Your Home Now! [Private/Plot Continuation: Kiyoko]

[Tomomi]

A simple nod would come from the dearest descendant of Byakko at her question and he would ruffle her hair gently as he begun to spoke calmly with a smirk on his face: "Yes, I did indeed say fox-like traits about two individuals in my home. They are both from the Aikayume Clan and are here due to unforeseeable circumstances that occurred. One of them is actually an apprentice of mine whose name is Azusa and has been training her butt off since I took her under my roof. She is a special young lady for sure and her cousin, Hinoka, works hard around the house as she was a 'servant' of Azusa's when they lived at their home. However, I will need to stop there as it is rude to talk about others and their personal lives when they are not around. In fact, it is very disrespect." The hand would go back to his side after he finished talking and a neko-jin would walk out of the corridor of the Byakko Estate taking the shroud from the girl to do as he may with it; he was only going to go hang it up somewhere warm in the estate to dry quicker.

After that little cat-shinobi went back into the estate, Kyuji would look at his little "friend" again and with a slightly more serious tone in his voice explaining some things to her. "You may stay here as long as you want as long as you help out around the house. Do not go down the other clans' corridors to their part of the entire estate...it isn't because I am afraid you'd get hurt or anything. It is because some of the family is quite...well...different minded and would handle things different than me. I have seen what a certain individual has done to numerous people who I respect and care for. I also have seen first-hand what another would do in the heat of battle as you can see from my lack of an arm. So just stay in my family's portion of the estate and you may go to the village as you want through the hallway directly to the left of my family's portion of the estate since we used that way to get into this entryway in the first place."

He would then turn away from the girl and begin to walk towards his family's portion of the estate, waving her towards the corridor by a hand motion and also by speech: "Time to go. Follow me. If she followed, it would only take a few minutes to get deep into the Byakko Estate and would she be amazed at the sight. The white walls glistened as they walked through his home and the flooring made out of a nice marble texture but also white. The entire estate was pristine and the lightning fixtures were definitely on the side of being more expensive. For Kyuji, it had been a lot to take in when he first entered the Estate years ago and he was sure that Kiyoko was feeling the same way as he continued to lead her towards a room.

Within minutes, they would be in front of a door which he would unlock and step to the side to allow her to walk in and evaluate her situation. The room was definitely spacey to say the least with a queen-sized bed, a nightstand, and a closet for Kiyoko to hand her clothing if she brought any with her. There was also a bathroom within her room so she didn't need to share one with the entire clan and it contained a bath-and-shower with a sink; a medicine cabinet was also above the toiler but it contained no fun pieces of candy. After allowing her some time to evaluate the room, he would walk in and smirk slightly while addressing her with a more welcoming tone: "So, what do you think? I know it isn't too impressive since my family has numerous rooms that are designed the same way as this one, but it is good for guests and company when they come. If you need anything during your stay, you can seek me out personally or ask one of the Byakko guards who is a family member that walks around from time to time. But anyways, do you want to talk or shall I excuse myself for the rest of the night? Your choice."

---

[OOC Note: Topic Continued from HERE]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko's lips turned up into a small smile, somewhat excited to meet these people with fox-like traits. Though hearing the word "servant" from Kyuji made her wonder just who this Azusa was. Was she some sort of princess of her clan, or was she merely of higher blood and authority? Ignoring these thoughts for the time being, Kiyo looked up when another man approached and removed the coat on her shoulders. She didn't resist, give it wasn't hers in the first place. She then nodded to the terms she was given. The young girl doubted she would even leave her room unless she was needed for chores, given that she knew no one and wasn't exactly in the right mood to make good impressions on new people.

She followed Kyuji as he began to walk, taking in everything with her arms slowly uncrossing, a small smile meeting her lips at the sight of all the beauty around her. Everything was so different from her home. She wouldn't live her otherwise, but visiting such a nice, expensive-looking place was nice once in a while. Especially since it was the first time for Kiyoko. When they reached a room and the door was opened, Kiyo glanced at the taller male for a moment. He moved aside and waited, so the white-haired girl stepped into the large room. Her eyes scanned the large, soft looking bed, then moved to the nice nightstand near it, where she knew she would place her most precious trinkets. She spotted a roomy corner to set up her art without getting anything else in the fancy room dirty. She turned to look at the medic when he entered and spoke, her eyes scanning him once before moving back to the room around her. "The room is..." she wasn't sure what the best word was for it, but her soft voice continued anyway, her slight awe showing in her tone, "so beautiful." It was far from what she was used to, but she didn't mind all that much. It was just much bigger than her old room.

When he asked if she wanted to talk or not, she thought for a moment. "I...have questions," she eventually decided, looking up at him once more. She set her bag on the floor, opening it and setting up four small trinkets on the nightstand. A small snowflake with a dim light on the center hanging on a white ribbon; if one were to look closely, he could notice that the light would grow in brightness if Kiyo was happy. She had just noticed the light growing a bit, and she let out a soft smile before placing the small drawn picture of her family on the nightstand. She then laid the letter there, promising to wait until she visited her father. Lastly was a small white flower pressed between two thin pieces of glass. It kept the flower from fading. A gift from a kind shop keeper she knew.

"How long ago did you find my father? You said he was...unrecognizable," she asked first, still uncomfortable with speaking about her deceased parent. She was so close to him, and ever since he didn't return, her mother hasn't been the same loving woman she once was. Kiyoko pulled out two small pieces of wood and one sketchbook, walking over to the corner and setting the art gently on the ground along with her pencils. She felt her clothes could wait, so she busied herself with a new piece of paper and a pencil as she returned to talk to Kyuji, not wanting to shove herself into a conversation immediately about such a sensitive subject. If she couldn't keep it up, she could draw a little as she spoke to somewhat separate her emotions from the topic.

 

[Tomomi]

He wasn't entirely shocked at the comment that the room was beautiful as many people who decided to stay in their home for a night or during their adventures in the village always gave something of the same response when he asked them. Honestly, it was a beautiful warm and the descendant himself could remember when he first visited the village and saw these hallways and architecture. He too was impressed, but living here for years now, it grew on him and lost the same impression but at least newcomers still thought it was amazing! Then, the girl decided after a few moments that she did want him to stay because she wanted to ask him some questions and the first one was about her father and when they found him. Of course, she would want to know about this since any family member who lost someone would want to know as much as they could about the one they lost. The problem with asking Kyuji was he didn't know much about any of it since he wasn't on the team that found or did anything on him. He was merely a messenger and he would let her know that quickly

His arms would fold and his head would shake at her. A sigh would also leave him as he shrugged his shoulders at her and began to speak as calmly as he could: "When did we find your father is a good question. I personally did not find him, but he was brought to the Hospital for an autopsy along with the others...I think it was six months after the incident so the Hospital has been doing testing for awhile on them all. The fact that there was any flesh remaining after all that time is astonishing to say the least, but again I wasn't on the team that found them or the ones who did the autopsy or tests. I was merely a messenger sent out to your family tonight to explain what their findings have found unfortunately. I would never want to bring bad news to a family, but they thought I would be the best candidate because I am the medical chief and the head of the Medical Branch or less due to how long I have been there."

He did notice while he was talking that the girl had been setting up her room and for good reason because she was probably going to be staying here for quite some time. Her mother couldn't take care of her while she was in the Hospital and she couldn't take care of herself; it wasn't right to force her daughter to try to take care of her and herself. That is why the Byakko descendant had decided to ask her if she wanted to come and stay at his home for now; it would help her distract her mind from everything for now and she might make a new friend while she was here. After all, his daughter was around the same age as her and she had been quite lonely since her brother had left the village on his travels at such a young age of ten or were they eleven now? Regardless, she could use someone to play with and spend time with...it would be good for both girls.

The stuff behind set up was interesting to the descendant. He noticed the trinkets instantly especially the snowflake and flower, quite interesting trinkets that possibly meant something dear to her or related to her religion? Now was not the time to ask about any of that as he needed to focus on making her feel welcomed and supported. He would walk over to her after he finished his response and place his hand on her shoulder by bending slightly and offering a warm smile as he said the following: "You are welcomed to stay as long as you'd like, Kiyoko. My house is your house."

[OOC: Sorry for it being short. I will do better next time!]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko felt her stomach churn at the answer she received. So he had been here for almost two years before they could figure it out. She immediately began to work on a small sketch, keeping silent as she listened to him speak. He didn't know anything about the situation aside from what he was told, so he wouldn't be able to answer all the questions she had. She nearly jumped when he placed a hand on her shoulder, not having heard him move since she had momentarily separated herself through her art. She let her pencil rest loosely in her fingers as she took a small breath and looked up at him.

"You can't answer all of my questions," she voiced, looking down at her paper once more. She moved it off her lap after a moment, walking over to the corner her other drawings were and picking up three of them. "Every piece I draw has a story. Sometimes they work together, but sometimes they stand alone." She set the three next to each other, leaning them against the bed before sitting back a little ways and patting the spot next to her for Kyuji to do the same. "The first is a tale of a small little girl. She always loved the peacefulness of nature and spent most of her time there. A little blue bird spent its time with her, and they grew really close." The first drawing was a little girl sitting on a rock next to a small pond. A little bird rested on her finger, a small smile on her face. Trees surrounded them, casting sunlight in different patterns across the water. The piece was an idea given by Kiyoko to her mother, and she learned as much as she could while taking the piece extremely slowly to make sure it would look as realistic as possible. Her father had praised her when she finished it.

"But," she began, moving her hand to the second picture, "the little bird had to leave her for a while. The little girl was lonely, but she knew the little bird needed to go to find food for his family. So the little girl helped take care and watch over the little birds until the blue bird would come home." The same little girl was now cradling a small nest with little blue hatchlings in her hands. Her long white hair fell softly off her shoulders as a small smile rested on her lips. She had done this one entirely on her own and showed it to her mother while telling her story. Her mother had found it extremely sweet that Kiyoko would take on being the head of the family until her father returned.

"The father returned," she said, her voice softening a bit. "But he wasn't in good health. He had fought extremely hard to get home with his small wound. A wild cat had gotten ahold of him on his journey home. But he didn't give up, because he knew he had a family to return to." The last picture was the little girl cradling the small blue bird, her hair falling around her hanging head. If one looked close enough, he could see the tears falling. Kiyoko had never shown this drawing to anyone because she knew her mother wouldn't be able to handle it. It was drawn a year after the news of her father's passing. She had wanted to give him a proper burial and feared she wouldn't be able to, so this was the closest she could get at the time.

Without realizing it, Kiyo had started crying as she finished her story. "I-I know it's a childish coping mechanism," she said with a small, forced laugh, "but I knew I couldn't share this with my mother. I'm amazed she lasted this long." She sighed softly, wiping her face with her long white sleeve. "I didn't think he would be found last year. This was my burial of him. But now that he's actually home, I don't know how to feel."

[MFT: 680 words]
[OOC: it's fine! All good ^^]

 

[Tomomi]

Initially, the descendant of Byakko thought that his warm smile would be enough to help the little girl calm herself and she would be more open to him. However, that thought was immediately recognized as a huge failure as he was given a simple response that he couldn't answer all her questions as she lowered her head to her paper. But, it appeared that the girl was trying to be strong as she explained to him that her pieces of art could be linked to tell a story or could stand alone if need be. After Kyuji took a spot beside her on the bed, she would articulate the linkage through three pieces of artwork that told of a story about a little girl with white hair who was friends with a bluebird parent that had to go get food for his children and she protected the hatch-lings while he took care of obtaining their food; the father bird would return to his children even after getting attacked by a cat for his children. The artwork certainly conveyed the message that she was explaining to him as he leaned forward slightly to examine the artwork in more detail while not speaking at all.

The artwork beautifully illustrated her story and the amount of talent that the girl possessed at such a young age was phenomenal. But, the deep digesting of the drawings would be cut short as the girl began to cry finishing her story's last few words. She would try her hardest to force a laugh which she did mentioning that it was a childish coping mechanism and the fact that she was surprised her mother had lasted this long. Her white sleeve would then be stained by her tears as she wiped them from her face as she mentioned that she didn't think her father would be found last year and that these drawings were her burial and last goodbye to him.

Of course, these drawings were telling her real life story. He could tell during the explanation that they were by the style of the girl in the drawing and have she had mentioned that the bluebird was a father to the hatch-lings. It all made sense and it was a painful thing to see a child draw about because she had hoped and prayed that her father would return home safely and yet, he was home but definitely dead. The mere fact that the descendant of Byakko was willing to even let a small, fragile child like her near a corpse was because it was her dead and she needed to say her last goodbyes. Sadly, he didn't think Mrs. Mizuki would be able to handle seeing her deceased husband's remains as it would possibly cause her to go into a downward spiral even more and either put her child or herself in serious danger; neither of which, Kyuji wanted to see happen.

As for the here and now, it might've been parental instincts or his understand and caring nature. In either case, the descendant would bring the child closer to himself by putting an arm around her and moving towards her while moving her tiny body a little. He wasn't forcing her to do anything, but he did turn a little to allow the child to rest her head on his chest. He would then close his eyes momentarily while gathering his thoughts before opening them up to her and solemnly respond to her: "The artwork was beautiful and it conveyed your message about your personal life quite well. I promise you that we will have you and your dad meet so you can say your last goodbyes to him. Your mother is allowed to come as well, but she will need to pass all our evaluations before we allow her to see him for her sake. In the case that your mother is unable to attend, I will have to decide on the proper funeral arrangements for your father. But, let's not worry about that now."

He would then take his only hand and gentle rub her back as he continued: "I do know how it feels to lose a parent. I saw both of my parents die with my own eyes. My father by illness and my mother because of an accident that was caused by damned children being where they didn't belong. I miss them a lot and I hope they are watching over me proud of what I have accomplished in my life. See, Kiyoko, you have to be strong and keep pushing forward...it is what your father would want for you. It is what your mother wants for you and it is what I want for you. You have a great future ahead of you as a shinobi or artist or both. Don't give up and be strong for them."

He would then stop rubbing her back and bring her in closer for a tight hug and say nothing. The friendly gesture might be exactly what the child needed in a time like this and it was more than what he had received when his own parents had died. Maybe that is why he was so caring and understanding of the younger shinobi and citizens in the village? He knew how it felt to be alone, isolated and lose practically everything that you had and then have to start over.

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko felt extremely weak in front of the man now that she had expressed her innermost thoughts through her artistic story-telling. She wasn't sure why, but the feeling of the man pulling her a little closer comforted her. She hadn't admittedly cried in front of anyone in a long time, the only other time being from pain in the midst of a training she had taken a while back. But crying next to such a kind-hearted man made it much easier for her to let her crumbling wall finally break away. She turned towards him and rested her head on his chest as she listened to him speak. Hearing his promise to let her see her father made her sigh softly in relief. She was afraid he wouldn't actually let her, afraid that she might not pass all the evaluations. Her mother, on the other hand, wasn't coping in such a way...her coping mechanism was much more physically detrimental. Kiyoko knew it, but she still had high hopes for her mother to recover.

Hearing that Kyuji also lost his parents made her realize he truly understood her pain. It was true empathy, and she could feel it with each word that he spoke to her in attempts to lift her spirits. He was helping her build a whole knew wall, one that could be reinforced with the closure with her father and the recovery of her mother. She wrapped her arms around his neck to return the hug he gave her, hugging him just as tightly as a small smile tugged at her lips. "Thank you, Kyuji-san." She realized why she was able to feel comforted by him. He had a similar aura as her father. Warm, inviting, peaceful, and caring. All of which made him a great father. Kiyo was sure the medics was a good father to his children as well. She pulled away after a moment, wiping her face once more now that she was able to stifle her crying. "I'll stay strong and get stronger. I won't let Father down, and I'll protect Mother."

She smiled a bit brighter, only to wince slightly from the momentarily forgotten bruise on her cheek from her training a few days back. She ignored it, however, not wanting to worry about it anymore. "Do I need to know when to get up in the morning?" she asked softly, wondering what the plan was for the next day. She highly doubted she would be in the mood to eat in the morning, what with all that happened so quickly, but she would gladly help out with making it and cleaning up. "I don't know if you have cooks or not...but I know how to make breakfast if you want me to. Mother makes lunch for us, so I handled the other two meals unless she felt better and wanted to surprise me." It had taken her a good while to figure out how to cook something without it burning or tasting bad, but she had mastered the skill within a few months and became the cook for most of the meals she shared with her mother. It was all Kiyo could do to get her to eat something the first year without the leader of their house.

She glanced over at her pictures and smiled softer, moving them back to the corner they were previously in. She would keep them out as a reminder of what she had overcome and prepare herself for the ever changing future. She would then return to stand beside the bed, awaiting Kyuji to finish the stay she had initiated. She was growing tired from the relief from the stress and the long day she had. If there was nothing more to discuss, she would call it a night and continue her interactions with the medic the next day.

 

[Tomomi]

Surprisingly to the descendant of Byakko, this little girl actually had somewhat of a tight grip as she returned his friendly gesture with a hug of her own. The warm embrace brought a smile to his face especially when he saw a tiny smile on her face developing as well and her thanking him and promising him that she would become stronger to protect her mother. A simple pat would be given on her back as he responded simply with the following: "Good. That is what I like to hear! You have a reason to get stronger just like everyone else in this village does. Don't forget why you are getting stronger and don't stray from the path like many have done into the darkness where they never came out. I will be more than willing to assist you in your training and guide you down a rightful path if you need help."

His visitor however would wince slightly possibly due to a bruise it appeared, but shake it off and ask him when she needed to be up tomorrow morning. That was honestly a good question and one that he had not thought about entirely since grabbing her from her home. See, the man had been acting on impulse once her mother was carried away because a child needed guidance and leaving her there would've not been something professional or psychologically well for either party. So, here they were now and he had to give her some form of an answer, but he wasn't sure. She also mentioned that she was willing to cook as she had been doing it for quite some time, but that would be rude to have her do something so suddenly in their home. He would figure out something for her to do eventually, but for now, she needed to enjoy the free accommodations given to her.

As he was about to respond to her, she would go over to her pictures to probably reflect and give him a moment to think of what he wanted to respond with. But, she wouldn't wait too long before she would reappear beside the bed and probably wanted an answer. So, he rose from his position to tower over her again and ruffled her hair with his one hand a little with a smile on his face. "Someone will wake you up when it is time to get up. I personally will be up early because I co-run the Byakko Infirmary with my wife and also am a medical chief at the Hospital so I am constantly pulling double shifts. However, you should expect to be woken up no later than 9 o'clock and will be served breakfast if you'd like it. We will talk about what you can do around the house while you stay in the coming days. But for now, relax and adjust to this room since I will not allow you to leave my home until you are prepared to see your father and mother physically, emotionally, mentally, and psychologically. You will see them however soon, but try to enjoy your stay and please don't be afraid to come to my study to talk or ask one of the Byakko guards for anything."

He would then proceed to walk towards the door saying one last thing over his shoulder: "Anything else before I close the your door and let you sleep?" If she would say no, he would look back and smile before closing the door and letting one of his guards know to guard the door since he didn't want an incident like before where someone was trying to break out of their room and escape his estate because they didn't want to be there. However if she did need something, he would turn around and listen before responding obviously.

[OOC: Sorry for the wait. I have an idea of who to come to get you so you are aware. RP as you want of course, but don't leave your room in your next post if you decide to let Kyuji go ^^]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko listened calmly as the man spoke his response to her words. She wasn't sure what to say to the idea of not working in a home; although it was abnormal for most children to want to work, she had grown so accustomed to it that it felt strange not to help. But she wasn't going to impose on the Byakko clan's lifestyle if she wasn't needed. Feeling that all her questions were answered as well as they could be, she simply shook her head. "Thank you for letting me stay here. Sleep well, Kyuji-san," she replied, smiling to him as he left the room. Once the door was shut, she would let the somewhat forced expression fall from her face. As kind as the man was, she didn't want to burdon him with every emotion she was feeling. She felt lost without her mother around, and it scared her so much to be in such a large room with no one else there. She moved over to her art corner, taking a pillow with her to be comfortable. She would then begin to sketch whatever came to mind, keeping herself in the small corner to feel more at ease.

Morning came faster than she had expected, and she heard a bit of movement from outside her door. She had dozed off from time to time, only to deal with a short night terror that would wake her quickly. She had taken the time to sketch out one of the horrible images she had been able to see, though she drew it in the back of the notebook instead of the next empty page of the front to make it less likely to be seen. The white-haired child stood up from her corner, rubbing her slightly tired eyes and picking up the pillow she had leaned against and fallen asleep on occasionally. She moved back over to the bed, setting the sketchbook down on the nightstand before picking up the charm her father had given her.

"Daddy!!" Kurai barely managed to spin around in time to catch his daughter midair. "Please don't leave!" Kurai sighed softly, hugging the little whitette while she cried into his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Kiyoko? We both know this isn't the first trade mission I've been on." Kiyoko moved away enough to look up at him, meeting his matching blue orbs with her own. "I need you to be strong for me. While I'm gone, I need you to protect yourself and your mother. Can you do that for me?" Kiyoko nodded, Kurai wiping her tears away. He then got a brilliant idea.

He led his daughter outside onto the roof, where they could see surrounding area from above. He then sat down, pulling her into his lap with her back against his chest. "Since I will be gone for a while, I will give you something to help you watch over me." Kurai took her hands and set them into a cup shape before covering them with his own, beginning to use a bit of ice jutsu to craft a charm for her. He infused a bit of earth jutsu as well as his own chakra into the center before opening his hands. A small snowflake sat in Kiyoko's small hands, a little light glowing inside. "This snowflake represents my heart. Inside it burns a light, a warmth caused by you and your mother. As long as I have you both to return to, my light will never go out."

"So if something happened to us...your heart would become like the ice. Cold and hard to the world, yet easy to break," the young girl mused. It always amazed Kurai when she picked up on such things without his help. "It's the same for me, Daddy. You and Mommy the fire inside my icy heart. Without you both...I would become cold to the world."

"Kiyoko, that's the thing; that fire is lit and fed by love. I don't want you to ever lose your fire." He pulled out the ribbon tying his long hair back, looping it through a piece of the snowflake and tying it around her neck. "Will you promise me that you will surround yourself with things and people you love? I want you to keep this fire burning."

Kiyoko turned around in his lap, hugging him tightly. "I promise."

Kurai hugged her back just as tight. "I love you, Snowflake."

"I love you too, Daddy." Kiyoko hugged the snowflake close to her heart before kissing it and setting it back on the nightstand, leaning back against the headrest of the bed to wait for whoever was supposed to wake her up.

 

[Tomomi]

The last words that escaped Kiyoko's lips would sound into the ears of the descendant of Byakko and he would give a gentle smile before closing the door behind him and heading towards his own room to sleep. There would be a stoppage at what of the guard quarters to inform them of his new guest and what they were to do with her which they would simple nod in understanding as he continued to walk. He would begin to ponder as he approached his room if his decision to bring in another child was the best idea for his clan considering his wife was still distant from him due to the last two guests that came and still were overstaying their welcome in her eyes: Hinoka and Azusa. But, his heart was in the right place for the village considering nobody was getting any younger and someday, Lady Yanshi and he would need to pass the torch to their children or worthy recipients. Hopefully, that wouldn't be for a long while yet.

The descendant would stroll into his bathroom and soak in the nice, hot bath water as he meditated to clear his mind of everything that happened today. After all, he couldn't stop what occurred and he did his best for the Mizuki family. The daughter of the family seemed understanding and he was being respected and trusted which is more than he could say for other people in his home right now. But, he would sink further into the water and close his eyes letting all his troubles and worries escape his body. Eventually, he would get out of his bath and get into some pajamas before heading to bed himself beside his wife whom was sleeping like a baby. She would learn all about Kiyoko tomorrow probably unless she was going out to the markets to get food for the family or for other prior arrangements. But for now, they would sleep.

---

The next day would roll around and his wife would be out of bed already with a note on his nightstand confirming that she did go out, but there was no documentation as to where. He would simply shrug at this as he rose and slipped on his civilian clothing excluding his hat and shroud, that he routinely wore. From there, he would bang on his daughter's door letting her know to get up and wake up their new guest. She would yawn and state that she would and he would be off. The descendant would head to the dinner room which was elegant like everything else in his home and begin to eat.

Name: Byakko Kyushiko
Relation to Kyuji: Daughter
Rank: Disclosed for Now
Face Claim: Neferpitou from Hunter x Hunter(2011)​

As for Kyushiko, she would rise from her comfy bed with her hair a mess. It was a problem with all members of the Byakko Clan since many of them had long or curly hair that became tangled easily. In any case, she would brush her hair trying to get any knots out of it and slip into some other clothing aside from her pajamas. She would then head off towards the room in a quickened walk as she was excited to see who this new guest in their house was! The last two, whom were the fox cousins, were boring to her and the one was a little too arrogant for her taste while the other was too passive. Hopefully, this new prey--erm guest would be more normal and actually be able to balance herself so she didn't come off like a pansy or a stuck-up bitch.

It wouldn't take long before Kyushiko was right outside the guest's door. She would knock and inform the girl that she was coming in. When she entered, she would see a girl that almost mimicked the Byakko Clan in various ways sitting on the bed and her interest was peaked right away as she smiled at her in the doorway. She thought better of playing a trick on her at all and instead would take the more respectful and friendly way of handling things. Her arms would be folded as her eyes looked at the girl and a smile appeared on her face. She would then address the girl with a warm, welcoming presence in her voice: "So, you are Mizuki Kiyoko. Kyuji was speaking about you when he woke me up a short while ago. I am Byakko Kyushiko and the daughter of Byakko Yanshi and Byakko Kyuji."

[OOC: 440 Words of Kyuji so MFT. Total Word Count: 738 Words]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko heard a young girl’s voice outside her door not too long after she had settled into her bed to wait. A girl who looked awfully similar to Kyuji would enter the room, her eyes falling on the cat ears atop her head before meeting her golden eyes with her own icy blue. It wasn’t long before she registered the words spoken to her. Kiyo smiled slightly towards the girl as she listened. ”You look a lot like your father,” Kiyoko replied, moving to stand next to the bed rather than sit on it. ”And you can call me Kiyoko or Kiyo. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she would follow up with. She didn’t feel the need for any honorifics on her name unless they decided to add them of their own accord.

Kiyoko looked down for a moment in thought before deciding on what she would like to say. ”Last night Kyuji-san said I would only have to come eat breakfast if I wanted it…yet I haven’t regained my appetite. I don’t want to steal you away from a meal, so I can wait here until you come back after you finish. But I want to gain a friend, if you wouldn’t mind having me as one,” Kiyo said to the other white-haired child, sort of liking that she didn’t appear so out of place in this home. Kiyoko almost felt as though she belonged in the Byakko estate, even though she didn’t really know anyone all that well. ”What exactly do you do for fun around here, Kyushiko-san?” she asked curiously.

It wouldn’t hurt Kiyoko to try something a little new and different, and she was truly curious if the children tended to stay on the estate or if they liked to leave. She didn’t exactly know her surroundings outside of the few streets around her house, so she was at a loss as for what to do, especially since she was a young girl who could get lost. Getting lost in an unfamiliar place would not be a good idea if she wanted to live long enough to see her father.

[MFT: 355 words]

 

[Tomomi]

When Kyushiko initially headed towards the room to wake up the new prey for some fun, she was a little hesitant and nervous considering there was a stranger in her home. Sure, there were many strangers that came into their home while they were visiting because her father was always so welcoming and willing to give everyone a chance regardless of their appearance, attitudes, and particular vibes that they gave off to him. Still, strangers being invited into your home and living there for extended periods of time still never sat particularly well with her. However, her guard quickly was dropped when she saw the girl in the room was nothing more than one of those children that were removed from their homes like the fox cousins who were still here. Hopefully, her prey would be a little interesting so she didn't have to take her first nap of the day due to boredom.

And thus far, the girl was at least welcoming to her and willing to talk which more than she could say about others who had visited their home. In all honesty, that soft smile of hers was adorable and her comparison of her father to her made her giggle out-loud. She would walk over to the girl though and pat her on the head as she tilted her own head as she responded: "I look like my father, you say? That's really cute, Kiyoko! I am told all the time that I look like my mother more than my father. I guess that is a good thing though to look like one of them since my brother doesn't look like either of them aside from the same eyes, ears, and hair. Besides, I would hope to resemble them a little bit since I will be running this clan when my mother is either too old to continue or she dies." Her eyes were watching intently at the snow bunny in front of her to see how she was responding to her actions and words that were begin to spew out of her little petite body.

Her next words almost made the future head of the clan chuckle at how pitiful it sounded, but when she noticed that this girl was being serious about being her friend, she would control her actions. After all, she was raised by her parents who followed Lord Byakko and the religion known as the Celestial Winds; she knew how to act in other words in order to be become one with her religion or in other words become an avatar of sorts with her celestial spirits. Making fun of someone for wanting a friend was not one of the ways. So, she would bring her hand back and fold her arms in front of her. She would then crack another smile as she politely responded to Kiyoko: "Don't worry about me and food. I will eat when I need to and besides I can take care of myself. I don't need father or mother to watch over me all the time. I mean I am a shinobi of this village after all."

She would pause momentarily pondering on Kiyoko's request of a friend a little more. It was an odd request to ask of someone that you just met, but she must've trusted her father enough to come home with him since she was fully aware of where her father went last night. Her mother wasn't pleased about it, but she was never pleased with a majority of the things that her husband did since he was having a "fling" with one of their guests. Kyushiko could assume who it was based on the arguments that she heard in the past between her parents and the guards that protected their home. It wasn't her room to interfere though, she was merely a child trying to find her place in the world. After she could father herself, she would look back at Kiyoko and respond honestly: "A friend is what you want. I can't say that I have had one of those before. I have always been to myself even when I have been at home. I don't know why, but if you can explain more about a friend than I will be able to answer you properly in your request."

As for the white-haired guest's last question, it brought a quick smirk to her face as she took much pride in what she did in her free time and in general. She had to be prideful at the very least considering she was going to be the head of the Byakko Clan in the future and they needed a strong leader which is what she was trying to become with the help of her Clan. She wouldn't even stutter after the least words left the lips of her prey. A quick explanation was given to Kiyoko and it was direct and to the point: "Fun. Well, I do a lot of things for fun around my home. I train with my parents, I train with the Byakko guards, and if I am lucky I get to train with some of our guests. Aside from training, I engulf myself in materials about combat and strategy. My parents are geared towards helping people with their injuries and from dying. I am a shinobi that hunts my prey and takes it down with no remorse if they are scum that are harming our village! If you are staying in our home, we should spar some time and see how you are growing as well."

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko smiled a bit when she heard Kyushiko call her cute just because of her words. ”I suppose that since I have not met your mother yet, I wouldn’t know to compare you to her.” Hearing the girl speak so calmly of her parents’ deaths in the (hopefully) distant future made her frown a bit. Upon her thinking about the offer to be friends, however, Kiyoko pushed her thoughts aside and decided to address them later. She understood it was a strange request, but she didn’t see the harm in asking. If nothing else, she would simply receive a no and move on.

When she heard Kyushiko’s response to the request, Kiyoko smiled a bit. “Well a friend is someone you enjoy spending your free time with. A best friend is someone you can come to for pretty much anything, no matter how serious or trivial.” She didn’t really know any better way to explain friendships.

When she heard the girl continue on to answer her last question, she smiled a bit brighter. So Kyushiko was into anything combat-related. She could work with that. “I would love to spar with you sometime! I don’t have a lot of fighting experience, but it wouldn’t hurt to work on it by immersing myself in it.” She stretched her arms over her head a bit. Her cheek was a bit darker from her last training session, but it didn’t hurt as much. She let her arms drop to her sides before inquiring, ”Kyuji-san left early for his work. When do you think he will be back?”

Kiyoko simply wanted to get all of her psychological testing done so that she could visit her father. She was dying to know what he had left for her in the letter, but it would be something she would read next to him. No excuses. She would force herself to wait.

[OOC: So sorry for the wait! ^^]
[MFT: 314 words]

 

[Tomomi]

As politely as Kiyoko was when Kyushiko was addressing her thoughts previously, the former head of the Byakko Clan would do the same out of respect. She didn't have to do so considering that they were children and many children had a huge reserve of disrespect towards each other. But for some odd reason, she was slowly taking a likening to this girl as she didn't appear to be shielding her thoughts or emotion like many people including her parents did on a regularly basis and that was something that had caught the petite Byakko's attention initially when they began to converse. However, there was a still a side of her that was cautious of this new guest considering they barely knew each other and this girl could easily be playing her father like a flute for all she knew. Time would definitely alter people's opinions on matters as it had done with her and her brother, Yanjirou. That is a story for another day however.

She would chuckle a little to herself at the comments about her mother. It was true that she did look like her father, but she also looked like her mother, but then others said that her appearance also resembled Lord Byakko in some aspects. She had a little mixture of all it would appear, but she definitely looked more like her mother in appearance and attitude towards certain matters. But before the Byakko's little mind could wander too much, she would respond to her snow bunny: "Maybe, just maybe, you can meet her sometime before you leave. I will need to talk to her first before she sees you however or she might react on impulse and not logically. See, my mother hasn't been quite herself for awhile now for a variety of reasons and I don't want you to get hurt if she sees something she'd consider a stranger in her home." Little Kyu would pat the bunny on her head as she allowed her to sigh heavily. Her mother was a touchy subject for sure and she wasn't getting any better unfortunately. Hopefully, her dad could help resolve those issues.

The girl would next respond to the friend comment and this time, she would actually crack a little bit of a smile as she allowed the definition of a friend and best friend to go through her little developing mind for a few moments. After she gave herself a little pondering time, she would nod her head and respond once more: "A friend sounds like something that I need to consider as I move up in rank and age. I will not accept or deny your offer right now however as I need to spend more time with you before I make a decision. Besides, you don't want to throw out a request of being a friend to anyone as some people would abuse or manipulate that as I see it from your definitions." The arms of the offspring of the descendant and his wife would cross as she gave a slight shrug after her words escaped her mouth. She hated to be wishy-washy like that to someone especially a girl who was genuinely friendly, but again she wasn't entirely sure if this was reality or just a silly fake thing that Kiyoko was making up.

As soon as she heard the comment about being offered to spar, her eyes lit up and a devilish grin appeared on her face. She loved fighting, absolutely loved fighting, and tearing people apart for being bad criminals in her home. But, she was still not as strong as her parents or her brother for sure as she started later than Yanjirou in the Academy. She would catch up to him and surpass him eventually though! "I would love to spar with you as well, Kiyoko. But, I would advise that we have some nekojin or Byakko medics watching over us as we spar so they can stop if it goes too far and can also attend to us as soon as the sparring is over" she would explain as she could see her beautiful, elegant sword going toe-to-toe with Kiyoko in the future...it would be AMAZING.

The last question about her father would prompt a quick respond however from her as she knew exactly where he was. "My father should be in the dining room or kitchen of the Estate having some breakfast as that is where he told me. I am sure that he is still eating as he needs to regain some of his strength from the past few days working long shifts at the Hospital and our clan's infirmary. He's truly a busy individual, but he loves his job almost as he loves his family and friends." Yeah, he was probably stuffing his face like a majority of anime characters that in shounen anime. Yes, his physique was good but he had a big appetite.

[OOC: You know me, no worries on this end! I am sorry for the wait and if it is a little below par from me haha.]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko was a bit saddened to hear that this girl had a mother who was acting different. And yet, she seemed so strong; perhaps she could learn a thing or two during her time here and come out stronger, like she had promised Kyuji to do. However, at the response to her explanation of a friend, Kiyoko smiled slightly. She was liking the way this girl thought. Almost cynical, but rather smart in her opinion. As friendly as she could be, Kiyoko was still very careful about how much information she shared with certain people. "I can accept that answer. I hope to earn your trust in the future," she replied, somewhat excited about a new challenge.

She listened to the girl talk about having some medics or guardians of some sort nearby so that they wouldn't hurt themselves or each other too severely. "Perhaps that would be a good idea...you seem much stronger than me since you've had so much experience in fighting and training. I recently just began my own training," she informed, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

Upon hearing that Kyuji was still in the house, she nodded her head. "I suppose...breakfast wouldn't be such a bad idea. What exactly do you have to eat here?" she asked, letting one of her hands move to hold her other elbow and squeeze it once. She was still a bit nervous around new people, though she was pushing herself to be more social. At this point, she knew that being alone wouldn't be much help to her recovery, and that shutting other people out wouldn't exactly prove her stability to Kyuji.

At this point, all she wanted to do was show him that she was capable of handling herself and her emotions. If she hadn't heard that he was still at the estate when she was awoken, she would have skipped breakfast, but if Kyuji saw that she didn't eat, he would probably ask her about it or think that she was going to take a bit longer to recover. So she would go eat, even if it wasn't much, to prove that she was okay.

[MFT: 367 words]

 

[Tomomi]

Our little future head of the Byakko Clan would listen to her little prey respond to her. Honestly, she was surprised how determined the girl was in this "challenge" of sorts that Kyushiko had thrown at her, but it was at least something for them to strive for moving forward. The Byakko wasn't entirely sure of the whole friend thing, but she would surely give the child sitting in front of her an opportunity to prove her worth. It would be fun to see what Kiyoko would possibly due to prove herself to Kyushiko and a little smile curled on her face at the "sinister" things that she could possibly make her do. But, Kyu would not allow too much time to elapse to catch any unneeded attention. So she simply gathered herself and responded back to her little snow bunny: "We shall see if you do, Kiyoko. Don't force it though or it will probably not happen. Besides, you probably have more pressing matters to attend to like meeting my father right now." She would shrug at the copycat mimicking her clan's characteristics after she finished speaking; it was true though, she needed to get from this room to the Hospital pronto for her sake.

But, this coldness that was probably being displayed towards Kiyoko would quickly melt away when she brought up fighting Kyu again. If the little Mizuki girl wanted to find a special place in the Byakko's heart and possibly be a friend, it might be her best opportunity to spar Kyushiko and stand up for herself even if she got her butt whooped in the process. See unlike her father, Kyushiko's emotions typically outside of the estate were cold, direct and emotionless as she had been trained to be since she graduated from the Academy long ago with her brother. Her brother had gone down the path of the ANBU while Kyushiko sought the shadows and darkness as she found herself; she was in one of the branches in the village and surely wasn't the medical one because she had too much enjoyment out of hurting people who were trying to hurt her village. In other words, her training had taught her to be more-or-less a stone cold killer which matched her personality from long ago of being to herself, quiet, but always watching. She had grown quite a lot since then but still she was a hard individual to read out in the public eye. A quiet, but friendly, response would be given to Kiyoko as she leaned in towards the girl and her ice, cold breath could be felt on the neck of the prey: "You just started to train? Very well, I am sure that I could teach you a thing or two if you plan on sticking around in my home for awhile. After all, I am a graduate of the Academy already and have more experience. However if you stick around and learn from me, I cannot assure you that you will not get hurt in the process because I don't take training lightly at all."

She would then move out of the girl's personal space as Kiyoko asked what they had to eat here. A very interesting and good question considering that the Byakko were upper-class and they could afford more extravagant entertainment, food, and what not. However, there were so many options that she could offer to the girl and they would be there for hours if she went through the list. So instead of sitting beside her and listing every single choice, she would simply ask the girl the following: "What would you like to eat and drink? Our cooks can make pretty much anything that we ask them to. All you have to do is ask and you shall receive and remember you may eat as much as you want since you are our guest. Don't feel bad for gorging yourself since you could add some meat to your bones, my little snow bunny." That last little bit would only be able to be heard with someone that had superior hearing like a Byakko and not a commoner like Kiyoko, but who knows...she eventually might be able to pick up on little and quiet things like that and be an excellent fighter. Only time would tell.

After she recovered from her almost audible slip-up, she would roll her shoulders and ask a simple question: "Are you ready to go eat?" One thing was for certain, she was definitely ready to chow down on some excellent waffles, pancakes, and possibly boar meet glazed in maple syrup with a side of toast with grape jelly and a nice healthy glass of milk. Mmmm, milk, a kitty and cat's favorite drink.

[OOC: This post is my 2000th one on this site. Woot XD.]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko looked down in thought for a moment, not exactly sure what she would want if she were she to eat in the first place. But she shrugged her shoulders lightly. ”Perhaps some milk and toast?” she decided, knowing it wouldn’t be too heavy on the stomach, so she would be able to keep it down no matter how she was feeling. Kiyoko nodded to the question of being ready to go eat. It would definitely be nice to have something since her meal the night before had been interrupted before she could even finish it. ”Wait, let me grab something,” she said before they left her room.

Kiyoko turned around and walked over to her bed, grabbing the sketchbook and pencil she had been using throughout the night. She then walked back over to Kyushiko. ”Okay, let’s go eat.” She knew she would probably end up getting nervous while being around the inhabitants of the estate for a little while, but she also didn’t want to be seen as a coward by running away or breaking down from her nerves. She needed something from her comfort zone there to calm her down.

Kiyo shut the bedroom door behind her as they exited her room, hoping that no one would go in and mess with her things. She was very protective of both her art and the snowflake that her father had given her. They were probably the only things even keeping her as stable as she was at the moment. The whitette took a small breath and let it out softly as they started to walk through the large home. It was a bit overwhelming, even after her small amount of sleep. She would probably have to tell Kyuji how she had slept as well. She was trying to decide whether or not she should lie and say it was fine or come out with the truth and let him know she barely slept.

With the amount of pep in her step and energy she seemed to exude, it would probably be hard for someone to tell that she was quite exhausted from her worries, fears, and lack of rest. It was all taking quite a toll on her mind and body, but she had always been extremely careful around her mother not to show how she was feeling, so perhaps she could pull it off around the medic as well. But, then again, her mother hadn’t exactly been in the right mind either.

[MFT: 415 words]

 

[Tomomi]

The little Byakko would wait for a response from her little snow bunny "companion" and nod her head at the initial response of toast and milk. They definitely had those two products in their home and although it was a light meal, which was unusual for Kyushiko, she did not question the other female's choice. Honestly, the bunny was probably a little "shell-shocked" from what happened the night before with her family and her body physically and emotionally could not handle too much right now. Although the future head of the Byakko Clan did not know all the details, she could tell that something was surely bothering the other white-haired individual; that is probably why she stood there in silence as the other white-haired lass got her sketchbook and a pencil before proceeding to head out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Fortunately for both girls, a Byakko guard would be situated outside the door and would give merely a simple nod to Kyushiko so they understood one another. In other words, the guest of the Clan had nothing to worry about with her items in her room as the guards typically performed their jobs perfectly. The only incident that their jobs were screwed slightly was when one of the kitsune girls had lost control of herself in the training grounds and ripped open one of the guards' chest and proceeded to suckle on the blood. Fortunately, that event was in the past and that situation had been easily taken care of so the atmosphere of the Byakko Estate was relatively normal.

Within a few moments, the girls would make it into the dining room and be able to see the descendant of Byakko easily eating his breakfast which consisted of buttered toast, waffles made with boar meat, some fruits, and a nice tall glass of water since it was too early in the day to have a true drink even if he wasn't a drinker. Kyushiko would take a position beside her father and offer the chair across from her for Kiyoko as her father continued to chow down on his food from his location at the table which was the end or head part. When he finally got a moment between bites, he would look at his guest and give a gentle, warm smile as he asked her a simple question: "How did you sleep last night, Kiyoko? Any issues to report with sleeping or the accommodations that we have offered?" He would then take another bite of one of his waffles that were so damn good and chew waiting for a response from the girl as his daughter began to fill her plate with her own variety of food that consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage links from one of the animals that inhabited the desert, and french toasted topped with a special syrup that was poison extracted from some of the scorpions of the desert and experimented with numerous times to make it non-lethal and an excellent substance to add flavor to their meals.

As the two Byakko members ate, Kyuji would take another moment between his meal to explain to Kiyoko what they would do today. "I thought long and hard about how to approach this situation regarding your father and your evaluations. I believe the easiest way to do this would be to take you to your father as soon as we all finish our meals and have numerous medics including myself watch you as you pay your respects and have time with your father. We will not interfere in your moments with your father, but we will have to enter the room if you start to show clear signs that could put you in danger like fainting. As for your mother, we will allow her to view her husband if she is able to handle it. I personally would want your whole family to be together one last time before the Hospital and the Medical Branch handle his body and allow his body to move to the afterlife like his soul has already done." His tone was solemn as he explained to her what would be occurring today and that friendly, warm smile had quickly vanished when he begun because he could tell this was a difficult subject for her. It was evident that it was a difficult subject from when he saw her last night and this morning; Kyushiko knew that it was rough as well as she kept silent aside from chewing on her meal.

[MFT: 756 Words. I apologize if it is not my best work for you =/]

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko followed Kyushiko all the way to the dining hall, timidly seating herself at the table with a small smile on her lips. Aside from her slightly tired eyes, she was able to sit upright and appear alert. She etched Kyushiko fix herself something before taking two pieces of toast to sustain herself. Shen she was asked what she would like to drink, she requested milk with polite words and a smile that barely reached her eyes. When she was first addressed about her sleep, she though for a moment on whether or nor she should tell him the truth.

After giving it plenty of thought, she let our a small sigh. "You're room was lovely and comfortable. I didn't sleep very well, but it isn't your fault. I just had some new night terrors," she admitted, looking down to her plate. "But I'm sure it's only because I'm in an unfamiliar location with new faces. I will eventually recover." She took a bite of the toast, the flavour of such a simple dish surprising her. It had the perfect crunch and delicious taste. After taking a few more bites, she was addressed again. When she heard the start of the topic, she set the last bit of toast down and took a sip of the provided milk.

Upon hearing that they would be seeing her father today, she froze with the glass in her hand. She felt nervous about seeing him. What if she really couldn't handle it? They would have to keep her back and run tests to see how stable she was. And what of her mother? As much as Kiyoko wanted her there, she was nearly positive Manami would never recover. Kiyoko's hand began to tremble, and she quickly noticed, setting the glass of milk down so she wouldn't risk spilling it. "I want to see him alone at first. I need to do something that I don't want my mother to worry about. But she can come in afterwards, if I can stay there long enough in your opinion." Kiyoko smiled sheepishly from her small show of instability; and here she was, trying to prove she could handle it.

She finished the last bit of her toast before taking another, slightly shakier sip lf her milk. She then took her sketch pencil in hand and began to simply fiddle with it, not wanting to seem rude if she were to immediately start sketching in the presence of her kind temporary guardian and his daughter. She was both excited and afraid of seeing her father again after so many years.

[OOC: I apologize as well ^^ I just didn't want to leave you hanging, and I have a busy week this week.]
[MFT: 440 words]

 

[Tomomi]

As both father and daughter sat there, they listened to their guest explain about her night and what she wanted to do alone with her father if Kyuji believed she could handle it. In all honesty, he didn't know how long she would be able to stay and see her father before it was too much for her but he was willing to give her a chance to do so. However, they needed to finish up in his home with getting prepared before anyone was to leave the house towards the Hospital for the day. As for his daughter, she would sit quietly bunching on her food as her father would respond to their guest with a warm tone in his voice: "You may stay with your father as long as you want and as long as you think you will be able to handle it. I would recommend paying all your last respects to him while you are there since we need to do the proper arrangements for someone who has passed. Since your mother is not capable of deciding and you're too young, I have decided for your family. Your father will be cremated once you and your mother pay your respects to him and then the Hospital. It is okay to cry if you need to, Kiyoko, I know this is a lot to handle for someone your age."

At this point, Kyushiko would look over at Kiyoko and say something quickly before she could respond herself. "If it would help, I can come with you to the Hospital so you have someone there aside from my father for support. My father has seen many people die while in the Hospital and some of them were close to him so he knows how you feel, believe me. He also had to handle his parents dying when he was so young as well. But Father, would that be okay if I go with Kiyoko if she wants me to?" A quick response would be given back: "That is fine, Kyushiko, as long as Kiyoko is okay with it. But if you two may excuse me, I am going to go get prepared for the walk over. I advise you two to also get ready and Kiyoko, we will stop by your home if you need to pick up any other items when we are finished at the Hospital since it is doubtful that your mother will be able to return home today in her condition from last night."

He would then get up and head off to his room to get finished with getting ready. As for Kyushiko, she would stay beside Kiyoko as some of the Byakko family members began to clear the table of empty trays and plates and so on. She would look again at Kiyoko and say only a few words: "My father means the best even if his words don't always come out as the most sincere. He has just been through a lot in his life and I believe he has some events that haunt him to this day from his past. But, listen. I will go with you if you'd like, it might be easier to go with someone else that is around your age for support even if I cannot say much and I am just there as a shoulder to cry on or something." In all honesty, Kyushiko never had lost anyone in her life yet that she held dear to her but she had felt these negative emotions that Kiyoko and her father had and are feeling before considering she had seen her father, mother and relatives during their bad times and it did affect her obviously. She just hoped the girl would be okay that was sitting beside her.

 

[Kitetsu Kurikara]

Kiyoko listened calmly as the man spoke up. So she would be allowed plenty of time with her father; that was a good thing, right? But she wasn't sure if she would be able to willingly leave the room. She knew this was going to be extremely difficult for her, especially since she hadn't expressed her true feelings for two years. She brought her lower lip between her teeth as Kyuji spoke of cremating her father. It hurt to know she was too young to make the decision; she wanted to give him a proper burial ceremony, inviting his older friends from the trade group he worked with. But she couldn't tell Kyuji that. What would it matter? She was too young to understand situations like these. Besides, she knew for a fact her and her mother didn't have enough money to be able to pay off the recreation of her father as well as their medical bills. It was going to be too expensive to add a funeral ceremony on top of that. So cremation would simply have to do.

When Kyushiko offered to come along, Kiyo was hesitant to agree. She had no idea what was in the note yet, and she wanted it to be strictly between her and her father. But Kyushiko was right; it wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone her age there to console her if she were to lose it entirely. She thought for a moment longer, then made her decision. "Thank you, Kyushiko-san. I appreciate the kindness you and Kyuji-san are taking the time to show me, but I want to speak to my father alone. There are some things I need to say that I don't want anyone else to hear." She really couldn't let anyone else know what she planned to say; it would probably be too much for her mother to handle were she to find out, and Kiyoko couldn't risk anyone hearing her. She needed to get out everything with her father before she could truly move on.

And as much as she hated it, she was angry. She was upset that he hadn't kept his promise to return until two years later, and he wouldn't be able to hear her speaking. She hoped he would at least listen to all she had to say. She then decided to ask for a bit more from Kyuji. "I need to grab a few things before we leave," she spoke, not sure if Kyushiko was told to keep an eye on her while they were in the estate, but she felt she should at least inform someone of the Byakko clan where she was. She then stood up and started back to her room, glad that she had taken the time to pay attention to where they had turned on the way to breakfast. She opened her door and stepped in, leaving it open since it wouldn't be a big deal.

Kiyoko slipped the snowflake necklace onto her neck to wear for her father's sake since it was the last memory they had shared. She then grabbed the three paintings she had done in remembrance of him, to take and show him that she hadn't forgotten about him at all. He deserved to know he was loved even past his death, whether or not he would hear her words. She took a small breath, attempting to prepare herself mentally even though she didn't exactly know how. It was the second time having to accept his death, but it had been easier the first time since she had no proof to support it. Now, there was no denying that he was truly gone.

[MFT: 616 words]