Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Fine, Fine Line ❯ Finale ( Chapter 4 )

It seemed fitting that their last day together was ending in a café. Unlike their first meeting, Mugen actually had money from his adventures in the pawn shop, and he decided to spend it all on his empty stomach. After all, he didn't know when the next time he'd eat again would roll around. He was still healing from his injuries, and really didn't feel like fighting for his supper at the moment.

 

So he was actually paying for his feast, complete with a couple of decanters of sake, which were reaching the bottom fairly quickly. It made him relaxed enough that he didn't even look up when a shadow passed over his table.

 

“Where did you get all this food?” Fuu asked in a quiet, almost strangled voice. It appeared she was still recovering from the loss of their trio, while Mugen displayed nothing but annoyance for her constant sniffling. Bawling her brains out wasn't going to bring him back, he knew. And in a way, she thought the same thing, even though it didn't stop her.

 

“Bought it,” he mumbled, shoving another stick of dango into his mouth.

 

“We didn't have any money left. How did you…” her voice trailed off as she glanced at his chair. “Where are they?”

 

“Mmmf mpph?”

 

She groaned. “Swallow first.”

 

“Where's what?”

 

“His swords,” Fuu said, still searching for them in the darkened restaurant. Her eyes widened as she slowly put two and two together. “You…you -pawned- them?”

 

“Shut up, sit down, and eat,” he growled. “You don't know when you're gonna eat again, do ya?”

 

“Why did you do it?” She was still protesting. “You were supposed to keep them, not pawn them just because you were hungry! I don't believe you sometimes. If you didn't want them, why didn't you just give them to me?”

 

As usual, Mugen was exasperated with Fuu's incessant nagging. He was actually trying to enjoy the meal, but that was ruined by her high-pitched squawks. “And what would you have done with them, huh? You don't fight. You would have done the same damn thing the second you started wanting food. So eat. Last thing he ever did for us.”

 

She slowly sat down at the table, still quietly shaking with anger. “So…you're leaving today, huh? Where are you going?” It was a desperate attempt to keep the conversation civil, although she had half a mind to strangle Mugen where he sat.

 

He took another swig of the sake, straight from the decanter. “Dunno yet where I'm going. Maybe back to Ryukyuu.”

 

“Oh. I…I'm not quite sure yet, either. I need to straighten out my father's affairs first before I make any decisions. So I'll probably be in Nagasaki for a while,” she admitted. In all honesty, she was hoping to find the old couple she used to work for before she started on her journey, just to go back to some familiarity.

 

To anyone in the place who may had been listening, the conversation seemed strained on both sides as Mugen devoured the food and Fuu watched on, silent, too angry to eat. Still, they tried to maintain some degree of civility, both more focused on the ordeals ahead instead of their final conversation.

 

After what seemed like hours of agonizing idle chatter, Mugen let out a loud belch and stood up.

 

“Think I should get going. I want to hit the road before it gets dark.” He gestured over to the half-filled table.

 

“You should eat something.”

 

Fuu looked up as he turned towards the exit to say farewell. But before the words could form, her breath caught in her throat.

 

That wasn't his sword strapped onto his back. And unless she was seeing double…

 

“You pawned your own,” she whispered. “To keep Jin's.”

 

She couldn't tell if he had heard that or not, as he stepped out into the blinding sunlight, never looking back.

 

She picked up her chopsticks with a firmer hand.

 

He wasn't going to be forgotten.

 

Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile

The precious moments are all lost in the tide

They're swept away, and nothing is what it seems…

The feeling of belonging to your dreams.

I don't know where you're going, and I don't know why,

But listen to your heart before you tell him goodbye.