Thousand Face

Part II

Ai whimpered and wailed, clutching herself. She had no one else to hold on to. She stared at the ground. She stared at her tattered robes. Her straw sandals were scattered across the floor. One of them was upside down. The black underside faced upwards, several leaves of straw creeping out from the weaving.

A hard slap was issued to her face, sending her head spinning. She fell to the floor, clutching at the burning flesh. She shut her eyes, tears trickling out. In her terror she tried to scramble to her feet and run. She had no place to go, of course. Her parents had sold her to the okiya for food, only to perish soon afterwards. She had no siblings. She was poor. This was her home now.

The mistress bent down and grabbed Ai by the neck, pulling her up. Ai's hair spilled over her face. Her eyes were red and puffy from her weeping. She looked at the mistress, an elderly woman they referred to as Aunt.

At that time there were two other geisha. One was a renowned woman named Haruki. The other was her younger sister, Harumi. As spring tree and spring beauty, they would be called the Spring Sisters. The women didn't even go near Ai for the first few months when she served as a servant. Later Ai would take Harumi as her older sister. Haruki would have left.

"Those women were devious." Ai said, looking at Yuriko. "They were devious, wicked, cunning women who would bend anyone to their will while looking stunningly beautiful meanwhile. They were remarkable women, you know."

Yuriko nodded politely.

"Harumi died several years ago." Ai said. "She witnessed Noriko's arrival and was happy to see the okiya expand once more. For a time we were out of business. I was the only one here, barely keeping it running. Harumi had retired and had gotten married. I entertained, I served tea, I spoke poems, but I was of no ascetic use anymore.

"But for a time I was very good. I was far from being the most popular, Harumi held that position for a long time. Later Hikari and I would reside in this okiya. She would be more popular than I was, taking far more patrons and attending far more parties. She later left, but I'll get to her later."

Ai learned the ways of the geisha soon enough. She was beautiful enough to impress the mistress and she could learn quickly. She learned the dances, the songs, the poems, the ceremonies, and even the politics far more quickly than any of the other girls.

However, she was nothing special. She learned them fast, but she had trouble applying them. When she spoke with men at her introductory parties, her hair in the split-peach style, she would stumble and speak to the floor. Some men found it endearing and took a liking to her. Others muttered something about horrible teaching. She was ashamed and cried many nights before her official becoming of the geisha ceremony.

"For a long time my life was one of constant pain. My head hurt from the elaborate hairstyles. My feet hurt form the shoes. My body hurt from the training. My fingers hurt from playing the shamisen. And my heart hurt as well." Ai exchanged a glance with Yuriko.

There were two men Ai wanted to be her danna most. One was a doctor and the other was a young man they called Leopard. The doctor disregarded Ai and took Hikari instead. Leopard was killed by a jealous servant, on the same day. That night Ai wept for the first time in five years. It felt as if a dam had erupted. She lay on her bed, her head elevated so her hair was not ruined. Tears trickled down the sides of her cheeks.

Yuriko was tempted to ask more about the men. She decided that what Ai didn't say she wouldn't, no matter how long she was probed with questions. What little information she did supply seemed sufficient.

"You are in an interesting position, Yuriko." Ai said. As she spoke her face had progressively softened. She seemed to become younger. It was as if every piece of her past she let go of was plucking another petal off her old age. "You see how we women treat each other. Hikari did not hate me, but she tried everything so I did not end up with the doctor. She made him hate me in a way she never did, as I mentioned. She wanted him because she wanted his attention. She loved him too. We hurt each other. Not all women are alike, as you know."

Yuriko bowed her head.

"Yuriko, you come into this world unknowingly. You can learn now." Ai said.

"Thank you, mistress." Yuriko said.