Kage sat down on a bench near the lake, contemplating his next actions. He had to get close with the Ronins SOMEHOW. Else he wouldn't know how to fight them correctly. But, damn! They were going to be wary. If only...

"RYO!"

Kage jumped and looked over his shoulder in time to see Shu sprinting over towards him.

'But I'm not...! Wait...'

Shu reached him, panting.

"Ryo where have you BEEN!" he yelled and shook Kage's shoulders. Kage was bewildered at first, then snarled and shoved him off.

"What the hell! Why'd you do that?"

"It's been nearly two weeks Ryo! WHERE WERE YOU!"

Kage looked uncertain. This guy, Shu of Hardrock, thought he was Ryo of the Wildfire. An idea dawned on him and he quenched a malign smirk, and instead looked down and away.

"I..."

"Shu! Why'd you run off like that?"

Seiji walked up behind Shu.

"It's like you saw a...Ryo!"

Kage blinked. Did he really look that much like Wildfire? He showed some hesitation again, which, of course, made Seiji concerned, then wary.

"Are you really Ryo?"

Kisu, help me! I have an idea!

"Yes..." his voice was unsteady, but unmistakably Ryo's.

"How can I be sure?"

Kage/Ryo sighed faintly. "You, Seiji Date, always are the fourth one down for breakfast each morning because you have to spend nearly an hour getting that hair of yours to stay put. You reek of hairspray when you come down. Which is why no one sits within arm's length of you. They'd die of toxic fumes. It also spoils the flavor of Shin's food." He paused and licked his lips. "Which I could go for right now. And you, Shu, are the bastard who throws me out of my bed onto the cold HARD floor every morning to wake me up! Wish I could do the same to you!" Ryo glared at Shu.

Shu stared, then laughed.

Seiji smiled in relief. Only Ryo would know those things. No Dynasty warlord ever could. Not unless they had LIVED with them. Which, he was certain, none ever had.

"Come on, Ryo. Let's go home."

Toma didn't believe Seiji and Shu when they insisted that the person sitting in front of him was Ryo. Ryo was drinking some tea while he waited for Toma's questioning. Ryo got tired of waiting before Toma did.

"I'm stuck waking you up every Wednesday and Saturday, which is usually done by pulling all the covers off of you and dropping a large bucket full of ice on the middle of your back. I have hidden your sugar stash no less than twelve times, and you've always found it, much to our collective dismay. You like Pixie Stix the best, but any other kind of straight, flavored sugar is just as good. There. Proof enough?" Ryo had found his temper was shorter than it had been. But it didn't matter. He was away from that man...and the intoxication that he felt whenever near him. There was still the presence of the Other within him, but he was quiet. Ryo sighed as Toma's eyes widened and he thought this over. He then broke into a smile.

"It's good to have you back."

"Have who...RYO!" Shin dropped the grocery bags and ran over. "I don't believe this!"

Toma gave a wry smile. "It's the real Ryo. No one else could tell me how he tortures me into wakefulness."

Shin sighed in relief. If Toma, Seiji, and Shu were all convinced, and since he didn't want his own life told to him, he accepted what they said.

"Ryo, where have you been?"

Ryo hesitated. "Remember when I went to Akihabara to pick up some supplies?"

"Yes."

"While there I met our warrior. His name...I found out his name, but I can't remember it." Ryo was perplexed. He had a good memory. "Anyway. He...um...ahahaha. He forced me (not a good cover-up, but it'll work) into going with him to the Dynasty after a short battle...damn, he's a good warrior...and beyond that...I can't really remember. Everything after that is...blank." This also perplexed Ryo. He should remember! He had done something, he was sure of that. This lapse made him nervous. And since the rest of the Ronins saw that, they accepted when he said he couldn't remember anything. They could tell it wasn't an act.

"Well, maybe you'll remember later. But for now, it's good to have you back."

Kage looked out the window of Ryo's room, listening to the even breathing of the other Warriors. It had been so easy. Then again, they wanted him back so badly. He, unlike Ryo, didn't mind having to share a body. It was inconvenient, but he was stronger than Ryo. If he needed to take over, he could, and would. He gently touched the window, watching ice crystals form around his palm in the warm night. Oh, this was going to be fun.