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 Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:22 pm
 Ikebana was tired.
He was sore in all the muscles he didn't knew he had, and he knew by now that if he was already sore, he was going to be in agonies the next day. It was only the second week of his gardening lessons with his uncle Honeysuckle, but already he was falling in love with it -- the smell of the flowers as well as the smell of the earth, the trimming and hedging and pruning. Other phonies tended to believe that gardening was an overly feminine act, one that did not require traditionally 'masculine' traits like strength.
Ikebana's aching back disproved all that quite completely, as far as he was concerned.
After a quick wash, he was sitting with his clippings of the day, poring over a book he found in the library. Gorgeous, simple bouquets and arrangements, so different from the full, blossoming bunches that he had seen at Honeysuckle's...
Those bouquets were like Larry's speech. Endless flowers, so many things to look at, so many colors and blossoms.
These arrangements... they were more like him. Simple.
Ikebana worked quietly, trimming flowers and studying them for long moments before placing them in a bowl.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:32 pm
 Jasmine smiled softly as she walked through her mother's house with dainty steps. The little empress of the house, Jazz was always quiet and serene. After hearing the door close she assumed one of her family was home and went to greet them. It turned out to be her blonde brother, Ikebana. No doubt from the dirt on his hooves and the flowers in his mouth he had been at their Uncle's, working in the garden. He always loved nature, the simplicity of it. She liked his garden as well, enjoying the fragrant flowers that she used to spice her teas.
She quietly padded into the kitchen to make a nice pot of tea for her brother, knowing he could use something to help his sore muscles. She daintily carried the tray into his room, setting it down on an opposite table so as not to distrub his work. "Ohayo, Ikebana-sama. I have made some tea."
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:48 pm
Ikebana looked up as his sister came in the room. He could tell it was her even before she spoke, from the sound her hooves made on the floor. Her bearing was so light and pleasant, like the tinkling of her ceramic teacups. He smiled a gentle smile and turned slightly toward her.
"So formal..." he chided softly, but his voice held a note of fondness in it. Ikebana looked over, shaking his head. "What did you make today, Jasmine? Something special?"
He turned back to his flowers, selecting a special red blossom, a color that matched his sister's vibrant coat. He threaded it into his waiting vase and inclined his head, mulling his decision.
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:05 pm
Me giggles softly as her brother comments on her use of name endings. Well she always spoke like that, proper and polite. Using her magic she poured him a cup of her new blend. "Well," her voice as light as the steam rising from the cup, "since you had been gardening I thought rose tea would be best."
She set up a small place to drink the tea, very formal from her studies of the geshia of her father's heritage. Also on the tray were candied rose petals. She glanced over at the vase her brother was working on and smiled, she had chosen well as he was using one. "Oh, how pretty. But come, have some tea. It is good for sore muscles and will help bring out your senses."
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Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:24 pm
"Just un moment," said Ikebana, coming back to his piece again. The rose, with its thin stem and few leaves, seemed naked standing in the low, flat dish. He put a few leaves around it, as well as a sprig of holly to lean against the rose's slender stem, the roundness of the berries softening the harshness of the thorns. And on the other side, he placed a small, humble piece of driftwood. Its lowness and darkness balanced the brightness of the single rose's height and vibrancy. Its fluidity and texture balanced the rose's posture, and the unmarred softness of its petals.
It was a beautiful arrangement. Ikebana looked at it with some pride as he took a step away, nodding his head to himself.
Then he turned, and all his attention was Jasmine's. A look of self-depreciation passed over his features. "Thank you. This is beautiful. I hope you did not put yourself out on my account, Jasmine."
He sat down beside her and took a long sip of the rose tea, letting the steam warm his face and the aroma relax him. "Mm... delicious. You have outdone yourself."
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:04 pm
The young filly smiled as she watched her brother work his own magic on his arrangement. She often wondered how he saw such order among the chaos of nature's flowers. So many colors, shapes, shades, patterns, and scents; it all seemed overwhelming. Then again she thought of her own talent. The art of tea making was her passion, the subtle flavors and soothing aromas or the strong flavor with a hint of spice. She always loved to see what kind of sensations she could invoke with a simple drink. Some were calmed, the storms of their minds quelled; others were energized and their creative juices flowed like a mountain stream. So many reactions. "Onii-san, it is never an inconvenience to keep your spirit calm and your mind at ease," she gave a soft chid. "You work far to hard sometimes, that is what causes me the most unrest."She placed a dainty hoof on his forehead, pushing a lock of his mane away. "A tired body and mind does little to keep the spirit strong."
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Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:37 pm
Ikebana smiled, his breath causing the steam that rose from his tea to dance. He took a long sip of the as he listened to her, impressed by her gentle thoughtfulness. Theirs was a quiet family, more disposed to tradition and introspection than most others, and that collectivist nature made them a bit different from other foals. And this trait was especially strong in the both of them.
"Always thinking of others." Ikebana shook his head. Already, the tea was helping the soreness of his muscles to seep away, relaxing the firmness in his shoulders. He closed his eyes, breathing deep the sweet scent the steam gave off, letting it fill him with warmth and quiet. He thought Jasmine inherited their mother's genius for aromatherapy; her teas were always a perfect compliment to his moods as well as his tastes. "My sister, you are far too thoughtful. You ought to be sharing your talent with more people. You could help more than just the family with your teas... although I would be sad to lose having it all to myself."
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 8:55 am
Jasmine smiled as she watched then tension in her brother's body begin to fade. She had chosen the perfect blend, excellent. Her mother had been instructing her in the art of scents since she had come out from under her blanket. Her curious nature as to how a simple smell could affect a phony's mood made her believe it could be combined with the healing properties of tea.
At her brother's suggestion that she share her tea with others she looked shyly away, the quiet filly not sure how she could be a seller. After all she was the most soft spoken of her entire family, one thing the blonde striped filly did not inherit from her mother. "I dont know onii-san, I am unsure if I could be a good sales phony...although," she paused with her blue eyes looking up into the clouds outside a window, "I would love to have a tea house. A place where phonies can come to relax and free their minds of worry while enjoying a tea specially made for them."
She glanced at the recent creation of her brother's, smiling at it's beauty. She turned to him, their blue eyes matching. "And of course each table could have one of your creations as a center piece. That one is so lovely, Ikebana. The soft rose's contores and the holly's sharp lines."
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Posted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 10:31 am
"Do you like it?" Ikebana lifted his head and looked toward the arrangement he'd created. In his view, he could see both Jasmine Tea and the flowers, and smiled to himself at how well their colors went together. "I made it for you, if you'd like to have it."
He paused, thinking of a simple tea house, simply decorated, something that would match his sister's style. Ink paintings and soft, spare music, long strips of bamboo, rice paper windows -- he could envision it perfectly. He breathed the scent of the calming tea in deeply. "And you know, one day, I would be happy to make you many more. I am certain other phonies would love a place of some rest and reflection, as much as I am enjoying the same now."
Ikebana smiled. "You would be a great success, Jasmine."
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Posted: Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:28 pm
Jasmine looked quite startled, even with a calm demeanor, when Ikebana said the arrangement had been for her. Looking over at he simple collection of holly, a rose, and driftwood she could almost see herself in it. The red of the rose and holly berries matching her coat, the driftwood simple and tradional in its use, even the green of the rose stem and holly leaves making her think of her favorite green tea. Her brother worked so hard on his creations she couldn't think that he would give them away so quickly. Granted flowers faded fast, losing their life in only a few days. "Onii-san, you did not have to make me an arrangement. You work so hard on them," she pouted a little. Though his generousity with his hard won creations touched her.
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Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 8:45 am
""I know I did not have to," said Ikebana, a smile growing on his lips. "Just the same way that you did not have to make me this wonderful brew." And to punctuate, he leaned forward and took another long sip of his tea, relaxing visibly as he did so. He reclined against a pillow, looking quietly pleased with himself and his surroundings. There was a book nearby of classical haiku, a pot of tea, his sister's company, and an arrangement well done and well gifted. He could not ask for more.
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Posted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:16 pm
Jasmine's face lit up with happiness. Her brother was so kind to give her such a lovely arrangement. She watched him relax, seeing him in such a clam repose always made her happy. The joy of recieving such a gift from him and giving him something in return made her feel warm inside. Like the first sip of tea on a cold winter morning. She walked over and took the arrangement, placing it in a spot where the sun would make the colors bright and visable.
"Arigato, Onii-san," she smiled and went to enjoy the rest of the tea with him.
[FIN]
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