A Dog Named Girl

Subtle smoke drift erased by the wind, the flicker in the core of the tobacco leaves melted in the white paper. Falling down stories, passing by the windows of many different lives, the cigarette landed in a shallow puddle. Right next to a figure waking from the sunlight that spilled over Tokyo like someone had lifted the lid off a firefly jar.

Kaito laid flat on the cold pavement, rainwater still drying in his hair, and the calm sky above filled with clouds breaking open into soft ribbons, taunting him with their grace. The fall should have left him broken and battered, if at all even alive, yet there he was, given the gift to live another day. His chest hurt, but it was more of a pressured ache, like something stirred just under his skin.

"Damn. Guess I didn't make the morning news," he muttered, sitting up and checking the time.

Noticing his hands, small cuts ran across his knuckles in faint constellation arrangements, and dirt smeared his palms and sleeves.

“If that was all fake, that’s gotta be one of the craziest fever dreams I’ve ever had.”

For a long moment, he wondered if he'd imagined it all, if the jump had just been a hallucination or a bad dream, a nightmare about falling that could’ve been dissected by someone more versed in psychology than him.

Walking out of the alleyway, a black dog with scruffy fur ran up to him from behind and rubbed its head against his leg.

“Woah what the…where’d you come from?”

Kaito bent down and scratched behind its ears. The dog stuck out its tongue and flipped onto its back, rolling around excited.

“Do you belong to someone little guy? If you even are a guy…”

The dog just wagged its tail in reply.

“Looks like you’re a girl. You must be just as hungry as I am. If you wanna follow me, maybe we can score something to eat. Do you have a name?”

He almost thought the dog was smiling.

“How about I call you Girl? Sorry, I can’t really think of anything better right now. Okay Girl, c’mon.”

Kaito stood and walked towards the busy street. Girl jumped up and following by his side.

Salarymen shuffled past in pressed suits, their eyes fixed on their phones, and school kids in pressed uniforms laughed in small groups. The world seemed to have moved on, the moon had reset the sun and now the sun had reset the moon. He strolled along with the morning wind, a welcomed feeling across his tingling skin.

Ahead of him, a flicker of light reflected off a bright surface, the rays piercing straight into his eyes. Squinting irritatedly, the picture began to focus.

The elegant pearl white sportscar.

More specifically, what remained of it.

The chassis was crushed against the side of the takoyaki stand, the metal folded like it had been pressed by some enormous, invisible hand. Metallic paint peeled and chunks of the vehicles' innards littered the sidewalk. Caution tape flapped in the breeze, looped across the scene in a half hearted attempt to contain it, and two bored cops stood nearby, sipping canned coffee.

A cluster of onlookers had gathered, their phones raised as they snapped pictures to show to their friends. Even in such a bustling city, the sight was more than enough to stir their interest. The wreck was being treated more like an art piece rather than the scene of a destructive and almost fatal accident.

Next to the front dented bumper of the car, a man in a gray pinstriped suit had dropped to his knees, pounding the ground until his fists bruised and yelled obscenities into the air. The two cops gave a quick glance in his direction, but let him carry on as they resumed their mundane conversation.

“Let’s uhh…go another way,” he quickly whispered, the two of them skulking out of view.

Kaito ducked his head under his hood and stuck his hands in his pockets, wanting to keep as much of himself as he could out of sight. His name should have been on every morning news report, whispered on police radios, shouted throughout the city. Instead, he was just another face moving through the flow of Tokyo, unnoticed by everyone just as he always was.

He let himself imagine that he had in fact died from the long fall, but somehow had magically returned to this realm as a half dead ghost, a spirit slinking through the sidewalk cracks. But the pack of cigarettes in his left pocket was real, and even more miraculously, untouched by the rain. He fished it out, struck his dragon embossed lighter, and took a deep inhale.

His reflection blinked at him from a convenience store window, painting a portrait of messy blonde hair, rain matted and stuck up like wet paintbrush bristles. He was in need of a haircut, but liked the rugged look. It made him feel like a manga protagonist. His face was cut along the jaw, blood drying to rust, but the smoke caressed the dark circles under his eyes with a warm touch.

He lifted a finger to his temple and rubbed the surface behind his eyes. As far as he was aware he couldn't feel any haemorrhaging or brain damage. "Okay. Cool. Probably just a concussion then. I feel a little spacey, but nothing too bad. Can’t be anything that serious, right Girl?"

Her tail hadn’t stopped wagging since he found her, and he took that as a good omen.

A small shop ahead sent curls of sweet aroma into the street, alleviating some of the pressure from his pulsing head. Tamagoyaki sizzled on the griddle alongside miso soup steaming in bowls, ready for purchase. His stomach growled. He couldn’t remember when his last meal was. His mother was the farthest thing from a chef, and there was only so much cup ramen one person could handle without going crazy.

“You wait here, I’ll be right back.”

Taking a final drag, the cigarette met the ground in a blink of sparks, and he strolled into the open doorway.

Behind the counter, the cook barely looked up at him. Kaito pointed to a tray of tamagoyaki and miso, his stomach rumbling now at the sight of the steaming dishes.

“Hey boss, how much is one of those gonna run me?”

He had no intention of paying, but before the cook could even look up to respond, a flicker of movement entered the corner of Kaito’s eye.

A malformed figure slinked unnaturally next to him, slowly stepping in unbalanced movements towards the counter.

“Nah, no way man. I’m not letting some drunk guy get a hot meal before me,” he said, taking a step in front of the figure.

Ignoring him, the figure lunged past him and dove straight onto the counter towards the cook, knocking trays of dishes that clattered down onto the floor as it swung wildly.

"What the-hey! Get out of here!" Kaito shouted, swinging a fist that hit into something unfamiliar, but he was too agitated to process it.

The figure hissed in response, toppling tables and chairs in its reach, smashing porcelain plates to pieces. The shop's cook clanged a bell at the mess being made, agitated, like steam was about to start flowing out of his ears. Kaito ducked under a chair, rolled, punched again, and rolled toward the door as him and the figure traded blows.

“You both get out of here! You’re crazy! Messing up my shop!” The cook yelled, throwing pots and pans towards them.

The fight spilled into the street as pedestrians gasped and stepped back. Kaito vaulted a railing, swung his leg in a spinning kick that coursed with dark energy, and landed in a crouch, as Girl barked manically to protect her new friend.

The figure staggered back, hissing, while its claws scraped concrete that sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

“Damn dude, you barely look human. Maybe I should go get my head checked out after this.”

The Morningstar soared at him in reply.

From a block up, Ishikawa and Sengen stood perched on the rooftop, overlooking the city. The commotion from down below drew their attention, the loud cries interrupting their discussion.

"Look over there…that kid. Is he in a full out brawl with a Morningstar?" Sengen said, curious.

“Hmm, sure looks like one. Hard to tell from this far, but their human forms are never too convincing.”

“Look at that guy’s movements too. He’s so fast. And that energy engulfing his body is more than just Sacred Current…it looks just like how Utsuro agents operate. There’s no way he’s actually vowed with a Morningstar, let alone a member of the Bureau!”

"Who knows how low the acclaimed Bureau of Quiet will stoop. They’d start strolling infants around if they thought it’d keep the monsters at bay. They can barely do their job as is, " Ishikawa replied distastefully. "But you're right, there’s definitely something going on with him. If he survives, remind me to check up on him."

Back down in the street, Kaito and the Morningstar continued their dance. Catching one of the creature’s veiny limbs with a wild swing, he pulled him close and struck a blazing fist into the cavity of the creature’s chest.

It shrieked and recoiled in pain, frustrated by the human that could fight back. The lack of Kaito’s fear made the Morningstar grow weaker and weaker, his fangs too dull to even attempt to pierce his skin.

It made one final lunge, a fear filled attempt at tasting flesh. Kaito ducked, rolled beneath it, and launched a flurry of punches that found their mark on the beast’s underside. It staggered, clawed at the air, and finally collapsed face down. It’s human appearance shook violently, then briefly reverted to true demonic looking form, before evaporating into blackened smoke.

Kaito stood hunched over, gasping and trying to regain his breath. Onlookers had surrounded him, confused by what had just gone down. He stared at his hands, palm up, noticing how he could feel every nerve, every vein, every cell. What looked like a black mirage of ink was hovering just above the outline of his fingers.

He looked down at Girl. “Does this look as messed up to you as it does to me?”

A low growl bellowed out. Kaito quickly glanced up, anticipating another attack. The sound came again, but it was low. Clutching a hand to his stomach, he felt the rumble.

“Dammit, I’m still starving. C’mon Girl, we’re gonna have to look somewhere else.”

A sparrow perched on a traffic light swooped down, drawing Girl’s attention. She crouched her head down, ready to play, eyes locked on her target. The sparrow fluttered its wings, and she pounced forward to chase after its departure, the two dashing down the street in a game of tag.

“Hey! Where you going?! I didn’t get you any food yet! Come back Girl!” Kaito yelled, but it was no use.

He was too exhausted to chase after her, but he hoped she would be able to find something to eat somewhere. And find her owner, if she had one.

“Okay, then. I’ll see you around.” Putting his head down, he disappeared back into the crowd.