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The Characters

Don't feel like making thirty of these, so all of the major players are described here.

0 · 162 views · located in Shizume Island

a character in “King's Game”, as played by cl.love

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This is a list of all the major characters who will be written about or referred to within the RP. I may add more later, if new characters become relevant enough. Keep in mind, this is not a complete list of every single Clansman in every single Clan- this is only those who are close enough to the action to need a mention. Not all of them will be POV characters, and not all of them will have their own character arcs, but all of them will be relevant to the story in a large or small way. Face Claims are included on the front page of the RP. I didn't feel like typing them all out again here. I also haven't written down everyone's magic system here yet, because I haven't actually decided almost any of them. So that might get added later.

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The Grey Clan
Grey

The Grey King - Ikeda Aika - 19 years old

Aika is currently the figure with the most authority in Shizume Town. As the Grey King, she holds a lot of responsibility to keep peace between the other Clans, who are often bickering and battling one another. She is also a required presence in almost all city trials involving magic. She has large shoes to fill in the midst of her father's unexpected death.

Like her father before her, Aika is kind, first and foremost. Also like her father, Aika's kind smile hides a backbone of steel- she will not back down from what she believes is just, and she will not be intimidated by anyone, especially not the other Kings. Though she may have been thrown into it, Aika is confident in her role as the Grey King, only doubting whether she will be able to achieve the ideals her father had set for himself. Thus far, Aika is beloved by the other Kings, though perhaps... underestimated.



Ikeda Akira - 22 years old

Akira is Aika's adoptive brother. Even from their childhood, it was made clear that Aika was being groomed to be the next Grey King and not Akira, but instead of becoming resentful, Akira instead became fiercely protective of his sister, hoping to defend her from the stress that plagued their father for as long as he could. He worked hard to refine and master his own magic in the hopes of being able to defend Aika from everything he could once she was put into the spotlight as the new Grey King.

Like Aika and their father, Akira is exceptionally kind, but unlike them, his methods of showing it are often much harder to see. Akira is not a very sociable person, often flat out ignoring anyone who gets on his nerves. In appearance only, he's quite unapproachable, but anyone observant enough can see how he watches, ready to fight for anyone who might need it.



Nakamura Daisuke - 26 years old

Daisuke was a close confidante of the former Grey King, becoming a Clansman as a teenager, and has known Aika and Akira since they were children. Having been thrust into the Council of Kings at a young age, Daisuke has a lot of experience and wisdom regarding the other Kings and their many, many issues, so he is a source of guidance for the newly-crowned Aika.

Whilst the former King took "peacemaking" to mean "suiting everyone's tastes", Daisuke took it to mean that no one was allowed to get away with anything, ever. Thus, he became the former King's main source of hard evidence to be used in disputes. Daisuke is keenly obvervant, clever, and manipulative. He has also always maintained relationships with members of every Clan, most notably the Red Clan, leading many of the Kings to assume he'd be the first to betray the Grey King and the Council.



Ikeda Yoshio - 52 years at death - Deceased

Yoshio is the former Grey King, recently deceased due to an undisclosed illness he reportedly hid from his family and the other Kings. He was known as a kind and easygoing man who loved his children dearly and loved magic just as much. He was a respected and beloved King, though many considered him brittle-boned, unwilling to take drastic action when needed. Yoshio believed that there was always a peaceful way to resolve disputes- always a way for everyone to end up satisfied.

Yoshio's death was sudden and shocking. Some members of the Council assumed that Daisuke would take the throne of the Grey Clan, but the Stone had other ideas, and within hours of Yoshio's death, Aika was crowned the Grey King.

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The Gold Clan
#EBBA18

The Gold King - Alistair La Fontaine - 44 years old

Alistair is the oldest of all the current kings, as well as the one with the most influence. The Star Tower Law Firm, which Alistair inherited from his father, is the main source of wealth and influence the Gold Clan possesses. Alistair is a well-respected figure in Shizume Island's political sphere, through which he holds quite a bit of power.

As CEO of Star Tower Law, Alistair possesses many of the traits expected of a lawyer- he is keen, manipulative, and completely convinced of his own superiority. He strongly believes in magical purity, and that selecting non-mages as Clansmen is an insult to the Council and the magical community. This belief has fueled his hatred for the Red Clan ever since Arata became the Red King. As a Council member, he is relatively calm, but will not hesitate to air his opinions or even make his own independent moves.



Eli Sinclaire - 28 years old

Eli is Alistair's personal business secretary, and an incredibly powerful mage. Though he technically holds high authority from being so close to the Gold King, Eli is widely distrusted by other Clansmen, as he was once a Red Clansman in his youth. He abandoned the Red Clan to join the Gold Clan, renouncing his claim to the fire magic gifted to Red Clansmen.

Like many of the older Gold Clansmen who live knee-deep in the politics of Shizume Town, Eli is clever and manipulative, though he doesn't often use his gift with words to manipulate others, instead keeping to the sidelines and observing. As Alistair's secretary, Eli is often left to make contact with other Clans in place of the Gold King, so much like Daisuke, he has insider knowledge of how the other Clans work and who takes authority over who. How the Gold Clan uses this information is yet to be seen.



Elizabeth La Fontaine - 14 years old

Elizabeth, nicknamed Eliza, is Alistair's daughter. She's a middle child among six children, all of whom are clambering to impress their father enough to earn the crown of Gold King once he retires. Elizabeth is one of the mediocre children in her family in terms of skill in magic or politics, but her determination has led her to throw herself into the world of Kings time after time regardless.

Eliza is a troubled child. The competitive nature of her family ensures that she cannot truly count on her siblings for anything, and her father is truly more of a figure than a father. Above all, Eliza desires friendship, affection, and belonging. Unfortunately she's found that in Tooru- a Red Clansmen. The vehement hatred for the Red Clan harbored by her father, the Gold Clan, and the other Kings has caused Eliza to doubt both her friendship with Tooru and her loyalty to the Gold Clan.



Fukuzawa Shiori - 7 years old

Shiori is the youngest official member of the Gold Clan. Older members often induct their children into the Clan at birth, but to be made an official Clansmen via a transfer of the King's magic is often a strain on the body, and reserved for older children. Shiori, however, displayed strong magical talent into her toddler years, and Alistair sought to take advantage of her abilities. Her existence as a Clansmen at such a young age is a hotly debated topic within the Gold Clan.

Being so young, Shiori takes many of her mannerisms from those around her- particularly Eliza, who is much like an older sister to Shiori. Shiori is a shy child, nervous of strangers, but surprisingly mischievous. Despite her shyness, she loves to make others laugh. She's also quite a smartass- likely inherited from Eliza.

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The Blue Clan
#02055A

The Blue King - Tsunemori Misaki - 18 years old

Misaki is the youngest King in recorded history, crowned by the Blue Stone at eleven years old. She was kept anonymous in the Council of Kings until she turned eighteen, with Matsu serving in her place at Council disputes. As she has only been in the public eye for less than a year, Misaki is a bit of a mystery to the other Kings, though her ideals and methods have been clear since she and Matsu first started taking part in Clan trials several years ago.

It has been said that Misaki would be more fitting as a Gold Clansman than the Blue King- she is cunning, manipulative, and quite clever at spinning her words into exactly what others want to hear in order to sympathize with her. She is often the first to speak her mind in trials and will not back down from her own requests, regardless of how merciless they may be. She is a staunch believer that the Clans should not trust one another, that betrayal is imminent, and thus keeps the other Clans at arm's length.



Matsu - 61 years old

Matsu was secretary to the former Blue King more than a decade past, and when the former King passed, Matsu was put in charge of the Blue Stone . When it finally chose a new King, Matsu made it his duty to guide the child and shield her from the other Kings, who he knew would all be clambering to manipulate and mould a child to their own desires. He has taught Misaki all she knows of the Council of Kings and remains her most trusted Clansman, though she has slowly begun to stray from his teachings.



Oscar Liebert - 29 years old
Anna Connor - 24 years old


Yamaguchi Nao - 14 years old

Nao is an unofficial member of the Blue Clan and a point of strong contention in the Blue Clan, much like Shiori. He was given a King's Blessing by Misaki- the transfer of magic that denotes a Clansman. However, because he is a minor and cannot join the government department the Blue Clan resides in, Nao is not recognized as a member and is rather pitied by Blue Clan adults.

Nao is brash, opinionated, and quite naive. He believes without a doubt that Misaki's ideals are the pinnacle of justice, and thus, everyone else's opinions are dogshit in comparison. He's loud and has a hard time listening to others, and tends to try and push Misaki's ideals onto others, even those from other Clans. Despite his attitude and cluelessness however, Nao craves admiration from those his age, and his struggles in trying to make friends causes him a lot of grief.

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The Red Clan
#7C0D0E

The Red King - Arata - 28 years old

Arata is the current Red King, and an outcast at the Council of Kings. He was crowned at eighteen years old, at random, after the former King died. He spent ten years finding those in need - anyone from teenagers with awful home lives to single mothers struggling to get by - and making them Clansmen, regardless of magical talent. Because so many of his Clansmen do not possess any magical talent, the Red Clan is considered impure and is widely discriminated against by the other Clans.

Arata is a hurt, somber man. He's experienced a lot of loss in his life and though he works hard to make other people's lives better, he often fails to see the good in what he's done. To his Clansmen, he is a valiant leader, but in the shadows, he's really just a depressed, broken man whose only real joy comes from two similarly broken children he pulled out of the gutter.



Tanaka Natsuki - 30 years old

Natsuki is Arata's right-hand and one of the few who sees him behind closed doors. Compared to most of the Red Clansmen, Natsuki is somewhat respected by the Council of Kings- she was a figure there before Arata and is the only one unlikely to be tossed out on sight. She is Arata's rock and often encourages him to take charge in Council matters, despite the other Kings' wishes.

Natsuki owns a small vintage-style bar open from late evening to early morning, inherited from her parents who moved off the island as soon as she was old enough to take over. She is calm, decisive, and a force to be reckoned with if you get on her bad side. She is the legal guardian of Tooru and Sachiko and is quite motherly, both with them and the younger Red Clansmen. There is a running joke among Red Clansmen that really, Natsuki is the Red King, doing all the work, though Natsuki shuts this down when she hears it.



Erika Donnovan - 20 years old
Sawada Eiji - 18 years old


Tanaka Tooru - 14 years old

Tooru, ironically, is one of the most powerful Red Clansmen, despite his youth and small stature. He has acute control over his fire and his body, though his excitable personality leads him to pick fights that he really shouldn't be involved in.

Though he may be intimidating in a fight, Tooru is really just an excitable child- the type who can't stop bouncing and will talk your ear off if given the chance. He's friendly, if a bit clueless when people aren't friendly back, and has a strong sense of right and wrong (picked up from Saturday morning cartoons). His greatest desire is for the Clans to get along. He hates that Arata and the other Red Clansmen are excluded from the Council of Kings and seeks to make things right- though he has no idea how.



Tanaka Sachiko - 8 years old

Sachiko is the youngest Red Clansman and, like Shiori, was one of the youngest in history to be given a King's Blessing. Unlike the Gold Clan, however, the Red Clan doesn't care about propriety, so no one argues her inclusion.

Sachiko is a ray of sunshine, through and through. Her unwavering optimism and excitable nature is often attributed to her sharing a room with Tooru, her optimistic, excitable big brother. Despite her age, however, Sachiko is acutely observant of the moods in a room and often senses tension before Tooru does, knowing when to step back where Tooru is often still clueless. Like him, though, her desire to make friends with damn near everyone has led her into danger with the other Clans on many occasions.

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The Purple Clan
#52307C

The Purple King - Oda Tatsuyuki - 30 years old

Tatsuyuki is the current Purple King, and the only official member of the Purple Clan. His father was the former Purple King who tanked the Clan's reputation. After his father was killed, Tatsuyuki was almost immediately chosen as the Purple King, but the other Clansmen advised him to keep it hidden so that he wouldn't be targeted alongside them. The Purple Clan fell apart soon after.

Tatsuyuki, despite his stoic demeanor, is a bit of a bleeding heart. He maintains a close relationship with Arata and Natsuki of the Red Clan and like them, he's spent the last ten years (entirely unplanned) collecting a number of lost children. He is a good parent, working hard to fill the role of both father and mother while also working hard to support his family. He is a tired, jaded man, but friendly despite his outer appearance, often going out of his way to connect with neighbors and other Clans when he can.



Sawamura Junta - 25 years old

Junta was a medical student who studied the fall of the Purple Clan as part of his thesis. He met Tatsuyuki by chance, and after they became close, Tatsuyuki encouraged him to drop out of medical school, as it was not his passion. Junta left his family behind to join the Purple Clan after they strongly disapproved of him paving his own path in life.

At first glance, Junta is as calm and expressionless as Tatsuyuki, but in reality, he's just angry. All the time. He's easily frustrated, easily annoyed, and has a hard time keeping these emotions to himself- man has resting bitch face. He's the type who will not hesitate to list every single thing you've done wrong in your entire life if you piss him off enough. However, he is always soft with his family, though he despises other people's children and will avoid them whenever possible. He and Tatsuyuki are lovers.



Sato Akane - 18 years old

Akane is a high school dropout who became attached to Tatsuyuki and Junta after they defended her from school bullies in public, and basically followed them around until they became attached to her in turn and took her in.

Akane is confident and loud about it, willing to brawl with anyone who will take the bait. She loves taunting the other Clans, using the Purple Clan's anonymity to her advantage in dragging other Clansmen into fights, since they assume she's just a delinquent inviting trouble. Akane is strong-willed, fiercely protective of those she loves, and confident in her magical abilities- bordering on arrogant.



Nakano Hiro - 17 years old

Hiro is a runaway who slipped through the fingers of child services as a preteen and ended up in Tatsuyuki's care. Like most of his family, he is cold-faced, rarely showing his emotions to others for fear of burdening them with his problems. He hates being the center of attention, hates having eyes on him, and would rather fade into the background than ever be bothered by others. Hiro can be quite rude at times, as he has little care for the feelings of others outside his personal sphere.

Though he doesn't look it, Hiro is sickly, often getting pulled out of school for doctor's visits or to stay home and rest. He takes great care to avoid anyone finding out about this, as his greatest fear is that people will suddenly approach him, but only out of pity.



Yuuna - 13 years old

Yuuna is the daughter of a former Purple Clansman who left her in Tatsuyuki's care after the Purple Clan fell, hoping to keep her out of the spotlight of their mistakes. Yuuna's mother never came back for her, however, and she has remained in Tatsuyuki's care ever since, now seeing him as her surrogate father. She is a shy child, desperate to make friends but terrified of strangers, and often retreats to the safety of her elder siblings in social situations.

When she's able to break through her own fear, Yuuna is strong-willed and a protective friend. She will stand her ground in her opinions even when terrified out of her mind, and won't hesitate to call out bad behavior in others, only to feel guilty immediately after.



Kanna - 4 years old

Kanna is Tatsuyuki's biological daughter, and the odd one out in her family. She is vibrant in her expressions and never hesitates to state her opinion, or scream when she's upset, or talk your ear off when she's excited. She's loud and obnoxious and her family adores her for it, despite their own preference of keeping to themselves. Despite the appearance of extroversion, though, Kanna hates talking to anyone outside of her family sphere and consistently rejects the concept of making new friends.

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The Green Clan
#26580F

The Green King - Rui - 30 years old

Rui is a hikikomori and skilled computer hacker, having dropped out after middle school to stay at home and try to improve the city in her own way. She uses her computer skills to expose scandals, crimes, and other misdeeds by sending anonymous information to the police or other Kings. She has remained completely anonymous in the world of Kings despite her actions.

Rui is a relatively bright and fun person, despite the stereotypes associated with a shut-in like her. However, in the wake of Mari's death, Rui has become much more subdued. Losing the one dearest to her has caused Rui to put all of her energy into solving the mystery of Mari's murder, instead of her normal vigilante acts, and some crimes she'd never have looked away from have started to slip through her fingers- a source of great concern for the rest of her Clan.



Takeda Souta - 20 years old

Souta was Rui's classmate in middle school, before she dropped out and became a hikikomori. He's the only Clan member, aside from Mari, who knows anything at all about the person Rui really is. He is blunt- he's the one who convinces Rui to do normal human things like go to the store and open her window. However, he tends to let her make her mistakes, rather than warn her, believing she needs to experience consequences on her own. Mari usually ruined this by warning Rui in his stead.



Maki Hisako - 17 years old

Hisako is a high school student and amateur hacker. After receiving a hefty anonymous donation for her light novels, Hisako attempted to track the user in order to thank them (and also find out who the heck had that kind of money to give to a teenager) and ended up piquing Rui's interest even more. They began an online correspondance, and eventually, Mari convinced Rui to meet Hisako in person.

Hisako is very approachable and easy to talk to, but she remains at arm's reach with others, only truly trusting her own Clan. This distance makes her a bit of a mystery at school and she is very much admired by other students. She is calm, a good listener, and gives good advice whenever asked for, but doesn't like to make friends in the natural sense. Hisako goes by a pen name when she publishes her light novels, and thus far, only one person - Nakano Hiro - has figured out her secret.



Uesugi Teru - 16 years old

Teru is a student who lives alone in the same apartment complex as Rui. He was taken in by Mari, who discovered he was living alone by chance and decided to mother him, despite Rui's antisocial nature. He is a sweet, awkward kid who really just wanted belonging, and insisted on becoming a Clansman as a way to thank Mari and Rui for taking care of him.

Unlike the others in the Green Clan, Teru stays out of Clan business. The older members of the Clan agreed that there was no reason to involve him in the Kings' problems, regardless of his status as a Clansman, so he supports them from the sidelines.



Kano Mari - 19 years old at death - Deceased

Mari was Rui's dearest friend and lover. They were childhood friends, before Mari moved off the island, and stayed in close contact for many years. After being crowned the Green King, Rui panicked and vented her fears and confusion to Mari. Mari then decided to return to the island so she could become Rui's Clansman and support her.

Mari was kind, outgoing, and painfully honest. She called things as they were and had no fear of others- she would stand before a man three times her size and scold him for being rude without blinking an eye. She dearly loved her family, but believed them to be fearful and small-minded people. Mari loved magic and her Clan, and found the world of Kings absolutely fascinating. About four months ago, Mari was found murdered in an alley near Rui's apartment complex- another victim of the murders plaguing the six Kings.

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So begins...

The Characters's Story

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t ❋

News of that night's events travels surprisingly slowly. By the time the doctors and coroners arrive to document Ikeda Yoshio's death, by the time the body has been gently whisked off to the funeral home, by the time Aika and her brother arrive at the Hall of Kings to place the moonstone in its case, the sun has risen.

It is early morning when Nakamura Daisuke joins them in the Hall of Kings. The three of them together are able to contact the other Kings and inform them of the former Grey King's passing and the new Grey King's unexpected awakening.

The Gold King is the first to answer. Alistair La Fontaine holds any emotion within himself as he learns of this sudden transfer of power. He is calm, and quiet, and business-like as he thanks the Grey Clan for being so prompt with their call.

The Blue King does not answer the call, but Aika leaves a voicemail anyways, and earns a response mid-morning from a clearly tired Tsunemori Misaki. They speak in hushed voices for a long time, comforting one another in their grief. Then Misaki asks if a new King has been chosen, and quietly congratulates her friend.

The Red King does not get a call, because Aika does not know the number.

The Purple King, however, answers right away when she calls- an action that Aika will not disclose to anyone. Oda Tatsuyuki is solemn, and does not offer empty comforts. Aika does not mention the new Grey King, and Tatsuyuki does not ask.


t ❋

The Green King does not get a call, but the Jade shimmers and trembles on Rui's shelf in the late hours of the night, just like the other Stones in their glass case.

Rui is not awake to witness this, but she grieves in her dreams nonetheless.

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t ❋ location: CrΓ©me de Violette
three days after Ikeda Yoshio's death


It's been one hour since the bar officially closed, two hours since the sun rose, yet only one resident of the CrΓ©me de Violette apartments is awake.

Tanaka Natsuki sways gently to Ella Fitzgerald playing on her radio as she flips an egg. There are no footsteps above her, but she knows there will be soon- it's almost seven. Louis Armstrong's voice joins Ella's and floats around the kitchen.

And there they are- footsteps. Just not the footsteps she was expecting.

She doesn't have to look to know who's on the stairs, entering the kitchen, quietly pulling out a chair to sit down. Natsuki finishes cooking her folded egg and plates it next to a piece of grilled fish, and only then does she turn around. Arata sits at the bar with his chin in his hands, eyes tired and distant and thoughtful.

Natsuki sets the plate down in front of him and leans her hip against the bar. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's voices continue to fill the silence.

A long moment passes like this. Natsuki doesn't ask what's on Arata's mind- she already knows. Arata doesn't ask for Natsuki's opinion- he already knows she'll give it to him. But not before he becomes a part of the waking world.

Finally, Arata sighs and starts to eat. Natsuki smiles and steps away to make tea. The song on the radio fades into silence and is quickly replaced by a livelier tune.


"Have you decided what you're going to do yet?" Natsuki asks.

Arata sighs again, and Natsuki doesn't have to turn around to picture the look on his face- a mixture of annoyance and relief that she'll always know him better than anyone else. It's a nice expression, she thinks. Always satisfying. Arata doesn't offer her an answer right away, and Natsuki doesn't pressure him for one.

She finishes brewing the tea and pours a cup for each of them. A dull thud above them hints at some of their younger members finally waking up. About time.

Natsuki sets a cup of tea in front of Arata and they drink in silence. Natsuki trusts that he'll open up to her sooner rather than later- she knows he doesn't want to talk about this in front of the kids. They both know they're running out of time.

Arata sets his cup down and sighs, avoiding her gaze.
"It's a bad idea."

Natsuki raises an eyebrow at him over the rim of her cup. "Is it? Or are you just afraid to put yourself in the spotlight again after all these years?"

"I won't just be putting myself in the spotlight. It'd be all of us."

"You say that as if we're unaware. Each of us knew what we were getting into when we became your Clansmen. We're all prepared."


There's pain and fear in Arata's eyes as they meet hers. [color=#]"Are you sure?"[/color]

Natsuki knows who he's talking about, and a part of her wants to agree with him, validate his fears. Their world has not been kind to their Clan, and not everyone is prepared for the life-or-death battle that might break out at any moment.

But if she agreed with him, she'd be doing everyone a disservice.

Instead, she sets her cup next to his and places a hand on his shoulder.[/color] "They may be children, but they aren't ignorant, and they aren't weak. And you know what they're like, they'll be in the spotlight eventually no matter what we do to keep them hidden. They're both awful at keeping secrets."

A soft smile curls Arata's mouth and Natsuki can't help a smile herself. And, as if on cue, two sets of footsteps tumble their way down the stairs and into the room.

Tooru and Sachiko offer loud, barely-there greetings as they race past the bar in a beeline for the television. A jumbled argument and some frantic button-mashing later, and that morning's episode of some anime Natsuki can't recall is playing.

Natsuki barely reacts- they're like this every morning. But there's a sadness in Arata's eyes as he gazes at them, and she knows he's thinking about what it would mean for them if he does decide to attend Ikeda Yoshio's funeral.

She watches him, and he pretends not to notice, and Natsuki begins to realize that he's not going to make the decision on his own. Not this time. He's too afraid.

She understands why.

But now is not the time to bow to fear.


"Arata," She says, voice stern.

Arata looks at her with narrowed eyes, then at Tooru and Sachiko, who are too absorbed in their anime to notice anything around them. He looks back at her.


"There's plenty that can go wrong. The other Kings hate you, hate all of us. But it's been five years. A new King has been chosen. Things are changing, and I think you ought to make a statement while you have the chance."

Arata doesn't look away from her gaze, but there's hesitation in him still. Natsuki smiles and holds out her hand, conjuring a gentle flame nestled in her palm.

"You are our King, and we will follow you through anything. You know that."

And there it is- that spark in his eye.

The very thing that led Natsuki and so many others to call him their King.

Arata sighs, a thicker sigh, like the breath taken before a fight.
"Alright." Natsuki lets the flame in her hand die as she watches him stand and stretch. And though nothing she's ever done has ever been able to pull the kids away from their morning cartoons, all it takes is Arata stretching to draw their attention to him.

Arata grins at them, and Natsuki can see Tooru and Sachi vibrating in excitement.


"So," Arata says, "you two wanna go to a funeral with me?"

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t ❋ location: Saint's St. Chapel
religion is not relevant to this story but this is based on a roman catholic church bc it was easy

Aika's family had never been particularly religious, not so far as she can recall. But there's some mystic beauty to churches that she's always felt in her soul- the carefully built stone, the intricate glass windows, the soft, flickering candlelight.

It was her father's wish to be buried in the Saint's Street cemetery, beside his wife who had died when Aika was just an infant. As such, Aika and Akira thought it as good a thought as any to hold his funeral service in the Saint's Street Chapel.

Less of a distance to walk the casket, she supposed.

Aika stands atop the pulpit in a sparkling white and silver dress she'd worn to last year's school dance. Unlike her brother, she hadn't owned anything black, and to find a dress to rent or borrow had seemed too big a task at the time. She doesn't regret her decision- this dress is familiar, comforting. A Grey King's suit of honor.

The chapel has been filled for half an hour now, but Aika stands gazing at the box that holds her father and can't find a single thing to say.

What do you say to a room full of people who only ever knew him halfway?

The chapel doors open with a groan.

Aika turns around and all at once, the chapel is filled with light, the afternoon sun bursting in through the open doors. Aika raises a hand against the light but sees only the vague shapes of people entering. Many people. The doors begin to close again and hushed voices erupt in the crowd as Aika's vision clears.

She can't help the gasp of surprise that leaves her.

It's the Red King.

No- not just him. There's a crowd of people of all ages at his back, at least thirty of his Clansmen. They fill the walkway and the vestibule. A few glance about the room, meeting the other Clan's disapproving stares with arrogant smiles or glares. But many of them look dutifully onward, expressions hardened with determination.

Aika sees her brother rise from his seat in the front row and join her, standing on the pulpit steps a few feet away. She doesn't tell him to sit back down. She knows he won't. She may not believe the rumors of the Red Clan, but this display...

No one knows what to expect from the Red King and his Clansmen.

The Red King stops at the front row of pews and the crowd stills behind him. Aika eyes him with what she hopes comes across as curiosity rather than distrust. At his side stand a young boy with fiery orange hair and a tall, distinguished-looking woman. A tiny brunette girl holds his hand and gazes about in wonder.

This is the Red Clan, and it is not what she had expected.

Aika stands perfectly still beside her brother and watches the Red King gently pry his hand from the child clinging to him. He continues forward and this time, his Clansmen do not follow. Aika's eyes follow him as he ascends into the pulpit, but he doesn't stop or even glance in her direction.

The Red King pauses before the casket, and for a moment, it feels as if the room itself has held its breath. Aika stands still, and observes.

The Red King places a hand on the casket and bows his head.

He remains there for only a few seconds, but the action is clear. He is paying his respects to the dead. Aika lets out a breath and feels her nerves begin to soothe.

Arata turns from the casket with a fire in his eyes, and Aika can feel the tension rise once again. But she is not afraid. She stands with her head high and meets his gaze unflinchingly, hands folded neatly before her. Arata narrows his eyes at her, just a bit, and Aika gets the faintest impression that she's passed a test.

When Arata speaks, he speaks loud and clear, but he doesn't look away.

This message is for her.


"Your father did me a favor once. I never got the chance to repay him for it."

Aika feels her heart ache at the words, another reminder that her kind, kind father is gone, that there may be things he left undone, words he left unsaid.

Arata stands even taller, almost threatening. Aika does not look away.


"Since I can't properly repay what he did for me, I would like to offer you that favor in his place." Arata says. There is a knowing smile in his eyes.

Aika's heart skips a beat.

Instantly, the room breaks out into hushed conversation, exclamations of shock and accusations and questions of what reason could he possibly have for this?

Someone laughs. Aika's pretty sure it's one of the Red Clansmen.

Arata steps forward until Aika can see the lines of exhaustion and grief around his eyes. Again, she does not break his gaze, even as her brother flies to her side and hovers a hand at her back. Arata holds a hand out to her and a flame flickers into being in his palm, small and warm. Several guests cry out in anger.

But there is no malice in Arata's eyes, and all Aika sees is another test.


"One favor." He says, quietly this time. "If you ask, the Red Clan will answer."

This is nothing she could have ever expected.

The Red Clan appearing after years of absence from the Council, paying respect to her father, offering her one single favor that looks an awful lot like loyalty...

Aika doesn't have to think twice.

She trusts as she takes his hand in both of hers that the fire will not hurt her, and it fades the moment she touches it, a fleeting sensation like touching soft paper. She bows her head and smiles brighter as Arata does the same in return.


"I am honored to have earned such kindness from the Red Clan." She says.

Arata smiles, just a bit.

Then he gently slides his hand from hers and retreats down the steps, returning to his Clansmen. Aika smiles as she watches the crowd filter out of the chapel, each of them ignoring the tension around them. The Red Clan has not been accepted in the Council for many years, and there is hatred simmering among the pews.

But Aika just smiles, because she has gained an ally.

And today, in this room full of people who only ever knew her father halfway, who look at her with disappointment, an ally is all she ever could have asked for.

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t ❋
location: Bellflower Manor - Ikeda Family Private Residence

"Daisuke, do you know what it is that father did for Arata? What favor was so important that it had to be repaid, even though father is gone?" Aika asks.

Silence stretches in the room.

It's late, very late. Despite the Red Clan's interruption and the angry discussions that had distracted her guests after, the funeral service had left Aika with a sense of satisfaction. She had spoken to the audience only briefly, having had nothing to say but that her father would be reunited with his love, resting beside her forever.

She had watched the casket sink into the open grave beside the mother she had never met, and felt sure that he would be happy there, free of life's burdens.

She doesn't remember a single comfort any of the guests had offered, because not a single one of them had felt genuine. The only thing that came to mind was Arata's hand on the casket and the creases around his dark eyes.

Silence stretches in the room, but Aika doesn't take her question back.

Daisuke looks up from the pile of paperwork before him and meets her gaze.

They sit for a long moment- her, sitting on a plush violet chaise; him, sitting at a tiny vintage desk across the room. Her waiting for an answer to her question. Him weighing the consequences of ignoring her, and perhaps...

Perhaps, weighing the consequences of telling a story he shouldn't tell.

Akira sits cross-legged on the floor between them, picking at the world's ugliest rug, patiently waiting for the two of them to figure their shit out.

Daisuke sets his pen down and leans back in his chair, hands folded before his face like a cartoon villain about to monologue their evil plan to the captured hero. Aika pulls a blanket over herself and gets comfortable. Akira rolls his eyes.


"I do." Daisuke answers, quiet and calculating. "It was a long time ago, and it isn't a happy story. But I think you already assumed that."

Aika says nothing, her silence challenging Daisuke to continue.

Akira throws his head back and groans.
"God, you two are so tedious."

Ah.

Akira's frustration breaks the tension in the room, though the tension was only ever for show, a game Aika and Daisuke have played since childhood. Aika sips a cup of coffee to hide her smile and Daisuke allows himself a mocking laugh.

Then Daisuke sighs, and Aika knows what he said is true: this isn't a happy story.


"It was a long time ago, probably eight or nine years, you were both little." He begins, expression solemn. "That's why you were never told. The Red King had only been crowned for about a year, but he made quite the impression."

"As you know, he was chosen by the Rubellite at random after the former Red King died. He'd had no training, no guidance, and he didn't want any, either. He didn't care for the other Kings' opinions and made sure they knew. It's safe to say the Council hated him from the very beginning."


Aika recognizes these pieces of information from rumor. Years ago, she had often questioned the other Clans when they complained of the Red Clan and its delinquent King, her curiosity searching for a reason why they hated him so strongly when he never seemed to be around to do anything worth hating.

Eventually, she stopped asking. Now, she knows the other Kings, knows their pride and their entitlement and their small thinking, and she can see why a young man calling them out for their cruelty could have made them drive him away.

Daisuke continues the story with a pinched expression, his displeasure clear as day.
"It came to the point where the Kings were trying to have Arata removed from the Council entirely. But a case couldn't be made without evidence."

This part of the story, Aika does know. That the Kings despised how Arata chose his Clansmen from non-magic people, how he refused to care about status. And how nothing could be done, because there were no rules against it.

"There was no official Blue King at the time, but a former Clansman started investigating Arata. It was common knowledge that he'd been collecting runaways and making them Clansmen. But it was discovered that he'd taken in a minor who had run away from home. A child."

Aika sees him in her memory- the young redheaded boy who had stood resolutely at Arata's side. He'd been one of the youngest she could see in the crowd.

"It was the perfect weapon. An investigation was made, but no one could find evidence that he'd been reported missing. Child services were called and the first agent who tried to touch the child got burnt. It was chaos."

"A trial was called and the Council turned on him. They accused him of kidnapping, made a case for his arrest. They all agreed that the child should be taken from his custody and his place in the Council revoked. Everyone agreed, except your father. And it all came down to his vote. Grey King."

Grey King's vote. Yes, Aika knew. The Grey King held the highest authority in the Council. The Grey King's vote decided everything. It all came down to them.

But the Grey King was not allowed to be subjective. They were not allowed to follow their own opinions or desires, only the evidence presented to them.

Aika had a feeling her father had broken this rule.

"The vote should have been clear, but no one really knew what to expect. Your father was not known for his cruelty. In that trial, the Kings wanted the outcome to be cruel. And they didn't trust him to deliver."

"He didn't, did he."
Akira says. Not a question. A statement.

Daisuke smiles, a sad smile rarely shown.
"No, he didn't. He told the Counil they had skipped over a massive piece of evidence and said no vote could be made until that piece of evidence had been collected. And then he went to the little boy the trial was about and asked him what he wanted to do."

Aika's heart swells with love and grief.

"No one expected that. Somehow, none of them had considered trying to turn the kid against Arata. So when Yoshio asked him if he was afraid of Arata, if he wanted to go back to his family, if he wanted to be adopted by a new family, the whole case fell apart. Because he wanted to stay with Arata."

"Your father destroyed the case they'd built against Arata. The child was left in Arata's custody with proof that he was able to provide. The trial ended. And after that, none of the Kings trusted your father again."


Silence stretches yet again, this time a peaceful, contemplative silence, as they reflect on this perfect example of their father's unyielding kindness.

It does not surprise Aika that her father was able to find a kind solution, nor does it surprise her that the other Kings hated him for it. She has seen their distrustful eyes on him during trials or during particularly heated Council meetings.

She saw a room full of those same eyes sizing her up as she stood by her father's casket and shook hands with a man of whom she had only heard horror stories.

The Council did not want her father's kindness.

They will likely not want her kindness either, but she will be kind nonetheless, because she is her father's daughter. She will follow in his footsteps whether they want her to or not, because she is her father's daughter.

And perhaps she will learn to speak up, to speak her mind loud and clear even if the entire world is against her. Perhaps she will learn to be a little more like Arata.

And if the Council rejects her, then perhaps the Council is not meant to be.

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part two: Hierarchy


The 7th Street train station is bustling with idle chatter, as always, and Hiro's old corner-store earbuds can only do so much against the noise, no matter how high the volume. A headache pounds against his skull and his stomach churns from an unwanted breakfast, and Hiro wonders if he should've stayed home after all.

He didn't want to. He's already missed too many days this month. But standing in a crowded station in several levels of pain and discomfort can't be worth it.

Hiro forces himself onto the train as it arrives, taking the first open seat to avoid the risk of falling should his headache progress into dizziness. No one takes the open seat at his side, even as the train car slowly fills to capacity.

Being almost 6'3 will do that to you.

The station chatter quiets somewhat as commuters adopt the hushed, secretive tones expected on a public train. It does nothing to ease Hiro's headache.

It's going to be a long day.

Hiro turns his music up and closes his eyes and tunes out the world, leaning his head against the train window. The sun at his back casts colored lights behind his eyelids and warms him until it suddenly fades, marking the edge of the city proper.

Hiro opens his eyes and sits up straight, gaze landing on the train doors.

Her stop is the first stop at the edge of the city.

The train slides into Heartline station and the doors open. Only three people exit. A decent crowd filters into the car and Hiro searches for a head of red hair.

And there she is.


t ❋

Hisako sees Hiro through a train window before the doors even open, his height a dead giveaway. A part of her is grateful for this easy way of finding him, though she would never say so. She knows he hates how much he stands out.

Hiro is clearly searching for her in the crowd and Hisako's heart swells, just a bit, as she steps between two rumpled businessmen and steps into Hiro's gaze.

She does not say good morning. Hiro does not say hello.

Hisako takes the pointedly empty seat beside Hiro and pulls a thick, hard-cover book from her bag. She passes it to him, without a word, and he trades it for one of his earbuds, humming with vibrant music so unlike his controlled expression.

She slips it into her ear and lets the music wash over her. She watches Hiro open the book she gave him and follows along as he reads, their pace perfectly in sync.

This is her favorite kind of morning- a morning with Hiro at her side.

But it can never last forever.

The closer to city center, the more students pour into the train, and Hiro begins to drift apart from her. Hisako refuses to feel hurt by this. Attention is the last thing Hiro ever wants, and for someone so unfriendly to be so clearly connected to the Student Council Secretary is as big an invitation for attention as one can get.

(Hisako does not believe him to be unfriendly, but they've agreed to disagree.)

By the time the train reaches the coast and heads across the bay to Alya Island, Hiro has retreated completely into his music and Hisako has tucked the book back into her bag, refusing to be anything but content with how much of it he read.

When the the train reaches Alya Academy, they exit the car in opposite directions, without so much as a furtive glance to serve as a goodbye.



t ❋ location: Alya Academy

Any other day, Eliza would be vibrating in her excitement to go to school. School never tires her- she loves sitting in the beautiful buildings, she loves her classes, she loves talking to her classmates and teachers and lunch ladies about anything and everything they'll listen to. She loves the views of the glittering sea.

Alya Academy is her safe space, a place where the standards set by her family can fade into the background. But today, for the first time, Eliza is tired.

Two days have passed since Ikeda Yoshio's funeral. Two days since the service was interrupted by the Red King and his Clansmen, since the Red King had stood in a room full of people who despised him and offered their leader a favor.

It had been somewhat of a magical experience, if Eliza was being honest.

But the second the Red King had left, reality came crashing down, and Eliza was left to ponder the possible implications of the Red King's reappearance as the Gold Clansmen around her whispered dark theories and accusations.

The Red King cannot be trusted, they whispered. And if he is allied with the Grey King, then the Grey King cannot be trusted, and the Council is doomed to fall.

Eliza had never met the Red King, but she had heard stories, good and bad. Less good than bad, for only one person in her life knew anything real about Arata.

Someone whispers her name, and Eliza finds Tanaka Tooru's sunny, sunny face.


"What on God's green Earth were you thinking?!"

Eliza doesn't mean to yell- she hadn't even realized how much anger was building inside her until she saw Tooru's face and was reminded of what it meant for him to have been at Ikeda Yoshio's funeral, showing his face to the Council of Kings.

Tooru's sunny smile slides from his face and is replaced by confusion- a pinch in his brow, a tilt to his head. Eliza fumes. Of course he doesn't understand.


"Why would you go to the funeral?! Do you have any idea what people said after you left?!" She cries. Tooru's brow pinches deeper. "You can't just show up uninvited to a funeral like that, not like that- not when you're- God!"

Eliza begins to stumble over her own words and her frustration only builds. What can say to convey how she truly feels? How can she make him understand?

How can she make him understand how afraid for him she was?

How afraid she still is?

Tooru, for his part, does not yell back. He is not upset by her outburst. He is calm. His confused expression fades and instead, finds its way to Eliza, because calm is not a word Eliza would ever use to describe someone like Tooru.

Tooru looks at the ground and says very simply:
"We had to say goodbye."

Something within Eliza begins to ache.

Ache because she sees in him something she cannot feel- grief. Eliza had never met Ikeda Yoshio, because she was not a prodigy and thus her father didn't care to involve her in anything of any importance. It was some small miracle that she'd been allowed to attend the funeral, and any loss she'd felt was second-hand.

But Tooru had met Ikeda Yoshio. Had known Ikeda Yoshio. Could grieve him.

Eliza aches for Tooru and as she considers his words, she begins to ache for Arata, too, because she had been invited to the funeral and he had not.

She had been invited to mourn a stranger, while those who loved him had not.

Eliza's anger fades completely and more complicated emotions begin to swirl in her gut. She can see the Tooru's calm exterior beginning to melt into something else, something painful, and once again her thoughts are running a mile a minute trying to decide the right words to say that can fix this mess of a conversation-

Someone calls her name, and Eliza's blood run cold.


"Eliza, darling, I've been searching everywhere for you! I'd have thought I'd find you in the cafe, not out here in the shadows."

Tsunemori Misaki's smile holds double meaning, just as her words do. Here Eliza stands in a shaded courtyard, a place she should not be. Here Eliza stands, with Tanaka Tooru, a friend she should not have. In the shadows, indeed.

Misaki must know this, with that choice of phrasing. Her eyes flit from Eliza to Tooru, narrowing just enough to convey the distrust and disdain that Eliza knows she is expected to feel. Tooru curls in on himself like a leaf deprived of light.


"Eliza, why don't you come with me to the Student Council office? That would be a much better place for a chat." Misaki asks. It is not a request.

Eliza quickly gathers her things from the bench she'd scattered them on earlier. She does not look at Tooru, but she does turn in time to watch Misaki face him with her sharp eyes and poison smile, everything about her screaming danger.


"I do not think you belong here." She says, then turns and walks away.

Eliza does not look at Tooru as she follows Misaki. The complicated emotions in her gut swell until she feels sick and her mind is filled with words unsaid. She has lost her chance to say what she really meant to say when she yelled at him.

She has lost her chance to tell him how afraid she is to lose him.


t ❋

Every day, Hisako plays with fire, stepping close to someone who she, by all logic, should stay as far away from as possible if she wished to avoid detection.

Nothing important can be accomplished without a healthy amount of risk, Rui had once told her. She had been referring to something completely inane, and Hisako doubts Rui had even realized it could be taken as some form of sisterly advice.

But Hisako happened to agree.

And so she had applied to the Student Council in her third year of middle school and was voted in as Secretary the year after that, standing by Tsunemori Misaki's side through every tedious meeting, discussion, and impromptu club inspection.

Tsunemori Misaki, Student Council President. Tsuemori Misaki, the Blue King.

Every day, Hisako plays with fire.

Every day, Hisako becomes a little less sure that Misaki isn't privy to all her secrets, patiently waiting for the moment she can best use them to her advantage.

Every day, Hisako plays with fire, because her secrets are all she has.

Today, however, it isn't her own secrets Hisako is worried for. She had sat by in the council office, signing assorted club paperwork in Misaki's stead, whilst Misaki herself chatted ominously with Elizabeth La Fontaine over a cup of tea.

Poor Eliza had spent the entire chat looking mildly terrified, and Hisako could only guess at why. Probably it had something to do with Color Clan business.

Hisako dutifully tuned out the conversation, as she knew Misaki expected of her.

One Elizabeth had fled the office and Misaki had taken the rest of the paperwork to sign herself, Hisako sat up straight and asked about Ikeda Yoshio's funeral.


"I assume there must be a lot to consider, with the Council missing a King. I'm a little surprised to see you here today, I'm sure you have much to do."

Misaki smiled at her, a casual, unbothered smile. "Oh, there's plenty to do, but a King's passing can't pause life. It would be unseemly of me to let slide my responsibilities here, regardless of circumstance, don't you think?"

A part of Hisako understood- nothing could be done about Ikeda Yoshio's death. Perhaps a new King would be chosen, but only the Stones could choose a King, and they could not be rushed. To continue on as normal made sense.

But another part of Hisako began to wonder if Misaki cared at all that another King had died. That the head of the Council of Kings was no more.

Perhaps the absence of the strongest King could only benefit those still living.


"And I suppose I shouldn't mention this, but the Council won't be without a Grey King for long. The Moonstone has already chosen a successor."

Hisako couldn't keep her surprise hidden. "What? Already?"

"Oh, yes. I believe the public announcement is set to air tonight. Seems best to keep the city from worrying, hm?" Misaki said.

With that, Misaki gathered her paperwork and left, promising to have everything completed by the end of the day. Hisako sat in the council office for a long time after Misaki was gone, considering everything she had learned.

A new Grey King had been chosen, and quickly. Historically, there was always a decent period of time between the former King's death and the expected public announcement of a new King being chosen. For the announcement ceremony to be prepared and recorded only five days after the former Grey King's passing...

Hisako set the question aside to ask herself: why would Misaki mention this?

If Hisako had learned anything from observing Misaki these past few years, it was that nothing Misaki ever did was unintentional. Misaki was cunning. She knew how to use words as a tool, as a weapon. She knew how to twist your emotions until you felt exactly what she wanted, thought exactly what she wanted.

Hisako would never believe that Misaki had told her these things carelessly.

Hisako was playing with fire.