Munakata wondered if he was suffering from a bad case of déjà vu when he looked up and saw the person who was admitted to his office. As the Blue King leaned back in his chair, setting down the reports regarding the events of the previous night, the temperature dropped significantly.

Miyuki Hizamaru had gained some amount of weight since the last time he had seen her two years ago, her light brown hair pulled back in a high ponytail, her grey eyes the same as before.

" Hello, Reisi, " she greeted casually, as if nothing had happened two years ago, as if she hadn't betrayed him with the one he thought was his closest friend without a shred of remorse.

" Miyuki Hizamaru, " he greeted coldly, rising to his feet like the gentleman he was, although it was more than what she deserved. " You seem to have come to the wrong location. "

Once, he had thought that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, however, now as he regarded her in a stoic, detached manner, he found that she seemed bloated, her fondness for make up grating on his nerves.

Amira Arashikage's natural beauty that reminded him of the ocean under a full moon with all its hidden mysteries and dangers flashed in his mind, and he smiled inwardly.

I will not compare my little mermaid with Morgana in disguise, he thought scornfully. True, Amira Arashikage was dangerous when made an enemy, and she never denied that she had killed others, but Munakata had been able to see that the black haired Strain was pure of heart, and honest as she could be; she never tried to use her looks, or her position as one of the few surviving members of the Arashikage and Hiruko Clans to get her way.

The woman in front of him smiled and shook her head. " Still as formal as always, " she said, stopping in front of his desk.

Munakata left his place behind his desk, and made his way to the Japanese styled section of his office, his stoic expression never changing. " Why are you here? " he asked, his tone clearly indicating that he didn't care for her company.

Hizamaru started at his somewhat harsh tone, but tried to maintain her composure. " I'd like to talk abut what happened two years ago, actually, " she admitted.

Munakata felt his face harden as memories of that fateful day flashed in his mind.

" Mitsuo and I did you a great wrong, " the Hizamaru woman confessed, sounding apologetic, and the act might have worked if the Blue King didn't see the spark of deceit in her eyes.

She has an ulterior motive for being here, Munakata thought, his brow furrowing as he took in the Gold Clan aura that she was trying to hide from him. So, he thought. That is your reason.

Word obviously spread through the Usagi regarding last night's events, and they had dispatched one of their agents who had a significant connection to the Blue King's past in order to gather information that they could use to their advantage.

" You are a very good actress, I have to say, " Munakata turned to face his former lover, his eyes cold as ice. " How long did you think you could hide your clan aura from me with your act of contrition? "

How long has she been with the Usagi? he wondered. Had she been present at the time of the Nanakamado Incident?

Realizing that the jig was up, Miyuki Hizamaru dropped her mask, revealing the malice she had brought with her, her smile turning cold, her face cruel, like a snake shedding its skin. " You have a mermaid like Strain under your authority, " she said, a note of arrogant pride in her voice. " His Excellency wants her arrested, and brought to him immediately. I trust you won't defy an order from the owner of the Dresden Slates? "

Munakata turned to face her fully, feeling revolted that the snake woman in front of him was the woman he once wished to marry.

She tilted her head back, certain she'd won. " We will expect her at Nanakamado – "

" No. "

It was most satisfying to see her smug expression dissolve into dismay and fury at his flat refusal, turning her into a harpee that had its claws filed. " This is a direct order from His Excellency! " she demanded, her eyes flashing. " Who are you to defy him?! "

" I am the Fourth of the Seven Kings, " Munakata answered simply. " And neither I, nor my clan will bow down to his abuse of authority simply due to him being the owner of the Dresden Slates, any more than I have any affection for you considering your actions from two years past, and the Clan you are now part of. "

She was livid, he could see, but that had no effect on him. Furious that he had called her out on her betrayal of him two years ago, and brushing off the authority of the Gold Clan in one breath, she raised her hand to slap him only to have him catch her wrist in one hand, and fling it aside. " An attack on a King in his territory is a declaration of war, " he informed her coldly. " You might want to think twice before you raise a hand for having your crimes brought to light. "

She pulled back, trying to save face. " It is you who have declared war, " she claimed coldly.

" On the contrary, " Munakata pointed out. " When His Excellency arrived last night, making the same demands as yourself, I reminded him that the Strain he wished to have turned over to him is already my Clansman, and under my authority. Let me repeat to you what I had told him, and you may relay the message: she is my Clansman, and under the protection of Scepter 4. I will not hand her over to you, or anyone else. If His Excellency fails to understand the answer provided him due to his selective lack of comprehension, it would be best that he goes back to grade school. "

Miyuki Hizamaru was speechless with shock. She had noticed prior to her falling out with the Blue King that he had a very distinct way of speaking that scathed and burned you when angered, and although he had spoken in the same even tones, it was obvious that he was angry.

Before she could make another protest, a soft knock sounded at the door, catching the attention of both combatants.

Munakata never took his eyes off Miyuki Hizamaru. " Enter, " he acknowledged.

The door cracked open, and the Captain of Scepter 4 felt his heart drop to the bottom of his feet as Amira Arashikage poked her head in, her long black hair loose. " Captain? "

No, he thought as her deep sea, crystal green eyes took in the scene before her, and the hostile atmosphere with it. Stay away…

Please…

" Arashikage-kun, " he greeted, his tone softening.

He could see that she realized that something was amiss, but instead of deterring her, it only made her more concerned, especially since one of the combatants in the office was her commanding officer. She stepped in and closed the door. " Is everything alright, Sir? " she asked, her eyes moving to the woman in front of him. Even this far, he could see the tension that rose up as the two females locked stares, their dislike for one another instant and mutual.

Hizamaru looked away first, unnerved at the look in the black haired mermaid's eyes, and the way she stared at her. Despite hearing about the young girl's battle capable background, she hadn't believed a word of it until now.

The girl was beautiful, she saw. More beautiful than she was rumored to be, despite the ominous aura she emitted. She suddenly wanted to fly at her, and scratch her eyes out, but didn't dare; if the rumors about how easily this girl could kill were true, Miyuki Hizamaru would be dead before she even managed to touch a hair strand on the girl's head.

" Think over what you said, " she told the Blue King, her contempt obvious. " It's not wise to defy His Excellency. "

Munakata scoffed. " I already have. "

She stalked out of the office, giving the black haired Strain a wide berth. Amira Arashikage's eyes followed her, and as she left the Blue Clan's base of operations, she felt a frisson of fear run through her as she remembered the girl.

When her stare had locked with the woman's, she'd had the almost uncontrollable urge to bare her fangs at her, and drag her out of the Captain's office by the hair until her scalp bled. It was obvious that things had been quite tense between Munakata and that woman, especially with the latter's raised voice countered by the former's cold, clipped tones.

Now, as the door shut – short of slamming - behind the unwelcome visitor, Amira turned to the Blue King, feeling worried. His shoulders were stiff with tension, a dark, deadly aura hanging in the air around him. " Did I come at a bad time? " she asked gently.

The battle weary Munakata sighed, and shook his head. " I am unsure how to answer that, Arashikage-kun, " he admitted before sitting on the steps leading to the Japanese styled section of his office. His eyes moved appreciatively over her petite figure, clad in the uniform of the Blue Clan. It was in the style that his men wore, and yet, it fitted her perfectly. " Your new uniform fits you, I see, " he noted, smiling in spite of his dark mood. " Come here. "

Amira blushed at the Captain's compliment. " Thank you, Sir, " she answered, coming to stand in front of him. " I just got back from visiting Anna, and getting my things. I wanted to show this to you earlier, but… "

His smile was bitter. " How much did you hear? " he asked.

" Not much, " Amira confessed. " Although I heard enough to tell me that something was wrong. " She thought for a moment. " May I ask who that woman was? She had the Gold Clan aura around her. "

For the first time since she'd met him, the Blue King was unable to look her in the eye. He turned away slightly, his eyes fixing on the bookshelf behind her. " She seems to be a messenger of the Gold Clan, " he confirmed. " She repeated His Excellency's demands that I hand you over, although I repeated my answer from last night. " His eyes moved to her, noting the suddenly guilt ridden look on her face. " Do not blame yourself, " he told her. " Even when I rose as the Blue King, His Excellency was continuously trying to make me subservient to him. "

She snorted. " Subservient isn't you, or your style, " she observed. " I wouldn't have agreed to join your clan if I saw that you were letting yourself be controlled. "

" I would not be a King if I had allowed myself to become someone's puppet, " he agreed.

Her next move surprised both of them, but she couldn't bring herself to back down now.

Staring down at the floor, Munakata was surprised when Amira's feet entered his line of vision before she knelt before him, and wound her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. Comforted by her closeness and her touch, he let go, and rested his forehead on her shoulder. As her cheek came to rest on his temple, he pulled her closer, resting his hands on her waist before he nudged the area above her collar with his nose.

Thank you, he thought. Thank you for being here…