Mugen and Jin sat glaring at each other as Fuu wrapped Mugen's ribs with bandages. Fuu yapped "You didn't have to be so harsh ya know" she sad to Jin.

Jin said "Yes, I did"

Shiroko busied herself by sweeping out the entrance way. She noticed a boy from the street watching her. She thought 'What is he looking at?' Shiroko bowed and continued to sweep. The boy approached.

He reminded her of Mugen. And Shiroko felt panic well up inside. The boy wore cheap straw sandals, a woven shirt that was messily stitched up where it wasn't already worn, and wrappings around his forearms. His hair was long, but not well kept and the dirt under his fingernails emphasized the boy's street origins. "Wussup?" he asked Shiroko.

She got a bad feeling about this kid. "Hello, how can I help you?" she asked.

The boy scratched the back of his head and said "I heard this dojo is up 'n running again." The boy looked up at the building and away unconcerned. "I just wanted to know if they were any good."

"Yes, they are" she said quietly. 'I doubt he can pay for lessons, but I'm sure we could use his help around here.'

The boy looked at her and said with attitude "Well can I meet them?"

She reluctantly led him to the courtyard and left him there to wait. Shiroko then went to tell Mugen and Jin.

Fuu stepped out and walked back to the kitchen. She mumbled "The kitchen is where I seem to spend all my time! Cooking food making food, cleaning food…" As Fuu mumbled her way back to the kitchen Shiroko approached the training room and listened to Jin and Mugen before she interrupted them.

Mugen said "So you were holding out on me, eh?"

"Just waiting" said Jin.

"For what?"

Jin shrugged his shoulders slightly and said "The right time."

"What the hell does that mean?" asked Mugen, ready for another fight.

Jin replied "It means I was waiting just as you were, or are."

"Ok, you're making no sense four – eyes."

Jin grimaced at the childish insult then said "You, too, were holding out."

"I don't' know what you're talking about."

"The street killer."

"Huh?" Mugen scratched some dandruff form his scalp.

"During our journey with Fuu, you defeated a man who used the power of his chi. You could not have defeated him without mastering it somewhat yourself. I have not forgotten."

Mugen was stunned that Jin had figured him out. 'How did he know?' thought Mugen. "Whatever" said Mugen wanting to get of the topic.

Jin couldn't resist saying "It must have been a supernatural power to save you that night. You're shit with a sword." Before Mugen could think o f a come back Shiroko stepped in and announced the visitor.

As Shiroko approached in the courtyard with the boy, Jin sat cross legged while Mugen lounged and sprawled his gangly limbs across the floor supporting his head with his hand. Mugen dragged a finger across the floor and said "Yo, good job on the floor. It ain't dirty 'er nothing."

Jin nodded and said "My master insisted on keeping his dojo and the students in it immaculately clean."

Shiroko escorted the visitor to the training room where both Mugen and Jin sat waiting. Shiroko entered with the filthy boy and Jin cringed. Mugen sat up and took a look at the grimy youth. The boy said "I'm Kurou."

Mugen said "Why do I care?"

The kid replied "Cuz I'm pretty strong and I wanna take up the sword."

Jin was silent and gauged the boy while Mugen and the boy traded insults. "You're nothing but a shirmp kid."

"You're an empty headed spit wad!" snapped Kurou.

Mugen came back with "You're a puke-bellied chicken wart!"

"What's wrong? Can't use grown – up words, Mister?" Mister Dickhead!" spat Kurou. Shiroko raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Why you little brat, I'll make you my bitch!" said Mugen.

While Kurou was involved in his verbal duel with Mugen, Jin watched the kid's movements, Jin interrupted the fight and asked "Are you an orphan?"

Kurou was surprised that the skinny pale man spoke "Uh, what's it to you?" asked the kid.

When Jin said "I asked you a question, you would do well to answer it" Kurou realized he couldn't avoid questions with the same insult method he used with Mugen.

"Yeah, so? I'm an orphan. Who gives a shit?" spat Kurou, feeling defensive.

Jin gave nothing away and only said "Mm."

"What?" challenged the kid "You don't' take orphans or something? I don't need this!"

Kurou got up and tried to walk away. He found he was stuck in place so he turned and looked up.

Mugen was holding his shirt and looking down at him. "Where do you think you're going, huh?"

Jin calmly said "It's incredibly rude to walk away when your masters are speaking to you. You should always wait to be dismissed."

"Dismissed?" said Kurou. "Do you mean…"

Jin interrupted him "You will wake every morning at dawn and clean the training hall before your morning meal."

The boy jumped in the air "ALRIGHT!"

Mugen said "You'll help Fuu with the water in the morning too. It takes her too damn long to get anything done on her own."

Jin continued "You will help with the laundry. Shiroko-san will soon not be able to do such laborious tasks and Fuu-san cannot do it all on her own."

Kurou realized there was only so much time in the day. "When will I get to actually learn how to use the swords? You guys don't want a student you want a maid!"

Jin was quick with his answer "Before you pick up a blade of any sort you will need to learn discipline."

"Discipline Shmisipline. I'm just tired of that woman complaining!" Mugen used his hand as a puppet to mimic Fuu. He screeched "Mna mna MNAAA!"

Kurou decided to become their student when they offered free room and board. Kurou scratched his head and said "So, uh, what's the name of the dojo? There isn't any sign out front."

Jin and Mugen both looked at each other and said "Hmmm."

A short while later Mugen was again sprawled on the floor, and Jin was standing, pensively looking out an open screen. Mugen had long since let the boy out of his grip and said "Well, how 'bout Flyin' Feet Hall'!"

Kurou sat cross legged and said "What the hell kinda name is that?"

Jin sneered at Mugen's suggestion and said "The name of the hall is to be carried down for generations. It is going go with each of our students as they pursue their own paths. It must be something dignified."

"Oh, fuck that" said Mugen waving off his co-sensei. "It should be something cool so no one forgets it!"

"Yeah!" said Kurou "How about psychedelic psycho psychics or something!"

"That's just stupid kid" said Mugen.

From the door Fuu interrupted and asked "Hey, does our visitor want something to eat?"

Jin looked at her and said "He will be staying with us. It would be much appreciated if you prepared dinner for him as well."

Fuu clapped her hands together and said "Yay! Our first student! I'll go tell Shiroko!"

As Fuu ran off Kurou said "Well, what about you guys? What are your names?" Kurou was beginning to notice how drastically different his new masters were.

Jin looked at the student then said "My apologies. We should have introduced ourselves. I am Jin and this is—"

"MASTER Mugen" finished Mugen. "Hey, I like the sound of Mugen Hall."

"To name a dojo after oneself is the ultimate in egotism. It should be named for the style of swordsmanship that we will be teaching."

Mugen said "What did you learn mooshoojubidoo or something?"

Jin angrily scowled down at Mugen then proudly raised his head. He looked out the window and said "I was trained in the style of Mujushin Kenjutsu."

Kurou didn't know what it meant, but it sounded quite impressive. He awed at his new master. Jin said "What about Gakujutsu Hall?"

"That's bland. I think Mugen Hall has a nice ring to it" said Mugen as he scratched his crotch. "Plus, I am the one that owns it.

Kurou said "Why don't you compromise and call it MUGEN GAKUJUTSU HALL?" The two other men looked at him intrigued. "I'd say 'Infinite Learning' is a pretty hot name! Plus it, like, suits everyone, ya know?"

Jin wasn't totally satisfied, but said "It is suitable."

Mugen said "I don't know…"

Kurou said "Considering you both have different styles of fighting, maybe you should combine your teachings and call it Mugen-Jin style. Then you could call the dojo Mugen-Jin Dojo. I know sensei Jin that you don't want to be arrogant or nothing, but it's something to chew on."

Mugen said "Yeah, you were on your own for long enough, Jin. Are you saying that all those years you never once did anything original? Pfft, that would be typical of you."

"Just because I follow a set of rules which your ill-bred self is incapable of grasping does not mean it is not woven with the threads of creativity."

"You asshole!" yelled Mugen as he drew his ever ready katana.

"Ignorant reprobate!" said Jin as his katana sliced the air and met with Mugen's blade.

Kurou sat slack jawed at the fierceness of his masters and their passionate discontent with each other. He couldn't understand what brought these two men together in the first place or what held them together for that matter. As the two masters battled it out with their swords and angered each other with words Fuu entered with a tray and a cup of tea for Kurou.

She placed the tray next to the boy who was still gawking at the two powerful and skilled men. At the all too familiar sight of the men fighting Fuu's fists began to shake. Kurou noticed and thought she was afraid. He stood and said "Don't worry Fuu-san, I will prote—"

Before Kurou could finish his chivalrous declaration Fuu blurted out with a scowl on her face "STOP IT RIGHT NOW! YOU'RE EMBARASSING YOURSELVES IN FRONT OF THE ONLY STUDENT YOU HAVE!" To Kurou's surprise she walked right in the middle of the spat. To avoidhitting Fuu with their swords both Mugen and Jin pulled their swords back up over their heads.

The two master swordsmen lost their balance from the suddenness of their own moves and landed flat on their asses. Mugen and Fuu argued back and forth about the the why and the how of the situation.

As Kurou watched the three adults' exchange he suddenly understood. These three balanced each other out. They were a triumvirate of comrades bound together by something that Kurou couldn't see but could most certainly feel.

Jin then said "We had a disagreement over the name of the hall."

Fuu turned to Kurou and said "What do you think it should be?"

"Uh…" Kurou was really confused at the three crazy adults in front of him, but the mix of their personalities seemed to balance each other out. "How about Champloo Dojo?"

They all looked at him confused and said "What?" simultaneously.

Mugen said "I want my name in it!"

Fuu said "Oh whatever!" shushing Mugen. "You can put your name on the No Trespassing sign!" Fuu brought a pink painted fingernail to her mouth. "What does Champloo mean?" she questioned.

Jin crossed his arms and spoke before Kurou could respond. "Champloo is a corrupted version of the word champuru. It means mix. Surprisingly I am fond of the name."

Mugen was annoyed and said "I don't like it!"

Kurou said "Well you'll be teaching the uh…uh…" The boy thought quickly before he engaged the wrath of his wild master. "um…Mugen-Jin style! The name of the style will last a hell of a lot longer than the actual hall itself! It will go down in history!"

Mugen was pacified, Jin was satisfied, and the Champloo Dojo was born.

Author's Note: Thank you for your reviews. I was hoping for more, but I can't really force you now can I?
Chizz-muffinChik- I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I think Mugen would be more likely to allow Fuu to deal with the baby until the child could pick up a sword. I'm cracking up thinking of a baby with a bush of whild hair like Mugen's running around in a diaper! Hahahaha.
Nilee- Yes. I felt it an appropriate time for Mugen to get his ass whooped. I don't have anything against Mugen and I hope people reading this don't get the wrong idea. Jin is more pleasant and I will admit my favorite, but he too has plenty of faults. Mugen can't help but get himself into trouble but at least he's very honest. There isn't anything maliciously deceptive about him. If he doesn't like you then you know it - albeit for only a short while since he is also a wonderfully skilled swordsman. We all kind of wish we could be Mugen for a day. Wild, free to do what we want, and free from the restraints of societies expectations. I like Mugen, but yes, every now and then I just want to hit him.

Guys, please leave a review! Thanks.