No, I don't have anything.
A tall man in indigo clothes appeared before two large guards. The guards looked at the pale man with doubtful faces.
"Is there a girl in one of these cells?" He asked.
The two guards eyed each other suspiciously.
"Which one do you mean…?" One of them started.
Jin raised an eyebrow.
"Short… brown hair…" He began.
"Hey! No one else was supposed to know about that!" They reached for their weapons.
Suddenly, a flash of red appeared from the bushes and came down on the guard on the right, killing him instantly. Before the remaining guard could react, he was slashed right across the stomach. Blood spurted around the area, but the two men were all too used to it.
"Our goal was to remain unnoticed."
"We ain't gonna' get anywhere just talking." Mugen explained. He turned and kicked down the wooden door to the slave quarters without a second thought. Jin followed suit through the now huge hole in the wall.
Loud cracking sounds were heard behind one of the many cell doors in the slave house. The two ran to the last door at the end of the row. Crying and small screams were slightly perceived through the thick iron in the wake of the ear splitting whipping. Mugen tried kicking the door once again, but failed. He tackled the door in a futile attempt to knock it down. Fuu's cries of pain rang out in Jin and Mugen's ears. Like children standing outside a candy store, the two could see what they wanted, but were just out of reach. Mugen pounded on the metal, only wishing he could phase through and help Fuu.
"F#$&ing bastard!" He was frustrated.
He almost looks pitiful, Jin thought to himself.
"Step aside." He demanded. Jin positioned himself in front of the great door. In a quick movement of his sword, the metal lock fell to the floor in two pieces.
Mugen exploded through the doorway. Jin almost regretted following Mugen into the room, unknown to the scene about to come. A man with a large, shiny, black whip was standing in front of a cowering, bloody, huddle of mass in the corner. Mugen charged at the man, full of rage. Mugen drove his sword into the man's stomach, straight through to the back and connected with the wall. The man began to spit up the red liquid. He was about to speak, but a fist smashed his face into the surrounding concrete wall. Bone collided with bone and he died instantly. Jin couldn't have stopped any of what was happened.
The two diverted their attention, and walked over to the bloody mass at their side. Fuu's hands were tied to a rusty furnace. Mugen crouched down beside her, observing the person in front of him. Normally an active and bold girl, Fuu now looked weak and helpless. Cuts and bruises raped her face and body. Wet stains had shown on her cheeks where she was crying. Her legs had tried to shield herself from the brutal attack. They had gotten the full blown assault from the whip. Fuu's wrists were bleeding from the strain of trying to untie them. Dried blood was all over her ripped kimono, barely covering her tortured being. Her eyes were scrunched shut; maybe if she didn't see anything, it would go away...
Jin and Mugen stared her, wondering who could've thought of doing such a thing. Mugen bent down and cut off the binding on her wrists.
"I-I'm so sorry, Fuu..." Mugen began.
Fuu finally turned her head and looked at her two saviors, as if realizing just then that they arrived.
"Jin, M-Mugen?" She asked weakly in something barely above a whisper. As soon as she spoke, Fuu fainted from all the pain she had gone through. Mugen caught her before her fragile head could make contact with the floor. He picked her up as slowly as he could, trying not to further the damage done to Fuu.
Thankfully, it was dark out and most of the townspeople had gone to bed. Mugen and Jin walked at a quick pace through the small town. Eerie silence had come over the two men as they headed to a nearby inn.
If not for the small lights that flickered behind its windows, they never would've guessed the inn was still in use. The men approached the door and knocked. An old man with a candle responded to the door. He was curious of the tall ronin and rough swordsman holding what seemed to look like a dead body. By the look of their clothes, he had decided that they had no money and were trying to scam people off with their enormous swords.
"I am sorry, but we don't have any vacant rooms to rent to you." He had a bored and annoyed look on his wrinkled old face.
Aggravated at the fact that this old a$$ would pass them up because of how they looked, Mugen roared in his face, "HEY YOU-" Jin shot his hand out in front of Mugen before he could continue, signaling him to cease. Just as the old man turned to retreat into his inn, a string of money had flown and landed around his candle. Seeing that he had caught his attention, Jin took the opportunity to ask for two rooms with food on call.
Mugen placed Fuu's frail body on the soft mattress in one of the rooms they rented. A look of pain crossed her face, but instantly disappeared the next second. Mugen moved over so that Jin could observe Fuu's wounds. The major injuries were bandaged, but many of her thin, precise cuts were still visible. Jin motioned Mugen to retrieve one of the female caretakers of the inn to bring new clothes for Fuu, and to help dress her. The woman who came was suprised to see two large men standing over a young, beaten girl. Although she was slightly appalled at the sight, the carewoman still, but reluctantly, helped them. After the woman left, Jin took a blanket and wrapped Fuu in it.
The two men had one last glace at Fuu before they left, as if to make sure she was still there. Even though they were extremely worn out and exhausted, they stayed up. They left the lights off for they had no need to see anything. Jin broke the silence.
"That woman, she was very agitated by us, she might tip us off to the innmaster. Once the shogunate come asking around, they'll know we're here." He deduced.
"Sh#&. I say we should've killed everyone from the start, make them know why we're followed by the shogun anyway." Mugen blurted blankly. Jin stared at his unthinkable run of brutality.
"Hmn." Jin replied, uncaring and wanting to return to his train of thought.
Once the two samurai were, at the least, a little at peace with the situation, they decided to quiet their troubled heads. They got comfortable on their beds and closed their eyes. Soon after, Jin was in his half sleeping, completely awake mode. However, Mugen was as restless as ever.
Thoughts raced through his head. Although it wasn't something he normally did, Mugen was thinking to himself. He remembered how Fuu had gotten into the whole mess. They had an argument earlier in the day. One thing led to another, and she had stormed off. Normally, Fuu would just take the quarrel and forget about it. But that morning, he had really over done it.
Well maybe if you never got kidnapped, I wouldn't have to waste my time trying to find you!
Hey! I never asked you help me ok! If you guys could give me time to think, I would absolutely take care of myself just fine!
Sh#&! As soon as me and fish face over there are gone for even a second, you get all girly and captured by some psycho!
I do not!
Look, it's not my fault you have a fetish for wrinkled, old, pervs' who like to kill people. And if you could take care of yourself, why bother having us around!?
If you want to leave, FINE WITH ME! I DON'T NEED YOU! OR ANYONE ELSE!
Yeah go find your fing samurai who smells of sh$&! I bet he's already dead! In fact I HOPE HE'S DEAD SO JUST KEEP WALKING!
At that, Fuu had hesitated for a split second before continuing on her rage trip away from the two people behind her. The evening had already come to steal the sun away, but Fuu still wasn't at their resting area. It had taken Mugen the whole afternoon to conclude that he had really hurt her. Regret had been pulling on his mind while the he and Jin searched around for her. They had finally come across a bar with a few of the casual thieves talking about a girl with Fuu's description that had been captured by the shogun.
Sleep had never been fully granted to Mugen's pressured mind.
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An earsplitting scream rang throughout the inn and its floors. It had been about an hour. Mugen and Jin were instantly up and ran for Fuu's room, prepared for whatever came their way. Mugen slided apart the screen that had seperated his and Jin's room from Fuu's. The two men instantly scanned the bedroom for any hidden dangers or threats. All the furniture and windows were still intact. In the middle of the room was a scared, sobbing fifteen year old girl sitting on her mattress. Fuu was holding her face, trying to control her overpowering tears.
"I bet the whole inn heard..." Jin exited the room in a hurry, heading for the main floor downstairs.
While Jin left, Mugen had rushed to Fuu's side.
"Where are they! What happened?!" He questioned roughly. Fuu was clutching herself, shaking uncontrollably. She was trying so hard...
"Fuu, Fuu!" Mugen gripped her shoulders to steady her trembling. "What, happened?" He asked, in a slow, but unnerving calm.
She tried to steady her breathing, but her efforts failed her when she spoke. "I-I'm, sorry Mugen," Her shaky voice came out in short spurts. "b-but there is no one here..." Tears ran rivers down her cheeks the entire time.
"What?" Mugen asked, softer than before.
Fuu fumbled to wipe her eyes. "I had a nightmare, t-that's all..." She was still staring at the floor. Mugen wasn't convinced. He reached and tilted her head up by pushing down on the top of her head. He looked her straight in the eye.
"Are you okay?" He asked in a low voice. Fuu lowered her head again. No. Sh#. He thought.
"Don't start crying again... what did they do to you Fuu?" His hard hands lightly held her face. She looked at him, her eyes soft and scared.
"It hurts, Mugen... all the time."
"Where, where does it hurt?" He asked, maybe one of her bandages came off. Stupid fish face can't even make a good bandage...
"No,... I'm- I'm just tired." She explained.
"Go back to sleep, Fuu..." Mugen grabbed her blanket and motioned her back down on the bed. He moved to get up and leave, but a small hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.
"Please stay here... " Mugen looked at her curiously. "I don't want them to get me..."
Mugen hesitantly laid down next to the girl. Fuu slowly, but finally, closed her eyes. I guess I'll be staying right here... He always thought she looked peaceful when sleeping, but peace was the last thing that showed on her face. I'm right here, what are you still so worried about...
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About half an hour had passed. Mugen's hand had suddenly become very moist. Somone's heart beat was increasing... He heard rustling beside him. Mugen sat up to see that Fuu hand reached out for his hand when he was resting. She was sweating, a LOT.
"Fuu, Fuu!" He whispered roughly, trying to wake her up.
Fuu instantly shot up once again, about to scream- Mugen immediately covered her mouth so that her scream couldn't go farther than his hand. He pulled her up against him and wrapped her in his arms, his hand still over her mouth.
"Shh!" Fuu was shaking. "Shh... they'll hear us" Where the hell is Jin? Fuu whimpered, but then nodded her head. Mugen lowered his hand from her face. She buried her head into his chest.
"It was horrible..." He could barely hear her. "they cut and mangled a pregnant woman, right in front of me..." Mugen held her tightly, trying to keep her steady.
He could hear voices and footsteps outside in the hallway. One of the voices was Jin's. Fuu heard them too.
"They coming for me..." She said.
"Well, they're not gonna get anything if I'm here."
"Thank you." She said, as the footsteps became a little louder.