Sento - Usagi

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/MET_DP148174.jpg
 "Women of All Ages in a Japanese Public Bathhouse." Woodblock print, c1865, by Ikkeisai Hoki. A concise/mildly chaotic representation of a typical sento as it would have been laid out in the Edo Period - depicting the entry attendant, changing area, washing area, and the hot bath beyond the elaborate red partition. Sento at that time typically only had one bath to save on space and costs - genders were sometimes separated by designated bathing times, though until the Meiji Restoration they often simply operated co-ed.

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SENTO

The life of a samurai, a weary Tomoe Ame was reminded, is not always one of adventure.

The Geishu attendant exited the grounds of the Jinya <Shogunate government office> at the head of a half-dozen of Lord Noriyuki's officials, shoulders sagged and mind drained. The dry day-to-day affairs of state had brought the Lord's delegation to the town of Takayama, deep within the natural fortifications of the interior mountains. A survey report on the grounds of Noriyuki's castle concluded that extensive repairs and upgrades were overdue, which meant a sudden need for a large supply of timber. Takayama was an obvious source of supply: the quality of the town's lumber made it so prosperous that the Shogun placed the area under his own personal control, and the Geishu's reliable loyalty to the Shogun seemed a good bargaining chip to use in negotiating a sale.

<i>'Negotiating' feels like too neat a word for it</i>, Tomoe sighed to herself. She was reluctant to be sent out on this ordeal in the first place; as a Daimyo bodyguard she ought to remain in Noriyuki's presence, she argued. The Lord was nonetheless adamant that a distinguished personal attendant be among the advisors and foremen petitioning the Shogun's representatives; it would help underscore their loyalty, after all. And so it was that Tomoe, who knew nothing of construction or supply logistics, remained stiffly sat upon her knees in the Jinya's audience hall, merely there for the sake of being present as the excruciating minutiae of samurai administrators pricing out orders unfolded in front of her for hours on end. The stuffy summer heat did nothing to make the atmosphere more comfortable, as details on the finer issues of milled wood Tomoe would have never thought pertinent became the topics of stubborn back-and-forth debate. To think there are officials whose entire lives seemingly revolve around the counting and sizing of cedar roof shingles... it was all Tomoe could do to keep from numbly grinding through the seconds in her head. Doing nothing could be an oddly exhausting affair at times.

Things were apparently proceeding well by the time the day's business had concluded, so she had been informed, but there would be at least a few more appointments to make to fulfill the necessary orders. Mercifully, the endless traffic of Shogunate petitioners meant it would be a few days before discussions would resume, a respite the samurai was wholly grateful for as their group left the Jinya grounds into the early night air of the quaint town. The morning bustle of daily life they had navigated through earlier that day was now long gone - most shops and houses were shuttering themselves before the last hints of daylight vanished. Behind her the remnants of the day's affairs were still being discussed.

"...would be best to push for a price reduction if we insist on a 20% overestimation for wastage."

"Well we can bring it up, but I think they'll just claim we're asking for too much... Tomoe, where are you going? The Honjin <an inn reserved for traveling officials> is up this way, remember?"

Tomoe waved a hand dismissively as she broke off from the others. "This heat is making me feel filthy, I desperately need a soak. I'll catch up with you later, make sure they keep dinner aside for me when I get back"

"Humm, alright. Abayo <So long>."

Tomoe had spotted the signature tall smokestack of a sento <public bath> peeking over the town's rooftops earlier, meandering her way through the streets in its generally recalled direction. She had never been to Takayama before, but the prosperity of the town was obvious even in the quiet of night - her path frequently passed by the tall stark-white storehouses protecting colossal matsuri floats, dazzlingly-elaborate contraptions famous across the entire realm and the most ostentatious display of the town's timber-based wealth. Elsewhere, dark wooden buildings had massive porcupine-like balls of cedar quills hung above their entrances - advertising themselves as breweries for Takayama's second major industry - high-quality sake.

One of the town's few remaining open buildings was of immediate interest to Tomoe, however. The sento was a small but handsome facility, lacking the ostentatious ornamentation of its equivalents of Edo but more than adequate for the samurai's need. Tomoe ducked herself past the noren curtain hung over the entrance, setting her sandals aside in the entryway recess before setting her zeni <copper coins> down on the entry attendant's desk with barely an upward glance. Too drained for formalities and politeness, she could nonetheless feel the elder attendant's undoubtedly stern and wary eyes upon her as she set her swords aside and grabbed a basket for her clothes. <i>It's probably irregular for them to find a samurai here</i>, she thought to herself.

The bath was entirely empty save for the two of them; Tomoe was thankful for the unexpected spaciousness, though it also left her self-conscious. Perched up high at the sento's entrance to keep a watchful eye on would-be thieves, the attendant now only had one person to keep watch on to break the boredom of late-night supervision. A typical arrangement for a sento, though it always left Tomoe slightly uneasy. She did her best to ignore her presence as she disrobed, neatly folding her clan attire in the basket before stepping down into the washing area. Not even any yuna <bath attendant ladies> were present. <i>Working their nighttime trade instead...</i>, Tomoe supposed. No matter - she never particularly felt it worth the additional charge to have someone else scrub her down. She dunked a bucket into the hot water basin and grabbed a sack of rice bran, setting herself down in a low crouch in one of the shallow troughs marking out the bath's washing stalls. She kept her back turned to the entrance, still uneasy at being the sole focus of attention as she dutifully rubbed herself down with the abrasive sack. Judicious use of the hot water washing herself off bit-by-bit, the relief of having the day's sweat scrubbed off of her steadily migrating down from head to toe before finally dumping the last of the bucket's water over herself. A sigh escaping Tomoe as she lifted herself back upright, dutifully returning the bucket and sack in place. Finally she was ready for that long-awaited soak.

The entry to the bath was marked with a low portal to the back of the washing area, the timber wall ornately carved with animals of the zodiac - an obviously-intended display of the town's woodworking skill. With a low crouch Tomoe ducked under, smacking the wall with an open hand to warn possible occupants that she was entering - a gesture that turned out to be unnecessary, as the bath was too her's alone for the time being. She stayed there a moment with her hand still on the wall, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark while the room's dense humidity clung to her body. The room was primarily designed to trap the heat of the water, leaving almost no source of light beyond some small clerestory windows high up above and the low entry behind her to allow her to find her bearings. Soon enough though she could make out the deep wooden tub set into the floor in the middle of the room, furnace-heated water lapping over the edge of the basin and casting off a wonderfully-atmospheric smell of wet cedar. Gingerly Tomoe stepped over the edge of the tub, giving her feet a moment to become accustomed to the heat before easing herself down into a slouching half-sit, sunk down to her collarbone with a deep sigh of relief. She settled herself back against a corner of the basin, arms outstretched along the edges to either side of her as she dropped her head back, half-dozing as she savoured a long and desperately-needed soak. Gokuraku... <'Heaven' - a traditional exclamation often associated with Japanese bathing>

Tomoe couldn't say how long she had spent allowing the day's affairs to melt off of her, but her hazy idleness was suddenly cut short by the tok-tok of a hand knocking on dense timber, the low light from beyond the bath's entry outlining another bather as she ducked herself inside. With a... cavalier attitude towards etiquette, the newcomer dropped herself down at the opposite end of the basin, causing water to cascade over the brim as she planted a folded towel upon her head and slouched deeply into the shared bath. A slight scoff was released through Tomoe's nose before settling herself back, attempting to regain her earlier peacefulness.

In vain - the samurai again was left feeling eyes upon her. The limited light glinted off the other occupant's stare, exposing a feline complexion to her otherwise obscured outline. Finally Tomoe sat herself upright, tiring of this awkward interruption.
"Something the matter?", she asked pointedly.

"Hmm? Oh, not at all. Something seems to be gnawing away at you, however. I take it you had a draining day of endless paperwork? I can't say I particularly envy what I hear about a samurai's life, Tomoe Ame."

Tomoe's grip stiffened against the wooden edge of the tub. Ironically, she suddenly felt very naked without her swords. "How do you-"
"A ninja is nothing if they're not well-informed." A pause. "Besides, you're a Daimyo's bodyguard and principal advisor. You're not exactly a subtle individual, Tomoe. Ohh, sit down, sit down." A casually dismissive wave from the shrouded figure as Tomoe abruptly stood up, still debating whether to duck out or confront her mystery acquaintance head-on. Of all the times to be cornered by a ninja...!

"If I wanted you dead I'd have done it while you were nodding off," she continued. "Besides, we encountered one another some time ago, even if you likely don't recall it. The attack on Lord Tamakuro's keep? I'm Shingen's sister, Chizu."

"The... the Tamakuro conspiracy?" Tomoe had no recollection of her, but the explosive confrontation against that secret teppo <firearms> cache years ago was a far more tenacious memory. With some trepidation the samurai eased herself back down into the basin, keeping herself set in a low crouch should the need to spring free arise. "What do you want with me?"

Instead of answering, Chizu reached down and grabbed a small ceramic sake bottle she had evidently brought into the bath with her, uncorking it with her teeth before taking a swig and offering it to the samurai. She shrugged at Tomoe remained in place, setting it back down and lifting a leg up out of the surface of the water, crossing it over her opposite knee as she reclined back into her own corner.

"Your Lord Noriyuki seems to have a knack for keeping a target on his back, neh? No doubt you noticed a number of retainers from the Hoki Clan in the Jinya today?"

"There were retainers from many clans there, it's a Shogunate office," Tomoe tersely replied. She didn't bother to ask how Chizu knew where she was.

"True, but how many of them are aware that the Geishu keep is in need of repairs?"

"Just the Shogunate. There's been no reason to inform other clans of the planned work."

Chizu tsked, shaking her head. "Clearly someone in your household is leaking information. The Hoki see this as an opportunity to take out a Shogunate loyalist. They intend to conceal trusted samurai among the transport crews for the lumber order and assassinate Lord Noriyuki when he supervises the blessing of the timbers. They think making a brazen public example of a loyalist will cajole indecisive clans into joining a revolt against the Shogun."

Tomoe sat up a little, eyes bugged out. "They'd dare to make an attempt on a Daimyo's life in such a fashion? That's ludicrous!"
Chizu shrugged, taking another swig from her bottle. "Some days ago I was stealing some documents from the Hoki's archive and had eavesdropped on a conversation regarding the matter between the lord and one of his advisors. I managed to acquire one of the fans he was writing notes on, I've hidden it in your clothes basket for you to see for yourself. The writing is cryptic but it sounds as if a coordination meeting will be taking place in town sometime in the next day or two, that will be your best chance to disrupt the plot before the assassins are integrated into the work crew."

"Wait, you were breaking into the Hoki's clan archives? What for?" The samurai was answered with silence, unsurprisingly. She released a long sigh. "Why should I trust you? This could just as easily be a ruse."

Chizu dabbed her towel over her face, collecting the steam accumulating on her skin. "I told you I was Shingen's sister, which made me the next in line as kashira <chief> of the Neko Ninja. Unfortunately the ambition of some of my subordinates has been eroding our clan. I won't bore you with the details, but needless to say I'm now a nukenin <fugitive ninja> and the Neko are now tearing themselves apart with infighting. I obviously can't show my face to my old benefactors and I can't keep running forever. I'm going to need new... if not friends then at least acquaintances, I figure that making myself useful is as good a fashion as any to build new foundations."

"And you think the Geishu will shelter you?," Tomoe scoffed. "My lord does not deal with those who would resort to such undignified tactics!"

"Your lord will not be dealing with anyone or anything if his head is separated from his shoulders," Chizu sighed in response. She lifted herself up, whipping the excess water off her towel with a sharp crack before draping it behind her neck. "I would deal with this myself but the Neko will find my whereabouts sooner rather than later, the quicker I move on the better. I would have hoped approaching you about this matter in a place where we would both be unarmed would signify my intentions. The fan bears the Hoki crest, you can inspect it all you like if you feel it's a forgery. And you can show it to our long-eared acquaintance, he seems like the type who would be all too willing to involve himself in something like this."

"Long-eared... you mean Usagi? What does he have to do with all of this?"

"Nothing... yet. I spotted him taking the post road, he should be arriving in town by tomorrow I would imagine. We've met a number of times since the Tamakuro incident, I'm confident he can speak to my character if you still insist on skepticism."

"W-what? What on earth is THAT supposed to mean?!"

What might have looked like a toothy smile flashed through the dark steamy haze of the bath chamber as Chizu made her way to the low opening. "Enjoy your bath, Tomoe. We shouldn't be seen leaving together. When I'm proven right you're welcome to repay me for your unwarranted suspicions. Perhaps you can be my yuna - I think I'd enjoy having a samurai lick my legs down."

Tomoe was left near-paralyzed with shock on that obscene parting note as the ninja swept herself through the opening back into the dressing room of the sento. Fingers gripped and kneaded anxiously as she finally regained a hold of herself, her mind gnawing stubbornly on the bizarre encounter. She's clearly hiding something... but can I afford to dismiss her out of hand?

Finally she lifted herself up and stepped out of the basin, ducking low to reenter the light of the changing area - and the hard seemingly omnipresent stare of the sento attendant. Tomoe sat upon the tatami and ran a towel over herself, privately thankful that Chizu had evidently already collected her things and left. As the samurai drew her haori <overcoat> over her shoulders she felt an unusual weight in her sleeve - some ruffling around soon procured an elegant folding fan in her free hand. <i>It has a Hoki crest!</i>, she thought to herself. She quickly tucked the fan back into her sleeve and stepped back into her geta <wooden sandals>, giving the implacable attendant a curt bow before stepping back out into the night air, ducking herself into a side street. Believing herself free of prying eyes, she recollected the fan and opened it, squinting at it in the darkness. Sure enough, a rushed hand had been scrawling notes on the folded paper, a vaguely-phrased reminder about an urgent meeting to take place in Takayama the next day. <i>A lead on SOMEthing, perhaps... but the assassination of a Daimyo in full view of his court? Really?</i>

The <i>goro-goro</i> of Tomoe's stomach reminded her that she still hadn't eaten anything since midday - she hoped the rest of her group reminded the innkeeper to keep a meal set aside for her. With a sigh she closed up the fan and set it back into her sleeve, walking the night streets back to the Honjin with a steady tok-tok-tok-tok of wooden sandals upon the road. If Usagi really is on his way here perhaps it'd be best to bring this to his attention after all. <i>He always seems to love sticking his nose into this type of business...</i>