The Neko

'''In July last year, a former disabled care home employee killed 19 and injured more than 20 in a knife attack in what is believed to be the deadliest mass killing in post-war Japan.

In early October, police arrested a man after he allegedly murdered his wife and five children and set fire to their house.'''"

'Oh, swell! Some nut makes trouble and for that, makes me late for the big game! Perfect ending for an awful day. Boss turns me down for a raise, my kid needs braces, and Aika's making meat loaf for dinner... at what point exactly did I become life's punching bag?'

That's exactly what I told myself out loud as I drove down Tokyo's streets, before the cops come speeding my way. I swerve to let them go by.

"Go on, push me aside, big shot! No reason anyone should move over and make way for Haruto Akihiro."

That's when some asshole decides to mess with me and speed out right in front of me.

"HEY!" I yelled, "Oh, that's it! No signal, no nothing! Just treat me like I don't exist. Sorry comrade, not this time!"

I chased down the lunatic driver, opened up the car window and hollered, "Hey buddy! Yeah, I'm talking to you motherfucker! You think you own the whole road? Well, for two cents I'd--"

-CRASH!-

I jumped out of my seat when I felt something roll off the hood of my car, I slammed the breaks and turned the car off.

"Oh, Jesus Christ!" I panicked.

I got out to see if the person or animal was alright.

"Hey buddy," I called out, "are you alright?"

And what I saw made me cringe...

The person or, thing, has shaggy black hair that sweeps over it's right eye and human shoulders that blend with over sized, black, plush arms which are sewn together from his elbow to it's knuckles and end in large clawed hands. It wore a high-collared sleeveless shirt with exposed sides and tied together using string in a "X" pattern that follows down the seams of it's shirt, where twin buckled straps hang loosely off of it. As well, it wore a black cape that draped over it's shoulders and falls down it back, branching off into two ribbons that had large bells tied to them, tight black pants and long, pointed black shoes. The thing wore the same collar cats wear, tied around it's neck with the bell resting at it's center; acting as the container of the Intention's most painful memories, though it has since been destroyed.

Though appearing more human-like in this form, this creature retains it's pointed ears, fangs and long black tail of a cat. I then noticed the empty eye socket that was hidden by the black hair of the percaline devil.

"What the hell...?" I shuddered at the site of the monster.

I wanted to take a snapshot of the creature I struck with my vehicle, but I felt as if I did so, the creature would go Apeshit and attack me. Like poking a bear with a stick. As I looked at the hood, I saw blood on the front of the car, and on the windshield which was cracked from the impact.

Shit, this was gonna cost me a lot of yen for this car, but that wasn't what got me. What got me was how I was going to explain the creature to my wife. She isn't gonna believe me, but I didn't care, I just want to get this off my chest.

As I drove home to our apartment, I noticed the smell of meatloaf. Damn, she knows I hate this stuff, but does she listen? Nooo, she makes it anyway. I swear, I was up to here with this. While we're at the table, Aika asked me about work, I told her two words, 'It sucked'. She knew that I would come home with no paycheck from my stubborn boss, and we already scheduled Kai's dental checkup for braces. And I knew the dentist would want to pay us, since I knew we're basically broke as hell. After dinner, I went to my room to get dressed into my pajamas, and when I did so, I heard Kai call my name from the apartment balcony.

"What is it Kai?" I called out.

"Something's climbing up the apartment!"

"What?" I said, now becoming concerned.

Me and my wife ran over and pulled open the screen door and rushed over to where Kai was. What I saw made my wife scream, and me shudder...

I saw the same exact thing I ran over earlier, climbing up the side of the building similar to the style of a spider or lizard. I was frozen, mouth agape, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. The strange monster reached the balcony and crouched on the rail.

"Haruto, do something!" Aika said, fear in her voice as she huddled her son.

I saw the blood on it's mouth, the wounds from my car, and the bloodshot feline eyes as it practically glowed in the dark. My wife begged me to attack it or something, but the creature heard her, and tilted it's head like a dog as it looked on. I stepped forward, eyed the monster, and thoughts began swirling around my head. What I meant to say was "What do you want" in kind of a 'stand-offish' tone. But what I managed to choke out was a whimper, "...What?"

And words cannot explain how terrified I was, cause I swear on Buddha himself, the thing spoke! It answered back!

"お父さん…" (Dad-ee…)

My eyes were now the size of pie pans as it spoke, like a child, "お父さん…" (Dad-ee…)

My wife was on the verge of tears, and I was in absolute shock. I felt as if I would run out of the apartment at any moment.

"こんにちは. お父さん. " (Hello. Dad-ee.)

My wife begged me to do something, so I did something.

"Both of you, get in the car now... It's me it wants."

I knew it wanted me, it was calling me 'daddy'. As soon as they got their things, and ran out. I shut the door, and turned to face the thing. My mouth went dry. It took several tries before he could speak. But it came out barely a whisper. "W-why... Why are you scaring my family...?"

"しかし私はあなたの家族です. " (But I am your family.)

The longer it talked the more I became afraid. An icy feeling nestled in my stomach. "Who are you?"

"訪問に来た誰か. " (Someone who came to visit.)

I gulped, "Why here?"

"私はここに住んでいました. " (I used to live here.)

I licked his dry lips. "W-we're leaving the apartment right now, you can have it."

"私は家を望んでいない. " (I don't want the house.) It said, "私はあなたが欲しいです. " (I want you.)

With all the strength I can muster, I asked the question, "Are... Are you, the Devil?"

It smiled, and then bent over laughing. I was a bit confused as to why it was having a laughing fit.

"ハハハッハッハ！ああ、これは再び冗談！ハハハッハッハ！" (*Laughing* Oh God this joke again! *Laughing*)

It then finished and said, "いいえ、いいえ、私は悪魔ではありません. それはよくある誤解です. " (No, no, I am not the Devil, it's a common misconception.)

"Then, how do you know me?"

That's when it hit me. The bell around it's neck. It said... "Nero"...

No, no, no, it, it can't be... Our family cat... Our cat that died from an on coming car... I couldn't look away, my eyes glued to the bell, not breaking contact for some time. My vision was getting blurry until I couldn't see very well, my face grew wet. I was crying, like a baby.

There was nothing I could do to hold back the tears. I was with this cat from the start, I built him up to greatness, and was then forced to watch his decline after a tragic accident, and now…he was…this. This thing, this abomination.

I watched him turn into a monster.

"Nero… Nero I'm so sorry! I'm sorry you're this way! This was all my fault! I should've known better that car was heading towards you! I should've stopped you! Stopped the car! Everything!"

"しかし、あなたは私と再びあなたを襲った. " (But you hit me again with yours.)

"Yes, and I'm sorry for that too! I... I love you!"

Nero then began to hug me, like no one has ever hugged me before. I think I even heard him purr.

"私もあなたを愛してます. " (I love you too.)

After that, I went to my car, and moved to my parents house around the Taito district. I never went back, even though Nero never meant to hurt me, but I wasn't taking any chances.

The next morning, I went back home from work, my boss never gave me a raise still, but at least my kid got braces, and after my traumatizing experience, anything would taste great about now.

Even meatloaf.