[ Hokkaido was the next natural pit stop for Denji.
Logging had never been his main source of income, but it was steady money. Pocket change. The industry remained a vital part of what kept his wallet from looking as flat as a pancake. So when some hoity-toity regional manager for the company he frequently contracted with came scouting for new muscle to relocate to a wonderland of lush forests up north, his ears perked. When he threw out a fun fact about their boiled crab legs having some of the juiciest, firmest, melt-in-your-mouth meat imaginable, Denji made for the door. Had to be talked down from shoving his chainsaw buddy in a bag and buying a ferry ticket within the next day. He still left within the week. Didn't even notify his supervisor because his head was already crammed full of clandestine rivers and mountain peaks and hot springs full of scantily-toweled women. There was never any turning back.
With Pochita merrily trotting behind him like a mascot companion straight out of a cartoon, they spent the first few hours getting a sense of the town. Which, from what he could understand, appeared awfully small and insubstantial relative to the farmland surrounding it. There were different types of irrigation canals here and there. Whatever. The flower fields were pretty, though; that part, Denji liked. He picked a couple of purplish ones along the way, paying little attention to the farmers yelling at him for some reason.
All in all, the sheer expanse of Hokkaido had its own appeal for a certain collective. He would get used to it like anywhere else, he knew that, but…
It's just something about it here felt like a shovel breaking ground, uprooting his memories of a different place. One he ran away from long ago. All that open space. Nowhere to hide. Like the sun could grow a pupil at any moment and blink its blazing eye down at him, casting judgment. The countryside never failed to make him feel exposed, caught at the scene of the crime tampering with a life he shouldn't have — it was as those thoughts began to seed and fester in the back of his mind that he decided it was time to set up his tent.
But first he needed to find one. The trip to town was brief. He was lucky to hit the jackpot foraging through that fishery's garbage bags. Even managed to score a few things he could grill for dinner.
Usually, Denji would turn to his buddy to celebrate that day's haul. If he had, he would have noticed Pochita's absence. Thinking back, he was probably rushing it.
He was tired, could feel the grime of a day's travel etched into every inch and pore of his skin, and he figured Pochita was feeling much of the same way, just in devil terms. It'd be better to launch straight into selecting a campsite, he decided. If they pitched it up before dark, they could get acclimated, have a snooze, then wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to stuff their faces with the seafood Hokkaido was supposedly famous for. That was his thought process, and that's why, without sparing a thought to how Pochita's panting and snuffling had faded far into the background, he set out of town to the nearest clearing he could find.
It took him longer than anticipated to locate level enough land near a water source. The stream was a little dry, but it just needed a little rain to eventually give it some real body. As the last pole snagged into place, Denji stepped back to appreciate his handiwork in full. Yeah, this would do. ]
Whatcha think, Pochita? There's room for both of us to kick our feet out!
[ Nothing barked back at him.
He looked down, spun around, tore open the flap into the tent. More nothing.
He walked the perimeter of their camp, picking apart the brush and debris he'd knocked aside to clear the area, making a full loop without reuniting with his buddy. ]
Oh, shit, oh, crap — Pochita?! Where'd ya go?
[ Standing in the middle of the campsite, Denji blew one last lilting whistle, hoping it'd call Pochita forth, but when nothing came from it, he anxiously stared overhead. Though the sky was beginning to blear into a deeper, darker shade, and his shadow had started to stretch like a pinched back elastic, there was still sunlight. He could still expand his search.
When was the last time Denji saw him? How long ago had that been? They arrived a little ways into the afternoon, so that must have been… Augh, the details just wouldn't emerge. He wanted so badly to just beat at his head. How could he be so stupid? Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Similar questions and thoughts and castigations sped about in his mind as he lurched down a path he barely remembered. He hadn't been there long enough to internalize the lay of the land, so every turn was a guess, every call of his name tossed in a random direction. His breaths came out shallow past the tight clench of his throat as he stumbled out from the trees into an empty road, twigs and leaves poking out from his hair. ]
[Aki had started to follow it, the little thing looking at him every now and again with an expression he couldn't quite parse. The beast never growled at him but occasionally let out little barks as it looked around as if calling out. Again, for what, Aki didn't know. Given how long he had been following it without a huge mama-devil appearing to scarf him down, he was less fearful of that being the case. Instead, he found himself talking aloud to the little guy. Dogs like being talked to, right?]
I've never seen a devil in real life. Sometimes we hear about them on TV. But it's only about devils that get beat up and killed, or it's about how to protect yourself in a devil attack... They never talk about a devil who's looking for something, though.
[The devil looked back at him again, the tears in its eyes gone but the anxiety still clearly present. It let out a little whine and Aki stepped a little closer, picking up the pace to get beside the creature. As he did, an idea struck him.]
What if I lift you up? Maybe you can see better. Can I pick you up?
[He still didn't know if the devil could understand him but it gave an excited yip, the little cord of a tail wagging as it came to a stop. Aki leaned down to pick it up, grasping it under its stubby arms and hoisting it into the air. As if on cue, the devil began looking around their surroundings - just as a figure appeared suddenly down the road.]
["...chita!" Aki heard, and he lowered the devil in surprise as it then began wriggling violently in his arms. He released his grip in surprise and the orange bean dropped to the ground, rolling once before taking off in a sprint down the road.]
Hey, wait! [He rushed after him for a short stride before skidding to a halt, his idea from before coming to him - It looked like a human, sure, but what had they talked about in school? "Sometimes devils can look just like you and me. It's always good to be cautious around anyone who's behaving strangely."]
[Walking around in the woods, jumping out suddenly, a devil rushing toward you... Those are pretty strange behaviors, he's sure could be argued. Aki stood where he was, trying to take in the figure down the road that the strange puppy-like devil went running straight for, excitedly yipping and barking and wagging its tail just like a dog excited to see its owner.]
["Just like you and me." So could devils be friendly, just like humans, too...?]
[ Panic swarmed in his throat. That was always where it struck first, immobilizing his ability to speak or think clearly, a thousand wriggling emotions clenched in that squeak hole where words should be; whatever the most basic of human functions were, fear took it like a fast-acting venom spearing through his veins. As it always tended to. Regardless, he ran. Madly, blindly, he whipped around, tore through the dense growth and let it tear through him, a debt being repaid. Red sprung from the scratches littering his skin from his careless searching. He continued, anyway. His environment, as beautifully verdant as it was initially, had turned into an expansive obstacle he needed to ruthlessly trample down.
That was how he tried to think of it, flying from the road straight into a field, then another one: This was something that needed to be done. Beet leaves were squashed down underfoot. He kicked down corn stalks. But Denji's best efforts to find his friend only served to confuse him more, spun him about as an infinite turntable would, and sent him off-course. He was lost. He was probably going the wrong way. Wait, was that a bark?
Denji dove backwards, started to reverse out from the farmland, then hesitated — was he just imagining things? The doubts that hurtled in his brain made the dreadful ringing in his ears worse, and his chest pumped harder than he knew it was allowed to. He couldn't do anything about it. Couldn't do anything, except lose his mind and trip on the exit wound it left behind.
Speaking of. That moment of doubt did no favors for Denji. Waffling, he shifted his footing back — and then immediately tilted, his heel sunk deep into a soft section of soil. Ankle bent, he flopped from there, creating a depression in the ground. ]
Urk… Damn it…
[ He laid there, fingers twitching in the dirt. Feeling defeated. But then he heard it again, an anxious sound like a yelp or a whine accompanied by a desperate digging at the back of his foot. Slowly, his face raised, dark and smudged and hot with big, endlessly sloping tears. ]
P-Pochi…
[ Leaving the rest of his name unsaid, he shot up, arms tightened around the small devil with a sob, smothering his hiccups inside the comforting pull of Pochita's fur. Finally, Denji felt all his relief crashing in on him. It was a feeling so overwhelming, he scarcely noticed anything else. Not even a pair of tentative steps approaching. ]
[As if to assuage his concerns, the human-shaped figure fell straight onto his back and Aki blanched.]
[What the heck, he thought to himself. Then, Is he crying?]
[The figure rose so suddenly and wrapped his arms around the devil, crying and sobbing openly in a way that Aki was sure anyone else would be too ashamed for. The shock of the sudden movement following such a violent tumble was erased with a new source of surprise. Had he ever seen someone be so openly emotional like this? Yes, just one person: His little brother, Taiyou.]
[This person was definitely older than Taiyou, however.]
[Usually with Taiyou he has to capitulate in some way, agree to whatever he's begging for in order to make it stop. Because, if he's honest, it's usually something Aki is trying to hold onto for himself. Not sharing, telling him to go away, to leave him alone. Refusing to change the channel like he said he would when his favorite show starts. Taiyou would start tearing up or outright crying and Aki would have to capitulate to his stupid demands. Quickly, too, so no one would come over to see what all the fuss is about and scold him for being selfish.]
[Because of that, he realized, Aki didn't know how to stop someone's crying when it's not his fault.]
Um.
[He was a few steps away when he spoke up, if it could be called that. He wasn't really sure what to say. Stranger danger, and all that, is something he was keenly aware of, but this stranger seemed to be the furthest thing from danger. More pitiful than anything. Just like his brother. Did that make him less or more scary?]
He breathed like he couldn't, ejected tears just for the droplets to pour right back into his wailing mouth; when he gasped for air between sobs, his lungs rattled awfully, unable or unwilling to let oxygen in for him, he couldn't say. For the way he was crying, someone might have thought he wounded himself — and in a manner of speaking, maybe he was wounded. His own body knew he had to be punished, knew it had to inflict something on him, so why not this guilt? Why not this hot torsion in his chest rubbing in how he'd done something so terrible to someone he loved so dearly? ]
SorrysorrysorryI'msorry — hic — ah? [ He stopped rocking. He did not stop sniveling. ] …chita, didja say somethin'?
[ His gaze hoisted up from the bundle of breathing fur, and with it came away the mottled face of a teenage boy, sticky and flushed, a string of snot still stretched between his leaking nose and Pochita's head. The devil in question whimpered, staring up at him with — some emotion Denji couldn't discern. Nonetheless, he wriggled restlessly in his arms, paws propped on Denji's chest to stand and lap at his wet chin.
That's a no, then. Denji's gaze listlessly traveled upward, landing on the wary young boy standing on the raised road. At least he looked young. Younger than him. Cheeks a little chubby, like he goes home to meals already set on the table. ]
You know him? [ It seemed to him that the two had come from the same direction, so, first, he looked to Pochita to vouch for their foreign company. From him, came a prompt, Arf!
In an instant, his expression visibly softened. He took a moment to stroke the devil dog's head. Slightly inclining his face, Denji regarded the boy once more. Okay. ]
[This wasn't a grown-up. Wasn't someone who was too much older than him, probably. Skinny, bony, missing an eye - But there were people like that in the world, so that wasn't scary or anything. No, what scared him was how openly he cried.]
[Older kids weren't supposed to do that. Aki never saw people from the high school in town crying or wiping their noses. Sometimes, in movies, adults would cry or be emotional. In anime, people cried all the time. But none of that was real life. So why was this person crying so easily?]
[At first he thought he was speaking to him, and Aki opened his mouth to respond - No, he doesn't know that devil from Adam. But immediately it was clear that he was talking to the devil, itself. That he was right. It can understand people. Briefly a welling of pride ballooned inside (he got something right!) but it extinguished quickly enough when that wet, snotting face turned back toward him.]
...Um, yeah.
[He kind of didn't believe him about being peachy. Suddenly realizing something, Aki slid a shoulder free from his randoseru and pulled it around, undoing the clasp and pulling it open to dig around inside until he found what he wanted. He held out the located powder blue handkerchief, lacking any kind of design but made of soft cotton.]
That devil was on the road over there, back there, and he was looking for something. And I'm from here so I was showing him around.
[Like a tour guide or something. He hoisted his backpack back around and again offered out the hanky.]
[ Pochita gently bit at his sleeve, pulled, as if to usher him to take the offering — that alone vouched for the kid's story. Not that he truly doubted him, anyway. The proof was in the pudding: there was Pochita right in front him, where he wasn't before. Which meant there were dues to be repaid.
Denji sniffled again. Tugged his arm free from the devil to scrub his water well of an eye, then wiped his nose, then with thee same hand rummaged in his pocket to pull something out. After accepting the handkerchief, that something was revealed to be several wadded up money notes and a couple of coins dropped into the young boy's palm. 5,605 yen in total. It seriously hurt to relinquish. But what was no small fare for Denji always seemed to be the price for a fair exchange. He'll have to figure something special out for Pochita later, too. ]
Yeah, we're friends. The best of besties. [ Bringing the hanky up to his face, he blew his nose twice in a row to no real fruit. His nose still felt congested no matter what. ] So thanks.
[ The devil nuzzled his cheek against Denji's folded knuckles, prompting him to brush at the fur around his snout. It was soothing for him. ]
Ah, if that ain't enough, can ya put it on my tab? I can get more cash later. I just needa get settled in 'fore I start workin'. I'm really not tryin' to scam you or nothin'.
[When he doesn't accept the handkerchief at first and just rubs at his face with his hands and sleeve, then even reaches into his pocket... Aki figured he was rejecting it, turning down the offer, and his hand lowered slowly. Uncertain. Then, suddenly, it was taken anyway and in return was placed more money than anyone had ever given him before.]
Uh... huh?
[Even more uncertain. Aki stared down at the money in his palm, sticky with mucus and tears. Mentally adding up the bills and coins - This is enough for... for a whole month's worth of curry bread at the convenience store. And he's handing it to him?]
Wait, huh?
[Because now this didn't feel right. Why was he being paid...? Still with his hand held out, unwilling to accept the money, Aki shook his head twice.]
I don't - want any money.
[Which was true. He didn't really want for money. He was comfortable, got an allowance, could easily ask for a few coins to get curry bread if he wanted to. Even if this guy was rich (...doubtful), taking money for doing a deed like this felt scummy.]
I was just helping... 'Cause he looked so sad. He was crying. I've never seen a devil crying.
[He shook the hand holding the money, offering it back out.]
Here, take it back. Um, you can keep that, too. [The handkerchief. He kind of didn't want it back now.]
[ The second the boy refuses the money, pushes it back to Denji, his hand swiftly sweeps over his open palm, reclaiming them — all but snatches the items out of his hand, honestly. He's not going to argue with someone who doesn't know a gift horse from an ass horse. This was was the only amount of cash he had left on him after paying out his savings just to travel out there, so back into the relativee security of his pocket they go.
Pinching the hanky around his nostrils to squeeze out what excess mucus he could, Denji turns his eye back to Pochita. The effect on his voice is a distorted, hopelessly clogged inflection. ]
…You were scared, eh? I know. Me too. [ He sets the (ruined) rag down on his lap, smothering a hand over the top of the devil's head again, the short strands of fur where he rubbed him swept up unevenly from the rest of his coat. ] It'll never happen again. I promise.
[ He just has to get acclimated. Moving from one place to the next always sets him on edge — it's a different headspace to be in, and he's certainly not much of a logistics guy. ]
Hey, so whaddaya want then? [ Still petting Pochita, Denji finally addresses the boy without glancing back at him. ] For bein' a good smearitan. This is your last chance to ask for a reward before the two of us jet. Just name the first thing that pops in that bitty head of yours.
[He wanted to ask questions. What happened? How did you guys get separated? How did you meet? Why are you friends with a devil? Does he eat people? The older boy told him to name the first thing that popped into his head but that would mean there was nothing there to begin with. Unfortunately, his mind was filled with things he wanted - and none of it was anything this random person could give him.]
[After a long moment, he mumbled,] It's Samaritan.
[He spoke up with what he asked next, though.]
Can I touch him?
[Because, really, when else would he get a chance to go to school and tell everyone that he got to touch a devil? That it barked like a dog and was crying, had a chainsaw stuck in his head and a tail like the starter cord? Squatting down from his position, he got to an even level with the other boy, the side of his bag dropping to the ground.]
I never saw a devil before. I thought they were bigger.
[And, hesitant in case his one request is denied, he reached out his hand, eager to try petting the back of the devil's body and feel that soft fur once more.]
[ What was the thing he said? Samir…ertan? Somehow that sounded no less wrong than his first attempt.
It was as Denji pondered life's deepest questions that he clocked movement skirting the edge of his field of vision, his focus sharpened on the boy the instant his fingers twitched toward his companion. Thankfully, he was quick to recognize his own force of habit before reaching for violence. He leaned back, allowing the devil to scoot off of him and investigate the little sausages wiggling in his direction. ]
Aren't you low maintenance… Oi, [ he called to him, staring for a moment. Clearly, sizing him up. ] Have some manners and introduce yourself first. Maybe he'll even letcha hold him. See, this little guy's name is Pochita. Po-chi-ta. I named him myself, so you should use it.
[ Failing to acknowledge that he, himself, remained nameless, Denji gave a light pat to Pochita's bum. ]
You'd be surprised, y'know. There're littler devils than Pochita out there. Don't live long, though, 'specially out in the big cities. Most stay in hidin' in the boonies where we're at 'cause they're wimpy.
[Actually, Aki already knew the devil was called Pochita. He heard the guy screaming it a few minutes ago. His fingers flinched back when met with the dour tone, the way the blond, older boy sized him up like he was a stray dog taking in the scent of a domesticated pet - but once given the go-ahead following an introduction, Aki squatted down further to sit on his knees.]
My name's Aki. [Stranger danger was still at least kind of in effect - he's not supposed to tell people his whole name, he knew that much. But even thinking that he's doing the right thing, he still reached out eagerly to rub his hand down the side of the devil's body, watched with thinly hidden delight as Pochita rubbed into his hand and adjusted his head to guide his touch up there. He pet over the top of him, mindful of the chainsaw sticking out, his fingers digging into the shallow fur and stroking carefully. All the while listening to this person tell him about devils.]
Are you a devil hunter? [He sat down on his butt next, slipping his arm free from his bag and using it to pet up the other side of him as Pochita rubbed into his hands and panted eagerly at the contact.] Is that why you're here, to kill little devils? 'Cause we don't have public safety here anymore, they went to the, uh, the sub-pre-frecture... city... [He kind of trailed off, realized as he was speaking that he didn't know anything about what he was talking about. That it was just a parrotting of what he'd heard on the news.] Um, my teacher said devils aren't something we need to worry about, living here, 'cause people here are braver than people in the city.
[That, however, he said with confidence. Be it a way to keep morale up or a form of propaganda, it made sense to him. No one in his village ever died from a devil attack, so probably there was a reason for that.]
[ Without thinking too hard about it: ] I can be, sometimes. Started as a side hustle when I was your age.
[ Denji stayed put where he was, the long grass dancing against his arms as if in fellowship. His hand rose to caress the stems as the boy's talking went in one ear and out the other, seeming at first to be admiring some fluttering bug stood on the tip — for all of two seconds. He broke off the strand, twisting the stem to get the sap dripping before sucking it between his teeth. ]
Kid. [ The piece of grass rolled to the side of his mouth as he spoke. There was no meaning in learning a name he would soon forget; as far as he was concerned, the kid remained nothing other than a boy who had wandered too close, asked quite a few questions, and petted his dog all over with his baby-pudge hands. Being unknown wasn't a bad thing. To this day, 'kid' was all most folks knew Denji by, too. ] You sure your teach ain't full of crap?
[ Nah, the reason had to be simpler than that. Where Denji came from, really came from, it was much of the same kind of thinning population. Devils went where the food was most ripe. ]
Not everyone in these boonies's brave. I'd say some people stay in a place like this 'cause they ain't got no other choice. Or they get cold feet just thinkin' about leaving home. [ Denji shrugged his shoulders. ] Some people, anyway — you? Maybe ya got a little somethin' in you, seeing as you stuck 'round Pochita here.
[ He filled his hand with the folds of the devil's neck, prompting him to arch his head toward Denji's touch, flopping onto his back. ]
Pfft — not that he's scary, look at him. But you two are like the same size. He could probably beatcha up.
[Aki looked up at him with a long, unbroken pause.]
[It was the first time he'd heard anyone say something completely against the status quo. First of all, this guy couldn't be past school age, so he should have been in school. Second, if he was hunting devils at Aki's age, then he should have been in school back then, too. And third of all... What did he mean, his teacher might be full of crap?]
I'm not that small.
[He muttered that at the end of all that thinking, nonplussed and maybe slightly offended. He was definitely bigger than this devil. Stronger, too. Just because it had a chainsaw didn't mean it could beat a human in a fight, especially since Aki had a book bag he could use as a shield. He'd definitely win that fight.]
I'm 10 years old now. I'm not a little kid anymore - I'm double digits. And I told you, my name's Aki.
[The frustration grew into his voice, both at being belittled and not being recognized at all. Because it's all thanks to him that this guy even found him again - and no, he didn't want payment in return, but maybe some respect, okay?!]
[But it never went beyond the slightly miffed tone in his voice. Because, despite it all, he was interested in this person. Someone completely new and unique to the area. Someone who should have been doing one thing but was doing something totally unheard of instead.]
...If I needed to, I could definitely kill a devil.
[Not that the thought had ever once crossed his mind before this moment. But if this guy was able to, then Aki could, too.]
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Logging had never been his main source of income, but it was steady money. Pocket change. The industry remained a vital part of what kept his wallet from looking as flat as a pancake. So when some hoity-toity regional manager for the company he frequently contracted with came scouting for new muscle to relocate to a wonderland of lush forests up north, his ears perked. When he threw out a fun fact about their boiled crab legs having some of the juiciest, firmest, melt-in-your-mouth meat imaginable, Denji made for the door. Had to be talked down from shoving his chainsaw buddy in a bag and buying a ferry ticket within the next day. He still left within the week. Didn't even notify his supervisor because his head was already crammed full of clandestine rivers and mountain peaks and hot springs full of scantily-toweled women. There was never any turning back.
With Pochita merrily trotting behind him like a mascot companion straight out of a cartoon, they spent the first few hours getting a sense of the town. Which, from what he could understand, appeared awfully small and insubstantial relative to the farmland surrounding it. There were different types of irrigation canals here and there. Whatever. The flower fields were pretty, though; that part, Denji liked. He picked a couple of purplish ones along the way, paying little attention to the farmers yelling at him for some reason.
All in all, the sheer expanse of Hokkaido had its own appeal for a certain collective. He would get used to it like anywhere else, he knew that, but…
It's just something about it here felt like a shovel breaking ground, uprooting his memories of a different place. One he ran away from long ago. All that open space. Nowhere to hide. Like the sun could grow a pupil at any moment and blink its blazing eye down at him, casting judgment. The countryside never failed to make him feel exposed, caught at the scene of the crime tampering with a life he shouldn't have — it was as those thoughts began to seed and fester in the back of his mind that he decided it was time to set up his tent.
But first he needed to find one. The trip to town was brief. He was lucky to hit the jackpot foraging through that fishery's garbage bags. Even managed to score a few things he could grill for dinner.
Usually, Denji would turn to his buddy to celebrate that day's haul. If he had, he would have noticed Pochita's absence. Thinking back, he was probably rushing it.
He was tired, could feel the grime of a day's travel etched into every inch and pore of his skin, and he figured Pochita was feeling much of the same way, just in devil terms. It'd be better to launch straight into selecting a campsite, he decided. If they pitched it up before dark, they could get acclimated, have a snooze, then wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to stuff their faces with the seafood Hokkaido was supposedly famous for. That was his thought process, and that's why, without sparing a thought to how Pochita's panting and snuffling had faded far into the background, he set out of town to the nearest clearing he could find.
It took him longer than anticipated to locate level enough land near a water source. The stream was a little dry, but it just needed a little rain to eventually give it some real body. As the last pole snagged into place, Denji stepped back to appreciate his handiwork in full. Yeah, this would do. ]
Whatcha think, Pochita? There's room for both of us to kick our feet out!
[ Nothing barked back at him.
He looked down, spun around, tore open the flap into the tent. More nothing.
He walked the perimeter of their camp, picking apart the brush and debris he'd knocked aside to clear the area, making a full loop without reuniting with his buddy. ]
Oh, shit, oh, crap — Pochita?! Where'd ya go?
[ Standing in the middle of the campsite, Denji blew one last lilting whistle, hoping it'd call Pochita forth, but when nothing came from it, he anxiously stared overhead. Though the sky was beginning to blear into a deeper, darker shade, and his shadow had started to stretch like a pinched back elastic, there was still sunlight. He could still expand his search.
When was the last time Denji saw him? How long ago had that been? They arrived a little ways into the afternoon, so that must have been… Augh, the details just wouldn't emerge. He wanted so badly to just beat at his head. How could he be so stupid? Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Similar questions and thoughts and castigations sped about in his mind as he lurched down a path he barely remembered. He hadn't been there long enough to internalize the lay of the land, so every turn was a guess, every call of his name tossed in a random direction. His breaths came out shallow past the tight clench of his throat as he stumbled out from the trees into an empty road, twigs and leaves poking out from his hair. ]
Pochita! Pochita!
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[Aki had started to follow it, the little thing looking at him every now and again with an expression he couldn't quite parse. The beast never growled at him but occasionally let out little barks as it looked around as if calling out. Again, for what, Aki didn't know. Given how long he had been following it without a huge mama-devil appearing to scarf him down, he was less fearful of that being the case. Instead, he found himself talking aloud to the little guy. Dogs like being talked to, right?]
I've never seen a devil in real life. Sometimes we hear about them on TV. But it's only about devils that get beat up and killed, or it's about how to protect yourself in a devil attack... They never talk about a devil who's looking for something, though.
[The devil looked back at him again, the tears in its eyes gone but the anxiety still clearly present. It let out a little whine and Aki stepped a little closer, picking up the pace to get beside the creature. As he did, an idea struck him.]
What if I lift you up? Maybe you can see better. Can I pick you up?
[He still didn't know if the devil could understand him but it gave an excited yip, the little cord of a tail wagging as it came to a stop. Aki leaned down to pick it up, grasping it under its stubby arms and hoisting it into the air. As if on cue, the devil began looking around their surroundings - just as a figure appeared suddenly down the road.]
["...chita!" Aki heard, and he lowered the devil in surprise as it then began wriggling violently in his arms. He released his grip in surprise and the orange bean dropped to the ground, rolling once before taking off in a sprint down the road.]
Hey, wait! [He rushed after him for a short stride before skidding to a halt, his idea from before coming to him - It looked like a human, sure, but what had they talked about in school? "Sometimes devils can look just like you and me. It's always good to be cautious around anyone who's behaving strangely."]
[Walking around in the woods, jumping out suddenly, a devil rushing toward you... Those are pretty strange behaviors, he's sure could be argued. Aki stood where he was, trying to take in the figure down the road that the strange puppy-like devil went running straight for, excitedly yipping and barking and wagging its tail just like a dog excited to see its owner.]
["Just like you and me." So could devils be friendly, just like humans, too...?]
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That was how he tried to think of it, flying from the road straight into a field, then another one: This was something that needed to be done. Beet leaves were squashed down underfoot. He kicked down corn stalks. But Denji's best efforts to find his friend only served to confuse him more, spun him about as an infinite turntable would, and sent him off-course. He was lost. He was probably going the wrong way. Wait, was that a bark?
Denji dove backwards, started to reverse out from the farmland, then hesitated — was he just imagining things? The doubts that hurtled in his brain made the dreadful ringing in his ears worse, and his chest pumped harder than he knew it was allowed to. He couldn't do anything about it. Couldn't do anything, except lose his mind and trip on the exit wound it left behind.
Speaking of. That moment of doubt did no favors for Denji. Waffling, he shifted his footing back — and then immediately tilted, his heel sunk deep into a soft section of soil. Ankle bent, he flopped from there, creating a depression in the ground. ]
Urk… Damn it…
[ He laid there, fingers twitching in the dirt. Feeling defeated. But then he heard it again, an anxious sound like a yelp or a whine accompanied by a desperate digging at the back of his foot. Slowly, his face raised, dark and smudged and hot with big, endlessly sloping tears. ]
P-Pochi…
[ Leaving the rest of his name unsaid, he shot up, arms tightened around the small devil with a sob, smothering his hiccups inside the comforting pull of Pochita's fur. Finally, Denji felt all his relief crashing in on him. It was a feeling so overwhelming, he scarcely noticed anything else. Not even a pair of tentative steps approaching. ]
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[What the heck, he thought to himself. Then, Is he crying?]
[The figure rose so suddenly and wrapped his arms around the devil, crying and sobbing openly in a way that Aki was sure anyone else would be too ashamed for. The shock of the sudden movement following such a violent tumble was erased with a new source of surprise. Had he ever seen someone be so openly emotional like this? Yes, just one person: His little brother, Taiyou.]
[This person was definitely older than Taiyou, however.]
[Usually with Taiyou he has to capitulate in some way, agree to whatever he's begging for in order to make it stop. Because, if he's honest, it's usually something Aki is trying to hold onto for himself. Not sharing, telling him to go away, to leave him alone. Refusing to change the channel like he said he would when his favorite show starts. Taiyou would start tearing up or outright crying and Aki would have to capitulate to his stupid demands. Quickly, too, so no one would come over to see what all the fuss is about and scold him for being selfish.]
[Because of that, he realized, Aki didn't know how to stop someone's crying when it's not his fault.]
Um.
[He was a few steps away when he spoke up, if it could be called that. He wasn't really sure what to say. Stranger danger, and all that, is something he was keenly aware of, but this stranger seemed to be the furthest thing from danger. More pitiful than anything. Just like his brother. Did that make him less or more scary?]
Are you okay?
[He could start there.]
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He breathed like he couldn't, ejected tears just for the droplets to pour right back into his wailing mouth; when he gasped for air between sobs, his lungs rattled awfully, unable or unwilling to let oxygen in for him, he couldn't say. For the way he was crying, someone might have thought he wounded himself — and in a manner of speaking, maybe he was wounded. His own body knew he had to be punished, knew it had to inflict something on him, so why not this guilt? Why not this hot torsion in his chest rubbing in how he'd done something so terrible to someone he loved so dearly? ]
SorrysorrysorryI'msorry — hic — ah? [ He stopped rocking. He did not stop sniveling. ] …chita, didja say somethin'?
[ His gaze hoisted up from the bundle of breathing fur, and with it came away the mottled face of a teenage boy, sticky and flushed, a string of snot still stretched between his leaking nose and Pochita's head. The devil in question whimpered, staring up at him with — some emotion Denji couldn't discern. Nonetheless, he wriggled restlessly in his arms, paws propped on Denji's chest to stand and lap at his wet chin.
That's a no, then. Denji's gaze listlessly traveled upward, landing on the wary young boy standing on the raised road. At least he looked young. Younger than him. Cheeks a little chubby, like he goes home to meals already set on the table. ]
You know him? [ It seemed to him that the two had come from the same direction, so, first, he looked to Pochita to vouch for their foreign company. From him, came a prompt, Arf!
In an instant, his expression visibly softened. He took a moment to stroke the devil dog's head. Slightly inclining his face, Denji regarded the boy once more. Okay. ]
…Yeah, 'm peachy. You, uh — ya found him?
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[Older kids weren't supposed to do that. Aki never saw people from the high school in town crying or wiping their noses. Sometimes, in movies, adults would cry or be emotional. In anime, people cried all the time. But none of that was real life. So why was this person crying so easily?]
[At first he thought he was speaking to him, and Aki opened his mouth to respond - No, he doesn't know that devil from Adam. But immediately it was clear that he was talking to the devil, itself. That he was right. It can understand people. Briefly a welling of pride ballooned inside (he got something right!) but it extinguished quickly enough when that wet, snotting face turned back toward him.]
...Um, yeah.
[He kind of didn't believe him about being peachy. Suddenly realizing something, Aki slid a shoulder free from his randoseru and pulled it around, undoing the clasp and pulling it open to dig around inside until he found what he wanted. He held out the located powder blue handkerchief, lacking any kind of design but made of soft cotton.]
That devil was on the road over there, back there, and he was looking for something. And I'm from here so I was showing him around.
[Like a tour guide or something. He hoisted his backpack back around and again offered out the hanky.]
Is he yours?
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Denji sniffled again. Tugged his arm free from the devil to scrub his water well of an eye, then wiped his nose, then with thee same hand rummaged in his pocket to pull something out. After accepting the handkerchief, that something was revealed to be several wadded up money notes and a couple of coins dropped into the young boy's palm. 5,605 yen in total. It seriously hurt to relinquish. But what was no small fare for Denji always seemed to be the price for a fair exchange. He'll have to figure something special out for Pochita later, too. ]
Yeah, we're friends. The best of besties. [ Bringing the hanky up to his face, he blew his nose twice in a row to no real fruit. His nose still felt congested no matter what. ] So thanks.
[ The devil nuzzled his cheek against Denji's folded knuckles, prompting him to brush at the fur around his snout. It was soothing for him. ]
Ah, if that ain't enough, can ya put it on my tab? I can get more cash later. I just needa get settled in 'fore I start workin'. I'm really not tryin' to scam you or nothin'.
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Uh... huh?
[Even more uncertain. Aki stared down at the money in his palm, sticky with mucus and tears. Mentally adding up the bills and coins - This is enough for... for a whole month's worth of curry bread at the convenience store. And he's handing it to him?]
Wait, huh?
[Because now this didn't feel right. Why was he being paid...? Still with his hand held out, unwilling to accept the money, Aki shook his head twice.]
I don't - want any money.
[Which was true. He didn't really want for money. He was comfortable, got an allowance, could easily ask for a few coins to get curry bread if he wanted to. Even if this guy was rich (...doubtful), taking money for doing a deed like this felt scummy.]
I was just helping... 'Cause he looked so sad. He was crying. I've never seen a devil crying.
[He shook the hand holding the money, offering it back out.]
Here, take it back. Um, you can keep that, too. [The handkerchief. He kind of didn't want it back now.]
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Pinching the hanky around his nostrils to squeeze out what excess mucus he could, Denji turns his eye back to Pochita. The effect on his voice is a distorted, hopelessly clogged inflection. ]
…You were scared, eh? I know. Me too. [ He sets the (ruined) rag down on his lap, smothering a hand over the top of the devil's head again, the short strands of fur where he rubbed him swept up unevenly from the rest of his coat. ] It'll never happen again. I promise.
[ He just has to get acclimated. Moving from one place to the next always sets him on edge — it's a different headspace to be in, and he's certainly not much of a logistics guy. ]
Hey, so whaddaya want then? [ Still petting Pochita, Denji finally addresses the boy without glancing back at him. ] For bein' a good smearitan. This is your last chance to ask for a reward before the two of us jet. Just name the first thing that pops in that bitty head of yours.
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[After a long moment, he mumbled,] It's Samaritan.
[He spoke up with what he asked next, though.]
Can I touch him?
[Because, really, when else would he get a chance to go to school and tell everyone that he got to touch a devil? That it barked like a dog and was crying, had a chainsaw stuck in his head and a tail like the starter cord? Squatting down from his position, he got to an even level with the other boy, the side of his bag dropping to the ground.]
I never saw a devil before. I thought they were bigger.
[And, hesitant in case his one request is denied, he reached out his hand, eager to try petting the back of the devil's body and feel that soft fur once more.]
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It was as Denji pondered life's deepest questions that he clocked movement skirting the edge of his field of vision, his focus sharpened on the boy the instant his fingers twitched toward his companion. Thankfully, he was quick to recognize his own force of habit before reaching for violence. He leaned back, allowing the devil to scoot off of him and investigate the little sausages wiggling in his direction. ]
Aren't you low maintenance… Oi, [ he called to him, staring for a moment. Clearly, sizing him up. ] Have some manners and introduce yourself first. Maybe he'll even letcha hold him. See, this little guy's name is Pochita. Po-chi-ta. I named him myself, so you should use it.
[ Failing to acknowledge that he, himself, remained nameless, Denji gave a light pat to Pochita's bum. ]
You'd be surprised, y'know. There're littler devils than Pochita out there. Don't live long, though, 'specially out in the big cities. Most stay in hidin' in the boonies where we're at 'cause they're wimpy.
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My name's Aki. [Stranger danger was still at least kind of in effect - he's not supposed to tell people his whole name, he knew that much. But even thinking that he's doing the right thing, he still reached out eagerly to rub his hand down the side of the devil's body, watched with thinly hidden delight as Pochita rubbed into his hand and adjusted his head to guide his touch up there. He pet over the top of him, mindful of the chainsaw sticking out, his fingers digging into the shallow fur and stroking carefully. All the while listening to this person tell him about devils.]
Are you a devil hunter? [He sat down on his butt next, slipping his arm free from his bag and using it to pet up the other side of him as Pochita rubbed into his hands and panted eagerly at the contact.] Is that why you're here, to kill little devils? 'Cause we don't have public safety here anymore, they went to the, uh, the sub-pre-frecture... city... [He kind of trailed off, realized as he was speaking that he didn't know anything about what he was talking about. That it was just a parrotting of what he'd heard on the news.] Um, my teacher said devils aren't something we need to worry about, living here, 'cause people here are braver than people in the city.
[That, however, he said with confidence. Be it a way to keep morale up or a form of propaganda, it made sense to him. No one in his village ever died from a devil attack, so probably there was a reason for that.]
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[ Denji stayed put where he was, the long grass dancing against his arms as if in fellowship. His hand rose to caress the stems as the boy's talking went in one ear and out the other, seeming at first to be admiring some fluttering bug stood on the tip — for all of two seconds. He broke off the strand, twisting the stem to get the sap dripping before sucking it between his teeth. ]
Kid. [ The piece of grass rolled to the side of his mouth as he spoke. There was no meaning in learning a name he would soon forget; as far as he was concerned, the kid remained nothing other than a boy who had wandered too close, asked quite a few questions, and petted his dog all over with his baby-pudge hands. Being unknown wasn't a bad thing. To this day, 'kid' was all most folks knew Denji by, too. ] You sure your teach ain't full of crap?
[ Nah, the reason had to be simpler than that. Where Denji came from, really came from, it was much of the same kind of thinning population. Devils went where the food was most ripe. ]
Not everyone in these boonies's brave. I'd say some people stay in a place like this 'cause they ain't got no other choice. Or they get cold feet just thinkin' about leaving home. [ Denji shrugged his shoulders. ] Some people, anyway — you? Maybe ya got a little somethin' in you, seeing as you stuck 'round Pochita here.
[ He filled his hand with the folds of the devil's neck, prompting him to arch his head toward Denji's touch, flopping onto his back. ]
Pfft — not that he's scary, look at him. But you two are like the same size. He could probably beatcha up.
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[It was the first time he'd heard anyone say something completely against the status quo. First of all, this guy couldn't be past school age, so he should have been in school. Second, if he was hunting devils at Aki's age, then he should have been in school back then, too. And third of all... What did he mean, his teacher might be full of crap?]
I'm not that small.
[He muttered that at the end of all that thinking, nonplussed and maybe slightly offended. He was definitely bigger than this devil. Stronger, too. Just because it had a chainsaw didn't mean it could beat a human in a fight, especially since Aki had a book bag he could use as a shield. He'd definitely win that fight.]
I'm 10 years old now. I'm not a little kid anymore - I'm double digits. And I told you, my name's Aki.
[The frustration grew into his voice, both at being belittled and not being recognized at all. Because it's all thanks to him that this guy even found him again - and no, he didn't want payment in return, but maybe some respect, okay?!]
[But it never went beyond the slightly miffed tone in his voice. Because, despite it all, he was interested in this person. Someone completely new and unique to the area. Someone who should have been doing one thing but was doing something totally unheard of instead.]
...If I needed to, I could definitely kill a devil.
[Not that the thought had ever once crossed his mind before this moment. But if this guy was able to, then Aki could, too.]