-Beneath the Water of the River-
Mugen kicked open the shoji screen with his usual vigor, strutted into the room, and dumped a handful of coins in front of Fuu, who had been petting Momo. Startled, the squirrel chattered at Mugen indignantly and disappeared up one of Fuu's sleeves.
"Hey!" exclaimed Fuu. She glared up at Mugen from her place on the floor, but her reproaches disappeared. "Why are you carrying a rock?"
"It's not a rock," said Mugen. "It's a stone."
His coat was slung over his arm, and in one hand he was holding a flat, smooth stone that was a deep bluish gray.
"And… why do you have a stone?" asked Fuu.
"I needed some water so I went to the river to get a drink and I found it."
"But why do you have a stone?"
Mugen seemed to really look at the rock in his hand for the first time. "Because it's cool."
"It's rock, Mugen."
Jin, sitting across the room, opened one eye curiously.
"It's not just a rock," insisted Mugen. "It's completely smooth, and it's blue."
"I've seen rocks like that before," said Fuu dismissively.
"Actually, I sort of noticed it's the same color as his kimono," said Mugen to Fuu, gesturing towards Jin. "So, that's what I was thinking of, I guess. Check it out." He tossed it to Jin, who caught it in his left hand. He held up an arm, and then held the rock against hi sleeve.
"What do you know. It is the same color," he said.
"Y'know, it's kinda flat. I bet I could skip it across a river," said Fuu.
"You're not skipping it!"
"Mugen, come on, it's just a rock," she said, rolling her eyes in exasperation.
"Well… I think it's cool." Jin tossed it to Mugen. He caught it and tossed it right back. "You can have it. It doesn't match my threads," he said.
"Throw it outside, Jin," said Fuu dismissively, peering up her sleeve to search for Momo.
"It's rather enlightened of you to find beauty in something so simple," said Jin, holding the rock between his thumb and index finger and holding it up to examine it.
"Yeah… well… beautiful stuff is like that," said Mugen offhandedly. Jin looked up sharply. "I mean, simple. And natural. In rivers," said Mugen quickly. "You know, like stones. And fish and stuff."
"I swear, Mugen, listening to you is like listening to a monkey that can talk," said Fuu, rolling her eyes.
"Shut up."
"Jin, get rid of that rock."
"It's not a rock! It's a stone!"
"Whatever," said Fuu, digging in the shoulder of her kimono for Momo. She was so concentrated on finding her squirrel that she didn't notice Jin slipping the stone into his obi.