DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha and all of the characters featured in this fanfic are the property of Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan Publishing, Sunrise, Viz and all other respective copyright owners. I do not lay claim to these characters in any way, shape or form.

Bankotsu V

Bankotsu woke with a start. Sleep and sunlight blurred his vision. Branches creaked above and below him. Birds flitted from treetop to treetop, exchanging snatches of song. Sleep had crept up on him unawares, followed by the dawn. Somehow, he'd made it through the night undisturbed.

He took stock of the view. The forest floor was silent except for a couple of squirrels scampering through the undergrowth. The breeze was clean and fresh. The village was still in sight, although he couldn't spot any signs of pursuers.

Jakotsu was nowhere to be seen.

He'd better get moving. The lack of light hadn't given him many hiding places to choose from. He yawned and stretched. The oak tree wasn't a bad spot, even if he'd ended up being closer to the ground than he'd like. And looming closer. He flung his arms around the branch as he teetered dangerously sideways.

He caught himself and relaxed his grip. A crow stared down at him, unimpressed. Another fluttered down to join it. If they were hoping for breakfast they weren't going to have much luck. He shook the sleep from his head and pushed himself back into a sitting position. The sooner he found Jakotsu, the better.

As for when he finally caught up with him...

He couldn't even begin to answer that question. Jakotsu had always been happy to talk, at least until yesterday. Yet now that he cast his thoughts back, he'd never told him where he'd come from. He'd never mentioned friends or family. He may as well have been a stranger for all he knew about him. He hadn't even told him his name.

Then again, he hadn't exactly pushed him too hard. Bankotsu couldn't say the past was his favourite subject. Better focus on the present for now.

He took one last look at his surroundings and tossed a pebble into the undergrowth. The squirrels scattered. The crows chattered and cawed. He'd wasted more than enough time. He pulled his knife from his kosode and clenched it between his teeth. He scrambled down the tree as quick as the squirrels.

He took the knife from his mouth and scanned his surroundings: as peaceful as ever. He sheathed his blade and reached into a crack in the trunk. He'd stashed his bisento there the night before. It had stayed well hidden. Those smoke bombs must have been made of powerful stuff. He shook his misgivings away and shouldered his bisento. Time to find Jizou.

He'd have his answers soon enough.

It didn't take long to find the statue. The sky stayed fresh and clear, despite the sun's heat. The forest chattered with life, yet none of it was human. Perhaps the villagers got their firewood elsewhere. He stayed amongst the trees just in case, keeping the path in sight.

Jizou stood alone, overlooking a small glade. The only signs of any visitors were a red bib and a rag doll that more than lived up to its name. He didn't even have a waypost for company. The path forked in four directions. The village lay to the west, Mito to the south. The north and eastward paths headed deeper into the forest. Neither was likely to hold much in the way of answers.

Should he wait? It wasn't like Jakotsu to break his word - or was it? At this point he honestly couldn't say. Either way, he'd better find him soon. If the villagers got to Jakotsu before he did, or worse, the shinobi-

A scream cut through the silence.

Bankotsu whipped round, swinging his bisento in a wide arc. The blade swept through empty air. He stood poised, straining to catch any further sounds.

Another scream ripped through the air. The dell. That one definitely came from the dell. Man or beast? It was hard to say. He edged forwards, his bisento at the ready.

A low groan rose from the glade as he approached. Laughter followed in its wake. Loud, joyful murderous laughter.

At a time like this... Bankotsu gritted his teeth and crept towards the glade's edge. He'd have more than a few words for Jakotsu once this was over. Still, getting between Jakotsu and his prey wasn't a good idea if you wanted to hang on to your limbs.

He ducked behind a tree. He pressed his back against the trunk and strained to catch the conversation.

"Still playing hard to get, I see." Jakotsu's voice drifted up from the dell, light and airy as the breeze. "Now, if you were just a little sweeter..."

"Like hell I'd tell you." The man's voice was ragged with pain. One of the stragglers must have got unlucky.

Jakotsu giggled. "Oh, don't be too sure about that, gorgeous." There was a sickening crack.

The man gasped in anguish. "Bastard!"

"Aw, did that hurt?" Jakotsu cooed. "You know, it doesn't have to be this way."

"Fuck you."

Jakotsu gave another giggle. "Awfully forward, aren't we?"

The man hawked and spat. Jakotsu made a soft tut.

A slap echoed through the trees.

The man let out a choked laugh. "Go ahead, you sick bastard. You're just signing your own death warrant."

"Oh really? " Jakotsu's voice lowered to a seductive purr. "Mind telling me a little more, sweetie?"

"Go to h-"

There was another crack. A scream tore from the man's throat. A flock of crows took to the air.

Bankotsu swallowed a sigh. Typical Jakotsu. At this rate he'd bring the whole village down on them. He crept closer, keeping as low as he could manage.

There was a rustle of fabric as Jakotsu shifted his position. His voice was so low Bankotsu could barely catch it. "Now how about you carry on talking, hmm? It might just save you a few fingers."

The man gave another rasp. One that might have been a broken laugh.

"You really think you'll get away with this? After what you did to Onu-"

Jakotsu's fist smacked right into his face.

Bankotsu's breath caught in his throat. He gripped a root for support. Did he really just-

"Say that again." Jakotsu's voice was almost unrecognisable. "Say that again and-"

"And what?" The man let out a mirthless chuckle. "Doesn't matter if you kill me or not - you're guilty and you know it."

Jakotsu's only reply was another punch.

Another broken laugh. "Go on, finish me off. Just like you did with the rest of them."

"Shut up."

"Why?" The man gave an audible sneer. "You're the one who-"

"SHUT UP!"

The next blow was enough to make Bankotsu cringe. He peered as far forwards as he dared. His view was still blocked. His feet edged towards the dell while his brain screamed for him to stay put.

"Fuck..." The man's voice was little more than a groan.

"Now what did I tell you, handsome?" Jakotsu cooed, his voice as sweet as poison.

The man responded with a cough. For a moment, it seemed as if it would be his last. Bankotsu inched closer, his heart perched in his throat.

The man let out another groan. "You bastard..." he rasped. "Even the children. How-"

There wasn't a hint of amusement in Jakotsu's laugh. "Aren't you forgetting some-"

A twig snapped under Bankotsu's foot.

He didn't even have time to swear. His instincts screamed at him to duck. He hurled himself to the ground. Jakotsutou flew straight over his head. The blades tore through the sapling behind him, reducing it to kindling.

There was a sharp click as Jakotsu retrieved his sword.

Bankotsu raised his eyes. The rest of his body stayed rooted to the ground. The second he moved, Jakotsu would strike again. Better not risk it.

The man gave a choked cough. Another followed in its wake. Jakotsu paid him no mind.

"Just when things were getting interesting."

Bankotsu held his breath as he edged closer. He'd been lucky to dodge that first strike. He couldn't be so sure about the second.

"So, you want to play hide-and-seek?" Jakotsu's voice was dangerously low.

Still and silent was his best bet.

"Wait a minute..." Jakotsu paused. When he spoke again, his voice was much softer.

"Bankotsu?"

His heart froze in his chest. If Jakotsu had seen him there...

The silence stretched between them. Bankotsu's lungs were beginning to ache. He forced himself to stay put.

"Is that you?"

Silence.

Jakotsu let out a sigh. "Guess I'd better finish up. So long, sweetie."

There was a dull thud. The man gave a final groan. Jakotsu gave another sigh and sheathed his sword. His footsteps padded through the clearing and away down the path. Bankotsu didn't let out his breath until they faded into the forest.

Where did he even start?

The one thing he could be sure of was that staying here wasn't going to do him any good. Going back to Mito wasn't the best of ideas. The village was even worse. And as for Jakotsu... well. That settled it.

There was only one path left to follow.

Constructive criticism is very welcome!

I update once a month.