Chapter 12: Murakumo

8:00 pm at night and Christmas Eve was today... There you stood waiting for her at the time and place, only to be waiting a little bit longer than usual. Where was she? You heard what sounded like a camera taking a picture. Turning your head you saw her standing there with a camera in her hands while taking multiple shots. "Don't look at me. Keep facing forward, I need some good refrence material."

... ... ...?

"Exactly." She said taking snapshots from different angles until she was satisfied. "Thanks, I really mean it."

...?

"Yeah. This date should give me enough material for my manga."

...

"Well then, what do you... exactly DO on a date?" She asked as your were surprised by that question. "I've never really been on a date before." You couldn't help but smile as you grabbed her hand causing her to jump at the sudden touch.

... ... ...

"A-Alright." The two of you walked away from the station to find something to do. The best thing right now was hitting an arcade where the two of you played games galore. Surprisingly she was quite good with a fighting game that involved a samurai that used a wolf for range combo attacks to the point she beat you 3 times! The next game the two of you played was a zombie shooter that made the two of you panic after reaching a hard boss.

...!

"To your left! Quick shoot the arm!"

...!

However with only a slight slip up on your side the both of you died at the same time causing a game over. "D-Dammit..."

... ... ...

"I think I broke into a sweat honestly." She said airing out her jacket before slightly took off her mask to wipe off some sweat then placed it back on. For that split second you swore you saw a green color to her eyes. When you were distracted by it she looked at you in confusion. "Is something the wrong?"

... ...! ...?

"Yeah! I want to beat that boss before the night is over!" You nodded to that dedication as you put in a couple more coins then started getting ready for the fight! Last boss of the game and the both of you were so close to the end! "Incoming on your right!"

... ... ...!

"So close!" With the final shot the boss has died in an explosive end as the final cutscene showed the two characters taking off their masks while smiling at the sun rising for the morning. In big bold letters it read 'NIGHTMARE IS OVER' with the top score being yours! "We did it...!" She placed the controller back before letting out a sigh. "That was... Fun." She admited but it was hard to tell if she was smiling or not.

... ... ...

"I'm getting hungry myself." A restraunt was the best course of action right now. Your stomach rumbling for something delicious and hot would hit the spot right now.

... ... ...?

"R-Ramen?" She was taken back by the suggestion.

... ...?

"Well uh... It's just..." She placed her hands on her mask before shaking her head.

... ... ...?

"Y-Yeah! Takoyaki sounds nice good right now." The two of you went to the nearest stand available as you got a shareable size box of food with a pair bamboo skewers with you. "It smells good." You handed her a skewer to then open the box to see how delicious it looked. "Thank you for the food." She slightly raised her mask for her mouth to place one in her mouth only to flinch. "Hot!"

...?!

"T-That was my fault, sorry..." There some was just... Something cute about her voice right now. It was a slightly higher than the normal tone of voice you know her for. Taking a bite out of a second one she couldn't help but be lost in the taste. "Thanks again for today."

... ... ...

"I thought I could just use this whole night for references and notes, but I guess living through it is more fun than that..."

... ... ...?

"What's my manga about? Well..." She looked down at her lap. "It's about a princess torn between two boys. One is from a wealthy family and the two are to be wed by the time they reach full adulthood, however she doesn't have any feelings for him as she's in love with another." She kept going as she looked at you. "A commoner who she met one day when she was on her way to her school, but she the reason why shes torn is between two things. Family importance or the love of her life?"

... ... ...

"Yeah, I want the drama to be real and the romance not to seem too cliche." She pumped her fist full of determination. "I want to get it done just in time for Comiket! I want it to sell like hot cakes!"

... ... ...!

"You're helping just as if not more. Thank you for asking me out."

... ... ...

"I'm... Happy too..." Soon Murakumo slid her hand right on top of yours. You wish you could tell what she was doing... Was she smiling? Cause it felt like she was... However she soon retracted her hand with a yelp before looking away... Well, this was awkward...

... ... ...

"More to see? Where do we go?"

... ... ...

You stood up from the bench while offering her your hand as she stood up from the bench as the two of you went to the town. Both of you walked through the town enjoying all the beautiful decorations that hung from trees and lamp posts. Murakumo looked like she was having fun as she gazed at the lights that looked like dancing stars on buildings. When the both of you were at the park it looked like a massive festival was happening.

... ... ...

"It's huge... Imagine the electric bill..." She thought before taking out her camera to take more pictures. "This will be great for the background."

... ... ...?

"I'm making the romantic scene I really needed for the final page. But now..." She got closer to you with the hannya mask being right in your face. "I need to learn how to do kiss scenes, so please... Help me with it!"

...?! ... ...?!

"I'm dead serious... S-So... P-Please... Help me."

... ... ...?!

"I'm ready... Now, kiss me!" She leaned forward with the hannya mask still looking at you dead in the eyes. This was ridiculous on every note possible... "Hurry..." You nodded to that as you closed your eyes and leaned forward with your lips touching the mask. "You're... Kissing me right?"

...

"I-I see..." This was quite possibly an awkward sight to take in as the two of you started getting some odd looks. "Place your hand on my cheek." She ordered as you did feeling how warm it was. Was she blushing? You felt her arms wrapping around your neck trying to be more intimate with the scene. "Hmm... I think I got everything I need." She said while letting go as you did the same, but with a minor set back. As you tried to take a step back from her, you tripped backwards as your fingers took a hold of the mask!

Landing straight on the ground was painful as it almost felt like you broke your collarbone. When you straighten yourself out, your eyes witnessed Murakuma in a stunned daze... The thing that captivated you the most? Her eyes... You finally saw them for what they were in the first place. A beautiful olive green as her face was bright red almost like she was a christmas tree herself. "D-D-D-D-DON'T LOOK AT MEEEE~!"

In a short moment she took back her mask and left at top speed like you've never seen before! What was that?!

... ... ...!

You reached out to her only to see her turn the corner still running! You gotta chase after her! Running through the crowd and accidently bumbed into some people, you kept asking around if they've seen a girl wearing a mask. All of them pointed in the direction you hoped was correct only to then be stopped... A fork in the road...

... ... ...?!

You called out to her with no response at all... Nothing... "I'm... Right here..." Out of an alleyway she appeared with her head down. "Sorry..."

... ... ...?

"...I couldn't help it..." She said sitting on the ground while curling up like a ball. "I didn't want you to see what was underneathe my mask."

...?

"Cause... I... I just can't bare the thought of you seeing me!"

... ... ...?

"No! It's not that!"

... ... ...?

"I... It's because..."

... ... ...

"I'm not cute!" She disagreed without hesitation. "I need my mask... Without it I'm weak... I can't do anything by myself if I don't have it." She placed her hands on the mask as her fingers traced over it. "I... I just need it."'

... ... ...

"Huh?" You placed your hand on her mask as she started to squirm. "H-Hey! What are you doing?!" In a single yank your eyes saw that face once more. "G-Give me back my mask!"

... ... ...

"I-I'm not cute!"

...

"No I'm not!"

... ... ...

"S-S-Shut up! You're just saying that to make me feel better..." She looked down covering her face once more with her hands. "Everyone does..."

... ... ...

"W-What?!"

... ... ...!

"Y-Y-Y-Y-You jerk! Now I know you're making that up!" She started to blush once more as she tried to reach for her mask.

... ... ...!

She stopped her movements like a brake pedal as you placed your head right on hers as you couldn't help but smile. Finally being able to see her up close without the mask after all this time. She really was super cute!

... ... ...

"D-D-Do you... Really mean it?"

... ... ...

"I see..." She slowly wrapped her arms around you as she hid her face in your chest. "I... I want us to go somewhere else..." You gave her back the mask as she let go of you, but took you by the hand. "Let's go." Her voice was back to normal though... That mask was quite a switch, wasn't it? After sometime the both of you ended up at a temple where it was quiet and alone. "It's perfect."

... ... ...?

"I wanted to be alone with you..." She answered before taking off her mask to show her face hesitantly, but was able to show you in full glory. "Back then... I hid myself all the time when I was a child... Because I was scared of the world." She looked at the mask in front of her. "I was told my mother and father died in an accident, but... A part of me thought differently."

... ... ...?

"Yes. When Kurokage found me, I had a feeling I could find out what happened to my parents while leaving everyone else behind."

... ... ...

"Yeah... But I wasn't alone no matter what. I was blinded by what I was taught by Kurokage... Then they came into my life and told me differently." The memories she had of her friends and what they taught her aswell.

... ... ...?

"Both old and new friends I've met." She said with a smile on her face. "And it's thanks to them I can take off my mask when I'm with them, however I want to leave it off because I want to be stronger."

... ... ...

"Huh?"

... ... ...

She couldn't help but smile at you. "I'll hold you to that... So please... Always stay by my side no matter what, okay?"

...!

"Thank you..." She turned around to look at the temple but it looked like she was trembling... You took some steps forward only to stop as she told you something that caught you by surprise. "I have secret I must tell you..." She turned around once more with a scowl. "And you can't tell anybody! Not a soul but you know this! O-Okay?!"

...!

Soon the wind started to pick up strangely... But soon you felt like something was caught in the wind! That's when you noticed a strange aura around Murakumo... Soon all of her clothes just shredded to pieces as she was standing there completely naked! "SHINOBI TRANSFORMATION!" The wind picked up violently once more as she was covered in a strange blue light. The sounds of wolves howling to the moon could be heard in your ears as you could see one running around where Murakumo once stood. When the light died down you saw her standing there once more but... Imposing. She stood on the spot wearing what seemed like samurai warlord armor as she wielded a MASSIVE cleaver and a spear...

...?

"This is my secret." She said under the mask before taking off her mask. "I am a Elite Shinobi for Hessen Academy..."

... ...?! ...?!

"Yes... Hessen is actually a ninja school that Master Kurokage founded. And it's not just me."

... ... ...?

She nodded to your question. "Yumi, Yozakura, Shiki and Minori are also Elite Shinobi aswell..."

... ... ...?

"No. The reason why Kurokage wanted you in the school was to train us, so he had everyone attend the school like a normal one." She answered you honestly. "However, I'm happy he did... Because thanks to you... My heart finally knows what it wants."

... ... ...?

"You see... I'm supposed to be engaged to another man for my father's company." WHAT?!

...?!

"I'm sorry... I didn't tell any of you because it something that I needed to figure out, but I know for sure that I have the answer to that." She smiled while placing a hand on her breast. "You see the manga I was working on was inspired by what was happening in my life... I was afraid that the engagement would go through, but now I finally found someone I truly love."

... ...

"I love you..." Everything in your mind suddenly stopped with the sudden confession. "I know it's crazy right now... I know it's out of the blue, but everyday that we spent time together my chest tighten and my heart raced like crazy when I was with you." She confessed everything on the floor. "I want you by my side... Forever and ever..."

... ... ...

The moment you confessed back she started to cry but still held that cute smile of hers. You wiped away the tears in her eyes. She wrapped her arms around you not wanting to let go, but she also wanted something this night. As the two of you got closer together, your lips made contact with each other as she dropped her mask onto the floor... When the two of you seperated you couldn't help but smile. "Merry Christmas..."

... ... ...

The two of you went home hand in hand not wanting to seperate from the other... This truly was a good Christmas. "W-W-W-WAIT! I CAN'T GO INTO TOWN WITHOUT MY MASK!" She shouted as she quickly ran back to the temple to pick it up once more... Something will never change...

EPILOGUE

How many years have passed now? Time flies when your in love after all... Work was brutal just as ever, but it was thanks to her you were able to get this job at her father's company. Her father being the CEO, you thought he would hate your guts beyond all repair. Instead he was actually quite supportive of your marriage, only that he promised he would murder you if you ever caused Murakumo to cry. Even though he was her adopted daughter, he was still a father.

When you came back home you saw no one there to greet you but you heard the tv still on. As you took a step inside you saw her right there sleeping soundly with her head resting on the table and panals of her new manga everywhere. You placed a blanket on her shoulders so she wasn't cold as you started preparing dinner. Soon she awoke to the smell of delicious food being made. "Darling? You're home?" She rubbed her sleep filled eyes trying to wake up. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! I was working on my panals and I got so caught up that... I'm sorry..."

She looked down thinking she did bad but it only made you love her more. God she is cute! You couldn't help but wrap your arms around her waist as you spun her around while lifting her up. "D-Darling!" She was caught by surprise but didn't dislike it. Soon you kissed her on the lips as she couldn't help but love the situation. "Here let me do the rest while you take a bath." She said as she started cooking everything else. However you had other plans as you snuck up behind while kissing her cheek. "H-Hey I'm not for dinner!" She laughed but she loved this. To think this was the same person who was so shy to show her face to you as the mask was now hung on the wall. To see her smile everyday... It made every moment you missed it feel like redemption. "I love you... My Darling." And you couldn't be happier.

END

WOW! IT'S CHRISTMAS!

I knew I would be lazy... But also my job has been kicking my ass... Where I come home and just pass out. After that I play a game... Also smash bros... I'm sorry...

With all the games coming out I don't think I'll be able to do anything... Kingdom Hearts 3, DMC5 and all that. Here's MY question for you guys. What game are you hyped for 2019 and what was your most hypest moment in gaming for this year? Mine personally is JOKER/REN/AKIRA IS IN FUCKING SMASH BROS! LET'S GO MOTHER FUCKER! LET'S GO! P5 SWITCH PORT AND DATEABLE SAE WHEN?! LET ME HAVE A TALL LAWYER MOMMY GF GODDAMMIT!

And what was your most disappointed moment in 2018? You know what's obviously? Fuck you Sony... I want my anime tiddies back... Thankfully fucking NINTENDO is giving me that... What timeline is this where Nintendo give us anime tiddies and eroge? For the love God we got Nekopara up in this bitch.

Alright see you guys in 2019 cause now I gotta go back to writing smut of Sekirei and more chapters of Rebel. Love you and have a Merry Christmas.