What were they doing out here? "Out here? What are we doing in America?" Koharu asked. It was a fair question. Since their first encounter involving the whole mask they hadn't left Japan. Both their lives had been flipped head over heels ever since that moment. Though it could be debated if they had individual lives anymore. All the events leading up to this point were hard to believe. --- Whatever happened that night six months ago scared the crap out of both participants. Going back to their respective homes they didn't talk to a soul. What would one even say to explain it? Either way the event was exhausting and sleep quickly overtook them. Bizarre dreams awaited them until they woke the next morning. Robert's part was done, he had crossed an ocean to meet his other half. There was no turning back for him. The mask had more work to do with Koharu though. Waking with a start she looked around slightly panicked. Somehow she had the sense that she had been somewhere else. Noticing the mask she grabbed it and went to throw it away but couldn't bring herself to go through with it. Shoving it in a drawer she quickly got ready and left. No way did she want near the thing. It was possessed or something. Being at home was still too close. Calling a friend she arranged to spend the day with her. Good, this should be fine. Imagine her dismay when their destination was the area that she had run into the foreigner. After attempting to dissuade her friend with poor excuses failed she gave up and went for the ride. It was a big place. How likely would it be that she would see him again. He was probably just some tourist passing through. It could have even have been a bad dream or something. Thinking how ridiculous she sounded to herself she glanced outside the car and nearly had a heart attack when they passed by Robert. That was not the last time either. Throughout the day she somehow kept nearly running into him. What he stalking her? He appeared rather oblivious to her presence each time. Being slightly superstitious she tried to think of anything else that might have been a sign or something. This went on most of the day and when it finally came time to go home she wasn't as afraid of the mask as she was of that boy. Even so she didn't touch the mask for several days. Further trips into town were uneventful and she didn't see Robert again. By now she was feeling rather silly for having worried about such things. Feeling a little more confident that she'd let her imagination run away she retrieved the mask again. Looking it over it just looked like a regular mask. Putting it up to her face a sense of dread filled her. She had missed her chance to get to know who that was. All those opportunities were signs. All at once she needed to find him. Having both under control made leading them to each other easy. Without even really thinking about it the two united the mask and became one again. Even though it could not keep them fused together forever the mask made sure that they were as often as it could. Unable to resist the mask's will initially they would shapeshift into animals or other people and cause mischief and confusion in the town. This obviously meant that Robert stayed in Japan, much to his parents dismay and despite their objections. On Koharu's end her father saw the two together and gave her a long lecture about fraternizing with foreigners. Even though the mask had control of them for the most part when they were fused they could still converse. It took time for each to learn the other's language but when you have a near telepathic link it made short work of that barrier. As they grew closer they also grew stronger. Eventually the found they could gain some control back when they worked together. Finally losing out they regained control but the damage had been done. Use of the mask's power felt more natural to them both and even when split they wouldn't part from each other's company unless necessary. From that point shapeshifting became a normal occurrence and even when the effects lingered it was not much of a bother. That was until they put the mask on and felt a new draw. The mask had brought them together, perhaps where it led them now would prove to be just as good. Leaving everything but the basics behind they set off to find where it led them. --- And that is how they found themselves in front of this old looking shack and the questions began. "What is this? Is anyone inside? Are we supposed to live here?" By now it was sometimes hard for them to make out their individual thoughts. If they ran together that was alright. It wasn't often they disagreed. If anything they were more alike than ever. Even subtle things would occasionally make an appearance like when Koharu would lift her hand to adjust the glasses she didn't have. Speaking of Koharu, they were currently using her form. Entering the shack didn't quell the confusion. They made their way down into the unknown. Anxiously awaiting what new thing the mask had in store for them.