Chapter 1 :Hahen Rio Shishi
The bald, shaven, head of the black garbed monk was bowed. The monk was not meditating, he was sleeping.
Nearly three months ago this once fit and healthy monk had been training, he acted as a kind of guard for the temple in exchange for being allowed to take refuge there, but now he was ill; more so, he was dieing.
Another monk, this time dressed in bright orange, knelt at his side and gently touched the first's shoulder.
"Sensei Hahen," the second whispered.
Hanhen lifted his head and looked toward the older man.
"Hai Hiro-san?" he whispered back.
"How are you feeling today?" Hiro replied.
"Well enough," Hahen replied.
"You best come inside, there is a guest that claims to know you. It is also time my friend that you should eat and rest," Hiro replied.
Hahen chuckled weakly.
"Hiro-san, it is peaceful out here and the sun is warm enough for me," Hahen whispered, teasing softly.
Hiro shook his head and smiled slightly.
"Ah my friend but not even the sun feeds a man for you are no plant," Hiro replied, a smile turning the corner of the older monk's mouth.
"Ah but I wish only to be warm, like the sun," Hahen teased softly, his golden-brown eyes twinkling slightly.
A soft chuckle and an offered hand was the only response.
Hahen rose slowly, gripping his friend's hand in a once strong grip, now turned unsteady. He followed Hiro into the temple and into the foyer.
Hiro bowed in greeting to a woman standing there who bowed in response.
Hahen watched her, eyes examining her, he smiled slowly before approaching out of the shadows and bowing to her in greeting.
She replied in kind.
"It is fine my friend, I know her from long ago, you may take your leave," Hahen whispered.
Hiro bowed and exited.
Hahen turned back to the woman.
"April," he whispered.
"You look horrible Leo," she whispered.
"Tends to happen when your dieing," he replied.
"You go by Hahen now?" she whispered, avoiding that painful subject.
"Hahen Rio Shishi, to be correct," Hahen replied, "you are family...call me Rio."
April stepped forward and gave him a sorrowful look over.
"Why are you here?" Hahen sighed.
"Casey got a SOS message from one of your old Shell-Cells about a month back. I tracked it to here," April replied.
Hahen sighed gestured for her to follow, pausing when a young boy approached.
"Sensei Hahen, Hiro-san asks when you wish to eat the dinner that was prepared for you?" a young boy questioned softly.
Hahen smiled slightly.
"I shall take it now, outside in the garden. Thank you Taka-chan," Hahen replied, shaking his head slightly.
Taka bowed before turning and going to grab the meal.
Hahen gestured for April to follow him.
"This place is beautiful," April whispered.
Hahen simply nodded.
After they were settled and the meal was brought out along with tea and something for April to eat as well, they fell into silence as they ate.
"What is it?" April whispered, "that's…killing you?"
"Cancer," was Hahen's soft reply, "by the time we realized what it was it was too advanced to do much more than make me miserable. I wanted to die whole."
April nodded and started to ask a question.
"The SOS was when I panicked after having a very bad day. I was scared to die alone and hoped that someone would come say goodbye. You're the only one w-who even noticed as far as I know."
April felt her heart break before reaching forward and gently taking his hand.
It was so fragile, thin, and weak; he was, his whole body was that way.
"Am I permitted to hug you?" she whispered.
Hahen chuckled softly.
"I do not think they would mind in my case," he replied softly.
April pulled him into a hug as he clung to her, a few tears wetted her shirt before he pulled away and took a slow, shaky, breath.
"I'll find them, I promise," Hahen shook his head sadly, "they have lives…families most likely…don't bother them. It was enough having you here."
Before April could snap a reply there was a shuffling noise as someone approached.
They looked up to see Hiro standing on the path.
"Young lady, the temple is closing and I must ask you politely to go. You may return to visit tomorrow if you wish. It is also that Sensei Hahen must rest as well," Hiro whispered.
Apirl nodded and gently squeezed Hahen's hand before getting up and leaving, bowing to Hiro before passing.
"I'll come back tomorrow," she whispered before walking away.
Hahen nodded.
"I am tired my friend…very tired," Hahen sighed sadly.
"Are you ready?" Hiro murmured.
"I do not know how much longer before I will be. Perhaps today…perhaps tomorrow," Hahen sighed.
~Later that Night~
Hahen shivered on his mat, before coughing weakly. Before he could move, a hand rested on his forehead and blankets were wrapped around him.
"We are here my friend, rest," Hiro whispered.
Hahen relaxed, at ease with those he had come to call family beside him.
They stayed with him all night, bowing their heads as he slipped away around dawn, his tired body giving out.
The disease had won.
When April came by Hiro was there to give her the news, he consoled her as she wept sadly and allowed her to take his ashes home.
It was a shock knowing Leo was gone.
She put his swords crossed on a display above the stand that held his ashes, along with a picture of him sitting serenely in the garden of the temple where he has lived for the past fifteen years.
Casey stood in front of the small stand and gently touched the urn.
"Sorry I couldn't be there to say good-bye buddy. Miss ya'," he sighed, before glancing toward the dinning room.
April was seated in the dinning room, her computer open as she searched, every variation of the guy's names she could think of.
"Ape?" Casey questioned.
"They have to know…he wanted to see them Casey…I have to know if they're gone too…he thought they didn't care. Casey he told me not to bother them because they probably had families. Casey…he wanted to see his family again…they never came to him," April choked out before sobbing softly, "He wanted…to… say good-bye."
Casey wrapped her in a hug and closed his eyes sadly.
"We'll find them Ape. I promise," he whispered.