Shinobu's tsuguko [the apothecary diaries x demon slayer]

9)

It was the day of the garden party, and as Lady Gyokuyou's ladies in waiting powdered her face, and clipped at her nails, Maomao silently pondered over how bad her stitching was. She really only learned how to sew when she was younger since she was too poor to afford new clothing, having to constantly stitch and repair her old and worn clothes. Despite this practice of vigorously stitching over and over again, she never was very good. Every time someone would say the phrase, "Practice makes perfect" to her, the apothecary would scoff and continue on to her herbal activities.

Maomao's stitching came loose for what seemed like the 100th time since she got them and had the impulse to just rip them all out and call it a day. It started as a little sharp pain, over and over, like a light jab to the stomach. But, the pain worsened and the humble apothecary considered tearing her eyes out of pain hoping that would quench it. Maomao decided on asking Shinobu for help later at the garden party, but the garden party is a whole different problem for her currently.

"Maomao! Wouldn't this lipstick look just darling on you?" Ailan purred while pulling out some shallow and expensive looking tin of lipstick. It was a shiny metallic circular tin, with a diameter of 2 inches. The lady in waiting already was dipping her finger in the creamy red lipstick, ready to apply while Maomao held back everything in her from kicking this woman so hard she hit the wall and bled out. She adopted a strained smile and pressed her lips together at just the thought of having lipstick applied to her lips which were fine as they are.

"Aw, come on Maomao! Just accept it, it is a very important event and I heard some very skilled swordsman will be there!" Lady Gyokuyou hummed while two of her other ladies in waiting helped her apply makeup and adjust her dress or hair. If Maomao had to admit it, she did enjoy putting on makeup as she remembered her sisters teaching her makeup tricks and ways to seduce someone with them at a young age. (Great role model skills..)

The apothecary turned looked in Lady Gyokuyou's expensive wall mirror, which was a gift from the emperor. It was perfectly clean, with no finger prints on it (from all of Maomao's gentle but affective scrubbing at the mirror) and a small gold rim around it with intricate carvings and swirls. A green haired beauty looked back at her, and she internally smirked at her makeup skills paying off, with a bit of help from Ailan. Jewelry that hung from her neck clinked as she extended her head and turned it with a light chitter.

They got ready for 30 more minutes, adjusting jewelry, slipping on clothing layers, and adding on more makeup. Maomao finished her lips with a flick of her wrist, closing the tin and sliding it back to Alian.

"Now, you guys will wear these hair pins to show you are my ladies in waiting."

Lady Gyokuyou gave each female a gold intricate hairpin with carvings that matched quite well with the aoqun hanfu, a light green top and a long, burgundy skirt they all wore. Even though there would seem to be a clash of color, the shades were just perfect and complimented each other nicely. Each article of clothing tightly clutched on to some parts of Maomao and others merely hung there like ornaments. They bowed to Lady Gyokuyou and quietly slid the smooth hairpin into their hair, each with a different way of putting their prized accessory on display, but discreetly.

They all tapped down the hallway with their short heels, following Lady Gyokuyou like she was the mother duckling and they were the babies. Wiggling their tails and eagerly waddling behind her, two paces back clearly showing the hierarchy of who is in charge. It was quite windy, and the wind swayed with them, dancing and twirling around the women, making their loose parts of garment and hair flow in the wind.

They walked towards a carriage and Lady Gyokuyou got into a quite extravagant one, with gold designs all over it. The carriage was all white, besides the gold and brown horses were at the front with ropes connecting them to the carriage. Gold swirled over the carriage with ease, around the golden leaves and next to the intricate golden horses, seemingly coming to life. Behind it was a beautiful pink carriage, matching their robes, connecting to the back of the white one.