Ryo
Mirror and Image
Sleep was waning for Ryo, especially when he heard a low rumble of a purr next to him. He didn't want to wake up. He had gotten to bed late last night. Ryo turned in his sleep and reached out. He found the rumbling head with no problem and scratched behind the ears. The purring continued, at a more sedate pace, and he got comfortable and started to fall asleep again.
The purring was actually quite relaxing, and Ryo had no problem falling asleep to it. The gentle rumble was almost like a baritone, and it could change pitch like a song or harmony. Yes, a sort of baritone choir boy purr. In a way, it was his lullaby, a way of keeping him contented when his father was away.
Ryo buried his head into his pillow. That's right. His father was leaving this morning. He had to wake up. That's what Byakuen was doing. Of course Byakuen was purring to wake him up, but instead it was helping him get back to sleep. Then again, Byakuen could always jump onto Ryo's bed. If Ryo was ever stubborn about waking up, the oversized white tiger would treat Ryo like his prey and pounce. After doing that once and breaking Ryo's bed in half, the tiger-eyed young man had learned his lesson and woke up to purring instead of letting it go to sleep. That didn't change the fact that it was still unbearably difficult to get up this early after getting to sleep so late.
Whenever his father had to go away, they always spent the previous night rummaging around the house to make sure he had packed everything he would need and that Ryo had what he needed while his father was away. It tended to make waking up the next morning rather difficult. Ryo would never understand how Touma could do this regularly.
Okay, this is me getting up. Ryo stretched like a cat under his sheets, enjoying their warm nestling environment for the moment. It felt like he was cuddled up to Byakuen on a cool night of camping. He relished the feeling and didn't want to change it. Unfortunately, he would undoubtedly have to help his father find the last minute things that everyone seemed to misplace when leaving in a hurry. Finally he sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and stretched again.
"Ohayo, Byakuen," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep, still rubbing the sand from his eyes. "How's Tou-san doing?" (Morning … Dad)
There was a low grumble from deep in the tiger's throat, and Ryo quieted down and listened. He could hear his father running around, trying to get a million and one things done before he left for the airport. Just as Ryo had predicted. Why was it whenever someone left in a hurry, there were a lot of things that suddenly needed to be checked before they left? Ryo had thought that they had taken care of everything the previous night, but no, his father was still running around trying to find some last minute thing he had to have.
"Hai. Wakatta. Let's go help Tou-san get his feet on the ground." (Right. I understand. … Dad)
Ryo got out of bed and quickly made it. He dressed in a rush, opting for a light sweater since things had been cooling down lately and the leaves were starting to change. Byakuen left in the meantime, undoubtedly to see how his father was doing. Ryo smiled. His tiger was always doing that, checking up on one person or another to make sure that they were doing well. Well, Ryo couldn't really call Byakuen his tiger. Byakuen only really belonged to Kaosu. In that respect, Ryo guessed that he could probably say that he inherited Byakuen, but he preferred to think that the large tiger simply wanted to stay with Ryo. If one brought in the subject of ownership, Ryo tended to scoff because Byakuen was smart enough to make his own decisions. Of that there was no doubt.
Ryo ran a quick comb through his unruly raven hair and went to see how his father was doing.
As it turned out, his father was gulping down some food, and trying to get his coat on at the same time. He was running late. Again. It was a wonder that Ryo hadn't picked up on that rather bad habit. When fighting Arago, Shikaisen, Mukara, and Suzunagi, one learned rather quickly that rushing lead to mistakes and those mistakes were deadly. Planning ahead of time tended to be a life-saver. Yet most of the people that Ryo knew at college tended to do everything last minute. Didn't anyone ever think ahead?
"Ohayo, Tou-san." (Morning, Dad.)
"Yo. Ryo-kun, have you seen my passport? I know I left it around here somewhere." His father gulped down a slice of toast and breathed in some juice. "I'm supposed to be leaving right now, so I need to hurry." (Hi.)
"Why not just have Byakuen find it?" Ryo asked, going into the living room and looking around.
"Because I need a presentable passport, not one that's been in a tiger's mouth!" His father finished putting on his coat, grabbed his wallet and keys and ran a hand through his graying and disappearing hair. He glanced at the clock and said, "Please, son. Do you have any idea where it might be? I need to leave now!"
Ryo knelt down under to coffee table then looked to the end tables. Once those yielded nothing, he went over to where the remote was usually put away. Sure enough, one Japanese passport was found. Not only had they been running around last night to get everything ready for this morning, they had also spent some time together watching a movie. Sure enough, when they were going to bed, Ryo's father had put his passport down when they had turned off the television. His father often placed things down when doing something else, which led to his sometimes frantic searches.
"Got it!" He jogged back to the kitchen and handed it to his father. "You finally all set now?"
"Yes," his father put the passport into his coat pocket and glanced around. "I have everything." The house was quite for a moment. The sort of quiet and stillness that was usually right before some heartfelt moment, Ryo found. Of course, this happened whenever his father had to leave. They would stay silent like this for a moment, feeling each other's presence so that they'd remember it when Ryo's father left. Still, Ryo was in a very good mood. His father had made a point of talking to him, so that Ryo always knew that his father loved him and didn't travel unless they were getting short on money.
"I'll miss you, Ryo-kun." His father looked at him with warm eyes, clearly wishing he didn't have to depart again. Ryo understood that better than anyone.
"I'll miss you too, Tou-san." They both embraced in a warm hug sharing the closeness that they had. "Have fun in Kenya." (Dad)
"Now, now, son," his father said behind Ryo. "Kenya was last time. Today is Australia."
"At least you made it back from Kenya safely," answered Ryo. His own experiences in Kenya with Mukara had made him worry quite a bit while his father was gone last time. "There shouldn't be anything dangerous in the land down-under."
"Still worry about me?"
"Of course," Ryo patted his father on the back pulled out of the hug. "You won't have Byakuen to protect you."
His father looked wearily at the tiger who had sat down in the corner of the kitchen to watch the hunt for the passport with an almost knowing grin. Ryo smiled inwardly. His father still wasn't used to Byakuen, even after all this time. But then, it wasn't everyone who had a tiger as an everyday companion. And a magical tiger at that, though his father didn't exactly believe that.
"Don't you think that I should be more worried about you and leave Byakuen here to protect you?"
Ryo chuckled. "Whatever you say, Tou-san." (Dad)
"Alright then! I'm off to the airport. You don't want to accompany me?"
"Now, Tou-san. If I were to come with you to the airport, then Byakuen couldn't come. If Byakuen couldn't come, he couldn't protect me, now could he?"
"Sumari," his father smiled, "is that you don't want to leave Byakuen." (In short,)
"Why Otou-sama, however could you guess?" (Father)
"There is no separating you and that cat!"
"Why should there be?"
"Hai, hai. I'm already running late. Itekimasu." (Yes, yes. … I'm leaving now.)
Ryo looked at his father seriously. "Be safe," he quietly murmured. "I don't want anything to happen to you." His father was the only close family he had left. Ryo hadn't known the majority of the Sanadas, since his father didn't want anything to do with that part of the family. True, Ryo had a large family when he included all his friends, but his father was different. So Ryo sometimes worried. He didn't want to loose him.
"You should know me well enough by now," his father replied, opening the door. "I'll see you in a few weeks. I'll drop by your apartment in Tokyo when I return." Ryo smiled a gentle smile. His father was always being cautions on his trips. He would also often come to visit him in Tokyo. His college friends, particularly Tsubasa, often commented on how unusually close Ryo was with his father. Ryo, however, just saw it as a normal healthy relationship and questioned why his friends didn't have it.
"Dewa!" Ryo answered. (See ya!)
His father got into the car and started to drive down the hill. Ryo smiled and waved. Not long afterward, Ryo went to the back of the house were their vegetable garden was in order to quite his growling stomach. Byakuen wasn't interested in food that wasn't meat, so he went off on his own into the woods. That was fine with Ryo. That tiger was often going off to be by himself. But then, given how beautiful everything was, Ryo sometimes wanted to join him out in the forest, enjoying all the colors, smells, and sounds. Come to think of it, he was going back to school soon. That meant he'd get to see some of his friends back in Tokyo. Maybe he could drop by Toudai and see Shin. (Tokyo University)
Actually it had been a while since he'd seen all the Troopers. He should probably invite them all to his cabin before college started again and they all got too busy. Perhaps he should show them his apartment in Tokyo, since very often; it was him being invited to the other's homes or to his cabin. Only his college friends had been to his apartment. He had moved there for high school, but the cabin was his home, which was why the Troopers came there when they visited him. Tokyo was nice and had a lot of things to do, but Ryo would always be a country boy because of his love of nature.
With some fresh vegetables gathered, Ryo went back into the cabin. It didn't take too long to make breakfast, since he found soup and rice easier too cook than anything else. However, as he made his breakfast, he realized that he was working on a fairly empty refrigerator. Evidently in his father's rush to make sure everything was set, he forgot to restock food. That was fine though. He always left money in the bank for Ryo to use in such situations. However, Ryo was finding that he was doing a fairly good job of earning his own spending money when he was at college where he worked part time as an office assistant. Granted, he hardly considered being an office assistant full-time, but it was a simple way to bring in money for expenses. And Tokyo had a lot of expenses.
Ryo sat down for his breakfast outside by the lake, as he often did when he was home. The morning sun was rising behind him slowly erasing the chill in the air, but the lake still shined and reflected the beautiful scenery around him. Most of the land that surrounded Ryo was protected, so he thanked the gods that this view had never changed as he grew up. In Tokyo and other cities, there was always some sort of construction going on, but the thought of something being built on the lands around him seemed almost sinful to Ryo.
His breakfast tasted very good and the morning's chill was finally dissipating. Ryo lay back on the ground, admiring the clouds passing through the sky. The Troopers had sometimes mentioned that they felt bad that Ryo couldn't be in his element the way they could. But they were so wrong. While fire is what fueled his armor, it was nature that fueled his heart and soul. In that sense, he was living with his element every hour of every day by admiring the sky, the forest, the mountains, the lakes and ocean. Nothing could be more fulfilling for him than letting nature surround him.
Perhaps that was why Byakuen had visited a couple of times before leading Kaosu to him. Byakuen had probably sensed his vast and undying love of the environment around him. That white tiger always did have a good sense of things. Perhaps it was Kaosu-inspired, but Ryo sometimes had suspicions. Byakuen sometimes seemed too understanding to be just an animal. Ryo suspected that perhaps his companion had been human once and simply preferred to be a tiger now. There was also the fact that Byakuen had brown eyes.
Ryo was brought out of his musings by a low purring rumble beside him. Byakuen had silently padded up to him. "Yo." Ryo sat up and rubbed under Byakuen's chin, and Byakuen purred all the louder, lying down and offering his furry tummy. "You asked for it," Ryo replied. Ryo used both hands to scratch the large tiger, and he was given a very satisfying rumble in return. However, Ryo wasn't finished yet. (Hi.)
Smiling, he started to rub Byakuen's fur in the wrong direction. However, his friend would have none of that, and a tousle started between them. Byakuen tried to stay on top of Ryo to lick his face, and Ryo wiggled out from underneath to continue to rub Byakuen's fur wrong. They rolled around in the grass and dirt for a while before they calmed down, both laughing in their own way.
"Okay, Byakuen," Ryo chuckled and picked up his dishes. "Come inside and I'll give you a good brush down."
The tiger offered a happy little purr and followed him inside. Back in the cabin, Ryo put the dishes in the sink and pulled out his friend's brush, which needed to be replaced. He found that his cat loved to be scratched and brushed. However, the brush had to be just right, usually with very stiff bristles. Strong, stiff bristles usually lasted longer and made Byakuen more contented. Trying to explain that to his father had proved quite difficult though. His father simply was not prepared to take care of a growing boy and a wild animal.
However, Byakuen had proved very quickly that he was anything but wild. The result was Ryo's father leaving Byakuen entirely in his son's care. Evidently a ten-year-old bringing home a tiger as a pet hadn't gone over too well, so the son could look after the tiger and learn the consequences. The father was just too petrified. Looking back, Ryo understood why, but at the time he couldn't believe his father wouldn't let him stay friends with a Siberian tiger.
Still, it was Byakuen who had chosen to be with Ryo. In fact, Ryo started his training with Kaosu when Byakuen came home. His father hadn't understood the meaning of an old man with a shakujo coming to take care of Ryo whenever he went away. It was probably better for his father that way. Ryo cherished that time, though he didn't like the idea of his father not understanding what he was doing, nor training to fight, though he had understood he needed to. For those times alone, Ryo was grateful to Byakuen for choosing him. But then, Ryo was grateful to Byakuen for a great many reasons.
He continued to give his feline companion a good brushing, and Byakuen loved every moment of it, purring almost continuously. Ryo smiled in response. When they were in battle, Byakuen seemed to become such a different tiger. But in these quiet moments, he was a simple cat, who loved his rubs and scratches as much as the next cat.
"You know," Ryo chided, "you can breathe while purring. Otherwise you'll suffocate yourself."
His response was a tail in his face.
No one could interrupt Byakuen and his purring for any reason. Ryo chuckled and continued brushing. His overgrown cat had proved to be a remarkable friend when he needed one. Ryo had never been very comfortable in public situations, mainly because he ended up in very few of them during his childhood. A nine-mile walk kind of discouraged bringing friends to his home for social gatherings. But with Byakuen, Ryo could be totally open and comfortable in his relationship. The same was true with the other Troopers. Go beyond that and Ryo tended to get very nervous. Of course, his stubborn streak didn't help matters very much.
Ryo had been working on that though, at college. By participating in study groups and making friends, he found that he wasn't quite as socially inept as he had been. But he still needed a lot of work. His closest college friends had seen the most change in him. His senpai Yamato had once commented on it, saying that Ryo had started college as a-heart-on-his-sleeve naïve boy and become a functional college student. That was probably a very true statement. Ryo tended to take what people said at face-value, especially when he didn't know the person very well. Unfortunately, people weren't as honest as he or the other Troopers were with each other, which tended to sometimes put him at a disadvantage. But then, he tended to be very virtuous.
"Okay, Byakuen," Ryo started, putting the brush away, "now that you look presentable, why don't we go to town? We could use some food in the house, and I think I'll get you a new brush."
The large tiger gave a somewhat helpless growl, as if to say, "If I must." Ryo chuckled and tried to brush some of the dirt and grass off his clothes from earlier.
"Yes you must."
Byakuen raised his nose and tail in the air and turned away from his human partner.
"Don't get smug with me," Ryo smiled, "you need the exercise. You've been gaining weight."
That got Byakuen's attention, and the large tiger turned and glared at Ryo, growling menacingly. Ryo hadn't meant it of course. It seemed no matter what happened, whether Ryo fed his tiger or not, took him out for exercise or not, Byakuen remained fit and strong. However, it never stopped Byakuen from examining himself to make sure he was still in good physical condition. By this point, the feline knew that Ryo was joking, but it was certainly a good way to get Byakuen off his high horse, or rather tiger, that he sometimes mounted.
"So," Ryo continued as if nothing had happened. He grabbed his wallet and headed for the door. "Shall we go?"
A low grumble of a rumble was his response.
"I thought so."
They started down the path to town together, and Ryo took time to admire the scenery around him. Though it was hardly the first time he had done so, he doubted it would be the last. This was what filled his soul with power and hope. This was what gave him strength and courage. Knowing that he was defending not only the world, but the beauty of it as well. Fighting in the city sometimes had him forget that he was also fighting for the environment that fed him. Sure, city architecture was impressive to look at and all, but it was the mother earth that had created human beings and it was mother earth that human beings owed a great debt to.
Byakuen turned his head towards Ryo and gave a questioning growl.
"Sumanai," he apologized. "It's been a while since I've been home like this." (Sorry,)
They passed by the two mile mark, a large ginkyo, larger than any of the surrounding trees, that was probably several hundred years old. Ryo paused, looking up to its branches.
"You know, Byakuen," he commented, touching the massive trunk. "It's been a quite a few years since I climbed this tree." He gave a feral catlike grin and he could almost hear the surprise in the tiger's face. "I wonder if the view is the same." Byakuen moved as quickly as he could to stop him, but Ryo was in the branches in no time. "Oi, Byakuen, it's been over ten years. I won't fall again." (Hey,)
The last time Ryo had climbed this tree he had fallen and broken a leg. In fact, that was the second time he had met Byakuen. The broken leg came from falling through the branches, but avoiding dying from that fall came from Byakuen. The large white tiger had also been nice enough to escort the crying seven-year-old to the edge of town where he was taken to a nearby doctor. Ryo ended up staying in town with a senpai until his father could come home because he couldn't manage the walk to and from school with a cast and crutches.
Ryo climbed higher into the tree, admiring the vast forestry that surrounded him and ignoring Byakuen's worried roars to come back down. He sat down, not even a quarter of the way up and admired the yellowing leaves of the old tree. Off in the distance, he could see the mighty Fuji-san, majestically defying time and ages. Unsurprisingly, given his height, Ryo felt a stiff wind, and let it engulf him. He could almost feel Touma in it, offering his friendship and wisdom. It was fascinating. Since loosing the original armors and gaining Suzunagi's, Ryo could sometimes feel his friends if he was immersed in their elements in some way.(Mount Fuji)
Those bonds would never be broken.
Byakuen roared again, and Ryo chuckled. "Alright! Alright! I'll come down now." He started to make his way down the tree. In that way, Byakuen sometimes reminded him of Kyoko, a friend he had in college and was interested in. Even though Byakuen was a male tiger, he often acted motherly towards Ryo and others. Kyoko was the same way, always mothering those around her.
For now, Ryo was content to just be friends with Kyoko, but someday, maybe they could be something a little more. Shin had already sent a letter mentioning a girl named Hisa that he was looking at, and Shuu had recently sent yet another letter about Sheng, whom he'd been going with for almost a year now.
Come to think of it, it seemed that his friends' latest letters seemed a little more mature. Touma's latest letter seemed like he'd come to some sort of realization. Ryo wasn't sure what that was. Touma had tried to explain it, something about his mother and father, but Ryo couldn't quite make heads or tails of it. Touma had ended the letter apologizing for the poor wording.
Seiji had also accepted inheriting the dojo, which Ryo had a feeling would happen despite Seiji's protests. He had great hopes for improvements to the dojo, like actually getting a computer. He had also written that he was worried about his grandfather aging.
All of his friends were growing in front of him. He wondered if he was growing up in front of them as well. It was an indescribable experience watching people you love mature as you grow with them. If Ryo ever had children, he imagined it would be similar.
Byakuen gave another worried growl.
Ryo hopped off the last branch beside Byakuen. "See? I'm fine. No broken bones."
The large tiger grumbled, but continued walking.
"Quit complaining. I'm fine. You've seen me do far more dangerous stunts and not got all worked up over it."
Byakuen's tail ended up in his face again.
Ryo rubbed his cheek, and chuckled at the oversized cat and went back to his thoughts. It was amazing to watch all of his friends grow and learn. In so many ways they were all so different from when he had first met them, all those years ago. Not only did each battle make them grow but also each experience they had. Life was always about moving forward, as nature did, despite everything that man sometimes did to it.
Ryo and Byakuen continued down the road, and Ryo admired the forest around him. The leaves were only starting to change color, so it still held the full feeling of summer trying to retard the progress of autumn. In some places, the early morning mist still clung to the trees and bushes, resisting the suns gentle attempts to wipe them away. The small pockets of mist gave a whimsical, almost magical feel to the trees. It was one of the reasons why Ryo loved to be home.
For Ryo, the environment surrounding his home had always been mystical. That was probably because he eventually got his armor there, but it was something more than that. The forest had an ancient majestic feel that it surpassed time. If Ryo was out in the woods around his cabin, where one could just be surrounded by a silence unlike what people normally thought of, he could almost feel energy seep into him, filling his heart and soul. That is what made this home even more than Tokyo. It was probably why he'd never give up the cabin, no matter where he might move to in the future.
Byakuen rumbled, bringing Ryo out of his rather philosophical thoughts. He looked out to see the halfway mark to town. The end of the forest and the start of vast fields that some of the townsfolk farmed. Ryo paused and let the sunshine warm him. It was something Seiji had a habit of doing when he thought no one was looking, but Ryo thought it was good habit. Seiji tended to be almost shy about immersing himself in his element. Like it was something that was very private and personal. However, Ryo and the other Troopers tended to tease Seiji, telling him how much he glowed when he stood in the sunlight, giving him an angel-like appearance. Seiji wasn't fond of the teasing, but took it in stride, teasing right back.
"Okay, Byakuen," Ryo murmured. "I've been dazed all day. Tell you what; I'll race you to the first house."
The large white tiger promptly sat down, offering Ryo a head start, something that he would desperately need in any hopes of winning. Ryo offered his tiger companion a feral grin and casually continued to stroll down the road. Byakuen would have none of that, however, and just as casually, walked over and butted Ryo's back in an effort to get him going faster.
"Why Byakuen, are you offering me a ride?"
Byakuen's tail found Ryo's face.
"Are you sure you're not?"
Byakuen's tail found Ryo's face again.
"But do you think you can keep up with me?"
Byakuen turned, giving a questioning growl.
Ryo kneeled down. "Byakuen, you know that you're a very lovely tiger, right?" Byakuen raised a striped eyebrow and looked to Ryo. "You know that I know that you're looks are very important to you." At this point, the white tiger started to back away. "So I thank you for the head start, and hope you look beautiful again." Ryo tossed a handful of dirt into Byakuen's stripes and started to run toward town.
Not liking this one bit, Byakuen offered a long and extended opinion of Ryo that echoed off the mountains and trees, letting his roar chase after Ryo while he stayed behind to clean his fur.
The first house Ryo would see on his way was about three miles from town, only a mile and half from where he currently was. Given how often he ran around when in battle, Ryo was superb physical condition, despite his thin appearance. Granted, he wasn't as fast or as powerful as back when he was fighting regularly, but he was still in good form. When he had appeared in college, all the sports teams started to hound him to join.
Naturally, the only team he joined was the soccer team. In fact, that was how he had met his closest friends, Yamato-senpai, Kyoko and Tsubasa. Yamato was the center forward and captain, Tsubasa, Yamato's replacement, and Kyoko was a cheerleader and dating one of Ryo's teammates. She still was, so Ryo wasn't sure whether or not he should hold out much hope of getting together with her, but she was happy nonetheless, so it was alright. Kyoko had a hint that Ryo liked her as a little more than a friend, but they had had a long talk and agreed that friendship was the only way to go. It was awkward for a while, but Ryo got a good sense of when to leave very quickly.
Ryo rounded the corner of the path and slid to a halt, trying to catch his breath. There was the house, so either he had actually beaten Byakuen for a change, or the tiger was lying in wait. Most likely, he was lying in wait in the fields and bushes. Ryo slowly walked around, trying to get his breath back, sweating in his light sweater.
"Okay, Byakuen," Ryo whispered to himself. "Where are you?" He let his senses out. It wasn't to say that Ryo had some sort of extra sense. That only came when he felt the other Troopers near him or the Youjakai. For Byakuen, he sort of had a different sense, but not in the same way. When it came to the large cat, Ryo had something closer to heightened senses. For Byakuen, Ryo's hearing became sharper, his vision clearer, and his sense of smell slightly more sensitive.
There, in the shrubs! There was some sort of movement. Before Ryo was could react, Byakuen was on top of him, roughly washing Ryo's face of his sweat and perspiration. Ryo made several attempts to get Byakuen off of him in vain. The tiger's weight was the deciding factor. He didn't have a chance of escaping the tiger's rough cleansing tongue.
"Byakuen! Okay, okay! You can stop now!" Ryo slid out from under the large tiger. "I have to look decent when I get to town as well, you know!" The large tiger backed a way, a feral grin on his face.
"Okay," Ryo replied quietly, smiling. "You're still the champ. Shall we proceed again?"
Byakuen nodded, but went off the road. Something about large tigers coming down the street tended to frighten people. Ryo was pretty sure that if he ever invited his college friends to his cabin, he'd have to be careful about hiding Byakuen. He had told them that he had a tiger as a pet, but they didn't believe him. Yamato-senpai also didn't believe what Ryo had to say about the wars he had fought over the years when questioned about the gaps in his attendance in the past. Ryo couldn't really lie about, and neither could the other Troopers really.
The only reason that Yamato had even asked about it was because he was a very strict captain, requiring the best of all the players. When the subject was brought up, it was because Yamato was concerned that Ryo might take another extended leave of absence again. Ryo had the feeling that his senpai just considered his frequent absences back then a byproduct of some sort of trouble in Ryo's personal life that he didn't want to talk about. In a sense, that was true, but Ryo was still grateful when Yamato let the subject drop.
The next two miles to town were boring for Ryo. The road became more and more cluttered with houses and people. In a way, the homes had a certain charm, but not for Ryo. They weren't the forest or the mountains, so they couldn't really compare. Homes were nice places to be, but the forest was a place to live, surrounded with animals, trees, streams, mountains. Making friends with a herd of deer that passed through, returning a fallen chick to its nest, laughing with a brook as it trips down a hillside, listening to the wind whistle in the trees. Homes bunched together couldn't get that feeling.
Ryo was cut short of his musings as his instincts told him to turn and raise his arms. Sure enough, a soccer ball hit his block and bounced up into the air. He caught it easily.
"Onii-san! Can you toss us back our ball?" (Literally, big brother. In more practical terms, mister.)
Ryo looked over to handful of children who were waving to him from the field below the road. He smiled and let the ball fall to the ground. "Only if I can join you for a game."
"Eh?"
"One game. Try to take the ball from me."
"Onii-san! That's not fair!" (Mister!)
Ryo expertly bunted the ball to the children. "I promise. It'll be fun."
Fun it certainly was, since Ryo altered the rules of soccer so that the kids could get away with murder to take the ball from him. Though they initially didn't like the game, as they realized that it wasn't soccer they were playing, they started to have more fun. The soccer ball became "it" in a game of tag, and Ryo was the one keeping "it" from being tagged. Ryo enjoyed the little distraction. He had always loved children, and hoped he could have some of his own one day. One of his classes at the university had required him to work at a children's hospital for a semester and the children all seemed to look forward to when Ryo-nii-san came by with stories of armor and saving the world or a simple small soccer ball that could be used inside. (Uncle Ryo)
After an hour of hard play, the kids finally called for a break. They started to happily chatter amongst themselves.
"Hey, Nii-san!" one of the children piped up. "Are you that hermit from the woods?" (Mister!)
Ryo almost fell to the ground. "Hermit?"
"Yeah!" another one answered. "They say that there's a ghost in the woods near the town. They say you can hear its roar sometimes."
Yet another child spoke, saying, "We all think it's a hermit who wants to be left alone. We've heard that there's a cabin up there and we think that the hermit lives there."
A fourth boy entered to conversation. "Since you were walking into town from the woods, we thought you might be the hermit."
Ryo roared in laughter and sat down with the children. "Yes, I live in that cabin, but not year round. I go to school in Tokyo. If I go to school, I'm hardly a hermit."
"Then what's the roar that comes down from the woods like earlier today?"
"That's my cat."
The children stared at him. "What kind of cat makes a sound like that?"
Ryo looked blankly to them. "Several. Lions, tigers, jaguars, cheetahs, leopards. My father, a wildlife photographer, says that all big cats make a similar roar."
The children awed at him.
"You have a large cat?"
"What kind?"
"Can he eat my teacher?"
"Does he attack when you tell him to?"
"How'd you get him?"
Ryo realized, belatedly, he probably shouldn't have said anything. He was just too honest sometimes. A rather interesting, and sometimes unfortunate, side effect of his virtue Jin. (Perfect virtue)
"Ano," he paused, trying to think of something to say. Unfortunately his mouth was already moving. "Byakuen doesn't really eat people at all. He doesn't even listen to me all that much. He's a good friend, and I didn't get him. He chose me to be his master. Except I'm not really a master, more like a partner." (Uh)
"Sugoi!" all the children shouted. (Awesome!)
One of the children paused, and then looked to Ryo. "Wait, does that mean you can't command him?"
"Oh I can command him all I want, it's just a matter of if he listens or not."
The boy scoffed. "Then you don't control him do you? What good is that?"
"Come on, Taro! He actually has a large cat! Even you don't have that for all your wealth!"
"Says who!"
"Please, like you have a lion or tiger in your home!"
"But we have a fancy American sports car!"
"But not a panther or jaguar!"
"I have a cat," offered one of the other boys.
"What kind? Something big?"
"He's almost twenty pounds."
"That's not big!"
"Okaa-san says she's never seen such a large cat in her life."
"That's not the point!"
"Ano…" That was Ryo, trying to calm the children down. (Um…)
Byakuen however, did it for them. The large tiger casually walked over, stunning the children into silence.
Ryo took the opportunity to put on a little show for he children. "Now Byakuen," he said in a scolding tone, "don't go around scaring children like that. You know that most people don't like to see cats your size around their children."
Byakuen gave a long suffering rumble and grabbed Ryo's sweater and started to pull him along.
"Oi, oi! I was just playing with the children. You'd do the same! In fact you have. You'd normally have a fine time playing with Jun-kun!" (Hey, hey!)
Byakuen's tail hit Ryo's face.
"That's no fun! The tiger controls him!"
"But look at that tiger!"
"Have you ever heard of a white tiger with brown eyes?"
The children continued to chatter behind Ryo and Byakuen as they left. Towards the end of the field, Ryo silently headed back toward the road and Byakuen headed back to the woods. It was the comfortable silence of friendship that didn't need to fill up the space with words. Just being together and knowing the other was near was enough.
Once back on the road, Ryo decided not to make any more stops. It was already starting to turn into the late morning and he had quite a few things he needed to do in town. The last mile into the center of town proved quiet, which Ryo was grateful for.
The center of town was busy, as it usually was. Since it was around just before noon, people were crowing into the market to get food for their lunches or dinners. Ryo would soon be one of them, but at the moment he needed to make a few stops before he could do some food shopping. The first would have to be the bank.
Ryo navigated his way through the market, waving to people he knew and smiling all the way. The day was proving to be very good. He couldn't ask to be happier. This was what was so rewarding about defeating Arago and everyone else who wanted to destroy them. This peace and tranquility that could just fill the heart until it was overflowing was wonderful. It didn't have to be caused by something specific to make someone happy, but the simple joy of living life. The wonders of waking up every morning or simply breathing air. One could easily be infatuated with all life had to offer.
Looking up to the partly cloudy sky that let the sun sprinkle through, Ryo cherished the life he had. Though he and the other Troopers had gone through hell, this was what made it worth it. Living each day without having to worry about any other enemies lurking in the shadows. Ryo smiled; his contentment and joy overflowing within him.
Making his way through the market didn't take him very long, and he was at the bank in no time. He waited patiently in line, noting that the clock said it was almost twelve o'clock in the afternoon.
"Ryo-san, konnichi wa," offered a teller as he walked up. Given how often his father went on expeditions, Ryo was a familiar face around the bank for when he needed money for expenses. (good afternoon)
"Miho-san, yo. Genki ka?" He noted that she was older than what he remembered as a child. She had more lines in her dark skin and her once midnight hair was now silver. (hey. How are you?)
"Genki desu," she replied, a bright smile on her face. "I believe your father went on a trip today, am I right?" (I'm well.)
"Aa. Only he forgot to stock the refrigerator." (Yup.)
"Sumari, you need to make a withdrawal." (In short,)
"Bingo."
"The usual amount?"
"Yup. That should cover it. I have some pocket money for some extra stuff I need to get today, so things will be fine."
"Wakarimasu. Wait one moment please." (I understand.)
Ryo waited by the counter while Miho-san went in back to get the money he would need for the day. Since his father was often going away, Ryo learned at a very young age how to work with banks. Because he had been working with money from such a young age that was probably why he had such a nice bank account, though Tokyo kept draining it on regular intervals. Touma, by comparison, was good with savings because he was often left on his own as well, albeit, for different reasons. Shin, Shuu, and Seiji helped run family businesses. In fact, all of them seemed to do fairly well in their money management. Some of Ryo's college buddies, however, always seemed to be short on cash, explaining how much they spent on such and such item that they had to have.
"Here you are." Miho returned with some yen and Ryo placed it into his wallet.
"Arigatoo." (Thanks)
"Take care of that wayward father of yours," Miho said almost lovingly.
Ryo smiled and left. When he was younger, before the mess with Arago started, Ryo had thought that perhaps Miho and his father had a chance together. They certainly got along well and complimented each other very well. She could easily keep track of his father's tendency to misplace things while he could bring a smile out on her face. However, it was probably for the best that things kept being just friends. Ryo wasn't sure if his father would ever get over his mother's death.
Ryo exited the bank and glanced around sheepishly as his stomach growled very loudly. Time for lunch. There was a nice Western styled café nearby that he could grab a snack at. And it wouldn't be too expensive either. He'd often have a bite to eat when he got there since the long walk to town usually made him hungry. He knew every waiter there as well as most of the staff.
The café wasn't a long walk and once he was there, one of the waiters pulled him to a table.
"Oi, Ryo, long time no see," he said, pulling out his paper and pen.
"Good to see you two, Oda. How's you're girlfriend?"
The well-built waiter blushed brightly. "She's not a girlfriend anymore. She's a fiancée."
Ryo almost fell out of his chair. "You've proposed? Good for you!"
"Yeah. I'll be taking her name in a few months." Oda's cheeks finally paled to a more normal color. "I'm also looking for a better job so that I can support her more. How about you? I haven't seen you all summer. Why haven't you come down off that mountain of yours?"
Ryo laughed. "It's hardly my mountain. My cabin is only at the base." He leaned back in his chair and smiled. "I've been nature walking again. I've been doing that ever since I came home." He was going to ask further about Oda's engagement when he interrupted.
"But you know every inch of that mountain!"
"And it's different every time I see it." Ryo's stomach growled very loudly and he blushed.
"I see why you dropped by. One large plate of flavored ice?"
Ryo shuddered. "Not that awful stuff. No, I think some cake will do just fine."
"Just cake?"
"Yup. I still have a lot of stuff to do today before I can head home and I want to make it back before nightfall."
"You can never spend much time in town can you?"
"I can as long as I don't mind making my way home in the dark. I don't mind doing that normally, but I usually have to get up early in the morning."
"Your garden right?"
"Yeah." Ryo smiled. "Now can I have my order?"
Oda chuckled and headed back for the kitchen. Ryo laughed softly. Oda was getting married. He was only, what, five years older than Ryo? And he was getting married? Amazing. Unfortunately, the waiter never talked about himself, so Ryo was unable to get any more information about the subject. Now he'd have to go searching for a wedding gift. Not right away thankfully.
This was being a remarkable day.
Oda quietly gave Ryo his cake, as well as a glass of soda, and was quickly called away as a large influx of people started to come. He finished his snack in no time, quieting his loud stomach, and headed back to the shopping district. As he walked down the streets, a new pet shop caught his eye. It hadn't been there when he was last home, so he decided to drop in to see if there would be anything good for Byakuen. It was a small shop and it didn't take him long to find the animal care section. However, the brushes there were awful. They were hardly stiff enough for Byakuen's taste and those that were didn't have bristles long enough. Oh well. Department stores usually had what Byakuen needed.
Ryo left the pet shop and headed toward the department store he was going to before he entered the shop. It wasn't all that far. Before long, Ryo was in the store and in the women's section, looking for hair care. He received the occasional strange looks from the women around, but Ryo didn't mind. He was used to it whenever he went looking for a good brush for Byakuen. He knew that he wasn't doing anything wrong, so he didn't let the stares bother him.
Sure enough, under the hair care section, he found the exact type of brush that Byakuen liked. The bristles were long and stiff, perfect for the oversized tiger. Now he had to do some food shopping. Ryo glanced at his watch. He should probably stop by the post office first to see if there was any mail for him. See if any of the guys had written him, though they were probably getting ready for college again, just as he was.
The post office was at the other end of the district, but Ryo liked just walking around. He'd had to walk eighteen miles almost daily when he was in school here. That was probably why he was so fast. Tsubasa had once commented that Ryo had speed unlike anything he had ever seen and perhaps Ryo should be on the track team instead.
Ryo chuckled to himself. Speed wasn't everything. Tsubasa tended to rely a little too much on outrunning a team in soccer instead of strategizing how to steal the ball away. Tsubasa sometimes seemed to think the ball would just drop to their feet and with speed they'd make a goal. He tended to forget that the other team could have the ball drop at their feet as well. But then, Tsubasa often needed help to pass his classes. Speed didn't help him much when it came to exams.
Ryo smiled. He was looking forward to going back to school. Granted, he'd miss all the nature that surrounded him now, but he'd get to see his new friends again. Maybe when he was backing Tokyo he'd drop by Shin as well. If only some of the other Troopers when to school in Tokyo. Ah well. Such was the way of things, but he stayed in close contact with them already. He wouldn't miss any part of their lives. They would always be with him, and he with them.
Ryo was pulled out of his thoughts as he noticed he was about to walk right past the post office. He shook his head and went inside. There was a new face at the office, a few years younger than him.
"Hello," he said to her. "You must be new here."
"Eh? Hai. Watashi wa Toshie. Fujigara Toshie desu." She blushed briefly but put on a smile. "What can I do for you?" (Eh? Yes. I'm Toshie. Fujigara Toshie.)
"Ore wa Sanada Ryo." He offered a bright smile, trying to ease her nerves. "I'd like to see if I have any mail." (I'm Sanada Ryo.)
"Hai. One moment please, Ryo-san." (Yes.)
"Ryo? Oi, where've you been? Haven't seen you for a few weeks since you last picked up your mail." Ryo turned to see a friend he'd gone to school with, Kado. (Hey,)
"Kado! Still working here? No thoughts of college at all?"
"Yep. I never had the brains for that stuff. How about you? Any letters from any girls?"
"Yeah right, Kado. I told you last time that the girl I'm interested in is taken."
Kado ran a hand through his extremely short hair. "You know how to pick 'em. The one's who like you you're clueless to and the ones you like are always taken. You're gonna end up being a bachelor all your life."
"I'll get it right eventually."
"Excuse me," that was Toshie. She had a small bundle of mail in her hands. "Here is your mail, Sanada-san."
"Arigatoo. I really appreciate it." (Thank you.)
"Is there anything else I can do?" Toshie asked.
"No, thanks. I better get going."
"So soon?"
"Yes, Kado. I still have a few things to do before I go home. That includes getting food."
"And you got the long trek back home afterwards." Kado gave a small soft smile. "You ever consider getting a bicycle or a moped?"
Ryo chuckled in response. "And skip half the nature around me while speeding down the mountain? Please. You know me better than that."
"You're the only nature boy who could outdo the rest of the nature boys at school." Kado patted him on the back. "You really shouldn't be a stranger around here."
"Don't worry," Ryo smiled. "I never will be. This is my home more than Tokyo ever will be."
"You got a point there," Kado replied, walking with Ryo to the door. "These mountains always seem to call me back when I'm gone."
"I'll see you around."
"Don't be a stranger."
"Hai. Ja." (Yeah. See ya.)
Ryo left the post office smiling. It was a very good day, even though his father had left that morning. The sun shined brightly as he made his way to the market to pick up the food he needed. To get to the market, Ryo passed through the park, not that his town needed a park with all of the nature surrounding it. In the park, however, Ryo paused for a moment and sat on the ground, letting the power of the earth seep into him. Shuu was right. It didn't matter how busy or distracted life was. Quiet moments like these could be found and treasured. Even though the sun was showing that the early afternoon was slowly passing Ryo by to mid afternoon, Ryo let himself feel the earth in a quiet moment of relaxation.
"Okay, quiet time is good, but I need to get food." Ryo quickly stood up and jogged to the market. He didn't really want to walk home in the dark, though it was a pretty time, especially with the moon and stars overhead.
Once in the market, Ryo found he wished either Shin or Tsubasa were there. Those two were very good at finding good food at a good price. That was good for Ryo since he wasn't that fond of packaged food. He liked things fresh. Food in a carton just couldn't cut it. It wasn't natural.
Ryo chuckled to himself. He certainly liked things that were natural. Nature in particular. But he had already thought about that a lot today.
He browsed through the meat market, looking for larger pieces of meat that he could save and reuse or keep in his freezer for a while. He found some chicken and seafood that would probably last him till he went back to college and shelled out the yen, enjoying the fact that it was cheaper than it would be back in Tokyo.
Yes indeed, today was proving to be a very good day. He'd had fun playing with Byakuen that morning, and later the children. It was good to see some of his hometown friends, since college tended to take up a lot of his time. He'd found out that Oda was getting married, and Ryo just couldn't be happier. Life was good. He was content. He had everything he'd ever need. Friends that he could call family, college was going well, and the sun just seemed to shine brighter with a smile in his heart.
Ryo went to a vegetable store where he normally got the vegetables he couldn't grow in his garden.
"Yo! Omitsu-san!" he called out. (Hi!)
"Ryo-san, kimi ka?" (Ryo, is that you?)
Omitsu-san, wife of the owner, and usually the one who worked with the customers, stepped out from the back room. Ryo gave one of his lopsided grins.
"Konnichi wa, Ryo-san. Buying more vegetables?" (Good afternoon.)
"You bet. I have a rather empty fridge at the moment and would like to fill it. Any suggestions?"
Omitsu smiled, laughter playing behind her eyes. "You mean your father up and left you to starve? Why! How could he?"
Ryo smiled in return. She still treated him like the little ten-year old that started to become a regular customer at her shop whenever he ran out of food at home. She had been impressed at how much he could do on his own at such a young age. She usually played around with him when she had the opportunity, letting Ryo continue to be a little boy, despite having more responsibility than the average kid his age.
"Hello? Ryo-san? Doko desu ka?" (Where are you?)
"Gomen," Ryo apologized, walking over to the counter. "I've been stuck rather deep in my head today." (Sorry.)
"Ah." Omitsu nodded and started to pick out more Western vegetables like corn and carrots. "So what were you thinking about?"
He couldn't help but chuckle. "Something most people would say would be too deep for me."
"Nonsense. You've always been a bright lad with a good head on your shoulders. You could do anything you put your mind to."
Now Omitsu was starting to sound like a grandmother, which she certainly was many times over.
"I was thinking about what made me so responsible."
"Oh?"
Ryo smiled. "Yeah. When I was a kid, even though I had a baby-sitter up until I was around ten, I always wanted to make my father proud, so I did things for him without him asking to." Ryo shook his head. "I became responsible not because my father had to leave, but because I choose to make him happy." He added to himself, that it was that responsibility that saved him from not only Arago, but all subsequent threats, and kept him in a close relationship with his friends.
Omitsu looked at Ryo, her eyes wide. "That's not the usual cheerful banter I hear from you."
He chuckled in reply. "That's why most people would say that it's too deep for me."
Omitsu immediately waved her hand in defense. "Ryo-san! It's not that it's too deep for you! It's just that--well, you are normally very cheerful and bright. That was more serious than you usually are--I'm making no sense am I?"
"You are," he answered. "Just don't forget that I can have meaningful thoughts as well, and often do. Today just seems to be bringing them out more than usual." Ryo offered one of his brighter smiles. "Everyone has thoughts of philosophy, nature or meaning at some point in their life. Usually, it comes when a person is older and wiser. For me, it came when I was about fourteen. Every so often since then, my mind likes diving back down into what the purpose of things are so I can remind myself how lucky I've been through my life. I've been given quite a few curves in my short time on earth, and I treasure what I have." Ryo's smile turned embarrassed and he put a hand behind his head. "I went too deep again didn't I? Sumanai deshita." (Sorry about that.)
Omitsu continued to look wide eyed at him and Ryo felt his cheeks grow quite warm. He hadn't meant to rattle on like that. Him and his big mouth. He usually only talked to Byakuen and the other Troopers like that. Great.
Finally, the old grandmother smiled, put down the vegetables she had been gathering, and hugged Ryo close to her. "Don't let anyone tell you that saying such things isn't normal in any circumstance. You are a remarkable young man. I've known that since you were a little child when you came in here with your father. You're like a son to me sometimes. You are obviously destined for great things, and those great things can change the world."
He smiled. She didn't know just how right she was.
"Now," she said, pulling out of her impromptu and improper display of affection. "You need vegetables to last you for a few days, don't you?" She smiled at him. "I wish some of my children could take a hint from you and be grateful for what they've got."
Ryo tried to reply, but Omitsu was already back at picking up vegetables and bringing them to the counter to tally up.
"If you think I'm deep," Ryo commented, pulling the money he got from the bank out of his wallet, "you should meet Yamato-senpai. It makes what I think about seem light."
"Somehow," Omitsu smiled, "I doubt that. Have a good day, Ryo-san."
Ryo left the store, cheeks still red from talking too much, and looked up to the sky. It had clouded over since he came to town. Considerably. He had better hurry and get the rest of the food he'd need before it started to rain. Thankfully there wasn't much left. It was times like this that Kado's suggestion of a bike or a moped would help, especially since Ryo didn't have his umbrella with him and no jacket to keep the rain off. Ryo hurried with his bags to buy fruit and seasonings as the clouds continued to darken.
Considering his relatively light lunch, Ryo's stomach growled as he finished buy the food he would need over the next week or so. Deciding not to make his stomach angry with him, Ryo pulled out an apple and ate it quickly, despite being weighed down by his various bags of food.
Great. It was starting to rain. Normally, Ryo wouldn't mind walking in the rain, something Shin liked to do, but he didn't want his food to go bad early because it got drenched. And he still had a few miles to walk before Byakuen would pick him up. Already the streets were deserting quickly. Yes, Kado had a point. Bikes and mopeds definitely had their advantages at times like this.
Ryo half jogged half ran down the streets with his groceries in his arms, knowing that he was going to get utterly drenched before he could meet up with his furry friend and get home quickly. As much as he disliked plastic bags, it was a good thing that the food was in it. It would keep it dry for at least a little while.
Turning the corner, he ran further down the streets, slowly heading toward the edge of town. By now, Ryo's sweater was starting to get soaked and his hair was matting into his eyes. When he finally came to a crosswalk, he slowed down to wipe his raven main from his eyes.
"Ryo-kun? That soggy excuse of a man you?" someone called out.
Ryo looked around, not knowing were the voice originated in the light, but steady rain that continued to pour on him.
"It is! Long to no see, kohai-kun!" (kohai is the opposite of senpai)
Ryo smiled. Only one person called him "kohai". He looked around, trying to find the person. "Mifune-senpai, where are you?"
"Look in the police car."
His eyebrows rising, Ryo looked to the police car down the street. "Senpai? You're a police officer now?" Mifune Shoji was four years Ryo's senior in school and was part of the family that took care of him when he had broken his leg almost ten years ago. Once he had graduated, Ryo had lost track of him. Mifune-senpai was also one of the few people in town that knew about Byakuen.
"Yup," the young policeman answered as Ryo approached. "Hop in, you look pathetic."
Ryo laughed, gratefully putting his groceries in the back of Mifune's car. He plopped down in the front seat and tried to squeeze some of the water out of his shirt. The car was a good warm change of pace, considering the rain was reminding him that the weather was indeed changing. There weren't going to be many more summery days.
"Senpai, it's good to see you again," Ryo looked over to his friend. "How're your sisters?"
"They're all doing well. The oldest just gave birth to another kid. The next oldest just got married and my little sister just entered college."
"Cool." Ryo tried to get his wet hair out of his eyes to almost no avail. "I'd heard you'd gone to college, but I didn't know you'd become a policeman."
Mifune smiled. "I just can't leave this town. It's almost in my blood. When I came here for break a few years ago I realized that. So I went about looking for what might be a good and steady job here in town. They needed new policeman, so I joined up, took the classes I needed, and started duty."
"So aren't you supposed to have a partner?"
"Yup. I'm technically off duty, but the guys at the office asked me to get some coffee and tea on the express orders that I'm not to investigate anything."
"Oh? Let me guess. You're some sort of American cowboy, aren't you senpai? Always going out to right wrongs and fight evil?"
"What can I say, kohai-kun? You were a pretty impressive example. For a kohai."
Ryo offered an embarrassed smile. Years ago, after Saranbo's attack, Mifune was in the area and came across a large patch of black ice and a large white tiger carrying a red-armored Ryo next to a red jeep heading back towards Ryo's cabin. When Ryo had returned home after the fight with Arago, he had a lot of explaining to do to his senpai.
"I wasn't that impressive," Ryo said.
"I think otherwise, kohai-kun, and no kohai can ever hope to change a senpai's mind." Mifune winked and started the patrol car. "Let me guess, you're trying to get to your overgrown cat when the rain hit."
"Yup."
Mifune smiled a flashy smile. "I'll give you a lift. How is that tiger of yours?"
"Byakuen is well. He's probably found somewhere nice and dry and will take great pains in order to come out and get me home," Ryo chuckled.
"You are such a cat person. Even when you were seven, balling like a baby about that leg, you could talk to that tiger." Mifune turned the car to the road that lead out of town. "You know that you ruined my little sister? Ever since then, she asked if she could have a tiger as a pet."
"Remember," Ryo replied. "Byakuen didn't stay with me after he made sure I was alright back then. He only started to live with me when I was ten."
"When your training started," Mifune agreed. "Of course, you didn't tell me about that training until after all the good stuff happened."
"Yeah, well," Ryo looked down to his hands. It wasn't like he wanted to keep his fight a secret, but very few people would understand, let alone believe him. The only reason why Mifune did was because he had seen Ryo in armor, and even then, he didn't recognize Ryo but Byakuen, which meant that Ryo was involved, hence the inquisition that Ryo got after Arago's war.
"Don't go soft on me now," Mifune scolded. "I meant that as a joke. You always seem to take things to seriously."
"Considering my life, can you blame me?"
"No, probably not."
Ryo smirked.
"By the way, you've mentioned to me that you'd met your tiger before the time I saw him. How did that happen? I don't think you've ever told me."
"I haven't?" Ryo crossed his arms. "That's unlike me."
"I was probably to busy grilling you on that whole war you had to fight. That's still hard to believe sometimes."
"I could comment on that, but I won't."
"Wise choice. The story?"
Ryo looked out at the diminishing houses and the dissipating rain. "I was four and playing in the forest. I cam across some tracks that looked like a large animal and decided to follow them."
"Hardly a bright move."
"I was four."
"And still acting like a kohai."
"May I finish the story?"
"Please, go on." Mifune gave a lopsided grin.
"Well, I wasn't very good at following tracks back then, and I was rather noisy about it. But I kept at it and did what I thought back then was a very good job. Little did I know that I was probably just amusing Byakuen. When he finally tired of the game, he scared me by coming out of the bushes behind me."
"That might be a good time to run for your life," Mifune offered.
"Now Shoji-senpai," Ryo returned, using Mifune's given name, which he knew irritated his senpai to no end. "Why would I do that? My father had told me enough times at that point that running makes you a target." Ryo laughed. "I was only four, so I'm a little fuzzy on what happened next, since it happened so fast, but I think I just stood wide eyed until Byakuen smiled and started to lick me. I remember that I got quite a bath from his tongue. After that, he left."
"Sounds like fun."
"Not if you're trying to take a bath after tiger drool. I think it took me about three baths before I was convinced I was clean."
The two of the laughed as the houses gave way to fields. Mifune pulled over.
"Good thing for you the rain has more or less stopped. You'll have a dry walk home."
Ryo got out of the car with Mifune and started to pull out his groceries. "Who said anything about walking home?"
"That's right. You like to ride."
"Especially when I have food to keep fresh." Ryo turned to the fields and whistled. Turning back to his senpai, he said, "I hope I didn't make you too late for the squad room."
"Nah, they'll understand that I wanted to give you a lift. Of course, I won't exactly mention about your tiger."
"Senpai, he's not my tiger. He chose me. Not the other way around."
"Then should I call him your master, kohai-kun?"
Ryo lightly punched the policeman's arm before turning to the bushes across the road. "You can come out now Byakuen. You should remember Mifune-senpai here."
Sure enough, Byakuen was in the underbrush and walked out with an annoyed look on his face.
"I'll never know how you know where that tiger is all the time. Have a good day, Ryo. Good luck in college."
Ryo smiled and mounted Byakuen, his arms laden in groceries. "I'll see you around."
Ryo and Byakuen watched Mifune's car disappear down the road before starting back down the road towards Ryo's cabin. Byakuen had a musty smell to his fur that he didn't have that morning, meaning that he probably found some sort of cave to wait the rain out and maybe take a nap. Ryo swore that he'd never seen a cat sleep so much. But then, after finally defending the human world from the Youjakai, the tiger was entitled to the right to sleep the rest of his days off if he wanted to.
The ride was at a good speed, though hardly Byakuen's fastest. Ryo simply held his groceries tightly and relished the wind in his face. That was something that his armor sometimes withheld, the feel of nature around him. When in armor, he couldn't feel the wind, or hear the animals. Instead his senses were extended, which was beneficial in their own right, but just not the same. It was one of the things that made Suzunagi's armor more suited for him.
In that sense, Suzunagi was very helpful to all the Troopers. The new armor they had was designed specifically for each one of them. For Ryo, he the armor held the same magic and power as the previous, but it added the sense of things that was muffled by his original armor. Ryo was sure the others felt the same way. Seiji probably felt the light more in his new armor, Shuu the earth, Shin the oceans, and Touma the air. Since Ryo was fueled by not only fire, but also nature, he could feel the nature around him like he couldn't before, and it was certainly a wonderful feeling.
As they passed the large ginkyo tree that Ryo had fell from all those years ago, Byakuen suddenly went from a gentle jogging pace to a flat out run, shocking Ryo, almost sending him tumbling back. He was grateful he had such a tight grip on the food, or else he'd have to convince Byakuen to take him back to town to by more.
"Na! Byakuen! What's the rush?" (Hey!)
His response was a deep rumbling chuckle.
"Nani? Revenge? What for?" (What?)
The purr-like chuckling continued and increased in volume.
"For climbing that tree this morning!" Oh Ryo was going to get Byakuen good for this. He'd have his own sweet revenge. That tiger would definitely not get away with this. Ryo's face produced a cat-like grin as he plotted. What would be best? Tigers loved to swim, so water was out of the question, but what about--Perfect! That always got under Byakuen's fur, and if Ryo could time it just right . . . plotting was such a good thing.
They made it home in a matter of minutes after that, and it looked like the rain was getting ready to fall again. Ryo let out a sigh. It looked like he wouldn't be able to change out of his damp clothes yet. He still needed to pick some vegetables from his garden for his dinner. Ah, forget it. He was cold, and he wanted to change. After he put the food away, that is.
Byakuen followed Ryo into their cabin, wiping his paws off on a foot-brush his had bought when he had seen just how smart Byakuen really was. Ryo pulled off his muddy shoes and brought the groceries into the kitchen and placed them on the counter.
It didn't take long to put all the food away in the freezer or fridge, so Ryo pulled off his wet sweater and damp jeans, tossing them into the laundry basket. What he needed was a hot bath. The water should still be in the tub from when his father took one that morning before rushing around the house to leave. Sure enough, the cover was over the tub, so Ryo went to his room and grabbed some fresh underwear and a warm yukata. While in his room, he also got something for Byakuen. Yukata is sort of like a robe, but you wear it to bed, so it's closer to pajamas
Ryo grinned evilly.
As Ryo headed down the hall towards the furo, he noted that Byakuen was curled up by the fireplace, purring contentedly. Literally a "bath" room, no toilets, just a tub.
"Ne, would you like a fire?"
Byakuen rumbled a half yes, stretching briefly before going back to his nap. Ryo happily got out a match and lit the logs, adding one to the fire.
"You should be fine now," he said, rubbing Byakuen behind the ears. As Ryo predicted, the white tiger lifted his head, wanting Ryo to scratch under his chin. So Ryo did so. And attached a collar. Byakuen roared, but it was too late. Ryo was safely in the furo, the door locked, and sliding into the tub, enjoying the hot water and Byakuen's grumbling outside the door. (bath room)
Byakuen was, like any other cat, a vain creature. He hated jewelry, so he hated to wear collars. However, what Byakuen hated even more, was flea collars, which was what Ryo had but around his friend's neck. Byakuen considered himself too cleanly to need a flea collar, so Ryo had bought one as a back-up to use in one of his tease-wars with his tiger.
Ryo sat back in the tub, looking up to the ceiling. It had been a wonderful day. His father had left safely, albeit late, he had met some of his friends in town, found out one of them was to be married, oh life was good. Ryo couldn't ask for anything more. He was so happy he could burst. He wanted to share all this joy with everyone alive, let them see that there were still treasures in life and that they were simple everyday things that anyone could enjoy.
Ryo was in such a good mood he wanted to share it with the world. To shout to the highest mountaintops of how happy he was and how excellent that life could be. It didn't matter if it was raining out or the moon was shining instead. In all cases, someone could be happy and enjoy what life had to offer. One person could like walking in fog, feeling like they were being hugged by nature or another person could take pleasure in the thrill of a thunderstorm, or yet another can simply love all that was around him like Ryo, and want to treasure and protect it for as long as he lived. Nothing spectacular had to happen in order to feel ecstatic and over the moon. One could easily do so from anything around.
Letting out a long and contented sigh, Ryo got out of the tub, feeling exuberant and joyful. He changed into his yukata, drying and brushing out his mane of hair. He supposed it was about time to let Byakuen out of that confining collar. Ryo smirked. Undoubtedly, the prank war between them would continue, not that it had ever stopped before. But then, what friends ever stopped teasing each other. Ryo would forever play with Byakuen, tease the other Troopers, harass Tsubasa abut his love of speed, chuckle at Yamato-senpai's rigidity. It would never end, nor should it. Life was just too fun.
He entered into the living room, wary of what Byakuen might do to him. However, Ryo saw that he didn't need to worry. Byakuen had managed to get the collar off, though certainly with difficulty, and was curled up by the fire once more, fast asleep.
Ryo couldn't help but chuckle. The scene was so serene, he couldn't interrupt it. So he quietly padded down to the kitchen and pulled out some instant ramen. Hardly his favorite type of meal, but it would do for the evening. While it was in the microwave, he poured himself some milk and pulled out some of the vegetables that he had bought earlier. Just because he had to put up with instant instead of real natural food didn't mean he couldn't add a few things to it.
Once the microwave went off, Ryo sat down in the kitchen and ate his dinner. Glancing at the clock, he noted that it was almost nine in the evening. Wow, the day had flown by. In fact, the phone would probably be ringing right about . . .
BRING, BRING!
Now. Ryo smoothly picked up the phone, put it to his shoulder, and quickly swallowed what he had been chewing.
"Konban wa, Otou-sama," he said into the phone, almost choking on the formality. (Good evening, Father (very respectful))
"Am I really that predictable, son?"
"Yup. You always wait until you know I'm home so you can call and say you got there safely."
"I need to work on that. Maybe if I fight a war to save humanity I'll lose my drab consistency. How was your day?"
"A war doesn't make you unpredictable; it makes you predict the unpredictable. I'm fine. I had to go to town today, since I didn't have any food left."
"Oops."
"Don't worry about it," Ryo answered, downing the last of his milk. "It gave me a chance to catch up. I haven't seen some of my friends from around here in a few years. Did you know Oda is getting married? Or that Mifune-senpai is a police officer now?" Ryo went on to tell his father about his day, a time honored tradition for whenever his father left and called to say he arrived safely.
"Sounds like you've had a busy day," his father finally stated. "Anything else you'd like to add?"
"Not really," Ryo replied. "It's good to hear your voice. I'm glad you made it safely."
"Ah." (Yes.)
"So, any wild kangaroos chase you down? Or maybe some wayward wallabies? How about a down-on-his-luck duckbill platypus?"
His father laughed over the phone and Ryo could almost hear tears in his father's eyes, he was laughing so hard. Ryo smiled. His father often ended up crying while he was laughing. Ryo was often sent into hysterics himself while he watched his father do everything he could to prevent himself from crying. It was very entertaining.
"No I haven't had anything like that occur," his father laughed in return. "Instead, I've been told we lost our guide and are currently scrambling to get a new one. So much for a smooth ride once I got here."
Ryo chuckled. "Have you ever even had a trip go without a hitch?"
"Good point."
"Told you, Tou-san." Ryo heard someone knock in his father's room. There was some muffled talking, his father's hand undoubtedly covering the receiver.
His father's voice came back on the phone. "Well, it seems we need to have a meeting on what to do about this missing guide. Don't know why they need the cameraman's opinion."
"Because you're the key," Ryo answered. "They need your pictures in order to even write the story."
"Well, in any case, I'm about to be pulled away, kicking and screaming, from our conversation. I love you, son."
"I love you too, Tou-san. Take care."
"You too, Ryo-kun."
"Ja." (Bye.)
"Ja." (Bye.)
The phone offered a cold almost offending click. Ryo slowly put the phone down and finished his dinner in silence. Was it him, or was the cabin a little chilly this evening? He shivered in his yukata and scratched the back of his neck. This was ridiculous. He had been in a good mood earlier, just before dinner. Why did a simple phone call drag him down? Ryo cleaned the table, putting his dishes in the sink for tomorrow and sighed. He was being foolish. He shouldn't let one thing get him down. It wasn't the end of the world that his father's conversation with him was cut short. At least he was able to have a conversation.
Ryo chuckled. He could just hear his friends now, telling him that this was no big deal and to be his cheerful self again. Ryo walked back into the living room, admiring Byakuen's ability to just catnap and ignore the rest of the world. Well, maybe, for once, Ryo could act like the cat person he was and do the same. He went over to the couch and pulled off a warm comforter from the back of it, quietly padded over to the large sleeping tiger, and sat down in front of the fire, leaning against his feline friend and wrapping the blanket around himself.
Byakuen stirred momentarily, giving a questioning sound that was a cross of a growl, purr, and yawn.
Ryo turned and smiled, snuggling into Byakuen's fur. "I feel rather good today," he answered softly. "I think that our world is brimming with hope and a bright future. There will always be problems with the world, we can't change that. People will still be selfish, and greedy, but not the majority. Humans were able to produce us, after all. Simple children who, like everyone else, wanted to make the world a better place. As long as humanity continues in that direction and I think it will, we won't have to worry about evil creatures taking over our home. We'll always be safe if people like Arago had to force people into despair in order to create the energy he needed.
Byakuen purred and wrapped his tail around his human companion, snuggling closer. Ryo put his arm on the tiger's neck, rubbing the stripped head with his hand. "It doesn't matter if people part company for a while and miss each other. The fact that they miss each other means that they care and will continue to be good people. It's caring that was able to help us beat all the odds were had to face over the years. Heh, it's caring that puts people through their everyday lives. Without caring we'd just be moving objects that did things. Yes, people care at different levels about different people and things, but they do care. It's what gives us hope."
Byakuen's tail hit his face.
"Oi! Oi!" (Hey! Hey!)
Byakuen went back to napping, obviously wanting to be uninterrupted, and purred. Fine. Ryo could do that. He nestled himself deeper into Byakuen's warm fur, knowing that he'd probably regret this in the morning with a sore back but for now it was perfect. The blanket kept him enveloped in a warm cocoon, along with his large white tiger. The fire danced in front of them, like some sort of musical play. If he was able to invite the guys over, that's probably what he should do with them. It would certainly surprise them.
Ryo smiled as he continued to watch the flames jump and crackle. He always did like to surprise his friends when they came over. Shin did the same thing sometimes. To do something that was so totally not themselves and insist it was perfectly normal was a good way to ensure good times. That was why the future was so hopeful. People could do things like that and bring joy to other people.
The fire crackled, bringing Ryo out of his thoughts. He smiled again. Yep, he was getting back to his normal cheerful self, even if he was rather tired.
Byakuen rubbed his head against Ryo's leg and continued purred contentedly. That baritone purr was like a choir lulling him to sleep. It had been a long and full day. A very good day.
"I agree, boy. I agree. It was a very, very good day."