Mission 3, Part 5

Fushimi got up on his knees and reached for the cable connected to his PC.

【Running away already? Weren’t you the one who called me?】

The speech bubble above the avatar got Fushimi thinking. Simply disconnecting would end up no different from what happened two years ago.

This old device didn’t even come with a webcam. But that didn’t stop him from seeing what Fushimi’s doing. It’s like he can reach Fushimi from the other end of the line.

【Sh.e.l.l made a slight misjudgment. Without my order, she arranged a game match as she pleased. On top of that, she ended up defeated on her own stage. Most disciplinable.】

As words streamed in the speech bubble overhead, the avatar walked leisurely from the PDA’s hologram screen to the PC’s LCD screen next to it. It’s just like walking from one room to another. Of course, there’s no Jungle app launched on the PC. Yet he easily walked out of the Jungle app’s cybers.p.a.ce. It seemed that he had Fushimi’s PC infected as well.

From inside the LCD screen, the avatar turned and looked straight at Fushimi

【The middle-schooler from two years ago has grown into a quite capable clansman. Most delighting.】

Feeling electricity at the tip of his finger, Fushimi yanked his hand back from the cable he was holding. A small spark swirled on the cable, and entered his PC. For a second thee was an eerie silence. Then with a crackling noise, sparks began splattering out. A wave of electric current flowed out and expanded to the whole room. Fushimi felt a chill running through him, making his every hair stand on its end. Soon the electric wave began to make its way up the walls, while making a “kiiiin-” screeching sound ringing in Fushimi’s ears. 

Suddenly, the wave stopped expanding, like it was frozen.

【…Huh?】The avatar tilted his head, and turned around.

【Well, well! What have we here?】With this exclamation, he buffoonishly shrugged with palms up. Fushimi looked to the direction which the avatar was looking at. It’s the entrance of his room, in reality.

A man stood there, wrapped in flickering aura, like a pillar of blue flame.

“May I suggest you to step back? For someone whose expertise is hiding in the shadows seeking for chances to meddle in other’s affairs, this is quite a disadvantageous situation.”

Munakata’s bright voice reached all the way up the loft clearly, like bringing colors back to the room. It had been quite a while since Fushimi last heard someone else’s voice in reality, rather than through online chat.

The cute chibi avatar rubbed his chin like a person. Then the two ends of his mouth lifted, making a fearless smile.

【Is that what you think? Most vexatious.】

Sparks came splashing out of the LCD screen, zapping from one corner to another, like thunder bolts.

“Oh my. Fully motivated, aren’t we? It’s indecorous for several kings to raise their Swords of Damocles in a place like this. But I see it’s ineluctable.”

Speaking in lowered voice, Munakata narrowed his eyes. The blue aura floating about began to concentrate and form a sword around him.

The avatar rolled its big round eyes. Aura swelled inside the screen, like he’s ready to materialize and step out of the screen anytime. But he suddenly stopped.

【Ah. I see what you mean. Indeed it’s to my disadvantage. Most regrettable.】

The avatar turned 90 degrees to face Fushimi again, changing back to that cute smiling face with no characteristics.

【I’ll keep your account active. Please log in anytime you feel like it. Farewell.】

Dazzling sparks sprinkled out of the LCD screen before it blacked out with a small explosion. Black smoke came out of the PC, along with a strong burnt odor. For a while Fushimi stared at the LCD. He suddenly came to, and looked toward the hologram screen next to it. Jungle app was still running. But the only avatar there was Fushimi’s, standing there wobbling like feeling bored. Fushimi s.n.a.t.c.hed his PDA and gripped firmly, infusing into it his power along with his thought, “get lost!”

With a thread of black smoke, the PDA blacked out. So did the hologram screen linked to it.

He melted its circuit board, along with the virus taking the form of Niki.

Suddenly feeling exhausted, he loosened his grip, dropping the PDA. As he sighed deeply from inside, he heard a short sigh from below the loft, like overwriting his.

“Why are you here?” Sitting on the floor, with eyes half-closed, Fushimi looked at Munakata. It had been a while since he last talked face to face rather than onscreen, so making voice come out of his mouth was more difficult than he expected. It’s like his words dissolved into thin air right in front of him. He cleared his throat and raised his voice.

“What place do you think this is? You are as obvious as anyone can get!”
While he’s asking what Munakata’s doing here, he felt more like asking why Munakata’s here like this. Stepping into Shizume Town, well known as Homra’s territory, was already bold enough. Not to mention he’s fully dressed in Scepter 4’s signature blue coat, even though it’s not office hour yet. 

Munakata, in penetrating voice, spoke without the slightest doubt in his actions.

“Actually, regarding the revolt initiated by Minato brothers, I suspected it to be agitated or supported by Jungle. Infecting a Homra member’s PDA, which is yours, should be part of that plot. But it turned out that I was overthinking. From the very beginning, Jungle’s purpose was to lay claim to you.”

“Is that why you let me off the hook? You’re really something, saying all those without feeling embarra.s.sed.”

“Well, aren’t you really something as well. Since you noticed the virus, just format it or destroy it physically, and you’ll be done with it. But you went over all these trouble, which seems to me that you’re trying to lure "that” out. That is a king, not an opponent merely a clansman can handle. Don’t you have any fear of kings?“

"I…” Looking away while replying in his somewhat hoa.r.s.e voice, “… don’t.”

… Except for one king.

Fushimi wondered if Munakata noticed the unsaid half of his reply. But it’s hard to tell from his poker face. Munakata merely smiled and changed the subject. 

“Those up there are all of your personal belongings, right? The male dormitory is well stocked with basic furniture, electric appliances, and everyday commodities. You can move in today without feeling any inconvenience. Please pack only the minimal amount of personal belongings you need. Let’s see… Would 20 minutes be enough? I’ll be waiting outside.”

“Wha… What? Wait! Hold on, please!”

Without waiting for a response, Munakata turned to leave. Fushimi, stunned for a moment, leaned out over the edge of the loft.

“What are you thinking now? You said your place isn’t a sanctuary for children who got in trouble to hide in, didn’t you? And to begin with, I never said I want to become a Blue Coat. All I asked was if it’s possible to change clans…”

“If you have the time for tedious talk, please hurry up and pack. I would prefer not to stay long. An obnoxious man is on his way here.” Speaking while looking over his shoulder, without turning back, Munakata went out the door.

It’s the first time Fushimi saw Munakata, who’s unnaturally composed all the time, being obviously irritated.

The obnoxious man who irritates Munakata to this extent…

… No way!

Munakata said “several kings”. If he’s referring to himself and Jungle’s king, two wouldn’t be “several”. Also, why did Jungle’s king retreat so easily? If it’s who he thinks, these all can be explained.

Fushimi jumped down from the loft and chased after Munakata, didn’t even stop to put shoes on. He nearly fell over when coming to an abrupt stop. Munakata stood outside, back to the wall next to the door. With his back stretched straight, and one hand on the saber on his waist, he’s like a knight statue in city plaza. He’s looking straight forward, at somewhere which seemed to be nowhere.

Having gazed up at Munakata’s graceful profile, Fushimi then looked to the opposite direction.

Being so early, the streets were empty, except for one silhouette about a block away. As opposed to Munakata’s standing straight, he leaned on a lamppost, hunchbacked, with hands in his pockets. Violet smoke from his cigarette went up and melted into the pale sky.

“Mikoto… san… Why…”

Fushimi felt like screaming “why are you here?!” 100 times more then when he saw Munakata. Even though he’s standing in Shizume Town aka Suoh’s territory, and he’s Suoh’s clansman.

“Are you actually here worried about your clansman? Don’t tell me some lame joke like this happens to be your morning jog route. For a lazybone like you to leave your den at this early hour, it seems that you do have the self-awareness of being the one responsible for your clan, after all. I’m surprised.” Munakata spoke with despise, standing straight facing the same direction, without looking at Suoh.

It must be Totsuka who sent him to check anyway. Totsuka asked Yata what happened to Fushimi. Yata angrily replied that he doesn’t care. Totsuka went, “King, you’re the one having the most free time, so why don’t you go and see how Fushimi is doing instead?” Fushimi can picture the whole conversation in the bar.

Suoh himself showed no intention to explain. He too didn’t look at Munakata. “Heh”, a short sneer was his reply.

“Since you came all the way here, I suppose it won’t hurt to have a talk. In tracking down Minato Hayato and Akito, my subordinates are having difficulties. It’s possible that they were provided with hideouts and escape routes beyond our intelligence network’s reach. Therefore I’d like to borrow from your clan someone who’s familiar with informants of underworld. This would also serve as making up for the misconduct of your side, and then we can let bygones be bygones. I appoint him because he’s the talent most adequate in my opinion. Besides, that band of yours, which is overflowing with excess feels of comradeship, would surely distrust him for inviting another king into his place. So I believe this is for his own good as well.”

“Wait. It was you …” Inviting? No, you waltzed in yourself. Fushimi wanted to protest when…

“Such a man full of reasons.”

Growling under his breath like a beast, Suoh glared sharply at Munakata. That daunted Fushimi by conditioned reflex. While Munakata, unaffected, merely raised an eyebrow. The two kings’ eyes didn’t meet until now.

“Fushimi.” Suoh called his name. “Reasons don’t matter. What do you want to do?”

It’s not like he got yelled at. It was spoken in the same lazy tone and expression as usual. Nevertheless, Fushimi’s face winced from feeling his anger. Since Suoh didn’t seem to be a man enthusiastic in binding his clan tight, Fushimi couldn’t imagine seeing him displeased because another king approached his clansman. What aroused Suoh’s anger was beyond him.

“Fushimi Saruhiko-kun.” This time it’s Munakata who called him. “Let’s start over formally. With great honor I invite you. Would you join my Scepter 4?”

Fushimi’s face winced for another reason, for Munakata said such ostentatious words so very straightforwardly. Not showing the least embarra.s.sment, he merely looked fixedly at Fushimi. Those blue eyes behind his silver-rimmed gla.s.ses were serene, pure, and clear. So clear that Fushimi felt like he’s falling into some deep s.p.a.ce, with no boundary to be seen.

“… I see.” Suoh’s voice was somewhat hoa.r.s.e. He then dropped his cigarette, extinguished it with his foot, and turned to leave, without really showing regret.

See what? Fushimi was confused. But when he lowered his gaze, he got what Suoh meant.

Was it because he felt pressed by Suoh? Or attracted by Munakata? He searched in his head but can’t find a reason to explain precisely. But like Suoh said, “reasons don’t matter”.

He had stepped slightly toward Munakata’s side.