Intermezzo

"Wait by the car, I'm going to go buy some fruit." Kiara smiles gently as she opens the car door. "And downturn your collar, you look ridiculous."

"Sure, mom." Daisuko shoots Kiara a wink and an okay sign with her hands, though she doesn't downturn her collar. Kiara sighs as she leaves the car. How did her children grow up so quickly?

Outside, the first motes of snow make their home in Kiara's hair. The streets are pretty empty, save for a small group of gangsters wearing Blackadder uniforms who respectfully nod their heads at Kiara as she passes by. They shouldn't be wearing their colors so openly in Kuze Clan territory but Kiara lets it slide. Matter of fact, she bows back at the girls before entering the fruit parlor just up ahead.

Now this is nostalgic. She remembers way back when this brand was just a tiny fruit stand on the side of the street. Kiara met the owner when he was just a young boy and she was just a young girl. Ever since his father passed, he inherited the seed that was the fruit stand and grew it into the blossoming fruit parlor it is today. It must be nice being an only child. No messy inheritances to sort out.

The Kuze Clan was never supposed to be Kiara's. No, that right belonged to her elder sister, Shouko. The Kuze Clan has always been ruled by eldest children. It's just the way their ancestors decreed, and no one ever went against it. No one except for Kiara, that is. She had no real right to claim the seat of head for herself. But being the likable one has its benefits.

Shouko always had a temper. She treated her subordinates worse than her enemies. She started needless wars with other yakuza organizations and caused trouble for everyone else. It's only natural that almost everyone banded together under Kiara's banner to oust her. Eventually, Shouko and her husband were banished and the seat of Kuze Clan head fell into Kiara's lap.

"Nonomiya!" Kiara opens her arms wide as she enters the store.

"Lady Kuze!" The store owner, a broad-shouldered man with a thin beard and slicked back hair, steps out from behind the counter and bows as deeply as he can at Kiara. "You haven't aged a day."

"I really haven't, have I?" She laughs softly under her breath as she bows back. "Meanwhile, you've certainly been getting on in years."

"Ah well. They do say that a man's wisdom is as plentiful as the number of gray hairs on his head." Nonomiya laughs heartily. "Anyway, what can I get for you today?"

"A little of everything would be wonderful. Though, I have been craving melons as of late."

"Of course."

Nonomiya starts to walk over to one of the display cases but Kiara stops him.

"Get down." Kiara has her eyes fixed through the outside-facing window. She sees the Blackadder gangsters from earlier gathering in front of the shop.

"What–"

One of the gangsters pulls out a rifle. All the others do the same, aim their guns at Kiara, and unload. "GET DOWN!"

Kiara pushes Nonomiya away as hard as she can. He goes flying, smashing against the fruit parlor's far wall. He's hurt, but thankfully he's out of the way. That's the last thought Kiara has before she's immediately swallowed by a storm of gunfire. Bullets rip through her body as she falls to the ground. One by one, clicks sound out as the gangsters run out of ammunition.

Somewhere in the distance, more gunshots erupt. With blurred vision, Kiara sees one of the gangsters get caught in the leg. The others wrap her arms around their shoulders and carry her into a nearby car. They're surprisingly quick, like they've done this hundreds of times before.

It's strange. She's just been riddled with holes but she doesn't feel much pain. In fact, it's so peaceful that she could fall asleep. Like she's drifting in the ocean, the sun gently caressing her face, the waves gently rocking her body to and fro. And there isn't anything in the world that could ruin this calm. Her eyes begin to drift shut. Then she sees her.

Daisuko suddenly enters Kiara's narrow view, her body framed by the outside-facing window. She has both of her handguns raised as she unloads shot after shot at the speeding car. She has an expression on her face that Kiara's never seen her wear before.

That's right. She can't go to sleep. Not yet. Not when her daughters are still alive. She forces her eyes open, then the ocean turns against her. The waves that rocked her back and forth now pull her under the surface. The sunlight shining through the water's surface now taunts how far away she is from her next breath. She's drowning, but that's proof that she's fighting.

"Mom!" Daisuko rushes into the fruit parlor and runs over to Kiara. Without hesitating, she wraps her arms around her blood-stained body and lifts her up in a bridal carry. "You're going to be okay, mom, you're going to be okay." Kiara isn't sure if Daisuko's reassuring her or herself.

"Dai…suko…"

"Save your strength."

"Th…ank… you…"

With that, Kiara slips into unconsciousness.

———————————————————————————————————————

The warehouse is silent, save for the shuffling of a large number of feet and the soft creaks of a singular wheelchair being pushed forward.

"A little closer, Oka."

Oka pushes Kiara's wheelchair ever so slightly closer to the meeting table. With trembling limbs, Kiara lifts her arms onto the table and clasps them together. They are, like the rest of her body, covered in sporadic patches of bandage wrapping.

"I'd like to thank our good friend Tami Momoe for gathering everyone here again today on such short notice."

"What happened to you, Kiara?" Emu Awano takes a sip from her wine glass.

Kiara sighs. "How did things ever get so far? I don't know. But we, the Kuze Clan, demand an explanation for this madness. And depending on the answer, we may even be willing to… overlook this nonsense in the name of peace. Now if you please, Oe."

Oe's glazed over expression focuses as Kiara says her name. "Are you implying I was behind the attempt?"

"The girls were wearing Blackadder gang uniforms." Kiara takes a raspy breath. "The way I see it, there are two possibilities. Either you gave them the order, or you didn't. One way or another, responsibility falls onto you."

"I suppose you're right. Maybe I am getting too lenient." Oe goes back to staring into space. "Sorry about that."

"That's not all." Kiara gestures for Shosuko to step forward and explain.

"A… friend of mine was murdered today." Shosuko pushes away the memory as it tries to resurface in her mind. "By her."

Shosuko points at the girl standing next to Oe. Tall, with red hair and a naturally piercing stare, Kasai Ryusei.

Oe idly scratches her face. "Is this true?"

"No." Kasai's response is curt.

"Don't Lie!" Shosuko instantly loses her temper. Her mind goes back to The Batter's words. 'Yakuza are always so quick to lie'. She now understands what she meant. "I saw you there! You used that exact sword to kill Yuuji!"

"Do you have any proof?" Shosuko isn't sure if she's imagining it but she spots the faintest of grins on Kasai's face. It's almost like she's goading her. And it's working.

"You bitch!"

"Shosuko, that's enough." Kiara holds up a hand. "If no census can be reached, we'll take action into our own hands. Is that amenable to you, Oe?"

"Do what you want. I don't really mind." Oe looks at Kasai. "Sorry about this, but you're on your own."

"Hmph." Kasai nods.

"By the way, where'd The Batter go?" Oe's eyes go back to staring at dust motes.

"The Batter is missing. In spite of our best efforts, we could not locate her." Kiara's response is swift.

"Huh." Oe looks at Kiara's wounds. "What's going on with the Umi Alliance, then?"

"The Umi Alliance is now under the leadership of Yuki Ryusei and has become a subsidiary of the Kuze Clan." Emu Awano speaks like it's just common knowledge.

"I see your intelligence network is still as sharp as ever, Emu." Kiara tosses the compliment at Emu's feet.

"Of course! It's my pride and joy." And Emu eats it up wholeheartedly.

"Wild." Oe plays with a lock of her hair. "Is that all we came here to discuss?"

"That's all I have to say." Kiara looks towards everyone else at the meeting table. "Does anyone else have anything to add?"

Oe remains silent.

"Nope." Sumire Shirayuki shakes her head.

"Nothing." Emu taps her fingers on the table impatiently.

"Very well, then." Kiara takes her arms off the table. "Dismissed."