Masked Skater

Chapter 3:

It has been over a week since Souta and Shomi's dual beef against the Tsubachito twins. They won a thousand of each boy's points and now owns around 17 thousand status points.

Right after their finished match, Thunderbolt's manager was pleased with the kids' performance that he decided to let them join in the upcoming Thunderbolt tournament. Souta, Shomi, and Syouma signed into the tournament except for Minoru who couldn't skate how he used to do with a cast strapped on.

As the last bell of the day rang throughout the elementary building, Souta packed up his things and rushed out the door before his teacher could hand out their weekly homework. He took out his board that was in his backpack and met up with Shomi, who's already waiting for him.

They did their friendship handshake to start off their late afternoon. They planned to warm up and eat something at Souta's house before heading out to the skatepark to practice. The boy tagged his friend and raced off. "Race you there!" He shouted as Shomi followed. "Hey! You got a headstart!" Then they rode out of the school gates.

"Ne Souta-san," Shomi murmured as they stopped at their destination. "Is your mom off duty today?" Souta looked over to the open garage and nodded when he noticed a black mini Cooper parked in.

They dropped their belongings on the front porch and began to warm up with a few basic tricks. As they were finishing up, the door opened revealing a young woman with dark hair that reaches her broad shoulders, wiping her wet hands on the apron she was wearing before waving out to the two ten year olds.

They waved back. "How's your day you two?" She asked. That was something she always asked when they came home.

"Not that bad obasan." Shomi answered contently. "But I heard from someone in Souta's class say that he caused drama with his classmates again today." She nudge the boy who pouted at her.

"We were just playing.."

"Yeah, horse playing."

Souta got tired of it when his mother gave him a stern look and tried to change the subject. "Mama, me and Shomi wanna eat your homemade chocolate chip cookies, could you make them for us?" He asked responsively as Shomi pleaded too. "Please? Those taste better than original ones made in stores." Souta's mother hesitated at first but after hearing Shomi's comment about her cookies, she gave in.

"Alright. A plate of my homemade chocolate chip cookies coming right up!" She giggled before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Ne Shomi," Souta asked getting her attention back. "I have something to show you. Follow me." Shomi nodded as they took off their shoes and headed up the stairs. Souta's room is easy to spot since his house was kind of small with only a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a single bathroom.

Souta walked in first and took out something from underneath his desk drawer. It were two japanese kitsune masks with patterns brightly painted sky blue and deep pinkish coral. He handed the blue mask to Shomi who carefully examined it.

"I found these in one of my dad's belongings when I lost one of my screwdrivers in the garage." Souta remarked. " I remember mama telling me stories of wearing these with papa when they were young during special festivals."

Shomi gazed back at the mask Souta was holding, then back at hers. "It looks beautifully painted." She mumbled. "Yeah I know. Papa made these for their first anniversary. He was a skilled artist back then." He answered.

After a while of silence, Shomi remembered they have practice to do, so she tried to return the mask back to Souta but he pushed it back to her. "Keep it." He replied.

"But it's your mother's though." She said. Souta shook his head and gave the mask back. "You like it, don't you?" He asked. Shomi nodded in response, and Souta grinned. "Well then, think if it as your very early birthday gift from me."

"Ehh? My birthday's still like six months away." She protested but Souta answered with a giggle.

She hugged the mask close to her body. "Thanks."

Suddenly a loud explosion disturbed the two kids as it echoed from downstairs. Then they smelled smoke. "What's happening?" Shomi asked worryingly. "Something exploded from the kitchen. I hope mama's okay.."

Fear traveled down Souta's body as he rushed down the stairs to meet flames flooding the tiny kitchen about to spread towards the living room. Coughing due to the heavy smoke that filled the place, they grabbed the closet object they could use and tried to blow the flames away, but it grew larger and burned Souta's arm.

Souta yelled in pain and dropped to the floor, holding on to his injured arm. Shomi bent down next to him. "Are you okay?" He nodded and quickly rushed in the burning room, before coming back with a dead figure. Shomi gasped at the lifeless woman who's face was fully burnt.

She turned to Souta, who's eyes filled with heartbroken tears and arms full of burnt scars. She also felt like crying for her best friend that she hugged him and cried on his back.

They pulled away. He looked at his best friend and noticed the fear in her trembling eyes. Her voice was harsh and weak due to breathing too much smoke. He dragged her upstairs and shoved her mask and her board.

"Shomi.." He whispered. He embraced her before saying, "I love you." Shomi was shocked and knew what it meant. Before she could answer back, Souta pushed her out the nearest window.

She fell with an unread expression. Her eyes never left his pale orbs gazing down at her. "I love you too, Souta," she whispered before she passed out on the grass below.

Meanwhile Souta knew he needed to take action. He couldn't just stay there and cry. He wiped away the already dried tears and rushed back downstairs.

He hugged the dead figure as much as he can, whispering, "I'll miss you," over and over again. He then grabbed his mother's favorite watch that was strapped to her wrist. He didn't mind about the flames that burned his face and arms, he only cared about saying his goodbyes to his mother.

After he was finished he took one last look at his mother and took off up the stairs. The flames had grown bigger and had taken half of the house so he knew he needed to act quickly.

Grabbed his board and mask along with some belongings stashed in his backpack, he climbed over his window and into the backyard. He heard sirens from the front and knew that one of his neighbors must've called for help.

He didn't know where to go and he had no money on him so the only place he thought of was the forest behind him.

Sweating heavily, he ran into the forest away from the burning house behind him. Tears streamed down his pale bruised face and felt the stings of his sweat into his burned injuries. He cursed under his breath as he felt them and ran as fast as he could.

Eventually, the sun was about to set. Souta triedlessly plopped under a tree to rest. He breathed heavily as he checked on his wounds. They glowed crimson under the setting sun, and we're becoming swollen. He couldn't wash it since there was no running water nearby so he had to let it be.

He took out a bag of chips he left in his bag and ate it hungrily.

Soon night took over the world. He laid his head on the forest floor and hugged his board close. He held the watch he kept in his pocket, and began to cry. He didn't expect everything to happen in a single day.

Souta cried until he fell asleep.

Hallo people! Phew, this was a long chapter. I hope you like it. Have a good day/night!