The Blazing Tempest

DISCLAIMER: This story is a non-commercial work of fiction based on the anime/manga Samurai 7. Original copyright of Samurai 7 belongs to Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, MICO, GDH, GONZO. Absolutely no monetary gain has been made with this work.


THE BLAZING TEMPEST
By Rory V. Pascual (Edited by Saiyukihana)
© Original Version 2001; Samurai 7 Version June 21, 2006

Chapter Twelve

For four days, Shichiroji pursued the bandits relentlessly across the Sahara. He would have pressed onwards even at night, but he had the horses to consider. They needed the rest, despite his urgen need to catch up with the bandits.

Restless and guilt-ridden, the Samurai would seek a moment's diversion by pouring himself into the pages of the journal, which he had decided at the last minute to bring along with him. Rather than write, however, Shichiroji drew. Each page depicted every aspect of the Amanushi's concubine Shinno as he had known him -- as a whoremaster, as a ninja, as a whore dressed in an elegant djellabah or those thin, enticing robes at night. Pages were devoted to studies of that masked face, crowned by a glorious mane of brown silk. Four to six pages, however, concentrated on those exquisite brown eyes -- happy, angry, mischievous, tear-filled...

"You promised you would never hurt me!"

Those words never failed to pierce his heart. Shichiroji had told Shinno that he wanted to save the man from Tessai's evil clutches and desires. But he had not saved the whoremaster from the one man who posed the greatest danger to him, namely the Samurai himself. Shichiroji remembered all too clearly how he had reveled in the rape of the helpless concubine, doing nothing to ease his pain. The drug that Tessai had placed in his wine was a flimsy excuse. Even without it, he would have plundered Shinno's beautiful body just as ruthlessly.

On the third night, after enduring a sirocco for most of the day, Shichiroji made the first of several attempts to put Shinno's face -- without the mask -- on paper. But he could never get it right. Paper was only good for setting down two-dimensional images. Shinno was more than a flat image. In his mind's eye, he could imagine high cheekbones, fine nose, flawless skin and full luscious lips. It was when he opened his eyes that Shichiroji would realize that his hands had been moving of their own accord, tracing in the air the features of the concubine. Perhaps if he had some clay...

Frustrated, the Samurai had slammed the journal shut. He had more important things to think about. The sirocco would have obliterated the bandits' tracks, making pursuit impossible. Undaunted, Shichiroji visualized in his head the map of the Sahara that Tessai had shown him. Given the direction they had been going, he had a hunch on where the bandits were headed -- the Tademait Plateau. There was a feeling in his gut that he would find the whoremaster there.

If Shinno WAS there, what next? Even if he himself were to be captured by the brigands, Shichiroji had no doubt that they could be able to escape. It was the whoremaster himself who would prove to be a problem. After what he had done to him, Shinno would be a fool to trust him. Hell with it, he wouldn't trust HIMSELF if he were in close proximity with the concubine.

Shinno had said that he hated Shichiroji, going so far as to wish that the Warrior were dead. Since, according to the concubine, he had betrayed Shinno before, Shichiroji knew what he needed to do. He would get down on his knees before the whoremaster and beg for forgiveness.

Then, Shichiroji would offer him his sword and ask him to take his head. Yes, that would be best, for both of them.

~~~~~~~~~~

The morning of the fifth day saw Shichiroji looking down the face of the plateau to peer at the bandits' camp below -- a small tent village with makeshift enclosures for camels and horses at the northern end. There was no sign of Shinno. Seeing the armed men all over the camp, Shichiroji knew that there was no way he could get in undetected.

Sighing, the Samurai stood up and went towards the small hole he had dug through the side of the plateau. Getting down on his knees, he placed the pack of Shinno's weapons inside and covered the hole with rocks. No sense of losing good weapons upon his capture, when he had no doubt in his mind that they would need them. Better to keep them here where they would be safe. Just for show, his spear would be enough.

Standing, Shichiroji strode towards the two horses. He then climbed onto Thanatos' saddle. The Samurai patted the stallion's neck and nodded to Denko.

"Come, boys!" he invited. "Let's get this show on the road."

The minute he was sighted, Shichiroji was immediately seized and his weapon taken. He was then ushered by two bandits to the meeting tent of the Bandit Chief. And it was someone he never expected to see after fifteen long years.

"KYUZO!" Shichiroji gasped out, seeing that familiar crimson-clothed figure.

Kyuzo was never the type that Shichiroji believed could lead a band of desert bandits. The man was a loner, distrusting, which made him perfect as an assassin. In fact, it was his skills for stealth that led to his and his leader's capture to begin with. What Kyuzo was doing in this God-forsaken desert was a puzzle for him. Still, as Shichiroji looked at the man he so despised for his ruin, he could not help but notice that there was something different about him. There was a weary, haunted look in Kyuzo's eyes that did not exist before.

Seeing the Samurai that his men brought with them, Kyuzo, however, snapped to alertness and licked the juices of the calf leg he was eating off his fingers.

"It's been a long time, Shichiroji-dono, and I see that you are still as tenacious as ever," said the Bandit Chief, his voice as low and as calculating as ever. "You're the first outsider to reach our camp."

"It's not without any difficulty," Shichiroji remarked. "Your men covered their tracks very well, a skill that you had taught them, I presume. Nevertheless, I will pursue them to the ends of the Earth if I have to. They took something of value from my employer, the Amanushi, and I intend to get him back." The Samurai's eyes narrowed. "I sincerely hope that you or your men have not...sullied...him in any way."

Kyuzo burst into laughter at that remark. "In truth, we have not...yet. The man who employed us to abduct him did not want him touched as well. However, if my men's claims of that day they took him were true, then it seems you, my friend, have beaten us all to this delectable creature."

"I'm not taking all the credit. I believe it was the Amanushi who took him first, and so many others before me. After all, he is a whore."

The Bandit Chief smiled knowingly. "Yes, that is true. So, I believe you will not be opposed to my playing with the Amanushi's precious slut."

Suddenly, two bandits entered the tent, holding on tightly to a struggling Shinno's arms. The whore's eyes were wide with shock, beholding the Samurai. Shichiroji was just as stunned. The Amanushi's concubine looked the same as when he was taken -- still wearing the same bloodstained robe.

The bandits pushed Shinno close to their leader. The whoremaster was swift to brace his leg forward so that he did not stumble into Kyuzo's arms. Still, he was within easy reach of the Bandit Chief.

Shichiroji heard a soft gasp from Shinno. Was he mistaken to hear that the concubine had gasped out Kyuzo's name?

Kyuzo apparently did not hear that shocked utterance, as he reached out and tore the flimsy garment from Shinno's lovely body, leaving him naked for all to see. Shichiroji winced at the sight of the congealed blood between the concubine's legs.

Before Shinno could pull away, Kyuzo yanked him down to his knees. With his greasy hands, he caressed the man's face, fingers teasing the mask.

"Let me have a look at your face, whore," Kyuzo whispered suggestively.

"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF ME!" Shinno cried in disgust, giving the Bandit Chief a ringing slap to the face.

The two bandits quickly grabbed the whoremaster, twisting his arms behind his back, head held in place by fingers gripping his hair. One of the men was about to remove the mask.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," warned Shichiroji, "unless you want your head parted from your shoulders. The Amanushi strictly forbade anyone from seeing his face."

The Bandit Chief put in, "But this is not the Amanushi's realm. This is my domain. I can do whatever I want with him."

"My face is not meant to be seen or touched by a pig like you," hissed Shinno.

Kyuzo's eyes narrowed, his whole visage evoking an aura of menace. "A pig, am I? Let me show you what this pig can do."

With a clap of his hands, the servants brought a foal inside the tent. The tiny thing was newborn, so thin and weak with hunger. Its red coat had lost its luster, the tuft of white hair on its brow dry and spiky.

In answer to the questioning looks on the faces of the men, the Bandit Chief replied, "This is a delightful form of torture I've devised. After it was born, I gave the foal a taste of its mother's milk before having her killed. Starving as it is, it would nurse on anything that looked like an udder."

At these words, the bandits forced the whoremaster's legs wide apart, hips thrust forward that his cock and his scrotum dangled enticingly before the foal's eyes.

"No!" shouted Shichiroji, rushing to Shinno's aid, but his two guards held him back. "You damned bastard! I'll kill you!"

Kyuzo, however, simply ignored him. With a wave of his hand, he ordered in glee, "Set it free!"

The foal's knees trembled as it all but stumbled towards Shinno, its hunger-clouded black eyes focused on the concubine's cock.

As Shichiroji looked helplessly at the whore, he saw that there was a strange expression on the whoremaster's face. Tears were filling Shinno's eyes as he watched the emaciated foal's slow approach. His eyelids fluttering close, the concubine took a deep breath, as if bracing himself for the horse's bite upon his exposed member. Then, with a fierce tug, Shinno wrenched free from his captors. With aching grace, he fell to his knees, arms raised to the poor foal. As he pulled the animal close to him, Shinno's right hand went to his chest, kneading the area around his nipple. A cry escaped his lips as the foal's mouth closed around that bit of flesh. Although he was in pain, Shinno squeezed his chest, letting his milk flow into the starving foal's mouth.

Everyone's eyes were wide with shock and amazement as they watched the Amanushi's concubine nurse the foal from his own breast.

The tears were streaming down Shinno's lovely brown eyes as he gazed at the stunned Bandit Chief. "There is nothing more you can do to humiliate me," the whore said in deep sorrow. "I've been used in so many ways you just couldn't imagine. I've had men, and even women, force me to rut with animals. This...what you were planning to do...this is not new to me. But none of them was cruel enough to slaughter the mother of a newborn creature, and use the baby's weakness to perform a depraved thing as this. You could do anything you want with me. But don't do this to such an innocent creature." Sobbing, Shinno embraced the foal. "It's cruel, barbaric!"

Before Kyuzo could speak, there were angry cries of "Sensei! Sensei!" outside the tent. Then, a boy barged inside, followed by another bandit who was slightly older than him. The first interloper was very handsome, a definite head-turner for young girls. He has blue green hair tied up in a ponytail and wide green eyes. His face was devoid of the guile present in the Bandit Chief's features. Instead, it was open and honest, clearly showing his anger and worry.

His companion was also good-looking, although a bit heavy in the midsection, probably because of the riceball he was munching on. He possessed shaggy orange hair and squinting eyes. However, just like the boy, there was concern on his face, particularly directed at the scowling Bandit Chief. Like Kyuzo, this man was someone whom Shichiroji had known in the past.

"Forgive me, Kyuzo-dono, for this intrusion," the bandit bowed. "But Katsushiro-dono was worried about..."

"Where's my foal, Sensei?" the boy demanded. "You kept him from me long enough. I told you he does not have his mother's illness. I must feed him. He'll starve to death!"

"Katsushiro," Kyuzo struggled to be patient. "I want you to go back to your tent. Can't you see I'm in the middle of a conference right now."

"No, I won't leave! Not until I know what you've done with the foal! I demand to know where he is!"

"KATSUSHIRO, GO WITH HEIHACHI RIGHT NOW, BEFORE I LOSE MY PATIENCE WITH YOU!"

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE KILLED HIS MOTHER! I WANT THE FOAL NOW!"

It was then that Katsushiro's green eyes alighted upon the concubine and the poor foal. Seeing the sorry state of Shinno and specifically what the foal was doing to him, Katsushiro whirled towards his teacher.

"What's the meaning of this? Don't tell me that you've been using the foal for your…perversions?" Katsushiro was absolutely disgusted. "I believed you to be an honorable man, but I was so wrong about you. Everything I heard about you was true. I should never have chosen you to be my teacher! YOU MAKE ME SICK!"

Shinno was about to interrupt the furious exchange between teacher and student. Furious, Kyuzo swiftly got to his feet and struck the boy in the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Gesturing to the foal in the whoremaster's arms, the Bandit Chief ordered furiously, "KILL THE FOAL!"

With righteous indignation, Shinno exclaimed, "NO! You will not harm this foal! Can't you see how much your student loves him? What kind of teacher are you to treat your student in this manner?"

Kyuzo's hands clenched into fists. Slowly, he looked into the stubborn concubine's eyes. "If I spare the foal's life, what would you give in exchange?"

"What could a whore like me offer in exchange except for my flesh? You may bed me, Kyuzo, as much as you want." Shinno gritted his teeth. "And I will show you my face."

The Bandit Chief thought for a moment. Nodding, he said, "Very well! We have a deal." To his guards, he commanded, "Take the foal back to its pen, and have a tent prepared for our guests."

"No," the concubine countered. "The foal stays with me and your student until he is strong enough. I will nurse him myself, play surrogate mother to him because he needs it for now. And…I shall go to your tent instead."

Shichiroji couldn't believe what he was hearing. Wrenching free from his guards' grasp, he grabbed Shinno's arm. "I won't allow you to do this!"

Shinno, however, yanked his arm back, glaring fiercely at the Samurai. "Better him than you!" His voice was filled with seething hatred.

The whoremaster's expression softened as he approached Katsushiro, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"It's all right now, Katsushiro," Shinno said reassuringly. "Your foal is fine."

Sniffling, Katsushiro peered into those kind doe eyes, wiping away the blood from his mouth. "Really? No one's going to hurt him anymore?"

"I swear it. In fact, I'll be staying with you and your sensei for a while. Would that be all right with you?"

Katsushiro eagerly nodded, not hiding his relief to have someone on his side. "Yes, yes, I would like that very much." He embraced Shinno lovingly, although he stole a fearful glance at his father. "Thank you very much for your kindness, because I don't think Sensei cares about me anymore."

Kyuzo was about to interrupt, guilty for having hit his student. To his surprise, however, his prisoner declared, "Of course your teacher loves you! But you barged right in the middle of an important...meeting, and he was very tense and angry over something I said. You must believe me that he didn't mean to hurt you. We all lose our temper from time to time. Sometimes, we end up lashing out at the people we love. It's regrettable, but it does happen. Please believe me when I say that your teacher loves you, Katsushiro. Do not foster ill feelings inside your heart because of this."

Katsushiro's lower lip trembled as he turned to his teacher. "Forgive me, Sensei," he said, although there was still resentment in his tone of voice.

Kyuzo did not answer, giving the boy a warm smile instead. "Katsushiro, why don't you show our guest to our tent?" Turning to his student's companion, he requested, "Would you stay for a moment, Heihachi?"

Heihachi replied, "As you wish, Kyuzo-dono."

Katsushiro got to his feet, picking up the foal in his arms. Before he could take the concubine's hand, he noticed Shinno's naked and bloodied form. Swiftly, he wrapped his cloak around Shinno's body, pulling the older man close to him.

"I'll take care of you," Katsushiro said happily, throwing a warning glance at his teacher as though saying that the concubine's well-being was now his jurisdiction. "Let me give you a nice cool bath and some nice clothes." The Bandit Chief's student then led Shinno outside. As a precaution, the guards followed after the two men.

Kyuzo motioned to the other two guards to leave them. At first, the bandits hesitated, eyeing Shichiroji warily, but Heihachi gave them a reassuring nod. In the end, with a bow, they obeyed their leader, leaving the three men alone.

With a sigh, Kyuzo sagged onto his seat. "This has been a most unusual encounter."

"This is not unusual for me," the Samurai remarked. "The Amanushi's whore is known for his kind heart. He was much loved by the Sultan. Recently, he nursed a newborn baby girl when he learned that her mother didn't have milk in her breasts. I am not surprised that he would do…this...even for a starving foal."

"I could see that you are not pleased with our...arrangement," the Bandit Chief noted, seeing the sharp glare the Warrior was according him.

"I will not deny it," Shichiroji said bluntly. "For the past month that I've traveled with the caravan, I've gotten to know Shinno very well. I will not allow that he be hurt anymore than he already has."

"But judging from the concubine's reaction towards you, it seems that you yourself have hurt him. Do you feel something for him, perhaps?"

The Samurai felt uncomfortable at the bandit's astuteness. "What I feel for him is of no importance. He belongs to the Amanushi. But in the meantime, I will protect him from all who would treat him like a whore." Shichiroji lowered his gaze to hide the anguish in his green gold eyes. "After what I did, it's the least I could do for him."

Kyuzo looked at the Warrior before him. "I will not deter you from your task. Heihachi, this man is our guest. See that he is treated well by all."

"Yes, Kyuzo-dono." Heihachi gestured towards the opening. "Would you please come with me?"

Despite his initial resentment towards the Bandit Chief, Shichiroji accorded him a gracious bow and exited the tent with Heihachi at his side.

As they walked through the camp, Shichiroji at last breathed out, "It's been a long time…Hayashida Heihachi-dono."

"Indeed, it has been a long time, Shichiroji-dono," the former samurai answered him.

"I'm surprised actually," Shichiroji admitted. "I never expected to find you here, and with Kyuzo as well. I always thought he would be always loyal to the Amanushi."

"People change. You don't know what he's gone through."

"I wish I could feel any sympathy towards him. The way I see him, he still hasn't changed one bit. He is still the perverted bastard I used to know."

Heihachi sighed. "Please do not be angry with him. I am certain that he did not mean any harm."

"Do you think keeping a young man captive and forcing him to bestiality is not 'any harm'?" Shichiroji snapped back. "The man's evil, a debauched pig."

"I wish I could offer an excuse. Even I was surprised by what you revealed to me. But believe me when I say that he is not an evil man. It's just that, these past few days, things have been weighing heavily upon his shoulders. He had lost the woman he loved just a month ago. Not the least of his troubles is his student."

"Katsushiro? I could see that he is a very stubborn boy, rather idealistic."

"Katsushiro begged Kyuzo-dono to take him in as his student. He followed us from Japan. Things were fine between the two of them but when Merida died…"

"Merida?" the Samurai asked curiously.

"The Bandit Queen..." Heihachi replied. "The foal's mother was Merida's favorite steed. We never knew that the mare was already ill when she gave birth to her little one. Both Merida and Katsushiro were inside her enclosure, tending to the foal. The mare went berserk all of a sudden. Merida protected Katsushiro with her body, but ended up getting trampled by the mare. The brave woman died a most painful death. In his grief and despair, Kyuzo-dono had ordered the mare killed. Since that time, the relationship between teacher and student has been strained. Poor Katsushiro has been blaming himself for Merida's death."

Shichiroji lowered his gaze. "I could understand how he feels. For the past four days that I've been pursuing the bandits, I've been blaming myself for what's been happening to Shinno."

"Oh, you mean the Amanushi's concubine? I thought you were talking about Shimada Kanbei."

Troubled silence.

Heihachi quietly persisted, "Aren't you going to ask me about him?"

The Samurai shook his head. "I don't want to bring back bad memories, Hei-san," he answered, using the name he always called the samurai. "Besides, he's dead. I have bigger problems to deal with right now."

"Kanbei-sama is dead? But I thought…" When Shichiroji threw him a warning glance, the young warrior fell silent.

Changing the distressing topic, Shichiroji asked, "Does Kyuzo know about Katsushiro?"

"I'm sure he does, but he is still lost in grief. But he has been making arrangements to ensure Katsushiro's future. I'm afraid that Kyuzo-dono might be considering following after Merida."

Shichiroji found himself lapsing into deep thought. Despite his fears for Shinno's welfare, he discovered that his anger and resentment towards the Bandit Chief had vanished. He never thought that a ruthless assassin like Kyuzo possessed the capacity to care for someone.

The Samurai laid his hand on Heihachi's shoulder. "I'll see what I can do to help," he said in reassurance.

Heihachi smiled. "Thank you. We shall be forever grateful for any assist that you can give us." He began with great hesitation. "Shichiroji-dono…there is something I must tell you."

"Maybe we can talk about it another time, Hei-san. I am really exhausted and I would appreciate a bath and a cozy mat to sleep on."

"Don't worry. I'll see that your needs are fulfilled."

As they walked along, the Samurai's mind went back to the way Shinno had softened the Bandit Chief's heart with his kindness and concern for the foal and his stubborn student. Now, he was doing the same thing. He wondered if the urge to help was contagious. It seemed it was. And it felt good.


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