R&R

Sorry for the long wait guys. I've just been trying not to force myself to write because whenever I do it doesn't come out right. I like writings these one shots when they just flow and pop into my head with ease. Like this one! ;D

Enjoy!

Oneshot 41: Dreams

by AshAnime

"Mugen."

"What, girly?"

"Why… leave… you know… do…"

"What? Speak up! I can't hear ya!"

Mugen couldn't understand why he was ankle deep in a foamy sea. He peered down at the water surrounding him and crinkled his brows at the sight of a sunflower drifting towards him. He bent down to pick up the misplaced plant and found that it wasn't the only one. Thousands of sunflowers spun and floated along the choppy water, pooling around his feet.

"Why did you… you know I… I really do…"

He looked up as the sound of her lilting voice called to him once again.

"Girly, why the fuck do you sound so far away? I can't hear ya if yer whispering!"

A shadowy figure stood in the waves just as he did, her arms spread wide in an open embrace.

"Why did you leave me, Mugen? You know I love you. I really do."

xXx

Mugen jolted awake and nearly fell out of the tree he was sleeping in.

He grabbed at the rough bark beneath him and managed to keep himself steady enough to squint against the rising sun. It was beginning to get harder and harder to find a place to sleep at night. Mugen had become quite the notorious fighter over the years and inn keepers were often weary of him.

He was hit with the scent of morning dew and the events of his dream tickled at his fatigued brain. Had it… been something important? He felt like it was, but he couldn't remember anything about it no matter how hard he tried to.

It left him annoyingly frustrated.

"Tch." Mugen slapped an open palm against his forehead and peered down at the ground below. He might as well start his day early. It didn't feel like he'd be going back to sleep any time soon. Maybe the local market would provide him with enough entertainment for the day.

Maybe he'd even get lucky and snag a well-paid job.

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"Sir I'm not going any lower than that! Final offer!"

Mugen stared on as a customer and a stall owner went back and forth. Watching money-hungry and money-stingy people go at it over a stupid item was often entertainment enough. He was sometimes even lucky enough to see a fist fight.

"Fine! I'll take it!"

Mugen groaned in boredom and turned his head away from the bland old geezers. People were so careful nowadays. Ever since a big portion of the Yakuza had been apprehended Japan fell into a false sense of security. Everyone was so fucking Zen all the time and it annoyed the crap out of Mugen. He missed the good 'ol days, when just one word could set someone off and start a fight.

Sighing, he stuck a finger in his now warm liquor and swirled it around. He needed to find a job and find one fast. Boredom was going to consume him one day.

But… maybe… he'd take a nap first…

"Mugen."

"Go away girly, I'm tryna' sleep!"

"Mugen… hey… Mugen…"

Mugen pulled the covers down and cracked his eyes open a bit. Just what did the bitch want now?

"Don't!"

Huh?

Mugen opened his eyes all the way to see a weapon pointed straight at him. The air smelled of rain and a blind Sara stood over him. He could feel a small weight splayed across his middle and a burning pain in his right side.

This had happened before. He was sure of it.

"Don't! Don't kill him!"

It was Fuu… and she was crying.

"Get back here bitch!" he heard himself yell, his weakened body pushing against Fuu's slight frame as he sat up. Sara was walking away, but the fight wasn't over.

It was never over.

"I'm not finished with you yet!"

Blood spurted from his mouth and trailed down his chin. He was choking on it.

Red. Red everywhere.

"You are so stupid."

What? That wasn't right. Fuu sounded different. Colder.

He turned around to look at her and there was nothing but frigid hatred in her eyes.

"How many times did I have to save you for you to realize…?"

Mugen just stared at her, his vision blurring. He was so confused. This Fuu was so different.

"I loved you so much. I sacrificed so much for you. You, Mugen. And how did you repay me?"

Was he supposed to answer? Mugen didn't know. He tried to open his mouth but the raw metallic taste of his own blood was too strong.

"You left."

xXx

"WAKE UP!"

Mugen jumped awake and drew his sword, eyes blazing. The poor stall owner who woke him up blinked nervously and held up both hands.

"Whoa! Easy there! I'm not trying to attack you or anything! I'm closing up shop so you gotta' leave now. You can't sleep here all night!"

Mugen squinted at the shivering old man and eventually sheathed his sword.

This whole sleep deprivation thing was really taking a toll on him. Something had to change and soon, but these weird dreams that he couldn't even remember kept plaguing him. They niggled at his brain with their elusiveness, and tortured him while he slept. He hoped he wouldn't have to see a doctor.

He hated the bastards.

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Guard the stall.

It was a simple job with little pay but it was a job, and that's all that mattered.

Mugen managed to strike up a deal with the stall owner he had nearly scared to death yesterday, and was now working for him. All he had to do was make sure no sticky fingers tried to steal from his stall. It was the easiest job Mugen had ever been hired for, but barely getting enough sleep at night can make even the simplest job the most taxing.

"You ain't nodding off on me, are ya?!" the wrinkly stall owner practically yelled in the former pirate's face.

Mugen clenched his jaw and refrained from punching his employer in his rancid mouth.

"Keep your wits about ya boy! No sleeping on the job!"

Mugen grumbled a "yes sir" under his breath that suspiciously sounded like a "fuck you".

Stupid old geezer needs to brush his fucking teeth and stay out of my face.

I ain't falling asleep.

I won't…

"Mugen, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, but make it quick."

"Why didn't you try to find me?"

He blinked and stared into her big brown eyes, confused.

"What do you mean, girly? You're right here."

She smiled and giggled softly. "No I'm not."

Mugen frowned. "Yes. You are."

The sweet smelling sunflower girl shook her head and gazed at him with sad eyes. "I looked for you but…"

Her gaze dropped.

"You never looked for me."

xXx

Mugen felt a bony shoulder stumble into him and try to scramble away. His eyes flew open as he whirled around to see a young boy with a handful of the stall owner's merchandise in his hands. The Ryukyuan groaned in agitation and took off after the little nuisance.

It wasn't much of a chase.

"Listen up you lil' shit!" he spat, holding the boy up by the back of his shirt. "Steal from here again and you loose your hands next time!"

"Y-Yes sir!"

"Now scram!"

The boy gladly took off when his feet hit the dirt. Mugen shook his head at all the crap on the ground and begrudgingly picked it up. He might as well do his damn job and bring the items back to the stupid stall owner.

It was as he was walking back that he heard it.

"Thank you so much for your help!"

Her voice.

"Now… let's see… it should be farther down that way…"

This was a dream. It had to be.

"Then a left and… yup, that's the way… I'm sure of it!"

But he didn't feel like he'd forget this one.

"... M- Mugen? Is that really…?"

She was reaching out to him. Her soft fingertips were brushing his arm.

It wasn't a dream.

It was real.

She was real.

Fuu.

Liked it?! If so, tell me if I should do a part 2 to this. I kind of feel like some stuff are still unresolved but I'll see what you guys have to say first. Did you like how I revisited that scene from the anime? The one where Mugen fought Sara and Fuu stopped her from killing him? ;)

ALSO SORRY FOR ANY GRAMMAR OR SPELLING MISTAKES, IT'S 5 O' CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND I'M TIRED ;D (i'll fix stuff tomorrow)

QOTD: If you could create an OC (original character) for Samurai Champloo what would they be like? (if you put a lot of details into your oc i'll probably use him/her/they in a future one shot!)

In regards to previous qotd: Nice answers! If one of my oneshots ever became an episode of Samurai Champloo i think i'd faint!

Lovely Reviewers:

ZapZapYotsuba

FF2Addict

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Ghibli Ninja

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HaruKuro

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Brittany

ElephantLove

kjchan

Giugiy

stepintothefantasy

You guys are always there for me! Thank you! XD

(ALSO I wish I could respond to each of your reviews because they were so encouraging and made me smile but i am really tired right now, sorry)

Mugen: What a pansy! Bet you couldn't stay up all night!

AshAnime: Trust me, I've done that plenty of times before.

Fuu: It's ok, don't listen to him. *leads me to bed and tucks me in* There you go. Sweet dreams!

Mugen: Hope the bed bugs bite!

Jin: Since when are therebed bugs in this h-

AshAnime: Goodnight guys ;)

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE QOTD! THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR READING! YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO MAKE ME SMILE AND I AM SO GLAD I CAN PROVIDE FUUGEN FOR YOU! HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK! ;D