human
"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.
gpt
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'spathetic," 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.
human
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 cutyouup!" 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.
gpt
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.
human
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.
gpt
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.
human
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.
gpt
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.
human
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.
gpt
"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.
human
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.
gpt
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.
human
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."
gpt
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,verylucky.
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.
human
Fuu was incredibly relieved that they made it- no, she was relievedhemade 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, youdidsave 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.
gpt
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.
human
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.
gpt
"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, theywilllook 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.
human
"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.
gpt
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.
human
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.
gpt
"... 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.
human
"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 springdidsound 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.
gpt
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 wasstarvingafter 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.
human
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..somethingtil 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.
gpt
Jin followed Fuu slowly down the side of the hill, his steps quickening down the slope until he hit the bottom at a light job. Well, that was quite enough exercise for the day... He needed food, rest, and a nice hot bath -- it would slake most of the pain, he hoped. This would be an ideal place to lay low until the chaos back down south calmed down a little. They'd send word ahead, though, and they'd have to be careful about guards in the big cities... Edo would be a pain. Maybe they'd be better off circling back toward Nagasaki...
"This way," Jin said simply, keeping his pace level as he walked along both behind her and in front of her given that she was walking backwards. He overtook her in time and led her along the winding trail to the end of the village, off the beaten path and through a thicket of bamboo around the side of the would-be mountain. Steam started to fill the air, rocks providing a natural ring around the hot springs that soon became apparent as they wound their way around the bend.
"Here we are," Jin said softly, eyes hungrily drinking in the expanse of hot water. It would do a body good to sit there for a time, resting weary bones. "We can rest here," Jin said, reaching into his hakama pants and withdrawing the small bag he'd managed to keep hidden, filled with the coins he'd obtained when he'd saved that man from the Yagyu -- the guards had been interested in hurting Jin, after all, not stripping him of what little else he'd had. "... I still have a bit of money. In a bit, I'd like you to head into town to get me some clothes and food." After that... they'd be on their own and have to get money from odd jobs.
Such was life, he supposed.
human
Nothing could fully explain how excited Fuu felt when they rounded the bend and were soon staring down the large natural hot spring. Her eyes went wide and she took an excited step forward, wanting nothing more than to just jump in, clothes and all! She refrained, of course, and instead turned her excited gaze to Jin. She couldn't really seen any excitement in that stoic gaze of his, but she was willing to bet he was just as glad to be here as her, if not more so.
However... her stomach was growling again, and she was stuck with a choice. Throw her hunger to the wind and take a long, hot bath, or go and get what they needed then come back and relax for the rest of the day.
"Mmm..." She looked truly conflicted at this decision, but ultimately decided the latter sounded more appealing.
"Okay..! You get settled in then, and I'll be back!" As she spoke she took the small coin purse he was offering to her and left, a longing look coming over her as she cast the spring one last glance before turning and following the trail back out until she was in the small village. She didn't know her way around, but after asking where she could get some clothing, she soon found a small stand selling shirts for both men and women. While some of the women's clothing did strike her eye, she reminded herself she was here for Jin and ended up purchasing a deep blue top that very much resembled his old attire. After all, the only other optioned were red or brown, and neither of those colors seemed to suit the stoic samurai as well.
The shirt was wrapped in paper and then she was off. There wasn't much left after buying the shirt, though, and she knew that it would be smart to save what little money was left. So, stuffing the coin purse into her top, she took on a determined look and headed for food stand after food stand, using her 'girlish charm' to strike enough pity from the stand owners to soon have enough food for herself and Jin to eat their full. After all, very few of the stand owners were able to resist helping such a starving, cute girl!
The haggling took longer than she had expected, though, and she returned to the spring over an hour later. She came bearing his shirt and a basket full of dumplings, fish, and fruits, though! Plus one of the men was nice enough to giver her a medium sized bottle of sake. She wasn't a drinker, buuut she figured Jin might want some. Maybe she'd even try a sip?
"Jiiin~" She called out, her voice light and playful as she came pushing through the bamboo, one hand over her eyes and the other holding the goods in case he was, well, naked. This was a hot spring after all.
"You decent?" She asked, stumbling over a few rocks but catching herself as she made her way towards the spring, peeking barely between her fingers just so she could see vaguely where she was going.
gpt
Jin sucked in a deep breath as Fuu agreed to fetch their supplies -- he was trying not to show it, but he was near the limit of his endurance. He could have taken the smoke inhalation, he could have taken the torture, he could have taken the starving or the long walk between villages... but one right after another with nothing but fevered, fitful rest in the interim? It had pushed him further than he'd been pushed before. The fact that his life had previously been relatively cushy in a dojo didn't prepare himself for all of this.
But he never showed it, and even as she disappeared into the thicket, Jin calmly and steadily removed his attire, ending with his glasses folded neatly on his pants. His frame was thin, perhaps just slightly underfed, and slowly Jin settled down into the water. He did not hiss nor even grit his teeth, simply letting the hot water wash over him and seep into every inch of his body. Ahhh... it would only have been better had he a cup of tea and a bowl of scallion and tofu miso soup... His stomach growled, and he sighed to himself.
"What have you gotten yourself into," he murmured aloud to himself, his arms spreading across the back of the rocks as he allowed himself a brief moment to relax.
At some point, the samurai awoke -- twenty, thirty, forty minutes, Jin could not be sure for how long he had slept. But Fuu was not back yet, so it couldn't have been too long. He pulled himself out of the water, feeling momentarily refreshed, and went searching for his pants. Which was right about when he heard his name being called. His heart skipped a beat and he pulled his pants over himself just when her head poked out of the bamboo, hiding her eyes. Well, that was fortuitous.
"One moment," Jin said, pulling his pants on as she drew nearer. "Alright," he confirmed, his gray eyes flashing down to the supplies -- a shirt, dumplings, fish, and fruit. Andsake. Well then. "... you managed to buy all of that?" he asked, reaching back to tie his hair back once more, wet and limp across his bare back as it was just then.
human
Fuu kept her hand firmly over her eyes until he confirmed that it was safe for her to look, at which point she reluctantly removed her hand from her squinted eyes. As if she were scared he maybe wasn't REALLY dressed for some reason. Once she saw he was in his pants, though, she let out a relieved sigh and plopped down beside the hot spring, eying it from the corner of her vision, wanting badly to strip and hop in, but... well.. she realized that it was just one large spring, and there was really nowhere for her to hide herself from his view.
She tore her mind off of that though when she heard Jin's question, her gaze snapping over to him as a mischievous smile slowly played across her lips. "Nope~ I only bought the shirt." She smirked, offering him said shirt before reaching into the folds of her own top and pulling out the small coin purse. The sound of coins dingled as she tossed the bag to Jin. It was his, after all.
"I used myfeminine charmto get the rest free. Figured we should try and save as much as possible, right? Oh, and I tried to get the shirt that looks most like the one you were wearing before.." Fuu turned to face the basket now, sliding the thing so it was in between herself and Jin before snatching a stick of dumpling and moving to kick her sandals off. She hadn't sat down sense they started to walk that morning, and her feet were killing her! So she settled for hiking up her skirt a bit and slipping her small, sore feet into the water, letting out an audible sigh of relief before taking a bite of the dumplings.
"Mmm~!" She closed her eyes as the dumpling all but melted in her mouth, her body slouching forward further as the heat radiated from her feet and throughout her body, her empty belly settling as she munched at the dumplings.
gpt
Jin caught the little bag of coins with his natural ease and slipped it away, apparently energy having worked its way back into his limbs after a short nap in the hot spring. He felt vaguely dizzy for it, but that was only to be expected and was even now clearing up in the relatively cool morning air -- it was not even noon yet, after all.
"Thank you, Fuu. This works well," Jin said as he pulled on the brand new, slightly itchy shirt. It was perhaps not as high quality as his old one, but that was just fine -- it didn't need to be. It was comfortable enough (and would become even moreso as he wore it out) and serviceable, and perhaps that was all he wanted from it. So clothed, Jin stepped closer to Fuu and settled there on the stone, legs crossed and back ramrod straight.
He did his best to ignore the implications -- purposeful or not -- of her using "feminine charms" to get their food, and was instead grateful that they actuallyhadfood. He collected some of the fish, eating a good bit of that and chasing it with dumplings and fruit before he allowed himself another moment to breathe and talk. His world was coming back to him, feeling rested, fed, and warm, and there even seemed to be a slight bit more color to his skin now that he was contented.
"Surprisingly good food," he commented idly as he reached for the small jug of sake, looking it over. Hedidenjoy a drink every now and again, though too much would put his ass rather firmly on the floor... He uncorked it, taking a cursory sniff of the rice wine.
He turned his gaze onto Fuu, presenting the jug to her. "Would you care for some, Fuu?" he asked. He wondered if she had ever had sake before -- he somewhat doubted it, and there was quite a bit too much there for just him to drink.
human
"You're welcome.." She murmured, feeling weird saying that when she knew she still should be thanking HIM instead. After all, deep down, she felt as though all of this was her fault. If she had just been more careful at the tea house and not spilled all over the governor's son, well, Jin wouldn't have had to have interfered. He wouldn't have been arrested or tortured, and he'd probably be a lot happier right now. She did her best to shake the thought from her mind, though, instead thinking of why she was here, and pouting a little when she realized she had forgotten to ask anyone in town if they had heard of the man she was looking for.
She considered getting up and going back into town to do just that, but she was quite comfortable right here where she was.
As they ate, Fuu was guilty of stealing small, curious glances over at him. He certainly appeared to be in better health now. His skin was less grey, and he seemed to have more strength. Not that he had allowed himself to look particularly weak in the first place, but he just seemed to have a healthier vibe to him now.
She nodded at his comment on the food, opening her mouth to talk only for her train of thought to fade as he offered her the sake.
It was true that she had never had any before. She gave it a curious glance, looking uncertain. She WAS thirty after all those dumplings, though, so maybe she'd just drink enough to wash it down.
"Weelll... okay, thanks," She accepted the jug, bringing it to her nose to sniff as well only to wince a little at the burning scent. It didn't SMELL amazing, but she shrugged and titled her head back, taking a rather large swig, as if she were drinking water. Only the burning sensation of the alcohol going through her made her quickly realize it was nothing like water, and with a grimace, she quickly shoved the container back into Jin's hands and stuck out her tongue, her nose scrunched up in obvious distaste.
"Yuck!" Fuu immediately wished she had managed to get some water instead, the burning sensation landing in the pit of her stomach, the warmth instantly spreading. Really, the warmth wasn't bad. It was the dry taste that got her disapproval; a taste most liked. What she DIDN'T know was that she was supposed to SIP the stuff, not take a swig like she had done.
gpt
Jin had the good grace to actually outrightwincewhen she tipped the entire jug back, taking a hearty swig of something that was traditionally served in a cup that would only hold about one and a half ounces of the drink. Her reaction was expected, and Jin took the jug back from her with a small chuckle -- perhaps the first time she had heard such from him. He settled the jug down on the ground, favoring Fuu with a thin smile.
"You are supposed to sip," Jin advised mildly, picking up the jug once more as if to demonstrate to her. He took a brief sip of the rice wine, though it was not long before he took a second sip. It was not particularlygoodsake, but he had had occasion to try particularly good types in the past. They were rare occasions, true, but it was the kind of flavor and texture that stayed with you for quite a while...
However, it was still not bad and he was grateful to have the alcohol. He had had a hard couple of days, after all, and it did much to soothe that, mixed with the healing effects of the hot spring. Yes, things were indeed starting to look up.
The warmth likewise settled into the pit of his own stomach, a welcome heat that nestled into his body and started to spread. Yes, after a meal, a nap, and a drink he was starting to feel like a new man.
human
Of all times to chuckle, and even SMILE, this had to be it! She pouted a little, again sticking her tongue out at the lingering taste left on her tongue as Jin went about nonchalantly telling her she was supposed to sip. "Jeez, thanks for telling me sooner!" She watched him take sips from the jug, as if showing her how it was done, but she was done with the stuff.
Huffing, she stood to go and sit elsewhere, but that was a mistake It seemed that standing so suddenly only helped quicken the alcohol affecting her brain, and before she knew it, she was landing flat on her butt, her head feeling light and airy, her vision a tad blurred as she sat there, looking a bit surprised for a moment as she stared at Jin. Only she wasn't really looking at him; she was focused on the fact that he was doubled now, making her giggle a little to herself as a strange feeling overcame her.
It was like all her senses were numbing, and the disgusting taste on her tongue was beginning to simply go unnoticed.
"Wooow!" She chimed, her face already a light shade of pink. "Th-.. that stuff's kinda strong.." That, and she had no tolerance for alcohol it seemed.
gpt
"I had hoped you knew," Jin said with an uncharacteristically light note to his voice. He supposed that living and working in a rural tea house might limit one's knowledge to certain parts of culture... the proper consumption of sake was perhaps one of those things. Then again, this was hardly proper without an ochoko at the very least. But it would do. He set down the jug just as he saw her standing quickly, and he was yet lucid enough to move quickly.
He reached over swiftly, taking a knee as he kept her from possibly smashing her drunk head to the ground, slowly letting her go a moment later as he sat back, his head swimming just slightly. "It is," Jin agreed as he took another sip of the sake. Warmth flourished and blossomed and worked its way throughout his entire body. He did not have the flush in his cheeks that she did (yet), but a faint shadow passed over his eyes.
Jin was not such a heavyweight either, and perhaps it was a poor idea to be drinking when they had enemies not so far behind them. But that was forgotten as a thick cotton blanket of inebriation gently folded Jin and Fuu up. He let out a deep breath, leaning back as the alcohol coursed through his veins. Bliss.
human
Perhaps it was shameful that it wasn't even noon and the pair were already getting drunk, but considering the night they had had, it was doubtful that many would judge them for wanting to kick back and relax.
Speaking of relaxing, Fuu again found her eyes focused on the steaming hot spring water, the desire to just hop in feeling stronger than ever before. In that moment, she kind of forgot that Jin was sitting right there. Or maybe the part of her that would have been embarrassed at the thought was currently drowned out by the alcohol? Either way, Fuu found herself grinning from ear to ear, staggering yet again to her feet and taking a wobbly step towards the spring, giggling to herself when she almost fell right over but managed to balance herself out.
"It looks s-soo relaxing.." She sighed, sounding like just standing so close to the spring with the steam kissing her skin was enough to sooth her small body.
But she was soon doing more than just standing there. With her sandals already off, she began to disrobe, even humming playfully as she untied the sash around her waist and shrugging the pink cloth off, revealing her body to the man sitting almost DIRECTLY behind her.
Even clothed, it had been obvious she was petite, but with the layers of clothing off it was clear just HOW petite she was. Everything about her was slender, her legs and rear thin but tight, with a definitely gap between her dainty thighs. She even went as far as to let her hair down, the honey brown hair falling over the back of her thin neck and hanging just over her shoulders.
Inching forward a bit more, she began to move into the hot water, lowering herself slowly, gasping a little at the heat as it overcame her. It was pleasant, though, and soon she was sitting in the water, which went up to her shoulders.
gpt
Jin sat in repose for long moments, merely letting the feeling of drunkenness wash over him. his hands leveled out against the ground as he leaned back, taking in the warmth of the early day sun, the light breeze that swept his hair just slightly, the way the leaves rustled oh-so-faintly in the distance. It was a heavenly place to be, as calm and serene as any vaunted holy land.
All serenity was blown away like leaves in a windstorm as he heard the very faint rustling of fabric by the spring, of that young lady up and disrobing in front of him. He sucked in a deep breath, the barest hiss when he saw her bare her slender shoulders and back to him, the samurai sitting up more abruptly as he watched the robe slither to the ground. His eyes raked down appreciatively across her back to her tight rear end, down her delicate legs -- another man might have found her thin and gangly, but Jin...
He cleared his throat, as if to get her to listen, but that quiet sound di hardly anything in comparison to the water that sloshed about as she ducked down into it. Jin took a small swig of the sake -- hardly proper etiquette, but that could be addressed by more sober minds, and slowly he stood. His footing was steady despite the fact that his head swam. As much as it did not belabor his stance just then, it certainly affected his hands and his judgement, slender hands undoing the tie on his shirt before going down to his pants.
His more rational mind thrown into a stupor, Jin disrobed entirely. There was not even the tiniest scrap of fat upon his body, the samurai thrown into a sharp relief of thin lines and harsh angles. He was lean and sharp, with just the slightest curve in the way he stood... one might have thought him the very human embodiment of a katana in that, which seemed horribly appropriate. His body rippling with velvety muscle, athletic but more wire than width, Jin made his way over to the side of the spring and slowly sank into it beside Fuu.
"Ahh~," Jin whispered, taking in the heat as he submerged himself fot the second time that day.
human
Fuu relaxed completely against the smooth stones that made up the back of the spring, her head lulled back over the edge and her eyes closed as her face became more red and warm. She felt as though she could fall asleep there, her body melting as if she were butter on a heated pan. She snapped back to consciousness when she heard the sloshing of the water beside her, her eyes flickering open and glancing to the side to spot non other than the stoic samurai now sitting in the water beside her, no doubt butt naked.
While normally she'd squeak in horror at the fact that she was no sitting naked next to an equally naked man, her mind was not functioning as it normally would, and so instead of squealing and covering her eyes Fuu found herself scooting over to Jin and smirking somewhat drunkenly, her slender arm wrapping around his own thicker arm with a small giggle from girl. For a moment, she simply admired how strong his arm felt. It was hard with muscle, though not bulky. Her hands rubbed up and down his arm, which was now pinned between her hands and her naked side.
"Mm~ Wow, yo--you know," She hiccuped a little mid sentence, making her giggle. "You're pretty good l-.. looking!"
Along with the numbness in her mind and the relaxing heat that soaked her body, she was aware of a DIFFERENT kind of heat building inside of her as her hands stroked his arm, but soon slid up to his shoulder, admiring his seemingly perfect body. Again, something she'd be too scared to do if common sense was working for her right now.
gpt
Jin may have been a stoic soul -- the type of man who never truly revealed what he was thinking... but it was also true that he was aman. He wasn't some predatory horndog, but he certainly appreciated the softness of the female body, and had paid for the pleasure on more than one occasion -- a contributor to his typical lack of funds. Such was all well and good in Japan, after all.
His eyes flicked down to Fuu, gunmetal gray gaze slowly dragging along the paleness of her shoulders, down to where her more womanly assets were lost in the steam and the water. he leaned over just slightly as she suddenly pulled close to him, her slender arms wrapped tightly around his own, corded with thin but very powerful muscle. "You're very pretty, Fuu," Jin murmured softly, his tone more even but just ever-so-slightly slurred.
The arm she was wrapped around suddenly shifted, moving to wrap around her slender waist, forcing her body to turn more towards his own as his hand -- smooth in places, firmly calloused in others -- slowly slid up the long, smooth expanse of her back. He shuddered ever so slightly, something stirring beneath the water as her body tantalized his own, his shaft growing rigid in the hot water.
human
A genuine blush deepened over Fuu's face when Jin told her she was pretty. Maybe she was more on the tipsy side, but she was still new to this whole situation. Plus, any girl liked to hear she was pretty, especially given the situation. Thought it might have been more meaningful if they hadn't been drinking, Fuu wasn't thinking about that. Instead, she was focused on him. The way he turned her to face him, with his other hand slowly gliding up her soft, warm back. She giggled a little at the way his calloused fingers seemed to tickle her, instinctively moving closer to him with her nude body now pressed against his side and her arms sliding down from his shoulders.
One hand slid down his own strong, smooth back while the other sensually slipped down his front. Her movements were rather clumsy, even more so than if she wasn't drunk, but what was the fun in perfection anyways?
Her hand slid down his strong chest, over the faint abs, and further under the water, her doe brown eyes watching as her hand disappeared. Suddenly, her hand struck something, and after curiously rubbing her hand over it, she recognized it to be his growing erection.
She jumped a little when she realized what she had her hand on, gasping softly and drawing her hand back as her eyes quickly looked up at him, as if asking him if this was okay with her expression alone. Touching him in such a place seemed to sober her up a tiny bit, but not enough to make her want to stop. In fact, she found herself nibbling curiously at her bottom lip, her own body beginning to ache for attention as well now that she knew he was becoming aroused.
gpt
Jin's breathing grew slightly shallower, sallow cheeks gaining a slight tinge of red. From inebriation, from the heat of the springs, or from the way Fuu pressed herself against him just then, it would have been impossible to tell. He glanced down between them, feeling her soft, fairly small breasts pressing against the side of his body. His gray eyes raked over her openly, down her flat stomach before it all disappeared under the foggy hot spring water.
"Ngh," he muttered under his breath as he felt her hand touch upon his erection, long and thick enough to just slightly poke out of the water from the way he sat there. His eyes met hers, and in that moment he nodded very briefly, as if to give her permission to do whatever she liked with him.
His own hand slid alongside one of her sides, sliding upward to gently take one of her breasts in hand, the soft flesh filling his palm as he gave her a slight squeeze. His fingers came together, tugging just slightly on her rosy nipple before his other hand slid around. She was a slender lady, and his arm was long, allowing his arm to slide around her entirely and bring his willowy hand down under the water, between her legs.
It was a gentle, almost featherlight touch as his calloused fingertip pressed against her feminine bud, gently probing her womanhood...
human
The look and the nod he gave her was enough to tell her everything she needed to know; she could do what she wanted with him. So, glancing back down to his lap where his cock head could be seen poking out of the water, her small hand reached down. It slid down his abdomen and to his erection, this time her fingers grazing more boldly against the rigid skin.
She felt his hand pawing at her breast, then, making her body shiver and earning a small mewl from the virgin, who had never before been touched in such a way. Just then, those gentle fingers of hers wrapped around the base of his erection, with Fuu groaning a little under her breath when she realized just how girthy his cock was.
She remained sitting up on her knees beside him in the water as she experimented, making it easier for him to reach around her, trapping her in his arms as her reached behind and beneath her. His fingers were so long, stretching easily between her slender thighs and tickling up against her womanhood. She gasped then, eyes widening a little and hand twitching around the base of his shaft.
Of course, she didn't want to stop. That was the last thing on her mind as she glanced up into those steely eyes of his, her breath coming out a bit ragged now and her face flustered.
She didn't say a word, instead acting on instinct as her hand began to slowly pump his rigid erection, her hips hesitantly pressing down against his fingers, but just enough for him to get a mere lick of his tight her body was, her lower lips alone hugging his fingertips snugly.
gpt
Jin leaned back against the edge of the hot spring, digging into the stones there as his eyes fluttered closed. Then there was just sensation, filtered and magnified by the drink... There was the soft touch of her hand 'round the base of his shaft, constricting, squeezing, sliding so smoothly around his cock... Jin let out a low groan, a bare exhalation of pleasure as she stroked him.
His long fingers plunged deeper, feeling her warm walls wrap tight around his probing digits, two fingers gently spreading her as they slid further into her inviting body. The rest of his hand pressed firmly against her left thigh, fingers starting to properly piston in and out of her, testing her, stretching her, preparing her for what was to come in the following minutes...
Jin's eyes slowl opened once more, his body pressing to hers as he slowly moved them around, pushing her back against the edge of the hot spring and changing places entirely with her. His lips suddenly pressed to hrs, the kiss clumsy but impassioned as his tongue slid into her mouth. He had scarcely known the pleasures of a woman, and something about all of this... be it the alcohol or her body... was simply driving the samurai wild.
His hips flexed, driving his cock into her hand as he begged for her to sate him the way he tried to sate her, his calloused thumb coming around to try and find her clit, rubbing into her lips as he sought to elicit the same sort of groan from her as she had from him.
human
Fuu cringed a little at first when his fingers finally penetrated her, her pussy tight and throbbing around his two digits as he pressed them deep into her virgin cunt. She let out a small, hardly audible whimper, her hand twitching around his cock as she adjusted to the intrusion. Tipsy as she was, she could feel every bit of what he was doing to her, and while it was a foreign feeling to her, she had to admit that she liked the way his fingers stroked her inner walls. And his fingers were so long, reaching far into her each time he polling his hand up against her, earning a visible shutter from her.
Before she knew it, though, he had repositioned them. She found herself sitting on her butt with her back now to the wall, with him looming over her, fingers really digging into her now and his hips grinding lustfully against her hand. She arched her neck back to look up at him, lips parting to let out a small, pleasured whimper at the way he was fingering her just as he leaned down and pressed his lips to her own.
Being her first kiss AND with how she too was drunk, the kiss was sloppy and clumsy from both ends, but in the moment it felt very passionate. She lifted her free hand to loop around the back of his neck, pulling him down closer to her so she could better return to kiss, enjoying the taste of sake from his lips and tongue far more than she had from the jug.
And that's when she felt it. His thumb, calloused and rough, pressed up between her pussy lips and ground against her clit. Her body jolted a little when he did so, her legs opening wider as she broke the kiss to let out a small, airy moan. In response, she began to stroke his cock a bit faster, from tip to base each time, her thumb stroking the tip of his cock each time her hand reached his head.
gpt
Jin's breathing hitched in his throat as his fingers plumbed her depths, sliding into her warm, tight pussy and testing her -- preparing her, perhaps, for what was surely to come next... His lips pressed firmly against hers, his kiss as sloppy and passionate as hers was just then, though perhaps he was more sure of himself than she was, and perhaps he was a little more experienced... He pressed himself close, the harsh lines of his pale body pressing hard against the gentle curves and smooth skin that made up Fuu's delectable form.
"Ngh... very good," Jin whispered as her hand stroked his cock incessantly, his thumb doubling down upon her little clit, eyes glinting as he slowly withdrew his questing fingers from her soaking snatch. He pressed her firmly against the side of hte hot spring, his arms coming up beneath her legs and lifting her into the air, settling her on the edge of the hot tub before he leaned over her form. There was the smallest smile upon his thin lips as he leaned over her, settling the thickness of his shaft brush aainst her lower lips.
There was no asking if she was ready, at least not vocally -- he gribbed the base of his cock, bringing it back so as to rub the head of his shaft against her opening, begging entrance...
human
Fuu released his cock the moment he took his fingers out of her and lifted her to sit on the ledge of the hot spring. Her wide, brown eyes stared warmly up at him as he moved now so he was between her legs, her breath coming out in short, sharp pants at this point. They both knew what was to come, but the small smile Jin wore was enough to comfort Fuu into knowing she wanted this. She had to loose her virginity at some point, so, instead of LOSING it, why not GIVE it to the man whom had saved her life? Plus, he was extremely attractive, even if he was reserved and calculating.
So, when she felt his head rubbing against her lower lips, she didn't feel panic like she thought she would. She felt, instead, a strange eagerness. Her breathing quivered and she scooted herself a little closer to him, lifting her legs to wrap them around his thin waist to both bring them closer and ensure that she wouldn't fall.
Her actions caused his head to press a bit firmly against her entrance, her brow furrowing a bit and lips parting to make way for a gasp at just how thick he was compared to hos tight she herself was. Thanks to his fingers loosening her up a bit and making her nice and wet, his head did slowly sink a half inch or so inside of her, causing her body to tense and her cunt to clench around him like a vice.