Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
XXX
"Fine, if you don't come to me, I'll come to you." Bankotsu whispered venomously.
They stood across from each other on the foggy mountain.
Mt. Hakurei.
He demanded what was different between him and his brother and got no answer.
He got a 'display'.
He aimed the point of his gun at Bankotsu's head. He bit his bottom lip and fired.
It missed dramatically.
It didn't just miss because Bankotsu jumped out of the way; it was a way off blow. He growled.
He always said he would be able to kill Bankotsu when the time came, but now it was here and he couldn't find it in himself.
He wasted so much time plotting and planning because he didn't want to kill Bankotsu.
He may have been younger, but he was his brother, his leader.
Maybe naïve and immature at times, but he always looked out for him.
--
"Renkotsu?" Bankotsu asked the newest mercenary.
"Yes, big brother?"
"Why do you all
call me that?" "Well…you are the leader…" He
explained.
"Yeah but….everyone's so much older than me…" He sighed as he looked at the sky. He was sitting on the porch. "You can sit down." Renkotsu nodded.
"Is
there…something on your mind?" "Nah…its just…killing
is so great but…it's stressful. I mean, the six of you, you're
all I have. And I'm only sixteen…it's like, if anything ever
happened to you, I would blame myself." The young boy frowned.
"Don't worry, you're a great leader." Renkotsu placed a hand on his shoulder. Only a few short months ago had the Band of Seven formed.
"Really?" He smiled kindly.
"Yes, I think you'll become a legendary mercenary and we'll always be here to support you."
"Thanks…I'll always have your back too…" Bankotsu whispered, still staring up at the blue, cloudless sky.
"What do you mean?" Renkotsu asked, though it was self-explanatory, he didn't understand why.
He may be one of his 'brothers' but they had known each other only a short time. It was expected he be there to support Bankotsu since he was the leader, but what reason did Bankotsu have to support him? He snapped out of his daze when he heard Bankotsu scoff.
"You're family, idiot." He finally looked him in the eye. His playful expression got serious. "You'll always have your back watched and don't you start thinking you mean nothing."
Renkotsu smiled at the response. He would never understand the way this boy's mind worked, but it was good to hear that.
Like Bankotsu and the other five, Renkotsu never had a family. This was his first attempt and it was amazing.
Somebody actually cared what became of him.
"Thank you." Was all Renkotsu could say. He couldn't begin to think of how to explain how much that meant.
"No problem…what
are brothers for? Can you promise me something?" "Anything." "No
matter how much power any of us acquires…or how great any of us
become…I want to be able to put my trust in you." One end of
Bankotsu's lips twisted into a smile as he finished.
"Agreed." Renkotsu nodded.
"I didn't ask for an agreement…I asked for a promise."
"I promise." Renkotsu smiled.
"Good, now get it
right the next time or your head will be rolling." He glared and
Renkotsu stared in disbelief. Bankotsu smiled. "It was a joke!" He swung his arm around his brother's shoulder and laughed. "I
got you good!" "You did." Renkotsu lightly laughed,
mostly out of relief.
--
He tried to focus on his target, Bankotsu, but he couldn't.
His mind flooded with memories and he felt pure guilt. Bankotsu jumped and ducked, easily avoiding the miss-aimed blows.
--
"Bankotsu?" Renkotsu asked as he searched the valley. They had just finished battle a few hours ago and he was sent to find the leader. "Bankotsu?" He walked over the lifeless bodies
"Renkotsu!" Bankotsu jumped out with a smile. He jumped and swung his arm around Renkotsu's shoulder. He carelessly swung Banryu in the air above them.
"Where have you been?" Renkotsu growled, annoyed by his leader's antics.
"Well…I was gunna go wish you gus, but then I found…" He burped and Renkotsu rolled his eyes.
"Found
what?" "Sake!" He happily shouted and it echoed in the
dark valley. Renkotsu slapped his forehead. "Damn…did you…ki
all dese people?" He slurred as he scanned the ground below him.
"No, Bankotsu,
you did." Renkotsu sighed.
"No fuckin' way!" He smiled as he squeezed his brother's shoulder and smiled. "I fuckin' whipped their…ashes…." He hiccupped.
"Yes, and we're receiving our pay tomorrow, so let's get back to the others…" Renkotsu replied irritably, hating the personality his brother developed when he was drunk.
"Who are the others?" Bankotsu scratched his head.
"Jakotsu,
Suikotsu, Ginkotsu, Kyokotsu, Mukotsu…ring a bell?" "Sorry…I
don't have a bell…" Bankotsu frowned in seriousness and
Renkotsu was now ready to burn down the whole valley.
"No, do you
remember those names?" "What names?" Bankotsu asked
seriously.
"The Band of Seven!" Renkotsu yelled.
"Oh…them…yeah…hey,
we should really get back to them, they might be worried." He
reasoned and Renkotsu felt his temper boil.
"Yes, so let's go." Renkotsu walked ahead and Bankotsu jogged to catch up.
"Hey, can I tell you a…secret?" Bankotsu whispered between quiet laughs.
"What?" "Mukotsu….Mukotsu
he….he looks like a toad…" He snickered and Renkotsu rolled
his eyes. "And…and Suikotsu….he drives me fucking ape shit
sometimes…" He continued to laugh. "He's like…doctor
and…like…mercenary." He waved his hands in front of him and
Banryu fell over.
"Slow down, Bankotsu." Renkotsu rolled his eyes.
"Yeah…and then…Kyokotsu….he's a fucking mountain! I mean…like…people…people must see him all the time when we try to hide….where does he get to hide…in the clouds?" Bankotsu laughed again. Renkotsu smirked a little, growing amused by his brother's descriptions on the others, though it was hidden since he walked ahead. "And Jakotsu…Jakotsu is like…the ultimate man-chick." Bankotsu said, still laughing.
Renkotsu actually heard a small laugh escape his own lips.
"Like…if he hates women so much…whydoes hedresslike one?" He slurred and Renkotsu couldn't agree more. .He looked over and saw Bankotsu walked directly beside him now.
"Well…looks like you and I are the only normal ones…" Bankotsu sighed. "Aside from the fact you spit fire and my weapon is like twice the size of me." He shrugged.
Renkotsu nodded and they saw the small hut their comrades awaited.
"And don't tell anyone…but I think you're the easiest to talk to." Bankotsu winked. He held Renkotsu's shoulder for support and collapsed once they got inside. Completely passed out.
Renkotsu smirked down to him. He laid him on his back in a more comfortable position and sat beside him. He knew it was only so long before he was helping his brother outside to vomit.
--
"Well, aren't you going to hit me? I'm an open target!" Bankotsu yelled. Renkotsu's brows knotted together.
He needed to focus!
He needed to forget how much this sick bastard looked out for him…how much he said he cared and was like family. He was slowly getting closer, but Renkotsu was still dazed with flashbacks and memories.
--
"Bankotsu, Renkotsu's down!" He heard Jakotsu shout as he lay on his back. Blood was spilling from his shoulder and his leg, he got hit twice. His vision was blurry and he opened his eyes again. Bankotsu looked down to him.
Bankotsu wrapped Renkotsu's limp arm around his shoulder.
"Hurry up, there aren't many left I think you can handle them!" Bankotsu shouted as Renkotsu struggled to stay conscious.
"But…" Suikotsu started.
"Meet us back at the hut!" He yelled and ran. Renkotsu moved his good leg to try and keep up, but failed miserably. Bankotsu dragged him more than anything.
He carried his own weight, that of Banryu, and that of Renkotsu, but he looked so determined.
He also had some minor wounds of his own, but it didn't hold him back.
He threw Renkotsu on the floor and ran out of the room. Renkotsu felt his breathing get deep and uneven. This must be the end.
"Stay alive!" Bankotsu yelled as he removed Renkotsu's armor.
"Ban…kotsu…" He whispered.
"Just shut up and breathe!" Bankotsu began to clean the wound.
Renkotsu didn't even believe he was capable of doing this, that's why Suikotsu was kept around, or so he was told.
But the look of determination in his eyes…his struggle for his brother to live. Renkotsu had to make it out. He wouldn't abandon Bankotsu and the others…his family.
"Promise me you'll live…" Bankotsu panted as he bandaged the wound.
"I…promise." "Promise
me you'll live for us…you'll hold on to life and won't leave
us!" He demanded, though he was still focusing on the wound.
"I promise, big…brother." Renkotsu hissed in pain at the contact of his wound.
"Promise me if
anything like this ever happens to one of the others…you'll help
me…you'll live after this and you'll always help me heal
them!" "Bankotsu…" He gasped for air.
"Promise me!" He shouted and faced him. Renkotsu swore he saw tears welled up in his brother's eyes.
"I…promise…I'll live…" He smiled half-heartedly.
--
He then stopped firing.
He deserved to die.
He broke so many promises…he lost so much trust…he lost his pride and dignity.
He killed the ones he swore to protect.
Even if he were to live…it would be the same as before he joined the Band of Seven.
No family, no acceptance.
The first person to fully accept and trust him felt hurt and betrayed and at the moment, wished him dead.
And he didn't blame him. He couldn't blame Bankotsu.
He could only blame himself. The dreaded, deceitful liar he'd become.
He betrayed his leader's trust…his brother's trust…his closest friend's trust.
And he was in too deep to take it all back.
He was responsible for Jakotsu's death.
He lied more than once and for what? The damn jewel?
For power.
He felt weaker than Bankotsu and felt the need to become more powerful…by any means necessary.
By killing his comrades and anyone who got in his way…except him.
Except Bankotsu.
Only now did he realize his mistakes.
Power and domination would never be able to replace family. It would never replace his brothers.
Now, Bankotsu stood in front of him. Renkotsu gasped, snapping out of his daze.
Bankotsu put his hand on top of the large gun and lowered it so it targeted the ground. He whacked it and it hit the ground a good distance away.
Renkotsu fell on his back and looked up fearfully. He spat fire out of fear and nothing more.
He didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified when his brother stepped out of the flames.
Bankotsu dug his index and middle finger into Renkotsu's neck and he gasped again. At the pain…at the anger he felt towards himself…
"The difference is…I would never betray my comrades." Bankotsu whispered so it was just audible. He still held the jewel shards in Renkotsu's neck.
"I…I could never kill you…Bankotsu…" He whispered and Bankotsu's brows knotted together.
"Liar!"
"You are my leader…my brother…I'm sorry…" Renkotsu whispered. Bankotsu growled and withdrew his fingers from his brother's neck.
"How dare you lie again?" He whispered as his brother turned to dust. He was gone.
Renkotsu.
The brother who lied about everything…who deceived him multiple times…
The brother he might mourn the most.