Yeah, this update took a while. I give you no excuses, only the reasons. One, yesterday was the big 1-9 birthday for me, so I said SCREW working. Two, I just started a third story, since I always MUST have three active stories, and that took a few days to get off the ground. You'll be happy to know, it's just as popular as this one. LOL...and now...onto the chapter...

Oh, and, to make it clear, no, Kiyoko's name is not spelled wrong. I researched modern and traditional Japanese names, and that's the one I wanted. It's correct. Thank you. Back to your scheduled program.

Chapter Five: Shadow Blues

There's a shadow beneath the sea
There's a shadow between you and me
I've learned that love is scared of light
Thousand seeds from a flower
Blowing through the night

The next morning was dreary and slightly chilled, a cold front moving in off the ocean bringing sporadic rains and thunderstorms with it. Usually Fuu enjoyed the rainy season, but this year was a bit tenser for her. She'd like to blame it on the knowledge that she was well and truly settled here, and didn't wish for anything to jeopardize that, but it was really the presence of her old friends that had her on edge. Fuu had fully intended to leave her past where it lay, but even sleeping dogs wake up sometimes.

Speaking of sleeping dogs, the two of them and Lee were sitting at her kitchen table at the moment, waiting for breakfast. Fuu didn't know who instituted the tradition that women were the cookers, cleaners, and general bullshit takers of society, but he deserved a kick in the ass.

She swiped a small hand across her sweating forehead and glared at Lee. "Why don't you go get Kiki up?" Lee recognized the impatient look on her face, and nodded silently, before casting pitying looks at Jin and Mugen, who were too groggy to realize the bad temperament Fuu was in. Not that it was her fault she was in a snit. That fault lay with the unexpected arrivals, and the worry that had kept her up half the night. Stupid samurais. Can't even call before they show up at a person's house.

Mugen laid his head down on the table and slowly banged it. All the clanging and noises Fuu was making from the other side of the kitchen drowned out the small oomph's he made as he did so. After several minutes of that, Jin's hand shot between Mugen's head and the table. "Why are you doing that?"

"Domesticity."

"I'm amazed that you know a word with more than two syllables."

"I hate domestic scenes."

"I didn't need a definition, Mugen."

"Just making sure."

"I have a plan for today."

Mugen looked up. "What about today?"

"To find out why and what Fuu is lying about."

"Why do we need to know?"

Jin stared blankly for a few minutes before answering. "We don't."

"So why are we trying to find out?"

"I want to know. Whatever it is, if she's lying about it, it can't be good."

"How do you come to that conclusion?"

"Two big words in one day? Have you been learning your ABCs or something?"

Mugen glared.

"The last time she kept something from us, we both almost died, and herself as well."

"Yeah, that's a good reason to try and find out. So what's the plan, fishface?"

"I shall ask around town, see what she's been doing for the past three years. You shall keep her occupied."

Mugen grinned lasciviously. "Just how occupied you want her?"

Jin smacked Mugen on the back of the head, but kept silent when Fuu turned around at the sound. She smiled at them both, and turned back to the breakfast she was cooking. "Do not touch her, Mugen. This is our...friend. A mother. For all we know, Kiyoko is your daughter."

Mugen looked confused. "Why would she be my daughter? I never touched Fuu."

Jin adapted a similar confused look. "What do you mean? You obviously had feelings for her."

He blushed. "I did not. I was a little hot for her bones, but that ain't shit."

Jin stared at Mugen. "You're saying that you didn't...?"

"Nope. Not that I wouldn't have minded it at the end of those long days of walking, but with you around, who'd take the chance? Hell, who had the chance?"

"Are you implying..."

"Breakfast is ready," Fuu said as she set a plate of small, thin bread slices on the table. Next to it was some freshly heated jam. She started to say something else, but a squeal from the doorway drew her gaze, and their's as well.

Kiyoko stood there, smiling toothily. She was rumpled and flushed from bed, and she walked slowly, dragging a decrepit stuffed toy behind her. Contrary to last night, the small girl moved slowly, almost reluctantly. She started for her mother, but at the last minute caught sight of Jin and went to his side. She held her hands up, toy and all, and waited for him to pick her up. Kiki wasn't often told no, and this wasn't one of those times. Still cautiously, but slightly more used to it, Jin picked her up and settled her on his lap. Since she seemed comfortable there, he reached for a piece of bread and slathered jam on it. Just as he was going to take a bite of it, Kiki took it from his hand and shoved it all into her mouth.

Fuu suppressed her laughter and called to Lee, who stood in the doorway. "Are you coming in to town with me today?"

"No. I'm going to hunt up near the mountains. I won't be able to take Kiki with me."

"That's fine. I'll have Morena watch her," Fuu replied, taking a seat beside Mugen and watching with increasing amusement as Kiki proceeded to take and eat any breakfast Jin tried to keep for himself.

Lee sighed and took the seat across from her. "I suppose I could put off the hunt for a few..."

"No. You must hunt. Morena will be fine," Fuu interrupted, before turning a cold eye to him. "You don't have a problem with Morena watching her, do you?"

"I just don't think that's an appropriate environment."

"I happen to know that during the day whorehouses are usually the quietest places in town, and safe."

Mugen immediately chippered up. "A whorehouse? In this bodink town? Where?"

Fuu smiled indulgently and smacked him in the head and stole his piece of bread. "Nowhere. I'm not telling you. Those are my friends, and I won't have you forcing your carnal desires on them."

"Ain't no force involved. They love it."

"Nonetheless...no."

Mugen sighed and immediately put his head back down, reaching blindly to his plate for a piece of bread that was no longer there.

Kiki giggled and stole another piece of bread from Jin. He stifled a smile and somberly thought aloud, "She eats like Fuu."

Fuu grinned. "And how is that?"

"Too much, too fast. Like a human garbage disposal."

Mugen added his own two-ryo. "Yeah...I'm surprised you're not fat by now, you swine."

Fuu smacked him again. "Shut up. I do not."

Mugen and Jin stared at her with incredulous looks. "You do too."

Fuu shrugged and blushed before turning back to Lee. "Remember when I was pregnant and had the most awful cravings for cherries?"

Lee sighed. "I do. I was in Nagasaki buying bushels of cherries every other week. The sailors thought I was a pimp."

Mugen stared at him. "Why a pimp?"

"The whores in Nagasaki have a trick involving cherries, a small braided thread, and their-"

"Hey! Child present!" Fuu interrupted. Lee blushed and quieted down. Fuu smiled evilly. "And just what do you know of whores, Mr. Married Man?"

Lee, if possible, blushed deeper. "Not a thing. Not one damn thing."

"Language!" Kiki said, shaking her finger at her Uncle Lee. "You get no treats!"

Fuu smiled and stood, gathering the empty plates from the table. Lee made his excuses, and though Kiki cried and whined, from Jin's lap, left the house for his hunting. Fuu quickly wiped down the kitchen and left to dress Kiyoko for town.

In the kitchen, Jin stood and started for the door. Mugen watched him almost leave, but then called out, "Where you goin'?"

Jin sighed and explained, again. "I'm going in town to ask questions. You're going to stay with Fuu and make sure she doesn't find out I'm snooping."

"Oh, yeah."

Jin started to leave, but turned back again. "Maybe you can try and get some answers out of her, as well?"

Mugen shrugged, and laughed. "You said snooping, you fucking mother hen. I guess we all know why you got such long pretty hair, you girl."

Jin let a small smile slip. "Jealous, Mugen?"

"Of your scrawny ass, never."

Mugen knew it wasn't entirely true. For most of the journey they'd been on together, he'd been jealous of Jin. Jin, who Fuu had liked and wanted, who the women had considered honorable and courageous. Jin could try and throw Mugen off the trail, but Mugen knew the truth. Jin wasn't honorable. Jin wasn't courageous. He was a coward who took advantage of Fuu, then left her when she needed him. Mugen would make sure that he paid for that.

I lied. No action in this chapter. Lots of humor in next chapter though.