InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge ❯ Troubled Beginnings ( Chapter 1 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

A/N: The story Bankotsu's Lullaby is adopted from April-Chan1990/wolfprincess82 on ffnet. Since it was inspired by AMLS and after more than three months no one has finished it. I posted a poll.

The readers have made their voices heard and I have adopted it. The first 17 chapters of the plot line will mostly remain the same as hers, minus spelling and grammar errors. I will also be smoothing out the rough patches and adding emotional depth.

Full Summary: Feudal Japan is growing more dangerous with each passing day. Inuyasha barely escapes death time after time and the leader of the Shichinintai has a problem of his own. He must find and persuade Kagome to marry him in order to save Feudal Japan. With this heavy burden resting upon his shoulders, can Bankotsu put aside his hatred and form an alliance with the Inutachi? More importantly can he convince Kagome to marry him, before it's too late? What good would any of it do if Bankotsu is not content?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha and its characters are copyrighted to the amazing Rumiko Takahashi!

Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.

Chapter 1: Troubled Beginning

Kagome smiled to herself when she could finally smell the familiar air of the Modern Era. She had come back to get some more supplies. 'I have to get Inuyasha his 'ninja food' too, since he refused the stew Miroku made for us.'

Climbing out of the well into the shrine Kagome saw that it had been raining and frowned. 'That's weird… It almost never rains here.' Droplets dripped from a crack in the roof of the shrine and created a puddle at Kagome's feet. She shook her shoes off. 'It must have just stopped.'

'I hope mom and grandpa are home.' Kagome skipped up to the front door of her house. She was disappointed to find the knob did not turn. She fumbled in her skirt pocket for a moment, pulling out the spare key Grandpa had made for her. She unlocked the door and walked inside. She found a note lying on the kitchen table.

Kagome,

I had to take Souta to the doctor. He has a really bad cold and high fever. I thought I'd leave a note just in case you came back early.

Love, Mom.

Kagome sighed and placed the note back on the table. She hurried up the stairs to her room. After she changed into one of her many clean uniforms, she went into the bathroom.

'I'd love to take a nice long soak, but I promised Inuyasha and the others that I wouldn't be long.' She stared at the tub with a look of regret. 'I'll have to settle for a hot spring later.' She opened the medicine cabinet and grabbed a handful of gauze, bandages, ointments and a bottle of aspirin.

She made her way back downstairs, where she took her time in carefully selecting Ramen for Inuyasha. 'Kami forbid I choose one that is too hot. Inuyasha would dance around fanning his tongue and whining.' She giggled as the picture popped into her head. She picked out six cups of noodles, along with lollipops for Shippo and stuffed them into her bag.

Her throat was parched so she decided to get a quick drink. She opened the fridge door and pulled out the orange juice, pouring a glass before putting the jug back into the fridge. She drank her juice and placed the cup in the sink. 'Now that hit the spot.' She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out the door, right into Inuyasha's chest.

He caught her by the shoulders before she could fall backwards. "Yo!"

Her eyes widened before she blinked. "What are you doing here? I told you I wouldn't be long."

"I wanted to make sure you got safely back. We just finished battling a demon."

"Oh? What kind?"

"I'm not sure what type it was, but it doesn't really matter since its dead now." His chest swelled and he grinned.

'Is he trying to impress me? How sweet.' Her smile turned to a frown. 'I'd hate to see the day someone out does him, he'd be so disappointed.'

Inuyasha looked at her overstuffed bag. "So, I presume you're ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Inuyasha walked beside Kagome back into the shrine. They leaped in. The blue light surrounded them in a matter of seconds.

After climbing out into feudal Japan Kagome noticed the rest of her friends were not present. "Where are Miroku and the rest?"

"They're waiting back in Kaede's village."

The couple made their way back to the village. Inuyasha stopped and sniffed the air. He frowned.

"What is it Inuyasha?" She gasped as she sensed an evil presence nearby.

"I smell a demon. It's approaching the village. We'd better hurry."

They quickly ran to Kaede's village.

Miroku and Sango were already outside prepared for battle.

"So did you guys sense something to?" Inuyasha walked up to his companions.

"Whatever it is, it must be big." Miroku tapped his staff on the ground. "The demonic aura extends over the entire village."

A demon with the head of a bird, the body of a cat and arms like a lizard stomped through the trees.

Inuyasha blinked. 'Now that has got to be the ugliest demon I've ever seen.' He chuckled and unsheathed his sword preparing to fight. "Looking for a fight, are you?"

"That girl possesses a sacred jewel shard." The demon rasped. "I must have it." It began running toward Kagome, but Inuyasha jumped in front of her cutting it off. Tetsusaiga connected with its head creating a large, bloody gash. The demon crashed to the ground.

"Well, that wasn't much of a fight considering how huge this thing was." Inuyasha sighed a little disappointed.

"Don't be so sure." Sango pointed behind him.

"What the - ?" Inuyasha's eyes widened like saucers and he stepped back pushing Kagome behind him.

Despite the demon's head being split down the middle it was slowly getting up to its feet.

"The, looks like this isn't over!" Inuyasha smirked and sprang into action, bringing his sword down again and again, creating multiple wounds on the demon's body. Tetsuaiga's attacks didn't seem to even slow down the demon.

"Kagome, does this thing have a shard?" Inuyasha called from on the demon's shoulders. He was busy hacking away trying to chop its head off.

She stared at the demon carefully checking it. "I don't sense one!"

"Damn it all!" Inuyasha growled. The demon's hand pried Inuyasha off its shoulders tossing him to the ground like a rag doll.

Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh no, Inuyasha!"

The demon averted its attention to Kagome. "I must have that sacred jewel shard!"

"Get back, you guys!" Miroku stuck his hand up in front of him. "I'll suck this beast into my Wind Tunnel!"

Inuyasha scurried out of the way while Miroku removed the beads and opened the void in his right hand. The demon was sucked up in mere seconds.

Kagome rushed over to Inuyasha. "Are you okay?"

"The, it's just a few bruises." He chuckled, but there was a hint of pain in his eyes.

"You're bleeding!" Kagome pointed to Inuyasha's upper leg.

"Oh? It's nothing." He tried to hide the wound by bending his leg.

"Let's get you patched up."

'No sense arguing, it will only get me sat.' Inuyasha sighed heavily as he stood up.

Kagome helped Inuyasha into Kaede's hut, after noticing how heavily he was actually leaning on her. 'Hmph, it's nothing huh?' She rolled her eyes. 'Why does he have to act so macho about these things?'

He sat down on the futon Kagome had slept on the previous night.

"I see ye got cut up a little." Kaede emerged from the back of the hut.

Kagome took some of the ointment and gauze out of her bag. She rolled up Inuyasha's hakamas, being careful not to rub the wound. She applied the ointment all over the cut and around it, causing Inuyasha to wince in pain.

"Not so rough."

"Be still. I'm being as gentle as I can." Kagome succeeded with decently placing the gauze on Inuyasha's leg, despite him squirming and moaning. "There, all done!"

"Thank Buddha!"

"Inuyasha's going to get all better, thanks to Kagome." Shippo grinned as he bounced into her lap.

"Inuyasha, why do you think that demon was so powerful?" Miroku rubbed his chin. "It didn't have a shard and yet it still managed to toss you around."

"What else? It had to have been something Naraku cooked up." Amber eyes narrowed at the wall.

Sango sat next to Kagome. "I think it's best if we stay in the village for a while. Who knows what'll pop up next."

Kagome placed the remaining first aide stuff back into her bag. "You're more than likely right."

"Well, I don't think Naraku's going to show his ugly face anytime soon." Inuyasha yawned, laying back on the futon. He fell asleep in matter of minutes.

Let him rest." Kaede rose to her feet. "Ye guys come help me in my herb garden."

The friends made their way outside with baskets into the garden. Kirara stood watch over them just in case a demon decided to show up looking for a shard.

XOXOXO:

The ground rumbled underneath the metal Shichinintai known as Ginkotsu. The seven or rather five man band were heading to a village Suikotsu had spotted to destroy it and retrieve some supplies. The trip had been an annoying one.

Jakotsu pouted. "How come I never get the first strike on any village we ever come across?"

"Because I'm the leader," Bankotsu smirked.

"But I never get to start the fun," the homosexual stomped his foot. "It's not fair."

"Would somebody please shut this damn fool up?" Renkotsu covered his ears to drown out Jakotsu's annoying protests.

Bankotsu eyed them both sternly. "Behave, were almost at the village."

Jakotsu immediately fell silent and flopped himself back onto Ginkotsu's platform, crossing his arms and sticking his nose up toward the sky.

They approached a rather large village and Bankotsu smirked. 'It seems the castle guards have already been informed we were coming.'

Soldiers with spears and village men armed with whatever they had found stood in the castle grounds. "Don't come any further!" one solider warned, pointing out a long spear.

The Shichinintai hopped down off the metal monster's platform. Almost immediately, Jakotsu huffed flinging his sword madly, taking down at least a dozen soldiers.

Renkotsu took a drink of concoction from his gourd even as five villagers charged him. Spitting fire all around he took out the men with ease, proceeding further towards the castle razing everything in sight. He was quickly joined by the others, all but their leader.

Bankotsu stood facing the lord of the castle, who held a sword mere inches from his handsome face. Blood lust filled his eyes and he licked his lips. "So you think you can take me on eh?"

"You're an impudent one, aren't you?" the lord asked.

"That's a mighty puny sword yah got there."

"Back to hell with you!" the castle lord swung his blade at Bankotsu's neck.

With a light flick of his Banryu the head of Bankotsu's opponent rolled on the ground, blood splattering onto his pristine white outfit. 'That was such a waste of time, it was over too easy.' He sighed and left to join his brethren.

The village lay in ruins. The few that had been missed were scurrying over the hills for their lives. Ginkotsu had done most of the damage to the huts and buildings as was evident by the cannon scorch marks and holes. Most were barely clinging onto their structures.

"That was over way too soon." Jakotsu whined jumping onto Ginkotsu's platform with the others.

Renkotsu merely rolled his eyes. 'What a baby…'

"To the castle," Bankotsu stood up and pointed forward.

Ginkotsu blasted the doorway open and the men cheered before hoping of the machine and running into the castle.

Jakotsu searched the rooms and let out a loud squeal of excitement when he spotted something in the corner. He ran over to a wall covered with kimonos and began filling his arms with every one that he got his hands on.

"Hey, Ginkotsu, come here."

Ginkotsu rolled up to Jakotsu allowing his friend to pile a spot on his platform with Kimonos.

Renkotsu simply stood there wearing a pinched expression and tapping his foot. When his eyes landed on Jakotsu he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Bankotsu and Suikotsu left the other three in the main area of the castle to seek out more useful supplies. They first entered the kitchen. Suikotsu grabbed a handful of plates, forks, spoons and knives, while Bankotsu snatched kettles, a larger kettle for brewing stew and a few bottles of Saki.

The two made their way back to the others. They found it difficult to find spots on Ginkotsu to place the utensils since most of the platform was piled with kimonos and jewelry.

'Typical Jakotsu,' Bankotsu chuckled.

"Alight men, we will take the supplies back to our newly acquired castle and then go raid some other random village."

The men cheered eager for more slaughtering.

As the rolled along the path Ginkotsu had created earlier something in the distance caught Bankotsu's eye.

XOXOXO:

A/N: Pieces of the new plot are already shown by the second chapter. So stay tuned for the next segment. XD