A Reason to Live
Chapter Twelve
Bond Between a Mother and Child
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
It had been nearly a month since the encounter with the strange woman named Princess, and still Bankotsu had not returned to their group. At first, Sango was thinking it would only take a few days for him to get the Banryuu repaired, and then she would be able to have her talk with him, but now she was beginning to fear the worst might have befallen him, again. Of course, Inuyasha told her that was ridiculous, because he was such a strong fighter, but when he had left them, he was injured, the Banryuu was broken, and he was injured. Inuyasha just told her to knock it off, and focus on finding Naraku, and that when Bankotsu was ready, he would be back.
So that was exactly what she was doing at the moment. However, she was quickly becoming frustrated. "Why does there have to be so much god damn mud here," Sango cursed as she pulled her foot out of the quick sand like mud.
"You could have always rode Kirara," Inuyasha supplied from a tree branch above her.
"Shut it," Sango exclaimed as she continued to prod through the mud. "Damn this all to hell. Inuyasha come help me out here."
"What's the magic word," Inuyasha asked as he sat Kagome down on a sturdy branch.
"Just come fuc..., just come help me," Sango hissed. This was not how she had envisioned spending her day. No she had wanted to relax today, but Inuyasha had other plans. He said she should have relaxed enough when she was resting from her injuries. Since she had recovered, they had been traveling for a week straight.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Inuyasha exclaimed as he jumped onto one of the lower tree branches before extending his clawed hand to Sango. Quickly Sango grabbed hold of his wrist, and allowed him to lift her onto the tree branch with ease. Once Sango's weight was on the branch, it snapped in half, sending both her and Inuyasha back into the mud.
"This was not how I wanted to spend my day," Sango hissed as she tried to wipe the mud from her face.
"Next time just fucking listen to me, and ride Kirara," Inuyasha spat as he jumped out of the mud, and onto another tree branch. "I'm never going to get this shit out of my hair."
"Just shut up, and get me the hell out of this shit," Sango exclaimed as she reached out for Inuyasha's hand.
"Wow, Sango is really pissed," Shippo exclaimed from Kagome's backpack. "I don't think I have ever heard her curse like that before."
"Me either," Kagome agreed.
"Damn it old man," Bankotsu exclaimed as he rushed after Totosai. "You mean to tell me that all of these pointless fucking tasks have not been to train me? You have just been using me as cheap labor!!! Do you know who the fuck I am? I am Bankotsu, the feared leader of the Band of Seven!!!"
"Former leader," Totosai supplied from behind a cauldron of boiling water. The cauldron was the only thing that was keeping Bankotsu from getting to the now cowering old man.
"What did you just fucking say," Bankotsu snapped as he kicked the hot cauldron, causing intense pain to shoot through his foot. Seeing an opportunity, Totosai fled from the cave, leaving behind an extremely pissed off Bankotsu. "Bastard. I'm going to kill that old fart."
"Please forgive him," Myoga exclaimed as he landed on Bankotsu's shoulder. "He wants to train you, but he can not."
"Oh and why the hell is that," Bankotsu exclaimed, anger racing through his voice.
"It is hard to explain," Myoga supplied. "I know that these pointless tasks seem stupid to you, but in reality, they are increasing your physical strength. When you first started 'training' for Totosai, you could barely lift the monstrous jugs of water, but now you are able to lift them with relative ease, and you can lift more of them then you could have before.
"In fact, I think your physical strength might have increased a hundred percent from when you first came here. Think about it like this. When you first came here, you were unable to block that demon's kick, and now I would not doubt that you could block it with ease."
"I guess you have a point," Bankotsu sighed in defeat. "But I have a question. How can I become fast enough to catch that bastard Totosai?"
"Not even Lord Sesshomaru has figured that trick out yet," Myoga laughed.
It had taken nearly two hours to get all of the dirt and mud out of her hair and off of her slayer suit, but finally the task was done. 'Now I can sit back and relax in this wonderful hot spring,' Sango sighed in content for the first time in about a month. 'I wonder if Bankotsu is alright, and where the hell did Miroku take off too?'
These and other thoughts continued to swirl in Sango's mind as she tried to relax in the warm water. Soon Sango allowed her eyes to close as she cleared her mind. For a few moments, she allowed herself to become one with nature. Suddenly, a sound caused her to open her eyes. "Who is there," Sango called out to the trees surrounding the hot springs. The only reply was another rustling behind her. Jumping to her feet in the hot springs, she realized she was still naked, and covered her bare chest by crossing her arms.
"I never knew you were so beautiful," a familiar voice called from behind her.
"Bankotsu is that you," Sango asked as she sank back into the water, keeping anyone from getting a view of her naked body. "What are you doing here?"
"What's wrong, you aren't happy to see me," Bankotsu asked as he revealed himself to Sango. "I figured you would be glad that I was back."
"Well I am glad to see you, just I didn't expect to see you like this," Sango exclaimed as she looked down through the water at her still naked form.
"Like what," Bankotsu asked as he began to strip himself of his armor. Soon he was taking off the rest of his clothing, causing Sango to turn away from his stripping form.
"What are you doing Bankotsu," Sango questioned as a large blush crept up her face.
"I am going to take a bath," Bankotsu supplied as he stepped into the hot springs as well, allowing the water to cover most of his body. "Is that a crime?"
"No, but don't you think it would be appropriate to wait for me to finish," Sango exclaimed, still not turning to look at the mercenary.
"Why would I do that," Bankotsu questioned as he walked closer to Sango's exposed form. Soon he was close enough that Sango could hear his breathing in her ear. "I get to bath with a beautiful woman. Any man would kill for this opportunity." His warm breathe was intoxicating to her mind, and she could feel his arms slowly wrapping around her midsection, pulling her back to rest against his chest.
"Bankotsu, I...," Sango began, but was cut off by Bankotsu placing a light kiss on the side of her neck.
"Shh," Bankotsu said in a charming voice. "Sango, I have been wanting to tell you this for quite some time. I lo..."
"Sango wake up," Kagome's voice called, causing Sango to open her eyes.
"What's going on," Sango asked as she sat up in the hot springs. "What just happened?"
"You fell asleep in here, and I had to come looking for you," Kagome supplied with a smile. "I guess you became really relaxed."
"I guess so," Sango supplied as she began to get out of the hot springs. "Inuyasha is probably upset."
"A little," Kagome laughed. "He just wants to get all of that mud out of his hair."
"I can't blame him," Sango laughed as well. 'What was with that dream? I can't believe how real that felt.'
"Myoga, this is stupid," Bankotsu snapped. "Why do I need to be balancing on one hand?"
"Well you see my young friend, if you are able to balance on your weak hand, then you will have complete control over your body," Myoga replied. "The longer you can perform this task, the more control you will gain."
"What's the longest anyone has ever been able to do this," Bankotsu questioned, his black braid brushing against the ground.
"Well the longest I human has accomplished the feat is about ten hours," Myoga began. "The longest a demon or half-demon has done it has been close to a month."
"What," Bankotsu exclaimed as he fell over. "An entire month. That's insane, how did they eat."
"You fell, so it looks like you have to start all over," Myoga supplied in a dejected voice. "And you were within two hours of beating the previous human record."
"Or you could do something else," Totosai's voice called from the mouth of the cave. "I have finished your new weapon."
"Well let's see it then," Bankotsu exclaimed as he got to his feet, brushing the grass and dirt off of his pants. As he started to walk towards the old man, he was thrown two sheathed swords, which he caught with ease. One sword's hilt was a deep crimson color, and the other sword's hilt was a dark blue color. Each hilt was wrapped by a thin white cloth, which quickly tied to Bankotsu's wrist the moment they came in contact with his skin. "So these are my new weapons?"
"They are not as strong as a demon sword, but they will be able to help you in battle," Totosai replied. "They are also able to be linked together by the hilt to form a Naginata."
"Really," Bankotsu exclaimed as he unsheathed the crimson hilted blade.. Once the sheath was off of the sword, Bankotsu could hear Jakotsu's voice in his mind.
"It's been a while hasn't it brother," Jakotsu exclaimed.
"What the hell is going on," Bankotsu shouted. "What type of demon magic is this?"
"Relax Bankotsu," Jakotsu snapped. "I'm communicating to you through the sword you idiot"
"I really must be going crazy," Bankotsu supplied as he slumped to the ground.
"You are not going crazy," Jakotsu sighed. "This is the power that Hakai was talking about. This is how he was able to call his sword back to him."
"So if I throw you, you will come back to me," Bankotsu questioned as he threw Jakotsu as far as he could, and the thin piece of cloth released from Bankotsu's wrist.
"YOU ASSHOLE," Jakotsu yelled as he flew through the air. "IF I STILL HAD A BODY I WOULD KILL YOU WITH MY BARE HANDS!!!"
"Now come back to me Jakotsu," Bankotsu exclaimed, reaching his hand out to Jakotsu. However, the sword never moved from the spot where it landed. "Damn it! I thought you said I could call my weapon back to me."
"Hey you just threw me, and you expect me to just come flying back to you," Jakotsu hissed in anger. "Kiss my hilt!"
"Sorry about that," Bankotsu exclaimed as he pulled the blue handled sword from the sheath, allowing Suikotsu's voice to echo in his mind.
"Well boss, it looks like we get to have some more fun," Suikotsu exclaimed. Suddenly Jakotsu came flying back to Bankotsu's right hand.
"So when do we get to fight Inuyasha," Jakotsu exclaimed in a cheery voice. "It has been so long since I had a chance to taste his blood."
"We don't get to fight Inuyasha anymore," Bankotsu supplied. "We are now members of his group."
"What," the two swords yelled at the same time.
"Relax," Bankotsu called out. "We still get to kill people, just we get to kill bad people."
"If you remember brother," Suikotsu stated. "We were the bad guys."
"I know, but times change," Bankotsu replied. "Besides, you two will get to taste the blood of my family."
"Oh and how is that," Jakotsu asked.
"I'm going to use you to kill my brother Hakai," Bankotsu sneered. The very thought of Hakai caused his blood to boil.
"Sounds like it should be fun," Suikotsu laughed, causing Jakotsu to laugh as well.
"Those three are going to be extremely scary once they learn to fight with each other as one," Myoga sighed from atop Totosai's shoulder.
"Agreed," Totosai replied absentmindedly.
"So what abilities do they have," Bankotsu asked, looking at Totosai.
"Apart, they are similar to regular katanas, but when they are put together to form the Naginata, they are able to form the Raging Tornado," Totosai responded with a smirk. "Now why don't you lock in their hilts."
Bankotsu brought the two hilts together, and an immense power began to leak from the newly formed Naginata. "This is amazing," Bankotsu exclaimed as he held onto the center of the Naginata. "The power that is flowing within the swords is amazing."
"You said that once already big brother," Suikotsu supplied in a dry voice.
Suddenly Bankotsu began to spin the Naginata over his head, causing a large amount of wind to form over his head. Quickly he brought the Naginata down in front of him, and a cyclone of wind rushed forward at the now running Totosai. "RAGING TORNADO!!!"
"This is not funny," Totosai yelled as he kept a good distance between himself and the cyclone. "After everything I have done for you, this is how you repay me!!!"
"That is for all of those pointless tasks," Bankotsu snapped, before he fell unconscious. Before Bankotsu could hit the ground, the cyclone died away.
"What happened," Myoga asked as he hopped over to the unconscious mercenary. "Why did he just fall like that?"
"He used up far to much energy," Totosai said as he came to stand over the fallen mercenary. "I did not expect him to be able to actually use the Raging Tornado this early, and the control he has over it is amazing, and he can only get better with practice."
"Will you be able to repair the Banryuu," Myoga asked.
"It is already repaired, but it will be of no use to him if he can not get in touch with his mother's spirit," Totosai replied as he bent down to pick up the Naginata, and quickly unlatched the hilts, turning the weapon back into two different swords. "I just hope that he will be able to learn to interact with his mother as easily as he did with his fellow mercenaries."
"Shouldn't it be easier, considering that she is his blood," Myoga questioned as he jumped from Bankotsu's limp from to Totosai's shoulder.
"Actually, it may be harder, because he never knew her in life," Totosai answered as he sheathed the two swords, before grabbing the unconscious Bankotsu.
Bankotsu's mind was swirling, and he could see images of the all the people he had killed. He was currently standing on the bank of a large river, and they were standing on the other river bank. All of the people standing on the other bank were covered in blood, and a lot of them were holding their heads in their arms. Standing in what appeared to be the middle was a black haired woman, with crystal blue eyes. Tears were forming at the corner of her eyes, before leaking down her flawless pale face. The rest of her skin was the same pale as he face, and her body was covered by a light green nightgown. The pale green was beautiful against her skin, giving her the appearance of a glowing angel as she began to walk towards the river.
Slowly, she lifted her hand upwards, as if she was reaching for Bankotsu, who could only stare at the woman's unfamiliar face. As he got a closer look at her face, he could not remember a time when he had killed anyone like her. Normally he left the women and children to Suikotsu, or one of the other brothers. He hated being forced to kill a woman, especially after what Amaya had gone through. Slowly the woman walked towards him, and finally she came to the large river that separated the two.
Bankotsu was stunned when she did not stop walking, and began to walk along the top of the water's surface. 'What the hell is this shit,' Bankotsu shouted to himself. He wanted to run from her, to get as far away as his feet would take him, but he was rooted to the spot. His feet would not respond no matter how much he wished for them to move.
Just as she began to walk across the river, her form vanished from his sight, leaving him staring at the countless hoard of his victims. "Bankotsu, please come join us," the victims all began to chant in unison. "We have been waiting to accept you into our family."
"Do not allow them to scare you Bankotsu," a smooth feminine voice called from Bankotsu, causing him to turn around in surprise. Standing before him was the woman from across the river. A large smile was plastered across her face as she stepped closer to Bankotsu.
"Who are you woman," Bankotsu asked as he took a step back.
"Don't tell me that you don't recognize me," the woman exclaimed as she took another step closer to the slowly retreating Bankotsu.
"I have never seen you before in my life," Bankotsu exclaimed as he stepped back once more.
"And yet I have been with you for most of your life," the woman stated as he smile quickly turned into a frown. "When you have been in your greatest time of need, I have been the one you trusted the most. I have never failed you during battle, nor shall I ever fail you, just as long as you have trust in me."
"What are you talking about," Bankotsu snapped as he stepped backwards into the large river. The feeling of weightlessness suddenly grabbed hold of Bankotsu's being, and he too began to walk on the water. "Who are you?"
"If you do not know who I am, then you have no right to wield me anymore," the woman exclaimed as she shoved Bankotsu backwards, causing him to fall into the water, where arms began to grab hold of him. Fighting desperately, Bankotsu was able to get away from the arms, before he resurfaced on the river bank that was filled with his victims. "Since you do not know me, then you should be able to slay all of these people without my help."
"I still don't understand what you are babbling about," Bankotsu hissed at the woman, his rage getting the better of him. As his attention was focused on the woman, a small group of the fallen victims pounced onto Bankotsu, and began to land punches and kicks to his body. "Damn it! Get the fuck off of me right now!!!" Using as much strength as he could muster, Bankotsu sent the small group flying off of his being, before standing up to face the thousand or so people he had slaughtered.
"What's wrong Bankotsu," the woman asked as she came to stand behind him.
"You wouldn't be so damn cocky if I had my Banryuu," Bankotsu hissed as he turned to glare at the now angry woman.
"You wish to wield me, and yet you do not know me," Banryuu hissed, her voice becoming acidic.
"Wait you are Banryuu," Bankotsu exclaimed before he was pounced on again. "You can't be my mother."
"Why is that," Banryuu asked as she came closer to the pile of slain people. "I have been with you in all of your greatest battles. I know all of your secrets, and I know everything that you feel, and yet you ignore me as if I don't even exist. You treat me as nothing more then a tool for killing."
"I did not know," Bankotsu began, but was cut off as a fist connected with his face. "Mother, allow me to fight with you again. I wish to get to know you better, and to become stronger, and I need you for that."
"There is nothing I won't do for you my son, but first you must ask me," Banryuu supplied as she placed her hand in Bankotsu's. "Just ask my son."
"Will you please let me fight with you by my side," Bankotsu asked as he squeezed his mother's hand in his.
"Yes my son," Banryuu exclaimed as she suddenly turned into the halberd sword. "Now my son, we will slay these zombies together."
"Yes we will," Bankotsu yelled as she pushed all of the slain victims off of his body. Quickly he got to his feet, and aimed the Banryuu behind him.
"DRAGON WAVE!!!!" Both Bankotsu and Banryuu's voices could be heard as the massive wave of energy rushed at the now retreating zombies.
Soon the energy wave began to destroy the river and forest around him, leaving him in complete darkness, holding the Banryuu over his shoulder. "Now you must awaken my son, for we have much work to do," Banryuu's soft voice called in Bankotsu's ear.
Almost instantly Bankotsu opened his eyes to see the roof of Totosai's cave. A numbness had overtaken his body for a few moments, but once the numbness had passed on, he could feel his hand gripping tightly onto the hilt of a sword. Lifting his right hand up to inspect the hilt, he was delighted to see a fully restored Banryuu gleaming in the dim fire light. "It is good to have you back by my side mother," Bankotsu supplied as he hugged the newly repaired blade to his chest.
"Finally he has learned how to communicate with the Banryuu," Totosai said in a calm voice as he watched Bankotsu's antics.
"I would say you were right," Myoga said from Totosai's shoulder.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know there hasn't really been much 'actual' romance between Sango and Bankotsu, but I promise that it will be coming soon enough, you just have to give it time. Also, I hope this answered a few questions you might have had. Also, sorry to anyone who was offended by Sango's dream. Once again, thank you to all my faithful reviewers. You are my life blood. You are the greatest fans a armature writer could ever hope for.