Future
Problems
Part 4
by Anime Princess
Nodding Mako turned to the younger Ronins and asked, "Do you want to come with me to the library to meet Dr. Sage, Miaka, Professor Rowen, and then to the training area to meet Dr. Senada and the eldest children?"
"DOCTOR?" exclaimed the Ronins as Sage asked shocked, "I'm a doctor?"
The eldest Kento laughed and said, "Well actually, you all become doctors of some sort."
The group wordlessly followed Makoto until the reached another set of double doors with the word LIBRARY etched in them.
As she opened the doors they heard the words, "Ro come on! We have to go and see about breakfast!"
"You two go ahead Sage. I want to finish this book."
They heard a female sigh and the words, "But ROWEN, you've already read that book TEN TIMES already! You practically know all the words of the story by HEART!"
"Miaka, calm down. You don't want to get to upset."
"To UPSET? Oh no, I'm not TO UPSET YET, but I will be soon!"
"Miaka please, all right you win, lets go. I don't want you to miscarry, and I know you're worried about Mako, but believe me; my little sister will be okay."
"You got that right." Said Mako as she walked into the light.
"Mako!" exclaimed Miaka as she hugged her best friend.
As the elder Sage gave her a hug he asked, "How are you feeling Mako?"
"I'm feeling fine. I'm little tired, but that's only because of the energy I had to use to bring the Ronins back here." She replied as Sage picked her up, like a groom would a bride, and placed her on a long table.
"What? Hey!" she protested as Rowen placed his hand over her mouth and said, "Quite imouto, it's for your sake and the babies." She glared at them, but let Sage do what he had to.
Once he was done, Rowen hugged her from behind and while his head was settled on her shoulder asked, "Where are they then?"
"Right behind us." Came Mako's sarcastic reply. The three elder people turned and saw their younger selves.
"Well, I must admit. We age rather gracefully don't we Rowen?" asked Sage to break the ice between the two groups. With that comment everyone began to laugh.
"Everyone, allow me to introduce Miaka Date, Sage Date's wife."
"Hi!" greeted the group as Sage blushed and said, "Hello."
Elder Sage laughed and said, "Well now, we might have a small problem."
"Oh what is that?" asked Ryo curiously.
"The younger Rowen." replied Sage as he pointed behind the group. They saw him wandering aimlessly around with a dazed look on his face as he picked up one book.
"Where all have you been imouto?" asked Rowen as Mako pulled away from his embrace.
"Well, we've been to the nursery, the kitchen, and now here. Our last stop I believe is the training rooms."
"PLEASE! Ryo is going to destroy everything in it!" exclaimed Sage as he added, "Also, I recommend that only you go in first Mako. It's kind of hot in there if you ask me."
"The children?"
Elder Rowen laughed and said, "They have to suffer. Ryo calls it 'intense training', but Hiko's having a ball at it!"
"She would." Muttered Makoto as she continued, "Okay, well guys lets get going."
"But I don't wanna leave!" exclaimed the younger Rowen as the younger Sage said, "You can come back later!" Kento grabbed Rowen from behind and dragged him out with elder Rowen and Sage laughing in the background.
Before the doors closed completely they heard, "Was I really that bad Sage?"
"Worse I believe Ro…much worse." Was Sage's reply.
"So, we're going to meet my older self and our eldest children right?" asked Ryo getting into a step with Mako.
"Yes we are."
They walked through the hallways for another few minutes when they heard clashes of swords and a man's voice saying, "No Seiji! You over lunged! Hiko…up and down, slice, and THEN lunge!"
"Okay daddy!" came a young girl's voice.
"Uncle Ryo, can we get some water?" asked a little boy with straight platinum blond hair.
Makoto smiled as she heard Ryo say, "Yeah Shin, go ahead."
"Thanks!" exclaimed the kids as Ryo continued to teach Hiko how to use the katanas.
The younger Ronins walked in with her and Cye exclaimed, "Wow! It's so hot in here!"
"A side effect of Ryo's temper mixed with worry and his element I'm afraid."
Said Makoto as she called out, "Take five Hiko!"
The two stopped and the little girl exclaimed, "MOMMA!"
Makoto smiled. As Ryo placed his katanas in the sheaths beside the wall, Makoto hugged the young girl tightly.
"Now really…I was only gone for a while!"
"But momma, you weren't here this morning for our talk!" exclaimed Hiko with a pout. Meanwhile the younger Ronins were watching on.
Kento whispered, "Yo Ryo, your daughter is going to be quite the looker!"
Ryo blinked and said, "Watch your mouth! She's only a baby!" The guys laughed at him.
"What?" he asked.
"Ryo, you're treating her like she's already yours!" exclaimed Rowen.
Ryo blushed. The group heard a giggle and turned back to the family. Ryo blushed for his older self had Makoto in a passionate embrace.
Once Makoto broke away from her husband, she said, "Nice to see you too Ryo. But I wasn't gone that long! Geez, everyone here makes me feel like I've been gone a week! Not five hours!"
"I missed you." He said with a smile as he placed his hand on her stomach and asked, "Have you seen Sage yet?"
"Yes Mr. Worrywart I have. I'm perfectly fine and so are the twins."
He sighed and said, "What a relief."
Makoto giggled and said, "So you'll go easy on the kids now?"
He laughed sheepishly and asked, "You heard huh?"
She gave him a mock glare and said, "They practically threw me in this direction!"
"So if you're back, where are they?"
She pointed behind him and said, "Right there."
Elder Ryo turned around and blinked.
"Hey Ryo! You look the same now and in the future!" exclaimed Kento.
Younger Ryo cleared his throat and said, "Um hi."
Elder Ryo chuckled and said, "Welcome to your futures."
There was a silence then elder Ryo called out, "Hiko! Shin! Shuu! Seiji! Touma! Come out of the shadows now!"
The five named walked out of the shadows with guilty looks.
The younger Ronins looked over the ten year olds and Ryo asked, "Um, I know which one will be mine, but who are the others."
Ryo stood behind the group and placed a hand on the girl. "Kids, these are our younger selves."
As he placed his other hand on the girl's other shoulder he said, "Kids, meet the younger Ronins…guys…my daughter, Hiko."
Hiko had shiny red hair like Makoto, which was in a braid, had Ryo's tiger blue eyes, her skin was creamy like Makoto's, she had two dimples like Ryo, her nose was small and pointy like Ryo's too, and she had two wooden katanas in her hands.
"This is Shin, Cye's eldest, heir to Torrent," introduced Ryo as he placed a hand on a platinum blond hared boy. His eyes were ocean blue green in color and he had an oval shaped face. He had a dimple in his right cheek and in his hand was a wooden trident. It was an exact replica of the Torrent Trident.
"This is Shuu, Kento's eldest, heir to Hardrock." Said Ryo as he placed a hand on the blue-black hared chubby boy with almond colored skin. Around his forehead was a yellow orange bandana. His eyes were cloudy blue and his face was rounded. His smile was grand and in his hand was a staff with a wooden shaped knife at one end. He also had a ningunata in his other hand, which was metal.
"Sage allow me to introduce to you your eldest, Seiji, heir to Halo." Said Ryo as he put a hand on a brown-headed boy. He had violet eyes like Sage and his hair was in the same hair due. His skin was pale like Sage's too. In his hand was a six-foot, wooden No-Dachi that he had pointed to the ground blade first.
"And lastly this is Touma, Rowen's eldest." The boy he was pointing to had raven black hair, sapphire blue eyes, slightly tanned skin, also on the bridge of his nose the group saw a familiar lock of black hair, he had a dark blue bandana around his forehead that held the hair away from his face slightly, and in his hand was a compound bow and arrow.
"Children, these are your father's and my younger selves. We brought them here to the future so we could use the Inferno Armor."
"But Uncle, why can't we use the armors?" asked Shuu impatiently.
Ryo sighed and said patiently, "Shuu, we've been through this before. You are all to young…."
"But!"
"No! You're to young to fight and still to young to even call upon the armors! You, Seiji, Touma, and Shin still have another four years until you can even call upon the armors. And even then, your power wouldn't be complete."
"Why?" asked Shuu stomping his foot.
Ryo frowned and said, "Shuu!"
Shuu lowered his head and said, "I'm sorry uncle."
Ryo sighed and said, "I know you are all wanting to help us, but as I was saying without Hariel's armor you won't be up to full power."
"But he's five!" exclaimed Seiji as he sat down with a pout.
Makoto smiled and said, "Even so, we brought them here because the five of you aren't ready to have the armors. They are going to help your fathers and us fight. Understand?"
"Yes Auntie." Said the children as Hiko asked, "So do you want to spar?"
Ryo smiled and said, "I would." Hiko smiled and tossed him the katanas that were in her hands. He caught them and watched her pull out another pair.
Shin smiled, walked up to Cye, and asked, "Do you?"
Cye smiled and said, "Sure."
Seiji walked up to Sage and asked, "Have you met momma yet?"
Sage blushed and said, "Um, no, I haven't."
Seiji blinked and said, "Oh. So, you want to practice?"
Sage nodded and said, "Yeah, lets see how we fair against each other."
"You do not think you'll do better than me?" asked Seiji surprised.
Sage looked at him thoughtfully and said, "You seem to have a great skill for a ten year old. I started training with a sword at seven. I was pretty good at ten, but not perfect. I am not perfect now either, so I will not place myself over you if you have been training for a couple of years too."
Touma walked up to Rowen and asked, "Do you want to have a tournament to see who has the best shot?"
"Why not? I'd like to see how you fair under stress!" exclaimed Rowen with a smile.
Shuu smiled and said, "He's pretty good Rowen, sir. Uncle Rowen has tested him again and again."
"Well let's see how you fair against me." Said Kento with a smile as he gripped another ningunata and stepped into a red taped circle.
Makoto and Ryo watched them spar with a smile and Ryo said, "Our younger selves are making a good impression on the kids."
"Yes my love they are." Answered Makoto as she swayed on her feet.
"MAKO!" exclaimed Ryo with concern as he caught his wife before she collapsed.
TBC
