White Mask by lmh

AN: This is just an experiment, read and see if you like, request more if you do!

To be historically correct, some of the names have been changed (usually, when girls become apprentice geisha, their birth names are changed to their geisha name).

Here are the new names:

Lady Une: Mother

L. Noin: Kayumi

Dorothy: Kayoko (she does NOT have those awful eyebrows)

Sally P.: Auntie

Catherine: Megumi

The year is 1935

"Relena-chan," cried Kayumi, no response came, "Relena-chan!" she yelled again, and louder.

Down, the hallway in the kitchen, Relena was frantically trying to set up Kayumi's lunch of red adzuki beans and rice onto a tray. She was never good with food or any aspect of the kitchen for that matter. She had also just gotten back from the little school for geisha, when Kayumi had called for her. She had no idea how that woman could be so needy.

Afraid that Kayumi was going to call her again, Relena picked up the tray and scuffled down the wooden walkway as quickly as she could. She kneeled at the door to the reception room before sliding the door open. Inside, Kayumi was kneeling at the table, reading a Kabuki magazine. She promptly put it down when she saw Relena.

"Why must you always take so long to do everything?" she asked, "you're worse than that other girl, what is her name?"

"Hilde ma'am" Relena replied while she placed the food in front of Kayumi.

"Oh, I can never remember all these names," Kayumi said. She clearly was not listening to Relena, "If Mother continues to bring in more maids, I don't know what I'll do!"

Relena chose not to reply to this comment. In the few months that she had been here, she had learned two very important things: Do what you are told, and speak when you are spoken to.

Relena had just turned twelve this past month, although no one cared. A year ago, her father had sold her to the Itoo okiya, to save his crop. Relena never understood his decision. In the years before she had left her home in rural Japan, Relena had heard her father and mother complaining about their financial situation. Her older brother had left their small village to go and make a living. He promised to return with money to save their farm, but after four years, they had given up all hope. Her parents were always hoping that she would marry into a well-off family, and in turn help them, but things just don't work that way. In any case, the financial expenses were pressing in on them, year after year. With the death of her beloved mother, her father must have broken. A few months later, Relena found herself on a train to a place called Kyoto. Now she was here in Gion, the world's most famous geisha district. She still didn't quite understand her position here, but they had food, money, and a place to sleep.

When she arrived, there were other people living within the okiya already. There was Mother, who ran the okiya. Mother wasn't actually everyone's mother, but it was tradition to call the mistress of one's okiya by that name, and so Relena did. There was Auntie, who was a few years younger than Mother. Auntie used to be a geisha, but when she angered the previous mistress, she was beaten, and her hip broke. She was no longer a geisha and sadly walked with a great limp. Kayumi was the okiya's principle earner, and top geisha. She was a needy woman, always calling after Relena to do things for her. She took great fun in taunting Hilde, commenting on how she smelled because she came from a fishing village. Of course she didn't smell, Kayumi just wanted something to say. Hilde was the other young girl like Relena. She was also sold to the okiya. She and Relena had managed to form some sort of friendship in the strange place. Then there was Kayoko, Kayumi's younger sister. Kayoko was fourteen, and an apprentice geisha. There was no doubt in anyone's mind the Kayoko was a beautiful girl. For some reason she picked on Relena, like Kayumi picked on Hilde, though, Kayoko was much crueler.

Relena had been so deep in her thoughts, that she didn't notice Kayumi's hand waving her to go away. Once she noticed, she quickly bowed and apologized, and made a hasty retreat. As she left, Kayumi was making more complaints about Relena's incompetence.

Relena walked down the corridor, and back into the kitchen. No one was there, she noticed, and was glad. Now she could be alone in her thoughts. She didn't like this strange place at all. The people were so cruel, the teachers at the school that she and Hilde went to in the mornings were horrible, and worst of all, Relena had heard nothing from her father. She had hoped for the longest time that he would send her a letter informing her that her stay in Gion was temporary, and that he would be coming for her soon. But days went by with no word. The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. She had verbalized her worries often, much to the annoyance of everyone in the okiya. Mother never really answered her inquiries, so Relena grew even more distraught. Kayoko found this all quite humorous and often chastised Relena about it.

"Relena-chan, would you please check the mail for me?" she would say, "I have an important letter coming."

Of course, there was no letter, and Kayoko was still just an apprentice of low standing. But she was older that Relena, and Relena had to do what she said.

Neither Mother nor Auntie took pity on Relena. Neither of them told Kayoko to stop her taunting. Mother only cared about how much money her geisha made. As long as Kayoko wasn't costing the okiya any money, she could taunt Relena as much as she pleased.

Thus was Relena's life, and would probably be as long as she lived. Just the thought of living out the rest of her life as a maid, in this place made her chin quiver. Before she realized it, tears were dropping from her face. She brushed them away as soon as they came; it would be horrible for some one to find her in the kitchen doing nothing but crying.

To get her mind on a different subject, she decided to go upstairs and begin cleaning the rooms. She stood and composed herself before sliding the door open. She stepped out onto the wood corridor and made her way upstairs.

There were four rooms upstairs. The largest belonged to Kayumi and Kayoko. Usually, there were at least five geisha living together in one okiya, and they all would sleep in the same room. Since Kayumi and Kayoko were the only geisha in the okiya now, they were the only ones occupying that room. The second largest room was where Relena and Hilde slept. Both of them used to sleep in the maids room downstairs, but since they had begun taking classes at the school, Mother made the decision to move them upstairs. In time, if things went right, Relena and Hilde would move in with Kayumi and Kayoko. The next room was Mother's room. This was definitely the most ornately decorated room in the house. Most of the relics and jewels that Mother showcased where gifts from her rich patrons when she was a geisha. Auntie had the smallest room, not to say that she should feel cramped. She was the only one living in that room, and it was quite spacious with just one person in it.

She first went about cleaning Auntie's room, and then Mother's. She didn't bother with her room, because she could always do that when she was done with all her chores. The last room that she went into was Kayumi and Kayoko's room. She hated cleaning this room. Not only because both Kayumi and Kayoko were very messy, but also because she didn't like being caught in the room. Of course no one was going to punish her for cleaning the room that was her job. What she feared was having Kayumi and Kayoko coming in on her while she was cleaning. Both of them never failed to find something to say to her. So she always cleaned the room as quick as she could.

It seemed today though, was not going to favor her. When she was dusting Kayoko's makeup stand, Kayoko herself sauntered into the room. Kayoko was only two years older than Relena, but she still held a higher position. She was small, but not so tiny as to be called petite. She and Relena were about the same height. Like, Relena, she had golden hair, but dyed it black so as to seem more Japanese. Everyone in the okiya knew that she was from a foreign country, but it didn't really matter. If Kayoko wasn't so cruel, Relena could permit herself to like her. At the sight of Relena, she smiled a disturbing grin, one that she reserved for when she was feeling mischievous.

"What are you doing to my makeup stand?" she asked, still smiling that smile.

"I was only dusting it" Relena replied nervously.

Kayoko stared back at her. She began to say something, but stopped herself. She walked over to where Relena was kneeling, and ordered her to stand. As soon as Relena was upright, Kayoko reached out and grabbed Relena's chin. Relena gasped at the sudden movement, but said nothing for fear of provoking Kayoko. Kayoko began turning her face this way and that, examining her it seemed. When she appeared pleased, Kayoko let go of Relena's face. Relena put her hand to her chin and cradled it. Kayoko had grasped Relena as if she was ringing a towel.

Kayoko smiled at Relena, "How peculiar," she said, "I've seen your face some where before. I've lived in Gion most of my life; I know I've seen it."

Relena didn't know quite how to answer this, so she didn't say anything. Kayoko broke her gaze and knelt at her makeup stand. She began to rearrange things, and go through the drawers as if she thought Relena had taken something.

"Next time you're in here, don't touch my things." She said.

"But Kayoko-san, how will I dust then?" Relena boldly asked.

Kayoko turned to look at her, she was no longer smiling.

"Don't touch my things. Now get out."

"Kayoko-san, I'm not done dusting..." Relena began. Kayoko stood up and stretched herself to her full height.

"You're very stupid aren't you?" she sneered, "You're a stupid farm girl who doesn't know her place. You must be rubbing off on me, I feel like an idiot just by looking at you! We can't have that now, can we?"

Relena hung her head, only because it was the proper thing to do. If she could do what she really wanted, Kayoko would have a red mark across her face, from Relena's hand hitting her.

"How can I become a successful geisha with you around? All the men will notice how dumb I am, won't they? They will say: 'oh Kayoko-san, you never say anything clever, why is that?' What will I tell them?"

She was looking at Relena in a way to suggest that she wanted an answer. Relena answered her, almost in the way she wanted.

"You can say: 'I'm so sorry sir but, I'm becoming stupid like an ignorant farm girl!" Relena boldly said. Kayoko continued to smile, though Relena knew she was infuriated.

"What man will want to talk with an ignorant farm girl?" she said, "I don't want to be like you, you don't want that either, do you?"

"No, Kayoko-san" Relena said reluctantly.

Kayoko gave a little huff as if she was annoyed. She reached into the sleeve of her kimono and pulled out a little coin purse.

"You miss your home, don't you?" she asked sympathetically. Relena didn't answer. "I can help you, if only you let me."

Relena wanted to believe that Kayoko could help her, but she didn't like the way Kayoko was looking at her.

"Hold out your hand" she ordered. Relena had no choice but to obey.

Kayoko reached into the coin purse and pulled out a few bills and coins. She dropped them into Relena's outstretched hand. Relena was aghast at how much money Kayoko had given, or rather put into her hand.

"Kayoko-san, I can't possibly take this money, what will I do with it?" Relena asked.

"Stupid girl, it is money to help you escape. The quicker you are gone, the better it is." replied Kayoko.

She smiled at her, and a few moments later, exited the room.

Relena was shocked that Kayoko gave her money. She must have wanted something in return. What she could give her, she didn't know. She did miss her home though, and at times she did think about escaping. Kayoko had given her enough money for at least two people; she could bring Hilde along with her. Hilde was also miserable here.

She thought nothing more of it and tucked the money into her obi, and left the room.

The next morning, Relena and Hilde were scuttling as fast as they could to the little school for geisha. Hilde was always terribly afraid of being late, so she always woke up much earlier than she needed to.

They made their way down the streets of Gion on their way to school, when Relena spotted a very familiar person walking towards them.

It was a man, older than them, much older in fact, at least nine years. He had long silver hair, held down by a grey handkerchief. He was dressed in a men's kimono, and walked with a certain presence; to look at him, made Relena yearn for home.

They didn't stop walking, rather, Relena was staring at him with such intensity, that she wasn't paying much attention to anything else. As he drew closer, his gazed descended to meet hers. In that instant, Relena felt such a jolt speed up and down her spine, she knew this man, somehow she knew him.

Before she could ponder her thoughts any longer, she felt her foot catch on something. The next moment, she was falling towards the ground, and then into the man's arms. He had caught her.

She felt mortified that she had done something so foolish in front of such a man. She quickly got to her feet and bowed, offering many apologies. The man didn't say anything to her; he only looked at her quizzically. He smiled, and then continued on his way. Hilde grabbed Relena's arm and began to pull her towards the school.

"Hurry! We'll be late for sure now!" she cried.

"Who was that?" Relena asked, now running along side Hilde.

"I don't know, he seemed important," she shook her head, "But what does it matter? We are late now!"

"Hilde, we still have plenty of time, don't worry!" Relena said and laughed.

So how was it? This is just a test, to see if people actually want to read more of my writing. If you do, please review, all kinds are welcome (even flames, constructive criticism....). So maybe we'll see more in the future...