Part Ten:

Jackasses

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" begged Fuu to little avail.

Jin had disappeared into a room down one of the halls branching from the sitting room while Shino fussed over his wet clothes. As she passed Fuu on her way into the kitchen, she didn't address her, instead muttering angrily about Mugen and something about dishonor.

Yatsuha was just as little help. She sat on her knees in a corner of the room, staring furiously at her lap. Fuu went to her, and tentatively sat down beside her.

"Are you alright?" she asked, frowning slightly.

"I'm fine," Yatsuha answered. "I just didn't expect this."

"Well, they've always been that way," Fuu said. "I thought you knew."

Yatsuha threw up her hands in a dramatic shrug. "I knew they were competitive, but I never realized they hated each other!"

Fuu's frown deepened. "They don't really hate each other. They just…well, they have a different kind of friendship – a very begrudging one."

"No, you don't understand," Yastuha said, shaking her head. "My clan didn't simply give Mugen this job. Another ninja was ready to be dispatched, but Mugen insisted that he take it himself. He went through a lot of trouble so he could come here –"

Fuu couldn't understand why this worried her so much. "He just wanted to see Jin –"

"No! He didn't come here to visit. Jin is his target. Mugen came here to kill Jin."

"What?"

"Ugh! I can't believe I didn't see this coming," Yatsuha growled disgustedly. "I should have known from the minute Shino said a Magistrate was trying to bully them. Lots of Magistrates come to us – I didn't think it could possibly be the same one…"

Fuu was shocked, but the feeling didn't last for long. After all, hadn't Jin and Mugen vowed to kill each other years ago? Of course Mugen would fight for the job of assassinating Jin – he'd want to finish the fight they started the first day they met. Plus, she would bet money Mugen didn't think some ninja would be able to handle Jin anyway.

"Yatsuha," she began hesitantly, "I still don't think Mugen hates Jin."

Yatsuha shook her head, wordlessly giving up on trying to convince Fuu.

"They do want to kill each other," Fuu said quickly, holding up placating hands, "but it's not what you think."

"Well, that's just too bad," snapped Shino. She was standing in the doorway listening to them talk. Fuu and Yatsuha cautiously peered up at her furious face as she continued: "They can murder each other after I'm dead! I finally have a happy life, and it doesn't work without Jin! I won't let that go."

With these words she stormed over to the fusuma door and flung it open, to snarl at a figure sitting on the back porch – Fuu had to lean forward to see it was Mugen with his hair and clothes dripping on the wood around his casually slouched form.

"Do you hear me, you shaggy, ill-mannered, moocher?" demanded Shino to his unresponsive back. "I can't believe you'd come into our home and act like a friend! I've never met a man so ignorant of all social observance!"

"Yeah, and you're really rude too," Yatsuha added furiously.

Mugen didn't answer either of them, and when he twisted around to look into the house his eyes met Fuu's. She knew he could see some small semblance of understanding in her expression, but she didn't want him to get the wrong idea. Because she had witnessed the forming of his and Jin's strange relationship, she understood it better than their wives, but she was just as angry as the other two women.

"They're right. Both you guys are jackasses," she told him, albeit gentler than Shino and Yatsuha.

Mugen made a face at her, saying, "Whatever," before shaking some of the water out of his hair.

She was a little surprised he didn't immediately start arguing with her, but maybe Yatsuha's kick had actually cowed him a bit.

"Yatsuha, I'm very glad to hear you didn't have anything to do with this," Shino began, looking at the purple-clad woman, "but I can't let him back into my house."

Yatsuha bowed her head at the hostess. "I understand. We'll leave."

"There's no need."

The three women looked around at the sudden extra voice to find Jin entering the room, changed into a silver gi and wrap pants and holding a large cloth in one hand. His hair was still rather wet, making it limper than usual.

"What?" demanded Shino.

"I said –"

"I heard you, but why would you want him to stay?"

Fuu watched as the tall samurai walked over to the fusuma and gave Mugen a narrow side glance. "Because," he said, "he wasn't going to kill me."

Shino stared at Jin, uncomprehending. "Wha – How do you know?"

"I could tell by the way he fought. I've seen him try harder over a stolen dumpling," Jin explained. At this point he hurled the cloth in his hand out of the door and hit Mugen on the back of the head with it. Mugen whirled around and scowled, calling Jin some unsavory names before using the cloth to dry himself off some.

Yatsuha exchanged a glance with Fuu, her shoulders visibly more relaxed. Then she stood and faced Jin. "So, you're not angry?" she inquired.

"Only at the people who wanted to hire ninjas to kill me," Jin assured her dryly. He looked once more at Mugen, now standing in the doorway. "Maybe you can explain – as this was your mission."

Mugen regarded Jin as if he were simple. "Some hag and her boy-toy Magistrate want you dead – how much clearer can I get?"