(Vandesdelca and Kitty) Jin x Fuu

[Kitty]

"Hey! Where are my dumplings?!" A grungy, sandpaper-like voice called impatiently from the front of the shop.

It was a rather slow day as far as customers went, aside from the gang of jerks that had just entered and were now lounging about like they owned the pace, harassing the female customers and going on about how bored they were.

"Y-yes sir, coming right up!" A small, feminine voice rang out from the back room, and soon a slender young woman would scurry into view carrying a plate of dumplings. Putting on her best smile, the young woman made her way to the table of hoodlums and began to set their table.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting." She apologized, still smiling as she set the glasses of water down and placed the dumplings before the men. Her smile, however, quickly vanished when one of the men asked her what took so long, calling her an 'idiot' in the process.

The woman tensed a bit, gritting her teeth as she forced yet another smile onto her face. "Please, forgive me." She muttered from beneath gnashed teeth, wanting nothing more than to sock the guy one in the face for being such an ass to a cute girl such as herself.

"WHERE are my dumplings?!" That voice again shouted from across the room, as if it were killing the guy to wait two seconds. Sighing, the woman stood and made her way to the back room to fetch the dumplings the man had been yelling his head off about for the past ten few minutes, allowing an irritated scowl to spread across her delicate features once she was in back with the husband and wife who owned the tea house.

"Jeez! What's with these customers today?!" She growled, waiting for the dumplings to be made and listening reluctantly as she was told to be patient and careful with what she said. Apparently, the punk that had been yelling about his food was the son of the governor or something. Governor's son or not, she still wanted to smack some manners into him.

Speaking of manners, she heard some commotion and peeked into the front room of the shot, only to find one of the guys going on about his new blade. He caught an elderly man watching him and so rudely knocked the poor old guy's cup of tea over, burning him.

Growling, the young woman took a step forward, opening her mouth to give the guy a piece of her mind only for the husband and wife to pull her back into the kitchen before she said something she regretted. After taking a moment to cool her head a bit, she re-entered the room with the man's dumplings and tea, hurrying to his table now as he was getting more pissy by the second. And the last thing she wanted was for him to take his agitation out on more of their innocent customers.

"Where the HELL is my tea and dumplings?!" He snarled, clearly not about to ask again.

"Coming!" The young woman chimed, wanting to get this guy out of here ASAP. However, in her rush to get over to him, her foot got caught on someone's show. Yelping, she stumbled forward and the tea splashed out. All over the face of the governor's son.

Wincing, the young lady sat up and offered an apologetic look. The man sat still for a moment, but the rage was clear in his eyes.

"... what's with you?" He hissed, his voice low and dangerous. The young woman found her heart pounding in her chest, her skin going cold when she noticed just how pissed this guy seemed.

"U-uh... I'm really sorry. It was an accident.." She murmured, moving to inch backwards. All life in the shop had stopped, everyone watching the infolding scene, but no on brave enough to do anything about it.

"I don't wanna hear how 'sorry' you are. All I'm interested in hearing is how you plan to make it up to me." His words made the young woman uncertain and wary. What did he mean? She supposed she could give him the food and drink free of charge. "Well, I, uh.." she stammered, but was cut off by him speaking over her.

"One finger or two? Well, I guess one ought to be enough."

The girl's eyes went wide when she heard this and moved to try and stand up, but two guys behind her quickly swooped in and pinned her down, grabbing her wrist and holding her hand out as they did so. Meanwhile, the guy who had been going on about his new blade stepped up, grinning sadistically as he did so.

"I've been wanting to give my new blade a test cut, and she'll do just fine." All of the men laughed as he unsheathed the blade, but the young girl could only tremble, her eyes wide with fear as the tip of the blade was lowered and put right in front of her face.

"S-.. someone... help me.." she whimpered, breathing in small, ragged breaths now, her body tense, but she was unable to move with the two large guys pinning her down.

However, no one in the shop made a move to help. The married couple that owned the shop stood fearfully in the back, and the other customers simply averted their gaze, too scared to get involved.

The girl was sure she was done for.

 

[Vandesdelca]

A wind blew across the village that day, the sort that made the grass ripple like a disturbed pond, the sort that drove wandering samurai in and back out like a leaf on the wind. The same sort of wind that brought Jin the ronin to the tea shop that day. A pale hand cast the blue cloth aside, sandaled carrying him through as silent and natural as a breeze, his head bowing slightly as he came to a stop beyond the threshold.

His features were cast in hard angles, a sharp man with even sharper eyes -- gunmetal grays that leveled themselves quite firmly upon Ryujiro, his glare refracted and focused by the glasses that perched on his nose. That 'man' had drawn a blade on a defenseless girl, no older than 15 or 16 by the samurai's estimation. He announced his presence with the faintest shifting of steel in his scabbard, hand settling with predatory ease upon the hilt of his katana, like an eagle alighting upon a rock.

He took a long, slow step forward, the dark cloth of his hakama swishing ever so slightly as long legs carried him three or four steps inside, pace measured and even.

"... is that what the samurai in this town are good for?" Jin asked quietly, his voice level and unassuming but for the hard edge that tinged his words. "Training for so many years to extort poor old men and threaten young women?" Jin asked. "It's pathetic," Jin said. It was a warm summery day, but the air around him could have frozen water solid just then, the world dropping by degrees before his focused gaze. His hand had yet to leave the back of the katana, and his eyes had yet to leave the scene that unfolded within the tea shop.

 

[Kitty]

The girl braced herself as much as one could in that situation, but really, how could one 'brace' them self when they knew they were about to be an amputee of one kind of another? She didn't know what was gonna be cut off, but this guy was seriously gonna cut SOMETHING off. She cringed at the thought, closing her eyes tight as Ryujiro lifted his blade, but then everything froze. A voice as cold as ice sliced through the air, and true silence fell upon the room. Surprised, everyone turned to look back at the stranger whom had seemingly appeared out of thin air. The momentary shock of the thugs allowed the young woman enough time to squirm free and flee to across the room, away from the action that was surely about to unfold.

"Crap," She muttered shakily, rubbing her wrist where it had been pinned down and turning her wide brown eyes to the mysterious swordsman. The look she gave him was one of gratitude, but also curiosity. Who WAS this guy?

Meanwhile, the thugs seemed rather rattled by the strangers words.

"Who the hell are you calling pathetic, you maggot?!" One of the mean snarled, the men pulling loose their own blades and aiming them at Jin. The governor's son just laughed, shaking his head in an almost pitying way.

"You're obviously new here, pal. I'll give you one chance to turn and leave, or maybe Ryujiro and my boys here will just have to cut you up!" He said with a snide laugh, clearly very confident in the skills of his 'boys'. He noticed the girl inching towards the kitchen and gave her a harsh glare from over his shoulder.

"And where the fuck you think you're goin', bitch? You stay right there. We'll deal with you in a second." The girl puffed up a little at his words, glaring at him, then turning her glance back to the samurai with glasses. She looked hopeful that he really was some big shot. If not, the both of them might end up dead.

 

[Vandesdelca]

Jin's hand shifted ever so slightly, an absolute hurricane of movement from the otherwise stone-still man. That hand dropped back to the bottom part of the sheath, gripping it tightly as his other hand slowly crossed his body, latching firmly around the hilt of his sword, an easy and practiced movement that set him into clear drawing position for his sword.

Jin's eyes zeroed in on the governor's son, taking note of the symbol worn on his own clothing; a symbol he had seen just earlier on the governor and on the men he killed. "You," Jin said. "You are the governor's son." He paused for a moment, as if giving it some thought. "I already killed one official's guards today," Jin said simply -- it wasn't even a boast. They were mere statements of fact, of what his day had been like so far, and what his plan for the rest of that particular day was.

And then he moved.

It was a blur of motion, of one foot moving deliberately forward as he drew, the silvery arc of his blade lashing out and cleaving fully through one man's side, blood splattering across the ground and a nearby table. The momentum carried him, taking a second step forward and bringing the blade and to the left at an angle, striking cleanly through Ryujiro's arm. One man hit the ground, the other's arm fell useless, and Jin took a third step, blade scything through the air.

It was all deliberate, cold and clean, flowing like water but hard like ice, and not a soul in the tea shop stood a chance.

 

[Kitty]

The governor's son smirked a little when Jin seemed to recognize him, relaxing back where he sat as the samurai seemed to be reconsidering his attack. "I see you're not as dumb as you seem. What, are ya scared now?" He laughed, seeming totally at ease. That is, until the samurai so nonchalantly mentioned that he had killed other official's guards prior that day. That made his laughing stop, forcing a more serious, slightly nervous look onto his face. This guy... he had to be lying.

It quickly became clear that he had to be telling the truth, though, when the samurai made his move. In the blink of an eye, he was flying through the guards, slicing them apart like his sword was a hot knife and they were made of butter.

Seeing this as her chance to escape view, the girl rushed back into the kitchen and settled for peering in amazement around the corner alongside the shop owners. This guy wasn't human! He was too fast; she could see nothing more than the flash of his blade and the red of blood as it splattered all over the walls, floor, and tables. The other customers were all back against the wall now, staring in shock and doing what they could to stay out of the way.

Soon, though, the screaming and shouting died down, and the samurai and the governor's son were the only two people left alive of the swordsmen. Well, aside from Ryujiro, who had seemingly vanished from the room after his arm had been chopped clean off.

Clearly, the governor's son had a completely different attitude now. Pale with fear and shock, he found himself crawling backwards, staring up at the samurai as if he were staring down Death himself.

"Y-You... You lay a finger on me, and.. and my fa-father will have you executed! Y-You sc-scared?! H-huh?!" He tried to laugh, but the act only made him seem more cowardly as tears bubbled in his eyes, sweat rolling down his face now that his guards were all dead. "You hear m-me!?"

As he finished his quivering sentence, Ryujiro re-appeared, as if on cue. However, he seemed to have lost what little he had of his mind to begin with, kicking over a pot of some sort of oil and holding a blazing piece of paper in his hand, blood dripping from where his arm had been only minutes ago.

"I'LL BURN IT ALL DOWN!" He howled, laughing as he dropped the paper into the oil, planning to trap the mysterious samurai within the building and burn him alive. The customer's screaming filled the air, and before the young woman knew it, she was being ushered out of the small building by the married couple. She managed to steal one last glance over her shoulder at the samura as she headed out, sure that someone of his skill could make it alive, but feeling a strange guilt for running off without so much as thanking him.

 

[Vandesdelca]

Jin let out a breath that he had seemingly been holding, snuffing out a half dozen lives in the space of that single breath. Blood dripped off of his sword, with only the barest fleck here or there dotting the black or the vibrant blue of his clothes. His wrist flicked hard once, the blood splattering across the ground in a swath, thin rivulets still clinging to his blade. It was thirsty steel, and it had not yet been sated. Slowly, Jin aimed the tip of his blade at the cowardly son of the governor.

He held it there, unflinching and stock still, even as he made his spiel and the insane Ryujiro lit the tea house on fire. "You are a coward and a bully. If you live today, you or your servants will cause more suffering," Jin said, merciless eyes staring hard and cold above the frame of his glasses. "Therefore..."

Not even a master swordsman could have seen his hand move, the blade tracing a thin red line across the coward's neck... a solid second passing before his head slid off the stump.

The blade slashed again, blood flying off in flecks as Jin turned his way back to the door, broken wood and fire blocking his way. "... damn," Jin whispered. And that was when the beam came crashing down.

It was fortuitous in a way, that the governor's men had been on their way. To find that his son was killed, head lopped clean off... and to find his murderer still breathing under a broken beam. Of course, fortune was an odd thing, and Jin had woken to stare the governor direct in the eye. Words had been exchanged, but they hardly need have been -- torture said all that needed to be said.

And then it was night.

Bloody and battered, Jin had been dumped into a cell, his top still gone for all that the governor's men had needed to get at his back for a solid twenty lashes. Burnt, whipped, bruised, all of that had come and gone. One would have believed him dead just then, laying in his wooden cell, but for the gentle rise and fall of his chest... and the fact that his eyes were just barely open. As stoic before death as he was before anythign else, it seemed.

 

[Kitty]

The girl didn't know WHAT to make of the situation. One moment she was tripping and spilling tea all over the governor's son's face, and the next she was standing outside the tea house, preying to herself that the samurai made it out alive. It hardly seemed like that would be the case. The house was burning rapidly, and was beginning to collapse on itself. Then the governor's men showed up, dragging out the seemingly unconscious body of the samurai... and the now decapitated body of the governor's son.

It didn't take a genius to discover what was to be the samurai's fate; he'd be executed for killing such an 'important' figure, and she couldn't just let that happen! But she couldn't do anything as the guards towed the samurai away, but she was already formulating a plan in her head. After all, the tea house was gone now... she had no choice but to make up her mind and decide what she was going to do, and this samurai would be a key player in her decision.

"Fuu, you're welcomed to come with us. We know you have no family to return to.." The wife offered to the young girl, Fuu, after the fire had died and all was said and done. The couple were packed and ready to go, having no reason to stay now that their shop was gone, but Fuu smiled and shook her head.

"Thank you, but... well, I know what I need to do now. This whole ordeal kinda opened my eyes." She chuckled a little, rubbing the back of her neck and saying her goodbyes to the couple. They didn't know what she meant, but they did not pry. They simply said wished her luck, and they parted ways. The couple headed off to start anew, and Fuu going to find herself her samurai.

It hadn't been easy; not by any meaning of the word. She told that stupid guard she'd do anything to be allowed to see the samurai, and he got frisky, wanting to have sex with her in exchange for what she wanted. That, however, was NOT happening. So she did what any girl would do in that situation - she kneed the guy in the balls and took his key!

She had never ran quite so fast in her life. Her time was limited, she knew it was a matter of time before the guards came after her and locked her up as well. She faltered, however, when she ran past an opened door to an office of some sort. Backing up, she peeked in and smirked when she noticed the samurai's swords were right there. Just sitting on the desk. It made sense that they'd take his swords from him, a swordless samurai was useless!

"I'll just be taking these~" She whispered to herself, snickering excitedly as she snatched them up and continued on her way. They were surprisingly heavier than she expected, but she supposed that was because they were genuine swords made of stainless steel. It was amazing that the guy could move so fluidly while wielding these things...

Shaking the thought off, she stopped when she came across a cell with someone in it. At first, it was too dark to see in. However, she quickly recognized it as the samurai and knelt down to jab the key into the lock. Thing was, the guy looked dead...

"Hey... pssst! Heeey! You alive?" She asked as she struggled with the lock, his swords leaning against his side as so she could use both hands. If he was dead, she was gonna be so pissed... at herself more than anything for not coming in time.

 

[Vandesdelca]

Jin was almost invisible in the glorified cage, laying away from the faint moonbeams that stole into the cage. He was just another shadow, darker and deeper than the others, almost impossibly still for a human being. But that changed when a sweet voice rang out through the thick haze that had fallen over his consciousness, brought on by smoke and fire and beating alike.

"... you," Jin whispered, that deep shadow stirring as Jin raised his head. He looked a mess, but somehow so pristine and serene through all of it. His slick black hair fell in waves across his shoulders, and gunmetal eyes cut through the darkness with a glimmer of focused light.

"You are the girl from the tea house. The one they threatened," Jin said, slowly pulling himself up to his knees so as to face the bars. He was in the moonlight now, his already pale skin suddenly as white and bright as the fullest moon, casting the hard muscles of his chest and abdomen into sharp relief. "... are you alright?" he asked. It took perhaps a long moment to register something else -- she was here, speaking with a prisoner that was set to death. "And why are you here?" he asked, rather straight to the point on the whole affair.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu breathed a sighed of relief when she heard his voice. He sounded strained, his whisper weak, and yet it managed to carry a certain amount of strength at the same time. Though it was clear he had received quite the beating, he carried that same no-nonsense tone as before. And this was enough to allow her to relax, even if just a bit. She took a break from working at the key to glance up and take a look at the man again, blushing to herself at what she saw. He sat there, now on his knees, the moonlight reflecting off of his fair skin with his deep black hair contrasting against his complexion as it hung over his shoulders. He was very lean, but strong. His muscles gave that away.

Sharply, she shook the thought away. Now was no time to admire him! Attractive as he was, they were both still in very real danger. Despite that, Fuu leaned back down and went to working at the lock, only faltering again when he asked if SHE was alright.

She shot him a confused glance, then smiled. Her smile seemed somewhat bashful. She didn't know why he cared if she was okay, but it was flattering enough to hear him ask regardless.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I mean, only thanks to you.... Bingo!" She whispered, smirking triumphantly as the lock 'clicked' and she was able to stand and pulled the wooden door open, scooping his swords into the crook of her other arm as she did so.

"What am I doing here? It's obvious, isn't it?" She quickly made her way into the cell, offering him his swords.

"I'm busting you out! Hurry, the guards-" She was cut short when, in the distance, there was shouting.

"She went to see the prisoner!" "After her!" "Don't let them escape!"

"Uh-oh!" She breathed, reaching into the folds of her kimono for her own small knife. She had no idea how to wield it, but if ut came down to it, she would do what she could to protect them. After all, the samurai hardly looked to be in the shape to fight anyone right now.

"We gotta get outta here!" She whispered to him, offering her free arm to help him up. "Just lean against me if you're too weak to stand on your own, 'kay?" She had a determined look in her eyes. Scared? Of course. But they were, as of now, in this together. She wouldn't run off and leave him behind after coming this far.

 

[Vandesdelca]

"Good," Jin said. He would have hated to have come to her defense, only to have brought about her end through the fire that resulted from such. Not that he had done it exclusively for her -- these samurai (so called) pissed him off in a way he could not quite articulate.

Jin pulled himself up to his feet, his movement as measured as any of his, but it was clear that he was not at full strength just then -- the torture and exhaustion following the fight had done a bit of a number on him, though there was no way he was just going to stand there and allow himself to be killed. He walked out of the cell, stumbling only on his third step before righting himself.

"Don't draw your weapon. Not unless you have the ability to use it," Jin said. He was sure just then that she had the desire -- she was rather strong-willed for a tea house girl, to have come for him here. Even if she was a bit on the foolhardy side. "Just move. I will be behind you," Jin said, taking his swords and sliding them home at his side, the familiar weight resting on his hip and restoring balance to his life, if not to his walk.

Jin followed along behind her, his fingers brushing along the wall as if to catch him should he fall. They couldn't afford to be caught like this -- he knew even now (and perhaps she did too) that he could handle a guard or two... but the longer he stalled on one of them, the more guards would come, and even they would eventually overwhelm him in numbers.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu tensed a little when he told her not to draw her weapon unless she had the ability to use it, clutching the rather girlishly designed weapon in her hand, but not drawing it. She couldn't remember having ever drawn it, at least not with the intent on attacking anyone. Maybe she had some guts, but she didn't have any skills with any kind of weapon. Still, she was confused as to why he didn't want her to draw it. She ignored that for now, though. He had enough strength to stand and walk, even if he was very unstable, and if there was any fighting to be done he would be doing it. Even in his condition he was better off than her, so she simply trusted that he would follow her and slipped out of the cell, shooting a few worried glanced his way when he stumbled.

She was going to offer again that he could lean against her, but the voices grew louder, so she shut her mouth, turned, and walked briskly along the wall. She didn't notice it, but she was actually trembling. Helping a convict on death row escape was a serious crime, punishable by death, but he was only in this position in the first place because he saved her back at the tea house.

Quickly, she rounded a corner, and as soon as Jin did the same a few guards went running by. It was so dark that they didn't see Fuu or Jin; the building they were tucked against created a dark shadow over them, dark enough for the rushing guards not to suspect them there.

"They can't be far! Spread out!"

Fuu, however, was NOT gonna stick around long enough to be discovered. Gently, she tugged at Jin's sleeve to get his attention, gesturing towards the back entrance. There were two guards stationed there, the rest were running around looking for them.

"If we sneak past them, we might stand a chance at escaping." Fuu whispered to Jin, tucking her knife back into the folds of her clothing. He was right; she shouldn't draw it unless she was capable of using it. Instead, she reached back into the chest folds of her attire and pulled out a small, furry creature.

"Okay, Momo! Help us out here!" With a cute 'squee!', the flying squirrel hopped out of her hands and glided over to the guards, making no sound until it landed atop one of the guards heads. Squeaking, the squirrel proceeded to scratch and bite the man's face, making him shout and run in a panic away from where he had been standing, hoping to lose the thing that was attacking him.

"What the hell?" The other guard grumbled, his attention grasped by his peer, who looked like a lunatic slapping and and shaking his own face. This was their chance. While both guards were away from the gate, Fuu made her way towards it. There was a chance that the guards would still spot them, but it was worth the risk.

 

[Vandesdelca]

Jin silently and dutifully followed her -- he might have been the more experienced one as well as being several years older than she, but she knew this town and this area better than he did. Besides, he was having trouble keeping up as it was, much less overtaking her and leading her into the darkness. Jin followed her, noticing the trembling of her hand and her thin ankles, sharp eyes catching her movements even in the relative darkness.

"Good idea. But if we move, then they may see us," Jin whispered back to her. Hiding in shadows was the easy part -- not moving so the movement did not draw the eye of guards was quite a bit more difficult, and in his state he was having trouble keeping to his usual stock-still nature. He glanced down as her hand delved into her kimono, withdrawing a... small furry creature.

"... is that a squirrel," Jin asked, his tone closer to a statement than it was to a question, as if affirming to himself that the young lady had just pulled a rodent out of her clothes.

Jin shook it off and followed her, wishing he had his full garments back for all that he was pale enough to be nearly luminescent in the occasional swathes of moonlight, and bare as his torso was... Soon they were past the gate, but all of a sudden Jin was moving, stepping to the side and wrapping an arm around Fuu's waist, pulling her into the shadows. His hand lay firmly on her hip, his other going across her mouth as he pulled her against his bare chest.

"Sh."

The reason why became apparent a moment later as fresh guards came from around a corner, their footsteps almost too quiet to hear from a distance, but they came and went. Distantly, as they lingered in the shadows for a moment, they could hear guards asking for backup for a crazy red-clothed man some few kilometers west from the village.

It was funny how fate worked, and how one sociopath taking a different road could change things forever.

"Come on. We should keep going -- north, perhaps. They will not look that way," Jin whispered, slowly letting her go.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu felt proud of her idea to use Momo as a distraction, though instead of seeming impressed by her idea, he simply stared at her a moment, confirming to himself that she had really just pulled a flying squirrel from her top. Yeah, she got that reaction a lot more than she knew she should have. Sighing to herself, she just led the way outside the gate, ready to release the tense breath she had been holding on only to gasp when suddenly someone was pulling her back, hand clasping over her mouth and the other hand holding snug to her slender hip. It only took a second to register that it was the samurai, but why...? A deep blushed burned across her face.

Oh, gosh... he was going to violate her! She was such a cute girl, after all, but she couldn't help it. Jeez, men were always trying to-... Her train of thought stopped when she realized that he had only pulled her to the side and against him because he had, SOMEHOW, managed to hear totally different guards coming from around the corner. They had been so quiet.. how had he heard them? And who the heck was this red-clothed crazy man? Well, whoever he was, Fuu silently thanked him for unintentionally saving their asses by causing a commotion!

Once the guards had taken off and Jin had released her, Fuu quickly took a strike forward, the blush still on her face as the memory of his toned chest against her back burned into her memory. She had been able to FEEL his every breath... Shaking it off as best she could, Fuu gulped and turned to face him.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was unsure of what to say. So many things were going through her mind, but she knew they were still in danger. They needed to get away from here.

"... Y-yeah, sounds like a great plan, but you don't look so good... There is an old barn just outside town. Let's stay there tonight." As she spoke she began to again lead the away, not wanting him to catch even a glimpse of that deep blush on her face as she realized she had been possibly HOPING he was making some kind of move on her. It was an embarrassing realization, and one she couldn't quite shake.

She honestly thought the barn would be a good idea, though. They'd both be better off after a night's sleep, him especially.

As they walked away, Momo came gliding back, soaring right over Jin's head and landing perfectly atop Fuu's own, giving Jin a curious 'squee?' before scurrying back down into Fuu's top.

The walk to the barn was silent. Fuu had been so nervous about getting caught or spotted that she didn't realize she was being quiet, though as they put the place behind them, her trembling died down and she was able to take on a slower pace as to not rush the exhausted man behind her.

After a while of walking, leaving the town behind, they sure enough came across an abandoned barn just off the dirt road. The door was opened enough for them to squeeze inside of, and once they were in, they were surrounded by true darkness. It was perfect, though. No one would find them here.

Sighing heavily, Fuu plopped down into one of the piles of hay, sounding relieved to be off her feat.

"... What's your name?" She asked, suddenly, as if realizing she didn't know yet. "I'm Fuu. By the way.." her voice trailed off a little and she found herself hugging her knees to her chest, her eyes fixated on the moon as it peered through the gaps in the barn wall.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me earlier. Not many people would put their life on the line for a stranger like that."

 

[Vandesdelca]

There was a lot to be said for training and reflexes -- Jin had been roused from sleep and killed a man in the same breath, and his abilities for detection were second to none. One merely had to know where the signs would be and then to look for them... or listen for them as the case may have been.

"I'm... fine." It was a lie -- he had seemed fine enough in the cell, sitting as he had been, but now that he was running all over the place, his wounds were protesting and the exhaustion was getting to him. Even as he straightened up just then, his knees wobbled ever-so-slightly. If he'd had time to rest... he was sure he would be okay by tomorrow. He'd have to be -- the guards would be far harder to evade during the daytime, and he knew that bloodshed would come on the morrow unless they were very, very lucky.

Besides, he had to protect her, that slender girl who had saved his life in turn. They might have been equal just then, square... but letting her go off alone around here was a death sentence. And honestly, if she left him alone, it wouldb't be much better for him.

"... it is still a good idea, though. Lead the way," he said, settling his hand firmly on the back of his sword as he followed her through the moonlit woods. His footsteps were erratic, almost jerky in places, but every time she offered him help he would turn her down.

As they snuck into the barn, squeezing through the opening in the wood, Jin grunted. The place was stale and forgotten, old straw and hard-packed dirt making up the floor of the place. Jin stumbled over to one pile of straw, rather inelegantly setting himself down on it, laying his swords aside for the moment.

"... Jin," he whispered.

"I killed those men because they are an affront to the station they hold," Jin said simply -- it was too tired to be cold, but blunt all the same. "Why did you come and save me? You could have kept your life here. Forgotten about me," he said. There was perhaps no way she could have seen his gaze just then, but perhaps it could still be felt through the darkness.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu was incredibly relieved that they made it- no, she was relieved he made it. It had been quite the walk, and though she couldn't see him in this darkness, she could definitely hear the way the straw crunched as he dumped himself down heavily onto it. He was indeed the impressive man.

So, Jin was his name then? She smiled to herself, a childish wave of happiness coming over her now that she knew the name of the mysterious samurai. Of course, his reason for killing her attackers wasn't so flattering. "Well, whatever the reason, you did save me." She sighed, finally just collapsing back against the bed of stiff hay, ignoring the way it poked and itched at her skin through her thin attire.

When he asked why she had saved him in return, though, she was quiet for a moment. She could definitely feel the chill of his eyes on her, the hairs on her arms and neck sticking up. She wanted to come up with some glorious and unselfish reason, like that she had saved him as payback for him saving her, but that wasn't EXACTLY the truth..

"Um, well... Honestly, one reason is that I don't think I'd ever be able to just 'forget' about you. I'd be diced up right now if not for you, and I really wanted to thank you, even if you didn't do it for me. But there is another reason, b-besides paying you back." She shifted then, swallowing a nervous lump that has suddenly formed in her throat.

Would he be mad at her for having an ulterior motive...? Would he leave her by herself in the morning? Well, she wouldn't blame him. She had no control over what he did after she told him, but she HAD to tell him.

"You see, I don't live here. I've kind of been traveling around. Thing is, I'm looking for someone... he's a samurai, who smells of sunflowers. That tea house I worked at was the only reason I stayed here, but it's gone now, and so I have no reason to stay. But I saw the way you fought, and, well..." She fidgeted, then spit it out.

"I was hoping you'd allow me to travel with you if I payed you back by getting you out of there. You don't own me anything, so I don't expect you to say yes, but having a samurai to travel with would be a lot safer than traveling alone." Her voice grew quiet near the end, as if she were ashamed of herself for even asking such a thing from him.

 

[Vandesdelca]

There came a sound from the other side of that shack, a rasping sound low and unfamiliar... it might have taken several long moments to realize that Jin was chuckling quietly to himself. "I appreciate the honesty," Jin said, the stiff straw crunching beneath his back as he turned over on it -- Fuu had her clothes between her and the straw, while Jin's bare back went roughshod over the straw, irritating him. But it was better than the ground, all told.

"... a samurai who smells of sunflowers. A strange request from a strange girl." A girl who would risk it all to come and save him despite having no skills, a girl who had a squirrel in her kimono, a girl with tenacity far beyond her age. Yes, she was strange... but strange wasn't bad. Of course, there was nothing wrong with that, and there was no insulting tone to his words -- merely a musing note.

"Alright. We may travel together for a time -- I must leave this place, and I have no particular destination in mind. Perhaps we could travel to Edo," Jin said. His gaze flickered elsewhere before it focused again on her voice. "... Fuu. You should keep in mind that I am a wanted man. I am capable, but you may be guilty by association." He paused for a moment, and when next he spoke, he sounded slightly disgusted. "... or they will think you my hostage." It was a reasonable enough thought, after all.

"Only keep that in mind," Jin said softly.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu stiffened a little when she heard the sound, her eyes flickering in the direction it was coming from; towards where Jin laid. Was he okay? She assumed, for a moment, that he was in pain, but after leaning forward and hearing the sound better, she recognized it as him chuckling. She frowned a little then. Surely, he was laughing at the idea of dragging some GIRL around with him. She closed her eyes then and sank into the hay, waiting for him to break it to her that he wasn't interested, but it never came. Surprisingly, he just told her that he appreciated the honesty, and mentioned how odd of a request it was.

"H-hey! I'm not strange!" She sat up, peering at him through the dark with a childish expression on her face. Then she folded her arms over her chest, nearly squishing poor Momo. "I just get sucked into weird circumstances all the time." Was her defence, though really, she was extremely relieved to hear that there was no anger in his tone. He was clearly not meaning to come off as insulting, he was just being... playful? She didn't this this guy had any mode other than 'super serious', so hearing him teasing her actually made her smile to herself.

That smile didn't compare to the full-blown grin that blasted across her face when he told her she could travel with him. She nearly jumped to her feet when she heard him say it, her hands balling into excited fists and her eyes lighting up though he could not see it.

"Really?!" She chimed, her excitement evident through her upbeat tone. Like a child whom had just been told they could have as many toys and candy from the store that they wanted. His next statement wasn't enough to deter her now ecstatic state of mind. Through the darkness, she shrugged and smirked, plopping happily back down onto the hay as if it were made of clouds.

"Don't forget that I helped you break out. I had to kick a bald guard where the sun don't shine to get that key, you know! I'm probably a pretty wanted criminal, too, now!" She boasted, wanting to make light of the situation. She knew that it was serious, but she didn't care about any of that. As long as he was willing to help her, she'd take as many risks and chances as she had to.

 

[Vandesdelca]

"Nevertheless," Jin said with the tone of a man who didn't believe her protestations, though that tone was level and serious once more the next time he spoke. "Keep it down -- we should remain cautious," he said. He imagined the guards were far off of their trail, but they needed to remain safe at any cost. He couldn't protect them properly right then. Jin groaned to himself as he turned over in the straw. It was an exercise in futility in actually getting comfortable on the stale, crunchy hay.

He was almost surprised to hear that she had assaulted a guard, but he supposed he should not have been. It brought the thinnest of smiles to his lips. "... mm. Perhaps. Regardless, while they may look for you, they will look for me." There was a moment of silence, Jin sighing as he turned once more over the hay. "... get some sleep. We will want to move early tomorrow. Additionally, I would like to get some clothing," he said. Traveling half-naked across the country side with a young girl would look... mildly suspect. But such was the situation they found themselves in just then.

And then the elder samurai fell quiet but for the crunching of some straw, finally coming to a rest. There were no dreams nor sound as the samurai slept the sleep of the dead.

 

[Kitty]

"Oh, right.." Fuu whispered when he reminded her to keep it down, settling slowly back down into the hay as he took on his serious tone once more. She wasn't too worried about being discovered tonight. Yes, Jin would be a very wanted man after decapitating the son of the governor, but he wasn't the ONLY wanted person in town. Not all of the guards would be looking for him, and they surely wouldn't be looking so far out of town. Plus, the barn wasn't very well known about. Fuu only knew about it because she had slept in it before when she first arrived in the town and had nowhere to go.

Still, she knew it probably WAS best to keep it down. Besides, he was probably ready to sleep.

"Alright... goodnight, Jin." She murmured, her voice still consumed with excitement even though she was whispering. She then roled over as well, facing him in the dark as she closed her eyes as well. Alternatively, she wasn't as tired as him. She hadn't been tortured nor had she fought anyone. So her mind was racing, her excitement turning into worry. What if she woke up and he was gone? He didn't seem like the type of guy who would go back on his word, but the worry was still there. Fuu wasn't scared to be alone, she was used to it really. But... she really was hoping that when she woke up, he'd be there.

She was tired of being all alone.

After a while, Fuu also fell asleep, her petite figure curled up into a ball with her arm under her head to protect her face from the hay and with Momo nestled warmly inside of her top.

Fuu woke the next morning with a start. Gasping to herself, she jerked upright, eyes wide and sweat drenching her face and body. Quickly, she glanced over and noticed that Jin was there, still asleep. Or at least she ASSUMED he was asleep. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, Fuu stood up as quietly as the crunch hay would allow, squeezing outside to breath a breathe of fresh morning aur.

Slumping softly against the side of the barn, Fuu rubbed her groggy eyes and looked up to the sky. the sun had yet to rise, but she could tell it would be up within an hour or two. She considering waking Jin, but he'd need as much sleep as he could get. Instead, she ambled over to the small stream running just behind the barn, taking the time to wash her face free of the sweat and wake herself up with the cold water.

She had had a very vivid nightmare, but she was already shaking it off. She was just glad to be awake, and with her samurai still with her.

 

[Vandesdelca]

Perhaps Jin was being paranoid -- but it was a sad fact of the world that just because one was paranoid... it didn't mean that everyone WASN'T out to get you. Besides -- he had more ghosts than the governor's son, his men, and the Yagyu "badasses" he had dispatched earlier that very day following him around...

Not that he was going to tell Fuu about any of that.

***

Jin's eyes opened briskly when he heard a gasp and a figure scritching around in the straw of the barn. His senses opened up, ears straining as he sought to get a handle on what it was in the darkness... but then it all came back to him, the sounds resolving themselves into the shape of one Fuu, making her way out of the barn and down to the nearby stream. Jin let loose a sigh, making to move and regretting it immediately. His muscles screamed from head to toe, a result of yesterday that was only compounded by the sleeping conditions.

He pushed it down like everything else, ordering his muscles back under control and slowly dragging himself up to his feet. He took a moment to gather his bearings, grabbing his sheathed blades and his discarded glasses, putting them in their appropriate places before the samurai made his way over to the door, slipping out and squinting at the horizon. It would be an hour before the sun peeked over the horizon, but for now blackness was giving way to indigo blues. It made him miss his shirt -- he was accutely aware that he was still bare.

He made his way around the corner of the barn and down to the winding and bubbling stream, gray eyes taking in the sight of the petite, pink Fuu, sharp sight tracing the drops of cold water down the bare expanse of her pale neck. "Trouble?" he asked -- he wondered if she had heard something he had not, or if she had merely had a nightmare. The gasp had been what had awoken him, after all.

He stooped down by her, keeping his blades teady with one hand as his other slender hand cupped some water, splashing it along his jaw and his forehead -- he was filthy and more than a little sweaty. At one point he had perhaps had a fever, broken by sleep.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu hadn't even heard Jin coming. She was still partially asleep, not really accustomed to waking up so early, though she could feel her own senses waking up as she splashed more of the cold, fresh water over her face. She jumped, however, when she heard Jin's voice from behind her, to the side of where she sat squatted by the stream. She let out a sigh, then, placing her hand over her heart, which was now beating at a thousand miles per minute as she glanced back over her shoulder and up at him.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" She groaned, her body visibly relaxing when she saw that it really was just him. She quickly noted the way he looked, though, and it was anything but good. He looked tired and pale.. paler than she assumed was usual for him, despite him being almost as white as the moon. She couldn't be certain, but his movements seemed a little stiff, almost as if it was painful to move.

"Er, no trouble, sorry if I woke you up... Maybe you should lay down for a bit longer? I could try and scavenge us some breakfast and get you a new shirt from town." She suggested, her eyes raking over his figure again, noticing the way his skin shimmering in the dull early morning light.

Thinking of breakfast made her stomach grumble a little, her head hanging low before she shook it off and stood up, straightening her clothing as she did so.

 

[Vandesdelca]

"... apologies," he said, almost sounding amused when he said it -- almost. He spooned handful after handful of cold water over his body, the chill droplets waking him up and revitalizing him some. He had to get up and keep moving... sticking around here wouldn't do much except leave him more tired, more hungry, and just as bare-skinned as he was just then. Not a good proposition to say the least.

"We should make some progress before resting. If memory serves, there is a town just to the north of here. One with natural hot springs. I would like to go there," he said. Soaking himself sounded divine just then, and he'd only end up sick if he tried it in the cold water here the way he was feeling.

"I am sure we could find some wild fruit on the way as well," Jin said, shielding his eyes as he cast them northward. "With any luck, we could arrive within the hour," he said. They were already a solid thirty minutes of walking outside the village which gave them something of a head start. Distantly, Jin hoped that the sociopath was keeping the guards busy.

"Let's go," he said -- his movements were indeed a bit stiff as he started to walk northward, apparently of the mind that ignoring his body would let him keep going for a while yet, convincing himself that a rest would be around the next bend... a method that broke down when he promised it of his body bend after bend after bend.

 

[Kitty]

"Yeah, but.." her voice trailed off as he mentioned they should make progress before resting. She wanted to argue with him. He was in no real condition to just be walking around all day, but the promise of a hot spring did sound alluring. It would do Jin a lot of good, much more than this cold stream. Plus she, too, wanted to soak in a hot spring. She wasn't beat up like him, but it had been so long sense she had been in a spring! The thought made her giddy with excitement.

"Well, okay. If you're sure you can make it." She huffed, standing as well, though she remained close behind him in case he fell. She wasn't sure what she would do if he DID fall; she'd try to catch him she guessed, but he'd just squish her what with how much bigger her was. Still... at least she'd soften his landing, right? Last thing she needed was him to become even more injured.

As they walked, Fuu was on the lookout for food. Anything edible. Momo was also on the prowl, and with a keen sense of smell, Momo soon leaped from Fuu's shoulder and into the bush. Curious, Fuu followed the small critter, and moments later returned with two handfuls of berries. She figured if Momo could eat them, they weren't poisonous.

"Here!" She chirped excitedly, offering Jin the larger handful of berries. Granted, her hands were small so the amount of berries wouldn't be nearly enough to fill either of them up, but it was better than nothing.

She downed her own portion quickly, shrugging manners aside and practically shoving the berries down her throat as the continued on their way.

"So, is the town we're headed to big?" She asked through the mouthful of sweet berries. It was her attempt to make small talk, though he didn't seem the type for idle chatter.

 

[Vandesdelca]

If nothing else, Jin seemed to be a man who was very sure of himself. In how he handled his blade, in how he moved, in how he dealt with others -- in fact, as unsteady as his steps were just then, brought on by a physical exhaustion few could hope to match, he never seemed to waver. It gave the impression of a man who would drop dead and still have his body drag along because he still had something to do.

"I'll make it," he said, his words simple but deceptively strong.

The going was slow across the dirt roads and the long and winding trails that would lead them to the northern village and its promised respite, but it was steady and constant -- inches bled into feet bled into miles, and soon they were only a short walk from the next village.

He paused only when Fuu suddenly stopped him, offering him a handful of questionable-looking berries. "... what are...?" he started, his first thought being whether or not they were poisonous. However, she seemed sure and she downed them quickl, so Jin took his share after only a moment's hesitation. He was starving after all. He sucked them down, eyes closing as tartness and sweetness bubbled and popped across his taste buds, a momentary slaking of hunger dulled the hunger.

Jin was... not a wealthy man. Even berries were something of a treat.

"It is fairly small. No governor, no guards... most would call it quaint," Jin said. It was a lovely little place for all of that, though, an idyllic backdrop for simple country farmers. "I like it," he commented idly, which was as much a ringing endorsement as one could expect from someone like him. "See for yourself," he said.

With that, it was but a scant few moments up a nearby hill to see the village. Nestled within groves of trees, the village curved around the base of what could generously be called a mountain but what most would call a rather moderately sized hill. Further down the incline, the ground leveled out into fields where the farmers could ply their trade.

 

[Kitty]

Fuu groaned and squirmed happily at how good the berries were. They were so sweet and tangy~ A taste that burst in your mouth and left you wanting more. And honestly, Fuu DID want more, but she also didn't want to slow them down any. So she settled for licking the berry juices from her fingers and trotted along beside Jin instead, humming a little tune until Jin went about answering her question. Hm... small town, no governor, and no guards? It DEFINITELY sounded like a the perfect place for them right now.

Besides, even with the obvious determination Jin had to keep himself going, Fuu knew that at least deep down, some part of Jin wanted to stop and rest. Heck, after walking as long as they had so far, Fuu wanted to stop and rest as well, and she wasn't even injured! That was probably because she wasn't so used to traveling around recently.

All of her mental complaints halted though when Jin simply told her to see for herself. Curiously looking up at the back of his head, she arched a brow and smiled, excitedly hopping back up beside him and peering down at the town. Her eyes lit up immediately, her smile widening. While it was unlikely, maybe someone had seen or heard of the man she was looking for here...? Plus, now that they were so close, that hot spring was calling out her name!

"It's perfect!" She chimed, clasping her hands together before making her way more excitedly down the hill and towards the village. It was easier to move quickly and with purpose for her when her goal was in site, opposed to walking blindly for miles upon miles and HOPING it would be nearby.

She was sure they could lay low here for a while, he could rest of and find himself something to wear and maybe she could get a job doing.. something til they left. They had to eat somehow, right?

"Sooo, where's the hot spring??" She chirped, turning to walk backwards so she was facing him as she walked.