Of Careful Words and Kimonos {Semi-private} (Locked)

[Iri]

It shouldn't have happened but you let it Now you're down on the ground screaming medic The only thing that comes is the post-traumatic stresses Shields, body armors and vests don't properly work That's why you're in a locker full of hurt The enemy within and all the fires from your friends The best medicine's to probably just let it win These battle scars don't look like they're fading

Even in pencil skirts Tsubaki and Katya had no trouble sitting in a perfect seiza before the low table. Their thighs resting exactly over their legs, and their buttocks just over their heels. Hands resting calmly in their laps while they waited. Years of proper protocol and decorum had been drilled into them, and they could stay this way, sitting perfectly still for hours if required. Ladies waited patiently, they did not fidget or let their attentions wander. Especially not in formal settings such as this. A meeting with the head of the Umizo family would warrant nothing but the best of both their skills and manners, even if the meeting was simply to commission a set of kimonos.
Tsubaki's features were schooled into a state of cool serenity. She could have been mistaken for meditating had it not been for the fact that her rusted red were open and observing the room with careful calculation. Her head did not move, but her eyes flicked here and there, following the noises just beyond the closed screen door. Katya's expression mirrored her mistress's, though the paler woman's eyes were closed as they often were. Her particular blindness also caused extra sensitivity to light, and every precaution was taken to protect the delicate fighter's pale gaze.
As it stood they had arrived precisely five minutes early to this meeting, just enough to ensure they weren't late (and perhaps just to see how the young Umizo heiress handled unexpected changes) and yet not so early that they would be left waiting for long. Tsubaki had only had the pleasure of meeting Ayane Umizo a few times at mutual social gatherings, though back then the younger woman had not yet claimed her title. To be honest Tsubaki was curious to see how Ayane was handling this. With regards to her own family, Tsubaki had been ruling over them for nearly a decade. The Hanazono's were held tight within her grasp, and none of her family dared oppose her. Had Ayane faired the same? They had both been eighteen when named heads of their respective families and yet Tsubaki had heard whispers and rumors that Ayane did not have the full control and power over her family. At least not yet. Only time would tell though.

Tsubaki Outfit Katya Outfit • yuri • notes: its short ):

made by Wolf of GS

[yuri]

fortune favors the prepared mind

Shallow men believe in luck♥

Hair style; Jewelry Set Ayane Attire  Tag : Iri Aiko There were many things Ayane came to dread when she took control of her family's affairs, one of which was having to do the political side. Meeting with Heads of the other leading families of Japan, and having to ever so carefully pick her words so not too offended, or be offended. The street went both ways, all that time buttering each other up in order to get something that you wanted. And then there was also the appearance she had to keep as well, she had to look the part of the Umizo wealth and its nature. Fashion was what most thought when they heard the Umizo name, but it was a household name because they were the leading designers of the finest Kimonos, the best in silk crafting, and the best jewelry. Though the later had only been added into the family sometime back in the Momoyama Era, not that many really looked back that far about family trees unless it was to try to point out blood relations. Ayane had spent enough of her time memorizing such things about current relations with other families to know them well enough in the current era. She didn’t care so much about digging up blood relations that went all the way back to the beginning. Ayane smooth the silky fabric of her dress style kimono as she walked down the halls to the meeting with one said head. Hand’s moving to make sure in the hasty dress change, that everything was straight and in place as it should be. The wealth of her family worn as a badge to remind everyone who they were speaking to, hands moving over the jewelry around her throat, heavy and uncomfortable , but all apart of the look. At least she got out of the heavy make up. Her fighter was fast at her tail putting together the last bit of the portfolio that would be needed for this meeting. As long as this meeting stay where it was suppose. Hanazono were becoming difficult over the last decade. And in a way the relations were souring. Two fighter’s dress in the normal black attire kimono were knelt by the screen door that had been shut to the room that the Hanazono Head was waiting for her. Standing in front of it for a moment, Ayane waited for AIko to hand her the portfolio. No deep breath, just the silence in her mind as she stared forward at the doors. It was time to put on another mask, and Dance the Dance. A light smile, welcoming, crossed onto her face and a small hand gesture told both fighter’s to open the door. Soak covered feet crossed the hard floor as the Umizo Head stepped into the room. “Hanazono-sama, it is a pleasure to see you again.” Ayane bowed as she stepped into the room.

[Aiko]

She detested meetings.



It was the god honest truth. She hated how they forced both her and her sacrifice to hide behind masks that mislead, hated the roles their world forced her into. She understood the necessity of these meetings, the need of the now seven families within their own secret world. But that didn’t mean she had to like it whenever one of them decided to poke their noses in where they didn’t belong.



Handing the portfolio to Ayane, Aiko slipped into her role. Even now, the silks felt odd against her skin. But it was all about the image; right down to what she wore. The image of power, of prestige, the illusion that the Kimono she wore was tight, binding and limiting in movement when it couldn’t have been further from the truth.



After all, that was her job was it not? To protect the head of the Umizo family at all costs, even at the cost of her life? She never did understand that. If she was Ayane’s sacrifice, and she died while protecting Ayane, because of their bond, their namesake Ayane would die as well. Not right away, but eventually. Unless she decided to shatter the bond all together, there was no way that Aiko could die and Ayane live on.



Heh, her years in training kept making more and more sense. Aiko distantly wondered if Ayane had felt it, each time she tried to kill herself. It was something that Aiko had never thought to ask until now.



But her mind was wandering, and the servants were opening the doors.



Lights, camera… Action.



Maintain three steps behind, gaze down, lips closed, will silent. Aiko fell into her role as effortlessly as she breathed. And it sucked because she could feel how much Ayane detested it, knew that her sacrifice hated this just as much as she did. But there was no more time to debate on it. Aiko wiped her mind blank, keeping a watchful eye on everything that moved, noting the exits, watching to see if there were any weaknesses when it came to the Head and their bodyguard before them.



Just in case.



Aiko didn’t have the weight of the family to support, but she was the shining example of what the family expected of their fighters. Which in it’s some ways was the same wasn’t it?





yuri Iri

Made by Riley at THQ

[Iri]

It shouldn't have happened but you let it Now you're down on the ground screaming medic The only thing that comes is the post-traumatic stresses Shields, body armors and vests don't properly work That's why you're in a locker full of hurt The enemy within and all the fires from your friends The best medicine's to probably just let it win These battle scars don't look like they're fading

Tsubaki felt them long before she saw them, the quiet whisper of their ring. So silent that only those actively listening out for it would notice. They had arrived faster than she'd anticipated, and she mentally checked a tally in their favor. She'd long since wanted to see what the only other female head was like, but the time and means to arrange a meeting had simply never aligned in their favor. Anticipation stirred low in her belly, an eagerness, now that the moment had finally arrived.                                  
At her side, Katya inclined her head towards the door just as it began to open, her sightless eyes remaining closed. Tsubaki's own blood red gaze also turned towards the sliding door just as it parted to reveal Ayane. The Umizo-hime. Her Fighter wasn't far behind, Aiko, if Tsubaki remembered correctly. A matched pair. The Fighter had been trained among the Umizo, another pretty soldier. For a brief moment she pitied the Fighter, her own roots as the heir of the fallen Volkova Family making her pity the fact that Fighters were so often turned into obedient slaves. But the moment passed quickly, she could do nothing for this Fighter.

"The pleasure is all mine," she demurred in a voice smooth as honey, "I thank you for agreeing to this meeting, Umizo-hime." Her head tipped down in greeting, no more and no less than what was required of someone of their station. Katya remained silent but mirrored her Sacrifice's motions, somehow knowing exactly which direction to face even though she could not see. "I apologize for contacting you on such short notice, but certain things have recently come to light and they warrant a certain bit of urgency. Don't you agree?" Ah yes, the real reason for the meeting. Under the guise of commissioning a set of kimonos, a secret agenda. But isn't that how all meetings between Aristocrats went? Beneath pretty words and smiles lay a person's true intentions and motives. 

There was a particular Fighter that Ayane possessed, one that Tsubaki would see among her own rather than be left to the training of the Umizo's. 

Let the games begin~! • yuri  Aiko  •  

made by Wolf of GS

[yuri]

fortune favors the prepared mind

Shallow men believe in luck♥

Hime The distaste for the suffix did not cross over Ayane face as she raised her head to look at the other woman head. Over the past few years she had gotten use to being called that. Since in some ways, her family was the only one that hung so tight on old ways. Which was the cause for the extravagant dress she was required to wear in meeting that was held on the family estate. She lived in a castle. And was dressed like a spoiled princess far long borned with a diamond spoon between her lips. It had been spoke as a slander once, but several of her own elders. A reminder that they had originally planned for her to just be a pretty face until she was married. That it had never been their attention to let her be the Head.. SO much for that, even a Princess could be as cold as gold. “ We are both busy women, Hanazono-sama” Ayane crossed the room. The door shut behind her fighter as Aiko walked in a few steps behind her. Carefully tucking the modern style Kimono, the dark haired head sat down on the other side of the table placing down the portfolio. She didn’t miss the underlying tone in the other woman’s voice. But it was her choice to acknowledge it. “Warrant of our attention?Certainly you have not come out here to address the same manner that your family advisor did early this month. Our answer will be the same.” Tag: Iri Aiko    note: The royal "We"