Three Years and Ten Months
February
Designer frocks and tailored suits were scattered about the hall, the clinks of wine glasses and murmur of conversation the bass-line for the orchestra sitting atop the stage. Chandeliers of magnificent crystals hung ever so delicately from the ornate ceiling, the light glinting off of decorative tiles as waiters weaved their way past guests with finesse, balancing platters of canapés and wine glasses on their open palms. The whole atmosphere wasn't foreign to Kumiko, not at all. But being accustomed to and enjoying something are two entirely different things. For Kumiko, they did not come hand-in-hand when it came to her father's business parties. Being one of a few children, Kumiko was expected to mingle with the crowd. "Put on a show," her father would say. "Make sure to give a good impression for the family." That was fine for young woman, she could handle it. But there were so many hours a girl could wear heels and an evening gown before she began to lose feeling in her toes. Maybe if she could slip away, she could take a rest in the hotel's grandiose restroom for ten or so minutes. Surely no one would notice her absence.
"I can see her - over there." A young woman with a pale, cream tinted gown strode through the crowd, almost forcefully parting guests and waving frantically to garner attention.
"Kumiko! Kumiko, there you are. We've been looking everywhere for you." Another woman followed, her hair a curious shade of brown that teetered on purple. Recognizing the familiar voices, Kumiko turned to greet her friends, her expression brightening almost immediately at the sight of them, "Atsuko, Chinatsu."
"It's almost one o'clock in the morning, Kumi. You have to be exhausted from talking to all of these people." Atsuko, the woman with sandy blonde hair, commented.
"Yes, we would like for you to take a break. We're worried about you, you know," Chinatsu interjected.
Atsuko nodded enthusiastically, never-minding her thoughts had been finished by Chinatsu. The party had started at around six o'clock that evening, and ever since Kumiko had been flitting about trying to please every guest she came in contact with, just as her father had advised. Neither of her two friends had seen her for more than three minutes the whole night.
Kumiko's eyes were weary as she let out an elongated exhale, her shoulders gently heaving with the action, "I know, I know, but my parents -"
"No 'but's, missy. We're not about to let you collapse from exhaustion. You are still a growing girl, after all."
It was at that moment another young lady arrived, her long blue gown flowing behind her as she bumped shoulders with Kumiko in a friendly manner, "Girls, long time no see! Where have you been all night?"
Chinatsu chuckled at the overly fond entrance, everyone's eyes immediately focussing on the wine glass loftily held within the woman's grasp.
"Natsumi, you're not old enough to drink." Atsuko stated adamantly, puckering her lips into a frown.
"And you think I don't know that?" Natsumi winked in return, rolling her wrist to swirl the drink in mild amusement.
"Natsumi, that's illegal." Kumiko stage whispered, to which Natsumi only giggled in response, replying in a slightly sarcastic manner, "Darling, when has that ever stopped me?"
"She's right. If it's anything short of killing a man, Natsumi will do it, no matter how illegal," Chinatsu mused.
Natsumi dipped her head in agreement, her tone of voice overly dramatic, "So long as it amuses me!"
The group burst into a small rouse of laughter, attracting a few stares from surrounding attendees, although not minding one bit. It was at that point the orchestra hung on their last note, falling into silence as a gentleman in a suave black suit took to the stage before them, taking his place before a podium.
"Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to have your attention, if you may."
The multitude of aristocrats hushed, heads turning as the clinks and clatter of glasses and cutlery silenced. The man stood for a few moments longer for good measure, before clearing his throat and finally deciding to address the crowd.
"It has been a great pleasure to have you all here this past evening, and I would like to sincerely thank you for your presence at this prestigious event. This past month has welcomed a large milestone for my company - one that has surely been needed, I assure you."
The crowd ruptured into hushed amusement, triggered by a hidden joke none of the four girls could seem to pick. However, none seemed to be paying much attention - not even Natsumi, whose eyes had been refined to that not unlike a hawk's as the atmosphere of the ballroom began to gather the weight of something unknown. They were not the only ones, as a few more people began to become antsy at the ambiguous change of atmosphere. Something was not right, and it was quickly becoming apparent. People exchanged wary glances, examining those around them. It was not until Kumiko's father began to speak again that the foreboding feeling the girls had developed became solidified.
The first thing that registered was the sound. From behind the crowd a roaring explosion of fire and debris rocked the building, the force of the impacting ushering those even at the farthest end of the hall into a stumble. Ear splitting screams of terrified civilians erupted through the burning chaos, people scattering every which way to escape from the following blasts. Three were totalled by the time Natsumi managed to regain her wits, her head lifting to peer through the smog and wreckage surrounding her. Awkwardly rising back onto her heels she scoured the immediate area for her friends, quickly finding Chinatsu not too far away. She was attempting to get to her feet when Natsumi swooped in and fastened her fingers around the struggling girl's upper arm, pulling her to her feet. The two struggled to stay from swaying as terrified people bumped into them, desperate to exit the hotel's ballroom.
"Are you hurt!?" Natsumi yelled over the screaming. Her eyes squinted through the dust, the back of her hand pressed to her nose to stifle the inhalation of dust.
Chinatsu shook her head. She could feel tender bruises from her tumble, but nothing unmanageable. "N-No, just shaken. Where are the other two?"
Natsumi redirected her attention to look within the gaps of people rushing by. It was as if every person had taken on the instincts of an animal if the Savannah being hunted by a lionesses. "I don't know, I can't see them. I can't see much of anything."
Chinatsu nodded, "Then go, we have to find them. I don't think anyone else is going to help them considering the circumstances."
Natsumi didn't have to reply, she was already on her way. Chinatsu righted herself before leaving in the opposite direction, removing her tall shoes in the process of searching to better navigate her surroundings. The difficulty of ducking and weaving between the panic and terror was unbelievable, and the seconds ticked on by in tens, which felt like hours to the two girls. In reality, it wasn't long before Natsumi found Atsuko in a hall outside the ballroom attending to Kumiko, who was busy nursing her injured wrist. She quickly approached, staggering only slightly in her torn gown, her the overbearing feeling in her chest just barely letting up at the sight of the two relatively safe.
"Thank God you're both alright."
Atsuko jerked her head up, eyes widening at the sound of her voice, "Natsumi! I couldn't find you, we thought-"
Natsumi was out of breath, crouching down beside Kumiko to inspect the damage, "I'm fine, Chinatsu's fine. What we need to do now is get out of here. The closest exit is-"
She was interrupted by the conjoined sound of the two girls before her gasping, along with small and large chunks of stone skittering across the marble flooring.
"Well, look at what I've found myself. Some loot."
Heart thumping, Natsumi slowly turned to face a burly man at the opposing end of the hallway clad in black, arms occupied with grasping a large firearm with an extremely imposing presence. It was silent save for the screams still emanating from the ballroom as he stepped forward, tilting the machine gun with a sadistic grin beyond the plane of sanity. A quick succession of bullets firing could be heard from the ballroom, and Kumiko's shoulders jumped at the horrific sound.
"What do you want, terrorist," Atsuko spat, her lips downturning in a disgusted snarl as she leant to act as a shield in front of Kumiko.
"It's a pity that such beautiful young women had to be caught up in this mess." The man 'tsk'ed, ruffling his hair with one hand before returning it to handling the gun in his arms, "This girl's daddy wronged us, sweets. Me 'n my friends have a bone to pick."
He closed in, halting only metres away as he raised his weapon. The tension was palpable, the rumble of the unstable building only adding to the feeling of an approaching apocalypse. The girls were watching as all they had known rotted to oblivion. Natsumi braced herself, rising to her feet and standing before two of her closest friends. Her actions were noble, but Atsuko couldn't feel any bit of reassurance. All three of them were completely vulnerable. Not one of them was capable of retaliating in a way that would save all of their lives. It wasn't worth the risk. However, Kumiko thought it worth stalling the man - at least for another moment. She could hear the hurried footsteps of another approaching. Hopefully, if they had just enough luck, she thought they may be rescued.
Kumiko grovelled, "Please, if you would just-"
"Sorry, but I'm not one to play the waiting game."
He cocked his gun, chewing the end of his toothpick as he aimed the barrel at their disheveled figures. They closed their eyes in fright, accepting there was nothing they could do to deter their demise.
"Stop right now, or I'll use force."
The four occupying the hallway turned, staring at the intruder in shock. Chinatsu stood indignantly behind the man, her shoulders squared, but it was visible to all that she was shaking in her skin. The girl was clearly scared to Hell and back that there was a masked gunman before her, threatening her closest companions with death. Although, she was not ready to admit defeat. In a last ditch effort of retaliation, she yelled. The toothpick pinched between the man's teeth switched sides with an irritated swirl of his tongue, "Hon', I suggest you scram before-"
Her voice rose as she gestured wildly, "Get the Hell away from my friends, you bastard."
"Huh. If that's how it is."
He swivelled on his heels, pulling the trigger and causing bullets to scatter. Pots, paintings and wall plaster erupted into the air, shards skittering across the marble tiles. The corridor filled with shocked screams as Chinatsu stumbled back, spurts of purple light bursting forth in jagged formations. A strong wind manifested as the bullets continued to cascade down the hallway, sounds of shattering objects resounding. The man became startled, yelling and yanking his gun back, effectively halting his assault. When it had finally silenced, it could be seen that not even one bullet had penetrated Chinatsu's flesh. However, many of the deadly pellets littered the tiles, decorating her surroundings at an increasing angle the further back they had lodged themselves into the flooring. Stunned into silence and quivering, Chinatsu stared unblinkingly at her hands, which were still forming remnant hexagonal formations.
"Wh-what- what are you?"
Without leaving time for him to react, Kumiko launched herself forward, crashing into the back of the man, who could consequently be considered twice her size. The motion tipped his already off balance form into a rough fall, his gun clattering to the ground. Natsumi was quick to lift Kumiko up and off of the man, only to continue on in a hurry as Atsuko hiked her skirt up and kicked the firearm away from the man. She rushed to Chinatsu, grabbing her by the shoulders. Her steely grey eyes met those of Chinatsu, and she could plainly see the astonishment and trepidation in her purple hues.
"Chinatsu, we have to move. We don't have time to ask questions."
She could only nod, dazed as Atsuko tugged her into a sprint, following after the two leading them away from the ballroom. The sounds of volley not far off urged the girls to run faster, and none had been more frightened in their entire lives than in those moments. The walls echoed their pants and gasps for air as they ran, shoes and feet pattering as they practically flew down the halls in a disarray. A sudden burst of gunshots had them stopping, however, when immediately afterwards a rush of horrified yelps carried by roaring flames engulfed the end of the corridor they travelled. The rattle of chains followed soon after, the yelps dying down into moans of anguish as the rattling closed in.
The girls shifted back. They had no idea who was approaching, and there were other ways of escape. They could simply run and not look back. In fact, without speaking, Natsumi caught the others' attention with a wide gesture to a diverging hallway not too far away. But before they could make another move, a man not much older than themselves appeared from around the corner, his disposition almost somnolent as he faced them, eyes widening only slightly to accommodate the bare amount of surprise in his apathetic expression. Atsuko was quick to step forward, her right arm dividing the three behind her from the man before them. Her gaze was steady, and each woman possessed a certain amount of conviction to their current temperament that kept the man at bay.
"Mikoto, what's the matter?"
A blond followed, standing beside what appeared to be his companion. As the newer stranger of the two caught sight of the women before him his expression hardened.
"We have company, Izumo."
"Yes, I can see that." The blond replied to his partner in an almost exasperated manner, although there was some amount of tenderness to it. The girls were unwavering, and as Izumo made motions to approach them, Chinatsu lurched forward, her expression darkening as a hand shot out, the whole limb engulfing in crystals, sparking with glittering fractals.
"Don't take another step closer. I-I'm warning you."
They would have taken her threat more seriously, the girls were sure, if Chinatsu's voice had not cracked towards the end of her exclamation. Mikoto's gaze flicked to Izumo, who held his hands up in a sign of obedience.
"We don't mean any harm. We're here to help - honest."
However, Chinatsu's resolve did not falter, tears of adrenaline prickling the corners of her eyelids. Kumiko could see she wouldn't let up anytime soon and moved towards her, gently resting a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sure they don't want to hurt us, Chinatsu. They're not like the others. I know you know that."
"Whose to say that-!?"
"Chinatsu, please. Don't antagonise them."
Huffing indignantly, the woman slowly lowered her arm, the power around it fizzling away. Seeing it was all right to approach, Izumo did so, Mikoto following closely behind.
"We don't have much time to explain, but it's best we get out of here sooner rather than later. I hadn't thought we'd run into the next Purple King here, but fate has a funny way of working its magic."
Mikoto had his hands hidden within the confines of his black jacket at this point, interrupting to ask them of something.
"If you come with us, we can inform you about your powers."
Atsuko caught his gaze at that moment, her brow furrowed in a way that begged for Mikoto to tell her the truth in response to her next question.
"Can we trust you?"
The previously downward curl of his lip lifted ever so slightly in compensation for her question, waiting a moment longer to take in the query completely before replying. With a quick exchange of eye contact between himself and Izumo, Mikoto finally answered.
"There is a group called Scepter 4 that is no doubt on its way. They are a government run Clan headed by the Blue King. If they find you, they will immediately know of your status as the newly awakened Purple King. If you would rather unbiased information on your situation, I would suggest you come with us. However, if you do, be aware that associating yourselves with Homra won't put you on Scepter 4's good side."
Most of what he was saying wasn't exactly connecting. Clans? Kings? They'd heard rumours about a gang with a leader ever so affectionately named The Red Monster, and it looked as if they were staring him down at that moment. But all they wanted to know was one thing: could these two men be trusted?
Natsumi questioned him, "And if we choose to wait for Scepter 4?"
Mikoto grunted in response, "They will more than likely restrain your friend here for the time being. That is, until they figure out how to deal with a returned King."
It was quiet as the girls thought, slowly beginning to exchange opinions.
"I think. . . we should trust them. For all we know Scepter 4 might not even come, and then how will we get out of here," Kumiko reasoned.
"But we don't know if they're safe. They just burned who knows how many men alive." Natsumi responded.
Atsuko interrupted, "This. . . Mikoto. He hasn't given us any reason to not trust him, and I think it's our best bet getting out of here alive."
She turned to the aforementioned redhead, who returned her gaze with a guarded stare. In short, he was hard to read. But Atsuko was not the only one who had a gut feeling.
"The only things to lose at this point are our lives. I don't know how to use my power, or keep it under control for that matter. Besides, if reading fiction has taught me anything, it's that you always go with the enemy of your enemy - which in this case, would be these two." Chinatsu turned towards the rest of her group.
That seemed to be all they needed to hear before they were dutifully escorted out of the collapsing building by the Red King and his Clansman.
A/N: So... Women of Krystal. See what I did there? Eh? Eehh? I really shouldn't have, it reads better without the K, lol.
All right, so let's get a few things straight - just so we're all clear - shall we?
1) I haven't watched the movie. Living in Australia, there was no way for me to see it when it screened in cinemas. So if there are any inconsistencies with this story and canon, please forgive me - I'll be able to clear up the minor non-plot-defining misconstrues at the end of April/beginning of May when I've watched the BluRay.
2) I began writing this fic, oh, about six months after the anime ended. So about two years ago, now. It's been an on-and-off personal project of mine with bits and pieces strung together. So far I have 73k words accumulated, but some chapters are goofy humour ones that are more for personal pleasure than anything public, ahah. Those won't be posted, obviously. And because some of these chapters are so old, they'll vary in how well they're written, even after I've gone over and updated them.
3) There will be pairings between canon characters and OCs.
4) Please, oh please tell me what you think. This is the first time I've tried writing a long, proper novel-size story. I want critiques of any shape and size, good or bad, short or long. Am I writing a character OoC? Don't be afraid to yell at me for it.
5) Finally, I'd really appreciate it if you could drop me hints as to what you want to read. Eg, more of fluffy pairing "x", or more of "y"'s character development.
Now that we've got that nitty-gritty stuff out of the way, I hope you enjoyed!
Disclaimer: I don't own K Project, its plot or its characters. I do not claim ownership of the BYZantium insignia, that belongs to Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns. I do own my original characters and their separate plot.