"Big Sister," another, softer voice interrupted Tenten's thoughts. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are we going so far to entertain tonight?"
Tenten slowly inhaled through her nose and breathed out through her mouth, turning her head to the right. With two sets of eyes on Tenten, the two younger figures before her awaited an answer. It was Shiho, the older of the two, who had asked the question.
"The Ichiraku House may be far from our residence," Tenten began slowly, "but it is a very popular and exclusive establishment, sometimes frequented by patrons different from our usual, Shiho."
Shiho was six years her junior, and four years older than Moegi. The three women were not sisters by blood, but by trade. Tenten had always had a soft spot for the younger girls, and so Madame had often placed them under her tutelage. Shiho herself was coming off of six years of training.
"But at the temple, I overheard Kin telling one of her sisters that the clientele at Ichiraku House weren't worth anyone's time."
Tenten quirked an eyebrow at that. "This would be Kin from the House of Bright Jade?" she asked.
Shiho nodded. "I saw her there the other day when Mother let me leave the Golden Peony to make an offering."
"I see," Tenten answered slowly before replying with, "That is not the case at all. She says that because she is no longer welcome at Ichiraku."
The next inquiry came from Moegi, predictably. "Really? Why?" The younger girl's eyes were wide with curiosity. Tenten could see the questions running through Moegi's head.
"Kin got careless and had too much to drink one night, and proceeded to badly insult the—" She paused, trying to find the right words to say. "—wrong guest, if you will." Before Moegi could interrupt and ask more questions, Tenten decided this was a good time to change the subject. "On opportune nights, Ichiraku boasts well-known and exclusive guests. This will be a good chance for both of you to be introduced to the public outside of the Golden Peony."
Her courtesan-sisters asked her a couple more questions after that before silence filled the air. Tenten allowed herself to look out the window that Moegi had kept open. She could see that the lanterns of drinking and eating establishments were already lit as they passed them along, and she closed her eyes for a few moments.
no neji yet, but patience, my friends...