Chapter 6: Fever to Tell
"You're early, buddy." Jakotsu said in a falsely cheery tone.
"Early?" Bankotsu asked bewildered, still entwined in Hisa's arms.
"Yes, early. For our meeting?" Jakotsu said, faltering in his jovial disposition.
"Oh . . . "
"You didn't forget did you?" Jakotsu asked.
Bankotsu looked at the ground. From where he sat, it didn't look as if he were trying not to meet Jakotsu's eyes when in fact that was exactly what he was doing. He, Bankotsu, was about to confess, and yet Jakotsu had stopped him; deliberately it seemed. Jakotsu's voice reached Bankotsu's ears and made him look up.
"-Is this girl?" Jakotsu's voice partially beaten by the roar of applause and cheer from the town square. It seemed the crowd were coming in their direction. Jakotsu seemed to think this too and hurried both Bankotsu and Hisa into the pub.
Jakotsu helped Hisa by half carrying, half dragging Bankotsu's unwilling body. They sat him down upon a stool in the pub, which was empty except for the bartender who treated them as if they too were empty seats in his store.
"What's wrong with him?" Jakotsu asked Hisa, just as he heard the pattering of feet outside. Luckily no one went inside and although that may be unprofitable for the bartender, it was good for Jakotsu, who of course was being watched.
Hisa shrugged, giving Jakotsu a calculating look which he ignored. He was too busy examining Bankotsu in his state. He was quite pale, which was appalling considering the skin tone of his skin from staying outside and training so much. Jakotsu, giving up all pretenses, banged on the table so that it echoed in the empty pub and went directly to the bartender and ordered, "Bring some saki!"
The bartender didn't look too happy being ordered by a boy at least fifteen years his minor; nonetheless he complied and produced three bowls and a jug of saki filled to the brim. He slammed the jug on the counter, making Hisa jump, and was picked up by Jakotsu who slammed it on the table as well and began pouring the drink into the bowls.
"Must you go around pounding on things?" Hisa asked irritated.
"I have no patience with you. Just be quiet. Here, Bankotsu, drink this." Jakotsu held the bowl to Bankotsu's lips and tipped it into his closed mouth. Most of the drink was filtering in, because once it had touched Bankotsu's lips he took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp. Jakotsu, looking pleased at the end result, poured more in.
"You can't give him alcohol! He's not feeling well! He needs bed rest! Let me take him home! This is all your fault, you-you homo!" Hisa insulted.
Jakotsu gave an expression of shock but was stopped from saying something when the door opened and in came a few shady costumers from the execution come to take a celebratory drink. Jakotsu surveyed the crowd before turning back to Hisa but was surprised when she and Bankotsu were no longer in their seats, the saki which he had poured into Bankotsu's bowl spilled over the table and seats. Jakotsu turned around quickly to see Hisa's back supporting Bankotsu slip out of the doorway, parting the way through the throng of people bustling in. Jakotsu slapped the table once more and the jug was slightly propelled and tipped on its side, spilling its contents at a fast rate on the floor and table and on Jakotsu's beautiful yukata.
The movement attracted the customers nearby and one even said in a drunken slur, "Don't go spilling drink there, son."
In response, Jakotsu turned around and said, "Shut up you old, drunken man!" And hurried off after Hisa.
Hisa rushed through the now crowded streets, glad for a distraction between herself and Jakotsu, though annoyed at the amount of time it was taking. She reached the corner of a street and nearly collapsed in fright to see Jakotsu standing lazily next to a stand, holding an apple in his hand. Hisa stopped. She swallowed what felt like Jakotsu's apple.
"Thought you could get away did you? Child, you have no idea what I have been through, and chasing you was no problem."
"I'm no child! You're not that much older than me, how can you say that?!" Hisa cried indignantly.
Jakotsu didn't say anything for a minute. Then he said, "I need to talk to Bankotsu, you are not needed. Just leave me and Bankotsu alone." He said, coolly.
"Why? So you can rape him and then kill him, homo!" Hisa cried.
"If that insulted me in the least bit, I would have killed you already. What do you know anyway, you're just a servant girl, not destined for anything. Why are you protecting him so much? Do you love him?" Jakotsu teased.
"Shut up!" Hisa yelled, her eyes starting to brim with tears.
"Just let me talk to him!" Jakotsu said, coming nearer.
"No! What do you need to tell him that I can't know?" Hisa said, not moving. Unaware that Jakotsu was getting closer.
"Because it concerns matters that you are not involved in. Well it doesn't involve Bankotsu either, but he might be able to do something about it. It involves the people he loves." Jakotsu said, quietly.
At this, Bankotsu made to stand up on his own. Hisa supported him up but he seemed to be fine. He looked at Jakotsu for a moment and gave him a piercing gaze. In their little hemisphere, nothing moved. All was as still as if they weren't standing in a street in a busy market. Bankotsu turned to Hisa and moaned. Jakotsu rushed forward and helped Hisa support Bankotsu until they could sit him down on the ground. He lay his head on Hisa's shoulder, as she stroked it.
Just then, Bankotsu gave a lurching cough, bent forward and gave an almighty retch, making Jakotsu move out of the way quickly. Hisa scrunched her nose in disgust but managed to keep Bankotsu from falling face first into the sick. Bankotsu tried to sit up but failed, then gasped, "Ai-" Before lapsing into unconsciousness on Hisa's and Jakotsu's arms.
Darkness.
What's this? Where am I? Bankotsu thought. What happened?! Why can't I move?! My eyes; I can't see! Oh no . . . I'm blind!
"Kotsu. . . " A disembodied voice echoed from somewhere.
I'm here! Bankotsu tried to yell out, but the words wouldn't come out of his throat. Why can't I speak?! Why won't my eyes open! OPEN!
Just as he had thought the words, his eyes sprang open and he was in a clearing lit with the bloody light from the dying sun. There were screaming women everywhere and men, running around holding bloody swords, laughing cruel, mirthless laughs as they slaughtered anyone that crossed their path. There were children, on the ground bloody and dirty, crying for their parents or caretakers women were being carried off by the men and men, dying to protect the women. Utter chaos. Bankotsu wanted to run, but his legs would not permit that. He turned about, but all he could see was useless destruction.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see one of the ambushers advancing upon an unseen quarry.
He was dressed in red, and was holding a sword over his head, ready to strike though savoring the fear that exuded from the kill. As he took a step forward, he exposed his victims and at once Bankotsu saw them: a beautiful woman cowering in fear from her assailant, a crying baby in her arms.
At once, a flood of familiarity rushed to him and yelled out trying with all his might to move, to lunge at the attacker-anything, as long as he could save the woman. But his legs felt as heavy as if they were the heaviest of boulders. He started thrashing about, trying to move to no avail.
". . . Bankotsu. Please wake up. Everyone is worried about you: Me, Kameko, Jakotsu; even Lord Fujita and Aiko chan are worried about you. Please wake up. Please don't . . ." Pleaded an omniscient voice from within the foliage.
At once, he felt his body soaring up, upward and away from the pandemonium below as all around him faded into black. What the hell's going on now?
Bankotsu opened his eyes and found himself inside his room. He looked up to find the familiar window on the wall, casting the welcome morning light on his immobile body. He felt numb all over. He looked to his side and found Hisa laying next to him, quietly sobbing in her arms, her head resting on them.
"Hisa?" Bankotsu managed. His throat throbbed painfully, and it was very hard to move his head.
Hisa's head ricocheted up when she heard his voice. Her eyes and nose were red from crying, her cheeks tear stained and pink and her hair was not in it's usual neat bun and hidden, but spread around her in a sort of blanket, the sun making it look sleek and shiny.
"Bankotsu," She gasped, stunned for a minute, then she flung herself on him, crying. "Oh! Bankotsu! Thank the gods! You're awake! I've been so worried! So worried!"
She sobbed on his shoulder and clung to him as if for dear life.
"Hisa . . . " His voice was lost in her hair.
Hisa pulled herself away from Bankotsu and said, "Oh we must tell Kameko. Kameko! Come here! Come Here!" She beckoned in a loud voice.
Soon Bankotsu heard the sound of feet shuffling on wood and found Kameko looking around the corner with a look of complete bewilderment. "Hisa! You should know better. Kiyoshi is-" But she didn't finish her sentence as soon as she saw who Hisa was clinging to.
She shuffled over to the strange couple and sat down next to Hisa, smoothing out Bankotsu's sheets. She let Hisa hug Bankotsu until Hisa peeled herself away and Kameko came up to him and looked down at him. Bankotsu gave a small gasp. He still vividly remembered the last time he and Kameko had been this close. It was the night that Yasashiku had died and they had an argument.
"Welcome back, my dear boy. My dear, Bankotsu." She smiled down at him.
Bankotsu was astonished for a minute-and glad; she had called him Bankotsu. Kameko's hand found his and held it tightly, comfortingly, motherly and held it there. Then she said, "I'll go inform the lord and his daughter. They're quite anxious to see you well." Kameko stood up as fast as her old limbs would allow and she walked out of the room, leaving Bankotsu and Hisa alone.
As soon as she left, Bankotsu turned to Hisa intently and asked, "Hisa . . . what happened?"
"Oh Bankotsu! It was horrible! In the alley, Jakotsu was trying to tell you something, but you weren't feeling well at all. I expect it was from the execution . . . you were going crazy! You were muttering something about being your fault and you wouldn't move! You were catatonic! And then you threw up and collapsed. Jakotsu and I carried you here. I think that's why Jakotsu asked you to meet him in secrecy; he was one of the suspects to the murder of that boy! But he was proven innocent so he was allowed to come in. The first to meet up with us was Kameko. She got all pale faced and helped us take you inside. She wasn't much help though, at her age. And she set you down and then we sat there, by your side, me and Jakotsu. You had a terrible fever! We were so scared. Kameko was making you soup and herbs to help with the fever when Lord Fujita and Aiko came in to see you!
"He was dreadfully angry that you had gotten sick. I wonder why . . . anyway, he ordered some of the palace doctors to examine you but they couldn't find what was ailing you. They said that you had a fever was all and that bed rest and taking some medicine will help cool you down. They expected you to recover within a day but you were unconscious for a week! Your sensei has been very angry. He's continued lessons with Kanaye, but he says that when you get better again you have a work load to do. And well . . . " At this point, Kameko had appeared with Lord Fujita and Aiko and they rushed inside his small room.
"Bankotsu!" Aiko cried. She flew to his side and held his hand like Kameko did, though the effect was Bankotsu reddening in the cheeks and a loss of words; which was fine because his throat throbbed painfully.
Everyone in the room was stunned. Royalty was not supposed to have such ties to servants like Bankotsu. Also, why would Lord Fujita trouble himself so to give Bankotsu weapons training of his own and invite him to so many goings-on?
Jakotsu pondered these things as he looked inside through the tiny window in Bankotsu's room, watching what happened inside. He had watched as Lord Fujita and Aiko raced with Kameko across the grounds to the servants' quarters where Bankotsu resided and was even close enough to hear Hisa summon Kameko. Suddenly, around the corner came a couple of soldiers who spotted him and took up arms.
"Hey, girl!" One of the guards called out.
Jakotsu clambered down from the keg he was standing on to face them. The soldier who called out to him was taken aback. "A boy?"
Jakotsu smiled slyly. Then he said, "I work here, soldiers. I'm a new servant under Lord Fujita. I was just cleaning the windows . . ."
From inside, Bankotsu heard exactly what was happening outside and looked to Lord Fujita, who smiled amiably back at Bankotsu.
A/n: Omg I'm so sorry it took so long I've been extremely busy lately. But here's a new chapter after all this time. Enjoy!