The carriage rattled a little too loudly for Izumi's liking as it made its way down the path towards the shrine. She wasn't a big fan of ceremonious things, or things that required her to be a certain way. Which was why she never really attended these open-spaced events, so to speak. Geisha were performers at closed parties, usually ones where the list of guests were pre-determined by a host, and all they had to do was show up, dance and sing, talk to the guests and then go home. It sounded easy of course, and would even seem to be an easy feat to an outsider. Only those who were in the trade would know that a few hours of singing and dancing required more than just years of practice and perfection. [break][break]
She heaved a sigh as the carriage slowly pulled to the side, indicating that they were near the establishment. The girl often went to shrines, if not to pray for the well-being of those who resided in her lodgings, but also to take some time to talk to her deceased parents. She usually visited one at specified times of the year, like at the start of a year, and very rarely found herself actually doing anything like what she was about to do. She wondered why a geisha was really necessary for this tea ceremony anyway. A regular shrine maiden could have done the same thing. There must be more to it than what meets the eye. And it was when she stepped out the carriage that the answer would be somewhat more clear to her.[break][break]
A woman with pink hair stood there, waiting for the carriage to pull to a stop. At a glance, she was quite the beauty, although her lack of formal wear would not go unnoticed to the geisha. As she listened to the other woman speak, she nodded and returned the bow that was given to her. The other girl was a travel maiden, which explained her lack of formal attire, which Izumi could care very little about. She was bound by the traditions of her trade, but respected those who weren't. "There is no need for such formalities, though it is appreciated." Her voice was a soft whisper. "I have no attendant." The raven-haired girl looked around, her eyes taking in the shrine itself. "Would you know of the number of guests that will be present for the tea ceremony today? I was not told of the number before arriving." She looked at the visiting maiden more closely, focusing more on her face than on her attire this time around. Izumi also wondered how the shrine people had found the maiden, knowing that shrines rarely just picked anyone off the street. [break][break]
It seems she's quite the interesting character...[break][break]
Kumogakure was a great place, with beautiful scenic views all around. It was not hard for one to find a place that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but also quiet. This was perfect for a woman like Izumi, who unfortunately spent way too much of her time with or around people on a regular basis. Her samurai training was always done with other samurai from what remains of the Niijima family household, her job as a geisha meant she spent most her nights performing at parties for diplomats and other wealthy people from all around the world. And as a shinobi...well, she simply was just around people. So, when she finally had a breather, those rare moments when she could spend some time by herself, she enjoyed going on little adventures around the village and country to find spots where she could forget about the busy life and stare at something pretty. [break][break]
Today, she had found a place that was calm and quiet, which gave her an image of the village from a vantage point. If only she was good at drawing or painting, it would have been the perfect spot to capture beauty at its best. Sadly, she was not so skilled at art, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath while she breathed in the fresh air that the platform offered. The weather was neither hot nor cold, with a slight breeze. Izumi opened her eyes slowly, her dark brown hues scanned the scenery before her. She had almost forgotten just how beautiful her village was, becoming too immersed with the stresses of daily life that she had taken nature and what it offered for granted. But it was better late than never, she supposed, as she got up from her seated position. The girl had been sitting here for a good hour, taking in the sights. It was the most natural way of meditation for her, and allowed her mind to be completely blank. [break][break]
She grabbed her sword, having rested it beside her against the rock she sat on. Her sword was one of her most prized possessions, reminding her of her identity as a samurai and of her family. Izumi placed the sword underneath the obi of her yukata, having chosen to wear a black silk yukata that was styled in such a way which allowed her to move more freely than most conventional yukatas. It composed of three parts, the top like that of a shirt, the bottom was a careful mixture of a skirt shorts, with the shorts part stitched inside the skirt to provide her with ease of movement, and a red silk sash that acted as an obi, binding both top and bottom together. This was her usual samurai well, coupled with her big straw hat, completed her look. By now most of the people in her village were well aware of her way of dress, although children would still stare at her unusual attire on the streets. She was an onnabusha, or woman samurai, and to her there was no better way of dress than what she had on today. [break][break]
The girl would begin to make her way back to the village, feeling slightly rejuvenated. There were still a few hours left of her day before the sun set and before she had to prepare for the tea party she was hosting that night. Being a geisha was exhausting at times, and had it not been for the amount of money she got from each performance, she would have retired from it a long time ago. Izumi was just about to descend from the mountain when something caught her eye. Or rather, someone caught her eye. Oh, there's company...she thought to herself. From where she was, the girl could only see the back of the person, sitting and apparently lost in his own little world. Thinking about whether to intrude, she was somewhat curious as to what he was doing. Taking cautious steps as not to alarm the stranger, she made her way slowly to where he was sitting. Upon closing in the distance, she saw that he was...playing a board game? And what more...he seemed to be playing with himself! Izumi never could understand how people managed to play against themselves, having seen the elders of her family play chess and other games with themselves before. [break][break]
She cleared her throat softly, alerting the man of her presence. [break][break]
Izumi nodded her head, her eyes fixated on the road ahead as she listened to Yousei. She agreed with the red-haired girl, the idea of having the countries open their borders to traveling seemed like such a common sensual yet impossible feat. "It would be really nice to be able to travel to different places without needing an actual reason other than wanting to take a little break." She had only traveled to minor places and countries because she was a geisha. If she was not one, she would have had to have some very substantial and convincing reason every time she wanted to leave Kaminari no Kuni. "It would also help the world overall, I think. We could use sharing resources and learning from one another..." The girl was now talking to herself than anything else, although she truly believed in the words that were coming out of her mouth. [break][break]
"Oshiruko! I love that." As a girl who loved hot springs, Izumi had a natural weakness to cold weather, which meant that she enjoyed a lot of piping hot food. One such dish was oshiruko, which was a red bean soup with shiratama or glutinous dumplings. She was also very fond of sweets, something that she had to curb and consume in moderation to keep her slim figure as required by her geisha status. She smiled genuinely, her eyes lighting up at the thought of the red bean soup. Kaminari did not really have red bean, so the idea of anyone selling or cooking oshiruko was difficult to find. "Red bean is a delicacy in Kumo. I haven't had it in awhile." They would continue walking until they reached the top of the mountain. She could hear the sounds of crowds of people from within, aromas that made the stomach rumble filled the air. It surprised her that people would visit such a place that was so far out of the way, so to speak. "It seems like a popular place..." she commented, as they stopped near the entrance. Izumi pulled out her white satin veil, tying the metal beads around the back of her head so that only her eyes would be visible. The veil had a flower print. [break][break]
"As a geisha, we have to wear a veil outside of our lodgings and of the places we perform at. This is to make sure that our identities remain hidden and retain the mysteriousness of our line of work." The girl would explain, while looking back at the red-haired girl. "Ah, I forgot to tell you...I am a samurai and a geisha. To the outside world, our line of work does not have the best of reputations, but we were trained on skills like dancing and singing to perform at parties for the rich." She closed her eyes briefly. "If you do not wish to associate yourself with an entertainer, we can go in separately. Although I know that what we do is not what the world perceives of us, I can't change anyone's perception of the job..." she had heard much negativity, at least in Kumo, and assumed that other countries and villages held the same reputation of geisha as they did. But her words were said in earnest, having been chastised in the past for 'stooping so low' by those from within her own village. [break][break]
As she entered the inn, the girl would be immediately surprised by what she saw. Yousei hadn't been joking at all when she mentioned that they looked like weasels, as Izumi had assumed she was referring to their personalities and not their actual appearance. But it would seem to her now that they were actually weasels, her eyes locked on the staff of the establishment. And it would occur to her that that was not the only surprise, her eyes taking in the rest of the staff, which now appeared to be talking ninja animals of all shapes and sizes. Now this is going to be interesting...the girl spoke to herself as her eyes continued to wander. [break][break]
Izumi watched the girl, who had then introduced herself as Yousei. A very pretty but uncommon name, Izumi noted to herself as they continued down the path. Yousei had grabbed her hand, in such a smooth but abrupt manner that it made her tense a little. The raven-haired girl was not a fan of physical contact, but for the sake of not seeming too hostile, izumi allowed it. She secretly wondered if the redhead beside her was always this friendly. And if so, if there was some kind of unfriendly side to her that she had yet to show. From her knowledge no human was always this joyful, and the happier one was, the more unhappiness they were trying to hide from the outside world. [break][break]
But then again, they had only just met. [break][break]
Izumi nodded her head as Yousei explained to her about this place that they were about to go to. She wondered if anything in Kumo could par or come close, but from the sounds of it, this Gama's cooking was something to be anticipated. "That sounds quite interesting indeed. And I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I'm Izumi." She was admittedly not the best when it came to self-introductions, keeping them as simple as possible. If the person(s) she met wanted to know about her, they would ask, so she rarely volunteered information about herself on her own accord. "It seems that this Gama you speak of is a great cook. I am excited to try." Her voice was still barely above her whisper and although she had used to word 'excited', her tone didn't match normal excitement. Izumi had a problem displaying positive emotions, Yousei would soon find out. [break][break]
"Kumogakure has some nice restaurants too. If one day you are interested and happen to travel there, I can take you to some too." This was more of a courtesy than a real invitation, returning the hospitality that the other girl was showing. "What is this Gama known for? What dishes do you recommend?" This was possibly the greatest extent of Izumi trying to make conversation. One would think that such a reputable geisha like her would have no problem socializing and making conversations with people. But it was not the case at all. As Sakurako, a geisha, she would have to talk to her customers because that was her job. She was paid the converse, to listen, to show emotion. But as Izumi, she was what one would call an introvert at its finest.[break][break]
They continued to walk down the path, her dark brown hues casually catching glimpses of her surroundings. It still made her feel quite surprised that she had managed to just stumble on Oto no Kuni, and it took no effort other than her getting lost. Which...meant no effort at all. She noted that even though both countries were quite close in proximity, the weather and overall landscape was very different. It was as Yousei had told her at the beginning of this encounter, Oto had a vast sea of rocks whereas Kaminari was more about mountains and terrains. "Oh, that reminds me. You are a shinobi too, correct? I'm surprised you're not helping in that battle against the Empire you spoke of earlier." Again, another feeble attempt to keep the conversation going, though she was genuinely interested in learning more about what was or had happened. [break][break]
Izumi couldn't help but giggle a little at the way the other girl spoke. She had a certain carefree nature to her that...was unheard of in the Niijima family code. She looked to her left and right, following the other girl's rather vague descriptions of their surroundings, all of which would be seen with her own eyes. But she would nod her head any way. If there was one thing she did agree, it was that a samurai was no botanist, even though technically, Izumi was a botanist in-training. She had a taste for flowers, but only flowers, the art of flower arrangement being her next obstacle of mastery. She was a geisha after all, and learning new skills meant that she would be placed higher on the geisha hierarchy. The hidden hierarchy, that is. "It's quite alright, as a fellow samurai, I understand that botany is not everyone's strong suit..." [break][break]
It wasn't hers either, but she had coerced herself into learning it. She wanted to be different, to be a commodity in her line of work as an entertainer, to be known not just for her dancing and art skills. And the only two things that were learned by true ladies of Kumo were weaving and flower arrangement. Of course, there was tea ceremony, but she had already mastered that at a young age, having been requested as a host for small and large ceremonies for some time. Izumi was one of the most sought after tea ceremony hosts, her meticulous and gracefulness set her apart from even the others in her own geisha lodgings. Anything to make more money, she supposed. Turning her attention back to the redhead, she would catch the next bit of information that escaped her lips. [break][break]
Huge forces? Hm....[break][break]
In the shinobi world, she was still just a low ranked genin, having graduated from the academy not long ago. Her skills as a samurai and geisha outrank her talents as a shinobi, but the girl wasn't too concerned. If she had been, she would have insisted that her team invited her along some more missions to build her skills. It wasn't that she had no interest in rising up the ranks of a shinobi, it was simply that she found herself having little time to do so, with so many other engagements. The girl noticed the other stutter, possibly mentioning a name, before she quickly corrected herself and continued to speak. But Izumi would pay that little slip up no mind. After all, there was no expectation that anyone needed to tell a complete stranger everything. She, for one, wouldn't. [break][break]
Well...that explained it...she thought to herself as the woman mentioned something about the Hokage asking the other countries to send out shinobi. Being of such a low rank meant that she wouldn't even have been considered, or thought of for that matter, on such a high priority mission. She wondered who from her village had been dispatched, though judging from her social skills or lack of them, she wouldn't know them anyway. Izumi liked to keep to herself, as her geisha role required her not be too close to the others. Geisha identities were always kept secret. It was half the reason why they often wore heavy white makeup on their faces and arrived at the parties they were invited to in a carriage. They were never allowed to walk on the streets with their geisha attire, the mystery behind who they really were half the appeal of their profession. [break][break]
"I would...love the join you..." Perhaps she had said that with a little too much conviction, the sound of the woman's grumbling stomach reminded her that she too was hungry. Although the party she had performed at the night before provided her with food, her appetite was...somewhat disturbing, to an outsider. Although still a little cautious of the other, she would and could not pass up on some good food. She had been meaning to try the delicacies from the other countries, already visualizing in her head what sorts of foods Oto no Kuni had to offer.[break][break]
On the outskirts of Kaminari no Kuni was like the land of the unknown for Niijima Izumi. Even though she had practically grew up in the country, she rarely left her village, except for the times her expertise were sought after. And those expertise were not pertaining to her job as a shinobi either, unfortunately. She had many other professions, as she liked to call them, since the idea prospect of calling them a hobby would be stretching the truth a little too far. Her role as a samurai had been destined at birth, her father's intentions of fostering her into one of the first female samurai the village and the country had ever seen fueled his every move. Her job as geisha...well, that was definitely not for fun. She hadn't gone through rigorous training for eight years of life, lived in someone else's lodgings for those years for a hobby. [break][break]
No...that was not the case at all. [break][break]
She heaved a sigh, barely audible as she mounted the carriage outside of her okiya, or the geisha lodgings. She had become a geisha because of money, as a means of survival against the harshness of reality. After having lost her father in the hands of the unknown, her mother had taken her own life too, leaving Izumi to fend off the world on her own. And that was what she did, at the age of ten, crawling the streets of Kumo and passing out just outside her now home. If it had not been her teacher, Sakura, she would have died and gone to join her parents in another world, perhaps. Instead, she was fed and clothed, given a new identity, and in exchange she would become one of them. She would become an entertainer, a musician, an artist, and live a life parallel to all that she had known. [break][break]
And quite frankly, she didn't mind. [break][break]
Izumi had trained hard, night and day, excelling in the musical instruments and dance. What she couldn't excel in she made up for with practice and strong will. Such was the stubborn nature of a Niijima. There was hope at the back of her head, that one day, she could buy back the Niijima family estate she lost with the deaths of her parents, and reclaim the samurai family reputation that they had held on so dearly. But first, she needed to repay her debts, and work her way to the top. Like a shinobi, the geisha had a hierarchy. Although not as defined, the entertainers were classed by how many parties they were invited to perform at, and the nobility of the customers. The bigger the parties with the most famous of people guaranteed much higher rewards. And with high rewards came notoriety. Her lodgings was pitted against some of the toughest and best geisha in the district. To render on top required endless training and perfecting of her skills. [break][break]
She had managed to climb the ladder slowly. Izumi had started as a maiko, or a geisha in-training, going to small parties to help the other geisha. Until she was ready, the girl learned all the skills of the trade, how to speak to customers and be the best listeners the world had ever seen, as well as the technical skills of art and dance. And now, finally, she was able to stand on her own two feet and perform. It was every geisha's dream to be recognized, to be sought after. In their world, she was already top of her class, many diplomats from across countries and towns sent requests to her lodgings to ask her to perform for them at their parties. She was now able to pick and choose which ones to attend, and turn down those she believed would not benefit her reputation. Perhaps to the outside world she was conceited. But to her, that was just a natural thing to do. [break][break]
The black-haired girl sat inside the carriage, pulled by two horses. The driver sat outside, guiding the horses to the destination. Izumi had been requested to a tea ceremony at a shrine. Although this was not some reputable event, she was one of the most skilled tea ceremony hosts, that much she was more than confident about. The girl had left behind her geisha makeup, instead styling her hair with red chopsticks for the most minimalistic look. Her attire was that of a pink silk kimono, tied tightly with a gold and white obi made of the same fabric. Tea ceremonies required the host to wear as little makeup and jewelry, so as to not disturb the harmony and purity of the tea room. It would be an hour or so of travel before she found herself outside the shrine. Descending from the carriage, the girl would put on a satin white veil, that covered most of her face except her eyes, tied with silver beads around her head. It was another requirement in the geisha world that their identities be hidden, and their faces be covered. That was why no outsider or commoner would ever know what a geisha looked like, unless revealed to them by the geisha themselves. [break][break]
The mystery of who they were and where they lodged gave the profession half of its value, with many men often stalking the women just to catch a glimpse of who they were behind their geisha makeup.[break][break]
Izumi had heard the stranger's voice before she saw her. Perhaps that was a good thing though, for had it been the other way around, the young samurai would have drawn her blade without hesitation. Now that wouldn't have been pretty, especially in a foreign land that was not governed by Kaminari no Kuni. She could only imagine how that would have turned out. And so, it was both her luck and whoever had just called out to her that Izumi had heard the other approaching. The raven-haired girl ceased walking, waiting for the other person to show herself. Her right hand lifted from the hilt of her sword though, although her eyes narrowed a fraction as she was still trying to determine whether the stranger was friend or enemy.Izumi had heard the stranger's voice before she saw her. Perhaps that was a good thing though, for had it been the other way around, the young samurai would have drawn her blade without hesitation. Now that wouldn't have been pretty, especially in a foreign land that was not governed by Kaminari no Kuni. She could only imagine how that would have turned out. And so, it was both her luck and whoever had just called out to her that Izumi had heard the other approaching. The raven-haired girl ceased walking, waiting for the other person to show herself. Her right hand lifted from the hilt of her sword though, although her eyes narrowed a fraction as she was still trying to determine whether the stranger was friend or enemy. [break][break]
The first thing that caught the woman's attention was the other girl's hair color. It was a nice red tint, coincidentally Izumi's favorite color. The next thing was her bubbly personality, which was a sharp contrast to the calm and collected samurai. As she listened to the other woman speak, now standing a few feet away from her, Izumi couldn't help but smile to herself. The woman definitely seemed friendly, a little too friendly perhaps. She nodded her head at the mention of being a traveler. Was she lost? Well...she wouldn't really know that if she was. For a highly directionally challenged individual though. it didn't surprise her in the slightest if she was lost. It was her first time traveling so far out anyway. "I'm not sure really...I thought I was going the right way...." her voice trailed, barely audible as she spoke. She often found herself speaking to herself more than the people around her, musing over their words and thinking aloud. [break][break]
"Directions would be greatly appreciated..." Almost as abruptly as the other woman had stopped speaking, Izumi too would stop, her eyes looking into hers, trying to judge what little she could see of the stranger. Although not skilled at reading people, the girl was still skeptical of her overly bubbly nature, having met very few people who had the same personality. Most of the girls her age in Kumo were either too serious for their age or too immature. There was really no equilibrium. Before she could continue though, it seemed that the woman had caught on to her attire, one that reflected her profession as a onnabusha. There was an unmistakable twinkle in her eye that reflected excitement and interest. To be honest, Izumi was almost surprised that anyone who was not from a samurai family would be this quick to observe the samurai attire. [break][break]
"Yes...indeed, I am a samurai..." It was rather strange for her to admit to another person that she was a samurai. Usually people paid her no mind, and for her to bring up her profession as bluntly as she was doing was new for her. Izumi's eyes widened a fraction as she took her gaze off of the woman's face for a second, her pupils wandered the surroundings. Sound Village? So...this was Otogakure! She had only read about its existence in textbooks. Of course, she knew that the place existed, but to think that she would actually find herself there was exciting. "This is...Oto no Kuni?" An obvious question demanding an obvious answer, the girl chided herself. "Coalition...?" Her gaze returned to the girl before her. Oblivious was perhaps too strong of a word to describe Izumi, but she definitely lacked some worldly skills, if one could call it that. If it didn't pertain to her specifically, the girl would just not know. And it would seem that whatever was happening in Oto was big enough to be called a coalition. [break][break]
"I just came from Yuu no Kuni." Seeing as the other girl seemed to be much better at directions than she was, Izumi guessed that she had already figured that out. "I wish to return to Kaminari no Kuni..." Her voice had kept its whisper throughout the entire conversation. Izumi wasn't sure what to make of this stranger. Was she a shinobi like her? Was she just some helpful civilian from the village? This was definitely a chance encounter, the possibility of a friendship sparking across countries! That is, if she played her cards right and this woman didn't think that she was weird or something. [break][break]
Who am I? [break] I fell into an endless trap known as love.
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Traveling was always so exciting. [break][break]
The adrenaline rush that came with traveling to somewhere unknown and away from those close to you was possibly one of the few things Izumi enjoyed as a geisha. Well, there was also her day job of being a shinobi, she supposed, although judging from the lack of mission taking and training since becoming a Genin, it was rather difficult to persuade anyone that she was a shinobi by just looking at her. She had the poise of a samurai, a onnabusha, as people in the samurai world called female swordsman, and the grace of an entertainer. The perfect balance, so to speak. But with this balance came responsibilities. She had her okiya, or the household of geisha dancers to support, the trainings of a samurai to uphold, and now the added responsibilities to her village as a kunoichi. [break][break]
How she does it, nobody would know. [break][break]
The sun slowly started to set as a young woman with dark brown hair and eyes appeared on the streets of the Land of Hotsprings. She had been asked, along with one other geisha from her lodgings to travel all the way to the minor lands for a performance. It had been some sort of diplomatic gathering, with heads of households and town representatives invited to a pleasant evening of dinner and entertainment. As a geisha, Izumi never sold her body, only her talents in music and dance, a hard rule that was implemented on all entertainers in her line of work despite popular belief. In fact, she had used six years of her life trying to learn the arts, practicing and perfecting her skills until she was ready to represent her lodgings. It had been a harsh six years, and as long as she was still a geisha, the training was never-ending. There was never a top position that one could hit, understanding that the best of the best could only achieve and maintain their standings through constant training. [break][break]
The girl was wearing a black and dark red kimono, her hair tied back with a pin loosely. Her obi matched the red of her kimono, and tightly strapped underneath the belt was her sword. Izumi had an obsession with silk fabric, almost all of her clothes made of the material. The kimono hugged her body tightly, the ends of the fabric fluttered gently against the soft breeze. She looked up at the sky and heaved a sigh. The party had lasted much longer than she had originally expected, and by the time she had gotten some rest, it was already close to sunset the next day. The Land of Hotsprings was a lot quieter than Kaminari no Kuni, perhaps for good reason. She had never thought about traveling here, since her home country was also famous for hot springs. [break][break]
But a change of scenery never hurt anyone. [break][break]
She made her way along the dirt roads, trying to retrace of her steps across the land so as to return home. She knew that once the sun went down, traveling would be dangerous, especially for a Genin like her. And what more, there were other neighboring countries that bordered Kaminari no Kuni that she had never stepped foot in too, one such was Oto no Kuni, if she remembered her geography correctly from her studies in the academy. Her right hand touched the hilt of her sword gently as she walked, knowing that she was on her own out here. Izumi seemed to recall that there had been a recent happening in Oto no Kuni, which conveniently opened its borders for travelers. This was rare, at least from her understanding, as she had been told even as a student that many of the major countries including her own forbid entry of shinobi from other villages. Taking cautious steps, she would make her way cross the lands, hoping for some hint or clue as to how to return back to her own land.
Who am I? [break] I fell into an endless trap known as love.
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“Sakurako! You’ve been requested for a tea party tonight!” The voice of her teacher echoed through the geisha house. The girl would give a small sigh, as she looked out the window of her room. This was the second time this week that she had been asked to perform at a party, and the second time she was asked to host a tea ceremony in the process. Those were perhaps the most physically trying of parties, the required energy for dancing and playing of musical instruments was doubled with making and serving tea. It was rare for people to want to host tea parties, since it would mean that the parties ran well into the night, since tea was often served after dinner. It also meant that the performers were not going to have dinner until the party finished, sometime before the crack of dawn. The girl struggled to get out of her futon, dreading the long night ahead. A knock on the door revealed her teacher, Sakura, who she knew would seldom enter her room unless it was for something very important. [break] [break]
“One of the district’s wealthiest diplomats wants to host a party in the tea house down the road. He asked for our best performers, and you, Sakurako, you are our best.” A compliment that would have flattered her under any circumstance was unfortunately lost. She scoffed, gave the other woman an incredulous look before nodding her head. “He tells me the dinner party will start just before the sun sets. There are to be fifteen guests, but only ten will stay for the tea.” Ten people for a tea ceremony?! Izumi was used to five maximum, even though she had been trained to accommodate up to twenty guests at once. The woman looked at her teacher quizzically, her confusion apparent in her eyes as she reacted to what she had just been told. “I know, it’s not what we are used to. But I already asked the others to prepare the tea, the utensils and the sweets for the ceremony. All you need to do is practice.”[break] [break]
The girl sighed reluctantly, defeated at the prospect of having to practice before a ceremony was like a slap across her face. She had been training for years and was a self-proclaimed master of all the arts, and yet she would have to go back to square one because of this particular party. But Izumi would have had done so anyway, with or without the suggestion from Sakura, her meticulous and perfectionist personality traits prohibiting her to do otherwise. She would nod her head, bowing to her teacher before picking up her paper fan and her fukusa, a silk cloth that was used to cleanse the utensils during the tea ceremony demonstration and headed for the tea room. She nodded as some of the others passed her along the hallway, the atmosphere in the geisha house reflected just how important this party was. It was always this way though, when diplomats held parties, the geisha would spend hours beforehand preparing and practicing. One wrong move or misstep would likely cause their entire career. Such was the world of the geisha: competitive, perfectionistic and cut-throat. [break] [break]
She opened the tea room sliding door, revealing the tatami mat and the kettle that was already starting to boil on a small table. She brought the tea tray, which had a tea bowl, green tea power in a tea caddy, a whisk, a spoon and a wet cloth. Izumi would spend the next couple of hours practicing, each part of the procedure scrutinized, done and redone until it was perfect. Form, steps and beauty were the key points to a tea ceremony, her teacher paying specific attention on things like how she held the tea scoop or the angle of her hands as she performed. Yes, tea ceremony was an art, and an art that not many were willing to master. In the couple of hours of practice, her hands became accustomed to the momentum of the procedures, and soon she knew she was ready to go out and host the party. Her legs numbed as she tried to stand up from her seiza sitting position, wincing slightly as she massaged her feet. “Sakurako, your carriage is waiting for you outside!” Cursing under her breath, Izumi would hurry, shuffling in her kimono and tabi socks down the corridor back to her room. [break] [break]
“Do we have a run down?” It was like a show, and yet it was so much more rigid than a normal theatrical performance. Everything followed an order, with which instruments to play at what time and which dances to perform based on the needs and wants of the client. Geisha were required to not speak unless directly called upon, an unwritten rule of never disclosing any vital information that were to be discussed at these parties or else risk death were the commandments of the trade. She guessed that this was going to be one of those parties. Her teacher had come into her room again, supposedly checking to see if everything was in order. “It’ll be a four-hour event.” And that was all she got. Nodding her head, the woman would begin to change into light purple silk kimono, taking off her own black silk one that she loved to wear. The rule of tea ceremonies was that women were not allowed to wear too dark or vibrant of colors, the contrast of colors to the surroundings would create an imbalance and destroy the harmony that was supposed to be present at these events. As makeup was applied on her face, Izumi couldn’t help but think about what she wanted to do with her life. Did she want to continue living this double life? But if she didn’t, she would have to chose between being a shinobi and being a geisha. Admittedly, she was good at being an entertainer, one of the best in her trade. It was precisely that reason that she was summoned to these events the most out of all the geisha in the district. That much she was proud of. Once the makeup was finished, she would head out of her okiya, this time the sun had all but gone down. [break] [break]
She would ascend into the waiting carriage, readying herself for another long night of performing for a bunch of people who probably didn’t even understand art.
Izumi was born to a family of samurais, her father being one of the most talented and skilled warriors of the land. Her mother was a medic, her soft-hearted personality provided the best balance to the rather boastful nature her father exhibited. She was the only child, and at the time of her birth, the elders of the family were very displeased that they had birthed a girl. It was only natural that a samurai family of such high prestige and reputation would want to have a son to take on the family crest and name, and woman samurai were almost unheard of. But both her parents doted on the girl, for her father had secretly wanted to have a girl rather than a boy, the idea of having someone take on the looks and characteristics of his wife more important than having a heir to the family. Although unconventional. he understood that being a samurai had its own dangers, and he didn't want to put another woman in the same position he had put his wife in for the five years they had been married had they had a son. So Izumi was loved and cherished, much to the displeasure of the elders.
Her mother though had different opinions of having given birth to a daughter. It was true that she loved Izumi, giving her everything that she had, but the woman was guilty that she had failed as a wife, having not been able to provide the Niijima family with a son. And because they had had Izumi had an older age than most couples, the possibility of her birthing another child was almost impossible. So, her mother had hoped that her daughter would be able to be a samurai like her father, and possibly become the first female samurai. Such a desire was not easy to meet, her mother holding the highest expectations since she was a young girl. Izumi learned swordsmanship, stealth and agility techniques, while practicing medicine at the same time. Though harsh, she would grow to be the embodiment of both of her parents, taking on the fierceness of a warrior while keeping the gentleness of a healer.
Until she was thirteen, the girl would train with the rest of the family and her father's followers, learning all the techniques and trades of a samurai. She became an excellent fighter, with a sharp instinct with weapons. She had learned about being a shinobi from her father, who had also been a shinobi in the village. It was also during this age that her father had lost his life while on a mission, and to honor his wish of serving and protecting the village, she decided to enroll in the academy at an older age than the rest of the students in her village. As a result, she only recently graduated from the academy, at the mature age of 18, becoming a Genin officially.
Izumi has somewhat of a bipolar personality. Although not to be mistaken with bipolar disorder, she has two different trait sets that she identifies with depending on the situation presented. Around most people, her primary (or surface personality) is the one that most of her subordinates, comrades and enemies would see. This primary set is easier defined when she is her true self, Izumi Niijima. On very rare occasions does her secondary personality show through, usually under very specific situations, when she allows herself to adopt the traits of Sakurako. It is important to note that she no longer recognizes that when she is exemplifying her secondary personality, she is dabbling into her experiences as Sakurako. She only knows she is capable of such traits that are very different from who she is as Izumi.
The Niijima family code (which also is the bushido code, or the way of the samurai) embodies five main characteristics: honesty, courage, humble/sincerity, respectful and loyalty. To this day, Izumi still has all of these characteristics, as well as other traits such as integrity and an intense amount of self-control. It is easy to say that she is very careful about how she presents herself, how the world sees her, and cares a lot about her image. It’s not uncommon that she would try to influence people to adopt the same code, especially her students. She is very strict and demanding, expecting excellence.
She is an extremely polite person, humble and modest. Sometimes this can be seen as being her negative trait as well, as she never boasts or speaks of her accomplishments. This is something that she learned from her mother, and had chosen to follow, despite the boastfulness of her father. She respected the elders in her family, respected the codes and regulations, and never dropped things like honorifics. Izumi is especially careful about how she speaks to her superiors, and takes exceptional care to not berate those below her. When she speaks to people, she will address them in the politest of ways, and even though she is blunt, her word choices depict her upbringing. She understands that speaking is an art, and will often go out of her way to make even an insult sound nice. Sometimes her modesty or humble nature is taken as her trying to fish for compliments, and through the years, she has learned not to voice anything that could make people think that way of her. If someone compliments her on her achievements, for instance, she would neither deny nor acknowledge, giving a faint smile in hopes to end the conversation. It is also because of this that she doesn’t know how to receive compliments from people and thus can’t give them out either.
She doesn’t have many friends, as her idea of friendship is a lot more serious than most. The idea of a friend is one who can be loyal, transparent, honest, compassionate, empathetic, genuine and kind. In her eyes, she finds it very difficult to find anyone who fits all of these traits. Even though she is honest to those around her, she finds it hard to trust people, and will not trust anyone lightly. Perhaps this is a defensive mechanism she has developed over the years of interacting with people, she feels that two people must be able to stand the testament of time to be called true friends. Izumi classifies most of the people she knows as acquaintances and those she does call her friends are few and far between. To her friends, she is loyal and would risk her life for them in a heartbeat. She is not afraid to put herself in relatively trying or life-threatening situations for the sake of protecting her friends, and this loyalty knows no boundaries. The way of the bushido prohibits her from walking away from those she has sworn to protect and it doesn’t matter how far she must go when it comes to her friends. There is also an unwritten rule between her and her friends that while she is willing to go to extremes, she expects the same from them, the idea of give and take very transparent within the friendships.
Proficiencies
Taijutsu [Rookie] As a shinobi, Izumi had learned to use Taijutsu in the academy, a form of fighting style that she was not accustomed to. However, through her training as a samurai at a young age, she had picked up close combat and the use of her body as a weapon during regular practice spars with her father and the rest of her clan members. Although not as skilled as her proficiency with swords, she has definitely trained her body physically, developing toned muscles and quick reflexes to help her in her use of Taijutsu.
Kenjutsu [Apprentice] The samurai’s skill is projected using their blade, and so it is not a surprise that Izumi’s most proficient discipline is kenjutsu. She had learned from her clan elders and her father at a young age, learning how to wield a sword even before she learned how to speak properly. Through rigorous training, she can not only slash and pierce using both hands, but she has learned to wield a sword with either one of her hands, giving her the ability to hold two swords if necessary. Her most prized possession is a katana her father had made for her, which she named Ansatsu no Shuunen[An Assassin’s Obsession]
Ansatsu no Shuunen A katana with a single-edged blade and a square guard made of metal, the entire sword is white in color, signifying purity. Unlike regular samurai swords, her weapon has a relatively shorter handle, allowing her to wield it with one hand instead of with two, which gives her more flexibility in momentum and usage when in combat. The handle is wrapped with a string of white silk and the sheathe is made of the best dark wood, a gold butterfly and her family name etched on it.
Stealth [Rookie] Both shinobi and samurai need stealth, especially when on missions. Her lack of mission experience has made her unable to advance past the basics of stealth movement, and she has not had much practice in combat either to supplement this proficiency. Because she knows that both require stealth, she hopes that she will be able to learn to move silently and fluidly through doing missions for the village.
Lightning Release [Raiton] [Rookie] Izumi had been able to awaken her birth chakra nature, raiton, since graduating from the academy. Having spent most of her time perfecting her skill in kenjutsu has resulted in her slacking off in ninjutsu practice. As a result, she only can shock people slightly if she really concentrated. Unlike Taijutsu and kenjutsu, she feels that she is far from understanding how to use her chakra nature to her advantage, only knowing that almost all shinobi start out with an element and that hers happens to be lightning.
