Death of an Anime

A/N- So, I got roped into doing another one. **sigh** And this time it ended differently. I also wrote another Naraku deathfic, but the only thing you need to know from that is that the Shichinintai killed him off. **cheers** Then the Shichinintai got killed off one by one, and eventually it came down to Jakotsu, Renkotsu, and Bankotsu. **sniffle** And my darling Ja got killed off. I wrote it. So here it is. Grab kleenex for this and the next!!!
**********************************

Bankotsu was leaving to go see their current employer. Ever since they had killed off Naraku, it had been business as usual for the Shichinintai. But the hanyou and his team had held a grudge. Renkotsu frowned fiercely. He had warned Bankotsu. He had warned them all. They had dealt the prideful half-demon too much damage for him to simply let them live. But, as usual, his warnings had fallen on deaf ears.

Sure enough, Inuyasha had hunted them down, one by one. But Bankotsu hadn’t cared, as long as he and his precious Attack Captain were still alive, everyone else was allowed to die. Renkotsu’s lip curled in distaste. Jakotsu. The bane of his existence. That…..man….enjoyed everything that rank and privilege should have given *him*. He had the ear of their leader, decision-making power that Renkotsu had always needed, but had never had, and, perhaps worst of all, Jakotsu seemed to feel that obeying him, the second in command, who was Jakotsu’s superior, was not a necessary part of the arrangement. Renkotsu’s hands clenched into fists. It’s not that he was jealous of the relationship between Jakotsu and Bankotsu….whatever it was. That was another…problem. None of the Shichinintai had ever been sure what the relationship between the two was. At first glance, it seemed innocent; a rare friendship that was simply fiercely protected by both men.

But Renkotsu wasn’t so sure. From time to time, he had heard…things. So had the other Shichinintai. Nobody ever said anything, but they all knew. His nose wrinkled. Jakotsu had…tainted…their small army. He had wormed his way into their leader’s bed, and used his…abilities…to corrupt the balance of power. And Renkotsu was sure that was all it was about. Power. Nothing else in life mattered but power, after all. Seduction was the oldest form of it, why shouldn’t Jakotsu use it? The gods knew that was the only way he’d get it. A very sour look crossed Renkotsu’s face. This was going to end today.

Bankotsu, as previously mentioned, had gone off to collect from their current employer. Jakotsu had wanted to go along, but Bankotsu had, as he did on rare occasion, put his foot down and left, alone. Jakotsu was in his room, presumably brooding. A cold, cruel smile ghosted across the commander’s mouth. It was now or never. His eyes trailed to Jakotsutou, hung on a nail alongside the dead Suikotsu’s bugnuks. He shook his head, the smile returning.

“Foolish idiot,” he murmured. “If you hadn’t gotten so complacent in your position of ill-gotten power, you’d have your precious sword in there with you right now.” Renkotsu fingered the small dagger that he had tucked in the sash holding his armor on. “Then you might have a chance. As it is…you’re dead.”

Jakotsu sighed, looking out the window. He wished he could have gone with Bankotsu. Now he was stuck here with Renkotsu, and the tension between the two of them had been growing daily. They hadn’t been able to get through even one day without a fight lately, not since Ginkotsu died. Jakotsu shook his head. Renkotsu had gotten paranoid. He was sure everyone was out to get him, to strip him of this second life he clung so tenaciously to. The thought had occurred, more than once to Jakotsu, that his comrade would do anything necessary to stay alive. Even if it meant killing one of his own.

He had so wanted to leave, and go with Bankotsu. He had wanted to see his friend’s face once more, hear his voice, laugh with him. He had even sent up a rare prayer that he would still be alive when Bankotsu returned. Renkotsu wasn’t fooling anyone except Bankotsu. There were times the young leader could be *too* naïve, and most of those concerned the unity of his ever-shrinking family. But Jakotsu knew that eventually Renkotsu was going to come after him. He also knew that now, with Bankotsu gone, was the ideal time for him to do it.

He had tried to tell the leader. He had tried to make him understand that not all villainous men were like him. Some were worse. Some wouldn’t bat an eyelash at stooping to kill their own friends and comrades. He had tried to make him see reason. But Bankotsu had had none of it. He had merely questioned why and when Jakotsu had gotten so cynical, laughing it off as he usually did.

“Mou…” he sighed again. He couldn’t hear Renkotsu moving about the rest of their temporary base. He knew he hadn’t left, which meant he must be plotting. A tear, unnoticed, crept down his cheek, tracing a snake-fang marking, and fell upon his hand. So it would be today then. He closed his eyes and another tear squeezed its way out. He noticed it this time and plucked it from his skin, looking at his fingertips and wondering why he was crying.

Renkotsu quietly, with all the stealth he could muster, approached the screened entrance to Jakotsu’s room. If he was very lucky, he’d catch the swordsman asleep. That way, he’d not have to deal with crying and tears and begging to be spared. Renkotsu wasn’t sadistic. Not like Jakotsu. He just wanted to kill the man, and quickly. Neatly, if possible. This was about life, and safety, his own specifically, there wasn’t exactly anyone else’s he was worried about. Jakotsu was a continued threat to that, especially with his relentless hounding of Inuyasha. He was a safety concern, and needed to be dealt with. That was all. Or at least, that’s what Renkotsu told himself.

It wasn’t about jealousy. He had never been jealous that Bankotsu seemed so open to everyone but him. He had never been jealous of the close camaraderie that Jakotsu and Bankotsu had shared. He most certainly had never been jealous that Jakotsu was civil to everyone else, yet prone to fits of temper directed only at Renkotsu himself. Jealousy didn’t play into this at all. It was about survival. Emotions didn’t matter. He slid the door open, as silently as he could.

Jakotsu was not, as Renkotsu had hoped, asleep. At the sound of his door opening, he turned and faced his former comrade.

“Yo, Renkotsu.” He smiled resignedly at the older man. “Did you want something?” He forced his eyes up to meet Renkotsu’s surprised ones, and watched as Renkotsu obviously switched gears, rubbing the back of his neck and laughing nervously.

“Actually, Jakotsu, I just decided I’d check in on you. I hadn’t heard anything from you since Oo-aniki left, and I figured I’d make sure you hadn’t left to go after the Inuyasha-tachi all by yourself.”

Forcing a light-hearted giggle from his suddenly constricting throat, Jakotsu waved a hand dismissively. “Iie, I’m still here. Inuyasha holds no,” his smile began to fade as the immediacy of the situation hit, “…no fascination for me today, aniki.”

“Ah.” Silence stretched and turned into tension, and Renkotsu cursed himself. He could come up with elaborate plot after elaborate plot, deliver the Shichinintai to victory again and again, but when it came to doing something by himself, for himself, he chickened out. But he had to do something soon, or else Jakotsu was going to catch on. The younger man had turned to look out the window again, chin propped on his hand, a sad faraway look on his face. He’d catch on, if he hadn’t already. Renkotsu reached for the dagger he’d hidden.


“Get it over with, Renkotsu.” The clipped, tired voice caught him offguard and he almost dropped the blade.

“Excuse me?” Jakotsu sighed and turned to face him, eyes dry, face deadly serious in a way that certain face had no right to be.

“You’re going to kill me today, aren’t you, Renkotsu? All I’m asking you to do is quit stalling and get it over with.”

Renkotsu’s eyes widened, then narrowed as his brows knit. How dare he? The little…..annoyance! This was not his…final moment of glory! It was Renkotsu’s first!! The first of many, because he would live! Gritting his teeth, he pulled out the dagger. Jakotsu sighed again, and the sound was beginning to get on Renkotsu’s nerves.


“You don’t really have to do this, you know.” Jakotsu looked into his “brother”’s eyes, watching them instead of the knife. He knew the line was useless, it was a token attempt to talk Renkotsu out of doing something he had obviously set his mind to. Irritation stirred in Renkotsu’s beady eyes, and he renewed his glare.

“Don’t beg, Jakotsu. At least die with some dignity.” Jakotsu let the order sink in, then laughed softly. He stood up, coming to stand before Renkotsu, who frowned and tightened his hold on the blade he held.

“Why are you doing this, Renkotsu? I’d just like to know. Is it because Bankotsu and I—“

“It has nothing whatsoever to do with whatever twisted thing you two share!” Renkotsu snarled back at him, and Jakotsu tilted his head. “You’re a safety hazard, Jakotsu, and I wish to live! You understand that, don’t you? I want to live! In order to do that, you have to die!” He made an awkward stab with the knife, which Jakotsu nimbly dodged.

“So…it’s for the good of the remaining Shichinintai then?” He smiled sadly. “For your good, and for Bankotsu’s.” He nodded to himself, seeming to accept the explanation. “It makes sense. After all, I do chase after Inuyasha too much for my own good.” He smiled again, that sad smile that made him look more tragic than happy. Again he turned to the window, looking outside at the bright, cloudless sky.


This wasn’t right. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. Jakotsu was supposed to cry and wail, and beg him to stop. He wasn’t supposed to be so serious, and so calm. For some reason, it made Renkotsu feel more irritated, because this side of Jakotsu, made him feel guilty for killing him. He growled, steeling his resolve.


“I won’t defend myself, Renkotsu-no-aniki. Just so you know that. I made a promise to Bankotsu, when I was inducted. I promised I would never lift my sword to a member of this team, of this family.” Jakotsu turned to face his executioner again. “I made that promise years ago, Renkotsu. I’ve never had occasion to go back on it. Until now.” His eyes locked with Renkotsu’s, and he took another step closer.

“But still, I won’t go back on that promise. Bankotsu may be naïve to think that a group of murderers could live together all this while, and none of us would turn on each other. He may be naïve, yes, but I refuse to be the one to show him his error.” A small smile graced his lips. “Bankotsu had a dream for us all, Renkotsu, when he took us all in. We were all outcasts, forced outside by society. Bankotsu had a dream that we would ban together, that the outcasts would become as close-knit as the families that renounced some of us, and that one day, we’d make them all pay. Who am I to tell him that could never happen? Who am I to shatter that dream?”


“SHUT-UP!” Renkotsu didn’t even recognize his own voice for a second. His stomach felt ill. Idealistic idiots! Things never ended up like they were dreamed to! Only a fool followed their dreams. Smarter men did what they had to in order to survive. Jakotsu looked at him, his eyes full of pity, and Renkotsu couldn’t stand it. He pushed down the knot of guilt that had been building in his chest, and rushed forward, grabbing Jakotsu’s shoulder, expecting resistance.

None came.


Jakotsu allowed himself to be pulled close, even as Renkotsu’s knife slid between his ribs. He gasped, a thin cry of pain leaving his throat, and clutched Renkotsu’s shoulders for balance. The older man shrugged him off, twisting the knife up and into Jakotsu’s heart with a vicious glee. This was right. This was survival. He pushed the mortally wounded man off of him, and Jakotsu fell, sprawled on the ground. A large red stain blossomed on the front of his pink yukata, and began to spread.


He coughed, feeling the blood trickle over his already scarlet lips. The pain was horrible, but then, Jakotsu was used to bearing pain. He looked up at Renkotsu, who was staring down at him with an almost feral look in his eyes.

“Do you desire to-“ he coughed up more blood- “watch me die….so much, Renkotsu?” The taller man didn’t answer, simply watched, with something akin to a mix of both horror and satisfaction on his face. Jakotsu laughed, the sound coming out hoarse and rough. “That makes sense, then. You always have had to stick…..around….to make sure things went, “he gasped as pain wracked his body, “according to plan.”


Everything was spinning. Jakotsu could feel the puddle of blood growing around him, soaking his clothes, his skin, and he could even feel it starting to soak into his hair. His vision was going blurry from blood loss, but he still felt as if he wasn’t really dying. It felt more like he’d been running too far, too fast. The Shikon shard pulsed against his skin, and he gasped.
“Renkotsu….no…aniki…” He slid his eyes to where the commander was kneeling, looking at him with morbid fascination.


“Hai, Jakotsu-kun?” Renkotsu, somehow, couldn’t bring himself to leave Jakotsu alone in these final few moments of his life. That would be too cruel. The gods knew that they had all been alone too much of their lives. The last time they had died, they had had each other, and Renkotsu was suddenly struck with a sad bout of nostalgia for those days, when staying alive didn’t necessitate killing each other off. Jakotsu hadn’t fought him. He actually seemed as though he’d understood. For this reason alone, Renkotsu could bring himself to be kind to his one-time comrade.


Jakotsu looked up at the other man, tears welling in his eyes at the thought of never seeing any of this again; no more daylight streaming through the window, no more blue sky, no more butterflies…butterflies. He choked off the sob threatening to rise from his throat. No more Bankotsu. No more Banryuu glinting in the sun, or long dark braid…no more laughing over sake or hearing Bankotsu call him an idiot. But…it couldn’t be helped, and it was too late to save himself now.

“Promise me, Renkotsu. Promise me you will not kill Bankotsu too.” He watched the commander’s eyes widen. “Promise me, Renkotsu!” He realized too late, as Renkotsu leaned over him, that the older man had realized the shard was keeping him alive. Desperately, he reached up and grasped Renkotsu’s haori. “Mou, Renkotsu! Please….you can’t…kill…Bankotsu. You have to promise me that you—“ His eyes widened as he felt the life leaving his body. Renkotsu was pulling gently on the shard. As it left his neck, he heard a whisper.

“I’m sorry, Jakotsu.” With darkening vision, Jakotsu cried out, his soul in agony as it was ripped from his protesting body. The last thought he had was of Bankotsu, lying as he was, in a pool of blood on the floor, and Jakotsu knew he’d given in too easily.

He would have broken his promise to Bankotsu if he’d known it could keep him alive.

~Owari
********************************

**sniffle**
~Tareacel

Feel free to leave a review!!!