"Oo-aniki! Omayaa!" Jakotsu squealed, the head and knife discarded without a thought. Bankotsu swore loudly, shoving what he didn't realize was a headless corpse off the bed. Jakotsu threw himself on the younger boy, fretting and sobbing. "Gomen! Gomen!"
Bankotsu, wide eyed and blood still leaking form his slit throat, looked as if he was deciding whether to hit Jakotsu, speak, or pass out.
"Ja—what the hell are--! You! You're the killer!"
"Hai, oo-aniki! But you must stop speaking, you're bleeding!"
"Ja, get outta here—they'll kill you—"
"No! We must get you help, aniki!"
Bankotsu nodded, but his eyelids slipped shut. Jakotsu screamed again, in agony, fearing his brother was dead.
There were loud, fast footsteps; Jakotsu's feminine scream alerted some guests.
"HOSHIKO!" bellowed an old man who burst into the room, fearful and angry. "KISAMA!" he roared at the sight of Jakotsu. "YOU ARE THE KILLER!"
"I am!" Jakotsu confessed with a cry, "but my oo-aniki! He needs saved! Please, punish me later! SAVE MY BROTHER!"
"Kami! What have you done to him!" The elder man looked over Bankotsu, his eyebrows raised. "It's a miracle the boy still lives!"
Jakotsu, his face wet with tears, backed away, hurt even more by the comment. The old man, maybe 40 or so, still had strength to carry Bankotsu away. Jakotsu blushed furiously at the sight—what had Bankotsu been doing in the past hour! With a stomp of his foot, he let out a cry.
"SUIKOTSU!" wailed Jakotsu, falling to his knees. "SUIKOTSU!"
"NANASHI! WE'VE FOUND HIM!" Apparently, Jakotsu's murders were a heavily discussed topid, for two men, both carrying knives, ran in and immediately seized the sobbing Jakotsu. "CALL THE DOCTOR!" the last order was responded to with more shouts, Jakotsu was too distressed to pay much attention. All he needed was Suikotsu to make Big Brother better….
The old man, clearly the leader, did not seem to notice the headless girl at all. Perhaps he had known more than her name, perhaps she was his daughter. But either way, his face remained hard.
"BANKOTSU!" bawled Jakotsu from the arms of the two men. A knife, one that was not his own, was pressed against his neck.
"Silence, murderer!" ordered one fiercely, yanking Jakotsu hard from under his arm. Jakotsu paid them no mind, struggling to free himself. "LET ME GO YOU BASTARDS! I want to see my aniki!"
"SHUT UP!" roared the other man, with the knife, swiping beneath Jakotsu's chin. "You will see him in the morning before we slice off YOUR head!"
The two hauled the hysterical Jakotsu from the room. His sobs attracted the eyes of mothers and children, teenagers, and old men. Jakotsu normally would have done something more than sob with the attention…but instead he looked up from the ground, searching through his tears for Suikotsu.
"SUIKOTSU!" he called out once more, desperately now. How could that oaf ignore him so!
Realizing now, his empty stomach and lack of sleep were holding him down. Guilt was strongest…he hurt his aniki…he may have murdered his big brother…
"JAKOTSU!"
Suikotsu was behind them now, and the two carrying Jakotsu outside into the night were joined by three others, fashioned in night clothes and with blades.
"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" bellowed Suikotsu in his angriest voice. The men all stopped, and everything, inside and out, went into a cold silence.
Jakotsu turned from inside the doorway he was being shoved through. Suikotsu was staring menacingly, he was unrecognizable by those who knew him only as a civilizeddoctor traveling with friends. His claws were unsheathed and he breathed calmly.
"Let the boy…" Suikotsu ordered in a low voice, "…walk on his own. You decide nothing until Bankotsu is able."
"W-who are you?" stuttered the man who has cut Jakotsu's chin. That blade was forgotten on the ground; he had dropped it in surprise.
"Let's move along, men, outside. Stay were I can see you…or else I kill everyone in this village, down to the last child."
Jakotsu sighed, but felt no relief. Would Bankotsu be alright? Killing he could handle, but getting rid of his oo-aniki….
"Where's Bankotsu" whined Jakotsu, swaying without the guidance. "I want my aniki!"
"Where did they take him?" Suikotsu demanded, treating Jakotsu like a spoilt son.
"He is being treated by our village doctor." Answered an unfamiliar man bravely. Jakotsu looked to the man with a certain smile that had a hint of admiration. He'd seen people speak in Suikotsu's presence…
"You may see him in a while, Jakotsu."
Jakotsu pouted his lower lip, his strength returning knowing Bankotsu would live. "But brother!" he kicked the dirt moodily with his toes. "I want to see him now…I want Bankotsu!"
"Hush." Suikotsu ordered, looking to one of the men. "You. Go see what is becoming of Bankotsu."
A tall, pudgy man nodded nervously, running faster than Jaokstu thought he could. To soother his boredom, he picked his thumbnail. "I want to see him before I die!" he declared dramatically, stomping a foot.
"Jako—"
Suikotsu stopped suddenly, his eyes traveling down his torso. The small, bloodied tip poked out below his mid abdomen. Suikotsu gasped as the sword was yanked out. His robes slowlystained a deep red.
"Sui?" Jakotsu whispered cautiously, fearing for his own safety more than the older man's. Suikotsu may be furious and in his anger, hurt Jakotsu..."Brother? Shimatta! Another fallen—such horrid luck!" he cursed to himself as Suikotsu glared at the men sanely.
The man behind Suikotsu did not live more than four seconds. Suikotsu spun around, claws out, taking the head right off the neck. The man turned to Jakotsu, his eyes betraying his usual tendency to hide pain.
"Ja…I—"
"Go!" shouted Jakotsu, aware of the men closing in around him, "we will meet you!"
Suikotsu, holding his hands over his stomach, ran off into the nearby woods, his back hunched forward.
"ANIKI!" screamed Jakotsu, fists balled up. "WHERE IS ANIKI?" he seized the collar of the nearest man and shook him. But the others grabbed his arms, taking control easily. "TAKE ME TO BANKOTSU!"
Tears, once more, fell down his cheeks. Two brother's down—both his fault! What was making him so unbearably moody this night! From killer to sobbing to pouty!
The men dragged him around the circle of houses, to maybe the platform he had seen coming in. Of course…there was still occupation in the noose…maybe Jakotsu needed a little help? Stalling, Jakotsu tried to make their walk slow and he purposely gave pathetic, sobbing coughs.
"You'll kill no more of our daughters, demon!" one sneered, attempting to tighten his grip on the mercenary's arm.
"I'm no demon," Jakotsu corrected, "I am merely a comrade of my leader."
"Who is your leader then?"
"Not like I'd say…" he answered snootily before screaming again, "BANKOTSU OO-ANIKI!"
"SHUT UP!" the command was becoming very frequent...
"I WANT BANKOTSU!" Jakotsu shrieked, kicking at ankles and stomping his feet.
A boy that looked not too much younger than Bankotsu came running from around the last house and up to the group, stealing a single glance at the cross-dressers, who's runningmakeup must have made him an ugly sight...
"Yoshi!" barked the most violent of the men, who had jabbed Jakotsu numerous times for no reason."Go fetch the boy. Bring him to the noose. We don't have time to waste with a toddler."
"Yes, sensei."The boy--Yoshi--bowed before turning and running with a speed meant only for ones with small builds. Jakotsu smirked. Seeing Bankotsu so soon? Funny how much a little temper tantrum got him.
Bankotsu would be proud.
"I can't wait to see you hang, boy." The man whispered in his ear. Jakotsu, insulted and hurt, pouted his lip...if only that man would be nicer...and whisper other things in his ear, his name, for example...or maybe violence would be a nice, new touch, maybe leading toa little "Servant and Master (1)"...
"You're cruel…" he sulked, sighing.
"You slit our daughter's throats! 7 throats in 3 nights!" Their faults…and poor Bankotsu was hurt because of them! "Whatever matter of creature you are, you will not live to see another dawn!"
"I am human! Just like oo-aniki!"
They were rounding the last, empty house, then there would be the large, circular area that was enclosed by the village houses. There night was no longer peaceful, for lights were on now and voices were raised. Gossip, apparently, spread fast in a small village.
"Yet you confuse me. Dress in the clothes of woman, wear theirpaints,and kill them still."
Jakotsu stuck up his nose. Some people were just so oblivious…
"JA!" Bankotsu's voice came from the platform swarming with "guards" (armed village men, pretending to look threatening…)
"OO-ANIKI!" squealed Jakotsu, bouncing in the arms of the now fed up men. One be one they let him go, after many swats in the face at least.
Jakotsu raced to the wooden platform, where Bankotsu stood, his wrists tied. He almost tripped up the few steps in his haste.
He wrapped his arms around the very startled Bankotsu.
"Omayaa, Ja! This is happening waaay too fast for comprehension! What the fuck just happened!"
"They're going to kill me, oo-aniki!" Jakotsu confided in a slightly giddy tone. "Because I am a demon who kills women mercilessly!"
"YOU! The kotsu guy!"
Both Kotsu's looked to a new man with a deeper voice. A large, white scar marked his left eyelid and crossed in a deformed line across his nose.
"The guy kotsu."
Still, they both stared expectantly. The mall, tall, muscular, and rather large, glared with he snatched Jakotsu by the back of his collar.
He pointed at Bankotsu, hard black eyes full of suspicion. "How do you know this killer?" he demanded.
Jakotsu thought fast before the rest of the crowd realized the friendly relationship between him and his leader.
Pulling away form the scarred man with a dry sob, he threw himself at Bankotsu's feet.
"Aaaaaniki!" he wailed hysterically, snatching the hem of Bankotsu's temporary white robes. "PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"
"Ja!" stuttered Bankotsu, surprised. "Wha—"
"I betrayed you, oo-aniki! I deserve your fury!" Oh why had Jakotsu been stuck with a boy so unable to pick up hints? "Do not let them hang me, oo-aniki! YOU PUNISH ME!"
Bankotsu, finally, was catching onto Jakotsu's act of desperation. The crowd, mixed of men and women, was now close to a mob, and was taking their every move very seriously.
"You traitor!" Bankotsu boomed, pretending to struggle with the removing of his bonds. "YOU DISOBEY ME, JAKOTSU!"
Jakotsu forced out tears and sobs, thinking of everything he could to him cry…
Suikotsu's death…
Jakotsutou's breaking…
Bankotsu's death…
Tears were rolling off his face.
"KILL ME, BANKOTSU! I DESERVE NOTHING MORE!"
Even for being a little belated, Jakotsu was proud of their performance. If Bankotsu would convince the guards to let him "kill" Jakotsu at a later time…all they would need is Jakotsutou and Banryuu.
"GUARDS!" Baknotsu called, his blue eyes fiery with fake rage.
…If Jakotsu didn't know Bankotsu was faking…he'd be crying in fear.
Two hastily armored men kneeled to Bankotsu after appearing from behind him.
The line across Bankotsu's neck make him look even more menacing as he looked down at the guards.
"This…disgrace had been working in my company for two months. I did not know of his actions. But I should not have stopped here, knowing my trust of him was so weak."
"W-when shall he be put to death?" One guard asked, trying to sound efficient under Bankotsu's rage.
"At sunrise tomorrow." The commanding tone was astonishing—Bankotsu would be the best leader the incomplete band could hope for. "YOU ALL!" he roared at the crowd. "GET BACK TO YOUR HOMES! REST ASSURED THAT YOUR DAUGHTERS ARE SAFE!"
"Lord B-Bankotsu…" stuttered the other man. "Shall we lock him in?"
"No…I will speak with him tonight."
Nodding, the guard took an unsheathed knife and broke Bankotsu's bonds.
Bankotsu grabbed the fake-sobbing Jakotsu and dragged him from the platform. "Come along, Jakotsu, I have a nice topic we can discuss."
Once shut in their new room—in the far corner of the village away from nosy eyes and ears—Bankotsu had tackled Jakotsu to the ground and sat victoriously on the older boy's back.
After almost dying of a slit throat, he was in a considerably good mood.
"After thinking up the plan that saved our lives, shouldn't I be able to decide who sits on whom?" Jakotsu asked half-sweetly, glaring.
"It's survival of the fittest, Ja. Whosever strongest decides."
"In that case…"
Jakotsu, although skinny and petite, was surprisingly strong. He flipped onto his back and Bankotsu rolled off with an "oof!"
Jakotsu bounced off the floor,landing on Bankotsu's stomach.
"Ugh!" he grunted, his muscles tensing under Jakotsu, who now sat proudly. "Alright, alright, so you're strong."
"You must build up your abs, oo-aniki. You feel squishy."
"That's just your fat ass, Jakotsu!" he exclaimed jokingly. Jakotsu crossed his arms in resentment.
"Hmph…" Jakotsu brought his legs up to his chest and tried putting every ounce of weight on Bankotsu's stomach.
"Don't hurt!" Bankotsu teased. Jakotsu glared, pinching the skin of Bankotsu's side with his toes. The boy yelped, his torso squirming. Jakotsu squeaked as he tumbled sideways onto Bankotsu's chest.
"Jakotsu…" whether his name was spoken in warning, awkwardness, or Bankotsu was getting edgy, Jakotsu liked how he said it.
"Yes oo-aniki?" he asked, drumming his fingers on Bankotsu's bare collarbone.
"Off, Ja…"
"Umm…" Jakotsu donned a look of thought. "No." he decided.
Bankotsu glared at the older boy, who smirked and winked.
"Strongest one makes the rules, Bankotsu!" he chirped mockingly.
Bankotsu breathed deeply then heaved/shoved Jakotsu off. But Jakotsu latched his arms around Bankotsu's waist. Struggling, Bankotsu lifted himself to his feet, Jakotsu on his knees, tightly attached.
"Jakotsu!" he cried, trying to push the boy off his side. "Arg! Come on, Ja!" He attempted to walk, dragging Jakotsu and his "limp" legs.
Jakotsu laughed evilly, threading his fingers together and hugging tight.
"So what if you're strongest? Smartest almost comes out on top."
"Well I hate to break it to you, Ja, but you're technically below me."
But Jakotsu's legs suddenly came to life and with two kicks and a push, Bankotsu was on the ground in a heap.
"Owww…"
"Now that we've established who's best—I think I'd like to know why you haven't questioned me about Suikotsu."
"W-why?" stammered Bankotsu, sitting cross-legged across from Jakotsu, who stretched out casually on his back.
"He'll be waiting for us in the woods-he got stuck."
"Stuck?"
Jakotsu sat up, making a loud, unnecessarily sick squelching sound, poking himself in the back. "Right through."
"What?" the leader yelped, standing, pulling Jakotsu with him. "You're waiting to tell me this?"
"I had to settle our previous disagreement first. Priorities are important." He crossed his arms. Bankotsu slapped a hand to his forehead, then let it smack the back of Jakotsu's head.
"Jaaa…if he dies—"
"He is not going to die, oo-aniki. He was fine. This is Suikotsu we speak of, he will manage."
"But—"
"No…hush. We must plan, Bankotsu oo-aniki. You are to kill me in the morning, remember?"
"Psh. Easy. I'll go back and get our swords, we kill anyone who tries to stop us. I personally wanna see that scarred guy's head go flying."
Jakotsu looked taken aback. "O-okay, aniki…"
"What's wrong with my plan? Not good enough?" Jakotsu's responsed with an odd giggle.
"It was…quick and simple…"
"Did you want some intricate plot? I suppose you are pretty good at them."
"N-no, oo-aniki." He smiled patiently, "I am proud of you. I would have thought,from past experiences, that there would be something wrong—"
"HEY!" Bankotsu exclaimed, "Are you trying to say I'm stupid?"
Jakotsu gave the younger boy a cheesy grin, then grabbed one of the pillows laying on a mat. He tossed it up in the air and caught it in his hands, patting it as though testing weight or mass… "I though we just agreed on that."
Bankotsu, yelling a battle cry, leaped at Jakotsu, but was greeted by a pillow smack in the face. He dropped, rolled, picking his fluffy weapon as he stood.
"DEMON!" bellowed Bankotsu, swinging his pillow into Jakotsu. The gay boy squealed, stumbled, and lunged forward, attempting to swing back. His shot got Bankotsu in the gut and he doubled over, laughing. "HOW DARE YOU ATTACK THE GREAT BANKOTSU-SAMA! PREPARE TO DIE! WAAAAAAAA!"
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" shrieked Jakotsu, and they hit each other with full force.
END
From slit throats to pillow fights, hasn't this been an interesting night? Well…it ain't over til the fat lady sings and I think she's in back, warming up.
1- Servant and Master is basically a kinky sex game...what do masters do to servants when they get in trouble? Well, if they're violent, they whip them! Oww!