Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ A Fool's Errand ❯ The End and a New Beginning ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Samurai Champloo does not belong to me. I only write in the brilliant time period Watanabe-san has shown us to be quite interesting.

 

 

A Fool's Errand: The End and a New Beginning

 

 

 

Jin awoke, expecting to find a warm body beside his. Unfortunately, all he found was a cold floor. He reached for his glasses and sat up as he put them on. He looked around the dojo. Fuu was curled up in a ball asleep. Mugen was sprawled across the floor snoring. Kiyone, however, was nowhere to be seen. Her things were gone as well. He sighed. She had used them after all.

 

Reaching for his clothes, he found a roll of parchment on top of them. His brow furrowed in curiosity as he opened it and began to read.

 

Jin,

 

I want to apologize for leaving so abruptly, especially after what happened between us. Nagasaki isn't far from here and I should be safe to travel alone. Thank you and Fuu and Mugen for allowing me to travel with you. It has been quite a learning experience.

 

Jin, I want you to know that last night had a lot of meaning to me. I'm sure you think right now that I used you. That is so far from the truth. I have feelings for you, Jin. It hurts me so much to leave you, but I must. My father… I do not know what his reaction would be if I were to come home with a ronin.

 

I wish you luck on the remainder of your journey. Take care of Fuu. She is such a lost soul, but she is stronger than any of us. Perhaps once your journey has ended, you will come and look for me in Nagasaki. I realize that is asking a lot of you, but I would like very much to see you again.

 

Always,

Kiyone

 

His anger and disappointment would not abate, even as he read her note. It was all lies. It had to be. She'd never told them anything about herself. He tossed the note aside and began dressing.

 

His movement woke Fuu. She yawned and stretched as she sat up. "Good morning, Jin. Did you sleep well?"

 

He ignored her as he tied up his hakama and attached his swords to his waist.

 

She wondered why he was so upset. Looking around, she took note that Kiyone was not there. "Did you scare her away?" she asked quietly.

 

Jin spun towards her angrily. "Scare her? She was the one filling us with lies."

 

Fuu had found a note beside her mat and was reading it. "She never lied to us," she replied evenly. "We just never asked questions."

 

Still furious and not listening, Jin turned and stormed out of the dojo. She watched him leave with a sad look on her face. Reaching out, she picked up a pouch that had been beside the note. It was quite heavy, filled with money. Her eyes scanned the floor and she found the letter Jin had discarded. Now she knew what was wrong with him.

 

Jin had fallen in love.

 

The stomping and Jin's loud voice had awakened Mugen. He watched Jin and Fuu curiously. Putting his hands on the floor to push himself up, his hand crushed a piece of paper. He picked it up and read it.

 

Mugen,

 

You are a very worthy man and I respect you a great deal. Fuu loves you. Take care of her and Jin. They are going to need you a lot in the coming weeks.

 

Kiyone

 

Fuu loves him? Where did she get that crazy idea? There's no way that skinny little kid… He looked over at her again and saw the sadness in her eyes as she gazed out the door where Jin had gone. She wasn't a little kid anymore. She really had grown a lot since they'd been together.

 

It was then that he finally realized that Kiyone wasn't there. Now he understood what she meant in her note. He got up and moved over to stand beside Fuu, his hands buried deep in his pockets. "You okay?"

 

She looked up at him, deeply sad. "He thinks she lied. They love each other."

 

"Then why'd she leave?"

 

Fuu sighed and her shoulders sagged. "Because she loves him."

 

Mugen blinked in confusion. He'd never understood that reasoning. "I don't get it."

 

"Neither does Jin."

 

Now she was being confusing. He shook his head, giving up on understanding. He strode over to the door and stepped outside. He saw Jin in the yard doing his morning workout with more vigor than ever. Leaning against a post, he watched. "So, are you just gonna let her go?"

 

Jin continued, though his movements became stiff and jerky. He did not answer Mugen. He couldn't answer him because he wanted to chase after her, to find her and ask her to come with them. But he couldn't do that. She was the one who had abandoned them. She had abandoned him, even after everything. He'd given her his all -- body, mind and soul. And she had left him nothing but an apologetic letter.

 

"Yeah, I thought so," the other man said as he turned around. "Too bad she'll never see you again."

 

He stopped and turned to look at the pirate's back. "What do you mean by that?"

 

Mugen smirked. "She can't very well see you after I kill ya." With no pretence, he leapt, turning in the air and drawing his sword to land before the samurai.

 

Jin lifted his sword to block his attack. "Hm. That still remains to be seen." He attacked Mugen with force.

 

 

 

Fuu stepped outside a short while later to find them sitting on the ground exhausted, their backs against each other. Their swords were laying some distance away. Her brow furrowed a moment, wondering if they'd tried to kill each other again. They were both breathing, so she just shrugged. "I'm going to give Amagawa-sensei a little money. We'll leave after I get back." She walked down the steps and headed towards the Master's quarters.

 

Jin tried to move and get up, but he was exhausted. He had used most of his energy before even starting the fight with Mugen. Luckily the other man hadn't gotten enough sleep. Either that or he was taking it easy on him.

 

Mugen leaned his head back until it touched Jin's. His neck cracked spectacularly, as it always did. "Is she worth all that anger?" he asked.

 

Jin lowered his head away from Mugen's. He really didn't have an answer to the question. He was upset with himself for getting so worked up about it. But it was the first time he'd actually fallen in love. His shoulders slouched as he leaned forward.

 

"You shouldn't get all worked up over a woman," Mugen said as he pushed himself up off the ground. "It leaves you open." He held his hand down towards Jin.

 

The bespectacled man looked at the offered hand then ignored it as he wearily got to his feet. "Thank you for reminding me." He moved over to gather his sword and walked back into the dojo to collect the rest of his things.

 

 

 

 

Jin walked along an unfamiliar road alone. His job was finished. They had found the Sunflower Samurai. He and Mugen had thankfully agreed to a draw in their contest to kill each other, but only after they'd both nearly been killed protecting Fuu. Jin had ended up killing Kariya Kagetoki, the man who had been the reason he'd ended up killing his sensei, Mariya Enshirou. It should have made his heart lighter to have no more worries, but it didn't.

 

It had been almost a day since he'd turned along his own path away from Mugen and Fuu. He realized that he truly missed being with them. Fuu had turned into a brilliant young woman, who, even though she had nowhere to go, decided to go on her own. Even Mugen had changed during their journey. He seemed more responsible.

 

But they were gone, walking in different directions from the road he'd taken. He was thankful that they had been on this journey together. He had developed the first friendships he'd ever experienced. It was something that nobody could take away from him, not the Shogunate, and not even the remaining students of the Muju dojo. He was certain to run into Shogunate officials or students soon enough. The thought depressed him somewhat. He was tired and just wanted to live his life.

 

He found himself at a cross roads. The sign before him pointed one direction to Saga. The other pointed towards Nagasaki. He stared at the sign as his heart suddenly debated against his mind. The day before they parted, Fuu had given him a note Kiyone had put in the pouch of money she had left them. It was an address in Nagasaki City. She explained to him yet again just how much Kiyone loved him. It had taken him a while to realize that she was right. He had always been stubborn when it came to talking about Kiyone after her departure.

 

Fishing the paper out of his pocket, he looked down at it then back up at the sign. He turned down the road to Nagasaki and walked towards his destiny. It had been a while since she had left them. He wondered if she would even remember. Not caring one way or another, he continued on, his mind only on Kiyone.

 

Nagasaki City was huge. It took him a while to find the address, after asking countless people to direct him there. He stood outside the guarded, walled estate staring in shock. No wonder she had left. Her father was a hatamoto.

 

Member of the Shogunate or not, Jin was determined to see Kiyone. He strode up to the gates at the front of the house. "I am here to see Kiyone-san," he said authoritatively.

 

The guard looked him up and down. "Are you sure?" At Jin's nod, he sighed and opened the gate. "It's your funeral," the guard muttered as he passed.

 

Jin wondered what he meant by that, but continued up the walk to where a young lady greeted him with a deep bow. "Welcome, Samurai," she said. "Please follow me. You are expected."

 

His brow furrowed. How could Kiyone have expected him to show up? He followed her to a closed door. She opened it and he stepped inside to find a large room. At the far side from the door, Kiyone sat before an altar. She was wearing a beautiful formal kimono and her hair was piled on top of her head, falling in ringlets to her shoulders. His heart stopped when he saw her. She looked so beautiful.

 

Kiyone looked down at the small statue of Buddha in front of her. "I am so tired of these games," she whispered. "Please, if you will allow me one wish granted, let it be him." She sat and waited for the samurai to speak. It had gone this way for the past few months: a samurai would enter, tell his whole life story, say why she should marry him and then she would handily defeat him, kicking him out.

 

A heavy silence hung over the room. Kiyone grew tired of the act quickly. "By now, the others would have told me their life stories," she said with a sigh without turning. "What makes you so different?"

 

"I didn't think it was necessary."

 

She gasped and her blood froze. Her eyes snapped forward to the smiling statue and she mouthed a "thank you" to the god. Her first instinct was to turn and run to him, yet she was still. She didn't know why she couldn't move.

 

He had seen her stiffen and wondered if she had forgotten him already. There was another long silence and he realized that perhaps he had made a mistake. "I apologize for taking up your time," he said as he turned and placed his hand on the door, preparing to open it.

 

"Jin, don't go," she said desperately as she turned around. Tears filled her eyes as she saw him. He was a vision of beauty -- dressed in the same clothes she'd seen him in last, though they looked recently patched. His face was somewhat gaunt, yet his skin looked slightly sun-kissed. And his glasses -- they were gone. Her heart was pounding against her chest, wishing release.

 

He turned his head towards her and his breath caught in his throat. She looked like a porcelain doll. They stared at each other for an eternity. He finally faced her completely. "I see now why you left."

 

She bowed deeply to him. "Please forgive me. I have done nothing but think of you ever since I left."

 

"Do not bow to me," he said softly, a bit of pain in his voice. "I do not deserve it."

 

She looked up at him curiously. "Why? You deserve everything. You are an honorable man."

 

He chuckled. "It's nice to know that someone believes that."

 

A bright smile appeared on her face. "Were you able to find the Sunflower Samurai?"

 

He nodded in reply, his face becoming passive. "He was killed shortly after Fuu's arrival."

 

Her hands came to her mouth as it opened in shock. "Oh dear. How is poor Fuu?"

 

"We parted ways after Mugen and I healed." He saw the look of fear on her face, so he told her the tale of how they found the Sunflower Samurai and why he and Mugen nearly died, leaving out specific names. He didn't know if she knew Kagetoki, but he wished to be safe.

 

Her heart was pumping even harder than before when he finished his tale. The pain and agony all three of them had experienced coursed through her. She was so afraid for them, but at least they had survived. However, she was worried about Fuu. Tears pooled unshed in the corners of her eyes. She collapsed into his arms and let the torrent loose. "I'm so glad you're alive."

 

Jin wrapped his arms around her, closing his eyes and leaning his face into her hair. She smelled so wonderful.

 

She pressed her face against his shoulder. He'd been near death. She could smell it on him. A shudder went through her at the thought of him being gone. "I am sorry for ignoring you when you came in. It's been so horrible since my return. I told Father I didn't like the rulers and after he beat some sense into me, he arranged for samurai to come and try to court me."

 

She sighed, holding him tightly. "None of them were you. They were all arrogant and talked too much. I told them that if they could best me in a sword fight, I would marry them."

 

Jin let himself smile. He knew how talented she was with a sword. "And none could."

 

She nodded. "There has been only one man to beat me." She looked up into his eyes. Their faces were so close. She licked her lips as he leaned towards her.

 

The door to the room suddenly opened. "I was told a samurai was in here, yet it is quiet. Have you finally found your husband, Daughter?"

 

Kiyone pushed back from him and looked up into his eyes. He looked back with love and desire. He nodded slightly and she smiled. "Yes, Father, I have." They turned to face him.

 

Jin bowed slightly. "Greetings, Tadasuke-san."

 

Kiyone's father's mouth fell open. "Ronin!" he screamed. "He is the one who murdered not only Mariya Enshirou, but Kariya Kagetoki as well!"

 

Kiyone gasped. "Kagetoki-san? You are the one who killed uncle Kariya?"

 

Jin looked between the two, gauging their reactions. Kiyone looked confused while her father looked enraged. "I merely defended myself. Kagetoki is the one who pushed Enshirou-san into attempting to kill me, which led to my killing him instead."

 

"He lies!" Tadasuke's voice had grown to a fever pitch. He looked around the room for a sword to draw.

 

Kiyone stepped in front of Jin, placing herself between him and her father. "No! Father, Jin is an honorable man. He would never lie about such a thing."

 

"He killed your uncle, Kiyone. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" He looked at her wide-eyed.

 

"Yes, it does," she replied. Jin stiffened behind her, wondering what her answer was going to be. "He defeated the supposed 'Devine Hand' of the Shogunate. All the better. Their reign needs to end!"

 

Tadasuke's mouth fell open in shock and then his eyes narrowed. "You are no daughter of mine," he hissed.

 

"I never was," she replied. "You wanted a son, so I became your son. I was never a daughter until you saw the chance to use me as Grandfather used Mother."

 

"Out!" he screamed. "Out of my house, you whore. And take your ronin with you!"

 

She didn't say a word. Taking Jin's hand, she led him from the room. She packed a few things and they left Nagasaki behind, never returning. Jin apologized many times over, but she always waved them away. There was no need to apologize. This was exactly what she wanted - to be with Jin and away from her father. They journeyed across Japan in search of somewhere they belonged, together.