A Cat's Tale
By: Jane H.A.S. Doe
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Book One: Born to Be Hated
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Yoruichi was born in shame.
Her father was Shihouin Sachio, a middle-class merchant and married man, and her mother was a geisha, one who was twenty years younger than he.
The geisha's name was Mai. She'd lived and worked in the Osaka district, and, though not particularly skilled in the arts of music, dancing, and tea ceremonies, was widely sought after. She'd never fully achieved a proper accent, but the horridness of her voice contrasted awesomely with her physical beauty.
Mai had a perfectly oval face and rosebud lips, and had the delicate bone structure of a carefully shaped porcelain doll. She had a light, feathery laugh, and beautifully wide and cat-shaped brown eyes. Her teeth were perfectly straight and white, and when she smiled at you, she could relieve pain. Everyone who knew of the baby secretly hoped that the baby would take after its mother.
Sachio was handsome enough, with a wide jaw and good cheekbones, but there were certain traits about him that certainly weren't likable. His dark purple hair hung up in messy spikes that would never lay flat. One of his teeth was annoyingly pointy and crooked. His eyes were dark and beady. He spent all of his spare change on sake, and he was obnoxious and disloyal.
Sachio smacked at a particularly frustrating mosquito that was buzzing at his neck. He only managed to swat it away to rest on the low-rise coffee table.
Annoyed and partially angry, Sachio tried to hit it, this time with a lot more force. He swore as the mosquitoes flew away unscathed, while he was left with a madly throbbing hand.
Cradling his hurt hand, he leaned back in his chair, groaning. The day—heck, the year— had been extremely stressful, and the hand seemed minute in comparison. He'd been living with four different women, none of which seemed to like him very much. Mai refused to talk to him, let alone look him in the eye. Nurse Lady (that is what he had dubbed her, because for the life of him, he could not remember her name) made his food very salty on purpose.
It's not like Sachio wanted to be here. The discreet little building had only four rooms and an outhouse. The kitchen didn't have any windows or a chimney, so it was always smoky and dim. The floors were made of packed dirt. The mosquitoes ate them alive unless they nearly drowned themselves in tea tree oil, which had a very strong odor that could make your eyes water.
Who would want to be here?
However, the conditions couldn't be helped. The baby had to be born in secret. Nobody could know about it. This cottage was his punishment for his transgression.
But it was a matter of honor. Leaving a woman who was financially inept to care for a baby was disgraceful. He was going to have to wait until the baby was born, and then bring it with him to Kyoto. He'd explain everything to Maki, his wife. She'll have to except it. Women of status didn't leave their husbands. So they'll raise the child and pretend as if nothing had happened.
Sachio's shoulders slumped. He knew what he had to do. He knew he had to care for the illegitimate child. He knew it was his duty.
But really, did he have to be present at the birth?
He wasn't even there at his son's birth. And he was genuine. Births were just so…disgusting. And this one wasn't any better. Sachio wasn't even in the same room as Mai and the others and it was still horrible. Screams and moans and random people shouting "Push!". It was enough to make someone retch.
Which is why he kept a pail by his side. Just in case.
Sachio glanced at the door slyly, as if he were afraid someone would catch him. The sun was already gone beyond the horizon, he could tell how dark it was through the paper door. If he were to leave right now, the chances of them finding him were very slim. He thought about the pros and cons of leaving. So far he could think of a whole bunch of pros and one con: he won't see his child. But that, he was actually okay with.
So why wasn't he out the door?
Sachio jerked suddenly. Did I just here a baby crying? Sachio looked at the door. Now was his last chance. Come on, legs. Move. But, surprisingly, they didn't listen to him.
Sachio tapped his foot on the floor a bit impatiently. What was taking them so long? He knew they had to clean the baby up, but could they speed up? He had chosen to stay, and the least they could do was go faster so could get it over with.
Ten minutes went by. He had waited for the door to slide open, but it didn't happen. They were still in there.
Sachio raised his eyebrows. Someone in the other room was crying, and it wasn't the baby. The baby had stopped awhile ago. Sachio sighed and got up from his chair.
"Hello? I'm coming in." Sachio slid the door open without waiting for an answer. The crying in the room stopped as soon as he opened the door, and he walked into the room in silence.
Sachio wrinkled his nose and sniffed the air. It smelled of tea tree oil, make-up, babies, and something else Sachio couldn't put his finger on. He looked over at the bed, where Mai slept. The sheets covered her face, but that wasn't so weird. The sun was shining brightly outside, and the only way anyone could get any sleep was by covering their eyes to block some light.
But where was the baby?
Sachio looked around the room. The nurse and the midwife sat in one corner. Their foreheads were pressed against the dirt floor. Their mouths were moving quietly and quickly. They were praying, no doubt, for good health of the baby. Sschio turned to the table. Ai sat there, the baby in her arms. She was singing in the newborn baby's ear.
Move on through, move on through
What is this narrow pathway here?
It's the narrow pathway of the Tenjin shrine
Please allow me to pass through
Sachio moved closer and sat in the chair on the other side of the table. I've heard this song before, Sachio thought. I'm sure of it. But why is Ai singing it so slowly, so sadly?
Ai didn't acknowledge him. She just continued to sing and stroke the baby's face. Sachio expected that. Ai was only eleven years old, but she knew exactly what was going on and who Sachio was. To her, Sachio was a bad man. A very bad man. So, Sachio dipped his hand in a vase of water that sat on the table and twirled his finger idly. The flowers in vase were missing, but Sachio was only vaguely interested in where they went.
Those without good reason shall not pass
To celebrate this child's 7th birthday
I've come to dedicate my offering
It's all fine on the way but returning is scary
It's scary but
Move on through, move on through
Ai finished her song, but went on stroking the baby's face.
"Can I hold her?" Sachio asked, sounding childish.
Ai stopped moving. Then she slowly (very slowly, Sachio noted) turned her head to face Sachio. Her eyes were puffy and red. Her face was wet with tears.
So here's our mystery crier.
Aloud, Sachio asked, "What's wrong?"
Ai tried to ignore him. She began to sing a different song.
Goodbye, my love, it has been really fun
Though your life is over, you remain in my heart
Please, do not forget you six coins
And I will see you when I depart as well
Sachio realized the tune was a funeral march. She wasn't singing to the baby. She was staring directly at Sachio, a grim look on her face. It was as if this song was supposed to answer his question.
"Someone died?"
Ai nodded. She didn't say anything, though. Talking about it would only make her cry again.
Sachio looked around the room again. His gaze fell on Mai, sleeping peacefully under the sheets. At least, he thought she was sleeping.
"Who?" Sachio asked, though he was pretty sure he didn't need to. Ai threw her head into her hands and began to sob uncontrollably. The baby sat in Ai's lab, sucking her thumb. Her eyes were wide, and it looked as if she were going to cry too.
Sachio crossed the room toward Mai's bed slowly. He gulped, trying to get the lump out of his throat. He removed the sheets covering Mai's face.
Mai's face was painted white. Ai had meticulously combed her hair into a formal hairdo. Her lips were painted red. Red powder was dusted over each of her closed eyes. The stench he had smelled when had arrived was stronger over Mai's bed.
The smell Sachio couldn't identify earlier? It was death. A stale smell. It was a mixture of blood, tears, and sorrow. Sachio sighed sadly, because he was sure now that Mai wasn't sleeping.
"What happened?" Sachio called across the room. He refused to let his voice crack or tears roll down his cheek. He moved the sheets downwards more. She was wearing a red dress, the only kimono she owned. On her chest lay three white chrysanthemums, the missing flowers from the vase.
"This baby…" Ai said, hardly above a whisper. She closed her eyes to keep from crying.
"That baby is a demon!" Nurse Lady called out from the floor. "She murdered her own mother!"
Sachio jumped a little. He had forgotten the nurse and the midwife were there.
"Izanami, what could she have done? What could we do so that we don't suffer the same fate? Oh, Great Divine, please don't kill us," the midwife prayed quietly. Her eyes were open, but they were glazed over and cloudy. She was swaying slightly from side to side as if she were
"The baby does not deserve to live!" Ai's face turned to a look of anguish at Nurse Lady's comment, but she said nothing.
"Excuse me?" Sachio said through gritted teeth. No one talked about his family. "Did I ask what you thought the baby deserved? Did I pay for your opinion? No, I believe not. I paid you to birth the child. But you couldn't even do that right. You are letting a child care for my baby? You don't deserve your payment! But you got it anyway, didn't you?" Sachio clenched his fist. He walked over to Ai and took the baby off of her lap. "This baby may not deserve to live, but she's going to anyway!"
"You're making a mistake! That baby will bring you nothing but bad luck. It's cursed!"
"Well, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but go away! I still haven't asked for your advice and I'm sure I won't ask for it in the future! Therefore, your services are not needed any longer and I'll have to ask you to leave!" Sachio pointed a finger at the midwife. "You too! And, Ai, if you are not willing to protect and care for your niece, if you are going to blame her for Mai's death, then you can leave as well."
Ai shook her head. "I ain't goin' nowhere!"
"Well, we are! Come on, Chiyo!" Nurse Lady shouted. The midwife (Chiyo, Sachio now knew, though he didn't really care) followed Nurse Lady out of the room without a backwards glance.
"Oh, Mai, dear Mai!" Ai wailed, slumping in her seat. "Why?"
Sorrowfully, Ai pulled a tied up handkerchief from her sash. She untied it and pulled out six coins, which was the majority of the coins. She placed the copper coins in Mai's hands and clasped the dead girl's cold, dainty fingers around them. She needed six coins to cross the Sanzu River, the River of Three Hells. Sachio stared down at the newborn baby, and the baby stared back. The baby was wrapped in a thin blanket
"So, you've cleaned her?" Sachio asked. Ai nodded tearfully. She gestured toward a tub full of bloody water with her head still on the table. Sachio made a face; he felt his stomach lurch. He was and always will be squeamish of blood.
"What have you named her?"
"I've named her nothin'. I've saved that for you," Ai mumbled.
"Thanks," Sachio said almost sarcastically. He was never good with words. And that was all a name was: words. He considered naming her Maiko. But, he was sure Maki wouldn't appreciate that. Makiko, then? No, that would be a lie.
What am I talking about? Everything this child will know will be a lie. He was not planning on telling the child and Maki probably wouldn't either. Maki would…Maki would do everything in her power to make this baby miserable. Maki was a vengeful person. When Sachio tells her what happened, she'll probably want to show Mai a piece of her mind. Then she'll find out Mai was dead and she'll do the next best thing, torture Mai's child. This poor child will have the worse life imaginable, and she won't even know why.
"Have you named her yet?"
Sachio snapped out of his thoughts. "Hmm? Oh, no, I haven't."
Sachio rolled his eyes and looked out the window. Watching birds usually helped him think. But if there were birds out there, he couldn't tell. He had forgotten it was the middle of the night.
The night… Sachio had finally decided what to name the newborn.
It wasn't going to be creative. What would you expect from Sachio? He named his first son "first son". Really. How original.
The baby smiled up at Sachio. Her eyes were big, bright and innocent. Her name was perfect! What better name for a child with the moon in her eyes?
Happy birthday, Yoruichi, my night one.
And that my Yoruichi's Birthday fic. I was trying to make it a oneshot, but I just got so many ideas about the life Yoruichi might have had that it... it became another chapter book. That is, if I get a good response to this chapter. So review!