TITLE: Underneath It All
AUTHOR: Kichi
PAIRING (if applicable): Fuugen
RATING: M
WARNINGS: Spoilers, violence, blood, gore, death, swearing, sex.
NOTES: IU haven't seen all the eps. Of Samurai Champloo, but I saw the last 3! And this is post-series anyway ALSO: "Screaming Slave" is a Nine Inch Nails song - Trent I love you!!!
ARCHIVE: SUMMARY: Fuu finds Mugen after her escapes days of torture and abuse - Ch. 2 someone comes looking for Mugen.. Ch. 3 - someone comes looking for Fuu.
DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Mugen, but I don't, or anyone else in Samurai Champloo - Manglobe has the copyrights

3.0 - The Day the Whole World Went Away

When she woke to the sound of a rattling cough it nearly scared her to death. Then memory returned and she sat up. Mugen lay curled up beside her, his face flushed, sweat standing on his brow. She brushed his hair back from his forehead and he recoiled, his brow furrowing.
"Fuu?" he groaned softly, his eyelids fluttering as if he was trying to open his eyes and couldn't.
"I'm here." She was quick to assure him. "I need to go to the stream out back and get you some water." she said feeling his pink cheeks and sweaty forehead. He was definitely feeling too warm. He tried to take a breath but began to choke and she could hear the fluid in his lungs. She bit her lip feeling worry begin to twist her gut. His eyelids continued to flutter and she felt the beginning of true fear. "Mugen." she said, keeping her voice as steady as possible. "Can you open your eyes?" his reply was a weak moan and a slight shiver and finally his eyes opened.
"I- I'm so tired." he gasped and she heard a strange squeak when he inhaled. She placed her ear on his chest. His heart was pounding quickly and she could hear his lungs making the pitiful squeak. She sat back up slowly, her expression concerned.
"Akina will know what to do." she said, her features growing resolute. "I will be back." Mugen moaned weakly, his eyes sliding shut. She quickly brought the remaining water to him and propped his head up in her lap. "Drink some," she urged holding a cup to his lips. He drank it down in greedy gulps. He panted for breath when the cup was empty and began to choke again. She pet his hair lovingly to calm him. His body jerked against her as he coughed. When the spell faded he lay limply against her, gasping tiredly. "Just lie still, Mugen. I will be back soon." He nodded slowly, his eyes closed, his breathing shallow.

She did not want to leave him. Everything in her rebelled against it, but he was truly ill. And she needed help. She was not too proud to admit that she was scared to death and didn't know what the hell to do. Akina lived in the new servants quarters. She was a well-respected healer. Fuu and she had taken an immediate liking to each other and Fuu often visited the older woman. It was a half hour walk to her rooms. She ran.

Akina was in the garden when she caught sight of Fuu running full speed towards her home. She had never seen the girl sprint like that and immediately began to run to meet her half way.
"Fuu! What is it?" she cried, seeing the panic in the young girl's face.
"Akina!" she gasped, and staggered to a halt. "My.. Friend.. Sick." she said between gasps. Akina left her to regain her breath and went to gather her supplies. When she began together herbs she shouted to Fuu:
"Tell me what is wrong with your friend!" Fuu wobbled inside, still breathless.
"He's.. feverish.. Coughing a lot.. Chest.. Making a ... squeaking noise. She panted for breath as Akina began to pick her herbs. "He says he's tired and... He was hurt.. Bad. Whipped- and burned." The older woman gasped and Fuu nodded. "I took care of that, but... I knew he was getting sick... I didn't- I don't know... what to do." she panted. Akina frowned and finished gathering her things.

Fuu left, promising to return. If he'd really wanted to ditch her for her own safety, it was the perfect time to do it. But even if he wasn't as weak as a newborn kitten he would have been uneasy with the idea. He knew he should, but he knew when he wasn't totally beat up and sick he was much better protection than her tiny daggers. And he didn't like her having to defend herself, and he knew she didn't like it either. And finally, he didn't want to leave! The only regret about the night before was that he had been too fucking hurt to do much. He wanted to make her cum over and over. But there would be time for that. Just then all he really wanted to do was take a piss, get a drink, and go back to sleep. He pushed himself up on shaking arms, groaning in dismay at how difficult it was.
"Fuck!" he gasped as he finally got to his knees. Dizziness made him wobble as he sat up and the air suddenly caught in his throat. And then he was coughing and coughing, each gasp for air painful. So Fuu hadn't been exaggerating when she'd said he was getting sick. "Sweet.." he sarcastically choked out, his features tight with anger and pain. He was still for a long time as he struggled to breathe normally and not choke. He then struggled to rise to his feet.
It was difficult, and it hurt. His wounds protested all movement. He grit his teeth in pain, sweat suddenly covering him. But he managed the normally simple feat and began to stagger to the door. He stepped out onto the raised walkway that surrounded the house and was faced with nothing but huge bushes. He was relieved he didn't have to go far, it would be too difficult and painful. He pissed on the bushes and stumbled back inside to see Fuu walking in with an older woman.
"What are you doing out of bed?" she cried.
He shrugged weakly, and shuffled back to the futon.
"Had to piss." she heard him mutter. His voice was hoarse and she winced. He swayed a bit as he stopped to stare down Akina. Fuu hurried to his side.
"Mugen, this is Akina, Akina, this is Mugen." She said quickly. Mugen grunted and nodded once as Akina bowed slightly. He lowered himself back onto the futon, barely hiding a wince as pain shot through his abused body. As soon as he lay down comfortably he began to choke. He slowly sat back up and watched as Akina and Fuu hurried about in the kitchen.
"Fuu, boil me some water please." he heard the woman say. He shivered suddenly and snatched up the blanket that he had kicked off earlier and wrapped it around himself. He was slightly annoyed that Fuu had gone to get help, but figured if she found it that necessary then he couldn't complain. He would put up with the woman until he was healed, then as soon as the woman left he would rip Fuu's clothes off. He smiled faintly at the thought and gave up trying to stay awake. He settled onto the futon and closed his eyes.

He was roused from sleep perhaps and hour later. He was groggy and too exhausted to even want to lift his head. His wounds and his head were throbbing in agony, the light made his eyes burn. They eventually got him to sit up, but he pouted miserably and could not seem to shake off his lethargy.
"Drink this, Mugen." He heard Fuu say. He agreed without a fight, until he actually tasted what they were trying to give him. He nearly shattered the cup as he hurled it and it's contents to the floor.
"It is medicine!" The older woman cried.
"Mugen, you ungrateful jerk! We're trying to help!" Something about that statement really aggravated him. He was definitely not ungrateful. He knew they were trying to help.
"It tastes like shit!" he snarled.
"How do you know what shit tastes like?" Fuu shot back.
"Shut the hell up." he bit out.
"Mugen!" she cried, shocking him into silence. "Enough!" her face was pink with indignation. "Quit acting like a baby and take the damn medicine!" That got him. Nothing made him angrier than a woman questioning his manhood in any way.
"A baby?!" he gasped, incredulous. "I'd like to see you drink that crap!"
"I would if I was in your place and you were in mine!" she yelled, the older woman hid her smile as she watched the two of them. She already had another dose ready into the cup he had tossed across the room.
"Yeah right." he muttered resentfully as she handed him the cup and he tossed the contents back. They watched him for a moment, and it annoyed him to be on the spot like that, also he wondered what they were waiting for. He cringed and couldn't prevent the shudder that raced through him at the awful taste. Then they went about their work and he felt sudden exhaustion hit him.

Fuu was avidly listening as Akina instructed her how to make the medicinal tea when they heard the jingle of a harness and the clomp of horse hooves. Fuu knew that no one searching for Mugen would be so obvious, but she grabbed her tanto anyway and headed to the front entrance. Mugen was curled up on his side, shivering, having kicked off his blanket. She was more than tempted to fix that, but had to see who was outside first.
A young girl rode up on a dark brown horse. Fuu cursed under her breath. She had forgotten that Eri was supposed to come over, she had been much too distracted. She rushed out to meet her.
"Eri!" she cried as the girl jumped off the horse.
"Hi Fuu!" she cried then noticed the distraught expression on Fuu's face. "What's wrong?"
"I found Mugen last night! He's sick and..he's hurt. I totally forgot you were even coming over I've been so busy and worried..
"I can help." she said, he expression soft and sad. "My brother, Sunao was very ill for a long time, and I took care of him a lot. For three months he could do nothing but lay in bed.. Until the day he died, that is."
"I'm sorry, Eri." Fuu began, but Eri cut her off as if she'd not heard her
"How he managed to get all the way to town as thin and weak as he'd become, I'll never know. He was determined to die fighting I suppose. And someone obliged him. Someone.. Heh." she snorted her face grimly amused for a moment. "That man wasn't human, he was a demon. I got there just as he was flicking the blood from his blade. I started to scream and he turned on me and stared at me in such a way.." She shivered. "I never want to see that face again- it gives me nightmares! That man would have murdered his own mother with that frightening look on his face." Fuu had a sinking feeling in her gut that she couldn't quite define. Something about this tale was making her nervous. Perhaps it was the calm in her friend's face as she told the terrible story. "'He got what he came looking for baby.' the bastard told me." Fuu felt her heart rate speed up. 'No way, It couldn't be Mugen she's talking about..' Fuu thought nervously. 'The odds of that are staggering, I'm just being paranoid.'
Nevertheless, she eyed Eri a bit warily until the older girl smiled briefly. "I meant to tell you. You said you were looking for someone years ago, and now so am I..." Fuu shook off another bout of unease, and hoped she was wrong, but that phrase sounded just like something Mugen would say.
"Well," Fuu said, smiling. "I could used the company, he's totally out of it from the medicine." Eri nodded, smiling and they headed inside.

As soon as Fuu heard a choked cry leak from Eri's lips, she knew. She swung around to see the girls face and Eri's eyes were locked on Mugen.
"It's him. It's him." she gasped her face white.
"Oh Kami, no." Fuu moaned. Eri lurched forward. Fuu grabbed the collar of her kimono. "Mugen!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Eri was hitting her, screaming, pulling her hair. Her eyes stayed on Mugen.
He'd sat up as if pulled by a string. His eyes blinked in confusion.
"Murderer!" Eri shrieked, punching Fuu to get the younger girl off. Mugen painfully rose, his expression growing hard with anger. He grabbed Eri and dragged her off of Fuu. Eri began to scream in panic. "Demon! Murderer! Scum! I wish your mother would have drowned you at birth!" Fuu gasped at the tirade, her heart clenching.
"Shut up!" she cried. Eri's gaze switched to her, ablaze with wrath.
"And you! I thought you were my friend! You care so much for a Ryukyu prisioner- your no better than him-" she was cut off by Mugen's large, tanned hand wrapping around her throat.
"Shut up." he hissed his face contorted by murderous fury.
"Mugen!" Fuu gasped.
"Leave Fuu out of this." he snarled in her face. Eri blinked in astonishment before nodded rapidly, face turning red. He released her throat and grabbed her wrists as she gasped and choked for air. "Fuu is not like me." But Eri was weeping softly.
"I hate you.." she whispered repeatedly. "Don't touch me you filth!" she hissed trying to break his grip.
"Promise you won't hit Fuu." he snapped.
"It's you I want to kill, not her." she spat back. He released her and climbed off.
"Get out and don't come back or I'll kill you." he said as she climbed to her feet. Before he reached full height she lunged at Fuu with a blue tanto raised. Fuu screamed.
He dropped back down and swept her legs out from under her and raised his foot, bringing his heel down towards her face with almost inhuman speed and force. Fuu trembled in a corner, flinching as she heard a sickening crack.

She felt his hands on her as she tried desperately to wipe her tears away. He pulled her close as she shivered and trembled.
"Are you alright?" he murmured softly into her hair. She nodded, not trusting her voice. "Then why are you crying?"
"She was my friend. She recognized you because you killed her brother." She felt Mugen stiffen and draw back.
"But-" he began, confused.
"I know." she sighed. "I know.. But I really liked her that's all. I'll get over it." He nodded and rose to his feet and began to drag the dead girl outside. A large crimson smear followed them.

He threw dirt on top of the smashed up face. He knew Fuu wasn't really angry at him, but it didn't matter. He had hurt her. He hadn't meant to, but he had just the same. But what the hell was he supposed to think? He woke to her screaming his name, being beaten by another girl. He hadn't planned on killing the girl at all, he'd seen that she was obviously not a fighter of any kind. If she hadn't drawn her tanto and rushed at Fuu she would still be alive. He didn't regret what he'd done, he only regretted that it upset Fuu. He didn't want to hurt her. She was the only person in his life that he could remember that had ever shown him real kindness. She wasn't doing it to gain anything. Perhaps she had at first just so he and Jin wouldn't abandon her. But he had made it too difficult for her to keep up. He had taken every opportunity to insult her, it amazed him that she didn't hate him.
He sighed in frustration. There was nothing he could do about it. Fuu would have to deal with it as she'd said she would. It raised another argument for his hasty departure, but the only thing that was going to make him leave Fuu's side was Fuu herself. And after she'd chased him down last night, he was fairly certain she would do it again.
The grave was filled. He was exhausted again. He was covered in sweat, and his back was throbbing from the whip-lashes that cris-crossed them. He wearily trudged back inside.

Fuu was kneeling on the futon, her back facing him. He could see her shoulders shaking. He felt like someone had stuck a knife straight through his heart at the sight. She heard his shuffling steps and straightened, hastily wiping her tears.
"I'm sorry Fuu." he said. He was shocked at how easily the apology had sprung from his lips. It had never happened before, but he hadn't really ever felt like saying it. She heaved a sigh and turned to face him, her eyes red and puffy and a forced smile plastered on. The knife twisted. She immediately read the anguish in his face- she was stunned to see it.
"You don't have to be-"
"Bull shit. Your crying because of me."
"No, Mugen-"
"Yes, Fuu. You know she wouldn't of tried anything if I hadn't killed her brother like she said."
"Her brother wanted to die! He was sick, he was dying! If it wouldn't have been you it would have been someone else." she sighed. "Now come sit down and let me change your bandages." He scowled but let the subject drop without hesitation. He knelt before her and she gasped.
"What did you do?" she cried.
"What?" he snapped back.
"Your bleeding again. Damn it!" He didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if he should apologize again or dismiss it as he usually did, or say nothing.
"I don't know." he mumbled. She growled behind him and he grinned at the sound. It had reminded hi of a kid he'd seen the other day pretending he was a tiger and chasing a younger girl who ran screaming. He'd even laughed at the sight. A chuckle escaped him before he could stop himself.
"What?" Fuu snapped.
"That little sound you made." he said, laughing again. He glanced over his shoulder and saw her blushing, trying to concentrate.
"Shut up." she muttered sullenly.

"I'm going to start cooking lunch." Fuu announced when she finished bandaging him up. She reached out and felt his forehead and cheeks and sat back with a frown. Her almond colored eyes locked with his. "You need to rest now, please." He considered her request for only a moment before nodding and lying down.
She went back to the kitchen and began to boil water for rice. For the first time since Mugen had re-appeared she wondered how Jin was and what he was doing. She wondered if he'd gone to find Shino, she honestly couldn't even remember the city they had been in at the time. Jin probably remembered though. She smiled at the thought. She hoped her friend found happiness. She hoped to see him again some day. She sighed and began to chop vegetables.

"Why do you fight, boy? Accept that you belong to me. Do my bidding as I wish and you shall not have to suffer anymore." the man said softly, as if attempting to console Mugen. Mugen's head fell back as he began to laugh, harshly.
"I fight because I hate you, I despise all of this. You treat me like some pet- like a brothel girl- and you want me to accept it?" He laughed again. "Your insane." In the dim light he saw the man scowl, and he decided to push it further. Perhaps if he pissed the man off enough he wouldn't have to suffer his groping hands, or his unwanted kisses. He shivered in rage and began to spew curses. "You can't find anyone who wants you so you have your men kidnap people so you can rape them. Your fucking sick- I want to kill you slowly. I want you to die screaming! I'll never accept this- I'll die first." But instead of growing angry the man smiled.
"You are so beautiful like this, how could I ever let you go?" the man said with a wicked smile. Mugen kicked his legs and roared in fury, pulling against the manacles that bound him. "Aren't these perfect? I got them from a white trader. They are made of iron. He said I could keep anyone locked in these forever." he said, lightly touching the thick, metal cuffs around each of Mugen's wrists.
"Fuck you!" Mugen screamed.
"But as much as I love your face when your in a rage, I also love to see you weep." the man said and in an instant his hands locked around Mugen's throat. Mugen grabbed at the hands holding him and kicked frantically, but the man had climbed on top of him and sat on his waist. He was huge, muscled like an ogre, and as usual Mugen was helpless against him. His lungs felt ready to burst and spots of light popped before his eyes. When the man released him he almost threw up from choking so hard and gasping so deeply. He was too disoriented to feel his shorts being tugged off. But he felt it when the man penetrated him. He turned his head away in shame and fought the tears he felt rising. He knew the man wanted to see them. Suddenly his face was whipped to the other side by a brutal slap. "Don't act like you aren't enjoying this you little whore." Mugen bit his lip.
"Die. I want you to die!" He gasped. "How dare you do this to me!" the man laughed and thrust harder. Mugen tried to break free of the grip on his thighs, the man groaned.

He was jolted awake by hands shaking him roughly. He pushed the hands away with a cry.
"Mugen! Wake up! It's me, Fuu!" a familiar voice shrieked. He lay frozen for a moment, trying to stop shaking. He felt her trembling hands running over his face and through his hair. "It was a dream, it's all right." He couldn't speak. He could only stare at the ceiling as he gasped for breath. 'It was no dream.. It will never be all right.' "Your burning up." she murmured softly. She rose to get cold water and was brought back to her knees and pulled down into Mugen's arms. She melted into his embrace without hesitation and sighed when he squeezed her tight for a moment. His heart was pounding rapidly under her cheek and she frowned. What in the name of the Gods had he dreamt of?
She had just finished cooking and had taken everything off the fire to serve them when he had begun to talk in his sleep. Most of it was garbled but she had repeatedly heard him say: "No." loud and clear. She had gone to check on him and saw his face distorted with loathing. As soon as she'd laid a hand on him his voice rose dramatically in volume and he'd begun to thrash in panic it seemed.
Again she could help but wonder what had happened to him and his earlier words came back to her: 'Someone might come looking for me. I- I wasn't allowed to leave.' A fierce protectiveness welled in her and she clutched him tighter. Slowly his heart rate calmed and instead of clutching her like he would drown without her he began to slowly caress her, and squeeze her gently.
When she began to get drowsy her stomach rumbled, reminding her that their food was most likely growing cold. Mugen's stomach rumbled just as she opened her mouth to ask him if he was hungry. She laughed weakly.
"I was just going to ask, but I guess that answers my question."
"Yeah." he said softly. She dared to peek up at him. His eyes were clenched shut for a moment. When they finally opened the pain she saw in them made her gasp. She quickly ducked her head and squeezed him tighter. He sighed softly and squeezed her back.
After awhile she pushed herself up and headed to the kitchen and sighed when she found that the food had indeed gone cold. She set everything back over the fire and went outside to get more water. She found the clean wound dressings and frowned when she realized there was not much left. She would have to go out and buy more.

Mugen wearily sat up with a ragged sigh. He hated all this. The emotions within that he was apparently no longer able to control. He had never felt such burning hatred and misery in his life and he had been in fits of rage that left him with gaps in his memory. He had been in a rage since he first realized how uncaring the world was. Since his mother had died he had been allowing more and more hate into his heart until it had turned his heart into a stone. At least he thought it had. All he had to do was look at Fuu to know that wasn't totally true. Sometimes looking at her made his heart hurt. Sometimes he thought it would just pop from all the giddy joy he was feeling. Maybe it was the constant flux that was driving him crazy. How could someone be so miserable and happy at the same time?
Pain and Misery was something to hide and push away. And he was good at it. But lately it was getting more an more difficult. Saké helped, and he suddenly wondered if Fuu had any in stock. He wouldn't say no if she offered him any. He heard her rummaging about in the kitchen and the scent of food hit him. His stomach roared in anticipation. He heard her suddenly begin to swear after a loud crash. Before he would have rushed in there to laugh at her, now he couldn't even crack a smile. Part of him had died, and he didn't know if he could ever be the same.

"Matahachi has not returned?"
"No, my Lord."
"You said he followed Mugen after he escaped, yes?"
"Yes, Lord."
"Then we can safely assume he is dead, I think... Take three of your best men and find the demon, would you? I paid well for him and would see him returned."
"Yes, Lord."