Disclaimer: Neither Dragonslayer nor I own Ruroken or the movie Seven, which the idea VERY loosely came from...
Author's Note: This is just a prologue, so expect more chapters. I'm co-writing this with Dragonslayer. Each of us is writing a chapter, and posting the chapter on our own page. So if you want an update, you're going to have to harass my boyfriend for it (laughs maniacally)... what? Dragonslayer hasn't written the chapter when I whine about it... maybe he will if YOU do... Anyway, a link to his page is on my bio page if you'd like to check it out for updates... That's basically how it's gonna work;) Thanks!
Shichi
Prologue-Gluttony (Boushoku)-Hiko
Hiko Seijuro the thirteenth was a great man. He knew that. He was a skilled swordsman, a great thinker, a genius potter, and an excellent teacher (and this wasn't even starting on how handsome and greatly desired by women he was.) But of all his many perfections, his biggest strength (as far as he was concerned) was his amazing ability to consume massive amounts of alcohol while showing none of the typical symptoms of drunkenness. Because of his great pride in this amazing skill of his, Hiko lost no opportunity to buy, consume, talk, or even think about his sake. He felt almost naked without his sake jug at his side. And in his opinion, everyone, including his baka deshi and the twerp's little entourage, should share his appreciation for this most perfect of beverages.
In modern terms, the great Hiko Seijuro was an alcoholic.
So it was no surprise that one bright, sunny day as he was walking along a path in the woods with his baka deshi, that Hiko's primary conversation point was how amazingly sake complimented the changing seasons... changing weather patterns... hell, even changing wind directions. All the while, the great man was chugging away at his large, ever-present sake jug. Kenshin, who had unfortunately taken part in this discussion several times before, including those times at age seven when his shishou had found it amusing to spike everything the boy had consumed, was trying very hard to look interested and interject a little "uh huh" at the appropriate moment to prove that he was, in fact, still paying attention. Hiko was too concerned with his drink to honestly care.
As luck would have it, their walk was not meant to be a typical one. About halfway through the woods, they found in their path, an injured kitsune. Kenshin, being the sympathetic type, immediately set to helping the poor creature. Hiko, being the alcoholic type, was too busy drinking to notice. Because of this, Hiko wound up trampling over his baka deshi who was just getting a thorn out of the poor kitsune's foot.
"Oro!" Kenshin exclaimed, swirley-eyed as he dropped in pain.
Meanwhile, the kitsune had jumped back a few steps, and proceeded to speak, being in fact, a magical creature. "I will grant you one wish for helping me," the kitsune announced cheerfully.
Kenshin continued to "oro" in his semi-conscious state, and the kitsune shifted its focus to Hiko, determined to grant the wish and get the hell out of there.
"What are you staring at?" Hiko growled, taking another swig of sake, and discovering to his dismay that the jug was empty. "Kuso," he muttered in irritation.
"You get a wish," the kitsune said, starting to sound annoyed. It certainly wasn't normal human behavior to ignore a free wish. "Pick something."
The tall swordsman wasn't even looking at the kitsune. Instead he held the empty sake jug over his mouth, and was shaking it, hoping something would come out.
"Make a wish already!" the little kitsune snapped, it's red fur bristling and a dangerous glint lighting its amber eyes.
"I don't want a wish," Hiko snapped in reply. "I want more sake."
The kitsune glared at him for a moment before replying, "Fine. One bottomless sake jug coming up!"
Before the swordsman could reply, the kitsune hopped once. Twice. Flipped backwards into the air and was gone. A very small sake jug rested where the animal had once been.
Hiko raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Stupid animal. I'll get one good drink out of that thing." He started at it for another long moment before deciding that a little sake was better than no sake at all. He stepped over his baka deshi and picked the little jug up. It almost disappeared in his large hands. He tilted it back, expecting no more than a quick gulp. So he was surprised when a steady stream of the finest sake he'd ever tasted came pouring out of the impossibly small jug.
He raised an amused eyebrow and examined the little jug more closely. Honestly, there was nothing about it that appeared magical... but when he tilted the ridiculous little thing to his mouth, he was once again surprised to find that the pale gold liquid pouring from the jug was as forthcoming as his first draught had been.
Perhaps the kitsune had managed a decent gift after all. Then another thought crossed Hiko's mind. He was known for his drinking stamina. For his ability to finish any container of alcohol without remotely showing any unhealthy aftereffects... He was quite proud of this fact. But now... with this bottomless sake jug... did that mean that he could no longer claim that ability?
The tall swordsman scowled at the thought. The hell he was going to lose that title to a stupid kitsune and it's sake jug. As usual, there had been a catch to his wish (this was why Hiko hated little random magical animals and their stupid games)...
Hiko was now in a dilemma. Lesser men may have been stumped by this problem... or at very least may have given up... but the great Hiko Seijuro the thirteenth hardly needed a moment's thought to realize what he must do...
With that thought he began walking again, leaving his unconscious deshi behind, all the while, chugging sake.
He was going to finish this thing sober if it killed him. The hell he was going to lose his title of Japan's greatest drinker because of a stupid sake jug... even if it was bottomless...
AN 2: Well thanks for reading. Please review. And remember, you have to check Dragonslayer for the next update. My update will follow his...
Dewa mata!
Sirius