The Calling of Destiny
Part 2: Closing thoughts
-Ryo-
Watching my little girl out here practicing today still seems strange to me. I keep thinking that this isn't real, that this isn't happening to her. I want to believe that this is all some kind of bad dream and any minute now I'm going to wake up from it ---but of course it's not. This is real, my fears are coming true and I hate this. I hate the fact that I have no choice but to let her.
I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday ---it was one of the greatest days of my life. While you're holding your baby in your arms you never think or even fathom, that one day you will be watching that same little girl learning how to use an armor, your armor, to fight an evil. The thought never crosses your mind. Unless you're a Ronin Warrior, a lonely solider who only has bloodshed and fighting for a past.
I don't know, I guess I never really thought or maybe I'd hoped that this wouldn't happen to her. So much for hoping, right? When you think about it, where does hoping really get you? In my case, not very far. I kept the secret of who I really was, and still was, from her in hopes that she would never have to know about it. Never have to go through what I had went through ---so much for that.
Loosing Luna the way I did and finding myself at 26 raising two kids alone was hard enough, but now I have to deal with this also? I'm still undecided as to which one is worse ---loosing the woman I loved or having my baby girl fight in a battle that will change her forever. What if something was to happen to her? I'd never be able to live with myself if something did. I'd blame myself for the rest of my miserable life. What am I saying, of course I would blame myself. That's what I do, I blame myself when things go wrong.
I guess, in a way, being a Dad has changed the way I think and feel about things. Maybe it has for all of us, maybe in some little way being fathers has made us all have a different out look on life, but God do I ever wish that I could take her place. I hate to see her innocence taken from her like this. Rylea has a hard enough life as it is and this is the last thing she needs to deal with right now.
But there's nothing I can do. All I can do is just watch her slowly be scared by war ---a war that she and the other girls should have no part in. Be here to lend a shoulder for her to cry on when it all gets to be too much for her and assure her that everything will be ok. As much as I want to, I can't change her destiny. None of us can change any of this, even if we wanted to. You know, in a way, all of us are responsible for this happening to our daughters. Will we all be able to bare it if anything happens to them? Will we all be able to follow the rules of the game and let them go in this alone?
-Rylea-
Who does this guy think he is? He acts like none of us know how to fight or do anything. Well doesn't he have a big surprise coming to him cuz we do. Our fathers taught us everything we know. My Dad started to teach me how to fight and use katana blades when I was only seven. It had only been three years after my mother had been taken from us. I guess it was just his way of keeping his mind off things ---or was it?
Looking back on all of this now I'm starting to think that maybe he knew this was going to happen. Maybe he was trying to prepare me for it when this did happen to me. That can't be the case though because he taught Ryu too. Ryu was good, maybe because he was older, but I think the talent skipped a generation if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not the best either. There's times that I can remember my Dad just shaking his head at me or sighing when I messed up three and four times in a row on something that was very simple to do. It didn't help any when my retarded brother would start with his stupid comments too, but I got him back real good when my Dad wasn't looking.
I look over at my Dad who has come outside now along with my uncles. He has this expression on his face that I can't quite read. Is he sad? Or maybe he's scared? Or could he be proud? Maybe it's a mix off all three, I'm not sure. All I know is that the look on my father's face is an expression I very rarely see. It's an expression that I hate to see.
My father and I are close, very close you could say. Ever since my mother died, I guess, I kinda clung to him more than I thought I did. Like I thought that if I let him go then I would lose him too. He'd leave me just like my mother did and to a four year old this seems very logical. I didn't want to lose my father so I just grabbed onto him for dear life and I wouldn't let him go. I couldn't and I really don't think I wanted to. But like I said, I was four and it seemed like the best thing to do at the time. Although, I've always had a really tight bond with my father. I don't think he ever had a moment to himself, well, unless I was sleeping. Then it was free time for him.
You see for as long as I can remember my father has always been there for me. Always been there to support me, to lend me a shoulder to cry on, to cheer me up when I was down. In a lot of ways he's like my rock ---my savior. I really can't picture him not being here and if he wasn't I really don't know what I would do.
Now that I think about it, I wonder what me having to fill his shoes and bear his armor is going to do to him. I remember when he used to tell me stories about the Samurai Troopers ---little did I know the Samurai Troopers legend was really the Japanese version of them selves. I was really hearing about his memories of long grueling wars, but that's neither here nor there. He told me once that being in wars makes a person grow up and mature. Am I going to grow up and mature? Is this going to be like the first day of school when I started kindergarten? He walked me to the bus stop but then couldn't seem to let me go. Is he going to be able to let me go this time?
This whole battle and war thing doesn't bother or scare me. I guess its because in some little way I've always wanted to be a Samurai Trooper/ Ronin Warrior --- which ever one you prefer. It fascinated me as a child to hear the legends about these brave samurais who faced an evil emperor. I used to pretend I was one of them and my brother was the evil emperor, but we're getting off the subject now.
I'm worried about my Dad. Some how I have this really bad feeling that this is going to ware on him more than it's going to on me. I know this whole thing must be just eating him up inside, knowing that he can't hold my hand and help me through this or deal with this himself. I know he'd love to just tell Leinto to go screw himself, that he's not going to let me fight ---but he can't, unfortunately. That would be fun to see though.
You know, in some ways its almost as if I can hear what he's thinking; feel what he's feeling right now. Crazy talk right? I don't know, I've always been like that though. Sometimes I used to think I was some kind of witch or something because I could hear or feel things that other people couldn't. I've never told my Dad about that. He had enough to worry about and I didn't want to add to it. Besides, me walking up to my father and saying, "Hey Dad, how's it going oh and by the way, I can hear what you're thinking" sounds a little strange don't ya think?
You know what's even funnier is that as I look around at all the faces of my friends ---Leinto's still droning on about only God knows what, they all look either scared or confused. Two things that I'm not at the moment. Is that normal? Should I be afraid? Should I be confused? Well if I should I'm not. If anything I'm hyped; I want to start fighting right now. I can't wait to be able to get my father's, wait no, my armor on and start kicking demon butt. I get to fight and not get in trouble for it, how great is that? Pretty great right, but is it really though? I'm fighting an evil but at what cost? I don't think me fighting is what has my father so strung out. He knows something that I don't. But what is it?
This Leinto guy seems like he's going to be good for a few laughs. At least I know I have insured entertainment while he drones on about useless stuff that none of us are going to follow. The only one who's probably listening to him is my cousin and well maybe Kami too. When you get right down to it I'm going to fight how I was taught to fight and nothing he has to say is going to change that. If he doesn't like it than that's just too bad for him. Rylea Marie Sanada, the great female ninja, changes who she is for no one.
-Rowen-
How did everything go so wrong so fast? Everything was fine until Leinto showed up one night at my house and told me my daughter would be fighting, in my armor, a new evil. From there everything just seemed to quickly spiral down into the chaos that we know now. Why can't we all just have a break? Can't we just finally put the armors to rest? I know that's what we all thought we could do. After that last battle and we all got on with our lives, getting married and having kids, we thought we would never have to see those armors again.
We thought wrong, dead wrong. Now not only are they back but our daughters, our little girls, have to use them. They have to fight in a war that by all rights should have ended years ago. A war that should have started and ended with us. But I guess that's just not how things go ---not for us anyway. Things can never go right for us and they never have either.
Peace is something that we can only hope for and hoping never gets anyone anywhere. It hasn't gotten us anywhere yet and you see how long we've been hoping for it. If anything, we've only been dealt out worse hardships by hoping for peace.
Look at all of us now, the great Ronin Warriors, having to deal with our worst fears ---our children fighting in battle. It finally came true after all these years. The one thing that all of us use to talk about amongst ourselves when we first got married and started having kids was ---would they have to fight? We all hoped that they wouldn't, any of them, but look at what hoping got us ---exactly what we had feared would happen. Lady luck just does not like us any more.
Why the girls though? Why couldn't our sons fight? What is going to happen that is so important that our daughters have to fight and not our sons? Have any women even actually ever put on mystical armor, this armor, and fought in all the years that these blasted armors have been around? I thought, we all thought, that if and when the time ever came for our armors to be called on again that the armors would pick our sons ---what a blow that was when Leinto said our daughters would be fighting.
Well, I think all we can do is do some more hoping ---a lot of good that's done us, but that's all we can do. All we can do is hope that ever thing will turn out all right. Trust that we have taught them enough to get them all through this battle alive.
-Rona-
How did I go from being the daughter of the smartest man alive and world-renowned doctor to being the daughter of a Ronin Warrior? I didn't even know that they actually existed, none of us did ---we all just thought that they were just a legend, a Japanese myth, but look ---they're real as real can be.
Not only are they real, but my father is one of them ---Rowen of Strata to be precise. I'm now going to be known as Rona of Strata, not just Rona Hashiba school genius and cousin to Rylea Sanada ---is it just me or does that seem a little strange to any one else?
I'm a thinker not a fighter, Rylea and Keish are the fighters. Heck, I have to practically watch my cousin like a hawk to keep her from getting in trouble everyday at school for beating someone who decided to call her gajin that day. I'm the level headed one who hasn't gotten in trouble ---except for when my cousin decided she needed an accomplice in some of her bright ideas and gets me in trouble, other then that I'm a good girl. The teachers pet to a certain extent even. I'm not the type to fight!
Why do we have to fight? Why do I have to fight? Why can't we just let the ones who actually want to fight, fight this evil? Rylea and Keish look like they're more then ready to pick up a weapon and fight. Heather's too afraid she'll break a nail and Kami is too kind hearted and sweet to want to fight. How are we all going to manage with just two people who actually want to fight?
God must hate me. Why else would He put this kind of burden on five 14 year old girls who are just trying to survive High School? I can't think of any other reasons right now but as soon as I can think of another one I'll be sure and say it. Oh no, I'm starting to sound like my cousin. Oh no no no no, that is not a good thing.
Moving off the subject of my cousin and her rebel attitude, this Leinto guy seems like maybe he'll be ok. He seems to generally care about our safety and the safety of the world. At first though, I thought this was some kind of prank. A good laugh for our Dads at our expense, but when I saw the look on my Dad's face ---I knew it was real.
That moment when we all found out who our Dad's were and what we were going to be doing ---that moment changed my life forever. My heart sunk and all I could think was that this wasn't real. That somehow there was some kind of mistake. Why couldn't our brother's fight? Kyle can fight, a lot better then I can and I know Kayto and Ryu can fight. I've seen enough of Ryu and Lea's little sibling fights to know that he can fight very well.
Lea's a ninja descendent for crying out loud and what am I, I'm just half a ninja descendent. My mother's the one who has ties to the Sanada family and ninja clan, but she can't fight. Any of the ninja techniques and moves I know Lea's taught me --and she hasn't taught me a lot.
You know, to be totally truthful, I'm scared. I'm frightened to death by all this. What is going to happen? Can we all pull together and win?
-Sage-
Well here we go, round three good versus evil. Only difference ---we're not fighting this time. This time around our daughters will be fighting. What was the ancient thinking when he decided to send Leinto to awaken our daughters to fight? What do five 14 year old girls know about fighting evil emperors hell bent on taking over the Earth? Not a whole lot.
I would really like to have a chat with the person in charge in deciding who gets the armors next and when. They made a big mistake when deciding to give the girls the armor. Not that I'm against women using the armor ---no, that's not it at all. I'm against my daughter using the armor. Heather is not the right person for this. Why couldn't the armor have picked Hojo? Now my son would have been right for the armor, but even him I wouldn't want to have to fight.
What's the new threat this time? Is Talpa back? No way, we've killed him at least two times ---there's no way he could be back. Besides I think I remember Leinto mentioning a new evil. I guess that means all new warlords and a new psycho emperor to deal with. Oh great joy.
This has disaster written all over it ---I just know it. Give an armor to a 14 year old girl who has other things on her mind besides the end of the world and you're going to get a big disaster. Am I the only one who seems to be taking that into consideration here? Think about it, my daughter cringes at the thought of getting even the slightest bit dirty ---are you seeing the picture yet?
Heather never wanted to train with Hojo and me ---and when she would we'd always wish we'd just let her go off. Yes, Heather knows how to fight and is somewhat skilled with a nodatchi, but she lacks the enthusiasm to fight. She'd rather be chatting on her phone with her friends or reading her magazines while painting her nails then out fighting to save the world. Let's just face it ---Heather does not have the fighter's spirit.
Oh great God, please watch over them. I trust that Leinto knows what he's doing but I'm not sure that I like the fact my daughter has to use my armor. I'd rather just call upon the armor again and fight this with the guys ---but I can't. I have to let my little girl fight and learn what it's like to be in a battle and depend on other people and she do the same. She'll have to learn what fighting for your life really feels like ---what fighting to save the lives of others is like. But can she do this? Can my pampered, non-fighter, Heather actually pick up a nodatchi and fight for someone other then herself? For all of our sake I hope she can.
-Heather-
Oh my fashion God, what is going on? Who is the creep who needs to do something about his hair and not to mention he might want to get a new outfit. I think the whole robe thing went out in the medieval time. What's with the stick he carries around? Somebody help me I've falling asleep in a very bad nightmare and can't wake up!
Blah, blah, blah, what is this guy babbling about? He talks more then my father does when he goes off into one of his speeches about my family and responsibilities. Yeah so my family is the proud Date clan from Sendai, big deal. I think I'm going to do what I usually do in these situations and just tune out to what he's saying. Seems like the best thing to do.
Hm, now let's see ---who can I start on first. Why not Rylea, she's one of my fave people to rat on. She's always gotta show off and act like she's somebody. Ha, she's somebody who obviously doesn't understand the concept of fashion. Although I will give her this: she does have her moments when she can come up with some nice outfits. That doesn't happen very often. She acts like she such a tomboy, her and Keish both. I don't know how Kami can stand to hang around them. All they do is play with the boys and get into fights. Bleh, gross.
Then again when you have a father like Uncle Ryo who lets you get away with almost anything I guess you kinda would fight all the time and just act like an all out rebel. She annoys me so much. How can she not even wear any make up and still be pretty? I can't even think about going out of my house without my make up on ---I just can't!
Anyway, what's the deal with these armors he keeps rattling on about? Am I going to have to fight? No, dear God say it isn't so! I don't wanna fight, I don't, I don't, I don't! Let Rylea and Keish fight 'til their little hearts are content ---I, under no circumstances, am going to fight. Heather Lynn Date is a lover, not a fighter. Leinto can take his stupid armor and stick it somewhere.
-Kento-
Well this was a big surprise. Who woulda thought that my little Keish would have to put on my armor and fight? Heh, I sure didn't. I always thought Kayto would have to some day ---not Keish. Aw well, same difference to me. Both my kids can kick any dynasty demon's ass no problem. Let them try and take over this world and they got another thing coming. Although I'm kinda sad to part with the armor ---all the fun I had kickin dynasty creeps is over and now I have to pass it on. Oh well, I think I'll be ok. If Keish can make me proud and wield my armor well then I'll be ok.
To tell ya the truth I think all the guys are makin a big deal outta nothin. I mean, we weren't much older then them when we were thrust into battle and look how we turned out. Those guys just worry too much if you ask me. We've been training our kids since they were little and now its all going to pay off. But I'm still a little confused, like the guys, on why the girls got picked and not the boys. I mean, we all figured that they would be picked and not the girls but look ---weren't we wrong!
Well I really don't have much to say. I'm gonna back Keish up any way I can and let Leinto try and stop me and fists will be flying.
-Keish-
Whoa man, too much too fast. I mean the whole idea of fighting is really cool but with armor? Is that even legal? I'm used to fighting with just my fists and feet, but now I'm going to be using an armor and magical powers to fight. This should be fun. Give me this armor and let me go! I wanna kick some demon booty! Woo-who!
But wait a minute, why did we get the armor? Why not our brothers? Ha, in your face Kayto I got it and you didn't. Ha, ha, ha, but seriously ---why us? Our fathers first fought with it and now we're going to. Are we like the first females to ever use this armor? Even better man!
I wonder what little miss blondie has to say about all this. Heck if I know Heather she's prolly flipping out about how dirty she's going to get and trying to find all kinds of ways to get out of this. I know my girl Lea's all geared up and ready to kick some butt. The ninja of our group is always ready and willin to fight ---no doubt about that. Now Kami is another story. My girl Kami hates to fight. I mean hates with a capital H-A-T-E. She'd rather settle things non-physically then just duke it out. She's prolly freaking out too. Now Rona ---little genius is prolly going out of her mind too about all this. She may be related to Lea, but she doesn't have the fight in her like Rylea does. Poor Rona and Kami ---I feel bad for them. Heather's just a big baby who needs to grow up and get over her self. I think doing some fighting will be a good thing for the blondie.
Leinto's starting to bore me with all his talking. I wish he'd just give me the armor and just shut up. You think he would if I told me too?
-Cye-
Why now? Why them? Why would they by chosen? Why couldn't our sons have been chosen to fight ---at least then I would have felt a little better. Why do they have to fight at all? I hate to think of what this fighting is going to do to my poor Kami. She's so much like me, doesn't like to fight and always sweet to everyone ---this fighting is going to change all that.
All of us feared that one day it would come and now this day is here and we all have to face it. None of us like the idea of letting our daughters fight but I think Ryo hates it more then any of us ---he seemed pretty upset when we all had agreed that we should tell them about our past. Who can blame him. He lost Luna in a very tragic way and ever since then he's been just a little more than overly protective of Rylea and Ryu. I think this whole having her fight thing has a larger meaning to him. He hates letting her fight because of a different reason then all of us.
Ryo doesn't like to talk about anything personal too much and us guys have learned to let him have his space ---his temper is something we don't like to see. Kento doesn't have a problem with letting Keish fight and we all expected that from him. This is Kento we're talking about after all. Sage seems to be concerned about letting Heather and well ---we kinda figured he would be. Rowen seems to feel confident in his daughter but, like all of us, doesn't want to let her fight.
None of us like the idea, but we have no choice. Can we let them fight on their own or will we break the rules and fight with them?
-Kami-
Fight? Me fight? I don't think I can do this. I'm not the fighting type. I'd rather talk something out then come to blows about it and now I'm being forced into a war I had nothing to do with. But why? Why must I fight? Can't we decide whether or not we want to fight? Shouldn't we have that choice? This all doesn't seem fair to me. We're not even being given a choice and this armor is just being shoved in our faces and we have to take it like it or not. Things are happening just a little too fast.
One minute I'm just Kami Mouri, the fastest kid on the swim team and now I'm Kami Mouri ---daughter of Cye of the Torrent. When did that happen? All of us thought that our Dads just grew up together and that's why they're so close but now we know the real reason behind it ---they met during a battle a long time ago and grew closer together because of it. They're all like brothers now because they all were in the same war ---they fought along side each other.
Once again I come back to the fighting part. Sure I know how to defend myself, but to fight, as in like Rylea and Keish ---I don't think I can do it. I'm the one who has to break up Lea and Heather's fights, not the one to start one. I'm the mediator not the fighter.
Some how I just know this is going to change all of us. Maybe even bring us closer together ---although I don't know how much closer we can be. We're all like sisters in a way. We've grown up together, shared each other's pains, been there for each other ---we were all there for Lea when her mom died. Poor Lea, she was really broken up about it. Although she doesn't talk about her mom and she says she doesn't remember her that well ---we all know it still hurts her.
Well I'm not exactly thrilled about this whole going into battle with our Dad's armor, but I trust this Leinto guy. I think everything will turn out ok in the end ---or at least I hope it will. I guess only time will tell, right?
A/N: Ok, it took me a long time to finish this but I finally have. I think I'll try and get the real series up sometime real soon. I have it started, just not typed up yet. I hope you all enjoyed this and I'm really sorry that I had to make the first part so long, but I didn't want to make it into a chapter so I had to. This is the official ending to, I guess you could call it a prologue into the real story ---go figure. Hope you liked it and I'd love to hear any feed back on this. Thanks!
