Rajura stepped out of the shadows of the room, the couple had went to sleep hours earlier, and now the early morning sun was coming through the curtains, he'd estimate it was around 6:30 in the morning. Using his illusions he got into Reisei's mind, twisting her dreams, fashioning them into Ryo and Dana and the rest turning against Reisei. Reisei shifted some in the bed as her dreams were twisted, she moved to a point where one of her hands was pressed over her eyes. Forcing more and more illusion Rajura attempted to make the dreams seem real, so Reisei would confuse them with what really happened. He made her see Ryo and Dana turn on her, made her think that they blamed her for the events of the evening, anything that would give him an edge. Reisei sucked in a deep waking breath and Rajura disappeared from the room knowing the first part of the job was done, Reisei opened her eyes and rubbed them, sitting up slowly.
Ryo blinked and reisei, "morning" He said sitting up, "How are you?"
Reisei looked at him, "I'm fine." She said, maybe a little to fast, she jumped up and grabbed an outfit from her closet then dashed out of the room and down the stairs to the bathroom to change. Ryo blinked and wondered what he said.
~~~~~
Dana slowly opened her eyes then groaned as they were flooded with sunlight, "Mornings need to be outlawed" she mumbled to her self and pulled a pillow over her face.
~~~~~
She changed and splashed water on her face. Why was she still here after last night? She opened the bathroom door and walked to the living room, picking up her ittou makkura she willed it back to normal and stuck it in her back pocket then she walked into the kitchen and put some coffee on.
~~~~~
Seiji groaned. "What time is it?" He asked, he knew it couldn't be any later than 6:45.
"Too Early" Dana said.
Seiji nodded and heard movement. "Sounds like we aren't the only ones up."
"I refuse to get out of bed til' it's at least 7:30.." She said, "It's saturday and I'm sleeping in dangit!" "Sounds good to me." Seiji said pulling the covers over both their heads.
~~~~~
Reisei sat down in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand.
~~~~~
Dana grinned happily and put the pillow back under her head. She closed her eyes and tried to getback to sleep.
~~~~~
Reisei stood up and set her coffee down pacing the kitchen. After all they did to her last night, and she was still here, with them, what had gotten into her..
~~~~~
Seiji attempted to go back to sleep and finally did.
Dana managed to fall asleep again also.
~~~~~
Rajura appeared by the counter and looked at the coffee then at her, "Nervous night?" He asked, poor Reisei nearly jumped out of her skin.
"What do you want?" She snapped.
"Oh c'mon! I know you remember how they treated you, I can take you away from being treated like that, all you must do is agree." Rajura said.
Reisei looked up at the ceiling suspiciously, "You shouldn't have come here to talk." She said to Rajura, he shrugged.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Because, there's a ronin right up stairs!" Reisei said, maybe a bit to loud.
~~~~~
Dana blinked waking up again, "Is it just me or is someone talking to loudly for this time of day?"
~~~~~
Ryo stood up and decided to head downstairs.
~~~~~
"You've got to go!" Reisei whispered to Rajura as she heard movement from the floorboards above them. Rajura nodded and disappeared, Reisei grabbed her cup of coffee and sat at the table.
~~~~~
Dana shook her head dismissing it as her imagination and tried to get back to sleep.
Seiji had woke up too at the sound and slowly stood up. "Something's not right here..."
~~~~~
Ryo walked down stairs, "Is something wrong?" He asked sitting across from her at the table.
~~~~~
Dana looked at him, silently cursing at the sunlight. "what's up?"
~~~~~
Reisei shook her head. "Nope."
Seiji looked confused, "I'm not sure." He said and walked out of the room and into the livingroom enough to see Ryo and Reisei sitting across the table from eachother, Reisei death gripping a cup of coffee.
Dana walked out blinking the sleep out of her eyes, "Morning" She said tiredly, "they should be outlawed...mornings are friggin evil.." She mumbled, "SO! How is everyone this not-so fine morning?"
Reisei looked up and shifted a bit, Seiji noticed this and cast her a suspicious glance. "It's going ok." Reisei said softly under the glance.
Dana nodded, "That's good.." Too tired to pick up on anything...or just too tired to care to pick up on anything.
Reisei just nodded in return and sipped at her coffee.
Dana looked around the silence making her edgy.
Reisei stood up slowly. "I've got to go out and get a couple things, seeing as my one person apartment has went to a four person, I'll be back soon." She said even though she had no intentions of going to pick up a few things.
Dana looked at her, "need any help?" she asked. "
No!" Reisei said as she went towards the door.
Seiji moved like he was going to stop her but decided against it and looked at Ryo.
Dana stepped back, "o-ok.." She said shocked.
Reisei stopped and cast a glare cold as ice at Seiji before unlocking the door, opening it, and hurrying out closing it behind her.
Seiji looked between Dana and Ryo, "Am I the only one who's noticed that Reisei is acting like a fruitcake?!" He asked.
Dana looked around fully alert, "Ok somethings wrong. This isn't Reisei when she's having a bad morning!"
~~~~~
Reisei ran down the street she could have taken the car, but what a waste, she moved quickly, running towards the park at full speed, she knew she'd find Rajura there.
~~~~~
Seiji looked at Ryo.
Ryo, "She is definetly acting differently..."
Dana, "What could have happened.." Whispered.
"I think we should follow her." Seiji declared. "As far as I'm concerned her acting like that she may as well be in the dynasty."
~~~~~
Reisei ran trying to push her legs faster, finally she made it to the park, and just as she thought, Rajura was there.
"You could have walked, I'm in no hurry." He said. Reisei glared at him.
"I am!" She snapped.
~~~~~
Dana turned on him, " DON'T SAY THAT! JUST BECUASE SHE'S ACTING WEIRD DOES NOT MEAN SHE'S ONE Of THOSE.....THOSE....CRACKERJACKS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD!"
Ryo stood back, not sure of what to make of this.
"I'm pointing out the truth. If you won't help me follow her, I'll do it on my own." Seiji said and turned walking for the door.
"I never said I wouldn't follow! I'm just as curious as you! MEN! I swear! You always jump to conclusions! I'm just saying she's not one of them!"
Ryo, "I think it's a good idea to follow her.."
~~~~~
"Joining me?" Rajura asked, Reisei looked around.
"What other choices do I got? Run around that apartment like a chicken with it's head cut off while they all point fingers? Run the streets? No thanks, I'll go somewhere that I'll at least have a roof over my head and suspicions put away." Reisei said.
~~~~~
Seiji opened the door, "Then let's go." He said going out.
Dana followed, She absolutely refused to believe that Reisei would turn.
Ryo followed out the door, unsure of what to make out of this.
~~~~~
"Well then take my hand and come with me." Rajura said, Reisei reached out and took the hand.
~~~~~
Seiji walked down the sidewalk and stopped, "Well, I assume where ever she's going it's by foot." He said looking at her car.
Dana nodded at Seiji's assesment. "Where would she go? I'm fairly sure she wasn't going to get groceries..."
Ryo followed behind quietly.
Seiji mumbled, "Where would a person meet a warlord?" He said it a tad bit louder than he thought he did.
Dana refrained from yelling, "Supposing your correct that she's meeting a warlord I'd say the park..that's where most of our encounters with them have been..."
Ryo's hand twitched but refrained from smacking the blonde.
Seiji looked at Dana, "Then let's check the park." He said and began walking towards the street leading for the park.
Dana followed with Ryo right behind.
Seiji walked down the street uncmfortably, the silence was deadly, but somehow in his gut he knew what he had been hinting at.
Dana felt kind of bad about going off on Sage before.
After a slightly long walk they came to the opening of the park, literally where they'd met up with Rajura two nights before. He looked around.
Dana had a sinking feeling in her gut but did her best to ignore it.
"Well, does anyone see anything?" Seiji asked investigating the area.
Dana looked around, and saw something in the distance, "What's that?" She pointed.
"What?" Seiji looked towards where Dana was pointing.
"I can't tell..."
Seiji began walking in the direction Dana was pointing.
Dana followed behind
Ryo walked behind them trying to make out what they were looking at.
Seiji noticed Reisei as he came closer.
Reisei looked up and saw three familiar heads in the distance, her eyes widened and she grabbed onto Rajura's extended hand. "Now!" She said to Rajura. But he didn't whisk her away, he wanted to see the three stunned faces before he took off.
Dana saw reisei and barely made out Rajura, "no.." She breathed.
Seiji wasn't sure if he should run and try to attack Rajura, or what.
Reisei watched waiting and waiting for Rajura to take her away.
Dana put her hand over her motuh and tried to keep from screaming at Reisei.
Ryo stood dumbfounded.
Rajura shook his head and thought, 'To easy.' to himself and then disappeared with Reisei.
Ryo stood dumbfounded still.
Seiji turned and looked at Ryo and Dana, he didn't say anything, the look on his face was enough, it was a grim, 'I knew it.'
Dana dropped to the ground in shock.
Seiji knelt down in front of Dana, "I'm sorry..." He said.
She refused to believe what was happening, it was just another bad dream, that's all, just a bad dream, she'd wake up any moment and Reisei would be there to greet her and they'd go to the mall and life would be normal, everything was just a bad dream...She knew she was lying to herself. "it's not your fault.." She said looking somewhere else.
Seiji nodded slightly and looked up at Ryo, "We'll get her back."
Ryo looked at him, "yea..we're the ronin warriors...we never lose.." he said absently.
Seiji sighed to himself.
It was later on in the day, they had all made their way back to the apartment and just kind of sat there. There was no discussion on what happened. The sky outside had darkened showing a storm soon to come. A soft clink was suddenly heard on one of the windows. It sounded like crystal on glass. Dana jumped and looked to the window.
~~~~~
Ryo was leing in the bed upstairs staring at the ceiling.
~~~~~
Seiji looked at Dana, "What?" The clinking had stopped.
"nothing" She mumbled, "Must have been My imagination.."
~~~~~
Upstairs the clinking had begun on the window, tauntingly slow.
Ryo snapped his head over to the window, he got up and opened it looking out.
The clinking stopped abruptly and a dark giggle came from somewhere above him, on the roof.
Ryo blinked and tried to figure out what was going on.
The clinking was suddenly heard on the brick above the window.
Ryo stuck his head out further and looked up.
A crystal looking staff clinked against the brick and then moved up some clinking another brick. The dark giggle filling the air again.
Ryo was tempted to climb up to the roof to see what was going on but thought better of it.
~~~~~
Arago was in the room with the other warlords, Nazza had claimed to have figured out how the armor of death worked, the others had been skeptical, but Arago was willing to give the plan a chance, as long as it didn't fail.
~~~~~
"Afraid?" A voice asked floating on the air around Ryo.
"whose there?" He asked.
"Why don't you come up here and find out?" The voice giggled.
Ryo shut the window and ran downstairs and out the front door and ran to where he could see on the roof.
A figure was knelt up on the roof, holding a crystal black and silverish staff in hand, wicked looking black and silver armor clading her body. "Hello down there." She called out, the same voice from the bedroom flowing in the air.
Seiji watched as Ryo ran out, "What got into him?" He asked.
Dana, "I don't know..."
Ryo, "Reisei?"
Seiji, "If he's gone to long I'll go look for him, he probably just needs time alone."
"You rememberd my name, I'm flattered." Reisei said tilting her head.
"Why wouldn't I remeber?" He asked.
"Why wouldn't I remeber?" He asked
"Well, you didn't seem to remember your voice last night when I was being taunted, or when I was being tossed like a rag doll." She said matter-of-factly. Then she disappeared and reappeared in front of him, still in armor, minus her helmet. "But I'm willing to forgive mistakes." She said, her face tantalizingly close to his.
Ryo gulped, "Reisei?"
"Yes?" She looked at him.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm perfectly fine."
"What in the world are you talking about?"
Reisei stepped back, the look of amusement draining from her face. "Are you trying to anger me? Didn't you do enough of the last night?"
"No, I'm not trying to anger you...I just don't know what your talking about..."
~~~~~
AUTHOR NOTE FROM RYIDI: I was running spell check but by page 16 I was sick of it, my main priority right now is to get the story up, so if I can finish it and have more and more time to spell check 63+ pages I will, until then it's staying how it is.
~~~~~
"Please, Ryo, the fight with Rajura, you know, he was right, you only spoke up when it was your name dragged. Or maybe when daddy dearest was around, you didn't even use half your strength, just a small fraction, you wouldn't put any more effort into it."
Ryo stood speechless.
"You look shocked, shocked of what? That I'd actually speak up about it?" Reisei tilted her head.
~~~~~
Seiji tilted his head back against the couch.
Dana, "Maybe we should eat one of these days.." she said not looking away from the wall, her voice betraying no emotion.
"I'll find something, in a bit..." He said.
"ok..."
~~~~~
Reisei crossed her arms over her gut, the metal clanking. "I'm not surprised that you're chosing now to say nothing." She said.
~~~~~
Seiji reached over and hugged Dana.
Dana leaned back against Seiji, "I'm sorry for snapping at you before.."
"It's ok." He said hugging her.
~~~~~
"Silent or not, it still stands, I'm willing to forgive mistakes." Reisei said, the sky seemed to open up around them and a light rain began to fall.
Ryo nodded, "Reisei what's going on?"
~~~~~
Dana closed her eyes and nodded slightly.
~~~~~
"You surprise me with that question, you always looked so much smarter than that. What do you think is going on? I'm offering to forgive and forget, under a circumstance." Reisei said.
~~~~~
Seiji kissed the top of Dana's head. Poor thing had been thorugh so much.
~~~~~
"what circumstance?"
Reisei looked towards Ryo, "Come with me, of course."
~~~~~
Dana, "I don't know what to do anymore in a matter of a couple days my life was turned around then upside down..."
~~~~~
Ryo, "where?"
~~~~~
Seiji nodded. "Don't worry, no matter what I'll always be by you through it."
Dana, "Thankyou so much"
~~~~~
"To the dynasty." Reisei said.
~~~~~
Seiji smiled, "No need to thank me, I wouldn't be able to run from you, or leave you." He said,.
~~~~~
Ryo paled, "You...you didn't join them did you?"
"Rajura was waiting for me when I awoke this morning. Ryo, it's really not so horrible there. A world where the only way you suffer pain is inflicting it on yourself." Reisei banished her armor, her crystal staff replaced by her metal ittou makkura, she stepped towards Ryo and brought her free hand up cupping his cheek.
Ryo stepped back a step, "no..I won't join the Dynasty, I can't, It's my destiny to fight them, be against them....I can't join them.."
"You'd trade being with me to fight against something you're not even certain you can beat?" Reisei asked pulling her hand back, her fingers curling slowly into a lose fist.
"I won't join the dynsty no matter what, Reisei I'm sorry, but it's my duty, my destiny to fight them, I can't deny that"
"Destiny, it's a losely used term, overrated."
"I'm sorry Reisei, nothing anyone , even you, can say will make me turn..."
"It's your duty to fight what you think you should fight. It's your destiny to make your own destiny. And you've made the decision that in your self made destiny your enemy will be me. You're not sorry, you're to full of your self-situated pride to be sorry."
"Reisei..."
The rain had started to fall harder, leaving them both soaked, "Reisei what?"
"Why...why did you join the dynasty..?"
"What did I have here? Pointed fingers? You claiming to stick up for me when you only stuck up for yourself? A friend who ran from me at a dream, a mere dream? A father who used me as a human punching bag?"
Ryo stood speechless.
~~~~~
Dana opened her eyes and stared out the window watching the rain fall, "Do you think Ryo is ok in that storm?"
Seiji nodded, "I'm sure he's fine."
Dana nodded and stared at the rain that was falling on the window.
~~~~~
"I was offered protection, a place to be without having my comrads being the ones who hurt me most, and all for the simple cost of dedicating my services to Arago."
She rubbed one hand over one of her cheeks and pulled it away, being able to smell, just hardly, but still smell the salty tears. "Rajura, the dynasty, it offered an escape from this." She said and raised her palm facing him as if to show him the tears even though she knew he couldn't see them on her skin or mixed with the rain falling on her hand.
Ryo was still speechless.
"But I can see that it's something you refuse to want, and refuse to accept, therefore placing me as your enemy." She paused closing her eyes and pulling in a breath, "Be ready, Ryo, you will have to battle me sometime." She said and turned.
Ryo stood not knowing what to do.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Reisei asked and then lifted her head, "Love that is. The emotion of greatness, more like the emotion of pain. That's why I tried avoding falling for you. Here I am, deliberately disobeying orders on the first day, for you. I wasn't sent to talk, I was sent to attack, and if I can't save you, then I must attack you, my love." Reisei said turning back to him, "Yoroi Kokushibyou Tao Metsubou." She called softly, hardly even audible until her armor covered her.
Ryo looked down.
"Call your armor, I refuse to fight you unarmed." She said, a certain coldness covering her face, no doubt to keep her emotionless in battle.
"I refuse to hurt you.." he said.
The coldness broke for a second to a look of undescribableness. Then it returned. "Call your armor, Ryo." She said.
He summoned his sub armor, "I won't hurt you.."
Reisei tried to ignore his comment. "Call the armor of Wildfire. Call it, Ryo."
"no.."
"Come now, Wildfire, call the armor, it's not polite to keep a lady waiting." Rajura said as he appeared about ten feet behind Reisei.
Ryo summoned his armor, "I won't hurt her..."
"She's here to fight you. You'll fight back or easily be killed, and we all know that there's no sport in that. It's easier to get a struggle as you kill those you care about, isn't that right, Reisei?" Rajura asked, Reisei didn't answer, "Reisei!" He said.
Reisei mumbled a small, "Yes sir."
Ryo was speechless.
Rajura walked, past Reisei, right to in front of Ryo, "What's it like, boy? To watch such a powerful girl be treated like a puppet on strings, that's all she is, really." Rajura said, and said it low enough that only Ryo would hear, then he turned and walked back to his original position.
"She's not a puppet.." He said aloud.
Reisei looked between Ryo and Rajura.
"Whatever would you be talking about?" Rajura asked grinning.
Ryo glared.
~~~~~
Dana, "what are you thinking about?" She asked, her eyes never leaving the winodw, her voice still betraying no emotion.
Seiji, "I don't know really, it just feels, different. Last night she was fighting with us, now we can't find her, and even saw her disappearing holding hands with Rajura."
Dana moved to a position where she was curled up next to Seiji, she put her arms around his shoulders but never stopped staring out the window even as she put her head on his shoulder, "I just wish I knew why...."
~~~~~
"Reisei, I'm growing bored of this, attack him now." Rajura said, Reisei didn't seem to register, she made no attempt to move. "I said now." Rajura said again, sounding a bit agitated. This time Reisei nodded blankly as she lifted her staff and spun it over her head, then stopped it and brung it down, black orb touching the ground.
"Akumu..." She began as she lifted the orb from the ground, the silver veins in it begining to pulse, "Kokushibyou..." She finished and looked at Ryo, the look totaly contradicting her next move. The look saying she didn't want to, while she lunged forward and thrust the black orb outward towards his gut, that if hit would blast him onto his back like he'd been in the path of a bomb.
~~~~~
Seiji stroked Dana's hair, "I do too..." He said, "Not just for Reisei's sake...for Ryo's too..." He said.
~~~~~
Ryo flipped backwards in order to dodge the attack but made no move to attack.
"Spoiled sport." Rajura tisked. "Reisei, stand down." He said, Reisei lowered her staff to the ground and stepped back. Rajura walked over to Ryo again, pulling his Chi Lin Tou from back, "Tame as a cat." He said stepping passed Reisei, then he looked at Ryo, and once again, only audible to him and Ryo, he smirked. "I told you, Wildfire, she is a pupet now, the dynasty's puppet, she will do anything to avoid being hurt." Rajura's grin turned to a triumphant smile.
Ryo still made no move to attack.
"It's amazing what a person can do with the ability to change someone's dreams, change how realistic they are." He grinned and looked over his shoulder at Reisei. "And what beautiful dreams they had been." He said looking back at Ryo smugly.
Ryo balled his fist and slugged Raj right in the jaw, "shut up!"
Rajura growled and rubbed his jaw. "Did I strike a nerve, Wildfire?"
"I said...Shut up!"
~~~~~
Seiji sighed and closed his eyes. Poor Ryo. Poor Dana.
Dana watched the raindrops hit the window and run down.
~~~~~
"I appears I did indeed strike a nerve. Tell me, what was it that made you snap? That I got into her dreams? Or that at one time every dream I rotted had been something beautiful? Or maybe it is just her, herself? She is quite easy on the eyes, ne?" Rajura grinned.
Ryo slugged him again, "Stay away from her!"
~~~~~
Seiji, "I don't know when or how, but we will have Reisei back, Dana."
Dana, "I hope so...I hope so.."
~~~~~
"You're treading on thin ice, boy. You don't give my orders, Arago gives my orders, and I give hers." Rajura said and after rubbing his jaw again he cocked his thumb over his shoulder towards Reisei. "What are you afraid of, anyway?" Rajura got cocky and grinned, "That she'd chose me over you?"
~~~~~
"We will." Seiji said hugging Dana gently.
~~~~~
Ryo glared.
~~~~~
Dana, "I can't help thinking I might be to blame for this...with everything that happened yesterday and all..."
Seiji hugged Dana again, "No, whatever happened to Reisei happened for reasons even beyond her control. None of it is your fault."
Dana shook her head, "yesterday, after they were attacked in the park I had been sleeping in her room, I had a dream, a dream about Reisei Dana took a deep breath Reisei attacked me with her Ittou Makkura, I woke up I saw her in the shadows coming up the stairs and I reacted badly, even though she said she forgave me I think I really hurt her...I feel really bad about that..."
Seiji hugged her, "Dana, your dream did not decide why Reisei did what she did today, you can't blame yourself for it."
Dana, "I suppose your right..but I don't know what I can be sure of anymore..."
Seiji hugged Dana again, he didn't have anymore advice.
~~~~~
"Hmm, is that it? Oh well, she'll chose who she's told to chose. Just like she'll hurt who she's told to hurt. And kill ho she's told to kill." Rajura said.
Ryo continued to glare.
Reisei watched the two men, even though she couldn't tell what was being said.
"Don't worry, I promise I'll take good care of her." Rajura said smugly.
"She gave you the alternative route, Wildfire, you turned it down, and in doing so turned your back on her!" Rajura said loudly enough for Reisei to hear, and when the girl lowered her head Rajura grinned smugly again. "I do love a good puppet." He hissed at Ryo.
Ryo glared not nowing what else to do.
"And he says nothing, just as he did before, Reisei." Rajura called over his shoulder, Reisei's armored hands had both clamped around her staff.
Reisei looked at Ryo and Rajura.
"Reisei!" Rajura beckoned Reisei forward, she stopped just short of reaching him. "Do your work." He said.
"Pardon?" Reisei asked.
"Give him a good jolting." Rajura said, and Reisei froze. Rajura stepped away, giving Reisei plenty of room to grab Ryo's hand and send a nearly fatal amount of electricity through him.
~~~~~
Dana hugged Seiji tighter.
"It'll be ok." Seiji whispered.
~~~~~
Ryo stood there not attacking or making any move too.
"Well? We don't have all day!" Rajura snapped at Reisei, she looked at him and then to Ryo and moved to him, she reached up and pulled his helmet level with hers, and making Rajura think she was just toying with her mind she looked at him.
"Go, please, break away, run, shove me to the ground, whatever you have to, just go. I can't force myself to hurt you under anyone's orders. I didn't join them to hurt you, I joined to avoid hurting more, so just go!" She whispered.
Ryo nodded slightly and pulled away and ran going back to sub armor. He headed towards the apartment.
Reisei watched him go until one of Rajura's hands clamped onto her shoulder, dragging her back to the nether realm. He did not look happy.
~~~~~
Seiji looked up as Ryo ran in, soaked and in subarmor. "What happened?" He asked.
Ryo, "Rajura......and Reisei is with them.."
Seiji, "What? When?"
Dana, "What about Reisei?"
Seiji looked at Dana then back to Ryo.
Ryo, "she's just a puppet to them....Rajura messed with her dreams which caused her to turn to their side..."
Seiji looked half surprised. "And does Reisei realize this or does Rajura still have her brain rinsed, washed, and dried?"
Ryo, "I'd say rinsed, washed, and dried.." He banished his sub armor and sat in a chair.
Dana buried her face in Seiji's shoulder. "oh gods no..."
"Did you face them both?" Seiji asked looking at Ryo wondering how the hell he got away if he was face to face with both, he hugged Dana tightly.
Ryo, "In a way..Rajura was barking orders at Reisei, she said she joined the Dynasty to escape the hurt, not to hurt..."
Seiji blinked, "That doesn't make any sense. Not just her joining to escape hurt but not to hurt...But also Rajura barking orders, was she following them without hesitation?"
Ryo, "I don't know..It seemed like she was hesitating at some points and her face looked like she didn't want to attack..I have no idea.."
"How'd you manage to get the hell outta there?"
"Reisei let me run...she even told me too..."
"That doesn't make any sense, if she's working for them why would she risk it to let you get away? Not to mention...what hurt was she running from?" Seiji asked.
"I'm not sure, I think she was running from not being accepted.."
"She didn't say?" Seiji asked and then realized he should let it drop, "Why don't you go rest, Ryo, you've had a long day."
Ryo nodded a bit and headed upstairs and laid bck down on the bed.
Seiji shook his head and sighed then hugged Dana again.
Dana, "I don't believe it...how could they treat her like a puppet? a mere puppet?"
"The dynasty is a cruel place, they've obviously sugar coated it to get her there, or Rajura did at least. I'd like to know what he did to her mind as she slept to make her have dreams severe enough to cause her to up and leave you and Ryo behind." Seiji said.
Dana nodded.
"I promise, we'll get Reisei back, even if we have to kidnap her and chain her down until she agrees to stay." Seiji said.
Dana almost smiled, "yea.."
"Until then you should sleep too, it's been rough on you as well." He said.
"I'm comfy right here," She yawned and fell asleep.
Seiji smiled some and held Dana.
~~~~~
Seiji moved slowly and let Dana lay on the couch as he got up and walked around the living room trying to think. "I guess the first thing to do would be to let the rest of the ronins know." Seiji mumbled to himself and walked to the phone picking it up, he dialed some numbers then held the phone up to his ear and waited for one of the guys, Mia, or Yuli to answer.
Mia grabbed the phone, "Hello?"
"Mia, it's Seiji, we've got a problem, are the guys around?" Seiji asked.
"Yea, their fighting over lunch at the moment..."
"Well, get them on speaker phone." Seiji said, rolling his eyes at the thought of the guys fighting over lunch.
"Hold on a sec," Mia, "HEY!" The ronins looked up, "What?" Mia, sweatdrop, "Get over here! Seiji's on the phone!"
Seiji blinked hearing Mia have to yell at the guys.
The guys all stopped and sat around the phone, Mia turned on the speaker phone, "Ok"
"Hey guys. We've got a small problem." Seiji's voice showing that 'small' was an understatement.
"Go on.." Shin prompted.
"Miss. Fight happy, symbol of death tattooed on her ankle, bearer of an armor we know nothing about Reisei took off this morning and..."
The ronins sweatdropped at the description.
"Well, thanks to some screwing with dreams on Rajura's part, she joined the dynasty."
"Hows Ryo and Dana taking it?" Mia asked.
"Dana's taking it pretty hard and I'd say she's faring better than Ryo, if that gives any idea how hard he's taking it." Seiji said.
Mia, "yea kinda.."
"Guys, it may be just me, but I get the feeling Ryo isn't going to be fight ready any time soon." Seiji said.
"You may be right..." Shin asked, "Do you think Dana may be able to fight? She mey not have armor but she is very capable of fighting..."
"I don't know about Dana, probably, I'll have to see when she wakes up."
"Look, Ryo already came pretty close to having to fight Reisei. The dynasty i using her as a pupet, Ryo said Rajura was barking orders at her that she seemed hesitant to follow, so we may still have something to work with in terms of getting her back without the use of force." Seiji said.
"I hope that's true.." Touma spoke up.
"I think we all do." Seiji said, "Keep on the lookout though, if she gets tricked to much by those, crackerjacks, as the Reisei we know would put it, she could probably become pretty lethal. Ryo said that when he had to face her before though she told him to run away, actually let him get away, with Rajura standing right there."
"What reason could she possibly have for turning though?" Touma asked.
"Ryo said she said something about turning to avoid pain? It's hard to tell, we also don't know what kind of hellish nightmares she was given either, or how real they seemed to her, her and Dana weren't in the strongest state of mind last night."
Touma nodded, "With everything that happened last night I don't think he had to make extremely real..."
"Or he made it unbearably real, it's hard to tell." Seiji said.
"yea...Do you want us to come over?" Mia asked.
"If you think you should, but there's not much really going on, or to do. Dana is sleeping, Ryo is upstairs, I don't know if he's sleeping or what he'd doing, and I'm on the phone with you guys."
Seiji walked into the kitchen and saw the cup of coffee Reisei had been drinking still on the table, and long since cold. "Think this thing could get anymore confusing?" He asked into the phone.
"I'll round up the guys and we'll head over...If they attack again I don't think only you can take care of them if neither Dana or Eyo can fight.." Mia said grabbing the car keys.
"I don't know.." Touma said.
"Ok, sounds good. We'll sit down and try to figure this out when you guys get here." Seiji said.
"ok See you in a few" Mia said.
"See ya." Seiji said and hung up.
Mia hung up the phone and herded the guys out of the house with Whiteblaze and Yuli.."
~~~~~
Upstairs: The sound of the Ancient Staff's ring clinging together began to float across the room as the robed, white hair man came from a seeming no where to stand in the middle of the room and look at the form of the young man laying on the bed.
Ryo cracked an eye open, "Ancient?"
"Yes, Wildfire." The Ancient Said.
"Whatare you doing here?"
"You're confused, are you not?"
"Yes Ancient Very Confused..."
"I'm here to offer what help I can. The girl you faced today was not the bearer of the armor of Death that you knew, merely a dynasty controled shell, and act, and even as Illusion refered to her, a puppet. Could you tell the difference, between the dynasty created shell and the one you knew?"
"yes.."
"But you still believed that they were one in the same, just one tricked, didn't you?"
"yes.."
"That is where the assumptions are wrong. The real bearer of death is there, trapped in dormacy by nightmares of a scale she couldn't handel on her own, but was unable to wake up from and seek comfort. The bearer of death you see is the dynasty pulling the strings, trying to trick you, nothing that you see from Death is her controlling it, it's the dynasty, she's still trapped in with the nightmares. Everything she says, every way she looks, everything she does is the dynasty putting up an act, to fool you, and the rest of the ronins."
Ryo blinked, "what should I do?"
"I can't answer that. I don't know how to bring her back, but you've got to beware. You may even have to give the shell a couple knocks, the real Reisei would only be able to feel the after effects, if there were any left, when she was pulled from her dormant state." The Ancient said.
"Are you saying we can hurt the shell but it wouldn't effect Reisei?"
"Yes, it wouldn't affect the real one at least, the one being trapped inside." The Ancient nodded.
"I still don't think I could try to fight her purposefully..."
"You may not have a choice."
Ryo nodded.
"The Armor of Death is no trifling thing, Wildfire. There is legend that the Armor of Death teamed with another armor creates a team, depending on what the hearts of the team consist of decides if this team saves the world, or destroys it. This is where it gets confusing, again, it's unknown what armor teams up with the Armor of Death to create this team. Common sense would make one think the other strongest armor, the Wildfire, but it's not known for sure."
Ryo blinked, "So is there another armor we have to find?"
"It's hard to tell, most likely there is, but if there isn't that pins the Inferno as the strongest, along with Death. If that's right then you're the second part of the team, the dynasty catches you, and it's all over." The Ancient said grimly.
"Well, There's no way I'm going to join the dynasty.." Ryo said.
The Ancient nodded then was gone leaving that all familiar clinking sound behind.
Ryo laid back down on the bed trying to sort out this new information.
Seiji walked up the stairs slowly and knocked on the doorframe, "Ryo? You awake?"
"Yea, I'm awake."
Seiji came in. "Hey, the guys are coming over, I was wondering if you wanted to come down or if I should tell them you're sleeping when they get here?"
: "I'll come down,"Ryo said standing, "I just had a talk with the ancient..there's some stuff we should get cleared up.."
"Really?" Seiji asked.
Mia pulled into the parking lot and parked by the apartment.
Yea.." Ryo said walking down stairs.
"Ok." Seiji followed him down the stairs.
Mia herded the guys out of the car, Shuu was complaining about having to miss the rest of lunch, and they walked up to the door and knocked.
Seiji walked over and answered the door hearing knocking.
" We're here!" Yuli said stating the obvious.
"Come on in." Seiji said stepping aside.
Mia and the guys walked in.
Ryo, "hey guys.."
"Dana's still sleeping, Ryo, as you can see, decided to join us." Seiji said.
Shuu, "Should we be honored?" Shin, "Ignore him he's cranky cause he had to miss the rest of lunch.."
Seiji grabbed a pillow from the loveseat and chucked it at Shuu's head.
Shuu grabbed the pillow, "Hey! What was that for!?"
"For being cranky, come on guys, have a seat." Seiji said and walked to the couch hauling the sleeping Dana up and carrying her into the guestroom laying her down then coming back out.
The guys sat down and Shuu pouted, "I have every right to be cranky!" He threw the pillow at Seiji's head.
Seiji caught the pillow and sat it down and then looked at Ryo, "So, what did the Ancient have to say?"
Ryo,"Well first of all the Reisei we'll be fighting is just a shell, he said whatever we do to the shell won't effect the real Reisei, and The Armor of Death is not an armor to be taken lightly, Legend says that when the Armor of Death is paired up with another armor they make a team, and depending on the bearers the armors can either save or destroy the world, the other armor is unknown The Ancient says that it might be the inferno and if its not we have another armor to find..."Seiji nodded. "Ok, so how do we get the real Reisei back?"
"He's not sure.."
"Well that helps.." Seiji mumbled and then realized that unless Mia had explained what was going on to Yuli the kid would be completely lost, and looking at them like they were complete idiots.
Yuli was looking at them like they were complete idiots.
And Yuli himself was looking like he was a complete idiot.
Seiji looked over at Yuli, "You're just to smart to figure us out Little man!" He said with a deep tinge of sarcasum.
Yuli blinked, "huh?"
It took everything in Seiji to keep him from cracking up.
Mia shook her head.
Seiji looked at the guys. "So what do we do now?" He asked.
The guys blinked, "No clue.." Tuoma said, "FOOD!" Guess....
"I don't know how much food is in the kitchen, but you're welcome to look." Seiji said.
Shuu jumped up and ran to go raid the kitchen.
Seiji shook his head. "Why don't you go to, Yuli. The two geniuses can talk over lunch." Seiji said.
Yuli nodded happily, He didn't get that geniuos was an insult and followed after Shuu.
Seiji looked at the remaining occupants in the living room. "So, when do we think they're gonna strike again?" He asked refering to the dynasty.
"No clue.." Shin said.
Seiji looked around.
Finally he stood up, "I can't just sit here." He stated.
Yuli popped his head out of the kitchen, " I thought the Couch was plenty comfy..."
Seiji rolled his eyes, "You have such a firm grasp on the obvious."
Yuli blinked and went back into the kitchen.
Seiji looked around the room and grinned.
"what?" Shin asked.
"He's so easy to insult." Seiji grinned not naming names.
Mia shook her head, "Your lucky he doesn't understand.."
"Am I?" Seiji asked.
"If he understood your remarks he'd break into tears and never be quiet..."
"I'm sure Reisei keeps a roll of duct tape somewhere..."
Everyone sweatdropped.
Seiji shook his head and then walked over to a window, the rain that had started earlier was still hitting it.
Yuli walked into the room, "i'm bored..."
"We are to, but the matter at hand is a little more important than if we're bored or not." Seiji said.
"What's Matter? and where's Hand?"
Seiji wanted to beat his head on the window. "Never mind Yuli, go eat some more."
"But I'm full and Shuu won't let me have any food anyways....and there isn't much left..."
Seiji sighed. "Ok." He looked at the others, "Do we have any ideas on what to do?"
"nope." "none" "nadda"
Seiji looked over at Ryo, "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"I'm fine"
"Ok."
Seiji turned back to look out the window, and immediately fell on his butt. "R...r...r...r...r...!!!" He pointed towards the window, by the time everyone looked what Seiji had seen would be gone.
Yuli looked at Seiji, "Are you ok? Your ACTING NUTS..."
"Right now I feel nuts..." Seiji murmered when he found his voice.
"What happened?" Ryo asked.
"Reisei...I...turned to the window, and grinning back at me was Reisei..."
"I beleive it.." Ryo said.
Lightning hit extremly hard right outside the apartment, literally sounding like a bomb dropped.
"Think someone's trying to give us a message?"
Dana's eyes shot open and she sat up slowly, she rubbed her eyes trying to figure out what happened.
"Maybe.." Shin said.
Seiji looked around the room, "Well, should we go out there?"
"Do we wanna get fried?" Shuu asked walking back in.
Lighting struck again. "Good point."
"Running from a fight so easy?" One of those all to familiar but completely evil voices called out, coming from the stair well.
The ronins looked towards the stiar well with shocked faces and gasped.
Reisei stood there, face blanketed with shadows, "That is what that was you know, a challenge."
Shuu looked at her and with a sarcastic note in his tone, "Gee Ya THINK!?"
"Well, you're the ones who stayed inside. Afraid you'd get fried." She started laughing some, "The OH SO GREAT Ronin Warriors, afraid of a little lightning." She grinned.
Shuu grumbled.
She made her way down the rest of the stairs. "Amusing bunch, very amusing."
Shuu continued to grumble.
Reisei spooted Yuli and raised an eyebrow.
Yuli, "Who are you?"
"Why, haven't your friends told you? I'm Reisei. C'mere little boy." She said innocently and extended her hand to Yuli.
Yuli smiled and went over to shake The 'Nice' Ladies hand
Reisei pulled Yuli up and looked at the ronins, "How many others around you have such a firm grasp on reality?" She asked sarcasticly.Seiji sweatdropped badly.
"I don't know!"
Reisei tapped her finger against Yuli's nose, "Cute as a button!" She said sarcasticly.
Yuli giggled like the girl he is!
"What's your name?" Reisei asked. Seiji pondered the situation, he could let Reisei kill Yuli and the kid would be off their hands...NO! He wasn't supposed to think like that.
"Yuli!"
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Yuli. Now, who do your friends say the bad guys are?"
"I don't think I was paying attention, But I know its the Dynasty!"
Reisei smiled, "They only say that because they don't understand. Now, would you believe me if I told you they've been lying to you? The big bad Ronin Warriors are bullies, they've been telling you the dynasty is the bad side, but it's rubbish!" Reisei said convincingly.
"But..but The Dynasty took my parents away.."
"And what proof do you have of that? Something some ol tin can says? They like to exaggerate, dear Yuli. We don't have your parents, and we didn't take them away."
"then where are they?"
The ronins and Mia sweatdropped.
"Maybe you should ask the ronins." Reisei said, she looked towards the group and part of her mouth lifted in a smirk.
"but they already said the Dynasty had them.."
"Oh Yuli, if the ronins lied to you about the dynasty being all bad, don't you think they could have lied to you about that?" Reisei asked, "I'm hurt at the idea that we'd take away the parents of such a...good...little boy." Reisei said forcing a hurt tone into her voice.
"Maybe," he brightened, "Will you help me find my parents?"
Puppy dog eyes, "Please!??"
"Of course." Reisei said.
"yay!"
She looked at the ronins.
The ronins stood dumbfounded.
"But Yuli, why don't you go give the ronins something for lying to you." She leaned towards Yuli's ear and whispered only in his ear shot, "Like a good punch where it counts." She set Yuli down.
Yuli nodded and ran over to a random Ronin and did what he was told.
Shuu fell over tears streaming down his face. "Darn....kid..."
"He deserved it, didn't he Yuli?" Reisei asked.
Yuli nodded.
"What about the others? Can't forget them."
Yuli nodded and ran around doing as he was told. The ronins sank to the ground.
"Except for Ryo, I've got a better thing for him to get."
Yuli nodded.
Reisei looked at Ryo.
Ryo took a step back.
She left her subarmor, standing in a short black dress. "There, harmless as a kitten." She said and then turned towards the stairs. "If you're in the least intrested in what I have to say, I suggest you follow, while Yuli takes care of the boys." Reisei grinned and began walking up the stairs.
Ryo gulped and followed her upstairs.
She closed the door hard when he got in the room. "You followed, I'm surprised."
Seiji was on knees, one hand holding him up, he was biting his lip hard.
Yuli decided to continue kicking instead since he got to the ronins once already.
Mia buried her face in a pillow to keep from laughing.
Whiteblaze sweatdropped.
Seiji watched Yuli get near him again and pulled his hand up long enough to slap Yuli acorss the face. "Are you completely stupid?!"
Yuli kicked him and ran off, to start over on the ronins again, "YOUR MEAN! THAT GIRL WAS RIGHT!"
Dana heard screaming in the front room and watched as Yuli ran and Kicked Shuu again.
"Please, she doesn't need anymore encouragement! Even if she is upstairs!" Seiji groaned and tried to stand up.
Dana ran into the room and immediatly put her hands on his shoulders, "What are you doing little boy?" She asked sweetly kneeling down to look him in the face.
Reisei pulled herself to sitting on the dresser.
"They lied to me and the nice lady who told me the truth told me to get them back.." he said innocently.
Dana shook her head, "What's your name?"
Ryo looked at reisei.
"Yuli"
"Well, Yuli My names Dana, who told you they lied to you?"
Yuli thought for a moment, "Reisei,"
"So! I'm in a bit of a predicament, Wildfire. See, Arago's little idea blew up in his face, and since Nazza and the other warlords were prompty...reconditioned...I was sent out in their place on a bit of a mission. I've got to bring you back with me. Or I have to bring the other four ronins back with me. You can see where this might pose a problem, five on one odds are not good. Not even to catch one of the five fish." She said,
"Why does he need me or the others?"
Reisei looked innocent, "How should I know?"
Seiji finally got to his feet.
Dana somehow managed to talk Yuli out of kicking the ronins more.
"What do you want me to do?" He asked.
"Well, if I've got to bring you back, or bring the other four back, it's kind of obvious what I'm asking, anyhow, "She pouted, "Don't you want to be with me?"
"I want to be with the Real Reisei not a shell for the Dynasty"
She blinked, and growled, "And just how did you know?" She gritted her teeth.
"I have connections..."
"I see, the Ancient right? Old man can't keep his nose out of anything."
"Your right."
She cocked her eyebrows. "I'll make you a trade."
"What?"
"You join the dynasty long enough for a little hush hush plan of ours to go through, and I let Reisei go." She smirked.
"No deal."
"You must really be fond of the idea of nightmares plauging her to dormacy." She shrugged, "No matter. You may not be willing to give up for just Reisei, but," She summoned the Armor of Death and walked to the door opening it and heading down the stairs, "I'm sure when it comes to your friends too you'll give in quite quickly."
Ryo ran after her sumnmoning his armor.
The armored feet pounded down the stairs and then she spun holding the pointed end of her staff out at him if he were to come any closer.
Ryo stopped.
"I will spear you like a fish, don't doubt that for a moment." She hissed.
Yuli, Who had been sitting on the couch bored, ran over and hugged Reisei's leg, "YAY! THE NICE LADIES BACK!!"
"Yes, I'm back, now listen little boy, this is going to get dangerous, so run far away from here, out to the field, run now!" She said.
Yuli nodded and ran to the field happily.
"Quite an annoying child." She mumbled and then stepped back some and pulled her staff into both hands, she flipped it and touched the black orb to the ground, "Kokushibyou," The veins in the orb began to throb
Dana stepped backwards, this wasn't something she wanted to deal with at the moment.
"Dzuki," As did the veins in the base, she lifted it back up, holding it above her head
"Gadan!" She brought the staff down, slamming the pointed tip into the floor and splitering through it, a sharp explosion errupting from the point of contact and blasting it's way outward in all directions with near lethalness.
The ronins and Mia and dana were knocked backwards Quite a bit Dana and Mia passing out along with Shin.
Reisei, or her body at least, sprinted forward hard and scopped Shin over on shoulder and Mia over the other, she didn't have any use for the girl except maybe for randsom. "See ya when I come back for the rest, handsome!" She grinned over her shoulder at Ryo as she disappeared with Shin and Mia.
Shuu and Touma cursed and Ryo stood dumbfounded.
Seiji pulled himself up and made his way over to Dana.
Ryo banished his armor and sat on the staircase.
Seiji picked up Dana and carried her back into the room laying her back on the bed, then he walked out of the room and looked at Ryo sympatheticly.
~~~~~
Reisei reappeared in the feild Yuli was playing in. "Thank you." She said to the little boy, her victums had done been dropped off at the dynasty.
Yuli looked up at Reisei, "Huh? Why are you thanking me?"
"Silly boy. Your foolishness to trust a warlordess got Mia and Shin captured. And many of the others hurt. Oh dear, how will you explain now, that you could be so easily decived?" She grinned wickedly.
Yuli broke into tears and was wailing at the top of huis lungs.
"Oh, don't cry, you're not the first idiot that I've used this body to get at!" She snapped and then disappeared.
Yuli continued to wail.
~~~~~
In Dana's dream a small black flame had begun to burn, a face came into veiw behind the flame, it was Reisei, her eyes unfocused as she stared into the flame, frozen in place except for an occasional sob, and a never ending stream of tears running down her cheeks.
Dana, herself in the dream, looked at the flame, "Reisei?" She whispered fearfully.
There was no response from the crying girl, who seemed almost to be floating in some sort of space, her hair trailing out behind her.
Dana, her physical self, curled into a ball.
~~~~~
Seiji hadn't looked away from his friend sitting on the staircase. He wasn't sure what to make of Ryo's face.
Ryo stared at the wall.
~~~~~
Dana, her dream self, yelled to no one in particular, "SOME ONE!! TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!?"
The floatiness in the dream seemed to pull Dana closer, letting her see that, unlike thought before, there was more reaction than just streams of tears, Reisei's lips were moving in a shaky, silent talk.
Dana focused trying to read what Reisei was saying.
The lips movements became clearer for the first part of the message, 'Ryo' and 'Dana' were able to be made out.
Dana continued to focus hoping to make more sense out of it.
'Don't' was able to be made out next, followed by 'Give', 'Up', 'On', and 'Me.' But once again the movements were blurred, leaving more of the message unsolved.
"Reisei! What should we do? How can we help?"
The image itself began to fade.
"Reisei! Don't go!"
It faded completely leaving Dana to wake.
Dana woke up and sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. Trying to sort out what happened.
~~~~~
Seiji stepped onto the staircase and sat by Ryo, "It wasn't her, you have to remember that, you can't let what your eyes saw fool you, Reisei may have been a fight happy girl, but she was not that monster." Seiji said.
Ryo nodded, "I know..I just don't know what we're going to do when she returns, Arago realized his mistake and now he's after us I don't know his plans but Reisei was sent to get us all..."
"We'll just have to try to stay one step ahead." Seiji said. Ryo nodded.
"I'm going to go check on Dana." Seiji said and stood up, then he looked at Ryo, "You're also wondering how we're going to crack the real Reisei out of there, aren't you?"
"yea.."
"Don't worry, we'll find a way." Seiji said.
Ryo,"Thanks man"
"You're welcome, Ryo." Seiji said and walked down the stairs and into the room, he looked at the bed and saw Dana, "You're up!" He said.
"Yea"
"How do you feel?" He asked.
"I feel fine, how about you?"
"I'm fine. Just worried about you, and Ryo." He said sitting on the bed.
"I saw Reisei"
"What? Oh. Yes, you saw Reisei, or, well, the idiot that is using her body. She was here causing trouble." Seiji said thinking maybe Dana had forgotten some of it.
Dana shook her head, "No, I saw the REAL Reisei"
"What?" Seiji looked at her.
"When I was unconciuos..I had a dream Reisei was surrounded by I guess black fire is how I would describe it, She was mouthing something, I could only make out some of it.."
"Oh? Maybe I should get Ryo, he'd want to hear this..." Seiji said standing up.
"ok"
Seiji walked to the doorway and peeked his head out, he looked up the stairwell at Ryo. "Hey Ryo...You um....might want to come here a second..." Seiji said.
Ryo got up and went into the room, "What's up?"
"Dana...she um...saw Reisei in a dream..." Seiji said pulling back into the room as Ryo came in.
Dana nodded, "I couldn't make out all of what she said but I did make out 'Dana' and 'Ryo' and 'Don't give up on me' then she disappeared."
Seiji looked between Dana and Ryo.
Ryo leaned against the wall letting it sink in.
Seiji looked at Ryo.
Ryo, "Then we won't give up for her, though I doubt we were gonna anyways."
Dana nodded.
Seiji also nodded, "Who knows, if you get some sleep she might pay you a visit too." He said in a hopeful voice.
Ryo, "That's an idea but I don't think I can sleep.."
"I wasn't just saying it to be nice, I was also saying it because you need the rest." Seiji stated in an almost older-brotherly-tone.
"I know I just don't think I can get to sleep."
"Well, try. Dana, Shuu, Touma, and I will discuss what we can do." Seiji said.
Ryo gave up and headed up stairs.
Seiji watched him go and looked towards Dana, "He really does need the rest." He said.
"yea..I think your right.."
"I know I'm right!" Seiji forced a grin, "That's why I was so stubborn!"
Dana smiled a little.
Seiji hugged her.
Dana hugged back.
(Time lapse)
Ryo blinked and reisei, "morning" He said sitting up, "How are you?"
Reisei looked at him, "I'm fine." She said, maybe a little to fast, she jumped up and grabbed an outfit from her closet then dashed out of the room and down the stairs to the bathroom to change. Ryo blinked and wondered what he said.
~~~~~
Dana slowly opened her eyes then groaned as they were flooded with sunlight, "Mornings need to be outlawed" she mumbled to her self and pulled a pillow over her face.
~~~~~
She changed and splashed water on her face. Why was she still here after last night? She opened the bathroom door and walked to the living room, picking up her ittou makkura she willed it back to normal and stuck it in her back pocket then she walked into the kitchen and put some coffee on.
~~~~~
Seiji groaned. "What time is it?" He asked, he knew it couldn't be any later than 6:45.
"Too Early" Dana said.
Seiji nodded and heard movement. "Sounds like we aren't the only ones up."
"I refuse to get out of bed til' it's at least 7:30.." She said, "It's saturday and I'm sleeping in dangit!" "Sounds good to me." Seiji said pulling the covers over both their heads.
~~~~~
Reisei sat down in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand.
~~~~~
Dana grinned happily and put the pillow back under her head. She closed her eyes and tried to getback to sleep.
~~~~~
Reisei stood up and set her coffee down pacing the kitchen. After all they did to her last night, and she was still here, with them, what had gotten into her..
~~~~~
Seiji attempted to go back to sleep and finally did.
Dana managed to fall asleep again also.
~~~~~
Rajura appeared by the counter and looked at the coffee then at her, "Nervous night?" He asked, poor Reisei nearly jumped out of her skin.
"What do you want?" She snapped.
"Oh c'mon! I know you remember how they treated you, I can take you away from being treated like that, all you must do is agree." Rajura said.
Reisei looked up at the ceiling suspiciously, "You shouldn't have come here to talk." She said to Rajura, he shrugged.
"Why not?" He asked.
"Because, there's a ronin right up stairs!" Reisei said, maybe a bit to loud.
~~~~~
Dana blinked waking up again, "Is it just me or is someone talking to loudly for this time of day?"
~~~~~
Ryo stood up and decided to head downstairs.
~~~~~
"You've got to go!" Reisei whispered to Rajura as she heard movement from the floorboards above them. Rajura nodded and disappeared, Reisei grabbed her cup of coffee and sat at the table.
~~~~~
Dana shook her head dismissing it as her imagination and tried to get back to sleep.
Seiji had woke up too at the sound and slowly stood up. "Something's not right here..."
~~~~~
Ryo walked down stairs, "Is something wrong?" He asked sitting across from her at the table.
~~~~~
Dana looked at him, silently cursing at the sunlight. "what's up?"
~~~~~
Reisei shook her head. "Nope."
Seiji looked confused, "I'm not sure." He said and walked out of the room and into the livingroom enough to see Ryo and Reisei sitting across the table from eachother, Reisei death gripping a cup of coffee.
Dana walked out blinking the sleep out of her eyes, "Morning" She said tiredly, "they should be outlawed...mornings are friggin evil.." She mumbled, "SO! How is everyone this not-so fine morning?"
Reisei looked up and shifted a bit, Seiji noticed this and cast her a suspicious glance. "It's going ok." Reisei said softly under the glance.
Dana nodded, "That's good.." Too tired to pick up on anything...or just too tired to care to pick up on anything.
Reisei just nodded in return and sipped at her coffee.
Dana looked around the silence making her edgy.
Reisei stood up slowly. "I've got to go out and get a couple things, seeing as my one person apartment has went to a four person, I'll be back soon." She said even though she had no intentions of going to pick up a few things.
Dana looked at her, "need any help?" she asked. "
No!" Reisei said as she went towards the door.
Seiji moved like he was going to stop her but decided against it and looked at Ryo.
Dana stepped back, "o-ok.." She said shocked.
Reisei stopped and cast a glare cold as ice at Seiji before unlocking the door, opening it, and hurrying out closing it behind her.
Seiji looked between Dana and Ryo, "Am I the only one who's noticed that Reisei is acting like a fruitcake?!" He asked.
Dana looked around fully alert, "Ok somethings wrong. This isn't Reisei when she's having a bad morning!"
~~~~~
Reisei ran down the street she could have taken the car, but what a waste, she moved quickly, running towards the park at full speed, she knew she'd find Rajura there.
~~~~~
Seiji looked at Ryo.
Ryo, "She is definetly acting differently..."
Dana, "What could have happened.." Whispered.
"I think we should follow her." Seiji declared. "As far as I'm concerned her acting like that she may as well be in the dynasty."
~~~~~
Reisei ran trying to push her legs faster, finally she made it to the park, and just as she thought, Rajura was there.
"You could have walked, I'm in no hurry." He said. Reisei glared at him.
"I am!" She snapped.
~~~~~
Dana turned on him, " DON'T SAY THAT! JUST BECUASE SHE'S ACTING WEIRD DOES NOT MEAN SHE'S ONE Of THOSE.....THOSE....CRACKERJACKS FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD!"
Ryo stood back, not sure of what to make of this.
"I'm pointing out the truth. If you won't help me follow her, I'll do it on my own." Seiji said and turned walking for the door.
"I never said I wouldn't follow! I'm just as curious as you! MEN! I swear! You always jump to conclusions! I'm just saying she's not one of them!"
Ryo, "I think it's a good idea to follow her.."
~~~~~
"Joining me?" Rajura asked, Reisei looked around.
"What other choices do I got? Run around that apartment like a chicken with it's head cut off while they all point fingers? Run the streets? No thanks, I'll go somewhere that I'll at least have a roof over my head and suspicions put away." Reisei said.
~~~~~
Seiji opened the door, "Then let's go." He said going out.
Dana followed, She absolutely refused to believe that Reisei would turn.
Ryo followed out the door, unsure of what to make out of this.
~~~~~
"Well then take my hand and come with me." Rajura said, Reisei reached out and took the hand.
~~~~~
Seiji walked down the sidewalk and stopped, "Well, I assume where ever she's going it's by foot." He said looking at her car.
Dana nodded at Seiji's assesment. "Where would she go? I'm fairly sure she wasn't going to get groceries..."
Ryo followed behind quietly.
Seiji mumbled, "Where would a person meet a warlord?" He said it a tad bit louder than he thought he did.
Dana refrained from yelling, "Supposing your correct that she's meeting a warlord I'd say the park..that's where most of our encounters with them have been..."
Ryo's hand twitched but refrained from smacking the blonde.
Seiji looked at Dana, "Then let's check the park." He said and began walking towards the street leading for the park.
Dana followed with Ryo right behind.
Seiji walked down the street uncmfortably, the silence was deadly, but somehow in his gut he knew what he had been hinting at.
Dana felt kind of bad about going off on Sage before.
After a slightly long walk they came to the opening of the park, literally where they'd met up with Rajura two nights before. He looked around.
Dana had a sinking feeling in her gut but did her best to ignore it.
"Well, does anyone see anything?" Seiji asked investigating the area.
Dana looked around, and saw something in the distance, "What's that?" She pointed.
"What?" Seiji looked towards where Dana was pointing.
"I can't tell..."
Seiji began walking in the direction Dana was pointing.
Dana followed behind
Ryo walked behind them trying to make out what they were looking at.
Seiji noticed Reisei as he came closer.
Reisei looked up and saw three familiar heads in the distance, her eyes widened and she grabbed onto Rajura's extended hand. "Now!" She said to Rajura. But he didn't whisk her away, he wanted to see the three stunned faces before he took off.
Dana saw reisei and barely made out Rajura, "no.." She breathed.
Seiji wasn't sure if he should run and try to attack Rajura, or what.
Reisei watched waiting and waiting for Rajura to take her away.
Dana put her hand over her motuh and tried to keep from screaming at Reisei.
Ryo stood dumbfounded.
Rajura shook his head and thought, 'To easy.' to himself and then disappeared with Reisei.
Ryo stood dumbfounded still.
Seiji turned and looked at Ryo and Dana, he didn't say anything, the look on his face was enough, it was a grim, 'I knew it.'
Dana dropped to the ground in shock.
Seiji knelt down in front of Dana, "I'm sorry..." He said.
She refused to believe what was happening, it was just another bad dream, that's all, just a bad dream, she'd wake up any moment and Reisei would be there to greet her and they'd go to the mall and life would be normal, everything was just a bad dream...She knew she was lying to herself. "it's not your fault.." She said looking somewhere else.
Seiji nodded slightly and looked up at Ryo, "We'll get her back."
Ryo looked at him, "yea..we're the ronin warriors...we never lose.." he said absently.
Seiji sighed to himself.
It was later on in the day, they had all made their way back to the apartment and just kind of sat there. There was no discussion on what happened. The sky outside had darkened showing a storm soon to come. A soft clink was suddenly heard on one of the windows. It sounded like crystal on glass. Dana jumped and looked to the window.
~~~~~
Ryo was leing in the bed upstairs staring at the ceiling.
~~~~~
Seiji looked at Dana, "What?" The clinking had stopped.
"nothing" She mumbled, "Must have been My imagination.."
~~~~~
Upstairs the clinking had begun on the window, tauntingly slow.
Ryo snapped his head over to the window, he got up and opened it looking out.
The clinking stopped abruptly and a dark giggle came from somewhere above him, on the roof.
Ryo blinked and tried to figure out what was going on.
The clinking was suddenly heard on the brick above the window.
Ryo stuck his head out further and looked up.
A crystal looking staff clinked against the brick and then moved up some clinking another brick. The dark giggle filling the air again.
Ryo was tempted to climb up to the roof to see what was going on but thought better of it.
~~~~~
Arago was in the room with the other warlords, Nazza had claimed to have figured out how the armor of death worked, the others had been skeptical, but Arago was willing to give the plan a chance, as long as it didn't fail.
~~~~~
"Afraid?" A voice asked floating on the air around Ryo.
"whose there?" He asked.
"Why don't you come up here and find out?" The voice giggled.
Ryo shut the window and ran downstairs and out the front door and ran to where he could see on the roof.
A figure was knelt up on the roof, holding a crystal black and silverish staff in hand, wicked looking black and silver armor clading her body. "Hello down there." She called out, the same voice from the bedroom flowing in the air.
Seiji watched as Ryo ran out, "What got into him?" He asked.
Dana, "I don't know..."
Ryo, "Reisei?"
Seiji, "If he's gone to long I'll go look for him, he probably just needs time alone."
"You rememberd my name, I'm flattered." Reisei said tilting her head.
"Why wouldn't I remeber?" He asked.
"Why wouldn't I remeber?" He asked
"Well, you didn't seem to remember your voice last night when I was being taunted, or when I was being tossed like a rag doll." She said matter-of-factly. Then she disappeared and reappeared in front of him, still in armor, minus her helmet. "But I'm willing to forgive mistakes." She said, her face tantalizingly close to his.
Ryo gulped, "Reisei?"
"Yes?" She looked at him.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm perfectly fine."
"What in the world are you talking about?"
Reisei stepped back, the look of amusement draining from her face. "Are you trying to anger me? Didn't you do enough of the last night?"
"No, I'm not trying to anger you...I just don't know what your talking about..."
~~~~~
AUTHOR NOTE FROM RYIDI: I was running spell check but by page 16 I was sick of it, my main priority right now is to get the story up, so if I can finish it and have more and more time to spell check 63+ pages I will, until then it's staying how it is.
~~~~~
"Please, Ryo, the fight with Rajura, you know, he was right, you only spoke up when it was your name dragged. Or maybe when daddy dearest was around, you didn't even use half your strength, just a small fraction, you wouldn't put any more effort into it."
Ryo stood speechless.
"You look shocked, shocked of what? That I'd actually speak up about it?" Reisei tilted her head.
~~~~~
Seiji tilted his head back against the couch.
Dana, "Maybe we should eat one of these days.." she said not looking away from the wall, her voice betraying no emotion.
"I'll find something, in a bit..." He said.
"ok..."
~~~~~
Reisei crossed her arms over her gut, the metal clanking. "I'm not surprised that you're chosing now to say nothing." She said.
~~~~~
Seiji reached over and hugged Dana.
Dana leaned back against Seiji, "I'm sorry for snapping at you before.."
"It's ok." He said hugging her.
~~~~~
"Silent or not, it still stands, I'm willing to forgive mistakes." Reisei said, the sky seemed to open up around them and a light rain began to fall.
Ryo nodded, "Reisei what's going on?"
~~~~~
Dana closed her eyes and nodded slightly.
~~~~~
"You surprise me with that question, you always looked so much smarter than that. What do you think is going on? I'm offering to forgive and forget, under a circumstance." Reisei said.
~~~~~
Seiji kissed the top of Dana's head. Poor thing had been thorugh so much.
~~~~~
"what circumstance?"
Reisei looked towards Ryo, "Come with me, of course."
~~~~~
Dana, "I don't know what to do anymore in a matter of a couple days my life was turned around then upside down..."
~~~~~
Ryo, "where?"
~~~~~
Seiji nodded. "Don't worry, no matter what I'll always be by you through it."
Dana, "Thankyou so much"
~~~~~
"To the dynasty." Reisei said.
~~~~~
Seiji smiled, "No need to thank me, I wouldn't be able to run from you, or leave you." He said,.
~~~~~
Ryo paled, "You...you didn't join them did you?"
"Rajura was waiting for me when I awoke this morning. Ryo, it's really not so horrible there. A world where the only way you suffer pain is inflicting it on yourself." Reisei banished her armor, her crystal staff replaced by her metal ittou makkura, she stepped towards Ryo and brought her free hand up cupping his cheek.
Ryo stepped back a step, "no..I won't join the Dynasty, I can't, It's my destiny to fight them, be against them....I can't join them.."
"You'd trade being with me to fight against something you're not even certain you can beat?" Reisei asked pulling her hand back, her fingers curling slowly into a lose fist.
"I won't join the dynsty no matter what, Reisei I'm sorry, but it's my duty, my destiny to fight them, I can't deny that"
"Destiny, it's a losely used term, overrated."
"I'm sorry Reisei, nothing anyone , even you, can say will make me turn..."
"It's your duty to fight what you think you should fight. It's your destiny to make your own destiny. And you've made the decision that in your self made destiny your enemy will be me. You're not sorry, you're to full of your self-situated pride to be sorry."
"Reisei..."
The rain had started to fall harder, leaving them both soaked, "Reisei what?"
"Why...why did you join the dynasty..?"
"What did I have here? Pointed fingers? You claiming to stick up for me when you only stuck up for yourself? A friend who ran from me at a dream, a mere dream? A father who used me as a human punching bag?"
Ryo stood speechless.
~~~~~
Dana opened her eyes and stared out the window watching the rain fall, "Do you think Ryo is ok in that storm?"
Seiji nodded, "I'm sure he's fine."
Dana nodded and stared at the rain that was falling on the window.
~~~~~
"I was offered protection, a place to be without having my comrads being the ones who hurt me most, and all for the simple cost of dedicating my services to Arago."
She rubbed one hand over one of her cheeks and pulled it away, being able to smell, just hardly, but still smell the salty tears. "Rajura, the dynasty, it offered an escape from this." She said and raised her palm facing him as if to show him the tears even though she knew he couldn't see them on her skin or mixed with the rain falling on her hand.
Ryo was still speechless.
"But I can see that it's something you refuse to want, and refuse to accept, therefore placing me as your enemy." She paused closing her eyes and pulling in a breath, "Be ready, Ryo, you will have to battle me sometime." She said and turned.
Ryo stood not knowing what to do.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Reisei asked and then lifted her head, "Love that is. The emotion of greatness, more like the emotion of pain. That's why I tried avoding falling for you. Here I am, deliberately disobeying orders on the first day, for you. I wasn't sent to talk, I was sent to attack, and if I can't save you, then I must attack you, my love." Reisei said turning back to him, "Yoroi Kokushibyou Tao Metsubou." She called softly, hardly even audible until her armor covered her.
Ryo looked down.
"Call your armor, I refuse to fight you unarmed." She said, a certain coldness covering her face, no doubt to keep her emotionless in battle.
"I refuse to hurt you.." he said.
The coldness broke for a second to a look of undescribableness. Then it returned. "Call your armor, Ryo." She said.
He summoned his sub armor, "I won't hurt you.."
Reisei tried to ignore his comment. "Call the armor of Wildfire. Call it, Ryo."
"no.."
"Come now, Wildfire, call the armor, it's not polite to keep a lady waiting." Rajura said as he appeared about ten feet behind Reisei.
Ryo summoned his armor, "I won't hurt her..."
"She's here to fight you. You'll fight back or easily be killed, and we all know that there's no sport in that. It's easier to get a struggle as you kill those you care about, isn't that right, Reisei?" Rajura asked, Reisei didn't answer, "Reisei!" He said.
Reisei mumbled a small, "Yes sir."
Ryo was speechless.
Rajura walked, past Reisei, right to in front of Ryo, "What's it like, boy? To watch such a powerful girl be treated like a puppet on strings, that's all she is, really." Rajura said, and said it low enough that only Ryo would hear, then he turned and walked back to his original position.
"She's not a puppet.." He said aloud.
Reisei looked between Ryo and Rajura.
"Whatever would you be talking about?" Rajura asked grinning.
Ryo glared.
~~~~~
Dana, "what are you thinking about?" She asked, her eyes never leaving the winodw, her voice still betraying no emotion.
Seiji, "I don't know really, it just feels, different. Last night she was fighting with us, now we can't find her, and even saw her disappearing holding hands with Rajura."
Dana moved to a position where she was curled up next to Seiji, she put her arms around his shoulders but never stopped staring out the window even as she put her head on his shoulder, "I just wish I knew why...."
~~~~~
"Reisei, I'm growing bored of this, attack him now." Rajura said, Reisei didn't seem to register, she made no attempt to move. "I said now." Rajura said again, sounding a bit agitated. This time Reisei nodded blankly as she lifted her staff and spun it over her head, then stopped it and brung it down, black orb touching the ground.
"Akumu..." She began as she lifted the orb from the ground, the silver veins in it begining to pulse, "Kokushibyou..." She finished and looked at Ryo, the look totaly contradicting her next move. The look saying she didn't want to, while she lunged forward and thrust the black orb outward towards his gut, that if hit would blast him onto his back like he'd been in the path of a bomb.
~~~~~
Seiji stroked Dana's hair, "I do too..." He said, "Not just for Reisei's sake...for Ryo's too..." He said.
~~~~~
Ryo flipped backwards in order to dodge the attack but made no move to attack.
"Spoiled sport." Rajura tisked. "Reisei, stand down." He said, Reisei lowered her staff to the ground and stepped back. Rajura walked over to Ryo again, pulling his Chi Lin Tou from back, "Tame as a cat." He said stepping passed Reisei, then he looked at Ryo, and once again, only audible to him and Ryo, he smirked. "I told you, Wildfire, she is a pupet now, the dynasty's puppet, she will do anything to avoid being hurt." Rajura's grin turned to a triumphant smile.
Ryo still made no move to attack.
"It's amazing what a person can do with the ability to change someone's dreams, change how realistic they are." He grinned and looked over his shoulder at Reisei. "And what beautiful dreams they had been." He said looking back at Ryo smugly.
Ryo balled his fist and slugged Raj right in the jaw, "shut up!"
Rajura growled and rubbed his jaw. "Did I strike a nerve, Wildfire?"
"I said...Shut up!"
~~~~~
Seiji sighed and closed his eyes. Poor Ryo. Poor Dana.
Dana watched the raindrops hit the window and run down.
~~~~~
"I appears I did indeed strike a nerve. Tell me, what was it that made you snap? That I got into her dreams? Or that at one time every dream I rotted had been something beautiful? Or maybe it is just her, herself? She is quite easy on the eyes, ne?" Rajura grinned.
Ryo slugged him again, "Stay away from her!"
~~~~~
Seiji, "I don't know when or how, but we will have Reisei back, Dana."
Dana, "I hope so...I hope so.."
~~~~~
"You're treading on thin ice, boy. You don't give my orders, Arago gives my orders, and I give hers." Rajura said and after rubbing his jaw again he cocked his thumb over his shoulder towards Reisei. "What are you afraid of, anyway?" Rajura got cocky and grinned, "That she'd chose me over you?"
~~~~~
"We will." Seiji said hugging Dana gently.
~~~~~
Ryo glared.
~~~~~
Dana, "I can't help thinking I might be to blame for this...with everything that happened yesterday and all..."
Seiji hugged Dana again, "No, whatever happened to Reisei happened for reasons even beyond her control. None of it is your fault."
Dana shook her head, "yesterday, after they were attacked in the park I had been sleeping in her room, I had a dream, a dream about Reisei Dana took a deep breath Reisei attacked me with her Ittou Makkura, I woke up I saw her in the shadows coming up the stairs and I reacted badly, even though she said she forgave me I think I really hurt her...I feel really bad about that..."
Seiji hugged her, "Dana, your dream did not decide why Reisei did what she did today, you can't blame yourself for it."
Dana, "I suppose your right..but I don't know what I can be sure of anymore..."
Seiji hugged Dana again, he didn't have anymore advice.
~~~~~
"Hmm, is that it? Oh well, she'll chose who she's told to chose. Just like she'll hurt who she's told to hurt. And kill ho she's told to kill." Rajura said.
Ryo continued to glare.
Reisei watched the two men, even though she couldn't tell what was being said.
"Don't worry, I promise I'll take good care of her." Rajura said smugly.
"She gave you the alternative route, Wildfire, you turned it down, and in doing so turned your back on her!" Rajura said loudly enough for Reisei to hear, and when the girl lowered her head Rajura grinned smugly again. "I do love a good puppet." He hissed at Ryo.
Ryo glared not nowing what else to do.
"And he says nothing, just as he did before, Reisei." Rajura called over his shoulder, Reisei's armored hands had both clamped around her staff.
Reisei looked at Ryo and Rajura.
"Reisei!" Rajura beckoned Reisei forward, she stopped just short of reaching him. "Do your work." He said.
"Pardon?" Reisei asked.
"Give him a good jolting." Rajura said, and Reisei froze. Rajura stepped away, giving Reisei plenty of room to grab Ryo's hand and send a nearly fatal amount of electricity through him.
~~~~~
Dana hugged Seiji tighter.
"It'll be ok." Seiji whispered.
~~~~~
Ryo stood there not attacking or making any move too.
"Well? We don't have all day!" Rajura snapped at Reisei, she looked at him and then to Ryo and moved to him, she reached up and pulled his helmet level with hers, and making Rajura think she was just toying with her mind she looked at him.
"Go, please, break away, run, shove me to the ground, whatever you have to, just go. I can't force myself to hurt you under anyone's orders. I didn't join them to hurt you, I joined to avoid hurting more, so just go!" She whispered.
Ryo nodded slightly and pulled away and ran going back to sub armor. He headed towards the apartment.
Reisei watched him go until one of Rajura's hands clamped onto her shoulder, dragging her back to the nether realm. He did not look happy.
~~~~~
Seiji looked up as Ryo ran in, soaked and in subarmor. "What happened?" He asked.
Ryo, "Rajura......and Reisei is with them.."
Seiji, "What? When?"
Dana, "What about Reisei?"
Seiji looked at Dana then back to Ryo.
Ryo, "she's just a puppet to them....Rajura messed with her dreams which caused her to turn to their side..."
Seiji looked half surprised. "And does Reisei realize this or does Rajura still have her brain rinsed, washed, and dried?"
Ryo, "I'd say rinsed, washed, and dried.." He banished his sub armor and sat in a chair.
Dana buried her face in Seiji's shoulder. "oh gods no..."
"Did you face them both?" Seiji asked looking at Ryo wondering how the hell he got away if he was face to face with both, he hugged Dana tightly.
Ryo, "In a way..Rajura was barking orders at Reisei, she said she joined the Dynasty to escape the hurt, not to hurt..."
Seiji blinked, "That doesn't make any sense. Not just her joining to escape hurt but not to hurt...But also Rajura barking orders, was she following them without hesitation?"
Ryo, "I don't know..It seemed like she was hesitating at some points and her face looked like she didn't want to attack..I have no idea.."
"How'd you manage to get the hell outta there?"
"Reisei let me run...she even told me too..."
"That doesn't make any sense, if she's working for them why would she risk it to let you get away? Not to mention...what hurt was she running from?" Seiji asked.
"I'm not sure, I think she was running from not being accepted.."
"She didn't say?" Seiji asked and then realized he should let it drop, "Why don't you go rest, Ryo, you've had a long day."
Ryo nodded a bit and headed upstairs and laid bck down on the bed.
Seiji shook his head and sighed then hugged Dana again.
Dana, "I don't believe it...how could they treat her like a puppet? a mere puppet?"
"The dynasty is a cruel place, they've obviously sugar coated it to get her there, or Rajura did at least. I'd like to know what he did to her mind as she slept to make her have dreams severe enough to cause her to up and leave you and Ryo behind." Seiji said.
Dana nodded.
"I promise, we'll get Reisei back, even if we have to kidnap her and chain her down until she agrees to stay." Seiji said.
Dana almost smiled, "yea.."
"Until then you should sleep too, it's been rough on you as well." He said.
"I'm comfy right here," She yawned and fell asleep.
Seiji smiled some and held Dana.
~~~~~
Seiji moved slowly and let Dana lay on the couch as he got up and walked around the living room trying to think. "I guess the first thing to do would be to let the rest of the ronins know." Seiji mumbled to himself and walked to the phone picking it up, he dialed some numbers then held the phone up to his ear and waited for one of the guys, Mia, or Yuli to answer.
Mia grabbed the phone, "Hello?"
"Mia, it's Seiji, we've got a problem, are the guys around?" Seiji asked.
"Yea, their fighting over lunch at the moment..."
"Well, get them on speaker phone." Seiji said, rolling his eyes at the thought of the guys fighting over lunch.
"Hold on a sec," Mia, "HEY!" The ronins looked up, "What?" Mia, sweatdrop, "Get over here! Seiji's on the phone!"
Seiji blinked hearing Mia have to yell at the guys.
The guys all stopped and sat around the phone, Mia turned on the speaker phone, "Ok"
"Hey guys. We've got a small problem." Seiji's voice showing that 'small' was an understatement.
"Go on.." Shin prompted.
"Miss. Fight happy, symbol of death tattooed on her ankle, bearer of an armor we know nothing about Reisei took off this morning and..."
The ronins sweatdropped at the description.
"Well, thanks to some screwing with dreams on Rajura's part, she joined the dynasty."
"Hows Ryo and Dana taking it?" Mia asked.
"Dana's taking it pretty hard and I'd say she's faring better than Ryo, if that gives any idea how hard he's taking it." Seiji said.
Mia, "yea kinda.."
"Guys, it may be just me, but I get the feeling Ryo isn't going to be fight ready any time soon." Seiji said.
"You may be right..." Shin asked, "Do you think Dana may be able to fight? She mey not have armor but she is very capable of fighting..."
"I don't know about Dana, probably, I'll have to see when she wakes up."
"Look, Ryo already came pretty close to having to fight Reisei. The dynasty i using her as a pupet, Ryo said Rajura was barking orders at her that she seemed hesitant to follow, so we may still have something to work with in terms of getting her back without the use of force." Seiji said.
"I hope that's true.." Touma spoke up.
"I think we all do." Seiji said, "Keep on the lookout though, if she gets tricked to much by those, crackerjacks, as the Reisei we know would put it, she could probably become pretty lethal. Ryo said that when he had to face her before though she told him to run away, actually let him get away, with Rajura standing right there."
"What reason could she possibly have for turning though?" Touma asked.
"Ryo said she said something about turning to avoid pain? It's hard to tell, we also don't know what kind of hellish nightmares she was given either, or how real they seemed to her, her and Dana weren't in the strongest state of mind last night."
Touma nodded, "With everything that happened last night I don't think he had to make extremely real..."
"Or he made it unbearably real, it's hard to tell." Seiji said.
"yea...Do you want us to come over?" Mia asked.
"If you think you should, but there's not much really going on, or to do. Dana is sleeping, Ryo is upstairs, I don't know if he's sleeping or what he'd doing, and I'm on the phone with you guys."
Seiji walked into the kitchen and saw the cup of coffee Reisei had been drinking still on the table, and long since cold. "Think this thing could get anymore confusing?" He asked into the phone.
"I'll round up the guys and we'll head over...If they attack again I don't think only you can take care of them if neither Dana or Eyo can fight.." Mia said grabbing the car keys.
"I don't know.." Touma said.
"Ok, sounds good. We'll sit down and try to figure this out when you guys get here." Seiji said.
"ok See you in a few" Mia said.
"See ya." Seiji said and hung up.
Mia hung up the phone and herded the guys out of the house with Whiteblaze and Yuli.."
~~~~~
Upstairs: The sound of the Ancient Staff's ring clinging together began to float across the room as the robed, white hair man came from a seeming no where to stand in the middle of the room and look at the form of the young man laying on the bed.
Ryo cracked an eye open, "Ancient?"
"Yes, Wildfire." The Ancient Said.
"Whatare you doing here?"
"You're confused, are you not?"
"Yes Ancient Very Confused..."
"I'm here to offer what help I can. The girl you faced today was not the bearer of the armor of Death that you knew, merely a dynasty controled shell, and act, and even as Illusion refered to her, a puppet. Could you tell the difference, between the dynasty created shell and the one you knew?"
"yes.."
"But you still believed that they were one in the same, just one tricked, didn't you?"
"yes.."
"That is where the assumptions are wrong. The real bearer of death is there, trapped in dormacy by nightmares of a scale she couldn't handel on her own, but was unable to wake up from and seek comfort. The bearer of death you see is the dynasty pulling the strings, trying to trick you, nothing that you see from Death is her controlling it, it's the dynasty, she's still trapped in with the nightmares. Everything she says, every way she looks, everything she does is the dynasty putting up an act, to fool you, and the rest of the ronins."
Ryo blinked, "what should I do?"
"I can't answer that. I don't know how to bring her back, but you've got to beware. You may even have to give the shell a couple knocks, the real Reisei would only be able to feel the after effects, if there were any left, when she was pulled from her dormant state." The Ancient said.
"Are you saying we can hurt the shell but it wouldn't effect Reisei?"
"Yes, it wouldn't affect the real one at least, the one being trapped inside." The Ancient nodded.
"I still don't think I could try to fight her purposefully..."
"You may not have a choice."
Ryo nodded.
"The Armor of Death is no trifling thing, Wildfire. There is legend that the Armor of Death teamed with another armor creates a team, depending on what the hearts of the team consist of decides if this team saves the world, or destroys it. This is where it gets confusing, again, it's unknown what armor teams up with the Armor of Death to create this team. Common sense would make one think the other strongest armor, the Wildfire, but it's not known for sure."
Ryo blinked, "So is there another armor we have to find?"
"It's hard to tell, most likely there is, but if there isn't that pins the Inferno as the strongest, along with Death. If that's right then you're the second part of the team, the dynasty catches you, and it's all over." The Ancient said grimly.
"Well, There's no way I'm going to join the dynasty.." Ryo said.
The Ancient nodded then was gone leaving that all familiar clinking sound behind.
Ryo laid back down on the bed trying to sort out this new information.
Seiji walked up the stairs slowly and knocked on the doorframe, "Ryo? You awake?"
"Yea, I'm awake."
Seiji came in. "Hey, the guys are coming over, I was wondering if you wanted to come down or if I should tell them you're sleeping when they get here?"
: "I'll come down,"Ryo said standing, "I just had a talk with the ancient..there's some stuff we should get cleared up.."
"Really?" Seiji asked.
Mia pulled into the parking lot and parked by the apartment.
Yea.." Ryo said walking down stairs.
"Ok." Seiji followed him down the stairs.
Mia herded the guys out of the car, Shuu was complaining about having to miss the rest of lunch, and they walked up to the door and knocked.
Seiji walked over and answered the door hearing knocking.
" We're here!" Yuli said stating the obvious.
"Come on in." Seiji said stepping aside.
Mia and the guys walked in.
Ryo, "hey guys.."
"Dana's still sleeping, Ryo, as you can see, decided to join us." Seiji said.
Shuu, "Should we be honored?" Shin, "Ignore him he's cranky cause he had to miss the rest of lunch.."
Seiji grabbed a pillow from the loveseat and chucked it at Shuu's head.
Shuu grabbed the pillow, "Hey! What was that for!?"
"For being cranky, come on guys, have a seat." Seiji said and walked to the couch hauling the sleeping Dana up and carrying her into the guestroom laying her down then coming back out.
The guys sat down and Shuu pouted, "I have every right to be cranky!" He threw the pillow at Seiji's head.
Seiji caught the pillow and sat it down and then looked at Ryo, "So, what did the Ancient have to say?"
Ryo,"Well first of all the Reisei we'll be fighting is just a shell, he said whatever we do to the shell won't effect the real Reisei, and The Armor of Death is not an armor to be taken lightly, Legend says that when the Armor of Death is paired up with another armor they make a team, and depending on the bearers the armors can either save or destroy the world, the other armor is unknown The Ancient says that it might be the inferno and if its not we have another armor to find..."Seiji nodded. "Ok, so how do we get the real Reisei back?"
"He's not sure.."
"Well that helps.." Seiji mumbled and then realized that unless Mia had explained what was going on to Yuli the kid would be completely lost, and looking at them like they were complete idiots.
Yuli was looking at them like they were complete idiots.
And Yuli himself was looking like he was a complete idiot.
Seiji looked over at Yuli, "You're just to smart to figure us out Little man!" He said with a deep tinge of sarcasum.
Yuli blinked, "huh?"
It took everything in Seiji to keep him from cracking up.
Mia shook her head.
Seiji looked at the guys. "So what do we do now?" He asked.
The guys blinked, "No clue.." Tuoma said, "FOOD!" Guess....
"I don't know how much food is in the kitchen, but you're welcome to look." Seiji said.
Shuu jumped up and ran to go raid the kitchen.
Seiji shook his head. "Why don't you go to, Yuli. The two geniuses can talk over lunch." Seiji said.
Yuli nodded happily, He didn't get that geniuos was an insult and followed after Shuu.
Seiji looked at the remaining occupants in the living room. "So, when do we think they're gonna strike again?" He asked refering to the dynasty.
"No clue.." Shin said.
Seiji looked around.
Finally he stood up, "I can't just sit here." He stated.
Yuli popped his head out of the kitchen, " I thought the Couch was plenty comfy..."
Seiji rolled his eyes, "You have such a firm grasp on the obvious."
Yuli blinked and went back into the kitchen.
Seiji looked around the room and grinned.
"what?" Shin asked.
"He's so easy to insult." Seiji grinned not naming names.
Mia shook her head, "Your lucky he doesn't understand.."
"Am I?" Seiji asked.
"If he understood your remarks he'd break into tears and never be quiet..."
"I'm sure Reisei keeps a roll of duct tape somewhere..."
Everyone sweatdropped.
Seiji shook his head and then walked over to a window, the rain that had started earlier was still hitting it.
Yuli walked into the room, "i'm bored..."
"We are to, but the matter at hand is a little more important than if we're bored or not." Seiji said.
"What's Matter? and where's Hand?"
Seiji wanted to beat his head on the window. "Never mind Yuli, go eat some more."
"But I'm full and Shuu won't let me have any food anyways....and there isn't much left..."
Seiji sighed. "Ok." He looked at the others, "Do we have any ideas on what to do?"
"nope." "none" "nadda"
Seiji looked over at Ryo, "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"I'm fine"
"Ok."
Seiji turned back to look out the window, and immediately fell on his butt. "R...r...r...r...r...!!!" He pointed towards the window, by the time everyone looked what Seiji had seen would be gone.
Yuli looked at Seiji, "Are you ok? Your ACTING NUTS..."
"Right now I feel nuts..." Seiji murmered when he found his voice.
"What happened?" Ryo asked.
"Reisei...I...turned to the window, and grinning back at me was Reisei..."
"I beleive it.." Ryo said.
Lightning hit extremly hard right outside the apartment, literally sounding like a bomb dropped.
"Think someone's trying to give us a message?"
Dana's eyes shot open and she sat up slowly, she rubbed her eyes trying to figure out what happened.
"Maybe.." Shin said.
Seiji looked around the room, "Well, should we go out there?"
"Do we wanna get fried?" Shuu asked walking back in.
Lighting struck again. "Good point."
"Running from a fight so easy?" One of those all to familiar but completely evil voices called out, coming from the stair well.
The ronins looked towards the stiar well with shocked faces and gasped.
Reisei stood there, face blanketed with shadows, "That is what that was you know, a challenge."
Shuu looked at her and with a sarcastic note in his tone, "Gee Ya THINK!?"
"Well, you're the ones who stayed inside. Afraid you'd get fried." She started laughing some, "The OH SO GREAT Ronin Warriors, afraid of a little lightning." She grinned.
Shuu grumbled.
She made her way down the rest of the stairs. "Amusing bunch, very amusing."
Shuu continued to grumble.
Reisei spooted Yuli and raised an eyebrow.
Yuli, "Who are you?"
"Why, haven't your friends told you? I'm Reisei. C'mere little boy." She said innocently and extended her hand to Yuli.
Yuli smiled and went over to shake The 'Nice' Ladies hand
Reisei pulled Yuli up and looked at the ronins, "How many others around you have such a firm grasp on reality?" She asked sarcasticly.Seiji sweatdropped badly.
"I don't know!"
Reisei tapped her finger against Yuli's nose, "Cute as a button!" She said sarcasticly.
Yuli giggled like the girl he is!
"What's your name?" Reisei asked. Seiji pondered the situation, he could let Reisei kill Yuli and the kid would be off their hands...NO! He wasn't supposed to think like that.
"Yuli!"
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Yuli. Now, who do your friends say the bad guys are?"
"I don't think I was paying attention, But I know its the Dynasty!"
Reisei smiled, "They only say that because they don't understand. Now, would you believe me if I told you they've been lying to you? The big bad Ronin Warriors are bullies, they've been telling you the dynasty is the bad side, but it's rubbish!" Reisei said convincingly.
"But..but The Dynasty took my parents away.."
"And what proof do you have of that? Something some ol tin can says? They like to exaggerate, dear Yuli. We don't have your parents, and we didn't take them away."
"then where are they?"
The ronins and Mia sweatdropped.
"Maybe you should ask the ronins." Reisei said, she looked towards the group and part of her mouth lifted in a smirk.
"but they already said the Dynasty had them.."
"Oh Yuli, if the ronins lied to you about the dynasty being all bad, don't you think they could have lied to you about that?" Reisei asked, "I'm hurt at the idea that we'd take away the parents of such a...good...little boy." Reisei said forcing a hurt tone into her voice.
"Maybe," he brightened, "Will you help me find my parents?"
Puppy dog eyes, "Please!??"
"Of course." Reisei said.
"yay!"
She looked at the ronins.
The ronins stood dumbfounded.
"But Yuli, why don't you go give the ronins something for lying to you." She leaned towards Yuli's ear and whispered only in his ear shot, "Like a good punch where it counts." She set Yuli down.
Yuli nodded and ran over to a random Ronin and did what he was told.
Shuu fell over tears streaming down his face. "Darn....kid..."
"He deserved it, didn't he Yuli?" Reisei asked.
Yuli nodded.
"What about the others? Can't forget them."
Yuli nodded and ran around doing as he was told. The ronins sank to the ground.
"Except for Ryo, I've got a better thing for him to get."
Yuli nodded.
Reisei looked at Ryo.
Ryo took a step back.
She left her subarmor, standing in a short black dress. "There, harmless as a kitten." She said and then turned towards the stairs. "If you're in the least intrested in what I have to say, I suggest you follow, while Yuli takes care of the boys." Reisei grinned and began walking up the stairs.
Ryo gulped and followed her upstairs.
She closed the door hard when he got in the room. "You followed, I'm surprised."
Seiji was on knees, one hand holding him up, he was biting his lip hard.
Yuli decided to continue kicking instead since he got to the ronins once already.
Mia buried her face in a pillow to keep from laughing.
Whiteblaze sweatdropped.
Seiji watched Yuli get near him again and pulled his hand up long enough to slap Yuli acorss the face. "Are you completely stupid?!"
Yuli kicked him and ran off, to start over on the ronins again, "YOUR MEAN! THAT GIRL WAS RIGHT!"
Dana heard screaming in the front room and watched as Yuli ran and Kicked Shuu again.
"Please, she doesn't need anymore encouragement! Even if she is upstairs!" Seiji groaned and tried to stand up.
Dana ran into the room and immediatly put her hands on his shoulders, "What are you doing little boy?" She asked sweetly kneeling down to look him in the face.
Reisei pulled herself to sitting on the dresser.
"They lied to me and the nice lady who told me the truth told me to get them back.." he said innocently.
Dana shook her head, "What's your name?"
Ryo looked at reisei.
"Yuli"
"Well, Yuli My names Dana, who told you they lied to you?"
Yuli thought for a moment, "Reisei,"
"So! I'm in a bit of a predicament, Wildfire. See, Arago's little idea blew up in his face, and since Nazza and the other warlords were prompty...reconditioned...I was sent out in their place on a bit of a mission. I've got to bring you back with me. Or I have to bring the other four ronins back with me. You can see where this might pose a problem, five on one odds are not good. Not even to catch one of the five fish." She said,
"Why does he need me or the others?"
Reisei looked innocent, "How should I know?"
Seiji finally got to his feet.
Dana somehow managed to talk Yuli out of kicking the ronins more.
"What do you want me to do?" He asked.
"Well, if I've got to bring you back, or bring the other four back, it's kind of obvious what I'm asking, anyhow, "She pouted, "Don't you want to be with me?"
"I want to be with the Real Reisei not a shell for the Dynasty"
She blinked, and growled, "And just how did you know?" She gritted her teeth.
"I have connections..."
"I see, the Ancient right? Old man can't keep his nose out of anything."
"Your right."
She cocked her eyebrows. "I'll make you a trade."
"What?"
"You join the dynasty long enough for a little hush hush plan of ours to go through, and I let Reisei go." She smirked.
"No deal."
"You must really be fond of the idea of nightmares plauging her to dormacy." She shrugged, "No matter. You may not be willing to give up for just Reisei, but," She summoned the Armor of Death and walked to the door opening it and heading down the stairs, "I'm sure when it comes to your friends too you'll give in quite quickly."
Ryo ran after her sumnmoning his armor.
The armored feet pounded down the stairs and then she spun holding the pointed end of her staff out at him if he were to come any closer.
Ryo stopped.
"I will spear you like a fish, don't doubt that for a moment." She hissed.
Yuli, Who had been sitting on the couch bored, ran over and hugged Reisei's leg, "YAY! THE NICE LADIES BACK!!"
"Yes, I'm back, now listen little boy, this is going to get dangerous, so run far away from here, out to the field, run now!" She said.
Yuli nodded and ran to the field happily.
"Quite an annoying child." She mumbled and then stepped back some and pulled her staff into both hands, she flipped it and touched the black orb to the ground, "Kokushibyou," The veins in the orb began to throb
Dana stepped backwards, this wasn't something she wanted to deal with at the moment.
"Dzuki," As did the veins in the base, she lifted it back up, holding it above her head
"Gadan!" She brought the staff down, slamming the pointed tip into the floor and splitering through it, a sharp explosion errupting from the point of contact and blasting it's way outward in all directions with near lethalness.
The ronins and Mia and dana were knocked backwards Quite a bit Dana and Mia passing out along with Shin.
Reisei, or her body at least, sprinted forward hard and scopped Shin over on shoulder and Mia over the other, she didn't have any use for the girl except maybe for randsom. "See ya when I come back for the rest, handsome!" She grinned over her shoulder at Ryo as she disappeared with Shin and Mia.
Shuu and Touma cursed and Ryo stood dumbfounded.
Seiji pulled himself up and made his way over to Dana.
Ryo banished his armor and sat on the staircase.
Seiji picked up Dana and carried her back into the room laying her back on the bed, then he walked out of the room and looked at Ryo sympatheticly.
~~~~~
Reisei reappeared in the feild Yuli was playing in. "Thank you." She said to the little boy, her victums had done been dropped off at the dynasty.
Yuli looked up at Reisei, "Huh? Why are you thanking me?"
"Silly boy. Your foolishness to trust a warlordess got Mia and Shin captured. And many of the others hurt. Oh dear, how will you explain now, that you could be so easily decived?" She grinned wickedly.
Yuli broke into tears and was wailing at the top of huis lungs.
"Oh, don't cry, you're not the first idiot that I've used this body to get at!" She snapped and then disappeared.
Yuli continued to wail.
~~~~~
In Dana's dream a small black flame had begun to burn, a face came into veiw behind the flame, it was Reisei, her eyes unfocused as she stared into the flame, frozen in place except for an occasional sob, and a never ending stream of tears running down her cheeks.
Dana, herself in the dream, looked at the flame, "Reisei?" She whispered fearfully.
There was no response from the crying girl, who seemed almost to be floating in some sort of space, her hair trailing out behind her.
Dana, her physical self, curled into a ball.
~~~~~
Seiji hadn't looked away from his friend sitting on the staircase. He wasn't sure what to make of Ryo's face.
Ryo stared at the wall.
~~~~~
Dana, her dream self, yelled to no one in particular, "SOME ONE!! TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!?"
The floatiness in the dream seemed to pull Dana closer, letting her see that, unlike thought before, there was more reaction than just streams of tears, Reisei's lips were moving in a shaky, silent talk.
Dana focused trying to read what Reisei was saying.
The lips movements became clearer for the first part of the message, 'Ryo' and 'Dana' were able to be made out.
Dana continued to focus hoping to make more sense out of it.
'Don't' was able to be made out next, followed by 'Give', 'Up', 'On', and 'Me.' But once again the movements were blurred, leaving more of the message unsolved.
"Reisei! What should we do? How can we help?"
The image itself began to fade.
"Reisei! Don't go!"
It faded completely leaving Dana to wake.
Dana woke up and sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. Trying to sort out what happened.
~~~~~
Seiji stepped onto the staircase and sat by Ryo, "It wasn't her, you have to remember that, you can't let what your eyes saw fool you, Reisei may have been a fight happy girl, but she was not that monster." Seiji said.
Ryo nodded, "I know..I just don't know what we're going to do when she returns, Arago realized his mistake and now he's after us I don't know his plans but Reisei was sent to get us all..."
"We'll just have to try to stay one step ahead." Seiji said. Ryo nodded.
"I'm going to go check on Dana." Seiji said and stood up, then he looked at Ryo, "You're also wondering how we're going to crack the real Reisei out of there, aren't you?"
"yea.."
"Don't worry, we'll find a way." Seiji said.
Ryo,"Thanks man"
"You're welcome, Ryo." Seiji said and walked down the stairs and into the room, he looked at the bed and saw Dana, "You're up!" He said.
"Yea"
"How do you feel?" He asked.
"I feel fine, how about you?"
"I'm fine. Just worried about you, and Ryo." He said sitting on the bed.
"I saw Reisei"
"What? Oh. Yes, you saw Reisei, or, well, the idiot that is using her body. She was here causing trouble." Seiji said thinking maybe Dana had forgotten some of it.
Dana shook her head, "No, I saw the REAL Reisei"
"What?" Seiji looked at her.
"When I was unconciuos..I had a dream Reisei was surrounded by I guess black fire is how I would describe it, She was mouthing something, I could only make out some of it.."
"Oh? Maybe I should get Ryo, he'd want to hear this..." Seiji said standing up.
"ok"
Seiji walked to the doorway and peeked his head out, he looked up the stairwell at Ryo. "Hey Ryo...You um....might want to come here a second..." Seiji said.
Ryo got up and went into the room, "What's up?"
"Dana...she um...saw Reisei in a dream..." Seiji said pulling back into the room as Ryo came in.
Dana nodded, "I couldn't make out all of what she said but I did make out 'Dana' and 'Ryo' and 'Don't give up on me' then she disappeared."
Seiji looked between Dana and Ryo.
Ryo leaned against the wall letting it sink in.
Seiji looked at Ryo.
Ryo, "Then we won't give up for her, though I doubt we were gonna anyways."
Dana nodded.
Seiji also nodded, "Who knows, if you get some sleep she might pay you a visit too." He said in a hopeful voice.
Ryo, "That's an idea but I don't think I can sleep.."
"I wasn't just saying it to be nice, I was also saying it because you need the rest." Seiji stated in an almost older-brotherly-tone.
"I know I just don't think I can get to sleep."
"Well, try. Dana, Shuu, Touma, and I will discuss what we can do." Seiji said.
Ryo gave up and headed up stairs.
Seiji watched him go and looked towards Dana, "He really does need the rest." He said.
"yea..I think your right.."
"I know I'm right!" Seiji forced a grin, "That's why I was so stubborn!"
Dana smiled a little.
Seiji hugged her.
Dana hugged back.
(Time lapse)
