Part Four:

Traveling

Dusk was little help in cooling the three of them as they trekked over an uneven road in the early evening. Fuu and Yatsuha were walking together, talking. Mugen stayed a few paces ahead and peered over the local farmlands to their right without much interest.

As they conversed and got to know each other better, Fuu found herself wondering how this nice woman had ended up with a guy like Mugen for a husband. Quite frankly, she was amazed Mugen would get married at all – even to a ninja. He had always struck her more as a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am sort of guy. But now he was going to be a father as well – that just seemed out of place when she thought of Mugen.

"Oh, he drives me crazy sometimes," Yatsuha admitted, "but he's worth whatever trouble he makes. Besides, I'm no angel myself. And you know, I don't want to give him too much credit, but I think he's actually trying to be a good husband. Maybe not in the classical sense, but towards me anyway."

"Wow," Fuu said. "He must really love you."

"For a kunoichi, you sure are talkative," said Mugen to his wife. He had stopped and let them catch up. "I thought ninjas were all secrets and mystery."

Yatsuha actually hooked an arm around his neck and kissed him in the middle of the road. "I'm not telling any of my secrets," she told him wryly, "just yours."

Okay, thought Fuu, so maybe she was a pretty fitting match for Mugen. She certainly wasn't shy, or worried about his temper – not to mention, she was a killer too, no matter how nice she was. From what Fuu could tell, Yatsuha wasn't trying to change him or force him into anything; she just let him live and loved him. They were free together and happy that way… most of the time.

Moments before, in response to one of Fuu's curious questions, Yatsuha had said with a laugh, "Yeah, we fight all the time. But troglodyte over there isn't too good with his words so it turns physical most of the time. Always having weapons handy doesn't help much either (one time I even broke his hand) but he always ends up getting turned on and we, uh… make up."

Presently, Fuu was getting tired and wondered when they were going to stop for the night. She heaved a sigh and gazed longingly into the forest to the left of the road, thinking it would adequately serve the purpose of shelter.

"Maybe we should find a place to sleep," Yatsuha suggested, her pretty eyes darting toward Fuu for a second.

Mugen grimaced at the forest as well, then pointed vaguely toward the trees. "How about in there somewhere?"

"Great," chirped Yatsuha, immediately taking the lead as they took their venture off the road.

Following with Mugen, Fuu stumbled over a root and fell into a bush with a shrill, "Waah!"

Mugen paused in amusement as he observed her fruitless struggle to escape the clinging shrubbery. "Gotten even less graceful, have we?"

"Will you just help me out!" she commanded.

His sword was in his hand before she could protest and suddenly metal, twigs, and leaves were zipping furiously around her. When she unclenched her eyes she was sitting on the ground with a mass of plant carnage surrounding her – but she was free.

"Jee… thanks," she breathed, more thankful still that she had all of her extremities. "Maybe next time you could just pull me out."

They traveled like this for several days. Of course, things were much easier than when Fuu had been alone with Jin and Mugen. This time, she and her companions had some funds to live off of – though at night they still slept under the stars. She was exhausted from keeping up with Mugen and Yatsuha, but she felt exhilarated and nostalgic as she woke up to trees and the smell of earth beneath her each morning.

Then, early on the fourth day, they reached the kind of civilization only a decent sized town could provide. The three of them paused on a hillside taking in the first sight of their destination below. Their nostrils were greeted lovingly by the smell of breakfast carried upon the wind.

"Do we have enough money to eat like pigs?" Yatsuha asked hopefully.

"I don't think so," Fuu answered apologetically. The pregnant woman looked severely disappointed.

"Don't worry about it," Mugen said dismissively as he picked the pace back up. "We've got a free meal waiting for us once we get there."

The women scampered after him, Fuu saying indignantly: "We can't just mooch off of Jin the whole time."

"Why not? It's not like he'll say no," Mugen pointed out. "It would put shame on his non-existent family if he kicked us out."

"Mugen!"