Chapter Two – Let the Games Begin

Chapter Two – Let the Games Begin

The dinner table was unusually quiet that night, seeing as the Ronin Warriors shared their meal with Anubis, the former Dark Warlord of Cruelty. No one was comfortable with this new arrangement yet. To the Ronin Warriors he was still their enemy, a member of the Dynasty and an elite warrior for Talpa. The Ancient spent most of the evening staring at the silent warriors, who stared at the Warlord, who stared at his plate, tapping the fork against his glass of milk.

Rowen sat in his usual seat between Sage and Cye. He wasn't in the mood for talking. He'd been doing that all day, and frankly he was tired of the noise. His ears still hurt a little from when he had first experienced his Awakening, so that didn't help matters much. Rather, Rowen enjoyed the silence at the table. Normally the guys would chatter about the girls they met or the games they played or the ways they trained, but tonight was an exception. With Anubis at the table, they had a new fear – that Anubis would overhear something about their battle plans or would discover a weakness, which he would then report to Talpa to use to take them down. Rowen did not share this fear, for he was busy worrying about all of his own problems, which were almost too many to count.

None of the Ronins, even Sage, knew everything he was worried about nowadays. In the past he used to tell Sage and Mirichu everything that went on in his head, but he kept to himself anymore, not even sharing his troubles with Mirichu. It wasn't that they wouldn't understand, but Rowen couldn't bring himself to say some of the stuff aloud. For instance, he couldn't let Mirichu know that he thought Sage was in love with her. On the same token, he couldn't let Sage know that he thought Mirichu was in love with Ryo. And naturally, he couldn't tell Ryo either of the two things. And naturally he couldn't say anything to anybody about how he was beginning to doubt the genuineness of the Ancient's words. Rowen didn't even understand why he was questioning the old man in the first place. The Ancient had always been their friend and ally, had helped them out more times than there was a number for, so why wonder this now? Rowen had never had reason to doubt the Ancient's motives before, yet he did today. Everything he was thinking now had come about this morning in the field with Mirichu. Why? What was the significance of their chance meeting? Why had it affected him so much?

"Rowen, buddy, you there?" Kento chanted, snapping his fingers to get the Ronin's attention.

"Huh? Whaddya want, Kento?"

"The rice. Pass it here." Rowen obliged and handed the big bowl over to his hungry friend. Everyone watched in amazement as he piled heaps of white rice onto his plate, then smothered it in a sauce of beef and vegetables. A mountain of steaming food gathered in the center of his plate. Within seconds Kento had devoured most of the top. The table stared in awe as the mountain crumbled at the mercy of Hardrock. It got very quiet, then: "Geez, Kento, you're a pig!" Every head turned to look squarely at Anubis in surprise. No one spoke, but suddenly their was great, rolling laughter – tons of it – spewing from Cye's mouth. The Ronins couldn't believe their ears. Genuine laughter. Soon everyone joined in the fun, with the exception of Kento, of course. Sensing his chance, Anubis entered their joke and tried to fit in as best he could without seeming overly flaky. For a while none of the Ronin Warriors even cared; they just went ahead having a good time.

The Ancient leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. It had taken a while, but it looked like the warriors had finally accepted Anubis for the ally he really was. Now their battle could turn into a war, one that they could win. He was pleased with his warriors' progress. They had come along way from ordinary civilians to the ultimate fighting machines. Should Talpa launch his attack tomorrow, the Ancient was confident they were ready for it. Now that Talpa had but three armors and only two Warlords to fill them, they could counterattack and defeat him! He just needed time to organize the Ronin Warriors and explain their real mission…

The table fell back into silence, this time it was comfortable however. Ryo even dared to speak. "So, Rowen, can I come with you tomorrow morning?"

Rowen tensed, his fork hovering inches from his open mouth. He glanced quickly at Sage for instruction, who gave him "the look" that said don't-disappoint-me-buddy. But even Rowen noticed his friend's evident surprise as well as jealousy. "Tell ya what. If you can get up tomorrow at four o'clock – without complaining – you can come along. But I warn you, Mirichu probably won't be there."

"I don't know if you should lose those hours of sleep, Ryo," Mia cautioned quietly. "If you are going to fight Talpa, perhaps you should stay in bed and conserve your strength."

"Oh, don't fuss so much, Mia. There's not much for me to expend my energy on at four in the morning. Besides, Rowen goes everyday and he's fine. Why don't you ever nag him about it?"

"But he's used to it. And he never gets as much action as you do in a fight." Rowen was a little hurt by her words, but he shrugged them off.

"I'll be fine, Mia. I'm not a child, in case you couldn't tell."

"Ryo, I-"

But Wildfire was angry now. He was up out of his seat and in the startled woman's face. Forgetting about keeping his guard up against Anubis, he lashed out like never before. "I don't know why you try to shelter me all the time. I'm a 17-year-old man with a 1000-year-old soul! I can handle myself against the Dynasty, so surely I can get up two hours early! You're not my mother and you're not my girlfriend. Now, I don't know what you're attempting to be exactly, but know that the only way I see you is as a friend who has the occasional tidbit of helpful information – that's all it is now, and all it will ever be. So lay off me!"

The room pulsed with emotions of all kinds: sadness, anger, surprise, resentment, amazement. They permeated Rowen's subarmor and coursed through his veins. The Awakening within him had turned itself on like a faucet, full force, raging and powerful. Colors screamed behind his eyelids and the room danced with ethereal light. Ryo's Awakening, too, had been triggered to action, and his choleric emotions bent the flames of the candles on the table, then wound them together, exploding into the air.

Mia sat in her chair, silent tears of pain slipping down her cheeks. Everyone stared at her, at Ryo, at the dead candles. Nothing moved. Then abruptly, Mia jumped up from her seat and dashed out the door, racing down the snowy white stairs to the lake below. All attention turned to Ryo. He shifted uneasily under their gazes, adjusting his blood red subarmor on his body. "Somebody ought to go after her," Sage suggested, staring hard at Ryo.

"I didn't mean to say that. I didn't mean for it to sound so cruel. I just…"

The Ancient stood up and moved to Ryo's shaking side. He laid a hand on his shoulder to sooth the boy. "I'll speak with her, Ryo of the Wildfire. You must go to your room and relax. The Awakening is still strong in you and could potentially cause some harm. Since you cannot control it fully yet, I suggest that you try to block it out for the time being. The rest of you should clean up this table and try to forget what you just saw. It is for the best." The Ronin Warriors nodded and went about clearing the table off. The old man disappeared out the door Mia had, his white robe trailing behind him in a flutter of cloth.

Ryo balled his fists repeatedly, his frustrations with himself present. "You better go lay down like the Ancient said," Rowen reminded, patting his friend on the back. Ryo bowed his head as he shuffled through the hallway's doorframe. "Are you still gonna come with me tomorrow, Ryo?"

"Maybe Mia's right; maybe I should sleep in, man. Give Mirichu my regards if you see her. Let her know I'm thinking about her."

"I will, buddy." Ryo slipped out of the room completely, his embarrassment because of his behavior hanging in the air behind him. "Poor guy. He's got so much to deal with lately." Rowen spoke these words, but as much as he wanted to commiserate with his friend, he found it hard to believe that Ryo had as much to struggle with as he did. Rowen hated to seem selfish, but he couldn't help feeling the happiness that if Mirichu showed up the next morning he would have her all to himself.

"Yeah, I can't help but feel bad for him. He's never had it easy. Something always has to come and rain on his parade," Cye observed as he placed a dish in the washer.

The Ronins continued wiping down the table and tiding up the kitchen for Mia. By the time they had finished, the Ancient returned with Mia in tow. Her face was still streaked red with tears, but at least she wasn't crying anymore. She sniffed hello, then vanished into her bedroom, her door snapping shut loudly. They listened. A moment later, the door to Ryo's room opened and so did Mia's. He went in, shutting it again. They listened. When they heard nothing further, the group, accompanied by the Ancient and Anubis, walked to their respective rooms to turn in themselves. No goodnights were issued though they all knew they were implied.

Rowen breathed the summer air deeply. Their room was filled with it. The sheets were cold with it and the pillows smelled of it and the curtains were ruffled by it. It was glorious. Crickets chirped outside their open window – loud, jarring screeching – but Rowen loved the sound anyway. "Could someone turn those damn things off?"

"Ah, Kento, they're called crickets and they don't have a remote."

"Shut-up, Cye! I knew that. I was just trying-"

"To be cool?" Cye finished, a wicked smile playing on his face.

"No, to be observant. I was merely making the observation that they were too loud."

"Sure you were, Kento, you monkey, you."

"For the last time – I am not a MONKEY!"

"You're right. Ape is more the creature I'm looking for. Either way, it looks to me like you still haven't fully evolved." With that, Kento hopped over the bed to attack his best friend. Pillows were launched across the room, and it took all of Rowen's and Sage's Ronin skill to dodge the projectiles. Cye leaped across Sage's bed, grabbing the sheet and covering Kento with it. The ghost ran around the floor, performing a curious dance as he struggled to get out from underneath the blanket. By the time he shook it off, Kento was too tired to chase Cye anymore, and he collapsed in an exhausted heap on the ground. They all laughed. It felt good to act like teenagers again.

"Who's ready to turn in?" Sage asked, helping Hardrock to his feet.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say, 'me!'"

"You always speak for everyone, Cye. What makes you think you are always right?"

"Because, monkey, I always am!"

"Oh, shut-up and go to bed. I'm sick of hearing your voice."

Rowen had to say something; the itch to speak was just too great. "I could say the same to both of you!"

"Me too!" Sage laughed, smiling at his blue-haired friend. The other two warriors chuckled sarcastically, then they all climbed into their beds. "Goodnight, guys. Sleep tight." They mumbled their goodnights before almost immediately drifting off to sleep.

@~~`~~~

Snoring, that was all Rowen heard when he awoke from his slumber. Oh, Kento… Rowen thought, sighing. He can never keep his mouth shut even in his sleep. The Ronin swung his feet over the side of his bed, letting them dangle above the cold wooden floor. He rolled his head a few times, loosening the muscles in his neck and shoulders.

Rowen hated getting up in the morning – a fact all the warriors knew. So why get up everyday at four? Often times, he would ask himself that question. Everything inside him said sleep until noon, but his internal clock just wouldn't let him. Strange that that was the case, but it was. Rowen had never been normal anyway, so why start now?

Venus sparkled outside their open window, winking seductively at the bare-chested man shivering in the air. He smiled back. I'll see you soon enough, he whispered inwardly.

Quickly, Rowen dressed and crept down the stairs to his jeep in the garage. The house was silent otherwise, except for Kento's awful snoring. He started his car and drove down the driveway to the main road shaded by a canopy of cherry trees. Even in the sickly moonlight the trees seemed vibrant and alive. Again Rowen could hear their gentle calling. "Come, Rowen, join our party…" The whisper of the wind, the rustle of the leaves, the sigh of the stars. Everything spoke to him.

The jeep's engine purred like White Blaze as it tore up the onyx asphalt. The impression of the backbone of a winding serpent was conjured in the warrior's mind as he drove onward into the forest. Japan's soft scenery screamed past him in an inky blur. The shapes became shapeless.

Approaching the car fast was an unpaved roadway lined with tiny gray pebbles. They lead into the black oblivion of the night woods. Rowen steered his car to the edge of this pathway to park it. He then proceeded to get out, taking the trail as far as it would go.

How many times in his life had Rowen wandered down this stony path? 200 times? 300? How well he knew every curve in her sleek brown body, every ditch and hole and hill! Even in utter blackness Rowen was confident that he could find his way down the trail to his meadow concealed by a curtain of trees.

Fireflies clung to the edges of the walkway, their intense glowing lighting the way like street lamps. Strange that they should still be out at this time. Rowen could feel their tiny lives glimmer inside him. They were warm and fluttering – a pleasant sensation for the warrior to experience. He swore he could feel their tiny wings beat inside him as they swarmed about. The steady drone of a cricket set the romantic scene, making everything perfect.

Above him, the heavens twirled about, too slowly to be seen by the untrained eye, but for those with experience, its mystical swirling was easy to recognize. Rowen watched the distant galaxies spin on their axis – great, dazzling masses of stars and planets still unnamed and unknown.

The meadow appeared magically, alight with the glow of the moon and the fireflies; Rowen could even see his shadow. The high weeds scraped at his legs, though they could touch no flesh. The swords dueled each other in the ever-present valley breeze. It seemed the field was an ongoing war zone, hot with action between the opposing forces. Fallen warriors scattered the ground, crushed underfoot by the Ronin Warrior. Yet another reason to add to his list of why he felt at home here: the company was familiar.

Rowen moved to his normal spot in the meadow, where the grass was not too thick and the view was just right to catch the full view of the battle between the sun and the moon when the sun rose from her bed in the east. He joined his fellow stars as bystanders in the great coliseum of the sky, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the golden haired beauty from beyond. There he remained, quietly memorizing the positions of Deneb and Betelgeuse and Vega.

Movement in the weeds behind him. Instantly Rowen knew who it was. "I didn't think you'd come."

"I didn't expect to." Her voice was soft and sweet like honey. She paused to think, then spoke again. "But I couldn't stay away after what I saw yesterday."

"Yeah, that was the way I felt when I first found this place. But I think you just come because you know I'm going to be here."

"Oh, that must be it, since you're such a babe magnet and all…"

"I know this already. I look in the mirror every morning, come on."

Mirichu rolled her eyes emphatically. "I can think of a lot of words to describe you, Rowen, and babe magnet is not one of them."

"I can think of some, too: sexy, suave, brilliant, debonair."

"Right, if you're Mr. Wonderful, where's your girlfriend? No, I was thinking more along the lines of cheesy, nerdy, obnoxious, conceited…"

"Hey, hey now! Just because I am perfection and I recognize it doesn't mean I'm conceited." Mirichu laughed at him. "Fine, fine. Forget we had this whole conversation. So, Mirichu, how have you been? I haven't seen you around much lately."

"Oh, I'm hanging in there, and I could say the same about you. Where have you been?"

"Busy with warrior stuff. A lot of crazy things have been happening in the household. For example,

Anubis is now a good guy. And Ryo was supposed to come with me this morning-"

"He was? Why didn't he?" she asked, looking around for the sight of the warrior of Wildfire.

"Because Ryo had a huge fight with Mia last night. In fact, he got downright cruel. To sum it up, he felt really guilty about what he said to her, so he stayed home."

Mirichu shot him a disappointed look. Rowen hadn't expected such a strong reaction to the news, and he was surprised, to say the least. "I miss him."

The warrior's eyes softened with a sudden sadness for her. She made it sound like there was a wall between her and the Ronin Warriors, one she could not break through. "He misses you, too," Rowen reassured. "He wanted me to give you the message that he's thinking about you."

"I miss all of the guy's, especially Sage. He is our third musketeer. How is he doing anyway? I haven't talked to him in ages, and he's only one of my best friends!"

"Oh, Sage misses you tons, Miri. He talks about you almost as much as Ryo does. Why haven't you dropped by to say hello? We are best friends, you know."

"Of course we are, but I simply haven't had the time." She was lying, Rowen could tell. It was the product of a lifetime of friendship. He knew her inside out, whether either of them wanted to admit that or not. If anything, she had too much time, with her family and friends imprisoned by Talpa and the Dynasty. "Too much to do this week."

"Miri, are you lying to me? Don't you know you can trust me with any secret you have? I promise not to tell Sage." Rowen grinned, hoping that his sense of humor would rub off on her. But she didn't smile back; she didn't even look up at him. Her gaze was fixed elsewhere in the field, on an object he couldn't see from his spot.

Mirichu had found a spider web, complete with spider and insect. She watched, almost terrified, as the arachnid wove its deadly, yet delicate web around the other struggling creature. That was how Mirichu felt now – trapped, with no where to escape. The walls of whiteness closed around her. She couldn't breath. Constricting. Suffocating. Dying. "I know, I know. I have issues, Rowen."

"Well I could've told ya that. You've always had issues," he teased.

But Miri found no humor in the moment. The spider lunged for the paralyzed firefly. It buried its fangs into the abdomen of the crying beast. Could Rowen feel that, she wondered. If he was life, could he not also feel death? "These are different; these are serious. I have had a lot of thinking to do, and I still haven't come to a conclusion on things. I'm sorry, but there's no way you'll learn about them until I've resolved them for myself."

"And how will I know when that is?"

"Trust me, Rowen, you'll know," Mirichu whispered, her eyes moistening with mysterious tears from a hidden pain. She blinked them back fiercely. Noticing her friend was staring intently at her, she attempted to conceal them with words. "It's Venus. She's so bright this morning, she's making my eyes water." Rowen took a step toward her, taking both of her trembling hands in his own. They were cold with fear and hurt. "Oh Rowen!" Miri cried finally, flinging herself into his open arms. "The burdens we bear," she sobbed into his shoulder, "the burdens we bear." He knew all too well what she was talking about. His armor was the greatest weight on his back, sometimes more than he could handle. Rowen was lucky to have friends like Mirichu to support him. Now it was his turn to return the favor. If only he knew what kind of demons she was fighting…

Mirichu cried into Rowen's shoulder until the fabric of his shirt could not hold any more of her tears. "Wanna try the other shoulder now? It may be drier."

The blackbird he held tight against his chest chuckled as she pulled out of his grasp slowly. "Sorry I'm using you for a Kleenex. I don't know what came over me." Carefully, Mirichu rubbed the tears from her reddened eyes.

"That's what friends are for, Miri. You can blow my nose in my shirt whenever you need to."

Her pretty face tightened with disgust. "Gross, but thank you, Rowen, thank you," the green-eyed angel whispered genuinely, not meaning it for his last comment. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably live a lonely, miserable life," Rowen suggested jocularly.

"Don't flatter yourself, buddy. Your shoulder could have just as easily been Sage's or Ryo's," she countered, knowing that there was no way that could ever be. Rowen would always be the one she ran to up until the last moment of her life. With no one else would she ever be able to be this free.

Welcoming her back into his arms, Rowen said, "Come here." He hugged her as hard and as long as he could, before he spoke again. "It'll be all right, Miri. You'll see."

"No," she whispered meekly, cryptically, as she pressed her forehead into his thick neck, "it won't; it never will be."

"Why do you say such horrible things like that? Don't you know that I'll do anything to protect this planet and these people on it, especially you? Don't you trust in the other Ronin Warriors and me? We're gonna take care of Talpa and his twerps really soon. Why can't you believe that?"

Mirichu wrenched out of Rowen's grip and stared back at him with that concealed hurt and loss. "I do believe that! I know you'll take care of the Dynasty, but…"

"But what? What's bothering you? Why won't you tell me?" Rowen had reached near screaming level. His voice echoed hollowly in the hills just beyond the tree line. Mirichu drew back in fear. That wasn't the response he'd desired! He didn't want to scare her, just get her to tell him what was wrong so he might help. "I'm sorry, Miri. I didn't mean to get so worked up. Can you forgive me?" Now the warrior was as afraid as the innocent. He couldn't live with himself if he'd hurt her.

"Yes, fine. I forgive you. Can we just watch the sunrise in silence like we did yesterday?"

Naturally, after what he'd said, Rowen wasn't going to deny her request. Besides, sometimes the best conversations weren't had with words. He nodded, his heart relieved.

Mirichu kept her eyes fixated on Venus while Rowen watched the sky behind the hills begin to glow yellow and orange. And it started all over again. The sky became the canvas of God as he painted another masterpiece to be kept in the museum in Rowen's memory. It was hung in the halls where every other fantastic sunrise he'd ever viewed was placed. Then, just as she had arrived yesterday, Mirichu left, saying no good-byes or even looking at him.

Rowen set out for his jeep, taking the path through the woods now lit with the light of the new sun. He left behind the dueling swords, the swarming fireflies and his minute clearing. But never would he erase from his mind the memory of Mirichu's tears or the wetness of his shirt after she'd finished. Something terrible was going on in her life, so bad she refused to tell her best friend! Poor Miri, Rowen thought. I have to find out what's wrong so I can help her…

@~~`~~~

The road remained blackened from the thicket of trees, despite the fact that the sun had come up already. Occasionally, a patch of brilliant white light would force its way through the canopy to illuminate the road, but it was rare. To Rowen, it still seemed like nighttime. He slowed his car and turned on his headlights. Can't be to careful when driving through the woods at night, he cautioned himself. He was to find out this was a very wise decision.

Something swung down suddenly from an overhead branch. It was spider-like in nature, and twice as ugly. Dais. Rowen's car came screeching to a halt right before the Dark Warlord could drop onto the hood of his jeep. The monster straightened from his fallen position, growing in size and power. The blades projecting from his back gleamed in the only spot of light for miles that reached the forest floor. He smiled wickedly. "So, we meet again Ronin Warrior. But where are your friends?" Rowen stepped out of his car, but he did not reply. "I see. Alone, then. Excellent. I have always wanted to go one-on-one with the only Ronin who could ever see through my deceptions."

"Bring it on, Dais. I'm ready for you," he informed, his subarmor immediately appearing on him.

The Warlord grinned at the boy in blue. "And so it begins…

"Web of Deception!" Tiny white, spidery lines surrounded Rowen, twisting and grabbing and pulsing with energy. He was disoriented for only a second, but it was enough time to allow Dais to make his move. The spider man lunged for Rowen, his detachable legs on his back flying at his face at lightning speed. If Rowen had not felt the Awakening within him stir at the life in Dais, the razor sharp blades surely would have speared him.

"Is that all you've got, Warlord?" Strata taunted, shredding the crystalline web that encompassed him.

"You're going to hope so by the time we're through."

"Somehow, Dais, I highly doubt the validity of that statement." Rowen stepped back, moving into transformation position. "Armor of Strata! Dao inochi!" Suddenly, the warrior within was uncovered, and Rowen was draped in a suit of blue and gold. Now he stepped into the sliver of sun and watched as her rays traced the line of his golden bow.

The expression of triumph on Dais' face mysteriously melted into one of confusion, if not fear. Dais retreated into the forest magically, leaving Rowen to wonder what had frightened him so. The Warlords were not easily scared…