Disclaimer: Kikyo and Kagome are the creations of Rumiko Takahashi.

Remember

"Why are we still waiting around? I've already learned how to fight with staff and bow and how to use my powers, so why aren't we out there hunting Naraku down?"

Kikyo didn't raise her eyes from the pot of herbs she was boiling. "Simple knowledge of combat will not help us defeat Naraku, copy. You still cannot fully control your powers, nor do you know how to use them beyond killing things and healing things. Magic is much more subtle than that."

"Well then teach me!" Kagome whined petulantly.

"One does not rush these things, copy. I have already given you your lesson for the day and I will not force your mind into learning more things than it is able to handle."

Kagome flounced off and say down on a rock further from the fire. It seemed that her reincarnation was pouting, Kikyo thought with a small smile as she looked on the younger girl. She had come so far from the silent emotionless doll she had been these past months- though it was still a regression from what she had first been.

But even her childish manner of pouting and shouting for things to be done now was better than that. And with the knowledge she had gained from her withdrawal into herself, her reincarnation would no doubt grow to be an emotionally mature young woman. She just had to remember she was seventeen, not seven.

"Pouting is beneath even you, copy. Act your age."

Had Kagome been who she was when this first started, she would have giggled at the sound of Kikyo scolding her as if she were her mother. But she had forgotten her emotions over the past few months, and Kikyo was slightly annoyed that it was impatience that Kagome had relearned first. The better emotions would take longer to recover, but serious progress had been made.

"I'm not pouting."

"Oh yes, because your face always looks like that, copy."

At that Kagome first looked startled, then gave Kikyo a faint smile to show she had seen the humor in Kikyo's words.

Both women stared at each other awkwardly after that. Kagome gave Kikyo an apologetic half-smile and stood up, to return to her place across the fire from the older miko to add herbs to the boiling pot.

Perhaps, Kikyo mused as she stirred the gooey mixture, it was not only her reincarnation that was remembering what emotions were.