RW Fic 5 Chapter 5: What?!? Ryo's Gone?

It was the day after the attack and everyone was adjusting to the reality that Annie's parents were gone. The adoption papers were already signed and Annie and Mark's things were moved in the house. They settled in the guestroom, which was next to Cye and Kento's room.
"Where 'is' Ryo?" a really concerned Mia asked. He hadn't returned from wherever he is, and the last time they had seen him was at the hospital.
"We haven't seen him. I thought he told you where he went, he always does." Sage replied, shaking his head. His blond hair swayed, but remained intact.
"I'm hungry." The bottomless pit whined. His stomach gurgled.
"Don't you have any thing else to think about other than food?!? Ryo is missing and all you're thinking about is food?" Mia kinda flipped out on Kento.
*Sure I do… It's just that I can't help it. Every time something bad happens, food it the only thing I can turn to. Ever since I was young…* "I think I'll just go upstairs." His shoulders slumped as he went up.
"Ugh! Everything is falling apart at the seams. It's not fair." She looked over the adoption papers, some of the assets of the late ambassador had been left to Annie and her brother. It was being kept in a mutual fund until she turns eighteen.
"Life's not always fair." Sage said softly, "We never asked for any of this to happen."
"Kento? Can I come in?" Annie had sensed her friend's troubled thoughts.
"Yeah, whatever." Was the emotionless response. She went in the room and closed the door behind her.
"What's wrong?" she laid her hand on his back, trying to console him.
"Nothing." He voice was in check, not allowing any feelings show. *How can she understand?*
"C'mon, you can tell me… It can't be any worse than what I've been through." She tenderly, knowing that he was about to give in.
"It's just that… (sigh) I don't know…" he raised his hands up in confusion. "I'm supposed to be the strongest of the warriors, but I can't even do anything to help…"
Outside, a noisy outburst sounded. "When will this end?" Rowen looked fretted. He hasn't seen Josie in quite a while. But all of them ran outside any way, and was surprised to see two shielded warriors. "What?!? Is that you Josie?"
"Prepare to meet your end! *Especially you, Cye of Torrent!*" she cackled. Beside her, a familiar red armor appeared.
"Ryo?!?" His eyes opened, they were a dull red, with no life coming from them. It was plain to see that he was under the influence. Josie seemed to be controlling him.
"Uh, guys." Rowen paused and turned to look back at Sage, Annie, Cye and Kento.
"Josie, Ryo, are you two alright?" Sage asked.
The answer came from Josie and was an evil chuckle. Ryo, who shot out his sword at Cye, seconded the response.
"Ow!" Cye yelped and placed his hand on the bloody side, which quickly healed because of the armor. Suddenly Josie glared at Cye, and he lifted off the ground and was thrown unto the roof. Ryo soon followed but with a softer landing.
"Ryo stop!" Annie yelled.
"You're gonna kill him!" Sage added. Cye rolled away from Ryo's incoming sword, but misjudge the roof and rolled off, landing on Annie and Rowen. "Ugh!" "Oomph!" They fell backwards into Kento, in a giant domino effect, which ended on Sage. They were all in a pile on the ground, when they looked up, Jomarie had disappeared. Ryo looked dubious, not knowing whether to come back to the Nether Realm or stay. His kanji of perfect virtue blinked on his forehead, somewhat uncertainly. Then, Josie voiced echoed through the air, "Come back to the Nether Realm, Ryo!" it commanded, and he obeyed.
They jumbled group finally untangled themselves from each other. "Oopps! Sorry ya guys!" Cye apologized.
"Will you get off me!" a pissed Annie said.
"Uh- Sorry!" Kento got up quickly and blushed.
"Finally, do you know what it feels like to be squash by an elephant?" Annie questioned reprimandingly. "Well I do!"
Ryo, although no longer being controlled, saw nothing else to do and found himself following Josie. Now just didn't seem like a good time to ask questions. They walked down a long corridor and into a room with many eerily glowing candles.
A girl, no older than him, began to explain the situation to the confused Ronin Warrior. "I am Megan. You, Ryo of Wildfire, were only bait to lure the bearers of the armor of Luna and Sunblaze here together. Josie serves the same master as I, Talpa; that will never change. Soon Sunblaze will be here to join us and we will find the Armor of Trifid and unite against the Ronin Warriors! In the meantime, Wildfire, just hang around and wait. Nothing's gonna happen to you…yet. At least not until Sunblaze comes."
Megan cackled wholeheartedly at Ryo's facial expression. He was completely shocked. "Josie, what happened? Why are we here?" He asked, not believing Megan. Josie's ruby eyes sparkled. "Josie, c'mon! Think of Annie and
Rowan…. and Sage…and Kento…and me…and…"
"Who?" Josie snapped. "Cye?" Ryo tried to think of something to say but couldn't find the words. Josie
found her own. "He will pay! Not only has he angered Master Talpa, but..."
"No Josie! Talpa is not your master! He can't control you if you don't let him!"
Josie acted as if he had never spoke. "He took my only best friend away and he won't give her back! If she won't join Talpa, I will kill Cye. If she does, I will kill him anyway." An evil grin spread across her face. "Naaawww. I think it would be more satisfying to let her take his life!" Her smile ceased and her red eyes glazed over. She paused for a moment, but then shook it off.
*She was fighting it! But Cye…he…her feelings for Cye are echoed and changed, but the bottom line is the same. She is pissed off at him and wants to get back at him. But killing him?!* "Josie, think if Annie was plotting to kill Rowen! What would you do then?" She said nothing. "Well?"
"Shut up." Josie bellowed.
"If Annie killed Rowen what..."
"I said shut up!" She yelled and her voice wavered.
*She really cares for him, how cute!*
"Talpa?", Annie asked. "Who's that?"
"Well, let's just say he's…well, an arsehole who thinks he's going to rule the world." Cye answered in an
accented voice.
"Oh. How do we get Josie back? And Ryo?" she asked.
"I suggest we confront Talpa and we will most likely find and rescue them." Rowen answered everyone's question. "Let's go!" Annie said excitedly. When no one moved she looked a tad downcast. "Well c'mon!"
"Annie, you're not up to full strength. You'd better stay here." Rowen said.
"Cye can stay too. Josie seems to have a well…liking for kicking his ass!" Kento said with a laugh.
"I'm not staying! I don't care what you guys say, I've got to come and help Ryo." Cye countered.
"Me too! I'm coming! I'm not gonna miss a fight just cuz you guys think I can't take it." Annie said so that everyone can hear.
*Uuugghh! How does Ryo do it? How does he control them all? I'm not good at this leader business.* Rowen thought to himself. "It's night right now and even if we attack, there won't be much of a chance, and besides, we don't even know where they are hiding. We'll plan more tomorrow. G'night everyone!"
Sage was still quiet, taking all of this into account. *Mmmmmm… I wonder…* He followed Rowen up the stairs.
"Hey none o you use the bathroom, ok?" Kento yelled after them. He ran up the stairs.
"Too late!" Sage slammed the door on his toes.
"Yooowwwwwcchhhhhh!!!" His cry was heard throughout the house.
That night, when everyone was asleep, Josie came to visit. She crept to Annie's room, where Annie and her brother (who was in a cute little bed/crib thing) slept. She touched Annie's forehead briefly and disappeared.
Almost instantly, Annie shot up in bed, and her eyes opened to reveal dull red embers. She sneaked out of the house, like in a trance and headed towards the woods. Unknown to her, Mark woke up and seeing his older sister leave, he went to the other room, Sage and Rowen's room, to try to find someone to get his sister. Course Rowen slept like a brick and, well, try as he did, he couldn't get him up, Sage was obviously the next choice and he woke him up easily enough.
"Awww… aawwwwiiiiiieeeeee…. Aawwwwiiiieeee gone!" Sage took some time to decipher this, but when he did, he wasted no time. *I knew it was only a matter of time.* He got up and quickly dressed. Mark saw him leave. *Why is everyone leaving?* He asked himself in that babyish language of his. He needed someone to give him a hug, but Rowen was out of the question. He walked into the other room in the vicinity. That happened to be Kento and Cye's room, right across the door of his room (Annie and Mark's). *Yay! He my favorite guy! (pointing to Cye) He just like my sister, only a lot nicer!* He went over to him.
Sage caught up with Annie, staying close to the underbushes as to not give away his position. Annie didn't seem to notice him, she just kept walking and before long, came into a pit-like structure. It glowed incandescently, seeming to draw her into it. When she disappeared into the hole, Sage turned back to report to the others.
"Wake up everyone!" he shouted as he went through the door. "Annie just showed us the way to the bad guys."
Cye surprised him from behind, "What? Where'd Annie go! Mark came in to my room and jumped me." The boy was curled up in his arms, sleeping heavily. "And you better be more quieter, it took me a long time just to get him back to sleep." He placed Mark on the couch, surrounding him with pillows so that he wouldn't fall. "There!" he smiled, "Now what's this about Annie and where is she?" he turned to Sage.
"She is somehow being controlled by something, and I don't think it's good. I followed her and she led me to this pit thing."
"What's going on around here!" Kento came down. "I couldn't sleep with all of the racket!"
"I think we just found out where we can find Ryo and Josie. Now Annie too." Cye told his best friend.
"Oh! Why? I thought Annie was in her room. What are you talking about?" Kento asked.
Sage retorted. "She was until she walked out and went into the forest!" There was a stir from the small toddler in the couch.
"Quiet down!" Cye said through clenched teeth. His seemed to be over protected of Mark, ever since he found him, huddled all alone, in the corner of the garden shed. "Let's wake up Rowen. He knows what to do."
"Well, I'm not going to do it!" Kento held up his arms. He tried to push Sage up the stairs. "You can do it! You always wake him up for school anyway. Go ahead, you have the secret of how to wake him up."
Cye nodded at him, trying not to laugh, "Yeah, go on Sage." Sage was left with no choice but to wake up his friend. *Why do I always get stuck with this job! God! I hope he doesn't lash out on me like the last time, or even worse, not wake up at all. Sometimes he doesn't even seem like he ever wakes up. Here we go again.* He went through the door and stepped over a blue book lying open on the wooden floor. *Look at this mess! What's worse is that he clutters up 'my' side of the room too!* He bent down to pick up the book. "I'm not even gonna look at this one. Probably another of his astronomy book!" he muttered as he placed it on the bedside table, upside down.
"Yo! Wake up Rowen!" he shouted into his ear as he shook him violently. A herd of thundering elephants couldn't have woken him up. "C'mon…" Sage said sweetly, "it's time for you to save your girlfriend!" he teased, still without a response. "Ugh! I know you can hear me!" He was starting to get frustrated. "Okay! Suit yourself, time for my secret weapon." He walked over to his side of the room and took a cylinder from his desk. It still felt hot to the touch. "Okay! One last chance to wake up!" when no answer came, he opened the container and dumped its contents on Rowen.
"Owwwwwwww! What'd ya do that for!" Rowen automatically sat up in his now soaked bed. Water dripped from his unruly, bed head hair and unto the floor. "Ugh! I hate it when he does that! What is this! Is not even light out!" he muttered under his breath.
"What's that? Did you say something?" Sage said pleasantly.
"Is it just me, or does it seem that you take pleasure in pouring almost boiling hot liquid on my head!" he shook his head slowly, still half-asleep.
"You better get up, or I'll get the other thermos, I just took it out of the freezer last night!"
"Alright already, I'm awake. Just give me five (yawn) minutes." And he fell back on his drenched bed.
"You asked for it!" Sage laughed as he poured the contents of the other container.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! What the *****-" his bed was now flooded. "Yeah! I'm up! Sheesshhh! What's up anyway?" he almost yelled. He was really pissed off.
"Besides the ceiling you mean.-"
"Don't get smart with me!" he cut off.
"Yeah, no ones as smart as you. But we just found out the whereabouts of 'Josie' and Ryo." He made sure to emphasize on the name Josie. "Come on down and we'll tell ya all about it." He left quickly, knowing that Rowen won't try to sleep again.

~TBC

*I wrote that?!? o.O;; um... who knew??? heh...