Thanks guys for your reviews. WindoX--in response to your assertion that Mugen is slightly out of character...perhaps, but perhaps not. He's still a selfish sod and the flower thing was actually quite like him. It showed his take-what-you-like-and-screw-the-rest kind of attitude. He showed no tenderness for the other flowers and a sort of vicious disregard for what happened to them after he was done with them. They were left on the road to wither and die. The red flower was him, the white one was Shiroko. Screw the rest, leave 'em to die on the road. Who's to say after the red polinated the white that the white wouldn't also be left on the road to wither? That's how I tried to write it, at least. Everyone else please R&R!

The last night that Shiroko would spend in the forest with them was humid. She went down to the rivers edge to wash her face, hands and arms. Her scarf lie open behind her leaving all her small possessions exposed to the elements. Jin had not spoken to Shiroko for most of the trip. Mugen had, for the most part, taken most of her time uselessly flirting with her. Jin was aggravated because he wanted news of Mariko. He could never face the love of his dreams again, after that last night he saw her nor now that he carried the shame of a ronin.

He decided to wait a few paces behind Shiroko and allow her to finish what she was doing. She sat up and stared off into the distance as the water dropped from her chin. "Jin? You want to know what happened to Mariko, don't you?"

"Yes" he said. His curiosity burned inside him.

She nodded and stayed down at the waters edge. She spoke quietly, and Mugen who pretended to sleep nearby couldn't hear their conversation. Shiroko's voice carried a tragic story. "Mariko, as I mentioned the last time we met, was married. She bared two sons for a powerful samurai. Soon after their second son was born he was granted a fief of his own for his valuable service to the Shogun."

The cool night air picked up and blew through Jin's wayward strands of hair. "I am…happy for her." 'Was that the man? It doesn't matter anyhow.'

Shiroko wasn't convinced he was happy, but didn't respond to Jin. She continued the story. "While they were moving out of their old home there…" Shiroko halted unsure if she should tell Jin of what happened next.

"What?" he asked. Inwardly he was losing his patience, but did not allow it to show on his face or in his voice.

Shiroko continued the tale "There was a fire. She was caught inside." Jin took a step forward and Shiroko's words stopped him "She lived, but was terribly scarred."

He stepped back. Shiroko turned to look at the fallen samurai. He rested his arm on his swords and his eyes gazed at the ground for some comfort. "She was a beautiful girl, it is quite a loss" was all he could say.

Shiroko dipped a finger into the still lake water. As Jin watched the ripples spread out to the waiting mass of water Shiroko said "Her husband sent her back to us and she became a shut-in. Looking that way brought out the absolute worst in her. She was never a warm person, but this just made her too angry, almost evil."

Jin recalled that it was her beauty that he admired most, but he had to admit she was not the kindest girl he had ever known. 'She was not like Shiroko in that respect…' An image of Shiroko flashed in his mind. Through the gauzy sun lit curtain of his memories he saw a chubby cheeked Shiroko as a young girl cupping her hands around a flower a butterfly had landed on.

Shiroko's voice made the image vanish. "As I grew, I resembled her old self more and more. It was just another reason to remove me so I don't know much about what has happened to her. I hear she still lives in our home though our parents have passed."

"I see" said Jin. He knew what had happened to Yukimaru. He debated over what to tell Shiroko that he had killed him.

"I know all about you Jin and how you've become a ronin. I could barely believe it when I heard. Then Yukimaru disappeared."

Jin knew it would come to this. It was only fair that he tell her. "Yukimaru came after me after I left the dojo." Jin had a sinking feeling Shiroko had heard why Jin left the dojo. "I tried to avoid it, but I had to kill him."

Shiroko's hand fell through the surface of the water and made a small splash as it hit the mud below. "Yukimaru was such a fool" she sputtered with a shaky voice. "His desire for fame did him in, did it not? Now I am left here and you don't even know the position you have put me in."

"Position?" Jin asked, a little confused by her response.

"Yes. My loyalty…Jin, the reason I was sent away was…the reason I was…" Shiroko washed the mud off her hand and turned to look up at Jin. "…the man I was betrothed to ran away."

Jin reverted to the child inside and thought 'If the choice was left between marrying Piggy and running away I too would—' his thoughts were halted when he realized what she was saying. Their eyes met and he could see deeply into hers. He could see her sadness and her pain. He had abandoned her. Her loyalties were in conflict between her brother, and her loyalty to Jin, her absconding fiancé. The breeze blew and rustled the grass.

Once she knew that Jin understood the implication she picked up a towel from her bundle and dried her hands. He could think of nothing to say. He was still curious about why she had Mariko's necklace and the origami butterfly. There was no better time to ask since the box was visible in the middle of her bundle. "Why do you have Mariko's possessions?"

Shiroko gave her hands one last wipe and folded the towel. "She did not want them. I couldn't see throwing away anything so beautiful so I took them."

'Mariko was throwing away my butterfly?' thought Jin. Shiroko folded up her scarf, holding all her belongings, and started up towards the campfire. Jin asked "Are you going to avenge Yukimaru?"

Shiroko halted and quietly said "I have a feeling he did what he did not out of vengeance for his master, Jin. I know this and will not honor such a selfish act. His selfishness has brought nothing but shame to my family." She walked back up to the camp and found a place to sleep for the night.

Jin walked back down to the water's edge and felt a new weight of obligation crushing down on him. He touched the water where Shiroko had, and swirled his finger in circles. 'I had no family. I had few, if any people I could call friends. I was so unaware that my actions had so many unforeseen results.' Jin spent a good part of the night watching the ripples moving out from his fingers into the lake and beyond.

The next afternoon, after a quiet and somber walk, the group came to a sleepy town. The group said their farewells to Shiroko and continued on their way destined to find the Sunflower Samurai.

"Goodbye Fuu, and good luck with your quest. I hope you find him and give him a good walloping!" said Shiroko with a smile.

Fuu responded with a smile and a bow. "Thank you Shiroko for keeping us company on the road."

"Not a problem" responded Shiroko. "If I ever bump into any of you again please rest assured I will give you whatever hospitality I can."

Mugen picked his teeth with a stick he found on the road and said "Yeah, g'bye. See you round" he said casually. He began to walk away and Fuu chased after him yapping away about how he could have been more polite.

Jin stood in his place and stared at Shiroko. Fuu and Mugen's angry voices were beginning to muffle in the distance. Shiroko said "Thank you, Jin for traveling with me. It was a pleasure to see you again." Shiroko could not meet his eyes. She felt tears welling up inside her but fought them with a few deep breaths.

He said nothing. The breeze blew and Shiroko bowed. When she looked up she thought 'I might as well brave his eyes. I will probably never see him again.' When she looked up she saw a pair of eyes that conveyed deep regret. She was initially surprised at this, but going over their conversation the night before she realized she put him in an awful position. "Please Jin, fulfill your obligations to Fuu. That's what you've set out and promised to do."

Jin reluctantly looked away and turned then followed his traveling companions.

Shiroko stood on the road and watched the man she loved so dearly wander away. 'I didn't mean to place another burden on his shoulders, he's already so tired from the one's he has.'

When Shiroko told Jin that their marriage was to be arranged she alerted him of an obligation he had to fill to his deceased parents. Jin's parents did not live to tell him nor did he stay long enough with Shiroko's family to learn of the promise. Now that he knew he felt driven by honor to repay his debt.

A few years after the trio finished their quest Jin found a home outside a busy town.

One day he picked up his katana and practiced his sword techniques. He had kept up with his style and practiced often.

Jin walked out to the fields beyond his humble house. He found a spot near a tree and raised his sword. His eyelids drooped as the blade dropped. The breeze of his swipe fluttered the tall wild flowers and grass. His sword swooshed down again and again. The sun moved across the sky and Jin slipped into a calm and focused state. All of his troubles and doubts melted away with the rest of his thoughts.

The movement of his limbs, the shifting of his hips, and the dropping of his blade became automatic. His mind emptied of all thoughts, all worries, and anxieties. The changing world around him faded and nothing penetrated his world of quiet solitude. The sword dropped again cutting the breeze with a swooshing sound.

Jin cracked his eyes open and shot a glance to the tall grass next to the tree. He saw a head of blue black hair and shoulders covered in green silk. He continued his practice. He closed his eyes and a familiar scene played out in his minds eye.

He brought down his sword and turned towards the crouching woman. Shiroko stood from the grass and smiled. Jin contorted his face a tad and Shiroko laughed. "I know I know, I've gained a bit of weight."

Jin was embarrassed that his emotions played so obviously across his face. She had gained back some weight, but she was still pretty. "You look…" he smiled only slightly as he realized "like yourself."

Shiroko was unsure about the comment and decided to take it as an insult. "Thanks" she said dryly.

Jin felt the urge to keep her happy. "I meant it as a compliment. Your face is more appealing like that."

Shiroko's eyebrows jumped at the realization that Jin called her appealing. She smiled and bowed her head. She shifted her eyes off to the side and gazed at the wild flowers there. "Thank you, Jin." She decided to have fun with the moment and try a bit of flirting. She kept her head down, but looked up and said playfully "You should watch out, Shino is not likely not to endear herself to me if she catches you calling me appealing" she laughed to herself thinking of how ridiculous the idea of Jin and her together was.

Shiroko resigned herself to the idea of being his friend. 'Perhaps it is best this way. How could I be happy with a man who was not interested in me? Or a man who could not see me as more than the child he knew?'

Jin set himself back into his stance and began his monotonous practice again. He said between strikes "I…don't think she…would mind…She might…even encourage it."

Shiroko laughed because she was unsure of what else to say. She did not understand what he was telling her. "Your wife is quite the understanding woman."

Jin said nothing, only allowed his sword to drop and blow down the tall grass.

Shiroko felt she was treading on unsure ground and decided to change the topic. She watched him a moment with a sad longing and then said "This is a lovely home you have."

Jin's strikes became harder and more focused. Shiroko saw a bead of perspiration, on his already moist skin.

Shiroko said "It's humble, but Shino keeps it so clean, and it's bright as well."

His answer was the drop of his sword in a slicing motion.

"How are you and Shino getting on out here?" she motioned to the rural area that surrounded them. After she asked, Shiroko realized that she had once again found herself on personal territory she tried to compensate and pull the conversation away. "You know, uh…it's very rural. You've been traveling through a lot of cities this must be different for you."

Slice. "She speaks of things she shouldn't."

Shiroko had heard whisperings around town of a group of revolutionaries. 'Is Shino anti-Shogunate?' It was dangerous to speak of since it threatened the established ruling hierarchy of Japan. Shiroko was unsure what angle he was taking so she let the comment sit in the air between them.

She never knew what Jin was thinking, ever. Even now after their journeying, after their separation, and their new reunion. It was only by chance Shiroko had heard about the reticent and pale samurai who lived on the outskirts of town. She was passing through the village on a never ending journey of her own. She had to see if it was Jin. It was him, and he was living with Shino.

Jin sliced the air once more and then sheathed his sword back into its scabbard. "Is that a different sword, Jin?"

"Yes, and no. I had to have it re-forged."

"What? How? Why?"

Jin turned his eyes on her and said "A lot of reasons. One of which is named Mugen."

When Shiroko heard the name she laughed. "He broke your sword? I knew he was trouble, but that—"

"I broke his as well." Jin's gaze was pointed and directed at Shiroko.

"Huh." 'What now? Is he going to try and break his sword on me?' "Well…that is surprising." Shiroko felt her nerves begin to tingle. She wasn't sure what Jin was thinking. "The sun is setting, perhaps I should be getting back to town." Shiroko bowed and turned to leave.

Jin's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "No. It will be dark soon. You should stay here with us."

Shiroko turned around and said "I don't want to inconvenience you nor your wife—"

"You won't. We enjoy having company. We don't get much out here." His hand slid from her shoulder and dropped back to his side.

Shiroko bowed and said "Thank you Jin-san."

"Let's go back to the house, Shino should be serving dinner soon."