(NOTE): Lo! Thanx so much for the reviews!!! Now that we've have a nice week-long break I can write!!
BTW, I'm sorry for so many errors in the writing but I kinda suck in that area :P.
NE way...
Wooden torches on the cave's walls lit up as the two boys ran further in. Jakotsu didn't even need to be told it was Takehiko's dark magic that made them spark up as they got closer.
After seeing his Big Brother hold that enormous halberd and still be able to run as swiftly as ever, he was willing to believe anything, even automatic lights.
He turned his head to look at Taro running right next to him. His face was full of determination and excitement, feelings that was exceptionally mutual between the two brothers. Taro looked like the ideal image of leadership, especially in the noble outfit he was clad in.
I wonder where he got that? Jakotsu silently questioned Did it just appear when he achieved Banryuu? I'll have to ask him later.
Now, however, he had to have his mind on the upcoming fight. That wasn't so hard as he stared back down the path in front of him. The moment he had so long awaited was finally approaching with each quick step he took. Soon, the daimyo would be dead.
Soon, Jakotsutou would be back in his grasp.
But he was forced to stop as he felt a strong hand on his grey uniform pull him back. He calmed the panic the had flared in his stomach when he realized it was Taro, a tan finger pressed against his lips.
"He should be right around this corner." he whispered, putting his hand down and looking to the side. Jakotsu turned his head and noticed that they were at a dead end, the only way to go was down a passage way to the right.
Jakotsu blushed as he realized had been only a second or two away from smashing into the wall.
"Listen," Taro continued "I know you want to be the one to kill Takehiko, but let me be the one to fight him, kay? I have a bone to pick with him about a certain slut we're both familiar with."
That bitch Jakotsu remembered bitterly.
He wanted so badly to the one to make the daimyo struggle, to see the fear and pain carved on his face as he was sliced to bits. But Taro did have more of a right. He had suffered under Takehiko's men longer, and nearly been defiled by his damn daughter.
So, as long as he, himself, killed Takehiko, he would ultimately be satisfied. The sight of life ebbing away from his eyes would be enough.
"You're the leader, Big Brother." Jakotsu said, with a small grin, leaning his sword against the wall "But just hold on a second." Jakotsu untied the scarf from around his waist and wiped of some of the blood streaming from the gash on Taro's forehead "There you go! Just promise to let me get a better look at it afterwards, okay?"
Taro nodded with a grin of his own, lifted the halberd against his shoulder, and strode around the corner to finally meet his foe.
Jakotsu retied the scarf around his waist, making a mental note to wash it later, and picked up his discarded weapon. He then pressed himself against the wall and slowly slide his head past the edge.
Jakotsu hardly dared to even draw a breath as he poked his face past the corner to watch the fight. He saw his brother proudly standing in front of an angry Takehiko, Banryuu gleaming on his shoulder. The daimyo's face was contorted into a seething sneer, his clenched hands were shaking at his sides.
But Takehiko's hands weren't the only thing moving.
Jakotsu noticed an enormous cage behind the daimyo, where inside was a huge mass of...something.
Something that stood up from a sitting position, turned around, and gripped the bars of the cage with two gigantic fists. Jakotsu had to hold in a gasp as he recognized it...er...him.
Jiro!
The giant still looked exactly the same: Dirty, wild green hair, crazy black eyes, and brown bulging muscles. The only thing different were the dark burn marks underneath his eyes.
That's right! Takehiko blew flames into his face! Huh, I guess I'm not the only one with burn scars under his eyes now.
Yet, that somehow wasn't very comforting.
(Sigh) Oh well.
Jakotsu shuddered as he heard the giant give a huge laugh that nearly shook the entire cave. Taro lifted his eyes towards the titan, but the daimyo remained glaring at the smaller figure before him.
"You wanted me to help you defeat this shrimp!" Jiro sneered between laughs "Boy, you must be weaker than I thought! You're pathetic!"
"BE SILENT!" Takehiko roared, still with his back to Jiro "I am not afraid of this little pest!" The furious daimyo unsheathed a sword at his side and held it out challengingly toward Taro "You may have my great halberd, Boy, but I doubt you know how to use it! Let's just see how strong you really are!"
Jakotsu was expecting Takehiko to charge at Taro at full blast, but for a while, he simply stood there. Then suddenly a purple and black ribbon of fire started to spiral around his katana, rippling faster and faster with each second. Smoke began to build up around the daimyo's feet as the sword's wielder gave a smug, crazed smile.
Jakotsu was shell shocked; even Jiro seemed surprised at the unexpected sight!
Taro looked unaffected, although he truly was amazed at the immense power.
Jakotsu could feel the energy and heat leaking from the sword now completely engulfed in dark flames. Then in a flash, Takehiko leapt toward Taro and brought the sword down with a great cry!
A great light filled every crevice of the cave and Jakotsu had to shut his eyes to prevent being blinded! A huge hot gust of power came ripping like wind, knocking Jakotsu off his feet and into the wall behind him! He fell in a heap on the ground, the breathed completely knocked out of him, and tried to breath as he felt the heat and energy reside.
Squinting his eyes open to see if the light had died down, he shakily rose to his feet using the back wall as a support. As he took in short gasps to get his breath back, he returned to the edge of rock to see what had happened.
His eyes widened as he saw Taro, in a defensive stance, with his halberd protectively in front of him like a shield, straining to hold back Takehiko's blade.
Jakotsu silently cheered at Taro's achievement!
Takehiko looked astounded at the smaller boy. Here was a small child blocking the attack of a full grown adult! The daimyo's katana, now a usual silver, made sparks against Banryuu's unscathed metal.
Taro, though struggling to hold back Takehiko's weapon, was grinning smugly at the daimyo's expression.
"Pretty impressive for a little pest, huh?" Taro sneered, his voice tense. He gathered up all of his strength and pushed Takehiko off him, making a slash for his opponent as soon as he was projected away. Takehiko was able to dodge and flash back to the cage.
"Now you see!" Takehiko seethed at Jiro "It's his sword! THAT is the problem!" Jiro was too dumbfounded to say anything. He just stared at Taro with wide eyes as he made another advance at Takehiko.
Again, the daimyo was able to dodge the attack and make a few slashes of his own.
Jakotsu and Jiro watched as the battle continued on, advance after advance, defense after defense. Even without a huge halberd, Takehiko was a strong warrior, always dodging at an advance, and advancing straight after a dodge. He even used bits of dark magic once or twice, but only shooting flames, as Taro was giving him no time to even begin any other type of spell.
Taro looked as if he was having a difficult time keep up with Takehiko in his movements, but his face displayed firm determination. Yet Jakotsu began to worry as he saw Taro slow down bit by tiny bit. He noticed the gash on Taro's head was bleeding more freely now, and his long hair was sticking to the blood and sweat on his face.
Takehiko was noticing it too.
He knew if he could just keep this defiant boy constantly moving, he would pass out from either exhaustion or blood loss. The daimyo himself might have been old, in his fifties in fact, but the spell he had placed on his katana not only created a powerful attack, but made him fight with the strength and energy of two men of twenty-five. A large disadvantage for his opponent...his victim.
"Brother..." Jakotsu said, quietly, worry etched in his voice "Come on!"
But it didn't look like Taro's strength would hold out much longer. He had no magic spell helping him out. He had been rash. He still didn't know Banryuu's true power, and with the way Takehiko was slicing at him, he didn't have the time to figure it out. By now, he had slowed up so much, that Takehiko was beginning to build up power in his katana again. Jakotsu could see tiny tongues of purple begin to flare out from the blade.
Taro was in trouble and needed help.
Jakotsu gripped the sword tightly and was just about to charge in, when he heard a loud shriek from the diamyo. He had backed himself to close to the cage that contain Jiro and his head was now clenched between two of the giant's large fingers. Takehiko lifted his hand and burned the digits with his magic fire, forcing Jiro to release him.
But that was enough time for Taro to get close enough.
Close enough to swing his Banryuu and cut Takehiko's legs out from under him! With a loud cry of agony that seemed even louder than Jiro's laugh, the mighty daimyo magician fell to the ground on what was left of his lower body! Taro quickly wasted no time in slicing the hand that held the katana off next and placing the tip of his halberd at the throat of his foe.
Jakotsu didn't know whether to sigh with relief or cheer with elation!
This battle was over, and the victory was Taro's!
The daimyo grabbed the wrist of his bloody stump and stared daggers at Taro. The younger boy was panting heavily, blood and hair stuck to his face, but his eyes showed triumph!
And no mercy.
"Jakotsu!" Taro barked.
"Uh...y-yes, Big Brother?" Jakotsu said, startled.
"I believe I told you that the pleasure of killing him was yours." Taro said, bringing his weapon down slowly "I've had my fun, now come have yours."
Jakotsu smiled as he walked over to the fallen daimyo and his brother. Takehiko turned his eyes to Jakotsu and raised an eyebrow.
"This is insulting." Takehiko muttered "Killed by that fool Raidon's personal pet?"
The Daimyo Magician, Takehiko, was dead only a nanosecond after that comment.
Jakotsu hadn't even bothered to take the time slashing at him. One quick swipe, and the daimyo's head fell from Takehiko's neck and smashed to the stony ground at Jakotsu's feet.
Even after the daimyo's death, Jakotsu could still feel the anger and disgust at being called the pet of that creep. He couldn't even relish at the thought that he had completed his mission at last.
"Bastard." Jakotsu whispered at the headless corpse.
"I'll say!" a deep voice said above him "Damn good that you got rid of him! My name's Jiro by the way." Jakotsu and Taro looked up at the face of the titan behind the bars. "Guess your pretty impressed by my great size, huh?" Jiro looked smug.
Taro merely shrugged.
"Not really. We've seen you before. An effect of one of Takehiko's spells, right?"
Jiro nodded.
"Yeh. Made me bigger and tried to force me to work for him but I..."
"Escaped and was recaptured, yeah we know." Taro said.
The anger and repulsion Jakotsu had been feeling melted away as he heard exhaustion in his brother's voice. He grabbed Taro's chin and forced his face to look at him.
"Brother, your face is covered in blood, that gash needs to be mended!" Jakotsu grabbed Taro's arm and urged him to the exit. The fact that Taro didn't try to resist proved that he was weak. "Come on, maybe the physician is still around, he can help!"
"HEY!" Jiro shouted, holding a hand through the bars "What about me? If it weren't for me, that kid would've be on his knees! I bought him time and THIS is how you plan to repay me? You're gonna leave me HERE!"
"Oh, shut up!" Jakotsu screamed at him, too worried about his leader to care "Why don't you just bust yourself out of there!"
"Don't you think I tried that! Listen, you little freak, if I ever do get out of here, you gonna be the first one I..."
Swish! Clang! Plop!
Taro had become fed up with the whining and hollering and swung Banryuu at the lock, breaking it at once. That seemed to be his last ounce of strength as he collapsed, just barely being caught by Jakotsu.
"Your out." Taro said, trying give his voice the firmness that his body lacked "Now go and do what you damn want."
Jakotsu didn't even wait to hear Jiro's answer before he lifted his brother up, bridal style, and dashed out of the cave, leaving a stunned but pleased Jiro behind.
As the goliath pushed his way out of the cage, he stared at the retreating figures, silently vowing to see them again one day, perhaps to challenge that exceptionally strong young man to a fight.
He stopped and looked down at the bleeding body of the daimyo and grinned evilly. He reached down and picked up the corpse, giving it a quick sniff. He threw it up in the air and caught it in his giant mouth, grinning with satisfaction as he crushed the bones beneath his teeth and blood oozed out of his mouth.
(NOTE): Whoo...I had a tough time with this one, I wanted it to be good. Tell me what you thought! Everybody loves reviews ;)!!!!!