And here we are, as promised, the final chapter of this arc. The chapter where I FINALLY culminate my biggest ideas from when I originally conceived this whole idea. From the moment I created Leoda and Kristopher, this was always the plan and I loved writing it.
Okay, no more talking. Enjoy now!
Kuroh was thrown out of his thoughts as Yukari giggled.
"What's happening?" He demanded. Had this been a part of the Green clan's plan? Could he have missed something important?
But Yukari only smirked.
"Looks like things are really starting to heat up." He said as he raised Ayamachi and green lightning sparked on his skin.
Anna was sweating from the effort, trembling from exhaustion now instead of fear, but as she glared down at the still red Dresden Slate, she refused to give up.
"No I won't. I will not lose to you." She swore.
"You can do this, Anna." Gram said softly, encouraging though still far enough away to let Anna know she believed she could do it.
Anna nodded in response and redoubled her efforts. She would do this, she would protect her friends, just as Mikoto did. She would!
It took all the effort Anna had, every single drop of it, but finally, the bird vanished and returned to her. She had mastered the Red aura.
She did it.
Kuroh barely managed to avoid the green lightning, Yukari's taunting laughter following him.
"Still running away, Kuroh~?" He sang after his former, yes former in Kuroh's mind, little brother.
Using the rubble around them, Kuroh managed to avoid Yukari, running alongside the wall.
"Kuroh, would you like to know why you'll never be able to defeat me?" Yukari said.
"You're still harping on about that?" Kuroh scoffed, trying to focus.
"This sword holds my whole being." Yukari continued, as if Kuroh hadn't interrupted him. "Joy. Anger. Sadness. Happiness. Fear. Hesitation. Shock. Madness. Anxiety. Pride. Honor." Each word Yukari spoke, he drove through with a strike of Ayamachi, coming at Kuroh from all angles so fast, the Black Dog could hardly keep up until he was hit to the balcony below, on his knees once again. Kuroh had always known Yukari was better to him, always because he'd been Master Ichigen's apprentice for so much longer. But Kuroh…he didn't fight like Yukari did and, so, he couldn't win. "And also, love." Yukari finished as he emerged from the smoke his own attacks had created. "But your sword is empty. You swing Ichigen Miwa's precious blade, Kotowari, like it's nothing more than scrap metal you found in a junk yard."
Down below, above the Dresden Slate, Kuroh could see everyone who had come with him, and even some who hadn't, all gathered together, Anna's Red aura and Carina's Gold projection gate protecting all of them from the rubble that had fallen as Kuroh and Yukari fought. Ame was held tightly in her mother's arms as her sister and grandmother protected them all.
Kuroh could only imagine the damage outside, the Blue clan hopefully leading the civilians away from the worst of it.
"Is it any wonder, then, that it's useless against my sword, which overflows with the entirety of my soul?" Yukari continued and Kuroh felt crushed because, of course he couldn't win. Of course he couldn't defeat Yukari and keep Neko and Leoda and Kristopher and everyone he had been entrusted with safe.
"Don't give up, Kuroh!" Neko's voice cut through the spiraling darkness that was Kuroh's thoughts and he turned to her with wide eyes. "Do it! We've gotta see Shiro again!"
Kuroh's eyes widened and then he saw Leoda raise one hand while also holding Ame close. Even from here, he could see the symbols she was signing oh so carefully.
Shiro is alive.
Kuroh's left arm, his Mark, pulsed at that, because it wasn't numb yet, was it? That meant Shiro was alive, was waiting for him.
"Come on, Uncle Kuroh! We all believe in you! Uncle Adi does too!" Kristopher added, his fists clenched tightly as he stared at him.
Kuroh could feel his hands trembling.
Shiro…my sword is empty. Kuroh thought, bowing his head towards Kotowari and begging his King, his Marked, to show him the answer he needed. What's the purpose of my sword?
Then it came back to him. The day he had, from the moment Yukari had shown up, forgotten about. But right now, when he needed this reminder the most, that day came back to him, as if he were there all over again.
"I, Kuroh Yatogami, do solemnly swear to devote my life to serve Adolf K. Weissman, the First and Silver King. I shall be his loyal clansman."
The look in Shiro's eyes…Kuroh couldn't describe it, not even if he wanted to. He could see Carina and Totsuka in the corner of his eyes, smiling brightly and widely at him, but he only truly had eyes for Shiro at that moment. His heart was pounding in his chest, but he wasn't scared. He knew he was meant to be here, right here, and he could never be scared when he'd found the place he belonged.
"Hey, lighten up, this isn't necessary." Shiro smiled, his voice and face both soft and his eyes sparkling. He closed his umbrella then and extended a hand to Kuroh. His right hand. "You and I are friends and I know I can count on you to have my back. Come on, let's go."
Without another word, Kuroh raised his own right hand to take Shiro's and as he stood, he could only watch as Shiro's Silver aura surrounded him before flooding into Kuroh, blending with his Colorless aura.
Kuroh could only smile helplessly, an expression Shiro mirrored. They didn't need any other words, not now.
What is there for me to question? Kuroh thought as his eyes opened, the gold sheen in them as clear as the Silver given to him by Shiro himself. I'm supposed to be empty. Both me…and this sword.
With that, Kuroh stood, no longer shaking, no longer scared and no longer lost. Not anymore. He sheathed Kotowari and held it before him.
"I am the clansman of the First King, Adolf K. Weissman, also known as the Silver King. My name is Kuroh Yatogami. This sword will never be used for my needs! Instead, this sword is meant to open up the path and guide me to my King! And so, I wield it only in order to protect him!" Kuroh proclaimed.
"I like that expression on your face." Yukari smirked. "Now that's more like it. Then, as the vassal of the Green King, I accept your challenge. Yukari Mishakuji! En garde."
They stared at each other for a minute, Kuroh using the time to allow his Sight to analyze Yukari fully. He knew he could do it, because Yukari was in the way of finding Shiro and so he had to. Kotowari was steady in his grip and they charged at the same moment, one slice as they passed each other.
But Kuroh knew that this was his opening, because for a single second Yukari let his guard down as he checked on Kuroh and the Silver clansman used it fully to his advantage, jumping so he attacked Yukari from above with a swift strike of Kotowari, creating more debris then before.
When the dust cleared, Kuroh fell to his knees near Neko and the others and spit out blood.
"No, Kuroh!" Neko gasped.
"Uncle Kuroh!" Kristopher cried.
Instantly, Hilda was at his side, examining him carefully with a skill only her father could have taught her.
"You'll be okay…you did good, Kuroh." She smiled slightly. "You made me proud to call you family, warrior to swordsman."
Kuroh could only stare at her in slight disbelief, considering this was probably only the second time they've ever interacted.
"That last strike of yours…it was quite beautiful." Yukari complimented, only a single scratch on his arm in comparison to Kuroh coughing up blood.
But even so, Kuroh knew, this was one of the greatest compliments Yukari could give.
The squawking of the bird, calling Mishakuji's name, snapped Carina out of her thoughts as she and Anna lowered their barricades.
"Yukari, please, it's time to return. You've done more than enough here now." Suddenly, a completely different voice, but one Carina had heard before, spoke as the bird's beak moved. "That girl is no longer a clansman that's targeted for capture. She is now the Third King, also known as the Red King."
"Come on, Nagare, I won't be satisfied if I can't return with one head at the very least, and you know Hikari doesn't enjoy it either. She's still a newborn and can barely control her own power." Mishakuji protested. "I can handle her quite easily." In response to those words, Neko and Leoda shielded Anna as Carina tensed. Even Hilda, Kristopher and Kuroh, injured and exhausted as he was, looked ready to fight.
"No. We've achieved what we set out to do." Nagare denied. "One must know when enough is enough."
"Nagare? You're Nagare Hisui, the Green King?!" Kusanagi cried as he and Yata joined them.
"What? That's bird's a King?" Yata cried, confused.
"No, the bird is probably just a medium. Those Greens are capable of all sorts of tricks." Kusanagi shook his head patiently.
"The Red clan strategist is very well informed. I'm impressed." Nagare said. "I regret that I can't greet you in person, but how do you do, new Red King? I'm the Fifth and Green King, Nagare Hisui. And, of course, Carina Saisho as well, it is an honor to meet the younger sister of the First and Silver King, Adolf K. Weissman and the Miracle herself at long last."
Carina remained silent, watching every move Nagare and Mishakuji made very carefully.
"I'm sorry I must leave so soon. To apologize, I'll send a birthday present." Nagara added.
"It could also be a memorial gift! Show us how strong your luck is, Kuroh, by not dying here." Mishakuji spoke up, his tone playful and mocking. "And come along, Hikari, no slacking off."
"Wait!" Kuroh cried, trying to stop him.
"We'll meet again." Mishakuji reassured before he spun and vanished in a green light.
"Shitty old man, how many damn times do I have to tell you not to leave me behind, asshole?!" Hikari cried and they all turned just to see her free of Leoda's flower daggers, a snarl on her face. "Anyway, don't die, I don't want that asshole to get the last laugh."
With those parting words, Hikari slammed her naginata into the ground and vanished just as easily as Mishakuji.
"Damn it! They ran away!" Yata cursed.
"Yeah, or maybe they merely left us off the hook." Kusanagi said.
"Don't think this is over yet. Nagare is clever and cunning. He wouldn't leave without a trick left behind." Carina warned. As soon as she finished speaking, green lightning began to spark around the building as Neko whined.
"All my hair is standing up!" The cat girl cried.
"Mommy, what's happening?" Kristopher cried as he ran to Leoda's side.
"Look!" Anna pointed up.
"Wh-what the hell?" Yata gasped.
Green lightning was circling Anna's Sword of Damocles and the sky darkened as it circled with it.
"Is that supposed to be his little present?" Kusanagi asked.
"The Lightning Bolt Jutsu…" Douhan gasped as he pushed himself up and saw the sky.
"Hey!" Yata cried as he realized the ninja had been left behind. "You! Explain this!" He demanded as he grabbed Douhan's collar and shook him until his mask fell off…revealing a blonde woman with green eyes underneath.
"A jutsu where he takes power from clansmen and creates lightning with it." She explained.
"You're a woman!?" Yata cried, reeling back in embarrassed shock.
"Not now, Yata!" Hilda snapped as she pushed the Red vanguard aside and knelt in front of Douhan with a sharp glare. "Keep talking."
"Even so, it's unusually large. He must've set up a group mission separate from the infiltration team. We were just decoys…" Douhan added. "He plans to wipe out everyone in this building. Damnit!"
"What's that mean? What are you rambling on about anyway?" Yata questioned.
But Douhan used her Green aura and went into the floor without another word, avoiding Hilda's attempt to stop her by grabbing her hair.
"Damn! I hope Saruhiko catches her!" Hilda snarled as she punched the floor.
"Hey! I think we should get out of here quick too!" Neko said, fear and worry in her voice.
"It's…too late." Kuroh said helplessly as he watched the green electricity gather and finally…
It struck down, meeting Anna's Red aura as she reacted, creating a shield to stop the strike.
"Anna!" Kusanagi and Carina cried in unison. But neither knew they couldn't help. Kusanagi couldn't hold a barrier for long and for all of Carina's strength, not even a barrier of hers could survive something created by who knows how many clansmen. She suspected Nagare had orchestrated it as such that only a King would be able to survive this strike.
Even so, Anna was still a new King and her aura flickered under the strain of maintaining a barrier against such a strong force. But even still, she held on.
"This time I'm going to protect everyone!" Anna vowed.
She held on for as long as she could, longer than even Carina had expected her to be able to, but in the end, Anna's body still gave out and her aura vanished as she fainted into Kusanagi's arms, Leoda right at her side as Carina hastily lifted her arms in a final attempt to save the others, if not herself.
But, right before the lightning could strike them, the Blue Sword of Damocles appeared and the bolt turned to ice, the ice following up to the sky itself and freezing over before ultimately breaking, revealing they were safe.
Hidden deep in the shadows, Hikari watched emotionlessly as Fushimi stopped Douhan's escape.
She did not move to help her fellow clansman. After all…this had been part of the plan from the start.
As Anna led the way out of Mihashira Tower, she was surprised that the entirety of the Scepter 4 Special Ops was before her, even as Misaki groaned at the sight of them.
"In honor of the new Third King, all men, present your swords!" Seri ordered from her spot next to Reisi.
"Hidaka, ready!"
"Enomoto, ready!"
"Goto, ready!"
"Fuse, ready!"
"Domyoji, ready!"
"Kamo, ready!"
"Benzai, ready!"
"Akiyama, ready!"
"Fushimi, ready!"
"Awashima, ready!"
Reisi, however, was the only one to not take his sword out. Misaki growled behind her until Izumo stopped him with a hand. And, slowly, Anna began to walk between the members of Scepter 4. She caught smiles from Akira, Andy, Himori and Yuujiro, though she didn't return them, and she was all too aware as she walked past Saruhiko.
But in the end, Anna kept her eyes on the smiling Reisi the whole time.
"Hey there, Seri. Guten morgen." She heard Izumo say on her right.
"Hey, uh, I just want to say…gaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" She heard Misaki cry on her left.
But she paid attention to neither, instead speaking to Reisi.
"Thank you, Reisi, for saving us." She said.
"I'm sure my help would have been unnecessary, if only you had been in your best condition. It's undeniable, however, that the Green King, Nagare Hisui, warrants further surveillance. He really is quite…disturbing." Reisi noted as he gazed at the tower.
She could see her friends, the top clansmen of HOMRA, running up behind Reisi.
"Anna! Thank goodness you're okay!" Rikio smiled in relief.
"It's about time! You guys are late!" Misaki smiled at them.
Anna could not describe her relief in seeing them all come back. They were the true members of HOMRA, not all the lower level clansmen that had passed Mikoto's test. They were the ones she called back and gave her power to, because she trusted them with it, her power and her life. She turned back to Reisi.
"Please take care of the rest." She requested.
"Alright, understood." Reisi smiled before he straightened. "By mutual agreement of the Third and Fourth Kings, I declare Mihashira Tower, the dominion of the Second King, and the Dresden Slate are now under the supervision of Scepter 4. Reisi Munakata shall be entrusted with full authority." Anna nodded in agreement before her eyes were drawn to Reisi's sword. Reisi followed her gaze and held his sword in front of her, sheathe and all. "Yes, this is the sword that slew Mikoto Suoh." There was regret and pain in his eyes, she could see it as she laid her hand on the sword.
She could hear the clansmen of both clans around her going on guard, preparing for a possible fight…until she calmly removed her hand, allowing Izumo and Saruhiko to hold them off.
"It's what Mikoto wished for, after all." She said. "So I can't bring myself to hate you for that. Although, I don't want to thank you for it either."
"Just as it should be." Reisi smiled.
Once all the tenseness was dissolved, Leoda was pulled to the side as her uncle ran up to them at top speed to examine both her and Kuroh. It didn't take long for Haru to confirm Hilda's diagnosis for Kuroh, but for her…
Haru's face fell as his aura faded and he removed his hands from Leoda's throat.
"Whatever this Douhan did, she managed to damage the neuron connecting your larynx to your brain. She didn't constrict your airflow, but she damaged the neuron enough that your voice is affected. From what I can tell…the neuron is damaged so terribly that not even I can fix it." Haru sadly reported. "Leoda…you won't be able to speak again."
Leoda knew that in her heart, she knew that, but even so, she felt as if she could collapse in that very moment, barely held up by her grandmother and Kuroh both, Hilda having already run off.
Her son would never hear her voice again…her daughter would never know her voice, not really…but she was alive…she was alive and could breathe and that was something to be grateful for, she knew.
And so, she choked down her tears and she smiled before carefully signing an invitation to HOMRA to Kuroh, Neko and Haru to celebrate Anna's Awakening as the Red King.
But the surprises didn't end there for the night, oh no.
They were only beginning.
It didn't take Hilda long to find exactly who she was looking for. After all, once they both knew this was the plan, they arranged this meeting. Even still, it threw her off every time she saw the woman in front of her, with how different they looked and the fact that they could only meet in alleys now when they used to spend every day at each other's side.
Still, she couldn't complain. They didn't meet often, so she treasured these times.
"Gretel!" She greeted happily before a hand slammed over her mouth.
"How many time have I told you not to call me that, damnit?!" Hikari Sora hissed as she glared at Hilda.
"At least a dozen more times." Hilda grinned as she removed the Green clansman's black gloved hand easily. With the movement, the sleeve of her emerald green long sleeved cloak slid up and the barest hint of gold butterflies were seen wrapping around her wrist and up her arm. "Come on, drop the Hikari Sora act, already. It's just me, Gretel."
And with a sigh, Hikari slumped and opened her eyes. "What am I gonna do with you, little sis?"
"Who knows? I did notice how that Mishakuji treated you, though." Hilda winked with a mischievous grin on her lips.
"Hilda, stop. There's nothing going on, I've known him since I was ten, and you know why I can't do anything even if there was." Hikari-no, Gretel, Gretel Saisho, Hilda's older twin sister-argued with a glare.
"Maybe not now, but when everything's over…I want you to be happy, sis…even if I can't." Gretel softened at her sister's words, watching as Hilda rubbed her right arm. It had been numb since the middle of June a year ago. Even now, a year later, she still had no feeling at all in her arm. She had figured when it happened that she never would. After all…she could clearly sense a bullet hitting her soul, separating her from her other half, who she never even got to meet or know the name of. "So, what can you tell me?" Hilda got down to business, shaking away her remorseful thoughts.
And so, Gretel began to explain what she knew of upcoming Green clan plans. For many years now, ever since the Green clan began to rise, Gretel had been secretly meeting with her twin in order to relay any information she could gain. It was the real reason she had climbed the ranks of JUNGLE so quickly, to the point where she had reached J Rank at nine years old, so she could observe Nagare closely under the guise of Hikari Sora. To make it more believable, a whole slew of official documents had been created for her and Gretel always made sure she never went out without completely dyed black hair, straightened to a pin, and green contact lenses as well as subtle makeup techniques to hide the resemblance she and Hilda still had. It was a lot of work, but it allowed the Gold clan to carefully observe the Green and, if worse came to worse, Gretel was inside and could provide them with an inside attack.
Hilda just desperately hoped it never came to that, she knew her sister truly did love and fit with the Green clan, but she couldn't help but feel her hopes were all in vain.
"What's the matter, Weissman?" Daikaku's voice cut through Shiro's thoughts with ease as he stared at the sky from the Schattenreich.
"I was just thinking that it'll be dawn soon." Shiro said as he walked back towards his old friend, his supposed to be brother-in-law. "And I have the best view from here."
"Haven't you got used to the view by now?" Daikaku questioned.
"Not really. No matter how many times I've seen the sun rise and set, my world has always remained still." Shiro shook his head. "But now, I can feel it moving again because of that light."
"Dawn…the start of a new day. A new world." Daikaku mused from where he laid. Kazuma was beside him, as always, but this time he remained a silent observer and Shiro appreciated his other brother-in-law's wish to give them this final moment.
"I'm relieved my friends seem to be welcoming a new dawn too." Shiro smiled. "I'm glad. A King who is in hiding and unable to go to the rescue those in need is little more than a failure."
"I was the one who gave the orders to not let you return after salvaging your reconstructed body. Don't blame yourself." Daikaku contradicted.
"It was to keep me away from the Green King, wasn't it?" Shiro asked, almost rhetorically as he sat down on Daikaku's other side. He knew Gretel was passing on information and his family would only willingly keep him from the ground if they had a good reason. Most of them too, after all, were still in hiding from the Green clan as well. "You shouldn't feel bad either, Lieutenant. They know about this ship from the Mihashira Tower database, despite Shinji's best efforts. It's the end of obscurity. And now everything is moving again."
"I had a feeling this would happen from the moment I saw your corpse." Daikaku said. "As the Gold King, who represents destiny, I could understand it clearly: things as they are will change. Or rather…"
"It will…end." Shiro finished his sentence.
"And I will be forcing you to pick up after the mess I've left." Daikaku said apologetically.
"That's not true!" Shiro protested. "Lieutenant, you gave shape to the dreams my sister and I once hoped for, even the dream of saving Cari! Using the Slate, you saw so many dreams through to the end. Great ones, small ones, good ones, bad ones. There were too many to count them all."
"That's not…true either." Daikaku protested, speaking directly for the first time in a long time, his voice tired and rough. Shiro turned to him in shock. "They were the dreams that the four of us shared. That is why I wanted to fulfill them. Weissman…the new world is beautiful…don't you think so?"
"Yes." Shiro agreed, turning away.
"The dream we worked so hard for...it had a view like this too." Daikaku smiled.
"Yes." Shiro said, voice softer.
"What a waste to now close…my eyes…" Daikaku whispered before he did exactly that and the heart monitor that Haru had set up before he left to tend to Kuroh and Leoda gave a shrill tone as the Gold King's heart stopped beating.
"Yes…" Shiro whispered, his voice choked with grief and tears.
"Adi…" Kazuma whispered. The Silver King, however, stood and made his way to the balcony of the blimp.
Once outside, he climbed on the railing and spread his arms wide as the wind blew through his hair, welcoming the dawn and the new world with open arms as his world began to move once again.
"Lieutenant, just as you did, I will move forward until my very last breath. No running this time. I'll face it head on."
Tatara opened his eyes and was startled to see the loft he and Mikoto shared when they went to the realm beyond life. Sitting up, he found Mikoto sitting next to him.
"Hey." The Red King greeted, or former Red King Tatara supposed.
"King, what're we doing here? What's going on?" Tatara questioned, confused.
"Mn." Mikoto hummed as he nodded to the side. Turning, Tatara's eyes widened as he saw-
"Uncle Daikaku!?" he shouted.
"Hello, Tatara." Daikaku greeted, because, yes, it was him.
"But, you're-what-how-why-what?!" Tatara stuttered as the implications finally sunk in. "You're…dead…"
"I am." Daikaku nodded. "And I suspect you realize why I am here. Why you are here."
Tatara's eyes widened as the implication sunk in and he clutched his chest, over his heart.
"No, no, I'm not, I'm-I'm a clansman, Uncle, King's vassal! I can't be a King!" He protested.
"You can, as you are meant to be." Daikaku shook his head.
"But Uncle, you don't understand. I can't be a King! I'm not anything special at all, I'm barely worthy to mean as much as I do to everyone! How can I be a King, especially the Gold King?!" Tatara cried.
"The Gold King represents destiny." Daikaku explained. "And while I represented the steady march of destiny, you, Tatara Totsuka, shall represent defying the destiny laid out for you."
"What?" Tatara gasped.
"You survived being shot, did you not? If you accept your destiny as the Gold King, then you will have defied the very destiny you represent. And that is just what Weissman needs in order to defy the Green King and his view of destiny." Daikaku explained.
"But…I…King…" Tatara turned to his long-time friend and confidant.
"Totsuka. Why do you think all of HOMRA rallied together when you were attacked?" Mikoto asked. "You kept them all together. You had the potential to be King."
"You always have." Daikaku added in agreement, a grandfatherly smile on his face. "Tatara, you have somehow always managed to survive and believe that everything will work out. If you take this chance, it will. You will wake up and return to your family."
And that was when Tatara remembered precisely why he was in a coma.
The bullet that hit him had a King's aura infused into it, something only the death of that King or Tatara's own Awakening as a King could reverse. If he took this chance…he could wake up, see his family, his friends, and help them.
But…
"King…" Tatara whispered, turning to Mikoto once again.
He didn't want to leave Mikoto, not after everything Mikoto had done for him for his whole life.
As if he knew exactly what he was thinking, Mikoto hit Tatara on the head. Instantly, Tatara started to whine, just as he always did.
"Go. See your family. Embrace your Gold." Mikoto smirked at him.
"…maybe I will, but my heart will always be Red." Tatara smiled, a sad teary eyed smile. "No blood, no bone and no ash, right?"
Mikoto simply smirked and nodded at him, laying a hand briefly on his shoulder.
Tatara took a deep breath before he took Daikaku's hand in his own.
It was time to wake up.
The sudden flare of Gold around Leoda, Carina and Haru in the middle of HOMRA's celebration of Anna's Awakening was, to say the least, shocking.
And considering Kristopher had reported he couldn't find his father anywhere, Leoda could feel tears forming in her eyes.
No way…it's not possible…
But even though she didn't want to get her hopes up, she could feel the difference in this Gold. Daikaku's Gold had been weak within her without Mikoto's Red, true, but it had always felt like the hug of a protector, promising her a family and a home and safety in a way simply being blood family could not. But this new Gold…it was warm like the sun and reminded her of encouraging smiles, of belief that she could handle herself, of trust and love and an undying fire that would always sit deep within her soul.
"What's going on?" Yata questioned, lost.
"It seems there's a new Gold King." Carina smiled as she turned to her son, who hung up the phone just then.
"It's over the hospital." Haru reported, hope sparkling in his eyes.
Leoda couldn't remember moving to the car as fast as she did since the night Tatara had ended up in the hospital, with Kusanagi, Anna and Yata being the only Reds allowed to go for now, to not overwhelm Tatara.
Hilda noticed the moment Tatara awoke instantly as she flared Gold and Gretel stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"He's awake…Tatara's awake…" Hilda sobbed, interrupting their meeting entirely.
Neither sister cared as they used each other for support and sobbed out all the guilt and grief they had bottled up for the last year.
After all, who wouldn't feel guilty when you couldn't prevent the almost death of your cousin's husband?
Fushimi didn't even realize he was moving when he saw the Gold Sword of Damocles until he found himself outside the hospital alongside Akiyama and Benzai and everyone from the Marked clan who had gone to HOMRA, Yatogami and the Silver Strain included.
He barely realized his heart was pounding or that he was nervous, until Anna approached him and hugged him, whispering his name as she sobbed into his stomach in relief.
And for the first time in years, Fushimi allowed himself to hold his little sister.
When Leoda, Carina, Haru, Kristopher and Ame entered the hospital room that Tatara was staying in, they found the brunette glowing gold, but on his finger was a flame red butterfly.
'Tatara!' Leoda attempted to scream as she ran to her husband's side, not even caring that she had no voice anymore. She sat at his side and leaned down to lay her forehead against his, sobbing as his Gold enveloped her and held her while he attempted to calm her.
"Hi…" he whispered, his voice rough from almost a year of no use. He probably had lost a lot of muscle as well, lying in bed doing nothing for a year.
But Leoda didn't care, because he was here, alive and breathing for the first time in a year.
"Daddy! Daddy, you're back!" Kristopher gasped, crying too. "Daddy, meet Ame! She's been wanting to meet you really bad!"
Tatara gave a rough chuckle, but carefully ran his finger over his daughter's head.
He still couldn't believe it. He was alive. He was a King. He was the Second King, the Gold King.
He may regret his choice later, after all he will always be Red, but…right now he didn't, not if it meant he got to see that smile on his wife's face.
And when Anna and Saruhiko came up together later with Kusanagi and presented him with a bouquet of irises and Kuroh and Neko later brought up a bouquet of white poppies, Tatara could honestly say he wouldn't regret his choice for a while yet.
"I'm home…"
And there we are, arc two is done! This chapter, actually, was written in one day, right after I finished writing chapter 17. Right after I finished? I posted chapter 15 here. I was on a roll and didn't want to stop, so...*shrug*
And now you all finally know what I was so excited about! Not only is Tatara now the Gold King in this universe (an idea I set up back in arc one, where I mentioned either the King who enfused the bullet that shot him (yes, it's Mr. Iwa the Gray King) needed to die or Tatara needed to become a King to wake up), but Hikari was actually a member of the Marked clan all along! Did you guys catch on to her or was I too good at hiding her?
And, now for me to explain my POV rule. Every character who has a POV is either a member of the Marked clan (thereby related to Carina by blood or a spouse of her relative) or an unofficial member of the Marked clan (Mikoto, Kusanagi, Fushimi and Anna specifically fall into this category, but their love interests, Munakata, Seri, Yata and Sukuna respectively, do not). Therefore, Hikari having a POV was my hint that she was a member of the Marked clan, as well as specifically hiding her hands and her right arm (fun fact, her outfit is slightly based off Ed from Fullmetal Alchemist!) Yes, Hikari/Gretel's intended love interest is Yukari, which will be explored more in the second arc and the K7S: Side: Green part. That's your only hint about Kusuhara, by the way, so take it as you will ;)
Now, as for the next arc...the next chapter will follow Tatara's recovery and everyone reaclimating after all this stuff from this arc, so it will be entirely original. But for arc three? I'm still working the logistics out, especially for the 'protect the Slate' plan, because I've just added a brand new King to this Coffee Table Alliance, so it may be a while again before you see me. But I CAN promise that I'll be working hard and that arc three will a wild and worth it ride!
Leave a review to let me know what you thought in the meantime! I'll see you all again then!