Chapter Text
Bzzzt. Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
Handa let her alarm buzz for a few seconds, unwilling to open her eyes. Taking a nap in the middle of the day was a bad idea, in the end; she felt even more tired than she did when she layed down.
However, she had plans. The girl finally rolled over, her hand fumbling as it finally found the off button on the digital clock.
… At least I don’t have class tomorrow.
“Where are you going? I thought you were down for the night!”
Handa looked up to see an older woman, her aunt, stick her head out of the kitchen at the sound of her bedroom door opening. She was dressed casually, her bag slung over her shoulder, obviously going somewhere. “Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you- I have cooking class on campus tonight.”
“What? At this time of the evening?” Her aunt pouted a little. “And why do you need to learn how to cook? You get home cooked meals here every night!”
“Mmm…” Handa glanced down at the kitchen table, where two microwaved meals were sitting, still steaming. “Yeah… Well, I won’t be living here forever, you know. Two more years of University, and I’ll get a job and move somewhere else.”
“Don’t remind me.” Her aunt sighed deeply before suddenly approaching. “Here- at least let me fix your bed head!”
“Ah! Aunt Shion-”
It was no use- Shion quickly ran her fingers through Handa’s dark brown hair, in a vain attempt to fix the parts that were sticking up out of place. With a defeated sigh, she stepped away, smiling a little at her niece’s glare. “Well, it looks a little better now. Off you go, I guess.”
“Thank you.” Handa gave her a little wave before finally getting out of the apartment.
The University she attended was only a few blocks away, fortunately. When she was graduating high school, Handa considered applying to schools farther away. She would have had her pick, since her exam scores were stellar. However, nothing really interested her, and the thought of moving away from her hometown was scary. So, she stayed here, where the streets were familiar, and her aunt was always there to help her.
Handa knew it wouldn’t be long before things changed, though. Once college was over…
Well, I can worry about that later. For now, I’ll just get ready to live on my own.
“Handa Lowell? You’re just in time! Come on-”
The instructor beckoned to her when she finally reached the classroom, which, as expected, reassembled a kitchen, each wall lined with stoves and sinks, and a line of counters forming an island in the middle of the room. Handa gulped, realizing that she didn’t recognize a single member of this class. Well… maybe I can make some new friends?
Unfortunately, Handa had always struggled in that department, especially since parting ways with her high school friends at the start of college. She stood there silently at her station, watching the instructor explaining the equipment laid in front of them and the meal they would be cooking today. Before long, they were all chopping away at the vegetables provided for them, no one really talking to each other over the sounds of the knives.
… this is so fucking boring.
Maybe she should have stayed home with her aunt, and resigned herself to a life of microwaved meals.
Suddenly, she paused, getting the feeling that she was being watched. Handa looked up, her gaze meeting that of a girl a few stations away. The girl smiled a little, before looking away, her high ponytail swaying slightly with the movement. Her hair was shiny in the fluorescent light. Handa stared for a few seconds longer, blinking slowly, then suddenly winced as the edge of her knife grazed her finger. “Ow!” She cursed as she dropped the utensil, regretting that she had lost her focus.
“Oh no-” The instructor was immediately at her side, cringing when he saw the shallow cut she had inflicted on herself. “Is it deep?”
“No, no,” Handa shook her head, her other hand closing around the wound. “I just need to go wash it out.’
“Yeah, go ahead! I’ll watch your vegetables! Wouldn’t want anyone eating them while you’re gone, right?”
“...yeah.”
Handa was very glad to leave the classroom, her steps echoing down the empty hall as she made her way towards the bathroom. The overhead lights flickered to life as she advanced, illuminating the darkness. Despite this area being decidedly… liminal, Handa didn’t feel unnerved at all; in fact, it was a nice change from the room she had just left. Right now might be a good time to go home, she thought to herself. I can do my homework tomorrow… I can just eat dinner with Aunt Shion, then get back in bed… away from all those strangers…
The lights of the bathroom were almost blinding, reflecting off of every pristine white surface. Handa winced as she rubbed soap into her cut, squeezing the area around it to try and drain it of excess blood. It stung, badly, even though it was a superficial wound.
Finally, the blood flow stopped, and she turned off the faucet. Shaking her hands off, she glanced up into the mirror, taking in her exceedingly… normal appearance.
… I think I will go home.
She closed her eyes.
Yes… that’s what I need-
“B…Bl…”
Handa froze in place, her eyes popping open at sudden weird, low groaning sound.
…
…what was that? The pipes?
Her gaze fell from her own down to the drain.
“...Bl…Blood…”
The groan came again, wafting up through the hole like a sudden breath of hot, wet air. Handa’s own breath was frozen in her throat, her heart pounding as every single hair on her body pricked up on end.
That… that couldn’t be-
She stepped back once, towards the bathroom exit, her widened eyes still fixed on the drain. The words had faded, but the groan continued, intelligible, just one long, almost pained moan.
It… it can’t-
Before Handa could consider the worst case scenario, the wall behind the sink cracked, then burst apart in an explosion of cement, glass, and ceramic. Handa let out a scream as she was blasted away, hitting the door of a stall so hard that it cracked off its hinges, tumbling to the ground with the girl as dust and debris clouded the air.
Coughing, Handa managed to sit up slightly, her whole body throbbing. She blinked a few times, her lashes clogged with dust, before realizing that a huge thing was standing in the hole where the sink had been. Her eyes widened as she saw its scaly, smooth body, its long, toothy snout, and its pair of glowing gold eyes.
…is that a crocodile??!?
Of course, Handa had heard many urban legends about crocodiles living in the sewers of the city, having been tossed there by pet owners once they got too big to feed. But this beast was larger than any crocodile Handa had seen in a zoo, and when it lumbered further into the room, revealing more of its body, Handa realized why.
That…
It didn’t just have one pair of eyes. It had six. It also had five pairs of legs, and its scales were constantly shifting like waves, its very skin crawling like a hoard of insects.
No… this wasn’t a normal crocodile. It wasn’t a crocodile at all.
It’s a DEVIL!!!
Handa had only seen one once, at least in person. It was a tiny little worm-like creature, crawling its way down the road in broad daylight. A man from Public Security showed up and squashed it with his foot, and that was that. Other than that, she had only seen them on TV… and of course, she remembered watching the news on November 18th, 1984.
Handa had been fortunate to be out of harm’s way on that day, but today might end up being her own personal November 18th after all.
With a strangled scream, she started to scoot away, but the movement caught the Crocodile Devil’s attention. With an earth-trembling rumble, its 12 eyes all locked on her, before lunging. Handa screamed again, diving out of the way just in time to avoid being snapped up in its jaws. Fuck!!! There’s no way- there’s no way!!! She thought to herself in disbelief, hoping this was all just a dream and that her alarm would wake her up any second. Unfortunately, that was not the case, and she had no choice but to continue scrambling away through the ruined bathroom.
The Devil rumbled again, preparing to attack. Panicking, Handa grabbed a chunk of what was once a sink and turned around, chucking it at the Devil’s snout. It recoiled slightly, surprised by the attack. However brief, it was a chance, and Handa took it, jumping to her feet and bursting out of the bathroom and back into the empty hallway.
Her breaths were tight, her stomach turning as she considered what to do next. There was a window nearby, she could escape that way- but she was on the third floor, a fall would injure her, and she would be a sitting duck. There were no phones in sight. The classroom was down near the stairwell-
The classroom!
Her blood ran cold as the Devil began to crash through the door in pursuit.
Everyone… they have no idea!!!!
That girl, with the shiny hair, who smiled at her…
They’re all going to get killed, too!!
She glanced around frantically, before spotting something on the opposite wall: a fire alarm.
There!
She lunged forward just as the Devil burst into the hall, jaws snapping hungrily. Her hand closed around the switch, pulling it down. Immediately, a loud siren rang through the building. The Devil cringed visibly, off-put by the sudden noise and flashing lights. Handa smiled to herself, but her face felt numb and clammy. Fear was soaking her whole body, but maybe this was a chance to escape, in the opposite direction of the classroom.
Handa turned around to run, catching the Devil’s attention again. With a roar, it began to lumber after her, still shocked from the noises and lights. …I might be able to get out of here! She thought. Yes! I will! I-
“Handa? What- AAA!!!!”
Both Handa and the Devil froze at the shrill shriek from down the opposite end of the hall. Handa whipped around, her heart dropping when she saw a girl standing there, having just turned the corner.
No… NO!
It was the girl with the shiny ponytail. She was frozen in place, shocked at the sight in front of her.
Handa’s heart pounded.
No… no you… why…
She should have been escaping with the others. She should be safe.
She… she smiled at me…
Maybe she ran to grab Handa from the bathroom before they left the building.
She knows my name.
The Devil lunged towards its new target.
…This is all my fault!
Handa didn’t know how she moved so fast. Maybe it was just adrenaline, but in a moment, she had caught up to the Devil, diving forward and grabbing onto its long, spikey tail before it could reach the girl. Surprised by the sudden weight, it whipped around, eyes catching onto Handa as she clung to it. The other girl screamed again before turning and sprinting away, out of sight. However, Handa didn’t have time to relish the small victory. With one thrash of its tail, the Crocodile Devil sent her flying, crashing into the hallway wall so hard that white spots exploded over her vision.
Every sound suddenly became muffled, the loud, shrill siren fading away as the thundering steps of the Devil rumbled towards her.
Ow… oww…
Her eyes squeezed shut, before the creature reached her again.
Why… why is this happening to me?
The jaws snapped around her, and Handa blacked out.
…
…
…
She was hanging there in the darkness.
Death?
Her eyes cracked open, her neck limp, her vision blurry.
There was someone standing there in front of her.
…Is that… me?
It was a girl with the same brown hair, in the same short cut as her. But she was younger… only about five years old at most, dressed in the uniform of an elementary schooler.
…or…
“We’re twins, aren’t we?”
“That means, we’re exactly the same.”
“If I had been the one to live…”
She opened her eyes. They were completely white.
“I would do anything it took to keep living.”
…
…
…
“There it is!!!”
“That’s the Crocodile Devil we’ve been looking for, alright.”
“Let’s get it!”
“Be careful, Yuuki. It has a hostage.”
Voices streamed into Handa’s mind as she suddenly regained consciousness with a raspy gasp. Her eyes popped open, and she realized she was upside down, pain tearing through her torso. W-What- She cried out as she suddenly shifted, then realized what had happened; the Crocodile Devil had her in its jaws, carrying her away through the courtyard of the school. With a moan, Handa blinked, her surroundings coming into focus. There were four people up ahead, dressed in black suits, with varying weapons in their hands. Devil Hunters? Of course! Handa’s heart pounded, not sure if she should start getting her hopes up. They’re supposed to be good! They’ll save me for sure, then I can go home-
Something whistles through the air, high pitched like a teapot on the verge of boiling. Several small things hit the Devil; Handa felt it clench its jaw tighter, drawing a choked cry from her chest.
“Be careful!!! That girl’s one wrong move away from getting bitten in half.”
“Oh, right.”
OH? RIGHT?! Handa angrily thought, too scared to struggle. The way the Hunter had phrased that sentence was only adding to her panic. She wasn’t dead yet, but like he said, one wrong move-
“Let me handle this-”
“Wait-”
Someone suddenly lunged at the Devil, a long, sharp weapon in hand. They plunged it into the flank of the Devil, and some power Handa couldn’t recognize pulsed through the weapon and into the creature. It howled in pain, finally opening its jaws enough to let Handa drop out and onto the grassy lawn. She spluttered for air, blood filling her mouth at the release of pressure. Even though she was freed, the Devil distracted by the Devil Hunter who was fighting it, she was far from out of the woods.
“Eugh… guuh-”
She moaned in pain as she attempted to crawl away, one arm grabbing into the blades of grass under her and pulling her body forward. She heard footsteps, and suddenly there was someone next to her, grabbing her other arm.
“It’s okay! Come on-”
Handa looked up to see one of the Devil Hunters hunched over her, trying to help her get away from the Devil. Her vision was still exceptionally blurred, but she couldn’t help but focus in on this person’s hair.
… purple? I’ve never seen someone with purple hair before-
“WATCH OUT!”
They both looked up as someone went flying- the hunter who had just attacked the Crocodile Devil. He sailed through the air before slamming into the edge of the fountain in the courtyard. Handa couldn’t see, but she heard a sickly CRACK ring through the air.
… he…
Her stomach turned, knowing what had just happened. The Hunter next to her was frozen, staring wide eyed at the limp body, halfway in the fountain. Then, without warning, they let go of Handa, springing up, their hand moving to their weapon on their hip. When they spoke, it was with a voice full of rage.
“How dare you?! THAT WAS MY BUDDY!”
They sprang forward, whipping out a sword. As the weapon emerged, something blue, frothing at the edges, streamed out. The Crocodile Devil turned its attention to the Hunter, as their two remaining comrades circled around to the fallen Hunter’s body. It roared, then lunged.
The sword slashed down, a wave of that blue substance cutting towards the Devil. Like an extension of the sword, it cut across the Devil’s snout, black blood immediately spurting from the wound.
…was that… water?
Handa couldn’t really move, she could only watch. She sat up slightly, her body still in agony, ignoring the fact that the grass underneath her was becoming increasingly sticky. Her head felt like it was splitting, like the worst migraine she’d ever had. But her eyes still managed to follow this Devil Hunter, who was fighting with some kind of miraculous power that rippled through the air like water.
… they’re going to kill it… they’re going to-
It only took one wrong move. The Hunter was batted away like nothing, the sword knocked away. In an instant, they were pinned under the Devil’s claws, crying out in pain.
No!
Handa’s mouth was open slightly as she drew in breath after shallow breath, not sure what to do. Should she run? Would she be able to? There was so much adrenaline pumping through her, she might have a chance.
But, these Devil Hunters-
Her hand moved without thinking about it, raising up until the Devil was blocked by her splayed fingers.
I’ll do anything to live… and I’ll do anything to save them, too!
Her headache reached a fever pitch. She could feel it carving through her skull, and bright lights blinded her vision.
Ow… ow…
She vaguely saw the Devil rear up in surprise, letting out a pained roar.
The purple-haired Devil Hunter took their chance, reaching out to grab their sword one last time. With a powerful slash, taking advantage of the distraction, they sliced up, and the Crocodile Devil’s head went flying, its body going limp at long last.
The dust settled, and the bright lights disappeared. The pounding pain in Handa’s head disappeared as soon as it came, leaving her sitting there, barely conscious.
The purple-haired Hunter let out a long breath of relief before turning to look at Handa. Their eyes narrowed.
“Y-you killed it…” Handa couldn’t help but smile, letting out a happy gasp. “That was amazing…”
They didn’t reply, they just flicked their sword once, cleaning it of the black blood. Then they turned to walk towards Handa.
“Thank you for saving me. I thought I was about to pass out.”
Handa closed her eyes, feeling woozy again. She could hear their footsteps approach, closer and closer.
“I’ve never seen a Devil like that before-”
She was cut off as a sudden, stabbing pain ripped through her chest. With a strangled cry, her eyes popped open, and she realized what had happened: the Hunter’s blade was planted through her chest.
“...w-”
The hunter pushed slightly, and Handa fell backwards into the grass. The world was spinning around her as she choked for breath, the stars above her blurring and warping as more silhouettes appeared to loom over her.
“...you’re killing her?”
“...no.”
A hand stretched out over her head.
“Sleep.”
Something cool and smooth encased Handa’s head, the substance filling her mouth and throat. However, it didn’t hurt… it felt good.
… sleep…
Everything started to fade away.
… finally… I can get some sleep.
Uh oh!!! Handa has some explaining to do... and so do I! What on earth happened there? Why did the Devil Hunter stab her? Find out next time!!!