Armor of the Cherry Blossom
By: Keila Tenshi
Part Six: Familiarity
"Where are you going Sage?" Mrs. Date asked as her son grabbed his jacket.
"Over to Mia's for the weekend," he said grabbing a piece of toast.
"Just be back for lunch," she said.
Sage stopped. "Why?" he asked around the toast in his mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouth full. I'm making a special lunch and taking it over to our new neighbors," she explained. "And I want you to be here to meet them as well."
"But mom," Sage started. He stopped when his mother threw him the most potent arsenal a woman had, the Look.
Kento honked the horn to his van as he Cye, a very tired Rowen, and Ryo waited for him.
"Yes ma'am," Sage sighed.
"Bring the others along too. I hear one of them is a girl around your age," she said with a knowing smile as Sage's mood brightened at the mention of that. He was notoriously known around school as the Flirting King of Han'a High.
*Maybe it's the girl I saw last night on the street,* he thought. A brief flash of the girl last night in his dream crossed his memory. He touched his hand.
Kento honked again.
Sage grabbed another piece of toast, kissed his mother on the cheek, and then ran out the door.
"Took you long enough," Kento greeted Sage.
"Good morning to you too," Sage said. "Guys I got a problem," he said as he buckled his seat belt.
Kento started driving.
"What's up?" Ryo asked.
"Mom wants me back for lunch. She's planning a 'meet and greet' meal for our new neighbor."
"Do you have to go?" Kento asked as he navigated traffic, a rather scary thing to experience and woke Rowen up really quickly.
"When I tried to get out of it she gave me the Look," he said. "But she said that if you guys want to come you can."
"I'll go, make them feel at home," Ryo said.
"I'll come too," Cye nodded.
Rowen fearfully agreed as he watched Kento narrowly miss a semi on the freeway.
"I don't think I'll come," Kento said.
"She also said one might be a girl," Sage urged.
"The same girl walkin' down the street last night?" Kento asked.
"Probably, since I've never seen her before."
"I'll go then, just to show her who a real man is."
Cye rolled his eyes. Rowen grew pale as Kento turned a sharp corner at a high rate of speed.
"Also I had the weirdest dream last night."
"What about?" Ryo asked.
"I think I'll explain when we get to Mia's."
______________________________________________________________________________
"Hmm," was Kayura's only response when Sage finished describing his dream.
"The odd thing was it felt real," Sage explained.
"I'm really at a loss for what that explains," Kayura said. "I really am. But I think you witnessed in some part Rhon's imprisonment by the Ancient."
"And now we know that the bearer of the Armor of the Cherry Blossom is a girl," Cale said.
"Who knows, it could be this girl you're going to meet today," Dais said.
They all looked at each other. "Nah!"
Ryo looked at his watch. "You guys it's nearly time to go."
"Can I go?" Yulie asked from where he sat next to White Blaze.
"Of course!" Kento said. "I'll give you lessons in how to get a girl."
Mia couldn't help it and burst out laughing. Everyone followed her.
"What?" Kento asked angrily.
"Would you like to come?" Ryo asked Mia.
"No. I think I'll get on the computer and try to see if I can find anything on this Shadow Lord," she said.
Ryo turned to Cale, Dais, Sekhmet, and Kayura. "Would you like to join us?" he asked.
"No thank you. We have to return to the Dynasty for a time to check on things and for me to do some of my own research," Kayura said.
"That's all right. Mia we'll be back as soon as we can okay?" Ryo said.
"It's all right. I'll have White Blaze with me," she said smiling.
Kayura and the former Warlords disappeared into the Dynasty, Mia disappeared with White Blaze into the office, and the others disappeared into Toyama.
______________________________________________________________________________
"Hello boys! I was wondering if Sage was coming back," Mrs. Date said with a bright smile as everyone came in. She turned back to wrapping the food she had cooked. "But then again since the new neighbor is a girl...." she left the statement hanging as everyone smiled.
"Look," Kento said pointing at Sage as he ran a hand through his hair in front of the hallway mirror, "he's preening already."
Sage ignored him and continued setting his hair.
"I'm ready to go!" she called up the stairs.
Mr. Date came down the stairs. "Boys," he said nodding to them.
"Mr. Date," they responded.
"I'm ready to go too," he said.
"Then let's go meet the new neighbor."
______________________________________________________________________________
Kim had spent the morning exploring further the small house she was in. To her relief she found money in one of the drawers of a desk downstairs and clothes that fit in one of the rooms upstairs. She changed out of the rumpled clothes from yesterday into a pair of jean shorts, a sleeveless violet top, and a blue and white button-down shirt which she left unbuttoned. She pulled her hair into a half pony tail with gold hair clips on either side of it.
She threw away the now bad TV dinner and quickly made French toast which she shared with White Gold. She sighed happily when she found pencils and an empty notebook. Sitting on the couch, White Gold beside her she began writing, one of her favorite pastimes.
She lost herself in her writing, in the pictures she painted with words. She wrote about the sun set, the sun rise, wrote about the moon, the stars, she wrote about the forest, the ocean, the earth, she wrote about the cherry tree, the blossoms that fell like snow to the ground, and she wrote about the man from her dream last night. She emptied everything she felt into the empty pages until the tension left her.
With the last thing she wrote she didn't feel or think about it at all. It just entered her mind and came through onto her paper. She wrote:
The heart and emotions can conquer the mind of evil.
She sat there studying it wondering why she wrote it when suddenly the doorbell rang. She jumped with a little yell. She looked at White Gold. "In a minute!" she called out. "White Gold, upstairs, now!" she ordered. White Gold quickly disappeared upstairs and into one of the rooms. Kim went up to the door and with a deep breath opened it.
Kento's, Rowen's, Cye's, Ryo's, and Yulie's jaws dropped. The girl standing before them with a nervous smile had the most gorgeous hair they had ever seen. Sage just stared as a warm feeling rushed his heart.
"Ummm, hello!" she said.
"Hel-lo!" Kento said with a slow smile crossing his face.
Kim looked at him with a look of bewilderment.
"I'm Mariko Date. This is my husband Itaro Date," Mrs. Date introduced. "We came to welcome you."
"I'm Kim Doris," she said. She looked over the other faces before her and stopped when she met the violet eyes of a golden blonde haired young man. She paused for a moment staring. Suddenly remembering her manners she opened the door wide. "Would you please come in," she invited.
They entered and found places to sit in the room. "Can I get you anything?" she asked.
"Do you have something I can serve this on?" Mrs. Date asked holding up the food.
"Follow me into the kitchen." Mrs. Date followed and Kim showed her the plates and silverware she had just barely discovered last night. "Are all of them your sons?" Kim asked getting down nine plates.
"Oh no! My son, Sage, is the blonde haired boy. The others are his friends."
"Oh," Kim said absent-mindedly as she got out the silverware. *Why does he, Sage, seem so familiar to me?* Kim's thoughts changed as the wonderful smell of Mrs. Date's cooking filled the kitchen. "It smells divine!" Kim exclaimed.
"Thank you!"
*Why does she, Kim, seem so familiar to me?* Sage thought as he watched her lead his mother into the kitchen."
"She is a real looker!" Kento exclaimed keeping his voice low enough not to be heard by the two in the kitchen.
"That hair is beautiful!" Cye agreed.
Sage staid silent.
"Whoa! Is my son silent in the presence of a possible flirting prospect?" Mr. Date said leaning back in his chair. He gave his son a bemused look.
Sage didn't hear him. Something white near the stairs caught the corner of his eye. He turned but it was gone.
"Well?" Mr. Date repeated. Everyone was looking him.
Sage turned to his father. "Huh?" He honestly had no idea what he had just said.
"I new it!" Ryo said good natured. "He's smitten! The Flirting King of Han'a High's heart has just been stolen!"
Sage glared at him angrily.
Ryo just grinned.
"Here's lunch guys!" Mrs. Date announced as she and Kim came back in with plates of food.
"Drinks!" Kim exclaimed. She got back to her feet from her chair. "I totally forgot! What would you like?"
"Tea if you have any," Mrs. Date said. Everyone agreed.
"English, Earl Gray, Iced, Green, Lemon, or Berry Blend?" Kim added. She laughed at their expressions.
"Iced please."
"All right. I think I'll probably need some help though."
Kento and Sage stood up at the same time. "I'll help."
Kim nervously looked between them.
"Kento why don't you sit and tell me what's happening in the restaurant business," Mr. Date said smoothly.
Kento glared at him. Mr Date raised an eyebrow. Kento sighed and sat mumbling angrily.
Sage followed Kim into the kitchen.
"The tea's in there," Kim said pointing to the refrigerator. "I'll get the glasses down." Kim pulled up a chair and stood on it to reach the glasses.
Sage got the tea out and placed it on the counter.
"So those other guys out there are your friends?" Kim asked. She handed him two glasses.
"Yeah. We've known each other for a long time," Sage said placing the glasses she handed him on the counter. He smiled softly at the memories.
Kim had to reach far into the back to reach the last two glasses. She grabbed them at the same time the chair slipped. She didn't have enough time to scream before she was falling back.
Sage moved quickly and was able to catch her before she hit the table. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Kim turned her head to look at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." She froze when she noticed how close he was, a slight blush racing up her cheeks. His hands were warm where they held her around the waist.
"You're welcome," he said softly. A slight blush crossed his cheeks too.
"Is everything okay here?" Ryo asked pushing through the door. Kento, Cye, Yulie, Rowen, and Mr. and Mrs. Date crowded behind him.
Kim and Sage jumped apart. Both blushed and looked guilty.
"It's okay," Kim said. "I fell off the chair getting the last two glasses," she said placing the unbroken glasses on the counter. "Sage caught me." She gave Sage a sideways glance.
"I'm glad everything's all right," Mrs. Date said.
"Why doesn't everyone grab a glass and lets go into the living room to eat. I'd really like to know the rest of your names," Kim said grabbing a glass and the pitcher of tea.
Sitting back down in the living room, drinks poured, the guys introduced themselves.
"I'm Ryo Sanada."
"Cye Mouri."
"I'm Kento Rei Fuan," Kento said with a wink and with what he thought was a sly, mysterious smile.
Kim gave him an exaggerated smile back, trying not to laugh.
"I'm Rowen Hashiba."
"Nice hair," Kim said as a complement.
"You too," Rowen answered.
Kim smiled. She twisted a lock of it around her finger.
"I'm Yulie Yamano."
"I'm happy to meet you all."
"Where are you from?" Ryo asked.
"Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.A." Kim said. She eyed Kento with a bemused look on her face as he stuffed his face. *That reminds me of Margo somewhat. Only she has manners.*
"What are here for?" Mrs. Date asked.
"This is very good," Kim complimented as a stall as her imagination worked to form a story.
"Thank you."
"My dad's an archaeologist with New Mexico State University," she said, "he's on a dig in South America this summer." At least the university part was true. "I've been with him numerous times in his South American digs and wanted something else. A really good friend of the family, Jun Kaedo, invited me to stay with him in Japan for the summer, and well here I am!" Kim lied. *If only you knew the truth!* she thought.
"And where is Mr. Kaedo?" Mr. Date asked.
"He's on a business trip in England right now."
"You're father's an archaeologist, huh? What does he specialize in?" Rowen asked.
"Anything really. I've been with him all over the world."
"How many languages do you know? You're Japanese is perfect," Mrs. Date said.
"Thank you. I know Chinese, Korean, Mongolian, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Arabic, Islamic, French, Spanish, Greek, Italian, German, Hindu, Russian, and even Irish Gaelic."
"Wow!"
Kim grinned and blushed at the looks of amazement they gave her.
"Sorry Kento, too smart for you!" Cye exclaimed.
"Yeah," Kento sheepishly agreed.
"What does your mom do?" Yulie asked.
Kim's pleasant face fell at the mention of her mother. "Oh. Umm. She-she used to be a veterinarian," she said. Her hand strayed to the scar on her shoulder.
"Used to be!" Yulie asked.
"She died when I was twelve."
"Oh, sorry," Yulie apologized. He knew what it felt like to loose parents. Both of his were gone.
Sage reached out and touched her arm sympathetically. He smiled softly.
She smiled back and turned her head. Her hair brushed his hand.
He blinked at the contact, a weird sensation running through his arm. He removed his hand. "So you'll only be staying in Toyama for a little while?" Sage asked hoping she would be there for a long time.
"Yeah. Maybe even sooner. My stay in Toyama is only temporary until Jun returns from England." She too felt disappointed. *Come on girl! You're from another world and will be going back after the battle!* she reminded herself.
"Well I've got to go," Mr. Date announced. "Got a class to teach at the dojo."
"You teach Martial Arts?" she asked, her attitude brightening.
"I own Date Dojo," he said proudly.
Kim brightened even more. "Could I come by someday and see, maybe practice there? I was supposed to teach at my dojo in Las Cruces this summer, but I came here instead."
"You were supposed to teach this summer?" Sage asked surprised.
Kim nodded. "I've been learning Martial Arts since I was nine and gymnastics since I was four. I can teach both now."
"Wow!" Yulie exclaimed.
Kim winked at him.
"Is there anything you don't know or can't do?" Kento asked.
"Hmmm. Math, chemistry, music, and singing," she said counting on her fingers.
Kento rolled his eyes.
Kim had them put their empty dishes (Kento had finished off what they had left on their plates. "Just like Margo," Kim whispered shaking her head.) in the kitchen and then they went outside. Kim shook each of their hands goodbye.
Sage took her hand gently. "I hope to see you again," he said.
Kim smiled. "You just might." *From another world! From another world!* she reminded herself.
He slowly released her hand. *Butterflies in my stomach. Why?* Sage thought. *She's so familiar!*
He and the boys got into Kento's van while Mr. and Mrs. Date went to the dojo.
As she stood on the porch Kim had a sudden urge to do gymnastics. Kim walked off the small porch and onto the grass of the front lawn. She kicked off her shoes and removed her over shirt. She stood there in the corner of the yard, her back straight and body loose. Her head was bent down as she gathered her thoughts.
"What is she doing?" Kento asked from the passenger's seat after Cye had wrestled the keys from him. "I don't know," Cye said. Sage watched her intently.
Kim's head snapped up and she took a running start. Five steps in she began. *Ariel! Back hand spring, back hand spring, back hand spring-back flip! Land! Turn. Step 1, 2, 3. And, triple...twist...pike! Land. Front flip! Front flip, cartwheel, round off, land!* she thought as she went through the motions.
"Look at that!" Rowen exclaimed.
"Wow!" was all Yulie could say as he watched with admiration.
"She wasn't joking about the gymnastics thing!" Ryo said.
"Beautiful," Sage whispered.
"So Sage," Kento started as Cye drove away, "what do you think?"
"I don't know what to think," Sage honestly said.
"I'm surprised that you weren't your usual flirty self," Ryo said.
"I'm surprised too," Sage admitted. "Just something about her. She seems so familiar to me."
"Maybe you're in love," Rowen suggested.
"Sage! In love!" Kento hooted.
Sage didn't say anything. He just stared out the window and touched his hand where her hair had touched him, the same place where the girl's hair in his dream had touched him.
______________________________________________________________________________
Kim moved easily through the complicated steps and movements of the gymnastics floor routine that helped her win a national competition. She had been good enough to go to the Olympics but she decided not to go.
She finished the routine, ending it to the music of the routine that ran through her head.
She turned around when she heard clapping behind her. It was Jun.
"Very beautiful," he said.
"Thank you." Kim gathered her things and entered the house behind him. White Gold came down and licked his hand in greeting. He trotted over to where Kim sat cross-legged on the couch and got up next to her. She petted him as he put his head in her lap.
"Nice place" she said.
"Thank you. You know you own it," he said. He sat in one of the chairs.
Kim looked at him startled.
"Or at least your father does."
"My dad lives in another dimension, why would he want to own a house here?'
Jun shrugged. "It was the only way I could get this place."
"You mean I can do anything with this place?" She smiled slyly.
"Within reason."
"Hmmm." Then Kim remembered her dream from last night. "Something...weird happened last night."
"What was it?"
Kim explained what had happened. "I'm sorry about your father," she concluded.
"I've accepted it," Jun said softly.
*That's more than me,* she thought. "And your sister? Kayura?"
"That was over four hundred years ago. She's gone by now."
"Sorry," Kim said. "What do you think about the dream?" she asked changing the subject.
"It's interesting," he said.
"That's it? Interesting!" Kim exclaimed.
The Ancient is an entity who does things sometimes that are beyond my powers to explain. This is one."
Kim groaned. "If only I had seen his face!" she exclaimed to herself.
White Gold licked her face.
"I've come to tell you that you have to find the Ronin Warriors soon. The evil that is Rhon is building."
"Peachy," Kim moaned. "I'll go and look on the Internet. If there's anything it should be there. Do I still have my Internet abilities like I do back home?"
"WhiteWolf is waiting for you to read your mail," Jun said smiling.
"Yes!" Kim exclaimed. "Do the Ronins know what's happening?" Kim asked questioningly.
"I think they should. Good luck," Jun said. He stood and disappeared.
"I'm going to need it," Kim sighed. She got to her feet and went past the front and stairs into the office. She turned on the computer and logged on. After a few minutes Kim was angry. She had hit dead end after dead end in her search and was getting frustrated.
"Ahhh!" she yelled. "If only Joanie was here!" she exclaimed referring to her friend who was a computer master. "One last thing," she said. She typed in a few commands and hit Enter. She crossed her arms and leaned her chair back on its back legs glaring at the computer and praying it would find something at the same time. The computer beeped as something came on the screen.
Kim's eyes widened when she saw it and she lost her grip on the back of the desk with her feet. White Gold barely had enough time to get out of the way before Kim and her chair hit the carpeted floor. Excitedly she scrambled to her feet and righted the chair. Sitting she looked over the web page based on the legend of the Ronin Armors. She reached the end and saw the e-mail address of the person who worked the website. Clicking on the name she thought, *Maybe this guy will know something.* After a few moments of thinking she decided to encrypt her message easily so the person, if they knew anything, would easily recognize it. She typed something out and sent it to RoninAngel.
Kim sighed and checked her watch. Her stomach growled confirming it was dinner time. Sighing tiredly and rubbing the back of her neck she went into the kitchen to make dinner. Leaving the computer on.
______________________________________________________________________________
Mia could find very little on Rhon and the Shadow Lands in her grandfathers files. She found only a brief mention of him and a saying in a very ancient language that Mia had no hope of decrypting anytime soon. Frustrated she went online to check her mail.
Ring, ring, ring,
A trapped evil is escaping.
Chime, chime, chime,
His powers have gathered over time.
Shadows will spread and hope will end,
Unless nine plus Peace,
Create the evil's permanent defeat.
Mia gasped when she finished reading the poem. *Someone knows! Someone has information!* She clicked on the return address; WhiteWolf.
What information do you have on this subject?
Mia sent it and then waited.
______________________________________________________________________________
White Gold started barking as he saw a new message came into the Inbox.
Kim can into the office. When she saw what White Gold was barking at she clicked on it.
Enough to probably help you.
Kim sat back and waited.
______________________________________________________________________________
Where do you live?
Mia sent after thinking a moment.
______________________________________________________________________________
Toyama, Japan.
Kim hoped that this person wasn't living in Greenland or someplace like that.
______________________________________________________________________________
Mia thought for a few moments then made up her mind. *I hope I'm doing the right thing,* she thought.
Meet me tomorrow at noon at this address.
Mia hesitated for a few moments before she sent it. *Every bit of information will help,* she thought.
______________________________________________________________________________
Kim quickly copied down the address. Then sent a reply.
Agreed. Till tomorrow.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Author's Note:
Okay, I know this part was long and boring, but it is a part of the story. The next part will have more action in it, I promise! But it might be a while coming out. AP English assignments, as well as assignments from other classes (Anatomy & Physiology and French), can really kill one's social life. ::Mutters under her breath, "If I had one to begin with."::
Another note:
Ronin Warriors is not mine! They belong to someone else, and although I wouldn't mind taking them home with me, they are not mine. All those characters you do not recognize as being from the series are mine, and I would appreciate it if you would ask me to use them is you want to, most likely I will say yes. And to whoever created Ronin Warriors/YST, my hats off to you.
Later!
Keila Tenshi