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 22, 2006


Chapter Fifteen

Kata...The Japanese word for "pattern." There's a pattern for life and there's a pattern for death. Katas of 'sei' and 'shi' respectively. All men live close to the edge, walking an inch from the precipice that led to Death's domain. There were a few hardy risk takers...like the bandits, like Kyuzo himself -- who could either die from a sword's thrust or an executioner's axe, or if he persists in his dissolute ways, heart failure. Then, there's Shichiroji -- he who was once known as the Shinigami. No one knew death more than the Shinigami himself. Of course, the knowledge of death went hand in hand with the knowledge of life. Which was why Shichiroji avoided any occasions for death to happen. He clung to life with the tenacity of a dying man. There was still a lot to see, places to go, people to know and make amends with. So many lives still to live. For him, the weaving of the tapestry of life was far from over.

Sitting on an outcrop of rock overlooking the bandits' camp, Shichiroji watched in silence as a new pattern was being woven in the lives of these hooligans of the desert.

It began with a protesting Kyuzo being poked and prodded into the training enclosure by a determined Katsushiro and his ever-faithful foal, Moeru. The Bandit Chief was dressed in a loose shirt and trousers. From the look on Kyuzo's face, the Warrior knew that he was not looking forward to the training session ahead of him. Still, Katsushiro gave him a reassuring smile as he stood beside his teacher. Sitting at the edge of the enclosure watching them was Moeru.

Shichiroji felt his heart skip a beat when Kyuzo's trainer finally appeared.

"Shinno..." he breathed the concubine's name with sheer longing.

The whoremaster was similarly dressed as the Bandit Chief. His long brown hair was covered by a kaffiyah, the lower half of his face by a scarf of black silk. The concubine approached Kyuzo, who readily voiced out his apprehensions. Shinno simply took the Bandit Chief's hands and squeezed them in reassurance.

Shichiroji noticed Heihachi's approach out of the corner of his eye. Sitting beside the Samurai, he asked, "What's going on?"

The Warrior shrugged. "I have no idea."

Taking his place at Kyuzo's side, Shinno braced his long legs apart, murmuring a few words of encouragement as he did so. As Shichiroji and Heihachi watched, the whoremaster began a seemingly graceful dance of waving hands and arms and the slow stepping and raising of feet. Kyuzo made grudging attempts to follow the younger man's movements. The Samurai, however, knew that it was not a dance at all. Tai chi...a form of martial arts that helps condition the heart as well as the muscles grown lax from disuse.

"Tai chi, huh?" Heihachi said in hushed tones.

Shichiroji grinned. "I think Shinno wants to whip that gloomy-faced son of a bitch back into shape."

"I don't think it will work," Heihachi commented dubiously. "Kyuzo has been known to strongly back out of any form of exercise these past few days."

The Samurai grinned. "Well, he hasn't met a man with a strong determination like Shinno before."

In a few short minutes, the Bandit Chief shook his head, panting for breath. With a weary wave of his hand, Kyuzo hobbled off, a hand on his back. With a growl of mild exasperation, Shinno hurried after him, at the same time that Katsushiro and Moeru blocked the bandit's path. The three men started a heated discussion, wherein Kyuzo's voice was slowly getting louder and louder. Out of curiosity, the bandits, who were near the area, started taking seats on the rickety fence to watch the goings-on. Before the shocked eyes of everyone, Shinno shrugged off his clothes, leaving him clad in a white fundoshi. Without saying another word, the concubine launched into a full martial arts kata.

Shichiroji gazed appreciatively at Shinno. This was the first time he saw the whoremaster's body in broad daylight, and it caused his mouth to water and longing to rise inside his heart.

Shinno was beauty and menace personified. Every single movement was fluid and graceful, but well-toned muscles revealed his alertness, ready to spring or to flee at the first sign of danger. The bandits already mistook the concubine's moves for a dance, humming a tune along. However, if they only had looked more closely, they would have seen that Shinno's right hand was curled in a loose fist, as though he held something in his hand. His sword, perhaps? Shichiroji readily made up his mind about talking to Kyuzo to allow him to continue to train Shinno in the art of the sword. Seeing the Bandit Chief and his student join the whoremaster in his katas, he had no doubt that Kyuzo will give him his permission.

Kyuzo's movements were more animated now. Given the state of Shinno's near undress, Shichiroji knew he would be just as inspired. In fact, he would be more than inspired. Oh, the things he could've done if only he hadn't betrayed the concubine's trust! Perhaps, by this time, he and Shinno were at his home, where they would've lived happily ever after.

If only he had not broken his promise...

"Shichiroji?" Heihachi's voice interrupted his musings.

The Samurai at once saw that everyone had left the enclosure, considerable time having passed by. Shichiroji sighed. He made to walk away, but his former comrade suddenly dropped to his knees before him, forehead pressed to the ground.

"Hei-san, what…"

"I have to speak with you, Shichiroji-dono. I cannot keep it inside my heart any longer."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

There were tears in Heihachi's eyes when he lifted his head. "It was I who betrayed our comrades. I was the one who told them where our base was."

Shichiroji stared at the younger man in shock. "Heihachi-dono, but why…I don't…"

"I…I saw the Amanushi raping Kanbei-sama. He told me that if I did not reveal the location, he would hurt him. I could not bear to see him being abused that is why I…" Heihachi pounded his fist into the ground that blood was drawn from his bruised skin. "Damn that bastard! He tricked me! Even if I had given him that information, he never stopped hurting Kanbei-sama! That is why Kyuzo-dono and I tried to help him escape, but we were caught! We were sent into exile and we never knew what became of him."

"He died, Heihachi." Shichiroji's voice sounded so dull to his hearing. "I was told that he committed suicide."

"I've been carrying this burden for fifteen years," Heihachi confessed in anguish. "Shichiroji-dono, Kanbei-sama never deserved your hatred. Please! I wish to make amends. If you wish, you can take my life right now!"

The Samurai, however, breathed out a sigh. "Why should I do that when it's all over and done with? Nothing could bring Kanbei back. And, knowing the man that he was, he would want me to forgive you."

"But…I don't deserve forgiveness!"

"You did what you had to do. You thought you'd be protecting him. The Amanushi made fools of us all. If it will help ease your conscience, I forgive you, Heihachi." Shichiroji even bent down and helped his former comrade to his feet.

"You were deep in thought earlier," Heihachi observed, sniffling. "What were you thinking about?"

Shichiroji answered, "My greatest regret, Heihachi. My greatest regret."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Why are you smiling, Little Taisho?" Kyuzo asked the concubine teasingly, seeing the rather smug expression on his face.

Kanbei was seated inside a tub of cool water, soap bubbles floating around him. His relaxed mind had returned him to that invigorating exercise in the training enclosure. He knew that Shichiroji had been watching him earlier, that's why he had, at the spur of the moment, decided to remove his clothes.

Before the Bandit Chief brought him out of his thoughts, Kanbei had been thinking, // Hope you liked what you saw, Shichiroji, because that's all you're ever going to get. //

Cocking his head up at Kyuzo, the whoremaster answered, "It's nothing really." Smiling meaningfully, Kanbei said, "I enjoyed our exercise this morning, Kyuzo-sama. I should have started it two days ago. You'll see. Before this week is over, you'll begin to feel a whole lot better once you've burned out the wine stagnating in your system. Perhaps, if Allah allows that I stay here for a much longer time, I'll have you back to your handsome yet scowling self in no time."

"I find your deep concern for me highly suspicious," Kyuzo raised a teasing eyebrow up. "Surely you are not planning to escape, are you?"

Kanbei sombered up immediately. "You wound me with that question. If I escape, where would I go? Certainly not in the desert." Lowering his gaze, the concubine admitted, "I don't want to leave this place, neither did I desire to leave all those lands I visited during my travels. Anywhere would be preferable to the Amanushi's domain." He looked at the Bandit Chief with worry in his brown eyes. "This man who told you to abduct me...who is he?"

"I'm not at liberty to say. He has sworn me to silence."

"Could you at least please tell me what kind of man he is? Is he the type of man who would... Would he care for me? Would he...love...me?"

At that moment, Kyuzo could see for himself how much the older man had suffered during the time that they had been apart, to be this desperate to find another who would treat him with love and kindness. As much as he wanted to reassure the concubine, he knew he had to speak truth.

"Forgive me," the Bandit Chief shook his head, "but he only desires you."

Kanbei was saddened by that answer. "I should've guessed. When am I going to learn? Nothing's going to change. I only hurt myself by hoping for too much."

"You should never give up hope, Kanbei. The change will come. You only have to wait."

"But for how long?"

"Patience is a virtue, Little Taisho. Don't worry. We'll think of something."

The whoremaster looked at the younger man with suspicion. "'We'? What do you mean 'we'?"

"Like I said," Kyuzo replied with a smile, "we'll think of something."

Suddenly, Kanbei stood up from the tub, water streaming down his café au lait skin. "No!" he exclaimed. "You will not do anything! I will not have my friends die because of me! I won't! I WON'T!"

Kyuzo gripped the upper arms of the panicky concubine. "Kanbei, you cannot face this alone. You need help. You must let me help you!"

But the concubine vehemently shook his head. "No! I won't allow it! My friends...everyone I care for...I always lose them in the end." Kanbei embraced Kyuzo tightly. "Hold me, Kyuzo-sama. Please hold me. A little comfort...that is all I need."

Not knowing what else to do, the Bandit Chief complied with the whoremaster's wish, hugging him. To his surprise, he felt soft lips press on his cheek and neck.

"Kanbei?" Kyuzo asked, his voice trembling.

"Please don't speak," Kanbei whispered. "Do what you will with me."

Nodding, the Bandit Chief lifted the older man in his arms and carried him inside the inner chamber.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Ooh...hunh...o-oh...hmmm..."

Kanbei held on to the man above him, whose thrusts were coming hard and fast. His long legs were spread in a near split to accommodate Kyuzo's pounding form. Ravenous lips suckled the essence from his breast.

Their coupling was intense as they drew themselves further upward to the peak of desire.

However, as they neared completion, the concubine did not notice that his vision was slowly fading away. When orgasm was achieved, there was a bright flash that Kanbei snapped his eyes shut. He waited for the waves of pleasure to abate before daring to open them again.

The sight that greeted him caused a gasp to escape from his lips and his heart to skip a beat.

"Shichiroji?" A tear of joy trickled from the whoremaster's eye, beholding the handsome, smiling face of the Samurai.

Shichiroji bent down and kissed him tenderly. Pulling away, he raised a beckoning hand to Kanbei. "Come with me, Shinno! Let me take you away. I swear I will not hurt you again."

"Shichiroji..." Slowly, the concubine reached out, giving in to the yearning of his heart, his fingers closing around the Warrior's hand.

Before he knew what was happening, the Samurai pulled him to his feet in a strong, sweeping motion that nearly caused him to stumble. As he braced his legs to stop himself from falling, Kanbei suddenly found himself enveloped by darkness. Shichiroji had disappeared.

Looking around him in horror and growing panic, voices began speaking in the black that was his memory.

"Are you sure that he's a taisho?"

"I never thought he'd be fantastic in bed."

"He's very pretty. A born catamite."

"A whore."

"Yes, a whore indeed."

"A WHORE!"

Kanbei clapped his hands over his ears to block out those hateful words, shaking his head. "NO! STOP IT! I'M NOT A WHORE!"

Suddenly, there was the sound of soft, shuffling bare feet behind him. The whoremaster wanted to run, but terror had frozen him in place. Tears streamed down his cheeks as many pairs of icy, clawed hands caressed his body.

"Pretty!" two sinuous, evil voices - one male, the other female - whispered in his ear. "So pretty – our Little Taisho."

"NOOO!" Kanbei screamed to wakefulness.

"Kanbei, KANBEI!" Kyuzo quickly sat up, embracing the older man who was shaking all over, his body drenched with sweat. "You had a bad dream!"

Terrified, the concubine couldn't speak, still trapped in the domain of that being in his dream.

Having heard Kanbei's scream, Katsushiro barged into the chamber, with Moeru trotting behind him. "Sensei? What's wrong? Who cried out?" Seeing how pale the whoremaster was, he exclaimed, "What happened to Kanbei-sama?"

"He had a very bad dream, my pupil."

Falling to his knees before the concubine, Katsushiro wiped Kanbei's tears away with his palms, cooing softly, "Please don't cry, Kanbei-sama. We are here now to keep you safe. Even Morrie has come running to see to your well-being."

Kanbei blinked once then twice, confusion settling in. "Morrie?"

The foal snickered his distaste at that name, front teeth bared and tongue lolling out.

"Who else but our little fire?" Katsushiro declared. "Good ole Moeru! But I thought he deserved a good nickname."

Kanbei just found himself bursting into relieved laughter. Hugging the foal, he said, "So you're Morrie now? It's a pretty name, Moeru. A name filled with love." For a few minutes, he simply held on to Moeru, not at all minding the fact that the foal was taking advantage of their position to lap up the spilled milk from his chest, teeth nipping at a tit.

When he looked up, Kanbei saw Kyuzo and Katsushiro gazing back at him with love and concern in their eyes. He remembered how the Bandit Chief had offered to help him. As much as he was tempted, it was an offer he must refuse. So many lives had been lost...as well as one true love, if that terrible 'daymare' had been any indication. If anything should happen to the Bandit Chief and his student, the guilt would surely kill him.

"Kanbei?" Kyuzo queried gently, conveying his worry clearly in his words and on his face. "How are you feeling?"

Kanbei laid his cheek on the tuft of soft white hair on Moeru's brow. "I'm fine, Kyuzo-sama and my beloved Katsushiro. Thanks to you."


* * * * * * * * * *