Lost Fashion

Torn dresses. Broken glass. Lost lives. Kitsuki had taken time away from helping the trapped and wounded to reflect on all that was lost during the War in Heaven. To some it might seem vain and inappropriate. Why mourn the loss of art and materials over human lives? But Kitsuki was feeling emotionally drained and she had little of her soul left to give. The level of suffering was on a scale she hadn't seen since the trenches and she feared that if she did not take a break, she'd go mad. The Princess was better at handling trauma than she had been, but one never truly got used to the sight of people pleading with God for their lives.

Kitsuki was standing in the ruins of a fashion house. She was knew of the designer but had never met the woman personally. She had been one of the first fashionistas to set up shop in the Heavenly Emporium and had made waves in the industry for her innovations in style. She had blended traditional and modern approaches to fashion, but had retained a a level of functionality that made her wares attractive to even kunoichi. The designer had been among the casualties of war as was her boutique. Kitsuki was on the second floor examining what was left of the mannequins, sketches, and half-finished products. There was so much beauty and vision in the room that had been lost. To Kit, it almost felt like the burning of the library of Alexandria. She reached in her jacket pocket and retrieved a golden cigarette case. She retrieved one of her impeccably handrolled cigarettes and placed it between her lips.

She pulled out her lighter and pressed igniter. The flame missed the end by a quarter of an inch. She tried again and failed. Shit. Not again. The shaking had already started.

Kara was walking through the rubble that was the Heavenly Emporium, her black Mistress’ Gown doing it’s part to repel any debris. Her bodyguard Doku was walking with her, keeping a lookout for anything that may pose a danger to his Mistress. Kara wasn’t particularly worried, the Indaina Kujira had been bested in a historic moment of teamwork between the various Shinobi nations. It had truly been a sight to behold, but it had come at a great cost. The once impressive floating city was now all but destroyed, and while it still floated, it no longer graced the skies. Kara let out a sigh as she moved around yet another pile of rubble, her stilettos making a hollow ‘click’ noise against the shattered buildings.

She had started with her offices in the Stag Tower, wandering the empty halls was just as devastating as wandering through an empty Moonspire. What had struck her notice however was the distinct lack of Okane. She knew he wasn’t dead, or at least, his body wasn’t destroyed. She had placed a seal on him, and since it still existed she presumed he was alive. But she was concerned for her friend. Although she trusted him to have some sort of contingency plan up his sleeve, he was the crafty sort after all. She couldn’t shake the feeling however that something might be wrong, the destruction in the tower wasn’t quite the same as everywhere else. Descending into her lab, she swiftly placed her signature sun and moon seal on an undamaged wall, it would glow brilliant gold for a moment and then fade. She doubted that this particular wall would be altered as it was a load bearing wall that had miraculously remained undamaged in the attack.

Continuing her tour through the war zone, she found herself in the weapons and armor distrist, or what was left of it. There were remnants of more traditional forges and the like, but this was also a place for fashion not just function. Hearing the tell-tale sound of a lighter flick, her curiosity got the better of her and she wandered into a nearby fashion boutique, to see none other than Kitsuki Kurahasa attempting to light a cigarette. She noted the trembling of the woman’s hands and smoothly pulled out her own lighter from her pocket, lighting it and holding it out in her metal hand for Kitsuki to light her cigarette on. “Mind if I join you?” she asked as she pulled a small ornate case from her left pocket and deftly opened it to reveal her own cigarettes. Assuming Kitsuki answered in the affirmative, Kara would light a cigarette of her own and take a long drag on it, exhaling thoughtfully as she leaned back against a pillar and gestured for Doku to stand guard outside.

Notes:

Kitsuki wasn't a sensor but she was aware of the kunoichi's approach long before she actually entered the room. The heels that she wore were fashionable but loud. Not that it really mattered. All of the enemies of the Emporium had been captured or killed. The only thing they had to fear nowadays was ghosts. Kitsuki turned her head to see the woman enter. When the lighter was offered, Kitsuki gratefully tipped the end to the flame. "Not at all" She could have chuckled if it wouldn't have resulted in her losing her smoke. She had been in a similar situation before, on the Heavenly Emporium of all places, and she had to practically nag a certain young man to light her cigarette for her. It was part of the reason why she had such a low opinion of guys her own age and why she thought the world of someone as sophisticated as Okane.

With the cigarette lit, Kitsuki put her own lighter away and held her smoke with two fingers. She sucked in deeply and exhaled. It was a nasty habit. One that that she thought she had kicked in the halls of the WASP. Headmaster Sukimori did not approve of this kind of indulgence, although he had been sensible enough to look the other way at times. When you cooped up a bunch of restless teenage girls in a reformatory and had them on such a strict courseload certain allowances needed to be made. This was one of them. Kit had given up smoking for him but the horrors of the First World War had brought her right back to it. She couldn't be perfect. She could be strong, kind, fearless and charitable, but she could not be perfect. This was the one moment she was allowed to just let go and enjoy herself. She smoked again and closed her eyes.

She got a good look at the woman who had offered her the cigarette. There was probably a moment of mutual recognition. Kit was famous enough to be noticed on the spot as was Kara. The businesswoman was estimated to be the wealthiest person in all of Kishin. Richer than even Okane according to some. She had taken over Damien's company in the aftermath of his death and had folded it into her own corporation. Kit didn't think she'd ever get the chance to meet the woman face-to-face, but now that they shared the same room, she found herself unsure of what to say.

Yes of course you can join me. By the way, sorry about my predecessor killing your husband. Hope the cash made up for it.

Kit looked away from her new companion and towards one of the mannequins. Kara didn't seem to be here to pick a fight, but that didn't mean Kit could feel at ease. The guard standing nearby wasn't an immediate threat yet Kit knew that when dealing with someone this wealthy, you always expected a surprise or two. She allowed an uncomfortable silence to settle between them for awhile before she spoke up.

"Have you lost anyone?" she said tentatively. The moment the words were spoken she realized her mistake. "Except you know....I mean..."

Smooth Kitsuki. Years of fine etiquette training and for this?

With Kitsuki’s cigarette lit, Kara allowed herself to relax for a few moments. She leaned her back against the decorative pillar behind her and watched the Princess with interest. Something was obviously troubling the young woman, Kara didn’t completely understand the macabre nature of a person that it took to willingly become a Shinobi, but loitering in this particular locale was a bit telling of the Princess’ psyche. As was her hands shaking. There was only one time that Kara recalled her own hands. . . hand. . . shaking like that, and that was when the grief of losing Damien had first settled into her mind.

It was an event that she felt she’d mostly forgotten, at least the emotional parts of it, pain mercifully dulled with the passage of time. She knew virtually nothing about Kitsuki’s personal life however, only the same facts that she assumed everyone knew. Her rise to power on the wave of bloody violence at the gates of the tumultuous Kirigakure, and from all accounts it had been bloody indeed. The kind of violence that didn’t fit the Princess’ current demeanour at all. She puzzled with this in her mind for a few moments, thoughtfully dragging on her cigarette as she did. The irony of a medical doctor enjoying a cigarette brought the ghost of a smile to the corner of her mouth. Being a medical doctor with the ability to regenerate tissue with a wave of her hand had its perks.

Then Kitsuki asked a question and the puzzle pieces that Kitsuki had presented to her finally all fell into place. ‘So you’ve lost someone then, that explains the stress.’ Kara would have been content to simply answer the question, but the woman continued speaking. Now apparently feeling the need to bring up Damien. Kara saw the fumble for what it was; a woman clearly dealing with her own mysterious grief and afflicted by the all too common disease of speaking before thinking. She gave it no mind, as a typical human Kitsuki was probably consumed by guilt over the whole affair for Kirigakure’s part in her husband’s assassination. However Kitsuki’s stammering told Kara that some response was needed, so she allowed her eyes to narrow slightly as she looked across to her, giving meaning to the Princess’ discomfort. Taking another long drag on her cigarette she would delicately exhale the smoke before replying.

“I’ve not lost anyone in this war as far as I know, Your Highness. I have few to lose nowadays. And please don’t worry yourself, I knew what you meant and no offence was taken.” Then Kara would take a step forward, a sympathetic and gentle smile on her face. “Who have you lost?”

Kitsuki was a tiny bit worried when Kara narrowed her eyes at her. She knew that she had nothing to fear from the woman. Kara probably had her assets and her guiles, but she was not a direct threat to the Princess. Kit speculated that she was one of the strongest shinobi around and if Kara could beat her in a head-to-head matchup then she would have likely heard about her prowess. No, Kitsuki's concern was not for her safety, but for her reputation. Kit's status in Kirigakure was much more vulnerable than her physical form. A javelin to her chest would do no damage, but a cross word from the right lips to the wrong person might be fatal to her vision. A vision that she regarded as being more precious than her life. Fortunately, Kara had taken no offense. The faux pas was forgiven and the Zaibatsu CEO answered truthfully. She had mercifully been spared further grief, but from the sound of it that might have been by choice. She mentioned that she had few to lose these days and Kit wondered if that was a function of luck, preparation or the fact that she kept a very small circle.

She then did something unexpected. She smiled at Kitsuki and approached her. The Princess stiffened but did not give off any hint of fear. She knew that would only make her look weak and if there was one thing Kit could not afford to do, it was to look weak. She was a gentle soul. Even Kara could probably see that but this lifestyle had a way of forcing you to appear vicious and capable of great cruelty. It was the only way to survive and it was the only way to earn lasting respect on the continent. The torn shreds of her former leader came into her mind's eye. Kit blinked as she was brought back to the present by a simple question.

“Who have you lost?”
"Um"

The Baroness had cut straight to the heart of the matter. Kitsuki considered lying. An un-truth was already on the tip of her tongue, but her hesitation had cost her. The simple expression of uncertainty would probably be enough to tip Kara off any deceit. She already knew that Kit had lost someone dear to her. It was prefaced in the question itself. The only question was who. Kit opted for honesty. Kara had endured enough mistreatment at the hands of Kiri and Kit decided that a foundation based on mutual trust was preferable.

"A friend....maybe more." she confessed. She couldn't say his name. The investigation was ongoing and if it got out that she had feelings for Okane then that might make things worse. Kitsuki smiled back at Kara. "I just...I thought the Summit was supposed to end it all you know? The War I mean. But now I see it will never end. And I'll just keep losing people until.... " Kit didn't cry. She couldn't. She had used up all her tears when she had first received the news. Instead, she sighed and shrugged. The unfinished sentence was allowed to hang in there. The WASP graduate did not need to complete the thought as she was sure Kara was smart enough to complete it for her.

Kara noticed the stiffening of Kitsuki’s body as she approached, she paid it no mind however, a large part of her job as a doctor was appropriately dealing with the grieving and bereft. And reinforcing negative emotions by altering her course from sympathetic caregiver to concerned and wary bystander would not ease the situation any. She saw the hesitation when she asked who Kitsuki had lost and waited patiently, her gaze was mild, she had no intention of forcing an answer from the young woman, she was merely offering an ear to her pain.

When Kitsuki finally answered, Kara knew she’d hit a sore spot and she allowed it to rest. She decided she might circle back to the topic if it was appropriate, but for now the more important thing was that not only had Kitsuki lost someone, she may have also lost someone she loved romantically. Considering the relative age of the Princess, the latter was far more significant. She couldn’t tell if the love was unrequited, or simply blossoming into an unknown happier future, but regardless Kara understood that losing that kind of love was devastating. She had lost it once herself, and in truth her heart had never truly recovered from the hole that was left by the absence of Damien. It had changed her, hardened her and in a lot of ways had made her worse off than if she had never known love in the first place.

She didn’t want such a fate to befall this young woman. Kara was not terribly older than Kitsuki, but she guessed around a decade. And in the life of a Shinobi, a decade might as well be an entire lifetime. In the lifetime that existed between them, Kara had suffered overwhelming loss; her arm, her home and her husband. She was successful in other ways, and those were the things she had focused on. She had built herself a new arm, she had built Darhkvale and hired Doku. But none of those things were adequate replacements and it had allowed bitterness to seep into her heart. The bitterness had fueled her financial success, but had also isolated her. Priya, her second in command, had been the first to point it out. Priya had told her that by isolating herself from everyone that cared about her, that would be pieces of her that would never grow or learn. That had been the tipping point for the intellectual, not being able to learn something was the greatest tragedy imaginable.

So now that she had the opportunity to steer someone away from the metaphorical edge of lost hope, she would take it. It was entirely possible that she might even learn something from it. She finished her cigarette in silence as Kitsuki spoke and left her thought unfinished, hanging in the air, though entirely understood by the Apothecary. After a few beats Kara would offer another smile, this one touched by the sadness of loss. Turning slightly she would brush off what used to be some sort of low clothing display table, the golden hardwood preserved by the thick layers of lacquer, and unlike most other things in the destroyed boutique it retained much of its original colouring. Taking a seat on one edge of the table as though it were a bench, she would pat the spot on the other side of her with her metal hand inviting Kitsuki to sit next to her, a metallic ‘clink’ noise ringing out with each pat.

“What a world that would be to live in. One where there was no war.” Flexing her metal arm she would hold it out for Kitsuki to examine if she wished, her tone thoughtful and her golden eyes gaze focused somewhere faraway.. “This is the result of war and violence. I once was whole, like you are, and now. . .” She would move her metallic fingers, slowly twisting and turning the bits of metal that simulated muscles and tendons. “But this is also among my greatest engineering creations. Were it not for that pain, that loss. . . the world would have been deprived of this particular piece of artistic genius.” She smirked briefly at her own joke, in her experience occasionally injecting humour into dark topics eased the strain of the conversation. She allowed the joke to hang in the air for a moment before continuing, giving Kitsuki the opportunity to react in some way, either to laugh, or more likely, smile uncomfortably. “Jests aside however, war is tragic. Losing those we love is also tragic. But from those tragedies can come beauty, if one chooses to create it. Like the Heavenly Emporium for example, I have no doubt that when Okane returns from wherever he’s squirrelled himself away, this city will be even more grand than it was when he first created it.”

For the first time since Kara entered, Kit truly examined her metal arm. She had noticed something off about the inventor but did not want to stare. It would have been rude to gawk like a nosy bird at someone's prosthetic but in this instance, Kara was showing it to her. As an amateur armorer, Kitsuki was impressed by the make and quality of the limb. According to Kara it was one of her greatest creations and it was the byproduct of the war. Kit reached out to touch it. Her eyes searched Kara's for permission and assuming it was granted, she'd hold the arm with one hand and murmur something in Mende to herself. Zizz who had been sleeping blissfully on a strand of hair, now perked up. It could sense the ingenuity and creativity radiating from the invention. Damien's death hadn't been the only thing that had been taken from her in the past few years. Someone or something had robbed her of her real arm and in its place she constructed a monument to her own greatness. Kit was filled with a sense of awe and respect for the woman. Headmaster Sukimori would call this...."Magnificent"

She smiled at Kara's joke and looked up at her with new eyes. She was no longer uncertain and cautious. Anyone who could look tragedy in the face and laugh was not one to be offended by awkward words. Kitsuki nodded in agreement as Kara extolled the virtue of "Beauty from Darkness." To surrender beauty, creativity and love to nihilism and hopelessness would be a great victory to evil. Kit put down the arm and continued to smoke her cigarette as she reflected on Kara's words. When she mentioned Okane, Kit couldn't help but wipe a tear from her right eye. She exhaled the smoke and allowed it to drift upwards. It was like a physical manifestation of the prayers she offered for his safe return.

"He'll be back" she affirmed. Kit liked how Kara had phrased his disappearance. He was a smart man and while the evidence pointed to an abduction, the truth might be more complicated than that. He always had a plan and if he needed help executing it, then she would be there for him. She'd free him, fight for him and even kill for him if need be. He was a symbol of man's higher values. Sophistication. Aesthetics. Leadership. The only question was whether the world would feel his absence as deeply as she did. She did not wish to insult the Baroness, but even something as amazing as a multi-purpose prosthetic limb might lose its luster once the world moved onto the next big thing. Time could be as great a foe as it was an ally. "I only hope the world will appreciate him when he returns. Like anything beautiful born of tragedy, when the memory of the sorrow fades so to can the esteem of its works." Kit took a drag from the cigarette and blew a singular ring towards the window. She wished she could have come up with something so poetic. The line was cribbed from a book she had read at the WASP but then again, that was why her parents had paid for such an expensive education. What good was a finishing school degree if you couldn't even pretend to match wits with the likes of Kara Darhk?

Kara allowed Kit to examine her prosthetic thoroughly, twisting it and turning it if necessary to give the Kiri Leader a better view. It was something she’d always shown off, but in this particular case she was not only trying to make a point, she also knew that Kitsuki was an armorer and might find it professionally interesting. Kara had been equally interested in Okane’s creations when she had first met him in Sunagakure and it had inspired her to branch out into the fields of engineering. A career path that had led to some fabulous new landmarks across the world, and to the creation of the metal arm she now held aloft.

When Kitsuki complemented her work, Kara would smile at the praise, soaking it in like water in a desert. She lived to be noticed, everything she chose to do was for reputation and recognition, so a compliment like that from Kitsuki was worth its weight in gold. “Thank you for saying, Kitsuki-hime. I have designs for a better one in the works, soon enough I can add this one to the museum in Darhkvale.” She had a small building reserved in her city to house creations that were never used, and once she’d fabricated the Saru no Ashi, the working name for her next prosthetic, she’d be placing Sukuinote into the museum. Sans poisons of course.

Hearing Kitsuki’s confidence in the return of Okane, and her wish for his appreciation she would raise one eyebrow subtly. It might have been a professional interest, perhaps the interest of a Kage, or it might have been something more. No matter the reason, Kara found it curious that Kitsuki would laud the man with so much praise. She had to assume that Kitsuki had met Okane in person, Okane was the charismatic type and was easily able to sway most to view him and his works in a positive light. It certainly helped that he honeyed his words with money and gifts.

She appreciated the line about beauty and tragedy, it was well timed. And it allowed her to view Kitsuki in higher esteem, whether she had quoted something or someone or used her wit to turn a phrase, it pointed out to Kara that Kitsuki was well educated. And while Kara held little regard for most humans, it did help a person’s case to at least attempt to appreciate intelligence. “Of course he’ll be back, why wouldn’t he? And I fully expect that his works will be held in high esteem. Although in truth, not nearly enough people hold his works in high esteem in general. During the opening ceremonies for the Festival there was some. . . debate about the integrity of his work. Bloody Uchiha again, of course. They’re always sticking their noses where they don’t belong. Even went as far as to call Okane and my late husband, terrorists. I suppose the implication there was that I am one as well. Which, frankly, I care not at all for what some inbred Shinobi from a forest that calls itself ‘The Land of Fire’ thinks. If he thinks at all.” Kara paused then and ran her organic hand through her hair as she quieted the bitterness that threatened to take over. “My apologies, Kitsuki. I’m sure you didn’t come here to listen to me complain. It does beg the question however, what are you doing here?”

Kara was proud of her creation and why wouldn't she be? The arm really was a work of art and when Kit learned that she had an even better version in the works, she couldn't help but grin. The Sisterhood could use someone like her... Kitsuki let go of the arm. She didn't want to fawn over it like a child, but she did allow the business magnate her moment of shine. "I'll have to visit some time" It cheered her up a bit to speak with this inventor. She was technically Okane's competitor but from what she could gather the two were not enemies. There was more than enough business for the two of them to share without having to resort to unhealthy competition. Kitsuki finished off her cigarette, but rather than toss it out the window and add to the eternal pile of refuse that made up the ruins, she simply aged the object by hundreds of years. It crumbled to dust which she casually tossed out the window and into the air.

Kara didn't even entertain the possibility that Okane was never coming back. Either she was super-confident about his return or she was ignorant about the true nature of his disappearance. All signs had pointed to a kidnapping but Kara was far too intelligent to be out of the loop on such a crucial piece of information. That meant she was bullish on his escape or she knew more about the incident than she was letting on. Kitsuki wanted to ask her what she meant but she remained quiet. Sometimes the best way to gather information about a subject was to listen rather than to speak. Unfortunately, Kara didn't reveal a wild conspiracy about Okane. She instead complained about how the Uchiha had disrespected him and his works. It upset Kit to hear this but she knew that you couldn't blame an entire clan for the ignorance of a few.

Kitsuki hadn't really interacted with the infamous Konoha Clan. She had worked with Satomi Uchiha briefly on the mission to take down Mockingbird. She had found the Second Hokage to be a lacking conversationalist. Aside from him, she hadn't gotten a chance to even fight Akihiro as the spy was in a coma. All she knew of this troubled family was their penchant for causing trouble. Akihiro's act of wanton destruction was beyond the bounds of lawful warfare. The Nanadaime Hokage had started a war with Iwa for shoddy reasons and even worked with a rogue military alliance to bring the nation low. In fact, Nyguyen only appeared to reverse course and execute his kin when it suited his interests. Kitsuki couldn't defend the apparatus of the Uchiha Clan but she couldn't defend the way Kara spoke of them. The woman's description was rife with bigotry and the terms she used caught the Princess off-guard.

That's not okay....I understand she lost her husband but still....

Ordinarily Kitsuki would have interrupted Kara and chastised her for that kind of talk. She opted against it given the circumstances. The wound of Damien's death was fresh and the words that the Uchiha had spoken were indeed cruel. Anyone foolish enough to call Kara's late husband a terrorist was lucky to only have a few cross words said about their clan. Still, the event made Kitsuki rethink her plans to formally offer Kara an Angelic Crown. The Princess blinked and looked away in awkward silence. She was clearly uncomfortable with the sudden outburst of racism. Kara switched the subject to what Kit was doing here to which the Princess replied with a sigh and a rueful explanation: "This fashion house was run by Madame Mafee one of the Emporium's most in-demand designers. She's gone now...I never got a chance to see one of her shows. I had always dreamed of collaborating with her."

Used: Time Flow

Kitsuki’s use of some sort of ninjutsu to rapidly age the cigarette she held was fascinating, though Kara wouldn’t comment just yet, she knew that most shinobi jealously guarded their elemental secrets and she didn’t want to make a potential enemy by pressing the issue. She only allowed her gaze to linger on the dust for a moment before turning her attention back to her present company. All the while in the back of her mind she was taking in the damage to the Heavenly Emporium and trying to piece together what had happened, and more importantly where Okane had gone to. Despite her verbal assurances that she was unphased by emotional attachments, and claiming to not have any, there was a sliver of doubt about his disappearance. ‘I can check on him later, wherever he is I can find him.’

Kara could see the discomfort on Kitsuki’s face as she spoke of Zenaku. She spent enough time alone that it was easy to imagine having discussions with people that weren’t so. . . sensitive. Regardless of her thoughts when it came to human sensibilities, Kara saw the need to change the subject to accommodate the Princess. Her question to Kitsuki was met with a pleasing answer, it seemed that Kitsuki had interest in the world of fashion, which Kara found quite interesting.

“Collaboration? I’d heard you were an armorer, but I hadn’t realised that you might be interested in fashion as well. Obviously. . .” Kara gestured towards Kitsuki’s outfit “. . .I don’t mean fashion in general as you have an excellent handle on that already, I meant its creation.” Kara could see the attention to detail in Kitsuki’s appearance and was clearly impressed with what she saw there, yet another thing that Kara valued. It was a subtle thing that most might miss; hair and nails, skin care, high end clothing. . . it wouldn’t matter if Kitsuki were in the midst of a ‘to the death’ battle, her fashion sense would still be plain as day. “Her shows, my dear, were extravagant of course. And it is a shame that the world will no longer know her genius, but if it interests you so perhaps you could continue her legacy.”

Unwittingly, Kara was following in her parents footsteps. They had styled themselves worldly and generous philanthropists. Loved wherever they went, and always above suspicion. It aided in their true careers, to be viewed as general ‘do gooders’. That wasn’t precisely why Kara felt the need to be generous, she had no evil empire to protect. But she had frequently offered to finance the endeavours of those she met because society viewed this type of investing as morally appropriate for someone as wealthy as she. “I have been looking for a project to help expand Eclipse, to allow further ventures and such. I would be interested in financing such an endeavour if rebuilding such a place would help fulfil some of those dreams.” It wasn’t even a lie, there was much to be gained from such an arrangement, and assuming it was something Kitsuki wanted, Kara knew she’d be a good investment.

Kitsuki smiled and shrugged. "I run my boutique and draft designs when I have the time." Kara certainly seemed to know what to say to get on her good side. Kit was very passionate about fashion and she'd even go as far as to say it was her second job. If she wasn't a kunoichi she'd be a musician and a fashionista in that order. She figured that Kara might be flattering her, but there had to be some truth to it. The businesswoman did not not come across like a suck-up.

Kara had also been to one of Madame Mafee's shows. Kit was somewhat jealous of this but she chalked it up to Kara's lifestyle as a civilian. She had more freedom than someone in the military or government. She could go where she pleased and do what she pleased. When you were as wealthy, intelligent and talented as Kara was, business came to you not the other way around. Kit would have loved to hear more about the Mafee's fashion shows, but her companion had other ideas. She asked Kit how she would like to continue the fashion icon's legacy.

Kitsuki's eyes lit up. She did not want to appear too eager, but there was an unmistakable glow of excitement in them. Despite the aura of death and loss that now plagued her life, the thought of doing something she truly loved with someone like Kara was a dream come true. Kara herself had launched the Ghost and Nuova Luna fragrance lines. Both products had received rave reviews which meant that Kitsuki would be working with someone who fundamentally understood style.  

"You mean like a fashion collaboration? Y-Yes, I'd love that actually!" Kit's mind was racing with ideas. Her boutique was popular and quite successful in Kiri but she did not have the time nor capital to truly take it global. With Kara's financial backing and expertise, she could contribute to the wellspring of fashion and art that the Madame had laid down.

They've taken everything from us. People...Monuments...Art....Ideas....but they can never take our spirit! I won't let this world forget Okane or Madame Mafee or any of the people that made the Emporium what it is.

Kitsuki found herself smiling. A true and actual smile despite all that had been lost in this very room. This was an opportunity to make real what they had been talking about. Part of her was a bit unsure as to whether she could work with Kara. Aside from the fact that the Eclipse CEO was probably very demanding, Kara's grudge against the Uchiha may pose a problem. Kit figured that there was only one way to really discern what type of person the Baroness was. If she worked with her long enough, then her true colors would be revealed. If she was as noble as some claimed, then Kit would find out and offer her a spot in the Sisterhood. If not, then she could retain an amicable business relationship with Kara while keeping an arm's length distance for the duration of their joint project. Kit saw it as a win-win.

"I'm all in Ms. Darhk." Kitsuki had never run her own fashion house before. This was a big step for her. She had so much to do and so little time, but she wanted to make time for this. It was that important.

Kara was pleased when Kitsuki answered in the affirmative. It would also help facilitate her own personal plans to expand into Kirigakure, something she’d been attempting to do for years. “Excellent to hear. And please, call me Kara. We’ll need a storefront of course, or multiple if things go as I imagine they will. Where would you like to begin? Here perhaps, or Kirigakure, or did you have something else in mind?” Kara wasn’t partial to any specific physical location for the beginning of their partnership, so she left the decision in Kitsuki’s hands.

“I will finance the startup, as promised. Eventually I’m sure it will finance itself however. To be clear however, and I will write up the terms officially later, I do not expect that that allows me any greater ownership than you. My intention is for us to be business partners and have equal say and equal share. Is that acceptable to you? Is there anything you’d like to add?” This was the preliminary meeting, she would iron out the details once she’d made it back to Darhkvale. Kara had learned that there was much more to be gained from being generous, than from being selfish, so she would write off her initial monetary contribution and not hold Kitsuki or their business responsible for returning it.

"We can start in Kirigakure. I can finance a pop-up store there but I'd like the official Haute couture fashion house to be in the Emporium, wherever the new one is constructed" Kitsuki doubted that the new version of the city would be placed here, but she couldn't rule it out. Wherever Okane or his successors selected was fine with her. Kit was glad that despite Kara agreeing to front most of the money, she would not be taking majority ownership of the project. They were joint partners in this venture and that was just the way the Princess wanted it. She was grateful to Kara for being so gracious with these terms. She wasn't naive though. It was possible Kara was just being charitable and was wealthy enough to do her a favor for the heck of it, but there was probably a greater relationship she was trying to establish. She could be trying to curry favor with me....Kiri is a lucrative market. Kit could respect Kara's hustle though. You didn't get to 40 million ryo on charity alone. So long as Kara was a respectful and honest partner, she'd be glad to work with her on future opportunities and open up Kiri to all the benefits that the Eclipse Federation had to share. Kit reached into her jacket pocket and handed Kara her card. It contained her work address along with her legal counsel. She'd have to be an idiot to not have her lawyers at least look over the document. For what she paid in retainer, the least they could do is get off their butts and read a contract or two.

"That all sounds splendid. Here's my card with my contact information and that of my representatives. Thank you Kara, your generosity is appreciated and I look forward to working with you." No sooner had Kit said the words did Zizz blitz out of the window at microscopic size. She returned seconds later. The Angel had just come back from the work brigades. She regularly sent the alien to find out whether there were more trapped survivors. Whenever the shinobi thought they found some, they'd tell Zizz and she'd report back to her host.

ⴰ ⵛoⵓpⵍⴻ ⴷoⵣⴻⵏ ⵓⵏⴷⴻⵔ ⴰ ⵀoⵍⴻ. ⵉⵜⵙ ⵛoⵠⴻⵔⴻⴷ ⴱⵢ ⴰ ⴱⵉⴳ pⵉⴻⵛⴻ oⴼ ⵜⵀⴰⵜ ⴱⵉⵊⵓⵓ. ⵡⴻ ⴳoⵜⵜⴰ ⴳo ⴽⵉⵜ.


"That's all from me. Nothing more on my end." Kit bowed to Kara and replied. "It was a pleasure meeting you Kara but I'm afraid I have to go....I've just received word that there might be some survivors trapped under a piece of debris and I need to get them out" She hoped that she wasn't being rude to the CEO. Unfortunately, duty called and they'd have to continue their business discussion at another time. "Take care!" she offered before heading towards the window and climbing out. She'd walk along the building's side vertically before acrobatically leaping to another roof and then another. Not long after, the Princess was out of sight.

[Exit]

Kitsuki choosing Kirigakure as a starting point worked well with Kara’s plans, she did also like Kitsuki’s ambition to open their fashion house in the Heavenly Emporium when it was rebuilt. She would take the business card that Kitsuki offered, and hand one of her own over in return. “You’ll see me soon, my dear. I’ll write up an agreement and bring it with me when I make my way to your village.” Kara didn’t bother to inform Kitsuki that she could literally be there at a moment's notice, all magicians had their tricks.  

Kara hadn’t noticed where this ‘word’ had come from that Kitsuki received, and for all she knew it could have just been an excuse to see herself out. She would have commented on it, but was distracted by the familiar burning sensation of her Twin Seal. “Be safe, Kitsuki dear.” Was all Kara said as she let the woman go, and then she raised her organic hand to touch the Twin Seal on her own body and cease it’s ‘burning’ with the barest amount of her own chakra. She hoped that Tamwyn wasn’t in trouble, and that it was just him checking in. She didn’t think he’d allow her to teleport into a battle of some kind, but there was always that chance. “Doku! We need to go. Now.” Doku rushed inside to his Mistress’ side, a look of concern on his handsome face. He knew that if they needed to leave suddenly that there was likely to be teleportation involved, which he was not pleased about, but he stood there attentively nonetheless. Placing a hand on her faithful bodyguard the two would vanish from the Heavenly Emporium and teleport to the seal she’d placed on her brother.  

[Exit with Doku to the Twin Seal]

Notes: