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 Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:06 pm
[[ CREW ONLY PLEASE. 8D <3 ]]
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 1:55 pm
Shizuka slid open the rice-paper door, bowed gracefully, and then walked in with Miharu, smiling slightly at the small crowd of samurai and other Shirabyoshi. They had come to entertain in the palace for the noblemen and the occasional samurai. They entertained often; the noblemen were usually quite fond of Shirabyoshi such as themselves.
"Hello," The Shirabyoshi spoke warmly and fluently, leading Miharu over to seat themselves across from a familiar samurai, who's name Shizuka couldn't quite recall if she knew it. The Shirabyoshi let a hint of a smile show through her virtual mask of white make-up.
Now Shizuka let a rather real smile out as she looked to Miharu. So, they were conniving, they were, but that was how it went. Turning her smile on the samurai yet again she went to whisper into Miharu's ear, a hand protecting her mouth from lip-readers. "Miharu-san, do you know this man's name?" She asked in slight desperation, letting out a small, practiced laugh as she removed the hand. The man would have no clue what they were speaking of.
[[ xD Okay. So. I command that the samurai they sat across from be Raiden. ]< ]]
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:17 pm
Raiden set down his small cup of sake, resting his battle-worn hands lazily in his lap rather than on the table. His eyebrow rose slightly at the sudden appearance of the two Shirabyoshi, unsure of why they happened to be approaching his table against the wall rather than a larger one in the center of the room. Rolling his shoulders back to stretch them, he pushed a few stray locks of hair from his face as they sat, nodding to each of them in turn.
"Hello," he started in response, dark eyes moving from one to the other, "May I help you two with something, or have you merely decided that this table is prime seating?" A soft, knowing smile crossed his lips, wanting more to amuse himself and the two young women than anger or offend them.
Inwardly, he faltered for a moment. The Shirabyoshi on the left seemed oddly familiar- if he wasn't mistaken in any way, it was the same young woman he had conversed with in the gardens. Face not changing, he mused to himself for a minute, somehow now diverting his attention from the two women before him.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:58 pm
Miharu's smile was more subdued as she followed Shizuka into the room. The night was still young, and the air crisp with the excitement that preceded the Shirabyoshi performances. Snippets of different conversations—some friendly, some hostile, and others outright bawdy—caught Miharu's attention as they passed each samurai and noble. Leave it to Miharu to have her mind on everything but the present, though. She seated herself absently next to Shizuka, still eavesdropping on the conversation about such-and-such a Shirabyoshi gracing such-and-such a lord with her presence... outside of accepted performance times. When she tore herself away from the enticing conversation to face the samurai that Shizuka had conveniently seated them across from, she was ill-prepared.
It was that samurai she had encountered earlier today, in the gardens.
The Shirabyoshi blinked once or twice, not quite in shell shock but not pleased either—she never planned to entertain any one samurai or noble more than once in any short period of time. Given, the conversation in the gardens was anything but Shirabyoshi entertainment, but her client was not supposed to know her from elsewhere. Miharu blushed slightly under her makeup—thank goodness for the thick makeup Shirabyoshi wore—and smiled demurely, all while her companion inquired about him into her ear.
Shizuka was Miharu's weakness. The other Shirabyoshi tended to bring out the less distant, less reserved side of Miharu; this was evident even as her smile turned coy and she turned to whisper back to Shizuka. "Sasaki Raiden. I met him earlier in the gardens today," she said, giggling once for effect, and glancing at Raiden briefly as she explained how she knew him to her friend.
Their whispers were nowhere near condescending, instead they likely sounded like two girls gushing over a cute boy—if that was really accepted in an environment like this. Miharu didn't vocally say anything to Raiden as she returned to her former position.
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Kurama no Koishi Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:13 pm
Shizuka watched Miharu rather curiously as the other blinked, studying the slightly hidden expression of her friend before leaning in slightly to listen as Miharu whispered into her ear, letting out her own small giggle as the other spoke, trying to encode the name of the samurai into her head slightly. She recognized the name, if faintly.
She turned from Miharu to smile to Raiden now, quite pleased with the man's personality and obvious disposition. "And why would it be anything less than prime seating, Sasaki-sama?" She inquired, faintly amused as she did so. Despite her downright scary encounter in the gardens earlier in the day, she was enjoying herself in her element now.
She then leaned in close to whisper to Miharu yet again. "Thank goodness he seems nicer than Serizawa-sama, who we had the great pleasure of entertaining last night." She spoke, letting a near-real laughter bubble from her lips as she pulled back from Miharu slightly. Serizawa was much too... grabby for Shizuka's tastes. Besides that, he was rude and more crude than most nobles.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:24 pm
Raiden smiled lightly. He liked these two, they were... well, they had a rather friendly temperament, he thought, and it was much more welcome than the bickering of strength that he got from samurai. Cracking his neck in a rather absent manner, though more out of habit than anything else, laughed a bit at the first woman's comment.
"Well, if you'd like to think of this as prime seating, then I guess it is." He replied, "But I'm not quite sure I know your name, although it is apparent that you know mine." Leaning back a bit to rest his back against the wall, he ran his fingers absently through his hair, dark eyes wandering for a moment to the other nobility and samurai in the room. A soft frown crossed his lips, suddenly thinking of the battle that he had just returned from. It hadn't been much of a fight, but like any other battle it had shaken him slightly.
Shaking his head, he returned his gaze back to the two Shirabyoshi. "Oh, Miharu-san," he suddenly said as the woman's name returned to him, "I trust the rest of your walk this afternoon was pleasant, was it not?"
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Kurama no Koishi Vice Captain
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:16 pm
How odd it was that Miharu could look a man in the eyes while performing, and yet could not outside of her duties as Shirabyoshi. It was not as if one was supposed to meet another's gaze, for fear of being labeled rude, but Miharu's bright eyes lingered across the table longer than they had before in the gardens, and she smiled and turned to Shizuka once again. "Oh, but it seemed that Kimura-chan liked him well enough—I have never seen another woman so desperate!" she said quietly, hardly able to keep another bout of giggles from escaping her lips. "But Raiden-san is certainly a kinder soul," she then mused, touching Shizuka's wrist once for emphasis.
Withdrawing from Shizuka's hair, Miharu smiled to Shizuka a secret smile. What an interesting friendship they had. Many things went unsaid, and still they knew such things about each other. Their companionship to the outsider was only that—companionship. But they say that still waters run deep.
Miharu turned back to the table, just catching the remnants of a frown on Raiden's face. Briefly, her luminous eyes clouded in concern. Was he offended at their private conversation? He addressed her then, asking about the rest of her walk, in effect, demanding of her an answer. She smiled slightly in acknowledgement. "The beauty of the garden today would only merit a fine stroll through its expanse—" Miharu hesitated slightly. She knew not how to address him now. Between the friendly Raiden-san in the garden, and the formal Sasaki-sama as Shizuka addressed him—those two clashed in the slightest. "Sasaki...san." she finished. She had gone for the expected median between the two honorifics.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:42 pm
Shizuka smiled to Raiden as he spoke yet again, not quite meeting his eyes. She was slightly amused with herself, she had to say. Only she and Miharu were aware that she'd only had the faintest clue as to this samurai's name just minutes ago. She nodded slightly before replying. "My name is Shizuka." She spoke, irked at her lack of graceful speak when declaring her name - still, if she didn't have anything prepared beforehand, she wasn't about to expose herself with any awkward pauses in conversation.
Shizuka had to laugh as Miharu spoke into her ear year again, covering her mouth with a delicate hand as she did so, quelling her laughter and smiling slightly as Miharu mused before leaning into the other's ear herself to comment. "Luckily Kimura-chan diverted his attention before he could really think to try and get to us." She laughed softly, though to her it felt quite obvious that she and Miharu would never let such a man come anywhere near penetrating them. She then went on to comment as to Raiden. "And I am glad of that." The Shirabyoshi added, smiling back to her friend as she herself drew back from their whispered conversation.
Shizuka saw Raiden's frown as well, though the woman was less concerned of it. She now looked to Miharu as the other spoke, blinking just once or twice as Miharu hesitated before the other addressed the samurai. Something Shizuka observed - Sasaki-san had been Raiden-san only minutes before. Ah, well, the Shirabyoshi knew she was likely stepping up the honorifics by referring to the man as Sasaki-sama. Still, her use of honorifics was near second nature, and they protected her in a sense.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2007 7:59 pm
"Well, Miharu-san, it is good to know that I am not the only one who merely likes to enjoy the beauty of such a place," he replied to the you woman, tipping his head in light emphasis, "I find that too many these days do not take the time to relish the magnificence of the world that is merely a few steps from the back door."
Then nodding in reply to Shizuka, Raiden reached to the table to pick up his small cup of sake and finish it off, placing it delicately back onto the smooth surface. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Shizuka-san." he replied simply, for nothing else was needed in such a response.
He found he was amused, to say the least, by their back and forth whispers across the table. Not offended like most people would be, but just a tad curious as to their side conversation. He made no move, however, to let them know that he was interested in their private matters- how rude would that make him look?
"Now, are you two ladies performing tonight, or am I just being graced with your company for no real reason at all?" he inquired, leaning gently against the polished edge of the table. He flipped his hair out of his eyes with a gentle movement of his head, patiently awaiting a response from the Shirabyoshi.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 2:08 pm
Miharu smiled gently at Shizuka, but fought the urge to whisper back, just in case their private conversation had been Raiden's source of irritation. Idly she watched as the samurai finished his cup of sake. He then leaned forward, inquiring as to whether they would perform, and if not then to their motives for seating themselves across from him. The Shirabyoshi wasn't sure whether to be amused or mildly insulted—was he hinting that he did not wish for them to be there? Raiden seemed to be of friendly, easygoing temperament. Miharu could only guess.
So the Shirabyoshi drew herself back from the table slightly, and put on the very slightest of pouts. There was no telling whether she really did feel the way her face said she did. "Perhaps we may," Miharu said, hanging her head. It was almost as if she were sulking. Almost. "But how do you know that we are here without reason?" Of course, Miharu did not really have a set plan of action following this conversation, but if they were unwanted then they had other samurai to entertain. Shirabyoshi like Shizuka and Miharu didn't waste time.
Or maybe Miharu was getting a little defensive.
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Kurama no Koishi Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:49 pm
Shizuka smiled briefly to Raiden yet again as the samurai spoke, inclining her head slightly as he went through the small formality of learning her name. The Shirabyoshi then sat rather politely, listening as he questioned them on whether or not they'd be performing tonight. She smiled slightly, the expression hidden by her mask of make-up before waiting for Miharu to address Raiden, merely disapointed in the slightest that they did not continue their conversation of whispers.
Shizuka then blinked to Miharu as she drew herself back from the table and put a rather visible if small pout over her expression, quite obviously sulking as she spoke. Shizuka was alarmed to say the least - was this the ever-girlish, ever-shy Miharu that she knew? Granted, Miharu acted differently in Shizuka's presence, but... Shizuka's concern flitted over her features momentarily, primarily hidden by her 'mask' before she quickly leaned to speak softly into Miharu's ear.
"Miharu-san, is everything...?" Alright? "I mean-- well," Shizuka paused, slightly distressed and quickly searching for more words to whisper into her friend's ear. "You know what I mean!" She finally whispered, drawing back ever so slightly before shooting her serene and - you could only really tell if you knew her - slightly troubled gaze over to Raiden before quite immediately looking back to Miharu yet again. Miharu really didn't usually... almost-sulk.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:55 pm
Raiden's eyebrow quirked slightly as he watched the short exchange before him- was it just him, or had he managed to spot a trace of emotion on the painted face of the Shirabyoshi before him? Sitting back a couple inches, he relaxed his shoulders, having not noticed that they had tensed during the short span of this conversation.
"Do not misunderstand me," he said, choosing his words carefully as he spoke as to not accidentally upset either one with a misplaced word, "I do not mind your company, I am merely a curious soul." He offered a half-apologetic smile, dark eyes shifting between Shizuka and Miharu.
Now, here was something.
Maybe it was the fact that he was a male, and just naturally didn't understand the female mind, but part of him just could not grasp the sudden change in feeling that had settled on the table. He certainly wasn't pushing away their company- they were much more pleasant to speak with than any of the other people lingering in the room.
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Kurama no Koishi Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 9:30 pm
Miharu herself was unsure of what she felt, and why she felt that way. Embarrassed, she shrugged Shizuka off, shaking her head. The look she gave her friend plainly said, "We'll talk later". She returned to her neutral position at the table, and looked at Raiden with his apologetic smile. The Shirabyoshi held his dark gaze with her own for several seconds, looked down at the small hands neatly folded in her lap, and when she looked up again she offered him her signature smile. It was the smile only she could give, shy and close-lipped, and the one that perhaps portrayed her personality the truest.
Only the most observant would notice the faint blush creeping into her face, and Miharu could feel it. Shizuka knew that involuntary blushing and Miharu went together, but others were not enlightened... "I would not chide another for curiosity, as it is the one of the sole forces that fuel advancement in Japan in this age," she said meekly, having seemingly regained her composure. "I misunderstood, Sasaki-san." She giggled softly, and it was the girlish laugh that others were accustomed to hearing from her—she hoped. Perhaps there was an overtone of nervousness in it that she could not detect, herself.
One hand gripped another tightly in her lap—perhaps she seemed almost normal by this point, but the tumult in her mind was almost sickening. There was really no describing it, that was what was the most distressing to the Shirabyoshi. She was used to knowing herself.
[[ Eep guys~ I'm just rambling here, give me plot, give me depth, give me more to work off of. xDD; Gawwwhh this is killing me. <3 ]]
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:42 am
Shizuka still blinked to Miharu in slight concern as Raiden spoke, nodding slightly as he did so to convey her complete understanding of what he was speaking. Now, it was Miharu who she couldn't quite understand at the moment. Well, it wasn't that Miharu was majorly... off. She was merely acting slightly odd. Which was always something to harbor concern about, Shizuka thought, mentally justifying it.
She settled down slightly unhappily as Miharu shot her a look that she knew meant she'd have to wait until after they'd finished entertaining to converse on this subject. So the Shirabyoshi took a deep breath and settled for pursing her lips as her friend spoke to the samurai across from them. Miharu was blushing, too, Shizuka could tell, but that was no point of worry for the other Shirabyoshi - Miharu blushed quite a bit around samurai.
Shizuka sighed softly, taking Miharu's regained composure as normal yet again as she brushed back a loose strand of hair from her face, offering a slightly apologetic smile to Raiden, unsure of what to say if she were to speak. Miharu's unexpected actions had left her at an uncertain and almost awkward point.
"Has Miharu-san composed any poems as of late?" Shizuka finally managed to question softly, regaining her own usual composure and straightening in her posture slightly as she did so to take the role of a rather respectable Shirabyoshi yet again, still watching Miharu rather meaningfully as she did so.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:41 pm
The samurai almost heaved a soft sigh of relief at their understanding. How miserable would he be if they were to leave because of his poor choice of words? He had decided by now that he definetly enjoyed their company, even if there were moments where he wasn't quite sure what they were speaking of.
"Oh, you write... poetry, Miharu-san?" Raiden inquired, this change of conversation having caught his full attention. "It has been quite a few days since I have heard any poetry that had care taken when it was written... do you have any that you would... share with us?"
He sensed a certain air of shyness from the pair by this point; it was probably the fact that so many samurai these days were ill-mannered that they were only being cautious about the matter. He doubted himself, however, something that he wasn't quite accustomed to doing. Some said life was like a battlefield; to him, it was anything but. Second-guessing yourself in battle would cost you your life, in the quiet reserves of this palace, it would not.
[[ AND NOW THEY ALL GO HAVE HOT SEX. 8O!
Except not. o: I've no idea, let's improvise~ 8D ]]
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