The Geisha Way

Ch 12- The Show Must Go On.

“Seeing him again after so long awakened something inside me; I was surprised to find myself feeling sad rather than joyful, as I would have imagined.”

The butterflies made a home within her stomach, wreaking havoc and making her unbearably nervous. All the deep breathing and meditation couldn’t help her now. This was her first show where she would actually display her dancing talent she learned from school and her onesan; but also as an added bonus, she will also be displaying her kenjutsu that she learned from the late Gekkō.  Miomomo stared at herself in the mirror; her ink hair that now reached the small of her back was styled so that part of it was pulled into an intricate braid that had red string tied into it. Her lips were a blood red, and her eyes were decorated in a dramatic, cat-eye eyeliner. Her pale face held the smooth look of porcelain; she couldn’t wait to get the costume on, so it could tie the whole look together.

The door opened and she saw Toph’s figure in the mirror. She smiled and turned around.

“You look stunning Mio-chan.”

“Thank you; I am so nervous I think I am going to forget the dance.” She picked up her brush and began to stroke her hair to keep her shaking hands busy.

“I am sure you will do fine; I believe in you.” There was something more that Toph wanted to say, but she remained quiet with a soft smile. Hana came in there with her arms folded, posted herself on the doorframe and stared at Miomomo absentmindedly brushing her long black locks in the mirror.

“Toph, you and Miomomo are rivalries not friends; go wait for me at our seats.” Toph gave Miomomo an apologetic gaze and turned to leave. “Oh and Toph?” The Hyūga turned around promptly.

“Yes Onesan?”

“Your father is here by the way, it seems Miomomo here made quite the…impression on him.” Toph tilted her head in confusion at Miomomo, before sending her a glare and storming off. Miomomo stopped brushing, watching Toph’s retreating form and sent Hana a glare through the mirror.

“Whatever you’re thinking in that dark mind of yours, is erroneous; nothing impure went on, it was strictly platonic.” Hana smirked evilly.

“He must like the smell of grilled fish.” Miomomo slammed her brush down, turned around continuing her glare at Hana.

“You must feel so much hatred and pain inside, that you want to others to feel the same, even innocent people; it doesn’t matter as long as you feel better.”

“Innocent?” She pushed herself off the door frame and came further in the room. “Do you think you can be innocent and a geisha? It doesn’t work that way.” Miomomo gave a look of uncertainty; Hana chuckled creeping closer, and lowering her voice.

“This eel spends its entire life in search of a home, and what do you think women have inside them? Caves, where the eels like to live.” She smirks, still getting closer. “When they find a cave they like, the wriggle around inside it for a while to be sure that...well, to be sure it's a perfect cave for them; and when they've made up their minds that it's comfortable, they mark the cave as their territory...by spitting.” Miomomo’s mouth dropped open and she turned the same shade as the color that graced her lips.

“What—”

“You can’t become a geisha until you have a mizuage.” Without another word, she left the room; leaving Miomomo perplexed. She stood up, letting the long sleeves of her furisode kimono fall to their sides. Furisode kimono’s symbolized ‘coming of age’; which was fitting since she had turned sixteen. Biyōchō came into the dressing room.