Ayame and Bankotsu hadn't yet told anyone in the Band about their plans to marry. Instead they acted like everything was normal, while heading out to a new destination. This time, however, Ayame led the way through the forests and trailways. Only Bankotsu knew where she was leading them, but he didn't know how they'd get there or even how long it would take. After three days of walking, the Band and Ayame came upon a small village. Taking Bankotsu's hand, Ayame quickly led him into the center of the village with a giant smile on her face.

The Band followed behind at a leisurely pace, not sure why Ayame was so excited. Ayame walked up to a small house and knocked on the door. "Hello?" she called out. The two could hear small footsteps pounding on the wooden floors heading towards them. A small boy, around the age of eleven, hurried out towards them. "Ayame!" he screamed out, running and jumping into her arms. "Akio," Ayame whispers out, catching her brother and holding him to her tightly. Tears of relief and happiness fall down her face. Akio looks up at his sister and calls back into the house, "Mother! Come quick!"

A woman runs out of the house, her long dark hair pulled up in a bun with strands falling out around her. Bankotsu can see the woman was quite beautiful in her youth, she's beautiful now, even, but instead of looking relieved, she looks angry and scared.

"Ayame, what are you doing here? Where's Akihiro? You didn't lead him here, did you? Did you? Answer me Ayame!"

The woman looks a bit deranged as she hounds her daughter for answers. Ayame frowns before replying, "Akihiro's dead, mother," she states. Tightening her hold on Akio, Ayame takes a small step backwards, bumping into Bankotsu's chest. Bankotsu, sensing her tension, places his hand on the small of her back. Ayame's mother was silent for a long moment, absorbing the news. Bankotsu thought she'd be relieved by the news—happy, even. Instead the woman looks horrified and upset. "Oh, yes," she begins, "Perhaps that's for the…for the best." She grounds out between her teeth, looking almost livid at her daughter. Without another word, she turns on her heel and walks back into the house.

"What was that about?" Bankotsu asks.

"Nothing, she'll get over it. She can be like that sometimes, like she doesn't remember how awful Akihiro was to her. She'll remember soon enough, and then she'll be ecstatic."

Bankotsu didn't quite understand, but he didn't press Ayame for more information. "Come on, let's head inside. I want to tell her about us," she smiles to Bankotsu, "that should make her happy. At least for a little while."

"What are you two talking about now? What else are you going to tell mother?" Akio asks, still holding onto his sister. Ayame drops him to the ground but holds onto his hand. "I'll tell you both at the same time, okay? And then we'll catch up. How's that sound Akio?"

Akio smiles up to Ayame and drags her by the hand deeper into the house where he knows their mother is hiding.

"Hey Big Brother, you excited to see you're little wifey?" Jakotsu asks, smirking at Bankotsu. Bankotsu smirked back, not caring that Jakotsu was trying to rile him up. He's too excited to get back to the village today after two weeks of being away. After their marriage, Ayame decided to stay in the village with her mother and brother, so that they'd have a place in the village ready for when they wanted to start a family. Bankotsu stayed for a month before the Band headed back out into the world to earn more money. They would never stay away for longer than a month, though. Bankotsu couldn't stand being away from Ayame for too long. The rest of the Band didn't mind, they liked having a place to go where they could get free food and shelter for any unspecified amount of time.

The Band walked into the village and headed straight for Ayame's house. Azumi, Ayame's mother, spotted them first. She smiled brightly at her son-in-law and walked up to the gang of mercenaries. "Bankotsu! I'm so glad you're back!" Bankotsu looks at her strangely. Usually she treats him with cold indifference. What could have happened to make her mood change so drastically? "Ugh, right," he says slowly. "Is Ayame back home?"

"Oh, yes, she's watching over Akio right now. You'd better hurry. She has a surprise for you."

Shrugging, Bankotsu makes his way towards the house while the rest of the Band wanders into the market to stock up on supplies. "Ayame?" Bankotsu calls into the house. He sees Ayame appear from a corner, running towards him. She tackles him in a hug, a broad smile on her face. He laughs, holding her tight, "Azumi tells me you have a surprise for me?" Ayame nods, her smile getting larger.

"I'm pregnant."

Eyes widening, Bankotsu recovers from shock and then returns her smile while letting out a laugh. After twirling his wife around twice, Bankotsu sets Ayame down and quickly gives her a kiss before leading her into the house to celebrate this new development.

Bankotsu drew small circles on Ayame's stomach, his head resting on her chest. Although her stomach was still pretty flat, but without any clothes on Bankotsu could see the beginnings of a small bump forming. Ayame weaves her fingers through his locks, free from the braid, and smiles. "Would you rather have a boy, or a girl?"

"Either is fine," he replies. "We'll have plenty of both."

"Oh?" she laughs. "How many children do you expect me to have for you?"

Bankotsu shrugs, "I was thinking five—maybe seven." Ayame laughs, "Quite the full house."

"And they'll all be strong. They'll all know how to fight. Even the girls, just like their mama." Ayame laughs again and kisses Bankotsu on the top of his head.

Someone in the village cried out, alarming Bankotsu and Ayame. The paper door to the room slid open. Jakotsu stood there, fully dressed with his sword hanging on his back. "Big brother! Bandits are attacking," he smiles manically. "Shall we teach them a lesson?" Bankotsu smirks and replies, "You bet. Get the Band ready. I'll be out in a minute." After the door slid back into place, Bankotsu began to put his clothes back on. Ayame watched for half a second before getting dressed herself. "What do you think you're doing?" Bankotsu asks.

"Getting dressed, same as you."

"You're not coming with us, you know that, right?"

"Of course, but I'm not going to wait around naked while you boys have fun. I'll wait up for you with my mother and Akio."

Bankotsu nodded his head, understanding that she'd want to be prepared in case something happened. Nothing would happen, though, Bankotsu knew nothing would. He and his Band would kill all those rogue men out there before they even knew what hit them. Bending over, he kissed Ayame lightly while giving her stomach a small squeeze. "I'll be back by sunrise."

Ayame sat facing the open entryway leading out into the night, her sword lying on her lap. Both her mother and brother brought their sleeping mats into the room directly behind Ayame so that she'd be able to keep a better eye on them. She wasn't worried, though. Ayame knew the Band would easily be able to take out the group of bandits, and from the sounds of it, they would be finishing off the last of the soon.

A creaking sound alerted Ayame to the intruder. His mere presence didn't unsettle her as much as how he got into the house without using the front entrance. Unsheathing her sword, Ayame slipped into the room where she heard the noise. Rounding the corner, Ayame cursed when she came face to face with five bandits.

True to his word, Bankotsu made it back to his home by sunrise with the Band in tow. "Ayame?" he called out. When he didn't hear any pitter-patter of feet on wood heading his way, Bankotsu grew concerned. However, he brushed it off, assuming the household was just sleeping. Walking deeper into the house, his breath caught in his throat. On the walkway laid the body of a bandit, his slit throat bled dry on the floor. Walking faster, Bankotsu passed two more dead bodies before reaching the farthest point. There was a hole leading outside in the back of the room, telling him how the men got in—though how they made the hole, Bankotsu didn't have time to think about.

In the middle of the room, Azumi's body was curled into a fetal position. Bankotsu could tell she was dead. He didn't give her a second glance. In the corner of the room, however, Ayame was on top of Akio's, shielding him from whatever attack was coming. Bankotsu ran up to the two of them and pulled Ayame's body into his arms. The center of her chest was pierced through—probably hitting her heart—and you could see where the sword went through her body and into Akio's, killing them both.

The rest of the Band filed out of the room silently, giving Bankotsu time to grieve alone. Although tears filled his eyes, they didn't fall. Bankotsu knew that one day they would. He knew that one day the pain would be too much and he'd want nothing more for it to end, but for now he didn't feel anything. Not anger, not sadness, just nothing. Looking down at Ayame, he brushed her bangs away, and then his hand wandered down to her stomach. The thought of their unborn child made his heart clench, the dam holding back his feelings almost breaking. It held fast, though, and Bankotsu laid his wife onto the floor and headed out to where his men were waiting.

"Brother," Jakotsu started, but one look from Bankotsu silenced him. Suikotsu cleared his throat and tried to pick up where Jakotsu left off, "What do we do now, Brother?"

Bankotsu was silent for a minute before responding, "We bury them, I guess," he rubbed the back of his neck, "And then we move on."

"Move onto where?" Renkotsu asked.

"Anywhere."

"Big Brother," Jakotsu tries again, but is cut off by Bankotsu. "Please, Jakotsu, I just want to bury them and forget this night ever happened, okay?"

All the members of the Band nod their heads, but all knowing that forgetting anything about what they just saw was never going to happen, especially not for their leader.

A/N: So that's it! You all know the rest of the story: the band of seven became too powerful and all the warlords ganged up and killed them. I'm so glad this is finished and I hope you all enjoyed reading it but also I hope you thought the ending was good. Give me some feedback, yeah? Anyway, I know I said there would be an epilogue, but I thought it'd be redundant, short, and wouldn't end the story on a good note. The End!

Pastry~