Ronin Senshi Legends
By Dixxy
Chapter One: Big Kitty
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About two months before Talpa's first assault on Toyama
~
Boston is a great city on the East Coast of Massachusetts, USA. It's home to many museums, universities- including the famed Harvard- and historical events in American History, especially to the Revolution. There were several sports teams for the sports fan and Quincy Market for the shopper, the Museum of Fine Arts for the artists, and the Museum of Science with a little something for everyone. The harbor was a place where boats sailed in and out, many of them luxury cruise liners, and of course, the fishing industry.
Ria was fourteen years old and painfully close to fifteen. She wasn't a Boston native- she was originally from Virginia- but her parents had died shortly after she was born and she was placed in the care of her loving grandfather, who was the reason she'd already lived in eight states. Then he grew sick from a stroke and his sister, Sally, took them in. Ria's grandfather was dead now, but Ria and great aunt got along very well.
It was a sunny morning that Ria's life would change. The birds were singing as the perched in the old oak outside of the small apartment Ria and her great aunt lived in. She was up and in her room, brushing out her hair and humming along to the sounds of her radio.
"Waiting for a star to fall. Carry your heart into my arms, that's where you belong, in my arms, baby yeah!" it sang. (Note: "Waiting for a Star To Fall" is copyrighted to Boy Meets Girls sometime during the 1980's)
Ria bounced along to the music, seeming to enjoy herself. It was summer, meaning no school, and that suited her just fine. No school was GOOD. She did all right with grades- about a B average- but she didn't like sitting in the class room all day. The only classes she liked were art and gym, where she got to enjoy doing activities like running around and painting.
After finally deciding she was satisfied, Ria tromped into the kitchen, where Grammy Sally was making eggs and bacon. "Morning, sugar," said Sally. Sally was a small, somewhat old woman with her gray hair almost always in a tight bun. She had rosy cheeks and a sweet voice that always made Ria feel safe. Though the woman could surprise her with just about anything from a vulgar comment to the occasional elderly gentleman that Ria usually chased out.
"G'morning," said Ria sweetly. "How'd you sleep last night?" As of late the old woman had been having a slight case of insomnia.
Sally snorted. "Better than usual. I feel asleep halfway through Letterman. Whose idea was it to put a troupe of dancing pigs on, anyways?"
Ria shrugged. "Between him and Leno, who knows?"
"True, my dear, very true," said Sally. "Well, what's on the menu today?"
"Actually, I was going to go the Charles River to watch the boats, wanna come?" asked Ria.
"Oh, not today, my back is killing me. Besides, I've recently discovered another mystery about your grandfather. That man was always leaving things out, especially with me," said Sally, shaking her head.
"What's that?" asked Ria. "Not anything having to do with the thirty-one bottles of deer urine he bought for that deer hunter's festival, is it?"
"A bank account. With the money your parents left you. Apparently he was saving it for an emergency, because it's untouched," said Sally. Then, her eyebrow cocked. "Thirty-one bottles of deer what?"
"Pee-pee. Tinkle. Wee-wee. Whiz. Urine. The yellow stuff that comes out of-"
"I know what you said!" said Sally. "But why?!"
"Hunters smear it on themselves to attract deer," said Ria.
"That's. . . disgusting," said Sally. (Note: Deer hunters really do that. Deer pee is available at your local Wal-Mart) "What I was going to say was that I'm going to buy us a house to live in. I've got it picked out. A small cottage with woods surrounding it."
"There's a place like that in Boston?" asked Ria.
"Yup. You'll still be going to the same school, of course. It's only a few miles away from here. I think you'll love it," said Sally.
"Oh wow," said Ria.
"You run off and play now while I get lunch started."
~
Ria reached the bank of the Charles River and saw no one was boating that day. She blinked and sat down to look out at the water. The water of the Charles flowed smoothly that day, a slight breeze whipping at her long, red hair. The rather soft feeling of fur against her legs was like a warm stuff animal.
Ria paused. Then, she looked down and should would have screamed had her voice not suddenly choked. There, sitting at her feet- or rather on top of her feet- was a rather large orange and black-striped tiger. Ria's jaw began to rapidly move up and down as the tiger calmly looked up at her and rubbed her head up against her legs. "N. . . n. . . nice, nice kitty," she said.
"Purrrrrrrr. . ." the cat responded. Ria blinked. The tiger didn't seem to want to harm her, so why was it there?
"Um, could you let me up, Mr. Tiger?" asked Ria. The tiger did so, walking away from her, its tail in the air. Ria almost laughed. "Oh, you're a female. I'm sorry- what's this?" Ria looked down and saw a red marble sitting between her sneakers. She picked it up and as she held it up to the sunlight, a red kanji symbol flashed before her eyes.
The tiger straightened, looking proud. She growled softly.
"What's your name?" asked Ria. Softly, on the wind, she could hear the words Tiger Lily uttered. "Tiger Lily?" The cat nodded. "Well, uh, do you, uh, know what, um, this is?"
The tiger butter Ria in the side gently, as if saying the marble was hers. "Okay, okay! It's mine! Fine," she said. Ria stood up. "I need to go home. See you later!"
~
The next week, Ria and her aunt moved into the small house she'd mentioned. It really was that nice. Quiet and peaceful. It was white with green shutters, only one floor high. It wasn't anything special, but it was bigger than their apartment and Ria loved it. It was their third day there that Ria decided to mention the marble and the tiger. The two were outside on their small porch, overlooking a small rose garden the previous owner had left behind.
"Funny red marble? Tiger? My, my, aren't you a bit old to be making up that kind of thing?" said Sally.
"I'm serious!" said Ria. "I really did meet a tiger named Tiger Lily!"
"Purrrrrrrr. . ."
Sally froze, then looked over to see the tiger approaching them. "Tiger Lily!" said Ria. "This is my aunt, Sally. Sally, this is- Sally?"
Sally fainted.
~
After Sally got used to the fact that Tiger Lily meant her niece no harm and that the tiger was not going to be leaving, she let the cat stay. Tiger Lily was given rather large food and water dish, and Ria usually snuck her table scraps. Sometimes she slept in Ria's room. The tiger and the girl became inseparable. Luckily the cat knew that no following Ria to school meant no following Ria to school. That would have caused a scene.
One night, Ria and Tiger Lily were outside, looking up at the night sky. Ria in her pajamas, her arms around her rather large pet. "They're pretty, aren't they?" she said. Tiger Lily seemed to nod. She looked up and gazed in wonder at the strange, blue glowing light that was suddenly crossing the sky. "What the heck is that?"
Tiger Lily snorted.
"Yeah, probably just a meteor," said Ria. "Interesting, isn't it?"
Tiger Lily stood up, shook her head, and seemed to be laughing. Ria scratched her head. What was going on in that tiger's head?
Ria took out her marble, then, to her surprise, it began to glow and float. Ria's eyes widened.
I am Wildfire of the Senshi.
"Huh?" asked Ria.
I am your armor. Soon, you will be called to arms and you will need to lead the other four.
"I'm scared. SALLY!" screamed Ria, running back inside, Tiger Lily at her heels.
~
Author's Note: You all know what that blue light was. If not, that was Rowen from the first season. Remember, these stories take place before, during, and after the Ronin Warriors TV series. Italics at the beginning of the chapter have to do with about when a particular scene takes place, which include Consequences of Capture. You MAY wish to read that before continuing with this. Or, read this first and THEN go read CoC. Makes no difference- they're interchangeable.