Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Twin Souls ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

The teahouse they had found served an excellent menu, of which Mugen and Fu proceeded to order one of each item. Jin was silent for the entirety of the meal and graciously paid for the welcome silence, even if only brief enough for his companions to cram their faces full of food. He had even paid to feed Fu's wretched pet squirrel, not wanting to take the chance that Momo would make an unwelcome peep.

 

After the meal as they made their way back to their newly rented room, Jin made sure to keep at least five paces between them. He was never in the mood to share his feelings and tonight even more so. It was already troubling to him that he would be taking a woman's life in the morning, but those concerns were intensified by her revelation to him that her bid was nothing more than the price of her own suicide.

 

While Mugen and Fu were blissfully quiet to him, sounds of a distant scuffle caught Jin's attention. Instinctively, he turned, his eyes following the indications of his ears. There was a small, dimly lit alleyway not far from where he stood. Within it, he could make out the shape of a woman and about five men who were clearly harassing her. The woman was surprisingly good at outwitting them, and Jin watched as she landed a few good blows to two of the thugs, but unfortunately for her there were too many of them for her efforts to be worthwhile.

 

“Excuse me,” Jin said softly. He did not wait for a reply from his fellow travelers. Instead, he made his way to the alley. Perhaps saving a woman would help his inner battle over killing one. Within moments he was within enough range of the skirmish to make out the taunts of the attackers.

 

“C'mon sweetie. Don't tell me you spent all your dough today on that second rate samurai,” one of them chided.

 

“Hey,” another one chimed in, “if she ain't got cash, she's definitely got other things we like!”

 

They laughed and advanced on the woman, who Jin had yet to identify. Instantly and without thinking, his hand was already on the hilt of his katana. A flick of his thumb made it at the ready.

 

The end of the alley was near, and it was a dead one. The woman had no where to run. Instead, like a cornered animal, she lashed out, and Jin found himself receiving his first opponent sooner than he had anticipated as one of the gang members was kicked fiercely backward.

 

Jin drew his sword and met the drunken assailant as soon as he rose to his feet. A simple swipe was all it took to bring him to his knees and draw the attention of the four that remained.

 

“Hey buddy,” one of them growled, “best mind your own business.”

 

“You're being very disrespectful to the lady,” Jin said flatly.

 

“Yeah, and who gives a shit?” he spat back.

 

“I do!”

 

Jin was momentarily surprised by the familiar lilt to the voice that rang out from behind the gang. It was noneother than Venom herself. How she had managed to find this sort of trouble he was not sure, but his eyes widened further as he beheld the sight of the beautiful woman literally taking flight above the gang members that remained. She planted a heel squarely into the obstinate one's head, sending him quickly to the ground with a mouth full of gravel.

 

The other three members wasted no time in charging forward, and Jin quickly discovered his back was firmly against Venom's as they squared off against them. He noticed that she was mirroring his movements as to not let a single opening become apparent. Thirty seconds and three moves each was all it took to bring the gang to a point of begging for their lives. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. Venom produced a small blade from her robes and dispatched all three in one swift stroke.

 

“Thank you, they were a bit overwhelming,” she said, holstering her blade.

 

“Thanks are unnecessary,” Jin replied, also sheathing his weapon.

 

“No, really,” she insisted. “If you hadn't come along, there's a good chance you would've been stood up in the arena tomorrow.”

 

Jin contemplated her statement. “I doubt it,” he said calmly, with the hint of a smile. “They were drunk, and you're an exceptional fighter.”

 

Venom giggled. “Maybe so,” she said. “Thank you again, though.”

 

She walked past him towards the entrance of the alley. As she passed he caught her faint scent, and it was as exotic as she was.

 

“Can I escort you to wherever it is you're going?” he asked hesitantly. “I wouldn't want for any more misfortune to cross your path this evening.”

 

“That's very kind of you,” she said taking a brief pause in her step. “But my inn is not far from here. I'm sure I'll be fine.”

 

“This town, from what I've seen of it, is not safe for any woman with an appearance such as yours,” Jin said firmly. “Please reconsider.”

 

Venom stopped and turned her head over her shoulder as she did at the gambling house. This time, though, her eyes met with his.

 

“If you insist,” she conceded. “I must admit, though, you are a strange one. We're supposed to fight to the death in twelve hours or so.”

 

“You needn't remind me,” Jin sighed. He began to walk next to Venom as she led the way towards her destination.

 

After several moments of silence he finally asked her. “Why is it that you're doing this?”

 

“I thought I answered that question earlier,” she said with a hint of tension in her voice, not intrigued with the idea of rehashing the conversation.

 

“You answered it regarding our duel tomorrow,” Jin said. “But why do you enter these fights on a regular basis?”

 

Venom sighed heavily. “It's the only way I know to make money,” she said solemnly. “You see, my family was killed when I was a very young girl. Before I knew it, I had to survive on my own, and I learned the hard way that I had to be tough if I was going to make it. So I studied every samurai, every ninja, every hired assassin, that crossed paths with me, even if from a distance.

 

“And then womanhood happened,” she continued with a laugh. “I began to attract the kind of attention I didn't find desirable. Not to mention that it costs more to feed and house a woman than it does a young girl. And the options for finding work when you're an orphan vagrant are slim and none, even more so for a woman with looks such as mine. It was either work as a prostitute in a brothel or do this. I chose this.”

 

She slowed her pace, reaching a narrow doorway on the side of a small inn.

 

“This is where I'm staying,” she said softly, indicating that their discussion of her past was over.

 

“You do realize,” Jin said, discontent with her abrupt halt. “this is no better than being a prostitute. The gambling ring is just as contemptible.”

 

“So why are you doing it, then?” she asked harshly, leveling her gaze upon him.

 

“My traveling companions asked me to enter because we, too, are in need of money. I am, to be honest, very ashamed to be a participant, but do it anyway for their well-being.”

 

Venom smiled. “You really are an honorable man, aren't you?”

 

Jin, for the first time, found himself avoiding her enthralling stare. He did not consider what he was to partake in the next morning honorable by any definition.

 

“Listen,” she said softly, “it's late and I hate the thought of you trying to find your way back by yourself. As you said, these streets aren't safe. Why don't you use my inn's bathhouse and I'll pour us some sake. You can stay here until morning.”

 

He wasn't sure what her invitation meant. Jin returned his eyes to hers, twinkling with puzzlement. She laughed in response.

 

“No, no, it's nothing like that,” she said. “But it's rare that a man actually takes the time to pay attention to anything other than my figure. And I could use the company.”

 

“Very well,” he said, realizing that he was through with trying to understand her motives. He was exhausted and the thought of a hot bath and a long drink was more than he could refuse.