(NOTE): Hello! (sigh) I'm back and only a while till school. (shudders) NE way, I really hated how I worded the end of that last chapter. Ah well :).
Just so you know, this contains a bit of violence, but I don't think ne thing to really worry about if you actually notice much violence there is on the show.
Jakotsu groaned as he pulled back the flap to the general's tent.
As he walked inside and leaned his sword against the wall of the tent, he was impressed with how well-furnished the spacious tent was. He could tell that this was where the general often stayed because of the futon pushed to the side and the messed up mass blankets. At the other side of the room, there was a table heaped with papers and writing utensils.
This was where he saw the general, running his eyes over a sheet of parchment.
"So..you wanted to see me, Sir?" Jakotsu said, trying to get his attention. He wanted to get whatever the general wanted over with quickly so he could get back and...introduce himself to Masuyo.
The general looked up and lowered the parchment so that it rested on the table. Jakotsu could tell that he was angry about something and was doing his best to hold it in, but he was confused as to what. All he knew was, he must be screwed.
"Serpent," Jakotsu nearly flinched at hearing the nick name "how exactly do you feel about the other men here...and why do you spend so much time with that boy, Taro?"
"Uh..." Jakotsu didn't really know how to answer the first question. Moreover he didn't even know why Raidon was asking. "You mean, do I feel they're ready for battle or...?"
The general slammed a fist down on the table, startling the young student.
"I mean" Raidon said, in a clearly strained, but controlled, voice "how do you FEEL about them? Do you harbor feelings for any of them? Do you desire any of them?" The general's voice got louder as if he had been struck with a realization "Is that how you feel about that Taro? Is that why you spend quality time with him away from anyone else!"
Jakotsu was stunned, not only about the general's questions, but also that the general had indeed noticed how much time he was spending with Taro.
The general banged his hand against the wood again, this time so hard it knocked most of the papers off. He strode from behind the table and grabbed both of the young man's upper arms in a vice like grip, his face inches away from Jakotsu's."ANSWER ME DAMMIT!" he shouted, making the pained student turn his head away and shut his eyes tightly.
As he looked back, Jakotsu gazed behind Raidon to the papers on the ground, not daring to look at the general's enraged face.
"I feel only...companionship for the others, Sir. And Taro is like a brother to me." he said, trying to stay calm.
"A brother?" the general asked, narrowing his eyes "You're sure? Nothing else?"
Jakotsu nodded and that seemed to make the general relax a little, loosening his grip on Jakotsu's arms, but not releasing it.
"Well, I don't want you conversing with him any longer." Raidon continued.
"Huh? What!"
"That boy is a troublemaker. I caught him trying to sneak out once, and I'm sure that he's been slinking off to places where he shouldn't be. If you're caught with him in one of those places you will be punished severely...or since you're over fifteen, you could damn well be killed as a warning to other slaves who risk their asses trying to escape." his grip tightened around his arms again, making Jakotsu wince in pain. "I will not" the general said slowly "let them take you away from me!"
The next the Jakotsu knew, the general's lips had crashed down on his own.
Before he could react or even feel disgusted, Raidon tore his lips away and pulled Jakotsu over to the threshold. He let go of one of the trainee's arms and grabbed Jakotsu's sword and thrust it into Jakotsu's free hand. He then spun the boy around, so that his back was against the general's chest, and took hold of his arms again.
"You know that new boy?" the general said in his ear "That show-off who doesn't seem to know his place. I want you to go out there, my little Serpent, and teach that bastard a lesson. Show him who is really the best. Make him suffer!" With that, the general shoved Jakotsu out of the tent, nearly knocking him off his feet in the process.
Jakotsu was shocked to say the very least, but at least he now knew why the general refused to let him pass to the second years.
He was possessive of him.
Jakotsu shook his head and thought about what the general had told him to do: Teach Masuyo a lesson. And that meant he would get to fight with him!
Oooo this'll be fun! he thought.
Jakotsu could hardly contain his excitement as he made his way over to Masuyo, who was still bragging to the other trainees.
He switched the weapon into his right hand, as Raidon had shoved it into his left, pushed his way past the surrounding men, and nicked Masuyo's shoulder, just enough to cut the skin and get his attention. Masuyo turned around angrily, glaring at Jakotsu.
"Hey, Cutie." Jakotsu said, winking "how about stop gloating to these guys about what a hotshot you are and show me what you really got!"
Masuyo looked ticked and disgusted.
He shoved the other men out of the way and held his sword up, prepared to fight. Jakotsu looked at the small trail of blood trickling from the handsome opponent's shoulder and he felt the familiar rush of excitement fill his body.
"Ready when you are, Pretty Boy." Masuyo said sarcastically.
"Oh I'm so glad you're so attracted to me as well!" Jakotsu, nearly matching his tone, said as he lunged at Masuyo and began to skillfully attack him.
As they fought, Masuyo proved to be almost every bit as good as he boasted to be, which enticed Jakotsu even more. Finally, after a few minutes, Jakotsu was able to slash at Masuyo's arm, nearly knocking the sword out of his hand. Jakotsu's eyes lit up as he saw more of Masuyo's blood on his sword.
"You're blood is so BEAUTIFUL!" he licked the crimson liquid of his sword egerly "And so tasty! I want to see MORE!" Taking everyone else by surprise, Jakotsu lashed out at Masuyo stronger than they had every seen him before. This time, he didn't even pay attention to exactly how he was attacking Masuyo.
All he knew, all he cared about, was seeing more of the lovely young man's blood.
After about an hour, Masuyo was unable to block every single attack made on him and he was covered with more than a generous amount of cuts and gashes. He looked at his opponent's face and saw a crazed, ecstatic look that made him appear exactly was he was feeling: Consumed with blood lust.
As he began weaken from losing too much blood, Masuyo began to realize he was fighting for not his pride, but his life; panic showed clearly on his face.
"Oh Yes!" Jakotsu cried "Oh you have no idea how your fear is turning me on!" Jakotsu gave one large thrust of his weapon and wacked the sword out of Masuyo's hand, knocking him straight to the ground.
"Please!" Masuyo said, backing away on his hands, trying not to pass out from blood loss "I give up! I promise, I wont gloat anymore! Just leave me alone!"
"Oh, that's it!" Jakotsu raved, stepping closer to the terrified Masuyo "Beg! Cry! Crawl! Plead for your life!"
"I beg you!" Masuyo was on the verge of collapsing "Please have mercy!"
Jakotsu beamed and knelt down near the exhausted, frightened young man. He gripped his hair at the back of his head, pulled the man's head back, and licked a trail of blood off his neck.
"I'm sorry, " Jakotsu whispered, raising his sword for the final blow "but I was never taught that lesson." Just as Jakotsu was about to place the fatal strike, he was suddenly pulled back forcefully onto the ground.
Flung was more like it.
He landed practically on his face as he smacked into the ground. As he lifted himself up, knowing that his forehead was bruised, he was surprised to see the general crouching over Masuyo, a dagger jammed inside the trainee's neck.
He was dead, but not by Jakotsu's hand.
Jakotsu glowered at Raidon enviously, not knowing that that was exactly how the general was glaring at Masuyo's corpse. The general pulled the blood-stained dagger out and stood up, glaring at the agaped crowd.
"Let it be known" he said "that if anyone holds themselves higher than their superiors, they shall meet the same fate! Now get out of here! Guards, clean up this mess!" No man thought twice about what they general commanded as the trainees rushed out of the training ground and two guards carried Masuyo's body away.
Jakotsu pouted as he stood up and dusted himself off. He was about to pick up the sword and follow the others out of the area, when he was grabbed by the general and shoved back into the tent. Raidon threw Jakotsu onto the futon and tore the astonished boy's outfit open.
He then took his dagger and slashed a deep wound into Jakotsu's skin, in the exact same place where he had previously, accidently injured him while sparring.
Jakotsu hissed in pain and shock.
He wanted to wrench himself away and attack Raidon with the rest of his strength, but is mother's words echoed repeatedly in his head: Always obey your leader. Always obey your leader. Always obey your leader.
So he grinded his teeth togther and lied there, dreading what the general was about to do next. He clenched his eyes shut as he felt the general press a cloth to the wound with one of his hands and trace one of the scars on his face with another.
"Every day I would notice these scars." he said "And every day they had laughed at me, reminding me that you had belonged to someone else. I don't know who that person was, but they are no longer a part of your life anymore." The general gabbed Jakotsu's hair and lifted him into a sitting position.
Jakotsu tried to ignore the pain in his head as he felt the general sit behind him on the futon, one arm reaching around his midriff to hold the cloth in place. His hand let go of Jakotsu's hair and reached around to grip his chin, forcing his head to look at something in front of him.
"Open your eyes." Raidon hissed in Jakotsu's ear. Jakotsu did as he was told and saw himself staring back at him in a mirror at the back of the room that he hadn't noticed before.
Raidon lowered the now scarlet cloth slightly so Jakotsu could see the gash the general had given him, but kept it below the wound to barricade the blood.
"This will surely leave a scar, my precious Serpent." Raidon whispered in his ear "Let that scar always remind you, who you belong to." Jakotsu repressed a shudder as the general pressed his burning lips to his neck. He then felt anger well up inside him as the general's lips made their way down to his shoulders.
This was not how it was supposed to be!
The general was supposed to be an attractive victim who pleaded and cried for his life.
Jakotsu was supposed to be the one who taunted the worried person, not the other way around!.
Jakotsu felt extreme relief as he heard someone outside call the general. Raidon snarled in annoyance as he hollered back a "What the hell is it!"
"A message from the Lady Tamika, General Raidon!" the voice called back. Raidon growled as he took his hand off Jakotsu's chin.
"Hold that cloth to the wound and lie down so you don't bleed to death." he mutter as he let go of the cloth and got up. Jakotsu, knowing it was best to follow the general's instructions, pressed both hands to the blood soaked cloth and lied back down as the general made his way out of the tent.
He lied there for a while, partly worrying about what Raidon would do when he got back, partly wondering about who "Lady Tamika" was. He looked back to see not Raidon, but one of the old physicians coming into the tent.
"The general told me you had some kind of injury." the old man said, making his way to the futon. Jakotsu nodded and lifted the cloth to the side so the doctor could examine it.
"Where is he now?" Jakotsu asked.
"He had a errand to run. He told me to inspect you injury and see that you return to your hut. Oh my! This is quite a gash! I'm afraid the skin will have to be sewn back together."
Great Jakotsu thought as the doctor got out his equipment.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Jakotsu ignored the ach in his abdomen as he made his way to the tent. The doctor had seen no need to personally escort Jakotsu back to his tent, but Jakotsu felt too sore and tired to visit Taro now, so he made his way back to his hut anyway.
But he was surprised to see Taro was right near it, chopping a stack of wood.
He put on a smile as he went to greet his brother, but Taro cut him off before he could get a word out.
"Didn't I tell you to be careful?" Taro said, not looking at Jakotsu, continuing to chop a log in half with the large axe. "I heard what Raidon made you do. I rushed over and took a look into his tent." Chop! "I saw him sucking on your neck. Course that's all I got to see until that messenger almost caught me." Chop! "I think that's more than I wanted to see."
Jakotsu shrugged, but somehow, he felt ashamed.
"Well, it's not like I wanted him to do it. It's not my fault that..."
"Remember what I told you, Jakotsu." Chop! "If anything happens to you, it's your own fault." Chop! "Besides, I didn't see that much of a fight when he was doing it."
"I couldn't do anything." Jakotsu defended "I'm suppose to always obey my leader." Taro ceased chopping and looked up at his brother.
"You mean you'd do anything for your leader? Even that?" Jakotsu nodded.
"I'd have to. I was taught to 'always obey my leader'."
Taro closed his eyes, but his lips held a small smile.
"Listen, Jakotsu, I admire your loyalty." Taro opened his eyes and looked straight at Jakotsu "But that doesn't mean that you can't at least verbally fight back for something you don't want. Or do want. You were taught to 'always obey your leader', but not 'always obey your leader...without question."
Jakotsu smiled as he realized what Taro was saying was true.
"I guess you're right." Jakotsu made his way toward the wall of the hut and leaned against it. "Thanks Taro. But you know, wouldn't it be great to have a leader who is more like a part of the army instead of so above it? Someone who respects their soldiers and treats them as equals?"
"But is still a leader when he needs to be?" Taro continued as he begun to chop wood again "And does what he pleases instead of cowering to a daimyo or a samurai like a dog?" Chop! "Yeah that would be great. But for me it's not gonna happen" Chop! "After I bust outta here I'm going on my own and doing as I please."
"Huh? What do you mean? You plan to escape from here?" Taro nodded.
"That's right. One day soon I'm going to leave this place for good."
"You mean...you didn't want to join the army?"
"Hah!" Chop! "I'd never take orders from a samurai. I plan to travel all over and do I want!"
Jakotsu felt disappointed. he had hoped that when it was time for him to gather companions and overpower the daimyo, Taro would be there to help him.
"When do you plan to leave?" Taro didn't seemed to notice the discouraged tone in his brother's voice.
"After I 'receive' Banryuu. Tonight I'd plan to watch Takehiko as he tries to cast the spell. He was so close the last time that if it doesn't work tonight, it will definitely work next month." Taro then got an annoyed expression as he chopped the third to last piece of wood. "But if I can't find a way out of a certain predicament I'm in, I might not be there to watch tonight."
"Predicament? What's wrong, Brother?"
"Raidon came to me today and told me that a Lady Tamika want to 'see' me tonight."
Chop!
"Oh right! Who is this 'Tamika'?" Jakotsu asked.
"She's one of Takehiko's spoiled brats." Taro said, placing the log up "And I have a hunch that she wants to 'see' a lot more of me than I'd like her to."
What! He doesn't mean...
"Brother, do mean she wants to...?"
"Sleep with me?" Taro finished, gripping the handle of the axe tightly "Exactly."
"Eww!" Jakotsu said. It was enough that Raidon always tried to get him into trouble, but now that Jakotsu knew that Tamika wanted to order, no force, Taro to submit to her, Jakotsu didn't blame Taro for wanting to escape...even if it meant leaving him alone to deal with Raidon. "So, what do you plan to do?" Taro gave an evil smirk as he lifted the axe up.
"Oh I'll make sure she sleeps alright." Chop! He slammed the axe down and split the last log in half. "But I can't guarantee...that she'll ever wake up again."
At this, Jakotsu smiled, feeling certain that his student, his brother, could handle himself.