"A few years ago there was a war raging between two towns, one was my father's. The other village had many more soldiers, resources, and weapons than my father's village. But my father's village was rich because they had many doctors and tailors." Ki paused to see if he would remember. "So, they employed you."
"Oh, I remember that! It was the richest, small town I've seen." His eyes brightening suddenly. He took Banryu easily off his shoulder to rest it against a tree, which creaked in protest against the massive sword's hundreds of pounds of weight.
Ki nodded, "They won because of your services, they haven't been bothered since then." Ki paused.
Bankotsu scoffed. "They'd better not've. One of 'em put a dent in Jakotsu's sword. Took the blacksmith forever to fix it."
Ki's eyes widened. She was literally jumping for joy. "I knew it!"
Bankotsu actually took a step back. "Wha?"
"I knew I knew that sword!" Ki smiled, "My father is the best blacksmith in the whole town! He said it was the only sword he'd every heard of that was actually named for it's owner. Also he had to almost remake it from scratch because of the way the sword was made." Ki almost squealed from excitement she'd been right. "My father isn't really a blacksmith, per say, but his father was a great man and passed his knowledge of the metal working," She smiled again. "and he passed some his knowledge to me!"
Chapter 12
Memories From a Lifetime Before
Part II
Pain was the enemy now. All Ki's energy went to either ignoring the pain, or sleeping past the pain. At first Ki wasn't sure why she hurt, she'd just fainted! She didn't even hit anything. After a moment of thinking Ki realized her brain was putting these facts up because it wished her not to continue though her memoirs of one of her only true friends. Then Ki realized, the pain was doing the same thing, willing her to focus on it.
Being as Ki is, she closed her eyes and began counting cats. 1...2...3...4...15,284...
XXX
It was almost becoming a habit, really. Ki's and Bankotsu's meetings became less awkward and more casual and on a weekly basis. A year after her first meeting with the famed mercenary, Ki was the heir despite Kamaru's father's wishes. Ki swore if he could've he would've strangled her then and there.
Because Ki was of age in the Tiger-Cat village, she could go as far as she pleased from the Gate. Because the Queen was busy being the Queen, Ki needed to train with someone. Kamaru knew less than Ki, and Kamaru's father didn't even speak to her.
So for the next few years she traveled with the only person willing to train her...
XXXX
The float on Drift seemed extra weird compared to normal. Ki braced herself for the inevitable fling approaching fast. She jerked back when Drift and Cold sped up. Ki clenched her eyes closed as she saw the Gate approaching. The archway from Hell... no, just the ivy's from Hell.
As predicted, Ki was flung at the Gate. Drift didn't miss, of course. Ki felt the weird tingly, creepy-crawly feeling you get after passing though the Dragon's Archway coming from the city.
Ki closed her fist around a tuff of grass. She lay face-down in the grass. She picked herself up, brushing the invisible dust off her black and red Kimono. The grass tickled her feet as she looked around, hoping her new teacher didn't see.
When the news of who Ki's new trainer was got to the King, he objected. Of course, objected isn't the word Ki would use. More along the lines of "Disastrously argued until the cows came home." Anyway, Ki eventually made the case of, "if you don't like it, you teach me," winning the match against her step-father.
The village her father and her teacher and his group were staying at was over the hill. Or rather the extension of the village they were staying at was there. The real village was up the mountain past the hills. This part of the village called its self an extension despite the fact there was a palace.
Ki's father worked as the blacksmith for the king but was really just a worker for the palace. Being his daughter, Ki could get into the village with no probblem just getting in, but of course no one understands a half-demon.
Ki took off running before hearing a metalic Clink! Ki almost blushed as she turned around and picked up her new sword, the Banazenkai. It was the soul of the mythical Tusurisa. Technically it was both Banazenkai and Renazenria. the two halves of the soul.
Ki carefully poked it back in it's special hole Ki had cut for it in her kimono. After checking that the sword was completely secure, she bolted up the side of the hill, it being close to the Cat's half moon she was filled to the brim with energy. She reached the top easily. The small village nestled there was where her seven new masters were, and her father.
Ki pumped her legs as she sprinted down the hill side. She slowed as she reached the more gravelly part of the road, which lead to the gate of this village. She slowed down to a walk once the gate's guards had spotted her. They were armed with spears when they saw her.
"Hey it's Redoto's kid!" One guard said.
"That's the princess of the Tiger-Cats?" The other said in disbelief. What did they expect? A roaring, beautiful, powerful Demoness?
"Yep!" By his tone, Ki decided, yes they did.
Ki passed the snickering guards into the village. Mothers held onto their children, unsure about this cat-eared, tiger-tailed half-Demoness. Ki knew the path to the Blacksmith's workplace by heart. Going past the palace's guards without a second look from the guards.
Was she so weak that even weak humans disregarded her? Was she destined to be weak? To be helpless? Ki's brow furrowed and headed up the marble stairs.
Another set of stairs loomed above her, instead of going directly to the palace she turned right. Heading that way lead her to a medium sized hut. Out side were two monstrous beings, mountainous really.
"Ki." The smaller one said. Or rather rumbled.
"We were starting to get worried." The larger, Kyokotsu said.
Ki nodded a hello. "No need, I'm alive." She smiled and pushed past the bamboo mat of a door.
Inside an elderly man who was balding was pounding away at a small white-hot blade. He was surrounded by a short, pudgy man, a taller, bald man, a feminine man, a taller, and black haired man who looked like his true wish was to kill someone that all stood around the blacksmith's table. Ki' s gaze moved to the last man leaning against the wall in the corner. His long, black, braided hair fell over one shoulder. Beside him was his companion, a large halberd.
The elderly man's gazed moved from the now red-hot metal to the girl standing in the doorway. "So you've decided to show your face?" He chuckled. "Amazing, the same man who saves my village, saves my daughter's life!" He smiled. Everyone was looking at a smiling Ki now.
"Nice of you to show up. We were about to go get you." The man with braided hair said. Ki's smile widened.
"Yeah, you wouldn't get far past the Dragon's Gate. In fact you'd be dead." Ki shrugged. "Yeah well, I'm guessing you got my mother's message?"
"Yep." He replied.
"And?"
"We accept." A happy Bankotsu said.
Ki was about to reply back to the leader of the seven-man group but was interrupted by a cough. A hinting, suggestive cough by a certain feminine male.
Bankotsu shrugged. "Six of us accept." He nodded to Jakotsu. "You can guess the one opposing."
Ki was almost shocked Renkotsu had voted a yes. They'd never really been friends. Ki spent more time talking with Bankotsu than the rest of the Band of Seven. But Suikotsu was second. Ki found him exceptionally interesting compared to normal humans...
But of course none who had heard of the Band of Seven has ever accused them of being normal. Kyokotsu looked more like a Demon than anything (Ki thought he might be half Demon), Ginkotsu was half machine, Mukotsu's looks weren't normal, not to mention he was an expert in making toxins. Renkotsu could breathe fire for heaven's sake! Suikotsu was split between a doctor and a blood thirsty mercenary! Jakotsu... was... well, he was Jakotsu.
But Bankotsu. Unordinary didn't do justice for him. It was infeasible to come up with a word to describe him. He braided his hair, had eyes like oceans, carried an unimaginably heavy halberd. Need I go on?
"Glad to be widely accepted." Ki said still smiling.
The metal worker put the claws into the burning furnace behind him. "Ki, did your mother g-"
"Yes, father." Ki said pulling the sword and it's sheath form her Kimono. "The Banazenkai is right here. Renazenria, too." She pulled the edge of the sword from it's sheath. The metal reflected the burning fire from the furnace.
"Ah, good. I don't want my daughter going off without her birth rightous sword!" He said wiping sweat from his brow. He pulled the blade form the furnace and picked up his mallet. He brought down the mallet three times, examined it and placed it in a barrel of water. Large amounts of steam poured into the room.
Ki slid her sheathed sword back into it's slot. No need for it now.
With the help of her Tiger eyes, she could see her father pull the blade out of the barrel. He moved back over to the table, picking up a leather glove that held two other blades. He carefully pushed that blade back into it's groove.
"Here you go," He said handing the claws to Suikotsu. He slid them on his right hand, looked at them a second then nodded a "yes".
"Are we ready to go?" Renkotsu asked, looking around at everyone.
Suikotsu nodded, "Yeah."
"Good, if we want to make it to the next village, we'd better leave soon." Renkotsu said.
Ki stood aside so the four who had watched Redoto's metal working left. Thus leaving Bankotsu, Ki and her father.
Bankotsu leaned off the wall, picking up his beloved halberd. "So you're going to be following us?" He almost chuckled. "I guess we won't be the Band of Seven anymore, Ki?"
Ki smiled. "I guess not."
Bankotsu nodded his thanks to Redoto, then left.
Ki sighed. "I guess my life never settles down, eh, dad?"
Redoto went over and hugged his daughter. "Nope." He laughed, "No one in this family's lives ever calm down."
Ki smiled and hugged her father again. "I'll see you if we come close again!"
Her father nodded and ran a hand though Ki's black hair. "You do that, be sure to drop by if you need anything. Got that?"
Ki half smiled, "Okay."
"And don't get yourself killed, okay? I don't really know how much these people fight!"
"Okay, dad." Ki smirked. "You too, don't go making the sword that'll kill you!"
"I won't! Now off with you! You don't want to be left behind, do you?"
XXX
Ki sighed. Again she'd woken up from her memoirs. There was only one other memory that stood amongst the rest. Ki thought a second. No, that wasn't true. Two. Ki wanted to sigh. Two memories from a lifetime before. One wasn't so bad, the other attacked her conscious for years before she finally willed herself to forget.
XXX
The constant trickle of the stream was enough to keep Ki content.
The eight of them had decided to stop for the night, it was already sun set, and there had been rumors in the last town of robbers who lurked in the hills. Thus the eight-man (and girl) group stopped in the hills. They could get whatever loot the robbers had with them, and they'd get bloodshed.
By now, eight months into her training, Ki had gotten used to the idea of killing just to kill. She didn't agree, but when traveling with mercenaries, do as the monkeys do.
Ki sat cross legged by the stream that ran between the hills. The trickle annoyed Renkotsu and Suikotsu enough so they weren't sitting near her. In fact only Ki, Mukotsu, and Bankotsu sat by the river. Mukotsu was gathering water for one of his toxins. All they knew was the toxin was a creepy yellow. Everyone else was past a clump of bushes and trees by the actually "road."
Mukotsu gathered enough water, then hobbled off to where the rest of the poison was, leaving Bankotsu and Ki alone.
Ki relaxed. Relaxation was needed for meditation. She used her meditation time to think over her day, what could've done better, what she did good, so on.
Bankotsu looked towards Ki. She almost looked like she'd fallen asleep. Doubtful though.
He gave a quiet sigh and laid down in the grass, Banryu beside him, flat on the ground.
The stars shone like far away fireflies that stood still. He could pick out the one that looked like a pan, and the one the people from the continent call "Orion's Belt".
Sure, you could see stars most nights in the Feudal Era, but Bankotsu was totally fascinated by them. How far away are they? What are the stars? Candles? Lost souls? If he ever told anyone about his fascination and he was a mercenary, well, it's just two things that don't really click.
A brighter star shone. He'd heard some lune on the northern part of the continent had called that another planet. named it Venus, for one of their Gods. Bankotsu couldn't help but crack a smile. If there really was other planets, he'd make sure to get one named Bankotsu. But of course he wasn't of godly standards. But hey, he'd threaten the guy with his Banryu if he had to.
He brow furrowed. No, he wouldn't. He'd earn it.
"Ki?" He said getting her attention.
Ki cracked open one eyelid, "Yes?"
"Do you know anything about the people from the continent's Gods?" He asked.
Ki perked up. She turned more so she was facing him. "Yeah, my both great-grandparents came from the continent. My grandparents lived there for a while before coming here." She tilted her head with curiosity. "Why do you want to know?"
"What can you tell me about their Gods?" He asked, ignoring her question.
"Well there is Zeus, God of the sky, Posiden, God of water, Hades, God of the Underworld. There's Artemis, Godess of hunting and the moon, Aphrodite, Godess of beauty and love, Apollo, God of the Sun, Athena, Godess of knowledge."
Bankotsu sat up. "Aren't there more?"
Ki was sparked by his interest. "Yeah, I can't remember them all."
"So... where did those Gods come from?" He asked puzzled.
Ki smiled. "A Titan named Kronos is the father to them. I can't remember the whole story but he ate his children and the mother hid Zeus. Now don't go quoting me, I think, Zeus poisoned Kronos and he spat up the others. I think they imprison the other Titans. I can't remember."
Bankotsu nodded his understanding. That was a lot to remember.
"Why do you ask?"
He shrugged. "Knowledge."
"Since when do you care about knowledge?"
He looked back to the stars. "I won't really use it, but what do you think of the stars?"
This caught Ki off guard. "Well..." She looked at the dark night sky. "I sort--"
"You two!" The two the voice mentioned spun around to the sound of the voice.
Three men holding swords stood twenty feet away. Ki had to hand it to them. They were sneaky and this was the day before the Cat's full moon. She didn't even hear them. They were stealthy.
"Stand up." Another man commanded.
Ki complied, standing up, but moving to the side of Bankotsu. He got picked up his Banryu, its tip going though where Ki would've been standing. He stood, the giant halberd resting on her shoulder. At the sight of this giant sword the three men were readied for battle.
Ki pulled out her sword, the Banazenkai.
"H-Hey!" the third man stuttered. "Put those down and we won't hurt you!"
Ki held the sword horizontally and put it next to her lips. "Transform." she whispered. The sword was surrounded by a ghostly black for a second, then it dissapated and Renazenria appeared.
"What's this trickery?" The first guy asked.
"Shall I?" Ki asked Bankotsu, mock politely.
"Go right ahead," Bankotsu said, pointing open-palmed to the three bandits.
"Thank you!" She replied with an attempted curtsy. She held the blade sideways, both hands on it's end. With one swipe, she took one hand off and pulled it as far back as she could, and swung the sword outwards. The result was an excellent ray of pink was shot at the three wanna be robbers.
It broke up into three parts, one for each of them. The first one's ray went right over his head, the second's went right through the guy's neck. The third ray cut though the guy's arm, just below the elbow.
"Huh?" The third guy asked as he moved his arm... he moved the arm above the elbow. "I-I can't feel my hand!" He yelled, with the near half moon, Ki could see his eyes were wide with fear.
The second guy, who had been hit in the neck, as on cue, fell over like a sack of bricks. "H-Hey! I-I think he's dead!"
"There's no wound!"
"B-But h-he...!"
"L-Let's just get outta here!" The other cried, sheathing his sword and taking off upriver.
Bankotsu, not going to miss a chance to kill someone who at least deserved to die, took quick aim and in a second the remaining two's bodies disappeared.
"You bother using a good move on them?" Ki questioned.
"Meh, didn't want to chase 'em." He shrugged. A good enough reason.
Ki smiled and shook her head. Only Bankotsu.
Bursting though some bushes, scaring the mercenary and the mercenary-in-training, popped out three of their comrades.
"Jeez, guys! I'm nearly a cat, I get jumpy!" Ki said removing her other hand from the end of the mythical sword.
"Aren't cat's supposed to be aware of their surrounding?" Jakotsu said puzzled.
"Brother, did you see the robbers?" Renkotsu asked stepping in front of the group. "A group of ten or so got us."
Bankotsu nodded. "Yeah, three weak one's got us."
Ki smiled. "We taught 'em not to mess with us!"
Now it was Bankotsu's turn to smiled and shake his head. Only Ki.
XXX
The room fluttered back into view. A few blinks and the distorts in her vision went away. one more memory to go before she could believe to herself that she could be anywhere near him.
Ki could tell from the orange-red light leaking though the mat, it was close to sun down. If she was lucky the memory would be short enough so she could enjoy her time as a Tiger.
XXX
Kamaru sighed deeply. "If Ki isn't up by sun rise I'll go in there and scream until she wakes up."
"If she doesn't work off the extra energy given by half-moon she'll be bursting with power. And if that happens, she could change anytime, anywhere. If that happens she can't control it." Kamaru sighed again.
"So... Inuyasha, if Bankotsu was to be 'on our side' would you let him join us?" Shippo asked, curiosity taking control of his young mind.
"I... uh..." Inuyasha started. how was he supposed to answer that? I mean if he really was on their side he'd let (of course acting stubborn to make it seam more Inuyasha-like) him join them. But what if he was acting like a spy? No, he'd never agree to get his ass kicked around even if he could avenge his fallen, again, comrades.
XXX
Poll is opened!
Also, this is sort of split into thirds, but not really. Next chapter wraps it up. The next flash back is really detailed so be happy Kay?
--Kat
