|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2009 11:41 pm
"Please explain to me again who exactly is moving in with us? I know you said that it is friend of a co-worker of yours, but how does that suddenly relate to you?"
Houkan stood next to his brother as he watched the older man lift a piece of chalk out of his pocket before he used his arms to measure the width of what would probably be a standard doorway.
All morning long Piero had been adding new things to the manor, his hair now completely silver from it, and this was probably the fourth door he had added to a brand new hallway. The oldest of the two brothers did not speak as he worked, instead merely 'hmmed' or 'hahed' as things were placed here and there.
"I know it is not my place to say anything, as you are this land's Master, but as your younger brother and a resident of this house I do feel that the rest of is living here should know what is going on."
At this Piero stopped midway down the wall with his piece of chalk, half the door forming as his hair sparked to create it, and he frowned slightly.
"William is a college of mine who recently became homeless do to unforeseen circumstances. He and his sister are in need of a place to stay and, although we are unused to having people brought in on purpose other than Rown's own agenda, they are going to stay here with us. There will be no further discussion on this matter, unless you are going to be accepting of it and will be lending me a hand."
He moved back to finishing the door on the wall with his chalk, adding a creative flourish of a Chinese lily as a marker. All doors in this house were marked, usually to tell who resided within to prevent confusion, and as Houkan looked he could not help but wonder who this 'William + sister' would be. He did not dwell on those thoughts for too long, however, as he was ushered along to complete the separate bathrooms for the newcomers.
"They should be arriving shortly, so please go and wait by the door to greet them, or have Pasayo do it in your stead. She is the standing Mistress of the house while Rown is not here."
Houkan nodded and set down the chalk he had just picked up himself, his desire to assist his brother temporarily outweighing protest, and slowly he made his way down the hall towards where he knew Pasayo would be resting. He found her sitting in a chair reading a book, her lips open as she mouthed the words along ( a cute habit ).
"Pasayo, my brother says . . ."
His sentence ended when a knock came at the door, and both he and the young Ashe teen slowly moved over to answer it.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 12:37 am
"How did you find this place again, William?" Huan Yi could hardly believe her eyes as she tugged Tsuji's hand and the two piled out of the wood-panelled station wagon. "Especially on su--" The words dropped from her mouth as she craned her neck back to check out the full scale of the building. It was as though she could feel the age of the house, simply by setting foot inside the gates.
"Quite easily, thank ye for askin'." William gave her a smirk and shut the driver's side door, patting the overstuffed vehicle. Cardboard boxes, pillows, duffel bags and other mismatched objects crammed into the backseat. "A coworker o' mine decided to kin'ly help us oot after the eviction notice came." He let out a puff of cool air and tucked his hands inside his wool coat. "Ye'll like Piero; he's a stand-up kin' a guy.. bit stiff, but y'get used to it." Huan Yi nodded gently and tucked her scarf into her peacoat, before giving the little girl at her side a gentle squeeze of the hand and redirecting her eyes towards her. However the little one was not so much enthralled in the conversation as she was with the building ahead.
"Woooooow," Tsuji whistled as her gaze glided over the front face of the building that was tucked so oddly between more modern homes and businesses. But that was what had kept her attention so readily, and before Huan Yi could stop her the small hand disconnected from her own, and the little Ashe bounded up the steps, the long, bright scarf trailing behind her. The Chinese girl seemed a little more hesitant to step onto the stoop than her young charge, but she jumped when William pressed his hand onto her shoulder and gave her a small nod.
"C'mon, the movers'll be here soon. Let's go say hello." There was a pause between them before a loud whine and the flapping of loose sleeves stole their attention back to Tsuji. She hopped up and down impatiently and flapped her arms with a look of exasperation.
"C'mooooon! It's cold!" she complained, and Huan Yi had to bet she was, wearing the small neon green skirt that she herself had owned as a child (such poor taste the 90s heralded at times). Instead of letting her anxieties grab her, she smiled.
"Alright, Tsuji, we're coming, we're coming." She moved inside first and William followed suite as the gate closed behind them. The clattering of the iron bars against one another made Huan Yi turn with a start, but William ushered her ahead.
"Don't be so nervous, now," he added to his sister, leaning forward to tuck Tsuji's scarf into her jacket and conceal the lower portion of her face properly (she wiggled and whined at his touch). "An' remember I warned ye aboot his way o' livin'.. it's a touch.. old-fashioned?"
"T-that's fine," Huan Yi replied as they stood facing the large, handsome door; she wasn't much of a cell phone user or an internet browser. However she swallowed loudly, to which William gave her a look from the corner of his eye and Tsuji must have missed entirely. She was too excited about the new prospects of this place. The girl rolled her long coat sleeves up and began rapidly knocking away. Her scarf shook loose from its confines and the eldest of the group groaned as his work fell to the ground. He got a glimpse of what had been carefully tucked underneath the muffler, likely by the little girl herself - an oval-shaped gold locket bounced against her chest with every knock she made. The gift from Ciellas before they had all gone their separate ways.
"Open, open~!" she called cheerfully, as though she had always known them. Something about the way this land felt was familiar to her, but it seemed strange.. she had never been here before. She likely had never met the tenants. But the warmth of familiarity settled comfortably into her stomach.
She knocked again, and this time waited for them to come, sharing her in her two guardians' feelings of anticipation and nervousness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 9:57 pm
"Young Master, please allow me the honor of opening my door. It would be in my responsibility to do so as the acting Mistress, if my lessons with Master are correct, so please do not trouble yourself."
Pasayo adjusted her clothing slightly as she made her way to the door, checking her hair one last time to be sure everything was in place, and with a turn to look at Houkan she reached her hand for the knob. She would not go any further unless he approved, which he did with a smile and a nod, and slowly the heavy brass knob moved with her hand. Pasayo braced herself to be greeted by completely unfamiliar faces, her body starting to experience that unusual warmth it felt when she grew too nervous, and before she could open her mouth to even greet them - her eyes drew wide.
". . . Lady Huan Yi?"
The surprise in Pasayo's voice caused Houkan to move from where he had been standing around the corner to see for himself if she was mistaken, though a look of shock quickly overtook him as well. What were the odds of something like this occurring at all?
"Well indeed. I did not think the sibling of the co-worker my Elder Brother had mentioned would be someone I knew after all."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:10 pm
"Pa.. Pasayo?" Huan Yi blinked once, as though to clear them of anything that may have clouded the identity of the woman who stood before them, before her mouth parted slightly in disbelief. When Houkan joined the young woman at the door, his eyes also mirroring slight surprise, she felt a blush start to blossom on her cheeks. "H-Houkan.. ? T-this is.. your house?"
"W-waitaminute here." It was William's turn to sound surprised, and Huan Yi was sure half of it had to do with wondering how they knew each other, and the other on the matter of Pasayo's appearance. Sure, she had told him a little of the encounter but he probably wasn't quite as prepared as she had anticipated. "This is.. these are the two that ye met.. at the cafe?"
"Y-yes." Huan Yi nodded. "A-and it seems that.. they are related to this Piero you know.. ?"
Tsuji, who had been especially quiet for the time being, had swept her gaze over Houkan and onto Pasayo. The vaguely familiar feeling that was churning inside grew as she looked at this strange woman with fascination, until..
".. I know this!" The two guardians looked down at the young Ashe, whose tilted head came upright and the puzzled frown replaced with an ecstatic smile. She moved forward and tugged her small hands on Pasayo's skirts in her excitement.
"I know you, your feeling, from before!" Another excited tug. "What's your name? I'm Tsuji! Will you play with me?" The little girl could barely contain her excitement.. it was as though meeting somebody from a lifetime away, and the positive, warm feeling she had gotten from Pasayo way back when still lingered (although tempered with her excitement at getting to know the woman better).
".. Cheeky, aren't ye?" William directed his gaze (which had been resting on Pasayo) towards the girl and fixed it into a slightly annoyed stare. Huan Yi could only feel astonished. Tsuji had remembered an encounter.. from inside the egg. Perhaps these Ashe were more in tune with their own kind than she had originally thought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:53 pm
Pasayo's face grew bright as the woman indeed turned out to be Huan Yi, a person from before she knew and would not forget, and before she could say anything else her eyes were quickly drawn down to a figure who smelt of Ashe and grass. Her heart thudded in her chest for a moment before that feeling slowly rose into throat, causing the teen Ashe to flare up a blush on her cheeks. She knew this small frame, the little one talking to her so chatty and happy. . . and the little one knew her. There was no hesitation.
"Tsuji. . . darling Tsuji."
Houkan looked over with a surprised expression on his face, his eyes wide now with amusement. He had never heard the young woman address anyone without some form of respect before their name, be it lady or master, so to hear her simply call the little child as she did was a bit of a shock. Granted Houkan had also never heard Pasayo speak to anyone other then his family, so perhaps this was just how she would be.
"Pasayo, you."
He did not say anything more as the women next to him bent down, her motions so fluid despite how awkward it must have been in full gown, but Pasayo seemed to do it with ease as she extended one of her gloved hands towards the Ashe child. It was like Huan Yi and William had been completely forgotten from her memory, something she would make up for later with endless amounts of apologies, and her only devotion was towards the child.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 11:31 pm
It was Tsuji's turn to blush as Pasayo knelt down before her. The way that she had brought herself eye-level with the Ashe child tickled her deep inside; normally adults were always busy. When they had to talk to her, they would simply look down at her and say what they needed to. She got tired of that "better than you" stance, of craning her neck up to look at a person when they said something.
So an action simple as this endeared Pasayo even more to her. What had the silver-eyed boy called her? Pasayo? She motioned her mouth a couple of times as she digested the name.
"Pasayo.. Pa.. sa..." She paused, then took the fingers of her companion's gloved hand in both of her own. "I wanna call you Pasa! Okay?"
"Don't change her name like she's some kind o' pet." William frowned at her and crossed his arms in annoyance. The little girl looked at him over her shoulder and made a sour face, sticking out her tongue. The man grumbled under his breath and Huan Yi giggled. She was happy at this opportunity for Tsuji - to think that she had remembered somebody she had met, long before she was born...
It was extraordinary. But nothing about this situation was ordinary.
The whole group had that feeling ever since stepping foot onto the Halifax grounds, and with the door standing open behind Pasayo and Houkan, their gaze wandered through the portal and into what they could immediately see. The hallway that stretched almost an eternity behind them, and the smell of the house - one of rich wood and age.
"I-I suppose I should introduce my brother." Huan Yi broke the small silence, in a slight effort to perhaps move the conversation indoors. The wind had picked up and part of her face was going numb (eyeing Tsuji's skirt, she had to wonder how the child hadn't complained again about the cold). "I-it is thanks to him that we found a place to live so quickly."
"Name's William." He grinned and extended his hand towards Houkan. He had intended to motion towards Pasayo first, but had Tsuji made another sour face at him and discouraged it in her own way. "And actually it's thanks to these folks here, an' Piero. Speakin' o' him, where's he at?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 7:45 pm
"It is all right, I do not mind if she wishes to call me Pasa. It is quite charming to have a nickname, as there does not seem to be one for me in this home."
Pasayo's face only seemed to gentle more and more as Tsuji spoke with her, her fingers curling up slightly to hold the child Ashe's hands with a warm embrace. Houkan could only watch with a neutral expression on his face, the surprise having passed once the Teen Ashe spoke her piece over what was and was not acceptable to her, and he quickly turned his attentions towards the man and woman who stood at his door, inquiring things of him.
"My name is Houkan, the pleasure of meeting you is mine. The woman beside me is Pasayo, she is something of a younger sister to me. As for my Elder Brother he should be inside the study, awaiting on your arrival. He was just finishing creating your rooms when you arrived, to be exact, so he may be joining us shortly."
Houkan stepped to the side, around Pasayo and Tsuji, allowing room for William and Huan Yi to enter the massive doorway that greeted the main room of the manor. He extended a hand outward towards the young Chinese woman, a gentlemanly smile on his face, and ushered her to come inside.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:21 pm
"Pleasure to meet the both o' ye. Haerd about ye a little bit from Huan Yi already." William nodded at the two of them genially. "Ah, thanks." He stepped inside as soon as Houkan had cleared the doorway. His eyes wandered over the entryway and connecting hallway. He took a deep breath, getting a feel for their new home, before he started down the hall, calling as he went. "Oi, Piero! We're here! Where are y'hidin'?"
Huan Yi, on the other hand, was preoccupied with Houkan's hand. She had hers pulled close to her as her gaze looked from where it rested on her chest to the boy's outreached hand. Red crept into her cheeks as she tried to swallow her nervousness. 'He's only being a gentleman. It wasn't personal. Don't get your hopes up, Huan Yi..' "T-Thank you." With a great deal of emotional effort, she rested her hand lightly in his and stepped inside, gently shutting the door behind her. "You have a very spacious home, Houkan.. v-very beautiful."
Tsuji tumbled in next to her, but kept her small hands cinched fast to Pasayo's. The first few footsteps into the Manor echoed on the polished floors, and the Ashe child's gaze was momentarily drawn to the her reflection on the floor surface. She tilted her head this way and that, smiling as the spectre smiled back at her. The feeling of another's hands touching her own made her remember that she was with another right now - one that she was so excited to meet - so she returned her attentions to the elder Ashe.
"So this Piero guy is making our rooms?" She danced back and forth on the spot, shifting her weight between her legs. Tsuji knew people could arrange rooms, put furniture in rooms, but make them? Was it really how it sounded? "How does he do that, Pasa?" The Chinese girl's ears picked up the conversation, and she forgot her momentary shyness as she puzzled the very same.
How does one go about making a room? Surely this Piero wasn't a contractor.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 8:39 pm
"I am over here, I will be with you in a moment. I need to finish drying my hair, if that is alright with you."
Piero's voice echoed through the home, sounding so very close to the group, Houkan and Pasayo smiling to themselves as they knew that the man was actually at the other end of the house and no where near the guests. Such was one of the Master's gifts, the ability to know where everyone was so they may speak to them without any troubles, and the pair that had grown up in this house were sure that the newcomers would find many things about this place more then...enough.
"Houkan, please take them all to the drawing room and I will be in there as soon as I am finished dressing."
Houkan only nodded his head, not speaking, and he turned to small at Huan Yi before he gave her hand a gentle squeeze as if to say he wished for her to come along. He had always been a young man of few words towards strangers, something that Piero (and Rown) had noticed to be increasing rapidly as of late, the former of the pair mentioning it with something akin to worry in their talks.
"This way please, it may be best if for a while the two of us lead you around. This manor is far grander than it appears on the outside and I am afraid that you and William may get lost and spend several hours wandering around before you reach your destinations. I have mentioned to my brother that we need maps, but since he and I can never be lost he says it is a moot point."
The young man started to walk towards the drawing room, more specifically the room that did not have the television and therefore was not currently housing one of Rown's newest arrivals, and after several steps he stopped at a door and knocked on it. When there was no answer other then what appeared to be shuffling beneath the door frame, he seemed content and continued on his way, Huan Yi still in hand.
"I believe the Young Master may have meant to say 'prepared' your room instead of create, Tsuji, he was preparing your rooms. We have all been expecting your arrival and therefore rooms suited to each of your tastes have been arranged on a special wing as to make things easier for you as well. Each room has a bathroom of its own attached, so you do not have to wander the halls, though there is something like a group shower situated down there as well."
Pasayo smiled at Tsuji's wide-eyed nature, remembering how she too had felt that way when she first came to really know the manor. At first she spent much of her time in Dusk's room, her sole comfort that small silent boy who held her close and whispered her name, though when she finally felt brave enough she ventured out and discovered a whole new world.
"I do believe you will like it here, this place is full of many wonderful things to see and do. There are also wonderful people living here other than myself and the two Masters."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:21 pm
"Wooow.. I get my own room?" Tsuji couldn't contain her excitement. As much as she adored her guardian, Huan Yi was still a teenager used to her own bed, and oftentimes the little Ashe found herself rolled to the edge because of it. The cramped space of the apartment made the appeal of this new home that much greater to her. The sound of Houkan knocking on the door snapped her attention right up, as did the sound of the shuffling from the other side.
She wondered just how many people lived here. They could probably have housed the whole Cornerstone Apartments here, it was that big! Aside from Pasayo, Houkan, this Piero person she-had-yet-to-see-but-had-just-heard, and the two.. the two..
"'Masters'?" This was a new word to Tsuji. No matter how she turned it over in her mind, she couldn't figure out its meaning. Then again, she noticed that Pasayo and Houkan spoke differently from her and Huan Yi (although to be fair, William spoke differently from them as well). "Who are they? What does that mean?"
"Curious today, aren't ye?" William raised his eyebrows at the child, who in turn stuck her tongue out at him. But her sour face softened as she motioned for Pasayo to bend closer. She stood on tip toes, hands cupped around her mouth.
"He's mad 'cause he didn't get to shake your hand." The hairs on the back of William's neck bristled in his embarrassment, and he made a stifled choke at the statement.
"D-Don't ye dare be puttin' those kinda thoughts in her head, now!" His embarrassment was testament enough to his original plan, as was the bright crimson color of his face and neck. Tsuji giggled and held on to Pasayo's hand cheerfully, ignoring one of her guardian's outraged expressions.
"Can you show me around later Pasa? I hope we get to play a lot and you show me everything!" The words were happy and teasing - the sincere hope behind it laced with the small underlying stab at William. A day wasn't complete until she had at least one poke at him, and luckily his inability to charm women provided enough fuel for the fire.
Huan Yi listened to the conversation idly and found it a great distraction from her own apprehensions. The gentle squeeze that Houkan had given her hand as he led them towards the drawing room had accelerated her heartbeat twofold and made her lightheaded. She'd never held hands with another boy before, outside of her brother or father in childhood, and even like this . . it was certainly going to the young girl's head, whether or not she wanted it to.
"H-How many others live here?" she asked in an effort to strike up conversation. It kept her mind from becoming overwrought and also gave them all a bit of background on where they would be living. She wondered what kind of folks would be arriving at breakfast. Judging by Houkan and Pasayo, they were likely to be polite and interesting. "Are they.. all related to you or are they staying here as tenants.. ?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:32 pm
"My cousin Rown has a horrible habit of bring home children from her travels. She insists that they live here in my manor while she is about because we have plenty of room, though more often then not I believe she does so because she enjoys watching the house in turmoil during each visit."
Huan Yi's question was answered as Piero entered the room that the party had finally made their way into, his source of entry being what appeared to be a side door hidden amongst the bookshelves. The whole manor was full of doors that lead to no where if you did not know where you were going, and Piero looked over at his younger brother as if to ask him to wipe up the bit of chalk that rested on the wall.
"Those children are the other residents of this home, staying here as guests much as you are while at the same time being permanent dwellers. I suspect you will meet nearly all of them in due time, one child you probably will not due to his needs and nature, though I assure you that you are most welcome to try and seek him out."
The man finished speaking when he drew close to a chair and stood himself by it, a few drops of water falling from his hair and onto the dark black vest he wore. Pasayo and Houkan could only faintly smile at how he had done his best to look prepared for the arrival of his friends, though it was all for not as even the small use of one of the doors had rendered a small strip of silver to shine through at his temples.
"I am Piero, the Master of this house and a co-worker of your brother William. It is a pleasure to meet you Huan Yi and ...Tsuji, was it? I do hope you find yourselves quite at home here in the Manor, and without want for anything."
There was almost an eerie ring in the man's voice as he spoke about going for want, though if he had meant anything only Pasayo or Houkan would have understood and responded, yet they both stayed silent and with their current partners. Pasayo merely tightened her hold on Tsuji's little hands, the grip not too tight as to be uncomfortable but tight enough to show she was being affectionate, and a few feet away Houkan seemed to mirror the motion.
"As this place is now your home you are free to go where and do whatever it is you want, we have no rules here and the traditions of our house are lenient at best, though I do feel I must give you a warning about venturing out into the conservatory. It is currently the home for two of my guests, a set of brothers if you will, and although I can assure you this home is safe I cannot guarantee that you will be safe if you venture into there alone. If you must go, please see that either myself or Houkan is there with you, even better for a choice would be my cousin Rown. Do not take Pasayo with you, she will be of no help."
Pasayo could only sheepishly nod her head in agreement, the bun of fuchsia hair pinned to her head moving slightly with the motion.
"Are there any questions for me?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:56 pm
William and Huan Yi digested this information in stride, the two of them exchanging a look between them as though to make sure the other had understood. The young girl looked like she was struggling to keep everything straight. Piero's manner of speech, the way he had described himself as master of the house, the mentioning of a conservatory.. the whole situation seemed surreal, like she had merely picked it out of a fairy tale. It was so different and exciting, but still a little unsettling.
"I... w-we'll try not to be in the way." At Piero's call for further questions, she bowed her head. "I'll do what I can to help around the house. There is not much I can do besides help with the housework or cooking, but I'll certainly do what I can." William nodded to what she said.
"We'd be happy to help ye oot." He gave Piero a wide smile. "We'll take care o' groceries every now 'n again, happily."
Tsuji watched the exchange with her head cocked to the side. Should she do something to help out? The child wasn't sure - she was too little to really help with cooking, and the only cleaning duties she had been assigned at the apartment were to help Huan Yi out. Rather than volunteering her services, what had intrigued her most was the mentioning of a conservatory.. as well as Piero's firm warning of not to go unaccompanied.
What was so dangerous about these brothers, anyway? She intended to find out someday.
There was too much about the house that intrigued her. She would rather spend her days exploring the sprawling manor than tied up, learning how to clean and cook. One could say she was a little spoiled in that manner. Even as she waited, her small feet twisted back and forth in impatience, waiting for something else to happen besides more conversation.
Thankfully the sound of squeaking gates and wheels on gravel interrupted the silence. Tsuji stood on tip toes to peek out from the window behind them and saw a small white truck pull up behind William's car. Both he and Huan Yi also noticed the noise as they turned to watch its arrival.
"Looks like the movers are here," Huan Yi said softly. "We'll have to direct them where to go." Tsuji's small ears practically perked up at the news. She squeezed Pasayo's hand and looked between her and Piero. The excitement was written on her face.
"So does that mean we get to see our rooms now? Can I?" She was busting with enthusiasm. The room was the first thing of her own she would have. It wasn't a hand-me-down like her clothing, but actually, truly hers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:46 pm
"William, there is no need for you to worry about anything while you are here - be it helping or groceries. This house provides all we need, and I would rather you save in case of an emergency instead of feeling the need to pay us back. While you are here, the three of you are our guests as well as our new family."
Piero smiled and motioned with a shake of his head that there would be nothing to worry about, nothing at all for the new trio to need to stress over. Having them come into the home was actually a blessing for its current residents, in more ways than one, though no one could openly admit it for various reasons. . . a major one being no one would probably believe the story.
When conversation changed towards the mentioning of movers, the car having pulled up, Piero actually shook his head no as a streak of pale began to roll over his cheeks and eyes. He suddenly looked quite old, as if he had gained about ten years in only a matter of seconds, and his weary gaze moved towards Houkan, who seemed to have aged just as quickly.
"I do not believe that is the moving van - it is someone else entirely different. While they do indeed have your possessions, it would be in your best interests to let my brother and I deal with the driver while Pasayo shows you around. I believe we can handle getting things to your rooms without any hassle."
He quickly motioned for Pasayo to take the lead, his expression growing more worrisome with each passing moment, and Piero quickly rose from his chair and headed towards the doors without so much as giving any explanation. Houkan mirrored his brother in terms of actions, though he did give a moment to excuse himself with a smile towards the young woman whose hand he had been holding the entire time.
"Ah, please...do come with me for now. It seems the Masters do not wish for you to go to your wing of the house just yet, so if you would kindly permit me to do so I will give you a better tower of the ground floor of the manor. It is were most of our activity takes place in terms of daily living, so I do believe knowing the grounds would make daily life easier for the three of you."
Pasayo looked down at Tsuji with a gentle smile, though a small bead of sweat trickled down the corner of her face at a rather leisurely pace. She could feel the nerves of her Masters, a vague idea of whom the arrival was already forming in her mind, but it was her duty as the young Mistress to ensure that everyone was taken care of in due course.
"Is there anywhere at all the three of you would like to see first? There are many different places, though I am afraid I cannot take you to the conservatory at this time."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:22 pm
The two siblings barely had time to stammer out a thank you before the mood quickly shifted. The change of attitude in both of the Masters startled Huan Yi and William momentarily. Someone who had their possessions.. but wasn't the movers? Houkan's smile reassured the girl though and her cheeks grew a little rosier as his fingers slipped from hers. Her heart gave a soft thud against her chest as she watched them go, but her brother nudged her along as Pasayo offered to give them a tour. Tsuji had watched the wordless exchange between the brothers with mild interest, but at the advice of her new friend and a smile, she turned her thoughts from whatever was troubling them to seeing their new home.
The temptation of the conservatory was strong.. but it was probably best left to another time. She still wasn't quite sure she should go there just yet, but the idea was too adventurous to let go of entirely.
"How many rooms are downstairs anyway? We only had like three at the other place." Tsuji held fast to Pasayo's fingers and took in the sight of the hallway.
"It was an apartment, Tsuji," Huan Yi added gently, deciding to leave her anxieties about the "movers" with Piero and Houkan for the time being. "They don't often have a lot of rooms." William coughed and pressed his lips together in a firm, displeased line.
"Well, s'cuse me." He murmured, and immediately his sister flustered and stammered a quiet apology, assuring him that wasn't what she meant. However Tsuji tugged on Pasayo's hand and nudged her towards the back of the house - where they had started to go before being led to meet with Piero.
"I wanna go down here, Pasa," she said with a big smile, but one that was interrupted by a low gurgling noise. Her tiny tanned cheeks flushed, and she looked down to her stomach and pressed a hand to it. "Is it lunchtime yet?" The way she tilted her head as she stared down her front almost made it appear as though she were talking to her stomach, and the action seemed oddly cute to her guardian, who smiled and giggled to herself.
"I.. suppose that answers that." Huan Yi placed her hands on Tsuji's shoulders. "May we see the kitchen first? I'm sure she wants something to eat before we carry this on any further." The Ashe child grinned up Pasayo as her stomach growled again, adding to her cause.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Friendly Conversationalist
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:47 am
Pasayo's eyes widened for a moment as she heard the growls issuing forth from Tsuji's stomach, but her look of shock was slowly replaced with that warm smile that was certain to be one of her standard expressions. She would have giggled slightly as well, were it polite for a young woman to do so in front of others, but instead all she could do was softly nod her head.
"But of course. I find myself liking the kitchen quite a bit as well, though I am ashamed to admit I am not as skilled in cooking as either the Master or the Young Master. They usually are the ones to prepare the meals unless the Mistress is in. . . in which case, only the Young Master does so. The Mistress has something against Master's cooking, or so she has spoken."
The teen Ashe slowly started to walk forward, the sound of her skirts sweeping the floor creating music to match the thud of her heeled shoes against the wood, and with that melody she made her way out of the drawing room and into the hallway. Along the route to the kitchen she would stop and point at doors, mostly indicating the symbols that dotted the tops. There were many different ones, usually something involving the solar system, and she did her best to explain Piero's style of labeling.
"The Master uses these symbols to indicate which doors are in use, and which ones may be erased. Before there was no system many doors were lost, along with a good deal of time searching for them again. I do believe once that the Young Master was behind a door when it was erased and we spent all afternoon trying to relocate him. I do not recall ever seeing the Master so upset."
Her explanation was actually very vague, if not even more confusing, as she did not go into detail about how a door could be 'lost' or 'erased'. To the Ashe who had grown up in this crazy home, such things were commonplace, yet to the trio who had just arrived. . . chances are she was making little to no sense. Still, there was no need to rush or worry; they would find out everything in due time.
"If you continue down this hallway you will reach the conservatory, where Lune and Sol are currently residing. As I mentioned before I am unable to take you there at this moment, and it is probably best that you avoid their company entirely unless they happen to be inside the house and with the Mistress. Another guest you may wish to find limited time with is Noah, another of the Mistress's children. He is. . . not one to socialize well with others, and I fear that he may not take a shine to a child as young as you are, Tsuji."
Pasayo squeezed Tsuji's hand softly as they passed yet another hallway (how many were there, in a house that looked smaller on the outside?), her eyes glancing down it as if she half-expected someone to pop out and create a scene. Thankfully nothing occurred, and the journey to the kitchen was rather uneventful. As the group of four entered in, the first thing Pasayo noticed was Houkan, standing near the oven with an apron on. She frowned a little, concern creasing her brows, and she opened her mouth to speak but was silenced when Houkan spoke first.
" . . . . . Rown is here again, and she has another child."
"Oh dear."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
