force, it answered what little of his mind it allowed to remain.
โ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ
โ๐ฏ๐๐๐.โ
โTone.โ
Toneโs neck suddenly kicked back into gear, turning his frightened eyes to meet Wild, the latter resting his hand on his retracted shoulder. The confusion in his superiorโs face prompted him to face the wall again, seeking some kind of answer to what he had seen and heard, but there was no trace of the void.
โYouโre off your schizo meds again.โ Hie mumbled, earning an angry glare from Wild as he descended onto a thoroughly depreciated couch, immediately throwing his feet up over its arm. โDo we have any oranges left? Iโm supposed to be eating healthy, you said.โ
โCheck it yourself, speedy.โ Wild frowned, turning back to Tone with concern overriding any other emotion as he leaned down to address him. โYou okay?โ
Tone didnโt answer. The wall in front of him remained bare, yet the vision of the eye in his mind โ and the evil voice that echoed in his ear โ he would never forget.
โ
โAsahikawa.โ
Kohaku nervously glanced at her father, who now clutched the exterior of the vehicle to remain in his seat, having snapped through his seatbelt and torn the door off to intercept their ominous attacker. โI am not pleased to be here again.โ
With the wind rushing past, Oisim reached over his shoulder, extending a white envelope to Goshiki, who quickly received it with a sharp bow of his head. โThis will be yours after tonight.โ
Kohaku blinked, hesitating to openly acknowledge that the message had been directed at her lest she be proven wrong. โIs itโฆ Like, your will or something?โ
Oisim turned, slowly, the world around him growing blurry as his eyes locked onto hers. The shadow of his cheeks grew longer and longer as the silence stretched on before it was interrupted, the slightest light of concern in his eyes driven away as he placed a hand on Kohakuโs shoulder.
โYou have my will.โ
Kohakuโs eyes reflected the police lights burning through the air, unable to shake the terrible feeling gleamed from the prominence of his words. As Oisim drew his eyes away from her, the driver made some inarticulate noise of identification, drawing attention to the salmon-colored building ahead. More than halfway up the side the weary figure of Ren slid against it, holding his hand to his forehead as he slowly ascended. With a squeal of its tires the vehicle came to a halt, and Oisim dragged Kohaku out through the missing door by the shoulder he clutched.
Stumbling forwards, Kohaku had barely righted herself from the motion before two more vehicles pulled up, Koi Blood members scrambling out and drawing their weapons. Her frightened glance to Oisim was met with a curt nod which turned her back towards the building. โRen!โ
Renโs eyes shot open, immediately locking onto Kohaku. he lifted his palm from his forehead for a moment and immediately began to fall, quickly clapping the pieces of hawkโs mask inside his palm back to his head.
โCome down, now!โ Kohaku pleaded, moving closer only for Oisimโs muscular forearm to force her back. Goshiki held her back as Oisim took several paces forward before the mask in his forehead glowed. The lights grew brighter as police vehicles abandoned their investigation of the gunshots and closed in on Koi Blood.
The street beneath Oisim cratered as he leapt towards the building at full speed. Ren flinched, closing his eyes as the impact which should have followed never came. A black miasma absorbed the impact, crawling down the side of the building to meet him, its indigo iridescence glimmering off the edge of every leaf-like layer.
โ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ๐๐น ๐ฝ๐๐๐.โ The Demon mask hissed, its form unable to break through Oisimโs skin while the oni glowed. โ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.โ
The miasma slunk away, leaving Oisim nothing to keep himself aloft as he plummeted back towards the street below. Renโs eyes peeked out from under his palm at the descending Demon mask, its one eye turning to stare into Renโs as it slid down the side of the building to meet him. โ๐ผ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ ๐น๐พ๐๐๐ธ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ด๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐.โ
The yakuza were hesitant to raise their weapons at the Demon mask, as the surrounding police had prompted their hasty concealment. Kohaku paused momentarily in her struggle against the restraining hand of Goshiki to stare in horror at the monstrous visage aside Ren, with no attention paid to the officersโ equally mortified expressions.
โGeh-โ Ren breathed, the suppressed shock smothering his speech. โGehidusiusos.โ
The miasma fluttered, a low chuckle escaping the Demon maskโs teeth as it traveled upwards, the dark substance holding it aloft expanding until its base extended to the ground, fluttering like falling leaves across the intersection. It blanketed the visible sky, covering all below in a funnel of flashing iridescent light. The distant thunder rumbled as Oisim pushed himself out of the sidewalk and leapt skywards again, catching Ren by the collar the same moment he, too, began to ascend.
โREN!!โ Kohaku cried out, her interference answered by a sudden growth of the miasma, which arced towards her from the outer wall like an evil root. Goshiki forced Kohaku to the ground and stood above her as the miasma bit into his back, forcing a howl out from his otherwise silent lips. When the root dissolved, the last of the Kin Gin Rin collapsed next to her, great holes eaten into his back and shoulder, the wounds swirling and grey.
โ๐ ๐๐ ๐น๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐พ.โ The Demon mask drew Renโs eyes away from the wounded Goshiki and towards its glowing eye. Oisim placed one hand on Renโs left shoulder, pausing until the mask was within distance and suddenly swinging himself upwards, smashing the toe of his shoe into its side. The mask splintered as an eruption of steam followed the attack, more than half of it breaking away and leaving the eye floating in space next to it.
The free eye slipped out of Renโs pocket and zipped to Oisimโs face, pausing for a moment in front of his eyes. Oisim froze for a brief moment, more than long enough to loose his grip on Ren, and the Wild Mask saw reason return to his eyes as he plummeted once more.
โ๐ ๐๐.โ The Demon cooed, its ruined mask suspended above him by the threatening ethereal matter. โ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐พ๐๐. ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐?โ
โThe lives of my friends.โ Ren Fukushi answered. โThe life of Corey. The life of Wild.โ
โ๐ฑ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐น.โ The Demon maskโs voice betrayed its excitement far too much. โ๐๐ ๐ถ๐น๐๐พ๐๐ถ๐ท๐๐ ๐ธ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐๐. ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐?โ
โI give you my humanity.โ
โ๐ฎ๐ ๐ท๐ ๐พ๐.โ
โ
The sky broke with a thunderous noise.
Droplets suddenly disappeared as Kohaku desperately felt the cold cheek of Goshiki for some sign of life. The body of Ren plummeting caught her eye, and the cloud of steam that erupted at his impact revealed Oisimโs presence, walking out of the hole in the ground with the body of Ren cradled in his arms.
Goshikiโs eyes shot open as the wounded bodyguard drew in a harsh and choked breath, immediately ascending despite the cry of pain he emitted in doing so. Oisimโs weary eyes met the shaking ones in Goshikiโs furious face, all his strength fighting to hide even the slightest indication of pain. Gently he laid the body of Ren on the ground; desperately Kohaku shook him by the shoulders to generate any kind of response.
โHeโs not dead, he CANโT be dead!โ Kohakuโs watery eyes looked up at her father in desperation. โPLEASE TELL ME HEโS ALIVE!!โ
โHe is alive.โ Oisim mumbled, the shock from his voice losing its unyielding presence drawing the gaze of everyone present. The miasma dissipated, flaking away on all sides as Oisim locked eyes with Goshiki for what both knew would be the final time. Behind him, the Demon mask descended, its miasma flaring out to take the robed, humanoid form it longed to embody.
โ๐ ๐๐โ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฝ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ท๐ ๐ป๐๐๐ป๐พ๐๐๐๐น.โ The mask grinned, the miasma growing out from its broken edge like a fungus, which slowly condensed and transformed to replace that which was shattered. โ๐ต๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐น ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐.โ
The officers raised their firearms at the threatening figure, but dropped them in pain as they heated up tremendously, burning holes in the asphalt below as they melted. โ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ผ ๐ป๐๐๐ป๐พ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.โ
Both of the amber eyes hiding behind its sockets swirled upwards into the air, disappearing momentarily behind the clouds before one of them reappeared, smashing through the clouds with tremendous force and slamming into Oisimโs forehead. He resisted its presence, steam billowing off his body as the heat from his skin started to warp the air around him.
โ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐น ๐ท๐๐ป๐๐๐.โ The Demon mask cooed, a smile hiding in its voice. โ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ด๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐น.โ
Oisimโs eye traveled to Goshiki, who shakily placed one hand over his eyes. The giant slowly lowered his head, his lids softly covering his pupils before the oni mask lost its glow. In an instant, the front of his head exploded in a cloud of ash, grey smoke billowing from the crater and obscuring all within. Kohaku screamed as her father fell, too horrified to catch him as he plummeted backwards against the road.
Then a thin, ashen hand wormed its way out of his skull, pulling itself and the arm attached to it out of the crater. More and more of the figure crawled out, its skin the same dark grey as the ruin of Oisimโs head, its clothes ragged and torn. It crawled across the patriarch of Koi Blood, rising to its feet as it reached the asphalt and stumbling forwards.
The face of Wild turned to see Kohaku, his hair the same unkempt brown mess with its occasional silver streak that it had been the night he died, with the addition of two horms protruding out of his forehead, as if the bone underneath had extended outwards in that shape. The eyes that locked with hers glowed orange out of their irises, the whites having turned as black as their pupils.
And then he smiled.
The same insidious smile of Hawk.
โ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐.โ The Demon mask rose further into the air, spreading its arms out and embracing the sky above, the clouds parting to admit him. โ๐ผ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ป ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐น. ๐ด๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐?โ
โ๐ผ ๐ฟ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.โ
The figure in the air dissolved as the leaf-like miasma scattered in the wind, the mask breaking into the same ethereal essence and dissipating. A laugh broke out, but not from the fleeting figure, as the stones at the edge of the street turned upwards, splitting open and forming lines of metamorphic teeth with which to cackle into the air.
In Asahikawa, and across all of Japan, the stones and boulders began to laugh, their shining teeth set in permanent smiles aimed at the sky, which rolled with a blanket of crimson covering the stars.
The deepest trenches in the ocean rocked the plates of the earth as they, too, formed massive incisors and shook the oceans with their seismic laughter. The mountains echoed and rumbled as every stone in the world laughed.
The world laughed.
โ
iykyk 
One chapter remains
It has been over a year and a half, but weโre finally almost done with the story. And then Iโll have to make the christmas special, as you voted that I will not get a break for the holidays 
itโs also kinda sad it only got four votes in the whole poll I thought there were like fifteen people signed up for this smh
yeah thanks bro it means a lot 
Tonight on Top Gear
I take a nap
James gets a facelift
And Hammond just missed seeing the devil
I knew I heard someone when I was home alone with my pet rock, thank you for the explanation Ghid
Finally, the Japanese Batman has met his nemesis.
โ
Chapter Fifty
Denouement
โ
โSay something.โ
โDo you ever wonder what being dead feels like?โ
Kohaku slowly drew her hands up to her face, resting it in her palms and supporting the whole position on her drawn-up knees with an audible groan. โSay something else.โ
The television in the corner of the ceiling flickered to life as power to the room was restored. Footage of the crimson sky and the resulting mass panic flooded every station, thoroughly crushing any further motivation to speak Rook may have possessed. Kohakuโs eyes snapped to the door at even the slightest noise outside, and the distant echo of steps prompted a quick scramble to find the remote and turn the television off.
The clicking steps preceding his appearing gave Kohaku every reason in the world to begin scowling in contempt long before he appeared, but she only fully crinkled her brow in anger as Odgu stepped through the doorway, his feet clicking against the floor. He sent her a weary glance as she, having hurriedly resumed her position of sitting with her knees drawn up to her chin and her forearms blocking her nose, stared daggers into him.
โThey have finished with the surgery.โ The cicada mumbled, continuing slowly past Kohaku and weaving around the hospital bed before leaning against its opposite side before he continued. โIt could be a month before he regains full feeling in his skin. Muscle reintegration could take even longer. He may never fully control his face again, or have the lip control to speak properly. Thatโs what they told me in surgery.โ
Kohakuโs eyes drew towards him, pulling the rest of her head along, disbelief mingling with her anger. โThey let you into surgery???โ
โThey did.โ
Kohakuโs eyebrows raised involuntarily at the words echoing through her ear. Appearing in the doorway, the bandaged figure of Tone stepped over the threshold, adorned with a heavy grey sweatshirt atop hospital scrubs, his face concealed by gauze. Odguโs head lifted up to stoically meet the eyes that shone through the bandages.
โโฆNo mask, huh?โ Kohakuโs voice betrayed her typical mannerisms as the defensive reaction they had become. โNow weโll finally get to see that handsome face youโve been hiding under there.โ
In response Tone weaved his fingers hidden beneath disposable gloves into the bandages atop his face and swiftly tore them off, revealing the metal mask underneath. Kohakuโs rapidly onset dismay at its reappearance was quickly overridden by a more thorough glance at its edges. โI donโtโฆโ
โIt was you.โ Tone stepped forward, stopping just opposite the hospital bed and staring down into Odguโs elusive pupils. โYou stalled Ren at the woodshop to give us time to catch up. You were there in surgery expediting the recovery of my skin to the degree that I canโt find anything left of the tear.โ
โI was not exactly let in, per se.โ Odguโs eyes landed on Kohaku, the implications of a wry smile dancing in his voice. Disappearing for a moment, he reappeared in the exact same spot a second later, lifting up the old lump of battered fabric mashed into the shape of what had once been a hat atop his brow to reveal the old, tattered theater mask beneath. โI still had one trick up my sleeve.โ
โWhere did you get that?โ Toneโs voice was quiet, but his mannerisms made his amazement blatantly clear. โWild said he lost it years ago.โ
โIt is not something we should discuss at present.โ Odgu returned the hat to his head with a sullen air, his gaze redirected to the hospital bed in front of him. โThere are other priorities.โ
โWhat do we do, sir?โ
All eyes landed on Rook, whose empty sockets atop the mannequin stared confidently into Toneโs shadowed eyes. His implication was beyond obvious, and the seconds of silence dragged on, the room waiting in anticipation for Toneโs impending response.
โNo.โ
Tone extended his hand out to the side, gesturing for Kohaku to hand him the phone by her side. โWeโve all been burned too heavily by this. Because of us, Japan is in utter chaos. The rest of the world canโt be fairing too much better. The Demon that Wild refused to believe in now has whatever power was kept from him.โ
โAnd Corey is dead.โ Tone eventually reached for his phone after Kohaku failed to comprehend what exactly he wanted. โI donโt know what kind of state Ren is in right now, but itโs not a responsive one.โ
โThis is what the eye does.โ Odgu looked at the solemn figure lying in the hospital bed. His skin was deathly pale, his pulse having disappeared entirely. โEach one is infinite. He can draw things in, let things out. He can share that infinity with your mind, like he did to meโฆ Or he can take things from you. Thoughts. Feelings.โ
โWhat Hawk did to me.โ Rook turned the mannequin head to face Odgu, realization unmistakably ringing in his voice. โThat was the Demon eye.โ
โEither Ren gave him something as part of whatever deal he made, or the Demon took it by force.โ Tone had given up trying to make the glove register on the screen and relented to using his exposed wrist, tapping in a contact before dialing. โEither way, it means heโs now in limbo; heโs here, but heโs also not here. Are you there, Race?โ
โIโm here.โ Raceโs voice crackled over the phone speaker. โBekkoโs also here with some of Koi Blood. Theyโve got a surgeon coming from the hospital over here because they think itโs too dangerous to move me. Are you on speaker right now?โ
โWeโre at the hospital.โ Tone replied, resisting the urge to scratch at the edges of his mask for a moment before remembering he could. โAnd yes. Whatโs been going on in the world?โ
โAs far as Japan goes, itโs pretty bad.โ Raceโs monotone delivery was far from inspiring. โTurns out weโre not the only mask-wearing weirdos out there. Some guy named Red Scare just made a big speech about uniting them together, and that prompted them to start rampaging through the major cities in the hopes of causing enough of a problem to get his attention. The militaryโs been blowing the head off anyone with a mask that even looks at them wrong, and a few turned themselves in to avoid getting killed.โ
โIโm staying here.โ Kohaku interjected, her eyes peeking out from under her brows to stare decisively up at Tone. โNo matter what happens, Iโm not leaving.โ
โRace,โ Tone resumed after a slight pause. โI have to stay here and keep Ren and her safe. I have a feeling this hospitalโs going to be very busy for the next few months at least. Unless thereโs any objection, Iโm putting Odgu in charge.โ
โNone.โ Race replied.
Toneโs eyes calmly settled on Rook, whose silver mask focused in him in silence for an unbearably long minute before he responded. โNo objection.โ
โYou already know I have his contact info.โ Race tore herself away from the phone at the end of the sentence, eventually returning to it with urgency in her voice. โThe surgeons are here, I gotta go.โ
โOdgu.โ Tone nodded at the cicada. โUntil we get Ren back, we need someone to lead us. It would be an honor if you would take up the role.โ
Odgu turned back towards Ren, his inhuman hands digging into the retractable guard rail. โI would have a word with you before I accept.โ
Tone immediately turned and left the room, Odgu following closely at his heels. The pair walked nearly to the end of the hallway before Tone leaned against the wall, folding his arms and watching the cicada from the bottom of his eyes.
โWeโre only buying time, you know.โ Odgu took his hat off and folded it up, concealing the theater mask inside. โSoon weโre going to run into someone with a more powerful mask. You wonโt be able to protect them all forever.โ
โYou called the noises of my mask frequencies.โ Tone tried and failed to restrain the smile that crept under his mask. โThat got me to change how I approached using it. Itโs given me much greater control over what I can do, and I want to expand that as much as possible.โ
โYou have a reason for telling me this?โ Odgu objected.
โItโs been more than two years since Wild died.โ Tone stood up off the wall. โSince then Iโve had these wounds, ones that wonโt heal, from the burns and the blast. Iโve done a lot of bleeding and an awful lot of feeling sorry for myself for something I could not change.โ
Odgu nodded, his eyes floating from Tone to the lower half of the wall. โI will do what I can. But I fear what may come of your outlook on life if you fully implement all that I tell you. No amount of technical knowledge can give you Corey again.โ
โIt was not technical knowledge that took him from me.โ Tone uncrossed his arms. โIt will not be technical knowledge that brings him back.โ
The pair stood in silence, quietly staring into the room itself before a deep and distant rumble penetrated the thick walls of the building. โRead up on every anatomy book you can find.โ The cicada trudged back down the hall, Tone following at his side. โMemorize the electrical patterns of every nerve in the human brain. Your wounds were inflicted by the permeation of the Demon, the origin of all masks; you may be able to circumvent him by the maskโs power.โ
โAnything I can do to be ready, boss.โ Tone glanced at the ceiling as a much louder rumble shook the lower levels of the hospital above. โJust in time for the end of the universe.โ
โItโs not the end of the universe.โ Odgu strode forward, increasing his pace as he and Tone moved on towards the doorway ahead. โItโs just the end of the world.โ
โ
โI havenโt seen this much red since we last painted the town.โ
โWhat the heck is your problem?โ Tone turned with a look of the utmost disgust on his features. Wildโs sly grin in return quickly softened as it became evident the Renegade Maskโs revulsion was not going away any time soon.
โCโmon Tone, you gotta keep your sense of humor.โ Wild patted the jacket shoulder of his associate, whose look of disgust slowly transformed into a disapproving glare. โYou let this stuff get to you and soon you forget how to smile.โ
โI forgot the moment I met you.โ Tone grunted, shifting another piece of metal up for a moment before abruptly dropping it into place again. โYep. Another one. Look, how many more dead bodies do we have to see before we go home and let the government handle this mess?โ
โOrbiting space stations donโt just drop out of the sky for no reason, Tone.โ Wild stepped over another trail of crimson liquid and wobbled as he regained his footing on the other side. โEspecially not ones with hammers and sickles plastered all over them.โ
โYeah, but thereโs no way this thing is actually soviet.โ Tone followed his bossโs path by clambering over the rubble instead of walking around it. โI think someone in current day Russia waned to prank people and stuck it up there without telling the world about it, to make the old regime look competent.โ
โIt wasnโt exactly competent for this thing to suddenly fall from orbit and crash into a love hotel in the middle of nowhere.โ Wild braced, the oni mask spitting off steam as he flipped a large portion of the former building upwards, wincing as it crashed into the surrounding trees.
โThis place sucks.โ Tone sniffed, pocketing his hands and staring off at the noticeable lack of treetops where the rubble had landed. โI donโt care how much you love hotels, you donโt go all the way out here in the hills just to stay.โ
โโฆYou donโt know what a love hotel is, do you?โ Wild lifted his mask to more visibly raise an eyebrow at Tone, who pushed Wildโs mask back down to cover his face again. The motion drew the senior Renegade Maskโs attention towards a tiny blue light which peered out of the base of the rubble.
Exerting a tremendous amount of strength on the pile, the steam cleared to reveal the resulting hole in the basement of the building. Pressed up against the wall was a metal sphere, several ports around a line running through the center of it connecting to steel beams which had shredded themselves upon impact. A number of small blue lights surrounded a circle set into the structure, itself emblazoned with the words ะะะะฏะฎะฉะะะกะฏ ะะะะะ.
โMenyayushchiysyaโฆโ Wild felt the edge of the circle for some indication of how it opened. โI think I know why Shiro Utsuri sent us here.โ
โOf course you know how to speak Russian.โ Tone grumbled, descending into the ruined basement and trudging over to Wild, who knelt in front of the large structure as he continued his search. โDoes it say 'property of Mr. Wings OโBlood, senior, to be returned to the kremlin if found?โ
โIt says-โ Wild grunted, pulling on the only available handhold artificially caused by the metal warping. The steam that jettisoned off his body yielded no result in its condition, and the resulting growl of frustration was cut off by Tone placing his hand gently over the circle and closing his eyes.
โโฆIt says Angel.โ Wild leaned forwards as the circle rotated and levered outwards, swinging past his eyes and revealing the darkness inside.
The figure hidden beneath the metal exterior was almost as tall as Wild, cradled in the fetal position and clothed in elastic attire clearly pushed to its limit. His silver hair was excessive, nearly covering his entire face ad extending past the base of his skull. A somewhat delicate apparatus in the center of the sphere had snapped from its base, allowing its passenger to lay free of his apparent restraints. Two transparent tubes extended from the apparatus, entering his right side below the ribcage and above the hip.
โWhat on earthโฆโ Tone whispered, eyeing the character up and down repeatedly before turning towards Wild. โHe canโt be from the soviet era, time dilation in space doesnโt work that quick.โ
โDid you just use time to describe time?โ Wild questioned, destined to never receive an answer as the tired eyes of the unknown sleeper suddenly shot open, pulling his startled gaze towards the pair as what little muscle he possessed began to tighten.
Tone aggressively rolled his eyes at the sight of Wild yet again removing his oni mask in an attempt to placate the fear in the strangerโs eyes. โWhatโs your name, son?โ
โHeโs Russian, you have to speak to him in Russian.โ Tone elbowed his superior in the shoulder before interjecting, in extremely improper fashion, โWelc-โฆ Wilkommen, da, da. Speak, uh, Russkiy, comrade?โ
Wildโs glare of unrelenting and unfiltered disappointment was interrupted as Tone extended his hand to the cradled figure, gesturing behind his metal mask for the gesture to be returned. With significant hesitance a bone-white hand entered the moonlight, its skin impossibly colorless as the thin fingers lightly gripped the extended hand.
Gently leading him outwards, Tone supported the figure as he suddenly collapsed, the tubes pulling at his side before abruptly severing, the skin and tissue surrounding the remnants rapidly growing to cover the holes. The rest of his skin rapidly took on a much healthier complexion greatly mimicking that of the hand that steadied him.
Wildโs reaction was far more subdued than Toneโs, and he met the frightened eyes behind the metal mask with an artificial calm. โWeโll get you to safety as soon as we can. Take you in, fix that awful haircut, get you something more befitting a member of society. Clothes, I mean.โ
โโฆAnd maybe a mask.โ Wild turned away with a wry smile, feeling the double take Tone performed without having to see it. He faced the distant city lights, which flashed as first responders drew near to the impact site. โHaving a mask is a big responsibility, you know. It means youโll be a proper Renegade like us.โ He turned back towards the pair, having ascended out of the basement with the littlest effort and now towered above them. โWeโll call you Ren for short. That work for you, Ren?โ
Tone stared in amazement at the sheer audacity of Wildโs naming schemes at their finest, his head tipping slightly to emphasize his second-hand misery. But the wobbling figure leaning on his arm took a deep breath in response, his eyes locked on Wildโs, a look of the utmost determination mingled into his sharpened stare.
โRen.โ
โ
Itโs done 
Finally, after over a year and a half, The Wild Masks isโฆ
โฆNOT done yet because weโre doinโ a Christmas special haha 
Regardless, after the Christmas special I will hold nothing back anymore 
Ok Iโll hold like five or so things back but the rest Iโll be answering in explicit detail, so bring your questions! Iโve been cryptic for far too long.
Itโs time for me to explain not only how Iโve been stupid but how stupid Iโve been 
Only Cesar Romero could make the moustache work 
also anime is trash
So Renโs a Russian now?
โ
Chapter โ
Conviviality
โ
โWhy didnโt you put them out last night?โ
โTo not perpetuate harmful tradition.โ Tone replied.
Rook tipped his mechanical head in confusion. โThe harmful tradition of getting presents on Christmas like everyone else in the world?โ
โI donโt perpetuate that particular tradition because I donโt believe in Santa Claus and Corey is more than old enough to know better.โ Tone adjusted the wreath again, stepping back to ensure it was actually level before deciding that it could use the slightest of adjustments. โThe idea that some all-benevolent grandpa violates international air space specifically to offload high-price commodities to only the most well-to-do households is beyond absurd.โ
โBut why donโt we have a tree?โ Rook gestured to the vacuous space where a tree would have, in his mind, perfectly tied in with the rest of the room. โThere canโt be anything harmful about having a naturally-grown decoration.โ
โI didnโt do that because I donโt believe in trees.โ Tone turned from the wall in resignation, abandoning his quest to perfect the position of the wreath in favor of finishing the gift wrapping he had previously interrupted. โSorry to have disrupted your plans to sit on the top, starface. Now make yourself useful and-โ
โIโm not going to cover myself in tinsel and stand in the corner, if thatโs what you have in mind.โ Rook side eyed his cohort for a moment before fully turning to face him. โDrop your contact or something?โ
โWhere-โ His gloved hands desperately felt about the counter, moving everything obscuring his line of sight before looking under the counter. โGood gracious, where is it? I better have bought it.โ
โYou see,โ Rook leaned back and folded his arms as Tone pulled a ball of receipts out of his pocket and thumbed through them at high speed. โThis is why you donโt do your Christmas shopping two days before and also not buy a tree.โ
โItโs not here, how did I not buy it-โ Tone shook his head as he spoke, stuffing the receipts back into his pocket and grabbing his jacket off the wall. โI gotta go out and grab that before he gets back, if I can. Think about, I donโt know, Christmas-y stuff or something until I return, okay?โ
โIf it helps.โ Rook shrugged, the frame slumping against the wall as the heavy mechanical door slowly closed behind the Wild Mask. No sooner had it clicked into place than the phone on the counter started buzzing. Rookโs eyes traveled between the phone and the door for a moment before attempting to answer it, his gloved mechanical finger sliding over the screen to no effect.
โโฆUh oh.โ
โ
โAnd not a single shiba inu.โ Corey sighed. โAre you sure we went to the right park?โ
Ren pocketed his phone, turning towards Corey with a confused expression. The purple earmuffs Corey wore stood out against the puffy coat and baggy snow pants, which loudly shifted with every step he took. Race slowly trudged back up to him, her hoodie and pants clearly suited for warmer weather vibrating as she attempted to hide how cold she was.
โOh, you mean-โ Ren caught himself halfway to completing a facepalm. โCorey, itโs just the word shiba, it doesnโt have any connection with the dog.โ
โI know, I was just joking.โ Corey looked away with an injured expression, prompting yet another silent sigh from Ren. The year prior had seen Corey brought into the Wild Masks, and it took many months for him to grow comfortable with his new surroundings. Yet without Tone present to smooth things over, the rough edges of unfamiliarity rapidly reasserted themselves.
Seeing the obvious rift appearing, Race shoved one of the amezaiku candies she held into Coreyโs line of sight. โI donโt like d-dogs. Too allergic to them-m. Or cats.โ
โIโm okay with dogs.โ Ren shrugged, retrieving another candy from Race as he slipped his free hand back into his pocket. โCats, though, are definitely my favorite. But I didnโt know you were allergic to them, Race.โ
โI c-c-canโt be around-d-d them-m-m-m.โ Her teeth audibly chattered as she spoke.
Coreyโs eyes shifted back and forth between Ren and Race, his mouth straining to the side to continue chewing on his amezaiku goldfish. Toneโs instructions for their outing at the Christmas market were to โabsolutely spoil him with no monetary limit, within reasonโ, which left Ren guessing as to what did and did not qualify under that descriptor.
โI think weโd better get back before you freeze to death.โ Ren adjusted his drab beanie. โWant to look at the tree before we leave?โ
โNo, Iโm good.โ Corey glanced back at the massive tree towering in the distance, absorbed by the yellow lights surrounding it. โAre we still getting fried chicken after?โ
โOh right, almost forgot that.โ Ren pulled his phone out and dialed Tone yet again. โIf I can get Tone to actually answer my call, weโll have him place the order and we can grab it on the way.โ
Race and Corey shared a glance at the observation that Ren was fully capable of placing the order himself, which went unnoticed by the leader of the Wild Masks as Rookโs voice crackled over the line. โYou realized he has you listed as Fish Boy in his contacts, right?โ
โWhy doesnโt he have his phone on him?โ Ren massaged his forehead with the freezing fingertips of his free hand. โHe should know better than to leave it lying around.โ
โHe said something about having to buy a gift and then took off. Iโve been trying since you last called to find something that will interact with the screen, and I made it work with the logo on a glasses-cleaning cloth. Did anyone here wear glasses besides me?โ
โHopefully we never will.โ Ren turned in place multiple times as he spoke, changing direction as his body anxiously waited for something to do. โIโll get back as soon as I can. What? Christmas lights?โ
โโฆI mean, if thatโs what you want.โ Ren scratched the back of his head. โYeah, Iโll have Race go grab some. Race, would you-โ
Ren blinked at the space where Race previously occupied. Suddenly looking down, he pulled out his wallet and felt about in an empty pocket.
โโฆIโm fine, she just took my credit card.โ He groaned. โIโll call later, bye.โ He had barely hung up before Coreyโs attempt to restrain his laughter failed. โYou shouldโve seen her look before you noticed.โ He gulped down air in an attempt to recover from his amusement. โOh, my face hurts. That was too much.โ
โAnything in particular you want with the chicken?โ Ren gently ushered Corey along, trudging through the thin snow towards the distant parking ramp. โTheyโve got a lot of weird candy flavors in Japan.โ
โI dunnoโฆโ Corey mused, holding his chin in his gloved hand for a moment. โBut maybe, one of those macaroons, or rons, or whatever they are? With the different colors, and oh! Maybe also some of those ice cream balls that they have? Or that watermelon thing, suika ba? Itโs supposed to have chocolate chips for the seeds. And what aboutโฆโ
โ
Pakka closed his eyes.
The feeling has crept up his spine for the last two hours. No matter what road he took, what back alley he turned down, or what he told himself, it persisted, driving him further and further, doing everything he could to escape the sensation that gnawed at the back of his mind and ate into his thoughts.
He was being followed.
Now, as he sat in the darkened office space, he tried desperately not to panic at his surroundings. The suited strangers strewn about inside the room stank of death, the occasional streak of red soaked into the grey carpeting and smeared across the wall. It was clear in his mind โ whoever killed these men had also stalked him there, waiting to kill him as well.
When his eyes reopened, he quickly lost the battle against panicking. Clinging to the opposite wall was a cicada so massive it was nearly his height, six horrible legs stretched out along the drywall. Without so much as a glance at what his mind reached for, he pulled at a wooden chair to his right and sent it flying into the insect.
With an unnatural hiss it flung itself towards him, smashing into the space he previously occupied as he desperately rolled out of the way. Racing to the elevator, he pressed the button as it refused to respond, with no light or sound to acknowledge having been pressed. His frantic attempts to smash it into a response of some kind were halted as the cicada stalked forwards, its wings beating furiously, the sonic hum it produced so precise the light on the nearby smoke detector turned off.
โTell me.โ The cicada spoke, its voice clear and unnervingly human. Rushing forwards again, the other chairs Pakka pulled towards it barely missing their speeding target as the oversized insect crashed into him, pinning him against the wall with its barbed hand against his throat. โWho killed these men?โ
โThat will do.โ
Pakkaโs eyes snapped to the opening door aside where the cicada had been waiting. It slowly revealed the author of the interruption, wearing an unzipped hoodie overtop a dress shirt. His height and voice were unmistakably that of a foreigner, although his accent was impossible to place for certain. What skin was visible had been painted red, the rest of his face above his nose covered by a flat, curved mask, the stylistic indentations across its smooth surface seeming woefully inefficient at letting its wearer see through.
โYouโve done enough, Pakka.โ The figure smoke, confidently leaning against the doorframe. โAnd the answer is twelve. Thatโs how old she was when you found out about it.โ
The cicada had turned to angrily protest the figureโs appearance before having the worldโs most violent start in response. It was several seconds before the red-painted man continued. โYour name is Odgu, your apartment has only recently come into your possession, and your landlordโs cat will never love you. This way, please.โ
"Twelve?" Pakka wheezed. Odgu relinquished his hold over Pakkaโs throat and let him collapse on the ground to cough his tonsils out.
โA few months ago, there was this kid I heard of. She had gone missing and the whole neighborhood was up in arms over it. Figured Iโd try to find her, only sheโd been sent overseas in a shipping container and died at sea.โ The cicada wobbled for a moment and landed on the ground, having tried and failed to stand up on two legs without support. โThe name Kumagai got thrown around; apparently it was a yakuza family. Apparently you or somebody else killed them before I could find out more.โ
โI didnโt do it,โ Pakka whimpered, pressing into the wall. โKnow told me to come here for the meeting and I spent the rest of the day with you following me.โ
โHe followed you because you loitered around the front of the building for an hour in the most suspicious manner possible before you got the call.โ Know leaned back through the doorway. โAnd he calls me Know because I know. Now get in here, both of you.โ
As Odgu straightened himself once more and prepared to awkwardly shuffle through the dim doorway, Pakka instinctively offered a hand to support him. Eyeing the suspicious youth and his bark-like mask for a moment, he softly nodded to himself and placed an inhuman hand in the extended palm.
Stepping through the open door, the ominous shine of a grim smile cut through the brief shadow before Pakka flicked on the light. A giant stood in the corner, his skin dark and grey, covered in deep-set, twisting wounds, scored across every visible portion of skin and all leading back under his mask, which emitted the most delicate orange glow through one of its tiny eye holes. The mask itself was a scowling hawkโs face, obscured almost entirely by two massive dials covered in rune-like lines traveling inwards. its rough, unpainted exterior implied a great deal of wear, and the black attire of its wearer reflected that haphazard approach to the power it offered.
With his hands folded behind his back, the perfectly round sunglasses met Odguโs spherical eyes with an aged smile, the fellowโs thin white moustache wispily floating with each subtle movement. His skin was dotted with liver spots and pronounced wrinkles, yet the all-black attire which included a wide-brimmed flat hat made it clear the long fabric case he carried on his back was not for recreational purposes.
On the opposite side of Know, watching Odguโs movements through the reflection of the wide window behind the group, was a static figure clothed in red โ a tailored suit with a red vest, red undershirt, and a thin black tie. His gloves and shoes were also black, and he kept his hands folded behind his back as the beady eyes beneath his ebony skull-shaped mask locked with the thin pupils in Odguโs eyes. As Know continued his tirade, he did not provide any visible indication he was even breathing.
โHawk and Usul were member of our esteemed order before we had chosen our path.โ Know gestured to each member as he spoke, interrupting his pointing to adjust the flaxen moustache he wore. โMister Kahn had, by proxy, been admitted into our league by master Rikuto some time ago, and he too took prominence. And then Pakka bumbled into it by complete accident, which is how he tends to do everything.โ
Pakka shifted uncomfortably in place, Odguโs eyes lifting for a split second to glance at him. Know could not restrain his smile as he continued.
โIt was decided, after a great deal of debate, that it was not feasible for us to order ourselves. We need a new master. You were not a popular choice among some,โ His masked gaze turned with mechanical precision towards Hawk as he spoke. โBut certain advantages come from not being the favorite.โ
Hawkโs gaze broke towards the floor, trying to hide the slight waning of his smile. โWe all have a first time to be wrong.โ His smile returned with greater intensity and an even more sickening presence. โI wonder what yours will be.โ
โIt would be joining you circus freaks.โ Odgu huffed, folding both free pairs of arms as the back of his exoskeleton strained under the pressure of holding him abnormally aloft. โCan you give me one reason beside empty threats and posturing that I should even half-consider the offer?โ
โThe opportunity to meet with the killer?โ Know gestured to the open door before sliding his hands into his pockets. โMay I present Oisim Makuei, head of the-โ
The man leaning against the doorframe sucked at a sodden cigarette for whatever last few wisps of smoke could be extracted from the exhausted end. His mop hair and disheveled attire conveyed an air of extreme disinterest in any and all formality, and he lazily turned his head to face Knowโs flabbergasted expression. โHeโs busy gaslighting a kid.โ
โFor what purpose?โ Knowโs words scratched at the back of his throat, some marked unfamiliarity in raising his voice. โWe had arranged to meet here and-โ
The disheveled fellow slowly tipped his head downwards and raised his eyebrows at Know until the implication to use his mask became painfully obvious. The red scowl on his features slowly turned into a shining smile which did its best to mimic the grey-lipped grin of his burly compatriot. "Renโฆ Ren Fukushiโฆ"
โ
โYou disappoint me.โ
Ren glanced about in undisguised frustration. โMaybe thatโs a benefit to me, yโknow? It seems like you donโt know how to have fun.โ
The bald giant shook his head in response, his features obscured beneath a thick sea of tribal-style tattoos. โDo not lie. You like being seen by others less than I do. You have less desire to partake in holiday festivities than I have hair.โ
โIโm not allowed to leave my own apartment when I want?โ Ren shot back, doing his best to hide his tension. โI think, sir, you may want to clarify if you intended for this arrangement of ours to seep over into every aspect of my life. And for your information, this happens to be a wig. Race, take my wig off right now.โ
โOkay okay joke itโs a joke-!โ He winced as Race gave his substantially present silver hair a few forceful tugs. โIโm not actually trying to go bald, goodness. Not that, uh, itโs bad or anything, I justโฆ uhโฆโ
โWhat purpose brought you here, wolf mask?โ Oisim folded his muscular arms and glared down at Ren. โI do not believe you made yourself appear in public at these trivial amusements just to purchase a string of lights. Unless that wooden stirring stick you are trying desperately to hide has some relation.โ
โNo Iโm not,โ Ren attempted to throw the amezaiku stick out of his closed hand, but it remained adhered to his palm. โI just think, sir, Iโm allowed to enjoy myself every now and-โ
Raceโs attempts to subtly nudge him grew until she sharply jabbed her elbow into his side. His offended reaction melted away as Raceโs eyes motioned towards the vehicle they stood in front of, and a glance back at Oisim confirmed he had seen something inside.
โYour mirror is too low.โ His deep voice took on a much more even tenor. Reaching past Ren, he pulled the latch for the trunk and stepped back as it slowly opened to reveal Corey halfway between it and the rear seating. Ren did his best to inspire a sense of security in his mannerisms, but Coreyโs eyes were thoroughly locked on the gaunt giant who now towered above him.
โYakusha.โ Corey mumbled as best he could with the candy goldfish in his mouth.
The muffled response had a profound effect on Oisim, his eyes widening dramatically for a brief moment. Looking up and past the vehicle, he abruptly clamped his hand over Renโs shoulder and dragged him to the parking space opposite his. โWas it Tone?โ
โWhat-โ
โTell me.โ Oisimโs grip dramatically tightened, Ren wincing and wriggling in vain to free himself. โThere is no circumstance where Partanen would willingly abandon him. He was therefore stolen by someone. You will tell me who it was and then you will explain why you kidnapped a child.โ
โGet OFF of me.โ Ren growled, forcefully shoving aside the large thumb that dug under his clavicle. โTone made a mistake. He pushed someone too far and that someone died because of it. He-โ He stole a glance towards the open trunk before lowering his voice to match Oisimโs. โTone is responsible for Corey being an orphan. Thatโs why heโs with us. Iโm legally his guardian, and heโs registered at living at my apartment, so thereโs no complication for you to get steamed over. If you have a problem with that you can take it to Tone, and until then you can get off my case.โ
Ren turned to go, but another hand caught his shoulder. Turning back with his eyes ablaze, the righteous fire in his pupils dimmed as Oisimโs face had replaced its unyielding urgency with a concern strong enough to crinkle his scowling brow. Stepping forward, he outpaced Renโs return to the vehicle and removed a mechanical sphere from inside his suitcoat.
โCorey.โ His voice was uncharacteristically smooth, a gentle strength taking the place of the gruff concrete tongue he was accustomed to. โWe may have met before. I know your father.โ
Corey, who had finished crawling through the hole between the rear seating and the trunk, now sat cross-legged in the rear of the vehicle, the mention of his father and the confirmation that Oisim was undoubtedly yakuza hardly improving his opinion of the colossal figure.
โThis device is compatible with some of the finer medical tools in your apartment.โ He offered the sphere to Corey, placing it gently in his hands as Race carefully eyed the transaction. โI had it constructed for security purposes, and Ren has convinced me it should go to you.โ
โYes,โ He forced a heavy smile as Coreyโs eyes quizzically traveled between the imposing figure and Renโs awkward body language. โIn addition to being yakuza, I am also Renโs landlord, as well as oyabun of the Makuei clan Koi Blood. He and I are both very interested in seeing the yakuza driven from Japan forever.โ
โWell, I must not keep you.โ Oisim casually extended a hand to Ren, who quickly shook it after a second of confusion at the gesture. โTry not to stay out too late.โ Ruffling Coreyโs hair with his massive hand, he walked to the stairs, pausing half a flight up to ensure Ren had driven away.
โRen has the Partanen boy.โ Oisim stepped down to glance at the empty parking space, the man at his side turning his puffy cheeks and constant scowl towards his superior. "He thinks Nooa is dead. He says Tone killed him. "
โI wonder if he did.โ The giantโs fingers tapped the edge of the railing.
โ
โThatโs not a very happy mask!โ
Tone turned his head as slowly as he could to face the bubbly character at his side. Adorned in over-the-top historical Japanese attire and sporting a large plastic Santa Claus mask, the stranger plopped down on the edge of the curb next to him, poking the elongated nose of the equally cheap tengu mask Tone wore. โYouโre supposed to be a protector, you know!โ
โIโve been told.โ Tone did his best not to look directly at the false Santaโs very real stomach distorting the shape of the fashionable attire he wore. โI couldnโt get a gift for someone in time.โ
โDonโt you worry!โ The stranger laughed, patting him on the shoulder enthusiastically. โWhy, I just know things will work out in the end. You canโt give up hope yet!โ
โWhy not?โ Tone grumbled as yet another massive float passed him on the way to the Christmas parade. โI had everything set up. He lost his dad not too long ago; this was supposed to be a big event for him.โ
โAh.โ The false Santa reeled some of his enthusiasm back, a knowing calm entering his voice to fill the void. โYou know what thatโs like, then.โ
Toneโs eyes shone dangerously as the Santa continued, seemingly unaware of the sudden daggers stared into him. โI see a lot of children who suffer terrible things. Sometimes those things are too much for words, and even tears cannot describe them. Some of them I visit too late, and they are gone.โ
โBut!โ The Santa continued, having momentarily slipped into a blatant melancholy. โI always tell them โMerry Christmas!โ whenever I can. It lifts their spirits and gives them good cheer in the cold.โ
โMaybe itโd be better if you helped those kids instead of perpetuating harmful traditions like that.โ Tone huffed in response. โKids donโt need a holiday mantra, they need to know theyโre cared for.โ
โAnd they do.โ The stranger leaned in, even as Tone turned further away to avoid him. โWhy do you think this plastic face exists? Children around the whole world know of Santa Claus. Itโs their dream to see him; even if no one else believes he exists, they do, and they keep looking for him, hoping that one day theyโll find him.โ
โSo they can receive gifts?โ
โSo they may receive hope.โ The Santa laid his hand on Toneโs shoulder again. โBecause to be loved by someone is the greatest gift of all.โ
Tone frowned for a moment, turning to retort only to find the fellow he spoke to had disappeared. At his side, on the edge of the curb, a colorful gift bag sat, the plastic Santa mask leaning against it. Hesitantly looking inside for a brief moment, Tone started at its contents, scrambling to his feet and staring in every direction for some indication of where the stranger had gone.
Above him, the snow began to fall.
โ
โThis has got to be the least medically-relevant medical device I have ever seen.โ
Corey barely paid attention to Toneโs words, dramatically flying the drone around the room and making Ren more and more visibly concerned at all the close calls he was having. Rook consistently flinched in place as the drone repeatedly neared his mask, the tinsel and lights wrapped around his frame shifting every time the drone swept through the air and veered away from his eyes at the last moment.
โCan we maybe look at it at a later time?โ Ren winced as the extremely impromptu construction paper decorations fluttered with every pass. โIโm pretty sure thereโs another gift to open before the nightโs done.โ
โHere, land it here.โ Tone raised his open palm, the spherical drone making one last pass before gently landing in the center of his glove. โYouโve got a lot of control over it, thatโs for sure.โ
โItโs all controlled with this.โ Corey proudly presented the medical joystick he held, which connected to wires leading under one of the white panels embedded in the apartment wall. โSeeing as itโs bluetooth, I might be able to sync it with my tablet and control it that way.โ
โWorth experimenting with, I suppose.โ Ren glanced at Race as Corey squeezed past her to replace the joystick under the exposed panel. She sent a subtle smile with her eyes in reply, her hands devouring the heat radiating off the cup of tea she held.
โNow!โ Corey raced forward and slid on his knees to the edge of Rookโs feet. โThereโs another present? Ow.โ
โI didnโt know that I would have a gift for you this year.โ Tone cracked open the bathroom door and retrieved a colorfully-wrapped box with an elaborate bow taped on top. โBut with a little help, I managed to find something I think youโll like.โ
โItโs the thought that counts,โ Corey said with level maturity as he gently received the gift and reading his fingers to eviscerate the paper covering it. โNot the amount of money spent. Iโm grateful for the people I have and the home I live in; anything else is icing on the cake.โ
โWish I could have some cake.โ Rook mumbled to himself as the wrapping paper flew off in all directions. โOr any food, actually. Or the ability to sleep, that would be really nice. Although I suppose not getting tired standing here has to count for something-โ
โTHE VLX?!โ
Coreyโs gigantic pupils immediately locked onto Tone, whose gigantic smile threatened to break through the metal mask concealing it. โYOU ACTUALLY GOT THE VLX! THIS IS LIKE SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS!!โ
โI got a pretty good deal on it,โ Tone turned to Ren as he spoke, whose horrified expression at the price awkwardly shifted into faux contentment at having definitely planned this all along. โAlthough it didnโt come with any games for it. But I suspect weโll have some before too long.โ
โTHANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!โ Corey jumped into a hug with zero warning, slamming into Tone and smashing his back into the wall. Ren sent a smug grin towards Race, who smiled as she tried to subtly wipe away the tear forming on her eyelid.
โOkay kid, sheesh.โ Tone lightly patted Coreyโs golden hair as he pushed off the wall he was pinned against. โDonโt just thank me, the rest of these freaks contributed too. It was Renโs idea, for one.โ
โYouโre the best!โ Corey threw his arms around Renโs neck and squeezed hard enough to make him choke. โIโm going to remember this Christmas for the rest of my life.โ He hurried to Race, who calmly set her tea down and jolted as Corey wrapped his arms around her stomach before awkwardly breaking away at the sound of metal pipes running into each other.
โDonโt forget me about me,โ Rook interjected, abruptly swapping places with Race and leaving her cradled in the extended arms of the frame. โJust, uh, donโt squeeze me too hard. Iโm a bit fragile.โ
โYouโre all the best!โ Corey neglected Rookโs warning and hugged the disembodied mask, oblivious to the creaking sounds that emitted from him. โDo you think we could go buy a game tomorrow?โ
โWeโll see.โ Tone smoothed out the front of his crumpled jacket before glancing down at his gloved palm. โYou think the Christmas parade is still on?โ
โI checked the tv guide while you were out.โ Rook replied from the center of the computer chair, Tone nodding at him the moment Coreyโs gaze lifted to face the silver mask. โThe best part is during the last half-hour, which should be playing now.โ
Ren had scooped up the remote and turned the television on, tossing it up to Race to thumb through the channels for the correct one. Corey scooped Rook up in one hand and lifted Raceโs tea in the other, kneeling down in front of the television as Race strained to reach the still-steaming cup. As stealthily as he could, Ren tiptoed to the restroom door and slunk inside.
โYou think he likes it?โ He joked, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder before processing what Tone was doing. The hot water hissed in the bottom of the sink as it gradually turned pink around the gloved hand which rested, palm upwards, just under the waterโs surface.
โIt all worked out in the end, right?โ Ren slowly walked up to the sink and leaned against the edge. โThatโs what matters. Heโs happy, heโs safe, and weโre all still here.โ
โRen,โ Tone turned his head just enough to see the side of Renโs face as he spoke. โYou and I both know if anyone were to go first, itโd be him. Thatโs just the way the universe works.โ
โSo we break the universe.โ Ren laid a hand on Toneโs shoulder, the latter turning back to the hissing faucet. โJust because some things seem impossible doesnโt mean we stop trying. What would you do to keep Corey safe?โ
โI know.โ Tone shook his head. โI miss him too.โ
Renโs eyes fell in staggered steps to the floor as he leaned off of the sink, only looking back up as Tone moved to turn the water off. โThereโs some things we canโt break, some things we can never undo. But doing nothing is giving up. And you know weโre not giving up.โ
Ren met the resolution in Toneโs eyes with a soft smile. Clapping his hand to Toneโs shoulder once more, he gave him a nod and slowly turned to the door.
โBoss?โ
The leader of the Wild Masks looked back as his fingers closed around the handle.
โMerry Christmas.โ
Ren smiled again and opened the door, slinking back out to the sound of Corey gawking and gasping at the elaborate parade floats and exaggerated performers. As the door clicked behind him, Tone looked up at the fogged up mirror and the blurred eyes which stared back.
โโฆAnd the midnight hour is nearโฆโ
โ
Merry Christmas, theorizers! 
With the final chapter out of the way, Iโll start finishing up The Wild Lands in the coming weeks (hopefully )
Waitโll you find out what the real Nota is 
Congratulations to @Cordax for figuring out that yes I really am that pathetic and sad when it comes to naming schemes and extremely funny and genius moments 
(I made Hawkflight a guy named Hawk with the power of Flight what did you expect from me)
Iโll be going through the dropdowns in the near future to answer some of the more pertinent questions but if anyone has additional relevant questions now that the book is over, ask away 
And now, for the final time:
Tonight on Top Gear
I get pinched
James meets Santa Claus
And Hammond makes like a tree
minor typo, story discarded
I always knew it - the real gifts were the friends we made along the way
