Sakura Garden

Mataiya swore the moment her alarm went off, her slender hand reaching out from beneath the covers to slam the snooze button with more force than what was probably necessary. Grumbling, she rolled over, tugging the comforter over her head to block out what little light that had begun to shine through her window. She had set the alarm two hours before she was supposed to be at the Sakura Garden Teahouse, that way she had plenty of time to get ready and stake the place out before going inside. When the thing went off again, she reached over and shut it off before climbing out of the comfortable bed. Moving like a snail, she headed into the bathroom to jump into the shower for the second time. It was about that time that she realized she was still wearing the towels from yesterday. Snorting, Mataiya dropped them to the floor before stepping inside of the shower. Once again, she let the hot water hit her body and took a few minutes to enjoy it before going through her normal routine. Once nice and clean, she dried off and wrapped one towel around her body and used the second one for her hair.

“I hope this goes better than last night. If not, I guess it’s off to another world…” Sighing, she focused on getting herself ready, making sure to check the time every once in a while.

Once her face was all make-up upped and she had applied lotion to the rest of her body in addition to the proper amount of deodorant, she pulled the towel off her hair, drying it without the use of a hair dryer. Fixing it up, which consisted of brushing it and letting it air dry, Mataiya nodded in acceptance and moved back into the bedroom of the hotel. Stopping at the closet, she pulled on a matching set of red lingerie before slithering into a pair of black hip-huggers and a red silk tank. Strapping on the sheathe that held her only weapon, she secured it before sliding in her sword. Grabbing her black hooded jacket that was nice and dry, she slipped it on and buttoned up the wooden toggle buttons with a yawn. Moving out of the room, she pulled the door shut behind her and headed to the elevator. It wasn’t long to reach the first floor and she scooted over to the little café, grabbing three donuts, a bagel already smothered in strawberry cream cheese and a glass of juice. Scarfing down the food and drinking the juice in a matter of seconds, she headed out the front door of the hotel with a sigh.

“Now to the Sakura Gardens…” The lithe female began walking down the street, making her way to her destination.

By her silver fossil watch, it was 10:45am, which meant she had about an hour before she needed to be there. Hailing a cab, she told her where to go and sat back in the seat, tapping her fingers against her thigh. When they neared the location, she told him to circle around a couple of times and then drop her off a block away. He did as instructed and she took in everything that she could see before climbing out of the vehicle. Handing him the proper amount of cash in addition to a tip, she made her way down the sidewalk. Pushing open the door to the teahouse, Mataiya took in a deep breath and made her way inside.

The newcomer would find a glorious room about them: bright colors and tapestries filled the room. The carpet beneath was a crimson color, soft beneath the feet. Oaken tables were placed very orderly around the room, and the hanging paper lamps illuminated the area with bright mana lights. The smell of incense was prominent, but not at all unpleasant. People talked, dishes clattered and mouths slurped delicious tea.

Sitting at a table at the back of the restaurant was Kenji. Beside him was a strikingly beautiful Japanese woman, her slender fingers holding an ornate pipe between her lips, tobacco smoke exuding from the bowl. Kenji's eyes fixed on Mataiya as she entered the teahouse, and he leaned over to Madame Shikijou, speaking to her in a low voice as he pointed the girl out; "That's her," he said.

He sat back, crossing his arms with a blank look on his face. The Madame, however, smiled as she looking in the girl's direction, ordering one of the servers to lead her to where the two were sitting. A slender gentleman wearing a blue bellhop uniform came to escort Mataiya. "Miss, the Madame would like you to accompany her in the back," he said, leading the girl through the teahouse.

The Madame sized Mataiya up, looking her up and down, the smile never fading from her lips. "Kenji tells me you had a chat with him last night. He tells me that you were asking about us..." she trailed off, taking in Mataiya's presence. "He tells me you seem like a good candidate." With that, she motioned her hand to invite Mataiya to sit down.

"Make yourself comfortable dear. Order whatever you like; it's on the house."

After entering the Teahouse, Mataiya found herself gazing around in awe. This was the very first of this kind of place she had ever entered and it was definitely more than she had imagined it would be. The different scents wafted into her nose and she closed her eyes, letting the smells marinate within. Opening her eyes again, she wasn’t quite sure if she was supposed to tell them who she was there for or if she should just stand around until she was noticed. Deciding to just wait, she slid a few fingers through her crimson locks and continued to look around the immediate vicinity. As she looked towards the back, she spotted Kenji and tried to causally glance at the female sitting beside her without staring.

“Hmm… that must be Madame Shikijou… She’s very pretty…” Shifting a little when she noticed a male nearing her location, Mataiya smiled at him and nodded when he indicated he was to lead her to the Madame.

“Thank you, sir.” Following behind the man in the blue uniform, she wished she knew what she was walking into. Hopefully it wasn’t a trap, but even if it was, she could probably get out of it without much damage done to herself.

She wasn’t quite sure what was more unnerving… the fact that the woman she was meeting was still smiling all this time or the blank look on Kenji’s face. Either way, she knew this had to be done if she wanted to join up with them. Hopefully it wouldn’t turn out to be a complete disaster. Listening to the Madame, she just nodded and smiled and sat when invited to do so. Crossing one long leg over the other, she leaned back against the chair and folded both hands in her lap. She thought about what to order for a few minutes before finally clearing her throat to speak.

“I would like a cup of Strawberry Tingle hot tea, please. Yes, ma’am, I was asking about you… I’m interested in joining, but am not sure what I need to do in order to do just that.” Brushing her hair behind her shoulders, she smiled again.

The Madame kept her smile, ordering the drink the girl had requested. The drink came, and the trio were able to get down to the business at hand.

"Your initiation would require you to pass our trials; a rather grueling path for only the truly dedicated. Normally we would make you join our subordinate family and work your way up from there, but Kenji's words mean a lot to me, and his words say you might have what it takes. Be warned, though: failure to complete our trials will not only earn you shame among our ranks, but death by our blades as well. If you still wish to continue, we can arrange for you to take the trials."

She held her smile the whole time. 'Kenji had better be right about this girl. I haven't the time for failures,' she thought, casting a sideways glance at her lieutenant. He shot a her a sly smile, as if he knew what she were thinking. Her focus returned to Mataiya, her eyes once again sizing the girl up.

"Just tell me when you'd like to begin."

It was getting a little creepy now… the woman was still smiling. Mataiya wasn’t sure how long it had been, but she knew without a doubt that The Madame was still smiling the exact same way she had been since ‘Taiya sat down. Glad for the distraction of when the tea came, she first blew on it before taking a few polite sips. It was absolutely divine and it was all she could do to keep from dumping the piping hot liquid down her throat. Scolding herself wasn’t high on her list of things to do, ever, so the redhead just kept gently sipping the tea. Shifting her attention towards the still grinning woman, Mataiya listened to the terms that were being presented to her. It certainly seemed fair enough to have to go through a trial, but if they thought she would allow them to kill her if she failed, then they had another thing coming.

Finishing off her tea, she sat the cup to the side, shifting her legs to keep the limbs from falling asleep. That was something that always seemed to happen to her at the most inopportune time. Her hands refolded in her lap and she was finally comfortable with the way she was still smiling and figured that was her game face and that if she passed the trials, she would see the real face of the Madame. Who knew what that would be like, but hopefully she would find out.

“I accept your terms and am ready to begin immediately.” There was nothing like an initiation to really get one’s blood moving.

The girl's "enthusiasm" was an admirable quality. The Madame continued to smile. "Excellent!" she said, "You'll start tomorrow! Kenji here will fill you in on the details of your trial. Oh, and inquire at the Paper Lantern about a room to stay in. It's assuredly better than where you're staying now. Just tell them I sent you, and they'll set you up."

With that, she stood and bowed, still smiling. "Be nice to this one, Kenji. She's promising." Kenji merely flashed a weak smile at this. "Of course," he said. After the Madame had returned to her office, he fixed his attention on Mataiya. "Take this envelope," he said, sliding a white slip of paper across the table. "Open it only when you get to your room at the Lantern. Inside you'll find details regarding your first trial. You are to follow them to the letter. If you stumble, if you falter, if you fail, you will die."

Kenji, following his boss' example, stood from the table. Unlike her, though, he didn't bow. He merely looked down at the girl as she sat there. "Do not disappoint us," he said.

Inside the envelope were details concerning a vresk named Gorga Hos, and a very rare gem he had in his possession. Mataiya was to infiltrate his home, and without being discovered, steal the gem. She was to kill no one, under any circumstance. If she could manage that, she would move on to the next trial. It would also mean she could keep her head.

For now.

Mataiya really had no idea what she was supposed to do for her trials, but maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as they were making it seem. Surely they wouldn’t expect her to kill someone or infiltrate another crime syndicate, right? Well, hopefully, but she really didn’t know what to expect. Filing away the name of the Paper Lantern, she just nodded and smiled towards The Madame. She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to speak, but before she could formulate a word, the prestigious woman was back in her office. Returning her attention towards Kenji, Mataiya took the envelope while listening to his instructions.

“I don’t fail.” Sliding to her feet once he left her, she made her way out of the Tea House and headed back to her hotel.

Signing herself out after grabbing her items, she headed towards the Paper Lantern. Stepping inside, she did just as Madame said and told them that she sent Mataiya and she walked silently to her room. Once she was alone, she sat down on the bed and opened up the envelope. Reading her instructions silently, she arched her brow and wondered why they wanted her to steal a gem. Well, it was her first trial and she was going to do whatever was needed to make them realize she was perfect fit for the group. Curling up in the bed, it wasn’t long before she fell asleep, figuring rest would be necessary to help her be on the game tomorrow.

Among this beautiful garden was a very young woman sipping some ginger tea while reading a novel. She looks like she has been worn down by a physical activity of some sort as her hair curls aren't coincident and she has a few bruises and scars though nothing painful. Said physical activity is very obvious as even though she was wearing a normal checkered purple and white dress, there was a sword and shield strapped to her back, though aside from that she seems very harmless. That girl was Lucy. The warrior wasn't enjoying her tea but she was still drinking it, weirdly. The novel she was reading was about famous swords-men and women from the looks of it. The sword and shield being there is very strange even considering what she goes through, it is something that has been turning some of the people in the garden away from here; scaring them even. Maybe Lucy has to carry it at all times, maybe she wants the pride of being a warrior, maybe she just wants people to stay away from her, who knows. Right now she is just a young woman having tea while reading a book.

"Pssst! Hey! Hey! Coast is clear sunshine. There is no giant creature around you so quit cowering with your eyes closed!" A voice tinged with a bit of irritation spoke to a timid looking woman who was curled into a ball with her hands over her head. Wearing a black and blue armor with strips of fur around her shoulders and hip. She remained shaking in her ball until she eventually gained the courage to look around. "Told you sunshine. No beast around... although I would have loved to fight it if you did not chicken out at the end... The voice muttered the last part so she did not hear.

Looking around, the woman noticed a beautiful garden. It was...peaceful. No signs of those tall people wearing those strange clothes and having strange things on their shoulders and big moving metal boxes. No ash on the ground either, just a garden...a peaceful looking garden..."It really is a beautiful place...I think you should be safe here Ebba. Even so, we have your back." A more gentle voice spoke to the woman who was busy eying all the small pretty flowers.

Looking at a small red flower, she eyed it with curiosity. "Is this...an Amburance?..." The woman questioned herself. The poor girl mistook the word Ambulance for Amburance, and now she thought it was the flower before her. "That...could be an Amburance. We never seen much besides the snow so this is like our own personal treasure hunt." The gentle voice seemed to agree with the woman who gave a small smile at her 'discovery'

However once she looked around again, she noticed that she was not alone. She noticed the movement of other people in the distance but more catching was a young woman looking at something and drinking some sort of liquid. Her meekness soon made itself apparent as she hid herself in a nearby bush and was hoping no one would notice her. She even thought she became one with the bush. "Ebba...why are we hiding in a bush? I don't exactly see any danger around..." A third voice made itself known. With a calm and disciplined tone.

"People here...less scary than strange looking people with metal boxes...but...I'm nervous..."The young woman timidly spoke as she kept to her hiding spot.

Lucy mumbles to herself:

Why am I still drinking this? There's too much spice in my drink. Am I becoming addicted or am I just tired...

The warrior sighs now rubbing her wounded head.

More plebs are gaining access over armour and weapons people like me would WISH to have! I swear if that mage becomes one of them...

Lucy became attached to her book once again. Lucy heard some rustling of bushes nearby so she looked around for a bit only to not notice anything so she went back to reading.

Ebba would look at the strange thing the girl seemed to be looking at. What was that she had in her hands? She was curious yet too shy to walk over and ask. Maybe...maybe she could sneak a glance if she walked very quietly and peered behind her?

Trying to be brave, Ebba carefully left the bushes and began to carefully walk over without making too much noise. "This is actually kinda funny and cool in a way. She is actually brave enough to sneak behind someone to find out what they have!" The voice laughed in her head.

"Hush now! This might actually be good practice. To get around without being noticed!" The other voice replied.

"Who needs to sneak around? Let's just march right up and see what she has! Ain't no harm in actually walking up. And in a fight sneaking is not going to help stab people!"

"At least she is learning a skill to avoid having to get in situation where something is trying to kill her! So I suggest you hush now. You only know so much because of how tiny your brain is."

"And at least I ain't have a stick jammed up in my body! How about I jam another stick in you! One with a pointy end!"

"Quiet both of you!..." Ebba raised her voice as she softly held her hands to her head before using them to cover her mouth. In an instant she grabbed a handful of leaves on the ground, crouched down and tried in vain to look like a pile of leaves.

Besides those people don't even know how to handle weaponry like that so they are just going to recklessly wave it around like a play toy and yet they get an easy win just for having better equipment.

Lucy then stops to take a sip of her drink after groaning to herself only to carry on.

Perhaps I should step up my game and show them that having good equipment isn't everything. Strategy matters too as well as knowing what to do. Once I travel through this ash and snow back to my kingdom I should head to training and-

Lucy was then shaken by a nearby voice. There was several people in the garden already though most are by themselves having tea, Lucy included, thus you could almost hear the environment more than anything else so even a mildly loud voice can be heard by some of the people here. The warrior turned around to see the source only to see a crouching, somewhat shaky women with a pile of leaves around her. The women to Lucy's surprise was wearing armour very similar to those of her opposite kingdom (black and blue is common for that kingdom), though still having a terrible taste from her previous war; She tried not to discriminate against the woman.

Oi! I know the weather is terrible for both of us but I don't want any trouble from the Dark Kingdom, okay?

Lucy said rather sternly but somewhat polite, well, as politely as she can.

Ebba shrieked in surprise as the voice that called out was directed in her direction. Which resulted in her tossing the leaves in the air and using her hands to hide her face."D-Dark...Kingcone...I-I-I Don't know that..." She panicked as her voice faltered and she instinctively hid her face behind her hands.

She was terrified, she did not know this Dark Kingcone. All she wanted was to peer at the strange thing in her hands. And now someone besides the voice was sternly speaking to her. "P-P-Please!...Don't hurt me...I-I don't wanna be hurt...So scared... The poor girl began to shake as her voice continued to shrink and she herself looked like she was getting smaller. But in reality she was just curling into a shaking ball to make herself seem smaller.

"Hey! You aren't just going to sit there and take that! Do something!" The furious voice spoke to her in her head which only resulted in her becoming even more scared.

"You muscle for brains! Now she is much more scared! Maybe think before you act!...Oh wait you never think you idiot!" The other voice called out in her head.

"That tears it! I'm going to beat you up right here and now!"

"Silence both of you! For once just keep your mouths closed while I fix this situation." The gentle like voice spoke and began to help the girl. "There...there...Just take easy deep breaths...meeting new people is scary, but you can do it Ebba. Just ignore the two rowdy people in your head and you can do it by yourself. We will help you, but for now you can do it."

And with that, the girls shaking grew less and less. But she did not remove her hands from her face. She was still terrified but those words did give her some encouragement. As for the other two voices they seemed to fade along with the third voice.