I hope this chapter is long enough...

In any case, thanks for reading! And I do not own Samurai Champloo =P

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When A Heart Break

Chapter 2

The midmorning sun was beginning to shine through the trees. Jin and Fuu had sat in stunned silence, Fuu's mouth hung ajar in shock while Jin merely stared, dumbfounded, at the trees where Mugen had departed.

"What an idiot..." Fuu broke the silence first, "no way he's just gonna go back, he has nowhere to go to," she said, trying to convince herself as well as Jin. "You think so too, right Jin?" she added tentatively.

"Yes, he'll tire of the fit he's having sooner or later," he replied coolly.

"So we just sit and wait for him?" Fuu asked with dismay.

"Unless you want to go looking for him, I see no other options," Jin stated.

Fuu's face fell, "Why did that jerk have to take off? Now its gonna be forever till we'll get an actual meal... And a bath, for that matter," she moaned with a pout.

So they continued their daily schedule, Jin caught fish while Fuu scavenged nearby for berries of any kind, both convinced Mugen would be back by nightfall. But nightfall came and went, with no sign of the man. Fuu kept glancing anxiously in the direction Mugen had gone, Jin sat contemplatively, staring only into his lap.

"Maybe... Maybe we should go look for him?" Fuu half stated, half asked.

"We'd have no chance of finding him at night, we need the daylight," Jin said, suddenly regretting their assumption that Mugen would return by nightfall.

"Well then we should go in the morning. First thing!" Fuu exclaimed, suddenly very worried.

Jin nodded in agreement, silently wondering what exactly it was that motivated Mugen to act so angrily in the first place.

Soon after, they tried to get some rest, although the only sleep either of them received was minimal and full of distressing dreams.

. . .

Early the next morning, without bothering to kindle the fire, Jin and Fuu agreed to fan the forest, splitting up to gain more ground coverage. Jin took to the left, leaving Fuu to inspect the right.

Jin had walked for almost an hour, listening carefully for any sign of Mugen, 'He may be irrational, and he does have an extreme temper, but even for him, this is ridiculous. There must have been some other reason...' Jin pondered while walking. Soon after, he heard a noise. Jin stopped dead in his tracks, straining to make out the sound. 'Is that... snoring?' .He thought wildly. Stepping around a particularly large tree he saw, in a clearing a few yards away, Mugen, laying under a tree and completely passed out. Jin stared, dumbfounded for the second time. 'I don't believe this, all this time we were so worried and he's just lazing around, sleeping?!' Jin twitched with aggravation.

Swiftly making his way to where Mugen was snoozing, he kicked the man in the leg.

"What the hell??" Mugen exclaimed, jaggedly looking around. Staring upward, he glared at Jin.

"What have you been doing? We were worried, you fool," Jin informed him.

"Save it. I ain't going back," Mugen replied with a bitter smile.

"Yes you are," Jin stated flatly, "even if I have to drag you."

Mugen continued to stare defiantly into Jin's face.

"What made you leave anyway? Don't tell me it was seriously just you falling into that river," Jin asked skeptically.

"Why don't you mind yer own frigging business?" Mugen snapped.

Jin smirked, "so it was something else," he deducted.

Mugen glowered, " shut your mouth," he warned.

Jin took no notice, "was it Fuu? The way she laughed at you? Are you in love with her?" he questioned.

Then Mugen was on his feet, unhitching his sword and pointing it directly at Jin's neck, "say another word and you're a dead man standing," he said in a venomously threatening tone.

"I've hit a nerve then," Jin continued to reason, "but that's still a completely idiotic excuse for your actions."

Mugen growled, swinging his sword and leaping at Jin.

In a flash, Jin's sword was drawn and blocking Mugen's frontal blow. Mugen swung low on his heels, aiming to slash Jin in the back. Jin jumped away lightly, gaining distance. Mugen ran after him, swinging wildly, angrily.

'That bastard, how could he not know...?' Mugen raged internally, 'How could he not realize that I-'

Interrupting Mugen's thoughts, Jin swipes low at Mugen's legs. He jumped back, landing on his hands, he furiously swung his foot, making contact with Jin's face. Jin faltered, loosing his balance. He struck out blindly in Mugen's general direction, and felt his blade slice through something, though not knowing what. Toppling to the ground, he prepared to roll and dodge Mugen's next attack. But looking up he saw that Mugen was standing rigidly, eyes wide. Jin froze. Mugen was clutching his midsection, blood was oozing from his fingers and dripping to the ground.

"B-bastard... We aren't finished yet," he growled.

Jin stared, horrified. "We have to get you back," he said numbly, "that wound is serious, Mugen."

"Shut up! I told you I wouldn't go back! How many ti-" at that Mugen bent forward in pain. He turned and started to walk deeper into the forest.

Finally regaining control over his muscles, Jin leaped to his feel, rushing after Mugen and grabbing his shoulders firmly. "I'm not letting you leave!" he burst angrily.

"Get the fuck off of me! How much more damage are you gonna do, Jin?" he questioned bitterly.

Jin's fingers went lax, and he took a step back rigidly, "I..."

"At least let me keep my dignity, " Mugen continued with resentment. That being said, he limped off deeper into the woods.

Jin watched him go, not knowing what to do. The numbness in his body was back, and he could do nothing but stand helplessly, watching Mugen limp away. He stood until he could no longer see Mugen's form. And then he stood a bit longer.

Eventually, he took a jagged step back. Then another. Until finally he was headed back to where they had camped, dread and guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders. Fuu was already there, finding no trace of Mugen, she had given up hours ago, and was now crouching in front of a blazing fire.

Hearing him return, her head perked up swiftly, "did you find him? Any trace?" she asked anxiously.

He stared at her for a moment, "... No, no trace..." he answered.

. . .

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Well, the word count says that this chapter is a liiiiittle bit longer. So that's good, at least.

I was really worried about the fight scene, cuz I've never written anything like it before. So please give me your input! -bows-