Chapter Eighty Nine: Day Three: Behind The Fan
Christina's Arc: Bend or Break
I roamed the hallways aimlessly. The brown wooden floors seemed to stretch for miles…when you walk in circles. I passed Trish’s office six, no, seven times since Christina refused to eat with me. But I guess I pushed too hard, and she didn’t like it. Maybe now she’ll get rid of me.
And here I was again, passing the door of the Iron Queen of Getting Too Close. There were two big red doors with golden fans covering them. I thought about knocking. Then again, I thought about running too.
“I wish you would resist a little,” a voice said from down the hallway.
Oh, great, strange voices near Trish’s door cannot be a good sign. I started walking in the opposite direction from the voices.
“So, who was that guy, Rika?”
I know that name, and I know the voice asking questions. I stood in the path, and once they turned the corner, they could see me.
I squinted to make out the figures down the hall, but they were still too far to see.
"Oh, why are you here, fucktard? You should be making babies with my Queen.”
Damn, hawk-eyed brat.
As they closed the gap, I could see that she was escorting Ms. Igarashi with three other ladies in armor, but she wasn’t restrained or resisting. It really didn’t seem like they were doing anything.
“Grow the hell up, Ayame!”
Ayame rushed me, leaving Ms. Igarashi’s side and almost pushing me over. She grabbed me by the collar and shook me.
"I ought to smack that dirty, fucking mouth!" she screamed.
I gritted my teeth and held the wrist of the hand shaking me.
"Then do it, and make it count, because your queen won't like that."
Ayame reared her hand back.
"I fucking told you, twerp, that it's Master Tetsuzaki!"
The fleshy part of her hand started to descend, but Ms. Igarashi grabbed her wrist.
Ayame released my collar and tried to peel her finger from her wrist.
"Let me go, Granny."
Ms. Igarashi fixed her glasses and let go of Ayame's hand.
"You shouldn't touch the Queen's consort, kid. The consort I worked so hard to bring back," she said.
"You're both fucked. Enjoy your meeting with the Queen of Iron, Rika."
Rika bowed and then walked to Trish's red door.
"Come with me, Mr. Carter, unless you want to be disciplined once I'm gone."
I stepped away from Ayame, giving her a sharp glare, and went to Ms. Igarashi. We stood before the red door, and she pushed it open.
***
When we walked into the room, Trish was sleeping on the red sofa. She, much like Christina, looked like a different person when she wasn't being a monster. She lay on her stomach; Trish was either smart enough to lie facedown or someone was looking out for her.
Rika walked over to the sofa and started pushing her.
If she's an important person, why isn't someone equally important in here with us to make sure that we didn't do anything to her?
"Drinking in the morning again, Trish?" Ms. Igarashi said, still pushing Trish.
"Ms. Igarashi, you might not want to do that." She looked at me. "I'm just saying that if she wakes up, we have to deal with her. But if we wait until the crew outside leaves, we can slip away from this mess."
She exhaled.
"That's what you fucking…think, son," a drowsy Trish said, face still down. The queen pulled herself up, and it was like watching something crawl out from the pits of hell as she shambled to her feet. Ms. Igarashi went to support her, but Trish pushed her away.
The queen took a step and nearly stumbled to the ground. "Fucking, shit, Rika, help me!"
Rika went to help her again…
I had a panic attack…over this?
She set the queen in her chair, and Trish slumped over her desk.
"She's a drunk," I muttered.
"Rika…kill him."
"What!" I shouted. "Ms. Igarashi—"
"Just call her Rika, and stop yelling."
"I'm not killing anyone for you; I don't work for you anymore, Trish. Besides, Christina wouldn't like it, and why did you have me dragged from my apartment?"
Trish held the bridge of her nose and sat back in her chair. She held a finger to Rika.
"You traitor! I told you the plan for glory for the Fan!"
They stared at each other.
"I'm no dunk," Trish said, sounding like a small child.
Rika nodded, "Yes, you are drunk. Please take a nap, your grace."
The queen lay her head on her mahogany desk.
"Well, Mr. Carter. Now, you met the Queen of Iron," Rika said, fixing her glasses.
I wanted to say something, but what? I ran my hand through my hair, wishing I were anywhere but here.
"Don't be fooled, Mr. Carter. If you share what happens outside of this room, it will be more than just your life at risk." Rika walked around the desk, leaving the drunken queen to her slumber.
"Don't take it personally. So, how are you and Christina Tetsusen getting along, Mr. Carter?"
I looked between the two women, eyes cut low.
"Well, you two seem like you know each other, or that you've done this before. So, I'm just going to leave?"
Rika smiled, but I didn't feel like I was in danger.
"Well, I'm glad to know that your experience with the knife killer didn't change who you are, Mr. Carter."
Ms. Igarashi stepped toward me, and I could see her clearly now. She had scratch marks across her face from the corner above her left eye to the bottom of her nose.
I bowed my head.
"Thank you for saving me, Rika Igarashi." I raised my head. "But why are you here?"
She sighed.
"Trish wanted credit for the killer's capture, or glory for the Fan, as Trish put it. But the leader of the Veil attributed it to me, as a resident and hero of the Veil. So, I guess she wants to punish me."
"Don't you live in the Veil?"
Rika walked over to the sofa and sat down, then patted the seat next to her.
The last time I sat there, Trish asked me to put on a show for her.
"I'm okay with standing."
"Very well, Mr. Carter. I do live within the Veil, but I once served the Iron Fan as Trish's Blood Blossom, but that was a decade ago."
I think Sakura said the same for Christina before I was pushed further back in time.
I walked over to the sofa, but I didn't sit down.
"What is a Blood Blossom?"
She took her glasses off.
"I'll tell you some other time, Mr. Carter. I'd strongly suggest that you find your queen for protection," she said with a smile.