Well, decided to get back to this. Thought it'd be a nice little writing exercise that wasn't one of my usual stories.

If you've read Change Yourself before the remake, well, I guess this should be a good refresher XD Not sure how often I'll update this, but when I find time and decide to actually work on this story, well, you'll probably see one.

Anyway, here goes!

Chapter 2: Promise

My knife easily slits the throat of the goblin, being of exceptional make. I don't know where Kagari got this knife, but it's designed far differently than any other dagger or knife you'll find in these parts. This one is effectively years ahead of its time, the make being absolutely streamlined purely for combative means. Even down to the metal that composes it, it is superior.

As the goblin bleeds to death, I end its suffering quickly, delivering a knife straight into its chest. It dissolves away, becoming small crystals. I scoop them up and put them into my rucksack, carrying on. With that, I sheath my knife back into its case on my left shoulder, walking on through the fourth floor.

For most people, it's dangerous to go alone in the Dungeon. But nothing here on the fourth, fifth, or sixth floor, despite the fact my summoners only want me on the fourth floor at the deepest, is a threat to me. Even a group of goblins is no match for me and this knife.

I don't have memories of whatever happened before my summoning, but I remember a wish that is deep within myself. That's about all, really. But I guess that I probably fought a lot of people if I'm one of those special familiars that the city used the other day to eradicate a force of monsters heading for the city. One of those that gained a mind, but it's a shame that I don't have the memories to go with it.

As another group of goblins assail me, I leap into their midst and begin cutting. Soon enough, the group of six lies dead in a pool of their own blood before crystallizing. Ha… give me a challenge, please. I've demonstrated my abilities to the girls, so I don't know why they insist that I don't go as far as I can.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

I lift my head at the sound of that scream. It sounds like someone's in trouble. It would leave a bitter taste in my mouth if I just left them.

I sprint as fast as I can, leaping into the hallway. There's a boy with white hair and red eyes, crying as he's slumped up on the wall, crawling on the ground. I…

…is that a Minotaur? What's it doing on the fourth floor?

Regardless, I must eliminate it.

I don't even so much as flinch as it roars in my face, having to bend over because of its sheer size. The fact its ripped physique that would make bodybuilders jealous doesn't even so much as intimidate me. At most, this will take five minutes.

"You must have been fighting this thing, right? I know it's against the rules, but please do make an exception."

"H… h… h-ha…"

Ah, he's in shock. Well, that gives me free reign.

These beasts are known killers. Even veterans would think twice before engaging one, let alone solo. But I'm not like most adventurers.

I draw my knife and get into a combat position. When I close my eyes to focus, I can see it. Tap into my power… the power to rewrite my existence…!

—The gears turn. The clock spins. Onward, to the new day crafted out of my life.—

A green glow surrounds my hands. I can feel strength in myself. Just a little bit, okay? I don't need to floor the accelerator just yet.

I push off, kicking dust into the air. I go straight for its knees, driving my knife into the left one and twisting. Despite the fact I'm a Level One, despite the fact that I should be extremely weak, despite the fact the knife isn't even so much as enchanted, the knife goes in by nature of its superior make.

The beast stumbles as I withdraw my weapon and leap away. An enemy I can't fell with one strike…? Yes, this is a battle I've been looking forward to, then.

I crouch low, ready for the monster's next strike. Come on…!

It lets out a clumsy strike. I easily dodge and go for the finishing blow—!

—Except suddenly, my target is no longer there.

I recover into a roll, moving into the hallway and going around the corner before peering around to observe who had taken my kill. A blonde, almost elf-like but still obviously human girl with a sword now stands in front of the quivering boy, the beast dead at her feet. I had that!

Well, I guess as long as the boy's alive.

My mood soured, I decide to exit the Dungeon. Ha, Kagari's going to know I used my power. I hope I don't get another lecture like last time.

From what Kagari told me, the Dungeon is a sort of test, per se. In order to better develop adventurer abilities and summoner capabilities, one could train here. Of course, this Dungeon was the main economy of this city, Orario. The magical stones the enemies became after being killed were used to fuel the seal on the Dungeon to keep the monsters in or something like that, so the Guild would purchase them from us.

After exchanging my crystals, being over my usual daily quota that I set for myself, I head outside.

They were waiting for me, around our usual group rendezvous. Kanbe Kotori and Kagari waved, finishing some fish on a stick. They're dressed in their usual clothing, meaning Kotori is in her checkered black and purple skirt and pink hooded sweater and Kagari is in her usual black dress with white frills, red ribbons hovering around her.

Even though I'm a summoned familiar, they still treat me as one of their own. I can't say that I'm complaining, as that beats many other familiars' treatment.

"There you are! It was getting late, we were wondering where you were, Pochi." Kotori greets, her faithful pet-familiar-companion by her side, hugging her leg.

"The line was long." I say, kneeling down and patting Chibimoth, the feared mammoth-dog. "Sorry about that. I should have sent a message or something. I'll make a note to carry a Leaf Bird into the Dungeon from now on."

"I'll get the materials and put them in a tube for you, Pochi."

"Oh, I'm being rude." I give a bow to Kagari. "Good evening, Kagari-sama. Sorry for making you wait."

She shakes her head as I give the money to Kanbe, who smiles as she counts it off. "No, it's fine, Pochi."

"Mmmhm, Pochi got a lot today. We'll be able to eat well with this~"

"You didn't go down past the floor limits, did you?" Kagari asks with slightly narrowed eyes. I can sense that she already has an idea that I used my ability.

"No, I didn't. Though I'm still well capable of defending myself on those floors."

"Ah, ah."

"…Sorry, Kagari-sama." I mutter, knowing better than to talk back. I understand not wishing to lose those you work with, but is it so necessary to be so protective? We've been working together for almost two months now, but to really improve I have to sneak down. Training with Sakuya and the others is fine, but my abilities won't get any better unless put to the test. "Though, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take a walk. Please send Chibimoth for me when dinner is ready."

"Where are you going?"

"I ran into someone who was injured and want to see if I can find them to check they're okay. I understand adventurers have pride, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth if they did not make it back safely."

Kagari nods. "Very well. Kotori, let's go home."

"Right!"

And before I can take a step after making sure they're out of sight, someone very familiar taps me on the shoulder.

"It's very bad to lie, Fatarou-kun."

I turn to face Sakuya, who's not dressed in his black cloak. He saves that for combat. When out and about in a casual way, he decides to wear a butler uniform of all things along with glasses that give him a scholarly sort of persona. In addition, he's someone who also uses honorifics. I've heard Shizuru and Kotori use them for the other girls, but never for Sakuya and I. He also insists that as fellow familiars, we don't use honorifics with each other. Which he doesn't, for me.

He just simply insists on using that stupid nickname.

"I thought I asked you not to call me that."

"It seems very fitting. Call it an odd memory that has sprung up."

"You're lying." I say with a narrowed glare.

"You certainly have been spending a lot of time with Kagari-sama. On the receiving end of a lecture, no less, to have mimicked her 'tell me' glare so quickly."

"Did you come simply to harass me?" I ask with a small growl. Sakuya only ruffles my light brown hair.

"Of course not." He chuckles. "I just happened to be passing by when you were being a filthy liar."

Bullcrap, Sakuya.

"Then let me go on my walk."

"Very well, Fatarou-kun."

I roll my eyes as I go and find my way to the roofs. Calling this a 'walk' is a stretch of things, but it feels very natural. Watching the people below, seeing the small events play out, almost like a hunter.

Of course, I don't understand how Chibimoth managed to get himself up here when I find him later, but then again seeing the powerhouse he can be, it shouldn't be any surprise.

Might as well get going home to dinner…

"Phweeeeeeeeeet!"

"Oops."

"Late."

The person who greeted me at the door as I take off my outdoor shoes and replace them with the indoor ones is Nakatsu Shizuru, one of our regular dungeon runners. She usually pairs up with Konohana for her runs, as the girls like to go in pairs.

"Good evening, Shizuru-san." I reply, patting the blonde twintail girl on the head as the whistle goes back to hanging around her neck. "What's for dinner?"

"Saury." Comes the very serious answer.

"And for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Saury."

"What's the side?"

"More saury."

"I see."

She tilts her head and puts a finger to her pursed mouth, perhaps saying something along the lines of "Is there something wrong with that?"

I decide the best course of option is to simply pat her on the head once again before walking in deeper.

Ahhh, that's a good smell. I'm sure that's… Konohana's stir fry, if I recall correctly.

I poke my head into the kitchen, finding Ohtori and Konohana cooking. "Smells good."

Konohana notices me first and gives me a glare. Please don't do that. Honestly, I believed it was my plate the last time you made some and the dish was very delicious. I couldn't let it go to waste.

"Pooooochiiiiiii…." She growls, black hair falling over her face, obscuring her eyes.

I hold my hands up in a surrender position. "My tongue is nowhere near the plates, Konohana-san, and please do understand that I believed it was my plate. I have already apologized for my still rather unorthodox behavior, but I was very pleased by the meal."

A dense silence hangs in the air for all of ten seconds before it's broken by Chihaya. "Oooooh, that's why Pochi would want to keep his tongue away from plates."

As usual, Chihaya is last to arrive to the conclusion.

"I think he's learned, Lucia, but I'm sure that Pochi didn't really mean to lick your pl—"

Lucia then fumbles with the dishes in her hands, thankfully not breaking them, but still managing to launch some soap onto Chihaya's red air with a loud scream. "AAAAAH! S-silence! Do not speak of that incident again! Filthy! Dirty! Unclean!"

I decide that now would be a good time to leave, lest I be subjected to her Iron Fists of Justice, which I can assure anyone, are certainly made up of all iron and no justice. And I can say this certainly not because I've experienced them multiple times at this point.

"At your usual antics, Pochi?"

"Prez." I say to Senri Akane, who looks like she just woke up from a deep slumber—which honestly, was probably the case as she rarely went outside the house unless it was necessary.

Of course, she's also Kagari Familia's main negotiator. President, or Prez, or "Witch" as Senri liked to term it, was the face of our negotiations, whether that be in payment for assistance for jobs and all that. She had a knack for business that none of us had.

"Witch" would certainly fit her if one didn't take into account the fact she didn't have very good control over familiars like Chihaya and Kotori. She did have skill at determining people's dirty secrets by methods I shall not disclose, which made her seem like a witch, but it also helped that she could call upon the Earth Dragon, a massive familiar that would probably be mistaken for a monster from the Dungeon. She required Kagari's help for it though, as it sucked out a lot of power.

Outside of crawling around in the dungeon, we made money for creating small famliars such as shikigami and Senri's notorious investigative service. Quite the ragtag bunch.

"Good work today."

"Thank you, Prez."

She flashes a small grin. "Kagari seems to be please with you."

For some reason, as it was in the fiber of my being to seek such a thing, I feel elated to hear that sentence.

Akane's face becomes something dangerous. "Ufufu. So that's how it is?"

"What is it?"

"This is useful information to have."

I don't know what that means, but fortunately Kagari comes along before anything bad happens.

"Yes, good work, Pochi." Her usual impassive stare is a little more emotional tonight as she gives me a nod. "Thank you for your effort today. This is your last day for this week, so please get some rest. Also, after dinner, please come and see me in my room."

"Ufufu."

A harsh glare is launched towards Senri from Kagari, though the former only chuckles while leaving.

"Ahem, to update your status."

"Of course, Kagari."

Sakuya stalked the roofs again, as he did every night, dressed in his "demon clothes". The black cloth of his long cloak rippled through the night as he made another leap, white bandages flowing like wind.

He was on his way to the Dungeon for a secret run, searching for something on a suspicion that he had shared with Kagari, but it was easy to detect the person following him. No doubt it was a god or goddess, but from the glimpse he had seen, it was probably a goddess.

In the blink of an eye, he was already behind his target. A goddess, it seemed.

"Oh, that was fast."

Sakuya took up a combat stance towards the silver haired goddess. He knew who she was. Infamous among many men… Freya.

He could feel the magic working on him, but he paid it no mind.

"Your parlor tricks won't work on me." He said with a proud huff, resting his right elbow on his left hand held around his chest area.

After all, what charm magic could ever work on him, the Strongest Familiar… and more importantly, a person who had sworn above all else, to have nothing short of utmost loyalty to Chihaya. As if simple charms could ever turn him.

"Hm? How unamusing…" she muttered, though the smile never faded from her face.

"Why have you pursued me?" he asked, his bandages floating into a combat stance.

There was no answer.

"If you will not speak anymore, I have no further business with you."

Before he could leave, Freya said one word that made Sakuya freeze.

"Pochi."

"…What about him?"

"He's an interesting boy, isn't he?" Freya offered with an interesting smile, knowing she now had Sakuya's full attention.

His eyes transformed into a glare. "What business do you have with my charge?"

Something in Sakuya burned with fury. This goddess had something in store for Kotarou and thusly, possibl against Chihaya. Which meant Kagari Familia's members were now in the sights of Freya. He was hoping this wouldn't happen, but it seemed things weren't as fortunate as he wished.

"No business, of course."

"You are fully aware of who I am, correct?"

It was a thinly veiled threat.

But of course, Freya knew.

"Of course. You are Sakuya Ohtori, famed adventurer. Somehow only level Three, but you surpass the strength of even a Level Five. Some say you may be the strongest adventurer to ever walk the Earth."

Sakuya tried not to smile. He was far from the strongest. That title belonged to he who surpassed him, Kotarou Tennouji.

"Then you will do well to heed my warning. Do not dare infringe upon the members of Kagari Familia. I do not care who you are, whether you be man, woman, god, or goddess, but if you should make even so much as a step against them, especially Chihaya-sama, then I will show you the full extent of my abilities."

As he left, Freya tried not to smile. What was Sakuya indeed…

…after all, the color of his soul was something that could not be described in terms of humans or gods.

I sit down and take off my shirt, Kagari kneeling behind me. Her fingers up and down my back, updating my status.

"You used your ability."

"I did."

"Why?"

"There was a Minotaur. I couldn't leave the boy that was in shock from its unexpected appearance behind. The only option was to fight it. My current abilities couldn't do it, so I rewrote myself."

"Ah."

"…Kagari, why won't you allow me onto the lower floors by myself?" I ask as she wraps up.

"Pochi…"

"Kagari."

I feel her arms wrap around me, holding me close. Her smooth skin sends shivers through my exposed torso. "…You are precious to me, Pochi. Truthfully, I am scared of losing you."

"Kagari, I cannot… I…" I resist the urge to growl at my frustration at being unable to find the words. I also think that it's strange, since I've never been lost to Kagari before, but there's a feeling in my heart telling me her words are the right thing to say. "I will not disappear on you. I promise you this. I'll always find my way back to you."

"…Is that a promise?"

"That is a promise. I, Pochi, swear unto this world, that I shall always find my way back to your side."

I feel Kagari's head bump into the back of mine. "…Thank you, Pochi."

A knocking on the door causes Kagari to jump back, coughing as I put my shirt back on. "Ahem. What is it?"

"It's Sakuya. I have some news."

"Ah, I see. Pochi?"

"I'll be on my way out, Kagari-sama. Thank you for updating my status."

As I leave the room and head to my own, I pass by Shizuru.

"Shizuru-san, good evening."

"Oh, Pochi." She says with a small smile. "You're done with exploration duty this week, but would you like to help Lucia and I? We were considering going a little deeper in the Dungeon."

Heh, such an obvious pander. Well, I appreciate the thought, Shizuru.

"Very well. Tomorrow, right?"

"Mhm."

"All right. I'll go with you, then."

I look out the window as Shizuru nods, walking away to probably tell Lucia the news. It's a beautiful night out tonight.

—Above in the sky, a green dragon of branches and leafs soar above.—

I grip my head, gritting my teeth. Gah… Another out of context memory, huh? It'd be nice to have my memories back, but getting them so jumbled and mixed up isn't really nice either.

Oh well… at least I'll be able to help out a little more.

Kagari doesn't know, but the reason I'm so desperate to go deeper into the Dungeon is because I can feel that the key to my memories is down there. If I go deep enough, I'll find it. I'll find who I really am.

I only hope that's true…

Bell sighed in frustration from today. Weak, he told himself. That beautiful woman had saved him and he just ran away like a damn coward. That woman would never fall in love with someone as weak as him, his heart's darker voice repeated over and over again as the other parts of him cried out for her.

But he had a dream, did he? One that he carried on from his grandfather? Yet that girl he had run into, she just blew him away… he had fallen head over heels for him, if one were to be cliché about it.

Of course he had to run. He was so terrified…

And that other fighter who had vanished… what was he? His weapon wasn't anything special, but the way he moved, every second he seemed to get faster, stronger, better. Bell was sure, deep in his mind, that even if that blonde woman hadn't come to rescue him, that previous fighter would have definitely won.

He was so outmatched, it wasn't even funny. All he could ever do was take on small monster and run. Run as fast as he could. It's why his Agility was so damn high. Because all he could do was run.

I want… I want to be stronger. Strong enough to beat whatever comes. I don't want to be weak anymore. He didn't want to run away.

Something flashed in his mind. A white orb, with green strands flowing into it. A blue clock that spun, slowing becoming purple. Life itself changing.

And even if Bell didn't feel it, the markings of a gear system and clock were slowly being engraved into his very existence…

BOOYAH.

Okay, CHANGELOG time!

First, Pochi doesn't have Aurora. I felt that was a mistake I made with the first iteration. Aurora was fucking OP once he learned how to use it, so I decided it'd be best to strip that ability of his away until later. In return, he gets a combat knife comparable to present day, which is why it's so good.

Getting Pochi's naming conventions was irritating, since I wanted him to be both friendly yet sort of distant. He uses honorifics since well, in case you forgot about Rewrite [SPOILERS POSSIBLY], Pochi would still use Japanese honorifics since he was raised in that environment. The girls don't use them since Pochi's kinda like a pet to them, so they don't really use it on him. Mainly just to further get his character down, though if it becomes annoying I'll probably just scrap it.

Decided to start the Pochi/Kagari ship MUCH earlier than before, considering that Kagari at this point, fell for Koutarou and developed human emotions, so I felt like it'd be right to make her attached to him. Bell and Sakuya get their scenes as well, with me just writing the Sakuya and Freya scene once again just to establish that Freya's got sights on Pochi again. And of course, decided to bring up the subject of the "color" of Sakuya early on. Cookie if you guess why Sakuya's color is what it is.

Didn't do much with the Bell scene, thought it was all right the way it was. Same implication as before, really. As if that wasn't obvious with the gear thing, but you know, it might just be imagery. WHO KNOWS : D

Anyways, I thought this was a nice remake to do. I was feeling up to it and was looking for a small outlet besides getting back to Helios or Rebuild of Prototype Spartan, so I chugged this up. Lemme know what you guys think!