All That Glitters [Maxy]

[Lucca]

The McDuck Manor was a grand building, colored in true Highlands fashion: brilliant white with red trim and just a hint of gold at the edges. The lawn in front of it was expansive and perfectly green, even in a drought, which there were thankfully few of in the lush Highlands. A well-kept stone path led up the hill to the front steps, and another from the side of the house to the stables, and from there to the very top of the hill where stood an enormous silo of a building where McDuck was rumored to keep his money. It was said there were spells enough guarding it to strike an entire army down, and no one really dared to attempt a robbery.

The man himself sat in his study, reading his favorite paper from the Capitaland sipping a cup of tea. His top hat was off, hanging on one of the edges of his impressive high-backed chair, and his cane rested just in range of his other hand where it lay over the paper on his desk.

He seemed the very picture of calm, but underneath he was stewing. Profits had been wavering a bit since that horrible fiasco with the Lakes, and his reputation as a businessman was a bit in flux. His reputation as a Card, however, an individual, had almost never been higher. It was odd how that worked, and Graeme didn't like it much.

He was interrupted in his musings by the knock of a paw on the door frame, and a Tulgey Feline peered into the room and waited for his acknowledgement before smiling and saying, "Your guest is here, Mr. McDuck."



Graeme looked down to fold his paper and adjust his position in the chair, not noticing the scathing expression Mrs. White gave him as he did so, and when he looked back up at her she was all smiles.

"Show our guest in, if you would," he said, and waved his hand importantly.

"Yes, Mr. McDuck," she said, and left the room with a swish of her tail and (where he couldn't see it) a roll of her eyes.

Graeme turned to watch the door, shoulders betraying his tension. The Card who was coming to see him today was the daughter of a sometime business associate of his. That wasn't what worried him. The fact that the business associate had been from the Lakes and had found his death at the same poison that had caused the problems when he was there...well. He was trying not to think about it.

But the look of a man named Timothy Ridley as he stuck himself with a needle and coldly defended his decision to take his own life rather than suffer the full effects of poison haunted him as he waited, and he couldn't get the image to go away.

[Maxy]

Her Dad had been dead for a little more than a month. Forty-six days, to be exact – and Keilani was nothing if not precise, especially when it came to events that made her feel sick to her stomach. She was entering the most awkward and uncomfortable stage of grief; she was no longer stunned, so every minute of her Dad’s absence was experienced without that merciful veil of shock. Worse still, she had taken it upon herself to leave Midori, moving back to the townhouse that had been left in her name. In all honesty, she did not mind saying goodbye to the extended family that had set up shop there, and all the forced conversations and displays of sadness that came with such an arrangement. She was not like the vividly-colored Midoris sobbing around her; she felt no relief in crying, just a sense of emptiness that somehow left her feeling worse off than before.

No, what she needed was work. Painful though it was to leave her mother, now that they were closer than ever, Keilani knew the only way she was ever going to reach some sort of normality was to follow in her father’s footsteps. Even more than when he was alive, she wanted to make him proud. There was a lot of responsibility resting in her broad shoulders, and she knew that only by overcoming her sorrow and achieving her Dad’s goals would she be worthy of all he had given her.

There was so much to live up to. He had nurtured her creativity and drive to succeed, all the while making sure she wasn’t afraid to take chances. She – and he, for that matter – hated failure, and did everything in their power to avoid it at all costs, but at the same time, they were aware that it was a natural part of business. Stocks fell, employees had to be laid off, but each misstep was an opportunity to learn. With that lesson learned, Keilani evolved into a creature capable of impressive self-assessment, someone who could course-correct and turn a bad situation on its head. It was the best gift she ever received, and she would always be grateful.

So here she was, hungry for a challenge. There was no monetary desire behind the urge; with her Dad’s death she became considerably wealthy and could, if she wanted – although really, she’d rather die – retire from all aspects of commerce and live quite comfortably. While she loved her home and the antiques, books, and wine hidden within, to do nothing was something she could never do. Besides the fact that she’d go mad, there was also one question so important it shaped her entire existence: What would Dad say?

Well, Dad would be happy with what she planned to do now. This week had been going particularly well – her shadow of unhappiness had receded somewhat, to the point that she had scheduled to meet with a particular Graeme McDuck. He had been a occasional business partner of her father’s, and although she never had the pleasure of working with him directly, Keilani knew the Spades’ reputation. He was a man with somewhat gaudy taste, at least to her simple and clean Selkie mentality, but was an expert when it came to playing the market.

Her Dad’s advice playing in her head, she sat composedly in the drawing room. She wasn’t nervous – rather, for the first time since her Dad wasted away and died crying tar – she felt something other than empty. She even managed a small, professional smile when the strange Tulgey Feline reentered the room.

[Lucca]

Mrs. White forced a smile for Kalani, while inwardly complaining about the brightness of the woman's fur. As if the gaudy gold and red of Highlanders weren't bad enough! Midori colors were downright eye-searing. And would, she suspected, clash horribly with blood. It was the reason she didn't entertain many thoughts of doing anything unpleasant to the woman.

"He's ready for you, Keilani," she offered, all smiles and bounce. "I'll be along shortly with a fresh spot of tea, all right?" She bowed to her, inwardly hating the necessity, and left the door open to the office while she left for the kitchen, expecting the Canine to make her way in.

As soon as Keilani would enter to office, Graeme would get up, come around his desk and smile, offering his hand in a quick, casually formal gesture. "Miss Keilani?" he said, voice hinting towards a rather thick accent. "As you know, Ah'm Graeme McDuck, owner of McDuck Enterprises. Welcome. Please, make yourself comfortable." He resolutely pushed away thoughts of the dying Selkie. It helped that the girl was full Midori in looks, though from what he'd heard he suspected she was far different in demeanor.

Which was just as well. Laziness was one of those things Graeme found simply intolerable, especially in a potential associate.

[Maxy]

If Keilani had any idea of the thoughts playing around Mrs. White’s head, she would probably question not only her sanity but also that of Mr. McDuck. Still, something about the Feline made her feel vaguely uncomfortable; she chalked it up to her woods lineage. The Midori had never met someone purely Tulgey, and something about her pink eyes just seemed… strange.

Still, she was polite, and she and her Dad always did their best to treat their employees well. No reason to get on the bad side of the person who cleaned the house and cooked the food. ”Thank you,”[/color] she said pleasantly before entering the office.

When she walked into the office, she was pleased to see that McDuck was not babying her. There were plenty of people she had dealt with that, because of her middling rank, treated her as low and unequal of their time. It was true, she didn’t have much when it came to Court influence, but she did have a not unimpressive fortune and a knack at good investments. To her, that counted about the same. At any rate, she matched McDuck’s smile and shook his hand. Her handshake, like that of her Dads, was firm and confident.

”Of course. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me at such sort notice.[/color] She went quiet for a moment, thoughtful. ”As I’m sure you’re a busy man, I’ll get right to the point. With my father’s…with my father’s death, I have been left as his sole heir. The interest alone would be enough to live decently with, but I don’t have the temperament for an early retirement,”[/color] She laughed a little at that, chasing the darker thoughts from her consciousness. ”You worked with my father in the past, to both his and your benefit, and I think I could do something similar.”[/color] Keilani was not usually one to beat around the bush.

[Lucca]

Graeme, Keilani would find, had much the same views as she did. Rank was not nearly as important as the drive to make something of oneself, and power was useless if not put to a good use. He also shared her views on money. In fact, there were a good number of things he had in common with the girl. His handshake was also firm, and he let a smile touch the edges of his bill. Here, finally, was the sort of business he'd been needing.

"Nae a problem," he assured her, resuming his seat behind the desk and nodding that she could do the same with the couch behind her. It was well suited to Animal forms. He raised a slight eyebrow at her forwardness, and nodded carefully. Well, he supposed that there was something to be said for getting right to the point. After all, he was quite busy, never mind that he'd set aside a certain period of time for this meeting.

His eyes took on a strange light when she mentioned the small fortune, though he carefully didn't let anything show in his expression. After all, he doubted that it could rival his own...though if it did he certainly wanted the girl as an ally. "Ah understand entirely," he said, and he did. He took another moment to consider his words carefully. "Your father was a noble man and an excellent businessman, and we did work together on several occasions. But now, for me benefit, please elaborate on how exactly you would see our potential business relationship."

He wasn't going to give the girl a free pass and just assume that she'd inherited all her father's business sense, even if it appeared that way.

[Maxy]

Belatedly, she sat in the chair offered to her. If there was such a thing as being too brisk – which she could not believe – Keilani suffered from it. She understood the ritual of coddling a client or associate, warming him or her up to a certain idea or change in policy, but if she could avoid such time-wasters, she would. Her Dad constantly had to remind her to be patient, some things take time, but she wasn’t a fan of playing hostess when there was work to be done. Maybe it was her fear that she would slide into Midor laziness if she wasn’t careful, or maybe her nature was just to be blunt and to the point, but in any case, time was money and she’d much rather not waste either.

Of course, there were some small talk that needed to be said and responded to. ”Thank you, Mr. McDuck. I know you worked together but rarely, but my father always spoke highly of you, which is the reason I decided to speak to you first.”[/color]

Her pink eyes flashed. This, this was what she enjoyed. It was easier to forget less pleasant things when there were business plans to discuss. ”Obviously there are still affairs to be put in order, but at the moment I have investments in the Selkie Lakes – particularly, a water bottling plant and a fishery. There’s also a Midori brewery, but that’s more for my mother’s benefit than anything else,”[/color] she explained with an absent wave of her paw. ”What I’m looking for is expansion, and I think the Highlands would be an excellent place to start. It has a close relationship to the Court of Hearts, which relies on Selkie fish and numerous other imports, while at the same time exporting lumber and oats. Furthermore, it’s just an important, not to mention wealthy, community and I think it's time I had a presence there,”[/color]she added with a shrug. She felt no shame in being a black, hard-working Spade, but there was no denying the Hearts were a powerful bunch, especially the titled ones.

[Lucca]

Graeme relaxed just a fraction when Keilani took the chair. Yes, time was money, but in his mind the formalities were all just a part of the game, so to speak, and he didn't mind them unless he was dealing with some of his...less likable business associates or rivals. Even then, there were ways to show up a potential rival during even trivial conversations, and in the rather cutthroat world he lived in, even little step you could make counted. He didn't want Keilani to just bolt on him, which had actually happened before, much to his mingled amusement and frustration.

He nodded to her first statement and then listened. The Duck was proud of himself when he managed not to wince at the mention of the Lakes. He hadn't been so sure he could control his reactions when the memories were still so fresh in his mind, but his training won out in the end. He considered her for a silent moment after she spoke, his expression betraying nothing. He could tell she was impatient, and that wouldn't do her any favors, especially in such a place as the Highlands.

"Very well," he said, finally, letting a small smile take the edges of his beak. "Ah think Ah actually have a location in mind that would fit your needs almost perfectly." He went to shuffle through one of his desk drawers. "It's a building of me own, at the moment, and ye could either rent it, buy it, or speak to the current manager of the location about accepting ye as an associate."

[Maxy]

She lost her reserve a little, the edges of her mouth pulling back in a genuine Midori grin. That smile, along with her impatience, were to qualities she would have to learn to control at some point – they worked directly against the professionalism she wanted to exude. For a moment, though, all she could think of was that this, this was the start to something great. Keilani, however, had neither the desire nor incentive to muse on the philosophical, and in a blink she was all business. Dad would be proud of his savvy little girl.

”I’m very happy to hear that,”[/color] she said frankly. ”What exactly do they manufacture? As for whether I rent or just buy outright, I’d like to visit the property and talk to the employees and manager. My father always took a hands-on approach to his transactions and supervision, and I’d like to do the same."[/color] More importantly, she’d have to look over the account books and make sure the company turned a quarterly profit. The idea of co-owning with the current manager - well, that was something she didn't relish the thought of. Keilani had some experience working with associates and to be honest, she wasn't fond of the situation. She worked well as an employee and especially as boss, or talking to competitors, but the same couldn't be said of an ally on equal footing. Maybe that was why she didn't have many friends.

[Lucca]

Graeme was a bit surprised at the smile, to be sure, since the girl had been so professional beforehand. However, he could hardly fault her for it, given that he himself was well-known for his displays of temper when things weren't going his way. If you were a good enough businessman, many of your more minor flaws could slide through, if you were willing to endure a bit of teasing about them. It all just rolled off Graeme's fathers, for the most part.

"At th'moment, paper," he replied easily. "But tha' could be changed if ye had somethin' better for them t'sell." He knew the manager personally, of course, and the woman was nothing if not flexible. Besides which, anything to increase the profit margin of one of his own properties was always welcome. He nodded, appreciating and understanding her need to actually see the place in person. He wouldn't really respect her for anything less. "Of course. Ah can accompany ye there t'day, if ye wish it." But first...where was their tea?

As if on cue, the door opened, and and Tulgey Feline came back in, humming lightly and pushing a tea tray. "Your tea, Mr. McDuck." She nodded to him. "Ma'am." She nodded to Keilani, as well, and began pouring. She offered Graeme his cup first, an odd, hard-to-read look in her eyes as she turned from him and back to the cart that he wouldn't catch but Keilani might. Then, she offered a cup to the Canine, all smiles. "One lump or two, dear?"

[Maxy]

A couple of years ago, Keilani remembered her Dad working with Mr. McDuck. She hadn’t been directly involved in that interaction; she had still been taking business classes and had her own projects to run. She did recall, however, the difference between the two gentlemen. Her Dad rarely ever raised his voice – in fact, she could never remember an instance in which he yelled at her. That didn’t mean he never got angry, he was just always in control of his emotions and plus, his disappointed tone was far worse than any shouting anyway. She assumed Mr. McDuck was usually the same way, although she did recollect one time when her Dad returned from his office uncharacteristically bothered. Apparently he and the Jack had disagreed about a business module, and tempers had flared. It was a sight she would’ve liked to see, if only because she couldn’t imagine it…

Paper. Not the loftiest of goods, but there was undoubtedly a wide market for it. Already, ideas were whirring around in her head. Esterberry libraries and universities would be the most important clients, but if the quality was good enough, there was also a possibility of dealing with the Courts. Embossed, thick parchment… yes, she’d have plenty of options.

“Perfect,”[/color] she said, thinking of the opportunity the tour presented in and of itself. She turned toward the door and watched Mrs. White interact with her boss. Strange. She couldn’t put her finger on it, and it was probably nothing, but still. The Midori was a huge believer in first impressions.”Black is fine, thank you.”[/color] She responded with a studied smile.