The Butterfly Clan 🦋✨

Oh my gosh look it’s young (likely between the ages of 16 and 18) mantis and his elder brothers—

From left to right and their approximate ages: Ito Hiroto “Leafwing” (around 22 here, a highly respected geisha though seen as the least pretty of his brothers due to being slightly pudgier than them), Ito Hiroshi “Swallowtail” (around 25/26 here, a very highly acclaimed and respected oiran to multiple aristocrats, considered the most loved courtesan of his time), and Ito Hiroki “Glasswing” (around 16/17 here, originally a very sought after maiko/geisha in training before chrysalis swept him off his hooves and he ran off with her, changing his second name to Mantis in order to forget his past and clan)

So an idea I had for their family is that they’re from an extremely high class and very ancient family, often being given names relating to butterflies as a sign of being within their clan. Daughters of the butterfly clan are famed for becoming legendary samurais and warriors while the sons are often famous entertainers and/or courtesans for aristocrats and royalty.

Oh PS I started basing changeling makeup (specifically when they’re Japanese, Chinese, etc based) off of reformed changelings so that’s why they’re so colorful. And I think of them painting their face white as a symbol of an oiran rank, as it’s how they picture their ancient deity of the sun, with a white complexion to go with their shining golden mane and eyes.

Comments

[Melody Song]

Ooh, they look so pretty! And cool backstories!

[BezierBallad]

One can only wonder how many individuals mistake them for actual women lol

[Musical_Trash]

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Fortunately for them females (at this point at least, mantis is a much older and hardened guy in present time) would never be caught dead in this type of makeup as it’s reserved only for males and the few females that worked as taikomochi (irl it’s the male version of a geisha) or as a courtesan but even that was quite rare at the time
Now if they were visited by Imperial Neighpon’s non-changeling ally’s or tourists that’s an entirely different story a lot of flirting with the quiet entertainers (for example a geisha) just for the foreign guest to be caught very off guard by the geisha’s very obviously masculine (and unamused) voice is what commonly happens whenever foreigners visit

[BezierBallad]

5697138

Now if they were visited by Imperial Neighpon’s non-changeling ally’s or tourists that’s an entirely different story a lot of flirting with the quiet entertainers (for example a geisha) just for the foreign guest to be caught very off guard by the geisha’s very obviously masculine (and unamused) voice is what commonly happens whenever foreigners visit

Lmao, that’d be a sight to behold