Chapter seven: Take your wife, please!
By kira
Author's notes: Thank you again to Jen, the best beta in the world! *glomps you*
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Bankotsu stood there, waiting, as a small army approached.
"Jak, do what you can to guard the princess while we go help Ban," Renkotsu said while Suikotsu tended to Jakotsu's ankle.
"But…"
"But nothing. Come on, Sui," the fire-breather said. He unhooked his flask of flammable liquid from his obi.
Suikotsu looked up at him and nodded. Turning his attention back to the cross-dresser, he said, "Try to stay off of it, Jak. Ren, go get his Jakotsutou. That should keep you both safe."
Jakotsu nodded.
"Just be sure to stay where he tells you, Hime-sama," the gentle healer added. "Otherwise you could get hurt."
"Or worse…" the cross-dresser added.
Misaki's eyes widened.
"Yup." The cross-dresser snorted in amusement. "Those bandits were nothing compared to what we could be facing, so try to stay out of trouble?" He looked up at her.
"He's right, Hime-sama. We have no idea what we're dealing with, it could turn out to be nothing, or we could all be accused of whatever marauding they were up to," Suikotsu added.
Renkotsu returned a few minutes later with Jakotsu's sword. Handing it to the cross-dresser, the younger man slipped the sheath's strap over his head and adjusted it to fit comfortably. He struggled to his feet.
"Jakotsu, sit!"
"No, Sui… I want to face this head on. I'm tired of all the shit. We're the Shichinintai, damn it! And we deserve respect! Besides, I can't take care of her if I'm sitting on my ass." He grinned.
"You could do a lot of damage to your ankle."
"And I could get killed sitting on my ass. I'm tired of being a woman, Sui. Now's the time for me to be a man."
Suikotsu shook his head.
Jakotsu looked over at the princess. "If you don't want to get hurt, stay behind me as close as you can." He bent down to tuck the end of his kimono and undergarments into his obi, before unsheathing his sword. "My Jakotsutou can strike like a snake," he purred.
Misaki nodded; her eyes wide. She stepped back to stand behind him.
The sound of the approaching army grew louder and the claw-bearer and fire-breather stepped forward to stand alongside their leader. Like Bankotsu, they stood at the ready while giving the appearance of being totally relaxed.
"Aren't you afraid?" Misaki whispered.
"A little, I'd be a fool if I wasn't. If you're frightened, whatever you do stay close… As annoying as you are, Aniki-chan would have my head if anything happened to you. Now shut up and shadow me."
"Fine!" she snapped, showing a bit of the fire in her spirit.
Jakotsu snorted in amusement.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing…"
Misaki huffed. She was still frightened, and after all the time she had spent in the cross-dresser's company, she knew he'd let her die if he could. The sound of a horse whinnying had her pressed up against his back and her eyes closed as she gripped his shoulders tightly.
"Get off me, you idiot!" Jakotsu hissed. "I can't fight with you holding onto me like that! Shit! You're a useless bitch! Whatever happened to the brave fool who took on those bandits with a stick?" She was just here…So where'd she go?
Misaki slowly let go and stepped back a step. "She's still here…"
"Good."
She heard the amusement in his voice.
"You want to be a man, now's your chance."
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Bankotsu stood his ground as the army approached. He grinned cockily as one of the men dismounted. Swords hanging by his hip, the man, who looked to be around Renkotsu's age, led his horse as he strode confidently towards them.
"Who are you?"
"Bankotsu of the Shichinintai. You?"
"Hikaru of the Ito clan."
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"Jakotsu-sama?"
"What?"
"My betrothed's name is Hikaru. I wonder if that's him…"
"Yeah?"
"Yes…"
"How you can be sure that's him? I thought you haven't seen him in years."
"I haven't, but I do know he has a scar on his right cheek. He got it while playing in the garden with me. I remember he screamed like they were killing him when his father's army surgeon stitched it up. They used to say it healed ugly to remind him of the time he cried like a baby, instead of taking it like a man."
"And now he's leading an army? Amazing…"
"Hikaru always was…" She sighed.
"Indeed…" Jakotsu shrugged.
"I know if I saw him, I could tell if it was him or not."
"I don't know…"
"Please, Jakotsu-sama," Misaki pleaded.
"You sure you want to greet him dressed like that?"
"Yes." He's going to see me anyway, if that's not him and I make it out of here alive…
The cross-dresser shrugged. "Oo-Aniki!" he called out. "'Jakotsu' says he might know the leader of that army!"
"He does, does he?"
"Yeah! I think 'he' nookied with him a while ago!"
"I did not!" Misaki hissed.
"Shut up!" Jakotsu hissed back at her. "Just stick close and follow me, useless bitch."
Misaki glared at him but said nothing. As he limped forward, she followed. When they reached Bankotsu, he beckoned her to him.
"Is that the man you know?"
"He's got a scar on cheek, but it's hard to tell with his helmet on."
"He's not going to take it off, only a fool would."
"Oh… then I don't know."
Hikaru watched their exchange, frowning. There was something odd about the man they called Jakotsu, and even stranger, the whore they had with them looked more battle ready than he did. Hikaru knew if they had met, he would not be likely to forget him and yet, he wondered as he did seem vaguely familiar. His horse, sensing his unease, whinnied. Hikaru rubbed its nose and sighed. "This is all a waste of time. Daisuke-san, let's round them up and bring them to my father. For all we know they're just playing at being the Shichinintai since all I see is four of them and their whore."
"Hey!" the real Jakotsu called out. "We are too the Shichinintai!"
"Shut up, Jakotsu!" Bankotsu hissed. "We'll go with you peacefully. I'd hate to accidently kill you in case you're the one who's marrying the Lady Kato." He stuck Banryuu's blade into the ground.
Daisuke approached them. "Ito-sama, there was a messenger pigeon this morning from your father saying the lady would be traveling with them. Perhaps it is them."
"All I see are four men and a whore with a smart mouth," Hikaru said dismissively. "I don't think my future wife, a woman of high breeding, would be so brazen as to act the whore."
"True…" Daisuke motioned for several men to come forward. "Take them into custody."
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Jakotsu stood there, pouting, the Jakotsutou slung over his shoulder.
Misaki stepped back from him to stand with others, giving them some privacy as Bankotsu approached.
"Come on, Sweetness, behave," Bankotsu said softly. "You're upsetting the princess."
"So?" the cross-dresser huffed.
"So this mission isn't over until we get paid, and the better you treat her, the better I'm sure we'll get paid."
"Oh…" Jakotsu frowned.
"Yeah…"
"Wait!"
"Now what?" Bankotsu sighed.
"Why are we surrendering, Aniki-chan? We're the Shichinintai! We don't surrender to anyone!"
"True, but in this instance, Sweetness, I think it's best if do, as we have the princess to worry about. Her safety is more important than kicking some ass." The young leader of the Shichinintai grinned. "Besides, traveling with an army will make life that much easier. Think about it…" Bankotsu, who was sorely tempted to put his arm around paramour, restrained himself. "I bet that guy'll let you ride with him."
"Yeah…?" Jakotsu looked over at Hikaru, a smile slowly blossoming on his face.
"So you'll behave?"
"Yeah…" He sheathed his sword. The smile on his face quickly faded. "Aniki-chan, what about the stupid princess? Isn't she supposed stay by me at all times?"
"Yeah…" Bankotsu said, quirking his eyebrow at him.
"How's she supposed to do that if I'm with that guy?" The cross-dresser daintily scratched his cheek with his forefinger.
The young leader of Shichinintai resisted the urge to smack himself in the forehead. "Well…"
Jakotsu smirked. "You mean you didn't think of it?" He giggled.
Bankotsu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yup… I think I'm as anxious to get this over with as you are." He sighed. "Anyway, let's go do the impossible and 'surrender.'"
Jakotsu grinned. "Okay…" Leaning on Bankotsu, he hobbled over to Hikaru.
"We want to, uh… 'Surrender,'" the young leader of the Shichinintai said as the rest of his men and the princess closed ranks behind him. Bankotsu looked over his shoulder at them and, after a bit of fussing on Jakotsu's part, they gave up their weapons. While the young leader of the Shichinintai hated the idea of being "naked," but he understood the necessity of asking for the army's help in not only getting to the castle, but they now needed horses for Jakotsu and the princess. By surrendering, they were able to get what they wanted without having to ask for it. A tricky strategy at best, but it had worked enough times in the past to risk it.
"Accepted," Hikaru said. He motioned for a few of his men to gather their arms.
Bankotsu added his chuckles to his paramour's giggles as they watched three men labor to pick up the Banryuu. "You need me to help you?" he cheekily called out amid Jakotsu's squeals of laughter.
"Ito-sama," Daisuke said, "Bankotsu no Shichinintai is known to carry a halberd that no man could lift by himself…" He trailed off as they turned to look at their prisoners." "Perhaps this is really them."
Hikaru wordless nodded. "You really are the Shichinintai…"
"Told you!" Jakotsu said, rolling his eyes at the man's stupidity.
"Jakotsu!" Bankotsu hissed.
"Sorry, but he's so stupid," the cross-dresser hissed back.
"Jak, listen to Oo-Aniki and behave. We're almost there," Suikotsu added.
"Okay!" Jakotsu pouted as he shoved his hands in his sleeves.
Ignoring the cross-dresser's outburst, Hikaru asked, "Which one of you is my future wife?"
"That's something best left until we get to your home, Ito-sama," Bankotsu replied.
"True, true… Do you have horses? A carriage, perhaps?"
"Sadly no… we lost them in an attack that spooked the horses," the young leader of the Shichinintai admitted.
Hikaru nodded. After some hard thinking, it was decided that Jakotsu and the princess would both ride Hikaru's horse while he walked alongside it, catching up on what happened to them from Bankotsu.
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"How long does it take to have a wedding?! I want to go home already," Jakotsu whined. He limped over to where the others sat. They had been there a week, and while they were treated as guests, the urge to go home was getting to them.
"I hate to agree with him, Ban, but he does have a point." Renkotsu said. "We may have our weapons, but I feel like a prisoner."
"I know… but we're not leaving until we get paid, and it doesn't look like that's going to happen until after they get married. Trust me, I've been politely inquiring whenever I can, but it's been next to impossible to get an audience with the elder Ito." Bankotsu tiredly rubbed his temples.
"They'll remember we're here, Oo-Aniki s soon the day of the wedding arrives," Suikotsu pointed out, his tone sounding hopeful.
"I hope so…"
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Several days before the wedding, the Shichinintai were given new clothes to wear along with a date and time to be at the temple to complete the end of their mission, witnessing the union of the clans through the marriage. Jakotsu was especially delighted with the colorful kimono he had been given. Everyone agreed the gaudy bits of silk were exactly what he would have picked out for himself.
Fingering the delicate silk, Renkotsu teased, "It seems the hime-sama knows your tastes as well as Ban. I wonder if you should be worried, Oo-Aniki?"
"Nah…" the young leader of the Shichinintai teased back, "Seeing how many times those two nearly came to blows, I think this is a sign she's happy to be rid of him." He grinned.
"HEY!!" Jakotsu shoved his hands in his sleeves and pouted, his excitement over the pretty new clothes evaporating like dew on a hot summer's morning.
Renkotsu chuckled, but wisely kept whatever he was about to say to himself. Getting up, he made his way to the shoji leading to the palace's inner corridors. "I'm going to go see where Sui is. He's been gone a long time."
The cross-dresser sighed irritably. "Sui told me this morning he wanted to go see the peony garden Ito's father was telling him about last night at dinner."
"Thanks, Jak!" Renkotsu said as he left the room.
Jakotsu tried hard not to roll his eyes at the fire-breather. Being on his best behavior all the time had left him cranky and out of sorts, and he annoyed with the fact that the four of them were sharing the same quarters. And now the one bright spot in the whole sorry affair, his brand new kimono, was reduced to a joke between his beloved and Renkotsu.
Bankotsu, feeling bad about upsetting his paramour, moved to sit behind him. He put his arms around Jakotsu, resting his head against the cross-dresser's back. The cross-dresser stiffened under his touch. "Sorry, Sweetness," he said softly.
The older boy shrugged.
"I really am… I shouldn't have what I did…"
Jakotsu could feel his resolve faltering. "It's okay…" he softly replied. He looked over his shoulder at his young lover and sighed. "I miss being alone with you, and now it looks like I'll have to wait until we get home."
"We're alone now…"
Jakotsu giggled. "Oh yeah…"
"Yeah…"
"Wanna nookie?" the cross-dresser said impishly.
"I thought you'd never ask."
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Later that evening, when they got back from dinner, they were surprised to find several large, flat boxes in the room.
"What the hell?" Bankotsu frowned as they walked over to them.
"Let's see what it is, Aniki-chan!" Jakotsu knelt in front of them, eager to open them up. There was a small piece of parchment lying on the top box. Picking it up the cross-dresser stared at it. Illiterate, all he could make out was his name. Holding it up, and looking over his shoulder he said, "Ren, what does this say?"
The fire-breather took the note from him, He read it, chuckling.
"What?!" Jakotsu whined.
"It's a gift, or more accurately, a bribe."
"Yeah…?"
The others crowded around Renkotsu.
"Yeah, it's from the princess, Sweetness, she wants you to dress like a court lady and accompany her to the temple the morning of her wedding. The kimono are yours to keep as token of her gratitude for getting her here safely."
"Really?"
"You'll need to write her back and thank her," Renkotsu pointed out.
"Oh…" The cross-dresser felt a moment of panic as his writing skills were limited to writing his own name as well as Bankotsu's.
"Don't worry, Jak, I'll help you," Suikotsu said.
"Thanks, Sui." He smiled and turning his attention back to the boxes, he said softly, "Can I open them, Aniki-chan?"
"Yeah…"
Taking a deep breath, Jakotsu found his hands shaking as he reached for the silk ties, holding the bamboo box closed.
"Go ahead…" Bankotsu encouraged.
"Okay…" The cross-dresser pulled on the ties, loosening the knot. Seconds later, he had the first box opened. He moved the rice paper to the side, revealing the kimono. Smiling, Jakotsu lovingly touched the orange-red silk. "Butterflies…" He looked over at Bankotsu. "It's got butterflies on it! And flowers!"
"Yeah?"
The cross-dresser nodded. "Yeah… and there's another one here, it's green with wisteria and pheasants on it. And the silk… Aniki-chan… it's beautiful!"
Bankotsu looked into the box. "It is…" He grinned at his paramour. "But not as pretty as you…"
Jakotsu giggled, and leaning towards his young lover, he gave him a little kiss.
"Open the others, Jak," Renkotsu suggested.
"Okay…" The nineteen year old did as he was bidden, after carefully moving the first box out of the way. This time, the box held a light green kimono with a woven bamboo pattern on it and one the pale golden orange of apricots with more butterflies on it. The other boxes revealed more of the same with one box containing undergarments, tabi, and various ties to keep everything closed along with a dark green silk obi. The final items were a length of silk cord with tassels on the end for tying his hair back with and a fan.
Jakotsu sighed softly. "I can't wait for the wedding!" He lovingly laid a hand on one of the kimono.
"Yeah… me too," his young lover agreed.
Renkotsu chuckled and shook his head. "Only you…"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Let it go, Sweetness…" Bankotsu said softly, pulling his paramour's attention back to him.
"But, Aniki-chan!" he whined.
"All Ren's saying is you like to dress up."
"Oh…" The cross-dresser chuckled sheepishly.
"Now let's compose a 'thank you' and send it back, you don't want be ungrateful, or make the princess think you don't like her gifts."
"Nope! But I don't know how to write…"
"I'll write it for you, Jak"Sui8kotsu offered. "Then all you need to do is sign your name."
"Okay…"
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The day of the wedding dawned in a flurry of activity. Jakotsu was dressed in a pale peach najuban, trying to decide which one of the pretty kimono; he was given, to wear. The day promised to be a hot one and he had finally decided on the pale green one with the bamboo pattern, when Renkotsu pointed out he had better hurry and get dressed or they would be late.
"I thought I'd wear this one," the cross-dresser replied airily.
"Okay, and which one are putting on over that? The peach one?" Renkotsu walked over to the kimono in question. It hung on a rack like all the others in their room.
"No… I thought I'd wear uchikake over it and be done with it…" Jakotsu frowned at the look on the fire-breather's face. "What?" he whined.
"Jak, you've got to wear all of them."
"What?! It's too hot!"
Renkotsu laughed. "I thought I'd never live to see the day where you complain it's too hot. Seriously, for reasons of her own, the princess wants you dressed like all the other women here."
Jakotsu blinked. "You're kidding?!"
"Nope. Let's get you dressed. Ban'll be back here any minute now and he's going to be pissed if you're not ready."
Shooting him a dirty look, the cross-dresser replied, "I guess the pale peach one would be next? They seem to go from light to dark…" His expression softened. "Ren…?"
"I'll help you," Renkotsu said as he went to go get the pale peach kimono. By the time Bankotsu had returned along with Suikotsu and a meager breakfast, the cross-dresser was dressed in all his finery. He was just putting on his lip paint, when the claw-bearer suggested he wear his hair down.
"It's too hot to, Sui…"
"I know, but I think she wanted you to look more like a noble woman than a courtesan of the highest rank."
"He's right, Sweetness."
"Why do I have to look like a woman at all? People must know by now that I'm not," Jakotsu said testily.
"I know…" the sixteen year old soothed. "Besides, didn't the princess send you a ribbon or something for your hair?"
"Yeah…"
"You could wear it up," Suikotsu said.
"It is up!"
"Not like that, but how you wore it before, while pretending to be the princess."
Taking a deep breath, Jakotsu blew out in a loud huff. Stuffing his hands in his sleeves, he pouted as they fussed with his hair. They had no sooner finished when he was summoned to the princess' rooms. Grabbing an onigiri on the way out, he left his worried companions behind.
"He'll behave, Oo-Aniki."
"I hope so, Sui…"
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Jakotsu daintily nibbled on his breakfast as he followed the palace guard through the palace corridors. Sighing softly as he mentally berated himself for leaving his fan behind, he none-the less brightened a bit when they left the stifling interior for an outer corridor. It was surprisingly much cooler outside and the cross-dresser felt his spirits lifting which each step he took. The nineteen year old briefly paused to admire the view as they stepped over a bridge connecting the two buildings. Looking bellow, Jakotsu wondered if the stream which flowed between the two buildings was the same that one the fed a large koi pond in one of the many palace gardens he had roamed during their stay.
"Please come, Ojou-sama," one of the guards said.
Jakotsu nodded, and after giving the stream one last look, he quietly followed them to the inner palace.
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Jakotsu entered his worst nightmare; a room full of women. They rushed towards him in soft rustle of silk. He tried backing away, failing miserably as they gently pulled him farther into the room. "Ojou-sama!"
"Thank goodness you're here!" Misaki cried as she hurried towards him.
The corners of the cross-dresser's mouth briefly twitched upwards in an amused smirk. "What?"
"I have something I wish to ask you…" the princess trailed off, a faint blush staining her cheeks.
"Didn't the cat explain all that to you?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her as her blush deepened.
"Yes, Neko-chan, explained things," she hissed.
"Then you don't need me." Jakotsu waited to be dismissed.
"But I do…" Misaki looked up at him, her eyes welling up with tears, causing him to let out a long suffering sigh. Pulling herself together, the princess dismissed her ladies-in-waiting instead. "I wish to speak to the Ojou-sama in private."
Jakotsu waited with barely concealed impatience as the women left them alone. "What is it you wish to know?" he said tiredly. When she hesitated, he added, "You brought it up not me."
"I know…"
"Well…?"
"Neko-chan told me things…"
"And you want know if what she said was true?"
Misaki nodded in reply.
"I have no idea what she told you…"
"She told me things…"
"Like what?" he asked and when she shot him a painfully embarrassed look, he sighed. "Okay, let's pretend I know what she said…" It was all he could do not to roll his eyes at her.
"Ummm… does it hurt?" It seemed to hurt you and the Waka-sama…
"It can… but I wouldn't worry too much about it. If your husband is like most men he'll do his duty quickly, okay?" Jakotsu rubbed tired at his temples.
"You sure?"
Jakotsu nodded.
"But it looked like hurt you and the Waka-sama…" she said softly.
"Excuse me!" Where the hell would she get that idea from…? We never nookied the whole time we were guarding you… except… Oh hell!!
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!" Misaki started to cry.
"Stop crying!"
"Hime-sama, is everything alright?"
"Yes!" Misaki and Jakotsu said in unison.
"Look… whatever you saw, whatever you heard… oh, why couldn't you be a whore?" he said testily. "And if you start crying, I'm walking out of here, understood?"
She nodded mutely as she wiped her face with her sleeve.
Taking a deep breath and letting it slowly out, Jakotsu continued. "Men kind of grunt when having sex, some moan, it's from the movements and the pleasure he feels…." Oh gods, I can't believe I have to explain this to you! I must have some shitty karma, eh?"
She smiled weakly at him.
"If you don't relax and give into the feelings of pleasure, it'll hurt you a lot more than it should when he breaches your maidenhead." He sighed as his expression softened. "Just let him take the lead. He kisses you, kiss him back, and when he moves to trail kisses down your neck, let him; that's your signal to lie back as it were and enjoy it." he grinned, nodding in approval when she barked out a little laugh. "And whatever you, behave like it was the best thing that ever happened to you, it doesn't matter if it was horrible, pleasureless, and painful, just tell him he was amazing. If he's any kind of a man, he'll strive to live up to your expectations and the mere thought of sharing his futon at night will have you moaning like a whore."
"Thank you, Jakotsu-sama…" I hope you're right…
"If you really want to thank me, hurry up and get married so I can go home."
Misaki giggled nervously. "Very well then, let's go to the temple before I'm late."
"Now that's the spirit!" Raising his voice, Jakotsu added, "Let's go ladies, the hime-sama wishes to go to the temple."
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"I can't believe we can finally leave this place tomorrow!" Jakotsu said happily as they made their way back to their rooms. The soft glow of the paper lanterns lighting the way, made the cross-dresser look more feminine than ever and Bankotsu could not wait to get him alone for some fun. Judging by the looks the cross-dresser was giving him, he felt the same way. Grinning happily as naughty visions of his paramour danced in his head, Bankotsu beginning to lament the many layers he was wearing when Renkotsu spoke.
"They pay us, Ban?"
The young leader of the Shichinintai stopped dead in his tracks. "No…" He covered his face with his palm, dragging his had down his face to rest at his chin.
"No…?" Jakotsu wailed.
Bankotsu shook his head. "Sorry, Sweetness, as much as I want to get the hell out of here too, we're stuck here until they decide to pay us."
"Damn it!"
"Yeah…"
Oo-Aniki, I'd give them a day or two, for things to get somewhat back to normal," Suikotsu suggested. "When they do, go ask for an audience with the daimyo."
"It can't hurt." Renkotsu said. Grinning wickedly, he added, "And if that doesn't help, then we can always sell Hime-sama's kimono and the 'lady' himself."
"Hey!!"
"Hey nothing! I saw how some of the daimyo's men were looking at you. Give you a week, and you could whore yourself up quite the fortune, Jak."
"A week?" the cross-dresser scoffed. "It'll only take a couple of days…"
Before things could escalate into a fight, Bankotsu reached out and grabbed his paramour's arm. He pulled Jakotsu away, all the while whispering words of love to him, until the cross-dresser was happily hanging all over him as they headed back to their room.
"Speaking of back to normal…" Suikotsu quipped.
"Yeah?"
"Let's take this as a sign from the gods that things will be soon."
"Good idea, Sui…"
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On the third day after the wedding, Bankotsu was summoned for an audience with the daimyo. He went alone and was gone for several hours as he negotiated his payment for services rendered. Just when the others were starting to worry, he returned, grinning broadly.
"Guess what?"
"What?" Jakotsu said as he stood up to greet him.
Gathering his paramour in his arms, Bankotsu said, "We're leaving tomorrow."
"YES!!"
