Revised Edition with changed/added footage: 8-8-2006
-------------------------------------------------
Chapter 27: Weakness and Strength
The thunder seemed but a distant echo to Bankotsu as the pounding of his heartbeat thrummed in his mind.
"The only sure way," He thought to himself, his eyes carefully watching Gatenmaru's every move, "Is if I can cut off his head. Even the strongest men and youkai can't fight anymore like that."
The point of Banryuu shook slightly as he tightened his grip.
"What's the matter, human? You can't bring yourself to kill me?" The moth-youkai mocked.
"Actually," Bankotsu retorted, slowly easing the tip of the blade into Gatenmaru's throat, "I was just thinking over how I wanted to kill you."
Clenching his arm muscles, he silently prayed that his right-arm would be strong enough to deal the blow. Drawing it back quickly, the silver blur shimmered in the lightning's glow.
"This is my last chance."
Twisting his wrist to swing the blade, he found the motion hindered. Eyes widened as he felt the pressure holding him back.
"After all the times you've attacked me with it, you'd think you'd remember this," Gatenmaru mocked, his hands firmly gripping the lower scythe of Banryuu.
Bankotsu bit back his panic and cursed inwardly at his mistake.
"I should have moved faster. I should have known better. I know one of Banryuu's weaknesses is its large size. Damnit why didn't I allow for that?"
Thoughts came to an abrupt halt as Gatenmaru used his hold on the blade to his advantage. While Bankotsu remained in a semi-state of shock due to his mistake, the moth-youkai made his move. Lifting up Banryuu from his end, he twisted it at a vicious arc before slamming it and its owner into the ground. Bankotsu skidded into the mud, all his cuts and bruises feeling the harsh impact of the fall.
Triumphantly, the youkai grinned. The human laid out before him on the ground and the Banryuu now, in the enemy's possession.
"Shit…" He paused, turning his head to cough- his lungs strained from the impact and the strain placed on them.
"How would you like it, human? To get killed by your own blade?" The youkai asked, confident smirk on his face.
Bankotsu blinked, trying to force his eyes to focus on the blur before him. Then, he noticed Gatenmaru walking closer; the fallen Shichinin-tai leader feeling the youkai's eyes boring down on him.
Smugly, he thrust the tip of Banryuu down- the blade just grazing the side of Bankotsu's face. But even through that, the young leader's eyes maintained their defiant glare back up at Gatenmaru.
"Not so easily scared, are we human?" He spat, his hand reaching down and yanking the injured human up by his long braided hair.
Mere inches from his face, Gatenmaru reached out and forcefully grabbed him by the chin.
"But since you pathetic humans have left me feeling a bit exhausted, I suppose it should be their pathetic leader that compensates for it."
Blue eyes widened as he realized where this was going.
"No…Why won't my body move?" Bankotsu's thoughts panicked, as he tried to move his severely injured left arm to no avail.
Demonic eyes glared down at him as a sadistic smile played upon painted lips, his fangs glinting ominously in the night.
Never daring to look away from his impending fate, Bankotsu's mind raced.
"Jakotsu, the others…if I don't stop him, he'll go after them."
Gatenmaru opened his mouth, his plan to eat the young leader about to be put into play. Leaning in- his cold, haunting breath caused Bankotsu to shudder in repulsion.
"I've got to…"
Bankotsu froze then as the feeling of a slick and slimy tongue ran the course down the bloody gash on his cheek.
"Mmm, your blood tastes good for a human boy," Gatenmaru's low whisper was heard over the crash of thunder overhead.
With the flash of lightening, the image of Jakotsu and the others entered into the young leader's mind.
(("Just promise me you'll never do that to me again, okay?"
"I promise. No cutting you up even if your blood does taste good, got that."))
"I've got to..."
(("Do you trust me?"
"Of course Bankotsu, why wouldn't I?"))
"…beat him…"
(("You know what's different about you and that cute soldier?"
"Uh…not exactly…"
"That soldier would have never kissed me back."))
"…to avenge…"
(("Just making sure your heart was still beating, that's all. And sure enough, it's still there."))
"…what he did…"
(("Jakotsu. Thanks for everything today."
"Someone's got to look out for you and I have no problem with that someone being me."))
"…to you."
(("I'm not sure what, but I feel something…different…when I think about you."))
"…Jakotsu."
(("Okay okay. I promise. And you'd better not make yourself sick worrying about me, deal?"
"Well pardon me for caring."
"I'll come back. I promise, okay?"
"I know."))
"You bastard! Don't touch me!" Bankotsu's voice rang out across the village, his right fist impacting soundly on Gatenmaru's face.
The moth-youkai stumbled back as Bankotsu motioned to him to make the next move.
"Mocking me, are you?" The youkai seethed, then with a smirk- he spit forth his deadly saliva.
But in a blur that even Gatenmaru's youkai ability had trouble detecting, Bankotsu dodged the attack.
"Did you really think that you had me down?" The young leader questioned as his punch once again landed solidly on the youkai's face.
"Bastard," Gatenmaru cursed, his eyes darting quickly to his fallen axe.
At that slight movement of his eyes, both men dashed towards it.
Mud sloshing up around their hasty footsteps and each of their bodies straining with what little reserves of strength they had left. Skidding to a stop in front of Gatenmaru, Bankotsu shot a victorious grin over his shoulder at the weapon.
"What's wrong? Can't handle a pathetic human without your weapon?"
"Hmph. And I am to suppose that you can beat me without yours?" He shot back.
Bankotsu shrugged as much as his injuries would allow, "Not sure, but I'm willing to give it a try."
Gatenmaru laughed, "Did you hit your head? No mortal can beat me."
"No mortal eh?"
Bankotsu smirked to himself, his mind finding itself drifting to Jakotsu once again.
(("Here's hoping you have the gods' blessings."))
"Then, I'll just have to change that," He stated smugly.
Running forward, he drew back his fist, his aim directed at the gash on Gatenmaru's shoulder. The moth-youkai moved to counter, his mouth allowing silk strands to shoot forth after his prey.
Grabbing the silk with his left-hand and wincing as the pain shot up his arm, Bankotsu yanked it away from himself as his fist once again connected.
"Awfully slow, aren't we youkai? Did I make you tired?"
"Silence, you annoying insect!" He shot back, once again shooting forth his poisonous acid in an attempt to hinder Bankotsu's movements.
Dodging all but one small speck of the poison, the braided-young man winced as that one droplet hit his skin.
Bending down, he quickly snatched up a scrap of broken wood from the buildings and stabbed into his calf where the acid was currently beginning its deadly work. Biting back the pain, he sliced into the skin and cut the acid out, the blood covered scrap of wood being thrown to the muddy sea of rainwater and blood beneath their feet.
With a quick glance, Gatenmaru noticed Bankotsu's distraction for the moment and quickly moved past him. His sight set on the axe, Bankotsu knew he had to move for his own weapon if he was going to stand a chance.
Making it over to his blade, he raised it easily over his shoulder and began to head directly for the exposed back of the moth-youkai.
Gatenmaru was reaching for the handle of his axe when the blade struck, the speed and agility of the young leader not anything that the youkai had expected or allowed for.
Yelling out in pain, the black-haired youkai gave a half-hearted glare over his shoulder.
"Quite the annoying amount of energy coming from a mere human," He grumbled as the blood seeped down his back. Twisting towards Bankotsu, his axe clashed with Banryuu's blade.
"But, I really am sick of playing with you," Gatenmaru shouted as he raised the axe up once more and struck down. The blade of the axe meeting with the human flesh it desired.
Bankotsu wavered, his feet slowly stumbling backwards as the blood ran down the gash in his arm.
But much to his surprise, Gatenmaru didn't advance on him this time. Instead, he steadied himself with his axe and began to walk in the other direction.
"Consider yourself lucky, human," He spat out, before he slowly began to stagger out of the destroyed village.
"You bastard, come back here!" Bankotsu's voice strained as he tried to follow after him, Banryuu dragging beside him as his bloody arm refused to lift its weight.
But before he could continue his battle, his eyesight faded to black and he felt himself falling forward.
"No, I haven't finished fighting yet…"
----------------------------------------------------------------
The nearby hilltop was silent as the six members of the Shichinin-tai vigilantly watched the village below.
"He's not coming back…" Jakotsu's voice muttered dejectedly.
The bandaged and battered group all shifted their eyes to Suikotsu, hoping the brown-haired man would be able to offer some sort of comforting words.
But this time, even Suikotsu found himself without the optimism from before.
"Perhaps, I should go look for him," He muttered quietly.
"I'll go," Jakotsu shot back, his body struggling to stand once again.
"Jakotsu…"
"Just sit down. You're in no state to go out there," Renkotsu intervened.
"I can take Kyoukotsu with me. In case the Leader needs help. But Jakotsu- most of all, he'd want you and anyone else that's injured to stay here where it's safe."
"But…"
"Wait. Look," Mukotsu spoke up from where he sat beneath the tree.
At that, all six turned their eyes towards the small figure coming up from the village.
"He's hurt," Jakotsu thought to himself.
Without a moment to spare, he snatched up Jakotsutou and thrust it into the ground to help himself stand.
"Jakotsu- what are you…" Suikotsu began, only to be cut off.
"He's hurt," He said aloud as he began to stagger towards the other man.
Suikotsu frowned on seeing the figure of Bankotsu drawing closer. His clothes were tattered and bloody. His armor cracked and covered in blood and dirt. His left-arm was hanging limply to one side. And his right-arm, despite the blood trickling down it, was struggling to drag the heavy weight of Banryuu behind him.
"Bankotsu!" Jakotsu called out, as he practically stumbled down the hill to meet him.
The young leader offered a half-hearted smile, "Jakotsu…"
The two men finally reached one another- Jakotsu's arms wrapping protectively around the shorter man and drawing him close against his chest.
"Thank the gods," His hushed voice managed.
Finally, Bankotsu spoke up, "I'm sorry. I let him get away."
He hung his head at that, ashamed by his admission.
"You're alive. I'm alive. All of us are alive. That's all that matters now."
Bankotsu looked up, his face letting a weak smile show through, "But I didn't avenge anything."
"If you managed to get that youkai to flee, you did much more than any normal human could."
"You really think so?"
Jakotsu smiled as he wiped a smudge of blood off Bankotsu's face and casually licked it off his finger.
"I don't need vengeance. I just…" He shifted his gaze, "I just wanted you to come back alive. There's a lot of things we need to talk about, and I'd regret never telling you…"
At that, Bankotsu blinked innocently- the tough façade of the fighter hidden behind large blue eyes.
"Jakotsu…about that…"
The taller man quirked an eyebrow, glancing back up the hill at where the others seemed to wait.
"Bankotsu, we'll talk later. Right now we need to get your injuries treated. We have the rest of our lives to talk."
Bankotsu smiled at that, and gave a light nod, "Okay, Jakotsu."
And with that, Jakotsu wrapped a light arm around Bankotsu's shoulders and the two climbed the rest of the way up the hill.
-------------------------------------------------