The Kawakami temple was quiet, the birds were chirping in the trees as Kaito was outside sweeping the cobblestone steps leading to the temple.
The sounds of the chirping and sweeping were broken with the sounds of running.
Tomia's voice broke through as she called out.
"Kaito~! I'm done with laundry and Yui said we're done with the chores today, I was wondering if you'd want any help?"
Tomia said, a slight smile on her face as she stood besides Kaito, looking up at him as if hoping for him to say yes.
Kaito hating the idea of making a girl and a guest help him sweep made his stomach twist, but the puppy eyes from her held a grip over him as he sighed and nodded.
"Fine, fine. I heard from Yui you're pretty good at sweeping so I guess if my job goes by faster it won't hurt"
Tomia closed her eyes and nearly jumped up to hug Kaito but restrained herself as she let out a big glee instead and ran back to the temple to grab a broom.
After some time she got back and moved next to Kaito and started sweeping with him.
Some time passed as the two were sweeping the floor, they were moving further and further away from the temple whilst sweeping the stairs.
Kaito felt like the silence between them was kinda awkward, though Tomia on the other hand was just more than happy enough to be standing besides Kaito.
Kaito, unable to stand the silence, cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Soo–how are you enjoying staying here at the temple, I know it's only been three days but I'm still curious"
Tomia smiled a little and looked to Kaito, whilst still sweeping
"I didn't feel this free, happy and safe in ages. Yui is very nice, even Hiroshi appears to be warming up to me as I watched the news with him on the TV yesterday…and-"
A blush appeared on Tomia's face with a gentle smile as she stared at Kaito.
Kaito paused for a second, waiting for an answer. Hoping that Tomia does not see him as annoying or something.
"And?..."
Tomia giggles a little and goes back to sweeping.
"And you've been the cherry on top, you're very nice yourself even though you don't show it, besides you're the one who first went to take care of me no?"
Kaito blushed slightly at Tomia's opinion of him, a small smile tugging at his lip.
"I-I'm glad you see it that way Tomia."
Tomia danced a little as she started humming out of happiness.
"What about you Kaito? What do you think of me?"
Kaito froze up a little and felt a lump in his throat, too sudden of a question he was not prepared for.
"Well…you've been very helpful even though you had a chance to do as you wished, it has been pretty fun seeing you react to things you aren't used to…"
There was more that Kaito thought, he couldn't possibly say that he felt sorry for her and wanted to continue protecting her, and how he finds her kinda cute.
Tomia's heart dropped a little, she frowned a little with a sad look on her face as she glanced at Kaito with a side eye and pouted while he wasn't looking. She was naively hoping for a compliment on her appearance, something that'd make her feel loved by Kaito…but this made her feel human so it'd be just enough.
Some time passed and they'd be near the bottom of the stairs. Tomia was still humming an unknown melody, probably just something made up, while Kaito was with a smile just listening to her, her happy energy clearly easing his mind.
Tomia spoke first now as she leaned against the broom in her hands, looking at Kaito.
"I'm very happy to be here with you all…you know…I-I was kinda scared of coming here, everyone always treated me as some monster so..being among my kind and being seen as just a girl–"
Tomia would tear up a little and make an ugly crying face before she sank to her knees and started crying.
Kaito dropped his broom and walked over to her, not knowing what to do he just kinda stood over her with a worried face.
Tomia without hesitation needing something to hold wrapped her arms around Kaito and began sobbing.
"I'm so happy…so, so happy. Please make sure that I won't be alone again"
Kaito felt his chest weight down as this girl was weeping into his chest, crying about how lonely she was…he felt angry, the people who hurt her were horrible to her, and this girl felt like a normal day to day life was a blessing.
"You're with us now Tomia, with me…we'll protect you, I'll protect you. You're not gonna be alone ever again"
As Kaito said that she held a little tighter onto him, as if to seal the deal and make sure she isn't alone again.
After some time Tomia let go and stood up, wiping her tears away and smiled at Kaito with her eyes closed, she then despite the tears still slowly rolling down her face gave a big grin and with a soft and shaky voice she said.
"Thank you"
Kaito felt his heart skip a beat, but just as he did the sky that was slowly turning grey lit up, a lightning bolt struck in the sky.
"Ah crap! It wasn't supposed to rain today!"
Kaito said and quickly pointed to the temple path.
"Come on, lets go before we get wet"
Tomia nodded and the two hurriedly ran up the steps with brooms in their hands, then Tomia's ears twitched, she heard something in the brushes, then out of the corner of her eye she saw it, a metallic glint as an arrow flew just inches in front of her face, an ambush.
Kaito, seeing it happen, stopped in his tracks and pulled Tomia close to him, covering her behind him as he looked around. An angry look on his face as he did so.
"Come out you cowards!"
He called out.
"Cowards" it was more than one, Tomia could sense it too…humans, the DHC finally found her. Her heart raced and she began hyperventilating, these couple of days of peace.
"They're gonna take it away…no, I can't allow that…but I cannot be what I was before, I cannot show Kaito the monster I am."
Soon the DHC uniforms were seen as they emerged from the trees, it was a lot of them.
Tomia's mind races, she falls to her knees again, being Split on what to do. But she felt something, a rush of energy and power, not from her but from Kaito. She looked over her shoulder.
Kaito stood there, his fists clenched. These people, these people took his mother away from him and threatened to hurt Tomia and possibly his family, his grey eye was slowly turning pitch black, as it filled it was slowly reaching out of the eye and enveloping Kaito himself…his demon form.
Kaito was looking around and in a deep rumbling voice he let out.
"You humans…I won't allow you to take her away…I'll kill you all"
As he finished the sentence in a distorted voice, his entire body quickly surged to pitchblack, his heartbeat slowing down as the air itself in his vicinity grew colder and the natural light slowly dissipated, only a wraith like shadow floated in the air, its claws dark and eyes crimson red and shining, teeth reaching over its mouth as it stared at its pray…this was Kaito's hour
Kaito's shape formed and the darkness swelled, his body slowly dissipated in the darkness.
Tomia, seeing Kaito disappear, panicked. "Did he leave me? Am I alone?"
She thought to herself as the demon hunters stared in shock as a demon had just seemingly vanished in thin air, yet…the cold and darkness remained.
Seeing Tomia unmoving and helpless the Hunters started to slowly close in, but the wind around them grew more stale the closer they got to Tomia.
The moment one of them started to reach out for Tomia–a sharp pain ran through their body, and their hand fell off…something cut it off. The hunter froze up and stared at their hand and then opened their mouth to scream in pain, but before a sound could be let out a deep 4 cut wounds appeared on their neck and only sounds of blood gurgling could be heard as the hunter fell to his knees staring at Tomia before toppling over..dead.
Panic spread through the ranks of the hunters as soon humans fell one by one, every now and then a black smoke would pass around, with 2 red glowing orbs as its eyes.
Throats were slashed across, heads cut off, everything made in silent executions.
No screams, only silent pain.
Eventually as the humans started to realize what was happening, they all started to retreat.
But none were allowed to escape, the one's the most further from Tomia started to fall one by one, disappearing in the bushes and the trees…swallowed by nature.
All but one Hunter who reached for Tomia in hopes to at least grab her and escape.
But as he reached out a guff of smoke appeared in front of him as Kaito in his wraith form stood in front of him.
"You call yourself hunters…but to us you're more of a prey–remember that when the darkness swallows what's left of you"
Kaito said in the same distorted voice as he reached his hand in the blink of an eye forwards and his arm struck through the heart of the hunter.
The hunter attempted to grasp at the arm of the wraith but to no luck, his hands only phased through him.
Then…as the life of the hunter had slowly left, the hunter gasping for air would limp over and die.
Kaito would pull his hand out of the heart of the man and look at Tomia.
Tomia stared up at the horrifying visage of Kaito, some sense of admiration, fear and respect in her eyes as Kaito loomed down onto her.
Tomia would open her mouth as she stared up at him.
"K-Kaito? A-Are you okay?"
She mumbled as she slowly reached out to him, but before she could touch Kaito's wraith form–the wraith slowly dissipated as the body of Kaito reappeared again, but fell to his knees unconscious…
"Kaito! Wake up Kaito!"
Tomia shook the unconscious body of Kaito, panicking and wondering what's happening. The rain trickled down on them through the trees, making their clothes drenched.
Tomia without much more hesitation swept her hands under Kaito and picked him up, making for quite the odd sight of a short Tomia carrying the whole foot taller Kaito.
And quickly ran up the stairs, a blink of an eye and she was back at home.
"Someone, please help! Hiroshi! Yui! Kaito—he's hurt, and I don't know what to do!"
Soon out of the Temple would both Yui and Hiroshi come rushing out, Hiroshi with worry snatched Kaito from Tomia's arms.
"Tomia! What happened!"
The usually calm demeanor of Hiroshi was gone, there was panic and fear as he stared at Tomia, his hand hovering over the forehead of Kaito.
Tomia, shocked by this behaviour, panicked even more, not knowing how to reply. She froze up and just stared in fear as her breathing got heavier.
Yui, seeing this, quickly rushed over to Tomia and gripped her by her shoulders firmly, staring into her eyes with a smile as she gave Tomia's shoulders a rub.
"Tomia–hey Tomia! Look into my eyes, it's okay. Calm down, you're safe now…what happened there."
Tomia was still struggling but being able to speak now she looked to Yui, then to Hiroshi.
"I-It's not my fault…I'm not a monster, I didn't do it I promise…it's the humans..we were ambushed!"
Hiroshi heard that would scowl and would start looking at Kaito, checking for any wounds he could have endured through the fight.
Yui would frown a little as she brought Tomia closer to her into a big hug, wrapping her arms around her shoulders as she gave her a slight pat on the head trying to calm her down.
"It's okay Tomia–I know it's not your fault, you're not a monster…you're a lovely girl. Did any of them follow you? Are you hurt?"
Tomia shook her head as she rested her head against Yui's shoulder.
"N-No…Kaito–he, he turned into a demon..a-and, he killed them all…protected me. He was so scary, but then he just…collapsed after he left the demon form"
Yui looked a bit surprised as she looked back to Hiroshi and Kaito in his arms.
Hiroshi looked in awe as he looked down at Kaito.
"He unlocked his demon form…but how could it have been so powerful that it knocked him out. This never happened before in history of Demon-kind"
Hiroshi slowly walked into the temple, gesturing to the girls to follow him.
The two followed Hiroshi into the temple, where Hiroshi brought Kaito to his room and placed him in his bed.
He left the room and kept the girls following him as he made his way into the living room and sat down on his arm chair, Tomia and Yui sat down on a couch.
Yui looked confused and Tomia had tears in her eyes as Hiroshi stared at them.
"Kaito's fine, he appears to just be…drained, of his raw energy–not exhaustion but each demon should have energy in them, each demon has a very high amount of energy that it can tap into to use their powers, it recharges over time and is more than enough to sustain a demon form but…it appears that Kaito somehow has either very little…or he is not made for his demon form, how that is possible I do not know, nor do I believe that I will have answers any time soon. But I will have to visit hell to seek answers to this phenomenon"
Tomia wiped her tears and leaned forwards, a sigh of relief let out of her mouth as her breathing slowed down.
Yui still looked a bit worried.
"Visit hell…will you be alright dad? Should I go with you?"
Hiroshi would shake his head and look at Yui.
"You still have yet to find your demon power, would be too dangerous for you…i've been there a couple of times myself already and I can tap into my power. Besides I will need you two to watch over Kaito and make sure he's rested. In case any hunters arrive…you know what to do Yui"
Yui gave a small nod as she looked towards a small shrine that was stationed at the end of the hallway.
"Yes, of course dad"
Hiroshi gave a slight nod and stood up.
"Good, we have no time to waste…I shall get going right away. You two stay safe and take care of Kaito and each other. And Tomia, don't be afraid…you've done nothing wrong"
Tomia winced a little at that sentence and gulped a little, the thought that she could have done something and been the one to fight the Hunters…maybe none of this would have happened. Her fists were clenched and she grit her teeth as she nodded.
Hiroshi would then move his hand around as a red sparkle appeared in front of his hand, a rift opening in the area where he moved his finger at.
As soon as the rift opened, Hiroshi turned to the girls and bowed, before stepping into the rift, the rift closing right behind him. Leaving the room silent, with both Tomia and Yui wondering what to do now.
Yui would scoot over to Tomia and try to comfort her again, she was able to tell how distressed Tomia was so a hug and some headpats were all she could give.
Tomia on the other hand leant into it, allowing herself to be comforted by Yui.
"I'm worried about Kaito…what if he's hurt because of me?"
Yui nudged Tomia gently with her elbow.
"Now don't be silly…by the looks of it, Kaito tapped into his power to protect you. I'm sure he'll be happy to know that you're safe by his efforts, and it's not your fault…humans shouldn't have attacked you two in the first place, neither of you have been doing anything wrong"
Tomia placed her face into her own hands as she gave a soft sob.
"It was all so fun before they arrived…why can't I be steadily happy…I just want some peace"
Yui gave a sad smile and hugged Tomia a bit tighter.
"There there…we'll make sure that you have all the peace and happiness in the world, even if humans try to disturb it. You deserve that after all"
With that the two girls sat there in silence broken only by Tomia's soft weeping.