Chapter 4: Cinquante-Huit — Neuf
"Mukotsu?"
"Yes, oo-aniki."
"Huh." Bankotsu huffed with a small pout thoughtfully as Jakotsu tied his braid for him, barely brushing his shoulders; all of his brothers in his hospital room. Turning to the butterfly-pinned boy, making the latter mess up; as the youngest cried after a solid minute.
"Mou, oo-aniki! You messed up your hair!"
Brushing that aside as if it were irrelevant at the moment, the boy looked at the older boy with an indignant pout.
"Ow!" Bankotsu yelped with a cry, making Renkotsu flinch from helping Ginkotsu fix his robes after revealing themselves awake during oo-aniki's and the newly joined Mukotsu's conversation. "Jakotsu! That hurt!"
"Well if you didn't move, Oo-aniki, it wouldn't hurt." Jakotsu snapped as he turned the smaller boy around, facing the other three. "Now, sit still!"
"Fine." The youngest huffed as Renkotsu addressed another matter.
"Oo-aniki."
"Hmm?" The little boy hummed, his cobalt eyes giving the bald former monk his full attention.
"Don't you think using our new names as a band of brothers, an obvious linkage in which forces in the future can track us with, oo-aniki?" Renkotsu inquired, his eyes furrowed in thought. "Even though we currently reside in the outskirts, the mainland is still in the world stage of the world wars, it will be troublesome if they link our names when we join the world stage."
After a short silence, a smirk played on the boy's lips as he answered.
"Killing for a price and not a high one, at that." The boy replied, going off in the tangent towards murder rather than the initial. "I think I would take up on that. To kill as many people I want for living, and to do so with opportunity of as many as possible. Now, that excites me."
"To war then, oo-aniki?" Renkotsu questioned with a risen eyebrow, not surprised by their leader's tangent. "Jakotsu had remarked that you refused to take up the orders of generals and military of any sort for that matter?"
"And I wouldn't." The boy refused immediately, lips contorted to a near snarl. "I will not take orders from an arrogant politician's brat or otherwise. And I don't think any of you would be too keen as to be taking orders other than from the others."
Nods and grunts were sounded as Renkotsu worded his, finished with helping Ginkotsu with a satisfied nod.
"Agreed, oo-aniki." As he pointed out another flaw. "But how will we get there then?"
"We do as we please, Renkotsu." Bankotsu shot back with a smirk, as Jakotsu finished with his hair, satisfied. "With the wars going on, I think the nations of the world stage would not be too picky in people to do the dirty work for them."
Smirking as if knowing the implication the boy made, the bald teen nodded, before sighing. "Well, then. I suppose we can make do until then; but for now as a temporary fix, our brotherly attained names will only be spoke in the company of ourselves in private, but would otherwise, call each other by birth names; other than oo-aniki."
"What about Jakotsu?" The leader noted, as the older male pouted for a moment, fixing his hair bun, clipping the pin with a soft click.
"What about Ja?" The addressed boy suggested, turning to the 'eldest brother'. "You already called me that in front of the doctors, a couple of hours ago."
"That should suffice for now." Renkotsu amended, not wanting anymore time to be wasted with the topic. Wanting to discuss another, the bald teen turned to their leader, who propped himself on his bed, tubes still attached to him.
"Oo-aniki."
"You may go, Hibiki." Bankotsu waved with a smirk at the bald teen's surprised look. "Whatever it is you are going to do, I know you will do it with the rest of us in mind. Take Usui and Ja with you. Shukaku, you are to remain here to assist me with something else."
Smiling with mirth at the youngest, Renkotsu nodded, with Jakotsu waving bye with a smile and Ginkotsu smiling ever so softly with a soft 'gesh'.
"Yes, oo-aniki."
And they were gone.
Turning to the younger, the eldest of the current five smirked as the boy before him fell back on pillows with arms behind his head, relaxed. "Just what in the world did I get myself into?"
"You tell me, Shukaku." Bankotsu smirked, behind lidded orbs. "You tell me."
The intern sighed as he entered one of the many lounges in the hospital, just been given a scolding for his poor performance earlier. It was not his fault that he could not stand the sight of blood. But not for the reasoning that you would think. Rather, it excited him. Like the scent of fresh blood to a vampire, his own blood rushed with adrenaline at the sight of the crimson, his body calling with every cell to reveal more.
You foolish doctor… You can't hide your want to kill… You can't seal me away anymore… I am you, and you are me… whether me or you like it or not…
No. He. Must. Keep. Him. Away. Turning back to his thoughts, the doctor continued his morose soliloquy.
His cohorts made snide comments themselves, like why would he choose this profession if he feared blood? How foolish of him. Even though he appeared to be a competent doctor in every other aspect.
Don't be fucking with yourself, saint doctor.
Rubbing his hands with a small fit, the intern held back another sigh; when the door opened. Expecting his superior, the young man turned to the door, only to find a walking Bankotsu, pale but considerably better from the previous night. The boy was still in his hospital gown, hair tied back into a simple braid as he stood with his IV stand next to him. Pretty kid. Wait. Isn't he the one from last night? I thought he died. Are you ignoring me, Yamato?
"Hello." The eleven-year-old smiled innocently as the intern returned it with a small one, exchanging a greeting as he ignored the latter of his thoughts. "Who are you?" The devil, kid. Fine. I'll talk to myself. Screw you.
"Hello, Bankotsu. I am Dr. Yamato." You mean, Dr. Shibou.
"Was I disturbing you?" Bankotsu noted politely as the intern shook his head. "Then what were doing in here, Doctor? Where is Dr. Naoto?"
"He is… currently…preoccupied." You mean, fucking.
Yamato tried, sure that if the child was told that the doctor was 'playing' with the two other female interns was not appropriate, the blood on his hands forgotten, opting to change the topic. "Where are your older brothers?"
"Around." Bankotsu shrugged. He had sent Mukotsu back to his research room, promising that this was the last night that the man would work there. That is if his most recent addition to the brotherhood was a correct one. Well, more like to-be addition. Turning back to it, the boy smirked.
"And they're not my older brothers."
"Oh." Yamato frowned as he thought back. But I clearly saw that they called one another by 'aniki' and regard one another as if they were. Was Bankotsu a son or nephew of one of them? A plaything?
Voicing his thoughts with the exception of the last one, the intern found an amused smile as his answer. Wrong, not a son or nephew. See! Maybe I was right.
Before the doctor could inquire more, the boy gave him the answer. "They're my little brothers. Even though they are biologically and chronologically older than me, they call me; oo-aniki." Damn.
That's right. The doctor recalled. The one with a butterfly pin in his hair. He called Bankotsu 'oo-aniki'. Okay, we established that. So what?
"Why?" The doctor asked before he could stop himself, scolding himself for intruding on others' businesses. "I'm sorry, Bankotsu. I didn't mean —." Why are you apologizing? I wanted to know too.
"It's no trouble." Bankotsu smiled, cobalt orbs glinted with a mischievous glow. "They all call me oo-aniki, because I was the one who offered them to join me, because they all had something I had in common."
"And what was that?" The doctor inquired with a soft smile, happy for the boy. I'm not. I can careless for the brat.
"The love and thrill to kill." …W-What? …Never mind. I like this kid.
The doctor froze as he looked at the boy with bewildered eyes, unchanged cobalt orbs glaring back into his, still thoroughly amused as if he were playing a lovely game. "To see the blood drip off my weak victims as they beg, oh so beautifully. Wouldn't you agree, Doctor?" Okay. Now I really like this kid.
W-What? What was B-Bankotsu talking about? H-He couldn't have known… He was a mere child… How could he have had known what happened ten years ago? How? Who cares?! He's right!
"No normal person shakes with such a frenzied grip when they think about blood, Doctor. No normal person smiles with such content or joy neither." The doctor's eyes shot up at the boy, as wide as they could be. How? How and when? When did he see that? Someone who understands, goddammit, finally!
"I didn't, Doctor." Bankotsu smirked as he wheeled his stand toward the door, the intern barely realizing that he voiced his thoughts. "I only described the first time I met someone who killed someone else. And from your reaction, I want to make you the same offer that I gave my younger brothers." How old are you again, kid?
"Ah." Bankotsu spoke, as if he suddenly remembered something. "And I'm eleven, by the way."
With a click of the door, the boy was gone.
Bankotsu was frowning. He was not pleased, not at all.
Dressed in a blue-collared shirt and ripped jeans with white sneakers to finish, the boy only sported a white bandage over his upper right arm as any indication of the fire, all of this clothing newly bought. Pushing him on a wheelchair, Jakotsu smiled smugly, as he donned a fashionable yellow top over navy jeans, finishing with matching shoes. With a large grin, Mukotsu was dressed in black under a lab coat, following beside the two.
"Tell me again why I am being escorted out of a hospital in a stupid wheelchair." Bankotsu snapped, grouchy.
"Because it is a hospital tradition, Bankotsu no oo-aniki." Jakotsu replied with a smile, Bankotsu only huffing in reply as Mukotsu chuckled at their antics.
Renkotsu and Ginkotsu were back at their new home in the mainland, to which they were making adjustments. After several quick jobs into the night with the assistance of Jakotsu, the two bought the home with cash, ensuring that the dealer was silenced after signing off the home to their name. It was now well into the following evening that Bankotsu was able to sign out of the hospital, and as per tradition, he was currently seated in a wheelchair when both of his legs were perfectly fine.
"This is bullshit." The youngest huffed, as he sported a small pout as Jakotsu and Mukotsu parked him at the waiting room, while they went to the desk to sign him out. "What kind of stupid tradition says that all patients have to escorted out in a wheelchair? You'd think they would try to conserve how many wheelchairs there are in the hospital."
"My thoughts exactly." A dark voice answered as Bankotsu felt his wheelchair propel forward, the light boy falling back against the plastic back of the chair, as he was wheeled out into a hallway with a sharp turn. Looking back at his apparent kidnapper, the boy's cobalt orbs widened with surprise.
Dr. Yamato? Bankotsu thought rapidly, as he unconsciously gripped the armrests with a white grip, bracing himself for another sharp turn as doctors and patients alike made way. What the hell? The intern appeared no different than he did this morning. Then what the hell was going on?
Narrowing his cobalt orbs on the intern, Bankotsu noticed several things. Rather than the serenely smiling intern from this morning, this intern had almost a sneer of arrogance on his face; eyes, in the stead of kindness, glowed with a madness that he was familiar with. Hair wild and robust compared to tidy uplift the doctor favored, Bankotsu smiled.
So you are the true Dr. Yamato. The boy thought as he allowed his body to relax, even laughing a bit as they raced down the halls. Coming to stop before a flight of stairs, with an exchange of looks, one mischievously challenging, the other a scoff of arrogance; Bankotsu found himself raced up the stairs, until they came to the roof of the hospital, overlooking the home island in which they all resided in.
"Hello, Dr. Yamato." Bankotsu smiled as the intern smirked back at him.
"Hello, yourself brat." The doctor replied. "I wanted to uptake you on your offer. But I am not that saint of a doctor. I, unlike him, hold no qualms in murdering and killing like you and your brothers."
"I figured as much." The boy waved aside as he rose an eyebrow. "But what of Dr. Yamato? Will he come back?"
"Eventually, when my hold over the body is taken over." The intern growled as Bankotsu frowned. "That stupid saint of a doctor never knows when to quit."
"Why don't the two of you just co-exist?" Bankotsu pointed out as the intern looked at him as if told him that octopi were related to squirrels. "You can't stop killing as it is the one thing that you take joy in and he can't help helping others since it's the one thing he likes. So, make a compromise."
"Like what?" The intern spat. "So, that we can go skipping with hands together while killing and curing people?"
"No." Bankotsu snapped, his cobalt orbs glaring with a rare anger, making the intern take a step back at the eleven-year-old boy. Who the hell said he was scared? He wasn't. That was scary. Shut up.
"How about you can kill whenever we take on missions and jobs with the rest of us, but when under the down lows, he can work at hospitals and help others as he wishes?" The boy suggested before allowing a smile go over his lips. "After all, how else will you be able to get out of suspicion, right, Doctor?"
The intern was silent, conversing within himself.
…I …I think I can do as Bankotsu says, if you promise to stay quiet when I am at the hospital. Will you stay quiet when I am killing, you fucking saint?
…I will respect your actions if you do so with mine. No crossing the other's business?
…Agreed. Fine. If you cross into mine… I swear, I will kill so much that you would never remember to even regret it.
Opening his eyes, the intern found the boy lax on his wheelchair, arms crossed as if he had already expected the answer before him, lifting out a hand. "Welcome. Suikotsu."
"Oo-aniki."
Bankotsu shook his head as he felt woozy, as if he had breathed too much of Mukotsu's poisons; his vision clearing from the fogginess from memories as he found his brothers all before him, each sending their own look of worry. Smiling as if to brush it off, their leader cleared his mind. "What?"
"You okay, oo-aniki?" Jakotsu spoke worriedly, his yukata displaying one leg like normal. "Do you want to do this another time?"
"I'm fine." Bankotsu smirked with carefree as he turned to his second-in-command. "Renkotsu, did you find the simulation that corresponds with the Russian liberalists?"
"From the reports, they seem to take on guerrilla warfare as their main strategy." The bald man reported, his lips pulled to a frown as they all bore their true faces before one another, tattoos and in Kyokotsu's case, size along with it. "However, they have also alined themselves within battalions from time to time."
After a moment, the second in command continued.
"I suggest Simulation H36-7 and Simulation H58-9, oo-aniki, seeing how we would have to be separated and have large numbers to fight against in the offense."
Nodding his consent, the leader lifted his aibou over his shoulder, pressing a glowing neon green button, as he spoke walking to the center of the seven. "Unlock."
"Leader of Shichinintai, Bankotsu-sama; acknowledged."
"Begin Simulation H36-7, and H58-9."
"Acknowledged." The computer responded as the leader nodded for his brothers to be in place, dividing themselves accordingly. "Simulation H36-7, starting."
In Simulations from H31 to H40, the Band of Seven was divided into the following: Bankotsu, Renkotsu and Ginkotsu, Jakotsu and Suikotsu, lastly, Mukotsu and Kyokotsu; for the effectiveness of offense, ensuring maximum kill count. It was one of the more liked simulations that the group preferred, as they counted on none other than their corresponding partner and their leader, who was alone but was an ace card when trouble was afoot, able to intervene with any group.
Before each group appeared a foliage of rugged mountainous terrain, as a hidden metal humanoid drones disguised themselves in the background. Charging with a twirl of Banryuu over his head, the leader lunged with a wicked smirk over his lips as faux first blood was spilt.
To his left, Jakotsu took out enemies more than a hundred yards away from him with a swing of his blade, his folded and retractable blade, Jakotsuto, as Suikotsu took out the ones within close combat range, his wolverine-like claws ripping away with the drones as if they were hot blades slicing through butter. To the opposing side, Renkotsu and Ginkotsu set their enemies into mincemeat, as the latter's blades flew through the drones with multiple ease, the former, breathing literal fire from his lips as he drank a flammable tonic. In the outskirts of the foliage, Kyokotsu tore through the drones and humanoids with effortless assaults with his impenetrable skin, the metal crushing under his strength. With poisons and acids that could melt through steel, Mukotsu grinned evilly as the drones disintegrated into rusted piles of rubble from the ones that escaped any of the other six.
In the manner of hours, the seven men stood over a mass of dismantled, melted, half-eaten, sliced, dismembered, and burnt drones; sporting minor but light injury. Scowling lightly at a swipe that one of drones managed to swipe over his right arm, the leader scanned over his men, satisfied before his voice echoed in the faux blood-stained training room, commanding as his men took up their positions once more, this time evenly separated upon their handiwork.
"Simulation H36-7, completed. 100%."
He got cut. Renkotsu noted as he glanced at the others, who too sent a worrying glance at their leader. He was pretty out of it earlier but I presumed that it was just him dozing off. Maybe…
Brushing the thought aside for now, the said leader's voice echoed.
"Begin Simulation H58-9."
"Simulation H58-9, starting."
Flat, fields of green appeared at the feet of the seven now as a battalion stood before each, weapons from bayonets to blades at the ready for each as the seven mirrored the same. Barefoot other than his ninja foot webs, Bankotsu leaped into the air, Banryuu raised in a deadly arc as he slashed his blade with a satisfying sing. The clash of metal on metal echoed as the other six followed in their leader's example.
All was going well and dandy as Renkotsu smiled at the effectiveness of Ginkotsu's new grappling hook arm, the said man incapacitated the drones with a swing of the one gripped in the said hook. And with a finishing twirl of Banryuu, the simulation was completed as the seven men awaited their main computer to finish up for the night.
"Simulation H58-9, completed. 100%."
"Alright, men." Bankotsu smirked as he rested his aibou over his shoulder, covered in dark faux blood like the rest of his brothers. "That's all for tonight. And as you are sure, we've got work and I have a bitch math teacher to deal with tomorrow."
Laughs were echoed at the expense of their leader, as the boy's hand shook.
"Oo-aniki?" Jakotsu spoke worried, breaking the merry atmosphere. "Are you—?"
Before the homosexual man could finish, the boy fell forward, Banryuu beside him with a hefty crunch from the machinery under both the leader and his blade.
Landing in the mainland after informing a panicked Mukotsu and Jakotsu of their newest addition and boarding a plane, Bankotsu was seated in the back of new ebony Hummer, lounging comfortably in a daydream when he was shaken out of it with a violent lurch and a insistent cry of his name.
"Bankotsu no oo-aniki! Oo-aniki! Can we go!? Can we please go?! Oo-aniki, please! Can we please go?!"
"Jakotsu, what are you talking about?" The addressed eleven-year-old replied with a sleepy note, rubbing his eyes. Suikotsu and Mukotsu sent a curious glance towards the back as the leader found himself pulled up from his comfortable position, staring at a odd series of foggy colors out the window as they passed, squinting.
"Ja, what exactly am I looking at?"
Shooting the younger boy before him with an appalled look, the feminine teen pointed out the window at glaringly bright golden yellow letters over a red background, wording it aloud for all to hear. "The Circus, oo-aniki!"
"Can we go? Can we go? Can we please go?" The older returned to his whining as the youngest turned to Suikotsu and Mukotsu with a troubled glance. They were already tired from jet lag and they also had promised to meet with Ginkotsu and Renkotsu at the house.
"Okay, Jakotsu. We'll go." Bankotsu said as Suikotsu was about to pull over when the leader shook his head. "But not right now. After we meet with Renkotsu and Ginkotsu, and have settled in; we'll all go."
"Mou, oo-aniki!" Jakotsu whined, clinging on the younger with an arm looped over the youngest's head before relinquishing with sigh, deciding it was fair. "Fine."
"Now that, that's settled." Bankotsu smirked with an amused note, turning back to the healers of their group. "Let's go home."
True to his words, after introducing Suikotsu and Mukotsu to Renkotsu and Ginkotsu and vice-versa, along with setting up their new home within their new makeshift family; the six of them piled into their vehicles; an excited Jakotsu, a curious Mukotsu, an amused Suikotsu, an anticipating Ginkotsu, a care-free Bankotsu and finally, a skeptical Renkotsu at the wheel.
"Oo-aniki, I doubt we would have any reason to be at this circus nor would any of their acts be legitimate." Renkotsu argued as the leader on the passenger shrugged.
"Look at it this way, Renkotsu." The leader waved a hand as he laced his sneakers. "We've gone through a long day of jet lag and setting up the house. I figured we could have some down time at the circus, and if we don't; we can have some real fun with them later."
Smirking with obvious bloodlust, the boy was well aware of the mirrored look on his brothers. "Deal?"
Thinking it over, the second-in-command consented.
Entering the circus, the four men and two children seated themselves in the main tent among the rows of the audience; filled with excited children, disciplining parents, and shouting teenagers; all awaiting for the show to begin.
And without further a due, it did.
At every act, Renkotsu supplied a counter-argument, proving their tricks and acts counterfeit much to Jakotsu's dismay and irritation. Suikotsu watched the two argue with an amused eyebrow as Mukotsu had thoughts along the lines of 'children of this generation' in a exasperated notion, while Ginkotsu and Bankotsu watched the tennis match play out, thoroughly entertained as the machine man and the leader exchanged shrugs as if to say 'it's not that big of a deal, but okay.'
The tennis match continued throughout the show until a new act began.
Darkness enveloped before a spotlight lit, revealing the ringleader of the circus, a stereotypical pot-bellied man dressed in a colorful suit, with an ebony top hat and cane to finish as he addressed the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen, for our final act;" The ringleader whose name Bankotsu had forgotten, deemed it of non importance. "We proudly present you, the human who can interchange his body size! The Giant!"
With the snap of the ringleader's fingers, the lights came on, blinding the audience. Adjusting their gazes, they found a ludicrous sight. Encaged in a prison that was obscenely too large for an elephant, let alone a man; stood such a man. He was no older than Suikotsu, his body built in a medium build and tall in height as his ebony teal spikes for hair stood in short locks. Dressed in a flexible body suit with extendable armor, the man wore a look that the six men had seen before. After all, they wore it all the time in private with one another.
Hatred, madness, vengeance, and most of all, the desire for blood.
Five gazes fixed upon their leader before flickering back to the man, the boy's usually carefree cobalt orbs now a darkened navy, the circus act beginning.
"Do not be fooled!" The ringleader boomed. "Before you is no regular man, but a horrifying monster!"
Then with the spilt-second flash of darkness, gasps and yells of horror were heard; adults and children alike shocked as even the six could not withhold their expressions before the changed man. Donned in the same clothing that grew with his new stature, the man's stature was of a tall five times of his original, his beady ebony orbs bloodshot, his teeth two razor sharp rows of canines. Bankotsu widened his now navy orbs a fraction, Jakotsu looking to Renkotsu for an explanation as the latter found himself without one for once. Mukotsu bore a puzzled expression as Suikotsu did the same, both doctors contemplating ailments that that may have caused the man's ability while Ginkotsu grunted a gasp, studying the gigantic man.
"Oi, R-Hibiki;" Jakotsu began before he corrected himself with the said bald teen's look. "What's the explanation for that?"
"I—." Renkotsu paused, thinking before admitting begrudgingly. "I…don't know…"
Standing, Bankotsu ignored the banter and exited the tent, his brothers following in the darkness as the circus began it's next act. Glancing around for a moment, the leader decided to take no chances.
"Ja, Hibiki, and Usui; take the others and get our things ready for the night. I will call you to tell you when I'm done to pick me up. Shukaku and Yamato, I think our guests will have trouble sleeping tonight." Bankotsu ordered as he smirked at his second-in-command. "We can't have that, now can we?"
Catching on, the second-in-command bowed. "Of course not, oo-aniki."
Pulling a confused Jakotsu with him, the five brothers walked off to the parking lot as their leader disappeared with a fluid leap into the tents, in search for a man in particular with a bloodthirsty smirk on his lips.