.Chapter 11
The night was uneventful. A squall had blown in from the sea and shook the shed, but Kato had sealed up the cracks well enough that the warmth that had accumulated throughout the day did not seep out. Fuu found herself struggling to get to sleep as she listened to the moaning of the wind and the occasional snort or snore from the three men in the shed with her. It was unheard of for Mugen or Jin to actually snore. Their sense of self preservation rarely allowed them to sleep that deeply. Also, it was second nature for them to remain silent to avoid detection by enemies that skulked about in the darkness. Unfortunately, Kato did not seem to have that same skill, because he let out some incredible noises when he was asleep on his back.
She wanted to sleep, she really did. But for some reason, her body wouldn't relax enough to lose its grip on the waking world. Not only that, but every noise she heard sounded ominous and threatening. She tried to reassure herself that nothing could happen, but it didn't work. Every ten minutes or so, she would lean over to check the breathing of Mugen and Jin, and make sure Kato was still leaning protectively against the rattling door. In those instances, she noticed that the darkness was more foreboding than it had ever been. Each flicker of the flame from the lamp cast fearsome shadows that looked like ghouls. Why was everything worse in the dark of the night?
For a moment, Fuu thought of crawling over between her two friends for comfort and protection. Even though both of the guys were unaware, their very presence eased her fears. But, that wasn't right. She shouldn't be so dependant on them. A scowl crossed her face. When had she become such a wimp? She had spent the year before meeting these two, working and taking care of herself, alone. Before that, she had run the streets in the gang, but still depended on herself. So, she shook herself and told herself that her fears were hers alone to deal with. Besides, the guys would probably be going their separate ways soon and she needed to pull back a bit so it wouldn't hurt so badly.
She looked back on her life and realized that it had been cyclical. At first she had been alone except her Mom. Then, she was out on the streets, getting into trouble. Then she was accepted into the gang. For a while, she was not alone. Then, she had to leave them for her Mother's sake, and found herself alone again, most of the time. After her Mom died, she was truly alone. Then she met the guys and they were the catalyst to commencing her quest.
For months now, she had not felt alone, even when the jerks would occasionally (well, actually, more often then she liked to remember) dump her to go off and do their "manly" things. In the back of her mind, she knew they would return. Like the stray cat she kept as a kid. It would leave for days on end and suddenly appear when she was beginning to despair that it had died or abandoned her. That scruffy tom cat kept her company when her Mom had to work, and with it, she never felt lonely. As long as they fed the furry wanderer, he would return.
Maybe that's why it was so important to her to have money to offer the guys in the future. She knew, in the back of her mind that the guys would go off wandering after the quest was officially over. The money she would dole out if they ever came to visit her was like the food that kept that old tom cat returning to her door step, time after time.
How funny to analogize her guys with stray cats. For in truth, they were all strays; scratching, hissing and fighting. No true home, no family, going their own ways. Though, she just couldn't picture either Mugen or Jin snuggling up on her bed and letting her scratch their ears or pet their tummies. Still, it made an amusing image to chase away her fears. Come to think of it, Mugen did resemble a wily, battle scarred tom cat. Especially with those scars on his cheek that looked like whiskers. A light snicker escaped her, though the sound could not compete with the moaning wind outside.
How could anyone sleep through the awful noises caused by the storm? She half expected the shingles to fly off the roof and the boards of the walls to rip apart. The only comfort against the raging wind was the gently burning oil lamp set on a little ledge to the left of the door. The wick glowed a confident orange as it siphoned the oil out of the little bowl and offered it up to the hearty yellow flame. Still, it would only be a matter of time before the fuel was exhausted and the wick would burn out. She prayed to everything and everyone she could think of that she would be long asleep before that happened.
The wind shifted directions and attacked their shelter from the opposite side, causing Fuu to jump a bit. Her mind envisioned a stranger outside, beating the side walls with a large club. But, finally, the aggressive wind died down to a persistent roar which was actually rather soothing. With a sigh, Fuu finally felt a heavy, drowsy feeling steal over her body and drag her happily into sleep.
Somehow, the night seemed to vanish in an instant. Unfortunately, Fuu did not feel refreshed after the night's sleep. If anything, she felt even more exhausted. Her bleary mind recognized the feeling from right after her Mom had died and the first assassin attacked her. Back then, everything had been so overwhelming, that all she wanted to do was sleep for a few months. Not as in, all she wanted to do for a few months was sleep a lot, but as in, she wanted to fall asleep and stay asleep until a few months had passed.
But, just as then, she knew now that she had responsibilities and couldn't hide from them in sleep. Her tired mind thought, 'Man is sucks being responsible!' Momo landed on her chin and peered into her closed eyes and squeaked, "Chi?" A half smile graced Fuu's weary face as she pried her sleep crusted eyes open to look at her pet. "Mrn'n Momo." She slurred. The tiny bit of fluff rubbed his head against her cheek in greeting. The feeling tickled enough to evoke a giggle from her sleepy form. The little head perched just at the end of her nose and let out another, "Chi?" Why was it that it always sounded like Momo was asking a question? Maybe he was begging for food.
Fuu brought a hand to her face and gently swiped the fur ball off onto her palm. There was no way he could be hungry again, considering how overstuffed he was last night. She absently wondered if Momo had slept the whole night curled up on Mugen. She sat up with less pain than usual, and glanced at the still spread-eagled pirate. Yup, she was sure Momo had slept there; just something about them being kindred spirits. They slept in the same pose; they liked the same body parts…. Mugen loved women's breasts, and that just happened to be where Momo liked to sleep when Fuu carried him. They both seemed to help her out when she was in a jam. They both vanished when it suited them. Maybe Mugen would be reincarnated into a flying squirrel when he died. But even if he did, she knew he would still find a way to come and annoy her probably by chattering at her all the time in squirrel talk. 'Can squirrels swear?' She wondered. Because, if it were Mugen, he would have to be swearing at least half the time.
Fuu noticed then that Kato was missing from the interior of the little shed. Only Mugen and Jin remained in their usual spots. The front door was swung wide open, revealing a bright, blue, chilly morning. The storm has blown through and only left behind snatches of white fluffy clouds dotting the horizon. Despite the shivering that the morning breeze inspired, she could tell it was going to shape up into a lovely, hot day. It would be a nice change from all the dreary, drizzly weather they had had since their "deaths."
Fuu had decided, somewhere in the deep night, that the day her father had died, and Jin and Mugen had almost died would be the day of their "deaths." They now had fake graves memorializing their passing. They would have to go out into the world as other people so as not to be targeted by the Shogun. Their quest ended on that day. It was almost like a rebirth… a new life. She had even picked out a new boy's name to use while traveling incognito, "Harada Fuuyuki!" It was close enough to her own name to get her attention when someone haled her, but not so close that assassins could find her easily. Besides, the Shogun would be looking for a Christian, orphan, girl. She would be hiding as a nobleman's bastard son. No one would ever suspect her/him! She had chosen the sir name of Harada because there were many branches of the noble family and it would be easy to claim a relationship without having to prove it. The name was familiar enough for the average citizen to recognize it, but not so famous as to have any relatives investigate her existence (or the bastard son's existence). Any little bit of added protection in her deception would be accepted. It was her life on the line, after all.
A sound broke into her thoughts and made Fuu's heart race in her chest as the adrenaline coursed through her body. Voices carried on the morning wind. They were distant enough that she could not make out the words, but close enough that she could tell they were male. Her mind involuntarily jumped to the conclusion that more assassins approached. She again snatched up her father's wakizashi and stood to guard her friends. This time, though, she wasn't going to just wait for them to come to her. She slipped towards the door and peeked past the door frame.
The sun blinded her for a moment as she searched for the source of the voices. Coming down the path from the cemetery was Kato and a young village boy. The boy was pulling a small wagon loaded with supplies. Just to make sure, Fuu glanced around in all directions for any other possible threat. When no one else jumped out from the waving grass, she stepped back into the shed to hide her embarrassment. Why did this keep happening to her? She had never been this jumpy in her entire life. Why was now any different?
She slumped back onto her little mat at the back of the hut and leaned into the rough hewn planks of the wall. The prickling of the wood against her skin and the splinters entering her back still didn't anchor her to the reality inside the shed. It was like she was there, but yet, not there at the same time. As she thought about this, her attention just seemed to drift away.
Kato and the boy neared the shed and the old man called out his approach so as not to frighten his new mistress. When he got no response, he continued on under the assumption that Fuu was still asleep. It took a moment as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room after trekking through the bright, morning sunshine. He was shocked to see Fuu sitting at the back of the room with a vacant look in her eyes again. Not only that, but she held her father's wakizashi across her lap with one hand on the hilt and the other on the scabbard. Had something happened in the short time he was away? A glance around the room showed nothing and no one out of place. What had happened? Had she woken from a nightmare? He kicked himself for not being here when she apparently needed him. This solidified his determination that using this boy for errands was the right choice at the moment. He knew Fuu worried about anyone knowing of their presence, but this boy could fetch tea and soup as well as Kato could. Besides, the boy was the son of Minochi who had guarded Fuu's friends while they explored the church for the hypothetical weapons cache. Minochi had been her father's prized, star pupil, and he was teaching his son in the same discipline. It was hoped that one day the boy would be as great a defender of the island as Seizou Kasumi had been in his prime.
The retainer and the boy cautiously unloaded the pull cart of the supplies. There was broth for the unconscious men, tea for all, and a hearty dish of rice, fish and vegetables for breakfast for those that were awake. All the while they moved about the room, Fuu's blank eyes followed their actions. The little boy shook in fear of the seemingly dead girl who stared at him. So, Kato rambled on about meaningless things as he had done the day before in an attempt to draw the girl out of her own dark thoughts.
While he waited, Kato handed Fuu a bowl of food and watched as she mechanically ate. The boy whispered to him in a voice that carried, as young children are known to do, "Kato-sama, what is wrong with the lady?" A deep sigh escaped the retainer as he turned to the precocious boy. The smile was tired that stretched his wrinkled face, "She has been through some terrible shocks in the past few days. Some dreadful, dreadful things. We must be kind and patient as she works through them. She is a wonderful, sweet woman whom I'm sure you will love, when she is herself again."
Doubt flickered across the boy's eyes as he looked up at his elder. The servant of their great protector had never spoken an untruth to his knowledge. His father trusted this man completely. The boy took one more look at the girl's otherworldly eyes and decided to trust the old man to know what he was talking about. Still, he added, "Her eyes scare me." in a very tiny voice.
Kato ruffled the boy's hair as he set the tea set in the center of the room. The old man knelt so his head was even with the boy's face and whispered back, "To tell you the truth…" he looked around the room like he was searching for spies, then continued, "her eyes scare me too, just a bit." With a shared grin, the two returned to unloading their supplies.
There was no way for Fuu to tell how long it had been since she last noticed the splinters that entered her back. It was a strange feeling to wake from a feeling similar to sleep, but to know you had not slept. Part of her mind knew exactly what the duo had done while she had only watched. She could see them in her memory as they laid out supplies, offered her food, and spoon fed broth and tea into her two friends. Her mind could even dredge up the conversation the two had carried on as they worked; something about scary eyes and running errands. She realized that Kato was working on the blue kimono she had cut out the day before, and the boy was setting up a small cook stove/heater in the corner away from the door. Neither male spoke.
Into the silence of the shed, Fuu's innocent, sweet voice asked, "What's your name?" The boy dropped part of the stove as he jumped at the sound. Unfortunately, it landed directly on his unprotected toes and he began hopping about and swearing as he clutched at his injury. Between the hopping and the clutching, the boy lost his balance and toppled over backwards to land on his rump.
Kato scurried over to inspect the injured toes while Fuu tried her best not to laugh. She covered her mouth to muffle any giggles that might escape, but the choked sounds came out her nose instead. The boy stretched out on his back and glared at her from the floor. She stuttered, "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you, or to laugh." Then she burst out in a fit of teasing laughter.
The boy didn't seem to believe her sincerity, since she was still laughing at his misfortune. Still, his anger subsided as he noticed that the terrifyingly, blank eyes were gone. In their place, two mischievous stars twinkled in her face. Maybe the old man knew what he was talking about. In that instant, she seemed like someone he could probably like.
As her laughter died down, the boy regained his composure and his feet. With a blushing face, he retrieved the part he had dropped and turned back to his work. Kato addressed Fuu with the information she had requested. "This is Minochi-sama's son. Minochi-san offered his services to help gather the needed items for our comfort and travel. Since the nights are growing quite cold, we decided to install a small cook stove for warmth and meal preparation. Minochi-san is quite handy with such things and very reliable." Kato stressed this last part to make it clear that the boy would never reveal her hiding place to any official, even at the penalty of his own life.
Fuu frowned at the thought of dragging such a young boy into their web of danger. He couldn't be more than 8 years old, but his eyes spoke of much experience. Children should be allowed to be young and childish at that age. But, life was a tough taskmaster, and exposed the young to more than their childish minds could handle.
Since breakfast was over, and Kato had already stacked the dirty dishes to be washed later, he set about straightening the hut from the previous night. The boy, Minochi-san, finished the assembly of the cook stove and went back out to gather enough wood to last the next night. Fuu pulled out the blue fabric and carefully resumed stitching together Jin's second kimono.
Some time later in the morning, a deep, rumbling voice echoed in the hut as a man cleared his throat to gain their attention. Fuu jumped in her spot, and unconsciously reached for the wakizashi that rested on the floor beside her. Her eyes flashed to find the imposing figure of Minochi-sama standing in the doorway.
The old retainer stood and bowed deeply to acknowledge the presence of the villager. Minochi senior bowed back. His deep voice explained his presence, "Kato-san, the graves you requested to be made and marked are finished. We wished to have Lady Fuu's approval of whether they were adequate." A grin crossed the sun tanned face of the villager in the doorway, "Though, this will be odd having the grave's inhabitant approving of the grave after it has been completed."
Kato's old squeaky voice replied, "I'm sure the graves are fine. You are always so precise in any task you begin. So much like Seizou-san."
Fuu spoke up from her spot in the back, "I would love to visit the graves of myself and my best friends." She smiled. "Maybe we could think of a way to personalize them so anyone who comes after us will have no problem believing who supposedly occupies them. Though…" she glanced at Mugen, "I'm sure Mugen will want some ornate, gaudy marker to herald his 'passing' and lots of sake."
She carefully placed her sewing off her lap and raised herself to retrieve the broken swords she had collected from the beach. She presented them to the man in the doorway with an explanation, "I had thought it might be wise to use their broken swords as grave markers for further proof that they died here. Neither man would be caught dead without their faithful swords." She turned her face downwards to look at the pieces in her hands. "But, I'm not sure what I could use to enhance the believability of my own grave. I need my tanto, and the only other thing I have to identify me is my pink kimono. But, both were given to me by my late mother, and I'm loath to part with either."
The large man that filled the doorframe thought a moment then suggested, "What about your hair sticks? They are rather distinctive. You could purchase replacements in the first town you enter and no one would be the wiser." She thought a moment, and smiled. It was a good idea. She wouldn't need them after she started traveling as a boy. But, she'd still have to think about it.
Kato chirped from behind her, "So, Lady Fuu? Do you want to visit the graves this morning? I asked Minochi-sama to come by and guard your friends once the graves were completed. So, whenever you are ready simply give the command and I will lead the way."
The boy came up behind her and reverently took the pieces of broken swords from her tiny hands. He seemed to understand the implications of the metal he held. Anyone who studied the way of the sword understood the destruction of a beloved sword, and the significance of exactly how these two came to be in such a state. It took precision and strength to cut a sword in half. Only the greatest samurai were reported as having accomplished such a feat. And here was the evidence that the two injured men had both managed to do this. They must both be incredibly strong to wield such devastating force. The boy placed the pieces in a sack he had procured for the supplies and looked towards his father for approval. Minochi senior smiled and nodded his head at his son, who beamed at the gesture.
Fuu clapped her hands together and called out to the room, "Well, let's go see my final resting place." With a slight giggle, she stepped past the samurai villager and out into the bright sunlight.
The little procession to the cemetery was quiet and not quite somber. It was almost funny to see the evil men that had harmed her and her friends being laid to rest under someone else's names. Their spirits would probably never find peace in the afterlife, but that's about what they deserved. She didn't want them to rest in peace. She wanted them tortured for all the harm they had done. A tight knot twisted in her stomach as they neared the freshly overturned mounds of dirt.
The four graves were outside the fence that marked the community cemetery. Whether it was considered hallowed ground or not, she didn't know, and she truthfully didn't want to ask. They were evil, evil men; the assassin who killed her father and nearly killed Jin, the bounty hunter that nearly burned her friends alive, and the brothers that nearly killed Mugen. As she realized just who was buried under the layer of soil, it suddenly wasn't so funny anymore.
Memories she had tried to push out of her mind surfaced in a brutal manner. Scenes of sunflowers and eye patches. Chains and scythes. Cold, piercing eyes staring at her as the other touched and hurt her. Ropes and the taste of blood. The flashes of memory sparked in her mind and pain flashed across her body at the remembered injuries. She felt the urge to retch surface again, and her body turned cold. She turned away from the scene. In a tiny voice, she spoke to the little old man, "I don't think this was such a good idea. Suddenly, I don't feel so good." And for the first time in her young life, Fuu fainted dead away.
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Thank you for being patient for this update. Future updates may be farther in between than I'd like, but I still have a lot planned for this story. And fear not, the guys waking a bit more will be in the next chapter. It's not fair that they get to sleep away their aches and pains while Fuu has to endure hers awake. They need a bit of angst too.
So, happy reading, and review if you like.