Bankotsu: The Turning Point

"Bankotsu!"

The young boy turned around in time to receive a punch to the face. "You're leaving yourself open for attack" Mitaru corrected.

Bankotsu wiped the blood from his lip, slightly annoyed, and rose from the ground. Training had become tougher since the conversation with his mother 2 weeks ago. Usually his training involved minor practice with his martial arts and some minor calisthenics. He never realized how weak he actually was before he started his mothers "new" training and this angered him.

He rushed Mitaru impatiently, and she gently moved to the side. She grabbed his collar and threw him back to the ground. She sighed, " I believe I've gone over this with you before on more then one occasion"

He panted rising to his knees. His mother continued; her voice was clear and calm, everything she said was properly pronounced in a soft slow tone. She seemed incapable of raising her voice. "You can not simply count on your strength as it is now. Rushing in…"

He interrupted impatiently "…blindly is a fool tactic. I know you've said it before, and I still don't know what the hell you're talking about"

While he rarely got upset, being reminded of his mortality was enough to anger the young child. His mother shot him a dirty look for his language. He responded with a innocent/sorry face.

"Wildly using your strength without control will never bring you to victory" Mitaru knelt to be eye level with her son and dipped part of her sleeve in the river. She wiped the dirt off his face. He gave an annoyed stance in response, "what!?" he asked confused.

"That's what that means" Mitaru smirked. Bankotsu looked towards the river as his mother placed her arms around him. Mitaru spoke in a soft voice, "Some are born with demonic powers, some with spiritual, and some people, such as myself, are born with the power of the Divine…"

Bankotsu tightened slightly while listening. He stared at his reflection as his mother continued.

"…But Bankotsu" she smiled, "you were not born with such gifts, and because of that you can strengthen yourself to surpass the limits of those who were" she turned her head to look into his eyes, "It will just take you a little longer"

He sighed and allowed himself to fall to his mother for comfort. She held his head, "You are still young and I know learning this know is hard, but I have faith in your resolve Bankotsu"

_____________________________________

Throughout the years Bankotsu trained with Mitaru in hopes of becoming as strong as his mother promised him he could be. She had taught him everything she had known about fighting, their people's history, and lessons she had held in high regards throughout her life. Every so often Bankotsu would try to lift his fathers halberd and every time he was able to lift it a little more and more.

Then at the age of 16 Mitaru had given him beautiful armor made of white ivory, and blue sapphire mixed in with her own divine powers for extra strength (It was the same as his regular armor only it had two shoulder guards on it).

After one particular night of rigorous training the young sixteen year old laid in his bed only wearing his kimono pants which were rolled up past his knees. He let his hair out of his braid and let his long flowing black hair fall down over his tanned back and chest. He had placed warm rags over his aching knees and neck.

"Damn, knees" he sighed. He placed his leg on the bed with his knee up and poked it in agitation, wincing with every poke.

"knock, knock"

"Huh?" Bankotsu looked over to his mother standing in the doorway. "Oh, hey mom. What's going on" his childish quirky voice had taken effect (the one he usually has).

"Tough today?" she smiled while leaning on the doorway. He smiled and slid over for his mother to sit down, "Heh, not as bad as you usually throw it on" he closed his eyes and shrugged, "But, I guess it was okay"

She took a seat next to her son, "Well then my only alternative is to make tomorrow's training harder" she playfully rubbed his head.

"I'd be looking forward to it if it weren't my day off" he smirked. She placed a fisted hand gently on her open palm and gave a small "Oh!?" she smiled at her son, " It must have slipped my mind I suppose. The next day then" she gave him a small peck on his cheek and rose to leave.

"Hey, mom?" his head was turned facing the open door leading to the outside.

"Yes what is it" she turned around with both hands placed in her sleeves.

"I asked you why we left the village one night, do you remember?"

"yes, I remember"

He took a second to think of how to phrase his next question, " I should have asked you why they wanted us to leave"

His bright blue eyes turned to look at his mother awaiting an answer. She gave a sigh, "If I recall I spoke to you about the fear in humans, didn't I?"

He gave a small nod as she continued, "Well what I told you was the truth, but I assume that you want more details" her eyes also fell to the outside, "During the demon attack on our old Divine village I was in labor. All of our people were killed and your father sacrificed himself for us to live by fending off the demons while we escaped. I was found unconscious in the forest by a priest. Luckily he had purified the demons who pursued me. I was safe and then able to give birth to you."

"Well it sounds like everything was going fine, what happened?"

"Well…" she sat back down knowing how long the story was going to be, "…the villagers began to talk, and….Well…they had convinced themselves that we were demons" she gave a sad sigh. She turned to her son, as she relayed the story, "the day it had happened you were so small….."

__________________

A loud pounding was heard, It sounded like footsteps. Mitaru rose and slid open the door to find a middle aged bald man riding over on a brown horse. He wore a long and elegant robe of gold and purple. "Head priest Izomaru? is everything alright?" Mitaru stared as the priest jumped off the horse and ran over to her. "Mi…taru…" he panted. She looked at the older man slightly confused, "yes, what is it?"

"I can no longer keep them at bay"

Her face grew serious and she rushed him inside, "What is it? Demons?"

Bankotsu was seen in the corner staring at some ants who crawled by; a smile on his little face. Izomaru shook his head, "No! not demons, the villagers. You live high on this mountain. It will take awhile before they arrive, at least long enough for you and the boy to run" he placed his hand on Mitaru's shoulders.

"I'm confused" she looked at Bankotsu who ran over to her and continued, "why would they attack…"

He shook his head "…they blame the crops dying and the mysterious deaths of the young girls on you"

"That's ridiculous! Izomaru you were with me when I sealed that demon with my Divine Powers"

He nodded "yes Mitaru I know, and I've tried to explain that to the villagers, but now they think that I have become bewitched by you"

She looked at her young son who clenched her kimono, "and where would I go Izomaru? Where do I take my child?" she spoke desperately, stubbornly.

"Listen to me, I know you are neither Demon nor Mortal Mitaru, but the humans of this world won't listen to reason when they're this terrified. I merely came to warn you. Now please listen to me and leave"

She nodded she knew that he was right, "yes, I understand. When?"

"You have to leave as soon as…" his words were cut short as he fell to the floor.

"IZOMARU?!" she yelled as she knelt to the floor; seeing the arrow in his back. The one who shot it was an uglier younger man in his late 20's, "He betrayed us…" he looked at the other villagers for approval, "…and was being controlled by this she-devil, did you all see it?"

All the men nodded half in fear half in amusement. Mitaru rose and placed her son behind her, "why?……How can you do this?" she stopped, and looked down to see the priest holding her kimono on the floor.

"Please…Mitaru…" he coughed straining to speak, "don't hurt them…they just fear…what they don't understand" a tear ran down his face.

"Izomaru…" she smiled and placed her hand on his back, "…rest in peace my friend. I will not hurt anyone in this village'" he found belief in these words and closed his eyes………………

_____________________________

"I believe you recall the rest Bankotsu" Mitaru finished.

He nodded, "yeah more or less I guess" he removed the rags off his knees and neck throwing them in the tub. She watched her son's movements somehow understanding his thoughts. She grabbed his arm turning him around, "look at me Bankotsu, not every human is like that, you are not like that"

He looked away unconvinced. "Bankotsu!…" her voice grew more serious, "…weak humans killed Izomaru, and weak humans tried to kill us"

"Heh," he gave a small smirk as he faced her, "In my opinion all humans are weak" he spoke in a dark and smug tone, "So then, why should I waste my life protecting them?"

The question had sent her slightly aback and she hesitated to answer, "…You were born different. Yes, you are mortal but you have surpassed the strength of any human, and because of that you should help those who are weaker then you…"

"Life is short for me" he said slightly angry. He turned to his mother with a smug smirk on his face, and a passionate gleam in his eye, "So I'm going to spend it doing what I want, and besides they wouldn't do the same for us would they?"

He looked at his mother, and when she didn't answer he laid on his bed, smiling in his calm, happy, stress free, uncaring way, " I'm not going to waste my time like you did, if that's what you're thinking" he placed his hands behind his head, "I'm sickened by how stupid they are. They actually thought that they could beat you or any real demon?" he started to give a soft chuckle.

Mitaru stood to leave. She stopped, and turned her head back slightly, "They are weak Bankotsu, that is true, but you should remember that their fear and their weakness is linked to their mortality"

He stopped his laughing and turned to his mother. He looked at her with a perfectly dumbfounded expression, "yeah, so what?"

She turned and faced him at the doorway, "…humans are scared of death, of dying, and of their own mortality"

He looked at her with his mouth slightly open, "…why the hell should I care?"

She grew slightly angry at her sons ignorance, "Because…" she spoke sternly "…mortality is something that you share with them. You should learn to be more sympathetic towards humans."

He gave a small "Heh" and turned to his other side to sleep, his back facing her. Mitaru turned and left. For the first time she was in worry of her son's future.

"It's not just humans either…" Bankotsu thought to himself, "most demons are the same too. They're all idiots motivated by greed…" he rolled to his other side a gave a yawn, "not one that I've fought really deserved to live"

He slowly closed his big blue eyes and started to fall asleep. One fact would always ring true in life. Strength was the means of survival, and the weak didn't stand a chance nor did they deserve it.

_____________________________________

I hope you guys are enjoying this story. I'll get the next chapter out soon. Please feel free to send me some of your thoughts on the story. I'd appreciate it.

Much Love, Merky15