Topic: Dear Ami

Ami Lotus

Date: 2008-01-05 01:55 EST
Ami watched Junbao in the protected confines of the child?s room. It was there she waited. She looked at him as a little brother in a way. But a brother that would rule over the house and her should the time come. Should. And of course she would serve him as faithfully as she served his mother even if Ami grew to be three hundred years and too stiff and old to move. She would serve and make sure he was safe.

Junbao played under another set of watchful eyes. The speckled eyes of the heirs personal servant. It seemed a perfect match when you looked at it from Ami?s view. The beast was a mystical creature so beautiful it hurt to look too long. The lower torso of a onyx colored horse, the cream colored torso and upper arms of a lioness. But from the shoulders up was really where the spooky beauty took real roots. A porcelain skinned woman with features so elegant it could only have been hand drawn, a main of pitch black yet silver ribbons of hair running, glimmering with any breeze. But its eyes where the most haunting? they were a true kaleidoscope of colors.
He called the being ?Shiori? As did the Mistress. It seemed fitting for its meaning. But Ami would never question any of this. Since the beginning of her service she had seen many strange things and beings she never imagined could even exist.

The heir and Shiori spoke a language all their own. Ami had asked the other staff if any understood. Each quietly and humbly shook their head, no. Once she heard the Mistress speak to them she knew it was better not to ask again.

Tonight, Ami found this company more calming then her Mistress?s current mood. It was about business. She knew what business, but knew she would be kept out of the loop. It was a gruesome loop. All the better, Ami had never gained the stomach for such things.

It was Chong that explained it to her the best.

?Why would she have you know such things??

?well, if I, if I?m so close to her?? she stumbled softly over her words, staring at the floor.

?Exactly. If you are so close to her why would she have you know anything. What if someone was to take you??

?Take me?!? she blanched back wide eyed grasping at the kimono like it would protect her. ?Why would anyone do that?!?

?Ami, you really are stupid at times.? he sighed and looked down the hall.

?I?m sorry Chong.? she watched the floor again as he walked away.

Chong

Date: 2008-01-20 14:02 EST
Chong watched Ami quietly. He?d felt bad after calling her stupid. But not enough to apologize. It was true.

He watched her play with the Heir, he watched her attend to their Mistress, Her learning in the library. And he thought it was in away a sick joke his Mistress played on him to make him the one to watch over her safety or if she needed help, he was to be there.

There was little Chong did not know about Ami. He knew too, that he did not know a lot about her. Her silence.

Chong had been there when Ami had been brought to the service of Myllyanna. She was the smallest tiniest pathetic thing. He thought she would just fall over and die from lack of will.

But there Ami was. Delicate still. But lost within her own world. She?d been groomed for her fate. Hide she know her fate?

He sat in the ShinKa kitchen at the servants table. His food barely touched. The Mistress kept Ami educated, but in the dark for her own safety. It was believed no one could dare to dream of laying a finger on her in malice. The thought seemed so inconceivable. You looked at Ami, anyone looked at Ami and saw this thing they wanted to protect or thought their heart would break if they hurt her. While most of the Lotus Yakuza thought that way, Chong felt it the strongest.

He could not pinpoint one word to describe her, how she ate her own lunch that day. He slammed his fist into the table, jarring the bowl under Ami?s soup spoon. Not a drop was spilt.

Ami didn?t look Chong?s way. She turned red! He acted like the animal and she turned red?! Like it was her mistake! Her Fault! He wanted nothing more to go and grab her, to shake her and ask her if it hurt to be so damned perfect to do everything the way everyone expected!

His balled fists slowly opened and flattened on the table top as he looked into his own soup, his hair swung to shadow the anger in his eyes. Ami hadn?t taken another bite. She wouldn?t either. He knew that much.

Slowly he rose from the table, pushing the stool back into place with his foot. Ami?s eyes watched him, curiously and openly. But it was because he was not looking directly at her. He guessed, as he left the room, hands deep in his pockets, she expected some sort of snide remark or structured comment. Instead he just left silently to find some solitude. It was like this in many homes like this. They always had a few simple rules. Chong was having a hard time at the moment of not breaking one of the bigger ones of all. Don?t fall in love with the Boss?s daughter.