…I don't own rights to Samurai Champloo…

His mouth tried to find her lips in a shockingly clumsy fashion. Never had he felt like such a young, inexperienced idiot.

Her back was pressed hard against the alley wall, her hands exploring his body with increasing want and desperation. Her legs wrapped around him and he knew he was about to taste bliss.

It was the light that hit his eyes that woke him up.

Mugen watched her even breathing as she slept. Because she seemed most at ease around him, Riyouji put him in charge of her well-being… Why was he was always put in charge of this damn girl's well-being?

"I don't know about you," Riyouji had said, "but I find it most annoying having a prisoner on board. Constantly crying and yelling for someone to 'please help' them. I think prisoners have been the beginnings of many headaches for me. Yes, best to lead this girl into her fate blindly and quietly."

Fuu's eyes fluttered open and rested on him. "Where are they taking me?" She whispered.

He directed his attention to the ground. "I don't know."

"How can you not know where you're sailing?" Her lips were quivering.

"I know where we're sailing, but I don't know which port we're dropping you at." Mugen began cutting an apple into slices. "We could have either a few months to plan or a few weeks. I don't know."

She huffed and rolled over so her back was facing him. "Great. Just great. I thought all my troubles were over."

"Tough shit."

"Mugen!" She yelled and sat up in anger.

"Will you shut up!?" Mugen hissed. "Look, we've been in worse jams than this. I'll get us out of it somehow."

Fuu was silent for a few moments. "So what have you been up to since… since we last saw each other?"

Mugen glared at her. "This is hardly the time for small talk, stupid."

"Oh!" Fuu countered. "Sorry for the curiosity, you pig!"

"Bitch."

"Moron!"

"Flat-chested cow!"

Suddenly the door swung open and Riyouji came in chuckling. "Now, now, children let's stop this petty fight. Mugen, I told you to be hospitable."

"I doubt he even knows what that means." Fuu jeered at Mugen.

"I do too!" Mugen lied.

Riyouji let out a chuckle again. "Alright, alright, Mugen, go get our lovely guest some breakfast."

A look of worry flooded over Fuu's face and the possessiveness in Mugen's gut tightened. He gritted his teeth, nodded, and then left them.

"So, Fuu-chan, tell me about yourself." Riyouji was immediately at her side, her hand in his.

"Myself?" She was a little taken aback. "I… I don't really know…"

"Your family, your hopes and dreams, your interests?"

She swallowed and tried to think. "I-uh… I love traveling."

"Me as well!" His face flashed a smile of surprisingly white teeth. "As you might have guessed from me being a pirate and all."

"Yes." Fuu smiled back politely. "I always enjoyed seeing new sights, finding new adventures."

"The life of a pirate, dear Fuu." He squeezed her hand gently. "If you would ever like a tour of the ship, I'd be most obliged to do so."

"Thank you." Fuu wished he would let go of her hand.

Mugen quickly came in the room, slightly disturbed by how close Riyouji was to Fuu.

"Food." He signaled with his head for Fuu to come sit at the table.

She obeyed with silent gratitude.

Jin went directly to the port the pirate ship had first landed in. There he found little useful information. He found that the ship was ran by a captain named Riyouji who had bought enough food for 3 weeks journey. No one knew where their next port would be and no one had seen the girl named Fuu. Jin's best bet was to head up the coast and search for signs.

"I'm going with you." Kai said as they walked away from the fisherman they had questioned.

"You will only be in the way." Jin replied as he looked at a map.

"I love her and will do anything to see her safe arrival home." Kai argued.

"Then you will stay in your home and wait for us to return." Jin looked at him. "Do you know how to handle a sword? Have you ever been in a life or death battle?"

Kai looked down at his callous-free hands, soft and pampered from never having to work in his life. "No."

"Then you will only get in my way." Jin turned and walked away without another word to him.

As he walked through the forest toward his next path, he couldn't help but smile. He was saving Fuu again.

That girl can't keep herself out of trouble. I wonder what Mugen would say.

"What the fuck are the odds that you would fucking be kidnapped by the fucking crew from this fucking ship?"

Mugen was on a rant. Fuu gazed at her fingernails, bored and annoyed.

"I mean!" He continued. "Out of all the fucking ports in the world, out of all the chicks to have a price on their head, out of all the captains in the world to want that chick, out of all the ships I could be sailing on!"

"Okay, Mugen, I get it." Fuu rolled her eyes. "It's a huge coincidence. An example of fate at its best."

"Ah, no." Mugen pointed his finger at her. "Don't start with that fate shit again."

"Ugh… Out of all the ships to be stuck on, I had to be stuck on the same one as you."

"Hey!" Mugen took a swig of sake. "You could be on a different one, and then your sorry ass would be screwed!" He grinned. "Both figuratively and literally."

"What does that mean?!" Fuu put her hands on her hips.

"It means that if it weren't for me, Riyouji would have fucked you by now." Mugen spat.

Fuu grimaced. "…I am a little worried about him…" A look of anxiety came on her face. "Mugen… You won't… You won't let him touch me… Will you?"

Mugen stayed silent for a moment.

After she had eaten her breakfast, he and Riyouji stepped out of the cabin for a moment.

"I could really fall in love with a girl like her." Riyouji said in a soft tone.

Mugen's mouth fell slack. "With Fuu?"

"Yeah." He smiled almost dreamily. "She's got a spark to her, that kid."

"…Are you still gonna take her to the port to be killed?" Mugen asked.

Riyouji smirked. "I would sell my own mother to be tortured and hanged if the price were right."

Mugen ran a hand through his hair. "I won't let him, Fuu."

"Thanks." She whispered.

An awkward silence had fallen between them when Riyouji decided to stick his head in the door. "Mugen! Bring Fuu up here!"

Mugen and Fuu glanced uneasily at each other before they sprang to their feet. They were filing upstairs to the deck, Riyouji in front of Fuu with Mugen following behind, when Fuu stopped short, gasping.

Fuu's back was pressed firmly against Mugen's chest from her sudden halt in movement, but she didn't seem to notice.

Fuu's eyes were wide with amazement at the scenery before her. The men and women were crowded around a large, roaring fire, roasting their catch of the day… The moon was almost touching the far-off sea, a blanket of clouds framing it, only to fade into a black sky with millions of blazing stars burning in the distance.

"It's… Beautiful." Fuu breathed.

Mugen huffed, taking in her scent at the same time, then shoved her away from him and onto the deck.

One of the crew brought out a strange instrument that Fuu had never seen before and began playing it. It's foreign, gypsy-like tune flooded the atmosphere. Many clapped their hands and danced. Drunken women laughed boisterously and men let out whistles of appreciation as many women danced and swung their hips suggestively.

Mugen was sitting on a step, tearing at his fish when he noticed Riyouji give Fuu his hand.

"Fuu, may I have a moment?" He grasped her hand gently and led her to the side of the ship where the noise of the crew was less audible.

What the fuck is he doing? Courting a doomed prisoner?! Mugen was sending daggers into Riyouji's back but he nor Fuu seemed to detect this.

"Fuu," said Riyouji with sigh, "this life I live, is it not beautiful?"

"At the moment it is." Fuu answered nervously. She took a second to glance at Mugen and make sure he was still watching her.

Her heart felt a little relief; he was.

"Fuu, I'm going to allow you to walk about the ship during the day." Riyouji smiled at her. "Of course, Mugen or I will have to escort you around… The men might be a little… Grabby."

Fuu mentally frowned. This guy is nuts.

"Thank you, Riyouji." Fuu bowed.

He kissed her hand and bowed before leading her back to the music and dancing.

Mugen inched over to her. "What was that all about?"

"This guy is a total creep." She whispered. "But he's going to let me walk around deck during the day."

"Shit, that's all?" Mugen remembered him kissing her hand.

"I thought he was going to ask me to marry him!" Fuu giggled.

"This could be in our favor." Mugen said. "Play up on it, and he might let down his defenses."

She nodded, then rose and walked over to Riyouji. As she did, Mugen checked out her ass and imagined what it would be like to give it a good squeeze.

Shit.

…Alright, LOOONNGGG one, and a little slow in my opinion. I can't wait for the main action and crap to start haha. Thanks for reading and reviewing! More soon!...