The Bones of the Past

Chapter Eight

The day after Denji awoke, a little confused until he remembered why he was there and heard some slicing next to his bed. He turned his head to see Aki peeling apple skin off of an apple. "You were low on blood and had some organ damage, but once you got a blood transfusion all of that was restored. You really are like a devil." Aki said nonchalantly. "Hey, you were talkin' all chummy to a devil yourself! I saw it, man." Denji spoke to his roommate.

The blue-haired man sighed before putting the apple slices on the table on a plate. "You really don't know a thing, do you? Devil hunters make contracts with devils. That's how we fight," Aki paused, pulled his sleeve back to show bandages, and continued to speak. "I'm in a contract with the Fox Devil. In exchange for borrowing the fox's power, I feed it part of my body. That's the deal. This time, I fed it some skin." Aki finished and Denji absorbed the information while reaching for the apples. "I seeee... sounds painful." Aki pulled the plate away from Denji and to himself out of the boy's reach.

"Devils desire the deaths of humans. Always. Fiends are the sa- mostly the same." Aki had stopped mid-sentence and fixed what he would've said. "Well if it were mostly, then Power's one of the good ones alongside Ozzie." The dirty blonde spoke which made Aki get dead serious.

"Security camera footage confirms that the two of you left your patrol area. Also, there was a large amount of your blood in the building we believe the Bat Devil was hiding in." Aki said seriously then asked a question that would put Denji on edge. "You almost got killed by the Blood Fiend, right? I don't know why, but you're sympathizing with a Devil AGAIN." Aki spoke with a glare that spoke nothing but rage. "Weird... wonder what's up with that..." Denji said sweating hard.

A few people's meetings with Aki go through his mind. "Thank you so much for saving my little girl recently... it seems someone named Denji gave her his jacket, so we came by to return it." A grateful man said with his daughter in his arms, both smiling. "A devil crashed into my workplace, and this guy warned me I'd be eaten, so I ran... I saw he was wearing the Public Safety uniform... so I wanted to say thanks..." a businesswoman said a little nervous as well.

"It said 'I don't care about some man's stupid life!' And then that devil threw my car, WITH ME IN IT!" An angry bandages-up man yelled. "It was this devil with a Chainsaw lodged in its head, and..." Aki closed his eyes and sighed. "If I investigate further and report this to the higher-ups, both the blood fiend you covered for and you will be put down."

The blue-haired man passed the apple slices to Denji. "But there were no casualties this time. So if you'll accept just one condition, I'm willing to overlook this incident. When I tell you something, you do it. You're a dumb brat with no morals. I've been doing this for longer than you, and I'd like to think I stand for social justice. If you just do as I say, you can protect the standard of living you have now." Aki looked at Denji with a waiting glare. "How's that sound? Answer me if you can understand." Denji grabbed an apple slice, sniffed it, and began munching on it. "Sure, I can keep that in mind for ya," Aki looked at the blonde boy suspiciously. "Don't worry, dude. I don't have any grand goals like you guys. And I only got shoddy dreams, but... I'm gonna take this just as seriously as you. So you can count on me big time." Denji said with a serious voice which almost brought a smirk to Aki's face.

The older of the two stood up and began walking to the door. "For now, learn how to speak with some respect." "Sure. I'll consider that for ya too." Denji said and just before Aki left, the rookie asked a question. "Wait. How did Ozzie take you in?" Aki stopped and simply looked at Denji. "I don't know why he did, but I think it's because he felt obligated to do so," Aki said with a genuine voice of non-seriousness before he left the room.

Power stood against the wall next to the devil hunter named Himeno who was squatting on the ground. "See? I told you I was innocent! Now that you know it, get these things off of me!" "You sure about this? If little Miss Fiend here kills somebody one day, it'll be on you for looking the other way, Aki." Aki undid Power's bindings and spoke. "We are devil hunters. We ought to use every tool at our disposal to do our job- even devils and fiends. But enemies are enemies... we're only using them. I have no intention of getting friendly with one." Aki said and the Blood Fiend pouted.

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Two days later:

"Hey, hey, hey! What a cramped abode you have!" Power said with a casual look about her with Meowy on her shoulder and bags at her sides. Denji and Aki were shocked by this sudden appearance.

"I want you to lend one of your rooms to Power," The soft, almost seductive voice of Makima said over the phone, "I think you would be a good leash for Denji and Power, with some help of course." "Why are you putting all the dangerous ones at my place?" Aki asked with sweat going down his face. "Because I trust you more than anyone." "Oh... yes, miss," Aki said blushing slightly and in a calm voice.

"Plus, it would be weird to have her live here indefinitely." "Yeah... I see." "Don't worry Power said she could be good. It'll be fine. And someone special is moving in next door to you." Makima said and Aki was confused. "What?" He simply asked before the call ended.

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Power looked disgusted while looking at Curry. "I hate vegetables! Begone!" Power yelled and threw a carrot out of her food. "What?!" Aki asked, offended that she disrespected his cooking like this. "Carrot!" Denji shouted.

"Don't throw vegetables!" Aki yelled to Power. "HEY!! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO THE FARMERS WHO GREW THOSE VEGGIES?! You devil!" Denji teamed up with Aki to yell at the fiend.

"I'm the type who seldom bathes!" Power said in front of the washroom. "Take a bath!" "YOU STINK!!"

"The toilet? I'm the type who seldom flushes!" Power said in front of the bathroom. "Flush it!" "IT STINKS!!"

"What's the big deal...? You humans are so sensitive! Aren't they, Meowy?" Power asked her cat as she petted Meowy. "Nah, you just don't know hygiene," Ozzie said standing next to Denji in casual clothes. "Yeah! Ozzie's right!! Wait, Ozzie?!" Denji jumped from seeing the Bone Fiend show up randomly.

"Yo! I just moved in next door." The fiend said with a goofy grin. "Oh, so you moved in next to us," Aki said casually which made the senior fake wallow. "You aren't even a little happy to see me?!" He asked before sitting in a corner, "No one cares about the old guy..." the 21-year-old sighed before he spoke to Ozzie. "Please, stop it. You're just embarrassing yourself."

"Yeah, you're right. Now then, why don't you two kids go uh... somewhere else while I talk to the emo child." Ozzie said casually which pissed the blue-haired man off. But the two blondes ordered by Ozzie walked off.

"Okay... now what do you want ol' man..." Aki sat on the couch as he questioned his senior. "You gotta go easier on the boy. He's had a tough life so far..." Ozzie said calmly and thoughtfully. Aki looked up to his superior. "I'm takin' him in too. Just like what I did for you all those years ago. He's just too young and he needs a strong male figure to guide him. Unfortunately, I have a tight schedule nowadays so I can't be around a lot, so I need your help with Denji."

The two became silent from that moment on and an awkward tension was between the two. "Fine..." Aki spoke after the silence. "But... I will have to be tough on him sometimes, to toughen him up," The bone fiend simply nodded before exiting. "Have a nice night. Sleep well, you've got a pretty big mission I gave to you, Himeno, and the rookies." And he left the apartment with an almost saddened look on his face.

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Behold