CHAPTER - Three - Storm of Senses
RATING - T - Some mild violence/bad language/sexual content
PAIRINGS - Mugen x Fuu
NOTE - Don't own Samurai Champloo
Third Person P.O.V.
The morning crept through the windows, surreptitiously. Mugen raised his head and felt a weight resting on his chest. It was Fuu. She was curled up in a fetal position beside him with her face resting against him. Mugen removed her as subtly as possible before both she and Four-Eyes woke up to the awkward situation.
A lake sat nearby the abandoned shack in which the three used as a temporary home. Mugen decided to indulge. After all, he needed to bathe somehow. They were dirt poor at the moment, so even if a bathhouse fell from the sky, he would not be able to pay for it.
He ignored the growling pain in his stomach and exited the shack. He took in the new morning's air, hearing the mating calls of birds in the trees surrounding the shack, and finally fixating his eyes on the sun's reflection off of the lake's surface.
He threw off his red coat and white shirt. His feet entered the water.
Mugen's P.O.V.
It rained a lot during my travels—sometimes so hard and fast that each drop felt like a knife against my skin. Storms were abundant in the sea, but their abundance helped me develop a new skill.
Ryuu had it too—he called it his sixth sense—the ability to sense weather patterns in the wind. While I learned to understand how the wind conditions traveled, Ryuu told me how to utilize that skill into a sense. He said it wasn't something that could be taught, it had to be instinctual—to grow from within, or some shit like that.
I remember during this one storm, when I was about twelve; fatass' crew was busy plundering a frigate. The storm itself was a tough bastard to fight, but it made for a strong ally during the boarding. I was already self-taught in the art of combat. Ryuu noticed my nimble movements and quick timing and naturally applauded me. I remember one guy tried getting a good slice out of me, but I ducked down and tripped the dickhead right onto his, well, head. His neck snapped in half. Then I rolled in between these two soldiers, spun around on the middle part of my back rapidly, with my feet straight in the air, disarming both of them. The move was a first, and a rather arbitrary act. Even Captain Kuki hooted my way when he witnessed it.
"Whirlpool ahead!" Ryuu cried beneath the heavy rainfall. He was simultaneously fighting off some clumsy asshole in the crow's nest.
I finished off the two soldiers and hurried to the boat's bow. I saw nothing in my immediate vision. At first I thought he was just in the heat of the moment, or perhaps trying to scare our adversaries. But then as I narrowed my eyes, I saw a bright swirling circle arise from the thundering waves.
"Oh, shit," I said aloud.
Our ship was still busy plundering, and Captain Kuki was an arrogant fuck, who would rather die than flee from stealing a good amount of booty.
Ikki grabbed the wheel. "Fuck, fuck fuck!" Despite his size, he could barely move the wheel enough to surpass the incoming danger. We were going to hit.
Then suddenly, I felt the wind change for a moment. It changed again, becoming a rhythm of changes.
"Coming about!" One of my crewmembers yelled.
The boom of the ship came around and I ducked down out of the way in the last second before it knocked me out. The wind changed again and I ducked another incoming blow. We were only a few ship lengths from the whirlpool.
Something in me forced my body into action. I pushed Ikki aside to grab the wheel and ordered him and Gato to take the lines and reposition the winch, respectively. They obeyed, surprised, and as soon as they completed their tasks the ship began to turn far easier. It turned so sharply and barely missed the collision with the whirlpool.
The rains began to subside. Several crewmembers rejoiced. The plunder was ours and we had escaped a horrific demise. Ryuu hopped down from the crow's nest and patted my back.
"You have the sense in you after all," he whispered with a golden smile.
I also crooked a smile. Of course I had it in me.
The only exception was Captain Kuki. He didn't like the fact that I acted as if I had control of the crew and scolded me for acting on impulse. Whatever, it wasn't as if he'd have saved us. He'd have rather gone down with the ship.
It was a triumphant day. The crew celebrated with drinks all around.
Third Person P.O.V.
Mugen remembered that day, and the beating of the rain on his back. It was far different than today. Today the skies would not birth any rains, not even clouds. The aqua blue world above him was devoid of any white or grey coloration.
He walked further into the lake, until the water hit the tips of his shorts. He scooped up some water and poured it over his collarbone. The streams of liquid fell down his chest and abdomen. He scooped up some more and let the cool sensation wash over his arms as he cleansed them. He began humming a tune to himself that Ryuu used to sing.
"A pirate's life for me," he sang aloud. His thumbs wedged themselves in between either side of his short's rim. He pulled the fabric down over his hips—
"Stop! Oh my god, stop!"
He was startled so much that he accidently pulled his shorts up too high and gave himself a wedgy. Then he swung around and leered at the waitress. "What the fuck, you stupid broad?"
She was shielding her eyes with her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just…why do you have to do that right in the brink of the morning?"
"Who cares what time of day it is, why the hell do you have to be watching me? You some kind of secret perverted chick?" He began trekking out of the water towards her.
She cautiously unshielded her vision and saw his muscular physique glimmering in the earlier sunlight. He surprisingly looked handsome. Her face felt warm.
"What?" he asked.
She swirled around, facing the shack. "Nothing, can you just put your clothes back on?"
"I'm not taking orders from you."
"Just shut up and do it, okay?" Suddenly, she felt coldness wash over her back and she let out a yelp.
Mugen stood behind her, laughing uncontrollably.
"Y-you jackass!" Fuu ran up to him and splashed water in his face in retaliation. "Now I have to walk in damp clothes!"
"Serves you right, dumbass," he replied and washed some of the water off with his hand.
She huffed and stuck her nose in the air.
Then he splashed her again, laughing even more. He had hit her in the face.
"Damn it, Mugen!"
They began a war of splashing water, until Fuu eventually yielded. She exited the lake and tried to squeeze out some of the dripping water from her kimono. She noticed Mugen staring at her and this time she was the one to ask, "What?"
He pointed. "Your tits are showing."
She blinked and looked down to see the fabric of her kimono hugging tightly to her chest. Her nipples were erect.
She threw her arms over them. "You pervert! Pervert! Pervert! Pervert!" she repeated angrily.
Mugen scratched the back of his head. "They're just tits. Besides, I've seen better."
She glared and continued berating him with insults that were true of his nature. He smiled and walked out of the water until he was at her level. Her berates abruptly ended when his face came dangerously close.
"Fuu," he said softly. The first time she had heard him say her name with such rawness. His eyes were haunting, yet deeper within their dark orbs she saw something that mesmerized her.
Her face felt warm again. "W-what?"
"You're an idiot."
She punched his head. "I'm not the idiot! You're the idiot!"
"Am I interrupting something?" Jin appeared from the door of shack, seemingly having chimed in at the worst time.
Fuu waved one hand in the air as the other continued to cover her breasts. "N-no! Mugen's just being a jerk as usual."
They left the conversation at that and focused on more important and distracting things, like food. They decided to have fish for breakfast.
Author's Note: Wow, another long wait, I sincerely apologize. I hope you guys enjoyed another chapter of Fuugen. I figured I needed to hurry up a bit with their relationship so I added in some spice to this chapter ;-) Please rate and review!