"Little ones! Are you alright?" Meioshi asked with concern in her voice.
"Mama!" the children responded, sighing with relief.
She caught sight of a lingering samurai who was limping away from the children's marketplace. He had the Danna's Mark on his sleeve and armor belonging to a regent more north of the village. He was an active member of the army from the looks of it. The children had their weapons drawn or close to their hands in defense. She was proud of them for their bravery and sighed in relief before turning to the tent merchants. All seemed fine, just a few of the sellers were shaken like they had been surprised. If their reaction was the same across the board, then it must have been an ambush. Sesshomaru and Jaken were kneeling in front of Juba to check on her before they even got a good look at Meioshi. It wasn't until the little girl heard her name being called that her attention went from the western lord to the keeper of the voice.
"Juba!" Chiura called, rushing into her friend's arms. "Did he hurt you?"
"Nope," Juba answered, embracing her friend in return with relief. "I hads my knife. I was scared he was going to get you."
"Why were those men after any of you anyway? You're not a threat," Jaken commented.
"We don't know," Juba and Chiura said in unison with worry. "It's never happened before."
TWACK!
"Get down!" Sesshomaru ordered, sharply turning to catch an arrow.
"Archers!" one of the teens shouted, making the older kids rush the younger ones to safety.
Another arrow was shot but it went straight for the doctor. Summoning a vibrant orange horo, Meioshi blocked the arrow and spun around to produce a gust of wind strong enough to veer other arrows away from the market. Dismissing the shield and getting into a defensive position, she shouted, "Rosanjin!"
"Officer," a man greeted, smiling darkly.
Sesshomaru was by Meioshi's side, practically fuming with outrage at the older man. Wrinkles were already set in his face, but his skin was smooth and clean just enough to see that he was once a handsome man. His hair was salt and pepper gray and flowing down at his hips but half of it was pulled up into a bun and held together with a Ji zan hairpin. His eyes were perfectly almond-shaped and deep brown. His mustache and small beard were very well-groomed, even his clothing was a mark of distinction and some wealth. Releasing a huff, Rosanjin held up a hand to signal the archers to cease fire then lowered it and looked at Sesshomaru for a moment.
"You are quite contradictory with yourself, officer," Rosanjin started, folding his arms and walking forward. "I thought you wanted the youth to have a better life. You just stopped some very well-off soldiers from giving them that. Is the demon beside you a better option for all of them, or is he here to make you come to your senses and finally be my most famous joro?"
"Keep your patrons out of the haven or I will kill them all," Meioshi threatened darkly, narrowing her eyes and growling.
"Those men will no longer be patrons, officer. They love the children so much; they have proposed betrothals for a number of them once they come of age. Others have even decided to keep a few as mistresses or lovers long-term. They will be away from here like you wanted," Rosanjin informed with a hiss laced in his voice.
Remembering what Juba told him about the man before the attack, Sesshomaru lifted up his claw and proceeded to walk towards Rosanjin to attack, but Meioshi twirled her sword about and held it out to stop him. Standing firm and with confidence, Meioshi said calmly, "Perhaps you should review the contract again. There's a little article on the fifth page that protects them from this, you see. We've known each other a bit too long for us not to anticipate some back and forth from each other about fine detailing, yes? All of the children and young adults under my care have this thing called a Tate Record that strictly belongs to me as I am designated the officer of health and safety for them, whereas you simply have the original purchasing ticket and bid price for them when they came to work for you. Both of those documents only allow you to keep them as your workers until their original owners or sellers have settled their debts. Many of your original sellers were completely in debt and could no longer maintain continuous payments or use them as a means to pay anything back. The documents you have don't allow you to resell them or give them away because you never went back to the original sellers to sign them off."
Rosanjin dropped his smile altogether at that tidbit of information. When he thought about it, he furrowed his brow and ground out, "What?"
"Until you get the signature of each and every person who sold these children to you or gave these children to you, you legally have no right to resell them as they would have no value outside of this village. The lingering debts that the previous owners had completely fell to you when you made the transaction. You would render them a fate less favorable than the one they have here. The Tate Record prohibits you from putting them in such a position. Since I have your signature of approval to protect them until the debt is paid," Meioshi said with a shrewd grin growing across her lips, "your little patrons have to go through me to evaluate your purchase, consult with the original owner, and provide proof that these children will be unharmed until adulthood. Seeing as though they were willing to attack them while shopping, I'd say that's a fuck no to their proposal. Now, get the hell off my property before I let Lord Sesshomaru kill your little archers and dip you in their blood."
Lowering her sword, Meioshi waited until Rosanjin made another move or protest against her words. When the man couldn't do either, he clenched his jaw tight enough out of fury that his head started spinning. Sesshomaru glared at him with death on his mind. Rosanjin must have been the man called the Evil Danna in Kijiro's story when they were in the bathhouse. Another moment passed before Rosanjin stomped off with his archers and everyone was able to breathe and relax.
Meioshi quietly sheathed her sword, turned to Sesshomaru, and bowed elegantly before saying, "Thank you, Sesshomaru. I'm sorry you were part of this."
He turned to her and asked, "Did you know that these people were trying to marry your wards?"
Meioshi sighed, lifted herself up, and rubbed her temples before replying, "No. Rosanjin keeps looking for loopholes in the agreement we made. The records I have are the only things stopping him from doing what he wants. He's been caught tampering with the written agreement before."
"Why don't you just kill him and take them away from here?" Sesshomaru asked, fully serious about the suggestion.
"Legally, I couldn't do either unless the agreement had been violated. This fiasco, however, marks the beginning of the end," Meioshi answered, watching the grapple bears run over to her to hug her. "Are you all okay?"
"Yes, Mama Mei-Mei," Kijiro answered.
"Make sure you thank Lord Sesshomaru and Lord Jaken. They were really helpful," Meioshi said with a gentle smile. "We might have to make something special for them for dinner."
"I have something," Chiura replied with a bright smile. "It's at the ribbon store."
"Oh? Well, I think I can take a break to help you out. We need fabrics for your satchels for school after all," she said with a cheery smile.
"Oh! You forgot your crown, Mama Mei-Mei," Juba said, pulling out the aforementioned item from Kijiro's one-strap pack.
Disgusted, ashamed, at his wit's end. The feel of her body was arctic like the ethereal glow of her blue eyes and icy breath escaping her baby pink lips and bloody fangs. He and his group were under the roof of a traitor and no one knew! Paralyzed and weak, Takamuku (once known as a first-class soldier to the House of Inu) was now at the mercy of an unknown seductress who was using his body to the fullest and draining the life out of him simultaneously. If he didn't warn the men, his demise would certainly bring shame to the House of Inu and his family. He would be a disgrace to the military ranks for letting anything happen to Lord Sesshomaru. Unable to stop this woman from taking his body for her own pleasure, he could only gasp and let out gurgles for every bite and suckle she placed on his chest or neck. He had resisted for as long as he could, but he was losing more and more yoki energy, sanity, dignity, and life in this fight. Takamuku's only regret now was not following his instincts before.
At first, he was reluctant to engage in any of the sexual activities in Shinju o Tateru since he was worried about Lord Sesshomaru, but Norihisa had convinced him to try his luck with the local women since his lordship was in the company of someone else. Not believing the ambassador, Takamuku went out to prove that Sesshomaru was too noble and too proud to be in the company of a joro the following morning after he left the manor. Offering to go with him, Norihisa escorted Takamuku through town and they met people of different trades and salaries along the way. It was an interesting and pleasant experience, but they didn't see Lord Sesshomaru in town. Instead, they saw him along the outskirts and walking with a rather quirky woman.
That was all Takamuku needed to see. If a quirky joro was able to make a man out of Sesshomaru, then he could indulge himself the way Ambassador Norihisa was doing. Takamuku felt he was rarely of use in guarding the House of Inu since the young lord was usually sent out to handle powerful adversaries instead of the guard, and, without the situation in the Mujina Woodlands, things were beginning to quiet down among the demons. There would always be restless tribes trying to challenge each other, but the House of Inu was one of the strongest forces of all the territories. While he had the opportunity at his feet, Takamuku allowed himself "the pleasure of life." Even he had to admit that some of the half-demon women in the village were quite beautiful. They didn't chase him around for his money either. It was almost as if they knew he would eventually take an interest. One young lady, in particular, caught his attention. She had light green hair in an elaborate bun and eyes of lavender shades colored with bright orange along the lids. Her kimono was a blend of sheer and silk fabrics. Her lips were colored with red but had gold powder on them, accentuating the lines in her lips. Honestly, his night spent with her was quite magical, and he learned the following morning that Lord Sesshomaru didn't return for an update from Norihisa.
Investigating his whereabouts and to confirm things for himself, Takamuku went searching for Sesshomaru on his own. The western lord and his imp did go to the Mujina Woodlands for more clues, but they returned to a building along the outskirts of town. Surprised to see them, the hazel-eyed joro came out of the building with some children and young adults in tow. They spoke for a length of time then his lordship was escorted someplace else. A young boy seemed to take a liking to Sesshomaru and made him follow the joro. Takamuku didn't know what to think of it all. He was there when Lord Sesshomaru refused to participate in the mizu-age and the omiai. It's what made everyone believe that Sesshomaru had true potential to change the customs within the House of Inu for the greater good. That progressiveness of his modern ideals and firmness in his decisions fueled his ambitions and inspired admiration among the troops, but the hands of change were shackled by traditional oppression and Sesshomaru had to undergo a series of trials from his late father. Watching Sesshomaru leave with the quirky joro made him go into the woodlands to try to help his lord. That's how he met her.
Norihisa introduced him to a comrade of his. She was beautiful with eyes the color of shadows in the snow and a lovely set of heart-shaped lips. Quite taken with her sensual form of dress and voice, Takamuku followed them through town. The first-class soldier didn't expect to reunite with the green-haired half-demon woman again or be treated to the company of the two women. He understood the appeal of the okiya village that night, but he still worried about Lord Sesshomaru's safety with that quirky joro and those children. It wasn't until that following morning that he realized that Norihisa was a traitor. The half-demon woman he had come to like spending the night with was dead beside him. An odd, white mask was placed on her and her body was being covered in shadow. The blue-eyed woman kept him a prisoner since.
Takamuku supposed he did have one more regret. He never got to tell Sesshomaru that he believed in him - that he wanted to see how he would change the House of Inu and its influence on the world. He was young and fiery. The world didn't need another war machine. It needed some refining, some changes. He couldn't breathe. His throat was freezing up. She was riding him more aggressively. He should have followed Lord Sesshomaru on his own instead of with Norihisa. He should have asked about the quirky joro and all those kids on his own. They didn't smell like him, and he couldn't recall what the quirky joro smelled like. She didn't really have a distinguishable scent. Either way, those kids didn't seem to be theirs. What was their relationship? He had to warn Sesshomaru about Norihisa. He had to protect him. He was trained to serve him. He was with him when Sesshomaru led the army against the Panther Tribe. He had to fight it! Warmth was returning to his body a bit, his eyes went blood red to signify his transformation, and he let out a boisterous roar before shoving the seductress off him and using the last bits of energy he had left to go to Sesshomaru. He didn't see Norihisa tending to the blue-eyed woman. He didn't hear her laughing darkly. He didn't even see them disappear in a flurry of snow and wind with the green-haired woman now standing beside them.
Meioshi and the older children were helping everyone pack away clothes, sheets, pillows, toys, and anything else of value to them for summer school. Sesshomaru and Jaken were sitting under beautifully bloomed trees as the kids played, packed, or worked. Well, Jaken watched all the children like a proper chaperone while Sesshomaru looked elsewhere. He wouldn't dare admit it aloud, but he was impressed with Ohta's ability and devotion to save so many children in this awful place and at such a young age. He was helping Chiura, Juba, and Kijiro pack up their personal satchels now. Chiura, of course, had trinkets all over hers. Juba had different patches of fabric on hers with various designs on each one. Kijiro had bug carcasses on his. Clearly, he had some favoritism for smaller creatures. Ohta's satchel was probably the most fascinating as it had the symbols for "Fail no More" and the names of the children who bought their freedom along the bottom similar in design to Meioshi's haori. That's what he explained to Sesshomaru and Jaken when he pulled his satchel out to pack different items. Ohta promised to visit everyone at least once a year when he was set free.
"Are you going to return to your men?" his rival asked with that accented voice.
Sesshomaru looked up at the doctor, taking note to the seriousness of her demeanor and arms wrapping around her lower waist and upper hips. Meioshi couldn't have meant anything metaphorical in speaking about Shinju o Tateru being burned to nothing soon. She gave Sesshomaru only a few more days since the night they had spoken near the stream to investigate in the village due to the children having to leave at different times. Different schools were available to them for the summer, but that also meant they wouldn't be coming back to this place. Based on the efficiency of his rival's daily agenda, she was making sure that nothing would be left behind. What would happen to this safe haven, though? Would the children miss this estate? It's where they go to escape life's miseries and be with their "Mama Mei-Mei" every year. Was the doctor really going to burn the village down? It seemed too contradictory for a healer.
"Well..." Jaken started, looking to his lord for a change in disposition as an answer, but seeing that Sesshomaru was more interested in Meioshi's plans for the village than anything else. "The situation in the Mujina Woodlands is as tense with Lord Sesshomaru's presence as it was without. It won't be easy to act as a mediator with these killings or that wall being built. There has to be something we've overlooked."
Meioshi was quiet for a moment, respecting her boundaries with their investigation, but said, "Pardon my interferences in this, but I believe there is something you overlooked. I owe you one for helping Ohta, so I will tiptoe around your mistrust of me for a moment since you are delaying my progress in handling legal matters between me and the village masters by staying here. Pushing our disagreements aside, I'll offer a piece of advice in your investigation from a medical perspective. There are three crucial things you must be thorough in analyzing with these sorts of things: evidence, potential witnesses' accounts, and blood or fingerprint samples if readily available. You said you visited the murder site twice so far, yes?"
"Correct, doctor," Jaken replied with a soft nod.
"How many witnesses of these attacks have you encountered while there?" she asked softly, letting those wispy eyelashes flutter as she blinked. Jaken was about to reply with a number until he stopped. Sesshomaru remained silent, making the doctor raise an eyebrow. She then asked, "Who told you about these murders?"
"The soldiers recounted Ambassador Norihisa's statements on the matter. No one mentioned any witnesses," Jaken answered.
"Your problem starts there," the doctor responded with a hum of concern. "If no one witnessed the attack or heard anything of value like a scream or perhaps gurgling during the attack or even spoke to the victims prior to attack, then the person who's been handling the bodies is a primary suspect as they may have started cleaning up the corpses prematurely. This could be intentional to hide his or her tracks as it would lead to falsified evidence. This stops your ability to properly develop a picture of what happened in theory. Recounting a statement related to the event holds no merit and should be taken with a grain of salt, if you would. Do you know what happened to the bodies after attack?"
"They've been burned supposedly," Jaken replied. Sesshomaru merely watched his rival's brain tick. "Oh, but the ambassador did mention something about that! He said the corpses turned to snow and not ash."
"Who burned them?" the doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, there wasn't a ceremony like yours. Not everyone has a service," Jaken answered. "Probably a local burial group in their village."
"Now, you have two problems. How would the ambassador know that the bodies turned to snow if he didn't handle them? Who contacted him to tell him that? The two groups of interest are on fighting terms right now. It would have been near impossible to meet with him without starting a war. You've been able to travel back and forth without hitch, so I'm assuming that these woodlands are close to this village. Unless you've seen demons from that area make their way here, this ambassador of yours must have another rendezvous point where he meets them for information. If the bodies were drained and then burned, which you've no idea who did that, there would be very little ash remaining if at all. The same for snow regardless of its heat resistance. You seem to have barely looked at the surface."
"What is your proposal?" Sesshomaru asked quietly.
Lord Sesshomaru! Jaken thought, snapping his head to the western lord. You're... you're asking for her help?
"Proposal?" Meioshi questioned, turning her head slightly to tilt it down.
"From a medical perspective," Sesshomaru clarified.
"You can do one of two things: either find the other rendezvous point or speak to your men. Watch for odd body language from your soldiers. Maybe send Jaken as a scout to see if any woodland demons are sneaking out," Meioshi offered. "I'm afraid that's all the advice I can give you. I suggest you stay out of the village by nightfall. This property will no longer be a safe haven for you."
Shinju o Tateru was quieter with the children workers gone for summer school. There were still some adults able to take up the mantle, but the numbers of working individuals were down significantly. Patrons were still coming in for entertainment. None of that had changed, but this was going to be their last night of vice and bliss. All the tradesmen, farmers, and fabric salesmen that were hired to work at the village had left once they saw the law keeper at their doorsteps. Final sales were made, material moved quickly and quietly, and only enough was available for the few people that were left. Farmers, butchers, chefs, and servers all were serving the last meals. With no remorse, as the moon shone beautifully, bottles filled with potent alcohols and combustible acids were thrown through shoji doors and windows. If they hit anyone, she didn't care in the slightest. Black, red, or yellow candles were thrown in succession. Flames began to encompass one okiya after another. Certain ones had back doors that she locked or blockaded. The only escape was the front door.
People started to run out to safety, pleading with her for help, but she only looked at them with anger in her eyes and told them to run to the outskirts of town. A safe haven was there. Otherwise, the alternative was a boat to a new location. Many were shocked or outraged, but she kept going. Every okiya was going to burn. A soldier or two tried to stop her, but she had backup. She continued her trek to the Masters' House in silence. It was in the style of a grand pagoda near the waters. Very beautiful waterfront property. As the fires raged, she made her way to the guards' gate. They tried to apprehend her, but she was furious enough to unleash her powers and send them all elsewhere through a portal without lifting a finger. It almost felt good doing it, but it was a personal revenge for all the times they threw her in the mud.
The house mother was waiting for her in the dining room. The scene may as well have been deja vu from the day she vowed to free the children and destroy everything else. Like those years ago, the table was set for only two people. Rice, tea, and a green seating pillow was located on her side, and the mistress was chewing away on her side dressed in a gorgeous orange kimono with her hair perfectly combed into a high bun. Her age still carried her undeniable beauty. Silently, the doctor walked over to her seat and waited. She thought that old danna would have more class, but he was having sex with some worker in the next room over. She let out a dark huff like she was stuck between laughing and insulting, but the huff came out as a scoffing sound and the house mother smirked. She wasn't as excited to hear the danna with another like before. She almost looked disgusted. It was in her eyes. Before she would look up with excitement and feign innocence in front of Meioshi. This honesty from her was the keynote of change.
"Just like old times, isn't it, lawful beauty?" the house mother asked, eating her sushi. Meioshi said nothing. She only nodded. Her metal roningasa hat put a shadow over her eyes but those hazel eyes had a glow to them. Whether it was from the gas lanterns in the dining room of the house or just her hatred towards the danna, Meioshi's wild beauty shone brightly through the shadows like a proper predator. The house mother then said, "I believe you used to threaten us by saying things like 'You will drown in your riches' or 'Eat your weight in grime and shit.' That one was my favorite! I used that line a couple of times. Very effective for nonpaying customers!"
"My mother taught me that," Meioshi admitted, eyes softening at the memory. She pointed to her eyes to say, "Back when I got bullied for having these eyes. The more extremist of the villagers raised their children to despise anyone foreign or demonic. If you weren't a purebred human, you may as well be nothing. Things have calmed down since then, but I remembered her saying that to another mother. It was the first fight I lost, and the day that my mother agreed to let me learn how to fight. Well, more like a few basics."
"Ah, the hero's origin story!" the house mother said with excitement in her eyes. That's the look she normally had when the danna was indulging himself. A moan echoed into the room, making the mistress direct her eyes away for a moment. She scoffed in disgust this time. She then said, "And that is the villain's origin story. I was 14 when I met him. Hunting for white snakes for good luck. He was underneath a plum blossom tree, meditating I thought, but it turned out he was taking a nap. I picked up a stick to get the snake to come to me, but that woke him up and frightened me. The snake was also startled, but it didn't attack us. Instead, the handsome sleeper guided the snake to his hand and into my trap with such ease. I thought perhaps he knew kung fu or judo the way he used his hands. He winked at me, waved, and watched me leave. Every now and then, I would him in different places. Until the day of my fifteenth birthday when he found me by the waterfalls. We spoke to each other as friends then. He kissed my cheek then my lips, asked me if it felt good or tickled, and I said yes to both. He kept going until I became his. I thought it was love. There were days he would come to me. Nights when I would sneak out and go to him. Enemy soldiers had come to our village and taken the girls, but he came for me and helped the others escape. I was his. He claimed me and we ran away to this place. One small geisha house used to be here. Remember when we met, lawful beauty? It was only ever the one house for years. The same house where we married. On our wedding night was the night when I realized I wasn't his love or lover. I was going to be his prized whore and soon the new house mother of that pitiful okiya. He placed a blindfold over my eyes as a form of play. He left and let some other man come in and rape me. Things that caused me pain, he came in to teach me to find pleasure in it. I was built into this object of desire. When it was time for me to take over the okiya, all I knew was the mizu-age ritual and, every year, girls like me were brought in droves. I hadn't seen my mother or father since my capture. We're too far from home is what I thought. They weren't coming to save me. I tried being such a good lover that a soldier would save me. None did. Imagine my eternal surprise when a young girl, who was barely the age of 20 and as beautiful as can be, entered the village for work as a doctor. Women aren't doctors! They're nurses or assistants to them! But, there you are, treating patients with an excellent hand. The day you learned of our auction was the same day we bought our most famous joro, Ohta, and your beloved friend was the first of our girls to fight us back. You were willing to fight for their freedom. You were willing swim in the mud every day if it meant my husband would at least acknowledge your concerns for everyone's health. You were willing to save everyone... except me. Years spent hoping and praying someone would help me wasted just because I'm too old and too beneath anyone to be saved. Years wondering if I could save any of these children wasted because my husband set the others free but took me. Suppose he takes another. He's beaten me before for trying to save another. He never taught me how to fight. The one I thought would save me, too, now only seeks to destroy me! Why do the gods hate me so much?"
Meioshi was quiet as the mistress cried, but she was relieved that she heard her speak. Of all the people in the wretched village, the house mother was the one she didn't understand the most. Main reason being that a joro was punished severely if he or she treated anyone in the okiya like an outcast. She never referred to an okiya as a whore house. It was the family home. The children even told Meioshi at one point that the mistress often looked into the waters with sadness in her features. She never thought of drowning or sailing away because she wasn't sure of the outcome for either one. She was stuck.
Hearing her finally confess to why made Meioshi say her next choice of words, "They don't. What happened to you is not your fault. The one who is destroying the village is offering you an option. There is an estate on the outskirts of the village that is now unoccupied and is worth the same value as my estate in Heiwa. Legally, it is under your name because of Ohta and Nayoko's accounts of you helping them before the danna forced them to be joros. If you don't want it, take my boat and follow the fisherman to his village. He was able to buy another property and turned it into a guest house. You are able to stay there. Your husband is mine to deal with now. You are free to go."
The mistress gasped, multiple emotions washed over her body as she shook, and let her tears continue to fall. She watched Meioshi stand up, bow, and leave her at the table. The last thing she heard before running away to the boating dock was a sword being unsheathed and a loud thump...
Sesshomaru and Jaken were with Ohta as they waited near an empty yard with only a singular grave covered in fresh flowers behind them. Footsteps sounded and a feminine figure rose from their line of sight with a knife in her hand and a rosary on her wrist. Ohta ran to her and embraced her tightly.
"Is he gone?" Ohta asked, voice cracking and tears escaping his eyes. He rose his head and looked into Meioshi's face. "Is he gone, mama?"
Meioshi smiled gently and whispered, "You are free, my Ohta."
Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Meioshi all watched Ohta let his emotions out from his tears to his hopping to his smiles. The doctor placed a kiss on Ohta's head before she walked over to the grave and kneeled before it. She quietly pricked her chest with the knife until blood was on the tip and held the knife over the grave until a single drop plopped onto it. A soft, playful wind surrounded her until the flowers and petals circled her body. From there, a ghost had risen up and embraced Meioshi. The doctor felt warmth but knew she couldn't hold her in her arms.
Instead, she whispered, "You are free, my Nayoko. You are free."
Author's Footnotes: Hello all! Just your neighborhood-friendly author explaining some things once again for clarity.
A horo is cape made from cloth that is designed to block shots from arrows. It's a very effective piece of samurai armor that protects warriors from archers as it makes a form of a cage that reduces the velocity of an arrowhead.
Tate Record is something I created to act as a legal, written document that protects a person from being wrongfully sold or forced into an unfavorable situation. Most transactions in ancient times were done by word of mouth or trade. The legal document being used here is meant to simply stop some rando from doing the wrong thing to a person as that would affect one's health. A tate is actually a shield used by samurai. It is typically shown being made from iron and wood, and it is built using what appears to be a shingling method like your roof shingles or roof tiles.
A joro is a prostitute, plain and simple.
Mizu-age is a ceremony (typically observed by the geisha community) in which a patron buys an apprentice geisha's, or maiko's, virginity. Omiai is the formal term for arranged marriage in Japan. Takamuku was a witness in Sesshomaru's refusal to marry certain candidates and to take or purchase a girl's virginity.
Our icy champion's defiance in both customs will be explained later on, but I'm not sure if he participated in any other custom beyond the two mentioned. That hasn't been confirmed as a canon exposition to his character, I don't believe. I don't think the mizu-age would have been a common thing in the House of Inu, personally, because having geisha in the sky would be a stretch, but that doesn't mean it's not possible as geisha were mainly entertainers. But, the omiai is actually part of his character exposition. His refusal to participate in the omiai would have been the most progressive thought at the time, but that's part of a theory I have about Sesshomaru in relation to his political standing. He might have been too progressive for the House of Inu as a lord, not necessarily colder or more merciless than his predecessor.
Readers' Guide
Previous Episode: [Mini-Episode 4: Beauties of the Blade]
Episode 9: Fail No More
Plot Summary: Sesshomaru and Jaken learn from the village children, Juba, Chiura, and Kijiro, about Meioshi's and Ohta's past through a paraphrased retelling of their story. Meioshi begins to wonder if what she's doing for the children is the right thing, but she is reminded of her purpose when Rosanjin tries to make arrangements for the samurai to take the children. Sesshomaru helps defend them while in the marketplace and learns that legally Meioshi is limited in her ability to save her wards as they were used to settle debts by prior owners. Takamuku, one of the guards from the House of Inu, went to aide Sesshomaru in his investigation since he seemed pleased with being around Meioshi a bit more than the other soldiers. He spends the rest of his time in Shinu o Tateru being entertained by a half-demon woman. Before Meioshi proceeds with her plan to burn the village, Takamuku makes his escape from Norihisa and Rakuyama to protect Sesshomaru from harm. Meioshi and Ohta burn Shinju o Tateru down, but Sesshomaru does stay behind to watch over Ohta. Meioshi confronts the house mother, who confesses to being taken by Rosanjin the Evil Danna at a young age to be his wife and business partner, and sets her free to live elsewhere but kills Rosanjin. Meioshi reunites with everyone and sets Nayoko, the one known as the pretty girl in Kijiro's story, free as well as the other children.
Coming up next on IFC Anime... is the Phantom Without Honor!
XD I'm just playing. As awesome as it would be to have my own original anime on IFC, or even Starz Anime, I will not claim that they're a major supporter of this story project. They don't know me like that. XP For those of you who don't have DirecTV because streaming services are a lot cheaper nowadays (and I can't really be mad at that), IFC stands for Independent Film Channel. There used to be an anime hour that broadcasted more independent projects like Witchblade and Speed Grapher on IFC, but Starz Anime had Street Fighter, Vandread, Gokusen, Mirage of Blaze, Samurai Deeper Kyo, etc. Those particular animes were never on Adult Swim, which sucks to me because they were excellent choices, but I'm kind of glad they weren't because I got to see them from start to finish without them being cancelled midway through or having to compete with other more popular titles.
Regardless, the first movie is next. The plot summary for the movie is in Chapter 31, so I won't repeat it here. How about we do a fun, nostalgic exercise together, though? If you're a returning reader, pretend it's like 9:30, maybe even 10 on the dot, and your friend texts you. You know how it goes, you're just making you a nighttime snack and you hear the ba-ding go off. Friend hits you up.
Friend: Yo! Sesshomaru got a movie on IFC! 0_o
Friend: You seen it?
You: WHAT? 0_o No! When'd this happen?
Friend: It was on Twitter! My feed had #SoLS on the timeline.
Friend: Didn't know what it meant. Clicked it.
Friend: #SoLS = Save our Lord Sesshomaru
Friend: Linked me to the movie. It re-airs tonite!
You: 0_o F*&! What time?
Friend: Like right now! Call me!
(Don't tell me that's never happened to you before. C'mon, be honest. XD) You hustlin' to your TV, scrolling through the guide or whatever, you see it. Do you click to watch or pass it up? If you clicked to watch it, you a real one. Proceed to the next chapter. For my new readers, you get a different scenario. Same setup, though. It's the same time. Nothing's really on right now. You caught up with most shows on your streaming service. Friend hits you up.
Friend: Bruh! Sesshomaru got a movie on Crunchyroll and VRV!
Friend: It just got put on!
Friend: Lookin for a good connection now.
You: 0_o When did Sesshy get a movie?
Friend: I don't know. It just dropped out of nowhere!
You look it up. You see it. You Google for any news on it: statements, ratings, summary. You see the comments. Same reaction as you and your friend. Everybody shocked. Didn't even see it coming. Are you gonna watch it or pass it up? If you click watch, you a real one. Proceed to the next chapter. Thank you for playing along! *waves goodbye*