Alright, people, last chapter in the story! I tried to make Fuu as in character as I could, considering that she's five years older and had some growing up to do. I hope you all enjoy it!
Fuu
Fuu could admit to herself as she baked the bread to sell that day that her life was a little less glamorous than she had originally anticipated. Not that she minded it whatsoever- her home was sturdy and comfy, the bakery warm and busy, but never was it too busy. The man and woman who owned the bakery trusted her and paid her well, and the customers liked her. Her life was good. Comfortable. Safe. She didn't have to worry about whether she'd eat the next day, whether someone was going to kill her, or toss her into a brothel, or where she was going to sleep on a cold night. Fuu liked her life very much, and there wasn't much she would trade it for.
It's just that she wasn't expecting it.
She had gone from a waitress at a tea house to running around the countryside with two hooligans who seemed to always get into fights or get themselves into trouble, or get HER into trouble. She had been kidnapped and rescued, almost raped on multiple occasions, gone hungry and cold more times than she could count, and, although she had never admitted it to anyone, she was often frightened of what would happen next.
Nevertheless, she had loved that time. The uncertainty, the craziness, the madcap antics- they had been exciting and dangerous and fun. Every day was a new adventure, and although she never knew what it would bring, she always knew that her two companions would be at her side. She had sort of thought (naively, she could admit to herself) that they would continue to influence her life in ways she couldn't imagine, leading her to make daring choices that would make a legend of her for years to come. She had expected Mugen's rude and abrasive nature would make her stronger and braver, more willing to do things she was scared to do. She had expected Jin's cold and calculating tendencies to make her think more, make her more willing to make hard choices. Fuu had thought that after them, she would go on and do things no one would have expected her to do. All because of Jin and Mugen.
A ronin and a pirate. What a combination. Not at all the kind of people she would have been expected to spend time with now that she was older.
And older she was. Fuu was taller now, more curved (though still nowhere near as voluptuous as the whores those two had been attracted to), her hair longer, and her eyes, although no darker or brighter than before, held wisdom and knowledge in their depths. She was more patient now, smarter, and could charm more easily. She was no longer a little girl to want wild adventures with two handsome men at her side. Fuu was respectable now. Married and widowed with one son, but making enough money to support them both well, and she was always polite and courteous. She had a place now where she wasn't ignored or treated as lesser. She had a home, and she was happy. Her mother would have been proud of her. She liked to think that her father would have been proud of her too, but she had never known him well enough to know for sure. But she at least knew that he wouldn't have called her a failure. That brought her comfort too.
And yet, sometimes, when the day's work was done and Isamu was asleep in his room, Fuu would sometimes wonder about her two companions as she sat brushing out her hair and getting ready for bed. If they were happy and content, if they found what they wanted, and if they were even still alive. Sometimes, although she was embarrassed to acknowledge it, she wondered if they ever thought of her too.
…
There was no denying it, or hiding it, or running away from the cold, hard truth that Fuu hated her relatives. No, she didn't just hate them. She loathed them. They were, to her, abhorrent, selfish, greedy toads who wanted to eat everything they could get their hands on without working for it. How her wonderful Benjirou had managed to escape from their clutches without being a complete and total bastard was a mystery to Fuu. Of course, the relatives she spoke of weren't her parent-in-laws. She had met them shortly before they had passed away of old age. They had been kind, decent people who had seemed to like her well enough. No, it was Benjirou's uncle and his worthless family that kept poking around.
Fuu sat in her small house with a forced smile on her face as she sat across from her toad-like uncle-in-law and offered him tea. Isamu (gods bless his little soul) was fast asleep in the corner, blissfully unaware of the battle Fuu was engaged in to protect their future.
"Honored Uncle Aito, I simply do not understand your wish to take over the funds which my husband, your nephew, explicitly left to me and our son in his will. Surely you wish to see your own flesh and blood taken care of?" Fuu's polite words masked her cold fury at him. Her husband, her best friend, her first lover and closest companion was no more than a month dead. Dead because he wanted to save a child from a fire. Dead because he was kind and honorable and had a beautiful soul. And now his slimy uncle wanted the money that he had earned- Isamu's money. Fuu would be the first to admit that they didn't have much, but what they had was rightfully theirs and hard won.
Aito, however, had different thoughts on the matter. His bloated face leered back at her, his words dripping with lies so thick she could taste them. "My own treasured niece, you must understand. I wish only to take care of the two of you as members of my own family. After all, as a woman you cannot understand the complexities of life-" Fuu tried to keep her eye from twitching- "and therefore you also cannot possibly plan ahead to ensure the survival of the two of you. I simply want the funds so graciously left to you by my beloved nephew to ensure that they are kept safe until my great-nephew Isamu is old enough to take his rightful place in the world."
In your dreams, you damned, disgusting, lecherous, lying, lazy toad! "I can see the wisdom in your words, dear uncle, but allow me some time to prepare things so that all might be in order. I wish to go to the magistrate and ensure that all will be handled properly. After all," Fuu said, smiling sweetly, "we would not wish this to go about without proper documentation and protocol for such things."
Aito's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. He knew this girl was more cunning than she appeared. Rumors of her past were spread all over the village. Some said she was an escaped whore who ran away when she was able. Others said she had escaped an unwanted marriage. A few even dared to whisper that she was a spirit in disguise come to live among them as a mortal for love. Aito dismissed all these rumors as stupid, fanciful notions that were products of over-imaginative villagers. However, he could not deny that whatever Fuu may or may not be, stupid, she most certainly was not. Still… There wasn't much she could do against him. After all, he was now the only man in her life. As such, he was, by law, entitled to everything. Every last coin he could get from the two of them, he planned to get. As a woman she had no rights. No escape. So a wide, satisfied smile passed his lips and he graciously said "Of course, Fuu! I would not wish for you to worry about the legality of this transfer. I assure you, it is in the best interest of you and your son. Arrange it with the magistrate, and I will come to sign whatever documents you need me to." Fuu expressed her thanks and guided him to the door out, all the while wishing she still had an excuse to carry her small dagger in her kimono as she used to do.
…
"You sure about this, Fuu?" her kindly boss asked her as she stood with the woman in front of the oven in the bakery.
"Yes, Kei-sama, I'm afraid I have no other choice. Besides," she said, her voice picking up a cheery tone, "it's not as if I haven't done this before. I'm a survivor, and I can take care of myself easily."
"And Isamu?" Kei asked gently, her eyes full of concern. Fuu's face turned somber for a moment. It wouldn't be easy- a lone woman with a baby not even half a year old- but she knew she could do it. "It'll be hard, I know, but I also know that I can do this. We'll be stronger for it too. And don't worry," she interceded the woman opening her mouth to ask, "I promise that if things get too risky, I'll stop immediately and make sure everything is alright."
"Well…" Kei's wrinkled eyes mirrored the frown on her face. "If you're set on this, I won't stop you. Just remember to use your common sense and you should be fine."
Fuu's grin could have lit up the entire village on a moonless night. "Oh, thank you so much, Kei!" she cried, embracing her elderly employer. "I promise I'll keep in touch somehow. You won't regret this!" And without another word, Fuu set off.
Kei gave a small sigh and shook her head before turning back to the sweet buns she was baking. "Honestly, it's as though that girl was born with the wind in her feet."
…
Two weeks later, Aito stood in the middle of the small central room in what had once been Fuu's apartment. The furniture was gone, the money was gone, and all that was left was the new owner of the building angrily telling Aito that he was intruding, uninvited, into his home. That, and the note that Aito now held in his hands that shook with fury.
Hey, fucker!
Just thought I should let you know, you're never going to get your fat hands on my son's inheritance. You and the rest of your lard-filled, toady family can just go to hell, since that's where you obviously came from. I'm sure they have a nice place reserved just for you!
I'd invite you to chase after us, but the idea is so laughable I'll just skip that bit and tell you you're a fat waste of human life in a sack, good for bitching and groaning.
Sincerely, your EX Niece-In-Law and Great-Nephew,
Fuu and Isamu
Several miles away, a young woman in a pink kimono hummed cheerfully to the infant strapped to her back who giggled delightedly at the butterflies fluttering past. "It's a lovely day," Fuu said to herself. And once again she found herself wondering if it was a wonderful day for two others in her past as well.
And there we go. I was actually planning on making a sort of sequel based off these, in which the three adventurers meet up again and have some crazy times. Not sure though; it's still rattling away in my mind.
Sorry it took so long to get this thing up, but I wanted to make sure it was fairly perfect. I'm pretty happy with it, but as always, constructive criticism is welcome as well as reviews. I would ask though that if you want to add this story to your alerts or to your favorites that you leave a review telling me what you do and do not like about these stories so that I can improve in the future. Thank you very much!
