O.o ...What?

Chapter 7

Jin entered the town that he, Mugen, and Fuu agreed to come to in search for the samurai that smelled of sunflowers, hoping to see them somewhere. He weaved his way through the crowd and craned his neck every direction. He searched all morning and into the afternoon before he sat on a crate near a shop and sighed.

'Did they skip out on the town?' he asked himself.

He continued to ponder about all the different places they could have gone when he heard a pair of voices one feminine and another masculine; the voices were bickering with each other.

Jin shook his head and thought to himself, 'You are imagining their voices, because you miss them.' Jin rolled his eyes, 'I can't believe that I actually miss them…'

"You are such a jackass!" the feminine voice said loudly.

"Oh, shut up you little brat!" the masculine one said even louder.

Jin shook his head again and looked to where the voices were coming from. His jaw dropped a little. It was Mugen and Fuu. He got up and quickly made his way towards him.

"You scare people when you take your sword out in public! Stop it!" the feminine voice continued.

"I know, look at them back away. Why are you not backing away, huh?"

"Because I don't have too!"

"Lame comeback! Now where did that man go? I'm going to rip him apart for stealing the money I made."

"Mugen? Fuu?" Jin asked. He knew he didn't have to, but what else could he say?

Both of the figures turned around and let their faces and eyes widen with shock.

"JIN!" cried Fuu and she launched her self into a hug.

"So you survived the cut and the fall, four-eyes?" Mugen asked.

Jin glared a little and replied, "Of course I survived. I still have to kill you."

"IS THAT A CHALLENGE?!" Mugen yelled and pulled out his blade.

"Oh, not now you two, let's go get some sake and celebrate!" said Fuu who was still clinging to Jin's chest.

"Sounds good to me." said Jin and started walking. (Fuu kept her arms around him the whole time)

"Ah, fine." said Mugen putting his blade back in the sheath, "I could use some sake. I need to get good and drunk now that fish-face is back."

"Oh, admit it Mugen! You missed him!" Fuu teased.

"No I didn't!"

"You are in denial, Mugen." Jin said reverting back into his cold attitude.

"I missed you Jin!" exclaimed Fuu, hugging him harder.

"I missed you also."

"Eck, all this lovey crap is disgusting!" Mugen said moving away from the two of them.

The smallest of smiles appeared on Jin's face, 'I missed you also Mugen.' Jin's face hardened again, 'But I will never admit it.'

"So where did you end up, Jin? You know, after you fell and all." Mugen asked while they entered the bar.

"Yeah, I'm kind of curious also." Fuu said, finally unlatching herself from Jin.

Jin thought about making up a lie and not telling them about Kumiko but- "It is a long story, so we'll order a lot of sake." And he pulled out the bag of money that Kumiko gave him.

"Whoa!" Mugen exclaimed.

Jin ordered as he said, a lot of sake, but saved some money for the journey ahead.

"Alright, now the story." both Mugen and Fuu said as they leaned in a little.

"Where to begin…"

It has been a couple months since they found the sunflower samurai. And it has been a week since Jin, Mugen and, Fuu were traveling again.

"I still can't believe we ran into each other in that town." said Fuu in amazement.

Mugen nodded and asked, "Where are we going anyway?"

Jin smiled thinking back to when they found each other, 'Jin walked into a teahouse at a random town. He was going back to her, just like he promised, when he heard a familiar voice to tell him to sit where ever he wanted. He turned around to see a distracted Fuu putting teacups in front of a couple guest. She didn't look up to see who came in. Another person walked in, but the footsteps stopped abruptly which made Jin turn to see who it was. Jin stared at the wide-eyed Mugen who was darting his gaze from Fuu back to him. Fuu looked up this time and was about to tell the new person to sit where ever he liked, but cut off at the sight of them both. The three of them just stared at each other for a long while then Fuu said, "Want me to get some tea and something to eat, so we can catch up on things?" Jin was surprised that Mugen smiled and said yes. Jin nodded also. After talking and drinking. They got up and started walking aimlessly. They found themselves at the town exit and kept going. It was like they were traveling again.'

"Fuu, should you have told that teashop you were leaving?" Mugen asked.

Jin rolled his eyes and thought, 'He asks her this now, but it has been a week since she was working there.'

Fuu shook her head and said, "I was only staying there for a couple days anyway. In turn of a free stay, I had to work."

"Why didn't you just get a house there? You aren't traveling without us are you?" asked Mugen.

"Yes, actually I was."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know where you guys were!"

"You shouldn't travel without us!"

"Hello! We have been separated for a couple of months!"

"I know but-

"What?"

"Nothing, it doesn't matter."

Jin looked at Mugen and thought, 'You just now realize your feelings for Fuu?"

"You won't tell me?"

"No."

Fuu paused for awhile and then said (to Jin's surprise) "Fine, if that is what you want."

'Look who matured without our knowing.' He thought.

Mugen stared at her for a moment and the nodded. After awhile he repeated his earlier question, "Where are we going?"

"I don't know." Fuu said with a smile.

"I know. I have a place that I want to show you both." said Jin.

Mugen looked at him and said, "What type of place?"

"It is just a village, but there is someone in it that I want you both to meet." Jin answered.

"Kawazoe Kumiko?" asked Fuu.

Jin looked at her in wonder.

"Oh, yeah! You said that girl lived in a village didn't you? Are we really going there?" Mugen asked.

"I can't believe you guys remember that story." Jin said quietly.

Mugen rose an eyebrow, "Of course, we do. Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know, maybe it more interesting then I thought."

"Yeah, it was! I can't wait to meet her!" said Fuu hopping a little in her walk.

Mugen nodded and said, "Whoever can make you pull the stick out of your ass is worth my while."

Jin smiled, Fuu giggled, and Mugen grinned.

"The village is not far off from here." Jin said, "We will be there maybe by this evening or tomorrow morning."

"Oh, I hope this evening! I really want to meet her!" she said happily and picked up her pace a little bit.