5/10/10

Episode 25: Interstitial Interchange (Part 5)

"We just need to buy any one of them, right?" asked Mugen as Jin caught up with him inside. Mugen had walked into the cake shop and noticed there were several different types of the same cake from which to choose; it was already giving him a headache. Jin slowed to a halt next to Mugen and eyed the prices. Squatting to look at the bottom row of cakes in the bin, Mugen gave Jin a sidelong glance, noting how long it had taken him to catch up to him inside the shop.

"Yes, but these are rather expensive," replied Jin after a quick perusal. The proprietor of the shop looked at them from across the counter, wondering if they had any real intention of buying anything. The one in the red shirt looked rather shifty to her. She waited patiently.

"How much is in her purse," asked Mugen.

As Jin reached into the purse, he felt and counted several coins and then stopped when he came across an oddly shaped object. He pulled it out. "Hn."

"What's that?" inquired Mugen, craning his neck up to see what it was that Jin had "Hn'ed" about.

Jin immediately began unfolding the tiny object he knew was a note from Fuu, folded a multitude of times. It would be like her not to let them go without parting words, Jin thought, amusedly. But he was glad of it. This way, they had not truly said goodbye yet; she had not finished talking with them. He was anxious to read her words but he was careful in unfolding the delicate paper, not wanting to rush this last connection with her. He turned and started walking outside as he continued slowly unfolding.

"Hey! Where do ya think you're goin'?" Mugen looked after Jin for a few moments before following him outside. It was as if he was in a trance the way he walked away looking intently at whatever he had found in the purse. He was unfolding something. A note? Outside of the bakery, Mugen halted next to Jin who was holding a fully opened letter. He'd had quite enough now with whatever was going on right under his nose. First the quiet conversation last night near the river, then whatever it was that kept Jin behind a few moments ago, and now this. Something was brewing and he didn't like it. Usually he didn't care about things as long as it didn't involve him directly; even then, he didn't really give a crap. But this one didn't sit right with him.

Jin was staring at the letter, not saying a word.

"What's the deal?" asked Mugen, prompting him to either read the letter or hand it over.

"It's Fuu," Jin said flatly.

Tell me something I don't know, thought Mugen. Then Jin started to read…

It would have been too hard to say goodbye, so I'm going by myself…

"Huh?" grunted Mugen, looking at Jin's face for his reaction. Of all the things, that dumb broad…

Jin continued reading…

I really enjoyed the talk we had around the campfire last night. I thought to myself, "I wish that this could go on forever." But then I got scared all of a sudden. If something happened and we were split up, then what would I do? Maybe I'd been relying on you guys too much this whole time. Would I be able to make it on my own, once this journey ended and I was on my own? I gave that a lot of thought. And that's why I'm going by myself. And one last thing…I know you said you'd put off your duel until this journey ended but I don't want you two to kill each other. The souvenir castella cakes are a farewell gift from me. Please eat these and enjoy them while reconsidering your plan. Bye, I hope we will meet again someday.

As Jin was reading the note aloud, he heard the words as if Fuu were reading it herself and her feather-light voice brushed against his mind and then finally echoed away into nothingness. He closed his eyes, folded the note neatly into fourths and tucked it carefully into his haori. Was their journey really over if she was still making requests of them? Was he against the idea of reconsidering his duel with Mugen for her sake? Was he against the notion of meeting up again? With these questions in mind, he turned around and went back inside the bakery. He could feel Mugen following closely behind him.

"You knew she was gonna do this, didn't ya?" Mugen snorted as he stopped and leaned against the doorframe of the bakery, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Hn," said Jin, barely audibly, as he picked out three pieces of the regular flavor castella cake. Three. Just in case.

"Look, I don't know who you think you're talking to but that shit don't fly with me. You think I'm stupid or somethin'?" demanded Mugen.

"No. I don't think that at all," replied Jin as he walked by Mugen on his way out, "I haven't for a while."

Mugen chased after him and, though he walked beside Jin, he made sure to get up in his face as much as he could. Nothing would give him more pleasure right now than to wipe that smug, meditative look off his face. "What's that supposed to mean, Poindexter? And what did I tell ya about turning your back to me, huh? Don't go try and change the subject either!"

Watching Mugen and Jin walk down the street was a study in juxtaposition. Jin; all minimal effort, practically gliding down the path with his eyes closed and arms tucked inside his flowing sleeves. Mugen; bobbing and weaving wildly, every gesture too imposing and close for comfort.

"What was that whole thing about last night, huh?" demanded Mugen, and off of Jin's slight twitch, "Yeah, I was awake, buddy. I didn't hear everything but I heard enough. You two decide to chat behind my back some more before you finally coming in to the cake shop just now? Have your last inside joke? Why didn't you try to stop her? You know this is a stupid mistake, right? She shouldn't go alone. Don't you think she's gonna need us to bail her out yet again? Are you going to answer me or am I gonna have to make you?"

"And which question is it that you want me to answer exactly? I've lost track."

"Oh ho, the smart ass is comin' out to play. All of them. Answer all of them. Or you think I don't deserve to know?"

"It isn't that. I don't want to speak on her behalf."

"Who the hell asked you to? Speak on your own."

"She had already made her decision last night. You heard her in her letter. She feels useless and doesn't want to continue feeling that way. She wants to do something on her own and who am I to stop her? Or you, for that matter."

"We're supposed to protect her, right? Or was this whole thing just a joke? Idiot can't walk down the street without getting snatched or taken advantage of and you think letting her go onto an island on her own to find some guy she doesn't even know is alive is going to work out all nice and pretty?"

"We have taken her as far as she is willing for us to go. For her young age, she has a remarkable sense of duty and responsibility and, as you know, stubbornness. Whether I was willing or no, do you think this could have turned out any other way? And would you dishonor her wishes now, after all this time?"

"You're talking to the wrong guy about duty and honor. Means nothing to me."

"If that were so, you wouldn't be here berating me for letting her go."

Mugen couldn't quite wrap his head around the notion and he didn't particularly want to sift through that sort of logic right now. Right now he was indignant and he liked it that way."Whatever…"

"I don't know why I have to convince you as well as Fuu."

"Convince her of what?"

"That you care."

"What? And what about you, pal? You're the one who's always talking about duty and honor. You're the one she runs behind when things get hairy. You just gonna give her up that easy?"

Jin noted that Mugen didn't really bother denying it. "I may talk about honor and duty because they are familiar concepts taught to me at a young age but Fuu lives it. She understands it. If I had her convictions, nothing would stop me either." Jin's eyes snapped open and he quickly tucked that last thought away. He did not want to think about his own futile search at this time. A warrior with no convictions…with nothing to fight for…sishio…

Jin let the dying plea fall to the ground like shaken off leaves. "I was delayed back at the bakery because I wanted her to know that I understood. She needed to know that we were okay with it."

"Do I *look* okay with it?"

"No."

"You're not okay with it either, you know. You're not fooling anybody."

"I never said I was. Merely that I understand it."

"So you care."

"That is why I let her go."

"…"

Mugen stopped and watched Jin continue to walk toward the dock. He knew Jin's eyes were set upon the island in the distance and he focused on it, too, as if they could somehow see to it that Fuu completed her journey from where they were. Once they had both reached the dock, as they expected, she was long gone. The only sound was of the water lapping onto the breach and the cry of seagulls carried in the breeze. Jin opened the wrapped castella cakes as Mugen squatted down next to him. Taking a slice, he offered the bundle to Mugen who also took one. They didn't say another word; they just slowly partook of Fuu's farewell gift with solemnity, chewing every bite as many times as they could, lingering on. Looking upon Ikitsuki Island, they began to think about Fuu's last wish for them. They were lost in that thought as they gave up their companion to the island in hopes that she truly was safe in its isolated bosom.

Jin heard the footsteps.

"Only hope can give rise to the emotion we call despair," said the stranger.