CH 8 : A Day in Life of Kazuya

I woke up with a hazy swirl of memories from the night before. The remnants of brutal encounter still lingered in the corners of my mind. My body ached, but the adrenaline had long since faded and I was fine for now.

The dim light of the morning filtered through curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I felt the cool sheets against my skin, and the sharp contrast of the warmth of the bed from the biting chill in the air. I let out a deep breath, my body still sluggish with exhaustion.

My gaze shifted to the side, and there it was — my new companion. Espeon, a psychic-type Pokemon, curled up beside my study desk, eyes half-lidded and radiating a quiet calm. The purple gem on its forehead glinted in the weak sunlight. I couldn't help but smile, though it was a faint one, as I gazed at the creature that was now buddy.

"Morning, Espeon" I muttered, voice hoarse from the tension of his past fight. My voice barely rose above a whisper, but Espeon stirred and looked at him with its intelligent, violet eyes. It blinked slowly, as if to acknowledge my presence, and then stretched, its graceful movements a reminder of the ethereal power it held.

I sat up, pushing aside the blankets, rubbing my face.

Espeon tilted its head, as if considering my question. With a soft trill, it hopped off the desk and padded closer to me, its fur brushing lightly against my legs. Its psychic energy conveyed a sense of understanding. It seemed to reassure that everything was okay, at least for now.

I chuckled softly, running a hand through my messy hair. "You're not much for talking, are you? Guess we'll get used to each other."

With a few more soft steps, Espeon turned and began to walk toward the door, as though silently asking me to follow. I shook my head but smiled at the gesture, "Alright, alright. Let's get something to eat. You need energy too, right?"

Standing up, I stretched and then made my way downstairs to the dimly lit kitchen. My stomach growled, a reminder of just how hungry I was. Despite everything that had happened, I was still just a regular guy who needed to eat.

As I stepped into the kitchen, I couldn't help but smile at the familiar feeling of stepping into a space I knew all too well. Cooking was something I always did back in my world, and even now, it felt comforting. I now had Yukihira style of cooking, where every dish was meant to impress with bold flavours and precise technique.

Espeon followed me into the kitchen, eyes curiously watching me as I set to work. I grabbed a few ingredients from the sparse kitchen.

"How about something hearty today?" I said, glancing at Espeon as I cracked eggs into a bowl. "We'll make something special."

I added a little more flair to the dish than usual, just to spice things up, and then tossed in some ingredients, my hands moved swiftly. Espeon hopped onto the counter, sitting elegantly beside me, its tail flicking back and forth.

With each step, I felt a sense of purpose again — of normalcy, even though the world around me had completely changed. I glanced at Esp, "I don't know where this new path is leading me, but maybe... just maybe, having you by my side will make it more interesting"

As I plated the food, I set down a portion for Espeon, who sniffed at it curiously before eating with a gentle grace. I took my own plate, taking in the comforting flavours that had once been so familiar.

"Not bad, huh?" I muttered with a small smile, taking a bite, settling into the moment, feeling the warmth of the food and the quiet of the morning.

. . .

As I stood at the sink, rinsing off the last of the dishes. The sound of water running and the occasional clink of porcelain against the sink seemed to fade into the background as my thoughts turned inward. My hands worked on autopilot, but my focus was on new abilities, specifically the compress quirk I got last night.

It had been a strange and unexpected gift. Compressing matter into a small, compact form, like a portable black hole — a technique that seemed perfect for both offense and defense. The idea of shrinking an object down, then expanding it with a mere thought, held endless potential for battles. I had already begun to come up with ideas on how to mix it with the ice powers.

I paused, tilting my head as I thought about how to combine the two for more damage. Perhaps compressing ice into a concentrated orb and launching it at enemies or using ice powers to create large, complex structures — then compressing them into tiny, portable forms, using them as weapons or traps.

Maybe throw a road roller at enemies?

The possibilities were exciting, and with the creativity of my mind, I could see endless applications to it.

Espeon, quietly watching me, purred softly beside me. I glanced down at Esp with a faint smile. The bond between us was still new, but there was a quiet understanding in its eyes. Its calm presence helped me center my thoughts, grounding me amidst the storm of new powers and memories swirling around in my head.

"Thanks for sticking with me, Espeon," I murmured, still washing the dishes. "I don't know what I'd do without you right now."

Espeon flicked its tail in response, its eyes gleaming with quiet affection, but it didn't say anything — as always, its psychic energy was enough.

Suddenly, a sharp sound interrupted my thoughts. The doorbell rang. Who would be bothering me at this hour? On Sunday?!

At first, I thought it might be a mistake — maybe someone who had gotten lost since his parents were not alive, and relatives never checked on him. But then, with my enhanced senses kicked in. A cold, sharp awareness washed over me, an instinct I was fully grown accustomed to. I could sense them clearly — the devils.

Rias and her peerage.

My mind flashed to the previous night. The stray devil that I had killed, the blood-stained walls of the abandoned building, and the ice that had nearly consumed everything. The place had been frozen solid in an instant and it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

Rias Gremory and her peerage were here. They were the ones ringing the bell.

Fuck.

I let out a long, frustrated sigh. Of course, this would happen. It wasn't like I'd expected to just slip into this new life without consequences. The devils were bound to notice a rogue force in the area, especially one with the power to freeze an entire building in the blink of an eye.

I set the dish down with a soft clink, brows furrowed. Espeon, sensing the change in my mood, looked up at me with curiosity.

"Looks like we have company…" I muttered, turning my head slightly to glance over at the door. "And I'm guessing it's not a friendly visit."

I ran a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. The last thing I wanted to deal with was a confrontation, especially now when I was still adjusting to this new life. But I knew what had to be done.

Wiping hands on a towel, my expression grew more serious. "They're probably here to ask questions… about the stray devil"

Espeon meowed softly, as if urging me to take action.

I walked toward the door, my mind already racing through the options, not that I was afraid.

But my Sunday was ruined, and my disappointment was immeasurable.

The doorbell rang again, more insistent this time. I took a deep breath, steadying myself "Alright, Espeon… let's see how this goes."

As I was about to get to the door, I glanced back at Espeon, who had followed me to the entrance. It was poised and calm, its eyes still filled with quiet curiosity, but I knew that Rias Gremory and her peerage would pester me about it.

Espeon wasn't just any ordinary Pokemon — it was a powerful psychic-type, and its aura was unmistakable. There was no way I'd be able to hide its presence from them if they focused on it. Rias and her peerage were devils, each of them highly attuned to spiritual and magical energy. They would know that something was off the moment they sensed Espeon.

Without thinking twice, I placed my hand on Espeon, my mind honing in on the Pokemon's form. The air around Espeon shimmered slightly as I manipulated my power, causing it's form to shrink.

Within a heartbeat, Espeon was reduced to a tiny, compact orb of energy, no bigger than the size of a marble. The once graceful Pokémon now condensed into an ethereal ball of psychic power, resting on my palm.

It's like a pokeball.

I exhaled slowly, a sense of relief washing over me. I could still feel Espeon's presence, its essence intact, but now hidden from view, sealed away in a form that would be nearly impossible for anyone to detect unless they were actively scanning for it. And I could just refuse to show the marble and I know they won't force me to show it.

Better to let them think I have a special marble than a special creature.

I glanced over my shoulder at the door, hearing the doorbell ring once more, this time with more insistence. Rias and her peerage were getting impatient.