A/N: Okay, here's another chapter. This one is again based on letters, though structured a bit differently. There will be letter intro, setting up for flashbacks, and then a letter closing. Only the letter to Hiroshi will be a straight up letter. As for Umiko's nickname, I received an amazing suggestion from draelyn who brought to my attention the option of Little Typhoon. This would reference back to Mugen's sword Typhoon Swell, and keep the ocean theme going! As a bonus, draelyn looked up the Japanese word for Typhoon...it's taifuu, and the symbol for "fuu" is the same one used for Fuu's name...shipping proof anyone?

Disclaimer: I'm still waiting to miraculously own Samurai Champloo. I do own Jiyuu, Umiko, and Hiroshi though.

Review Comments

For most FF members, I send PMs as replies, and won't comment on your review here. If you reviewed as a guest or meet special criteria, then you might be mentioned below.

Qwerty1357: Thanks for the reviews! I hadn't thought of bringing in Yatsuha...that's a great idea. I may need to figure out how to work it into this story or the next one (this is a trilogy, after all.) That Umibozu thing is hilarious. The idea of someone calling Umiko that is truly inspirational...not Mugen though...I do have an idea stirring now, however. As for Fuu getting into trouble...I hadn't planned on it...but it could happen. I was thinking boys who were curious about Umiko might take up most of Mugen's protective efforts these days, buwahah!

Mai: I'm so glad you like my story! The fact that you read the first installment in a single sitting is flattering. And somewhat impressive...a couple of those chapters were pretty long.

Approximate Word Count: 1887 w/o notes

Translation Notes: See the post story section.

Letters Exchange One

Approximate Age Notes

Jiyuu: 4

Umiko: 2

Dear Jin and Shino,

I hope your family is well. It's hard to believe time is passing so quickly and that Umiko is already two. She's getting better at speaking, though I still haven't quite forgiven Mugen for the fact that her first word was a curse word! I might be more willing to let it slide if he didn't keep laughing so much every time she repeated it, but he seems to think it's hilarious that our little girl's first word was, well, you know...fuck.

I've been trying to get her to stop, but it's so hard...

"Look, Umiko!" Fuu pointed to a stray cat that chewed at a thrown out scrap of meat, "It's a kitty, a gray kitty. Say, 'Hello Gray Kitty!'"

"Fuck you, gray kitty!" The girl called out as her mother held her by her tanned hand. Fuu scowled as passers by gasped and gawked. But the child giggled merrily, taking the hearty laughter of her father as approval.

"Mugen!" His wife warned in a growling tone, "Stop that! You're making this worse!"

"I don't see the problem, Fuu." He drawled lazily, "You were a spitfire too, you know. So what?"

"So at least I knew how to keep a civil tongue in polite company!" The woman sighed, shaking her head, "She swears every chance she gets, because she heard you say it, and she hears you laugh at it!"

"You spend more time with the kid than I do!" Mugen countered, "She should pick shit up from you. Not me!"

Hearing a new word the toddler bounced excitedly on her toes, releasing her mother's hand and grasping the hem of her father's shorts, "Shit! Shit shit shit!"

"Huh?" The former pirate blinked down at her, seeing first hand how easily the girl picked up his potty mouth, "Woah, hey now."

"You see, Mugen? " Fuu placed her hands squarely on her hips, "I told you so! And I'm taking her with me to ask about a job on-"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." The man waved her off, squatting down to face their child. The small girl immediately tackled him with a hug that knocked him on his ass, "Oomph! Oi! You really are a little typhoon, ain't ya?"

Clamouring to his feet he held the grinning, grey and red kimono clad girl in his arms. Her small, pudgy legs wrapped around him as the two looked into each other's eyes, "Alright, listen here, Typhoon, you can't go 'round repeatin' everything I say. Otou-san says things that ain't good to say sometimes. Ye should probably let Okaa-san teach ya how ta talk."

Umiko's stormy eyes drifted from her father to her mother and back again. With a small frown she thought about his words, "'kay. I love you, Otou-san."

The child leaned in and gave a wet kiss to his cheek. Immediately any toughness Mugen might have been trying to carry with him melted off in a pile of goo and he grinned at his daughter like a sap, "Back at ya."

With that he launched a tickle attack on her belly that had her shrieking in the pure delight only small children truly know, thrashing in her father's arms and reaching for her mother in a giggling plea for help.

...So, now that Mugen seems willing to work with me on getting Umiko to stop swearing, I hope we can make some quick progress.

He really is a wonderful father, and our daughter is his most precious treasure. Sometimes I feel I've lost even my place in his heart, but I know that's not true.

I hope to start working again soon. Obviously taking Umiko to work with me at a tea house would be difficult, but there is a woman who has children living nearby who is looking for someone to help around the house and with caring for the kids. I'm going to inquire about the job at the end of the week.

I think some of the children are near to Umiko's age, so it will give her the chance to have friends her age.

Wish me luck,

Fuu

Dear Fuu and Mugen,

Umiko just sounds more adorable with each letter we receive. Jin and I cannot wait for another chance to see her, and you of course. Jiyuu is anxious to see little Umiko-Chan as well, he gets so excited each time we hear from you.

Of course we've had to edit out bits about her colorful early vocabulary, but he still just adores her, even after their time apart. Your letters give him something to look forward to.

Since Jiyuu began lessons at the dojo where Jin works, he's gotten more quiet. I'm very worried, especially after the other day...

Shino was in the yard, a taut line strung between the wall of the house and a tree serving her as she draped clothing over it to dry. She was there alone for the moment, husband and son not yet home from the dojo.

Bending to retrieve another item from her basket, the matriarch heard the patter of small but frantic feet approaching. Looking up, it was easy to recognize Jiyuu, his black hair in a small tail at the nape of his neck.

What angered her was the sight of blood trickling from the corner of the four year olds lip, and a bruise to his right cheek. It wasn't the first time he'd returned home with injuries that seemed more likely from fists than training for blades.

"Jiyuu!" She called out after the child, turning to abandon her laundry and follow him as he vanished inside, closing the shoji before her in his wake. She was about to reopen the screen when she heard a throat clear behind her.

Whirling on the spot she found Jin. The ronin grimaced, peering beyond her to the door, "How bad was it?"

She narrowed her eyes on him, "A bruised cheek and split lip, that's just what I could see...This time."

He could tell from his wife's tone she was angry. And he understood. Their boy was injured, and he seemed callous about it to her, "Hnn."

"Is that all? One of your mumbles?" Shino folded her arms around herself, "You went through so much trouble to save me...yet you let your other students abuse your own son...Jin, you're terrible! Why won't you put a stop to this?"

"Shino, it isn't my place," The instructor sighed, knowing that his metaphors would likely do no good here, "If I protect him at every turn, how will he grow strong, and resilient? If I run to his rescue, those boys will respect him less and punish harshly than they already do...He will find his own way to deal with them."

Shino frowned, understanding, but not liking the point. Jon even went through the trouble of using more words than he typically cared to. She sighed, "He's so small, Jin dear. Can't we protect him a bit longer?"

"I will make sure it does not go too far, I promise." Jin embraced his wife, "Now. Go patch him up. He needs a mother's care."

With a small nod she disappeared inside, retrieving a simple first aid kit with bandages and medicinal herbs and salves. She opened the shoji to Jiyuu's room just enough to peek in, "Hey, sweetie, can i have a look?"

The four year old shrugged and nodded, glancing at her from where he sat against the opposite wall. Taking it as an encouraging sign his mother entered the room and knelt down beside him, gently taking hold of his face to examine his injuries.

Using a damp cloth the woman wiped away the dirt from his bruised features, taking special care at dabbing around the cut on his lip. She applied some salve to the cut, and he winced as it briefly stung.

"There you go my little man," Shino smiled warmly at her son, cupping his uninjured cheek affectionately, "Anything else hurt?"

"Nn..." Jiyuu shook his head, telling her she didn't need to worry.

"Well, alright then," Shino stood, turning to leave with the first aid kit, "Just...let me know if something's wrong, alright?"

...So, I'm not sure why the other students have targeted Jiyuu. Jin won't say much, and I can't get our son to talk about it. Maybe a visit with Umiko would cheer him up, I know it will take time still, but we do hope see you before too long.

Best wishes,

Shino

Hiroshi,

You would think by now Mugen would understand that you and I are friends. But he still becomes indignant if I so much as mention you...that man never changes...but I suppose that must be why I love him.

Have you found happiness yet, Hiroshi? I know you will make a lucky girl very happy...if she can put up with your mother. Joking aside though, I do hope you've finally found someone. You deserve that happiness.

As for me, I am very thankful that you helped me to make the right decision. Mugen and I are quite happy; and Umiko is growing into quite the little, as her father would say, spitfire. Personally, I could do with a little less rambunctiousness from her. Mugen continuously informs me I was once a girl with a similar attitude, I don't think I was ever so bad.

No, at this rate, I'm worried my child will end up far too much like her father. Of course, my husband is a wonderful man. Most of the time. But he is a man. How would a girl with Mugen's personality ever hope to find a husband!

There is Jiyuu, Jin and Shino's son. Shino-chan and I are hoping one day they fall in love. Wouldn't that be just too romantic? But with a brash personality, my girl might even ruin that hope.

She swears, you know. Her father's fault. He's working on watching his language around her, but she's already picked up too many words.

I'm just glad she wasn't swearing two days ago. I inquired to a local woman, Watanabe Minato, about a job she was offering. The position is part house keeper, part nanny. Even though she will be present, Minato-dono has four children of her own and finds it hard to balance house work and child care. She agreed that I could help and Umiko can accompany me to play with her children.

It's a position that pays decently, but not enough to embarrass Mugen since he is the man of the house. (I'm so proud of him for working so hard.) The Watanabe family isn't rich, but they aren't poor either.

Minato-dono's husband headed one of the fish markets, often going out on the boats himself. It was about six months before Umiko was born that the ship he was on went down...he and many others left widows in their wake...the thought gives me chills.

Those who run the market now send her money to live on each month in honor of her late husband, who had already left her his savings...it's tragic, but she tries to be strong each day.

I don't know what i would do if anything happened to Mugen while he was out there...

Well, I will try to write again soon.

Sincerely,

Fuu

A/N: Okay, there some letters, hope you liked it and don't mind the format. Next chapter will be another vist. Fuugen and daughter head off to see Jino and son. I'm going to have to devise some Dojo students. Name suggestions welcome. I need about three to five for the core group that bullies Jiyuu. And this chapter is sadly short...ugh.

More Translations: Some new names appeared in this chapter, specifically Fuu's employer. She also came with a new honorific.

Watanabe = The family surname. It uses the character for Ferry + the character for Edge. I wanted a water themed nam because they were a relatively well respected family in a fishing village.

Minato = Fans of Naruto to may recognize this as the Fourth Hokage's name. It's a unisex name, so I'm using it for a woman here. It means Harbor.

-dono = This honorific, to the best of my understanding, is similar to -sama, but more old fashioned and formal. I thought it worked with a female employer, especially given the type of job. If readers have an opinion, please let me know in comments so I might consider it for future chapters.