"Oi! Is that her?" Alex exclaimed for the hundredth time, pointing out the window of the limo we were being transported in. I didn't even glance toward where he was pointing before I said, "No."

Jaab & Ken laughed when Alex sighed in defeat. The three boys had been pointing at random Japanese women throughout the two hour trip. Now that we were here, we were all looking out for a young female, about fifteen-sixteen, or a tall male dressed in black, about early twentyish, & with a cello case on his back. We decided to browse for a couple of hours before we booked into a hotel & actually went to their house. I hadn't seen Saya since she went into her long sleep nearly one hundred fifty years ago, nor have I seen Haji.

"Hey! Over there!" yelled Jaab, but I didn't look.

"No." I said monotonely. Jaab looked over at me & pouted like a five year old.

"You're not even looking." he muttered. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"It's not either of them." I said, glancing at Jaab, then turning back to the window.

"Remi." Vincent muttered urgently. I looked at him & saw that he was looking out the window opposite to mine. I spun my head around quickly, searching the crowds, my eyes jumping from face to face swiftly. I couldn't feel my sister's aura, but I could sense someone that I've met before in the crowds.

A glint of metal shone brightly at me, but just for a second. It was long enough for me to notice it, though. My eyes were there in under a millisecond.

Haji's cello case hung on his back loosely as he walked among the tight crowd. His hair was up in a purple ribbon, as always, & his face hidden from me, for I could only see the back of him. I turned to Vincent, who, without exchanging a single word, turned to the chauffer & told him to pull the limo over.

"Stay here, all of you." I caught everyone's eyes quickly, then shoved the limo door open & raced out, dodging as much of the crowd I could. I caught a glimpse of Haji looking my way, & then moving out of the crowd & under the shelter of one of the buildings, his back to the store's door, facing me. I paused, too, the crowd swarming around me & continuing forward.

I waited for everyone to pass until I could start walking again. Haji patiently waited for me.

"Haji." I said quietly, inspecting him fully. "You look...well." I paused when my eyes met with his bandaged hand. I stifled my curiosity as best as I could, not wanting to be rude by asking about it. I brought my eyes back to his face.

"Thank you." he nodded, & it was quiet for a moment. I decided that this was my cue to get down to business.

"Is Saya awake?" I asked emotionlessly, hoping that she was so that we had a place to stay for awhile.

"Yes, she is." he replied, equally emotionlessly.

"Do you guys mind if Vincent, me, & some of my friends stay with you two for a little while? Probably only about a week, though. We've run into a bit of a problem, & we need to keep moving around for some time..." I trailed off, not wanting to go further. Haji nodded.

"Saya will be happy to see you again, Remi. I'm glad that you are well." Haji said. "We are staying in a hotel at the moment. I'll show you the way."

He jumped up on to the roof of the building we were standing next to, & I looked back at Vincent, who told the chauffer to start the limo. I followed Haji's lead, & we quickly began our way to my sister's temporary home with Vincent on our trail.

The elevator came to a slow stop, & we all stepped out of the little box as a group. Haji then got in the lead & took a few steps to a tan door on the right of the hallway, slipping the keycard through the slot, then opening the door. He entered first, then me, Vincent, Mrs. Jacobs, & so on. Vincent stood behind me to the right, & Mrs. Jacobs' group got into a small group behind me, silently observing the hotel room, looking for Saya.

Haji walked into the hallway to our left & entered a room that I suspected to be Saya's bedroom. Haji reappeared moments later, Saya walking behind him slowly. When Haji came to a stop in front of us, Saya walked around Haji hesitantly, then brought her eyes up to mine guiltily. I gazed at her for a few seconds before I realized why she looked so guilty.

She couldn't remember who I was.

I straightened slightly, but took a step forward, extending my hand.

"Saya?" I asked, raising my head an inch. She bit her lip.

"You don't remember me, do you?" I asked quietly, & she looked down.

"No." she whispered, & I barely hid a small flinch. I kept my emotions locked carefully in that imaginary box in my mind. I nodded, then looked over at Haji.

"She was...awakened forcefully, correct?" I asked him. He nodded.

"Doesn't remember anything?" I clarified. He shook his head, then said, "She remembers over time."

I nodded again, then brought my gaze back to my little sister. Her eyes were still on the floor. I stifled a sigh, dropping my hand.

"Saya-neechan." I whispered, waiting for a reaction. I saw her wince slightly, becoming even guiltier now that she heard me say to her pretty bluntly that I was her sister. She must not even remember that.

"You'll remember over time." I said, & she raised her head. I extended my hand again. "In the meantime, I'll introduce myself to you again." On the last word, my voice quavered slightly, & she noticed. I bit back the small emotion that was surfacing, willing it to go away. I cleared my throat, then grabbed Saya's hand & shook it.

"My name is Remi Santoni. I am your sister, but we aren't twins, or anything. I was already about thirty eight years old mentally when you & Diva were discovered with our...mother. I was adopted by a different family when I was born, & my family brought me to Mikomi, a world a lot like Earth. We met for the first time about one hundred & fifty years ago, after my adoptive parents died, & when you were twenty four years old." I paused, letting her absorb it all. I saw her face flicker to different emotions a couple of times, & then her eyes shut, & Haji wrapped an arm around her waist. "Saya...?" he whispered. She nodded.

"I remember...pieces." she said in a hushed voice, opening her eyes to look at me.

"You were wearing a black & white dress, & you didn't have a katana back then." she stopped, & smiled apologetically.

"That's all I remember...so far."

I nodded. "Is it alright if we stay here for a little while?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Please do."

After dinner, everyone sat in the living room to discuss the most important events that have happened, are happening, & will be happening. I was to tell them my purpose of being here first, & then they would tell me. I let out a loud breath, & began speaking when everyone was situated.

"I started to work with the assassination group 'Ashi' a couple years after I met Saya & Haji." I stopped, observing the faces around me. Most were surprised, except for Saya & of course Haji. Saya's face was confused.

"What kind of people does 'Ashi' assassinate...?" she asked, but from the reactions in the room, she probably already could guess.

"Mostly people who are...good. If Tsukangi, the leader of 'Ashi', knew about you all, he probably would have sent a group of members from'Ashi' after you to assassinate you all." I replied, looking around at everyone again.

"Why would you join such a terrible organization like that?" David, one of the people trying to help Saya with the assassination of all chiroptera & our third sister, Diva.

"I didn't join voluntarily." I muttered. "I would never join that kind of organization voluntarily. I was forced..." I hesitated, not wanting to continue into this long story. I sighed, shaking my head, trying to summarize the whole ordeal into two or three simple sentences.. "I was forced because I fought them to protect Vincent. He was attacked because he accidentally butted in on something. I happened to be around when he was fighting, & I helped him. We lost, so we had to join or we would die." I rushed the words out, then continued.

"Anyway, a couple weeks ago, I refused to comply with Tsukangi's orders to kill Mrs. Jacobs' group because they had witnessed an extermination of one of the Devil's demons. Ever since then, I've been on the run with them & Vincent." I took a deep breath, pausing for the longest moment. Then I said, "That is why I came here. If the last battle with 'Ashi' happens to be here, I'll need your help."

I looked at them cautiously, trying to decipher their expressions. They all looked...sympathetic, except for Haji, who had no expression whatsoever.

"Sure. If any 'Ashi' members come after you when you're here, we'll help you." Saya said brightly, smiling kindly at me. I sighed mentally.

"Thanks."

For the first time this week, I slept soundly the entire night.