The Last Time

Kotori returned her kiss and Ikigai's heart clenched. She felt almost sick to her stomach thinking about what could have been between them. It would have been so, so good. They would have found love together, she was sure of it. Deals had been struck that could not be undone and so there was a chance that neither of them would find the love that they deserved. She hoped that Kotori would be able to find someone worthy of him in time and that his life would be a wonderful, fulfilling one. There was a chance that she wouldn't be so lucky, but it was the hand that she'd drawn and she would play it.

The earthen man accepted the blame and Ikigai shook her head, brow furrowing. "You didn't share your plans with me and I didn't share mine with you. The blame lays with us both if there is any blame to be had." Neither knew the plans of the other or they could have worked together to ally Ashen and the Armada with blood. Things just didn't work out that way and they both had to live with the results of their silence.

As the pair sat there together, Kotori shared his plans with her. New plans. He was going to start his own pack and he was going to work hard to make sure that his pack and Elysium were on good terms. The pale woman laughed softly, sadly. "Part of the deal for joining Elysium is that I will act as their diplomat, so if the decision is up to me, we will be allies, Kotori." She couldn't imagine fighting with him or with his pack, but she wouldn't be in charge so the ultimate decision wouldn't be up to her. She would fight like hell to keep them on good terms, however.

"I'm going to confront my father before I leave for Elysium," she informed Kotori. "I have things that need to be said and he's going to listen." Iki sighed, shaking her head yet again. "I don't even know if he'll care. I don't know if he'll answer my call." The woman motioned absently with one obsidian dipped paw, "A member of Elysium, the alpha's brother, is going to accompany me there, then we'll be traveling to Elysium together after." She didn't know why she was telling him all this, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

"Ikigai"