Chapter 2. A new life as... A waiter?
Naruto balanced precariously on his tippy toes as he swerved around drunken customers holding large glasses of beer. It seemed the job he was promised was the job of a waiter. He really didn't mind of course, but he would have much rather been the bartender. A man stood up abruptly, making the blonde lose his balance. Naruto spun in a circle to avoid falling while managing to not spill a single drop of alcohol. He set the beer on a table full of drunken men in business suits, who were laughing up a storm at their private jokes.
"Nice save," Naruto turned towards the voice. Tsui-ling stood behind the bar washing a glass. Right, Tsui-ling was the bartender. No way was he going to get the job. Tsui-ling continued,"I knew it was a good idea to hire you! It's been six months since we found you on our roof and you've been nothing but help!" she said. Naruto lightly blushed at the praise. Twenty years as a Hokage and he still wasn't used to it.
"Well I'm glad you took me in. I didn't have anywhere else to go..." he trailed off, as he rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "So what will you have me do tonight after closing?" he asked. Tsui-ling looked at the analogue clock resting on the wall.
"Is it time already?" she asked. Naruto nodded his head in confirmation. "All right. You can take the floors, while I clean the counters. Where is Kazuma anyways? He's usually back by now," she tapped her chin in thought. Naruto looked at the girl curiously. How did an innocent and young woman like her, get her hands on a bar? He shook his head at the stray thought. Better not to know.
"I bet you he had to chase a cat again. You know how he's always damaging people's property. Probably got roped into fixing something, again." Naruto replied. Tsui-ling nodded her head as she herded the drunken customers out of her establishment.
"I wish he would be more careful," she said quietly as she closed the door behind the last man.
"Hey now, there is no need to worry. I'm sure he's fine." Naruto said comfortingly. He put his hands on her shoulders. Tsui-ling gave a large sniff before finally breaking down, almost tackling Naruto in a hug.
"I'm worried! He goes out every morning and comes back worn out, covered in mud or whatever else he gets into. He's been so tired lately. I think he's getting overstressed." Naruto shushed her quietly as he rubbed her back. He made soothing sounds in her ear as she sobbed into his chest. Finally, after what seemed like forever to Naruto, she stepped back and wiped her eyes.
"Thanks. I needed that." she said. Naruto flashed her a grin.
"What are employees for?" he asked wryly. She laughed at his joke before pointing to the mop.
"Start cleaning," she ordered, all emotion from before replaced by the hard eyesbefore him.
"Yes ma'am." he said, mock saluting. She tossed a rag at him before returning to her own duties.
XxXLINEBREAKXxX
Naruto awoke with a start. His senses were going haywire. He could feel a demonic presence. Naruto tossed his covers aside before sitting up. He slowly moved to the other side of the room . It was night... finally. He shivered as the cold air blew in through the window. Kazuma should be home by now, so there was no way he would see him by accident. Naruto bit his thumb and drew a line on his arm. A seal appeared and in a poof, a black uniform appeared on his body. Black... wasn't an accurate description. It was a smoky mix of black and a lighter shade of gray.
The mottled shades had an illusion of flickering shadows. It was the perfect thing to wear in an urban environment. Naruto flexed his arm experimentally. It still fit. He looked across the room to his coat hanging on the wall. Not tonight, he thought.
Naruto let his senses take over. His 6th sense pulled him toward the window like a moon towards a planet. Naruto upped his own energy to match the other. It seemed to take notice. Too much notice.
Naruto took a great leap from the window, upping his demonic energy once again. A challenge. Naruto accepted. Naruto spun in mid-air before landing in a flat crouch on an adjacent rooftop. He took off running and dodged a clothes line before vaulting to the next roof. A simple task for him. A phantom creature floated from the shadows of an alleyway. Naruto came to an abrupt stop and jumped down. He took a good look at the creature. After a moment, he realised.
"I came all this way... got dressed... in my badass costume... FOR A KITTEN?" Naruto shouted.
The phantom kitten rolled a ball of yarn towards Naruto. He bent over to pick it up.
"All this for no reason? I want a fight..." He whispered. A large roar pierced the air. Naruto felt the presence again. "Sorry kitty... I gotta go." he said. Naruto tossed the ball of yarn back. The kitten mewled pitifully before attacking the ball of yarn. Naruto almost stayed to watch the ghostly kitten, but he decided not to and instead broke into a jog towards the real demonic presence.
xXxLINEBREAKxXx
"Nice, Gato." A young girl said as she waved her hand through the kitten. "He almost saw us. Strange clothing these Chinese people wear..." She brushed her brown hair behind her ear. Her brown eyes flashed dangerously. "No one can stop us. We will find the Barrier Breaker and have him tell us his secrets."
She laughed maliciously, her voice echoing across the buildings' imposing walls. Suddenly...
"SHUT UP! IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME TO DEAL WITH YOU DRUNKS, TONIGHT!" A man yelled out his window. He tossed a shoe at the girl. It collided with the girls head, knocking her over. She held the shoe angrily, shaking it in the air.
"WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP? DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO PERFECT THAT EVIL LAUGH?" she yelled back. The man closed his window with a huff.
xXxLINEBREAKxXx
Naruto came to an abrupt stop in the city park. A spark of youkai alerted his 6th sense. He turned towards a park bench. There was... a masked man sitting there. His legs were crossed, as he held himself with grace and his mask covered half of his face.
"Why, hello there. Are you the anomaly I felt tonight?" he asked. Naruto knew this was his challenger.
"Perhaps..." Naruto said. Information is earned, not given, he thought to himself.
"Let's cut to the chase. I can feel you. You are a Youma. Just like me." He paused. Naruto felt like the man had just told him a big secret. He just had no idea what this 'youma' was...
"I want to know... How did you get this power? I can share my own secret..." He continued, pausing once again. Naruto let out a sigh... another person who obsesses over drama. Might as well see where this goes. Half the truth sometimes works.
"I was the heir of a powerful..." What was the word he used? "...Youma." He said.
"I see," said the masked man. "Am I to assume it was a Behemoth? That kind of power could only be a Behemoth's." Once again, Naruto was confused but he kept his composure.
"A Demon Lord." He said. Let's play his game...
"I see...like my Master." It was said to himself. The man laughed aloud.
"Doesn't the drama excite you?" He asked amidst his laughter. Naruto sweat dropped. He was waiting for that.
"It's the moment where two men are having an exciting showdown of wits!" the man continued to ramble. Naruto felt his time with this guy was coming to a close.
"But I had a reason for leading you here." he said. Finally a point to this meeting... "I am going to do something big soon, and I thought you might want to be a part of it. Demon to Demon. Vis a Vis. Mano e Mano." This guy was obviously insane, and if he heard correct, was just the lackey of a 'Demon Lord'. Not something he wanted to be involved in.
The odd man continued, "I am Bernhardt Rhodes and I formally invite you to Pandemonium."
He extended a hand. Naruto shook it.
"For now..." He said, gripping the pretty boy's hand tightly.
Bernhardt smiled. "That is all I ask for."
A/N What do you think? Leave a Review, please! If you don't... Bad things will happen. Really! I can't tell you what, but believe me...
