Misplaced (KnK/Tsuki)

[Highwayman]

I'll have to vote for searching the wardrobe even though the image of Ryougi in jeans certainly appeals to me.

I'll follow my heart and vote for jeans.

[Mattias]

I vote jeans. Mostly because...

[SeiKeo]

Vote jeans because Ajimu. Come on people.

[EnigmaticFellow]

Voting for Jeans

Ryougi Shiki goes downstairs to eat breakfast wearing a shirt and jeans and gives no fucks about required uniforms or what Akiha thinks. Unlike a certain other Shiki, this one is not whipped.

[amado]

Vote jeans because Ajimu. Come on people.

fine, I go for jeans.

[nununu]

Kill the wardrobe.

Wear the uniform.

[PhoenixAct]

Okay, voting is closed so just one second...

So the final vote stood at:

Wardrobe: 13

Uniform: 2

And any votes specifically for jeans went to the wardrobe, since it was already pointed out that that was the best she could find in there.

Now time to get to work.

[crystalwatcher]

What was the other fic that had Shiki getting switched with Shiki? Can I get a link, I wanna read!

[PhoenixAct]

Okay, time for part two!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shiki spared one last look at the offending garments lying on the bed, then with a sigh of pure annoyance, turned back towards the wardrobe. She pulled out the two items she had already noted as being the least distasteful, they were far from her personal preference but they were better than that uniform. The black top was somewhat form fitting and obviously designed to show-off her bust, fortunately the sarashi helped to hide that. It was lighter than she had been expecting though, and did not feel as tight as it looked. On the other hand, the coarse denim of the jeans felt uncomfortable against her legs as she pulled them on and they felt restrictive in ways she wasn’t used to. She did find however that she could fully extend her legs in them, so did decided to put up with it. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and sighed again, even she had to find the sight of herself in western clothing strange. They were better than everything else but she would still see if there was some way for her to procure a kimono.

The whole time she was getting changed that low thrum was still in the back of her mind.

She closed the wardrobe doors, almost slamming them in irritation and left the room.

It took her a few minutes to find the bathroom so that she could wash, there were too many doors in the hallway. As she searched she took in her surroundings; the house was richly decorated, the pictures in heavy frames on the walls, the rich carpet beneath her bare feet and the expensive-looking vases, all of it was designed to boast about power and wealth. She found the bathroom behind the fourth door she tried. After she was clean she decided it was time to go meet this “Akiha-sama”, fortunately she could see the stairs from where she stood, so at least she didn’t have to go searching for them.

At the bottom of the steps the made was waiting for her, the same one who had brought her the school uniform. However when she raised her head again Shiki could see her brow was furrowed.

“You are not wearing your school uniform, Shiki-sama?” she asked.

“No,” she replied with a tone of finality, ending the conversation before it could begin.

“I see… “ she replied and Shiki saw her lip twitch and concern flash through her eyes, before the maid mastered herself and the stoic expression was back.

“Then please,” the redhead continued. “Follow me.”

There was already someone in the dining room when they arrived; a girl with long, black hair who looked like she was possibly younger than Shiki herself. She held herself straight-backed and proud, even as she sat there drinking her tea. She was wearing what looked to be a school uniform, although of an entirely different style than the one Shiki had been offered. She was being attended by another red-haired girl, who looked so similar to the one standing beside her that the two were probably related. The only real difference she could spot was that this girl’s eyes were amber, rather than blue. That and she wore a kimono instead of a French maids outfit. The breakfast was already on the table.

“Shiki-sama is here, Akiha-sama,” the maid announced.

Shiki saw the girl’s eyes brighten for a brief second as they landed on her, before her face fell in to a stern look that would have been better suited to someone much older. Shiki felt some surprise that this girl was the one the maid mentioned, from the way she had spoken the name she had been expecting someone older, who looked like the head of an important or at least wealthy, family. She paid no attention to the girl’s stare as she crossed the room.

“Good morning, nee-san,” this Akiha said.

“Good morning,” Shiki replied as she took her seat, choosing to ignore the form of address, for now.

There was a couple of moments of silence in which Shiki could feel the other three girls watching her. Then Akiha seemed to give in and asked:

“What are you wearing, nee-san?”

“Clothes,” Shiki replied. She glanced up to see the muscles around Akiha’s mouth tighten just slightly, and the other maid raised one hand to cover her mouth.

“I can see that, nee-san,” Akiha almost growled. “My question is, why are you not wearing you’re school uniform?”

“Because it is indecent,” she replied.

“Indecent how?”

“The skirt is too short.” This was true, were she to wear it, it would barely cover her underwear.

Akiha looked ready to continue arguing but her maid cut in:

“Akiha-sama, if you take too long you’ll be late for school.”

“Hm? Of course, thank you Kohaku,” Akiha replied. “One of us has to take her responsibilities seriously after all.”

Shiki understood that the comment was intended to be a sly reprimand but didn’t care. She had not made the decision to come to this place, therefore she had no responsibilities towards anyone here.

“However, nee-san,” Akiha continued, seemingly determined to have the final word. “Now that you’re living with us again, I expect you to conduct yourself in a manner befitting a daughter of the main branch of the Tohno family, understood? As the head of the family I won’t allow you to embarrass us.”

Tohno family? Somehow that name seemed family to her; and why did this girl think she was a part of it? Regardless she nodded her head, she had received speeches on how her conduct reflected on her family form grandfather, she did not feel like getting one from a girl she wasn’t related to, and who may in fact be younger than her. Although was someone so young really the head of the family? She dismissed the thought, in the end it didn’t matter, and turned back to her food.

As she finished the meal she remembered something she had being thinking about while she had been getting dressed. Unfortunately she didn’t think it was likely that she had any of her own money in this scenario but that girl had just been talking about familial responsibilities and that she knew, worked both ways.

“I have a request, Akiha,” she said. She’d considered putting the –san at the end but that might sound a bit strange since they were apparently supposed to be sisters.

The girl looked up at her and arched an eyebrow.

“Oh? And what is it you want nee-san?”

“Money … for clothes.”

“What kind of clothes?”

“Kimono,” she answered.

Akiha looked at her appraisingly and her eyes glazed over slightly, as though she might be trying to imagine Shiki in a kimono. The corner of the younger girl’s lips tugged upward in to what was almost a smirk, Shiki narrowed her eyes wondering if the girl was plotting some sort of petty revenge for the earlier defiance.

“Very well nee-san, I shall instruct Kohaku to buy one for you when she is out this afternoon. However, in return I expect you to conduct yourself in a more proper manner from now on, agreed?”

Shiki could feel herself frown but nodded her agreement none the less, her eyes still narrowed. Otherwise she would left with the clothes on her back as the only ones that she would consider wearing.

Good, now Kohaku, if you could fetch a tape measure and take my sisters measurements.”

“Ah, of course Akiha-sama.”

She had spent over half an hour standing in the middle of her room, having that girl “take her measurements”. Akiha had insisted on being present too until it was necessary for to leave for school, saying that she wanted to make sure her “sister” was being taken care of properly. As she made her way towards the main entrance she was stopped by Hisui, who was holding a wooden box in her hands and had a jacket draped over one arm.

“Before you leave, this came for you this morning Shiki-sama,” she said, presenting her with the box.

The wood of the box was smooth and polished, it had obviously been well care for and was just as obviously an antique; she felt a small sense of curiosity which was something she didn’t feel often. She opened the box up to see what was inside, and found a dagger resting in a wooden sheathe. She removed the weapon from its container and handed the box back to Hisui. She didn’t miss the concern in the maid’s eyes as she eyed the weapon.

Shiki unsheathed the blade. It looked to be a tanto and it was perhaps older than the box it had been stored in. It was well made, the blade glistened brightly in the light filtering in through the window and she could see the wave in the metal. There was something engraved on the blade but she didn’t care to read it; instead she re-sheathed the dagger and tucked it in to the waistband of her jeans at the small of her back, making sure the cover it with her tee-shirt.

“Shiki-sama…”

She looked to Hisui again and saw she was now presenting the jacket to her. Shiki hesitated a moment but then took the jacket and pulled it on, it would hide the weapon better, the bulge still showed in the back of her shirt.

She nodded her goodbye to Hisui who bowed in return, then she left.

- - -

Two hours later Shiki was wandering aimlessly through the streets of Misaki, her hands stuffed in to her pockets.

After that she’d left for the school. She’d known this wasn’t the town she was familiar with as soon as she’d left the mansion and she’d almost gotten lost. She managed to find her way by following some girls who’d been dressed in the same uniform they’d tried to make her wear; she been right, the skirts barely covered the necessary areas. She’d made it to the school just on time, not that it mattered. Almost as soon as she got there she’d been dragged before the vice-principal, who’d given her a long speech on the school’s dress code and expectations of the students, she’d ignored most of it. Then they’d sent her home to get changed.

Ahe didn’t really care; at least it had allowed her to get away from the loud redhead with the earring and the brunette who kept staring at her when she thought she wouldn’t be noticed.

Instead she’d decided to try and get the lay of the local land, making sure to remember the path she’d already trodden. Her next stop was supposed to be the shopping district, if she remembered right, that was where Kohaku should be at the moment. As she been wandering around her headache had finally died completely and that had allowed her to connect some dots, and she’d understood the sense of diminishment she’d felt that morning. SHIKI was silent, no more than that, SHIKI was gone. That revelation had taken the wind completely out of her. Now she felt hollow and a sort of listlessness had overtaken her. So she was walking through the streets with no real goal in mind, maybe she should just return to the mansion.

A woman was approaching her from the other end of the street, she was obviously foreign with elegant features; she had short, blonde hair and

Red eyes.

Yes, her eyes were an unnatural colour and Shiki instinctively understood that she wasn’t human. She felt her skin break out in goose bumps and her heart began pounding faster as the woman drew closer. The feeling didn’t die as the woman passed either, and Shiki knew what it was. There was a tautness in her stomach and she knew what her instincts were asking of her but she maintained control and considered her options.

1. Follow the blonde.

2. Return “home”.

3. Keep going to the shopping district.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

AN: Okay, forty-eight hours on this vote and it'll probably take me a little long to write up the next bit too, since y'know, middle of the week = work.

[Leftovers]

dis gon b gud

Choice No. 1, naturally.

[Kelnish]

2. I kinda think far side stuff would be better with Ryougi.

[IhaxlikeNoob]

Oho, hmmnnn...

Get Shiki in her regular outfit first.
So # 3 is my pick.

[crystalwatcher]

I'm with Noob.

#3 meh friend.

Still hoping for that link to that story.

[gesalt]

choice 1

[The Curious Fan]

I vote for choice number 1.

[Gabriulio]

Is that even a choice? Follow Arc, obviously!

[KAIZA]

Hmmm...I'm torn between 1 and 3...
*coin flips*
...
3 it is!

[DezoPenguin]

Hmm, so Shiki misses SHIKI in her head (hey, wouldn't it be funny if SHIKI and SHIKI got flipped, too, so somewhere Shiki Nanaya is introducing SHIKI Tohno to Mikiya?), so this is pre-accident Shiki...which would mean it's also Shiki-without-MEDP? There's a story-changer!

Hmm, I agree with Kelnish that Far Side would suit Shiki more than Near Side, so that leaves 2 and 3...and in the spirit of "cast the vote for the acceptable choice I think can win" it's off to the shopping district for me!

[SeiKeo]

1

[PhoenixAct]

[QUOTE=DezoPenguin;1133197]Hmm, so Shiki misses SHIKI in her head (hey, wouldn't it be funny if SHIKI and SHIKI got flipped, too, so somewhere Shiki Nanaya is introducing SHIKI Tohno to Mikiya?), so this is pre-accident Shiki...which would mean it's also Shiki-without-MEDP? There's a story-changer!
[QUOTE]

Close but not quite, but I don't want to possibly spoil future reveals so I can't say anymore.

I'm with Noob.

#3 meh friend.

Still hoping for that link to that story.

It wasn't really a story, just s short drabble that was the premise for this. I'll give you the link if you want, but you'd essentially just be re-reading the very beginning of this over again.