Tell The Truth Mitsu (Flashback)

Kitsuki was lifting large chunks of concrete debris from what was a luxury apartment complex when she got the news. She had uncovered a small nest of trapped children under a collapsed tent made up of gargantuan stone slabs. Kit was elated when she discovered that they were alive. I thought I heard a heartbeat The kids were malnourished but mostly unhurt. A team of medical nin rushed into the crevice and rescued them while Kit held up the slab. Once all of the children were taken away, Kit shifted the weight of the stone and moved it to the side. She'd break it into pieces later and have it carted off by the masonry teams. Nothing could go to waste here. The shinobi world would need to rebuild and they'd need every scrap of metal, stone and human capital they could get their hands on.

Satisfied with saving several lives but still saddened by the ones that she had lost, Kit headed to the respite tents to take a break. She had only taken a few steps from the rubble when she heard a frightening wail. Kit's eyes flash gold and Zizz was by her side in an instant. The Angel had been zipping around the ruins of the Emporium and communicating with several reconstruction and rescue teams. However, the moment Kit sensed danger, Zizz was right by her side. The raw emotion behind the scream made her think that the Xenobeasts were attacking again, but that was not the case. A woman had just gotten news of the senicide that had taken place in Suna. She had elderly parents in Suna and the news of the massacre had finally reached the Wreckage of the Emporium. It was from this bereaved civilian that Kitsuki learned of what Chen had done. She knew that name. It was the murderous and vicious tyrant that had abused her friend Mistukira. He was the co-ruler of Iwagakure according to her which meant that his act was an act of state by Iwagakure. Kit's first reaction was to curse his name and swear vengeance against Iwa, but she remembered that things may not be as they seem. Chen could have gone rogue in doing so or he could have pushed out all dissenters from government and installed a puppet Kage. The world had just achieved peace and only a Mad Man like Ken would go out of their way to start a new war.

Mitsu couldn't have sanctioned something like this. Chen likely did it without her input or worse....

Zizz didn't need Kit to go down the laundry list of ways that Chen could deal with someone as passive and insecure as Mitsu. She needed to check in with the Diarch and she needed to do it now. The Angel shrank to the size of a dot and blipped across the ruins of the Heavenly Emporium. It would start its search on the destroyed city and slowly expand outwards until it reached every corner of the Earth.

Used: Divine Messenger

Mitsukira was wandering around the Heavenly Emporium, or what was left of it, trying to be helpful. She’d done during the attack of the Indaina Kujira just what she’d done during the last war; tried to keep civilians safe. It wasn’t glamorous or noteworthy, no one would remember her contributions but that wasn’t why Mitsu did it. She had always known in her soul that her destiny was to help maintain the balance of The Universe. It was her place in the Grand Design and until very recently she had been entirely content with her position. It, much like her actions now, was not a glamorous or noteworthy destiny, but it was necessary and so Mitsu dutifully filled her role as the metaphorical cosmic fulcrum.

Now though she was in turmoil. Her heart had been utterly broken and she had been unable to pull herself out of her despair this time. Usually the tiny dancer was able to find some silver lining or piece of wisdom in the terrible events that either happened to her or around her. But this cruelness in particular she had been unable to refute or justify. Chen had gone too far, but maybe he was right. And therein lay the problem; there had been too much truth in the words spoken by her nemesis, it was impossible for even the formerly eternally optimistic Mitsu to find some other meaning to his revelations.

“He didn’t ever love me.”

Mitsu would sigh the words out quietly as she moved away from the medical tent she had been helping at. Everyone inside was stable and there was no longer a need for a medical nin’s presence - least of all hers. She wasn’t exactly known for getting along with people anymore, even though she had been back in Sunagakure. Since the festival there wasn’t a moment that went by that wasn’t filled with dark thoughts of self loathing. And now on top of her doubts about her position in Iwagakure, she had the massacre in Suna to think about.

Finding a dilapidated alleyway filled with broken stone and metal, Mitsu sat down on the ground with her back against a toppled brick wall. She was tired, so very tired. After her conversation with Chen at the Festival, she had meant to send word to her family, to warn them to get out of the village and hide in the desert until she came for them. But she’d never gotten the chance. Too much had happened too quickly, and she was now deeply regretting not finding the time. From what she’d heard it was only the elderly that had been killed, which did keep her parents and her cousins and their parents safe. She’d been born when her parents were still teenagers, making them far younger than the arbitrary age Chen had set for execution. For now. Even if they hadn’t seen the dangers and had stayed in the village, they were probably spared. None of them were really shinobi, some of her extended family had some Academy training, but it was more token than anything. Her entire family was filled with artists and musicians and wanderers. Harmless by any sense of the word. A shiver of terror ran down her spine as she considered how much Chen hated people like that, how much he hated her, and she feared that if he knew who they were he might simply execute them out of spite.

“No, even if he wanted to do that, I doubt he’d recognize them as being related to me.”

Mitsukira had been born with albinism, unlike anyone else in her family. An unusual genetic defect that among other things, altered her physical appearance. Where her skin and hair was paper white and her eyes were a unique shade of red and pink, none of her other family looked like she did. She was even smaller in stature than the rest of them, physically there were no similarities. . . except perhaps in her smile, but Chen had almost never seen that. Recognizable or not however, her grandparents would not be so lucky she knew. Unless her parents had managed to get them safely out, there was no chance they were alive.

When Mitsu had first heard the news she’d been surprised that she hadn’t immediately burst into tears. In fact she hadn’t cried at all since her dance. She felt sorrow of course, but it was a hollow and empty feeling that felt somehow detached from her personally. She had gone about her business and said her goodbyes to the nightsky, but had not otherwise grieved. Even now as she sat with her knees pulled up to her chest in a dirty and bloodstained alley there were no tears for her to shed. She just sat and contemplated her new place in The Universe.

Zizz had to do a double-take when she ran across Mitsu. The Dancing Queen was sitting down in a filthy alley with a look of absolute melancholy. The Angel had actually zoomed passed the Diarch only to retrace her steps and reappear in front of her in a golden flash. Zizz had a look of concern on her tiny face and she reached out to touch Mitsu's hand. She knew that Mitsukira had a pure heart but that didn't mean it was indestructible. She could sense despair from the gentle soul. A despair that was far more severe than what she had sensed back when she spent the night in Kit's apartment.

ⵎⵉⵜⵙⵓⴽⵉⵔⴰ! ⴰⵔⴻ ⵢoⵓ oⴽⴰⵢ? ⴽⵉⵜⵙⵓⴽⵉ'ⵙ ⵍooⴽⵉⵏⴳ ⴼoⵔ ⵢoⵓ...ⵉ ⴷoⵏ'ⵜ ⴽⵏoⵡ ⵉⴼ ⵢoⵓ'ⵠⴻ ⵀⴻⴰⵔⴷ ⴱⵓⵜ... She heard. Zizz could see it in Mitsu's eyes. She could see it on her face. She could feel it in her heart. Without another word, the Angel followed up with ⵉ'ⵍⵍ ⴱⵔⵉⵏⴳ ⴽⵉⵜ oⵠⴻⵔ ⵉⵏ ⴰ ⵎoⵎⴻⵏⵜ. ⵊⵓⵙⵜ ⵙⵜⴰⵢ ⵡⵀⴻⵔⴻ ⵢoⵓ ⴰⵔⴻ, ⵉⵜⵙ ⴳoⵉⵏⴳ ⵜo ⴱⴻ oⴽⴰⵢ. She knew how fragile the girl was and if something had happened to her during the War in Heaven or prior to Chen's act of Senicide then she'd need Kit's help in trying to keep Mitsu from falling into the abyss. In the blink of an eye, the Angel was gone and back by Kit's side.

Kitsuki for her part had managed to make it to Mitsu's general location by asking around. Zizz then directed her to the alleyway where Mitsu could be found. ⵙⵀⴻ'ⵙ ⵀⵓⵔⵜⵉⵏⴳ ⴱⴰⴷ ⴽⵉⵜ. ⵀⵓⵔⵔⵢ!

When she arrived at the alley, she wasn't out of breath, but it was clear that she had made all deliberate haste in getting to Mitsu. If the Diarch could not find the strength to stand then Kit would drop to one knee and place a reassuring shoulder on Mitsukira's shoulder. "Hey its alright...I'm here. Are you okay Mitsu?" Kitsuki would search her pale friend for any signs of discomfort or distress. She knew how sensitive she was to the forces of the Universe both good and bad. The cataclysms that had rocked the shinobi world these past few days were enough to fill a lifetime.

Mitsu heard Zizz, or rather felt her. It wasn’t so much an audible cue from the tiny angel as it was that Mitsu’s heart could understand her. Her reddish pink eyes would flick up towards the tiny angel briefly as Zizz ‘spoke’. Mitsu didn’t reply however, she just looked at Zizz with the type of acknowledgement one might give a random passerby. Mitsu acknowledged her existence, but nothing more. She wasn’t trying to be rude, but what little energy she had left she had given to the citizens of the Heavenly Emporium when she was tending to their wounds. Even at her most tumultuous, Mitsu’s eyes had still held a small light of hope. She had still believed in her darkest hours that one day, if she believed and held true to the will of The Universe, she would come out the other side and everything would be alright.

Now there was no light, no hope or sparkle. Her gaze was dead and devoid of emotion as she watched the angel flit away. She knew that nothing would ever be alright again, no matter what Zizz said. The strong voice of determination that had been gifted to her by her parents was dulled to a whisper in the back of her mind and the calamity that was her current despair drowned it out entirely.

She would hug her knees tighter to her as the dull pain returned to her heart as Zizz’s presence faded. The distraction had soothed her momentarily and she hadn’t realised until it was gone and she was once again alone.

Except she wasn’t alone. Not physically anyway. Shortly after Zizz went to find Kitsuki, Kitsuki herself arrived and came up to Mitsukira. Mitsu would once again raise her eyes to look at the person speaking to her, her gaze retaining the same lifeless quality that it had before. She wouldn’t flinch away from Kitsuki’s touch, nor did she react at all to the hand placed on her shoulder. Where once Mitsu might have found the touch comforting, after initially being instinctively frightened, now Mitsu barely registered the closeness.

She stared at the Angelic Princess for a few moments as she considered how to answer her. There were many things running through the Dancing Queen’s mind, and none of them were good. She debated lying to her friend, telling her that she was fine. But even as emotionally destroyed as she was currently, Mitsu knew that it would be an obvious lie. So eventually Mitsu would lower her eyes and shake her head gently. “No. No, I'm not okay.” She sighed and found a spot on the ground to look at instead of raising her eyes to look at her friend. She hadn’t bothered standing when Kitsuki arrived, and she found the rubble she sat on currently to be a fitting seat for a deposed Diarch. “Things are. . . bad. Really bad. Nothing is alright anymore.” As an afterthought she added a question. “What are you doing here anyway?”

Kitsuki felt like she was looking into the eyes of a dead woman. She had seen Mitsu cry at the drop of a hat and get anxious at the mere mention of her nemesis's name, but she had never seen apathy in her friend's eyes. The former Diarch barely even registered her presence. Zizz had said the situation was bad but Kitsuki didn't understand how bad until she saw the hollow look on Mitsu's face. Kitsuki looked down for a moment as she searched for words to comfort her friend. She came up with nothing. There was so much that had happened that she didn't know where to begin or what to ask. Mitsu was in no state to have a full length conversation on the geopolitical ramification of Chen's actions.

She's lost someone. That has to be it. Her family maybe?

Kitsuki recalled that Mitsu had family in Wind Country. Chen might have targeted her family first and depending on how malicious he was, he might not have stopped at her elders. Kitsuki finally understood what she was dealing with. He's a monster and he needs to be stopped immediately!. Kit could feel the glow of gold in her eyes and she imagined destroying Chen once and for all. She was snapped out of her revenge fantasy when Mitsu asked her what she was doing in the ruins of the Emporium. The Angelic Princess turned to her distraught friend and answered honestly:

"I got word of the Indaina Kujira's attack on the Emporium. It was close to Kiri so I flew here to participate in the battle." Kitsuki felt as though she didn't really need to expound on the rest. The Beast and the Society's minions had laid waste to so much that one could hardly call the result a "victory." It was only in comparison to what might have been that one could call it a win. "There's still much to do though. I was helping rescue trapped survivors from rubble and moving debris when I got word of what happened in Sunagakure....my first thought was to find you and make sure you were okay." She wanted to ask Mitsu more about what happened but she felt conflicted. To press the issue might make her freeze up but she couldn't plan an effective response if she was going in blind. Chen had to be stopped and right now Mitsu might be the key to making that happen.

"...This attack on Sunagakure" she started knowing that it would not be easy to talk about. "Did you know? Tell me the truth Mitsu. You don't have to fear Chen, I swear on my life I'll protect you but I need to know. Did he hurt your family? Did he threaten to do so? What exactly did he tell you?."

It wasn't an easy thing to ask such pointed questions. She knew that Mitsu was hurting and that Chen leeched the last dregs of hope from her, but if this crisis was not resolved quickly then many more could die. This was a race against time and the more information she had the better.

Mitsu hadn’t really been expecting an answer to her question, she wasn’t even sure why she’d asked at all. It had been the sort of polite automatic response that she’d learned to give after years of being told her opinion didn’t matter. Kitsuki’s answer made sense though, of course she would be here to help protect people, what little she knew of the Angelic Princess left no room for doubt about that. She was kind and empathetic, and Mitsu couldn’t imagine a world where Kitsuki wouldn’t be here trying to save people.

And that would have been all fine and good, Kitsuki reaffirmed that she was a good person through her actions, and Mitsu could nod and carry on in her misery. But then Kitsuki asked about Sunagakure, and about Chen. Mitsukira could only remember being truly angry once before in her life, during the showdown between her and Chen in the throne room when she tried to claim Tsuchikage. She had been horrified by her own actions then and had let the memory of that day add weight and validity to Chen’s abuse of her.

"Did you know? Tell me the truth Mitsu.."

Mitsukira stood then, facing Kitsuki directly and staring at her with an intensity she’d only felt once before.

”Did I know?”

The world around Mitsukira seemed to shift from her perspective, The Universe coming into stark focus as she felt her rage boil beneath her skin. It was as though she could see everything; the Grand Design and all its gears were laid out clearly for the Star Child to see, tiny points of light marked the pathways of power, like stars in the silent void of space. She marvelled at the sight as outwardly her appearance changed. Her normally reddish pink eyes transformed as her sclera turned jet black like ink polluting clear water, and where it was once a haunting sanguine hue a royal blue took over, the transition leaving her eyes a brilliant violet for a moment. Three pale blue lines stretched out from her pupils giving her eyes the appearance of a crown.

“Of course I knew Kitsuki. Did I know he was going to murder all the elderly? No. But then, I’ve never been privy to the exact machinations of his twisted mind. I only knew that he was going to demilitarise Sunagakure, and that he threatened my family. I finally learned something that day though. He doesn’t want to kill me - he wants to make me suffer. As long as he is alive I’m safe from death, at least from his hand.”

Mitsu was trembling now and her voice had deepened from its usual melodic tone to one filled with pain and hatred and every other buried emotion that Chen had implanted there.

“You want to know exactly what he told me?” Mitsu laughed bitterly as she recalled that dance with Chen and all the horrible truths he had gifted her with. She was able to recite it verbatim, the words were so indelibly written into her soul.

"Don't you see Mitsukira? You're all alone. I don't need to lift a finger to hurt you. Someone as weak and alienated as you could never be a threat to me. Once I'm done here, I'm going to Sunagakure and I'm going to subjugate it. I'll de-militarize the village and turn it into just another base. You have family there don't you? Perhaps I should pay them a visit?"

Mitsukira could see everything and with it she felt a strength in her bones that was new and alien. Her hands guided by this strange force she formed a single hand seal; Rabbit. The Field of Defiance spread out from Mitsu and created a forty metre dome surrounding her, and her dark gaze would fall on her friend, willing Kitsuki to bear the weight of her fury.

”But that wasn’t the best part, friend. That was just the beginning of his torment.”

"You're just Masaru's mistress. That's all you ever were to him. A consort. A trifling amusement. He never loved you. And you mean less to me than you did to him so never forget your place or it will be the last mistake you ever make."

Mitsukira was beside herself now, she shook with anger as silent tears slid down her cheeks. She was finally releasing all the negative emotions that had been buried inside for years, but this was probably one of the least healthy ways to do that. Unfortunately Mitsu had never been taught how to handle suffering and pain, her parents had misguidedly taught her to hope and remain positive but had irresponsibly never prepared her for when things went wrong. “My whole life is a lie, Kitsuki. All of it. I’m no better than a lame horse, best put me out to pasture because at least there I can’t do any harm. I. Am. Nothing. And I’ve always been nothing, I just didn’t know.” Her words were sharp and she practically screamed them as The Universe sparkled around her.

Notes:

Zizz saw Mitsu's change before Kit did. The moment the question was asked, the Angel feared that her host had made a terrible mistake. When Mitsu stood, Kit got up from one knee to meet her. The expression that was coming to life on Mitsukira's face was one that Kitsuki had never seen before. At least not on this particular pale countenance. She repeated the question although it wasn't because she failed to hear it. Kitsuki didn't think Mitsu would lash out at her physically, but she couldn't help but wonder if she had pushed too hard, too soon. She didn't want to make it sound as if she was accusing Mitsu of conspiring with Chen. She just wanted to get to the bottom of the crime. She just wanted to know the truth.

Mitsu's shift in emotion was not the only change she'd be experiencing for the first time. The albino's eyes turned from their normal red color to an eerie black. It matched the surrounding waters of the Kaizoku Sea. The nearby depths been made foul by the Indaina Kujira's blood.

A doujutsu?!
ⴽⵉⵜ ⴱⴻ ⵛⴰⵔⴻⴼⵓⵍ!

The pattern was not one that she was familiar with although, she couldn't claim to be well-schooled in the art of recognizing foreign bloodlines. She was vaguely aware of the most famous by reputation, but the details were scarce. This was a symmetry that she was wholly unfamiliar with and the uncertainty made Zizz go into battle mode. The Angel was close to Kit's shoulder and as still as a camouflaged predator. Kitsuki held her ground. She didn't want to believe that her friend could hurt her, but she remained ready for anything. We won't hurt her Zizz. No matter what. She promised herself. She braced for some kind of action but instead she received words. The outpouring of anger from Mitsu's mouth was so unlike the girl she had met. Mitsu revealed that she "knew" in only the loosest sense of the word. Chen had told her that he intended to render Suna powerless. He had also threatened her family presumably to keep her from speaking about it. When Mitsu formed the Rabbit seal, Kit's instincts told her to react. She hesitated and in that moment a wave of crushing force burdened her body. It was as if the air had suddenly become pregnant with an invisible force. Kit was a strong woman and though her physician aptitude had not been egregiously effected, she found it difficult to move under such oppressive circumstances. It wasn't anything Tenshijutsu couldn't fix, but it did leave her vulnerable. The sudden strain on her muscles staggered her backwards and she was forced to bend her knees slightly to retain her sense of balance.

Zizz too felt hobbled by the Field of Defiance. The Angel's worry now bubbled to the surface. She shrank to avoid the effects of the Ninjutsu while practically "shouting" at Kit to do something.

ⴽⵉⵜⵙⵓⴽⵉ! ⵙⵏⴰp oⵓⵜ oⴼ ⵉⵜ! ⵉ ⴷoⵏ'ⵜ ⴽⵏoⵡ ⵡⵀⴰⵜ ⵜⵀⵉⵙ ⵉⵙ ⴱⵓⵜ ⵡⴻ ⵏⴻⴻⴷ ⵜo ⴳⴻⵜ oⵓⵜ oⴼ ⵀⴻⵔⴻ. ⵡⴻ ⵏⴻⴻⴷ ⵜo ⵙⵜop ⵀⴻⵔ ⴱⴻⴼoⵔⴻ ⵙⵀⴻ ⵀⵓⵔⵜⵙ ⵓⵙ oⵔ ⵀⴻⵔⵙⴻⵍⴼ.
No! Wait....

Kitsuki listened to Mitsu as she repeated Chen's words. It then dawned on her that Mitsu was not angry at Kit. She was not even angry at the Universe. She was angry at Chen for hurting her and at herself for not being able to withstand it. The years of abuse had taken its toll and the contents of Mitsu's speech clued the Princess in as to what was the true trigger for this sudden outburst.

She had a relationship with Masaru. More than that....she loved him. They shared a life together and Chen used her love against her.

Kitsuki didn't know if there was any truth to Chen's words. She only knew of the Third Tsuchikage by reputation, but from what she did know, he was a handsome and powerful man. A true titan who would be remembered throughout history as the man who had raised a nation from the depths of chaos to its rightful place on the world stage. She was not entirely fond of his methods, but she could not argue with his results. It made sense that Mitsu would gravitate to such a man. If by some miracle she managed to have the same relationship with Okane, she'd be crushed if someone convinced her that it was all a sham. The humiliation and pain might actually drive her to violence. She could only imagine what her friend was now feeling. Kitsuki could only shake her head as her friend internalized the horrible things she had been told about herself. She fought through the Field of Defiance to regain ground. She once more approached her Mitsu but this time, she put two hands on Mitsu's shoulders. She could not stand by and watch such a beautiful spirit be shattered. The complexities of the Suna situation were now forgotten. This wasn't about world peace, this was about saving Mitsu.

"NO! Mitsu please listen to me! I promised you that we'd get through this together. That we'd overcome his evil as a team. I won't abandon you to darkness like that." She gently squeezed the Dancing Queen and recalled how light and gracefully she danced. How her very existence could bring joy. A person like that wasn't "nothing," they were everything. A small piece that represented everything the grander picture was meant to be. Kitsuki had to make Mitsu remember that. She had to. "You aren't nothing! You're full of light and happiness! You were born to be a part of something greater and I'll die before I let Chen take your purpose from you." She hoped her words were getting through to Mitsu, but she couldn't be sure. She moved in closer and hugged her friend while whispering in her ear.


"I know we can't hear it. I know it can't communicate its will to us. But I know in my heart Mitsu that you are a Child of the Universe" She repeated the words that she had left Mitsu with. She meant them now more than ever. "....and the Universe protects its own"

Mitsukira believed every word that she shouted, each syllable burned its truth onto her heart and blackened it. She very nearly laughed as she realised how similar this moment made her to Chen. She’d seen this rage in his eyes, she’d been the victim of his unreasonable fury but now she finally understood just how uncontrollable it was. The more she raged, the more she wanted to rage. Her words fueled her own anger and somewhere inside herself she knew that if she didn’t stop, she’d destroy everything around her in an effort to feed the inferno that was her broken heart.

She wanted to reach out and turn the broken walls around her to dust, she felt like she could if she just focused hard enough. The stones would crumble and the streets would shake. . .

"You’re all alone.”

She could practically hear his laughter, see his smirk as he knew he’d beaten her. She could feel the cold and hard dance floor beneath her back as he dropped her there. If only she’d been stronger, if only she hadn’t been alone. She was worthless, she knew she was. No amount of reassurance from Kitsuki would change that fact. The cold truth was that she had known, and now people were dead. Her family was dead. She could have warned them, ran to them, done anything helpful. But instead she’d done nothing at all, and was rewarded with more blood on her hands.

"NO! Mitsu please listen to me!”

Mitsu didn’t pull away from Kitsuki’s touch, she just stood there with a look of abject hatred on her paper white face, her inky black eyes vibrating with the power of The Universe. She didn’t hate Kitsuki, she didn’t even hate Chen. But she did hate. It was something she’d pushed deep down, kept hidden from the light that she wielded. And she couldn’t hear reason above the cacophony of that hatred.

“I killed them. I did nothing. NOTHING. I could have stopped it, I could have done anything. I’m useless!”

While Mitsu hadn’t gone to Sunagakure and killed people with her own hands, she might as well have in her mind. She was the one person who knew ahead of time, the one person who could have done something about it. And instead, like a coward, she had done nothing at all. The weight of that choice would burden her forever. If she had gone to her homeland, she could have fought him. Kitsuki said she would die before she let Chen take Mitsu’s purpose from her. Maybe she would, but Mitsu knew she would trade places with any one of the people that Chen had murdered just so that they would live.

More visions of what might have been flooded Mitsu’s fragile mind. She could have easily gone straight there, she knew the deserts well, well enough to traverse them without proper eyesight. If she’d left right away then she might have even made it there before Chen did, she could have met him at the gates and finished the job she’d started back in the throne room. Blood and violence washed through her mind’s eye and as Kitsuki embraced her, Mitsu instinctively reached her arms up and clutched at Kitsuki’s back. She wasn’t nearly as strong as the Kiri-nin so it was unlikely to cause any real damage, but her fingers curled into claws as Mitsu clung to her for dear life.

"....and the Universe protects its own.”

She didn’t feel protected.

"You’ll always be weak.”

She didn’t feel loved.

"He never loved you.”

She felt nothing but pain and rage and it consumed her. She’d left everything in Sunagakure behind, and she hadn’t known then that she would never get the chance to see it again. Her family was gone. Her husband was gone, if he’d ever been there to begin with. She was convinced that everything she knew was wrong, and everything wrong was her fault. Burying her head into Kitsuki’s shoulder she let out a scream, a long and drawn out wail that held every ounce of her agony.

Kitsuki could feel the air shake and vibrate with energy. It wasn't Wind Release. She had the element and knew what it felt like. This was something entirely different. It was somehow familiar though. Gravity was a fundamental force of nature like Time. The two were interrelated and although she and Zizz was ignorant of the power that Mitsu now wielded, they knew that the Universe had not put her on this Earth to destroy. She was angry. She felt hatred. Those feelings were normal and if properly channeled could become righteous fury and an unrelenting pursuit of justice. Kit remained silent as Mitsu continued to vent. She blamed herself for the scores of dead civilians in Suna. The Princess knew that nothing could be further from the truth, but she wanted to give her friend the chance to vent. She hugged her tighter and tried her best to hold her steady.

Kitsuki let Mitsu scream into her shoulder. Kit remembered her own struggle with rage. She remembered how she felt when she learned what Kyoji had done to Iron Country in the name of the Empire. She remembered how she felt when Hana had told her the truth about what happened in Moonspire. The indescribable pain that came with guilt and wrath was something she knew all too well. Kitsuki would hold Mitsu for as long as she needed to. With Zizz by her side, she could never run out of strength not just for physical labor, but emotional labor as well. Kit would wait for Mitsu to release the full weight of her scream. She'd let her be relived of years of pent-up anger and frustration. Only when she was certain that Mitsu was done would she finally offer a small token of consolation.

"I'm so sorry for what you had to go through Mitsu. I'm sorry that Chen said and did those things to you. I'm sorry that you've lost your family. I'm sorry that we live in such a wicked world but I'll never abandon you. I'll always be by your side. You're not useless. You're my friend"

Mitsu stayed as she was for quite some time. Grasping onto Kitsuki for dear life, screaming in the only language she could now speak, the language of pain. Memories of her whole life coursed through her mind, these memories taunted her and fanned the flames of her anger.

Her parents, whole and healthy on the dunes of the Land of Wind. Their smiling faces as they taught her the wisdom of the desert and how to live in harmony with it and The Universe. Her grandparents as they showed her how to find water in the unforgiving terrain. Her cousins as they led her to the secret caves, the same caves where they’d rehearsed time and time again for their band's premier performance that would never come to pass. Mitsu had been happy there in the sand. She hadn’t had a roof over her head, or any material possessions worth noting, no money or trinkets. But she’d felt like she was wealthy beyond words. She had been with her family, and that had meant everything.

She knew every rock and tree and grain of sand in the whole Land of Wind. She had been born with a genetic defect, but even though it had made it difficult for her to see, she knew she could walk those lands with her eyes closed and be safe and comfortable. She knew that many feared the desert, they were afraid of what it might hide, or what they might lose if they lingered too long. But Mitsukira never feared the desert, she was taught to love and respect it and she was taught that if she did, it would love and respect her in return. And it always had.

She remembered when her parents had insisted that she attend the Academy, she’d been fairly old all things considered, but she’d gone anyway since her parents had thought it was a good thing. They had wanted so desperately to give her a life she could be proud of, to give her every opportunity to make her own choices. But they had failed so utterly in one grievous way. They failed to prepare her for heartbreak, failed to teach her about anger. She knew every star in the sky by name, she could list a hundred ways that the plants in the desert could help the sick and injured. She knew every animal that traversed the Great Sea of Sand, and how to interact with most of them safely. She had learned stories of heroes of legend, they’d even taught her the fine art of maths, but had never bothered to teach her about how to deal with sadness.

Mitsu loved her parents, but at that moment not only was she grieving them, she was also angry with them. When she’d first arrived in the Land of Earth she’d been a wide eyed and naive young woman. She’d taken everything that had been said to her or done with or for or to her to heart. And she hadn’t known it then, but it had been devastating. When war had first come to Iwagakure she had been frightened of course, but she’d still had hope in her heart. When Masaru had first fallen ill she’d been frightened, but still had that resounding song of hope. Her will had been unshakeable for so long. No one had told her that if you let everyone into your heart you’ll soon realise that not everyone deserves to be there. Some people in the world really did want to hurt others, and no amount of hope was going to change that.

As she continued to scream she realised Chen wasn’t the problem. Yes, Chen had ordered the execution of her people and more than likely her whole family. Yes, Chen had said unkind things to her. Yes, Masaru had likely never loved her. Yes, she was alone. But none of those things were the problem. Those people and their actions, their thoughts and feelings, who they were was not the problem.

She was.

As The Universe shook around her and gravity flowed through her being she thought she finally understood. Her place, her destiny in the Grand Design. She was incomplete, and she’d always been. Her whole life she’d only ever had half the story. She’d been manipulated and lied to by nearly everyone she’d ever met. And by that logic it was reasonable to believe that everyone had done so. But why would everyone do that if they weren’t connected to each other? The only thread that bound all these separate lives together was her. If she only had half the story, then it made sense to her that others felt she needed to have things kept from her. She needed to be lied to, to be manipulated and guided.

And if that was true, then how could she blame anyone but herself? Was she not responsible for her own choices? Did she not get up every morning and breathe on her own? Walk, dance, live? And if she was failing, then of course the ones that cared for her would need to step in.

Mitsukira was not in her right mind, not by a long shot. But she couldn’t know that; grief and pain are as mind altering as a bottle of liquor. She was confused, but too confused to know that she was. The dichotomy of her dogma and the ‘lessons’ she’d learned from interacting with her family in Suna and those she’d met from Iwa were clashing and were she to say it out loud in its entirety she was likely to sound insane.

After a time, Mitsu’s fury waned. Or rather, her energy did. A storm, no matter how violent, cannot last forever. Her screaming subsided and her grip loosened and eventually she made no noise at all save for the quiet breathing as the exhaustion of her outburst set in. She heard Kitsuki’s words and the sympathy and reassurance in her voice and Mitsu sighed softly. “I know.”

It was all she said for a few minutes more, just standing there silently with her head resting on Kitsuki’s shoulder. Then she would lift her head and take a step back as she looked her friend in the eye. “I did this to me. I have no one to blame but myself. But perhaps that’s part of my place in the Grand Design, I am the prey.” She didn’t elaborate aloud for a moment, it was something she’d often thought about when thinking of her interactions with Chen, and it was something she was trying to make peace with right now. Being prey wasn’t shameful, it was necessary. Without prey, who would eat? No one, and then the Grand Design could never be realised. She would lift her hand and attempt to place it on Kitsuki’s shoulder in a comforting manner, releasing the dome of gravity as she did so. “I’m the prey, and that’s good. Some people just are, that’s how The Universe works. You though, you’re not prey.” Mitsu had burned off all her rage and now stood as a hollow shade of her past self, her eyes still black as she thanked her friend..“Thank you, Kitsuki.”

Kitsuki stood still for what felt like a lifetime. She couldn't read minds, but she felt as though Mitsu was going through an intense personal struggle. She could relate, but only so far. If someone had threatened to kill her entire family and she had been powerless to stop it, then screaming might have been the least she'd do. Kitsuki could not make all of the pain go away. She could not teach Mitsu about caution and who to trust. She couldn't instill in her the years of education that she got at the WASP. Kit had been blessed in ways that she didn't even realize. Her own parents were savy businesspeople. They were honest and fair, but they could be ruthless when the situation called for it. They had taught their daughters to be discerning of anyone who wasn't family. Charitable where appropriate and suspicious when necessary. When hanging out with her sister Katsumi and the rough crowd, she had gotten street-wise. She knew how to hustle and think like a criminal. When she went off to private school, Headmaster Sukimori had further refined her instincts through intensive study and mentoring. He gave her an eye on how to guard against political enemies and social fiends. Then after graduation, when she had received the worldly knowledge and wisdom, she was gifted yet another boon. A divine being literally sat on her shoulder and helped guide her through the worst of times. Kitsuki had been groomed to face down the evils of the world and win. Unlike Mitsu, she was bred for this fight and she didn't even know it.

When Mitsu broke the hug and called herself "prey" it hurt Kit's heart. It was difficult for her to think of Mitsu as a warrior or a fighter, but prey seemed so weak. Anyone who could survive Chen's abuse and live was not a weak person. They needed to be helped and protected, but that didn't make them prey. Kit didn't start a debate about it though. She felt Mitsu's light touch and then the expression of gratitude. The dome of gravity melted away and the pressure that had been placed on her was lifted. She didn't disagree with Mitsu outright but she did add.

"It may seem like that now....but trust me when I say the Universe can change its plans. If anyone had met me six years ago, they'd have thought I was prey too. Until I wasn't." Kitsuki's journey hadn't been an easy one. She had started out as a little anklebiter. Just a mixed up kid living in her older sister's shadow. Friendless, quiet, and not particularly smart nor strong. Now she was a one woman army.

"I can help you Mitsu. I can teach you just like others have taught me. We'll face this together."

Zizz, who had shrunk for the duration of the gravity attack, grew to her normal size. She flexed her wings and looked around. The Field of Defiance was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She'd need to have a talk with Kit about this incident, but for now she focused her efforts on healing the Star Child.

ⵉ ⵛⴰⵏ ⵀⴻⵍp ⵜoo! she chimed in.

Mitsu had calmed down, and was no longer seeking to externalise her rage. She was still in turmoil, but she’d run out of fuel for the fire and was now thinking just a bit more clearly. When she heard Kitsuki say that six years ago she thought people thought she was prey as well, it came as a surprise to Mitsu. “I believe you, of course. But I can’t imagine you ever being viewed as prey. You’ve always seemed so strong and confident to me. But I guess I didn’t know you six years ago.”

When Kitsuki and Zizz offered to help Mitsukira become stronger, Mitsu sighed gently. Right now, she didn’t want to become stronger. She wanted to lie down and sleep, blissfully enjoying the silence of eternity and peace that resides there. But she knew there was some value in what Kitsuki was saying. She sat down again on the rubble and held her chin in her hands, with her elbows resting on her knees. “I appreciate the offer Kitsuki, and Zizz too. I don’t know if I’m in any state to do anything with it right now though. I’m tired, really tired. I have a lot to work through and I don’t know. . . my heart hurts. I’ve just lost nearly everything I held dear; my husband, my family and now I feel. . . weird. Like there’s something about this place that feels different.” Mitsu still had not realised that she held a dojutsu, she couldn’t see what her own eyes looked like, she could only see through them. “I don’t know what’s happening to me now Kitsuki, I came here to help I guess. Or maybe get away if I’m being more honest.” If allowed, Mitsu would then tell Kitsuki everything that had gone through her mind since she’d arrived to help her friend. Her experiences with Chen during the Festival, her relationship with Masaru and her memories of her time spent in the Land of Wind.

Kitsuki could hardly believe it either. The difference that a good teacher could make in one's life was truly astonishing. It was why Kitsuki had founded the Sisterhood. It was so that women blessed with the privilege of wealth, skill and influence could uplift others and march towards a new destiny together. Kitsuki would sit down next to her friend. They'd share the same rubble pile and Kit wouldn't pester Mitsu about the political dynamics of Chen's decision. That could come later. For now, she simply listened as Mitsu recounted her past. She learned how Chen used Mitsu's love of dance to break her down, how her budding romance with the daring Third Tsuchikage turned to tragedy and how her peaceful life in the Wind Country had left her woefully unprepared for the shinobi life. Kitsuki now understood why Mitsu was the way she was. She had not been raised in an environment that acknowledged the inherent evils of the world. She was sheltered despite ironically living a less pampered lifestyle than Kitsuki. The Princess said little and only took in what Mitsu had told her. She turned it over in her mind and tried to develop ways to help Mitsu. The damage that Chen had done would not be undone overnight, but if tangible progress could be made then that was worth working towards.

Zizz hopped from Kit's shoulder on to Mitsu's. The Angel hoped the glow of her presence would make her feel better. Chronokinesis was a fantastic powerm, but it had its limitations. She could not go back in time and undo all that had been done to her. She could not go back and warn Mitsu's parents that if they did not adequately prepare her for life, she'd crumble once she faced true evil. Zizz could, however, help her move forward. The brilliant power she had displayed was wholly new and without equal. The Angel figured that if given enough time, she could help Mitsukira master it. As she nestled on Mitsu's shoulder, she tried to recall the exact properties of the phenomena. She would develop a strategy for coaching Mitsu once she worked out what it was.

When Mitsu was done speaking, Kit would wrap her arm around her friend's shoulder. Aside from maybe a question or two, she hadn't really given her thoughts on Mitsu's situation. Once her friend had expressed what was on her mind though, Kit knew that the first order of business was to help Mitsu re-discover her purpose. If she could see no reason to live then no amount of words could change that.

"It sounds like Masaru really did love you, Mitsu. From what you describe, I think what the two of you had was real." Kitsuki was giving her honest assessment now. She wasn't just trying to make Mitsu feel better. She genuinely believed that Masaru had loved her and that Chen was taking advantage of his absence and Mitsu's self-doubt to ruin those memories. "Don't let him take the happy moments you two shared together. Kitsuki reached into her inner jacket pocket and retrieved her cigarette holder. She popped open the golden case and picked out one of her immaculately hand rolled cigarettes. She didn't know if the former Diarch partook, but she'd offer her one anyways. Once she either accepted or rejected, she'd continue while holding the cigarette in between her fingers. "You've been through a lot and you need rest. You deserve rest. That's why you're so tired. You've been running a marathon at full speed for years and you've been doing it with a smile on your face. I appreciate that but let me carry you the rest of the way. I want you to come to Kiri and live with me. I know I offered back at the apartment but this time I'm serious. I want you to come live with me in Kiri." she repeated the last sentence with greater emphasis. "This Shin guy sounds like a good person and I don't think Chen has the guts to walk all over him"

This raised serious questions about what Shin knew about the Senicide and when he knew it, but Kit didn't dive into this.

"If Shin is now running Iwa, its in good hands. Plus, the Iwa-Nin who delivered the final blow to the Indaina Kujira....Diana....she's from there too and she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. You don't need to prop that place up anymore. Once you're safe, we can re-assess. This crisis in Suna...we can get this resolved. You don't have to worry about it. I'll need to get the Princesses onboard but I should be able to do that" Kitsuki had done the political calculus. Arisu would be a lock for something like this. This "Chen" guy was a threat to world peace and whenever someone was a danger to Earth, Arisu acted. For all their differences, that mattered a lot in Kit's book. Sayuri was a wild card. She might sanction a move to dislodge Chen for the chaos and war it could spark or she could outright demand that Kiri join their former ally. Either way, Arisu and Kit could out-vote her on this and if she pressed too hard it would be the perfect opportunity to try and kick her out of the Trivumverate. Kit turned and looked at her friend. "You need to focus on yourself for now Mitsu.....what you did back there. That power. Zizz and I have never felt anything like that before..." Kit didn't want to ask about Mitsu's doujutsu. She assumed the albino knew what she was referring to. Perhaps Mitsu didn't like to talk about or use her bloodline limit. Kit couldn't claim to be well-versed on the subject so until the two began training together, she had no plans to make Mitsu discuss it at great length. That said, she wanted Mitsu to know that she wasn't as "useless" as Chen had made her believe.

Mitsu was grateful that Kitsuki sat down and listened to her tell her story, and did so without judgement. She was equally grateful for Zizz’s presence when she sat on her shoulder, and instinctively Mitsu would lean her head slightly to touch the tiny angel, seeking comfort from the physical closeness. When she was finally done speaking, Kitsuki gave her thoughts on Masaru, and Mitsu got choked up. She wasn’t going to argue with her friend, and maybe she’d feel differently after she slept or ate or something, but for now she couldn’t see it.

When Kitsuki offered a hand rolled cigarette, Mitsu thanked her and took one. “I used to have a pipe, back in Suna. I left it with my cousin as proof that I would come back. . .” She didn’t dwell too long on the thought and just sat and enjoyed the moment of peace as she smoked. As Kit explained why she thought Mitsu was so tired, Mitsu found it difficult to disagree, she had been working harder than ever, trying to be the epitome of perfection. Mostly so that no one could find fault with her.

Mitsu’s eyes went wide as Kitsuki asked her to come live with the Princess in Kiri. “I. . . uh. I don’t know Kit. I can come visit, but I can’t just leave, you know? And I have to tell Shin, I don’t want him to think I’m abandoning Iwa, or him.” She did enjoy the thought of visiting the Land of Water, she’d never been and she’d heard lovely things about it. But she was terrified of giving the wrong impression if she just up and left. She did laugh then though at the irony. “For someone who tries to teach others to be free spirited, I sure am worried about responsibilities. But you are right, the Children of Earth are in good and capable hands now. . . maybe I should take a break. Alright, I’ll visit. But I need to send word to the Tsuchikage, perhaps I can even help establish friendly relations while I’m there. Like I did for Su-” Her ‘diplomatic mission’ from Sunagakure had ultimately been a success, but in retrospect it might have been better if she’d never gone at all, what with the suffering that Suna was undergoing now. “We’ll see what he says.”

She sat and pondered the dilemma for a minute or two in silence, inhaling from her cigarette and once it was finished she would hold it out and gently release the remaining bits of tobacco so that they fell onto the ground as she rolled the cigarette between her thumb and middle finger. Speaking quietly she would offer her gratitude to The Universe. “A thousand lifetimes may I live to receive and return your blessings, an eternally grateful part of Your Grand Design.”

Hearing Kit’s thoughts on the power she had displayed made her shake her head. “I haven’t either Kit. My family, we don’t have a bloodline. Well, more than just being related. At least not my immediate family. Maybe some of my cousins, but nothing like that. I felt connected. . . No. I feel connected to The Universe. I can see the points of The Grand Design, where it intersects with people, with you. But I don’t know why. And if you haven’t seen it before, or you either Zizz then. . . what is it? Where did it come from?” Mitsu was comfortable with being able to see The Universe and its Grand Design, but she was curious about the how and why of it.

Kitsuki was glad that she hadn't offended Mitsu with her bad habit. She had quit back at the WASP at the Headmaster's behest but the war had drove her right back to her addiction. She loved her sensei, but there was only so much she could take from him. She had to make her own decisions and this was one indulgence that she'd allow herself. She lit Mitsu's cigarette and then her own.

Mitsukira wasn't thrilled at the prospect of leaving Iwa. A visit was all that she would agree to for now which Kit could understand. She was concerned about the effect that the nation was having on Mitsu's well-being. It sounded like she didn't really want to be there anymore. It wasn't home for her and Kit suspected that it wasn't safe either. But the Princess held her tongue. Mitsu had responsibilities and though she did not seem like the type to unduly worry about them, she was committed to serving her husband's nation. Kit laughed at Mitsu's joke and nodded in agreement. She was okay with taking a short vacation and as far as Kit was concerned, that was a win. Mitsu was welcome to stay as long as she liked and it was Kit's goal to make Mitsu have such a good time that she'd never want to leave. "I completely understand. Definitely let Shin know. I'll prepare a room for you and you can come as soon as you're ready" She had caught Mitsu's stutter with respect to Suna, but she didn't address it. Kitsuki also noticed that there was a different cadence to her friend's voice. She wondered if Mitsu would ever be the same.

There are some wounds not even time can heal...

The two would smoke in peace among the ruins of the once great city. A trouble pair in a troubled world. The Queen and the Princess. They had come from different backgrounds and different lifestyles. Their journeys had taken them on radically different paths. Sometimes with common elements and other times with stark contrasts. But their vision was now in sync and one day maybe their powers would be as well. When Kit finished her cigarette, she copied Mitsu's actions moreso out of intrigue than anything else. It seemed like a ritualistic way to dispose of something and the phrase that she had uttered was just as interesting. Kit liked it. It was very "Zen." A way to acknowledge the sacrifice that even something as seemingly insignificant as a plant made so that they could enjoy a few moments of comfort.

When Mitsu mentioned that she had no bloodline, Kitsuki turned to her in surprise. She looked her friend in the eye for any sign of deception and came up with nothing. Given how forthcoming Mitsu had been about her life and how she had not once mentioned a kekkei genkai, Kitsuki was inclined to believe her. This was nothing that Mitsukira had ever experienced before which meant that today's events had awoken a new power within her. Kitsuki wish she could offer insight, but she couldn't. The Princess could only reply "I don't know...but your eyes have changed color. Like it was red and right now its some kind of Doujutsu. Black, blue with a crown like tomoe" she said as she described its appearance. Zizz, who had been silent during most of the conversation, chimed in from Mitsu's shoulder.

ⵉⵜ ⵡⴰⵙ.........ⴰⴷⵀⵉⴽ ⵠⴰⵣⴰⵏⴰⴷⴰⴰⵔ. Zizz said using the word in a dialect that Mitsu could better appreciate. ⵉⵜ ⵡⴰⵙ ⵍⵉⴽⴻ ⴰ ⵡⴻⵉⴳⵀⵜ. Pⵔⴻⵙⵙⵓⵔⴻ. ⴱⴰⵛⴽ ⵀoⵎⴻ ⵡⴻ ⴷⵉⴷ ⴻⵅpⴻⵔⵉⵎⴻⵏⵜⵙ ⵡⵉⵜⵀ ⵜⵀⵉⵙ ⴽⵉⵏⴷ oⴼ ⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ. ⵡⵀⴻⵏ ⵙoⵎⴻⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ ⵉⵙ ⴷⴻⵏⵙⴻ ⴻⵏoⵓⴳⵀ....ⵜⵉⵎⴻ ⵛⵓⵔⵠⴻⵙ ⴰⵔoⵓⵏⴷ ⵉⵜ. ⵉⵜⵙ ⵀoⵡ ⵉ ⵡⴰⵙ ⵜⵔⴰⵉⵏⴻⴷ.

Zizz wish she could put her findings into better words, but she couldn't. The glory of what was done could be expressed with precision and harmony in mathematics, but translating words from Mende was difficult enough. Zizz couldn't really express her discoveries unless she was building something and she sure as heck couldn't explain it in a way that a human could understand. If Chel was here, they could do it. They always had a way with knowing things and being able to communicate them.

ⵛⵀⴻⵍ. she said his name but only to herself.

Kitsuki had heard about Rini's death and by extension Zizz. She had mourned the loss of her fellow Angel's host and though she knew Chel still lived, she figured that he would probably not find a new host anytime soon. If he were here, he could surely help Mitsu. But he wasn't, by all accounts he now circling the cosmos looking for more knowledge. Knowledge that could save the life of someone else. Zizz resolved that she would not give up. They wouldn't if they were in her shoes. Understanding Mitsu's power would take time, but she'd get there eventually. For now, she did her best to put the pieces together and in a way that her host and ally could understand.

ⵉ ⴷoⵏ'ⵜ ⴽⵏoⵡ ⵡⵀⴻⵔⴻ ⵉⵜ ⵛⴰⵎⴻ ⴼⵔoⵎ...ⴱⵓⵜ ⵉ ⵛⴰⵏ ⵙⴰⵢ ⵜⵀⵉⵙ. ⵉ ⵔⴻⵎⴻⵎⴱⴻⵔ ⴼⴻⴻⵍⵉⵏⴳ ⴰ ⵙⵉⵎⵉⵍⴰⵔ ⴽⵉⵏⴷ oⴼ ⵀⴻⴰⵠⵢ ⵏoⵜ ⵜoo ⵍoⵏⴳ ⴰⴳo. ⵡⵀⴻⵏ ⵡⴻ ⴼoⵓⴳⵀⵜ ⵜⵀⴻ ⵉⵏⴷⴰⵉⵏⴰ ⴽⵓⵊⵉⵔⴰ....ⵜⵀⴰⵜ ⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ ⵉⵜ ⵡⴰⵙ ⴷoⵉⵏⴳ ⵡⵉⵜⵀ ⵉⵜⵙ ⵛⵀⴻⵙⵜ. ⵉⵜⵙ ⵜⵀⴻ ⵙⴰⵎⴻ ⴽⵉⵏⴷ oⴼ ⵀⴻⴰⵠⵢ ⵜⵀⴰⵜ'ⵙ ⵉⵏ ⵢoⵓ ⵔⵉⴳⵀⵜ ⵏoⵡ.

Zizz floated away from Mitsu, picked up a pebble and dropped it as she tried to ascertain the nature of the ability.

ⵉⵜⵙ ⵏoⵜ ⵜⵀⴻ ⴻⵅⴰⵛⵜ ⵙⴰⵎⴻ ⵜⵀoⵓⴳⵀ. ⵉⵜⵙ ⴷⵉⴼⴼⴻⵔⴻⵏⵜ. ⵉⵜⵙ ⵏoⵜ ⴰⵍⵉⵠⴻ oⵔ ⴰⵏⵢⵜⵀⵉⵏⴳ. ⵉⵜⵙ ⴷⴻⴰⴷ ⴱⵓⵜ ⴷⴻⴰⴷ ⵉⵏ ⵜⵀⴻ ⵙⴰⵎⴻ ⵡⴰⵢ ⵙpⴰⵛⴻ ⵉⵙ. ⴰⵏⴷ ⵉⵜⵙ ⴽⵉⵏⴷ oⴼ ⴰⵍⵉⵠⴻ. ⴰⵍⵉⵠⴻ ⵉⵏ ⵜⵀⴻ ⵙⴰⵎⴻ ⵡⴰⵢ ⴰ ⵙⵜⴰⵔ ⵛoⵓⵍⴷ ⴱⴻ ⵛoⵏⵙⵉⴷⴻⵔⴻⴷ ⴰⵍⵉⵠⴻ. ⵉⵜⵙ...ⵉ'ⵎ ⵙoⵔⵔⵢ ⵜⵀⵉⵙ ⵉⵙⵏ'ⵜ ⵎⴰⴽⵉⵏⴳ ⴰⵏⵢ ⵙⴻⵏⵙⴻ.

What Zizz was trying to get at was that she wasn't of the opinion that Mitsu was harboring the Indaina Kujira. The monster was gone and this after-effect of its presence was all that remained. However that after-effect had exacted some kind of influence on Mitsu. The nature and quality of that influence was unknown but it reminded Zizz of celestial mechanics. A star and its relationship to other objects around it was mediated by a fundamental force. A force that was too complicated to explain in Mende.

Mitsu was relieved when Kit agreed with her plan to let Shin know about her staying in Kiri for a time. For all the hardship Mitsu had endured while there, the Land of Earth was her home and she loved its people. She would never dream of just abandoning the Children of Earth, and she wanted to make sure that the Tsuchikage knew that. She could also see Kit’s point though; Mitsu needed to rest somewhere she felt safe. And as sad as it was to admit, Mitsu didn’t feel safe in Iwagakure. She had when she’d first arrived all those years ago, but that feeling of security had rapidly diminished.

Mitsu’s eyes went wide as Kit described the dojutsu that Mitsu now had. She was aware that she could see the world differently now, but she hadn’t realized that had come with a physical change. Like any idiot who was suddenly surprised by a physical change, Mitsu reached her hand up towards her eyes, because maybe she could feel the change? With her fingers? She laughed almost as soon as she did it, realizing quickly that her fingers wouldn’t be able to see. “I guess I’ll need a mirror or something.” For a brief moment her distress melted away as she chuckled at her own foolishness.

It quickly returned however as she considered the ramifications of the changes she was undergoing. As Zizz explained her thoughts on the matter, Mitsu became more concerned. “So. . . this could be from the Indaina Kujira? Am I. . . am I cursed or something?” She turned to look between them frantically, her anger being replaced with the more familiar panic. “I didn’t do anything. . . maybe I should have. Maybe this is my punishment for not fighting, oh Universe, I did this to myself. I did, didn’t I?” A momentary bout of anger was incapable of altering the deep seated guilt that Mitsu felt and she knew that anything bad that happened to her was certainly deserved.

When Zizz explained that it wasn’t exactly the same as what she’d felt from the Indaina Kujira, Mitsu calmed somewhat. Zizz’s explanation made sense to her, and she felt as though Zizz was explaining the concept of the Universe that Mitsu was familiar with. In reality Mitsu was not correctly understanding Zizz, but she obviously didn’t know that. “Do you mean The Weight?” Mitsu placed her palm over her own heart gently and continued. “It feels similar, maybe it is that. Which would make me feel a lot better about it.”