“Behind the Prudent Trader”

April in the Spirited Away world mean the cherry blossoms were in bloom. However that night Amixy arrived, there was a sudden downpour, causing the pale pink flowers to fall and be drowned out into the darkness. Many of citizens quickly found shelter among the many shops lining the streets, but most went to the bath house run by the famous Yubaba and there was not a single soul out in the dreadful weather. She stood in front of the main door to the bath house with only a green Japanese traditional umbrella in hand.

One of the bath-workers opened the door to blow out the candles lighting the paper lanterns outside and took notice of Amixy.

Red hair? She must be a foreigner or something…yet she wore the garb of the oiran, a high ranked courtesan. Ornate tortoise-shell and lacquer combs were in her hair. Her face was painted white while her lips were stained a dark red. She wore an elaborate red kimono that was fastened by a wide silver obi tied in the front. Though she did not wear tabi socks, she wore the foot-tall lacquered geta slippers.  

It was until her eyes locked on to his, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The woman looked incredibly familiar, but this was the first time he laid eyes on her.

“Pardon my intrusion,” Amixy said softly as she smiled, “Is the mistress of this bath house here tonight?”

“Y-yes, she is,” the servent gulped, “But we’re full for the night. I’m very sorry, but I cannot make exceptions, even to a beautiful woman like you!”

“I did not say anything about staying here for the night. I wish to only speak with the mistress here.”

“I cannot guarantee such a thing! Please perhaps I should—“

Amixy sighed and entered the bath house before he can utter another word. She made it to the center of the building. Many of the guests that were in the lobby stopped their chatter as the Nobody sat down on a chair.

“If the lady of this fine bath house will not come, perhaps I should coax her out,” she said to no one but herself. Amixy pulled her prized leather pouch, the one she usually wore on her hip, out from her kimono. Her long slender fingers slipped inside and slowly brought out her beloved shamisen from the pouch. The customers gasped at the strange magic they just witnessed, but she ignored them, calmly twisting the wooden pegs to tune her instrument.

Her right hand gripped the tortoise shell bachi and she let out a quiet sigh as she closed her eyes to play. As the bachi plucked at the strings and the drum of the shamisen, Amixy’s hand moved flawlessly in tune as her fingers went at an incredible speed.
More of the bath-house’s guests poked their heads out as the sounds echoed through out the entire wooden structure of the building. Even the most rambunctious drunks were immediately shushed.

Yubaba herself finally graced the Prudent Trader with her presence within a few minutes of her performance. Her large eyes even went wider when she got a closer look at the musician.

“It can’t be…O-Yami? That’s impossible!”

“O-Yami,” Amixy repeated the name. “So that was my somebody’s name. If you are the mistress of this bathhouse, I would like to ask you some questions about her.”

“I won’t be answering any questions from you,” she sneered. “You dare to enter here without permission, dressed in such clothes, start causing a ruckus and now expect me to answer questions?”

The Nobody chuckled. “Of course, I, Amixy, wouldn’t request something like without a little trade off.” She put away her shamisen, much to the disappointment of the guests and pulled a small item wrapped in white paper.

Amixy simply tossed it towards the crone, letting it bounce the floor hard enough to send the many golden coins flying. Everyone gasped at the shining spectacle. The bath workers, instantly forgetting their tasks, as well as the guests, scrambled to grasp at the gold.Yubaba, intolerant of such cacophony, slammed her cane down to shut them up. Once they stepped away, she motioned on her higher up cronies to take care of the coins.

“Well, since you made such a generous offer and the guests would probably object if I tossed you out…I suppose I will accept your deal. But we will conduct this in my office.”

“Sounds fair enough,” Amixy stood up and bowed her head in gratitude. “After you, Yubaba-sama.”

“So you want to know about O-Yami,” the bath crone took her seat behind the desk once they entered her office. “What exactly do you want to know?”

“Everything that you do know about her will do.”

“O-Yami was brought here when she was still a brat since her parents, some merchants who are now long dead, couldn’t pay off their debts to me. She had a cute face, so instead tossing her with the other workers; we had her train as a geisha. Over the years, she became popular, and brought us many customers. Gods from all over flocked over to so much as even glance at her.

“Then one day, this one guy dressed in rags, and carrying that shamisen you have, comes. We tried to turn him away, but he had enough to pay for O-yami’s appearance fee.

“We thought it was just a one time of thing, but he kept coming back week after week. Many of the other guests gave him looks because of this. Soon people say they could hear laughing and shamisen playing among other things from where those two would meet. When I did ask her about what was going on, she would simply blush and change the subject.Then half a year later, he suddenly stopped showing up. By that time, O-Yami was able to pay off her family’s debt to me.

“The day she was to leave the bath house, we were attacked by some giant creature. It was cat, but it was half the size of the building and pitch black with sharp yellow eyes. O-Yami was waiting on the bridge for the man to come and get her, but she was the first causality. We couldn’t find her body once the creature suddenly disappeared.”

“A large creature…” Amixy thought to herself, “A heartless without a doubt was did her in.” She said nothing to the old lady, her head lowered.

Yubaba got up from her seat. “I don’t know you’re so curious about a dead geisha, but I did find this among her belongings when we were clearing out her place.” She pulled out two time-worn books from the bookshelf. “They’re her journals. I never read them personally, but I thought that man should at least have it…but I have a hunch he’s never coming back now that his lover is gone now. Do what you wish with them.”

The Nobody quietly took the books. “Thank you very much for your information. Forgive me for my sudden entering and exiting, but I now must be going.”

She created a portal behind her and stood up. Before  the old crone could say another word, Amixy jumped in.

Back at Castle Oblivion, Amixy submitted a light report about her journey to her home world to the Superiors. Once that was over, the Prudent Trader was on her bed. She glanced at the shamisen propped in its usual spot right next to where she was. Something was bugging her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Amixy could only, for now, roll onto her side and drift off to sleep.

END