From a Koi to a Dragon [Private w/ Nishiki Showa] [Mature]

[Vlithra Qing Long]

Art expresses itsself in many different ways, music, sculpting and most obviously painting are the most prominent things connected to it. Among these many kinds of art around the world of Remnant, stands one form that only masters in the craft can truly present as such. Tattooing. Tattoo‘s are no rarity in the world, but not every tattoo is made with the care, patience and precision that makes the ink on the body come alive. When people say that every painting tells a story, it is truth and something similar could be said about such masterful tattoo‘s. A tattoo depicts not only the person‘s soul, but their journey, their ideals and their goals too, laying them bare for others to see.

One of such was getting a touch up just now at a parlor known as “The Azure Dragon“ in Vale‘s residental district. The Tattooing-Artist there was none other than Jay Qing Long, who had moved his shop to this location in Vale more than a year ago.
He was a famous master in the traditional tattooing craft back in Mistral who, ‘brought the ink to life on ones body‘ as people would say. With such a reputation it was easy for him to find new clients in Vale, some shadier than others. Yes, even the cruel underworld of Remnant was a client to this tattooist, in fact many syndicate hotshots sported Jay‘s tattoo‘s. As long as he deemed someone worthy to wear it, he would paint it for the according price. Such was the case with his current client, none other than his would-be niece Vlithra Qing Long.

The parlor itsself was situated on one of the less traversed main streets in the district and seemed rather small in comparison to the other shops around. A sign to the right of the entrance door read “The Azure Dragon“. There was a sign hanging at the entrance door saying, “Only one waiting guest at a time. Wait at the reception for instructions from any of the staff.“
Left to the entrance door was a display window that showed multiple works of Jay. Many of his works were more related to the animals and creatures that could be found in the world of Remnant, this included the terrible creatures of Grimm. The motives put to show included a roaring Tiger atop of a cliff, a Grimm Taijitu encircling a Lien coin and a Koi scaling a waterfall, with many more motives put to show at the walls of the reception of the small parlor. A bell would announce anyone entering or leaving the shop through the door. Aside the counter for the reception there was a chair for one waiting guest with a table right next to it and a stand for magazines and newspaper. Behind the counter was a small oven with a pot of tea brewing giving of a sweet aroma. The wall behind the counter consisted of translucent sheets on a wooden frame so that only the silhouettes of those inside the room could be seen through the sheet. A sliding door of the same material lead into the room right behind the counter.

Inside the room Vlithra laid on the ground, bare back up, with Jay kneeling next to her and putting his skills to use on one of his masterpieces, the Grimm-Sea Feilong. The tattoo was one of the more delicate creations of the master, made by using the very old methods he was so fond of using over a course of years. With a wooden handle and a metal needle attached via a silk thread he pulled the ink into the skin of the tigress, a painful and time-consuming process which luckily Vlithra was already used to by now. He had been at this for an hour already, carefully piercing the needle through the painted skin to renew the abyssal black color of the Feilong.

“How much longer, Gramps? Gonna have to drop by the club later.“ Vlithra impatiently asked her old geezer after a while. She wore her usual outfit, however wore a white shirt that had a completly open back that Jay kept around for female clients. Her own shirt, vest and jacket laid folded in the corner of the room.

“Around 15 more minutes should do. Don't get impatient now.“ He answered with a laugh after pulling the needle through the skin and worming the thread through it one more time. Vlithra let out a frustrated groan in response to this. Jay himself wore an azure blue garb with a dragon motive and a white apron that had some ink stains on it. Time had caught up to him as well, being in his early 60‘s his hair and beard started to gray, nonetheless he was fit as ever and seemed as always in a good mood.

Then a loud ‘DING‘ sound disturbs the silent air, signalling that the tea is done. Jay laid down his tools and went into the reception area to prepare the beverage for him and Vlithra, pouring two cups of sweet jasmine, while Vlithra kept herself still on the ground in the other room. Due to how the door is situated she could not be seen from the reception. If anyone were to enter now, Jay would notice them almost immediatly and greet him with his signature smile.

[Nishiki Showa]

Okay, coming to Beacon? Probably, but actually, totally, one of the best ideas Showa ever had! Maybe not “top listing” kind of best idea like her air-conditioned jacket, but definitely a bonified contender with the kind of unexpected goodies the city kept washing up on her media feed. Come on, the Jay Qing Long setting up shop in the Residential District of all places!? Showa had heard about him while living in Mistral, and the man's reputation was completely well earned when he crafted art as fine as he did! She'd never really thought about getting a tattoo herself, having sensitive skin that didn't take to ink, or a liking for needles for that matter, but Showa could still appreciate the skill of a master in their field. A day was set to hop on over to the parlor, and here she was!

"Snapshot!" A koi fish climbing a waterfall would be featured in Showa’s social media feed later today with her grinning face in frame. She couldn't resist posing with it and giving it some of the limelight because of the subject matter. She was a bit vain, sue her. Planning this excursion whet her appetite the whole time everything had been settled on after adapting to the new living situation at Beacon and the studies that came with it. A girl needed more than just work, work, work to live and the artist inside her was craving some inspiration. What better way to do that than to come right to the heart of another artist's studio for some creative sparks? If she could, she'd love to pick the man's brain on his process and methods. If he needed a little something to be more amendable to that, she had some pocket money for temp tats. A little water and Showa would be showing off a sleeve of sunflowers and butterflies.

Jay flipping Qing Long, though! The man's reputation was well-known, as well as those he serviced. His rumored connections honestly dredged up a haul of unpleasant memories. The name sported on the shop front especially about the kind of people who adorned themselves with imagery as a means of intimidation and status symbols. Honestly, the amount of dragon elements coloring the shop was downright uncomfortable. Whether or not those rumors were true didn't take away from the fact that there were people, infamous people, that sought out his work to be permanently etched onto their skin. This visit wasn't all pleasure as Showa wanted to confirm the kind of things she'd heard and maybe dig up leads to any gangs that operated in the city. Equal parts excitement and unease shook up her hand, but the cool metal of the door handle soothed frayed nerves as Showa psyched herself up. She was fully prepared for what could be in store. Spray can and a lighter in her purse if things got hairy. Clenching her hand and swinging it open with a jingling bell, only to find-WOAH! It really was a quaint shop! There was an older man behind the counter fussing about with something that just vibed with the rest of the interior decor.

A tattoo parlor could be comfy, who’d have thought? The old guy was probably Jay Qing Long, he certainly matched the description she had on her Scroll. The tea smelled heavenly~. Enough about tea though, she came here for the man! Showa was whipping her arm so fast, the wind it was generating probably beat out the rush of air that came in when she entered.

“Hiya, sir! Know if a girl can meet the master tatt’er?” If this wasn't her guy, she'd make like the sign said and ask for assistance. They probably knew something worth talking about, working here.

[Vlithra Qing Long]

Hearing the sound of the oh so familiar bell, Jay looked up from the sweet beverages he was preparing to spot Nishiki walking in. His warm and most welcoming smile is the first thing he greeted the girl with, before she asked for the man himself. He put the cups of tea down on a plate before facing towards the jolly little customer.

“Sure, you‘re already meeting him. How can old man Jay help you?“ he would announce with the most welcoming of voices, while moving to the reception counter. Now this girl in front of him seemed more than just energetic, if her attitude was anything to go off on. He would almost go as far to say she radiated all the energy someone at that age could possible store. It somewhat reminded him of himself in his youth. Brimming with energy and full of enthusiasm. Well technically he still had the latter, but what would he give to be young again? Her looks and attire also gave the more then obvious impression that she was something special. The choice of clothing had character, a soul, something akin to what Jay himself could tattoo. Yes, this girl was certainly special.

Laying in the other room, Vlithra was able to hear the jingle aswell announcing what she guessed was a customer. She rolled her eyes and let out a silent groan. ‘Great, now it‘s going to take 15 more minutes for the old man to come back.‘ is what she thought in that exact moment. But after hearing the voice of that ‘customer‘ she raised an eyebrow. That was a new one, sounded like a younger girl even. Quite the change of pace from all those lean or mean executives and criminal hot shots to say the least. Then again Vlithra had been gone for a longer while, it was possible he got a big batch of new cusotmers. However the tigress highly doubted it. Judging from the words she could hear, neither did Jay knew her nor did the girl ever met the geezer.

“Would you like some tea maybe? Freshly brewed jasmine, it‘s sweet and soothes the soul .“ Jay would say before he could start reminice back to the old times. Hospitality to his visitors and clients, even to the shady kind, was one of his main principles after all. It was as if he was welcoming them to his own home.
In the meantime in the other room Vlithra felt like she was getting a headache from her old geezer keeping her wait. 'Sure, make me wait even more than before.' she thought. Well, whatever. For now she would be laying here and listen in on whatever the old man would talk about to the girl in the other room.

[Nishiki Showa]

Okay. Freaking out can wait until later, a girl was meeting a living legend of Mistralian artistry right now. Oh no… did she remember to bring a signboard?

“Ooh, jasmine? I’ll take a cup, thank you!” Starstruck and giddy at hearing that the man stood before her was the very same she had come looking for, Showa’s nerves were vibrantly alight in the presence of a bonified celebrity. There was probably a napkin she could use if anything in her purse for an autograph. Maybe one of his business cards would be better for that kind of thing. Did he even carry around business cards? Did he even need them? Her purse was feeling really small with just the implements she brought along. Another time maybe. If everything turned out alright, Showa could stop by in the future for a visit. This visit, the old guy was offering her a cup of tea, and it couldn’t hurt to take a sip. Maybe she could get some of the Qing Long magic. Jasmine tea could be some kind of mojo juice for him. Showa almost forgot the other reason why she came to the tattoo parlor in the first place. Almost. It was with that thought firmly in mind that when he offered her the, admittedly soothing scented, cup of tea that Showa discreetly dipped the tip of her dark nail polish into the hot brew.

“Mmm. Smells nice.” And didn’t seem like it had suspicious additives swimming around with the tea leaves. The perks of having fashionable nail art that also had utility for instances such as this. It stayed the same shade of onyx she had painted onto them, enough to tell her that the beverage was probably safe to drink. Her Aura would help fend off what slipped under the radar. Something she was thankful for since after the first sip, there was definitely no way she was stopping. Maybe Jay Qing Long should consider expanding his business into tea ceremony services. Like Showa said before, the Azure Dragon was a quaint and comfy little shop. She said as much to the man once she was done savoring that lovely jasmine. Could probably do with a name change though. Dragons… Blegh.

“Ever think about getting into the tea business? You can count on me being a repeat customer if you keep making cups like these.” The tea nearly swished right out of the cup as Showa fell backward in a spin after accepting it, landing her square on the sole chair in the waiting room with little more than a light *pomf*. If it were any louder, she’d seriously be hitting the gym and losing the extra pounds. It took work to keep this slim. There wasn’t any sign of extralegal activity going on from what she could spy, so maybe she could relax a little. The Grimm motifs didn’t put her at ease, but Showa found other things to rove over as she sipped. The screen separator behind the counter was interesting, if just because it kept her from seeing what else the Azure Dragon had to offer and made her all the more curious for it. Leaning over in her seat didn’t help get a better view though. Leaning more didn’t either. Had to lift her feet off the ground to keep balance to do that. Still, no dice. Just a blob of some kind. A really long blob.

With curves.

Woops. Guess she walked in on a session?

"I didn't come in at a bad time, did I?" Whoever's back there must have been getting a bit cold. Hehe. Someone was probably naked back there. Wonder who it could be?

[Vlithra Qing Long]

Jay handed the still unknown girl one of the cups he was preparing and was delighted to see that she enjoyed it the way she did, even if he noticed her dipping her nail into the brew. Despite that he still smiled while he poured another cup of the deliciously sweet brew. It was normal for people to be cautious after all, especially when they had heard of the rumors surrounding the tattooist. He did offer his services to everyone after all, this included all kinds of criminal hot shots and so on, some with an almost infamous reputation even. These were the kinds of people that had the ambitions, power and conviction in their soul that was worth being brought onto a body in the form of ink that'll last their lifetime.

The old man then laughed wholeheartedly as Nishiki suggested to get into the tea business. While it was true that Jay had entertained the thought at some point, he never really truly considered it. His work was too important to him to simply give up for that.

“Haha. While my passion for tea is second to none in this area of town, it is second only to the craft that I practice. Traditional tattooing has become quite rare around the world and while I sometimes too fancy the use of more modern tools for some works, the old methods are what really bring life into my most finest creations. Of course that is not all there is to it.“ He finished his little speech with another smile. He then watched as Nishiki kept leaning further and further from her seat to look through the seperator behind the counter.

“If it had been any other customer, yes, this would have been a bad time. Most of them are quite impatient people that can‘t be bothered to lay still for a few hours and this one is no exception.“ He finished the sentence in a bit of a grumpy undertone before he continued with a relaxed sigh after sipping form a cup of his own. “But this is a special guest of mine, so it‘s an exeption I am willing to make. She‘s...“

“You know, it‘s rude to talk about someone who can hear you, old man.“ Vlithra yelled over with a snarl only rivaled by a real tiger. If he was going to keep talking like this she would be laying here another hour for sure. The geezer was waaaay too talkative for her liking. Luckily, she could just hear a small sigh from the room he was in.

“Anyway. If there is anything I can help with feel free to ask now.“ Jay put his hands together with a smile and laid them down onto the counter with the expectation of an answer. As much as Jay wanted to talk the day away, he couldn‘t keep Vlithra waiting forever. Even if she was his “niece“, it gave him no right to keep her waiting. Nonetheless, while he was already at the front of the reception, why not ask why exactly this young little girl walked into the parlor. Maybe she wasn't even a customer and just needed directions, or she could be a fan of his work and just wanted to meet the man himself, it could have been anything really. No matter what it would be in the end, Jay was visibly willing to oblige most requests.

[Nishiki Showa]

“I must be a lucky gal! I got the old dragon himself making my cup of tea. I gotta treasure every sip~.” Drinking it certainly gave a gentle pleasure captivating Showa to, for once, slow down and appreciate the simple moment for what it was. Quick as it came, it was almost ordained for something to hook her attention away and put her right back on the fast lane at lightning speed. Hearing about how there was an ongoing piece of body art masterwork getting etched by skilled traditional hands pretty much sealed the deal for how’d Showa was spending her next bit of time. Never mind the joke she’d been brewing about the tea tasting like ink. Tattoo artist and ink lols were binned. There was no time for giggles when she could get an eyeful of a special VIP's exemplary in the making just a screen’s breadth away and she had to get a piece of that action! Even if it was a touch up, that was still artistic soul being woven!

'Mama, thank you for giving birth to me as a girl.' Leveraging her gender for such wild endeavors was well within the scope of acceptable action for Showa if it meant she could get her way in situations. Peeping on a (possibly) naked person didn't so much as faze Showa. The racy connotation of what she was planning to do didn't even break into her area code when formulating the thought process. Barriers like decency and common sense had no room in her logic! The flames of passion were fanned to heights titanic hearing what Jay after his response to the mystery woman.

Aaanything~? The old man really shouldn't be handing out blank checks like this. Anyone with nefarious intentions might up and take him for all he was for. Buuut~ since her was being so generous and pure, she might as well cash it in herself~. It’d be rude to turn down her host’s offer, wouldn’t it~? Of course it would be!

"I want to see what you've got going on over there!" Although Showa was facing his way and her words aimed in his direction, there wasn't any confusion as to who she was addressing was further behind the counter than him and hidden by the partition. The way she was hopping up and down pointing at it with such enthusiasm made it look like she was a kid asking their parents if they could get a toy in the store.

[Vlithra Qing Long]

The old mans laugh sounded wholeheartedly through that quaint shop of his as he went on to take a sip of his own from his cup. The girl wasn‘t as lucky as she might think. Offering refreshments like these was a courtesy as much as offering something to drink when you had someone visiting your humble home. Such was this shop, it was his home in a way. Refreshments such as tea, water and in rare occasions coffee were on the house, in reasonable amounts of course, it didn‘t cost a single Lien. It was a little extra that most of the old man‘s customers heavily appreciated in addition to his work being as legendary as it was. While waiting for the energetic little rascal to state her business Jay began pouring a third cup, for Vlithra next room who was undoubtedly getting impatient. At this point she wished she didn‘t put her scroll with her stuff in the corner of her room. Oh well, nothing she can do about it now. The tigress rested her hand benath her chin as she closed her eyes trying to keep herself relatively calm.

As the girl pointed behind Jay stating her business, the old man couldn‘t help but look back to where she was pointing. Why wouldn‘t she? She was obviously super excited and could barely hold still in the chair. Jay couldn‘t help but laugh, in a more wholehearted manner of course. Meanwhile Vlithra was taken aback by the brazen attitude this girl had going on.

“Ohoho. So you want to watch me work first hand? That‘s quite the request if I may say so.“ Jay quickly began thinking, the gears in his head turning in order to come to a conclusion to this unusual request. Sure he had given demonstrations before, but while working on Vlithra? Never has that happened and he doubted the tigress in the room next door would appreciate. Deciding on whether he should allow her to watch him work up close or to humbly decline what the little girl had asked for. There were a few things to consider here and first he wanted to know her motives.

“If I may ask, is there any particular reason?“ Jay leaned on the counter awaiting the girls response. Meanwhile Vlithra remains lying down in the other room. She couldn't care less at this point about anyone seeing her back, as she was getting more and more impatient. Something that also bothered Jay, but the respected master tattooist couldn't just let anyone witness first hand his working.

[Nishiki Showa]

"Nooo~pe." Popping the final syllable was a flair she'd never not add when in a good mood.

The air of the reception room shifted when Showa's hand came to rest along with the other around the cup. An aura of ease permeated from herself once she turned to face out the window. What blazed beneath her breast in rolling waves of fire roared over the breach... eyes looked past Jay; beholding the gentle daylight streaming in through the shop window. Showa saw far past the tops of Vale to the sun lazing so high up in the skies. A boundless horizon hanging beyond reach, but wonderfully still visible. Tangible. That was the thing she chased and received inspiration from. Such a pretty view it was. It was the one twin yellow orbs connected with another of similar quality before turning back to focus on the master tattoo artist.

"Hehehe. You're looking at a fangirl of the arts. Nothing else to it!" Tea threatened to spill out once the relatively calm moment was broken by Showa's own volition. Cheer brought on by a genuine enthusiasm for the craft and dedication. What kind of gal would she be if she didn't seize the opportunity when it presented itself? Off her rocker, that's what!

"Come on~. Pretty please ma'am? You don't have to be shy. From one gal to another, we've both got things we've already seen plenty of times! If it makes you feel any better, I can strip too!" Asking her mystery woman was the polite thing to do. Repeating it only made sense. Throwing in a deal like that? That was just her sterling customer relations skill! An artist had to get fair deals somehow and she'd been swimming with sharks out for blood ever since going independent. She knew the grind. Proper communication and confidence went a long way in making sure both parties were satisfied. Upselling just made Showa a bit happier was all~. Right now, for instance. Showa was looking to profit!

[Vlithra Qing Long]

At first the girls answer had left both Jay and Vlithra with doubt. It was made most evident by a raised eyebrow and a questioning “Hm?“ from the wise and experienced artist himself. Nobodies actions are never without a reason afterall.

“Now I see, a fan.“ So this girl wasn‘t just a fan… she was a huge fan and not only just that. Jay had a pretty good idea of what else this girl in front of her was. That gaze of hers as she turned to look outside was almost one of his own. Piercing the world as she saw it and looking past the visual and into the essence of artistry. To the tigress on the other hand, this rather active and almost jumpy behaviour of hers actually made sense now. She was still lying in wait in the other room though. It was‘t that Vlithra was opposed to someone seeing her backside or even more as a matter of fact, but more an invasion of the old mans privacy as a tattooist. She only had his best interest in mind when it came to his business.

Jay took another sip that was quickly interupted by the girls “offer“ to strip. He almost chocked on his tea as he coughed once to get the little bit of beverage out of his lung. “Now... there won‘t be a need for such drastic measures. There is no need for two half naked women in my shop now is there?“ He chuckled out, barely able to keep it serious. “What do you say?“ He turned to listen to Vlithra who only sighed in response at first.

“Look gramps, if it means I won‘t be stuck here for the rest of the day, you can go ahead and let her watch. I don‘t mind.“ Her fingers tapped the ground she was laying on in a fast rythm, her chin still resting on her hand. In the other room again, Jay now faced back to his visitor.

“Now that this is cleared up, here is a little rule for you to follow. No photos or videos. Observe my work with your own eyes alone.“ He raised a finger as he said so. “Besides, a digital recording of the real deal falls drastically in quality. A little tip from me, in case you ever want to use what you see here for your own purposes.“ Jay had established these rules not just to protect himself and his work, but there was some definitive truth to his words. A digital copy could never encapsulate the beauty of the original.

With that Jay took the two cups for him and Vlithra and went through the doorframe into the next room.

[Nishiki Showa]

"Not just a fan! This gal's been around the block and then some." The time was hot for strutting her stuff and more than a little ripe to fish for compliments by sharing her own works. It wasn't every day she could reel in a lauded and accomplished creative like Jay Qing Long sporting oh so similar fields. It felt like meeting a veteran peer and she totally vibed with the whole thing. Ok, she was straight up fangirling right now and that wasn't doing her any favors proving she was anything else. Get it together girl! You've got a star to wow with your own shine. Showa was probably taking a firehose to a water gun job, but dang it did she not have the urge to flaunt what she had!

'Pics! Fresh off the social!' Sure, not as good as taking in art in person with eyeballs, but that's why she copped the HD camera feature on her Scroll. Crisp quality worth every bit of lien~. Fixating on picking out the most choice of her posts, Showa missed out on the coughing fit Jay was suffering through. She'd forgotten about the ludicrous offer she'd made barely minutes before and was already moving the glowing screen of her Scroll closer to his face. On it was a selection of her recent works, all done in varying colors and compositions, but all clearly oil paints applied by an expert hand.

Then that sweet, sweet answer rang clear as ray from beyond the wall. And how riling it was to hear.

" 'Preciate it, sister!"

Woohoo! Bagged the score of the century! The fist pump Showa fired off showed just how hyped she was for the opportunity she'd snapped up with the old dragon's approval alongside the mystery woman's. Well, she wouldn't stay a mystery for long. Not when Showa would soon be getting a peek under the hood, hehe. What tapestry was scrawled there and what was yet to be? Come on, it was going to be lit, no doubts or what-ifs about it! Sprinting past the divider to the heart of the workshop was, admittedly, what Showa wanted to do. Like, she would have been gone pronto. Little thing called manners kept her from jumping the stream to that next step of the impromptu tour. Showa spent enough time in his side of the gallery to know not to act like she owned the place when she'd only just gotten an invite in. Her feet got the memo, but still couldn't settle for anything less than being locked into a rapid run in place that spun her around in a flurrying swirl of black and white splashed with all over. It was where Jay made that comment about no recording that the three-tone tornado stopped in its skate-heeled tracks.

"On my honor as a fellow artist and my respect, I promise; no photos." Showa even crossed her heart while her other hand was palm out in oath as she said that. His studio, his rules. Simple enough, but gospel. Her eyes were all the feed she'd need. There wouldn't be an inch left unseen! All that squared away, Showa happily bounced behind Jay following him deeper inside. Even through the solid separation keeping her from the other girl in waiting made sure they couldn't see each other, Showa's smile could practically be heard cutting through.

"Pardon the intrusion~."

[Vlithra Qing Long]

“Oh?“ Jays reaction wasn‘t anything too dramatic, but certainly a bit more surprised than one might have expected from the old timer. As he looked at the pictures that were presented to him he closed in a bit to exmaine the digital fotos as best as he could. While he had already stated that digital copies of the original dropped in quality, here he could clearly see that kid was an expert in her work. Must have been because of high tech equipment used to capture the image, it certainly helped retain the most definite qualities of the art. “From the looks of it… oil paint… powerful colors applied by steady hand. They‘d be more vibrant if I could see it in person of course…“ He closed his eyes shortly to imagine the painting in its real glory, only to not quite grasp its look with his imagination alone. He gave a quick approving nod at Nishikis promise. “…Hmm.“

He continued on through the doorframe into his “studio“. The room itsself seemed almost empty. An old traditional design with a wooden floor sorrounded by thicker moveable walls rather than the translucent wodden frame that seperated entrance from studio. One singular desk was there, filled with a variety of art utensils ranging from ink and feather to brushes and pencils. Next to the desk is an empty trash bin. No surprise as old Jay rarely has need for it. Vlithra‘s vest, shirt and jacket still were laying folded in the corner farthest from the entrance.

“Now now, don‘t move too much. The ink might have sunk in, but its still malleable in your skin.“ Vlithra had risen up from her laying position to sit on her knees. She had been laying so looong that she simply had to assume a different position for once. Her back was getting too stiff which only added to her grumpyness form being kept wiating. That had no time to linger though. After handing Vlithra the two cups of tea, old man Jay moved towards the sliding door in the far back. “I‘ll be back in a jiffy, got to fetch something really quick.“

Vlithra‘s response was silence, followed by her putting down the tea cups next to her and standing up to her full height to look at the newcomer. The girl was almost a head shorter than her and was slender in comparison. Despite the size, you would never miss this girl in a crowd though, what with the bright colors she was wearing and the rather energetic attitude. With her hands in the pockets of her pants Vlithra leaned forward bringing her head down to Nishiki‘s level, her face stern as ever. “You got a name, sister? I‘d rather not have an unknown walk around my uncles shop.“

“In case you are wondering, I‘m Vlithra. Niece to this old man and his part-time assistant.“ Vlithra explained with a tad bit of a grumpy undertone as she straightened her back again to stand at full height and held out her right hand for Nishiki to shake. She might not have been in the best of moods, but she had to show courtesy nonetheless. The girl was technically a visitor after all.

“He won‘t be long.“ The tigress quickly continued and knelt down to sit on her knees while she waited for Jay to come back. “He is probably getting his sample folder for later. I suggest you make yourself comfortable on the ground somewhere so that you can watch.“ She then took her tea and sipped from it calmly. Jay always did have a strict policy on seats in the studio.

[Nishiki Showa]

This… was… happening! If she wasn’t wearing heels, she’d have whipped out a twirl right then and there. Ooh, it was all so exciting! Hopefully she could hold the power button down long enough for her Scroll to shut off cause her hands weren’t going to stop shaking any time soon. Practically skipping through the doorway wasn’t helping any either. Heck, she’d barely managed to get a lid on it and shove her Scroll into her purse while not dropping it on the floor before the door slid out of the way to reveal the heart of a master’s den.

By the looks of things, this was a studio dripping with more than just ink and pigments. There was a warmth about the place only a well-worn tool or lived in space could have radiating from every corner. It was much different to the feel her own studios in the past felt, but had a similar vein in how “homey” they felt. She was way more used to warehouse style studios composed of synthetic materials in enclosed concrete walls and high set windows compared to this personal set up. It was a world of its own where every nook and cranny was bursting in one way or another with the artist’s character. Everything thing had a story to it no matter how insignificant the detail and it all added up to form a picture Showa was dying to take in all at once. Here, there, over there, and-did she miss that stain in the wood? What kind of piece did its siblings end up making? And-oolala~ That stunning specimen right in front of her deserved not a moment’s more of inattentiveness. This had to be the lass she’d spoken with before. And-yep! The old master confirmed it. Better not keep Miss Stripes waiting; gaping like fish as she was, hehe.

“Nishiki Showa! Pleasure to meet you! And what a pleasure it is to meet you~.”

They might have been in the middle of a touch up, but girl were they still a sight to see. Showa rare, if ever, was one for going over past work given her genre so getting to see the tiger faunus’ tattoos given new life was something she appreciated. Hm hm. Yep, there was a process happening here and the way the pigments faded on her pale skin was nothing short of beautiful. She could see there the new application popping out in brighter shades than over there.

Showa was definitely taking Vlithra’s offer to make herself comfortable; practically shoving her face into the young woman’s back taking in the myriad of details etched into the flesh rippling with every breath and move. Jay leaving the koi fish alone with the tiger was just the easing of restraint that let loose on Showa’s bold approach. She had zeroed in on Vlithra the moment she had rounded the corner into the studio proper, first zipping around the room and then falling like a tidal wave to level her fullest attention onto the half-naked patroness. A greeting for the person and then a greeting for what resided permanently on her back. The much smaller girl gliding across the floor to get a look from behind.