DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN RONIN WARRIORS, IF I DID I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION

Spirit Army's Campaign of Terror

There's a big gray thing in my face when I wake up.

"Yaahg!" I slap the offending face and push back, but my ankles resist; giving no strength to my action. "Aa~!" I feel the sharp pain snap up through my calf and shin, and I roll into my side in a fetal position; holding my feet up off the floor.

Something snuffles my hair.

It's a familiar snuffle.

I look at it. There is a schnozz – a big schnozz; ruffling my hair a bit.

A smaller thing waddles up; inspecting me. It hops and climbs the larger thing's leg.

I slowly lift my head and look at the big thing as it watches me closely.

It's a lump of a thing – like sewn together masses of dead tissue and no eyes, but a familiar big schnozz.

Then, oddly, flecks of tissue start to lift off it, silently floating up, joining other flecks of the organic landscape; replaced like flecks of paint. As if the world is being leafed by reality.

The fleshy mass tilts its head and in that moment changes into something, being flecked over…by Buddo.

"Buddo?" I say slowly.

The big horse nods.

"Were you - ?" I look around.

It's a tatami room; dark but calm and not netherworldly. "Did you see that?"

Buddo looks around, and then shrugs.

Anzen is perched atop Buddo's head – the thing that had climbed up the larger thing's leg – I'm assuming -was Anzen.

"What…did I just see?" I look around and see my feet; bandaged and cared for. My hands too – completely bound.

Buddo sits as close to me as he can, and nudges me with his nose.

"You're right. It's over now." I hug his huge muzzle. "But…where are we, Bud?"

Buddo stands up and walks to the middle of the room. He picks up a little paint brush, daintily dabs it in an ink pot, trots to the nearest wall, and draws something. It takes him a few seconds and then I can see it's a flower. Buddo taps it with a hoof, and nods.

I shake my head slowly.

Buddo draws again and this time it's a kanji. Man, do I ever wish I'd paid more attention in Japanese class. I stare at it for a good few seconds – a plus sign and three lines beneath it.

I shake my head faster.

Buddo heaves a sigh, and draws again. The number "13". He then gives me this, 'got it, okay?' look on his long face.

"Oh." I nod. "Dad's here."

Buddo nods, dropping the little paint brush, and ink splats on the bottom of the wall. The horse then dips his big head down and Anzen gets into a laying down position on the floor, and Buddo proceeds to slowly drag Anzen.

"Dad…dragged me?" I ask.

Buddo shakes his head, shaking Anzen too; making the bird squawk indignantly.

"Pulled me?" I ask. Then I remember the strange, talking creatures. "Dad." I whisper. "It was dad."

Buddo drops Anzen suddenly, and taps a hoof on the end of his nose.

"Dad saved me and brought me here." I look up at the huge horse.

Buddo postures indignantly, and taps his hooves.

"And you helped, obviously." I smile. "Thank you. She told me you would be looking for me."

Buddo tilts his head, and approaches. He blinks, almost in an intrigued way. He keeps his head near me, and nods, as if to say 'go on'.

"I was in a field of flowers, and there was this woman's voice." I shift my feet but they still hurt. "It was a nice voice; she told me about the armor."

Buddo nods.

My stomach growls.

Buddo perks up and trots to the door, but stops as someone is coming in.

"Move, beast." Says a firm voice I don't recognize.

Buddo backs up a few steps, and stares with his ears laid flat and agitated at the person.

But it's not a person who comes in; it's a black cat…with a muffin on its head. "Hello." It comes to stand next to me. "My name is Yoruichi."

"Hi, can I have that muffin?" I ask, staring at the muffin.

"It's for you, from Juushirou." Says the cat.

I snatch the muffin, not thinking about the possibility of being drugged or poisoned. I die happy knowing I'll have a muffin in my stomach.

"You're welcome." The cat says, somewhat annoyed.

"Dakeyou." I murphle around the sweet, sweet muffin-y goodness.

"What's your name?" The cat asks.

I shrug.

"Your name is Emiko, isn't it?" the cat sits down in that dainty cat way they have.

Swallowing a little, I reply. "Names are things other people give you." And take another bite out of the muffin.

"Emiko is the name Juushirou gave me to call you, so I'll call you Emiko." The cat says.

I shrug again, not really caring what anyone calls me anymore. Emma, Emiko, Shithouse, Latrine; it's whatever. I've seen too much and actually run for my life – my name is the last thing I'm concerned about.

Buddo whimpers, staring at the muffin.

"Don't beg, Buddo. You ate three of those muffins; Emiko's obviously starved." Yoruichi The Cat licks his paw and cleans his head a bit.

I scarf the muffin down to the paper and even nibble the paper.

Yoruichi clears his throat. "Ehem, would you like another muffin, Emiko?"

I catch myself sucking the paper, take the muffin paper from my mouth then mumble. "Yes, please."

"I'll get you another, it's alright; just don't walk yet." He takes the paper in his mouth and toddles away out the door.

I look down and I've got muffin crumbs on my chest, and think 'would I do that at home?' and answer 'yes. Yes I would' then proceed to pick the crumbs off and eat them.

"Use a napkin, for goodness sake." Yoruichi comes back in, muffin on his head.

"Don't have one." I take the muffin, and scarf it down.

A woman walks in carrying a tray with a small teapot and cups. "Oh my goodness, don't eat so fast or you'll choke."

"She's a teenager; they only eat at two speeds; fast and vacuum." Yoruichi licks his paw and starts cleaning his head again.

"I know you're very hungry, Emiko, but please chew your food." This woman seems nice, but I don't know her in the slightest, and ignore her concern altogether as I hoover the muffin.

"See? Vacuum." Yoruichi says matter of factly.

I frown at the cat, and keep chewing, but the muffin is so moist and squishy, it just kinda melts in my mouth into mush and I swallow.

"Tea?" She offers.

I take the cup and chug it…except it's scalding and it burns all the way down, making me cough.

"Do we need to put a warning label on the cup? It's tea. " Yoruichi gets up on his hind legs and pats my back.

"My goodness, Emiko, you have got to slow down. Please, the food isn't going anywhere." The woman insists.

"It might if I take it away because the idiot can't slow down before she chokes again." Yoruichi snatches the muffin paper and carries it out the door, muttering.

The woman sighs, and I've stopped coughing. "Don't mind Yoruichi." She says. "Would you like me to get you something cold to drink?"

I shake my head. When I breathe in, I can feel the burning in my throat, followed by a tingling sensation. It starts in my belly and works its way up to my mouth, and by the time I breathe a second time, the burning sensation has stopped.

"Better?" the woman smiles.

I nod. "Yeah, actually." Putting a hand to my chest, I breathe again. "Wow, that's weird. It's like I never burned myself."

"Good. The tea is working then; your wounds should be healing now." She smiles, and stands up. "I'll tell Juushirou you're feeling better."

"Okay." I whisper, and watch her walk out. Her step is virtually silent, and she seems so familiar, but I just can't place her.

Buddo sits right next to me, leans down and plops his chin on top of my head. Anzen waddles up and climbs on my lap, making me lift the cup of tea to move out of its way. I hold the teacup against my chest; it's hot but not scalding, warming my heart (I'd like to think so anyway).

"I missed you guys, too." This is the part where I would cry before, but I think I'm all out of tears – sad or otherwise because I ran so hard, and got so scared, I'm just all dried up.

Dad comes in not long after, all hugs and paternal worry. He wants to know everything about where I was, and how I got there. I tell him everything I can remember, and all of it horrific.

"That must be where we found you." Dad is sitting right next to me, watching me like I'm gonna break into a million pieces at any second.

"I guess so." I shrug, belly full of muffins and tea, and I'm starting to feel sleepy again. "But how did you find me in the first place? I was underground."

Dad smiles and looks at Buddo. "We didn't. Buddo led us to you."

"It was an awful sight." The woman says. "You were so terrified, even of us – what on earth were you seeing down there?"

"Something bad, let's just leave it at that." I pull my knees up to my chest.

"You mentioned Dais; that's the soldier who uses illusions, yes?" Dad asks.

I frown. "He's also the guy who keeps trying to beat the hell outta me. I mean, what the hell did I do to him anyway?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. The warlords are controlled by psychic means, and punished as so." The woman explains.

"Psychic punishment? How does that work?"

"Violently, I'm afraid. Talpa can make the warlords see whatever he wants, even convince them they're dead, until he needs them again." The woman frowns sadly.

"Which, to the warlords favor, is sooner rather than later. Talpa can't control the power of the armors his warlords possess; only those who wear the armor have that ability.

I frown. "Yeah…lucky them."

The woman smiles. "I didn't mean it like that."

I shrug. "It's fine. Im starting to realize this war isn't as black and white as Talpa wants it to be; not even as black and white as the Ronin Warriors want it to be."

Dad puts a hand on my shoulder. "War rarely is."

"Do you know if they're okay?" I ask.

Dad and the woman look at each other.

"And who is she, by the way?" I point a bandaged hand at the woman.

She smiles. "I'm so sorry, how rude of me; my name is Retsu Unohana."

"Retsu is a good friend of mine, like Shunsui. She's a doctor, and captain of squad four in soul society." Dad explains.

I smile and look at Retsu. "Are you my dad's girlfriend?"

Retsu just smiles but doesn't say anything.

I look at dad.

Dad sighs, keeping his lips tight.

Buddo noses dad.

"alright, both of you; that's enough." Dad says in a soft but commanding voice.

"Emiko, would you like anything else to eat?" Retsu is picking up the tea cups, and a couple of muffin wrappers.

"No, I –" I look down and see Yoruichi The Cat and Anzen curled up together, sleeping. "Aww." I pout. "Too precious." I turn back to Retsu. "No, thank you, I'm okay."

Retsu nods, taking the tray as she stands up and quietly shuffles out of the room.

When she's gone, an odd silence falls between dad and I.

I let out a long breath, and finally look at dad. "So what's the real story? What's going on in the Netherworld?"

Dad sighs. He takes a second and then replies. "Rowen and Ryo have had a hard time, and they're in hiding now."

"But alive." I feel a weight lift off my shoulders.

Dad nods.

"Kento, Cye, and Sage?" My voice shakes.

Dad takes a breath and lets it out. He shakes his head silently.

I swallow hard so I don't scream.

"Emiko." Dad puts a hand on my shoulder, and squeezes gently.

I nod, gritting my teeth against screaming.

Later, I find myself out on the porch of the building, contemplating everything dad told me. Rowen and Ryo…do they know? What if they're searching for nothing? They'll get all the way to the center of the castle and find nothing.

"Whatever you're thinking about, you're giving it too much thought."

I turn and look. Ichigo's standing just behind me.

"Hi." I turn back to face forward.

It's a concrete courtyard; not much to see except Buddo and Anzen milling around. Anzen looks be the leader of an impromptu game of follow-the-leader. My feet hurt less, and I wonder where Ryo and Rowen are now – beyond the courtyard is just a maze of rooftops, and of course the golden castle looming off like a monster on a mountain. I keep coming up with horrible scenarios in my head of the three captive Ronins being tortured. I refuse to believe it's all over. I can 't. I just can't. The very ground beneath my feet seems to tremble. Even Buddo and Anzen look up and then turn and look at me.

Talpa's gearing up, and I'm stuck here like an invalid…

TBC