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Post by kuang on Sept 5, 2008 18:37:19 GMT -5
Kuang took a look around the crowded streets, vendors bargaining off their goods, merchants charming unsuspecting passerby into buying a couple of small earthen statues. Turning her head to the side, she saw an silky emerald green ribbon laid out along with hoards of jewelry on a stand, contrasted by the bright red tablecloth (that was obviously made to catch someone's eye). She took about four steps over to the stand, and reached her hand into the brown leather bag at her side for money, but resisted the urge to continue on. She didn't need a new hair ribbon, after all, and she was only out to buy onions.
She drew her body away from the enticingly glittering ribbon, and forced herself to walk onward. Taking a turn to the even busier street to the left, she calmly stepped through the groups of conversing people. As always, it was a tight squeeze, but she had been through this way quite so many times, she passed by with ease towards the food vendors.
Although it was much louder than she preferred, she enjoyed walking through the Middle Ring, as there were so many colors and smells. To someone who was new to the idea, it would have been overwhelming, but to her, it was comfortable and familiar. Handing the money that she was given to by her uncle to the vendor, she reached for the onions, securing them tightly in her hands, and dropped them into the bag hanging on her right shoulder, and slipped between the other people who were also attempting to buy vegetables. Looking up from her bag after securing her purchases inside, she spotted a small alleyway. Questioning it's origin, she said out loud,
"Was that there before...?"
Kuang saw a moving shadow, and strained to peer beyond to locate the vanishing silhouette. Pondering whether she should go back or find out exactly whom it was, she allowed her more curious side gain victory, and pushed through the crowd and into the alley to follow.
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Post by raisa on Sept 14, 2008 10:29:44 GMT -5
It had been almost a week since Raisa Kseniya's dealings with the pawn shop owner and she still had found no sign of her sisters and mother. Every day she went out looking around the middle ring and she often returned to the narrow ally that had been there home, but it was getting harder and harder to stay calm. She was worried, it was one thing to know someone was gone and dead, but to have them up and disappear was unnerving and it left Raisa feeling a bit hollow.
It was mid afternoon when she slinked down the alley way into the shadows that the tall buildings provided, but it wasn't long before she heard footsteps behind her. It didn't take much to make one jumpy and it was only to be expected from one whoes family had gone missing without a trace.
"Who's there?" she called turning back to the opening and waiting for a response.
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Post by kuang on Sept 15, 2008 6:44:28 GMT -5
Kuang almost yelped in surprise when she heard a voice from the figure. She almost slapped herself for not being quiet enough - she should have had the sense to at least stay SLIGHTLY quiet if she was going to stalk- follow a strange person walking down an even stranger alley. Blinking twice, then taking a deep, quivering breath, she reminded herself that she was a naturally calm person, and could handle the situation as such. She opened her mouth to speak, and answered uneasily, "My name is Kuang... Lu..."
Looking at the strange person in front of her, she cocked her head, and allowing her curious nature to get the better of her, she asked,
"What's yours?"
Squinting at the shadow attempting to see under the hood, she said,
"What're you doing slinking around in an alley anyways...?"
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Post by raisa on Sept 22, 2008 7:49:29 GMT -5
Raisa was a little tacken aback, she hadn't expect the person to give her their real name, she recovered quickly though and kept her face stern.
"My name's Raisa Kseniya and I'm not slinking," she wished she had let the girl think she was slinking since it was far more embarrassing to be living in an alley than just taking a short cut through one.
"Why are you here?" the way the girl had asked about 'slinking' made it seem like she had actually been following Raisa down the alley instead of just happening upon another alley traveler. That seemed like a rather paranoid thought, but it was hard to believe that it could be anything else. She silently contemplated the thought of running away, but she not only knew that would look suspicious, but the alley was a dead end which meant the only way out was passed the girl, and not trusting a whole lot of people at the moment the last thing she wanted to be was in close proximity to the girl. She stayed firmly planted where she was, her muscle stiff waiting fr whatever fate was going to through at her next.
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Post by kuang on Sept 23, 2008 23:56:19 GMT -5
Kuang stood, just a bit speechless for a moment, and then, her eyes widened.
"I'm not a stalker or anything..."
She held up her hands defensively, and shook them.
"Really! I promise!"
Although trying to not allow her usual calmly collected personality drop out of curiosity (and failing), she said,
"Though honestly, what ARE you doing in an alley?"
She eyed the ragged cloak with a raised eyebrow, and although she knew she was being rather rude when she said it,
"What're you wearing that for? It makes you look rather suspicious..."
She knocked her head sheepishly with her fist, laughing awkwardly to release the held tension in the air.
"Though it might not be my place to ask..."
Her own forest green eyes met fern in some sort of unfazed inquiry, and realized that the face of the girl was rather pretty, and wondered what she would be doing in some sort of dirty place like the current landscape.
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Post by raisa on Sept 25, 2008 9:55:46 GMT -5
Raisa was holding her usual scowl wich only deepened as she crossed her arms over her chest, feeling very defensive over her tattered Yukata.
"What's wrong with what I wear? It's a perfectly good dress," well it used to be a perfectly good dress, actually it used to be a rather expesive dress, it wasn't worth dirt in the state it was in now.
"You don't look all that great yourself, you know," That was a lie, in comparison to Raisa's disaster of a dress the girls garb was like riches.
Raisa had only ever vaguely thought on getting some proper clothes for the streets, but she loved the dress and after pawning off almost everything else she owned to buy food she couldn't bare to part with the last thing left from Omashu and her fathers tea house.
She didn't dare spill her past to this girl like she had to the store owner even though she felt the familiar tug on her heart to just let it go. She felt the familiar press of her fans tucked into her obi and she wanted to cry, she would probably never dance again, not with the way things were going for her.
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Post by kuang on Sept 26, 2008 0:25:09 GMT -5
Kuang laughed a bit at the expression displayed on the girl's face.
"Not the yukata, that's in perfectly fine shape."
She glanced at the fabric it was made of and said,
"It's decently durable and seems rather lightweight. Looks like something I'd wear, actually."
Kuang paused, then said,
"Must've cost you a fortune for that though. Might've looked nice when those cranes were still white."
She smiled good-naturedly, and covering her smile with her hand, she said,
"I meant the cloak. It's odd to be wearing that at this time of day. Especially one that's so darkly colored... Aren't you hot or something?"
Kuang then scratched her head a bit, and said,
"Sorry about the misunderstanding. I actually probably look like dirt after that day in the kitchen..."
She looked down at her tunic, and pouted a bit as she brushed a couple of stray noodles off of her pants and waistband. Kuang then peered back into the fern-green eyes, and said,
"Your eyes are a very different color than from what I've seen. Are you from Omashu or something?"
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Post by raisa on Sept 28, 2008 7:50:26 GMT -5
Raisa considered the question and figured it was no harm telling her where she was from.
"Yes, but I didn't realized it showed so much," she shrugged her delicate shoulders, "the cloak is just something I picked up," what a lie, she wanted something to cover her face with if the time came where she had to hide. As much as she missed her family she was afraid to follow in their footsteps wherever they were.
"A kitchen, you look a little young for kitchen work," Raisa rasied an eyebrow, shifting her weight to one side giving a more relaxed stance, she had finally determined the girl wasn't out to do her any serious harm.
She wanted to shrug the cloak off, but she felt like that would be strange if she had 'just picked it up' like she had said. Though it made her feel more disgusting and dirty than she actually was and it marred the fading beauty of her Yukata she kept it on, but decided she would toss it once she was home.
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Post by kuang on Sept 28, 2008 19:10:43 GMT -5
Kuang laughed, and said,
"It doesn't really show that much. I'm just observant, and pick up a lot from talking to customers."
She then raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Do I really seem that young? I'm already 23..."
Kuang shrugged, just a bit confused, and said,
"Well, my aunt and uncle own the restaurant, so I'm working with them. It's actually rather fun. Though you say the cloak was just picked up?"
Kuang decided to drop her case, as it appeared that she was making the girl slightly uncomfortable with all the questions. She eyed Raisa's stance, and it appeared she no longer felt that Kuang was hostile, so she ventured to invite her to her home.
"Your yukata looks a little dirty though... Wanna come to the restaurant and wash it? It'll probably look a lot nicer once those cranes are white again."
Kuang smiled, trying to be as friendly as possible. She found the girl to be very fascinating, and as she was from Omashu, Kuang couldn't help but hope that she would possibly be able to hear a couple stories about the place.
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Post by raisa on Sept 29, 2008 7:57:51 GMT -5
23 Raisa wouldn't have guessed the girl was her age, but she definatly wouldn't have guessed she was older.
"Your yukata looks a little dirty though... Wanna come to the restaurant and wash it? It'll probably look a lot nicer once those cranes are white again."
Raisa was wholly taken aback by the invitation and her first thought was to refuse, but she ached for company, especially without her sisters, so after a moments silence and much thought she spoke.
"I would like that very much," She stepped forward as to follow the girl. In a way she felt like she was someone else, the old Raisa would have never just gone off with anyone, but she wasn't that girl anymore, she didn't have that life and so know she was just happy to have someone be so kind to her, "Lead the way, Miss Lu," she held up a hand to show the girl she was ready to be out of the alley and glad to be one her way. As another sign that she was ready, she shrugged the old cloak off her shoulders and let it fall to the ground in a manner much like she had found it.
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Post by kuang on Oct 5, 2008 21:35:54 GMT -5
Kuang was glad to find that the girl was willing to follow her. She was very glad to find that it was POSSIBLE for her to mingle with those that were her age. She walked out of the alleyway and back into the bustling a noisy street, shielding her eye with her hand from the sun. She looked over her shoulder and beckoned to Raisa.
"I live at the restaurant over in the other street, so I would be careful not to fall too far back or I might lose you in the crowd."
Kuang smiled, and pumped her fist into the air.
"Let's go!"
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Post by raisa on Oct 6, 2008 8:19:27 GMT -5
Raisa was a little nervous about the girls rumbunctious attitude, but her stomach grawled and she knew it couldn't hurt to be polite.
"Lead the way," Raisa gave a small smile, for some reason a small notion in the pit of her stomach told her things were looking up.
She pulled one of her fans from inside her obi and flicked it open, holding near her face to block the sun from her eyes as she followed Kuang closely. Back in Omashu she had had a beautiful paracel that she would have used to keep the sun off her, but those days seemed so long ago she wasn't even sure the memories belonged to her anymore. Though dispite the rift between those memories and her life now she still did her best to act like the dancer she had been and to act as though her life still meant something to someone.
She touched her messy hair, or a moment expecting to fell to cool steel flower that had once decorated her head, but there was nothing but dirty unwashed hair and though the girl didn't look like the cleaniest in the bunch Raisa felt horrible disgusting next to her.
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Post by kuang on Oct 7, 2008 0:32:26 GMT -5
Kuang grabbed the poor girl's hand and practically dragged her in an between the clumps of conversing people, receiving loud curses and shouts directed towards her. She loudly apologized loudly over her shoulder, but apparently wasn't heard at all. Turning around the crowded corner, she broke through a group of drunken merchants, and went into the alleyway they were blocking. She turned to speak to the cargo which she had pulled behind.
"Sorry it's an alley again, but I like to go in through the back, there are less people."
Kuang reached into her shirt, and pulled out a rung of small steel and earthen keys around her neck. Sorting through them, she grabbed the one with the worn green twine tied to it, and jammed it into the door. She turned the lock, and burst through the door into the steamy kitchen yelling,
"Auntie, I'll be down to help with the customers later, I have someone over, okay?"
There was a barely audible shout of approval from the front of the restaurant, so Kuang picked up Raisa's hand once again, and rushed her up the stairs into the bathroom. She gestured to the bath and said,
"You can use that if you want."
She then pointed to the washroom across the hall, and said hastily,
"You can wash your clothes in there. You can probably find a robe in there if you need it. The beige one is mine, so I'd use that one, Auntie's is probably to big for you. I'll be downstairs helping my uncle and aunt with the customers for a second, but I'll be back in about twenty minutes. You can use my room if you want to take a nap, it's down the hallway to the left. See you soon!"
She shot down the stairs in a hurried frenzy, and yelled,
"Coming Auntie!".
She then almost fell off the staircase on her way down, narrowly missing falling over the mop, and turned a corner making a beeline to the kitchen.
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Post by raisa on Oct 8, 2008 13:51:31 GMT -5
Raisa barely knew what was happening as she was rushed through the streets and into the back of a resturaunt, she barely had time to notice anthing around her before she was upstairs being pointed this way and that. Then the girl was gone, darting down stairs.
As soon as she was gone there seemed to be a sudden peace, nothing was moving, it was quiet except for the low rumble of noise comeing from the room below. Though it didn't seem very monumental, Raisa felt as though something significant had changed with her meeting today.
She stood in the middle of the room for a long while before she headed for the bath first. She undid her obi, wrapping the length of the fabric over her arm and setting it aside. She undid the rope around her waist and put aside her yukata. Looking at it now it had seen better days.
The bath was full, but the water seemed fairly clean so she was sure it hadn't been used much. She took a out a bucket of water and scrubed a fair amount of the dirt away before stepping into the bath and cleaning the rest of herself. It had been a long time since she had had a proper bath and she realized now how much she missed it.
She only soaked for about ten minutes before she got out and wrapped herself in the small beige robe Kuang had told her about earlier. She felt a little exposed without the familiar weight of the Yukata on her shoulders, but she took her clothing to the wash room and started on rubbing the dirt way.
She was still washing the grim off her obi when someone came up the stairs and Raisa peeked out the door to see wo was coming, she hoped it was Kuang, becuase now that she thought of it she didn't want to be the first one to introduce herself to this Auntie she had heard about.
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Post by kuang on Oct 18, 2008 4:21:44 GMT -5
"Kuang, I'm going to go get my jacket from upstairs, do you mind-"
Kuang's breath almost stopped as she panicked.
"Auntie, I'll go get your jacket!"
Congratulating herself on a well made (but not very believable excuse), she took the chance the dash up the staircase, falling over the rather short wooden steps in the process. Rubbing her head sheepishly, she sprang back up and continued her ascent of the stairs. She reached the top to find a very surprised Raisa.
"Oh, did you finish already? Sorry for scaring you, my bad."
Kuang slipped past Raisa through the narrow space that was the door frame, and grabbed her Auntie's worn pale brown jacket off the hook, and nodded to Raisa.
"I'll see you in a bit!"
She then took a look at Raisa's unfinished work, wet and soggy.
"I think you used the wrong soap, by the way. Try the second shelf on the left."
Kuang once again roused a dust cloud on her way down, handing her aunt the garment, and ushering her back to the kitchen again with a relieved sigh.
It would appear she was in the safe for the time being.
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