3 Months Later

Kai

There was nothing left to get from the hotel; all was packed, and they were returning to Okinawa. A decision that wasn't made lightly.

"Hey, Kai, where's Saya?" Riku looked around, but both Haji and Saya were nowhere to be found, making me sigh irritably.

"I'll go get them. You make sure you got everything and meet up with David and Luis." Riku pouted for only a second, but he didn't argue. The moment he turned around, I headed out and walked to the nearest café where Saya had chosen to mope lately.

Since finding David and the others at that strange battlefield with the kids being made into chiropterans, I've been integrated into the Red Shield. It wasn't easy; hell, David insisted on it while Julia fought against the idea. But I wasn't going to back down from any of this. Everything to do with Saya, all that happened with Dad, I'm not going to stand on the sidelines!

"Oi, Saya, Haji, time to go," I called out.

They looked my way, yet both refused to move.

"Seriously?" Annoyed, I marched over to them. Haji moved to stand between Saya and me, and I glared at him. The depressed man who acts like a statue half the time gets on my damn nerves. "Move it, Haji."

"…" He said nothing. His eyes only narrowed slightly as though he wanted to tell me off openly.

"Saya, we're moving out and need to catch the ship to Okinawa. What are you doing here again?" I moved past Haji, though he seemed reluctant to let me pass. Saya looked up, holding a half-empty glass of something she was having here and drooped into her seat.

"What's eating you?"

"Everything."

"Everything?" I repeated, my frustration boiling over. "Saya, you've been acting like this for months. Ever since Konella disappeared, you've been moping around, and it's driving me crazy. Do you really think it's your fault? Or is it just guilt because you two fought?"

Saya's eyes filled with tears, but I pressed on. "We need you, Saya. I need you. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. You can't keep shutting us out."

I leaned in closer, my voice firm and unwavering. "I'm not giving up on you, Saya. Not now, not ever. But you have to meet me halfway. We're in this together, and I need you to fight with me, not against yourself."

"Kai I… There's so much going on I can't keep up with it all. The boarding school, the chevaliers, losing Konella, I just can't." Speaking as if she's lost everything, I pulled out the chair next to her and straddled it.

"Look at me Saya." I firmly spoke, only finding her to slowly look my way. "I don't know everything that's happened, but this is what I do know." I raised my hand to count with my fingers. "One, you don't need to worry about Konella. Two, whatever happened between you two will come to pass and it'll work out." She seemed to think otherwise and tried interrupting. "Three," I stopped her. "We have bigger things to worry about. There's no use brooding over something when you can't fix it."

"Kai that's all easy enough to say but—"

"Four," I stopped her again. "Riku and I are here for you and both of us are worried sick." Her face spoke enough to convey but I had to say the last part. "And lastly, Saya, I'm here if you need someone to talk to. There's no reason not to any longer." She didn't quite understand, and I figure now was the best time to say it. "I've joined the Red Shield, Saya. Everything about you can be said without hiding it now."

"Kai…"
Now I wasn't expecting Saya to be thrilled and jumping for joy or anything of the like. But I wasn't expecting her to look as though the world was coming undone. She tried telling me to revoke my membership, like it was a gym. I didn't think it would be so difficult to handle the news, but I guess she was opposed to putting me in danger than I already have been.

I waited for a while until she calmed down. My shoulders felt heavier rather than lighter revealing such news. To think my own conviction of helping Saya and keeping Riku safe would turn out this way.

"I'm not going to argue with you, Saya." She stopped ranting about me joining the Red Shield and finally looked at me. "I chose to join. Just like dad did, and I will protect you and Riku." Hoping my conviction could get through to her, she turned away while biting her lower lip. "Saya, whatever happened between you and Konella is done." I looked to Haji. "You and Konella been traveling together for what, 40 years or something? You of all people have to know if she's alive or dead, right?"
I could see Saya's shocked expression from the corner of my eye. Paying no mind to her and only focusing on him alone, he looked at me with a furrowed brow, then nodded. "If Konella were to be in real danger, and I mean real danger, you'd know." He nodded. "Saya, that's all you need to know."

"It's not so simple to brush it all off like that!" She stood up, knocking the glass over and the chair. The clattering of porcelain and metals echoing on the cobblestone, drawing only the attention of the café staff inside. I waved a hand that all was well, keeping them at bay until Saya calmed down.

"Then tell me about it. Stop hiding shit from me!" I snapped back.

Saya took her time collecting herself, and we left the café to go somewhere more secluded from regular people. David and Luis checked on us and handed us the schedule for the ship leaving the docks. They left us as I needed to have Saya talk to me. We decided on a stone bridge overlooking a small river. It was calm, open, and no one was around at all.

The path to the stone bridge was lined with tall, swaying grasses that whispered in the gentle breeze. The air was fresh, carrying the faint scent of blooming wildflowers and the earthy aroma of the riverbank. As we approached, the sound of the river's gentle flow grew louder, a soothing melody that contrasted sharply with the turmoil in my mind.

The bridge itself was old, its stones weathered and covered in patches of moss. It arched gracefully over the clear, sparkling water below, where small fish darted playfully among the rocks. The sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees, casting dappled shadows on the bridge and the river, creating a serene and almost magical atmosphere.

We stood there for a moment, taking in the tranquility of the scene. The only sounds were the rustling leaves, the chirping of distant birds, and the soft murmur of the river. It was a perfect place for a heart-to-heart conversation, away from the chaos and prying eyes of the world.

Saya breathed in the fresh soothing air, then began to finally speak. "You know I've been thinking about it… All I've done till now. How this battle is reliant on me to end a war that's been going on for centuries. Then this whole thing with Konella came up." She paused, her eyes reflecting all actions that took place. "I know it better now that I was the cause of her pain." She admitted.

Hearing this, Haji turned towards her, ready to speak out before I raised my hand to stop him. Saya needed to talk about this. She's weighed down by a guilt that doesn't even belong to her. When Saya was ready to speak again, her head raised high, she was also crying.

"The school—I saw her breaking apart. I could have talked to her, so many times I could have stopped her and asked what was happening. But whenever I saw her in the hallway, she looked like she was living in a dream and nightmare all at once. I felt that. When I went to the museum and saw those pictures of the war, I saw the ghosts of my past come to haunt me." Looking at Haji, then to me, she took a quick breath and kept going. "I stood by and watched her suffer so I didn't feel alone. And I think because of that I drove her away."

"Saya…" I could only say her name as I didn't know what to think. Even Haji seemed unaware and remained silent.

"When we got to that place, I felt my entire world shake. The smell of gunpowder, the ghosts that came with it, and then the music."

"Music?" I repeated.
I did recall hearing the kids that were trapped with Riku start humming to a song I didn't recognize. Riku seemed to have heard it too, but I didn't understand as to how or why he did. That time was strange too. Riku and I were brought to an unfamiliar place full of strange kids held as experiments. Watching that unfold and seeing them turn into monsters, it was terrifying.

"Kai?"
I looked at her and found her staring at me worriedly. "Continue, Saya." I encouraged, dismissing my own troubles for the time being.

"Those kids…" she continued slowly, her voice trembling. "When I saw them turn into monsters, and Haji fighting them off without hesitation, I felt my head snap. Everything around me just became nothing."

Saya's eyes were distant, haunted by the memories she was reliving. She continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "I lost control. I cut down anyone that got in my way. David and the others… they couldn't stop me. I stormed into the building, blinded by rage, and found the Chairman—The Phantom."

I could hear Saya talking, but listening and imagining what it was like was hard to swallow. She attacked David, Haji, and cut down everything that got in her way. She went so far as attacking Konella. Now I was starting to understand her grief. How she never even gave Konella a real chance and left her alone.

Saya's voice cracked as she continued, "David and Luis… when they heard Konella was with Diva's chevalier, that she chose to leave with him rather than return… they blacklisted her immediately as an enemy."

Her shoulders shook with silent sobs, and I could see the weight of her guilt pressing down on her. "I'm still new and don't have full access to the information, but I was at least told Konella was still someone we could rely on—I was mistaken." I reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. "Saya, you can't carry all this alone. We're here for you. I'm here for you. But you have to let us in. We need to face this together."

"Kai…" barely audible as she leaned towards me and accepted my genuine gesture of comfort, we stayed this way for a while, listening to the river and the trees. At least until my phone began to ring and I pulled it out to see Riku calling.

"Yeah?"

HIM: Kai, we have to go, the boat will leave in less than an hour.

"Alright, we're on our way."

Click

"Well, looks like time's up. You feeling a little better?" I asked her while hoping this conversation changed our dynamic a little. Her eyes softened, and thus returned a small smile to her lips.

"Yeah… Thanks Kai, thanks for just…listening."

"Of course." Ruffling her hair up and leading the way back, Saya walked beside me with Haji following behind and we headed to the car waiting in the distance with Riku waving us down.

Only a day out at sea and I've been treated less like a member of a big corporation, more like a runt doing grunt work. Luis has me cleaning to invoke some kind of training for my listening skills. David's nagging a constant bother, always glowering at me with everything I say and do. It's tiring, but I couldn't tell if this was them really testing me or seeing if I'd quit. Saya and Haji seem to have their own shit together and she's taken her role more seriously. It started raining even, and I could hear Saya's resolve as she shouted in the rain while wielding her katana.

I'm glad she's finding herself.
David had come around the corner, his blonde hair slicked back and lighting a cigarette briefly before his cold eyes met mine.

"There you are," he walked towards me, already I was braced for another damn lecture to begin. "Go to the dining hall and meet with all of us there. There's things we need to discuss." Saying nothing more and continuing his smoke break, I didn't argue and started heading to the mess hall like he said.

The metal door creaked open, the smell of Jamaican food wafted the air and I saw Luis in the corner holding a bowl and ladle as he started serving everyone. Julia was here, her meticulous fashion always as a professional doctor, all set up with a mound of folders in front of her. She glanced up to my entry, sighing immediately to seeing me.

"Ah, good, you've finally arrived." Luis interjected before Julia could speak. "Come now, we'll begin the meeting shortly when David returns."
I pulled up a chair, got served food and waited quietly. Everything was quiet, only hearing the scratching sounds of Julia's pen writing in her notebook and the ladle scraping the bottom of the pot. The food was good, I just wish I knew what the hell this was all about.

The door creaked open, David coming into the room with the same look on his face and taking a glance around the room finding all of us here.

"Kai, now that you've joined the Red Shield, a few matters need to be discussed with you." He walked across the room, closer to Julia as he picked up one of the yellow folders. "If you're sure you want to know of what we do, what we fight for, you'll have to know more about Saya." Saying her name was a strange tone confused me. But I was ready to do this. No matter what it entailed I wanted in on it so I can protect her and Riku.

"I'm in. Just tell me already." I spoke.
David's eyes glowered at me for a moment more before looking to Luis and Julia and seeing their acceptance. "Then we'll start with this."
Handing over the folder and opening it slowly, the first thing I read was "SAYA" in bold writing, followed by a strange monstrous picture I couldn't comprehend.

"W-what is that?"

"Saya and Diva's mother."

The world could have spun for how weak he felt in his knees, seeing the monster being called a mother. His stomach churned, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. David didn't stop and began speaking of the findings from a journal the Red Shield was granted access to. By the founder, Joel, and the discovery he made, he found a species unknown to mankind and began his experiment. One child was taken in and given affection as a normal child raised by family. The other was kept for experiments, testing what the unfamiliar being was capable of.

I was overwhelmed at first with the torrent of information presented to me. The oddities that Saya had shown over the year he'd known her now made more sense. How his father knew exactly what she was and even thought of killing her when she hatched from her cocoon. It was disturbing to see the records laid out before him like a grotesque science experiment from middle school. Saya's entire life was reduced to mere text and pictures, a dark past that she endured and must relive again on her own.

When reading about the hibernation cycle, he picked up the file carefully, his hands trembling. He was more shocked over the sleep cycle, the details of which sent shivers down his spine.

"So Saya will only be awake for a few years at a time before she sleeps for 30? Why is that?" His voice trembled with a mix of curiosity and dread.

"According to Joel's diary, the hibernation cycle didn't occur until after the incident at The Zoo," David explained, his voice steady but eyes shadowed with old memories. "As Saya was raised by Joel himself as a father and daughter figure, Diva was taken aside to be used as an experiment to know more of the species. The period of sleep is unknown as to why they must rest for such a long period of time. But in that time, we have found that Diva is most elusive thanks to her chevaliers to keep her hidden."

"A test subject and a regular girl…" Kai murmured quietly, his heart aching with the injustice of it all. "That's pretty messed up if you ask me. So the Red Shield is what then? Guardians over humanity? Saya's caretakers?"

"We were put together to stop Diva. Since her release and the destruction of the 'Zoo' where everything started, Diva has been creating rifts and wars for years." David pulled out some old, yellowed documents and handed them to him. "When she was found in Russia in 1918, she assumed the identity of Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and reigned in her name for a few years, creating more chevaliers to protect her at that time. One being Rasputin, whom Saya and Haji disposed of. With Haji's intel, we were able to account for the newest chevaliers created but would lose sight of the older ones that have remained by Diva's side since her beginning. Then in 1943, when sightings of her came to be, she was in Berlin, Germany, impersonating Adolf Hitler's wife, Eva Braun, to stir chaos and incite the Holocaust." I was shaking as I read the findings, the truth more profound and terrifying than he had imagined. I clasped the documents in hand, my knuckles white, and wished for David to continue.

"Then what of Saya's memory loss? You guys seem intent on keeping all this hidden from her and having her learn of it on her own."

"That is because it is paramount for her to do so herself. If we gave her the answers, she might go berserk like she did once before during the war."

Kai flipped through more pictures, his breath catching in his throat. One image showed Saya in a berserk state, holding her sword and killing people and monsters alike. She looked like a raging monster in the photos, slaughtering whoever was in her way. "What did you do to stop her? What even caused her to be this?"

David scrunched his nose as he lit a cigarette, the past haunting him as he recalled such dreadful times. "She was awakened too early by our hand. We tried everything to stop her, but it was fortunate that we did not have to kill her. Forcing her to intake Haji's blood to help us fight the chiropterans during that time was our mistake, and we paid a heavy price for it."

"What happened?"

"Because she was amid her hibernation period, we believe the cycle took over, and she collapsed immediately on the battlefield, sleeping. We were lucky it happened the way it did, or the entire platoon would have been wiped out, and nothing would have been able to quell her."

"So the way you guys react with her…the few times I've seen her fight or nearly losing herself, it's because you guys know what happened."

"Precisely."

I took this all in slowly, my mind reeling with the gravity of the revelations. He had his questions answered in turn, each response adding weight to the already heavy burden on his shoulders. David reached for something in a safe, the metallic click echoing in the quiet room, and held it out for me to take.

"What's this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Accepting the object, he unveiled it slowly, his breath catching in his throat as he recognized his father's gun. I choked, words failing as a flood of memories surged through my mind.

"You made the decision to join the Red Shield," David said solemnly. "Earning you George's gun, accepting all responsibilities that come with it."

The gun felt hefty in his hand, its cold metal a stark reminder of the past. I recalled the last time I'd had used it so childishly, the reckless abandon of youth. He knew better now, understanding why it had been taken from him. To have it back in his hand, he felt a connection to his father, even if just a little.

"I won't let you down," I vowed, my voice steady with newfound resolve.

Okinawa

Saya

"Riku, Kai, look!" Saya called out, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and melancholy. Reaching Omoro and noticing the foreclosed sign on the door, Kai ripped it off and reached for the hidden key under the flowerpot. The key felt cold and familiar in his hand as he opened the door to reveal the dusty interior.

"Man, this place got dirty…" Kai commented, wrinkling his nose at the musty smell that greeted them.

"Well, it has been a few months…" Riku replied, stepping inside carefully to avoid slipping on the grime that had built up. The floorboards creaked under his weight, adding to the eerie silence of the abandoned home. Kai and Saya went upstairs to their room, each step stirring up small clouds of dust.

Kai looked around with melancholy, his eyes lingering on the photograph on his bedside table. It was the first thing he grabbed, taking the picture out and putting it in his pocket. As he shifted his things around to tidy the mess, Riku screamed in horror. Saya and Kai ran to his aid, only to find him at the fridge, murmuring words of 'mold, green and fuzzy' out loud.

"Geez, did you have to scream?" Kai ruffled Riku's hair in a small headlock while Riku's protesting could be heard outside. Saya laughed at their antics, a brief moment of lightness in the heavy atmosphere. She noticed Haji wasn't around and let her brothers know she was stepping out for a moment.

Approaching the door, she was surprised to see Haji standing outside with an oblivious look on his face. "Haji?"

Standing by him without another word spoken, she could see he was clearly in deep thought. Saya wished to ask him what was on his mind, but as she went to open her mouth, the words wouldn't form. She stayed quiet until he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Saya…" he whispered her name, and she could tell it was filled with regret. The thought of leaving Konella behind without trying to find her left a bad taste in their mouths, and she knew it. Without leads to not just Diva's whereabouts, but Konella's, David had made it quite clear that it was futile to waste their efforts on a rogue chevalier.

"I'm sure she's alright, Haji…Konella isn't weak." Saya smiled, trying to give comfort, but somehow knew it would not be enough. Her own words biting back. "I want to speak with her and apologize for what happened…"

"You were not at fault," Haji clarified. "That fight was more than you could bear. Your mind was not—"

"That's just it, Haji, I wasn't in my right mind, but it still hurt all the same seeing her look at me that way and leaving with that man. We attacked her…I attacked her…she looked so confused, and we could have talked it out and brought her back, but I—"

"We'll have another chance."

"…I just hope we are not too late, and she doesn't side with Diva."
They walked the familiar streets of town, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement. The air was filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the distant hum of cicadas. Saya felt a mix of nostalgia and unease as they made their way to grab a few supplies. She was also looking forward to seeing her friend Kaori again. Even if it became awkward speaking to her after everything that had happened in such a short time, but Saya felt a sense of relief and comfort if given the chance to reconnect.

As they turned a corner, Saya spotted Kaori unexpectedly. Her friend was standing outside a small shop, her eyes widening in surprise and delight when she saw Saya.

"Saya! Is that really you?" Kaori exclaimed, rushing over to embrace her.

"Kaori! It's so good to see you," Saya replied, hugging her friend tightly. The warmth of the embrace brought a sense of normalcy that Saya had been craving. All her worries just blowing over.

Kaori pulled back, her eyes scanning Saya's face. "You look different… stronger, somehow. What's been going on?"

"It's a long story," Saya said with a small smile. "But I'm glad to be back, even if it's just for a little while."

Haji stood a few steps behind, watching the reunion in silence. His presence was a comforting shadow, always there but never intrusive. Saya glanced back at him, and he gave her a small nod, encouraging her to enjoy the moment.

Kaori had a wish for Saya. She wanted her to jump the high bars one more time before they departed again, to give Saya that boost of confidence. They returned to the school track, the familiar crunch of gravel underfoot bringing back memories. Saya put on her running shoes and took her position, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. Kaori watched with anticipation, her eyes shining with encouragement.

Saya took a deep breath, feeling the ground beneath her feet, and then she was off. She ran with a grace and power that felt almost effortless, her muscles moving in perfect harmony. As she approached the high bar, she leaped, soaring through the air and clearing the bar with ease. She landed softly on the large mat, staring up at the bar as she realized she had finally reached her goal. It struck her how effortless it had become now that she was growing accustomed to what she was becoming.

Kaori crawled alongside her, a wide grin on her face. She heard Saya's stomach growl and laughed, the sound light and carefree, like nothing had changed between them.

"Saya, are you leaving again?" Kaori asked, her voice tinged with sadness.

"…yes…I don't know when I'll be back," Saya replied, her heart heavy with the uncertainty of their future.

They stayed silent for a moment, the weight of their impending separation hanging in the air. But Kaori, ever the optimist, quickly brought the mood back to being happy. She presented Saya with a bento, the aroma of freshly cooked food filling the air. They sat together, eating and talking, savoring the simple joy of each other's company.

As they finished their meal, Saya looked around the familiar surroundings of Okinawa, her home. She knew this would be the last time she would be here for a long while. The thought of leaving for a war she had to finish weighed heavily on her mind. She felt a pang of sadness, but also a steely resolve to see it through.

Haji approached them, his expression serious but supportive. "It's time, Saya," he said softly.

Saya nodded, standing up and brushing off her clothes. She turned to Kaori, her eyes filled with determination. "I have to go now, but I promise I'll come back."

Kaori hugged her tightly. "Be safe, Saya. I'll be waiting for you."

With one last look at her friend and the place she called home, Saya walked away, ready to face the challenges ahead.