Chapter Fifteen: The Bad Old Times

Steam rolled up, curling through the warm, damp bath chamber as Fuu padded across the water-splattered floor, humming softly to herself. She reveled in feeling so clean. She was normally a clean person, but there was a certain joy that came from soaking in a hot bath until her skin was wrinkled that nothing else could replace.

Drawing on the soft, white kimono that she had been given while her pink one was cleaned, she paused just to enjoy the moment before she attacked her hair with the towel, soaking up the last few drops of water that clung to the tips.

Allowing her damp brown locks to fall over her shoulders, she checked to make sure all of the dried crust was gone. Content that she was as clean as she could get, a happy sigh escaped her as she folded the towel over her arm and gathered up her few belongings that she had carried into the bath.

"Now this is the life," she said happily as she wandered through the corridors back up to the room that Umeko had requested from the innkeeper for her.

A small part of Fuu felt guilty for the kindness that Umeko had lavished on her. After all, she had paid for that wonderful lunch and now for a room in a decent inn. Far better than many she, Mugen and Jin had scraped money together for during their search for the samurai who smelled of sunflowers.

Of course, Fuu had to admit that after only a day on the road, in the rain, that romanticism about traveling in the wide open wasn't nearly as enjoyable as she had imagined. It was often miserable, dirty, and uncomfortable.

Sliding the door open to her room, that feeling of content that had filled her after her bath immediately soured. Fury raced through her as she aimed her finger, like a weapon, toward the figure in the center of the room. "Hey, those were mine!"

Sprawled across the floor, with his red jacket wadded up as a pillow, lay Mugen. Two wooden skewers shifted as he chewed on the ends. They were all that remained of the yakimanju Fuu had saved as a late snack. His muddy geta were roughly discarded right in front of the door and Fuu had to stop or risk tripping over them.

"What?" he growled, spitting the sticks out. They clattered to the floor as he sat up and scratched behind his ear.

"Those were," she sighed and clutched her abdomen as her stomach growled. "Oh, never mind." Stepping around the geta, she approached the rest of her belongings, including a fat little squirrel asleep on one of her sandals. Kneeling down, she brushed her finger across Momo's soft belly earning a cheerful squeak.

"You should have protected my evening snack," she grumbled and Momo responded with another happy noise. Sinking down against the wall, Fuu sighed as she stared at the empty plate, and then made herself fold the towel and set it aside.

A grimace scrunched her nose when she spied the two futons laid side-by-side and decided that she would have to fix that. She wasn't sleeping that close to Mugen, no way.

He snored.

Well, that's what she remembered anyway.

"They really are nice to us, getting us this room," Fuu said cautiously, wondering if Seijun had questioned Mugen like Umeko had her.

Mugen grunted.

She looked up, but couldn't tell what he was thinking, if anything at all. Then she decided whatever it was, she probably didn't want to know. That pervert.

"The old man's looking for a bodyguard," he responded after a short stretch of silence.

Just as she had suspected after hearing Umeko's story that they wanted Mugen's sword. He was a strong fighter. He could be rather mercenary for the right price. It was an obvious question, one with an equally obvious answer: "Are you going to do it?"

A dark smile pulled at Mugen's lips. He didn't look at her. "Yeah."

"Oh."

With a snort, Mugen said, "Don't worry, you can tag along."

"I wasn't worried," she sharply replied. Why would he think she was worried? She wasn't some child who needed someone to look after her. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. "Tag along," she muttered to herself. "If it wasn't for me you would never have had to help them and been offered a job."

Mugen said nothing, which only bothered Fuu more. She half wanted him to tell her she was stupid. Silence lingered as Mugen used the end of a wooden skewer to pick at his teeth and Fuu played with the hem of her kimono.

The way Umeko had spoken about the gang that had invaded their village, they were really strong. Mugen was good, but he was just one man.

Her concern floated on a soft, questioning voice, "I wonder where Jin is."

Mugen just shrugged.

For a time, she just stared at him, wondering if he was thinking the same thing.

"Do you think we'll run into him? I mean we found each other again. The two of you, those thugs would never stand a chance—"

"I hear rumors," he said softly after a long hesitation. As if he had not heard the rest of it.

Fuu brightened as she waited for him to tell her. When he said nothing, she demanded, "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Rumors, you said you heard rumors."

"Yeah."

"And?"

"I heard some samurai talking about a guy in grey who's supposed to be a strong swordsman."

Fuu frowned. "Is that all?"

"I didn't say it was good."

"Hrmph," Fuu huffed as she folded her arms across her chest. "I just hope he's okay. I've just been worried."

"Did you worry about me?" Mugen snarled before rolling onto his side with has back to her.

"I hoped someone would take pity on you and give you bath!" she snapped. Sinking back into her place against the wall, she sighed and hung her head low. Something tugged on her kimono and she looked down to see Momo sitting on her knee. A questioning squeak drew a smile from the girl. "Sorry, Momo."

Mugen was already snoring.

"I'm just worried is all." Brushing her fingers over Momo's little head she tried to push the heaviness in her heart away. That was something else that she didn't miss from their journey, that worry that something would happen to either Mugen or Jin.

She didn't want to worry or be responsible, worse, she didn't want to wait, not knowing if they would be back. At least, when they parted, she could write imaginary, happy fates for them.

roterritter - Sorry about that! Miyu 14 - Thanks! SilverPurity - Serious cliffhanger? Not yet. This is just a little hill. poornmiserable - Thank you so much! Esther - Mush has its place and every loves a little now and again, but I also don't get the whole romance thing, at least not with a combination of the mains. I just see great, deep friendships that is so much stronger than that. (Even if they won't admit it.) LadyShalott - Thanks!

A/N - Sorry about the gaps in posting. I'm trying to get back to a regular posting schedule so you'll be getting several shorter (but just as entertaining) chapters for a while. Thank you everyone for the kind replies, I really do appreciate them. While I write for myself, it is nice to hear from others what they think.

Next Chapter - Flashback. The Quality of Silence.