"~How tides control the sea and what becomes of me;

How little things can slip out of your hands;

How often people change, no two remain the same;

Why things don't always turn out as you plan...

These are things that I don't understand;

Yeah, these are things that I don't understand~"


There were many things that were unknown about the infamous Black Dog.

But no one on earth could have guessed that he was well adept in cooking.

Apparently, his hands weren't just skilled at handling a katana blade...

And as you continued to stand next to him while he did his side of the job, the sound of his murmuring caught your attention.

"Scrape the whites against the bottom of the bowl, tearing, tearing the yolk..."

You observed him from the corner of your eyes as you minced quietly.

"Start from the skin... Mince finely..."

Your hands moved to follow his whispered directions; and through the flow of your moving fingers, the both of you found out, to your surprise; that you and the raven haired boy actually made quite the cooking duo.

Go figure.

"Eat while it's hot!"

You merely shook your head and smiled as you began to set the table, making sure to be extra careful when it came to getting too close to Neko.

If she managed to sniff you out now, then dinner would be ruined...

But since your amnesiac king was much more sensitive about being aware of your true gender; most likely still thinking that he was the only one in the room to know such a thing; you decided to play a little prank on him.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity after all.

Call it a little payback for all of the times he constantly teased you...

You slowly reached down to place his meal in front of him, while purposely making it so that your arm brushed against his right shoulder with a good amount of force, before you brought your lips closer to his ear and whispered an apology.

The ending result was everything you could've wished for, and more.

His cheeks flushed bright red at the unexpected action, and he even scooted over to the side away from you...

Cute.

Now you could finally understand the appeal of his teasing when the roles were reversed.

Suppressing an amused laugh, you proceeded to take your spot across from the other man in the room and pressed your palms together like the others.

"Thank you for the food!"

~...~

After several minutes of nothing but the sounds of chewing and occasional outbursts from the people surrounding you; Yatogami also surprised everyone with the appearance of his "special" voice recorder; which apparently withheld several sayings of his previous king...

Somehow, in a way; you found the fact that the stoic Black Dog secretly having a soft spot for the man who raised him was a little endearing.

But maybe that was because unlike most others, you were one of the select few who could understand something like a strong emotional attachment.

That didn't stop Yashiro's reaction of disgust from making you grin...

The somewhat awkward silence was interrupted though, when he finally managed to bring up the important crisis at hand.

"By the way, I wanted to ask you, while I have the chance... Who were those guys chasing me? And why do they want to kill me?"

He certainly got right to the point...

Kuroh on the other hand eyed him closely. "I thought you understood that their fellow clansman was murdered. Now they're out for revenge."

"Excuse me, may I have some more rice, please?" You interrupted passing him your now empty bowl.

He gave a simple nod and refilled it when Yashiro asked confusedly, "Their clansman...? Is it an illegal club of some kind, like a motorcycle gang or the mafia?"

"A clan is a group of people who serve underneath their king. Clansmen are the members of that group... Mikoto Suoh, the Red King, is the king of the third clan. Of all the kings, he is the most violent-tempered."

If it hadn't been for the hood still covering your face, the scowl that curled down at the corners of your lips would have drawn in everyone else's attention.

Just the mention of his name... Nearly made your heart wretch in despair...

But as of right now, this wasn't the time to let your feelings get the better of you. Besides... Adolf needed to know what was going on, especially when said Red clan was currently trying to end his life.

"So you're saying he's the boss of a group of people with strange powers? And that there are other groups like his? So now this group is after me, because there's been a terrible mistake and they think I killed one of their members..."

Exactly.

But of course...

"They haven't made a mistake. The fact is; you are the murderer. After we're done eating, I shall kill you."

"What?!"

This guy.

Before you got the chance to even speak up, Neko did it for you.

"More please!"

Yatogami sighed in irritation.

"Hey! If you're serving, me too!" Yashiro added excitedly.

The look the raven haired boy gave him made your stomach churn a bit.

He was absolutely fed up with these two and their antics. Whereas since you hadn't spoken pretty much throughout the entire conversation, he basically paid you no heed.

Not that you weren't intimidated by him in the first place. So it wouldn't have mattered if he had done so to begin with.

"Well, this is going to be the last bowl of white rice you'll ever eat. Enjoy yourself while it lasts, Yashiro Isana..."

"Hey, will you stop saying stuff like that!"

In that moment after Kuroh's threat, you finished eating; being the first one to do so, and clapped your hands together. "Thank you for the food."

The trio stopped to look at you, all three of them a little surprised by your sudden raise of voice.

"...Right... I think now is the best time."

Their eyes followed your form when you abruptly stood up. You simply ignored their gazes before gripping both sides of your large hood and pulling it down.

Your somewhat disheveled hair instantly slipped free from it's confinement and the feeling of fresh air brushing against your skin overtook your senses. It had felt like a lifetime since you were able to-

"ASAKI~"

The next thing you knew, the familiar feeling of a large bust being pressed over your face and blocking your vision caused you to almost lose your balance; but being the prepared one you were (and also expecting this kind of reaction from Neko), you pivoted your left foot and wrapped your arms around the cat girl's small frame and caught your balance by spinning on your heel.

And once you felt her jump back a little before she forcefully rubbed her cheek against your own in an affectionate manner, you muttered something that only she could hear.

"Nice to see you too, Neko."

In response to her tender actions, you returned the gesture by gently placing your palm on the top of her head and proceeded to fondly pet her soft hair.

"You... Know each other?"

You redirected your attention to the boys; confusion written all over their faces.

"I guess you could say that..." You replied smiling.

"Asakiii! Asakiii~" The ecstatic girl simply continued to squeeze you tightly.

"I actually met her in circumstances similar to you, Yashiro."

His amber eyes lit up in realization. "So then, you just happened to come across her?"

"Actually, that was a bluff. I never knew that you met her that way."

"Really? Haha, I guess you got me." He laughed scratching his cheek.

"Hmm~"

"Asaki was the first person who made me food! She gave me fish and it was super spicy! Then she had to leave after a few days... But now she's back and she can be mine again! Just like Shiro!" Neko replied while gripping your hands and swinging them in tune with hers.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry about that Neko..." You replied with a somber expression.

In truth, you had been visiting this, as you called it, "forbidden town" not too ago for... personal reasons... reasons you didn't want to even think about right now. But it did raise a pang in your heart when realizing that the poor strain girl had been so lonely after your abrupt absence.

However, your spirits lifted when she grinned and embraced you again. "But you should finish eating. We still have a lot to talk about." Politely, you reprimanded her before returning to your seats.

The tense air in the room dissipated somewhat because of your little reunion, although now it was time to get serious.

That was the case, until one of the maintenance robots that rummaged around the school interrupted the suffocating atmosphere.

You stood up and helped the guys move the table while Neko slipped over and sat on the bed.

"Moving onward!"

If this weren't such a dire situation, you probably would've laughed right about now.

Yashiro beat you to the punch though, when it came to restarting the previous conversation.

"Okay, so after your explanation I understand why those creeps are so intent on killing me-"

"Ahem!" You coughed.

He smiled nervously and apologized for using a rude word to describe the Red clan members.

"But what I can't figure out even now, is why you want to kill me... It's not like you're one of them. You don't belong to their clan. And it's clear that she doesn't want to kill me." He flashed you a worried look.

"...It's because I am a vassal of the seventh king. The previous king, the Colorless king." Yatogami replied.

"Colorless?"

"It means one who is not beholden to a color. My late master ordered me to evaluate the man who would be the next king, and to kill him without hesitation if he is evil. Master Ichigen Miwa, the previous king, possessed the ability to predict the future."

"The ability to see the future... The Colorless king...?"

"That's right. And from the stories I've heard, Miwa was also a very kind person. Especially for being a king." You interrupted.

Kuroh turned his attention back to you, suspicion evident on face. "He was indeed... So you've heard of him then?"

"Of course I have... But I'm fairly certain that you don't understand what we're talking about, right Yashiro?"

"Um, yeah... For starters, what is this 'King' you both keep bringing up?"

You nodded in understanding. "Black Dog, you should finish explaining this part to him."

The raven haired boy sighed in slight disdain.

Apparently he didn't like that nickname very much...

"Yes, well... It means one endowed with great power that embodies the natural laws of this world. The power of the king is what runs this country. Ordinary human beings would not know about this, however."

"And if they did, then it would only cause even more trouble to those who do. That's why most Kings and their clansmen try to keep it hidden." You added.

"Huh... And here I thought that the Prime Minister was the most powerful man in this country..." Yashiro mumbled.

"It's ironic, isn't it?" You grinned reaching over and playfully petting his soft white hair. "Right Neko?"

"Yup~" Not that she was really paying attention...

After removing your hand from his head, he replaced it with his own as if the feeling of your warmth still lingered.

But your expression hardened not a second too soon when Kuroh began talking again.

"Today, this country's government...and economy cannot function...without the power of one man. It was because of him that Japan was able to transform from a once defeated nation, preyed upon by it's neighbors, into the world's greatest economic and technological power."

"...And who is he?"

'Your best friend Adolf... And...'

"He's the Gold king, the second king... Daikaku Kokujōji. And his influence extends to all different aspects of society... He's the most powerful of all the kings when it comes to his ability to maintain order." You finished.

Yatogami looked at you, surprised. "You know of him too?"

His expression darkened.

"Tell me... Who exactly are you?"

"Um..." All of a sudden Yashiro felt the atmosphere stiffen once again, as his amber orbs glanced back and forth between you and the menacing clansman.

You finally let a small sigh before replying calmly, "Sorry, I can't tell you that yet. So continue, please."

This time it was Kuroh's turn to sigh; although in a more overly dramatic fashion... As a plus, your king also visibly relaxed when the two of you simmered down.

"Fine, but no more interrupting."

"Of course."

"...As I was saying..." He proceeded to take out his cell phone and placed it next to the soy sauce container, "both of these products were created by companies controlled by the Gold king."

"Oh, so, the boss of those fire guys... You guys called him the Red king, didn't you?"

"Mhm."

"So, there's a Red and Gold king?"

"...There are actually a total of seven kings."

"Seven?"

"Yes. Each clan is completely different depending on the king who rules them." Soon he also placed the other various colored spice containers in a circle on the table to emphasize his point. "And if I were to describe the Red clan in a word, it would be... Violence."

Once more, this conversation took a turn for the worse...even if it was bound to come up eventually... But you had hoped it would've come later rather than sooner.

It took everything you had to keep your composure as the muscles in your hands clenched.

Luckily, you managed to play quite the poker faced actress.

Although...

'He doesn't have to keep saying that word...' You thought bitterly.

Truth be told;

He wasn't wrong.

What had made you angry was the fact that the majority of other people didn't know the Red clan personally enough to see that there was much more to them than meets the eye...

"They're a clan with bonds that run deeper than blood. Killing one of their members was a stupid thing to do. You understand me? King-to-be."

Again, this guy!

"Look! I keep telling you that it was someone who looks like me! I'm not this 'King' you keep talking about, and I've never killed anyone!"

In response to this, Kuroh took a sip of his tea, practically disregarding anything he'd said.

"...Ah?"

The final moment of truth came quickly; much faster than expected, when you noticed the others finishing the rest of their meal.

"Thank you for the meal."

"Thank you for the meow!" Neko chimed.

"Okay, time to kill you."

"Wait, wait! This isn't right! Let's think about this rationally!"

Jumping to your feet before either parties could react, you quickly stood in front of the innocent man and pushed him behind your back defensively.

Neko also took a protective stance as she growled in a way that she thought was menacing, while Yatogami's hands instantly flew to the hilt of his sword when he picked up on your side's intensity.

"Do you still intend to protect him?" He asked staring daggers at you.

"Yes." You replied, your voice never wavering.

"W-Wait! Before anyone starts anything, I still have something to say!"

All three of you stopped a moment to see what your king wanted.

He gave you a shy smile as he stared into your eyes and moved to stand in front of you.

"What are you-" Before you could finish however, he softly rested his hand on your shoulder and switched places with you, so that he was the one protecting you.

"I know how much you hate fighting. So let me try one more time..." He whispered.

A small blush covered your cheeks at the unfair choice of wording...but going against your gut, you decided to trust him; no matter how bad the situation appeared to be...

The raven haired boy eyed him closely; preparing himself.

"From what I'm gathering, your reason for wanting to kill me is because you think that I'm the evil Colorless king, right? Based on what?"

"That video."

What a simple answer...

"That could've easily been faked! Don't you think it's strange? Why would I purposely identify myself as the Colorless king?"

You followed him as he moved closer to Kuroh... your uneasiness only grew when he got a little too close.

"Because you're evil and want everyone to know it."

"You really believe that? If that's really the case, then I must be a pretty stupid villain. By now, wouldn't I have run away to someplace a lot safer?"

You gripped the bottom of your king's shirt, pulling him back a little.

It seemed as if he was finally getting through that thick skull on the Black Dog's neck.

"I keep telling you, I'm just an ordinary high school student!"

'Well... Not exactly Adolf... But you're at least innocent.' You thought.

"Then, who is that? Isn't she one of your clansmen?" Yatogami pointed to the still growling Neko across the room.

They both stared at her in confusion. "Huh? No, she's uh... Who are you exactly? Or, what are you?"

She grinned happily and placed her hands on her hips. "I am Neko!"

"She's a strain." You spoke up.

"Ah... Then if that's so, is it purely coincidence that she's here? No, that can't be..."

"It is. I know for a fact that she's been wandering around this city for quite some time. And that she met Yashiro purely by chance." You added.

"Is that so...?"

"Um...a Strain?"

"...Right. There are those who possess special powers without receiving them from a king." Kuroh explained.

"Is that what you are?" Your king asked.

She shrugged her shoulders in exaggeration, "I don't understand it myself...all I know is that I'm Shiro's cat! I'm Shiro's cat, and I belong to Shiro~" Neko sang as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"Oh, oh! And I really like Asaki too! She's mine, and I also belong to her! I belong to both of them~" She added spinning around.

You took her happy cheering and proclamation of love as a compliment; unlike the boy next to you who tried calming her down; to no avail...

"And what about you?" Yatogami asked you, raising an eyebrow.

You smiled; before waving off the question. "That can come later."

"Hmm..."

"Hey, listen to me Kuroh Yatogami... The bottom line is that I'm being falsely accused here! I'm going to prove my innocence to you! And then I'll have to find a way to clear things up with those scary-"

"AHEM!" You interrupted.

"Er, with those Red people..." He continued giving you an apologetic glance. "I swear, I haven't killed anyone! Didn't your late master tell you to kill me only after you made a precise evaluation? Then determine with your own eyes... Whether I am good... or evil!"

Once again you gripped the hem of the white haired boy's shirt, tugging him a little closer to you and placing your head snug against his back.

"Well said... Yashiro Isana..." You murmured.

He flinched slightly from the close proximity, and you instantly pulled away. "Aha, sorry. That was involuntary."

Being met by his blushing face, brought up your mood a bit as you smiled warmly. "I-It's okay. But, uh, you can just call me Shiro."

"Yashiro."

His blush darkened. "I guess, it doesn't sound so bad when you say it like that..."

"Isana!"

You both turned back to Kuroh, who currently held out the same voice recorder from earlier.

"Press a button." He instructed.

"Huh?"

"Just do it."

"Okay...then..." A little hesitantly, your king reached out and pressed one at random.

"Do not judge the cold without first knowing the warmth of the shining sun."

"What was that?"

"If I'm right, it sounds like his master Miwa was saying not to jump to conclusions, right?" You asked.

The Black Dog nodded in approval. "It looks like you just got a new lease on life, Yashiro Isana."

"Seriously, Shiro is fine... So uh, would you mind if I called you Kuro?"

"Yashiro Isana!" The three of you flinched at the loud volume of his voice.

"As you wish, from this moment on, I will determine what kind of person you are. And if I find that you truly are evil, then I will slay you without hesitation... Do we understand each other?"

The other boy smiled in return. "Thank you, Kuro. That's good enough for now."

"Thank Master Ichigen for admonishing me..."

"...Is he on that voice recorder?"

No one was prepared for what was about to happen next.

"You mean this?! This contains the recorded words of my late master. The words of master Ichigen, who was also an avant-garde poet, were so filled with deep meaning and beauty that listening to them only once was not enough. It wasn't enough to engrave them into my soul was not enough, so I recorded them at every opportunity. To this day, whenever I am unsure, 'Walk casually, along the path you have chosen. The path to your dreams.' Perfect, don't you think?!"

"Creepy!"

You couldn't hold back your laughter anymore and allowed a small chuckle to escape your lips; making Kuroh's cheeks burn red.

"Haha~"

After a while; you finally managed to pipe down, before casually walking over to the flustered boy and patting his head in reassurance; which instead of calming him down, only intensified the dark red hue covering his face.

"I think it's sweet..."

"Really?! Then would you perhaps like to hear more?!"

"Sure."

In that moment, it already looked as if both boys in the room were already taken with you.

"Now that that's settled, let's have dessert!"


Okaaaay.

So I just really wanted to blow through this chapter, because the next one is the first filler, and I'm super excited to write it!

Oh my damn!

To be honest, I really just want to get past the first season arc so that I can get to the next one.

I can't tell you why though, sorry!

But how awesome is the second season so far? Huh?! It literally kills me having to wait for new episodes, GAH!

Also, I put lyrics at the beginning because they're so fitting, don't you think?

Anyway;

Peace out! t(•_•t)