The water runs down the smooth floor, while a mop passes over it, from one side to the other. The floor in the lobby of the Hellhound Adoption Center shines and looks cheerful, compared to the interior, where the rest of the hellhounds are waiting to be adopted.
At the front desk, a young adult Imp sits while he watches over a 10-year-old hellhound, who's mopping.
The young cub continues to mop from one side to the other, absorbed in her thoughts, ignoring the Imp who's staring at her. She's only distracted, when a shadow completely covers her, causing her to look behind her so that the shadow's mysterious silhouette is revealed.
The manager, a fat old, gray-haired, bespectacled hellhound, looks at her with disappointment. The little orphan narrows her eyes in contempt, despite the pain she feels from her black eye.
Lady: What's your excuse now, Loona?
The little hellhound lets out a small growl and rolls her eyes.
Loona: Some idiot pulled my tail..
The lady from the adoption center lowers her gaze and shakes her head as she adjusts her glasses.
Lady. Oh Loona... you're hopeless.
Loona looks away and sighs, knowing her typical scolding is coming.
Lady: It's been three days in a row I've been notified that you're getting into a fight with someone, and you don't even seem to care that you broke that boy's nose.
The orphaned hellhound grips the mop stick tightly and looks at the manager defiantly.
Loona: And what if I don't care?
Lady: It seems that despite your punishments you don't learn. We've made you clean every inch of the foundation, forbidden you to eat, and spanked you with the ruler, but still, it's not enough for you..
The little hellhound, however, smiles mischievously at her, still challenging the lady with her eyes, proud that she can't control her. But the lady keeps a neutral face, unaffected by the pup's glares.
Lady: If you don't behave, we'll have no choice but to force you to use the electric collar.
Suddenly, Loona's gaze widened with concern and all the control she felt had vanished in the blink of an eye.
She remembers a roommate who, when trying to escape from the place, was punished by putting one of those electric collars on him. She remembers him screaming and seeing him writhe in pain in front of everyone, as a test of what would happen if they reached the limit of patience of the employees of the place.
She has no choice but to look away with disdain. The lady turns around, and before leaving, she speaks to the pup, with disappointment in her voice.
Lady: Now behave yourself, young lady, or you'll never be adopted.
Loona sighs in frustration and goes back to mopping, feeling contempt for the lady, the boys she fought with and everyone else.
Out of the corner of her eye, she notices Randy, the Imp receptionist of the place, who winks at her. She grunts and mops harder, hating it when the adults pretend to be nice when it's clear they're only looking at her to make sure she's doing her job right.
However, despite the fact that it's obvious she's carrying out her punishment, the Imp doesn't stop taking his eyes off her.
Suddenly the main door opens and a couple of Baphonet demons walk through the door, interested in adopting. The manager of the place approaches them to welcome them with all the laziness in the world as always.
Loona stops mopping and still holding the mop stick, turns to look at the new arrivals, intrigued. She can't help but wag her tail and smile a little, longing for them to turn around to see her.
Eventually one of them turns to look at her, but winces. The hellhound lowers her ears and wonders what's wrong. Could it be because of the rags she is wearing? Or the fact that she's cleaning? Then she remembers something, her black eye..
She gently covers the bruise with her hand, but the two demons had already seen her and shake their heads before the manager led them into the cells to see what other hellhounds are in adoption.
Loona watches the demons walk away from her and she stretches out her small arm, wishing she could say something so they wouldn't go away.
Randy: Hey! No one gave you permission to rest, keep mopping!
The pup, after giving him another look of contempt, continues to mop, head down. Embarrassed, she covers her bruise with her hair. Although she hates to admit it, it's true many demons won't want to adopt her if they see that she's troublesome..
Loona sighs, seeing her reflection in a puddle lying on the ground. She'll one day get out of here, it's the only thing she wants, the only thing she needs.
...
The cell bars close behind Loona. It's been some time. Instead of rags, the young hellhound is wearing other more expensive items of clothing that she was just getting used to, her black blouse is untucked, and her long hair is disheveled.
She stares in front of where she is, with an inert and unfocused look, ignoring the manager and Randy, who are watching her from the other side of the bars.
The Imp rests his arm on the cell while looking at the hellhound with a serious look. The lady shakes her head and sighs, feigning sympathy.
Lady: I told you Loona.. I warned you about this.
The cub lowers her head, without turning to see the old hellhound.
Lady: Despite all your disasters, and being a mess. Someone had noticed you... And gave you a chance by adopting you. You already had it, kid.
Loona doesn't answer, she remains still, she doesn't even have the strength to clench her fist.
Lady: But see where your misbehavior, your tantrums and your whims have taken you.
Loona returned to the foundation without knowing what was the unforgivable problem out of all the ones she did, to be taken back there. Does it even matter?
Lady: It will be better to admit it once and for all, you are a lost cause. Looks like you'll be staying here for a LONG time.
Hearing no response from the rebellious hellhound, the manager steps back from the bars, ready to go.
Lady: At least thank Randy for making you your welcoming committee. Whatever he's got planned, it's not my problem.
Not having anything else to say, the lady leaves, disgusted to have that hellhound back after a couple of months of thinking they'd already gotten rid of her.
Randy stays only a few seconds with the pup, he smiles at her after staring her from top to bottom and leaves her alone, in complete silence.
Once everyone left, Loona look around. She's back in her old "room". The metal bunk looks more worn than the day she left, the mattresses are dirty, and the hard pillows torn, as they usually are in this place.
The walls are riddled with claw marks, and there are still some scratches she made with a piece of the worn concrete floor.
They're lines she used to make, counting the days in which she was there, she stopped doing it when she completely wore out the last piece of concrete.
However, what caught her attention the most was a drawing in front of her, which she made with a piece of chalk she found in the miserable donation box, which was almost always empty and even some demons confused it with a garbage can.
Loona used all the strength she could find in herself to walk towards that drawing, trying to ignore the pain she felt and her trembling knees. Once close to the wall, she watches her drawing, perplexed.
The drawing is about a hellhound, which is clearly supposed to be her along with two silhouettes, holding hands... a couple of demons and their child, a family.
Loona closes her fists and her fur stands on end when she sees that drawing, that illusion of a family in front of her... She was a fool...
Loona snarls and lets out a frustrated cry, slamming her fists into the wall using all the strength she has.
She scratches on the wall with her claws, leaving more marks on it than it already has, trying to erase that stupid drawing in front of her.
She growls with tears in her eyes, and keeps punching and kicking the wall without caring about the pain in her knuckles, even though they're bleeding.
She takes out all her fury on that old drawing and with the energy she has left, she screams with all the force her throat allows before it wears itself out.
She leans against the wall, hitting it one last time with both fists on the side, before sliding to the ground. She ends up knocked down in front of those pathetic dreams of her.
She sees her own tears fall on the floor as she breathes heavily. After she barely recovers enough strength, Loona leans her back against the wall and curls up in a ball, sitting right between the two drawn silhouettes.
Embracing herself, and knowing this will be the only way to feel any kind of affection in her life, the cub hides her face between her knees, and she cries silently.
She was an idiot to believe it was possible for someone to love her. It was a mistake to believe she could be loved. It's her fault.. It's her fault for letting her dreams depend on other people by wanting to be a part of a family's life and to be loved..
As she cries, Loona looks up, even with a blurry vision due to her tears, she can see the cells in front of her...
The little hellhound feels sore, from the punches, the abandonment... and something else...
Her sadness in her eyes changes to one full of rage and she growls as she looks towards the cell, remembering what happened before going back to her old room..
They're horrible.. She's evil.. Everyone is fucking disgusting.. Why did she bother wanting to be with someone?.. They are all fucking idiots.. The best thing to do is to always be on her own..
She whispers to herself, clenching her jaw and showing her sharp fangs.
Loona: I don't need anyone.. I hate EVERYONE..
...
Loona opens her eyes. She's in the office, she fell asleep, leaning against her desk. She sighs annoyed.
Fucking memories..it's like a lingering nightmare. She rubs her temples, the place is so quiet her cries from her dream still echo in her mind, she could swear she still smells that rotten pound, and her groin is also sore like in that memory..
Loona stops as a thought crosses her mind.. It's TOO quiet. Looking around again, and seeing the office still in a mess, she remembers, Y/N left.
She got used to hearing the squeaky voice of the little rat, in the office or in her room, that now the silence is... strangely disturbing. At another time, she would have been relieved to be in silence again.
However, Loona rests her head on her arms, looking away, while other memories flash before her eyes. Among so many memories, what Y/N said before leaving soon resonates in her head.
Y/N: Maybe you think.. that we're better off alone. But I don't.. I'm not you.
Loona groans in frustration, shaking her head. Why is she having these memories?.. Why is her conscience bothering her?!
The fact that little fluff thinks she needs a family... seeing her at that age...
She sighs and leans back in her seat, looking up at the ceiling...
Loona: You're not me little rat...
She gives in, and spits out what she's always known has bothered her so much.
Loona: But I was you...
Despite having confessed her worries, Loona hoped for some kind of relief running through her body, but everything was invaded by that unbearable silence.
How long has it been? That hellhound is still in the human world, despite the fact that she left her at the same point where Blitzø and the others went, she thought that by then maybe they would've already seen her.
The hellhound checks her cell phone, waiting to see a notification or Missed call from Blitzø, protesting her for sending that pup there and interrupting their job, but there's nothing.
Loona looks out the window. It's getting dark..