Ookey-Dookey, yo! I got a review about this fic and how they were totally interested in it and that made my day! This is and forever will be inspired by "Crawling" by Linkin Park (WHOO! ) and came to me from a dream. I did however have to fix a few things because then the characters would be OOC and people would have to hurt me... Anyway, hope you like this one, besides the fact that its an AU, alternate universe, thingie.

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo or the song that I used in this fic, because then I'd be a freakin millionare!

Chapter 1- Fear

(Fuu's POV)

Thieves, pirates, and other lawbreakers have always been a problem to society no matter where you go. None of those, however, were like him. He was the worst of them all, at least in the Edo era, never caught and only seen by the corspes of the samurai who stood in his way. Some said he was a demon, others a punishment from God.

I want to smack all of them who say such things.

He changed my world, made me think that there was more to life. Maybe too much. I never realized any of this until it was too late and I saw him for myself.

I was 17 when it happened and by then he was in "full-swing" as you may call it, terrorizing people so bad they were afraid to go out after dark. Even the toughest swordsmen would retreat to a safe place, reminding me of small children clinging to their mothers for protection. At first, things happened only at the ports that shipped in the finer goods, such as money and the foreign food. However, as time went on problems occured further inland, even close to my own city. My father, one of the Emperor's top samurai, wasn't very happy about this, since not only was he held partly responsible for the thief's disapearances, but half of the deaths of the samurai were those of his own.

Another thing he was so stressed about was that I was supposed to be wed by my 18th birthday, much to my displeasure. I refused everyone he offered, and I was running out of time. This had been going on for several months now, and was probably going to happen again today. I was to dine with one of my father's favorites, a pale man with jet-black hair pulled back in a ponytail. I think his name was Jin, but I was too distracted from hearing about a more recent robbery to really pay attention. When I reached the room, I noticed that the man was actually attractive, compared to most of the other choices, but I quickly found out that he kept a lot to himself and let me talk most of the time. Well, the whole time, really.

I tried everything to get him to talk or look up at me, since he had only done so politely as we were seated. Figures. I finally thought of something, trying the idea not only to see his reaction but also because I was very curious. "So, have you actually seen this thief that everyone's been talking about?"

He looked up slowly at this but still did not speak. I had just thought to myself, Damn, not even that will get him to talk..., when he finally perked up.

His dark eyes bore into mine, "Why does this concern you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I was just..."

"Why do you suppose that I have, anyway?"

"Um, because you're one of my father's samurai and..." I made myself shut up, feeling childish and seeing that it actually discomforted him to talk about it.

Afterwords, my father spoke to me for my answer. He almost blew his top as I repeated my answer that always met him. "No."

"Fuu, why do you have to be so stubborn ? You know you have to be married by your 18th birthday! Do you want to bring shame to your family?"

"No, Father, but I don't want to be married to some stiff like him. Why can't I decide for myself?"

His face turned beet-red,"You can't because you won't. I have to decide for you, since it seems that you are too immature to choose something so simple. Because of this, I choose for you: you and Jin will be wed, but I want you to tell him yourself."

I felt the blow to my pride and held back the temptation to give him a solid piece of my mind, instead stomping back to my room. Before I could stop myself, I was crying. In one swift movement I opened my door, entered to throw myself down on the futon, and beat my pillow to a pulp. I didn't feel better afterwords; on the contrary, I wanted to do so to my father with surprising ferousity. I hated the thought of this whole thing, since the whole idea was simply to make my father look good and for him to have someone to take over when he would either retire or die. Either way, he was simply using me.

I forced myself up to open my window, the cool air outside blowing on my puffy and hot face. The sun was still setting, casting its last rays on the ocean and the port hundreds of miles away. I could see this because the city was buily ontop and to the side of a large range of mountains. It was beautiful, but I was too upset to pay any mind to it. Normally I would have wanted with all my heart to go there.

My thoughts were interrupted by my nursemaid rapping frantically on my door. I ignored the words muffled by the ricepaper, but now that I think back on it, it did sound like she said "He's been spotted! Close all the windows!"

I left the windowsill and only took a few steps away as I headed to my futon when there was a loud "THUD!" from behind me. I spun around to fearfully see a demonic grin, outlined by a scruffy face. My eyes also caught sight of the sword strapped to his back.

He looked down at me, jumping down to tower over the top of my head. "Hey, why're you cryin?"

I wiped my eyes furiously. "I-I am NOT!"

Suddenly calloused hands grabbed my face and pulled my head to gaze up at that look of the devil himself. "Who made you cry? 'Cause if he's still here.. I'll.. make him cry."

I gasped as I realized who exactly this guy was. "Please...let me.."I never finished because at that point I fainted from pure fear and shock.

A/N: Whoo! That was fun! In case you're wondering, the lines that the "mysterious thief" said were actually from the manga based on the series! Pretty cool, huh? Also, I changed the ages a little, bringing the characters closer in age.You see, in the TV series, Fuu is 15 and Mugen and Jin are both 20 (Yes, I am that much of a fan to have looked that up.); however, Fuu is 17 and the guys are about... I dunno. You decide. But that really annoys me! Many people don't know this stuff, M and J's age, and they should! So now, y'all who read this will be Champloo educated and can spread the word! YAY ME! Review please!

Crawling in my skin

These wounds they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing what is real