01x04 - Peculiarities

[bunniefuu]

[serene music playing]

Excuse me.

[indistinct chatter]

[flutes playing]

[man ] Faster, they're about to start!

[man ] Come on.
It's going to be a bloodbath. Hurry up.

[indistinct chatter]

A duel?

[gasps] A death duel.

[crowd cheering]

[clicks sword]

[wind whooshing]

[ominous music playing]

[music ends]

[gasps]

[sword clicks in place]

[grunts]

[crowd gasping]

[crowd clapping]

The Painter's Signature.

Immaculate.

[grunts]

Should I find us an inn for the night?

[Mizu] No. I need a brothel.

Oh.

[Ringo] Master.

Master?

You do know what they do in brothels?

Master?

[Mizu] Here.

Welcome, sir. Welcome.

We are pleased to have you
select us from options.

Do you happen to have an appointment?

Madame Kaji is the proprietor here.
I would like to see her.

Madame Kaji's clients book months ahead.

If you prefer older women,

we cater to every taste.

My taste is to be seen by Madame Kaji.

[indistinct chatter]

You can wait here.

You do have money?

Ah.

Ringo, this will be some time.

If you'd like to explore the harbor...

An apprentice should stay with his master.

[men laughing]

[chuckles]

- Mm.
- [man laughs]

[prost*tute] Oh, bad boy.

Get back here. [chuckles]

If that's to your liking,

we have other mothers to keep you company.

I asked for Madame Kaji.

[sighs]

[Madame Kaji] I bought your contracts.

Gave each of you a place here.

Do you think
you earned your place this week?

Did you?

Hands.

[grunts]

To be alive is to wake up
and do things you don't want to do,

or don't bother waking up.

[sighs]

I like when you slap them.

[grunts]

Someone wants to see you.

I said, "No, thank you," to company.

The gentleman asked for me.

Madame Kaji?

I understand not one of my girls
caught the gentleman's interest.

If it is boys he is after,
he need only ask.

Many famous samurai
prefer the stamen to the pistil.

Madam Kaji's tea house is known
for catering to peculiarities.

Nothing desired is peculiar.

Any woman can study woodcuts
and master the and positions.

I offer what the rare heart hungers.

[man laughs]

[Ringo chuckles]

Strong men come here
to be weak, uncentered.

They make themselves fools.

[Madame Kaji] I hope the gentleman
isn't one of those monkish samurai

who cares only about the sword.

Isn't it said,

"To master the way of battle,

one must become acquainted
with every art?"

Sex? An art?

Hmm.

The gentleman was wise to seek me.

Come.

There is an art to sex, yes.

Done correctly,
it may be a form of worship.

The bud honors god by blooming.

Some bloom to sun, some to rain.

Look.

What is it?

A window. A mirror.

Desire is beyond the need of my purpose.

If you are only a sword,
are you even a man or a mere demon?

"The Floating World."

That's what they call
the pleasure quarters.

Where one must travel to reach heaven.

One can only ascend if willing to rise.

To deny desire is to cut out
a corner of your own heart.

To sever a limb
and still expect to fight true.

He was honest with his desire.

That is a swordsman
who knows the shape of his soul.

Now, tell me what you want.

Nothing desired is peculiar.

If the gentleman cannot state his desire,

perhaps he prefers to write it.

How do you know that name?

"Abijah Fowler."

Peculiarities.

Fowler's tastes are... loathsome.

Curating his entertainment
requires a specialist.

You have m*rder in your eyes.
I see your desire now.

His castle allows no one in,

but you've sent your prostitutes to him.

You've been inside. You've seen him.

Enough times to know you never want to.

He's a man who began life
taking pleasure in others' pain.

Boredom has only made him experimental.

Some men's eyes say plainly
they've tasted human flesh.

Raw.

If you serviced him at his keep,
then there's a way inside.

You will tell me where it is.

Why would I help you k*ll my customer?

Because he deserves to die.

If you k*lled every man I've seen
who couldn't come till someone bled,

you'd wear your blade to a stump.

Hmm.

The gentleman and I have no business.

He is welcome to all the hospitality
my tea house provides.

Perhaps in your visits,
you met Heiji Shindo?

Perhaps he laid a hand on you.

If it was his right hand,
consider yourself avenged.

You provide services.

So do I.

Name your desire.

Under the law,
revenge is a luxury for men like you.

Women like me must be practical.

We must focus on our result.

That gambling house
belongs to Boss Hamata.

Everything belongs to Boss Hamata.

[man grunts]

Him and his Thousand Claw army.

[wind whooshing]

[grunts, groans]

Half of what we make is his.

At times, he asks for more.

Anyone who challenges him

wakes to find a Thousand Claws there
to destroy everything they love.

Six months ago, Boss Hamata took Kinuyo.

I bought Kinuyo from her father,
who'd grown tired of abusing her.

He knew nothing about his daughter
except that she was deaf and mute.

He had no idea there was a world inside.

In time, she grew to trust me.

She told me she would rather die
than be touched by a man again.

I promised she never would be.

But Boss Hamata likes
to break delicate things,

so he took her.

[muffled scream]

He took her from me.

I promised her.

There is only one way to spare Kinuyo.

You want me to k*ll Boss Hamata.

No.

Her.

They know my love for Kinuyo.

If anything should happen
to Boss Hamata or her,

a Thousand Claws will come to my door
and k*ll every soul in my care.

It must look like an accident.

It will.

There can be no witnesses.

I will be like smoke.

Swear it.

I swear.

[wind whooshing]

[Madame Kaji] Then I will tell you
what you want to know.

You can rest here tonight until it's time.

No eyes will watch you.

Can I send you anything?

Only privacy.

Before you open the door to heaven,

I want you to face Kinuyo
and make this sign.

She will know you are there as my hand,

and she will be at peace.

[Madame Kaji whimpers]

[Akemi] Ahem.

Ringo?

[Akemi] May I serve you?

I said I don't want any company.

[Akemi] Please. If you don't let me in,
Madame will b*at me.

- [theme music swelling]
- [liquid trickling]

[floorboards creaking]

[Akemi's father] Akemi?

How many days have you been at prayer?

Don't exhaust the gods with your requests.
Save something for when you need them.

Hmm. Be angry with me all you want.
We're still going to Edo in two days.

You need to be ready
to get married and to be married.

If your mother was here, she would've
taught you what it is to be a wife.

But to be clear, she was not ideal.
She talked back often, like you, but...

she knew how to please me.

The and positions.

A wife should be familiar with the .

The are for professionals,

but you're marrying
into the shogunate, so...

[sighs]

Akemi. At some point,
you have to talk to me.

[whimpers]

[tense music accelerates]

- Where would she have gone?
- I have no idea.

[horses snorting]

Find my daughter!

- [horses neighing]
- [hoofbeats receding]

["Kushimoto Bushi" by Chiemi Eri playing]

Never seen him. Husband?

[Akemi] Let's go. This place is too cheap.

It's Mihonoseki.

You said you wanted to work here.

Don't you wanna make more money on me?
We can do better.

[Goro sighs]

- [Akemi] We can do better.
- [Goro sighs]

[wind whooshing]

[children laughing]

We can do better.

[Goro sighs]

[music ends]

[horses neighing]

- [Akemi] We need to go. Now.
- Okay, one more town.

- This way. I know it.
- Huh?

[hoofbeats approaching]

No, no, no.
That's the long way around, by the coast!

We'll have good luck this way.
I have a feeling.

[hoofbeats receding]

[Akemi sighs]

Oh, Taigen, where are you?

He will hit you with a fist.

[Taigen grunts]

He will hit you with a club.

[Taigen grunts]

He will hit you with... a hammer.

- [tense music accelerates]
- [Taigen coughs]

[Fowler] This is boring. [yawns]

I'm bored.

I like it.

You will tell me
everything you know about Mizu.

[inhales, coughs]

There's a reason
I haven't been down here in a decade.

I'm not waiting on you for supper.

[door opens, closes]

He humiliated you.

He ruined your marriage
into the Tokunobu clan.

Why suffer so much to protect an enemy?

[chuckles]

He deserves better than you.

He will cut you with a Kn*fe.

- [slicing]
- [Taigen grunts]

[Taigen groans, echoing]

I never asked them to build this.

They just assumed
the white man required a chapel

and put it by the dungeon.

We're not friends.

I haven't, uh, spoken to you in some time.

Wouldn't do you
the dishonor of asking for a favor.

But I believe
there's something I can do for you.

They've been godless here
as long as they've been.

You saw what they did
to your priests and faithful.

Kicked out and crucified,
the Word dead in their mouths, unspread.

Heathens, surely, these Japanese.

Lucky for you,
their man in charge is greedy.

I plan to cut
that shogun's head from his shoulders

and reimagine
this nation more to my liking.

Now, normal days, I'd imagine
you're indifferent to that outcome.

Fair enough, fair play.
Same as me to yours.

But I'll tell you this, though.
If this all goes my way,

I will go ahead and take it for a sign

that you tilted the wind to my back,

and I will, in kind,

build into my new station a pulpit.

I will send for your priests
to bring them your Word

and hand you a nation of souls.

My thanks if you see fit.

It's no matter to me either way.

I've got no use for souls.

Ah, this way, that way.
Nothing's good enough for her!

Too wet, too dry, too smelly.
Why do I listen?

Most girls open a mouth,
and I pour in a drop of this.

[sighs] Blessed silence.

They wake up in their new home,
and Goro counts his fortune.

But for Akemi, only respect and restraint.

Goro?

Forgive me.
You know I'd be lost without you.

What's a few more towns together?

[man] Come on, it's almost time.

[crowd cheering]

Keep up!
I'm not missing the duel 'cause of you.

I wanna see blood!

- A duel?
- A skinny guy and a big guy.

I bet five mon on the skinny one.
He's got a face like a demon.

A demon!

[children laughing]

This is our town.

Huh?

[crowd gasping]

Aww, we missed the blood.

[grunts]

[Akemi] Taigen. That's his scarf.

Demon.

I found our brothel.

[laughs]

Oh no, no, no, no. Not Madame Kaji's.

You should be
with the courtesans. Elegance.

They're known for peculiarities.

Well.

[door opens]

[soft music playing]

[music ends]

Goro!

No, no! Out! Out! Get out.

[laughs] Oh what,
what kind of welcome is that?

You're not welcome!
Not since you sold us that poxy puss.

Madame Kaji won't even
look at a girl from you.

Oh, she'll look at this one.

[indistinct chatter]

[laughing]

[suspenseful music playing]

[man] Ahem.

[sighs]

[Goro] Oh, she'll pay a fortune for you.

I always wanted to be rich.
Can you imagine?

[gasps] What do you think it feels like?

[Akemi] Like never thinking
about how you're rich.

Madame Kaji. May I...

[Madame Kaji]
The last words I said to you, Goro?

"Speak to me again,
and I'll s*ab your nose."

If you could put off v*olence a moment,

may I introduce Akemi?

A revered courtesan from Gion.

A castle topper if I ever saw one.

Her feet alone...

We already have a princess act.

Oh, not like Akemi.

Sings, dances, calligraphy, koto.

Can debate the sutras
like Takuan the Monk.

Not one of your usual wrung-out widows,
nighthawks, and tea steepers.

Hmm.

Your richest client's favorite position?

Me, on top.

Goro, one thing to credit you
is you are consistent.

- Mm.
- You're an idiot every day of your life.

You've been had.
She's no more courtesan than I'm a maiden.

You're the real thing, aren't you?

An actual princess bathed in milk.

- Virgin.
- I...

You've barely seen
two cocks your whole life.

Hmm. But your inexperience
may be a beauty mark, not a wart...

if you want to work.

I do.

I will.

This is no fancy pleasure house

with hours of dance
and witty conversation.

What the geisha hopes to avoid

at the end of the night
is how we start the day.

I don't pretend
it is work any woman likes,

but if you can survive it,
you will be safe in my care.

Goro, ryo for your virgin princess
if she performs to satisfaction tonight.

A test.

Come in the morning to collect

your money or your girl.

May the goddess Benzaiten
guide your hands and those feet.

[door closes]

Yes, girl. Just like that,
you've been bought and sold.

Fast as a marriage.

My name is Akemi.

I'll bother to remember that
if you're still here tomorrow.

Your first test, eat.

Or be eaten.

- [woman laughs]
- [indistinct chatter]

This is Akemi, an actual highborn noble.

More than just powder and priss, like Ise.

Hmph.

Right now, she's regretting
running away from her daddy's castle.

Not at all.

I'm eager to find a customer.

Hmph.

Here. One of Ise's old ones.

It's torn, but if you drape it,
it hardly shows. [gasps]

- Is that how they're wearing it now?
- It's the latest fashion in Kyoto.

All of you,
finish preening and get out there.

I counted four men still alone
with their pants on and purses tied.

[sighs]

[prost*tute ] I'm not taking
that blue-eyed freak.

Why do I always get the ugly ones?

[prost*tute ]
So far, he turned down everyone.

[prost*tute ] Let him turn down me.

[prost*tute ] And me.

[Akemi] I'll take him.

No one ever refuses me. May I, Madame?

Isn't Watari the Walrus here tonight?

On my first night, you made me
prove my skills under him for six hours.

Cracked two ribs.

He's gotten so fat,
he can't get it up anymore.

I bet he'd give a big blubbery bonus

if someone could make
his little seal bark again.

[Madame Kaji] Hmm.

Akemi will take Master Watari.

You fail to make him rise and fall,

you so much
as wrinkle your perfect nose at him,

you wait in the cold for Goro.

First, I'd much rather...

There is no end
to that sentence that matters.

[chuckles]

[Madame Kaji] We'll be watching.

[breathes deeply]

[chuckles]

Oh! You are uncommonly delicate.

Take off your kimono.

More sake?

[chuckles]

- [sighs]
- [Akemi gasps]

You can drink so much.

I bet you were a mighty warrior
in your day.

[chuckles]

Never won a fair fight.

Come closer.

If your sword isn't sharp, your wit is.

I do enjoy the written arts.

A fellow warrior of words. I knew it.

Oh! You read?

[Akemi] Of course.

I used to sneak books
from my father's library

and memorize
all the poetry my tutors forbade.

[laughs] Really?
And who's your favorite poet?

[Akemi] Oh, so many.

Shotetsu. Minamoto no Shigeyuki.

Oh, ah.

My favorite is this poetess,

Ono no Komachi.

Her words light a fire
and fill me with smoke.

Shall I recite?

Mmm... [sighs]

[Akemi] I yearn for you most

- On this moonless night...
- [Watari chuckles]

I lie awake

Hot embers of passion in my breast

Setting my heart aflame

Oh. Oh-oh!

Look who decided to join our party!

Hello, old friend! I missed you.

[chuckles]

Do you enjoy renga?

You know renga poetry too?

[chuckles] What's a party without renga?

You start with the haiku,
I answer with two lines.

Your brushstroke. My brushstroke.

Hmm. Ah!

Drink streams from soft hand

Its taste bitter on my tongue

Soothing elixir

From soft hands also streams milk

Its taste sweet

Warm to my breast

Breasts like two full moons

Illuminate the dark sea

Envelop me with your light...

Heavenly orbs you must drink from afar

Or scorch your skin

Show me your brushstroke

[chuckles]

[Watari] Fire cannot burn ice

Its touch makes it a hot spring

Sear me, I'll explode... [moans]

No man can grasp the sunlight

Only worship fleeting rays

To the sun goddess

I give

Sweet

Sweet...

[groans, moans]

Sweet nectar of your body

A gift she declines

One thing no man can resist.

Himself.

Still half the night left.
Any luck with blue eyes yet?

Eh, he asked to be alone. Thank goodness.

No one refuses me.

[ominous music playing]

May I serve you?

[theme music playing]

Your eyes!

Whatever clever insult comes next
is not as clever as you think.

[gasps] They're beautiful.

A color I've never seen
outside the sea and sky.

Huh. I see.

Your Madame explained
how it's some essential part of the soul

that draws men to brothels
when it's only naked flattery.

Do men usually fall for this?

The ones I've known. Yes.

I thought it was tea.

I don't drink.

Madame thought
you might prefer sake to help you relax.

Maybe just a sip.

If you'll join me.
I have ugly business coming.

[tense music playing]

Suddenly, I'm glad for company.

To flattery.

[music fades]

Hot.

Where I'm from,
that's how the men prefer it.

Kyoto.

I've only been there once, recently.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Dirty and crowded.

Full of puffed-up crows
posing as swordsmen.

I b*at the most ridiculous samurai there.

If you can call him that.

I cut off his chignon.
Then he came chasing after me,

demanding a rematch,
saying I ruined his engagement.

[sighs] I think he was angrier
about his hair than his marriage.

[breathes deeply] What was his name?

[Mizu] Hmm.

I can't remember.

Anyway. He's dead now.

[gasps] What?

Oh yeah. I k*lled him.

[grunts]

She's good.

[both grunting]

Let me go!

Get off me!

- You think I don't remember you?
- [Akemi grunts]

Princess Akemi of the Tokunobu clan.

You drugged my cup.

I wish it was poison!

[whimpers] Oh, Taigen.

[Akemi sobs]

Oh, shut up.

I didn't k*ll him.

I left him with his life
and a contract to fight.

He's alive? Where is he?

You came all this way
to save a doomed engagement?

[sighs] Your father probably lined up
a nice young replacement lord to marry.

The shogun's son.

Women in our world
don't have a single good option.

Except you.

Like some magical forest creature,

you could have anything you want,

and then you beg to eat trash.

- [suspenseful music plays, fades]
- [Akemi grunts]

[sighs] You got a girl.

A pretty girl.

Wait. How does that work?

She's not a girl. She's a princess.

She's Taigen's princess,
and she tried to k*ll me.

She screams, k*ll her.

She moves, k*ll her.

What? I can't k*ll her.

What do you think an apprentice does?

Do you have to stare?

Sorry.

- [wind whooshing]
- [tense music swelling]

[Madame Kaji] Hamata's gambling house
is filled with his Thousand Claws.

He never lets Kinuyo out of his sight.

Only when the moxa doctor comes each dawn

to treat the sores Hamata gave her.

Even then,
his trusted bodyguard keeps watch.

[clanks]

[music ends]

[action music playing]

[music fades]

[music continues]

[footsteps approaching]

[breathes deeply]

[action music continues]

[music fades]

[bird flapping]

[yawns]

[grunts]

[gasps]

[gasps]

I'll protect you.

[footsteps approaching]

[gentle music playing]

[sighs]

[cracks]

[clanks]

[shaky breaths]

[gasps]

[sighs] Run to the night watchman.
Tell him there's been a fight.

Two people.

You hear me, boy?

To the gate. Go!

[footsteps receding]

You showed her the sign?

What did she sign back?

She understood.

[whimpers]

At the furthest point,
before rock becomes shore, is a well.

A hundred paces north
is a door covered by tide.

It leads to a tunnel under the sea

into the belly of Fowler's castle.

Sleep the day. Then go and die.

- [wind whooshing]
- [whimpers]

[Akemi] I should have just k*lled you.

That was my mistake.
I wanted to meet you first.

To see what power you have over Taigen
to send him running from me.

Under your mask,
you're not the k*ller you pretend to be.

- [sword swishing]
- [Akemi grunts]

Just go.

I thought you had to be something special.

Your face isn't even so scary.

You're just... angry.

I see why he likes you.

You're just like Taigen
when we were children.

A f*cking brat.

You knew him?

[women screaming]

[whimpering]

[tense music playing]

Boy.

[grunts]

k*ll everyone. Then burn it down.

[music crescendos, ends]

[closing theme music playing]