Title: "Pastries & Sake"
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: M
Plot: Soifon is an orphan taken into Lady Yoruichi's "Sakura Temptations" – a physical pleasure resort, what most people would refer to as a high class whore house. She envies Lady Yoruichi's love, a rare thing for one in their profession. Will she find a love of her own? [AU]
CHAPTER 01
[Word count: 1556]
My alarm rang at six in the morning and I wondered why. I usually slept in till noon. Everyone at 'Sakura' did. Working hours began at fourteen hundred till the wee hours of the morning. I did not bother turning off my alarm. It had been set to play ancient Japanese music. It was both soothing and calming.
I closed my eyes and felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was definitely dreading something that my woozy mind was unable of comprehend so early in the morning. I let my eyes flicker to the digital display of my alarm.
Today was my birthday.
I gasped as the shock coursed through my veins and a cold shiver ran through my spine.
I was now sixteen – old enough to begin performing duties at 'Sakura.' I felt the ever existent repulsion flood through my being. I was now to be rented out for my body.
I loved Lady Yoruichi and Master Urahara Kisuke like the Mother and Father I never had. I also envied them. Their love. How Master Urahara found love in Lady Yoruichi before her body could be sold to multiple customers is beyond me. There in lies the mechanism of 'Sakura's services.
Most men or women were here to earn. For themselves of course. Married women and men were not allowed to perform such services, being an act punishable by the 'Law of the Council of 46'. Single mothers or fathers, young women/men and homeless children. We were taken under this homely roof. We were told what would be expected of us. And in that moment of despair, most of us agree. We sign a contract that binds us for three years.
It is just a job, we chide ourselves. But I wonder if all of them fear it too.
As a virgin who has just come of age, contracts signed prior to coming of age are activated when the woman/man comes of age. This ensures three years of service. What with the tracker chip in our necks and the security, it is impossible to escape. Not that I would. As sickening as the very thought of selling my body would seem, 'Sakura' was safer than being outside, without funds, without an owner.
The world outside, the world that kept me prisoner till I was fourteen was a dark memory to me. Master Urahara referred to it as subconscious memory extraction.
Kurosaki Ichigo, a boy a few years older than me and one of the few friends I've made here tells me that in the world outside – you can get killed, raped or forced into slavery if you are not one of abundant fortune or if you do not belong to on of abundant fortune. Those of us who are unable to climb the ladder of fortune and are unable to secure a livelihood become pets to the Nobles, the mafia, those who can afford such a life.
Ichigo was bought a year ago. I missed my orange haired best friend dearly and cherished every one of his visits. I missed his stupid jokes. His clumsy behaviour. The way he'd always tell me stories, always gave me hope.
He was bought by a man named Shirosaki Hichigo. A man who looked almost exactly like himself except for the fact that he (Ichigo's master) was an albino. Ichigo told me about how caring his Master was. How he never took any other pets into his life. He also told me how it had taken him two years of selling his body for him to be bought.
I longed to be bought by someone who'd love me. I'd read several fairy tales. I knew how they depicted love. A love like Lady Yoruichi and Master Urahara's. Like Ichigo and Master Shirosaki's.
But who knew if that would happen?
Lady Matsumoto Rangiku was our most popular hostess but was never bought although we all knew of her relationship with Ichimaru Gin. She loved him dearly, but no one could really tell if he felt the same. He'd visit as often as five times a week or make himself scarce and show up once in six months. Their cat and mouse love games had spanned over six of the eight years she'd worked here even though it was common knowledge that she was the only lover in his life.
Would I end up that way?
I shook my head. There was no reason to bring up pessimistic thoughts. Atleast I'd just come of age and had a few priveleges, even though it would only last for my first 'service.'
I rolled off my comfortable bed and onto the floor, hoping my impact with the cold tile would wake me up. I trudged to the bathroom as my bed folded the bed clothes and folded into a comfy white couch. As I brushed my teeth I turned on the bath, selecting a warm vanilla and honey scented bath. Soon enough I was in the bath feeling my muscles relax.
At ten tonight, my innocence would be advertised to all the customers present. They would bid on me and the 'Sakura' commission would file the bidder's name and other details which would be promptly be sent to my private quarters. By midnight, I would have to have chosen one of those men or women to take my innocence.
I wondered what kind of men would sign up. What if I didn't like any of them? What if no one wanted me? I'd be safe then. But then again, Ichigo told me that the public thought highly of virgin sacrifices. Would I meet my 'forever man'? Like Lady Yoruichi met Master Urahara?
I groaned before sinking under the water, holding my breath, watching the world under water. It was so calm and everything seemed like liquid crystal. Atleast here, under the water I was safe from the outside world. Holding my breath grew painful and for a second I wondered if I'd grow gills if I willed my body to.
Stupid thoughts, really.
But before I could surface I was roughly hoisted out of the water.
"Wha-?" I began but was almost immediately cut off.
"SOIFON! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL YOURSELF?!" yelled a familiar green haired hostess who was about three years older than me. She liked playing my older sister.
"Pfft. No," I said as I childishly blew a raspberry at her and crossed my arms across my bare chest.
I won't lie. Neliel and most of the other hostess' were VERY well endowed in the chest region. Whereas, I was just barely working with a B-cup. I blushed.
"Awwwwww. I know you're scared Soifon but killing yourself won't help at all. Just three years and your contract expires. Mine's expiring in a few months…" she said cheerily as she fetched me a fluffy pink towel.
"Yeah, and then you won't be here for me anymore..." I muttered as I wrapped myself up in the towel.
"Soi~ I'll be back soon okay? Don't do anything stupid!" trilled the amazingly childish older girl as she closed the door behind her and headed to her own quarters.
Three years was a long time. As grateful as I was to Lady Yoruichi and Master Urahara for rescuing me from the slums, for feeding me, for granting me food, clothes, shelter… I wished they could choose another form of reimbursement.
Perhaps a maid's job – cleaning, cooking, anything. Not that I was particularly skilled at either.
The couple were lovable but sneaky. Living here, we barely lift a finger. They use that guilt against us and we end up having to sell our bodies. Of course, the conditions we work under are pretty grand for people in this industry. But 'Sakura' is state of the art, I have to admit. It's different from other brothels in so many ways.
Master Urahara is a crazy scientist. He looks kinda goofy with his wild blonde hair and all that, but when he reconstructed the place – he RECONSTRUCTED the whole thing.
I was lucky to have been found after that episode. I'd seen pictures and been told of the horrible conditions the hostess' were forced to work under. Before, it was dirty, illegal, a breeding ground for disease.
Master Urahara had a high tech lab installed. It enabled potential customers to be scanned within five minutes flat for all possible communicable diseases. Clients had to be clean to get in. Hygienically too. It didn't hurt for them to have fat wallets either. So it goes without saying, 'Sakura' was for the upper class men seeking pleasure.
Every room was fitted with timers and sensors that hostess' could trigger in case a client was acting up – either trying to get more than what was paid for or for hurting a hostess. Video feeds were not put up to maintain privacy. However the sensors were special. Of course they were. Master Urahara had made them himself. Timers would go off according to the hours paid for. Tips were usually generous. Condoms and other protection were provided. All engineered by Master Urahara of course.
I gulped as I took a look at my lithe frame. Pale. Young. Delicate. Innocent.
I looked towards my alarm clock. Seven in the morning.
In seventeen hours that innocence would be lost forever…
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