Naruto picked at his breakfast.
"Say, Kuroka, what happened to your mom?" he asked.
The question had been weighing on him all morning, ever since his clone's memories came back to him. His question made Shirone visibly flinch, which hurt his heart, but he needed to know. It was important.
Kuroka (and Shirone, too) could eat as if they were three times their actual size. For breakfast, she had requested fish. Just fish, a whole stack of them, most of which had been reduced to bones by now.
"She was a research assistant to our dad," Kuroka said. "He was human. Male nekomatas are rare, and hybrid children grow up to be the same as pure yokai. Even though our mom loved us, she fell for a man without a heart."
Parts of Kuroka's hair started sticking up, like the hackles on the back of a kitty's neck.
"We were nothing but pets to him, her included," Kuroka hissed. "She could never leave him. She was soft. For all her power, she hated to fight, always wanting peace, even when it was at her own expense. Eventually, our father kept experimenting more and more dangerously with senjutsu. There was an accident. Neither of them survived the explosion."
"An explosion of natural energy?" Naruto asked.
"Given the nature of our father's work, most likely."
It was clear that Kuroka had said all she wanted to. For Naruto, he had heard enough. The last bit of doubt disappeared about who the yokai he met last night was. He was sure now that it was the girls' mother.
The only problem was…
Where was she now?!
Naruto rubbed his cheeks, fighting down a groan. If only his stupid clone had been able to stay alive for a few more seconds, this wouldn't be a problem!
His internal tantrum was cut short as a pretty trilling sound filled the room. All three of them looked up, with Shirone in particular enjoying the musical sound, swaying in her seat.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Our doorbell," Naruto said. "It's pretty loud, I know, but devils like being dramatic. Dad must be having guests."
Barely a second later, he and Kuroka's heads both tilted sharply toward the floor, looking at the exact same place.
"You sense that too, don't you Naruto?" she asked.
"Yeah… Dad's got something big going on," Naruto said.
Shirone squirmed in her seat.
"What is it? What is it?" she demanded.
"Somebody strong is here. SCARY strong," Naruto said.
He could sense the presence even from a floor away. It seemed like they were suppressing their power, which made it even more intimidating that he and Kuroka could still sense it from here. His heart started beating faster just because of what he was sensing.
Kuroka stood up. She cocked her head, looking Naruto in the eyes.
"You don't plan on leaving this be, do you?" she asked. "We've only known each other for a day, but I can tell, Naruto. Your sense of curiosity is as strong as mine."
Shirone picked up on the fact that her sister was up to something. She crossed her arms.
"Curiosity's not good for cats," Shirone mumbled insistently.
Naruto grinned. "Don't worry. I've got plenty of lives for us to burn." He looked at Kuroka. "Provided you've got a plan."
Kuroka's smirk was downright devilish. Mist appeared around her, swirling in circles.
"I have a trick for every occasion," she said.
LINE BREAK
Five minutes later, all three of them were in the lavish sitting room where the Phenex's accommodated guests. Naruto's back was pressed to the wall, Shirone was standing in the same position next to him, and Kuroka was kneeling in front of the other two, her palms pressed to the floor. Kuroka's magic had not only gotten them into the room unannounced, it was keeping them hidden right under the noses of both the guests and the host.
Lord Phenex always kicked Naruto out when he ASKED to be included in stuff like this, saying he was too young. Well, the joke was on him! Now Naruto could get in anyway, whether his dad liked it or not.
"You say there was an explosion?" Lord Phenex asked.
"The whole mansion is gone. Reduced to ash," said a young looking devil, who still could've been centuries old for all that told them. "It's been quite the headache, I can tell you that for sure."
"Even if it was just a branch family, they were still related to Clan Nebiros," said another of the guests.
They both had long red hair of the exact same shade. The one who spoke second also had a patch of facial hair around his chin; he looked like the older of the two, who Naruto guessed were related. It was the younger looking one who was giving off the power Naruto could sense. Something about that one looked a little bit familiar…
In addition to the two men, there was a third guest with a slighter figure whose features were covered by a cloak. They said nothing, sitting at the far end of the couch they were sharing with the other two.
Meanwhile, Naruto's eyes had gone wide. Nebiros…
This might be bad.
"It's a tragedy," Lord Phenex said. "My second eldest had some dealings with the last Naberius. They were both researchers. In fact, he facilitated a piece trade with the man just yesterday! But why visit my family in the midst of this?"
Uh oh, Naruto thought.
"At the moment, there's no sign of foul play. Not that I've uncovered anyway," said the younger man. "And believe me, I've investigated thoroughly. In fact, what we found painted a worrying story. The Narberius Clan had been pushing the boundaries of what is possible and lawful for a very long time. Nox, the devil who passed away last night, grew bolder and bolder over time. More desperate, I guess you might say?" The man leaned forward, tilting his head, looking neither somber nor gleeful. "His body was discovered flooded with natural energy, the subject of his research. All of his peerage members survived… But that wasn't the most shocking thing we discovered."
Next to Naruto, Shirone was gaping. The more she heard the more shocked she looked, learning that the night she left the mansion had gone up in flames. Kuroka was probably surprised too, but maintained her spell and hid her emotions much better.
Naruto was just relieved that it didn't seem like he was being implicated.
"Well, out with it then!" Lord Phenex said. "Don't tease me, Sirzechs. I've never been blessed with patience."
The man, Sirzechs, smiled. "It turns out this wasn't the first risky experiment our dear friend Nox had run. In the past, he let others shoulder the risk. Naturally, that means there were casualties. We're still uncovering pieces of a frighteningly long list. By some miracle, his experiment last night managed to undo some of that damage."
"I still don't see what that had to do with me," Lord Phenex said.
"You said that your son presided over a piece trade with Nox recently. There's someone who'd like to see the girls involved in it."
Sirzechs turned sideways.
"What?" Kuroka hissed.
He was looking straight at them. Directly into Naruto's eyes, in fact.
"Impressive magic!" he said. "Especially from one so young. Considering I feel natural energy involved, I'd say we're in the right place."
"Sirzechs, do you sense something?" asked the man beside him.
"Take the hood down," was all Sirzechs said.
The third stranger finally took off the cloak she had been wearing. White cat ears twitched while she sniffed the air.
"Girls?" she said.
Kuroka's spell had already failed. She and Shirone shot forward, appearing from nowhere for two thirds of the room. Lord Phenex and the man sitting across from him both recoiled in surprise. Sirzechs just smiled brighter.
"Momma!" Kuroka and Shirone both sobbed, pressing their faces into the older Nekushuo.
Their mom hugged them back, starting to cry herself while wearing a smile.
"I'm back," Fujimai said. "And I'm not leaving again girls."
It was a touching scene, but the two eldest devils in the room couldn't help looking slightly disturbed.
"Zeoticus, did you sense them?" Lord Phenex asked.
"Not at all," said the older redhead. "Sirzechs, how long were they there?"
"Since around when the conversation began," Sirzechs said.
"And you didn't see fit to inform us!?"
"It was a very good bit of magic," Sirzechs said. "It would have been a shame to ruin it."
Zeoticus groaned as Sirzechs stood up, walking toward Naruto, who noticed how intimidatingly well dressed Sirzechs really was, combining a white suit with a sleek black cape.
If his power hadn't already given it away, Naruto was really starting to suspect Sirzechs was somebody important.
Despite his intimidating aura, Sirzechs bent down so that he was on Naruto's eye level, patting his shoulder.
"You've got a good servant there," Sirzechs said. "Powerful, while still being so young. Make sure you treasure her."
"I plan on it," Naruto said.
Sirzechs gave his shoulder a squeeze, standing back up.
"You must be Naruto," he said. "We haven't met before, since your birthday was so recent."
"I was supposed to attend that," Zeoticus grumbled. "Unfortunately, my brat of a daughter boycotted for us by hiding."
"You know how girls that age can be, old friend," Lord Phenex said. "They grow out of it. Mostly."
"Let's hope so," Zeoticus grumbled.
Naruto's eyes still hadn't left Sirzechs. As accommodating as Sirzechs had been, he still felt like a threat. Old shinobi instincts told Naruto that he had to stay on guard, just in case.
"The old man over there is Zeoticus Gremory, my father and an old friend of yours," Sirzechs said.
"Old man?" Zeoticus grumbled.
Sirzechs carried on, laying a hand over the pauldron that was keeping his cape up.
"These days, I'm Sirzechs Lucifer," he said. "The name is a title and a badge of pride. It tells me how far I've come. And reminds me of the responsibilities I now bear."
"Lucifer like… One of the Satans in charge of the Underworld?" Naruto asked.
Sirzechs smiled.
"Let's take a walk, Naruto," he invited.
Naruto was seriously unsure if he could even say no in a situation like this.
Soon, the two of them were walking through the Phenex Castle gardens. Located behind the building, they were full of all manner of orange and red flowers which bloomed all year without ever wilting. It was one of Lady Phenex's prides and joys.
"You got those girls away just in the nick of time," Sirzechs said. "The very night of your visit, the mansion itself disappeared. Although it's curious that Nox's peerage was spared. I went through his notes very closely, Naruto, at least what we could recover of them, and I did not like the picture it painted one bit. From what I read he was not the kind of devil who would send his servants away to protect them. In fact, it seems more like someone else moved them outside."
"He could've been attacked?" Naruto asked.
Sirzechs glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "You have an incredible amount of magic power for someone your age. It's impressive. I sense something I've never felt from your brothers or your father, too. Chakra, the kind that youkai are known for wielding."
"Well… Yeah, I can use it," Naruto said. "That's why big bro Riven thought I'd want to meet Kuroka. 'Cause we both know senjutsu. It was so cool, leaving the castle for the first time!"
Sirzechs chuckled. "I remember my own first trip. My sister's, too. She kept getting excited about every little thing."
"Yeah, except we teleported there, so I couldn't even see anything," Naruto pouted.
"Other means of traveling would've taken hours, so it was in your best interest," Sirzechs said. "You know, investigating the ruins of Nox's home, there were a few interesting pieces. In fact, it seemed like he injected himself with his work. Now, at the risk of repeating myself, I've gotten a fairly clear idea of his character across the last day. I can only imagine him doing something like that if he was backed into a corner."
"What's that mean?" Naruto asked, knowing full well what it meant.
"Well, if he was attacked, for example."
Naruto rubbed his arms like he was cold. "Whoa, a grown up devil like Nox could get attacked where he lived? That's scary! Even if it's embarrassing, maybe it's good Mom made Kuroka sleep in my room last night."
As the two of them were near the heart of the garden, Sirzechs swept his cape back and sat down on a marble bench. Taking the queue, Naruto sat down beside him. The two looked out over the garden.
"You know, if I think about it for too long, it seems like you have a witness for your whereabouts last night AND couldn't have traveled to Nox's home, since you didn't know the way. More interestingly, you managed to mention both in a single conversation," Sirzechs said.
Naruto's blood would've run cold, but he was a Phenex: fear only made him burn hotter.
"But of course that's ridiculous!" Sirzechs laughed so hard that he threw his head back. "Nox was a High Class Devil, the head of his own family, and you're a Devil whose only just made his social debut! It's just impossible! Some things aren't worth entertaining!"
Naruto chuckled. At first he had to force himself, making his body relax, but soon he was really laughing.
When Sirzechs' laughter finally stopped, Naruto's eyes were immediately drawn to him. He found that Sirzechs was looking at him with a compassionate gaze.
"You most likely know that I'm not the original Lucifer," Sirzechs said. "It's a title my allies and I took after winning a war. There are devils like the ones who were defeated—and indeed some who fought WITH us—who believe that strength is the only thing that matters. Might makes right, in essence. Nox Naberius seems to have been one of these. However, there's another kind of devil."
"You?" Naruto asked.
"And many more, fortunately! I could hardly change anything alone," Sirzechs said. "We believe in a future of devils helping each other. Together, we're stronger than if we're forever at each other's throats. Strength should be wielded in support of your beliefs. It should never BE the belief. Otherwise, we'll never progress. I know that you're young and my babbling might be boring, but—"
"I think it's super cool!" Naruto said.
Sirzechs actually stopped. He didn't look displeased. If anything, he seemed surprised.
"Cool in what way?" Sirzechs asked.
"Well, from what I've heard, the devils in the past were seriously screwed up," Naruto said. "They were always fighting and killing something! They didn't even want the Great War to end, right? When they had to be peaceful, they couldn't handle it. Right now devils aren't at war. We can have parties, and visit cities, and make friends, and cool stuff like that. That's WAY better than war, and it's thanks to you. You and the people who helped you!"
Naruto added the last part when it looked like Sirzechs was going to correct him. Slowly, the Satan shook his head.
"Thank you," Sirzechs said. "It seems Lord Phenex has a wise little kid on his hands."
That was nicer than the things Naruto usually heard about his mental state, especially back in his last life.
Sirzechs ruffled his hair, which made Naruto squawk, not having expected the gesture. Before he could adjust, Sirzechs had stood up again.
"Let's head back," said the Satan. "It's been a nice change of pace, but I can only spare so long for a visit like this."
As they headed back inside, Naruto managed to get a quick war story out of Sirzechs, listening to him describe a mission gone awry that turned into a magical duel between Ultimate Class Devils.
When they got back into the room they left from, Fujimai and her daughters had completely taken over the couch, the girls laying on either side of her with their heads in her lap, talking excitedly back and forth. Naruto was pretty sure he heard purring. Lord Phenex and Zeoticus Gremory had moved to the far side of the room, where they were on at least their second glass of alcohol.
"Finally back, huh?" Zeoticus asked. "You didn't scare the boy too badly I hope."
Why would he want to scare me? Naruto wondered.
"I didn't scare him at all," Sirzechs said. "In fact, I've taken a liking to him Lord Phenex! I'm sure Rias will like him too!"
Zeoticus almost dropped his glass of alcohol before he hastily reaffirmed his grip. Lord Phenex looked surprised, but excited. Naruto looked around. He was missing something.
"Who's Rias?" Naruto asked.
"He doesn't know?" Zeoticus asked.
"We weren't sure the right time to tell him," Lord Phenex said. "It's delicate. If we did it when he was too young, he wouldn't understand."
"Understand what?" Naruto was starting to sound annoyed. "I'm just asking who Rias is! Why does it matter so much whether she'll like me?"
Naruto's dad looked him straight in the eyes.
"Because you'll be marrying her," Lord Phenex said.
Huh?
Huh!?
HUH!?
.
Check the link in my profile to find more.