Title: Enemies of the Heart (working title)

Author: Neldluva

Fandom: Samurai Champloo

Rating: R

Pairing: Jin/Mugen

Warnings: yaoi, naughty language, liberties taken with the show's timeline, PWP-ish, ANGST

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to those who created Samurai Champloo ... and made it so delightfully slashy. The only person I own is Kumiko, and her story is mine as well.

Summary: A blast from Jin's past shakes everyone up.

Author's Notes: I've been toying with this plot idea for a while, and it has sprung into many various little plotbunnies, some of which may be written in the future. Anyhow, let me know how you like it. I wanted to get away from the molasses-slow movement of the previous chapters.

"Aha!" Mugen yelled triumphantly, swinging the bag of money in Fuu's face. "There's no complaining over this, kid. This is serious money."

"You stole it, Mugen!" Fuu cried, grabbing uselessly at the bag.

"Not like that old asshole needed it." Mugen juggled his loot between his hands, liking the satisfying jingle of coins. "He could probably buy out this town and the next if he wanted. I'm just redistributing the wealth. It's only fair."

All of a sudden, someone ran past them, bumping bodily into Mugen before darting off again. "Hey, watch where you're going, motherfucker!" Mugen shouted, waving his fist. "Bony little son of a bitch, I've probably got bruises up and down – hey, the cash! He stole our money!" He narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. "Come back here, you little cocksucker, I stole that fair and square!"

Fuu and Jin both sighed tiredly as Mugen took off after the thief. "Come on," Jin said, calmly following Mugen's dusty footprints. "That money would pay for our meals for several days, and I would like it returned, stolen or not."

Meanwhile, Mugen had caught up with his thief and tackled him to the ground, the both of them wrestling and biting over the money. Finally, Mugen pinned the kid to the ground – and was startled to find that he was looking into Jin's face.

"Huh?" he grunted in confusion. The thief gave a very Jin-like glare and set his foot square in Mugen's chest, kicking him forcefully away. Mugen stumbled back, winded and still dazed with surprise.

"Fuck," he gasped once Jin and Fuu had caught up. "That way … go get him!"

Jin nodded quickly and ran off after the thief, leaving Mugen and Fuu to find their own way. "I guess he's tough, huh?" Fuu said quietly, grabbing hold of Mugen's arm to support him.

Mugen coughed and glared at Fuu. "He caught me off guard is all. I hope Jin chops his fucking head off, the little bastard."

Fuu sighed again, yanking Mugen forward as she heard the clash of katana up ahead. They rounded a corner into an alleyway and stopped short. Standing about ten feet apart, their katana raised high in attacking poses, were two Jins.

"What?" Mugen drawled, straightening out and frowning in confusion. "Hey, Jin … what's the deal?"

Mugen's eyebrows shot up in surprise when, instead of attacking, Jin dropped his sword to one side and replaced it in the sheath. "What the hell, Jin? Are you just going to let him take our money?"

The other Jin let his sword down too, opening his eyes wide. "Jin? Is it you?"

"Don't tell me it's another one of those guys from the dojo!" Fuu cried. "Why do so many people want to kill you, Jin?"

Jin shook his head slightly. "We are not free to speak out here," he said. "Let's go find some food. Kumiko, if you'll return the money…"

"Kumiko?" Fuu muttered to Mugen. "Isn't that a girl's name?"

Mugen watched the kid eat with narrowed eyes. He ate like Jin, always using chopsticks and being neat, but there was a sort of haste to his manner that Jin only had when he was really, really hungry. Still, Mugen couldn't deny it, the kid looked just like Jin, only he didn't have glasses and his kimono was green.

"Who are you again?" he asked. "And why are we feeding you? Jin, who the hell is this?"

Jin raised his eyebrows slightly, staring levelly at Mugen. "This is my younger sister, Kumiko," he explained.

"Um, Jin? Your sister is sort of a boy," Fuu pointed out.

Kumiko set down his chopsticks and sighed with satisfaction. He bowed his head to Fuu, setting his dark, dark gaze on her. "I assure you, I am not a boy," Kumiko said. "This happens to be a convenient way for me to travel."

"Convenient, my ass," Mugen muttered. "If you're Jin's sister, then why did you steal our cash?"

Kumiko lowered her eyes. "Excuse me, I don't believe we have been introduced. Jin, who are these people?"

Mugen's eyes flashed dangerously as Jin gave Kumiko a small smile. "These are my friends," he said. "Mugen and I are helping Fuu find a sunflower samurai."

Kumiko looked at Jin in surprise. "A sunflower samurai?" she asked. "What sort of silly quest is that?"

"It's not silly!" Fuu cried, taken aback at Kumiko's rudeness.

"I am sorry, I meant no offense." Kumiko bowed her head again, trying and failing to stifle a yawn. "I am very tired. Could I impose on you once more? I do not have anywhere to stay."

Jin nodded his head in affirmation, ignoring Fuu's expression of confusion and Mugen's look of angry incredulity. "Yes, I believe it is time for all of us to find our sleep," he agreed. "Let us go find an inn in which to stay. Mugen, the money."

Mugen glared a little harder at Jin, but that didn't seem to have any effect. He dropped the little purse of money, that little bundle that Mugen had spent so much energy to attain, into Jin's hands. He crossed his arms and fumed quietly. He'd hoped to at least get a few bottles of sake out of the money, but that didn't seem too likely with the purse in Jin's possession.

They got a pair of rooms at a nice inn instead, and Mugen decided that it wasn't such a bad trade. At least he wouldn't have to fuck Jin on the ground, as had been their routine for a few nights on the road. Mugen was tired of getting pebbles imbedded in his ass.

However, before he could yank Jin away to their room for a good, sound fucking, and maybe some questions about that sister of his, Kumiko pulled Jin into one room and closed the door most of the way. Mugen blinked at the closed door, turning his head towards Fuu. She stared at him with round eyes. Without speaking a word, they came to silent agreement and crouched down to peek in the crack between door and wall. Kumiko had her long legs folded beneath her, and Jin sat facing her in the same position, waiting calmly for her to speak, it seemed. Fuu knocked her elbow up into Mugen's ribs when the strange girl began to talk.

"I'm so glad I found you at last, big brother," she said quietly, reaching out to clasp Jin's hands. "I've been looking for you for months…"

"What are you doing here, Kumiko-chan?" Jin asked gently. "Why aren't you at home? I would think that Shoichi would have seen you married by now."

Kumiko made a face. "He has seen me married, actually. That was why I went looking for you. After – after what happened at the dojo, Shoichi brought me home right away and started looking for someone willing to marry me. I think – I think he wanted to try to repair the family honor." She bowed her head, letting her hair fall over her shoulder and into her eyes.

"He found someone from the Hojo clan, Yuki's family. Hojo Rinji didn't ask questions, and he had enough good connections that Shoichi found it a good match. What he didn't know was that Rinji is old, fat, and mean. I disliked him from the first moment I met him, but I had to keep up the family honor. Shoichi was so happy that he had found a worthy husband for me."

She bowed a little further, and Fuu and Mugen could see her hands tighten against Jin's. "He was so horrible, Jin. He drank too much, and he gambled, and he came home and hit me. I could not fight back against him or I would risk Shoichi's anger and the family's honor. I remained silent, but I was so lonely! I missed you, Jin."

"Think she's crying?" Fuu whispered when they saw a shudder pass through Kumiko's form.

"Shut up!" Mugen hissed as quietly as he could.

"I found out he wanted to sell me to a brothel." Kumiko's voice had gotten even lower. "He wanted to use me to pay off his debts. I – I couldn't do it. I would rather have died. So that night I – I fought him. I didn't kill him, but I injured him, and I left. I came looking for you. He's – he's trying to find me, I've seen it, and that's half the reason for the disguise. He wants to kill me himself, I know it."

By this point, Kumiko was bent so her face nearly touched her knees, and Fuu could see tears dripping off her nose. Mugen had his eyes on Jin, who had an uncharacteristic look of grief on his face. It made Mugen's heart twist to see Jin all torn up like that.

"We will think of something," Jin said quietly, letting go of one of Kumiko's hands in order to stroke her shoulders. "We will think of something. Now you must go to sleep, Kumiko-chan, for we will begin traveling again tomorrow."

Kumiko sat up, though from her position to the door Mugen and Fuu couldn't see her face. "You will let me come with you?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course," Jin reassured her. "Go to bed, now. You will need your strength."

He saw her tucked into one of the two futons in the room, silently walking to the door and opening it quickly. The eavesdroppers tumbled backwards, and Fuu flailed for a bit as she tried to remove herself from Mugen's lap. "I take it you overheard our conversation?" he asked them. His voice was calm, even, usual, and his face held no trace of the emotion that Mugen had seen earlier.

"Yeah," Fuu replied quietly, shoving Mugen away and getting to her feet. "It sounds like she's had a hard time."

"Yeah," Mugen agreed, rubbing his backside where he had fallen. "Who's Shoichi, anyway?"

Jin's eyes flickered for a moment behind his glasses. "Our older brother," he said plainly.

"Damn, how many siblings do you have?" Mugen scowled and got to his feet. "Well, it's late, and I want a little sleep tonight. C'mon, Jin, let's go."

They had gotten several steps down the hall when they realized they weren't alone. Mugen quirked an eyebrow and looked over his shoulder at Fuu. "Where d'you think you're going, kid?"

"Oh," Fuu said, blushing a little. "You mean, I have to sleep with her?"

"Well, yeah, unless you want to share a room with us." Mugen's hand crept down Jin's back in the direction of his ass. Jin shot him a stern look, and the hand stopped in its path.

"Oh!" Fuu squeaked. "Um, no thanks! I'll just go in here, then!" She rushed back to Kumiko's room and slid the door shut again. Mugen chuckled quietly and slung his arm over Jin's shoulders. They made their silent way to their room down the hall, comfortably furnished with two futons, for the sake of appearances. Jin sat promptly on one of the beds. He was not especially surprised when Mugen sat in his lap, legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his chest, that bony, poorly-shaven chin resting against his shoulder. Jin's arms came up automatically, stroking Mugen's hair and back.

"What troubles you?" he probed, petting Mugen as he would a cat.

"Don't trust her," Mugen mumbled, leaning his head against Jin's.

"Why not?"

"Just don't. She gives me weird feelings. Sort of like Sara."

Jin frowned. "Like Sara? You don't think she's been sent here to kill us, do you? I sense none of that."

Mugen shook his head and rested their foreheads together. "Nah, I don't think she's here to kill us. But she's hiding something, I know it. I know she's your sister and all, but I ain't gonna trust her just yet. I gotta get her figured out first." He lifted his head and looked Jin square in the eyes. "You smiled at her."

Jin quirked an eyebrow. "She is my sister, Mugen."

"You only smile at me."

Jin's eyebrows shot up, and he smiled widely. Mugen scowled. He could tell that Jin was making fun of him, and he didn't like it.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Jin asked quietly, stroking his hair again. "You're jealous that I pay her attention. You are spoiled, Mugen."

"Am not!" Mugen protested. "Just … hey, don't forget about me just because you've got a sister now, okay?"

"I promise I won't," Jin replied. "And Mugen?"

"What?"

"She is off-limits. If I find you so much as thinking about laying a hand on her, I won't wait for her to kill you."

Mugen made a face and shook his head. "Hey, no worries about that, huh? She's totally not my type."

Jin raised an eyebrow again. "Or maybe you're just sore because she kicked your ass today."

Mugen sputtered for a moment as he tried to come up with a decent reply. "She didn't kick my ass!" he said at last. "She caught me off guard! In a fair fight, I'd beat her!"

Jin just shook his head, slowly leaning back until he was flat against the futon with Mugen above him. "I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you," he said softly. "I oversaw her training. She is formidable. Had she been born a boy, I do not doubt she would have been hailed as the best samurai in the land."

Mugen sighed and pressed his face to Jin's neck. "You're not going to fuck me tonight, are you?"

"No. Do you mind?"

"I'll live. I just expect you to make it up to me sometime."