Chapter 3: Enter the Demon
It was completely different from what she had expected.
First of all, wet white flakes of snow fell constantly from the brackish sky, and they clung to her dress like they were little children. They chilled her to the bone; she had not supposed that it would ever be this cold anywhere. The wind did not help either, blowing the pale flakes every which way, so they stuck in her hair or hit her unprotected face.
The planet had always seemed so blue from up above, either that or green, but upon arriving in Tokyo, all she could see was grey. Grey buildings, grey sky, grey sidewalks…she felt trapped in a world of monotonous un-color, where she alone stood out like a sore thumb. Everyone around her had black hair and brown or black eyes. She could hear whispers all around her and could see small children pointing at her vibrant hair. Of course, she amended, they could have just as easily been pointing at her clothes. She was obviously underdressed, her pale skin covered only by a light silky fabric, which was standard in the Overworld, but certainly not on Earth.
Sakura sneezed. As she rubbed her frigid nose, she gazed about at the bustling environment surrounding her. How was she going to find her destination in all of this? All of the buildings around her looked the same, and she couldn't read the street signs. Yukito had blessed her with the ability to speak Japanese before she had left on her mission, but she still was hopeless when it came to translating the bizarre symbols adorning the grey signposts.
If she couldn't find a restaurant, how could she possibly find the Demon's Bane in the city chaos? Fighting the urge to break down and cry in the middle of the street, Sakura instead took a deep breath and fired up her determination. After all, Yukito was watching her all the time, and she couldn't let him down.
He trusted her to complete this mission…so she couldn't let him down.
Bolstered by her blazing reverence for the Grand Cardinal, she eagerly spotted an elderly man passing by. Without stopping to think, she grabbed the man by the shoulder and shouted "Um…do you know where I can find the Nonsense Café?"
The man blinked at the desperate young girl who had him by the collar. After contemplating how to best phrase his answer, he croaked "You're standing right in front of it, dearie."
After releasing the man, who immediately began to gasp for breath and complain about the "rudeness of the younger generation", Sakura stared up at the decorated sign above her, her face numb both from shock and cold. She shakily held up the piece of paper that served as her guide and saw that the scribbles on it and the ones on the sign matched.
Suddenly her face felt much warmer. She bowed an apology to the man she had accosted and slunk into the restaurant.
"I'm not quite sure I understand you," the man said after she had settled herself down, a quizzical look in his eyes. "You want a job?"
Sakura sneezed before answering. It was warm inside the café and her nose itched. Transitioning from such different temperatures was taking a strain on her system. "Yes," she replied carefully, aware of what would happen if she said something that gave her away. "I had heard from…a friend…that you were hiring waitresses. I don't have much experience…but I'll work very hard!"
"That's the part I don't understand," the man replied. He ruffled his short brown hair in confusion. "We haven't put out any help wanted ads lately. How long ago did this friend of yours tell you that we needed employees?"
Sakura's heart began to pound. "Uhm…I'm not really sure. It could have been a long time ago," she said quickly. "Do you, by any chance, have a job open for me now? I'm really desperate, Mr.…"
"Tereda," the man said with a smile. "You can call me Tereda-san."
"Right," Sakura exclaimed. "Tereda-san…" She was having difficulty using titles to address people, when all her life she had just called people by name. "I'm Sakura… Kinomoto," she added, attempting good Japanese manners.
After a short pause, the restaurant manager grinned and said, "If you don't mind me saying so, Sakura-san, you have a strange accent. Are you a foreigner?"
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She finally had a prepared answer to give him! "Yes," she said, her demeanor instantly becoming more cheerful, "I'm an American. My father, Fujitaka Kinomoto, was born here in Tokyo though." She smiled softly, remembering something that had been hidden in the corner of her mind. "I came here to Japan to look for him."
After hearing this, the manager seemed much more receptive to Sakura altogether. "Well, Sakura-chan…do you mind if I call you that?...it just so happens that we do have a job available. I'm assuming you live alone?"
"Yes," Sakura replied. "My friend lives with someone else, and I wouldn't want to impose on her, so I thought I'd look for a job and make my own way."
"How…how noble!" Tereda exclaimed, suddenly grasping Sakura's hands with his own large ones. "So young and already living on your own! Of course I'll give you a job here, Sakura-chan! You can start today!"
"Thank you so much, Tereda-san!" Sakura cheered. "I'll work very hard!"
She left the restaurant with a gleeful smile on her face as the manager of the Nonsense Café bid her a loud farewell. Everything had gone exactly as Yukito had predicted, and nobody suspected her of being an angel!
Still, she felt a little guilty…after all, she was deceiving people, and the Angel's Code had always taught her that lying under any conditions was wrong. But it was under Yukito-san's orders, and Yukito could do no wrong as far as she was concerned.
"We've narrowed it down to somewhere within fifteen kilometers of this point here," Yukito had told her, pointing to a small dot on his personal map.
Sakura's eyes glittered with excitement; it wasn't every day an angel like her got to look at one of Grand Cardinal Yukito's maps. She quickly realized that Yukito was still speaking and reluctantly tore her gaze away. "What we need you to do is position yourself within the center of this area. Your brother has already been kind enough to make arrangements for you."
"You did that for me, Toya?" Sakura said
"Don't mention it," Toya assented. "Check in at this hotel under the name Sakura Kinomoto; they'll have a room prepared for you. Follow the instructions that Yukito gave you, and you should be fine."
"Cerberus should contact you at some point," Yukito picked up, "so keep a sharp lookout for him. Above all," he continued, worry coloring his face, "be careful. We need the Demon's Bane, but not if your safety is compromised. If you are ever in danger, call for me and I will abort you from the mission."
Sakura's face flushed as she stared up at her mentor. "Yukito…"
Sakura leaned against a wall, giddy with happiness. "You don't have to worry, Yukito," she said to herself, closing her eyes with a dreamy reverence. "I'll find the Demon's Bane…I'll make sure that nobody else lays a hand on it…and then…"
She placed her light hands on her burning cheeks and said, "Then I'll become a full-fledged angel…and I'll finally be able to kiss you."
Far, far away from Sakura was a castle surrounded by bubbling brimstone. Flaming bits of rock would leap from the boiling rivers snaking around the kingdom. Few beings roamed the barren and infertile land, instead choosing to congregate around the castle. Their country was at war with an eternal enemy, and their leader could command them at any moment; they had to be watchful for any sign of movement, from both him and their foes.
Inside the castle, a young man paced slowly around his room as two other figures waited in front of him, visibly nervous. Their eyes followed their leader as he continued to walk from one side of the room to the other, determined not to look at them until he was certain he could control his wrath. The king, his father, had died only a year ago, leaving him with a country of poverty and a war he was finding impossible to manage.
But he thought he had found a weakness in his enemy…he thought he had. But something had gone wrong.
He stopped pacing, and the woman in front of him stiffened. Her master was never more fearsome than when he was silent. After a tense moment, during which the young ruler flicked his black whip of a tail dangerously through the air, the brown-haired demon spoke. "I gave you a job to do, Nakuru, did I not?"
The succubus gulped. She was finished if she couldn't calm him down. "Prince…"
"I sent you to the Overworld to accomplish a simple task. All you had to do was defeat two weaklings; the rest of the guard was asleep, or doing other duties. Kill them, and the prize was yours for the taking."
"Your highness, I—"
"You told me that the guardian beast arrived and got in your way, but even with that obstacle, Spinel," he continued, eyeing the black panther sitting next to Nakuru, "would have been able to at least hold him at bay while you made your escape. Anything would have been better…than letting the Demon's Bane, the ultimate weapon, FALL DOWN TO THAT MISERABLE PLANET!" The Prince's eyes gleamed demonic red as he punched his fist into a wall that quickly developed cracks.
"It was an error of judgment, my Lord Prince," Spinel whispered, bowing his head to avoid staring into the prince's crimson orbs. There was a rumor around the castle that staring into Prince Syaoran's eyes when he was in a fury would result in instant death. "Please…we became confused. The brat that held the weapon slipped and fell, and we had no idea—"
"You should have killed him on the spot!" Syaoran roared. "How dare you even show your face here after failing me? You're both lucky that I haven't killed you already!"
"Please, your Highness!" Nakuru begged, on her knees. "Please don't kill us! Give us another chance! I swear, we won't fail you again! We'll go down to Earth and…"
"You really think that I'll let you go down to Earth after that debacle?" Syaoran spat. "You're dumber than I first believed. One of my other minions will…"
The Prince lapsed into a sudden silence, which did nothing but frighten Nakuru more. However, she dared not moved; it was too dangerous when the Prince was in such a state. However, the fact that she was still alive comforted her more than a bit. No matter how fierce Prince Syaoran was, he seemed merciful compared to the old King, who would have slaughtered her and Suppi the moment they had announced their failure.
The prince breathed a harsh sigh. "Come out," he commanded, confusing Nakuru and Spinel even more. "I know you're here. You were always terrible at hiding from me."
A soft chuckle echoed through the still air and a bespectacled figure stepped out from a shadowed area of the room. He had an air of condescension about him that was obvious to even the most casual observer. A sly smile played across his face as he replied, "It took you a while to find me, though, did it not, cousin?"
Syaoran spat on the ground before the newcomer, who stood there impassively. "What do you want, Eriol?"
"My," Eriol said, "so suspicious already! I haven't even said anything to you yet, your highness." His own black tail whipped around playfully; he was obviously happy about something.
Syaoran glared; he didn't miss the sarcastic manner in which the other said 'your highness.' "I'm punishing my subordinates. Leave. Unless you want a taste of my wrath as well?"
Eriol observed the prince with a haughty grin. "All right then," he said. "Kill me. I know you've wanted to for a while…ever since I began contesting you for the throne."
"I won't kill you," Syaoran growled. "Even though you deserve it. I wouldn't want to sully my hands with your dirty blood."
"Is that the reason? Or are you afraid?" Eriol's violet eyes smiled through his glasses; quite suddenly he seemed vicious, like a wolf zeroing in on its kill. "You've never killed anyone, have you, little Syaoran?"
There was a silence. Syaoran had visibly stiffened, his rage turning into abrupt hesitation. "…What?" he managed to spit, uncomfortably aware that Nakuru and Spinel were staring at him with calculated hunger.
"You act like such a prince…so cunning, so hot with anger…just like the old king was. But I know what you really are: a mongrel who always wanted to be just like daddy, but never really deserved to be royalty." His face turned cold. "The ruler of those demons out there," he continued, casting his arm towards the window facing the castle courtyard, "should be someone of noble stature who understands what it truly means to lead. Someone like me. Your handling of this war has been disgraceful."
"Don't make me laugh," the other replied, trying not to show that he had been shaken. Eriol was always like this; he never missed an opportunity to humiliate him, especially when his underlings were in the room. "You couldn't lead a sinner to hell. What makes you think you could usurp my position?"
"I heard you bungled the operation to find the Demon's Bane."
This silenced the prince. How had he known about that? His demons had just delivered him the news!
"I would like to suggest something to you, my dear Prince," Eriol said in a low silky voice. "Learn to sleep with one eye open. Demon succession goes quickly, you know; your father was lucky to last so long. Sometime soon, you will follow the path of so many demon kings before you and be assassinated by the next heir to the throne…me." As a sign of dominance, he turned his back at the dumbstruck prince. Before he disappeared, he left a final parting remark: "Enjoy your last days in this realm, Syaoran. You'll want something nice to think about before I kill you."
Seconds later, there was only empty space where the demon had been standing. Syaoran inwardly cursed his slippery cousin; he had disapperated so that he could not be tailed by his guards later. "Nakuru," he snapped at the surprised succubus, "Where did the Demon's Bane fall?"
"Um…I believe our spy network said somewhere in the Eastern part of the world…in a place called 'Tokyo'," she stammered. Eriol had made an impression on her, but she could not disobey her prince. It would be the same as committing suicide.
"Are we to be sent to the human realm, my Lord Prince?" Spinel questioned.
"No," Syaoran barked. "No, I've learned something from your mistakes, at least. The only person I can rely on to do anything right is myself." A malicious grin formed on his face as he spoke. "I'll be going down to Earth alone. Then, we'll see if Eriol can handle this war better than me, eh?"
"No, Prince, it's too dangerous for you to do that!" Nakuru protested. "If something happens to you…"
"Then Eriol gets what he wants," Syaoran finished. "I don't mind dying by my own hand, but there's no chance I'll let that bastard kill me. And in case you get any ideas," he added, "I'll destroy anyone who gets in my way."
Spinel bowed his head, but knew that it was an empty threat. Eriol had planted the seed of rebellion and doubt during his brief visit, just as he had intended. If the prince had truly never killed before, then there was nothing to fear. "Understood," he said. "Nakuru and I will prepare for your departure immediately.
After his minions left the room, Syaoran threw himself onto his bed dejectedly. Damn, he sulked, If only Eriol didn't always show up, maybe he could get something accomplished. The Old King never had to deal with anyone like him…
His father was famous, a bloodthirsty demon who was known to use blackmail, torture, and mass murder of demons and angels alike in order to meet his goals. Demons throughout the Underworld revered him as a God, spreading rumors that he was a descendent of the First Rebels, the angels who had risen up against the Original Lord of the Overworld. With him as King, the demons hoped for the first time in centuries that they would finally defeat the angels and claim Earth as their prize.
But the King was dead, and now his good-for-nothing son had to become a leader overnight. Eriol had hit the nail on the head: Syaoran had never killed a rabbit, much less another demon. But just because he had never done it before didn't mean he could not learn. After all, his father had often compared murder to a sexual experience; it was awkward the first time, but every new act was more and more enjoyable.
Syaoran sat up with a new goal in his heart; he had to succeed with his mission, had to find the Demon's Bane. If he did not prove himself now, his subjects would continue to disrespect him. He had to do something his father never dared to and travel to that blue planet.
Only then would he earn the right to become King. And then he would make that snake, Eriol, pay for his insolence!
A slender figure stepped into the room, breaking Syaoran's reverie. The figure was a woman around his own age, clad in a skintight black outfit with long black pigtails. She immediately ran to the sullen Prince and bowed deeply. "Good afternoon, Prince," she chirped in a high feminine voice.
"Meiling," Syaoran said, staring at his attendant. "What are you doing here?"
"Well…" Meiling muttered, suddenly looking embarrassed, "That is…Nakuru just told me you are heading to the human realm."
"There's no point in talking me out of it, Meiling," he said, not bothering to hide his irritation. As he spoke the girl slowly undid her pigtails. Her coal black hair fell gracefully down to her naked feet. "My mind has been made up."
"Is this weapon really that powerful, then?" she asked eagerly. She had heard the previous king often speak of the Demon's Bane with fear in his eyes.
"If we had it, we could finally end the war," Syaoran said shortly. He was in no mood for rehashing old ideas.
"Then, let me go with you, Syaoran!" Meiling exclaimed, her eyes growing bright. "I'll protect you! And I know that you'll be so lonely without me, won't you?" she added, a pert smile coming into her lips.
"I don't need protection!" he snapped, his sores from Eriol's visit still fresh. He wondered, as he had done many times before, how much Meiling knew about him. "And address me by my title…or I'll throw you out."
Meiling giggled as she shook her now unbound hair; she always enjoyed teasing him. She knew she was in no danger. "Well, then, Prince…I support anything you do. I'll be so worried about you when you're down there on Earth without me, though." The prince did not respond, only continued to stare at the girl as she sat next to him on his bed. After slowly unbuttoning her blouse, she pushed him down onto the mattress and kissed his neck passionately.
"I thought…as your favorite courtesan," she whispered as she continued to make her way up to his mouth, soft delight in her brown orbs, "I should give you a proper goodbye before you left…there's still some time for you to have a bit of fun." Her smile was seductive as she asked a question she already knew the answer to. "Do you want to play with me, Prince?"
Syaoran grinned back into her ready eyes as he maneuvered himself on top of the seductress. "I suppose," he replied, "a little bit of fun couldn't hurt." He roughly kissed her lips and ripped through her bodice as the girl let out a squeal of pleasure. This was definitely his favorite part of being royalty.
As Sakura examined herself in the full length mirror in front of her, tears sprang into her emerald eyes. Her new uniform reminded her of something she had seen in storybooks when she still small. You would be hard pressed to find the scarlet hues in the frilly dress anywhere in her cloudy home, and the ornate ribbons only seemed to heighten its sense of fantasy.
"Mr. Tereda-san," she squealed as she turned to face her manager, "I love it! I feel like a princess!"
The manager couldn't help but laugh at his new employee's delight. "Most of my waitresses hate wearing that uniform," he commented. "You're definitely a strange one, Sakura-chan."
"But I've never worn anything like this before!" Sakura protested, a little put off at being seen as an oddball. "Do I…do I get to keep it?"
"Of course," Tereda chuckled. "You get to wear it every day as long as you're working for me."
Sakura spun around in ecstasy, her antics only making the manager laugh harder. The girl might have been strange, but he was sure his other employees would love her. As he was about to leave, however, he caught a glimpse of a faint pair of markings on Sakura's back. Sakura did not seem like the type to have a tattoo, and the markings did not seem like they drawn with ink; instead they gleamed like silver, or like moonlight, shimmering on her pale skin with ethereal intensity.
"Sakura-chan," he said slowly, "what are those…things…on your back?"
Sakura blinked, and then suddenly grabbed at her back in a panic. She had completely forgotten! Yukito had sealed away her wings so that she could pose as a human, but the symbol his magic had left behind could be just as conspicuous. "Um," she stammered, attempting to hide the evidence with her hands, "It's…it's a birthmark I've had since I was small." This wasn't technically a lie, she thought.
"It's a little strange looking," Tereda said, peering through her fingers.
"Yes! That's why I normally wear heavy clothes so nobody can see it," Sakura quipped. "Is there…any way you could keep this a secret? And maybe get me something to cover it up? It's really embarrassing for me…" She prayed wholeheartedly that the manager would not ask any more and leave well enough alone. What would Yukito or Cerberus say if they saw her in this situation? She was afraid to even think of the answer.
The manager stared suspiciously at his new employee before giving her a smile. "All right," he relented, "You can wear that jacket over your uniform for today. I'll get it altered later."
"Thank you so much, Tereda-san!" Sakura gushed, making no attempt to hide her relief. She didn't think it was likely that anyone on Earth would recognize those symbols, but leaving them hanging out like that wasn't the smartest thing to do either.
As she started back into the kitchens to prepare the restaurant for opening, a light jingling by the door made her halt. Remembering what her manager had told her to do when a customer arrived, she skipped merrily over to the entrance and said, "Welcome to the Nonsense Café! What can I…"
The presence before her stopped the words in her throat. And for what reason? Sakura mused later. There was nothing outwardly remarkable about the boy who stood at the door. He had brown hair, brown eyes, just like everyone else in the city…he was tall and lean, but not particularly built…his features were not in the least extraordinary.
But the way he carried himself, she thought, was like nothing she had ever seen before. All angels had an aura of humility that surrounded them, and most of the humans she had met so far seemed the same. But this boy stepped into the room and immediately took command. Arms akimbo, he cast his amber orbs around, as if surveying a kingdom. His gaze finally landed on Sakura and bored into her own green eyes, making her uneasy. She could not stare directly into them for very long.
His eyes…his eyes were especially bewitching. She felt as though she was getting sucked into them…
"Sakura, didn't I tell you to welcome any…oh!" Tereda said as he entered the room. "What may I do for you, sir?" he said politely to the stranger.
The boy walked up to the befuddled manager and extended a confident hand. "My name is Syaoran Li," he said, a smirk playing upon his lips, "and I'm here for a job."
A/N: Hello! As you can see, I am determined to update this story on a fairly regular scedule. Please keep reading.
I really appreciate any reviews that you leave behind. I didn't receive any for the last chapter, which made me a bit sad. Please know that I am constantly looking for feedback and even a kind word (or otherwise) means a lot to me.
Thank you! And thank you for reading!