Chapter Seven: The Betrayal

It was a starry night, peaceful and filled with a tranquility which belied the war-torn land. The Band of Seven had made their camp by a lake, and Inuyasha was on watch. Kyokotsu and Ginkotsu were sleeping some ways beyond the light of the campfire. Mukotsu, Bankotsu, and Renkotsu were all asleep closer to the fire. The half-demon made his way away from his friends. Jakotsu was sitting at the edge of the grassy hilltop, staring up at the stars. Inuyasha sat down beside him.

'So I just realized something about our group.' said Jakotsu, not looking at him.

'Yeah, what is it?' asked Inuyasha.

'Bankotsu, Ginkotsu, Renkotsu, Mukotsu, Kyokotsu, Jakotsu, and Inuyasha.' said Jakotsu, rattling off their names. 'You're the odd one out.'

'Yeah well,' said Inuyasha, 'I'm used to it. I never belonged anywhere until I joined you guys really.'

'Why did you have to go and ruin it then?' asked Jakotsu.

'What do you mean?' snapped Inuyasha.

'Well we only needed one kotsu more to complete a whole team based on the name.' said Jakotsu. 'But then we recruited you, and the whole thing fell apart.'

'Alright hold on.' said Inuyasha. 'I was the first person you recruited anyway. So there was no way you could have known everyone else would have kotsu in their name. Two, it's a stupid gimmick.'

'Yeah, I guess.' Jakotsu and Inuyasha looked up at the stars for a long time. Then after a moment Jakotsu turned and reached out to began fiddling with Inuyasha's ears.

'Hey stop it!' snapped Inuyasha, warding him off.

'Sorry, it's just I've wanted to cut them off for over a year now.' said Jakotsu wistfully, even as he withdrew his hands. 'This is nice too though.'

'Jakotsu, has anyone ever told you that you are a sick person?' asked Inuyasha in resigned irritation.

'Yeah,' said Jakotsu, 'it's a regular epidemic with us. I think we're all a little sick inside.'

'Remind me why I'm still here then?' asked Inuyasha, already knowing his answer.

'Because you're one of us.' said Jakotsu.

'Yeah,' said Inuyasha, 'I guess I am.'

They passed the rest of the night in silence. Jakotsu leaned back and fell asleep while watching the skies above. Only then did Inuyasha allow himself to smile. Overhead the stars remained beautiful.

A breeze ran through the grass, sending yellow flowers swaying in the wind. Amidst this the sister of Kikyo, Kaede, rushed through the trees, black hair flowing behind her. Such was her haste that Kaede did not stop to admire the fields around her. Nor did she see the sun which lit all the world in a delightfully warm day.

'Sister Kikyo, Sister Kikyo where are you?!' Her voice held a note of desperation in it. Their parents were long since gone to sickness, and Kikyo remained her only family.

She found Kikyo standing amidst a circle of stones. Her dark hair was flowing around her pale skin as she held her bow in an idle grip. Kikyo glanced back to see her approaching, holding no expression. The priestess had brown eyes, which Kaede had been told she had to match.

'Sister Kikyo!' she cried again.

'Stand back Kaede,' said Kikyo in a stern tone.

It was then that Kaede saw the second figure, standing in the shadow of one of the stones. She was lovely, but in a different way from Kikyo. She was elegant, appearing almost as nobility, though she held a sword in her hand. Kaede recognized her, for she and Kikyo had made way for her on the road once before. It was Tsubaki, one of Kikyo's fellow priestesses.

Tsubaki made her way forward, then halted to glance to Kaede. 'That young girl, I assume she must be your little sister.'

Kikyo did not respond, and soon a vortex of dark power appeared in the skies above. Kikyo and Tsubaki glanced up to where the vortex churned, tensing noticeably. 'You may wish to think twice about this,' said Tsubaki, 'I am perfectly capable of handling it alone. Go with your sister and take cover.'

So Kikyo and Tsubaki must have sensed the same power, and gone to face it. Which meant Kaede was just going to be in the way. A stinging sense ran through her as she watched them there, elegant and powerful.

'Don't worry about us,' replied Kikyo,

'How typical of you.' reflected Tsubaki. 'Your own sister may be in danger, and yet you refuse to back down and take protection.'

Even as they spoke a swarm of snakelike demons emerged growling and snarling into the open air. They descended quickly, rushing at Tsubaki and Kikyo with hostile intent. One of them snaked towards Kaede, who rushed to hide behind a rock as the battle began! One of the beasts rushed towards Kaede; maw opened wide. Kaede covered her face with her hands and waited for the end to come. It never did, for an arrow launched from Kikyo's bow slew the creature, which shattered into pieces.

Another creature which charged Kikyo suffered a similar fate. Kikyo fired arrow after arrow, destroying everything in sight. So the battle continued.


Tsubaki had to admit that she had something of an obsession with Kikyo. When they had been trained at the temple, they had been rivals, and Tsubaki had striven to defeat her. She hacked and slashed the demons around her, fighting back to back with Kikyo. Tsubaki reflected that her obsession had not waned.

'You are a cold woman indeed, Kikyo!' proclaimed Tsubaki as she slashed everything in sight. 'No, you are not a woman. You are a priestess.'

Loosing another arrow she slew another demon.


From where she watched behind a rock, Kaede decided that someday she wanted to be like Kikyo, her sister. A priestess, and a powerful one at that. Yet another creature, a spider crawled up onto the body of one of its slain minions. It had been summoning the beasts in order to devour them and become greater than it was. Yet its plans had been foiled here.

'Curse you,' he said, 'this is not over. Not by a long shot.'

It had been entertaining working with Kikyo, reflected Tsubaki. As they departed the village, she realized that her desire for Kikyo was one-sided. Tsubaki stewed over this and reflected that it was unlikely that they would meet again. There were many villages within Japan in need of a Priestess. And it was all too likely that one or both of them might die in battle. Or, as was also possible, Kikyo might settle down with a man. It was a definite possibility with her beauty. The idea of someone else marrying Kikyo made Tsubaki very angry for some reason. She wouldn't have any such problems.

'Are you certain you don't want a reward for your troubles?' asked Tsubaki, not letting a hint of her inner thoughts show in her voice.

'Yes,' said Kikyo, 'keep it for yourself Tsubaki.' How much was she aware?

'Very well then,' said Tsubaki, 'I accept your kindness.' Then, halting, a thought occurred. 'Kikyo, let me give you a piece of advice, from one Priestess to another. When a Priestess abandons all feelings they attain their true power. Then again… its only natural for a woman to fall in love.'

Kikyo glanced back in amusement. 'Fall in love?' she asked. 'You think I would fall in love?'

Oh yes, she definitely knew and was taunting Tsubaki with it. The idea of being jilted only made the curse she now cast more satisfying. 'Mark my words,' said Tsubaki, before summoning her power, 'you must not fall in love. You must never allow any man to desire you, for if you do meet such a man, you will die a violent death.'

If Kikyo grasped her meaning, which Tsubaki was sure she did, she did not show it. She smiled and allowed her features to relax, before turning away. 'I'll keep that in mind.' Then she and Kaede continued on their way.

Tsubaki allowed a small smile to come to her features. She'd killed a lot of demons with her arch rival. She'd made a great deal of money in the process, and ensured that if she couldn't have Kikyo no one could. It had been a good day.

It had happened so quickly, without any warning. It had taken every ounce of self-control Kikyo had to not break her front. To give Tsubaki the satisfaction of seeing her shock. She'd been aware of Tsubaki's unhealthy fixation upon her. Longer perhaps then even Tsubaki. Yet she'd never expected her to act so quickly, and with so little provocation. One moment they had been entirely civil, almost friendly, and then Tsubaki had cursed her.

'Tsubaki is unscrupulous, I'll say that much for her.' said Kikyo, keeping how much she was disturbed out of her voice. 'That was a curse she just placed on me, Kaede.'

'A curse?' asked Kaede, sounding concerned.

'Its okay,' said Kikyo, as much to reassure herself as Kaede, 'there is nothing to worry about. If there is one thing I'm sure of its that I'll never fall in love.'


Sometime later, after many adventures, the group journeyed through a wasteland. There were many rocky outcroppings. The heat was blistering, and they saw no sign of action for the longest time. Then, as the sun was waning before them. Then a great host of samurai appeared over the hill and descended upon them. They were hostile.

Jakotsu slashed through them with his sword, as Inuyasha tore them apart with his hands. Kyokotsu crushed them with his size, even as Renkotsu burned them with his fiery breath. Mukotsu poisoned them en masse, as Ginkotsu's buzz saws tore them to shreds. Bankotsu himself slew many. He cleaved the leaders head from his shoulders with one blow.

And in the end when the last enemy fell the Band of Seven stood victorious.

Then they continued as if nothing had happened. It was all too simple, and something about the situation didn't seem right to Inuyasha. 'Hey, does anyone have any idea as to why an army of samurai just charged us right out of nowhere and tried to kill us?'

'Don't know, don't care.' admitted Bankotsu.

'Haven't you ever heard the expression about not looking a gift horse in the mouth?' asked Jakotsu.

'It does seem odd,' admitted Renkotsu, the sole voice of reason. 'perhaps one of the Lords whose army we defeated wants revenge.'

'I told you I didn't really care, didn't I?' asked Bankotsu. 'Look what's the big deal? We killed the army. Evil plan foiled, we are victorious. Let's not go crazy getting worked up over nothing. Besides, I've got a job all lined up for us, one that should be entertaining for all involved.'

That satisfied just about everyone, and they pressed on northward. They found themselves walking through a pleasant forest. The trees on either side were full and healthy, and they pressed onward at an easy gait. 'That last battle was a lot of fun wasn't it?' blurted Jakotsu, brimming with energy.

'I guess.' said Inuyasha.

'Grraa.' put in Ginkotsu, unusually talkative.

'Maybe this next job will be just as enjoyable.' suggested Jakotsu.

'Maybe,' agreed Renkotsu, 'what do you think Big Brother?'

'Will it be fun?' Jakotsu pressed him.

'Yes,' said Bankotsu, 'I rather think it will be.' He paused as they came to a gap in the trees which revealed a fortress standing above them. 'Look there, the castle.'

The castle was built with its back to a cliff and was surrounded on one side by cliffs. Such a mighty fortification would no doubt make it a challenging position to attack. The Band of Seven made their way up to the gates and entered to stand flanked on either side by guards. Inuyasha glanced warily about him. Something about the situation was bugging him. A masked man clad in black armor came forward, and Bankotsu walked forward to meet him halfway.

'So who is this guy?' asked Jakotsu.

'He's the general of the samurai of this castle.' said Renkotsu.

'Your kidding.' said Jakotsu, sounding disappointed. 'Isn't the Lord himself going to appear?'

'My Lord wants you to attack a certain village in the eastern lands.' said the General.

'As an advance team?' surmised Bankotsu.

'If the Band of Seven is as good as the rumors say it should be no problem.' stated the General.

'If you meet our price.' said Bankotsu.

'My Lord has instructed me to pay whatever you demand.' said the Samurai.

'Then we accept.' said Bankotsu.

Bankotsu's price was far higher than anything the Band of Seven had been paid before. It was more than ten times their normal rates and would be crippling for even the wealthiest Lord.

'Of course.' stated the General. 'As we said, any price.'

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. He'd known something was up.

As they departed the castle and began heading east, he approached Bankotsu. 'Bankotsu, something is wrong here.' he repeated his thoughts. 'That General didn't even blink at your price. He's up to something.'

'What are you scared of samurai now?' asked Bankotsu. 'That doesn't seem like you, Inuyasha.'

'I'm not afraid.' said Inuyasha. 'I just think we should be careful.'

'Relax will ya?' said Bankotsu. 'There is no way that General can take us, even with his entire army. If he tries to cheat us, the Band of Seven will make an example of him.'

'Yeah,' said Inuyasha doubtfully, 'I'll bet.'

They set out at once and traversed onwards towards their destination. The village was far larger than they had expected. It was guarded by a small force of soldiers, hardly a challenge in truth.

'Take that!' cried Jakotsu as he slashed apart a number of guards. Their blood spilled over the ground. Their hacked off limbs hit the ground alongside broken weapons.

Mukotsu unleashed his poison upon a swarm of soldiers, laughing as he did it. They clutched their eyes as their complexion became dark and looks of horror came to their faces. Kyokotsu smashed aside a line of the defenders with an inhuman grin upon his face. Bones were shattered, and skulls crushed. Renkotsu breathed his fire drink upon a swath of them, consuming them in flames. Their skin was blackened and charred when he was done. Renkotsu breathed even more of it afterward, starting a fire in one of the houses.

Inuyasha for his part, couldn't get into the spirit of things as he knocked out the several soldiers he had faced. This fight wasn't even fair. Something was very wrong here. Later on, Bankotsu and his team were assembled beneath the shade of a cliff face. Inuyasha didn't like it, for it felt too exposed.

'That was easy.' said Bankotsu with a laugh as he sat on a rock.

'It was over much too quickly.' noted Jakotsu.

'Yes,' agreed Ginkotsu, 'no kidding.'

'These pathetic Lords and their warriors are no match for the Band of Seven.' noted Jakotsu.

'Tell me Big Brother.' said Renkotsu. 'Don't you think it is about time that we found a castle of our own to become Lords and masters of. Think of it; you could even become Shogun.'

Bankotsu contemplated it for a moment, chewing a leaf in his mouth. 'I think it would be too much trouble.' That got a hearty laugh from the group; everyone seemed in a good mood. That just caused Inuyasha to stare more intently at the ground.

'What about you, Renkotsu?' asked Bankotsu. 'Do you want to become a Lord or Shogun?'

'No, Big Brother,' said Renkotsu, 'I think you'd be far better suited than I.'

'Hey I'll even help you if you want me to.' said Bankotsu, removing the leaf from his mouth. 'My own ambition is simply to kill as many people as humanly possible.' He threw the leaf away. 'Now that excites me.'

'Yeah…' said Jakotsu, 'what a turn on!'

'We should leave. Now.' said Inuyasha in a low tone.

They looked up in surprise. 'What's the big deal, Inuyasha?' asked Bankotsu.

'Yeah, why the long face?' asked Jakotsu.

'Haven't you guys felt anything off about this mission?' asked Inuyasha. 'Didn't that village seem a little pitiful compared to our usual assignments.'

'What's your point?' asked Renkotsu.

'The General didn't need us to take that village.' said Inuyasha. 'He could have taken it on his own. So why the hell would he agree to pay us any price? And then put up with a price so outrageous that even the richest Lord would be made bankrupt by it.' Something occurred to him, an idle curiosity which incensed his paranoia. 'Renkotsu, how much fire do you have left?'

'I… may have gotten carried away.' admitted Renkotsu. 'I used it all up.'

'Mukotsu, what about your poison?' asked Inuyasha.

'I'm all out I'm afraid.' said Mukotsu.

'Ginkotsu, your ammunition?'

'All out.' said Ginkotsu.

Inuyasha looked up, a smell coming to his nostrils. 'There are soldiers approaching us.'

'Well we are the advance team.' said Bankotsu.

'From all sides except the south!' snapped Inuyasha. 'Bankotsu, you said you trusted my judgment once. Well trust it now, and let's get the hell out of here before we're hemmed in!'

There was silence for a moment. It was not in Bankotsu's nature to back down from a confrontation, even if it was the only way to survive. Yet now the rest of the Band were looking unsteady. '…Alright fine,' said Bankotsu, 'let's move everyone. If you're wrong about this, though, and we lose our payment I'm taking it out of your share.'

The group sped away from the cliffside. And not a moment too soon. They had hardly gotten half a mile before a host of soldiers bearing blue banners rushed out of the trees. Jakotsu rose up, hoisting his sword.

'It just looks like more of the guys we fought before.' said Jakotsu.

'Keep running!' snapped Inuyasha. 'They are only the first wave!'

His words proved prophetic. A contingent of archers rushed up to line the hill, guarded by the black masked general. Other forces clad in green and violet came on other sides. Had they not retreated when they had, they would have been surrounded on all sides but one. A last desperate race then ensued, as the twanging of thousands of bows were launched at them.

The arrows arced through the sky, falling down towards them. Yet they fell short of their mark, and the Band of Seven fled away. The samurai pursued. But they found themselves unable to keep up and maintain their formation. The black masked general rallied his forces and pulled them back. Even so, the Band of Seven did not stop running, until they were sweating from exertion and red of face. The near miss had spooked them badly. At last, they stopped to rest upon a hill, where they stood exhausted.

'That…' Bankotsu breathed heavily. 'that was close.'

'What happened?' asked Jakotsu, not fully comprehending. 'Why did we run?'

'Because we were out of ammunition, and sitting ducks in a disadvantageous position.' stated Inuyasha 'We got cocky, and wasted all our ranged power on that village and the army before it. We have to be more careful in the future.'

'Those Lords,' said Renkotsu 'they were from many different factions.'

'So the Lords have united against us?' asked Mukotsu. 'Why should they do that?'

'Because we're too bloodthirsty,' said Inuyasha 'and because most of us are human.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' asked Jakotsu.

'Inuyasha is right.' said Renkotsu. 'Think about it, when a demon wipes out an entire army of samurai no one takes it seriously. But we're not demons. We're only human.'

'Yeah, but we slaughter just as many armies as any demon.' noted Jakotsu. 'Why should it matter?'

'Because when we mere mortals slaughter them en masse, we make the samurai look like a joke.' said Renkotsu. 'It undermines their credibility.'

'He's right.' said Inuyasha. 'And we've gone out of our way to provoke and make fools of the samurai. Now they hate us more than they hate each other.'

A silence now fell over the group, as their gaze all soon turned to Bankotsu, expecting some kind of response. Bankotsu remained totally silent, Banryu stuck into the ground before him. Eyes distant. Finally, he stood up. 'You know what Inuyasha, you're right.' he said, standing up. 'It's about time we took off the kid gloves.' He drew up Banryu and set it on his shoulder. 'Mukotsu how long until you can restock your arsenals?'

'I need to gather herbs that grow mostly in swampy regions.' said Mukotsu. 'Once I have enough of those, I have everything I need to make plenty of poison.'

'Fine, Renkotsu, what about you and Ginkotsu?'

'I have all the materials I need for more gunpowder in my cave.' said Renkotsu. 'I just need to get back there.'

'Great,' said Bankotsu, 'alright Renkotsu you and Ginkotsu will restock your equipment. Mukotsu, take Kyokotsu for a guard and get what you need. Jakotsu, Inuyasha and I will deal with anyone who tries to pursue you.'

'Understood Big Brother.' said Renkotsu. 'We'll be back soon enough.'

'This should prove a simple matter.' said Mukotsu. 'Yet I would like to know what we mean to do once we have restocked?'

'Isn't it obvious?' asked Bankotsu. 'We're gonna make an example of the masked general. No one betrays the Band of Seven and gets away with it. Now get going!'

Mukotsu and Renkotsu's groups disappeared into the woods. Now the group seemed somehow diminished. Jakotsu looked around at the forests, in an uncharacteristically melancholy appearance. Bankotsu stood with his back to them, watching Renkotsu and Mukotsu fade into the terrain. Inuyasha sniffed at the air, a scent coming to his nostrils. 'Bankotsu,' he said, 'there is a group of three soldiers heading towards us. They are tracking us. If they report we've split up we're in trouble.' Yet Bankotsu did not immediately reply. Inuyasha turned to Jakotsu. 'Jakotsu, take care of them.'

'As you wish.' said Jakotsu before stalking into the trees.

There was a sound of screams and then utter silence.

'Are you alright?' asked Inuyasha of Bankotsu.

'Nothing is the same anymore.' said Bankotsu bitterly.

The Band of Seven were too dangerous to be allowed to exist, even in this age of war. That was why the Lords had united as one to take them out. That was why the trap had been laid. Yet their demon pet had warned them away, smelled them coming. Now they had lost their last, best chance to take them out.

'General,' said a soldier, 'our scouts tracking the Band of Seven have not reported back.'

'I see,' said the General, 'that was to be expected. The Band of Seven will not simply leave. They will return, and I mean to be ready to face them when they do. Send runners to all the Lords of all the places the Band of Seven have visited! Tell them their chance for vengeance is now!'

'What of the demon, milord?'

'They have a powerful demon in their pay,' said the General, 'so we will hire demon slayers.'


Authors Note:

Well, the betrayal finally happened. And hey, the Band of Seven are still alive. In my first draft the Band of Seven just got ambushed like in canon, but really, where is the fun in that? Maybe the Band of Seven have only delayed the inevitable here. Or perhaps the destiny of Inuyasha has changed more than we expected.

Oh and Kikyo makes her first appearance, in what is a scene more or less ripped straight from the canon story.

What will happen?

Find out next time, on Inuyasha of the Band of Seven.