AN: Cheers for 287 hits!
AN Update: FFNet doesn't allow links in the doc manager, but if you go to K: Cigarettes And Sleep on AO3, I've included a link to the accompanying AMV in the AN of chapter 19.
Occurring in and around the timeline of this chapter:
K: What If There Were A Girl In Scepter 4. (Short Story)
Strange.
Fires, just like the one burning down Scepter 4's record keeping building, would be burning across the country. Engulfing every shred of paper documentation concerning debt, mortgages, immigration status, compromising medical histories, and more. The hard copies going up in smoke, while malware accomplished the same with the digital equivalent.
Munakata let the crackling undulating flames, as they tore at the contents of the building, become the only sight and sound to him for a moment. And in that moment, allowed himself to remember what it was like to meet Mikoto's hazel eyes across a battlefield, or to hold the other man, to hear his voice.
The \woosh/ the initial explosion had made, and the sounds of breaking glass pains, drew immediate attention. Soon the special operations unit, followed by office workers and med staff, were on the scene. Not long after, Enomoto was banging on the door of Munakata's office.
Coming out of the recollection of a better time, Reisi answered. "Come in." While Seri switched on the lights once more.
"Captain! The record building is on fire, we think it was a gas leak!" Enomoto exclaimed.
"Get the gates open for the fire department, have someone posted out front to lead the fire fighters through. Make Sure everyone is accounted for!" Seri not letting on that she knew anything about the fire, left the room with Enomoto, giving orders as she went.
Fushimi, suppressing a grin. Followed.
Munakata smiled a private smile of his own, when he turned his eyes back to the fire. He didn't doubt that he would be hearing from a few people, who had also lost their data, and put the dots together. But unfortunately for those people, Seri had amassed enough dirt on every one of them to disgrace them for several lifetimes, using the means Fushimi had provided. They were no threat.
"You'd have approved." He told his late friend. "A system served by the people, rather than in service to the people, should burn."
Soon a siren and flashing lights, joined the view from the window.
_
[Autumn 2014]
Anna decided on leaving her bedroom the way it was, virtually untouched. She still considered bar Homra to be a physical place she could call her 'home'. And Izumo and Seri, who had chosen not to have children, agreed Anna would inherit the place, like Izumo had from his own uncle.
But until then she would be living with Reisi, her adoptive father, at Scepter 4 headquarters. Now that the fire damage on the premises was dealt too.
She packed lightly. Her wardrobe was first, including the dress Mikoto had complimented once and the kimono Tatara had made for her, though she could no longer fit in to them. Her collection of dried roses were next, she packed them in a shoe box so they wouldn't be damaged. A few books. Her jewelry box and it's contents. School things. Tatara's camera. The soft toy Mikoto had got for her at the arcade. Her PDA and tablet. Last of all, she hesitated to take her marbles.
The slate was gone, her powers were fading. Maybe, she thought, they ought to stay here.
A knock at the door startled her, and she dropped the marble she had been holding.
Rolling across the hardwood floor, it passed by Izumo's foot and clattered down the steps when he opened the door.
"Couldn't have timed it better." Izumo remarked ruefully, turning to go find it for her.
But Anna stopped him. "Izumo, don't worry about it. I had an impression." She understood clearly, in a way that was separate from an accumulation of biases and experience, that leaving that marbel be, was important. However, she didn't know why exactly.
Understanding passed across Izumo's features. Returning his attention to what he had come for, he announced. "Munakata's hear for you, he's having a smoke downstairs, so don't feel like you have to rush."
"I'm ready." She assured.
Surprise had Izumo's shades sliding down his nose. "That's not a whole lot you've got there."
"I want this space to remain how it is." So saying, she hefted her school things in her backpack, and lifted a few boxes.
"Let me take those." Izumo came forward to carry the boxes. "It's safer going downstairs if you've got a hand free, and can see over what you're carrying." His eyes then shifted to the rest of Anna's things, consisting of her wardrobe and a single slightly ghastly soft toy. Grinning a scheming grin, he called down to the bar below. "Munakata, would you mind coming up?"
A moment later, they heard Munakata's foot falls against the stares, before the man himself approached the door. Sighting Anna, a smile reached his eyes behind his glasses. "Ready to go I take it? May I help by carrying these boxes of clothing?"
"Yes, please." Anna answered right away. There were many ways in which Reisi was nothing like Mikoto, however one important thing they had in common, was that Anna felt they were reliable. Of course Izumo was reliable, as were Kamamoto and Yata too in his own way. Even so, she knew she could completely depend on this man just the same as she had once done with Mikoto, no caveats or disclaimers, no awkwardness.
"My car's out front, it's the red Seat Leon." Reisi informed. Lifting her boxed wardrobe, he led the way back down to the bar. Only glancing momentarily into the room that was once Mikoto's, without slowing his pace.
Anna felt a pang of loneliness from him, among the parental excitement and pride.
While they were passing through the bar. Anna paused to look over the gallery wall, densely decorated with photos, the majority of which included Mikoto and Tatara. Dozens of moments in time, precious memories, captured in polaroid. "Izumo can I have this one?" Anna asked on impulse, allowing her fingers to skim the frame of one particular photo. A group shot, everyone had gathered around Mikoto to take it.
Reisi and Izumo both stopped to look over the photos with her.
"Of course you can." Izumo allowed. He took the photo and passed it into Anna's hand. Next, turning to Reisi he asked, tone unsure. "Would you like me to digitize the photos with him or Anna in them, to send to you?"
At this, Anna observed Reisi brighten. "Yes, I would very much appreciate it."
Izumo's Smile became confident once more. "I'll ask Seri If she'll email them to you when they're ready."
Leaving the bar, Anna spotted Reisi's car right away, the red color standing out to her eyes. And between the car, and the bar's front step, Homra had gathered to hold up a hand painted banner that read. 'Congratulations on moving Anna'. In probably the brightest red paint the shop offered.
Upon Anna stepping out onto the footpath, the entire group of Red clansmen whooped and shouted. Yata holding a cute gift bag, came forward to present it to her. "It's not much, but hopefully it'll help your new room feel more like home. We're all wishing you the very best!" He looked a little glossy eyed, but wore a broad smile non the less.
Peeking inside the gift bag, Anna saw among the pink crape paper. A three wick candle, string lights and a throw blanket. All of them red colored and rose themed.
Smiling a wobbly smile, Anna bowed. "Thank you all. For the gift, for a place where I'm welcomed, for looking after me, for supporting me, and for fighting with me." She expressed, to another round of their collective cheering.
"Next time you stop by the bar, let me know, and I'll be there to help whip up something good to eat." Yata told her, his voice as wobbly as her smile. "Now, you get going, you've got moving in to do!"
Nodding, Anna hastened to Reisi's car, where Reisi and Izamo had already stowed most of her things. Fitting her school bag in beside her feet. Anna climbed into the front passenger's seat, the gift bag and framed photo on her lap.
"See you again soon." Izumo bayed her farewell.
"Yes, soon. Thank you for everything Izumo." She returned. And addressing Reisi, who had just got the car running. "I'm ready."
"In that case, what are we waiting for. Oh and feel free to use the aux cord." Reisi invited.
Quickly plugging in her PDA, Anna set one of her play lists going. Turning back to the window, she waved to Homra, until they and the bar were out of sight.
_
[Some Weeks Later]
Reisi's family home was a modest dwelling, encompassed by a beautifully landscaped garden. The garden included a profusion of red camellia and maple, just beginning to scatter their leaves, so that Anna could appreciate what she was seeing to the fullest. As they pulled up in Reisi's car.
"The Munakata's have been in landscaping for several generations now." Reisi mentioned, noticing her interest. "Taishi succeeded our father."
"Did you ever do gardening?" Anna wanted to know.
"Briefly, before leaving to study in London. But my efforts were very technical, I didn't have the same flair for the art that my brother and father do."
"But you still know how?"
"Yes, are you perhaps wanting to try your own hand at it?"
He had guessed right, Anna nodded to let him know as much. "I want to cultivate a cherry blossom bonsai for my room."
"That can be arranged." Reisi promised. And gesturing towards the house. "Should we go meet everyone now?"
Anna was nervous, had been all day. She would be meeting her adoptive grandparents, cousins, uncle and auntie. She knew she was a strange teenager, her lived experience had shaped her in a way that was so far removed from the majority of the people around her, that she found it difficult to find common ground with others. School had only been compounding her awareness of this fact. However, she thought back to what Reisi told her, when he suggested this visit. That he too had always been considered a strange type, even by his family, who had extended love towards him non the less. And if they could love their strange son, then they could love their strange granddaughter. "Ok."