I know you guys are probably soooo tired of hearing this, but I am very, very sorry about not updating! T.T! I even got a review that almost made me cry! O.O ...well, I got the folder with my fic and I have my Tomato (I named my laptop...leave me alone! XD! ) so I should be able to update more often. sigh I just feel so bad...Um, anyway...Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Well, here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo, the characters, or the song used in order to make this fic. . !

Chapter 5- Release

I felt strange coming into his room after what happened. I would forget about it, but as soon as even my toe would touch to wood of the floor I would suddenly blush and I couldn't talk without stammering. He didn't pay much attention, instead rushing me to get his food to him. We didn't talk to each other that much anymore, and I was glad.

I was happy however to see his health skyrocket now that he was getting more of what he needed. Slowly, he began to eat on his own and even sat up a few times. I slipped more vegies, fruit, and bread into his diet. It was only a little, though, since there wasn't much left to offer.

Because we didn't talk to each other, I was very surprised the night he spoke. I was rebandaging his chest and almost dropped the soft silk in surprise.

"What's it like?"

"Huh?" I stared, picking back up my task.

"Being able to live your life with no worries that today may be your last."

I stopped again to eye him carefully, finding him serious. I sighed and pulled a bandage around his shoulder. He grunted as I pulled and tightened the wrapping. "It's okay if you have a life to live in the first place."

His face became as vacant as a lot,"Why'd you say that?"

I smiled sadly as I tied the knot and sat back. I twidled my thumbs and felt his eyes burning into my skin. "My mother...died when I was very small. The last thing she gave me was my pink kimono, and that was when I was still just a kid, so I take very good care of it... Anyway, my dad and I haven't gotten along very well since then. You see, he's a prized samurai of the Emperor, and lately he thinks I have to be wed. He decides my life for me because he thinks he's all-powerful and everything. It's kind of hard to be who you are if you're not sure who you are in the first place."

I looked up to see him looking out the window. I wasn't even sure he was listening, but it was nice to finally be able to say everything I had been thinking for the longest time.

"Anyway, on the night you, um, met me, my father made me dine with one of his own samurai. His name is Jin, and he's kinda stiff; he didn't even really talk to me or anything, not even when I asked him about..." I cleared my throat, seeing him looking at me suddenly. "Um, well, I wanted nothing to do with him, but my father told me that I would accept the proposal of marriage. I was really upset and went ot my room, which is why I was crying when you appeared."

He finally turned his head and grinned, though it was actually a little scary. "Time to make somebody cry..."

I stiffled a laugh, though I'm not sure why I thought it was funny. "What about you? What made you a criminal?"

He remained silent and I suddenly wished that I had not asked him such a personal question. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have.."

He ignored me and starting speaking slowly at first, then more quickly as he got into his story. "I was born and raised on the RyuKyu Islands, or Hell on Earth as I've heard it be called. I've always been a troublemaker, and I usually started all the crap I got into. There was this one time that I got really screwed over, but I didn't start it for once. It was that ass Mukuru; he and I hated each other since I can remember, and for some reason he thought I wanted his sister Koza. Well, that was a load of crap, and he got me when he promised me money and a way off the island if I'd help him and some other dudes hijack a ship carryin' a load of ryo. I did it, and we did okay until cops came onboard. The other guys bailed on me and left me for dead, so I fought to escape. I killed a lot of guys, includin' this guy who I found out later was in control of the ships and stuff." He scrunched his eyebrows in thought, as though uncovering the memories.

"After all that crap, I was the most wanted man in Japan. I thought I was safe on RyuKyu, but cops started showin' up and I knew I had to get the hell outta there. I met up with Mukuru before I did leave and killed that sorry bastard. Once I got to the shores, even more crap started happenin'. I couldn't go anywhere anymore, since the news spread even to here. I had to steal to survive. When they got really persistant, I moved further inland and found this temple one of the times I was runnin' from the cops."

He became silent and I exhaled a breath I had been holding for a long while. I smiled softly,"Well, thanks for telling me. Feel better?"

He scoffed, though he was silent. I started to get up, but stopped as he spoke again,"So what d'you think of me now?"

I looked at him, slightly confused, but then shrugged. "Everybody makes mistakes sometimes, even me. Just don't try to run from what you've done. Accept it and move on. Y'know, turn over a new leaf."

He became silent and didn't speak again.

The next week or so he finally started to get well enough to try and stand again. He was unsuccessful, though I knew he would be despite what I told him. I was just happy he wasn't dying anymore. Mugen could do almost everything on his own, too, though I was relieved he still needed me to help him with his bandages. Nobody had ever needed my help like that before...

The feeling of satisfactory passed when he healed enough to not need the bandages. The day I found out I almost died from a heart attack.

I went to his room with new bandages, freshly made just minutes ago. I found his futon and his room empty, the only thing there the old wrappings on the floor. "Mugen? Mugen, where'd you go?"

I literally dropped everything and took off looking for him. I checked out the window, fearing somehow he might have fallen out and hurt himself again.

"MUGEN!!!" I screamed, my voice echoing across the mountains and continuing for several minutes. That's when I saw the idiot; he was outside and it looked like he was working out.

I rushed out to meet him and stopped as I saw he had no shirt on, and where the bandages had been was new skin in a large circular pattern. I watched him practice this weird kick as he flipped upside down and spun on his hands. When he stood back up after noticing me, I blushed lightly when I saw the sweat over his flexing muscles.

" 'Sup," he stated, breaking my thoughts.

"Oh, um, nothing. Glad to see you're doing okay," I smiled, feeling the blush race across my cheeks again.

"Meh. Just stretchin'."

I suddenly remembered my childhood, thinking back to all the times my father had to pry me away from the other children when I would get into a fight. I was constantly picked on, and without warning I would attack anyone within range. I was almost embarassed to think back on such childish behavior, but I couldn't help but think back on it when I saw him practicing.

I heard several loud clicks and saw him snapping his fingers, "'Ey, you're weirdin' me out. Quit starrin'."

"Sorry. I was just wondering, um, could you teach me a few things?" I pulled my hands in front of my chest and poked my index fingers together. "I'd understand if you didn't want to..."

"Why the sudden interest?" he asked, eying me dangerously. "You can't just say you're gonna, and you can't learn overnight. Takes time."

"I know. I don't really know why, but I guess it's because as a kid I was always told I was weak. I want ot stick up for myself and be more confident."

He scowled, and suddenly calloused hands met mine and slid up to my wrists. Mug pulled them up to his eyes and made me open my palms. He examined them, the whole time my skin tingling and butterflies dancing in my stomach.

"You sure 'bout this?"

I pulled away, bowing deeply,"...yes, please."

He pulled me up and frowned,"Don't do that."- I nodded- "Anyway, I guess I could, if you really want to know how."

I opened my mouth to thank him, but stopped when I saw the dark color of his eyes. I was almost afraid to look at them, and I knew this must have been what Death looked like.

"I'll teach you as long as you don't get all pissy that I'm bein' too hard on you. You asked for it, so take what you get. You get bruised up, oh f---in' well. Got it?"

"Um-hm."

He smirked, though his voice was steely, "I'll show ya the basics today, like dodgin' and stuff."

It was a good thing he told me ahead of time I would get bruised, because he was right. By the end of the day, not only was I sore and dirty, I had several bruises starting on my arms and my head hurt from where I had fallen. I had a hard time believing how agile he was despite the long time he had spent in bed. I somehow knew he would be like that, and I was surprisingly happy. Even though I ripped my kimono, I had fun. I can't really describe the pride I felt when I practiced with him, and the inspiration never left me. He had just gotten up from a life-threatening injury and was willing to help me. I learned a lot that day, and not just about fighting, but about myself. You have to feel that you can do something, not that it's possible you can do something. I also learned that I have a pretty good right hook.

Mug seemed really impressed the next couple of days that we went out, but I had to really study his face in order to see. He pushed me to my limit, which wasn't much, but I felt stronger, physically and mentally. I noticed when we were practicing that he was back in shape, and he seemed glad to be out and moving around. One day as we went back to the temple, I saw the moon poking out from the setting sky; it had been a month since I had been here and I felt strange.

It was weird that I realized this, because my last day at the temple was closer than I thought. We were out and practicing like usual, but Mug seemed to be distracted and was holding back.

I stopped stretching,"Are you okay?"

He shrugged, looking towards the direction of the river below.

My hands went to my hips,"C'mon, I know you're hiding something."

A smirk came to his lips suddenly and I couldn't help but smile a little. He waved to me and pointed to his discarded ghee. "C'mere. Lookit, yo."

He bent down and pulled out a dagger from the red material and placed it in my hands. The pink handle was a beautiful rose-color with flowers painted in clear, bright pigments. The details were absolutely stunning, and I thought of some keychains and beads at home I could hang off the handle.

I looked up to him and smiled,"Thank you. This means a lot..."

He looked distracted, his eyes straying off to the side.

I swallowed,"Though I have to ask: What's it for?"

He muttered something and I became slightly annoyed,"What?"

Mugen suddenly turned on me and said with burning ferocity, "You've been here too long. I don't want anything to do with some stuck-up bitch like you, so take that dagger and do seppuku. You'd help the both of us."

It stung like a slap to the face. "Why...why are you doing this to me? I thought.." I stepped closer to him but he avoided my eyes, turning his head. Tears stung my eyes and I failed to hold them back. "What the hell is wrong with you? I don't want to go back! I thought you knew that!"

"I don't care what you think!" he snarled, still not turning around," Just get out of my life!"

Everything felt all wrong. I felt dizzy, unable to focus on anything but one thing. I did it without even thinking about it, craving for him to feel the hurt pulsing throughtout my veins. I stormed in front of him and let him have it.

I knew it didn't hurt him, my blood splattering from my fist on his jaw. His eyes went wide with disbelief, clouding over with anger. I wiped the tears away with my clean hand. "Why do you have to hurt me like everybody else?" I whispered, turning back and running to the temple. I didn't care if he answered. In fact, I didn't even care about him at all. The dagger provided something to squeeze for comfort as I slammed the large wooden doors behind me. I reached my room, kicking the door and allowing myself a loud sob before changing slowly into my pink kimono. I cried the whole time, not caring if I was acting childish or not.

I opened the window, the mountain breeze fluttering my hair and cooling my hot cheeks. I sat before it and looked out, the dagger tight in my grip until slowly the blade came out some. I looked down at the nice blade, though his words rang through my head several times.

Fresh tears streamed down at this thought and I sheathed what little of the blade I had taken out. It hurt so much, it was almost unbearable; was this heartbreak? I thought this because here I felt so free...I could be me and nobody else. I wasn't being forced to marry, and I wasn't told how to live my life.

That's when I realized what he was doing. Even though it was a horrible way to live, he wanted me to have a life anyway. He never had the life I used to, and I knew he didn't want me to have a screwed up one like he did. His method was strange, but I guess it was to keep his rough appearance.

I felt touched and my tears were forgotten. "You idiot..." I sniffed, laughing a little.

I got up and fixed my bleeding hand, and a few minutes later I was pushing open the doors of the temple for the last time. My new dagger hugged my chest as I made my way to the cliff; I didn't see Mug the entire way. At the edge of the cliff, I was startled to see a ladder, running over and peering down to see that it didn't go down all the way. It would be easier anyway than the way Mug went up and down the treetops to get here. He and I both knew it was impossible for me to get down like that, and he was right.

A/N: Well, there you go, peoples. In case you're wondering, I wove some of the series into this, since AUs usually have something to do with the original show. I think I even read something where Fuu's mom did actually give her the kimono she always wears before she got sick and died...though it could have been another fic... XD! Anyway, I'm going to hopefully update more of my other stuff and maybe even more of what I've been writing in notebooks. We'll just have to see. Sayonara and review please!