ONE YEAR MARK
It has been one year since the Fall of Three. The term came about as for the first time in history, three kings passed away in one fight. Others coined it the Great Battle of Four, the Reign of Blue, and the Twin Sacrifice. One way or another, it was a tragic event that led to major changes around Japan and its clans.
It's been a long time, friend, but it's not long enough
To say our bonds are gone, that reason's not enough
Let's hold it true, our love's strong between me and you
Jazz music was playing around the bar while Izumo Kusanagi was wiping the wine glasses clean with a white cloth. He was wearing a white polo with the sleeves folded to his elbows, black jeans, and black leather shoes. He had trimmed his hair two inches shorter, showing his handsome facial features more, but it still had that cool-look to it. The wine glasses he had cleaned was placed in a rack and as he was about to place the last glass, the door slammed open. Izumo whipped his head around and saw Misaki Yata with a few cuts, bruises, and dirt all over him. Again.
"Damn that monkey! That stupid face he makes when he sees me and the way he says my name gets me more furious every time!" Misaki went down to the bar and gave himself a seat. He took off his beanie, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave a deep sigh. He looked at Izumo who smiled and ruffled his chestnut-colored hair. "H-hey!"
"Someone's lively today. Tell me how you started causing trouble for us again."
"It was the monkey's fault, okay? He just had to show his face around our district and-"
"Our district? Yata, you keep forgetting that what we have is just this." Misaki tapped HOMRA's wooden bar with his forefinger. "When will you ever learn?" The bartender gave a long sigh and looked away from Misaki to wash the other dishes in the sink.
Misaki slammed his palm on the bar and said, "Can you blame me if I can't forgive that traitor and all he's done?! This stupid treaty and his stupid position won't get through me!" He grabbed his skateboard and ran outside shouting, "Izumo, you dumb ass!"
"That brat. He even left his beanie." HOMRA's current leader rinsed his hands and wiped them on his apron. He grabbed two of the wine glasses he just cleaned, poured a good amount of his best red wine on each glass, and walked out of the wooden bar. Izumo placed one glass next to his King's picture frame that was propped on a table and clinked it with his glass. He took a big sip and said, "Ahh. This one's for you Mikoto."
With Mikoto Suoh gone, the Red Clan, known for their deep sense of family and loyalty and having lost their powers bestowed by the previous Red King (except Anna Kushina), were nothing more than ordinary citizens and delinquents. HOMRA was still in business and was still the major headquarters of the clan, but everyone knew that they didn't have any power left in Japan. The Red Clan was technically no more unless a new king were to be bestowed by the Dresden Slate.
The Blue Clan, or SCEPTER 4, was still headed by Reisi Munakata. He was given great title and recognition for having survived and being victor of the Great Battle of Four, leading to the Reign of Blue. Saruhiko Fushimi was promoted as a co-op member of SCEPTER 4 and HOMRA, despite his wishes and Misaki Yata's complaints. This order was made to ensure the new-found peace between the two clans and to uphold Mikoto Suoh's legacy that the Red Clan be allowed to live on.
The body of Adolf Weismann was still in the care of the Gold King, Daikaku Kokujoji, who didn't seem to be getting more frail as old as he was. He had established that the First King's body be a momento and a symbol for all kings and clans to look up to. Daikaku was still the King on the Ground and considered Emperor but to him it never felt the same without the King in the Sky.
ONE YEAR AND ELEVEN MONTHS MARK
Anna Kushina, the Strain and only female member of the Red Clan, was now thirteen years old and her body was already showing signs of female puberty. She was still wearing the same style of gothic lolita clothing but in a different design and size that fit her grown figure. She was seated on a bench inside HOMRA. In front of her was a table and her red beads were continuously rolling around a map of Shizume City. Clack, clack, clack. The red beads would bump into one another frequently and separately roll around the map. That doesn't usually happen. Anna focused on the map and furrowed her eyebrows. She clenched her fists on her lap and deeply inhaled.
Show me, please. Tell me if he's there. Tell me if the Red King lives.
Anna had been trying to find out if Mikoto Suoh or any part of him still lingered in the material world and everyday she would use her powers to look for her Red King. Other HOMRA clansmen thought she had gone mad after their king's death but Anna knew there had to be a Red King again, even if it wasn't Mikoto Suoh.
"Any luck today, Anna?" Izumo asked.
This time the red beads were moving fast and after a few bumps it started to slow down. One of the three beads stopped in a certain point on the map. The second one followed the first. And the third one followed the second. All three beads marked someone in the city. Anna stood up and immediately looked up at Izumo who had just put on his coat.
"Let's go."
Both HOMRA clansmen rushed outside and rode on a specialized motorcycle designed by one of the members of their clan. "Voice message activate. HOMRA." A blue screen appeared in front of Izumo as they were headed towards the location Anna's red beads had pinpointed. "Attention HOMRA clansmen. This is your leader speaking. Thanks to Anna, we have found the location of our king. Please head down there immediately. Location is: Osato Field District."
Beep! Beep! Beep!
"Awashima speaking."
"Awashima-san! We don't know what's happening but HOMRA clansmen seem to be on the move towards something!"
"Is there something of great concern to where they're headed?"
"Uh.. no.. I'm not sure, but it's just weird that every one of them is rushing towards that place."
"Very well, I'll see to it. Inform me when you find out their location."
"Y-yes, ma'am!"
They haven't been this active since the Fall. Whatever they're doing, it better be not lead to another war. Seri Awashima put her cellphone back in her pocket and made her way to the Blue King's office.
"Excuse me, Captain. It's Awashima."
"Come in."
Seri entered Reisi Munakata's office and saw him seated on his chair, gazing at the window. He glanced at her and smiled. "Do you have something for me, Awashima-kun?"
"I just got a report that HOMRA's on the move towards something currently unknown, Captain."
"Hmm. What do you think it is then?"
"I.. I believe it is something very.. valuable to their clan. If I'm not mistaken." The Blue King didn't respond for a while as he looked around the surroundings outside his window. "Look over there, Awashima-kun." Reisi pointed his finger on the window pane and looked at his right-hand officer who had a shocked expression on her face. "You're right." The Red King's Sword of Damocles was floating on the sky.
HOMRA found their Red King when he was 17 years old in a karate dojo around Osato Field District. He had just finished training, wearing a gray shirt, khaki shorts, and sneakers. As he left the vicinity, the Red Clan was already waiting for him outside the dojo. The teenager saw them immediately a few feet away but decided to ignore them and kept walking. He held his gym bag around his shoulder and thought of the things he had done if the clansmen were there for him. They were.
"Mikoto!" Anna ran towards the red head teenager and gave him a hug. "I found you, I found you!" She started tearing up and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She let go of the hug and looked up at the man she just hugged, showing her rare smiles. "Uh.. I'm sorry, but I think you found the wrong person." The boy touched Anna's head and smiled back at her. Anna looked back at him blankly. He continued to walk away from her when suddenly in front of him, all HOMRA clansmen kneeled down to one knee.
What the hell is going on here? The boy clenched his gym bag closer and inched away from the crowd in front of him. He looked back at Anna and asked her while pointing at the kneeling men, "What's going on?" Anna held his hand and led him towards the Red Clan who had their heads bowed. They stopped at the center in front of Izumo who had looked up to his new king.
"What's your name?" Anna asked.
"T-Takumi. Takumi Ryuusei."
Izumo smirked at Takumi while Takumi responded with a bewildered expression. Izumo bowed once more and closed his eyes. Anna knelt beside the current HOMRA leader and also closed her eyes.
"We, HOMRA, the Red Clan, pledge loyalty to our new Red King, Takumi Ryuusei." Izumo started. "No blood! No bone! No ash!" The Red Clan repeated Izumo's words and chanted their motto three times. "Do you accept our allegiance to you, my king?" Izumo looked straight into Takumi's amber eyes, giving him his most serious look.
Takumi dropped his gym bag, thinking of an answer. Me, the Red King? How.. Why..? Takumi opened his mouth to answer when a jolt of red energy struck him from the sky. His eyes glowed red and his vision was filled with memories of the past Red Kings and at last, he was standing face to face with the former Red King, Mikoto Suoh.
"Y-you.."
Mikoto got a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and got a stick with his mouth. He lighted it with a flick of his thumb. He was in his casual get-up composed of a plain white shirt under a leather jacket, jeans, and boots.
"Take care of them for me, will you? They've been waiting." The former king started walking away, waving his hand goodbye to Takumi.
"W-wait! I'm not worthy to be the Red King!"
Mikoto slightly turned his head to look at Takumi and smirked. "I chose you, didn't I? That's good enough for me."
Takumi reached out his hand for the previous king but he was gone and right in front of him were his clansmen, still kneeling, waiting to be accepted or to be denied. Everyone was looking at him intently. Serious and patient they were. HOMRA had believed he was the one and nothing would convince them otherwise. Takumi reached out his hand to Izumo and helped him stand up.
"If I'm going to be your king, never kneel to me again."
All HOMRA clansmen looked at their new Red King and smiled. They stood up and started cheering, pumping their fists in the air and some were jumping for joy. "No blood! No bone! No ash! No blood! No bone! No ash! No blood! No bone! No ash!"
The red energy that came down on Takumi grew stronger and soon he was surrounded by red aura. Everyone looked at each other and soon found themselves with the same red aura, with the same insignia branded back on their body. They looked up and saw the Sword of Damocles floating high above their new king.
TWO YEARS AND FIVE MONTHS MARK
Daikaku Kokujoji was standing with his hands clasped behind his back by the window overlooking the city of Shizume. His city. The city he had to build, improve, and maintain throughout his existence as the Gold King had already been gravely marked twice by the clash of kings. First the Kagutsu Crater and second the Twin Sacrifice. The latter being the event where his dear friend Adolf Weismenn sacrificed himself in order to kill the Colorless King and where Mikoto Suoh was slain by Reisi Munakata to save the Red King from a horrible death. New reforms had to be done in order to prevent another devastation. Ashinaka High School, the island where the Fall of Three occurred, was in need of much repair and reforestation. It wasn't easy, but the right things had been done. In just two years, all the repairs, reforestation, and other rebuilding were completed. Even crime rate decreased and over-all economy was on a good mark.
A flock of white birds flew through the horizon and quickly vanished from the Gold King's view. The sky showed no signs of incoming bad weather but the clouds were blocking the sun. He walked towards his friend whose body was preserved in a high-tech incubator and touched the glass that protected his body. "The Immortal King.. you said." Just then, he felt a faint energy pulsing from the Dresden Slate kept beneath his roof. The Gold King started to laugh.
THREE YEAR MARK
"Uwaaah! The beach, Kuroh, the beach!" Neko came running down the stone steps and made a twirl around the sand. She was wearing a baby pink colored bikini and white flip flops. Around her waist was a donut-shaped floater with fish swimming around its sides. She went around to find the perfect spot around the beach and stuck Shiro's umbrella on the sand and opened it.
"Meow! Hurry up, Kuroh!" Neko was waving out to Kuroh who had just finished drinking his coconut juice by the nearby shack. He got up from the bench and looked at Neko. He squinted his eyes and brought up his sunglasses as the sun beamed at him.
Kuroh Yatagami was wearing a navy hawaiian-printed unbuttoned shirt, black swimming trunks, and black flip flops. He was carrying two beach towels and a basket of homemade snacks by his right while his katana was still strapped around the left of his waist. He made his way towards Neko and rolled down the beach towels he prepared for the both of them. Kuroh sat down in an indian position while Neko laid on her belly with Shiro's parasol in between them, giving the two Silver clansmen a bit of shade from the bright warm sun.
Three years have gone by since Yashiro Isana or Adolf Weismann, the First and Silver King, had passed away. Shiro had left his only two clansmen in hopes that he'll return to them. Most people believe that there will never be a new Silver and Colorless King because of how they were killed but no one had sufficient facts and proofs. Whatever other people would say, the Black Dog and Neko would not allow any doubts to fill their hearts and minds that their king will not return someday. Their faith and loyalty could never be hindered.
Almost two years after the Fall of Three, a new Red King was bestowed by the Dresden Slate. He resembled the previous Red King but more friendly like Tatara Totsuka, as HOMRA clansmen would describe. Takumi Ryuusei was his name. He had a tall and lean figure with red hair and amber eyes. His red hair was short and ruffled, while his bangs fell across his forehead. Izumo said he looked like Mikoto when he was sixteen years old. The Red King wasn't as rowdy and delinquent like the former and his subordinates but he can be strict and fearsome just like his predecessor.
Kuroh looked around the beach. To his left, Neko was playing with a hermit crab, a couple were making out under a coconut tree, and an old man was trying to sell some popsicles. To his right, he could hear the loud voices of familiar people and saw some HOMRA clansmen playing intense beach volleyball. I hope they don't hurt the people around them. He smirked when he saw Misaki Yata get spiked on the face by Saruhiko Fushimi. Well, aren't they getting along well? Kuroh put his hands on his knees, closed his eyes, and started to meditate.
"You're going to pay for that, Monkey!" Misaki pointed a finger at Fushimi, red aura forming around him.
"It's not my fault you suck at this game," Fushimi propped his left hand on his hip and he lifted his right hand to fix his glasses, giving a creepy grin, "Mi-sa-ki." The skater was about to grab a hold of Fushimi's neck when Rikio Kamamoto stopped him. "I think that's enough beach volleyball for you today, Misaki. If you cause any trouble, Takumi-kun will get angry."
The Red King, Izumo, and Anna were lying down on white beach chairs, facing the beach volleyball court. Takumi was wearing black aviators and red trunks. He seemed to be asleep until he heard Misaki's voice. Izumo wearing a blue unbuttoned shirt and black trunks was busy looking around for chicks as he sipped on his rum-infused mango shake. "Agh, Misaki is scaring the pretty girls away. Make him stop, Takumi," Izumo pouted as he moved closer to the red head on his right. Takumi sat up, put down his shades to peek at the commotion his clansmen were making, and went back to lying down. "Wake me up when something important happens."
"Hey there Mr. Hermit Crab! I'm Neko! Meow!"
The hermit crab responded by going into its shell. Neko kept on poking it saying, "Come out, Mr. Hermie! I'm not going to hurt you!" Mr. Hermie still wouldn't go out of his shell. After a few minutes of trying to get the hermit crab moving, Neko stopped poking it and just allowed it to move along when it deemed its surroundings safe from the disturbances of the cat woman. Hiss!
The pink haired woman looked to her right and saw Kuroh meditating. Why's he so silent and doing nothing when he's at the beach! Mou.. If Shiro was here, we'd have loads of fun. Neko pushed away from her beach towel and got the basket Kuroh had brought for them. She opened one of the containers inside and saw tuna sandwiches that made her squeel in joy. "Tuna! Yaaaay!"
Kuroh opened his left eye to peek at Neko munching away the food he'd made. "Did you give thanks before you ate that?" Neko stopped eating and stared at him. "He..he.. Itadakimasu!," she said and finished the last of the tuna sandwiches. "Kuroh! Stop whatever you're doing, well you're not really doing anything, and let's go swim!" Neko reached out for her fish-patterned floater and put it around her waist. "The sun's out shining at us. It's a great day, it is, it is! Meow!" Neko looked up at the sky and shaded her eyes with her hand. For a second there she thought she saw something sparkle. She squinted and walked a bit forward, trying to see if she saw right.
"Get up, get up! Something's falling from the sky, Kuroh! Look!"
Kuroh looked up in the sky, took off his shades, and saw something sparkling falling down towards the sea. "That's not something, that's someone!" Kuroh dashed towards the shore and swam as quick as he could, braving the tides. The person was falling down faster than he thought and when the person hit the waters, it caused a shockwave that reached the beach shack. Kuroh dove underwater and grabbed a hold of the person with his spatial hand ability and swam back to the water surface. He inhaled a deep amount of air and looked at the person he just saved.
A g-girl?
A/N: I heard about K yesterday, watched the anime, read the manga, read the novel, and got hooked. Despite the news of a movie sequel, I still feel something lacking. Ideas popped out of my head and I just had to put them into words because just imagining about it wasn't enough. If only I could draw like a pro! Please help me continue this fanfic by posting a review and giving me advice. Thanks! See you in the next chapter! :)