The road we must take
Saya
There was a lot of commotion happening due to Kai running off to chase Forrest. Finding out in the morning that dad was taken somewhere and not knowing where he could be, Kai was thrown into a fit of rage and grabbed dad's gun and went searching on his own. Riku and I have stayed behind, but it's been strange staying with strangers who know me while I know nothing about them.
I was in my room when Julia came by with the usual blood packs for the infusion. Though I never lose blood, I've always needed a blood transfusion often or I feel really weak.
"How are you feeling?" Julia asked. Her quiet demeanor always so calming to me whenever we have to do this, I leaned up and felt better.
"Mm. All feels great." She seemed to hold something back as she wrote something in her chart's and I fidgeted. "Julia, about dad, do you know what happened?"
"…it's hard to say, but your father was taken by someone we can't seem to find." She sighed irritably while taking off her glasses. Pinching the bridge of her nose and finding it all tiresome. "Now we have Kai to search for in all this ruckus and hoping he doesn't get himself killed in the process."
"Kai just wants to help."
"He's being stupid about it." She snapped. "Helping would lead to him being here and out of our way while we searched the city for the chiropteran. Now we have no idea where he is and if the beast is in hiding somewhere or gone."
"I can call his friends and ask if they've seen him." She looked at me with a disapproving look before letting out another tiresome sigh before putting her glasses back on. "I'll take Haji and we can go out and search."
"And Konella?" She asked.
I wondered about Konella myself since meeting her. There has been nothing bad about her, but something makes me think she'll hurt me somehow. Not sure what it could be as she's not once shown hostility towards me or even harmed any of us. I just don't know why I feel this way.
"I will see where she is and have her join us." Trying to hide my apprehension and leaving the room to search for Haji, it didn't take long as I found him downstairs by the window.
He's so mysterious too. Coming to my rescue that night at school out of nowhere. Fighting off that monster for me and then k-kissing me… recalling that night too vividly as I slapped my cheeks to refocus. I walked towards him and he slowly turned to face me with those pale blue eyes of his.
"H-Haji, I want to search for my brother. Where's Konella?" Not seeing her anywhere or beside Riku, Haji looked out the window quietly as if telling me she was outside. Looking out and not seeing her, he leaned down to speak into my ear.
"She's already gone searching for him." I withheld a gasp from him whispering into my ear and tried acting like it didn't bother me. But it did. Everything about all of this bothered me. The fighting with monsters, men in black coming and saying I belong to some Red Shield organization, and forcing me to fight!
"Saya?" Haji was waiting for my response and I waited too long to give it.
"Sorry. Um, can you take me to where she is then? If she's already found him it'll cut down everyone from searching for him."
"And the boy?" He pointed to Riku and I had to let him know I'll be right back and to stay here. Doing just that and speaking with Riku about where I was going and bringing Kai back, he understood and promised to stay put.
"I'll be back, I promise."
"Ok."
I looked back to Haji and he had opened the door for me as we began walking down the road. Wondering if we were going to walk the entire way, he held out his hand and I didn't think anything about it and took hold. He wrapped his arm around my waist and suddenly we were leaping through the air at incredible speed.
Konella
The audacity of this boy! I have searched all over town and outside city limits looking for Kai and where he could have possibly run off to. Unfortunately for me I know nothing of the boy's habits and where he hangs out normally to really track him down. What I did track was the chiropteran, Forrest, to an abandoned warehouse off the docks. Seems someone he knew is helping him hide here and the girl I've seen coming in and out looks innocent enough. Though she'll probably die if he were to turn again.
"Forrest, I'll be back after my shift tonight."
The woman shut the door and locked it up. I wondered how she even managed to get a key to an entire warehouse for herself, but who am I to judge someone. Finding a broken fan and slipping through the rusted blades to get inside and up into the banisters, Forrest was down below eating the food the woman brought for him. He seemed innocent from this distance, but if not for what he did back at Oboro and changing his form to a beast then, he'd be just another human walking down the street. Though I told Haji I'd search for Kai, keeping tabs on this guy here seemed more useful of my time.
It's nightfall already. Forrest never left the warehouse, not even peeked outside. I thought for sure the guy would leave at some point and kill an innocent person, but I was wrong.
Seems to be mumbling a lot though. Keeps repeating George's name too. Idle thoughts now drifted in as I continued my watch before I heard the sound of an engine coming to the docks and skidding to a stop. I swiftly moved back to the open window to peek out and wouldn't you know it, Kai shows himself here of all places.
"Now how did you manage to find this place?" Questioning him from above, carefully observing him searching he warehouses close by until he stopped at this particular one. "I see, you managed to actually track Forrest down on your own. Impressive."
He kicked the door down, gun raised and aiming inside and I watched from above. His form was terrible. He wouldn't last long at all holding it like that. Did he even bring enough ammunition to fight a chiropteran? Probably not even close. Or what's in the chamber. Either way, Forrest was below and I didn't even see the woman coming back in—but she was being drained of blood and clearly dead already.
How unfortunate. I wasn't paying attention.
"Forrest!" Kai yelled. His voice carried in the open warehouse and the beast below looked up from sucking its prey dry. Kai aimed and fired a shot, all while shouting 'found you' as the bullet grazed the beasts' hardened flesh and thus pissing it off. I didn't bother waiting long when it started growing out of its human flesh and began truly turning into a beast now. Kai was scared and fumbling around for more bullets and I leaned back on the banister and let gravity take lead.
Landing right in front of Kai, startling him, watching him fall back as I looked down at him and tried coming up with a firm scolding.
"W-where the hell did you come from?!" He shouted. His anger knowing no bounds at this point, he struggled getting back up before he screamed that the chiropteran began its attack.
I focused on Forrest coming at me with it's now developed wings of a bat and jagged claws that used to be his hands, I narrowed my eyes and kicked him square in the chest and sent the damn beast flying into some crates.
"You're an idiot." I stated flatly. "Guns can't penetrate its thick flesh, it'll only agitate it further." He groaned getting back on his feet, taking the gun and cursing under breath.
"So how can I kill him then!?"
Turning to him swiftly, staring at his eager eyes for vengeance, I shoved him out of harms way as the beast came back stronger than before as it's talons dug into my arm. I gnashed my teeth and struggled to keep upright, but I persevered.
"You—don't—have—the means!" Shoving it off and feeling Haji's presence close by, the beast stopped and started sniffing the air erratically as it peered up towards the ceiling rafters. "Saya is the only one…" bitterly speaking the truth as I held my mangled arm and watched Saya take her blade without arguing, she took a brave step off the beam to fall gracefully down. The chiropteran following suit and heading right at her. Her blade sunk into it's head with a loud crunch as they came crashing down to the floor. Saya's silent victory of the kill made no difference to me, but watching Kai come forward as he watched Saya come forth unscathed sent shivers down his spine. I nudged him, grabbing his attention if only for a second.
"Do you understand it now?" Asking him bluntly, he said nothing and looked away from Saya. I knew better than to poke the angry cub, but in this case he had to understand what he did was senseless and would have him killed. "Kai, look at me." He didn't of course, to which Saya and Haji were quickly approaching before I waved a hand not to come. Saya seemed hurt, yet as I patted Kai on the back and coerced him to look my way he finally obliged. His eyes darted to my mangled arm, guilt all over his face as he pursed his lips and furrowed his brow. "I know this wasn't easy for you…you've been hurt and want to take it out on the one who did this to your father. But knowing how to handle this emotion and what to do in the moment are two different things to consider."
"Then what would you have suggested?" He was holding back tears. Eyes were rimmed red and he was shaking when his hand fell to his side. The gun held loosely, I wanted to take it but decided against it.
"Honestly, I'm not certain I hold the answer to this well. What I do know is that I could have at least assisted you. Perhaps even train you with gun safety to start with." The boy reminded me of someone. Unsure who at this point in time, but perhaps someone I've come across on my journey before. He was a kind soul and hurting. How could one blame a kid for wanting to avenge his father?
"…you would have done that?"
Unknown if I would have done something in the moment, something did pull me to help him no matter how crass he'd been acting.
"Yeah. I'm here to help Saya, but you are her family, so of course I would extend my help to you and Riku as well."
"…thanks…" bashful, but grateful, he handed me the gun he took and I took it slowly while he walked towards Saya and the two had their own conversation while Haji came to me.
"Are you injured?"
The bleeding arm wasn't enough of a sign apparently. But I held strong and showed no sign of it bothering me.
"No. I'm fine."
"No." He pointed at my mangled flesh and his brow grew deep with worry. "Before they see this we need to tend to the wounds."
Well at least he's talking to me again. Though I can't understand the meaning behind his frantic gesture to heal quickly when clearly I cannot do that, I was curious as to why lately my wounds have gotten much slower. Since coming closer to Saya actually. Could there be a connection?
"…why am I not healing properly lately?" Asking myself rather than Haji, he didn't have an answer and quickly took out gauze and began treating my arm. "Always prepared." I mused.
"To cover my own arm's I carry plenty on hand." Not meaning to have him explain, it was nice to have him speaking to me normally again for the while before the red shield agents pulled up and began reprimanding Kai. Though I wasn't expecting to also be part of the scuttle, David came forward with a deep furrowed brow and began interrogating me to where I have been and why I wasn't around Saya. Not even getting a word in he noticed the gun I held and snatched it quickly away before glaring at Haji in silence. I stood there with amazement to the audacity that man showed and couldn't fathom working with him nicely. Haji seemed used to the man, but clearly this relationship will not suffice for me.
"Let us depart." Commanding as he led the way, Haji and Saya shared the same vehicle while Kai stayed beside his motorcycle with a grim expression. Not having a chance to get inside the car and watching it drive off without me, I stood in disbelief.
"Wow…really?" Taking a breath and ready to just run after the car and keep pace with them, it was Kai who pulled up on my left and offered a helmet to take. "You sure?"
"Yeah." Being a typical teen as he offered the helmet and I got on from behind, he revved the engine and we took off back to Omoro.
Night came quickly full of uncertainties and ill-fortune. George was taken to a facility called The Wildlife Museum. I found it odd that their intel would lead to a museum, but when being briefed on what was beneath the facility it made more sense. Saya, Haji and I joined David and his partner Luis to search the building and see if we could possibly retrieve George. Though I had my doubts on the mission, it was strange how eerily quiet the place was. The entire premises were cleaned out and not a single sign as to why that was the case. Though the lights were on, and the exotic displays were still working, we ventured cautiously inside and passed by several different animals displayed with podiums and boards holding their description. Saya happened to brush up against a podium that began speaking and I quickly broke the damn thing before something jumped us. They looked at me like I did wrong but continued their search.
[Something is off…] My mind wondering as we walked through, I caught up to Haji but felt there was a presence behind us and kept looking back. [Something's here…watching us…] the feeling not going away and the back of my neck prickling to the feeling of being watched, I realized I had stopped and held my daggers out. I could feel my blood coercing through my veins and my heart thumping in my chest as the sounds around me stilled and there was nothing left but the quiet tapping of feet walking on the floor.
"Konella," Haji called for me when he noticed I wasn't walking with them. I was going to speak before something gooey plopped on my shoulder and I couldn't help but react.
"What is this?" Touching the substance and realizing it was saliva, I turned to Haji with my heart pumping in my ears. "MOVE," I shouted. The grate above popped off and landed on the floor to have a chiropteran descend from the ventilation. Seeing the panic in their eyes I made a quick decision. "I got this, just keep moving forward and find George!" Looking back to see David's wide eyes staring, Haji wanted to assist me in the fight, but he had to stay beside Saya. "I'll be fine, just go!" My hand outstretched, I held the dagger firmly in my other hand and took my stance.
"Quickly then," David ordered.
I took my dagger and attacked the monster without restraint and heard the creature wail in pain as I gouged its eye out. Kicking off from it and going at its stomach to make it fall, it was quick to try and ram its arm at me but I swiftly managed to dodge the impact and cut off its arm.
"Have to buy them time…can't let it through." Wiping the blood splatter off my face and getting ready to attack again, a clash from behind and heavy breathing followed by stomping told me this guy had company. "Perhaps I spoke a little too soon. Taking on three of you might prove to be difficult for me." Raising my dagger in defense and pulling out another one, I examined what I could use and found little to nothing that would be enough to kill them.
Evading their claws and moving around the room while activating the podiums, the noise that the monitors made did little to distract them and I felt aggravated that I was incapable of killing them off as quickly as Haji does. One caught my leg and swung me across the room and rammed me into a glass sphere—shattering upon impact and receiving lacerations across my arms and back.
"Ok then," getting up and throwing the shards at their face and lodging one in the throat, the other two charged and nearly got me again. "How do I get a good clean shot to kill you guys?!" Jumping back and bracing against the wall and taking the chance to slice one of the beasts' head off, I missed and only managed to cut a shoulder. "This is taking too long!"
Landing on one of the display cases and eyeing the chiropterans surrounding me, there was a trick up my sleeve that could take care of them all, but for a price. Not thinking of the consequences and letting my body dwell with power, I could feel my skin crawling with displeasure as this strange power took hold and burned my skin as if setting myself on fire. The reflection off of glass cases showing my eyes turning emerald green always made me shiver in fear—I faced the beasts' and froze them in place. As though I bound them with rope, they couldn't move without my word…it was a thrilling but terrifying gift.
"Now then…how about you just dying for me and making my job a little easier." Raising my hand with palm outstretched, each gripped their throats and started roaring in pain. The scene of having monsters kill one another would churn any stomach. But after doing this on several occasions when in dire need to protect myself, one becomes used to the gore. Wincing in pain and feeling my eyes sear with agony as my flesh coiled, I shook it off and clenched my jaw to get over it. "Better reach the others if there's more of them."