Chapter 2
"...and this Sage, is Mother," Sylvia led Sage into a dark room. There was one single bed inside surrounded by more machines than Sage seen in his 16 years. Sylvia walked towards the large window and opened the curtains shedding in some light, illuminating the bed. On the bed lie a thin blond woman. Her eyes were shut with large dark bags under them, her skin was white as milk, and her lips were pale.
"Hello Mrs. Talisman..."Sage said slowly. He kept his distance from the bed only drawing nearer when Sylvia took him by the arm again and led him to the bed.
"Go ahead, touch her..." Sylvia willed him, "That is the only way she'll know you're here."
Sage shuddered at the thought of touching a half-dead woman, but stiffled it as he saw Sylvia's eyes on him. He slowly placed his hand on top of Mrs. Talisman's hand and felt a prickle... a stinging burning sensation. He blinked and retracted his hand quickly. "What the hell...?"
Sylvia was not staring at Sage's hand... but at his forehead... a symbol had appeared there, its shape glowed, the eerie green light playing on Sage's exposed forehead. He really was the one... The Ronnin Warrior of Wisdom, the one with the power of healing and light. Sylvia smirked to herself, she had found him all by herself. Sure, his energy had led she and her mother to this place, but it was she, Sylvia, who had located the Transfer. Sylvia had to admit, she hadn't expected him to be so good looking, or so nice. She had also been surprised at how hard it had been to "charm" him. His will was strong, his mind very powerful... his psychic force was impressive, but not quite impressive enough. In the end, he had succumbed to her, like everyone else, and she would be the one to save her mother. She would show everyone who had had the nerve to tell her to give up, to let her mother go, that she had done it.
"Syl, did you feel anything just now?" Sage was asking in a shaky voice, he was rubbing his sore palm.
"No..." Sylvia said, her voice low and sad, "Sage, the doctors think she's going to die."
Sage's grey eyes grew wide, "What?"
"I'm gonna lose my mother Sage..." Sylvia stared at her boyfriend with tears in her eyes, "Hold me please."
Sage gathered her in his arms immediately, "Doctors don't know everything Syl."
"I know, I know.." Sylvia said, picking her words carefully, drawing them out just right. Her arms were behind his back around his waist. Carefully she used her right hand to reach into her left sleeve and pull out the needle. Slowly she uncapped the needle. Here it goes, she began to rub his back, rubbing so hard that his shirt began to rise with her motions revealing skin. She only needed a little blood, she only had to graze his skin a bit. She ran the sharp needle across the exposed skin of Sage's back. Sage flinched and tried to pull out of her embrace, but she held it, subduing him with a kiss, "It's ok, baby, just hold still a second longer."
"But something's..."
"Shh..." Sage was silent as Sylvia collected a big enough sample of his blood. She then let him go and recapped the needle, "I bet you're tired now Sage. Why don't you go home to get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow in school, and maybe, maybe we can come see mother again."
Sage nodded, "I hope.. I hope your mother feels better..." he said oddly. He turned awkwardly and left.
Sylvia grinned to herself.. Now it begins. We'll be out of here in no time Mom.
"How was bowling?" Mia Koji asked as the four Ronnin Wariors, Kento, Ryo, Cye, and Rowen entered her home.
"I won," Rowen said smirking at Kento who was scowling, "I let him."
"Yeah, sure you did. But hey Kento, at least you didn't throw the ball backwards this time!"
"Shut up Ro," Kento growled, "So is Romeo back yet?" Kento asked this as he was rummaging through the fridge.
"Romeo? Sage?" Mia frowned stiring whatever it was she was making in the pot. It smelled wondeful, "Yes, he came in an hour and a half ago, he went straight to his room. He didn't look very well, I think he went to bed."
"Probably had a figth with Sylvia..." Kento muttered, "Geez, bed already?"
Mia nodded, "I'm making soup... I know I'm not Cye, but it should taste ok."
Cye made a face at her, "Well I guess I could choke some down."
Mia smacked him in the back of the head playfully, "You'll eat it and like it, now if someone won't mind going upstairs to see about Sage... I don't want to start dinner without him."
Rowen was already heading to the stairs, "I'll get him."
Rowen opened the door to the dark room he shared with Sage and clicked on the light. His roomate, he saw, was curled up on top of his bed still fully dressed, shoes and all. Rowen crept towards him and gave him a slight shake. Sage awoke with a start, his grey eyes snapping open and staring at Rowen. Rowen cracked a sly grin, "Good morning Sunshine, time for school."
The grey eyes narrowed at him, "What time is it, Ro?" he groaned.
Rowen chuckled lightly, nothing got past Sage, "7:30."
Sage sat up slowly rubbing at his pillow creased face. Rowen was amused by his friend's rumpled state. He was never allowed the comic pleasure of seeing Sage anything less than perfect. Rowen was beginning to think Sage slept with a comb and a mirror and groomed himself even in sleep. No one could wake up with hair that perfect. Sage caught Rowen's look of amusement with a grim expression on his face, "What are you looking at?" He raised his hands to smooth his hair and slid off the bed. "I've got homework."
"We're getting ready to eat dinner... Mia cooked," Rowen offered.
Sage winced slightly and shook his head, "I'm not too hungry Ro."
"Save some for later? Did you and Sylvia go and eat somewhere before you came back?" Rowen asked watching Sage scrambling around for a comb.
"No, and no I came straight home, alone. I was tired..." Sage sighed, still sounding tired. He looked absolutely exhausted, and Rowen felt some concern for his pale friend.
"Ok Sage," Rowen said slowly, "Are you feeling ok? You look like you're contemplating blowing chunks."
Sage nodded absently, "I'm fine Rowen, Halo does not get sick, remember?"
"Well Halo's certainly doing a good job of fooling me right now," Rowen said flatly, "and if you don't eat dinner tonight I'll know for sure."
Sage glared at Rowen, "Rowen, you're trying my nerves..."
"I'm getting to you, am I Sage?" Rowen asked Sage looking curious, "If you weren't coming down with something I wouldn't be getting to you right now. Now would I?"
Sage groaned, "Rowen please... leave me alone about it. You're right, maybe I don't feel so well, but you don't have to make a big deal about it. I'm just gonna sleep it off, I'm Halo, remember? I heal people."
Rowen sighed deeply, "Ok Sage, if you say so. You sure you don't want any soup?"
Sage shook his head as he ran his comb through it, "No thank you."
Rowen nodded and left the bedroom.
"...and this Sage, is Mother," Sylvia led Sage into a dark room. There was one single bed inside surrounded by more machines than Sage seen in his 16 years. Sylvia walked towards the large window and opened the curtains shedding in some light, illuminating the bed. On the bed lie a thin blond woman. Her eyes were shut with large dark bags under them, her skin was white as milk, and her lips were pale.
"Hello Mrs. Talisman..."Sage said slowly. He kept his distance from the bed only drawing nearer when Sylvia took him by the arm again and led him to the bed.
"Go ahead, touch her..." Sylvia willed him, "That is the only way she'll know you're here."
Sage shuddered at the thought of touching a half-dead woman, but stiffled it as he saw Sylvia's eyes on him. He slowly placed his hand on top of Mrs. Talisman's hand and felt a prickle... a stinging burning sensation. He blinked and retracted his hand quickly. "What the hell...?"
Sylvia was not staring at Sage's hand... but at his forehead... a symbol had appeared there, its shape glowed, the eerie green light playing on Sage's exposed forehead. He really was the one... The Ronnin Warrior of Wisdom, the one with the power of healing and light. Sylvia smirked to herself, she had found him all by herself. Sure, his energy had led she and her mother to this place, but it was she, Sylvia, who had located the Transfer. Sylvia had to admit, she hadn't expected him to be so good looking, or so nice. She had also been surprised at how hard it had been to "charm" him. His will was strong, his mind very powerful... his psychic force was impressive, but not quite impressive enough. In the end, he had succumbed to her, like everyone else, and she would be the one to save her mother. She would show everyone who had had the nerve to tell her to give up, to let her mother go, that she had done it.
"Syl, did you feel anything just now?" Sage was asking in a shaky voice, he was rubbing his sore palm.
"No..." Sylvia said, her voice low and sad, "Sage, the doctors think she's going to die."
Sage's grey eyes grew wide, "What?"
"I'm gonna lose my mother Sage..." Sylvia stared at her boyfriend with tears in her eyes, "Hold me please."
Sage gathered her in his arms immediately, "Doctors don't know everything Syl."
"I know, I know.." Sylvia said, picking her words carefully, drawing them out just right. Her arms were behind his back around his waist. Carefully she used her right hand to reach into her left sleeve and pull out the needle. Slowly she uncapped the needle. Here it goes, she began to rub his back, rubbing so hard that his shirt began to rise with her motions revealing skin. She only needed a little blood, she only had to graze his skin a bit. She ran the sharp needle across the exposed skin of Sage's back. Sage flinched and tried to pull out of her embrace, but she held it, subduing him with a kiss, "It's ok, baby, just hold still a second longer."
"But something's..."
"Shh..." Sage was silent as Sylvia collected a big enough sample of his blood. She then let him go and recapped the needle, "I bet you're tired now Sage. Why don't you go home to get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow in school, and maybe, maybe we can come see mother again."
Sage nodded, "I hope.. I hope your mother feels better..." he said oddly. He turned awkwardly and left.
Sylvia grinned to herself.. Now it begins. We'll be out of here in no time Mom.
"How was bowling?" Mia Koji asked as the four Ronnin Wariors, Kento, Ryo, Cye, and Rowen entered her home.
"I won," Rowen said smirking at Kento who was scowling, "I let him."
"Yeah, sure you did. But hey Kento, at least you didn't throw the ball backwards this time!"
"Shut up Ro," Kento growled, "So is Romeo back yet?" Kento asked this as he was rummaging through the fridge.
"Romeo? Sage?" Mia frowned stiring whatever it was she was making in the pot. It smelled wondeful, "Yes, he came in an hour and a half ago, he went straight to his room. He didn't look very well, I think he went to bed."
"Probably had a figth with Sylvia..." Kento muttered, "Geez, bed already?"
Mia nodded, "I'm making soup... I know I'm not Cye, but it should taste ok."
Cye made a face at her, "Well I guess I could choke some down."
Mia smacked him in the back of the head playfully, "You'll eat it and like it, now if someone won't mind going upstairs to see about Sage... I don't want to start dinner without him."
Rowen was already heading to the stairs, "I'll get him."
Rowen opened the door to the dark room he shared with Sage and clicked on the light. His roomate, he saw, was curled up on top of his bed still fully dressed, shoes and all. Rowen crept towards him and gave him a slight shake. Sage awoke with a start, his grey eyes snapping open and staring at Rowen. Rowen cracked a sly grin, "Good morning Sunshine, time for school."
The grey eyes narrowed at him, "What time is it, Ro?" he groaned.
Rowen chuckled lightly, nothing got past Sage, "7:30."
Sage sat up slowly rubbing at his pillow creased face. Rowen was amused by his friend's rumpled state. He was never allowed the comic pleasure of seeing Sage anything less than perfect. Rowen was beginning to think Sage slept with a comb and a mirror and groomed himself even in sleep. No one could wake up with hair that perfect. Sage caught Rowen's look of amusement with a grim expression on his face, "What are you looking at?" He raised his hands to smooth his hair and slid off the bed. "I've got homework."
"We're getting ready to eat dinner... Mia cooked," Rowen offered.
Sage winced slightly and shook his head, "I'm not too hungry Ro."
"Save some for later? Did you and Sylvia go and eat somewhere before you came back?" Rowen asked watching Sage scrambling around for a comb.
"No, and no I came straight home, alone. I was tired..." Sage sighed, still sounding tired. He looked absolutely exhausted, and Rowen felt some concern for his pale friend.
"Ok Sage," Rowen said slowly, "Are you feeling ok? You look like you're contemplating blowing chunks."
Sage nodded absently, "I'm fine Rowen, Halo does not get sick, remember?"
"Well Halo's certainly doing a good job of fooling me right now," Rowen said flatly, "and if you don't eat dinner tonight I'll know for sure."
Sage glared at Rowen, "Rowen, you're trying my nerves..."
"I'm getting to you, am I Sage?" Rowen asked Sage looking curious, "If you weren't coming down with something I wouldn't be getting to you right now. Now would I?"
Sage groaned, "Rowen please... leave me alone about it. You're right, maybe I don't feel so well, but you don't have to make a big deal about it. I'm just gonna sleep it off, I'm Halo, remember? I heal people."
Rowen sighed deeply, "Ok Sage, if you say so. You sure you don't want any soup?"
Sage shook his head as he ran his comb through it, "No thank you."
Rowen nodded and left the bedroom.
