Chapter 1

To Gain The Trust Of One's Enemy

A light breeze blew his pinned up hair to the side a little. Eyes closed and resting his head against the tree he had sat down beside, the man let out a deep and long sigh. He had been quite bored lately. Nothing to do and no one to kill, since Renkotsu was posing as some monk, Ginkotsu was somewhere, and Oo-aniki was out looking for his baby.

His "job" was to go out and find some youkai named Kouga. Of course, this man had only one interest, his beloved hanyou, InuYasha. As usual though, Renkotsu wanted to have all the credit, so he decided that he should get to fight InuYasha.

FLASHBACK

"It's not fair, Renkotsu!" Jakotsu whined. "I told you before InuYasha is mine!"

"That's enough, Jakotsu." Was Renkotsu's stern answer. "Plans have changed, somewhat. I have another mission prepared for you."

But Jakotsu couldn't stand to hear that. "It's not fair! It's not fair!" He kept repeating, whining like a three year old child.

Renkotsu glared at him. "I said 'that's enough, Jakotsu.'"

"But Renkotsu, InuYasha is-" Before Jakotsu could finish, Renkotsu quickly cut in.

"Quit whining, Jakotsu and listen carefully to what I would have you do." Jakotsu finally gave in and sighed with defeat, sticking out his lip.

After explaining his "brilliant" plan, Renkotsu turned to look at Jakotsu, a smirk upon his face. "Then, if you hurry right back. You may make it in time."

END OF FLASHBACK

Renkotsu's words stuck like glue in Jakotsu's mind. He knew exactly what he had to make it in time for, but Jakotsu would rather have it his way and kill InuYasha off himself.

Once again, sighing, Jakotsu stood and shifted the weight of his bending sword, Jakotsu-tou, on his back. He stretched out his arms before continuing on with his walk to find Kouga, not knowing even what this guy look liked, only the fact that he was a wolf youkai.

His paces were slow and unnoticeable on the road as the heat of the sun lowered into the horizon. Jakotsu found no use in hurrying to find this guy, knowing Renkotsu will plan on killing InuYasha before he even arrives. All was quiet on the path, even the young man closed his eyes while walking.

The calming quiet was soon broken as Jakotsu picked up the sound of a small whine, like a cat whine. His lazy eyes opened slowly and he directed his attention towards to the side, where a forest lay and also where the meow came from.

Just out of curiosity, Jakotsu decided to inspect what the noise was. Another sad meow was heard as Jakotsu crept closer to the woods. Finally, at the edge of the bushes, he peered through the leaves and almost gasped out loud at what was before him.

A small cat like demon was perched on the ground next to the taijiya from the day before, or as Jakotsu calls her, "wench," for ruining his fight with InuYasha.

Jakotsu felt the pressure to slice her to pieces right there and then, but something stopped him and also kept him wondering. Wasn't she poisoned by Mukotsu? And how did that cat thing get her out without Renkotsu noticing and InuYasha? And why didn't it save the miko and the monk?

The tiny fire neko pawed, lightly, at her mistresses face, but she gave no moment. The cat hung her head low and meowed with grief, but it sounded more like a shrill whine.

Jakotsu almost felt sorry for the little youkai, but that quickly faded away as he turned his attention back to the slayer.

Her eyes, of course, were closed and her body laid loose across the forest floor. She had no color to her face or anywhere. Jakotsu was sure that she was dead. He turned to walk away, but at the sudden movement, the neko stuck it's tiny black nose into the air, sniffing it. Right away, she had caught his sent and fire swirled around her small body.

Replacing the tiny, adorable cat was that of a giant saber tooth tiger, ready to strike with its fierce claws and fangs. The demon pounced out of the bushes were the taijiya was hidden and glared at Jakotsu, who had no chance to run, with her blood red eyes.

A low growl came from her throat and Jakotsu's hand gripped the hilt of Jakotsu-tou, ready for any fight that this cat was going to put up. Instead of attacking Jakotsu viscously, the fire neko stayed planted on the spot, her growl silencing. She looked up and down over Jakotsu, seeming to examine him.

After two long minutes of silence between the two, the youkai let out a sad moan. Jakotsu raised an eyebrow at the cat's plead, but still wondering what it was pleading about.

Paws thudding against gravel, she cautiously walked up to Jakotsu and then nuzzled her huge, silky head into his chest. Jakotsu didn't know what to think for the moment, he was more in shock than anything. Last time he checked, this cat hated him.

The fire neko looked up at Jakotsu with her big, depressed eyes and hooked her teeth onto the sleeve of his kimono. She lead him back over to the taijiya. Jakotsu blinked, still confused at what the neko wanted. Then she point with her black nose to her mistress and gave Jakotsu the "eyes" again. It hit him, then.

"You want me…stay with her?" Jakotsu said dryly, his mouth slightly twitching. The giant cat nodded and shifted her head to the sky. Now Jakotsu got it. She wanted him to stay with the demon slayer, so that she could go back and help save the others.

Of course, Jakotsu had no intention of helping his enemies, especially if it meant keeping them alive. But the cat's sad look, even got him going.

"Fine." Jakotsu hissed and the neko's eyes brightened. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to do anything if some demon wants to eat her." The youkai, once again, bared her fangs and growled at him.

"OK OK!" Jakotsu cried out, backing off and putting his arms up in defense. The cat seemed to smirk with victory. She began to run off in the opposite direction, before taking flight.

Complete boredom had struck Jakotsu already as he sat a clear distance away from the wench. He didn't even want anything to do with her. Sighing, Jakotsu finally scooted over to the slayer and peered at her with curious eyes.

So this is what happens with Mukotsu's poison…

He occasionally poked her in the arm, but it didn't do anything. Grief was all that Jakotsu felt at the moment. He wanted to put her out of her misery. Grabbing a small dagger, that he had tucked into his kimono, Jakotsu looked at the shiny metal of the blade. He reached her arm and turned it over so her wrist faced the knife.

Quickly and skillfully, Jakotsu slashed the blade across the skin of her arm, just below the elbow. Once the wound began to bleed, Jakotsu grabbed a small bottled liquid, that was also kept in his kimono, and poured a couple drops into the bloodstream. As soon as the liquid touched her blood, it began to foam, but then quickly slid back up the skin.

The antidote seemed too be working well because the beautiful color of her skin was beginning to return back in its place.

Jakotsu groaned, still punishing himself for his "deed." His purpose in life was to love and to kill hot men, not to save women…that wasn't his thing.

The woman's, who was named Sango, eyes slowly opened and confusion stung them the second they did. Jakotsu rolled his eyes at her shocked expression when she saw his face. He really didn't have time for this.

She rose, but too fast, because as soon as she did, she gripped in stomach in pain, from the antidote rushing through her body. After, loosing the pain Sango finally spoke to Jakotsu.

"Were you attending to kill me, Jakotsu? Is that why you're here?" Her words were cold and so was her stare that she gave the man.

Jakotsu chuckled. "Only I wish. Your cat made me watch you." His sarcasm was very noticeable.

Sango raised an eyebrow. "So, then why did you save me?" She asked, noticing the cut on her arm and some of the antidote spilling out.

Jakotsu froze. He still didn't know why he "saved" her. It was more an instinct like for a comrade.

Yeah. For a comrade…wait… This bitch isn't my comrade! She's my enemy! Remember Jakotsu, she's the one that ruined your fight with InuYasha. This woman means nothing to you.

Jakotsu's argue with himself was useless. Deep, when I say deep I mean deep, down inside, Jakotsu really did want to save her. No idea why, though.

Instead of admitted the truth, Jakotsu just gave some snappy excuse.

"I didn't save you. I just didn't want you to die because I want to slash you to pieces myself."

Sango smirked, and, once again, giving another hard to explain question, more like say. "Then, if it's your desire, kill me right here and now. After all, I am unarmed, am I not?"

Jakotsu just felt the temptation to slaughter her, but she wasn't worth the time. He had to go find Kouga or Renkotsu would kick his ass. In a whiny way, Jakotsu stood up and scrambled his way out of the bushes, with Sango trying to her best to keep up behind him.

"So, you're not going to kill me, then?" Her questions were really starting to flip his lid, but Sango just thought of it as toying with his mind.

"Stop asking so many damn questions, wench!" Jakotsu had finally snapped, like a twig, which wasn't that hard to snap.

And that's when he came. Standing up ahead on the road, facing the two of them.

No weapon had been placed on his shoulder. The white and blue of his kimono was quite bright against the green of the forest. His unemotional face sent chills down Jakotsu's spine, knowing that he was now in shit, especially the fact that he hadn't finished off the taijiya.

Sango even froze in place. Her skin shivered at this man's face, stiff and silent. She backed up a step, yelling at herself to run, but her legs wouldn't move much further.

The young man walked over to them, his steps seemed to echo across the dirt road as he came closer and closer. Jakotsu bit his lip, thinking of what to say to Oo-aniki. But his mind went blank when the man stood in front of him.

"Kinda funny I see you on my way, Jakotsu." The man words seeming sarcastic was chilling.

"Y-yeah Oo-aniki. Funny."

The man then turned his attention to Sango.

"And who is this beauty?"

"Sango." She snapped, bringing back her confidence. But she felt the compliment hit hard in her heart. "Are you the leader of the Shichinintai?"

"Yeah, name's Bankotsu."

This man seemed rather young to be the leader and he didn't seem the…killer type. Sango wanted to run off and find InuYasha, but would probably end up getting killed by Renkotsu. Then a thought came to Sango's mind. She could gain the trust of Bankotsu.

Since he didn't know that she was with InuYasha and didn't seem to want to kill her either. One problem. Jakotsu. He could easily tell him, but it would be easy to distract the man…both men.

Bankotsu smirked.

This woman is hot! Even though Jakotsu's gay, he does have a good sense to find good women.

"So, Sango, what are you doing with Jakotsu?" Jakotsu opened his mouth to speak, but Sango quickly cut in.

"I was out here in the forest and then Jakotsu had saved me from a fatal snake bite with his antidote." She explained quickly and Jakotsu stomped up to Sango.

"What the hell to you think-" Before he could finished, Sango wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you, Jakotsu for saving me." She tried to say in her giggliest voice possible. And that was when Jakotsu went boom.

His face had wiped to a white and then formed into a green. He began to gag as he tore away from Sango's grip. Shrieking and gagging, Jakotsu scrambled off into the forest, yelling many things that could not be repeating. Before they knew it, Bankotsu and Sango heard a splash coming from a distance and Jakotsu screaming some more.

Bankotsu sighed and rubbed his forehead. Before long, Jakotsu had come back soaked head to toe and still spitting water out when he reached them.

"There was a river, which I did not see…" He pouted, seeming to forget completely about Sango's story. Figures.

Bankotsu blinked, but didn't have much interest in Jakotsu's clumsiness.

"Well, I still need to find my baby. Jakotsu, you coming?"

"Yes, Oo-aniki." Jakotsu sighed and then Bankotsu turned to Sango with a smirk on his face.

"You're welcome to come too."

Sango's face immediately turned scarlet, but before she could answer, Bankotsu had already wrapped his arm comfortably under her waist, making her blush even more.

"I-uh- I'll just walk by myself, thanks." Sango managed to say, squiggling out of the man's hold.

"OK, suit yourself." He shrugged and rested his neck in the weaved posture of his fingers.

For the rest of the trip, Sango was quite quiet, and Jakotsu, on the other hand, wouldn't stop talking. He talked about how he first met InuYasha and then mostly about Renkotsu being mean to him.

Sango prayed that he wouldn't bring up the subject of her with InuYasha. Or she would have to hug him again. This even sent shivers down her spine.

Soon, Bankotsu began to actually laugh at some of Jakotsu's stories. Like, when Renkotsu was posing as a "fat" monk. To Sango, Bankotsu's smile seemed to lighten her world. She internal slapped herself for even thinking that.

This man is my enemy. I can't have feelings for him.

Bankotsu took a deep breath from laughing so hard and looked up ahead, where he saw a large village.

"Ah here we are. Remember, Jakotsu? This is the town where we stayed a few days before we were killed." Bankotsu explained and Jakotsu nodded, but neither of their faces had sadness or anger written on them.

"Yeah. That was the night when we all got drunk and Renkotsu and Mukotsu danced together."

The two friends laughed again.

Sango was impressed with their behavior. They seemed to have no regret or despair about dying. Sango on the other hand, wanted for revenge on Naraku for destroying her life, well you couldn't blame her. But she didn't ever seem to recall laughing about her past or even finding things to laugh about. Even though they were the enemy, Sango had respect for these men, with their stability.

The inn stood in front of them, now. It had an expensive looking posture, so Sango hoped they had enough money.

Bankotsu strode in and went up to the man in charge of the rooms.

"Hey, old man. Long time no see." Bankotsu greeted, recognizing the man from the time before, also seeing that his physical features had aged quite a bit.

The man's face went pale when he saw the mercenary's face.

"B-Bankotsu. You're alive?" He managed to spit out and Bankotsu smirked.

"Yeah and I was just wondering if you could give us a room?"

The elderly man gave a quick bow. "Of course I can, I'll show you to it."

Sango was surprised. Bankotsu must had done a number on this man back then to have him so terrified.

Jakotsu jogged up beside Bankotsu and whispered into his ear.

"Are we going to kill the old fart this time, Oo-aniki?"

Bankotsu shrugged. "Depends how well he treats us."

"Here it is." The man said as he open the sliding door, revealing an astonishing room with a great view of Mt. Hakurai.

"This will do nicely." Bankotsu decided and then he gave the old man a killing stare. "Now, get out of here before I kill you!"

The man scrambled out of his view, seeming to run faster than lightning itself.

i've been wanting to update this one for a long time cuz its one of my favs :):)!! PLEASE R&R!!