Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing Cherry Blossoms ❯ Completed ( Chapter 3 )

Dancing Cherry Blossoms

 

Chapter 3: Completed

 

 

 

Mugen and Sakura walked down the street. Sakura took in the surroundings of the village. It was nothing like where she was from. It was so much quieter and much more peaceful. Sakura saw a large house at the end of the street. She narrowed her eyes.

 

“Mugen?” She asked, never taking her eyes off of the house. Mugen looked at her, his hands behind his head. “Who lives there?” She asked. Mugen looked to where she was pointing. He smirked and closed his eyes.

 

“That is the headman's house. Yukio's his name. A real asshole, if you ask me. He has this son named Shigeto. He's constantly hitting on Fuu. I don't think he'll ever get the point that she doesn't want him. It's kind of sad watching him.” Mugen continued to chew on the small stick in his mouth. Sakura nodded.

 

`Target identified,' she thought.

 

“So, what's there to do around he...” Sakura did not even get to finish as a girl with short black hair ran into Mugen, hanging on him for dear life. Sakura looked at the girl then looked up at Mugen.

 

“Oh, Mugen! It's been so long since I've seen you!” She whined, rubbing her face into his chest. Sakura crossed her arms and smirked.

 

“Hi, Hakumi. It's only been about twelve hours since we last saw each other.” Mugen said dryly. He pried the girl's arms from around him. She smiled and looked up at him. Then she looked at Sakura. Sakura smiled.

 

“I'm Sakura. You are...” Sakura held out her hand. The girl looked at it and then looked back up at Sakura.

 

“My name's Hakumi.” She looked a bit miffed. Sakura lowered her hand and frowned, looking at Mugen. Mugen quickly decided to change the subject.

 

“So, Hakumi, what are you doing out here?” Mugen asked. Hakumi stared evilly at Sakura for one more second before turning towards Mugen and smiling as hard as she could. She touched his chest. Mugen rolled his eyes.

 

“I was looking for you, silly. You didn't stay last night. I woke up, wondering where you were. You left me lonely.” Hakumi said, drawing imaginary hearts on his chest with her fingers. She looked back up at Mugen.

 

“Well, I have to be going. Ai will want to see me.” Mugen stepped back from Hakumi. Hakumi frowned.

 

“You like that witch better than me?” She looked heartbroken. Mugen shook his head quickly. Hakumi could be evil when she was displeased. Sakura stood, quietly watching this exchange between the two. Hakumi was obviously a lovesick girl.

 

“Of course not, Hakumi. You know I just occasionally work for her. You know how men can get over there. She needs someone to keep the peace.” Mugen said. Hakumi's whole demeanor changed in an instant.

 

“HAKUMI!!” A voice yelled. Hakumi turned around, seeing her mother standing in the doorway of their house. She was frowning deeply and had her arms crossed. Hakumi turned around and then back towards Mugen.

 

“Will I see you tonight?” She whispered. Mugen nodded.

 

“I'll see if I can get away from work.” He said quickly and quietly. Hakumi nodded and turned to run back to her house. She passed her mother. Hakumi's mother glared at Mugen. Mugen smiled meekly.

 

“Hello, Naemi-san.” He said. Naemi, Hakumi's mother, glared at him a moment longer before she turned to go back inside her house. She slammed the door shut. Sakura flinched as she watched this. She turned back towards Mugen.

 

“So, who was that?” She asked. Mugen looked down at her.

 

“That was Hakumi.” He said. Sakura nodded.

 

“Yeah, I know that, Mugen. What I mean to ask you is who is she to you?” Sakura asked. Mugen turned and started walking.

 

“What does it matter who she is to me?” He asked. Sakura laughed. Mugen looked back at her. She was giggling profusely. “What?” He asked. Sakura stopped and looked over at him as they continued their walk.

 

“You're fucking her, aren't you?” She asked. Mugen looked away from her.

 

“And if I am?” He asked. Sakura's mouth dropped open.

 

“Mugen, she looks no more than fifteen! That's disgusting!” Sakura said. Mugen shook his head.

 

“She's sixteen and able to make her own decisions.” Mugen said defensively. Sakura threw her hands up in defeat.

 

“Mugen, that's sick.”

 

“What? You're eighteen! What's the difference between me doing you and me doing her?”

 

“One, you will NEVER do me. Two, she's SIX years younger than you. That's just gross! Have you no shame?” Sakura asked. Mugen shrugged.

 

“No.” Mugen said lackadaisically. Sakura sighed and shook her head.

 

Mugen and Sakura walked up to a large building. Sakura looked around. It had two stories and had a balcony. It looked like an inn, but Sakura immediately figured out that it was not an inn. It was a brothel. Mugen walked in and Sakura followed reluctantly. A woman was standing, examining a girl's hair and kimono.

 

“Ai?” Mugen said. The woman turned around. She looked about thirty or forty. Sakura couldn't tell from the amount of makeup she was wearing. She clasped her hands together and walked over to Mugen, smiling.

 

“My darling Mugen. How are you? She hugged him. Mugen shrugged.

 

“I can't complain. How was last night? I didn't miss anything, did I?” He asked. Ai shook her head.

 

“No. Still, I wish you were here. I had to push those bastards out myself. You know how they get when they get drunk. Where were you? With one of your many girlfriends?” Ai asked, turning away from him to finish tending to the other girl.

 

“Hai.” Mugen said. Ai nodded and she continued pinning the girl's hair up.

 

“That makes no sense, Mugen. You think you can slee...” Ai was cut off when Mugen cleared his throat loudly. Ai moved around the girl, putting the last pin in. She smiled when she saw Sakura. She nodded for the girl to walk off then went back over to Mugen and Sakura. “Who is this, Mugen?”

 

“This is Sakura. I met her yesterday.” Mugen said, scratching his back. Sakura looked at Ai. Ai smiled at her.

 

“I'm Ai. I run this place.” She gestured around the beautifully furnished room. Sakura nodded.

 

“I see. Fuu told me you ran the bookstore.” Sakura looked at Mugen. Mugen shrugged.

 

“I don't know why she would tell you something like that.” He said. Sakura crossed her arms, looking at him with disbelief. Mugen sighed and looked back at Ai. Ai was smiling.

 

“Well, you sure do run a lovely establishment, Ai-san.” Sakura said. Ai shook her head.

 

“No, Sakura. You may just call me Ai. `Ai-san' makes me sound so old. I'm only thirty-one.” She said. Sakura nodded.

 

“Well, you run a beautiful establishment, Ai.”

 

“Domo arigatou, Sakura. I'm glad you like it. Are you visiting here?” Ai said. Sakura nodded slightly.

 

“Somewhat. I plan to be gone by tomorrow, though.” She said. Ai nodded and Mugen looked at her immediately.

 

“You are?” Mugen asked. Sakura turned her head towards him. She looked shocked. She'd only known him for a day and they had somewhat grown as friends in that short amount of time. She smiled.

 

“Well, I really was only passing through, Mugen. You didn't really expect me to stay, did you?” She asked. Mugen just stared blankly at her. Apparently he did. Ai looked back and forth between the two.

 

“Well, since you are leaving, Sakura, how about I make a special dinner for your departure?” Ai said happily. Sakura shook her head.

 

“Iie, Ai. That is not...”

 

“Oh, I insist, Sakura. Mugen seems to like you. Any person that is friend to this bastard must be able to put up with a lot. We can have it here.” Ai said happily. Sakura shook her head. The last thing she wanted to do was draw attention to herself. She had a job to do.

 

`It can wait until after dinner, I guess,' she thought. She looked up and smiled at Ai.

 

“Sure, Ai. I'd really appreciate it.” She said. Ai nodded.

 

“Good. I will begin making preparations. Mugen, why don't you show her around town so that she might consider staying.” Ai suggested. Mugen nodded and turned to go. Sakura bowed to Ai and followed Mugen out.

 

“I really don't want to burden her. Why didn't you help me out back there?” She asked. Mugen shrugged nonchalantly.

 

“Why should I? Ai wasn't going to stop until she had persuaded you. She's has that type of power. So, why argue with her? It's futile. Plus, Ai is a great cook. She's much better than Fuu. I have no desire to eat her food tonight.” Mugen said. Sakura chuckled.

 

“I'd love to see you say that to her face.” She mumbled. She thought about what Ai had been about to say before Mugen interrupted her. Sakura wasn't dumb. She could piece things together and figure out what she was going to say. As they walked back towards the house, various girls smiled and waved at Mugen and glaring maliciously at Sakura. Sakura looked over at Mugen. He was trying desperately to make it seem like he didn't care. Sakura laughed.

 

“What's so damn funny?” Mugen asked. Sakura just shook her head.

 

“You have quite a reputation around here, Mugen.”

 

“What makes you say that?” Mugen asked, raising an eyebrow. Sakura gestured to all the girls.

 

“Tell me something. How many of them have you actually slept with? They all look no older than twenty. Do they know how much of a playboy you apparently are?”

 

“They wouldn't dare speak of what we do because of their fathers and brothers. I mean, it's not like any of them are a match for me. Still, I don't want to be burned at the stake for murdering them all.” He said. Sakura shook her head.

 

“You are such an ass.” She whispered. Mugen shrugged.

 

Later that night, Fuu pinned her hair up as Sakura braided hers. She now wore a pink kimono with long sleeves. She tied pink ribbons to the end of her hair. When Fuu saw her, she almost laughed. Sakura looked down then back up at Fuu.

 

“What?” She asked. Fuu shook her head.

 

“You just look like a little girl.” She giggled. Sakura crossed her arms.

 

“Mugen says the same thing. I don't need it from you, too.” She walked out of the room.

 

At Ai's, Mugen, Jin, Fuu, Kyoko, and Sakura sat around a table. The headman's son, Shigeto, had even come. Fuu determinedly avoided looking at him. Sakura noticed that the usually reserved Jin kept glaring at him every now and then.

 

As they ate, Sakura listened idly to their conversations. Her mind kept wandering to what she had to do later on that night. She was pulled from her musings when Kyoko asked her a question.

 

“Where are you from originally, Sakura?” She asked. Sakura looked up from her plate at Kyoko. She had clearly not been paying attention.

 

“Nani?” She asked. Kyoko smiled.

 

“Where are you from?” She repeated.

 

“Edo. I mean, that's where I usually stay at. I was born in Peking.” She said quietly. Jin raised an eyebrow.

 

“Peking? You were born in China?” He asked.

 

“My mother was Chinese. My father was Japanese. She went into labor with me while she was visiting her parents. So, I was actually born in China, but I was raised in Osaka.” Sakura said. She did not elaborate on her full history. Kyoko nodded.

 

“Interesting.” She said.

 

“That explains your sword.” Shigeto said from his end of the table. Sakura looked down towards him. She smiled and nodded.

 

“Yes. My sword is from China. It was my mother's.” She said. Shigeto nodded.

 

After dinner, they all parted. Mugen, Fuu, and Kyoko were all drunk. Shigeto went the opposite direction back to his father's home. Jin helped Kyoko and Fuu get home. Sakura tried to help Mugen, but he was determined to steer her in the wrong direction.

 

“Come on, Mugen. You're going to have to carry some of your own weight.” She said, struggling to keep him upright.

 

“I am. It's just that I'm fucking drunk.” He slurred together. Sakura nodded, cursing under her breath. Once she got back to Mugen's place, she practically dragged him into his room. Jin was behind her, carrying Fuu. She was already out. Sakura swung Mugen around so that he fell on his futon. He held grabbed the front of her kimono and she fell on top of him.

 

“Mugen, let me go.” She said. Mugen smiled drunkenly.

 

“You know something?” He garbled. Sakura sighed.

 

“What's that?” She asked. Mugen hiccupped.

 

“You smell like cherry blo...” He passed out completely. His hold on her loosened. Sakura sighed and stood up off of him. Before she left, she heard a long snore come from Mugen. The way it sounded, he should have been in pain. Sakura frowned and grabbed her things. She had a job to do.

 

Yukio, the headman, sat reading some scrolls. He did not hear the window open behind him.

 

Sakura landed almost silently on the ground. She saw Yukio reading scrolls by lamplight. She approached him slowly, her weapons drawn.

 

Yukio looked up, feeling a presence behind him. He turned quickly and saw the beautiful girl standing before him. She was looking at him indifferently. Yukio stood up slowly, his hand behind his back. Sakura noticed this, but never took her eyes away from his.

 

“Who sent you?” Yukio asked. Sakura shrugged.

 

“What does it matter? I could tell you, but you're still going to die.” She said. Yukio smirked.

 

“Nobu sent a little girl to kill me?” He asked. Sakura smiled at him.

 

“So many men have misjudged me from my appearance. I do not think you will be so cocky once I have slit your throat.” Sakura started walking forward. Yukio snapped his fingers. Two men carrying katanas came in the room. Sakura stopped walking, looking at them. They seemed vaguely familiar. They were dressed like the men she fought the day before.

 

`The thugs from the tea house,' she thought. She smiled and turned her attention back to Yukio. Sakura smiled. So those men had also worked for the headman.

 

“You misjudged me as well, young girl. I expected Nobu to send an assassin for me. So, I am prepared as well.” Yukio said. Sakura bowed. She put her sai away and unsheathed her sword.

 

“Shall we commence? The sooner I kill you, the faster I can leave.” She said. Yukio snapped again and the men started towards her. Sakura watched them. The one on her left swung. Sakura ducked, slashing horizontally at the guy's stomach. He stumbled backwards, holding his abdomen. He held his sword out to her. Sakura immediately bent backwards, dodging a slash from the other man. Rolled backwards, kicking her legs up in the man's chin. He fell backwards. Yukio stepped backwards. Sakura watched him.

 

“This cannot be happening. She's just a little girl...” He whispered. Sakura smiled and dodged another swing. She stabbed one of the men in the stomach. The other man with the slit stomach came up behind her, his sword raised above his head. Sakura pulled her sword out of the other man's heart and swung horizontally as she turned, slitting the other's throat. Both fell, dead. She looked at her next target. Sakura's eyes widened. She turned quickly, pulling one of her sai. It flew from her hand, hitting her mark in his forehead. Sakura's widened when she realized who it was.

 

Shigeto slid stumbled backwards on the floor. Blood came out of his mouth and eyes. He was staring upwards. Sakura winced at the sight. She turned again, throwing her other sai. It hit Yukio in the back as he tried to make a run for it. Yukio fell forwards onto the ground. Sakura walked up to him and removed her sai. He rolled over and looked up at her.

 

“You...bitch...” He whispered, choking on his own blood. Sakura stared down at him. She slashed her sword across his neck, slitting his throat as well. Yukio's head hit the floor with a dull thud. Sakura looked around for something to clean her sword with. She found a cloth and wiped them clean. She went over to Shigeto.

 

“Gomen nasai.” She whispered. She pulled the sai out of his head slowly so that blood wouldn't squirt out immediately. She froze when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around.

 

Yukio's wife, Sekiko, was looking around horrified at the gory sight before her. She had not yet seen Sakura. Sakura slunk around in the shadows to get behind Sekiko. She stood behind the woman. Sekiko still had not noticed her.

 

`Leave no one alive...ever,' Sakura thought grimly of her orders. She sighed and grabbed the woman from behind. She covered her mouth, muffling her screams.

 

Sekiko smelled cherry blossoms. She saw the shiny sai rise above her head. Her eyes widened as it stabbed her in the heart. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut as she did this. She twisted the metal dagger forcefully then slowly removed it from Sekiko's chest. Sekiko's eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell next to her husband.

 

Sakura stared at her completed assignment. It was time to head back to Edo to face her boss and receive her next assignment. She cleaned her sai and headed towards the window where she had entered. She sprinkled cherry blossoms petals around the room. She then headed out the way she came in.

 

 

Gomen-Sorry

 

Iie-No

 

Nani-What