Natalia, Chapter One

'Natalia's smile was simple but elaborate enough,
Like the Kingdoms of the universe for all to see'
From "Natalia" by Anduze

Kento was in shock as he put the phone back on the cradle. It was obvious to the other guys that he had left another message on the answering machine on the other end. But they also knew that he was getting tired of playing phone tag with whom ever he was trying to get a hold of. With mixed expressions crossing his face he left the living room quietly and stepped out into the back yard.

It had been years since the guys had all defeated Talpa and for a few years after that they had spent some time finishing their education and getting each other through some rough spots in relationships. They had all separated for a while and now they were in their late twenties and Mia had invited them all to visit for the holidays for the sake of the old days.

Missing their one time benefactor and closest friend they all made arrangements with their loved ones to go and stay with other families for the holidays while they all got together. When they did all meet at the airport terminal, they discovered that Mia had booked them all on separate flights yet they all came in with in minutes of each other.

Kento had the longest way to go since he had moved to the states to be with his American family and continue his schooling. No one really heard anything about his personal life, not even Cye who had been his closest friend.

Cye came in next and as the others had found out in the flurry of exchanges that had occurred in the weeks before the trip. He had married a beautiful young lady from his home village and was now the full owner of the family pottery. Even though he knew that his talent was running the business he did occasionally create a piece or two when he was feeling especially creative. Most of the pottery however was made by his wife and his sister.

Rowen came in on the next flight to land and reach the terminal and everyone knew what he had been up to. After he had gotten two doctorates in physics and Molecular Biology he had become renowned as well for his theories on inter planetary travel and ways to live in space or on other planets that were not exactly friendly conditions for humans to live in.

He too had a wife and two kids as he had married one of his classmates. She had been patient with him through his second doctorate as he knew she would be, as when all was said and done he knew that she was right for him.

Ryo came in, quieter but no less fiery then he had been as a teen. A professor at Tokyo U Ryo was often seen in veterinary journals for his breakthrough treatment systems for the Wildlife that needed to be returned to the wild. The fact that White Blaze still followed him was not lost either, as a mildly displeased tiger was unloaded off the plane. Ryo had seen to his comfort before the flight but right after the flight after Ryo had opened his cage Blaze jumped out and took off like a shot scaring almost all of the field workers around them.

Ryo calmed them and let the cat go as he figured that he would remember where Mia's was from the port. He too had been married, but it was a short marriage that left both Ryo and the girl he had married unhappy and a young girl very unhappy. Ryo had half custody of the girl and since it was her mother's turn for the holidays she had gone to see her and that family. Ryo was not really pleased about this, but he knew better than to fight it and let her go. Seeing his friends eased his feelings somewhat.

Everyone turned as they all felt the familiar presence of the bearer of the halo armor. Smiling at them he walked up to them and shook hands and greeted them all. Quiet as ever it was only intensified as he was forced into an arranged marriage by his family. Out of duty to his son and honor to his wife and family he remained with her. However the only time he opened up now a days was with Mia or the guys. Nadoko knew that he stayed in contact with his friends and was jealous of Mia to an extent and he knew it. It could not be helped though.

He was elusive as the winds when he wanted to be, and especially when he used his subarmor to help him gain some peace. Why fight and train so hard if there was nothing left to fight? Was her argument. He ignored her for that part of his training and would disappear into the hills for days, sometimes taking his son with him and other times not.

But they were together again. The five Ronin Warriors and as they walked out of the terminal they saw Mia waiting for them. Smiling at them she knew that they would never say know to a reunion and they knew that she would not hesitate to call them if she felt that they had been apart for too long.

She still helped them out once in a while and they all appreciated it especially now that she was a world-renowned speaker on the mythologies and their basis and impact on the real world. Her experiences with the Ronins in the time of Talpa and their journeys around the world had given her insight in to many of the foreign mythologies and a way to cross link them into her thesis.

She was now a doctorate on the subject and as she spoke allover the world she never once spoke of her misadventures with the Ronins or anything that had happened with them. That was a trust that would only be spoken of when the guys were ready to step forward with the Dynasty and tell their own story.