Quiet Chaos: It's okay. I don't need my readers/reviewers to sign in to leave a review. Half the reviews I leave on stories, I don't bother to sign in. Very good point. It has been moving a bit slow. Things are going to start picking up speed real soon. Up until now has been covering the story so there aren't huge gaps in it. Since your review, I elected to switch this chapter with the one I was going to post next. Hopefully, I can start to pick up things quickly or write longer chapters so it can get there quicker.

Author's Note: Oookay, people! Tigergirl is running on empty in inspiration in the other stories, but this one is still going strong. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

He placed the box down by his side before standing back up. The merchant looked at him with a hopeful glint in his eyes. Rowen smirked.

"The same as always," Rowen told him.

The merchant nodded his head and rushed to gather the supplies. Rowen glanced down when he noticed the wind catch on something in the box. It blew it right out of the box so it plopped down on the ground a few feet away.

He followed its path with his gaze as a pair of small feet stopped in front of it. Rowen shifted his gaze so that he could see who the little person was. It was a little girl with big, soft brown eyes and short brown hair to match. She reached down and picked up what he now saw was a photograph.

The little girl smiled as she looked down at it. She turned her smile up to him before skipping over to him.

"Puc tenir-lo?" she asked him.

He may not understand the language, but he knew the language of the Ancients when he heard it. Anubis had spoken often enough in the tongue for all of the warlords to be able to detect it when spoken. He smiled sweetly as he crouched down so he was below her eye level. It was obvious the little one didn't know who or what he was.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. What did you say?" Rowen asked.

The little girl giggled before speaking again, only slower this time.

"Can…I have it?" she asked.

Rowen smiled. He had a feeling that had been what she had asked. He took the photograph gently and turned it around to see what it was an image of.

Hmm. I had forgotten we had this photograph, he thought silently.

He looked back at the little girl. It wasn't hard to maintain the charming smile. After all, he had been around Sage long enough to learn a few things.

"What is your name, little one?" Rowen asked.

The little girl giggled again while turning side to side.

"Gabi. Gabriella."

He chuckled while lifting one of her hands to his mouth to press a kiss to the back of it. This elicited more giggles from the little one.

"Well, Gabi, if you can tell me who is in this photograph, then you may have it," Rowen told her.

He held the photograph up so both of them could look at it. Gabi smiled cheerfully and clapped her hands as she stepped closer.

She tapped the photograph where one of the photograph's residents was.

"White Blaze."

Rowen wasn't surprised. Everyone under the sun knew who the white tiger had once been. However, she took him by complete surprise with her next response when she tapped on the image of the other resident.

His gaze snapped upward to her face, but he saw no treachery or lies.

"What…what did you say?" he asked, certain he had heard wrong.

But he hadn't.

"Sawyer."

Rowen's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. He turned the photograph around so he wasn't looking at an upside down image. The picture consisted of White Blaze sitting on the ground. Sitting beside him with one leg propped up and an arm around his furry companion was Ryo.

The image of Sawyer was fuzzy in his mind. This would require some investigating. Was it possible the mortal the Ancients were protecting…could he be a descendant of Ryo's?

The little girl started to pout when Rowen didn't immediately give her the photograph. She was elated when he turned it around and held it out to her. She giggled yet again and took it from him, holding it close to her chest.

"You may keep it, child. I have others," Rowen told her.

It was true. They had a few photographs hanging around somewhere that had images of the five warriors together with the tiger, the brat, and the woman. Maybe even one or two of just the former ronin leader by himself.

"Gràcies. Thank you," the little girl smiled, turning to leave.

He caught her arm gently yet firmly and turned her back to him.

"Let's keep this our little secret. Okay, little one?" he said with a wink.

Gabi giggled but bobbed her head up and down. He released her and stood up. He watched as the little girl skipped away with the photograph clutched tightly in her hand.

This was going to need some investigating. He would have to keep it quiet unless he found out anything of real interest. If the others found out he was chasing after ghosts, they may actually admit it to him the nearest mental facility.

The merchant soon returned with the supplies he had asked for. He put them gently into the box before lifting it up to hold on his side. The merchant frowned in confusion.

"I discovered these things have more value to me for now. Perhaps another time," Rowen told him, a tone to his voice not open for arguing.

And the merchant realized that. He bowed his head.

"Of course. Of course."

/…/

Rowen had checked where everyone was before barricading himself in his room. In their hidden house in the Mortal realm, he and Sage shared a room. In the Nether Realm, their rooms were next door to each other.

Anubis, Sekhmet and Cye were in the Mortal Realm keeping an eye on the Ancients. Sage was outside training with Cale. Kento and Dais were downstairs playing a game of chess. And, from the sounds of it, Kento was losing. Badly.

"YOU CHEATED!"

"How the Hell did I cheat?"

"YOU KNEW I WAS GOING TO MOVE THAT PIECE HERE SO YOU MOVED YOURS THERE AND BLOCKED ME!"

"That's not cheating, Hardhead! That's called check!"

"I'LL GIVE YOU A CHECK!"

Rowen tuned them out with the shake of his head. He made a mental note to never play chess with Kento. Come to think of it, why did Dais?!

Rowen fired up his computers and began an immediate search on Sawyer Thompson. He wasn't surprised when he did not find much information. In fact, the only information he could find only dated back to the past eight years. It appeared as though he hadn't existed before 2006.

Rowen began to form a theory about that as he took notes in a notebook sitting between the keyboard and the three computer screens.

Sawyer Thompson

~ Ancient ally

~ possible relation to RS

~ records only go back eight years (2006-present)

~ Ancient girl (Gabriella – Gabi) identified him in a picture of RS and WB

~ knew about my shoulder injury (refused to disclose how he knew – even under serum)

Rowen started going through the box of things. He didn't find much in it that would help him in his investigating. He was surprised to find a CD at the bottom of the box.

He opened the drive to his computer and popped the CD in. It slid into the computer and he booted it up. Not sure what to expect, Rowen clicked around from the desktop and found that it was a video.

Rowen pressed play and leaned back in his chair. He nearly fell out of it when a familiar face from the past popped up on the screen.

Mia was very close to the camera and was shifting it around before it looked straight on. Then she stepped back so she could be seen with the house in the background.

"Hi. So with everything finally calmed down, I decided to make another home video." Smile. "Let's go see what everyone is doing."

Mia stepped forward and grasped the camera, turning it around so she was no longer in the picture.

The camera went bouncing as Mia walked with it. The camera came around the side of the building where it zoomed in on a pair of legs. They were sticking out from underneath the old red jeep.

Rowen chuckled. He knew exactly who was under that jeep.

The camera came around to the side of the car and dropped down as the camerawoman knelt down. Rowen's face came into view. Mia's chuckle emitted from the background.

"Did you find the problem yet?" Mia's voice asked.

Rowen turned his head toward the camera with a clear frown on his face.

"If I knew that, do you really think I'd still be under here?" he asked with a sarcastic tone to his voice.

Mia chuckled in the background again. She said goodbye to Rowen and the camera shifted upwards abruptly.

Frankly, it made Rowen a little dizzy in the head. He watched as the camera view went bouncing up the porch steps and into the house.

The camera panned over to the living room and to the couch. Kento was playing on a video game system. He had one eye squeezed closed and his tongue sticking out the side. Mia's voice called over to him from behind the camera.

"Hey, Kento! What are you playing?"

Kento sucked his tongue back and opened his other eye. A cocky smile filtered across his face as his thumbs jammed into the buttons on the controller.

"I…am playing a racing game…which I am about to…" Frantic pressing of buttons. "…WIN!"

The game made a loud trumpeting sound while Kento jumped up to his feet and pumped his fist into the air. Mia's giggling filtered into the air before moving on to the kitchen. Kento's cheering could still be heard in the background as the video entered the kitchen.

Cye was standing at the table fixing dinner.

Rowen smiled. Now there was a familiar sight. Even to this day, Cye actually enjoyed cooking meals. Granted, he sometimes had the others 'volunteer' to cook a few meals before he would cook again.

Cye looked up at the camera and flashed a smile at it.

"Hi, Mia. What are you up to?" he asked.

"I'm making a family video. You know? Since…that big 'obstacle' is gone," Mia's voice said in the background in a hinting tone of voice.

Cye chuckled while shaking his head.

"Yeah. Well, dinner will be ready in an hour. Let the others know?"

The video camera bobbed up and down as Mia apparently nodded her head.

Frankly, it made Rowen a little motion sick. Pause. He snatched up a water bottle from the mini fridge in his room and took a long sip of it as he returned to his desk chair.

He hit the play button and reclined back in his chair. He watched as the video left the kitchen and headed for the stairs. Sage's part in the movie lasted all of five seconds as he came down the stairs.

"Hey, Sage! Where are you off to?" Mia called

The camera followed him as he came past her and headed for the door. Sage grabbed up his keys from the keybowl near the door.

"Out," was all he said.

A loud sigh sounded over the camera as the light haired warrior dashed out the door. Mia turned the camera around to face her as she trudged up the stairs (or that's what Rowen suspected; what with the bobbing up and down motion).

"That was Sage probably going off on another date." Shrug. "Guess we'll catch him on the next video."

Rowen snorted as he realized Mia had shot this video the day before she died. She never got another chance to catch Halo on camera again.

"Yuli is coming by later for dinner. So let's see if we can find the last guy." Mia's smile filled the screen.

The camera turned around to face outward as Mia reached the top step. The camera jostled a little as Mia walked over to the door that led to the room Ryo slept in. There was an extra bed, but he didn't share with anyone.

The door opened to reveal an empty room.

"Now where could Ryo be?"

Rowen was curious himself. He remembered now. He had been outside until Cye had called out to him that it was dinner time.

Ryo had been quite sore, even after it being a couple of weeks since Talpa's final demise. Rowen remembered the fire warrior fast asleep napping when he had gone down to work on the car. He'd only been working on the car for two hours.

The video walked down the hall and turned to go down to the end of the hall. The last room was a large room where Mia's computer was. As the camera neared the room, the sound of piano music started to emit and get louder.

Rowen's eyes, which had fallen shut, snapped open.

"Music Man," he murmured.

He watched as Mia opened the door and walked in.

Seated across the room from the computer was an electronic piano. Ryo was seated in a low-back wheeled-chair with no arms. White Blaze was laying ground beside him. The tiger had his eyes closed and seemed at peace.

The shirtless ronin leader had his eyes closed and he was playing the piano. He must have heard Mia trying to enter the room quietly. Ryo smiled as his hands lifted from the piano and stopped laughing.

He chuckled while turning to face Mia. He had his hands palm faced down on his upper thighs. The scar leftover from Talpa was a bright red on Ryo's pale skin.

It almost looks like it happened the day before, Rowen thought.

He knew, in fact, it hadn't.

"You should be resting, Ryo," Mia's voice said over the video.

Ryo chuckled and lifted one hand up to scratch the back of his head. He shrugged before swinging back around in his chair. He poked around on a few of the keys while flashing her a playful smile.

"Couldn't help it, Mia. Got to play when the muse is in an inspiring mood," Ryo said.

"Oooh."

The camera jumped around a bit as Mia dragged another chair over to sit close to Ryo.

"I'm shooting a video of everyone. You know? Since it's all over," Mia hinted.

Ryo chuckled again while shaking his head.

"One day at a time, Mia."

Rowen frowned deeply. He couldn't fathom what it was about music that had brought the former ronin such peace. He leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head so it leaned back on his hands.

"Oh. Oh! Ryo! Play that song. That one song."

Ryo turned towards the camera, chuckling with a carefree smile on his face.

"Which song, Mia? I play a lot," Ryo said.

He started an upbeat, familiar song and transitioned through a few songs before stopping.

"Ryo, you tease. You know good and well what song I'm talking about," Mia told him.

Ryo's smile lit up more. He brought his hands back down to the keys. He started to play a vaguely familiar song.

Again, Rowen suddenly remembered another piece of the past. He remembered, after the first defeat of Talpa, Ryo composing a piano piece. He had spent many of late hours in that very room working on it. For a short time, he had woken up the others several times. After a while, Ryo got a pair of headphones and plugged them into the piano so only he would hear it.

It was a very complicated piece. Rowen knew how to read music, but couldn't play any instruments to save his life.

Ryo's fingers glided across the keys with ease. At one point, he closed his eyes. His body was relaxed as he played. White Blaze opened and closed his eyes while listening to the soothing sound of the piano.

All the sudden, Rowen shot up straight in his chair. He brought up video on his phone and hit the Record button. The piece sounded very familiar. As if he had heard it recently.

Was it possible the piano playing at the University had been someone playing Ryo's song? But that couldn't be possible. Ryo had never made a copy of the composition. So, if the song he heard at the University was Ryo's song…Damn.

Rowen kept recording the song on his phone until Ryo finished and Mia started clapping. Then the video faded to black and Mia's "credits" scrolled over the screen. Rowen picked up his pen to add another note to his list.

~ Ancient girl (Gabriella – Gabi) identified him in a picture of RS and WB

~ knew about my shoulder injury (refused to disclose how he knew – even under serum)

~ possible piano player and in possession of RS song (further investigation necessary)

Rowen knew he'd have to do more research on the University. He hoped whoever had played the piano would return to the college. He would know if he was on to something if it turned out that it was Sawyer who was playing the piano.

If it is the same piece, this could meant a lot of things. About Sawyer.

/…/

He was standing in the middle of the woods alone. Sawyer glanced all around him.

"Kalen!" he shouted.

He was surprised there was no answer. He began walking, calling for the others with his hands cupped up to his mouth.

"Kalen!...Griffin!...Selena!...Tobi!...Casper!...Kai!"

His voice echoed through the trees. He wandered around aimlessly until he stopped in front of a marked grave. Sawyer was surprised to find it was his own (as Ryo).

"Who are you, Sawyer Thompson?"

Sawyer's head snapped up and he jerked backwards. Rowen was standing behind the grave, leaning on it with both hands. Sawyer found that he had no words to say.

Rowen's eyes flashed the familiar dark blue of Strata.

"I want to know who you are. And I intend to find out."

/…/

Sawyer jerked upwards in his bed. His eyes were frighteningly wide and he was sweating profusely. He felt out of breath as he tried to calm his heart which was threatening to burst out of his chest.

Sawyer brought a hand up to his face and he covered one of his eyes and part of his head with it. He drew a shaky breath before throwing off his covers with his free hand. He stood up and staggered into the bathroom.

Still shaking from the realism of his nightmare, Sawyer tore off his sweat-drenched shirt and dropped his pants. He jumped into the shower and turned the faucet to ice cold. Sawyer shivered and shook like a dog after coming in from the rain. Yet he remained standing under the cold.

I felt like he was there. Like he was standing right in front of me, Sawyer thought.

Was it possible Rowen knew something? Without him or the Ancients suspecting? Sawyer was very grateful that Silver had elected to sleep out in the living room while Kalen slept on the couch.

That thought caused him to chuckle and then cough up water. Kalen had insisted on taking the couch and hadn't taken no for an answer.

Sawyer knew it would be best to tell Kalen about his nightmare. It might mean nothing, but it could mean something. As he reached out to turn the shower off, Sawyer decided that he would wait until they returned to Toyama to tell her about it.

There was no reason to ruin their short vacation.

END OF CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Ah ha! I am finished with the new chapter. Just wait until the next one everyone! Please let me reviews if you get a chance. I love to see them as it reminds me that people are still reading my stories. Have a nice week!