Rude Awakenings

"You'll have to remind me to track down a few of Lewis Carols novels for you," Lily grins. "I think you would find a lot in common with the protagonist. Do you read English?"

I look back to Lily and smile with a nod. "Yes. I was taught both English and Chinese. My country was changing when I was born and so I had to learn it. Normally samurai men are fluent in Chinese as well as Japanese. Though with all the foreigners that were coming in, so much had changed. My grandfather thought it would be important for me to learn it. I... I have always found reading it to be far easier than speaking it." I begin to relax and truly open up to the woman across the water from me. My arms casually skim through the underside of the water; making ripples on the surface.

"I'm sure our wordsmith will have a copy, and, if nothin' else, it's an lovely read." Lily stirs the water with her foot, enjoying the steam and the warm. "What do you do to enjoy yourself back home? Nightside, we could find ya some thing to thrill you..." She smiles, a twinkle of mischief in the corner of her eye.

"Back home?" I close my eyes as my thoughts move back to my home and my mother. "I would go flower viewing with my mother. Or, sometimes we would simply go and buy flowers and make arrangements on our own. She was very good at it. A few of her arrangements were even bought by people." Images of home ghost behind my eyes and I can practically smell the wooden buildings and dusty streets. "I would also do calligraphy. The written word is a powerful thing and I aspire to make what I write pleasing to the eye."

"Inks and flowers then," Lily contemplates a store front in her mind. "I have just the place for your to get after your interests." She smiles, "Up for a visit tomorrow?"

I open my eyes slowly and smile at her. "Yes, I believe that that is a well thought plan. It will give me time to wash and mend my kimono." I skim my hands through the water again. "Is it possible that anyone here has a needle and thread that I may use?"

Lily makes a dismissive gesture. "If it hasn't already, I expect tha' the house has already cared for that."

"The house can even provide such small things?" I am filled with a sense of humbling awe. "I will indeed have to make a proper shrine then. It would be wrong of me not to."

"It takes care of of us as much as any of us can. I think it needs to be occupied, and so it makes sure of it by providing all it can."

"Then I will honor it by occupying it and paying homage to it's services. At home, there are several gods like this home. Clear rivers, waterfalls, old sacred trees, even lakes... All can be the manifestation of a god since it is providing a service to people and should therefore be protected and maintained since it first helped you without asking anything in return."

Lily stops and thinks. "I suppose," she concedes reluctantly, "Though things around here tend to become very powerful, the more you believe in them. The less ya put your faith in something, the less likely ye're to get hurt by it."

"I believe I can understand that idea however, it seems wrong of my not to give thanks." I smile lightly as I look to her. "You're welcome to come and see for yourself if you like."

"Ah, well, there's worse things you could do," Lily twists the water from her hair, occupying her hands.

I run my fingers through my hair once more before quickly dunking myself underwater. Resurfacing, I return to washing my hair. "May I ask what it is you do for pleasure here?"

Lily swallows and looks away. "I have a few interests to occupy me."

"Oh?" I smile. "Like what?" I cannot seem to stop myself from trying to learn more about the woman before me.

Lily paws at her hair, tangling it around her fingers. "There's a thrill to be gotten in acquiring things," she hedges, "I liberate valuables...." She trails of into silence as she reaches up her other hand to unsnarl the first and smooth the loose strands.

I watched her closely a moment. "You... steal things?" I'm confused by the prospect of such actions. Stealing of course isn't unheard of in towns. However, usually it is a mark of great dishonor to do such a thing. "You... find pleasure in it?"

Lily shudders. "It's... a challenge..." she stammers and turns red behind her golden hair.

I sigh as I watch her. Clearly what she is talking about is deeply affecting her. She's acting as though she's never told this to anyone. "Perhaps, there are other challenges you could partake in as well?" I run my fingers through my hair. "There are other things to pass the time... Though... I am guessing that this hobby sits well with you." A heavy silence filled the steamy warm bathroom and I sigh with a smile. "I suppose the water as gone away with myself as I am too lax to care." I find myself chuckling and decide that I do not care about her thievery. The dishonor I would get, would only be apparent and express itself if I were home. But here, saving face means little by the looks of things.

Lily pulls her legs from the water and sits cross-legged, hunching over and hiding her face behind her hair in a pretense of combing out snarls. "I'm able to open anything..." she murmurs, only enough to just reach the ears of the other, "There's only so many paths left to me."

"I suppose then that you have made the most of your gifts." I smile at her and begin to move towards her. "It is natural to want to excel in whatever it is that we do best; like my mother and her flowers." I stop before her and smile at her a moment before splashing her casually.

Still shaking my head from the work I did, I stand from the kitchen table, placing the plate in the sink. I needed food, but now I need something to get my body feeling itself even more. "I think I need a shower after all that. Hot water. Back in a bit."
Slipping into the bathroom, I blink. The back of the room is now a narrow hall with an Oriental roof. And beyond that...I grin. I can see a pool, wide and steaming. It's almost a swimming pool. I pat the wall. "You are amazing." I murmur, then strip quickly and jog inside. I dive in, already halfway through my Change when I hit the water. The heat is wonderful, and being an otter in the water is a sensation all in itself. Perfect. Perfect. I languidly churn my body through the water, then lift my head from the water with a contented little chitter.
There's a gasp.
My eyes flash open. There's Lily, sitting on a bench on the other side of the wall looking nonplussed. And the new girl, her mouth a perfect o.
Oh shit. Oh shit.

I watch as the savior from before came into the bathroom only to hop in the water and turn into some sort of strange animal. "What is this?" I watch on in utter shock as the animal locks eyes with me and looks just as shocked as I feel.

"Kiou, this is the white rabbit, which seems to be early for once," She glares at Liv, contemplating how long it took her to convince their guest that they were as human as she.