Life's Getting Duller

A day has passed after Kaya's heartbreak. A day has passed since her world dulled into a lifeless monochrome of colors.

Food tasted bland as it began to lose its taste. She felt numb. Numb to the world as she sat upon her bed. She wanted the willpower to lift herself off the bed and find the courage to move forward but couldn't even begin of where to find it.

So many thoughts ran through her head. 'Dulio adopted you! You should be happy!' A more innocent part of her mind encouraged.

'He'll leave. Inugami left. Anna left. Raine left. He'll leave. You know it already.' The darker section of her mind whispered.

"Shut.. up." Kaya said lowly.

'Stop deceiving yourself! Dulio is a fucking exorcist for crying out loud! How many more minutes, days, months is he gonna put up with you? A devil? Family or duty. In this case, you're not even his actual family! Attachments are weak. They make YOU weak. Give up, stop dreaming and just ₭łⱠⱠ!' It continued to whisper.

"Stop it." Kaya said half-heartedly.

'You really want to put up another grand illusion of a life full of companionship? How the hell did it go with Inugami? How is it going to go any different with Dulio acting as a father to you? ANSWER ME!' The voice yelled.

"..." Kaya opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't think of anything to say.

'Damn fucking straight. It's going to go down the same long and twisted road as before. You're alone, now and forever. It's your ₣₳₮Ɇ. Accept it now before you burden yourself even further.' The voice berated her.

"I-I just want friends." Kaya said tearfully.

'Tough fucking luck. You don't get any. Maybe its for the best? After all, everyone you get close to.. 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬. Maybe you should too?' The voice said as it started to fade.

"Kaya! Who're you talking to?" Dulio asked worryingly as he opened the door to the hotel room they were staying in temporarily.

"No one," Kaya said blandly as she curled up under a large blanket.

Dulio looked at the small girl skeptically but didn't push it. She was still in a fragile state from yesterday and he didn't want to push her too far yet. Mental trauma therapy is meant to slowly, emphasize on slowly, push one out of their fears and get them through their internal turmoil.

Dulio sighed, "Well. I'm here to talk if you need me."

Dulio entered the bathroom as he looked at himself through the mirror. 'Am I ready for this type of responsibility? Did I rush to fast into this type of situation?' He thought.

'Griselda would probably be berating to me about being reckless right about now... *sigh*. I'm already committed to this. If I can't do right by myself, I'll do right by Kaya. Being a dad can't be that hard anyways right?' Dulio thought nervously.

...

As the duo were stuck in their own thoughts, a pale ethereal ghost floated outside their hotel window. Its red eyes were in a constant squint as it looked at Kaya with longing. 'Mine. Mine. Mine. You're mine. I'm yours. Anyone who takes you away from me dies.' Raine's ghost repeated over and over again.

'Watching watching watching watching. I want to be with you. Why am I stuck here watching?' Raine thought as she looked at the curled up Kaya on the bed.

'Who hurt you? I'll kill kill kill. Kill them dead. Burn their bodies to ash, watch them writhe and scream as I torture them. Burn burn burn.' She watched.

She continued to watch as Dulio entered the room and asked if she was okay. 'Who is this? Is he the cause of your pain? Burn burn burn. Burn them?' Raine thought as she continued to float outside the window.

As she was watching she felt a shift in energy in the alleys below. Being a curious ghostly being, she watched as a group of men and women appeared from a glowing circle.

As they stepping into the new realm the leading figure began to speak, "Alright squad! Pay attention! We are being payed to find the devil hybrid Kaya Vulpes for the house of Naberius! They were located by Lord Nazeem's familiar a few blocks down! Spread out and find her if you want your paycheck!" The man ordered as he held a photo of a 12-year old Kaya in the same alleyway her and Dulio killed the devils in a day ago.

'She's mine mine mine. You don't have the right to take her. Only me. Anyone else gets ƈʀʊƈɨʄɨɛɖ and ¢คŞtrคtē໓. Mine mine mine.' Raine thought as she hovered down to eye level with the squadron of 15 mid-class devils being led by a singular high-class.

"Uh.. Captain Sir? Who's familiar is that?" A mid-class asked as he pointed at Raine.

The squad leader looked at Raine before giving all of his subordinates a fierce glare. "Alright, who the hell thought it was a good idea to let their familiar loose? Huh? Whoever did it raise your hand before I dock all your FUCKING PAY FOR INSUBORDINATION!" The man yelled in a momentary fit of anger before calming down.

All of the devils stiffened as they began to shoot each other suspicious looks. A somewhat braver devil spoke up, "Uhm Sir! I don't think any of us have a ghost familiar!"

"Well one of ya' has to have one! Humans are way to weak to own even MAKE it to the Familiar Fore-" The captain of the squad began to speak before his head was separated from the rest of his body.

The cause was Raine. However, unlike her normal cute ghost-like appearance she was now a 5 meter tall ghost breathing pale white flames. "Kaya is mine mine mine. She'll love me if I kill you right? So I just have to.. ₭łⱠⱠ." Raine's distorted voice echoed in the alleyway.

"What.." One man began to speak before he was turned to ash by a wave of white flames.

"THE HELL!" A woman screamed as she saw white flames illuminate the alleyway. In moments the previously strong group of devils prepared to hunt down a 'stray' was turned to mere ash in seconds. Scorch marks littered the alley walls as sparks danced across heated ash.

Raine's previously large form shrunk back down to her normal plush size before she wordlessly floated back up to the hotel window. 'Mine. I'm yours. You're mine.'

...

Kaya woke up with a gasp for air. She didn't even remember falling asleep in the first place. Her eyes still puffy and red from crying before she most likely fell asleep.

The oversized hoodie she fell asleep in scratched against her skin as she began to feel itchy. Sluggishly getting out from bed she mechanically made her way to the closet. Carefully sliding open the closet door she saw a set of silk pajamas with the hotel's name written over the front shirt pocket.

Taking off her hoodie she quickly slid on the pajama shirt while not noticing a bright red ghost watching from outside the window through a gap in the curtain. Doing the same with her baggy pants, she quickly replaced them with the silky pajama bottoms.

Walking back to her blanket home, as she was about to lie down again her stomach rumbled. 'Hungry.' Kaya thought as she ignored the feeling and crawled inside of her blanket. Wrapping herself into a cocoon as she relished the warmth of her blanket.

She almost thought about summoning her Inugam- Canis Lykaon. However, once she thought about using her Sacred Gear to summon an avatar a whole new level of emotional pain plagued her heart. She whimpered inside of her blanket cocoon as she wished it was all a dream.

Although deep down she knew it wasn't.

"I'm back~ and I brought cookies!" Dulio called in a sing-song voice as he entered the room. Almost immediately he regretted his enthusiasm as he saw Kaya laying in a bundle of blankets shaking.

"Kaya? Are you alright?" Dulio asked softly as he pulled a chair up next to her bed.

She didn't answer as she flipped over to look him in the eyes. Dull red eyes met vibrant green as they stared in silence.

"Promise ---." Kaya said as her mouth was still covered in blankets obscuring the rest of her words.

"Promise what?" Dulio asked.

"P-promise me. Promise me you won't leave me alone like the rest. Please." Kaya practically begged at the end.

"I would never. I accepted my responsibilities as a parent and will continue to due so." Dulio said gently.

"That isn't good enough. Everyone else promised the same. I-I don't want to be alone anymore." Kaya said shakily.

"I swear on my lord, on my magic, on my Sacred Gear, that I will never forsake Kaya and accept the responsibilities from becoming her father." Dulio stated with conviction.

Sunlight seemed to pour into the room as it illuminated everything, as if approving and fortifying his statement. Thunder rumbled through the clouds as it announced to the world a promise was forged. A holy cross shimmered above Dulio's head for a moment before dissipating. Surprisingly, even though seeing an obvious usage of holy magic Kaya didn't feel any pain or displeasure from the sign in that moment.. only warmth.

"W-What was that?" Kaya asked confused.

Dulio smiled in amazement, "A blessing.. even my Lord acknowledges my decision," he said as he began to make silent prayers. 'Even after death he looks after his children,' Dulio thought.

Kaya let out an unnoticeable smile as Dulio clapped his hands. "If any of the other exorcists and Angels had a problem with me adopting you, they sure won't now!" Dulio said excitingly.

Kaya's smile grew slightly upon hearing that. She was still heavily depressed in general, but this one bit of good news made her life brighten. Even if it was only slightly.

"So.. cookies?" Dulio asked with a grin.

Kaya nodded, "Cookies."

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Concept Progress:

Fire: (Expert)

Earth: (Master)

Water: (Expert)

Wind: (Basic)

Shadows (Fed to Canis Lykaon): (Master)

Fate: (Basic)

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Items: Raine's Ghost, Cookies, Blanket of Endless Warmth

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Sacred Gear Progress:

Canis Lykaon Telumkinesis: (Half-Expert)

Balance Breaker: (Locked)

Further abilities unknown.

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Devil Progress:

Devil Energy Reserves: High Mid-Class

All-Seeing Eye/Eyes of Providence: Half-Awakened

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(A/N: So, I was heavily procrastinating instead of doing school work. Hence I released another chapter due to my boredom, cool right? Also I'm adding Yandere tag... pretty sure you can guess why.)