New trade, and a Bargain.
AnnEdyth
"After we left Kyo, I couldn't find my Biwa!" Neko mourned.
"My tachi and flute were missing too," Inu said.
"I know. You complained for eight miles about that. And you never really repeated yourself. I was impressed."
The next place we stopped at was Itise. It's a trading town - very big and busy. You'd think there'd be lots of jobs in a place like that. Right?
Inu said, with bitter humor, "The thing was, the only job we heard about, or got offered…"
Neko continued the sentence: "…the Prostitutes' Guild. It just went on. Finally we did something drastic.
In an Itisean alley, by a large pile of refuse, Inu picked up some garbage and rubbed it on her robe. "You sure of this?" Neko asked.
Inu's nose wrinkled. "Nobody's going to hire women who smell like a midden heap," she said, "not around here." It seemed to work: the only person who noticed us, and didn't tell us "out of the way" was a big red Tsudgami - what some people call a 'machine samurai.' Tall one, with red hair. All he did was nod.
Then we heard, the two of us, a man's panicked voice saying, "get back!"
We were antsy, or maybe bored, so we went toward the noises and saw a man gripping a large wrench. One of his attackers was down, and the next got a blow that broke his wrist. There were still too many left. "Oh, Kiku, I wish you were here," the man said.
It didn't look good for him until we joined the fray. Our naginata and spear struck from behind.
I am Bako. I held the spear. I'm short, and prefer to wound or disable. Inu has the naginata. She was competent, and did like to kill. The man's attackers thought their lives worth more than money, and left.
oOo
The man's name turned out to be Mosmonai, He looked up, beyond us, and saw Kiku. The machine samurai waved, then was spirit again, invisible.
Mosmonai pinched his nose, then came to greet us. "You came in time, for me." His voice was high and a bit rough. You could tell the trade he followed. His mechanic's vest was carrying all his tools, except for the wrench in his hand.
"Glad to help," Neko said, pulling her hair back. Red blood splashed white hair.
"Best work we've found since we've come here, I'll say." Inu wiped her face with a sleeve and grimaced. "This seems to be too filthy even for me!" she said!
The old man smiled, and said "You both could use a bath and laundry, couldn't you?!"
We bowed," I am Inu, and this is my sister,' I said.
"Bako," she said.
"I am Mosmonai . I'm a mechanic," the man said. He waved an arm over the dead and out-of-it attackers. "You do good work!" Then, "Ever decide to be bodyguards? I could use some."
The two of us shared a grin."Will our pay include a bath?"
Mosmonai pinched his nose. "Oh yes, I insist."
We both bowed. "We accept," we said.
oOo
Up to our waists in a wooden tub of hot water, already scrubbed, we sisters leaned back. "This is the life," eh? We smiled at one another.
From outside, the sounds of laundry being beaten drift in, along with the cry. "More ammonia! More bleach! " We could hear the washerwomen asking "What did they DO? Fight right in the middens?"
Another said, with heartfelt emotion, "Yeah, but at least this is hemp! Remember, those silks?' There was laughter.
Inu looked right at her sister. 'You seem awfully thoughtful, Bako. What's on your mind?"
Bako answered. '"The changes of fortune, sis, that's all." She ran a hand over her leg and sighed. "I'm just waiting for another shoe to drop." She began to tie her hair up. "I was worried. Long before Itise, long before the capitol burned, I was worried. About the future….." It was one way of forgetting about the past.
oOo
In the Nuns' dormitory we talked about the lessons, about each other, and mostlym after dark, we'd talk softly about the legends and stories we get homesick at night – at least we did.
The Seven Samurai of Kanna. Some folks (including at least one teacher) believed they were sent by the Gods and Buddha to save that village. Others say they were Gods!
Now, I'd heard that the 'Seven Protectors of Kanna Village' became Gods. That they watch over us, especially the helpless, those in need. I'd also heard, if you go out under the moon, on certain nights, and open your mouth, the Gods dump sake down your throat.
Bako perfected her skills at cooking at the Monastery. She would have made a very good cook. She'd have made a poor to lousy pious nun, of them were not saints That was okay with us: saints are hard to please.
oOo
Bako looked up. Great, now Sis is thoughtful. When sis gets thoughtful, she gets morose. Her mouth goes thin and her eyes hood. She stares like she's seeing something a long way off. And it' s scary. The only thing scarier is her 'Hell dreams" I won't even think of those.
Bako got out of the tub. "I'm done soaking. How about you sis?" she asked
Inu shook her head and sniffed. "Eh! Sounds like our laundry's done. "
Bako grinned. "It smells lots better, too!"
Inu got up. Brooding and crying, she thought, were for people with time, and tears. We have an appointment to keep. "Let's go see Master Mosmonai."
"After we dress, sis?" Bako said humorously Sis Cackled like a hen.
"Best to!" Inu said." Then we went to get our clothes.