Ronin Special #1
What Might have been
By: Ghost of the Dawn

Chapter 4: Sage, Part 1

In the back of Robyn's mind, she knew something was off. She wasn't tired and she shouldn't be falling asleep. It didn't feel right that she was drifting off now and Robyn snapped her eyes open, sitting up. But it was already too late. She must have drifted off for now she was in a different bed, in a different room and Kento was gone.

Robyn sighed as she flopped back down on the pillow.

"Sneaky," she told the ceiling. "Very sneaky."

She continued to lay there a moment longer and let out a long breath. Her eyes darted about the room, taking everything in. She was alone in the bed. Though it was big enough for two people, it appeared as though she were the only occupant that night. Robyn's mind instantly went back to the world with Ryo. Was this one like that? Robyn doubted it. No two worlds had been the same and this room definitely had a different feel than the other one.

"Well, better get up and get it over with," Robyn said out loud.

She sat up and listened. As far as she could tell, there wasn't anyone in the house. But that didn't mean she was going to take her chances. This time, when Robyn went in to take a shower, she made double sure that the bathroom door was locked and that the lock wasn't broken. Once cleaned and dressed, Robyn took the diamond ring that had been sitting on the night stand and put it on her finger. It didn't bother her any more. Four times she had gone through this. Adding a fifth wasn't going to phase her at all.

The next order of business was to explore her new home. It was a quaint little building. One level, similar to the one she had with Cye. However, this one was more in the city as she could easily hear from the traffic outside. Further investigation, however, revealed that the house was empty. As she went to the kitchen to make herself something to eat, Robyn wasn't sure if she was disappointed about that or not.

Sure, after Kento's it was nice to have some alone time, but this one, she felt she was ready for. She had gone through four worlds now. The worst had to have been over with. There would be no surprises here. She knew exactly who's world she was in and the type of man he was. This was Sage's life and Sage was the least physically affectionate person Robyn knew. No matter what else came with this place, Robyn was just grateful she wouldn't have to worry about him sneaking up behind her to grope her, jumping in on her in the shower or trying to get her to wear any weird costumes. This was Sage and living with him was going to be a piece of cake compared to the others.

Robyn popped the last piece of toast and strawberry jam into her mouth just as she heard a car pull up outside. She busied herself with cleaning up after breakfast when she heard someone come in through the kitchen door. Something heavy was set down on the floor and Robyn turned to see a tall, blonde man standing before her. He was wearing a business suit and looked a bit tired. Robyn smiled at him like she normally would if she saw him any other day and meant to say hi, but Sage spoke first.

"Oh, I missed you so much," Sage rasped in a deep tone Robyn had never heard him use.

He started toward her. Before Robyn could react, his arms were around her. One arm went around her waist, pulling her tight against him. The other hand clutched the back of her skull, tipping her head back as his mouth descended upon hers. Robyn's eyes flew open wide as he kissed her so deep it seemed to reach right down to her soul. All strength left Robyn's body as her world seemed to begin and end with that kiss. She hung there limply in Sage's arms, her whole being in over load. She wasn't even sure if she kissed him back or not, she was too stunned.

Robyn wasn't sure how long he kissed her; it seemed to go on forever and she felt trapped in his clutches until he wanted to let go. But when Sage let out of soft groan and pressed his body against her in a certain way, Robyn found the sense she needed and pulled out of his embrace. Both of them looked at each other, panting from lack of air.

"Wow," Robyn rasped; then berated herself for saying it out loud. She had to calm down; she had to act normal. Think Robyn! Think!

"Sage, that was... why did you..." she glanced around and noticed the heavy item left by the door was a suitcase. "Sage, did you have a nice trip?"

"Trip" came out an octave higher than the rest of her sentence and Robyn cleared her throat, hoping she didn't sound as big of an idiot as she felt.

If Sage noticed, he didn't say anything. Though he looked quite pleased with how Robyn reacted to his greeting.

"It was alright, but painful without you. It seemed far too long." He leaned forward, his voice growing husky. "Though any time away from you is too long."

Robyn stared at him, all her sensibilities offended and confused. Was this really Sage? He looked like Sage and his voice sounded like Sage. Though the way he talked and acted and smiled was not like the Sage she knew at all. Who was this pretender? Where was the real Sage?

The blonde man, whom Robyn was convinced was not Sage, moved closer to her and loomed over her.

"You tasted like strawberries," he rumbled in an approving tone.

Robyn was sure her face was flushed as she moved away.

"Well, I just had breakfast," she said lamely.

She had to keep here vision off him. Just seeing that gorgeous face smiling at her; looking at her like he wanted her, it was distracting. And Robyn couldn't afford to be distracted now.

Her eyes landed on the wall where a calendar hung with red marks all over it. At the end of the month, a week was marked out, noted as "Business trip" with the last day proudly proclaiming "Sage comes home" with lost of hearts around it. Up at the beginning of the month, there were more marks carried over from a previous event started the month before. The last day marked said "Back from Hawaii". Robyn easily guessed what that was.

We just got back from a honeymoon in Hawaii?! We're newly weds? Great! This is just... just...

Robyn didn't even have a chance to groan at her predicament before a tall figure shadowed over her again. She turned to look at him, feeling very much like a rabbit cornered by a wolf. Even if Sage was smiling at her, Robyn was unused to it and it was unnerving. She was afraid he was going to attack her with another dizzying kiss, but all Sage did was learn forward and brush his nose against hers. Even that touch sent an extra course of electricity down Robyn's spine.

"How was your week?" he asked pleasantly.

Oh, how WAS my week? If you only knew...

"It was...fine," Robyn managed to get out.

Sage actually pouted-- another expression Robyn wasn't used to seeing. "So you obviously had an easier time without me than I had without you."

Robyn shrugged, struggling to find a satisfactory answer that wouldn't hurt his feelings.

"It was...okay." then Robyn smirked, deciding to go a different way. "It was quieter."

"I see how it is," Sage frowned back at her, catching the tone of her teasing. "Then I'm going to go unpack and shower." He turned to go fetch his suitcase and then head to the bedroom. "You're invited if you want."

He threw the last comment over his shoulder and Robyn highly doubted she would take him up on that offer. She just hoped she could keep up this game of playing coy with him.

As Sage walked by with his suitcase, he leaned in close to her again.

"At least say you missed me."

He was so close. Robyn could cup his face in her hands it was so close. And she wanted to. She wanted to hold his face in her hands and commit to memory this smile the real Sage would never give her. It really took all her willpower to keep her hands at her sides.

"Fine, I guess a little," Robyn said, still trying to keep up the masquerade.

I really miss my old Sage.

"That's my girl," Sage said, giving her a playful wink. Then, thankfully, he left the room.

Not long after, Robyn heard the sound of the shower and allowed herself to relax a moment. Sage wouldn't be coming for her for a least a few minutes. Or rather, that person who looked like Sage wouldn't be coming for her.

From that one meeting with him, Robyn was more alarmed than she had been in any of the other worlds. At those times, yes, she was wary of being in a strange place all by herself; but she always had a friend. Cye, Rowen, Ryo, and Kento. They were all part of these strange places, living completely different lives. But they were still the same. Even though the circumstances weren't familiar, Robyn still felt safe with them. They still acted like the people she knew and trusted. The integrity of the people they were deep down had always been there.

This Sage, though. He was an imposter. Her Sage would never have acted like that. Robyn was now stuck in a world, living with a man who looked like someone she knew, but he was clearly not that person. The scariest thing about it was that Robyn had no idea what she could expect from this individual. She had no idea what kind of person this other Sage was. And she feared his familiar appearance may catch her off guard if he tried anything with her.

For the first time, Robyn got an overwhelming feeling that she was being toyed with. Also, that someone was doing this on purpose and watching her. Robyn had suspected it from the start, but this was the first time she felt so strongly that her suspicions were founded.

The water from the shower stopped and Robyn's gaze snapped in the direction of the hall. What kind of man was this other Sage? Despite who he looked like, could Robyn trust him?

Minutes ticked on in silence, but nothing happened. Robyn started to pace around the living room nervously. He should have come out by now. How long did it take the man to get dried and dressed? Was he spending all that time on his hair now or what? Robyn was getting anxious. Unbidden, the scene of Kento in the bloody bath tub flashed in her mind. Robyn realized it was an unlikely fear, but she went to check it out anyway.

Heart beating faster, Robyn peered into the bedroom like a scared rabbit warily peeking from its hole to see if there was danger nearby. A body was laying on the bed with his back to her. His side rose and feel slowly as he breathed. Slowly, Robyn made her way around the bed so she could see the man's face.

Sage was asleep; serene and peaceful. His hair was still damp and stuck to his forehead in a way that, Robyn had to admit, was not entirely unattractive.

So that's how he looks when he's sleeping, Robyn admired. Then she shook herself. NO! This is NOT Sage!

As she wrestled with herself, "Sage" cracked open an eye and noticed her there.

"Hey," he said sleepily. "Sorry, I'm still tired from the trip."

"That's okay," Robyn forced a smile. "Get the rest if you need it." Sleep all day if you want, you phoney. You can't fool me.

Sage's mouth ticked up into a smile. "Join me? Just for a little while."

He grabbed her arm and tugged on it lightly. Robyn sighed inwardly and allowed him to. No sense letting on she knew his trick just yet. Right now she needed to play along. She lay down, though a bit stiffly, and Sage pulled her next to him, one arm around her shoulders and his mouth and nose near her temple. Robyn could feel his breath on her skin and it gave her goose bumps.

Lord help me, he smells good, too, Robyn mentally sighed.

"I missed you in my arms," Sage mumbled lazily into her hair. "A week without you is far too long."

His grip in her tightened as he kissed her temple and slowly made his way down to her neck. Robyn's eyes flew open wide. Barely off his honeymoon and this man had spent a week without his wife. Robyn was playing with fire.

"I think I need to leave you so you can get your rest," Robyn said as calm as she could and pulled herself from the bed and the enticing blonde.

Sage propped himself up on an elbow and gave her a look that was far from the usual Sage look.

"You're going to make me work for this, are you?" he said with a smirk.

Robyn had no idea what to say to that. So, instead, she shook her head.

"Just go back to sleep. I... have to go out for a bit. I'll see you later on."

Sage's playful smirk shifted into a knowing smile. Robyn didn't care much for that look either. It looked like he knew what she was up to.

"Alright, have fun then and I'll see you later today."

He sat up and leaned over to kiss her. Robyn really didn't want him to. It was true she always wondered what it would be like to kiss a man as good looking as Sage was, but this wasn't Sage and she didn't want anything to do with him. When he reached for her, she put her hands on his shoulders so she could control the kiss and pressed her lips to his forehead instead of his mouth. Sage pulled back, looking confused, but he blinked it away and smiled again.

"I'm not sure when I'll be back," Robyn called as she left the room, not looking back.

She all but fled the house.

Once outside, Robyn found herself a bus stop and hopped on the first one that came. Only when she was finally able to drive away did Robyn let out a deep breath. He couldn't follow her now. Now she could take some time to think. Robyn still wasn't sure what she should do, but one thing she did know was that she couldn't live this lie any longer. She had to do something; even if she didn't know what that something was yet. She needed to find out what was going on. She needed information.

Luckily, she was still in Toyama and was fairly familiar with the area. Robyn decided the best place to go for information was the library. Everyone had to start somewhere. Once she got there, however, she was stumped on what exactly she should be researching. Robyn wasted a large amount of time just being overwhelmed with the number of books and her lack of any idea where to even start. Finally, she shook herself out of it and decided just go for whatever came to her head first, no matter how strange, and to hope she would come up with something.

First she tried dreams. What they meant; if it was possible she was stuck in one. That option seemed unlikely when she read that it was nearly impossible to read in dreams. And boy, she was reading a lot now. So she ruled out dreams or comas. Near death experiences were next. But that didn't seem likely either. There was no light, no unearthly beings coming for her. She wasn't floating around seeing her body and her loved ones. No, that wasn't it.

Hallucination? Unlikely. Trapped in a parallel dimension? Never happened to anyone outside of science fiction novels. Alien abduction? Boy, Robyn was really grasping for straws now. She was getting desperate and started turning to even less likely solutions. She poured over mythology and fiction, stories from both Japanese and North American history. Then she moved to Roman and Greek mythology, Egyptian, Celtic; anything she could get her hands on. Nothing came even close to a story about someone who magically woke up in different worlds where they were married to their five friends. Even in Alice in Wonderland, she had to chase a rabbit down a hole or walk through a mirror. She didn't just magically wake up and she was there.

Robyn sighed and rubbed her temple. She was starting to get a headache from reading and searching for so long. It had been hours. She was hungry and tired and her back was aching; but she was no closer to finding out what was going on. Robyn was a bit disheartened to admit that she still had no idea what she was looking for and, quite possibly, she had been going at this all wrong from the beginning. But there had to be an answer for this. There HAD to be.

Come on Robyn, think! What are you missing? What's outside the box that you're not seeing? Her mind whirred as she tried to come of with different possibilities. What if this isn't about me? What if it's about them? What if it has to do with their armors and I'm stuck in the middle somehow?

It was certainly something she hadn't tried yet. Unfortunately, she knew very little about the Ronin's history and their powers aside from the fact that they were armors and they were magic and her friends had them. She remembered being told once they were part of some Japanese legend. Maybe... Robyn typed them into the library computer. Nothing. She once again poured over Ancient Japanese myths and legends. There wasn't a scrap of information about a legend of five mystical armors anywhere.

Maybe the legend was too obscure to be found just anywhere. Mia was the one researching it. She knew more about them than anyone did. If these odd realities had anything to do with the armors, Mia would know. A new burst of energy went through her and Robyn ran to the phone book. However, as hard as she looked in the K's, she couldn't find Mia Koji's name anywhere.

Was she unlisted then? Did she get married and change her name? Did she exist in this world at all?

Feeling numb and utterly defeated, Robyn plopped into a chair and looked out the window. It was starting to get dark. She had been there the entire day and she could feel the fatigue way down in her bones. But she couldn't stay there any longer. As much as she didn't want to go back to that place, it was far more dangerous to wander the streets by herself at night.

Sighing, Robyn left the library without a single new lead as to what was going on and climbed on the bus. As she rode it back to the apartment she shared with the man who called himself Sage, Robyn buried herself in her thoughts. What was she supposed to do now? She was done pretending. She didn't want to play this game any more. Even with the others, with how close to the Ronins she knew they acted, she didn't want to do it any more. It hurt too much to leave. It hurt too much to not be able to go home.

Now she had this Sage whom Robyn was dead set on believing it wasn't Sage. She certainly wasn't going to pretend for his sake. And, Robyn worried, if he was that way, what did it mean about the others she had met? She had started growing feelings for them; all of them. She thought they were themselves, just other versions in other lives, but the same people. Wait, that didn't make sense, did it? How could she be upset about Sage acting differently but it was okay to pretend to love the others because they acted more like the Ronins she knew? It suddenly didn't sound right in her head. Either she accepted all of them or none of them.

But if she accepted Sage and stayed with him and he really wasn't the kind of person she knew the old Sage to be, then could she trust him? And if she couldn't trust him, then had she been putting herself in danger with these complete strangers who only looked like her friends but could possibly be anything but?

Robyn was confused and tired, homesick and scared. The bus reached her stop and she still had no idea what she was going to do about her current situation. She paused outside the door and let out a long breath to try and calm herself. All she could do was take this one step at a time. And, since she couldn't live on the streets, the first thing to do was go back into the house with the strange person who called himself Sage.

It was a bit dark when Robyn walked inside. For a moment, she wondered if Sage had gone to bed early. That seemed more like the old Sage, anyway. B she was still doubtful of this new one. Her suspicions were founded when she realized that there was a bit of light coming from the living room. As well as...was that music? Maybe he was watching a movie in the dark. Either way, Robyn gathered up the rest of her courage and stepped into the next room. The scene that met her ate up the last of Robyn's reserves.

All the lights in the room were off. The only visibility given was from the gentle glow of several candles placed all about the room. A radio in the corner emitted slow, sensual music. On the coffee table where two fancy glasses, a champaign bottle, a vase of roses, a bowl of strawberries and some chocolate syrup. Completing the visual package was Sage himself stretched out on the couch in the dim light. He had more rose petals strewn about him and, thankfully covering certain places on his body since there wasn't a stitch of clothing on him. He smiled at her, full of self satisfaction, when she walked into the room.

"I've been waiting for you," he said in a slow, deep voice. Then he blew her a kiss.

In some cases this scenario may have been hilarious. For others, their most erotic fantasy. Robyn just stood there. She felt nothing. Her face was stone and she just looked at him without any reaction whatsoever.

Then she opened her mouth.

"I can't do this any more," she said. She turned on her heel to leave the room.

Then, as if changing her mind, she spun around and came back and picked up the strawberry bowl and chocolate.

"Hey, Robyn?" Sage called in confusion, sitting up.

"Stop," Robyn ordered, holding up a hand to block him from her eyes. She was not interested in seeing what he looked like when those covering flower petals fell away . "Stay there, please." She left her hand up and shook her head. "Just... just stay."

She was about to leave again, but then turned around and snatched the champaign as well and took it all with her into the bathroom where she locked the door behind her. Robyn sat herself down beneath the window, between the toilet and the bathtub and splayed her collection around her. Seconds later there was a knock at the door.

"Robyn?"

"Go away Sage," Robyn said, her mouth full of chocolate and strawberries.

"What are you doing, Robyn?"

"I'm not in the mood. Go away." Robyn opened the bottle with a loud pop.

There was a significant pause.

"You mean you don't want to...?"

Robyn's expression was slightly irked as she was suddenly very interested in how the campaign looked when she poured it into the fancy glass.

"Not with you," she told the bubbling drink.

Another pause.

"But... I love you..."

"Oh, you do not!" Robyn snapped back at the bathroom door. "This whole thing is a lie! I don't know you! Stop playing this stupid game with me! I want to go back to my home!"

"Honey, what are you saying?" came Sage's confused voice. "Are you drunk?"

"Not yet," Robyn mumbled as she downed her glass of champaign. She scrunched her face at the unfamiliar sensation of bubbles and alcohol.

"Robyn, come out so we can talk."

Robyn just glared and remained with her back against the wall.

"Not until you admit to what's going on."

"Admit what?" Sage's voice sounded a bit desperate. "I haven't done anything!"

"If you're not going to help me then just go away. You can't trick me any more! I'm done playing along! I'm staying here until you admit the truth and that you're a fake!"

That time there was no response. Just silence and then she heard Sage leave and there was definitely anger in his steps. The music in the background was cut and it was quiet again for a few minutes. Then the stomping came back and there was a slamming of a door that rattled the entire house. Carefully, Robyn got on her knees and peered through the curtains of the tiny bathroom window. Outside, she could see Sage, now fully clothed and stalking to his car. He didn't look happy at all.

Mad that I saw through his trick, I bet, Robyn thought.

There was a neighbor working behind the fence next to the driveway. He called pleasantly to Sage. Robyn heard something that sounded like "Hey, how's it being back with the new wife?"

The man sounded smug and Sage bent over and threw a rock at him. Also very un-Sage-like, Robyn took note. She was also very glad she wasn't down there at the time. It was never a pretty site to be on the receiving end of Sage's frustration.

Then, as the man cursed him back, Sage got into his car. The tires squealed high and shrill as he peeled out of the driveway and drove off.

When there was nothing left to see, Robyn sat back down on the floor with a sigh. She had done it. She had finally mustered enough confidence to challenge her phoney world and to call the fake for what he really was. And now she was sitting on the floor, locked in a bathroom and all alone.

Robyn slumped against the wall and rested her hands on the cold tile beneath her. Now what was she to do? Calling this fake world for what it was didn't help her any. She was still stuck in a strange house. She still had no idea what was going on. And she still had no way to get home. Even worse, this time, she had no one with her.

Feeling she had just made her situation worse than better, Robyn curled up on the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest and listened to the stillness. Her head became a bit light from the alcohol. She had never drank any before. She hadn't consumed much, but it still added a slight buzz which made her predicament seem even more surreal.

Please, whoever you are, take me home, Robyn thought in her head over and over again. I can't do this any more. I don't know what you want from me. Take me home. Take me home.

Robyn lay there for hours, feeling like crying, but not being able to bring herself to shed any tears. She could cry for herself when she felt self pity, but she didn't feel sorry for herself at the moment. What she felt was fear. She was afraid of what she had done. What would happen to her now? These powers that put her here, what did they have in store for her next? Especially now that she was openly revolting against what they were doing. Would they leave her here in this place to rot alone forever? If she fell asleep would they take her to someplace else? Someplace where she didn't know anyone? Where there were no familiar faces? Where she would never see the people she loved again?

When the thoughts of her friends, her real friends, came into her mind, that was when the tears started falling. Where were they right now? Where they looking for her? How would it make them feel when she just disappeared never to be heard from again? It would worry them and make them very sad. And that was what made Robyn cry, that something she did would hurt them and there was nothing she could do about it.

The ringing of a telephone pulled Robyn out of her self pity. She sat up and tried to get a hold on what time it was. It had to have been the middle of the night by now, who would be calling? Was it Sage? Was it... Robyn's heart skipped a beat... was it them? Were the powers in motion trying to get a hold of her?

Though her body was shaking, Robyn stumbled out of the bathroom and followed the sound of the ringing phone. The cordless receiver was standing straight up in its cradle and Robyn snatched it up, holding her breath as she answered it.

"Hello?" she asked in a voice that didn't sound entirely like her own.

"Hey, Robyn?" came a female voice. "It's Mary Anne."

Robyn sat there, stunned, still shaking from the adrenaline that had been pumped through her veins. The Mary Anne of this world had contacted her. Everything was still going on like usual. What did that mean?

"Hey Mary Anne," Robyn replied, trying to get her voice calmed down. She glanced at the clock, it was after midnight. "Why are you calling so late?"

Mary Anne's voice was not as friendly as it usually was. "I'm here at work, Robyn. And I saw your husband."

Robyn remained silent on the other end. She had no idea what that meant.

"Robyn? Did you hear me? An ambulance brought Sage here to Toyama General Hospital. He was in a car accident."

That was too much. All strength left her body and Robyn dropped the phone.