Comment il va être
By: Layne
Author's Note: God, I hope the French is right. oO (It's supposed to be "How it will be"...) Also, I do not own anything Inuyasha, blah blah blah. ;D

"Shit."

Bankotsu stumbled from the inner sanctum of Mount Hakurei, one hand clutching his wounded arm, the other holding tight to Banryuu. His breathing had become heavy and ragged, and if it had not been for the one last shard imbedded in his body, he would be nothing more than a pile of bones lying on the ground. His wounds were not fatal, by his wager; he could remember suffering far worse when he was alive, though he had been surrounded and aided by his companions in those times.

"Huh," he scoffed. Look where we are now, brothers. Six in hell and one nearing it. He had never been a firm believer in any sort of afterlife; he could not remember anything but darkness after his death - no fire, no golden light, though he doubted he'd see the latter even if a life beyond existed.

Bankotsu coughed violently, lost his footing and went crashing hard onto the ground, Banryuu falling from his hand. He lay there for a moment before he coughed again and spat blood onto the ground. So this is how it's going to be, huh? he thought.

He sat up using his unwounded arm and leaned against a jagged rock. The atmosphere had not changed since he had set foot onto this godforsaken mountain. Electricity crackling in the air, thunder roaring low and deep in the distance. And despite himself, he gave a small laugh. His second chance at life had turned out almost worse than the first, if such was possible. His comrades were dead; all but one of the shards were gone; and he could still feel the burning anger at the sight of that damned hanyou disappearing into the darkness of the cavern. He couldn't comprehend the thought that he had not stained his blade with Inuyasha's blood.

"As someone carrying Shikon fragments, there's no way Naraku would let you live!"

Heh. Bankotsu had made it this far, hadn't he? Damn that Naraku, he thought bitterly. And damn that Inuyasha.

He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. If this was how it was going to be, so be it.

"Oo anki?"

That voice.

Bankotsu opened his eyes to see a familiar figure crouched down before him. Jakotsu's expression softened when he saw his leader blinking at him. "I was worried you were dead already," he said.

"Jakotsu - "

Jakotsu stood up half-way and sat down beside Bankotsu. "It's kind of sad, isn't it? The way it all turned out." He gave a small sigh and shrugged. "Though I'm glad I got the chance."

Bankotsu nodded in reply and sat in silence for a moment. "I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" Jakotsu said, sounding a bit taken aback.

"I don't know," Bankotsu said. "I just feel I should be apologizing for something here."

Jakotsu made a dismissive gesture. "Don't, oo aniki. And if you're talking about Renkotsu, don't worry. I don't fault him for what he did. It wasn't as if I was going to live anyway." He gave Bankotsu a sad smile.

"Jakotsu," Bankotsu said.

"Though I'm just a bit disappointed I didn't get an opportunity to do everything I wanted," Jakotsu said. He put his arms behind his head and sighed. "It would have been nice, you know? Just the two of us again, traveling, fighting. I would have liked that."

Silence fell again.

"Naraku is still in there," Bankotsu said. "Somewhere. I don't know whether I want to try to escape with my life or go fight him for it."

"I don't think you're really in such a good state to fight, oo aniki," Jakotsu said softly. "You're still bleeding pretty badly."

"Yeah," said Bankotsu. He lifted his hand from his arm, blood still running freely down his arm. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"I don't know," Jakotsu said quietly. "I don't know, oo aniki."

Bankotsu gave a small laugh. "So this is how it ends, huh? Hell of a way to go. It's pathetic."

"I don't think so," Jakotsu said. He lifted a hand to Bankotsu's face and turned it towards his own. He leaned forward and their lips met. Bankotsu closed his eyes, and reached a hand up towards Jakotsu and felt nothing but air. He opened his eyes to find that was alone once again.