The choice
Yulie Yaman frowned softly as he sat down on his bed. It was nearly a week before he would graduate from High School and he had yet to pick out a collage. He had gotten accepted to three that he would have to choose from.
He was considering not attending law school like he had told his parents. Sure, he knew it was a big change in plans but the young man didn't know how to explain it. He glanced over at his desk absently and recalled the drawer he usually kept locked. He bite his lower lip lightly as he considered opening it up.
"Should I? I haven't taken a look inside scene my last kendo match," Yulie wondered out loud. He shook off his feelings of worry and pulled a key out of his pocket. He got up and moved across the short snap to his desk and unlocked the drawer gazing inside.
There was a rock inside from Mount Fuji that Kento had given him when he was eleven. Yulie smile and traced the rock lightly with an index finger.
"Thanks Kento… I'll never forget that day. You took me for that hike to help me deal with my Grandfather Mazurka's death." He felt part of him tighten up. But it slowly moved back to normal.
He glanced at a small slightly torn star chart that Rowen had given him when they had gone to a star gazing show at a museum just after the final battle. It had been a lot of fun that day. He got a chance to get to know Rowen better.
"I'll always appreciate that day Rowen."
He glanced over his shoulder to make sure his door was still shut as he pulled out a box.
"Ah. Now I remember this. Hello old thing." He opened the box and smiled down at a picture. It was of him and White Blaze. He and the tiger were covered in mud, gravel, and leaves. Yulie nearly burst into a fit of laughter. He tried to recall just how that had had happened. His eyes scanned the picture trying to fathom how he had how he had gotten that messy. When he remembered why he started to chuckle.
"Oh yeah. Now I remember. Ryo sure did laugh at us. Mia was ready to kill me."
***
Yulie was getting baby-sat by Mia once me. His Mother had needed a break from her young son and Mia had volunteered. It was just after the so-called mysterious incident where Tokyo had received extensive damage but no one really knew how. Yulie of course knew but he couldn't say that it really had been Talpa. No one would have believed him besides Mia and the guys.
"What is it Yulie?"
"Oh…I'm just a little bored. Do ya think Ryo would mind if I went for a walk with White Blaze?"
Mia looked down from her work and smiled honestly. "I'm not sure. Why don't you go ask him? He's out back with Sage I think."
Yulie couldn't help but smile brightly up at Mia. She always had such good ideas.
"Ok! Thanks Mia!" He ran off outside never noticing the happy smile that Mia had on her face. She enjoyed seeing Yulie happy after the evil that had happened. In fact she was never happier when she knew the Ronin Warriors could relax. After the battle with Talpa they needed a rest and she still needed to do that research on the mysterious White Armor. She wanted to make sure Ryo would be safe.
Yulie watched as Sage and Ryo were sparring. It amazed him that the Ronin of Wildfire and the Ronin of Halo had so much control. Plus there was the fact he idolized them. To him they were the greatest heroes ever. He also understood that had they not defeated Talpa that everything he knew and loved would be gone.
No more skateboarding, no more walks in the woods, no more ice cream, nothing. Everything would be gone and only the darkness that he had seen would remain but he could forget that. It was all too easy when he heard Ryo laugh.
"Sage! You're grandfather must be something. You're a great fighter," Ryo said in his usual confident tone.
Sage gave a slow smile that only came part way onto his face. Pride wasn't his thing. "I'm sure he'd like to hear that Ryo," Sage said in his usual soft tone.
Ryo couldn't help but smile. He noted that White Blaze had curled up under a tree rather lazily. He snorted. If he weren't careful that tiger would get fat.
"Ryo?" Yulie tugged on Ryo's sleeve.
"Huh? Oh Hey Yulie." Ryo smiled down at him.
"I was wondering if you'd let me take White Blaze with me on a walk," Yulie asked hopefully. Ryo smiled down at Yulie. This would be perfect. White Blaze would get off his lazy rump and Yulie would get a friendly companion.
"What do you say boy," Ryo asked but White Blaze had all ready responded. He had gotten up and was lumbering over to Yulie. He looked Yulie in the eye that almost made Yulie nervous but he recalled all the times White Blaze had fiercely protected him from Dynasty Soldiers. White Blaze gave a low rumbling sound that resembled a purr and lapped Yulie on the face. Yulie started to laugh that got White Blaze's usually calm gaze to dance with amusement as he lapped the boy further and gently head butted him demanding that his ears were scratched. Yulie readily complied with the "demanding" tiger. This caused White Blaze to rumble that purr out even more.
"Come on White Blaze," Yulie cried out with joy after a few short minutes. "Let's go for a walk!"
End Part one.
Well, tell me what you think. I'm planning on continuing very soon.