Fated Flames

[nyandereneko]

Word Count: 3,995

Summary: Following her induction into Scepter 4, Nova receives her first official assignment as an apprentice to the organization’s third-in-command. Despite a rocky introduction, their meeting has a greater impact on them than they ever could have anticipated.

*Author’s Note*: The first of a number of prompts I plan to do that have been plucked off of this prompt list. I’ve been dying to write some stuff for this selfship because it’s my favorite thing right now, but there has been a LOT of stuff going on irl, this month is just gonna be so busy and crazy and. Ugh. Anyway I’m taking refuge in Fushimi but I needed some prompts to stir my creative juices, so here’s my “official” version of our first meeting. I hope you enjoy.

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Finally, Nova’s processing as a new recruit was complete; she was officially inducted as a Blue Clansman, a fresh face joining the ranks of Scepter 4. She was grateful, nervous, curious, excited…so many emotions churned inside her she couldn’t settle on just one. She’d been granted a week of leave by the Captain in order to get her bearings, starting with the necessities of learning the headquarters’ layout, getting accustomed to her new schedule, receiving her uniform and her saber, and acclimating to her dorm. 

Nova had to admit she found the living accommodations of this facility more than comfortable; they were downright impressive. They were just another representation of not only Scepter 4’s prestige but also its wealth, in her eyes. She knew of few organizations in the city that had comparably impressive reputations, and most of them also happened to belong to other Clans. Maybe living the high life was just another perk of having special powers. This place had another feeling though, an aura separate from the one that now coursed through her veins. Something darker lurked beneath the upstanding image Scepter 4 presented to the world; Nova could feel its pressure in the halls she walked as she explored the facility.

Maybe she was just imagining things, her mind simply playing tricks on her because she’d been through so much so quickly. Her mental state had been whiplashed, bouncing back and forth between trying to accept where she was now, where she had been, what she was expected to grow into. As much as she looked forward to the opportunity she’d been granted and the experiences that would inevitably follow, she couldn’t help but feel a little scared. Intimidated. Scepter 4 wasn’t a place you could just walk into and feel at home. She hoped that one day she would feel at home here, though.

She tried to push these trivial musings to the back of her mind as she made her way to Captain Munakata’s office. Today marked the end of the leave she’d been granted and the beginning of her assignment to whatever position the Captain saw fit. She didn’t expect anything too glamorous; hell, she would have been happy if she’d been hired on as a janitor or another menial position.

She owed a lot to the Captain and his kindness, or rather the lenience he gave her. Living as nothing more than a stray Strain for years, she did what she could to get by, which usually meant slinking around in the darker parts of the city, dirtying her hands when necessary in order to make it to the next day. It was a miracle she’d been able to stay under the radar of an organization like Scepter 4 for so long, but all good things come to an end. In her case, she was trading that life for something so much better than she could have dreamed.

His decision to test her abilities rather than just chuck her behind bars was…still confusing to her, if she was being honest. She still couldn’t imagine what a King like him, already surrounded by so many talented and capable Clansmen, would see in someone like her. She was less than a nobody, a creature that neither Clans nor regular society wanted; at least that was how she’d always perceived it. She’d existed in an unstable plane outside of society, always teetering on the edge of destruction. And she was a Strain lucky enough to avoid being picked up by one of the unsightly underground research organizations that existed throughout the city, spared from their unethical experiments and terrifying torture.

Yes, she had a lot to thank him for, and she had no idea how to even begin paying him back. Then again, perhaps she could start by just accepting whatever job he gave her to complete, and hopefully move up from there. She didn’t have anything else to live for at this point, and in terms of life goals, performing admirable work for a place like this wasn’t the worst she could settle on.

She paused at the door to the Captain’s office, her nerves finally manifesting themselves through her trembling limbs. Up until now she’d usually only dealt with the Captain in the company of Lieutenant Awashima, who despite being arguably stricter and imposing than the Captain still made Nova feel a little more at ease. Perhaps it was the fact that she just wasn’t the top authority of this place, or the natural camaraderie Nova felt towards her in regards to their shared gender. Nova had noticed that there were very few active Scepter 4 officers that were female, which made her wonder if her presence was even more of an anomaly. But she couldn’t stop to question all of that now; she had orders to carry out.

She knocked on the door with a shaky hand, stiffening as she heard the Captain’s voice grant her entry. She stepped into his office after mustering all the focus she could to appear professional and at ease. She was sure that she probably looked more like a timid rabbit than a capable officer, but hopefully that would subside over time. If it didn’t, the Captain had surely made the wrong choice in bringing her into his fold, but she found it hard to question the judgement of a man such as him.

Although she had been worried about it before, Nova realized as she stepped into the room that she and the Captain were not alone. A third party stood off to the side of the Captain’s desk, poised at attention despite the casual–or was it disinterested?–look on his face. He wore glasses and his bangs were parted to one side, and for a moment Nova almost mistook him as being related to the Captain. It didn’t take long for her to realize that they couldn’t have appeared more different, however, at least in terms of their dispositions.

Nova couldn’t remember having seen this officer before, even at her induction ceremony, although she hadn’t really paid much attention to the crowd that day. She placed herself before the Captain’s desk, mimicking this other officer’s posture, trying to keep her eyes from drifting to him too often. She wasn’t driven so much by distraction as she was by her worry about why this man had been brought in to attend this meeting as well, although she sheepishly admitted to herself that she found him attractive.

“Do you feel like you’ve begun to settle in yet?” the Captain broke the silence, and Nova shifted her full attention back to him. “Lieutenant Awashima tells me you’ve been acclimating quite exceptionally.”

Suddenly Nova wasn’t sure if she felt as much camaraderie with the Lieutenant anymore, although she supposed her reporting to the Captain was only natural…she was a new recruit after all, and it was the Lieutenant’s job to provide the Captain with progress reports on their officers, especially when it came to people like Nova. Having people watching over her just felt so bizarre, or at least watching over her in a way that wasn’t inherently selfish or predatory. They kept tabs on her status because she was one of them now, but such a reality was going to take a little time to get used to.

“I like to think I have been, too,” Nova agreed, rocking back on her feet a bit before reminding herself that such conduct wasn’t appropriate. “So far everything’s been fairly straightforward and easy to understand. I actually appreciate having some structure in my life for once. It’s a pleasant change.”

“I’m happy to hear it,” the Captain smiled, and Nova gave him a nervous one in return. Since their introduction the Captain had always spoken to her in such a jovial and cordial manner, Nova wondered when the illusion of his pleasantness was going to shatter. The tension that this man was able to create even when he was smiling made her terrified of what he was like when he was unrestrained. “If you feel you’ve had enough time to at least start adjusting to your new living arrangements, I hope you won’t mind moving on to the next phase of your instatement.”

The way he said that word made her shiver a bit. She knew he didn’t mean it in a controlling way…or at least she hoped he didn’t. If she had unwittingly placed herself under the thumb of someone that had the means and the intent to crush her, it was all over. The more he spoke, though, the more she began to think he was just being a thorough and efficient leader. Nova was the one projecting all of these ill intentions into his words. Her anxiety couldn’t help it.

“Yes, of course, sir,” Nova replied, wringing her hands behind her back. She’d almost forgotten to address him respectfully as her superior. She had to get into the habit of speaking like someone who lived and dressed like she did now…but she didn’t feel any different from the person she’d been on the street little more than a week ago.

The Captain leaned back and turned his chair to the side, directing Nova’s attention back to the stranger that had been standing by his desk the entire time. She’d almost become so preoccupied by her desperation to appear qualified and competent that she forgot he was there.

“Allow me to introduce Scepter 4’s third-in-command, Fushimi Saruhiko-san. My left hand, if you will.”

He didn’t really seem like the type of person who would qualify to stand as the Blue King’s left hand. A complementary position to Lieutenant Awashima, Nova expected the Captain’s second lead officer to be someone who rivaled the Lieutenant in her dutifulness and dedication to the Captain. Nova knew it was probably rude to judge, but this man seemed to be little more than bored and indifferent towards this meeting at the moment, simply biding his time until the Captain granted him release from this stuffy room.

Nova bowed and introduced herself, recalling her manners in the nick of time, and as she lifted her head an icy shiver shot down her spine. This man’s expression was…more terrifying than the Captain’s, or at least what she had imagined the Captain’s scary face could be. He appraised her with a heavily judgmental gaze, not bothering to offer her any sort of pleasantry in return. She wanted to run away from him, but she knew that would probably look really bad. If what the Captain had told her was true, this man was an important superior that she at least needed to be aware of. She hoped that after this she wouldn’t have to face him in such close proximity again.

“He can be a little hard to get along with, but he is a brilliant worker and a skilled officer. You’ll have plenty of time to get accustomed to cooperating with one another.”

Oh God, what was the Captain going to say next? Was it too late for Nova to turn tail and get the hell out of here, to run as far from this uncomfortable situation as she could? Unfortunately, her feet seemed to be glued to the spot, kept company by the pound of her heart and the anxious twitch of her tail.

“I think you have the potential to offer Scepter 4 something remarkable, even if you’re unaware of said potential. The ability is there, but of course you can only advance so far in life on natural talent without the training required to nurture it into something useful. As of today, I’m assigning Fushimi-san as your mentor to both teach and train you in the procedures and ideals of this organization. I want you to learn as much as you can from him; he has ample experience with work both in and out of the office.”

And this Fushimi-san knew the truth of his fated assignment before Nova had even walked through the door. That explained his expression of contempt and utter lack of engagement with either she or the Captain this entire time. Nova wondered what could have possibly possessed the Captain to settle on her as the prime candidate to stretch his social muscles, which he clearly neglected to the utmost and then some. She wasn’t sure if she was going to vomit from the stress that overcame her following the announcement, but she swallowed the urge and steeled herself to suppress it for the remainder of the meeting.

“I still don’t know why you think I need someone to be accountable for,” Fushimi finally spoke, the disdain in his voice making Nova flinch. “I’ve worked efficiently with all of our personnel across every task I’ve been given since I’ve been here. Why are you punishing me like this now?”

Talking back to the Captain? This man really did have no sense of social decorum, or if he did he chose to blatantly ignore it. He may have looked the part of a Scepter 4 officer, but Nova was utterly shocked that the Captain would ever recruit someone with a personality like this to join the Clan, and even go as far as to make him third-in-command! Clearly, she still had a lot to learn about this place.

“Don’t think of it as a punishment, but an opportunity,” the Captain advised, adjusting his glasses. “Awashima-san must be freely available to me at all times, and although I admit things go more smoothly around here when you are also readily available, I think your expertise will go far in showing this new recruit exactly what it means to be a member of Scepter 4.”

“You could have asked one of the officers that’s been here longer than I have,” Fushimi continued to argue, but the Captain seemed unfazed. “I’m sure Akiyama or Enomoto would be happy to oblige.”

“Your appreciation for your comrades is admirable, Fushimi, but this is one assignment I can’t be convinced to change.” Nova kind of wished he would, since she was starting to think the first time this Fushimi got her alone, he would be quick to dispense of her and free himself from this unwanted burden. “I’m even giving you free reign to decide when and how you want to conduct this task. Awashima-san and I will be checking in periodically, of course. We can’t have you orchestrating any elaborate under the table workarounds, can we?”

This was getting more terrifying by the second. The tension between Fushimi and the Captain was like a flame, and Nova took a small step back to avoid being singed by any rogue embers. In truth, all of the displeasure seemed to be coming from Fushimi’s side–the Captain was still as radiant and pleasant as the sun. Nova expected that she’d be dealing with many similar storms of vexation in the future; it was a good thing she knew how to be quiet, cooperative, and capable. She would just have to work extra hard to predict the extent of what this Fushimi might throw her way and prepare for as many variables as possible. She just wanted to keep her nose clean and make it through this period of mandatory mentoring without any lasting physical or psychological scars.

“If you treat it like a punishment, it will surely turn out to be one,” the Captain continued. “But if you take the time to recognize the other advantages this experience presents, you might not find yourself so frustrated. You’re going to have to do it either way, so don’t bother fighting it. It will be easier that way.”

The Captain still had a bright, sincere smile on his face, but Nova could sense the presence of a demon in his words. Even when he looked amiable, he could respond on Fushimi’s level, and that was the most terrifying thing of all. Fushimi simply crossed his arms and sighed like a disappointed child. He wasn’t going to challenge the Captain anymore, which was good, but Nova still had to face the fact that she was going to have to deal with him from now on. There was no way she could challenge him or protect herself on the same level as the Captain. She supposed that meant she would just have to knock him down a few pegs instead.

“You don’t have to like it, but try to be nice. This girl is now a valued member of our organization, and in the right hands I think she could be molded into an exceptional asset. You have more experience with that than almost any other officer here. I’m trusting you and your intuition to be able to cultivate such a transformation.”

Now it sounded like the Captain saw her as nothing more than just another pawn in whatever game he was playing. Was that what this place was really like, a collection of pieces for this King to manipulate whatever way he pleased? Nova didn’t want to start second guessing herself, since she really did feel like her life was going to improve from this point forward. She’d already managed to significantly distance herself from the slums and shadows she’d called home. She wouldn’t allow herself to regret joining this Clan until she had a clear and valid reason to do so. The Captain’s words of advice echoed in her ears, reminding her to “recognize the advantages this experience presents.”

Although he seemed callous and insubordinate, this man was still the Blue King’s third-in-command. He had been here much longer than Nova, and he had a relationship with the King that showcased just how much the King respected him. The fact that he was able to speak so candidly and make his displeasure known so openly without receiving any kind of serious reprimand or reproach said more about what the King thought of him than words probably ever could. In receiving personal training from this man, perhaps Nova could become someone that was just as respected in the King’s eyes. Who knew what the future held?

“If neither of you have any further comments or questions, you are dismissed. If any emergency deployments arise, Fushimi, please be sure to take Nova with you.”

Fushimi replied with a silent, resigned nod, slipping his hands into his pockets as he made his way to the door. Nova gave the Captain a departing bow, glimpsing another expression–could it be encouragement?–in his eyes. There was no way she could be sure that she’d interpreted something so small and fast accurately; it was more of a feeling she had, something she could sense warming her back as she followed Fushimi out of the office.

He continued to walk away dismissively, clearly only focused on his next solitary task, or perhaps just being alone in general. As apprehensive as Nova was about approaching him, she didn’t want to leave the meeting on a sour note. Speaking to him again may have been tantamount to poking a bear with a stick, but Nova had to do this for herself. She had to become someone that could face Fushimi the way he faced the Captain if she was going to survive in this place.

“Um, Fushimi-san, please, wait just a moment!”

Of course, she didn’t actually expect him to stop, and she had already begun trying to get in front of him before she’d uttered such words. She caught up to him and obstructed his path, standing firm and meeting his eyes without hesitation. They burned into hers like the Blue Aura they shared, his every physical component communicating so many feelings that she was sure he rarely explained with words, if ever. Although his gaze seared her to her core and made her tremble in distress, she knew that she was strong enough to face him. She had to be.

“I understand this assignment isn’t ideal. It’s probably far beneath what someone of your status should be dealing with. But I respect your authority and I appreciate your mentorship all the same. I promise to become someone that’s worth your time, and I won’t be a burdensome pupil.”

“Stopping me to tell me things like this proves that you’re already a waste of my time,” he huffed, but Nova refused to back down.

“I’m not a waste of time! I know you don’t think much of me now, and I don’t expect you to. I can’t. You don’t know me any better than some random person on the street, or any of the delinquent Strains locked up here. If you don’t have any interest or confidence in me now, that’s fine. But I won’t let your guidance go to waste. I trust the Captain as much as you do, whether you admit it or not, and he didn’t stick me with you on a whim. You don’t have to agree with me now, or ever, but I’m going to put my half of the effort in whether you do or not. If I have to, I’ll put enough effort in for the both of us. Somehow. And I will produce results that both you and he can be proud of.”

Although his face didn’t soften, something in his eyes undeniably changed. Nova couldn’t interpret what it meant–she didn’t know him well enough to be able to yet–but she did notice a difference. Beneath this man’s apathy and pride he was a human being no different than her. He’d been born, grown up, and had experiences that shaped him into the man that stood before her now. And now she was one of the people that was going to influence who he became from this point forward. Of course, he was no doubt going to have a similar effect on her; he’d already forced her to stand up for herself, even if it was just a baby step. And Nova meant every word she’d said, fully intending to prove to both he and the Captain that her recruitment as a Blue Clansman was justified, even worthwhile.

She was perplexed by whatever change she’d suddenly triggered in him. There was a…glow, a light very dimly shining like a lone star in the night. It was pleasant, it made Nova feel warm inside, and she was startled by the sudden and unexpected emotion that blossomed in her chest. Apart from that, she could sense the weight of his Aura. His Blue Aura, the Aura granted to both of them that inexplicably tied them together as Clansmen. It drew her closer to him; it felt strong, slightly cool, slightly electrifying. She could tell that despite his prickly exterior, Fushimi didn’t want to be alone. It wasn’t like he’d joined a Clan for nothing. And again, being the Blue Clan’s third-in-command…he wasn’t a deadweight. He worked diligently for his King, even if he didn’t like admitting it.

Being drawn in further still, Nova could tell that she had startled him. Her challenging words had both bemused and encouraged him. Her desperation to prove her worth had sparked something in him, stimulated buried feelings…lit a flame of endearment. Was that really the spark she saw nestled in the most minuscule elements of his expression? She wasn’t even sure if he was capable of feeling things like that.

Without another word or waiting for him to reply, Nova bowed and took her leave to return to her dorm. Her heart thumped so hard in her chest that it hurt. She came to a stop after passing through a few hallways, clutching her chest and trying to regulate her breathing. This reaction…it wasn’t just a result of her standing her ground in front of that man. She could feel an ache in her heart, a heat in her veins that burned differently than the colored Aura residing within her; it scared her even more than the thought of their next encounter. An undeniable, reciprocal flame of affection.