Hey guys! Thanks for those amazing reviews :D I'm really glad you enjoyed the story ^^ Also, thanks to those who subscribed and favorited, that makes me happy as well.
So, I got chapter 2 and 3 typed up, but I won't update them all at once. This will be my last update for awhile, because I'm going to type chapters 4 and 5 soon. Plus, I need to study for my CSTs, which I will no doubt FAIL because of my STUPID teachers...They're horrible teachers..ugh.
Anyways, here's chapter, where we introduce the main character and heroine, and some others as well :)
I apologize for the OOC, I never wrote about these characters before, so...They might be extremely OOC. :b
Remember to read and review!
Chapter One:
"I don't believe in luck. I believe everything happens for a reason."
~Nelly
Tashigi held her breath as she brushed several words onto her arm with a brush. Dipping it into the ink once more, she continued to thicken the written words.
"Let's see..Quiet and demure ... graceful, polite, delicate, refined, poised..."
The young woman was currently on her bed, lying on her stomach, as she continued to write. Her small room was a complete mess, with bits of trash and paper, and clothes strewn everywhere. Tashigi never bothered to clean it, only occasionally stuffing her clothes back in the drawer or dusting up here and there. Her messy room was her comfort zone, and that was the way she liked it.
Tashigi paused, brushing back a strand of her blueberry colored hair and tucking it behind her ear. Holding up a small book, she squinted as she struggled to read the last word.
"Darn, where are my glasses?" She mumbled, fumbling around her bed. Tashigi sat up, rummaging around the blankets.
"Oh, they're on the nightstand, as always!" She said to herself cheerfully, reaching over to her glasses. Just as her hand wrapped around the magenta frames, her legs somehow entangled themselves with her blanket.
And she crashed down to the floor.
"Ouch..." She moaned, rubbing the sporting bruise on her forehead. "So much for elegant and poise..."
Tashigi stood back up, blowing gently on the drying black ink on her arm.
"Oh that's right, I forgot punctual!" She shouted, snatching her brush as she scribbled the last word just below 'poised.'
"Cock-a-doodle-doo!"
At the sudden call of the rooster, Tashigi's head shot up, her brown eyes wide open.
"Oh no!" She cried, jumping up from the floor and running out the door.
"Shigure(1)! Where are you? Shigure, Shi-" She stopped mid-sentence once laying her eyes upon the sleeping grey-furred dog, who was laying in a patch of sunlight. The dog yawned, looking up at Tashigi with wide eyes.
"Aha, there you are Shigure!" Tashigi exclaimed, laughing as she patted the dog. "You smart boy, help me with my chores."
Tashigi quickly tied a sack of chicken feed on Shigure's collar, making sure it would drag behind him. She added a thin wooden pole, with Shigure's favorite bone hanging from it, and grinned.
"Go, Shigure, go!" Tashigi called, shaking the bone in front of Shigure. Immediately the small dog growled, running after the dangling bone. The bag of feed left a trail of food as Shigure ran outside. As soon as the feed was left behind, flocks of chicken flew after the grains, and Shigure as well.
Tashigi grinned, dusting her hands off as she walked towards the bathroom. "Finished my chores~" She called to no one in particular.
Smoker wasn't sure what he was doing at the family temple.
He wasn't sure why he was even praying. He wasn't the kind of person who believed praying to his ancestors would give him the miracle he needed. Smoker was more of a factual person, straightforward and honest.
So why was he here, in an area where he rarely stepped foot in?
"Honorable ancestors.." Smoker coughed awkwardly, wondering why in the hell he should do this. He didn't need to pray, but maybe he just needed the luck.
With his luck, the ancestors would hear what he would have to say.
Shutting his eyes tightly, he let out a long sigh, before continuing his prayer.
"Please help Tashigi impress the Matchmaker."
Tashigi wasn't actually his daughter by blood, but after his good friend Sadao(2) and his wife passed away, Smoker took the liberty of adopting their child, who was five at the time.
But he still loved her as a father should his own daughter.
Before he could continue his prayer, Smoker heard noises coming closer from the distance.
The noise grew louder as he heard the sounds of frantic chickens and a dog barking. Smoker's frown deepened, but he continued to pray.
The hyperactive Shigure ran around Smoker multiple times, trails of grain surrounding the white-haired man. Soon after, chickens followed suit, pecking at the feed on the floor of the temple.
Yep, Smoker needed a miracle, and a big one.
"Please, please help her." He added as a side note.
"Smoker! I'm here!" Tashigi called, holding a teapot and a tea cup. Smoker sighed, rubbing his eyes as he stood up, walking towards his daughter.
Tashigi took a wobbling step forward, and naturally she fell forward, tripping on the hem of her dress.
With natural reflexes, Smoker caught the tea pot without any of the tea spilling, but the cup wasn't as lucky as it fell with a shatter.
"Tashigi."
"Eheheh, luckily I brought a spare!" Tashigi laughed nervously, reaching into her sash and pulling out another tea cup.
"Tashigi."
"Remember what the doctor said?"
Tashigi.." Smoker repeated.
"Three cups of tea in the morning, and three in the evening, and NO SMOKING!" Tashigi added, pouring the tea into the cup she was holding and handing it to Smoker.
"Tashigi, you're going to be late. You should already be in Loguetown center already." Smoker said gruffly, running a hand through his white hair. "We are counting on you to-"
Tashigi rolled her eyes as she handed the teapot to her father.
"I know, uphold the family honor. Don't worry Smoker, I won't let you down, but wish me luck anyways!"
Gathering the folds of her dress, Tashigi hurried out and headed towards the barn.
"Hurry up! Don't forget to- arg, never mind." Smoker drank his tea in one gulp, sitting back down on the steps leading to the family temple. "I'm going to go...pray, some more."
In the busy and bustling town of Loguetown...
"Hina! Vere is your daughter? The Matchmaker is not a patient voman!" Iva said, waving a hand in front of the pink-haired woman, who was currently smoking a cigar.
Hina didn't answer, letting out a puff of smoke, as she shut her eyes tightly.
"Hina is getting worried..." She simply answered, looking around the busy streets of Loguetown. "Hina should have prayed to the ancestors with Smoker for the luck Tashigi will need."
Tsuru(3), who happened to be Hina's mother, scoffed, looking up from her newspaper.
"How lucky can our ancestors be? They're all dead. Besides, all the luck that we and Tashigi need will be given as long as we believe it will be." The wise woman said, looking back at her newspaper. "But in the most desperate measures...I brought my secret weapon." The old woman stated, smiling as she pulled out a small bamboo cage, containing a tanned cricket with odd blue wings and darker brown antennas(4).
Before Hina could reply to Tsuru's words, a loud crash caused all three woman to look up in surprise.
Hina cursed under her breath when she saw a destroyed fruit stall, a cinnamon-colored horse, and a certain bluenette.
"S-sorry! I didn't see y-you!" Tashigi apologized profusely to the very angry woman covered in crushed fruit. "I-I forgot my glasses again..Come on Kito!" Tashigi added, pulling on her horse's reins as she ducked her head down, blushing red at the gazes of the townspeople.
"You ungrateful little girl! Come back here and clean up for me! You must pay for all this destroyed fruit as well!" The plump woman screeched as she waved a frying pan dangerously.
Hina and Tsuru sighed simultaneously.
"Why does Tashigi to destroy something every time she comes to Loguetown..." Hina groaned. "Everyone will know who she is."
Tsuru laughed. "Well, that could be a good and bad thing. More honor could be brought to our family if everything goes well."
"I'm here!" Tashigi announced, hopping off Kito. She was covered in fruit juice, had some dirt smeared on her cheek, and her dress was ruined too.
Hina glared at her, the unfriendly gaze immediately shut Tashigi up.
"What? But, Hina I had to-"
"No more. Hina wants Tashigi to be cleaned up now." Hina said, dragging the girl by the wrist into Iva's shop. Tsuru took Kito's reins, and waved goodbye as Tashigi pouted.
Iva narrowed her eyes at Tashigi, hemming and hawing a bit, a gloved hand on her chin in deep thought. Tashigi shuddered under the purple-haired woman's gaze. She heard that Iva was a miracle worker when it came to changing looks, but it wasn't Iva that bothered Tashigi, but rather the workers, or as Iva called them her "Candies."
"Bon-boy!" Iva shrieked, calling a male wearing flamboyant robes with swan slippers. "Let's get to work!" Turning to Hina, Iva laughed.
"Don't vorry, Hina. Ve vill turn this sow's ear into a silk purse." She assured, ripping off Tashigi's dress and shoving her into a tub full of water.
"T-t-the w-water is f-f-f-freezing!" Tashigi whimpered, her teeth chattering while she shivered, rubbing her arms for extra warmth.
"Water would have been warm if Tashigi were here on time." Hina said, smiling slightly as she extinguished her cigar and tossed it into a nearby trash bin.
Before Tashigi could reply, she was doused with exotic smelling liquids and yelped in pain when the sharp nails of Iva began to rub her hair, bubbles forming. Hina and Tsuru began to scrub her skin raw, and Tashigi whimpered, watching her pale skin go red in seconds.
"Ve vill have you undergo my recipe for an instant bride, and thus you vill bring honor to us all." Iva said, dumping giant buckets of water on her, causing Tashigi to swallow a large amount of water.
"Tashigi, what are these?" Hina questioned, holding out Tashigi's arm where she had written her notes.
"Um, they're just reminders! I-In case I forget something..." Tashigi said, laughing nervously as she tried to pull her arm away. Well, the word was tried. Her mother had a grip like iron, but Hina let go anyways.
Tsuru shook her head disapprovingly. "Hold this Hina, we may need more luck than I thought.." She said, handing the bamboo cage to Hina as she headed outside.
After her painful bath, Tashigi was then dragged to a large room with a small table in the center, which was surrounded by many large pillows. Tashigi was shoved in a sitting position on a pillow, and immediately everyone began to attack her with makeup.
"Don't worry, Tashigi~" One of the Candies stated, brushing red lipstick on Tashigi's lips. "Wait and see, when we're through-"
"Sooo many boys will go to war for you~~" Another Candy finished, slapping on white powder on Tashigi's pale face. Tashigi's long hair was yanked and pulled in all directions by Iva, until it was finally finished into a neat bun, with strands of hair falling in front of her face, giving a natural look.
In spite of herself, Tashigi smiled in the mirror.
Once they were finished with Tashigi's makeup, she was brought to another large room, with many silk and satin dresses of all colors hung on the walls.
Not surprisingly, Tashigi was shoved into an emerald green kimono, with golden flowers on the side. Iva wrapped a darker green sash around her waist, and with great strength, tightened it to the point where Tashigi struggled to breath.
"Hmm, at least Tashi-chan has great curves; Big chest and a tiny waist. This might just work out~" The purple-haired woman said, inspecting Tashigi.
"Men want girls with good taste, calm, and obedient." Hina stated, nodding in approval of Tashigi's look.
"Don't forget fast-paced as well." Tsuru added, carrying a bag full of who-knows-what.
"Oh, and good breeding~" Candy #2 said, giving a suggestive wink to Tashigi.
"Add all that together, and you vill bring honor to us all." Iva finished, stepping back to look at her latest creation.
Hina nodded, smiling as she placed a beautiful silver flower comb in Tashigi's hair to finish the final look.
"There, Tashigi looks ready."
"Wait a moment, child." Tsuru said, reaching into her sack. "Here's an apple for serenity." She stuffed a large red apple in Tashigi's mouth, then wrapped a pendant with the Yin-Yang symbol around Tashigi's neck. "A pendant for balance, and here is my silver bracelet, for beauty." Tsuru added, taking off her own bracelet. She pulled back the sleeve of the emerald dress, and placed the bracelet on Tashigi's wrist, making Tashigi smile gratefully.
"Thanks Grandmother..." Tashigi said, staring at the sparking silver.
"Also, here's a cricket, just for luck." Tsuru tucked the tiny cage in Tashigi's sash, and grinned. "Now with all this luck, even you can't blow it, child."
Tashigi held her matching green paper parasol, as she sucked in a deep breath. She stared at herself in the mirror, and exhaled as she headed outside, where the townspeople were gathering around to watch the other young women headed for their matchmaking service.
As she stood at the behind another young woman her age, she stared up into the sky, a silent prayer in her head.
"Ancestors, hear my plea, help me not to make a fool out of myself. Don't let me uproot the family tree, and keep my father standing tall." She thought, smiling as she held her head up high, shoulders down, her posture straight as she worked very hard not to trip over the long folds of her dress. She overheard some of the other girls talking amongst themselves, talking about the Matchmaker.
"I heard she's even scarier than the Undertaker."
"I heard that she's the most beautiful woman alive!"
"They say she can turn men into stone just by staring into them."
They all gathered in a line, opening their parasols in front of the Matchmaker's door. There were two large snake pillars, and a staircase leading into the dreaded wooden doors of the Matchmaker.
Tashigi held her breath as the door slammed open, not daring to look up. Maybe she wouldn't be the first to go. Maybe, maybe...
"Tashigi Chaser*."
"Oh crap..." Tashigi hissed, slowly looking up in the unfriendly blue eyes of the Matchmaker. She had long, flowing black hair, and was very curvy. She wore a very revealing red dress, split at the thighs, and a white cape that dragged on the floor(5).
"Oh, um...present?" Tashigi called, more in a questioning tone. The Matchmaker glared at her, tilting her head all the way back while pointing at Tashigi.
"She dare speaks without MY permission? How dare she?" The Matchmaker shouted. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd, and Tashigi groaned, hiding her face behind her parasol as she followed the Matchmaker inside.
"Oops..."
These footnotes are annoying, I know, but I just wanted to add them in c: if they bother you, tell me so that I can get rid of them XD
(1): The dog, Shigure, was named after something, can you guess what?
(2): Sadao is an OC, I wasn't sure who could be Tashigi's real father, so I just shoved him in there.
(3): Tsuru is a real One Piece character! Look her up, I thought she would be the perfect grandmother.
(4): Guess who's the cricket? :3
(5): Guess who's the matchmaker? xD
*: Can anyone figure out where I got the name 'Chaser' ? Here's a hint, if you watch the 4Kids or other kid's channel that broadcast One Piece, you may know. Though I never watch the English dub and edit...
Hopefully, I didn't fail this chapter :) I want to keep my readers' expectations high for my story ^o^
I won't update for awhile, but don't worry, I will once my CSTS are over. D:
~~Kurono-Angel