Opening Notes: Apologies for not updating sooner. Also, if you're reading this, make sure you've read the re-make of Chapter 1 – I put it up sometime in June, 2005.
Chapter 2
"You're completely nuts, Jakotsu." Bankotsu sighed as he drank his sake, watching Jakotsu decide who in the village was cute and who was not.
Jakotsu sighed as he drank his own sake. "Man, this village is full of ugly men. The cutest man here is you, Bankotsu-chan."
"What does that mean?" Bankotsu asked.
"Exactly what it sounds like." Jakotsu replied, drinking the last of his sake.
Bankotsu sighed again. If he could, he probably would have killed, or at least mortally wounded this man long ago. True, when they had fought, Bankotsu had won, but he was experienced enough to know that, had the fight continued longer, the outcome may not have been the same.
"E-excuse me." Said an old man, approaching the pair.
"Nnn?" Bankotsu muttered, looking up from his sake.
"But, would you two… happen to be demon slayers?" The old man asked hesitantly.
"That depends on how much you're willing to pay." Bankotsu smirked. This might be fun. Whenever he was in need of cash, there was always some pathetic little village that needed saving. This was one of the few rules Bankotsu lived by, and it had served him well over his years as a wandering swordsman. (A/N: I figure that's what you'd call him, since the Banryuu is really just a giant sword. O.O I can't very well call him a halberdman or something, can I?)
"As much as you want!" The old man sputtered, falling to his knees before of the two teens, "Please, I beg of you, just rescue my daughter!"
"Daughter?" Jakotsu whined, "Why is always daughter? It can never been 'my young handsome son', oh no, it's always 'daughter'." His sniffed reproachfully, "Stupid women. Always getting themselves captured."
"Alright. If it pays 'as much as I want'." Bankotsu smirked again, ignoring the older teen. "Where is this demon you need slaying?"
Hope flashed across the old mans face as he picked himself up from the dirt. "Over there." He said excitedly, pointing east.
"Gee, that's helpful." Jakotsu sighed, his head in his hands.
"On that mountain is a small mansion. The demon lives there." The man explained. "If you follow this road, you'll reach a fork. Take the right fork, and it'll take you to the mansion."
"Right then. I just hope you're prepared to pay 'as much as I want' once I get back." Bankotsu said, grabbing his halberd and setting it on his shoulder.
"Of course, of course!" The man said, bowing his head.
Bankotsu rolled his eyes, and walked past.
"Oi, Bankotsu-chan!" Jakotsu called after him.
Bankotsu sighed. He'd forgotten for a moment that Jakotsu was intent on following him, "What?"
"What's all this 'I' stuff? There's no 'I' in team, you know." Jakotsu pouted, "You haven't forgotten about me, have you?"
"I did, for a moment. But then you reminded me."
"You sound almost like you don't LIKE me traveling with you!" Jakotsu shouted, obviously appalled.
"You're not 'traveling with me'. You're following me." Bankotsu explained, gritting his teeth, "And you're useless. What makes you think I'd want you with me?"
"Useless!" The older man exclaimed, "That hurts!"
"Prove me wrong." Bankotsu shrugged, "I defeated you easily. Why would I need you around?" This was a small lie on his part, and Bankotsu knew it. It had been sheer luck that Jakotsu's sword had been glued up by that sap.
"Alright, I will!" Jakotsu said, his mouth set in a thin line, "I'll go defeat that demon for you, how does that sound?"
Bankotsu shrugged, "Do as you will."
"Right then." Jakotsu said, fire appearing around him in true anime-style, "I'll meet you there, Bankotsu-chan!" He waved, and started jogging ahead.
"What an oddball." Bankotsu said, raising an eyebrow at the antics of the uppity teenager.
"Nice decorating job." Bankotsu commented sarcastically as the mansion came into view. It was obviously not very well cared for, with just about everything in tatters and greenery growing over everything it could reach. It was dead silent – but this was no surprise, there didn't seem to be a living thing anywhere in the vicinity – minus the occasion sounds of battle coming from the rear courtyard.
Bankotsu raised an eyebrow. If Jakotsu was still fighting that thing, perhaps it would serve as a decent challenge. He quickened his pace slightly, following the sound of the fight.
As usual in any sort of fight scene, Bankotsu made his way into the back courtyard, where he saw Jakotsu and the demon, as he expected. However, he also saw why Jakotsu was having trouble.
Jakotsu's sword, the Jakotsutou, was modeled after a snake, as the name implies. When facing human and most demonic opponents, this gives the teen a decided edge, as a snake is quick and difficult to predict.
However, when facing a snake demon, it poses a bit of a problem. The demon was getting decidedly close to Jakotsu, who wasn't like a snake. Jakotsu was swinging his blade about quite wildly, trying to drive the demon back, but with very little success. Both opponents were obviously exhausted, neither seeming to gain any ground.
And Bankotsu stood, watching. He had to admit, that Jakotsu character was determined. Why would he go to such lengths to prove himself to Bankotsu? Sure, Bankotsu was good looking, but he didn't think anyone would risk their lives to simply travel with him. Bankotsu had never had anyone feel that sort of devotion towards him.
It made him feel a little fuzzy inside. (1)
He glanced around the courtyard, seemingly oblivious to the heated battle going on in front of him. It was closed off, with the same theme going as the rest of the mansion. Overgrown plants, decaying walls, the works. There was a small stream running through, and it looked as though it had once poured into a koi pond, but that had long fallen into disuse and was now more a muddy sanctuary for various insects.
There was a woman lying off to one side, seemingly unconscious. Bankotsu assumed that she was the old man's daughter, the one that needed rescuing. Here's hoping she wasn't dead.
He turned back to the fight, the very image of calm. His halberd still sat on his shoulder, cover and all. He watched for a few more moments, pondering whether or not he should step in, when the snake demon dodged Jakotsu's blade, heading straight for the mere mortal. He heard Jakotsu curse as he dodged to the side, barely avoiding the demon's nearly successful attack.
Jakotsu was obviously exhausted. With his fighting style – swinging he sword around while observing from a safe distance – he was normally able to keep going much longer than his opponents could hope, which was a major plus for the man's weird fetishes. However, as he was being forced to dodge back and forth to avoid the snake's attacks, he was getting worn down fast, whereas the snake obviously had a bit more fight left in him.
Bankotsu frowned, weighing his options.
He could help the older man – then it would be two against one.
Or, he could wait, and let Jakotsu exhaust the demon a bit more.
But… He doubted Jakotsu had enough left in him to exhaust the demon more, and it wasn't as though Bankotsu NEEDED the demon to be exhausted.
Nodding, satisfied, he calmly slid the cover off of his massive sword, folding it neatly into a pile and setting it aside where it wouldn't get ruined – he had, after all, just gotten it. He turned, took another look at the battle, and, giving his Banryuu an experimental spin, leapt into the fray.
Bankotsu clicked his tongue. "Well, damn. This has got to be your fault, Jakotsu." He sighed, glancing at the taller man. They stood in the abandoned garden, Bankotsu leaning easily on his halberd, Jakotsu standing nearby.
"And how is it my fault?" Jakotsu asked incredulously.
"You were here first. It was the job to rescue her." He pointed out.
"No, your job was to rescue her. I just promised you I'd defeat the demon, remember?" He grinned.
"That's one lame-ass excuse, Jakotsu." Bankotsu raised an eyebrow.
"She was dead when I got here." Jakotsu said, exasperated, "Stupid woman."
"Nnnn." Bankotsu grunted, staring at him disbelievingly.
"It's true!" Jakotsu cried.
"Whatever." Bankotsu sighed, pulling his sword out of the ground and returning it to his shoulder.
"It is!" Jakotsu called after the shorter boy.
"I totally believe you." Bankotsu said sarcastically as he started ahead. "After all, why wouldn't I?"
"You're lying and you know it, ani-" Jakotsu snapped, spinning on his heel and tripping. With a cry, and a rather messy splash, he was in the former koi pond, his black hair bedraggled and unbound by the fall, and his clothes even more haphazard than usual. "Oh, fiddlesticks." He snarled, striking the water.
Bankotsu just laughed. "Nice one, Jakotsu." He chuckled, offering the half-drowned teen a hand.
"Shut up, aniki. (2)" Jakotsu sighed, wringing out his pants.
"Aniki?" Bankotsu asked, genuinely surprised.
"Yup." Jakotsu answered brusquely, turning away and heading out of the woods.
"Where did that come from?" Bankotsu asked, jogging up alongside.
"I just decided." Jakotsu shrugged, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"'You just decided'?" Bankotsu repeated.
"Yeah, I just said that." Jakotsu blinked, before smirking, "Would you rather I call you lover?" He asked, almost hopeful.
"Aniki is fine." Bankotsu said flatly, quickening his pace.
"Aw, come on, aniki!" Jakotsu whined.
"No."
"But-"
"NO."
"Ple-"
"Don't make me kill you, little brother."
"Hmph."
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End Chapter 2
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1 -- As a side note, this is NOT A YAOI/SHONEN-AI fic. This is BROTHERLY LOVE, people. BROTHERLY. LOVE.
2 – Translation – older brother. It's much cooler than how in the English it's just 'brother' – it's OLDER brother, though it has more of a 'boss' or 'leader' feel to it… only, more of a 'brotherly boss'…. Just… stick with the older brother translation.
Ending notes: Okay, I know I promised this a while ago, but I was working on it, and I got up the snake, and it was like BAM! A wall. Soooooo sorry. Totally my fault.
On a different note, English Bankotsu was BUTCHERED. They did ALL THE OTHER Shichinintai fine, but they RUINED HIM. Not to mention he said 'That white fog enveloped me…' He's an ILLITERATE MERCENARY. THEY DON'T USE WORDS LIKE 'ENVELOPED', OKAY!