Chapter 1: The Sound of Doves

"You, who have nowhere to go and nowhere to return… My name is Yato."

He stood on top of an unlit street light, looking down at the teenage girl that had stopped among the cherry trees. At the sound of his voice she had turned her head to face him. Despite the eery silence of the dark night, her brown eyes were bright and curious. And they never looked away from his. Unable to hold her gaze, he closed his eyes, only allowing himself a few more seconds to hesitate before continuing with his command.

"Relinquish thy name in death, and become my servant bearing the name I bestow."

His eyes opened, and he forced the best straight face he could manage before calling out the final words. Her large eyes had widened, registering what power a god's words held over her soul. She clutched a hand to her chest, as if to brace herself, but Yato continued.

"Thy name is its reading, thy vessel its sound. By my decree you become my regalia. Thy name is Hato, thy vessel, Kyuu! Come, Kyuuki!"

In the next moment, a light engulfed the girl entirely, until that light found its way into Yato's hands and its form became a weapon. His eyes softened when he found his new regalia had become a sword- a gun sword, more accurately. The blade gleamed like silver under the moonlight, the hilt wearing a traditional Japanese tsuka design, with a trigger attached. She at least became a useful regalia, he thought, but that was the farthest he let himself think on the matter.

"Your name is Hatone," he said with a small smile. Already, the weapon transformed back to her human form, the light quickly dressing her in nothing but a white robe. The kanji for "Hato" wasn't in view, but Yato instinctively knew it had sealed itself on the skin by her hip. The girl's dark brown hair fell down her back as her bare feet slowly landed atop the same street light to stand across from him. It took everything in him not to cry.

As she tilted her head and gazed at Yato with nothing but uncertainty, Yato was unable to clear his own uncertainty that consumed his entire being. How was he going to not screw this up more than he already had?

It was impossible to recognize his regalia under any other name but Hiyori.

"Yatty..."

"So you see… When I saw my adorable Hatone alone in the park, I just couldn't help it!"

Sitting out on the wooden floors right in front of the half-open sliding doors, Hatone waited while her god went inside to talk with the woman of the house: Kofuku. The corner of the regalia's mouth twitched. Even with her back turned to him, it was impossible to ignore the strange man in the jersey claiming to be her master. If it wasn't for the fact that she knew she was dead, she would have said she was kidnapped.

"Are you the god of perversion?" Hatone asked in a low voice, her question rhetorical. To her shock, the door behind her slid completely open within an instant. She turned her head and looked up at the pervert in question standing over her. His impossibly blue eyes were glistening with tears, his teeth clenched together. He was clearly horrified she could think of such a thing.

"I'm a god of fortune! Fortune! Have more faith in your god!"

Unwittingly, Hatone felt her eyes narrow without her control. She gave a weak smile, but her attention then focused on the petite pink-haired woman sitting at the table inside the room. Once the two made eye-contact, Kofuku never let up her gaze. Hatone quickly felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny of those purple eyes, never-minding the indecipherable smile on the poverty goddess's lips.

"I can't help you, Yatty," she said, at last breaking eye-contact. "Not with Daikoku here." She folded her arms and rested her chin on top of them. Yato became rigid, staring hard at the grass in front of the house. Hatone furrowed her brow.

"Daikoku?" she echoed.

Kofuku let out a long and dragged out sigh, stretching her arms before slumping over the table and later crawling over it. Tensing up, Hatone wasn't sure how to respond when Kofuku gently placed a hand on the regalia's cheek.

"How tragic. I hope I can get the chance to meet you again, Hatone."

Yato's expression soured, but he didn't protest. The truth was he understood. He hopped onto the grass and held his hand out for Hatone. She looked at his hand for a few moments before hopping down and walking past him, ignoring the gesture. Behind her, she could hear an exaggerated sniff from the man she snubbed.

"You're so cold, Hi-"

She turned her head, unsure what it was Yato was going to say, but she didn't expect to see his expression twisted with such genuine guilt and shock. He averted his gaze as soon as she tried to meet his.

"Yatty, what about Yukki?" Kofuku asked, the front of her body leaning against the side of the door.

"Let him sleep. I'll talk to him later."

Kofuku pursed her lips, but then she went back inside the house, shutting the doors behind her. Yato started walking off into the streets, glancing back once to make sure Hatone would follow. The regalia sighed to herself, already beginning to grow tired of all the chaos she was thrown into.

"So what was that all about?" she asked, a couple steps behind Yato. She didn't know where the tracksuit man intended to go, but she trusted him to know what he was doing.

"What was what?" he asked defensively with his nose in the air, playing dumb.

A five-year old can act better than you, Hatone thought to herself. Letting it go for the moment, she decided to attack from a different angle.

"Well, can you explain what happened to me? You said I'm a regalia." She looked down at the palms of her hands. At just the sound of her name "Kyuuki" earlier that night, she had become a different being entirely. A weapon. Yato slowed in his steps, though they never stopped walking. His hands were stuck inside the pockets of his jersey and he didn't look back at her.

"Yeah, a regalia. A sacred tool of the gods. I've permitted you to stay by my side," he answered, and Hatone could eventually hear a smile in his voice. "Doesn't that make you happy?"

Hatone gave it some thought.

"A god? And you said your name was Yato?"

Despite not being able to see his face, she could sense his smile growing.

"You can call me Lord Yato if you'd like."

Hatone looked up at the sky, her eye catching onto the few stars that broke through the night of the city. She hummed thoughtfully.

"I've never heard of you."

Yato stopped and whirled around. "Are you bullying me on purpose?" he muttered, glaring at nothing in particular to the side. Mystified by how such a person had the title of a god, Hatone then wondered just how little happiness her fate had allowed her in death, when a gleaming yellow color caught her eye.

"So regalias are for… fighting?"

"Sometimes. Mostly phantoms," Yato answered, if not a little bitterly.

"Th-then… would that be...?" Crooking her finger in the direction behind Yato, Hatone stiffened as the gleam of yellow slowly emerged from the shadows of an alleyway.

"Smells nice." The distorted voice sent a chill down her spine, and it soon became clear that the yellow took the form of a monkey. The empty white holes that were meant to be its eyes were locked onto Yato.

"Point it out sooner!" Yato exclaimed with his body twisted in a defensive stance. Relaxing and grinning, he exchanged glances with Hatone. "Come, Kyuuki!"

Caught off guard, Hatone was in Yato's hand in the next second as a weapon. Already, he aimed in the direction of the phantom that leapt for them and pulled the trigger. Not yet concentrating, the bullet went too far left.

"It's okay, you can do this!" Yato encouraged without any deterrent in his actions. He faced the phantom head-on and swung his blade. Internally, Hatone prepared herself for the hit, making it her mission to cut the phantom down. She gleamed as soon as she saw the thing cut in half and then shatter. Was her job really so easy? Unabashed joy started to run through her.

That was, until the street light fell over and brick walls protecting houses crumbled around them. Another street light began to flicker and the vending machine that Hatone had struck when the gun was shot let out a fizzling noise.

The town! Hatone thought in a panic as she witnessed the collateral damage from their attack.

"Revert, Hatone."

Her hands covering her mouth, Hatone shook at the sight. "Don't people live around here?"

Yato grimaced, tilting his head and taking in the mess, too. He laughed.

"Well…" He folded his arms and surveyed their area of damage on the street.

"That was great for a first job."

Yato met her eyes and his lips settled into a grin, and Hatone was surprised by the genuine praise he had given her.

Before she could get a word out, Hatone caught onto the flickering street light that stood over the duo. Yato turned to it, as if only vaguely surprised. Making a creaking noise, the light began to tip over, and- through Hatone's eyes- it was threatening to crush them in its wake.

"Yato!" she yelled, running into his chest and knocking him down in an absurdly fast movement. Skidding over a few good meters away from where the light actually fell, she felt her heart beating in her chest erratically. In truth, their deaths had not been as narrow as she initially thought, but she still had to recover herself. She took deep breaths while still laying on top of her supposed god. A part of her was amazed.

She was dead, but she was still able to feel her heart beating in her chest.

Flushed from the commotion, Hatone sat up and glanced at Yato. He was still on the ground, lying flat on his back as if dazed.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?" she asked, her hand hovering over him. Yato smiled weakly, and then he sat up.

"Were you trying to save me?" he asked gently, his piercing blue eyes staring straight into hers. Hatone blinked, thinking the answer was obvious, but there was something in the way he looked at her that made her unable to respond. He reached to grab her hand that she had hanging in the air, wrapping his fingers over hers. His hand was clammy- she assumed it was because of their brief battle- but it was also incredibly warm.

"I would have… dodged it…"

"Yato?" The flush didn't leave her cheeks. A part of her thought she should let go. After all, this was just a no-name god in a jersey. A no-name god in a jersey that she just met, no less. Yet, when he pulled her into his arms, she didn't find it in her to break away.

"H-Hatone," he whispered, holding her a little tighter.

Not understanding what overcame him, Hatone resigned. She would allow him to hold onto her, at least for a short while. She closed her eyes, Yato's hold burrowing her face into the warmth of his shoulder.

He was a no-name god in a jersey that she just met, and he even smelled a little sweaty.

But somehow, it was a familiar… nice… scent.

Thanks for reading, guys! Remember feedback is loved and appreciated.
For anyone who's curious, Hiyori's new name Hatone is written 鳩音.
鳩 - Dove/pigeon 音 - Sound