Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Finding Truth & Lies In A Name ❯ Internal Monologue ( Chapter 1 )

Finding Truth & Lies In A Name

 

DISC: I do not own Samurai Champloo or it's intriguing characters. They are the property of Director Shinichiro Watanabe and Studio manglove Inc. I am making no monetary profit from the writing of this or any other of my fanfiction. Please don't sue me. I'm very poor.

 

NOTE: Mugen is translated: Infinite/infinity; dream, fantasy, vision. Fuu is translated: Method, manner, way; seal. Jin is translated: virtue, benevolence, humanity, charity, man - BUT, it can also be used to denote a god, as in akujin (evil god) or ryuujin (dragon god), and that is how I'm having Fuu think of it here.

 

Written as part of several Elemonth Hour challenges. Chapter I is the “Get Into Character/Internal Monolog” challenge from week 23.

 

 

 

CHAPTER I

 

Infinite. Dreams, fantasy, visions.

Look at them.

The infinite vision and god.

That's what their names mean.

I can't believe I was only 15 when I met them. Fifteen, and still single and untouched. Hard to imagine. Most girls I knew were already married and on their second kid. All the well-bred daughters of samurai anyway. But not me. On my own, trying to eke out a living by working in teahouses - and with my temper...

 

Hm. I guess I COULD claim that the reason that I kept travelling was so that no one would know how much I sucked at being a waitress, so I could still occasionally find gainful employment.

 

Sigh. But that's a lie. The samurai who smelled of sunflowers... Is it so crazy to want to find a link to my past and understand it so that I can finally move on?

 

Fantastic Dream and god.

 

When I met them, I was about to have to leave another town to find work. Men. I swear give 'em a little authority and they have to act like total jerks. That royal governor of whositsville and his sons thought that not treating them like they were gods or something was a capital crime! I thought for sure I was toast. And then...

 

I met god and infinity.

 

God is infinite. That's what those Christians we met said. Yeah, they're more alike than you'd realize at first, aren't they? God and Infinity. My travel companions. My "bodyguards".

 

My only friends. A vision and god.

 

I am so screwed.

 

Or rather, I'm not.

 

I wonder, do you think most girls would find themselves thinking improper thoughts while travelling with a fantasy and god? Which one would they daydream about while walking down mile after mile of road to the next village while you haven't eaten in days and you're trying to get your mind off your hollow stomach?

 

GRRRRRRRR. Shut up stupid stomach. I don't have anything to put in you, so just stop complaining.

 

At first glance, they really do seem different. Reserved, always doing what's RIGHT no matter the personal cost. And wild, dangerous, dirty - almost going out of his way to cause trouble. But once you get to know them, they're both so much alike. Dangerous, steadfast, proud, and... honorable.

 

Weird to associate that term with Mugen, I know. Most people don't see it. He's a pirate, a thief. He's killed before - though I don't know how many times. And when you see him kill, he's so good at it, and he comes so alive, you MIGHT think that he enjoyed it. Like taking life makes him feel alive.

 

Infinite dream. What WERE his parents thinking when they named him?

 

As for Jin: you know, the name Jin really does fit him. He's as correct as you'd think God would have to be, while not so judgmental that you can't stand him. Well. At least not most of the time.

 

I wonder if anyone else sees Mugen's name as fitting him.

 

I met them when I was 17. I'm older now. In a few months, I'll be 19.

 

Mugen still makes fun of me. Calls me a twig, ugly, stupid. Useless. It makes me want to punch him.

 

Sigh.

 

When I first met them, I used to daydream about how romantic Jin must be. And when he fell in love with that woman at the brothel, he seemed even more like the tragic heroic romantic...

 

Dream.

 

Why on EARTH did his parents name him that?

 

Jin is always so stoic. I used to think it was because he'd been hurt and was trying to protect his heart. Or maybe he'd hurt someone he loved and so now he was trying to protect everyone else. I guess both are probably true. But. You can only share so much with someone who keeps himself separate from the world. He's a really great guy. Really. He's like a god in so many ways. But mostly, he's like a god in that he's not really there with you in the same level of... living.

 

He is really beautiful, though.

 

I really like it when I get to lag behind them when we're walking. I can just look at them all I want and they'll never know. Never see my eyes wander down below the red hem to that perfect ass -

 

Stop it Fuu.

 

When was it that Mugen started seeming like his name to me?

 

He's coarse. He's vulgar. He only seems to care about drinking and whoring. But then. You find yourself in a tight spot, and he's breaking in and jumping in between you and danger. Almost as if he care-

 

I'm such an idiot. Neither one of them would even consider me as anything more than a burden. A promise that I'm forcing them to keep. The sooner I'm out of their lives, the happier they'll be.

 

If we never find the Samurai who smells of sunflowers, do you think I'd be able to get them to stay with me forever?

 

Who am I kidding? Even if I had forever, he'd never see me the way I...

 

Sigh.

 

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"Whatza matter now? We going too fast for your scrawny little legs to keep up?" The disheveled pirate flashed a grin over his shoulder at the girl as he slowed to match her pace. "Cuz we could always speed up more and leave your ass behind."

 

"Jeez, Mugen, what crawled up YOUR butt? Why are you picking on me NOW?" Her pace unconsciously quickened and soon she met him midway between where the two had been walking. Jin was still out in front. "You can't still be pissed that I'm making you keep your promise-"

 

"Makin'? My ass! Fuck. I must have had a lapse of sanity to make a promise like that." His pace now evenly matched hers, and he didn't look at her as he was speaking. "And if you really want me to keep it, why're ya huffin' and laggin' behind like some whiny cripple?"

 

Forcing a harsh yet calming breath out of her nose, she forced herself to not let her ire show. 'No matter what I do, I always end up looking like a helpless idiot around this guy!' "Well, I'm sorry my legs are shorter than yours." She picked up speed and left him behind, running alongside Jin.

 

Mugen stayed behind them as they continued on.

 

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Damn idiot girl.

 

She really gets on my nerves. I can't stand it when she hangs back behind us like that and is all quiet. Fucking idiot just WANTS to get herself kidnapped. Anyone could wait for the asshole and I to pass and then snatch her up. And by the time we'd noticed that it was about time to hear her stumble or complain again about that bottomless pit of a stomach she's got being empty, she'd be fucked.

 

Not that I understand why anyone would want to kidnap a twerp like her. Look at her. Her clothes make her look like she doesn't even HAVE breasts. And, her legs are so thin - it's like they curve so subtly that you couldn't really tell they had a strong sleek shape unless they were wrapped around you-

 

I really must have been high or insane when I agreed to go with her. Bodyguard?! Yeah, right. Does a body like that really need guarding? Idiotic little girl.

 

Her hips don't wiggle like a real woman's do. The sway is... it's not there unless you're looking for it. Not that I'm looking for it. But it's like her walk is more direct than a woman's. And unsubtle. She's direct and upfront about everything. You know exactly where you stand with her. No woman's games. Direct and upright. Telling me off every two seconds.

 

Except when she's tripping. Heh. God, she's a total fucking klutz. She's like clockwork - every ten minutes.

 

And that kimono doesn't help. Why doesn't she get clothes that fit her better? Something to show off how slender and sleek her curves-

 

Okay. In that regard, she's probably pretty smart. She looks like a boy in girl's clothing when she's wearing something baggy. It's got to be better to not look too pretty when you're out on your own.

 

But she's not on her own anymore. Does she think we couldn't take care of her if she wore better clothes? That I couldn't protect her?

 

Ok, sure. She's such a spaz, how could anyone keep track of her? But still, if she wore nice clothes, gave me something to look at, I'd sure as shit spend some time watching her closely. Not that I want to look at her closely. Not that she's even got anything to look at. Or guard for that matter.

 

Or does she think that if she wore better clothes that I'd all of a sudden want her and she'd need to be guarded from the bodyguard. I AM a pirate. She probably doesn't trust me. Probably wishes it was JUST Jin protecting her.

 

Well, she could just fucking say so then!

 

Like I LIKE being a bodyguard for a dumbass girl. A dumbass cheery girl who smiles all the fucking time. I've never met anyone who smiles so much in my entire life. It's fucking annoying. She's got to be a fuckin' idiot. No one could find that much to smile about while travelin' with m-

 

Why was she back here sighing?

 

Stupid girl. Probably just hungry. Or realizing how dumb she is to be keeping a criminal and a ronin for bodyguards. It'd serve her right if something did happen. Idiot.

 

Look at her trip again.

 

Dammit Jin, keep your goddamned hands off her!

 

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"Still learning how to walk, I see."

 

"Shut your fat mouth, Mugen," the girl turned around and placed her hands on her hips, scowling at him, so she got to see the exact moment when he tripped over the same hole in the road that she'd just struggled with. "HA! See! It wasn't me, it was the road!" She stuck her tongue out at him.

 

He pulled himself out of the stumble and glared back at the well-hidden hole. Then turned to the girl. "Maybe this time. But what about the 63 other times you've tripped today?"

 

Eyes narrowing, she grimaced at him. "I have not tripped 63 times today!"

 

"Is that why you've been so quiet? You were counting how many times she tripped?" The comment was quiet, in Jin's unemotional monotone. Perfectly set to garner the reaction it did.

 

"I- Quie- Like I CARE how many times the little idiot trips!" Jin was having a difficult time maintaining his stoic facade - inside, he was finding the situation hilarious.

 

"Then how'd you know how many times I tripped today?"

 

"I don't - I thought you said you hadn't tripped 63 times."

 

"I... I... I didn't!"

 

"And I wasn't watching you!"

 

Arms crossed tightly over her chest, his hands in fists at his sides, the two stalked down the road without daring to look at each other. Somehow, Jin kept the smile off his face at their behaviour, while he wondered how long it was going to take them to figure it all out.

 

The two stalked angrily down the road, Jin picking up the rear. He found it even harder to look unconcerned when he heard her voice mutter, "I didn't know he could even count that high," followed by a breathy, "Bitch."

 

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