Inside A Box
Cold, hungry, tired, weak. That was how Ryo felt. He walked in a fevered daze, unaware of where we was or even going. A rock in his path caused him to stumble. Ryo caught himself before he fell, his mind clearing for a moment, and looked at his surroundings.
He was in the older part of town. Old trees with thick trucks scattered around him on lush green grass. A stone walkway guided his steps to what was once a grand temple, now abandoned and falling apart. Moss and vines clinging to the pillars that held up the remains of a collapsing overhang. Shingles littered the ground like fallen leaves.
The inside of the temple looked worse than outside. Cobwebs hung in every corner, dirt and dust carpeted the floor. Ceilings in a few of the abandoned rooms had collapsed, letting in moonlight and giving the air a ghostly feel. Most of the rooms were bare of furniture, a few containing chairs, shelves, and cupboards.
He stopped in front of what must have been the master bedroom. The bed sat tiled on the floor, the bottom legs having grown weak over the years and collapsing. The bedding was covered in dust and moth holes. Ryo thought the bed must have been a cloud as he happily laid down. He curled into a tight ball and drew the blanket over himself before drifting off to sleep.
"Awww! He's so cute! Can we keep him? Ow!"
"He's not a pet, stupid."
"Poor thing. He's so thin."
"He must be a stray."
"Don't you start with the pet puns."
"Can't he stay? I'm tired of waiting."
"You know the others wouldn't go for it."
"Yeah, they are even more by the book than you."
"There is nothing wrong with rules."
"But some rules are made to be broken. Or have loopholes."
Ryo felt a ghostly hand touch his head. It was cold and caused him to curl deeper in the thin blankets.
There was a sigh before the hand was removed.
"He has a fever. I wish we could help him. As we are now, we can't do anything."
"We better head back before the old timers catch us out here with a human."
Another sigh. "You're right."
It was strange. For whatever reason, Ryo didn't want these voices to go. Their voices comforted him, even if the touch was like ice. His mind struggled to awaken.
"Stupid seal. Hey! Wouldn't it be cool if he broke it?"
"What are the chances of that?"
"I know. It was just an idea." The voice sounded sad.
"Please stay!" Ryo wanted to shout, but it only came out in a moan.
"Looks like he's waking up. Let's hurry."
"I kinda hope he sees us."
"Baka."
"I know, I know. Against the rules.
It was silent when Ryo awoke. Tired eyes looked about the room. There were no traces left of those mysterious voices. The teen released a wide yawn and gave a stretch before getting up.
His stomach chose that moment to demand it's need for food.
"I doubt this place has any food," he said to himself, feeling lonely in the quiet room. With his stomach urging him on, Ryo left in search of food. He recalled the kitchen he had passed earlier was just a few rooms down and stepped inside. He looked through all the cupboards and the pantry. His search, as he expected, was unsuccessful.
Ryo returned to the master bedroom, his body still complaining. He fell back onto the bed, his head hanging over the edge slightly, and sent up a cloud of dust around him. He gazed with unseeing eyes at the old furniture before him.
The sunlight moved across the back wall of the room before the dark-haired child. Ryo winced when a beam of light bounced off some metal and into his eyes. He sat up and rubbed away the spots in his vision. When he could again see, Ryo turned to find the culprit of his temporary blindness.
Bathed in the sunlight was a small wooden back with sliver on the edges and trim. A large lock directed a beam of light where Ryo's head once lay. Curious, Ryo made his way over to the box. His hand brushed some dirt off the top and revealed eight words in kanji. "Wisdom," he read, "trust, justice, life, piety, loyalty, serenity, obedience." These symbols where in a circle. It appeared to have had a ninth kanji in the center, but it had been scratched out.
He rested the lock in his hand, wondering what ancient treasures lie within such a mysterious box. He gave a metal lock a gentle tug and heard a soft click. He blinked, startled. "It's unlocked." Slipping off the lock, he griped the lid and lifted. Almost instantly, a golden light burst forth from the box, causing Ryo to scurry back until he his the bed. "What's happening?"
A shout of joy was heard before the teen found himself wrapped in a bear hug, the light fading.
"I can't believe it! It was just wishful think that you'd be the one and you are! This is just so cool!"
"Careful, Kento. You're going to squish him."
"No, I'm not," the hugger, Kento, denied, yet he released his hold on the boy.
Kento was a teenager built with muscle. Blue-black hair framed his round face. A goofy smile reached into expressive blue eyes. Ryo noted that he was wearing a strange orange and white armor outfit.
"I think you've scared him," said the blue haired boy. A blue sweatband held his hair out from deep blue eyes. He was tall, dressed similarly to Kento but in dark blue and white.
An auburn haired teen kneeled next to Ryo. "Are you alright?" Light blue eyes observed the orphan with worry. His armor was light blue.
"He's just a little stunned, Cye," stated the blonde in green, his hair covering up one grey eye.
"We did just pop out of a box," said Dark Blue.
Just what is going on here? wondered Ryo and he ran his gaze over the four mysterious boys again. His attention was caught by four scowling men who stood off to the side.
"This cannot be happening!" shouted a man with green hair. His angry black gaze were made even more frightening by the purple makeup under his eyes. He also wore the strange armor clothing only his was all a dark green. "This child can't be the one!"
The man with dark blue hair, matching blue eyes, and a x-shaped scar on his face agreed with the other. "He is a weakling" His armor was a deep midnight blue.
"You boys are behind this!" accused another man. His shoulder length white hair floated a bit as he turned to settle a glare of one piercing black eye upon the teens. His other eye was hidden by an eye patch. "You wanted to be free so much you influenced the boy into opening the box!"
"Hey! Don't blame us!" shouted Dark Blue.
"Calm down, Rowen," the green teen said calmly to the other. He turned his gaze to the adults. "There is only one way for the seal to have been broken. We do not have the power to tamper with it."
One-eye opened his mouth to retort, however, he was silenced when the red-head stepped forward. "Anubis?" He asked.
Anubis walked over to Ryo and knelt before the confused and frightened teen, pushing Kento out of his way.
The boy's indigent "Hey!" went ignored by the other.
Anubis took hold of Ryo's chin and lifted it a bit so he could stare into tiger blue depths. As they sat, Ryo felt that the man before him was searching for something within him.
"Well?" demanded One-eye.
"Chill, Dais. Jeez man. What happened to your "serenity"?" teased Rowen.
"Good one, Ro," laughed Kento.
Dais clenched his fists. "Why you!"
"I am uncertain," stated Anubis as he stood.
"What?" asked Scar-face. "Did you just say you were uncertain?"
"Yes, Cale, I did."
"How can you bee uncertain?" questioned the Creepy green-haired man.
"I can sense something from him, Sekhmet. I just can't say if it means he's the one or not." Anubis turned to Ryo again. "What's your name boy?"
The question startled the him. "Uh…Ryo."
"Ryo what?" demanded the man.
"…Sanada. My name is Sanada Ryo."
"It can't be!" cried Cale. Dais and Sekhmet groaned in a mix of anger and disappointment.
The teenagers, minus the green guy, exclaimed their joy loudly. The silent one gave only a smile to show his opinion on this news.
Ryo blinked.
"This little weakling stray CAN NOT be the one," Cale said in a that's-final tone.
"Let's let Whiteblaze decide then," spoke the quiet teen.
Cye smiled. "Great idea, Sage."
A growl was heard coming from outside the room. Ryo whipped his head to the doorway, the others calming just turning to watch as a large white tiger entered. It barely made a sound as it walked across the floor over to Ryo, the strange people moving out of its way. The tiger took a seat before the confused boy and looked at him with brown eyes.
Strange, Ryo thought, tigers don't have brown eyes.
A rough, wet lick run up Ryo's cheek.
"GAH!" The assault continued and Ryo tired to move way. The tiger follows him back, effectively pinning him to the floor as he happily licked at the boy. A soft, content growl was heard in the room.
"Stop!" cried Ryo when the tongue ran over his neck, causing him to laugh. "That tickles! Please! Stop!"
"Looks like Whiteblaze has decided," Rowen said smugly.
The adults glared.
"Looks like you'll be staying with us," Cye said with a smile.
Finally able to push Whiteblaze back a bit, Ryo looked up at the light blue boy. "Huh? Just what is going on?"
"You're our new master," Kento declared with a huge smile on his face,
Ryo blinked. "Master?"