Prologue
"What is taking that fucking doctor so long in there?"
"Will you quit pacing around in front of me? Just because I refused to allow you to wield your toys indoors doesn't mean you can walk in circles and swore a blue streak."
Hiruma stopped his pacing to glare at the person sitting on the ok-hand cushion chair in the room. His glare has no effect on her; she's too busy sketching something on her book.
"When you told me you know a place with a certified vet opened at this hour, this is not what I had in mind."
"She is a certified vet, formerly. She switched career to be an owner of an exotic nail salon a few months ago. It's close to midnight; no decent vet in his or her right minds would be open. Moreover, Hanako moonlights as a vet so she is still kept in the current stream."
"Hanako is a name of a spirit that haunts in the primary school toilets."
"Hanako is a nom de plume. A pseudonym. She's a flower child."
Hiruma resumed pacing as she soon as she diverts her attentions back to her sketches. Soon, the muffled sound of footsteps revolting around the room plus the mumbled cussing from Hiruma finally got to her nerves. Sighing mentally, Kaoru closes her drawing pad, knowing she's never going to complete her work with the Devil Bats quarterback worrying about the hellhound. Not that he will admitted it but he had developed a tendre for the dog over the years.
Earlier on, she received an urgent call from Hiruma, needing a favor. Turns out Cerberus was found sick by the quarterback in the team's changing room. Lucky for the canine, Hiruma was the only one who stayed back very late after the practice. The match between the Deimon Devil Bats vs. Bando Spiders is their last shot to be qualified as Tokyo 3rd placing in the Christmas Bowl. Everyone puts in their 100, as what Monta would say, 'Training to the Max.' With Musashi, their '60-yd Magnum' kicker (Musashi: pure BS), back in the team, Devil Bats is a force to be reckoned with.
It's been seven years since that fateful day Cerberus was found. That was the first time I spoke with this devil persona. Only he wasn't exactly like this then…
Flashback
"Fuck that moron Hararou…If only he wasn't two times bigger than me…" Kaoru's ears perked at a mumbling sound of someone swearing as she cut through the playground in the park to return home after a day in school. She paused in her tracks, scanning the surrounding area and spotted a boy with short, spiky black hair tending his injuries the best he could under a tree. As she moves closer, she realized that he's studying in the same class as she is. He has a pair of extremely pointy ears that reminds her of a character in a book1 that her otousan read to her as bedtime story. Being curious by nature, Kaoru approach the boy.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Kaoru blinked at the menace in his tone. "Hi, I'm Kaoru. I heard someone talking from afar so I came over to see who was it. Your name's Youichi, ne?"
"None of your goddamn business. Buzz off!"
She grinned, squatting down in front of him; she saw that he has a bloody nose, cut lower lip and slight bruising on his left cheek. The skin on his knuckles was broken. Scraps and telltale signs of more bruises littered all over this upper limbs. His clothes looked scuffled and torn in some areas.
"Boy did you ever put up a fight, huh?"
Hiruma looked at her, then nodded. "One of them has a black eye for his involvement."
"It's Hatarou and his cronies, wasn't it?"
He shrugged and felt something trickling down his nose. Hiruma was about to use his sleeves to wipe when Kaoru stooped him and handed him her handkerchief. "Tilt your head back and press the bridge of your nose with this. Hopefully, it will stop the bleeding." He eyed at her, and then complies her instructions, reluctantly, when she raised a brow at his hesitation.
"Wanna come to my place? My okasan can patch you up."
Hiruma tilted his head back, eyes looking at her with suspicion. Kaoru just stared back at him, waiting for his reply. Moments later, Kaoru sighed, " What if I told you there is a way to get even with Hatarou? Will you be interested?"
He frowned, silent in his thoughts. Then, he nodded. Standing up, he noticed that she's about the same height as he was. Hiruma was tall for his age although finding another boy of similar height is not unusual. But girls…
"How old are you?"
"Ten and I'm in the same class as you. You just got transferred here not too long so you might not have known everyone."
Hiruma recalled an incident on his first day in school where she was late for class due to family. He didn't pay any attention to her at that time.
As they continue walking through the park and entered the playground, they heard a whining sound coming from under the slide. Being curious, they approached the area carefully, since they don't know what they might find. What they discover was a puppy, barely 2 months. It was a weird looking dog, with short fur and a very small body. Its features are unlike any common variety small canines.
"It's a pity to leave it here. It'll starve and die."
Hiruma was quietly scrutinizing the puppy. He walked up to the stray. The canine, sensing a presence moving closer, starts to growl. It tried to stand up to defend itself but was too weak. Hiruma took something out from his pocket; it was a rice ball, partly eaten and gave it to the pup. The puppy stared at the outstretched hand, then at the boy. It sniffed at the food and the hand. Finally, the stray moved forward, just enough to take a nip at the riceball. Hiruma let the food drop from his palm and took a step back. The two kids watched the dog devour the food. They both blinked in surprise when the riceball vanish within a few seconds. The puppy gave a sigh of contentment, making the children giggled.
"I'm keeping it."
Kaoru turned her head and looked at him. She nodded. "We need a box to transport it. And it needs a doctor." Then to herself, "I wonder what's its gender…"
"Found one, it's big enough to contain it," answered Hiruma. Kaoru used some discarded newspapers lying on the bench as lining for the box. Hiruma approached the puppy cautiously and lift it into the box. The dog allowed him to place it into the carton. It snuggled a bit, then giving a yawn, and settle down to sleep.
"Kawaii!" Hiruma snorted at her remark.
"Let's carry it to my home, my okasan might know what to do with it."
---------
"Tataima, okasan!"
"Welcome back, Kaoru-chan. I'm in the kitchen, lunch's ready."
"Hai. I brought someone from my class home with me. And we found a puppy."
"Sodesune. Bring the puppy and your friend over to the kitchen. I bet your classmate is hungry."
"Come on, leave your stuff here. Follow me."
Hiruma quickly removed his shoes and left his bag beside it. He shifted the box a bit; the puppy inside stirred then continued its nap. He followed the fast disappearing girl along the hallway. The house though small compared to his, has a homey feeling to it. He entered into a cozy looking kitchen and saw Kaoru laid extra set of cutlery on the table. At the stove stood a lady with long honey brown hair braided to the back. T-shirt, cut-off jeans and a red apron donned in front completed the image of Kaoru's mother. Her feet were bare like her daughter.
"Konnichiwa, my name's Miyuki, Kaoru's okasan. You can call me by my name. No formalities needed in this household. What's your name?"
Hiruma gave her the name he's been using since he and his family moved here. His otousan and okasan told him not to use their actual family name to avoid trouble. "Hiruma Youichi"
"Hiruma…Hmm, oh you're the child of a family that just moved into this neighborhood last week. I have the pleasure of meeting your mother yesterday during grocery shopping. May I call you You-chan? Now, don't blush. This name will be between us girls and you. Join us for lunch, Kaoru-chan will help you tend to your injuries now."
Hiruma took a seat at the dining table as Miyuki serve the plates of curry rice. Kaoru went to the living room to take the first aid kit and clean Hiruma's wounds.
"Is otousan back early today?"
"Upstairs, fast asleep. He'll be with us for at least three months. The head of communitees transferred him back to teach a group of new recruits the ropes. He'll have a look at the puppy after lunch. I'm afraid dogs and I have communication problems."
"Okie. Bringing lunch upstairs?" Kaoru mumbled between mouthfuls of rice as she noticed her mother heaped a mountain of gravy on a large plateful of rice.
She nodded. "For your father, about time he woke up from his slumber. Clean up after meal."
The children watched her exited the kitchen and hear footsteps going up to the second level. Kaoru finished her food before Hiruma and dumped her plate into the sink. She clear up the stained tissues and put the medicine back into the kit. Then she climbed up onto the kitchen counter using the handles of drawers as leverage. Pulling open the cabinet door, she scans the contents before spotting the item she was looking for. Kaoru used all her upper body strength and whole body weight to pull a large bag of doggie treats that was half her size and doubled her weight.
KA-BAM!
The package fell from its position on the shelving, miss hitting Kaoru's head and split open on impact, scattering its contents all over the concrete floor. The puppy, being rudely awaken from its nap by the racket, yipped in surprise. It sniffed the air and starts barking its head off and scratching the sides of the box to get out. When no one came to its aid, the canine bit the corner dangling from a badly scratched surface of the box and starts shredding it up. Hiruma, who was equally shocked by the crash, went to help Kaoru, who jumped down from the counter top, and gather up the spilled contents from the bag. Both of them ignored the yipping sound of the hound. Suddenly, another sound replaced the puppy's bark and before they could identify the noise, a ball of fur race towards them and dive into the bag of treats. The youngsters could only stare at the moving bag as it emitted growling and snarling sounds. Unknown to them, two tall figures appeared behind them.
"Kaoru, explain what happened here."
"Hieeee! Otousan! Ahh…I can explain everything…" Both her parents made their appearance at the worst possible timing. Her father is a head taller than her mom, ebony hair sticking out in odd angles of his head due to his nap. His brown eyes, looked at the mess his daughter made. His gaze shifted to the boy beside her, a defiant look in his eyes. A furry head stuck out of the bag, gave a sharp bark. His head snapped down, focusing at the most ugliest dog he's ever seen.
"Takashi, I was meaning to tell you before the crashing sound that Kaoru-chan brought a friend home and they found a stray puppy. Will you take a look at it?" Miyuki moved to the sink, setting the empty plate down.
Takashi squatted down, the pup growled at him. Kaoru took one of the biscuit treats lying on the floor and distract the attention of the dog.
"Doggie wanna a treat? Yes, doggie wants it, no?" The puppy hesitated, then took the treat from her fingers. Takashi shook his head; his chibi is holy terror with bribes. Gently, he held the pup by the scruff of its neck and lifted it out of the mangled food bag. He put it on the tabletop. The dog, who nearly consumed every morsel it could find in the package, was too full and contended to even raise its guard against the male foreign being. After a while, Takashi pronounced it fine but need to be checked by a professional to be sure. Luckily, their next-door neighbor is a certified vet who's just returned from work. Takashi and the kids went over with the dog.
-----------
"Well, you catch me at the right time, so what do we have here? Hmm, unusual looking specimen you got there. Still too young to be weaned from milk. Is its mother around?"
"Nope. According to the children, it was hiding under the slide in the playground. It must have wandered off and got itself lost."
"I'll give it a thoroughly check-up and the latest boosters. Are you adopting it?"
"I am." The vet looked down at Hiruma's direction and smiled. "Ok, but I'll need your parents' permission to authorize it. I need to keep it overnight for further observation."
"I don't think that is a good idea, Kenjirou." Lifting a brow questioningly at Takashi's direction, he asked, "Why?"
He related what happened before they came over. "Only the kids have any control over this animal. Earlier, as I tried to carry it again, he nearly bit my finger off. Kaoru distracted it with a dog biscuit and this boy, Youichi carried it."
"Souka," the vet commented as he watched Kaoru distracted the puppy with the treat for the 20th time since they've entered. Motioning the girl over, he whispered into her ear. Nodding in agreement, she took a biscuit out and maintained the dog's attention as Kenjirou load a dart into the tranquilizer gun. He pulled the trigger, the dart hit the canine's butt and he yipped. Angry at the assault, the puppy rounded at the vet and launched himself off the dinning table it was originally on. Hiruma leaped and grabbed the fur tightly. He struggled violently, snarling and barking at the offender. Takashi pinned down the vibrating fur with both hands. The elven kid released his hold and panted. Despite his size, the dog's strength is a bit overwhelming for the injured boy. It took 15 minutes before the drug took effect.
"Strong tolerance against meds has a flip side as it means I have to increase the dosage. On the other hand, it suggested that the puppy most likely would have little chance of getting ill. The drug might last the most half an hour or lesser, judging by its state of health. A little pressed for time, but what the heck." Kenjirou quickly did the check-up and the injections required for the canine.
"Ken-niichan, I think you should apologize to doggie. I know I'm going to. It will forgive you, I'm sure of it." Kaoru pouted, upset that she tricked the puppy. She doesn't mind tricking people. However, Kaoru draws a line against animals, family and closest friends. He nodded gravely. When the dog came around, Takashi still had his hands on his body. It starts struggling again until he heard Hiruma's voice.
"Cerberus! Stand down!" Surprisingly, the puppy responded to his command and stopped struggling.
"Cerberus… the name given to a three-headed dog guardian of the Greek underworld. Is that going to be the name for this mutt?" Takashi questioned, slowly loosening his grip on the puppy's body and stepping back quickly. Cerberus, turned his head and barked at him but stay put.
"Is that the name of your puppy, Youichi-chan?" He nodded at Kenjirou, then murmured that he's no one's –chan. The vet laughed and Hiruma scowled at him.
"Ohh, I like that name! Cerberus…dog from the Greek underworld." Hiruma shrugged, mentally liking that he impressed the first friend he made. Little did they know that in the near future, Hiruma's persona would fit like jigsaw to the puppy's name.
"Kids nowadays sure read a lot these days, unlike us." The vet remised the time the two boys spent during childhood. Takashi grinned, "Can't help that this chibi of mine like books, just like her mother. As for Youichi, that child sure has some profound knowledge."
Kenjirou handed the meds to Takashi and refused payment from his old childhood friend. A medical certificate was printed out for Hiruma. "All I need is either of your parent's approval signature on this paper. Leave the rest of the paperwork to me." Hiruma nodded and asked if he could borrow a phone. Kenjirou point the direction where the phone resided. Kaoru followed him. The newly christened dog, Cerberus, jumped down from the tabletop, growled at him and trailed after his two new companions.
---------
Hiruma felt a bit sick, the butterflies in his stomach haven't settled since the phone called he'd made moments ago. His okasan, is not allowing her only son to have a pet, let alone a dog. Angry and disillusioned, he sat in Kaoru's room, his hand sinking into the fur of the puppy and gripped tightly. Takashi, after overhearing the heated debate between the child and his parent through the phone, offered to take ownership of the dog. He told Hiruma he could anytime come over and visit.
"At what age is it legal for Youichi to claim the dog without parent's permission?"
"Minimum age of 16 to 18, for my case. There is no actual legal age for people to adopt a pet. Teenagers do not get their parent's approval due to obvious reasons. I've gotten my first pet when I was 12 and it was a chibi neko."
Ken paused, "However, it's always best if you could get the co-operation of the parents. Otherwise, it is a slippery climb to show that you can be responsible enough to care for one. For Youichi's case, he is still a child and most probably need an adult's help in the duties of caring a pet."
"Don't worry, Youichi-kun. You can always come and visit, otousan did say so."
Hiruma was more worried about something more than unable to keep Cerberus, but he didn't say a word. After they left the house, the two children went upstairs to Kaoru's room, with the puppy dogging their steps.
"You-chan, you looked as if doomsday is approaching any moment. Spill it. I swear I'll keep it a secret, cross my heart."
Hiruma lifted up his head. Kaoru's eyes have a serious look in it and her tone means she takes her promises very seriously. He pondered whether to tell her about his family complications.
"Never tell anyone, not even your parents, friends you have now and later. Even when we may never meet again." Kaoru heard the words but it was the tone and the word 'when' that caught her attention. She nodded. He stuck his head out of the room to see if anyone is nearby. Satisfied, he closed and locks it. Pulling Kaoru to the furthest end of the room from the door, he sat down and told her everything that his parents made him swore not to reveal to any outsider.
"So your surname is actually your okasan's maiden name. And your otousan…Arrgh! That is too cool…ok, maybe not in your perspective." Kaoru commented after Hiruma glared at her. "So the person over the phone is your okasan but the idea is from your uncle who took care of both your mom and you. Sounds like a horrible person. And you have a younger sister who's with your father currently, overseas in America. Will you be going over?"
"Maybe, who knows. That's why I can't have any attachment to anything." Hiruma shrugged. "Souka…then Cerberus…" The two were quiet for a while. "Let's make a promise to each other. No matter what happened in the future, never change your name. And you will find ways to contact me if we ever…you know…"
He didn't respond back and Kaoru lose her temper. "If you cherish friendships as I believe you have hinted unintentionally in our conversation, you will make the effort. And don't be so wishy-washy." She hissed at Hiruma, her arms akimbo. He blinked, then gave her cackling laughter that will become his signature card.
"Ya-Ha! I, Hiruma Youichi, swears on his honor, that my friendship with Tsukikaba Kaoru will never end, even if we ever lost contact." "And I, Tsukikaba Kaoru, will always keep the conversation here a secret, never to reveal to anyone, unless given permission." He grinned and the both of them hooked their pinkie together, cementing the vows.
---------
Present Day
It didn't take long for Hatarou to look for Youichi the next day. However, it was just his luck that I took some photos of him breaking the school dean's favorite flowerpots couple of days ago. By threatening to use the PA system and vocally expose the deed was a stroke of genius from Youichi, since everyone in school knew that the dean would make the offender perform community services, accompanied by his or her parents for one month. Wondered if that's where he got the idea2 in the first place?
Kaoru blinked, realized that Hiruma is right in front of her, his face leveled with hers. Seems like he's been staring for quite a while. "Nanda? Is there something on my face?"
With an odd expression on his face, he commented, "Iie. You just zoned out for a very long time." Turning away from her, he went to the opposite side and flings himself on huge beanbag seat. Raising his head to the ceiling, arms and legs just dangling out at the edge. To any casual observer, he seems to be relaxing, but Kaoru knows better. He's just plain frustrated cuz he, short of firing his AK-47, ran out of avenue to vent his impatience.
Using this rare opportunity, she starts to sketch out the primary lines she'll need to capture Hiruma in this once in a lifetime moment. Her pencil flew across the paper, page after page, her eyes never wandered too far from her subject.
"Oie, Kaoru, you done yet? I'm getting up." Kaoru didn't reply, still intend on finishing her final touches to her shading. Shifting his head just enough to peek, Hiruma got whacked on the forehead by an eraser for his effort. "Kuso otemba! Yamerou!"
A growl resembled Cerberus emitted from her throat, warning Hiruma not to swear at her. Hiruma tsked, but remained where he is. Moments later, silence replaced the scratching sound of the pencil. Hiruma got up and walk over to see her work. Kaoru flipped through the earlier drawings she made, nodding to herself, satisfied with the layout. She turned to the final piece she was editing and handed it to Hiruma. He grunted, inwardly impressed with the picture of himself laying there in a relaxed position yet revealing the inner turmoil beneath the surface.
Tearing it out from her sketchpad, he folded the picture to half and tucked it in his coat. Kaoru didn't shrieked at him for the sacrilege he'd done to her pad. Taking out two pieces of sugarless gum, she offered one to him. The two of them chewed and blew bubbles, competing as to who can blow the largest. A click from the door distracted them. A lady, who resembles the nurse working at the hospital where Musashi's father resided, walked out with a heavily sedated Cerberus in her arms.
Hiruma lifted the burden off from the vet and walked out to the makeshift clinic. Kaoru foot the bills and thanked her friend. Once out on the streets, Hiruma make a beeline towards a bike parked under the streetlamp. Kaoru appeared seconds later. He climbs onto the machine and started the engine. Hiruma tucked the canine in his coat and zipped it up, securing the hound from falling off during the ride. Kaoru climbed up behind him. Gunning the throttle, he zigzag down the alleys, taking short-cuts.
"Cerberus swallowed something that didn't agree with him, other than that, he's fine." No response from the teen but Kaoru learned to read the body language and from the sudden lax of his muscles she felt with her arms wrapped around his waist, she know he felt relief. Smiling to herself, she tightens her grip on him, causing him to jump in his seat. Muffled chuckles and cursing echoed as they ride passed Yukimitsu's residence.
Yukimitsu, who looked out of his window, was taking a break from his cram studies when he heard sounds coming from the street below and noticed a bike zipping by. Since both the rider and its passenger weren't wearing any helmets, with the full moon out, it was bright enough for him to identify the rider as their captain. What made him gaped and stared in surprise was that the pillar rider seems to be a female and had her arms around him. Hiruma wasn't repelled by it and what's more shocking was that he was sharing a genuine laugh with her.
Thinking that he might have studied too much, Yukimitsu concluded he must have been hallucinating. Packing up, he decides to hit the sack and call it a night.
---------
The bike stopped at the back gate of Deimon High. Hiruma alighted, shifting the dog, which is showing signs of waking up. Kaoru slide to the front, taking over the handlebars. She unhooks the helmet secured at one side of the motorcycle and slides it on.
"You sure you're going to spend a night here?"
"I've got all the things needed with me and a lot of things to do. Moreover, training starts at 7 in the morning."
"Is not as if you stay that far…just round the corner here…" WHAM! "What's that for!"
Hiruma took his duffel bag and smack it on Kaoru's helmet protected head. "No one knows."
Kaoru blinked. "No one knows what? You mean… Not a single one, even your best friends from middle school! You-chan, you are too paranoid…"
"Letting any Tom, Dick and Harry know where you lived is an open invitation for them to give an excuse to drop by for a visit. I don't need that type of harassment."
"More likely that don't want any of your enemies to ambush you…" she mumbled under her breath. Hiruma smacked her again, overheard her murmur. The sound of someone tackling the guard and the familiar grunting sound, 'Funneraba', reached their ears.
"Hmm, seems like someone's already at the field training."
"Has to the porker and the little fatass. No one is that insane to train at this hour"
Kaoru chuckled at Hiruma's exasperated tone. "Don't be shy to call again if you ever need me." Hiruma snorted, and murmured something like 'when hell freeze over'. He expresses his affection towards people in the weirdest way. She fired up the engine, Hiruma take a step back. Turning to face him, she used her hands and rapidly signs her message. Kaoru ride off before he could hit her again with the bag.
"Wish your team best of luck. Beat the Bando Spiders and enter the Christmas Bowl, Ya-Ha!" Hiruma murmured the message she signed to him. Grinning his customary smile, "You can take it to the bank, kuso otemba."
---------
Later that day, Hiruma discovered who caused Cerberus to be sick. Although it was a harmless gesture on their part, but the wacky idea of keeping the hound busy by getting plastic food chew toy backfired royally. Hiruma made Monta, Juumonji, Kuroki and Toganou perform ladder drill at rapid speed, aided by firing live ammos at their feet. He didn't cursed or swear aloud, but the continuous spray of bullets at the perpetrators for the next 3 solid hours made everyone swore never to let Cerberus get sick. Musashi and Kurita, together with Sena and the others ignored the commotion, unless you want the resident devil to turn his attention to you. After the practice, he made everyone sans Doburoku, Musashi, Kurita and Mamori to patch up parts of the field damaged by the bullets he fired. No one dare to bring up any suggestions to distract the hellhound after this incident.
Owari
Author's Note: the bedtime story I mentioned is 'The Lord of the Rings'. The three books were around in the 1950's if I didn't get my facts wrong and Kaoru made either of her parents read it to her every night.
The idea Kaoru was thinking about is Hiruma's infamous book of threats. He must have a starting point somewhere, right?
Thank you for reading this AU fic of mine, this is a spoiler in some ways. It's hinted in the story. If you wanna know more, you have to wait for book 17 & 18. To the curious, Musashi's return is in Book 16. It's one-shot so unless I can get inspiration in continuing, this is probably it. Read & Review! Ya-Ha!