Chapter Three: Sacrifice

"Poor, poor man." A woman said sadly.

"How horrible, who could have done such a thing?" Another person joined in.

"Look away son." A man said shielding his son's eyes away from the horrible scene.

A crowd watched in dismay as two men brought out Takishie's corpse, yet no one knew who he was. His face was bloody and he had a horrible stench, from the vomit on his clothes.

"How awful." A person said in the back covering their mouth in shock.

The large crowd grew as more and more people came to see what the fuss was about. A fully awaken Jin was one of those people attracted by the large pack.

He walked up to see Takishie's body lying on the ground…clearly dead.

He watched as a doctor came up to examine the body, and determine the cause of death.

"Hmm…hmmm…hmmm." The doctor twisted Takishie's head, and lifted him up and down. He examined the large gash in his head, and the bruises on his chest, arms, and legs. When the doctor was done he turned to a man standing next to him. Jin was shocked to see who the man was…it was the Magistrate. The man who had ordered Jin and Mugen to be executed when they killed his son; that day the three of them first met.

The doctor whispered something in his ear; the eyes of the Magistrate grew wide with shock.

"Listen up! We have a murder on our hands! This man was unmistakably killed!" He shouted to the crowd. Gasps came from every direction.

"Not only was he killed, but he was a member of The Ruzuki Clan!" He cried holding up his arm, showing the tattoo of the Ruzuki Clan symbol.

Now not only were there gasps and whispers but there was panic and fear amongst the crowd…and soon to be the village.

"They will surely come!" Someone cried from the crowd.

"They will destroy our village!" Someone else shouted.

Jin didn't take notice to the people as they began to panic, he was trying to keep himself from being spotted by the Magistrate. Even though he was in disguise. Jin managed to slip away from the crowd without being noticed.

Fuu walked down the path to the sunflower fields…she thought of Mugen and how he had no feelings toward killing someone. It made her angry and hate all over again, but every now and then…she felt as if she couldn't hate him.

"Stupid jerk Mugen, he has no guilt…I think he a devil…no he is the devil." She said walking closer to the field. She made to the hill and sat down under the shade of the trees.

She brought her knees up to her chest…and sighed in deeply.

She didn't want to be bothered by anybody.

"Hey Fuu." Yet he was an exception.

"Totomi…" Fuu said. She was glad to see him; she needed someone to talk to.

"Why are you all alone?" He asked.

"I needed to think." She said.

"About?" he asked nudging her shoulder.

Fuu just turned her head away and breathed in…she asked him.

"Totomi…do you still love me?" she asked. Her brown eyes rested on his, the sunlight hit her so well that she looked liked a painting.

"I've waited her for you, I've waited for you for a whole year…and only you." He said taking her hand.

Fuu blushed and looked down to the sunflowers. She didn't know what to say.

"Now my Fuu…I must ask you something, do you still love me?" He asked. Fuu was shocked. She sat there staring at him with an opened mouth and large wide eyes.

"I-I…" She began. A shout interrupted her.

"TOTOMI! TOTOMI!" A young man ran up to the two. He was a skinny young man no older than 20. He stopped to catch his breath once he made it to Totomi.

"Yukio." Totomi was surprised to see him.

"Totomi…we have a problem." He didn't continue because his eyes were steadily rested on Fuu.

"Uh. Fuu I will be back soon okay." Totomi said. Biding her farewell.

"What's the matter?" Totomi asked walking with Yukio back to the village entrance.

"Takishie…he's dead." Said Yukio scarcely. Totomi's heart raced fast and steadily.

"What do you mean? How? I just saw him last night." Totomi said.

"His body was found this morning by a maid…the magistrate is pissed." He said.

"He knows too?" Totomi said his heart racing faster.

"He got word that you were the last one to see him before he was killed…Donsuke sent him to tail you…to make sure you didn't run away, after he threatened to hurt young Fuu." Yukio stated.

Totomi started to pace back and forth.

"I didn't kill him…I would never betray my brothers." He said.

"I know you wouldn't…that's why I wanted to warn you…because the magistrate wants to speak to you." Yukio said.

Jin continued to explore Fuu's village since he didn't get to last time.
He felt his stomach growl in hunger…he turned down a familiar path to Mejia's teahouse.

He walked in and saw no one there but Mejia. She stood up and greeted Jin with a smile.

"Oh, how are you young samurai." She said.

"No one is here." Jin said.

"Business is slow a lot now a days…and since they found the body of that young Ruzuki member no telling how long I'll get business." She said with a sigh.

Jin sat down at the table and placed down a few brass coins he had.

"Oh please, put your money away…its on me. You've been my only costumer today." She said pouring tea.

Mejia dropped the teapot her wrist hurt her. Jin however caught it before it hit the floor. Jin was swift about it too.

"Wow, you are fast. He-he I'm too old for this…that's what Genskui used to say." She chuckled.
Mejia turned toward the kitchen to cook for Jin, but Jin quickly got up and sat her down.

"Please rest." Jin said sitting her down gently. He went toward the kitchen and began to cook for her.

He started to make fried eel…the meal, which she had taught him how to make.
"It smells delicious…who taught you how to cook?" asked Mejia.

"A woman." Jin simply said.

Mejia was quiet, "I taught Genskui how to cook…" she said sad.

"You must miss her." Mejia said reading Jin like a book.

Jin said nothing…for Mejia had said everything that he felt.

"Magistrate I brought him like you said." Yukio said.

Totomi found himself being stared down by a cluster of angry looking men, all faces of the Ruzuki Clan, all faces that Totomi knew.

Magistrate had a look of anger and hate in his eyes. There was quiet before Totomi spoke.

"I know why you called me here." He said. "I just want you to know that I did not do it!" He said frantically. No one spoke…they just stared.

"How did Takishie wound up dead after seeing you?" Asked the Magistrate.

"I don't know." Totomi said. "You must believe me! I don't know!" He said sounding more and more scared. "Yukio, you believe me right?" Totomi asked looking at Yukio in the eye.

Yukio hung his head low not even once looking up at Totomi.

"We're sorry Totomi." The Magistrate said. Just then Donsuke's face looked down upon Totomi as the magistrate stepped aside. He raised his fist high above his head and swung down, knocking him to the ground."You killed a Ruzuki brother! You bastard!" He constantly pushed his face; Totomi's face was bloody and bruised. The members of the Ruzuki Clan laughed at Totomi's pain.

"Yukio! Yukio help me! Please help!" Totomi cried as a gang of men continued to bash on him. Yukio stood there with his head lower than ever, he knew this was going to happen when he brought him here…and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Yukio!" Donsuke called his name, the men held up Totomi's brutally battered body. Totomi looked at him with sadden swollen eyes.

"Yukio, avenge your Ruzuki brother Takishie!" Donsuke demanded.
Yukio looked at him, his heart ached to see his best friend like this…He had known Totomi very well ever since he came to the village.

"But Donsuke, Sir he said he did not do it!" Yukio proclaimed. Donsuke did not like this back talk.

"How dare you! Are you traitor too? Do you want to be like him?" Donsuke shouted holding up Totomi's head.

"No sir." Yukio said lowering his head once again.
"Then you will do what is right! For Takishie!" He cried again.

Yukio then moved closer to Totomi, The other men let go of him and watched.

Yukio lipped the words to his best friend:

"I'm sorry." Yukio began to punch Totomi in the face…harder and harder with each blow.

Donsuke had stopped him, Yukio pulled away from Totomi with tears in his eyes.
"Here." Said a larger man standing next to him.

He handed him a large dagger. It shined from the low sunlight that the dying sun gave off.
Yukio hesitated to take it, but he took it from his hands. He pressed it against Totomi's neck, with more tears rolling down his face.

The other members watched Yukio, with widen eyes.

"NOW TOTOMI!" Yukio shouted. Then threw the dagger, and pulled Totomi off the ground quickly. Totomi did not hesitate to run. They did it so quickly the other members did not see it coming.

"GET HIM!" Two men wrestled Yukio to the ground, and about four others chased after Totomi. The others waited for orders from Donsuke.

"How dare you!" The magistrate said, spitting in Yukio face.
"You will never take our village! Not as long as the Yumaru Clan is here!" Shouted Yukio spitting back at the magistrate.

Donsuke picked up the dagger and slit it across Yukio's neck.
"Catch Totomi! Kill that bastard and destroy that village!" Shouted Donsuke. They men roared with excitement and raced off on their horses toward the village.

Fuu waited for Totomi's return but he had never come back…it was getting late and she decided to go back to Mejia's home.

She started walking up the hill when her eyes came upon Mugen. He noticed her too, but didn't say anything unsure if she was still angry with him. He was never around when she was angry.

"Mugen…what are you doing here?" Fuu asked her voice kinder than from this morning.
Mugen didn't say anything he just sat down as she walked up closer to him.

Fuu sat down beside him; they were silent for a moment.

"So where's your lover boy?" He asked sarcastically.
Fuu didn't know what to say because she really didn't know where he was.

"I don't know." She said sadly.
"Mugen, about this morning…I'm sor…" She began but was stopped by a loud sound of shouts.

From at the top of the hill Horsemen rode into the village, holding out their swords. There were many of them. All of them had the same signal branded on their horses.

"Ruzuki"

Fuu knew what it meant but Mugen was at a loss. Her heart began to race fast, as she thought about her village.

"No!" She cried as she scrambled herself off the ground and up the hill. Mugen then got the hint that something was wrong.

"Hey! Where the hell are you going?" Mugen shouted chasing after her.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Hope you enjoy!