Mustering the ranks. (Flashback.)

It was a strange, and surprising, letter that had brought Fujikawa out from her chemist and into the markets of Kirigakure. When the envelope was pushed through her business’s door she had simply assumed it was junk mail, or a potential customer wanting to make an order, but upon opening the letter it was revealed the contents were far from Fujikawa’s assumptions. It was an invitation to meet with one Kitsuki Kurahasha to discuss the possibility of joining a Shinobi team. It was an interesting proposition to say the least.

A brief walk from her chemist later and she found herself arriving at her destination, the calm and quaint tea house that she had been directed to. It was a far cry from the usual haunts Fujikawa frequented and so, with an irritated sigh she tipped out the contents of her Kiseru, stomping the embers out with her heels before slipping the pipe into her belt and walking inside. A brief gaze across the room revealed nobody she really knew which made her wonder just who exactly the one that requested her presence look like.

“Excuse me ma’am? Would you like a table?” The medical ninja’s focus was snapped away from the other patrons, turning to focus upon the waitress with perhaps an overly dramatic flurry of her cape.

“Of course. I would be delighted to have one.” And so, she was led to a vacant table, ordering some Dango and green tea once she had been seated, her cape pooling on the ground behind her chair. Now came the waiting, a period of boredom broken only by the possibility of a sweet treat. She would have preferred to meet this Kitsuki at a bar or some other establishment that served alcohol but oh well, a tea house would have to suffice.

Kitsuki walked up to the tea shop just a few short seconds after Fujikawa had sat down. The newly minted Kiri Jounin was aware that the village was under new leadership. She had received her certificate of promotion and with it a new mandate to go out and instruct the genin of the world. She had already started on this as a Chuunin, but now that she was officially an "Elite" ninja, she had access to a lot more files on each of her potential students. With the help of an old friend from the WASP, she developed an algorithm that helped score and sort the candidates. Fujikawa Setsuko and Hirano Issei had both made it into the "strong" pile and so she contacted them for a brief interview. Kitsuki wanted to help groom those she felt were similar to her but she had also learned that if she wanted it more then they did, they'd fail to show up. Both metaphorically, and in Haru's case, literally.

Kit was dressed to the nines. She was wearing her typical outfit. It was a well-tailored navy uniform consisting of a white blouse with frills in the center, a bole tie and pendant holding the collar together, and a navy suit jacket with matching dress slacks. Kitsuki's hair was styled into a set of afro-bunches with the ends being tied with golden bands. She opened the door to the tea shop and entered. She gave a smile to the waitress (whom she knew) and then spied the conspicuous red hair of her potential student. Kitsuki strode over to where Fujikawa was and greeted the genin with a smile.

"Hello! My name is Kitsuki Kurahasa, Jounin of Kirigakure. I assume you must be Fujikawa Setsuko?" if she was correct, then the well-dressed woman would sit down opposite her. A vanilla-mint tea would be placed in front of her without her needing to ask. They had yet to be joined by the second genin of the group: Hirano Issei. For now, Kit figured she'd get a few pleasantries out of the way.

"I'll wait for Hirano to get here before we get into the thick of things but I'd love to hear how your day has been going" Kitsuki was their superior, but she believed that good relations could be fostered by treating her subordinates with respect and charity.

Issei had felt as though he had been in a rut these past few months. He had been living out his general mediocre existence as a genin as he always had, vaguely screwing up missions here and there on account of his own lack of confidence. His lack of improvement and lack of initiative had left him even more down than usual. It was because of this that he was quite surprised when he received a letter asking him for an interview of sorts. The letter had sent his thoughts racing at the time, mulling over whether or not this was some sort of scam or if it might even be a prank of sorts. After some thought he decided, regardless of whether it was genuine or not, that he might as well check it out. The only thing holding him back was his own insecurity, so why not be brave for once?

He made his way through the streets of kirigakure, his outfit as generic as could be. He wore a short sleeved white button up shirt that was tucked into a pair of black khaki pants along with a pair of generic black sneakers. The way he moved through the streets seemed more like a shuffle than a walk, and his meek demeanour coupled with his way of dress would make anyone who looked at him hard pressed to believe that he was a trained soldier.

After a bit of time he found his way to his destination. He seemed to have arrived a minute or so after Kitsuki did, allowing them some time to make a small bit of conversation before his arrival. Issei really didn’t know much about the people he was supposed to meet, but he did have some vague knowledge about Kitsuki, given that she was a somewhat famous prodigy in their village. Knowing that he was going to have to interact with such a talented person made Issei nervous just thinking about it, but since he was already there, he just had to suck it up and go through with it.

Having mustered up his courage, Issei opened the door to the teashop and made his way inside, all the while looking around for who he was supposed to meet. One of the first things he saw of course was the gigantic red haired woman and the person who sent him the letter, both dressed as though they were going to some fancy party. Just seeing these two sent Issei’s thoughts racing, forcing his insecurities and social anxiety to bubble to the surface. Was he underdressed for the occasion? Would he stand out sitting with them? (He definitely would) Why did it have to be not one woman, but two? Was he making an awful first impression? And so on and so forth.

His face turned beet red as he considered having to interact with two woman, especially one that he knew was far more talented and competent than him, and the other who he just had to assume was more competent than him given her general demeanor and appearance. Despite his anxiety and misgivings, he was determined to do something to better himself today, and so he made his way towards their table, making them aware of their presence as he stopped before them and stuttered, “H-hello there, m-m-my name is Hirano Issei… Would you happen to be Kitsuki?”

He was well aware of the awkwardness of only acknowledging one of the two women, but he didn’t know anything about the other one so this was all he could do. In the middle of his anxious stuttering he considered the possibility that he was still being rude in some way and therefore decided to bow his head towards Kitsuki during his greeting, likely making a fool out of himself for anyone caring to watch.

Silence was the chemist’s initial response. Fujikawa’s crimson eyes scanning the dark-skinned figure before her, lips curling into an amused smile. Hoooh...this was interesting. This was Kitsuki? Someone this small and seemingly young? This was either a joke at Fujikawa’s expense or this dreadlock wearing kid was skilled beyond the norm for their years. She seemed polite at the very least and at the very least, Fujikawa would return the gesture. She reached for a single stick of the dango, lifted it upwards and wrapped her lips around a single doughy orb. She slowly pulled the stick out of her lips, elegantly chewing the sweet before swallowing.

“Fufu. My day has been rather uneventful~ I had been planning to lounge around elegantly but your letter changed that.” She reached for her tea with her free hand, bringing it up to her lips for a single elegant taste. Tea was hardly her most favourite beverage in the world, but it paired delightfully with the dango she had ordered. Her gaze snapped away from Kitsuki, turning towards the door and the figure that just entered. Was this the third member of the little party?

“Hmmm hmm...hello there strawberry~ Come take a seat next to me and do not be so formal. I am sure we will be getting to know each other very closely.” A chuckle escaped past the chemist’s lips as she took in the form of Hirano before her. A meek seeming shuffle, blushing face and a stutter. Oh, he was most definitely easy to tease. She gently patted the chair next to her, winking at him with that same smug smile present on her face.

“I’m wounded young man. Do you not wish to know my name? Oh, how you hurt my maiden hurt. Mortally wounded and forever cut~ Fufufufu.” Oh yes. Today was turning out to be far more enjoyable than it originally promised. She flashed a sly wink towards the new arrival before leaning back in her chair and folding one leg over the other, smirking confidently and knowingly down at the Jounin.

“Shall we get down to business? You wish to recruit the great and wonderful Fujikawa-san for your team, yes?” It was understandable that one would want to recruit her for their team and the chemist knew it. Summoning and medical knowledge were both desirable skills for a Kunoichi to possesses.

Kit was off-put by how flirtatious Fujikawa was being. The brown skinned Jounin raised an eyebrow as the potential pupil remarked that she had planned to be a lazybones until Kit's letter had arrived in her mailbox. Kit brushed aside the subtle implication that she was inconveniencing the genin and she likewise turned a blind eye to the way she was eating her dango. She sipped her own tea and replied.

"Well I'm sorry to be a burden Fujikawa but since you weren't planning on doing much, I think you'll thank me for adding a bit of color to your day."

Kit set her tea down and flashed the genin a charming smile. Fujikawa fell into a similar category of genin as Haru. Perhaps it was an unwillingness to push one's self to their absolute limit or merely a beleif that they weren't good enough and so there was no point in trying. Whatever it was, Kit had been there. She had been that kunoichi. But after the Chuunin Exams she had cast away such childish restraints. She was a woman of the military now and she intended to mold the genin sitting across from her in a similar fashion.

Kit turned to see a boy enter the establishment. The poor thing was shaking as he made his way over to him. He timidly asked if she was Kitsuki to which she replied "Yes I am. Its a pleasure to meet you Hirano. Please join us." She'd gesture the empty seat at the table and once he took his place among them, they'd be all set. The beginnings of a squad was coming into focus but just because they earned a seat at the table didn't mean they were locked in just yet.  

Kit looked at Fuijkawa whose forwardness was beginning to concern her. Hirano appeared to be shyer than Chigetsu and Fuji's innuendo was not helping the situation. The Jounin gave the redhead a stern look.

"Great? That remains to be seen but I am going to have to ask you to tone it down. You're making Hirano uncomfortable." Kit didn't like confrontation but she was long past the point of fearing it. It was a useful tool to protect those who could not protect themselves. Fuji was making Hirano feel weird and it needed to be addressed. "As for taking you on as a student, I'm considering it yes. I think I have a lot to teach you about being ladylike. I've read your file and I like what I see but...there is room for improvement Fujikawa. A better question would be is if you're ready to take the next step in your career as a chemist and a shinobi"

There was a tension in the air. It was very obvious that Fujikawa was making a poor impression. Kit didn't mind communicating her disappointment regarding the kunoichi's behavior. She just hoped that the tension between them wouldn't choke the innocent young lad.

“Oh, you are not a burden my dear. A life devoid of the unexpected would be a boring life indeed.” She flashed a sweet but smug smile, lips pulled wide with amusement. However, any amusement or joy Fujikawa felt at this meeting evaporated the moment Kit dared insinuate she would be teaching her about how to be ladylike. Fujikawa leaned forward and slammed her right arm upon the table, hand pulled into a taut fist as her expression twisted. From polite mirth to wrathful rage her expression transitioned, eyes locked firmly upon the Jonin before her.

“Ladylike? You have the sheer audacity to lecture me on being ladylike? I do not care if you are a Jonin little girl. I have no desire to be a quiet and submissive lady. That was my parents’ error.” She was angry. Murderously so. Fire burned within the chemist’s gaze as she gripped her pipe with enough force for it to snap clean in half. It was fortunately easily replaced, unlike a great many other things Fujikawa had burned away.

“No, the better question is on what grounds do you feel you have the right to lecture me on how I should behave? I am here to contribute my skills and my skills alone.” The chemist’s gaze screamed bloody murder, murderous fury and unsubstantiated hatred locked firmly upon the dark-skinned girl before her. She threw her snapped pipe to the ground in a single violent motion, the ruined thing clattering against the floor.

“I am here for one reason and one reason only: to advance my career. Do not lecture me on being ladylike and do not doubt my drive. You are woefully uninformed on what it cost me to come here. The sacrifices I had to make..” Any and all decorum or restraint Fujikawa would normally display was thrown out of the window. Already chakra was starting to build within her body, a barely restrained burning fire.

“I will tell you a story. My parents brought me into this world to be their experiment. The next link in a chain of a eugenics program designed to forcibly create a bloodline restricted summoning. For years they doted on me until suddenly, they decided I was not living up to their expectations. I was then thrown aside for my sister, used as little more than slave labour.” Her eye twitched as she started to smile, sadistic enjoyment welling up as she relived the memory.

“I endured that for years, pretending to be this pathetic and demure little lady, totally subservient. Once my stupid scum family lowered their guard, I took my revenge, hiding a flask of acid and a paper bomb inside my sister’s cake. I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure out how that ended up and now I am here.” Fujikawa slowly began to calm down, the chakra burning through her body returning to the slumbering embers it was most normally kept at.

“So how about it little jonin? Is my drive to be questioned?” And then she laughed, a vibrant and mad thing fuelled by pure spite and bitterness. It was this same emotional state that had allowed her to endure every little wound ever dealt against her. The chemist returned to her seat, leaning back in the chair before throwing her arms wide to rest upon its back. She stopped short of resting her boots upon the table, however the idea did tempt her.

Issei was seemingly locked in place for a wide period of time, likely shocked by the tremendous interaction that was about to take place in front of him. It was bad enough that he had to deal with two women, but one of them was even beginning to tease him. Just hearing those words made him beat red as he raised his body out of his bowing position. The offer to sit down next to her startled him like a deer in headlights, freezing him in place as he tried to ponder through the situation. Kitsuki’s statement and gesture about having him take a seat broke him from his stupor, but his shyness caused him to hesitate once more. This hesitation seemed to be fate providing him an out for what was about to occur. It seemed as though one of his potential new comrades had a fiery temper, and that temper was quite visible for anybody in the restaurant.

Her hand slamming upon the table with fury caused Hirano to jump a bit in fright, proceeding to swallow in anxiety right after. He didn’t know what he should do in this situation, but given the tension he was prepared to defend himself if the need were to arise. He wasn’t worried at all about Kitsuki of course, given her reputation and the capabilities he assumed she had. He had no idea how powerful this Fujikawa woman was, but given his proclivity towards seeing everyone around him as more competent than himself, he had to assume she was far more competent than he was. The continued shouting from Fujikawa caused him to take a few more steps back, preparing himself to disengage from the situation.

While he was startled and riddled with anxiety, Issei listened to the woman’s outburst intently, absorbing information about her background and experiences like a sponge. He couldn’t help but compare her struggles with his own rather average upbringing. Many people around him had such violent and horrible paths and yet such fervent desires and goals, but he just couldn’t relate. He was a simple kid with parents of slightly below average quality, but that was the extent of his struggles, and the extent of what drove his desires.

While he was going over these thoughts in his mind, it seemed as though her outburst had ended and the situation had calmed itself, at least a little bit. At this point he was about two meters away from the table, his legs shaking as he continued to observe the two women. He was certain that some sort of conflict was about to erupt, so from the moment that Fujikawa’s outburst had begun he had been utilizing a sensory technique to take in whatever information he could about the two of them. He said nothing during or after in response to said outburst, and anyone looking at him would likely mistake him for a frightened puppy rather than a ninja trained for such environments. All he could do at this point is wait and see what sort of response Kitsuki would have.

Sensing Technique
134.5/135

A year or two ago, Kitsuki might have flinched when Fujikawa slammed her arm on the table and berated her for upholding the standards of feminine decorum. Instead, she did not budge an inch. She remained silent as Fujikawa insulted her and insisted that she would not act "ladylike." Kitsuki was about to retort when Fujikawa explained why she was so provoked by the phrase. She had been abused as a child. Reared as nothing more than a vessel for power and then cast aside when she proved unable to meet their expectations. Kit wanted to shout back that Fuji wasn't the only one to have endured tragedy and to emerge a true woman of high society. Kit was well aware of the countless noble women that had come from the dregs of vice towns and whorehouses only to leave their past behind them. Kit believed that any man could be chivalrous and any woman graceful. It had nothing to do with the circumstances of one's birth and everything to do with self-discipline and a willingness to learn.

However, Kit had learned from the best and one of the lessons they had taught her was that instruction was every bit as much patience as it was strictness. She couldn't bowl over Fujikawa and demand that she act in this way or that without first earning the girl's trust. She had been through a lot and now was the time to show empathy not judgment. The story about the acid bomb was deeply disturbing, but Kit was beginning to get the impression that cruelty was a way of life in some parts of the archipelago. She was fortunate enough to have grown up in a wealthy civilian household. Not everyone had that luxury. She had gone to a fancy private school and had had her head filled with all sorts of lofty ideals. It was all well and good, but her education would prove useless if she could not deal with people who came from less fortunate backgrounds. Kitsuki swallowed the girl's rage but did not respond in kind.

She couldn't match her energy as that would only intensify the dispute. People were already staring and the restaurant had gone deathly silent. The WASP graduate also couldn't afford to show weakness. If she showed fear then Fuji would never respect her. It was a difficult and delicate balancing act, but she had avoided students that would be empty vessels to fill with her values. The WASP had challenged itself to take tough kids and so she adopted the same personal philosophy.

"Fujikawa. I'm sorry you went through that. No one should ever be treated like a tool, abused, and then cast aside...I don't know if I agree with your response but I understand why you did it given the situation you were in. I didn't mean to disrespect you and for that I apologize. But I do expect you to conduct yourself with discipline and self-control....no matter where you're from or what you've done. You were making Hirano uncomfortable and now you're scaring him along with everyone else in this room. I'll refrain from asking you to be ladylike or questioning your resolve....but I will demand that you treat others with gentleness, compassion, and respect. I think that's a fair deal. Your career isn't going anywhere if you can't accomplish those three things"

Kit picked up her tea and sipped it. She then put it down.

"And if you call me little Jounin again or continue to harass Hirano, I'm going to take you outside of this establishment and cane you until you ask to be sent back to the Academy"

“Hah. Don’t apologise. Not like you had anything to do with it.” Perhaps she was being callous or perhaps she was simply over it. Either way, the chemist would not ever accept any apology. Call her bitter if you will but a simple apology would not be enough to earn her forgiveness. In fact, she had no desire to ever forgive her parents for she simply wished to make them suffer. To take away any chance of ever achieving their dreams and laugh as she systematically tore apart their lives. It was simple spite and malicious intent at its most raw.

“That I will agree to but...do not assume you can lecture me on what my career requires. As far as I am concerned you are just a person with a fancy title.” As far as Fujikawa was concerned this little jonin was neither her boss nor her teacher and even if she was, she still would not tolerate her lectures at this stage of the relationship. Being a Jonin meant absolutely nothing to Fujikawa. One needed to prove they had earned that title, especially in a world where it was all too easy to benefit from cronyism by leveraging personal relationships.

“Yeah yeah. Hirano? You have my apologies, let’s say we start over and bury the hatchet?” Then Fujikawa paused, interrupted by Kit saying the one thing she should have known better than to say. The chemist turned her focus away from Hirano, furious eyes coming back to lock upon Kit. However, the fury did dissipate

“Ho? Is that how a Jonin acts? Hmmm~ I will keep that in mind then but...bahahahha. Here I was concerned you were simply a soft heart. I'm ” She chuckled to herself, a passionate excitement in her eyes welling up. Perhaps this girl was more worthy of respect than she was first assumed to be. By now the chemist had quieted down, utterly shameless and ignoring the discomfort of the other customers.

“Answer me this. What exactly can you offer me as part of this team of your’s? I am a businesswoman first and kunoichi second.” Fujikawa was a businesswoman at heart. Appeals to loyalty, arrogant assumptions of what her career needed or how she could be “developed” further would find no purchase here and that was something the chemist was hoping Kit would be able to figure out herself.

Kit sat stone faced as the woman rejected her apology and insisted that it wasn't her fault. She appeared to have a modicum of grace. A truly uncouth person would have berated her for showing empathy. She said she wouldn't take any of Kit's lecturing which was off-putting, but the girl knew better than to press her luck. She had gotten Fujikawa to behave and stop scaring those in the immediate vicinity. That was the most important thing. The respect could come later, so long as she could be civil they could perhaps find common ground.

Baby steps...she won't go the right way if I lead her too forcefully.

Kit suppressed a smile when Fujikawa apologized to Hirano. She didn't want Fuji thinking that she had one-upped her or had somehow intimidated her. She knew that that would only make the genin more unruly and unkind. The truth was that Kit wanted to smile because her (possible) student was learning. She was genuinely happy to hear Fujikawa apologize and try to mitigate her abrasiveness. Kit nodded gracefully when Fujikawa acknowledged her grit and refusal to be disrespected. Kit was indeed a soft heart but she was more than that. She was tough as nails yet polite as a butler. Strong as a bull yet gentle like a swan. She detested vile threats but understood when they might be necessary to avoid greater harm. This was Kirigakure and Kit was quickly learning that in the isles, strength was respected above all else. Fujikawa then turned the tables on the interview and questioned her about why she should accept a position on Kit's team.

It wasn't how these things usually went. Fuji ought to be explaining why Kit should take her on and not the other way around. Then again, Kit had wanted a challenging student. She had practically prayed for it. It was a simple matter to take a well-mannered kunoichi and turn her into an even more competent version of herself. It was another to take a rough diamond and cut it into something truly beautiful. She had gotten Fuji to settle down and that was a victory in of itself. She'd need to give and take with this one and that meant playing the part of the eager sensei. Kit took a deep breath and replied in the most professional tone she could muster:

"I'm one of the highest ranking officials in the Kirigakure government. The fancy title may not mean much to you but from a practical perspective I have closer access to funds, techniques, and artifacts of international significance. I understand that you're a chemist...any good chemist needs a lab and money. I can make sure you're well provided with both if you come under my study. You want a shop to provide you with passive income? I can secure the permits and seed money. You want travel restrictions lifted so that you can conduct research abroad? I can make that happen. You want a voice in how the biggest empire in the world is run? I can give it to you. I'm also one of the strongest kunoichi in this village and I've had the blessing of learning from some of the best. I can pass that knowledge on to you if you have the desire and aptitude to learn."

The last part was said with a glint of hopefulness. She didn't smile or make any gesture indicating that she was desperate to have Fuji, but her tone and body language was that of a guide. Someone who only sought to uplift and empower rather than use and abuse. She took a sip from her cup of tea and added:

"But. We have to do things my way. That means helping the innocent, acting with kindness and care, it means cleaning up the evil in this country...the same evil that hurt you in a way that no one should be hurt...and it means working hard to become better than you were the day before....something I'm sure you know all about"

Apparently Issei had gotten himself into a bit of a pickle today. When he had come to this meeting he had been anxious and rather worried about what sort of strange situation this might turn out to be. It turned out that, despite its usual inaccuracy, his anxiety had been correct for once. Given his meek nature, he had stayed frozen, looking like a mouse hiding from a cat as the confrontation escalated and deescalated. Something that relieved him however, was that he could tell via his extrasensory capabilities that neither of these individuals had obscene chakra pools or other strange anomalies related to their chakra. This did not account for their intimidating presences and personalities of course, but it at least provided a bit of ease for his terrified soul.

Issei was broken from his petrified stupor by the inconceivable sounds emitted by Fujikawa’s lips. She was apologizing to him? Was his presence relevant enough to warrant an apology? Many thoughts raced through Issei’s head after hearing her speak, but they were quickly cut off by the continued aggression from both parties. He had wanted to at least try to stammer something out about her not needing to apologize, but it seemed as though the negotiations for their terms of partnership had begun. He felt somewhat out of place just standing there and listening to them, but his lack of interaction at least allowed for him to learn some new information about the two of them. For example, he readily used his high intelligence to memorize every bit of data that his sensing technique could gather about the two women, storing it in his mind for possible future reference. He also took note of what sort of positions and influence they had within the village as Kitsuki explained her own responsibilities and what she could offer Fujikawa.

Hearing that Kitsuki was such an important person caused Issei to sweat even more. What kind of impression was he giving acting like this? Would she think ill of him? At the very least, she seemed like an extremely compassionate individual, but he did not know if that extended to “incompetents” like himself. Either way, it seemed as though their conversation had entered a small lull, during which he surreptitiously approached the empty seat next to Fujikawa and sat down. The flair of anxiety brought forth by his bold actions caused him to uncontrollably shake as he approached the seat. Beads of visible perspiration could be seen on his forehead. It seemed as though this whole situation was about to send him into some sort of panic attack, but his limited mental prowess as a trained soldier kept him in check, at least for now. All he could do now is hope that his choice didn’t result in either of the two women looking at him funny.

“Hehehehe.” A faint chuckle escaped the chemist’s lips as any and all tension passed. Kit’s offers were all highly tempting. The money, the travel restrictions, business permits and that was just the stuff directly relating to the nature of Fujikawa’s business. On the front of being a Shinobi Kit had even more to offer. Training, artifacts, guidance. Regardless of a difference in opinion upon moralistic matters, there was a great deal Fujikawa stood to gain.

“You have convinced me. I do believe I will greatly benefit from being part of your team and you should already know what you gain from me but...helping the innocent? Cleaning up evil? I am not an altruist by nature but if that is the requirement then I will at least act the part but nothing more.” Fujikawa seemed to have attracted one who was rather dead set in their view of the world huh? Their belief in good and evil brought a crease to the chemist’s face, her features growing into an almost mocking grin.

“Consider this a contract. I will not go out of my way to help the innocent or ‘cleanse evil’ when I by myself but...when operating a team, or with any one of us three, I will do as you have requested. All deals have terms and conditions attached to them no? But I must make this very clear: Abandon any notions of altering my perspective. Morals are simply ideas held within the three pounds of grey matter inside your skull, so you will have to accept I do not put any stock in them.” Then silence settled for a few moments, measured and careful breathing the only sound escaping her lips.

“But one is defined by their actions not their beliefs, and if this contract of behaviour between us demands I act in your play then I will do so.” The chemist cast an eye towards Hirano, left eyebrow quirked up in a curious glance. He was rather insecure wasn’t he? Or so his apparently meek behaviour had led Fujikawa to believe. She extended her left hand towards him and gently pat him on the shoulder, smirking at him.

“Have some tea. You seem high strung.” She would pull her hand back from his shoulder, opting not to linger for too long lest she cause another squabble to break out.

Kitsuki suppressed a sigh as Fujikawa agreed to her terms. The young woman wasn't keep on etiquette or altruism but she did have useful skills and the pride of a Queen. Kit could work with that. She figured that this would be the start of an uneasy but fruitful relationship. She had wanted a tough student and she had gotten it. She found the women's perspective on morality offensive and downright dangerous but she held her tongue. She had made some progress here and there was no use turning a onion to a peach overnight. An endeavor like that was impossible but if it were to be done it certainly wouldn't happen in a short timeframe. Kit nodded in agreement and replied:

"Done. When you're with me, you will follow orders and act in a manner consistent with the spirit of our squad. In return, I will give you all that I have promised. What you do on your own time is your own business and you're beliefs are your own. But you might be surprised how doing noble things for others may change your outlook..."

She watched as Fuji patted Hirano. She didn't move to interfere but she was prepared to act if he expressed discomfort. Unfortunately, the only one who seemed to be experiencing discomfort was Fujikawa. The woman started to sway in her seat and before Kit could ask if she was okay, she fell over. The girl hit the ground unconcious and Kitsuki rushed to her side. The sudden display of infirmity shocked everyone in the establishment and many began to panic. Kitsuki took control of the situation even as she checked Fuji's breathing and pulse.

"She's alive but pale!" Kit shouted. It was a common symptom of the plague. The illness was not contaigous but it rendered its victim's totally inert. At one point, the diseases was fatal although with herd immunity and advances in medical technology, its mortality rate went down quite a bit. "Call a med-team stat!" Kitsuki looked after Fuji and a medical crew soon came to take Fujikawa away on a stretcher. She'd be interned at the local hospital where she'd remain until she recovered...or not.

The disorder lasted for about half an hour and in that time Kit didn't have time to tend to Hirano. She had told him to wait outside while she dealt with the situaiton. Once it was all over, she'd approach him and say:

"I'm so sorry about today...it must have been a lot for you"

He appeared to fragile and afraid. He was even shyer than Kit when she had first come to the WASP. He was even shyer than Chigetsu when she first met him. She wasn't sure he was cut off for the ninja life but if Kit could surprise Kat and Chi could surprise Kit, then there was no reason he couldn't do the same.

"Would you still like me to be your sensei?"

She had phrased this meeting as her selling her skills to Fuji. It wasn't correct but it was what was necessary to get the job done. She'd offer the same courtesy to this frightened little boy.

It would seem that Issei’s day was about to get even more hectic and anxiety inducing than he had originally anticipated. Shortly after he had sat down at the table, thinking that he might actually be able to get through this meeting without freaking out any further, the spooky scary women sitting next to him just had to catch the plague and collapse, causing him to freeze the moment such an event came into his sight. This was a situation that wasn’t prepared for in the least, so it was no surprise that he followed Kitsuki’s directions and waited outside while the situation was dealt with. His head was devoid of his normal racing thought patterns, with them now being replaced with shock at the situation at hand. He had long ago rescinded his extra-sensory capabilities during the commotion and therefore had no information about what was going on inside. It wasn’t until the situation was sorted and Kitsuki emerged from the teahouse that he came back to his senses.

She seemed to be quite empathetic about the situation, but Issei couldn’t help but wonder if his timidness and lack of confidence made him seem incompetent or otherwise uncut for his profession. He didn’t know much about the woman, but he did know that her missions likely involved heavy combat, and his inability to stay calm in the face of such things might lead to her disregarding him as a student. To Kitsuki’s eyes, he would seem to be shaking with nervousness, his mind now racing along with its normal self-deprecating thought processes. What shocked him however was her question about if he still wanted her to be his teacher. At this point he hadn’t really thought that was going to be an option, so the mere manifestation of the words shut his rampaging thoughts down for a moment. He seemed to nod subconsciously before asking her in his timid little voice, “A-are you sure?”

The poor boy is shaking!

Kit was concerned about Hirano. Fujikawa was too forward, too brash, and too arrogant but Hirano was on another level of timidness. Sure Chigetsu had managed to become a fearsome warrior but he had years of Hozuki Clan tutoring to back him up. Kit likewise was a shy kid but the WASP had drilled the meekness out of her. She'd be starting from scratch with Hirano and he was further behind than both her and Chi. The Princess considered letting him down easy but when she looked in his eyes, she could tell that he had probably been let down more times than she could count. He shook like a kid that had heard "Not good enough," "Sorry but no," "Maybe next time" all his life. If she turned him away at this juncture, then he'd likely never reach his full potential. And wasn't that the whole point of the WASP? Wasn't that Headmaster Sukimori's entire pedagogy? Kit smiled at Hirano and nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm more than sure. I'm 100% positive I want you on my team."

He had flipped the question on her. He likely didn't have the guts to put himself in the position of power here so she'd make the decision for him. If he changed his mind and wanted to drop out of her squad then there'd be no hard feelings. The young woman reached out her hand to shake his.

"If its okay with you....I want to help you. I'm going to train you to be more confident. You'll get there. I promise." Kit radiated warmth and if the child was discerning he'd even notice a glow coming from her. Kiri was a scary place but there was good here and she wanted to let him know that she was part of that goodness. If he accepted her handshake, she'd gently seal the deal with the gesture and then say:

"Let's end the meeting here. I'll send you word when its time to train. There are a couple of more people I have in mind for our squad."

Kit didn't want an "easy" group and so she couldn't promise Hirano that he'd get along with them much better than he had Fuji. Fortunately, she now knew what she was dealing with so hopefully she could get them to lay off before they gave him a heart attack.

Exit

Issei continued to shake like a leaf in the wind as he dreaded the answer that he would hear from the young woman. It had been ages since he had last been supported by someone, and the thought of being rejected at a moment like this left him terrified. Luckily, Kitsuki seemed to be offering him her full support, making him confused for a moment, given his tendency to expect the worst in any situation. He was somewhat in a daze to be honest, but he at least heard what she had to say about wanting to help him train and become more confident. He silently reached his hand out towards hers like he was a poor dude with parkinsons, jittering too and fro before finally putting his hand in hers to seal the handshake. What was somewhat disturbing to the boy was the fact that she seemed to be glowing some way. That was some freaky shit, but he wasn’t about to say anything about it.

After accepting her handshake, Issei stood there, still shaking a bit, but far less than he had then as she mentioned how she would contact him in the future. He stood there contemplating for a few minutes as she left the area, before deciding it was time to head home and at least try to convince his parents that he was doing something exceptional for once.

[exit]