note: There's another flaskback in first person included in this chapter. Typed in bold, itlacs.

Chapter 13: Familiarly Foreign

"Careful now," Fuu cautioned as she led Owen down through the lesser congested part of the town. His one arm was slung around her shoulders while a wooden crutch supported his other. Fuu steadied him upright, aiding his every step.

"Diana will be there?" He pressed anxiously, as he had during the last few nights. She offered Owen a smile.

"No worries. She'll be there..." And yet, Fuu thought, she won't be.

"Where's the brat?" Mugen yawned loudly at Jin, looking around while scratching his nest of hair.

"She's aiding Owen down to the docks. It's quicker this way," Jin explained. Mai felt ill inside and thought eating breakfast earlier was in vain, for she felt it may just end up on the ground below her. Suddenly, Mai felt Jin's arm wrap around her and she looked swiftly up to him. "Do you need assistance in walking?" Mai only nodded, grateful for his support. Despite her disabling injury, Mai needed to cling to him for as long as she could for more than just a physical reason. Still, deep down, this closeness was only making it that much harder for her to say goodbye.

I can't do this.

"On second thought..." Mai had to force the words from her. "I think I can manage fine on my own. Thank you." And she pulled away from Jin, steadily wobbling off ahead of him, keeping behind Mugen. She grimaced at the shot of pain that engulfed her leg but pushed it away as she continued on. Jin lowered his arms and stared after her, then resumed in following.

Fuu and Owen kept a steady pace and were soon able to see the great white sails of the ships off in the distance.

"You must be really happy to be finally returning home," Fuu suddenly said, wishing she could say the same of herself. Home was a thing lost to her. A place seemingly forever out of reach.

"Oh you bet. And I knew I'd be returning with Diana. I'd go back no other way. I'd die first."

"You really love her, huh?"

"With all my being."

"Owen?"

"Yes?"

"Forgive me...but something confuses me."

"Oh? What's that?" He said, taking heavy breaths, stopping for a moment by a lone tree.

"When you were shot. The gun on the ground was yours, wasn't it?"

"It was."

"So then...how did Hiratoshi get a hold of it?"

"He didn't. Unfortunately, he got a hold of the bullet itself." Fuu frowned.

"The bullet?"

"When he flat out refused my offer of payment, I had no other alternative but to shoot at him. Otherwise, he'd go after Diana. He had out his sword at that point and I had pulled the trigger. And then all I could see was the sky above me. He had used my own weapon, my own attack, against me. When the bullet went for him, he reverted it back with his sword." Fuu gasped.

"That isn't possible." Owen chuckled weakly,

"Tell that to the bloody hole in my stomach."

"There it is," said Mugen, peering out at the great ships in the distance. Mai came up and stood beside him, gazing hopelessly at the wind beaten sails. "Half way home." He added gruffly, then making his way down the road. Jin came up beside her and heard her sigh deeply.

"Yes, 'home'," Mai responded gravely, walking off after him.

Mai greeted Owen in a bittersweet reunion. "Thank God." She heard him whisper into her hair as he embraced her. Finally releasing her, Owen grinned down upon Mai and she forced a smile. "I have everything squared away with the captain. Wealth helps ridiculously well in these situations. Just wait until we get back to England, back home where we belong!" Owen went on excitedly like this and Mai only half listened, nodding at him every so often as he rambled on about money, parties and the lavish gifts he'd shower upon her once home. All during his explosion of words, she had been looking off at Jin who stood only several feet away. His hair flowed like the sails above them, graceful and proud in the wind. She wasn't sure if she could do this.

Can I really just walk away? Can I walk away from him like this? I have no other option...

Jin's gaze finally caught Mai's and she did not avert her eyes like she had when they first met. There was no shame or embarrassment in this exchange. There in their eyes confirmed understanding, concern and above all something that had vastly bloomed into love. And yet, Mai could only offer him a glimmer of a smile. She was snapped out of this trance when she felt Owen's hands claim her arms once more and she looked up into his face which was beaming brightly. She forced another smile back at him. Mai could never deny the gratefulness she had for this man, for the fact he had risked his own life to ensure her's might be salvaged. And yet, she could not return the intense desire and emotion Owen so openly expressed toward her. Staring up at him, as he continued to ramble gleefully on, her mind flashed backwards again.

It was a strangely familiar setting, a vast, near blindingly bright room with great ivory columns and floors to match. Large, shimmering chandeliers hung from above as if floating, and high velvet drapes adorned the tall windows.

And there was Owen, standing right in front of me. But his hair was clean, lighter in color and slicked back. His face, clean shaven, was void of his facial hair. His clothes were fresh and new. The suit was a color like that of a deep cerulean blue. And it clung perfectly to his form. He gracefully offered his hand to me which I found security and acceptance in.

Taking his hand, we began to float along the perfectly smooth floor.

The same great waltz I can recall teaching Jin.

Then, it all began to melt away.

Owen faded as did the room and great ball gown I wore, revealing my tattered, jade kimono.

I found Jin dancing with me in Owen's place.

I had returned to the edge of the woods where the wild light of the fire illuminated us and I could feel my hand in his, his other rested gently at my waist.

His dark eyes poured fully into my own and I reflected the sadness, the loneliness, the beauty...

Mai suddenly felt the grip on her arms release and she found herself returned to the shore where the sea salt assaulted her nose and bustle of the crowd ascended her ears. She watched Owen slowly board the ship, mentioning something about needing to speak with the captain. Mai could not shake the unsteady feeling about her nerves and she immediately turned toward where Jin had been standing. But he was not there. Instead she received a view full of Fuu, who, with large eyes brimming with tears, bowed sadly, regrettably spouting a heartfelt farewell. Mai smiled solemnly and hugged the girl, who was taken aback by the action.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me, Fuu. Never stop being who you are."

"Don't go puttin' stupid ideas into that thick girly head o' hers," Mugen chimed in roughly. Fuu only shot him a glare, reverting back to a saddened smile for Mai.

"And Mugen, I promise to repay you one day."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I don't think we'll be seein' much of each other anytime soon so..." And he was extremely caught off guard then by the chaste kiss Mai left on his cheek.

"Thank you," Mai said. Mugen grinned down at her as she past him.

"I'll take that as down payment. I knew she digged me," He boasted, swinging his sword over his shoulder, almost knocking out a passer by. Fuu could only groan irritably.

Mai then began searching for Jin who she discovered with help from MoMo. The tiny flying ball of fur soared well over her head and through the bustling crowd of people, landing on the samurai's head. Mai couldn't help but smile at the sight and approached him. Jin turned toward her.

"I wish you a safe and pleasant trip."

"Thank you, but I'm afraid it will be anything but pleasant," Mai returned, hugging herself against the wind and peering out onto the vastness that was the ocean.

"I feel so bad," Fuu told Mugen as she stood watching the two with her hands clasped. MoMo now returned, peaking out from her kimono.

"Whaddya goin' on about now?" He mumbled.

"Jeez, you're so oblivious. I mean I feel bad that Mai has to leave when she doesn't want to."

"Her ass is safer back home than it is here," Mugen said as he scratched his leg with his foot. "She stays and she's as good as dead."

"Some fates are worse than death," Fuu replied quietly.

And then, Jin did something that surprised even Mai, he stuck out his hand to her and she looked down upon it in small wonder.

He remembers.

Looking up at him, she slowly slid her hand into it and he shook it firmly. He bowed slightly and nodded,

"Farewell..." And as he went to break his grasp, Mai didn't let go. A simple hand shake and a farewell were nowhere near befitting as a goodbye. She stepped forward, her hand still enveloped in his, and brought herself on the tips of her feet. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against his. Jin froze, staring down at her apprehensively but Mai then felt him slowly relax and she thought she might crumble right there as his lips pressed back upon her own, returning the kiss. He brought his arm around her and what had been moments upon several moments, seemed like only mere seconds as they parted.

"Thank you. For everything." Jin could hear the slight breaks in her voice. "Farewell, for now..." He could see them now, the tears welling up within her eyes. And as her hand slid from his, Jin stood watching her as she walked away. It was then, that his eyes saw a ghost of Shino. Her small, transparent form trailed Mai's footsteps. And he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, only to open them again to see Owen approach Mai on deck and take her hand in his. Shino was gone.

"For now," Jin whispered.

The foreign indigo was anything but foreign to him now as Mai's gaze latched with his. Within it a deep sadness still lingered, a loneliness, a longing, a reprised depravity of freedom. But something new had been formed, something undying that would forever accompany hope. And even after he lost sight of her shrinking form, of the eyes like deep indigo, the samurai stood on the docks for as long as he could see the ship, for until it was consumed by distance.

THE END


"Sometimes I remember
The darkness of my past
Bringing back these memories
I wish I didn't have
Sometimes I think of letting go
And never looking back
And never moving forward so
There would never be a past."
-
Easier to Run, Linkin Park