|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:21 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 11:55 am
 |
|
|
 |
xxxxxA lot can happen in two years. A lot can happen in two months. A lot can happen in two minutes. It had taken two minutes for the friendship shared between Aki and Arekku to implode. That damage had yet to be repaired in those two years. Instead, Aki had fallen into her work. She worked to serve the village and the Kusakage. Focusing almost solely on her new career. Interrogation was a dirty job, but she was fit for it. Or rather, she had made herself fit for it. The woman had taken up a stoney demeanor. One that was hard to break once she was outside of her ‘office’. Even now, she sat in her childhood home hands wrapped around a steadily cooling cup of tea with an even face and emotionless eyes. She was on day two of her four day break. It was possibly her first true time off since nearly the beginning of her career a year and a half ago. The last time was four months into the new job. She had two days off and had come back to the Chiru Clan compound like she was now. Back then her mother had seemed to be skirting around an issue. Fidgeting slight towards a topic but not saying anything about it until Aki had finally become frustrated and outright asked her what was wrong.
xxxxx“Well,” Her mother had started, smoothing the lap of her dress as she came to sit by her youngest. “I want to retire and I want you to take my position as head of the Pear Ichida.” Tea sputtered from her lips as she made a noise of bewilderment. Aki coughed and looked at her mother whose smile was unwavering. “Why-why me? Why not Natsu or Fuyu?” She finally managed after wiping her face clean. Her mother sighed and looked over to the two siblings who were happily fawning over Natsu’s newborn son.
xxxxx“How should I put it…” Her mother searched for the words until Fuyu finally spoke up, “We don’t have the fortitude for it. Not like you do Aki-nee.”
xxxxxNatsu added in, “Nor are we as respected as you, Aki-ti.”
xxxxxAki scoffed and looked out the window with embarrassment. “That’s not true.”
xxxxxDespite her initial protest, Aki had slowly transitioned into her new place of power in the clan. Between her career and position she had little to no time to sit and relax. Now that she had made time for relaxation her mother was once more fluttering about an issue. After multiple obvious hints at something, Aki sat her tea down and turned to face her mother. “What is it this time, mom?”
xxxxxAt first the woman feigned shock, “What do you mean?” Aki frowned, realizing that she was forced to be direct. “What do you want to ask me now? You keep fidgeting. I know you want to bring up something. So, this is your invitation to do so.” Aki was certain she could handle anything thrown at her now. She was able manage so much now. She felt confidence though her expression did not deviate from the calm look. That was until her mother spoke, “Remember that boy you were such good friends with? Arekku? He’s the shogun now. Whatever happened to him? I haven’t heard you talk about him lately.” Her façade cracked. She had long buried the incident in the back of her mind, but the guilt remained. That guilt resurfacing caused her brow to furrow angrily. “Why are you asking about him?”
xxxxxHer mother shrugged with a knowing smile, “Oh no reason, I mean I did invite him over for tea today. Hopefully he’ll be here soon.” And that was the moment Aki shattered. “WHAT. YOU. DID. WHAT.” She looked about wildly, looking for a place to hide or escape. “There’s no use trying to run away, Aki-ti. It’s time you had friends again. Your mother knows best.” A chuckle from the woman forced Aki to her seat begrudgingly. “My mother is nosey” Aki spoke under her breath. “What, dear?” That all knowing smile still etched on her lips. “Nothing…” The Head of the Pear Ichida and Lead Interrogator for Kusa was still powerless against the manipulating hand of her mother. Her only hope was that Arekku was still bitter and would decided to not show up leaving her to wallow in tea and misery.
ＡＫＩ ＣＨＩＲＵ
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 7:33 pm
|
|
|
|
xxxxxAfter a moment of silence Aki heard the fluttering of fabric and turned to face the source. There her mother stood holding out a lovely kimono, new no doubt. Despite the beauty of the cloth Aki’s face paled. She knew the debate that was to come and felt she was about to lose another battle. Her mother shook the kimono expectantly. “Not happening.” Aki spoke sternly over her cup of tea. She tried to ignore the look of displeasure she earned, turning to look out the window. But those eyes were burning holes in the back of her skull. Finally she gave in and looked back to find the woman still there and waiting. “I said no.” There was a haughty laugh, “Do you really expect to meet with the Shogun looking like that?” Aki quirked a brow but looked down at herself taking note of her appearance. Loose fitting shirt and pants. Hair messily tied up. She had a point. Even if she regretted this meeting she still had appearances to keep up. And if this wasn’t going to turn out to be a reuniting of friends it was still a meeting between the Shogun of Kusagakure and the Head of the Pear Ichida of the Chiru Clan. “Anything but that.” She groaned. The kimono was gorgeous but it was too much. Too much of a statement. Her mother was silent but unmoving. “My mother, the master manipulator. Gets what she wants without saying a word.” Aki took the kimono and changed. It was truly a gorgeous piece of cloth. Patterned with hand stitched falling blossoms on a gradient. Accents of rich pinks and deep black lined the hems and the long trumpet sleeves. Her rosy blonde hair was taken down, one side pinned up while the other was left to its voluminous curly nature.
xxxxxThe knock upon the gate summoned the gate keeper. The man opened the gate wide and bowed deeply to the Shogun and his entourage. “You honor us deeply with your very presence. I’ll direct you personally to the Pear Branch.” Standing up the gate keeper lead them towards the area of the compound owned by the Pear Ichida. Upon their arrival the gatekeeper announced the Shogun’s arrival. Suddenly Aki’s mother was nowhere to be seen, leaving the young woman to welcome him alone. Truly her mother’s disappearance was somewhat magical. She seemingly vanished right at the sound of the knock on the door. The speed of it nearly gave Aki whiplash. Slowly she approached the doorway and halted just before answering. She took a deep breath and opened the large door instantly dipping into a deep bow.
xxxxx“Greetings, Lord Shogun your Excellency.” So long as she looked down, her voice held. As she slowly stood up she internally repeated to herself ‘hold it together’. Finally once she faced him she tried to force a look of neutral calmness, which instead came across as forced and awkward. The look caused the gatekeeper to fumble slightly at his words, “This, ah ahem, this is Lady Aki head of the Pear Ichida and your Excellency’s host.” He then smoothly slid to the side. Momentarily Aki gave the gatekeeper a stony look as the man made his escape. She looked back to Arekku and his entourage “Please, enter.” With a flutter of the cloth of her kimono and her lips steadily drying Aki turned about and lead them to the tea room. Surely the home was not unfamiliar to Arekku. He had come to visit Aki several times in the past. Once in the tea room, she silently waited for him to take his seat. She probably seemed cold, distant, and rather rude, but she didn’t know what else to do. Was she to fall to his feet and beg for his forgiveness? Certainly she didn’t wish for the rift to continue between them, but even Aki had her limits. Plus with his new title and entourage there was no way to skirt the formalities and fall back into friendship instantaneously.
ＡＫＩ ＣＨＩＲＵ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2014 6:39 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Oct 12, 2014 10:18 pm
|
|
|
|
xxxxxIt has been a long time. A very very long time. The last time they had gone for so long without seeing each other had been when he left the village to train then fell into a spell of amnesia in some far away land. But no one had been to blame at that time. Now, there was clear cut guilty party. And she sat there with the pain of guilt clearly creeping across her face. The more he sat there, calmly, collected, and unperturbed by the situation, the more her guilt ate away at her. It chewed and tore like stomach acid brought up to heartburn. And yet, something was starting to bother her even more. Was his calm evenness due to being past what happened or did a raging storm of anger blow inside him only masked by years of putting up a front. She knew him well enough to be aware that he could hide turmoil rather well. Cover it with a smile and not once portray the fire inside. Of course, in the past with her he never once hid anything. She had always been the one to hide and feign happiness.
xxxxx"It's been too long, my Lord." She tried to hold the formalities. He did it so well, but she struggled like an unruly child. Already she had slipped and simply called him by his first name. His lack of reaction as he held up his end of tradition was underhandedly biting to her. Maybe she was looking to much into the situation. Reading the room wrong and getting the social cues mixed. No matter what, she knew she could not continue. "I would be remiss if I did not explain that your invitation today was not my plan. Nor did I know of it till just moments before your arrival. It was orchestrated by my mother, who seems to be preoccupied with other matters than playing host to our exalted Shogun. That said, I am happy you came and that we have this moment now to ourselves... Our last meeting... did not end in anyway that I had hoped for..." She started to struggle to find the words. Her lips pressed thing for a moment as she faltered before they parted again. Hair began to cascade about her like a waterfall as the pins that held back the torrent of curls began to fail while she bowed from her seat. She'd just have to power through this and hope he'd forgive, "I hope you can excuse as I drop formalities for a moment to say that I am truly sorry, Arekku. I've regretted every word I said that day for two years now... I should have spoken to you early. Should have turned on heel that day and gone right back to you to take back everything I said. But I was afraid. Fearful as I am now, and late as it is, I hope my apology still holds some meaning. I wasted two years of a great friendship because of pride and fear... Forgive me" She laid it all out. Bare and raw. Aki wanted her friend back and it was time to stop licking her wounds and take a chance on that friendship.
[[ S'okay! Now let's get this convo rolling! ]]
ＡＫＩ ＣＨＩＲＵ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 6:00 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
