The Red Queen Chapter 5: Kermes
The sounds of shouting came from around the corner ahead of them. Inside her mask Kaida sighed, silently. Rabbits didn't make noises, unless they were talking to each other or their King.
She wasn't here for trouble. She hadn't been in a real fight since the one that almost got her killed and cost her her best friend. Just the carefully coordinated ones that only left her with a tighter knot in her chest. .
She hadn't been here for trouble, honest. She was just checking in on the Center for her Grandfather, no one thought there would be something to do, let alone that a familiar boy who was no longer in middle school would come crashing around the corner.
Gen, the Blue Clansmen, caught the familiar face and twisted his arm behind his back, pinning him firmly.
"Totsuka!" Kamamoto yelled. Kaida was glad for her mask, it made it easier to hide her surprise, and it kept Tatara from recognizing her. Tatara had tailed Mikoto for almost a full year, getting into just as much trouble at the rest of them, only he never had the backup from Mikoto or Izumo or Kaida. He took the punches and came back the next day. He was a stubborn boy.
Kamamoto she only knew by his file. He was strong, and had no problems with violence. Usually seen with Misaki Yata and, by extension, Saruhiko Fushimi. Neither of which were obviously present, but she could hear a scuffle down the hallway.
"I was informed that there were intruders." Mizuchi spoke with a smile. His speech was calm, but underneath that could be felt a freezing cold temperature. He was always like that, chilly and distant for all he was usually smiling. "Who is in charge?"
Tatara made a face, looking between the two Gold Clansmen and Kamamoto. "Technically me, I guess?"
"Name yourself." While his expression was still soft Mizuchi was, as always, haughty. Kaida didn't care for him, he gave her the creepys.
"Clansman of Mikoto Suoh, the third king, Totsuka Tatara," he smiled politely.
Some slight scorn crossed out Mizuchi's softness. A mask as effective as the gold Kaida wore.
"…aah, I know your name. I believe, even though you're one of the first clansmen, you have unsuitably low abilities…"
"Haha, that's not a very nice way of remembering me." After smiling wryly, Totsuka abruptly changed his expression. From his usual smile, to a blank face. Kaida stiffened at the sight. "Are you Mizuchi?"
The man narrowed his eyes. Because of his deeply chiseled features, a dark shadow fell on his eyes, vanishing them.
"Correct. I am this Center's head, and the second King, Daikaku Kokujoji's clansman, Koushi Mizuchi."
After naming himself, Mizuchi glanced at the boy that had come up behind Tatara. He was one of the Strains in the class her brother taught, Hoshi, she thought his name was.
Tatara followed his gaze and said, helpfully, "We threatened that Strain over there into bringing us here."
Mizuchi gestured with his chin.
"Go."
After a short, hesitating pause the boy ran away, back down the corridor.
"So? If you have some sort of excuse, I'll listen," Mizuchi offered. Kaida turned her head towards him. That was not something he was supposed to offer. They were trespassing on another Clans territory, that wasn't something anyone but a King was supposed to be able to dismiss.
"You know a kid named Anna Kusina, right?"
Kaida's shoulders drew together. Honami's niece. Kaida had seen her file, she was a powerful Strain already, even when she was so young. What was going on here?
"…what about her?"
"That kid, she can't be called unrelated to us… last night, our members had a fight with some Blue Clansmen who seemed to be keeping watch on her."
Kaida tilted her head. That wasn't very unusual, Blue Clansmen often watched young, potentially dangerous Strains, as Mizuchi explained to Tatara. Still, they weren't supposed to engage rival Clansmen. What the hell was going on here?
There was a momentary silence.
"…the ones in charge of watching Kushina yesterday were the Minato brothers, correct?" Mizuchi addressed the question to Gen, who was in charge of the Blue Clan until a new King was selected.
"Yes," he confirmed. Kaida shifted when she saw Kamamoto eyeing the back of Gen's neck. Her hand dropped to the hilt of the sword at her side, which was a faster draw than the staff over her shoulders. Surely he wouldn't attack when they were outnumbered.
"Yesterday, the ones who came in contact with your clansmen were, shall we say, ones who have some slight faults in their personality. Surely what made you suspicious was that… however, it's extremely misguided to suspect the Center because of that. Just because the guards used were bad, it doesn't make sense to suspect the work of the one hiring them, does it?"
Except, it did. Her grandfather was meticulous in the recruitment of his subordinates, their loyalty was to him, or to the future of the country. And, when assigning people to observe Stains, especially young ones, they didn't send impulsive people or those that would kick up a fuss. What was Mizuchi thinking?
Gen's expression changed into an unpleasant one. Kaida could imagine how happy he was being treated like a glorified body guard to another Clan.
"…The red clan wishes to take that child."
In response to what Totsuka said, Mizuchi froze. "…what?"
"If I said that, what would you do?" Tatara looked at him, the challenge clear. Kaida bit her tongue to keep from laughing.
Mizuchi spat out a laugh.
"Ridiculous. She's a difficult Strain. There is no way the red clan which has violence as its creed could protect her. I am the one who will protect her future."
Something in the way he said that set Kaida's skin wrong. There was something happening here that she didn't like one bit.
"But, if that child were to choose us, you wouldn't have the right to stop it, would you?" Tatara pressed.
"She will not choose someone like you people."
Totsuka closed his mouth momentarily at Mizuchi's completely confident words.
"In any case, you people are criminals who invaded another king's territory. Rather than that nonsense, shouldn't you be trying to do something about yourselves?"
"Are you going to punish us?"
Mizuchi seemed to be lost for words for a moment at Totsuka's soft question. Kaida's stomach twisted. She tried to work her jaw loose enough to object.
"…I probably should."
Totsuka nodded slowly to that response.
"That's fine." He turned to Mizuchi and smiled his usual smile, one Kaida knew well. "In order to punish another king's clansman, proper formalities need to be observed… what I want to know is if you can do something like that openly without anything to hide."
Mizuchi's temple wrinkled a bit. Kaida could hear Kamamoto rebukingly say "Totsuka!" in a muffled voice, but she wasn't paying attention to him. She only had eyes for Tatara. A short silence fell. After sighing slightly, Mizuchi looked at the man in blue who was holding Totsuka.
Gen twisted Tatara's arm suddenly up, forcing it at an angel. Kaida blinked and winced at the numbers that appeared. That was bad.
"Totsuka!"
Tatara lifted a hand to stop his friend from lunging for him. Kaida could hear his muscles creaking. She shifted, gripping her sword tighter so she could slice Gen's arm off. Then, Tatara's eyes met hers through the holes in her mask and she froze. Tatara's eyes bored into hers, freezing her in place. It was like he could read her soul. Like he knew exactly who was under the mask.
"…I am the greatest and most powerful golden king's clansman. Of course I have nothing to hide. This center is also being properly managed under the observation of the 'Rabbits'." Mizuchi lightly waved one hand Kaida, including her in his arrogance.
Tatara grabbed his shoulder, grimacing.
"I don't know why you lot are feeling such suspicions for us, but we've done nothing to deserve it… however, dealing with a Red Clansman would cause some trouble for our King. I would not wish that for such a small incident as this." Mizuchi looked down at Tatara. "Begone."
After watching Mizuchi leave, Tatara sighed. Kamamoto came running and kneeled down next to him, heedless of the Golden Girl that stood over them. He only reacted when she took a step towards them, swinging a red fist towards her threateningly.
Tatara touched his shoulder. "It's okay, Kamamoto. She's a friend."
"What?" the teenager looked at him like he was crazy.
Kaida snorted inside of her mask, the sound muffled beyond recognition.
"How do you know that?" she asked, lowering herself to the ground in front of the younger man.
"I couldn't forget you. Neither did the others," he smiled at her like he knew she flinched under the gold. "What are you doing here?"
"My job. Let's see your shoulder," she moved in and Tatara turned to let her inspect it. The numbers flashed up with her will. She hissed in sympathy.
"I think your pain tolerance is higher than mine," she mumbled, laying her hand over. She placed her fingers just so and pushed. The nerves relaxed under the pressure and Tatara sighed in relief.
"You're the best," Tatara smiled at her. Kaida shook her head. If she was the best she would have put a stop to all of this.
"You boys should go, before you cause more trouble," she advised. Tatara tilted his head, looking up at her. He was still smiling. He was always smiling. Kaida didn't understand.
"You should come by the bar. Mikoto misses you."
Kaida bowed her head. She didn't think she could do that. She didn't think she belonged.
