A Second Chance

Part 88 - An Echo?

The glowing neon sign of Laughy's Karaoke Bar buzzed loudly against the cool evening air, casting a flickering orange light onto the damp pavement. 

Mini-flashback, I spent the entire afternoon reviewing Viper shipping logs and felt my eyes practically burning from staring at the computer screen. I needed to get out of the mansion and grab a quick bite to eat somewhere that didn't feel like a high-end, futuristic restaurant.

I pulled my generic baseball cap down low and adjusted the collar of my dark jacket before pushing the heavy wooden doors open. 

The bar was mostly empty tonight, with only a few regulars huddled in the back booths nursing their drinks. The familiar sound of a terrible karaoke track played softly from the stage in the corner. 

So, I walked over to the sticky wooden counter and took a seat on one of the wobbly leather stools.

Behind the bar, vigorously polishing a perfectly clean glass with a white towel, was the one and only Grand Sensei Dareth. 

Wait... what's he doing here?! I think I saw his face in front of the sign. 

Oh... he owns the franchise or something now!

He was still wearing his signature brown gi, though it looked a little tighter around the middle than it did ten years ago. His hair was slicked back with a massive amount of gel, and he had a giant fake gold medallion resting proudly on his chest.

"Welcome to Laughy's, the absolute premier entertainment destination in all of Ninjago City!" Dareth announced loudly, flashing a brilliant, practiced smile. "What can the legendary Brown Ninja get for you tonight, my friend?" 

Oh, he still used that ridiculous name. 

"Just a tall glass of sparkling water with lime, and whatever your special sandwich is today," I replied, deliberately keeping my voice low and a little raspy to hide my real tone.

"Coming right up! You're looking at the master of the culinary arts," he bragged, tossing the glass into the air with a dramatic spin. 

He completely fumbled the catch, and the glass plummeted toward the hard tile floor.

My ninja instincts flared to life instantly. 

I shot my hand out across the bar and snatched the heavy glass out of the air a mere inch before it shattered on the ground. This guy... either way, I carefully set it upright on the wooden counter and pulled my hand back, hoping I hadn't just blown my cover with my lightning-fast reflexes.

Dareth stared at the glass for a solid five seconds with his mouth wide open. 

He slowly looked up at my disguised face and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Whoa, that was a seriously fast move, buddy," Dareth said, leaning closer across the counter. "You've got the reflexes of a jungle cat! Have you ever considered training at the Grand Sensei Dareth Mojo Dojo? I could turn those raw instincts into pure, brown-belt perfection."

I let out a quiet sigh of relief that his ego completely overrode his suspicion. "I think my fighting days are pretty much behind me, but I appreciate the offer," I chuckled softly. "Your loss, pal!" 

Dareth shrugged as he poured my sparkling water and slid a plate with a massive club sandwich toward me. "But I get it. The martial arts world isn't what it used to be. It lacks... style. It lacks flair!"

He leaned on the counter heavily and looked up at the muted television screen above the bar, which was playing a news segment about the New Ninja team patrolling the city. "Don't get me wrong, those new kids are doing a decent job keeping the streets clean, but they just don't have the same spark," Dareth complained, waving his towel at the TV. "They're all business! No flashy entrances, they don't have any clever banter, and they absolutely refuse to return my calls about official team merchandise!"