(Author's Note: Mm… I hate updating really often… I think I get more reviews when I space out my chapters… but I just couldn't wait to stuff Shenji and Jin's fight in here. It's a long chapter and my little author's notes don't make them any shorter… but yeah, deal with it. This is the chapter where Mugen says "Jiminey Cricket." I had the entire story written but then I decided to mix things up and have Jin's dojo get involved, so I'm sorry if my updates take longer, because this is officially "in-progress" now. BTW, if anyone can think of a better summary than the one I have now, please e-mail me. I'm terrible with summaries and my story keeps getting more complex…

To Far Strider: You're my biggest fan, I love you. I forgot to say thanks for the tips you gave me a few chapters ago. But here's a question… the name of the show is "Samurai Champloo." Yet only Jin is a samurai (because as you noted, Mugen doesn't have the daisho)… and the story isn't really about him at all. Methinks the show should change its title. "Random Japanese People Including One Samurai, One Ex-Pirate, and One Waitress Champloo" would make a lot more sense.

To Lady Larrabee: I think your review might be my favorite onethus far. No worries, Jin (probably) won't die. Although I can't say how much I might torture him later… I'm sadistic like that.

To Shenji: I'm so, so, so sorry that I gave your name to the bad guy. Please accept my deepest apologies for soiling your name. Don't worry about the fangirls, I'll try and protect you.

To everyone: I just dyed my hair really really dark brown. It looks black. It's sweet. I'm going as Jin to animé-fest big surprise and wanted to test the full effect on my school's animé club. When I get pictures I'll post a link on my bio thing. I swear, it's sweet, seriously… I got the glasses and beads and everything… and my best friend is Mugen and my girlfriend is Fuu. We are SO COOL. Well, okay, we're cool to other geeks… but, oh man, it's SO EXCITING. I gotta get pictures for y'all…) (Ironically, I'm also a big LotR fan, and with the black hair in Elvish braids I'm a dead ringer no pun intended for Elrond. At least, I think so. Wagel, who is my Mugen, says I look like Legolas. But I personally think Legolas was blonde… and just for the record, I seriously hated Orlando Bloom's portrayal of Legolas in the movies… I don't think book-Legolas was that pretty, but Wagel says… actually, never mind. Here's chapter seventeen.)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

It was their third night at the inn, and possibly the last. Jin took the bed. He lay down, put his hands under his head, and stared at the ceiling through his glasses.

"Jin… maybe Fuu's right… maybe you should at least wait until your leg's better."

"No," said Jin stubbornly.

"Jin, look, I hate sounding like Fuu, but you know you'll lose."

"Your confidence is inspiring."

"I'm just being honest."

"I have some tricks."

Fuu threw up her hands in frustration.

"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Mugen. Fuu turned to stare at him.

"Gee—" she repeated.

"Would you stop repeating every flipping thing I say?"

"Flipping?"

"Grr."

"Please, let me sleep now," said Jin softly. He closed his eyes but didn't move. Fuu and Mugen sighed; Fuu tried to make herself comfortable against the wall. She wasn't surprised to hear Mugen get up and pad over to Jin.

"Hey," he said quietly, slipping into the bed. Jin didn't move, forcing Mugen to squeeze in between him and the edge of the bed. "Jin, I don't want you to lose. You're a great warrior, but you're hurt. Everyone gets hurt and you can't just pretend it doesn't happen. And—this is corny but I don't want to—you're the only real friend I ever had. I don't want to think that the only reason that I met you was to lose you."

Jin turned, letting on arm fall in front of him, the other still curled around his head. "There are many reasons I think we were destined to meet. We've both learned a lot, haven't we? It's made it all worth it."

"Jin, you know you're going to lose. Come on, man."

Jin dropped his eyes. "It's possible," he conceded softly.

"Then why?"

"I need to settle this. Even if it means… if it means…"

"Means giving up your life to him? Jin, do you know what he'll do to you? Do you?"

Jin didn't respond, but he moved over to make room for Mugen. After Mugen had taken it, he buried himself in Mugen's chest, signaling the end of the conversation. Mugen could feel him trembling through most of the night.

"You didn't sleep. You didn't eat breakfast. You can't even walk straight…" Fuu tugged her earrings, looking desperate. "Please, Jin, please, it's not too late to call this off."

They were already nearly on the outskirts of the village. The sun was up but low in the sky, shedding morning light on the dewy ground. Jin, with circles under his eyes and the occasional yawn, was limping, with Mugen's help, toward Shenji's house. Mugen and Fuu were coming with him—it had been mutually agreed in the terms of the fight that witnesses should be present.

"Darn, Fuu, lay off him."

"Darn?"

"That's seriously annoying."

"Please, Jin! Please!" begged Fuu. Jin only ignored her. The buildings petered out to fields; the ground began sloping up, and the path narrowed and wound it way through the trees to the secluded house. Jin stopped Mugen to ensure his hair was pulled back and his kimono was straight (both were). Fuu fell silent when the trees opened and the house lay before them.

It had looked much smaller from the inn. Here, they could see it was twice the size of an average house, and as grand as a temple. It had sweeping eaves and was painted a cheery red and gold; the gardens around it were lush with flowers and small fountains, and paths led every which way, formed from smooth stepping stones.

Jin pushed Mugen away and limped by himself down the path. Mugen and Fuu followed him around the house.

"Ah, Jin-san! Early, like I knew you'd be," Shenji greeted him, rising from a swath of moss where he'd been kneeling and drinking tea. Fuu was thankful to see he looked just as tired and ragged as Jin; he hadn't had a good night's sleep since losing his eye.

He and Jin approached each other and bowed like old friends. Fuu didn't see how any two people who hated each other so much could be so civil.

"Shenji-san," Jin greeted him.

"Brought your two friends, I see," said Shenji, nodding in acknowledgement to Mugen and Fuu. "Can I get either of you something to drink?"

They exchanged glances and said in unison, "No, thanks."

"How long did it take you to build up this little town monopoly?" asked Jin mildly, looking around at the garden, the house, and the row of servants standing under the eaves, looking ready to pounce on any command Shenji gave them like starved dogs.

"Oh, not long. Money isn't hard to come by, if you know where to look."

"Hmm. Why this town?"

"No reason. Charming place, isn't it?"

"It's very far from the dojo."

Shenji grinned; or at least, bared his teeth in a mock smile. "I didn't much feel like staying. Don't think for a moment that I was running from you, though. I knew you'd come crawling back to me some day."

Jin squinted angrily. "Your eye looks well," he said.

"Doesn't it?" said Shenji, gesturing to eye which still occupied its socket. The other one, of course, was covered with an eye patch beneath his glasses. It looked ridiculous… but, thought Fuu, at least now she could better tell them apart. "I daresay putting out the right one has greatly strengthened the left one."

"Certainly," said Jin.

"How's the limp?"

"Improving daily."

"Not the first time I've made you limp, is it, Jin-chan?"

Jin didn't have a witty reply; instead he just asked, very softly, "Shall we?"

"Absolutely."

Shenji and Jin moved away from the house, to an open space in the garden. Fuu and Mugen didn't move, but their eyes never left Jin. He had his usual calm, cold façade.

He and Shenji drew swords—they had agreed to use only their daisho and nothing else. They faced off, and suddenly both were wheeling and swinging and darting around, each trying to keep sight of the other but seeing only flashes here and there; one would draw back quickly and then lunge forward, taking advantage of every opening, guarding their weak spots; and occasionally two blades would met with a crash, causing both to twist and then lunge again. Within a few strokes they were in an entirely different place from were they'd started. Shenji aimed for Jin's bad leg; Jin kept twisting around to Shenji's blind side.

"I can't watch!" shrieked Fuu, putting her hands over her eyes.

Shenji's sword swooped down toward Jin's shoulder; he dived left, rolled, and swung at Shenji's legs. Shenji jumped over the blade and then swung down; Jin rolled over again.

"Go! Go!" screamed Mugen, hopping up and down on the spot.

"What's happening?" asked Fuu from behind her hands.

"He's on the ground! No, he's up! No, he's down! No, up!" narrated Mugen. Shenji's sword swung toward Jin's shoulder again; he pulled back, nearly bending over backwards; he aimed a kick at Shenji's midsection; Shenji jumped back and then surged forward again. He swung at his head; he ducked and lunged at his groin; he swung down, back, at the legs. Mugen screeched like a banshee and Fuu peeked through her fingers at the two men, circling and kicking and swinging and blocking. Their blades met with a clang. Both wrenched their weapons downward, creating an awful grating noise of metal sliding on metal; Jin was thrown to the ground again in a shower of sparks.

"Ahh! No! No! Jiminy cricket!" cried Mugen.

"Jiminy cricket?" repeated Fuu.

"Run!"

"What?"

But Mugen had already hurried out of the way, because the fight had somehow come against the house, scattering them and the watching servants. Having more objects in the immediate vicinity benefited Jin more; it was clear he'd been trying to manipulate the fight over for a while. With more things around him, he had better support for his leg and could more easily push off, while Shenji was impeded.

Shenji swung in a wide arc; Jin jerked back and teetered for a moment on his good leg, then yanked his weight forward and smashed his head against Shenji's.

"Ha ha ha! That's my move! I taught him that! Did you see that?" yelled Mugen, shaking Fuu's arm until she was sure it would fall off.

"I saw it, I saw it!" said Fuu, whose hands were still over her eyes. From the glances she'd managed, Jin's style was certainly changed; a lot of his moves were borrowed from Mugen. She'd never thought he'd do it, but as he'd said himself, he had tricks up his sleeve.

"No!" yelled both Mugen and Fuu as Shenji whipped his sword into a diagonal arc that seemed to go right through Jin. But incredibly, it didn't; he jumped forward while Shenji was in his backswing and hit him across the face with the hilt of his sword. Shenji never even saw it come; Jin hit the side of his face without an eye. Shenji crumpled.

"Yes!" yelled both Mugen and Fuu. They pelted forward and grabbed Jin, who wobbled dangerously.

"Is he dead? Did I kill him?" asked Jin anxiously, craning over their heads to view Shenji's lifeless form.

"No, you just knocked him out," said Fuu. A satisfied, twisted smile came to Jin's face.

"You used my moves! You… you…" Mugen apparently couldn't find the words and instead just laughed. "You won! You totally… frigged up your form, but you won!"

"Frigged?"

"Shut up, Fuu. He wasn't expecting that! You won!" Mugen did a crazy little dance of triumph.

"Yes. I won," said Jin firmly. He looked down at Shenji's body and his face twisted a little more.

Mugen and Fuu looked to each other.

"Well… are you going to kill him?" asked Fuu softly.

Jin looked her up and down. "I never said I was going to. I didn't come here to."

"Jin, come on," said Mugen, putting his hands on his hips. "Just kill him."

Jin's eyes narrowed. "No. That was not my intent."

"Look, Jin…" Mugen began yelling. But he stopped suddenly, glancing at something over Jin's shoulder. Jin turned. His eyes widened just the slightest bit.

Two samurai were crossing the garden towards them. Fuu had thought it was odd, seeing Shenji and Jin; now came two more with he same outfit, similar enough to be brothers. Fuu felt hopelessly confused.

"Killed another, Jin?" asked one, stopping several yards away.

"I didn't kill him," said Jin cautiously. He took a wobbly step back. "Why are you here?"

"Shenji sent for us. He said you were coming for him and was understandably concerned."

"He double-crossed you!" cried Fuu. It was suddenly all coming into place. Shenji had set up the fight. He'd proposed stakes he knew Jin would be unable to refuse, stakes that had meant Jin wouldn't kill him. He had called these people to him. Whoever these people were. Not allies, she knew that much.

"Who the heck are you, anyways?" asked Mugen, voicing Fuu's thoughts.

"Saiyu," said one.

"And Kohachiro," said the other. "We were in the dojo together."

"So… you're friends of Jin's?" asked Mugen, who didn't quite seem to understand the situation yet.

Both Saiyu and Kohachiro laughed. "No, no, far from it," Saiyu assured Mugen.

"Jin's never had a friend in his life. Have you, Jin?" asked Kohachiro dismissively. He pulled his sword. "We came as soon as we received Shenji's note that you would be here today. We've been searching for you a long, long time."

Jin took another wobbly step back. "Why would you answer Shenji's summons?" he asked. "Shenji is a traitor to the dojo. He ran away."

"Shenji is a coward, that's true," conceded Kohachiro. "He disappeared within a week of Master Enshirou-san's murder. But many others did. The dojo collapsed. He would have had to leave, in the end, anyways. And it seems he's done well for himself. We cannot blame him for having the wisdom to leave early and begin rebuilding his life."

"In any case," said Saiyu, "we were willing to tolerate Shenji's presence, and even protect his life, if it meant the chance to finally find you. Jin the Butcher. You have quite the reputation among Master Enshirou-san's students, you know. You're a legend. Actually, I'm disappointed. I thought I would find you in much better form than this." He looked up and down Jin disdainfully. It was true, Jin didn't look very impressive, wobbling on one leg, panting from his fight, hair in his face.

"I didn't mean to kill him," said Jin. Fuu wondered if he meant Enshirou, or Shenji.

"Oh, yes," said Kohachiro sarcastically. "I'm sure it was quite an accident, killing a man like Master Enshirou-san. A mistake like that could happen to anyone."

"He attacked me! It was in self-defense!"

"Come off it, Jin. You killed him in cold blood," accused Kohachiro, taking a step forward, sword held up. Saiyu extended an arm to stop him.

"Wait," he said. "This isn't the time for battle. Jin, drop your swords."

"No," said Jin.

"You two, move aside," commanded Saiyu.

Fuu and Mugen looked at each other. Neither one very much felt like leaving Jin's side. But Fuu finally, tentatively, took a few steps away. Jin nodded to Mugen. He backed off as well.

"All of you. Clear out," said Saiyu. The servants, grouped around the edge of the house, waiting to see what would become of Shenji, scattered. A few wandered behind, still watching furtively.

"Jin. Get away from him."

"No," said Jin stubbornly, remaining over Shenji's body like a lion guarding its kill.

"What quarrel do you have with Shenji?"

Jin was silent.

"I thought so. Get away from him."

"No," repeated Jin.

"Either kill him or spare him," said Kohachiro impatiently.

Everyone head turned at the sound of crunching. Coming up the path were two more samurai. Jin's body tensed and his scowl grew more pronounced. "Shamisen?"

"Jin," said Shamisen, nodding.

"You joined a different dojo."

"I had to. Ours died, you might say."

Koto pulled his sword. "Why are we standing around talking?"

"We can't fight him, that's why," said Saiyu. "He's injured. It would be a dishonorable battle."

"So what? He killed Enshirou dishonorably and deserves to die dishonorably," said Koto.

"But I didn't—"

Shenji moved and groaned. Jin jumped. Shenji sat up. "Ah," he said blearily.

"You double-crossed me!" cried Jin.

"No I didn't. We agreed there ought to be witnesses…these are mine… it's absolutely legal to call them to me. Read the letter," said Shenji in a dazed way, rubbing his face.

"He double-crossed you?" said Saiyu in disbelief. "You're the traitor."

"They're both traitors!" shrieked Koto. He lunged; Shamisen grabbed him.

One might imagine that, if six bickering people have swords, the problem will resolve itself much faster. One might be very wrong. Though all six were holding swords, they were disciplined enough not to use them, but did have a tendency to wave them, grip them harder, and take threatening steps forward whenever another pointed out everything wrong with their particular plan.

The main issue was: how were they to avenge Enshirou? They'd finally found Jin, but he was hardly in a condition to fight.

Koto wanted to simply kill him. But, said Saiyu, he was already injured and the fight would be unfair. But, argued Kohachiro, he had already proved he could fight, despite his injury; after all, he'd beaten Shenji. Yes, said Saiyu, but Shenji hadn't been involved in many fights lately and was probably out of form, and was missing an eye. Then the question became: had he beaten Shenji? Shenji was already up, dusting himself off, wincing as he touched the knob on his head. He'd only knocked Shenji out; and Shenji was back on his feet. Perhaps the whole fight should be redone, seeing as the four new samurai had interrupted it, seeing as both participants of the fight had serious disadvantages. Maybe Shenji had won simply by default. His missing eye was a serious and permanent injury. Jin's leg wasn't. There was a lot of debate about who had won, and whether there should be another round, and if they should kill Jin right there, and whether Shenji should be killed along with him. (Only Koto supported the last proposition.)

"You can't kill him!" said Fuu, finally butting in when there was a lull in the conversation. (Koto was taking a breath.)

"I thought I told you to leave us alone," said Saiyu impatiently.

"You have absolutely no business here," agreed Kohachiro.

"Yes, I do! I… I need him!" said Fuu. "He's helping me find someone. It's important!"

All the samurai exchanged glances. "And… the person you're looking for… is here in this village?" asked Shamisen.

"Well, no. Jin took us here because of Shenji… oh! That's not what I meant! You don't understand!"

"We understand perfectly well!" snapped Koto, puffing out like an angry rooster. "Jin murdered our Master, caused the collapse of our dojo, and came here to murder Shenji! And we're standing around debating whether he deserves death. This is ludicrous!"

"Just because he goes about killing people in cold blood doesn't mean we should—"

"Who put you in charge, anyways?"

"You just don't want to fight him—"

"I didn't expect him to be injured—"

"HEY!" yelled Mugen.

"Shenji, will you please dismiss your servants?" implored Kohachiro.

"We're not his servants!" yelled Fuu and Mugen.

"You can't kill him because… because…" Mugen searched for a moment. "He's teaching me about Enlightenment."

There was a long, dead pause. The four samurai looked Mugen up and down: his ragged clothes, his stubbly chin, his loose stance. Even Shenji turned to stare at Jin with a look that clearly said, "Him!"

"Do you have any idea who he is?" asked Kohachiro finally, to Mugen.

"Yes," said Mugen and Fuu.

"He murdered Mariya Enshirou-san," said Koto.

"And Yuki!" said Shenji helpfully, who, despite the knob on his head, was certainly enjoying the position he'd put Jin in.

"Yuki? Little Yuki with the hair that was always in his eyes?" asked Shamisen. "That boy Jin played shougi with? Are you out of your mind?"

"It's true!" said Shenji, bobbing on the spot excitedly. "I heard all about it from Iwase-san. He went after Jin. Absolutely true."

All four looked doubtful. They looked at Jin. Jin lowered his head. "I had to."

"Oh, come on!" roared Koto, lunging. Shamisen grabbed him.

"No, no, no! I agree with Saiyu. We can't kill him now, or here, or in this condition. We must take him back to the dojo where he murdered Master Enshirou-san. That's where justice must be done."

"Let—me—go!" grunted a struggling Koto.

"Yeah, well, if you want to take him, you'll have to take me!" said Mugen, pulling out his sword.

"Mugen!" yelled Jin and Fuu.

"Move aside. We'll kill you if we have to," said Saiyu coldly.

"Mugen, please!" gasped Fuu, tugging his arm. Everything was happening so fast that she was feeling very overwhelmed, and at the moment just wanted to get away from it all.

"He's mine," said Koto mildly. Shamisen let go of him; he tore toward Mugen like a whirlwind. Fuu barely had time to dart away before the two clashed, wheeling furiously.

"JIN!" yelled Shamisen. Jin turned; Shenji lunged. Jin turned back quickly, realizing his mistake too late; he barely managed to block a blow to his shoulder. Saiyu's sword went towards his kidney; he blocked it with one sword, his other blocking a head-shot from Shenji; it was Kohachiro whose blade hit home across his leg. He crumpled to the ground with a squall.

"Help me out here!" yelped Koto. He had assumed, incorrectly, that Mugen would be a poor fighter.

"Stop, stop!" yelled Fuu, dancing frantically on the spot as three of the samurai left Jin to rally around Shamisen.

Shenji, however, stayed. He leaned down to Jin's face, bringing their heads inches apart, their hair intermingled. "I win," he whispered, before hitting Jin across the face with the flat of his blade.