Bankotsu's Harem
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InuYasha › Het - Male/Female › Shichi'nintai (The Band of Seven)
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Category:
InuYasha › Het - Male/Female › Shichi'nintai (The Band of Seven)
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
16
Views:
15,445
Reviews:
122
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.
6. Placement and Reckoning
AN - Hello all, I am sorry for the long update on this. I had a very hard time writing this chapter. This chapter does have some very dark parts that are not for the faint of heart. I did not take the usual time I do in re-reading and proofreading this chapter, so there may be more errors than usual, if so, gomen.
I am honored that so many reviewed my work, especially that I have SO many great authors’ names proudly on my reviewee list. Domo arigato gozimas! (please don’t tell me if my Japanese spelling sux! I know it does, just like my French, ne Kawool? lol) I was shocked at the number of responses this chapter, and it was only an author’s note! Ty ty ty, big huggles for all, you can only imagine the cloud I was floating on when I checked my reviews and saw the total had jumped so fast, and even better, they were all good reviews, happy dance!!!!
Kawool – you know how I feel about you, and so does everyone else now! Big hugs!
Rasberries – Yes, I love the panda hanyou, I was trying for a character that was totally original. As one of my favorite author’s it makes me feel so good to know that you like my work. I made you feel sorry for Kikyou? YES!!! I also loved the nakie Ban, I took a few screen shots, and saved them, mmmm!
Nia
Kenji
rinsess4ever – ty that is what I was aiming for, I am glad to know I am successful.
Makotochan – here is the update, and the next one will be forthcoming soon.
Nanamie – ty for the compliment, blushes.
Shichinintaigirlover – Ty, your request is granted! Hehe.
NeptuneWaterGoddess – dark lemon, well you be the judge, chapter umm, I think it will be 8 or 9, let me know what you think of it after I post it.
Morgansan
>< ^_^ cpg
Lane – *fans face* too many bishies all at one time, all flustered here. Piccolo was actually one of my first bishies, funny, he is not meant to be I don’t think, but between that voice, the stand offish attitude, and the purple tongue, what woman could resist? Actually my Fav DBZ character is Gogeta, mmmmm, drools at the thought!
Mija – Well, my fellow perv, we will get to the lemons in chappie 7 continuing on with a lemon in each chapter after that for some time! I am glad you like, because I have yet to read one of your stories that I do not like.
animchick262003 – you can add your three cents anytime, you are another one of my favorite authors!
Mules - I am so glad that someone recommended me to you, and that you like! There were so many “Big” names this time, you and Mija, chicky, and Ras, sigh of contentment. My boyfriend laughed at me, cuz I was so giddy!
6. Placement and Reckoning
Saikobi awoke to the sound of someone unlocking her cage it was still dark out, and there was a chill in the air she looked up with her large, luminous eyes and met the heavy lidded smile of Renkotsu. He spoke not a word, gesturing for her to exit her cage.
Saikobi was scared, and her heart pounded in her ears, she did not want to go with this man, she didn't want to be here at all, but what could she do? The tall one had warned them they would beat the girls if they disobeyed and Saikobi had never had anyone lay a hand on her, ever.
Renkotsu led her to the bathhouse; she followed him into the steamy, shadowy room. After lighting a few lanterns, he commanded her to strip and get into the water she hesitated, and she felt a stinging slap to her posterior. Yelping in surprised pain, tears in her eyes she quickly tore off her garment and dove into the water. Being the daughter of a sea merchant, she could swim well, when she raced the men and women of her village, she always won. When the others were floundering to finish, she was refreshed and relaxed. She felt more at home in the water than on the land sometimes. In the water, her grace was unrivaled.
Renkotsu informs Saikobi that she will be the bathhouse girl, she is to bathe all the men, as they come and ... if they can catch her, they get her, Bankotsu has granted his permission.
She swam the length of the warm pool, and surfaced, she looked at Renkotsu with a coy smile gaining a small amount of courage; at last sure she has the upper hand. Renkotsu felt his breath sucked out of his lungs, as if he had been punched, the twinkle in her eye, mixed with the inviting smile, and her hair slicked back by the water, arms fluttering slowly about her as she tread water, causing her full breasts to bounce languidly in the water, this minx was intoxicating.
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Sango sat quietly on the river bank, as she was bid. What they were waiting for, she was not quite certain, what she was certain of, is that this group of men was strong, and she could fight one on one with them, and maybe take one out, given a weapon, but to fight several of them at once would surely be folly, leading to who knew what form of punishment.
Her eyes widened as she saw Kagome led forward. Evidently they would be “trained” together. Kagome was led to a spot a few feet from Sango, close, and yet far enough away that they could not whisper to each other. Sango noticed another man, what was his name? Renkotsu, that was it! He was dragging a small wagon heaped full of what appeared to be dirty laundry, glancing at Kagome, she seemed oblivious to this, as she seemed to be to almost everything else around her, Sango cringed inwardly. Her friend was in a ripe ire, and this was not going to be pretty, she could see Kagome warming up to give one or more of the men a verbal flaying that would leave their ears ringing for days. Kagome could be scary when mad, and what made her worse, was the fact that she was smart, and could insult you, you knew from her tone she was insulting you, but didn’t understand what she was saying. The girl was just too smart! And yet SO stupid at the same time, ‘Oh, Kagome, don’t do it!’ she pleaded silently.
When the man stopped in front of them, dumping his burden of laundry, and it smelled foul, between the girls, Kagome blew up. “How dare you, you son of a horses ass, do I look like your laundry lady! It is not bad enough that you kidnap me, manhandle me and my friend, not to mention those other girls. You tie us up, cage us, and brutalize us; You myopic minded men! You can’t see past the lustful bent of your miniscule penises, but now...” She got no further than this, because a red faced Renkotsu drew out a bamboo rod, raising it to strike, and Sango, seeing this, threw herself across Kagome, knocking Kagome to the ground, and taking the blow meant for her, grunting slightly when he made contact. Before Sango had finished landing, he had her by the hair, and he was furious.
“How dare you meddle in the punishment of this foul-tempered shrew? You will know your place!” So saying, he pulled Sango away by her hair, and Sango ran behind him, doubled over, as his hand held her head at his waist. Her one thought was, at least I saved Kagome from being punished, before cold dread closed around her heart like a vise.
Kagome stared wide-eyed after Sango, her friend had just selflessly taken the punishment that was aimed for her, and now the men were going to do who-knew-what to her, for her act of kindness. Kagome felt hot fat tears start to spill down her cheeks, as hiccupping sobs wracked her body. One of the other men, who had missed her tirade, nudged her with his sandal, “You there, get to work!” Kagome quickly complied, scrubbing all of the laundry with no further complaint, her heart heavy, and worried for her best friend.
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Sango was brought painfully before Jakotsu, and made to kneel. Renkotsu still had a fist full of her hair, and her back arched almost painfully, as she held back tears due to the pain in her scalp.
Jakotsu looks at Renkotsu with a query in his glance, “This one thought to interfere with another slave’s punishment. She threw herself across the other girl, to save her from punishment.”
Jakotsu’s eyes hardened as he looked at her, “We can’t have this. Our rule has to be total. She must be made an example of. This evening when the girls are put back into their cages, take her to the pole, and have her whipped, and then 2 weeks of solitary confinement inside of one of the smaller houses.” The bottom of Sango’s stomach dropped out, but she could not move, Renkotsu still had her by the hair.
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Kikyou shelled another pea, she sighed. She did not relish the kitchen work she had been given, but it was better than some of the other things the other girls were doing, many came back daily with bruises evident. She didn’t want to follow their orders, she resented the fact that they were stronger than her, and she could do nothing at the moment to escape. But she was smart, she was cunning, and if she bided her time, and did as she was told, eventually she would find a way.
Kikyou looked up, at the disturbance, as two of the men entered the kitchen. “You there! Pour Suikotsu some sake, and make it quick.” Kikyou rushed to do as she was bid, kneeling on the dirt floor in front of the men, extending the sake to him. She noticed Suikotsu’s wince of pain, this was the doctor who had captured her.
He downed a few gulps of sake, and muttered to his friend, “I am fine otsuotsu; it is just a pulled muscle, go back to training.” Renkotsu looked his friend in the eyes, nodded and left. Kikyou had busied herself with shelling more of the peas, her back turned to Suikotsu. Suikotsu eyed the girl over the rim of his bowl of sake.
Kikyou turned as she finished her task, gathering up the empty pea pods in a bowl, she dumped them in the composting heap outside the door. She glanced at the table which Suikotsu leaned on, contemplating. She needed to use the table to slice the other vegetables on, but he was sitting at it, would he allow her to use it?
Seeing her dilemma, he sat back, and winced in pain, Kikyou caught his wince. “I could make that better for you...” she stated quietly. He glanced at herd afd after a few moments pause, he nodded.
“Where exactly does it pain you?”
He gestured to his chest. Kikyou knelt between his thighs, and began to rub at his chest through his shirt, but just could not get a good feel of his injured muscle, and hesitantly opened his shirt, drawing it back, so his entire expanse of chest lay bare to her hands. She blushed a little at the intensity of his gaze, but he kept silent, and allowed her freedom to do what she needed. She hadn’t noticed her breasts had brushed across his lower belly.
She smoothed her hands across his chest, and zeroed in on his sharp intake of breath, that was the spot there. She began very gently, only rubbing, and not kneading at all. When she felt him begin to relax under her hands, she began to apply more pressure, working and kneading at the muscle.
She blew at a strand of stray hairs that had fallen in her face, not wanted to stop her therapy, but paused when she felt his hand smooth the hair back and tuck it behind her ear. Her eyes locked with his, and her cheeks flamed, she quickly lowered her eyes from his large, luminous brown orbs. She had seen something in them, a fire that she didn’t want to name, but it had caused something to stir in her, and she felt heat pooling in her nether region.
She felt the tension leave the muscle, and worked over his entire chest, not wanting to stop touching the satiny skin, that felt so good under her hands. Suikotsu had the grace to look slightly abashed when a throat was cleared behind him. Kikyou hadn’t seen anyone walk in, her eyes being fixed on his chest, and jumped in guilty surprise.
“Are we taking advantage of my scullery slave, Suikotsu?” Jakotsu asked benignly.
“Sorry, brother, but she has skillful hands, on an injured muscle. She would make a great doctor’s assistant.”
Jakotsu chuckled a little, and ordered Kikyou to finish the meal preparations. Kikyou scurried to obey, having been on the receiving end of Jakotsu’s ire on a few occasions. Satisfied with her obedience, he turned back to Suikotsu, and drew him out of the kitchen, along with the jug of sake. Kikyou breathed a sigh of relief at their departure. But then she closed her eyes, and imagined her hands on Suikotsu’s strong chest again, and felt her cheeks flame again, as desire pooled in her lower belly. This would never do, she had devoted her life to higher means than this, she had forsaken all earthly pleasures, and as such, should not be feeling such temptations. She would need to meditate long and hard tonight.
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Ayame eyed the other girls, it was noir, ir, her clothes had been taken from her again, and the bruises were still showing from the last time she looked Jakotsu in the eye. ‘I am not a harem girl, I am not a slave, I am the daughter of the head of the North wolf clan, I am destined to rule, not grovel, how dare these impudent nothings try to cage me!’ Ayame sucked in a breath of surprised shock as Jakotsu’s whip snaked out and bit into her thigh.
“Stupid girl! You listen to an order when given!” Ayame glanced at the other girls and noticed all of them prostrate on the ground. Ayame threw him a defiant glance before placing her head to the dirt in front of her. Jakotsu caught the look of raw hatred in her glance, and quickly walked over to her, smacking her with his bamboo rod several times, Ayame curled into a small ball to protect her naked body from the blows raining down on her. He punctuated each slap with a phrase, “Youeverever...look...at your...master...with anything...but respect...and or fear! *whack! whack! whack!* Ayame stifled her cries of pain, and hid her tears well, she would not allow this savage to see her cry.
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Kagome watched in horror as Sango was lead before everyone. A manacle had been affixed to each of her appendages, and a chain was attached to her collar, as she was lead forth as a common beast. The girls had been lined up to watch the spectacle, it was late afternoon, still summer, so there were still several hours of daylight left.
What hurt Kagome the worst was the pride she saw in Sango’s stride. Even chained and led as she was, she still carried her head high, and Kagome knew that the horrible Jakotsu would beat this out of her. This was all her fault, had she just listened to what she was told, had she bothered to look around her, had she controlled her temper, none of this would be happening now. And if that wasn’t bad enough, it was Sango out there, when it should have been her therthere. Kagome felt pricking in the back of her eyes as tears came unbidden. How she wanted to curl into a remorseful ball of self pity and wallow in it.
Sango’s gaze locked onto hers, and she knew that her friend did not blame her, which made Kagome’s heart squeeze tighter in her chest. They held each others gaze, waiting, Kagome’s remorseful and full of anguish, Sango’s calm and with no remorse, she kept her face neutral, as before a battle. Kagome would never know that behind Sango’s gaze, her heart cried out, this is what little I can do for you Kagome for not saving you from this fate; this is the penance that I owe.
Kyoukotsu stood off to the side, a sentinel watching over everything, and Ginkotsu a grotesque figure, held many of the girls attention. Renkotsu fiddled with a fire, as Suikotsu and Jakotsu flanked Sango. Renkotsu joined Suikotsu and Jakotsu and the men seemed to be waiting. When Mukotsu ran up by Ginkotsu, taking a seat, he sent a nod in Jakotsu’s direction, and Jakotsu yelled for attention. In a loud, clear voice that carried to all, Renkotsu spoke.
“For act of outright defiance and subjugating the authority of her masters, the slave Sango is charged with intent, and has been found guilty. (AN – although I am trying to make this sound like a court’s ruling, there was no trial, the men decided, and Sango has no option to defend herself.) Punishment shall be 20 lashings of the whip, and marking, followed by 2 weeks of solitary confinement.” Sango visibly paled at this, but kept her calm demeanor, and did not struggle when they stood her up, or when they strung her manacled wrists above her head, attaching them to a hook on the pole in the town center. From this point on, the pole was known as the punishment pole, for the full scope of it was finally understood, the odd hooks hanging out from it were to bind slaves to it as or to receive public punishment.
When Sango’s wrists were secured, Renkotsu pulled out a knife, and all of the girls held their breath as he walked towards Sango with it, but he merely cut the cord at her waist, and then slashed through each shoulder of her garment, leaving it to flutter to the ground. Jakotsu approached with two long pins in his hand, these were familiar to the girls, and he jerked her head back as he pulled her hair up, expertly twisting it atop her head, and sliding the pins in to hold it there. Having been prepared, Jakotsu walked to Renkotsu who held the whip, and took it from him,
“Everyone will count the lashings as they are dispensed, is that understood!” Renkostu barked out.
“Yes, master!” the girls cried.
Jakotsu turned to Sango, unfurled the whip, and waited a few seconds, allowing her to squirm, which she never did. Sango flinched and bit her lip so as not to cry out when she heard the crack, and felt the whip bite into her back. “One!” they collectively shouted.
Pain lanced through her with each crack of the whip with each number called out, she was not sure what number that she felt the blood begin to run down her back on, but she knew it was a bloody, meaty mess, that was on fire. “19...20!” A nearly unconscious Sango had long since given up the fight to stand on her own two feet, and allowed her arms to support her weight.
She was pulled down from the hook, and was lead by each elbow, her legs dragging behind over to Ginkotsu, her arms were spread, and locked onto clamps on Ginkotsu’s frame. A gag was stuffed into her mouth, and Jakotsu and Suikotsu each held a leg, as she was suspended horizontally, face up. Renkotsu approached the fire, grabbed something and walked over to Sango.
“Hold her tightly,” he said, and the others nodded their understanding. Sango’s eyes bulged out as she saw what Renkotsu held in his hand. She began to struggle for the first time, as she saw him line the red-hot brand up with her thigh, trying to find the right location. It was no use, she was so weakened from the whipping, that she had very little struggle left in her, and each of the men was firmly holding her, not allowing movement.
“This brand declares you a slave,” Renkotsu stated loudly, for all to hear. “It says, I am the slave of Bankotsu.” Sango screamed around the gag, as the brand pressed into her flesh, the smell of searing flesh caused Panjiiro to lose the contents of her stomach, and all of the girls looked a little green. Kagome was near to hysterics, but did not move, so the men did not punish her. Sango blessedly lost consciousness, and the men allowed her to remain unconscious. They lay her face-down on the grass, and Suikotsu rubbed a burn salve across her brand, as well as cleansed her back. It was not as bad as it felt to Sango, but she did have several open wounds, as well as bruising, which would be much worse tomorrow. Her unconscious body was taken away, to be locked up inside of a small room in one of the houses for her two weeks confinement.
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The girls had been left lined up, and awaited the return of Suikotsu and Renkotsu. Kagome’s heart wrenching sobs had subsided to muffled crying when Jakotsu had finally taken notice of her, and whacked her with the bamboo rod a few times. When the men had returned, Renkotsu beckoned Kagome forward, and Kagome looked with bewilderment at the men, not wanting to set a foot forward. Renkotsu gave her a lazy grin, “You didn’t think we forgot the part you played in this whole escapade, now did you, slave?”
Kagome averted her gaze, feeling the blood rush from her face, “No, master.” With muscles made of lead, she moved forward. When she reached the men, the fastened her to Ginkotsu’s frame, just like they had with Sango, stuffing a gag in her mouth, and Suikotsu and Jakotsu took her feet, suspending her the same way they did with Sango. The brand had been reheated, and was once again red-hot. Renkotsu walked to Kagome’s side, told the men to hold her tight, and announced, “This declares you a slave, it says, I am the slave of Bankotsu.” And pressed it into her flesh. Kagome screamed in agony, as the poker was held to her flesh for what felt like several minutes. Kagome panted around her gag. When they did not immediately release her, Kagome felt panic, “And this one says, I am a shrew.” Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes, and screamed around her gag, as the second brand was pressed to her flesh mere inches below the first one. This time Kikyou and Saikobi both lost their lunch at the smell of burning flesh that permeated the air.
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Panjiiro felt her heart beat faster, the men had lined them up again, and she felt the anxiety of being this close to another person build up inside of her, she tried to clamp the panic down, and was somewhat successful, closing her purple eyes and thinking of lush green forest, the scent of the wet leaves covered in the early morning dew, as she sped her way through the forest, wind whipping in her face, and hair flowing behind her. The taste of fresh bamboo shoots on her tongue, her stomach rumbled a little, the coarse bread they had been fed was not very appetizing, and she refused to touch the meat they tried to feed her. Her stomach turned at the thought. (In case you have not guessed, she is a vegetarian, like all pandas.)
She was broken from her reverie by the sound of Jakotsu, the really mean man, barking orders at them. She tried to keep her gaze passive as she looked at him, she knew even a wrong look would earn her a sharp slap of the whip, or worse, depending on his mood.
When he ordered them to stand close to one another, Panjiiro could not help herself, the panic she had moments ago calmed, rose back up inside of her. She could not stand that close to another person, she could not force herself to. Having been isolated from humans for so many years, and remembering their cruelty, she had a fear of them, even the other captives, it was not rational, it was not intentional, it just was. Remembering the other village childteasteasing and pushing her around, watching her mother’s death as a small child, watching hunters encroaching on her forest, watching her forest burn, as she was carried away captive, all of these things added up to a fear that she could not stop feeling, any more than she could stop breathing.
When Jakotsu noticed Panjiiro was not standing near the other girls, he took exception, and ordered her closer, so moved an inch closer, and then another. Jakotsu lost patience with her quickly and his whip cracked her posterior, causing an already panicked Panjiiro to jump in fright, and revert to her more demonic instincts to protect her. Her eyes blazed a brilliant shade of violet, and a wind whipped around her, causing her hair to whip in several different directions all at once. She seemed to grow in size, and a growl was emitted from deep within her throat. Rational thought had fled to the latter recesses of her mind, as her panda instincts took over, and a pissed off panda she was!
Jakotsu was momentarily taken aback, but quickly ordered the other women to flee to the town center and await their next order, which they did without any hesitation, throwing glances back over their shoulders as they fled. The passed a bemused Renkotsu, who ordered Kagome to tell him what was going on. His eyes widened, and he ordered the girls to wait in front of their respective cages, as he ran the opposite direction.
Jakotsu squared off against Panjiiro, only having his whip and a bamboo rod as weapons. She on the other hand had razor sharp claws at her disposal as well as a nice mouth full of fangs, and her slight frame had become much more muscular, and judging by the look of her eyes, her demonic side was totally in control. This was the damn problem with demons, or hanyou, he cursed silently. Panjiiro agilely jumped forward, and took a swipe at Jakotsu, who dodged out of the way, anticipating her movement, but not the speed of it, and did not come away unscathed. She had raked her claws across his upper arm, leaving 4 angry slashes oozing blood. Jakotsu did not have time to examine the wound, he felt himself getting slightly hard. This was going to be no cakewalk, subduing the angered demoness, and he relished the thought of a nice bloody battle. He licked his lips while trying to anticipate her next move, not willing to wait, he struck out with his whip, instead of leaping to the side to avoid the whip, as he thought she would, she charged him, dodging his blow easily. Jakotsu felt a moment of panic as she carried him to the ground, her nails biting into his flesh. I am going to be killed by a woman? This can not happen, this must not happen, I will not allow a WOMAN to best me, the mighty Jakotsu! He began to rain blows over her head and shoulders with his bamboo rod, but she seemed unfazed, raising her clawed hand to strike a blow, a deep growl in her throat rumbled against Jakotsu’s chest. He felt a moment’s puzzlement when his body was suddenly devoid of her weight.
He looked up to see what had happened, and saw Panjiiro fighting Renkotsu like a hellcat as Mukotsu breathed something into her face, her struggles became slower, and less forceful as the drug took effect. Before long, all struggles ceased as Panjiiro sat calmly before Mukotsu, devoid of expression. Suikotsu offered his hand to Jakotsu, helping him up, and examining his wounds.
“Looks like you really pissed this one off Jak, what did you do? Drink this.” Suikotsu asked in a slightly distracted voice.
“I just ordered her to stand by the other girls, and when she refused, I whipped her,” Jakotsu winced slightly as a needle pierced his flesh, the liquid opium not having fully dulled his senses yet.** Suikotsu expertly sewed his wounds closed, 3 of the initial 4 in his arm had needed stitches. He treated these as well as bandaging myriad cuts and abrasions to his chest, some quite deep. By the time he finished, Jakotsu was asleep.
Suikotsu reflected on what Jakotsu had said, and spoke quietly with Renkotsu and Mukotsu about it. They agreed to help him test his theory later, in the mean time, the other girls were probably running amuck in the town center, Mukotsu went, while Renkotsu helped Suikotsu carry Jakotsu to a more comfortable place to rest.
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Panjiiro awoke from the haze that clouded her senses. She was still somewhat groggy, but the first thing that she noticed was that she was not alone in her cage. Shooteooted to the opposite side of her cage, to be stopped by a chain that was affixed to her leg; it ran from her leg to the other girl’s leg. Green eyes fixed on her, with a resigned look. “This is our punishment,” Ayame stated, “Yours for attacking Jakotsu, and mine for defying Renkotsu, and speaking out of turn.” She let out a soft snort, and turned back to staring out of the cage.
‘Our punishment? No! I cannot take this form of punishment; I cannot stand to be this close to anyone. Yes, I hate the cage, but I can deal with it, just so long as I don’t have to be close to someone else!’ Panjiiro thought to herself, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it.
Suikotsu watched Panjiiro’s facial expressions when she awoke, and took in the look of utter panic that crossed her features when she realized that her solitude had been ripped from her. ‘It appears that I have judged this one correctly,’ he said to himself.
Panjiiro and Ayame were shackled together for several days like this. The ate together, slept together, trained together, bathed together, even went to the bathroom together, this was the hardest thing to deal with. Just when the girls were finally used to each other, they were separated. At first, Panjiiro felt bereft without Ayame there, but she began to be glad that she had her solitude back.
As time progressed, each time Panjiiro balked away from the others, she found herself shackled to a different on of the girls, until she was used to having someone in her personal space, and no longer flinched away from human contact.
When she was not shackled to another girl, she had private training sessions with one of the men. There was always some form of touching involved, either she was to dress him, or groom him, or some other intimate duty, which required physical contact. In the beginning, she had many bruises from the bamboo rod, but she began to accept, and even enjoy these sessions, for it meant that she did not have to do some of the other more strenuous or tedious work that the other girls were doing, and these men smelled nice, they were obviously bathing frequently, and she knew their clothes were cleaned regularly, as she helped wash them.
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**I am pretty sure they had stitches at this time, but am not certain. Nor am I certain that opium was what they would have used, but I watched on TV that early painkillers used a form of strong drugs such as opium here in America, and that the ever popular laudanum used in medieval England was also primarily composed of opium (if it wasn’t opium, it was an equally strong addictive drug). Since opium was so popular in China, causing severe problems, (a vast majority of the population of one of the upper territories of China was addicted to the drug, and the emperor had been displaced, and so could do nothing about it, this I watched in a true movie I think it may have been The Last Emperor, a very good and informative movie, but I may be mixing movies up, as I often do, if anyone can confirm what movie I am babbling about, let me know in a review. Anyway... I am assuming that it was also popular in nearby Japan, so therefore probably used as an early painkiller there. So I guess you could call it an educated guess ^_-
I hope you enjoyed chapter 6, and depending on how many reviews I get, will decide how quickly chapter 7 gets posted, I have 3/4 of it written, the first lemon! Bankotsu and .... (ain't I a tease?)
I am honored that so many reviewed my work, especially that I have SO many great authors’ names proudly on my reviewee list. Domo arigato gozimas! (please don’t tell me if my Japanese spelling sux! I know it does, just like my French, ne Kawool? lol) I was shocked at the number of responses this chapter, and it was only an author’s note! Ty ty ty, big huggles for all, you can only imagine the cloud I was floating on when I checked my reviews and saw the total had jumped so fast, and even better, they were all good reviews, happy dance!!!!
Kawool – you know how I feel about you, and so does everyone else now! Big hugs!
Rasberries – Yes, I love the panda hanyou, I was trying for a character that was totally original. As one of my favorite author’s it makes me feel so good to know that you like my work. I made you feel sorry for Kikyou? YES!!! I also loved the nakie Ban, I took a few screen shots, and saved them, mmmm!
Nia
Kenji
rinsess4ever – ty that is what I was aiming for, I am glad to know I am successful.
Makotochan – here is the update, and the next one will be forthcoming soon.
Nanamie – ty for the compliment, blushes.
Shichinintaigirlover – Ty, your request is granted! Hehe.
NeptuneWaterGoddess – dark lemon, well you be the judge, chapter umm, I think it will be 8 or 9, let me know what you think of it after I post it.
Morgansan
>< ^_^ cpg
Lane – *fans face* too many bishies all at one time, all flustered here. Piccolo was actually one of my first bishies, funny, he is not meant to be I don’t think, but between that voice, the stand offish attitude, and the purple tongue, what woman could resist? Actually my Fav DBZ character is Gogeta, mmmmm, drools at the thought!
Mija – Well, my fellow perv, we will get to the lemons in chappie 7 continuing on with a lemon in each chapter after that for some time! I am glad you like, because I have yet to read one of your stories that I do not like.
animchick262003 – you can add your three cents anytime, you are another one of my favorite authors!
Mules - I am so glad that someone recommended me to you, and that you like! There were so many “Big” names this time, you and Mija, chicky, and Ras, sigh of contentment. My boyfriend laughed at me, cuz I was so giddy!
6. Placement and Reckoning
Saikobi awoke to the sound of someone unlocking her cage it was still dark out, and there was a chill in the air she looked up with her large, luminous eyes and met the heavy lidded smile of Renkotsu. He spoke not a word, gesturing for her to exit her cage.
Saikobi was scared, and her heart pounded in her ears, she did not want to go with this man, she didn't want to be here at all, but what could she do? The tall one had warned them they would beat the girls if they disobeyed and Saikobi had never had anyone lay a hand on her, ever.
Renkotsu led her to the bathhouse; she followed him into the steamy, shadowy room. After lighting a few lanterns, he commanded her to strip and get into the water she hesitated, and she felt a stinging slap to her posterior. Yelping in surprised pain, tears in her eyes she quickly tore off her garment and dove into the water. Being the daughter of a sea merchant, she could swim well, when she raced the men and women of her village, she always won. When the others were floundering to finish, she was refreshed and relaxed. She felt more at home in the water than on the land sometimes. In the water, her grace was unrivaled.
Renkotsu informs Saikobi that she will be the bathhouse girl, she is to bathe all the men, as they come and ... if they can catch her, they get her, Bankotsu has granted his permission.
She swam the length of the warm pool, and surfaced, she looked at Renkotsu with a coy smile gaining a small amount of courage; at last sure she has the upper hand. Renkotsu felt his breath sucked out of his lungs, as if he had been punched, the twinkle in her eye, mixed with the inviting smile, and her hair slicked back by the water, arms fluttering slowly about her as she tread water, causing her full breasts to bounce languidly in the water, this minx was intoxicating.
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Sango sat quietly on the river bank, as she was bid. What they were waiting for, she was not quite certain, what she was certain of, is that this group of men was strong, and she could fight one on one with them, and maybe take one out, given a weapon, but to fight several of them at once would surely be folly, leading to who knew what form of punishment.
Her eyes widened as she saw Kagome led forward. Evidently they would be “trained” together. Kagome was led to a spot a few feet from Sango, close, and yet far enough away that they could not whisper to each other. Sango noticed another man, what was his name? Renkotsu, that was it! He was dragging a small wagon heaped full of what appeared to be dirty laundry, glancing at Kagome, she seemed oblivious to this, as she seemed to be to almost everything else around her, Sango cringed inwardly. Her friend was in a ripe ire, and this was not going to be pretty, she could see Kagome warming up to give one or more of the men a verbal flaying that would leave their ears ringing for days. Kagome could be scary when mad, and what made her worse, was the fact that she was smart, and could insult you, you knew from her tone she was insulting you, but didn’t understand what she was saying. The girl was just too smart! And yet SO stupid at the same time, ‘Oh, Kagome, don’t do it!’ she pleaded silently.
When the man stopped in front of them, dumping his burden of laundry, and it smelled foul, between the girls, Kagome blew up. “How dare you, you son of a horses ass, do I look like your laundry lady! It is not bad enough that you kidnap me, manhandle me and my friend, not to mention those other girls. You tie us up, cage us, and brutalize us; You myopic minded men! You can’t see past the lustful bent of your miniscule penises, but now...” She got no further than this, because a red faced Renkotsu drew out a bamboo rod, raising it to strike, and Sango, seeing this, threw herself across Kagome, knocking Kagome to the ground, and taking the blow meant for her, grunting slightly when he made contact. Before Sango had finished landing, he had her by the hair, and he was furious.
“How dare you meddle in the punishment of this foul-tempered shrew? You will know your place!” So saying, he pulled Sango away by her hair, and Sango ran behind him, doubled over, as his hand held her head at his waist. Her one thought was, at least I saved Kagome from being punished, before cold dread closed around her heart like a vise.
Kagome stared wide-eyed after Sango, her friend had just selflessly taken the punishment that was aimed for her, and now the men were going to do who-knew-what to her, for her act of kindness. Kagome felt hot fat tears start to spill down her cheeks, as hiccupping sobs wracked her body. One of the other men, who had missed her tirade, nudged her with his sandal, “You there, get to work!” Kagome quickly complied, scrubbing all of the laundry with no further complaint, her heart heavy, and worried for her best friend.
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Sango was brought painfully before Jakotsu, and made to kneel. Renkotsu still had a fist full of her hair, and her back arched almost painfully, as she held back tears due to the pain in her scalp.
Jakotsu looks at Renkotsu with a query in his glance, “This one thought to interfere with another slave’s punishment. She threw herself across the other girl, to save her from punishment.”
Jakotsu’s eyes hardened as he looked at her, “We can’t have this. Our rule has to be total. She must be made an example of. This evening when the girls are put back into their cages, take her to the pole, and have her whipped, and then 2 weeks of solitary confinement inside of one of the smaller houses.” The bottom of Sango’s stomach dropped out, but she could not move, Renkotsu still had her by the hair.
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Kikyou shelled another pea, she sighed. She did not relish the kitchen work she had been given, but it was better than some of the other things the other girls were doing, many came back daily with bruises evident. She didn’t want to follow their orders, she resented the fact that they were stronger than her, and she could do nothing at the moment to escape. But she was smart, she was cunning, and if she bided her time, and did as she was told, eventually she would find a way.
Kikyou looked up, at the disturbance, as two of the men entered the kitchen. “You there! Pour Suikotsu some sake, and make it quick.” Kikyou rushed to do as she was bid, kneeling on the dirt floor in front of the men, extending the sake to him. She noticed Suikotsu’s wince of pain, this was the doctor who had captured her.
He downed a few gulps of sake, and muttered to his friend, “I am fine otsuotsu; it is just a pulled muscle, go back to training.” Renkotsu looked his friend in the eyes, nodded and left. Kikyou had busied herself with shelling more of the peas, her back turned to Suikotsu. Suikotsu eyed the girl over the rim of his bowl of sake.
Kikyou turned as she finished her task, gathering up the empty pea pods in a bowl, she dumped them in the composting heap outside the door. She glanced at the table which Suikotsu leaned on, contemplating. She needed to use the table to slice the other vegetables on, but he was sitting at it, would he allow her to use it?
Seeing her dilemma, he sat back, and winced in pain, Kikyou caught his wince. “I could make that better for you...” she stated quietly. He glanced at herd afd after a few moments pause, he nodded.
“Where exactly does it pain you?”
He gestured to his chest. Kikyou knelt between his thighs, and began to rub at his chest through his shirt, but just could not get a good feel of his injured muscle, and hesitantly opened his shirt, drawing it back, so his entire expanse of chest lay bare to her hands. She blushed a little at the intensity of his gaze, but he kept silent, and allowed her freedom to do what she needed. She hadn’t noticed her breasts had brushed across his lower belly.
She smoothed her hands across his chest, and zeroed in on his sharp intake of breath, that was the spot there. She began very gently, only rubbing, and not kneading at all. When she felt him begin to relax under her hands, she began to apply more pressure, working and kneading at the muscle.
She blew at a strand of stray hairs that had fallen in her face, not wanted to stop her therapy, but paused when she felt his hand smooth the hair back and tuck it behind her ear. Her eyes locked with his, and her cheeks flamed, she quickly lowered her eyes from his large, luminous brown orbs. She had seen something in them, a fire that she didn’t want to name, but it had caused something to stir in her, and she felt heat pooling in her nether region.
She felt the tension leave the muscle, and worked over his entire chest, not wanting to stop touching the satiny skin, that felt so good under her hands. Suikotsu had the grace to look slightly abashed when a throat was cleared behind him. Kikyou hadn’t seen anyone walk in, her eyes being fixed on his chest, and jumped in guilty surprise.
“Are we taking advantage of my scullery slave, Suikotsu?” Jakotsu asked benignly.
“Sorry, brother, but she has skillful hands, on an injured muscle. She would make a great doctor’s assistant.”
Jakotsu chuckled a little, and ordered Kikyou to finish the meal preparations. Kikyou scurried to obey, having been on the receiving end of Jakotsu’s ire on a few occasions. Satisfied with her obedience, he turned back to Suikotsu, and drew him out of the kitchen, along with the jug of sake. Kikyou breathed a sigh of relief at their departure. But then she closed her eyes, and imagined her hands on Suikotsu’s strong chest again, and felt her cheeks flame again, as desire pooled in her lower belly. This would never do, she had devoted her life to higher means than this, she had forsaken all earthly pleasures, and as such, should not be feeling such temptations. She would need to meditate long and hard tonight.
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Ayame eyed the other girls, it was noir, ir, her clothes had been taken from her again, and the bruises were still showing from the last time she looked Jakotsu in the eye. ‘I am not a harem girl, I am not a slave, I am the daughter of the head of the North wolf clan, I am destined to rule, not grovel, how dare these impudent nothings try to cage me!’ Ayame sucked in a breath of surprised shock as Jakotsu’s whip snaked out and bit into her thigh.
“Stupid girl! You listen to an order when given!” Ayame glanced at the other girls and noticed all of them prostrate on the ground. Ayame threw him a defiant glance before placing her head to the dirt in front of her. Jakotsu caught the look of raw hatred in her glance, and quickly walked over to her, smacking her with his bamboo rod several times, Ayame curled into a small ball to protect her naked body from the blows raining down on her. He punctuated each slap with a phrase, “Youeverever...look...at your...master...with anything...but respect...and or fear! *whack! whack! whack!* Ayame stifled her cries of pain, and hid her tears well, she would not allow this savage to see her cry.
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Kagome watched in horror as Sango was lead before everyone. A manacle had been affixed to each of her appendages, and a chain was attached to her collar, as she was lead forth as a common beast. The girls had been lined up to watch the spectacle, it was late afternoon, still summer, so there were still several hours of daylight left.
What hurt Kagome the worst was the pride she saw in Sango’s stride. Even chained and led as she was, she still carried her head high, and Kagome knew that the horrible Jakotsu would beat this out of her. This was all her fault, had she just listened to what she was told, had she bothered to look around her, had she controlled her temper, none of this would be happening now. And if that wasn’t bad enough, it was Sango out there, when it should have been her therthere. Kagome felt pricking in the back of her eyes as tears came unbidden. How she wanted to curl into a remorseful ball of self pity and wallow in it.
Sango’s gaze locked onto hers, and she knew that her friend did not blame her, which made Kagome’s heart squeeze tighter in her chest. They held each others gaze, waiting, Kagome’s remorseful and full of anguish, Sango’s calm and with no remorse, she kept her face neutral, as before a battle. Kagome would never know that behind Sango’s gaze, her heart cried out, this is what little I can do for you Kagome for not saving you from this fate; this is the penance that I owe.
Kyoukotsu stood off to the side, a sentinel watching over everything, and Ginkotsu a grotesque figure, held many of the girls attention. Renkotsu fiddled with a fire, as Suikotsu and Jakotsu flanked Sango. Renkotsu joined Suikotsu and Jakotsu and the men seemed to be waiting. When Mukotsu ran up by Ginkotsu, taking a seat, he sent a nod in Jakotsu’s direction, and Jakotsu yelled for attention. In a loud, clear voice that carried to all, Renkotsu spoke.
“For act of outright defiance and subjugating the authority of her masters, the slave Sango is charged with intent, and has been found guilty. (AN – although I am trying to make this sound like a court’s ruling, there was no trial, the men decided, and Sango has no option to defend herself.) Punishment shall be 20 lashings of the whip, and marking, followed by 2 weeks of solitary confinement.” Sango visibly paled at this, but kept her calm demeanor, and did not struggle when they stood her up, or when they strung her manacled wrists above her head, attaching them to a hook on the pole in the town center. From this point on, the pole was known as the punishment pole, for the full scope of it was finally understood, the odd hooks hanging out from it were to bind slaves to it as or to receive public punishment.
When Sango’s wrists were secured, Renkotsu pulled out a knife, and all of the girls held their breath as he walked towards Sango with it, but he merely cut the cord at her waist, and then slashed through each shoulder of her garment, leaving it to flutter to the ground. Jakotsu approached with two long pins in his hand, these were familiar to the girls, and he jerked her head back as he pulled her hair up, expertly twisting it atop her head, and sliding the pins in to hold it there. Having been prepared, Jakotsu walked to Renkotsu who held the whip, and took it from him,
“Everyone will count the lashings as they are dispensed, is that understood!” Renkostu barked out.
“Yes, master!” the girls cried.
Jakotsu turned to Sango, unfurled the whip, and waited a few seconds, allowing her to squirm, which she never did. Sango flinched and bit her lip so as not to cry out when she heard the crack, and felt the whip bite into her back. “One!” they collectively shouted.
Pain lanced through her with each crack of the whip with each number called out, she was not sure what number that she felt the blood begin to run down her back on, but she knew it was a bloody, meaty mess, that was on fire. “19...20!” A nearly unconscious Sango had long since given up the fight to stand on her own two feet, and allowed her arms to support her weight.
She was pulled down from the hook, and was lead by each elbow, her legs dragging behind over to Ginkotsu, her arms were spread, and locked onto clamps on Ginkotsu’s frame. A gag was stuffed into her mouth, and Jakotsu and Suikotsu each held a leg, as she was suspended horizontally, face up. Renkotsu approached the fire, grabbed something and walked over to Sango.
“Hold her tightly,” he said, and the others nodded their understanding. Sango’s eyes bulged out as she saw what Renkotsu held in his hand. She began to struggle for the first time, as she saw him line the red-hot brand up with her thigh, trying to find the right location. It was no use, she was so weakened from the whipping, that she had very little struggle left in her, and each of the men was firmly holding her, not allowing movement.
“This brand declares you a slave,” Renkotsu stated loudly, for all to hear. “It says, I am the slave of Bankotsu.” Sango screamed around the gag, as the brand pressed into her flesh, the smell of searing flesh caused Panjiiro to lose the contents of her stomach, and all of the girls looked a little green. Kagome was near to hysterics, but did not move, so the men did not punish her. Sango blessedly lost consciousness, and the men allowed her to remain unconscious. They lay her face-down on the grass, and Suikotsu rubbed a burn salve across her brand, as well as cleansed her back. It was not as bad as it felt to Sango, but she did have several open wounds, as well as bruising, which would be much worse tomorrow. Her unconscious body was taken away, to be locked up inside of a small room in one of the houses for her two weeks confinement.
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The girls had been left lined up, and awaited the return of Suikotsu and Renkotsu. Kagome’s heart wrenching sobs had subsided to muffled crying when Jakotsu had finally taken notice of her, and whacked her with the bamboo rod a few times. When the men had returned, Renkotsu beckoned Kagome forward, and Kagome looked with bewilderment at the men, not wanting to set a foot forward. Renkotsu gave her a lazy grin, “You didn’t think we forgot the part you played in this whole escapade, now did you, slave?”
Kagome averted her gaze, feeling the blood rush from her face, “No, master.” With muscles made of lead, she moved forward. When she reached the men, the fastened her to Ginkotsu’s frame, just like they had with Sango, stuffing a gag in her mouth, and Suikotsu and Jakotsu took her feet, suspending her the same way they did with Sango. The brand had been reheated, and was once again red-hot. Renkotsu walked to Kagome’s side, told the men to hold her tight, and announced, “This declares you a slave, it says, I am the slave of Bankotsu.” And pressed it into her flesh. Kagome screamed in agony, as the poker was held to her flesh for what felt like several minutes. Kagome panted around her gag. When they did not immediately release her, Kagome felt panic, “And this one says, I am a shrew.” Kagome felt tears well up in her eyes, and screamed around her gag, as the second brand was pressed to her flesh mere inches below the first one. This time Kikyou and Saikobi both lost their lunch at the smell of burning flesh that permeated the air.
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Panjiiro felt her heart beat faster, the men had lined them up again, and she felt the anxiety of being this close to another person build up inside of her, she tried to clamp the panic down, and was somewhat successful, closing her purple eyes and thinking of lush green forest, the scent of the wet leaves covered in the early morning dew, as she sped her way through the forest, wind whipping in her face, and hair flowing behind her. The taste of fresh bamboo shoots on her tongue, her stomach rumbled a little, the coarse bread they had been fed was not very appetizing, and she refused to touch the meat they tried to feed her. Her stomach turned at the thought. (In case you have not guessed, she is a vegetarian, like all pandas.)
She was broken from her reverie by the sound of Jakotsu, the really mean man, barking orders at them. She tried to keep her gaze passive as she looked at him, she knew even a wrong look would earn her a sharp slap of the whip, or worse, depending on his mood.
When he ordered them to stand close to one another, Panjiiro could not help herself, the panic she had moments ago calmed, rose back up inside of her. She could not stand that close to another person, she could not force herself to. Having been isolated from humans for so many years, and remembering their cruelty, she had a fear of them, even the other captives, it was not rational, it was not intentional, it just was. Remembering the other village childteasteasing and pushing her around, watching her mother’s death as a small child, watching hunters encroaching on her forest, watching her forest burn, as she was carried away captive, all of these things added up to a fear that she could not stop feeling, any more than she could stop breathing.
When Jakotsu noticed Panjiiro was not standing near the other girls, he took exception, and ordered her closer, so moved an inch closer, and then another. Jakotsu lost patience with her quickly and his whip cracked her posterior, causing an already panicked Panjiiro to jump in fright, and revert to her more demonic instincts to protect her. Her eyes blazed a brilliant shade of violet, and a wind whipped around her, causing her hair to whip in several different directions all at once. She seemed to grow in size, and a growl was emitted from deep within her throat. Rational thought had fled to the latter recesses of her mind, as her panda instincts took over, and a pissed off panda she was!
Jakotsu was momentarily taken aback, but quickly ordered the other women to flee to the town center and await their next order, which they did without any hesitation, throwing glances back over their shoulders as they fled. The passed a bemused Renkotsu, who ordered Kagome to tell him what was going on. His eyes widened, and he ordered the girls to wait in front of their respective cages, as he ran the opposite direction.
Jakotsu squared off against Panjiiro, only having his whip and a bamboo rod as weapons. She on the other hand had razor sharp claws at her disposal as well as a nice mouth full of fangs, and her slight frame had become much more muscular, and judging by the look of her eyes, her demonic side was totally in control. This was the damn problem with demons, or hanyou, he cursed silently. Panjiiro agilely jumped forward, and took a swipe at Jakotsu, who dodged out of the way, anticipating her movement, but not the speed of it, and did not come away unscathed. She had raked her claws across his upper arm, leaving 4 angry slashes oozing blood. Jakotsu did not have time to examine the wound, he felt himself getting slightly hard. This was going to be no cakewalk, subduing the angered demoness, and he relished the thought of a nice bloody battle. He licked his lips while trying to anticipate her next move, not willing to wait, he struck out with his whip, instead of leaping to the side to avoid the whip, as he thought she would, she charged him, dodging his blow easily. Jakotsu felt a moment of panic as she carried him to the ground, her nails biting into his flesh. I am going to be killed by a woman? This can not happen, this must not happen, I will not allow a WOMAN to best me, the mighty Jakotsu! He began to rain blows over her head and shoulders with his bamboo rod, but she seemed unfazed, raising her clawed hand to strike a blow, a deep growl in her throat rumbled against Jakotsu’s chest. He felt a moment’s puzzlement when his body was suddenly devoid of her weight.
He looked up to see what had happened, and saw Panjiiro fighting Renkotsu like a hellcat as Mukotsu breathed something into her face, her struggles became slower, and less forceful as the drug took effect. Before long, all struggles ceased as Panjiiro sat calmly before Mukotsu, devoid of expression. Suikotsu offered his hand to Jakotsu, helping him up, and examining his wounds.
“Looks like you really pissed this one off Jak, what did you do? Drink this.” Suikotsu asked in a slightly distracted voice.
“I just ordered her to stand by the other girls, and when she refused, I whipped her,” Jakotsu winced slightly as a needle pierced his flesh, the liquid opium not having fully dulled his senses yet.** Suikotsu expertly sewed his wounds closed, 3 of the initial 4 in his arm had needed stitches. He treated these as well as bandaging myriad cuts and abrasions to his chest, some quite deep. By the time he finished, Jakotsu was asleep.
Suikotsu reflected on what Jakotsu had said, and spoke quietly with Renkotsu and Mukotsu about it. They agreed to help him test his theory later, in the mean time, the other girls were probably running amuck in the town center, Mukotsu went, while Renkotsu helped Suikotsu carry Jakotsu to a more comfortable place to rest.
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Panjiiro awoke from the haze that clouded her senses. She was still somewhat groggy, but the first thing that she noticed was that she was not alone in her cage. Shooteooted to the opposite side of her cage, to be stopped by a chain that was affixed to her leg; it ran from her leg to the other girl’s leg. Green eyes fixed on her, with a resigned look. “This is our punishment,” Ayame stated, “Yours for attacking Jakotsu, and mine for defying Renkotsu, and speaking out of turn.” She let out a soft snort, and turned back to staring out of the cage.
‘Our punishment? No! I cannot take this form of punishment; I cannot stand to be this close to anyone. Yes, I hate the cage, but I can deal with it, just so long as I don’t have to be close to someone else!’ Panjiiro thought to herself, but she knew there was nothing she could do about it.
Suikotsu watched Panjiiro’s facial expressions when she awoke, and took in the look of utter panic that crossed her features when she realized that her solitude had been ripped from her. ‘It appears that I have judged this one correctly,’ he said to himself.
Panjiiro and Ayame were shackled together for several days like this. The ate together, slept together, trained together, bathed together, even went to the bathroom together, this was the hardest thing to deal with. Just when the girls were finally used to each other, they were separated. At first, Panjiiro felt bereft without Ayame there, but she began to be glad that she had her solitude back.
As time progressed, each time Panjiiro balked away from the others, she found herself shackled to a different on of the girls, until she was used to having someone in her personal space, and no longer flinched away from human contact.
When she was not shackled to another girl, she had private training sessions with one of the men. There was always some form of touching involved, either she was to dress him, or groom him, or some other intimate duty, which required physical contact. In the beginning, she had many bruises from the bamboo rod, but she began to accept, and even enjoy these sessions, for it meant that she did not have to do some of the other more strenuous or tedious work that the other girls were doing, and these men smelled nice, they were obviously bathing frequently, and she knew their clothes were cleaned regularly, as she helped wash them.
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**I am pretty sure they had stitches at this time, but am not certain. Nor am I certain that opium was what they would have used, but I watched on TV that early painkillers used a form of strong drugs such as opium here in America, and that the ever popular laudanum used in medieval England was also primarily composed of opium (if it wasn’t opium, it was an equally strong addictive drug). Since opium was so popular in China, causing severe problems, (a vast majority of the population of one of the upper territories of China was addicted to the drug, and the emperor had been displaced, and so could do nothing about it, this I watched in a true movie I think it may have been The Last Emperor, a very good and informative movie, but I may be mixing movies up, as I often do, if anyone can confirm what movie I am babbling about, let me know in a review. Anyway... I am assuming that it was also popular in nearby Japan, so therefore probably used as an early painkiller there. So I guess you could call it an educated guess ^_-
I hope you enjoyed chapter 6, and depending on how many reviews I get, will decide how quickly chapter 7 gets posted, I have 3/4 of it written, the first lemon! Bankotsu and .... (ain't I a tease?)