Chapter Twenty-Four

As Isha's eyes opened, he was greeted by Rose who was laying atop him. She was whimpering to herself. Looking around he noticed he was back in the room at the café. May was over on the side of the bed.

He was wrapped in a heated blanket with a warm rag over his head. The door open, Mr. Ilan coming in with a bucket of water, steam rolling off the liquid. He smiled softly, seeing Isha's eyes towards him.

"Isha… Let's talk outside the door, it shouldn't be five feet. Well, it also seems the distance grew a bit…" The old man mumbled the last bit, stroking his mustache. "Anyways let's have chat, be careful not to wake them up."

Isha nodded, he slowly eased Rose off, pulling the rag off and following after Mr. Ilan. Walking out of the room, Isha stared down at the floor, holding his head in his hand.

"What happened, Isha?" The old man asked, staring at his face. Isha looked back up at Mr. Ilan, scratching his cheek.

"I… Mr. Ilan, I saw some of the past. I killed the people I grew up with. I watched it happen. It's what he left before he was sealed. Greg, the other me, said not to worry and just live my life… but how can I do that?" Isha stared down back at the floor. "I killed and ate those who trusted me… all because he made me…" Isha fell silent as tears started to fall.

"It's okay Isha…" The old man started, putting a hand on Isha's shoulder. "Who was 'he'?" Mr. Ilan asked. Isha was silent for a moment, slowly looking up at him.

"Father Poto Arkoida." Isha stated, looking at him. Mr. Ilan stroked his mustache, thinking to himself as he looked past Isha down the hall.

"I've heard about him from some of our patrons…. My apologies Isha, he really made you do a terrible thing." Mr. Ilan gave the young man a hug, patting his back.

"Mr. Ilan? Did you close the shop?" Isha asked after a few moments of silence. The old man nodded and broke from the hug.

"There's a rather fierce blizzard right now. when you were discovered, you were covered in snow even. That was two days ago." Mr. Ilan informed, leaving Isha in a bit of shock.

"I was asleep for… two days?" Isha asked in bewilderment. Mr. Ilan nodded.

"Isha, me and May had no idea what happened. May was just able to hear Rose's voice over the blizzard. Luckily you weren't too far. But if it wasn't for her cat ears, you never would have been found." Mr. Ilan glanced into the room. "Rose had been screaming for five hours. At least that's what I estimate." Mr. Ilan looked back at Isha with a grim expression. "We were almost certain you were dead. Luckily, you're not quite human." He laughed a bit to himself.

"Rose… for five hours, why..?" Isha asked, half to himself.

"She said you told her to go home first. But while she was waiting, she felt you go weak and came back to you. She tried to wake you to no avail, then she tried lifting. You're too heavy for her, so that didn't work. And whenever she tried using her ability, it failed. So, distraught, she screamed towards the café. But I'm sure anyone would have done really, but unluckily no one was around due to the blizzard. Either way, you owe that girl." Isha nodded slowly. In truth he kind of wished he did die, but Greg said to live a good dream. Dream huh. Isha shook his head.

"I think I should thank all of you." He replied softly. "But Rose… definitely deserves thanks." Mr. Ilan nodded, smiling to himself.

"Now go and get some rest Isha, I'll go make food." Isha nodded at the old man's words and silently went in. However, as he shut the door, it closed a bit too loud. Rose and May both shot up, visually panicking as they saw an empty bed.

"Wh-where is he!? He has to be here… I'm here! Unless…" Rose started out.

"Nyo nyo! Nyo saying thyat nya!" May exclaimed at her, throwing the blankets and pillows. One of the pillows hit Isha as he pursed his lips, watching the two.

"Mgm." Isha cleared his throat, causing the two to snap their heads in his direction. Ecstatic smiles grew on them both as they tackled Isha, sending him to the floor.

"Wawawawawa! Why did you dishappear!" Rose exclaimed, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm showy for upsetting you…" Rose buried her face into.

"Nyaahaaahaaa." May's crying was essentially just mewling, no words. At least nothing audible. Isha felt bad, mainly for Rose.

"Rose, don't blame yourself. I shouldn't have yelled at you." He stroked both of their backs as they cried. He didn't have much to say other than that, or rather he didn't know what to say.

The girls didn't seem to mind, just enjoying the fact he was awake. In fact, soon after they stopped crying they had fallen back asleep. Or rather in the middle of it. They really were like kids, despite their actual age. Isha laughed a bit to himself as he managed to get up and gently pick them up without awaking them. He carried them over to the bed and tucked them in, sitting next to them on the bed.

"Am I free to come in?" Mr. Ilan asked in a joking tone, poking his head in.

"Listen here old man, I don't know what you were expecting, but I think you're the perv May kept accusing me for." Isha stated, a soft smile on his face. Mr. Ilan looked as though he were offended.

"How dare you, I will have you know I am quite the gentlemen, thank you." He stated, sounding jokingly hurt as he set a tv tray down and set some food on it. "Cheesy potato soup with coffee and some buttered bread. I hope you enjoy. A little miss Rei showed up while I was cooking, so this poor old man has to talk to her." He twiddled his mustache.

"You know, you act a lot different without customers around." Isha stated with a slight scoff.

"I have no idea what you're on about." Mr. Ilan stated, waving his hand back and forth. And with that he left the room, leaving Isha to eat.

As Isha ate, he thought to himself, thinking about what Greg said, as well as the small house.

"Live a good dream… What did he mean by that?" He mulled it over as he ate the soup. "Maybe he means to live out dreams? That sounds possible…" Isha let out a sigh. "Either way, I'll take his advice. I'll do my best to live happily." He stated to his self, clenching his fist. Now, what would make him happy.

He glanced over at the two sleeping. Protecting them would be a start. Maybe finding a way to free Rose from him, then she can move around as she pleases.

"Mr. Ilan mentioned her ability earlier… I wonder if demons have different abilities?" He thought to himself about this now. It made sense, Rose used telepathy, May had catlike senses and reflexes. Probably could see in the dark. Isha got curious on what he could do, maybe Mr. Ilan or Rei knew from the fight he had with them? Well the fight Felix had with them.

Soon after he finished his food, he laid down next to the two, distancing from them to not perturb their slumber. Staring at the ceiling, he raised his hand, looking at that now. he spread his fingers apart a bit. His hands had small scars over them. You wouldn't notice unless you looked closely, but they were there.

Isha stared at them, wondering how he went two years without asking himself where they came from, or where he came from. He really had to be an idiot, to go this long without a care in the world. For now he had to trust Greg. He wasn't sure about Felix, but Greg seemed trustworthy.

Isha was sure Greg would explain to him in due time, when he figured Isha could handle it. Until then, Isha just had to prepare for it. Whether good or bad.

As he closed his eyes, letting his hand fall down, he felt a disturbance, glancing towards its direction, he spotted May, staring at him. She was on her hands and knees, her hips in the air as though she was ready to pounce. Her tail swished and flicked; her ears perked as her cat eyes stared at Isha.

"May? What are you-" And as He had suspected, May sprung at him, pouncing into his chest and gently giving him a bite.

"Cyaught yew nya~!" She remarked playfully, nibbling him more as she used her feet to gently kick at him. She was, no doubt, a cat. Isha pursed his lips again before letting out a small laugh as she stopped kicking, curiously tilting her head.

"So that's how it is huh?" And with that he pushed her over onto her back, tickling her belly as he would as cat. This caught her by surprise, a bewildered look in her eyes as she mewled. She then kicked at him playfully as he tickled her, biting as his hands.

"Nyehehehe." She giggled as they continued. Then Isha felt something warm on his back, and a head poked out over his shoulder.

"No fair. Playing while I'm asleep." Rose pouted at him.

"You're not a cat?" Isha tilted his head at her as he tickled May.

"So! I still wanna play." Rose huffed, watching May mewl.

"Nyahaha!" She sat up and gently nipped his arm, pulling it closer to her and kicking at it. Isha just laughed at her, Rose smiling a bit as well.

"I think this will manage." Isha stated out loud to himself, smiling. May stopped biting his hand and tilted her head at him with a mew. Rose also tilted her head at him.

"How do you mean?" She asked. Isha shook his head, patting her head with his free hand.

"It's nothing. Just talking to myself." He replied smiling. This will manage indeed. Isha thought to himself. "Now, let's get some sleep, I'm tired." He stated, laying down.

"Byut I wannya play nya!" May pouted, laying next to him.

"No fair. You gave all your attention to her." Rose complained, laying on the otherside. And with that, Isha closed his eyes.