4
The night air hung heavy with the stifling heat of the day's sun causing Aeris' bangs to stick against her forehead. She pushed them aside, annoyed at their constant pestering, looking around for any indication as to where she was. Earlier that night, she had crept out of the okiya, hoping to catch the late ship headed back to Mideel. She had made it out of the compound with no incident, but hadn't thought out her plan well enough: she was completely lost.
The street she was currently on was lined with low Wutain-style buildings, the paper screens glowing with an opaque light, shadows of people dancing against the small wooden panes: this was the Northern Teahouse District where the geishas came to entertain. She tentatively slid open the door of the closest one, peeking in and hoping to catch sight of someone. Thankfully, a young girl was kneeling at a small lacquered table, tabulating the teahouse's fees for the night.
"Excuse me, miss?" Aeris knelt at the entrance of the door, giving the younger girl a small bow of her head.
Startled, the girl dropped the brush in her hand, letting out a sharp breath as the ink spattered onto the page. Giving Aeris an annoyed look, she quickly snatched up the dropped brush. "What can I help you with?"
"I'm sorry, but I was wondering if you could tell me which way Wutai Harbor is?"
"Wutai Harbor? At this time of night?" The young girl gave her a suspicious glare; nevertheless she pointed to the right of her, her pudgy finger jabbing the air. "Past the Yukoshina Teahouse there is a little road, take that all the way down until you come to the river. From there cross the bridge into the Hashina District and it will be past the last teahouse on that road, the Yukai Teahouse I believe it's called."
Aeris bowed again, giving a word of thanks before sliding the door closed. The young girl at the table shook her head, dipping her brush into a shallow bowl of ink before pulling back the sleeve of her cotton kimono and finishing her work.
"Yukai?" A set of deep brown eyes peered from the hallway.
Immediately the girl stood, shuffling over to where the other woman stood. "Yes, Midori-sama?"
"Who was that girl?" Her chocolate eyes trailed to where Aeris had knelt not a moment ago.
"Her? I think she was from the Nakamura okiya. I've seen her walking to school with that Yuffie."
"Nakamura. Hm." The woman named Midori smiled. "Thank you for that information, Yukai."
"No." Aeris sprinted forward, her thin legs pumping as fast as they would go. "No!" One of her wooden zouris fell off her foot but she didn't seem to care, throwing the other one off as well. She ran, barefoot, down the pier, her mouth drawn wide, tears streaming down her face.
The boat to Mideel was already out at sea. She was too late. All she could make out were the little rows of lights dangling on the deck, swinging in the air as if waving goodbye. She watched in utter desolation, hands clutched to her chest, body heaving with loud sobs.
It had left and she had missed her chance: her chance to get out of Wutai and out of the geisha's life that was planned out for her. The boat was her only chance to go back to Mideel and regain her happiness…now she had nothing. I should just throw myself into the sea. As she collapsed onto the wooden planks, she contemplated the idea…how easy it would be to end it all now. At that moment, she missed her mother.
"Miss?"
A man's voice startled her out of her misery, a surprised squeak emitting from her mouth. She peeked up at the gentleman, embarrassed at her display of emotion. Two men dressed in black uniforms observed her in the light of a paper lantern they were carrying. The one that had spoken to her had a shock of straw blonde hair, his eyes a piercing and almost eerie cerulean; his narrow shoulders slouched forward as he leaned towards her and scrutinized her face.
"What are you doing out here at this hour?" Questioning green eyes, nearly the same shade as hers, peered at her from a waterfall of silver hair. The other man was nearly twice her size, dressed also in an impeccable black uniform, his broad shoulders dominating his lean frame. Immediately a blush stole across her cheeks…he was a very handsome gentleman.
"Miss?" The blonde again.
She could not find her voice, instead she just continued to stare up at them: a habit that Mrs. Nakamura would surely have disapproved of.
The one with the hair the color of mercury reached into the jacket of his uniform, withdrawing a handkerchief and handing it to her. She slowly rose to her feet, gratefully taking the cloth with a bow, wiping her eyes in as modest of a fashion as possible.
"The pier is closed at this hour. I'm afraid I will have to ask you to leave." His eyes were cold although his words had the purpose of sounding warm.
"Pay me no mind, sir, for I am just a foolish girl." She bowed her head, somehow feeling sorry that these men had to stand here and listen to a childish girl babbling. Still, she felt grateful for his concern.
"Foolish or not, this is not a safe place to be in the middle of the night." He furrowed his eyebrows together. "You're not a stray are you?"
She was slightly taken aback by his comment, but couldn't blame him for thinking so. She was dressed in maid's clothes, her feet bare and her face surely a mess. "No, sir."
"We should be on our way, General. I believe they expected us there an hour ago." The flaxen-headed man turned and eyed one of the teahouses, his azure orbs glimmering with some sort of anticipation.
The other man grunted, taking his attention away from Aeris and also looking at one of the teahouses. Letting out a sigh, he nodded to the girl, she returning it with a bow, and walked down the pier, the blonde man following suit.
She wasn't sure how long she had stood there, looking off in the direction they had walked off to, nor did she much care. So men such as these also visited teahouses. Her impression of a geisha's life was filled with old balding men with roaming hands who wanted nothing more than fulfilling basic primal instincts. But these men…particularly that man…that General; a man of standing…a man of good-looks…a man who enjoyed the company of geishas.
This was a sign: it had to be. First the departing ship, now the arrival of this man. I wish to be in the company of the General. It had been her one real wish ever since she had arrived in Wutai. I will work hard. I will become someone he wishes to meet in a teahouse. She fingered the handkerchief he had handed her and gently tucked it away in her robe. I'll do it, I'll become a geisha.