“Hey there Yowamushi,” said a familiar voice across the glass yet heavily scratched counter, “what's today's special on bakery?” His co-worker, Hikaeme was flipped through messages on his phone as he spoke. His scraggly blonde hair kept getting in his face and his glasses always seemed a little too large for his face. Though his eyes were glued to the screen the entire time, Yowa turned around dressed as he always had for bakeing and sighed deeply.
“I'm surprised you can even ask me a question like that. You're on your phone too damn much. And it's pies, get one, and get one half off.”
“Damn. I was hoping you'd have those things that look like flowers and are made of sugar.” Yowa gave a cocked eyebrow and put the palm of his hand to his forehead.
“It's called a sugar cookie Hikaeme. Sugar. Cookie. How many times do we have to go over this? I swear you've got the memory of a goldfish.” Though the supermarket wasn't generally busy in the early hours of the morning, his co-worker seemed to always be up and at something unimportant. Though according to him it was 'official business' that he couldn't afford to ignore. Despite that, he wasn't a bad guy, just a total otaku glued to the most recent idol concerts going on around town and hot garbage that he called 'good' anime and manga. How someone managed in such a world full of things to be annoyed at, alluded Yowa.
“Huh okay. Hey I've got a question for you.” He said as he tapped his phone with a rapid pace of flying fingers. “Did you hear about the recent break outs of brutal fighting around town? There's been a lot of blood but no one has seen whose been doing it.” Yowa looked nonplussed and simply reached into the display box of the baker counter and grabbed a sugar cookie that Hikaeme requested. How did he know? It was the same conversation they had every morning for work.
“You know, you need to ask for something when you want something. Not just be round-a-bout about it for once.” He gave a slight glance as to the direction his co-workers phone was being tilted at the same time.”Do you ever care about anything important to you? You know like, life and whatever? You can't tell me that's all you do all the time.”
“It's important so yes. I'll be in the back shortly, here's my money.” He handed Yowa a wad of cash and meandered away. “Keep the change.” Was all he said as he left.
“God damn he's weird. Well, whatever. Has nothing to do with me. Let's see where did I put that recipe again?” It wasn't unusual it ended up only being Yowa in charge. Seeing as Hikaeme was his manager you'd like he'd be more responsible. That wasn't the case however and it often seemed like Yowa was doing both their work on a regular basis. He didn't mind too much alas, as long as he was paid extra wages he didn't much care in the long run. It was what he knew after all, seeing his family wanted him to do other things he had no interest in.
To be blunt, his whole family seemed to dislike him, well, more like hate in a sense. They hadn't the best relations ever since he became a teenager and then a adult independent of their elitist attitudes. They had a strange idea of morals and being right was their only objective in life it seemed. If they couldn't have it their way, it was no other way. Compromise was of no interest to them in the least. He pushed those thoughts off his radar and grabbed some cleaning supplies from the back.
He then returned to the counter of the bakery and made sure to disinfect the keypads of the cashier machine. With all the random illnesses going around lately and people getting sick off of damn near everything, he figured he'd take the extra precaution out of habit. Not that he really cared about being clean, more or less for the fact he preferred staying employed and healthy. His rent was outrageous and ever since his girl friend had left him, he was struggling to pay entirely on his own accord. If it wasn't for the fact that the greasy hairball called Hikaeme, he'd be out of his apartment as it was. So he had to give the guy some slack.
For whatever strange reason the weirdo had connections with just about anyone with a penny in their pocket and secrets not wished to be told. For the most part, Yowa didn't much care about what the fool did, as long as it didn't mean he would lose his living quarters and had a meal at the end of the night, he was content to sit back and let the freak do as he pleased. Though it would unnerve him at times when they made the rare chance of eye contact.
Long as he could recall, he'd only looked at the guy once in the eyes. It was weirdly disturbing as his eyes seemed to be excited hue of violet, which was not a normal by any means that he knew of. Yowa figured he'd ware such big clunky glasses to hide that. Though why simply choose that he didn't use contacts, if that was his problem, really didn't make sense. However it was of no real concern and a mere annoyance in the back of Yowa's busy work schedule. As the day had then continued on, it was unusually dead for being such a nice day. No one really was flocking as usual to grab sweets and other diabetes inducing comas like they normally would go to buy.
Ir put him in a slightly foul mood as he figured it was just another off day. He couldn't really recall the last time he had a day like that, but whatever he thought to himself. Long as he got paid, he didn't care what happened. With the thought it was already the end of his long eight hour shift. It was surprisingly fast considering how he literally felt like he had just come to the bakery. Yes again, he pushed the unease away and tidied up the remaining items that were left out from his prep work. It was of no real surprise, but Hikaeme never showed up in fact, so he had as typical, did everything by himself.
He then went outside after the next person greeted him with a shrug and clocked out just as promptly. Not like he really had any ambition to do much else as it was just like always. He'd get on his bike and get home to zone out and feel brain dead for several hours afterward. It had been getting rather dark much to his irritation. It seemed out of place for the weather to change so dramatically but again, he thought little of it as that seemed to be a common theme for the day,
He hopped on the rickety bike and it made a overstated strained sound as his rather light frame sat on it. It was a old bike from a decade or so ago the last time he had given it consideration. Yowa didn't much care about specifics though, he wasn't paid to do that nor did he care too without reason.
Taking the usual route was what he always did. The town was small and everything, even its name which meant 'little' was quite tiny in comparison to everything that was just outside its county border. But something yet again impeded on his regular routine as a car accident seemed to have occurred at some point just recently. He had heard no sound of the crash either. He came to a stop and looked over the scene. There was no drivers and there were no civilians either. Hell, even no police were there in response to the sound it must've made.
“What in the hell?” Yowa said in a low voice. Something was rather off but he simply could not figure out what. That something was giving him a bad case of a headache as well. His temples started to throb and putting up a hand to the side of his head, rotated the tips of his fingers in a circular motion to ease the throbbing. It was a sign alright, he knew that much. Whenever something was going to happen and he was nearby, be it a few feet to a little more than several feet away, he could tell there was something up. “Damn it. I should just leave.”
“And where to I wonder?” There was a voice of some kind that spoke to him, almost as if it were looking down at him with distaste but in their tone he could feel it. “Seems like a little lamb has strayed into the wolf's den eh?”
“Leave the Hue out of this.” Came another voice, though this one seemed refined and dignified. He wasn't able to pin point the origin of either speaker and had to pop his jaw slightly to make sure he wasn't hearing things. “Looks like this one is sensitive...interesting.”
“Get off old man, that insect has nothing to do with us. You're just wasting time and I certainly don't appreciate being made to wait for anything.” It was obvious the raspy indignant toned one was not as interested in Yowa but had a rather more murderous intent instead.
“You're the inset here heretic. You lured this Hue here on purpose to try and liven things up did you not? I know a parlor trick when I see one. I've lived longer than any being you will ever or be able from here on, to know of.” Yowa was genuinely concerned for his sanity and well being at this point. He was lured to their position? “Hue, I'm afraid you're life is forfeit in this matter. I cannot save nor intervene should this heretic so incline to fight me. I'm deeply sorry.”
“Oh come on. Some Demon King you are Baru boy.” Regardless of the fact he couldn't see anyone nor sense anyone nearby, he then registered this was a bad moment to be involved in the worst case possible. “Oh do you see that? The little bug is scared of us. I would be too if I were to be smacked out of existence. Hue are so amusing to squish, they make the most pleasing sounds when they scream out for mercy!”
