Disclaimer: I do not own or make any kind of profit off K Project.
Author's Note : A few readers may notice that the Cover Picture is new. The new one is by the same girl who drew the original 3 years ago. Thank you NariWorks (on DA) for taking the time to make yet another cover.
"K" - Talking
Red - Speaking in English
'Canary' - Thinking
Flashback - Flashback
"Anna was shot! It was those blue bastards!"
"We'll kill them all!"
Although Anna was in HOMRA like the rest of them, Eve highly doubted even the Blues were dirty enough to shoot at a mere child. "Kosuke, I'm gonna need your help getting out of here." Eve murmured, summoning pistol shaped flames into her palm.
"Leave it to me."
Eve acted first, firing at the Blues' feet, watching them scramble to avoid the bullets. Kosuke was next to sprint forward, his bat collided with a sword, but he used the momentum gained from his sprint to push the swordsman back. The other Blue raised his sword to attack Kosuke from behind until a bullet bounced off his sword and another grazed his cheek.
"Eyes on me, Big Guy! You may excel in group combat but you sure do play dirty!" Eve twirled the pistol around her finger.
"And you Red Clansmen are ungrateful!" the Blue, now dubbed 'Big Guy', attacked with a horizontal swing aimed for Eve's head only for her to duck and aimed a powerful shot at his stomach. He groaned clutching his stomach and raised his sword again to begin jabbing at her. The small woman backpedaled as he advanced on her, his larger steps made her move faster and burn up more energy just to avoid being stabbed. 'I won't get to Mikoto anytime soon if this keeps up! I have to time this just right!' Eve was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't realize how close she was to Kosuke until their backs collided. "Switch!"
Without a second to waste Eve and Kosuke pivoted on one heel, keeping the backs together as Eve dispelled her weapon for a new form. As they regained balance Big Guy's swords pierced Kosuke's bat and the other's sword got trapped in Eve's trigger guard guard-with a quick jerk of the gun, the edge of the sword was forced to pull the trigger. The shot hit the blue right in the chest, forcing him down from the pain. Meanwhile Kosuke used his flames to melt the end of the bat and twisted it to trap the sword inside, with a powerful, flame coated kick to the head he knocked Big Guy aside.
"Alright!" the two faced to each for a high five.
"You should get going if you want to catch up with Mikoto-san." Kosuke smiled gently. "Be careful out there. We want you to return home safe."
"I will! Promise!" with a quick bow Eve took off running in hopes of finding Mikoto.
"I-I'm not bleeding?" Big Guy groaned, just noticing the most damage was burned clothing and angry red marks that would probably turn into bruises later. "Because she wasn't trying to kill you." Kosuke's response drew the attention of the Blues' to him once more. "If you were an actual threat she wouldn't have asked for my help. You were just in the way."
"I-if we were a threat? Are you calling us weak-"
"If she thought of you as a real threat you may not be alive right now."
"You're not getting away! It's useless to run. You're all mine. Form a circle around my fingertips and dance until you all die!" Eve clamped her hands over her ears as she ran across school grounds, weaving past battling Reds and Blues.
"Get outta my head with your mindless babbling will ya!" she growled, eyes set on the Red King's Sword of Damocles. She skidded to a stop when noticed a figure appear from thin air. Standing nose to nose, she noticed it was the boy they were after. "Why are you-"
"You all have to get off the island right now. Don't worry I won't let anyone hurt you."
"…how nice. You wanna save everyone." Eve ducked around the figure and continued to run as fast as she could to her goal." "If you wanna do something good make you sure you get HOMRA outta here! Their lives are a priority!"
Before long Eve arrived at the bottom of the stone steps which would lead her right to Mikoto and the Blue King. Panting, she began to make her way up. 'If things go his way. Mikoto's Sword of Damocles will come crashing down. You better have gotten HOMRA far away from here, Player One. If they die, I'll come back to haunt you.'
"That's not funny at all. We'll wait until the Red King wears down, and then take him over." As she reached the top of the stairs, she noticed a girl wearing the school uniform talking to…herself? The girl either had multiple personalities or had gone completely crazy in the amount of time HOMRA had taken over. Judging by the way she answered her own questions, twirled around and finally collapsed it was probably a bit of both.
"If you keep talking like that someone is gonna think you're crazy. Shouldn't you be off the island, kid?" Eve called out, gun readied in her hand when the student whirled around to meet her gaze. Before the girl could respond a chuckled from above interrupted her. "She does have a point. Mind not making such funny faces while in Kukuri's body?" Both girls looked up, eyes settling on Player One and the Black Dog who landed in front of Eve.
"Shiro-kun…" Kukuri suddenly pulled out a handgun and shot at the boy with no hesitation only for it to be deflected by a silver aura. Kukuri then proceeded to flip over them and land at the bottom at the stairs, Eve watching with unimpressed face. 'There's no way in hell I'm going back down those stairs.'
"What are you doing here, you should've evacuated with everyone else." The Black Dog frowned when he laid eyes on her.
"You're not my king." She snarked back, sticking her tongue out. The Black Dog sighed in response as he and Player One stepped in between Eve and Kukuri.
"It's useless. We've already evacuated everyone on the island." He called out to the girl looking around. "We're the only few left and there's no one you can easily possess." A blinding light emitted from the schoolgirl's bag, aiding in her escape but the Black Dog was immediately on her trail.
"You've got some freaky friends, y'know that?" Eve huffed. The albino turned to her with a ridiculously stupid looking smile.
"I remember you. You were the scary girl in the alley. What are you doing here?" he received no response apart from a deepening frown. "It's dangerous here. It would've been a lot safer if you evacuated with your clansmen."
"What happens to me doesn't matter as long as they're far away. Make sure you did your job right."
HOMRA stood at the riverbank under the bridge. Everyone with exception of Yata had willingly evacuated but were anxiously waiting for something to happen. The vanguard leader was shouting at Kamamoto as they approached. "How could you leave Mikoto-san behind! This is bullshit, dammit!" he ran ahead to join the others. "Kusanaagi-san, why did we pull out?! Are we just gonna abandon Mikoto-san?!" he growled just before the blonde punched him the skull.
"Stop whining and take it like a man. Even Anna's enduring this whole situation. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" Izumo scolded the skateboarder who now looked guilt-ridden. He turned to Kamamoto who greeted him with a slight bow. "It's just you two? Nobody else?"
"Hm? Yata-san and I were the only ones left. Is someone missing?" the heavyset man searched the crowd of clansmen.
"Eve hasn't shown up yet. She's probably lagging. She's the slowest runner I've ever met." The blonde released a puff of smoke, making eye contact with Anna. 'Dammit Eve. Where are you?'
Eve and the Silver King were now walking together, relaxed as if they weren't about to walk onto a battlefield. "I truly believed my research would make everyone happy. But now I think this power has brought people nothing but happiness. Despite the many clansmen that follow them, I believe every king walks a solitary path."
"Sounds like you're beginning to regret everything you've done, Weissman. I'm no expert on Kings but you are right about them being lonely. We clansmen all love and respect for our king but there's so much we'll never understand. You had good intentions but in the end, people did suffer and you're no exception." Eve smiled the King. "It's funny how I wanted to kill you days ago. It's a good thing I let you go huh?"
"R-right." The King was surprised when the woman bowed to him.
"I won't have a chance to do this again. Your creation caused me a great loss, but it did so much more. It brought together groups of people who would probably never willingly cross paths. You gave me friends and a family. It brought me joy I never thought I would feel again. So, thank you for everything you've given me." She rose to her full height. Weissman smiled despite the solemn look in his gray eyes.
"Eve-san, do you believe there is a chance for them to move on and coexist?" Eve remained silent as Weissman wrapped an arm around her waist and they hovered over the ground. When they arrived at the battlefield, the Silver King allowed her to drop safely behind her king while he landed between them to deflect their attacks. The Colorless King was trying his hardest escape.
"Only a king can kill another king."
"Stop it, Suoh! Don't do it!" Munakata tried to stop Mikoto but the Red King was already coated in his own flames. With a grin he rammed his hand into the Silver King's chest. His attack was so powerful it ejected from Weissman' back and even erupted into the sky.
'This…this is the power of a king.' The ground around them was demolished, leaving a deep crater where Weissman once stood. Mikoto stood amongst the destruction with a smile.
"Sorry…for making you do all the dirty work." He spoke to Munakata but faced Eve as she slowly approached him.
"Mikoto." Her voice was merely a whisper as if she was afraid of speaking any louder. "Can we go now? Please?"
"Ah." Mikoto raised his arms as if he was waiting for her embrace, they both watched as the Sword of Damocles descended upon them.
It was now 4:17 am. Eve, who was now sitting up right, held Mikoto's face in her hands; the red head was either too tired to care or curious. "If I died. If someone killed me like that bastard killed Tatara, would you avenge me too?"
"There's no need to. You're too stupid to die." Mikoto blew smoke away from her face. "You're not allowed to die before me either."
"Then I guess we'll just have to die together. You're really be stuck with me forever." The barest hint of a smile graced her face for the first time since Tatara died in her arms. She held up a pinky.
"Spending the afterlife with you." Mikoto surprisingly wrapped his pinky around her's, his larger appendage nearly engulfing it. "That doesn't sound too punishing."
I'm sorry…I won't be able to keep my promise, you brat.
Warm blood splattered across her cheeks, large hand rested on her shoulders and the tip of a sword was centimeters from her face. She stumbled as he slumped over, she was barely able to support him. "M-Mikoto? Come on this isn't funny." Munakata watched with a grim frown as the two collapsed, Eve cradling the now deceased king. The fire and thrill in her eyes from earlier were replaced with anguish, hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "G-get up! You're not al-llowed to die yet! You can't leave me too!" she hiccupped. As much as she screamed and begged they both knew Mikoto would never answer. He would never complain about her being loud or a brat.
Just like Tatara, Mikoto was gone.
That night when the clansmen returned to the bar with a heavy silence among them. There was no joyful laughter, playful banter nor drunken yelling. The room was devoid of life. Their King was dead. Killed by none other than the Blue King. After what felt like hours of searching it was Izumo who found Eve clutching their king's, shivering and caked in his blood. The young woman who sat with her clansmen was just an empty shell, now holding Anna close as if she was afraid she would disappear next.
Shohei, who was closest to her aside from Kosuke, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How are you holding up?" They were all at a loss especially since no one expected to lose Mikoto so soon after Tatara. But they couldn't imagine how Eve felt, she was there with their king, she was so close but there was nothing she could do to save him- from Munakata or himself.
"I'm fine. I'm not the only one who lost someone today." She answered curtly. They fell back into silence until Anna suddenly hopped of Eve's lap and scampered over to the group photo of HOMRA. "What are you doing, Anna-chan?"
"Sing." The child requested, placing the photo in front of Eve who only stared at it. A smiling Tatara and Mikoto stared back at her.
"Tatara loved hearing you sing and so did Mikoto. He never would admit it, but your voice brought him peace. So please…" the Strain grasped Eve's bloody dress. Anna couldn't help but feel the sting of disappointment when Eve collapsed back on the couch, an arm slung over her eyes. Maybe she was a bit spoiled, but Eve never denied her any request and would always find a way to brighten her day. She felt her lower lip wobbling and tears gathering in her eyes until she heard muttering. It could barely be heard even in the silence but everyone could see Eve's lips moving.
"Little child, be not afraid
The rain pounds harsh against the glass
Like an unwanted stranger
There is no danger
I am here tonight."
Anna climbed on top of Eve, head resting on her bosom and she closed her eyes. For just a few moments everyone felt at peace. Momentarily forgetting their pain and suffering, instead they remembered the good memories they shared. The memories of what brought them together in the first place.
That night they all fell asleep to the sound of HOMRA's canary.
"And I hope that you'll know
That nature is so
This same rain that draws you near me
Falls on rivers and land
And forests and sand
Makes the beautiful world that you see
In the morning."
But in the morning all hell broke loose. They assumed the girl either went home or was somewhere upstairs. When there was no sign of Eve by a certain time Anna was the one to go searching for, only to return with bloodied clothing she found in the bathroom's trashcan. Yata, Kamamoto and a few other clansmen took off looking for her, searching Shizume with more vigor than ever before. After searching for hours with no result they finally gave up and hesitantly returned to the bar. They felt remorse at the sight of Anna's disheartened face.
Izumo watched as their moods worsened, placing the group photo Anna grabbed last night in its rightful place next to another photo. In the next frame there was only three people; Mikoto, Tatara and Eve all squished on the couch. Tatara smiled as usual, Mikoto looked exasperated with the weight of the other two probably crushing him and finally Eve who had one arm wrapped around Mikoto's neck to pull him closer and her free hand behind Tatar's head to give him bunny ears. But what caught his attention was the look in her eyes.
It was the only time he remembered her with such a content, untroubled look.
"You're like a canary, Eve-chan!" Tatara applauded as Eve finished yet another song. The two sat on the couch with their slumbering king.
"Why a canary?" Eve asked after throwing a confused glace his way, going back to her handheld only to pout when he patted her head.
"Because canaries are happy. They spread joy and well-being. I think it suits you perfectly."
"They're happy, fluffy birds huh?" in Eve's mind she could only picture a bird had seen in a children's show back in The States.
"Red." Mikoto suddenly spoke, startling the two who never knew he was awake. He grumbled and the wide-eyed stares, reaching for a cigarette. "You're red. HOMRA's red canary."
"D-doesn't that sound possessive, King?"
"A red canary…I like that." Eve mused.
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who read this from beginning to end. Thank you to all the people who followed and added K: Red Canary.
Bye.
By the way, you should expect a sequel sometime in the future...