Arigatou for the reviews. I hope you all like this chapter as well as you liked the last ones. Gomen for it being so late but with FFNet down so much and having some personal problems, I just haven't found the time to update.
Chapter 8: Reflections
Kento and Rowen had elected to stay in Mia's room until Ryo and Kira reappeared. However, they had not realized that it was going to be awhile. Nearly six hours after Ryo and Kira vanished, Sage felt a stirring in the air. He rushed to Mia's room with Cye and Mia hot on his heels. Rowen was looking anxiously at the bed as if he too could feel the electricity in the air, but Kento being careless, was sound asleep with his head resting on the bed.
Sage moved toward the larger warrior with the intent on waking him up, but before he could move more than a step, there was a bright flash of white light that had everyone present shielding their sensitized eyes. When they reopened them, they saw that the light had died down and was now only a faint glow supporting two individuals with raven colored hair. Kira and Ryo's eyes were both closed as they hovered a few feet above the mattress for a moment before the light completely vanished. Without the support the light had been offering them, the two teens dropped immediately, falling right on top of poor Kento's head.
"OW!! What the Hell?! Get off me!! CYE HELP!!" Kento began to curse fluidly as he struggled to free himself from the entwined limbs of the brother sister pair who were now staring wide-eyed at each other.
Cye laughed at Kento's predicament before going over to the bed to help him up. "Mia told you that they would be coming back in that exact spot. But you didn't listen, so quit your bellyaching and let's find out where they went."
Kento glared at the smaller man and rubbed the back of his head, wincing. Looking up at the two individuals on the mattress, he rapidly began to fire questions at them. "Are you both alright? Where'd ya go? Huh? Why did it take so long and please tell me WHY oh why did you end up on my head?"
Ryo looked confused for a second as he looked over at Kento before it registered what exactly had happened to the warrior of Hardrock. A smile tugged at his lips and looking over at his sister he couldn't contain it any longer; the two of them burst out in uncontrollable laughter.
Kento scowled as his unofficial leader began to laugh hysterically. "It's not funny man," he pouted.
Ryo just shook his head and once his laughter subsided, he said with as much seriousness as he could muster, "Sorry, we uhhh really didn't mean to hurt you Kento; it just sort of happened."
"That's alright, Ryo. I forgive you. . . this time." But Ryo's attention was no longer focused on him. It was focused on his sister who was also trying to control her laughter at Kento's expense. The two soon forgot about the rest of the world as they stared into each other's eyes. Eyes that they had not seen each other for many years.
"So ummm, do you remember Ryo?" she asked softly, almost shyly, as if she was afraid of the answer.
"Yeah, Kira I remember everything. I am so sorry I did not protect you . . . " Ryo's voice trailed off as Kira placed a finger over his lips.
"Now is not the time for regrets big brother. Damien and Forrester will not give up so easily. They will be back and I do not have the strength to heal you on my own. The only way that I can gain enough power is if the one I am destined to be with channels their power into mine and as yet, I don't know who that is. So, you see I am the one who is sorry."
Ryo stopped her and said with fire in his eyes "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine just as soon as we get these guys." Ryo leaned over her and kissed her brow gently.
Kira considered him fondly, a half smile on her ips as she slipped into unconsciousness. She had found him at last and things would eventually work out. They had too.
Ryo gave her one more look before he soon followed her into oblivion. The other Ronins and Mia just stood dumbstruck., as if not fully comprehending what had just occurred.
Ryo and Kira had not even appeared to have noticed them after the Kento incident; they were too wrapped up in each other, but the rest of the group was stunned. They stared at each other and then at the two siblings, seeing the undeniable proof that the two were indeed siblings as they moved in sync with one another. But to find out that Ryo had a baby sister and didn't know about it all these years was surprising, to say the least. They all jumped a few feet in the air when they saw the two exhausted teens slip into unconsciousness. Sage started forward but was stopped by Mia.
"Leave them be. They are just exhausted from the time trip they took. They will be awake in a few hours. So let's make sure they are not disturbed. We have to prepare for those guys that attacked them today. I have a feeling they will be coming soon."
Sage nodded his head in agreement and asked if Cye could look over the pair for a little while. Cye agreed, siting down at the bedside with a small paperback book. The others with bemused and curious expressions, began to leave the room. Sage was the last to leave, glancing furtively one final time at the incognizant duo before heading out to the lake. He needed some time to think.
Sage settled himself into the shade below his favorite tree in the woods behind Mia's house. He often came to this spot to meditate because it was so quiet and filled with natural light. It also offered a great view of the lake which Sage felt calmed his nerves. And today his nerves were shot. His leader appearing unconscious on the stoop of the manor had caused him enough alarm but add in the uneasy feelings he had regarding the girl and he was one very confused Ronin. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind of all thoughts but soon realized that it was hopeless; his thoughts kept returning.
Sighing, he sat up and began to thoughtfully chew on a blade of grass as he digested everything that had happened that day. He still couldn't believe it. Ryo has a sister, a sister that up until a few hours ago, he didn't even remember. But what was this feeling Sage had toward the girl? He felt connected somehow to her, as if they were meant to be, but how was that possible when he had never laid eyes on her until that morning? Sage continued to ponder the question when he felt a familiar presence. Smiling slightly, he tilted his head up and asked quietly, "Anubis how long have you been standing there?"
The once Dark Warlord of Cruelty who now donned the Ancient ones robes smiled down at the golden haired warrior. "Not long Halo, but long enough to know that your mind is in overdrive. What is it that is bothering you so?"
Sage looked up into Anubis's green eyes and began to tell him the story of the morning's events.
Soon Sage wrapped up the story of the day's events. "So, what I don't get is why I am so attracted to her? I felt . . . hurt when she ran to Ryo instead of staying with me. I mean I understand now why she did that but . . ."
"It still hurt, didn't it?"
Sage looked up in surprise at Anubis's question before slowly nodding. "Yeah. It hurt so much. I don't get it. Why is this happening?" He looked up to see what Anubis was going to say. The red-haired man was sitting with his back against a neighboring tree, his arms propped up on his knees. He was watching Sage with interest and nodding his head slowly, as if thinking. A minute passed before Anubis smiled knowingly at the bearer of Halo.
Sage knew something was up then, but did not realize what it was until the Ancient spoke.
"Halo, don't you realize that I have known about this ever since I gained the Ancient's staff, but it was not the right time to tell Wildfire. That is why I am here. I can feel the evil connected to the girl beginning to grow." He shook his head sadly.
"I had hoped that the two would have given up by now. But it seems their thirst for power has only increased. It's a shame really and to drag an innocent child into it. . . But that is done and over with, instead we must deal with the here and now. Twelve years ago, Wildfire's sister was kidnaped. They had hoped to capture the bearer of Wildfire, but they were obviously wrong. Instead they found the bearer of Firestorm, though they did not know that till much later. For such accomplished sorcerers they were sure poor at establishing the facts." He grinned wryly before sombering.
"Wildfire could not deal with the burden of losing his sister. It was his father's last request before he was killed that Ryo would always take care of his sister and now that he knows he did not . . . Well let's just hope his guilt complex doesn't get in the way of his fighting."
Sage cocked his head to the side and said lightly, "I don't think Kira will let that happen. She seems to be very strong willed." He paused as he considered his next words. "Much like Ryo is. I just hope she's not as reckless as her brother, but I have the feeling that she is." Sage was startled from his musings by the rich laughter of Anubis. He looked over at the ex-warlord, trying to figure out what was so funny when Anubis spoke.
"Halo, you are too much. You are so far in love with her and you don't even realize it is happening to you."
"I am not . . ."
Anubis waved him of. "Don't even bother denying it Halo. Else her actions would not be bothering you so much nor would she be occupying all your thoughts. You are in love with her. The connection you have felt and feel toward Kira has existed throughout time. It was established long ago when the first bearer of Halo and Firestorm fell in love." He smirked at Sage's incredulous expression.
"Sage, you and she are meant for each other, bond eternally. Your souls knew it the moment you met. That is why you feel the jealousy and the insistent tug in your mind toward her. You have been cosmically linked together ever since the first time the two of you have met, centuries ago. She just doesn't know it yet, but she will. Give her time Halo. As you can see, you have been able to pick up on a few subtleties here and there and pretty soon you and she will have a mind link together like her and Wildfire do. That is when she will realize that you belong together."
Sage thought about this for a little while when he remembered part of a conversation that he had overheard between Ryo and Kira. Something about her chosen one being able to help heal Ryo with her power and her chosen ones power combined. Was he the chosen one? Could he help to heal Ryo's soul from the black magic? Sage turned to ask Anubis only to find that the robed man had disappeared into the foliage, only leaving behind a soft jingling noise from the Ancient's staff. Sage shrugged his shoulders as he stood. It was time to head back to the house. He needed to check on Kira and Ryo, and it was time to get some answers.
