Koi Pond Park

Kitsuki was hanging out at the local Koi Pond. There was a lot on her mind and she decided to clear her head with an old pastime. The kunoichi collected a few rocks and began skipping them down the pond. She grasped the heavy stone in her hand and flicked it down the surface of the water creating ripples with each point of contact. The stone reached the end of the mini-lake before sinking. Kit could never do more than one or two skips when she was younger but she was pretty well coordinated nowadays. In fact, she had to hold back her strength lest the projectile turn into a nuclear bomb. Kitsuki picked up another stone and repeated the process. She sighed as she watched the second stone sink to the bottom.

Hana's death, her falling out with Arisu, and the sudden prospect of inheriting a world war was burdensome. She had spoken at length with Headmaster Sukimori and while the man was supportive, he ultimately left the matter up to her. He could not rule for her nor make decisions in her stead. He had given helpful advice but ultimately he had trained her to take up tasks like these on her lonesome. If she relied to heavily on him then she'd never grow into the leader she was destined to be. Kit thought about her conversation with Ryosei and it made her uneasy. She had expressed optimism about the future and it seemed as though the world was heading in the opposite direction. She wanted to end the war but she had a feeling that before that happened, she had a lot more fighting to do.

I wonder what Katsumi's up to?

It was nice recovering away from the village. After failing another mission, Toshi had ended up battered and bruised. Due to several fractures, his arm was encased in a cast as well. His feet pattered softly onto the cobble road as skin met stone. The soft slow tempo gently faded into the background of the bubbling fountain that circulated the pond's water. His eyes were alight as he wandered in, almost as if he were searching for something and nothing else in the universe had substance. When his eyes made contact with the water's surface a toothy smirk would spread across his lips. He'd vanish from sight before carefully treading across the surface of the water careful to not make ripples. Toshi would slowly release a iridescent dragonfly from his left hand and watch as it slowly floated over the water's surface.

He'd chosen the right spot. Only a few moments would have passed before he could see that something beneath the surface had spotted the curious insect that'd gotten too close to the water's surface. As it got within a meter of the surface Toshi could see that this was it. He was snapped out of his awe by the sound of a splash. In the moments before he'd even considered looking up, his vision began to pitch downward as his jutsu broke and he appeared on the water's surface. He'd do a full rotation as the force from the rock that clipped his ankle sent him spiraling into the could mini-lake. His target fled in sheer terror. Toshi, absolutely livid, would stew underwater for a moment, before swimming back up.

Blind with annoyance he'd yell, "Dammit! What gives?!" in the general direction of his vile assailant.

When Kit saw her rock strike an innocent passerby walking across the pond, she immediately gave a cry of regret. The hapless bystander sank underneath the pond only to swim back up and shout at her for her carelessness. Kitsuki raised her hand to her mouth as she was startled out of the mopey thoughts that had been occupying her for the past few days. Koi Pond Park was a popular spot at the Heavenly Emporium but never before had she seen someone actually walk on its surface. Regardless, she should have been more careful when it came to throwing stones, especially with her strength.

"I'm so sorry!" she yelled out. "Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" she repeated again and again. Not content with the profuse apologies, Kitsuki took off from her location and skipped across the surface of the water to reach the victim. She held out a hand and tried to help him stand on its surface. If he couldn't then she would have no issue with carrying him a shore. He was soaking wet and in a pissed off mood though so she offered before picking him up.

"Do you need a hand? I can get you to shore....I didn't think anyone would be on the pond but I should have made sure before I....well you know" Kitsuki was a bit embarrassed to say what she had been doing. Skipping stones was for kids.

It was hidden, but not well the pain that the annoyance was covering up. To those who were adept at reading people, it was obvious that Toshiyuki, like most Ryuutei's, was the type to hide behind his anger. It was maybe a little more obvious when Toshi's self-monitoring voice made him come to terms that he'd just yelled at a superior. It was so shocking that the facade he'd thrown up was blown away. It was as if that fake anger was the part of him had received the blow. Desperate to dispel the illusion, Toshi inspected the ninja in front of him to try and find a flaw in how he'd heard, expected, and read that this woman held herself. His eyes quickly leapt from feature to feature as his voice feebly, not from fear but shock, let out, "L-Lady Kurahasa?"

"Do you need a hand? I can get you to shore....I didn't think anyone would be on the pond but I should have made sure before I....well you know" Why was she apologizing to him, though? Her posture and her disposition, both were softer than he'd been led to believe the epitome of Kiri's ninja were capable of. She must have been looking down on him. Naturally she'd not heard of the eternal genin. His biggest feat to date was surviving the wrath of Kumo's Seraph. More than his leg, his inability to be recognized, his inability recognized, and her kindness towards him cut the ninja like a knife. Toshi, would pull himself to surface. He wore a simple hoodie over extremely casual clothes.

"I can manage at least that much." If there had been any bite in Toshi's words before this, it was gone now whether diminished by mindfulness or a sudden shift in temperament. He'd shift to a sitting position on the surface of the water, adjusting his hoodie so it once again draped over the cast on his right arm."I apologize for interrupting your evening Lady Kurahasa. A ninja should always be attentive of their surroundings," Toshi revealed that his criticism was focused inwardly as he broke eye contact he'd not realized he was making. Regardless of rumor and propaganda, this was the warrior that'd slayed the Mizukage. That was known. That was what was on his mind. Toshi knew his place, he'd pause for a moment in case a response came before continuing, "You're skipping stones Lady Kurahasa? Here in Heaven's Emporium? And not in the Land of Water?  Did you also come here to see the Tama ki Utsuri?"

Toshi's question beckoned a specific answer, but he dared not ask the question. He instead ended with a reference to a rare opalescent fish that'd been bred here in the very pond the two rested upon. Toshi would stand assessing the damage to his leg. The Ryuutei took in the sights around him. He'd not really paused to observe the place before now. Its manufactured qualities didn't really appeal to his sensibilities. The pond was an exception and the sole reason he even bothered with the emporium. The bandages peaking from his pant legs and sleeves, pointed towards R and R.

The kage's apology would remain unacknowledged as if the ninja didn't understand it usage in this scenario, even fundamentally.

When Toshiyuki recognized her, she couldn't help but blush. She was used to living in the shadow of her big sister. Before the Eastern Gates, it was rare that people outside the music industry recognized her on sight even though she was the daughter of a prominent merchant. Now people saluted when she walked past, family friends bowed low to her, even her old teachers from the WASP treated her differently with the notable exceptions of Maestro Ko and Headmaster Sukimori. Whatever indignation that Toshiyuki felt evaporated as he realized who he was talking to. This made Kit feel even more guilty. He had every right to be mad at someone who had just assaulted him with a stone, but because of her stature, he felt the need to mollify his anger. It wasn't right but that's the way aristocracy worked.

Kitsuki watched as the young man sat down and apologized to her. She was stunned but quickly sobered up. The only thing worse than having people treat you differently because of the title you held was showing weakness during a period of political instability. Kitsuki was a Princess of the Isles and she had no choice but to act accordingly. She remained standing and though her expression was soft, she removed the contrition that had previously been present in her voice.

"No need to apologize. You have a right to be here and enjoy the Heavenly Emporium just as much as any person."

It was true. The Heavenly Emporium was a neutral zone created so that all ninja could heal, trade, and speak peacefully without worrying about the hell that had been unleashed elsewhere. It was a place where people could set aside allegiances and speak to each other honestly and without fear of reprisal. The peace of the Emporium was sacrosanct and she'd never treat it as a palace that belonged to the upper class. Toshiyuki had been enjoying the pond (although in an unorthodox way) and she had accidentally ruined it for him. The fault was her's not his. Rather than apologize though, she offered something else. A small piece of honesty. Humility. A showing of vulnerability that could very well come back to haunt her later. She sighed.

"No...I'm not here to see the Tama ki Utsuri. I'm here because I can't skip one rock without being bombarded by requests for approvals, bureaucrats demanding favors, passive aggressive compliments, and all the other drama that comes with being a Princess. Especially a Princess that killed two Mizukage."

It was a lot to dump on Toshiyuki and the moment the words left her mouth, she instantly regretted it. Why was she talking about Kiri internal affairs to a complete stranger? He sounded like someone who was from the Isles but Kitsuki didn't know that for a fact. He could be a spy working for her country's enemies or even an asset of one of Kiri's hidden shadow factions. Those who despised her influence and sought to return Kiri to the status quo ante would stop at nothing to break her down: blackmail, sabotage, anything really. Kit realized that it was the sudden pressure to lead and rule that had caused her to release her inner most feelings. It felt good but it was dangerous.

I can't ever do that again....

"....Just forget I said anything.....you don't want to hear about my political troubles" she smiled sadly and offered a hand to the sitting shinobi. "Cmon let's get that looked at. What's your name by the way?"

"No need to apologize. You have a right to be here and enjoy the Heavenly Emporium just as much as any person." The idea of a place like this was an affront to the core values and mores he knew. There was no way he would come to a place like this to relax, yet the simple statement forced him to reassess his feelings. Humbled is the only word that would come to mind if he'd be asked to describe this moment later. It was a small gesture, but she'd bothered to hear him as he spoke. It'd been some time for him, so to him hearing that name come from someone else's mouth was like discovering a pearl in a lake bed. He'd see familiar eyes. 'Soft eyes,' as his father would say. Soft was nice.

As she continued, it became very apparent very quickly to Toshiyuki that Lady Kurahasa needed an advisor, and honestly a few more secretaries. It was difficult for him to empathize, but he'd try to understand. He wasn't the brightest. He just followed his instincts and occasionally stumbled into success, so he knew that she was talking to the wrong person. There were countless more ninja she could open up to, and yeah they'd come at her asking for help with mission design, or requesting money, or wanting restricteds, or wanting her to make their problems disappear, or any other number of dull, inane inquiries. As she spoke, Toshi's still focus fell on her words watching them as they left her lips. He would inspect them as they left for hidden or double meanings. Then she'd stop. He knew he couldn't help her, but she'd given him something he'd been denied for so long.

"....Just forget I said anything.....you don't want to hear about my political troubles." Toshiyuki would nod his head formally, a chuckle almost too feeble to be called that would escape from his nose. She was wrong. The genin would feign a concession though.

"As you wish, Lady Kurahasa." He'd imply that he would simply rewind time, and undo what his ears had heard, ever-the-obedient ninja.

"Cmon let's get that looked at. What's your name by the way?" The hand that approached him, if his still shock-numb leg had anything to say about it, was a probable threat to his very life in a different circumstance. His gut told him it would be soft. She through out the line, so he'd bite. his hand would reach to hers, but it'd stop a little short so their fingertip would touch. He'd lightly pull down.

"Is that an order too?" He was playfully referring to the 'C'mon let's get that looked at'. The questioned did beckoned the kage for a moment more of her time. For one more second away from reality as the two rested on the pond. It beckoned for her to sit. What happened next would determine the sitting ninja's answer to her question.

If she pull, signaled, or otherwise beckoned him to stand, he'd respond normally. "Ryuutei, Toshiyuki. Genin of Kirigakure. It is a pleasure to actually meet you."

If she sat, he simply respond, "Hirohiko. I don't believe I'd asked your name." His statement acknowledging that while he did know her name, he'd dehumanized her in a way by talking to her as if she were her myth. An introduction was a chance to show people who you wanted to be -how you wanted to be seen- and, thoughtlessly, he'd denied her that.

[Analysis 1/2]

When the "chuckle" escaped Toshiyuki's nose, Kit wasn't sure whether to cringe at her own neediness or be indignant at his rudeness to a Princess. On one hand, she felt embarrassed that she had vented to him instead of bearing her burdens like true royalty. On the other hand, whatever Toshiyuki found so amusing about her problems should have been weighed against the probability of offending someone so influential as she. It never occurred to her that his chuckle was regarding the irony of her claim about him not wanting to hear about her woes. She had misinterpreted his empathy for ridicule. He did seem to check himself by referring to her as "Lady Kurahasa" though. He reached out to accept her hand but then withdrew. Toshiyuki's next question caught her off guard. She gave him a puzzled look and tilted her head in confusion.

"No its n-, I mean you really should get that looked at." Kit was freakishly strong for a girl her size and age. If she had inadvertently done serious damage to his ankle and he never got it looked at then she wouldn't be able to forgive herself. However, she didn't want to seem pushy especially after her cringe worthy rant. So she added: "Its not an order though. Its up to you. If you feel fine then be as you were." She kept her tone polite and neutral, the opposite of her prior frantic contriteness.  He invited her to sit and she hesitated. She didn't want to get her clothes wet but for someone like her, it wasn't all too much of a problem. She ordered a new suit every day. What was one more?

Kit sat criss-cross applesauce. There was no point in being formal after you had pegged someone with a rock and were now sitting on the surface of a Koi Pond. When he mentioned that he hadn't asked her name, she smiled. She wasn't arrogant enough to be offended by something like that, but it made her wonder what his motivations were for pointing it out.

Was he trying to suck up?
Was this an extension of the sarcasm she detected earlier?
Was he genuinely trying to get to know her?

"The pleasure's all mine."

She no longer felt bad about hitting him. He had clearly gotten over it and so should she. Instead, she opted to try and test him a little to see what sort of person he was.

"You didn't but I'm willing to bet you already know Toshiyuki Ryuutei"

Kitsuki had heard of the Ryuutei Clan. They were native to the Isles which meant so was he. This was good because it meant that she hadn't spilled her guts to a potential enemy of the village, it also meant that she didn't have any reason to hold back. The Ryuutei were sometimes derided as a savage people. There were even rumors that some of them practiced cannibalism. Kit wouldn't let that dictate her judgment of them though. Individuals were more than their clan practices. It did mean, however, that she knew he could take some banter.

"If you really want to get to know me. Don't start with my name. Dig a little deeper. Go on....ask your Princess any question. No matter how personal, I'll answer." she gave him a coy smile to show that she wasn't shaken by his aloofness. The way he had snorted at her rant, the way he asked if she was ordering him about after hitting him with a stone, he seemed to be the type to enjoy witty conversation. Kit could deliver on that front. She had literally gone to school for it.

Oⵀ ⵍooⴽ ⴰⵜ ⵢoⵓ ⵎⵙ. Pⵔⵉⵏⵛⴻⵙⵙ. ⵛⴰⵔⴻⴼⵓⵍ ⵡⵀⴰⵜ ⵢoⵓ ⵡⵉⵙⵀ ⴼoⵔ...ⵢoⵓ ⵊⵓⵙⵜ ⵎⵉⴳⵀⵜ ⴳⴻⵜ ⵉⵜ Zizz teased. The Angel was but a tiny speck in Kit's hair. Totally invisible to the naked eye.

'She sat,' these words would echo for a bit in Toshi's mind. He was honestly a little stunned by it. As fabric touched the surface ripples spread through Toshi's conscious as he the consequences of the next few moments rang in his head. Almost causing him to miss that she'd called him by name. This woman was one of the most respected figures in the Land of Water. This fact resonated with him now, and she invited him to get to know her. He was sure he should be terrified, but there was just a bitter sweet warmth hanging awkwardly in his chest. He really was such a lucky idiot.

"If you really want to get to know me. Don't start with my name. Dig a little deeper. Go on....ask your Princess any question. No matter how personal, I'll answer." He'd look her up and down just one time tapping his chin. He measured himself, his words more specifically, so that he wouldn't overstep. While there were certainly many things he wanted to know such as the malevolent chakra that Rin Uchiha seemed to possess, the origin and path of her strength, the details on a number of forbidden techniques, what she knew about the nation she served, her favorite kind of fish. If this really was his one chance to understand her then the question was simple. Toshiyuki fought for one simple reason, and that reason also served as his will to live.

"If you had to name one thing you couldn't live without, ma'am, why would you choose it?" It had occurred to Toshiyuki to say something like you can't choose food or shelter, but there was a bit to learn from a practical answer like that as well. "I'm not necessarily talking about a physical object. I mean your most important thing." He'd reach into his coat and pull out his flute. Slowly, the HE was a safe zone, but as she herself said. She took down two kage. The object Toshi took from his jacket was a simple flute. It was, except to those with keen eyes, barely noticeable that the flute had ever been destroyed. It had been impressively put back together by a craftsman who was obviously more talented than the designer.

"This flute," Toshiyuki began spinning the bone-carved flute between his fingers as he continued, "was made by my younger brother some years back. He'd made it as a gift for me before my naming trial." He would pause for just a moment as he collected words that, for just a moment, got dispersed by errant thoughts. "It means the world to me. I never go anywhere without it, y'know. It's that kind of thing." He'd given his example, and the flute would return to an inner breast pocket.

The next few words would have to come from Kit as Toshi's eyes ever so slightly narrowed. The door was open for her. All she had to do was be willing to step in, and allow herself to speak freely. Arisu, Hana, Katsumi, Ryosei, the war, the village elders. While Toshi didn't even know any of these problems existed, it was his hope to tug on the threads that were wound up and tangled in the princess's heart. There were many ways to tell someone how they should feel or act, and Toshi imagined that wasn't what Kit came here for.

Still doing his best to ignore her question about his foot, other than some mild sweating from dealing with the sharp pain, he would ignore her question about his well being entirely. He would watch her eyes as she spoke to him hoping to catch every errant feeling and thought that caused her expressions to betray her. 'Who is this ninja sitting beside of me, and does she possess the quality of a ruler?'

Analysis [2/2]

Toshiyuki was taking her challenge seriously. She could tell by the way he looked her up and down, tapped his chin, and ruminated on what to ask. Questioning a Princess wasn't easy. He was intelligent enough to recognize that there was still the risk of overstepping even though she had given him a blank check. Kit waited patiently as Toshiyuki came up with his question and when he delivered it, she raised her eyebrows in amused surprise. "The one thing I couldn't live without....hmm"

Kitsuki watched as Toshiyuki retrieved a flute from his inner jacket pocket. He explained that it was a gift from his younger brother to which Kit replied. "Its beautiful..." The musician was well-versed in woodwinds and flutes were her specialty. Kit's primary instrument would always be the piano, but her skill with the flute was truly world-class. She had studied under the legendary Maestro Ko who had previously served as the 17th Conductor of the Harmonious 世人 Orchestra. She wanted to hold it and maybe play it, but she didn't dare ask. This was a very important keepsake to Toshiyuki and he wasn't likely to appreciate her trying it out. She held her tongue and instead focused on answering his question.

It was a very good question. It was the kind of question that told you a lot about a person and Kit knew that she had to answer it honestly. Kit sighed and considered the things that were most important to her. She could say family and it was true in a sense. Years ago, she'd have said her sister's name without hesitation. Unfortunately, Katsumi had been gone for years now and she didn't expect to ever see her ever again. She loved Katsumi with all her heart, but their journeys had taken them on opposite paths and she simply had to respect that. Kit had moved on with her life just fine, although her big sister would always command a special place in her heart. Kitsuki's mother and father were still in her life. She loved them dearly but it would be inaccurate to say she couldn't live without them. They were older than her and by the laws of biological linearity, more likely to die before she did. She'd get along without them.

The grander principles were next on her list of consideration. Kirigakure, the Empire, the people who lived within. All of them were good answers and if she were giving a PR response, that's what she would tell him. The Isles were near and dear to her. She was willing to fight for her people, to kill for them, and to die for them. But she knew that the world did not begin or end with them. Kiri had done many a evil thing in the past and when it came down to it, she had been willing to walk away from it all when Hana confessed her crimes to her. It wasn't the most optical answer, but the truth was that she could live without her island home. Music was another top tier candidate. It was her favorite subject back at the WASP and it was a passion she felt so strongly about that she was willing to leave behind the shinobi profession for it. Ultimately, she didn't though so that couldn't be the answer.

ⴷoⵏ'ⵜ ⴻⵠⴻⵏ ⵜⵀⵉⵏⴽ ⴰⴱoⵓⵜ ⵙⴰⵢⵉⵏⴳ ⵎⴻ! ⵉ ⴷⵉⴷⵏ'ⵜ ⵎⴻⴻⵜ ⵢoⵓ ⵓⵏⵜⵉⵍ ⵍⵉⴽⴻ ⵜⵀⵔⴻⴻ oⵔ ⴼoⵓⵔ ⵢⴻⴰⵔⵙ ⴰⴳo. ⵢoⵓ ⵛⴰⵏ ⴷⴻⴼⵉⵏⵉⵜⴻⵍⵢ ⵍⵉⵠⴻ ⵡⵉⵜⵀoⵓⵜ ⵎⴻ.
Ugh, get over yourself Zizz Kitsuki thought playfully

After a few more seconds of contemplation, Kitsuki had finally arrived at her answer. "My integrity" she announced while looking him in the eye. "By that I mean the values of honesty, compassion, and justice. They are all at the core of my Nindo and I cannot live without it. I'm committed to doing the next right thing, and the thing after that and the thing after that. That's how I protect my family and my country. That's how I protect the world." It sounded very dramatic and almost sickeningly altruistic, but it was the honest to Kami truth. Kit couldn't live without the noble values that Headmaster Sukimori had taught her. She was now so enraptured in his cause that she might very well commit seppuku if she believed she had forsaken them in a permanent way. Kit's goodness was the source of her power. They were her strength and armour. That's why she was unmatched in might and unbreakable in spirit.

"Maybe I don't know what it takes, then. You know to be the man that I'm expected to be." The words poured out of his mouth faster than he could stop them. Years of inertia propelling them like a trickle of water from a cracked dam. The shift in his mood was quick, and possibly jarring. He'd been so proud just a moment ago as the princess admired his brothers flute. Even if the words had been hollow, he'd been so proud of his brother, and every affirmation filled his heart. What was the difference then? How did she have that quality when... "It really should sound selfish, that your integrity is what you value most. Maybe it is selfish that you want to protect the world the way you want to protect it." The smile was a little hollow, filled with something else: frustration, jealousy, respect, or maybe even despair. He had the answer he'd been craving for years, but it was way more bitter than he dreamed it'd be. In this world of shinobi, she fought for truth and justice and people.

Toshi would sigh deeply. He'd patch up the leak in the dam and his smile would fill in. He'd not even gotten to deliver his argument for this ideological battle before he'd already lost it. He could see it in his head like the frame of a puzzle that had come together. Everything else made so much more sense now. It was easy to him to identify the qualities of a ruler to him. It was drilled into him his whole life. As he sat on the lap of a great and tall man, before he'd shamed himself and his clan. The man sat in the lotus position on a lake, the young boy, less than four, looking over his father's knees at the still, unmoving lake. "Son, do you remember why the king rides the horse." He'd pause as the boy turned around looking into the large man's eyes. "It's why the lion eats lamb, and why the rain falls to the earth. It's their instinct. The king knows he's the king. He knows that he must be a beacon to be followed. He knows that everyone is relying on him. The horse knows it too. That's the only difference between the two of them. The only difference between the king and his horse is their instinct. To stand up in the face of danger fully ready to act, or to carry the will of another for fear of one's own being to heavy."

Now he was being told the same thing again. He really should have known the answer. Whatever that feeling was before would go as quickly as it came. The flute was Toshi's whole heart. All of his pride in the small distance from one of its ends to the other. His gears began to turn. He would look into Kitsuki's eyes as if, for just a moment, he could see her all too clearly. You have a right to be here and enjoy the Heavenly Emporium just as much as any person. I'm here because I can't skip one rock without being bombarded by requests for approvals, bureaucrats demanding favors, passive aggressive compliments, and all the other drama that comes with being a Princess. The values of honesty, compassion, and justice. That's how I protect the world. Integrity is a shield and also a hammer. Almost mechanically Toshiyuki would say, "Is that what it comes down to? You have a reason to fight and to defend. The thing I'm defending is dead." He'd pause for a moment before, "I want to honor my brother's memory though. How do I get to where you are?"

Toshiyuki's transition into melancholy was startling. He was an odd fellow and not what she would expect of someone from that clan. She didn't judge him for it though. He was holding a precious artifact from someone incredibly close to him. It was understandable that this topic had an emotional tenor to it and as a Princess it was her job to give him a safe space to air those feelings. He appeared to question whether her response was as altruistic as she made it seem. Many would be offended by the push-back but Kitsuki welcomed the challenge. It wasn't the first objection to the WASP philosophy that she had been taught and as always, Headmaster Sukimori had provided her with the perfect counter-response.

"If its selfish...then its the right kind of selfish. The kind that builds civilizations rather than destroys them." Headmaster Sukimori was not a critic of capitalism or the nobility. The man's liberal and altruistic tendencies were grounded in a true understanding of human nature. Hierarchies and the selfish desire to accumulate wealth and power were inevitabilities when it came to their species. The highest and most noble ethic was then to turn those impulses and use them for the greater good. If that meant cultivating a worldview that instilled a sense of paternalistic protectiveness over the world then so be it. If it required assuaging the egos of the well armed and highly skilled then it was a pitiful price to pay for peace. The WASP catered to the elite of the world and that meant feeding them an ideology that was inherently self-aggrandizing. We do not run from this claim, we embrace it. If no one could get the credit for peace and justice then....no one would want to even try.

Kitsuki could see that Toshiyuki was down and so she scooted closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. It was meant to reassure him and she hoped he wouldn't take offense to the gesture. "I won't deny I feel a bit of...self-satisfaction when I refuse to compromise my ethics but I can admit that. So long as it helps everyone else in the long run I embrace that kind of selfishness" Headmaster Sukimori had told her to never be ashamed of her code. She'd wear it like an armour. And as for those who called her narcissistic, well all they'd need to do is look at her good works. Talking was for chumps and action was for true virtue ethicists. She hoped that her reply would cheer him up, but instead he grew more morose. He lamented that what he aimed to protect was already dead and in that moment Kit connected the dots. He was referring to his younger brother. The same one that had given him the beautiful flute that he showed her. He wanted to honor his brother's memory but he did not know how. He wanted to learn from her and Kitsuki felt humbled by his question.

He's coming to me for advice...he looks up to me.

She had never fancied herself a leader five years ago, but as the Headmaster said, it was the times that made the woman just as often as the women that made the times.

"I'm so sorry for your loss...." she said in response to his revelation. She thought about how to answer his question before finally replying: "You can honor him by living with joy in your heart and dedication in your mind. I don't know much about your brother or about the Ryuutei Clan as a whole...but its my understanding that they value family above all else so I can understand the pressure you must be feeling. But the most important thing for you to know about where I am and what I fight for is that I didn't get there overnight. I learned to love myself and enjoy my life before I could dedicate it to something else. I love music. I love fashion. I could have chosen that over my current occupation but I didn't and it was because I wanted others to be safe enough to enjoy those pursuits just as I had the privilege of doing. You can only help others once you've learned to help yourself. I encourage you to get into self-care. Find out what you like, Find out what makes you happy and then share that with others. Then over time....start helping people. In small ways. Ways that your brother would approve of. Soon you'll find yourself dedicating grander and more notable acts of charity in your brother's name and before you know it you'll have cemented his name and legacy in this world. But it all starts here."

Kitsuki moved her hand from his shoulder to his heart. It was a rather intimate act but it was done without nefarious intention. She wanted him to know that before he could worry about the world, he needed to worry about himself.

Kitsuki's words must have stunned Toshiyuki into silence because he wasn't responding. Kitsuki grew concerned about the young man's health status especially considering she had dinged him with a rock. Granted, it was just his ankle but she still felt bad about it. Given her level of strength, she might have seriously injured him. It could also be that this conversation was having a significant psychiatric toll on him in which case he was too emotionally compromised to reply. Whatever the case may be, it was her duty as a Princess and as a human being to help him. Kitsuki tried to rouse him and once that failed she carried him fireman's style over her shoulder to the Hospital District where he could get some help, mental or physical.

"Its alright Toshiyuki...I got you..."

[Exit]

Toshi was so tired. His world felt like it was constantly eroding. He'd found a brief break in the waves, and it'd lulled him deep into sleep as something was planted in him. How it would grow would remain to be seen.
[Exit]