I do not own Champloo. I wish I did.

2. Beat (down) Street

Finally ! Some action. Mugen grinned maniacally as he rushed the crowd of thugs. They formed a wall around their ageing boss, thinking nothing of the young man speeding their way. Just as he reached them, Mugen stopped.

Fuu could of sworn he called out 'thanks' to her as he went to work. Who was she kidding, this was fun for Mugen. She sighed. I thought I was helping, bah !

Toes acting as springs to his elongated calves, they pushed him up the wall, his cat-like prowess always landing him on his feet. Legs slashing air, rotating like a bicycle wheel, he buried his heel on the old man's shoulder, dislodging his collar-bone.

The men could only stare in disbelief. Swords were raised, cutting aimlessly, no hope of catching the red flash.

"Come on, gimme something to work with here, ya useless bitches."

Their 'pep talk' almost did the trick, gaining some new found confidence. Mugen waited in the middle of the approaching men, their swords aimed squarely at his stomach. To his left and right, two approached. He smiled as they plunged their weapons toward him, underestimating the speed in which he hyperextended his legs down into a split, his groin inches from the ground. The two were impaled on opposing swords, as Mugen leaned back, almost parallel to his rear leg. Using his own sword, he cut the obstruction from his path, and digging into the dirt in front of him, flicked his body back to normal again as if he were some kind of limbo-ing pole vaulter.

"What can I say, it's survival of the fittest, and I got tha fuckin' skills man."

Tipping one leg behind him, he flicked the other out, his sheer force enough to kick those in his reach down and to the ground.

Yanking his head out of the action for a moment, Mugen inched to Fuu's captor. Suprisingly, his feet continued slapping his hapless attackers around. They stood in a line, he swiped down one side, teeth and saliva spluttered as he returned his heel's attention to their opposite side. For a split second he had a vision of skewering them all onto his sword. Shit, I really am hungry.

Mugen whispered into the man's ear. "Oy, I wouldn't get any funny ideas about the girl, dude. She got the clap man !" Just as quickly, Mugen's upper returned to its lower as he flipped back into a handstand, sideswiping another minion in the jaw, before heading back down, building momentum for a back spin.

Fuu's face glowered and made a mental note to kill Mugen later, but she then felt the grip on her loosen slightly as her attacker was temporarily distracted . Noticing her slight advantage, Fuu quickly pulled her arms out from their pinned position. Just as soon, the man squeezed her again, her tiny waist pushed against him till she was almost blue in the face. He managed to hold one arm down. Then suddenly his world went dark.

¤

rewind

¤

At first, he had been watching intently from a safe distance. Surveying the scene, waiting for his perfect moment to strike. Yes, he had to admit, he really did have a flair for the dramatic.

The girl, his FuuFuu, always up to mischief. Anyone else may have found it a bother, but, he, well, he loved it. The way she would squeal in delight when he came to her rescue. How she would bounce up and down, holding him gently to her breast. So warm and inviting. She would stroke his head lovingly, as he illicited innocent giggles from her tiny, pink mouth. He knew the girl would be lost without him, her silent guardian. His chest swelled with pride, she loved him, he was sure of it. His only wish being he could tell her the same. Impossible of course. There was only one way he could prove it to her. By protecting her. A tiny, almost inaudible growl emanated from his stomach. Hmn, hungry !

He heard the tell-tale clang of Mugen entering the foray, before he saw him come to a dead stop, launching himself off a nearby wall, his leg arching back and over his body and resting on the shoulder of the old man. Well, there goes the jackass again. What a wasted effort... he thought as he watched the rythmic movements the sly pirate made. His back spun on the floor, giving him momentum enough to lift his legs as if to take off. Pshaw, he chuffed, Not like I couldn't if I tried. But, why get down and dirty when there is no need ? Just looking at him writhing and contorting in the dirty street made him want to shake the dust loose off himself. He knew his own methods were far superior. Simple, yet effective.

His vision switched back to Fuu, her body struggling in the grip of the vile lech. She tipped her head upside down, watching Mugen spin and kick. Her nose closer to the villian's armpit, she felt herself go faint a moment, but soon regained her composure, her pupil's reflecting the spins Mugen was perpetrating on the thugs.

Shrugging it aside, he was off. Like a leaf on the wind, he flew to save her. As any true, self-respecting hero would.

¤

Fuu felt a slight, familiar breeze pass her neck and shoulders. A flash moved through the group, then floated above her.

The surprise attack, his favourite kind ! Bracing himself for impact with the foul, slob of a man, lightning reflexes avoided a wayward sword swipe. His natural instinct had been to smother Mugen, but with expert precision, he angled his side, swooping high and low until planting his claws firmly on his target.

"Momo ! You've come to save me !" She gleefuly cried.

"Arrrhhhhhh, what in hell is going on ? I'm..I'm blind ! What have you done to me you little bitch ? I can't breeeeaathe !" Momo plastered himself to his face.

With one arm free and her attacker distracted, Fuu attempted to sieze her opportunity. His frantic spinning trying to regain his bearings was making her dizzy, but Momo held on, digging in. Then it came to her.

"Mugen ! Fuu yelled, attempting to garner his attention.

He looked her way. What the hell is she on about now ?Mugen cocked his head to the side. "Huh ?" His confused expression spoke more words than his mouth ever could.

"Arrggh, you idiot ! Throw me your geta !"

He furrowed his brow and growled back, "Dammit..wha.. !" For a brief moment, watching her point down to her legs, screaming something he had no idea what, he thought she was propositioning him.

In frustration, she began kicking her little legs, yelling at the top of her lungs. Desperately, she tried to flick her own shoe off and up to her free hand, but it just fell to the floor. "Jin, tell that useless monkey to throw me his damned shoe !" Then she realised. "Err, Jin ?"

Mugen was down to the last stragglers of the pack. Those men who were too proud to run at the first sign of ass-whippin', but too scared to actually take the wild Ryukyuan on. He grinned, waving his sword, toying with them. All too soon the fun is over. He sighed to himself. He heard Fuu vying for his attention again. NOW WHAT! his mind was yelling, but he tried to keep his concentration on the more important tasks at hand – kickin ass', oh yeah baby.

He tumbled down onto his hands in a semi press up. The lithe sinew of his forearms and triceps, stretched and flexed as he rolled his torso down, giving the impression of a worm crawling out of the dirt. His ankles crossed and dangling high above him, grabbed one man around the neck, flinging him over as if he were a doll.

"Muuuuuuugenn !" She yelled again

"YOU ! You shut up and stop yelling at me for my fucking geta, wench ! I'm trying to fucking rescue you !"

"Aaarggghhh !"

Wrapping his legs in tight over his chest, he flung himself around, revolving faster and faster, until in one movement, fingers gripping the ground next to his ears, he pushed himself skyward one last time, a split legged kick, doubling up two men in quick succesion. He allowed his mind to think a second as his last opponent slowly edged toward him. Now what the fuck was she sayin ? My geta ? They don't even fit her damned feet. Ahhh, but her screaming...has...tooo...stop !

Slow realization dawned on him. He ducked, avoiding an unseen blow to the back of his head and drew his sword over his shoulder and through the chest of the attacker. Withdrawing his sword up and out, Mugen winked at Fuu, and with a flick of his ankle, slung one steel-soled geta over his head, landing in her outstretched hand. She whacked her captor's skull, not once, not twice but three times taking care to avoid Momo's tiny clawed paws. He droppped her like a sack of millet as he fell to the ground clutching his head in pain. Fuu then proceeded to kick his shins until he could take no more abuse from the girl.

"Only real men have use of those, you filthy jerk ! So you wont...---kick---...be...---kick---...neeeding...---kick---...them for a lonnnng time ! " She worked her leg back as far as her kimono's girth allowed, he tried crawling away until her final kick connected square between the legs. "Because, obviously, you are not a real man," She paused for a moment and dusted herself off, "Pervert !" His eyes rolled back into his head and a pouch of coin fell from his pocket. Cha-ching !

"Ssttrrriiiike ! He's outta here !" Mugen yelled victoriously. He hadn't noticed his legs had shrunk together from his usual lurching stance as the tiny terror unleashed her fury.

At last ! FuuFuu ! As quickly as Momo had joined the fun, he disappeared, snuggly with his girl once again.

Fuu spun on her back foot, twirling her kimono and raising her arm forward. Her fingers splayed and folded into a cocked 'V' . A tiny glint sparkled from her teeth as she smiled and winked one eye closed. Momo poked his head out of her kimono. "Eep eep !" He squeeked.

Impressed, Mugen walked up to her and raised his own arm in gesture. "High five, girl !" They pressed hands together in the air. "Looks like that, erm, what the fuck was that game we played the other day ?" He scratched his head in deep thought, swiping the sweat off his forehead, then relaxing his arms, clasped atop his head. Fuu just thought he looked in pain. "Base...ball ? Baseball ! Yeah, that's it. Looks like it payed off ! Good times, heh."

He held his sword out to the still grimacing man's neck. Moving it just as quickly away, he hooked the bag of coin with the tip and flicked it over his shoulder. Fuu pounced, catching and placing it in her sleeve in one fell swoop.

He shivered, "Not you again !" He instinctively covered his groin with his shaking hands.

"Told you I was too cute for my own good !" She skipped off with Mugen swaggering alongside.

"Either that or too annoying..."

"Ahh, Mugen, you're such a jerk." She smiled, eyes firmly down on the road ahead.

Mugen laughed, "Yeah, so I've heard !"

"Anyway, I guess we should go see what happened to Jin." She meekly suggested, knowing her true need, but too polite to say it out loud.

"You kiddin' me ?"

"Or maybe, um..." she jingled the coin pouch a little...

"Food !" they grunted in unison.