The Way You Do
Chapter 2: New Beginnings
"Mugen!" Fuu gasped as she saw him. He reeked of sex and alcohol, his lip was cut and bruised, lip stick stains dotted his neck.
"What?" he muttered in an annoyed tone as he lay by the fire that Jin was feeding with wood, resting his hands behind his head.
"What happened to you?" the young girl asked in a high pitched tone. A small furry animal appeared from the folds of her kimono and jumped on Mugen's chest.
"None of your business," he muttered as he swatted the creature, "And shut the hell up. I did you a favor." he finished mightily, lifting his chin in mock offense.
Fuu looked to Jin with her mouth agape, anger flaring in her eyes. The cool samurai blinked and surveyed the rogue, opting to remain silent.
"What are you talking about?" Fuu asked hotly.
"I found you another bodyguard. Shes one of the best. Maybe she could even beat sourpuss over there." Mugen remarked, gesturing casually towards the raven haired man.
"Did she beat you already?" Jin shot back angrily.
Mugen gave Jin a smile, silently telling him that he was laughing at some hidden joke, "Oh she beat me alright."
"She better not be some pervert you want to keep around as your personal whore." Fuu shouted, poking a finger into Mugen's chest.
"I'm dead serious girlie, if you touch me one more time-"
"Did you, at least, make certain of her skills?" Jin interrupted, discipline kicking in and making him the voice of reason once more.
"Huh?" Mugen said stupidly, sipping more sake and swaying slightly.
Jin sighed in annoyance as Fuu made similar sounds of discontent, "Are you really that much of an idiot? Did you at least spar with this woman?"
"Don't you see the bruises?" Mugen's voice was cocky.
Fuu drew closer to Mugen and carefully scrutinized knots on his head, the angry red circle on his forehead, his cracked and bloody lips, cut neck, bruised ribs, and the numerous scratches on his arms. This was a hell of a lot more damage than either of them see most skilled samurai deal the vagabond, and admittedly their interest was peaked.
"So how did you meet her?" Fuu asked, hopping up and down in Mugen's face.
Mugen pushed the girl away and leaned back, cracking his knuckles. Unconsciously, Jin leaned closer as the seconds ticked past. Mugen knew the power he held, and milked it for all it was worth.
"So, tell us already!" Fuu finally exclaimed.
"Alright! Settle down, settle down," Mugen began imperiously, "I met her in a brothel."
"What a surprise!"
"Predictable."
"How can you suggest we travel with a whore?"
"She is not a whore!" Mugen shouted, rising so fast that the others jumped back.
Fuu looked as if she had been struck, tears forming in her eyes. Jin seemed to be looking at him accusingly from across the fire. Mugen himself seemed to be shocked, not quite understanding his need to defend her.
"She was the new one. Put up a hell of a fight, said she would come looking for me tonight." Mugen muttered, shrinking away from the glow of the fire with his arms crossed defensively.
"So you mean she plans to escape?" Fuu asked, drawn into the story already.
Mugen huffed an irritated sigh and rolled his eyes at the girl, "Duh."
"So she is being held there against her will? The poor woman. I feel like I can already relate to her." Fuu looked into the darkness, lost in thought.
At that remark, Jin raised his eyebrows and straightened his glasses on the bridge of his nose. Mugen snorted sake over his bottle and ignited a little bit of his arm on fire.
"Oh yeah, you were trapped in a brothel before?" Mugen asked doubtfully.
Fuu blushed and looked at her feet with an angry expression on her face, "I, I just meant that I can relate to feeling like you can't leave a place."
"Well, with her it's more than a feeling." Mugen argued, though Fuu was no longer protesting.
"So, what now?" Jin asked, taking them all by surprise.
"We wait." Mugen answered solemnly.
Fuu and Jin surveyed him for a second as he made himself comfortable. When it appeared he was not going to move for some time, they slowly returned to the fire, eyes churning with speculations.
Allona proudly donned her old Kimono. She wore hunting leathers underneath, worked to a thin and comfortable texture. They fit her form perfectly, moved as she moved. She had recovered her katana, the only thing she retained of her family. Taking a few throwing knives and a lot of gold, she casually made her way down the darkened hallway.
The woman hugged the shadows as she crept across the floorboards, calling upon all her knowledge to remember every creak, every groan, and avoid them at all costs. A guard stood at the far end, resting in the corner where two hallways joined. A small portion of roof lay beyond that, leading to the fence that separated the red light district from the rest of the city. If she could just get past him and onto the roof, she was free. Well, almost.
Gold pieces shifted in their pouch, temporarily catching the attention of the guard. He lifted his head and peered into the darkness, trying to discern the cause of the noise. His arms remained folded before his chest, face screwed up as if he didn't quite believe his own ears.
Allona's heart skipped a beat, she couldn't believe she might get caught for something so stupid. She didn't have enough time to wait for him to fall back into the visions of his own mind, soon the night watch would discover her absence.
Suddenly light spilled forth from somewhere behind the guard, the bold rectangle of a doorway marred by a voluptuous silhouette, "Are you looking for someone else tonight?"
Did she dare hope? This could be just the distraction Allona needed. Always opportunistic, she began to draw nearer, making sure not to give herself away this time. If he was distracted for even a minute, she could slip over the railing and make her attempt at freedom. She knew the geisha in the doorway would not give her away.
"No, sweet thing, you know I've only got eyes for you." his voice was greasy and coarse all at the same time. The woman laughed, her shadow beckoning him. The guard stumbled forward as if compelled, caught in the spell of his own lust.
This was her chance, so Allona took it. She crossed the remaining expanse of hallway on cat's feet as the couple giggled, unaware of her silent plight. In one deft movement she pulled herself over the railing. She readied herself, crouching low.
In another moment she sprang, only to be stopped when the folds of her kimono had run out of slack. Hanging off balance, she looked up into the face of the guard. The geisha was one she knew, her face a mask of sorrow. She would now doubt prepare a balm soon, anticipating the whipping Allona would no doubt receive. Little did she know that would not be necessary.
Allona quickly undid the knots that held her kimono together. With a small swish, she was once more firmly planted on the roof. Without time to contemplate her actions , she kicked with all her might to send herself sailing onto the roof of the brothel storehouse.
:Landing hard on the ceramic shingles, she scrambled to find her balance. More guards had brought torches by now, loudly arguing over who had to make the leap of faith.
The woman smiled coldly, pleased that they would get little sleep covering the mess she made of the first customer brave enough to take her on today. She was more than capable of killing him quietly, her instincts were still sharp. With that thought fixed firmly in her mind, she slid down the side of the building and pushed off onto the fence, casually dropping into a darkened alleyway lined with dust.
Revelers casually sauntered past, wearing masks and traditional clothing. It was obvious they were quite intoxicated, one pausing briefly to empty the contents of his stomach only a few feet from where Allona crouched. He was too unobservant to notice her, no movement giving her away. His tall friend, however, seemed to have more wits about him.
"Oi, what do you say that there is in there?" The man said slowly, struggling to pronounce each word. His short companion peered into the darkness, stumbling and almost falling into his own vomit. His friend began to laugh, a thick and booming noise.
In the shadows, the hidden woman began to sweat. Moments passed in painful agony as she silently pleaded with fate to smile on her this day.
"Lets get get to the going now." shorty declared in an annoyed tone, grabbing the tall man's arm and leading him away.
Allona audibly sucked in air, her lunges screaming for fresh oxygen. She had not dared even breathe, so intent was she on success. Grabbing a discarded Kimono laying on the alley floor, she dusted the dirt off and donned it with distaste. She had to do it if she wanted to blend in, no act was too heinous to spoil this fateful day.
The festival taking place was spectacular, large fireballs lit the sky in dazzling patterns. The smell of sulfur and grilled eel rode the breeze. Paper lanterns littered the sky like fireflies, rising higher and higher until they wavered and died. Wave after wave of unfamiliar faces drifted past the beautiful woman, each one twisted in some odd way. It was a night for letting go, inhibiting the senses.
But not for Allona. Her faculties were razor sharp as she scanned the crowd, searching for the one face she yearned to see. Maybe if they chose a place outside the city, she would be able to have one last night of fun with Mugen before she had to flee.
The crowds parted, making way for fire jugglers and acrobats. In the pause between groups, a lone figure was briefly outlined on a nearby bridge. His hair was wild, short and unruly. The red of his shirt was easily visible in the light of the fireworks, a thoughtful look crossing his features.
"Mugen."