The Ronins were in Tokyo Tower, babysitting Jun, who had been dumped on Naste, and in turn, dumped on them. They owed Naste anyway. And it was a subtle form of revenge for her, which they all knew and dealt with.

"Guys, look at this!"

Shin feigned interest, and Ryo scowled at the city landscape.

'Everyone's being so...annoying lately. It's like the littlest things that I used to deal with well are ticking me off. I'm getting as bad as Shu with my temper...well, maybe I always was, but just better at restraining it.'

His eyes focused on the plexi-glass and he jumped. Kage was looking back at him, a small, smug, satisfied look on his face. That made him nervous. Although he heard nothing, he could tell when Kage began to laugh, and as he felt the wave of amusement rise within himself, making him want to laugh with the same malign glee, the lights in the tower and surrounding districts all shut off, leaving only a faint golden glow in the distance. The Ronins then felt something slither around them, under them, something elusive and disgusting.

I've given you some of my pets to play with, Ronin Warriors. IF you win I will spare...most...of these people.

"All! You will spare all of them!"

Tsk, tsk, Shu of Hardrock. This is my game you're playing. Have fun!

The lights of the building and districts suddenly flared up, temporarily blinding the warriors. When their vision cleared, Ryo desperately hoped he wouldn't throw up. A large adult wyvern and a Hell Hound were tearing apart a tourist, blood flying onto the walls and splattering on the Ronins. They watched, spellbound and horrified. The Hound caught their scent and turned and looked at them, growling deep within its throat as blood dripped down from its jaws. They wyvern licked the blood off its mouth then gave an ear-piercing shriek, waking the Ronins from their stupor. Shin, Shu, Toma, and Seiji quickly transformed into their armor, scared but resolute. Ryo took out his armor ball, determined...and couldn't transform. Not even into subarmor. He tried again, and failed. He watched his friends, desperate. His eyes were wide with fear, and it was almost as if he felt every blow done on them. He felt Shu being thrown against the metal and wood, cracking the plexi-glass. Pounds of muscle, flesh, and anger landing squarely on Seiji's chest as he put his sword between his body and certain death, preventing the Hound from tearing out his throat. He was mesmerized by the battle, and felt Kage curl up from inside him.

Why aren't you helping, Ryo? You're their leader.

Shut up!

Why aren't you transforming?

Only silence met Kage's words. He laughed and Ryo gave a weak snarl.

You know why.

I do. Your armor is mine.

Ryo's breath caught, and he felt cold.

Impossible!

Your armor is no longer the Wildfire. It's mine. It's the Darkfire.

No! You're lying!

If you want to fight, I'll have to take over.

Ryo fell to his knees, absorbed in his inward conversation, ignoring the world. It was slowly fading, becoming less real.

I can't let you. I don't want to loose myself.

Then you condemn your friends to Death.

But you'll only help kill them!

True.

Then what CAN I do?

Nothing. Face it. YOU'RE USELESS.

Ryo watched the fight, slowly sinking into despair and darkness. When Ryo felt the weakest, Kage pushed him away and took over. He opened his eyes and smiled, standing slowly. He was already clothed in his subarmor.

"Perfect," he breathed, pleased to hear his own voice and not Ryo's.

He languidly walked closer, and gently placed his hand beneath the wyvern's wing, making it stop, and whistled, bringing the Hound over to him, which growled, sniffed him, and then sat down next to him, red eyes fixed on the Ronins, who were getting up and gathering.

Seiji regarded Kage, wary. He was obviously a warrior. He wore subarmor, so he could use armor like they could. But how could he stop those two creatures? Sure, he and the others had done some damage. One of the wyvern's wings was useless, and a long gash was slowly bleeding acidic blood down its left thigh. One of the Hound's eyes was missing, and two arrows were embedded near its spine. But it didn't seem to slow them down. And now this man was able to command them. Toma, his voice, harsh, soft, and careful, slowly asked,

"Who...are you?"

Kage smiled at them, his violently blue eyes cold, and said nothing for a moment.

"Kage."

Shin stared. That name sounded familiar. Then again, there was a lot about this person that felt eerily familiar, and he wracked his brain for any clue as to where he had seen him before.

Kage smiled at them, and gently stroked the wyvern's chest. It breathed in deeply and then spewed flames at the warrior, with added power from Kage. Shu, Toma, and Seiji scattered, leaving Shin there to ward off the flames as only he could. Kage watched him until the wyvern ran out of fire. Kage grinned, then lunged as Shin was recovering. He tackled him to the ground, and Shin landed on his left arm, hard, a snapping noise following the fall. Shin's face turned pale from pain and Kage looked at him, his eyes gentle and violating.

"I think I'll start with you."

None of the warriors dared attack while Kage was so close to Shin, and the two animals regarded the scene with mild curiosity.

Shin snarled and swung his good arm up to hit Kage, who nimbly pushed himself out of the way before stepping on Shin's diaphragm, making his gasp for air. He ducked under Seiji's stroke and caught his arm, throwing him over his shoulder and into Shu. He backed up into the Hound and smiled at them. He spoke one word to the Hound before it howled and attacked, the wyvern not too far behind.

He sighed inwardly. Even with his help, the Ronins were going to win. So sad. He felt Ryo stir within him, angered, and smiled faintly. He sat down in the illusion he had placed of Ryo, and watched, amused by Ryo's struggle.

See? Your friends don't need you. They're winning this without you.

No! Stop...

See? I'm right, aren't I?

Ryo watched as Shin staggered to his feet, eyes grim and face pale. He waited, yari down, as the wyvern charged. At the last moment, he swung up with all his might and tore it from stomach to chin, stopping it mid-shriek. He didn't flinch as its blood burned his skin, but watched it with distaste as it melted into shadows.

The Hound was overwhelmed with three angry warriors trying to kill it. It collapsed from blood loss from the dozens of wounds it had sustained, and Seiji cut its head off, just to be sure. As it faded in a flare of fire, Kage receded, leaving a bewildered Ryo facing his friends, still in street clothes. He immediately jumped to his feet and ran to his friends.

"Guys..."

"Where were you, Ryo?"

Ryo flinched, then snarled in frustration. "I couldn't transform..."

"What?" Shin walked over, his left arm handing uselessly at his side.

"I couldn't transform...not even into subarmor..." Ryo whispered, feeling cold.

Shin blinked, and then reached out his hand.

Ryo withdrew his armor ball and handed it over to Shin. It glared a deep, blood crimson in Shin's armored hand. He dropped it with a yell, and Ryo caught it before it landed on the floor. Shin looked at his hand, and found a small burn mark. Ryo looked at the ball in his hand, perplexed.

"What happened?"

Shin detransformed, and looked at his hand again. Nothing. "Strange..."

Shu reached out to touch it, and found that his hand couldn't get closer than 5 inches to the sphere.

"Weird..."

Ryo put it back into his pocket, confused. Why did Shin and Shu react like that? He had no trouble holding it.

Did this have anything to do with...?

"Who was that guy?"

"What?"

"There was a guy who was with those creatures. Didn't you see him?"

Toma was startled at the sudden hatred in Ryo's eyes.

"Yes. I did."

Seiji looked thoughtful. "We know his name, and that he's dangerous. But we don't know the name of the truly dangerous one we're facing..."

"Perhaps it's better this way...to say the name is to summon the person."

The Ronins returned to street clothes, and with that reality snapped back into place. Shu looked at the clock and gasped.

"Impossible! No time has passed."

Jun looked away from the binoculars, confused. "What?"

Seiji frowned. "He has a lot of power then..."

"Wha?"

"Who can have so much power as to stop time for everyone but us?"

Ryo shivered in fear as Kage shivered in desire. "I don't know."

"Guuuuuys. What're you talking about?"

"This situation seems to be getting worse and worse..."

"Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuys!"

The Ronins were glad to get rid of Jun so that they could stop evading the questions he asked. Kage taunted Ryo as they made their way home, fraying Ryo's temper to the breaking point, but stopping before he snapped. The anger sunk into him and simmered, and Kage was content.