the ant queen

"If you eat dirt, I'll give you a lollipop!" [Hiyoko Saionji RP blog associated with Rule of Hopes Peak! Tracking the tag danceofpoverty.]

[danceofpoverty-blog]

{ I'm a Blonde, so Excuse Me | fiery-photographer }

[fiery-photographer]

She was pretty concerned with getting to bed. But somehow, she felt equally as concerned making sure that this girl didn’t wander off into a troublesome situation. Her guilty conscience would nag at her forever if this were the first night this girl got caught. And it’d be her fault if she didn’t try to do something. That wasn’t something she wanted live with…

A yawn managed to escape her lips— she tilted her head back a little and held her hand up to cover it as sleepy tears sprung at the corners of her eyes. By the time she wiped at them, she noticed that the tiny blonde had left her side and was peaking in the door of the kitchen. So instead of angling her gaze back down at the floorboards that squeaked and protested beneath her feet, she watched the pigtailed girl carefully. 

At first, she was just silent. Tired. And knowing that somehow, this was more than she could handle. Her shoulders sunk a little, feeling as though all the good advice she’d just spent a few minutes giving out had been tossed aside dismissively. As though the things she had to say weren’t important at all. She closed her eyes and took a breath, attempting to prepare herself for the challenge she was going to be faced with. 

"You weren’t listening to me earlier when I said that dilly dallying and being up and about past this hour would get us into a lot of trouble, eh?” A little bite in her voice, but it was soft enough to accompany the sigh that followed. She shook her head and clicked her tongue, arms crossing underneath her chest. “This isn’t a good idea. Why don’t we go to bed… There’ll be plenty of time to visit the kitchen and grab some candy in the morning, right?”

Please be rational. Please… Please… But now, looking at the girl’s wide set of orangish eyes, she could tell that she was going to be very persistent until she got what she wanted. And of course, Mahiru’s guilty conscience wasn’t going to let them go their separate ways that easily. 

[danceofpoverty-blog]

Hiyoko slowly opened the creaky door, slowly, so as though not to cause too much noise and alert anyone asleep of her presence. It was a bit difficult, though after a few weeks of practice, she'd manage to hone the skill so that she made as little noise as possible. The door opened with ease, and she quickly took a peek inside to make sure it was completely empty, and there were no stragglers from dinner. Thankfully, though, it seemed as though it were empty.

She turned back towards the girl when she heard a yawn and frowned. How could she be tired when she had just invited her on a candy spree? And there she went on again, about getting intro trouble. But she'd done this many times before, and not once had she gotten caught. There had never been repercussions before, so why would there be any now? Instead of thinking about it anymore, she replaced her frown with a grin, and motioned for her to follow through the door.

After that, she didn't look back to see if Mahiru was still following. She simply turned into the kitchen, approached a counter top with a shelf above it, and looked for her usual stool. Of course, it was where she always hid it--behind the kitchen cupboard. It involved her having to drag the large cupboard a bit out in order to retrieve it, resulting in a bit of wood scratching against wood, though she swiftly pulled it out before she made anymore noise.

Struggling a bit, she managed to reach up into the shelf, grabbing handfuls of candy out of a small bowl in the far back--mostly wrapped hard candies, though there were a few small packs of gummies that she hid under her kimono.

"...Well? Are you just gonna stand there? Come on, take some candy for yourself!" She whispered, now having to stretch even further to reach the back of the shelf. It was a chore, but she certainly wasn't going to ask the redhead for help. 

[danceofpoverty-blog]

{ I'm a Blonde, so Excuse Me | fiery-photographer }

[fiery-photographer]

"Eh?" Mahiru’s olive set of eyes went a bit wide and incredulous at being accused of rudeness. She tilted her gaze down at her feet for a moment as she attempted to recover before turning to look at the smaller blonde— who’d somehow moved around her. She looked over again and rubbed the back of her neck when she realized the girl was now at her other side. "I’m sorry… I didn’t intend to be rude. I’m just tired. But that’s hardly an excuse." Rudeness was the very trait she seemed to lecture about all the time. She didn’t expect to be accused of it right then and there. 

The redhead gave a light sigh at her next comment. “Yeah, sure.” She couldn’t help being a little sarcastic. This girl was really something, wasn’t she? There was something about her, though, that sort of worried Mahiru. She seemed to be the type that’d play with fire, was the main thing. People who didn’t know how things worked tended to get it the hardest… she herself had a few painful experiences to recall. Whenever she spoke her mind or outright refused something ridicules, they’d concoct some sort of torture for her. Now she just kept her head down and got by with her chores… did everything she needed to do very calculatedly. 

“Look… if you make a scene around here— unless you’re a red or blue aristocrat— you’re bound to get punished. Tormented, embarrassed…” She mentioned as evenly as she could, despite how much her blood was boiling at the words she was saying. Normally, she’d say the opposite. She’d agree and say that a girl needed to defend herself when the time was right. But here… that didn’t quite apply. As much as she hated to sound like she was just a goody-two shoes about rules, she wanted to somehow get it through this girl’s head so she wouldn’t get herself into too much trouble before she realized just how things worked around there… “I don’t want to sound like a broken record… But I tried to ‘be myself’ and it didn’t work out… You just need to be really careful around here. They can be relentless and I don’t want to see you getting hurt.” 

[danceofpoverty-blog]

Walking with a light beat to her step, Hiyoko placed herself between Mahiru and the wall, hands behind her back and fingers intertwined as though she were a saving grace. Though one could mistake her own cuteness for politeness; it was quite possibly the only barrier between her and a harsh punishment. Perhaps it was also because, either due to her luck or her wits, she had yet to run into a blue or red aristocrat. 

It seemed as though her comment had caught the girl off-guard. Was she daydreaming or something? It continued to irritate her, how she seemed more interested in the floor than Hiyoko. But she was determined to catch her full attention, one way or another. And yet, she continued to go on and on about being careful, something she must have obviously learned the hard way. It seemed as though Mahiru was holding back, both her tongue and her mind. There was more to her than Hiyoko knew, and when she realized this, she made it a goal to figure her out.

Then, she said something interesting. She didn't want to see her get hurt? Why would a complete stranger care about her safety? It boggled her mind and, for a moment, the blonde remained silent. The only answer was that she was manipulating her--well, Hiyoko wasn't about to lose this manipulation war. "Pfbt, if I were you, I'd worry more about getting yourself to bed than me."

The conversation bored her now. She didn't want to keep talking about the same things over and over again, especially to some weird stranger she'd just met. Hiyoko noticed a door up ahead and, without warning, quickly ran off towards it, peeking through the keyhole to see what was on the other side. Though there was no need, she'd recognized the door before on her countless late-night walks for a midnight snack. She'd never had someone else with her, however, and she was worried that the girl might rat her out to some of the higher ups. But she eventually came to the conclusion that she wouldn't; Mahiru seemed too... what was it, protective of her? She could possibly use that to her advantage.

"Hey, you think there's any leftover candy in the kitchen?" Hiyoko grinned without looking back at the girl, as though she were planning the perfect raid. "If you help me get some, I'll pay you back with 2% of the shares!"

[danceofpoverty-blog]

{ I'm a Blonde, so Excuse Me | fiery-photographer }

[fiery-photographer]

Mahiru wore a somewhat interested expression as the girl accepted her proposal, eyebrows raising just a little. However, the thing that immediately managed to get under her skin was the quick invasion of her space— she stood a little closer than the average stranger would. That… And the words that were coming out of her mouth as well. Was it her tone? Or the words she was saying altogether? She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, avoiding eye contact as she tiredly attempted to collect her thoughts. Not like the others, eh.

She stared through half lidded eyes at the floor, cheeks turning just a little red as she fought to keep her expression at least mildly neutral. “There are some incredible people here… I just try to go by unnoticed. It’s easier that way.” She mentioned, if a little bitterly towards the last part. She crossed her arms over her chest and closed her eyes as she gave a sigh. “As much as some of them need a good smack over the head— I can’t speak out of line anymore.” 

She adjusted her tie and moved to walk towards the dorms with the other girl, staring straight ahead. Already tired, something about the little blonde girl beside her made her feel somewhat overwhelmed. She looked back at her when she began speaking once again. 

"Eh? Well, I suppose that would depend on your standards, wouldn’t it? I’m just a photographer." She replied evenly, having recovered from her unease earlier. She brushed her fingers lightly against the camera that hung faithfully at her side, bopping against her hip lightly with each step she took. Mahiru dipped her head in acknowledgment at the introduction, finding it in her to at least give a little smile at this. "My name’s Mahiru Koizumi. It’s… nice to meet you, Hiyoko." 

[danceofpoverty-blog]

With bright eyes looking up and her feet shuffling ahead, HIyoko kept her focus on the girl walking next to her. She seemed...what was it, nervous? Shy? It was in her nature to tease her about it, or try to get her to open up a bit more. The redhead, however, was going out of her way to avoid eye contact with her. She pouted a bit at this, though didn't give up in trying to get her attention.

Hiyoko had ducked around to her other side, leaning forward in an attempt to take her attention off the floor and on her instead. It wasn't fun if you were talking to someone who wasn't looking at you, after all. 

"Hey, y'know, it's rude to talk to someone without looking at them!" Hiyoko half-scolded, wanting the girl's attention on her. It wasn't anything special, though--the blonde wanted attention from anyone and everyone. If she peaked interest in someone else, she expected said person to return the interest. It didn't seem as though this girl was, and she disliked that.

She introduced herself as Mahiru, and Hiyoko hopped a bit when she finally smiled. "I know, it must be nice meeting me, huh? Wish I could do that." A slight, almost devilish giggle escaped her lightly parted lips. 

Hiyoko noticed the faintest hint of blush against her pale skin; although it was dark, it was apparent due to the contrast of colors. "If someone's out of line, just put 'em in the corner for a bit! That always works for me. Make a scene, y'know? You don't have to be invisible, you just have to know when it's safe to be yourself!" 

Of course "be yourself" meant bossing those lower than her around. Though she wasn't that high on the hierarchy herself, Hiyoko found that at least pretending to be more than she was managed to get a few of the outcast orphans in this place to listen to her orders. Being bossed around wasn't something Hiyoko would let the higher-ups do, even if they caught her. The idea of being punished crossed her mind a few times, though as long as she acted sweet and innocent around the red aristocrats, she would be fine.

[danceofpoverty-blog]

{ I'm a Blonde, so Excuse Me | fiery-photographer }

[fiery-photographer]

Mahiru’s expression contorted into one of slight discomfort at the girl’s change in demeanor. The grin and her carefree, nonchalant words. She held herself with some admirable poise— but her words sounded somewhat vile. She pushed some of her hair back behind her ear, squeezing her eyes shut as she took a deep breath. 

She didn’t want to be the subject of a joke. She didn’t bother responding to the comment regarding her pale complexion— the curse of being a ginger most had told her— and sighed in response. The photographer was almost tired enough to let this girl go waltzing into trouble on her own— to find out the hard way, just like she did. Even still, though, she felt a twinge of guilt for even thinking such a thing. The protective, caring side of her was telling her to convince this girl not to go blindly wandering into the night and straight into the jaws of an unforgiving monster. Being denied meals, forced to do extra chores… and as far as the aristocracy went, tormented for the sick enjoyment and curiosity of people who felt like they were entitled to something. 

"I’m just saying… you need to be cautious. No one is going to just ‘screw off’ if they catch you." Her hands found her hips again— a gesture that tended to make her feel more confident as she spoke. "Trust me. It’d be better if you just walked back with me to the dorms." 

Then again, it seemed like it wouldn’t be easy to convince this girl to change her mind. Despite her small stature, she held herself with a certain amount of superiority. Mahiru adjusted her tie, fiddling to disguise her slight nervousness over the ordeal. She was already tired as it was… and she really didn’t want this girl to get into any trouble. 

"In the end, it’s your choice. You can do what you want to do. Honestly, I’m just looking out for your wellbeing here." 

[danceofpoverty-blog]

She furrowed her brows at the thought of walking back to the dorms. Sleep wasn't something she wanted at the moment, and she was so used to getting what she wanted that the thought of this girl denying her never even crossed her mind. Adjusting to this predicament of hers wasn't going to be easy, but she'd find a way to adapt. Perhaps there were still some people who were dumb enough to bend to her will.

It was like she was the queen of the playground. Well, she would be soon. For now, she still had to become its princess. And a princess needed loyal servants. With a bit of tweaking, she could possibly transform the girl before her into a servant herself. In order to do so, though, she'd have to play nice--and playing nice was not something Hiyoko was very good at.

"Aww... Sleep sounds so boring though! ...But I guess I'll walk back with you." Hiyoko paused, moving so that she stood next to the girl and possibly a bit closer than she needed to.

"You're not like the others, huh?" She made a gross face as the thought of those "higher-ups" crossed her mind. "I guess not everybody is a complete and total douche. And those who aren't are a freak! I mean, did you see that one mute guy? What a weirdo!" Turning towards the dorms, her shoes noisily tapped against the floorboards. If anyone would test the boundaries of this place, it was definitely HIyoko. A part of her wanted someone to come and find them,but this redhead seemed to mean serious business.

"Eh, but you're not a freak! At least, I hope you aren't... You're not lying to me about that, are you? There's punishment for lying, y'know." Turning back once more, she kept her arms crossed behind her back and said, "You want to know my name, right? I'm Hiyoko Saionji!"

[danceofpoverty-blog]

{ I'm a Blonde, so Excuse Me | fiery-photographer }

[fiery-photographer]

Sleeping anywhere other than the dorms was prohibited. Mahiru was never a rule breaker, really, but after having worked her fingers to the bone earlier— she found herself fast asleep at a table in the empty dining hall after finishing with the dishes. It was unintentional, of course, and thankfully she hadn’t been caught. But now she was out past the time everyone needed to be in their rooms, so there was still a chance that she could get into trouble. The last thing she needed were more penalties and chores. So she padded through the halls, each step calculatedly quiet. 

Just as she was about to think she would be okay, she heard footsteps. Okay… That didn’t mean she’d get in trouble, so long as it wasn’t someone who was going to rat her out. But approaching closer, the figure approaching gave a scream and yelled. Panicked, the redhead flinched and took a step back. When she registered the words and regained some of her confidence, she took a step forward so she was close enough to see the girl in front of her, settling her hands on her hips as her eyes narrowed slightly. 

"Hey, get ahold of yourself! I’m not a ghost!" She whispered just as loudly as a whisper could be. Her shoulders sunk defeatedly and she checked behind her, biting her lower lip. There were no reacting sounds… No doors opening, no footsteps yet. It seemed that they were in the clear… for right now. 

She sighed with relief, turning to face the smaller girl in front of her. The photographer’s eyes softened just slightly at the sight of the girl and she wrapped her arms around herself as though for comfort. “Look, I’m sorry if I frightened you. But we have to be careful or we’re both going to get in trouble.” She clicked her tongue distastefully. “They can be pretty harsh with their punishments around here.” 

[danceofpoverty-blog]

Hiyoko lowered her arms, a wide grin on her face, although it was probably hard to see due to the little amount of light. Her dirtied kimono flayed to the side with her swinging arms, crossed behind her back as she gave the most innocent smile she could. Sometimes the girl herself didn't know if she was playing around or not, and other times she knew exactly how to play her cards.

This girl was much taller than her and, with the dim lights, it was difficult to see. However, she could make out just the hint of freckles dotting her cheeks and nose and just how pale her skin was. Rocking on her feet to some inaudible tune, she poised to perfection, as expected of a dancer--her back was curved at the right angle, straight and tall, and her toes were pointed and her balance was perfect. She just couldn't sit still; she needed to go outside, run around a bit, and stomp on some ants.

"Bwa? You're not a ghost? Oh, you'll have to excuse me, your pale skin fooled me!" She pursed her lips, "But the freckles kinda give it away. What kind of ghost has freckles anyways?" Teasing aside, she flattened her feet, causing her to seem even shorter compared to the girl in front of her.

"Anyway, I was just going to go clobber some ants. It won't hurt anyone--besides the ants, of course! Who cares if some lame red head honcho comes around? They can screw right off for all I care."

The consequences of such words never dawned on her; she assumed she was safe in the dark of night, and quite obviously, this girl must've been no higher than blue. If she were to be caught though... well, she wasn't, right?

[danceofpoverty-blog]

{ I'm a Blonde, so Excuse Me | fiery-photographer }

Perhaps wandering about the halls at such an unseemly hour wasn't the best idea, but the dancer was too engrossed in skipping about the dark hallways to notice just how creepy the atmosphere truly was. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Nevertheless, she continued her seamless dancing down the hallway...despite the crawling of shadows on walls with the flickering of lights and the dim moonlight just beginning to peak in through the windows with a mix of sunlight; it was at that hour where most of the good little girls and boys were preparing to go to bed. Hiyoko, however, had other plans. She was just too full of energy to go to bed. How lame was it that she had such an early bed time... didn't having no parents mean no rules?

She found life in the orphanage cruelly boring. The only somewhat interesting part of the day was when she could go outside and step on the sunburst leaves, crushing red ants along with them. Though it was hardly a pastime, it did make the passing days fly by more quickly. Sometimes, she found herself dancing outside in the back, where no one could see or hear her. Even then, she still preferred to have a mirror in front of her when dancing. Because of her vanity? Or perhaps to make sure she doesn't screw something up? Dancing was the only connection she still had to her mother, after all.

Either way, she found herself nearing towards the main doors, and that was when she realized the darkness settling in. Her small dancing feet stopped on the floorboards when she heard another set of footsteps, causing her to stop dead in her tracks and turn around. Though it was difficult to see, squinting offered a somewhat better view, if one could even call it that. Sputtering as the figure continued to approach, she brought her arms up in defense and screamed:

"Gyaah! A ghost! Go on, go back to the underworld! Shoo!"

[danceofpoverty-blog]

Headcanons~

When she was playing in the garden once, she was swamred by a horde of ants. She stomped and crushed them, running to her mother in a fit of crying. Ever since, she's had a fear of ants.

Hiyoko loves candy. Any kind of candy or sweets. Gummies, cookies, lollipops, anything, really. If you give her a piece of candy, chances are she'll instantly grow attached to you.

One of her favorite games to play as a kid was jump rope. She'd always be one of the kids holding one end of the rope, and would sometimes deliberately stop swinging to make kids trip over the rope and fall onto the pavement.

[danceofpoverty-blog]

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