Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

| Chapter Six | House Rengoku

I saw Senjuro and I could not believe what I was looking at. It was a young Kyojuro, yet he seemed... softer. He smiled at his brother and I could tell how much he looked up to him.

"Brother! You're home." He said with a smile. Senjuro's gaze met mine and his eyes widened. "Hello." He said, blushing.

I waved, but stayed silent. Kyojuro went to the side of the yard and grabbed two training swords. He came back to me and passed me a bokken.

"You've come to train. Have you taken on an apprentice, brother?" Senjuro asked.

"No, she is a good friend of mine! And we have both come here to hone our skills!" Kyojuro said. And then his gaze met mine. His eyes narrowed, focusing. "Use all you have on me! As fast as you can! Let's practice your speed."

"But-" I was about to ask him if we could start easy, and get to know each other's styles first, but he charged at me with his sword.

I rolled and dodged his attack. Jumping in the air behind him, I swung my bokken and his head turned and he smiled.

"Very good! But you need to be even faster!" He shouted.

He twisted and blocked my attack. He shoved me back, and I jumped backwards and took several quick steps to the side. I jumped into the air and landed on the other side so fast that I heard Senjuro gasp. My bokken was about to strike Kyojuro, but he was gone.

I twisted in the air because I knew a strike would come from somewhere behind me, and as I twisted, I saw Kyojuro with his bokken about to strike me. I held my own up, blocking the attack, but the strike had enough force to knock me to the ground and I rolled sideways.

He continued and was about to strike me again, and I didn't have time to react. I pushed my feet to take me forward, but I didn't react quick enough and so I held my bokken up to block his strike. It was another hard strike that pushed me backward and I flew a few feet and rolled again onto my stomach on the ground.

He stood there watching me. Waiting for my next move. I just laid where I landed, in shock. I knew he was fast, but I had never encountered a demon slayer who could keep up with me like that. I doubted that any of the other demon slayers I had worked with would have been able to do what Kyojuro just did.

"Do you know why I hit you like that? Why I didn't give you a chance to recover?" He asked.

"Because you're intense." I said.

"Because if I were a demon, I wouldn't have given you a chance to recover. I would attack without allowing you an opportunity to retaliate."

It was a good point. And I was still lying there, stunned after the attack I endured. He was right. If I was fighting a demon who could keep up with me the way he did, I would die.

"So I need to become faster, and I need to work on my stamina."

"Both are things I can help you with." He said.

"Thank you, Kyo."

"Excuse me, brother, but I made lunch, and I would be happy if you and..." I looked up at Senjuro, who was looking at me and hesitating.

I stood up and brushed off my skirt and jacket. My haori was a dusty mess, but I didn't worry about it. I walked in front of Senjuro and bowed. He panicked at my bow with wide eyes, and raised his hands palms out, shaking his head.

"Call me Rika." I said.

"Brother, Rika, please come have some lunch with me. I made a new dish that I learned from the west."

"Thank you Senjuro, lunch is a good idea!"

Kyojuro always thought food was a good idea. But I was hungry, so I also liked the sound of food.