madimpossibledreamer

         Akiyama just...shows up, for year 4 of Ye Olde Miyamoto Family Christmas. She doesn’t treat it like it’s strange, she doesn’t even comment on the fact she’s here, she just treats it like it’s normal. That’s probably the best approach, honestly, because that’s how half the things in Miyamoto-gumi happen, so while it briefly puts everyone on edge (some more than others), it’s quickly forgotten in the hustle and bustle of getting ready.
         Inoue nearly starts a fight with the Matriarch over the honor of cookie baking, until the Matriarch offers to serve as sous chef, and suddenly everyone’s treating the lieutenant of a different Family bossing around a Matriarch like that’s normal, too.
         She also begins a new ancient custom, and that would be Christmas Movie Night. Your average foreign Hallmark movie would probably result in someone getting stabbed, which is why it’s really intelligent that absolutely none of the movies as far as an internet research frenzy can tell even exist. She doesn’t bother to explain that, either, but that’s why it’s perfect for the Miyamoto, and she actually may or may not be seen smiling now and then. It always features at least one version of the Christmas Carol, and somehow despite there being at least fifteen different versions that actually exist, it’s always a new one. That doesn’t.
         The discussions are heated, but the only casualties there are those getting verbally eviscerated, so the Healers loudly declare them a runaway success.

         It’s long before actual Christmas that Miyamoto gets the warning that her little experiment has expanded more than just a little, for Year Three of the Totally Ancient Annual Christmas Shindig, est. 2019. (So the math doesn’t add up. What do you want from her? They’re not the bloody accountants, they’re the ones that actually go out there and get shit done, and Hayama ain’t said anything to her directly ‘bout it.) The Chairwoman just sidles up to her after a meeting, and she’s almost getting used to the whole ‘being on speaking terms with the Chairwoman of the Amaya-kai’ thing. “So, uh. What’s with the entire store of decorations on your HQ?”
         She seems to appreciate it when Suna responds in kind, so she’s casual as she replies, puffing out her chest with a hyena’s grin. “The Americans have a sayin’, ‘go big or go home’. Well, we’re already home, so we ain’t got a choice, we gotta go big.”
         Natsukawa-sama snorts. “I see.” She pauses and then adds, “Try to act surprised, but your lieutenant might have some competition and you may or may not be seeing the results next meeting.”
         If anything, the grin grows. Maybe a little demented, but what’re friends for, times like these? “Might even sweeten Hattori’s attitude.”
         The Chairwoman sighs. “One can hope.”

Generally, Miyamoto hates doing her makeup.  She doesn't like the feeling on her face or having to sit still.  Sometimes she will for formal occasions.  Most likely she asked Cordy to do instead (and also maybe her hair).  Generally, she doesn't like wearing actual armor, either, but the silver and gold she finds fun, and given her sense of humor she'd absolutely show up in a suit of armor rather than an actual suit.  I really like how confident she looks in this one.

Posting from new computer!  it's not fully set up yet, but it's still exciting.  Unfortunately it also defaulted to the wrong time zone, so I am running late /runs in circles
This is the Halloween costume, where Miyamoto decided to go with a Valkyrie armor look.  (In Bloody Petals, she'd probably like the aesthetics of armor, but the bulkiness of most armor would tick her off.)

This isn't perfect, obviously; the tattoo glow is the wrong color (it should be green), and there should be more full-body glow.  As of now as far as I'm aware the color can't be changed in City of Heroes.  That being said there's a bit of a spectrum of how much power you're drawing from the youkai (and therefore how much your tattoo is glowing) and it's not exactly as cut and dry as 'invoke' or 'drawing on', though those are the two named distinctions.  There's even more given the wide power range between chinpira and the Chairwoman.  There's more glow here than there would be for simply drawing on the irezumi, but it's also not full-body animal features overlay glow, which is the point at which you should if you were at all questioning it duck and run for cover.  Particularly if it's a Matriarch.  Particularly if she brought her bat.  (honestly you probably should do that long before that, but.  Some people like a challenge.)

Cordy absolutely does not have the baton twirling past in this AU, but I figure she's still probably pretty good with a staff with some training.  She's also using aura manipulation (kind of).

Cast of Characters (listed the Japanese way of surname first): Inoue Yuu (Andrew), Captain of the Miyamoto-gumi, a direct subsidiary of the Amaya-kai
Amaya-kai-yakuza clan most of the main cast is in
Miyamoto Suna, Matriarch of the Miyamoto-gumi, a direct subsidiary of the Amaya-kai
Hayama Nijiha, Captain of the Miyamoto-gumi, a direct subsidiary of the Amaya-kai
Miyamoto Cordelia, Ani-san of the Miyamoto-gumi, a direct subsidiary of the Amaya-kai

Author's Notes: In this universe, Japan is run by the women. Traditionally feminine stuff is now masculine and vice versa.  Women's fashion is still a thing, but mostly a 'dress to kill' thing like the yakuza wearing suits.  Cordy's definitely starting to get more comfortable in her status in this one.
Terms: For once this is all pretty straightforward.
More author's notes: background notes

Main Points:
Buffy/Yakuza AU (Bloody Petals)
Chapter Summary: Some Families you just don't mess with.
Word Count: 640
Rating: Teen
Warning: brief sexism