Plushiplushi-chan here! 3 ((…..I'm so lame….-.-……)) anyway, I've decided to dedicate this part right here where I usually make stupid writer comments to my comments on your comments:
Bizzybee
You
most certainly are, had I not read you're story I would not have
become addicted, but instead stayed merle a 'guee…those two r
kinda sorta I guess cute…' fan .
The day was fresh. The Earth had been revived and cleaned by the previous night's storm. The ground sparkled and dazzled as the morning sunshine reflected off the rain drops lingering atop the soil.
Out of the household of three Eseme was the only one awake to see the world in such glory. 'Happy birthday Bahck.' She thought as she lifted her head from the pillow to gaze out the window at her right. The sun had just finished it's climb over the towering mountain, whose peak shaded the valley during the day. Rosy clouds spread wide across the sky, painting a beautiful picture for the start of a gorgeous day.
Eseme brushed her tangled gray locks and dressed herself in a fresh kimono. Blue and green fabric inlayed with tiny sunflower-like patterns, his favorite. Eseme pushed aside the rice-paper doorway that cut her room off from the rest of the house--none of the other rooms had doors--, started down the hall towards Fuu's room. As it was now customary to go wake Fuu before she did any house chores or opened up the shop.
But as she walked passed Fuu's doorway she realized that Fuu was not in her bed. It took her a moment to remember her 'discovery' last night, and when she did she laughed to herself. This smile however, faded into a look of confusion as she passed Mugen's room. Inside, under the covers was a small lump. A small lump which she recognized to be Fuu. 'What in de world?'
It confused her, why was Fuu in Mugen's bed? Where was Mugen, for that matter? Surely Fuu hadn't left him outside? But as the older woman peered onto the porch she saw that was indeed what Fuu had done.
She quickly and not too quietly hurried back to her prier task. 'I wonder what happened…' Eseme thought as she knocked on the dark wooden doorframe, hoping to wake the sleeping girl.
At first Fuu thought that the noise she heard was the pounding in her head again, but she soon realized it was only Eseme. As she tried to stand up she felt a great wave of sickness, and she almost threw up on the bedding. "Uh…"
Eseme recognized these symptoms as the morning after effect of consuming more alcohol then necessary. "Fuu girlie you sit down, I bring you some tea and something for your stomach too, eh?" "Uh…" Was the answer she got from the woozy girl.
Fuu and Eseme had been working in the shop since seven that morning, and Fuu was beginning to feel the effects of the medicines wearing off.
Eseme had given her something for her stomach and her head, since both were hurting as a result of last night's drunkenness. "So Fuu girlie, was it worth it?" Eseme asked, a tease in the back of her throat.
Fuu nearly dropped the bottle of ointment she was polishing, and when she dared to look up at Eseme there was a terrified look in her surprised eyes. "I…uh…" What did Eseme mean by that? Was she referring to the alcohol or Mugen?
The older woman nearly broke down laughing, Fuu's reaction was just too perfect. "Why so surprised? You didn't think I would find you? Don't worry so much Fuu girlie, I think it was cute." 'Definitely Mugen…'
Fuu blushed until Eseme was sure her head would explode. So she put a hand on her shoulder, patting it. "Now, now, you have nuting to be embarrassed about Fuu girlie. It is a great thing, de two of you must have been outside talking for more den two hours before I came un found you both asleep as you were."
"Well, I don't think we really talked about anything. Just random…things…." While Fuu was try to think of the contents in their "conversation" she remembered something Mugen had said. "I don't know what the hell you're talkin about" 'So it was just a dream…'
Her face fell, now all hope she had had in that moment being real was gone. 'Oh well, why cry over something you never had in the first place?'
"Fuu?" "Oh, sorry Eseme. Uh, what did you ask?"
"It's not important. Anywho, care to tell me details? Old women need their gossip you know." Eseme said, her voice clouded by a warm chuckle.
Fuu continued her polishing work, not sure what to tell her. It all seemed so stupid, now that she thought back on it. "It doesn't matter Eseme, details are only good when there's a 'what if' behind them."
Eseme raised her gray eyebrow. "An der are no 'what ifs' for you two?"
"No. He'd never be interested." "Who'd never be interested in what?" Mugen asked, having decided to pop in and annoy the women.
"Ah! Mugen you jerk, you can't just sneak up on people like that!" Fuu yelled at him, this time she did drop the bottle in her hands. Fortunately, it was made of something duller than glass, so it didn't brake.
Mugen discarded Fuu's scolding with a shrug of his shoulders.
Eseme saw a golden opportunity, and she took it. "I had asked Fuu if she thought you would like coming wit us on a hike to the other side of the valley. Of course, I didn't think you would, it is a long climb after all."
"Eh?" Mugen gave her a 'are you serious…' look. "What's that 'spose to mean? I could do that twice in one day, just watch me old woman."
Eseme chuckled at her own success. "Alright den, be ready to leave in ten minutes. We'll get der by lunch time, so go buy a little something from de market." Fuu licked her lips, wondering if she would get take out from that Hakato guy. Forgetting for the moment her painful realization.
It took them a grand total of fifteen minutes before all three people where ready and on their way to Bahck's grave site. The sun was shinning, the birds were chirping, and it seemed as if the whole forest had woken up in a cheerful mood.
Since Mugen and Fuu didn't know the way they followed behind Eseme, who, to Mugen's annoyance was going slower then he would have liked.
Fuu couldn't believe how beautiful everything was, the flowers, the trees, even the rocks seemed to glow in the golden mid-day light. It seemed to be some kind of fairy wonderland, like the ones you read about in fiction stories.
Mugen soon realized that Eseme's description of the journey had been exaggerated greatly. The trail wasn't very steep at all, in fact, it was barely uphill. They soon came to rock at the side of the road, and were surprised when Eseme stopped at it, then turned right and continued forward till she came to a much smaller rock.
With a small smile on her face she put down the bundle of flowers she had been carrying on the ground just before the strangely shaped stone.
"Eseme?" Fuu asked, putting a hand on the old woman's shoulder. "Are you alright?" Fuu realized that this was a grave sight, but who's grave she did not know.
"Oh yes Fuu, I am quite alright. This is where my dear Bahck, I come up her every year on his birthday and have lunch." "Oh…" Fuu said, surprised that Eseme's voice was strong and cheerful.
Mugen was sure that he would be sick soon, between the sentiment on Eseme's part, and the sympathy on Fuu's part it just wasn't his idea of a fun time.
"Would you like us to leave you alone Eseme?" Fuu asked. Eseme laughed. "No, no, lets eat first. Then I'll let you go explore some while I have a nice long chat with Bahck." She patted the ground as she said this.
They walked a little further before they came to Eseme's picnic spot. Fuu and Eseme spread out the old sheet Eseme had packed, so they'd have somewhere to sit that was not dirty. Mugen would hear of it, however, and sat down just at the edge.
After a while into the meal Eseme spoke up, having remembered something. "Oh, Fuu, dat reminds me. Ren Hakoto asked about you dis morning. He was wondering if you'd be interested in a job."
Fuu looked up from her dumpling, a curious sparkle in her brown eyes. "What did you tell him Eseme?"
The older woman gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I told him you probably wouldn't be interested because you're going to be leaving soon. Your two weeks are almost up you know."
Fuu's head fell remembering that soon she and Mugen would be on their way…again. She had come to like it very much in this simple town, and had come to like very much Eseme as well. Having a woman in her life again was great. As she was convinced that spending most of her time with two men was having a bad influence on her.
With a familiar twinkle in her eye Eseme continued, "I felt a little sorry giving him the news, he seemed so disappointed to hear that you were going."
At these words Fuu flushed. Not for any attraction she had for Ren, but out of embarrassment. This was not a topic she wanted to discus in front of Mugen. Though she had no reason to, it felt like something she shouldn't be doing. Like it was wrong, talking with Eseme about another boy.
Mugen pretended not to hear their "women talk", pretend that this Ren Hakoto didn't bother the hell out of him. Though he tried to deny it, he still felt a little sore with Fuu for leaving that morning, and this introduction to another man just made it worse. She could have come back if she wanted, but she didn't.
It was obvious to him that she only lay with him because her judgment and better sense had been impaired. Once she woke up--now sober--and realized what she had done, who she had fallen asleep with, she became disgusted and fled.
Seeing the color that came to her cheeks at the mention of Ren Hakato made him sick, and he lost his appetite. Dropping the remnants of his dumpling on the blanket he rose, picked up his sword and pressed out of the clearing into the dense collection of underbrush.
Fuu noticed this, and through half a mouthful of dumpling she asked. "Hey, where're you going?"
Mugen didn't answer, he was too pissed off to deal with her at the moment. Fuu, insulted by his refusal to answer her, stood up to follow. Stuffing the remainder of the steamy morsel in her mouth.
"Wait, don't just ignore me like that!" She protested as she ran up behind him.
Mugen growled, he didn't know why he was so upset. It wasn't like she was his woman. Sure, she was him in this god-forsaken journey, but she wasn't 'with' him. He had no obligation to be jealous just because some food vender was horny for her. 'Heh, no motivation's more like it.' The glimpse of her breasts he had caught the night before had ensured his theory on her 'size.'
So why was he? What would he have to do to make this feeling go away?
"Mugen, why are you so mad all of a sudden?" Her words and the feel of her hand pressed lightly against his arm woke him from his pointless thoughts.
He lost it, yelling at her with a harsh voice he stared, "Fuck it, I'm not--!"
The rouge samurai stared down into the eyes of the woman he had promised to protect, those large brown eyes didn't even blink at the sight of his rage with her. 'What the hell….' He could see that she really didn't know why he was mad, and her sudden bravery against him did something to him. 'Bravery, or trust?' Said that annoying voice. 'Damn, I thought I'd kill you, you sneaky bastard.'
Either way, he felt…guilty…for yelling at her, and he continued his sentence in a much more hushed, almost gentle tone. "I'm not mad."
This sudden change in attitude only worried Fuu more. It wasn't like Mugen to just speak to her like that out of nowhere.
"You're using an apologetic tone…Aren't you feeling well?" As she spoke she rose to her tiptoes to place her hand over his forehead to check for a fever. Mugen sighed inwardly, he probably had that coming. "Nothin's wrong with me."
And so he shrugged off conversation, not willing to carry it any further. Then carefully removed her hand from his head.
The almost gentle way he touched her sent a deep shiver up, down and back around her spin, tugging at her heart strings. For a moment she just stood there, transfixed. Until she realized that he had started walking again and she ran to catch up.
To Mugen's satisfaction he only had to walk a little farther before he came to a perfect training spot. A flat space surrounded by a variety of differently sized and composed rocks. Not to mention the abundance of plant-like things that needed to be cut down.
He started by stretching, then, once that was done, he jumped into a handstand.
Mugen had expected his arm to be a little sore, and maybe to object to the strenuous activity, but it actually felt good. He tried a few vertical pushups, and without touching the ground again practiced what he liked to call 'hit'n all the bastards, spin kicks'
Fuu had only seen him train once before, back a long time ago while they were staying at the temple. Fuu and Jin had been somewhat clueless as to why Mugen had been training so vigorously, though they suspected it had something to do with the town murderer.
That had been the first time she had seen him really passionate about something other then sex, food, or killing random people in a multi-opponent battle.
Now she sat watching him once again, perched on one of the rocks away from the reach of his sword or foot. After everything that had happened to him, seeing him so easily defeated by Rukono, it was a relief and almost a joy to see him back up to his full fighting potential. 'He can kick that jerks butt now, no doubt about it!' She thought enthusiastically, silently cheering him on.
It was a while later before Mugen even realized that Fuu was watching him. When he did he was in mid-strike on an attack of a particularly ominous tree branch. "Eh?" As fait would have it he missed pathetically, and Fuu had to laugh. "Aw common Mugen, I know you can get him. Show that tree who's boss!"
Mugen turned his head to stare at her with a look of utmost annoyance. The fact that she was cheering for him was obnoxious enough, but she was cheering him against a tree for god sakes.
He realized there was nothing he could do to get her to leave him alone. So instead he did everything he could to keep himself from thinking about her. 'Haha, killed that bastard.' He thought almost gleefully as he fought off the vicious ferns and horrifying oaks. 'Damn trees can't fight for shit. What'd it be like if trees could kick ass? That'd be pretty sweet. I bet that Ren guy wouldn't last two minutes against a tree.'
Without realizing what he had done, Mugen suddenly became determined, inspired, to pull off his best moves. He'd show her alright. 'That cookin' bastard's got nothin' on me.' He thought as he continued to execute fancy flips, turns, hand-spins, and deadly slashes with his sword.
Watching him, Fuu couldn't help but be impressed. Never had she seen him perform anything quite like this. It almost seemed like he was trying to prove something.
'I bet Ren couldn't do that.'
As soon as she thought this she realized how terrible it was. She had only met this boy once, how could she possibly assume anything about him? For all she knew he was the best swordsman in the town.
She shook her head, attempting to shake the thoughts from within it. Whatever had possessed her to think such things was gone now, she told herself.
Half an hour later Mugen decided to take a break, and he let his sword fall to the ground. Only to follow shortly after it, making sure to land in a rock-less spot.
By this time Fuu had gotten bored, and had busied herself by playing with a bundle of flowers. Hearing the thump of his body lazily flopping to the ground she looked up. Out of habit the first thing she did was worry, but then she saw that he was only resting. Uncorking the canteen of water she had brought with her she stood up, and walked over to him.
Standing just beside him she leaned over, offering him a drink. When he made no response to her offer she sat down beside him, watching his chest rise and fall with a quickened pace. Suddenly she got an impulse, and she followed it.
Mugen was trying to look like he was collecting his thoughts, or some other kind of meditative shit. However his hard work was thrown away when he felt a small gush of cold water on his face. "What the hell?"
He opened his eyes to see Fuu, smirking at him with a somewhat evil twist to her lips. Seeing that it was only her he closed his eyes, shrugging her off. However, to his annoyance she did it again.
"Damn it, do that again an' I'll hurt you." He growled. It made him sick to know that there was no truth behind that threat. Again, no sooner had he closed his eyes did she repeat her tease. His hair was now soaked with sweat and water, as was his face and some of his shirt.
"You!" He yelled through her laughter. Then he did something very un-Mugen like. He tackled her around the stomach, throwing them both over the small hillside to the left of his chosen training spot. Fuu shrieked as she felt them tumbling around and around, his body overlapping hers, then vice-versa, then back again. Every so often a drip of water from his hair would splash down onto her face, and she was sure her flushed face evaporated them.
Finally they came to a stop. By this time they had been jostled out of the wrestle position and Mugen's head had found it's way to her torso.
They didn't talk, but instead lay there on the forest floor. Both of them had leaves in their hair, Mugen's looking wilder then ever, Fuu's almost free around her shoulders.
It felt good, Mugen had to admit, laying in the upside down L their body's had created. His head rested just below her breasts, his shoulders against the sides of her stomach. She was the North and he was the East. Two very different things that just happened to be thrown together in a crazy system called "directions."
That was what they were, wasn't it? Two very different people, thrown together on a crazy quest. 'Maybe too different…' What could have passed off as almost smile faded from Mugen's features as he thought about the two of them. 'She'd want somebody who could give her a 'proper' name. 'Probly gotta have some kinda steady job too…Maybe even livin' parents. Somebody like him...' He thought bitterly, refering to Ren.
"So, now that your arm's better you can kick that snotty Rukono guy's ass. Then Eseme can tell me what she knows of the sunflower samurai and we can finally get out of here." Fuu said, distracting him from his depressing thoughts.
Mugen had no logical reason for it, but he felt like being mean to her. He knew he wasn't good enough and he'd prove to her just how not good enough he was.
"Don't you wanna stay?" Fuu propped herself up on her left elbow, and she gazed down at him with a questioning look. "Why would I wanna do that? The sunflower samurai's clearly not-" "What about your boyfriend? What's his name, Ten?"
Fuu was confused, what was he doing? What happened to having fun? Why was he mad again? "Mugen…are you-" "Tired of this fuckin' death trap? Hell yes. But if you wanna stay then fine by me, I can find my own way back."
"Mugen what are you talking about? When did I ever say I wanted to stay here?" Mugen sat up, glaring at her. "Don't gimme that shit, I know how much you like it here with that old Hag. Having a job again, and yay for you, there's a strait guy in this village who's willin to sleep with you for free!"
Tears welled in her eyes at each word that came from his mouth. When he finished she just sat there, they both sat in silence. Until she could take it no more, and in one quick motion she slapped him. Harder then she'd ever slapped anybody in her entire life. So hard that her hand hurt almost as much as her chest. Her lip trembled with words that wouldn't come, and as Mugen felt the pain of the blow he took another, the blow of her tears.
Finally a sound emerged from her throat, half a minute she had been waiting for it, and she couldn't think to the words back. "I HATE YOU!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, then she turned and fled into the forest. Leaving behind Mugen, and a few stray tears.
For what seemed like hours, days, weeks, Mugen sat, staring off into the direction she had run. Her words, they hurt him like hell. Not like the sting from the edge of a sword or like the feeling of betrayal he had received from Mukuro and Kaza. Not like the pain of her fist or even her tears. This was new, and it cut him much deeper.
The sun low in the sky by the time Mugen came back to the clearing to find Eseme. The old woman had been sitting, patiently waiting for the two. She knew something was wrong by the sadness in his eyes.
"Mugen? What happened tis time? Where's Fuu?" Mugen looked up at her, his eyes immediately drained of their previous emotion, were now filled with a panic he dried to deny. "She ain't with you?"
Eseme shook her head, her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "No, I thought she was still out wit you." "Damn…"
The elderly woman turned her head to look at the slowly creeping sun. If they didn't find Fuu soon they would have to go home, get lights, and come back. By the time they did that anything could have happened to her.
"We've got to look for her, she won't know the way back to my house, and none keeps fires going at night. There would be no smoke to follow, nor any lights. The Blackbirds banned it to keep unwanted attention from the village."
Mugen's thoughts were racing. If anything happened to her he would…it would… "Go home old hag." He said sharply. "What?"
"You heard me, I'll go looking for her. That little bitch ain't leaving me alone with you all night." With this he leapt back into the bushes, a new speed in his feet.
Eseme sighed as she gathered her things and headed back down the hill. 'I hope he finds her…If he doesn't…' She shuddered, not wanting to think about what could happen to a defenseless girl alone in the forest at night.
The sun had gone down more then an hour ago, and Mugen was sure he had combed every inch of that god damned valley corner. But still no sign of Fuu, not a trial, nothing.
In his anger he punched a tree. "FUCK!" He yelled, startling a few creatures from their slumbering chambers.
Mugen knew there was nothing he could do, if he didn't get back soon he'd be lost out there too. And though a large part of him hated the thought he also knew that Eseme would want to know if he had found her or not.
All the long way back he cursed at himself, and her, and Eseme, and every other fucked up person in that damn village. This new part of him, this new softness, he knew it wouldn't let him leave without her. He'd be stuck here, until some sign of her showed up. If she was dead, then he'd leave, off to find another town to stay in until they kicked him out. If she was alive then they'd work their way back the way they had come, meet up with Jin again, and continue a seemingly pointless quest.
'Where the hell is she?'
Where the hell is Fuu?
Only the author knows ------
Ps. I'm soooo sorry about the long wait, but since school started I just don't have time for recreational writing anymore.
