Laughing Man Publications

This scene popped into my mind when I imagined Mugen unconscious after his battle with Sir Kogi (TCatR). I hope this makes you happy with a bit of "fanfic" for one of your own stories. This is for Marsha, thank you for allowing me to be a part of this world you created!

In Between Worlds

“Mugen-san.” The voice was vaguely familiar. It wasn’t threatening. In fact, it soothed him somehow.

“Hai.” It was a struggle to just get the word out. He wasn’t in any real pain, just extremely tired and it felt as if all of his strength and energy had seeped out of his body.

“Mugen-san, you don’t belong here.” The voice said with a hint of sadness.

“Sa. I don’t belong anywhere. Isn’t that just my luck?” Mugen said without bothering to open his eyes to see where “here” was.

“No, Mugen-san that is not true. Your work is not complete. You are still needed elsewhere.”

“Why? I am tired of working.”

“You have people that depend on you and love you and if you leave them, they will be lost and incomplete.”

Slowly Mugen opened his eyes, for the voice gave so much comfort and grief at the same time. “Oh,” he gasped, gripping the hand that belonged to the voice.

“It is good to see you, too, Mugen-san. But you know what I say is true. Your work is not complete and as much as I hate to let you go back, you must.”

“Well I think I should just stay; there is no reason for me to go back. Kogi is dead; and I am tired of being alone.”

“You are not alone. Jorgi-san loves you, surely you know that. She traveled a great distance just to find you. Her husband and child also think a great deal of you. If you left them now, their lives would never be the same. You must go back and finish out your life.”

“I don’t want to go back, damn it! I am tired of fighting, running, hiding, and having people constantly look down their noses at me. I want to stay with you. I want to be with you. I have missed you. Jorgi-san will be fine. She has Geoffrey to take care of her and she has her family to love. She will be better off without me; all I will do is cause her more pain.” His speech took even more energy out of him and he closed his eyes, as a few tears slid down the slope of his cheek.

“I will always be watching over you and waiting for you to come to me. But it is not time, yet. There is yet another task ahead of you and you must see it completed.”

He felt the touch of a soft kiss and he longed for more. He did not want to go back. He felt the comfort and love of the one he missed most desperately. He slowly opened his eyes again and whispered with a half sob, “Please, let me stay.”

“You know the answer to that. But just know that I will be here waiting for you when your time is over. Good-bye Mugen-san, I love you!”

He felt the hand slowly pull from his grasp and he tried to grab a stronger hold onto it. It was useless, like holding on to water. He closed his eyes one last time knowing that one day he would come back to the one he loved. He no longer feared this place. He had someone to come back to. “I love you too, Miyoshi-san.”

Yay! We're finally are enough along in CatR that you could post this! I love this story!