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Considering that Alexandrea didn't know Keara all that well, having only met the Elder once before, she couldn't be sure about it but suspected Keara had just spoken a lot more than she usually did. The other woman had always seemed so very quiet and withdrawn. Perhaps Alex had gotten the wrong impression or maybe she should be flattered that her fellow vampiress was feeling comfortable enough around Alexandrea to speak so freely.

"Well, Keara. I see what you are getting at and quite frankly I love the idea. I'd been feeling like my store was missing something and by combining our efforts, I can't see any reason why both our business wouldn't benefit. Now, let's iron out the details. Would we be swapping inventory items evenly and sharing the profits or buying them outright from each other, the owner of the shop that sells the merchandise retaining full profits? Or would we just be giving each other an extra space to display our wares, and then each of us keeping the complete amount of any sales?"

Alexandrea crossed her legs and leaned forward slightly, one hand resting causally in her lap as the other pushed some stray hair out of her eyes and tucked the wavy strands behind her ears. Somehow even though they were indoors, a breeze always seemed to follow her around and blow her hair into her face.

"I"m perfectly fine with whichever agreement you prefer, and once we finalize our agreement? Why don't we head back over to my store and you can pick out some things you think would fit into your shop."

She smiled brightly at the Elder. It was odd how things worked. Less than an hour ago, Alexandrea has been confused by the feeling of her store having something missing in it. And now, The Goddess had opened a door to a new opportunity. Her eyes closed for a very brief moment as she gave a silent thank you to Nox.

The division of profits, goods and services wasn't one she'd actually considered. All the suggestions Alex made seemed perfectly reasonable and she could see that each had their merits. She'd not really thought the idea through from a monetary standpoint, as she'd concentrated more on what the concept of the idea might mean for both businesses. There was a small pause in the conversation as she weighed up the merits of each scenario and came to a decision on how best they might move forward.

"All ideas for monetary gain reasonable are. Difficult it is to decide merits of one above another. In competition we should not be. So if buy article outright for sale we do, need agree we must on retail price of said article. Else friction we might cause if one under-prices the other."

She was doing her best not to fidget where she sat and while her body obeyed, her fingers did not and she was soon clutching at the individual ruffles of the skirt, scrunching it up in her hands and the then releasing it before moving to the next layer, her hands working up and down the length of the short skirt. The behaviour probably mimicked that of someone who was nervous but Keara was anything but, she simply had trouble staying in the moment and even simple movements such as these helped to ground her. If she sat motionless for too long, she would surely find herself drawn into the deepest depths of her mind and she could not afford to let that happen.

"Think perhaps best might be if sell the items we do and the profit we split. Cost of item of course not included in that is. That returned is to the one that made/bought it. Cost price of course. That. Or as said I did before. Buy from one another we can outright. With small mark up from cost of course. Then agree on sale price we do. Though think that messier is. Much more amicable is perhaps, if share profit we do on what sold is. Even split. If that agreeable is."

She was content to iron out the details before they returned to the shop to see what might be appropriate for her store. She was sure that if there was nothing suitable there already that Alexandrea could be inspired to create a new range if worse came to worst.

There was something about Keara that Alex really had taken a liking too but she wasn't sure why the woman seemed to be nervous. Alex hoped nothing was wrong and wished she was better at reading how people felt. The two didn't know each other well enough for Alexandrea to just come right out and ask. Perhaps it was just that the Elder was anxious to be up and moving around, which Alex could understand. She wasn't great at keeping still and just sitting for too long herself.

"Yes, it is agreeable. I think we'll both be very happy with this arrangement. Shall we go and take a look over the inventory and see if anything strikes your fancy?"

Standing up, Alex waited to see if the other woman would rise aw well. Perhaps actually doing besides just talking would make Keara more at ease.

Over in the shark tank, Orin splashed playfully and Alex laughed as a shower of water hit her in the back. Thankfully, the Elder was spared the free shower. She turned to face the shark and blew kisses at it. *I'll come by for a midnight dip with you later, Orin* She sent into his mind, not knowing if a shark could get the mind message or not. It was a routine though. Orin had never hurt Alex, she gave him treats. In fact... no animal had ever hurt Alexandrea. It was almost as if she had some kind of gift.

Alex was quite amiable and readily agreed to a fifty-fifty split of profits on all items they sold in each other’s stores. When she stood to leave the bench they had not long sat upon, she rose to follow her. The sudden splash of water on Alexandrea's back didn't seem to faze her and Keara could only assume that this was because such behaviour, on the part of the shark, was quite normal. She wasn't sure if she'd be quite so calm if she'd of been splashed by the creature. Thankfully it wasn't something she had to think on further on, as Odin seemed to have quite good aim and not a single drop of water reached her. It was odd though how strong a bond the two had, as if the creature understood Alexandrea to be a friend of sorts, acting like a playful puppy or kitten in the presence of its master. While animals typically behaved in odd ways around vampires, these two seemed enjoy each other's company, which left her wondering if perhaps sharks were calmer around her kind as they shared a similar nature.

"Like I would a closer look to take at your wares," Keara said with a slight and singular nod of her head.

She hadn't done a lot of research into Alexandrea's items and only really knew the basics of what she did from her business card, and yet she'd been certain that the female would be able to design creations to her liking. In the past one could have items fashioned to their tastes by talented craftsmen and she was sure that that much couldn't have changed. Most artists had an eye for detail and were able to adapt themselves to the needs of their clients. She herself was learning to do this when it came to creating personalised outfits for her own retail outlet. While she preferred making dark, unique pieces of the gothic persuasion, she had recently been asked to make something more mundane (by her standards) and had taken the commission without hesitation. The results of that particular project, while pleasing to the client in question, left her feeling less than inspired but satisfied that her talents were sufficient enough to create articles outside of her own personal style.

As they began to make their way back to the store, she found her curiosity regarding the creature in the tank peek once more. "Wondering I am why such a creature in a mall resides. Friendly with you he seems and yet believe I do that, that behaviour abnormal is. Saw something on sharks once I did on television. Portrayed in such a light they were not."

Alex was lost in thought as the two made their way back to her shop. She really didn't know how to answer Keara's question. Once they arrived Alexandrea unlocked the door and waved the Elder in with a pleasant smile.

"I apologize for my delay in replying, Keara. But your question caught me off guard. I suppose Orin's reactions to me aren't typical. Although I have no idea why. Maybe he just knows I wouldn't be good to eat? Or maybe it's simply because I give him yummy tidbits and he doesn't want to... 'bite the hand that feeds him'?"

Alex bit her lower lip in thought, one dainty fang clearly showing but she wasn't aware of it. "Although to be honest... I have always gotten along wonderfully with all animals. Even more so in the last few months. Maybe I'm just one of those kinds of people that they feel comfortable around." She shrugged her shoulders and laughed lightly.

"So where would you like to begin? Jewelry? Hats? Shoes? Belts or bags? Or maybe you would just like to take a look around and see what I have in stock. My full inventory is on display."

She hoped the other vampire would find items to her liking, despite having been hard at work to fill up her shop Alex still felt she needed to get more done. The feeling of needing to get back to work nagged at her for a brief moment until she realized just how worn out she was. The brief break and helped but it had also reminded her of how much she missed the company of being around others. Her smile brightened at the Elder and she found herself hoping the woman would stick around a little longer.

She didn't mind the silence the followed her generalised statements about sharks, she hadn't really expected any sort of answer from what she said. She was simply verbalising the thoughts that were swimming around her mind and allowing them out into the universe. While she wasn't exactly the spiritual sort, she did believe in balance and karma, and did feel that sometimes further clarity on a subject could be provided if the universe (or perhaps more accurately Nox) knew that she had questions; a theory that paid off when Alex waved her into the shop and began to explain her relationship with the creature. Her eyes were once again scanning the shop when she replied to all that had been said.

"Possible it is that animal kinship you have. Explain that might the way in which the creature around you acts. Likely is that knows he does that you his master are if feed him you do on regular basis."

She began looking for things that might match the style of clothing she sold in her store, gravitating more towards the darker sections. She randomly picked things up and put them down. She loved the craftsmanship that went into making them and even considered the fact that she could likely craft such things herself with a little practise but doing so would be waste of her time and pull her away from the clothing she wanted to create. Even if she could make them, she was hoping she wouldn't have the time once her custom clothing range took off.

"Perhaps point out you could something that suitable you think for with gothic clothing to be paired could. Dark colours essential are. Perhaps items in red, purple and blue also work would. Those typical colours are in clothing that stock we do."

"Oh I'm not Orin's master." Alexandrea said with a chuckle. "His master is the mall's owner. Odin." She said his name softly but with a warm smile that touched her eyes and lit up her whole face. Alex was unaware of that, however. Certain she had just said it in a way that was matter of fact and wouldn't betray how deeply her feeling about the man went.

"Animal Kinship?" Alex was once again lost in thought as she pondered the idea for quite awhile. "I... I don't know. That is not a power I ever heard of. How can I tell? Can you tell me more about it?" She wondered if perhaps it had been one of the 'lost' powers she had heard tales of, from before the holocaust. Somewhere she had read something about how the abilities of the vampires had changed over the decades.

The elder requested that Alex pick some things out and while not really being into the gothic fashions, she had a pretty fair idea of what would look good with some of the outfits she had seen Keara wear the few times she had seen her, and others that dressed somewhat the same. So with a nod, she wandered around her shop, looking for items that would fit the image in black or darker hues or reds, purples or blues.

She went to the Jewelry case first,and quickly decided on a black lace choker that she had attached beadwork to in the shape of a spider web. The 'center'of the web was the neck it's self and the webbing extending several inches around in every direction. The fashioner on the back of the neck was a silver bead shaped like a skull.

Alex removed the form that held the choker from the display and held it out to the woman. "Something perhaps like this, Keara?"

"Creatures different are to us. Loyalty do they sometimes give to wrong person. Off of their instincts they do work. While you his owner may not be, sees you perhaps he does as master of sorts, since feed him you do. Odin I do not know. Though that matters not. Need know the owner I do not for a creature to understand. Hmm..."

She thought over Alex's question as to whether or not animal kinship was a power. She'd never considered it one, it was more of a gift perhaps or a personality trait, at least that's how she saw it. Most creatures were not over fond of their kind, something she attributed to the fact that they lived outside of the natural order of things.

"Think I did not that kinship with animals a power was. Though perhaps. Few have I seen with such a gift. Uncommon is for animals our kind to like. Of course always exceptions there are. Find I do that certain animals different reaction to me have than others."

Keara took the choker and looked it over, already knowing what she thought of it before she had it in her hands. Once she took possession of it, she let her fingertips follow threads, and across the lacing, taking in the beadwork more with her sense of touch than with her eyes.

"This appropriate is. Yes. Style perfect is for with clothes that sell I do to match. Work you with metal also? Or material only?" she asked casting her eyes to the jewellery cabinet, as the answer to her question likely lay there.

Although she was highly impressed with Alexandrea's work, she wasn't the type to gush over something and so her praise was probably lost in the phrasing of it. Since she wasn't the sort to express emotion or betray her feelings on something, especially not with someone she barely knew, there were few social queues for Alexandrea to work with. Having inspected the work and approved, she held it out for Alexandrea to return to the case from where it came.

Keara mentioned not knowing Odin but being about to understand Orin even despite that. Although Alexandrea did understand what the woman meant, in her opinion critters often grew to have a lot in common with their 'owners'. If one living creature could even really own another, that is. Orin, like Odin, seemed to delight in pranks that left Alex either soaking wet or looking like a dumbass. Not that she minded, so long as it was in good fun and brought a smile to someone's face. Although the last time Orin had splashed her, the shark had almost given Keara a bath as well.

"I didn't really notice before recently that so many of our kind didn't get on with animals. I always have but the last few months it just seems... more pronounced. If it is not a power, what sort of talent or ability could it be? I'd like to be able to 'train' myself to make proper use of it, it could prov useful at some point."

The Elder was looking over the quality of Alexandrea's workmanship on the choker and as Alex had noticed before, the sense of touch seemed very important to how Keara processed things. With a soft smile, Alex pulled a pair of gloves from a nearby show case and waited for a chance to show them as Keara spoke and then held the piece back over. Rather than put it away, Alexandrea set it off to the side, to package up with whatever else the Elder might like.

"I do work with some of the softer metals. Wire mostly. Although I have been learning some engraving and welding techniques. I have a piece I have been trying to decorate with Celtic knot-work you might like but it's back at my house."

Alex then handed Keara the gloves. Long black velvet with silver webbing embroidery gracing the arms and a single sliver ring on each hand decorated with a dainty spider. The hour glass shaped ruby gems that were centered on their backs shone brightly but were not overwhelming in size.

"What do you think of these?"

She had remained silent as Alex spoke about her animal gift once more, more so for that fact that she wasn't sure she could actually answer her questions. There were so many talents their kind possessed and even if she'd been aware of most of the powers of the past, some had apparently changed over time. Changed wasn't exactly the word though, some powers had just failed to resurface or had been replaced with talents that were more appropriate to the time, technokinesis being the one that immediately came to mind whenever she thought over the differences between vampires then and now.

"Quite appropriate those are," she said taking one of the gloves from Alexandrea so that she could inspect it further. "Did you the glove itself make? Or did you the item customise with webbing?"

Keara wasn't just asking out of curiosity, as she had seen a number of items in the shop that looked like that had been customised rather than made by scratch and if that was the case, she too might have something to offer Alexandrea, as she could help create pieces to order that Alex could then customise for her own client base. While it was certainly cheaper to ship in plain t-shirt from abroad, if Alex required anything special or to order, the chances were that Keara could make it.

"As for your gift," she said handing the glove back having carefully run her hands over it. "Know I do not how best you that could train. Practise always our skills does improve, so perhaps test your limitations you should. If limitations you have that is."

If she sounded abrupt in her reply, that wasn't her intention. Nor had she intended to come across as doubting the gift that Alexandrea likely possessed. She knew that some people had a stronger connection with the creatures of this world, as even humans had different kinship levels with the animals about them. Some people were just that way inclined and while in her day it certainly helped when one had to ride horseback, it wasn't exactly an issue if you could travel by carriage, (as she generally did).