Chapter 10: Bruised & Battered

(Short chapter.)

Io is sitting in his apartment living room, still wearing his bloody suit. A beer is in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Io's watching the TV with an indifferent smile on his face.

"Yesterday afternoon, at the Nerima Nishidai building across from Nerima Station, Devil Hunters from Public Safety engaged in a large-scale battle." The news reporter says. "However, there have been eyewitness reports that their opponents were humans in addition to devils, making the exact nature of the conflict--" 

Io growls as he turns the TV off. Io stares at his reflection in the darkened screen of the TV. "We lost so many humans, fucking means more work for me." Io lifts up his beer can and takes a long sip. Then he sighs. "But I guess that does mean more food though." He takes a drag from his cigarette and lets out a puff of smoke.

A door opens up behind Io and out walks Kuroka, in a fresh new kimono. She also has a suit set in her hands.

Kuroka walks over to Io and puts a hand on his shoulder. "You should shower and get a clean pair of clothes on."

Io grunts and sets his beer on the coffee table in front of him and puts out his cigarette in the ash tray. "Fine."

Io gets up and Kuroka hands Io the clean pair of clothes.

"Make me some ramen." Io orders.

"Ok." Kuroka kisses Io on the cheek and walks into the kitchen.

A tint of red appears on Io's cheeks. 'Stupid cat!' Io speed walks into the bathroom.

A few minutes later

Io's hands are up against the shower wall as water falls onto his back. Many faint scars litter his back. 

Io has a far look in his eyes as he's lost in thought. 'Scythe and one of Snake's people were involved. Bastard Snake I can deal with, but why is Scythe here? I thought I lost her in Italy. Così fastidioso!'

Io sighs. 'I should visit him and see what the next year of my life holds.'

The next day.

Makima and Io are walking side by side through a large graveyard, with Power and Denji walking behind the two. Crows caw as they fly above them.

"It's become clear, between the hotel incident and this attack, that the enemy is after Denji, and a few are after Io." Makima says. "Which is why I want to strengthen Division 4, but most of its agents are dead."

"You gonna be training us, Ms. Makima?!" Denji asks.

"Unfortunately, I'm going to be too busy, so will Io, so I'm introducing you to the perfect teacher." Makima says as the group stops behind a man standing at a grave. "He's going to be training you two."

A strong wind blows past the group. 

"His name is..." Makima start but she's cut off by the name man.

'Kishibe, the only human I actually respect.' Io says in thought. 

"Shut it." The man orders as he lifts up a finger.

Kishibe is a grizzled man with scraggly facial hair and a stitched scar running across his left cheek from his mouth. As a young adult his hair was black, but has since then become grey. With two piercings on his left ear and one on his right ear, Kishibe normally wears the standard Public Safety Devil Hunter uniform with a large overcoat. He is often seen with a silver hip flask which he frequently drinks from.

"Now answer my questions:" Kishibe starts. "How'd you feel about your comrades dying?"

"Okay, I guess." Denji says.

"I thought, 'They've died!'" Powers states.

Kishibe holds up a second finger. "You want revenge?"

"Nah, that shit's depressing." Denji says as he puts a hand on his hip.

Power crosses her arms. "Verily!"

Kishibe holds up a third finger. "Humans or devils: Which side are you on?"

Both are silents for a second.

"Whichever one's gonna take care of me." Denji states.

"Whichever one is winning." Power states.

Kishibe looks back at the two and he points at the two with a flask in hand. "You two... Get full points." Both Power and Denji are confused. "You're a rare breed, and that is fantastic. I love it."

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"I am frightened." Power whispers to Denji.

"Makima, Io, you two head back." Kishibe says. "I'm starting with them right now."

Makima turns around. "I'll leave it to you then." She starts to walk off with Io following her.

"Ms. Makima?!" Denji calls out.

"Don't leave me here with this old man, old man!" Power calls out to Io.

Io smirks as the two walk away.

"How do you think they'll do?" Makima asks Io.

"Since when do you care about what I think?" Io asks as he gives Makima a side glance.

"Can't I ask a friend what he thinks?"

"Since when were we friends?" Makima just stares at Io. "Fine, I think they'll get their asses kicked for a while before they start to do better."

Makima hums and Io's stomach growls.

"I want a human heart." Io mutters.

.

.

.

.

.

Io is standing in front of a heavy metal door with a keypad on the side. Io types on the keypad and the door opens.

Io walks into the room and he stops halfway in the room and the door shuts behind him. A single large eye stares at Io from the darkness of the other side of the room.

The light turns on and Io sees the Future Devil Dancing. "Yeah! Yeah! The future is the best! The future rules!" Io just blankly stares at him. "Come on, Io, say it with me! The future is the best!"

"No." Io says.

"Awww, come on. Don't have such a shitty attitude with me."

"You know why I'm here."

Future Devil stops dancing and looks at Io. "You want me to peek into your future again, Mr. God of War."

Io glares at the Future Devil. "You know I don't want to be called that."

"Fine, you know our deal. I will give you information for the next year and you will give me some blood." Future devil says and Io slits the palm on his right hand open with a sharp nail and puts it into the gut of the future devil. "OHH, such sweetness." The future devil does a little dance as Io takes his hand out and wraps a white cloth around it. "Now, stick your head in my gut."

Io puts his head into the Future Devils gut, he begins to hum and after a few seconds Io takes his head out.

"Ohhh. Interesting." The future devil hums.

"What is it?" 

"I see much death, but not for you, but those around you." The Future Devil leans down to Io. "And do be prepare to have a small family reunion."

Io is silent for a few seconds. "Fuck."

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01-05-2022

1100 words

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