Vulpine Bathing Procedures (Expecting)

[Asako Saburo]

The weather outside was miserable, which would make any attempts to clean the grounds next to futile. Cleaning the dojo was already something of a chore. By the time that Saburo had eaten the portions for the day and come to the bathhouse, the need to feel clean was starting to dominate his thought process. He did not enjoy days like these. It was hard to feel properly cleansed.

Sitting down in the boy's changing area, he started the almost arduous process of washing, cleaning and ensuring that the outer layers of grime that he perceived, far and above what others actually thought was there, were gone. He heard something at the door and glanced that way, detached and curious. "Ngh?" such an eloquent soul.

[Kitsune Setsuna]

• 
  Setsuna came in from cleaning, as was expected of them in the morning. Most students had taken a broom and swept, but the Kitsune wasn't sure how effective that would be with all the rain. Instead, he offered to help in the kitchen today. There he washed dishes; so many dishes. You wouldn't believe how many dishes all the samurai went through, every day. And with breakfast coming up, it was very important. Every chore was a lesson however, and he took care to pay attention even this early in the morning. The ruddy faced heimin was polite and kind enough, explaining how a kitchen was run, the best way to wash knives without cutting oneself, the best way to scrub and dry. Lessons that may not be important to a child, but would be important to a samurai or a yojimbo.
  
  By the end of it, his headband was drenched with sweat and dishwater, and his fingers were pruney and raw. This was the sight Asako Saburo would see as he wearily entered the bathing area. A steamed bun from breakfast was in the middle of being eaten, and behind him strolled one very proud grey cat with a large chicken's leg in it's mouth. The bun was absolutely delicious: mushroom filling, pickled veggies, peanuts all wrapped up in one perfect package. And the remainder would be immediately popped into his mouth, his breakfast now come to an end. For now, he did not pay much mind to the Phoenix as he had to get clean first.
  
  Behind a screen, the man would undress to nothingness. A large pot with an ornate handle was nearby, as was a tub of water. He would take the pot and pour the cooled water over himself, ensuring that not a single speck of dust was on him. After, he took a large bar of soap and began to scrub himself furiously, humming a short tune to himself. He took especially good care of his hair, rubbing at his scalp until his head was more covered by foam than hair, enjoying the sensation. Once that was done, he took the pot again and doused himself, until he could see no trace of soap on the ground. Now that he was properly cleansed, he made his way to the edge of the bath. "Greetings, minna-san," he would murmur after a proper and perfectly timed bow, gingerly sticking one foot in the bath.
  
  Holy hell that was hot. His teeth grit, but the leg continued to descend downwards to a step of sorts. The other would follow, and he would descend until he was waist deep. "I am Kitsune Setsuna, of the Fox clan. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He would peer most nearsightedly at where he'd last seen the Phoenix, wondering if he knew this person already or not. His bright red eyes did not help him in these matters. Next time he'd get closer and check for sure before he spoke. "If we have met already, then pleased to meet you once more, and my apologies. My eyes are not nearly as sharp as my clan's namesake, heh."
  
  As for the cat, she did not seem to enjoy nor approve being here. She would stroll around as if she owned the place, very careful to avoid any water what so ever. For now, she would content herself with batting at the obi of the Asako, where ever it hung.

[Asako Saburo]

Saburo was finishing the process of cleansing himself only around the time that Setsuna was. However thorough the young man and his companion might have been, there was something almost obsessive in the way that the Asako cleansed. His skin had the look of occasionally just being over-washed, a little dry at points, though the baths helped to rejuvenate the skin, so it wasn't too much of a problem in the long run. He looked ... well, about as healthy as ever even if perhaps a tough better fed than earlier.

I hope the Kitsune has the good grace to finish that before we're soaking....

The splash of the last bucket of water before he coiled a towel around his waste and collected two more echoed in the small room and he bowed once to the boy before making his way to the tub. "Yes, we met previously. Asako Saburo. You were one of Hida Goroharu-sama's students for the private lesson," he said as he leaned forward and wiped at the edge of the tub, inspecting and making sure there were none of those filthy tree frogs lurking here like yesterday. Once he'd done that, he slipped in and set two towels to the side, grimacing only once at the heat.

"I will not be joining you in the spellcasting lessons today. I have spoken with Asako-sama about alternate methods of approaching my deficiencies in Earth."

[Kitsune Setsuna]

• "Ahhh," he sighed in contentment as his body became more used to the water, and he sank into a seated position. He was very careful to ensure that his long hair, beautiful as it was, did not dip into the water. Though it was cleaned, the act of allowing such was considered filthy after all. He should have wrapped his hair up in a towel like a girl, but he hated the restrictive feeling of his hair being bound up. "I surprised myself that day. I intended to go to study spellcraft but the idea of unarmed combat intrigued me, so I just... stepped in. I never imagined in a hundred years that I'd learn to fly." A soft tinkling of a laugh, and he brushed a few damp strands of silvery hair out of his eyes.
  
  "If you believe that is best and the sensei sign off on it, then I wish you luck. That is the conclusion drawn between the two of you, I would imagine that must be the best solution, since you seem very smart. I don't believe I will do the spellcasting training through all four sessions myself." He stared upwards at the ceiling. "The Kitsune clan is small, so our shugenja are trained in the arts of court as well as the arts of the mystical. It would benefit us the most if I attend the courtly training at least once."
  
  Ronyan the cat had found herself a nice pile of towels to lay on, fluffy and thick, and was at last content in this wet and too warm place.

[Asako Saburo]

"The Moto's a strong one, certainly." He did chuckle a little. Ichiro did a good job being intimidating, but he was starting to think he had his number a tiny bit, and he didn't mind hi attitudes as a general rule. "Still, the lesson was fortuitous for me, I am certain of that. It ensured I was able to perform well the next day, compared to what the alternatives might have been with only myself refreshing my memory on forms."

"Ah, so your duties require your presence in multiple worlds, as it were. For me, it is simply... a wish to try another approach to the matter of my Earth. It has never been strong, never in my life, and something holds it back. Testing another method could be what I require." One of those golden eyes opened a fraction, regarding Setsuna with detached curiosity, seeing his hair spilling out over the back of the bath. he really could have tied his hair up like the Doji had the other day.

"So. Fox? I have never met any of your clan before now. You keep to the woods you guard usually do you not?"