Morning Confessions

How calming the sea is early in the morning. The waves crashing at my feet and lapping the sand back to its wake was simply beautiful. Hearing Haji play the cello was a subtle thing I have gotten used to over the years. And once I closed my eyes I could almost imagine myself somewhere else for a short while. Drifting aimlessly in thought while listening to the cello and the ocean waves, I found this feeling to be quite familiar somehow…just couldn't place when I felt this way before. The feeling of running on the sand barefooted; laughing and smiling without care; someone reaching out for me and taking hold of my hand tightly and kissing me with a passion so fierce that I felt weak in the knees. The more I listened to the melody and felt the waves crash against my feet the more I lost myself in the fantasy of my mind.

"Konella," brought back from my stupor and looking to Haji, he was looking at me with a sad expression and I walked to him with a small limp in my gait. "Are your wounds healing?"

"For the most part," tapping my leg and also my torso, I reassured him with a small smile. "Had no idea I injured myself so badly during the fight, but everything seems to be mending at a steady pace."

"I worry of the recovering pace. Have you eaten enough?" He spoke endearingly like normal, but I knew his mind was focused about Saya and what transpired last night.

"Everything is fine with me Haji. I'm wondering when we could meet with Saya on less terrifying terms."
He seemed to be in deep thought about that before his brows knitted together and thinking carefully of what happened that night.

"I'm a little concerned of what transpired with Saya after drinking my blood. She should have awoken and recalled everything…yet she returned to what she is now and remembers nothing."

"Saya seemed to have come back the moment she took hold of that katana. From what you told me of her that's what she looked like to me. But after hearing that boy and seeing herself in that reflection everything reverted. Does her waking up earlier have anything to do with it?"

"It could be that. Her mental state has been calm and unaware for a year without my blood. This could prove difficult."
I sat quietly watching the waves while he mulled everything over and listened to him pick up the cello and begin playing another song. Shutting my eyes to recollect the memories of the encounter last night, I was doubtful of finding the girl to be Saya. Haji once told me I would know it was her the moment I see her and feel an attachment—but no such feeling occurred, and I don't know how to tell him that. The theory he made years ago was immediately tossed aside in a matter of seconds. Having drunk Haji's blood once before should lead a connection to Saya—that's what he theorized. Yet nothing, not even a little stir of emotion happened to me. Meeting that small girl I felt no desire to protect her and place my life on the line.

Walking a small distance away and returning to the water, a small wind picked up and gently caressed me. It was nice, but the feeling blurred as I thought someone touched my shoulder and I spun around to find no one was even near me. Shivering, I closed my eyes and tried not thinking about it and felt the same sensation come back. Instead of turning around and losing the feeling, I focused on it and tried to place the feeling to something I should remember. It was difficult to imagine anything before meeting Haji. Memories blurred and lost in the dreams, the feeling of this hand so alien to me was bringing me to the brink of tears?
Konella…
Inhaling too sharp and having chills run up and down my arm, just who did I hear whisper my name? Even my heart was thumping loudly in my breast and filling me with excitement I've never felt before. Breath shortened and almost on the verge of crying, I shook my head and heard the music stop playing and saw Saya approaching Haji from the roadside with much anguish in her expression searching for answers. I shook off the feeling I just had and gathered my nerve to walk over there myself to give myself another chance to feel a connection with Saya, or at least be with Haji to get through it.

She looked at Haji, biting her lower lip and balling her fist for a few seconds before speaking. "Do you know who I am? What I am?! Please…please I need to know the truth." Hugging her arms, and more than likely confused about the incident from last night, she was losing her composure. I approached calmly while placing a hand on her shoulder and feeling her go rigid beneath my palm. Taking back my gesture and stepping back a bit, I tried easing her worries.

"We are here for you Saya," I spoke softly, "there is nothing to worry about when we are near you." Haji nodded and took his cello and placed it back inside the case while popping open the hidden compartment to get Saya's katana. He held the blade aloft in his hand before looking back up and facing Saya with determined eyes.

"If you want to know everything, I will tell you, but then there is no turning back." Holding out the sword and wanting her to accept it without the fear she was showing, we were rudely interrupted by the boy that I had saved that night—Kai, if I remembered correctly.

"SAYA," he called out and took one look at us and got into a fist fight with Haji immediately. Haji easily dodged his punches by stepping down the stairs one at a time, but when he came close towards me I took him by the arm and flipped him over the shoulder. A small twinge from my wounds, but somewhat worthwhile seeing as this boy is causing Haji pain he need not have.

"GAH," he coughed as he landed on the sand and Saya ran to his aid.

"Don't hurt Kai," she scolded. I wanted to say something, but Haji stopped me when Saya gave him the same look.

"…Haji," I looked at the two and I figured this was going to take some time before she agreed to become the warrior she once was. I calmed my mind and spoke to Haji through our telepathic wave of my plans. I'll head back to the warehouse. You figure something out with Saya and get her to come with us.

Why are you leaving, he questioned.
It was a rather good question. I felt like I should leave the two alone and go elsewhere. Patting his hand and giving him a soft eluding smile of my leave, it was rather difficult to walk without the gait and hold my side to the wound that ripped back open without notice. Needing food and sleep to recover was my resolve, but yet it was harder to say that and giving him a lie.
I'm leaving Saya to you and warming her up to us. I think it best having only one of us at her side for the time being rather than two would be less intimidating.
A sensible lie to him, he seemed to take it in stride and allowed the intent to happen. Taking leave while staying by the shoreline, my destination to a dock where warehouses were mainly left alone was the best option for me to rest and regain my strength. But firstly I needed food, and so I headed back to town first.
Having wondered around town aimlessly finding a decent place to eat, I ran into a pub called Omoro. A small bar it seemed like and out of the way of public view. Smelling food and hearing my stomach growl for it, I decided to go in and have my fill. A quick way to recovery is to fill my stomach.

"Hello, welcome to Omoro, how may I help you?" A little boy greeted. Sitting down at the bar and watching the little one come up to take my order, a rather blurry image came up and startled me. The boy before me flashed to another child I did not recognize and made my head throb for a second. "Everything alright ma'am?"

"Yes…sorry, may I have a menu?" The boy went and grabbed a small menu and I scanned the items to what looked good. Hunger deciding it for me, I placed the menu down and smiled to the boy. "I'll take one of each."

"What?!" The boy gasped and looked me over. He seemed astonished someone would order so much food, so all I could do was keep a smile on my face. "A-are you expecting company?"

"No, just me. You can serve me one or two at a time in dishes. I have plenty of time and enough money to pay." The boy looked over the counter to an older gentleman and gave the order to him. The man looked surprised but laughed.

"And here I thought only Saya ate this much!"
Hearing Saya's name made me stop and stare. Did she come here often? Would she come here to eat? So many scenario's ran through my head that it took a moment for me to realize my first plate of food was in front of me. My stomach growled hungrily looking at the burger and I dug in with gusto. After the burger came a steak, after that a club sandwich, then a philly and several fry foods. Everything was absolutely delicious, and I felt fuller than I ever have been.
"That's quite a stomach you got there. I'm curious how you fit it all, but then again my daughter can stuff the same amount and not gain an inch!" Laughing, I caught how he spoke of Saya as his daughter and couldn't comprehend how that would be possible. Adoption maybe? But surely he would know of her and how she wouldn't age. Something seems rather off about this man and his fondness towards her.

"I do quite an extensive work out on a daily basis. I forgot to eat since yesterday." He laughed a little more and offered me a drink when I could hear something unusual at the door and spun around. He smelled off to me and I could feel the hair raising off my arm. I didn't have any daggers on me, so if this guy is what I think he is we could be in trouble.

"Hello, can I help you?" The man greeted cautiously. The cloaked figure stumbled through the door and gurgled out a name. The man serving me leaned forward on the counter before realizing something. "Forrest?"

"George…" George rushed over and aided the man onto a stool and I slowly got off my seat and put myself between the figure and the boy behind me. Wary that the creature was half between his transformation, he could change at any moment. Not raising alarm to the boy or the other customers here, the act of keeping the boy busy with me was all I could do.

"Forrest talk to me, what happened to you?" Trying to speak with it, I stopped the young boy going closer and forced him to stay behind me.

"Ma'am," he looked at me to why I was doing such a thing and before I knew what to do next the door swung open again and a blonde man wearing a suit took aim and began shooting. I covered the boy's head and held him close. The feeling surging through me of a protective mother, I ran to the opposite end of the bar and placed the boy by some stairs.

"You run and hide," the boy was good at listening and did as he was told. I turned back around to the scene to find the blonde man looming over the man he shot.

"Why'd you shoot him?!" George yelled.

"Chiropteran," was his only response as I looked beyond the door frame and saw Saya as well as Haji. In the short time I've been gone many things must have happened.
The chiropteran headed outside and ran into Saya. I could feel the danger as the beast had come over him and took control and tried attacking. The blonde man shot at him but the skin from a chiropteran was thick and merely scratched it. By the counter I picked up a knife and headed out while ignoring everyone that was around.

"Haji," taking ground by his side as he stood with Saya, he handed me my faithful daggers and held the katana out for Saya to take. She hesitated and refused to take the blade.

"Saya you must fight," he encouraged. She hesitated taking hold of the blade and it was George who took it instead and stated that it was his job to protect his family. He tried attacking the chiropteran, but the blade never went through and the beast countered and sliced open his stomach. A near fatal wound if not treated immediately. Or perhaps already it was too late.

"DAD!"
It happened quickly, but the beast seemed to recover itself and flee the scene wailing over what it's done. I looked to Haji for instruction when he shook his head and had me stay. I watched in silence to everyone getting George to the hospital and running around that it was merely 30 minutes before we were at the clinic and the blonde man with another larger partner began investigating us.

"I know of Saya's servant named Haji, but I have no records of who you are." His glare cold and metallic, I looked to Haji for some advice when he had none to give. "State your name and what you are doing here."
Dissecting the situation quickly and knowing that these two men are affiliated with the red shield, it was a bother to reveal everything. The man did not have patience with how silent I've been and brushed his gun on his hip for me to speak quickly.

"I am Konella, chevalier. I have been traveling alongside Haji for the last 28 years."

"Only 28 years? How odd," he scrutinized me. Letting slip the timeline of my travels, they became highly more suspicious of me.

"…I've been on my own for quite sometime during Saya's sleep cycles and Haji's travels. I have been in the shadows and not mentioned in Joel's diary." Using the information Haji had given to me over the years to make myself passable to the red shield if ever coming across them, the hope that this lie worked made the situation far more tense than needed. "I am a chevalier just like Haji."

"Can you prove that?" He challenged me on the spot and I quickly glanced to Haji for some form of help when he narrowed his eyes to what he could say or do at this point. I followed him out to a clearing and he pulled out his gun and fired!
Quickly dodging the bullet and using my speed to get close to him, I took his gun out of his hand and held the dagger to his throat and made him submit defeat.
"You're as quick as Haji…" he growled his discomfort and I released him to have him face me again. But he continued no further and went back inside.

That was far too close for comfort…

He is a man of the red shield. They trust nothing not mentioned in Joel's diary. Be on your guard with them. His reply curt, but understandably so, we followed the men to a nearby hotel by the hospital to await further instructions.