Forging a Family

[madimpossibledreamer]

Cast of Characters (in order of appearance/mention): Miyamoto Suna (Xander), Matriarch of the Miyamoto-gumi/Miyamoto Family, a Direct Family of the Amaya-kai, (occasionally Sunao or Nao-kun as Miyamoto's genderfluid)
Akiyama Yoko (Willow), Matriarch of the Akiyama-gumi/Akiyama Family, a Direct Family of the Amaya-kai
Hattori Rinka (Snyder), Matriarch of the Kazami-gumi/Kazami Family, a Direct Family of the Amaya-kai
Amaya-kai, the Amaya Clan, the Yakuza Clan that a lot of them are in
Hisamatsu Ikemoto Akiho (Warren), Former Matriarch of the Hisamatsu-gumi/Hisamatsu Family, a formerly Direct Family of the Amaya-kai, dissolved after their own betrayal (and their subsidiary Families including the Kumai-gumi were likewise promoted or dissolved depending on their role in the betrayal)
Kumai Atae (Jesse), Former Matriarch of the Kumai-gumi/Kumai Family, a Direct Family of the Amaya-kai, replaced after the events of A Cup Overflows and Phoenix Spirit  (in essence, they betrayed the Amaya-kai, or at least the Chairwoman, just like the Hisamatsu)
Author's Notes: In this universe, Japan is run by the women.  Kansai-ben, the "more slangy" version of Japanese compared to Kanto-ben (spoken in Tokyo), makes an appearance again.  And it's fairly heavy in this one.  Seniority in the Yakuza is...highly complicated.  Doctors = real-world, healers = magic equivalent, both have their uses
More author's notes: background notes

Main Points:
Buffy/Yakuza AU (Bloody Petals)
Chapter Summary: Miyamoto has to pull together her Family.
Word Count: 640
Rating: Teen

 

          Miyamoto’s glad the ceremony to make her a Matriarch took so long.  After all, the length gives her time to think about what she’ll say to her new Family, though Akiyama laughs at her for looking up things frantically on her phone, and gets elbowed for the gesture like when they were children.  Suna doesn’t get the chance to apologize, as she’s expected to state her oath of loyalty, though she suspects Akiyama wouldn’t actually accept the apology.  She also doesn’t miss the dagger-look from Hattori.  Fine, she ain’t payin’ attention, so sue ‘er.  She’s still feelin’ floaty on account of the pain meds they’d put ‘er on.  She’d tried to argue she didn’t need any of it, but as usual, trying to disagree with docs or healers doesn’t seem to work too well.
          Akiyama’s less on board with the apologies, though.  Actually, they seem to disturb even the master of the unsettling, but whatever.  Honestly, that makes her weird.  Usually, no one would argue with respecting the chain of command, and sure, Akiyama doesn’t technically outrank her anymore, but she’s still been Matriarch for longer.  Whatever, it’s been a weird week, she can just deal with the fact Suna ain’t sure how to deal with any of it yet.  Maybe she can use that as her secret weapon.
          So, when she calls out all the members of her new family out to a parking lot, she knows they’re expecting a scrap.  And maybe that’s in the cards, but first, she’s got actual words to say.  She’s been Captain for a while, so she’s got some kinda authority, even if it ain’t exactly what she’ll need as Matriarch.
          “Bows like that’re ten shades ‘a pathetic!  Care ta try again?”
          They do.  And it’s at least a little better.  “Awright, you’ve proved ta me ya can try.  So ya ain’t just worthless punks.  Ya know who I am.  We got our own Family now, and we’re gonna make this our own thing.  I ain’t here ta be yer nanny, so I ain’t gonna look over yer shoulder.  This ain’t the Hisamatsu or the Kumai.  Ya’ve heard the other Families mouthin’ about how we’re cursed, yah?”
          Assorted, quiet but now audible, grumblings await that.
          “Well, let’s break this curse over their damn heads.  We’re done with backstabbin’ th’ ones who trusted us—an’ it’s on us ta slash, bash, an’ gash any gal who tries.”
          Actual cheers.  Still quiet, and a couple of sheepish looking yakuza putting down their hands after pumping them in the air.
          “So, if ya learned yer lesson, it’s that strength rules.  Well, I beat Kumai fair an’ square, lost a peeper in the process.  Even all hurt an’ shit, our Chairwoman managed ta beat ‘er.  But we ain’t lookin’ at this right—yeah, and fer ya in th’ back, I can still see that with only one workin’ eye.”  Snickers.  They’re starting to relax.
          “There’s more ‘n one kinda strength.  Th’ strength ta carry on an’ live yer own life, when all yer aneki’re makin’ fun ‘a ya.  Th’ kind ta stay loyal, when th’ devil’s own temptations prance outside ‘a yer window.  Th’ choice ta be the support, not in th’ spotlight.  We gotta get strong in all the ways, get our name out there.  We gotta show ‘em the Miyamoto-gumi are worth th’ chance they’re takin’, bettin’ on us.  That we got what it takes ta be one ‘a th’ best.”
          Now there’s the enthusiastic applause she was looking for.
          “An’ in the meantime, let’s get ta know each otha th’ best way we know how.  Get ready fer sparrin’!”  Her smile grows in a haiena’s grin, and the bloodthirsty cheers as they all get ready say she’s gonna have a lot of exhausted, happy, and significantly less rowdy Family members, ‘cludin’ her.  Mission successful.