Hey Guys! I'm back... after a very long and undeserved break. But you know how it is, school, work, exams the whole shebang. Life has a very annoying tendency to become really busy when we don't want it to be. Anyways I've taken all my other stories down to be revised and so forth... I can honestly say I have no idea when they'll be back up.
But I'm back with a new story, which I'll admit doesn't have much to do with Naruto... at all, but it is SasuxSaku! Yay! Well I hope you enjoy and review! Just don't flame, seriously, there's no point.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, obviously. I can't even pretend I do... so sad.
Sakura pulled open the paper door of her shamisen class followed by her dear friend Ginji. Both girls lived in the Kanbi okiya and were schooling to become geisha. Sakura gave a tiny laugh, "If only I were as good on the shamisen as you, Ginji. Probably I wouldn't get hit as much." She said as they walked through the main hallway to their next class. "Don't talk like that!" Ginji encouraged. "You're the most talented dancer I've ever seen. You're what now, level six?" Sakura smiled her friend was a year younger then her and at twelve she hadn't seen as many dancers as one would think.
"And besides," Ginji pointed out. "Look at how beautiful you are. You have hair the color of a cherry blossom and eyes like jade. How many other people look like you do you think?" Sakura shrugged. "I'm not beautiful just different." She reasoned as they slid the door open to their last lesson of the day; tea ceremony.
The class was fairly uneventful as usual and it gave Sakura time to think. She knew that tea ceremony was a very important part of being a geisha but it was just so relaxing that by the end of class she could always feel sleep tugging at the corners of her eyes.
The two girls made their way back to the main entrance to get their shoes and began to make their way back to the okiya. "What chores do you have today?" Sakura asked Ginji as she watched people. "Uh," Ginji seemed to be thinking. "I have to polish the floors today, tidy Hoshiri's room and as usual stay up to wait for them to return." Sakura nodded. "I guess that's not terrible… Hoshiri is probably already gone for the evening." She shrugged. "Yes, at least I'm not on washroom duty today!" Both the girls laughed daintily as they entered their okiya.
The Kanbi okiya was run by two sisters. Mother, the one who mainly owned the okiya had one daughter who would eventually take her mothers place. And Auntie the younger of the two who had no daughters and whose career as a geisha had been somewhat laughable.
Mother was not as beautiful as one would expect of a retired geisha. Her hair was limp and graying and the whites of her eyes were cloudy and yellow. Even her skin had a yellowish sheen to it. She wasn't a mean person but she had power and she often made decisions based on how much money it would make, not on how it would affect the people in the okiya.
Auntie was just as bad as mother but she was taller, thinner, and much more awkward. Her career as a geisha had ended promptly when she became ill with a disease that caused her skin to become red, puffy and painful. Auntie even had a few scars left over, the ridge above her eyebrow always looked swollen and there were raised bumps on her legs. She was the one who paid sympathy for those who were stepped on by Hoshiri.
There were two prominent geisha in the okiya. Mother's daughter Amaya was sweet and had a calm, endearing demeanor about her. She was also a talented dancer which was another reason she was so well known as a geisha. Hoshiri on the other hand was vile, she was beautiful, of course, but she was like a snake. She was never outright mean but she had a way of harming people so that no one would know she was the culprit.
There were no men in the okiya it was just Mother, Auntie, Amaya, Hoshiri, Ginji, Sakura, three maids and a cook. It was an interesting way to live if nothing else; but it was hard. One had to be careful not to get in the way or risk being stomped on by a lovely foot dressed in tabi.
"Amaya requested me in her room when we have finished our homework for the day." Sakura said knowing full well all she needed to do was work on her shamisen. "I suppose she'll let you watch as she puts on her make-up and kimono for tonight… I swear Sakura she took quite a liking to you." Ginji said as the girls stepped out of their shoes and tuned their shamisens. "I'm quite lucky," Sakura noted. "Perhaps I will become her younger sister, can you think of anything grander?" Ginji shook her head. "No, nothing at all!"
Although it was very frustrating Sakura and Ginji plowed through their work though it was slowed considerably because Ginji kept having to pause to show Sakura how to do things correctly. "I think that's good for now," She said smiling. "You are getting better." Sakura just rolled her eyes. "You would say that even if birds had dropped from the sky, dead, from my playing." Ginji laughed. "Yes, well, you had better hurry to Amaya's room or risk missing her putting on her makeup." Sakura nodded and made her way to the stairs.
Sakura climbed the stairs to the second level of the okiya and kneeled in front of Amaya's door, which was opened promptly. Amaya was a truly stunning woman, with her soft oval face, high cheek bones and willowy figure it really was no wonder she was one of the most highly regarded geisha. She looked even more beautiful in her make up. "Amaya-san," Sakura said puzzled. "I thought you wanted me to watch you put on your makeup again today." She laughed but shook her head. "No, what I wish to discuss with you is of far greater importance."
She led Sakura inside and sat her down at the table. The room Sakura was sitting in was not Amaya's sleeping area or her dressing area; it was the main room where she sat and drank tea, practiced shamisen, talked to visitors and so on. It was a beautiful room and Sakura wasn't sure whether it was because of the soft light that seeped in through the paper doors, or the rich, dark tatami mats that were almost brand-new. Whatever it was, anyone could admit it was lovely.
"Mother has told me she feels it is too early for you," She sat down, folding her kimono so it wouldn't wrinkle. "I, however, would like to get this arranged early so no one else snatches you out of my grasp." Sakura tried not to assume that Amaya was speaking of an apprenticeship but it was a hard thing to do. "But Amaya-san," Sakura said. "I don't think anyone could take me from you if they had to approach mother first." She laughed again. "I may be well known, little Sakura, but there are geisha who make more money then I do."
Sakura nodded and picked up the tea cup in front of her to take a sip. "Now let us speak of nicer things. When is your birthday, you are to be turning fourteen, correct?" Amaya asked Sakura, scrutinizing her from across the table. "My birthday is March the twenty-eighth and yes, I will be fourteen."
"Only three days away? Well that seems to me the perfect time to start you on your training. Besides any later and you would have a very short apprenticeship - which is not a good thing." Sakura was amazed but then an idea hit her and ruined her happiness. "Amaya-san… what about Hoshiri, surely she will try to... to hurt us!" Amaya nodded. "She will, but after all, I am more popular then she is. Don't discount her because of that, she is still as evil as a snake. You must promise never to tell her of what I teach you." Sakura promised but she was unsure if she would be completely safe from Hoshiri's tricks and plans.
"Now hurry along and do your chores before Auntie finds out they are not done!" Sakura did as she was told, and eagerly too, for in a short time she would become an apprentice geisha and nothing could make her happier.That night as Sakura lay on her futon she couldn't help but let her daydreams wash over her like waves. She wasn't sure if she'd fallen asleep or just went right on day dreaming through the night.
When she awoke in the morning she felt very well rested and didn't even mind Ginji's hurried pace to get to school. The two girls hurried down the streets so quickly they couldn't talk to each other for lack of breath. But as they got to the school and put their shoes into their cubbies Ginji smiled to Sakura and followed her to their dance class.
On the way back to the okiya Sakura and Ginji were talking about how their singing teacher had become so mad that she looked as if she would blow steam out of her ears, all because one poor girl had messed up the lyrics and accidentally sang something rather vulgar. "Ginji," Sakura said breaking the carefree moment. "Have you ever wondered who will become your older sister?"
"No, I haven't," She admitted. "I don't have to, though. I know what will happen." Sakura was puzzled. "How in the heavens do you know that?" She asked staring at her friend. "Well, it's obvious isn't it? Or at least if Amaya or Hoshiri is to choose one of us." Sakura shook her head, not even an almanac could tell you something so exact. "You know how they are, sworn rivals, so the other would pick the girl left and it would probably become some huge war." Sakura stared in astonishment at her younger friend.
"Well then, I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell you that yesterday when Amaya called me to her room… she didn't want me to watch her put on her makeup." Ginji didn't say anything. "She wanted to talk about adopting me as her younger sister." After a few moments of walking in silence the younger girl nodded. "I always knew it would be like this, I mean you are older then me and Hoshiri hates you more than anyone else."
"I'm so sorry Ginji." Sakura said but her friend waved her off. "No, don't be. Hoshiri will be kind to me and try to teach me everything I need to know." Sakura had a hard time imagining Hoshiri being nice to anyone, and she told Ginji. "Just think about it, if it becomes some sort of huge war; then Hoshiri would only hinder our chances of winning by being mean to me." Sakura nodded but she still worried about what would happen to Ginji.
When the two girls reached the okiya a maid came and told Sakura that Amaya was expecting her. With one careful glance at her friend she made her way up stairs to Amaya's room. As she knelt in front of the door Amaya pulled it open and brought her, once again, to the tiny table in her room. Once Amaya herself sat down there was a small smile on her face.
"I have spoken to my fortune teller," She announced happily. "We found the perfect dates that will lead to your debut." Her tone then shifted to something much more serious. "I want you to know that I will be very strict in teaching you and you must work hard and do exactly like I say." Sakura nodded. "I know that sometimes it may seem cruel, but an untrained geisha won't earn enough money even to eat." She paused as a maid brought tea in for them.
"I talked to your dance instructor." She said with a smile that looked like she couldn't have helped it. "She said you are very promising and that a girl of your beauty should certainly specialize in it if at all possible." Sakura had trained herself not to become embarrassed or shy when people said these things about her. "I suppose in this area I have nothing more to ask of you, you have already reached level six and perhaps in a year or so you will be able to perform a solo in the seasonal dances."
Amaya watched Sakura carefully as she continued. "Now," She began. "It has been decided that tomorrow afternoon you are to meet with my hairstylist, but that is tomorrow today I would like you to put on the full maiko kimono. I will show you how to walk, sit and most importantly not to fall over."
Amaya called for Mr. Hosono; her dresser, and helped Sakura into the beginning layers of her Kimono. Sakura was stripped of her cotton school kimono and Amaya showed her how to put on her koshimaki or hip wrap. The Sakura put on a short-sleeved kimono undershirt and tied it shut at her waist with a small cord. At this point Mr. Hosono had arrived. "Now for the under robe!" Amaya exclaimed excitedly, causing Sakura to smile. The under robe that was put on Sakura was the color of a ripe plum with a pattern of stitched golden waves.
Now Mr. Hosono lifted the heavy kimono, which was a soft blue silk with a pattern of gold and plum koi along with quite a few pink flowers. As soon as he draped it onto Sakura she felt she might fall, it was astonishingly heavier then she first thought. Because Sakura was quite short he had to fold the kimono over several times before securing it with a cord. Then came the obi, which was a midnight blue color with silver threading, Sakura stood for several uncomfortable minutes as he worked on her elaborate darari-obi. Once he had finished he bowed to both Amaya and Sakura and left.
"You look stunning," Amaya said walking a circle around Sakura. "How do you feel?" Sakura would have laughed with amusement had she not feared she would throw herself off-balance. "Like I'm either going to topple over or be crushed by the weight." Amaya laughed. "Now watch me." She instructed, Amaya stood and walked once around her room using such tiny steps it appeared as if she were floating, her kimono rippling along behind her. "Now you try." Sakura didn't have too much difficulty walking normally but when she took tiny steps she leaned forwards too much causing the weight of her obi to drag her to the ground, face first.
Finally Amaya was satisfied, as Sakura was no longer falling over and managing her tiny steps rather well. She swept Sakura's hair into a lose bun at her crown and ushered her into the hallway. "Where are we going Amaya-san?" Sakura asked as she was led down the stairs. "For a walk, and then to the shrine to announce our intentions to the gods." She smiled as she slipped her feet into a pair of lacquered zori and gestured for Sakura to do the same.
As they walked down the streets together many people who bowed at Amaya would then turn and bow at Sakura as well. It was strange when she first noticed the lingering eyes but she supposed people were puzzled and wanted a better look at the strange girl with vibrant hair and shimmering eyes. "You're beautiful Sakura, and people are noticing." Sakura smiled she was lucky to be seen with Amaya, people might easily assume they were the two most beautiful geisha in all of Japan.
Later that evening as Amaya helped Sakura out of her kimono she paused to look over the stunning silk garment. "I think you should wear this on your first night as a maiko." After that she said no more and sent Sakura to bed.
That night Sakura fell asleep so quickly she didn't even remember laying down. The next morning on the way back from school Ginji laughed openly. "The second you walked inside it was like you were sleep walking!" Sakura threw her hands up in a sign of defense. "Those kimono are heavy you know! It takes a lot out of you just to stand in them." Ginji rolled her eyes. "Yes, but it was still very funny."
When the two girls reached the okiya there was already a carriage outside and Amaya was just being helped into it. When she sat down she saw Sakura and Ginji and called out. "Come on little Sakura! Let us go and have your hair done!" Sakura gave her friend a quick hug before climbing into the carriage to sit beside Amaya.
Amaya's hairdresser worked over a tiny noodle shop in a very small, very crowded apartment. The two girls knelt on the landing along with others to wait their turn. It was a long wait, maybe even three hours at the most, and what came after certainly wasn't worth it. When it was finally Sakura's turn Amaya slipped off to the side of the room, but not before giving the hairdresser a bow and gesturing to Sakura.
He placed Sakura in front of a large sink and poured a bucket of hot water over her head. "She has very beautiful hair." He said to Amaya and he put soap in his hands and rubbed them together. "Yes she certainly does, I believe my little Sakura will be quite a hit." He began to scrub her hair and scalp so vigorously it felt as if he were dragging knives across her skin. "She hasn't said one word and I quite agree."
"Sakura," Amaya said soothingly. "I know it hurts, you can cry you know." It wouldn't have mattered even if Amaya hadn't said those words for the tears had just begun to spill. "Would you like her to have the wareshinobu? Or something more… eccentric, like the Momoware?" Amaya paused for a moment. "I think momoware for her." She said. "Definitely." He agreed.
Then he moved Sakura to sit facing Amaya and combed her hair with a wooden comb. "Peach, jasmine or lily?" He asked standing to retrieve a bottle from a cupboard. "Peach." Amaya told him. Once again he sat behind Sakura and got out his comb he then applied liberal amounts of peach scented oil to her hair and combed it through to make it shine.
"Now for the worst part," Amaya told her so she could brace herself. "After that it will be all over." Sakura looked non-plussed. "You mean the worst hasn't happened yet?" The hairdresser laughed. "She's quite charming. Don't worry; after you have your hair done a few times it's not so bad anymore."
He took a bar of wax and heated it over the fire, then he dipped the comb into the wax and started to pull her hair through it. The pain was excruciating and Sakura wondered how much longer it could possibly take, although it was true that after a while her head went so numb she could hardly feel it at all.
When all of her hair was evenly waxed the hairdresser took the forelock and pinned it to the back of her head, wrapping a strip of red silk around it. The he pulled the rest up and wrapped it into a knot around the silk strip so that it could be seen between what looked like a split in the bun.
After he had finished the hair dresser allowed Sakura to look in a mirror. She was amazed, she looked so grown up and mature and like she was someone who people would steal glances at out of the corner of their eyes. Amaya and Sakura both bowed and thanked the hairdresser and then left.
When they reached the okiya everyone gathered around to see Sakura's hair. "Oh Sakura!" Ginji exclaimed. "You look so beautiful!" Even Mother had to agree that her hair was lovely, and she usually refrained from complementing anyone. The only person in the whole okiya who said nothing was Hoshiri, who lingered in the near distance and watched Sakura with a mixture of hatred, disgust and pride on her face.
The days leading up to the ceremony that would bind Amaya and Sakura together as sisters slipped away like leaves in the wind. It happened so quickly that when Sakura tried to remember something that had happened the day before it was a blur and she had to ask Ginji for clarification.
On the night of the ceremony Auntie and Sakura made their way up to Amaya's room where Sakura thanked her over and over for the opportunity to learn from the most skilled geisha in the hanamachi.
The ceremony was to take place at the Arakawa tea house. The small group of Amaya, Sakura and Auntie was joined by Mother. The ceremony was to be held in the interior garden, which was truly beautiful but unconventional. The ceremony was led by the mistress of the Arakawa and was very short. A maid brought three cups of sake, Sakura took three sips and passed it to Amaya who took three sips until everyone had both drank from all three cups then she said. "I'm hardly surprised that the name which is to be bestowed upon you is as strange and fascinating as you are. Your name shall remain Sakura as there is no other that can suit you as it can."
After the ceremony the small group was led into a back room for a lunch celebration of rice with red beans, fish and dumplings.
After the celebration Amaya and Sakura went back to the okiya before setting out to meet all the mistresses of the many tea houses she went to. Amaya had said she wanted her to change and have her makeup done as they would be attending a party that night.
Once she had changed into her makeup robes Amaya helped her apply her Bintsuke-abura; the wax base that covered her face and neck and then the white makeup. Then she stepped back and allowed Sakura to finish. Sakura picked up a rather large pigment stick, moistened it and then used it to apply the palest of pink on her cheeks. "Here let me just paint the back of your neck before the paste dries," Amaya stepped forwards and painted sanbon-ashi onto the back of her neck. "But Onei-san,-" Sakura said before Amaya managed to interrupt her. "We will be attending a festival after I take you to meet a few of the mistresses."
This time Sakura knew full well how to put on her koshimaki and afterwards she pulled on her short-sleeved kimono undershirt and tied it shut at her waist with a small cord. Then she slipped into the under robe that was the color of a ripe plum with a pattern of stitched golden waves.
Now that Mr. Hosono had arrived he lifted the heavy kimono, which of soft blue silk with the pattern of gold and plum koi along with quite a few pink flowers. He then folded the kimono several times and secured it with a cord. Then he began work on the ornate darari-obi, which was a midnight blue color with silver threading.
"Now let us finish your makeup." Amaya said as Sakura seated herself in front of the vanity once again. Sakura opened the tiny box that contained rouge for her lips and painted it on with a tiny brush, since her lips were already a more poutier shape she painted them almost entirely. Next she held a dry piece of paulownia wood over the flame of a candle for a few seconds before blowing it out. First she traced her eyes with it and then drew in her eyebrows.
The last step was to add some color to her eyes. Amaya had insisted on plum she said it would make the green in her eyes stand out. So Sakura took a brush that's soft bristles were about the size of her pinky finger and rubbed it into a deep purple shade of powder which she then blended into the black line the paulownia wood had left on her upper lid.
Once her makeup was finished Amaya helped her pick out some ornaments for her hair. One was a thin metal stick which would be hidden entirely her hair on the end was a little rectangle of wood and from it dangled a cascade on beautiful pearls. "Just one more and you'll be perfect." The next one picked was a gold comb in the shape of a half-sunburst which Amaya put in for her. "Now go wait downstairs while I get ready, I'll be fast!" She said as Sakura walked from the room.
On her way through the hallway Sakura caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror causing her to jump slightly. "Is that me?" She mumbled under her breath, reaching up to touch her face. The girl staring out of the mirror was beautiful and unfamiliar, her face hidden beneath a white mask.
"Sakura? Are you done yet? We want to see how you look, hurry up!" Ginji's voice brought her from her thoughts. "Hold on!" She called and turned to make her way downstairs When she first reached the bottom she thought everyone must have found her frightening because for a time no one said anything. "You really are stunning." Ginji said. "You will be too when you become a maiko." Sakura told her. "You're going to make us lots of money." Mother said taking a drag of her cigarette, Auntie agreed. "You'll never want for admirers, that's for certain."
After a few minutes Amaya came down stairs wearing a green kimono with light blue dragonflies and golden branches, the obi was pink and silver and her under robe was yellow. Her makeup was much more subdued than Sakura's. Her face wasn't white but her lips were painted, her cheeks were pink and her eyes were traced. She wore her hair in a taka shimada. She too was breathtaking but her beauty was of a more subtle understated kind.
As the stepped into the entrance of the okiya they were handed lacquered umbrellas and had flint struck at their backs. When Sakura and Amaya left the okiya they slid into a carriage and were off to a few of Amaya's most visited tea houses.
Wow, well, total lack of Sasuke all together, but fear not! The next chapter will have him in abundance!Unless you don't review in which case he will die. I will kill him.
I know I didn't change her name and that that would never happen, but hey, it's a SasuxSaku story, she has to be Sakura.