Eeeeep! New drama ahead! Enjoy!

I finished sewing up Bankotsu's haori, and yanked the thread out to cut it.

Spending a few hours with the village tailors while I was staying with Keisuke had actually paid off.

I could make my own kimono if I wanted to, now.

I handed the haori to Bankotsu as I sealed the needle and thread back into the little wooden box I kept them in.

Bankotsu inspected my work, making sure to tug on it a couple of times to test the seam strength.

"Hmm. Not bad." He said, pulling it on. "I've gotta hand it to ya, yer a pretty fast learner."

The compliment sent a shiver of discomfort, and caution up my spine.

I cast him a wary glance as he fastened his obi, and stood up.

"Come on." Bankotsu said, not addressing the compliment at all. "We've taken a day longer than we should have. I've gotta be somewhere after this."

I stood up, having packed everything up before he woke up this morning, and we started away.

He'd been strangely tolerant of me all day. Too tolerant. I made sure there was an entire 'Banryuu' between us the whole time.

As we approached the mountain, though, I felt myself drawing just a bit nearer to him.

I began to feel very unsure of this visit as I followed Bankotsu up the mountain.

When we reached the top, my father was there to meet us, having been informed of our approach as we were climbing, no doubt.

He looked right at me, and made a face as though he was shocked to see me alright.

"Mori, daijoubu ka?" He asked. "Has he hurt you?"

I lowered my head.

"Doushita no?" My father asked. "Mori, you know I couldn't come after you, right? He was going to kill you if I didn't stay, and look for the treasure he wanted!"

I moved a little closer to Bankotsu.

"Doko ni irun desu ka?" I asked. "And, for that matter, what is it? No one's called it anything but 'the treasure' since I've been kidnapped."

My father lowered his head.

"If I'm correct... he's looking for a Shikon no Tama kakera." My father said. "It's more than what it sounds like, Mori, believe me. I acquired it three moons ago, and gave it to your mother for safe keeping. We've checked every inch of her room, and dug up her body to check her too. We assume... she lost it in the river, three moons ago... when you two went to look for that comb you lost by the river."

I gave him a funny look.

I didn't remember going to the river. Particularly not with my mother. I'd never had any real interest in that pheasant woman.

I folded my arms inside my sleeves.

"So, you're looking in the river, then?" I asked.

My father nodded.

"No, you're not." Bankotsu said.

Both of us turned to look at him.

"You're standin' right here, babbling, and decreasing your daughter's chance of survival!" Bankotsu said, bringing his halberd around, and pressing the blade to my neck.

I gasped slightly in shock. It'd been a while since he'd threatened my life.

My father straightened up, slightly.

"Forgive me for coming to see that my daughter is alright." He said, trying to show courage.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

What did he care? He'd always sent me away before. Why was he so eager to see me now?

My father took a step toward leaving.

"I'll go if you will." He said.

"Fair enough." Bankotsu said.

Slowly, he eased me to turn with him as we began walking around.

Not five steps away, he allowed me to walk freely.

I heard someone whisper my name, and looked up.

My father was on the ledge above us, making gestures for me to follow him up there.

I frowned, and looked ahead, staying near Bankotsu.

As we got off the mountain, I found it difficult to stop thinking about what my father'd said.

I never did go to that river... right?

The most time I ever spent with my mother was at meal times, and when she would come tell me 'good night' right before I went to sleep... right?

An ache rose up in my throat. What was this?

"So, why didn't ya go with him?" Bankotsu asked suddenly.

I raised my head, and looked at him.

"I gave ya the opening." Bankotsu said. "Ya could've gone home."

He... was going to let me go? He was giving me the option to return home?

After all this time, being so cruel to me... this can't be real.

"You're the one who said... he didn't care about me." I said. "Why stay somewhere where you don't matter to anyone?"

"I never said he didn't care." Bankotsu said. "I asked ya if he cared, and gave ya the pieces ya needed to give yerself an answer. He was pretty eager to see ya, too..."

I scoffed, lightly.

"Probably another high-paying suitor." I said. "Probably gave him special weapons, and a big meal in exchange for my hand. Again, I would've given you the treasure from the start, and saved myself all this trouble if I had it. I do not have the treasure, nor do I know where it is."

I lowered my head back down to stare at the road again.

"And... what is so important about this Shikon no Tama kakera?" I asked.

Bankotsu laughed once, and resituated his halberd.

"As the name says, it's a jewel shard." He said. "I already have one, myself, and I've been allowed to keep the shards of my fallen brothers. These shards are pieces of a powerful jewel. The ones we keep allow us to live in this world, even though we were killed fifteen years ago."

Chills of fear rolled down my spine, as I raised my head once more.

"These shards make the users more powerful, so, everyone's after them." Bankotsu said. "So, my mission is to get them all before everyone else. If ya know where that jewel shard yer old man found is, now's the time to speak up!"

I still had no clue where this jewel shard was. Thinking about it, though... I vaguely remembered seeing a glowing pink jewel shard... but, the scene around it is dark... I don't know where I saw it, or when.

I wasn't going to give that too much thought, yet, though. I was still letting Bankotsu's death sink in.

Injury and death were still so new to me. I only recently learned that, once dead, you cannot come back.

But... now he's trying to tell me otherwise... this is not a simple thing to process.

I slowly pulled my attention to Bankotsu, who was watching me with a look of curiosity.

"You... died..." I said.

He gave me a bit of a sad look, and turned to look at the sky.

"Yeah... it wasn't fun... death." Bankotsu said.

"I would imagine not!" I cried. "Why not say something like this from the start? Here I was, thinking there was no way to come back once you died... and now you say there's a way to do it."

"Like that's something ya just casually bring up." Bankotsu said, looking at the road ahead. "Besides, it doesn't matter. Yer alive. Yer not gonna die anytime soon, if ya don't get on my nerves before I send ya back home."

I frowned, and looked away.

He was right. I was alive. I didn't need to worry about a jewel that brought the dead back to life.

However... I did need to worry about going home... I didn't want to. Going back, I'd be stuck again. Bored, with nothing to occupy my time, and no one to care about me... and... Bankotsu wouldn't...

I shook my head. "I don't want to go back." I said.

"What's that?" Bankotsu asked, bringing his hand to my forehead.

I cast my eyes over at him.

"I don't want to go back!" I said.

"So, you'd rather stay with me? Working like a maid, and fighting in wars?" Bankotsu asked.

I did not answer. However... I would've said... yes.

I didn't like all this work... but... it was something to do, and... I think... I was becoming... comfortable with... Bankotsu.

"Hmm." Bankotsu said. "Well, you've got a few more days to make your decision. Think about it while we're on Hijiri island."

I followed close behind him, as he led the way toward this 'Hijiri island'.

All the while... even though I probably should have been thinking about what my father said... I began wondering why... I wanted to stay with Bankotsu.

He was infuriating, and vulgar, and always threatening my life.

But... at the same time... I was comforted by his presence. He's protected me on several occasions now. He's almost learned when it's just not alright to pester me... and when I was fighting with him... somehow... I didn't feel as sore, or tired.

In many ways, I hated him. He was one of the barbaric creatures I was sure I'd never associate with before he kidnapped me.

But, in some ways... I did... like him. He was someone to look up to, and learn from... Not to mention, he was the most attractive pheasant I'd seen in my few days outside the castle.

Dare I say... I could consider him a lo-... friend. That's right. A friend.

I shook my head, and looked ahead, as we continued on...

Daijoubu ka - Are you alright?

Doushita no - What's the matter?

Doko ni irun desu ka - Where is it?(very formal).

Shikon no Tama kakera - Shard of the Jewel of Four Souls.

Finally, some decent translations. I need to get back to those. I'll never learn anything new if I don't use them more often. Anyway, glad I got this in! New drama can bud from this scene! Please, review!