CHAPTER 6

*THREE MONTHS LATER*

Hatori stood in the doorway of the dojo as Tohru gawked at Kazuma "Shishou" and Kyo sparring each other. It was obvious that Shishou was letting Kyo win, but Kyo didn't realize this until their second match. "Hey!" he yelled at sudden grasp.

Yuki and Kagura laughed together. "How about you try fighting someone your own size," they teased. "Like Haru!"

Hatsuharu was also there and he stood up without a fighting word. "Okay. Sounds like a plan."

Kyo made a face. "What?"

Suddenly Shishou swiped at his feet and before he knew it, Kyo was safely knocked onto his butt. The room roared with laughter. Tohru rushed to help him up, but he shooed her away. "I can get up on my own, dammit!" he snapped. He turned to Haru. "And I am not fighting you."

"Scared you'll lose?" Shigure teased.

Hatori rolled his eyes as Kyo bristled. "No I am not scared to lose to an untrainable, stupid cow-!"

Suddenly Haru snapped, his face twisted and his aura morphed into what the family called "Black Haru". They all smacked their heads at Kyo's ignorance as Haru battled with the cat. "UNTRAINABLE? STUPID? I'LL SHOW YOU UNTRAINABLE AND STUPID!"

Kagura sighed as she and Yuki went back to practicing their breathing techniques. "I'm really glad that we've all started coming back here," she remarked. "But I hate it when stupid fights like that break out!" she paused and smiled at Yuki. "However, I've noticed that you and Kyo haven't been fighting as much, lately."

Yuki grunted, distantly. "Hm." was all he said.

Kagura frowned and slapped his arm. "Pay attention when I'm talking to you, dammit!"

Yuki broke out of his concentration. "Ow, Kagura, we're supposed to be calm right now!"

"Well I can't help it! Those two are getting my chi all messed up and in a tizzy, you know?"

"No." Yuki replied, closing his eyes in meditation.

Kagura shook her head, sighing loudly. "Well…whatever. Hey, I heard that Lei-Lei is back! Is that true?"

Yuki hesitated, but answered her, calmly. "Yes it is, but it was about a month or two ago. I don't know where she's been ."

Kagura grinned. "I bet Kyo was excited!"

Yuki chuckled. "Um, not exactly."

Kazuma's assistant, Kunimitsu tapped Shishou on the shoulder and whispered something to him. He nodded to the young man while Kyo and Haru continued a rather gradual, uninteresting fight. Yuki was trying to block them out while Kagura couldn't shut up about anything and everything on her mind. Shigure was leaning against the door frame with Hatori as they watched the young teenagers fight it out, Tohru beside them in terror. Shigure laughed. "They won't really hurt each other, Tohru, don't worry. And if they did, the doctor is in and ready to serve!" he joked, poking Hatori, who looked rather annoyed.

"Those two better not hurt each other bad enough for me to step in. It's my day off and I intend to spend it in peace."

"Then why did you come to the dojo where one is bound to get hurt in a matter of seconds?" Shigure pointed out.

"Because you asked me to," he snapped back. "But you bring up an interesting point. I guess leaving would be the best idea."

Shigure pouted, acting like a big baby. "Oh please don't leave, Hari! Stay, stay, stay, stay, stay, stay!" he whined, jumping up and down.

Hatori sighed, heavily. "Oh please act your age, Shigure."

"Like that's possible." a voice grumbled from behind them. Shigure jumped, but it was just Rin. She glared at them. "Oh don't act all surprised. I…like…the dojo."

Kagura snorted and leaned towards Yuki. "She likes what's in the dojo," she hissed, nodding towards Haru.

"You'll never get by me, stupid cat!" Haru exclaimed, throwing another punch, missing Kyo by inches.

Kyo groaned, counterattacking him. "Would you quit it? All I said was that I didn't want to fight you!"

Haru stopped, his face twisted. "What? What the hell are you talking about? You called me every name in the book, including untrainable, stupid, and coward!"

Kyo gawked. "Wha-? Okay, you just made up that last part!"

Suddenly Haru spotted Rin. He became miraculously relaxed. "You're right, Kyo," he murmured. "I did make that last part up to make you sound like a scoundrel, but I can see that you do a good job of that on your own, so if you'd excuse me?" He began gravitating over towards Rin who frowned at him.

"Hell no." was all she said as she began to walk away. But Haru caught her and kissed her cheek.

Kagura laughed and stood up, overcome by the love in the air. "Kyooooooooo!" she cooed. "Come here my love!"

Kyo got rigid and twitched. "Eh-? No way!"

Kagura attacked him before he could react, strangling him with her martial arts belt. "TELL ME YOU LOVE ME, DAMN IT…" she hissed.

Shigure chuckled. "Ah, Kyo-Kyo, you and Kagura are meant to be, it seems!"

"Quit badgering the boy, Shigure."

Shigure laughed. "And where's the fun in that?"

Hatori sighed. "I'm leaving."

"Oh! You are such a bore, Hari!" Shigure whined.

Hatori ignored, starting to walk out. "I'm not supposed to be gone from the office for very long anyways. Even if it's my day off. I'll see you soon, Shigure. And please try to behave while I'm gone."

Shigure smiled. "We'll see."

Hatori began to walk down the hallway and was out of the dojo in time to see a rental car pull up on the road below the hill the dojo sat on. He squinted as he walked down the pathway, but hesitated when he saw who was getting out of the car. He stood still, a little surprised by how dumbfounded he was, but shook himself out of it and continued his walk back to the main house. But it was no use.

"Hatori!" Leiko called out. She locked the rental and raced up the steep hill. A little winded, she smiled at him. "H-How are you? Why are you at the dojo?"

"I'm well, Leiko. I hope you are too. I-I was with Shigure and the others, but it was my break. I'm on my way back to Akito."

Leiko calmed down and relaxed back onto her heels, hands behind her back. "So…you're his slave now, huh?"

"You know how his health is, Leiko." Hatori pointed out.

Leiko narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, his mental health," she mumbled. She lightened up a bit. "But anyways, I guess that boy needs someone to take care of him."

Hatori nodded. "Yes, he does." he paused, staring at the ground for a while before finally looking Leiko in the eyes. "I really don't have time for small talk, Leiko. Excuse me." he began running off towards Sohma House.

Leiko gulped and slipped her hands into her back pockets. "Well, at least I know he's still a snowflake." she sighed. "As cold and pretty as ever…damn…" she chuckled, running into the dojo.

Kunimitsu stopped her in the hall, smiling. "Leiko? Is that you?"

She grinned. "Mitsu!" she exclaimed.

He whistled. "Wow, look at you! You're so ol-"

She pointed, menacingly at him. "Hey, watch it!"

He laughed. "Beautiful." he said, simply. "You're so beautiful."

She rolled her eyes, playfully punching his arm. "Suck up. But thank you." she added, winking. She passed him and continued towards the sparring room when she spotted Kazuma out in the back. Curiously, she ventured outside again and smiled. He was in his classic thinking position. Under a tree, completely at ease, back against the trunk and eyes closed. She quietly made her way over to him, careful not to crunch the grass, but she knew better than to try and fool her ninja of a brother. He opened one eye and smiled.

"Leiko," he chuckled, sitting up. "Please, join me."

Leiko sat across from him on the ground and sighed. "Kazuma, I'm glad you still have the dojo!"

"Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged. "I don't know…I just…" she sighed. "It's just been so long and…" she chuckled. "Kyo…he's so big! So handsome and grown up…I feel like a parent, you know?"

Kazuma laughed. "Yes, I know."

Leiko raised her eyebrows. "So you consider yourself his parent?"

Kazuma stopped laughing, but his face stayed relaxed and content. "Yes, I do. What are you getting at?"

Leiko looked up at the tree branches above. "I need the truth, Zoom."

Kazuma smiled. "Zoom… nobody's called me that in years." he mumbled, nostalgically.

Leiko frowned, still looking away from him. "Why, exactly, are you interested in Kyo?"

Kazuma smiled, challengingly. "Why are you?"

Leiko hesistated. "B-Because…I love Kyo, that's why."

"As do I."

Leiko rolled her eyes. "It would seem we are of the few."

Kazuma suddenly got a sparkle in his eye. "I doubt that…" he trailed off, glancing inside. The girl, Tohru Honda was passing the doorway.

She spotted them and jumped. "Oh! Sohma-Shishou, Leiko…I'm sorry to interrupt."

Leiko jumped to her feet. "It's alright, Miss Honda, I was just…talking to Shishou."

Kazuma bowed. "It's been a pleasure, Leiko. I've missed your talent within the dojo."

Tohru smiled. "Oh? Are you a martial arts student too, Leiko?"

Leiko laughed. "Am I a martial arts student?" she echoed. "I was Kazuma's best student!"

Kazuma nodded. "Actually, Kyo used to always dream of fighting Leiko, but he was always too young…"

Leiko jerked her head toward him. "What are you getting at?" she asked, suspiciously.

Tohru grinned. "That's a wonderful idea, Sohma-Shishou!" she exclaimed, running out.

Leiko laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. "But…Zoom, I'm not half as good as I was!"

Kazuma smiled. "Then the playing field will be even," he said, with a wink.

"What? No way in hell am I fighting her!" Kyo yelled at Tohru when she delivered the news.

"Who?" Haru asked, looking up from his conversation with Rin.

Tohru smiled. "Miss Leiko!"

"Leiko is very good," Kagura admitted, looking disgusted with herself at her own words of truth. "Even Yuki couldn't beat her!"

Shigure blinked, standing up straight. "Leiko's here? Did you talk to her?"

"Um, well not really," Tohru admitted. "She was speaking with Sohma-Shishou when I walked by. Sohma-Shishou was actually the brains behind the operation!" she added a chuckle at her own joke.

Kyo bit his lip, his face indecipherable. "Man, I can't believe I get to fight her…"

Tohru looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Are you excited, Kyo?"

He opened his mouth to reply when Shigure conked him on the head, shutting him up. "Of course he's excited! I mean, who wouldn't be?"

Kyo glared at him, rubbing his head. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" he screamed.

Shigure frowned. "Tsk, tsk, you should keep your temper down! As your shishou says, don't let your strength be measured by your emotion!"

Kyo sighed. "This is so stupid…" he murmured, tightening his martial arts belt.

Shigure smiled. "So, Tohru, are you ready to see one heck of a fight?" he joked.

Kagura growled, "I hope she doesn't rough up my Kyo too much…"

Yuki chuckled. "Hatori's got impeccable timing. We could've used his services."

Tohru blinked, wide eyed. "Miss Leiko wouldn't hurt him too badly, would she?"

Rin frowned, turning red from anger. Haru sighed, listlessly leaning back onto his hands. "I'm surprised she even agreed to fight him." he muttered.

Kyo tossed him a nasty look. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he snapped.

Yuki narrowed his eyes. "Relax, you stupid cat."

Kagura smiled. "Leiko loves you, silly! Why would she pummel you to a pulp?"

Shigure laughed, aloud. "Because it's fun?"

Kyo glared at him. "Shigure…" he growled.

Shigure cringed.

Leiko sighed as she tightened her black belt around her old Gi. She was surprised that it still fit her, given the certain time that had past. She expected that all her clothes from before would be small, but then again, martial arts had always kept her in good shape. She had almost gotten to be a full Master in four styles of martial arts before she left. She had finished Judo, Aikido, Tae Kwon Do, and was almost to her 9th degree black belt when she had chosen to leave. Ever since she reconnected with her big brother when she was fourteen, martial art study was all she could do to get her mind off her reality most of her teenage life. She had fond memories going to his dojo every day and challenging him relentlessly to sparring matches, never letting him throw a match because she was a girl or because she was his sister.

"Neither way makes me any weaker than you!" she'd shout in inspired rage.

But it never mattered. He always beat her.

She smiled at herself in the mirror. Her long brown hair looked red from all the sun exposure and her odd light green eyes seem to reflect the young Leiko Sohma she had once known back at her. The young, wild, puckish Leiko who was always so carefree and, at times, careless seem to smile back at her with a mischievous sparkle in the corner of her own naïve eyes. Leiko took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes at her prior image. "Idiot." she hissed.

She tied back her hair and left the room, headed to spar her favorite student. She remembered when Kyo would come to her for secret help with his training. He was always afraid to ask Kazuma. He feared at that he would let his guardian down if he seemed too shabby.

"Kyo, what in the world makes you think you would let Shishou down?" she'd ask the young boy.

He'd always look at her with the same pride and determination she always saw in herself and reply, "Because I won't let him be next. I've let everyone down except him and I won't let him be next."

Leiko would always smile at him, though. "You've never let him down and you never will." She'd chuckle. "You've forgotten about my dumb faith in you too! You will never let me down, even if you tried!"

She chuckled and shook her head at the fond memories before sneaking up behind Shigure who was back against the doorframe. She tapped him on the shoulder, timidly. He jumped and spun around, exclaiming, "Lei-Lei!"

She sighed, heavily. "Shigure, I don't like that nickna-"

But Shigure was already onto the next topic. "So," he addressed the rest of the room. "Who's ready for the fight of the century!"

Leiko blinked. "How many spectators are here?" she scoffed.

Shigure grinned. "Everyone that matters!" he joked.

Tohru opened her mouth to object, but Kyo cut her off. "It's a joke." he snapped.

Leiko spotted Kyo and smiled as she slowly walked into the center of the room. "So…if I fight, will you talk to me?"

Kyo turned towards her and stared her down. "I'll talk to you," he said, pausing. "If you win."

Leiko smiled. He knew her all too well. She didn't even want to fight Kyo. She knew that she'd send him flying into a wall or something. Then again, perhaps he had gotten stronger since she'd seen him last. It was a definite possibility. Afterall, Kyo had always been a determined little boy and even now as a defiant young teenager, she could still see the old fire in his eyes, burning more fiercely than ever. Yet, it was a lost fiery, using the fuel of hatred as its guide. At least Yuki had some good in Kyo's martial arts life.

Reluctant and desperate to have her favorite little Kyo talking to her once again, Leiko agreed to fight him. The room gawked. "You're actually gonna fight him?" Shigure stuttered.

Leiko laughed. "Why not? I say he's old enough to have his butt whooped by a real martial artist!"

Kyo laughed with her. "Well then bring it on!" he teased.

It was just the kind of reassurance Leiko needed. Kyo was excited about the match. To be truthful, so was Leiko. She took her traditional stance, bowed, and the sparring began. It was just like old times. She seemed to just fall back into her old life by the time her feet swiped the ground and her leg flew into the air. The way the two were fighting, no one could look away. Because Kazuma had taught both of them and Leiko had tutored Kyo, their fighting styles were identical. It was almost like a dance instead of a fight. Especially since it was obvious how much fun both of them were having.

Leiko threw her palm at Kyo's shoulder, but he jumped backwards, laughing. "That all you got, Foxtrot? Lame!"

Leiko laughed back. "Ha! Just warming up, Flame-Brain!" she smirked. "What's your excuse?"

Tohru let out a small gasp, surprised at Leiko's words. She and the others were on the side watching the entertaining fight. Shigure chuckled, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Tohru," he said, lightheartedly. "It's just the fight talking. I love seeing her like this."

Tohru blinked and looked up at Shigure who was admirably watching Leiko jump and kick. Shigure continued. "I'm actually not that surprised that Leiko agreed to fight Kyo. Mostly because somewhere deep down she really wanted to fight him, either to prove her superiority or to see her student become a true master!"

Tohru smiled. "Yeah," she said looking over at the two. "And Kyo looks like he's having the time of his life!"

Shigure smiled. "That's because this was his dream as a kid."

"To fight Leiko?" Tohru asked, quietly.

Shigure shook his head. "To win," he said, simply. "To win a fair fight with his martial arts idol. Leiko tutored Kyo in martial arts all up until she disappeared. She loved him to death and, frankly, no one knows why."

Tohru blinked, surprised. "Uh…but why?" she paused. "Kyo's not a bad person. Sure he has a temper, but…why would you hold it against him?"

Shigure smiled down at her. "Oh no, that's not it all, it's just because he was the Cat that everyone was wary of him. At least, the older zodiac members were. We weren't sure what to make of him." he chuckled. "Not Leiko. She adored him and fawned over him, even when he was a baby! She'd buy him things and take him out when his parents got…well…tired of having a child like Kyo. Leiko would be there when he got scared…she was like his parent. And she was only a teenager when his mother died."

Shigure suddenly got a distant look in his eyes as he watched Leiko and Kyo fight. They had started off smiling, but the fight was getting more intense.

Kyo bit his lip, dodging another attack. She really meant it when she said she wouldn't just let me win! He thought. Suddenly he smiled, a familiar sparkle in his eye. "Glad you kept your word!"

Leiko blinked, caught off guard. For a brief moment, everything froze. She glanced around the room. Shigure was whispering to the Honda girl while leaning against the doorframe, Kagura trying to act bored by the fight, and Haru was oblivious while Rin was trying to kill Leiko through her mere looks. Leiko hadn't realized that Rin was even in the room. Leiko wanted to glare, but her eyes lingered on Kyo. This fight scared her. Not because she didn't want to hurt him or lose. It was because he was able to fight her that she was scared. She remembered the day that she told him that. Kyo was only five when he had asked to fight Leiko.

"You wouldn't want to fight me, little man," she had chuckled. "At least not right now! You're still a baby!"

Kyo would always clench his teeth in anger when people told him that. "No I'm NOT!" he had screamed, hurling a fist at her.

Calmly, though, Leiko had blocked it with her palm, chuckling. "Chill out, Flame-Brain!" she'd tease him. She used to always call him Flame-Brain because of his infamous orange hair and hot temper. The nickname was only allowed to be used by Leiko, mainly because, for some reason, Kyo was only okay with her calling him that. In fact, her calling him that would always calm him down. In return, he'd always call her Foxtrot. It wasn't very original, but still, it'd put a smile on both their famous.

"Tell you what," she'd once told him. "When you're my age today, sixteen, then I promise to give you the fair fight you deserve, okay? For now, you are a child. You aren't nearly well enough trained to fight someone at my level. But…when you're my age," she'd chuckled. "I'm willing to bet you'll be even better!"

Leiko now saw her world speed up as the sixteen-year-old Kyo took a swing at her. The dance-like fight continued. Leiko couldn't believe how much time had flown by since she'd said those words! The small four foot tall five year old she had once fawned over and loved so much was now this tall, passionate, strong teenager! But even so, she could see the bitter fervor of battle in his eyes as he fought. It was obvious that all the other times he had trained, it had not been for his mere love of the sport.

Suddenly when she snapped out of the past, Kyo caught her eyes wandering and he took the chance. He hit at her wrists, twisting her body around, and then tried to knock her down by kicking her ankles, but Leiko swung out, tripping under Kyo's hit and bounced off her palm, twirling into a one-handed back handspring.

Surprised, Tohru looked at Shigure who was smiling. "Didn't I mention Leiko's interest in gymnastics?"

Rin suddenly stood up. "Yep, she's just little miss frickin' perfect, isn't she?" she snapped, storming out of the room.

Leiko's stunt kicked Kyo in the face, forcing him backwards and onto the floor. A bunch of people burst into laughter, a few clapping at Kyo's fail. Leiko, a little shocked that she had really just done that to her own student. She smiled, weakly at him on the floor. "You wanna stop-?"

"HELL NO!" he yelled, jumping up, stance ready.

Leiko sighed, tired of fighting. "But Kyo, I-"

"Hey, if I get a chance to fight you, I'm taking it now! Who knows how long you'll stay this time and I wanna thoroughly whoop your ass before you leave again!" he yelled, triumphantly. He lifted his fists, challengingly. "You ready?"

Leiko frowned, relaxing her muscles. "I'm not leaving Kyo."

Kyo ignored her and decided to take another swipe at her unstable position. She quickly jumped out of the way and, like it or not, she was back in the fight. Kyo was determined to win! But sadly, Leiko quickly put him into submission by disabling him and kicking him hard against the wall. The room was deathly silent, but Shigure broke the ice with a holler of laughter.

A lot of laughter.

A lot of pointing, laughing, mocking, and jumping up and down like a child.

"Oh….Oh! Kyo-Kyo-Kyo-Kyo-Kyo! That was hilarious! Lei-Lei completely destroyed you! Oh, you should see your face! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he howled. A few others in the room chuckled while others shrugged, apathetically. Tohru quickly looked at Kyo for his reaction.

He slowly stood up, walked over to Leiko, his head down. It was the first time she actually noticed how much taller the boy was than her. Finally he looked at her and she gasped, slightly.

He was holding out his hand and smiling.

"Good fight, Foxtrot." he said, fairly. "I've missed you."

Leiko grinned like an idiot and ignored his handshake, going straight in for a spine-crushing, nerve-paralyzing hug. Kyo's face twisted in a feeling of being painfully loved. "Leiko! You're. Crushing. Me."

Leiko laughed, slapped his back. "Good! Someone should crush you when Shishou's always letting you win!"

Kyo shrugged. "That's what I liked about you, Leiko."

"What's that?"

Kyo smirked, a sparkle appearing in the corner of his eye. "You never let me win. You always told me I had to earn it."

"Yeah, but Shishou's right. Praise is what makes you learn!" Leiko said, laughing nervously.

Suddenly Kazuma appeared in the doorway of the room, grinning at Leiko and Kyo. "But honor is what sticks."

A/N: Hey guys! It's Betny again! :) Okay, so I'm sorry that I took forever to write this chapter! And I'm not about to say that I was busy, 'cause I'm not into lying to my readers. I'm just too lazy for my own good. :\ Hahaha! XD But I am excited to write the next chapter out for you guys because guess what? IT'S A GLIMPSE INTO LEIKO'S PAST! I've gotten a lot of people asking me to hint at her past and I've tossed a few clues like the nightmares in Chapter 3 and a few flashbacks to her teenage years. Now just for all you skeptic minds out there, yes I DO have her ENTIRE past mapped out or planned out or however the hell you'd like me to say it. It's all there, but I'm not sure how to subtly reveal all of Leiko's deep dark secrets! Haha, but there are frivolous scenes that need to be written, sorta like filler episodes or something, just to get a feel for Leiko and her life, but I'm not completely sure what to put for that. Oh geez, I'm ranting again. Damn. My bad. Okay, here's you're job: If you read this...REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I'm serious! I don't even care if you just say, "Hey nice story." or "Hey your story sucks" or even "Hey who's your favorite character on the TV show Bones?" I. Like. To. Talk. :) Soooooo...you see that pretty blue button below that says Review Chapter? Click it. You know you want to... ;D

~Betny Show

Oh and by the way, I apologize to any of you martial arts gurus reading this chapter and were dissappointed in my detailing of the fights. I am not very schooled in the art of martial, or whatever. I'm not a black belt, white belt, or even a tie-die belt. I'm not even a belt! I'm a shoe...maybe half a shoe...size 3...opps, rambling