Chapter 1: A look Inside the Life of the Mercenary

( about 5 moons previous 2 the prolouge)

Bankotsu had awoken, and he was cold.

There was nothing but fear, hate and hints of death migling in the air. No warmth whatsoever.

He thought it had been cold before, but never like this. The comforting presence of Mt. Hakurei was desolved. It was just a cold heap of rubble, one that dirived no warmth. No heat. No comfort.

It was all gone.

Bankotsu got up and called for his team.

"Jakotsu!"

His best friend's voice did not answer.

"Renkotsu!"

Where were they? They should be with their leader, not as far away apart as they could be. Bankotsu heaved himself up with huge effort and many groans of pain. The armor-clad boy called again for his missing team.

He was abandoned. Did they know? Had they found out about the hanyou and his last meeting?

Bankotsu's bare feet crunched an object laying on the grey-black soil. It was blue, a misty, foggy blue with a butterfly in flight on the rounded part of the sphere. Instead of sadness, Bankotsu felt anger. Jakotsu's hairpin.

Thats right!

They died! There all dead! But that stupid half-breed...he saved me...why? Holy shit, I'm thinking about him again. Danm Hanyou, fuck it all!

Bankotsu never bother to think if the half breed was fond of him in any way or if it was a ploy to make Bankotsu trust him, but Inuyasha had perpously avoided killing his enemy Bankotsu, himself... as they were clashing blades in Mt. Hakurei, he had lived.

It was the wretched Naraku who had tryed to kill him, taking his life-sustaining jewl shards.

But Bankotsu had noticed he had not taken his shard of the Shikon Jewl, reducing him to bones like the others of his army. He had let Bankotsu go before befalling him to unconciousness, and Bankotsu did not witness Mt. Hakurei's demise to Naraku's transformation.

He suddenly remembered the third incounter with Inuyasha, and he felt him self missing the half-demon, and at that thought he felt disgusted with himself. His teeth clattered and shivered. Snow began to fall. He rememberd Inuyasha and felt a flood of warmth. He didn't try to push it away.

There he had been, Inuyasha was half-heartedly ready to kill him, Banryu and Tetsauigia cast aside and Bankotsu and Inuyasha incredably worn and tattered.

Bankotsu's back was barely-clad and his enemy was in slightly better shape. Bankotsu had but one shard left in his bloody neck. Inuyasha's face was contorted into a feirce snarl but Inuyasha harshly accepted that the snarl was a mask for his sympathy for the young mercenary. He could see pain in his eyes and the blood of his opponent gleaming on his blade. He felt dredful of that fact he had to fight Bankotsu, but if his teammates ever found that he had decided he liked, maby more than liked, that mecenary, there would be hell to pay, and they would never fogive him. Bankotsu was, after all, a evil, blood thirsty demon in a human body. But Inuyasha shamfully felt a liking for the powerful warrior.

Inuyasha charged to the warrior, fist drawn back in furry, and blood stained his red topshirt, seeping all over his kimono. Bankotsu pulled up his sleeve, ready to face him, but Bankotsu was paler now and one attack was all he could withstand.

"Die, you Bastard!" Bankotsu spat, but his vioce was alot lighter and shakier than it should have been. He drew back.

"We'll see about that!" The Inu-youkai retorted.

But Inuyasha's body couldn't take the pressing battle. He stumbled twards the warrior, but his attempts to stop himself were futile. Bankotsu landed on the ground first, Inuyasha ontop of him. Bankotsu blushed deeply, face almost crimson, and noted his tough guy exterior was in jepardy. But Bankotsu couldn't help himself from blushing...alot.

Kagome didn't know wether to crack up, or throw up. Miroku and Sango turned away, half chuckling, half sick.

Inuyasha broke away from Bankotsu and stared down at the boy. And with sweat beading on his forehead, and Bankotsu still on the floor of the earth, wiping his mouth, Inuyasha reliezed he was putting himself in danger of being found out he had feelings for Bankotsu. He scrambled off the man lying on the ground.

"Fucking half-breed!" Bankotsu hissed, not knowing if he ment it or not. "That was my first kiss! It was wasted on YOU!"

"Like I care, stupid piece of shit!" Inuyasha barked before turning to his gang and getting as far away from Bankotsu as possible. He didn't want anyone...anyone...knowing he enjoyed that kiss.

Bankotsu felt weary and tired, and the memory was now his only sorce of warmth.

And even the hope that it would ever happen again was growing thin by the second.

The snow was coming heavier and he harbored wounds from Naraku's tentacles in his side and over his back and chest.

He was breathing heavy; if he didn't find shelter soon, he would freeze from hypothermia.

Bankotsu wanted nothing more than to be next to a cirtain hanyou, but he couldn't betray himself to shallow emotions. He coughed up blood and he throut was awfully sore; he was also incredibly nautious.

"Why the hanyou who tries to kill me? Why do I think about him?"

Bankotsu noted he should be dead, but it was because of the half-breed that he was breathing again.

Bankotsu had only knew Inuyasha for about two months, and if that was enough to bring the army leader to thinking about him every spare second when he wasn't fearing for his life, the thought scared him; did Inuyasha pine to see the him? Bankotsu hardly had time to ponder. Banryu was gone, he was defenceless and wounded, not to mention bleededing profoundly. He had to leave this barren land.

Before Bankotsu could move, an errie vioce etched through his heart. It was him.

"You seem to be in quite a mess, young leader..."

Bankotsu scrambled back into the piling snow and his human heart beat became rapid and full of tention.

"Naraku you sick asshole..." he heaved at Naraku who was slowly aproching out of a cloud of black mist.

"You've become weak and usless...I should end your second life now and take back the jewl shard that is mine..."

Bankotsu gasped. But then again, he didn't have much to live for. He was wounded, possibly motaly, and he was sick and cold.

Then he remembered.

Inuyasha. The hanyou. There was a chance he could live to see him again.

Bankotsu had to hit a point with Naraku. He was now gambling with his life.

He stuttered,

"Wait...Surely you can't let all your troubles go to waste?"

Naraku stopped advancing the leader. He thought for a moment, mind racing. If he killed Bankotsu, eveything, resurecting the Shichinin-tai and letting them use his shikon jewl shards, would be a waste. Bankotsu had Naraku in his hands and Naraku knew it too. And he despised it.

"So the great Naraku's plan back fired? He was not able to kill a Hanyou?" Bankotsu tortured.

Naraku lashed out and drew a tentacle out and slashed Bankotsu with somthing that he was sure was a blade.

Hell, it felt like one. If felt like a wakisashi drenched in poison searing into his flesh.

The young boy fell to his knees, then slowly to the ground, but he did not loose consiousness. Infact, he lay on his bleeding side shaking with laughter. Laughter at the irony that he was controlling Naraku's next move.

This drove Naraku insane. He was about to attack him again, but he noted that the man would surely die with one more fierce strike of his tentacle. Naraku stole a laugh of his own. He knew where to strike, where it would hurt Bankotsu more than life-threataning moves of his tentacle.

"I could see that half-breed was fond of you Bankotsu...he even spared your life when if could have cost him his own.''

Bankotsu stopped laughing and then heaved shallow breaths.

Naraku could see he was in controll again. He loved it. The mercenary would pay.

He turned Bankotsu over with his foot. Bankotsu refused to show him his face. Naraku kicked him roughly and Bankotsu coughed up more blood. He was on the verge on death, now shaking form cold.

Naraku had conspired a plan in his mind and now he was going ot revele it to the near-death man.

"Kill the Hanyou and I'll let you live a free life."

Bankotsu turned to Naraku with tears clouding his bright-blue eyes. He had to re-create his Band of Seven. He could bring them back to life if he could controll his own. Bankotsu had to learn to live wihtout the hanyou. He knew he could. And he had to. He swallowed his greif, but still was uncirtain weather to hand his life over to Naraku, trecherous Naraku.

"It's simple Bankotsu. Befriend him"Naraku snarled through gritted teeth. "Have him trust you. Like you. Love you. He will too, because he is already fond of you, Bankotsu, he just will never show it. And then, when the five new moons have past, kill the bastard. "

Bankotsu winced in agony form his wounds yet Naraku spoke more.

"They will smell your blood and come racing to you. Then our plan shall begin. I'll see you in five moons." Naraku started fading into the darkness.

"If you survive your wounds..." He chorted.

Bankotsu was about to call out to him and tell him "No! I can't! I can't hurt him!" But he was all too wounded. Bankotsu fell into unconciousness, snow steadily falling onto his blood-stained back.

When I saw Bankotsu, I smelt death. I felt enraged.

I had never noticed the pungent smell of spice, yet it had a sweet aroma.

When he stepped near me, I would walk away from it. When He raised his sword, I lunged at him with mine.

But when he lay dying infront of me, I pushed the thick bangs from his forehead to see his sparkling blue eyes.
I should had killed him and felt nothing but hate.

But I felt somthing eles. Somthing I had never felt before, at least now this strong.

I remember what had happened the last time I had seen him, and I couldn't get it out of my head.

I stared at the Shichinin-tai leader.

I should have told him "I hate you!" and ran away.

But I didn't. I told him I loved him, and I kissed him...

Inuyasha was not more than a mile away when he smelled Naraku's stench.

His ears cocked and his nose turned up.

"What's a matter Inuyasha?" Kagome's perky vioce rang out. Inuyasha's first thought was Bankotsu. He smelled his blood in the air and it became unsettleing, more and more by the second.

"Inuyasha?" Sango chimed in. "Is the somthing wrong?''

Miroku knew he smelt somthing, and didn't feel the need to ask about it. But he gave Inuyasha a sharp look, then when Inuyasha nodded, he signaled to Miroku and Sango to hop on Kirara, as she transformed from a kitten to a beast. Inuyasha waited immpationtly for Kagome to climb on his own back so they could hurry off.
It can't be Bankotsu's blood...Inuyasha wondered as he sped. My nose must be mistaking...Inuyasha thought solemly and he raced along the darkening country side, leaping form piles and piles of deccending snow.

Kagome put her head up.

"I...I sence a..J-jewl shard!"
"What! A jewl shard!"

"Are you sure about that Kagome?" Miroku Inquired.

She nodded and pointed strait ahead.

"Headed that way, Inuyasha!" Inuyasha didn't need any directions. His heart showed him the way.

The clearing reeked of Naraku's foul odor and Inuyasha covered his sensitive nose with Kagome's sleeve, but as they started on foot, he used his own.

"Look, Inuyasha!" Shippo cried and pointed his little finger to the west of the clearing.

The source of the bloody scent, a man near death or dead, Inuyasha couldn't tell, lying face down and half-snow covered.

Inuyasha approched with caution. But the closer he came, the familliar scent wafted into his nose. He close his eyes.

Bankotsu! He could place the silky smell of sweet and spicey entwined in a heartbeat. He savored in the delicious aroma.

But what had happened? Naraku was his aly, not his enemy. Kagome stood transfixed like Miroku and Sango as Inuyasha came closer and then broke into a sprint.

Inuyasha was three feet from Bankotsu and then two.

One.

Kagome and Sango began to come forth but Miroku only unlaced the sutra beads leading to the Wind Tunnel and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Bankotsu..." Inuyasha spoke softly. Kagome looked shocked.

"That's Bankotsu?" She backed away.

"It might be a trap Inuyasha..." Sango warned.

"No, Naraku turned on him..."

"Is he alive?" Asked Miroku, edging nearer.

"...I-I don't know..."

He turned Bankotsu over so he was laying on his back facing Inuyasha with teeth clamped shut in a feirce growl. His eyes were shut so Inuyasha could not gaze opon his preciouse blue eyes that he wanted to see so much. He put a hand over Bankotsu's armored chest. He felt no heart beat.

"Kagome come quickly!" Inuyasha yelped to the miko.
She was wary. "Why would you want to help him! After all he's done? Slaughtered people...demons-"

Inuyasha cut her off. "But he needs out help...and think of him as a aly...we might be able to defete Naraku...Kagome...please."

"Well..." She thought for a moment.

"He's dying..."

"Okay fine!" The girl rushed over reluctantly and placed two fingers over the base of Bankotsu's exposed neck.

She paused. The air was deathly still..

Inuyasha could not tell or sence nor smell if his life was still there or if it had already passed.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha with a bittersweet expression.

"He's still cliging to life, but not if he spends one more second out here in the cold."

Inuyasha stared at Miroku and Sango and Kagome who was now standing with them.

"I guess..." Miroku said. "We can trust him for now."

"We can't just leave him to die..." Sango started.

Inuyasha nodded and took off his top red fire-rat coat, leaving him with only a thin white one underneath.

He blanketed it over bankotsu and took him up in his strong arms. Bankotsu started to bleed, hot crimson liquid staining

"Hurry Inuyasha! Put him on Kirara..." Sango spoke.

Inuyasha shook his head. "This will be faster and less..erm...furry...I think it would be best for Bankotsu."

Kirara scowled, but Inuyasha payed no mind. They had lodged in a mansion after Miroku had "exorcised" a demon pestering the villagers. Inuyasha would take him back to there to get rest, food, and shelter.

He stared at the bleeding boy laying silently in his arms.

"Please Bankotsu..." Inuyasha muttered. "Don't die..."