Just a Dab Here and a Dab There (Akari)

[Aiko Killian]

60th of Summer, 511 AV
Near the outside of the Mhakula Tea House

It was about five in the afternoon after Aiko was rudely awoken by yet another half formed artistic inspiration. She'd always trusted her instincts and impulses so she headed straight to the area that suited her best. Blocking part of the footpath that led to the exquisite Tea House, Aiko had set up her paints and easel, blissfully unaware of her rude placement. It had the best light after all!

The young woman frowned at the painting and pushed back a lock of dark hair, smearing a wide slash of blue paint across her cheek and the top of her ear. She started to paint swiftly, her right hand adding a definitive leading edge with a gradual blending of long shadow. Not satisfied with the coloration, she picked up her palette and began her usual monologue to Zintilla.

"Why can I only paint at night?! Zintilla you rudely wake me from a good sleep to come out in the wrong lighting until I can get this out of my head and onto the canvas! And why do I bother complaining to you? Ah because you're my muse!"

Aiko laughed at her own chatter and mixed the paints with confidence. 'Maybe a bit of Payne's gray instead of quite so much cerulean will give a better, softer tint? Perhaps a touch of white--no I think it needs thinning to make it work. Where's my gloss varnish?' Did I leave it behind or did I just put it down somewhere and forget it? Wait--maybe I need to look at it from more to the left instead.

With her brush dripping unheeded paint down one hand and the palette smearing into the side of her once very nice kimono, Aiko walked backwards to try and gain a better lighting perspective.

[Akari]

Akari always seemed to find herself wandering during the city's rest hours. The fifth bell of the afternoon had just passed, and as was the norm she was restless. She had taken her usual trip to the Library, but unusually the book she sought was missing. After several enquiries, the girl had given up, making a mental note to come back in a couple of days to see if it had been returned.

Not every business in Lhavit closed during each rest hour, so Akari decided to see if any of the tea houses were open. She exited the Library and straightened her coat. The young woman was dressed in her usual clothing - a cream dress and long purple coat. Her hair was pulled back into a fancy bun - she had been training earlier in the morning and always kept her hair from her face when doing so.

Akari headed along the road, weaving between people who were either heading home to nap or were seeking out open places like herself. She let her mind wander briefly, not something she usually did, but today she didn't mind too much. Though she quickly re-learned why she tried not to loose focus. Someone thudded into her shoulder hard, and she had to side-step quickly to regain her balance.

Turning, she could see that the person who had walked into her was a girl of about her own age. She seemed to have been walking backwards, which was curious. A quick observation of the immediate area showed Akari an easel set up nearby, and some colour already painted onto it. When she saw the girls face, the blue from the painting matched a streak by her ear.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to walk into you!" Technically,it hadn't been Akari's fault, but she felt the need to apologise anyway. "Is that painting yours? It's very good."

[Aiko Killian]

"What?" Aiko looked behind her with confused ebony eyes at Akari. It was someone almost identically her height, age and size!

"Did I walk into you? I'm sorry! I was just painting and--well, I'm Aiko, it's nice to meet you!" The petite woman gave a friendly, somewhat distracted smile and reach out to shake with a paint smeared hand, the errant brush still dangling between her fingers.

"I didn't hurt you or anything did I? Oh the paint!" The aspiring artist belatedly realized the tinted mess she'd mistakenly globbed all over the woman's outstretched hand. She turned for a moment to place the brush on the easel's bottom tray and scratched an itch on her forehead, spreading Payne's grey across it like a dull rainbow. Aiko grasped a clean rag and offered it to the woman in apology.

When her new acquaintance asked about the new painting she seemed puzzled for a brief chime. Abruptly she turned to glance at the painting absently as if she'd truly forgotten it in the brief span of time. Actually, she had.

"Oh uh yea it's mine. Thanks." Beneath the paint, she gave a lovely smile that contrasted with her caramel skin and dark chocolate hair.

"Do you like art? Or were you heading to the Tea House? Isn't the architecture amazing? I'm trying to catch the right shadow gradient but the light is tricky at best right now."

Aiko's ever restless gaze wandered to Akari's clothing and she admired the shades of violet purple with its transparent and multi-layered fabric.

"You would make a fascinating line study. Would you sit for me sometime? I like the innate A line you have despite the flowing clothing--controlled muscle decorated with soft, fluid fabrics."

[Akari]

Akari was somewhat amused by the stunned and confused expression on the girls face. It seemed she had been completely in her own world – much like Akari had been herself in fact. A smile wound over her features and she gave a nod to the girl.
“Akari Ishida. Pleasure.” She took the offered hand and shook it, only realising afterward that the other girls was covered in paint.

Akari lightly shook her head. “No, no you didn’t. Please don’t worry.”
She held her hand slightly elevated to avoid smearing the blobby paint on her cream dress. She kept her face impassive as the woman trailed yet more paint over her own face, and reached out gratefully to take the offered cloth.

Akari wiped the paint from her hand and held the cloth out for Aiko to take back, while indicating at the same time that she should wipe her forehead.
“Do I like art? I appreciate it, if that is what you are asking.” She squinted at the picture again. “But if you are asking if I like to paint, then my answer would be – I have no idea.” Akari had never painted a picture in her life. She had make the odd sketch every once in a while, but the two were completely different things.

“You are right though, I was planning on the Tea House. However it looks closed…” And it was. It seemed the vast majority of the businesses had closed during the rest hour today. She caught the girl scrutinizing her clothing, and absently straightened her coat.

A study? Akari was surprised to say the least. “I uh – well if you would really like me to, I suppose it won’t be a problem.” Truthfully, she wasn’t entirely sure what the girl was asking, much less what an A-line was, but she figured she would just have to sit around for a little while.

[Aiko Killian]

"You can call me Killian if you like. Oh--did I paint myself again?" The girl laughed and took the cloth back to try and clear the paint from her forehead.

"Did I get it all--wait wait--THE legendary Ishida of the Shinya?! See? It's Zintilla showing me why I had to wake up--so I could meet my next inspiration! You're related right? I'm assuming yes of course, I mean, you did say 'Ishida' and not Ish sui ita? Coz it's similar but not the same."

Aiko stared at the girl with curious bird like intensity, taking in her bones structure down to the last detail.

'Such a perfect face and frame for the antithesis of flowing robes..'

Torn from her thoughts, it took her a moment to process the answer to the question she'd asked earlier and forgotten.

"You mean you've never tried to paint before? I'm glad you like art, but really, learning painting is an important skill. It teaches observation and focus which is the key to succeeding in whatever your endeavor is!"

The woman blinked and scratched an itch that turned out to be the drying paint on her cheek and ear. "Now how and when did -that- get there?" She absently scratched off the blue paint and continued chatting.

"I don't think it'll be open for another couple bells. It's a shame I can't spare the Kina, but maybe if we barter that could work right? I mean standard sitting fee would be about two Kina a bell, but if I give you painting lessons, that would -cost- about two Kina a bell!! It's perfect!"

The eager young woman beamed at her sudden and slightly irrational assumptions. It just didn't occur to her that someone would turn down the chance to paint, when she herself wouldn't.

"When is a good time for you then? I'm so glad we met! I'll make sure to give an extra offering to Zintilla tonight."

[Akari]

There was the customary smile and nod from Akari as the girl re-introduced herself. There was still a small smudge of paint above Aiko’s brow, but before she could point it out, the girl silenced Akari with an exclamation.

Her features showed shock and surprise, plain as the day. Legendary? This girl knows my father? Akari was silent for a moment while she tried not to gape. “Yes… I uh, I said Ishida. Are you sure you mean the same person? My father was Hetan…” It was true that Akari’s father had been a very gifted Shinya, but he had died a week before he would have obtained his Hatul staus. The Shinya she had met since returning to Lhavit had known him, but she certainly had not expected anyone else to.

She caught the girl staring at her again, and given the sudden outburst it was a little odd. She shook her head lightly in an answer and raised a brow slightly. Aiko seemed to be a little scatterbrained. Or perhaps eccentric would be a politer word to use. “My mother is a painter… it never really occurred to me to try it myself though, not when I could look at her pictures already.”

She glanced over to the Tea House. It would not open again till the rest was over, and that was almost a full Bell away. The woman before her was very forward and eager, something that Akari wasn’t used to. Her fellow Acolyte were calm people, a trait she also possessed.
“Well, I’m free at the moment since the Tea Houses are closed. I usually train in the mornings see… Whatever works for you – I would hate to inconvenience you.”

[Aiko Killian]

"Of course I'm sure! At least I think I'm sure that--" Aiko abruptly stopped talking, her brows knit together in swift thought. She nodded firmly, her hair sliding forward into the grey paint on her forehead.

"Absolutely sure! My mother, Shani, Interviewed him and wrote a lengthy paper on him a while back for her studies of Shinya training. He was fascinating to meet and simply brilliant with that mind!"

The woman gestured with enthusiasm as she spoke of the memory, all the while flicking the rag around and absently spattering a dusting of paint over her own hair and shoulders like a colorful light rain.

"Oh yes he mentioned your mother--her work is exquisite isn't it? She really has a gift for shading, which right now I -really- envy! Her brush work is excellent!"

Her dark hair tumbled over one shoulder as she tilted her held to look at Akari as if in disbelief. She raised a single eyebrow and smiled before she replied,

"Your mother is blessed by Zintilla with so much talent--how could you not want to at least try your hand at artistry?!" After the briefest of chimes, she realized how rude it sounded and she worked at phrasing it better.

"I mean, unless of course you've put your mind to something just as artistic already? You train? What do you train at? Do you enjoy it?"

Killian flashed a barrage of questions at the hapless Akari, trying to verbally keep up with the ever present thoughts that raced along in her head. She impulsively headed toward a nearby bench, beckoning her to follow.

"What inconvenience? Making a new friend is never an inconvenience." Aiko Killian smiled and for a brief shining moment, she actually appeared as lovely, normal and calm as any other woman in Lhavit.

[Akari]

Akari was almost holding her breath as the girl tried to decide if the person in question was her father or not. Her eyes were a mixture of hope and scepticism. It was both possible and impossible that the man Aiko was thinking of was Hetan.

She blinked in surprise. Someone had written about him? That was news to her. Yet another thing her mother had kept quiet. Akari was unsure if the girl was implying that she had met him too, and a pang of irrational jealousy gripped her. She could not remember her father, not one little bit. She had been only three years old when he was killed and her mother had done everything to ensure she would forget him. She swallowed and batted the feelings away, though her eyes had taken on a mournful sheen.

Akari nodded. ”She’s uh, my mother is in Syliras at the moment...” And truthfully, Akari hoped she would remain there. A light shrug of one shoulder was given to the inquiry, and her mouth opened to reply. Though she quickly held back as Aiko continued on. A wry smile graced her mouth. The girl probably thought Akari was training to be a writer or a flutist or something equally feminine.

”I’m an Acolyte actually.” She paused for the girl’s reaction. ”Training to be a Shinya like my father.” She stepped lightly after her, settling onto the bench. Akari smiled back at the girl. ”I suppose not. Perhaps I should have said I don’t want to interrupt your current work.” She wondered what Aiko had in mind for her. Sitting for a long while she could do no problem, but learning to paint would be a whole other game.

[Aiko Killian]

"It would've been interesting to meet him for myself, but mother said he was incredible. You must be proud of his memory and to--"

Aiko bit her lip and widened her eyes at her verbal faux pas at speaking so blithely of the girl's dead father.

"I.. oh Zintilla! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to just ramble and say--"

The girl's mind and emotions were too caught up to speak properly. She saw the grief and was it envy that passed through Akari's features?

'That was so thoughtless! He's been dead for years and here I was throwing around her honored father's memories like paint splatters! The girl's eyes look so sad now too!'

Aiko took out a stick of charcoal and a small piece of parchment from her pocket. After barely a chime of a few deft strokes and smudges, she turned the picture around and held it out to Akari as she apologized.



"You looked so sad and I'm really really sorry I spoke so casually of your honorable father. Please forgive me."