Riza bounces in place. Impatiently waiting for the enemy to make the first move. They stood on a cliff over looking the army of men, waiting for a command.
Bankotsu could hardly contain his excitement. He was restless. He walked back and forth, his eyes locked on the enemy.
Suddenly a man yells at the entire army pulls out their swords and readied their bow and arrows.
"Here we go, men!" Bankotsu announced to his group. He glanced over to Riza. She had a big smile on her face. She was knelt down with her bottom up, watching the soldiers.
He smiled to himself, making note that when they are alone together he will take her bent over as she was at that moment.
"Attack!" The army's general commands.
A hoard of arrows come flying towards the mercenaries.
Bankotsu jumps off the cliff, spinning his sword over his head to avoid the arrows and as soon as he landed, two large soldiers charge him. His sword easily sliced through the two men.
Riza jumped down, swinging her blades and slicing through soldiers.
Within seconds, all the hired mercenaries were engaged fully into battle.
As Riza strangled a large man with the chain of her blades, Shin and Jin slowly made their way to her.
Riza stepped back and let the blue man fall, his final breath escaping him.
Jin with his large hammer swung and hit Riza, propelling her deeper into the enemy's side.
She lifted her face from the grass and gasped sharply. All the air was knocked out of her. Her side was burning as if on fire.
Three soldiers charged at her. For a moment, she was vulnerable.
Just as the men attacked, Jakotsu's snake like sword whipped over her, killing those charging at her.
He ran to her and lifted her to her feet.
"What the fuck, Riza! You just left yourself wide open!" He scolded before kicking a soldier back and swinging his sword.
Riza gripped his kimono.
"I don't know! Something just slammed into me!" She winced.
Jakotsu looks up just in time to jump away as a giant metal hammer slammed into the ground.
"Jin! What the hell are you doing?! We're on the same side!" Riza yelled.
Shin jumped over Jin and with an identical hammer raised above his head, ready to swing.
Riza pushed Jakotsu out of the way before jumping back. As she did Jin's hammer hit her in the center of her stomach.
She hit the ground hard and vomited.
Her own teammates were attacking her. Shin and Jin were loyal to Katsu, 100% and would kill their own family members in Katsu wished it.
Her anger bubbles and her teeth gritted. Ignoring the burning, throbbing pain in her side and stomach, she grabbed her blades and swung.
Jin jumped back as her blade deeply sliced his cheek.
She threw the other blade to pierce his body. The blade went straight through his arm and she quickly pulled and ran to him. He swung his hammer too late and before he knew it, Riza had sliced his head right off.
Jin's body fell hard on the ground as Riza elegantly stepped off him.
"Brother!!!" Shin cried out and charged Riza.
Riza smirked and ran towards him. She ducked and flipped, dodging his attacks. She ran around him, jumping and spinning, flipping and sliding to avoid his hammer.
She sliced behind his knees and as he fell, she wrapped the chain tightly around his neck.
"Why did you attack me?! Was it Katsu?!" She questioned.
"Fuck you, forgein bitch!" He spat.
She pulled more on the chain. He began clawing and trying to hit Riza but she stood right behind him.
He tried to swing his fist at her but she quickly sliced off his hand.
He screamed in pain, blabbering like a fool.
"God! Yes! It was Katsu! He wanted us to kill you! He said you will deflect and join our enemies! I'm sorry Riza!" He cried.
"I'll give you a quick death." She said with no emotion.
Her blade suddenly pierced through his chest, killing him instantly.
Her eyes looked over the battlefield. Nearly all the soldiers were wiped out. A few still fought but we're quickly over powered.
She lands her sight on Katsu. He pulled his katana out from a man's throat and smirked.
She felt bile rise up in her mouth. He wanted her dead. If he couldn't have her, no one would.
"Riza! Are you okay?" Jakotsu was back by her side and offered to hold her up.
She graciously leaned on him to keep her from falling down. The pain in her body was becoming too much to handle.
He picked her up and brought her back to the castle.
"Let's get you into something more comfortable." He said pulling at her bodysuit.
He turned his head in disgust as she undressed and stood, naked.
He glanced back at her and saw the damage. Her side all the way to her stomach was turning black and blue, blood seeped from a aggressive cut from when she was hit by Jin and landed on the side of her blade.
Jakotsu helped her into a simple white yukata.
"Why white?" She complained as he helped walk her to the hot springs.
"It was the only color they had. Now you try to wash yourself. I'm going to get Suikotsu to look at that nasty booboo you got." He said pushing her into the water and walking away.
She popped out of the water with a gasp and a cry.
The pain was too much, she could feel tears in her eyes but refused to let them fall.
"I'm back!" Jakotsu announced as Riza combed her wet hair.
"Where's Suikotsu?" She asked as she noticed Jakotsu was by himself.
"In his room. Bankotsu is with him. He got a stabbed in the shoulder and Suikotsu is patching him up." He smiled.
"Ow! Fuck! Not so tight!" Bankotsu complained angrily.
"I'm sorry, big brother but I have to. You are too reckless sometimes." Suikotsu sighed.
"Eh, it is what it is. He thought some small kunai to my shoulder was gonna stop me from killing him. Ha! Yeah right!" He grinned.
Jakotsu opened the door and brought in Riza.
"Got another one for you." He said dropping Riza onto the futon.
"What happened?" Bankotsu questioned.
"Two of her comrades suddenly attacked her. They got her pretty good." He explained.
"Bastards. Fucking bastards! I was so focused on those I was killing and the big dickheads hit me with an oversized hammer!" Riza growled before hissing in pain.
Bankotsu remained quiet. What could he say? That he wished he could have been there to protect her? Or that he was a specific target on Katsu's back for this.
"Well, let's see the damage." Suikotsu says as he rings out a wet towel.
Riza removed her clothes, wrapping her arms to hide her breasts.
Suikotsu crouched next to her and gently ran his fingers down her heavily bruised side.
"You definitely have a few broken ribs. I can feel it. And this happened during the battle? You must bruise easily cause this damage would show on a normal person like this in about a day." He explained, motioning for her to lay down.
"And the cut? This is quite deep." He asked.
Riza let out a humorless laugh.
"When tweedle Dee hit me with his stupid hammer, I landed on the side of my blade and since my adrenaline was pumping, I didn't even know until Jakotsu got me back here."
Bankotsu took a big gulp of sake and poured a cup for Riza.
"Here. For the pain." He winked.
She happily took the cup from his hand, brushing her fingers lightly over his.
"Thank you so much! You're starting to know me better than Mamo!" She laughed.
Bankotsu smiled.
He turned away from her and glanced to the door. He had a calm demeanor but inside he was raging with anger. He could never understand why people would turn on their own.
He was the leader of a group of blood thirsty murderers and he would die for each one. They were his brothers, his closest comrades, his friends.
And Riza...she was his friend. More than a friend. He felt a deep primal urge to protect her and to get revenge on Katsu but he couldn't take her kill from her.
"I'm going to get some food. I'll be back." He said standing up.
Riza nodded her head. Her face buried in a pillow as Suikotsu began cleaning and treating her wounds.
"I'll go with you." Jakotsu said following him out the door.
"Poor Riza. How could her comrades turn on her so quickly?" Jakotsu questioned sadly.
"It's my part my fault. We have this thing going on, I don't know what to call it, but that jackass wants her all to himself. He wants her, she wants me and I want her."
"So my hunch was right. You have feelings for her." Jakotsu said with a sly smile.
Bankotsu's cheeks heated up for a moment.
"N-no! She's just a good fuck. And she's cool to be around...and drink with...and easy to talk to." He looks away.
Jakotsu giggled.
"So you like fucking her, you like drinking with her, spending time with her, talking with her...sounds like something is bubbling in that hard body of yours."
"You hitting on me again?" He said glancing back at his best friend.
Jakotsu shrugged.
"At least admit it to me. You have a crush on Riza." He said with a sly smile.
"I don't! We're just friends with benefits." He declared.
"Riiiight."
"Ladies! Ladies! Don't you worry your pretty faces! I will have my time with each and every one of you." Katsu flirts with a group of women around him.
Bankotsu stops at the doorway. He stared at Katsu as one woman straddled him. His anger built more and more. He felt hatred for this man. He was trying so hard to keep Riza all to himself and away from Bankotsu.
"Hey, jackass!" Bankotsu called out immediately catching everyone's attention.
"I've got a fucking bone to pick with you, you piece of shit!" He growled picking up a bottle and throwing it at him.
The bottle shattered above his head, scattering the women away from the two mercenaries.
"What the fuck?! Get out of here, you little cockblock!" Katsu screamed sanding up to his full height.
Bankotsu strode to him and before Katsu could make a move, Bankotsu's fist connected with his jaw.
He hit him with all the force he could conjure with a wounded arm. He felt satisfied with the crack of Katsu's jaw.
The older mercenary dropped. Blindsided by the powerful punch.
Bankotsu crouched next to him and grabbed him by his hair, lifting his head up.
Katsu groaned and was struggling to keep his eyes open.
"You're going to lose consciousness soon. Don't forget, I did this. I punched you and knocked you out. I'll be taking Riza with me. She'll make more money with my group and I'll get to wreck that tight body whenever I want. She's deflected from you because of you. I just helped. And by the way; your group of men are weak and so are you. I don't know how you were able to snatch a gem like her, but she's mine now." He dropped his head and spit on him.
He stood and brushed himself off.
He turned and bowed to the women, staring with frightened eyes.
"Ladies." He said before leaving.
Jakotsu stayed quiet for a few moments.
"We should probably go before he wakes up." He said.
"Yeah. We probably should." He replied with a grin.
"You go let the others know we're leaving like right now. I'll get Suikotsu and Riza." Bankotsu instructed.
"You got it. We'll meet you at the entrance of the castle. I think Renkotsu has already collected our payment." Jakotsu explained before heading off.
Bankotsu slowly slid the door to Suikotsu's room.
He sat in the corner reading a book.
Riza laid in his bed, asleep.
"We gotta go. Now." He said to him.
"Yes big brother. Give me about 5 minutes to gather and we'll leave."
Bankotsu nodded and turned his attention to Riza.
He gently pulled the blanket off of her. Her torso had been bandages up.
"Seriza, get up. We gotta go." Bankotsu said gently shaking her awake.
"Hm? What's going on? I have to see Katsu before leaving." She said sitting up slowly.
"Forget that. We gotta go now." He said.
Riza stared at him for a moment.
"I need to get my stuff. And Mamo." She said pushing herself up.
"Suikotsu, get your shit and meet everyone by the gates."
"Yes, sir."
Bankotsu pulled Riza out of the room and towards her own.
"Hey!" Riza said stopping and pulling her arm from his grip.
"What's going on?" She questioned.
"I may or may not have knocked Katsu out and quit for you." He said.
"You what?!" She yelled.
They turned a corner and Bankotsu pushed her into the wall.
"I punched him, broke his jaw and knocked him out. He's holding you back!" He said to her.
"That's doesn't give you an excuse to quit for me! It's my choice and mine alone!" She scolded.
"Can you blame me? He's a piece of shit!"
"I know he's a piece of shit but that was for me to deal with! Who the fuck do you think you are? My hero?" She spat angrily.
He grabbed her chin and pressed his body against hers.
"You're angry. We can deal with this later. Whether you like it or not, it happened. You know he's going to try to kill you again. I never said I was your hero. Cause I'm not. But it disgusts me that he thinks he owns you and can treat you like you're some normal helpless girl and you're not!"
Riza stayed quiet for a moment before letting out a breath and resting her head on his chest.
"So I'm jobless and on the run. Great."
"I can help with the job part but we gotta go." He said grabbing her hand and running down the hall.
"What are we gonna do?! Where are we gonna go?! We have important things back at home! And now we can't get them!" Mamo complained wildly.
Riza walked quietly next to Bankotsu. They were able to slip out of the castle just as Katsu was waking back up.
They had left in the middle of the night and now the sun was slowly rising, turning the dark blue sky, a beautiful lilac color.
"So what's your next move?" Bankotsu asked cautiously.
"Oh? Now that I've lost nearly all of my clientele in this fucking country? I suppose to start from scratch thanks to you." She snapped.
"Excuse me for putting you in high regard. Didn't think you'd turn into such a bitch to someone who helped you."
"Helped me?! I have no job, no income and no place to live! I know I put myself in this situation from messing around with you but damn it! You meddled where you had no business too!" She raised her voice.
"I meddled?! He pinned two of your own comrades against you, beat the shit out of you when you were unarmed and he thinks he's top shit when he's not!"
"He had money! He had connections! He has information that I needed! We had a thing going on that our "relationship" completely destroyed!"
"Oh I see! So if a guy has money, connections, and certain information, you'll let them fuck you and treat you like shit?! I bet you let anyone fuck you!"
"I let you." She hissed before walking away.
"You know something Seriza, I'm glad you let me fuck you. I thought it was going to be more of a challenge but it really isn't. Let's not forget that blowjob you gave me a while back. You barely knew me and as quickly as ever you were on your knees with my cock in your mouth." He smirked.
She stopped and glanced back at him. Her eyes pale blue, like ice.
"You want to run that by me again?"
"What? That you were a fucking whore for me? That you crave to have me deep inside you?" He stepped up to her, an attempt to intimidate her.
"It takes a whore to know a whore. You think too highly of yourself! That I crave to have you? Ha! You sound just like Katsu. You fuck like him too." She turned and proceeded ahead.
Mamo could feel the tension building between the two.
"Are they going to fist fight?" He asked Suikotsu and Jakotsu.
"Not a fist fight but I feel as though a more vicious fight with break out. Bankotsu is a pretty confident man and Riza is the kind to test that confidence. Both are already getting pretty angry." Suikotsu explained.
Bankotsu grabbed Riza's arm.
"You want to go there, Seriza?" His grip on her arm tightened.
"I can hardly tell you apart from any other slut I've fucked." He spat.
Riza swings her arm and slaps him. Everything went quiet. Bankotsu slowly looked back at her. Locked in eye contact. His dark blue eyes had no shine.
His grip was impossibly tight. A red mark began to appear on his cheek from where she hit him.
She pulled her arm from his grip, locked her gaze with his.
"Mamo, lets get the fuck out of here."
"R-right. Bye guys." He said before transforming to his fox form and took off with Riza jumping onto his back.
"Big brother?" Jakotsu asked.
Bankotsu growled and punched the closest tree, breaking it instantly.