Author's Notes: Meh. I figure just aobut every other Ronin fan out there has writen their take on it, so here's mine. How the guys got their armor.......yeah......This is old by the way.....so probably not up to my par......and Characters might be a little off.......
Oh! And.......Do you know how hard it is to wrtie the "same" thing without it becomeing repetative?!?!?! Well, this is one of those.........
Big Little Gifts
Cye found himself standing on the edge of a bridge. He didn't know why or how he got there. Looking down into the swirling water he considered if he was dreaming.
He found that he couldn't make himself move, and when he did start moving it wasn't in the way he wanted to go. He dove off the bridge into the clear, blue waters. Needles pricked his skin as he hit the water. He had barely enough time to fill his lungs before the swift current pulled him under.
Even though he was a good swimmer he couldn't get himself back to the surface. As the spiraling waters pulled him ever deeper he could feel his lungs quickly running out of air.
His chest began to ache, and he found himself on the edge of panic. His head now ached, and his lungs burned, from lack of oxygen. He wanted to cry not only from the pain in his lungs and head, but also for fear of death.
His will to breath got the better of him. Sucking water into his lungs he was surprised to find that he could breath. Now free of pain he was able to look around. He was alone in this vast blueness. Not even a fish came to greet him.
What is going on here, he wondered.
He relaxed letting himself drift gently to the bottom. Now standing on the seabed he wondered what to do, and what would happen, next.
"Cye Mouri." He jumped at the calling of his name.
"Ye... Yeah," he answered warily.
A man appeared before him. He wore the garb of and ancient priest. A cone hat topped his long, white hair casting dark shadows over his eyes. Cye stared dumbly at the man.
He spoke. "Cye Mouri, you have been chosen to become a protector of the mortal world." Cye became all the more dumbfounded by his words.
He continued. "You are to don the armor of Torrent. Use its power to protect the mortal world from the evil darkness that is to come. If you choose to take this offer, I warn you now, you may not live through the battles to come. If you refuse I will understand."
Cye blinked a few times to clear his mind. "So, you're saying," he started hesitantly. "That there is an evil darkness coming, and I've been chosen to stop it?"
The Ancient one nodded his head.
"Am I to do this alone?" he couldn't help but ask.
"No, you are to fight with four others."
Cye thought for a moment. If he accepted he would be going against the belief in pacifism he'd been raised on. On the other hand if he didn't the world could be destroyed or something, and the fact that he could have somehow changed the outcome would forever haunt him.
"Alright," he finally answered in a tentative voice. "I'll do it,"
A small smile curled his lips. "This," as he spoke a golden staff formed in his hand, "is now your armor." A light blue aura formed beside the Ancient. The light came together to shape the outline to the Torrent armor. In this outline of light formed the light blue cast of the Torrent.
Cye looked in awe at the armor. Swallowing hard he reached out to caress the icy metal. His breath caught in his throat as the raw energy flowed into him.
Stepping away he waited, with new confidence, to be told what to do.
"You will know your enemy when it comes, and you will know the other Ronin Warriors when you meet them."
Cye nodded.
The Ancient one held out his hand. In the center of his palm a light blue light twisted into a sphere that hovered a few inches above his hand. The man then vanished.
Cye watched, as the light was pulled inward to form a pattern in the center of a spherical crystal. Taking it in hand he looked closely at it before everything went black.
Cye sat up in bed. What a dream, he thought. It was so real. He rubbed his face to help clear his mind. To his horror, upon running a hand through his hair he found it wet.
Closing his eyes he swallowed hard. He looked over cautiously at his bedside table. On it he saw a small marble-sized orb. Picking it up he looked into it. In the center was the light blue, glowing kanji of 'Trust'.
Sage stumbled blindly through the darkness. His only thought was of how to get out. The sound of water dripping echoed hollowly off the stonewalls.
He knew he was in a cave, but how far in was beyond him. Sage stumbled into a stalagmite he somehow missed. With a groan he felt his way around it. Before he could take two steps he slipped on the damp rock, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Ahoo," he groaned when he sat up. Nausea gnawed at his innards as dizziness made him sway. Pulling his hand away he rubbed his fingers together. The wetness that clung to them was not water. The sticky moisture frightened him.
He put his hand back on his head to confirm if he was bleeding. He was, there was no doubt about it. He wiped the exes blood on his pants. Standing shakily he continued to feel his way around the cave.
He had been heading towards the same light for what seemed like hours, and it didn't seem to be getting any closer. Taking another step he found himself falling through nothingness. Crying out he prayed that he would somehow live through this.
He now found ground under him, but he didn't remember hitting. Looking around he saw in the center of the vast cavern a golden staff. The ball on the top glowed brightly filling the place with a peaceful light. He walked toward the staff as he approached he could see that a green armor stood behind it.
"Sage Date."
Sage looked around skeptically. "Who's there?"
"Are you ready to face your destiny?" the voice asked him.
"And what destiny would that be?" Sage kept the fighting stance he had taken.
"To fight for your world against the darkness of the dynasty."
"Huh?" Sage relaxed. "What are you talking about?"
"The armor in front of you is to be yours if you accept this fate. You are to fight as one of the Ronin Warriors against the evil that threatens this world."
Sage thought about the offer. "I'm to become a Ronin Warrior huh?" the question was rhetorically put. "Hmm, alright, that sounds like a reasonable destiny."
"I can not let you accept this fate without warning you that you may not live through the battles to come."
"Of course there's a chance. It's gonna be a fight isn't it?"
He could sense the owner of the voice smiling. "Then take this," A small orb appeared in place of the armor, "and accept the armor of Halo." Sage took it as it floated to him. He looked into the marble sphere. As he did so the staff with its light vanished leaving him in darkness once again.
Sage awoke in his living room recliner. He rubbed the back of his head, wincing at the twinge of pain that hit him. Looking at his hand he found streaks of dried blood on his fingers. He checked his pants leg; there was blood on those too.
Jumping out of the chair he searched for the orb he had received in his dream. It sat in the chair; the glowing, green kanji of 'Wisdom' made him gasp.
Ryo stood on the rim of the volcano looking down into the molten rock. He felt drawn to the heated beauty of the fiery liquid. He took a step closer to the edge trying to decipher how far down the scorching pit dropped. He could feel the deadly heat through his shoes.
A stone gave way out from under his foot, sending him hurling into the pit. He grabbed onto the edge with one hand. He turned to get a better hold, before his burning fingers gave in.
The rock burned into his flesh as he held on for dear life. He cried out when he lost his grip falling in deeper. He could feel the rock cutting his hands as he caught himself again. The heat was too much.
Why was he here in the first place? He didn't remember coming. So how did he get here? He could be dreaming, but dreams weren't supposed to hurt. So what was going on?
He had no more time to think about it. He had gotten about half way up when the rocks broke loose. He fell back headed strait for the molten lake bellow.
He stopped in mid air. He opened his eyes slowly in fear that he would start falling again. He saw in front of him a man, a golden staff out stretched creating a protective bubble around the two of them.
"Ryo Sanada," he spoke. "Are you ready to fight?"
"Huh? Fight? You?"
"No. A dark evil is coming, are you willing to fight it?"
"Yeah I guess so."
"You will have the most responsibility in the upcoming battle. You are to lead the Ronin Warriors into battle, but be of open mind to your fellow comrades, and respect them."
Ryo nodded.
"Your tool of victory." The Ancient one gestured downward.
Ryo watched in horrified awe as a red armor rose from the lava. It rose to stand crossed armed in front of him.
The armor of Wildfire holds great power," the Ancient continued. "It now belongs to you, and remember even though you hold this great power there is still a chance of defeat. Put out your hand."
Ryo did as he was told. A kanji glowed brightly above his hand. A spherical crystal formed around it, before it dropped into his burned palm. As soon as he gripped it he started falling again.
Ryo awoke in a cold sweat. White Blaze looked up at him in concern. His right hand gripped something close to him. Opening his scorched and cut fingers he stared stupidly at the red, glowing kanji of 'Virtue'.
Kento trudged drearily through the snow. He didn't know where he was or where he was going, he just knew that he needed to find shelter.
"Man it's cold," he complained rubbing his arms for warmth.
He complained even more when he fell to his waist into the snow.
He heard a loud rumble from behind. Stopping he listened. The sound grew louder till it sounded of thunder in his head. Looking back he saw a cloud of white flowing quickly towards him.
"Oh man, this ain't my lucky day."
A wave of white swept over him, leaving him buried in the snow. He felt crushed by the weight of the white blanket. He lay still for a moment to catch his breath. Once he did he started to dig his way out.
The snow caved in on him again. He gasped for air, but got a mouth full of snow instead. Wiggling his arms free he dug a small dome around his face, so he could breath. He knew the air wouldn't last long, but it would give him some time to regain his strength.
A few moments had past and not being able to move was making him feel claustrophobic. He shoved a hand through the tightly packed snow. He was overjoyed when he could feel the wind over his fingertips.
He froze instantly when he emerged from the snow. The wind made him all the more cold.
Digging a trench in the place his body had once been buried served as a temporary shelter from the wind.
All common sense told him to stay put for a while. The trench wasn't the best place to be, but it would protect him from the wind. Over all this he still felt drawn to keep walking.
"Man. This is so stupid." He continued to complain over his stupidity as he climbed from his crude refuge.
He continued to walk till he reached a large boulder, marked by some temple in the area. "Any one who would come up here just to worship some sacred rock is crazy," he commented to himself.
"Kento Fuan."
"Great now I'm hearing things," he retorted. Putting his hands to his temples he shook his head.
"Kento Rei Fuan," the voice persisted.
"What?" he called out rudely into the white nothingness.
"You are a strong fighter, Kento, but will you choose the right path?" the voice mused.
"Huh?" Kento was completely baffled.
"Today you must choose weather or not you will fight the darkness or join it." Kento blinked, utterly lost. "Will you fight as a Ronin Warrior? Risking life and limb for this world?"
A grin crossed the boys face. "Fight? Yeah I'll fight. So when does the fun begin?"
"You will know the time and place." The voice answered. "But keep in mind Kento, you must not let your love of battle and your rage blind your judgment."
"Awe you don't have to worry about that," Kento waved a hand in the air dismissing the warning.
"Don't be so passive on this, it is you weak point."
Kento frowned, and was about to protest when the ancient voice continued.
"Your weapon of war." A golden staff flew through the air, landing upright in the ground. And orange armor cast formed in the staffs place, and in the place of the armor of Hardrock shaped a small crystal. The orange kanji glowed brightly as it floated into Kento's anxious hands.
"Take care of the armor of Hardrock and it will take care of you."
With a bright flash of white everything was gone.
Kento found himself sitting on the kitchen floor. "Man, I must've been sleep walkin' again."
He shivered.
Remembering his dream he smiled. That would've been really cool had it been real, he though slightly disappointed.
Something clanked off the tile floor when he stood. Picking it up he grinned at what he saw. It was the orange, glowing kanji of 'Justice'.
Rowen fell rapidly towards earth. His skin burned and he felt as though he had left his stomach back at the moon. He cried out desperately for help, but the rush of air ripped the words form his mouth so that he couldn't even hear them.
He felt it peculiar that he would be in space, floating with the stars-more like falling like one. He closed his eyes, as the earth grew ever bigger the closer he got. A bubble of dark blue light wrapped itself around him slowing his decent, until he came to a complete stop.
He blinked confusedly as he hung suspended, unmoored like the stars.
"Rowen Hashiba"
Rowen looked around, but there was no one there.
"Your comrades await you. Will you join them?"
Rowen turned around again to see a man standing before him within the bubble of light. His long white hair fluttered in the coolness of space though there was no breeze.
"Join them?" Rowen repeated, still dazed. "Fellow comrades?"
"You are to bare the armor of Strata, if you so chose, and fight as a Ronin Warrior."
Rowen thought for a moment. "Why me? I mean not that I'm complaining, but why was I chosen?"
The Ancient one smiled. "It is because you have a pure heart. Not to mention that you have a good thinking mind for making plans."
Rowen could have sworn the old man was on the edge of laughter, his last statement, though true, meant as a joke. Rowen smiled. "Okay. I accept."
With a wave of his mighty staff the Ancient One was gone and in his place stood the dark blue casing of Strata. Rowen reached out, marveled, to feel the cool metal. As his figures touched the surface it burst into sparkles of light the same color as the armor. As if being draw into a black hole the light gathered into a small shape. The large marble sized crystal fell into his hand, giving him time enough to look at its luminescent innards before he was falling through space once more.
Rowen hit the floor hard. Turning over he moaned, "It's too early for this." The clock read 9:34 am.
Rowen struggled from his tangled blankets rolling over onto a hard lump as he did so. Feeling around under his back he pulled a marble out from under him. He blinked dazed as he stared at it; in the center of the glowing sphere was the dark blue kanji of 'Life Force'.
!End!