AN: Thank you for 609 hits!

Occurring in and around the timeline of this chapter:
Episode 10 of K: Return Of Kings.


Bell.

"I see, so you're saying Mister Shiro's finally figured out a way to do that huh?" This was Izamo's voice again. Reaching Mikoto's ears from the side of the waking.

"Yes. Yashiro's made up his mind to destroy the slate, the symbol of his dreams." Anna confirmed.

The sounds of polishing glasses halted. "Are you ok with this?"

"Yes. The slate's been responsible for taking so many things away from me. And yet, at the same time I love this red. This red saved me."

"Anna-"

Mikoto felt his heart tugged at. He had no idea how she could have any warm feelings for the slate. After the way she was tortured at the center in an attempt to reach it. After her parents were killed in the name of that goal. After it gave her powers that initially frightened her, and eventually led to her separation from her auntie.

"Still, I wouldn't mind losing it." She continued. "All my life the only thing I could do was watch fate unfold from the side lines. But it's different now. If my fate as the Red King is to destroy, then I'll destroy the fate that tries to hurt the ones that I care about."

This brought a crooked smile to Mikoto's lips, that was the Anna he knew, far too stalwart for her age. She should never have had to go through what she did, especially not so young. But he was proud of her for making it.

Izumo sighed. "Yeah, I understand." He seemed to admit. "Ever since I found those documents back in Germany, I knew that this day was bound to come."

"All that's left-" Anna started, her voice and the ring of the doorbell overlapping as a familiar Blue aura on the waking side entered the bar for the very first time.

Anna welcomed the new arrival. "Reisi."

Mikoto's brows lifted, and his eyes blinked wide in surprise as well as something else that felt like a skipped heart beat. Munakata had come to bar Homra's door? Things really had shifted on the other side.

"Hello." Munakata returned amicably. Then almost in a teasing or chiding voice. "What may I ask, was the purpose in calling me out so abruptly, Red King?" He approached the bar.

Mikoto detected the sounds of a drink being served.

Anna answered him. "I needed to speak with you. We are going to make an attempt to destroy the slate."

"I see." Munakata's deep tones returned. There was the crinkling sound of cardboard and plastic wrap. "I do have to admit that would certainly be one option to try to break the current deadlock-"

There was the distinctive sound of a lighter being opened, and the flame igniting.

Following, Izumo voiced his thoughts. "I didn't know that you smoked."

The aroma of Munakata's preferred cigarette found its way to Mikoto's nose, Blue Sparks. Munakata always claimed it had a stronger, more refined flavor and burn. Mikoto always thought he was blowing smoke in the figurative sense, Until he had accepted one that night on the school island. He still had a few left in the pack Munakata gave him, not having touched them since arriving in the dream, due to his pregnancy and then his want to feed his brat himself.

"Only on rare occasions." Munakata told the room. He carried on, returning to the topic Anna had invited him to discuss. "I assume that to you, destroying the slate would mean getting revenge for Mikoto Suoh's death?"

Mikoto quirked a brow at this unexpectedly forward question from Munakata.

"That's true, but I'm afraid it's not quite that simple." Was Izumo's response. "The slate gave him life, but also killed him. It gave us many things, but took many away too. I'm not saying destroying the slate will give me a sense of satisfaction, it's just I've come to believe it's something that must be destroyed."

"Well I do agree with you, that the slate is something that's extremely dangerous." Munkata breathed out audibly. "However, It's largely thanks to the late Gold King Daikaku Kokujoji, that our nation has become what it is today. Or, to put it another way, the slate system is a very deeply rooted part of this nation, I don't believe that we can afford to lose it."

To Mikoto's ears these sounded like excuses, or maybe like a question posed in a formal debate, as if Munakata expected someone to tell him otherwise. If Mikoto himself was there in the waking, he would have turned the discussion into a fight then and there.

"What we can't afford, is to think like that any more." Izumo shot back with some vehemence. "Hisui plans to release the power of the slate, in order to give every person in the world superpowers, and if that were to come to pass-" He left the rest to imagination.

That explained the auras of all colors, sighted across the city, Mikoto realized.

Again Munakata exhaled. "You're right, that eventuality must be prevented at all costs. But if the way this is unfolding is that the green King wants a 'revolution', and the Red King has decided on destruction. Then I, the Blue King will aim for order. It is my firm belief that the slate must be regulated, and used appropriately."

"With the condition you're in right now, I doubt you could pull that off." Izumo intoned.

"Oh?" Munakata challenged.

"And- Anna is quite worried about you as well." Izumo added.

"Is she?" Munkata wondered.

Mikoto snorted, of course she was. When they were synced, Mikoto had been able to tell that Anna cared a great deal about Munakata.
And if he was being honest, Mikoto was worried about him too. So much so he could hardly sleep at night these past weeks, or go about his day without disquiet.

On the heels of Munakata's voice, Anna's was heard. "Your sword is at its limit. Right now, if you overexert yourself, it will fall." She warned.

Munakata made a brief sound of amusement.

To which Izumo reacted. "What's so funny?"

"Ha, sorry I just thought it was ironic that the situation has exactly reversed itself from a year ago." Munakata halfway explained.

"What?" Anna requested to know what he meant by his words.

Mikoto already knew where this was going, and leaned his head back against the door frame, eyes falling closed. He could still feel that sword between his ribs somehow, it wasn't painful anymore, not in the physical sense. Only, it wouldn't let him forget. Forget the look on Munakata's face, or the meddlesome feelings invoked inside himself, whenever he thought of Munakata.

"I tried reasoning with the Red King like this once too." Munakata blew out yet more of that toxic air. "But it was all in vain."

"You're wrong." Anna protested, a certainty to her voice.

"In what way?" Munakata invited her to share.

"You are not the same as Mikoto."

Munakata sounded surprised to hear this from her.

After a moment's pause "You're not like him." She emphasized her statement.

"I never dreamed the day would come, where I'd be the one who was being admonished. I was so certain that Suoh's path was a foolish one."

This last had Mikoto's eyes drifting open again.

"Reisi." Anna tried.

But Munakata didn't deem to talk on the matter further. "In any case, the alliance of three Kings is no longer valid."

"Huh, what does that mean?" Izumo piped up.

"Simply that, yesterday I received a notice from the government, relieving me of my duties as Captain. And as a result of that dismissal, I'm no longer able to assist you as the leader of my clan."

"Maybe, but even if you're no longer the Captain, you're still the Blue King. What's going to happen to the rest of the Blue's, your clansmen, who will now be at a lose without you?" Izumo's voice was brimming with emotion. His concern for Munakata's lieutenant, and his own feelings at the loss of his own King before Anna's awakening, evident in his words.

Munakata huffed almost inaudibly. Then Mikoto watched his Blue aura make towards the door.

"Reisi!" Anna sounded worried.

The phantom bell signaled Munakata leaving the bar.

No one on the side of the waking spoke for an extended moment. Until Izumo poured a drink that had the aroma of raspberries, apparently placing it in front of Anna, who thanked him quietly. Her voice becoming obscured again part way through her words, contact with the waking lost.

Casting his eyes down to his baby, he found Hibana drifting to sleep.

At which point, Mizuomi stepped through the door waking Hibana once more. "Hey-" He looked as if he might say more.

But, without pause to explain. Mikoto cut him off, while crossing the bar, Passing Hibana to Mizuomi and collecting his own jacket from the sofa. "I'm stepping out for a bit. Watch over the kid for me."