Chapter 2



"Where the hell did you learn that move?" Bankotsu asked Josue as he recovered his halberd.

"I made it up," Josue shrugged. "Sometimes you have to be creative when you fight."

Bankotsu chuckled, but made note of that. His father would have absolutely hated Josue's style of fighting because it was so wild and undisciplined, but Bankotsu was crazy about it. His every move was so unpredictable, and it made him have to fight that much harder to defeat him. Finally an opponent that caused him to have to think!

He stabbed his halberd down into the dirt and sat by it, waiting for Josue to join him. In two days' time, Josue had become rather comfortable around Bankotsu. He no longer watched the floor when he spoke to him in public, he didn't fidget as much, and he certainly talked a lot more. Bankotsu found Josue to be a very honest and simple guy. What he saw was what he got basically. The older boy was hard working and very kind to people who were kind to him first. He had come each day after their initial sparring with two different swords in which to work with Bankotsu, helping him to sharpen his skill. He didn't ask Bankotsu why he liked to fight or why he was so insistent on Josue sparring with him; he just obliged him with what he asked. The older boy seemed to be enjoying his company. Nasuti would not be the only one who would be sad to see Bankotsu go.

Bankotsu frowned at that. Josue didn't have any friends, and the only person who was kind to him was Nasuti, but that was because she pitied him. That saddened Bankotsu deeply, because had the potential to be a great friend. If Bankotsu were staying, Josue would probably have been his best friend. All he needed was to be given a chance, but all people saw were his eccentricities.

"I want to go to your house one day and see the rest of the swords you've got stashed away in there," Bankotsu said casually. Josue stiffened a bit, before sighing.

"My house? I don't know about that Bankotsu. My father doesn't like visitors."

"Oh," Bankotsu scowled. That was a problem. "Is he always home?"

Josue nodded. "But... I'll see what I can do one day, ok? When do you plan to leave?"

Bankotsu blinked. This was the first question Josue had ever asked him, "The day after tomorrow, I suppose. Why?"

Josue smiled. "You'll see."

Bankotsu laughed. "You're plotting something. Well, don't get yourself into trouble on the account of me, ok?"

Josue shook his head, "I... well, I don't mind. The old man will find a reason to yell at me anyway, so why not actually give him something real to be mad at for once?"

"Does he...hurt you?" Bankotsu stopped laughing as he caught his friend's eye. The older boy no longer looked amused either.

Josue shrugged. "It's nothing to worry about."

Bankotsu let it slide, since he had seen no physical bruises on his friend's body, but then he hadn't seen all of his body. Josue always wore long sleeves and pants. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Josue nodded; he gave Bankotsu a small wink before looking up at the sky. "I better get going for today. I'll bring some more fun toys for you to play with tomorrow."

Bankotsu beamed, then grabbed his friend's arm. "Could you stay for dinner? You won't be that late. I'm sure your father won't mind, if you're eating elsewhere. He can do without you for one dinner, unless you do the cooking? Do you cook?"

Josue almost laughed, "I can't cook."

"So your father cooks?"

Josue smiled sadly, "No. He doesn't cook."

"So what do you do for dinner? I never see you take anything home from here."

Josue played with a strand of his hair, "Nothing. I'm not usually hungry at this time of day anyway. Brunches here are more than enough for me."

"You only eat once a day?" Bankotsu couldn't help but exclaim. How did he live? Bankotsu couldn't imagine not eating at least two meals a day and that was torture. "No wonder why you're so bony! Do you have any idea how much stronger of a fighter you could be if you'd simply put more in your mouth?"

"I'm not a fighter, Bankotsu," Josue said simply. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Bankotsu watched Josue leave in discontent. If Josue wasn't going home to fix dinner or eat with his old man, just why did he have to be home at a certain time each evening? Maybe he was training with the old man and lessons started promptly at dusk. Either way, Bankotsu decided he was going to pay Josue a house call after dinner to see just what he was up to and to finally see inside the house full of fabulous swords.

Josue couldn't be too mad at him once he saw him and Bankotsu got a chance to smooth-talk him. He felt certain he could even charm Josue's father. How hard could it be to ease a drunkard's mood? If he didn't listen to reason just offer to pour him more wine.



He ate his dinner quickly that night and wrapped some leftovers in a napkin to go, hoping to give them to Josue. The boy wouldn't admit it, but Bankotsu knew he had to be hungry. He was probably just too embarrassed to tell Bankotsu earlier. He just managed to dodge Nasuti and get out of the boarding house that night. The woman had been looking for him to get him to try on new clothes that she'd sewn for him. He had already tried on two of the outfits and he was just plain sick of being a clothes horse. Sure he appreciated the new clothes, but ugh!

He figured she would associated his disappearance for the night with his not wanting to model anymore outfits for her. Should he be bring Banryuu? They could practice some more with all of the swords Bankotsu was excited about finding. He did pause then, because he remembered Josue's expression from earlier that day. The boy was planning on bringing him to his house to see the weapons at a later time, when he might not get in too much trouble for it. Would he really get in trouble if Bankotsu were just to show up? How could it be Josue's fault, if Bankotsu came of his own free will and surprised him?

Bankotsu shook off the worry; it would be fine, but decided to leave Banryuu just the same. He jogged to the edge of town and ventured just beyond it, looking for the wooden house Nasuti had described. It was supposedly the only house in the area, so it shouldn't be that hard to find. It didn't take him more than a minute to stumble upon the collection of small wooden shacks in close vicinity.

Should he knock or simply wait for Josue to come outside to do something and catch him then?" Bankotsu wasn't sure; he hadn't really gone over his approach. He sat in the copse of trees surrounding the small shacks and decided to wait until he saw someone come out. While he waited, he began to snack on the food he'd brought along for the older boy. He wouldn't miss a few rice balls, if he didn't know he had them.

He'd almost fallen asleep before a door creaked open and a slim, shadowy figure stepped out onto the land. The sky was dark by now, and Bankotsu could scarcely see. The figure began walking towards Bankotsu's area, and he stood quietly. As it neared and Bankotsu was able to get a better look, he frowned. It was a young woman wearing a long kimono with her hair up in some fancy style. Her lips were painted red and her eyes were shaded purple. Josue hadn't said anything about a sister or his father having a new wife... He hadn't said anything about any girls at all, in fact. Should he ask the young lady about Josue? Maybe he wasn't home; he'd probably just ditched Bankotsu to do something better with his time.

The thought of that stung. He had thought the two of them were becoming friends. He reached out to halt the woman as she drew close enough to sense his presence. She gasped audibly and jumped back, breaking the strap on one of her sandals and falling back into the soft dirt on her bottom. She sat staring up at Bankotsu in horror. "Please don't do it here! Not in the dirt! We can go in the house... My father will leave us alone, just not in the dirt! I won't do that again!"

Bankotsu blinked and took a step back; that voice... "Josue?"

The boy was covering his face as if expecting a blow. When one didn't come, he removed his arms cautiously and gazed up again. "B...Bankotsu?"

"Why are you dressed like that? What were you talking about?" Bankotsu extended a hand down to the stricken boy. Josue didn't take the hand; he continued to stare at Bankotsu.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!"

"Why are you dressed like a girl? And what are you so scared about? What don't you want to do in the dirt?" Bankotsu reached down to pull the older boy up. Josue stumbled into a standing position.

"D...don't worry about it. Just...we need to get out of here, now!" Josue grabbed Bankotsu's arm and suddenly they were running through the woods, away from the shacks. Bankotsu was confused by the flight until he heard the voice shrieking after them furiously.

"What are you doing, you little bastard?! Who's that you're with?!"

Josue didn't slow his pace, or allow Bankotsu to slow until they were near the edge of the city. Bankotsu watched the boy who was bending over his knees trying to catch his breath for a moment, before questioning him again.

"Josue? What's going on? Why did we run, and why are you dressed like that?"

Josue slowly looked up and tried to straighten his body. His hair was starting to free itself from the up-sweep and he was starting to look a little more like himself, if it weren't for the face paint. The boy swayed a bit on his feet and Bankotsu noticed he was missing a sandal. He reached out to steady his friend. "Are you alright? Should we sit down?"

"I'm fine," Josue said crisply. "Why were you at my..home?"

"Looking for you," Bankotsu said simply. "I just wanted to know what you did when you left Nasuti-sama's. You said you don't cook dinner and you don't eat, so I was curious. I thought maybe you were practicing with the swords, and that I could join you."

"I was going to bring you tomorrow," Josue moaned. "But if he's seen you...if he thinks I have someone... Oh gods, Bankotsu. Why do you have to be so nosy?"

"Are you talking about your father? He was the one screaming after us right? Josue, if you're afraid of him, why do you stay there?" Bankotsu asked.

Josue swallowed hard and removed the one sandal he wore, glaring at it in disdain. "Where else would I go, Bankotsu?"

"Nasuti-sama would..."

"No," Josue shook his head. "She would not have me. She's going to dismiss me once her husband and sons come back, anyway. I have no where to go."

Bankotsu shook his head, then stared at Josue's choice of dress again. "Where are you going now? Why...?"

"Bankotsu, you are too young. You wouldn't understand my answer. Just go back to your room; have a bath. You'll be leaving soon, so you shouldn't trouble yourself with the likes of me. Have fun, Bankotsu; enjoy yourself. Tomorrow, we'll play some more, and you'll leave with happy thoughts of this place, and maybe you'll even think of me sometimes and it will bring a smile to your face. I want to be remembered fondly...for once. Just go away now, Bankotsu. Forget you came to the woods; forget you saw me tonight."

Bankotsu wanted to say something; he parted his lips to form the words to keep Josue at his side, but the look of pleading in the older boy's eyes made him drop it. Holding his lone sandal, Josue quickly walked away from Bankotsu into the city, and Bankotsu lost sight of him.

Now he had to know what was going on. He hurried back to the boarding house. If anyone had any information they were willing to release, it would be Nasuti.





*******************************************************************************************************************************

Author's Note: Review? Pwease? Just one and I'll be happy :).