The next morning was an exceedingly awkward one. Reia made a point of avoiding both Cye and Rowen. Kayura was actually the only person she'd really talk to.
"I did some more research last night," Kayura said at length. Everyone stopped eating and looked up. "I think the enemy we face may potentially be more dangerous than Talpa and the Dynasty... But this force will join with the Dynasty."
"Double whammy," Kento groaned, smacking his forehead.
"But there is a way to get extra firepower on our side," Kayura said. Now everyone's attention was riveted on her. "I'll need the Jewel of Life to pull it off... but I think I can bring the rest of the Ronin Warriors from Reia's time into the past, that is, the present." A ripple or mutters and speculation traveled throughout the group before everyone finally consented. Mia gave Lady Kayura the Jewel of Life.
"Let's do this outside," She said, and the whole group went outdoors.
"Dao Chu!" Kayura cried, raising her hands in the air. The Armor of Loyalty appeared on her body and the Ancient Staff appeared in her hand. She told the others to transform, and everyone did. Soon ten armored samurai stood on the lawn: The five Ronin Warriors, Lady Kayura, the Warlords, and Reia. Kayura grabbed Reia's hand. "Reia's brain patterns will be needed to guide them here," She said. She placed the Jewel of Life around her neck, and then instructed Reia to take Ryo's hand.
"Why?" Reia asked as she and Ryo looked at each other nervously.
"His brain patterns will be needed, too... I'm going to bring Wildfire first."
So they formed a circle. Reia gripped Ryo and Lady Kayura's hands, while Kayura held the Ancient Staff in her other hand. She chanted some strange chants and held the staff high. It began to glow and the wind picked up. The Jewel of Life began to spin on it's cord.
A large silvery blue ring appeared in the air, about ten feet from the ground. The wind was blowing at near gale force as a figure slowly floated into view. An unconscious boy wearing the red sub armor or Wildfire. His spiky red hair was blown in every direction by the wind.
Kayura sighed and dropped the staff, and the boy dropped as well.
"Kasukio!" Reia cried, holding her hand out. A blue bubble caught him and prevented him from just smashing into the ground.
"I must rest for a few minutes before bringing the next one back. Reia, when he wakes up, you'll have to keep him from panicking," Kayura groaned as Sehkmet and Dais helped her to the porch to sit down. The entire group had formed an awed circled around the limp person. Yulie was hiding behind Mia, only peeking from behind her waist.
"Kasukio... Kasu... wake up," Reia whispered, smacking him lightly on the face. "Hey!" She cried.
Slowly his lids opened to reveal forest green eyes. "Reia?!" He exclaimed, sitting up. "Who are these people?! We've been looking for you for weeks! Lys is totally freaked out, she thinks you're dead! Things have gotten really bad... This wizard named.. um... Arcane, I think, recently appeared. Apparently he defeated Talpa or something... but he is ten times worse than Talpa ever was, I swear! Junichi nearly got killed in a battle last week, and Xanthe almost lost it!" His eyes moved around nervously, coming to rest on Ryo and Rowen, the latter supporting the former.
"Wh- WHAT THE HELL?!" He cried, staring at them in shock. "Reia, he- he looks just like you... and they're wearing OUR armors!"
"Calm down, Kasukio, please!" Reia cried, holding him down. "Kasukio! These are the Ronin Warriors!"
"What are you talking about?! WE'RE the Ronin Warriors!" Kasukio shouted, struggling against Reia's grip on his arms.
"No... in the 21st Century we're Ronin Warriors... but we're in the 20th Century now!" She shouted.
"Y-You mean?..." He stammered, his face going white.
"Yes..." She said. "We're in the past... we're going to team up with them and hopefully squash the Dynasty once and for all."
"What about Arcane?" Kasukio asked, looking around nervously. Thankfully he hadn't noticed the Warlords yet.
"Reia," Sage said, coming up behind her. "Kayura's ready for the next transport."
"Kayura? Your mom?" Kasukio asked, his tone implying he didn't understand.
"Yes, look, just sit here quietly until we finish bringing the others back." Reia said gently. She saw his face blanch in horror at the sight of the Warlords. "I'll explain later," She said. "They won't hurt you, I promise." Reia could feel her insides churning herself. Although Kayura and the Ronin Warriors all assured her that the three men would not hurt her, she was still reluctant to trust them.
Sage smiled sweetly at Reia and took her hand before Kayura was even halfway across the yard. Reia shifted uncomfortably and looked at the grass. Kayura soon joined them and repeated the same thing she had done previously. The same portal opened and, to the group's general shock, a girl who didn't look quite human dropped through. She was stunningly beautiful, with long hair of shining silver, with purple streaks in it. Her ears were slightly pointed.
"Lys!" Kasukio cried, running to watch her as she fell through. He carried her back to the place where he had been seated and laid her head gently in his lap, talking to her in low tones and stroking her hair.
"Explain everything to her when she wakes up," Reia whispered. "But let me see her is she wakes before the next transfer."
"Hey, uh, Reia," Kento said, nudging her as she walked by him. "Is there, like... something going on between them?" He asked, gesturing to Kasukio and Lysithea.
Reia nodded. "Yeah, they're like an item. Aren't they cute?" She couldn't stop herself from smiling.
"Hey, you know," Kento said quietly, taking her by the arm and leading her out of reach of the others' ears. "Look, I don't know what went down between you and Cye last night, and it's probably none of my business or anything..." Kento paused at the sight of her flushed face. "But... whatever happened, I think he's really sorry about it. I know Cye better than anyone, and he's a really great guy..."
"Reia!" Kayura called. "Kento! Come on, we're ready to transfer Hardrock back!"
Reia and Kento trekked back to Kayura, and performed the ritual again. A handsome boy with golden brown hair appeared this time. Lys and Kasukio agreed to tend to him.
"We'll bring Torrent back next," Kayura sighed. "So prepare yourselves." Reia glanced at Cye from across the yard. They made eye contact momentarily; both blushed and looked away.
"How are you feeling?" Reia asked, kneeling by her three friends.
"Xanthe is sort of out of it, but he'll be OK," Kasukio said as Lys looked Xanthe over.
"R-Reia?" Xanthe stammered as his hazel eyes opened and he gave her a weak smile.
"How are you holding up?" She asked, leaning over him.
"Oh, I'm peachy," He replied before falling unconscious again.
Reia walked over to where Cye and Kayura were waiting. A strange feeling washed over her when Cye took her hand; she hoped she wasn't blushing. Kayura performed the ritual and a boy with very long dark brown hair tied in a ponytail appeared. He has matching scars on each side of his face. Xanthe got up shakily and went to help him to where they were gathered.
"This takes a lot out of me," Kayura sighed, almost falling over. Cayle caught her and held her up.
"Don't worry, Kayura, at least you're done," He said almost gently. It was such a shock to Reia that she almost started laughing. Imagine, the man who nearly killed her several times, a man she regarded as a savage beast, supporting her mother and being... kind!
"No, actually, I'm afraid she isn't done," Reia said shakily.
"W-Where's Kawai?" The boy with the dark hair managed to rasp out.
"They haven't brought her through, yet, Junichi," Xanthe explained. "We've time traveled... And Reia's here."
"Who is Kawai?" Sehkmet asked.
"A sixth Ronin Warrior," Reia said. "My mother created the armor using a small sample from each one."
"So we all need to get in on this to bring her here?" Rowen asked. He had remained silent until now.
"Yes. Everyone, form a circle," Kayura murmured. "You can sit this one out, Reia," She said, placing a caring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You are tired, and I think we can bring her back without you."
"Are you sure?" Reia asked, eyeing Kayura uncertainly.
Kayura nodded. "Hai. Go sit with your friends."
Reia nodded gratefully as the Armor of Strata burst off of her into the pink cherry blossoms before fading away completely, leaving her in her sub armor. She went over to where her now found comrades were.
"My God, Reia, I'm so glad you're safe!" Lysithea exclaimed, hugging her. "So Kasukio told you about Arcane?" Reia nodded.
"It makes me wonder... if the Warlords are on the same side as the Ronin Warriors now, why do we fight them in the future?" Xanthe said to no one in particular as he watched the eight samurai and the armored Lady Kayura prepare to transmit Kawai into the past.
"Is... is that your mother, Reia?" Junichi asked dazedly. He was not still 100% recovered from his time travel. She nodded. "Can you believe it? I mean, my mother... wearing one of the nine armors? I've never laid eyes on the Armor of Loyalty before, and yet, there it is on my own mother!"
"Something's happening!" Lys exclaimed, pointing.
The same silver ring appeared in the air, indicating a portal was opening. The light was brighter, and the ring seemed to sparkle more. A foot appeared through the gateway... a foot clad in midnight blue armor. Soon another foot came through, followed by legs with magenta armor, then a purple waist guard with pouches on either side of the hips, then the upper body appeared, which was in magenta and blue chest guard, the armor on the arms was deep purple. The armor had a high neck... and then the face of the bearer came into view. A young woman, with clear, pale skin, and wavy, shoulder length reddish brown hair. She landed softly on the ground, standing up right.
As the wind died down her hair settled back into place. All males present were somewhat taken aback by her beauty, even Kasukio, Xanthe, and Junichi, who saw her on a regular basis, and Kasukio saw her nearly everyday of his life, as she was his cousin, and they lived in the same house. Junichi's heart fluttered a bit at the sight of Kawai, it always did. A flirtatious grin spread across Sage's face. Her clear, silver-ice blue eyes opened widely, as she was momentarily unsure of her surroundings.
"Hello, beautiful warrior," Sage said poetically, stepping forward. He stooped and reached for her hand to kiss it. Before he knew it he was on his back, a knee pressed into his chest and a sai blade at his throat.
"Who are you?!" The girl demanded. Her voice was as clear and pretty as her face. "Where is Lysithea, the rightful bearer of the Armor of Halo?!"
"Kawai!" Reia shouted, running to them. "Stop, I can explain!"
"Reia?!" The girl gasped. She took her knee off of Sage's chest but kept the blade at his throat. "What is going on?" Reia explained everything to her: the time traveling, the deal with Rowen, the Warlords, etc.
"So... so he is technically a rightful Ronin Warrior?" She asked, glancing down at a now very frustrated and embarrassed Sage of Halo.
"Yes!" He gasped, but quieted as the pressure of the blade on his neck increased ever so slightly.
"Yes!" Reia exclaimed. Kawai looked at Sage bitterly for a minute, then almost reluctantly released him.
She smiled apologetically and offered a hand to help him up.
"I am Kawai Mei-Lim, Ronin Warrior of Love," She said, nodding at everyone. The armor faded into a purple and silver sub armor. She looked squarely at Sage. "Sorry about that... in the future, introduce yourself before trying to act the Romeo." The others had a little laugh at this, but a look from Sage shushed them.
Suddenly Reia noticed that Cayle was cradling a now unconscious Kayura in his arms.
"Mom!" Reia cried, running to them.
"That last one was too much for her," Dais said. "She collapsed as soon as Kawai materialized."
"Mia-Chan, is it all right if I put her in a bed?" Cayle asked, picking Kayura up.
"Sure, I'll help you," Mia said. "You come with me, Yulie," She said, tugging at the child's arm.
"Aww, but it was just startin' to get interesting, Mia," Yulie whined. He yawned suddenly.
"Someone else needs a nap, too," Mia laughed. "You can hang around later." Mia and Cayle headed back towards the house, with Yulie and Kayura in tow.
The Ronin Warriors looked at each other. Present and future, face to face. As they made eye contact, the kanji of Virtue began to glow on both Ryo's and Kasukio's foreheads. When Sage and Lysithea stood face to face, a chain reaction from Ryo and Kasukio began. The kanji of Wisdom burned brightly on both of their foreheads. Then the kanji Trust lit up on Cye's and Junichi's foreheads. Reia looked over at Rowen to see his Life kanji burning, and she could feel hers, too. "Justice" lit up bright and true for Xanthe and Kento. The kanji of "Love" glowed purple on Kawai's forehead, while Serenity shone on Dais's and Piety glowed on Sehkmet's. Then every kanji slowly faded. "Maybe we should go into the house and talk," Ryo said as his sub armor faded into his street clothes.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Kasukio said. "We have... a lot to discuss." His sub armor faded into a baggy pair of blue jeans with a white tee shirt that said "Akio High Track Team" on the back and Nike running shoes. Lysithea's sub armor became a short, forest green skirt with a white blouse with black sandals. Xanthe was wearing black slacks and a yellow Polo shirt and relatively dressy black shoes. Junichi had on plain black sneakers and a faded pair of jeans with holes in each knee, with a blue tank top and black leather jacket. Kawai had on a school uniform: A gray jacket with a pleated gray skirt that fell to just above her knees, and a white scarf around her neck and another one in the breast pocket oh her jacket. Reia had on the same jeans and black tank top she had on the day she met the Ronin Warriors of the 20th Century, only they were cleaner than they had been before.
When they got back to Mia's house, everyone settled somewhere in the living room. Mia and Cye went into the kitchen and prepared a bunch of iced tea. It was going to be a long afternoon.
"I did some more research last night," Kayura said at length. Everyone stopped eating and looked up. "I think the enemy we face may potentially be more dangerous than Talpa and the Dynasty... But this force will join with the Dynasty."
"Double whammy," Kento groaned, smacking his forehead.
"But there is a way to get extra firepower on our side," Kayura said. Now everyone's attention was riveted on her. "I'll need the Jewel of Life to pull it off... but I think I can bring the rest of the Ronin Warriors from Reia's time into the past, that is, the present." A ripple or mutters and speculation traveled throughout the group before everyone finally consented. Mia gave Lady Kayura the Jewel of Life.
"Let's do this outside," She said, and the whole group went outdoors.
"Dao Chu!" Kayura cried, raising her hands in the air. The Armor of Loyalty appeared on her body and the Ancient Staff appeared in her hand. She told the others to transform, and everyone did. Soon ten armored samurai stood on the lawn: The five Ronin Warriors, Lady Kayura, the Warlords, and Reia. Kayura grabbed Reia's hand. "Reia's brain patterns will be needed to guide them here," She said. She placed the Jewel of Life around her neck, and then instructed Reia to take Ryo's hand.
"Why?" Reia asked as she and Ryo looked at each other nervously.
"His brain patterns will be needed, too... I'm going to bring Wildfire first."
So they formed a circle. Reia gripped Ryo and Lady Kayura's hands, while Kayura held the Ancient Staff in her other hand. She chanted some strange chants and held the staff high. It began to glow and the wind picked up. The Jewel of Life began to spin on it's cord.
A large silvery blue ring appeared in the air, about ten feet from the ground. The wind was blowing at near gale force as a figure slowly floated into view. An unconscious boy wearing the red sub armor or Wildfire. His spiky red hair was blown in every direction by the wind.
Kayura sighed and dropped the staff, and the boy dropped as well.
"Kasukio!" Reia cried, holding her hand out. A blue bubble caught him and prevented him from just smashing into the ground.
"I must rest for a few minutes before bringing the next one back. Reia, when he wakes up, you'll have to keep him from panicking," Kayura groaned as Sehkmet and Dais helped her to the porch to sit down. The entire group had formed an awed circled around the limp person. Yulie was hiding behind Mia, only peeking from behind her waist.
"Kasukio... Kasu... wake up," Reia whispered, smacking him lightly on the face. "Hey!" She cried.
Slowly his lids opened to reveal forest green eyes. "Reia?!" He exclaimed, sitting up. "Who are these people?! We've been looking for you for weeks! Lys is totally freaked out, she thinks you're dead! Things have gotten really bad... This wizard named.. um... Arcane, I think, recently appeared. Apparently he defeated Talpa or something... but he is ten times worse than Talpa ever was, I swear! Junichi nearly got killed in a battle last week, and Xanthe almost lost it!" His eyes moved around nervously, coming to rest on Ryo and Rowen, the latter supporting the former.
"Wh- WHAT THE HELL?!" He cried, staring at them in shock. "Reia, he- he looks just like you... and they're wearing OUR armors!"
"Calm down, Kasukio, please!" Reia cried, holding him down. "Kasukio! These are the Ronin Warriors!"
"What are you talking about?! WE'RE the Ronin Warriors!" Kasukio shouted, struggling against Reia's grip on his arms.
"No... in the 21st Century we're Ronin Warriors... but we're in the 20th Century now!" She shouted.
"Y-You mean?..." He stammered, his face going white.
"Yes..." She said. "We're in the past... we're going to team up with them and hopefully squash the Dynasty once and for all."
"What about Arcane?" Kasukio asked, looking around nervously. Thankfully he hadn't noticed the Warlords yet.
"Reia," Sage said, coming up behind her. "Kayura's ready for the next transport."
"Kayura? Your mom?" Kasukio asked, his tone implying he didn't understand.
"Yes, look, just sit here quietly until we finish bringing the others back." Reia said gently. She saw his face blanch in horror at the sight of the Warlords. "I'll explain later," She said. "They won't hurt you, I promise." Reia could feel her insides churning herself. Although Kayura and the Ronin Warriors all assured her that the three men would not hurt her, she was still reluctant to trust them.
Sage smiled sweetly at Reia and took her hand before Kayura was even halfway across the yard. Reia shifted uncomfortably and looked at the grass. Kayura soon joined them and repeated the same thing she had done previously. The same portal opened and, to the group's general shock, a girl who didn't look quite human dropped through. She was stunningly beautiful, with long hair of shining silver, with purple streaks in it. Her ears were slightly pointed.
"Lys!" Kasukio cried, running to watch her as she fell through. He carried her back to the place where he had been seated and laid her head gently in his lap, talking to her in low tones and stroking her hair.
"Explain everything to her when she wakes up," Reia whispered. "But let me see her is she wakes before the next transfer."
"Hey, uh, Reia," Kento said, nudging her as she walked by him. "Is there, like... something going on between them?" He asked, gesturing to Kasukio and Lysithea.
Reia nodded. "Yeah, they're like an item. Aren't they cute?" She couldn't stop herself from smiling.
"Hey, you know," Kento said quietly, taking her by the arm and leading her out of reach of the others' ears. "Look, I don't know what went down between you and Cye last night, and it's probably none of my business or anything..." Kento paused at the sight of her flushed face. "But... whatever happened, I think he's really sorry about it. I know Cye better than anyone, and he's a really great guy..."
"Reia!" Kayura called. "Kento! Come on, we're ready to transfer Hardrock back!"
Reia and Kento trekked back to Kayura, and performed the ritual again. A handsome boy with golden brown hair appeared this time. Lys and Kasukio agreed to tend to him.
"We'll bring Torrent back next," Kayura sighed. "So prepare yourselves." Reia glanced at Cye from across the yard. They made eye contact momentarily; both blushed and looked away.
"How are you feeling?" Reia asked, kneeling by her three friends.
"Xanthe is sort of out of it, but he'll be OK," Kasukio said as Lys looked Xanthe over.
"R-Reia?" Xanthe stammered as his hazel eyes opened and he gave her a weak smile.
"How are you holding up?" She asked, leaning over him.
"Oh, I'm peachy," He replied before falling unconscious again.
Reia walked over to where Cye and Kayura were waiting. A strange feeling washed over her when Cye took her hand; she hoped she wasn't blushing. Kayura performed the ritual and a boy with very long dark brown hair tied in a ponytail appeared. He has matching scars on each side of his face. Xanthe got up shakily and went to help him to where they were gathered.
"This takes a lot out of me," Kayura sighed, almost falling over. Cayle caught her and held her up.
"Don't worry, Kayura, at least you're done," He said almost gently. It was such a shock to Reia that she almost started laughing. Imagine, the man who nearly killed her several times, a man she regarded as a savage beast, supporting her mother and being... kind!
"No, actually, I'm afraid she isn't done," Reia said shakily.
"W-Where's Kawai?" The boy with the dark hair managed to rasp out.
"They haven't brought her through, yet, Junichi," Xanthe explained. "We've time traveled... And Reia's here."
"Who is Kawai?" Sehkmet asked.
"A sixth Ronin Warrior," Reia said. "My mother created the armor using a small sample from each one."
"So we all need to get in on this to bring her here?" Rowen asked. He had remained silent until now.
"Yes. Everyone, form a circle," Kayura murmured. "You can sit this one out, Reia," She said, placing a caring hand on her daughter's shoulder. "You are tired, and I think we can bring her back without you."
"Are you sure?" Reia asked, eyeing Kayura uncertainly.
Kayura nodded. "Hai. Go sit with your friends."
Reia nodded gratefully as the Armor of Strata burst off of her into the pink cherry blossoms before fading away completely, leaving her in her sub armor. She went over to where her now found comrades were.
"My God, Reia, I'm so glad you're safe!" Lysithea exclaimed, hugging her. "So Kasukio told you about Arcane?" Reia nodded.
"It makes me wonder... if the Warlords are on the same side as the Ronin Warriors now, why do we fight them in the future?" Xanthe said to no one in particular as he watched the eight samurai and the armored Lady Kayura prepare to transmit Kawai into the past.
"Is... is that your mother, Reia?" Junichi asked dazedly. He was not still 100% recovered from his time travel. She nodded. "Can you believe it? I mean, my mother... wearing one of the nine armors? I've never laid eyes on the Armor of Loyalty before, and yet, there it is on my own mother!"
"Something's happening!" Lys exclaimed, pointing.
The same silver ring appeared in the air, indicating a portal was opening. The light was brighter, and the ring seemed to sparkle more. A foot appeared through the gateway... a foot clad in midnight blue armor. Soon another foot came through, followed by legs with magenta armor, then a purple waist guard with pouches on either side of the hips, then the upper body appeared, which was in magenta and blue chest guard, the armor on the arms was deep purple. The armor had a high neck... and then the face of the bearer came into view. A young woman, with clear, pale skin, and wavy, shoulder length reddish brown hair. She landed softly on the ground, standing up right.
As the wind died down her hair settled back into place. All males present were somewhat taken aback by her beauty, even Kasukio, Xanthe, and Junichi, who saw her on a regular basis, and Kasukio saw her nearly everyday of his life, as she was his cousin, and they lived in the same house. Junichi's heart fluttered a bit at the sight of Kawai, it always did. A flirtatious grin spread across Sage's face. Her clear, silver-ice blue eyes opened widely, as she was momentarily unsure of her surroundings.
"Hello, beautiful warrior," Sage said poetically, stepping forward. He stooped and reached for her hand to kiss it. Before he knew it he was on his back, a knee pressed into his chest and a sai blade at his throat.
"Who are you?!" The girl demanded. Her voice was as clear and pretty as her face. "Where is Lysithea, the rightful bearer of the Armor of Halo?!"
"Kawai!" Reia shouted, running to them. "Stop, I can explain!"
"Reia?!" The girl gasped. She took her knee off of Sage's chest but kept the blade at his throat. "What is going on?" Reia explained everything to her: the time traveling, the deal with Rowen, the Warlords, etc.
"So... so he is technically a rightful Ronin Warrior?" She asked, glancing down at a now very frustrated and embarrassed Sage of Halo.
"Yes!" He gasped, but quieted as the pressure of the blade on his neck increased ever so slightly.
"Yes!" Reia exclaimed. Kawai looked at Sage bitterly for a minute, then almost reluctantly released him.
She smiled apologetically and offered a hand to help him up.
"I am Kawai Mei-Lim, Ronin Warrior of Love," She said, nodding at everyone. The armor faded into a purple and silver sub armor. She looked squarely at Sage. "Sorry about that... in the future, introduce yourself before trying to act the Romeo." The others had a little laugh at this, but a look from Sage shushed them.
Suddenly Reia noticed that Cayle was cradling a now unconscious Kayura in his arms.
"Mom!" Reia cried, running to them.
"That last one was too much for her," Dais said. "She collapsed as soon as Kawai materialized."
"Mia-Chan, is it all right if I put her in a bed?" Cayle asked, picking Kayura up.
"Sure, I'll help you," Mia said. "You come with me, Yulie," She said, tugging at the child's arm.
"Aww, but it was just startin' to get interesting, Mia," Yulie whined. He yawned suddenly.
"Someone else needs a nap, too," Mia laughed. "You can hang around later." Mia and Cayle headed back towards the house, with Yulie and Kayura in tow.
The Ronin Warriors looked at each other. Present and future, face to face. As they made eye contact, the kanji of Virtue began to glow on both Ryo's and Kasukio's foreheads. When Sage and Lysithea stood face to face, a chain reaction from Ryo and Kasukio began. The kanji of Wisdom burned brightly on both of their foreheads. Then the kanji Trust lit up on Cye's and Junichi's foreheads. Reia looked over at Rowen to see his Life kanji burning, and she could feel hers, too. "Justice" lit up bright and true for Xanthe and Kento. The kanji of "Love" glowed purple on Kawai's forehead, while Serenity shone on Dais's and Piety glowed on Sehkmet's. Then every kanji slowly faded. "Maybe we should go into the house and talk," Ryo said as his sub armor faded into his street clothes.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Kasukio said. "We have... a lot to discuss." His sub armor faded into a baggy pair of blue jeans with a white tee shirt that said "Akio High Track Team" on the back and Nike running shoes. Lysithea's sub armor became a short, forest green skirt with a white blouse with black sandals. Xanthe was wearing black slacks and a yellow Polo shirt and relatively dressy black shoes. Junichi had on plain black sneakers and a faded pair of jeans with holes in each knee, with a blue tank top and black leather jacket. Kawai had on a school uniform: A gray jacket with a pleated gray skirt that fell to just above her knees, and a white scarf around her neck and another one in the breast pocket oh her jacket. Reia had on the same jeans and black tank top she had on the day she met the Ronin Warriors of the 20th Century, only they were cleaner than they had been before.
When they got back to Mia's house, everyone settled somewhere in the living room. Mia and Cye went into the kitchen and prepared a bunch of iced tea. It was going to be a long afternoon.