Thanks to: joellesophya (More on Aiko coming soon. And Hotaru is super fun to write. Someone helps Ryu and by extension Kyo but more on that below.), Rinfantasy (Will see if I can slip a little Kyo in. If not this chapter then definitely the next. In fact, now that I've laid the groundwork for the story, you'll be seeing a lot more of him.), ThunderxShadow (Yuya is key but so is Shinrei for pushing him to make a move. The Mibu are terrible but then they've been misguided for a while outside of the higher ups.), lmamc, general zargon (Don't worry. Ryu will be fine and then some. Now we get to the fun parts since the basic premise has been laid. I know the build-up was pretty slow.), PoleDancerWannaBe (Happy you liked the way the last chapter went and the way I write Akari. He's so much fun! Tenrou is no one to mess with but...it'll turn out alright in the end. Also, who says Kyo and Yuya will meet in the Mibu lands? ;-P), abattles2 (Hmm, everyone seems to believe that Kyo and Yuya will meet in the Mibu again. Just remember that plans don't always work out and Kyo isn't the type to stay put.), M'Lady91 (Thanks!), magicalnana (Ryu will meet him eventually. Also, Ryu is not necessarily a shaman. Just like a person can carry genes for features they themselves do not have – like someone with brown eyes having genes for blue ones – it doesn't mean they will manifest. That said, there are perks to being Aiko's twin.), Deby MU (Thank you so much for taking the time out to review. I glad you enjoyed the prequel and are enjoying the sequel. I'm also happy the plot is understandable for you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and cheering me on. ^_^), kyoandyuya (Yuya is no one to screw around with and I'm glad you are still liking the characterizations in my fic because I'm really big on trying to keep people from falling into OOC territory), midori318 (But...but I love cocoa. D-: It's okay, I found some of my own and it has whipped cream too, so there! Thbpt! ;-P Thanks anyways and hope you keep on enjoying.)

Author's Note: In case you're wondering Tenryo is now corrected to Tenrou – I originally used Tenryo because of a bad translation - but I've changed it in this fic now that I've going re-editing the early chapters.

Kurenai Kioku

Chapter Eight

Ancient King and Connected Siblings

Ryu waited for the feel of cold fangs to start tearing into him.

And waited.

And waited.

"It's alright boy, no one's going to hurt you," a voice that sounded just like Tenrou's said.

He was reluctant to believe that he was safe and screwed his eyes even tighter, shaking his head. A deep chuckle sounded and a hand that was large enough to cover his head gave him a gentle pat. The sound of childish laughter reached his ears and he slowly opened his eyes, blinking at the bright light shining in his face as it reflected off of the gold-plated walls around him.

The boy moved his gaze from side to side, looking for Tenrou but the wolf was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he saw children chasing each other in what looked to be a game of tag. They were a mixed group of boys and girls, dressed in vivid silk clothing with pretty hair ornaments adorning the delicately formed girls. What caught his attention though were their eyes.

Just like his, they were red but, instead of a delineation between pupil, iris, and whites, theirs were crimson from end to end and inundated with a sparkle that was hard to describe. They were odd eyes but still mesmerizingly beautiful and he tried to figure out who they were and where he was. The person with the wolf's voice still had a hand on the top of his head and he reached up, intending to move it away so he could see who was touching him. However, he paused in the process of tugging at the long fingers when he touched what felt like claws on the tips.

"Who are you?" he asked the mystery person and let out a small yelp when the hand on his head was removed and he was summarily scooped up...and up and up some more by strong arms. Whoever the person was, he was very tall because the boy was higher than he'd ever been with anyone in the clan, even Taihaku.

"Who am I, indeed?" the man asked much closer to his ear,and he turned his head to look at his captor.

Ryu had never seen anyone quite like him. Like the children, he also had red eyes that took up his entire sockets and contained an unearthly glow. Unlike the children his also gleamed with knowledge and keen intelligence – as if he could see through everything and he knew that he couldn't hide any secrets from that gaze. Between those piercing eyes was a strange cluster of raised veins and his hair was a brilliant shade of red and so long that Ryu was certain that it had to reach below his waist.

There were bull-like horns poking out of those red strands that curled forward along the sides of his head and he was dressed in white and black robes that were decorated with some sort of cryptic writing. Over the robe was a long coat emblazoned on each shoulder with the Yin-Yang symbol and he could see long black spires poking above his head which seemed to originate somewhere on his back. If he had to describe the feel he gave off, he would have said he reminded him a bit of the Crimson King but slightly scary.

The boy brought his gaze back to those intense eyes once he finished analyzing the man's garb and frowned as he tried to figure out who the man was and where Tenrou had gone. He was happy to be alive but thoroughly confused at that point.

"I can just see that mind working overtime," the man said with a grin that revealed wickedly sharp fangs.

Such a sight should have been terrifying but he felt safe somehow. Something about the man gave off the impression of absolute power and he found himself comforted by that mischievous expression, as if everything was going to be alright.

That monstrous grin morphed into a warm smile and the man said, "There's a good boy. You're certainly a lot more trusting than your daddy, that's for sure."

Ryu's eyes widened and he stared at the man in shock as he asked, "You know my father? Who is he? Where is he?"

The stranger chuckled again and hoisted him up, neatly seating him on his shoulders and forcing him to hold onto his hair to keep from sliding off as the man walked over to the children playing.

"Sure I know your dad. After all, he is the last of my children."

"Really? So does that make you my grandfather?" the boy asked, curious about meeting a new family member and enjoying the view from more than seven feet up in the air.

"Sure it does. But you can call me Jii-Chan," he said cheerfully.

Ryu smiled. For a monster, his grandfather was pretty chipper.

A thought occurred to him and he shyly touched one of those strange horns as he asked, "But if you're my grandfather, how come I don't have horns or claws?"

"Ah, well the horns aren't real. They're actually a joke I plan to play on your father when he get's off his butt and learns to listen to his sword. He's so stubborn," there was a wealth of exasperation in that sentence and Ryu stifled a laugh at hearing such a powerful being expressing something as human as annoyance.

"Oh, you think that's funny, do you? What's a cheeky kid like you called anyways?"

"Sorry Jii-Chan. My name is Mibu Ryu."

"That's a nice name. And how did you come to see me, Ryu-Chan?"

"I was looking for my father and Keikoku-Sama said he went to Hishigi-Sama's lab a long time ago. The people there were talking about his sword. So I followed them to it and touched it. Then there was a scary wolf and I grabbed his tail because I wanted him to tell me about my father. He was going to hurt me but when I opened my eyes I was here. By the way...," he twisted his head this way and that, searching for the white wolf.

"Where is Tenrou?"

"He's more-or-less me, actually," his grandfather said, "The sword you touched was forged by Muramasa, the man who raised your father. I have to give it to him, he made an excellent weapon to be able to call on a spirit like Tenrou. I couldn't have fused with any old sword, you know."

Ryu nodded even though he didn't quite understand what he meant by fusing with a sword spirit.

"Anyways, it was a foolish thing to put your hand on Tenrou but I can feel the turmoil inside of you. You must have been feeling really desperate, huh?"

"Yes. I was sad because my master won't tell me who my parents are. And I hurt my only friend...," he paused for a moment, trying to get his next words out past the shame welling up in his throat.

One clawed hand reached up to squeeze his leg lightly, reassuring him and giving him the strength to continue on.

"It was...like I was someone else. I didn't even care at first that I hurt her," the last part came out on a near whisper.

"Yeah, it's that dark Mibu blood in action," the man holding him replied matter-of-factly, "It makes us say and do things we don't always mean. But, that's a conversation for another day. I can tell you are a good kid. How would you like to play with a few of my little friends?"

The boy looked at the other children galavanting about so happily and felt a surge of excitement. He hadn't had a chance to play with other children besides Ruru before and their mirth was infections.

"That sounds like fun," Ryu said and his grandfather reached up, deftly plucking him from his shoulders and setting him on the ground.

"Then go ahead and play. And when you wake up, I'm sure things will have been set in motion and hopefully you'll see your father soon."

"I hope so too," the child said as he turned and headed off the play with the other kids.

Once Ryu was out of earshot, his grandfather's smile turned sly and he whispered to himself, "Now then, let's see what this little body is capable of."

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Back in Hishigi's lab, Ryu's eyes opened and the person looking out from them smiled at having successfully taken control of his grandson's body. Tenrou hummed beneath his small fingers and he sucked his teeth in amusement at the method they had used to seal the sword away. For a normal Mibu member, the barrier would have been hard to penetrate but with a body that carried his own blood, it was childsplay – pun intended - for him to run his hand over the chains and break it. He could have taught Ryu how to do it but it would have taken far too much time and he preferred it if the boy didn't know what he was doing.

The First Crimson King had every intention of having the boy meet his sire but it had to be at the right time. Having been out of contact with his son through Tenrou for the past few years, he needed to see where Kyo's mind was, otherwise what should be a happy reunion for father and son might turn into a nightmare for everyone involved.

Pulling the Muramasa free from the wall, he slung the sword over his shoulder and was grateful that his grandson was a strong child because a normal boy would have had to drag the blade across the ground. Moving swiftly, he pulled the door open and poked his head out, lifting his nose and scenting the air to see if he had company. There was something to be said for the pleasure of breathing, smelling, and touching the outside world after millennia of hanging out as a spirit.

His smile widened and he set out at a brisk pace, sifting through Ryu's limited knowledge of Hishsigi's labs and his own memories to find his way to the separate exit that he knew led to a different wing of the castle - the side that housed the guests that the king liked to keep close. Since Ryu had never seen his father, he assumed that his son was probably there, in a place where he had been forbidden to go. He had to duck into a corridor a few times to avoid Hishigi's assistants, but he made it to the door without incident and tsked at yet another seal that had been placed to keep people out.

As much as he would have preferred subtlety to keep the lab's occupants from realizing that someone knowledgeable enough to break down Hishigi's barriers was on the loose, time was of the essence. Touching his tongue to a tiny fang in concentration, he placed both hands on the door and dissolved the bonds keeping it shut, watching in satisfaction as ancient letters glowed briefly before melting away. He could feel Ryu getting restless where he'd left him and sped up, hitting the stairwell and ascending to the next level. Pulling from his grandson's memory of his personal scent, he paused at each landing, sniffing the air for a similar smell until he hit on one that seemed promising at the twentieth floor.

Following his nose, he reached the door where it was the most concentrated and paused, ascertaining whether or not the room was occupied. After determining that Ryu's father was not in residence, he pushed against it, glad to see that it opened easily, and entered. He paused in the doorway, taking in the simply arranged yet lavish furnishings.

Even though the king really didn't have a moment to spare, he walked over to the bed slowly, examining the room and wondering how his son was doing. He knew the boy had grown up into a fine man and found a good woman to give him children but knowing was only partly satisfying. What he longed to do was hold his grandchild for real, to pat his son on the head and tell him he was proud of him, to guide him as a father should.

Placing Tenrou in the center of the bed, he paused to run a hand over the rumpled sheets and sighed because this was as physically close to Kyo as he was ever going to get. Unfortunately, his grandson's body was getting tired from his manipulations - he had been careful to maintain the link between mind and body to ensure Ryu would be able to return safely - and he pulled his hand back, quickly exiting the room and heading downstairs via another route to avoid returning to Hishigi's labs in case someone discovered that he'd broken the seal on the door.

There was a secret passage, if he recalled correctly, on the tenth floor that would send him to the regular part of the castle. Much of the structure had been damaged when the Mibu warred against and slaughtered each other but, since the sealed door in Hishigi's lab had remained the same from when it's previous occupant used it, he assumed that the new Mibu clan had rebuilt the castle to original specifications.

His suspicions were correct and he finished his descent and relocated himself to a section that would have been accessible to his grandson, laying his small body on a lone couch sitting against the wall and groaning as he felt a strong tug on his psyche due to the abnormal distance from his home in Muramasa's sword. Before long, he and Ryu would be snatched back to their respective places and he would have to begin the arduous process of prodding his contrary son in the proper direction.

Before he sent Ryu back, though, he intended to give him a gift for being such a brave boy and helping him to reunite with Kyo of a sorts. Recalling something that had caught his eye when he first saw the child, he smiled and relaxed, allowing Ryu's body to slip into sleep as he rejoined him in the world connected to Tenrou. Courtesy of a certain vision Kyo's miko friend had once had, he was certain his surprise would be a pleasant one.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Even though he was having a great time with his friends, Ryu was getting tired and knew that Shinrei was probably looking for him by now. Politely extracting himself from the other children and grinning at the chorus of "aww's" and "please don't's", he walked over to his grandfather and said, "Can you please send me back, Jii-Chan?"

For a long moment, his grandfather continued to stare off into space and then he blinked and bent his head to stare down at him.

"Sorry, Ryu-Chan. What was that?"

"I asked if you could please send me back."

"Of course. I just need you to shut those eyes of yours and relax."

Nodding, Ryu was about to close his eyes again in expectation of returning to his home, only to be halted by a hand on his shoulder.

Looking questioningly back at the tall man, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Before you go, I wanted to check something out. It might be nothing but I noticed a strange item around your waist a while ago. Do you know what it is?"

Ryu had no idea what he was talking about and looked down, wondering what he could possibly have seen. His clothes were the same as they'd always been, a small white tunic and plain shoes, but a gleam of gold caught his eye and he squinted at it, just able to make out what looked like a thread wrapped around his waist. He followed the line and saw where it was knotted on his left side.

"I've never seen it before," he answered truthfully. He got the feeling that the king knew what it was and was trying to lead him to a specific discovery.

"Interesting. Then maybe it's something you wouldn't normally see with the naked eye. It would make complete sense since you are here now. Why don't I give it a closer look and see where it's from?"

The boy nodded and waited as his grandfather ran a clawed hand from the knot at his side to the tail of the thread that was dangling off to the side, lifting it gently with one long finger and following it away from him until it disappeared into thin air. However, as the man gently pulled upwards, the disappearing end was pulled taut as if it were hooked to something they couldn't see.

"Now that is interesting. It looks like someone has formed a connection of some sort to you."

"How?" Ryu asked, feeling a bit perturbed and weary, both in mind and body.

"There are a number of ways to accomplish that but, since I'm dying of curiosity and I don't feel any malice, why don't we give this a tug and see who comes calling, Ryu-Chan?"

Before the child could voice any misgivings, his grandfather had pulled on the thread and a shriek sounded as a girl literally fell out of thin air and the tall man had to catch her.

"Woah there, little one. Don't hurt yourself, now," he said as he sat her on her feet.

She stumbled forward a few steps before whirling around and looking about in obvious panic. Ryu watched her in fascination, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. She was a pretty child with red-gold hair done up in pigtails and a simple pink kimono which bore a tiny butterfly print. What kept him riveted to the spot was her eyes. With the exception of their narrow shape, they were just like his, bright red.

He took a step towards her and she took a hesitant step back as she regarded him with surprise and a bit of fear.

"Where's Kaa-Chan," she asked in a tiny voice, scanning the perimeter once more for her mother.

"I don't know," he said gently and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Aiko wants Kaa-Chan," she wailed and he watched, transfixed, as the thread – which was connected around her wrist – glowed briefly and then he was crying as well even though he hadn't been distraught a moment ago.

"Welp, looks like we know who attached a bond to you," his grandfather said as he bent down to Aiko and stroked her head, murmuring nonsense words to comfort her.

"I gu...guess," Ryu managed to get out between involuntary sobs.

"What an interesting power," the man said, almost to himself.

"W...who is sh...she?" his grandson asked, getting annoyed at losing control of his own emotions. He might have cried a bit earlier over his actions towards Ruru but this was ridiculous.

"If I had to guess, I'd say she's your twin sister," his grandfather replied with another grin.

That silenced the girl at last and she stared at Ryu with wide eyes as she asked, "You're m..my brother?"

Relieved at being released from her thrall, he answered shakily, "I guess s...so if Jii-Chan s...says that's what it is."

Both children turned to look at the tall man watching them with amusement writ large across his face and Aiko asked, "My name is Aiko. Are you my Jii-Chan, too?"

Their grandsire nodded mutely and Ryu followed her question up with, "How did you know she was my sister?"

He didn't even wait for the man to reply before continuing in a suspicious tone, "You already knew she was connected to me by that thread, didn't you?"

His grandfather's brows shot up and he looked away quickly, saying in a jovial voice that didn't fool anyone, "I don't know what you could be talking about."

The boy pressed his lips together and was about to pursue the matter when his vision swam and he staggered forward, clutching his head in pain. Small hands grabbed ahold of his arm and he looked up into the concerned eyes of his newfound sibling.

"Uh oh, looks like our time is up. I was hoping to give you a little time with your sister as a reward for helping me out but it'll be too dangerous to keep you here much longer and Aiko-Chan is going to go back to where she came from once you leave. Therefore, I have a message for both of you."

The children perked up and listened closely as he said, "Ryu, you absolutely must not tell anyone about me and what went on today. As far as everyone is concerned, you went off and hid to think of a way to apologize to your friend. It's not a lie, they just don't have to know where you hid."

Ryu nodded in agreement. He wasn't supposed to be in Hishigi's lab in the first place and he didn't want anyone to figure out that he knew about his father.

"Aiko," the man turned to the young girl and she gave a little start, since she wasn't used to him just yet, which caused her grandfather to soften his tone, "Please take a message to your mother. Tell her to go to Edo and gather her friends and that I will send your father to see her. Can you remember to do that?"

She nodded and slowly slid her fingers down her brother's arm until she was clasping his hand. He gave her a reassuring smile, already feeling protective over her and she offered one in return, projecting feelings of happiness through their connection.

"Ah, I have such adorable grandkids," the man in front of them said proudly, before placing a hand on each of their heads and saying, "All it takes is a blink and you'll be home again."

Ryu tightened his grip on Aiko's hand, memorizing the feel of it and meeting her red eyes one last time before slowly lowering his eyelids...

...And waking up to the sight of Shinrei's worried face hovering over his own.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Yuya was almost certain that her heart stopped when, in the middle of chattering to the adults around her over lunch, Aiko's laughter paused and she simply froze. At first they thought she had been playing a joke but, after a few seconds of watching her child's face - eerily devoid of expression with those red eyes staring unblinkingly off into nothing - they realized that something was seriously wrong.

Having her normally lively child go from animated to expressionless in the time it took to blink was horrifying and the moment she knew all was not well, Yuya reached out to shake her small shoulder, asking as calmly as she could, "Ai-Chan, are you alright?"

When the girl failed to respond, her mother's movements became more vigorous and she started to panic as she called her name over and over, trying to bring her back. Muramasa caught her hand and stopped her once her voice slipped from calm, to worried, to borderline hysterical.

"Hold on, Yuya. I don't think that's going to work. Aiko isn't here right now."

Whirling around to pin him with dark green eyes, she demanded, "What do you mean she isn't here? Where could she possibly go?"

"I...am unsure. All I know is that I can't sense her mind at all and usually she is an open book to me," her father-in-law responded hesitantly and that did nothing to calm her down. If even Muramasa didn't know what was going on, she darn sure didn't know how to proceed.

Reaching out, she gathered her silent daughter into her arms and hugged her close, rocking back and forth like she did when she wanted to soothe her baby girl from a bad dream. Except this time it was to reassure herself by feeling how warm the girl's body was. Closing her eyes, she prayed for her child, ready to promise anything to bring Aiko back.

The men allowed her to have a moment and Akari merely looked on with an indecipherable expression before Kyoshiro stood up and touched Yuya's shoulder and said, "Let's get her into a bed at least. You can keep watch over her there."

The bounty huntress nodded and stood, refusing to allow the former assassin to take her child as she carried her to the room they shared, placing the girl on her small futon and drawing the covers over her. She stroked that precious red-gold hair and barely noticed when Muramasa and Kyoshiro left the room, leaving Akari behind.

Yuya was completely absorbed in watching over her child and the priestess called her name a few times before growling, standing up, and crouching down next to her and snapping her fingers in the young woman's face.

Blinking, Kyo's wife asked, "What is it? I'm not in the mood for your prodding right now."

Akari let out and offended sniff and said, "Contrary to popular belief, not everything is about you."

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black," Yuya shot back but, as usual, the shaman continued on as if she hadn't spoken.

"I've been meaning to talk to you all day, Yuya-San," she said and the blonde was surprised that she was actually being almost respectful.

"What about? If it's concerning Kyo, now isn't the time."

"No, it's not about him this time. It's about Ai-Chan," she said and, for the first time, she saw Akari look a little uncomfortable.

"Did she do something to you? I wouldn't think so since she's usually very sweet," Yuya said.

"Actually, Ai-Chan is a very kind...and very special child," the priestess said as she rubbed her right hand over top of her left. The bounty huntress noted that she seemed to do that a lot. Perhaps it was a nervous habit.

Looking from Aiko's still face to the priestess, the gist of the conversation clicked in her head and she asked suspiciously, "Do you know something about what's wrong with her?"

"Yes and no. No, I don't know exactly what's going on with her right now. Yes, I think her gift is connected to it."

"What do you mean by gift, Akari-San?"

"What I'm saying is that I'm fairly certain that Aiko is like me, a shaman," she immediately tensed and Yuya stared at her blankly, wondering why she was flinching.

A few moments passed while Akari looked as if she had an ax hanging over her head and Yuya frowned in confusion as she said, "So Aiko is a shaman? I've heard the term but I don't quite understand what it entails. Is it something bad?"

Akari stared at her in shock for a moment before her cheeks pinked and she cleared her throat in embarrassment before saying snootily, "You don't even know what a shaman is? How could Kyo have married such an ignorant woman?"

Yuya's eye's narrowed into slits and she reached out, fisting her hand in the front of Akari's robe and ignoring her squeal of indignation as she asked with deadly calm, "What part of my face looks like I'm in the mood for your idiocy right now? Stop beating around the bush and get to the point so I can figure out what is happening to my child."

The shaman held her gaze for a moment before she sighed and said, "Fine, I'll admit my timing could be better. Basically, a shaman is a human with the ability to manipulate ki in ways that the Mibu and other humans can't. Most tend to become priests or mikos in order to learn how to control their powers."

"And what do these powers entail?" the young woman asked.

"A variety of things. Some can foretell the future. Others can look into the past. Some can control the people around them like puppets. In my case I can give life...and take it away," she paused and Yuya felt as if the priestess was bracing herself mentally for Yuya's response.

She had no idea what the priestess was expecting from her and so decided to ask her what she meant about giving life.

"What does giving life entail? Is it like resurrecting the dead?"

"No, nothing that powerful although there are people in the Mibu who can. What I can do is heal people."

"Really? How does that work," Yuya asked, genuinely curious about such a neat gift.

"It's easier to show you. Do you have a wound on you at the moment? Most people have a scratch or two at any given time."

"Actually I do," the bounty huntress said, shifting her leg forward and showing her the wound she'd received from her last bounty.

"Hmm, that'll do. Usually I request a secret in exchange for my services but I'll give you this one for free," Akari said and held her hands over the injury.

The young woman looked on in fascination as a warm glow emanated from the shaman's hands and the wound began to close before her very eyes. Her eyes widened and she smiled at Akari once the glow faded and exclaimed, "That's such a cool power!"

The priestess' cheeks flushed and she flipped her hair over her shoulder as she said, "Of course, Akari-Sama is no one to trifle with."

Realizing that her reaction had embarrassed the woman, Yuya quickly asked, "Is it possible to help Aiko?"

Akari peered at the child and held her hands over her, causing them to glow once more briefly before shaking her head and responding, "No, this isn't something I can heal. We'll have to wait this one out. As I was about to say, shaman powers come in all shapes and sizes. Usually people are afraid of us and the Mibu used to hunt us down years ago," though she didn't say it out loud, Yuya had a feeling that Akari had bad memories of the Mibu as well.

"I think Aiko has an ability too. I saw evidence of it yesterday."

"Hmm," Yuya looked at her child and stroked her head before asking, "Is this something she should hear herself?"

"It might be prudent but...," the shaman's words were interrupted by a low moan that emanated from Aiko and the young woman promptly turned all of her attention to her stirring offspring.

Those red eyes blinked and came back into focus, immediately seeking Yuya out and reaching out to her with a small hand which her mother clasped.

"Are you alright, Ai-Chan?" Yuya asked as her daughter looked around with a dazed expression, trying to figure out where she was before nodding.

"Where were you?" Akari asked softly.

Aiko licked her dry lips and said, "Don't know. Aiko was supposed to tell Kaa-Chan something."

"I'm sure it can wait," the bounty huntress said and, to her surprise, Aiko shook her head in the negative.

"No, Aiko has to tell you now. The man said you have to get your friends and go to Edo. He said he's sending Tou-Chan to you."

She stared at her daughter in disbelief before saying, "I was already planning to go to Edo to get Tora-San and Sasuke-Kun. But what's this about sending your father to see me? Who told you that?"

"Jii-Chan," Aiko said simply.

"But your Jii-Chan is right here," Yuya said.

"No, that's Jii-San. This was Jii-Chan."

"I'm still not following you. Are you saying you have another grandfather?"

Her daughter nodded and said, "Yes, the Jii-Chan with Ryu-Chan."

Yuya frowned, not liking the thought of her hanging around with two unknown males, and asked, "Who is Ryu?"

Aiko smiled dreamily and said, "My brother."

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Sometimes I feel like I'm writing a soap opera. Anyways, I apologize for any typos. It's midnight and I'm not sure I'm going to have internet tomorrow so I didn't proofread yet but I wanted to pop this out quickly as a "thank you" to all the nice people who enjoyed and reviewed the last chapter. You all are very inspiring and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me know your thoughts.

More Kyo coming up in the next chapter and probably from now on now that he has his sword back.