Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Because You Need Me ❯ Chapter 12 ( Chapter 12 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: LilyMoonsAlias 
Anime/Manga: Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Hentai / Romance / Samurai / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.26.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 431 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Hentai / Romance / Samurai / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.26.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 431 | Status: Work In Progress
It was safe to say that everyone felt pretty much felt like hell the next morning. Everyone's clothes were tattered and a bit worse for wear. Fuu had lost part of her bundle in the river and couldn't do any repairs. Jin was still nursing the mother of all headaches from his lost battle with river rocks, and Mugen was busy having internal arguments with himself. His two companions occasionally gave him side long glances whenever he would burst out with an explicative or a seeming answer to a silent question.
The remaining ryu had survived the tumble from the bridge and it was decided that they had no choice but to find the nearest town and secure lodging and replace their clothing. Fuu's kimono was in fairly bad shape. There were rents and tears that could easily expose more than she wanted seen and definitely more than Mugen wanted seen. He said nothing about it, merely offered her his dry over shirt and shrugged off her thanks.
"I say we follow the river for a while. This fishing shack proves that someone must be nearby," Jin said.
Just to be argumentive, Mugen replied, "But is it anyone we would want to run in to?"
Jin sighed wearily, a little tired of Mugen's attitude. "Do you have a better idea?"
Sulky silence followed his question and they picked their way carefully along the river bank. Mugen kept Fuu protectively between himself and Jin, taking the rear guard position to keep an eye on everyone. It also gave him some time to think about recent events. He felt foolish and uncomfortable about his earlier jealousy. Although Fuu undoubtedly had a soft spot in her heart for the ronin, Mugen knew damned good and well that Jin only saw her as an annoying little sister to be protected. Besides, it was to him alone that she had offered her heart and body. She had freely given him her virginity and her love. That alone humbled him and made him feel unworthy, and Mugen had never been humble. It was a new experience and not entirely likeable,
His troubled thoughts occupied his time until they finally came to the edge of a small village. Mugen wasn't expecting the sudden stop and stumbled into Fuu's back. He started to swear at her for his own clumsiness until she turned warm, twinkling brown eyes in his direction and smiled just for him and snuggled into his shirt like it was an embrace. Mugen groaned to himself. This woman-child had no business looking at a ruffian like him with such affection and he had even less right to accept it.
Then Fuu surprised him yet again by taking matters into her own hands when they found a tidy little inn.
"Two rooms, please," she said without hesitation. "And is there a hot spring nearby where my companions and I can clean up and relax?"
The innkeeper approved the two rooms, assuming the men would be staying in one and the young lady in the other. Fuu had other ideas and her slow, seductive smile let Mugen know just what was on her mind. Despite arguing with himself all day he was unable to control the rush of heat caused by the mere thought of holding her slender form against him again. Wicked, wicked girl, he thought. She knows she has me snared.
The single shop in the village was able to supply the trio with some fresh clothing, a sewing kit and some necessities. Fuu picked up a cake of soap that pleased her greatly with its cherry blossom scent. She asked the price and put it back down with a small frown of disappointment. Watching her the whole time, Mugen waited until she had completed her purchases before placing the cake of soap on top of his own choices. He flushed when the old woman taking the money smiled at him and dared to pat his arm gently.
Damn! Was the woman not just making him soft in the head, but softening his appearance as well? He was still a dangerous and deadly man and should appear so to everyone, yet some old bag had just petted him in approval like a child. He stalked back to the inn and tossed the soap at Fuu without a word before heading for the nearest drinking establishment. Surprised into catching the unexpected gift, Fuu stared at it in wonder while the giver tromped away.
Jin observed the byplay silently then cleared his throat. "Perhaps I should go and make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble."
"No," Fuu said wisely and a little sadly. "Let him go. He would be mortally offended if he thought I sent you as a keeper. He'll be back later, I'm sure." She rose gracefully to her feet. "I'm going to the spring."
"I don't know that you should be going by yourself," Jin frowned in concern.
"I'll be fine," Fuu assured him. "I have my tanto and I don't want to think of Mugen's reaction if you came as a guard."
Jin let her go with much reservation. A woman alone was just not safe in these perilous times, let alone a woman with a price on her head, but he had to agree with Fuu. The hot headed pirate would likely erupt into violence if he went to the spring with Fuu.
Mugen stared moodily into his drink. His reflection scowled at him from inside the cup. The hard set to his face kept everyone away from him except one scantily dressed woman who approached him boldly. Mugen recognized her type instantly, the town whore without a doubt, his usual fare among women.
"Now you look like a man who needs a little distraction," the woman purred. Despite her best efforts she looked older than her years from hard use and her seduction lines were stale and meaningless. The dullness of her eyes gave evidence of her lack of interest in anything other than making a few coins.
Mugen gave her a lazy perusal and offered her a sip of his drink. This is what I'm fit for, he thought. The woman placed her hand on his thigh and her overly painted lips on his cup. She attempted to look coy as she drained the cup and moved her hand further up Mugen's leg. The pirate recoiled from her touch. It left him feeling tainted. The whore squealed in surprise when he stood up abruptly and shook off her hand. He tossed a few coins in her lap.
"Not interested, lady, but take these for your trouble."
The woman instantly concealed the coins in her clothing and dismissed him immediately, approaching another man. Mugen caught himself shuddering in revulsion and hurried back to the inn.
Only Jin sat on the covered porch polishing his sword.
"Where's Fuu?" Mugen asked.
"She went to bathe."
"And you let her go alone? Baka!" Mugen yelled and raced off towards the spring, his sword banging against his back.
Jin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just one day of peace would be nice," he murmured. "But that's unlikely with those two."
He headed for the spring himself to referee the screaming match that was sure to follow. He was getting tired of being the only apparent adult in their group.
The remaining ryu had survived the tumble from the bridge and it was decided that they had no choice but to find the nearest town and secure lodging and replace their clothing. Fuu's kimono was in fairly bad shape. There were rents and tears that could easily expose more than she wanted seen and definitely more than Mugen wanted seen. He said nothing about it, merely offered her his dry over shirt and shrugged off her thanks.
"I say we follow the river for a while. This fishing shack proves that someone must be nearby," Jin said.
Just to be argumentive, Mugen replied, "But is it anyone we would want to run in to?"
Jin sighed wearily, a little tired of Mugen's attitude. "Do you have a better idea?"
Sulky silence followed his question and they picked their way carefully along the river bank. Mugen kept Fuu protectively between himself and Jin, taking the rear guard position to keep an eye on everyone. It also gave him some time to think about recent events. He felt foolish and uncomfortable about his earlier jealousy. Although Fuu undoubtedly had a soft spot in her heart for the ronin, Mugen knew damned good and well that Jin only saw her as an annoying little sister to be protected. Besides, it was to him alone that she had offered her heart and body. She had freely given him her virginity and her love. That alone humbled him and made him feel unworthy, and Mugen had never been humble. It was a new experience and not entirely likeable,
His troubled thoughts occupied his time until they finally came to the edge of a small village. Mugen wasn't expecting the sudden stop and stumbled into Fuu's back. He started to swear at her for his own clumsiness until she turned warm, twinkling brown eyes in his direction and smiled just for him and snuggled into his shirt like it was an embrace. Mugen groaned to himself. This woman-child had no business looking at a ruffian like him with such affection and he had even less right to accept it.
Then Fuu surprised him yet again by taking matters into her own hands when they found a tidy little inn.
"Two rooms, please," she said without hesitation. "And is there a hot spring nearby where my companions and I can clean up and relax?"
The innkeeper approved the two rooms, assuming the men would be staying in one and the young lady in the other. Fuu had other ideas and her slow, seductive smile let Mugen know just what was on her mind. Despite arguing with himself all day he was unable to control the rush of heat caused by the mere thought of holding her slender form against him again. Wicked, wicked girl, he thought. She knows she has me snared.
The single shop in the village was able to supply the trio with some fresh clothing, a sewing kit and some necessities. Fuu picked up a cake of soap that pleased her greatly with its cherry blossom scent. She asked the price and put it back down with a small frown of disappointment. Watching her the whole time, Mugen waited until she had completed her purchases before placing the cake of soap on top of his own choices. He flushed when the old woman taking the money smiled at him and dared to pat his arm gently.
Damn! Was the woman not just making him soft in the head, but softening his appearance as well? He was still a dangerous and deadly man and should appear so to everyone, yet some old bag had just petted him in approval like a child. He stalked back to the inn and tossed the soap at Fuu without a word before heading for the nearest drinking establishment. Surprised into catching the unexpected gift, Fuu stared at it in wonder while the giver tromped away.
Jin observed the byplay silently then cleared his throat. "Perhaps I should go and make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble."
"No," Fuu said wisely and a little sadly. "Let him go. He would be mortally offended if he thought I sent you as a keeper. He'll be back later, I'm sure." She rose gracefully to her feet. "I'm going to the spring."
"I don't know that you should be going by yourself," Jin frowned in concern.
"I'll be fine," Fuu assured him. "I have my tanto and I don't want to think of Mugen's reaction if you came as a guard."
Jin let her go with much reservation. A woman alone was just not safe in these perilous times, let alone a woman with a price on her head, but he had to agree with Fuu. The hot headed pirate would likely erupt into violence if he went to the spring with Fuu.
Mugen stared moodily into his drink. His reflection scowled at him from inside the cup. The hard set to his face kept everyone away from him except one scantily dressed woman who approached him boldly. Mugen recognized her type instantly, the town whore without a doubt, his usual fare among women.
"Now you look like a man who needs a little distraction," the woman purred. Despite her best efforts she looked older than her years from hard use and her seduction lines were stale and meaningless. The dullness of her eyes gave evidence of her lack of interest in anything other than making a few coins.
Mugen gave her a lazy perusal and offered her a sip of his drink. This is what I'm fit for, he thought. The woman placed her hand on his thigh and her overly painted lips on his cup. She attempted to look coy as she drained the cup and moved her hand further up Mugen's leg. The pirate recoiled from her touch. It left him feeling tainted. The whore squealed in surprise when he stood up abruptly and shook off her hand. He tossed a few coins in her lap.
"Not interested, lady, but take these for your trouble."
The woman instantly concealed the coins in her clothing and dismissed him immediately, approaching another man. Mugen caught himself shuddering in revulsion and hurried back to the inn.
Only Jin sat on the covered porch polishing his sword.
"Where's Fuu?" Mugen asked.
"She went to bathe."
"And you let her go alone? Baka!" Mugen yelled and raced off towards the spring, his sword banging against his back.
Jin pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just one day of peace would be nice," he murmured. "But that's unlikely with those two."
He headed for the spring himself to referee the screaming match that was sure to follow. He was getting tired of being the only apparent adult in their group.