InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge ❯ The Fabled Sword ( Chapter 14 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

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

A/N: Between crazy weather temps changes, tornado and flood warnings, and lack of time, I can't write much at the moment.

Bankotsu's Greatest Challenge.

Chapter 14: The Fabled Sword

The trio made their way deeper into the forest. The trees were getting much thicker. Although it was the middle of the afternoon they had a hard time seeing because of the dense foliage surrounding them.

"So, what happened to me?" Inuyasha walked between Kagome and Bankotsu.

Kagome sighed and shifted the pack on her back. 'I miss holding Bankotsu's hand, but I'd rather not have Inuyasha flipping out on us until we get back to the others. He's been through enough already.'

Bankotsu's tone was crisp. "You attacked us three times." His voice held an unmistakable verbal lash. "before we left Kaede's village, when we were in the forest a few days ago and again just a little while ago."

Inuyasha's chin fell to his chest and his white hair shadowed his face. His shoulders slumped and he sighed heavily. 'I hope I didn't actually hurt anyone.' His stomach roiled and he bit back the bile rising in his throat.

Kagome stared at the hanyou. "Inuyasha, did Naraku reveal anything to you while you were under his control?" Her eyes locked on his sulky form.

He slowly raised his head but refused to meet her eyes. "I really don't remember anything." He sighed heavily."I wondered where the hell I was when you took that shard out of my neck."

Bankotsu tapped Banryu against his shoulder and sighed. "I'm sure we will find out what Naraku is up to sooner or later."

Kagome noticed a glowing blue light up ahead. "Bankotsu, look. Isn't that the same aura that was around Midoriko?"

He nodded. "Hai, it looks like it is protecting something inside that small cave."

Their eyes met and held and both of their hearts leapt in their chest as Inuyasha stepped toward the bright light and reached out.

"What the hell is that?" He yanked his burned and tingling hand back. "Why is there a barrier around this sword? It looks like just any ordinary sword." He reached his hand out toward the sword again. This time he was quickly thrown back with a tremendous amount of force. He landed flat on his back three yards away.

Bankotsu lips quirked at the left corner and amusement danced in his eyes. 'It seems the mutt is forbidden from touching the sword.'

Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet and rejoined the duo with a derisive snort. "What the hell is going on here?"

'This must be the sword Midoriko sent us for.' Kagome turned to Bankotsu and scratched the back of the top of her head. "How are we supposed to get it out?"

As if to answer her question the barrier brightened and then slowly dissipated. Midoriko appeared before them, startling Inuyasha and causing him to jump back.

"I see your hanyou friend has been freed from Naraku." She smiled at the white haired boy.

Inuyasha frowned and stepped closer to the apparition. "You're Midoriko?"

"Correct." She turned to Bankotsu. "I have dissolved the barrier around the sword for you. Take it and quickly return to your friends. They are staying in your castle at the moment."

Bankotsu nodded and reached for the sword, stopping a mere inch away from it. His brows furrowed. "How do we use this sword?"

"You must stab you're friends through the heart with it. They will revive in seconds." Midoriko vanished leaving the trio alone once more.

Bankotsu picked up the sword and felt something pulse through his body. He blinked three times and it was gone. 'That was weird.' He turned to grin at Kagome. "Shall we start the journey back?"

Inuyasha crouched down so the priestess could mount his back. "I know a short cut. Kagome, get on my back."

She stared at Bankotsu with a questioning gaze.

He shoved Inuyasha and glared. "Don't you dare drop her or you will be answering to me." He loomed over the hanyou and his eyes narrowed on his rival. "Got it?"

Inuyasha blinked and nodded.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Bankotsu who looked away to face the path.

"Hurry Kagome, the sooner we leave this place the better I will feel."

She blinked and dutifully climbed onto Inuyasha's back.

Bankotsu's chest heaved. 'I know that baka mutt is just carrying her to speed the return trip up.' He clenched his fists and breathed deeply trying to lessen the intense rage threatening to fill his body. 'I'm still tempted to shred him limb from limb.'

He ground his teeth together. 'I can run just as fast as the mutt. Kagome should be riding on my back.' His nostrils flared as he spun around and saw Kagome climb onto the hanyou's back. He grunted. "Let's go."

Hours later Inuyasha suddenly stopped running through the forest.

'Why would he stop when we are only a mile away from the others?' Bankotsu also stopped. He turned to chastise the hanyou, but the look of pain and misery on Inuyasha's stilled his protest. "What is it?"

"I have the feeling that I did something horrible." The sheer misery in Inuyasha's voice spoke volumes.

Kagome hopped off his back and stood in front of him. "We couldn't tell you much, Inuyasha. Bankotsu and I have been in this forsaken forest for the past two and a half weeks."

Inuyasha's stomach churned again. "Maybe Miroku and Sango know something?"

Bankotsu shrugged. "Maybe, but the only way to find out would be to ask them. Come on, we're almost there." The three allies continued on foot and made their way through the forest.

XOXOXO:

Everyone had finished their chores and we're now enjoying the beautiful, sunny day. But there was a gloomy feeling in the air.

Renkotsu, Suikotsu and Miroku sat atop Ginkotsu's platform. While Sango, Shippo, Kirara and Jakotsu sat on the ground beside the machine.

Renkotsu dived off the platform and went to stand at the edge of the forest. The others watched with confused looks.

"Renkotsu? What is it?" The cross dresser shifted positions so his legs were outstretched.

"Big brother will be here very shortly. I can sense his aura"

Miroku's jaw dropped. "Since when are you able to sense auras?"

Renkotsu snorted. "Big brother has been with us Shichinintai for a very long time."

Jakotsu piped in. "When you're as close as we are, you learn their auras."

"I guess that makes sense." The monk nodded.

Suikotsu rose to his feet and shielded his eyes with his hand as he stared at the trees to his left. "I sense him too."

Jakotsu squealed and clapped while bouncing up and down.

Not to be left out Ginkotsu voiced his own opinion. "Gersh!"

Jakotsu dropped his Jakotsuo onto the ground startling everyone else as he ran toward the trees of the forest… right into Bankotsu's embrace. "Big brother, we all missed you so much!"

Bankotsu hugged him companion back. "It's nice to see you all can't live without me."

Jakotsu spotted the sword at his leader's side. "It looks like an ordinary sword." He pouted.

Bankotsu chuckled. "it may look ordinary Ja, but trust me this baby is one of a kind."

"Welcome back." Renkotsu walked up with the others. "Have a nice trip?"

Bankotsu grinned. "Come inside the castle and I'll tell you all about it."

Miroku stared coolly at Inuyasha. 'His aura is back to normal.' The monk shook his head. 'Under Naraku's spell or not he still killed Kikyo and nearly killed Sango and I… He won't take the news well.'

Sango noticed the slumped posture of the hanyou. 'I wonder if he knows about Kikyo yet?'

"You mean this sword can bring us back to life?" Renkotsu's voice piqued with interest.

Kagome nodded. "Once that is done we'll have a lot of jewel shards to add to our small pile."

Suikotsu's blinked. "How do you use the sword?"

Miroku stepped forward. "Inuyasha how is it that you were able to break from Naraku?"

Inuyasha's eyes filled with deep sadness. "It was Kagome, really."

"I see." Miroku frowned. 'He has to be told sooner or later, but perhaps he has been through enough for now?'

Bankotsu faced Suikotsu. "Midoriko said I must stab each of you through the heart with it and within seconds you will revive as flesh and blood. "

Renkotsu's face crunched up and he backed away shaking his head. "Just let me keep using the jewel shard, please. Anything is better than going through that pain again."

"Stabbing the heart is what the old priestess said I have to do." Bankotsu's eyes narrowed. "Now enough wasting time."

"I don't mind pain if it means getting rid of this cursed shard." Suikotsu rubbed his burning neck where his Shikon shard was.

Bankotsu quickly lined his men against the wall. Jakotsu was the first one to be stabbed. When he stabbed Jakotsu in the heart everyone watching saw his body pulse.

The tension in the air was thick and nearly suffocating as everyone waited with baited breaths.

Bankotsu drew his arm back, sword in hand. "How do you feel Ja?"

Jakotsu placed a hand over his heart with a goofy grin on his face. "My heart is beating."

Sango stepped closer to inspect the area that was stabbed. "No wound." She spoke breathlessly and faltered back a step.

"That's a pretty cool sword you got there." Inuyasha joked. "It's better than Sesshomaru's Tokijin."

Bankotsu smirked at Renkotsu. "You're next." He watched the color drain from the fire breather's face. His hand plunged the dagger deep into the man's heart and he yanked the sword out.

Suikotsu closed his eyes and Bankotsu drove the blade deep into the doctor's heart, withdrawing it as if it had never entered. Suikotsu's eyes widened as his heartbeat entered his ears.

Last was Ginkotsu.

"Big brother, we are all alive once again." Renkotsu hopped onto Ginkotsu's platform.

Kagome giggled. "Only this time you're flesh and blood."

Bankotsu couldn't help but smile at Kagome. He handed her the dagger and removed his armor. "I'd like you to do the honors."

She nodded and gripped the handle. Her eyes locked to his and she drove the blade deep into his heart.

Bankotsu's body pulsed and his heart beat inside his chest. He drew in a deep breath and felt his lungs fill with real oxygen. 'I live once again.' A smirk crossed his lips and his eyes stayed on the woman in front of him.

Kagome withdrew the knife and gasped as it crumbled to dust and the dust was blown away.

Bankotsu's smirk spread. 'Thank you Midoriko.' He faced his men. "Allow Kagome to remove the shards, we no longer need them. If any of you refuse, I will remove them myself and I guarantee I won't be near as gentle as she would." His arms crossed over his chest and he stared at each man.

Each member allowed the priestess to remove their shards, even Renkotsu who was elated to be living once more.

Bankotsu walked behind her and wrapped his arms around Kagome's waist. "Now for the wedding," He rested his chin on her shoulder. 'I can't wait to be bound to Kagome for good.'

Kagome's cheeks brightened and her hand settled on his arm. Everyone elses' eyes widened when she didn't remove Bankotsu's arms. The air thickened once again and all eyes slowly turned to Inuyasha waiting to see his reaction.

XOXOXO:

A/N: That's it for chapter fourteen. Finally Bankotsu and his men are living once again and everyone has been reunited. As always feedback is welcomed with open arms. I always enjoy constructive criticism as well. XD