LOL thanks you guys for all your wonderful reviews. I'll be sure to detail the fights more. I've been trying to keep the story moving like the 'reviewer' bashed me for, but I guess because of that I've cut down a lot on description (which is basically what you guys like about my writing the most) So I'm gonna find that balance. Thanks and ENJOY!

Ps to the "reviewer" it's okay LOL ) All if forgiven, but I did listen to what you said and am speeding things along.

Chapter Thirty Eight: Prostitution tales.

Jin was walking along silently with Fuu and Mugen lagging behind. The boys could feel the eyes of the town on them as they slowly paced past them. They were a sore sight for happy eyes.

Mugen sped up feeling naked and ashamed. He had never done anything like this in his entire life. Tell him to move a mountain and he would. Tell him to swim into a whales mouth, he would do it. Tell him to battle an entire army of wolves without his sword, and he would gladly do it. He would do anything but this. This was the single most unmanly thing he had ever done.

The town's folk had never seen such tall woman, but figured they were from a richer part of the country. Their tall built figures meant they belonged to a family where they ate well and did nothing. Little did they know, they were actually men. They turned away from the trio envious of the supposed lifestyle.

"Ah Mugen stop being such a slug and get over here." Fuu complained stopping with Jin to look back at a red flaming Mugen (dressed in woman's clothing). He grunted and hoped gracefully to them. Jin could have almost laughed had he not been in the same situation. Fuu sighed as they pressed on deeper into the town. They could see the red light district as they approached 'that part' of town. They walked on the bridge, the very bridge where Jin first met Shino. This was the place Shino wanted to end her life, but he had been there by chance to make her walk away instead of diving. He looked at the water from the corner of his eye.

Mugen was getting tired of people starring at him, mostly because of how he acted when he caught someone looking at him. He caused some what of a commotion, attracting more attention to himself than welcomed. Jin paused suddenly looking ahead to the eel cart. Fuu stopped and looked fuzzily at Jin. His face was paler than normal, his eyes tense with grief and happiness. He had learned how to make eel that day, the only dish he knew how to make. A small smile cracked on his face as he remembered back to how horrible his food tasted. Fuu didn't know what was wrong with him, and looked back to Mugen for help. Her face went from seeking answers to pure annoyance. There he was further behind pulling a small kid by the front of his shirt.

"Looking at something kid?" Mugen growled at the frightened young boy.

"N-No." The child quickly shook his head as he started to cry. Mugen was about to smirk victoriously when Fuu's shoe pounded down on his head. The kid was free and ran as fast as he could away from the strange trio.

"Mugen you jerk!" She shouted putting her shoe back on. Mugen rubbed his head, irritated by the constant hitting.

"Lets hurry." Jin interrupted. He was walking a lot faster. Fuu and Mugen both noticed the increase in his steps, and linked it back to his desperate need to win this battle.

The area was specifically designated for such activities. Fuu noticed that Jin's pace had slowed as he walked down the street. He could see the faces of many broken women and girls starring blankly out at them. This was their life, to sit and be show cased for men to destroy. Fuu felt sorry for the women as they walked on. The Yakuza guards were surprised to see the ghastly large women and Fuu approach them. They immediately leapt to their feet.

"OY! Stop right there. What business do you three have here?" One of them asked looking back at Mugen and Jin. He didn't like the way Jin looked, his features were very soft and delicate. He liked Mugen better. He looked like someone who liked roughing it. He grinned at the female Mugen, who cringed as he struggled to wink back at him. Inside he was throwing up horses and men.

"Um, we were wondering if we could get jobs here?" Fuu asked smiling seductively. Mugen noticed that cute smile, that sexy body of hers trying to entice the guards and it peeved him.

'She doesn't have to get like that!' He shouted in his mind, still cringing and grinding his teeth. Jin opened his eyes and gave the guards a winning smile.

"Jobs? You three? Well you're pretty nice looking, but these two are very large women.." The Yakuza supervisor said as he walked up to his men.

"OH sir, I would buy that one for sure." The greedy Yakuza who had his eyes set on Mugen enthusiastically announced. Jin and Fuu both let go of large sweat drops as Mugen trembled. He was horribly disgusted. The supervisor looked over Jin and Mugen, making note of their large bodies, big brawly figures, and some what manly definers. Fuu smiled cutely shoving her elbow's into both Jin and Mugen.

"Smile will ya.." She whispered under her breath. They looked at each other worriedly and than looked back to the Yakuza guards and smiled.

"We may appear large, but we're still really good at pleasing." Mugen whispered in a soft girly tone. He sounded retarded, and his words were making Jin and Fuu cringe. The supervisor however bought it.

"Alright go in." He smirked smacking Mugen on the bum once. His temper was rising feeling another man touch him. Jin and Fuu quickly dragged him before Mugen jumped and killed the supervisor.

"Yeh that is some good ass." The supervisor smirked. Mugen made a face like he would vomit but lucky for him Fuu gagged him with her hand.

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"I hope they are alright." Shino whispered. She did what she always did, talk to the sky, let the wind brush her skin and pass on her small messages. Makoto approached her and sat down beside the young woman.

"That is a beautiful moon." Makoto smiled looking up to the clear beautiful sky. They needed some shed of light, and the large smiling moon gave him confidence.

"Will they be alright?" Shino asked gently. She didn't look at Makoto, instead she kept her eyes to the moon. She tried so many nights to count the stars, but there was always too many, tonight, she was determined to count them all. Makoto looked over to Shino. He understood how she felt. She was waiting for Jin and now that she had him, had to let him go again. He was doing so much to save her, to take her away with him. But it was no use, after he battled the Yakuza he would go far away from her again. She would still be there at the temple praying to see him again…after three long years passed by. All the things she wanted to say to him that night, were still in her mind. Makoto watched Shino's eyes carefully, the way they glazed under the moon's light. She was sad.

"There is something I have offered to Jin-san. I only hope that he accepts the reward." Makoto broke the silence. He knew Jin was there for her, to take her back. But will he change his mind and think what he was doing was wrong. He was a samurai and lived by his code of honor. Shino looked to Makoto wondering what the reward could be.

"I see …" She didn't look at the night, just her feet.

'So he came for the reward….' She sadly thought.

"I offered him you Shino-san. To carry you away from here as his wife." Makoto smiled. He knew this was going against the temple rules, a regulation that was passed down for many centuries. But it was the only way. Shino blushed surprised that Makoto did that.

"It's true…I'm not sure if my time in this world will be permitted for any longer, so I have told one other person. Hoshi will release you only into Jin's custody when he returns." Makoto smiled patting her on the head. Shino's eyes watered, she had never been so relieved and happy. She leapt into the monk's embrace thanking him. He gently patted her head.

"Listen my child. Live happily. You have visited so much pain and anguish. So when you do get the chance to be happy, live in that happiness." Makoto smiled kissing her forehead. There had been many women who had come to the temple over the years to seek sanctuary, but Shino was the only one he felt the most connected to. Perhaps along time ago in some other life, she was his daughter. Her smile was mixed with her tears as she held on to Makoto.

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The night brought many perverts, from the town and other town's and villages. Business men, farmers, servants and slaves all came to enjoy the forced prostitution of women. Fuu, Jin and Mugen were sitting on display, Fuu keeping to her angry disgusted face as men passed by. Mugen and Jin felt horrible sitting there being auctioned off like objects for some man to use and throw away. They looked at each other when they realized that this was the reality for all the women with them. They scanned to see the sad smiles, the teary eyes as the males smirked and mocked them. They had to take whatever abuse or filth the men wanted, in order to pay the debt off for their families; or to make money for their families. There were young girls in there, younger than Fuu who frightening sat, shaking. How many sick men had bought them, Mugen and Jin were disgusted thinking of it.

"This shit it sick" Mugen whispered to Jin.

"But it's life." Said a woman next to him. They both turned to her. Her eyes were watery.

"Hey weren't you bought?" Mugen asked. He could have sworn he saw someone buy her, what was she doing back so soon.

"A lot of men pick me, so I have a large price for a short time." She sadly smiled wiping her mouth of the saliva. Mugen felt gross, he was angry that someone could do that. He looked over to Fuu, he didn't know how he would react if someone had bought her. He would be set off like some gun shot. Jin looked around to the other women. The ones that had been there for a long time, had become accustomed to the lifestyle and had nothing more than to sell themselves.

"It's a sad life. A life filled with misery and hate, but it's the only life any of us know about it. We're mere pieces, we're nothing more." The woman sadly smiled. A tear escaped her eyes. How many men had she gone through just this day, she had lost count. Mugen looked back at the woman.

"How long you been here?" He asked her.

"8 years. My husband could not pay back the money he owed to the Yakuza. So he let them take me to repay it. I have been here since than paying back what he owes." She smiled looking at Mugen. He could not imagine what was truly going in her heart.

"I have been here for 4 years. My father sold me in order to keep his farm land safe. He visits here sometimes, to buy other women. It's sick but I always hope he buys me, like a father would; so I could sleep one night without a man touching me." Cried a young woman. She let her tears escape because she had not been able to cry in a long time. Jin and Mugen both closed their eyes. That's how desperate the young girl was, she was hoping that her father would buy her so that she could sleep.

Mugen could feel the rage building up in him. Suddenly ever single thing he did to a woman came back to him. The times he went to brothels. He took their dignity, used them for a night and left without thought or dismay. Jin had felt it too. He was disgusted to call himself a man, a samurai. He had done this a couple of times on their trip. He always thought that some of them were there on their own accord, but which prostitute would tell her client her sad story. There was never any time to talk.

"That one. I like that one." Said a young man. He was dressed well, and tossed three large coins on the ground like it was nothing. Mugen and Jin both looked up to see the mistress drag Fuu out of the brothel cage. Mugen automatically moved to grab her back.

"OY!" He shouted at the man who bought her. Jin tried to calm Mugen down, but he couldn't control him. A large vein stressed on Mugen's forehead as he bore a hole in the man's head. The young man smirked.

"I like that one too, and give me the one beside him as well."

"Three my lord?" The guard asked. The young man smirked and tossed more coins on the ground much to the guards content.

"Yeh." He smirked.

Mugen and Jin went willingly with Fuu inside the room. Fuu was relieved that she would not be alone. She thanked whatever it was that was looking out for her to make the boy buy the three of them.

"We have a problem." Jin strongly voiced in a whisper. None of them really thought it through when they decided to go ahead with this plan. Mugen cracked his neck and looked over the Jin.

"What?" He barked. Fuu was confused too, they were in the clear now.

"He's going to notice a couple of things on both of us." He was alittle frustrated with both their stupidity. Mugen and Fuu cringed realizing that the young man bought them all for a reason.

"I'm gonna slice his off, problem solved." Mugen smirked. Jin nodded his head in disappointment. But before they could plan something, the doors slide open.

"Enjoy yourself Lord." The mistress smiled letting the young lord in. Fuu swallowed hard, she knew she was safe, but what were they going to do about the boy. Jin and Mugen looked over at the lord, there was something very familiar with him. The mistress closed the doors. The young boy walked slowly into the light where Fuu was curled up in the middle of Jin and Mugen.

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(OH I bet the suspense is killing you. So here's the thing, lets stop her for a sec and think about this. Who can this young lord be?...read on my friend, read on) I don't really know why I added this part in…hmm I really am a strange one now aren't I ) )

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"Fuu-chan It's me, Mizu." He smiled kneeling down to them. Mugen and Jin eyebrows shot up in surprise. Fuu was equally confused but was so thankful to see him.

"Mizu! Oh thank goodness." She exhaled in relief. She was so paranoid about their situation that she forgot to breath.

"Oy what the hell are you doing here?" Mugen asked distrustfully. Jin was very surprised to see him too. No one could have guessed to see him there. He was supposed to be back home, stepping up to his title as the new magistrate. Mizu took off the fake mustache and hair and sat down in front of them.

"Word came from Makoto-sama that you needed my help. So I came as quickly as I could. I brought some of my men posing as businessmen. We didn't know for sure how you two would look, but I guess I was right." Mizu slightly laughed making sure to look directly at Mugen. He was ultimately teasing him. Mugen was not happy to see Mizu, and knew exactly what he was trying to say.

"Fuu-chan, are you alright?" Mizu asked taking her hand. She nodded blushing, she looked at Mugen from the corner of her eyes. She pulled her hand back and smiled at Mizu. She could tell Mugen was shaking, he was getting really mad.

"Makoto didn't tell us that you would be coming." Jin said. He thought it was odd how mysteriously the monk was working. It was a day's trip from Mizu's town to here, how did he get here so fast. They had only planned this cross dressing strategy this morning. For Mizu to get here on time, he would have had to known about the plan a day ago. His eye brows narrowed, his silent suspicion shared by only Mugen. Who was that monk anyway.

"We should get some rest, we'll have to fight soon…" Jin whispered. Mizu agreed.

"Fuu-chan, why don't you take the futon. We can sleep on the floor." He said pointing to the bed. Fuu looked over to Mugen before getting up.

"Wait. Mizu you'll have to sleep with Mugen." Jin said stopping Fuu. Mugen and Mizu almost threw up.

"WHAT!" Mugen growled balling his fist. Fuu sat down beside Jin wondering what he was talking about. Mizu looked at Mugen and than looked to Fuu and than to Jin, searching for an answer.

"When the door's open we don't know, and we can't have the mistress be suspicious of us. So Mugen you'll have to sleep with Mizu on the bed." Jin was right and Mugen and Mizu knew it. Fuu tried not to laugh.

"Why does it have to be me, why can't you sleep with him." Mugen angrily growled at Jin.

"Because you two hate each other." Jin smirked at Mugen and Mizu. Mizu seemed to be a little ashamed that his hate for Mugen was a well known fact. Fuu didn't seem to be surprised, which meant she knew that he hated her boyfriend. Mugen groaned but finally got up and dragged Mizu to the futon. He threw the young man on the bed to the far corner and than lay down. He gave Jin once last look of death and went to sleep. Jin was smiling at him. Fuu sighed.

"Thanks Jin." She smiled. She knew that Jin had pushed them both on that futon for her, so that she didn't feel strange and uncomfortable during the night. Jin smiled down at her. His relationship with her had always been very strange. He was like a father and sometimes he felt like he was. She leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

Mizu's eyes were open, his expression angry and repulsed. He was embarrassed that Mugen dragged him and tossed him on to the futon like some young child. Mugen was equally disturbed, but as long as Mizu and him were on the bed, Fuu was safe from talking to him in the night. He could tell, Mizu was clever like that.

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They had tried to fall asleep but all they could hear was the willing rape of the woman in the next rooms. Jin kept his eyes closed, his body still so that no one could tell he was awake. Fuu held on to Jin's kimono trying to block the noises of the greedy men taking what they paid for from the bought women. Mugen and Mizu could not sleep. Mugen thought back to all his wrong doings, and the one that popped up suddenly was when he met Fuu again at the brothel. She was a gift from Koroso. She was tied up and struggling and Mugen was willing to rape her. He didn't know it was Fuu at the time when he took off his shirt looking down at her. But when her teary eyes met with his, she was so relieved; so trusting. Mugen remembered that moment, the fear and burden of something bad happening to her being replaced with confidence and relieve when she saw Mugen. But he was ready to rape the girl in front of him, he didn't know it would turn out to be Fuu. He didn't do anything to her, but he had thought about it he admitted. He needed a woman that night, he was built up with frustration all day looking forward to getting that much needed release; and suddenly it was Fuu. He turned on his back, looking up at the ceiling, thinking back to how relieved she was to see him. She hugged him, trusted him. He didn't know it would feel like this. He could hear the men groaning in pleasure, but heard no sound coming from the woman they defiled. Suddenly he grew mad at himself and mad at the men who tortured them so.

"Mugen, what is it?" Jin asked finally when he felt that Fuu was asleep. She was tired from the walk into town, and was emotionally drained and needed this rest. So when he felt her body relax and heavy on him, he opened his eyes to see Mugen sitting up.

"Nothing.." He whispered back. He didn't want Jin to know how much this brothel situation was bothering him. He never thought he would feel this sympathetic towards these brave beaten women. He had been to the brothel many times, never once thought about what he was doing, or who he was doing it to. He never really looked at their eyes or asked them their names. He just undressed himself and went right to it. He was ashamed of himself and what he did. But now he had the chance to make up for the deeds he committed to those women. He would save them.

Jin looked down to Fuu. She had fallen into a deep sleep. He pulled the blanket on her so that she would not get cold. He sighed looking outside. It was starting to rain. The last time he was here, it rained too. He wondered why things were unfolding the way they were, but those were questions he would ask later.

I hope this chapter met everyone's tastes. Who would have guessed Mizu would show up...oh wait I knew he would LOL See you in the next chapter. By the way Reviewer I didn't mean to make you sound like a jerk. ) you're not. And thanks again for reviewing. ) And that goes for everybody.