Bloody Petals

[madimpossibledreamer]

I was trying to write a different Christmas fic but it wasn't working. Then my brain went "hey the yakuza games are always set around Christmas" so... *BUT* there is a lot of backstory for this AU that I haven't shared yet, so I better get on that.
As for name of the 'verse, I can just see sakura petals with blood around them being a big 'yakuza' symbol--like, they look pretty, but they're deadly. This is a kind of genderbend in which Xander's the only one genderbent because otherwise he wouldn't be part of the yakuza in this universe. The females are in charge.

           It goes like this: at one point, there was a husband and wife who supposedly loved each other. However, when the time came, the husband proved he didn’t really love his wife, because love doesn’t care about outward but inward appearances. (This is the story of Izanagi and Izanami, only Izanagi's 'mistake' led to his having problems, not his wife.)  The pride of men was condemned. Women were placed in charge. Some were taught the technique to gain power from outside themselves, becoming samurai and Emperesses. The Yakuza take it to the extreme, using a magic ritual to bind a willing spirit to the magic irezumi. It loses most of its independence and personality, but it does influence the yakuza gaining it. The matriarchs get an upgrade and can talk directly to the chairwoman if necessary.

When it came to all the names, I did my best to match meaning. Some are a little more obvious than others.

Akiyama (autumn mountain) Yoko (willow child)-Obviously, Willow. While all yakuza in this universe know some magic, she's the one that specialized in it. And information. You need to know anything about anyone, Akiyama and her Akiyama-gumi are the people to ask. She's also a little bit cruel and greatly enjoys blackmail.

Maki (shepherd) Akiharu (bright rising sun)-Hey, look, it's Giles. He's still male, unlike Xander, and was the advisor to the last Natsukawa, though as he's male can't have a direct role.  In this particular Yakuza clan, Amaya-kai (heavenly valley), the Natsukawa have been the last two chairwomen (heads of the clan).  Rumors say that he might have been one of Natsukawa Kimiko-san's lovers.  While relegated to a background role due to his gender, he's still rumored to know a lot, particularly when it comes to magic, and it's rumored he even has illegal irezumi tied to a chaos spirit.  He's been given a lot of leeway compared to other males with ties to the clan which might have been part of what led to the rumors.  He continues to advise the next chairwoman, Natsukawa Renyo.

Natsukawa (summer river) Kimiko (lord child)-Joyce, who dies sometime during the "series" to start a whole succession arc.  She was a strong chairwoman and an average mother--good in some ways, bad in others.  She was certainly busy and helped protect her children, but that's not always an excuse.

Natsukawa Renyo (godsend bargain)-Buffy, who as expected is the most important person in this AU, as she is the Chairwoman.  She's survived a number of attempts on her life due to her strength and is vicious when it comes to dealing with her enemies.  She's serious about protecting those under her protection and keeping her promises.  Basically, she's a more vicious Kiryu--honorable, means well, but definitely yakuza.

Natsukawa Akeru (to dawn)-The delinquent little sister, Dawn, who ended up being the matriarch of the Natsukawa-gumi.  Forces tried to make her become chairwoman, but Akeru-chan didn't want any of it, particularly in the assassination attempts on her sister.  She prefers shoplifting and pickpocketing to actual organized crime, so the Natsukawa-gumi commiserate with the Miyamoto-gumi over their wayward matriarchs.

Miyamoto (palace origin) Suna (protect/obey summer or welfare)-Female Xander.  Just as offbeat as the Slayer's Mad Whelp version.  Miyamoto-gumi are the Majima-gumi thugs or the Eleventh Division of the Amaya-kai.  They accept everyone, as long as they show they can fight.  They're the enforcers.  Honorable, violent, and fiercely loyal to her chairwoman.  She's also as mercurial and violent as Majima.  She also is genderfluid and acts as a male overseas, sometimes for business and sometimes in clubs.

Inoue (above the well) Yuu (brave)-Andrew, Miyamoto's lieutenant.  Mostly, like Nishida, this involves running around a lot trying to fulfill the random whims of her matriarch.  Long-suffering, loyal, and strong.

Kumai (bear pit) Atae (godsend)-It's Jesse.  The Kumai-gumi are...problematic.  It's the Nishikiyama family, in this 'verse.  Ambitious, and willing to take on any dangerous or scummy job in order to move up in the Amaya-kai.


Cordelia also shows up.  She has the same backstory as Zed from Constantine/Hellblazer (she has important powers and is on the run from her cultist dad).  She flirts with Miyamoto when she's dressing male in one of the clubs, reading that "he's" powerful and might be able to keep her safe.  Suna-chan learns that she started out just trying to escape her situation but does find her attractive, and for Miyamoto it could be good PR ("a stabilizing force").  They both like each other but are using each other in this situation.  Anyway, in this version of Japan, the actual biological sex of each partner doesn't matter as long as both marrying stick to strict conservative roles--one acts as the meek, stay-at-home husband, while the other is the wife that's the head of household and more aggressive.  (It helps when women can choose magical pregnancies in order to continue the bloodline and can even probably speed up the process so as not to be put out of commission as long.)