Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Requiem of Summer ❯ Chapter Fifteen ( Chapter 15 )

On a hot Tuesday, everyone piled into two cars and headed out of the city limits. Mia had contacted Ryo five days prior, inviting everyone over for dinner. He could tell she was excited by how fast she talked over the phone. Luckily everyone was able to take off from work. Hana invited Aika along because she knew how much she liked Mia and also because Natsumi was coming along. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was kind of jealous that her sister liked the other two more than her at the moment. Be that as it may, it was a perfect chance for her younger sister to get to know everyone better.

Kento volunteered to drive his car. Rowen, Sage, and Ryo all agreed to ride along with him. It was a toss between Hana driving her car or Cye driving his. The two of them flipped a coin and Cye won with heads. Hearing that Aika was tagging along, Natsumi asked if she could ride with them. She wanted to help Hana out as much as she could, and she knew that the two sisters were still a bit awkward toward one another.

During the car ride, Kento mentioned the blue bear that was sitting on the dresser in the room that Rowen and Sage were currently occupying. The Bearer of Strata groaned in aggravation at the topic. Sage also inquired about the bear. Curiosity did rear its head within the vehicle. Knowing that Rowen wasn’t going to be able to escape the looks that his comrades gave, he had to say something.

He glared at Kento from the side. “She’s just a friend. Uncle Chin brought her in when her family got murdered. She works at the restaurant. That’s it, okay?” Rowen stated, feeling his cheeks warm up. “She got me the bear because she said that it reminded her of me. I couldn’t say no to it.”

Kento made a ‘yeah sure’ noise while focusing on the open road ahead. “You say that, buddy, but I’m not buying it for a second. You get all flustered when it comes up,” Kento grinned widely. “I do know who she is. Her name is Huan, right?”

Rowen nodded. “Yes. She’s a nice girl.”

“Wait… her parents were killed?” Sage asked who was sitting next to Ryo in the back of the car. “What happened?” Leave it to Sage to totally go pass the useless bickering and get to the serious stuff.

Rowen’s face hardened as he looked out the passenger window, watching the scenery fly by like a film. “I don’t know too much about it, but Chin told me that it was a co-worker of her father that did it, or something along those lines. Huan’s father was a businessman. Luckily she was out when it happened. You would think it would scar her or something, but she goes on each day with a smile gracing her face. She doesn’t let anything keep her down and she’s grateful to Chin.”

The four men in the car didn’t say anything for a moment. The blue-haired man’s eyes softened as he continued to watch the outside world from his window.

Ryo cleared his throat, breaking the unnerving silence. “In any case, I hope you two work out,” he smiled. “You deserve a girl like that.”

Rowen’s head snapped to the side, trying to get a better look at Ryo. “H-Hey now! Weren’t you listening to a word I said?” The smile grew on Ryo’s face as he saw the flustered look on his friend’s face. Kento was right. His face was completely cherry-red by now. “Unbelievable!” Rowen threw his hands up in mid-air before resting them on his lap. “I can’t tell you guys anything.”

Laughter erupted at Rowen’s expense. Sage even chuckled as Rowen rolled his eyes.

“Too bad Cye isn’t here. He’s stuck with a bunch of women,” Kento laughed. “Lucky son of a bitch.”

Ryo shook his head with a smile. He was so excited when Natsumi told him that she would go to the dinner. It had been over a month since she last stepped foot outside into the real world. She was so afraid that her father might find her that she refused to go outside the house, even to get some sun. Both Ryo and Hana made a promise that if they ever saw that man again, he wouldn’t get away so easily. Hopefully karma would bite him in the ass before that.

He glanced over at Sage and realized that his friend had his head down, eyes closed. “Hey, Sage. You okay?” Ryo asked as he lightly nudged him on the arm. Sage’s head bolted upright, startled. “Whoa, dude. Sorry.”

With a simple wave of his hand, Sage yawned. “It’s okay, Ryo. I didn’t realize that I fell asleep.”

“No one knows that they’re asleep,” Kento said matter-of-factly.

“Since when are you all informative?” Rowen laughed. It was time he paid Kento back for bringing up the bear. “That skull of yours actually has a brain?”

“Har, har, Rowen. Very funny,” Kento said sarcastically. “I do have some cells to rub together.”

Another round of laughter filled the vehicle. Sage, however, didn’t laugh this time. Using the back of his hand, he rubbed his eyes and glanced out the window. He wasn’t getting enough sleep and it was taking a toll on him. At two-hour intervals he would wake, staring at the ceiling or the wall that his bed was up against. Since that horrible nightmare, sleep was scarce. He briefly told the guys about it, not wanting them to worry too much. In all actuality, he wasn’t even sure if it was something to worry about. He did have the gift of premonition out of all the guys. Sometimes the armors would link and everyone would feel something out of place. But those eyes and that eerie laugh was what he saw and heard each time he went to bed. There was something going on; he just needed to be sure of what it was.

They finally made it to Mia’s. The guys got out one by one while Cye’s car pulled in next to them. Aika’s face was practically pressed against the cool, smooth surface of the window as she looked up at the huge house. It was everyone’s reaction the first time they saw Mia’s mansion. She stepped out of the car and stared at the house in complete awe. You would never know that Mia was so well off. Then again, Hana did tell her that Kento’s family was wealthy, but you would never know because of how Kento acted and dressed. She followed behind everyone else as they made their way to the front door. Hana turned her head and smiled at Aika.

When the door opened, it wasn’t Mia who greeted the gang. It was another teen who had semi-long brown hair like Cye, but had the same brown round eyes. He came almost up to Ryo’s shoulders in height. A wide smile was presented on his face. “Hey, guys. Long time no see,” he said in a tenor voice. The childish voice was completely gone.

“Dude, Yuli?” Kento asked in disbelief. He pushed Ryo to the side a bit in order to get a better look at the now teenage boy. With his mouth gapped open, he looked the teen over from head to toe. “Dude, what happened to you?”

“I grew up. It’s what kids do, you know?” Yuli smirked.

“It’s great to see you, Yuli,” Ryo said as he ruffled the boy’s hair. “Looks like you’re doing well. Keeping out of trouble?”

Yuli chuckled and fixed his tousled hair. “I try to, but trouble always seems to find me. I joined the kendo club at school and I’m at the top of my class.”

“Good for you,” Sage commented. “Maybe one day we can spar together. I would like to see your skills.”

Yuli turned his attention to Sage. “I would like that. I joined the club because of you, actually. After seeing you in action years ago, I wanted to learn the techniques.”

Mia appeared behind Yuli, excitement clearly on her face. “Surprise! Yuli contacted me about a week ago asking if he could come by. Of course I couldn’t say no and that’s when I got the idea of having everyone over for dinner.”

A chuckle emanated deep from Ryo’s throat at Mia’s explanation. That’s why the older woman was so adamant over the phone. And here he thought she was just excited to have the gang over. “You’re a sneaky one, Mia.”

Mia was quite proud of herself. She invited everyone into the spacious house. She took whatever belongings there were and placed them on the side, then left the room to check up on the food that was cooking in the kitchen. She knew Kento would be hungry from the long drive.

“Oh, Yuli. This is Hana, my girlfriend,” Cye introduced.

“Nice to meet you, Hana,” Yuli smiled and extended his hand out.

Hana smiled back and grabbed the hand in a firm shake. “Same here. I’ve heard stories about you from the guys.”

Yuli glanced at Cye and smirked. “I hope they weren’t bad stories about me. I admit, though, I was a pain in the butt when I was younger. Then again, I still am, but not as much.” The teen saw movement at the corner of his eye and noticed Aika standing next to Hana, her hands clasped in front of her. “Hello.”

Aika looked up and saw Yuli staring at her. Hana didn’t realize that Aika was next to her. “Oh, this is my little sister, Aika,” Hana said, feeling bad that she didn’t realize that her sister was by her.

“Nice to meet you, Aika. I’m Yuli. What grade are you in?”

“Seventh grade,” she replied in a soft tone. She wasn’t normally so shy, but ever since she met up with Hana again, all her emotions were thrown off balance. The teen was now just getting used to Hana and her friends to the point where she could carry a decent conversation without looking elsewhere. Now this kid showed up and everyone sank back to the beginning.

“You are a grade lower than me. That’s cool,” Yuli commented. He noticed that Ryo was heading their way with a woman by his side. “What’s up, Ryo?”

“Yuli, this is Natsumi. Natsumi, this is Yuli. He’s an old friend from our hectic days,” Ryo smiled. “He was a lot smaller back then.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Natsumi said, her voice just as soft as Aika’s.

If Yuli didn’t know any better, he could have sworn the two girls were sisters just by their timid demeanor. “The pleasure is all mine. So, the two of you have girlfriends. Way to go.” The Bearer of Wildfire and Torrent both blushed a bit at the comment. “So, I do have a question for you all. Does that mean they know about what happened years ago?”

Mia, who was putting a cookbook on a shelf in the room, overheard the conversation and asked the girls if they could give her a hand in the kitchen. Hana agreed and brought Aika along, Natsumi not too far behind. The dark-haired woman knew what Mia’s intentions were. Both Hana and Natsumi experienced the evils of the world, the supernatural that people did not know existed. However, Aika was left in the dark and Hana wanted to keep it that way. She didn’t know how the youth would react if she knew what Hana went through. She would probably separate herself from Hana, like her other relatives. Her stomach sank, making her nauseous just thinking about it. The hand that was holding Aika’s tightened, making her sister glance up at her in question.

The guys resided in the living room, so they could discuss things without being overheard. They explained what happened over the years after their defeat of Talpa and the sorcerer in America. Cye went on and told Yuli about how he had met Hana while on summer break and the two of them hit it off after a second meeting. After dating for a bit and things were looking up, Hana revealed that she had a spirit residing within her for most of her life. That spirit, Shijisha, fully took Hana’s body over and captured Cye.

Yuli’s eyes widened as Ryo took over. Cye didn’t remember everything after he had been brainwashed. The leader of the group described how they had to fight against Cye and bring him back to his senses. After that, they had to go rescue both him and Hana from Akui’s clutches. Ryo skipped the part about Cye being tortured by the malicious Shijisha; he didn’t need to know that bit.

“Hana lost her family because of Akui,” Cye mentioned quietly. “It wasn’t until recently that Aika appeared. Shijisha managed to leave some of her essence with Hana. She has the ability to levitate objects and use the power that the former spirit had, and because of that, her relatives think it was her fault that her family perished.”

“Really? That’s awful,” Yuli said solemnly.

“It doesn’t stop there,” Ryo said and continued their story about Natsumi. From the spell she had over Cye to the creepy little girl who had the ability to control minds using a strange serum. Kurushimi wanted revenge and was able to manipulate Hana into destroying half the city with her newfound powers.

“It was a hard time for all of us,” Kento spoke up. He was leaning against the armchair that Rowen was occupying. His face was hard when he spoke. “It was a struggle trying to keep things in order. I even developed feelings for Hana.” He noticed that Cye’s head snapped toward his direction, shock clearly written all over his face. The Bearer of Hardrock never spoke about his true feelings until now. “I didn’t say anything because it didn’t matter. She was your girl even though at the time you didn’t show it. It was painful to watch her suffer each day, knowing that I couldn’t do anything for her.”

The room went quiet. All eyes were on Kento. Yuli stared at the usually laid-back warrior, surprised at the new demeanor he presented. He never saw Kento this serious before. It was kind of frightening.

“I’m sorry, Kento,” Cye apologized. “I didn’t know…”

“It’s okay, man,” Kento said with a wave of his hand. “I had to get it off my chest somehow. Besides, she’s like a sister to me now.”

All Cye could do was nod his head. That would explain why he got so riled up sometimes when it came to Hana and her emotions. Still, it was good to know that Kento kept him in mind during his absence. The man had a good heart.

Ryo cleared his throat. “Besides, Natsumi is trying to make up for what she did. To this day she still feels horrible and out of place. She told me herself.”

“Understandable,” Sage said.

“What about White Blaze?” Yuli inquired. He missed his giant furry friend, and also wanted to change the subject before things got more awkward.

“He’s around. We live in a neighborhood now and I don’t want to cause problems with the neighbors,” Ryo explained. “He always shows up when we need him.”

“What about you, Yuli? Besides joining the kendo club, what else has been happening with you these days?” Rowen wondered.

Yuli scratched the back of his head with his hand. “Nothing too exciting. It’s about that time where I have to start thinking about what high school I want to go to. Mom has a few in mind and Dad doesn’t really get too involved in that subject.” The boy laughed. “Dad told me that that’s Mom’s area and that he gets scolded whenever he tries to butt in.” It was pretty boring, he had to admit. Even the other students at his school were kind of plain. Maybe it was because he was involved in a war between two worlds that he found everyday life mundane. His mother would always push for him to study harder, to work harder. It was stressful on him, but he knew she meant well. “It is what it is.”

“You are definitely not the same kid we knew years ago,” Rowen smiled. “You’re still a kid, but you have a much more mature look to you.”

Yuli blushed at the comment. “I guess that’s what happens when you see the world in chaos and lives being taken. It does do something to you.”

“Chaos of the world, huh?”

All heads turned toward Hana who was standing behind Yuli with her hands on her hips.

“Hey, hon,” Cye greeted.

“Chaos does do something to a person,” Hana said with a sigh. She knew it all too well. “You’ve probably seen more of it than me.” She looked down at Yuli, a smile formed on her pink lips.

The teen smiled back. “I guess. They were just telling me about how you met them.”

“Great. Did you mention to him that I was a total psycho for a good chunk of the time?” she asked sarcastically. She walked over and sat on Cye’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “If you want, I can show you what I can do.”

“What about Aika? What if she sees you?” Cye whispered in her ear.

“She’s helping Mia with the pies,” Hana replied. “It’ll be quick.”

“Pies!” Kento exclaimed as he sprung up from his seat.

“They aren’t even in the oven!” Mia yelled from inside the kitchen. “Sit down!”

Kento flopped back down into his seat with a pout on his face. Everyone laughed. It wasn’t fair. Hana winked at Yuli and focused some of her energy into the palm of her hand, creating a small purple sphere. Yuli looked at the small ball of energy in awe, but it vanished quickly.

“That’s so cool!” he exclaimed. “Amazing! What else can you do?”

Hana giggled at the boy’s enthusiasm. “I can levitate things. I’m still working on what I have, working on controlling my powers. It hasn’t been easy for me.” She felt Cye’s arms tighten around her waist. “I’ll get there eventually.”

Natsumi called for everyone to gather into the dining room for dinner. In the middle of the long wooden table was a large plate containing beef stir fry. Each place setting had a small bowl of white rice and zoni soup. Mia wanted to do something different. She originally had the idea for fish, but then remembered that Cye wasn’t too keen on that type of food.

Everyone loved her cooking. The beef was very tender and the vegetables that went with the stir fry were on point. Aika shifted the peppers on her plate and ate the rest of food. The savory flavor had everyone going in for seconds. Kento had more helpings than anyone else. Sage and Cye each had a glass of Sake, while Rowen and Kento went a little bit overboard. The two had faces as red as tomatoes. Sage scolded Kento into not drinking anymore because he had to drive. Mia offered her place if things got too crazy, which the guys were thankful for.

After dinner, everyone went into the living room to digest. Natsumi offered to help Mia clean up and help get the dessert out. Hana, on the other hand, took Aika for a little walk.

They went down the familiar dirt path and pass the shrubbery. Hana felt at ease as she led her sister further down the path. Little words were exchanged as she held onto Aika’s hand. The teen wondered where she was being taken. They were getting further away from Mia’s. She was getting a little nervous not knowing what lay ahead. She finally got her answer when she looked at the hidden place Hana took her to. The water from the small waterfall to the right gave off a pleasant sound. Birds were singing in the vibrant green trees. The breeze gently played with their hair. She didn’t know a place like that existed. At least not in the type of woods they were in.

“This is my sanctuary,” Hana said as she headed toward one of the big rocks. She perched herself on the rock and took a deep breath through her nose. “When Cye and I first started dating, he showed me this place. Ever since then, I would come here to think.” Of course, she rarely visited the spot anymore now that she was living in the city.

Aika took a seat on a medium sized rock that was adjacent to the one Hana was sitting on. “It does give off a relaxing vibe,” she admitted.

The dark-haired woman nodded in agreement. “How did you like dinner?”

“It was really good, except for the peppers. It’s been so long since I had a good home-cooked meal. Auntie tries, but her cooking isn’t as good. Sometimes it’s a little on the bland side.”

Instead of feeling the rage that she usually felt whenever her aunt was brought up, it felt as if someone took a jab at her heart. Aika clearly didn’t see the wrong her aunt was doing, and why would she? She had no idea what her aunt did to hurt Hana in the worst way. All she knew was that she was torn between two sides.

“Does she know you are with me?” Hana knew her aunt would object the idea of Aika seeing her. She would do everything in her power to stop the teen, but Aika shook her head. “She doesn’t?”

“I told Uncle Take that I met you in the city that day. Auntie was out with one of her friends. He seemed delighted, but told me not to tell her. I know she doesn’t like you, so I promised not to say anything.”

“Huh.” So Aika did know that their aunt despised her existence. A smile broke out across her pink lips at the thought of her uncle. He really cared for her and was the only relative that did. When she was told that he came to check up on her during her breaking point with Cye, she felt relieved and happy. Even though they hardly talked, he was still looking out for her well-being on the sidelines. “Uncle Take is a good guy.” Hana was speaking mostly to herself, but Aika heard her.

“He does ask about you,” Aika confessed. “He says he thinks about how you are doing every day, but knows you are in good hands. He likes the group you are with.”

“They are one of a kind,” Hana smiled warmly. “I don’t know where I would be without them. They saved me.”

Her sister didn’t understand what that last sentence meant. Was she in danger at some point? “What do you mean by ‘save’?”

Hana shook her head in dismissal. As much as she wanted to spill everything and tell her sister the truth behind every little thing, she couldn’t, at least not yet. The bond that she was trying to mend together would obliterate if her sister knew. “It’s nothing important.”

Aika wanted to question her more on the matter, but something inside her head told her to hold off. She could sense the hesitation when her sister spoke. She looked up and saw that the sun had disappeared behind the tall trees, painting the sky with pinks and oranges.

Tranquility filled the area and the two sisters didn’t want to leave the area. They spent the rest of their time talking about upcoming events and how the boys at Aika’s school were all annoying insects. Hana’s heart swelled with delight as she listened to her sister ramble on about her school life, happy that she was able to share this moment with her, wishing that time could just stop.

Heavy pants escaped her partly opened mouth as she hastily made a left turn. She skidded to a halt when she came face to face with a dead end. Fear rattled her body, almost making her sick to her stomach. She turned her body and saw a shadowed figure standing before her. Their eyes scanned her up and down. The low cut pink shirt she was wearing revealed her plump breast, her chest moving up and down in a fast manner. The black mini skirt that she wore made his mouth water. The figure licked their lips hungrily.

“P…please… stay back,” she stammered as she slowly backed up. “Just… leave me… alone…”

The figure stepped forward in a slow pace, enjoying every moment. “I’m sorry, my sweet thing, but I can’t do that. Your body is just too good to pass up.”

With great agility, he sprinted forward, pinning the girl against the cold brick wall behind her. His mouth captured hers in a deep, passionate kiss. The girl struggled against him, trying to break free, until she felt her body go numb. Her legs gave way as she collapsed to the ground. The figure took a step back and watched the girl crumble. Her beautiful figure slowly started to mutate. A crunching noise could be heard as a metal helmet protruded from her skull, replacing her head. Her body started to transform into gray armor right before his eyes.

“Another one to add to our army?”

The figure turned around and saw a hologram floating in mid-air. “Ah, Jaaku. Yes. Add this one to the training camp.”

“As you wish, Lord Taikoku,” Jaaku bowed and disappeared.

Taikoku turned and watched as the new soldier vanished from its spot on the concrete. It was getting easier taking helpless victims and draining them of their life source. He added a bit of his essence into them, making them into new soldiers. The transformation was gruesome, but watching his victims’ bodies contort in such a way gave him pleasure. He could feel his powers growing by the day.

“Soon this world will be mine and its inhabitants will be my slaves,” he said to himself, the corners of his mouth forming into an evil grin. He turned on his heel and exited the area in search for his next victim.