No Roads Where We're Going

by drealyn22

Mugen is drowning in self-inflicted remorse, Fuu is suffering from post-traumatic stress, and Jin wanders aimlessly without hope. Everything changes when Jin sees the Wanted Posters in the town's square. "Oh, no… no, no, no… She is in grave danger." His purpose has never been more clear: he must find them, and together, they must keep her safe... and teach her how to fight back.

10. Chapter 9: Converge

A/N - 4/7/2017: Hello, and welcome back! My apologies for the ridiculously long wait. This chapter was especially challenging, for a variety of reasons, personal and otherwise. I'm so happy that it's finally done.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and to all 88 people who just received a message in their inbox when I published this. Thanks also to those of you who've visited me on Tumblr. It's always nice to hear from you. Hopefully some of the information I've posted there has been useful and entertaining.

Two notes:

1.) I'm changing the rating on this story from T to M for language and violence.
2.) It seems a lot of readers are skipping Chapter 7. If you're one of those people, go back and read it before continuing.

This chapter is extremely long... you might call it a double chapter. There are additional author's notes at the end, and supplemental materials on Tumblr.

Enjoy!

A/N - 5/15/2018: I'm still alive, and this story is too. I've been on a break from writing for a LONG time, but now I'm trying to get my brain back into the groove. It's tougher than it sounds. Wish me luck.

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~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

No Roads Where We're Going

Chapter 9: Converge

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Samurai Champloo!

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Part 1: Substratum

Definition:

1.) (Geology) An underlying layer or substance, in particular, a layer of rock or soil beneath the surface of the ground.

2.) A basis or foundation; groundwork.

---

Jin and Fuu knelt across from each other as the brilliant orange-gold sunrise illuminated the meadow. Mugen lay inside the ramshackle cabin, still asleep since their arrival the day before. Fuu had spent most of the night tending to his wounds and monitoring his condition, until she finally succumbed to exhaustion. It seemed like only minutes later, she was jumping to her feet with newfound enthusiasm for her first day of training.

Jin's voice was cool and composed, his words carefully chosen with specific intent. "The first thing you must understand is that fighting is not only physical in nature; it is also mental. In every battle, you must be capable of evaluating the situation and choosing the strategy that will give you the greatest advantage. Mindfulness, self-control, patience, and awareness of one's own strengths and limitations, as well as those of one's opponent, are key fundamentals that you must master fully. All of your training will be built upon this foundation.

"To that end, we will expand our morning breathing exercises to include contemplative meditation, followed by a series of kata—routine physical motions designed to build muscle memory so you may eventually execute them reflexively, without hesitation. You will then receive instruction on combat techniques, accompanied by an analysis of their proper application. Lastly, we will end each day's training with mindful reflection and meditation. Have you any questions?"

Fuu was hesitant to ask, "Do you really think I can do this?"

Jin appraised her carefully. "That is entirely up to you. Unless you're having second thoughts?"

"No, it's not that. I'm just a little nervous is all." She took a deep breath and consciously reminded herself to be strong. "I promised you I would do my best, and I will."

"Good. I expect nothing less from you. Now, before we start, I would like you to think about your goals. What is it you hope to achieve, and how will this training help you achieve it?"

"Well... I want to be able to protect myself, and you and Mugen too."

"How will you accomplish this?"

Fuu had to think for a moment. Her plan had been to throw herself straight into training, but now Jin was making her stop and really consider what she was doing. She recalled his words and rolled them around in her mind. Fighting is not only physical in nature; it is also mental. It wasn't simply about taking action. It was about knowing the right action to take.

She answered, "I need to understand how I should respond when someone grabs me. I want to learn how to stop that person from hurting me or taking me away. And the next time I see you or Mugen on the ground, I want to know how I can help."

Jin probed deeper, "Why?"

"I... I don't want you to be killed because of me, and I don't want any of us to be captured and tortured for information we don't have." She glanced down at her hands resting on her knees, and she felt a swell of nostalgic sadness. "I just want us to be free, like we used to be, when we traveled together to find the sunflower samurai."

Behind the ronin's glasses shown a subtle hint of empathy. "Of course you realize that things can never go back to the way they were. The past will always rest inside you, but it can never be resurrected. Learn what lessons you can, and accept that that chapter of your journey has ended."

"I know. It's just... Back then, I felt like I had my whole life ahead of me, you know? I was so optimistic. There were so many things I wanted to do... things I looked forward to. But now..."

Jin was reminded of his own feelings of optimism, in a time when he was still a young student, when Yukimaru was alive, and his master had not yet betrayed him. He remembered when everything changed—how terrifying it felt to be afraid and alone with no prospects for the future, and how his attempts to suppress those emotions only made him feel cold and numb. With Mugen and Fuu, he found a new purpose, but when he separated from them, he lost hope again. It wasn't until he saw the bulletins with their faces on them that he fully grasped the heart of the advice he was giving to Fuu now.

"The future is not yet written. Your life still lies ahead you. Only you can decide how to live it, with the choices you make now, in the present."

Fuu's shoulders gradually rose and fell with a long breath as she contemplated his statement for all the experienced weight it held. "You're right. I need to choose my path and keep moving forward."

He gave her a few seconds to let that sink in before he asked her, "What path will you choose?"

She looked up to meet his patiently observing eyes, and her posture straightened with self-assured confidence. "What I want more than anything is to have a real life, and I want you and Mugen to be part of it. I want to make the most of our time together now, but I also want a future where we can live in peace and be happy. That's what I choose, and I'll fight for it, no matter what it takes. I won't give up."

"What if peace continues to elude us?" Jin countered. "What if there is no happy ending? We may well be forced to spend the rest of our lives in hiding, and there's always the possibility that we could be separated."

"Then we'll fight for each other as long as we can. I'll stand with you and Mugen until the end."

Jin felt a mixture of admiration for Fuu's tenacity, and dread at the thought that she might lose hope if her convictions were shattered as his had once been. "Always be mindful of the reasons why you've chosen to fight. You must never lose sight of the goals you've laid out for yourself, nor must you allow life's obstacles to stop you from making new ones. Do you understand?"

The nervous tightness in her muscles receded and she was energized with a new sense of purpose and resolve. "Yes. I understand. Thank you, sensei." She bowed her upper body respectfully.

Jin inclined his head in return. "Now, let's begin our breathing exercises. Perhaps you would like to lead us today?"

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Your first set of kata will teach you basic footwork. Your stance must be stable, and your footsteps light and agile." Jin demonstrated two steps forward and back, with his feet just barely skimming the ground. "I will guide you through these movements until you've become proficient enough to practice them on your own."

After footwork, they moved on to a series of tanto kata.

"You will start by drawing your weapon from your obi using your right hand. Reach and extend your arm to thrust the tanto forward, then bring it back in. This motion must be swift and fluid. Follow my lead."

Fuu quickly discovered that her narrow kimono was too confining to perform some of the actions as they were intended. The transitions between wide stances required her legs to be farther apart than her clothing would allow. When she lunged forward, her knee was abruptly halted by the unforgiving fabric, and she cringed at the sound of a seam ripping apart. Her concentration faltered.

"Sensei? This isn't working. I need to do something about my kimono." She regarded Jin's outfit with curiosity. "How do men do it? You're wearing a kimono under your hakama, right?"

"Yes, but the lower portion of a man's kimono is lifted and tucked into the obi, allowing for a freer range of motion. Students at a dojo do not wear kimono, but rather a practice uniform of gi and hakama, specifically intended for this type of movement."

"Jeez... I always knew men had it easier than women." She looked down at her own clothing. "I guess I'll have to shorten it somehow. Can you give me a few minutes?"

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Jin bent down to pick up a thin maple branch from the ground. All of the limbs had been trimmed away, except for a few flimsy offshoots with the leaves still attached. He pointed the leafy end at Fuu, and she realized it was about the same length as his katana.

Without warning, he slapped her on the shoulder with the piece of wood.

She mouthed a silent 'Ow...' while she rubbed the stinging ache.

"Using your footwork, you will counter my movements." He swung the branch to slap her shoulder again, but she stepped back beyond his reach. "Excellent. Now I will lead you through a pattern of motions that will teach you to evade the most basic attacks."

At first, Jin used the tree limb to guide Fuu to the appropriate position. Then he swung it near her head, and she learned to jump back or duck underneath it. After that, he became relentless, deliberately hitting her faster than she could dodge.

"Oh!"—a slap to the upper arm.

"Oohf."—a hit to the abdomen.

"Ah!"—a strike on the back.

"Eep!"

Jin poked her hard in the chest with the blunt end of the branch. When she tried to take a step back, she tripped on the heel of her zori, toppled down, and landed on her rear end. Jin pointed the branch at her throat, and she was pinned, unable to get up or move.

"Again." He withdrew the makeshift weapon and allowed Fuu to stand.

She dusted herself off, and returned to her stance for the next round.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

By midday when the sun was high, Jin began introducing Fuu to the rudiments of armed fighting.

"The primary advantages of the tanto are speed and versatility. The disadvantage is that it is very small. An opponent with a sword has greater leverage and a longer reach, and can easily dominate you if you are not prepared. You must be able to avoid or block an attack in order to get close enough to land a hit. This puts you in an extremely dangerous position, as it brings you well within the enemy's striking range."

A wave of apprehension swirled in Fuu's gut. Suddenly her tanto seemed so inadequate. "How can I block a sword with a knife?"

"Ideally, you would attack before the enemy has drawn. In this scenario, you must be twice as fast as your opponent." Jin took Fuu's pink flowered tanto, and kept it sheathed while he demonstrated several attacks by lunging to stab and cut at her arms, midsection, and the side of her neck. He stretched downward to reach her thigh and the back of her knee, then he stood upright and handed the tanto back to her. "Of course, the more likely scenario is that your opponent will have already drawn his weapon."

She felt more than a little intimidated. "What should I do then?"

"You will move around the enemy's sword and if necessary, block using your blade. When he raises his arms to swing, that is when you will advance. Your goal is to complete your attack before he completes his." Jin took Fuu's tanto again, and this time he positioned her body as if she were the assailant preparing to swing a katana. "In one motion, you will move to the side or underneath his arms, redirecting them away from you while your blade connects with his flesh." He instructed Fuu to lower her arms as he demonstrated the movements. "This will create an opening for further attacks. You should keep attacking until your opponent is fully incapacitated. Is this understood?"

"I think so."

Jin could hear the doubt in her voice. "If you are to achieve success, you must settle your fears. You may be small, inexperienced, and lacking in upper body strength"—if this was a pep talk, it wasn't working—"but you have greater speed than you realize. You will find that many larger opponents are heavy and sluggish in their movements. Your lighter weight and superior mobility can be a strong asset if you learn to use it properly."

Feeling somewhat encouraged, Fuu's face brightened and a bit of her anxiety subsided.

Jin kept her moving forward. "We will start with simple blocking."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Faster."

Fuu struggled to keep up as Jin swung the branch more aggressively. She danced and weaved around it, but as the level of difficulty increased, she had trouble getting close enough to strike without being hit. Most of her attempts were met with swift and painful counterattacks.

Without warning, Jin knocked the tanto out her hand with a flick of his wrist, and aimed the tree limb at her throat. She stiffened and froze in place.

"Why have you stopped moving?"

She wavered, "I... don't have a weapon?"

"How should you respond in this situation?"

She glanced at her tanto, lying in the grass beyond her reach. "Run away?"

"That is one possibility. However, you are not likely to escape if your enemy has not been fully disabled. The more appropriate action would be to retrieve your weapon, or attack unarmed."

"Unarmed?" Her cheeks paled. "Isn't that even more dangerous? I thought that's why you guys were so mad at me yesterday."

Jin nodded in recognition. "I was angry because you put yourself in danger without the ability to defend yourself. That is why you must learn these skills. The same techniques we've already discussed still apply in this situation. Once you've created an opportunity in which to strike, your goal is to injure and disable. You will attack vulnerable areas such as the throat, knees or groin, or behind the knee to force the leg to buckle. When the enemy is incapacitated, it may be possible to retrieve your weapon, and either finish the attack or retreat to safety."

Fuu remained unconvinced. "That all sounds good, but I can't even get close enough to you with my tanto. There's no way I can do it unarmed."

"If you begin with the assumption that you cannot achieve your goal, then you never will. Instead, you must always be looking for opportunities. Leave your tanto where it is, and I will show you how to hit or kick your opponent."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Ichi, ni, san, shi."

Jin counted slowly and methodically as he guided his student through a new rotation of exercises, each designed to teach evasion, blocking, redirection, and advancing to attack.

Just when Fuu had grown accustomed to the rhythm, Jin interrupted the count by striking her wrist, causing her to drop her weapon.

"Choose your action carefully," he cautioned.

Her automatic response was to bend and reach for the knife at her feet.

In less than a heartbeat, Jin pressed the branch under Fuu's chin and raised it up, forcing her to rise with it.

"You've just handed your opponent an effortless victory. Think before you act."

She groaned in frustration.

"Again. Ichi, ni, san, shi."

She worked through the patterns repeatedly until she settled into the routine and began to flow intuitively, almost without conscious thought. But as soon as her focus drifted, Jin stabbed her in the shoulder with the piece of wood and swatted her tanto away. It went flying so far that she couldn't reach it even if she dived. He'd left her with no choice but to attempt an unarmed attack.

She used the same side-to-side motions to avoid the branch, then she lunged underneath it to kick Jin's knee. He lifted his leg to counter. With three quick movements blurred into one, he kicked her in the shin, pushed her foot back down, and locked his ankle behind hers, effectively halting her in place. He still praised her for the effort.

"Good. But you must be prepared to keep attacking should your opponent—"

She twirled around in the opposite direction to free her foot from his hold and extended her arm to punch him in the stomach. He stepped back far enough to allow her to touch him without doing any damage.

"Excellent. Again, faster this time."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

When the day finally came to an end, after many hours of arduous training, Fuu was in pain and heavily fatigued. Muscles she didn't even know she had were throbbing with an irate voice of their own.

She had performed well during the slow introduction to new tactics, and her defensive capabilities improved greatly, but she still couldn't land an offensive strike at full speed.

She hunched her shoulders and dipped her head, feeling as though she'd failed in her efforts.

"Do not be discouraged," Jin reassured her. "You've gained exposure to advanced skills that even an experienced student could not learn in one day. What's important is that you understand the fundamental concepts behind these techniques so you can continue to study and learn."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Ahh, that feels so good." Fuu sank into the steamy water of the hot spring and stretched her legs. "I hurt everywhere."

She examined her limbs and torso, and found more bruises and welts than she could count. Then she carefully lifted her feet out of the water to inspect her swollen ankles and blistered toes. "Jin wasn't kidding when he said this wouldn't be easy." She gazed down at her reflection in the water and was thankful to find her face unscathed. "At least he was nice enough not to make me look like I was beaten up."

"Five minutes." Jin stood guard not too far away.

"Aw, there's never enough time for a good bath. I guess I should enjoy it while it lasts." She leaned back against a rock and closed her eyes. She wasn't sure if she'd been awake or dreaming when she heard Jin's voice again.

"We must go."

"You said five minutes!"

"I've already given you ten. It's nearly dusk and we have a long walk ahead of us."

She scrunched her face into a pout, but she didn't argue. "Alright... It's time to change Mugen's bandages anyway." She cleaned away the dirt and sweat, and rose from the spring to dress herself.

"Hey, Jin?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you for today. For teaching me, I mean."

His eyes softened into a smile. "You've proven yourself worthy of instruction."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

The hunter withdrew deeper into the forest. There would be nothing more of value to observe tonight. He'd already gained enough useful information to reflect on until morning.

How does this girl, barely a novice at best, manage to learn so quickly?

He reasoned that it came down to her unique motivation, and perhaps the ronin's teaching style, although it seemed far too soft to be effective.

Unlike many dojo students who learned swordsmanship for the purpose of gaining prestige and power, Fuu was dedicated to the idea of a better life. Male children of samurai families weren't concerned with such things. They were born into society's upper class, and therefore entitled to receive training, whether they were so motivated or not. They would never experience the poverty and heartache that Fuu had endured, nor would they experience the fear and isolation of being a woman condemned.

Karyuudo could relate to the girl in that regard. That samurai sense of entitlement was infuriating. One's character should be measured by one's effort and ability to overcome struggle, not one's wealth or pedigree. Fuu's struggles had made her stronger than any samurai brat. She'd gained an appreciation for hard work, family, and living a simple life on her own terms.

Jin seemed to understand this. He was teaching the girl restraint while also nurturing her innate disposition and supporting her desire for independence. Fuu was allowed to be emotional, she was allowed to ask questions whenever she pleased, and she was allowed to express doubts about his instruction. Such things would never be tolerated in a dojo, yet Jin encouraged it. He was her guide on a path of self-discovery, and she thrived under his careful tutelage.

Karyuudo could relate to the girl in that regard as well. He remembered receiving his first instruction from his father, a man who was both stern and forgiving during their lessons. He identified his children's strengths early on, and he fostered their individual growth and development. He wanted them to be able to defend themselves from the evil and cruelty in the world, so they could find their own way to a happy and prosperous future.

Unfortunately, fate had different plans for Karyuudo.

What would my father think of me now, if he'd known what I've become: a spy and a hunter; a shogunate lapdog, serving under a life contract? Would he be proud that I've risen above my station? Or would he consider this to be another form of slavery?

He felt envious of Fuu. However short-lived it might be, she was with the two people she loved most, and she inspired them with her determination. She was free from obligation, and despite her circumstances, she held onto the belief that she could defeat any obstacle. And now that she was learning to fight, she would never give up. She exuded a youthful vitality that seemed so elusive to Karyuudo.

When was the last time he felt so alive? How long had it been since his spark was extinguished? How long since he traded defiance for indifference? It was hard to recall from the few memories that hadn't been beaten out of him.

He caught himself and dashed the errant thoughts from his mind, as he'd been conditioned to do. In the service of the shogun, there was no room for sentimentality or doubt.

The objective was to carry out the mission. Information was to be obtained for that purpose alone. Everything else was irrelevant.

His only task now was to watch and wait.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Part 2: Oscillation

Definition:

1.) (Physics) To vary between alternate extremes, usually within a definable period of time.

2.) To waver, as between conflicting opinions or courses of action; vacillate.

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Tucked away in the dark corner of an alley, Mugen watched as Fuu stood alone, huddled and trembling beneath the awning of a tea house on a damp city street. Her arms were drawn tightly around her waist, her chest heaved for air, and her skin was ghostly pale.

From somewhere in the busy stream of passersby, a man's voice erupted in caustic laughter. Fuu's dilated pupils frantically darted in every direction. She squeezed her arms and withdrew into herself, shrinking into the wall behind her.

Mugen caught a fleeting glimpse of the laughing man's profile.

An eye patch.

The man was a nameless pedestrian, yet the mere sight of him was enough to send Fuu into a dire state of panic. Mugen now understood that she'd been scarred more deeply by her experiences on Ikitsuki Island than he'd realized.

And perhaps he had been too. He felt a churning swell of fury and hatred for the man who'd hurt her, an ugly man with an eye patch, hell-bent on revenge, but already long since dead.

Mugen wanted to kill him all over again, and this time, he wanted to see the man suffer.

He crept deeper into the shadows, behind the buildings, where he stalked the man from a distance. Several doors down, he made his way back to the edge of the street and waited.

When the man came near, Mugen grasped a fistfull of his kimono, snatched him into the alleyway, and held him up against the wall with his arm pressed across the man's windpipe. The man's one exposed eye widened with uncomprehending alarm.

"Please," he croaked, "take my money. Take anything! Just don't hurt me!" He tried desperately to pry his attacker's arm away, but it was an unbendable steel rod.

Mugen flashed his teeth in animalistic rage. "Don't you ever touch her," he snarled.

"Who are you talking about? I didn't touch any—aaghh..."

Leaning in with the weight of his body, Mugen pushed his arm into the man's neck, feeling the hollow of his throat slowly collapse. The man wriggled in choking agony for almost three minutes before Mugen finally shoved hard enough to finish the job. He released the dead man into the mud and spat on the corpse.

When he returned, Fuu had crammed herself into a tiny crevice between two wooden crates, where she sat with her knees drawn in and her hands covering her face, as if trying to become invisible.

He observed her for several minutes, debating what to do, if anything at all. He decided getting involved would only complicate things. He already ensured her safety, even if the man with the eye patch was never really a threat.

Mugen witnessed Fuu in this same state, a week later in a different town, and again two weeks after that. He made no attempt to reach out to her. She'll get over it, he thought. Long as she ain't in trouble, she'll be fine.

As his subconscious mind walked through this memory, a sense of guilt and shame materialized inside him.

He should've helped her. He should've told her he was there. He should've reassured her that he would always protect her.

But he didn't.

When he was certain that she wasn't being followed or getting herself kidnapped, he walked away, like he always intended.

What was done, was done.

Yet it still haunted him.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Mugen's eyelids drifted open in a haze. Slowly he focused on the young woman sitting next to him as she dabbed a green poultice on his arm. Fuu's face was strained with concentration, but the instant he caught her eye, she visibly loosened and relaxed.

A small smile of relief graced her features. "Hey," she said softly.

The slightest grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Hey, brat." His voice was barely a rasp. "How long have I been out?"

"About a day and a half. How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty," he said, clearing his throat harshly.

Fuu set the bowl of herbal medicine on the floor and reached for a bucket. She took a ladle full of water and held it to his lips. "Here. Don't try to sit up."

He lifted his head and slurped, spilling almost as much water as he consumed. Fuu gave him a look of mild disapproval as she patted him dry with one of the few remaining clean rags.

"You need to eat." She pointed to a basket of fruit on the tiny kitchen counter. "I found berries in the woods, and there's a peach tree near the house."

He coughed and cleared his throat again. "Maybe later."

"Stubborn jerk," she teased. "If you change your mind..."

When she resumed caring for his wounds, he surveyed the interior of the cabin. It was dimly lit by the fading purple dusk and the dancing flicker of a small fire in the center of the room. A bowl of murky red water and a clump of bloodied rags and bandages lay on the floor next to the futon.

He was clean and covered with a blanket from the waist down. The gash on his arm had been stitched, and Fuu was being careful not to disturb the threads while she spread the medicinal paste around the wound.

Already feeling restless after less than ten minutes of consciousness, he tried to stretch his legs and wiggle his foot. He only succeeded in aggravating his injuries. An acute twinge racked his calf muscle, and his arms tensed involuntarily, sending a bolt of searing pain through his lacerated bicep. He winced and gnashed his teeth.

"Mugen?" Fuu leaned in closer, the lines of her face etched with concern. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he lied. "Ain't nothin' to worry about."

Fuu's concern hardened into frustration. She'd had enough of Mugen's denial on the previous day, when she and Jin practically dragged him into the cabin. "You're not fine, and if you say that one more time, I'm going to punch you in the arm."

"No, you won't."

"Oh, yes I will!"

"And ruin these stitches?" He smirked at her. "I don't think so."

She tried to relax the tension in her forehead. "Look, I get it, okay? You don't want to admit being in pain. You think it's like admitting weakness, or whatever nonsense goes through that thick head of yours. But that doesn't matter to me. I want you to be honest for once. Please?"

His expression soured into a peevish sulk and he averted his eyes to the hole in the roof overhead. He did feel weak, and he wasn't going to admit it, but more importantly, there simply was no point in having this conversation. It wouldn't change anything. He would still feel pathetic, and he'd still have to endure the biting sting of his injuries.

He barked out, "What difference does it make?" It sounded more hostile than he intended.

Fuu's chin dropped and her shoulders slumped with disappointment. She stared down at the bowl of medicine in her hand. "I guess it doesn't."

She didn't look at him again. Instead, she prepared to leave the cabin, picking up dirty bowls and scraps of cloth and thread.

When she stood up, Mugen's eyes snapped back to her and he latched onto her wrist, holding her in place.

"Where ya goin'?"

Her response was terse, "I need to wash these bowls."

"Do it later." He squeezed her wrist and tugged lightly. "Stay with me."

She blinked at him in bewilderment, stunned by his mercurial shift in behavior. "You... want me to stay with you?"

"Dumb broad, didn't I just say that?" His hand drifted down to grasp her palm. "C'mere."

With a measure of uncertainty, she knelt beside him, withdrawing her hand to let it rest on her knee.

Fuu's presence gave Mugen a sense of closeness and comfort, but her hesitancy made his chest tighten. He couldn't identify the emotion building inside him, only that it was raw and sharp, and his need was desperate.

He tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out. Don't go... I need you here...

"Just stay," was all he could manage to articulate.

Tilting her head in confusion and curiosity, Fuu's focus on him sharpened. He radiated a magnetism so intense that she was inadvertently pulled in. Despite herself, her earlier frustrations were forgotten as she stared, captivated, into the deep brown of his irises.

"Your eyes... " She reached out to trace her thumb over his scarred eyebrow. "I never noticed before... There's gray in them... just a little bit around the outside... dark, stormy gray."

Mugen stared back in awe as the firelight played across the contours of her face. "Yours are lighter than mine."

She nodded slowly. "My mother had light brown eyes, like the chestnuts from the tree in our backyard. They were so warm..." She trailed off with a hint of sadness.

Mugen lifted his hand and lightly brushed his knuckles under her chin. "She must've been pretty."

Fuu's mouth turned up in a slender smile. "Does that mean I'm pretty?"

He only smiled back at her.

Her fingers wandered down the side of his face to his jawline, gliding over every one of the poorly healed nicks and cuts that marred his weathered skin. She could feel the chill beneath his pallid complexion, and it worried her that he still hadn't recovered from excessive blood loss.

"You're so cold," she whispered.

Mugen's breath hitched when she cupped his cheek in the warm palm of her hand. Never had anyone touched his face in such an intimate and soothing way. The warming sensation spread into his chest and throughout his whole body, pooling and fluttering in his stomach. The scent of fresh grass and sweet berries was almost euphoric. He didn't move as she drew closer, even as the wispy strands of her hair tickled his forehead.

Fuu raised her other hand to rest at the base of his jaw while she slowly leaned in, closed her eyes, and gently pressed her lips to his in a delicate kiss.

Every fiber of Mugen's being focused on this singular point of physical contact; her featherweight caress, the soft moisture of her lips, and the tender affection conveyed in her subtle movements. His senses were overcome with desire, but he restrained himself and allowed her to plant supple kisses, one by one, only responding by meeting the pressure of her contact.

When she opened her eyes and pulled back, Mugen yanked her back down, lifting his head to reach her as if they couldn't meet fast enough. Fuu voiced a tiny moan when he licked her sensitive lower lip, and she opened just enough to allow their tongues to brush together. Each nerve in her body was alight and glowing, consumed by the fire and vitality of his kiss.

They were both gasping for air when Mugen reluctantly released her lips. He trailed his hand along her arm and up to her neck, guiding her to rest her forehead against his. They stayed there in quiet contentment while they breathed in the heat between them.

After a few minutes, Fuu sat up and simpered playfully.

Mugen asked curiously, "What're ya smilin' about?"

She giggled, "I always thought you'd be the one to kiss me first."

She was certain that a flash of crimson tinted Mugen's cheeks.

"You took advantage of an injured man." His face slanted into a crooked smirk. He took her hand and held it to his chest. "C'mere," he spoke almost in a whisper. "Lay down next to me."

The softness of her voice was matched by the lovely smile that still lingered on her lips. "Okay."

She climbed over him and lay by his side, stretching the warm blanket over them both. He wrapped his uninjured arm around her, reached for her hand, and twined his fingers in hers while he held her protectively.

It wasn't long before Fuu's breaths grew heavy with sleep, and Mugen could no longer focus on the window of midnight blue overhead. He pressed his lips to her hair, and drifted into slumber.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

"Aah!"

Mugen's eyes flew open at the sound of a female voice. He scanned his surroundings, but the house was empty. From outside he heard a muffled squeal, followed by the dull clatter of a small blade hitting the ground, and what sounded like a struggle. In a rush of adrenaline, he hoisted himself up on his sword and hobbled to the door as fast as his aching limbs would allow.

When he burst into the blinding daylight, he was shocked at the scene before him.

Fuu was on the ground, leaned back on her elbows while Jin hovered menacingly above her with a tree limb pointed at her throat.

"What the fuck? I thought we were bein' attacked!"

Jin lowered the branch, and Fuu popped up from the ground with nimble speed and a big, toothy grin plastered across her face.

"Mugen! You're awake!" She ran to him and threw her arms around his waist. He stood rigid without returning her embrace while he shot an accusatory scowl at Jin. Unfazed, Fuu beamed up at him proudly. "Jin is teaching me to defend myself! Do you want to see?"

He didn't have time to answer. Fuu was already in a defensive stance, watching Jin in anticipation.

The ronin directed a look of skeptic uncertainty at the girl. You know this won't go over well.

She confidently squared her shoulders. Just do it.

He shook his head almost imperceptibly as he obliged.

Fuu succeeded in ducking under the first swing. She side-stepped to avoid another and attempted to get close enough to redirect the motion of Jin's arm. He flicked the tip of the branch to knock the tanto out of her hand, and pushed her to the ground with seemingly no use of force whatsoever. She rolled away and picked up her weapon to try again, but before she knew it, he had her pinned.

"Dammit." She clambered back to her feet. "I've been practicing for two days, and I still can't hit him." She smiled at Mugen again. "I'm learning so much though! I thought maybe when you get better, you could teach me too?"

Mugen glared past Fuu and sneered at Jin. "What the hell are ya thinkin'? She can't handle a weapon! She's too damn slow and clumsy! You saw what happened the other day!"

Jin kept his voice cool and even. "Actually, her agility and dexterity have improved greatly. That being said," he glanced at the girl, who was brimming with anger and hurt, "I suggest you take this matter up with Fuu. This was her choice."

She stood tall and her features hardened. Retaliation was on the tip of her tongue, waiting to be lashed out.

Mugen grunted. "Fuckin' forget it. Do what ya want." He took an angry step forward, but he stopped when a burning pain jolted through his leg. "Agh! Goddammit!" He swiveled around and hobbled to the cabin like a cripple, slamming the door shut behind him.

Fuu stared after him, lips quivering and eyes glassy with the swell of new tears.

Jin wasn't quite sure what to say. "Fuu... I'm sure he—"

"No." She wiped the moisture away. "No, he's not getting the last word this time." She turned and marched toward the house.

Jin exhaled in exasperation. His traveling companions were far too predictable. No doubt he'd be forced to eavesdrop on their entire argument.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Mugen had just sat down on the futon when Fuu exploded through the door. "What the hell is your problem?" She lifted her chin to make herself taller as she towered over him.

The feeling of being physically smaller rubbed Mugen the wrong way, and he compensated by lacing his words with corrosive acid. "Are ya fuckin' serious? You're a goddamn moron if ya think you can hold your own in a fight. Ya shouldn't be doin' this shit."

"You're unbelievable! Weren't you the one who told me to toughen up? Wasn't it you who wanted me to quit crying and stand up for myself?"

"It ain't the same thing!"

"Why? Because you'd rather have me hide behind you than face what's in front of me? Look how well that turned out!"

"It ain't my fault you're too fuckin' stupid to stay out of the way! All you're doin' is makin' shit more complicated!"

"Too stupid?" The rosy hue of Fuu's cheeks deepened to an infuriated maroon. It wasn't the first time Mugen had belittled her, of course, but this time it wasn't just an empty taunt spewed out during a petty argument. This was a direct affront to her dignity, and it was far too personal. "Do you really think so little of me? I'm a slow, clumsy, idiotic little girl who can't think for myself, let alone protect myself?"

"Goddamn straight!"

Her throat rumbled as she shouted, "Ugh! This is ridiculous! I already had this argument with Jin, and I'm not going to stand here and take it from you too. I would expect you, of all people, to understand why this is so important to me. If it's a choice between living on my knees or fighting and dying on my feet, then I choose to fight. But I guess in your world, that doesn't apply to stupid and helpless little girls, does it? Only to thieving pirates and murderers!"

If Mugen's jaw wasn't already clenched to the point of nearly shattering his molars, it would have dropped and hit the floor. Fuu had never called him a murderer, and it stung him to think that's how she really thought of him.

As soon as she said it, she knew she'd cut him too deeply, but it achieved the desired effect: she wanted him to feel the same bitter disparagement he had inflicted on her.

"You little b—." He pressed his lips together before he could finish the word. "Don't fuckin' act like ya know somethin' about where I've been. You don't know shit."

"You're right! I don't know a damn thing, because you never talk to me! I don't know where you were for the last three years, and I don't know anything about your life before we met. In fact, that damn wanted poster had more information on it than I've ever gotten out of you. I don't even know how you really feel about me! You're kissing me one minute, then screaming at me the next, and you can't even tell me why! What the hell am I supposed to think, Mugen?"

He snarled and turned away.

"Look at me, dammit! Tell me what's going on!"

He wouldn't budge.

"For crying out loud!" She stomped her foot. "Why are you so afraid to let me in?"

"I ain't afraid of shit." He still wouldn't' make eye contact.

"Ha! That's laughable. You know what you're afraid of? You're afraid to feel something real. You're afraid to trust, and you're afraid of human connections, whether it's me, or Jin, or anybody else."

His face contorted in wrath and a vein pulsed in his forehead, but he refused to look at her.

She scanned him up and down while she derided him with sugar sweet sarcasm. "Well. This is a first, isn't it? Big, bad Mugen is too scared to say what's on his mind. I never thought I'd see the day."

He whipped his head around and bared his teeth in a dangerous scowl that anyone else would've been afraid of, but it only antagonized Fuu more.

"What? You love me? You hate me? You want me to be safe, but only if you get to play the hero? Or am I just too stupid for you to tolerate? Which is it? Tell me!"

He snapped, and the words came roaring out. "Aaagh! Yes, dammit! ... I mean, no! ... I ... Fuck! Goddamn fucking shit!"

"Wow." She threw her hands in the air and let them drop down to clap at her hips. "I can't talk to you anymore. This is going nowhere, and it's completely pointless. So how about this instead? When you figure your shit out, if you figure it out, maybe you'll be man enough to have a real conversation about it. Until then, just... just stay out of my way!"

"Dammit, Fuu—"

"I don't need you, Mugen. I can take care of myself, and I don't need your permission to do it. If you don't like it, you can go fuck yourself!" She slammed the door so hard that the walls rattled and a cloud of dust billowed into the air.

Mugen picked up the bucket and threw it at the door. "Fucking bitch!"

He was furious at Fuu, at himself, and at the whole damn world.

He had finally come to terms with his feelings for her, yet he was all tangled up inside and he didn't know why. Now she had turned her back and walked away, just like everyone else in his life. He felt smaller and more worthless than the particles of filth that hovered in the air around him. This was exactly why he kept his distance from other people and avoided getting attached. Trust always led to betrayal.

But it was too late for that now. He would never be able to distance himself from Fuu. He loved her too much. He wished she could see it so he wouldn't have to fumble over his words like a tongue-tied idiot, but he knew damn well it was his own fault for never allowing her to.

"Shit."

He flopped his back onto the futon and blindly stared through the haze of dust, up to the patch of daylight framed by moldy thatching.

"Why's this shit gotta be so damn... fuckin'... gah."

He draped his forearm over his eyes for darkness and tried to sleep it off, but Fuu's voice reverberated too loudly in his mind.

Somehow, he had to deal with this.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

When Fuu stepped outside the cabin, Jin was sitting motionless on the engawa with his arms folded in his gray sleeves. She stood next to him, hands clenched and eyes brimming with hot tears. "I take it you heard?"

"Mm."

"Can you believe him? I've never been so angry with anyone in my entire life!"

Jin considered offering his support and trying to console Fuu, but he thought it best not to give the appearance of taking sides. Instead, he offered her a choice.

"Would you like to postpone the remainder of our training until tomorrow?"

Fuu took a long, deep breath and her hands relaxed at her sides. "Thank you, Jin, but would you be asking me that question if I was a male student at your dojo?"

"No... I suppose not."

"Then let's get back to work. I've got energy to burn."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

That evening, Jin noticed that Fuu's cheeks were glistening during their meditation. He thought perhaps that was a good thing, if the act of meditating was helping her to work through her negative emotions, or perhaps a bad thing, if it was overwhelming her to the point of distraction. He reasoned it was probably a bit of both.

"Let's conclude for tonight."

Fuu sniffled lightly and wiped her cheeks dry. When she approached the cabin, she stopped short of opening the door. She studied the faded wood planks for several moments before she turned away and moved to sit at the edge of the engawa with her legs dangled over the side.

Jin rose from his meditative position and came to sit next to her. "You should sleep."

Fuu shook her head. "No, I just want to sit for a while."

Barely a few minutes had passed when Jin observed her shoulders slowly drooping lower and lower, until she caught herself and jerked upright. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand.

"Onii-chan, will you tell me a story?"

He glanced at her with curiosity. "A story?"

"Something to help take my mind off of everything."

"Ah." He knew that by 'everything,' she meant Mugen. It was apparent that she wouldn't be able to rest as long as her thoughts were preoccupied with him, so Jin kindly agreed. "Alright. What would you like to hear?"

"I don't know. Tell me something about your family."

"Hmm. Well, when I was a small child, my favorite stories were always of the brilliant leader and military strategist, Takeda Shingen. Would you like to learn of him?"

"Sure," she yawned, "anything."

"Shingen is remembered for his martial prowess on the battlefield. He famously said, 'Knowledge is not power, it is only potential. Applying that knowledge is power.' And apply it he did. You see, in his day, battlefields were dominated by archers. Foot soldiers and mounted samurai carried yumi, very large bows."

"Mm-hmm," she said through another yawn, "that's interesting." She linked her arm through his and leaned into his shoulder, grasping onto his sleeve as she closed her eyes.

"Yumi were effective from a distance, but rather impractical in close quarters combat. As such, it was common for samurai to dismount and fight in a chaotic melee brawl using tachi, the sword most commonly used before the katana was widespread. Shingen turned the tables on his enemies by—"

Fuu's body relaxed at his side and her breathing slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Mugen lay awake for hours after dark with unanswered questions flowing through his mind. After he calmed down and started thinking clearly, he realized Fuu had been right about one thing: he was the one who wanted her to quit crying and stand up for herself, and on the day he'd said it to her, he'd treated her very harshly to get that point across. So why did he have such a problem with her learning to fight? Why was this any different from what they'd already been teaching her?

It just is, he thought obstinately. Stupid girl can't go five minutes without gettin' kidnapped. How the fuck's she gonna defend herself?

More time passed, and Fuu hadn't returned to the cabin.

Where is she? he wondered. She shoulda come inside by now.

It's too damn quiet. Did Four-eyes take her somewhere?

Nah, he wouldn't take her out in the dark.

So where the hell is she?

He stared at the door... then he watched the stars glimmer through the open ceiling... then he stared at the door again...

"Dammit."

He dragged himself up from the futon and gingerly limped to the door. Outside, he found Fuu resting against Jin's side while he fixated on the darkness beyond the edge of the meadow.

Mugen scowled petulantly. "Tch. 'Course she comes cryin' to you when she's fightin' with me."

"What did you expect?"

"I dunno. Whatever."

One side of Jin's mouth lifted slightly. "I told her a story."

"Say what?" Mugen quirked a perplexed eyebrow.

"She seemed unwilling to enter the house, and too troubled to lie down, so I stayed with her."

"... And told her a story."

"Yes. At her request."

"Huh." The vagrant scratched the back of his bushy head. "Okay."

Jin glanced up and noticed that Mugen was standing and trying to make himself appear more stable than he really was, both physically and emotionally. The dark circles under his eyes revealed that his argument with Fuu had taken as much of a toll on him as it had on her.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" asked Jin.

Mugen gestured toward Fuu with a flip of his chin. "She should be resting. Put her inside, will ya?"

Jin nodded, and carefully scooped up the sleeping girl.

Mugen couldn't suppress a pang of jealously as Jin carried her into the cabin. Despite his anger, he yearned to be the one holding her in his arms while she slept. Nevertheless, his envy gave way to pride when he overheard her, sweetly mumbling his name as Jin tucked her into bed. He was quick to wipe the smug grin off his face before Jin returned.

Both men sat down on the porch, Jin with his legs crossed, and Mugen with his back leaning against the wall and his legs outstretched. It didn't take long for Mugen to start the interrogation.

"Why're ya doin' this?" he demanded.

"What, telling stories?"

"No, dumbass, why're ya teachin' Girlie to fight?"

Jin knew this was coming, but Mugen's insistent tone still irritated him. He held back a sigh of annoyance. "It is the duty of a samurai woman to defend her honor."

"Don't gimme that crap about duty and honor. She said you argued with her. What'd she say to convince ya?"

Jin was quiet for a long moment while he gazed down at the blue-green prayer beads fastened around his wrist. "She rightly pointed out that if you and I were to be captured or killed, she would be alone without the necessary skills to protect herself."

"That's why we ain't gettin' caught. 'Sides, she doesn't need to fight. She can survive in the wild if she has to. The girl can fish, and she knows her plants."

Jin looked at him half in disbelief. "I think you're in denial. Surely you must know that if you and I are eliminated, she will be pursued, no matter where she goes. It would be inevitable."

Mugen's jaw tightened. "You put a knife in her hand, and she's just gonna get herself killed right behind us."

"Is being killed worse than being captured?" Jin shook his head, almost wishing he could be in denial himself. "It's not only that. It's also her tendency to endanger herself for the sake of others. She can't contain her own instincts any more than you or I can." He straightened his glasses with one hand. "I see now that her actions during our last incursion were inappropriate not because she tried to defend you, but because she was unprepared to do so. She had the right intention. If she'd had the proper training, she might have succeeded."

"Are ya fuckin' kiddin' me? That top-knot-mook woulda beat her ass and handed it to her. She ain't a fighter, and she's got no business tryin' to be one."

"What would you do in her place? Would you stand by and do nothing, or would you risk your life to defend her?"

"You know the answer to that. I'd die if I had to. I'd do it for her."

"She would do it for you. For either of us, or someone else in need. She's proven it many times before, and I think we both know she'll never stop. She even saved us, in the beginning. She saved you more than once as I recall. You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"Nah, I ain't forgot. Stupid girl doesn't fuckin' think."

"She has strong convictions, and she is not afraid to act on them. It's part of who she is, and if I'm not mistaken, it's one of the reasons why you love her."

Mugen's head jerked up and he squinted threateningly at Jin.

The ronin kept a neutral expression. "Am I wrong?"

Mugen wanted to retort, but there was nothing he could say to invalidate Jin's observation. It was Fuu's resolute willpower that caused him to confront his own feelings for her in the first place.

Silence fell upon them for several minutes while Mugen ruminated on this, until he finally asked, "Ya really think she can do it?"

"Yes," Jin answered without hesitation. "Do you not believe so?"

"I dunno. Shit."

Jin studied Mugen, scrutinizing and probing for the smallest chink in his armor. "Perhaps you don't want to believe so."

"The fuck ya talkin' about?" Mugen wasn't sure if he needed to be offended or not.

Jin breathed deep and exhaled slowly. It would be uncomfortable and even a little bit frightening for him to admit this, but it needed to be said. "I speak from experience when I tell you that with love comes an inherent vulnerability."

Mugen stared blankly for a few seconds before recognition set in. "Ya mean that whore back in Hamamatsu?"

That earned him a sharp look of disdain from Jin. "Her name is Shino, and she is a free woman. But that is beside the point. Whether you choose to admit it or not, I believe you're well aware that if Fuu gets hurt, you will be hurt as a result. By protecting her, you're protecting yourself." His unwavering stare bore a hole through Mugen's defenses. "Isn't that the real reason why you don't want her to fight?"

Mugen growled low in his throat, but then he only gazed quietly into the night. He hated it when Four-eyes was right.

"Maybe," he confessed. Then he threw a hard glare back at Jin. "Ain't it the real reason why you're teachin' her?"

Jin absentmindedly rolled a jade bead between his thumb and forefinger. "Perhaps."

Amused and bewildered, Mugen slowly shook his head and ran his fingers through his thick hair. "Dude, you and me go about shit in totally different ways. We're like oil and water."

The ronin cracked a small smile. "Yes, that would seem to be the case."

Mugen lowered his hand to rub his forehead. "I still don't like it."

"You don't have to. But Fuu would be happy if you supported her effort."

The vagrant let out a long sigh while he dragged his hand down the side of his face and let it fall to his lap. "There's no stoppin' that little brat, is there?"

"Not for all the tea and dumplings in the world."

Mugen chuckled. "Ya might wanna re-think that one."

"Hm." Jin's smile broadened.

"Ya just gotta promise me." Mugen's expression sobered and he made direct eye contact with Jin. "If I go down, you have to take her. Don't let her come back for me. Just get her out, and make sure she lives."

"And you will do the same. Agreed?"

"Yeah." He gave a single nod, and Jin inclined his head in return.

They sat in affable silence for a long time, content to enjoy the peacefulness of the starlit summer night.

After a while, Mugen asked, "Y'ever miss her? ... What was her name again?"

"Shino." Jin visualized her dark eyes and long, silken strands of ebony hair. "I sometimes do, yes. I only hope that wherever she is, she is safe and happy."

Mugen found himself trying to glimpse Jin's prayer beads. Under his breath, he confided, "I missed Fuu. I didn't know it at the time, but..."

Jin admitted softly, "I did as well."

Then, for the briefest instant, their gazes met... and separated just as quickly.

I kinda sorta maybe missed you too... bastard.

And I you... possibly.

Neither one looking at the other, they remained awkwardly quiet, each a bit uncomfortable after their fleeting encounter with male bonding.

Mugen filled the void with a casual change of subject. "So, uh... what story'd ya tell her?"

"I told her about one of the greatest leaders of the Takeda clan, Takeda Shingen. His strategies were innovative because he—"

"Eh, forget I asked. That shit's boring. No wonder she fell asleep."

Jin frowned. "You've no appreciation for history."

"Ain't my history." He shrugged dismissively and forced out a loud, exaggerated yawn, then he raised himself with the support of his sword and turned toward the door. "Night, asshole."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Part 3: Congruity

Definition: Being in a quality or state of agreement and appropriateness; harmony. If a team has congruity, the players work together well, even if they don't win.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Fuu was being coached on knife grips when Mugen emerged from the cabin.

She scrunched up her nose and shouted across the meadow, "If you're here to be a nuisance, you can go right back inside!"

He limped to the edge of the engawa and lowered himself to sit. "Do what ya want. I can't stay in that dust trap anymore."

She eyed him with suspicion for a moment, until Jin called her to attention.

"Fuu. Please focus on your training."

"Yes, sensei."

Mugen buried his pinky finger in his ear and flung a wad of yellow wax in Jin's direction before he leaned back to relax on the wooden porch.

Although he appeared to be sleeping for most of the afternoon, he silently spied on his companions from the corner of his eye.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

The next day, Mugen lounged in the shade of the hut, noisily slurping on a juicy peach while his companions trained in the open field.

Jin explained to Fuu, "We are going to create a scenario in which the attacker breaches your guardian's defense and attempts to put his hands on you."

"Don't we need a defender for that?"

Jin looked over his shoulder to the house. "Mugen. We require your participation."

The vagrant grunted in reply.

"Would you please act as Fuu's defender."

He scoffed as he pushed himself upright and tossed the peach pit aside. "Thought ya didn't need my protection, ya little brat."

Fuu fumed, but when she opened her mouth to spit out an insult, Jin interjected. "We merely need a stand-in."

Mugen carefully walked out to the meadow with his sword in hand.

"You will remain stationary," Jin directed. "I will attack, and Fuu will counter."

When Jin spun behind Mugen to reach for Fuu, Mugen twirled around and blocked him.

Fuu's face twisted into a grimace. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Can't help myself," Mugen said wryly. "Instinct."

Jin glowered with the superiority of a dojo master. "You are derailing the lesson. Just stand there and keep silent."

"Hey, listen here, dickhead—"

Fuu shrieked, "Dammit, Mugen! Do what he says!"

He grumbled a few obscenities but submitted himself to Fuu's demand. It wasn't worth an argument.

"Now," Jin continued calmly, "let's try this again."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

On the following day, Fuu was on the offensive. She stood ten paces away from Jin, both of them with weapons in hand, sheathed for practice.

"You will attempt to strike me," Jin commanded.

Fuu frowned, having already failed at this exercise multiple times. "Okay, help me out here. There has to be something I can do differently."

"You must choose your own strategy. Strike me any way you can."

"Jeez..." she muttered to herself.

Her fingers gripped the pink lacquer of her tanto as she inched closer. Without warning, Jin lifted his katana and knocked the weapon out of her hand. It went sailing, end over end, into the grass. She ducked under his sword, darted to the side, and dived to retrieve it. When she turned around to face him, she was startled to see him standing mere inches from her.

"Whoa, how did you do that? I didn't hear you move."

"Never turn your back." He abruptly plunged the pommel cap of his sword into her gut.

"Oohff!"

"And never hesitate."

Her brows drew together angrily and she made a guttural snarl while swinging her blade wildly. Jin blocked her attack with one hand, redirected her arm, and twisted her wrist, forcing her to drop her weapon. It all happened in a matter of seconds. Before she could even gasp in surprise, he was holding her from behind with his unsheathed blade at her throat. She inhaled sharply and held her breath.

"You've been defeated by your own impatience." He released her from his grip and returned his katana to its scabbard. "Center yourself and calm your mind."

Fuu approached within striking range and extended her tanto to slash at Jin's forearm, but it was again knocked from her hand. She dodged his blade, picked up her weapon, crouched under his next swing and reached for his torso, but he effortlessly blocked her. She tried again and again, but each time her attacks were deflected.

Mugen, who had been observing nonchalantly from the porch, yelled out to her, "Yo, Girlie! C'mere a minute."

"What do you want?" She marched up to him, stomping with every step.

"You're a mess out there."

She put her hands on her hips. "Gee, thanks, Mugen. Did you call me over here just to insult me?"

He ignored her question and lowered his voice. "Ya really wanna hit him?"

"Well, no shit!" she exclaimed under her breath. "What do you think I've been trying to do all afternoon?"

"Listen, he knows what you're gonna do every time ya do it."

"Of course he does. He's the one who taught me."

"That's why ya gotta try somethin' new."

She perked up, but still narrowed her eyes with skepticism. "I'm listening, but this better be good."

"Ya gotta stop focusin' on him so much. Look around. Whaddya see?"

"A bunch of grass and an old building?"

"Nah, check it. See all the branches and rocks layin' around? Those are weapons. And those trees and bushes over there?" He gestured toward the forest. "That's cover. Now, look at the sky."

Fuu gazed up and immediately flinched away from the sunlight.

"Weather's clear and the sun's shinin' bright. That can be a distraction. And this field..." he waved his uninjured arm. "It's big, but you're only usin' part of it. Start movin' around. Use your surroundings."

"How can I do that?"

Mugen peered over Fuu's shoulder and sent an evil smirk at Jin. "Okay, here's what you're gonna do. He's expectin' ya to make the first move, right? So keep him focused on ya long enough to get him turned around until he's facin' the sun. When the light gets in his eyes, ya got a split second when he can't see ya. That's when you're gonna attack. Run in and slam him in the gut to knock him off-balance, stomp on his foot, and then shove your tanto in his ribs. Got it?"

"But won't he see that coming?"

"Nah, he thinks you're gonna do what he taught ya. But you're only gettin' one shot, 'cause he ain't gonna fall for it a second time."

"What if I can't hit him hard enough?"

"Ya got plenty of power, Girlie. Just tackle him like ya ain't seen him in three years."

Fuu turned to peek at Jin, and then she turned back to Mugen. "Okay, I'll try it, but if he knocks me on my ass, I'm blaming you."

"If he does, then ya gotta change it up. Don't let him pin ya down. Roll out of his way and try somethin' different. If ya lose your tanto, grab a branch or a rock, or throw a handful of dirt or gravel. Use whatever ya can, and don't stop movin'."

Fuu took a nervous breath. "Alright. Here goes nothing."

She walked out to where Jin was waiting and stopped at ten paces. She held his attention as she stepped slowly to the left, angling around until she felt the sun's warmth on her back. Her shadow migrated in front of her as she moved, and when it was pointed almost straight ahead, she leapt to the side, forcing Jin to face the sun. A starburst of light flared through his lenses, temporarily blinding him, just as Mugen had predicted.

Fuu charged forward, dipped under Jin's blade, and plowed into his midsection with enough strength to force him back. She pounded her heel as hard as she could into the top of his foot and thrust the scabbard of her tanto into his side with three quick jabs. He lifted his sword to deflect her weapon, but he'd already lost the opportunity to counter her attack. She had won.

"Holy crap! I can't believe it!" She threw her fists in the air triumphantly. "I actually got you! Suck on that, pretty boy!"

Jin's brow twitched.

Mugen beamed with pride. "See? What'd I tell ya!"

For the first time in days, Fuu smiled at Mugen with genuine happiness, but it was short-lived when she realized she had inflicted actual pain on her sensei. "Oh, Jin... I'm sorry. Let me help you."

Jin easily righted himself and gestured for her to stop. "There are no apologies on the battlefield. To the contrary, you deserve praise for executing a skillful attack. Congratulations—you've just surpassed Mugen's abilities."

"Hey, that's bullshit!" Mugen shouted resentfully from the engawa. "I'm the one who told her to do it!"

Jin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Yet you yourself have never bested me in battle."

"That ain't even close to bein' true!"

"Isn't it?" The ronin was unabashedly smug. It pleased him to no end that his student had accomplished something his longtime rival had consistently failed to do. "You'll never live this down. At least not until she manages to hit you. Then I suppose we'll be even."

"Tch. What-the-fuck-ever, man. That ain't gonna happen."

Fuu sparkled with mischief. "Is that a challenge?"

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Another day passed, and Mugen was walking without the aid of his sword. He stepped off the creaky porch and sauntered into the meadow.

"My turn, assholes."

His two companions exchanged a perplexed look.

"Well," Fuu said to Jin, "you did say I should—"

He cut her off with a stern warning glare. You are not to tell him what we discussed.

Fuu struggled not to roll her eyes.

Oblivious to their silent interaction, Mugen was rapidly growing impatient. "C'mon, Four-eyes, move it over! I got shit to teach the girl, and we don't got all day."

With a small bit of hesitation, Jin acquiesced and retired to sit near the cabin.

Mugen held his sword in his left hand while his bandaged arm dangled at his right side. "Alright Girlie, show me what ya got."

"But you're injured! You'll rip out the stitches on your leg."

"Fuck that. The wound's almost closed up. 'Sides, you're gonna be doin' all the work, not me." He flashed a cocky grin. "C'mon, hit me."

Fuu moved forward to strike with her tanto, but Mugen leaned back and dodged her advance. She tried to swing higher, but he ducked. She ran at him, but he hopped out of the way, letting her pass by. Then he began stepping back, forcing her to follow him. She extended her reach and jabbed her tanto faster and faster, but he only increased his speed, until he was practically jogging backward and leading her all over the meadow. She was panting for air when Jin motioned for her to join him.

Mugen taunted, "There's no way you're gonna get her to land a hit!"

Fuu approached the engawa and knelt beside Jin while she caught her breath.

He spoke in a low, discreet tone, "Mugen is a master of improvisation. He can change direction and alter his tactic in an instant."

"Yeah, I noticed," she said, still panting. "I can't find a way to get close to him."

"Do you remember what happened when we were attacked in the forest in Kyushu?"

"You mean those ninja guys? When I was taken and knocked out?"

"Yes. Mugen has adapted their technique and blended it with his own. If you continue to chase after him, he will lead you around until you are too worn to fight. In a real battle, he would've pulled you away from your comrades by now, making you isolated and vulnerable."

She shuddered at the memory of being alone and exposed during battle, and so easily snatched up by her kidnapper. She definitely did not want to relive that experience. "How can I stop him if he keeps pulling me around?"

"Use his own strategy against him. Make him come to you. But be careful—he will trick you if you're not prepared. You must pay attention to the way he moves his body. His attacks are erratic, but not random. Identify his patterns and weak points, and wait for the right moment to strike."

"But I can't just watch him while he bounces all over the place. He'll get me."

"Yes, you can. You must focus mentally and take time to assess the situation. Use the skills we've already practiced to avoid his attacks while you watch and listen. When you see an opening, utilize efficiency and precision to pierce through his defense. Remember, a single well-placed strike is all you need." Jin glanced over at Mugen, who was lazily picking his nose. "He often leaves his center unprotected. You can also attack his injured leg."

"That's mean! I can't do that!"

He met her eyes with a stern expression. "Do you think Mugen would take pity on an injured opponent?"

Fuu sighed in resignation, very much aware that Mugen wouldn't take pity on any opponent, no matter the severity of their handicap. "No... he wouldn't. He'd use the most damaging attack possible."

"And what would he say to you, if you failed to utilize such an opportunity?"

She sighed again, more dejectedly. "He would probably criticize me and tell me I shouldn't be doing this."

"Correct." Jin put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Now go out there and prove him wrong."

Fuu stood up tall and walked out to meet Mugen.

When she reached forward with her weapon, he took a few steps back, but she didn't follow him. She held her ground and waited.

"What's the matter, Girlie?" he taunted.

Without responding, she remained rooted in her stance. After a few seconds, Mugen returned to stand in front of her. Once again, she attacked and he backed away, but she didn't take the bait.

He gave her a mocking lopsided grin. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh? Alright, have it your way."

Mugen lunged toward her and stabbed at her torso, but she leaned to the side and dodged it. She stepped and twirled around, staying outside of his striking range while she observed his feet, his body, and the way he shifted his weight. Jin was right: Mugen's midsection was wide open, and he was favoring his wounded left leg.

When he raised his arm, Fuu moved in, drifted gracefully around his sword, and kicked him hard in the right shin, forcing him to wobble precariously on his left leg. She thrust her sheathed tanto into his gut twice, and a third time in his side, with added force for good measure.

"Fuck!" he shouted, hopping onto his right leg to relieve the pressure on his left. "That was a dirty trick, ya little bitch!"

Fuu gloated with satisfaction, "That's what you get for being such an jackass! Whaddya have to say now, huh?"

Mugen muttered a string of garbled obscenities.

She cupped her hand around her ear and inclined her head in his direction. "What was that? I can't hear you!"

He sneered vengefully but said nothing.

Jin smiled and nodded his approval. "Excellent work, gakusei."

She smiled back at him and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, sensei."

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

In the quiet shade of the forest beyond the meadow, Karyuudo leaned back against a tree and folded his slender arms over his chest. "Stop fooling around, Kaibutsu. I know you're there." His voice was artificially lowered in pitch and muffled by his mask.

A figure in black silently fell from the branches overhead and landed in a crouch at the hunter's feet.

"How did you know?" asked Kaibutsu in a similarly obscured tone.

"The rhythm of your breathing is unmistakable."

Kaibutsu's smirk was evident, even under the cloth covering his mouth. "I never could get the drop on you. Your ears are too sharp."

"Perhaps one day." The hunter pushed his back away from the tree and stood upright. "Have you any news?"

His subordinate rose from the ground and took a step forward to meet him head on, peering upward slightly to compensate for their height difference. "I should be asking you the same question. You were expected to have reached Iwami province by now. Why the delay?"

"The fugitives were waylaid by samurai from the Fukuoka domain. The convict was wounded, and they took refuge here to allow him time to heal. It's been nearly a week."

Kaibutsu's brown eyes examined what little of Karyuudo's face was visible. "Why haven't you ambushed them? We could already have the girl in custody and be on our way back to Edo."

"You heard the shogun's orders as well as I did. My mission is to collect information until further instruction is given. Nothing more can be done until the fugitives leave this place."

Kaibutsu let out an irritated groan. "How boring. I expected this assignment to be more interesting."

"Don't worry. You'll get your turn soon enough."

"Have you learned anything useful?"

"I've learned that the girl's spirit will not be easily broken." The hunter moved his line of sight downward and to the left as he contemplated a memory. "She reminds me of—"

"Let the past die. You can never go back." Even disguised, his tone was cold and flat. "I think you've had too much free time, sitting around here with nothing to do. You've lost focus."

Karyuudo cleared his mind and cursed himself for slipping yet again. He quickly changed the subject. "And you? What have you learned?"

Kaibutsu stretched his black clad arms and gloved hands over his head. "Yesterday a pack of bounty hunters appeared in the town nearby. They questioned the villagers and the local law enforcement, but of course, no one has seen the fugitives."

"Will these bounty hunters be able to sniff out the fugitives' trail?"

"It's likely. They appear to be professionals."

Karyuudo nodded in acknowledgement. "This may be my first opportunity to witness the girl in action."

"In action?"

"Yes. The ronin has been training her. I would not have thought it possible, but she is a promising student."

"Now that's interesting. I would like to see this for myself."

"No." Karyuudo's steely gaze was forbidding. "You must make your preparations. Gather up the resources you need. Only men with proven loyalty to the shogun, who can be relied upon for their judgment and discretion." His strange voice became rigid with authority. "That's an order."

Without another word, Kaibutsu, the monster, slipped into the veil of dancing shadows cast by the swaying leaves overhead, and disappeared without a trace.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

In the lavender evening when the faint stars and crescent moon were slowly fading into view, Mugen approached Jin and Fuu while they sat meditating in the field. He cleared his throat loudly in a not-so-subtle attempt to interrupt them.

"Four-eyes." He prodded Jin in the side with the sharp corner of his geta. "Get up off your ass and go find somethin' else to do."

Jin glared over the rim of his glasses. "How rude."

Mugen nudged him harder. "Seriously, dude. Get the fuck out."

He stood up, aimed a scowl at the vagrant, and silently walked away. Mugen settled himself in Jin's place and sat with his arms draped over his knees.

Fuu's eyelids drifted open and she frowned. "You could've waited until we were done."

"Shut up for a minute, will ya?"

She pursed her lips in annoyance. "Fine. What do you want?"

"I, uh..." He stared out at the yellow wildflowers, barely visible in the darkening meadow. "I'm, uh... I... shit." He stole a sidelong glance at the girl sitting next to him, and then he dropped his head. "I'm sorry."

Fuu's eyes widened in shock. "You're what now?"

"Dammit, don't make me say it again!"

She gaped at him, disbelieving. "No, I think you need to say it again."

A frustrated rumble emerged from his throat. "Gahh. I'm sorry, okay? Fuck!"

"But..." She blinked at him, still grasping for comprehension. "Why?"

"Aw, for shit's sake." This was proving to be more difficult than he anticipated. "You're, uh... tougher than ya look, and... you're a better fighter than I thought you'd be. Four-eyes is teachin' ya good."

"Wha—? Wait, hold on. You called me a fighter. Maybe even a good one. Are you saying you were wrong?"

"No." He shot her a halfhearted dirty look, and then his face softened. "Maybe."

"Does this mean you're okay with me learning to fight? I mean, not that I need your approval or anything."

He heaved out a long sigh and turned to meet Fuu's baffled expression. "I didn't want ya gettin' hurt is all. Y'already got hurt 'cause of me more than once, and I wanted to keep ya safe. But now, I think if ya if keep learnin' from Four-eyes, you'll be alright."

Fuu sat quietly for a long moment while she let Mugen's apology sink in. "Wow. Uh... Thank you? I guess?"

She didn't want to press her luck by pointing out that he'd praised Jin for his teaching, but he was already way ahead of her.

"Don't tell the bastard I said that!"

"Oh, good grief. Really?" She elbowed him in the ribs. "What is it with you two?"

"Ow, dammit!"

She shook her head in disapproval while also giggling at the silliness of it all. "Men."

Mugen reached his arm out and wrapped it around her waist. "C'mere," he said, pulling her toward him.

She scooted closer until she was leaning against his side. "Doesn't your arm hurt?"

"Nah, it's gettin' better. You're pretty good at patchin' me up."

"Wow..." she said for a second time. "An apology and a compliment."

"Yeah, well... don't get used to it." He tightened his grip around her waist and bent down to press his lips to her hair.

"I'm sorry too," she admitted. "I shouldn't have said all those things. I was just so angry, and... I want you to know, I've never thought of you as a—"

"I am a murderer. And a pirate, and everything else that was on that damn wanted poster. Thing is, that poster didn't even cover the half of it. I've done a lot of bad shit, Girlie. Really bad shit that you don't know about."

She raised her head up to see his face. "But not anymore, right?"

"No. Not anymore."

"That's all I need to know."

Her eyes were so bright and trusting, and for a moment he felt unworthy in her presence. How could she care for someone with so much evil inside? But when he gazed down at her, she smiled that little Fuu smile that always warmed him from the inside out, and he felt at peace.

She stretched her arms around his waist and clasped her hands together. "Maybe someday, when you're ready, you'll tell me about some of the things from your past that weren't all bad."

"Maybe someday."

"And, I'd love it if you would teach me a few things." She peeked up to see his reaction.

He gave a lighthearted snicker. "Okay, but only if ya hit Four-eyes again, 'cause that shit's never gettin' old."

"Jerk." She giggled as she snuggled closer into his side.

Mugen reached his hand down and lifted Fuu's chin with one finger. "Girlie?" His eyes locked on hers with the energy and intensity of an ocean maelstrom.

"Hm?"

The words flooded his mind, but once again, he couldn't force them out. He had so much to say, yet he was helplessly speechless. You're a part of me now. I can't let ya go. I don't know how ya did it, but ya did, and now I... I lov—

He planted a simple kiss on her lips and another on her forehead. "Nothin'... it's nothin' at all."

It was everything.

---

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

When Jin returned, Mugen was sitting on the engawa with his back resting against the wall while he held a sleeping Fuu in his lap.

Jin spoke quietly, "I take it you settled things with Fuu?"

"What do you think?" Mugen couldn't hide a tiny smirk.

"You already know what I think."

"Yeah, you're kind of an asshole that way."

"Hm. The feeling is mutual." With a small smirk of his own, the ronin removed his swords from his obi and laid them on the engawa as he sat down beside his two friends. "I am glad for you." He took off his glasses, carefully folded them, and set them down next to his wakizashi. "Does she know?"

"Know what?"

Jin raised an eyebrow with a pointed glance. "You know what."

"Nah... I haven't told her."

"Ah."

Mugen squinted at Jin's face. "Ya look weird without those things."

"Last I recall, you said they were stupid. Did you not?"

"Eh. Guess I'm just used to 'em."

"Yes, well, I'm afraid I won't have them for much longer."

"Huh? The hell're ya talkin' about?"

Jin looked up at the stars with perfect vision, and observed each speck of light and the constellations they formed. He spotted Suzaku, the Vermilion Bird of the South, and it reminded him vaguely of the fiery Ryukyuan sitting next to him.

"We need supplies, and Fuu needs a more effective weapon. Her tanto is little more than a coming of age accessory. There's a village on the map not far from here. I intend to journey there in the morning."

"So you're gonna pawn your glasses?"

"If I can, yes."

Mugen squinted in a suspicious glare. "You're not gonna make another scene, are ya?"

"I sincerely hope not. That being said, if I don't return by sundown, you should move on without me."

"C'mon, ya know Girlie's not gonna leave without ya."

"Remember our agreement. You were the one who requested it, and rightly so."

"Dammit." Mugen raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Maybe we should go with ya... watch each other's backs."

"No. Fuu needs to remain hidden."

"Dammit."

When Mugen moved his hand to cradle Fuu's head, she stirred in her sleep. She groaned in a cranky voice and then she began talking quietly to herself. "Breathe... Center myself... Think. He's injured. His center is open. I can hit him right there."

Mugen's eyes widened in mild astonishment. "Is she dreamin' about fightin'?"

"Actually, I believe she's dreaming about fighting you."

He scoffed, "Little brat!"

Jin pressed his lips together to contain a laugh.

"Shut up, ya bastard."

"I didn't say anything."

"Yeah, ya never do, do ya?"

Jin barely managed to regain his composer. "She will need a sparring partner while I'm away. I trust you will do the job?"

"Oh, yeah. It's payback time. Ya hear that, ya scrawny twerp?"

"Jerk." A tiny dimple formed on Fuu's cheek.

"Pfft. Go back to sleep."

She fisted his haori and nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

Mugen glanced at Jin with feigned indignation. "See what ya started?"

"Hm." A smile glinted in Jin's dark eyes, plainly visible without the cover of his glasses. "I started nothing that wasn't already there."

"Tsh." Mugen rested his chin on the top of Fuu's head. "This dumb girl." He leaned back against the wall, pulling her with him. "Don't get yourself killed tomorrow."

"I will try not to."

---

To be continued...

続く

---

Please review! :)

Thank you so much for reading!

---

Additional Author's Notes

Due to the enormous length of this chapter, the notes below are an abbreviated version.

The full version - which includes information not documented below - can be found on Tumblr. Username Drealyn22, #No Roads Where We're Going. The post is called "No Roads Where We're Going Chapter 9 Author's Notes." (FFN doesn't allow hyperlinks, or I would include one here.)

If you plan to read the notes on Tumblr, then skip the notes below - they're included in the full version.

---

"What in the heck was this author thinking?"

I have to admit, I bit off more than I could chew with this chapter. There are a lot of personal interactions here, some of them very emotional, and that's always challenging to write. In the process of trying to get inside the characters' heads, I got a little too attached and I lost perspective a few times. I had to take a few steps back on multiple occasions. There were times when I just needed to not look at it for a while so I could come back later on with fresh eyes.

After all was said and done, this chapter clocked in at around 14,800 words, not including author's notes. Ridiculous, right?

Could I have split this into two chapters? Yes and no. "No Roads Where We're Going" is laid out with a particular structure and timeline. Splitting this chapter in two would have blown that. This chapter was always intended to be three parts - 1.) Fuu training and finding her way with Jin, 2.) The conflict between Fuu and Mugen that forces him to examine his own motives, and 3.) Fuu training with Jin, with Mugen slowly becoming involved and eventually supporting Fuu. That's where this chapter's title, "Converge," comes from.

Starting in Chapter 8, "Dissonance," the three characters' points of view start to diverge and become discordant, then they slowly converge back to a single point where everyone agrees and understands the importance of what they're doing. They go through conflict and they find resolution. There are a lot of lessons they need to learn about relationships, trust, and what it means to be a family.

In the end, they've reached a point of understanding, and they've all become closer. They're even physically closer, sitting and resting peacefully together for the first time in quite a while.

Japanese words used in this chapter:

You can find definitions of these words on my Tumblr (username Drealyn22) in a post called "No Roads Where We're Going Glossary." It's even got pictures!

Dojo, engawa, gakusei, geta, gi, hakama, kata, katana, kimono, obi, Onii-chan, ronin, samurai, sensei, tachi, tanto, wakizashi, yumi

Onii-chan (お兄ちゃん): Older brother, or big brother.

Ichi, ni, san, shi (一, 二, 三, 四): One, two, three, four.

Before anyone gripes at me for using Japanese numbers, consider this: in martial arts dojos all over the world, students are taught to count their exercises in Japanese. The fact that you can walk into a dojo in the U.S. and hear Japanese being used was justification enough for me to use it here.

Martial Arts

I looked at tantojutsu, aikido, bujutsu, kendo, and some modern self-defense techniques for women. There are some great videos on YouTube, and I've posted a few of them on Tumblr.

I wanted the details of Fuu's training to be at least somewhat grounded in reality even if it's not completely accurate.

The most unrealistic part of Fuu's training is learning so much so fast. No dojo master would ever inundate a brand new student with so many advanced techniques. Fuu is definitely getting a crash course.

It's also extremely dangerous to use a tanto against a katana, but the tanto is Fuu's only weapon. It's not optimal, but she has to work with the resources that are presently available to her.

Jin and Fuu

The first thing he imparts is mental awareness and a sense of purpose. That means, know who you are, know why you're doing this, and know the right way to do it.

Keep in mind, those first two things Jin discovered because of Fuu, during their journey to find the sunflower samurai. He's taking the lessons he learned from her, and helping her to rediscover them in herself.

Karyuudo

We see a different side of Karyuudo in this chapter. He expresses some opinions about society and personal character, he remembers his father and wonders what he would think now, and he identifies with Fuu in a number of ways. He possesses emotions and a degree of empathy and sentimentality.

Mugen's Dream / Experiences of the Past

He followed Fuu for a while after they split up last time. Did he do it for Fuu, or did he do it for himself? His dream is revealing here. As much as he thinks he's protecting Fuu, he's also unloading his own rage, and in a way, trying to clear his guilty conscience. It was mostly selfish on his part, and in his dream, he knows it. If he really wanted Fuu to feel protected, he should've reached out to her. Instead, he tried to ease his own anxiety, and then he moved on.

This method of coping with his stress was only partially effective. That's why, back in Chapter 1, he ultimately ends up at Ikitsuki Island burning down the church, and why, when he sees Fuu for the first time in Chapter 2, he's hard-wired to protect her, even from her own emotional torment, which he feels at least partially responsible for.

Fuugen: The Kiss

I've known for a long time now that Fuu would make the first move. She's taking the initiative. In so many fics, when Mugen and Fuu kiss, it's Fuu's first time, Mugen takes the lead, and it's this big discovery moment told almost entirely through Fuu's perspective. I wanted to turn that on its head.

During the kiss, I tried to focus on Mugen's perspective just as much as Fuu's - maybe even more so. If Fuu is taking the lead, that puts Mugen on the receiving end, and I wanted the reader to get a glimpse of what that's like for him.

Fuugen: The Fight

What goes up must come down.

Fuu can see that Mugen has feelings and motives that he's not sharing, and she wants answers. Problem is, there are some answers Mugen doesn't have, and others he's too inept to communicate. Fuu doesn't understand why it's so hard for him to just say what he feels and what he wants. The only explanation she can come up with is that he's afraid and too stubborn to admit it. She's right. He's scared shitless and he doesn't know how to deal with it.

There's a basis for this in the series. Mugen's been alone since early childhood. Everyone he's known has betrayed him in one way or another, and consequently, he doesn't trust anyone. In his memories when he's close to death, we see that he may have trusted Koza at some point in the past, but she and Mukuro betrayed him. The Roman Album says that he was betrayed over and over again. Sara points out that his anger and sadness stem from never being loved by anyone.

This helps to explain why Mugen is so afraid to let Fuu in, why he's freaked out by the fact that he actually does need her, and why it hurts him so much when she walks away.

Fuu Takes It Too Far... But She's Not Wrong

Fuu calling Mugen a murderer... yikes. "Over the line, Smokey!" (I'll give a virtual high-five to anyone who knows that move reference.)

I think that, as fans of the series and Fuugen lovers, we tend to forget just how evil Mugen really is... or was. In Misguided Miscreants, Mukuro tells us that Mugen has killed a lot of people, and we see in Mugen's memories that his life was very violent and lonely. He was not a good guy. He did try to leave that ultra violent lifestyle behind him, and he is seriously angry when Mukuro brings it up in front of Fuu and Jin. He doesn't want it to define him as a person, yet he always lives with the idea that it already has.

Fuu has the power to bring out Mugen's lighter side. She sees the potential for him to be good. He has trouble seeing it in himself, but if she believes it, he'll try to believe it too.

If Fuu stops seeing Mugen's potential and only sees the evil inside him, then that's all he is, and all he can ever be. It's the same thought that already lingers in the back of his mind, that he will forever be defined by what he was.

Later on, even though Fuu apologizes and says she didn't mean it, Mugen admits that it's true. Internally, he worries that if he told Fuu all the details, she might be afraid of him and she might not want him anymore.

Fuu still sees the good in him and she will still love him. She only cares about what kind of person he is right now, and what kind of person he's trying to be in the future. Mugen actually takes a moment to appreciate this.

Jin the Security Blanket

Fuu latches onto Jin like a child, and he patiently lets her do it. All she has to do is call him her big brother, and he automatically falls into the role. He loves Fuu like a sister, and he enjoys caring for her.

I thought it would be funny if Jin's favorite childhood stories were about history, something intellectual that can be analyzed, rather than fairy tales or other children's stories. Even as a child, he was fascinated by military strategy and the concept of a worthy lord.

If you're curious about the conclusion to Jin's story, I've included a history lesson on Takeda Shingen in the full version of these author's notes on Tumblr.

Mugen and Jin's Talk

It's a big deal for Jin to talk about his emotional experience with Shino. In general, Jin doesn't talk about his emotions. The fact that he does it here is a testament to how much he cares for his friends. He's willing to bring down one of his own walls in order to get Mugen to drop one of his.

Karyuudo and Kaibutsu

This is the first time Kaibutsu has spoken. He's actually quite talkative, and he's acting pretty casual about this whole thing. It's taking too long. He wants to get to the next phase of the mission so he can do his part.

Karyuudo is more serious. Fuu reminds him of… someone or something. We never find out because Kaibutsu shuts him down, causing him to suppress the memory and any feelings attached to it.

History: Takeda Shingen

Jin was telling Fuu a story about Takeda Shingen's brilliant military strategy, but she fell asleep before he could finish. I've posted a brief history lesson with my author's notes on Tumblr, so if you're curious, you can read it there.

Thanks for reading!