Beast Hunter |Inosuke Hashibira|

Chapter 36🌲Trials and Tribulations

↪This chapter had me stuck for like 6 days for some reason↩

↣Trial and Tribulations↢

"WHA! Incredible!"

"Their faces were painted, but they don't need any makeup. Look at their beauty! We struck gold, I only had to pay for one and it was super cheap!"

You turned bright pink, an embarrassed smile quivering on your face. Can I take these compliments seriously? The woman who bought you two, Yui, finally put the makeup drenched washcloth back in the bucket of muddy water, grinning up at the other woman, Himari. Himari clapped and raised a fist victoriously, "I'm going to educate them hard! They're going to be more popular then Kyougoku's Warabihime and Tokito's Koinatsu!"

They picked the two of you up off the floor and started to drag you down the halls in a flash, sneaking in a comment on how the both of you were quite stiff compared to other ladies. Pulling the two of you into the bathroom, you and Inosuke shared a glance.

"Ah, Yui-san, Himari-san, my sister is uncomfortable with others watching us bathe. You see, one of our clients of the past put some bad memories in her head. But you're free to help me, and I can help my sister after!"

"No no, we only want to change your clothing, those kimonos won't due." Yui tutted, walking to a closet and pulling out a blue flower kimono along with a [F/C] one, "I am deeply sorry about cruel men, Inoko! I promise that most that come here are not like that."

Inosuke stood stiff as the two women shed his top kimono off, though they said nothing as they checked his arms and covered him in the blue kimono. They whispered to one another about muscles before undressing you from your own top layer. Yui stopped midway of examining your arms, looking at Hirami and back at your tattooed stiff biceps, "Oh my! [Y/N], are you an ex-criminal?"

Your calm smile turned confused, cocking your head to the side and finally looking at the two women, "Um... No? Why do you ask?"

"You see, there is a large town that would tattoo the same rings around your arm onto criminals. It is a rumor that this boy who had the same amount as you killed a whole dojo's worth of people and was never seen again." Yui quickly retold the story, going back to examining your arms. Inosuke forced his hands to stay at his sides, somehow very offended that they called you some criminal and still touched you like they were your friends.

You blinked in surprise, touching the place on one of your arms where the bold black ink lay, "That sounds scary! My family line has these for protection against evil spirits, Inoko couldn't get them because she was allergic to the ink."

"Well, perhaps we need to cover these up while your working. Clients might not take kindly to someone they see as a criminal, no matter if you are or not." Himari gently wrapped your arms down to your elbows with bandages Yui had taken out from the same closet, "If a man asks you what happened, tell him you accidentally were burned by spilled tea on your arms when you and another were practicing the tea ceremony. If he comes back and notices it again, tell him your waiting for the scars to leave. I'm sure he'd understand."

They finally dressed you, leading you out the room and into another. Stray instruments and random items decorated the floor accordingly, which had you assuming this was some sort of room to hone your skills. Yui said her goodbyes, claiming that the house you stayed at, the Ogimoto house, was going to open soon. Being the excited girl Himari seemed to be, she waved off Yui and grinned at the two of you, "Welcome to training, girls! How about we go over the basics and see what you already know?"

Before you can list off the talents of you and Inosuke, she sat you down upon the floor and scampered to one dresser of the room, pulling out two pairs of ginormous zori. Himari brought the large zori up to your faces, grinning excitedly, "Were you two taught the hanji monji walk yet?"