Chapter 6: Translucent Memories

As they travel through time into Sora's memories, Darien and Quinn begin to discover the hardships that Sora faced as the only geisha of his kind.

My head seemed to swim through a jumble of thoughts. They swirled about my body, and echoed in my ears. I couldn't feel Quinn's arms around me as I drifted. I shivered as I realized how odd this void was.

Suddenly, my feet hit the ground. Before me, I saw a small village, dimly illuminated in the twilight. I felt a hand take hold of my own, becoming startled for just a moment. I looked over to see Quinn, smiling at me. With his free hand, he pointed to the dark street ahead without a word.

There, hiding from the village's view, there were two small boys. Though I couldn't tell what age they were, they seemed to be around seven, maybe eight. They were in small, plain, dull colored kimono, which were worn and soiled. They were crouched down, as if trying to keep anyone from hearing them.

With my hand still held in his, Quinn began to walk closer to the two. I followed suit, trying to be quiet, though I was willing to bet that they wouldn't be able to see or hear us.

As we approached, I could hear them talking. I knew that it was Japanese, and I could normally catch little bits of it since I had studied the language briefly. However, I could perfectly understand what these two boys were saying, as if they were speaking in English.

“Can you,” I asked, “understand them, too?” A nod of the head was my only response from the mesmerized Quinn.

“... And then she'll ask you if she's pretty. If you tell her no, she'll cut your mouth like hers,” one said. His green eyes seemed to shine in the dull light. I knew those eyes all too well. I smiled at Akira, listening to his story.

“But... What if you tell her that she is pretty,” the blue-eyed one asked, seeming frightened. He was in awe of the legend that Akira was telling.

“Then she'll cut your mouth anyway,” Akira replied, standing up straight and crossing his arms in a matter-of-fact kind of way.

“Well, how do you get rid of her,” Sora asked, standing, his voice a little loud. A blush dusted his cheeks after he realized how loud he'd exclaimed.

Akira giggled and smiled. “You ask her if you are pretty, but...”

“But what?”

“Well, normally, she has to think about it, and that give you time to run away. I don't know if that would work for you though. She wouldn't have to think long to tell you that you are,” he replied, grinning wide. “You'd better just give her some sweets. That would distract her a little longer.”

Sora had no response. He looked to his feet and kicked around some dirt. Same reaction I would have had. I smiled, becoming a little more convinced that reincarnation was the answer we were looking for. Akira seemed like Quinn, too, even at that young age.

There were a few moments of silence, the boys just looking at their feet. It was then Akira who broke the silence, his voice small.

“Sora,” he began, innocently, “What do you think about girls?” The question was harmless enough.

“I don't,” Sora replied, blue eyes sparkling. “I don't really know.”

With that, Akira moved a little closer to Sora, who was still looking to the ground. He leaned down, kissing Sora on the cheek briefly, pulling back almost as suddenly as he had kissed him. Sora looked up, his face more red than it was moments before.

“Wha... Um...” Sora stuttered, not able to form a sentence.

“People... do that when they care about someone,” Akira said, smiling. Sora flashed him a smile as well.

“Akira,” he almost whispered, “I want to become a geisha one day.” A fierce determination burned in his eyes, strange for such a young boy.

Initially, Akira seemed a little shocked. A boy becoming a geisha? It was unheard of. However, he just smiled, and nodded. “I believe in you,” he said. The young two just stood there, smiling at one another.

The scene faded out, the familiar void engulfing me again. I held tight to Quinn's hand, disliking the odd, empty feeling that seemed to come with the darkness. To my relief, I looked over to see Quinn still there, his hand still intertwined with my own.

I chuckled softly, causing Quinn to turn to me, giving me a questioning look.

“Just Akira telling him about the kuchisake-onna*,” I said, smiling. He nodded and smiled back.

“It was... cute,” he said. He looked around, as though he were trying to see something though the swirling blackness.

The ground appeared beneath us, as suddenly as the last time. The setting now was the familiar okiya.

I looked around, amazed at the beauty. Cherry seemed to be the wood of choice for the building, the dark color giving it an air of elegance. Brilliant red and gold decor surrounded Quinn and I, with various kimono hanging around the room. Through the paper doors, a silhouette of a person dancing could be seen.

Hurriedly, a woman moved to the doors, passing though us. I shivered as she did so. It was a strange feeling having someone walking through you. I forgot about the feeling as she slid the doors open. Quinn and I slipped inside as well, before she shut the doors behind her. I realized, however, that we probably could have passed through the doors anyway. We were like ghosts in these memories; we could interfere with nothing.

“It is late December, and yet you still have not learned this dance,” she said, cruelly. She sigh heavily, shaking her head. Her long, black hair fell freely about her shoulders, shimmering in the dull light of the lantern. Her kimono was very casual, being lavender and purple, a gold design distinct along the bottom. Her face was pale from the makeup she wore, and her lips a deep red. She was beautiful; that was an undeniable fact.

“Yes, onei-san**,” Sora said, stopping his dance, turning to her and bowing slightly. His voice was very feminine, definitely able to pass for a girl if needed. It was also obvious that he didn't like this woman at all. She seemed to be the complete opposite of Izumi, the okiya's mother.

“Oh well,” she said, sitting down in from of the mirror in the room's corner. She picked up a brush and ran it through her dark hair. “It is of no matter to me whether you become a geisha or not,” she finished, smirking with satisfaction.

Sora seemed to ignore her, practicing his dance once more. His moves were elegant and beautiful, though the woman seemed none too impressed.

“Hanako, do not be so harsh on the boy,” a voice came from the door. There stood Izumi, beautiful for her age. “He does not learn because you do not teach him.” She looked to Sora and smiled as Hanako only scowled at her. “Leave us, Hanako.”

“Yes, okaa-san,” she said, a tinge of bitterness in her voice as she rose and walked out.

After she had shut the doors behind her, Izumi turned to Sora, putting her hand on his cheek. “My Sora,” she said, softly. “How quickly you have grown into a wonderful maiko.”

“Hana-- Er... Onei-san doesn't seem to think so,” he said, making sure to address her respectfully. I could feel that Sora wanted a different teacher; someone that would care for him and help him achieve what he had told Akira he wanted to do.

“Never mind her,” the woman reassured. Her voice lowered, in the case that Hanako could hear. “She is jealous of what you can do to her career as a geisha.” Again, she smiled, her wisdom and caring shining through. “You've perfectly hid your true self from your clients, more so than any other geisha in history.” She laughed a little. “A boy becoming a geisha... It was a great risk... And yet, in you, I saw so much promise.”

Sora blushed, bowing as a show of thanks. “I appreciate everything that you have done for me, okaa-san,” he said, smiling back at her.

“Now, let me show you how this dance is done,” she said, taking the fans from his hands, her movement more mesmerizing than those of Sora. It was obvious that the woman had years and years of practice

Sora stood, taking two more fans from the decorative box against the wall. He moved to her side, carefully and precisely mimicking Izumi's movements.

The feeling that I was floating returned as the black crept around us. It swallowed the still dancing forms of Izumi and the barely teenage Sora, the red and gold décor, and everything else along with it.

“So, Sora fooled all of his clients,” Quinn said into the darkness.

“I can't imagine how hard that must have been,” I replied, “To keep up a facade like that.”

Quinn merely nodded.

Within moments, we were thrust into yet another memory. The okiya surrounded us, the same beautiful interior appealing as it was in the last. Before us, many beautiful geisha sat round a table, eating a modest amount of food.

At the head of the table sat Izumi, regal as ever. To her left sat a woman, Hanako, a scowl spread on her face as though anger was the only emotion she held. To her right sat Sora, head bowed, and it could be assumed that Hanako had insulted him in some way.

The group of about twenty women sat in silence, eating without speaking. None of them stood out particularly, save Sora, Hanako, and Izumi. The others were plain in comparison, even to Sora, though they were no longer apprentice geisha as he was.

Suddenly, Izumi put down her bowl, placing her hands on her thighs, looking around the table.

“I have an announcement to make,” she said simply, a slight smile curving her lips. “Our Sora, our fifteen year old boy, is to be a geisha. His training is complete.”

Hanako swallowed hard, coughing softly as though she had choked. She looked to Izumi in disbelief, almost slamming her bowl of rice down.

“Okaa-san, how can you say such a thing,” she exclaimed in a bitter fury. “The boy isn't ready for such a responsibility, nor does he even belong here!”

“Hanako, do you oppose my decision,” Izumi asked calmly, Hanako's anger seeming a constant to her. “This boy has not only flawlessly blended in with our world, but he has gained the attention of the clients of you all.”

“So, I have decided that as of now, Sora is a to become a geisha,” she said, smiling. “He will have his debut, and he will bring even greater success to this okiya,” she exclaimed, letting out a soft laugh.

At that, the servants of the okiya, those women not fit to be geisha, brought sake*** by the bottle. They let it flow into the women's glasses, a little celebration for the news.

It was rare that the geisha be allowed to drink rice wine before going out with clients. Normally, if they were to drink, it was the whim of said client whether they could or could not drink. However, now was a time of celebration.

“Keep in mind that his secret must be not be told. Do not betray his trust, or my own,” she said, lifting her cup high. “Now, raise your glasses, toast our newest addition.”

There were congratulations for Sora and his accomplishment all around. Hanako was still infuriated, though she tried to hide it. She approached him when no one else could hear.

“Sora,” she said, smiling a fake smile, “I wish you only the greatest of luck.” The tone of her voice dripped with sarcasm and hatred.

“I thank you, onei-san,” he replied, voice as acidic as hers, though he smiled courteously. “I wish the same for you.” He bowed a little, the respect in the gesture not quite sincere.

Izumi once again congratulated Sora, offering him a small amount of sake, which he took graciously. It was her way of saying that he had come of age.

There was no more here that Sora wanted us to see, for we drifted away from the celebrating women. The darkness consumed us as we moved again into another memory.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Kuchisake-onna: The “slit-mouthed woman”, a Japanese urban legend.

** Onei-san: “Big sister”. The customary title for an apprentice geisha's teacher.

*** Sake: “Rice wine”, a traditional Japanese alcohol.

Author's Note

If there are any inconsistencies , just let me know so I can fix the book! Also, any grammatical errors or spelling errors are possible, so keep your eyes peeled!

Reviews

[Aiden- Aiko- Kiyomi]

'Kay... dude, I gotta say... I REALLY almost started crying when I was reading the part where they were little boys and they were telling the stories about Kuchisake- onna and then Akira kissed Sora on the cheek...I REALLY almost cried. Its so sweet. I don't know why, but I got an image of Gackt and Hyde as little kids... However, thats off subject. I love this chapter its incredible. It sort of seems reminiscent of Memoirs of a Geisha though... but it is all that can be expected... at least yours has the twist of a male geisha. :) I love it!

[Orahemae December]

this was great babe. cant wait to read more.