Chapter 1 Get Out of My Thoughts!

[A/N] Konnichiwa Minna! This is my first Fan Fiction story ever so, I hope you like it! (You would think that I'd be writing about Cloud and Tifa from Final Fantasy 7 first because of my name but no. This story is begging to be told). Sorry if the layout looks odd, not sure how it's supposed to look. Anyway, I've gotten back into Samurai Champloo again. Yay! I'm hoping to spread the Fuugen/MuFuu love. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Champloo, Fuu, Mugen, Jin, Momo etc. If I did, there'd have been a sentimental reunion a loooooooooooooong time ago!

Chapter 1 Get Out of My Thoughts!

His wooden geta hit the dirt road in a seemingly endless rhythm. The ex-pirate was tired, hungry, and especially bored walking on the road alone. For days, he had been trying to reach the capital of Edo. Surviving on the little money he made from odd jobs wasn't exactly the best plan. The only thing good about doing it though was, he had no job pegging him down to one city. Roaming was the only way he knew. It was sunset and the golden sky of summer watched him from above. Beads of sweat covered the tan young man's forehead, and more than anything rest was needed. But stopping for rest wasn't an option. Hopefully by nightfall he'd reach his destination.

It had been a year since the trio had gone their separate ways. One full year of being alone just like before… Mugen had always been independent. He believed in and lived only for one person. Himself. That's the way he had to be in order to survive in Ryukyu and that was the way he thought life was supposed to be lived. But then, Fuu and Jin came along. Because of that long journey to find the samurai who smells of sunflowers, he changed…well a little bit. He was still rugged and boisterous, no doubt. But as much as he hated to admit it, he had found friends…people who actually cared for his well-being. As much as he hated to admit it…he cared for them too. For the first time in his violent wandering life, Mugen held people close to his once closed off heart. But right at the crucial moment where he had realized this, they again disbanded their separate ways.

The loner missed them dearly, secretly hoping to bump into them as he traveled from town to town. He particularly wanted to see her. Of course, he denied this even to himself. That same girl could annoy the hell out of Mugen, but then compel him to run miles to rescue her. Fuu was the first person to truly cry for him. She was the only person who had put her life at risk to save his own. Her tears were shed over him! This never ceased to amaze the dumbfounded man. There were too many times she had cried and he couldn't understand why. At the edge of death, it was his thoughts of her and that same pleading voice that brought him back to the world of the living.

'I wonder how that brat's doing. Knowing her, she's probably getting into loads of trouble all alone. Without me and Jin, she'd be stuck in a brothel or dead. I can't begin to count how may times I saved her unappreciative ass' Mugen scoffed. He yawned, stretched and began to think more of the past. It was times like these, when he was walking alone that his reminiscences came back of the young girl who had changed him so much.

Argumentive, nagging Fuu had brought the trio together and held them close like a family. This made both Jin and Mugen realize what friendship really was. Life isn't always about killing people. Maybe protecting someone you care about is more precious. With the others, Mugen had goals. He wanted to find the sunflower samurai and have a duel with the samurai whom he couldn't best, Jin. Now he was back to his wandering habits, living for the moment and not for his future. The only thing he was waiting for was to encounter his only friends again. As their journey progressed, he had developed something more, an attachment to the two, perhaps? Why did he keep his promise to follow Fuu to the end? Why did he listen to her and not leave all those times when he had the chance? In the end, he was glad to have traveled by her side…and regretted their destined parting. It wasn't always about being Fuu's bodyguard to him. The vagrant couldn't place his finger on what the reason was for saving her. When it came down to it, he was the one who had saved her those countless amount of times she was kidnapped or in danger.

'Wait a second, when did four-eyes ever save her? Like once or twice? It was always me! It wasn't like I had to or wanted to. I can't believe it took me this frickin' long to realize how lazy he was. And they called me lazy. Hah. That wench, what would she have done without me?... Why did I … always go after her?' Mugen slowed his walking pace but then quickly dismissed any thought or reason as to why he was the savior.

He let out a long annoyed sigh 'Fate always brings us back together. You two better be okay.'

Jin would be fine. He knew that. That quiet man could easily take out any above average warrior that crossed his path…but innocent Fuu? So many lecherous men would pose as a threat to the young woman. There was a sense of protectiveness he had for her. A strangely familiar pang in Mugen's chest started when he thought of Fuu being hurt. Her large childish eyes filled with tears appeared in his head. He covered up this odd feeling with anger.

'Stupid girl. Why are you constantly invading my thoughts? I should be focused on women with real sex appeal. Not some flat-chested plank. Ugh.' He kicked some stones and decided to release his anger.

"GET OUT OF MY THOUGHTS!" Mugen yelled out loud, so thunderous that the trees must have shaken. It echoed across the landscape but there was seemingly no one nearby to hear his sudden outrage. If someone were, they would've thought he was some drunken crazy person. It wasn't like he cared what people thought anyway.

After about an hour or more of the same old monotonous walking, his weary eyes caught a glint of the dazzling lights of Edo city. The last time Mugen was there was with Jin and Fuu. Those few days were some of the most random adventures they must have had.

"OH YEAH! Now to get me some food and sake!" he shouted in victory.

Mugen began sprinting down the steep hill that led to the city with some kind of new found energy. A few moments ago he had been exhausted to death. Maybe it was the fact that he subconsciously hoped to see a particular waitress in pink waiting for him.

* End of Chapter 1*

So what do you guys think? I tried to capture Mugen's character as much as possible in this chapter. I hope it seems like him XP. This chapter is sort of short and they probably won't get longer until Chapter 3 when the real story begins. Please review! Since it's my first Fan Fiction story, I want to know what I can improve on or what I did well on. Fuu's chapter is next. YAY!

Fuu: Eh? I thought I heard a familiar shouting in the distance… Oh well, just my imagination.

LOL. It reminds me of the episode about Fuu's diary. I think it was Episode 12. Anyway, thanks for reading and don't forget to review ^_^