Haji



Haji (katakana Haji ハジ) is Saya's first and only living, chevalier.

At the Zoo


Haji maintains the look of a man in his early twenties, when in reality he has been alive since the late 1800s. In the year 1870, Joel Goldschmidt I purchased the 12-year-old boy from his parents at the price of a loaf of bread. Haji was brought to the "Zoo" and introduced to Saya in hopes that they would mate and create new specimens for Joel and his colleagues to study.

When Haji was first introduced to Saya, his appearance was small in stature, accompanied by a gray outift, blue tie and braided black hair. Though he eventually grew to be taller than Saya (much to her annoyance), the only other changes in his appearance were the style of his hair, a ponytail, and his darkened shade of clothing.

Haji grew up in Joel's mansion, spending nearly every day with Saya as her only friend. Throughout the years, her agelessness, daily ingestion of blood and extraordinarily fast healing ability confused him. Finally, he questioned Joel about these peculiar traits. He was told that blood was necessary to Saya's survival.

Becoming a Chevalier
Years later, in 1883 Haji falls from a cliff after attempting to pick a flower Saya wanted for Joel's birthday gift. He cracks his skull open on the hard ground below, causing Saya to panic. She remembers the conversation Haji had with Joel about blood and, misunderstanding the meaning of the old man's words, gives Haji her blood in an attempt to save him. While at first she believes that she has killed him, the convulsions and accompanying stillness was Haji's transformation into Saya's chevalier.

Haji is last seen standing behind Saya as she watches Joel's mansion burn to the ground. Saya apparently felt guilty for her lack of knowledge over the years, and has apologized to Haji for turning him that day. He in turn assures her that he felt no resentment, and that becoming her chevalier allowed him to be by her side as she lived her dream of traveling the world with her sword.

Personality
Haji did not get along with Saya when they first met at the Zoo. Although obedient, he was taciturn and occassionally rude, partly because Saya herself was spoiled and selfish. It was only after revealing his true circumstances that they gradually become friends. While Haji was still living with Saya in France as an adult, he was charming, kind and chivalrous, even parental. These attitudes only grew stronger after Haji became her chevalier.

For the majority of the series Haji has a rather calm, stoic personality, a result of Saya's attack on him in Vietnam. The fact that she attacked him so violently and without hesitation caused a dark, almost melancholic change in his personality. Shortly after the incident, Haji left the Red Shield and his whereabouts were, for the most part, unknown. Although initially distancing himself from Saya following their reunion, he gradually became more affectionate towards his queen. Their relationship also grew stronger with a year-long absence from the Red Shield, although Saya's personality had considerably darkened.

Throughout his life, even prior to becoming a chevalier, Haji has always been loyal, not only to Saya but to her friends and family. At one point Amshel even describes him as "a puppy following her around."

At the beginning of the series when he found her again in Okinawa, Saya seemed happy and carefree. This appears to have secretly upset him; at the opera house, he speaks almost bitterly about how Kai, Riku, and George had brought back her smile, something that he could not do. Despite being hurt both physically and emotionally by Saya, Haji continues to follow her and obey her every whim, even seemingly sacrificing his own life to make sure Saya escaped safely. His dedication is shown further when it is revealed that he is still alive, and leaves a pink rose on Saya's tomb.

Weapons
Haji plays the cello, a skill he learned from Saya when he was still a young boy. The case in which he carries it can be used as a blunt weapon or shield, and also holds Saya's sword. His cello case looks like an old Victorian coffin. It has a hard metal coating of a odd design (some fans speculate that it is the Chiropteran symbol) with black lacquer finish. Not only can he fight using a sword, or his chiropteran hand as a weapon, but also carries several small daggers.

Chriopteran


Haji's most obvious chiropteran feature is his right hand, which is hidden by a bandage when he is not fighting. It is permanently in chiropteran form after having been cut off by Saya upon her awakening in the Vietnam War. Although chriopterans can heal themselves simply by sticking their severed limbs back on (as Solomon did) it seems as though Haji simply left it detached from his body for too long, leaving it unable to change back into human form.

The true extent of his chiropteran powers can be seen in a pair of bat-like wings, which he uses to save Saya from falling off of a building. He also uses these wings in the fight against Amshel, who notes that he is "pulling out all the stops." Because of Saya's apparent fear the first time he ever transformed, Haji rarely resorts to using his chiropteran form, unless it is absolutely necessary.

Ending
Haji was assumed dead along with Amshel at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Before he and Amshel begin to fight, Saya approaches Diva's babies, tearfully vowing to kill them because she didn't want to see another war fought because of their blood. Kai stops her while Haji watches from his place beside Saya. Infuriated by Haji's calm attitude, Kai demands that Haji tell them what he wants, knowing that Haji loves Saya as much as Kai himself does. Haji then takes the sword out of Saya's hands and says that only once in his lifetime will he disobey her. He confesses that he's loved Saya since he first saw her. Tearfully she admits that she wants to live and kisses him. On their way out, the group is confronted by an enraged Amshel in chiropteran form. Haji stays to fend him off. Just before the building collapses, he tells Saya he loves her one more time, and is then buried beneath the ceiling. Years after Saya has gone back into her hibernation period, Kai takes Diva's daughters went to her crypt. The three found a pink rose with the ribbon Haji used to tie back his hair around it. It seems that he is watching from afar, waiting patiently for his love to awaken after her thirty year sleep.