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 Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:39 am
Nishiko entered into the salon looking rather drained. The night before she was pouring over the books to make sure everyone had the right amount. The books were tucked under her left arm amongst her plain kimono.
"Good morning, Kioku-san, Ayami-san." She said.
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:10 pm
Kioku bowed toward Nishiko and Ayami, 'Ayami, please try not to be late again. I know it is the first day but please try your hardest. Could you go in the back room, and take all the ornaments out of their crates and put some of them out on display? The delivery man just dropped them off. If you finish that before the geisha and maiko arrive, you can sort them anyway you wish so it will be easier for you. And, Nishiko, you can help me to greet and serve customers when the arrive in a half an hour or so in the mean time, could you help me to make sure everything is neat and tidy? I want everything to be perfect for our first day,' Kioku said with a bright smile. 'Does anyone know where the others are? They are very late. I haven't heard anything from them.'
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:03 pm
((Um, Hiei, ^^; don't you mean Kioku? You used your maiko charrie in your last post.))
"Yes, ma'am. Just let me put the books away in the back." Nishiko scurried to the back and the placed the book on a table with two chairs around it. She emerged from the back and was ready to tidy.
"Kioku-san, where would like me to start?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:09 pm
Akasha who had already been at the salon in the back came out with a box. She greeted Noshiko with a bow, "Hello Ms. Noshiko." She placed the box down on a salon chair and started to take out some hairspray and other salon related randomness. "There all ready." She said as she put the box back in the back. Akasha came back out, "Hey does anyone know what time it is?" She asked.
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:01 am
((thank you I forgot to use kioku >.
'Why Akasha, I didn't see you back there,' Kioku said with a smile. 'Could someone help me get the wax heated up and stirred over the fire? Perhaps you, Nishiko. Thank you.' Kioku was rushing around getting things done. She went into the back room and grabbed a huge ball of wax from a crate and placed it neatly in a cooking pot over the stove. 'I just need someone to tend to the wax. Be sure it doesn't burn' Kioku rushed again the the back room and grabbed a box full of different powders. Nishiko, here is the box of powders that need to be added to the wax.'
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:02 pm
((Sure thing (^.~)=b))
"Yes, ma'am," Nishiko smiled and with a shake of her head she claimed the box of powders and headed over to the stove. She turned the wax up a little bit more to bring it a bubble. The twenty-five year old woman stirred the heated contents clock wise and then counter-clockwise before adding in the different bits of powder to the mix. She continued this method until she throughly satisified with it.
"Kioku-san, the wax is ready," Nishiko said as she turned the temperature of the burner down to make the wax simmer. "What else do you need help with, ma'am?"
She smiled reassuringly to Kioku to let her know that the first day would run smoothly.
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:01 pm
Akasha smiled back at Kioku, then she turned to the mirror in her little styling area and took a comb out of a cabinent. She looked into the mirror and fixed a messed up area of her hair. She looked around the salon. "So, Ms. Kioku do you need help with anything? Or do you have something for me to do? I hate to sit here and do nothing." She said as she put the comb back in the cabinent and closed it.
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 6:52 am
'Thank you ladies.' Kioku said giving a little nod to each of them. She turned to Nishiko and said, 'Yes, Nishiko-san, I am trying to be calm today but it is so hard when it is the first day!' She gave a little smile. 'Mostly everything is set up, the only thing that I am worried about is that one of our employees has never showed up yet. I don't even know her name yet. She hasn't even given the salon her name! I don't want to send anyone to fetch her at her okiya because that would just be a waste of time.' Kioku said with a little frown. 'There is not much left to do before the customers arrive. If you can find something that will make the salon look more presentable, please do. We need to get the customers coming so maybe a few of us can go down to each of the okiyas and advertise.' Kioku said. 'I also wanted to say that you, Akasha-san and you, Nishiko-san are greatly pleasing me this morning..'
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Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2005 7:10 pm
Nitta slid open the door and entered the salon.
"Hello! I heard it was your opening day! Congratulations!" Nitta smoothed out the sleeves of her simple, yet elegant kimono. "I would like to have my hair done up for the next week. I've brought the hair ornaments that I would like put in for today."
Nitta brought a small package out of her sleeve, opening it to reveal several small clusters of flowers on the end of a long pin and a curved laquered comb.
"Is there a wait, or do you have a stylist free?" Nitta asked with a smile.
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Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 8:54 am
'Welcome! You are the first one to arrive, Nitta-san' Kioku said giving a deep bow to her customer, 'Just have a seat here and we will begin.' Kioku led her to a chair in the next room. 'Nishiko-san, could you assist me over here with getting her hair waxed up first? Then you could help me to tuck in the hair into the right place.' Kioku walked over to where the wax was and took a ladle and transfered the wax into a small bowl. She walked back to where the customer was and placed the wax on the little stand next to the chair. 'Please bend your neck over like this' Kioku said to Nitta-san. Kioku began to place wax into her hair evenly and neatly, styling her hair about. 'Akasha, could you please take out Nitta-san's ornaments and get them ready to place in her hair? It seems our hair ornament specialist hasn't arrived yet.' Kioku's hands continued to place wax into her hair.
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:03 am
Nitta did as she was asked, sitting and bending her neck back, allowing wax to be applied. She made a few faces as the first wax touched.
"Oww.....I can never get used to the feel of hot wax! I know it is necessary, but ouch!" Nitta smiled and moved her eyes, looking around the salon without moving her head.
"Also, when you are done with my hair, I need to purchase a couple combs for the Okaa-san of the Tuschinobara okiya. She prefers the flat, square wooden ones, if you have them." Nitta grimaced once more as her hair was pulled into place.
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 9:25 am
Nishiko hurried herself along, helping out Kioku-san when needed. She smiled to Nitta and nodded, "Ah, I think Akasha-san might be able to help with that. Would you like some tea, some sweets ma'am?"
The young woman did her best to make the experience a little bit more enjoyable, "Or perhaps, a magizine, ma'am? We have one of the lastest kabuki magizines."
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 3:18 pm
'Wax can be so unplesant, Nitta-san. I know how you feel. My hands still fell akward whenever I apply them and I have been doing this for so long! I try to think of cold water running through my hands. There we are. All done with the wax.' Kioku began to section off parts of Nitta-san's hair and began to tuck it about. 'I believe we may have a couple of those combs that you were asking about. Our hair ornament specialist isn't in yet. I haven't the slightest idea where she could be! I can go in the back later and can find some for you or Nishiko-san can.' Kioku said. 'There we are all finished!' Kioku reached over to the little table next to the chair and grabbed a small tie to finish the hairstyle off. She grabbed a thin white tie and many pins and finally told Nitta-san that she could lift her head up straight. 'Here is a mirror Nitta-san. I hope you are pleased.' Kioku held up a mirror in front of Nitta-san. 'Now I will go see about those combs, how many do you need and in what color?'
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:01 pm
"I'm fine, thank you." Nitta replied to the young woman.
She sat up and inspected her hair in the mirror, turning her head this way and that. "This is very nice work, Kioku-san! Well worth the wax!" Nitta smiled.
"As for the combs, mother asked for two of them, in either a deep mahogany wood color or black. I think she wanted the mahogany color more, black being her second choice. You say your hairstyle specialist isn't in yet? Would you like me to send one of the okiya maids to fetch her? There are so many maids in our okiya, one would not be missed. Plus, I like to get them out and about, so that people can get used to seeing their faces around the hanamachi."
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:13 pm
((Sorry everyone, but christmas tends to keep me off the computer.))
Akasha hurried into the back room and got Nitta-sans hair ornaments ready. She brought them out and fixed them up making sure they were perfect. She put them down on a table next to Nitta-san. "Here you go ma'am." She bowed her head down. "If there is anything else you need just ask." She scurried away to go and clean up the back room.
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