He was pleased with her decision, she was sure of it. She could sense that a lot of pressure had been raised off of his shoulders. This pleased her as well. She caught the glance that he had thrown behind them and she wondered if he was still wary of their pursuers. In all honesty, she was still feeling rather anxious herself, but that was natural. She hoped that they would be able to hide away until they were gone from this country. She had little doubt that she would be found once they left but she was still worried. She didn’t know if her father would give up or not. Who was she fooling? Obviously not herself. Her father would come after her like he always had whenever she tried to escape. She would be pulled back and locked away, but this time it could be different. She wasn’t by herself this time; she may have the chance to finally be free. Her stomach rolled uncomfortably as she thought about being pursued. Would she constantly be running her entire life? Would she ever truly be free from the clutches that her father held over her? At this point, she wanted to believe that she would but belief never got her anywhere.

She took note of the faint smile that touched his face briefly, which only proved that he was pleased with her decision. These decisions that he had been asking her to make were rather easy to make. She didn’t think that she would be offered so much in one night and they all seemed to go towards the dream that she had for such a long time. Was it fate that led him here? Did Kami-sama truly love her so much to send her a savior? Or was this all a dream that she had yet to wake up from? Perhaps she had been killed during the Hunt and she was envisioning what would have happened if someone, like Azrai, had come to rescue her. She almost felt the urge to pinch herself but that would be silly. This had to be real or else she would go insane. She glanced around at the flashing lights, her sensitive eyes aching but she had to take it all in. She may never get a chance like this again.

As they walked into the large building, she took the time to look around at the paintings hanging on the wall. She appreciated each brushstroke that it took to create such beauty, reminding her that this was not Edo anymore but something more modern. It was nice to see that this place still held its history close to its heart. Maybe this transition wouldn’t be as hard as she thought it would be. She smiled at the Maneki Neko lined within the hotel, it symbolized luck and she was sure that this place was blessed with luck. She glanced away from the Maneki Neko to the beautiful bonsai tree sitting on the clerk’s desk. It was cut perfectly, something that she thought people would have lost touch in. Japan had this unnatural love for nature and animals. Everything was incorporated one way or another whether it be in the form of statues or a piece of art, nature was symbolized in every single thing. That was one of the things she was going to miss about Japan. The beautiful cherry blossoms and the architect of the towns and cities, they all made her feel at peace. She wondered if she could find something similar in other places.

She could only hope for such a thing.

She watched as Azrai stepped into a small room, the doors had slid open for him automatically. She was curious for a moment, though to into consideration that he was rather exhausted and did not pose a question. She silently entered the room, wondering why they were standing in it. Was this their room for the night? It seemed…a bit too small for two people, perhaps this had not been a well thought plan. That was what she had thought until the door closed and Azrai pushed a button that illuminated with light. She read the number four before holding onto the wall for her dear life. The room was moving! She glanced over at Azrai who seemed to pay no mind to the motion of the room and she had to contain the panic that threatened to escape her. Just what in the world was this? Since when could rooms move like this? It wasn’t fast or anything but it was making her feel rather nauseous. She let out a slow, steady breath as the room came to a halt and the doors slid open. They were not on the floor they had just been on, instead the doors opened to a long corridor full of matching doors. She immediately followed him out of that demonic room and down the hallway.

Stopping in front of an ordinary door she was almost disappointed that it didn’t open automatically for them. When it was unlocked and Azrai entered, she was hesitant. It was obvious that this would be the room that they would be staying in. Vermillion hues narrowed as the light was switched on and after a few moments of adjustment, she curiously began to look around the room. It wasn’t elaborate or regal, which was something that would seem out of character of Azrai. The decorations were simple and tasteful, she had never been one to show off the riches that her stepfather had then again, she had never been able to have that opportunity. She noticed objects, which she assumed was furniture, placed here and there around the room. She stopped as she looked at the bed and realizing that there was only one. Her mouth went dry and she hoped that she didn’t look like a mouse trapped in a corner by a cat, because that was how she was feeling at this moment.

If he offered to share the bed, she would politely decline. She preferred sleeping on the floor anyways; it was what she was used to. Besides, he deserved the bed more than she did. She watched as he moved the pillows before offering the bed, just for her. She glanced away from the bed and over at him, sucking her lower lip between her teeth, she bowed lowly towards him. “Your offer is very kind and I take it with great appreciation, however I cannot accept it. I am rather comfortable with sleeping on the floor, I guess you could say that I am used to it by now. So please, sleep on this…futon for the next few nights I assure you that I will be fine. Besides, I feel as if I am still a bit restless, so the futon will be of no use to me at this time.” She offered a reassuring smile before turning away from him, her eyes glancing around the room more. “If you will excuse me, I shall use the water closet.”

It took her a few moments before she found the bathroom before closing and locking it behind her. She let out a deep breath, trying to be sure that she was comfortable with staying a night alone with a male. A wave of nausea came to her as she remembered what normally happened during these situations. She shook her head telling herself that Azrai meant no harm to her; he was trying to save her. But she still couldn’t help but be afraid of him, she hardly knew him at all. Trying to clear her thoughts, she looked at all the items placed on the counter in the bathroom. She picked up each one, reading the labels; one was in a language that she had never seen. She opened the bottle, sniffing the contents before sneezing. The aroma of fresh linen clouded her sensitive nasal passage and she felt a headache coming on. Placing the bottle down, she moved towards the tub. The porcelain was cool to touch and she yearned to take a bath, though this was different from the onsen she was used to. She glanced over her shoulder, looking into the reflection of what she assumed was herself.

Nearing the reflecting glass, she sneered a bit at how horrid she looked. She was sure that dirt and blood hid most of her skin. She could still see the bruises littering her body. Her hair was unkempt and dingy looking. She leaned closer opening her mouth, a set of fangs gleamed in the fluorescent light and she winced as she poked them gently. Closing her mouth, she stared into the mirror for quite some time before deciding to rinse herself off quickly. There was a towel and what seemed to be a woolly kimono on the wall. It would have to do for now. She moved to the shower, after five minutes she figured out of to work it, she turned it to the hottest setting before washing off the blood and grime from her body. The rinse was quick and effective in making her feel better. She wrapped herself up in the woolly kimono before exiting the bathroom. She moved around silently, barely making any noise before sitting on the chaise in the far corner. She glanced out the curtains gazing at the night life, she wanted to explore but knew it was safer for her to stay inside. She drew the robe tighter around her, tucking her legs to the side. She was feeling rather tired but her mind was racing. Perhaps she would try to sleep, it would make tomorrow even more tolerable. She shot a quick glance over in Azrai’s direction before deciding that she was safe. Her eyes fluttered close, before she was swept away into a light slumber.

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Honestly he wasn’t all that surprised when Shizu had politely declined his offer. Knowing he should have perhaps seen it coming, he just have a slight nod of understanding, proceeding to slide his gun under the pillow and lay down on the bed when she went to use the restroom. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, further relaxing himself. Usually he had to be so drunk he couldn’t see straight to get any kind of sleep because of his damned insomnia. This was one of those rare times where he really needed to get some sleep lest he collapse, he was glad this day was finally over that was for sure. He didn’t even know what time it was but he assumed it was somewhere in the early morning and he would only get a few hours of sleep. A few hours of sleep were better than nothing, though, and he was alright with that. He was use to functioning with little to no sleep normally so it wouldn’t bother him however he knew he was not going to feel one-hundred percent in the morning.

Good thing, speaking of drinking, he had a bottle of wine in the refrigerator he was saving for just such an occasion. Even now sleep was not finding him easily but at least he was relaxed. From all the walking he has done today he was a little sore but he would feel better after he got some sleep. That was all he focused on, sleep. Or so he wanted to anyway, as there were many things still racing through his mind that kept him awake. Drinking that bottle now was tempting only if he were more awake to even feel like moving. He really didn’t need the alcohol anyway… Well maybe that wasn’t entirely true at least in his mind. He always needed alcohol; it was the one true thing that gave him comfort. Rather he was much too tired to even put much thought into it right now.

It was about seven in the morning when he finally woke. He didn’t really feel any better than when he had gone to bed, but again some sleep was better than none. The light had not been switched off last night so that combined with the light from the sun creeping through the window hurt his eyes a bit as he adjusted to morning. Instead of rolling over and going back to sleep, however, like he often would when he was this tired, he forced himself to get his ass out of bed and start the day. He did have a lot he needed to get done, after all. This was no time to sleep, and he was strangely somewhat wide awake anyway now that he was up and about. That was probably him being use to a different time zone, however, or at least that was what he figured.

From what he saw Shizu was sleeping soundly on the chair or so it seemed –maybe she got a better night’s sleep than he did. He decided not to disturb her and went over to his suitcase to grab a clean change of clothes before heading into the restroom for a much needed shower and shave. It’s been at least two days since he has showered and surely he looked horrendous, he thought. However he was surprised when he dared to glance at himself in the mirror. For someone who spent two days walking through the forest and not getting that much sleep he didn’t look as much like someone who waltzed out of a horror move as he thought he would. When he finished cleaning up and changing into fresh clothes he returned to the main room and threw his dirty clothes in one of those dirty laundry bags that are usually already in the room, tossing it near his suitcase.

Sighing lightly, he sat back on the bed and pulled his gun out from under the pillow, holstering it after he made sure the safety was on. Having fresh clothes was nice, but his jacket could use a wash and he decided not to put it back on for the time being, until he left the hotel again. Nobody really likes the feel of dirty clothes, even if it is a jacket. Naturally, he was still very much on edge and he found he could not sit still for very long and eventually he stood from the bed and paced the room a bit, deep in thought as he thought up his next move. Last night had been tiring and he was still feeling a bit sore from all the walking, from pushing himself like he did. And there was still so much to do and he was running out of time. Suddenly he felt bad, Shizu had been keeping up with his pace so far and surely she would feel the effects as well…

He looked out the window and sighed softly. For now he would simply let her sleep but he knew they would be on the move once again. Very soon, from the looks of things, assuming he can get through to his connections. Most of them were probably either still sleeping or just getting ready to go to sleep, or were at work. He knew a good many people who could help him out with this that he could rely on, only problem was that they lived in different time zones. Japan was the one country where he was on his own; he didn’t know anyone here at all unless he decided count Shizu.

In his restlessness and while she shill lingered on his mind, he suddenly wondered if Shizu would drink some coffee as well if he made it as he moved over to the coffee pot. You could say this hotel was not quite as traditional as some of them usually were, having been modernized. Being finicky about his coffee he had brought his own rather than using what was provided. Usually he was not much of a coffee drinker but this was just one of those mornings where he needed something to give him a little more motivation. He had a feeling he was going to need all the motivation he could get.

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Shizu had been plagued with nightmares as she had fallen asleep. She wasn’t sure how many times she had jolted from her sleep, eyes wide and gasping for air. It continued like this for hours, she would continuously curl herself into a ball trying to find peace within her dreams however none came. The final time that she had jolted from her sleep, she was sure that she had woken up Azrai. She had knocked over a potted plant with her foot; it was a good thing the pot had been made of this unbreakable material. She had corrected the plant, before going back into the bathroom. She had splashed cold water on her face, trying to convince herself that she was safe. But it had only been a few hours that she had been rescued from her village. She was not expecting to feel safe for quite some time.

She had settled back on the chair, pulling her limbs close to her. Weary eyes stared at the blank walls before her. It felt so suffocating in here, just like at the Tsukino Compound. She hated being stuck a room, but she wasn’t necessarily trapped in here…she just didn’t have the will or courage to walk around. Settling into a comfortable position, she felt so exhausted and sore. Her head pounded due to the lack of nourishment and sleep that she hadn’t had for what seemed like months now. Every night she was haunted with the faces of the villagers’ malicious grins and sharp weapons. Her stepfather’s voice whispered in her ear his hands clutched her throat, suffocating her. She would wake up shaking and frantic searching for a way to escape but in the end, she woke up alone staring into the darkness. At times she felt so foolish, but she knew she had good reason to be so terrified. Closing her eyes was the second most horrifying thing she could think of, aside from dying.

Soon, she found herself asleep, her body to fatigue to ignore the desire to sleep. It felt like she was simply floating along in darkness, the first time that she felt sleep caress her in a kind manner. For a few hours she laid in the darkness, finally regaining her sanity provided through slumber. However, like everything else in her life, it was short lived. Soon she could hear movement around her and the serene abyss disappeared engulfing her mind into flames. All around her there were flames; she could almost feel the heat on her skin. She flinched in her sleep, a small whimper escaping her. She felt nauseous as a familiar voice whispered words of cruelty and punishment to her. Her breathing increased and she struggled to wake up, as she normally did.

A little longer she struggled to pull herself from the freezing clutches of her nightmare, her eyes flew open and she lurched forward from the position she had been curled up in. She clutched her head as she had moved too fast, coming to ease her rolling stomach, she noticed Azrai awake. She suddenly felt embarrassed for seeming so…out of her mind. She wasn’t crazy that much she was sure of but she did have a plethora of personal issues that she had to work through and who knew how long that would take. In all honesty, she really needed to get out of the place and country in general. Perhaps then her anxiety would quell itself and she would be able to function normally, well as normal as Oni could get.

Tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, she bowed her head towards Azrai a meek smile on her lips. “Good morning,” she said in a gentle voice, though it was a bit hoarse. “I do hope that you slept well.”

She knew that she hadn’t but it would do her a great deal of comfort if she knew that he slept well. He had seemed so tired last night and she was sure that there were still a lot of things that he had to do in order to secure a safe departure from Japan. She moved off from the chair and stretched her aching limbs, she winced as the bruises had developed over night and her legs ached from all the running and walking she had done. She tried to act like it hardly bothered her, Oni had their pride, but it was hard to ignore the slight sting in her muscles as she stretched. Well, at least she hadn’t lost a limb or suffered a serious injury last night, which was something that she had been expecting. Still, Shizu felt rather exhausted but it wasn’t anything unusual to her, she was used to the lack of sleep. She feared those who would try to hurt her and the nightmares that minimized the time she would allow herself to sleep.

Her stomach rumbled and she blushed rather sheepishly, her hand touched her stomach. “Pardon me that was unexpected.” She scolded her stomach silently for being so rude but she hadn’t had a meal in a little more than two weeks. She was running on the last of her reserves, so perhaps that was why she found herself so clearly out of her mind. After her stretch, she found herself sitting on the edge of the chair, hands folded neatly in her lap. Her eyes gazed out of the window before they looked over at Azrai. “If I may ask a question, I wish know what our plans are the day. I will happily contribute if I am able to however I am most certain that I would be nothing but a problem.” She let out a slight laugh, realizing it was probably best to have asked to help at all, but she had to ask. She was a kind soul, always wanting to help even when it wasn’t needed.

Perhaps she would be taught about this modern world or she would simply just sit around and wait until she was needed. She allowed herself a yawn, politely covering her mouth. She really could use something to wake herself up. Was there tea of any kind or perhaps some Moka around here? She remembered always finding a vendor who served Moka to those who really craved it, it was a bit pricy but she truly enjoyed it. Besides, the smell was absolutely delightful.

(AU: Fun facts~ Moka - Coffee that had been introduced to the Japanese by a Dutch man around 1832. >:3)

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It would take awhile for the coffee to be made, ready for drinking and he too that time to plan out what he was going to do for the day. After daring to try contacting some of his connections he found himself at a bit of a dead end for now when they didn’t answer him. He left messages, hoping they would get them and then get in touch with him later on and so for now he would do what he could right now. In all honestly he hated to rely on other people to have what he needed done get done; it was just another part of his slightly lone wolf personality. At first he didn’t fit into the military because of it but then he decided to work as a lone sniper. Sounds silly, a sniper working alone, since it mostly involves team work, but it was easier for him. He doesn’t bond well with people, but the few people he knew seemed to like him well enough, especially the people he worked for.

Within maybe ten minutes or so, quicker than he had expected, the coffee was finished; this must be a newer machine since it had gotten done so quickly. At lost quicker than the coffee maker at his house. How exactly did Shizu like her coffee prepared, he wondered as he poured the coffee into the already provided cups. The coffee pots in hotel rooms only held two cups anyway, sometimes one. He drank his pitch black without any milk or cream or sugar. For maximum results you could say, so he wouldn’t seem as out of it as he really felt. Black coffee kept him up all day and sometimes worked so well that it was difficult to calm down during the night depending on how active he had been during the day. He did have some milk left, so perhaps she would want that, then again maybe she wanted dark coffee as well. It wasn’t much but he brought the small carton out of the small refrigerator and set it on the table a long with some of that cream and sugar just in case she did want some.

When Shizu woke suddenly, he turned his gaze towards her. His dull, grey eyes seemed absent when he flashed a half-hearted grin and nod after she asked him if he slept well. The grin faded when she apologized for her hunger. Come to think of it he was hungry himself, having not eaten much since lunchtime the other day, so perhaps they should get breakfast or something later on. He could tell by the look on her face that she had not slept well; it was a look he knew oh too well himself. Shizu was not the only one who had nightmares that haunted her dreams. Sometimes his own dark thoughts came to haunt him, they even brining back from the dead those he has killed, just to torture him. It was probably the biggest contribute to his insomnia the main reason he drank so much. He couldn’t stand those damned nightmares and he so he does his best to forget about them but even then sometimes little things always continue haunting him.

He sat the two cups on the table between the bed and the chair, lightly pushing one of the cups towards her direction and gesturing for her to take it if she wanted it before he sat down on the bed. “The only annoyance I see is your... constant worry or whether or not I think you are too much trouble,” he told her honestly, quietly. He was a good person but he had his moments where the fact he doesn’t like to get attached to people shone through, being rough around the edges as he was.

It had also brought of a slight conflict on his part. She said she wanted to assist him, probably wander around the city for a bit, and a part of him told him that he would have to keep her safe if trouble showed itself. Perhaps that was what she meant, but either way he didn’t see her as trouble… Well that being said he still was not sure exactly what to think of her; for now she was simply the center of his mission, getting her to safety was top priority. That has already been established, but the more he thought of it perhaps that was all she would be. If that were the case then his subtle efforts to gain her trust would be for nothing so he wanted to at least be able to get along with her. Perhaps relaxing and taking a walk around the city would do some good. After all he hated being cooped up indoors all day, being the outdoors person he was, and surely Shizu has had enough of being cooped up. Not to mention he did say he would teach Shizu more about the modern world.

As much as he didn’t want to get that attached to her he did want to at least build some level of trust so she felt comfortable around him. Keeping his word about teaching her more about the modern world was a start, but still, he knew it would not be that easy; trust was not an easy thing. He knew this well, having his own issues –he really was not sure if they would ever trust each other fully but again it would not hurt them at all to at least have some sort of comfortable bond. But he was not going to force her either, if she truly thought she was going to be nothing but a bother.

After taking a quick glance out the window, which did not give the best view of the city, it seemed to be a nice day outside. Usually people looked to the television to see what the weather was going to be like but he simply looked outside, listening to what nature was telling him. Today, or at least this morning, would be nice and he, who honestly hated being cooped up indoors, would go for a walk. “I apologize… before we can leave Japan I need my contacts make some… preparations, if you will. Until I hear back from them there is not much that can be done.” He sounded tense, perhaps even a little frustrated at the fact but as he said there was not much he could do. “In the meantime, since both of us seem to be hungry, I suggest we get some breakfast for ourselves,” he then suggested. Of course he didn’t show it much at all, but he was a little unsure, not doubting the possibility that she may in fact turn down his offer.

And that was why he then added this just in case, partially being facetious: “That is, unless you enjoy the confinement of these four walls.” He decided to give her that choice at least, though again he was sure that she was sick of being confined. She could stay here if she truly felt she would be in his way, or she could come with him this morning and experience the modern world. Hopefully at ease, or at least somewhat at ease.

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She watched as he placed the two cups on the table between them. It was odd though she felt that it was symbolic of their relationship so far. She was on one end and he was on the other, the table their only means of communication. She eyed the coffee cup for a moment, a bit weary. Though she had not seen him prepare the coffee, she knew it was wrong to think that he would have poisoned it. She scolded herself mentally, unable to get past the old life that she had lived. Everyday there had been a new threat, but Azrai, he was trying to make her feel safe. Protected. She wasn't sure if she would ever be less paranoid, though she could at least try and think that she was safe. For now. Her frail fingers reached out and took the coffee mug in her hand. She inhaled the robust aroma, a faint smile touching her lips. Pulling the dark liquid into her mouth, she allowed herself a moment to enjoy the heat that flooded through her body. It was odd to think it but it warmed her chilled body. Maybe it was curing the shock that she had been going through internally. She hated to admit anything was wrong with herself, but deep down she knew that she was terrified to be in this new situation. At least in her village she knew what was to come, with Azrai, all she had was his words. Words were meaningless at times.

The bitter taste of the moka travelled across her taste buds and her nose scrunched slightly. It had been a while since she had last had a drink of it, but she didn't understand why he had pulled out a carton of...some unknown liquid. She had always had her moka black, as it should be. She had heard that some people actually put cream and sugar into it, but that merely took away the taste, in her opinion. When he began to speak, she eyed him carefully and listened to his words. She felt a quirk of her lips as he regarded her constant worries and thoughts. She knew that it was probably a bit of an overkill with all the incessant worries, but it was not like she was good for anything. However she needed to remind herself that Azrai had a job that he needed to handle. That job being her, so of course he wouldn't really need much help, well perhaps from a few colleagues of his. But from her? No, she would just idly sit and wait until he told her what needed to be done. Not like that mattered, she was very good at waiting. She had been waiting her whole life. For what? Sometimes she wasn't even sure. Was it for freedom? Or death? Death was sort of like freedom, it would allow herself to escape the constant torment. But Azrai was showing her a different kind of freedom than she had been wishing for. One that she was very curious about. She would express her gratitude to him when this was all said and done. That is if he stayed around for her to do so.

They sat in silence after he finished speaking for the time being, she assumed that he was lost in thought. This allowed her time to collect herself better. She had to start thinking more independently from now on, She was sure that by the end of this mission of his, she would have to know how to think like a person who had never been isolated before. A person who was born with freedom and knew how to survive on their own. Pursing her lips together she was troubled within her mind. How could she know what that was like? She took another drink from her coffee, her pale hands cradling the mug carefully. There was a lot that she needed to know in order to survive in this New World, and Azrai had promised that he would tell her. Though was she not asking him a lot? Not only was he trying to ensure her safety, he was taking her away from that wretched life she lived, and she had the audacity to ask him to teach her things about this world. How rude and selfish of her! She should apologize though she glanced over at him and realized that he was probably tired of her apologies and worries. She wanted to apologize for that too, but she knew it was unnecessary. Letting out a faint sigh, she glanced out the window, curious as to what lied outside. Fear quickened the beating of her heart and she wasn't sure if this was a good idea. Once again she was beginning to have doubts about this whole situation. Could she really survive? Could she ever really escape. Being held in isolation was all she knew and once she had come to terms with it, she knew it would be difficult to break that thought process. But she had to do so! If she had wanted freedom so bad, then darnit, she would work for it with just as desperation as she had when she was at the Tsukino Compound.

Her attention was brought back to Azrai and she placed her almost empty coffee mug on the table between them. Crimson eyes stared at him in an unwavering manner, though she still refused to look him in his eyes, always opting to gazing at his chin or forehead, If not those places, then she would look past him towards the plain walls that defined their room. She had never been allowed to look anyone in the eye and she would not begin to start now unless the other permitted it. She tilted her head to the side, clearly hearing the frustration in his voice. It seemed that he wanted to get in touch with his contacts faster, however there seemed to be a dilemma. She was not hurt by the fact that he wanted to get out of here fast or possibly get rid of her faster. If he knew what she was, he would have probably have been less kind. She merely nodded her head as he explained things to her. She perked up at the aspect of food and leaving the room.

She may have not been the best at understanding how people interact, though she was sure that he was teasing her with his last comment. She wanted to scoff or roll her eyes, but she was unsure about either of those actions. Instead she hoped up immediately, waving her hands frantically. "I-I would definitely enjoy leaving this room in order to indulge in the morning meal," she said in a slightly panicked tone, as if she felt that if she didn't answer fast enough that would decide her fate; being confined in this room all day. A flush of embarrassment touched her cheeks and she glanced down at the floor, bowing her head slightly. "Forgive my sudden outburst...but I would most definitely love to leave this room," she murmured in a more subdued tone. She looked at her pale feet, watching as she curled her toes somewhat nervously. She was still not used to communicating with another person, though she was dying in mortification thanks to her inelegant mannerisms moments before. "I....I should prepare for departure."

She rushed to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She let out a long breathe before wanting to slap heself in the face. Just because he had saved her doesn't mean that she should forget all the mannerisms that she had been taught. A lady must never seem too eager. A lady must never have outbursts. A lady should be quiet. She should be seen not heard. With a shake of her head, she pulled off the bathrobe that she slept in last night, and pulled back on her kimono. Nimble fingers did their best at trying to brush away the dirt that had gathered at the hem and near her knees. It was definitely not the most suitable outfit to wear, but she had nothing else and she would not walk around in a bathing robe today. Glancing into the reflecting glass, she could see that a few hours of sleep had treated her well. There were still a few small bruises under her eyes from years of interrupted sleep. Her skin seemed to hold some kind of color to them. Running her fingers through her hair, she winced as she pulled out a few tangles from her raven locks. She allowed herself a small chuckle, almost wishing that she had been informed of her rescue, so then she could have packed a few outfits and perhaps a brush. Though that would defeat the purpose of a surprise rescue, wouldn't it?

After splashing her face a couple of times with some cold water, she dried off her hands before exiting the bathing area. She had successfully recovered from her prior embarrassment and was more concerned with filling her empty stomach. She placed herself back on the edge of the chair she had found so fond. "Azrai, I am ready for departure when you are ready," she said, glancing over at him, before fiddling with her kimono once more, trying her best not to seem nervous. This would be the first time that she would be able to experience the New World. Last night did not really allow for that much exploration but with the given circumstances, she understood why they could not journey farther for her curiosity's sake. Now she was buzzing, practically fidgeting, to exit the room and see all that she could. Perhaps it was the caffeine from the moka that made her this jittery or her nerves. Whichever it was, she didn't care for because there were was so much going through her mind at this point. What would it be like? How much different was it than her village? Well last night proved that there was a lot of technology involved and architecture. Those huge buildings were just prime examples. She already knew most of these answers but she wanted to experience them firsthand, with her own eyes. More questions of curiosity popped up in her mind as she patiently waited.

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At first he had been extremely worried about her answer when he asked the question originally. So many things began to wander through his mind to counter her, should she have refused to take a walk around the city, but they had all been shot down when she accepted the offer. Words could not describe how relieved he was when she said she would get prepared. Softly, he let out a briefly held breath in a sharp exhale as he eased his posture and slid his jacket back on. He made sure that his gun was snug in its holster. There was doubt that he would have to use it but he did not want to take any chances; after being chased by those strange dogs the other night he was worried that more things would possibly find them again. He was never one to trust silence and he was always wary. You never know what might be lurking around so he was not taking chances. Still, while they were on their walk he would make sure to act calm and professional.

He knew she was still not comfortable around him. They had only just met so that was to be expected, aside from the fact that she had been confined in that horrible village all her life. Though he was not in her exact situation he could sympathize somewhat though he would never openly say that. It was best left unsaid, he decided. Perhaps it was better to take a professional approach in this situation rather than trying to get her to open up a bit more by talking to her. He knew that he at least has her trust, it might not be her complete trust in him but it was enough, and perhaps that was as far as he should take it. He did not want to get attached to her and then lose her. Azrai was not someone who could take that sort of thing lightly. There was just too much pride he took in his work to even allow that to happen, especially because there have only been a few cases where he has failed his mission. This would not be one of them, not now, not when he has simply come way too far.

With a nod, he gathered his cell phone and wallet a long with his room key and started to head towards the door.

Japan was going to eat his wallet alive, considering shekels were worth less than yen, and he did not have much money on him. As much as he loves Japan he was not rich. He was not someone who **** and moaned about the cost of things if it meant he was helping someone out but he was beginning to worry a bit, hoping he would have enough money to at least pay for breakfast. The last thing he needed was to be stuck here and he was sure that Shizu would look down upon him. Maybe she expected him to be rich? If she did then she would be disappointed as again he is not rich in any way shape or form. A mental note was made to stop at the bank or some kind of bank machine as he left the room and began walking down the hallway.

Once they reached the streets outside, the city was a much different place during the day. Oddly enough it was a bit calmer and had a much more pleasant atmosphere than the rush from the other night. It made him feel a bit more at ease, even if he didn’t remember the name of the city they were, though it reminded him that Shizu was in for a bit of a shock once he got her back to Israel. Tel Aviv especially… think of New York and Vegas smashed together with Middle Eastern culture among other things, to get a bit of a better vision of that city. It was also another pricy city, he told himself briefly with a light sigh as he waited for the road to be clear for crossing. When he crossed the street he made sure that Shizu was near him so she wouldn’t get hit by a car or. Oh yes, as he was professional, he was both a man who would not hesitate to kill someone and a bodyguard. He also purposely went slower in stride so she could take in her surroundings without the feel of being rushed.

There was a restaurant a few blocks away. When they reached it he nodded towards it, “This place has fairly decent food,” he said softly. “I ate here when I first arrived and the service was… fairly nice as well. I found the atmosphere to be very welcoming,” He added the latter to show he was confident about this place and hopefully ease her obvious nervousness. If she was trying to hide the fact she was nervous she was not doing a good job that much was certain. She was definitely a very old fashioned, proper woman he would not deny that but she had every right to be nervous. This must be so strange for her… he must be strange… He probably did seem strange to her and he found himself perfectly fine with that if she did. At times he wondered if he was truly a misfit in society at times.

The waitress greeted him in Japanese. Luckily he spoke enough Japanese to explain that he spoke English a lot better and she respected his request. She showed him and Shizu to a table and placed menus before them. The menus, thankfully, had English translations. It further proved that the service here was rather nice. Nobody likes to go into a place to eat and have shitty service, after all, and plenty of places he has been to both back home and other countries had that too often. The prices made him cringe… but he quickly got over it and decided he would just use his credit card and pay for the rest of the meal later, assuming they would accept international credit cards. He made himself another mental note to ask before he paid for the meal.

He incorporated his own table manners while he glanced over the menu, keeping his elbows off the table and keeping quiet. In general he was not a man who was much for conversation, but he was exceptionally quiet whenever he ate. It was just a thing, he supposed, since growing up meal time was always quiet.

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When he acknowledged her statement and headed for the door, she immediately followed him. Her body was tingling with excitement and she tried her best to keep herself composed. It wasn't too hard at first as they moved through the hotel; she merely threw casual glances here and there trying to take in the structure of the building. It was a habit more than anything; she enjoyed memorizing every last detail of her surroundings. Just in case she needed to make a quick change of course, for whatever reason. She would not take too many chances with thinking that she was completely safe. Not until they were completely out of Japan, not until she knew that there were too many miles between Japan and their unknown destination. She remained quiet as they continued down the hallway, her ever watchful eyes noting the patterns of the rug on the floor, the small markings on the wall. She remembered everything.

A large intake of breath came from her as they stepped outside, her eyes dilating to the new form of light that the sun provided. She had expected more people during the day, but it seemed that the inner workings of Japan came to life at night. This was a sort of relief to the Oni. She had never been too fond of crowds or people for that matter. She was thankful that they had chosen an appropriate time to exit the building, but she was still shocked none the less. Everything was different. There seemed to be no sign of the Edo period in this New World. Her comforts levels dropped and she felt slightly panicked. There was no way that she would be able to survive here. It would be better if she went to a new country, where she could be a foreigner learning another culture instead of a Japanese person trying to learn her own culture. It would be a shame and an embarrassment. She felt like she didn't even belong in Japan anymore, her own country. But was this really her country? She had been born and raised here, but not for the time period it was now. She caught sight of signs dangling here and there, realizing that the more modern Japanese used different kanji and had words that she didn't recognize. It was all so strange.

As they walked through the streets, vermillion eyes danced around trying to gather all the information that she could. There were no horse drawn carriages. The people wore strange clothing; there were no hakama, yukata, or kimono in sight. The clothes were all the more scandalous, fitting the body's natural contours and what not. People had their hair with colors that made her head dizzy. But that wasn't what got her the most, it was the fact that some women were walking around with unkempt hair and up in these scandalous fashions. Had they no shame? To openly flaunt their sexuality and private life to the open public. She felt her lips turn down in dissatisfaction and her nose crinkled slightly. How much had actually changed in the Japanese society? What caused for all the sacred rules that she knew to be broken? Of course, she could tell that not all women here had short hair or had it pulled up in such a way, but the numbers were few. Her mind was tangled in a mess of thoughts as they stopped and waited on one end of the path.

Her eyes glanced round her, noticing that some people would glance at her as they stood there. What was so odd? Perhaps it was the manner that she held herself. She had her back straight and head bowed when she was still. When she walked she took small steps behind Azrai, following him diligently. Was that weird? Should she immediately stop? Or would that only cause more problems. When Azrai started moving across the street, she recognized his slower pace. A small smile touched her lips. Was it safe to say that she enjoyed this? This was the first time she could openly walk in public without having someone trying to humiliate her or flaunt her like money. She liked how he was aware their surroundings and how he made sure that she was able to see all that she could on their brief journey for food. It made her feel safe, very safe to be around him. Though a chord struck through her mind and she didn't hesitate to glance around frantically. Was she really safe?

There were so many mechanical beasts and people here; it would be hard to pick out where exactly her stepfather would be. Then again, she knew him well enough to know that he would not come for her directly. The hounds that pursued them last night were just one of the examples. What kind of connections did her stepfather have here? She may have heightened senses, though they were not prepared for all the commotions of the city. Everything was loud, the smells were different, and there were too many faces. Her heart quickened and she found herself following Azrai a bit too closely while looking around. She was terrified of being out here. Maybe it had been a bad idea to agree to leave the hotel. But she didn't want to be trapped any more, she had wanted to explore. And who knows, maybe her stepfather could have found her there. She shuddered at the thought, her stomach turning uncomfortably. She cursed lightly realizing how foolish she was being, Azrai would not have taken her out if he could not protect her. She should trust him more, but could she really do that? Could she really trust someone that she barely knew anything about when he could be like all of the other men?

She felt disgusted with herself as she knew she was thinking wrong of the man who was trying to save her. Azrai seemed as if he had a good heart and determination that was made of steel. She should have a little more faith and trust in him, without him she would still be in the village. Her stepfather would still be torturing her, she would still be isolated. Her mood was turning for the worst as they continued to walk, she immediately stopped herself from walking into him as he spoke of the restaurant and she listened accordingly. Her stomach rumbled at the prospect of having a decent meal that was not poisoned. She smiled as he found this place rather enjoyable. Then perhaps she would find it as well. Out of a nervous habit she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and followed him inside.

The aroma of food hit her like a tidal wave, making her stomach roar and mouth water. She remained collected as the waitress greeted them; she tensed slightly when she felt the waitress' eyes on her. When they were seated and the woman walked away, she let out a slow and steady breath that she had been holding. Was it strange that she felt like everyone here was in contact with her stepfather? Was it weird that if she talked, then they would know she was different? She didn't want to be different anymore; she just wanted to be a normal person, well a normal Oni blending into society. She glanced down at the menu, deciding that since her mood dropped significantly, she would eat something light. Her eyes flashed over the menu before she glanced over at Azrai. "Would it be alright if I ate this," she asked pointing to the cheapest meal they had; grilled fish, rice, and miso soup. Shizu was not one for luxurious things, even though she came from a rich family. She preferred the simple things in life and she was sure that the other would not be a big money spender either.

Her fingers danced across her side of the table, setting the silverware according to how she was used to it. That meant that she put everything to the adjustment of her left hand, it was little known that she was left handed by her family, for anything that was different they had frowned upon. So she had become ambidextrous and learned to hide the true nature. She figured that since she was no longer at the Tsukino Compound, she no longer needed to abide by the rules that her stepfather had set up. Making sure that everything was straight and neat, she folded her hands in her lap, reviewing all that she had learned and discovered on the way over her. Something was eating away at her on the inside, it showed by the way she nibbled on her lower lip and how her eyebrows came forward in thought. "Ne, Azrai, do you mind if I ask a question," she said in a hesitant voice.

She had lowered her voice, feeling slightly embarrassed for what she was about to ask, though she felt that maybe he would understand. "Do you ever feel like you are a stranger within your own country, like you are not...one of them?" Crimson hues glanced up at him before falling to the lacquer table top. "I cannot speak with anyone here. My dialect is very old, I am sure you have noticed. It is hard for me to understand many of the hanging papers on the side of these buildings and it would be rather difficult for me to have a conversation with the woman who is serving us." She let out a half hearted laugh, her frail hands clenching into tiny fists. "I feel like he did this on purpose, knowing that I would not be able to survive." Her tone was bitter as it should be towards the man whom all her hate went towards. Let alone, she was Oni and she had to have certain things that were accessible in the Tsukino Compound that she was unsure if she could access here though she would keep that part to herself. "I do not belong here," she murmured in a solemn tone.

She looked at him and inclined her head slightly. "That was perhaps a bit too personal for so early in the day. I apologize." Shizu was a mess. On the outside she seemed like she was very good at controlling her emotions, after years of being rather emotionless. However, on the inside she was a wreck. There were many things that she had to work through in order to feel normal. There were many things she wanted erased from her mind in order to sleep at night. She tried her hardest to not let things bother her and crawl under her skin, but they had over the years. Perhaps she was going through too much of a culture shock at this point, but how would she deal with leaving Japan and going to a new country? She had to prepare herself for that giant leap, which shook her to the marrow of her bone. The exhaustion of the shock was getting to her but she had to prove that she was strong enough to handle whatever happened. She wanted to prove to Azrai that she was not weak; that she was worth the risk to save. She didn't want to go back to the Compound and hopefully she never would.

She let out another deep exhale, trying to clear her mind. What she could use was a hot pot of tea which normally soothed her nerves. Being out in the public was so strange. She felt as if everyone had their eyes on her and she didn't want to look around to find out. She knew that she didn't look her best but she was certain she didn't look crazy like the night before. Clearing her throat, she looked at Azrai. "Forgive me; I feel very...vulnerable right now. This is all so new and strange." She shifted slightly in her seat, trying to calm her shaking nerves but she wouldn't be fine until they got back to the hotel. No one would see her there, only Azrai. But she was fine with him seeing her, he would protect her. At least she knew that much, even though her mind was playing tricks with her. A sense of dread filled her being.

His mission would not be an easy one. She was sure of it, as the dread continued to chill her.

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Deciding that he would just have soup himself, he sat the menu down and gingerly placed it at the end of the table as the waitress came to remove them and take their order. While they waited for their food, he pondered Shizu’s question carefully, narrowing his eyes a bit and pinching the bridge of his nose in thought. It was somewhat unexpected and the question had definitely taken him aback but he wondered if it was a sign that they were bonding slightly. After all, he was sure that she would have more questions like this later. He made a mental note to continue acting professional as he went about this and would do whatever in his power to make himself worthy enough to protect her. A faint grin also made its way to his expression, knowing that a small breakthrough was better than nothing; Shizu was a curious girl and he secretly admired that. He himself was a rather cynical man who often could care less about such things and he hoped that would not affect their relationship in any way.

Maybe it already has, assuming she has caught on to his somewhat cynical expression though he has not really voiced that part of his personality yet. His cynicism was more or less comprised of personal thoughts he kept to himself. Being a loner he always kept to himself figuring nobody really cared to hear about his opinions anyway. He was just here to do a job, not make friends. Every time he makes friends it never ends well anyway, so eventually he figured why bother. Perhaps Shizu would just be the exact same way if he decided to open up to her a little too much, stepping out of his comfort zone, as she was just an assignment. It wasn’t really right to think of her as an assignment either, however. It was somewhat callous even for his taste and he decided right then and there that she deserved to be treated better than just an assignment.

“I do not blame you for… feeling vulnerable,” he began softly, looking down at the sake he ordered. It was perhaps a bit too early for alcohol, but he had his own ways of calming his nerves. “I have been to several countries so I understand your language barrier… I speak English fairly well but I still speak differently than most people. Japanese is not my strong suit either. In fact Hebrew is my native tongue… That being said I can sympathize when you tell me your dialect is older and you are not use to modern changes. Japanese may be older than Hebrew, but the languages have both been around for quite some time.” He was not one for talking, especially when it came to personal information, but he felt it was vital to the mission if he wanted to keep her safe and get her to trust him a little more. If there was one thing about Azrai, it was that he was always straight to the point and displayed it nicely while he continued to explain things to her. There was a long pause when he threw back his sake. He winced slightly at the taste as he was not use to it.

Placing the glass down, he then continued, “I suppose you could say that I do feel like a stranger in my own country… However, Israel is still my home so I do not allow such thoughts to discourage me…” he decided to just leave it at that, however, starting to feel somewhat uncomfortable opening up a little. Even around people he did trust, the few friends he actually had, he was never this open. He was always reserved and kept to himself. Everyone was so strange in his eyes, and he even included Shizu though it was not made obvious. He was someone who hardly ever made things like that obvious unless he truly meant it. Jumping to conclusions was one of his bad habits; everyone has at least a few bad habits no matter how subtle or obvious they were.

He was relieved when their food arrived. The waitress had a smile on her face and told them to enjoy their food, returning a brief moment later to replace his now empty glass of sake. Japan had wonderful soup though it was a little expensive. After looking at the bill, he estimated it would cost him nearly sixty shekels to pay for it assuming he would into a squabble with the woman about his lack of proper currency. That bothered him about most people: they were unable to convert in their mind and accept the fact that money was money no matter where you were. People relied way too much on technology such as calculators that it amused him greatly. Oddly enough he was one of those people who actually enjoyed working math out in his mind. It was a guilty pleasure of his that only he really knew, considering it a little embarrassing since he certainly did not have the appearance of a stereotypical math whiz. On that note, there really wasn’t much ‘stereotypical’ about him appearance wise anyway which was probably why he often felt he didn’t fit in.

He smirked lightly at the thought and threw back more of his sake.

The soup was excellent, hitting the spot nicely for this time in the day. He was hungry, and since he still felt like crap from the walk the other night he savored the taste of the warm soup and relaxed a bit more. “I am a man of my word,” he said told Shizu quietly, “this place definitely has enjoyable--”

His train of thought was interrupted when a group of people suddenly walked into the restaurant. His gaze was extremely dark, deadly, transfixed on them and his body tensed and he slid his hand near his gun, much like a tiger ready to pounce upon his prey when given the right opportunity. They weren’t looking this way but he did not like the vibes he was getting from these people. There were five men, all appearing to be local aside from the nicely dressed a man, who he assumed was either American or English. He briefly wondered if one of his contacts had finally gotten back to him but then he concluded that he did not know these people. When the group of men went to another are in the restaurant, away from he and Shizu, he decided to let it go. Keeping it in the back of his mind that he would probably see them again.

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She watched the brief interaction that the waitress and Azrai had and she wondered if she would be able to communicate so smoothly with another person. She already had a difficult time trying to pose questions to Azrai with unnecessary caution. She wanted to let out a sigh of defeat but she knew she couldn't allow such trivial things to bother her. She would allow herself to be less cautious but she would not throw it to the wind. She was a lady after all; she couldn't just prance around with wild abandon and feel like it was appropriate. She would merely have to incorporate her teachings into the modern world somehow. Sure it might be difficult but she was sure that she could manage. When the waitress left, she watched him carefully as he thought of a response for her question. Perhaps she shouldn't have said anything and kept her thoughts to herself. However, she wanted to know more things about him seeing how she figured they would spend quite a bit of time together. Azrai didn't look like the type of man who would open up at the drop of a hat but he seemed to be taking a great deal of time trying to think of a reply. That was something that she appreciated.

She understood that their relationship was not going to like most people. She understood that she was just an objective for a mission and she was fine with it. It hardly bothered her though she was happy. She was happy that someone actually cared enough to save her, even if it was for a certain amount of money. She was perfectly unaffected by it, which would probably saddened the other if she said such things. She was a very realistic woman, who thought more than she probably should. However, the truth sat there beside her like a large pink elephant in this tiny restaurant. She knew that he would get her to safety and that would be the end of it. There was no time to make some sort of friendship when it could all be over within a matter of weeks. She knew that she could easily become attached to Azrai, she could easily find herself wanting a bond with him, but logic stopped those kinds of actions. She wouldn't allow herself to delve too deep into his personal life and she would try to remain professional. She was just an objective after all. It was probably wrong of her to think that he didn’t care about her well being at all. He probably did care to a certain extent, but she knew there would be a limit to as how much he would care. She knew that she shouldn’t treat him like he was the enemy, that he was only there for the money but sometimes her logic was cynical like that. How could it not be?

She perked up when he finally chose to speak, listening intently to him. She smiled faintly at the choice of his words. They had some things in common which, in all honesty, surprised her. How was she supposed to know that he knew of an old language as well? She smiled once more as he continued to speak to her. It was nice to have a somewhat normal conversation while being out in public. Given the circumstances that they were in, this was probably as normal as their conversations would get. She certainly couldn't think of them discussing how pleasant the weather was or some other frivolous topic that she had heard the villagers speak of from her window. She admired that he was not discouraged about feeling isolated in his own country. She wished she had that kind of strength within her being and maybe one day she would find it. Japan was still her home, she just had to look pass the things that have happened to her in this place. Japan was a very beautiful and loving country, and it would forever be her home. She just had to get through a few things before she could feel more accepted in society.

They fell silent as their food arrived and she had to keep the raging beast of hunger at bay. The aroma of fresh grilled fish wafted into her nostrils making her want to voice how delighted she was to eat it. The portions were small, as Japan usually had many small dishes for one meal. She bowed her head politely as the waitress encouraged them to eat and enjoy such wonderful foods. She did a small prayer, muttering the common term for beginning a meal under her breath. She tucked back the sleeve of her kimono, to avoid it dangling in her food and slowly began to eat. She had long told herself that she shouldn't fear that this food was poisoned. This was a public restaurant where it would cause a scene to actually try to harm someone. She ate in silence, relishing in every bite that she took. She was sure to chew her food a certain amount of times before swallowing, savoring each flavor that hit her taste buds. It had been such a long time since she had a meal this good. She almost felt overwhelmed with emotions, seeing how this was just one step closer to her freedom. If she voiced such thoughts, would Azrai understand?

She wasn't entirely sure, so she made a mental note to ask later.

There was a faint laugh that left her as he expressed his satisfaction from the food. "Indeed you are," she commented with the slight quirk of her lips. "This place is wonderful..." Her sentence was left hanging as she noticed the sudden change of his disposition. She felt her whole body tense as she watched him look at whoever entered the place. She was very observant of the hostility that rolled off of him and she knew it was best that she dare not to look over her shoulder. She inhaled slowly, picking through the many layers of smells in the restaurant. She blocked out the odor of food, sorting through things like perfume and cologne. A faint smell that seemed familiar tickled her nose. There was a siren that resounded in her head and red flags popped up. She was sure she was imagining things; she had to be, though her nostrils flared and she felt ill.

The color drained from her face and she slowly set down her chopsticks, her appetite subsiding as wave after wave of nausea hit her. It was impossible for him to be here, right? That scent was familiar; however, anyone else could have it. Her eyes narrowed as she thought of the man that had that awful scent. It was loaded with smoke, cologne, and death. She remembered the nights when her stepfather would entertain foreigners; she stopped her thoughts from that point refusing to think of those nights any further. Biting the inside of her cheek, she was sure she was being paranoid. Of course she would react like that when Azrai had tensed up. Perhaps he knew the group of men that walked in and he just didn't like them. But...how could he know them when he was from another country? She was thinking too much into this, wasn't she? She was just playing into her paranoia. She just needed to calm down and then things would settle down, though she didn't feel comfortable here anymore. She knew that from behind, she looked like a typical Japanese woman. Long, pin straight black hair and petite physique. But from the front, her eyes were what caught most people off guard. Eyes the color of blood was uncommon to most humans, but she had seen some have different colors than the typically brown hue. Though hopefully she wouldn't have to turn around and face the group of men. She wasn't that hard to spot out in a crowd, but she would be sure to remain inconspicuous.

Clearing her throat, she glanced at Azrai as his body language seemed to relax slightly. She wasn't sure how to recover from the sudden mood change though one thing was for certain, they couldn't stay here any longer; least it would lead to trouble later on down the road. She knew her stepfather was slowly picking up on her trail and she knew that they would come face to face with his men soon; though this was far too soon for her likings. "Thank you for the meal, I thoroughly enjoyed it," she said gently, fear caused her voice to quiver slightly and she was sure Azrai would be able to pick up on her discomfort. "Perhaps now would be a good time for our departure," she suggested as she was very observant of their surroundings, knowing that if they stayed here, they would both be on edge.

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That group of men had completely ruined the atmosphere of the restaurant for him and he found himself to be extremely restless. He kept his hand near his gun and kept an eye on the place vigilantly, like he was expecting there to be a strike of some kind. Continuing to act like a tiger waiting to pounce on its prey, who would not hesitate to plant a bullet in every last person in this restaurant if he had to. The expression on his face, though he was a bit more relaxed, was enough to show his potential to be a very deadly and violent man if he had to. He didn’t make a profession out of being a hired gun for nothing after all. More sake was brought for him but he grinned faintly and declined it though it was obvious he didn’t want to. He was a horrible alcoholic, the kind who would get so drunk he would wake up and forget most of what happened the other night, but it was work first drunkenness later when it came to this situation. It didn’t matter how exceptional his marksmanship was he was of no use carrying out his job while alcohol impaired him in any way.

Shizu was right to suspect that he would pick up on her discomfort easily. When she spoke, he gave her his full attention and looked her over. He then gave her a slow nod before he threw the money on the table and stood from his seat, hoping he was right about the amount, not even bothering to finish what remained of his soup. If she was uncomfortable being here and it was obvious he was as well then there was no reason to remain. He didn’t want her to feel any more uncomfortable than she already was, fearing that he would only lose the little trust she was placing in him. She expected him to keep her safe and he would continue to do just that. There was no doubt in his mind that those men did not come in here looking for a meal, trouble practically oozed from them, and so it was best that they take their leave while they still could. He was a violent man but he was far from bloodthirsty, at least in the sense that he would not start a fight if it could be avoided.

Not even bothering to ask for her permission, he gently grabbed her arm and began to walk her quickly through the restaurant, hoping they were not seen as they left. When they were back outside he relaxed a bit but he made sure she stayed close to him. It was more of a protective thing than being obsessive about his job. His facial expression was calm and neutral, even if he walked at a swift pace to get as far away from the restaurant as he could. He was sure she didn’t want to go back to the hotel either, so he walked until he came to a rather beautiful park. Japan has always loved nature and even in modern times he was sure that Shizu was aware that the country has not changed at least in that sense. He was not a mind reader, but he had a feeling that she might appreciate him brining her somewhere that she could have at least some sense of peace of mind. Or so he hoped. He was a bit nervous about it, honestly, though he dared not show it.

“This park is… another little gem I have discovered in my short time here,” he told her with a faint grin as he took in a deep breath of fresh air to relax a bit more. “I figured you did not wish to go back to the hotel so I… decided to come here instead.” The park was fairly spacious for being in the city, surrounded by some local plants and a play area for children. The morning air was still cool which made this even more perfect for relaxing. It was peaceful. Very peaceful. And he was enjoying himself, hoping that Shizu could find peace here as well until they decided to move again. However such hopes of having peace were shattered completely at the sound of a gunshot.

Immediately, he reached for hit gun, looking around amongst the crowd of frightened people running for their lives in an unorganized fashion. He made sure Shizu, once again, stayed with him while he moved amongst the crowd carefully. Every now and then he would look over his shoulder to see if she was still following while keeping an eye out for the attacker. He finally spotted one of the men from the restaurant and groaned under his breath. Picking up the pace, he turned down an alley way hoping to lose the man but he was persistent. The man continued to fire off a few rounds, it was a miracle none hit, though he could tell his pace was slowing somewhat. Though Azrai was not a fast runner, he definitely had the endurance to keep his pace for a long time despite being somewhat stiff from the long walk he took on the other day when he went to rescue Shizu from her prison. When he felt he had lost the man, he stopped running.

His heart was racing and his breathing was heavy, eyes ever alert as he made sure the coast was clear before they moved again. He looked to Shizu to speak to her when suddenly he heard a sound up ahead and his hand jumped to his gun. Drawing the Desert Eagle from its holster, his eyes fell upon the figure and he tackled the man to the ground. He then proceeded to slam the man’s head down twice before he looked to Shizu again, “I suppose you would not mind translating for me to the best of your ability?” He asked, keeping his gun jammed against the man’s temple, and then he got off the man and pulled him up only to slam him against the wall of the building. “If you refuse to give me the answers I want, I shall proceed to blow your brains out.” He told the man, hoping Shizu would translate, even if judging by the man’s smile he knew English.

A grin crossed his expression again, only this time it was a dark grin that showed his mildly sadistic tendencies. The man was still quiet. He took his pistol and smacked the man across the face with it, hard enough to give the man a nosebleed.

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She thanked Kami-sama for how understanding Azrai was though she was sure that he wanted to get out of there as well. She smelled trouble and that was scent that she wished to stay away from. There was a breath of relief that left her when he nodded and put his form of currency on the table. She was just about ready to get up when he took hold of her arm. She didn't resist the sudden contact, but she did flinch slightly out of habit. She was up on her feet in no time, stumbling slightly as she was gently pulled out of the restaurant. When they reached the outside area, she kept close to him, knowing of the danger that they could be in. If those men saw them and recognized her, they would give chase. After all, she was a wanted prize and she was sure that her stepfather had offered a generous reward for her capture. She shuddered at the idea.

Money could make people greedy, bloodthirsty even. She had seen it in the eyes of her stepfather and the men that he associated himself with. She knew that money and power could turn even the sweetest of men into savages. She followed Azrai closely as they made a rather swift escape from the restaurant. Instead of heading for the hotel, they went in another direction. This eased her panicking heart and she looked around him to see that they were nearing a park. A smile touched her lips as nature had always held a special place in her heart. Even though her stepfather had been a cruel man, he had allowed her to enjoy the earthly wonders around them. She would be taken, by a guard, to the forest line and allowed to explore for an entire day, especially if he was having an important meeting with his colleagues. Those days she had treasured the most and she would definitely treasure this moment as well.

This enclosed nature area was like a breath of fresh air, literally. She inhaled deeply, relieved to be flooded with the scents of the trees and budding blossoms around them. It wasn't defiled like the city air was; it was so clean and so very refreshing. A bright smile touched her lips as he spoke about how he had found it and thought that she would enjoy it better than returning to the hotel. "You are very kind, I certainly do enjoy this," she said with great gratitude. Her eyes danced around the park, it was big enough to find a place that no one could find them. Like a small hideout of sorts, though that idea didn't last long. The sounds of a gunshot rang throughout the park and she felt her body tense. She looked up at Azrai, as if wanting to know how to go about this. She could hear the frantic shouts of surprised bystanders and she knew that they needed to leave here. She had to remain calm, even though her legs were itching to run, like she had always done.

He didn't say anything but she recognized that he was ready to shoot his metal weapon without hesitation. She wasn't sure how she felt about it, but it did give her a sense of safety. He was willing to fight, risk his life and that was something to admire. They slowly crept through the crowd; she made sure that she was close so he wouldn't have to worry about her. She understood that she would have to listen to everything he told her to do. When Azrai picked up the pace, she followed his lead, knowing that if she looked behind, she could lose him or trip. She didn't want to be a complication that he had to constantly worry about, even if it was part of his job description. She couldn't help but flinch every time she heard the sound of the gunshots, her body not used to the sound and she was practically waiting for it to hit her and strike her down.

That probably wasn't the best thing to think about at a time like this.

When they came to a stop, she felt as if her heart was going to explode. It was an understatement to say that she was terrified. She was scared out of her mind and she couldn't even rely on her heightened senses to help Azrai out. She was too concerned with not dying, which seemed reasonable, to be able to do anything. She glanced over at Azrai, sensing that he had something to tell her but that never came. She let out a faint noise of surprise as she watched the scene unfold before her. It happened so fast, she wasn't surely if she was dreaming though the noise the attacker made was all too real, as Azrai manhandled his body. She quickly nodded as Azrai spoke to her, she would do her best to help out.

The male was not slender like a normal Japanese man; he had refined muscles up his shirt, as if he was building the ideal physique for this occupation. Though he had definitely been overtaken by Azrai, and he grunted once more as he was slammed into the wall. He listened the other male talk to the woman he was here to capture. A wild grin on his lips, knowing what exactly what was going to happen; he had been trained for a situation like this. He cringed slightly as the pistol stung his face; he felt the warm sensation of blood trailing down his face. He listened as Shizu murmured the translation roughly, his eyes never leaving the face of Azrai. It was unnecessary to have her translate after all; he had been prepared for this. His dark eyes were unwavering and cold, it was obvious that he was not afraid to kill or die. One had to have that kind of mentality in order to come out in broad daylight shooting his gun in all kinds of directions.

"Just hand over the woman and this could all be over," he said in a rough manner as he spoke in English. Shizu shifted uncomfortably, she had been right to assume that the foreigner in the restaurant had been in contact with her stepfather. She felt ill but she refused to seem weak. Her eyes landed on the male, trying to figure out if she had seen him at the Compound before, though with his nose bleeding and his appearance rather rumpled from their scuffle on the ground. The attacker leaned his head back, groaning at the pain swelling in his nose. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into. It'd be easier if you just handed over the woman now before it's too late." A sick grin came across his face. "Do you even know what she is?" Shizu tensed, her eyes widening. How did he know!? If he exposed her secret then that could possibly make her go back to the Compound. Not many people found comfort to be around her because was Oni, though it wasn't like she could help the fact that she was born that way. Swallowing hard, she felt dizzy. She couldn't even fathom the idea of Azrai finding out through the attacker her secret. She honestly thought little of it because it never occurred to her that it would matter. Obviously, her stepfather knew that she would have not told Azrai. She cursed inwardly to herself, if she thought it an issue she would have told him…eventually.

"We will not stop coming until she's back in our hands. Understand?" He said it in such a way that there was no denying that he was telling the truth. Her stepfather would stop at nothing to have her back and she knew that. She almost felt bad for not telling Azrai this sooner though by now she was sure that he understood what he was getting himself into. "That woman over there doesn't need to be in public," the attacker spat out venomously. "You're writing your own death wish by taking her, she's a monster." The attacker had the audacity to laugh cruelly knowing how badly it affected her.

Normally Shizu was not the type of person who would wish ill upon any one but this man was first to make it to her list. She seriously hoped that Azrai would proceed to 'blow his brains out' because if didn't she would. Even if she didn't completely understand the context of his threat though she was sure it meant something along the lines of seriously injuring the attacker or, worse, killing him. Either way was fine because the other male was really trying to ruin the small amount of trust that they had been trying to form. She had been looking for a way to tell him but all the things she could say and the scenarios she played out ended in disaster. Her hands shook with a mixture of fear and rage. If she lost this chance for freedom, she would kill the man. If she didn't and Azrai became suspicious of her, she worried that she would have no way of being able to salvage their small relationship. Her crimson hues narrowed on the attacker and she bit back the growl that wanted to leave her. It would only prove his point further; she was a monster after all.

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He listened to the man quietly at first, keeping an unwavering and menacing gaze on him. This guy was definitely a professional to some degree but it had also made him uneasy that he had taken him so easily. If he said that he had taken the man off guard, perhaps he would be giving him the benefit of the doubt, and that was not usually something he did. While he listened to the man, it was obvious that he had wanted to get caught and he couldn’t help but snort in amusement and pistol whip him again to prove that he was not letting Shizu go. The man had called her a monster but from what he gathered she was not; monsters were not what you were but how you acted. Monsters were manipulators, rapists, anyone that was a true criminal and had no feelings of remorse or regret, showing that they were sorry for their crimes. Monsters were those who enjoyed making people feel weak and who pushed others around for whatever reason. Those people in that village, hearing their remarks towards Shizu, they were the monsters.

Shizu was his responsibility now and there was no way in hell he was letting her go back to that place. So what if he was doing it for money, and perhaps he was a bit in over his head and might be involved with something he shouldn’t be, but as she said he was a man of his word and darnit he was going to stick to his word. He had promised to teach her about the modern world. That promise would be kept, regardless if she was a monster or not. All his life he has made a living out of this sort of life, in a sense this was just another assignment to him and in the end this man’s little warning to him would mean absolutely nothing. He wasn’t worried. If they wanted to come after him then so be it; they were powerless once he and Shizu reached Israel. He was hell bent on getting her there more now than he had been before. He even decided to confirm that he was serious about his mission: “I am willing to take my chances, I assure you.” Azrai was also a man who was prepared to die before he even thought of giving her up.

With a cold smile, Azrai then pressed his pistol against the man’s head again as hard as he could and pulled the trigger. Throwing the dead man’s limp body to the ground, spitting on it, he looked back to Shizu. There was something very different in his eyes then. It wasn’t like the vigilant, intense gaze from earlier; in fact this time it was one that further showed his violent tendencies. It was almost like he was detached for a moment and he made keeping her safe his only reason for living at this moment. The professional in him was becoming something else, realizing that this task was definitely not going to be an easy one. Maybe he was biting off more than he could chew… What if he did face death in the eyes and would not survive? He was not a man who was easily frightened but he was still uneasy about dying even if his profession has placed him in a good many near death experiences before. He always managed to get out of them…

Why did this feel so different? Was it because in the back of his mind, he did have a feeling Shizu was different than most people he has met? She seemed to be a bit nervous while the man was speaking, even glaring at him like she would rip his throat out of he said another word or something she was not pleased with. He was not the kind of person who made judgments based on the words of others, liking to experience things for himself, but he just had a gut feeling… Well what he did know was that nobody deserved to be locked away unless they really did prove to be one of those monsters in prison.

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed and holstered his weapon safely under his jacket. Straightening his posture, he relaxed a bit though it was obvious his mood had changed from his calm mood before to someone that was indeed fully alert. However despite his now tense mood he still managed to speak softly like he always did, “As much as I would love to walk around the city more, if you wish to head back to the hotel I will have no objections. I should probably… try to reach my contacts again to see if we can get out of here as quickly as possible.” He was rather **** that their morning had been ruined and he knew that was not the last he would see of those men. His entire body was still rather tense and he as feeling extremely restless, sort like how he feels whenever his insomnia kicks in or he goes a long period of time without a drink.

He supposed he should get in touch with his contacts again or at least try. Hopefully some of them would answer him. Absently, he checked his phone, frowning a bit when he noticed there were no messages.

Looking to Shizu again, “It is up to you what you want to do. As I have said already, I am fine with whatever.” Honestly he would rather stay outdoors and continue this little walk as if that man had no interrupted them. If only it were that easy, since it was obvious that they could not enjoy a walk without trouble happening again. Perhaps it was somewhat selfish to want to stay outdoors and put her in dangers, but at the same time he was really not fond of being inside. This was why he was giving her the choice. As he said he was not going to object to whichever she chose to do.

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She was touched that he decided to continue to protect her, even though he had no idea what he was trying to protect. Oh how she wished she had told him sooner, then he would not say such reckless words. She was ridden with guilt though she continued to watch their interactions, her blood hot with anger. Azrai had hit the attacker once more and the male laughed. Yes, he had been told that he would probably die getting involved with this male. He was alright with that, because he accomplished getting under Shizu’s skin. The attacker grinned as Azrai spoke. “You’ve been warned,” he managed to spout out around a mouth full of blood. In a few minutes, the attacker was dead, and she felt strange. Almost happy that he was erased from this planet. Her eyes stared at the blood that pooled around his head; she watched the color drain from his body. She was satisfied, her inner beast cackling in triumph. Her face was pulled taut before she let out a deep breath. It was unlike her to be so fixated on death, but she felt very happy and relieved at this point.

It took her a few moments to pull herself out of her morbid thoughts, looking over at Azrai. She knew that he now had thoughts of her true nature and she knew that he was probably wondering what they were talking about. He had heard it from the villagers last night when he rescued her and once again it had been brought up. Anyone would have been curious about it and she could not blame him for it. With a slight sigh, she realized that now would probably be an appropriate time to discuss the matters at hand. Even though she was certainly not looking forward to the conversation, she knew what had to be done. She would finally have to put all her trust into him; she would reveal the secret of her village.

She worried that she would be the cause of his death, though she knew that she couldn't afford to think like that. To ensure that he understood what he was going to have to be dealing with, she had to explain everything. As determined as he was to protect her, she was determined to protect him to the best of her abilities. It did sadden her that their day had been ruined so early on, she would have liked for an incident like this to have happened later on, preferably after she had completed her meal, but the world didn't work like that. She had figured that out a long time ago. When he spoke, she was fully aware what he was suggesting and she appreciated the thought. However the idea of going back to an enclosed space did not strike a chord of interest within her.

There would be less time for exploration once he was able to get in contact with his colleagues that much she knew. They might as well use this time to experience some sort of normalcy, even though they were both being hunted down. "If you do not mind, I would very much like to stay away from the hotel for a while," she said gently, almost in an exhausted tone. "I have a feeling that it would not suit either of us to be stuck inside that room for an extended period of time." There was a quirk of her lips as she smirked faintly. It was sort of like a small joke she made, seeing how she had spent most of her life locked away, it really shouldn't bother her to go back. However, Oni could be selfish at times and she was going to be in this moment, no matter the risks. She would not fare well if she had to go back to the hotel. Azrai had given her the choice to decide what they were to do next and so she had chosen, whether or not it was a terrible idea she was sure they would find out later.

"I believe there are a few things that we need to discuss." Her tone was rather ominous, different from her usual cautious tone. Things had changed in the matter of minutes and she had no time to be worried anymore. She was about to take a huge leap with Azrai and she hoped that he was prepared for it. He seemed like a very insightful man, so she knew that he had his thoughts about her already. With another sigh, she twisted her hair in her hands, not wanting to be in this alley way anymore. The scent of death was overwhelming; it made her realize that death would probably follow her wherever she went until they left Japan. She only hoped that it would not result in her or Azrai's death. That was something that was willingly to avoid at all possible costs. "Please, follow me," she said in a gentle tone.

She may have not known her way around Japan, though her memory was impeccable. If they had troubles later getting back to the hotel, she was sure that she could find their way back there. She would keep the direction that they were going simple. She was in no rush; however she wanted to escape the sight of that dead body as soon as possible. She didn't turn to see if Azrai was following because she knew he would follow. She wasn't trying to take advantage of the fact that he was going to protect her but she knew that he wouldn't allow her to travel around by herself. It was too dangerous. She moved through the sea of people, merely trying to sort through her thoughts. How should she go about this conversation? There was no simple way to explain it. She was what she was and there was no sugar coating it to him. There would be no need for the reality of it all.

She led them to a small, quiet place several blocks away from the alley way. She glanced around, counting the amount of people around them. The number was less than ten and they all seemed to be going somewhere else. She found a bench to sit down on and patted the spot beside her. "Please, have a seat." She smiled warily though it left a few seconds after it appeared. This place was a rather run down area, it looked as if people had given up on trying to make it like the park that they had previously went to. Her lips formed a thin line before she inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. She shouldn't try to stall; it would only cause some small annoyance. "I never thought that I would escape that village. I thought that one day they would kill me," she said slowly, trying to brace her mind to open up to him. "When you appeared last night, I thought you a dream. I had been dreaming and hoping to leave one day. That a stranger would come and rescue me." She laughed darkly. "And like some sort of fairy tale knight, you came."

Her fingers picked at the fabric of her kimono, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "What the villagers say...their words are all true. The man that held me captive is not of my blood, he wed my mother when I had already been conceived. He knew not of our true nature." She glanced over at him, wondering what he was thinking. "I am the monster that they speak of; I am one of the few pureblood Oni left in Japan. I know this to be true for I have read about the near extinction of my race. Humans have killed my people out of fear." Her jaw clenched as she spoke about the treatment of her kind. "I know that there were those who enjoyed harming humans, but I also know they are those who loved humans. I have never harmed anyone in my entire life, yet I have been treated like I have."

She leaned back against the bench looking up at the sky. "The villagers fear me for no reason. Even after all they have done to me; I still wish not to harm them. I have no intention of killing them, even if I have had those thoughts at times." She looked away from the sky and looked down at her hands. She lifted them up in order to show them to him, they looked ordinary. "They fear me because I need the blood of a living creature to survive." Her hands trembled faintly due to the lack of the proper nourishment she needed. Her nails elongated to sharp claws, before reverting back to look normal. "I have yet to feed in almost six months now. It would be better for me to take the blood of a human, but I choose to take the blood of animals. The villagers thought that I would kill them off one by one whenever I would need to feed. So they started to attack me because of it and my stepfather allowed such things, even joining in himself."

There was disgust in her voice though her eyes held a great deal of sadness in them. "I am sure you wonder why he wishes to retrieve me if he loathes me so much. I am the main source of his power, as Daimyo, no one will defy him because he has a daughter who is Oni. There are other reasons that he wishes to keep me around, but I wish not to discuss them at this point," she said her tone darkening. Those other points were probably the main reasons he kept her, the thought made her stomach churn violently and her skin crawled as the memories haunted her mind. "So, now, you have some kind of understanding as to why they wish me not to be in public and remain in the village. I know that I should have probably told you sooner but..." Her voice caught in her throat and she looked at her lap, feeling her eyes swell with tears. "I was so happy that you appeared that I was scared that if I told you...you would not want to take me anymore. I never want to go back to that place and I feared that you would hate me like everyone else in the village."

She hadn't meant to start crying but the thought of him leaving terrified her. Now that he knew the truth, she feared that he would leave. Maybe he would realize that he had bitten off more than he could chew. Maybe he would realize that his life was not worth risking, in order to protect a monster.

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Knowing that she didn’t want to go back to the hotel and be cooped up brought him relief. It wasn’t really a relaxing relief, or a selfish one, but a strange relief that showed understanding. She had been confined all her life and again he didn’t like being confined himself. As restless as he was now he really did not want to make Shizu nervous if they were to go back to the hotel, where his restlessness would be even more evident since he was not releasing that energy, or uneasy for that matter. His entire body relaxed a bit more when she made her decision and he couldn’t help but grin and give a brief nod. If he was someone who was a bit more expressive when it came to his emotions, he probably would have smiled a bit more and jumped for joy. He was in a sense, but it was mentally; he was rather calm on the outside and also understood that she wanted to get away from the sight and smell of death. It was not something that was pleasant.

It did confuse him a bit when she said that she wished to speak with him, he won’t lie. He followed her quietly, keeping an eye on her, making sure that they were not followed again. Just what did she want to speak to him about, he wondered, thinking he might have done something she did not like. Perhaps she was not pleased with his actions even though her expression said she was glad that man had died and he briefly wondered if he should have rendered the man unconscious instead. Whenever his violence shone through, he was always out for blood, looking to murder rather than go in for a simple knock out. He could do it, he was trained to incapacitate when he worked for the military, but there was something about killing that he found… enjoyable. Perhaps Shizu was not the same way and didn’t like death, which would not surprise him. Most people didn’t like death whether it was a violent death or not and often refused to accept it at times. He was just odd, he supposed, thinking back to when he wondered if she thought he was strange.

When she sat on the bench, he did as well but made sure that he kept his distance a bit so he wasn’t completely invading her personal space. He also did not like his own personal space invaded so he would be respectful in both senses. He sat leaned back slightly, relaxed, intent on listening to her. However nothing had really prepared him for what she was about to reveal.

At first he felt a warmth swell inside of him when she mentioned she was grateful for him rescuing her from that village, making him feel pretty good about doing something nice for someone. Most of the time, his job requires him to kill someone not protect someone. It was nice and he appreciated her gratitude. But then his mood was suddenly changed. At first he was confused, and he narrowed his eyes a bit when she told him what the villagers had said was true. She explained that she was an Oni, and his eyes widened a bit, completely taken aback by that. He didn’t know much about Japanese lore or legends or anything of the sort, but he has heard of Oni being ferocious creatures. It made him realize that he was indeed biting off more than he could chew and he wondered if she really wanted him to leave and forget about her. That thought was also shot down when she told him she never wanted to go back to that place and his expression softened a bit. It was rare for him to show too much emotion or even get attached to people, but somehow he felt a slight connection.

His own father and brother, growing up, were cruel people and sent him away when they decided he was not worthy of them. He also knew what it was like to be labeled a monster, someone who deserved to be locked away. The two months he had spent in that sanitarium were hell for him, even if he knew he was able to function in society they felt he was not. It took a good friend of his, who cared about him dearly though he sometimes wondered, to step in and get him out. Perhaps he could sympathize in that way with Shizu, and he winced a bit to show his sympathy. Was he supposed to comfort her in some way? He wasn’t the kind of person who handled crying that well, though he understood why she was crying. She was worried about him leaving her as she said, but at the same time she would not blame him if he did.

One thing was for certain: she seemed to be a strong woman. After all she had been through she had said she does not wish harm on humans. That was something that took a great deal of strength, not wanting revenge, as she could very well, now that she was free, be filled with vengeance and kill everyone in this city. Would she kill him as well? Maybe she would, and that was the reason she was telling him this. Then again she seemed to be such a kind soul; he could tell it from the look in her eyes that she just wanted to live peacefully. And now, knowing what he did, he would grant that, “If you have the need to feed, those men after you shall prove to be wonderful appetizers then,” he said with a dark tone of voice, his mildly sadistic side showing through again. He was a man of his word after all, and he would continue to remain loyal to his mission.

Heh, perhaps he was in it for the money after all. He snorted, amused at his own thoughts as he cleared them from his mind.

“I am not someone who hates people because of who they are, I assure you. It takes a hell of a lot for me to… truly hate someone” He told her softly; though it was once more obvious he was not one for talking much, “From what I have seen, you have shown me that you are no monster. Monsters live within the heart of a person, not in their appearance, in my opinion at least.” Was he speaking true or just being reassuring? He felt it was a little of both though he knew it was more because he wanted to be reassuring. What reason did he have for lying to her, after all? He was an honest person and he held to his honesty proudly when it came to his profession. Maybe this was also another one of those things he felt was vital to this mission’s success. “It is probably needless to say that you do not have to worry about me hating you.”

Maybe she was right, maybe he should have remained ignorant, but he was still glad she told him. It meant she was a bit more open with him and it made him feel better about this. Perhaps acting as a professional was definitely a better approach. It seemed to be working well. And now all he needed to do was get her out of Japan…. His damn contacts have not said a single thing to him. Absently, he checked his cell phone again to once again find no missed calls or messages. What the hell was taking them so long? He left a few messages… So what could be keeping them..?

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His reaction was not something that she had been expecting. She thought that this conversation was going to end terribly and it probably should have. She could sense his shock knowing that he had every right to be so, but she had expected an outburst. She knew that he was not all for expressing his emotions but she did expect that he would be angry with her. It was such a huge secret to keep for him, even it was for only a few hours. Then again, she had been sure that he had been informed of who she was and what risks he was going to take. However, as thing started to change, she realized that he was in the dark. She wanted to say that he didn't have to continue to protect her and that he could leave at any time, but she couldn't bring herself say that much. As much as she wanted to keep him out of harm's way, she also wanted to be away from the village for as long as she could. It was selfish of her but she couldn't help it.

She wondered what he thought of the sudden revelation; he was quiet though she knew he was in deep thought. When he spoke, she couldn't help but laugh. It was humorous to her because she didn't expect him to say such things. Normally, people would cringe away from the fact that she needed blood to survive. Some would have probably tried to kill her. But not Azrai, no, he decided to find an appropriate solution for her need of nourishment. "Yes, I do suppose that they would be a fitting meal," she said slowly, her lips curling in a slight grin. There was one thing that she knew she had to keep in check, which was her Oni side. She could not control it once it got out; it was like another being inside of her. The only thing she could do was feed it to keep it at bay. That's why she had stayed in the village.

At least there, if her inner Oni awakened, she would only destroy a handful of people, who deserved it.

But that was a thought for another time. She dabbed the remaining tears from her eyes, feeling better now that she had released some of the skeletons in her closet. A small weight had been lifted from her and now she looked to Azrai, waiting for what he was going to decide. He would stay or he would leave, it was as simple as that. She would understand if he left and she would go back to her village with little fight. After all, she had nowhere else to go. If he stayed, then she would be sure to stay strong and try not to be a burden on him. When he spoke to her once more, she smiled gently. It made her feel relieved to know that he did not have any ill feelings towards her though it brought a thought in her mind. He spoke of the heart, she wondered if she really had a pure heart or had she made herself believe she did? She wasn't sure but she knew deep down that she would finally seek her revenge but for now, she wanted nothing more than to experience a peaceful life.

"I shall take that into consideration. I must thank you for not...freaking out," she said softly. "I was not sure of how you might react though I appreciate that you did not...panic." She took her time with her words, trying her best not to sound like she had been expecting him to lash out on her. Of course, it had been a scenario that had played out in her head as they walked to this location but it wasn't what she thought as the definite outcome. She had been expecting him to say ‘I am sorry but I cannot continue on with you' or something to that dramatic effect but she had yet to worry about such events because they didn't happen. So, in the least, she was beginning to feel a little more comfortable with him. She no longer had to worry about her secret. All they needed to be concerned with was the fact that her stepfather would stop at nothing to bring her back to that hell hole.

She leaned back against the bench; she knew that she would have to feed before they left Japan. It would be the only way that she would be able to keep with their journey. Sure, human food would suffice for now, but an Oni was known to be bloodthirsty and she was no exception to that fact. She could always go back to the alleyway and see if the body was still there or if the authorities had taken it out of the public eye. She supposed that she could ask Azrai if they could stop by later but she would prefer to do such actions in the dead of night. Call her old fashion, which she was, but she enjoyed having the dark sky covering her footsteps. Of course, animals had been least suspecting of her attacks but humans that were dead would be even better. She mulled over the thought almost hoping that they could run into another henchman by the end of the day. She rolled her tongue over her small, sharp canines, they ached and she ignored it. She would find the time soon enough and it seemed to please Azrai that she could partake in harming the opposite team.

She opened her mouth to suggest that they go back to the alley way, but instead of words a tone filtered through the air. She blinked momentarily not recognizing the sound. She looked at Azrai, realizing that the noise was coming from him. She tilted her head in a curious manner, her lips quirking into a slanted line. What in the world was that noise? She was sure that it could have been that device that Azrai had been tediously checking ever since they had started their day. She smiled a bit and nodded her head in the direction of where the noise was coming from. "I think that you should answer that," she suggested before moving to give him a little privacy. She was sure it was a new way of communicating with people in this New World. She was not the type of person to stand by and listen to important topics being discussed, but she was very curious as to how the device worked. She didn't move far, merely admiring the scenery around them. It was not as breath taking as that park, but the Sakura trees were beginning to bloom and the budding looked so beautiful.

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Grumpy was an understatement. He rolled around in his chair, a large mug of coffee in his hand, as he neared his work area. Thick black frames surrounded hazel eyes, the monitors of four computer screens reflecting off his glasses. Dirty blonde hair was pinned back away from his face, looking like some sort of bird's nest. Taking a large swig of his coffee, he took a moment for it to heat up his body and wake up his mind. Grinding his teeth slightly, he looked over at the green numbers of his clock, those numbers reading three thirty in the morning. He swore under his breath, ready to chew out the person who urgently woke him up. Bare feet tapped on the hardwood floor underneath him as he slowly began to pull up files. Picking up his phone he looked through his contacts finding the number he was looking for he connected it to one of his monitors. Placing on his headset, he reviewed the information that he was given so far, which was nothing. He growled under his breath, of all times to be bothered, it had to be three thirty in the morning. He had just been getting good sleep. This chick had better been worth all the trouble to get this wake up call. He knew that he wouldn't be able to ignore that message; Azrai was a man who liked to get things done as soon as possible. Not to mention the man had a knack for always needing him at odd times of the day, this shouldn't have been a surprise.

When the line picked up and he received a greeting, the gears in his mind began to turn and his fingers hovered over the keyboard, getting ready to exercise them. "Alright, now that you have successfully ruined my night of sleep," he teased out in a playful manner. "I need information on the objective. I need a name, age, and preferably a picture. Give me all you think necessary." He took another swig of his coffee and a grin came to his face. He enjoyed his job; he had to remind himself of that. He knew that he was one of the very few that Azrai could rely on, when he really needed to. Besides, hacking into the government's security systems to create an identity for someone was just too easy. It'd take him a little less than forty minutes to complete. Then he could go back to some love making with his bed.

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No ‘freaking out’? The words stuck with him for a moment while he carefully watched her expression. In all honesty he knew he should be absolutely terrified, as he does not deal with the preternatural world every day of, yet strangely he was sticking to his calm nature at least on the outside. On the inside he was worried as hell, wondering just what the hell he has agreed to this time. Money or not, this was definitely going to be dangerous for him and he didn’t doubt that there was a chance he might lose his life or worse. As calm as Shizu seemed to be herself, she was still an Oni, and he would be lying if he said he was completely comfortable with that fact despite what he said to her about not having to worry about him hating her. Though that being said, did he really not hate her? She has not given him much of a reason to but, though he kept it well hidden, he was not sure. At the same time those thoughts contradicted what he has just told her, which was one of his bad habits.

Oh well. At least he knew she was a bit more comfortable around him, that she would be open with him without much of a problem. The truth was still there, however, and that was he was somewhat afraid for his life now. Staying calm was now more vital than ever. Of course that was no hard task for someone like him, who always tried to stay calm and collected being a professional at what he did. If he acted unprofessional, then perhaps Shizu would think differently about him and the trust they had built would be lost. That was something he did not want. The trust they had was still rather fragile, slowly being strengthened, and it was at the point now that anything causing it to be disturbed might ruin it permanently. It was a thought that even now was not sitting well with him. He kept reminding himself that failure was not an option.

Then again, perhaps his professionalism was the result of him masking his wariness even if he was just a bit wary around people in general. In the end he was just another product of society after all; society seemed to rely heavily on wearing masks. He was no different as much as he hated admitting that.

When his phone finally sounded, he gave Shizu a nod and slid his finger across the screen of the rectangular phone to unlock it before he answered, relieved that one of his contacts finally returned his call. He was about ready to chew the man out but judging by the sound of his voice he was still half asleep so he decided to let it go. He only fully trusted a small handful of people and the fact that he was getting a response this early was reassuring. Perhaps this would go easier than he had originally thought. He told the man on the other line that he would have everything for him shortly and would call him back within the next fifteen minutes or so. Getting the information would not be difficult by any means, assuming she was comfortable providing it. Certain things might take longer than others but he knew it was for the good of the mission. “That was one of my contacts,” he told Shizu after the conversation ended, “I will need a bit of information, as we will be creating false identification records for you, before we depart to Israel.”

He held his phone up to her, leaning back slightly to get a better angle, trying to figure out how the hell the camera worked so he could take a picture, speaking softly as usual, “I need you to… stand straight for me for a minute or so.” The truth was that he hated cell phones with a passion. They never seemed to work right and he was always replacing it since he was often a bit rough with the device when it proved to be unreliable at times. He would much rather use a house phone to communicate but he had to also keep up with the times. Not to mention if he didn’t have a cell phone he wouldn’t be able to communicate with his contacts. Unsure of how comfortable about having her picture taken she would be, he got it done and over with as quickly as possible especially because he was also someone who would rather not have his picture taken. He wasn’t even picky about the pictures, having taken three in total, figuring that at least it was enough to create identification.

The pictures as well as her name were then sent to the man. Azrai looked up from the device briefly, “How old are you, if you do not mind me asking? I also need your blood type, height, and weight.” He realized those were probably personal questions and the gentleman in him was scolding him for asking such things of a woman but it was for the mission. Surely she understood this, and he hoped that she would have no problem at least giving him something. His fingers –and texting with this phone, or in general, was also something he did not enjoy. It never really worked properly and sometimes the auto correct sent the oddest things, sometimes embarrassing or just made no sense- hovered over the lighted screen of the phone as he waited for her response.

Then an idea hit him: he gently placed the phone on his leg for a moment and reached into his pocket to retrieve his own identification card. She probably could not read it since it was in Hebrew, but it would give her an idea of what it would look like, “As long as you do not lose that, feel free to use it as a reference.” He was a bit hesitant showing his ID, as it was personal, but again he was thinking of vital things for the mission. In the back of his mind he prayed she wouldn’t lose it if she did use it as a bit of a reference… “Yours will more than likely be different than mine, of course. And as for how long it takes to make one, that process should not take long at all. The people I know are reliable in that sense, I assure you.”

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He wanted to snort at how that conversation went. Here he had been ready thinking that Azrai would have been more prepared. He almost wanted to question if things were going smoothly for the other male. Knowing Azrai if things were going straight to hell, he wouldn't admit it and that’s what worried him at times. He barely even got a 'Hello' which was not something he was expecting; it would have surprised the hell out of him if he had a courteous greeting. He mulled over the thoughts in his head. As he sipped on his coffee more, he wondered what the objective looked like. Maybe she was a beauty and Azrai was distracted. He chuckled knowing that was definitely not the case and it had to be more serious than that. He had this feeling that Azrai could be in possible danger on this mission. But when was he not in danger? Perhaps he was just thinking like that because he was still tired. That was more than likely the case.

Elias received a blinking notification on one of his monitors, he immediately clicked it. He choked on some of his coffee at the three pictures. Now, he if he didn't know any better, he would say that Shizu was not normal and he knew that he was right. He was an insightful man, just like most people who worked with Azrai, and he could easily look at someone and decide if there was something odd about them. He shuddered at the sight of her large red eyes, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the way they stood out. Overall, she looked like a gem, even with crappy photography skills of Azrai, but there was also something that she was hiding. He could tell in the way she looked slightly uncomfortable in the shots. It was strange but he wondered what kind of **** Azrai had got himself into. That woman gave him the creeps.

Shaking his head, he figured he would wait around for the rest of the information. His fingers began to move around the keyboard pulling up different files that were needed. First, a model of a Japanese identification card, he cropped and styled the pictures, taking out the city background and putting her face on a solid white backdrop. This was all child’s play and it could have waited until a much later time. But he was a reliable man and he did his job well, damn well in fact. He continued to translate things into Japanese, placing each line perfectly. His skills were unmatched and he grinned. This would definitely take less time that he had originally thought. He just need the rest of the information.

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She knew that he was worried, she could sense his comfort levels falling ever since she had told him. Did that worry her? Slightly. But she would try not the let it affect her too much. She had been open and honest with him; it was for him to decide if he wanted to accept such things. Not many humans could take to the idea of mythology well and she wondered if Azrai was one of those people. Monsters, like Oni, were told as fables and to scare young children into being good citizens. They were not meant to be real. She supposed she wasn't supposed to be real. That thought caused her to smile a slightly. She would have loved to be a figment of someone's imagination. She was sure that it would have been better than living.

The one thing she wanted him to do was trust her. She knew that it was probably a lot to ask for, too much even. However, she knew that if pushed, she could protect him and keep him alive. It was not something that she had any experience in but he was risking his life to get her out of Japan. Should she not risk her life to protect his? It would be rather unfortunate if he lost his life for a mission that he was not entirely prepared for. Honestly, who would be prepared to deal with some deranged villagers and an Oni? She stood there, sorting through her thoughts. This was a very dangerous thing to get tied up in and she knew it would only get harder the more they tried to leave Japan. Their trust wasn’t that strong and she would work towards making it better, but that would take some time. She had opened up to him and she wasn’t expecting him to pour his heart and soul to her. No, she just hoped that when the time came, he would trust her with his life, like she trusted him.

Her attention was brought to him as he told her to stand still. She looked curiously at the device in his hand. She stood still, feeling as if she should look somewhat natural. When the device clicked several times, before a bright light emitted from it, she blinked furiously; her sensitive eyes watering, her pupils trying to dilate properly after that bright light. Whatever that happened to be she did not like it at all. She would not voice her complaints to Azrai, for surely he probably didn't understand the sensitivity of her eyes. She continued to blink as spots danced around her field of vision. She had little time to recover as he began to ask her personal questions. She flushed slightly, not used to having someone as about her body. She didn't think of him as a pervert, those were just surprising questions. She cleared her throat trying not to seem embarrassed as she quickly had the answers to his questions.

He handed her a small, hard card. She looked at it curiously. She turned it over in her hands fascinated with the small object. How was it hard? What material was this? Why was it shiny? How could they have put such a life like picture on it? So many thoughts went through her head and she wanted to voice her curiosity but she listened to Azrai speak more. Nodding, her eyes dancing about the card, she took a few more seconds to marvel at the card before she looked at him. "My blood type is AB positive. My height is one hundred and sixty-three centimeters. My weight is fifty-three kilograms. I have recently just turned twenty-one years old." She nodded her head after approving all the information that she had given him. "Do you need anything thing else?"

She was excited. She would be able to have one of these shiny cards. It would be one of her first treasures of the New World. Azrai had stated that his contact would be able to have it for them soon. She held back her excitement and handed the card back to Azrai. She felt as if she kept it too long, she would become completely wrapped up in it. She smiled slightly, enjoying that he was showing her some things about the New World. Next, she would ask about the device he had been communicating with. She was dying to get her hands on that device, well not in the literal sense. She was just looking forward to learning about the New World. While things were calm, she was slowly getting a taste of what it was like. She wondered what other little items she would be able to receive from this place.

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Those had not been easy questions to answer especially since they have just met so it pleased him that they came so easily. It would definitely speed up the process of getting her out of here, knowing there would be no hesitation to slow them down. So what if he was nervous about dealing with an Oni he knew he had a job to do. There was no room for hesitation and he was not a man who hesitated. Perhaps the fact that she had given him that information showed him that she was definitely willing to trust him and he was able to put himself in a more relaxed state of mind because of it. Something like that does require a certain amount of trust after all, and he wouldn’t have blamed her if she was stubborn about giving him personal information. He finished putting the information in his phone before he sent it off to his contact. He didn’t want to keep the man waiting and made sure to put a small note of apology at the end of the message to show that he hadn’t meant for it to take this long and it would not happen again.

He couldn’t help but grin faintly when he watched her play around with his ID card. She was opening up rather quickly for someone who was locked away all of her life and it only further proved his previous thoughts of her seeming like a strong woman. It usually took years for people who have been locked away to open up and accept this strange society, he was quite proud of her. At least he knew he wouldn’t have to worry about her being completely terrified of this strange world… until it came to the flight to Israel. He had a feeling that the nearly nine hour flight would not really be something she would handle well. Nevertheless this curiosity was something to be admired, not kept hidden away. However he was a bit worried, hoping she would not become too curious. “I do not need anything else from you for the time being,” he told her, taking the card back from her and placing it back in his wallet.

Leaning back on the bench again, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath as he collected his thoughts. Just how long would he have to wait before they could leave? How long before those men showed up again? His fingers drummed on his knee somewhat restlessly as he thought. Normally he wasn’t someone who fidgeted but he was anticipating another attack from those men, playing out different scenes in his mind of how he would end their lives, while wondering just how smoothly getting Shizu out of Japan would go. If they did decide to show their faces again and interrupt their departure he would make sure to send a clearer message that said he was definitely serious about not giving her up. Sometimes it took a few times to send messages to people, namely idiots. That usually amounted to people who followed orders, however since he was a military man he really couldn’t say much about idiots who follow orders. He would feel like a hypocrite. Then again trained soldiers and goons did differ quite a bit.

Maybe he just wanted to relax and not have to worry about goons chasing after them for a moment before they continued on. It was never that easy for him, he knew. He use to think things would be peaceful whenever he carried out his work but in the end it just proved him wrong, eventually he just said **** it and always expected the worst possible outcome. And like hell they were going to cause his mission to end in failure.

A glance at his watch, even if his phone would give him the current time as well, told him it was still morning, just barely reaching into late morning. They had a huge day ahead of them. Perhaps he should take this time to try and bond a bit more with Shizu… or maybe he should just continue acting professional and not allow himself to open up further. He let out a soft exhale before he looked back to Shizu, “I apologize that I am acting the way I have been since you have revealed your identity to me,” he began. It was almost as if he was reading her mind “I have to say, I was not expecting to be rescuing an Oni. I will not allow such things to get in the way from now on, I assure you.” It was an apology, in his own way, and hopefully he did reassure her that he was alright with the fact she was an Oni. And as he said he was not going to let that get in the way of his mission, just keeping it in mind as something to be aware of.

“In my profession, I deal with a lot of things… However, I am not use to dealing with anything supernatural. I suppose that is to be expected.” He continued, chuckling softly, slipping away from his professional demeanor for just a moment. That was a rare thing for him to do, but his true colors were that of a fairly relaxed person who had a fairly big heart as he showed her when he brought her to the restaurant then to the park before they attacked. He may not like to get attached to people but he was completely detached. Deep down, he absolutely hated the thought of living as someone who was lonely forever, so in that way he could also sympathize with her though it was just something else he probably wouldn’t admit. Most likely, he wouldn’t go that personal.

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The notifications popped up once more and he began to fill out of the proper forms and other miscellaneous items that Azrai would need for the girl. He immediately shot back a text message. 'Give me forty minutes or less.' His fingers flying across his keyboard, Elias zoned out as he continued to type away. It was fairly easy to hack into the government's security system; he could do it with his eyes closed. But that would be reckless of him and he didn't want anything interfere with this mission. The fact that Azrai had even given a small apology was enough to know that this was a very serious situation. They had a strange relationship and greetings were hardly needed. When he looked at it, everything came down to the business of it all. They had a mutual respect for one another and he admired the situations that Azrai put himself in with each assignment. There was no need for discussion about the well being of the other when it was a matter of life or death. Usually that was the case and he assumed that was why Azrai relied on him. Elias could get him all that he needed in a matter of minutes.

A small ping let him know that his hack was successful and all he needed to do was create a social security number and Shizu would be within the system, like he thought child's play. Glancing over at monitor three, he raised a brow in question as the files and data ran across the other two monitors he had. In red the words 'Unidentified User' flashed on the screen. His lips tugged down in a frown and he began to delete the user. He smirked to himself as the user went away and he went back to making the items Azrai needed. A few seconds later, the message popped up once more, this time the user was try to delete all the work he had been doing for Shizu. A noise of annoyance left him and he began to track the IP address, before sending a virus the user's way.

He sent another message to Azrai. 'We’ve got a hacker in the system; give me a few more minutes. Keep an eye out.'

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She looked at Azrai and was slightly surprised that he would bring up the topic on her mind. She blinked a bit before she smiled a bit, her head inclining in a brief nod. "Pay no mind to it," she said in a light tone. "I would have been surprised if you had acted any differently. It is not common for people to know what I am." She was also trying to reassure him to the best of her abilities. She wanted him to know that she didn't take any offense to his reaction, it was normal. Far calmer than she had been expecting, but a reaction nonetheless. "I am sure that many...people are not used to dealing with the supernatural or creatures of myth." She shrugged her shoulders a bit not sure what else to say. She was still not used to having a conversation with another person. She didn't know what was appropriate to discuss and she was sure that the other wasn't much for talking. He was very quiet most of the time.

What could they do to pass the time?

Her eyes lit up knowing that they had a brief time before they would either be obtaining the items that they needed or keeping away from the men that followed them. For now, she would try not to worry about it. She fiddled with her fingers before she looked at Azrai sheepishly. "Would be alright if you could explain to me the device you were using earlier?" She was a very curious creature; it could eventually lead to being a bad habit. But for now, it was harmless as she had many questions about the modern day. She was very intrigued by the device he used and she wanted to know why it flashed. What had he done to make it do that? He had also seemed to be talking to another person. How was that possible? "How is it that you were able to speak with someone? Are they stuck inside of there?" And he said that he had hardly dealt with the supernatural. There were probably imps in that phone, using their magic or something like that.

Then again she could just be trying to think of things in the way that she had learned them. She knew that she would have to fit into society soon or else she would be a very easy target to find. She needed to stop thinking about different entities and more realistically. She was sure that these concepts wouldn't be too hard to understand, though it could take some time. She would listen with an open mind and try to understand but she knew that she would have a lot more questions. Oni could be a handful at times, especially when they wanted to know things. The aged slower therefore had the ability to acquire all kinds of knowledge and she was sure that before she died, she would gather all the information that she could. Azrai would help her get started on that journey too. "Also, what was that card made out of? It was certainly not of paper, it was too hard." She frowned realizing how archaic her technology in the village was compared to the modern world.

She hoped that she wasn't giving him too many questions at once. She had been waiting very patiently to ask him these kinds of things, but she hadn't the time until now. She would try to keep the questions short and simple. But the more she asked, the more she wanted to know. However they had time and she would space out the questions before prioritizing which ones she was absolutely dying to know. She only hoped that he was prepared to answer the avalanche of questions a curious woman like her had. He had promised to teach her and she was willing to learn, even if they were at the strangest of times. It was barely past the morning and they had just avoided what could have been a very ugly fight, all she wanted as to learn. It could be dangerous to drop her guard and give into her curious nature but when else would they have the time? Perhaps when they left Japan and a thought popped up on her head.

"How exactly are we leaving Japan?"

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An irritated groan escaped him when he read the message stating there was a hacker and that his contact needed a good forty more minutes or so to get done what he needed to get done. Of all things, why the hell now? He knew he was right to assume things would not go smoothly, and even the fact that he and Shizu were experiencing a bit of peace on their end was almost too good to be true in of itself. This was the last thing he needed and it did irritate him, but it wasn’t like hehad control of the situation. He had to have faith that his contact would get his job done as he always ad whenever he needed him. Though he has only known the man for a few years, he was a reliable source, so surely a pesky hacker would be no trouble getting rid of, right? They would continue business as usual once it was dealt with accordingly otherwise he may have to figure out another plan. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and sent back this message: ‘I trust that you will do your best to take care of such a nuisance as quickly as possible.’

He was about to place his phone in his pocket when Shizu began asking him questions again. Immediately he began to think of ways he could explain just how a cell phone worked. To him it was an easy explanation, but he knew he would have to start from the beginning with her and that might take him some time. Briefly, he wished he knew more about technology than he did, fearing that his lack of knowledge would get in the way of explaining things. Phones required a lot of explanation, and with how phones were today, being a lot like handheld computers than actual communication devices, it was definitely going to push his limits a bit. Narrowing his eyes a bit, he looked at the ground in thought. He thought long and hard as he pieced together the best way to explain everything to her to the best of his ability without leaving anything out.

He waited until she was done speaking before he answered. The questions seemed to be coming at him all at once and he had to take a moment and collect his thoughts. Then he answered in the order she had asked them. Organization was one of his quirks though it doesn’t show often.

“There is nobody trapped inside of the device,” he began, holding the phone out to her like he did with his ID card. “There are networks of… signal towers among other things that allow communication between devices.” He paused for a moment, deciding that she probably wouldn’t know what a radio was or how they worked with frequencies and such, working within a certain range. The range for cell phones was unlimited for the most part, depending on the phone. Unfortunately you couldn’t stand out in the middle of the desert or be stranded in the middle of the ocean for you would not be anywhere near a signal tower for the phone to work. It was a constant reminder that technology was created by humans; humans were not perfect, though in a sense it was always getting better. Still annoying either way, in his mind. “I cannot say for sure exactly how it works; modern society seems to accept conveniences without much question.” In the end, it was just best to be honest.

“My identification card is made of some sort of reinforced plastic, I believe. Plastic is a manmade material.” Plastic was oh too common these days which always confused him. People were so hell bent on keeping the environment clean and safe, while still producing insane amounts of garbage since the world was too overpopulated, but plastic was used everywhere. Glass and paper were so much easier to recycle than plastic though he knew it made more sense of have a plastic ID than a glass one. Plastic, in all honesty, was a pretty strong material in the end and was therefore reliable as long as you keep it away from fire or other hot surfaces. Heh, maybe in the end glass was just a far more superior material than plastic since it could resist fire to an extent, better than plastic. The thought was amusing. Society was amusing…

At her final question, he couldn’t help but pause once again. She really wanted to know? Well perhaps he could tell her, as he knew he would have had to sooner or later, but then again the idea would probably seem impossible. Humans were not meant to fly; if they were then they would have wings, and God had not given man wings so therefore they should not fly. He really didn’t mind flying, honestly, but was worried how Shizu would react to it. It was just rather dull and boring sitting in the plane for hours on end with nothing to do however. Over the years he had to train himself not to go nuts being cooped up in there and just take a nap even if there were often annoying sounds liek crying children or coughing and sneezing. Lord knows he was always grouchy and tired as hell after a long flight, especially when travelling across time zones. Jet lag sucked. Even the thought of it made him feel a bit lethargic and wanting to take a long nap.

The sudden roar overhead seemed to be reading his mind. He stood from the bench and walked a bit closer to Shizu, pointing to the sky, “There. Do you see that flying object in the sky? That is how we are going to be leaving Japan.” He knew he would have to actually explain the concept of flight later, possibly, which would be another thing that he would have a hard time explaining since he was not too keep on aviation but he would try his best. A promise was a promise and with her willingness to learn about new things this was going to be a lot easier than he had thought indeed. It felt pretty damn good to be a bit of a teacher, even if he never would have dreamed of being a teacher in a million years. It was also strange because he hated kids, and Shizu, in her own was, was just like a curious two year old wanting to know about everything in the world. It brought another grin to his expression but he kept that to himself.

This would all need to be taken all in stride, small at first, but then eventually the bigger picture would be grasped. That was just how learning in general was; it didn’t matter the age, as new things were discovered each day even for the smartest of people. However… there were, of course, some things that were better left unmentioned. Ignorance was bliss after all. He felt that there were quite a few things that Shizu was better off learning about on her own as cruel as that may sound to some people.

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