Disclaimer: Ami owns not Inuyasha, but all the Inuyasha posters and movies and key chai--You get my point ;D

Bankotsu and Kagome: Linked by Fate

Chapter 2: Day 1

"Will you just hurry up! We've got 5 days to get this damn thing off and I'm not wasting it for you to stop and use the bathroom."

"I can't really go while your watching me you pervert!" Kagome yelled back at the mercenary.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Let me go stand over there by that tree," Bankotsu smarted and stepped forward, but stopped shortly after the first step. "Oh, that's right. WE'RE BINDED TOGETHER!" he yelled angrily. "Now either go or don't!"

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed at his smart-allecs. "Well at least close your eyes and turn the other way!"

Bankotsu grumbled and whipped around, closing his eyes while muttering some very unholy words. Some that even Kagome herself had never heard of.

The Sun had risen, thus beginning Day 1 and they were not off to a very good start.

Kagome walked along side of Bankotsu, as she really had no other option. She stared forward and into the horizon as she let her mind drift away in the thoughts of her beloved Inuyasha. Yes, she loved him. Very much so, but she had now lost all and any hopes of her love for him coming in touch with any sense of reality as Inuyasha's words hit her like a dagger.

"You ran off...To see her again, didn't you?" Kagome asked sadly as she stared at the ground. She found it almost impossible to look into his eyes, in fear of seeing the truth written in them. But, deep down, she knew he did. And she knew it would continue to happen.

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied with a sorrowed tone.

Kagome's halfway shut eyelids slid open wider as she had not expected such a forward answer.

"I see." Kagome said with mixed emotions. She turned, not knowing where she'd walk off to. But she'd find somewhere like she always did. She just needed to clear her mind. Without her even realizing, she felt sorry for herself often when Kikyo was brought up in conversation. But could she really help it?

"Wait, it's not what you think! I love her!" Inuyasha said and extended his arm, trying to stop her from walking away, but soon retracted it once he took in his own words.

Kagome's body froze and she soon became a living statue as those tragic words rang through her head, trying to pluck every string of sanity and happiness she held dear.

Bankotsu was also staring forward, but caught sight of the young girl lost in thought and looking like someone had just killed her dog. "What's up with you?" he asked in a non caring tone.

Kagome snapped back and looked over to him. "Oh, nothing," she said and smiled. Boy was she good at hiding things.

"Hm, whatever," Bankotsu replied and looked straight again. Kagome soon did the same and looked as she did a moment ago. Bankotsu found himself glancing in the corner of his eye at her. Why was she looking so depressed? Was it this chain? "We're going to see a brother of mine, Renkotsu. He can spit fire from his mouth and that may be enough to break the chain." Bankotsu explained, looking at the Sun once more.

Kagome nodded, "Sure, okay."

"Hey Big Brother," Renkotsu greeted as he approached Bankotsu. He eyed Kagome oddly. "What's with the wench?" he asked in curiosity. She was of great beauty, but she didn't quite strike him as Bankotsu's type. He usually went for the more cheaper-looking geisha. And by the looks of her clothes...He wasn't even sure if she was human.

The first thing Kagome noticed about Renkotsu was the first thing she noticed about Bankotsu yesterday. He had a shard of the Shikon Jewel.

"She's just some girl,"

"Oh? Well maybe when you're done with her, you'll drop her off to me, eh?"

Kagome's eyes narrowed at his comment and she opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Bankotsu.

"Sorry, she's off limits." Bankotsu said, twisting his pinky finger back and forth in his left ear.

"Oh, of course. Ahem. So, what brings you all this way?" Renkotsu asked as the group started to walk down a narrow pathway outside of the forest.

"I need you to spit some fire right in between...Here," Bankotsu said and pointed at the chain.

Renkotsu looked at where his older "brother" pointed. They weren't actually brothers, but the members of the Band of Seven were all considered to be as close as family, thus referring to one another as a sibling; Bankotsu always the Big Brother being he was the leader. "Why? There's nothing there," he added, bending down and looking between Bankotsu's and Kagome's hands.

"Since when do you question me? Just do it!" Bankotsu ordered, getting irate from Renkotsu's suspicions.

Renkotsu's head bobbed back slightly at his elder brother's harsh tone. He shrugged with a sighing, "Okay," and took a sip from his gourd. His cheeks swelled with the liquid and he spat a small amount of fire between the two's wrists.

Kagome winced as she felt the fire slightly touch her skin, then felt it fade and saw Renkotsu stand up straight.

"So um, am I done here?" Renkotsu asked awkwardly.

"Yeah, I'll catch up with you later." Bankotsu said tiredly as he stared down at the chain, noticing it was still there.

Bankotsu and Kagome had been walking for hours now. They had stopped at many villages and had countless people try and break the mystic chain. Many of the villages rudely turned them down, as they thought the two might be up to something. It was a little awkward hearing:
"So, we just need you to swing between our arms AS IF there was a chain there. Yes, I know there isn't, but just pretend or I'll cut that head of yours off"
Bankotsu didn't exactly have a way with being polite. Alas, nothing worked. Even the villages that didn't turn them down couldn't do anything.

"I don't think others can help us. Remember what the old lady said? She said that no one could break it but us," Kagome said, breaking the long silence that had passed between the traveling two.

"Well, I could try my Banryuu," Bankotsu mused and lifted his halberd off his shoulder, pausing his walk. He held it up in the air, trying to get a good aim for the chain. It was at such an odd angle, the chances of it not striking one of their arms was slim.

My gods that thing was huge! 'He doesn't actually intend to just randomly swing that thing down, does he?!' Kagome thought frantically. "No, stop!"

"I'm only messin'," Bankotsu said with a smirk and rested his halberd on his left shoulder again.

The Sun was starting to set and the two still hadn't lost hope. They still had days to figure everything out, and that'd be enough, right?

Kagome's eyelids became droopy and she let a large yawn in and out, closing her eyes in the process. When she opened them, she saw someone she wasn't quite ready to face yet.

"K-Kagome," the voice called out. There stood Inuyasha, wrapped in his usual Robe of the Fire Rat. "I've been looking all over for you! Why'd you run off like that! I mean, how--Who's that?" Inuyasha asked, adverting his gaze to Bankotsu.

Kagome had to think quick. It looked odd for the two of them to be so close, and how could she tell Inuyasha she had to stay with Bankotsu without revealing the truth about the mystic chain. Light bulb. An idea popped in her head and she ran with it. She quickly grabbed Bankotsu's hand and leaned against his arm, madly blushing in the process. "Oh, this is Bankotsu," she said uneasily. She then whispered to Bankotsu, "Just go with it, please,"

Bankotsu looked down at her strangely, but then realized what she was doing. Oh, she owed him big time now. He intertwined fingers with Kagome and smirked to Inuyasha. It was strange, he felt as if this should be some big charade, some big act, pretending to be with Kagome. But...It didn't feel that way. It felt as if that's how things should be. But of course, he was oblivious to the feeling, and shook it off.

Inuyasha looked down at their interlocking hands and then to Bankotsu, his face filled with shock, but soon turned to anger. "Get off of her! I don't know who you think you are but you better let go of her before I cut that arm of yours o--"

"Inuyasha, that's enough! He isn't forcing me to be here. I...I chose to be here." Kagome reasoned.

Inuyasha looked confused. He had no clue what she was going on about. "C-Come on, we need to go," Inuyasha said and walked over. He took her free hand and tugged at it, walking away while holding it.

Bankotsu was yanked as Inuyasha pulled Kagome, but he just yanked back.

Inuyasha stopped and turned around to face him. "Let go of her!" he barked.

"Why don't you," Bankotsu continued to grin as they both pulled back and forth.

Kagome couldn't handle it. Back and forth. Back and forth. She closed her eyes as she kept being yanked back and forth.

Inuyasha wouldn't let go, because that would be admitting defeat. And admitting defeat was NOT an option when it came to Inuyasha. Especially not with his Kagome. Sure, he bounced back and forth between Kikyo and Kagome, but that didn't mean he stopped caring for either one. Inuyasha withdrew his Tetsusaiga with his free hand. "I'll give you one more warning, let go or I'll run you down with my blade."

"Same to you, dog boy," Bankotsu replied, pointing Banryuu straight at him.

The two stared each other down, as if fighting with their eyes. Both of them realized the seriousness in the opposite's face, and both of them didn't seem to care. There was about to be a showdown, and Kagome was in the middle of it.

"Come on, afraid?" Bankotsu jeered, his smirk not subsiding, nor was his ego.

"Heh, not a chance." Inuyasha commented, he also carrying a smirk. The two's arrogance and words seemed to be evenly matched, and now it was time to see if their blades were, too.

Bankotsu ran around Kagome so now the three were basically in a circle. He slashed his Banryuu toward Inuyasha, only realizing Inuyasha fended it off with Tetsusaiga. The two continuously swung their swords against each other's, not really accomplishing anything.

Kagome could feel both of her shoulders starting to grow with pain and she feared if this continued any further, she'd dislocate something. "ENOUGH!" she yelled, her arms now both outstretched as the two men jumped back a hair from her scream.

"See what you did! You're hurting her, now let go!" Inuyasha yelled, sheathing his Tetsusaiga none-the-less in fear of Kagome sitting him. And that was something he did not want to happen.

"We're together, don't you get it dog boy!" Bankotsu yelled angrily, and he refrained from allowing his fatigue to show on his face. He sure loved a good battle, but not when he was tied down to someone he had to be careful around. One wrong swing, and she'd be dead...And so would he.

Inuyasha's body stilled and he looked like a trembling block of concrete. He looked over to Kagome to verify if it was true.

Kagome stared at him. She wanted to return to him and the others so badly, but she couldn't risk it with the chain. "Inuyasha, it's not what you think...I mean, I can't tell you what's going on or else both of us will die...I wish I could, Inu--"

"Save it," Inuyasha said with a frown, immediate betrayal-like feelings running through his body. His eyes trembled and he took a step backward. His mind only seemed to flood with thoughts and he couldn't decipher any of them. Each one, chasing after another, he needed time to think, damn it! "You better not hurt her," he growled lowly at Bankotsu and turned around slowly.

"Five Days," Kagome quickly said, trying to get his attention.

"What?" Inuyasha inquired, turning back around to look at her. He had dropped her hand by now, but was still within close range of her.

"Come find me in five days, Inuyasha...Please," Kagome said. Her eyes seemed to be speaking more than her mouth.

Inuyasha nodded, knowing that something was up, but didn't know why she couldn't just bluntly say it. "Five days," he said and with that, ran off.

Bankotsu came upon and abandoned hut, with no village seeming to be near. "We'll rest here."

Kagome nodded as they entered the abandoned, shabby place. The wooden planks were peeling off and cracks were in the walls everywhere, but it was better than being out in the open. She sat down next to Bankotsu, who was leaned on the back wall.

"Thanks, you know, for going along with it," Kagome said softly, staring over at him. Her shoulder was brushed up against his.

"Don't sweat it, you'll be repaying me soon."

"Oh? And how's that?"

"You'll see soon enough." he said tiredly. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

Kagome moved her left arm around, it being uncomfortable in the position the chain had it in.

Bankotsu smirked and opened his eyes, looking to the right at her. He looped his arm around the front of her and hugged her to him, making it more comfortable.

Kagome's left arm was moved to the right, across her stomach and she blushed as he had his arm around her. She sighed mentally and forced an awkward smile on, leaning her head onto his shoulder. The only thing she could do was imagine Inuyasha in Bankotsu's place. That seemed to make it all better.

Bankotsu didn't know what she was blushing about. 'All I did was put my arm around her, it's not like I grabbed her...Enormous...And full,' he thought to himself and found himself gawking at Kagome's bust.

Kagome had fallen asleep at this point, an angelic look left on her peaceful face.

Bankotsu shook his head and snapped out of it, then closed his eyes and tried to do the same.

Author's Note: Ah, I've had to edit it so many times, but here is chapter two! I made it a bit longer than chapter one, so I don't really know what you guys like length-wise. Shorter, same size as this one, or even longer? Thanks for the feedback everyone :D -Ami