This chapter was entirely re-written and updated on 8-8-2006
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Chapter 15: Gifts from the Heart
The sun was just beginning to set as the three separated members finally caught up with the four others. They explained what had happened, and figuring that they'd all had a long day, the seven men started to head back to their base.
Along the way, a scrawny young man came running up to them.
"Excuse me, Bankotsu-sama of the Shichinin-tai? May I speak to him please?"
Bankotsu took Jakotsu's arm from around his shoulder and let him lean against Suikotsu before stepping forward.
"Yes?"
The servant seemed shocked that of the seven, it was the young teen that stepped forward at the leader's name; but decided not to question it. This was a group of deadly mercenaries he was dealing with after all.
"I have an urgent request from my Daimyou, Lord Tenshiro. The payment will be worth your time and effort if you can successfully do the task tonight."
Bankotsu looked around at his men, knowing that they were in a desperate need of a rest, but not about to turn down a job before even hearing what it was.
"What is his request?"
The young man cleared his throat and pulled out a piece of parchment, "All the details are there. I can clarify anything you have questions about."
Looking down at the paper, Bankotsu frowned in thought. It was an order to kill a single woman who had apparently latched onto the Daimyou's son and was pressuring him to make decisions over his land. The boy had no need for her, but since he was weak-willed and she had a group of bandits backing her- she played the part of his loyal lover so she could manipulate him. Lord Tenshiro's mission was simple- kill her that night before she forcefully married his son the next day and took over his lands completely.
Thinking over who would and wouldn't be best for the job, the young leader turned to his comrades.
"This is a simple mission, which only needs the attention of two of us. Suikotsu, make sure Jakotsu is taken back and his leg is given proper treatment. Kyoukotsu, Mukotsu and Ginkotsu will also go with them. Renkotsu, we shall handle this one ourselves."
The second in command raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, "Should we take Ginkotsu with us as backup?"
Bankotsu shook his head, "No. He's got that malfunction right now and this is more of an uncover operation. I'm certain the two of us will be sufficient."
Getting the rest of the information, and the forward payment from the Daimyou's servant, the two highest ranked members set off to handle this mission alone.
"Be careful!" Jakotsu yelled out as they walked away.
"Don't get into any trouble on the way back to the base then!" Bankotsu called back.
And the group partied ways; the group of five murmuring amongst themselves and the other two walking off in silence.
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After walking quite some distance without a word, finally Renkotsu spoke up.
"Do you have a plan?"
Pausing a moment to think it over, Bankotsu nodded and replied, "I think the best idea is to cause a distraction to get the woman to leave her room. Then, while she's out of the room- get the son to safety and do what it takes to kill her."
"Any ideas for a distraction?"
He pondered, "Not many things we can use this late at night without going overboard. And the Daimyou said to make it as hush-hush as possible so they can blame the death on the bandits she works with."
"Then… I think I have an idea. May I be excused to run and gather some things?"
Bankotsu shrugged, "Sure. Where shall we meet up?"
"In the forest, south side; I'll catch up to you there."
"Okay. Don't take too long."
"I won't," Renkotsu replied, turning to walk off in the other direction. Bankotsu watched him go, wondering why he headed in the direction of the nearest temple.
Shrugging that off, he started to trudge onward towards the destination. And as he got deeper into the forest, his mind began to wander.
But the moment his mind flickered to Jakotsu, and the incident that day, he stopped dead in his tracks as all the thoughts came rushing to him at once.
"It's strange. We get injured all the time and I'm sure he's probably resting back at the base without thinking about how I have an arrow wound. But I just can't stop thinking about him; if he's all right or if his knee will be okay. Why does it bother me so much to see him in pain like this? It's never bothered me this much before, so why now?"
Starting to walk again, his thoughts still continued.
"And kissing me like that, with who knows watching. He's outright flirting with me!"
Bankotsu paused, murmuring to himself, "Great. He's flirting with me. Blatantly flaunting how he feels about me for the whole damned world to see."
His subconscious noted that it wasn't like he was doing much to stop it. And sadly, Bankotsu realized that his subconscious was right.
"I guess if it was something I was entirely adverse to, I'd be doing more to prevent it. But how do I feel about Jakotsu? I mean, he's my friend- that's a given but… what now?"
"Oo-aniki?" Renkotsu called out, approaching him.
"I mean I… well I don't dislike kissing him. Does that mean something?"
"Oo-aniki?" The second-in-command reiterated a bit louder, causing Bankotsu to practically jump in fright.
"Renkotsu, it's you. You scared me there for a moment."
"Thinking about something important?" He asked.
"Err... I guess you could say that it's just a problem of sorts I'm trying to work out."
"I hope this problem won't hinder you working to your full ability tonight. This is a very risky job we've gotten ourselves into and it'll be good-looking to future employers if we pull it off successfully."
Bankotsu nodded, only now noting that Renkotsu was attired as monk- his facial markings gone. "I just can't seem to get it off my mind, that's all."
He went silent for a second, mulling an idea over in his head, before daring to speak it out. Finally, he caved in and went for it.
"Do you mind if I ask you about it, Renkotsu?"
The bald-man shrugged, "We still have a ways to walk, so why not."
Clearing his throat, Bankotsu carefully chose his words, "So there's this person- not anyone you know, but just someone."
Renkotsu frowned, the lame cover blaringly obvious, but he didn't let on that he knew, "All right. And what's his problem?"
"There's someone he's always thought of as a friend, but now he's thinking that perhaps something has changed."
Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the fact Bankotsu was asking him, of all people, for advice on his relationship with Jakotsu- Renkotsu coughed lightly and nodded for the young leader to continue his story.
"And so, this guy is wondering what happened. Why do they seem like more than the friends they used to be? And what can he do about it?"
Hoping he wouldn't regret it at a later point, and figuring it was inevitable anyways, Renkotsu spoke up, "It sounds like this man needs to sort out his emotions and then tell his friend how he feels."
"But what if he can't sort out his emotions?"
"Then he's probably thinking too hard," Renkotsu replied.
Bankotsu nodded, "Thanks. I'll let him know that."
Shaking his head, Renkotsu wondered how he'd gotten himself into this situation. Then, glancing down at his robes- he reasoned that giving love advice to his naively and sometimes incompetent leader was much better than the alternative path his life could have taken. Being a monk was definitely no way for him to live, but he was beginning to wonder if perhaps he wasn't cut out for something bigger and more esteemed than what he was.
As Renkotsu pondered his predicament, Bankotsu tried to stop thinking so hard so he could find the answer. Blocking out all the stray thoughts floating around in his mind, it suddenly became rather clear what his answer had been all along.
"I think that I…"
His thoughts abruptly halted as he ran into Renkotsu's back.
"We're here, Oo-aniki. I'll draw her out from the room; the rest is up to you."
Setting his personal issues aside, Bankotsu focused on the task at hand, "All right. I'll move when you signal me."
"Signal me?"
"The candle you're carrying. Blow it out when you want me to move."
Renkotsu nodded, and quietly made his way up the hill to the building. Lightly tapping on the woman's door, he heard her screechy voice reply.
"What is it?"
"A monk from the local temple. I was requested to come and give the bride a blessing and was delayed in my arrival."
The woman slid the screen door open, her black hair tousled and her exquisite kimono hanging sloppily from her figure.
"Oh really. Okay, bless me then."
"You must first purify yourself. The servants have already given me a basin with which to perform the ceremony in. It's in this room down the hall."
Shrugging, the woman yelled behind her, "Touji, I'm gonna go get blessed by this monk. Don't go anywhere, okay?"
A meek male voice replied, "Yes, Nagisa."
Renkotsu led her towards the room, blowing out the candle as he entered it with her. On seeing the signal, Bankotsu made his move.
Quietly heading up to the building, he silently slipped inside the room she came from. The man, the Daimyou's son, seemed terrified when he realized that there was an intruder in his midst.
"Don't…don't kill me. I'll let the bitch marry me, just don't kill me."
"Ah, he thinks I'm with those bandits. Good, that'll help frame them for this…"
"I don't know, I was told that I was to come here and kill both you and her."
"Kill…Nagisa?"
"She's not of any use to us now," Bankotsu said, playing the part, "But as for you- I guess I might be able to let you live…"
"I'll give you anything, anything you want! Just spare me, please!"
Bankotsu glanced about the room, his eyes settling on a small item on the dresser. "What's that?"
"It's a hairpin. I was going to give it to Nagisa, because she demanded that I buy it for her, but…"
"I'll take that in payment for your life. Now, please go into the next room."
The man seemed shocked that he was getting off so easy, but as the strange intruder picked up the hairpin and tucked it into his armor- he said one thing to the man that made him realize exactly why the man had chosen that item.
"You must find someone you truly love, to give such gifts to."
The man bowed in gratitude, whispering a reply as he quietly crept out the door to safety.
"Thank you for sparing me. I hope the one you love enjoys their gift."
Bankotsu's eyes widened as he watched the man retreat into the room down the hall. Everything he'd been so confused about, and still was confused about, was starting to make more sense. Even this weak little man could see it in the way he admired the hairpin and thought about how happy it would make Jakotsu to get it as a gift.
"It must be written on my face, so everyone knows it but me. My feelings for Jakotsu…"
He paused his thoughts, hearing the sound of a woman's footsteps drawing near. Hiding himself in the darkened corner of the room, Bankotsu awaited her arrival. The screen door flung open, and he made sure that this was indeed their target, before he rushed forward.
The woman didn't even have the chance to cry out by the time her windpipe was ripped through by the blade. Her body fell to the ground with a sickly thud and her head soon followed it, blood splattering everywhere.
Bankotsu heard a light tapping on the door and walked over to it, sliding it open just a crack to verify that it was indeed Renkotsu.
"Completed here?"
"Yah, you?"
"Let me get one thing first," He said, walking into the room with a purpose. Reaching over to the dead woman's head, he pulled loose the solid silver comb that rested in her hair.
The two quickly left the building then and disappeared into the darkness of the forest, using the faint moonlight to guide them back through the rough pathway Bankotsu had cut earlier with Banryuu.
"I see you picked up a gift for someone," Renkotsu remarked, noticing the hairpin resting inside Bankotsu's armor.
Bankotsu gestured towards the comb, "And I'm going to take a wild guess that that's going to be melted down for metal to use on Ginkotsu, hmm?"
Blinking at being so easily read, Renkotsu shifted uneasily in the robes he wore. He wasn't comfortable with people prying into his life, and Ginkotsu was the only one he really trusted with anything.
"I might need it to repair that malfunction. That's all," He said, trying to act nonchalant about it.
But Bankotsu saw right through it and gave him a light pat on the back, "You're a good friend, Renkotsu. I'm sure Ginkotsu will be happy."
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Renkotsu had requested a short detour on their return, the two veering off course to stop by the temple that Bankotsu had suspected that his comrade had stolen the robes from. He went up to the temple alone, leaving the young leader to wait at the base of the stairs.
He returned moments later, attired in his usual clothing.
"Ready now?"
Renkotsu nodded, tucking the silver comb into his armor and already thinking of the mold needed for it to be just the right shape to repair Ginkotsu's blade mechanism.
And, through the starry night the unlikely duo traveled mostly in silence. As they neared the base, Renkotsu quietly made a comment.
"I think your plans are starting to show potential."
Bankotsu blinked, knowing that any sort of strategic compliment from Renkotsu was a great honor. The man always found flaws even in the most perfectly executed missions they'd been- places where things could have gone smoother, or objectives could have been achieved quicker.
Smiling, he looked back to Renkotsu, "Thanks. That means a lot coming from you. You're really a genius when it comes to this stuff, Renkotsu."
Equally surprised by the compliment he was given, the bald man murmured a barely audible 'thanks' before walking past Bankotsu and heading into their base. The young leader paused a moment on overhearing it, then just continued to smile as he quietly made his way down the hall.
The rest of the group seemed to be sound asleep, and Bankotsu paused a moment in Suikotsu's room to check on him and ask him about Jakotsu's knee.
"Suikotsu? You awake?"
The brown-haired man stirred, glancing up at the crack of light coming in through the door.
"Oo-aniki, that you?"
"Your mind stabilized all right?"
"Seems to be. I'll know better in the morning."
"Ahh, good. How's Jakotsu?"
"I put a salve on the cuts and bandaged the knee. He should be able to walk on it tomorrow if he doesn't toss too much in his sleep."
Nodding, Bankotsu shifted the weight from one leg to the other, "Thanks again for taking care of him for me."
"You'd just better check in on him now, he probably missed you," Suikotsu said bluntly.
"But- I was barely gone."
"Just humor him, all right?"
"Okay. I'll check in on him. Night, Suikotsu."
"Goodnight, Oo-aniki," He replied, watching the young man leave. Shaking his head, he rolled over to his other side, thinking to himself.
"As if you needed me to tell you to go check on him. You missed him too, it's obvious."
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Bankotsu noted that Renkotsu had already retired to his room and that all of the others seemed to be fast asleep. Knocking lightly on Jakotsu's door, he quietly opened it on not getting an immediate answer.
"Jakotsu?" The quiet voice called out, peering into the room. He looked to the form laying down and walked over, sitting beside him, "He's sleeping, I guess."
Brushing the bangs from his face, Bankotsu allowed himself a small smile- relieved that Jakotsu was resting. He looked down to the hairpin and pulled it out. Slowly prying open one of Jakotsu's hands and sat the hairpin inside it, closing it gently.
Stirring at the touch, Jakotsu's eyes blinked open as he groggily glanced at his hand, "What's this?"
"A gift. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you," Bankotsu replied.
Glancing at the item he held, Jakotsu's eyes widened as he realized just what it was. Twirling it slowly between his fingers, his lips quirked up into a smile.
"It's beautiful."
"I thought you'd like it."
"Blue in color, with red butterflies. Like it? I love it!" He sat up, wrapping his arms loosely around Bankotsu, "Thank you. I'll treasure it forever."
"You'd better rest," Bankotsu remarked, helping his friend lie back down.
With a smile and a nod, he complied; laying back down and clutching the hairpin to his chest.
"Goodnight Bankotsu. Thanks again."
"Goodnight Jakotsu," He said simply, walking to the door. He stood there, watching until he saw that Jakotsu had fallen back asleep.
As he was just about to leave for his room, he paused for one moment more. Not really thinking through his actions ahead of time, Bankotsu just let his feet carry him back inside the room.
Kneeling beside him he smiled with relief at the calm expression on Jakotsu's face. Then, on impulse alone, he leaned down pressed a chaste kiss to Jakotsu's forehead.
Shaking his head at his own action, Bankotsu muttered to himself, "You make me do the craziest things, Jakotsu. I hope you know that."
In the dim light, the other man smiled as he overheard the quiet statement and the door sliding closed.
"And you make me feel happier than I ever have before, Bankotsu. Someday, I hope I can do the same for you."
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