"Hanako! wake up!"
Suddenly, with a gasp, she was violently awakened from her torment. Her eyes shot open, and she found herself back in her own bed, bathed in the soft, comforting glow of moonlight. Her body was drenched in cold sweat, and her breath came in ragged, uneven gasps. It was a nightmare, just a silly nightmare...
As panic threatened to overwhelm her, she felt a reassuring presence by her side. It was her demon, Ryu, the same one who had sat by her side as she slept in that nightmare. His eyes radiated a gentle, soothing light. He reached out a hand, his touch cool and calming as he helf her face in his palm. "It's okay," he whispered in a voice like a soft breeze rustling through leaves. "You're safe now. It was just a bad dream." The girl's trembling subsided as she gazed into the demon's eyes, finding solace in their warmth. He had become her protector, her anchor in the storm of her nightmares. With his presence, the lingering tendrils of fear began to recede, replaced by a sense of security. His eyes widened as Hanako threw her arms over him for a hug, her racing heart gradually slowed its pace.
The girl's breaths became steadier, and her body relaxed in the safety Ryu's embrace. In that vulnerable moment, she realized that even though he hailed from a realm of darkness, he had become a source of light and comfort in her life. Tears escaped her eyes as she realized she was no longer in that hectic dreamscape. He hugged her back gently, making sure he doesn't apply too much strength on her already frail body. "Ryu, there's something wrong with me. I keep seeing you in my dreams, and a strange demon with an eye patch-" "What?"
His reaction was immediate, a swirl of emotions flashing across his usually composed face. His fiery eyes widened with shock, his brow furrowing in confusion, and a hint of fear flickered in their depths. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. "A demon with an eye patch... you said..." The girl nodded slowly, her own anxiety growing as she sensed the unease in Ryu's reaction. She had not anticipated such a strong response. Her demon friend's shoulders tensed, and he took a step back, as if the revelation had physically pushed him away. His gaze remained locked on her, his eyes a turbulent mix of emotions. "Why would you see him?" he asked, his voice now tinged with a trace of fear. "That's... that's not supposed to happen."
"Ryu..." silence engulfed them as they both stared at each other. Ryu knew something Hanako did not, and she sensed that from the very beginning of their friendship. Although he somehow seemed to know every detail about her life, she found herself unable to name a single fact she knew about him. The girl felt a pang of guilt. She had unintentionally brought up a painful and forbidden part of her Ryu's past, a part he had likely kept hidden from her purposefully. She realized that her presence in that dream had stirred something unexpected, something that had the potential to disrupt the balance of their connection. "Tell me what's going on with me? Who is that demon? Do you know who he is?" She bombarded him with questions, questions that have been circling around in her head for too long now. Ryu, hearing all her questions, sat down next to her in defeat. "I guess it's about time you knew Hanako..."
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His birth in the demon realm was unremarkable, much like any other demon's arrival into that realm of darkness. He emerged from the chaotic abyss with the same malevolent tendencies as his fellow demons, his sole purpose to be a negative influence in his human's life, it is how a demon's strength shows after all. In his early years, The demon was no different from the rest of his kind. He reveled in the torment and suffering he inflicted upon his human, who had already endured a childhood full of misery. He took a perverse pleasure in making her existence unbearable, from influencing her to make bad decisions, to getting her in trouble with her abusive father. His cruelty knew no bounds. His fellow demons applauded his sadistic nature, considering him exemplary in fulfilling their dark purpose. They celebrated his relentless efforts to break his poor human's spirit, a task he carried out with malicious enthusiasm.
He even caught the eye of one of the mightiest second-ranking demons at the time, Genji. He started training under him, learning to fight in hopes of getting promoted after his human's demise. It is said that if a demon preforms well during his time on earth, they get to outlive their human to work alongside third-ranking demons, fighting angels and caring for the demon realm, which was a great honor in the young demon's eyes. So, Ryu dedicated most of his childhood to achieve this goal. The training regimen was grueling, with every lesson designed to harness Ryu's innate demonic abilities and hone them into powerful tools for torment. Genji pushed Ryu to his limits, demanding absolute obedience and unwavering cruelty toward his human companion.
During that time, The young demon eagerly embraced the lessons. He learned to manipulate dark energies, conjure tormenting nightmares, and revel in the suffering of his human counterpart. The mentor's words were harsh, his methods merciless, and Ryu found himself immersed in a culture of cruelty and dominance. His mentor emphasized that a demon's power lay in their ability to break their human companion's spirit completely. The goal was to strip away any remnants of hope, leaving only despair in its wake. Genji took sadistic pleasure in demonstrating the effectiveness of these methods, and Ryu absorbed every lesson with a ruthless determination to excel. Despite his mentor's psychopathic side, Ryu still shared a special bond with him. Genji's odd sense of humor and Ryu's cold, unbothered demeanor seemed to get along more than expected. As the years passed, Ryu grew into a formidable force among his fellow demons. His cruelty and skill in tormenting humans was unmatched. He reveled in his prowess and the respect he earned among his demonic peers, basking in the accolades that came with his ruthless approach.
While Ryu was simultaneously training in the demon realm under the watchful eye of his mentor, he also spent significant time in the human world, closely observing Hanako's life from her earliest years of their childhood. He had been assigned to torment her, but in those early days, he had no reservations about watching her family's abuse unfold. His presence in the human world was shrouded in secrecy, an unseen force that observed her life from the shadows. He watched as she grew from a vulnerable infant into a fragile child, her innocence slowly eroding in the face of her family's relentless abuse.
Her family, driven by their own cruelty and dysfunction, subjected her to a life filled with neglect and mistreatment. They saw her as a burden, a source of frustration and resentment, a murderer, who took her mother's life. Ryu witnessed the emotional and physical pain inflicted upon her, and it did not elicit sympathy from him. He was fully committed to his role as a tormentor, and her suffering only fueled his malevolence. As Hanako's childhood unfolded, the demon's presence remained a sinister specter in her life. He took pleasure in amplifying her nightmares, feeding off the fear and despair that his dark influence brought. He reveled in her anguish, believing it to be his sole purpose.
As the years passed and Ryu continued to watch Hanako's life from the shadows, a subtle transformation began to take root within him. It started as a faint, almost imperceptible tinge of sympathy that gradually grew stronger with each passing day. He couldn't help but notice the profound resilience that Hanako displayed in the face of unrelenting adversity. Her spirit, though battered and scarred, remained unbroken. It was her strength in the midst of suffering that first caught Ryu's attention.
It was a warm afternoon, Hanako was walking home alone after yet another uneventful day at school. He observed her steps closely, she walked with a slight stumble, being extra careful not to trip on anything sharp. Her life was at it's lowest, scars were all over her body. Even through all the physical discomfort she felt, she continued going forward, knowing that the place she was headed to was way worse than the one she was in right now. Despite that, there was an undeniable determination in her eyes, a spark of resilience that refused to be extinguished.
It was during this seemingly ordinary walk home that Hanako stumbled upon a small, abandoned kitten. The fragile creature, much like herself, was alone and in need of care. Despite her own dire circumstances, Hanako didn't hesitate to extend a hand of kindness. With a gentleness that seemed incongruous with her own suffering, Hanako crouched down and offered the kitten some of her meager food. She watched with a small, tender smile as the hungry kitten eagerly accepted her offering. In that simple act of compassion, Hanako's innate kindness shone brightly.
Ryu, who had been observing this scene from the shadows, was deeply moved by what he witnessed. The stark contrast between Hanako's own hardships and her willingness to extend a helping hand to another living being struck a chord within him. It was at that moment that Ryu's transformation truly began. He realized that there was more to life than the relentless pursuit of suffering and cruelty. Hanako's capacity for kindness, even in the face of her own pain, ignited a profound change within him. As he watched her nurture the kitten, Ryu felt a growing sense of empathy and admiration for Hanako. It was a turning point in his existence, as he started to question the darkness that had consumed him for so long. The tinge of sympathy that had been growing within him crystallized into a resolute determination to change his ways.
Over time, Ryu's transformation continued to evolve, fueled by the memory of that moment when Hanako's kindness had touched his cold heart. He found himself drawn to her acts of compassion and resilience, and an unspoken bond began to form between them. He watched as Hanako's life continued to present her with challenges and hardships, but she faced them with an unwavering spirit. Her determination to find moments of beauty and to extend kindness to those in need became a source of inspiration for him. Ryu's initial malevolence began to wane, replaced by a growing desire to be there for Hanako in a different way. He understood that he couldn't erase the pain he had caused her, but he was determined to make amends and protect her from further harm.
Slowly and cautiously, Ryu began to intervene in subtle ways. He would spare her from particularly cruel nightmares to offer her moments of fleeting comfort in her dreams, and ensure that any dark energy from the realm kept its distance. His actions were discreet, for he knew that any overt kindness might alarm his mentor. As he watched over Hanako, Ryu found himself becoming more human-like in his emotions and intentions. He began to experience guilt and remorse for the suffering he had once inflicted upon her. It was a painful process of self-reflection and redemption, one that challenged his very nature as a demon.
During the period of Ryu's transformation, Hanako's life seemed to spiral into an even deeper abyss of suffering. The abuse from her family continued unabated, the relentless bullying at school showed no signs of stopping, and a string of seemingly endless bad luck followed her like a shadow. As the weight of these hardships bore down on Hanako, her once-unyielding determination began to wane. The spark of resilience that had defined her character flickered in the face of relentless adversity. Her world became a place of despair, and she could see no way out of the darkness that surrounded her.
Then came that fateful day when Hanako's pain became too overwhelming to bear. Driven to the brink of desperation, she stood precariously on the edge of a bridge, contemplating a tragic escape from the ceaseless suffering that had consumed her existence. As Ryu observed Hanako teetering on the precipice of despair, a whirlwind of emotions roared within him. Guilt, remorse, and sorrow surged through his being, threatening to engulf him. The weight of the pain he had contributed to, the agony he had inflicted upon her, bore down on him with unbearable force...
However, amidst this tempest of emotions, a profound determination took root in Ryu's heart. He was resolute in his mission to alter the course of Hanako's life, to become the glimmer of hope she so desperately needed.