Disclaimer: I do not own the character Bankotsu. Sadly he belongs to the vastly talented Rumiko Takahashi. I am merely trying to give a bit of insight to his character through my own little own plot line.

Happy belated birthday pandagirl9232.

Thank you to SangOtaku6 as always your suggestions have helped this to come out better than I had hoped :D

Bankotsu sat with trusted halberd down by his side and his back against a tree as he watched over his brothers as they slept. It was his night for guard duty. After making his usual rounds he'd settled in against his tree. Closing his eyes a moment to take a deep breath of the fresh air he sighed and opened his eyes.

The day was coming soon. "Only a few days from now, and I will have been a mercenary for eight years." He thought.

Flashback:

The street was nearly black with little lighting and practically deserted except for a few kids playing a game about ten feet away. Bankotsu had been living on his own wandering the streets stealing just to eat since his mother died two years ago. He was now six years old. Stealing some bread so he could eat he moved back into the shadows. While eating he thought back to how the nights seemed so lonely and how no matter what he did he was never truly fulfilled. He was surprised out of his musings by a soft barking from the shadows.

Looking over he saw a cute scrawny little puppy looking at him. Bankotsu growled, "Go get your own!" as he chomped greedily on the bread. The puppy looked at him with its adorable innocent puppy dog eyes and whined.

Feeling guilty Bankotsu sighed as he broke off a piece and held it out in front of him. "Here..." The puppy slowly inched forward and nuzzled his hand. Opening its mouth the puppy ate the offered food.

As Bankotsu watched the puppy eat he sighed, "I bet you don't have anyone either huh?" The puppy looked at him and barked as if to say 'yes'. Bankotsu sighed. Well that's the end of the food puppy," he stood up and started to walk off. Turning the corner he felt something brush against his legs. Looking down he was surprised to see that the puppy followed had him.

"You want to go with me?" he asked apprehensively. The puppy barked, wagging its tail, happily nuzzling the only person in the world who had showed him kindness.

Bankotsu agreed, "Alright but you better not cause me any trouble." The puppy barked again. Bankotsu walked off with the dog at his side.

The village kids who always picked on him just because he didn't have any parents were the last people he wanted to see today. Today was the day his mother had died two years ago.

Sitting against a wall he sat down and pulled his knees to his chest. Overcome with sadness he felt his eyes swelling up with tears. Crying silently to himself he was surprised when a warm tongue licked his cheek. Looking up he saw the puppy staring at him.

The puppy barked. Bankotsu's hand went to his face and he groaned as he stared at the annoying little thing. Then he laid on the ground hugging his knees to his chest with his back to the puppy.

The puppy barked and walked to stand in front of him before cuddling into his face. Bankotsu looked up at the puppy and the puppy licked his tears. Needing desperately to be comforted Bankotsu hugged the puppy and cried.

Two years later:

Bankotsu was stealing bread again for him and his only friend in the world. Slipping back into the shadows he handed one half of the bread to his dog. "Here boy, eat up," he said with a smile, as his furry companion ate the bread.

Eating his own bread he thought back to the day he'd met his beloved doggie. He'd been eating bread that day too. Sighing he said, "Well Shadow, another two years have passed."

Shadow looked at him thoughtfully. Bankotsu smiled petting his dog. "At least I'm not alone anymore. As long as I have you, I don't need a family," he stated firmly.

Shadow barked happily before licking Bankotsu's face. Bankotsu laughed hugging his companion. Standing up he ordered, "Come on Shadow, time for our walk." Shadow followed obediently at his master's heels. Bankotsu walked to the outskirts of the village. Sitting down he stared at the clouds with Shadow by his side.

After a few hours he decided it was time to go back. He called for his dog and Shadow followed him obediently . Before they got back to the village four boys his age surrounded him, with fists made and dirty faces glaring at him.

"Bankotsu, nobody wants you here."

"Yeah stay out of our village!"

"Even his own mama couldn't stand him, that's why she died, to get away from him!" they laughed cruelly. These were the same kids who'd spent the last four years bullying him and teasing him every day.

The biggest one punched Bankotsu knocking him to the ground and Shadow growled.

The boys taunted, "What are you gonna do you stupid mutt?"

Bankotsu yelled angrily, "Leave him alone!"

The biggest boy said, "Oh? Why should we?" as he kicked the dog. Shadow yelped and growled. The boy kicked the dog again.

Bankotsu getting angry demanded, "Leave my dog alone!"

Seeing that the dog was the only way to get a reaction out of their victim one of the boys said, "Hey guys looks like he actually cares about that filthy mutt!"

Shadow snapped at the boy who'd kicked him barely missing his leg. The boy growing angry yelled, "That damn thing almost bit me!" Shadow growled and snapped again this time biting the kid's leg as the kid kicked at him again. The boy screamed in pain and the other three boys started kicking the dog to get him off the kid.

Bankotsu yelled, "NO! Stop!" trying to push the kids away from his only friend. One of the boys spotted and good sized rock and picking it up slammed it on the dog's head. Shadow yelped before falling to the ground whining in pain. Bankotsu enraged lunged at the boys growling out his own frustration.

Taking the rock from the one kid he slammed it against the kids skull and screamed, "How do you like it asshole?" The boy fell to the ground bleeding from his head like Shadow had done. The remaining three boys all started kicking the dog and their young victim. Bankotsu filled with all the back anger and hatred saw red and began killing all three of the remaining boys.

The villagers came out due to all the screaming and upon finding their children bleeding and mangled became outraged. Bankotsu was still kicking the boy who had hurt his dog. Tears streaming down his face he looked at Shadow one last time. Hearing the angry adults Bankotsu became frightened and ran as fast as he could into the forest.

Adrenaline fueling his speed as well as the years of being abused and tormented by those kids he ran until he couldn't run anymore and dropped to his knees in the middle of nowhere crying.

End Flashback

Bankotsu shook his head free of those painful memories. Fists clenched angrily he growled still feeling hatred towards those kids. He still missed the first friend and only pet he'd ever had. "Wasn't long after that that I started training my self to become stronger," he thought.

Tears in his eyes he whispered, "If I had only been stronger back then, I might have had Shadow a little longer. I might even have been able to save him."

Gazing over at his sleeping brothers he vowed fiercely, gripping his banryu with a stern glare. "I will never allow anyone to harm me or the ones I care for ever again. I swear it."