Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo. I just like to borrow the characters.

Reunion

By Kipu

Chapter 1

As she parted from her wayward protectors, Fuu couldn't help feeling a sense of loss at the only people in the world that she had. Mugen and Jin. Sure, she didn't travel with them for too long and hadn't known them all her lives, but she was pretty sure that they would always be the people who understood her best. They were the ones who helped her find her father and saved her life several times. She didn't think she'd see them again and she committed to memory the feelings she had. The scent of the grass, the direction the wind was blowing and birds chirping in the air. She knew that Jin would find Shino and marry her, but Mugen… She hoped he would be okay.

"Keep him safe." She whispered to herself as she snuck a peek back at him. Where ever he went, even if he didn't know… He would always have a part of her, her pirate who smelled like sunshine and the sea.

Xxx Seven Years Later xxX

Today was different, she was different. She was engaged now. As of last night, she was promised to Yoshio Namamoto, the son of the most successful businessman in town. He was handsome, rich and an overall nice guy. As she wiped down the table of his family's tea house, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. He was everything that a girl should hope for in a future husband. He was caring, considerate and practically worshipped the ground she walked on. He brought her gifts every week and flowers, promising that she would never have a worry in the world and that they would start a happy family together. After arriving in town seven years ago, he had accepted her flimsy story about being recently orphaned and needing a new start. The entire village had taken care of her, getting her a job and even helping her build her own home. The memory of their kindness brought tears to her eyes.

Last night, Yoshio had given her a long flowery speech about how beautiful she was, how he'd loved her for years and how wanted to marry her. It was exactly how she pictured that she would be proposed to. He was perfect. Their relationship had always been perfect. He wrote her love letters and filled her hut with flowers. They never fought and had the same interests. Even with all that, she knew that there was still something missing.

She'd never heard a word about Mugen or Jin in the past several years, not that she really expected to. If they wanted to, both men could disappear without a trace. She just hoped that they were alive, well and happy. In her mind's eye, she pictured Jin and Shino married and with a child or two running around. Mugen, she could never imagine what Mugen would be up to. He was always filled with surprises, but she hoped that he was doing well. She chuckled to herself as she really tried to imagine what he was doing now… 'He's probably still drinking and having sex with random chicks.'

Tonight Yoshio was going to tell his parents and the whole village would know that they would be married soon. Everyone in town was supportive of their relationship, even though she was a no body and had virtually showed up out of nowhere and all alone. Yoshio's parents had been hinting for years about getting married even though she was just a waitress and Yoshio himself had been proposing for at least the past 2 years. She hadn't felt ready then… hell… she didn't feel ready now, but it wasn't fair to Yoshio to keep holding out for a pirate who didn't think anything of her. It wasn't like she didn't care about Yoshio, she did. He was a great friend and would be her husband soon. So she said yes, as unromantic as it was… She was 22 years old. She couldn't keep romantic notions in her mind forever. She had to abandon the fantasy that a Ryukyuan pirate would sweep her off her feet.

The strong breeze tore through the tea house and the scent of sunshine and the sea permeated the air. Fuu's eyes shot up immediately and her jaw dropped at the sight of the wild pirate who'd protected her years ago. Her heart pounded against her chest, threatening to break free from her body. It was really him. Her jaw dropped open and the damp rag dropped out of her hand onto the floor.

"What? You've never seen a Ryukyuan in these parts?" He asked rudely, but it didn't bother Fuu. She was just glad he was alive. "You just gonna stand there or take my order?" For a moment she thought he was joking, but after a few moments he didn't say anything else. He had to remember who she was because she'd never forgotten about him. Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach and a feeling of sadness washed over her. It seemed like he really had forgotten her completely.

Fuu sputtered. "Of course. What would you like?" She took his order, covertly sneaking glances at him. He was nearly exactly how she had remembered, down to the same clothing. He was still tanned, his hair still as wild as ever and his eyes still had that certain dangerous glimmer. The only thing that had changed was a few scars she didn't remember and that his body was more muscular than she remembered.

xxxx

"Dumplings, rice balls and squid. A lot of dumplings. I'm fuckin' starving." Mugen eyed the nervous waitress, feeling some sort of sense of… something… like he was forgetting something. She wasn't bad looking, a little too skinny for his tastes, but definitely not bad looking. She was pretty amusing too. She kept blushing as she took his order and stuttered nervously when she repeated his order. Maybe she'd go for a quickie if he played his cards right. If not, fuck it, he was a made man now and he could go to the nearest brothel and get a chick if he wanted.

He was a hired assassin, it was a legitimate job and he got paid well for it. It was the ideal job, tons of money, travelling and all the sake and women he could get. Life was definitely good.

As he ate his meal he lazily watched her move about, something about that voice and laugh were so familiar, but he couldn't place it. His line of work involved a lot of travel, maybe he knew her from then. He was pretty sure he'd never slept with her before. He was sure he'd remember sleeping with a girl like her. She practically floated around the room, she knew every customer by name and they seemed to be tipping her pretty well. As he watched her, a man approached her and the girl smiled at him.

'Probably the boyfriend.' He thought to himself a bit ruefully, 'Guess I gotta buy a chick tonight.'

He continued to watch the interaction between the two. The guy was whispering something into her ear and the girl's eyes actually locked with Mugen's for a moment before nodding at the guy. He disappeared to the back and Mugen heard some excited cheers before an older couple came out from the kitchen.

"Everyone," The old man said with a large grin. "Our son Yoshio has just given us the best news. Last night, he proposed and soon will be marrying Miss Fuu."

For a moment, memories of the trip to Nagasaki searching for a sunflower samurai and risking his neck a million times for a mouthy girl in a pink kimono filled his vision.

Xxxxxxx

Fuu knew the moment that he remembered. His jaw had practically fallen to the floor with Mr. Namamoto's announcement. She tensed as she felt his eyes seeing right through her and she risked a glance at him. His dark eyes caught hers, refusing to let her go. Fuu's breath caught in her throat. It seemed that even after all years he did had the ability to rip the air from lungs. She wanted to say something to him, see how he was doing, but she was gradually being swamped with well-wishers patting her on the back and giving her hugs. After several minutes of cheers and congratulations Fuu glanced over at the table that Mugen had once occupied. Maybe she'd be able to steal a few minutes with him, catch up on how he was doing... As she peered over the heads of the crowd she realized he was gone. His plate was empty. His seat vacant… He'd left money to pay the bill and her tip… but he was gone.

Without warning and leaving a confused tea house full of people she ran out into the streets looking for any sign of where he'd went. Panic filled her chest, why would he just take off like that?

"Looking for me?"