Revised Edition with changed/added footage: 8-8-2006
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Chapter 23: The Strength for Both of Us
The forest was growing increasingly darker as they walked- the clouds overhead ominous and waiting to let rain loose on the three men that quickly traveled amongst the trees. The tallest followed quietly behind the black-haired young man who was carrying the third. Etched on their faces was worry masked by determination. They were mercenaries. Ronin. Fighters. Friends. Family. They were not going to give up, and it was clear that whoever had wronged them was going to have hell to pay.
"Oo-aniki?"
"Hmm?" Bankotsu started at the sudden voice and turned sharply towards the brown-haired man.
"We're about half-way there; I thought you'd like to know."
"Oh. Thank you, Suikotsu," He offered a smile and shifted Jakotsu in his arms.
Pausing, and eyes narrowing, Bankotsu halted his footsteps.
"Oo-aniki? What's wrong?"
"He's bleeding again," Came the almost inaudible reply.
"What?" Suikotsu quickened his pace and caught up with the others.
Looking at his hand Bankotsu saw the light red speckles that alerted him to the trouble. The side of Jakotsu that had been the unfortunate target of one of Gatenmaru's attacks was once again issuing forth the red-liquid.
Suikotsu's eyes took on a momentary maniacal gleam on seeing the blood.
"Suikotsu?"
Shaking it from his head, he took a deep breath to calm his edgy nature, "I'll get some bandages. Find a safe place to lay him down for a moment."
Nodding Bankotsu glanced about hastily and finally saw the upturned roots of an old tree nearby that looked fairly dry and sturdy. Walking over, he gently laid Jakotsu down and then knelt beside him. Brushing the bangs from his companion's face, his frown deepened.
"I think his fever is coming back up."
"I'll give him a little more of the medicine. That's all we can do," Suikotsu said, rummaging through the bundle of medicines, herbs and bandages he'd been carrying.
"Shit! This is all my fault," Bankotsu cursed under his breath.
"Oo-aniki?"
"He would have been okay if I'd left him behind."
His fist cracked into the nearby tree trunk as he vented his anger.
"Bankotsu…" The brown-haired man said softly, reverting to the less formal way of addressing his friend.
"Why'd the hell did I have to bring him? It's only hurting him."
"Because it would have hurt you more to leave him," The older man's voice remarked.
"Who cares if it hurts me? If he dies, it'll hurt even more. Damnit- I don't want to lose anyone else. I couldn't save my parents and now…now…"
Realizing that the braided-man was slowly becoming hysterical, Suikotsu bit his lip and brought his hand to impact his face. Wide-eyed, Bankotsu slowly raised a hand to his cheek- the sting from the slap still there.
"Go on. Pull yourself together," He said firmly, "Neither I nor Jakotsu, or any of the others want to see you like this."
"Sorry," Bankotsu muttered, trying to once again gather up his courage.
"Here," Suikotsu handed over the bandages, "Help me get his side re-bandaged."
Without a word, he nodded and reached over to pull Jakotsu's yukata open.
"Oh, that's not so bad- it just got a little pulled at from being moved. He'll be fine," Suikotsu noted, quickly assessing the situation.
"And his fever?"
"Is nothing to worry about either. You're the one I'm worried about now," He remarked, kneeling beside Bankotsu.
"Me? But I'm not injured.."
"Physically, no- but inside you're beating yourself up about this. That guilt you don't even deserve is eating away at you."
"Suikotsu?"
"Listen to me, Bankotsu. Life is unpredictable. You could no more have prevented this, than I could have prevented that young girl dying in my arms because I was too afraid to fight back. Sometimes you just have to take things and deal with them as they happen; because no matter how much you plan things out- nothing is for certain."
Opening his mouth to reply, the young leader was cut short as an unexpected voice intervened.
"Plus, I won't die this easily."
"Jakotsu!" His gaze quickly shifted to the one lying on the ground.
"Come on Aniki, you can take him- no problem," The injured man slurred, trying to sit up.
"Now stay still a moment Jakotsu. Let us get your bandages fixed," Suikotsu instructed, gently pushing him back down.
"You're right," Bankotsu murmured quietly, "If you're with me with an injury like that and a fever and you're still able to stay strong, then- well so can I."
Smiling at seeing his confidence renewed, Jakotsu reached over and grasped his sleeve.
"Bankotsu?"
"Hmm?"
He coughed, a wry smile on his face, "I think you're gonna have to kick his ass for me. I'm not feeling so good."
"Jakotsu…"
"This time, you're gonna have to fight for both of us. You think you can handle that?"
"Hey! What do you mean by that?" Bankotsu protested, his anger flaring up.
"Can you make your strength and power equal to yours and mine combined?"
"Jakotsu- it must be the fever, you're not making any sense," He sighed pressing a hand to the other man's forehead.
Reaching up and clasping that hand with his own, Jakotsu shook his head, "I'm telling you- make yourself stronger now. I can see it in you; you have amazing potential for a seventeen year old boy. You're able to lift an awkward weapon like Banryuu with ease and lead a group of infamous mercenaries. You're strong, but this is the time for you to get even better."
Bankotsu swallowed, unsure what to say at the mixture of compliments and the forceful instructions.
Entwining his fingers with Bankotsu's he leaned their joined hands up against Bankotsu's chest. Pausing a moment as he felt the other man's heartbeat thrumming on the backside of his hand, Jakotsu finally spoke, "Don't hold back anymore. Fight with everything you have- your strength, your mind, and your heart- use it all and become stronger. Because if you don't, even you will get hurt and I don't want that."
A smirk of determination began to slowly creep onto Bankotsu's face, "I think I understand now. What you- what Suikotsu, heck even what Renkotsu's been telling me all along. There's a time when I need to stop acting like a kid playing a game- and that time is now."
Reaching over, the young leader placed a hand on Suikotsu's shoulder, "This time I'll fight for all of us- so no one else has to get hurt. That's what a good leader would do, right?"
The other two smiled and nodded, pleased to see his usual confident nature was back in place.
"But…"
Their smiles wavered as his face returned to a perplexed frown.
"Jakotsu will be okay, right? I don't want to carry him any further if it's only hurting him."
"With the new bandages in place the injury shouldn't began to bleed again. As for the fever, it should go away once the medicine sets in," Suikotsu explained.
Giving Bankotsu's hand a slight squeeze, Jakotsu smirked, "Come on- after all we've been through you honestly think this little scratch is going to bother me? That stuff Suikotsu gave me earlier took away some of the pain, and given time I'll be back to my usual foolish self."
"Jakotsu…"
"Now let's get going so I can watch you kick that bastard's ass for laying his filthy hands on me," He remarked then with a playful wink.
Bankotsu just narrowed his eyes, "You make me sound like someone going after the man who defiled their wife."
"I'm not your wife, and I never will be- thank you very much," Jakotsu retorted, sticking his tongue out.
At that, Suikotsu just couldn't hold back his laughter and his thoughts on the issue, "The way you two fight sometimes would have people thinking otherwise."
Bankotsu just blinked while Jakotsu pointed at him, "Then he's the wife. I'm not being the female here!"
At that the three all paused, and after a moment's silence to process the absurdity of what they were arguing over, they all began to laugh. The mirth of the moment faded as a light rain began to fall from the looming clouds, without a word, the three gathered up their things and began back on the path to the village.
On gathering Jakotsu into his arms once again, Bankotsu whispered harshly under his breath, "I'll have you know I'm not being the wife either."
Withholding a laugh, he traced an absent finger on the patterns on Bankotsu's armor, "That's fine with me, Bankotsu. That's fine with me."
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Glancing about, Renkotsu quickly assessed the situation. Taking into consideration all the elements: the falling rain, the scattered debris, and Gatenmaru's wounded condition; he developed a plan.
Waiting and watching as the youkai walked closer, Renkotsu wiped the raindrops from his face and gave a defiant glare.
"My you people are getting quite troublesome. Like a swarm of insects that don't know when to die," Gatenmaru said smugly, his footsteps bringing him ever closer to where Renkotsu laid on the ground.
"He's favoring his right side- especially that knee. If I can just get in a good blow there, we've got it made," Renkotsu thought, his hand grasping the leather strap attached to his cannon's barrel and slowly moving it towards himself.
On seeing this, the moth youkai rushed forward- axe raised and poised to strike.
"Just as I suspected," The commander mentally smirked, "He's gonna try and cut the strap so I can't pull it to me."
Eyes carefully observing, Renkotsu waited for Gatenmaru to come only inches away from him before tugging sharply at the strap.
As calculated, the cannon barrel rolled into the small piece of wooden debris there, causing it to jerk the barrel upright. Upright- and directly into Gatenmaru's weakened knee. The youkai had little time to do anything but curse profusely under his breath as he fell forward towards Renkotsu.
Struggling to his feet in a hurry, Renkotsu grabbed Gatenmaru's arm and wrenched the axe from it- pulling the arm behind his back and pinning it there.
"Ginkotsu, get out of here- now!"
"But Aniki…"
"This is an order, run!"
Never one to disobey Renkotsu's requests, the metallic man turned and began to head off in the direction Kyoukotsu had left in.
"How nice- letting him get free while you stay to die. Very sweet," Gatenmaru mocked.
"I won't die here," Renkotsu said firmly, using his free arm to reach to where he'd tucked something into the side of his armor.
Pulling the small black cylinder out, he moved that arm up and around Gatenmaru's neck, waving it in the youkai's face.
"This here will level you into nothing but a crater, one of the best I've made. I hope you feel honored."
"Ha! And how are you going to get away in time? Didn't think things through that well, did we human?"
"I've thought through at least five possible ways for me to escape with my life- some causing more injury than others, but I'd live somehow. You on the other hand are sure to die."
"Try me, human. The Great-Youkai Gatenmaru is not so easily taken care of."
Knowing if he waited any longer there was a chance the youkai could free himself or attack, Renkotsu took a deep breath and hoped that his calculations were correct.
"One mistake and I'm dead too."
Closing his eyes, he ignited the bomb and held it firmly against Gatenmaru's chest as it exploded.
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As he ran from the scene, Ginkotsu overheard the explosion and against his better judgment, he turned back.
"I don't care what Renkotsu says, I can't just leave him."
Thinking back on how the aloof man had taken him in as a comrade, and saved him countless times, made Ginkotsu only wish his metal jaw was more capable of a proper worried frown. Mind drifting back to his own accident, the red-haired man's thoughts recalled it clearly.
)) "Ginkotsu! Hang in there."
"I'm sorry Renkotsu. They had those weapons, those horrid weapons."
"Quiet now. I'm not leaving you here. It would be foolish to give up now."
"But my arm, my jaw…"
"It can be fixed. Perhaps I can make you a new one."
"You can do that, Renkotsu?"
"I can do anything with proper planning. Now lets get out of here before any more of those damned soldiers show up to avenge their comrades."
"Thank you, Renkotsu. I owe you my life."
"…You owe me nothing." ((
Moving as fast as his cumbersome body would go; Ginkotsu's mind was growing increasingly worried as the amount of smoke from Renkotsu's location only grew.
"I do owe you at least my friendship, Renkotsu. At least let me offer you that."
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