Makoto reached for the door, anxious for the first time in many years. The walls of the new room Lord Bankotsu had received were too thick to see through and his hands were shaking with fear. He heard shouts coming from the inside—angry shouts, and accompanied by thumps. Dare he go in? That Bankotsu, although he seemed so young to take such authority over elders, looked infuriated…he almost pitied the gay traitor, to have to face that fury.
But he couldn't pity him. He had lost a niece to that psycho. He was equipped with a sword of his own…he was told to attack…and he would.
He would be brave….
Yes, he could be brave, for he had a sword! And…if he was unable to fight, he could call for back-up, and they would bring the swords of these two men and slay them quickly.
"Lord Ban—" he slide the door open, and was greeted by a storm of…feathers! Mouth agape and hit with a surge of courage and anger, he struggled to find his voice. "Our—our poultry! You have claimed too much, killer!" he declared, his sword drawn.
"OO-ANIKI—PREPARE FOR YOUR DEATH!" the murderer shrieked.
"NOT WHILE I STILL WIELD THIS HONORABLE WEAPON, YOU FIEND!"
"Aah! But my weapon is just as great AND WILL CUT YOU INTO MINCE MEAT BEFORE THIS NIGHT IS UP!"
"YOURS SPLIT, YOU DUMBASS!"
"EAT FEATHERS!"
With a cry of emotion, Makoto threw himself into the room, preparing himself for battle. He felt the tip of his blade enter soft flesh and a feminine scream followed.
"JAKOTSU!" Bankotsu, a figure broken up through the feathers, froze suddenly.
The mangled feathers settled on the floor, making it look like a fresh layer of snow had fallen and Jakotsu shook as though struck with fierce cold. He was facing Makoto with teary eyes, his thigh punctured by the sword.
The gay boy gave a dry sob, a pillow at his feet. Makoto, still believing he had broken up an actual battle, did not back off nor did he find this to be a mistake. He ripped the blade from Jakotsu's leg, raising it to strike again.
"You murderer…" he hissed, hazel green eyes narrowing into slits. "We allowed you to be spared once, and we aren't going to again!"
He made for Jakotsu, thrashing out the sword to cut the doubled-over boy in two…….
"NO!" roared Bankotsu, giving an insane attempt to block the path of the blade. He beat the sword to Jakotsu, wrapping his arms around his friend. The force of the collision sent Jakotsu falling backwards, Bankotsu with him, but not quickly enough to avoid the end of the sword to slice across Bankotsu's back. Although the cut was shallow enough to be considered minor, the leader cried out in pain.
The two fell to the floor, and Bankotsu, in his newfound rage, stood before Jakotsu even stirred. "DAMN YOU!" Bankotsu shouted angrily, storming up to the man who began to shake and lowered his blade to his side. "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS IS A TIME FOR MURDER! WHO GAVE YOU AUTHORITY TO RAISE YOUR WEAPON?"
"I-I thought—" Makoto stuttered, dropping his sword, "it sounded like a f-fight and I…"
Bankotsu seized the man who was twice his age by the neck and with one hand, raised him high off his feet. "He is not to be killed until DAWN!" he spat, his fingers unmoving as Makoto tried to pry himself loose. The man was turning purple so Bankotsu released him and let him stumble to stay standing. "We are not to be interrupted again…is this clear?"
Makoto nodded, not even bothering to take his sword as he fled.
"Oo-aniki?" whispered Jakotsu, sitting himself up, his injured thigh exposed. Bankotsu glanced at the wound…it didn't look too serious, maybe leaving him with a limp for a few weeks. It was really bleeding though, blood was running off Jakotsu's porcelain skin. Bankotsu crouched by the older boy, handing him the destroyed pillow with a weak attempt at a smile. "Are you okay?" Jakotsu asked feebly.
"Just grazed me…" Bankotsu answered, wincing at the stinging burn on his back. "I'm okay…" Jakotsu nodded, but wasn't entirely convinced. "Kami, we can't trust these idiots to leave us alone, can we? If they think I'm yelling at you and you're…"
Bankotsu stopped and gave Jakotsu an odd look.
"Oo-aniki? What's wrong? Is it your back?" Jakotsu rushed, his eyes wide. Bankotsu shook his head, thinking their situation over. He should be punishing Jakotsu, that's what their performance at the noose had made the village assume. But…they were "fighting" and that guy had seen this with his own eyes…He heard Jakotsu threaten Bankotsu….
"Jakotsu…we have to leave now."
"What are you on to?"
Bankotsu suddenly hauled himself to his feet, grabbing Jakotsu's forearms and dragging him up as well. "Aniki, what are you doing?" Jakotsu hissed, staggering before balancing himself.
"That guy heard what we said, Jakotsu, with the pillows. He thinks that we're attacking each other, and he got away! The whole village is gonna think you're rebelling against me!"
The coal black eyes of Jakotsu went unfocused as he thought through the realization. "You are right, aniki! Does this mean others will find us and, as they will think, try to stop my rebellion?"
"Yeah…that's why we're getting the hell out of here and giving Banryuu and Jakotsutou a little exercise."
The two boys made their way out the room with little struggle. Their bodies were used to constant wounds, but Bankotsu had a kernel of worry for Jakotsu, who limped noticeably.
They crept down the halls with as little noise as they could manage. Their room wasn't very far, but if the villagers were hurrying, they could catch up. Jakotsu pointed this out, his hands pressing different fabrics against his thigh as he hurried along.
"We're almost there, Jakotsu. Just stay standing and once you got Jakotsutou you're gonna be fine."
"Aniki, they are catching up." said Jakotsu, with a serious weakness in his voice. Bankotsu, who could move faster than Jakotsu, slowed and looked at the sweating boy, who's eyes were set dead ahead. "I can feel their footsteps. They are near."
Bankotsu swallowed down fear. Fear was weak! They were strong. "Come on, Ja, we're gonna outta here and find Suikotsu."
Jakotsu nodded, helped only a little by Bankotsu's words, but suddenly a flash of silver whizzed by Bankotsu's ear, nicking the cartilage. He wrinkled his nose, and before he could look behind him, Jakotsu spoke.
"Throwing stars. Aniki, our room is here, hurry."
They narrowly dodged three more stars, Jakotsu squeaking at a fourth star that caught his forearm. The door slide shut behind them and they rushed to their beds to claim their swords.
Everything remained as it had been, so the swords would be next to the beds…
"Ja? Did you move Banryuu?" asked Bankotsu slowly, his words hinting a true rage.
"No aniki," answered the gay boy frantically, "but where is Jakotsutou?"
The two looked at each from their hasty search, eyes as wide as plates.
3…2…1…Their mouths fell open and their chests filled with a large gulp of air.
"NOOO!"
The mercenaries, now up in flames (not literally), upturned their mats, the tables, every surface was thrown aside. Realizing their treasures were stolen, they shoved each other as they fought to reach the door first.
Breaking the door right from it's spot, they burst into the hall, shouting nonsense in any language they knew. Jakotsu's face was contorted with anger, his breaths loud and his shoulders hunched. They ran, their wounds forgotten, outside, in a furious daze, and the necks of anyone who blocked their path were snapped.
They ran out into the starry, humid night, greeted by a mob with torches in their hands.
"DEMONS! BOTH OF YOU!" the man with the ugly white scar stood among a group of armed men. He was obviously a man with power, for the men who looked terrified stood behind him, waiting for an order and obviously had no choice but to obey. "YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL DAWN! YOUR DEATHS WILL ARRIVE QUICKER THAN THE SUN WILL RISE!"
Two men, twins with black eyes, about 20 or so, stepped forward, on either side of the scarred leader. Bankotsu tried to keep himself from strangling the whole lot of them.
One twin carried Bankotsu's baby, but hardly. The tip was suffering cruel neglect. The whole sword, Bankotsu's image itself, was disturbed and there was hell to pay!
The other twin had Jakotsutou, but held it wrong, with the sword held horizontally at shoulder-height…he looked ready to use it, but Bankotsu doubted the potential.
Bankotsu looked to his friend, analyzing the older boy's reaction.
He looked pissed and there was no other way to put it. His hands shook, like he was itching for blood, and his eyes were glazed over. His new persona was a true killer…this Jakotsu was the side of him that Bankotsu hired for his band of mercenaries.
Bankotsu stared down hard at his own hands, prepping himself for battle. He's punch out every tooth, break every bone….
No one touched his sword. No one.
Jakotsu's mouth was moving with startling speed, words in odd languages were spilling out. Soon, Bankotsu's own battle cries were bellowed to the night sky. The two boys rushed forward and the twins began their attack with the powerful swords.
Banryuu and Jakotsutou missed their owners tremendously. Jakotsutou, when the boy tried to whip it back after hitting a wall, swung around and claimed a head before recoiling. Banryuu hardly made it five centimeters off the ground.
Jakotsu's fist hit first, right in the jaw of Jakotsutou's captor. Bankotsu punched the other twin hard in the cheek. Blood dripped from the twins' faces as they released the swords. Bankotsu let Banryuu rest, the adrenaline rushing in his veins was too much for him to hold in and Jakotsu, too, must have felt the need to kill—to hear that satisfying CRACK of breaking bones—and feel the sticky blood sifting through their fingers, thick and hot—listening to shrieking and screaming of a brutal massacre, all thoughts of their sanity vanished.
Banryuu and Jakotsutou waited patiently for the last opponent to fall to the ground, the face deformed and neck mangled. The swords pulsed with energy when their master's bloodied fingers curled around their hilts. It was as if the scent, feel, taste of blood excited the blades as well as the wielders….
"YOU DO NOT STEAL A MERCENARY'S SWORD!" roared Bankotsu furiously, pitching a severed head into the nearby trees.
Jakotsu's chest was heaving, his eyes livid. Jakotsutou quivered in his white-knuckled hand.
"As if claiming the lives ofthe womenwas enough for me!" spat Jakotsu, whipping the snake blade out viciously. White light flew in circles around the men who still stood paralyzed, then the light constricted. "I think Ican do better than that..."
Limbs slipped apart and slid into the dirt.
Two men remained, deathly pale and stunned with a look that told the mercenaries that they may have soiled their pants.
"Pleasure doing business with you, gentlemen…" sighed Bankotsu, giving a wicked grin. "Ja ne."
"Tell the graves of your daughters I said hello!" Jakotsu cackled. And with their swords resting on their shoulders, they turned back into the houses and raided the kitchen in good spirits.