The Three Grandmas part 2
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"What?" Meioshi questioned, not looking at Sesshomaru or catching him slightly parting his lips to bare his teeth at Nakasone. Probably a good thing since she was already upset by those men disrespecting Kirameku Ha.
"Nakasone. Stop meddling in their lives and focus! We have other things to discuss today."
Sesshomaru could honestly say he appreciated the interruption this time. Anymore analyses from Nakasone and he might have considered outright transforming in front of her. Although judging from her calm demeanor, he doubted it would strike fear into the woman. The other elderly woman that approached them was the tallest among the three widows and arguably the most noble-looking. Her eyes were a lovely almond shape, but her brows made that look of distinguishment and disappointment strong in her dark features. Her face may have had wrinkles like Nakasone but they shared a clean appearance. In her youth, this woman was probably a refined beauty. He remembered her being the one trying to reason with Kirameku Ha when they first dueled. Something about him tripping and hurting himself due to old age was the excuse for reconsideration. This particular woman had salt and pepper hair that was bound by a Di Guan headpiece. It had beautiful green, orange, and white beading... Wait... Sesshomaru had a thought as the woman walked over to the seating area with a crate of wood blocks and pieces in her hands. As she was arranging her items, her flowing orange sleeves practically flowed in the light breeze of the open area. She wore a fairly traditional Hanfu dress, but the coloring matched that of the green swallowtail in his dream. He was sure he had never met this woman before in any part of his life, so how did he dream about her in a different form?
"Oh, you're no fun!" Nakasone complained, sighing and placing her fan down. "I was getting somewhere with this!"
"You'd get a lot farther if you simply let life happen," the woman remarked, taking out a blank scroll and brush. "Yours is going to end before you even get your jewelry boxes."
"I've gotten farther in a lot of places by keeping an eye open in all walks of life, you old crone," Nakasone insulted playfully. She rose to stand and then walked away with her nose upturned.
"Ignore that old bat, young man," the woman said, finally looking at Sesshomaru with those serious eyes. "She may be annoying at first but she means well. Comes with the territory of being curious about new people. What you choose to do and who you choose to involve yourself with are decisions you have to live with on your own. The reward of such decisions varies regardless, but it is yours to treasure or to toss away. Seeing as though this is the second time I've seen you in this area, I am obliged to ask: Have you a talent for this?"
"A talent?" Sesshomaru repeated.
"Yes," the woman responded, rising to stand. "Do you perhaps have a special gift or hobby that can be of use here?" When Sesshomaru did not answer, the woman looked to Meioshi for a clue but found she had none. The woman lifted her head with years of pride raising her chin and said, "What is your name, young man?"
"Sesshomaru."
She lifted a brow at his answer and brought her hands elegantly in front of her to bow respectfully. She then greeted, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Lord Sesshomaru. I am Morihei. Woodcarver and monumental mason. I am the one who builds small boats for the urns to travel in the world beyond. Nakasone, the nosy one who seemed to be upsetting you judging by those fangs lengthening, is our rosary artisan. She crafts fine jewelry. Each person has a function at this funeral home. No parts of the property are without use and no person is without talent."
Sesshomaru smirked darkly at the woman and said, "I suppose I do have one talent. If you catered to the deaths of demons frequently, I am the one who has kept you in business. Years ago, I wouldn't have wasted my time on those who were beneath honoring no matter the status or the race. Humans were especially worthless... except for one. She was particularly vulnerable, innocent, and young. She deserved some mercy. I... would dare say there were others like her: those seeking freedom from a life of entrapment, weakness, and loneliness. A lowlife blinded by his meager obsession and lust was willing to destroy the world for the attention of a taken woman. Among the lives he took joy in ruining were women who were able to find something precious within the simplicity and fragility of life, and a boy who endured a life of self-loathing and was returned to life strictly to serve as a puppet. These are lives I would not give to you. They are more deserving of continuing to be free."
Morihei turned her head to the side with some suspicion and was quiet for a little while. Meioshi simply raised her eyebrows in response but said nothing. The older woman then spoke, "How would you define someone worth honoring, young Sesshomaru? Think not of the kind, only what one must do to earn your coin or flower."
Sesshomaru took his time in answering, but he stood there in contemplation for some time. He had never given anyone coins to dress the eyes of the fallen for the voyage in the afterlife. He had no reason to. Asa no Sara could have been given flowers, but she shed tears at the sight of him before turning to dust. She had returned to the Earth, he presumed, so he respected her acknowledgment of him and returned her flute to the Earth to be with her. He remembered hearing her play her flute and hiding away from him. She was like others he had saved, alone and mistreated. Though they knew each other very little, he did admire her virtuoso skills and her persistence in truth. No one had ever given him flowers simply because they wanted to nor wished to speak to him to truly know him. At least, not since childhood. Flowers held very little value to him. He had only ever given flowers to one woman. If she returns to mortal soil again, he may consider picking a single one. Homugi didn't care for flowers much as a gift. She just liked decorating with them. He remembered her explanation in detail, but he found it useless to mull over it now.
Sara was perhaps the first who was willing to pave the way for others to learn to love him... for him. Jaken served him just because he wanted to serve him. Rin helped him just because she recognized the pain of another and wanted to help him. Kagura, at first, challenged him often, but ultimately she was happy to see him in her final moments. Though he wasn't entirely sure about Kohaku, the boy had been interesting to see grow into manhood. He learned to be a bit braver so he wouldn't let Sesshomaru down. The rest of the Western lord's family wasn't worth the effort. They would get a bit more respect from him but no more beyond that.
He supposed that's what finally sparked an answer, "Choose to be with me... for me, not because of a legacy I am obliged to respect for the sake of peace or acknowledgment. Those are the kinds of people who will earn more than coins or flowers. They earn my full gratitude and appreciation. Ones who are persistent in joining my side, who are observant enough to recognize my pain, who are strong in character and regret nothing when our eyes meet even in their final moments are... ones who are worth remembering. I suppose I honor seekers of purpose, optimists, and dreamers. Their eyes see parts of me that I cover from myself and fragments of life I choose to turn away from."
Welp, no coin or flower for me at my funeral. Nice, Meioshi thought, scoffing. Guess it doesn't matter, though. Regardless of how you feel, Lord Sesshomaru, I will remember you... at least through the fondest memories if we ever have any.
She fought to hold back her response and just let Grandma Morihei take the helm from here. Maybe she should consider being a heightened level of petty going forward, but then again that would consume a lot of unnecessary energy. Meh, she'll keep it under control. If she opened her mouth in the slightest, Sesshomaru was going to ruin her beautiful funeral home. She worked hard on it! Looking at Anju, Kirameku Ha, and Nakasone talking about trivial things, she caught the sound of stomping and a mewl. Kirameku Ha snapped his head at the beast of burden approaching them, catching the sight of a tree branch in Un's mouth. Aa flinched before pulling out the branch and sunk his head back to avoid the man's harsh gaze. It was a funny enough sight for Meioshi to practically interpret the dragon's thoughts.
"Shit! Hide the evidence, man!" Aa suggested, reaching for the branch.
"I'll do no such thing! This is good eatin'!" Un argued, nudging his head away.
"Oh, flippin' hell! The sage is staring at us!" Aa complained, sinking his head back.
"He is?" Un questioned, ceasing his chewing to look ahead. When he saw Kirameku Ha glaring at them, he froze up and spat the branch out. "Pfft!"
"Hurry up! Get rid of the evidence! There are leaves on your muzzle, idiot!"
"Eek!" Aa-Un said together, shrinking under the man's icy gaze.
Poor, old fellas... Meioshi thought, giggling to herself. I wonder if Aa-Un will miss us when we pass on. They'll be devastated when sensei goes. As will I... The little ones may plant a plum tree at his grave. That'd be so sweet!
The doctor didn't notice Sesshomaru stealing a glance at her. She hadn't realized she had giggled aloud either. Looking at his rival, he saw a certain innocence in the way she smiled at Aa and Un retreating from Kirameku Ha. It seemed like she was intrigued by the exchange in the distance. The old man surprised her when he pulled out a brush to clean up the leaves from their mane. It looked like he was lecturing them. They seemed to calm down as he spoke. When Anju and Nakasone went over to inspect the twin heads, they simply marveled at the creature and continued speaking to Kirameku Ha. Sesshomaru turned his attention to Kirameku Ha and couldn't help but marvel a bit at the man's taming abilities. He was probably the most regal human the Western lord had seen. He exuded wisdom, serenity, and patience. Not that his teachers at the House of Inu were lacking in these qualities, but he wasn't particularly close to them and didn't feel compelled to know about them a bit more. Being at a glorified graveyard like this felt different. No one was mourning for the loss of life but celebrating life as it was. In all the years he fought for power, places like these typically brought back bloody memories and haunting voices that he had to train and discipline himself to get rid of or forget about. Wallowing in the events of old was of no benefit to him but reminiscing about them seemed to be a source of joy and true appreciation here.
Morihei looked at Meioshi for a second then to Sesshomaru then to her friends. She took a mental note of the Western lord's fascination with everyone's activities. He had a natural curiosity towards the meaning of a peaceful life... and Meioshi's purpose in all of it. Morihei had to admit that she found it odd for Kirameku Ha to invite this boy to Meioshi's funeral home, but she saw now why her old friend was interested in the boy's desire to defend Meioshi. It was related to his curiosity. He quite simply didn't understand the young doctor. His typical way of life ignored the feelings of others and contradicted the way of the Bushido, which was specifically designed for warriors to achieve perfect balance within the natural world, but Sesshomaru seemed to be incorrectly interchanging honor with admiration and/or individuality in his definition. In his response, a kindred spirit who has endured an ostracized life similar to his but who has an outlook on life filled with hope that is opposite to him seems to be what truly fascinates him. No matter if the person in question was a human, demon, or halfling, one's ability to look past flaws and see the realness underneath catches his attention. Nakasone must've caught on to this when she said those words to the Western lord. He doesn't know (or perhaps is choosing to ignore) that in his own sneaky, cryptic way he's asking Meioshi to look at him. When she giggled earlier, Morihei caught the young man narrowed his eyes with some annoyance, thinking that his words were being dismissed, and then looked at her. That reaction could have meant many things, but this seemed to be the second or third time Meioshi turned from him as he was explaining something. There was a truth he has been trying to give to Meioshi. What was he trying to convince her of in knowing this truth, though?
Feeling curious herself, Morihei hummed then took a few elegant steps forward and said, "Walk with me, young man."
"I will wait," Sesshomaru replied, narrowing his eyes at Morihei. "I've other - "
Before he could finish his statement, a small piece of wood slammed against Sesshomaru's forehead and Morihei straightened her body with an unsettling frown. Meioshi was sucked out of her trance before she turned to see the western lord's widened eyes and the rise of yoki energy. She snickered a bit before quickly recovering to quiet her laughing, which annoyed Sesshomaru to the point of him glaring at her but remained on alert in case she had to physically intervene. Sesshomaru was too powerful for her to defeat right now, especially with her powers dormant, but she didn't have to rely on extra power for incantations. That was the purpose of having mianyi. It served as both a reservoir of energy and a sort of layer of protection against the environmental effects of the Netherworld. She wondered if it was a good thing that she taught Morihei how to use certain spells or incantations, but she also found it cute that Morihei sort of took to Sesshomaru like she would a grandson. She never hit a stranger unless pushed. Though a bit stricter, Morihei's motherly instincts always seem to shine around the youth. Yuko and Kyoko may as well be her granddaughters. She spoils them rotten! The doctor wondered if she would attempt to either discipline Sesshomaru often or spoil him often.
"That wasn't up for debate," Morihei hissed, narrowing her eyes at Sesshomaru's response to her humble request and telepathically calling out to another wood block to toss it at him if needed.
"I will not stand for such insolence from a dressy hag," Sesshomaru growled, raising his claw to crack the knuckles. "You dare strike me with trash!"
Morihei's eyes widened at the insult and summoned more wooden blocks. Meioshi could only slap her forehead with her palm and grumble, "Welp, this meeting is going to take more time than predicted. Are you seriously going to fight another elder in my presence?"
Sesshomaru said nothing in response but remembered what happened at Tsuyoi's funeral the last time he tried to fight just outside of the funeral home. Meioshi stood up and pulled the wooden blocks from the air to gather them calmly before saying, "I will not tolerate any destructive behavior to this property or those who take the time to work here just because you don't like answering a couple of questions. You are on sacred ground here. You will respect it and the people who come here. If killing is your only talent and servitude your only measure of worth and honor, that is your curse to live with. Your openness does not permit you to endanger things I hold dear to me."
She placed Morihei's wood back in their crates then walked in front of Sesshomaru closely enough to make him stand straight. She then said, "That's very ironic for a man who believes so strongly in upholding a code of honor to not be worth a lowlife's time. When you learn the true meaning of the warrior code, you can join us here to properly respect the fallen. Until then, don't you ever show your face here again. Go wait at my estate. I may have an antidote for Jaken in stock already at the clinic."
She stood her ground. He stood his. Eyes locked, stance strong, shoulders back, feet apart, breathing calm. They were like statues in the wind, challenging each other quietly in this battle of wits. Meioshi, with her calm demeanor, was resolute in her words and merely waited for the Western lord's next choice of words. Sesshomaru's glassy eyes held the sun's glow in them as though they were trapping the light within their mortiferous depths, reminding the doctor of his demonic origins, but she held no fear of him. Her only concern was his potential lethality against Morihei and the others. She had to ensure their safety first and, if a fight was what the young lord wanted, then she would take care of it. Seeing the doctor's patient stance sent Sesshomaru off the edge. Forget her antidote! Jaken will be fine without the medicine from her. Surely, Jaken's tribe will have a cure for the poison.
She dared to say that he, Lord Sesshomaru, wasn't worth the time of a lowlife. On what grounds? Meioshi closed her eyes to sigh then pivoted away from him with displeasure. She walked to Morihei's crate of wood, bent down to pick it up, and then walked to some other location of the funeral home in silence. The doctor found no threat coming from him. All the more reason for him to be angrier and reach for his sword, but Bakusaiga would not respond to him and Tenseiga was only curious in its silence. Morihei watched Sesshomaru very closely, taking note of his brow tightening and his jaw clenching. He was angry and his hand was on his sword's hilt, but he wasn't attacking Meioshi. All of his swords were as quiet as he was.
Twice. Twice! No, this was the third time. Thrice? First, it was the kids at her estate; second, it was Homugi at the lagoon camp; now, it's Morihei at the funeral home! Sesshomaru had been cast out of a place three times by this one despicable, infuriating, holier-than-thou woman! This back-and-forth annoyed him. His hesitance even more so. He recognized the scent of metal and oil coming from no one other than Kirameku Ha and slowly turned to the man who was holding Aa-Un's reins.
"Your pet is weary," Kirameku Ha said, earning a yawn from Aa. "Have they a stable? They've been occupying my pupil's barn in your absence fairly often. They don't mind the bedding."
Sesshomaru looked at the dragon, removing his hand from his sword, and said, "Often? They are supposed to return to their stable when they are no longer in use. They should know the way."
Kirameku Ha smirked then chuckled gently, making Sesshomaru's ears twitch at the sound. He turned to the twins and said, "It seems they have a preference at the moment. I probably should stop feeding them."
"... Melons are a favorite," Sesshomaru replied, watching Un sniff Kirameku Ha's clothes for something.
"Oh, that explains everything," the sage said, placing two fingers on Un's nose to stop him from digging in his pockets. "Those are my snacks, sir. I haven't been selling much produce lately. At least I know the harvests won't go to waste with them around. They pull their weight, though. I left several rosters at my home during the commotion this morning. I must retrieve them. The ladies will be busy with their designs for now. I can show you to my pupil's barn if you wish. Your pet has eaten itself to sleep."
"What did that dressy, old woman mean by a talent?" Sesshomaru asked, holding back a small laugh at the dragon yawning. Though, by and large, the laugh would have been no more than a short chuckle. "The one with the ornate headpiece."
"You must mean Morihei. She crafts the vessels that the urns are carried on and designs the tombstones for those that have passed on. My pupil gave her another task in making new names for the dead. Meioshi purifies a soul throughout her entire funeral rite down to the person's name. To give them fair judgment, they are made anew completely but she can only entrust Morihei with the granting of a new name," Kirameku Ha explained. "Anju and Nakasone also have special roles beyond just making the urn and rosary, respectively. Talent is a skill or gift that not just anyone can do, and, if it is not used to its prime capability, it can be lost over time. Talents are often mistaken as glad gifts or joy gifts. A glad gift is a skill that one is happy to do with or without compensation; unfortunately, a true talent is not always a glad gift. You can work your talent to misery if it is not something you have a passion for. I had to learn this the hard way myself and through observation of others throughout the years. What Morihei was probably really asking of you was whether or not Meioshi was considering you for hire here. She's seen you twice in this area, specifically."
"I work for no one," Sesshomaru responded, narrowing his eyes. "Least of all, her."
Author's Footnotes: Hello all! There are a few details that I want to explain just for clarity. One of those is the headpiece worn by our elegant grandma, Morihei. This is actually a Chinese Hanfu headpiece worn by adult women of a noble status. It looks almost like a tiara from ancient portraits, but I have it acting as a glorified scrunchie here. Morihei's design was meant to be regal since she married a Chinese nobleman in her youth.
Inspiration for the three widows/grandmas' personalities actually came from the sitcom, The Golden Girls! ;-D I'm not sure if my non-American readers know of this particular TV show since broadcasting is handled differently around the world, but it's basically a comedy show (with some real-world topics that add a hint of drama to it) about four elderly women with different personalities and backgrounds who live with each other as roommates and experience the fullness of life in old age. Unfortunately, Japanese mythology doesn't have a fourth old hag to accommodate a full cast of spunky grandmas, but, in Japan, there were three women known as the three old hags who handled the dead for funerary purposes such as cleaning the corpses to prepare for cremation and final viewing. Because handling the dead was considered both dirty and bad luck and still is in Japan today, these three women were often looked at as bad luck or misfortunate to be around. They earned money through their handling of corpses but were often feared or looked down on.
I didn't really want to stick too closely to the mythology on these women because that's too boring for me, so I gave them more spunk and opened up the darker parts of Meioshi's work as a doctor through her funerary business. She, too, also handles corpses to determine the more scientific happenings of death such as time, method, and/or causes.
I've mentioned the word ichibuban maybe three times so far and just refused to explain what that was. Ichibuban is the predecessor of the Japanese yen. It's a form of currency that was used during the time period.