Disclaimer: I do not... I repeat DO NOT own any of Samurai Champloo's story lines or characters. I just like to fantasize about what I'd like to see happen. Is that a crime?... anyway please don't sue me...

Chapter Ten: Move On

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By: LorelaiRaye

Mugen walked the rest of the afternoon down the path towards the side of the village, where the teahouse owner lived. Nagasaki wasn't a big city, but it did take a whole day to walk from one side of town to the other.

Finally, the house came into view, just like that guy Kou had said, last one on the left. Mugen stopped in the middle of the path. He was starting to have second thoughts. "What the fuck am I doin'?" He asked himself. 'Even if this broad does know Fuu….' "She hates me anyway."

Then his annoying brain joined the personal conversation. 'What are ya, a pussy?' His head shouted. 'You're already here, man. You might as well just go ahead and see.'

Mugen looked up, as if to see his brain and growled, "Shut up you!" Then he looked back at the house. "Shit…." He said and took a few more steps towards the house. 'This is stupi….'

Before he could finish his mouth to brain conversation, a loud crash sounded from the house. Mugen lifted his head and prepared for trouble, but he saw no danger. 'Just some stupid brat!' He thought as a small girl with wicked speed and a mop of chocolate curls came running out of the house. She was laughing and holding a pair of glasses and some pants. Closely following her came a tall dark haired man, in a towel, dripping wet.

At seeing the man, Mugen slipped into the bushes nearby and took cover next to a tall sakura tree. Mugen couldn't see what the man looked like, because the man's hair was long and falling over his face. 'Why the hell are ya hidin'? His brain screamed as Mugen watched the child and the man play. 'You could easily take that whimp! Look, he can't even catch a child!' His brain continued.

Mugen put his finger to his lips and shushed himself and went on watching. "Catch me if you can…." Mugen whispered. "That was my favorite game growin' up."

'Chicken!' His head said and Mugen got pissed.

"What?! Who you callin' a chicken?" He hissed in response.

'You!' His mind replied. 'There's no reason for ya to be hidin', like a pussy ass chicken!'

Mugen snorted. "For once yer right. This is stupid…." He said as he stood up straight, and was about to step back out into the path. But, he froze when "She" came out of the house. "SHIT!" He said and retreated back to his hiding place.

She was beautiful. With her glistening chestnut hair pulled back with a pair of chopsticks, a dusty pink kimono with lotus blossoms on it, and those eyes… those big honey drown eyes that plagued his every dream. 'Damn….' He thought as he stared at her. 'That can't be her… I gotta jus' be seein' things….'

Any room that was left open for human error on his part in recognizing her by looks alone was demolished the instant she opened her mouth.

"MIYUKI!" She yelled with her hands on her hips, and her face scrunched up in that cute way it did whenever she was pissed at him. It had gotten to the point when he'd piss her off on purpose, just to see that face.

'She hasn't changed a bit….' He thought and smiled.

He watched as the tall man said something to Fuu and she sighed. Her face softened and she smiled, then walked over to him.

"Fuck, I can't hear a thing." He said and leaned forward. "Come on… speak up you ass!" He may not have been able to hear the mystery man, but he could sure hear Fuu. She was never the quiet type.

"Sorry about her." She started. "She's a bit rambunctious." The tall man said something else that was lost to Mugen.

'Oh… she must be a babysitter or some shit….' He thought as Fuu spoke again.

"I'm so glad you're back." She said and hugged the man.

Mugen felt like he had been hit by a two ton boulder at the sight of Fuu in the arms of another man. 'No way….' He thought as Fuu hugged the man tighter. 'She's…? No… she can't be….'

His thought came to a bone crushing halt at the child's words. "Mommy!" She squealed. "We were playing!"

'MOMMY!?!' Mugen's brain shouted and his eyes widened in shock. 'She has a kid!?' Mugen felt the weighted pain in his chest intensify as he watched the happy family. "I guess there's no need to disturb 'em." He whispered and Fuu raised her head and looked in his direction, with a confused look on her face. Then she released the tall man and stepped toward the forest.

He watched as she scanned the tree line looking for something. 'No way she can see me.' He thought as her eyes came to rest on his location, but as soon as they did the child broke Fuu's concentration by pulling on her kimono.

"Mommy, let's go play inside now. I'm bored." She said and ran into the house. The tall man followed the child, because she still had his pants. Fuu smiled as she watched them go.

Mugen began to to back deeper into the forest when Fuu snapped her head back towards him. This time there was no scanning necessary. She knew where she needed to look, but she didn't know what for. She still had that confused look on her face. Her eyes seemed to bore into his and he swore that she could see him.

They stared at each other for, what seemed like, forever until Fuu's child broke in again. "MOMMY! COM'ON!" She yelled from the door and Fuu shook her head at the forest, smiled and turned to the child.

"Yes, Miyuki dear." She said and disappeared into the house.

Mugen released the breath he didn't know he was holding. He collected himself and backed away quickly into the brush. "I need a ship… like now!" He said and headed toward the dock at a full on run.

'Where ya gonna go?' His brain asked him in a condescending tone.

Mugen rolled his eyes and said, "I don' care! So long as I'm as far from here as I can get!" He began to run faster. "Now… SHUT UP!"

Mugen flew through town. As he approached the tea house that guy Kyou waved him down. Mugen slowed to a jog. "Sup?" He asked, but didn't stop.

Kyou smiled and asked, "Did you find the girl you were looking for?"

"Nah… she had no clue who I was talking about." Mugen replied and sped up. "SEE YA!" He yelled over his shoulder.

"YEA!" Kyou yelled back as Mugen disappeared over the hill to the ocean.