Hello again! I'm very sorry it has taken me so long, but if you read my bio...eh, you'll know why! Anyway, here is the Thank-the-Reviewers-and-Answer-Their-Questions-If-They-Have-Any Section! (Note: Not in any particular order)
The Demon Sisters: Well, wait no more!
Lady Liliana: Everything is to be answered in due time, dear heart.
Chiako: Heh, heh. Thanks a bunch!
tHeInFaMoUsDuCkY: Well, it wouldn't hurt...But if you want to beta read we have to set something up first. Email me at darrkkatt yahoo . com .
Skittles the Sugar Fairy: Are you a control freak or something?
freakypersononsugarhigh: 1) Yes; 2) Yes, with a VENGENCE. You'll see...
Yavie Aeline: Wow...thank you very much!
FireFox639: Duh. Obvious answer. But thanks anyway!
dragonpurity: It is cool, ain't it?
cheerful-pinkstar: What do you think I'm doing right now?
There we have it, the great people who reviewed last chapter! (Lady L. reviewed in chapter 4 as well, but I'm not sure if I included her name)Please review. Oh, and by the way, I am looking for a beta reader for all my stories. So, if you are interested, send me an email! Now, onto the fic. Hope you like it!
BathHouse of Spirits Ch. 6: First Customer
'Where have I seen him before?' Cura asked himself as he bowed low to the demon. 'I know his name...it's on the tip of my tongue...Why can't I remember!'
"Now, good sir, what kind of bath would you like this evening?" Yubaba said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. Cura almost gagged as he rose out of his bow and looked up at the demon. "There are several wonderful accommodations for you. You may take a bath with another guest in the public bathing area, or you may choose to take a bath in the red sector."
The demon put a hand on his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully. "Red sector is what, if you don't mind me asking?" His voice was deep and had a slight edge to it. It was like a blunt edge of a knife, it could save you but get on the wrong side and it'll kill you in a swift motion.
Yubaba's grin faltered. This must not have been what she was expecting, Cura thought as he eyed his boss with curiosity. "The red sector, named because of the color of the walls, is our most expensive area. It has private baths for individuals or very small groups, ceilings and locking doors for privacy, and a personal servant for the whole duration of your stay. There is also the option of staying overnight in one of our rooms here." There was no trace of a smile, false or otherwise, on Yubaba's face now. Clearly the thought of a demon with privileges to stay overnight was not something she wanted.
The winged demon stopped stroking his chin and said, quite clearly, "I believe I will take that option and will stay here until I see fit to leave. I will pay at the end of every day in regards to courtesy, comfort and how well the worker works for me. Are we clear?"
"Yes, crystal. Come with me boy," she added in an undertone, grabbing Cura's sleeve and moving him to the far corner of the entrance hall. Yubaba made a motion to the demon signaling him to wait a moment, they will be done shortly. "You were staring at him the entire time!" she hissed when she felt that they were well out of earshot. "To be frank, I'm surprised he hasn't left yet! If you screw this up I will turn you into one of our slaughterhouse pigs or a piece of coal! If this demon pays by service and you mess this up, we'll get no money!
"Now, I want you to take him to the red sector like he requested. There is always at least one bath open there so take him to it. When you're there, help him into the bath and do whatever he says. Anything he tells you to do is law, got it? Cura swallowed and nodded under Yubaba's glare. She cleared her throat and continued, "Good. I'm sorry about that, sir." She painfully grabbed Cura's arm and dragged him back to the demon. Her voice was dripping with the false sweetness again. Cura held back yet another gag. "This boy is still getting used to things around here, so I decided to give him a quick pep talk. He swears he will make your stay as comfortable as possible."
The demon quirked an eyebrow at Yubaba's lie, which was as obvious as it was pathetic. And yet he said nothing and waited patiently for her to continue. Yubaba simply grinned up at the demon, as if hoping the lie was going to be accepted. Finally, after a moment of total, awkward silence, he threw up his hands in the air and said, "Is there anything else you want to say? If not, kindly let go of the worker so he can show me to my bath."
Yubaba's grip tightened painfully on Cura's arm before she let him go. "Go, boy. And I'm sure you'll do a good job." Cura had no idea if she could get her voice and sweeter, but she did. He used every ounce of self control not to puke. Yubaba turned and left on the nearest lift, still grinning in a menacing way.
Slowly, Cura turned and looked up at the demon. The demon, a good two feet taller than Cura at least, looked down at the worker. Cura gulped and started towards the curtains along the walls. He lifted a curtain to the right and revealed the path to the red sector. "This way, sir."
The demon nodded and followed Cura through the curtain. Behind this curtain was a long corridor with several branching, smaller hallways. After several moments of staying on the well-lit corridor, Cura took a sharp right. He could hear the demon following him, but said nothing. Cura kept his head down, staring at the ground and careful not to say anything that was not necessary. As they passed the foreman of the red sector's desk, which was very similar to the main foreman's desk, a voice called down to Cura.
"Hey! New kid!"
Cura paused and looked up at the tall desk where the twin of the main foreman was sitting. The frog was gesturing for him to come over.
"Um...e-excues me," Cura bowed apologetically to the demon and hurried over to the foreman's desk.
"Ok, ked, here's the deal. Orders straight from Yubaba herself. You're to give this demon the highest-quality water we can offer in this bathhouse." The foreman put a red slab of wood with a yellow star pattern on it into a basket and lowered it to Cura's level. "There is a small door hidden in the paneling to the right-side of every bath in this place. Open the door, attach this slab of wood and pull down hard. The order for water will go straight to Kumagi. the water itself will come from just above the small door. To get it running, pull the rope, got it?"
"Yes, sir." Cura reached into the basket and pulled out the slab. As he turned it over in his hands he wondered why the foreman was being so nice to him. Then again, Cura thought as he glanced out of the corners of his eyes, all the workers seem more polite and respectful than before. Where they scared of this demon for some reason?
"Oh, and kid?" Cura stopped thinking and looked up at the foreman. The foreman grinned widely and wickedly at him. "They say that a demon who is dissatisfied with service will eat those who wait on him." The foreman laughed wildly as Cura paled. Cura quickly turned and left the foreman, deciding not to let the man's words get to him, and returned to the waiting demon.
"S-sorry about that..." Cura began to apologize, but the demon held up a hand to stop him.
"Are they always like that? So mean to you?" the demon asked, his voice deep and smooth. Cura thought he saw genuine concern in the demon's eyes, but it might've been his imagination.
Cura wasn't sure how to respond. In an attempt to break some of the awkward silence he began to walk again towards the demon's bath. He was quiet for a long time, but the demon was not pushing him to speak. Finally, after passing a group of giggling slugs, Cura said, "Well, if you didn't know already, I'm new here. I still don't know what I'm doing. So, I beg your forgiveness if I mess up at any point in your service." They finally reached the proper bath and Cura let the demon in.
The bathing area was small and private, with a circular bath in the middle of the floor big enough for a fat frog or slug to sit comfortably. On the walls there were murals of legends and folk tales from feudal Japan. The one directly across from the sliding entry door told of a devious kitsune and his quest to be the greatest and most powerful being of all. Cura felt strangely drawn to the story but resisted the urge to sit down and stare at the mural. He reached into the folds of his shirt and grabbed the token he had shoved in there then walked to the right side of the room.
When he saw the mural on the right wall, Cura stopped short. This mural was of a great tree and its branches spread to all the other walls in the room. It look very familiar to him, and he put out a hand to touch it. He glided his fingers across the smooth paint and pushed down when he felt a slight bump. The hidden door sprang open, revealing a slide and a hanging clip suspended by a chord. Cura took the token, fastened it to the clip and pulled down as instructed. the token shot upward and disappeared from view. Now his only task was to wait for the water to come.
Cura turned and as he leaned back against the wall he saw the demon looking at him curiously. "What is it?" Cura asked, dumbfounded by the demon's behavior.
"Hmm...It might be nothing, but..."the demon sighed and sat on the rim of the bathtub. It was very quiet for a while, so quiet that Cura could hear the chatter and noise of the main hallway through the door. It amazed Cura how noisy this place was, yet inside the room it felt like a deserted island. The demon continued to be quiet, and, for lack of anything better to do, Cura shuffled his feet. That seemed to snap the demon out of his reverie. "Sorry," he mumbled.
"It's alright, I guess." Cura paused for a moment before adding, "Everyone has moments like those where they just space out. It's during those random moments that someone will think something's wrong with you and that person will just stare. Most likely thinking about committing you or, if they don't realize that you're alive, they might think you're a statue and steal you." Cura abruptly stopped and clamped a hand over him mouth, eyes very wide. He might've unknowingly offended the demon by saying too much. Nervously, he looked up and was surprised to find that the demon was smiling.
"If anyone thinks I'm a statue, then they must be the dumbest asshole in the whole universe. And I say that lightly." The demon paused before adding, "However, how can anyone argue with this beauty?"
Cura just looked at the demon for a moment before bursting out in laughter. the laughter surprised Cura, but for some reason he could not help it. He was going against all the manners and etiquette taught to him by Yubaba and Lin. However, what truly surprised, more so than his own laughter, was that the demon joined in. They sat there for what seemed like hours, just laughing. For some strange reason Cura was comfortable around the demon, despite the fact others seemed to fear him.
After a few moments the two of them pulled themselves together and the laughter faded away.
"S-sorry," Cura stuttered out, but this time the stutter wasn't from nerves. "D-didn't mean to make you laugh as well."
"No worries there." The demon had fallen off his seat while laughing and was currently laying on the floor face-up. He stretched out his arms and heaved a deep sigh. "That felt good. I haven't laughed like that in years."
Cura stood up and smiled at the demon. "I don't know what, but I feel as though I should know you from somewhere. Like I was friends with you a long time ago," he said, voicing his feelings for the first time.
The demon opened his mouth to respond but at that moment the spout for the mineral bathwater come down out of the wall. A little note was attached to the rope and Cura reached up and took it down. It read:
Sorry this came so late.
There was a backup of orders,
AND Yubaba wanted to observe its' preparation.
Kumagi
"Odd," Cura muttered to himself, pulling on the rope and releasing the water, which gushed into the bathtub steaming-hot. He folded up the note and went to tuck it into the folds of his shirt when it was snatched out of his hands. Through the steam of the bathwater Cura saw the demon reading Kumagi's note.
"Is that bitchy-witch always poking her nose into things she shouldn't?" the demon asked as he handed the note back to Cura.
"I honestly don't know. Lin complains that all Yubaba does is sit her butt up in the office while the workers slave away below." Cura tugged on the rope again and the water stopped. The tub was full to the brim and steamed gently. He took a deep breath and smelled roses. "Huh...roses must have been a key ingredient in this."
"Yeah..." The demon's voice was faint. Cura looked up and noticed the demon had gotten a far away look in his eyes, as though he was remembering something from a long time ago. Cura could not fight his reluctance to disturb the demon. he walked over and poked him in the side. The demon jumped high into the air and sent a glare at Cura.
Cura held his ground. "Get in the bath before the water gets cold."
The demon blinked once or twice before nodding and saying, "Sorry, but this place brings back memories...Good ones." He added as he took off his shirt revealing a well-sculpted torso.
Cura collected the clothing as the demon shed it. When all that remained on the demon were his undergarments, Cura took the clothes to a small cabinet in the corner and placed them on the top shelf. From the bottom shelf he pulled out some towels and a bathroom. Cura cut slits in the robe to accommodate the demon's wings. He folded the items over his arms and walked back to the tub where the demon was currently lounging.
"Here you go, these are for you," Cura said, placing them on the lip of the tub.
"Thanks." the demon, Cura observed, had taken out his high ponytail. His hair was floating in the water, giving the vague impression that the tub was full of it. That whish wasn't in the water was plastered to his upper body. The demon looked up and caught the worker's stare. "What?"
"Huh?" Cura started and looked up into the demon's eyes. He had been strongly reminded of the incident while filling the bucket earlier. By looking up the revere had snapped before he was able to remember what he couldn't.
"Why were you staring at the water like a poor, little, lost puppy?"
"Oh..." Cura rushed to make up something, anything. "Well, your hair is so long. Do you think you would like it trimmed or something? I can do that if you want."
The demon had an expression of obvious surprise. "Well...it has been a long time since I've had a haircut. what the hell? You get the shampoo and scissors. I'll let you do that much, at least."
Cura nodded and went through the door into the hallway. He went down the hall to a large storage compartment they had passed on the way to the bath. Upon nearing it he grabbed a step-stool because it was the only way he could reach the handles to open the door. Cura pulled open the heavy door and rummaged around inside for a while before pulling out a pair of sharp scissors, lilac-scented shampoo, a hair brush and a broom to clean up the hairs. He dropped the items tot eh floor, pushed the door shut, put back the step-stool and ran back to the demon's bath.
"Where's you run off to?" The demon asked when Cura walked into the room carrying the items.
"These items are put in a main storage unit. Workers have to leave the areas to go get them." Cura held out the lilac shampoo out to the demon. "Here. it's lilac scented but the best quality shampoo we have."
"Lilac, huh? How did you know that's my favorite flower?" the demon asked as he took the bottle.
"Is it?"
"Yeah, actually..." The demon poured about half the bottle into his hands and slowly worked it through his long, slightly tangled, mass of hair. He dunked his head under the water repeatedly to get rid of the extra suds, and emerged with all his hair in his face. Cura let out a small chuckle before the demon flipped his hair back.
"Here, put this on." Cura held up the robe so the demon could step into it.
The demon complied and slid his arms into the sleeves and wings through the slits. He knelt down so he could be more on the level with Cura. Cura moved behind the demon and began to brush out his hair.
He must not have had a hair cut in a very long time, Cura thought as he examined the severe split ends. "I'm going to have to lop off about 6 inches, ok?"
"Sure. My hair goes down to about my knees, anyway. It's not like 6 inches will make that big of a difference."
Cura roughly measured out 6 inches and began to cut. Little bit of hair fell to the floor, quickly followed by the large chunks. The entire cut did not take very long, nor was the job professional, but the result was dramatic. Instead of a mass of split ends, the hair had an almost liquid quality to it now.
The demon stood up and examined the cut ends. "Very nice. You did an excellent job." he flicked his hair behind his back. "I think that wraps up the bath for tonight. Could you get my clothes, please?"
Cura nodded and retrieved the demon's clothes. The demon quickly got dressed but didn't pull his hair back into the high ponytail. He must have sensed Cura's puzzlement because he said, "My hair is still wet. It takes an eternity to dry when it's pulled back." The demon clipped the waist coat and added, "Ok, time for you to take me to my room. But before we leave, I have a question for you. What's your name?"
"Cura. At least, that's what they call me here."
"Cura. I'll be sure to remember it."
"And what about you? May I ask what your name is?"
The demon smiled, the first true smile Cura had seen since he arrived at this place. "My name is Kuronue."
