FIVE

(Fuu PoV)

There was blood on the floor and the wall. Blood was everywhere! Mugen was covered in it. He dropped to his knees and stared blankly ahead. He'd killed that man. Just because some guy in a big chair told him to. I couldn't believe it.

And what's worse, was that the guy didn't even protest! He just smiled and told Mugen to obey his orders. He just stood there and died; happily. But wait! Maybe he wasn't dead after all, look! He'd moved.

"Call Hizaro! Goddamnit, go get HIZARO!" The man nearest him shouted. "Hurry…"

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20 MINUTES PRIOR

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Jin told us what the girl in black said, and we'd gone through that weird process of entering Toyo's house. We just wanted a job, but apparently, the guy was crazy. He was scared of getting sick, or assassinated. I mean jeeze, who isn't, but it's not like you can really prevent those things from happening. No matter how many rules you have, or baths you force people to take.

The three of us stood in the middle of a large room. Everything was a dark mahogany color, and the floor was a wood so shiny that I could almost see myself. Not that I wanted to see myself, not the way I was dressed. Jin and Mugen's clothes weren't any better, but at least they looked a little bit sexy. I think I saw more of their slim, athletic bodies in those strange outfits than I ever did under regular circumstances. I just looked silly and flat-chested, and I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping that they wouldn't notice.

"Damn Fuu, watch out, you might hurt someone with that rack of ur's, hahah!" Mugen scoffed loudly, breaking my concentration. I swear I could have cried. He tends to have that effect on me. I just blushed furiously and crossed my arms across my chest, turning away from both of them.

'Screw those guys. I'm not even done growing yet. There's plenty of real men who find me attractive. They're both criminals anyway…what do I care? Especially Mugen…What an ass…' I thought, even though I knew that none of it was even remotely true. I cared very much what they thought. Especially Mugen. It wasn't that I held his opinion in such high regard because I had any feelings for him. It was just that he was such a bad ass, and he'd lived through a lot of tough situations. I guess I just wanted the approval of someone who'd earned the right to live, over and over again.

And as usual, it didn't look like I was going to get it. I heard a loud musical outburst to my right, and through an arched doorway, the all powerful Master Toyo strolled, followed by an entourage of idiots. As he took his chair high above us, we were commanded to bow to him. Mugen protested a little bit, but me and Jin grabbed his sleeves and dragged him with us.

"I have been told that you're the strangers new to this town. What is it you want?" He spoke while preparing to eat. Within seconds, his mouth was full, and that round jaw of his was grinding away.

"Jobs, Sir." I said loud and bold. Jin piped in too.

"I was told that my companion and I could acquire positions as body guards in your house; temporarily, if possible."

"And I suppose that the girl would clean and do other womanly chores?" Toyo spat between bites.

"Yea, that was the idea." Sighed Mugen. I elbowed him in the ribs. "Sir." He glared at me.

"Sounds fine." The fat man said. We all relaxed a little in relief. "But!" We straightened once more. "You must prove you skills to me. Haru," He gestured to a man dressed in white on the far left wall, leaning on it with a mess of other guards. "Where is Hizaro?"

"She is working entrance duty at the moment, Sir. I stand in her place as your personal guard's Command." He spoke softly, but audibly. His hair was long and light gray, and he wore it loose down his back. He seemed young, and had a pretty face, but something about the way he grinned told a different story. He looked like he could be dangerous if he wanted to.

"Very good. Come here then." He beckoned and Haru obeyed the command. When he stood next to us before the great mass that was Toyo, he stopped walking and bowed slightly. "Now you, with the funny hair." He motioned at Mugen who stood between me and Jin. "In order to secure positions in my house as my personal guard, you must kill this man in a fight."

Haru stepped forward and turned to face Mugen. He began to draw his sword.

"Woah, dude! You just gonna take that?" Mugen shouted as the man advanced on him. Toyo laughed.

"That's what it means to be one of my employees. They know their place. You'd give him an easier death than I would if he defied me. At least he still has the chance to beat you, to save his own life. Good luck Haru." That jerk actually smiled and waved at the man he had just condemned to death. He sat back in his chair, got good and comfortable, and prepared to watch the fight.

"You heard my master." Haru said, still advancing on Mugen, calm smile never wavering. "How badly do you want to eat? Not just now, but for weeks to come. Money is something one can never live without." He paused in thought for a moment, "And yet, many find that they can not live with the things they'd done to gain the money. Hmm." He laughed softly. "What am I saying, I've got to protect my interests. Come. Kill me." He smiled crookedly and charged Mugen.

"Mugen!" I shouted, "Mugen do something!" I didn't like this. I didn't like it one bit. I don't think Jin did either. He even shouted something that sounded like encouragement.

"Don't let him kill you, you idiot. We have unfinished business." He didn't even seem to be watching. He sat cross legged on the floor, arms across his chest, head down, eyes closed. The perfect picture of calm and indifferent. He'd spoken so softly that I wondered if Mugen even heard him.

"Aw shut up, you're gonna get your fight! I ain't done yet." He swung hard at Haru, missing by seconds. Mugen swung over and over again, but the gray haired man was always a step or two ahead of him. "Ahhh! Damnit, just DIE already!" Mugen growled fiercely, still hacking away at the air.

Suddenly, the mood of the fight changed dramatically. Haru went on the offensive. His motions were more graceful than Mugen's, but no less powerful. They were a terrible and amazing sight. There was a sadness on the air. Everyone in the room knew that someone had to die before the fight was over. Maybe the reason we all just sat there, was that we were in denial.Iknow Iwas at least.

Now, the fight had ceased to be polite and formal. They ran around the room like crazy people, Mugen especially. He had a habit of utilizing his environment in a fight. He liked to throw stuff at people, and duck behind furniture. But there really wasn't anything to throw in that room, besides human beings (and I didn't really put it past him), and there wasn't any furniture either.

I glanced at Jin, wishing that he'd at least pretend to care. But this time, his eyes were open, and though his body seemed unaffected by the conflict that surrounded him, his face was very alert. He watched very intently. I wondered about him sometimes. I shook my head and sighed deeply, sinking to the floor next to Jin. My face was hideously unhappy, and yet I didn't care. I turned to the stone statue of Jin next to me as the battle raged on around us.

"This sucks." I whined.

"Hmm."

Then a wetness hit my cheek. It was just a drop, but when I wiped at it, my fingers became smeared in red. I looked up to see Mugen with his sword through Haru's side. Mugen stood behind him, and caught him a bit unwillingly as he slumped to the floor. Haru himself pulled Mugen's sword from his torso.

Our pirate looked shocked. I didn't quite know what to think. What had happened?

"Did you see it?" I whispered to Jin.

"The man called Haru let his guard down completely. He smiled when Mugen won."

"So are you saying he did it on purpose?" I asked, still whispering.

"Hmm."

There was blood on the floor and the wall. Blood was everywhere! Mugen was covered in it. He dropped to his knees and stared blankly ahead. He'd killed that man. Haru even dropped his defense and let Mugen in! What was the deal with this place?

But wait! Maybe he wasn't dead after all, look! He'd moved.

"Call Hizaro! Goddamnit, go get HIZARO!" The man nearest him shouted. "Hurry…"

Toyo laughed uproariously. I wished that he'd choke on a dumpling. A few women scrambled in through the door that Toyo had come out of. I heard some of them squeal farther down the hall along with shouts of, "Move, get out of the way! Where is he?" Soon enough a girl about my age barreled through the arched doorway. She was older than me, though not by much, and she dressed like a man. She wore large black pants, and a tightsleeveless shirt. She had long black hair as well. I wondered if this was the girl Jin had talked to. Then I saw hereye, and I was sure of it.

She ran over to us, pushing people out of the way.

"Haru! Oh God, Haru…" She lifted the man's head slightly, pain open on her face. I wondered if maybe they had been involved. "Someone hand me an medicine kit." A small wooden case was brought to her, but she didn't touch it. He was too far gone for wound binding and herbal treatments.

"I'm sorry Hiza. It was my time. Toyo has tired of me, and this is what happens when the boss needs excitement-" He was cut off by a violent coughing fit, blood flecking his lips.

"Oh God, shut up. Don't you dare let your last words involve that fat bastard. I'll kick your ass in the afterlife." She smiled as tears spilled down her face. Her voice remained even.

"Hiza, you're such a pretty girl. Did I ever tell you that?" And then he died smiling.