Help Me! I Woke Up to Save the World

Haru's Guard

Maya follows Chiya down a long hallway decorated in luminescent green fauna, flooding cracks in the wall. Doors touch the ceilings over a hundred feet. 

"Roomy base. But what monsters are we dealing with here," Maya asked the advisor. She glanced up from her checkboard. Her long hair was in a black bun, and her purple earrings shook. 

"It's a location off the mainland. The island is known as the Center. Here is where we took off from your apartment," Chiya leaned down to show an iPad with a map of the drive from the beach across the coast. 

"Okay. Where's the main spot to drop the bad guys? I want to get this done and go home," Maya said, stretching her back. The bone-cracking sound shocked Maya. She yelled when her neck began vibrating and sending blinding light into her eyes. 

"We'll see them after breakfast." Chiya touched Maya's neck, and the girl felt her muscles relax. She touched her neck to feel the cool metal. 

"Remember to not over-exert your powers as that controls the overflow. Too much, and the device will paralyze you for it," she said with a deadpan face. Maya had a frightened look. 

"In other words, eat and sleep well; you wouldn't want Yui to get on your case," Chiya said, gesturing to a door on the right. Maya nodded and opened the door that led into a grand dining room with several men in black behind a teen. 

The visitor jumped in his seat at seeing them. He waved at them with a small smile.

"Good morning, Haru Song; I apologize for the late entry. But we need to get acquainted with your new guard," Chiya said. 

"It's okay. She needs to know everything. Thank you for your assistance, Ms. Sakamoto. Please sit and enjoy breakfast," he said. Plates were settled with pancakes warming up the room was with pastry cream. Maya turned to Chiya, sipping tea, and whispered to her.

"I thought we were here for the monsters. I was not becoming someone's guard. I barely know how to take down one of them. I don't want to babysit," Maya said. Chiya put her cup down. She gave Maya a stern gaze and whispered.

"Like I said. You are here for your mission. I merely set the pieces in order. Don't worry about defending the school. Help Haru," Chiya ended. Maya let out a groan and dove into her pancake with fierce bites. She chugged a bottle of milk. 

Several servers ran out of the room with their faces turning green from watching Maya devour portions. 

"You like my favorite breakfast. I usually can't get enough of it. Somedays." Haru said, smiling at Maya, dabbing her face with a napkin and clearing her throat. 

"Yeah. Thank you for breakfast." 

Maya looked down at her maple syrup-covered plate. Her face flushed.

"Sorry. If I made a mess," the girl said, avoiding Haru and Chiya's gaze. 

"It's all right. The chefs make too much for only one person to eat it. I'd rather share," he said. Servers piled the remaining plates onto a moving table. Chiya pushes a button on the table to reveal footage of Maya fighting and to use her portal powers. 

"See. She can send all your problems back to this particular cell. No harm. No foul." Chiya spoke with high praise, even if it sounded hollow to Maya's ears. 

"Interesting. But I don't want to force people to defend me. I don't want to put her in danger," Haru said in protest against the idea of Maya becoming his guard. Maya felt her pride get nicked. She rose from the table and stared down at Haru. 

"I think I can handle myself pretty well. Besides, in the lucid state, I know a thing or two that I can be powerful enough to send your enemies to their demise." She lifted her hand, and a portal formed at the end of the Haru's table. She threw an apple through the doorway, and it fell on his plate. 

Maya felt her leg tremble underneath the table and her hands pressed against the table. 

"I did not mean to say it in that way. I apologize," he said quickly. Chiya looked at Maya leaning against the table. She looked over to the teen, looking down at his hands.

"As you can see. Maya is willing to take on the job. It's up to you to accept," Chiya said. He looked up to meet her magenta eyes and frowned.

"I will and can't refuse after my father's wish to take on a powerful ally. Maya, welcome to the team," Haru said with eyes not quite meeting Maya's across the table. He then got up from the table and shook her hand. 

"My head guard will get with you on what I'll do to get to your school and how to protect me during that stay there," Haru said as a large man in black appeared next to Maya. She felt him loom over her. 

"Thank you. Mr. Song. I'll also assist Maya regarding these arrangements." Chiya said, placing an arm behind Maya to touch the blue icon blinking again. 

"Yes. I am ready for the challenge. Thank you as well for this opportunity," Maya let out in a high-pitched voice. She grabbed a napkin and stuffed it into her mouth. Her lungs flared to life, and her cough rang out. 

"I think she'll need some water. Before we further get into the details," Chiya explained to the lead guard. Haru nodded, and both parties bowed before departing on their own.