Sunflower Fuu

Chapter 3

Hey hey hey all! I'm writing this in the car on a trip down to South Carolina. An extremely bumpy car. Tee hee. Sorry for the delay, everybody! But at least I'm getting it done, ne? Hee hee, well, I won't keep you any longer. I'm sure you all want to know what happens to Fuu!

My eyes widened as I saw the jaws closing in, and I raised my hand in a feeble attempt to defend myself. There was a sharp and pain and then a crack as the beastly monster snapped my hand off!

I screamed and screamed and screamed as the blood gushed from the bloody stump, soaking my kimono in blood as I tried to stop the bleeding by pressing the stump hard to my chest. It spouted all around, as my life faded before me. The last thing I remembered feeling- besides the pain- was the snuffling breath of the beast and is tore at my face. And then all was blank…

Oh ho ho! You didn't really think I killed Fuu off, now did you? Tee hee, but I'm sure you read this before you read this before the above it! Bad, bad! I just hope I did manage to shock some of you! Well, on with the real story.

I continued to scream as the ghastly beasts' great maw came closer and closer to my face. Squinching my eyes shut, I winced as… warm saliva was spread across my face? I peeked one eye open an inch, but quickly closed it again as its great, black tongue swept over it. It was licking me!

It was licking me! I winced and drew back as the thing whined after loosing its licking-human. I scowled unhappily as I tried to wipe the dripping spit off of my face, strands clinging between my fingers.

"Ugh, you animal you! You got me all wet!" I yelled this at him half-heartedly, for right about now I was happy enough that I was still alive. Sitting up, I sighed in relief and raked my eyes over the object of my wetness. It wasn't so much a monster as it was a great, big, shaggy dog.

More specifically, a wolf! A wolf! I was still panting, holding a saliva-soaked hand to my heart. It was beating frantically, faster then even Momos'. Taking a few deep breaths, I was suddenly struck with panic.

'What if Hiro heard my screaming? I wasn't more then a few miles away, but there was no telling where in the forest Hiro was, and I knew I had screamed loud enough to alert people about a mile away.' I though this to myself as my heart fluttered faster, pounding a tattoo against my breast. I then took a long, deep breath, and counted to five, trying to calm myself down.

I was still continuing with my breathing exercises when I heard a twig snap, and those exercises were all lost. My heart leapt to my throat and then fell back down as a friendly enough looking man with deeply tanned skin and striking violet eyes stepped out of the bushes. I gave a cry of relief, and jumped up.

"Thank, oh thank you so much! I've been looking for a way out, you see, some guy caught me…" I began to babble and explain, before the man quietly held up a hand and nodded.

I jumped with glee, and leaped toward him, only to stumble and fall. I yelped, and mentally kicked myself.

'You klutz!' I though to myself as the man swiftly bounded forward to catch me, steadying me, his arms winding around my waist.

"Sorry," I mumbled, as I brought my hand forth to lean against a tree. Twisting my face in surprise, I tugged at whatever held my hands together, and looked back. My hands were roped!

My mouth fell open and I knew my face twisted in shock and fear.

"Good work, Yani…" The man crowed to the wolf, who suddenly seemed more evil then before. As the man fondled his ears, the wolf grinned, its eyes sparkling with malice and its pointy teeth shining.

"You stinking rat!" I screamed, twisting my body this way and that as the man grabbed a sturdy tree branch.

'What have I gotten myself into? Have I learned nothing?'

Escaped, just to be pulled right back in…

Running along…

"Goddamn…it…" Mugen puffed as he ran alongside Jin, his face twisted in his fury. "You'd…think…she would…make it easier…for…us…" Mugens voice faded as he took a few more deep breaths of air, falling back a bit before catching back up.

"Save your breath…" Jin retaliated smoothly, and Mugen had to grunt with agreement. After who knows how long of running, Mugen slowed down to a jog, and flopped down on a rock on the side of the road, only a stones throw away from the forest.

"Damn, I can't believe this!" He growled, throwing up his arms. "We've been running for hours, and still no sight of Hi-" Mugens heat-filled rant was cut off abruptly as the handsome form of Hiro barreled into Mugen, sending him toppling, babbling like a mad-man.

"Wolf, big wolf, and men! Lots of them, knives and words, everywhere, howls, howls, screams! Ohh, ohh! Night, darkness closing on me…ohh. Ohhh!" Hiros eyes were wide and bloodshot, the eyeballs roving in their sockets. He was foaming at the mouth, and blood poured from various wounds. "Help me!"

Mugen looked towards Jin, who gave a slight incline of his head. Mugen grinned, and flicked his sword out of the sheath, quietly and smoothly. "Don't worry, Hiro, my main man! We'll save you, don't you worry about that…"

"Oh, oh! Than-" Hiro didn't even get to finish his sentence as Mugens sword struck him with a slick squelching sound, and blood bubbled from his chest as it was pulled out. Falling to the ground in a heap, Jin nudged the dying body with his foot.

"Fuu is in there. We must make haste," He said, his voice quite calm. But Mugen could detect the underlying hint of steel; both he and Mugen were determined to find her.

"Yeah," He murmured, he and Jin took off into the forest at a run, jumping through the trees and keeping as quiet as possible, with all their samurai skills.

Fuu

I groggily woke up to the feeling of a sharp stick poking me in the side. I whined, and tried to roll away and get back to sleep, mumbling.

"Mmhmfhg…" Was how I replied to the next series of sharp pokes, before I finally brought my upper body up and opened my eyes wearily. Realizing my hands were still bound, I wiggled away from the stick, glaring harshly at the person in the soft moonlight.

"Sorry that I had to poke you with this," A young lady next to me said, her tone anything but apologetic, "But you need to wake up. Here, lemme cut them bounds fer you…" And the woman set to do just that. Sawing at my rope bounds with the stick, they finally frayed and then snapped.

Rubbing my wrists, I gave a quick nod in her direction. "Thanks," I whispered. "But where am I?"

The young lady smiled ruefully, shaking her head slowly. "Yer in the slave circle of Yani and Yang. Yang's the leader of this delightful adventure group, and Yani's the wolf who carries out all his damn deeds." She spat in disgust, cursing a bit more, "M'name's Rukia, by the way. I hail from beyond the sea of this godforsaken island." She rubbed her fingers in the saliva, wiping spare spittle from her chin.

I nodded in agreement with her, liking Japan less and less by the minute. "My name's Fuu. I was being held hostage by another guy in the woods, before I escaped and made the mistake of trusting that damn wolf," I spat as well, running my fingers through my hair. My clips had come out, and for some reason that was the thing that made me most mad. Not the fact that I was probably going to be doing men for money everyday of my life…

Suddenly, Rukia looked around her in suspicious silence, and beckoned me closer with a jerk of her finger. I leaned towards her, and she whispered fiercely in my ear.

"In a couple of days, me and a few of the gals are gonna rebel against this sick bastard. We've got all kinds of weapons, and even a few bombs to get that damn wolf…" Her voice was heavily-laden with malice and hate. I could understand how she felt whole-heartedly, and I wanted revenge too. But I still hadn't gone in as deep as she had, and I had to admit, I didn't want to get caught up. Rukia must have seen my face, because she nodded her head in understanding.

"He hasn't done to you what he's done to us," She said, her voice heavy with understanding. "Yet…" Her voice was slightly menacing this time, and very bitter, and I cringed. "But don't worry. We'll get him before that, damn straight…" Rukia trailed off as the slave rounder scanned the crowd, and she leaned back. Suddenly, her whole attitude changed so fast I swear I could still see streaks of her bitter face.

"So, how'd ye end up in this situation, eh?" She asked me, her voice painfully cheerful.

"Uh, uh," I stammered for a few seconds, trying to collect myself. This woman could act! "Just got caught," I murmured, and she nodded her head in understanding.

'I guess she had to learn too, with the life she's been leading…' I couldn't help but think to myself sadly. Poor Rukia, she seemed like a nice enough person, who just happened to lead a bad life. Life wasn't fair like that, sometimes.

I snorted unconsciously, knowing full well how damn unfair life could be. What the hell did I do to deserve this! Oh, those damn guys better come and rescue me soon! I had a sneaking suspicion that this rebellion wasn't going to go well…

Hanging my head, I shook it violently. Looking up, I blew the hair out of my face before I asked, trying to make my voice sound cheerful. The result was the cross between a mouses' squeak and a cats' hiss. Rukia laughed, and patted me on the back heartily, her black eyes dancing.

"C'mon gurl, spit it out. All the new girls get choked up like dis, ain't nothin' wrong with it. Somethin' 'bout the atmosphere here makes people sad an' down!" She nudged my shoulder playfully, and gave me a grin.

I spat out a laugh, and nudged her back. "I was just wondering what you guys did around here too pass the time, I mean, unless we're always, y'know…doing it…" I blushed, the coral pink spreading across my cheeks at a rapid rate. Rukia laughed, and patted my shoulder.

"That stuff only happens when we hit a major town or hotspot. Don' worry, if my little plan fails, you won't be seein' nothin' until a few days, maybe even a week, with the rate we're goin'…" She grinned. "An' don't worry 'bout Yang, he's got his own personal girlies," She held back a snort as she pointed to two young girls, both about the same age, fawning over Yang.

Pulling a face, I rolled my eyes. "Ick, that's disgusting! Why in the world would they want to be his personal women?" I stuck my tongue out and shivered in an expression of disgust.

"Eh," Rukia shrugged, poking her stick into the tiny fire before us, "Insurance, I s'pose. They won't get sold or hurt, or treated like shit, like the rest of us, by the slave guards. Pretty comfortable life for them," She then rolled her eyes humorously. "As comfortably as this place can get,"

I nodded my head in agreement, and then stretched out on the ground. "So, uh, is this where we sleep?" I asked, praying the answer was no. This ground was hard and uncomfortable, and even when I had been traveling with Mugen and Jin, I always had a nice place to sleep.

Rukia nodded, choosing silence, and rolled over on her side. "And don't even think about escaping, Yani always patrols the camp, and grounds. And there are things out in the woods, thing to make you go mad…" Her voice was low, and Fuu thought she could detect a hint of fearfulness, as Rukia promptly fell asleep.

I shivered despite the warm breeze drifting over my fidgeting form, and hugged my arms closed to me. This defiantly not going well…

Running through the forest…

Jin and Mugen had been running through the forest for what seemed for hours, and had gotten no closer to where they figured Fuu would be, if she was anywhere in the forest. Pursing their lips in agitation, and crossing their arms, Jin and Mugen decided to stop for a quick break in the middle of a moon-light clearing. Fireflies dozed about in lazy simplicity, and the fairy lights in the trees twinkled merrily. Exactly the opposite of how Mugen and Jin felt.

"Whadya think we'll do if we can't find Fuu?" Mugen mused aloud, causing Jin to move from his stoic position.

"Be on our way, I suppose. Continue our lives. There is no use mournin for too long over a lost companion, it's wasteful and stupid." Jins reply was steady and cool, but if Mugen was truly listening, he would have been able to detect the underlying tremble in the message, and would have no doubt torn into it.

"You're such a stony bastard," Mugen snorted, poking at the feeble fire Jin had been able to conjure. "Even though she's a cheapskate lying son of a bitch whore, I think I'll still miss her. To some extent," He shot a sly glance in Jin's general direction, waiting for a change in posture or facial expression, but was sorely disappointed. Jin remained as stoic as ever.

"I never believed you of such feelings such as loss and sorrow. I'm surprised," Was Jins cool reply, which set Mugen to grinding his teeth.

"Whadya implying, huh? That I have no feelings? I've got plenty of feelings, buddy, but I'm not pussy enough to show 'em!" Mugens outburst set the fairy lights to dim, and a flock of dozing birds to burst into the air in surprise and confusion.

Suddenly, Jins' head shot up, and he shot a glare towards Mugen. Shushing him with his finger, he slowly wrapped his hand around his sword hilt. Mugen stuck out his lower lip and kicked up sand, but tuned his ears out towards the forest, gently fingering his sword as well, his childish anger quickly forgotten. A quick shadow and blur of blue snagged on the corner of Jins' eye, and he discreetly turned his body to trail it with his eyes, but it was for naught. The blur was moving at a supernatural speed, and that's what really set his nerves on edge.

He gave a slight nod in Mugens direction, and then slid his feet into the traditional fighting position.

Urgh. Not to much happened here. Kinda another cliffy! Whewt!