Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Twisted Reality ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Twisted Reality

Chapter. 3

Cye had awoken bright and early the moment the sun had shined in through his window. He yawned and stretched and sat up. One look at the clock on his bed stand told him it was 9:00 a.m. He got out of bed and decided a shower would be nice before he got downstairs to cook breakfast for everyone.

Downstairs Ryo sat on his knees at the coffee table counting out his money carefully. He had been thinking all night long of what to get Cye and had finally decided on it. He could only hope Cye would like it. He finished counting. Forty-five dollars altogether. He hoped it was enough to get what he wanted for Cye, and was praying it would be as he folded the bills back into his wallet and put it carefully in his back pocket. He stood up as the door opened and Mia and Yulie walked in. "Hi," he greeted.

"Ryo!" Yulie cried happily. "Look what I got for Cye!" He eagerly opened up his present, showing it to be a seashell necklace.

Ryo studied it. "Wow, Yulie. Cye will be happy with this."

Yulie grinned eagerly. "You think so? I bought it with the money I saved up from my allowance."

Ryo smiled and nodded, handing the necklace back to him. "I know he will."

Mia smiled and carried a cake box into the kitchen, planning to hide it away until later tonight when all of Cye's family and other friends would come over. She already knew of the trip they would be taking to Aqua World in just a few short hours and she still needed to call Yulie's parents as Yulie had a ticket to go. The little boy had been excited and had talked about it ever since he had learned of it.

Ryo followed Mia into the kitchen curious on what the cake looked like. He got a quick peek at it as Mia searched for a place to hide it. The cake was white, laced with white and blue frosting, in the shape of an orca with fish carefully decorated in icing on it. Written neatly and carefully with light blue icing in the middle was Happy 16th Birthday, Cye. Ryo had to smile.

"Ryo, why don't you try to keep Cye out of here, while I find a place for this?" Mia suggested as she continued to look for a good hiding place.

Ryo nodded and headed out of the kitchen as Yulie tried to help Mia.

Talpa tapped his armored fingers against the arm of his throne. He was growing very impatient as the Warlords had not been able to find his child. Sixteen years he had waited for this, for the birthmark to appear above the left eyebrow of the one with his blood. He had waited, planned, dreamed, and hoped as he knew his child would grow in power, with the power to destroy or bend the universe to its knees at will. And Talpa longed for that power. Once he gained the child's favor and trust, he would teach him or her to use that power. And if he or she refused, he would force them to.

Kento stared around the small knick knack store as Sage was off to the left busy staring at some crystalline dolphins on a shelf. They had come here about five minutes ago to help Kento search something for Cye's birthday. And Kento knew he had to pick soon. They had only less than three hours to get ready to take Cye to Aqua World. And hopefully Rowen would be awake by the time they got back.

Kento let out a sigh as he searched more. There were crystalline figurines and small statues and paintings for sell. There was even a rocking chair that was marked half off in one corner of the little shop. With a reluctant sigh Kento made his way back to Sage.

"Fine anything?" the blond asked.

Kento shook his head. "No.. I don't see anything here. I mean he's my best friend, and I can't figure out what to get him." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"Can I be of assistance?"

They turned to see a young woman there. She was dressed in a loose fitting white outfit with a wide gold belt snapped together tightly around her waist. Sage wondered how on earth she could even breath as tight as it looked on her.

"Yeah," Kento said quickly. "You see it's our friend's birthday and we're looking for something. But we can't find anything he might like or already has."

"I see," the woman said calmly. "What does your friend like?"

"Oh, lots of things," Kento said. "Sea life, basketball, painting, cooking. He likes certain music and classical music."

The woman stood there quietly for a moment reflecting on the list he had given her. Sage continued to glance around the small shop. Few customers were in the shop, including one little girl with her father. The little girl was talking excitedly as she pointed to a painting of a prancing unicorn. Finally he heard the woman speak and regarded his attention back to her.

"I think I know what your friend might be interested in. Come with me."

The two followed her through the shop and toward a back room hidden by a thick velvet curtain which she pushed aside and went through, holding it back to allow them entrance. The two quickly followed and were immediately aware on the many shelves filled with many valuable items. This was a treasure collector's dream they reflected. Beautiful statues of animals, mystical creatures, life like people, glass figurines, bells, wind chimes, cuckoo clocks, watches, jewelry, shelves, antique ware, and many more items filled the room up.

The woman went to the back of the room toward a shelf that held statues of bears, leopards, tigers, and lions, and reached down underneath it, bringing out a small box. Carefully she lifted it and returned to them, setting it down at the only counter there was. Both boys peered curiously at it, wondering just what could be inside it. The woman carefully opened the box and brought out the contents and carefully set it down before them.

Kento's eyes lit up and Sage's eyes widened a little. The content was a porcelain dolphin, beautifully hand crafted and painted. But it wasn't about the dolphin itself. On one side of the dolphin there was a small recipe for baked cinnamon apple fudge. On the other side of it was a small light that would come on when it was lightly touched, and shut off with another touch. On the head of the dolphin was a small button. When pressed the work of Mozart filled the room.

"Wow… Cye.. He's going to love this.." Kento said in awe.

Sage nodded in agreement. He was in awe himself having never seen anything like that before.

"So you'll take it?" the woman asked. Sage held his breath for a moment as his eyes spotted something, as Kento asked,

"How much?"

"Well, it just came today, and it's the first of it's kind, but for you, I'll give a big discount. $30.00."

Kento nodded in agreement and Sage let out small sigh of relief. Kento had been lucky. On the side of the dolphin near the end of the base was the actual price. $130.00.

Sekhmet yawned tiredly as he trudged down the street. He, Cale, and Dais had been up all night searching for Talpa's child, and they hadn't found him or her. If only they had a bit more to go on, Sekhmet thought. They did not know whether it was a boy or a girl, what the child looked like or anything like that. All they knew the child had a birthmark like Talpa's and they would have to find it.

They came to a familiar area suddenly. Dais grinned as Cale looked around, and Sekhmet leaned against a tree, stifling another yawn.

"Do you know where we are?" Dais asked with a grin.

"In a small park?" Sekhmet asked tiredly as he yawned again.

"We're near that girl's place. The one the Ronins always protect," Dais said with a grin.

Instantly Sekhmet was more wide awake. A grin was forming on all three of their faces as their mission given to them by Talpa was put aside for the time being.

"Let's go visit them," Cale said a nasty smirk.

Cye came downstairs, completely showered and dressed in blue jeans and a light blue t-shirt. He saw Ryo sitting on the couch watching a movie, but he would have to ask what it was later. He had breakfast to cook. He got down to the last step and was preparing to head into the kitchen, when Ryo said, "Mia gave me strict orders not to let you in the kitchen right now."

Cye was a bit surprised as he stared back at his leader. "But why?"

Ryo shrugged and started flipping the channels to the television. Cye watched him for a moment wondering why he wasn't allowed in the kitchen where he had cooked so many times before. Including on his birthdays. How could this birthday be any different?

Ryo finally put the remote down and looked up at Cye who stood there in dismay and yet in curiosity. "Hey, that's right," the bearer of Wildfire drawled as if he finally remembered something. Cye gave him a strange look as he continued. "It's your birthday. You know what this means!"

Before Cye could react Ryo had pounced on him a cat, knocking him to the floor. It was not uncommon for the Ronins to engage in what was called the Birthday Wrestle.

The two wrestled around, each one trying to outdo the other as they laughed and rolled around. Ryo was stronger than Cye, but Ryo had also noticed that Cye must have been working out. He could feel Cye's strength nearly pushing him away as he horsed around with his young friend. Just for effort he held Cye in a choke hold as Cye struggled to get free. His hair whipped around and his face turned red with laughter as he fought to get free, begging Ryo to let him go.

But Ryo hadn't heard him. He was too busy staring in shock at the birthmark that had somehow mysteriously appeared above Cye's left eyebrow. And it looked exactly like Talpa's.

(Ok.. Before anyone else tells me.. Yes I know Cye is the oldest.. But he's the youngest in my fic. In fact he's the youngest in most of my fics..)