A and K Chapter 69: Kira

The gang, warrant in hand, slowly walk towards their destination. Kira had retired to a log cabin in the woods, to enjoy his, self-described, exile. No matter what happened, things were certain to be dangerous. Report of his own training in the woods had been reported to the police. People afraid to approach him with what he did.
Kei: So is it really true? All these reports?
Nick: Yeah, Kira doesn’t care much for other people now. He does what he wants while he lives in the forest alone. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t make others nervous.
Kana: Well, better for us, since he’s alone. Easier to take him down.
Josh: But we have to interrogate him, Kana, so don’t kill him at the first sight.
Kana: Hey, I’m a professional, I know what to do.
Kei: (Thinking) Yeah, real professional…
They soon approach a house made entirely of wood. Nick turns to the others.
Nick: Let me do the talking. Josh, keep Kana back.
Josh: Sure.
Nick knocks on the door. The door eerily opens as if expecting them. The group quietly walks inside. A man sits in the chair. In his left hand, a cane. In his right hand, a glass of wine. A fire lit in the fireplace. He had let his hair go. He had long grey hair that worked its way down to his grey moustache and beard. He worked a white, stained yellow at parts, collared shirt. He wore cargo blue jeans. His dull, faded green eyes look at them. It was almost as if he was a mountain man, living in his own exile.
Kira: So...a detective has come to see me. Please, come in.
The group walks in. Nick sits at the chair while the others stand behind him. All of them beastkin, there was reasonably some unease in the room. Kira sets the glass on his right side of his chair and stares a hole into Nick.
Kira: So what brings you...to my door?
Nick: I have a warrant for your arrest.
Kira: Oh?
Josh: (Thinking) Couldn’t be more straightforward, huh?
Kira: You policemen are so straightforward these days. Always wanting to get straight to the point.
Nick: With a person like you, it can’t be helped.
Kira: A person like me, you say? Such dreadful words.
Nick: I have the warrant in my hands.
Kira: I do apologize, but in my time away my eyes have become less useful to me. Perhaps you could read me the charges.
Nick: You, Kira, are hereby charged with gross neglect in your duties. You are also charged with third-degree murder, and the third-degree attempted murder.
Kira: My, such big charges, and what brought this on?
Nick: You should know.
Kana: It was you, you bastard. You killed my parents!
Kei steps in front of Kana, and glares at her. The glare basically telling her to calm down immediately. Kana shoots the glare back at Kei, but calms down.
Kira: Ah, this old story again.
Nick: We have physical proof of your involvement.
Kira: You do, do you? My, so confident. Just like I was back in the day.
Nick: You can either come quietly or…
Kira: Let me tell you a story. Nick, was it? You are so quick to judge me, aren’t you? You were just a small child when everything that happened, happened. I worked hard to gain my position. I was a strong man with morals. Like every respectable man, I wanted to become the chief of the police. When I did, people seemed to be safer with me at the helm.
Nick: Hmph.
Kana: Yeeeeeeah, right…
Kira looks at Kana.
Kira: My, you are a young lady without respect for their elders. Back in my day, little girls knew when to shut their mouths and listen.
Kana: Back in your day, people used to build straw houses. But go on ahead.
Kira: My, so disrespectful this one. (Stroking his beard) And what is your name?
Kana: Kana Arai.
Kira: You have a pretty name young lady, perhaps you would like to keep it that way?
Kana: Tch.
Josh: Don’t jump to the conclusion right now. Let’s hear him out.
Kira: If I am done being so rudely interrupted, may I continue?
Nick: Please go ahead.
Kira: In my time as the police chief, I worked hard. Kept things safe in this city.
Nick: Obviously not if you remember Ragna the Bloodedge.
Kira: Ah, back in the days of the NOL. but you’re also talking about something that was out of my hands. I was not someone who was responsible for that failure.
Nick: (Sarcastically) And you are just a paragon of virtue.
Kira: (Weakly smiles) Now you’re getting it my boy.
Nick: And what about the beastkin parents that lost their lives.
Kira: Quite a sad state that was, but I assure you I had nothing to do with what happened to them.
Nick: Nothing to do with it, huh?
Kira: Indeed.
Josh: Huh… then what actually happened?
Kira: Just as you expect, a lone hitman acted alone. He killed those two beastkin who were working hard. But we did not expect a lone hitman to kill those two, that’s why I pulled my security.
Josh: Ahem… our mother was a human. But please, continue.
Kira: Ah, was she now? The case was so long ago I can hardly remember all the facts.
Kana: (Covers her mouth and grumbles) Oh, we’ll see.
Kira: Again, youthful charges need to learn their place, and be respectful. Your parents must not have raised you very well.
Kana: That’s because I didn’t have parents to raise me, obviously.
Kira: So sorry for your loss, but no parents doesn’t mean no respect. Perhaps you would be wise to learn that lesson. (Sharp gaze to his eyes) Or perhaps I should teach you.
Kana: Tch… (folds her arms) teach somebody else.
Kira: Hmph. So pitiful these children are. Then again it is understandable, these two grew up without their parents, still your parents must have lacked respect and failed to teach you appropriately. So sad that is.
Josh: (Cracks his knuckles) I would advise you to refrain from continuing this.
Kei: (To Josh) He’s just egging you on, calm down.
Saori: (To Josh and Kana) He simply is trying to get you to react. Do as he wishes, and we will not be able to do what we want.
Josh: (Sighs) Fine.
Kana: Okay.
Kira: Have the two finally been tamed? Are they more obedient now? Good. I shall continue.
Nick: Easy, Kira. Or you might find yourself on the business end of my own gun.
Kira: Oh, and you are exempt from the law?
Nick: I have a warrant to bring you in. Whether you come in alive or not, that’s up to you.
Kira: (Laughs) There we go. That’s the kind of spirit I expect from these police dogs.
Nick: Hmph.
Kira: All the same. This debacle that was pinned on me was simply for appearance. The people underneath me had become disillusioned. Intent on seeing only what they wanted to see. And thus, for a crime I had nothing to do with, I was dishonorably discharged from the police, and began my exile here.
Josh: Huh… doesn’t exactly sound true.
Nick: This is. When he left the precinct, he was forced into exile. His actions were closely monitored, and each time…
Kira: I would clip the cameras that were watching me.
Kana: Tch.
Kira: I do appreciate my privacy, after all. As any sane person would.
Nick: You do realize we could arrest you simply for destruction of police property.
Kira: And that case would fall apart. And you know exactly why. I was well within my rights to not be monitored every second of the day. I have a right to privacy.
Nick: And you have lived your remaining days out here?
Kira: I have never left this place. I have lived a quiet life. Chopping wood to make an honest living, to keep myself warm at night. I made this whole house myself out of wood. I am not short on strength even in my advanced age.
Josh: Interesting… a woodsman.
Kira: Now then, I would kindly ask you all to leave, since you have no further business with me.
Kana: (Whispers) Doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to rough him up.
Kei: (Whispers) Easy.
Nick: Sorry, we won’t be leaving. We will be bringing you in whether you want or not.
Kira: I’m afraid not. I know how the police work. And I am due my day in court.
Nick: No such luck.
Kira: (Gaze becomes serious) Hmm? How’s that?
Nick: We have all the proof we need. We have everything tied to you. And you will be removed as the stain that’s been on this precinct. You are hereby charged with terrorism of beastkin kind.
Kira: (Closes eyes) Hmmm…
Nick: Do you understand that charge?
Kira: Since that became a crime after my days due to the people known as Miwa and Makoto, I don’t understand why you could charge me with that.
Nick: Because no one at the precinct want to see you around anymore. And we have the most stringent captain on the force.
Kira: Ah, Sui. An honorable man. I suppose he gave you his permission.
Nick: (Smiles) He did, in fact.
Kira: Hmm...so I suppose no matter what I say or do, you will arrest me.
Nick: I will. Are you willing to come peacefully?
Kira: (Steely-eyed glares at Nick) I will not.
Nick: Then you’re allowing us to use force?
Kira: Since you have already deemed me to be the man who killed them, I will say this. (Disdainful glare) I should’ve killed them myself.
Josh: What do you mean?
Kira: (Angrily frowning) I should have slit their throats and let their blood run before me. What would you have me say? I do not regret letting your parents die.
Kana: (Pulls out her kunai) Oh, you bastard!
Kei stops her.
Kei: Easy. He’s shed his facade, now he’s trying to get you to make a move. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
Kira: All beastkin are vermin. They deserve to die. All of them. They are nothing but tools humans created. Now they are like little ants, running wherever they damn well please.
Josh: Tch… what a racist. You know, I’ve met a lot of people like you, with prejudices towards us. They hated me just because I’m different. They made fun of me, tried to cripple me and did all sorts of unpleasant things. But you, sir, you take the cake. I’ve never met such an evil, foul, disgusting scumbag.
Kira: That is because, my dear boy, you were never meant to exist. Beastkin were never meant to exist. They all are, simply, just tools. You were to be obedient, do whatever we asked, instead you foul vermin grew to claim you were just like humans. (Sharp glare) You will never be human. You will always be simply an amalgamation that deserves to die.
Nick stands up.
Nick: We are finished being civil.
Kira: Oh, are we now?
Kira stands up, and in a short moment, a quick shine of a sword can be heard. Nick sees a piece of his hair fall off.
Nick: (Thinking) Couldn’t even follow him.
Kira: (Sharp glare) I am done with you pitiful beings.
Josh: (Closes his eyes and chuckles) Well then, Woodsman, meet the Big Bad Wolf.
Josh opens his eyes which now are gold with vertical pupils.
Category:A and K
Category:Novel Chapter