The Half – Chapter 52: First Sight

With a groan, Kyo shook her head from side to side, slow, and gently as she came to. She was not someplace familiar, a treatment room, but an elaborate bed in what would be a very Kou like style. Her person no longer wore clothing that made her look to be from Sindria, but to now blend in with those of the Kou kingdom. A kimono like robe in colors of dark red color with white colored trimming that would match a slight stylized pattern decorated down one side of the kimono. There was a tie around her waist that was black in color that seemed to help in tying the outfit together. Her feet to now have a dark red color that matched the dress that she had been placed in.

"What the heck am I wearing…?" she half mumbled, sitting up. Her left hand came to her face and rubbed at it, as well as her eye as she tried to push the sleep away from her face. The bed that she laid in was one much larger than a person by at least three times. A bed that looked more to be for a royalty rather than just some hostage. Red and gold's were the main colors for the bedding, as she pushed the covers off slowly, and slid her feet to the ground. She was able to final see what she was exactly wearing, which made her more puzzled. "I feel like I was dressed by that djinn using girl… what was her name…?" she yawned and pushed herself up as she stretched her arms outward, then to rest on her lower back as she leaned back. Her back cracking as she stretched her body like a cat.

A large sliding door was to one wall that would lead to the outside, as much light came in through it; her curiosity moving there first before she was to look around the rest of the room. Her hands pushed the sliding door over, carefully as a bright light poured into the room; it was morning. She stepped out onto a small wooden planked floor that had a railing around it. She was on a higher up floor of what would be the Kou main castle of a palace.

"Where am I…?" she questioned to herself as she then turned to go back into the room.

"Finally. You're awake." A very unhappy sounding voice came, and Kouen stepped in from another sliding door. "How long did you plan to sleep in another bed…?" he asked looking annoyed as he stepped towards her.

"Another's bed….?!" She sounded a bit alarmed, "Don't tell me that was your bed…." She glanced to the bed, where she had been laying. It was much closer to the ground then most beds.

"And what if it was…?" he questioned back, stepping forward towards her more, till he was soon to be looking down at her. "As payment, I want to know more as to why you seem to know my Djinn more so in what looked to be a time before he was what he is now…"

Kyo backed up away from him, half tripping in the new outfit as her sleeves were much longer and wider than what she was use to. The Kou first prince clicked his tongue and turned away as he began to head out the way he came. "I expect you to tell me, before my patience runs out. I'll give you till this afternoon." He stepped out and left the door open behind him. Indeed it would be his room as he had moved about it as though he knew it like the back of his hand.

"How annoying.." she growled slightly, looking down at the kimono. Her hands picked up part of the front of it as though to help in not stepping on it. "Both him and this dress…" she said, and let the garment fall back to the floor.

Letting out a deep breath, she hesitated as she reflected on what had happened prior to her passing out. Her eyes slowly closing as she thought back on it.

"That's right…" she opened her eyes again and looked down to the base of her outfit. "Astaroth…." She let out another deep breath as though to sigh, before she shook her head lightly and looked up. The image of someone peeking into the room could be seen as the figure acted as though to try and hide themselves more than to be seen, but failed to do so. "Oi, who are you…?" she asked, a bit irritated that she had been spied on.

"I was just coming to see if you were awake, Miss Kyo…! I saw that my brother had left his room, and knew that you were staying in here, while he worked in his studies." A cheerful and princess like voice came, as Kougyoku stepped out from her very obvious hiding place. Her hands tucked into the opposite's sleeves, hiding her hands as she beamed a light smile toward the half Djinn. "You look like you are doing better, and look much cuter in those clothes, Miss Kyo."

"Were you the one who put me in these…?" Kyo raised an eyebrow, and folded her arms across her chest.

"Mm!" she nodded happily, "I did. You didn't look comfortable in those other ones. And brother asked for me to change your clothes."

"You mean Kouen?"

"Yup..! Now come…! Let's go eat…!" she spoke as she tilted her head to one side in a princess like manner of being cute. "And then you can go speak with my brother after you are done." She spoke, and turned on heel as she began to head out.

Kyo sighed as she saw no reason to object. Her stomach giving a slight hint that it was indeed in need of food as it rumbled slightly.

"Come Miss Kyo..!" Kogyoku called again, as she glanced back from the hall, not seeing the half Djinn.

Upon leaving the eating area and to make her way towards where Kouen was to be, a mirror had been placed in the hall, and she casually glanced up towards it.

A catch in a mirror that she passed, made her hold her breath and her eyes widen as she could see that the ends of her hair had been turned black more than 5 inches. Her instinct to look at her hands, would prove also that they were blackened as well, and would be all the way up to her shoulders. Her third eye would remain still upon her forehead, confusing her even more so.

"W-what the…?!" more than the spreading of darkness on her body, her hand came to touch at the edges of the third eye that was upon her forehead. "N…no… this can't be..!" Her hand moved over it as though to cover it, as she glanced around as if to make sure no others saw. "How long has it been there…?!" she looked at it again in the mirror as she then looked around herself as if to look and find something to cover it up. It had never dawned onto her that the red pendent that she wore on a chain upon her forehead, had vanished.

Her eyes looked around in a frantic again, as her course of destination shifted. No longer was she to head towards where she was to meet Kouen, and now to head outside and into an area that was free of any people. Her hand covering the third eye the whole while as she made her way out, and then looked for others. The area that she had fought Hakuryuu in the night previous, would be the area that she would once more find herself.

"I gotta get out of here…" she glanced around as if to find something to help in allowing her to leave. And soon, her footing was taking her upward, to the rooftops, but not before she took a hand to her long kimono of a dress, and tore a slit in one side, giving her freedom to climb upward. Her eyes scanning around her, as things looked much different in the light than the day. "Where are you Sinbad…?" she whines softly with a saddened look on her face, as her hand no longer covered the third eye.

To be continued….