Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Past Meets Future ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Yay I'm back. Okay for those of you confused about the name thing I'll write an author's note after chapter four (which I have written and just need to find and publish). Oh and all the warlords in this story are the younger brothers of the ones who fought against Talpa (and use their Japanese names). Oh and by the way the Anubis you heard about in the last chapter along with his sister are Kayura and um I think it was Shiten's kids but hey even I forget who's who after a while. Well on the story.

Rating: T

Pairings: You'll have to find out for yourself

Disclaimer: Don't own. So can't sue.

SSSSSSSSS scene change

italics telepathy

“yap yap yap” talk

`yap yap yap' thoughts

Past

Meets

Future

Chapter 3

As they approached the palace, on the way back from the training ring, Reika turned to the guys, Celena, and Mia. “Uh, would you mind telling the others I'll be late?” she asked, “I want to take a shower before coming down to dinner” she explained.

“No problem” Touma shrugged.

“Yeah, we'll save you a seat” Shin grinned.

“There'd better be some food left” she said, levelling a glare at both Kento and Shu, who flushed.

“Hey, we couldn't eat everything!” Kento protested. Then he exchanged a glance with Shu, “could we?”

“I dunno, how much do you eat?”

Reika narrowed her eyes in exasperation; “Just save me a seat” she begged, then turned and made her way through the halls to her room. Rowen narrowed his eyes as he watched her go. Something was tugging at the back of his mind, and trying to figure it out was driving him nuts. Suddenly, he could Ralon's voice in the back of his mind, “Why couldn't you have just gone back to the past and stayed there, the way everyone expected you to?”

“Hey,” he spoke up, “could one of you explain something to me?” he asked the other boys.

“We'll try” Seiji replied.

“Why is everyone so surprised to see Reika?” he frowned, “so far, everyone we've met, you five, your sisters, our future selves, Caran, even the little kids, and especially Ralon seemed to think that she wasn't going to return”

“Yeah” Kento narrowed his eyes, “the little boy, Tannin, he said that he was afraid Reika had gone away forever, like Uncle Cye almost did, meaning that they thought she was dead or just badly wounded and couldn't get home, sorry bud” he apologized to Cye.

“No problem, but you've got a point” Cye chewed on his lower lip.

The five teens exchanged a significant glance. Ryudo, Touma, Shu, and Seiji all looked at Shin, who sighed dejectedly. “Why me?” he shook his head, and then turned to the Ronins.

“Well, it's got to do with time travelling” he began as they continued towards the palace, “you see, travelling forward in time is perfectly safe, but travelling backwards is extremely dangerous. People have gotten lost in the time stream before, and were never heard from again”

“And you actually let Reika go, knowing that she might never come back?” Ryo demanded, sounding outraged.

“NO!” Touma looked horrified, “You don't understand! We needed someone to go, and she volunteered”

“Yeah, ever since what happened to Shin's dad, Reika's been a little, uh, over the edge” Shu explained shooting Shin an apologetic glace, for mentioning his dad's accident, cause Shin didn't want to remember that at all.

“You mean she went crazy?” Celena asked in a hushed tone of voice.

“Not really, but she was with Shin when is happened, they both saw it, and now she's feeling bad for what happened to the amulets”

“Anyway” Shin continued, “there was also a small problem.”

“Why do I get the feeling it's anything but small?” Mia muttered.

“And that would be?” Sage raised an eyebrow.

Yet another glance was exchanged. By this time, the group had drawn close to the dinning room, and they needed to wrap up the conversation. “Look,” Shin lowered his voice, trying not to draw any attention, “after the amulets disappeared, the Dynasty had not yet attacked, or taken anyone hostage. The people found out what she had done and that she couldn't find the amulets. A lot of people wanted her to give the amulet she was supposed to inherit to someone else, someone who wouldn't make it disappear” he paused for breath here, “but we discovered that she couldn't, not without actually wearing the amulet, and it she could do that, there wouldn't be much point of her getting rid of it anyway”

“So those creeps decided to get rid of her” Shu hissed, clenching his hands into fists, “there were three assassination attempts”

“WHAT!” Ryo, Rowen, Cye, Sage, Kento, Celena, and Mia all gasped.

“Assassinations!?” Mia blinked.

“Yeah she took care of the first one; they attacked during a training session when she was by herself, but the other two times they tried at night, until it was getting so we were thinking about posting a guard at her door”

“This is serious” Mia commented, “if the people were that desperate before, when the city was still free, think of what lengths they'd go to now.” Celena nodded in agreement.

“Yes, we know” Seiji nodded.

“So when Reika went back in time to find us” Rowen said slowly, “most people expected her to either die and let the amulet's power go to someone else, or to stay lost in time to escape the attempts on her life” The five boys nodded.

“Yeah, that's about it” Touma sighed, “but Reika's too stubborn for her own good, now she's in big trouble”

“Oh?” another voice asked, “and why's that?”

All twelve of them turned to see a woman standing at the door to the dinning room, which they'd been standing during most of the conversion, with the girls, and Caran next to her. The woman was a little shorter than the future Ronins, with red hair like flame tied back into a high ponytail, bright ocean eyes peered at them suspiciously. “Uh, no reason mother” Shin managed to squeak out, his own ocean eyes wide in surprise since he hadn't seen her there. `Mother!' Cye thought. He was aware that the others were shooting glances at him except Celena she turned her head away from Cye when he looked at her, she knew who this woman was and she was blushing, she turned her head so Cye wouldn't see, because if he did she would turn an even brighter red then she was now. No wonder Reika hadn't wanted them to know about their wives, if this was how they were all going to react. The woman apparently realized who the five familiar looking teens and the teenage girl were. “Oh my!” she exclaimed, hand flying to her mouth.

“It's you isn't it?” she asked, “Reika brought you from the past, didn't she though I wasn't expecting her to bring one of you.”

“That's right miss” Sage nodded, he couldn't figure out why she was talking like she knew them before this time.

“Well, I'm surprised you don't recognize me though you do have my past self with you, but Saphrita and Lee did say that you didn't recognize them either” she said.

“Well if you must know since you can't guess who I am my name's Selenity Langley” she smiled slyly at Cye, “at least it used to be; now it's Selenity Mouri”

“Uh, uh huh” he managed to stammer.

“Selenity Langley?” Mia wondered aloud, then the name clicked in her mind, she looked at the woman then to Celena then back again, “W-wait a minute you're not Celena are you?”

The woman laughed, “Yes I am Celena.” she said looking at her past self.

“But don't worry about it” she smiled gently at all of them, “it must be quite a shock for you to see all of us, we've changed a lot, but it was very good of you to come” she turned back to the door and gestured over her shoulder for them to fallow, “come along, dinner's ready” she beckoned.

“Better do as she says guys” Touma murmured to the Ronins, “Aunt Celena may look fragile, but she's got a temper that rivals even Reika's”

“Yeah, let's just say it goes with her hair” Shu chuckled.

“That's not very nice to say Shu” Nadeshiko told him, trying not to chuckle herself.

“We all walk very carefully around mother” Shin told them, “the only one who can possibly calm her is Dad.” Sali nodded in agreement.

“Yep!” Seiji nodded, “he keeps her quiet and she keeps him on his toes, it's a good match.”

“Hey Seiji! That's not nice, besides we do have Aunt Celena's past self here or did you forget that?” Sakura asked her brother.

“Oops I guess I did forget” Seiji admitted. Sakura just rolled her eyes at her brother's ignorance.

“We better hurry, or Kento'll eat everything and we'll all go hungry!” Mia urged them, reminding them all that there was more than one bottomless pit in this place.

SSSSSSSSS

The dinning room was jammed with people. As soon as the past Ronins entered the room, everyone gathered there stopped eating, talking, etc, to stare. Sitting at the head of the table was Kayura. She wore a traditional kimono, ivory in color; her blue eyes went wide at the sight of them. On Kayura's right was a man with black hair and tiger blue eyes, he looked at the Ronins, then to Kayura, then back again. Next to obviously Ryo's future self was Lady Mia who they had met in the library. On her right was the elder version of Lee who they'd met in the library she smiled at them cheerily. On her right was the elder version of Rowen who they'd met in the library earlier. He smiled wryly at them. Next to Rowen was, naturally, Sage. He nodded at the Warriors, and Lady Saphrita, who was next to him, waved cheerily. Kento was seated next to Saphrita, he waved a fork laden with something and managed to smile around a mouthful. Despite the rather shocked looks they were receiving from everyone else, the Ronins attempted to smother a smile at his behavior. The woman sitting next to him was the same size as Lady Celena, she had long brown hair and green eyes; she elbowed him in the side and shook her head in exasperation. While Lady Saphrita giggled at her big brother's antics. Lady Celena crossed over to the seat right next to the yet-to-be-named woman. She sat herself regally; on her right was Cye, who smiled at his wife before giving Kento (the future one) a glare for his bad manners. Next to Cye sat a man with long auburn hair (like Caran's) and emerald eyes, he looked at them, then at Cye with a questioning look in his eyes, whatever was the question Cye smiled at him and nodded, then the man looked back at them and smiled obviously his question answered. Next to obviously Cyoran's future self was Ralon, and he pretended that he didn't even realize they were there. Next to him was the boy, Anubis, who they had seen in the training ring with the girl, Katrina, next to him. Seated a few seats down from Katrina (there were some empty chairs) in order were the Dark Warlords. Shiten, then Naaza, then Anubis, and finally Rajura, their eyes went wide as they caught sight of the Ronins. “Reika did it” Anubis gasped.

“Oh lord!” Naaza buried his face in his hands, “there's double the amount of Ronins now” he moaned.

“Oh hah hah” Kento swallowed his food and stabbed his fork menacingly in the Warlord of Venom's general direction, “my, aren't we witty?”

Kayura stood and smiled serenely at the warriors who stood awkwardly in the doorway. “Thank you for coming” she smiled warmly, “won't you please take a seat?” she gestured at the empty seats between Katrina and Shiten. There were enough for all those standing, the Ronins, Celena, Mia, Caran, the other five boys, and the four girls. “Where's Reika?” Sage asked.

“Oh yeah!” Shu replied, “she said to tell you that she was gonna be kinda late since she had to take a shower”

“She sure did need one” Ralon murmured.

“Ralon!” Caran hissed, glaring at his elder brother, who merely shrugged in return.

“It's not my fault” Ralon sniffed, “I'm just stating the facts”

“Facts my…” Touma began to shout.

“Touma!” Lee said sharply, “after dinner if you please”

“Yes mother” he muttered.

“Mother!” Ryo, Sage, Rowen, Cye, Kento, and Celena all choked.

“Y-you and, and Lee!” Cye wasn't sure if Kento was laughing or on the verge of passing out. They hadn't actually believed that Rowen and Lee were married when they were told about it in the Library, but now they did believe it. Celena was the most surprised, because in the past Rowen and Lee always argued about everything and never agreed with one another. “Oh my god” Rowen buried his face in his hands, much to the amusement of everyone else, including Lee's future self and the elder Rowen, “I'm never going to be able to look her in the face again” his friends snickered evilly.

“You'll have too now, won't you,” Touma said pointedly, “unless you want to officially wipe Leeanna, Tannin, Kina, and myself out of existence”

“Speaking of which, where are they?” Rowen's eyes flickered around the room, but he didn't catch any sight of Tannin, Kina, or Graham.

“They were sent to the nursery,” Lady Celena explained, “they already ate”

“I'd really hate to be responsible for keeping those kids from ever being born” Celena said quietly, keeping her eyes away from both Cye's at all costs.

Kayura heaved a sigh, “This is why it's so hazardous to time travel, the risk that things might change is so great, that there is actually a chance that people might even be eliminated”

“If it's so dangerous, then why risk it at all?” Sage raised an eyebrow.

“Because we are growing very desperate” his older counterpart confessed, “there's a way that we can hope to win under these circumstances, with the amulets gone at the time”

“Yeah we heard it all from Reika” Kento nodded.

“But why did they just disappear like that?” Cye asked them.

Rajura shrugged, “We don't know exactly, but it can't be because they didn't recognize her as its inheritor but she never told us which one she tried to touch”

Kayura heaved a sigh, “It's so complicated, we've run tests, using the armors to try and find the amulets, to try to draw them out”

Shu picked up from where she stopped, “Every time we give it a shot, Reika passes out, it must be painful or something, there's always a lot of screaming”

“When is there a lot of screaming?” came Reika's questioning voice from the doorway.

“Uh never mind”

She chuckled, shook her head and slipped between Ryudo and Sali, “Well, whatever it was you were talking about must have been pretty bad to make you forget about your dinner” she gestured at their barely touched food.

“Um, it wasn't bad nothing really” Ryudo said turning red.

Katrina rolled her eyes and elbowed Ryudo in the side, “You are such a terrible liar”

He smirked, “It must run in the family Reika's no good at it either”

“Family?” Ryo asked.

“That's right you did say that he was your brother before, didn't you?” Mia cocked her head at Reika.

“Yep” she nodded, “he's my brother I know that we look a lot alike, but we're not twins”

“Yeah so don't mistake us for twins” he agreed.

“Hmmm” Rowen looked thoughtful.

Could it be that Reika was supposed to inherit the Stars amulet and her brother the Wildfire amulet? Was that the reason the amulets disappeared because she touched the one that her brother was supposed to inherit and not the one she was supposed to get? “Rowen?” Ryo looked at his friend, “is something up, you've got that look on your face again, like you know something we don't”

“Oh it's nothing just a theory, that's all”

Everyone at the table, all the Ronins, past, present, and the Dark Warlords, exchanged a glance. They knew what that meant. “OW!!!” Reika's sudden yelp startled them out of their puzzlement. She glared balefully at Ralon. “You're pushing it Ralon, I'm seriously tempted to deck you”

“Why whatever did I do?” the auburn haired boy asked with an air of injured innocence.

“You kicked me in the leg!” Reika began to stand up.

Ryudo and Sali each grabbed one of her arms. They were unfazed by the dark glares she shot them apparently used to it. “Take it outside after dinner” Kayura told the boy and girl sternly. Each glared furiously at the other. “You can count on it” Reika hissed. She'd had enough of Ralon's attitude.

“Calm down” Ryudo muttered, tugging his sister back into her seat.

She reluctantly sat back down, turning her attention back to her dinner. “That's better” Kayura sounded satisfied, “now then, Reika, I wanted to congratulate you, you made it to the past and back without any hassle, and you completed your mission by bringing the, ahem, younger Ronins back with you”

“HEY!” the older Kento protested, “we're not useless or anything”

The brown haired woman next to him patted his arm gently, “Nobody said that dear” she murmured, “but you must admit, that ever since we almost lost Cye” her voice trailed off and her gaze darted to Shin.

The boy smiled, “Its okay, you don't have to tiptoe around me anymore.”

“If you're sure.”

“I'm sure.”

“Uh,” Kento cleared his throat nervously, “this is probably going to sound really rude, but how did it happen anyway?”

Silence fell, but it was broken when Rajura cleared his throat, “I could show you.” he offered.

“What are you saying Rajura?!” Kento demanded, “You weren't there, you didn't see what happened.”

“I've pulled the information from your minds, I can key the illusion only to wearers of the armor, that way not everyone will have to see It.” though he didn't look at Shin, they all knew that was who he meant.

“Pulled it from our minds?” Rowen blinked.

Rajura just shrugged, “None of you speaking coherently, we had to get some answers.”

“Very well Rajura” Kayura nodded, “go ahead and show them.”

SSSSSSSSS

For Celena, it was almost as if she had fallen asleep and was dreaming. The peculiar feeling that comes with a dream was there, and it was rather disturbing. The scene flickered into focus, she saw Ryo, Rowen, Sage, Cye, and Kento but no sign of her or the other girls. She wondered if the others were seeing this. Then she totally lost herself in the vision, almost as if she wasn't real any longer. Ryo, Rowen, Sage, Cye, and Kento were seated in what appeared to be a garden, each wearing a kimono in their own signature colors. It was late spring, for sakura blossoms were drifting down and landing on the grass, bushes, and floating on the surface of a small pond. White Blaze and Icoro lounged beneath two stone benches. “Man this feels weird.” Kento was saying, “Why did the amulets just disappear like that? I just don't understand it”

“It's definitely disturbing to wake up one morning and find that they've just up and disappeared.” Cye agreed.

“I never expected for something like this to happen, and I'm surprised that the powers that the amulets gave us didn't disappear with them.” Rowen said.

“Hah! Speak for yourself Ro” Sage smirked, “I for one am glad the powers the amulets gave us didn't disappear, but you've always been doubtful of stuff like that.”

“Oh cut it out before we throw you into the fish pond!” Rowen snapped.

Ryo was seated quietly, not caring to enter his friends' good-natured argument. He was frowning slightly, apparently lost in thought. “Hey Ryo, what's wrong?” Kento asked.

“I'm just wondering why they disappeared at all, since they were protecting our world from danger, there's no good reason I can think of.” he replied, sighing heavily.

“Well maybe, the world just won't need protection from the amulets anymore” Cye suggested, “so the amulets stopped working, and went back to where they were before we found them.”

“That can't be it.” Ryo shook his head, “Why then would we still be able to use the powers they gave us, like being able to control our elements and let us keep the new armors they gave us, if the world is going to be at peace from now on? And why wouldn't they have vanished two centuries ago, that was the last uprising I believe.”

“Still, Cye's got a point.” Sage pointed out.

“Yeah, at least a theory is better than not knowing at all.” Rowen shrugged.

“I just get this feeling,” Ryo said darkly, “like something terrible is about to happen to us.”

“You always were the optimistic one.” Sage snorted.

“You should listen to Wildfire, Halo.” a dry voice, rattling like the wind through a dead tree's branches hissed, “You'll never know just how right he is”

“HUH?!”

The five warriors were on their feet, summoning their sub-armor with a moment's thought. They didn't even need to be in physical contact with there Kanji orbs anymore; they could just will the orbs to them. White Blaze and Icoro had sprung to their paws and were crouched down next to Ryo and Cye. “Who's out there?” Ryo demanded, his eyes sweeping the garden, flickering to each bush and tree. A terrible laughter, sounding more like someone with a case of Tuberculosis trying to hack up their lungs, drifted by on a breeze. “You wish to see me?” the voice wheeled, “Very well then.” The atmosphere chilled noticeably. White Blaze and Icoro growled menacingly at a shadow cast by a huge knarled sakura tree. Having learned a long time ago to trust the tigers' instincts, the Ronins turned to face it. The shadow seemed to solidify, until a figure could be seen within it. This figure took a step outward, revealing a truly revolting person. “Well, you're an ugly one” Rowen growled. He hadn't been exaggerating either; their newest opponent reeked of decay. A cloak of rotting leather was wrapped around it, its face thrown into shadow by the cowl. There was no way to tell what gender it was, for in the places where the cloak had rotted away, only bones, yellowed by time and faintly green with mold, were visible. The thing lifted both of its skeletal hands and pushed back the cowl. A gasp of disgust ripped from five throats. The face was, if possible the more hideous than the rest of it. Blue fire flickered in the eyeless sockets, rotting scraps of flesh and muscle hung limply off the skull. The skull's grinning mouth exposed stained stumps of teeth. It clutched a wickedly sharp scythe in one bony hand, and bore a startling resemblance to Death. “After this fight, I think I'll go lose my lunch somewhere.” Kento muttered.

“Let's get this over and done with” Ryo said calmly.

After three hundred years of surviving the worst types of adversaries, he had every reason to be confident.

“ARMOR OF WILDFIRE, DAO CHIN!”

“ARMOR OF STRATA, DAO INOCHI!”

“ARMOR OF HALO, DAO CHI!”

“ARMOR OF TORRENT, DAO SHIN!”

“ARMOR OF HARDROCK, DAO GI!”

A few flashes of light and swirls of sakura petals later, the Ronin Warriors stood garbed in their full battle armor, holding their weapons with the ease of a person who knew how to use them. “Now you're in for it.” Sage threatened.

“Let's get rid of this guy, or this whole garden is going to smell like old garbage.” Cye said, wrinkling his nose at the stench.

“Should I be frightened?” it hissed. It became apparent that the strange slicking noise that punctuated the thing's speech was due to the clacking together of its teeth.

“You bet your spinal cord, you should.”

“We shall see.”

Suddenly the thing disappeared, and a brief shadow flitted across the ground, re-solidifying next to Kento. A downward slash of that scythe left a deep gouge in the orange metal of his chest plate. “We can't see it move!” Rowen cried.

“Arrgh, how do we fight it then?” Cye gripped his yari tighter in frustration.

“We wait for it to stop to hit one of us, and then take it out.” Ryo called.

“But we could hurt whoever the target is!” Sage reminded him.

Kento was growling with rage, “That's it; the grim reaper over there is in for it now!”

Their enemy disappeared again, only to reappear perched in the top of a sakura tree. “You're beginning to bore me Ronins” it rattled. There came a sound of pounding footsteps, and both Shin and Reika were standing in the open garden gate. “Father?” Shin asked obviously puzzled by the fact that he and his uncles were all wearing their armor.

“Shin, Reika!” Cye shouted, “Run now! Get away from here both of you, and get your mothers, Kayura, and the Warlords quickly!”

Shin and Reika both blinked, but then they noticed the cloaked form in the treetops, “Right dad, we'll be right back.” They turned to run for their lives, but a rasping chuckle came from the tree. “I think not little ones.” It reached out a fleshless hand, and made a curious gesture. Red fire, the color of clotted blood, flew from its hand, heading straight for Shin and Reika. Two ear-splitting roars tore through the air, White Blaze and Icoro seemed to come out of nowhere as if by magic in front of the boy and girl. The bolts contacted with the tigers' sides, sending them flying into the wall. They slid down it leaving bright red smears behind them. “No!!” all seven of the horrified onlookers screamed, Reika ran over to them to see if the tigers were okay.

“The fun is just beginning.” the thing chortled.

It made another gesture, this time snapping and rotating its wrist around in a way that would have been impossible if there had been any tendons attached to it. A bubble of that same corrupted red formed around Shin and hurled him up through the air, leaving him hovering about fifty feet above the ground.

“Let me down!” he screamed, pounding his fists helplessly against the walls of the bubble.

“FLARE UP NOW!”

The cry of Ryo's sure-kill echoed around the garden, sending a column of intense flames roaring towards the demon. It leaped out of the way, letting the power rip through the garden, and blow up a part of a nearby building. “Darn!” Rowen gasped “We can't use our sure-kills, or we'll end up destroying the whole city.”

“Let Shin down you compost heap!” Kento demanded, outraged by the whole thing.

“As you wish.” it said calmly.

The bubble went smashing to the ground with a bone-shattering crunch! Cye was at his son's side so quickly it was nearly impossible. He gently pulled him into a sit-up position. “Shin are you alright?” he asked, eyes anxious.

“Uh huh” he nodded groggily, “I don't think anything's broken.”

Cye let out the breath he had been holding in relief, “God you scared me”

“What about White Blaze and Icoro?” he still sounded out of it. He tried to turn to see if they were alright, but his father pulled him back. “Don't look. I'm sure they'll be okay.” was all he could say.

“CYE!” he heard Ryo shout.

“WATCH OUT!!!” Rowen cried.

Cye tuned in time to see a huge ball of energy heading towards him and his son. Thinking quickly he pushed Shin out of the way and took the blast head on. Shin watch horrified as his father screamed in agonizing pain. Shin just barely made it to his side in time to catch him before he hit the ground. “CYE!” suddenly his uncles were there, and they pulled Shin away from his father. Sage leaned over to check his wounds. “How is he?” Kento asked.

“His wounds are very bad, and their deep they're almost to the bone.” Sage replied.

“Can you do anything heal the wounds Sage?” Ryo asked.

Sage looked at him, “I'll heal what I can.” was all he could say around the lump in his throat, he leaned over Cye again and started to glow a bright green.

Tears poured down Shin's face. He watched as the Armor of Torrent disappeared from his dad's body, leaving him dressed in the kimono he had on before but it had gashes in it where his wounds were. “Muhahahahaha!” maniacal laughter rang around the garden. The Ronins turned back to glare balefully through tear-filled eyes at their horrific opponent. “How pitiful, and he was one of the strongest out of all of you with the power that amulet gave him.” it laughed again, even more evil than before, if possible, “so you know what a truly pitiful thing that is?”

“Keep your jaw shut or do I have to shut it for you?” Kento shouted, surging to his feet and looking as if he really wanted to tear something (or someone) apart with his bare hands.

“The pitiful thing to this is that he probably won't survive that no has”

The four men stared blankly at the demon. Shin was still crouched, beside his father's still form not believe a word the thing had said, he knew his father would pull through.

“What do you mean?” Rowen demanded, “Why not?”

“Like I said no one has survived that attack and I have used it many times, and no matter how strong the person's will is, they always die.”

“Why should we believe you?” Ryo shouted.

“You're lying through what's left of your teeth.” Sage growled in a dangerous voice.

“Why would I lie? He may have pulled through and recovered from other attacks, and I assure you no matter how much you think he will he won't and you will never recover the amulets those trinkets are gone for good.” there was a mocking tone in that ghostly voice.

“BE QUIET!” Shin screamed ocean eyes blazing with anger.

He leapt to his feet, snatched the sword of Halo out of a stunned Sage's hand and rushed the demon. It must have been just as surprised as the Ronins by his sudden rage, for it was caught completely off guard. He brought the razor-sharp blade down in a diagonal slash that started at the thing's left eye, and went all the way down to the right side of its chin. Then he brought it back across the demon's rotting throat, slashing a wide grin into what was left of the skin. The thing brought its hands up to cover its face and clutch at its throat. What appeared to be black puss oozed from the terrible wounds Shin had inflicted upon it. It glared at Shin with intense hatred. “You have not seen the last of me, boy,” it rasped, “and your father will never recover nor will you ever be able to use that lost amulet of his.” its broken voice took on a singsong quality. “When we meet again, you will lose, for the amulets are lost forever to the Ronins and the Mystics or until such a time as when they become ours” Then the demon dissolved it literally fell apart into a pile of dust and ashes. Even its rotting leather cloak went up in a puff of smoke, to be swirled away on the wind. The Ronins stared at Shin's back in shock. They'd never seen anyone, short of Sage himself; handle the Sword of Halo like that. The Sword fell from nerveless fingers, to land softly on the grass forgotten. Shin's shoulders started to shake. His fingers moved towards his belt and he slipped a dagger from its sheath. The only thing on his mind was to end the terrible anguish eating at his soul, he'd never felt so alone. He set the tip of the dagger above his heart and was just readying himself to push it home when a hand gripped his wrist. “Shin” Sage said in an undeniably calm voice, “I almost lost your father, he's just barely alive, do you think he would like it if he found out that I had let you kill yourself?” Shin just stared at him for a moment, and Sage feared that the boy had lost his mind; there was such blankness in his eyes. His fingers lost their grip on the dagger and it fell to the ground next to the Sword of Halo. “Oh Uncle Sage.” he wailed, tears coursing down his face. He threw his arms around Sage's neck, and Sage banished his armor and sub-armor quick as a thought. Shin sobbed into his shirt, completely inconsolable. Ryo, Kento, and Rowen exchanged anguish-filled glances as Reika came over from the wall where the tigers were to try and help Sage comfort Shin. It was a huge relief for them that Cye wasn't dead and it was probably going to be a bigger relief to Celena, then Kento leaned down and gently picked Cye up off the ground. The sound of pounding footsteps drew the attention of everyone but Shin. Ryudo, Touma, Shu, Caran, and Seiji appeared at the garden gate. Their eyes widened when they saw Ryo, Rowen, and Kento in their armor with Reika standing beside them, and Shin sobbing in Sage's arms. “Father, what-?” Seiji asked but Ryudo grabbed his arm and gestured frantically in the direction of the wall. Both White Blaze and Icoro lay there, their bodies a mass of blood and tangled fur. From the position both were laying in it looked as if they had broken some ribs on impact but besides that they seemed alright. They saw the Ronin Warriors of Wildfire, Strata, and Hardrock with their fallen companion Torrent in his arms eyes closed and unconscious, and everything became clear. “Oh God” Touma gasped. To everyone's surprise, it was Rowen who took charge. On the battlefield, he usually served as Ryo's second -in-command, but not at home; not when he wasn't needed. “Touma, go get your mothers, Kayura, and the Warlords, we need to talk with them” he said quietly, but firmly, and his voice was steady, something the others hadn't managed yet. Touma nodded and vanished around the corner. Caran walked over to where Sage was attempting to comfort Shin, and he took the boy into his own arms, he wasn't sure if he'd realized that he had done that. He sensed Ryudo coming up behind them he kneeled down and put his arms around them. Seiji laid a hand on Shin's shoulder, it was rather awkward, but he was trying at least. Rowen, Ryo, Kento, and Sage looked at each other then looked at Cye's form, at least he was breathing but it was still pretty shallow sounding. “Sage we should see if White Blaze, and Icoro are okay, there's nothing more we can do right now.” Sage nodded in agreement and both went over to do so. Rowen stayed next to Kento his eyes still on Cye. Kento looked at Caran, Ryudo, and Seiji trying their best to comfort Shin and sighed. “What?” Rowen asked.

“I'm just glad that Cye is alive it would have been worse if he didn't, I don't even want to think of what Celena would do if that happened.” Kento said in a quiet voice.

“Well at least be glad that it didn't.” Rowen replied, “He'll be alright. Don't worry.”

Kento nodded in agreement, and then they both went over to where Ryo and Sage were. Caran was still trying to quell that flood of Shin's tears. He rubbed his back, “Shhh, it'll be okay Shin” he murmured in his ear. To his surprise, he pulled his face away from him shirt and looked at him, his eyes watery and red, “No Caran, it'll never be okay again”

SSSSSSSSS

The Ronins came back to themselves with a shock. For a moment, they just stared blankly at one another, and then at Cye. He was visibly shaken and blinked rapidly as if to clear his vision. “What a way to go.” Kento whispered.

“Cye?” Celena reached over and gently touched his wrist, bringing him back to the real world, “Are you alright?”

He smiled at her reassuringly, “Yeah I'm fine, just a little uh surprised.” he explained.

“Um, were we supposed to see that?” Shu asked tentatively.

“No why?” Rajura frowned.

“Cuz' we did” Seiji finished.

“What?! How?!” Kayura blinked.

“It must be because of their blood link to the armors” Lady Saphrita explained calmly.

“And if we saw it, then…” Reika's voice trailed off and her eyes widened. A racking sob came from Shin's direction. His shoulders were shaking and he was staring at his hands, which were clenched into fists in his lap. “H-How could you?” he managed to say, turning an accusing gaze at Rajura.

“I don't know how you managed to see that illusion.” he tried to explain, “It must be because the armor is strong inside you, even though you don't possess it yet”

“Darn the armor!” he yelled, “I just want things back to the way they were!”

He stood up so fast that his chair toppled backwards, but he didn't seem to notice. Tears poring down his face, Shin turned and ran from the room, leaving an awkward silence behind him. “You did it again Spider Boy.” Anubis growled, slapping Rajura upside that head.

“It's hardly my fault.” he glared back.

“It's no one's fault.” Kayura spoke up, heading off an argument, “What happened that day was no one's fault.”

Exchanging a glance, Ryudo, Reika, Touma, Leeanna, Seiji, Sakura, Sali, Shu, and Nadeshiko all pushed back their chairs and stood up as well. “And where do you think you're all going?” Cye asked them, an eyebrow lifted up in amusement. Everyone turned to look at him; he hadn't done much talking after all.

“To find Shin” Touma replied.

“Yeah he's our friend, we're not going to let him go through this alone” Leeanna added.

Cye smiled at them, “I understand that you wouldn't be true friends if you didn't try to help him, but any sympathy you could possibly offer would be false”

“Hey I don't know what you are talking about, I know you saw the same thing that we did but what would you know.” Shu sounded angry. Sali glared at him for making such a rude comment and kicked him to make him be quiet. “Look none of you have really lost anyone have you?” he asked calmly. Cye's counterpart and Cyoran's future self looked at each other they knew who Cye was talking about. Uncomfortable looks were exchanged between the children, Cye did have a point. “And you have?” Seiji asked. Cye nodded and Naaza cleared his throat, Cye smiled at him, “It's alright, it was a long time ago at least by your standards.” He still looked embarrassed but nodded anyway. “Anyway I think I should go talk to him.” Lady Celena looked thoughtful, but first exchanged a glance with her husband for his approval before answering, he nodded he thought it was a good idea as well. “I think its best if you do.” she said, “Shin's room is on the third floor, left wing fifth door down.”

Cye looked a little confused, but stood, “I'll be right back” he said and left the room. Unknown to everyone else Ryudo, Reika, and Sali quietly slipped out after him.

SSSSSSSSS

It took him a few minutes, but eventually Cye found the door. He pushed at the entrance, beginning to wonder if this had been such a good idea. `Come on Cye, Shin could really use your help right now', he told himself. Taking a deep breath he pushed the door open, wondering why it wasn't locked, not to mention whether or not Shin would soak him with water. He didn't see what he expected. It was more like a sitting room, with a door which must have led off into the bedroom, and another which was probably was the bathroom, but then again he was just guessing. Cye knocked on one of the doors, there was no answer, so he opened it. Shin was curled up on his four-poster bed, knees drawn up to his chest and face buried in his arms. “Shin?” Cye sat next to him and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder, “I know this is going to sound weird and it's a really bad question to ask, but, are you okay?”

There came a sniffing noise, “I-I don't know really” his muffled voice came from behind his arms.

“Care to explain that?” Cye asked gently.

Shin sniffed again, “It's just because, I almost lost my father he was always there for me, none of the others would understand but without him around it's like I'm alone and I hate being alone its scary.”

“I understand” Cye replied.

Shin peeked out from under his elbow, the unwound himself from the ball, “What do you mean?”

Cye took a deep breath, “I lost someone who was very close to me like your father he was always there for me, he was my elder brother, Corin. You and Sali would have had another uncle here in the future if he hadn't died during the war with Taparago”

Shin sat up and looked curiously at Cye from reddened eyes, “How did it happen?”

Cye managed a smile, “Truth to be told, your Uncle Naaza had poisoned him and he died from it, he died right before my eyes.”

“I'm so sorry” Shin said sympathetically.

Cye shook his head, “Actually I've forgiven him for it.” he said simply.

“What!” Shin blinked in surprise, “How could you? I could never forgive that, that thing for what it did to my father”

“It's because he apologized, after the Warlords realized that Taparago had been controlling them they became good guys, I'm sure you've heard their stories” the other boy nodded, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. “I forgave him because he well, reformed, I guess you could say, and fought for the same things as my brother fought for originally.”

“I think I understand.” Shin said, “Tell me about your brother.”

For a while, the two boys sat and traded stories. Cye found that telling Shin these things seemed to ease the ache he'd been carrying inside him for so long. He also heard some rather amusing incidents involving the others. He only wished he could have been there, the blackmail possibilities would have been endless. “So why don't you come back down to dinner?” he asked Shin.

A stunned look appeared on Shin's face. “I couldn't! Not after that, and besides” his voice dropped low, “I know I remind my Uncles of my father, we look so much alike, its painful for them if something has happened to my father and he wasn't around, now you see what I mean by being alone.” he sounded glum.

Cye draped an arm around the boy's shoulders, “Look, they really care for you, its not painful for them, maybe its even a relief to know that some part of your father is alive, and besides you aren't alone, Caran's your cousin right, you still have blood relatives in him, Cyoran, Ralon, and Sali, and the others were really worried when you left the table, I had to convince them not to come up here.”

Shin looked puzzled, “But why?”

“Because they're your friends and friends are supposed to worry about each other” Cye told him.

Shin shook his head, “No that's not what I mean, why did you tell them not to come?”

Cye smiled, “Sometimes it's easier to talk to another guy one-on-one instead of having more than one plus some girls, and you and I both have something in common that our family is our friends now as well”

A slow smile spread across Shin's face, “You're right Cye, and I probably should've seen that earlier, it still hurts but not so bad anymore”

The two boys exchanged a hug and Cye stood up, “So are you coming back down to dinner?”

“Uh, I don't think so; I'll stay up here, if that's alright with you”

“It's fine by me, either way; I'll tell them you're fine.”

“Thank you.”

As Cye exited the room into the hall he was surprised to see Ryudo, Reika, and Sali standing there. “Is he alright?” Sali asked.

Cye nodded, “Yes he is, you can go talk to him if you want.”

“Okay, are you heading back downstairs?” Ryudo asked, “Cause if you are can you please not tell them that we're up here okay?”

“Alright.” Cye replied.

“Thank you Cye”

SSSSSSSSS

Conversation in the dinning room had dropped to a minimum. Quiet talks were all that could be heard. The low buzz of people conversing in low voices barely above a whisper filled the air. The Ronins of the past stayed out of all discussions, listening instead to what was being said, hoping to gain some idea of what they were getting into. “I didn't know that Shin was suicidal.” Touma frowned.

“We didn't think it would be a good thing to tell you” his father admitted.

“But why's that?” Shu demanded.

“Why wouldn't we want to know?” Leeanna said.

“Because we might have treated him differently” Caran said in a low voice, “what Shin needed was to be treated normally so at least something would be the same.”

“You act like you knew all along that he had tried to kill himself.” Nadeshiko accused.

Caran just shrugged, “I did actually.”

“WHAT?!” his friends, father, and his various aunts and uncles glanced at him in surprise.

“Okay two questions” Seiji raised two fingers, “one when did you find out, and two why didn't you tell us?”

Caran actually looked embarrassed, “Do you guys remember that time, about two days after what happened, when we sort of drew straws to see who'd have to go talk to him?” {start flashback}

The five boys stood awkwardly outside the door to Shin's room. Their sisters were elsewhere talking to Reika. “Uh, why don't you go Touma?” Shu suggested.

“Me? Why me? Why not Seiji?”

Seiji gulped and glanced at the door, “Uh no how about Ryudo?”

Ryudo stared at the door, “Uh no thanks, I think Caran should go.”

“Huh?” Caran blinked.

“Ryudo's right Caran” Shu nodded, “you're definitely the right choice, Shin trusts you the most, you have to talk to him.”

“No thanks, just because my element of ice relates to water, and just `cause I'm his cousin doesn't mean I have to.” the sacrificial lamb shook his head violently.

“Aw come on.”

A few minutes later, he's be forcibly pushed through the door, which had been closed behind him with an ominous click. “Oh boy” he muttered under his breath. But they'd been right; he was the logical choice to talk to Shin. He'd been locked in his room for two days without speaking to anyone. All of the food they'd left had been found untouched and cold. “Shin you in there?” Caran knocked softly on his door. There was no answer from the other side. Frowning a little to himself, he pushed past it and stopped to stare in shock at what he saw. Shin was seated on his bed, his light blue and silver hilted dagger in one hand. He quite calmly stared at the glittering point as he held it against his wrist. “Oh, hi Caran” he said as casually as if he's just run into him in the hallway.

“Shin, what are you doing with that thing?” Caran asked, trying not to let the panic he was feeling creep outside into his voice, he had totally lost it.

“I was just wondering whether or not to use this thing.” Shin said, almost as if asking him what the weather was like outside.

“What do you mean?” Caran hesitantly took a seat next to his cousin.

Shin turned to look at him, his eyes were red from lack of sleep, but dry, he hadn't been crying. “Do you think I should kill myself?” Shin asked matter-o-factly.

Caran blinked in surprise, “Of course not Shin?” he gasped, “How can you even ask that?”

Shin's eyes welled up with tears, “Why would I want to live Caran?” he sobbed turning away and gripping the dagger even tighter, Caran wondered why it hadn't been taken away from Shin. “I've got nothing left to live for, my father almost DIED, and its my fault, if I hadn't shown up, hadn't distracted him....” his voice trailed away and his shoulders began to shake with suppressed sobs. Caran pulled him in to cry into his shoulder, much like the way he had done the day Shin's father was almost killed, “Shhh, Shin, it's not your fault, that thing was so powerful, and yet you managed to destroy it.”

“I didn't” a faint whisper of Shin's voice reached his ears, “that thing will come back, and we'll all die”

“Then we'll die” Caran said simply, “but you won't be alone when we do.”

Shin pulled back and stared at him in shock. “Don't you get it Shin?” he asked gently, “the guys and I, we're all worried about you, they're outside even now, waiting for word about how you're doing. My father, your mom and dad, and your other aunts and uncles, they're all concerned because you haven't been eating, and they haven't seen you, you are surrounded by people who love you, if they didn't why would Uncle Sage have kept you from killing yourself?” Shin blinked in surprise as if he had never thought about that. “You have to live Shin, for all of us, for you father, because I know he wouldn't want you to kill yourself on his behalf.” Caran's words opened a floodgate and he held Shin and waited until he's cried himself out. “Come down soon and eat something, okay?” Caran stood to leave, but was pulled back down as Shin grabbed his wrist.

“Please don't tell anyone about this, okay?” he pleaded, gesturing at the dagger, lying forgotten on the bedspread between them, “I don't want them to think I've gone off the deep end.”

Caran himself wasn't too sure of his sanity, but nodded anyway, “I promise, it'll be our secret for now.”

As a sign of how much he trusted him, he left the dagger in his possession when he left.

{end flashback}

“So you see, he really has tried to kill himself before.” Caran finished; taking a sip from his glass to ease his dry throat.

“I don't think he'll try again though.” Cye's quiet voice came from the doorway. Every head in the room swivelled to look at him. He dropped into his chair between Kento and Celena. He looked a little tired, but satisfied. “Cye, what happened?” Kento asked his friend.

“We just talked about some things Kento must you know everything?” he asked sarcastically.

“No.” was the reply.

“Then stop being so curious all the time.” Cye said.

“What did you talk about?” Kayura asked.

Cye shrugged, “About different things, he told me a lot of, ahem, amusing stories.”

“It's good to know he'll be alright.” Anubis said, sounding very relieved.

“AAAAHHHH!” Ralon's screech echoed around the room as he leaped out of his chair. Caran tried not to burst out laughing.

“What? What is it?” his father demanded, trying not to laugh himself.

“S-something's under there!” he squealed, pointing under the tablecloth. A striped white head poked out and blinked innocently at the enraged boy.

“White Blaze?!” Ryo exclaimed it was his tiger; this one had brown eyes, and not the blue of Orion.

“I guess he and the other tigers got to know each other and then he was lying here in wait for us.” Rowen chuckled.

“But where are the other tigers” said Shu looking around, “come to think of it where are Ryudo, Reika, and Sali?”

“I'll bet I know.” a soft smile flickered across the face of the brown haired woman that was sitting next to the future Kento. She made a beckoning gesture and shrugging everyone rose to follow, leaving dirty dishes behind. She led them through a twisted maze of passages, much of which Reika had, until they ended up in a tower room. She then pushed open the door to revel a touching sight. All four of the tigers were sprawled out on the floor serving as pillows for Ryudo, Reika, Shin, Sali, Tannin, Kina, and Graham. Reika and Ryudo shared Orion with Tannin in-between them with Blaze curled up at their feet, the female tigers front paws linked with Orion's, making a circle around them. Ice was the same way as Orion front paws linked to his and he served as a pillow for Shin and Sali with Kina in-between them. Iyanna was curled up like Blaze was, making a circle around the children and finally Graham was curled up where the four tigers front paws were linked together with his head on Orion's chest. A matronly old woman was seated in a rocking chair near the window, watching everything with an expression of benevolence on her face. “All four of the children came in here, Reika said she wanted to be with the littles for awhile said she missed them, the other three just follow her in.” the woman explained.

“This is Marina Toreni the children's nanny.” Kayura explained.

Soft smiles appeared on everyone's faces. It was nice to see a peaceful scene during such turmoil. Celena (the future one) crossed to a crib behind the slumbering seven-some and lifted a bundle from inside it. She walked back over to Cye (the younger one) and gently deposited whatever it was into his arms. “This is Sonya.” she said softly, flipping back a fold of cloth to reveal the peacefully sleeping face of a baby. Reddish fuzz on the infant's forehead was sticking up in all directions, but she was amazingly cute. The other Ronins from the past also pressed to get a look. “Hmmm, so when she grows up we'll know what Cye would look like if he'd been born a girl.” Kento joked.

“If I wasn't holding this baby, I'd hit you.” Cye glared at him.

“Quiet now you two,” Sage scolded, “let's go we don't want to wake them.”

Everyone turned to file out the door, but Ryo stopped and turned back to regard the sleeping children. “What do we do with Reika, Ryudo, Shin, and Sali?” he asked quietly.

“Leave them there.” Kayura said simply.

“They spend many nights in the nursery.” Lady Saphrita said, “Sonya has frequent nightmares, and Reika's talent of creating images in one's mind is useful in quieting the baby and allowing us all some sleep and the others are usually with her those four are inseparable”

“Sonya inherited her mother's piercing voice.” the older Rowen said wryly, earning himself a dark glare from Celena's counterpart and an exasperated look from Cye's counterpart. “Come now,” Kayura gestured, “we have dishes to clean up, and then I'll show you to your rooms.”

“Dishes?” Kento asked plaintively.

“Yes dishes,” Kayura replied firmly, “all the staff is currently occupied in the other wings, helping refugees.”

“Man that was a great dinner” Kento said when they got back to the dinning room.

Cye rolled his eyes, “You think every dinner you have is great.”

Celena suppressed a laugh, and covered her mouth with her hand to hide the smile on her face. “Oh very funny” Kento glared at both of them. “My question is though who helped, I can tell Cye's cooking is here but I can see that someone else also made some of this food and whoever did is a great cook.”

“Well I'll be sure to tell my mom that you enjoy her cooking.” Shu said.

“Your mother?” Kento asked, “Who is she?”

“Kento are that dense she's the brown haired lady that we saw before.” Celena said trying not to tell Kento that it was Kahlan's future self.

“Yes very funny he should say that because he never gave me a complement like that in the past.” A voice came from the kitchen that had a tone to it that Kento recognized.

“Who said that?” Kento asked as the brown haired lady poked her head in from the kitchen.

“I did.” was the reply.

Kento just stared at her for a minute then looked a Celena with a questioning look. “Is that who I think it is?” he asked his voice barley a whisper, Celena nodded in answer. Kento just took another look at her and fainted. “Hmmm that is quite the reaction that I was expecting from him.” Kahlan said. Celena (the future one) looked at her friend, “Yes, but I'm quiet surprised that he didn't recognize you.”

“Well that is how he always acted around me anyway when I did something he didn't know that I could do, so I quite expected that reaction.” Kahlan said simply. All of them both past and future Ronins and the children burst out laughing.

“Yes but now we all must bet some sleep” the future Sage said, “tomorrow we plan, train, and the next day we attack.”

TBC...

Author's Note: Okay that's it for now please press the little button below this message and review. If you don't I'll...I'll....I'll oh I don't know what I'll do but it'll be awful. C&C both accepted. Ja ne.