(no subject)

[estirose]

As she soaked in her bathtub, Wataru rubbed her hand, as if to slough off the tattoo on it. She knew it was useless, of course; no amount of washing would ever change the fact that she'd always had the mark and nothing could be done about it. But it gave her some comfort to try to do something about it, try to change things and make her a normal person.

She'd been hiding it ever since she could remember. Her mother had gotten her many many pairs of gloves, scrounging them up from... well, Wataru supposed that it was the people her mother had drained. She remembered many times where her mother had taken her out hunting, as if it was a simple mother-daughter bonding activity. Wataru herself had never needed to hunt, but Kivat said that she might need to someday, and that's why her mother had taught her to hunt. Just in case.

It was a secret, just as her being Kiva had been a secret. Her Kiva armor had protected her and her identity; now that Nago-san knew, at least he accepted it. But he, like Megumi-san, would not accept her if they'd known she'd been born King of the Checkmate Four, the head of the people they battled against.

Once they knew she was King, they'd reject her, so Wataru kept quiet. Knowing people was a risk, and she refused to lose their friendship over something that she had no choice to be. She had spent too many years as a recluse, bundling herself up so that nobody realized that the one thing she really wanted to hide was her hand. She liked being friends. She liked Megumi-san and Nago-san and everybody else.

Sighing, she got up out of the bath and toweled herself off. There was nothing to be done about it; she'd just have to keep hiding and hope that she was never called to take on that existence. That's all she could do, and all she wanted to do.

* * *

Wataru's mother had often spoken about Wataru's father. He was a brave man, who always fought for justice and fought hard for it. Who wasn't afraid. Who was one of the best people her mother had known in her centuries. Wataru's mother had given up what she was for her love, and in return, he had died for her and Wataru, who had been born some sixteen months later. Her mother wanted her to be just like her father, be a person with the best traits of human and Fangire. Rule over the Fangire and bring her people in harmony with each other.

She had pictures of her mother with herself; even when she'd been a baby, she had the King's Mark on her. Her mother had been so careful because Kings inherited their powers by killing the previous King; how she had gotten the mark, her mother refused to say anything but that she'd obviously been meant to be King and to change things.

Which didn't bother Wataru at all. Except she was sure that once the people realized that she was a half-human female, there would be lots of challenges. Yes, she had King's armor; in fact, Kivat had been looking for his father, just in case she needed Dark Kiva to save her life. Wataru didn't know if she could bear Dark Kiva without dying; but at least she had the option. At least she had something to back up her own powers.

She took a deep breath as she stared out the window. What would her life have been like had she not been like this?

More peaceful, she was sure. But she would never know.

* * *

Megumi-san had been pushing Wataru to take up modeling; but Wataru knew only too well that if she did, she'd be required to take her glove off, and that she couldn't do. So, instead, she elected to accompany Nago-san on one of his hunts for criminals.

Of course, with Nago-san, that rapidly meant being instructed to chase down a criminal, which wasn't easy for her. She chased after him, eager to bring him to justice so that Nago-san would be proud of her. Instead of catching him, however, she found herself dodging his blows and hoping that Nago-san would come back soon. Not that she wanted him to see her failure, but she just didn't think she made a good bounty hunter.

Suddenly, the criminal was staggering away from her, and there was a young man about her age standing there, looking fierce. Wataru blinked as he and the criminal traded blows, before the criminal ran away. She hoped that Nago-san wouldn't be too upset about the missing criminal. But what distracted her from that thought was the fact that the young man that had fought the criminal was now staring at her, as if not sure what to make of her.

"Hello? Sorry, are you all right?" Wataru asked. The man examined her face for a moment before breaking out in a big grin.

"Wataru-chan?" He seemed delighted to see her, and she wondered who he was and how he'd know her.

"Yes?" she asked plainly. Did she know him, or did he guess? What did he have in mind for her?

"I thought so," he said. He looked at her again. "I guess you're always losing your shoes....."

Wataru blinked, and remembered....

* * *

"Crybaby! Crybaby!" The two bullies laughed at her as they ran through the park with her shoe, with her struggling to keep pace and catch up with them. Her mother would be very unhappy if she lost one of her two pairs of shoes.

"Give that back!" she cried, trying to stifle the tears. Why did those boys have to pick on her, anyway?

The two boys laughed, placing her shoe on a tree limb she just couldn't quite reach, laughing at her and taunting her.

"You heard what she said," a voice came from one side. A boy, a bit older than the bullies and certainly older than her, picked the shoe out of the tree and offered it to her. "Now, go away!"

"Why? You want to start something?" one of the boys asked.

The scuffle had been brief, but she'd still gotten her shoe back... and a new champion, the boy named Taiga.

* * *

She'd never thought she'd ever see Taiga again. Once the boy had disappeared, she'd become reclusive, not wanting to risk anything. Her mother had supported and encouraged that. To see him again, to know him again....

"Taiga-san?" she asked, looking up at him. He was still taller than she was.

He was still grinning. "Wataru-chan, you haven't changed. At all."

"I've gotten taller," Wataru protested.

"But you haven't changed at all," Taiga said. "It's so good to see you again, Wataru-chan. After my... guardian... took me away, I was sure I'd never see you again." He hugged her, and she allowed the hug.

She hadn't let people really touch her between when he had disappeared and when Megumi-san had found her. Well, her mother of course, but mothers never really counted, did they?

At that time, she'd had a dream of someday marrying Taiga - because that's what everybody did, of course - and being normal and having a nice, happy family. Of not being King and having all of her obligations. But that's not quite what happened.

Chances were, Wataru was going to have a girl for a Queen, so she had to like girls. Well, she already kind of liked a girl - her friend, Mio-chan - but it wasn't like Mio-chan was Queen or anything. Wataru hoped that she would continue to like Mio-chan and not, say, start dreaming of a girl in the nude.

Well, there was nothing that could be done except try to live her life as normally as possible. She wondered if Taiga-san was still interested in her, and still a good man; she'd heard that sometimes people grew up to be... bores. Like probably she was.

"It's good to see you again," she said. "I... I...."

"How would you like to have lunch, Wataru-chan?" Taiga-san asked, and she looked up at him. She wasn't big on restaurants, but this was Taiga-san, after all. If she was going to try for a normal life, she had to start somewhere.

"I'd love to," she said as he offered her his arm.

* * *

The two of them went to some fancy restaurant that Wataru didn't quite feel at home in, but she humored Taiga and behaved herself. The staff didn't seem to care about her clothes or anything like that - Taiga-san just whispered to one of the staff, and suddenly the two of them were ushered into a private room. Which was nice, she had to admit. She wasn't sure on how to deal with being in a fancy restaurant otherwise.

"So, Taiga-san, what are you doing now?" she asked. "I haven't seen you since... well, you disappeared." She was sure that was an awkward way to phrase it, but she could think of no other that wouldn't be rude or overly vague.

"I actually offer counseling services," Taiga-san said. "Though I also do some work for Development and Pioneer." He looked at her like he expected her to recognize the name. She came up blank.

"Development and Pioneer?" she asked, hoping she would prompt him to say what it was.

"Yes - you've never heard of it? It serves our interests," Taiga-san said. "The Elders say that it's probably the most important business run by us right now."

Wataru wondered what in the heck Taiga-san was talking about. Their interests? What did that mean? Elders?

And then she remembered what she'd been told about Fangire society. "They run it, don't they?" she asked, hoping to not say "Fangire" out loud, because that would mean that Taiga-san was Fangire. And she didn't want Taiga-san to be Fangire.

"They do," Taiga-san confirmed. "I'm helping them out while they try to find King."

Wataru nodded, though she wondered if he knew that he was sitting across the table from said King. "I... I guess it's been a while since we had one? My mother told me the last one died before I was born...."

Taiga-san smiled. "Yes, as did Bishop. Queen turned traitor, and of course, Rook had to get himself killed recently." He scowled briefly at that, but soon returned to smiling at her. "But we have a new Queen and a new Bishop, and we'll find the new King, everything will be fine."

Her childhood friend being Fangire confirmed, Wataru tried not to shudder. She was King. She could not act as King, but she was King. It was too bad that Taiga-san would never know who he was talking to, but it didn't hurt Shima-san's organization that the Checkmate Four was short a member or two.

Wataru wondered what Taiga-san would think if he knew he was talking to King, and that King had contemplated marrying him. Briefly. But Taiga-san would know the significance of her Mark, so she couldn't marry him because he would find out. And Wataru didn't intend to let anybody find out.

* * *

After exchanging phone numbers with Taiga-san, she found herself approaching the Mald'amour, even though she wasn't really hungry. Taiga-san had not eaten anything, but she had. Maybe it was a need for comfort, though it was probably safer to be home discussing things with Kivat than to be talking to her friends at the Cafe.

But still, after dealing with Taiga-san, she wanted to deal with something as... well, normal as Fangire hunters ever got. Besides, these were humans; they didn't hold to the same stupid rules as Fangire, and it would be nice to talk to someone about love and romance and she was sure Megumi-san would be there.

She froze. So would Nago-san, and she'd been so caught up in catching up with Taiga, that she was sure that he'd hate her horribly. Could she deal with that?

She hoped so. She didn't want to lose any human friends right now. Failing as a human and being a Fangire was not something she wanted to have happen right now. She'd fail at that, too.

And fail even more at being King; it was probably best that the Fangire didn't know that they had one. Well, not an active one.

In any case, she hoped that maybe by being there, she'd reconnect with her human side and feel less off-balance; because that's really what she was.

She stepped into the cafe, heading to the table where Nago-san and Megumi-san sat. "Oh, hello Wataru-chan!" Megumi-san said, smiling up at her. She shifted to the next seat over. "So, I hear that Nago-kun has you chasing criminals now!"

"I'm not very good at it," Wataru said, bowing her head. "I... failed."

"Oh, I'm sure that Wataru-chan will make a good bounty hunter! A better model, however," Megumi-san told her. "I've even found a photographer who likes gloves!"

That had been a sore point; she refused to take her glove off and so she didn't make a very good model. Megumi-san had promised to find her someone who didn't care. Apparently, she had found that someone. "Oh?"

"Yes! You and I will have to go and see him, and he'll like you a lot. He was talking about lace gloves... you'll look good in those, Wataru-chan."

"Okay...." She hoped said gloves covered her Mark, or she'd be in trouble. Megumi-san knew that while she'd given up the cap, the mask and the goggles, there was one thing she refused to take off. And Megumi-san amusingly allowed that one eccentricity.

"Good!" Megumi-san said, fetching her cellphone out of her purse and dialing a number. "Hello, Takahiro-kun? Yes, she'll do it. I knew she would! When would you like to do it? Thursday? We'll be there!" She hung up the phone. "I'll make a model of you yet, Wataru-chan!"

Wataru blushed and hung her head. There were worse things than being a model; she certainly didn't make a great bounty hunter, for one thing. And she definitely didn't make a good King.

"I guess," she said. "I don't make a good bounty hunter...."

"Nago-kun was telling me about that," Megumi-san said. "Bounty hunting isn't for everyone, you know."

That earned her a glare from Nago-san, but he relented. "Wataru-chan merely doesn't have much experience," he said. "I'm sure that she'll succeed eventually."

Megumi-san grinned at him. Wataru wondered what was going on between the two, but decided not to ask.

But being with these two... it was actually a good idea. Regular, normal humans doing kind of regular, normal things.

"What's bothering you, Wataru-chan?" Megumi-san asked, her smile turning to concern.

"I... wonder what it would be like to get married," Wataru said.

"Oh, did Wataru-chan end up with a boyfriend instead of the criminal she was chasing?" Megumi-san said, her smile returning. "Well! I can help you there."

"She has better things to do than date," Nago-san said, frowning. She knew what Nago-san was talking about; he wanted her to hunt Fangire, not chase boys. But Megumi-san didn't know about Wataru's side job. "Or model."

"Um... well, I'm not dating... yet, I mean," she admitted. "I met an old friend of mine and we had lunch. I was just wondering... thinking about how things are supposed to be. You know, marriage, children...."

She hadn't found out if Taiga-san was single or anything, but he hadn't indicated that he wasn't. Maybe she should find out before fantasizing about him and her being together, and then remembered.

He was Fangire; she couldn't marry him anyway. She couldn't marry anyone anyway, because Fangire would know and to love a human meant that one would die - or at least wish one was dead. Technically, she was supposed to marry her Queen, but she didn't know if she wanted to marry another girl. She had been born King; therefore, she had a Queen.

She wondered if they were supposed to live together - not something that happened very often - if they were supposed to live their lives together and make love to one another. There wouldn't be children in the relationship because she couldn't father her Queen's child.

"Oh, so Wataru-chan has found somebody she likes!" Megumi-san said. "Don't listen to him; we'll go shopping for some nice clothes, and you can go out for dinner with him, and everything will be fine!"

Wataru wished that was so. But unless she planned on leaving her glove on all the time she was around Taiga-san, she really couldn't do anything that exposed the fact that she was his King.

But she let Megumi-san boss her around because Megumi-san was Megumi-san and it was hard to say "no" to Megumi-san. She might have to work on that if she was found out as King, because she couldn't let anybody walk all over her, but for the moment, she didn't want Megumi-san to be upset at her. Especially if she found that Wataru was King later on.

"So, let's get going!" Megumi-san said, pushing Wataru out of the cafe. A surprised Shizuka-chan, who had been coming in, ended up following them.

"B-but...." Wataru protested. Her protests were in vain, as she came out of it with a stylish new dress and had to fend off questions about Taiga. At least she only admitted his name....

* * *

Taiga-san hadn't been shy about keeping in touch with her; it was as if he wanted to make up for all those times that they were apart, because his guardian had sent him off to school. "I came out with a really good education," he'd said, but Wataru guessed that it had come at a cost.

His latest phone call came with an invitation to have lunch with him and a friend. Wataru had to wonder who this friend was and whether they were Fangire or not. If they were Fangire, then she'd have to do her best to keep her hand covered and be extra careful not to seem suspicious.

"Thanks for coming," Taiga-san said as they met outside Development and Pioneer. The technology funding company's building was huge, and Wataru had to wonder how important her friend was, as several people bowed to him.

"I missed you," Wataru said, wondering if she even dared bring up wanting to date him, even as she knew it was impossible.

"I missed you, too," he said, handing her a helmet. "Here, get up on my bike; we'll meet the person I want you to meet at the restaurant."

Wataru took the helmet, slipping it on easily and getting on the bike behind Taiga. They rode together to a restaurant more casual than the first one they went to that first time, for which Wataru was grateful. They were again given a private room, and Wataru had to wonder why. Taiga-san couldn't be that high up in the hierarchy could he?

"Oh, good, Mio-san, you're here." Wataru's attention was drawn to the person who had entered the room.

"Mio-san?!?" She looked at her friend.

Oh, so you two know each other?” Taiga-san asked, looking from one to the other, seeming almost disappointed.

“Wataru-san and I met a few weeks ago,” Mio-san said shyly. “We get along very well.”

Wataru nodded. “We’re a lot alike,” she agreed.

Taiga-san grinned. “You are. I didn’t realize that.”

“Taiga-san is very busy,” Mio-san offered. She placed her hands in her lap. “And is very kind to help me....”

“That’s because I love doing it,” Taiga-san said, offering his hand to Mio-san. “You’re a good person, you just need confidence in yourself....”

Mio-san ignored it, too caught up in her own thoughts. Wataru turned to him. “Are you two... dating?” She hoped not for a moment, before realizing that she didn’t have a chance with him.

Maybe things were better this way, Mio-san was probably Fangire too and she and Taiga-san could be happy together. They could get married and have a family and not have to hide anything from each other.

“Taiga-san is… well....” Mio-san blushed.

“Mio-san is a good person and I like being with her,” Taiga-san said, smiling at Mio-san. “I want her to be the best she can be.”

“Oh,” Wataru said. “I... wish you two the best, then.” They’d be happy together, she swore. She wasn’t very good at love. Besides, she knew that she had an arranged marriage in her future, if the Fangire ever found her.

“Um....” Mio-san glanced over at Taiga-san, who merely smiled at her.

“It’s a long story,” Taiga-san said. “And not important.”

“Yes,” Mio-san said as the food arrived. Apparently Taiga-san had ordered for all of them.

It made for an awkward meal, for Wataru and for Mio-san, at least. Taiga-san had nothing more than his usual glass of water. “So, why does Wataru-san always wear gloves?” Mio-san asked, in an attempt to get conversation flowing.

“Well... that’s a long story, too,” Wataru said. This was dangerous territory now. “I... I learned to fear being exposed, so I overcompensated. Megumi-san got me to take most of it off, but I still wanted some security, so I persuaded her to leave me the gloves.”

Taiga-san took her hand. “I know. You wore them too, when we were kids.”

She smiled at him. “Yes. It’s something I just can’t bear to lose.” Especially around Fangire.

He smiled back.

* * *

Wataru managed to get through lunch in one piece, but she was glum as she went home. Kivat flapped around her. “It’s not the end of the world, Wataru,” he said after she told him the story.

“I know. He’s Fangire and can’t find out, so....” It was better for them. Really. Taiga-san was loving, protective; exactly what Mio-san needed in a husband. And quiet, shy Mio-san would make a great wife for him.

As for her? She was doomed to be alone. Except if she had to be King, and then she’d be with someone she barely knew.

But it was okay, really.

* * *

The next few days were a pattern of working on violins (along with the occasional viola or cello), occasionally going to lunch with Taiga-san, and getting hauled about by Megumi-san. The modelling job wasn’t that bad; even if the lace gloves skirted close to revealing her Mark. She passed it off as a big, ugly birthmark, and everybody seemed to be satisfied.

She swore never to wear anything that exposed the Mark again, though.

She looked up as her doorbell rang, checking the time. Taiga-san had promised to visit and bring lunch, which was a little unusual, but she could live with it. She liked her long-time friend and she didn’t mind having him over. “Taiga-san,” she said, leading him upstairs and then down to the dining area.

“Wataru-chan, lovely day, isn’t it?” Taiga-san said. “I hear your modelling career is taking off.”

“Not really,” Wataru said. “Megumi-san keeps pushing me, but... I don’t think it’s something I really want to do.”

“Sometimes we do have more important things,” Taiga-san said sagely.

“Yes,” she said. “I’m happy to make and repair violins.”

He smiled. “Here, please eat,” he said. He’d claimed only a glass of water, as usual.

“Thank you for the meal,” she said formally, and ate. For someone who didn’t eat, Taiga-san had good taste.

He waited patiently as she finished, then brought out an envelope. “I wanted to see how you were doing at modeling, so I got copies of the pictures.”

“Oh,” Wataru said nervously. She hoped that he didn’t recognize the Mark for what it was. That would be bad.

Taiga-san smiled at her. “You have nice hands,” he said, he said, taking pictures of her latest modeling session out. She was sure she didn’t want to know how he got them.

Wataru’s heart beat fast. She took a deep breath, and hoped that he wouldn’t ask about the Mark. “My hands are ugly,” she said.

“No, they’re not,” Taiga said, smiling more at her. “They’re beautiful. I’d like to see them.”

“They’re too ugly,” she said, grasping her Marked hand firmly.

Taiga-san’s smile dropped and he sighed. “I was hoping not to have to do this....”

“Eh?” Wataru asked, preparing to defend herself. If Taiga-san was planning to rape her, she was not going to passively let him.

He held his hand up, the back of his hand facing her. A symbol formed, a Bishop chess piece with other markings. “Wataru-chan, as Bishop, I need to see your hands.”

She gulped. Taiga-san was Bishop, and Taiga-san had to know what she was. She nervously tugged her gloves off, letting him inspect her hands.

“I thought so,” Taiga-san said. He looked at her with relief. “I can guess why you hid, but you’re safe now. Mio and I will be there for you.”

“You and Mio-san....” Wataru started. “I understand that you’re dating, but...”

His grin returned. “Actually, we’re not,” he said. “We’ve been pretending to so that I can help Mio learn her role as Queen... your Queen.” He took her unmarked hand. “We’ve been waiting for you for weeks. Now you and Mio can be together as King and Queen should be.”

“How did you know, Taiga-san?” Wataru asked.

“I’m Bishop; Bishop has to pay attention to things like this. You’ve been piquing my interest ever since we met again; Mio said something that made me think. Then I got my hands on these pictures, and I was reasonably sure that I’d met my King.”

“It could have been an ugly birthmark,” Wataru told him. “What if you’d been wrong?”

“I would have found you nicer gloves,” Taiga-san said. “In fact, hiding your Mark is a good idea; but you should get more gloves. We’ll go shopping.”

She had a sneaking suspicion that the rest of her life was going to be run by one extremely well-meaning Bishop.

Of course, the fact that the well-meaning Bishop was Taiga calmed her down a little. "I'm very glad Taiga-san is here," she said.

"We're all new to our duties, Wataru-chan, but we'll get used to them," Taiga said. He smiled more at her. "You don't have to hide anymore; we're here to support you." He tapped his chin. "In fact, since we now know who one another is, we should drop the honorifics."

Wataru blinked at him. "Drop... the honorifics?"

"We work together, Wataru. You and I and Mio... I think we're meant to be." Taking her hand once more, he kissed it. "We were meant to meet when we were little kids, Wataru."

She blushed and looked down at the table. "I think that I'm not sure about all this."

"You will be," Taiga said with confidence. "You and I... we can start training you tomorrow for what you need to do. I'm sure you'll find it easy."

* * *

Wataru had found herself pacing after Taiga-san's visit. Despite the knowledge that he was Bishop and she was technically over him, she couldn't find herself dropping the honorific so easily. He was still Taiga-san to her, the one who had rescued her when they were little kids. He was going to be teaching her how to be King, even if she didn't want to be. She didn't want to argue with him if she didn't have to; it wasn't like she had much of a choice in the matter about being King, and she didn't want to antagonize someone she would have to work with.

She took a deep breath. She had to live with this. She had to be a good King, even if she didn't want to be. Maybe she'd be lucky, she'd change the Fangire so that they and humans would live in harmony. She wasn't sure what she'd do with Mio-san, other than getting married. Getting married to another girl was... not what she expected in life, but at least she liked Mio-san and got along with her.

And there was still the worry of what she'd have to do with Megumi-san and Nago-san. They were not likely to be happy with the fact that she was the Fangire King; and now that she was officially the King, she couldn't hide that anymore. It wasn't right. Nago-san and Megumi-san might want to kill her, but she hoped that they'd recognize that she wanted peace between humans and Fangire.

She wanted her two sides not to be in conflict, even as Nago-san praised her for rising above her Fangire ancestors and Taiga-san prepared to make her into the ideal Fangire King. Why couldn't Human and Fangire get along like her parents had?

"What do I do now?" she asked the empty air.

"Be King," Kivat answered. But of course he would be a bit biased; Kivats were close allies of the Fangire, after all. Even if this one helped her fight Fangire. "Your mother knew what you'd become. You're prepared, Wataru."

Wataru made a face at that. She wanted to work on her violins, but she couldn't do so. Making the instruments required a steady hand, and she didn't have that. Nor could she ruin customers' instruments.

Finally, the doorbell rang and after Wataru confirmed with a glance that it was Taiga-san, she came downstairs and let him in. "We're going to go over what King does," Taiga-san said, "And then we're going to meet Mio for lunch." He smiled a bit at that. "I'm so glad that you and Mio are compatible. Eventually, you'll learn your wedding vows, but not right now."

Wataru blushed at that, and Taiga laid a hand on her shoulder. "You're just as shy as you were when we were kids," Taiga said. "Here, let's go down to your table, and I'll start teaching you what you need to know. And there's some questions I need to ask you, too. For the records."

She felt a chill pass through her. Would Taiga-san accept her, given that she was half-human? Or would he try to kill the monstrosity that was his friend up to a few minutes before? She might have to fight him, and she didn't want to do that.

Getting a cup of tea for herself and some water for Taiga-san, she sat down across her table from him. "Kings," Taiga-san said, "Protect their people. Queens hunt traitors, but Kings are also important. They keep humans from becoming more than the Fangire can handle."

"That sounds like... a hard job," Wataru said. It wasn't one she wanted to do, but she could hardly say that to the man sitting across from her.

"You're up to it," Taiga said. "You're Wataru; the only thing that's stopping you is your own hesitations. Once you know what you're doing, you'll be the best King we've ever had."

Wataru wasn't sure about that, but she didn't say anything to Taiga. She wanted to run away, but that wasn't an option now.

"Just like Mio isn't quite sure of herself, you aren't either." Taiga-san smiled at her. "It's okay. We'll get through this together." He put his hand on hers. "You can't imagine how delighted I was to see that such an old friend of mine was King. Even as kids, you knew how to lead."

"You mean I knew how to make you attend imaginary tea parties," Wataru pointed out.

"You had me wrapped around your little finger." Taiga-san smiled beatifically. "All we have to do is make you tougher and have you do your duties, and nobody will complain."

Taiga-san had an over-optimistic view of things, Wataru decided. "How do I become tougher?" she asked.

"I'll teach you to fight," Taiga-san said. "We'll find the Kivat that enables Dark Kiva; you'll need it. And you'll have powers as King, of course. You just need to harness them."

"I guess King would have powers that normal Fangire don't," she said. "I... mom talked a little about King, but... I guess she didn't like the one before me too much." She wondered how he'd react to her mother being the former, traitorous Queen. He'd probably like it about as much as her being half-human.

Which she wasn't sure she wanted to admit to him. The longer that she could keep alive, the better chances the Wondrous Blue Sky association could continue to fight the Fangire. Because of course, she was King and she was their friend, and even if they'd want to kill her knowing that she was King, at least she could make things easier for them.

"Kings aren't often liked and loved by their subjects," Taiga-san said. "You don't have to be loved for what you do by the general public; just know that Mio and I will be there to support you." He gazed upon her with a loving smile. "It wouldn't be the first time Bishop had to teach King what to do."

"I would guess it happens often," Wataru said. She wished that the title she held was something that was a little less dangerous. Like succeeding by being royal-blooded. Of course, she was kind of that way, but she was sure under any other rules, she'd be disqualified for the throne. Besides, Queens, Bishops, and Rooks were chosen randomly. Hers was the only position where she would be in danger of her life if anybody found out what she was.

"No," Taiga-san told her. "Because of the way Kings succeed, it'll be dangerous for you. But don't worry. You'll live, because Mio and I are here for you."

She nodded numbly. "I hope so," she said.

"You will," Taiga-san said. "You won't be the first female King and you won't be the last. It's not your fault that when King had to go randomly to someone, it went to you."

"Normally, Kings kill their predecessors, don't they?" Wataru asked.

"Yes, but very occasionally it's random... the last King was killed by his traitorous Queen. Since there wasn't anybody to succeed the throne, it went to a random Fangire... you must have been the lucky one."

"I was born King," she said, contemplating her mark. "It could have gone to an older Fangire."

"Well, it didn't, but does it matter? You're here now, and we'll both make things work." He leaned forward. "We'll make it work, Wataru. We'll find Dark Kiva; the former Queen was stripped of her powers, but the Kivat was still loyal to her, so all we have to do is find her. I'm sure, after this many years, she'll finally bow to King."

"Is she even still alive?" Wataru asked. "To give the powers. Or the Kivat?"

"The Elders say that she is, unfortunately," Taiga answered. "Don't worry, Wataru. We'll get the powers from her and you'll definitely be the best King ever."

Wataru had to wonder how her mother was and if she was okay and if she could manage to see her without Taiga-san nearby. She wanted to see how her mother was and talk to her about things that she could only talk to her mother about.

"It's a bit much, I know," Taiga-san said. "And you've had to hide for so long... but you don't have to absorb this in one day. You have your centuries ahead of you. And there's a reward in serving the people."

She hoped so. She stared at her hands, her mark, and wondered what her human father would have thought about fathering the successor to the King he helped kill.

"Let's start with something that anybody in a new position would have to deal with anyway - paperwork." Taiga-san fished a pair of glasses out of a pocket and took papers out of a messenger bag. "There were some oddities that came up that I wanted to sort out before they caused problems for you."

"You wear glasses?" was the only thing that Wataru could think of to say.

"It's a Bishop thing," Taiga-san said, tapping the frames with a smile. "Don't these look good on me?"

"Yes, but... I didn't expect you to be wearing glasses," Wataru managed.

"As I said, it's a Bishop thing. When I came into my powers, I felt compelled to get a good pair of glasses... these looked best on me." He tapped them once more. "I think I look handsome in them."

Wataru nodded. He really did look good in those glasses, she had to admit. Her childhood friend had grown into a handsome man, once she got a good look at him. Somewhere out there, there was going to be a very happy young Fangire woman. Assuming Bishops could marry something other than their jobs.

"Anyway," Taiga-san said, looking at a paper, "I ran across a problem. I couldn't find your name anywhere. I should have a record of your human and True names, but I don't. It's very odd." He looked up at her. "What's your True name, Wataru?"

"Questing Notes of a Short-lived Sound," Wataru said. Her mother had made her memorize her True name, just in case.

Taiga-san wrote that down obediently. "And you were born on what date?"

"May 16, 1988," she said, as if this was some more pleasant situation where she didn't have to worry about getting herself killed for being half human.

"And your parents' True names and human names?" Taiga-san asked.

"I don't know my father's...." Her mother teased that she'd given him one, once. "I think it had to do with lightning. His human name was Kurenai Otoya. My mother's name is... I can't remember. She went by Maya around humans."

She noticed his expression darken, and she hoped against hope that he didn't know about the human part. "What's wrong, Taiga-san?"

"The only Kurenai Otoya that I know of," Taiga-san said, "Was the human that seduced the Queen away from her duties." His tone was mild, but his grip tightened around the pencil he'd been holding. "Maya was the name of the former Queen."

"I know," Wataru said. She hoped that the next King would go to someone who could hold the power better than she. She got up and retrieved a photo. "These are my parents," she said simply, handing the photo to Taiga-san.

Taiga held onto the photo with probably more force than he intended. "I see," he said. "So, the rumors that were going around were true."

"Rumors?" Wataru asked. Was she sure she wanted to know? No, but she'd have to know, eventually.

"That the disgraced Queen was pregnant when she killed the King," Taiga-san said, still staring at the photo. "Of course the power would go to you... you were the closest Fangire."

"But my father," Wataru said. She looked down. She was Fangire and human, but would he accept that? Or purge her like the halfbreed that he no doubt thought she was?

Taiga smiled, putting down the photo with some effort. "You are Wataru, the Fangire King. You're a good person and you'll rise above your unfortunate heritage." He reached across the table to take her hand once more. "I know what you are, now, but it doesn't matter. You're still my King and my friend and nothing else matters."

"But my heritage...."

"Will make it harder for you to use Dark Kiva. But fate has given you the power to right mother's wrongs." He squeezed her hand. "Queen was a traitor; but you can rise above your blood."

She wasn't sure if she wanted to rise above her blood. But she wasn't going to say that to Bishop, not when he was so sure that she wasn't going to be a "traitor".

"Don't worry, Wataru. I've got your name in the records now. And you're King. As I said, you're going to be the best King ever." He sat back in his chair. "You're going to have to be, to make up for mother's mistakes. But I know you can do that."

"This is why I was hiding... because I knew what I was," Wataru said. "It's... I know the Elders will hate having a female, half-human King."

"Give me your human family tree," Taiga0san said, "And I'll see if your father has any blood in him. The legend is that he survived wearing Dark Kiva more than he should have; that indicates some Fangire blood to me."

"That would make it better?" Wataru asked. She wasn't sure she wanted her father to have any Fangire blood at all, but she didn't have any choice in the matter.

"Much," Taiga-san said. "If you have any Fangire ancestry on your father's side... well, they're still food, but then it wouldn't be so bad." He wrote more things down. "Did your mother really give him a True name?"

"She says so, after he took on Dark Kiva," Wataru said, looking down. "She says that his patterning was nice and that he should have one. But I think she was teasing him."

Taiga-san sighed. "I'd have to check the records... there's a reason why loving humans is forbidden. I would like to think, however, that somewhere in there he must have seemed Fangire to her." He wrote a few more things. "There's a chance that being Dark Kiva changed his genes... but from what you're telling me, you were conceived before he had King's power."

"Taiga-san, what if he didn't?" she asked. "What if he has no Fangire blood?"

"Then you were born half human." He gave her a smile again. "And call me Taiga. You're my King."

"Taiga." She straightened up. "I've never even had to hunt. Mom tried to keep me as human as possible. She didn't hide what she was, but she wanted me to be like father. Even though he was human."

"You've never even...." Taiga-san's face reflected his surprise, but he quickly calmed down. "You must be starving. We'll feed on the way to the restaurant."

"But...." He didn't seem to understand that she didn't need to feed.

"I'll find the finest humans for you, Wataru, until you can hunt by yourself," Taiga said, thinking rapidly. "And teach you to hunt. It's only proper."

"It doesn't bother you?" Wataru asked, incredulous.

"Mother is the one that neglected you," Taiga said grimly. "She betrayed our people by falling for a human and she betrayed you by not raising you as the King you should be. She knew what you were and you should have been raised Fangire. In the meantime, how long has it been since you've fed?"

"Years," Wataru said, looking down.

"Years?!?" Taiga was suddenly standing up. "Why haven't you starved to death? I can't believe she'd be so delusional as to...." He snatched up his supplies. "Stay here. I'm going to find someone for you right now."

"But...."

"Stay here!" He glared at her. "Sit down, don't exert yourself, and have something to drink. I'll find you food as soon as possible. I don't know why you haven't fainted all ready."

"Eh?" Wataru asked, but Taiga-san had hurried up the stairs, no doubt heading out to find her somebody to eat. "But Taiga-san...."

"Stop calling me Taiga-san and sit down!" Taiga-san called furiously. He was fetching his cellphone out of his pocket. "You'd better be sitting down when I get back!"

And then he had left, thundering down the stairwell.

"I... what just happened?" Wataru asked Kivat, who had made his way down once Taiga had disapeared.

"It looks like he's trying to take care of you," Kivat said. "He's... not quite what I expected."

"That wasn't what I was expecting either," Wataru said. "He didn't understand the half-human part, did he?" She stared at Taiga-san's glass of water.

"Not very well, I'm afraid," Kivat said. He patted her on the shoulder with a wingtip. "He'll just come back having fed on a human and then proceed to feed you. It's not going to hurt."

Wataru put her head down on the table. "I need to not tell Taiga-san these things, obviously."

"You couldn't have known he'd react that way," Kivat soothed. "It's not your fault, Wataru."

"I should have hid my hand a bit better... but what's done is done." Shaking her head, she got up and got herself some tea.

"Yes," Kivat said. "What he might take more offense at is your killing of Fangire."

"I know," Wataru said. "I don't think he's going to be too happy."

"I suspect," Kivat said, "That he won't be very happy; but it sounds like his mind is on other matters, right now."

"Like feeding his starving King," Wataru said. She sighed. "I wish he wouldn't worry about me."

"I suspect that he's trying to make up for lost time," Kivat said. "It could be worse, Wataru. He could be trying to kill you."

"I suppose there is that," Wataru said. "I guess it's not so bad. It's just... I'm not sure about this feeding thing. I'd rather refuse."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Wataru," Kivat said. "I don't think he'd take that well."

Wataru nodded. She sipped at her tea and wondered what she'd do with Taiga-san. She hoped he wasn't going through too much trouble for her.

Her doorbell rang, and she got up to see who was there. Had Taiga-san returned all ready? He didn't seem the type to stand there and politely ring the doorbell when someone he knew was in danger. Never mind that she wasn't really in danger.

The person at the gate was Mio-san.

She figured that Mio-san had probably been sent by Taiga-san and hurried downstairs to let her friend in. "Mio-san, it's good to see you," she said.

"Wataru-san... Taiga-san asked if I'd come and be with you," Mio-san said. "He didn't give me much more detail than that."

Wataru looked down as she ushered Mio-san into the stairwell, but didn't reply until they were both inside. "Taiga-san thinks I'm starving to death."

"Taiga-san is like that... very kind," Mio-san said. "I almost wish we were dating for real." She blushed at that, and Wataru put a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.

"He is a good man," Wataru opened the door for her friend, letting her into the house proper. "But he didn't give me a chance to tell him that I was all right."

"Taiga-san did sound a little alarmed when he called me," Mio-san said. She folded her hands in her lap. "He said that you weren't okay and could I please come over and make sure you didn't make yourself sick. He's very caring."

"I know," Wataru told her. "But I'm okay."

"I'm sure Taiga-san had a reason to worry," Mio-san said. "Wataru-san is King. That means a lot to Taiga-san."

"We didn't get into much besides what I do and my family before he started worrying over me," Wataru said truthfully. "I didn't mean to cause him any problems."

"Taiga-san worries a lot for those he cares for," Mio-san said. "But, for me... I worry about Wataru-san too. Because Wataru-san is kind, and my King."

"I wish I'd be a better King for you," Wataru said. She fingered her glove over her mark. "But I don't know how to do my job yet."

"Taiga-san thinks that I was chosen because I was in love with a human man," Mio said. "It didn't get very far, but Taiga-san says that it's the power's way of making me repent."

Wataru had to wonder if that's how he'd see her 'transgressions' as well - wanting for her to go from killer of 'her kind' to saviour. "Taiga-san is very kind."

"He is!" Mio looked up. "I feel so sorry for him. He's so lonely. Even when we met, he said I had to save myself for my King." She looked down again at this. "He got me books. On how to be with another woman. For when we get married."

"He... did?" Wataru had never really thought about having sex with another woman. She knew it was probably inevitable, given everything, but she'd never really thought a whole lot about the whole idea. She looked at Mio-san with wide eyes. "We have to...."

"Taiga-san says there will be an elder making sure we do, on our wedding night," Mio-san said. "Taiga-san says that King and Queen don't have to save themselves, and it's probably a good idea, given that it's... something that doesn't happen too often."

"Save ourselves? Oh....." Wataru shook her head. "So... Taiga-san thinks that... we should be having sex with each other?"

Mio-san nodded. "It's... he wants us to be comfortable. I'm sorry if it's uncomfortable. Having sex with another woman, I mean... but Taiga-san says that we only have to do it once, officially...."

"Still...." Wataru shook her head. "I don't know."

"Wataru-san doesn't like the idea? Or....?" Mio-san looked stricken, and Wataru didn't blame her. It wasn't like this came up every day.

"I like Mio-san, it's just... I dreamed of marrying a man, even as I knew that I would probably have a female Queen." It wasn't Mio-san's fault that she was in a kind of denial. She'd known for a long time that being King meant sleeping with another girl at some point. "I'm the one at fault."

"I love Taiga-san," Mio-san said. "But I'm your Queen." She bowed her head. "I'm sorry if that's not pleasing to you."

"When I met him again, I dreamed of that too," Wataru admitted. "It's something I understand. We'll... just have to practice... I guess."

"Taiga-san says I can do anything if I put my mind to it," Mio-san said. "He's very optimistic."

"He is," Wataru said. "He tells me the same thing."

Mio-san smiled. "I hope Wataru-san can be a good husband to me."

Wataru, who had been taking a sip of tea, spluttered. "Husband?" She coughed for a few moments while Mio shrank back.

"Well, Wataru-san is King," she said. "It's only right, isn't it?"

"It's just... I never thought I'd be called that," Wataru said. "But Mio-san can call me that. When it happens. Whenver you want."

Blushing, Mio-san said, "Wataru-san is all right, though? Taiga-san said that you weren't very well, but you look okay to me."

"I am okay," Wataru said, "Just maybe a little low on energy. But I'd be okay anyway." It wasn't like she needed as much Life Energy as the average Fangire, after all.

"If Wataru-san says so...." Mio got up. "I can make you more tea, Wataru-san."

"Thank you," Wataru said, watching her Queen get up and work on tea. Not that she needed it, but it made Mio-san comfortable and she wanted Mio-san to be comfortable.

Mio came back with the tea. "I hope Taiga-san comes back soon," she said. "I want to make sure you're okay, too."

Wataru hoped that the "Making sure Wataru had enough energy" was the end of the "Taiga being overly worried" thing. But she doubted it. She had the suspicion that she was going to be spending the next few centuries - assuming she survived them, of course - with a mother hen for a Bishop.

She and Mio-san sat there and quietly chatted until the opening of her upstairs door announced the return of her Bishop. He strode downstairs. "Good, you're taking it easy," he said with some satisfaction. "Mio, she seem okay?"

"She seems to be okay," Mio-san said. "I made sure she stayed down, like you asked."

"Excellent." He beamed at both Mio-san and Wataru. "I'm going to feed Wataru-san now, and then she's going to explain why she suddenly needed feeding."

Suddenly, Wataru wondered if this whole thing was such a good idea, but it wasn't like she could protest.

Taiga drew her to her bed. "This'll be easy; I'm just going to feed you like mother fed you, long ago, and all you have to do is take it in."

"Right," Wataru said. She calmed herself down, reaching instinctively out for the energy that Taiga-san offered. Not that she really wanted to, but it wasn't like she had much choice in the matter, did she? Her mother had force-fed her before; it wasn't an experience she cared to repeat.

"Good, Wataru, good...." Taiga-san seemed genuinely pleased. "I'm sorry that mother neglected you like this."

"Mother?" Mio-san asked Taiga, surprised.

"Well, I've been doing some investigating... some of it while hunting for Wataru's meal, here... and apparently she and I share a mother," Taiga said. "I'll be going to have a word with our mother about neglecting and mistreating a future King."

"What?" Wataru asked, unsure on whether to believe her ears or not. "Taiga-san, what are you...."

"Wataru, what did I say about honorifics?" Taiga asked.

"Leave off the honorifics," she responded automatically.

"Right, and even more so that we're related." He grinned. "I have a baby sister! Do you know how precious that is, Wataru?"

"Um...." Wataru hoped he forgave her for being so dumbfounded.

"I have family that's not traitorous or dead," Taiga-san - Taiga - said. "A family to take care of. And soon I'll have a sister in law as well." He beamed at Mio-san. "You'll be so good together. In bed, too."

"What?" Wataru managed after a moment. "Bed... what?"

"Well, you'll have to, at the wedding," Taiga said. "It's the way things are. And it'll make the two of you close."

"I'm straight," Wataru pointed out.

"Well, of course you are," Taiga said. "But you're also King. So you're going to have sex with Queen. I'll lend you a copy of the book I'm lending her." He grinned. "You'll do well together, I know it."

"Um...." Wataru managed. Mio-san... Mio... did the same.

"You two are so cute," Taiga told her. "So much alike." He looked from one to the other. "Now that I'm sure that Wataru's okay, why don't you practice?"

"Um...." How did one say that one had no clue on how to have sex with another girl, didn't want to have sex with another girl, and was certainly not going to have sex with another girl in the presence of a guy that she'd known since childhood?

It wasn't something that came up every day. Privately, Wataru had to wonder if Taiga planned to get his jollies off of herself and Mio sleeping together.

"I'm going to go upstairs and make sure nobody disturbs the two of you," Taiga said. "Go ahead. I won't be far."

* * *

In the end, trying to have sex was a failure; neither she nor Mio-san had any clue on how to do it, and even if they did, the presence of Taiga upstairs put the two of them completely out of any mood they might have had.

"We're sorry," Mio told Taiga as he looked with dismay over the lack of clothes-shedding.

"If I had any clue on how to have sex," Taiga said, "I'd show the two of you. But since I don't... I'll trust that you'll read the book and practice."

"We will," Mio said, very softly so that Wataru had to strain to hear.

"In any case," Taiga said, "I think you two have earned lunch. A small lunch." Implying, of course, that they'd have a big lunch when they performed up to his expectations. She really didn't want to earn that lunch.

Taiga and Mio took her to Mio's car, where they drove over to the restaurant that they'd originally planned to be at. Wataru was still not sure about the whole King-Queen thing, but at least the company wasn't too bad and she got food out of it. Though she had to wonder what the Fangire Elders thought of a female, half-human King. Maybe Taiga hadn't brought it up. Of course, he really hadn't had time.

The three of them had a light lunch, Taiga with his water, Mio and Wataru with their meals. It was a private room, as usual. Taiga seemed to know a lot of restaurant staff for somebody who didn't eat.

Or at least didn't eat human food, Wataru amended. Because he did eat. Humans, that was.

At least it was pleasant, and despite some awkwardness, Wataru had to admit she enjoyed spending time with Taiga and Mio. It was like they belonged together, which of course, as Checkmate Four, they did. Only when the topic of sex came up did she or Mio change it; neither of them was comfortable, it seemed.

So, Wataru managed to get through the whole thing, letting Mio drive her back home. But instead of staying in her house, working on her violins, she went to someplace comfortable and familiar: the Cafe Mal d'Amour, where her human friends tended to hang out.

She wondered if Taiga knew about the Cafe and that Fangire hunters frequented it. Probably if he did, and he knew that Wataru went there, he'd throw a fit.

But Wataru still had her friends, ones that also cared for her, and while Taiga might not be pleased, he had to live with her knowing these people. Because in a way, they anchored her to her human side, which she strongly suspected he wanted her to deny.

"Oh, Wataru-chan!" Megumi-san exclaimed, dragging her to a table. "So, how is your love life going?"

"Um, well...." She wondered how Megumi-san would take her having to marry another girl. Except she couldn't tell her, of course. Because women didn't marry women normally. And having to explain why she was having to marry Mio-san would make no sense to Megumi-san without explaining to her about being the Fangire King.

"Oh, Wataru-chan is so shy! Tell Megumi-nee-san all about it, I'll help you with anything I can." Megumi-san looked at her expectantly. Wataru wished she had Megumi-san's energy, because she herself felt like things were dragging. "So, is he handsome?"

"He's... um... single, but he's dating another girl, and I was too shy to ask, so...." It was a little bit of a lie, but she was sure that Taiga wouldn't complain, because it was his lie in the first place.

"Aw. Wataru-chan will find someone who's free." Megumi-san leaned forward. "I'll find you somebody! And then we'll find you more pretty outfits."

Nago-san staggered that moment into the cafe, bruised and bloody. Megumi-san let out a gasp and rushed forward to help him to a chair. "What happened?"

"A new Fangire armor," Nago spit out. "He called himself Saga."

"Saga," Wataru repeated. She wondered if Taiga knew who it was.

"He's powerful... but I will find a way to defeat him," Nago-san said. "I swear it."

"He was Fangire? But they usually don't use armor...." Wataru said, even as she knew that he knew about Kiva. "For the most part."

"I don't know," Nago-san said grimly, "But the IXA armor didn't even dent him."

"Maybe he's in the records somewhere," Megumi-san said. "But in the meantime, you're hurt."

"Nothing some rest and cleanup won't solve," Nago-san said. "I need to defeat him before he becomes more of a threat. We're not as fortunate as we are about Kiva."

"So, Nago-kun's finally accepted that Kiva is good," Megumi-san noted with some amusement. "Well, I'll clean you up, and then we'll start working on it."

Nago-san looked like he was unsure if that was for the best, but to his credit, he said nothing. Wataru watched as Megumi-san cleaned Nago-san up. There had to be something she could do to find out who Saga was and stop him. Taiga would know; Taiga knew most everything, as Bishop, even though he hadn't said anything about her and Kiva. She swore silently that she would keep her human friends safe even as she was drawn into the world of the Fangire, keep Megumi-san and Nago-san and even Shima-san safe from those who would harm them. She knew that they were killing her people, but her mother was right. She had to protect the humans from the Fangire until she could change things so Fangire no longer killed humans.

Finally, she left the cafe, still deep in thought about Saga and who it was. She had to admit, she had no clue; she had to call her Bishop. At least it should be pleasant. Explaining how she'd come about the knowledge might not be, though.

Taiga would probably be less than pleased that his King was consorting with the very humans that had been killing his people.

Best to bring the subject up delicately. After finding out who Saga was. Maybe she didn't have to bring it up at all.

Taking out her cell phone, she hit the entry for Taiga. "Oh, Wataru," he said pleasantly. "How are you?"

"We need to meet," she said. "Where can we?"

"I know a place where we can talk," Taiga said. "Is it private?"

Wataru nodded, and then replied, "It is. Business."

"I'll meet you... our headquarters would be best," Taiga said, sounding thoughtful.

"Development and Pioneer?" Wataru asked. It made sense; that's where the Fangires' 'headquarters', for lack of a better word, seemed to be.

"No, we Checkmate Four have our own meeting place," Taiga said. "But meet me at Development and Pioneer and I'll take you there."

"Right," Wataru said, quietly dreading the conversation but seeing no way out of it. She had to know who Saga was. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

She drove to Development and Pioneer, where Taiga was waiting outside. "Follow me," he said, and she nodded. He took her to what looked like an abandoned hall. "It's much nicer on the inside," Taiga promised.

It wasn't much, really, but Wataru kept her tongue. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Taiga asked, leaning comfortably into a chair.

"Saga," Wataru said.

Taiga smiled. "Saga is mine," he said. "I assume you heard about me dealing with the presumptuous humans of the Wondrous Blue Sky Association?"

"I know IXA's wielder," Wataru answered. "His name is Nago Keisuke."

"That much I know," Taiga said thoughtfully. "And how did you come to know him?" He reached into a pocket and slipped on his glasses, which meant that he was now functioning as Bishop.

"It's a long story, but... he and Megumi-san have become my friends," Wataru said. It was better to get things like this out in the open, after all. Taiga could hardly help her if he didn't know what was going on in her life.

Taiga regarded her with a horrified expression. "You did what?"

"Nago-san and Megumi-san are my friends," Wataru repeated. She wasn't sure why this was making him frown when the half-human part didn't. "If it weren't for Megumi-san, I'd probably still be all covered up and hiding." She hoped that he'd get the idea. Maybe he'd realize his King would be a near-total recluse without them.

"You would have gotten over it... I would have found you," Taiga said, though there was a note of panic in his voice.

“It’s okay,” she said. “How could you have known?”

“I’m supposed to,” Taiga said. “I’m supposed to know about where the King and Queen are at all times... but I could never sense you. It’s probably because of your human blood. There’s a lot that I should have done and would have done if I knew.”

“There’s nothing to be done for it,” Wataru said. “We can’t change the past....”

Well, Nago-san had, admittedly. A little bit.

“No, but we can fix things up,” Taiga said firmly. “The first thing that we’re going to do is eliminate IXA.”

“IXA’s been in many hands since it was created,” Wataru pointed out. “Kill one wielder, you’ll just get another.”

Her Bishop nodded. “So we’ll just have to destroy the IXA armor,” he said. “And find the rogue who has Kiva.” He smiled at her. “That way, there will be no more human threats to us.”

“Do we know where to start?” Wataru asked, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer. But at least if Taiga thought he destroyed IXA, then her friends were safe. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to sever ties with them; it was valuable to have a balance between her human and Fangire
blood.

“Don’t worry, Wataru,” Taiga said, “I’ll take care of it. You’re too new in your training.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “You might want to stop associating with them, Wataru, you’re a King.”

"But Nago-san and Megumi-san are my friends," Wataru said, hoping that he'd see reason.

"Not anymore they're not," Taiga said firmly. "They're going to hurt you, Wataru, and it's my job as Bishop to protect you from things like that."

"But...."

"No buts, Wataru. I'm going out and taking care of this matter. I'll call Mio to have her stay with you until this matter is resolved."

"Why would my Queen need to...."

Taiga grinned at that. "Because you have enough sense to realize what species you are and not enough sense to let go of what you were. Besides, you need to be with your Queen; you have to get married to her, after all."

With that, he patted her on the shoulder. "Stay here and wait for Mio, my King," he said. "I've got some dangerous humans to hunt down."

"But...." She trailed off as he left. "What does he think he's doing?"

She had to do something. Before Mio arrived. She wasn't sure how her Queen would take things like warning the 'enemy'.

So she took her phone out and dialed Megumi-san. "Oh, hi, Wataru-chan," Megumi-san said. "What's up?"

"Um..." She really didn't know what to say. That her Bishop was determined to kill Nago-san? Because that's what it had sounded like. He would prefer to eliminate the IXA 'problem' first, but she bet that he would also have liked to eliminate the person holding his King back from what she should be.

"Are you all right, Wataru-chan?" Megumi-san asked, sounding concerned.

"Saga... Bishop... he's on his way to fight Nago-san," Wataru said, the words tumbling out. "He wants to kill both of you."

"Well, he won't!" Megumi-san announced cheerfully. "We won't let anything happen."

"Okay," Wataru said. "Please be careful. Taiga-san can be very dangerous."

"Don't worry about us, Wataru-san," Megumi-san promised. "We'll be just fine."

There was a muffled sound, and then she heard Nago-san. "What's this about Saga?"

"Saga is Bishop," she said hurriedly. "He wants to destroy IXA. He probably wants to destroy you. He just left...."

"I understand." Then the phone clicked off, probably because Nago-san was in a hurry. Wataru wished she'd taken her own bike to the meeting, but Taiga had effectively stranded her there.

So, she was stuck waiting for Mio and hoping Mio was a little bit more sane. Her Queen was sweet and quiet and Wataru hoped she could be talked into sense, unlike Taiga. She sat on the chair, morosely hoping that something good would happen... something that didn't involve walking around lost looking for her motorcycle.

And at least Taiga didn't know that she was Kiva. He'd probably think she'd pick up more bad habits. Or execute her. Losing King wouldn't be too bad, but she would prefer to live to enjoy it.

After a few minutes stuck waiting by herself, she heard the door open. Shortly after that, Mio appeared, looking unsure as to why she was there babysitting Wataru.

"Wataru-san?" she asked. "Taiga-san asked me to come and keep you company. Something about traitors and IXA and... I don't know?"

"Well, he's gone after Nago-san and Megumi-san, because they're my friends and they're human," Wataru told her. "I... I wish he wouldn't do that."

"Why?" Mio asked. "I mean... I suppose he's right, but... we have to know humans. There aren't that many of us."

"I know," Wataru said gloomily. "He doesn't understand...."

"Would Wataru-san like to go to the cafe?" Mio asked. She looked like she was unsure about the whole thing.

"I don't want Taiga to catch me there," Wataru said. "I want to go home."

Mio nodded. "I'll take Wataru-san home," she said. "We can make lunch and eat it together...."

Wataru nodded. "Please?" If she could talk to Mio, she could talk to Taiga, and convince him that the King having human friends was not such a bad idea.

"Come with me, Wataru-san," Mio said. She shouldered her handbag, and Wataru followed her example.

"Thank you, Mio," she said. She was rewarded by Mio's shy smile and thought that if she had to spend the rest of her life with another girl, she could be blessed with the fact that it was quiet, sensitive Mio, who would look at things in different ways before blindly following Bishop's instructions.

She hoped that Taiga would eventually show sense too, but she wasn't too hopeful. He was someone who seemed very confident in his beliefs and would not stray from them.

She let Mio let her in to the car, and her Queen - as she thought she should think of Mio - drove her home. "Maybe we could figure out how to make Taiga-san happy that you know humans," Mio said. "And maybe... maybe if they need help, we can be there for them?"

"Thank you Mio," Wataru said once more. "It's good to hear you on my side."

Mio bowed her head. "I have a confession to make, Wataru-san," she said. "Before I became Queen... I was in love with a human. I haven't told Taiga-san because I don't want to die...."

"Are you still in love with him?" she asked. "Or her?" She felt her heart beat faster.

"Him," Mio said. "But I broke it off just before Taiga-san found me. And then I was attracted to you, and I couldn't tell why...."

Wataru looked at the wood of her dining room table. "Maybe it's best this way," she said. "Maybe we know what it is to love others before we can take on our roles." She took a deep breath. "I'm attracted to you, too."

It was actually... refreshing to say to Mio that she was, in a way, in love with her. Well, kind of. Not in the fancy way of romance, but the way that she liked having her around and wanted to be with her forever.

She took her Queen's hand. "I don't mind getting married, if you don't."

Mio lowered her head. "I don't mind, either. Wataru-san is very kind...."

Wataru blushed at that. "Thank you, Mio-san...."

"I hope that Taiga-san doesn't hurt people too much," Mio-san said. "From what I've seen of him, he's very... passionate."

"I agree," Wataru told her. "I want him to realize that it's okay for me to know humans. Even if it's humans that want to kill us. Megumi-san and Nago-san will understand. Eventually. But they won't if Taiga-san tries to kill them."

"Perhaps Wataru-san can get Taiga-san to understand?" Mio-san asked.

"I hope so," Wataru said.

Then her phone rang. "Oh, Wataru-chan!" Megumi-san said. "Where are you?"

"I'm at my house right now," Wataru said. "I'm okay, Megumi-san."

"Nago-kun is fighting Saga right now," Megumi-san said. "He said to call you and ask if you'd come fight with him!"

Wataru had to wonder if Nago-san had clued Megumi-san into her secret identity. It wasn't like she could ask at the moment. "I'm afraid that me going would hurt matters," she said regretfully. "I want to explain things to you and Nago-san...."

It was time to come clean. It was time to make things better. Hopefully, both sides would understand.

"He said to make you come," Megumi-san told her. "He says that you need to be here."

"I can't," Wataru said. "It's hard to explain, but... I need your help, too... I'm at my house and I can't leave."

"We'll come to your house, then," Megumi-san said, sounding understanding. "Don't worry, Wataru-chan."

"Please come here safely," Wataru said. "We have a lot to talk about."

Including her being King. She was so not looking forward to that particular conversation.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," Megumi-san replied, before hanging up the phone.

Mio served her more tea. "You can explain it," she said. "We need to, to make Taiga-san understand...."

"I know," Wataru said. If she could get both groups together, maybe they'd cooperate and not cause her problems. Maybe she could get through this without anybody killing anybody else. She sipped at her tea. "Wouldn't you like some tea, Mio?"

Leaving the honorific off still felt odd to Wataru. But she had to do it, to get used to being Mio-san's King and Taiga's King.

"Please," Mio said, holding out a cup.

* * *

While they were waiting for Nago-san and Megumi-san, Mio's phone rang. Wataru heard her talking to Taiga, who apparently wanted to know where they were and what they were doing. Mio politely assured him that she and Wataru were safe and at Wataru's home, and that he didn't have to worry. If he wanted to come over, she'd love to have him there.

Smiling at her Queen, Wataru helped her set the table up. There were five places; three for the three Checkmate Four, two for Nago-san and Megumi-san.

The peacefulness was interrupted by a squabble from the gate. Wataru hurried down in dismay to break up a fight between Taiga and Nago-san, and hoped that negotiations would go better.

Taiga himself glared at the humans that apparently dared corrupt his King, while Mio tried her best to accomodate the set of them. Wataru wondered what it would be like to share her house and her bed with Mio. They'd shared the bed once, at Taiga's behest, and of course it hadn't been too bad. She wondered if Taiga would want her to move and hoped he wouldn't; she could do without him being a pain.

"You planned this," he accused Wataru, while Mio wide-eyedly tried to stay in the background and out of the fight.

In the meantime, Nago-san was glaring at Taiga-san, and Megumi-san wasn't too pleased to see him, either. Not that she blamed any of them, but she hoped her house would not be a battleground.

"Not quite, but I wanted us to talk," she said firmly. "I want both sides of this fight to be at peace. We have far better things to do than fight."

"They're a threat to you," her Bishop growled, slipping his glasses on. "I won't let them be."

"They think you're just as much a threat," Wataru reminded him. "And they don't know who they've befriended."

"I'll let you tell them... and then I'll be here when you get hurt, Wataru," Taiga said. "Mio and I will defend you."

"Thank you," she said simply, and saw her Bishop's eyes widen a bit before he adjusted his glasses. "Please, come to the table. See how they react."

"I will," Taiga said.

The scene around the table was tense, though, as Taiga insisted on seating Wataru between himself and Mio. He glared at her two human friends, as if they were going to corrupt her by breathing the same air. She was suddenly glad that he didn't know she wielded Kiva. He'd brand her a traitor for sure and then her other friends would have to kill him for killing her.

"Wataru-chan doesn't belong to you," Nago-san said stiffly. "She's not yours."

"She isn't," Taiga acknowledged, sipping from a glass of water. "But she doesn't belong to you, either. She has a heritage and a destiny far superior to yours. You're holding Wataru back from the person she needs to be." She could tell the admission was difficult for Taiga; he certainly seemed like he wished that the two of them would disappear from her life.

But she knew they weren't going to, and he knew it too.

So, the two sides just glared at each other.

"I have a confession to make, Nago-san, Megumi-san," Wataru said, hoping that nobody would start a fight over this. "I'm not full human; my mother was the previous Fangire Queen."

Taiga was already shooting Nago-san and Megumi-san "see, she's far beyond you" looks. She ignored him. Megumi-san was just staring.

Nago-san folded his arms. "It's as I thought," he said. "But you've gone beyond that heritage; you're a person who has overcome it."

"There's nothing to overcome," Taiga said stiffly. "Wataru is Fangire. She's far superior to you. And she knows it."

Wataru hoped she wouldn't look far superior to her friends, because she really wasn't. She wanted to have them all cooperate and work together and all those synonyms that didn't occur to her at the moment.

"Wataru-chan," Megumi-san said, "Are you really Fangire?" She looked like she was torn between comforting Wataru and comforting Nago-san.

"Half Fangire, half human," Wataru said. "My mother was a Fangire Queen; my father was-"

"A no-good human musician that tempted the Queen away from her proper duties," Taiga growled. "But you won't corrupt this King. I swear it!"

Megumi-san was staring at Taiga, then at Wataru, then staring at Taiga again. "Wataru-chan is what?"

"King of the Checkmate Four," Wataru said simply. "I'm sorry, Megumi-san."

"And as King," Taiga said, "She has far more important people to associate with. You will stay out of Wataru's life, or I will kill you."

In response, Nago-san took the IXA Knuckle out of his jacket and glared at Taiga.

"But they're my friends," Wataru pleased. "Taiga...."

"I have to protect you from those who would hurt you," Taiga said, clenching his teeth. "I'm not going to let them corrupt my little sister!

"Little sister?" Mio asked, staring at Taiga. "Wataru-san is your little sister?"

"This is your older brother?" Megumi-san echoed, looking at Wataru.

"Taiga-san?" Wataru asked, ignoring Megumi-san to stare at Taiga.

"I figured this out shortly after we met," Taiga-san said. "And to know my little sister was raised wrong and now is being corrupted by humans... I can't stand by and watch this happen."

"Taiga...." She blinked at him, still not quite able to process her Bishop and childhood best friend being her older brother.

"I will save you, Wataru," Taiga said. "And I will save you from yourself." He stared grimly at the two at the table, and then Wataru gasped as she saw his Fangs manifest.

This was followed a second later by Nago-san shooting at Taiga-san with the IXA Knuckle.

And after that, by a full-blown fight in her living room that quickly ended up in the forest behind their house.

Megumi-san yelled encouragments to Nago-san, while Wataru and Mio stared dumbly at the fight. Wataru hoped that the two of them wouldn't hurt each other that much, and at least would think that things were silly. But it didn't look like that would happen. She wondered if she'd have to form the Kiva armor and stop the fight.

She watched Saga and IXA fight; Nago-san was very, very good, but he wasn't quite up to Taiga's full power. She looked up at Kivat, who was flapping and watching the fight as well. "Kivat," she said quietly.

"Let's go, Wataru," Kivat said as she reached for him, guiding him to her hand and letting him bite.

The Kiva armor formed around her, a shell of protection that kept her from being overly hurt. And yet, she could see out of the mask as if she was looking out of her own face; the armor was that way. It was a shell, and yet not. It kept her safe, and yet didn't restrict her movements as much as it should.

She ran into battle, trying to get the two seperated. It was not lost on her that she, the hybrid, was the one trying to split up a human fighter from a Fangire one, and defending her weaker human kin against her stronger Fangire kin.

But this accomplished nothing more than Taiga whipping her out of the battle with a strict instruction to stay out of it. She got up again, trying to pry the two apart, and then Taiga tossed her out of battle once more, hard enough that she lost her hold on her form and reverted back to being Wataru.

"Are you all right, Wataru-san?" Mio asked, coming running to her side. "Did he hurt you?"

"I'm okay, just winded," Wataru said. "Please don't worry about me." She smiled at her Queen, who continued to hover over her. Behind Mio, she could see Megumi-san drawing her gun and running towards the fight, though whether to assist Nago-san or to stop the fight, Wataru didn't know.

"Do you want me to stop the fight, Wataru-san?" Mio asked. "I... I could... I think...."

"No," Wataru said. "I'll stop it. They're fighting over me. I have to...."

She could see Taiga fighting Nago-san and Megumi-san. She could see Nago-san tiring, Megumi-san trying her best to help him.

"Stop!" she screamed, and the combatants stopped, staring at her. Well, she presumed Nago-san and Taiga were staring at her. Their visors were.

Wataru got up. "There's no fighting over me. We're going to go back, sit down, and figure things out! King's orders!"

She wasn't sure that would work, but Taiga and Nago-san quietly dehenshined. "You really want to be hurt, don't you Wataru?" Taiga asked, coming up to her and shielding her from her human friends. "But I can't let you be...."

"Big brother," Wataru said, "Sometimes you have to let your little sister be hurt. It's part of life. How can I learn if I don't?"

Taiga looked at her, then at the humans, and back at her again. "I don't want you to learn the same painful lesson that I did."

"I think I'm going to have to," she said. and he nodded. "You can't protect me forever, Taiga...."

"I might not," Taiga said, "But I'll protect you from Human or Fangire as best as I possibly can." He glared at the two humans, Nago-san and Megumi-san. "And if you go off the wrong path... I'll be there to put you right back on." He took a deep breath. "You're already stepping off with Kiva, Wataru."

"That's because our subjects gorge," Wataru said. "If human and Fangire are to live in peace, that has to change. We have to change, Taiga."

Taiga shook his head. "Humans are food, Wataru. But I guess I'll have to let you learn that yourself." He glared once more at the humans. "You're still young. And you'll make a good King. I'll just have to protect you until then...."

"And we'll keep her from going down the wrong path," Nago-san declared, glaring back at Taiga. She knew that the man meant well, as did Taiga... but she'd have to work on him as well as Taiga. The two of them would have to learn to get along. And she'd do her best to see that they would.

"Let's go back inside before the neighbors find out the whole thing," Wataru said. "And then, Taiga, we are going to be hiring a cleaning service to clean my house."

"I'm sorry, King," Taiga said formally before heading in. "Of course, we'll find somebody discreet to clean up the battle."

She wondered if that meant cleaning up random witnesses too, and whether she really wanted to know.

Nago-san kept glaring at Taiga as he headed back in as well. Finally, she got them all back at her table, back to trying to negotiate at least a temporary peace. She knew that neither side would give up on making her theirs; it was like neither side could accept that she belong partially to the other.

Wataru managed to sit between the two sides this time. "This is how it's going to work," she said, knowing she had Mio's support. "I am going to fulfill my duties as King. Both sides are welcome to deal with me. If you become a threat to me, friends or no, I will do something about it." She let the implications stand. "I, and I alone, can figure out what I am. I have too much going on in my life to have to worry about my friends killing each other."

She looked at both sides. "I have Mio, which is the most important thing to me right now," she said. She took her Queen's hand. "I won't lose her to stupidity or anything else. And I count the rest of you as friends. Please don't disappoint me."

Taiga was smiling a little at the mention of Mio and the hand-holding. She bed that it had mollified him immensely.

"And I will be loyal to Wataru-san as Wataru-san's Queen and fiancee," Mio said, bowing her head. "And I hope that everybody can get along together so that we can work towards a brighter future."

"Then that's how it'll be," Taiga declared. "Unless anybody has any objections." He glared at Nago-san, who naturally glared right back.

"I don't," Nago-san said, apparently deciding to help her back on her "right path"... the right path for humans, that was.

In the meantime, Megumi-san was looking at Wataru and Mio. "Did somebody say wedding?"

* * *

"But Megumi-san," Wataru whined as the older woman dressed her hair. "Nobody will see the wedding."

"It doesn't matter," Megumi-san said, "Because Wataru-chan will be cute." She totally ignored the Fangire who were trying to help Wataru with her outfit. "You will be the cutest groom in the entire country!"

"Um...." Wataru looked around. "I'm not really a groom... or a bride...."

"It doesn't matter," Megumi-san said. "You're getting married and you're going to look good! And then I'm going to make sure Mio-chan is the best bride she could be!"

Wataru could only hope that it was true. There was still a lot to get used to, getting married among them, but she had friends. She had Megumi-san, and Nago-san, and Taiga and Shizuka and Mio. Nago-san might still be getting her on the path of righteousness, but even if he objected to the wedding - which he did - he did not stop it, focusing instead on getting her to keep her humanity - something that she was completely glad to do.

Megumi-san adjusted Wataru's jacket. "I really can't wait for this wedding! You and Mio-chan will have to show me the photos...."

"But Megumi-san," Wataru said, "There are no pictures at a Fangire wedding...."

"Well, traditions were meant to be broken!" Megumi announced. "I'll just have to take those pictures myself! You and Mio-chan come out after the wedding, and we'll get it all together."

Wataru looked at her attendants, all of which were standing there and probably some of which were wondering when they could eat the human. "It's okay, Megumi-san, go see Mio," she said. "I'll be fine."

Megumi just grinned, and swept off to see Mio. Wataru just hoped that Mio would keep her attendants from eating her human friend.

"She's annoying," Taiga said, coming in. "But it could be worse, I suppose. She could be like that boyfriend of hers."

"Don't eat Nago-san," Wataru cautioned. "Concentrate on destroying the IXA system."

She didn't really want him to destroy it, but at least it would make him happy to do something besides glare at Nago-san.

"I'm working on it, King," Taiga said. He bowed at her. "Already we have people infiltrating the company... soon, we'll be able to destroy the plans and any prototype models. Don't worry. We'll get it done before long. Then you and Queen can be together in peace."

"I look forward to it... both of it," Wataru encouraged him. "I couldn't do things without you, Taiga."

"I know, Wataru," Taiga said, a smile breaking out on his face. "I know. And you'll be a magnificent King."

Hoping that she would be, Wataru smiled back, and then turned back to her attendants.

She had a wedding to do....

-End

Comments

[arrow]

Wow, that was a fun ride. You seem to shy away from battles in your fic, so I really didn't expect the explosion, and I had to laugh at it starting in the middle of her house. Excellent stuff... though was this a standalone or what? An RP? I wasn't sure what "bigbang" meant in this context.

[estirose]

"Big Bang" just means that it was for a challenge that required 15,000 or more words.

Questing (Wataru) herself started out as an RP character, but this is more or less standalone fic.

Glad you liked it!