Chapter 10

Having finished the grave markers, Kato pulled the wadded up bundle of brown fabric out of the box of belongings where it had been hurriedly stuffed in the panic of the night before. It was obvious that Fuu had been working on making a shirt from the worn kimono, so he continued from the point where Fuu had ended. He had nothing else to do to occupy his time. He would not venture away from the shed while Fuu was sleeping. There was no telling what state she would be in upon waking. He truly hoped to never see her with that blank, dead look in her eyes ever again. But his experience around young warriors told him that he would. So, with the nimble fingers of a long time servant, he worked the needle into the tough fabric without complaint.

Half way through the afternoon, Fuu started moving, indicating that she was waking up slowly. As soon as her eyes blinked open, the old retainer spoke in his calm, soothing voice again about mundane things to keep her mind off the trauma of the bounty hunter. He rattled off the things they would need to make their trip to the fishing village outside of Nagayo. He also talked about the family he had there that would gladly help them heal and remain hidden.

Finally, after listening to Kato prattle on, Fuu seemed to shift out of the dazed state she had been in, and listened to what the old man was saying. She finally regained enough awareness of recent events to ask him questions. "Do you really trust your relatives to hide us and keep secret if the Shogun questions them?" Her eyes wandered over to the two men sleeping soundly close to her. With a bit of effort, she pushed herself up to a sitting position and waited for the old man's answer.

His smile was indulgent as he reflected on his family near Nagayo. His voice was high and enthusiastic, "Of course, Lady Fuu. They are survivors of the Shimabara Rebellion who were allowed to escape through your Father's bravery. They owe him their very lives. It would be a great honor to die to protect the daughter of such a great man in these unsettled times of persecution."

She still didn't seem convinced as she asked warily, "But, won't there be others around who are not quite so willing to die for us? I mean, there are so few people these days that would actually defy the Shogun. I won't put Mugen and Jin's lives in danger." Her hands began waving about her as she gestured with feeling over her subject matter, "And besides, the less people who know about us, the better it will be to avoid the authorities. I'd feel awful dragging innocent people into this mess." Her head drooped to her chest as her voice quieted, "It seems the Shogun wants me dead, and is willing to kill anyone who is even remotely related to me. No telling what would happen to your family if they harbored us."

Kato dropped the shirt he was sewing and leaned forward to grasp the dejected girl's hands. He stared up into her eyes with all sincerity, "Lady Fuu, I would not offer the protection of my family home if I was not completely sure that it would be safe. We live away from the main part of the village, and there are rarely any visitors to such a remote location. During daylight hours, the village is practically deserted because all the able bodied men and women are out fishing. Those that don't fish, tend the young. You would not even be noticed. There are many unused buildings on my sister's land that would be perfect for you and your friends' recuperation. And the best part is that if anything happened, the sea is available for a quick escape. We come from generations of able sea men and could navigate about the ocean for days without being detected." He gently returned her hands to her lap as he resumed the work on the shirt. "So, fear not dear lady. I will let no harm come to you and your friends."

Fuu sat and thought about this for a long time without moving. It seemed like the best option. There were just too many people on this island who knew their whereabouts for her to rest in comfort. Not only that, but it was obvious, by the assassin and bounty-hunters, that the Shogun and authorities knew they were here. It would be better to leave as soon as possible. So far on this journey, it had been up to her to set the course of the trio, like she was their compass or rudder. She was the motivation and the engine that kept the two wanderers traveling on a given course. It still felt like it was her duty to plot their journey until her friends were well enough to travel on their own again. So, she would have to decide what they would do in the next few days.

She sighed as she thought out loud, "I guess we should go about planning to leave. We'll need to gather our things and supplies. Then we'll need a way to get off the island without anyone knowing. We could just take the ferry, but then the ferry-man would know of our departure, and people might see us on the mainland." She chewed on the chapped part of her lower lip as she analyzed the different options she had contemplated before, and to see if anything new would come to mind. "If the guys aren't well enough to travel, we would have to cart them out, or something."

Throwing out a thought that he had not had before, the little retainer suggested, "It's possible that I could get one of my nephews to sail down here. We could meet at the docks when the ferry is gone, and no one would know where we went. It would save us from arranging for a wagon and horses to carry your injured friends. It would also be less jarring on their bodies. The roads are rather poor between here and Nagayo. If you would like, I could send a messenger today and we would probably receive and answer within two days."

Fuu turned this suggestion over in her mind. It definitely sounded better than trying to stuff them in barrels and haul them out like cargo. Plus, there would be no trail to expose the lie of the fake graves. Assuming the residents of the village did not tell. It would seem that they had truly perished here on the island. Not only that, but they could take as much as they wanted with them without having to explain where anything came from. She nodded her head for the retainer to send the messenger.

Thoughts of traveling needs and money reminded her of a question she had wanted to ask earlier. Her eyes glinted with mischief as she asked, "Kato-san, was there ever a time when the villagers gathered up weapons and stored them around the island in secret?"

The retainer gasped and peered about the room as if looking for prying eyes. His voice was low and concerned, "Lady Fuu, you really shouldn't speak of such things. There is no telling who might be listening. Why do you ask?"

She simply shrugged her shoulders and responded casually, "Well, if I were to find something like a large cache of weapons, would anyone claim ownership, or would they be mine?"

The old man's fuzzy eyebrows crimped down into a frown as he pondered this a moment. "I suppose, since keeping such weapons would cause problems with the local government officials that no one would want to be found in possession of them. Especially if there were foreign weapons in the batch. Since the Shimabara uprising, it has become increasingly dangerous for Christians to be found with weapons. "

Fuu grinned slyly as her plans solidified. "So, I could take those hypothetical weapons and maybe… let's say… sell them at a pawn shop, or on the black market, and no one would object? Assuming that I found such a thing."

His voice lowered again to barely a whisper, "Yes, my lady. If you found something like that, you could do whatever you wanted to with them. Provided you could get them off the island." His eyes glittered with mischief as he asked, "I wonder where someone would find something like that?"

Fuu looked thoughtfully up to the ceiling as she pondered her phrasing, "I suppose a good place to hide something like that would be in a place no one would ever think of visiting. Someplace where tragic memories would keep people away. A place of danger… like maybe the little church on the beach? That would make a good hiding place, don't you think? No one would think to look there." She looked at the retainer and winked at him. Then she added, "Maybe, later today, you could accompany me to go explore the ruins for such a treasure? I wouldn't know what to do with a bunch of weapons if we found anything. Then there would be the question of removing them, or leaving them in their hiding place until it was time to move them off the island."

Kato added thoughtfully, "And you would not have the experience with weapons to determine if any were worth saving. After so many years, they might be reduced to nothing but a heap of rust and decaying wood." A sly smile broke on his wrinkled face to match hers. It was good to know his new mistress was intelligent and crafty, despite seeming so innocent and clueless. Some things just had to be learned with age and experience. He commented on the removal of such weaponry, "Though, I think it would be safer, if something like that were found, to leave it hidden until it was time to leave or sell it."

Fuu clapped her hands together and said in a rather happy, sing-songy voice, "It's settled then! This evening, after dinner, we will go on a stroll to the beach! It will be like a treasure hunt!" Then, a hint of seriousness leaked into her voice as she added, "Do you think you could get one of your friends from this morning to watch the guys while we are gone? Not that I think we aren't safe, or anything. I just don't want Mugen or Jin to be alone if they wake up."

Kato could hear the underlying current of concern for the safety of her friends, no matter what words she tried to use to cover it. He was sure her sense of security in the little shed had been shattered with the arrival of the bounty hunter. No matter how hard the villagers had worked to keep them safe and hidden, it had not been enough. Honestly, he was surprised that she would consider leaving their safety in the hands of a villager. He would seek out the strongest swordsman out of the villagers that had trained under Seizo Kasumi to guard those precious to his new mistress. It was the least he could do since his efforts to protect her had failed. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled a reassuring smile at her and stated, "Of course, my lady, I will find someone to keep your friends company."

The remainder of the rainy afternoon was spent in a companionable silence as Kato worked on Mugen's replacement brown shirt, and Fuu began cutting out Jin's new kimono out of the bolt of navy fabric. By the time the sun was nearing the horizon, Fuu had cut out all the necessary panels for the navy kimono, and Kato had completed the brown shirt. Fuu commented, "I really want to make Mugen a red shirt also. I've never seen him in any other color, and it would just seem wrong for him not to have his signature color."

She held up the ruined kimono of Jin's and studied how much of the family crest was salvageable. The four diamond pattern on the left sleeve was intact along with the whole left sleeve. That would make a good sized travel bag, but she wasn't sure if it was such a good idea to have the crest shown so visibly. If the plan were to blend into the mulling crowd of common folk, it might be wiser to hide a crest which indicated that the wearer belonged to a noble house.

The crest on the back of the kimono was also intact, but most of the material towards the right side of the kimono was shredded. A plan formed in her mind to use the crest on the back to make Jin a money pouch that he could keep in his sleeve, and use the sleeve, turned inside out, for a travel bag with the crest on the inside. This was the best she could come up with to salvage something that obviously meant a lot to the tall, quiet man.

As she fingered the crest, she wondered about him displaying it so boldly. She was now aware that he had been manipulated into killing his master in self defense, and couldn't quite understand why he would want to stand out so. If he had been hiding, he would not have worn it. Was it possible that the crest and the unneeded glasses were an attempt to help his fellow disciples find him? Did he feel he needed punishment so he made it easy to be found? That didn't quite make sense though. If he thought he needed punishment, he would not have fought so efficiently when discovered. He would have made a half hearted effort and died at the sword of one of his former colleagues.

No, this seemed different. Maybe he was so obvious in an attempt to draw out the ones that had set his master on such a dark path that ended up with his death at the tall man's hands? After all, there did seem to be no end to the challenges he faced from all points. Maybe it was part of HIS plan to exact revenge for the senseless death? He was using himself as bait. Well, she would just have to break him of that habit. She had not gone through all this trouble to keep him alive for him to just keep taunting swordsmen and assassins to attack him. If she didn't know better, she would think he had as much of a death wish as Mugen did.

In truth, she didn't really think Mugen had a death wish. It just seemed like he liked courting death, but didn't actually want to surrender to it. After the whole blowing up on the pirate ship and surviving drowning, she was pretty sure that his will to live was second to none. As she glanced over to the still man with the blue tattoos on his wrists and ankles, she thought, maybe, that he simply couldn't avoid a challenge. It was like his entire being was defined by what he could do with a sword. If he wasn't the best, then he was nothing. Which was really stupid in her book but, then, she wasn't a samurai or a swordsman.

In her world, every moment was precious, and life shouldn't be thrown away for a silly challenge. Now, if it was to defend someone or some idea, she could understand. She had thrown herself into harms' way more times than she could remember. On this quest alone, she had risked death and dismemberment more times than she could count. She didn't even want to think about all the times she had stood between friends and death in the gang.

Still, she had to admit a begrudging respect for Mugen's determination to be the best. He truly seemed to almost absorb the fighting styles of those that he defeated. He was a master of imitation and improvisation. He took what moves worked, and discarded the ones that were simply for show. And despite his appearance to be undisciplined and lazy, she had seen how hard he had worked and practiced to challenge that Shouryuu guy, the Samurai killer, just after they had passed the Hakone checkpoint and before they met Shino. Come to think of it, Mugen always seemed happiest, and most alive, when he had thrown himself against an opponent that he wasn't quite sure he could beat or when he was annoying the ever-living Hell out of her. Men were so strange.

Fuu was startled when Kato stirred from his gentle sewing and announced that he was going to retrieve some dinner and a young man from the village to sit with the unconscious men. Somehow, she noticed from the long shadows beyond the door, that evening was fast approaching. A nervous excitement crept along her spine as she thought about revealing the cache of weapons that she had unearthed. Hopefully, there was something there of value that could be sold to finance their future travels. She wanted to make sure Mugen and Jin walked away with something other than their lives and a handful of memories. It was the least she could do in exchange for dragging them all over Japan.

She puttered about the little shed, feeling an odd sort of hyper alertness and nervousness. Every little noise and chirp outside made her adrenaline course through her body. If Kato didn't return soon, she felt like she was going to jump out of her skin. She fought her body's desire to run, long and far. She wouldn't abandon the guys for anything; even her own peace of mind.

To keep herself occupied, she dug out her faux diary and turned to a blank page to start a list of provisions they would need for the upcoming journey. Once she exhausted her thoughts, she began inventorying the supplies that Kato had gathered and comparing them against her list of necessities. The mindless activity didn't help her nervousness, but it did stop the desire to flee.

When footfalls sounded outside, getting closer to the shed, she tensed. Flashes of memory of the incident with the bounty hunter made her breathing hitch, and she snatched up a spare grave marker, and prepared to swing it at whoever might enter the shed. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled down her spine. Luckily, in the midst of her panic, Kato's gentle, kind voice called out to alert her of his approach.

The relief was so immediate that she almost collapsed in a boneless heap. As it was, she used the grave marker to support most of her body weight as she caught her breath. Then in a flash of embarrassment, she tossed the plank of wood back into the pile and tried to go about her puttering as if nothing had happened. She swiftly sat herself back before the kimono she was creating, and waited for her heart rate to slow to normal.

Kato and the strange man entered the shed and set about serving dinner for the three of them. Fuu eyed the newcomer with distrust. Even if Kato trusted this man, she didn't know him. Over the months of her quest, she had started to realize that most of the seemingly nice people she had met had some hidden darkness within them, or were out to hurt one of the trio. She really didn't want to be so jaded as to expect the worst in people, but she could only be naïve for so long. Eventually, reality would reassert its ugly head, and she would get hurt. Still, she made a conscious effort to keep seeing the good in people. It made the world a nicer place, if only in her own head.

After eating, and spooning broth down the throats of the two injured men, Kato assisted her in rising and exiting the hut. Fuu turned one last time and stared at the man she was entrusting with the only two who meant anything to her. Somehow, she felt as if she looked hard enough, she could read any hidden motives in him. Maybe he would crack under the pressure of her eagle-eyed stare? When that thought entered her mind, she almost laughed out loud at herself. Her? Eagle-eyed? Yea right. 'Okay, it's official. I'm delusional. Must have been hit on the head too much.'

With a lightened heart, Fuu stepped out of the hut for the first time in over twenty-four hours. She was actually feeling a twinge of excitement for showing Kato her treasure. Hopefully, there would be something there of value.

Kato noticed her trepidation of leaving and could only reassure her that Minochi was a disciple of her Father's and the men would be safe. She seemed to accept the situation and cheer up. Until they stepped out into the early evening air. Her eyes darted to the front corner of the shed like a frightened rabbit searching for the hungry fox. He noticed her involuntary movement away from the location where the bounty hunter had died and how she turned her head to look away from the memory. Yes, this was going to be hard on his new young mistress.

Fuu seemed to come to life the closer they traveled towards the destroyed church on the beach. Considering how many times she had traversed the path down the cliff, her natural clumsiness seemed to desert her on this trek. She babbled constantly of everything from her childhood to the supplies needed for the trip. By the time they had reached the ruins, she had added strips of leather, boy's clothes, and an extra flint to her list of things for Kato to retrieve the next day, along with the red cloth for Mugen's replacement shirt.

Fuu was shocked that her bruised ribs were not bothering her more as she nearly jogged towards the ruins and the sagging red cross that guarded its secret stash. She looked around at the surrounding cliffs and shoreline, making sure no one had followed them, or had seen them by accident. With the enthusiasm of a puppy, waiting for its master to toss a stick, she practically bounced as she waited for the little old man to catch up to her.

In a tense whisper, she explained, "There are weapons in a secret space under the floor below the cross. I covered up the exposed hole with some debris when I was here yesterday. Do you think you could take a look? I really hope there is something there worth selling. I really want to make sure Mugen and Jin have enough money to continue their travels without starving, like we did sometimes." Fuu kicked away the little pile of broken wood that she had shifted in front of the pried up board.

Kato kneeled before the cross, in a simulation of reverence. While he was there, he peered into the deep recesses of the floor and was astounded at what he saw. There were weapons of all nationalities, shapes and sizes. Surprisingly, most of them showed little rust, which was odd since the salt air could not have been healthy for the metal. Whoever had gathered these had made sure they would be battle-worthy whenever they were needed. He had an inkling that maybe Seizou had been the mastermind behind this secret collection. He was the only one with enough foresight to plan this. As such, it only made sense for possession to pass on to his only heir, Fuu.

He rose and turned to face his young mistress as he whispered, "Yes, there are indeed items here that you could sell. I suggest we leave them until it is time to depart from the island. It would be dangerous to have such things found in your possession." With a sly, maneuver, he pushed the debris back over the opening with his foot in a manner that looked like simply the shuffling of an old man.

Fuu rubbed her hands together gleefully, like a child eagerly awaiting a sweet treat. "Oh, this will be perfect. We can take them with us, and maybe you can find a pawn shop or merchant who is willing to buy them. Then the guys will have enough money to last a while on their journeys. Then, if they need more money, they can come find me. It will be perfect!"

As they trekked back up the cliff in the looming darkness, Fuu continued her discussion of they guys and money, "I wish there was some way to keep them from wasting all their cash on women and sake. Well, Jin probably won't, but I'll have to make a limit for Mugen, otherwise, he'll drink himself into oblivion."

Kato looked a little confused as he questioned, "Lady Fuu, I don't understand. Aren't they going to continue traveling with you as bodyguards? Why would you need to supply them with money?"

Fuu giggled a bit as she explained, "Well, they are only my bodyguards in the sense that I saved their lives and they promised to help me find the Sunflower Samurai in return. Since we found my Father, there is no longer any debt binding them to me. I want to let them go on with their lives so they can be happy. I owe them more than that, and if I can make their lives a bit easier by getting them money from time to time, that's what I'll do. Besides, it's the only way to guarantee that they'll come visit me!"

Half way up the cliff, the wind began to whistle and swirl about them. The first nip of an approaching autumn could definitely be felt in the air. The retainer asked further, "Have you decided what we will do after your friends are healed? You are more than welcome to remain in my family home. But whatever you decide, I will assist and accompany you. Your Father would have wanted nothing less."

Fuu stopped and stared at Kato. Her mouth hung open a bit as she questioned him, "You want to come with me? But, I just assumed that since my Father was dead, that you would head back to your old life. Why would you want to go with me? There will probably be times when I can't even pay you."

He smiled a gentle, indulgent smile as he tried to explain his reasons to this woman/child before him. "Your Father was a great man. He wasn't just my employer, but my friend. I devoted my life to caring for him, and I have no other life to return to. You have my loyalty and service for as long as I live even without pay."

As Fuu digested the fact that she now really did have a servant, he started back up the path. "So, have you decided where we will go after your friends leave?"

Fuu chewed on her lower lip in concentration as she explained, "Well… there was this monk that we met after passing through the Hakone check point. He was an ex-sensei and quite skilled in martial arts. I thought I would travel there and see if he would train me. I know it's a bit out of the ordinary, but I don't want to live the rest of my life in fear of an assassin finding me." For a second, just the thought of handling a sword made her want to retch. Still, it was something she needed to do to have any kind of future. "But, if you are going with me, I guess, you could travel ahead and maybe, I don't know, buy a house or something? You'd have to carry most of the money you said my Father left for me, because no one is looking to kill you. Besides, you are a more inconspicuous figure. No one would assume you carried a fortune."

Her mind spun quickly with thoughts and possibilities. "You could say you are buying the house for your "Master" and no one would know it was connected to me. Your Master loves traveling and wants a house always at the ready for when he stops by. When I get there, I'll be dressed as a boy, for traveling. You could say that I'm another servant. Or, maybe the Master's bastard son!"

Her voice got higher as she let the excitement take over, "Oh, that would work better! I could be his bastard son that he wanted to support, but wanted to keep away from his honorable wife and heir. I'm the black sheep of the family, the family scandal! That would explain why I don't carry a daisho, since only old, honorable, samurai families hand down daishos to their heirs. Being a bastard, no one will expect me to be proper and follow family traditions. I can stay hidden in the shadows, and no one will care who comes and goes at our house. It would make sense for our "Master", my fictitious father, to want me to be able to defend myself, so he would pay for training with the monk. Oh, this could be fun! I'll have to think more about this. Maybe, there's some way to sell the land that my Father left me without alerting the Shogun…." Her voice, like her thoughts, ran away into the enclosing darkness.

Kato chuckled at the creativity of his mistress. Who would ever think that pretending to be a bastard son would be so amusing? If this was typical of her adventures, he knew he would not be bored for the remainder of his life, serving as her attendant. If nothing else, he would have to exercise his own creativity to keep up with her.

Upon returning to the shed, Kato dismissed the villager who had kept vigil over the two injured men. Fuu made a quick inspection of her friends' conditions as the old retainer lit candles and barricaded the cracks in the walls, window and door to deny the howling wind access to their warmth.

Fuu was excited to see that Mugen had shifted around, and he swatted her hand away as she stroked his cheek. Typical Mugen! She had been eagerly waiting some sign of life, and he showed it while she was gone. Still, she couldn't be mad at the man. He lived to annoy her. She truthfully couldn't imagine what the pirate would do when he was alone without her and Jin to rile. He'd probably die of boredom, or come running back to find them. The thought of either end made her laugh gently to herself.

Not only had Mugen moved, but Momo, her trusty flying squirrel, had returned. Fuu had wondered about her little furry friend, who had vanished days before. The best Fuu could figure, Momo had deserted her when they reached the field of sunflowers. A shudder coursed down Fuu's body as she envisioned the field. She forced the thought out of her mind. The little creature who had returned was so stuffed, it was a wonder it could fly at all. The funniest thing was where she found her pet perched. The little brown flying rodent was sprawled, belly up, legs splayed out in all directions, on Mugen's chest like it belonged there. Actually, the squirrel mimicked the exact same pose as the man it slept on. A memory of Mugen threatening to eat the little ball of fluff echoed in Fuu's mind, and caused a second chuckle to escape her.

With the shed battened down as tightly as a leaky shed could be, the two awake inhabitants bundled up the two sleeping inhabitants, and they all settled down to end the third full day since their quest ended.

OooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

AN: After looking at a Samurai Champloo website, I discovered that the name for the retainer was Zenkichi. Pfft! I like my name better, so there! So much for sticking with the Canon universe. Oh well, sue me!

Another note – just because Mugen hasn't had any fluffy moments with Fuu doesn't necessarily mean this is a Fuu/Jin story. Mugen was just hurt worse. I mean, he got gutted, crushed, shot and blown up. Hmm, I think it's a miracle that he woke up in a week! Apparently he had awakened before the scene in the hut in the anime, because he had some time to think about not wanting to kill Jin any longer. Jin also must have had some time to formulate his thoughts. I simply assume that they started waking up, but just not at the same time. And when they did wake up, they weren't actually aware. Haven't you ever tried to wake someone up in the middle of the night and they can talk and seem awake, but don't remember a thing in the morning? (I'm not talking about under the influence of alcohol!) I had to help wake my son up after surgery, and it was hilarious to see him look at me, answer my questions, then have his eyes roll back asleep. The nurse said the only way she got him to finally wake up was to say, "Time for school!" In the recovery room, I had to bribe him with his gameboy and the new game I had purchased for him the day before, to stay awake long enough for the anesthesia to wear off.

About Mugen/Fuu – I think Mugen has a lot of mental healing and growing up to do (Jin too for that matter) before he's really going to be ready for a relationship. He's extremely smart, and a deep thinker, if you watch the first episode, or when he's talking to Kohza about the stars looking down on them. I was also struck by Mugen's response to Kohza falling on his chest and begging to run away with him, "I'm not that kinda man." Intriguing. Is he not the kind of man to run away, or to take her with him, or to take what she's seemingly offering him? I've personally started thinking that he treats Fuu so badly because he was burned by Kohza's betrayal and doesn't want anyone to get close again, (assuming he and Kohza were close).

After studying my time line, I realized that this was the end of the third day following the near death of the traveling trio. Wow, I didn't realize how slow I was making time progress. But, that's just the way I write.

Someone once suggested that Fuu needed to wait on the guys to wake up to form plans. The more I re-watched the anime, the more it became clear that she was the one who made the plans, and she forced the guys to adhere to them. She would have had an entire plan in place with a backup plan long before the guys even woke up. So, I plan to continue to honor the character of Fuu portrayed in the show as the driving force between the aimless wandering. Personally, I love it when she chastises the guys for not following her plans, like when she's thrown in the brothel when they ditch her.

Special thanks to my readers who were generous enough to send me encouragement through reviews. It truly helps keep me motivated to continue this saga.