Chapter Two
Brother Brothel and Mugen's Match
Mugen was not aware one could hear a smile, but as he watched Fuu slumber he realized you could. It was strange, because you could hear it, yet you could not. It was like some haunting melody in a dream. It was soft, so much in fact one could not hear it unless all was quiet. Which explains why Mugen never heard a smile before. She turned again, pulling the blanket close to her chest and moaning softly, only to grow quiet once more. There was something alluring about how peaceful she was, laying there with him watching her, in perfect bliss. At any other time she would be hesitant about sleeping so close to somewhere he'd lurk, but she was exhausted from whatever journey she'd been on, gladly welcoming the blackness of sleep.
He wondered how long she had traveled, or if she had never returned to where she had come from, only to remember, she had no place to go. She was like him, no family. It was strange, to think they two had something in common, because when they argued it seemed like they were complete opposites. She was different though, she could settle down somewhere if she had to, he could not. Mugen wasn't accepted anywhere, not for a long period of time anyways. He snorted at the thought, he didn't care. He'd been alone for as long as he could remember, and it would never change, he would always be alone. Though…
"Mugen?" Fuu blinked sleepily a few times and he drew back, her seeing that he was watching her.
"What!" he asked harshly, worried she'd question why. She yawned but didn't finish, she only closed her eyes again. She waited a long time and let herself smile a little.
"Have you been watching me this whole time?" she asked softly. There was a brief pause and Mugen stood up.
"I wasn't watching you," he said smoothly, making his way across the room "I just-" It didn't matter, she'd fallen back into the obscurity of sleep. He looked at her again and snorted to himself. After they all had split, Mugen remembered how it was to travel alone. As much as he hated to admit it, even though he was just admitting to himself, he almost sort of missed that stupid baka and the oddball samurai. For a long time after they'd left, he could still hear her complain about her feet hurting or him 'hum' an answer to Mugen's thoughts. It was a relief really, to still feel like he had them with him, even though when he turned back to yell at her to shut up no one was there. He sat down against the wall, away from Fuu. After a while, he nodded off, his eyes finally coming closed. He'd been so tired that his eyes were hurting even, which was not a good idea seeing that he would have to get moving again.
Fuu woke with something cold against her cheek. She mumbled in annoyance and tried to brush it away, only to be greeted with a rough wet tongue. She sat up with a small yelp of surprise, startling Mugen from his sleep. He waited for her to scream, all women did. A scrawny little mutt sat before the two, happily wagging his tail. He was a light tan color, medium hair that hung in a matted mess all over the runt's body. One eye was sewn shut, though the other was bright and happy, a deep syrupy brown. His ears stuck up, one tilting at an odd angle and the other missing a large chunk out of it. Mugen watched her expression, though the scream never came.
"He's cute," she let the creature sniff her hand "in a rugged kinda way. What's his name?" Mugen sat back a moment, closing his eyes.
"Brothel," he said simply.
"Your not serious," she gave him a dry look but he opened his eyes and nodded some. "For real?"
"No, I'm lying," he snorted.
"You have such a sick sense of humor!" she snapped, petting the dog like he'd been abused. "You named him Brothel. Really, I figured you at least had a LITTLE sense!"
"I don't need you're damn sense," he protested "he likes his name."
"Baka," she sighed sitting back.
"Don't CALL me that," he snapped at her.
"Baka, baka, BAKA!" she shouted and he took off his shoe and threw it at her. Hitting her squarely in the head she fell back. After a moment of not moving Mugen perked up, seeing if maybe he'd really hurt her.
"It's your fault," he grumbled sitting back "I told you." He waited for a response, nothing. "Yo?" She didn't stir. He moved over to her and looked. Her eyes were closed but she was breathing. Moving closer he looked at her face for any signs of injury or something. Her face distorted into a triumphant smirk.
"Baka," she almost whispered and slapped him. His head had turned to the side and he blinked.
"Stupid lil' son of a-" he grumbled and the two were at it.
"What'd you call me!"
"What do you THINK?"
"Shut up!"
"YOU shut up!"
"Don't tell me to shut up!"
"Baka!"
"Mugen ow!" her face twisted in pain and he quickly moved his knee from out of her side, but didn't let her up, because he believed she would slap him again if he did. She let out a relived sigh as the pain faded. He waited a moment before he smirked.
"You missed arguing with me, eh?" he asked cocking an eyebrow and she tried to push him off.
"OFF!" she ordered.
"Since when do I listen to orders?" he asked blankly. She tried again, in vain and he smirked, sometimes she really was terribly pathetic. "Say you're sorry for calling me baka and I'll get off." First she glared angrily, knowing she couldn't force him off. Gritting her teeth she sighed in frustration. If felt odd having him on top of her, sure they fought and tried to strangle the other, and they'd gotten in each other's faces before, so close that their noses touched, but this felt strange.
"Gomen," she mumbled through gritted teeth and he sat back with a smirk.
"Gomen," he repeated "gomen what?"
"ARGH!" she became terribly frustrated and jerked forward. Mugen hadn't expected this and without warning fell back off of her. A loud clunk was heard from his head hitting the polished wood flooring. His legs were outspread and he grunted under his breath. She got to her feet and put her hand on her hip "Serves you right," she snapped angrily. When he moaned her eyes softened and she collapsed with her legs crossed beside him. "What am I going to do with you?" she sighed aloud. He just looked at her. "Listen," she paused a moment "I won't call you baka anymore, s'long as you don't do something terribly stupid."
"Define terribly stupid," he groaned again, his head ached.
"Around the lines of what you just did," she smirked some "hurting yourself, baka." He gave a smug grin.
"Now why the worry?" he asked wincing as the pain shot through his skull. Fuu paused a moment, she wondered it too.
"I think," she paused "maybe because I just haven't seen you in so long." There was an awkward silence between the two and Mugen sat up, rubbing his head.
"Whatcha mean?" he asked blankly.
"What do you MEAN what do I mean?" she huffed in frustration "I MEAN I missed-" she paused. His smirk grew. "Not like," she paused trying to explain and he nodded in an 'understanding' way. "Oh shut up." He quickly changed the subject.
"Okay," he said simply "where are you going?" Brothel had settled down after all their fighting and laid on Fuu's makeshift bed. His ears twitched oddly, his half ear wiggling with an itch.
"Down to Kyushu," she said "I figured I'd stay with family there for a while and then head to the coast. Maybe visit a few islands. After all the travel I need a vacation." He looked at her oddly, he didn't like it, she was heading towards Ryuukyuu.
"Islands huh?" he asked gruffly, she knew what he was insisting.
"I wasn't planning on going there if that's what you're thinking," she laid back and breathed in deeply.
"What for?" he asked.
"I like the ocean," she stretched "and I've been looking for Jin." His eyes had narrowed at the mention of his name. "Not like a full out search or anything," she reasoned "but I mean, as I go along." Looking for Jin, he thought to himself, figures. Not him, Jin, but it made sense, he and Fuu weren't close like she and Jin were, so why would she bother seeking out him? "But I'm glad I already found you," she smiled some, looking at the ceiling "at least now I don't have to backtrack."
"Whatcha mean?" he asked again.
"Why do you keep asking me that?" she growled at him "do you not understand the words that are coming outta my mouth?"
"Backtrack?" he raised an eyebrow, thinking it obvious.
"Do you not know what that means?" she sighed.
"I KNOW what backtrack means," he snapped "I'm asking why the hell would you backtrack!"
"To find you!" she sat up and glared at him "really Mugen, you really are dense sometimes." He blinked a few times and his brow moved close together and he slammed his fist down.
"You liar," he snapped "you said you weren't going to Ryuukyuu."
"Well now I don't have to, do I?" she asked and petted Brothel on the head again. There was no way she was calling him by the terrible name. Next thing you know, Mugen's gonna have him named Whore House.
"Do you know how DANGEROUS Ryuukyuu is!" he yelled at her "you're going to go and-" he started laughing. It was really quite funny, the both of them arguing like old times. He sat back and shook his head some, smirking. "I'll help you find Jin," he sighed "but only because you still owe me."
Author's note: (please note, I'm not crazy, this is just what happens when I stay up until three in the morning writing Fanfiction)
Mugen: what do you MEAN by that's why he's never heard a smile before, eh writer lady?
Jin: she's implying that you're loud…
Fuu: giggles
Mugen: eh? Hey, shut up baka!
Fuu: don't tell me to shut up!
Kohaku: can we reply to the damn reviews please?
Jin: please do and… hum… when do I come in?
Kohaku: in time, be patient.
(CrackWhore)
Fuu: glad you thought it was funny, I think we're kinda an oddball family but :shrugs: hey… you think Mugen will name a pet after you're penname?
Mugen: SHUT UP!
(LynGreenTea)
Jin: hum….
Kohaku: the girl that says 'write more' well thanks for the review, I loved it! Tells me what I already wanna do. -
(BloodCrested)
Mugen: humph, why does everyone worry about Fuu?
Fuu: because I'm the cute character
Mugen: just you wait, -
Fuu:blinks: hey… Kohaku, Whatcha been telling Mugen about the story?
Kohaku:…. Uh…. No comment.
(Poornmiserable)
Jin: I'll remind her to add that in one of the chapters. Its about a year or so I believe.
Kohaku: I'll add it in next chapter when Jin makes his big entrance.
Mugen: finally, its getting kinda mushy with Fuu here…
Fuu: YOU'RE the one worried about me!
Mugen: Am not!
Fuu: ARGH! BAAAAKA!
(TiNyLoVeBuBBLes)
Mugen: hum? English paper?
Fuu: we definitely know you have no idea what THAT is Mugen
Mugen: hey… baka…
Jin:sighs: it seems he's enticed by the young ladies penname…
Fuu: PERVERT!
Mugen: OW! HEY!
Kohaku: I'm 16 (gonna be 17 in Nov. -) And I will continue… just as long as they don't kill each other first.
(Charmed Wolf)
Fuu: Aw - that was nice of him to review after talking to you on the form
Jin: good to know some people have manors.
Mugen:glares at Jin: shaddap.
Kohaku: …. Keep writing, got it. - gomen, my imagination tends to uh… well, take control sometimes.
Mugen: that's not all that-
Fuu:throws shoe:
Mugen: OW!
(Morrigan75)
Mugen: more girl reviewers -
Jin: perverted ruffian
Fuu::crosses arms: isn't he supposed to be falling in love with me?
Mugen: you! HUH? Hey author lady I-
Kohaku::walks away slowly:
(Zottie)
Jin: very humorous, thank you. :bows:
(Kimper)
Kohaku: thanks much -
Fuu: hope this chapter wasn't too mushy. Its just :whispers: I kinda missed Mugen.
Mugen: HEARD IT! HA! I heard you say it! HA HA HA HA HA!
Jin: …. Hum…
REVIEW! Oh, and Mugen says for the girls to review more…
Mugen: OW don't hit me, baka Fuu!
- Night!