Original Character Interview

by artisanrox

CHAPTER 12. STRATEGY.

Back and forth, back and forth went Bankotsu and Akiko, each taking off one item as they lost. Akiko had her pride, her shopping sprees, and in fact her very freedom on the line; Bankotsu was determined to hold to his honor; he would not allow himself to lose to this...girl. Defeat would mean that he would have to go face his men, let alone having the dishonor of facing her over and over in rehearsal for the story in which they were supposed to take part. Even though he took it upon himself to do these interviews, a fight was still a fight, no matter what methods or tools were used.

The games went by with lightening speed; Bushido Blade was a game that could be won or lost in a matter of seconds, and both Akiko and Bankotsu took no spare time in trying to defeat the other.

Akiko had previously shed three rings; Bankotsu then had to remove his armor. Now, Akiko lost another ring, then Bankotsu lost both sleeve-holders surrounding his wrists. Akiko was so thrilled in winning twice in a row, she became distracted and lost three rings, to Bankotsu's amusement.

Doesn't matter how much crap she's wearing. I can still take 'er, he thought.

But the girl was not intimidated so easily; she made a big comeback, and Bankotsu had to shed both guards surrounding his ankles, then lost his shirt.

The shirt removal proved to be a devestating blow to Akiko, because she simply couldn't help but to continually side-glance him.

Bankotsu side-glanced her back occasionally; he could tell she was terribly distracted by his bare-chestedness. That may be useful, he thought. Usually I would never even think of resorting to using more questionable methods of combat...but- he smirked as he thought, -in this case, it's a bit different of a form of combat. Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it! And heck, she is kinda cute. It might even end up being a bit of fun for the both of us. A deep scowl returned to his face as he amended his thought. After she gets through all our laundry and dishes, of course.

Losing again twice in a row meant that Akiko lost the last two rings she was wearing. She knew she had many more chances, but counting remaining chances wasn't enough. She was increasingly getting distracted by Bankotsu's upper body, but knew she just had to bide her time and win once more...because his pants would have to come off lastly!

She had to force herself to concentrate enough to win one more time...one more time!

One more win was gotten by Bankotsu, and Akiko removed one of her sandals, to her utter frustration. Another win by Bankotsu, and she removed the other sandal.

Her competitor was getting annoyed again. Losing four times in a row was so embarassing!

She desperately needed to focus. Not only was Bankotsu's body distracting, but what also threatened her was her own fury at losing with her goal so clearly in sight! She was quickly running out of accessories, and all she had to do was win one more time!

They soon began another round, and, sure enough, Akiko couldn't resist looking at Bankotsu's perfect, steely musculature. She sideglanced him at precisely the wrong moment, and Bankotsu won yet again. She removed one of her socks, and began to realize that this was going to end up being about more than just talent or luck.

This was about self-control! About mastering your inner animal! About...

...about losing another sock.

Akiko opened a side of her mouth, and blew air up towards her eyes in frustration. She angrily threw down her controller, and glared at her opponent right in the eyes. He simply humphed amusedly at her in response. It even seemed like...like he was toying with her the whole time!

"Something...wrong, Akiko?" he teased, one side of his mouth drawn up into his confident, trademarked smirk.

She gritted her teeth, but determinedly picked up her controller again. "Let's go again!" she said.

Beginning another match, Akiko resolutely plastered her eyes to the screen in front of her, Bankotsu snickering the whole time. Her character was almost caught off-guard by the naginata in the opponent's digital hand, but with her last reserve of concentration came through...and when her opponent's character fell, she won!

"Damn!" cursed Bankotsu.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" shouted Akiko, holding up two fists after she dropped her controller. "I did it!"

Suikotsu's eyes widened again. "That stupid girl!" he said quietly. "She's as good as dead!"

Renkotsu hmphed his eyes shifted to their corners in thought. "But she seems to be a difficult one. I never expected Big Brother to have this much-" he pressed his lips together as he searched for an appropriate term to describe what he thought was happening in the weapons room "-trouble...with a girl," he finished delicately.

"Geeeeeeeershhhh..." agreed Ginkotsu, not-so-delicately.

Kyoukotsu picked his head up from the door for a moment. "Well, he really doesn't have a whole lot of experience with girls and all...you know?" the giant whispered back.

Renkotsu frowned. "That's how he seems to be when he's alone. He's much kinder to them than they deserve!"

Suikotsu laughed with quiet menace. "Hell, look how easy he is on us! You'd think after some of the stuff we do, he'd have cleaved each of us in half by now!"

Renkotsu's hands, which were resting flat on the screen, curled up into white-knuckled fists. "We'd be the first ones to deserve it, brother. But I'm sure he's only biding his time. He knows he can cleave all of us in half whenever he wants!"

"Well, before I'm cleaved in half, I wanna hear something cool," said Suikotsu. "So the rest of you, just shaddap so I don't miss anything!"

"Gersh!" quietly laughed Ginkotsu.

"Not so fast, girl," quietly said Bankotsu, and Akiko's celebration came to a painful, screeching halt. Akiko looked over at him, puzzled.

"What now!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air.

He flicked his eyes up at her. Framed by thick black eyelashes, the look in his tantalizing cobalt eyes was absolutely ominous. "You're staying put. I still have one more chance."

He put down his controller. He reached behind him, and brought his floor-length braid to his front.

He waved the end of it in front of Akiko's wide eyes.

She realized that he still had his hair band!

But she was not about to let herself be thrown off guard. She quickly recovered from the shock of their competition not being quite over, and smiled sweetly at him. "Well, I guess you'll just have to undo your hair, then!"

Bankotsu chuckled, but was then silent.

Akiko was nonplussed by his silence. "Wha-?"

"I really hate undoing my hair once it's plaited," he said slowly, with a deadly sarcastic tone in his voice. "Soo...my only other option right now, is-"

He reached down tantalizingly with one of his large hands.

"No...n-no...!" said Akiko in quiet, blushing disbelief. "You bastard!"

Bankotsu chuckled again, and ever-so-painfully-slowly, undid the ties on either side of his pants. He leaned back against the wall, then pulled out one leg, then the other. His legs, Akiko noticed, were as perfect as the rest of him!

Akiko turned another shade of bright red. She felt her breathing quicken, and, as horrible and unladylike as it was, she began sweating!

I was not supposed to react like this! This is not how things should have gone!

"Heh." Bankostu grinned from ear to ear as he laid his pants aside, and leaned casually against the wall in nothing but his birthday suit. "You mistakenly thought that this would've bothered me. Well, surprise, girl. It doesn't, especially after seeing some of the things I've had to see in my life." He raised himself up from the wall, leaned close to her, and inhaled deeply. Akiko watched his unbearably beautiful chest, inches away from her, rise and fall. She was helplessly entranced.

"You used what you were wearing to your own advantage, and pretty well," he whispered. He leaned further in to her, his thick eyelashes practically entwining with hers as he looked down into her eyes. She could feel his hot breath on her face, and could smell the intoxicating scents he eminated...musk and fine incense. "But guess what, girl? So can I!"

He wasn't even touching her, but Akiko was soon panting through her firmly gritted teeth. "This... means...war!" she breathed.

He inhaled deeply again with parted lips, and Akiko desperately wanted to run her fingertips across his mouth, down his neck, and all over his expanding ribcage. Holding his breath in, he looked deeply into her yellow eyes. He leaned in even further, and his mouth passed by Akiko's bright red cheek. Akiko could just barely feel her lips brush against his shoulder. "War is my specialty," he said quietly, slowly, while releasing warm breath into her ear.

Akiko brought her fists up, and squeezed her eyes shut in exasperation. A loud, completely frazzled, infuriated scream was released from the base of her throat.

Renkotsu was nonplussed. "My brothers...I...cannot make sense of this!"

Suikotsu chuckled. "Heh. I sure as hell can. Mukotsu would be so proud."

The three other guys lited their heads and glared wide-eyed at Suikotsu. Suikotsu grinned devilishly, then his face turned serious again and he pointed at the screen again. The men rested their ears on the screen again and resumed listening in.

The sound Akiko made was so completely unbecoming of her, but she was so angry at herself for under-estimating her own self-control! How dare this young man use her own strategy against her! If she would ever lose, it would be so completely his fault!

She fumbled around for her controller, and once she had it, she wrenched herself away from the heat she could feel coming off her competitor's sculpted body. Bankotsu was left leaning over, his eyes shifted to their corners, his mouth still set in a smirk.

He knew he was on to her. His strategy was working, and now he'd take full advantage of it.

One way or another, girl...you're mine!