Samurai Champloo(c)Shinichirō Watanabe

Epilogue. Part Five

Jin had heard of an execution going on, though he wasn't surprise that the prisoner was Mugen, he was surprised to see Mugen bleeding and beaten on the side of the alley way.

"Mugen," Jin called out, he saw Mugen's eyes snap open.

"Well, what the fucking hell. What took you so long?" Mugen grinned, "Ah, fuck you Jin."

"Why can't I get rid of you?" Jin asked, with a small smile.

"A dream." Mugen said, "Am I dead? Are you dead?"

"Sure," Jin replied in his calm and sarcastic manner, helping Mugen to sit up. "You lost a lot of blood."

"That was fun," Mugen laughed, his breaths shallow. "I would prefer it if Fuu was here to help though,"

Jin nodded in agreement, feeling more worry for his friend, "Same."

"I'm fucking tired." Mugen patted the ground next to him, Jin didn't even hesitate and plopped himself down next to Mugen. After a peaceful silence, he asked, "What happens when you die?"

There was a flicker of surprise on Jin's face, "I don't know. I don't like thinking about it knowing how much we've killed."

Mugen nodded, "Well, I'm tired."

"Me too," Jin replied, "Old age has weakened our stamina…"

"Maybe for you," Mugen said, laughing. "But I don't think you get it," he stared at Jin, his eyes unblinking and serious. "I'm tired. I don't want to do this anymore."

Jin stood up and nodded his head, "I understand."

"Thanks…" Mugen said, "And do it with this," he gave Jin his sword, it was surprisingly light. "Don't forget to tell Fuu."

"Of course," Jin said softly.

"Oh, and that's a nice scar." Mugen grinned, the widest grin Jin has ever seen on him.

"Thanks," Jin said, grinning back as he raised the sword high above Mugen's head. "Goodbye."

Fuu remembered what Jin had told her before he took his leave, "Our paths would always lead to you Fuu, always."

He was right of course.

Fuu stared at the two erected tombstones. Tracing a finger over the engraved names of her old friends, she sighed heavily. She knew she would join them soon.

Years after her talk with Jin, she learned about his passing somewhere near the mountains. Like Mugen, she knew that Jin would have died by his own sword, and by his own tiredness.

Again, she was left behind, left to mourn and left to pick up the pieces of her two friends.

But everything seemed to be in place.

Epilogue. End