| Details for Niko-san |
| Summary: | The "costume" Kimiko ordered for Niko arrives. |
| Date: | 25 October, 1938 |
| Location: | Room of Reception, Hogwarts Castle |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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The note delivered to Niko by a trustworthy Third Year was simple. The handwriting was clearly Kimiko's (complete with hearts dotting every 'i'), and stated simply: Meet me in the Reception Chamber.
In that small room, rarely used save for greeting new First Years at the beginning of every school year, Kimiko waits patiently, hands folded in front of her. At her feet is a wooden crate, roughly four feet long by three feet wide. She can barely contain the smile on her lips, despite her best efforts to remain collected.
Niko had gotten the note and thanked the Third Year, for being such a good Chap. He moves across the castle, before entering the Chamber of Reception. His hand running through his hair as he looks for Kimiko, spotting her he smiles softly, "Got your note, what's shaking Kimiko?" he asks softly, offering her a warm smile.
Kimiko stifles a giggle, and bows respectfully to Niko. "Konnichiwa, Niko-san. Youkoso irasshai mashita." Knowing full well that he doesn't speak Japanese, she translates. "Good afternoon, Niko, and welcome. Look!" She gestures to the crate indicatively. "It arrived! Open it!" She's nearly bursting with bubbly excitement, but manages not to get entirely airborne.
It takes Niko a moment for it ti sit into his mind what she is talking about, probably thrown off a bit by the sudden use of Japanese. "Oh the costumes." he says slowly with a small nod, before moving over to open the crate, taking a moment to open it, he tries to repeat what she said to him, "Komitchyouwa, Kimiko-san, Youkotuso areanshin mashitu." he says softly tilting his head at her.
Kimiko giggles, covering her mouth, at his attempt at Japanese. She can work on his pronunciation later. For now, the effort is endearing enough. She nods excitedly. "I've got my new kimono upstairs. This is for you." The crate has already been unlocked, and the hinged top swing open easily enough. Inside, packed in straw, is a replica suit of samurai armour, lacquered in crimson, the metal pieces in faux gold. Painted upon the chest piece and helmet is a circular mon, or crest, bearing a stylized lion.
Niko smiles softly as he looks over the samurai armour, his hand softly moving across it. "It looks wonderful Kimiko." he says slowly with a small nod, "I think we will look perfect." he says offering her a small nod, his voice warm and soft, moving over to wrap his arms around her.
Kimiko catches her lower lip in her teeth, returning the embrace and molding against him, so safe and warm in his arms. "Moving in it takes a bit of getting-used to, and you'll need help getting it on and off. But I know how."
Niko smiles warmly, "I am excited, are you Kimiko?" he asks softly, looking at her with that warm smile on his face, "I am sure you will help me to make sure that I am perfect, just like you are." he says with a slow nod.
Is Kimiko excited? Do birds fly? She nods emphatically. "Will you let me do some makeup, too? Very tasteful, I promise. Just blackening around the eyes, so you look even more menacing in your mempo." She reluctantly slips free of his arms to kneel by the crate, and lifts up the demonic-looking half-mask that will cover his nose and mouth to show him.
Niko smiles softly, "For you Kimiko anything." he says slowly a small nod, looking over the half-mask, "Me menacing though?" he says playfully, "I will be the nicest Samurai in history." he says playful as he gives her a small wink.
Kimiko sighs contentedly. "And the bravest, and most honourable, and sweetest…" She gives a happy little shrug of her shoulders, beaming. "Alright, take off your robes so we can fit this to you." She starts pulling out the various armour pieces, laying them on the floor. "There are some garments to wear underneath, too. But no need to try those on now."
Niko smiles warmly, "Sounds like one really nice Samurai." he says slowly, with a nod, as he starts to take his robes off, "So tell me more about Samurais." he says curiously tilting his head at Kimiko.
"Well, the samurai were more than just fighters. The samurai were the military noble class of Japan." Kimiko glows inside, thrilled that he's showing interest in her family's culture. "The word 'samurai' basically means 'to serve.' It refer to both the samurai's duty to the people, and to his daimyo. That's his lord. Technically, this is the armour of a bushi, a samurai warrior. But most people think of samurai and bushi as the same thing. They followed bushido; 'the way of the warrior.' It is a very strict code of honour and way of life. Failing in bushido would often mean taking one's own life as a final act of unquestionable honour and courage; called seppuku." She peeks up at him meekly. "Don't worry…I won't hold you to that."
Niko nods as he listens trying to say the words she says, "Daymio…" then, "Bushy" then, "Bushshedo." then, "Seppoku." he repeats slowly with a small nod, "So they where like knights but in Japan?" he asks, making sure that he understood it right, tilting his head a bit to the right, his amber hair cascading down his face, "Also I don't think I would want to commit seppoku." he says with a small nod, "So I am glad that you will not hold me to that." he says sticking out his tongue
Kimiko giggles, repeating. "Seppeku. Seh-pu-ku. Bu-shee-doh. You have to resist the English urge to place emphasis on syllables. Japanese isn't quite like that." She takes up the first few pieces, and starts fitting them to Niko's body, using the attached cords to tie them firmly in place. "They were a bit like knights, yes. They served a lord, defended the people, and made war. But you wouldn't find too many knights willing to fall on their own sword for failing their lord…nor many European lords demanding it."
Niko chuckles slowly, as he she tries to teach him how to say it, "Sue-po-co. Boo-she-do" he says slowly, looking at her hoping he is getting closer to saying them right, "Well different culture, nothing strong with different views." he says slowly with a small nod, "I don't think I have ever heard of a Knight falling on his sword, but Lancelot became a hermit." he says with a small nod.
Kimiko cringes a little at the pronunciation, but quickly follows it with an encouraging smile. "To the Japanese, Lancelot would have been considered 'ronin'. Both before and after his service to Arthur. It means 'wave man'. It refers to a samurai without a master, and it is considered very shameful. Here, lift your arms." She's ready to slip the chest piece over his head and tie it along his sides. The armour is, perhaps, surprisingly supple, most of it being constructed not of metal, but of tightly woven, lacquered cords.
Niko says slowly, "Row-nin." looking at Kimiko for approval, listening to her talk about Lancelot, "Well Lancelot, did betray Arthur when he did what he did." he says slowly rubbing his chin, "Though that is why he became a hermit and priest, to atone for his sins." he says slowly, with a small nod, moving slightly as she slips the chest piece on.
"Doesn't Arthur forgive him in some of the tales?" Kimiko inquires as she tightens the cords. "That would probably never happen with a daimyo. Not unless Lancelot committed seppuku to erase his dishonour. But otherwise, he would have been highly valued as a bushi. Fighting ability was highly prized, and every samurai trained constantly to perfect it. Among other things. They were more than just warriors. A good samurai was also well-versed in etiquette, poetry, calligraphy, horsemanship…tons of stuff. Not to mention his ancestry. We take it very seriously. When my magic first started showing, my parents thought it was the spirit of an ancestor protecting me. I think Mother still thinks it may be the case." She shrugs, "Maybe she's right."
Niko chuckles, "In some of the stories, but I like the ones that he repents for what he has done and is not simply forgiven." he says with a small nod, "I have always wondered how confusing it must be for certain people who do not have a foot in the water, so to speak, with the Wizarding world." he says slowly with a small nod, "But I like the sounds of ancestors protecting us." he says softly, "It is a very poetic explanation." he says smiling over at her.
Kimiko smiles, nodding. "It's a lovely thought, isn't it? And why not? Death is one of the great mysteries, right? Who is to say that our ancestors can't affect our world, and that's where our magic comes from? That they sense our needs and desires, and make it happen when we try to cast a spell?"
Niko nods slowly, "It is a lovely thought, very poetic and touching." he says softly with a smile, "So how am I looking?" he asks softly smiling at her, "Dashing and menacing yet?" he asks softly his hand moving up to brush his hair out of his face.
Kimiko stands back to look him over. "Well, you've always been dashing. We're getting there on the menacing. Just wait until you've got the helm and mempo on." She grins, then it's on to the bracers, shoulder pieces, leg pieces, and so on. It takes a good twenty or thirty minutes before she's got him fully decked out. Finally, she beckons him to crouch a bit so she can reach around his head to ties the mempo (face-guard) in place. She offers up the helmet, "Here you go. Put that on, then we'll get to the final touch."
Niko slips the helmet on and looks at Niko, moving around a bit trying to get a feel for it and looking a bit awkward as he moves, "Well maybe I will look menacing enough to scare the Magijugend." he says with a chuckle, still trying to get a feel for it, "British Samurai Wizard, that sounds like it would be an interesting book." he says playfully.
Kimiko smiles as she kneels down to the crate once again. But this time, the smile is serene, and there is no giggling. As she kneels, she carefully folds the loose ends of her robes under her knees. There is a ritualistic calm to her every movement. "You are not yet fully dressed. No samurai is complete without his swords." She reaches into the crate, lifting up the last item in the box: something long, wrapped in a length of intricately patterned cloth. Cradling the object to her bosom, she carefully draws the cloth back, revealing a pair of curved swords in crimson sheathes. "The daisho, 'the long and the short', are the soul of the samurai. These are your honour, and your instruments of justice. The wakizashi," she touches the shorter blade, "and the katana," she says, indicating the longer of the two. She bows before him, lifting the swords up in both hands to present to him.
To say Niko feels a little awkward is an understatement. This is all so alien to him, he feels like he is on another planet as she explains the swords to him, he tries to repeat, "Walk-is-she and Kat-anna" he says looking at her for her approval, even though he can hear the words rolling off his tongue are slaughtering by his British accent. His hand moves and he takes the swords in his hand, not sure what to do now, but say "Thank you Kimiko."
Kimiko rises to her feet in one fluid motion, moving to his side. She gently places her hands over his, guiding him to tuck the swords into the thick cord around his waist. Interestingly, she insists that they sit with the blade-edge of the swords up. "For a proper draw-strike, and to prevent dulling. Of course, these swords aren't sharp. But if they were, this would keep them that way." With his weapons in place, she steps back to look over the whole picture of him. Her hands go to her mouth, a bit overwhelmed. "Niko, you look fantastic."
Niko tucks the swords in where and the way she guides him, "Thank you Kimiko, you did all of it." he says softly with a chuckle, "Though does it bother you, that I am slaughtering the words?" he asks tilting his head a bit, "I am trying, it is just not something I am use too." he says slowly, he offers her a smile, "Also you always look Fantastic Kimiko." he says with a smile.
Kimiko lets her disciplined manners slide, and moves in to hug him. "I doesn't bother me. Japanese is nothing like English. It's hard to learn. But…if you're interested, I could teach you. At the very least, I could teach you how to pronounce it. That would be a start, my samurai."
Niko chuckles, "Well I would loved to learn Kimiko, then we could sit and talk to each other an no one would have an idea what we were talking about." he says with a small wink. He returns the hug, holding her close to him, letting out a content sigh, "So you think we are going to be all the rage at the Feast?" he says playfully.
"I don't see how anyone could be unimpressed." Kimiko giggles. "Now…tragically, we should probably get you out of the armour so we can put it away until Halloween. Unless you'd like to wear it a while longer." She winks playfully.
Niko chuckles, "What do you think people would do if I just started to walk around the Halls?" he says offering her a wink, moving to stand still so she can take it off of him, "Ready when you are." he says with a small nod, "So when do I get to see yours? Do I have to wait til Halloween?" he asks curiously.
Kimiko remains clinging to him for the moment, smiling up at him with a lazy nod. "Mmmmhm. I want to surprise you." She stretches her hands up to reach under his helmet and untie the mempo, slipping it free. "I want a kiss from my samurai before he turns back into a Hogwarts student."
(Let's give these two some privacy. Fade to black.)