Disclaimer: I don't own samurai champloo in any way!
He walked with a slouch, staring straight ahead with his hands resting behind his head on the back of his neck. He had no thoughts , no dreams. Just a blank mind. What would his wandering bring him today? He didn't know, in fact, he never knew. Eat, walk, fuck, sleep. That was the life of Mugen. The wanderer with no cause, a man of 19 years, who cared for no one but himself, and lived to die.
She sat with an air of poise, hiding behind the lines of women who sat before her in the open window. She was full of dreams and unfulfilled wishes. She spend each day dreaming of how she would escape from the hell she was forced to go through. And if she couldn't escape by herself, then she would find someone to do it for her. Sit, smile, and pray. That was the life of Fuu. The woman of the red light district who lived to be free, a girl of 17 years, with more attitude than any man could handle.
He stared up at the swinging plank of wood surrounded by glowing red lanterns. Mugen smirked as he read the wind beaten sign. "Blossoming Sakura huh, looks like they're all ready blossomed and half dead." The women sitting in the window beckoned him over, smiling and loosening their kimonos to entice him. Did he really need to satisfy his male need? He stuck his hand into his right pocket and felt the loose coins that he had some how managed to acquire . And legally too! A job was always his last resort, but if there was no pathetic soul to steal from, he always managed to find an odd job every now and then.
His stomach rumbled and he sub-consciously bent is head downward. Food or sex. He barely had enough money for either. But his decision was quickly made as the owner of the pleasure house stood at the entrance. "Free food with any purchase!" she screamed, attempting to get men into the brothel. It was late ,time for most men to head back home to their wives and family. In fact, it was usually the married ones that came to the red light district. It was their way of escaping , not to mention they're the only ones with enough money for a decent woman.
Mugen took his time walking to the brothel, looking over each woman in the window. "Too old," he muttered under his breath as he observed each potential lover. "Too ugly…no…maybe…no…yes..." He stopped as his eyes locked with another. She sat far in the back, with brown hair up in a loose bun and chocolate brown eyes. She was young , definitely younger then him.
"Sir…sir! Please come and enjoy one of these beautiful women!" the crazy woman welcomed him in, grabbing him by the arm and forcing him to stand in in front of the group of women. His eyes moved away from the girl and he stared at the woman who dared to touch him.
"What the hell do you-" he was interrupted as she whispered in his ear. "How much you got?" "What the hell does it matter? They're all used for the same thing." He smirked as he ripped out of her grasp. She sent a glare his way and walked toward the back row of women. Her careful eye looked each girl over, then a smile crept over her face as she found the one she wanted. "Here! this one is yours, payment is due now. Just give me what ever you have." "Listen old woman, I want a different one." He glared at her and then at the girl that stood next to her. " Do you want a fuck or not?" It was simple question, and the old women knew the answer. He reluctantly grabbed his coins and let them drop to the floor. Mugen grabbed the girls wrist and dragged her behind him as he searched for an empty room. He could hear the moans of men as he passed by door after door. It disgusted him that he had to pay for sex, especially in a place like this, but he wasn't about to go and find some random girl on the street to satisfy him. He could see it now, a whining girl clinging to him and begging him not to go. The exact opposite of what he wanted.
Mugen felt a tug at his hand and turned around. "We can go in here." her words dripped with sarcasm and she sounded about as pleased as he was. She had a pissed off look in her eyes and a frown that wouldn't budge. His eyes stared into hers as he brushed past her, sliding the shoji screen door to enter the room. It reeked of sweat and obviously hadn't been cleaned in months. The walls were tattered and paper thin. Mugen turned around and stared at the girl as she entered behind him and closed the door. His eyes wandered up and down her frame. Her purple and green kimono hung loosely on her body , making it hard for him to imagine what she looked like. "Take it off." Mugen sighed as he fell back onto the futon that lay behind him. She would have to do. The girls eyes widened and she crossed her arms quickly over her chest. "If you think I'm going to listen to you, your sadly mistaken." She backed up against the door and stared straight ahead.
He wasn't that bad looking. Actually, he was quite attractive, in a home-less kind of way. His hair was dark and untamed, which was a lot like his attitude. And he wore a smirk that made the aura of cockiness around him grow, if that was even possible. "And you should address me by my name. It's Fuu." She waited for his reply , letting her arms fall to her sides. "I don't give a shit what your name is." Mugen sat up, leaning onto his arms for support. "So what's the real reason that wench gave me you? There's far worse sitting out there"
Fuu took his question as a compliment. He was right, some of the women out there were way past their prime. It was a wonder they still got customers. " You really want to know?" Fuu situated her kimono so that it snuggly fit her body and looked up at him with a smirk on her face. "It's because I don't give out so easily."
Mugen grinned and chuckled under his breathe. "You know little girl, I could change that." He stood and walked toward her slowly. Fuu's heart pounded. This guy wasn't going to give up so easily. She had somehow managed to escape being intimate with all of her previous customers. She could thank sake for that. He got closer and closer, until his face was only a few inches away from hers. His hands went up behind her onto the door and he bent his neck until his lips were next to her ear. " But you're not my type." He moved away quickly and laid back down on the futon.
Fuu was furious. She could feel her cheeks growing hot and she clenched her fists until her nails dug into the skin of her palms. How dare he make her feel like some stupid fool! "You couldn't get me even if you wanted to!" she shouted " You aren't worthy." Mugen perked up at this statement. Him, not worthy? Maybe so, but that never stopped him before. "You really think your worth something don't you." He sighed and sat up once more, putting his hand into his hair . "I gave that old woman out there two yen. Turns out your not worth much after all."
She was not only furious, but embarrassed. Two yen? Maybe she really was worthless. Two yen was practically nothing. Even the old, wrinkled women got more than that. He would not make her cry. She refused to! "I have a challenge for you, what ever your name is-" "It's Mugen"
"Like I was saying…all you have to do is come back here every night for the next week and prove that you are worthy of my de-flowering"
"Fuck that! I don't need you."
Mugen got up to leave, but Fuu jumped in front of him. "I'll give you back all of your money after the week is up, plus you will get a place to stay and dinner each night"
That was seriously tempting. It would cost him less to stay here then it would at some resting house. Why she was doing this , she didn't know. "And what exactly will you get out of it?" Mugen asked, stretching his arms in front of him. "I'll get that old women off my back. She'll leave me alone once she sees that I'm bringing in some money." Secretly, she had another reason. She was lonely, extremely lonely. None of the women paid any attention to her, so she spend her days sitting in the window, waiting for the brothel to close so she could get back to her dreams. He be an ass-hole, but at least he talked to her. Somewhat.
Their eyes locked once again. "You know, I never could resist a challenge." Fuu smiled slightly, that is, until the next words came out of his mouth. "Even though my reward is a tit-less pole."
How is it? I haven't written anything in a long, long time. But I was inspired ;) This won't be a long fic, I don't want to drag it out, but I hope you enjoy it while its here! Please tell me what you think, because if no one likes it…. I'll be sad :P
SakuraNekoChick