Hi! Okay, to start out, this is my first fic on this board, so be kind yet
strict (makes no sense does it? :p) Please R&R!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ronin Warriors by this name or any other. I am merely borrowing it temporarily.
1 The Breath of War
Chapter One: Midnight Query
Sanada Ryo walked leisurely through the forest near where he lived, bathing his face in the moonlight that filtered down through the tree branches. It was but a month after the final defeat of Arago, and only now was he beginning to feel at peace.
Suddenly, rocks began pelting his back, soft at first, but then faster and harder. Spinning around, he batted away what he could, shouting, "Who's there?!"
A voice answered him as the stones continued to rain down. "Do you enjoy it Rekka?"
"Enjoy what?" Ryo called. "Who are you?"
"Enjoy the pain. Revel in it," the voice purred. "You always pretended to be so virtuous when you fought, but that was only because you relished the agony it brought."
"Never!" Ryo cried. "I never enjoyed my wounds! I fought to save my friends!"
"Really?" the voice questioned. "You really cared that much for people you had only just met? Why not just admit it?"
"I don't lie," Ryo sat down as the last of the pebbles stopped flying at him. "Even if we had just met, I felt connected to them through the armor."
"So you did it to relieve yourself of their pains?"
"No! Stop twisting my words! The armor made me feel as if I'd known them for years!"
"So you fought merely for your friends, and not the safety of the earth."
"No! I mean, maybe…no, of course not! I fought for everyone and everything!"
"Even the poachers that killed your father?" Ryo opened his mouth to speak, and closed it again. He could almost feel the unknown speaker smile at finding this weakness. "Admit it Rekka. You wish to don your armor and avenge your father's death."
"I don't deny that I want to kill them, but I want to do it on my own, without the armor."
"So you want to do it in a way they can cause you harm."
"That's not what I mean!" Ryo shouted, grabbing his head in frustration.
"Then why are my words bothering you so much?"
"Because you twist my words and misinterpret my statements!" Ryo screamed. "I've answered all your questions. Now answer mine."
"Very well," the voice sighed on the wind. "You know whim my voice belongs to, though no body now holds it. Think Rekka."
"You speak in riddles that make sense only to you. You have the air of the Ancient, but you're not," Ryo muttered. "Shiten…?"
"Very good Rekka," Shiten complemented him. "You figured that out quickly."
"Why have you come Shiten?" Ryo asked, calmer now.
"To prepare you as well as warn you."
"About what?"
There was a short pause. "The time will soon come for you to take up your armor once more and fight, alongside friend and foe alike. You will be captured, no matter how much you try to prevent it, and interrogated. That is why I questioned you. Sayonara Rekka no Ryo. We'll meet again yet."
"Shiten, wait!" Ryo cried, but it was too late. He had already gone.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ronin Warriors by this name or any other. I am merely borrowing it temporarily.
1 The Breath of War
Chapter One: Midnight Query
Sanada Ryo walked leisurely through the forest near where he lived, bathing his face in the moonlight that filtered down through the tree branches. It was but a month after the final defeat of Arago, and only now was he beginning to feel at peace.
Suddenly, rocks began pelting his back, soft at first, but then faster and harder. Spinning around, he batted away what he could, shouting, "Who's there?!"
A voice answered him as the stones continued to rain down. "Do you enjoy it Rekka?"
"Enjoy what?" Ryo called. "Who are you?"
"Enjoy the pain. Revel in it," the voice purred. "You always pretended to be so virtuous when you fought, but that was only because you relished the agony it brought."
"Never!" Ryo cried. "I never enjoyed my wounds! I fought to save my friends!"
"Really?" the voice questioned. "You really cared that much for people you had only just met? Why not just admit it?"
"I don't lie," Ryo sat down as the last of the pebbles stopped flying at him. "Even if we had just met, I felt connected to them through the armor."
"So you did it to relieve yourself of their pains?"
"No! Stop twisting my words! The armor made me feel as if I'd known them for years!"
"So you fought merely for your friends, and not the safety of the earth."
"No! I mean, maybe…no, of course not! I fought for everyone and everything!"
"Even the poachers that killed your father?" Ryo opened his mouth to speak, and closed it again. He could almost feel the unknown speaker smile at finding this weakness. "Admit it Rekka. You wish to don your armor and avenge your father's death."
"I don't deny that I want to kill them, but I want to do it on my own, without the armor."
"So you want to do it in a way they can cause you harm."
"That's not what I mean!" Ryo shouted, grabbing his head in frustration.
"Then why are my words bothering you so much?"
"Because you twist my words and misinterpret my statements!" Ryo screamed. "I've answered all your questions. Now answer mine."
"Very well," the voice sighed on the wind. "You know whim my voice belongs to, though no body now holds it. Think Rekka."
"You speak in riddles that make sense only to you. You have the air of the Ancient, but you're not," Ryo muttered. "Shiten…?"
"Very good Rekka," Shiten complemented him. "You figured that out quickly."
"Why have you come Shiten?" Ryo asked, calmer now.
"To prepare you as well as warn you."
"About what?"
There was a short pause. "The time will soon come for you to take up your armor once more and fight, alongside friend and foe alike. You will be captured, no matter how much you try to prevent it, and interrogated. That is why I questioned you. Sayonara Rekka no Ryo. We'll meet again yet."
"Shiten, wait!" Ryo cried, but it was too late. He had already gone.