Written because I have always been disappointed by the ending. Spoilers for the end of Samurai Champloo, obviously.
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Jin and Mugen are the first to meet back up. It's at a delapitated little tea shack on the side of the dusty road, one of those airy establishments that they'd all been so fond of during their travels even though they could never afford anything more than the water the kindly old shopkeeper would offer them por gratis.
They batter each other around the forest behind the stall, knocking down more than their fair share of trees. Jin manages to loose his glasses. Mugen comes out of it with a chink in his ear, like some sort of rogue alley cat. They're both bruised and bloody and totally exhausted by the end of it, but still alive and smiling from ear to ear.
They reemerge from the woods and pass in front of the tea shop. Fuu spots them and insists on dressing their wounds with small, firm hands and gentle chastisement. She wraps Mugen's ear and smears a thick salve that smells strongly of sunflowers onto Jin's bruises. She finishes with a smile, and stands.
She begins walking.
And they think that maybe one more journey wouldn't hurt, because she never was all that good at the whole "staying out of trouble" thing.