"That's a load of horse shit." Bankotsu tells Riza with a mouthful of food.
"There is no way you're better at your job than us."
"I'm not saying I'm better. I'm just more stealthy. I can kill a man before he can even register what had happened. There is brute murder and than there is art. I'm an artist. I can sing, dance, play instruments and slice open body parts." She tore off a small piece of bread and tossed it into her mouth.
"Forgive me for not singing and dancing when I kill." Bankotsu grumbled.
"No need for forgiveness! You're great at what you do. Even the simplest of minds can kill with force." She smiled.
"I feel like you just insulted my intelligence." He frowned.
"No not at all! I didn't mean to!" She panicked waving her hands around.
"Riza! I need your help. Now please." Mamo grabbed her arm tugging her away while glaring at Bankotsu.
"I'm not done eating." She complained.
"You can eat with me, not him." He grumbled, his cheeks red from jealousy.
Bankotsu watched as he pulled her away. Today she wore her cream colored dress. Bankotsu tried to ignore the infatuation he was beginning to feel for the young Frenchwoman.
Bankotsu squeezed his fist. He shouldn't feel jealous. He shouldn't feel angry but he did. He was annoyed that the stupid fox constantly hogged her attention. He was even more annoyed at how badly he wanted her attention.
The second he tried to start a conversation with her, Mamoru was there to ruin it.
"Mamo, this is ridiculous." Riza said as she untangled Mamo's jewelry.
"It was an emergency. I really wanted to wear this necklace but it was tangled with another necklace. His tail waved around and his ears went down.
"Is it because I was talking to Bankotsu?" She asked softly.
Mamo looked away with a frown on his face.
Riza sighed than smiled softly before hugging Mamo.
"He's going to take you from me." Mamo whimpered into her chest.
"He's stronger, faster, cooler, hotter. I'm supposed to be a man and protect you but you end up saving me more. He'll give you babies than you won't need me.." he cried.
Riza stroked his hair, humming softly.
"Do not worry, my little fox. I owe many things to you and remember you're sweeter than any of the men here. You're my dearest friend, no one will take you from me or me from you." She kissed his head.
"I still don't trust him." He grumbled.
Riza laughed.
"Yeah I know."
Riza stood in awe as she stared at the busy town in front of them. She always avoided towns like these and when she had to pass by it was always at night and she would never stay. Maybe it's the spoiled girl in her that preferred the cities to these little towns and villages.
"Aright! Renkotsu get us rooms for the night. Suikotsu-go get medicine and other medical shit you need. Mukotsu-go get food for our travels. Ginkotsu and Kyokotsu- find a blacksmith to sharpen and repair our weapons."
"Mamo! Go with the bald man and make sure our room isn't trash. I'd prefer not to sleep in squalor." She smiled.
"Yes, mistress!"
Bankotsu, Jakotsu And Riza looked at each other, trying to figure out what to do next.
"You guys want to go find a market?" Riza asked hesitantly.
Both men looked at each other than shrugged.
"Alright! Let's see what I can find!" Riza exclaimed as she hooked her arms with theirs and dragged them around the market.
Bankotsu couldn't help but find her eccentric personality extremely cute.
"Check this out!" She said turning to face him with mask that had a man's face painted on it.
"Oh look at me! Herr herr I got a big ol cock between my legs! Pass the sake!" She joked in a deep voice.
Jakotsu: wearing the same mask but of a woman instead popped up behind her.
"Dearest! You shit in the wrong pot again!" He exclaimed in a female voice.
"Did the kids get into it?" She questioned in her man voice.
"All 3 of them are now covered in shit."
"Even the dog?"
"Even the dog."
Bankotsu, with a wolf mask, barked.
All three broke out in laughter before running off.
"Hey! Get back here! Those weren't paid for!" The young merchant called out but failed to grasp their attention.
Riza hugged Bankotsu's arm to keep from falling over laughing. The simple gesture had Bankotsu feeling weird. He wanted to push her off but at the same time he didn't want her to let go.
They walked around the market, joking around, laughing and angering the merchants they stole from.
Bankotsu, Jakotsu And Riza met up with Mamo and the rest of the Band of Seven.
"Riza! Riza! Come have a drink!" Mamo smiled brightly pulling his mistress away from the group only to be stopped by Bankotsu.
He held onto her wrist tightly. More tight than he anticipated but his nerves got the best of him.
Both of them turned and stared at him.
"Why don't you drink with us?" He asked looking away.
"She doesn't want too! She wants to drink with-"
"Okay."
Mamo stopped mid sentence and looked up at Riza with a shocked expression.
"I'd love to drink with the infamous band of Seven." She winked.
Bankotsu smiles brightly.
"Hope you can keep up!" He laughed.
"Ha! Please, I'm European, boys. I've been drinking since age 5." She snorts.
Bankotsu drapes his arm over her shoulders, ushering her into the tavern. He turns back to smirk at An angry Mamoru.
"Okay, so point of this game is not to use your hands. Drink as much and as fast as you can, who ever makes it to the end of the table is the winner!" Riza explains her favorite drinking game.
The table had cups of sake lined up with a pitcher at the end for the winner. Bankotsu bounces in place. Excited for the game they were about to play.
Renkotsu raised his arms.
"Ready.
Set.
GO!"
And the two were off! Bankotsu swallowed the sake as quick as he could, ignoring the deep burn in his throat.
Riza was hot on his tail. She trailed behind him by one cup.
Bankotsu threw his head back and took the last drink with one big gulp.
"Yes!" He threw his arms up. His men cheered his victory.
Riza finished her drink and laughed.
"Let's see how well you hold your liquor in about 30 minutes!" She laughed.
"I...I think you're hair is made from gold." Jakotsu slurred as he lifted up a strand of her hair.
Riza laughed.
In the corner of the tavern a few men played on their instruments. Music flowed through the building.
"I wanna dance!" She slurred. Her hand clutches to Bankotsu's thigh as she attempts to stand.
Bankotsu laughed the whole time as he watched the young assassin try to stand up.
His eyes went down to the hand on his leg.
"Alright!" Riza stood and smiled big.
He couldn't help but admire her. She swayed her hips and twirled her arms above her head. She moved beautifully to flow of the music.
Her cream chemise clung to her body. Her studied every curve of her body. Her breasts bounced as she danced. Her smile took the breath from his lungs. Her skin glowed, her hair dancing around her in a flow of pearlesnt gold waves.
But what truly captivated him the most were her eyes. He had never seen eyes so blue. It was as if he was staring into a beautiful blue lagoon. Her eyes shun with mischief.
She wobbled back and pointed straight at him. He smiled up at her. Amused with her cute drunken notions.
"Let's have a bet!" She yelled.
"What kind of bet?" He asked.
"If I drink this in under 3 seconds, you have to be my friend!" Riza raised her cup of sake.
Amused, Bankotsu smirked. "3 seconds? Alright, you're on."
"Three.
Two."
Riza threw her head back and gulped the drink in two seconds.
"Impressive, for a girl." He chuckled.
"Yeah whatever." Riza laughed.
He looked at her. God, she was so beautiful.
"Let's play another game." Bankotsu suggested leaning into the table that separated them.
"Oh yes! What game." She says leaning in as well.
"A guessing game. I guess things about you and if they're true you have to drink, if it's not true I have to drink." He explained. He wanted to get to know her better. He wanted to know who she was before coming to his country, how she ended up here, and what made her into the woman she is today.
He surprised himself with how much he wanted to learn about this woman.
"What like guessing each other's past?" Jakotsu asks joining the game.
"Yep! You guys gonna play or not?" He asked his men.
"Yep!" Jakotsu answered for them.
"I don't want to play." Riza said flat.
"Huh? What why?" Bankotsu questioned, genuinely surprised.
"It's not that I don't want to learn about you or you about me. It's just I don't like prying into things that have nothing to do with me." She says dropping the happy smile.
"Don't be a party pooper, Riza." Bankotsu poked at her empty cup.
She looked up at him. He looked so young, so childish. But she knew what he truly was. But he didn't know anything about her and it was something she had hoped could remain hidden.
"You go first." She replied.
This brought a big smile to his face. One Jakotsu took notice of.
"Okay." He leaned on his elbow and stared deeply at Riza. As if he was trying to read into her.
"You're forgein. Very flirty personality."
Riza drank.
"Now you." He says.
"You're in your early twenties." She guessed.
"Wrong. Teens. Drink." He smirked.
"Teen? How old are you?" She asked taking her drink.
"Just turned 16."
"Just?" She tilts her head.
"Yep. Born at the biginning of spring."
"Interesting."
"You're a teen?" He asked.
"Just turned 16. A week before our fateful encounter." She smiled.
Bankotsu perked up a bit.
"Okay, moving on. You're from a rich family. One that gave you education and showed you how to be a proper lady. You grew up with brothers who were soldiers than how your able to defend yourself. But something happened that upset you enough to ditch the country and wind up all the way over here." He leaned back with a content smile on his lips.
Riza without breaking eye contact poured a glass of sake for him and pushed in towards him.
"Drink."
"Was I close?"
"No."
He stared at her intently and pointed his finger at her.
"I'll figure you out. Just you wait."
She smiled and chuckled softly. Her heart beat skipped and she could feel her cheeks heating up.
"I look forward to it." She clinked her cup with his and they both gulped their sake down.