A/N:
So sorry! I was gonna wait and type up more chapters first, but i couldn't wait.
So... I'm back with my buds! (Sesshomaru and Bankotsu!) Oh yes, IF YOU STEAL MY PEOPLE, YOU WILL DIE! Or will be plagued by Jaken. (shivers) Ahem, where was I? Oh, yes. ALWAYS READ THE THINGS IN BOLD! (important info) responses will be at the bottom. There is a japanese dictionary at the bottom for unfamiliar terms, as well as for confusing things (will be explained). Might have POVS. We're here to present….
Bankotsu ('Kotsu): (does background music)
Paths of Moon and FlamePairs Won't come into play yet...(so far, suggestions possible): Kagome/Bankotsu
Sango/Miroku
Rating: PG-13
Summary: As different as the obsidian night and fiery day. The only thing that expressed their destiny, their fate, was the sign on their forehead; the pointed cross. Amid the wars, sparks fly and love blooms, as hatred burns deep. It shall open the eyes of the soul; and it will conquer all. Forbidden things only spark desire. Ban/Kag.
Warnings! Swearing, violence, situations not for kiddies, overdose of adjectives, etc. you have been warned. Very violent. Muahahahahaha!
Category: Action/Adventure/Romance/Humor.
Bankotsu: (sneaky eyes) (sees no one, reaches for sugar galore)
Me: MUAHAHAHAHA! (squashes 'kotsu) no sugar for you! Remember what you did last time? But here, you can have these flames!
Bankotsu: (grins evilly) MUAHAHAHAHA! (steals Sesshy's shoe) (flames it)
Sesshy's shoe: hmm… this is nice… AHHHHHH!
(shoe is fed to jaken, who turns blue)
Sesshomaru: Anyone seen my shoe?
Disclaimer: (refers to eyes of the characters) Sesshy's are gold, 'Kotsu's are blue, me no own inu yashie, (lawyer people) no sue!
Paths of Moon and Flamedarkenedmoonlightflame
Prologue
Dark Hearts, Deep Hatred; Siege on the Shichinintai
Tsuyogaru koto dake shiri-sugite-ita watashi Saigo ni, warau tame bokura no ima wo kicchiri aruitekouThe young woman kneeled in silence and complete darkness, taking in the calming scent of fragrant spices. 'Pray, that Kami shall keep the souls of those who have been lost… As we will be imprisoned in eternity itself,' Her brilliant sapphire eyes fluttered open, glancing calmly around the deeply shadowed cathedral, before blowing out the feeble light of the waning candle. 'We have chosen… And we shall, in turn, be annihilated.'
Standing gracefully, the young woman smoothed her pale blue kimono, walking calmly and smoothly toward the massive double doors of the cathedral. 'I have done unforgivable things, but I cannot turn back.' She stepped out into the warm sun, allowing the light to shine bright onto her face, turning her gaze skyward. 'Nor do I choose to.'
A gentle breeze fluttered through her silky raven locks, swirling them gently around her fairly tan face. 'I am an assassin, and tonight, I shall satisfy some of my thirst for revenge,' Her cerulean eyes flared a crimson red for a moment, 'They killed him. I shall murder the one who did so. Onii-sama's life shall not go unnoticed.' She strode angrily toward the forest green tent near the edge of the heavily tented clearing, narrowing her eyes. Flinging aside the canvas door, she ignored the whispers and mutterings flying around the camp. 'They know nothing. Nothing.'
A small crystal tear slid down her smooth face, splattering onto the metallic halberd she was polishing. 'Onii-sama, I shall kill the one who murdered you!'
Ridding herself of the silk kimono, she folded it hastily before flinging it onto the cold, hard cot. Stripping of any other useless clothing, she reached for her special fireproof, pure white yukata, the bold, dark blue wiggly fern designs and crimson sakura petals blurring at the speed and ferocity she pulled them on. Layering several lighter yukatas on underneath, Kagome hid her chest quite well. Smoothing it out carelessly, she pulled on the pure white pants (dunno what to call those style things) and reached out for armor. A round shoulder guard matching to her yukata took its place on her shoulder, while she carefully brought a spiked purple-black breastplate/shoulder guard and bodyguard over her head, tying the set together with a blood red sash, very fitting to her mood. Carefully, slender, long fingers elegantly braided silken ebony hair with streaks of blue, securing her locks with a snow white ribbon. And between her pointed bangs, lay a deep blue pointed cross, elegantly and proudly standing out on her tanned forehead.
Slipping on durable tan arm and leg guards, she took her elegantly designed katanas and began polishing and sharpening all of the many weapons in her tent.
"Kagome-sama! Master Hiten wishes to see you! Report to the East Side of the fort immediately!" A panting young man flew through the tent flaps, collapsing on the floor pathetically.
"Have you ever heard of asking permission to enter?" The girl assassin spoke coolly, eyeing the young man on the grassy floor of her tent as she reached out to strap on her weapons.
The poor man paled visibly before splaying himself onto the ground, "My apologies! I-I didn't mean to-to… Hiten-sama said it was urgent!" He bowed down even lower, a dark blush staining his tan cheeks.
"You are forgiven, Ginta. Do stop squashing the only grass I have left. Hiten awaits us." Smiling softly at the wolf demon, Kagome helped him up. Letting out his breath nervously, the wolf demon straightened his pitch black and gray armor and wolf furs, combing his white and gray hair with his nimble fingers.
"Ready Kagome-sama?" he asked politely, offering his arm toward his fellow alliance. Nodding affirmative, Kagome passed the wolf youkai, striding quickly over to the area where her commander lay in wait, groaning mentally. 'I hope it's something important this time,' she mused grumpily, 'Better not be shoving that attitude in my face, or he's got it comin'!'
"Kagome-sama?" came the rough voice of her companion, "He's just around this corner, okay? I'll wait over here…" Running off toward a faraway tree, the young man skidded to a halt a good distance away, having been warned about the warring ways of the two assassins. Waving happily, he settled down and trained his sharp eyes onto the curved form of Kagome. 'This'll be interesting…'
'Damn. There he is,' Resting a smooth knee on the green grass, she knelt and bowed her head respectfully.
"Kagome!" Hiten nearly jumped for joy on the spot, but kept his cool like his fellow assassin. Tilting her head up, he leaned in gently. 'NOT AGAIN! THE BIG BAKA!' Turning her head sharply, Hiten's soft kiss landed on her cheek. 'Eww… I'm gonna have to wash that off later…'
"Yes Hiten-sama?" Dusting her white pants leg off, Kagome stood tenfold more proudly and elegantly than her commander could ever. 'If I was a man, I would be the one commanding him,' Facing the music, Kagome brought her intense gaze up to meet his crimson eyes defiantly.
"I trust you know what to do tonight? Good. If you succeed you may be able to extract more revenge." Hiten stated carelessly, dusting off his bright orange shoulder guards and pale blue sashes, flipping the long raven colored braid over his broad shoulder. Upon spotting the glint in Kagome's cerulean eyes, he smirked. "I see. You shall complete this, even to the brink of death? Exellent. I shall await your return tomorrow by the large clearing. If you return."
Spinning on his heels, Hiten dismissed her. 'I hope she'll be okay… What am I saying! She's the best of the best! Even better than me. But nooo, baka Hiten had to go and fall in love with a hitman! Uh… hitwoman? Nevermind. I hope I left a good impression.'
Scrubbing vigorously, Kagome finally was satisfied. 'Finally! I got Hiten slobber off!' Sighing, she chucked the dark red towel at her cot, letting it join the kimono. Suddenly, a low bass horn blared, signaling the night of revenge was about to begin.
Smiling, the girl assassin strapped every available and decently sized weapon to her person. 'Shame I get the boring mission. Well, I could always kill a few youkai on my way,' Kagome reasoned, weighing the correct amount of weight in steel. "Perfect," her cheerful voice sounded cold and dangerous, "I shall kill the one. He shall die for slaughtering onii-sama and my parents."
Making sure her weapons were strapped on to perfection, Kagome cracked her knuckles, and stood and walked calmly out of the dark green tent. Sensing the dark mood of the girl assassin, most of her comrades stayed away as she strode toward the grave of her elder brother, the famous lecherous assassin, Souta (yes, he was lecherous).
She knelt, heedless of her white pants, into the moist dirt under a lone pink cherry blossom tree (not sure if it exists). 'Souta, the one who did this shall die! I will kill him. Lend me strength so I may kill them all! They will pay for killing our family!' Kagome opened her sapphire eyes, allowing a glimpse at the raging dragon within, its fiery darkness ready to kill, to have the one who killed her family's crimson blood drip from its deadly claws.
"Kagome… It's time," Hiten's deep raven braid fell over her shoulder as he rested his strong hands on her tense shoulders. Nodding, she signaled for him to leave her in silence, and calmly, she released the spirit chains on her dragon.
Her calm, cheerful sapphire eyes turned fiery and hateful, with specks of molten gold, and the blue tints in her hair became more visible by the second, and she grabbed a huge, deadly halberd, her blue aura darkening to a deep shade of royal blue. Her miko powers flared, shooting royal blue purifying flames around all the weapons, as well as letting the flames dance around her, making her ebony-blue braid lash around violently with a newly formed set of golden-sapphire earrings.
Her deep blue pointed cross marking began glowing, as some more markings began appearing. Two horizontal crimson red jagged stripes appeared on her left cheek, as well as appearing on her forearms. The miko sign adorning her forehead became more noticeable, and a black crescent moon appeared on her right cheek.
Hiten's jaw dropped. He had heard about her transformations, but he had never actually seen one. 'Kami, she's so beautiful. Even in rage, she still makes me drool!' Wiping his mouth, the commander followed the graceful assassin with ruby red eyes, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
Narrowing her cerulean eyes, Kagome picked up the pace, her blood craving revenge eagerly. Her feet became blurs, as she whirled out of the camp like a huge tornado, increasing in speed as she went. Coming upon a large glassy lake, she willed her feet to go faster, the silent wings of death itself. Skimming over the water, to the outsider she was running over it, droplets of fine spray flaring up like tidal waves.
A sexy smirk pasted itself upon her face as she spotted a giant fort on the horizon, and she urged her feet faster yet. 'A nice slow run is very nice…' (Well, the 'slow run' for her was a heart attack for a normal human, but anyway, back to Kagome.)
The smirk widened as she came upon the looming oak walls, and in one giant leap, she leapt over them, continuing her speed effortlessly, spinning the halberd over her head one handedly. She brought the whirling steel down upon the helpless and stunned sentries, continuing on as if she hadn't leapt over a 120 foot wall, killing five men on her way down.
Her raven eyebrows narrowed as the assassin's quarters popped into sight, and she smiled coldly as she wreaked havoc upon the palace guards, thick, dark crimson blood spilling plentifully. This was going to be a great night.
"Hya!" Kouga slashed down a few guards with a sharp swirling blue katana, his deep black high ponytail swinging ferociously, matching his earth brown wolf tail. Back to back with him was none other than Inuyasha, a inu demon hanyou with a taste for battle. His molten gold eyes were lit with the fury of battle as they charged the unfortunate army of the Shichinintai.
His silver hair swung in a wide arc, as he brought down multiple soldiers with his Tetsuiga, using the Kaze no Kizo left and right. "Come on wimpy wolf! You gonna help or sit there on your butt?" His rough alto voice rang true, the wolf demon prince attacked more ferociously than before.
"How do think the assassin's faring?" He asked curiously, nonchalantly beheading a sneaking soldier behind Inuyasha.
"Great, I smell a lot of blood from Fort Shichinintai," Inuyasha replied, bringing his father's massive fang down, "Kaze no Kizo!" A pathway of people was cleared. "Wonder where 'This Sesshomaru' and Hiten are…"
"Right here," came the low voice of his elegant half-brother, a pure blooded inu youkai. His amber eyes were emotionless as usual, and his claws were quite bloody. Behind him stood the notorious commander of the assassins, Hiten. Nodding, Inuyasha and Kouga went back to throwing insults and beheading soldiers.
"That the best you can do, puppy?" Kouga signaled for his dark brown wolves to join the battle. And so, a wall of wolves charged in. The wolf prince had formed an alliance with the group of assassins, and was certainly helping out. After all, thirty percent of the fighters were wolf demons and wolves.
Letting a cold smirk pop onto his face, Sesshomaru joined the two, sending his poisonous claws and light green whip out. This was going to be interesting.
Silently, Kagome slid through the shadows in the luxurious mansion of the Shichinintai, her feet blurring at inhuman speed. At last she came upon what she was looking for. The room was small, bare and boring, but held a great treasure. The Shikon no Tama. Kagome had no use for the stupid jewel, she just wanted revenge.
Snatching the shiny, swirling, pink jewel, she tucked it into her yukata, letting it rest on her generous chest. 'This is too easy,' she thought, setting all her razor sharp senses on alert before dashing down the furnished corridor, the handmade tapestries indifferent from one another.
Smirking, Bankotsu slid into the hallway, following the blur.
Kagome smiled as she felt the warm presence slide out and follow her. 'Let's lead him on a chase… Pretend I don't see him…' She picked up the pace.
'Damn. He runs fast, and I highly doubt this is his full speed…' Bankotsu panted as he willed his leaden feet to move. 'Banryuu, you are gaining weight, indeed!' He blamed his large halberd for his misfortune, glaring at it.
'Hmmm… He'll be back,' Kagome thought as she rounded the corner, blurring across the deep green courtyard, slashing boredly at the sentries.
Inuyasha's honey colored eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as he spotted a figure leap over the 120 foot wall of the Shichinintai fortress, decapitating a few terrified sentries standing guard on the wall. Charging at the small group, the person easily cleared the pathway with a whirling mammoth sized silver halberd, its blade dripping crimson.
"He just cleared the way of people we've been working at with no progress for twenty minutes!" Inuyasha jumped up and down angrily, cursing obscenities at the figure. Kouga just stared.
"If that was a girl, I'd be drooling!" The wolf prince announced as he beat back a few guards with a battered katana. "Kuso! My katana's gonna crack!" The light sword began cracking from the scabbard, as the eyes of the soldier lit up and the excited man put more pressure on the breaking weapon.
'Another one's behind me! Kuso!' Kouga's mind raged around, and he barely saw the figure launch itself toward him until the last moment.
'Damn. He won't be able to make it,' Kagome launched herself toward the floundering wolf demon prince, twirling her giant halberd over her head at an incredible speed. Kicking Kouga down with a foot, she landed over him, slicing the two attackers into two, clean pieces.
"Hey!" Kouga yelled, indignant at being squashed by a lower rank, "Who the HELL do you think you are!" He paused his ranting and stared at his savior, who had raised an elegantly shaped eyebrow.
"You can start drooling now, wolf boy!" Inuyasha taunted the dumbfounded wolf gleefully. Opening his golden eyes, he stopped at what he saw. A beautiful woman.
"NO WAY!" Inuyasha screeched in disbelief. The woman just smirked a sexy smirk, enjoying his immense discomfort.
"Greetings, Kagome," Hiten said calmly, thrusting his thunderpike at a group of escaping people, the blue lightning crackling through the air, striking the eight individuals.
Nodding, Kagome replied, "Don't move," as she brought the halberd down, splitting an unfortunately brave toad youkai in two pieces. Hiten strutted over, placing himself back to back with her. "Duck," Kagome whispered into his ear. Without a moment's hesitation, the huge silver halberd was whirling through the air, with the commander ducking and firing sizzling lightning at escaping youkai. "Brace yourself and stay out of my way." She commanded, and Hiten grabbed onto her long, shapely leg like a lost child, his braid lashing wildly.
Narrowing her ocean blue-gold eyes, the girl assassin swung the deadly weapon faster and faster, creating a huge whirling tornado of miko power, purifying most enemy youkai within 70 feet. "Nice," Hiten yelled as the roaring winds began dying down.
"Here!" Hiten yelled, thrusting his thunderpike into the air, lightning crackling in the shape of a giant orb. Focusing, Kagome brought her slender long fingers around it, halberd still whirling in a deadly arc one-handedly, willing it to expand as Hiten obliverated demons. Smirking, she transferred it to one hand, another forming in her other hand, before flinging it at a group charging at them, the lightning entwined with royal blue.
"They make a great team!" Inuyasha cheered the two on as Kouga brought down pesky humans annoying him, grumbling something about, 'Stupid mutt-face. Ate too many pickles, has brain damage,' before continuing to smite the palace guards.
The deadly process of obliteration repeated, before she stopped, and whispered into Hiten's ear, making him shiver.
"Your turn. Give me a veil. I must deal with an insolent boy," With the words out of her mouth, and a pale blue veil at hand, Kagome disappeared, reappearing with the veil on, to charge at Inuyasha. Sweating up a storm, Inuyasha took out Tetsuiga. 'She-she couldn't mean me?' "Yo. Out of my way!" Kagome yelled, whirling Shinku Eitai (her halberd. Thought of a name) high over her head. Sidestepping hastily, Inuyasha all-but fell on his face flat.
"So, I was waiting for you to catch up. Blaming your weapon, how idiotic." Kagome brought her weapon down to meet his, with a clash of steel and lightning. "Ah, yours is special too," She smiled, and attacked a little more ferociously, waiting for him to tire out once more.
"Not this time," The assassin spat, his ocean blue-green eyes narrowed angrily. His white yukata with wiggly ferns was dirty and torn, and the matching shoulder guard was slightly out of place. His white pants had many stains, and his other weaponry clanked about, making his presence VERY noticeable.
"I see. Enough talk, you will fall," She whipped out a katana with her free hand, slashing his free arm, and his iron grip faltered a bit. Not one to be outdone, Bankotsu balled up his fist and smacked Kagome into a few trees.
'Damn. Humans can't survive that!' Kouga thought anxiously as he watched the two, straining to see through the cloud of dust. Kagome was gone.
Smirking, Kagome appeared behind the young man, bringing her sword down upon his shoulder, a fresh spurt of ruby red blood flicking out. He whirled, and slashed her torso, tearing the strong fabric of the yukata to shreds, making Kagome glad she had slipped on multiple yukatas.
Landing on the ground, Kagome glared at the onlookers. "Let us finish this elsewhere," she stated plainly, grabbing the man and vanishing with the wind. Little did they know, but a figure shrouded in shadow followed, disappearing in a flash of deep purple.
"Let us resume." She attacked him, the two halberds clashing and giving off yellow lightning. The young man narrowed his eyes, and whipped out a black katana, whipping it toward her before whipping Banryuu towards her as well. Jumping off of Banryuu, Kagome was able to avoid the katana successfully, and balling up her fist, she smacked Bankotsu's cheek, and the young man went skidding away into a rock.
"Very good," he said, "But why do you wear a veil? Surely you can't be that ugly," He pulled two slender daggers from his leg guard, and he threw them, landing a hit on her shoulder as the other grazed by her cheek, leaving a trail of fine crimson.
"Not half as ugly as yourself. Poor halberd has to work for you," Kagome snatched the bow and a raven fletched arrow from her back, and notching it with enormous speed, she loosed it at the fumbling assassin's arm. Smiling, she watched the swirling blue light as it made contact with the surprised man's shoulder guard, shattering it into millions of tiny fragments.
"Let's see who you are," He produced five small, but deadly knives, and hurled them one by one at her, and finally, one severed the veil, the silky fabric floating down to the ground.
Tsuyogaru koto dake shiri-sugite-ita watashi
Saigo ni, warau tame bokura no ima wo kicchiri aruitekou
A/N: Okies! Sorry it's short, but hey, it's a prologue. Was gonna be longer, but then it would be a chapter. The explanations for confusing thingies:
Kagome is cool and tough, but really, she hurts deep inside. (Hence, prayers for the ones she kills. She knows how they feel. She's praying in the beginning.)
Kagome and Ginta are friends, she wouldn't behead him. So don't sweat it.
Hiten is (cough not so cough) 'secretly' in love with our bad ass girl assassin. These feelings aren't the same for Kagome, who finds his slobber disgusting. (He doesn't slobber, she just exaggerates. But he does drool. Sometimes.)
Just to clear it up, her onii-sama and parents were supposedly killed by a member of the Shichinintai. Sad, but it gets better. It could be one of them, or not. You shall see! MUAHAHA!
Anyway, her family is buried under a pink cherry blossom tree, and she always prays there before going to war. Battle. Whatever.
Ok, the whole dragon thing: There is a dragon inside her, in a sense. Not like Ryukotsei (sp?) though. Think of it as a dragon of rage.
Here's a toughie! Her transformation. Nope, not a demon or hanyou! Her immense power is so amazingly powerful (duh) that it can spur on the transformation, which is actually magically fueled by a special flair and pure rage and adrenaline. Sorry it's confusing, but it's necessary. And cool! Kagome's so awesome! (cries tears of joy) It's her true form in a sense.
Ok, for the speed. Her powers enhance dramatically (yes, even though they were enormously amazing before) in her other form. True form if you will.
When she runs past, Bankotsu was standing guard, and he followed her.
Inu, Koug, and Sess are in the party attacking the fort where the shichinintai live. Hence, the siege/war thing.
I know, i know. it's confusing when Kag is refered to as he. but its from sometone else's veiw. Sorry, its unavoidable.
Oh, for the very first chappies, it may look like K/J, but its not. B/K comes in later. If ya want, i'll make a triangle for you.
(I just gave too much away, didn't i. Dang.)
Vocab:
Yukata: shirt-like japanese garment
Onii-sama: respected term for elder brother
Kami: god
Kimono: dress-like garment
Youkai: demon
Miko: priestess
Katana: sword-like weapon
Inu: dog
Hanyou: half demon
Kaze no Kizo: Wind Scar, Scar of the Wind
sama: adds respect to name
kuso: damn
Shinku Eitai: Crimson Eternity (whee! I like it!)
Tsuyogaru koto dake shiri-sugite-ita watashiSaigo ni, warau tame bokura no ima wo kicchiri aruitekou: I've known all too well about pretending to be strong, In order to smile in the end, we now walk precisely this way
Well, toodles!
FYI: I'm going off for a week or so on Friday. Sorry! Type'n fast and furious,
-darkenedmoonlightflame and company (sess and ban)