Zero observed the fox demon’s slouched and despondent form. She had long since calmed down and now sat outside on the veranda, her knees clutched to her chest, expression lost, completely defeated. Ren had left her there and was continuing to beat the dust from the futons close by. Now and then he’d check on her, sitting with her and quietly talking before getting back to work.

The house required quite a bit of work and it would take the rest of the day to make it presentable and clean enough to be comfortable in. There was still much to do, and Zero had only just finished sweeping the dusty floors.

But he didn’t want to be there.

He wanted to leave.

The devil went to Ivy, the girl turning to face him as he took her hand. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, silently asking for the girl’s blessing.

She smiled sweetly, an understanding passing between them. “Don’t be. I’ll see you soon. Good luck.”

Zero nodded and let her hand slip from his as he walked outside. He knocked the toe of his boot into the fox’s hip and she looked up at him with an emptiness in her eyes he’d never imagine possible. The woman was a vast jumble of extreme emotions constantly, often bouncing from one to the next with little to no warning. But never was she nothing.

“Let’s go,” the boy told her. “Get your glaive.” He stepped down and began moving towards the forest of bamboo but stopped suddenly. He twisted his head towards the still seated woman.

Of course she was going to make things difficult.

What a frustrating woman.

“Now,” he demanded and continued towards his destination.

Sakura sighed as she stood, grabbing the weapon against the house before slipping it into the baldric, and followed slowly behind the devil as he weaved through the tall stalks and out of sight.

Ren watched them disappear and shook his head, chuckling to himself. He had planned on letting the woman take the time she needed to get her thoughts in order before attempting to help her through it, as they had done in the past. But it looked like Zero had a different idea in mind, one that was going to be one hell of a hassle for him.

For a devil, he sure couldn’t stand the suffering of others.

He turned to continue his work but a tugging at the back of his shirt stole his attention and he looked at the teary-eyed girl standing behind him.

“What happened, Ren? Ivy asked, her sweet voice breaking. “Why was Sakura like that?”

“It happens. She’ll be alright.” He offered her a small, reassuring smile while smoothing her hair down. “She used to have fits like that when she was younger, but she grew out of them. It’s just been a rough time for her lately. These things tend to happen when you choose to repress your feelings for years. You know, when it rains it pours and all that.”

She chewed her lip and gave a small nod. “I’ve never seen her cry before.”

“Well, there’s a first for everything. Give her a bit. She’ll figure it out.”

“I couldn’t do anything,” Ivy whimpered, the moisture from her eyes spilling down her cheeks. “I wanted to help her, but I couldn’t. It’s always her helping me while I do nothing.”

Even though the girl was always quick to tears, it broke Ren’s heart each time. She really was the most precious of souls. He opened his arms to her, and she instantly burrowed herself into his embrace. “How about I teach you how to fight? That way you really can punch those foxes with your hands and pull their tails. That’ll definitely cheer Sakura up.”

Ivy gazed up at him, violet eyes shining with uncertainty. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can. I’m not very strong, and I really don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Nonsense, Little One.” A cunning grin spread across his face. “You’ll be the strongest out of all of us.”

This was going to be much more entertaining for the man than beating out dusty futons.

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Sakura followed the devil for a ways, unsure of how far they’d already gone. She didn’t even know why she came. She just wanted to wait for Ren to finish beating out the futons and then hide under the blankets and go to sleep. Drift away from everything that she had pushed down for so long. Avoid it all for just a little longer.

But when Zero had told her to come, she did so without a thought. Her body lifted itself and her legs followed obediently, weaving through the seemingly endless stalks of bamboo while hardly glancing up from the boy’s boots as they walked in silence.

What was she even doing? This wasn’t where she wanted to be. She could respect that Zero was going out of his way to try to make her feel better, but she couldn’t force herself to go along with it.

She hated feeling so weak.

So helpless.

Exactly like she did back then.

And though she was no longer a child, this place had the ability to drag her back into the depths of misery she had escaped from all those years ago.

She should have listened to Ren.

She should have run again.

Sakura stopped, too exhausted to continue.

She should go back.

“I don’t want to fight you, Zero,” the demon protested weakly. “I know what you’re trying to do, and I appreciate it. Right now though… I just… can’t.”

The devil turned around, unsheathing a katana, his face as emotionless as ever. “That’s fine,” he told her as he brought the blade to his throat and sliced it deeply into the flesh. The blood gushed for only a moment before the wound healed and his horns began to split from his skull. Then he disappeared, leaving nothing but bamboo and the rustling of its leaves for company for the woman.

Sakura stood there, stunned, struggling to process her current situation and what exactly was going on. She had assumed that the boy had brought her here to allow her to let off some steam and use him as a punching bag for her pent-up frustrations. That he would take defense as he always did and shield himself against her attacks.

But he wasn’t.

What was he up to?

Her ears twitched, following the path the boy’s body was weaving through the bamboo around her, coming closer and going further, changing direction, alternating speeds. She stood still, allowing each rustle and whir to come to her before immediately sliding her left leg back, bending both knees, her back arched and glaive in front of her just as two katanas slammed into its handle.

“I’ll fight you.” And he was gone again.

The fox straightened, spinning her weapon with one hand high above her head.

Listening.

Waiting.

This was not what she had been expecting, but what a welcomed surprise it was. She may not have been in any mood to attack the devil with little resistance on his part. But if he was finally going to give her what she wanted, she’d be a fool not to accept.

The glaive’s blade stuck into the soil behind her as she held the handle steady along the side of her head, the screaming of steel connecting a moment later.

“You’re too loud,” she scolded, continuing to look forward.

The pressure was gone as quickly as it came and the fox swung it forward and across her body, stopping the next blow.

“You’re still too loud,” her voice higher, losing its patience.

The devil vanished, only to return to strike again and again, the demon quick to block his attacks.

She was fast, but she had learned early on that she would never be as fast as the angel with whom she spent all of her time with. There were plenty of beings in the world who would beat her in speed each and every time, and no amount of running or training would change that fact. She knew there was only so much that her determination and hard work could get her.

But speed meant nothing when your opponent could hear you a mile away, and Sakura heard everything. The rubbing of fabric against skin, the swishing of hair in the wind, the beating of one’s heart and the pulsing of the blood in their veins were not lost to her ears. It didn’t matter how quickly an attack was made; she could hear it before it came.

The devil was the quickest being she’d ever gone against. But even he couldn’t outrun the noise he created.

She stepped back, the tip of the devil’s blade whizzing past her face.

She was irritated now.

Every strike was powerful. His aim precise.

Ren had done well in teaching Zero the form. The mechanics. The spirit. The same ways in which Raz had taught them. And Sakura hadn’t hesitated to step in along with the man to push the boy even further than he’d already gone. Pull him out of his comfort zone and force him to adapt to the uncomfortable situations that life would undoubtedly throw his way. It was showing in the way his body moved, his weapons struck, and his confidence grew.

Zero was always improving. Getting better. Stronger.

But he was still so damn noisy.

And she was tired of his shit.

Sakura listened carefully to the swish of movement around her before smashing the glaive down into the empty space directly in front of her. The handle cut through the air before suddenly colliding into the devil who was now there, smashing into his shoulder and forcing him to crumble to his knees. Her foot slung out, connecting under his chin, sending him onto his back as the glaive’s blade pressed against his chest.

“You’re too fucking loud!” the fox screamed furiously, glaring at the defeated boy below her. The irritation that had steadily built instantly dissipated as she gasped at the sight of him, and she tossed the weapon away from herself. Dropping to her knees on either side of the devil’s rib cage, she grabbed his head in her hands and twisted it side to side slowly. “They grew!” she exclaimed, a giant smile plastered across her face. “They fucking grew! You’ve gotten stronger!” She latched onto the onyx horns that were now the length of her hands and were finally beginning to curve and twist, and ripped the boys head around violently, screeching in excitement, before slamming it back into the ground. The demon closed in on the devil’s face, nose to nose, her eyes hectic and jubilant. “Let’s fight again!”

Zero stared up at the woman, his expression apathetic but his desire to improve brimming. “Okay.”