Kyoko, Kagome's Twin

Chapter 6: Recovery and Seeing Herself

Last Time:

I stab him again, this time in the shoulder, and go to cut him in half, when he releases poison gasses out of his wounds, causing me to cross my arms over my nose and mouth, coughing and wheezing. Naraku laughs and pushes me out of the barrier and flies off. I stay on my feet for a moment, and then fall to my knees, my swords clattering to the floor. I lean forward and vomit onto the grass, then fall sideways and pass out. The last thing I see before the darkness consumes me is Sesshomaru looking at me with a look of concern, respect, pity, and something else… but I can't quite place it…

Now:

Two Weeks Later

Kyo P.O.V

I walk down the hall and stretch, happy to finally be up and about. For two weeks Sesshomaru wouldn't let me out of bed. I slept for the first three days straight, the fourth day I broke out with a monster fever so Rin coaxed Sesshomaru into going to ask kagome and Inuyasha where they could find herbs that would help me… I donno what I would do with out that kid… two days later they got back with Inuyasha, kagome, a monk, a woman, a kid and a cat. They all camped out in my room for three days until I was better. I found out that the woman, Sango, is a taijia… one of the last two still living, and a very kind and gentle person… she promised me a battle after Rin's training is finished, that starts up again tomorrow, the monk, who I've promised an early death, is very wise, calm, and seems to be the peacemaker of the group… but he's also a pervert… the kid was soooo cute! He's a fox youkai who's only five years old… in human years. Him and Rin get along great. They've got like… a brother sister or cousin relationship. He's older then her in human years… and demon years. He just started to grow in human years… maybe last year… or in the last few months… I'm not exactly sure. Something was up with Inuyasha though… he didn't remember me! And after I saved his pitiful hanyou ass… aiint that just like a man? To forget the woman that saved his ass? Whatever… he had a bad attitude so kagome sat him about… I'd say sixteen times while they were there. They left three days later, and I was feeling good as new… but Sesshomaru still wouldn't let me out of bed…

"Not for another week…" he'd said… "So you don't overexerting yourself." Bah… stupid weenie… whatever, Rin kept me company. The ten year old is really cool to hang with ya know… and Sesshou was very sweet in those last five days… not in how he talked to me, but he personally brought me all my meals, he checked on me waaaaay more then was necessary, he'd fluff my pillows without me even asking… oh, and he let me call him Fluffy-sama!! Hahaha… I'm not sure what it is about him… but I think that I'm starting to… no… that can't be… it just can't be…

"Alright Rin, what do you know about swords?" I ask sitting cross legged across from her in the dojo.

"I know how to fight with them a little bit, Lady Sango taught me some… while you were sleeping…"

"Ok, good. Did Lady Sango teach you how to block?"

"A little… not much."

"Well, blocking is one of the most important things you can learn when learning sword fighting. For anyone to be able to block effectively, you need to be able to somewhat… predict your opponent's next move."

"And how do I do that?" Rin asks. I grin.

"You've gotta be very coordinated and be able to watch your opponent's arms and body as you fight. It's not easy, but you can do it… I have faith in you Rin."

A Month Later

Me and Rin spar in the huge dojo in the castle, ricocheting off walls and swinging off the chandelier, leaving mostly small cuts and bruises on each other, but some not so small cuts and bruises, but they're still healable. After a while, Rin was able to corner me. She went to cut me again, but I turn around and disappear in a shower of white, black and midnight blue rose pedals, and reappear behind her, putting my sword to her neck.

"That would've been your head." I say. Rin turns around quickly, huge grin on her face.

"Wow Kyo! How'd you do that?! Can you teach me?" She asks .I scratch the back of my head sheepishly.

"Um, actually, I cheated… I took ninja training from the time I was five to the time I was fourteen, when I took up my job as an assassin. I've been in that business for about… I'd say three… almost four years. Gomen… I just can't stand losing!"

Rin laughs.

"Don't worry about it. With your training, I won't need it."

"Thanks Rin, I do what I can. Now let's go eat lunch."

"Hai I'm starved!" Rin says pumping her fist in the air. The two of us stalk out of the dojo and head towards the dining hall.

This last month has been… hectic to say the least… along with training Rin, kagome asked me to train her… so, being the doting big sister, I did… and with Sesshomaru… I'm sure now, I love him. I love him more then life itself. I'm not sure where or when it happened, but it did, and I'm not complaining. He's still acting very sweet to me, and I'm not sure why… it cant be because he feels the same way… maybe it's because he respects me… he's told me that one. He acts different around me and Rin… but just around us two. If anyone else comes around, he's back to his unemotional self. He talks to me, openly… he says that he sees Rin as his daughter, and me as the best friend he never had growing up… he says that there's only one person besides me that he can talk to openly like this, but he's a taiyoukai, so they don't see each other much due to their duties. It makes me happy that he can talk to me so openly like this… it makes me happier then anything else could ever make me. He even started calling me by my name! That is when we don't have visitors. If we do, he calls me either onna or Ryuu. I found out a lot of things about him, and him about me.

Rin and I walk into the dining hall to see Sesshomaru seated at the head of the table, speaking with another youkai. Rin and I bow at the waist, going directly into kiss-ass mode.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin and I would like to eat lunch at this point in time, if your lordship permits it." I say, announcing our presence.

"Ningen, look at me." Sesshomaru says. I stand up straight and look him in the eyes, attempting to keep the annoyance out of my aura. In his eyes, I see the apology he wants to speak out to me, and I give him a small, almost unnoticeable nod to tell him that it was ok.

"Take Rin to your room and I will send food up to you."

"Hai milord, right away." I take Rin by the hand and lead her out towards the stairway. I send her off ahead of me, and then dissipate my scent and aura. I hide myself in one of the cherry blossom trees on either side of the entrance to the dining hall and listen quietly to the two youkai's conversation.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, who was that ningen?" the youkai asks.

"That, Jin-sama, is Kyoko, Rin's adoptive mother figure… and the woman who has captured my heart."

"Captured your heart?! A ningen? Never thought I'd see the day… I always thought you were a Yasha type of guy…"

"So did i… until I met her… Jin-sama, can I speak to you as a friend?"

"Of course."

"She's different… she's… strong for a ningen, but she knows her limitations and when to quit, she's compassionate, she's loving… you should see her with Rin… but she's merciless when need be, she's damn near fearless in battle, graceful, creative in her attacks, and she knows her way around a battle field just as well as I do. She may not be as strong as I am, but I'm sure that if you give her a chance to check out the battle field, she could beat me… if I was to let her use one of those… spells I think she calls them… she calls herself a witch and her Wicca powers rival that of a miko, but wont hurt humans unless she wants it too… it's amazing. I bet you that if you put Ryuu against your strongest Yasha… she'd win, without a doubt."

"Let us test that theory."

"Nani?"

"Let's put her against my strongest Yasha and we'll see if she's that skilled. Do you accept, Sesshoumaru?"

There is a pause as he thinks.

"Hai, I accept."

I cover my mouth with my hand, thoughts racing through my mind... but one sticks out, 'why didn't he tell me?' then I head upstairs to Rin, thinking to myself.

"Kyo?" Rin asks me.

"I need to go home…"

"What?! Why?!"

"Not for good… to get my stuff so I can stay here…"

"Oh… then let's go!"

"Nani?"

"Let's go. We can leave a note for Sesshoumaru and go."

I smile.

"Ok, let's go."

And so we do. I write a note for Sesshomaru, put it on my mat, and leave out of the window on Ah Un, leaving my weapons in the corner.

We get to the well about an hour or so later, and jump in, after giving Ah Un instructions to stay there until we got back. We climb out of the well and head into the house only to be faced with my angry mom.

"Hey, Mama!" I call happily, taking off my shoes in the doorway.

"Don't you 'hey mama' me, kyoko Tenshi Higurashi! Where on earth have you been!? Do you have any idea how worried about you I was?!"

I wave my arms in front of my face and say,

"I went down the well mama!"

"Baba! Don't lie to me!"

"B-but I'm not! Look," I say grabbing Rin's arm and pulling her in front of me, "Mama, this is Rin! She's from the feudal era!"

Mama studies Rin for a minute and then stops glaring.

"Ok, I believe you… now what do you need?"

"Mama, you're the best." I say

Within a few minutes, we're on my bike on the way to my house, Rin wearing my helmet and leather jacket. It takes us an hour to get there, breaking about seven speed laws on the way. We go up the stairs to my apartment to find it unlocked.

"Stay on your guard, Rin… someone's here." I whisper to her. She nods and I open the door slowly, keeping Rin behind me as I walk into the apartment. I turn on the light and see a hooded figure sitting on my couch.

"Who are you?!" I call out to the person, standing my guard in front of Rin. The hooded figure stands, faces me, and takes of their hood, revealing… me…"

EOC

A/N: DUN, DUN, DUUUUUUUUUN!!! Ha-ha, well what do you think? Who do you think the person is? Is it really her? Or is it a demon in disguise? I think this chapter was… ok in length… what do u think? I think I'm gonna revise "After He's Gone" to make the two stories connect better. I NEED A SECOND OPINION!!! R&R!!

♥Kyome Kouyou no Isshi ♥