Timeline proceeding chapter 1 of this fic:
K: Adjacent Seat - Table Sharing. (Audio Drama/Manga)
Eclipse.
[13th of August 2010]
"Isn't this bad for his reputation?" Mikoto wondered aloud. He sat on bar homra's steps, a bottle of bourbon and a cigarette in hand. While up and down the corner, the Red clan were yelling, laughing and plainly causing a commotion to a playlist of bassy music. The occasion, a street party in celebration of Mikoto's own birthday.
"Kusanagi's? I think he's come to terms with the idea that his and bar homra's reputation, is already in the negative." Tatara laughed. "As long as they pack it in before Anna has to sleep, it should be alright."
Breathing out a lung full of smoke, Mikoto gestured with a look towards the child in question, energetically decorating a red velvet cake she had baked with Tataras help, while leading her 'decorating assistants' in a birthday song. "Let her stay up."
"She does seem to be having fun, it suits her. Speaking of, you're not going to address your clan?" Tatara nudged him in the ribs.
"Hell no." Mikoto intoned. "I'm going for a walk, down to my last smoke." He instead decided, picking himself up off the step.
With Tatara waving him on, and insisting he hurry back. Mikoto left the rowdy bright atmosphere of the corner, for the relative space and quiet of the deserted streets beyond.
He'd only be gone a short time, not long enough to be missed, just long enough to walk off the restlessness itching beneath his skin.
He walked until he could no longer hear the music or the voices of the red clansmen, to wear the nightlife district meet the fine dining sector. There he found a vending machine that offered cigarettes, so taking his card out he verified his adult status and paid for a packet, which promptly became stuck before it could fall into the tray below.
Resting a hand on the frame of the machine, Mikoto took a swig from his drink. Then delivered a restrained kick to the base of the contraption, rattling the packet but not quite loosening it.
How much strength would be too much in this situation? That was the question he was considering when.
"Vandalism Suoh, I'd assumed that at least was below you."
The voice emanating from just behind him, had the effect of condensing and transmuting his annoyance and restlessness into a churning energy. "Munakata, out so late? Don't you have a strict schedule to keep to or something?" He cast his eyes over his shoulder, observing the sharp three piece suit the other wore in place of his usual S4 uniform, though his sword was still present.
"Work dinner with a related governmental agency." Munakata explained easily.
Mikoto glanced over the Blue King's shoulder, spotting a group of similarly well groomed men and women, huddled between a restaurant door and a waiting car. Some of them cast furtive glances Munakata's way, confusion clear on their faces.
Mikoto smiled without any sincerity. "I'm bad company, better get back to wining and dining."
"It would look worse for me, if I was to allow belligerent damages to occur, right under my nose." So saying Munakata reached past him and paid for a packet of cigarettes from the row above, and when the packet of Blue Sparks fell, it carried Mikoto's with it into the tray.
Mikoto snorted, and bent to retrieve the payed for items. "Didn't think you'd hold to much love for a company that sells death." Righting himself, Mikoto turned to lean against the machine's display window, and passed Munakata his packet of Blue Sparks. "Maybe you just can't resist sticking your nose in my business, and needed an excuse."
"On the contrary, I can hardly stand you. However, I'll admit to some curiosity, what's a King doing alone on his birthday?"
"What a joke, you remembered it when I didn't."
"I don't suppose your clan let you forget, surely?"
"Not a chance, I'm just on a smokes run. Why, you planning on treating me?" He colored his last words with the hues of a taunt.
Munakata answered with a meaningful smile, then turning to his dinner party, told them. "Go on without me, I have some business to attend to."
"Mister munakata, are you sure?" One of them called back.
"Quite." Munakata answered.
Clearly anxious, but willing to take Munakata's word on the matter, the dinner attendees all shuffled into the car and were off.
When they were alone on the street, save for the vehicular traffic, Munakata stepped in close, too close for Mikoto not to take note of their proximity.
"What?" Mikoto spoke at a volume meant for the other man only.
Munakata's genial smile had been replaced by a questing expression. "You're not going to cause trouble for me tonight?"
Mokoto felt the corners of his mouth curve. Tearing open his carton of cigarettes, he extracted one with his teeth, and tugging his lighter from his back pocket scorched the end. "When have I ever aimed to please you? For instance, if you don't get out of my face-"
"Is that a threat or a promise Suoh?"
"You tell me." So saying Mikoto allowed his power to emanate about his form as a searing heat, that had the machine behind him groaning and distorting. While the same unearthly flames simply washed around Munakata's crystalline aura of Blue.
Lifting his foot, Mikoto kicked at Munakata's defenses, shattering them. But by then Munakata had already leaped back onto the road, and out of range of any further physical attack.
Mikoto opened his mouth and let the smoke from his lungs free, the clouds catching artificial light in the dark. The rest of the cigarette burning away in the blink of an eye, his drink evaporating all at once, the bottle melting to a puddle on the pavement. "Evading Munakata? I thought you were going to treat me? So fight!" With that, Mikoto launched himself after his opponent, thumbs wrapped around his fingers.
Munakata sent his shield at him as a burst of blue energy, forcing Mikoto to duck beneath it if he wanted to get at the other King, without slowing the pace at which he was moving. Allowing that rain of Munakata's power to carry past demolishing the vending machine and wall behind, Mikoto pressed himself low.
"Munakata, ready!" The Blue King declared.
Coming out of his crouch, Mikoto delivered a straight then a cross punch, aiming for the bridge of Munakata's nose. Instead he connected with the flat of the Blue King's blade, then his free blocking arm. Not deterred, Mikoto brought his foot up once more, at last landing a hit. Sending Munakata sawing down the road, where he regained his stance nimbly sliding to a halt on his nice dress shoes, just past the intersection. And achieving purchase in time to retaliate before Mikoto could again reach him.
"Oh it's a fight you want, who would have guessed?" Munakata faux wondered. While treating a passing car much like a springboard, launching himself from its roof. Ignoring the shouts from the driver, he stabbed at Mikoto, all his considerable momentum behind him.
"What's the problem Munakata!" Mikoto asked facetiously. For his part, Mikoto grabbed a hold of Munakata's weapon, at which point he spun on the spot throwing Munakata clear across the street. Posting the Blue King through the glass facade of a nearby shop.
Landing in a crouch. Munakata called his powers to shield him, as a small avalanche of fashionable sneakers that had been on a floor to ceiling display rack rained down, followed by the heavy rack itself.
Taking a running leap through the window, Mikoto landed before his foe, the broken glass from the window crunching under the soles of his boots.
They rose in tandem to their full, and exactly equal height, facing each other once more. This time a department store, closed for the night, served as their arena. Mikoto paid it no mind, a little anti-consumerist fun was always welcome. Munakata could deal with the complaints in the morning if he cared to.
"No problem-" Munakata assured. "-It just seems unconventional to request a beat down on your birthday. But nevertheless I shall oblige you."
The temperature in the store gradually began to increase, as the red aura surrounding Mikoto flared to life again, illuminating their surroundings in flickering deep shadow and saturated light. Despite this dramatic display, his smile remained relaxed, hazel eyes locked steadily on Munakata, intentionally baiting. "You can try, Munakata."
Munakata's Blue aura shielded him yet again, despite the fire that washed about him, to blow out the store's back wall, sending smoking merchandise spilling into the greater shopping complex.
Leaping back when Mikoto lunged forward, Munakata corkscrewed and pursued him up the escalator, when Mikoto carried on past.
Emerging into an attached parking tower, Mikoto crashed past the remaining levels between their position, and the expansive night sky above. Turning cement and rebar molten on his way.
Munakata, still in pursuit, gracefully angled his body clear of Mikoto's flame wreathed back kick, when he emerged on the top level.
Landing to the side, the Blue King captured and held Mokoto's leg under his arm against his ribs, before Mikoto could recoil. Using his hold, Munakata sent him head over heels across the parking space, into the cement barrier at the other side.
Then, while Mikoto was still ridding himself of the broken masonry. The Blue King followed through. Flashing forward to drive his sword into the concrete next to Mikoto's head, severing a tuft of red hair if the momentary tugging sensation was anything to go by.
Maintaining his upright posture while kneeling over Mikoto, one hand on the cement next to Mikotos's head, the other holding the hilt of his sword. Munakata's form eclipsed their Damocles, Munakata's a sharp radiant blue, Mikoto's own threaded through with cracks a fiery heat flickering within.