AUTHOR'S NOTE: The song Mugen sings is borrowed from "Sterkarm Handshake," a very awesome book which you should go read instead of this mediocre story. Although, from this point on, it does get better. Plus, Jin gets a rash!

CHAPTER THREE

"Hmm. These guys look tasty."

"Those aren't for eating."

"Then what's the point?"

Mugen was talking with a street vendor who had small boxes that contained colorful tropical fish. He put his nose against a huge glass tank, his distorted eyes following a plump yellow one, his mouth open a little. Jin was deep in conversation with another man.

"Jin, are you gonna buy a fish or what? We've been here forever."

Jin dismissed him with a wave of his hand, and went back to talking in a low voice. Mugen took a few steps to the side and listened.

"…no pierced ears, but they could have grown back. You don't see many samurai with glasses."

"And you're certain he was of the Mujuushin-ken school?"

"Yep, positive. We almost never see any 'round here."

"Hmm…" Jin turned away to think, spotted Mugen listening, and narrowed his eyes. He thanked the man and walked over to Mugen. "I'm ready to leave."

"What were you talking about?" asked Mugen eagerly as he and Jin walked down the road.

"Nothing," said Jin.

"Come on, I'm not stupid."

"Really? I always thought you were."

"What were you talking about?"

"Nothing."

Mugen scowled, then his face lit up. He grabbed Jin by the neck of his kimono and pulled him into an alley. They crossed it (Jin had to lift his hakama to keep from dragging cloth through puddles of muddy water) and stopped in the middle of the next street over.

"Ta-da!" proclaimed Mugen, spreading his arms wide. A low building with impressive eaves stood in front of them. It was well-lit; silhouettes moves in front of the screens. It was nicer than any other building on the street. Two girls were standing out front, their kimono draped down to reveal pale, thin shoulders.

"Can I pick them, or what? Come on, man." Still dragging Jin by the back of his kimono, he waked boldly into the brothel, apparently unaware that Jin was choking. Inside was a wide, well-lit hall, filled mostly with girls, though a few men sat talking with a group at low tables, drinks in front of them.

"Hi," said a girl breathlessly, hurrying up and bowing low. "My name is Kura. Can I help you?"

"I bet you can!" said Mugen. "Jin needs to get laid." He tugged Jin in front of him, like he was showing a dog.

"I don't—" gasped Jin, rubbing his neck, but Kura cut him off.

"It would be my pleasure," she said sweetly, putting an arm around his waist and placing a hand on his chest. His eyes widened a little as her hand slipped into his kimono.

"And what's your name?" Mugen asked a small, giggly girl waiting next to him.

"I'm Hana." She batted her eyelashes at him; he grinned hungrily.

"Mugen!" gasped Jin, who was being dragged away in almost exactly the same way he'd been dragged forward.

"Have fun!" yelled Mugen after him.

Fuu kept to the wide, well-lit streets as the sun set on the big city. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed, being all alone in the huge crowds that jostled her, like a leaf in rapids.

"I'll never forgive them!" she grouched under his breath. "Leaving me here all alone… jerks, both of them…" She stopped suddenly; a huge sign with a sunflower on it advertised: "HAVE YOU'RE FORTUNE TOLD." Although she wasn't impressed with the grammar, the flower definitely caught her eye. The sign was sitting over a small tent. Fuu ducked down into the tent, pushing aside the cloth flaps, and immediately began coughing in the heavily scented air.

"I—like—your—sign," she choked out as she coughed.

"Oh, do you?" came a low, eerie voice from the back of the tent. "Come here, daughter."

Fuu groped her way to the back of the tent and found herself sitting across a very small table from a woman who was very old, very fat, and had more beads, bangles, and sequins than the rest of Japan put together. "Why's there a sunflower on it?" she demanded.

"That?" she asked dismissively. "My little granddaughter drew it. She's four."

"Oh," said Fuu disappointedly.

"Are you here to unravel the mysteries of the future?"

"Actually, I just wanted to ask about your sign."

The woman pretended not to hear her, and grabbed her hand, examining the lines there through huge, thick glasses.

"Are you traveling somewhere?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Do you have companions? Two?"

"Yes."

"Both men. One wise beyond his years, and the other…" Her mystic voice paused while she searched for a word.

"Rude? Crude? Completely and utterly piggish?" volunteered Fuu.

"Less wise," said the fortune teller. "Hmmm." She peered even closer, so close that her long nose nearly touched Fuu's hand. "Interesting… very interesting…"

"What? What?" asked Fuu, standing up partially and craning her neck to see her own palm.

The fortune teller shook her head. "There are many things written here." She gave Fuu a very significant look.

"Oh no!" groaned Fuu. "I can't give you all my money!"

"A few coins in exchange for invaluable knowledge is a very fair trade," said the fortune teller, sounding sad because of Fuu's folly. Fuu groaned in frustration (it seemed like she was doing that a lot more lately), but pulled out three coins.

"That's all I have, okay? Now tell me what it says!"

"I'll give you three pieces of advice, one for each coin," said the fortune teller, slipping the gold up her sleeve.

"They better be good ones," muttered Fuu, who thought unraveling the mysteries of the future was far too expensive.

"First… one of your companions must guard himself. Just as the color red brings violence, and rain brings sorrow, so he must beware water and red."

"Red water?"

"Water and red. Second, for your black-haired companion…"

"Jin."

"He will be gravely injured—"

"What? Are you sure you're reading it right?" demanded Fuu. The fortune teller held up a heavily-ringed finger for silence, and continued:

"Once he is gravely injured, he must be returned to the last place he set foot in at once, or he will die."

"Okay…" mumbled Fuu uncertainly.

"And the last piece of advice, for yourself. You will find what you're searching for through your friends. Do not leave them under any circumstances. You will find their relationship trying…"

"I already find it trying," muttered Fuu, thinking of all the times Mugen and Jin had tried to kill each other.

"But you must let their journeys guide your own," finished the forture teller.

"Could you go back to that red water thing?" asked Fuu.

The fortune teller held out a hand for more money. Fuu snorted and left, feeling more than a bit cheated. The fortune-teller only smirked.

She heard him before she saw him.

"Ohhhh… pleasant thoughts come to mind as I turn back the silk sheets so fine, and her two white breasts are standing so, like sweet pink roses that bloom in snow. La la la la la…"

Fuu crossed her arms and tapped her foot with disapproval as Mugen and Jin turned out of an alley and walked toward her. Mugen's singing was so loud, birds fluttered off of roofs and a few people put their heads out the window to yell at him to shut up, because it was only dawn, the lousy drunk. Mugen ignored them; he had a look of exhausted satisfaction and wandered toward Fuu with a stupid grin on his face, dragging along Jin. Jin had a ruffled, dazed, wide-eyed look.

"Hiya, Fuu!" said Mugen happily. "Have a good night?"

"No," she snapped.

"We did! Huh, Jin?" He punched Jin's arm.

"I had no idea women were so bendy," said Jin in amazement.

"I told you, the cheap ones are the best, they know all the tricks… what?"

Fuu rolled her eyes and glared. "How much did you spend?"

"We have some left over. I'll admit I spent a little more than I meant… but, man, Jin needed it… I'd say it was money well-spent. Right, Jin? Jin?"

"I didn't know such things were possible," said Jin, sounding bewildered.

"See, he learned something! Money well spent." Mugen gave a firm nod.

"How much is left?" hissed Fuu.

"Erm… one coin, maybe. But Fuu!" he protested as she glared at him. "You have no idea, the kind of things those chicks could do! Tell her, Jin!"

"I think I have a rash now," said Jin weakly.

"Okay, way, way too much information. Give me whatever you have left, before you buy something stupid…"

"You buy anything?" asked Mugen, as he turned the money over.

"No."

"Great! So we still have plenty left for breakfast."

"Erm… not exactly…"

"But… we should have lots left."

"I spent a little…" admitted Fuu.

Mugen smirked. "Looks like you're a hypocrite, huh?"

"I'm surprised you know that word," sneered Fuu.

"I get called one all the time," he said dismissively. "Let's get some more money, buy breakfast, and get out of here. C'mon, Jin. Jin? Geez, wake up, will you?" He grabbed Jin's sleeve and pulled him away. Fuu followed them, shaking her head.

By noon, they had doubled the little money they had left and used the last of it to buy breakfast from a street vendor. They went through the city, Mugen yawning and rubbing his eyes, and Jin looking just a little bit less dazed.

"There's a city north-east of here," he told Fuu.

"We're not going that way, though," said Fuu simply, hurrying along. "We're going west."

"It's the best route to take," he insisted. He took long strides to keep up with her, his hand on his swords. Mugen meandered after them more slowly, yawning happily.

"Look, I really don't want to see any more cities for a while."

"We have to!"

Fuu stopped and turned to look at Jin. "Why?"

"Because," said Jin. Fuu cocked an eyebrow. "Because!" he repeated.

"Because what? What're we talking about?" asked Mugen blearily, catching up to them.

"Jin wants to go to some city north-east of here."

"Alright! Score! More sleazy woman!" cheered Mugen. Fuu glared at Jin, to ask what he'd started.