Rin was beyond thankful that Illiesku had saved her life. The gang had captured

her unharmed which made it more likely that they had planned on selling her as an

illegal contract. Really her life wasn't in danger at all, just her freedom. Point of the

matter was that Rin felt she owed a great debt to Illiesku. Paying for a day of

entertainment, food, drinks, and maybe a trip to the bathhouse would put her back a bit

in her goals, but was well worth the coin. She asked her savior what she wanted to do

and so here Rin was. Not at a play or concert. Not at a restaurant, bar, or even the

bathhouse. No, Rin was standing just outside the city gates watching workers unload

crates from river barges and putting them on ox drawn wagons. Rin had never seen

anything beyond the city walls before, but the excitement wore off after only thirty

minutes or so.

"I see," said Illiesku, rousing Rin from her boredom induced daydreaming.

"Huh?"

"Lianzhen is the end of the line for water based transit. Everything is moved onto

carts and shipped by land. This means whoever controls Lianzhen, controls the interior."

"Controls the interior of what?"

"The kingdom."

"Oh." Rin looked around at the docks, warehouses, and distant farmland. Does

any of that actually matter?

"Rin, I have noticed that there are many females doing traditionally male jobs.

Where are all the men?"

Rin stared at her feet. "There was a rebellion several years ago. It got bad."

"Ah, I must find a document on the more recent history. Well then, I do supose

that answers my question as to why there are so many abandoned buildings. Who

won?"

"Um, well, the king, I guess."

"The old king or the new king? Is there not a new king?"

"I think, the old king won."

"So why is there a new king?"

Rin looked up at Illiesku and shrugged.

"Hmm." The Oni-kai turned. "Okay then. Let us get some food and see this

bathhouse you rambled on about."

Rin had never felt comfortable with public nudity. The water itself was luxurious.

The perfect temperature and slightly scented. Worth every jade coin spent on it. So

much better than a bucket bath. She could do without the four other women. The room

was large with several small rectangular baths filled with hot water which technically

meant that she and Illiesku were separated from the others. Expensive magical lanterns

hung from the ceiling casting their glow down upon the water and giveing the place a

sense of regal splendor.

Rin was sitting in the water with her knees hiding her chest and her legs pressing

tightly together in a feeble attempt to hide her lady parts from the only other occupant of

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this particular pool. Her spaded tail undulated slowly in the water just in front of her. The

resistance and semi-weighless caused by the liquid felt weird. Is it odd that I live in a

city with so much water and don't know how to swim?

Unlike Rin, Illiesku seemed to have no reservations about nudity. She was

spayed out in the water with only her face and horns exposed to the air. She looked like

she was in heaven or at least some form of bliss.

"Do, do you like the baths?"

The Oni-kai shifted. Her silky black hair sticking to her skin as she moved to look

at Rin. Rin squeezed her legs tighter into herself, trying to hide her body. Illiesku

grinned.

"I had forgotten how good this feels."

Rin could understand that. Considering the price alone, this was a once a year

splurge at best. Illiesku lifted both hands out of the water and pulled her perfect hair out

of her face. Rin stiffened. Electricity running down her spine all the way to the tip of her

tail. Despite the water, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she found

herself unable to stop staring into the Oni-kai's right eye. It was milky white and

unremarkable. Yet it still unnerved her. She had seen blind eyes before. Cloudy and

vacant, but this was different. Very different. It was like the empty white was staring

back at her. Staring through her.

"My apologies." Illiesku closed the eye, breaking its spell and freeing Rin from its

horrible gaze. She carefully separated some of her hair to lay back over her face. Rin

said nothing.

"Can I touch your tail?"

"Huh? My tail?" She looked down the prehensile limb. "I... Guess."

Illiesku's hand reached out. Fingers wrapping around the appendage near the

spade.

This is just awkward, Rin thought.

Illiesku examined the spade for a moment before running her thumb along the

edge. A different kind of electricity caused her to tense. This time it ran from the tip of

her tail up her spine to the base of her skull as well as to her toes and a few other

sensitive areas.

"I!" Rin clenched her jaw shut. "Can I have that back? Please!"

Illiesku let go and Rin pulled her tail inward. Hiding it near her butt.

"Hmm. Mine isn't that sensitive," said Illiesku.

"Y-you don't have a tail."

"Ah, right. That's probably why. "

The Oni-kai looked Rin up and down.

Don't stare at me like that! Rin tried to pull her body in tighter. The bathhouse

was a stupid idea. Stupid. Stupid.

"You are very pretty."

You sound like a creepy old man! "Th-thank you. You, you are." Habit was trying

to force her to return a compliment, but her brain wasn't keeping up. Then again, Illiesku

wasn't even looking at her anymore. Rin followed her gaze to an older woman that had

just entered the bathhouse.

"Please pardon me. I need to speak with that woman."

Rin relaxed into the water as Illiesku walked off. No more bathhouses, ever.