Honesty is the only way to fight the inner demons.

-Seth Adam Smith

Chapter 2- The Aftermath

Miki Makimura was laying on her bed, unable to get any sleep since Akira and Beatrice are gone for a long time. Her parents are out for errands and Kensaku was already sleeping. In the distance, she heard the hissing of her apartment door as it opened and closed. Miki rolled until she lay face-up, tiredly gazing at the ceiling. After a short while, she felt something small climbing up the bed.

"Meow."

The student turned her head and was greeted by a mass of black fur crowned by two green eyes. Both cat and owner stared at each other, for half a minute or so, after which the animal repeated his call.

"Meow."

"I heard you the first time, Tako." Miki groaned, "Give me a break, it's Saturday and it's too soon to wake up. Let me sleep..."

Seeing that spoken demands weren't enough, the feline stepped closer and started to touch her face with his paw. When that didn't work, he got even closer, pretty much shoving his pink nose into her face.

"Meeeooooow."

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Miki sat up from the bed when she heard something outside her window. Approaching the balcony, she opened the door and open it to... nothing.

"Odd.." Miki said, "Maybe I was hearing things." The girl close the door, unaware that someone entered the room until she heard a strange voice that sounded gruff calling out her name, "Hey, Miki."

Miki gasped while she turned to see someone she knew...Akira. But this time, he didn't look like the young and timid boy she used to know; his skin had become a bluish-gray, fur covers his legs and he has clawed paw like feet and fingers. His head was covered in hair that sprouts small wings off the sides and horn like antenna near the top and forms a widow's peak with a red forehead. His back also sprouted large black wings with a purple interior. He also had a monkey-like tail that was laying on the ground like a snake.

Miki's heart was beating fast as she was about to scream when Akira or who is supposed to be Akira put his hand on her mouth because he was out of fear. "No, don't scream." The Demon spoke with a twinge of fear in his voice, "I don't want your parents chase me off from here...Miki, it's me. Akira!"

Miki blinks several times, surprised by that revelation. At this time, she looked in the Devil's eyes...and she gasped, while she recognized the young boy she knew and love. "A...Akira?" Miki spoke before a voice called out, "I-It's Devilman... Okay!" Miki noticed Beatrice who is on the ground, her face (especially her forehead and around her mouth) was bloody with her knuckles bruised. The Muramasa blade was sheathed yet it seems it had been used.

"Beatrice!" Miki spoke as she was shocked at the terrible condition the much paler teenage girl, "What happened to you and Akira?"

Beatrice's face went pale before looking at Akira/Devilman who nodded. "Well, I made a deal with Amon so he can get a male host but somehow Akira was able to control Amon and became Batman...I mean Devilman!"

"Wait Devilman?" Miki spoke, "As in the cartoon you and Tare watched."

"Yes." Beatrice spoke while Devilman said, "I would I feel like Venom instead of Batman." The bloody teenager looked at Devilman and pointed out, "The difference is that Venom is an alien and Amon is a demon." "And Ryo? Should he be with you?" That question made both human and demon shake their heads no.

"Well.." Beatrice answered, "I made my mind over going to the Asuka household and.."

Then there was a knock on the door as Akiko's voice called out, "Miki?" Immediately Beatrice swore, "Oh crap..." but Miki was faster as she ran to her closet and open it, pushing some of her clothes in order to give more room for Beatrice and Devilman and also don't get blood on her clothes.

"Hide yourselves in my wardrobe now." Miki spoke as both Beatrice and Devilman hid in the wardrobe with Miki closing the door as Akiko open the door to her daughter's bedroom. "I heard something in your room. Is anything alright?"

"Sorry, it was Tako who woke me up." Miki spoke as Akiko asked, "Is Akira supposed to be home?" Miki gulped but she had no choice, "He's at Beatrice's place and Ryo decided to drop by."

Akiko smiled, "Oh okay then." as the woman closed the door as Beatrice stepped out of the closet. "Is it okay if I washed up here?" Miki nodded as Beatrice walked out of Miki's bedroom and into the bathroom where she stripped out of her clothes and filled the tub with water, making sure that it's not hot or cold but warm.

She was soaking in the water when she heard Amon's voice again, "So?" Sitting up, she saw Amon who is taking a humanoid look. He looked a lot different from the first time she encountered. He was clean shaven with raven black hair that reach his shoulders but he had that scowl on his face and she could see his sharp teeth. "Are you happy now?" Beatrice spoke, trying to sound sarcastic, "You got your host..."

"Yes, that's right..." Amon answered before getting to his point, "However, I need to warn you about something."

This got Beatrice's interest as she looked at Amon. "I got the camera from Bunta by the way."

"Really?" Amon said as Beatrice sighed heavily, "Well, I don't want to hurt Akira's feelings though..."

"I don't want to hurt his feelings either...but I don't trust that Ryo-guy, it's like something was wrong with him." Amon spoke which caused Beatrice to look at the demon, "I know he's somekind of psychopath and jerk, and that was because of him if your little buddies have show up at the Black Sabbath and had Doroko break Ryo's leg."

"Yea." Amon continued, "But that wasn't I wanted to mean. Actually, I felt inside this young man's heart something strange...or should I say...something familiar."

"Say what?" Beatrice stated, "You mean you may knew him?"

Then the door opened as Akiko walked in, Amon vanished quickly as Akiko saw the state Beatrice was in.

"What happened to you?" Akiko asked, "Please don't tell you take any drugs?"

"No..."

"Maybe you had a rough night..." Beatrice nodded as Akiko Makimura walked toward Beatrice as she told, "By the way, you should have been call me in the first place, not Miki. She told me you were going to go Asuka's household tomorrow."

"Sorry, Aunt Akiko." Beatrice spoke, blinking some tears, "But there were some changes, and we need to have shower. Both me and Akira."

Akiko sighed heavily with relief before stating, "Perhaps I should make something foe you to eat." Once Akiko closed the door, giving Beatrice some privacy and Amon reappears. "So, Amon?" Beatrice began, "You think we should keep an eye on Ryo? Despite being a psycopath and a jerk, he's still Akira's best friend."

Amon pointed out, "Precisely, that's why we should protect Akira from him. He reminds me of Demon King Satan, formely known as the Archangel Lucifer, because of his appearance... Aside from the haircut."

"Him? Satan? I might see that as ridiculous..." Beatrice wanted to deny that though she had that feeling that Amon may be right. "Why not tell everyone that the footage is a filming project." Amon spoke his idea. Beatrice sighed and accepted the demon's idea. "Sure why not."

Once Beatrice was done with the bath as she dried herself as she thought to herself. "Amon is right, we cannot reveal the existence of the demons to humankind...not yet. For the filming project thing, I know one person able to help me to do so... Maybe Tony Redgrave. He can do something about it."

Changing into a pair of clean clothes, she exited the bathroom as Akira was waiting with a towel around his waist as he said, "Thanks Beatrice." as he enter the bathroom and Beatrice thought to herself, "I'm relieved that Miki didn't tell anything to her parents...after all, Akira became a Demon...no, Devilman! Yes, I loved that anime when I was still a child. I'm just curious about the way how Akira will use his new powers..."