The Red Queen Chapter 4: Kirin


Kaida's blood ran cold into her veins. She stared, eyes wide and mouth open, as the fire raged across the street. Street lights melted and car engines heated to the point of explosion. The sidewalk cracked and shattered beneath the feet of the King.

High above their heads energy crawled across a sword that hung in the sky, suspended in the clouds. Red swirled around the hilt, where a ruby gleamed. The tip curved strangely, pointing down at Mikoto.

Mikoto, her best friend, who was the King of the Red Clan. Mikoto, whose face had gone ashen. Mikoto, whose once amber eyes now glowed red when they met her.

He reached out, towards Kaida, and the fire did too.

She flinched back, stumbling away from it. From him.

Pain twisted his face and in that instant Kaida wished he had burned her. Wished that she had taken a blow to the stomach that would justify the sudden twist in her guts. Wished that she could take back her cowardice and walk into the fire, towards her friend.

The street cleared of the last civilians, who had run screaming. At her feet a corpse smoldered, the gun in its hand melting into a mockery of a glove. A gun that been pointed at her only a second ago.

Kaida swallowed thickly.

"Mikoto," she begged, but she couldn't get anything else out. She couldn't explain her regret, she couldn't take away her actions.

Mikoto just looked at her and turned away, the red fire retreating under his skin. He walked off, hands shoved in his pockets to hide their shaking.

Kaida sunk to the ground and wept over the burned body.


The day after that, Mikoto, Izumo, and Kaida stopped attending class.

The Red Clan, newly formed, named itself Homra and opened a bar.

Kaida took on her role as a Rabbit full time, and vanished behind a gold mask to serve her grandfather.

Two years would pass before they would meet again.