Mask

Surprisingly Yamato's mother didn't have much of a reaction at seeing Tila, an alien girl, brought to her home. Even when Yamato requested that she help the 'alien girl' with disguise she just had that usual emotionless face as she studied the girl for some time before nodding.

"I have taking measurements, the mask will be ready by morning," she said then turned and went back to the bedroom.

"Thanks mom," Yamato said gratefully. He felt weird about how much his relationship with his parents improved over a few hours. Truly it's as they say, 'a friend could follow you through hell and mountains to cause trouble together, but family is where you return when in too much trouble'.

Beyond that though was the fact that he was requesting help from his mother for the same service why he disdains her. Simply put Nora is a mask maker that sells her services to criminals wanting to hide their identities, especially those that didn't like it here and wanted to return to the empire's main land. She can make them unrecognizable by the authorities.

Yamato wasn't one to stress over these things, he wasn't a saint after all, but Nora's costumers were the worst scums you could find. Most are genuine criminals that have a hurt a lot of people and destroyed families. That means people like the Fang brothers, and those just as bad or worse, are among those that benefit from her disguise techniques.

Call him a naive fool but Yamato couldn't stand those people that bully the weak and take human life as nothing. The fact that his mother help hide those people always felt like a stain on him.

So Yamato avoided home as much as possible, after all what you don't see don't bother you right? He didn't avoid her because he has deep-seated hatred or anything. As for the reason he doesn't eat her meals that's because she's surprisingly clumsy and often mistake ingredients like salt with materials she use for making the masks.

Those materials are usually poisonous, however luckily one could tell it's in their meal with just a taste. That's the only reason Yamato hasn't died a thousand times over when he was younger. That time he had no choice but to eat her food but after growing older he avoided it like a plague.

Yet today with a guest in the house, they sat around the table to eat something that was neither lunch or breakfast seeing that the time was 11 Am. Yamato gingerly tasted the meal before giving Tila the clear to eat which drew the disapproval of all the others in the table.

His father and mother's anger was understandable but Tila's glare annoyed him. "I'm trying to save your life idiot!" He said.

Nora bristled. "Save her life? Is my food poison?"

"Do I need to answer that question?"

"Damn you, is that a way to talk to your mother?!"

Seeing her getting angry Yamato decided to shut his mouth, but he felt it was unfair. That's what parents do right? They make the mistake then use their authority to bully their children into silence so they can't even protest. Typical examples are...

'Is that something you say to your mother or father?'; they say that when you made a good point and is winning the argument.

'Don't you have any respect for your parents?'; they'll use this line when you are explaining your innocence after being unfairly accused of something.

'Is your mother or father someone you could talk back to?'; they'll say this when they push you too much that you bite back.

They use those words to stifle you, it doesn't matter if they are right or wrong. They just won't take responsibility or accept fault, yet who can you blame for that? You can only blame the world for making such a rule, at least that's how Yamato felt.

Anyway he finally tasted his mother's cooking for the first time in a long time, it was delicious.

The next day, true to her words, Nora finished making the mask and used a glue to stick it to Tila's face then led her to the mirror in the bedroom. Tila was amazed by her reflection that stares back at her when she looked into the mirror. Miraculously the mask has transformed her into a human girl! Well not really, it was only the face that had the pale hue of light skinned humans, her neck and bare hands were still grey.

But if she covered other parts of her body no one will know that she wasn't human. The mask was that life like, starting from half way down her neck to the top of her forehead. The top was open, stopping at the edge of her hairline, letting her red hair cascade freely.

"Wear this," Nora walked into the room holding a blue turtle neck shirt. "This should help with the disguise,"

Afterwards Nora combed her hair so red locks framed her face. Looking at the end product in the mirror; hands covered in skin colored gloves made with the same material as the mask, neck covered with the turtle neck shirt, Tila couldn't hide her excitement.

For a long time she could only stay in the house or roam the forest when she's bored, with no safe way of seeing the world unless she masters some illusion technique which might take years to succeed. But with this mask..

It means she can just walk out of the house without causing any commotion from the humans in the street. Yes she'd still fear being seen but not as much as before as she can conceal her origin now. No one could tell she's not human just with a glance.

"Is it safe?" She asked. Feeling that it is too good to be true. It felt hard to believe that she could blend into the crowd now.

Nora smiled kindly. "Don't worry your little brain, you can blend in easily as far as you don't take off the disguise. Anyway you haven't seen much of the human realm right? Tell Yama to show you around the city,"

"Thank you," Tila said but she felt anxious to ask Yamato for anything, not willing to show any weakness.

That's why when she found him sitting on the couch playing with his phone she glared at him and said haughtily. "Hey, get up your mother said you should show me around the city!"

As expected Yamato looked up with a glare of his own. He understood that the girl wants to go around after practically being away from civilization this whole time. However her tone still irked him. "Can't you be more polite when asking something?" He said.

"Hmph, why should I?"

"Listen to me you little..." Yamato started then paused and took a deep breath to calm his anger, remembering that this girl is his master's daughter so it is not worth going all out with her. He hates being talked down on by a kid.

'But as far as she doesn't go too far I'll overlook it,' he sighed.

Tila stared at Yamato challengingly but inside she was actually nervous that he'll not agree to show her around. Knowing this guy, he's very stubborn and could easily decide to just ignore her. If so what can she do? She's now living in his house instead of the other way around what if she's kicked out if she goes too far? No matter how you look at it that will be a disaster!

As Tila was thinking anxiously Yamato finally spoke. "Fine," he sighed again then rose to his feet. "I'll give you a tour but stop commanding me,"

Tila just scoffed. But when she turned away from him and secretly smiled triumphantly and thought to herself, 'Hmph this guy is my mother's disciple, just my servant I know he couldn't reject me!' However for making her anxious before replying she decided to take a little revenge.

Tila knows Yamato so well and know he hates being told what to do, that's exactly why she does it; to piss him off. "Anyway, hurry up and show me around!"

Tila thought her bossiness will make him red faced in anger and curse at her but she greatly underestimated Yamato who instead of loosing his temper went for what she hates too. Yamato lifted an eyebrow. "Eager are we?" He chuckled condescendingly.

If she wasn't wearing a mask Tila's face would have turned black in anger. Anyway after that little bit of bickering Yamato finally led Tila out of the house.

xxx

Alrers are a great race in the cosmos, owning a star planet of their own and many satellite worlds serving under a unified empire under one ruler; the emperor.

In contrast while humans are also one of the Great Races they are somewhat lacking compared to the the rest. Their human realm is not even up to a whole planet.

About a quarter of the human world is covered in darkness. If that's all there's to it then humans could be said to have only smaller lands than the other great races in the cosmos. But the problem is even though the Human Realm is just a small place not even as big as some satellite worlds under Alrers.

It got worse as it wasn't even united under one ruler like other races. That means there's no emperor that controls the human realm at the top of the food chain, instead on this embarrassingly small realm they just have smaller lands called countries and kingdoms with their various leaders scattered everywhere.

Hearing this one would wonder why humans where even considered to be a Great Race. The answer is simple, humans are very powerful. Despite having fewer space or resources than the other great races, by average humans have more powerful experts. Among humans are many scary individuals that can flip the sky with one hand.

Anyway the gist of it is that the while the Human Realm sucks compared to other Great Realms it's just as powerful. So to Tila that has seen High cities of Alrer with their high towers, grand palaces and divine gardens, this Kreal city was nothing more than an ugly slum in her eyes.

But she didn't dislike it. In fact she prefers it to the loud over crowded high cities of her home planet. It's not like she hates home - she'll like more than anything to be able to return to her home planet - but this place felt like an exotic vacation spot.

In fact the average person in Alrer will relate to her. To Alrers people that love going to other worlds they'd pay a lot of money just to get a tour of this city.

Either way Tila was happy as she strolled around the city, out in the open world for the first time in a long time. Under the protection of her mask no one glanced at her twice. Yamato was also kind to her, he bought her lunch at a street stall and Tila's world changed as she found out the pleasure of fast food.

Her mother is a good cook but this far from home with some Alrers ingredients not found here she decided to try her hand at making human food. Which while delicious cannot stand up to Alrer's food. But these street food could give Alrer famous spicy food a run for its money.

Until now Tila had thought human food is boring and lacking any flare but eating the skewer Yamato bought her, feeling the chilli in the meat run around her tongue, she fell in love with the food, of course she wanted to eat more. And Yamato wasn't stingy and bought anything she wanted to taste.

That day Tila had a lot of fun in the adventure around the foreign city. By the time late evening came and she and Yamato returned to his home she realized that compared to the food or the city what she had really fell in love with was her mask.

It was the thing that made all the good things that happened today possible.

"Thank you,"

As they returned to the apartment Tila abruptly said and bowed to Yamato. Before he could reply though she simply ran off into the building.

'This little witch really...' Yamato was left standing on the pavement with a stunned look. Then he smiled, 'Having a good relationship with the Master's daughter is preferable!'

Talking of that so many things happened these days, he wondered what his Master is doing now.

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Author's words; I know update has not been consistent lately. I have been busy with a lot of things, just know that while I might not update daily like before, I'll still choke out a few chapters a week.