Fuu gently washed the young girl, cleansing out the dried blood and sweat with bath salts from Aneko. While she was doing this, the young girl closed her eyes, trying to appear asleep. Fuu let her rest like that for a while. Finally, she took of her kimono top, and wrapped it around the small body. Many of her cuts and wounds had stayed shut, but others had burst open. They used the cloth from the food bag to mend her wounds. All this time, Jin helped while Mugen stayed at the sidelines.
"You doing it all wrong! " he said to Jin once while he was tying a bandage. Jin immediately stopped and stood. He looked Mugen in the eye.
"Fine. You get down there and tend to her wounds." Mugen looked at the girl, than at Jin.
"Fine, I will!" he spat back, sitting down, and started wrapping the bandage around her leg. When he was finished, he said nothing to the girl, and walked away.
Now as Fuu walked back to their camping place with cloth wrapped firmly around her mid-drift, she wondered if Mugen felt anything for anyone.
"I see the way he looks at you," she remembered Aneko saying to her. She blushed and looked down at the girl. She was asleep in her arms. She gently said her down on the soft grass.
"I wonder what her name is…" wondered Fuu aloud.
" I don't know," Jin replied, " But she was beaten pretty badly."
"Yes.." replied Fuu, her voice trailing off. She absentmindedly stroked the girl's hair. Then Fuu looked up at the sky,
"It's getting dark. Did you see where Mugen went?" asked Fuu.
"Yes. He went to go get wood. About an hour ago." Replied Jin.
"Oh gosh, I better go check on him. He's probably lost."
"Probably," said Jin.
"Well stay here and watch her," she motioned toward the girl," If I don't come back in an hour, I'm probably dead."
"Yes, probably."
"Well, bye then." Said Fuu. She waved as she disappeared into the dark forest. Jin smiled.
As Fuu walked through the woods, Fuu called Mugen's name softly. As she got deeper into the woods, she heard footsteps.
"Mugen?" she called out into the darkness. Then, suddenly, a hand was laid on her shoulder.
"Looking for me?" came a quiet voice. Fuu screamed. The hand clamped her mouth.
"Shut up, idiot, he'll hear us and try to save you. God, lets just go back." He let go of Fuu, and she turned around. Mugen was already heading back to camp.
"That wasn't funny! That was horrible! I was scared something had eaten you!" she rambled on all the way to camp, until they were both sitting down at the fire. Finally, Mugen held up his hand.
"What's done is done. I can't help it! Sorry I scared you, but God, I didn't know you were that much of a wimp" Fuu sat there for a moment, before rising.
" I'm going to bed," she said, and walked over to the high grass to lay down. After a while of listing to the fire crackle, Fuu fell asleep, still aching from Mugen's words. She was determined to prove him wrong.
After a while, Fuu awoke from her slumber. She tiredly peered over the grass. The fire was low, and she could see Jin asleep on the grass. Mugen, however, was sitting by the fire, the young girl sitting just opposite of him. After a moment, Mugen spoke.
"Why don't you talk? It's hard enough for me to communicate with children when they do talk." He spoke these words harshly. The girl hung her head.
"Whatever," he said, " Your only hurting yourself. And giving us a dang hard time helping you." Suddenly the girl started crying. Mugen seemed uncomfortable.
"Um… Sorry." He said. Fuu was amazed. She had never seen Mugen so lost for words, awkward, and really apologize with out putting a criticism at the end. This was a much softer side of him. The girl calmed down.
"My.. My name is Suki." She whispered. Mugen jumped. He hadn't expected this.
"Mugen" he grunted. He then got up and walked over to the high grass and laid down.
Fuu watched the little girl until she fell asleep. Then she herself rolled off into sleep.
When Fuu awoke, she heard Mugen and Jin's swords going at it. She got up, only to find them fighting, and Suki cowering in the high grass. When she seen Fuu, she ran over to her. Fuu looked down at her scared face.
"Don't worry, they do this all the time!" said Fuu. Suki's face lightened a little.
"I thought they were friends.." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Fuu looked down at the girl, pretending to be surprised at the girls sudden taking up of talking.
"No actually. Their trying to get along for me." She said.
For me, she echoed herself.
"So, may I ask your name? " asked Fuu, pretending she didn't know.
"Suki.." she said.
"Well Suki, you'll be traveling with us now, ok? Why don't you tell me where you from, and more about yourself." Suki looked down at these words. She was quite. Fuu understood.
" That's ok. You can tell us when your ready."
Suki smiled at Fuu, her smile beautiful although the had scars running up and down her face. Fuu walked over to Mugen and Jin, who still appeared to be fighting to the death. Suki tagged along behind her.
"Come on you guys. We need to get food! " Mugen immediately sheathed his sword. Food apparently meant more to him than a battle with Jin. Jin reluctantly sheathed his as well. The set of toward the town. As they walked down the streets, people weren't as scared of them, now that they had a child with them. People stayed on their porches instead of rushing in. Since they had money from Aneko, the first restaurant the went into accepted their coins, and even let Suki eat free. Suki ate like she hadn't eaten in days. Fuu felt very sorry for her.
After they left the store, Suki seemed for the first time traveling with them, happy. As they walked from shop to shop, browsing, people stopped to say how cute the child was. At first, Fuu thought it was an act of pity, but then she realized they saw her as a child who could still go on with her life, even with horrible scars. Then, they started to wander down more vacant streets. The building were more run down. Suddenly, they were stopped by a gang of men. They formed a circle around the 4 of them. Mugen and Jin drew their swords, and got on either side of Fuu and Suki. Still, one of them approached Suki.
"That's a pretty necklace, little girl, where'd you get it? " he said in a taunting voice. Suki's hand flew to her neck. Fuu looked down to see something she hadn't seen Suki wearing when she bathed her. A deep hematite, smooth beaded necklace. The man reached his hand house toward her neck, in a motion to grab it. Mugen's blade was quicker. His hand came off in one quick slice.
"Anyone else want some?" Mugen asked, smiling. The men backed away, but then closed in tighter around them. Mugen and Jin went to work, killing or injuring the men. Fuu covered Suki's eyes, and when she thought she could get away with it ran.
Fuu led Suki to an alleyway.
"I'm so sorry Suki. We must be in gang territory." Suki's watery eyes looked up at Fuu. Suddenly, there was a loud squeak. Suddenly, a brown ball leapt out of Fuu's kimono, and landed on Suki's shoulder. Suki jumped back in surprise. Fuu laughed.
"I'm sorry! This is MoMo!" Suki touched MoMo on the head. Mom squeaked and nuzzled against Suki's neck. Fuu noticed the necklace again.
"Where'd you get that?" asked Fuu. Suki pulled away as Fuu reached to touch it,
"My mother gave it to me." She said. Then, Mugen and Jin appeared at the mouth of the alley.
"Their sending more after us," said Mugen," Ready to hit the road. Fuu nodded.
"Then lets get out of here," said Mugen, and they made a run back for their camp.
