Chapter 5: Living by the Sword

When Bankotsu awoke the sun was peaking over the mountainous horizon. Its peachy warmth radiated into the drafty hut. He grumbled and stood up. Kikyo was still collapsed on the floor. That's all she ever seems to do. He yawned and stretched his arms. He stepped outside and then scratched himself while dazedly viewing his surroundings. A cone-shaped mountain north of the village streamed smoke into the sky like an old man sucking on his pipe.

Bankotsu reemerged in the hut and looked at Kikyo. She was prostrate on the ground. He sauntered over to her and swooped down upon her. He snatched her wrist to drag her body up to his eye level. Not more to his surprise than his amusement, Kikyo returned his hold and glared at him as she hung in the air before him. Her face was patched with dirt and her hair was in disarray. He smiled at her. It was a very odd scene, her dangling limp from her arm and him standing there holding her up and grinning at her.

"Morning," he greeted the not so cheery face. "Sleep well?"

"Release me," she uttered in a hoarse bitter voice.

"Do you really enjoy falling on the floor that much?" He didn't give her time to respond, "but hey, who am I to judge?" With a plunk, she kissed the floor again. She grit her teeth and pulled her head up to look at him.

"Why do you insist on torturing me?"

"Why do you put up with it?"

She just glared at him. He smiled knowingly.

"You wish to kill me? How original. Take a number, sister." He squatted down to her level. He pulled out a small scroll and offered it to her. She looked suspiciously at it and then up at him. "That girl used it in her evil ritual to try to revive a dead man. If I'm not mistaken, such rituals require human souls. Now I wonder what she could have used this for..." He turned the paper over in front of her. It had soul retrieving incantations all over it. The letters even glowed a blue light.

"Stop toying with me," she glowered bitterly at him.

"You're only making it easier"

"What," she hissed.

"You can't hold out forever, Kikyo. You'll learn that soon enough"

Silence.

"Who are you?"

"Bankotsu"

Another silence.

"Get that out of my face," she swatted at the scroll, "I don't need your pity."

"Torture," he corrected her with a smile.

The scroll gleamed from her touch. She had failed to knock it away from his firm grip. He waved it up and down as it issued a hazy blue mist of soul. His young boyish countenance twinkled with amusement. Bankotsu slowly swept it under his nose and inhaled the mist. It dreamily sifted out of his nostrils and he dazed off in a mock euphoria. He sighed loudly.

"Well, shouldn't let it go to waste," he said thoughtfully. He crumpled it and stowed it away into his pocket. In response to her glare he just grinned and said: "Don't worry, I'm sure someone will have a good use for it in the next village, flourescent lighting or retro-pipe tobacco." He shrugged innocently at the possibilities. A still silence permeated the cabin like the dust. "You're going to die, you know."

"You think so..." she said dangerously.

"I just call them as I see them. You don't look all that convincing sprawled out in a dead man's hut like a bear rug." He smiled innocently. Her gaze was icy. Anyone else would have backed off enough to at least exit her immediate area, but Bankotsu did not show any response to the insanely-flapping red flags. "Alright," his young cocky voice cheered the bleak setting, "if you're set, let's go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you"

"Ah, don't be a tight ass. There's enough of them already," Bankotsu started counting on his fingers, "Naraku, that Kagura lady, Sesshomaru, Renkotsu, Inuyasha..." He was obviously getting very bored because he gazed off at the ceiling and his voice grew tired.

Kikyo had stopped paying attention to him and was searching the room for something useful to wield against him. Her attention caught on an old crafted bow and arrow. When she realized he had gone silent, she snapped back to his face. He was looking over at the bow too.

"That's right," he said with the tone of dawning realization, "you're an archer. But you won't be needing those." His voice was suggestive that he knew something, but he obviously wasn't ready to share.

"Alright," he cleared his throat. With amazing speed and agility he grabbed her and slung her over his shoulder. "Let's do this."

"You presumptuous wretch! Set me down." Kikyo released her outrage.

"If you could walk, you would have already left. Unless you can float, you'll have to deal with it." He had exited the hut and was pacing up the high road to the smoky mountain. Apparently Kikyo either didn't have enough energy to pursue the fight or she decided it was futile because she grew silent.

The mountain slope was smooth and lacquered with molten rock. Bankotsu's feet scuffed against the warm rock and the smell of sulfur and ash filled the air. The trees still braved the environment, but to Bankotsu's delight he was getting closer to his destination. However, the sun was below the horizon now and he'd have to stop for the night. Kikyo hadn't said a thing since they left the village, but the silence didn't bother him.

Bankotsu eventually stopped at a small alcove that would hide them from any winds or serious rain during the night. The last rays of sun illuminated the sky in a glimmering orange. From this altitude the ocean was visible and the dying light danced off the distant waves.

Bankotsu set the sleeping Kikyo down, propped against some smooth rocks, facing a dense pine forest. He checked his pockets and found some fire starters, but no fuel. He frowned. With a determined glance, he set off into the forest to get some firewood.

Kikyo heard him leave. She slowly opened her eyes, to check that he left the vicinity. Once the all-clear was confirmed, she picked herself up off the ground. It was very difficult because even though she had tried desperately to gather her remaining energy, the fact remained that she didn't have an energy source. That, however, would not stop her and her hurt pride. She had no idea what Bankotsu's small brain could possibly have planned for them, but she did not care to find out.

Her limbs felt like weak noodles. Her legs especially groaned to give up and let her roll down the mountain. Even her consciousness was deteriorating. She forced her heavy eyelids to stay open and dragged her body through the rough trees and broken rocks.

Something moved ahead of her and she wasn't sure if she'd imagined it, but she froze anyway. Her vision blurred in and out of focus and she felt as though she would loose control of her body at any second.

A hand dropped on her shoulder and she jumped, but was more angry than surprised. Bankotsu... she growled to herself. The little prick had wanted her to leave so he could play cat and mouse with her. She started to turn around slowly to berate him, but instead of meeting a young boyish grin, a big burly alcohol-stained smirk invaded her space. She gasped.

"Well look what we got here," his voice was heavy and suggestive. His breath stunk of

sake and his yellow teeth gleamed in the moonlight. He had small black beady eyes and a mesh of greasy hair. His flexed muscles made his clothing look far too small for him.

"What is it?" Another voice took her from behind. Another smaller man trotted up. "Ahh..." he grinned, beholding Kikyo. "Hey fat ass," he called back behind him, "get off your butt and come help us entertain our new company."

"We got a live one?" a baritone voice sounded excited. A large man appeared and stopped short of them.

"Ah, she looks frightened"

"Heh heh," the one holding her firmly by the shoulder laughed, "she's so scared she's gone cold."

"Don't worry, we'll help you warm up," another grinned fiendishly.

"What happened to your kimono, priestess? You know it is unfitting for a lady like you to walk around looking like this. Or was that your intention?"

Kikyo's eyes darted back and forth between the enclosing men. She was too weak to fight them all. Maybe rolling down the mountain wasn't such a bad alternative. This group of bandits had probably raided the village that she and Bankotsu had stayed in too. From the looks of them, they were more than a match for any human village. Fear leaked into her from all sides.

"Stay away," she warned.

"We'll help you out of those old, dirty, torn clothes. We have lots more in stock"

"Ya," another laughed, "we'll help you slip into something more comfortable"

When they were far too close to her, Kikyo shot out a small wave of purifying light. It dislodged them from her and she stumbled forward. She had to get away fast.

"Ah!"

"Bitch!"

"Get back here!"

Kikyo plunged forward hoping to escape, but it was not to be.

"Where do you think you're going? We're not through with you yet!" It was the big gruff one who had grabbed her in the first place. He snatched her arm from behind. She yanked it out, but he caught her kimono on her other shoulder as she twisted. The light fabric ripped like paper in his hand. She felt the small white covering on her chest slowly fall forward from one shoulder, exposing her chest.

"Whoops!" he laughed madly. The others hooted and hollered from behind her. "Now, come 'ere!" he yelled as he tucked his other arm under her waist and lifted her off the ground kicking and screaming. She had to concentrate hard to stay awake. If she fell asleep she may never sleep another night at peace.

With a tremendous crash she hit the dirt floor. She lost her vision. Nothing was clear anymore, but she did recognize the man for the big looming form above her.

"Heh," he cackled, "who's first?"

"Who's that?" the other one asked.

"I said who wants to go first?" he repeated, somewhat puzzled.

"No," he pointed behind the him.

"Huh?" He turned. "Ahhhhh!"

The man plummeted into the earth beside Kikyo. Gravel and twigs spat out of the earth into his skin. He cried and cradled his leg. Kikyo dazedly tried to hold onto the situation. She heard the others gasp behind her.

"Bandits?" a familiar voice sounded irritated and disappointed. "You run away and all you could attract was bandits?" He sneered. "I'll bet you're wishing you took that soul now, huh Kikyo?"

"Who the hell are you?" one of the men cried.

"We found her first! Get lost!"

"How dare you strike me you little bastard!" the man pulled himself off the dirt. He lunged down the hill at Bankotsu. Bankotsu just side stepped and Kikyo heard the man cry out in surprise, then go tumbling down the mountain. Eventually it got quiet.

Kikyo heard his foot steps getting closer. His form slowly became clearer in her severely skewed vision. He plucked pieces of rock, dirt, and timber off of her.

"Hey you, you better get the hell out of here quick or we're gonna..." one of the bandits vacantly threatened. Fear rang in his voice.

"Catch," Bankotsu called.

"Huh?"

"Ahhhh!" she heard both of them scream and then another huge crash silenced them.

The next thing Kikyo heard was Bankotsu talking just to her. His voice echoed in her head and she knew she couldn't hold out much longer.

"Break anything?" he asked her.

"No," she managed to whisper. "I... can- can't see."

"Guess that means you can't walk either, huh?" She did not respond. He had helped her up to a sitting position, but she kept tilting and nearly falling over.

"Here, hold on to my arm. Stand up." He helped her to her feet, but when she nearly made to follow the bandit down the mountain, he caught her. Deciding the situation was getting absurd, Bankotsu looped his right arm around her back and under her knees, letting her head fall on his shoulder as he carried her back to their humble camp. His other arm bore what he had gathered for firewood on his shoulder.

Kikyo woke from a light sleep as Bankotsu set her down in the alcove. Her vision was a bit better, but she couldn't help but think she was imagining things. On his left shoulder, he carried an entire tree, branches included.

"W-What are you doing?" she blinked away her exhaustion.

"Building a fire," he replied in his cheerful cocky voice.

She closed her eyes in exasperation. So that's what he had thrown at the bandits, a tree. She was at a loss of what to say or do, so she did nothing.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked a bit puzzled.

Kikyo wearily opened her eyes and was shocked to discover her chest was pretty bare. In her exhaustion she had completely forgotten the bandit tore her kimono. She threw her arms over her chest in embarrassment. She examined the rip in her clothes. It was pretty bad. She'd need a completely new uniform. She sighed.

"Here," she returned from her thoughts to his voice, then saw him standing right in front of her. Her eyes darted suspiciously up to his. He was naked from the waist up and offering her the top of his white-blue kimono. She dropped her suspicion and relaxed her countenance.

"Oh," she reflected, "thank you." She took it and wrapped it around her. When he didn't leave from her personal space, she looked up again. He was holding out the scroll from earlier. It was crinkled, but still glowed a dim dusky blue. She frowned, then reached up a hand to take it. It was so small and frail. She took it and held it close. The blue light burst forth like a sparkler. Bankotsu wore a smug grin as he looked down at her. The light played on his victorious complexion and outlined his entire body.

Kikyo sighed in defeat and finally let herself rest. Somehow blocking out Bankotsu's voracious munching was a simple task. He was devouring what was left from the village and apparently some of the bandit's stash. Kikyo closed her eyes and exhaled. Men are such pigs...