It's been eight years since the battle in which Demon Eyes Kyo regained his body. The band the traveled with Demon Eyes Kyo as he quested for his body has disbanded. Kyoshiro Mibu has been dead for eight years, killed by the hands of Demon Eyes Kyo – and Demon Eyes Kyo himself has vanished, along with the woman that held the heart of every man on the quest for Demon Eyes Kyo's body. Rumors circulate that two of Demon Eyes Kyo's former companions have had contact with him, but it is unknown which two are the ones, and all deny it. And even more disturbing rumors are circulating – rumors of the revival of the Mibu Clan…

"Come on Kyoko. I know you can do better than that."

The taunting tone made the young girl bristle.

"Grrrrr. If your going to teach me, than show me what I'm doing wrong instead of taunting me. Just because you're my father doesn't mean I won't try to kill you."

The demon looked down at Kyoko and raised an eyebrow. Laughter behind him made him turn around.

"Well, she certainly has your attitude. Come on, dinner's ready."

Sheathing his sword, the demon walked over to the woman, his daughter following.

"Where's Shi?" he asked.

"Back at the house. He's rather anxious for next week to come."

"Hmp. You didn't promise him that they would come again, did you?"

The woman gave a small smile. It was all the answer the demon needed.

"Yuya!" he growled.

"Calm down Kyo. I didn't promise him. I just said that it was possible that they'd be stopping by."

Yuya was lightly holding onto Kyo's arm. She smiled, remembering a time when he would have shoved her away, words like dogface or flat chest accompanying the treatment. She smiled a bit more as she shook her head. Kyo still called her names like that, but not as often. She knew it was his way of saying 'I love you', and he had gotten better at saying the actual words over the last eight years…

"Yuya."

Yuya's head snapped up to look the demon in the eyes.

"You okay?"

To anyone who looked at him, his face would have been blank, absent of all emotions, but Yuya had learned to read his emotions over the past eight years. She smiled gently.

"Ya. Just thinking about the old times."

"Hmp."

"Mom! Dad! Kyoko!"

The three looked up to see a mini-me of Kyo running over to them.

"Hey brat."

"Daaaaad." the boy growled. "You know I hate it when you treat me like a baby."

Kyo smirked, then turned to walk into the house. Yuya looked after Kyo, then sighed and followed, leaving the two kids to talk.

"How'd training go Kyoko?" the boy asked.

The girl growled.

"That bad?"

Kyoko sighed before answering.

"You know Shi, for Demon Eyes Kyo, I sometimes think our dad is a bit of a wimp."

Shi looked at his sister in surprise. They both knew that their father was Demon Eyes Kyo, the thousand man slayer. They both heard all the terrible things he'd done, and knew not to get on his bad side. Shi never thought he'd hear Kyoko, his own sister, dis their dad.

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

Kyoko looked at Shi, catching the surprise in his eyes.

"He talks big, but when it comes right down to it, he won't take the punch."

This puzzled Shi. Kyoko could feel his puzzlement though their bond, and sighing, she sat down so she could explain it to her twin.

"Dad says he knows I can do better than what I was doing at practice today, but I can't see what I was doing wrong. I was doing everything exactly like he showed me… at least I think I was. If he's going to teach me, he should show me what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it. I know just as well as he does that in a fight, one wrong move will get you killed. I just wish Dad would take our training more seriously. Our lives could depend on this one day. Although I know he says that this forest is impenetrable to those who don't know their way through it, but still…"

Shi looked at his sister. He never knew she felt that way, even with their bond, he never knew.

"Kyoko…"

Kyoko looked up at Shi. The tone in his voice told her something was off.

"Ya?" she asked.

Shi looked at her for several moments before asking his question; although Kyoko already had a pretty good idea of what it was with the pictures that flashed through her mind, ones only her could send.

"Kyoko, do you want to… to leave? You know, travel the land like Mom used to do. Do you want to find out how good you truly are?"

The last question caught her off guard.

Find out how good I truly am?

The question echoed in her mind. She was vaguely aware of her father listening in on them, making sure they were okay. Yes, yes she wanted to leave… but if she said that, Kyo would be after them in a heartbeat and he would never let them out of his sight again. So she did the only thing she could.

"No. I'm happy here. Dad may be a jerk at times, but I'm learning from the best."

At the same time she thought as hard as she could ' Yes, O God yes I want to leave. But with Dad listening I can't say that. Oh Shi please be able to hear this…'

Kyoko could see surprise pass through Shi's eyes. Did he hear her, or was it just because that wasn't the answer he was expecting?

"Good. I don't want you to leave… I don't intent to."

Kyoko… was that you? You truly want to leave? Because if you do, I want to too. If you leave, I'm going with you.

Kyoko nodded. It had a double meaning, but to anyone watching, they only knew one.

"Kyoko! Shi! Dinner's on the table."

The twins turned as the mother called them to dinner.

"Coming Mom!" they shouted together.

Tomorrow night­.

They thought together, the bond they shared allowing them to read the thought before it had even formed in the other's mind.