AN: Here it is—the last installment to the series. I feel so accomplished and so happy. But at the same time, I'm sad to let go of this story. It's the first multi-chapter story with a plot and so on and so forth that I actually finished. I hardly ever lost interest in writing it, and it was truly a pleasure to write. Thank you so much to those who have kept up with it and read it from start to finish. You guys mean so much! If you guys have any questions, just ask them in the reviews or privately message me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai Champloo.

On the Edge of All Reason

Epilogue

Jin woke up like he did every morning to the sound of his alarm clock beeping incessantly. He pushed the covers aside and soon after found his glasses lying on the nightstand as always. To add to his morning ritual, he would stop at the full-length mirror in a corner of his room and gaze at the scar on his chest. It wasn't too huge, but it left a big impression on Jin to make up for its small size.

His slender fingers gingerly traced it, almost as if they were afraid to touch it too firmly for it might tear open again. Jin's brows furrowed together in frustration as he trotted back to his closet and ripped a shirt off its hanger. He didn't like looking at it for too long.

But as he buttoned his shirt, thoughts of her resurfaced. The way she so easily slid her tongue into his mouth…the way she was so perceptive of everything…she was smart, but deadly.

When he saw in the newspaper that she had died, he didn't really know what to think. Relief and perhaps…sadness? He chuckled cynically at the thought of him actually caring for her and vice-versa. She was a mere obsession on his part, one that he secretly liked to indulge himself in. There was never any romance, but still. He didn't stop thinking of what could've happened.

But the fact that she had killed herself? Unspeakable. Then again, anyone in that sort of organization may as well do the same. Often times he wondered what happened to Mugen and that girl who tagged along with him as well. Last he heard was that the girl was safe. But that's it…no details or anything. He most likely would've known three years ago when the events had taken place. However, he retired from his position on the police force. It wasn't worth it to him.

And quite frankly, he didn't know what was.

--

Fuu clambered into her bathroom to tie her hair into its normal style while frantically trying to place some toothpaste on her toothbrush. She'd be late to class…again. How many times was it this week? Probably too many.

She quickly finished brushing her teeth and getting dressed before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Her stomach was begging to be fed, but right now, only a piece of buttered toast would suffice. Mornings like this were never really her thing, but it couldn't be helped.

Within in ten minutes, Fuu had jogged out of her flat and to her car waiting on the other side of the street. She hopped into it and sped off while expertly avoiding wreckage with other cars or worse, pedestrians. You know what? I'm already late, so I may as well enjoy the drive…She thought while turning on the radio. It created a dull hum throughout the car since Fuu wasn't exactly listening. In fact, she was thinking of a certain someone…

I wonder where he is…he left pretty much in the blink of an eye…what happened was so quick in those few minutes that I hardly remember it…maybe it was even a dream. A morbid one, that's for sure. But…I know it was real…everything that happened…

An overwhelming ache hit her heart, and soon she found herself pulling over to the side of an abandoned road. She laid her head against the steering wheel while putting the car into park. Fuu was irked to discover that tears had pricked at the corners of her eyes.

Every so often, if she allowed her mind to dwell on it for long, she'd become overwhelmed with sadness and longing. Because the truth was, she missed him. After everything they had been through, after everything that had happened, she couldn't fathom how easily he had slipped right out of her life. She wondered where he was, what he was doing…did he even miss her the slightest bit? Every time she thought of that question, she would be reminded of the fact that he had actually come for her to Nagasaki…then again, he had a lot resting on his shoulders at the time. There were no inner feelings acting out for her.

Fuu tilted her head against the back of the chair, allowing herself to immerse into thoughts of that day…

"Oh god…" Fuu whispered.

Mugen's whole body froze with shock before shakily rising to his feet. As if that snapped him out of his daze, he scrambled away from the body that was once Yatsuha's. Her eyes were, fortunately, shut. It would've torn him apart to see her glassy, lifeless eyes staring straight back at him as if to say 'you did this to me'. No matter how bad their last moments together in life were, he still cared for her.

What have I done…He thought, eyes still wide with shock. Suddenly, he heard soft footsteps in the grass and quickly spun around to find Fuu, who jolted slightly at his sudden action. Her eyes were wide with fear and worry. And then, as if some inexplicable force had pushed them together, she wrapped him in her arms. Mugen never made a move to embrace her back, shock still settling in his nerves.

Yatsuha was dead…

"What have I done…?" He whispered aloud which only prompted Fuu to hug him tighter.

"Nothing. You did nothing."

Mugen pulled away with unimaginable speed. "How the hell can you say that?! It had to be me! I pulled the trigger! I didn't mean to…I didn't…" He suddenly felt very, very tired. Fuu had a firm look in her eyes as she stepped closer once more.

"You were trying to stop her. It's true. What happened was a complete accident."

"No…no…" he mumbled, sinking to the ground.

Fuu watched with silent horror at how easily he blamed himself. He really thought he had taken the life of a woman he…loved. Even though she knew it was inappropriate to think, she couldn't help but feel a tug of jealousy. She wanted to, in some twisted, weird way, be the center of his life. She could finally admit to herself that she had grown to like him…maybe love. And after all they had gone through, how could they not? It just seemed too wrong to forget.

Fuu silently knelt down beside Mugen and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a comforting embrace. She'd see to it that he'd never put the blame upon himself.

Because when you care for someone…you do everything in your power to protect them.

Fuu's eyes snapped open after being shut tightly as she relived that day. After that, he had simply vanished…the police took over from there. What surprised her was that Retrogression had been disassembled; something had gone on behind the scenes. She had even seen on the news one day a man by the name of Rikiei Nagatomi being handcuffed and pushed into a car…it was odd to finally see the man that she was so closely associated with through Mugen.

The bodies of Yatsuha and the man that came along with her had been identified and later buried, that much she knew of. If time permitted it, she often wondered if Mugen went to visit her grave, say all the things he wanted to say in those final moments.

But it's all over now…it's been over. I've had three years to sort through everything…and I'm going to make it.

With that, she put the car back in drive and headed forwards.

--

His new apartment was nice. It wasn't flamboyant nor was it bland. It was simply in between. In fact, it was a pricy apartment, but with the money the police had awarded him, he didn't find it too hard to earn. It was just nice not having to wake up to a dump for the past three years. He stood in the middle of the living room, the quiet air sinking in. It felt…strange. There was something missing…rather, someone.

It had been three years ago, but still…how much can change in that amount of time? Everything.

Looking at the couch, he smiled wryly. At least he wouldn't be confined to sleeping on it every night because a certain someone stole the bed and insisted that she was worth it…And god, was she worth it. Right now, he'd do anything to listen to her babble about junk such as clothes or celebrity gossip. But somehow, after all that had happened, he didn't think she was too into that anymore…

And it's not like she'd want to see his face anymore, after all the shit he had put her through. But if there was one thing above all others that he'd never forget, it was the embrace she gave him after Yatsuha's death. It was gentle, timid, yet loving and fierce all the same. And he wanted more of that. In a way, he had already considered her his in a protective notion. After guarding her all that time, he felt threatened at the idea of someone taking her or harming her…but in the end, he felt as if it were him who had taken her away and harmed her.

She had a life and it didn't include him.

Sighing, he wandered into his bedroom and pulled open a drawer from his dresser. Buried underneath his piles of shirts was a picture of Fuu. It was when she was younger, perhaps seven or eight. Her mom was holding her while smiling along with her dad who stood by proudly.

Mugen had gotten a hold of it after the police had arrived to the vacation house in Nagasaki. The police had been distracted with questioning Fuu and leading her to the car to take her away. Apparently it was Jin, the man he hated with every fiber of his being, who had told the police of the situation…if only Mugen had known.

He returned his gaze back to the photo that sat in his hands. Suddenly, it felt wrong to take a piece of her with him from a house that held so much value to her. It was as if he had returned to his days as the bad guy, stealing whatever he wanted. But it feels like she stole a bit of me…

Shaking his head, he placed it back in his drawer.

He'd return it another day.

For now, he'd hold onto her for as long as he could…

--

"And, he says he'll take me to New York one of these days!" Saku exclaimed, showing off the small, yet dazzling engagement ring.

Fuu beamed at her best friend, commenting on how the ring was gorgeous. They were walking through Tokyo, admiring certain clothes displayed in the shop windows. The more Saku gushed about her fiancée, the more she felt a pang in her heart for Mugen. She knew she couldn't put a damper on Saku's mood, especially since she had just gotten proposed to by her boyfriend of a year.

Right now, Saku had decided she wanted to go on a shopping spree in celebration of her engagement. They stood in the middle of a clothing store, one that contained very pricy items.

Fuu smiled slightly at the memory of the time where she made Mugen buy all the clothes she had picked out. The look on his face when he saw the price was more than worth it. A small laugh escaped her mouth, and Saku turned to give her a strange look while holding up a beautiful shirt by its hanger.

"What's so funny?" She prompted.

Fuu blinked before waving her hand in dismissal. "Oh, nothing. Just remember something funny I read." Saku smiled lightly before grabbing another shirt.

Turning to Fuu, she held up both shirts on either side of her face. "Which looks better?" She moved her head towards one shirt and then towards the other. Fuu pursed her lips, pretending as if it were a very hard question before pointing to the green one.

"It matches your eyes better," she supplemented beforehand, knowing Saku would demand why she chose that particular choice.

Saku promptly dropped the green shirt into the crook of her arm with other garments before turning to face Fuu. "Something's up. I know it is. If it's about Mugen…" She paused briefly. "If it's about Mugen, I'm so sorry for talking about my engagement on and on! I feel terrible." Saku had already known everything about Fuu's little 'ordeal' and in time, found out about the part where she had developed feelings for Mugen.

Fuu blushed lightly before waving her hands in protest. "No, no! I'm happy for you! I mean, Touya just proposed! You should be celebrating like crazy." Saku gave her a worried glance before complying.

"Alright…" She eyed Fuu surreptitiously before fully indulging herself into the many racks of clothes that lay ahead.

--

The air was chilly and blew biting winds every now and then, though Fuu couldn't feel them, fortunately. She was currently bundled up in a warm sweater with a blanket draped around her body. She was gazing outside the window, lost in a world of thought. She didn't know what brought her back to Nagasaki at this time of year, but she felt a strange sense of urgency to go. However, once she got there, it felt relatively calm if not calmer than the bustle she felt in the city of Tokyo. Here in the rolling hills and colorful landscape (though it was somewhat oppressed by winter) she felt more alive than ever.

Fuu sighed and reached over to the mug of hot chocolate slowly steaming and sipped some of it. She relished the way the smooth yet thick liquid glided down her throat. It warmed her bones, and she shivered slightly.

This place…it was once filled with so many happy memories…what happened to all that? Fuu wondered sadly. Now all I can remember is Yatsuha dying…Mugen's guilt. My guilt. I hate all of this…

Sighing, she slowly but surely got out of her comfy seat at the kitchen table. She loosely clutched the blanket around her shoulders like a shawl while grasping the handle of her mug. As she made her way over to her bedroom, she heard a tapping on the door. A bemused look settled on her face, wondering who actually came here of all places. Maybe a hitchhiker…bad season for it though.

"I'm coming!" She snapped when the tapping grew more insistent. Her lips were set into a small scowl as she opened the door, only to drop her jaw in complete and utter shock.

"M…Mugen…?" She whispered, wearily stepping backwards to allow him entrance. Mugen smiled grimly as he stepped in, shaking the small, melting snowdrops out of his naturally messy hair.

"Long time no see, huh?"

Fuu suddenly dropped her mug of hot chocolate, and when it spilled a little on her socks, it must've woken her up for she quickly burst into apologies and swooped down to pick up the mug. Mugen, however, beat her to it and sauntered over to the kitchen, dropping it in the sink rather carelessly. He smirked when he turned around to meet her bewildered look.

And that's when she snapped. The hauntingly familiar gleam in his eyes caught her off guard and she sobbed.

"How could you just leave me behind as if nothing happened?! How?! Was I not important enough?!" She shrieked, raising a hand to wipe away the falling tears. She knew it was selfish of her to say that, especially with Yatsuha's death, but she couldn't bear it…being left behind by the one person she had grown to depend on…the one person she became attached to.

Mugen stood there calmly, leaning against the counter with his palms pressing against the edge. He knew she had to let it all out sooner or later, and he believed it had been late enough.

"I mean, I thought you were even dead. Is that what you wanted me to think? Well," she sniffled slightly while laughing in a humorless tone and wiping away a tear, "you got what you wanted." And just like that, she stopped crying (though she hiccupped a little) and treaded past him to her room. "I don't even want to see you…I waited long enough."

"Wait."

Fuu stopped hesitantly, her back to him as he had come out of the kitchen and stood behind her a few feet away.

Don't turn around…Don't turn around… Slowly, she turned around, her bottom lip quivering. She could feel another sob coming out, just waiting to burst from her throat. "Wh-what?" she whispered shakily. "Please…just…" she turned around completely at this. "don't make me wait any longer…don't."

"Can we start over? I'm not asking you to forget…I don't think you could. But I am asking to start over." He offered, slowly but surely taking small steps to come closer to her. Her body was shaking from what he could decipher as sobs. He hated seeing her cry…tears were never really his thing, but furthermore, he hated seeing her cry, knowing that he was the cause of it all. He had to repent for all of his actions…and he wanted to.

"I…" he gulped a little before continuing. "I can't just make this all better…pretend like everything will fall into place…but I can sure as hell try." Fuu looked up, curiosity evident in her eyes.

"I'm not asking you to," a tone of disbelief in her voice. "I don't want you to pretend. I'm sick of pretending."

"So am I," he chuckled.

Fuu smiled slightly, though it came off more as a grimace. Without even thinking, she jogged over to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, pressing the side of her cheek to his chest.

Mugen's eyes widened slightly, not really used to this. Oh, he was used to touching women…and much more, but this…this was different. This time, he actually gave a damn for the girl. More like woman…He thought idly, catching a quick glance at her body, and not only that, but her face as well. She had certainly matured, and he felt like those past events they had shared together were partly to blame. But either way, she was wonderful. There was something about her…she wasn't some sort of conventional beauty, but she was no Plain Jane either. She was simply Fuu.

And that was enough for him.

--

"You weren't kidding when you said you had a decent home now," Fuu said in awe, glancing at the room. It was definitely an upgrade from the old apartment she was used to staying in three years ago. Yes, certainly an upgrade…but what she liked the most was that she now belonged in it.

Mugen gave a small scowl, though he quickly smiled as he ushered her towards the bedroom. She smiled when she saw how neat it was, a lovely dresser sitting off to a side with a medium-sized yet tasteful bed sat against the wall the wall, facing them. Mugen gave a suggestive smirk before Fuu scowled and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Not now."

"And why not?" He asked, slowly pushing her backwards towards the bed.

"Because!" She sputtered. "I still have boxes to unpack! I can't just leave them lying around. This place will get messy before you know it." Mugen leaned down, pushing her on the bed and grazed the tip of his nose against her neck, earning a soft sigh from her.

"I think it can wait…"

Fuu rolled her eyes before laughing at the ticklish feeling she was getting from his advances. She sighed contentedly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him on top of her. After what felt like hours to Fuu, Mugen bent down and pressed his lips against hers, softly but with passion. She smiled against his lips and began to kiss him back, pouring every bit of her heart into it. Her fingers were knotted into his messier than usual hair, and she felt perfect.

She was his and he was hers.

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

Fin.