Thanks to: magicalnana (Thanks and yes, the Mibu took his sword away after stealing his memories to slow his progress and to keep it from helping him to remember his past), Rinfantasy (Yuya just got thrown for a loop, that's for sure), kyoandyuya (Yup, Aiko has the power. Ryu will hopefully see his dad before too long but I'm still working out the details), Deby MU (Thank you so much and, yes, Kyo will escape the Mibu. I also hope to have Ryu at least get a glimpse of his dad but I can't promise they'll meet face-to-face.), lmamc, midori318 (It would have been weird for Yuya to have a husband who can cut things with air, summon a giant firebird, wield an evil sword with its own personality, and make people curl up into a ball and suck their thumb from fighting spirit alone and then turn around and say, "What, you can heal things like an X-Man?! No soup for you!" Lol.), joellesophya (Looking forward to getting everyone back together myself.), J Luc Pitard (The whole thing with the first king in the manga was a little half-baked I think. Looking at his words, it's implied that he's known Kyo from childhood but it felt like Kamijyo realized that she hadn't fully explained where Kyo came from and added that in. Still like the king's character though, he's ludicrously powerful but playful too. Glad you enjoyed the chapter and the twins.), Guest (Wish granted!)
Author's Note: I've been getting a lot of questions on whether Kyo with meet Ryu and the answer is, not just yet. As the First King noted, it isn't necessarily the right time. Kyo doesn't remember Yuya or her pregnancy and therefore would have no clue whatsoever who Ryu is since he never met him. Remember, his personality is closer to where it was when he first met Yuya before he experienced personal growth and fell in love with her. That said, Ryu will get to see him, if from afar, before Kyo leaves the Mibu.
Also, I screwed up in calling Hotaru "Hotaru" because he is still Keikoku to the Mibu. Had to go back and fix it because I don't want a repeat of being stuck with Tenryo vs Tenrou for oodles of chapters like in the last story.
Kurenai Kioku
Chapter Nine
Secondhand Memories and Riotous Emotions
Yuya stared at Aiko's smiling face, vacillating between shock, concern, and cautious hope.
In light of her daughter's bizarre moment of mental relocation, she decided to humor the girl and asked, "Are you sure you met your brother? How did you meet him? What's he like? And what was this Jii-Chan you met like, as well?"
The girl's brow furrowed and she started at her mother so intently that Yuya was feeling a touch uncomfortable by the time her child said, "Kaa-Chan's face is different."
The bounty huntress reached up and gave her checks a pat, trying to figure out what was on her face. A tap on the shoulder brought her gaze back to Akari who said quietly, "That's her ability at work. Apparently she can literally see emotions. She described mine to me as if I were wearing a mask."
"Oh, that's not particularly scary," the young woman said with a smile.
The priestess gave her a long look before muttering, "Lets hope so."
The negativity in that simple statement spoke volumes and Yuya sighed, turning back to Aiko as she said, "I'll ask you about what you see on my face in a little while but, for now, I'd love to hear a bit more about your brother. His name is Ryu, right?"
Aiko nodded and her smile reappeared as she described her sibling to her mother. Yuya absorbed every word as her daughter spoke about her "pretty" brother with black hair and red eyes, just like hers, who cried when she did, held her hand, and bravely asked questions of her scary "Jii-Chan". It was obvious that the girl already adored her twin and she could only think how relieved she was that her child had made it back safely and how happy she was to know that her son was alive and well.
Some people might have dismissed the girl's words as nothing more than fancy but Yuya trusted that she was telling the truth even if she didn't know exactly where she had gone. Her descriptions of Ryu – she thought the name wasn't bad at all – were detailed enough as well as those of her grandfather. The bounty huntress wasn't sure what to make of a tall man with red hair and eyes, horns, and claws. She didn't doubt that Aiko had seen the man but he obviously wasn't human and she had to wonder if he were truly Kyo's father or a demon of some sort. Of course, Kyo wasn't human either so there was that.
At the end of the tale, her daughter said, "And there was a string tied here," lifting her wrist to show her mother but Yuya didn't see anything and Aiko blinked, turning her hand this way and that as she tried to find the thread.
"It was there, Kaa-Chan, and it went to Ryu-Chan."
Her little face was sliding towards disappointment at losing her link to her brother when Akari interrupted and said, "I'm sure it's still there, Ai-Chan. Usually a thread signifies someone you are inextricably tied to but the most common one you hear of is the fabled Red String of Fate. It sounds like you went to a place where a spirit of some sort dwells and that's probably why you could see it there and not here."
Aiko nodded, only half understanding what she was saying, and Yuya realized that Akari had explained it for her benefit as well. However, she had enough sense to realize that nothing good would come of acknowledging the shaman's rare bout of kindness - the woman couldn't take a compliment without going on an arrogant tangent. She simply chose to bob her head along with her child.
"Well, sounds like you had quite the adventure," Yuya said, "Let's go see Kyoshiro Ji-Chan and your other grandfather. I'm sure they're worried about you. Besides, you look like you could use a drink of water Ai-Chan."
"Yes," the girl said and rose on her own, giving no indication of her previous inactivity as she slid her hand into her mother's and silently urged her to stand as well.
The bounty huntress exchanged a quick look with Akari and the priestess nodded, telling her without words that they would continue the discussion about Aiko's powers after they caught the former Elder and assassin up on things.
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So far, Shinrei's day had been disastrous.
First Ruru had burst into his room, crying her eyes out and telling him that Ryu – calm Ryu who never lost his temper – had gotten mad and hurt her. He wanted to dismiss it as the usual quarreling that children were prone to until he saw her swollen wrist and the purple bruises in the distinct shape of fingers. He'd immediately sprung into action and, after handing Ruru off to a servant to get looked at, he went on a search for his missing student.
The young man looked all over the place, from the courtyard to the room the children usually played in. He bypassed both Hishigi's lab entirely - since he knew Ryu would rather die than enter it willingly - and the staircase leading to Kyo's section of the castle since no one could enter it unless they had been given the ability. No matter where he searched, he couldn't seem to find hide nor hair of his charge and he was seriously starting to get worried when he stumbled across his half-brother lounging in one of the many hallways in the castle.
Unsurprisingly, his day went from bad to worse.
Keikoku took his sweet time getting up after he roused him from his nap and just stood there staring at him, with the vacant expression he hated so much in those golden eyes that were disturbingly similar to his own. Shinrei explained to him as best he could what had happened and inquired of his sibling about Ryu's whereabouts.
Of course, because the fire-user just loved to piss him off, he blinked once at the end of his story and asked, "Who are you looking for again, stupid Shinrei?"
His fellow Star reached deep down inside himself and prayed to the Crimson King for patience as he slowly repeated his tale as if he were speaking to an idiot – because he was – and asked a second time, "Have you seen a little boy."
Keikoku took his time as he turned his brother's words over in his head and open his mouth to exclaim, "Ah!"
That raised Shinrei's hopes and he perked up as he asked, "So, you've seen him?"
The blonde scratched his head and said, "You're talking about Mini-Kyo?"
Since Ryu bore a striking resemblance to his father, he had to be "Mini-Kyo" and Shinrei nodded eagerly, glad that the synapses in his brother's well-baked brain were finally firing.
"Hmm, I saw Mini-Kyo earlier," Keikoku said, yawning widely.
Hurrying his brother along would be a fruitless endeavor, so he held his breath and counted to ten as he waited for the other man to dredge up the information he needed from his pitiful memory.
"When and where?"
"Here in the castle," he continued before pausing and scrunching his face up in concentration.
With ill-concealed impatience, Shinrei prompted him with, "When did you see him in the castle?"
Keikoku yawned again and had himself a nice long stretch, deliberately testing his patience he was sure, before he blinked once more and said, "I think it was a year ago."
His brother's hope promptly took a nosedive and his composure withered as he compressed his lips together and said, "I don't know why I bother with such a useless fool like you. A simple question and you can't even give me a straight answer. Just how much do you hate me?"
It was a rhetorical question but Keikoku looked him dead in the eye and that golden gaze turned mutinous as he said clearly, "More than anything."
Shinrei sucked his teeth and shot back, "Why can't you just grow up? I could put up with your idiocy if you didn't keep trotting out the worst of it just to annoy me. What is your problem?"
"My problem?" Keikoku said and discomfort worked its way down his brother's spine as a knowing look appeared in those normally hazy eyes.
"You keep running around all the time and worrying over useless things without knowing what goes on around you. I hate you because you are stupid and believe anything your masters tell you, living in a dream world and ignoring the things you don't want to see."
It was one of the most coherent combination of sentences he had ever heard from that mannerless mouth and he gaped for a moment before realizing that he looked like the fool his brother always accused him of being and snapped his mouth shut.
Shinrei wanted to say that he had no idea what his half-brother meant. That the words coming out of Keikoku's mouth were the usual random mutterings that could be easily ignored. But he didn't dare contest them because the other man wasn't lying. The Taishirou were meeting more and more frequently – in fact, they were together at that very moment- and the Mibu were still dying.
Even if he wasn't privy to the plans that went on in the background, he knew that something was going to happen and had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good. However, since he'd rather gouge his own eyes out than admit that his brother was right about anything, he settled for silence, opting instead to continue his quest for Ryu.
Holding his head up, he stepped past the fire-user, intent on ignoring him, and mentally cringed as his brother chuckled a bit before saying, "Go ahead and run, cowardly Shinrei."
He had nothing he dared to say to the other man in response and so he continued on his way with as much dignity as he could. After another hour of searching, he finally found his charge sleeping on a couch in one of the rarely used rooms of the castle.
It took a few attempts to rouse him and when he finally did the boy awoke slowly and looked at him with sleepy eyes.
"Shinrei-Sama," Ryu said softly and the water-user breathed an inward sigh of relief that the child appeared to be safe and sound.
"How did you get here, Ryu, and where have you been?" Shinrei asked sternly once he was sure he was alright.
The youth looked around for a moment and said, "I don't know. I ran away because I...," he paused briefly and continued on in a voice laden with guilt, "...I hurt Ruru-Chan."
"So I heard," his master said, helping him up into a sitting position.
"What I don't understand is what could possibly have made you so angry. You usually have more control over yourself."
Ryu averted his face and said, "I know. I wanted to find out more about my parents and I was mad because I don't know where I belong and Ruru-Chan was being annoying."
There it was again, the mention of his parents and the longing in Ryu's voice tore at his heart. He usually tried to give the boy what he wanted within reason but he couldn't do it this time without betraying the clan.
"Cowardly Shinrei."
Keikoku's words echoed through his head and he reflexively drew Ryu closer as he said, "I'm sorry. It's my fault. You should apologize to Ruru though."
"Yes, Shinrei-Sama. I was going to anyways," the boy said, sliding off the couch.
"Good, let's go then. And I still want to know where you've been."
Ryu flinched minutely and the older man assumed that it was because he was worried about being punished.
"Am I in trouble?" the child asked.
"I've been searching for you for quite some time Ryu but, in deference to your age and your mental state, I will be lenient this time. However, I think it's time for me to start training you. You need more control otherwise you really will hurt someone," Shinrei said and smiled as Ryu's head snapped up in shock.
"I thought you said I was too young, Shinrei-Sama."
"I believed you were but now I think it will be a good outlet for your feelings. Channeling your aggression will be good for you and everyone else involved."
"Okay," Ryu said, the beginnings of a grin touching his lips.
Shinrei took his hand in his and started leading him back to his room with plans to stop and see Ruru on the way. He kept a calm face on the outside but inside his thoughts were in turmoil because he knew Ryu wouldn't stop trying to find out about his mother and father. Offering to train him was only a temporary reprieve and he felt like he was being pulled in two directions.
Always, the truth was there, poised on the tip of his tongue and waiting to be set free, to give Ryu relief from his disquieting thoughts because he shouldn't have to feel like some sort of unwanted orphan. But he had a duty to the clan, to protect their plans and their secrets, to preserve their way of life. Loyalty and obligation versus love and honor. A rich history that spanned millennia or a mere child of only a few years. It should have been a no-brainer on which one took precedence - he had been born, bred, and raised to be a responsible Mibu noble and guardian - but he wanted them both. His pretend son and the people he respected.
His brother was right about one thing, he was doing a lot of running and he didn't know nearly enough about what was going on around him. He should have done more after the fiasco four years past but he hadn't and now he was facing the same hard choice that had been put before him the day he realized that neither Kyo nor Fubuki were the men he thought they were.
Did he dare to depart from the path assigned to him or should he close his eyes, plug his ears, and play pretend again? Be the puppet his brother always accused him of being?
"Cowardly Shinrei."
True to form, he had fled the truth for yet another day but knew the sands in the hourglass were running low and his endurance was waning. He had to make a decision before long and as he silently agonized over the state of his affairs, a memory rose up unbidden of the time he'd paid Muramasa a visit and fought Kyo for the first time.
*Flashback*
"Tenrou never did enjoy it when his prey eluded him. Had I truly wanted you dead, he wouldn't have let you off with a mere cut."
Muramasa allowed his words to sink in before continuing, "If you so desire, we can go again but I'm not so sure that would be in your best interests."
"How touching the concern of a traitor is," was Shinrei's mocking reply.
"Me…a traitor? Why? Because I took the Demon Child and left Mibu lands?"
"Of course that's why. You knew it was prophesied that Kyo would bring nothing but disaster to the Mibu. You, who were one of the Four Elders, should have protected us by killing him and instead we are left with misfortune after misfortune. Not a single child had been born naturally since he appeared and more and more people are succumbing to the death disease."
"And did it ever occur to you that perhaps I kept Kyo alive to keep the Mibu from disappearing altogether?"
Shinrei let out a bitter laugh and stepped back from Tenrou's edge.
"If Kyo is some sort of savior then why hasn't he done anything to help us? What could a monster like him with those evil red eyes possibly do except destroy everything we have ever worked for?"
"Let me answer your question with one of my own. How could Kyo possibly have brought as much misfortune as you claim? The Mibu have always had a hard time reproducing and the death disease existed long before he was born. Do you really think anything would be gained by killing him now?"
"It would certainly make me feel better," was the reply.
"Putting aside your childishness, I want you to take a moment to ponder why it is that someone as radically different as Kyo appeared among the Mibu in the first place. The clan has needed to change for centuries and I believe Kyo to be the catalyst for that change."
"Now you're speaking utter nonsense."
"Am I? I sense that you are an honorable man Shinrei and I can't fault you for wanting to protect your family but the next time you see Fubuki and the rest, I want you to ask them what it is you are really fighting for. I tell you this, the fight goes far beyond such petty concerns as Kyo being some sort of harbinger of doom."
*End Flashback*
Shinrei paused.
Why had he remembered that conversation? Yes, he felt guilt over what hat followed but why was he considering Muramasa's traitorous words? Was it because the Four Elders had once told him they wanted Kyo dead but now were content to keep him around? If he was such a danger, why hadn't they eliminated him? For the first time, he wondered if there really was more to what the former Elder had told him about Ryu's father being a catalyst for change and saving the Mibu versus destroying it as he had been told. One thing was for sure, the Taishirou weren't getting the job done and he was done with being kept in the dark.
The child tugged at his hand, no doubt trying to figure out why he'd stopped, and he continued walking as he said, "Forgive me, I was lost in thought for a moment."
Ryu's gaze was questioning but he said nothing and Shinrei was grateful for that because a plan was starting to take shape in his mind and he wasn't ready to utter it yet. If he went through with it, there would be no going back because what he was considering was nothing short of rebellion.
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"What a curious experience," Muramasa said once they were finished telling their tale and Yuya nodded in agreement.
"Do you know who the man claiming to be Aiko's grandfather could possibly be?" she asked, hoping he might have some insight.
"He sounds like a very ancient member of the clan," the former Elder said with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Very ancient?" she repeated, confused as to how old much older the man could possibly be since Muramasa himself had a few millennia under his belt.
"Yes, the Mibu clan has been around for quite some time. Even Shihoudou, the woman who escorted you out of their territory, wasn't around in the beginning and she was very old when myself and Fubuki were nothing but children."
Yuya couldn't wrap her head around people who could live that long and so she laid the mystery man's age to rest and asked, "So why did he look so different from regular Mibu clan members and why were his eyes red too?"
"That's easy enough to answer. Even though I wasn't around at the time, I do know that the older Mibu were a lot closer to their monstrous roots. We might look human now but it wasn't always so and Kyo is a lot closer to them than any of us, which is why he seems like such a wild beast sometimes. That's not all just part of his personality, some mannerisms came into the world with him. As for the red eyes, in theory, all clan members carry the trait but they have been mostly bred out, though I'm not entirely sure why. Besides Kyo, only the king has those eyes and they are considered sacred in the clan."
Naturally that led the bounty huntress to wonder why Kyo was such a pariah if his eyes were so prized but when she put it to her father-in-law, he shrugged and said, "Kyo is Kyo."
It was a non-answer and she didn't care enough to pursue it when there were more interesting subjects like what was going on with her daughter and so, changing gears, she beckoned Aiko over. Seating the girl on her lap, she asked, "Let's shelve the matter of Aiko's secret grandfather for now and talk about her abilities. Akari-San told me what happened yesterday and we were waiting until we were all together and Ai-Chan was awake to talk about it."
Muramasa nodded and said, "Yes, I found it strange as well."
Looking at his granddaughter, he asked kindly, "Do you see anything now, Ai-Chan?"
Yuya watched with interest as her child's blonde head turned from one side of the room to the other, stopping on each of the adults briefly before tilting her head back so that she could look up at her mother and shaking her head in the negative.
"She doesn't seem to have control of it yet. It might be that at this stage she can only pick up on powerful emotions," Akari said.
"Hmm," the young woman pursed her lips and decided to test that theory.
She concentrated on a pleasant memory of her husband when he was being affectionate in his own way, such as when he first came back from training with Muramasa and forced her to lay down because he was concerned for her health. He might have teased and bossed her around but she remembered how it felt when he allowed her to hug him because she missed him so much and gently returned her embrace before kissing her on her forehead.
Aiko let out a little "Ah" and her face broke into a smile as she exclaimed, "You're thinking about Tou-Chan!"
Shooting a look over at Muramasa who was smiling as well, having seen her memory, she blushed a bit and asked, "How do you know?"
"You have a mask again, Kaa-Chan. It's pink and has a big smile," she replied, drawing her hands up the sides of her face to mimic an impossibly wide mouth curled into a pleased expression.
"So you know I'm happy right now. But how did you know I was thinking of your Tou-Chan?"
"Because you smile a lot when you talk about him."
Kyoshiro chuckled and Akari gave a little sniff but Yuya nodded in response and said, "You are absolutely right. And I think Akari-San is correct in saying that you can only see strong emotions right now. Now, let's see if you can pick out another one."
So saying, she pulled up a memory that was much more painful. That of finding out she was pregnant after her life had been cut down to a matter of hours and watching as Kyo put his life on the line to get them through the Hell Gate.
Aiko's face fell almost immediately and her lips trembled as she said, "Please don't cry, Kaa-Chan."
Yuya gave her a hug and said, "It's alright. I was just pulling up a very sad memory. Did you see a mask like before?"
He daughter nodded and clung to her as she replied, "Uh huh."
Looking at the priestess once more, the young woman said, "I think we can confirm that Ai-Chan is a special girl. Is there anything we should worry about? Can she learn how to control her ability?"
Akari - who was staring at mother and child with a look that fell somewhere between disbelief and envy - blinked. Realizing that Yuya had asked her a question, she said, "I'm still trying to get over how well you are taking all of this. Most people freak out when they find out that their kids have powers."
"Well, I'm not most people," the bounty huntress said with a grin, "I'm married to one of the most dangerous men alive and let's not forget that he isn't human and neither is his family. Considering all of the weird stuff I've been through and the incredible people I've met along the way, I've pretty much used up all of my fear of the unknown. I never believed for one second that any child I had by Kyo would qualify as normal and, at this point, it would be weird to act like this is some sort terrifying revelation."
"I guess that makes sense," the shaman said, giving her an odd look before saying, "Well, I suppose I should answer your questions. Ai-Chan is an empath. Don't ask me why she became one because each shaman develops powers in different ways. The good thing about empaths is that they aren't going to be tearing things apart with their mind or raising the dead to do their bidding like some do, but...she is going to have to stay away from large groups of people until she gets a bit more control."
"Her powers are going to continue to grow and being around a lot of people is going to be doubly stressful. The emotional noise alone is likely to drive her a little crazy if she doesn't learn how to filter her power to see and feel only when and what she wants. If she's anything like other empaths, she'll also gain the ability to project her emotions."
"That doesn't sound bad," Kyoshiro said.
"In theory it doesn't but you'd be surprised at what can be accomplished by someone who has the ability to make you feel whatever they want. I once knew an empath who killed half a town by projecting enough fear to stop the hearts of the people around her."
The former assassin had the presence of mind to look embarrassed at his ignorance and gingerly scratched at his cheek with a mild, "Oh."
"Exactly," Akari said before continuing, "Anyways, the point I'm getting to is that Ai-Chan needs to learn how to control her power to avoid being a danger to herself and others. I would also like to see if there is more to her connection with her brother. It sounds like she might have forged a bond to him from the womb. That's a pretty powerful indicator that you might have all sorts of fun," it was said with a hint of sarcasm, "in store for you later."
"I agree," Yuya said eagerly. She was dying to know more about what her child could do since she was insanely curious about the whole thing and because she would accept anything that would allow her to find out more about her little boy.
"So what's the best way to train her?" Kyoshiro asked.
"Most shamans will seek training in any of the spiritual arts. Some become priests, mikos, onmyouji and the like. They are all occupations that would help her to control her own emotions and, by extension, her power. If you want to strengthen her abilities as well, then an artistic pursuit such as music, art, or dancing would be very useful since these are things that are designed to evoke emotions. The same empath who killed the townsfolk was eventually able to control her abilities through song."
"You really know a lot about this, Akari-San," Yuya said once she was finished speaking, immensely grateful for her insight, "How did you manage to find out so much?"
It was an innocent enough question but the wrong thing to ask because the walls immediately came up again and the camaraderie of the past few minutes dissipated. The priestess' nose went up in the air, and Yuya flinched as she said archly, "That is confidential information."
Since the young woman didn't feel like pricking herself on Akari's thorns again after feeling as if they'd finally made some progress, she turned to her father-in-law and asked, "Do you think you might be able to help Aiko? I don't want to send her away and, even if you aren't a priest per se, I know you had to have incredible control to master Satori."
Muramasa considered her words for second before saying, "It isn't the same but it certainly can't hurt. Whatever you decide, I believe it'll be a good way to keep her mind occupied in your absence."
"Do you hear that Ai-Chan?" Yuya said, "Jii-San is going to teach you how to use your ability. You might even be able to contact Ryu-Chan again."
Aiko nodded and beamed at the mention of her brother and they then turned the discussion to when they would leave for Edo.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Kyo knew someone had been in his room the moment he opened his door and caught a whiff of a strange scent. Red eyes slitted in annoyance because he hated the thought of anyone violating the sanctity of his living space. Grumbling internally at the audacity of the intruder, he entered and closed the door behind him as he took a deep breath, inhaling more of the smell for examination. His eyes immediately fell on the sword lying in the middle of his bed and he stared at it suspiciously as he analyzed the olfactory signature of the person who dared to come in his room without permission.
Whoever it was, it had been a male. There wasn't much else he could tell other than that it wasn't too far off from his own scent. He found that bit of info a little strange but since he couldn't tell anything else, he let it be and opted to investigate the long sword lying on his covers instead.
Padding over to his bed, he stared at the weapon, mentally measuring it against the shorter sword in his hand. There was a low hum emanating from the blade and he felt a pull at his consciousness, as if the weapon were greeting him. He didn't even think twice about dropping the sword he usually sparred with and reaching out with his right hand to touch the scabbard of the new one.
The moment his fingertips came in contact with the sheath, he felt a tingle run up his arm and in the back of his mind he heard a distant howl as a wave of bloodlust slammed into him, clawing at him to get inside and take over. Time slowed to a crawl as a red haze fell over his vision and he felt as if he were being pulled out of his own body as the arm holding the sword rose of its own volition and his left hand was used to pull the scabbard off. The howl sounded again and there was a note of triumph in it that immediately raised his hackles and caused him to narrow his concentration to a fine point.
Possessed blade or not, who did this weapon think he was?! He was Demon Eyes Kyo and no one ruled him!
With the stubbornness of a man who always bucked against any restraints placed on him, he shook off the controls being wrapped around his being and mentally ordered the sword to "piss off."
For a split second, white, inhuman eyes set into black sockets shimmered in his head and then they were gone and control of his body was restored to him. Kyo smirked at having overcome whatever spirit was dwelling in the blade. He wasn't surprised by it's existence since Muramasa had once told him about forging living weapons. As he examined the weapon once more - this time without threat of being taken over - he knew the blade was analyzing him as well. It vibrated in his hand, radiating power and malice, and yet there was something almost welcoming about it, like a familiar friend instead of a conquering enemy.
Dropping the scabbard back onto the bed, he held the sword out, testing it's weight and swinging it a few times. For such an unusually long blade, its balance was superb and a smile touched his lips because he was certain it had been made just for him. Holding the back edge parallel to his torso, he was struck by a feeling of familiarity, as if he had held the sword in that exact position once before and his body automatically reacted, bringing his free hand up to touch the flat of the blade gently.
Closing his eyes, Kyo concentrated and in his mind's eye saw a distant beacon of light that beckoned to him. His entire being hummed and the space between his top and bottom molars vibrated with a power so thick he felt as if he could sink his teeth into it, swallow it down and indulge himself in it to the point of intoxication. He ran his fingers along the weapon with a lover's caress and the power that followed in their wake was darn near erotic. The weapon sang to him with a siren's song that was entwined with such danger and allure that he didn't know where the seduction ended and the peril began and he felt as if it would speak to him if only he would listen.
Breathing in deeply of the potent smell of ki in its purest form, he automatically moved his hand and listened as the song became louder and the air around him grew charged. He knew that he was doing something incredibly foolish by manipulating so much energy in the confined space of his room – even if it was big enough to fit a small house – but he didn't care. The warrior hadn't wielded such concentrated power in years and everything he was - from his skin, through his muscles, down to his bones and in his heart - echoed with the knowledge that this was not a new feeling, that he'd gone through this before.
He wanted to fight something or someone. Not the monotonous sparring matches he had day in and day out - he'd had more than his fill of that. No, he wanted a real battle where his life was on the line and he felt alive – like a warrior and not a pet who was being fed the necessities and given a pat on the head for good behavior. Touching tongue to fang, Kyo tasted blood and sighed in pleasure as it brought to mind the fights of days past – blood, sweat, and adrenaline pumping a heady rhythm through his veins. He opened his eyes to see that his fingers were almost at the tip of his blade and the metal was shining brightly while the power undulated beneath his hand like an animal arching up to receive a stroke from its master.
His lips pulled back in an expression that was more like the baring of fangs than a true smile and just as he was about to step off the precipice of safety - moving from holding the power in check to setting it free at last – he saw something that stopped him cold.
One second he was glorying in the ki that was dangerously close to controlling him rather than the reverse and in the next he saw them – two bright green eyes staring at him with an expression he couldn't name but one, nonetheless, that filled him with such sorrow that he doubled over as if he'd been struck in the gut.
His tenuous control over the power shattered and he swore as it expanded briefly into the room before pausing and collapsing in on itself as the sword in his hand absorbed it, feasting on his ki and pulsing briefly when it was done to inform him that it was pleased with his contribution. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he laid the sword back down on the bed and scrubbed a hand over his face as he let out a heavy sigh. It wasn't enough to give him a break from what he'd seen.
As if they had been tattooed onto the backs of his lids, closing his eyes resulted in seeing emerald irises that stared back at him from the darkness of his mind and with them came intense feelings that he didn't understand. Longing. Sorrow. Pain. Regret. Desire.
That last one was mind-boggling because how could he want anyone who could tear his stoicism to pieces with the mere memory of their gaze?
Kyo had become so used to feeling nothing, save frustration, that he didn't know what to do with the emotions bombarding him and he wearily picked up the discarded scabbard and re-sheathed the sword before sitting down on the bed and running a hand through his hair.
Unfortunately, even a mundane action like that was enough to trigger a memory that was so life-like that he could have sworn he felt it for real as a soft pair of female hands stroked his hair before running a comb through it, all the while humming a tune that he found relaxing. Without thought, he turned his head slightly to ask the woman what the song was and paused when he realized that no one was there.
Loss.
Loss, so sharp and painful that it was like a physical blow to his gut, rocked through him and choked off the expletives that normally would have followed such an intense emotional outburst.
It was a lot like the feelings that rose up when he contemplated Muramasa's death. But it was magnified tenfold as if it had just been lying in wait for a while, biding its time until it could pounce on him when he least expected it. He had never cried in his life and was not about to start now but he felt as if he were drowning in a sea of uncontrolled grief and he slowly laid back on his covers, closing his eyes and feeling his throat growing tight at the sight of those green eyes looking back at him.
In his head, they subtly changed shape, crinkling a bit at the corners like their owner was smiling at him and, so quietly that he had to strain to hear it, he heard a female voice whisper in his mind, "I love you, Kyo."
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Yay, I finally get to torment Kyo with more detailed memories of his life before Fubuki ruined it. And yes, he's going to want to seek Yuya out. And yes, I can get people off their butt and get the plot moving more and more and more until it turns into an avalanche, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
Ahem, I know it seems like I'm having Shinrei agonize a lot but getting him to the point where he'd be willing to essentially betray his superiors – since in his head the Taishirou and the king are the clan - is a herculean task and I need him to be resolved to do what's best for Ryu and the people who are dying in the clan. He's vital for getting Kyo stronger, away from the Mibu, and on his way to Edo.
This is actually a pretty important chapter too because, aside from Kyo remembering stuff, Shinrei's offer to train Ryu is a big deal for someone else as well. ;-)