The night was clear, the moon large and its light intense, somewhat reminiscent of the Long Night itself. Much had changed since then and though it was easy to swipe the ink brush and say it was all for the better, little things in life were quite so simple. He had been intent and callous in actions, a clean cut was what he had intended, too proud to acknowledge where he'd gone wrong. The hurt he'd left in his wake. The sea crashed against the cliffs below, the air surging with the scent of salt and seaweed.

Hattori had heard one of his daughters resided in a pack nearby, Elysium he believed. A father ought not to have favourites, but he'd always had a fondness for the songs she used to play. She'd been talented, sometimes the air felt empty with no music to fill it.

A bird had come. It was a surprise to Ikigai as she hadn't been expecting correspondence. It was more of a surprise to hear what the message entailed. Her father. He was nearby. At first Iki didn't think that she cared. Whoever had sent the bird believed that she might, but who would even know about the rift between them unless Hattori had told them? The pale woman considered not going, but the chasm between herself and her father was a very sore spot, even now. And so, she sent Tanuki and Willa out to find him. He looked the same, albeit a bit older. She looked older as well, but still held the captivating, elegant beauty that would always be hers. A plethora of emotions rose to the surface but she bit them all back. If this was the only chance that she would get to speak her piece and get the weight off of her chest, then she would take the opportunity as she took all things; with grace and a clear mind. "Hattori," the woman spoke in clear, practiced tones as she stood behind him. He was just another wolf now. No longer was he the pillar of strength and safety that she'd believed him to be as a child. He wasn't the god that children believed their parents to be. As she stared at him with marbled eyes, she wondered if he would even have anything worthy to say to her or if everything would be excuses. Would he even want to speak to her at all? | "Tanuki" | "Ikigai" | "Willa" |

Hattori was well aware of the light his actions painted him in, and though he wasn't the sort to feel the need to defend himself he couldn't quite find the drive to blame her either. She was as polite as could be expected, her greeting a little clipped and curt, but not to the extent he believed she was showing any real disrespect. Always been the very picture of elegance and grace, her movements like flowing silk, words calm and measured like an artisan skilled at their craft.

He was quiet for a moment, considered in the silence as the waves pressed against the cliff below.

"Ikigai." He finally said, voice carrying its usual veneer of distance. It wasn't outright cold, not in the same way a sneer or a glare could be, but nothing ever sat close to the surface with Hattori. Always bundled beneath many layers. He had never been one for small talk and he had little interest in subjecting her to that.  

When he spoke again there was a weight to his words, a slight crack where a flicker of loss squeezed through. "Your Grandmother has passed, I believe." He couldn't say for certain, except that he knew she would have returned by now if she could. Search attempts had been fruitless and given even Raijin himself who had been sent to look for her hadn't returned, well that felt more of a choice than the former. "You are well?"

Hattori acknowledged her but she saw no surprise in his eyes. No love or regret in his gaze. She saw nothing. Perhaps he didn't care at all. Ikigai was from a chapter of his life that was better off forgotten. If he wished to forget... then perhaps she should as well. Her father spoke once more and the woman's obsidian ears shifted backwards for a moment. Kiyo had been a wonderful woman and Iki had loved her grandmother during the time that they'd known one another. "That... is unfortunate," she replied. "I will mourn her loss." And she would, in her own way. On her own time. She would not shed tears in front of Hattori, however. Ikigai was far too dignified for that. When Hattori asked after her well being, Iki wasn't sure if it was genuine interest or just niceties. Either way, she would tell him just how great things were going for her. "I am very well. Married to a wonderful man. Emissary to Elysium. Mother to the future ruler of the pack." Iki's belly was slightly rounded beneath her silken fur. She was such a slender woman that it was a bit more obvious than it might be on others. "You are well?" She asked in turn. | "Tanuki" | "Ikigai" | "Willa" |

Hattori made a low noise in his throat, though not outwardly emotive, he made no secret that he was pleased she was content. That things were going well for her, perhaps in spite of what he'd done or hadn't done. He could not say he was surprised that she'd found herself in a lofty position, that the noticeable roundness to her stomach was due to the future heir she was carrying. Even when she'd been young, he had always envisioned her treading such a path, to her performances and airs and graces- she would have flourished in Nihon just as much as he was here, it seemed.

"I am glad." Not that she would care for his approval, but she had it nonetheless. "I am well, in many ways he looked about the same. Perhaps with a dusting of grey starting to settle on the dark of his snout. Adding a more distinguished look to his already stern yet handsome facade.

He paused then, knew she was too polite, too proper to speak her mind without prompting.

"You may speak freely, I will not hold it against you."

Hattori did indeed look a bit older, but he was still as stiff and unyielding as she remembered. He surprised her by telling her to speak openly, but it didn't show on the woman's face. Nor did she hesitate in taking the opportunity. "Did you miss us at all? Did you ever think about what your abandonment would do to your children?" Though Ikigai held it together rather well, she couldn't say the same for the others. Ike was insecure. Kit was stiff and tried too hard. Oki was off wandering with no real purpose that she could see. The lot of them could have done great things had they only stayed together.

"Has your pride never allowed you to seek me out or have I simply been out of mind because I was out of sight?" A gentle breeze blew ruffling the pallid fae's long, silken coat. "I worshipped you as a child. There was no higher being in my eyes." Iki inhaled deeply, pulling her gaze away from that of her father. "You showed me what a father shouldn't be." Then she went quiet, simply standing and waiting. Would he give her anything? Any sort of emotion in return? It was just the two of them. There would be no one to witness the stoic Hattori Hanzo showing any sort of mortal emotion.

"X"