Kyojuro Rengoku Ice Heart And Flame Soul

| Chapter Fifty | Friendship

As I came back to the dining room with the rest of breakfast, I watched Mura and Kyojuro talk, it looked like I missed a conversation while I was making breakfast.

Both of the guys scarfed down their food, and as I watched, I thought about how much more I was going to have to spend on ingredients for meals while Mura stayed with us. And I thought Kyojuro alone was expensive. Good thing as a Hashira, he brought us good money.

Mura enjoyed the sushi I made and Kyo ate the sweet potato rice balls. It was out of habit now that I made sweet potato rice balls, and he was thrilled that I did so.

"You're going to have to teach me." Mura said.

"Yes! Of course!" Kyo said.

"Teach him what?" I asked.

"The Torch and I here were talking about the sparring session, and he had some moves I hadn't seen, I need to learn them." Mura said.

"I've also tried to learn some of Kyojuro's maneuvers, but I just cant keep with my speed and do those at the same time." I said.

"Time, and practice, my love." He said.

Kyojuro laid his hand over mine on the table and I smiled up at him.

"Hey! If you're going to be a Hashira, then you must have some sweet skills too, Rika! When you can, I want to spar with you." Mura said.

I looked up at him skeptically, and shook my head.

"No way. I watched you beat up Kyojuro, then I watched you both give it your all. I don't want to end up bloody too. Kyojuro kicks me into the dirt enough." I said.

"Hey, come on! That isn't fair! I want to train with another Hashira." He complained.

"But your best option is probably Kyojuro, anyway." I said.

"I want to see how far my sister has come. You used to be tough as a kid. I remember one time you smashed your face into the ground, making your nose bleed. All you did was sit there and stare. You didn't cry or whimper. I was scared I was going to get yelled at for letting you get hurt, but you didn't act like it hurt. So I cleaned up the blood and it was like it never happened."

"She is much the same, still." Kyojuro said.

"Figures. Rika is still Rika after all." Mura said.

"No, I'm not whiny anymore." I said.

Mura turned to Kyojuro with a raised brow, and Kyo didn't respond, only smiled.

"I'm not whiny!" I said.

The guys glanced at each other quickly but said nothing. Was I whiny? Since when? I was once somebody who didn't talk. Had I changed that much?

"I think my sister is still my sister." Mura said.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

I turned to Kyojuro aggressively landing my hands on the table.

"Kyojuro? Am I whiny?" I asked.

Kyojuro stood up, and adjusted his haori and his belt.

"Well, I think it's time for me to go train in the yard." He said.

"Kyo! You didn't answer me!" I said.

"And I think I need to tend to my sword. Yes, it is in need of some care." He said.

Mura began to laugh across the table, and I narrowed my eyes at Kyojuro retreating from the room.

"I think you have your answer, Rika." He said.