Next update: Friday, May 18th
Chapter 13
The village matchmaker lived near the town square in a larger home than most. Several of her rooms catered to the needs of the people, and although they were sparsely furnished, they were often occupied. Blake visited the elderly Faunus often, keeping up on the latest village gossip. The matchmaker's duties were not strictly to make mating pairs within the village, but also so give guidance when and where she was asked to. Among her many duties, her most sought after task was to tattoo the emblems of mated pairs onto the lover's bodies.
It was a time honored tradition. What was once done entirely by hand and thin barbs, was now done by proper dust powered tattooing gun. The loud buzzing of the machine made many Faunus cringe as it assaulted their sensitive ears.
Blake recalled a time when it was done the old way. She had first visited the woman's home as a little girl, when she was given her family's crest. It had been a choice highly contested among the adults, even Ghira had thought Blake should wait until she was older, but Blake had insisted. As was her birthrate to uptake her crest, there was very little he could do to refuse her. Especially when he had decided Blake would be his only legacy to the Belladonna line.
Blake had come several times since then to have her tattoo amended several times, and to seek guidance over the mating bylaws. She had even made sure that there was nothing strictly denying the inclusion of humans, as such a thing would have made mating to Yang quite difficult. Thankfully, no such hindrances existed, even if the practice was unheard of in Menagerie.
Blake thought on this as she glanced down at her tattoo. It had received several touch-ups over the years. Recoloring and redesigning the scars that only being a huntress could bring. Her tattoo had longer leaves than both her mother and her father, additions she made after injuries that Blake wished to cover up. Het tattoo was also more vibrant in color than either of her parents, due to the constant additions to the coloring. Soon, it would be added to again, as another leaf would be placed, and perched upon it would be an emblem of Yang's choosing.
The blonde haired woman didn't have a family crest, but she had been instructed to make one. Yang, and all of her future children, would be marked with the emblem. To say Yang was nervous about the entire ordeal was an understatement. She'd redrawn her emblem hundreds of times, just to make sure she had it exactly right. Yet even on this day, during her first visit to the matchmaker for a consultation, she couldn't help but think back to her design and all of its little imperfections.
She really hoped Blake liked it. She was so focused on her own worries, she could barely keep up with the conversation that Blake was having with the elderly Faunus in front of them.
"I want her tattoo to be easily covered, but at the same time, easy to show off should she wish it." Blake said to the village match maker. "It should be someplace that our warrior's armor doesn't cover.
"It's rare for someone to ask to make the mark easy to hide and to show off." The Matchmaker said. "Some Faunus claim that it makes a couple seem untrustworthy choosing such a dual nature."
"Our needs are very particular. Yang goes on missions for the good of Menagerie. Her markings could pose a threat if someone were to notice the meaning of it."
"Ah, I see." The matchmaker grumbled. "Perhaps you should keep her on the island then."
"I've thought that. She certainly won't be venturing long and far anymore,. Even so, I need to consider Yang's position in all of this. Her services to the island are best utilized if she has the freedom to move around untethered by social norms." Blake further explained to the elderly woman.
"And what of the addition to yours?" The elder asked. "Should her emblem be hidden on you?"
"My tattoo can be added onto without the need for concealment. I rarely leave the island, and when I do, I dress carefully anyway."
"This is absurd, I do hope you know that." The older woman replied, examining Yang's unclothed upper body, looking for the perfect place to tattoo the blonde haired woman. "In any case, if you would like it to be readily seen at a moment's notice, the upper-arm is as good a choice as any. The back is another solid option, but then one would need to disrobe to showcase the crest." Licking her dry lips, she looked to the Faunus again. "Are you absolutely positive you wish to take this human into your household, and mark her as such? The ink will not be easily removed if you change your mind."
"This was not a choice I made lightly." Blake replied s she sat beside Yang. "You wouldn't have asked that if she were a Faunus, now would you?"
The old woman frowned, the long ears atop her head folding back atop her white head of hair. "She is not a Faunus, more importantly, she is an outsider, and you are the daughter of our great leader." The woman sighed at length, turning to select the perfect vial of purple ink to compliment the brawler's skin. It had to be a deep purple, one that would not fade easily, and matched closely to Bake's own colorings. Such a selection would not be an easy one. "I have served this village for decades, I have seen a great many things…but this?" The woman shook her head. "Not once have I seen this."
"That's because this island is Faunus only. No humans allowed, and all of that crap." Yang said, the action unwise as Blake elbowed her in the ribs. "What was that for? It's not my fault half of the world has sticks up their asses. Just because it's unusual, doesn't mean people have the right to complain about us. If we make each other happy, that's that."
"I know that, Yang, but treat the matchmaker with respect, she's been in service as a matriarch in this village since my dad was a kid."
"A sign of the times." The aging goat Faunus replied. "The human means no harm, I'm sure…even if she should watch her tongue around her elders."
"This human has a name you know." Yang grumbled.
"Still, a human is what you are. As a chosen noble of the Belladonna family, you must prove yourself worthy of the duties that wait ahead of you. As they say, purple is the noblest shroud. It will be the greatest honor among our people that you have been chosen to wear it." The woman finally plucked a small vile of the finest purple color she had, one that would match Blake's markings almost perfectly. "I believe this will suit quite nicely."
"What about Yang's emblem for me?" Blake asked then, excited to see what color the matchmaker would pick.
"As you have told me, you plan to take many mates, and as such, your tattoo will become much more intricate as time goes on. It is customary that an emblem bespeaks the personality of the mate it represents. Since the human's design came colored in yellow pencil, I presume that was the color with which the design was intended." Pulling out another vial, the woman took a small dab of the bright yellow ink and placed it on a swatch of cloth, holding it close to Blake's skin. "It will take several applications to ensure its vibrancy, but this is the nearest color I have to the one the design was made with."
"I think it'll be perfect." Blake murmured. "What do you think, Yang?"
"If you're happy, I'm happy." The blonde said with a smirk. "Honestly, I'm just happy you want to wear it at all..."
"It will take me some time to prepare the outlines. I will also need to gather the necessary certificates for the blood oaths which will need to be signed on your mating night. The morning after you've mated, you will bring the signed certificates to me, and I will etch the emblems into your chosen places. I will remind you once again that mating tattoos are no small matter. They should not be taken lightly…many mates wait years before laying the emblems into their skin, and I would highly advise you two to consider doing the same."
"I can't wait." Blake smiled, a small one, but true to her heart in the matter. Holding Yang's hand in hers as she gazed down at the bright sunny yellow that would be etched into her skin in just a few days.