Prologue - Quick Beginnings

Heavy drops of sweat ran down the contours of her face. Following the ridge of her nose to continue to be pulled down by gravity. Each bag seemed heavier than the last despite them all being the same size. Perhaps it wasn't the bags getting heavier but her arms getting weaker with each one moved and stacked. Waitressing had its perks but money talks- this was a fact she couldn't deny. She had managed to talk her way into a part time job at a large inn on the outskirts of Osaka. Business was booming all over Osaka and Kyoto, the production of fine silks, cottons and even sake brewing was bringing in all kinds of people. And money always followed.

Standing up straight she followed the lines of her tiny waist to her back and stretched-trying to pop whatever tension this job created. After feeling her back crack up to her shoulders she was satisfied. Looking at the sacks of neatly stacked rice she was happy with her quick work. She remembered the look on the Inn owner's face when she came about a job. They were quick to tell her that they had all the house keepers they needed but she explained that she was their for their other listing.

"I don't think you're quite we're looking for..." The middle aged man's face seemed regretful yet hesitant. He had been looking for someone for quite some time now but no one seemed interested in carrying supplies in and out of the cold and dirty room. "We need someone with a bit more-"

"Please Ojii-san! I'm quite strong despite my size! Trust me!" She said this all while rolling up her sleeve and flexing what she considered an impressive bicep.

"I-I'm sorry but-"

"How about you let me work for a day, then you decide! If I don't do a good job you don't have to pay me or hire me." Clasping her hands together she looked to the man with pleading eyes. She pouted out her lip ever so slightly while holding her breath. She wanted this job, away from the public, away from any crude or demanding comments.

Rubbing the back of his neck the man considered it. If she did do a good job then he would have the help he needed, and if she didn't then he got free labour for a day.

"Fine. But if you break or ruin anything you have to pay for it."

An honest smile grew on her face as she bowed as deeply as she could. "Thank you! I'll be in your care."

"Here, come and I'll show you the basics. Erm... what was your name again?"

"It's Fuu."

Her kimono sleeves fell free once again when she untied the tasuki. She knew she would be sore tomorrow- there were more sacks of rice than there usually was. And she had helped haul in the newly cleaned futons earlier. It wasn't part of the job description but she was willing to help out in any way she could. After all if was the least she could do considering she usually showed up early. She's only had this job for about 5 weeks now, and truth be told, she really didn't need it or the money it offered. During morning hours she worked at a small tea shop. Business was slow, and tips were scarce but it paid enough for her to live. Full day shifts were offered to her- from day light to closing. But she learned her lesson about what kind of men tended to come out in the evenings. Not that much could scare her now but now she was alone. She didn't have the help of her two frien...bodyguards. If the world decided to throw trouble her way she most likely wouldn't be able to fight it off herself- at least not for long. So working in the back of an Inn away from the guests was good easy money. It was a more physical job than what she was use to but it kept her busy, kept her mind from wandering the way it used to. She found it difficult to sit around doing nothing, to return to her small rented room at the end of every day.

With a crack of her neck she hung up the tasuki on a small hook next to the door. Mr. Terazawa stumbled in just as she was about to walk out. The middle aged Inn owner was a kind man but he always seemed so frantic. Never taking a break, and never late for anything- there was a reason this Inn was so popular. Despite all his drive was nothing but ordinary, he stood at a mere 5"5, slightly balding but that was to be expected at his age. The only "stand out" thing about him was his glasses. They somehow hung low on his nose, two small prescription cylinders pinched tight enough to hold on. In order to look through them he would tilt his head up while looking down through the lenses- or on some occasions he would take them off and hold them in front of his eyes. His wife also worked at the Inn, she worked the front desk- she was quite outspoken. At first Fuu thought she was rude, and that was a push over- but in reality they balanced each other. Her harsh tones and zero bullshit tolerance level seemed to mesh well with 's gentle nature. It was a shame they never had any children, or perhaps it was for the best. She couldn't imagine them being able to run such a large business with children running around.

He seemed to inspect the newly stacked sacks of rice, counting each one and quickly inspecting them to make sure there weren't any visible holes or wet spots. Happy with his inspection he smiled and patted the top sack a couple times.

"Well Miss Fuu, here's this weeks pay." Handing her a small pouch of coins Fuu gladly accepted it along with a few pats on the shoulder. Similar to what he had done to the sacks.

Accepting her payment she thanked her employer and left through the back door like always. She made sure to securely hide her weekly pay deep in her kimono sleeve. Despite how busy the Inn was, the back never saw much foot traffic. Perhaps because the land behind had been cleared into flat even ground with nothing but a small road for the supplies wagons to drop off goods. It seemed no one but her and the suppliers used it, which was fine. It stretched out on its own for about 20 minutes (20 minutes of Fuu's foot pace anyway), before it reconnected with any other roads. It would take another 15 minutes before she would enter Osaka. As soon as you entered the city things were in full roar. There were always people coming and going, which was nice. She could never get use to pure silence unless there was a task at hand. Lanterns glowed off of every building, lighting up the streets and the people on them.

Weaving her way through the crowds of people, she got closer and closer to the shop at which she worked in the mornings. The owners of the teahouse also owned a small building that was connected at the back- that was where they lived and were the room that Fuu rented was. During store hours the "house" was locked, so the only way to get in was by walking through the shop itself. Not that she minded, she liked to check in on the couple before she headed off to bed. It was like saying "I'm home!" to what was really a lonely life. Other than her employers at both jobs and the odd run in with a coworker, she had no one else in her life. Walking through the small cloth in the doorway she was met with happy smiles from some regulars that seemed to straggle the entire day. It was a slow night it seemed, apart from the regulars there was 2 other tables with people. 1 table with 2 young couples and the other with 4 aging men who seemed to be enjoying sake and some jokes. Passing all the tables she went straight for the back into the kitchen that ultimately lead to the secondary door for her housing. She couldn't help but smile at the young couples who appeared to be on a group date. They seemed to be happy, a young girl holding onto the arm of her boyfriend in a crimson red yukata.

A year ago she would have stopped and stared at the sight of someone in red. In hopes that it was topped with a mop of unruly hair; that a tanned, scar riddled face would turn to insult her. And yet she knew she would laugh. But, that was never the case. Now red was just a colour people wore, it was a colour no different than any other. It's funny how things change, how people change. She was so immature, so naive- to expect to see either of them again. That day when they each took their own path she knew what it meant. She was prepared to travel alone, to god knows where to do god knows what.

At first she shyed from the major cities, with a price on her head from the shogunate and debt collectors from the brothel she escaped from there was no telling who was looking for her. But after time she realized without the two men at her side she blended in to the crowd. Her bright pink kimono and chop stick hair made her look like any other 15 year old girl. There wasn't a stern, proper and yet handsome samurai by her side. Nor was there the loud mouthed yankee with a red haori by her side. She never did anything note worthy to draw attention to herself unlike certain people had. Soon the sounds of katanas being drawn and people yelling to hault no longer bothered her- because it didn't concern her. She even folded and retired her pink kimono, not because she was brushing the past away completely but because it was time. The pink wasn't so bright anymore, it had been patched and resewn so many times it dawned a new pattern all together. But it wasn't just that, it began to get a little too short, a little too tight in certain places and as people grow, so do their tastes. Sure she was a little sad when she put the folded kimono away in a box, tucked away to collect dust, but at the end of the day it was just material.

While shopping for a new one she considered all kinds of colours, a dusty blue, emerald green, a subtle purple but she was always coming back to the same thing she had to put behind her. Pink.

It wasn't as bright or as "loud" as the old one, it was pale in colour; if dust was pink this is what it would look like. It had small lillies and petals cascading down it- unlike the large flowers she was use to. The lillies seemed silver, but at closer inspection it was like they had a purple tinge to them. Stemming from each lilly were small "pinstripe" lines that flowed to one another, like they were dancing effortlessly in the wind. It was a good thing she had cheap rent because this new kimono sure wasn't. Normally she would have attempted to barter but the worker at the counter was some bag with a pernament scowel- today wasn't the day to try anything. But when she got back to her small room she was happy to see that it fit her perfectly. The "dancing lines" followed her developing curves nicely, and colour complimented her pale skin. Adorned with the yellow obi that the store owner reccomended Fuu couldn't be happier. 'Yellow like sunflowers...' she smiled to herself running her hands over the new material. It was years since she had something new to wear. Her mother purchased her old one when she turned 13. Other than getting taller, and a little gangly she hadn't done much growing, not until she had turned 16 that is. Slowly her body started to fill in, having to add extra bandaging to her chest wrap to keep herself comfortable and in place. She started to feel the way her hips moved when she walked, the natural sway of a woman.

Remembering that day made her realize even more how much time had really passed. Falling onto her futon with a sigh of relief she stared at the wooden grained ceiling. It had been a year since then, she was already 17, going on 18 in no time. Almost 3 years since she first set off on her life changing advernture. She had changed a lot, at least she liked to think so. 'I wonder how much they've changed...I bet Jin is the exact same.' She giggled at the notion of the samurai making any changes, maybe getting a new kimono but that's it. But Mugen... 'Mugen...he's probably wearing the same tattered, blood stained clothing he was the day we met. He probably hasn't bothered to get a hair cut.' Furrowing her brows and hugging her blanket she rolled over on her futon in a huff of frustration. This was why she got an evening job, so her mind wouldn't wander like this. It would surely be a long sleepless night now.

Hello there, this is my first published "Story" here. It isn't my original piece, that is for an entirely different series and has been in the process for over a year now.
This was literally written today. I just re-lived the amazing adventure that is Samurai Champloo, it had been years since I watched it and goodness I am inspired, and I am in LOVE!
This story will be updated whenever I feel like it, whenever a chapter is ready I will post it. But also by doing it with that method means there will most likely be many revisions and errors as well, there will probably be lots of editing and rewriting done, unless I decide to write ahead and hold off on posting (much like what I've been doing with my other story). I am still learning the formatting and configuration of this site. I mostly read from my cell phone so I'm making it more presentable on there. How this shows up on a regular computer I'm not sure. I apologize if it isn't ideal.

I would like to take a moment as well to explain the Title "Champuru Flower"; Champloo / Champuru means "mixed up" or "stirred together" which is how Mugen's fighting style is explained. Since his fighting style really isn't any style at all, mostly improvised, some break dancing and a whole lot of bad ass moves. And I think most of you can assume what the "Flower" in the title represents.