Unforeseen Circumstance
Washed by the Rain
(Day 15)
By: Little Ucchan
The sky was unusually black that night, the moon and little sprinkles of stars shining bright, like white flares, against the unforgiving background of nothingness. It was arguably the winter's doing, the season coming earlier this year. But it was still October. Given it was the end of the month, they were still in the middle of the fall. The world was not meant to be this dark so soon. It sent a shiver down her spine.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Sneakers ran hard against the cold sidewalk, squeaking whenever the youth would make a sharp turn in her haste. It was a foolish decision, made prematurely, to run out, sprint actually, into the cold without proper protection. Rash. Her decision was rash, although people would never call it that. Energetic was their favorite term. Softer. More fitting to whom she was. But to her, it was rash. A fit of passion. A desire to do something was what was driving her towards Kanaji.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! She had to hurry.
***
The whirl of helicopters droned overhead. One would pass by. Then another. It was virtually impossible to think clearly. Or even hear one's own thoughts.
Cye scowled at the bright searchlight combing the area with annoying persistence. Weren't they supposed to be watching the fire instead of pointlessly wandering about the surrounding district and making his task even more difficult?
The shadow from the searchlight cast itself across his crouched down form, the added darkness concealing him even better from watchful eyes. His hiding spot behind the wall of the roof access entrance would not easily be betrayed. Silently, he waited for the helicopter to pass.
A second later, he was on the move, roof-hopping in order to get closer to the Kanaji apartment, still violently burning with an aura of malicious intent. Cye paused at the edge of a building, taking a deep breath before free falling off the side, somersaulting half way down to land perfectly on his feet in a small alleyway between two high rise apartments, abandoned in the residents' haste to get to safety. He crept up to the corner of the building, watching in almost hypnotic fascination the enormous fire burning only a street's length away from him. Kanaji. It was time for him to get to work.
A sweeping glance across the front lawn alerted him to the number of fire fighters and medical staff still present on the grounds. But there were fewer ambulances than he had first thought were there. The situation was getting too intense to pull any more rescue stunts. They'd have to retreat until the fire was put out. Then the body count could begin.
Cye shuddered. Two hours. Anyone else left inside couldn't still been alive now. So many dead… The only thing he could do was damage control.
He pulled out his armor orb, feeling the waves of Torrent pulsing in his hand, his power and strength increasing every second since it had been returned to him. But was it enough? Cye wasn't aware of it at the time, but, at that moment when he was about to transform, he was only at half strength. A fact that, if known, would have saved him a great deal of trouble.
"Armor of Torrent…" The call rolled off his tongue, echoing against the surrounding walls in the soft, placid fashion that the boy's aura seemed to vibrate from his body. He felt the armor's presence. Saw it in his mind, the curve-shaped plating and familiar hollow facemask staring back at him with that tint of golden yellow over its eyes. He felt its power. The force of the ocean waves crashing against the cliff side. Then his kanji flared to life, the unmistakable image of the Naruto Whirlpools, his armor's place of origin, clear in his mind. "Dao Shin!!"
In a flurry of wall scrolls and cherry blossom pedals, the armor of Torrent encompassed his lithe frame, giving the teenager a hard edge with the heavy armor he wore. Heavy? He flexed his arm up and down, experimentally playing with the weight of his yari. He was right. The weapon was heavier. And so was his armor. Not so much to be a hindrance on his performance, but enough to cause a flash of misgiving to pass through his mind. I haven't worn the armor for so long… Maybe I'm not used to its weight anymore. That's what he wanted to believe. He somehow doubted that was the case.
Setting it aside for something he'd solve later, when he had the time, Cye drew his attention back to the fire, trying to decide exactly how he was going to go about doing this. He could do what he did last time downtown, where this whole mess seemed to have started, and hit the heart of the fire with a modified Super Wave Smasher. Right. He nodded once to himself. That should do it.
With a giant leap, the Ronin was airborne, landing on the rooftop of the building just across from Kanaji. Clear shot. He raised his yari in a firing position.
…Nani?
He stopped, unable to believe what he saw. On the roof, where the fire seemed to be at its greatest, two black lines seemed to cut through the fire, like knives, and then split, no… they blinked at him. Two dark holes, the eyes of the demonic spirit residing within the comfort of the flames blinked at him with a wild, maniacal look that soon turned to unbridled hatred at the sight of Cye and his armor. Talpa's armor.
Die… it hissed in Cye's mind, momentarily held captive by its enthralling stare, almond-shaped slits boring into his very soul so much that he almost could see into its spirit… and saw the gut wrenching hatred it had for him. DIE!!!!
He dove to the side, barely escaping the two scorching blasts of fire that shot out from its eyes, colliding with the building behind him and setting it ablaze. He grimaced at the sweltering heat at his backside, the rooftops now alit with the demon's fury. And it would not end there. No. Without prior warning, Kanaji seemed to erupt like a volcano, fireballs flying in all direction, the majority soaring through the air directly at Cye.
The Ronin ran to the left, fireball after fireball crashing in his wake, chasing after the boy with fervent tenacity. He jumped over to the next building just as another fireball slammed into the roof, the structure not able to take any more abuse and collapsing into a heap of twisted metal and debris behind him. The attack slowed down by a fraction of a second. Cye didn't waste anytime.
Rolling back onto his feet, Cye leveled his yari at the demon. "Super Wave Smasher!!!"
The solid blast of water streamed towards the demon, striking it right between the eyes, making the apparition shriek with a hollow, unsettling cry that shook the very foundation of the earth. Then, the impossible happened.
The fire wavered, but did not diminish. Instead, the dark, empty eyes snapped open, an unknown force propelling his attack back and straight at him.
What the?! Cye broke off immediately, yanking his weapon back and flinging himself to the side, landing roughly against the floor as the remains of his surekill whizzed by, chipping off part of the front of the building before shooting upwards to the sky, dissipating into the night. Impossible! Cye was stunned at the turn of events. Fire repelling water? How? But before he could figure out what had gone wrong, the ground beneath him jolted, one of the demonic spirit's fireballs striking the building. It was trying another round.
The Ronin jumped away from another fireball, landing on his feet on the other side of the rooftop when the ground shook again, but this time the entire roof floor pitched forward. His balance lost, Cye fell onto his back, sliding across the floor, speeding dangerously towards the edge of the building. He quickly dug the tip of his yari into the concrete to slow down his rapid descent, the metal producing a nasty scraping sound that wasn't too kind to his ears. He gritted his teeth, pulling himself up just as his foot came against the rim of the roof. Using the new foothold as leverage, Cye propelled himself backwards, flipping midair to land on the opposite ledge of the now slanted rooftop.
He wanted to catch his breath. He needed a moment to come up with some kind of strategy. But he got to do neither, two giant beams of fire spinning towards him. A strangled sort of gasp escaped his lips. He couldn't dodge it.
His yari moved to block the attack, facemask sliding over his features with a shink! But the twin spiral blast that had come out of the demon's eyes was too large for him to block fully, slamming into Cye for a second before it threw the warrior over the edge. The boy let out a startled cry, his body colliding with the adjacent building before plummeting down to the ground, eight stories below.
He landed with a hard thud on his back, the force momentarily knocking him unconscious. And when he came too, he was aware of the burning fire that had engulfed the building he had been on and how it dangerously swayed. The entire structure's going to collapse!! Cye rolled over to the side, narrowly avoiding a slab of falling concrete from crushing his chest. He pushed himself up to his knees, looking for an escape route when the top of the building exploded, a rain of fire and debris crashing down around him.
***
This was not good. The helicopter that had been providing the news station's aerial coverage of the fire had suddenly lost its transmission. But not before a very bright red light enveloped the image on the TV screen followed by screams and dying shouts that were broadcast throughout all of metropolitan Tokyo. That was right after the Kanaji apartment started throwing fireballs in every direction. This was definitely not good.
Kento was having a very hard time keeping still. Once the live coverage was gone, he had lost all means of knowing what had happened to his friend. And he never did well in having to wait. Especially in a situation like this! He should be out there fighting that fire!! Not… Not waiting till I get news that Cye's dead. His jaws clenched. "Damn it!! What the hell are we waitin' for!? Let's move!!"
The unanimous approval he was hoping for didn't reach his ears. Only silence.
Turning to face his fellow warriors with a very crossed expression on his face, Kento opened his mouth to scream at them when he caught both Ryo and Rowen's gazes leveled at Laura. He also turned his attention towards the ninja, seeing the contemplative look she had, in deep thought about something when she let out a sigh. Tossing the pouch with the remaining two armor orbs at Rowen, she warned, "Don't get yourselves killed."
Rowen nodded, taking out his dark blue crystal and tossing the rough leather bag to Kento. The boy had a confident smirk on his face, like he always did when it came to battles. "Never gonna happen." He pulled out his armor orb and juggled it on his fingertip. "We're very hard to take out. Ain't that right, Ro?"
"Right."
"Hey." Ryo look at each of them squarely. "Both of you be careful."
Kento looked like he was about to say something as a remark, but Ryo, sensing the comment, stopped him. "I mean it. No stunts."
Both of them exchanged questioning looks, but neither took the warning lightly. "Alright Ryo." It was Rowen who answered. "We'll watch ourselves."
With a quiet nod from their leader, the two remaining Ronin warriors went out to battle. Laura watched as they ran out of the main lobby, now more concerned for their well being than she was before. She had noted, like the others, how Ryo's tone changed. And, as they stood there in silence, that troubled expression did not leave his face.
***
His vision was murky when he regained consciousness, not the normal double vision that he was expecting. Although he did have an odd ringing about his ears. Where am I?
Cye turned his head slightly, realizing that he was lying, facedown, on a cold, curved surface. There was water around him. He felt its pull forward, though the force behind it was not that strong. And amazingly, when he tried looking around, his vision had still not cleared. But he knew the reason. The inside of his visor had fogged up while he was lying unconscious, the cool atmosphere of the tunnel a sharp contrast to his warm breath.
He blinked in surprised, slowly pushing himself up onto his hands. That's right. He was underground. In the sewers to be more precise.
That fact failed to keep any pleasant thoughts in his head. But it couldn't have been helped. There had been no time, and diving into that open manhole had been his only means of escape. Now, he rued the choice he made. But it was much better than being trapped under a pile of burning rubble for a good portion of the night. …Only slightly better.
Rising up to his knees, Cye lifted his facemask to improve his sight when he reeled back at the smells that had, almost instantaneously, permeated his senses. Ugh!! Rancid. He held an armored hand against his nose, not that it helped much, and stood up to look around, yari in his other hand. This was why he didn't do solo missions. Stuff like this always seemed to happen.
Surveying the manhole he had used to enter to sewers, the Ronin frowned at the virtual wall that now stood before him, his only known exit blocked by the pieces of concrete that had fallen down the hole after him. Well, let's look on the bright side, Cye. At least you're not under all of that.
With a long sigh, he started down the tunnel. He needed to find a way to get topside and fast, lest the demonic spirit he was trying to kill get another case of pyromania and decide to burn down the rest of the district.
Damn it. He hadn't thought it would be this hard. And why hadn't his surekill worked? Something was nagging at him from the back of his memory so much that it was irritating. He had the answer, but it eluded him, and the current situation at hand and all the lives that depended on his victory were too big of a distraction for him to figure this out. Torrent's power was rising, but it wasn't even close to his normal level during the last days of the Dynasty War. Cye just hoped that the next time he used his surekill it would be enough to stop the blaze.
***
Not a moment after she had climbed up onto the roof did she witness the strange boy in blue get hit by that fire blast and fall over the ledge. The building he was on had exploded soon after, and her hopes sunk when she did not see the young warrior emerge from the ashes. Oh, I hope he's alright. She didn't want any more lives to be claimed by the Kanaji fire. A ball of flame had shot one of the helicopters down. The other had sustained some damage, but not considerate. It and the third chopper had retreated back when buildings started to collapse. The situation had turned deadly. All of the medical personnel had fortunately cleared out before then. But the fire fighters… God bless their souls for the courage they displayed in the line of duty.
This has to stop.
Clouds started to form, slowly darkening the sky to a much more menacing hue. It has to… The wind began to pick up, blowing from the east, against her back. It has to end.
The heavens rumbled. A storm was coming.
***
The manhole cover clattered noisily against the pavement, Cye emerging from beneath the streets with a relieved sigh. He had found a way out, relatively quickly at that. The only problem now was that he had no clue as to where he was. Quickly scanning the area, he discovered that his location was still within the boundary of the sealed off district, but rather far off when it came to the distance to Kanaji. Cye easily spotted the direction of the fire, a hazy corona of red and orange silhouettes over the top of the surrounding buildings. No time to waste.
Pulling the rest of his body out of the manhole, Cye rose swiftly to his feet, a bit of a surprised look on his face when he noticed the storm clouds hovering precariously overhead. That's odd. He didn't remember there being a forecast for rain. But then again, this could work to his advantage. Already he had an idea in mind, running back towards the burning apartment and the opponent that waited for him. If nature decided to side with him tonight, he'd have all the power he needed to destroy the demon.
It didn't take him long to reach Kanaji, this time entering from the east side of the building, opposite of where his previous battle had just taken place. Cye held back at the street corner for a moment and looked expectantly towards the sky. Sounds of thunder warned him of the approaching rainstorm. It would be upon him soon. But a single drop of water had yet to release itself. Could he afford to wait a little longer?
The demonic eyes of the apparition within the flames suddenly opened again. Cye inhaled sharply, the dark holes hovering within the fire's embrace locking stares with him. Apparently not.
Two blasts of fire, like flame throwers, shot out of its eyes. The Ronin had seen the attack coming, leaping out of harms way before the flames torched the ground beneath him. Landing on the opposite street corner, he made a sprint for the center lawn court of the apartment. He didn't have an aerial advantage like last time, so his only clear shot was right in front of the building. Risky. But he had to make sure that his attack landed this time.
Cye eyed the demonic spirit as he ran, the eyes turning slowly to follow his movements across the battlefield. That's when he saw it. Something hovering beneath the eyes of the demon. A small, circular object about the size of a baseball. And, when he looked closer, dark purple steam-like energy seemed to be emitting from it. That's it! Cye skidded to a halt, yari ready. That was his target.
Without warning, the entire area surrounding him caught on fire, a trail of flames blazing towards him from either side. He had to jump back, farther than he would have liked, the fire immediately overtaking half of the lawn, separating Cye from his target by a wall of flames.
He scowled at the evil spirit, hearing its mocking laughter within his own mind among the crackling of scorched earth. It was daring him to attack, with a wall of fire blocking him.
Cye tightened his grip around the shaft of his weapon, trying to restrain himself from falling into its trap. His armor was still not up to strength, its master throwing it into combat before it was ready to adjust. Cye had recharged his armor during the second wave of the Dynasty attack, but he hadn't bothered to do it this time around. That and something else was restraining him from performing at his fullest. He knew it, and so did his enemy. If he attacked now, the Super Wave Smasher would be overpowered due to the sheer size of the flames. And then he'd be open to attack.
You can't win, Warlord. He looked up, startled, as the flames hissed at him tauntingly. You can't win.
A drop of water struck the back of his hand. It began to rain.
The increase in his armor's power was almost instantaneous, every raindrop that fell against him sending a charge of energy through his body. Amazing. The feeling was invigorating, and… rather disturbing at the same time. Cye's energy level was skyrocketing, the rain falling faster and with more force, the battlefield completely drenched in a matter of minutes. But, what was bothering him was he didn't have to do anything. It was as if the rainfall was lending him its power at will, instead of how he'd normally have to call on the water's power in order to be able to absorb it into his armor. This was not normal rainfall.
Magic. He felt it. The water… the very storm clouds were empowered with magic. The notion sounded absurd, yes, but when Cye turned his gaze forward, back to the fire, he had all the proof he needed. The firewall was completely gone, the sudden rainstorm snuffing out the flames with deadly speed, including the burning buildings of the surrounding area. And the demon… well the menacing spirit was not having a very fun time. The fire that had engulfed the Kanaji apartment had completely died out, a feat that the fire fighters weren't even on the brink of accomplishing. The flames were very resilient to the fire hoses, but with this rain…
Cye noticed how the remaining flames had retreating back to the rooftop, peculiarly gathering close to the hovering ball of purple energy still floating in the center. They're guarding it because… A thought came to his mind, making him smile wickedly. Because it can't get wet. Perfect.
His armor started to glow a soft light blue, the kanji of trust appearing on his forehead as he aimed his yari at the center of the flames, gathering his strength and focusing it towards the tip of the spearhead.
"Super… Wave…"
In a last ditch effort to defend itself, the demonic spirit shot another blast of fire from its eyes. This time, it would have no effect.
"SMASHER!!!!!!!"
The solid wave of water shot out of Cye's yari, cutting through the fire blasts like paper and smashing through the spirit's last line of defense. The fire immediately vanished, a painful howl erupting through the night as the purple energy ball housing the demonic spirit received the attack head on. The symbol lying within the depths of the ball flared violently before it disappeared, the energy exploding pathetically into a million scattering pieces within the wake of the Ronin's surekill.
***
She smiled, watching in awe as the wave of water, bright as a clear sky, shot out across the heavens, thinning slowly until there was nothing left. The world returned to darkness, no longer teased by the ill flames. The rain continued to fall.
Soaked, but not at all bothered by it, the young girl made her way to the edge of the rooftop, easing herself over the side to the fire escape that she had used to climb up the building. Absently, her mind wandered elsewhere as she made her descent. Tousan will be angry with me for going outside by myself. But that wasn't the only thing her father would be angry about. I hope he doesn't suspect anything. Who was that fighter anyway? She was thinking about the samurai in blue as she climbed down the last ladder to the street level, mind preoccupied with the mysterious savior that she did not notice the ladder did not fully reach the ground.
"Oh!" She let out a startled cry when the ladder came to an unexpected end, losing her footing and falling down on her back. "Ahh," she groaned, if possible, even more wet than before and feeling a throbbing sort of pain at the lower part of her back. The bottom part of her spinal cord had received a nasty jolt at that fall.
"That probably wasn't one of my best moments."
A quiet chuckle. "No, not really."
She practically jumped out of her skin, letting out a surprised yelp at the sight of a young man standing just outside the alley. Where…? Who…? She could not make out his features, the streetlight casting a shadow across his face, but she did hear his voice clearly, soft and friendly with a hint of an accent in his words. British?
He tilted his head inquiringly. "Are you alright?"
She mutely nodded, now able to see part of his face. Light brown hair, a youthful appearance, and beautiful blue green eyes… like the sea. Oh my gosh! She just belatedly realized that he had witness that ungraceful fall of hers. Her cheeks started to turn red. How embarrassing!
Cye noticed how uncomfortable she had gotten in the silence that had passed between them. "Here." He bent over, lending her his hand. "Let me help you."
She placed her hand in his without much of a fuss, pushing herself off the floor as he pulled her up and onto her feet. Her hand was small in his, a rather delicate frame, but not at all weak. She had energy. He had felt it in her grip, but there was a soft formality to it as well. Interesting.
The girl pulled her hand away, dusting herself clean of any more dirt or gravel that had clung to her skin. This gave Cye an opportunity to fully examine this girl. He was surprised at her face, so young, her height barely past five feet. She looked about the same age as Sage's sister, Satsuki. A girl her age should not have been wandering about alone, on the roof of all places, near the Kanaji apartment when it was clearly a restricted area. And he found it rather odd that she did so.
"Thanks," she bowed, seeming to have finally regained her composure, and her good cheer, if her smile was anything to judge by. "That was very nice of you."
"Oh," Cye rubbed the back of his head, slightly blushing. "You don't have to thank me. It was nothing." Her clothes are soaked. Just like his own, but he was dressed in long sleeves and jeans, while the girl was wearing a simple shirt and shorts. She must be freezing.
"Shouldn't you be getting home?" he asked in concern. "Or maybe out of the rain? You might catch pneumonia."
She smiled, a warm sort of smile, as she tilted her head back towards the sky, letting the rain fall directly against her face. "I like the rain," she spoke softly, almost to herself, water droplets continuing to drip down her face and neck. "It won't harm me."
He continued to gaze at her, completely lost in the image of this young girl welcoming the rain, completely at home in the water's embrace, like he would be, surrounded by the ocean waves. He knew the feeling that she was talking about. The sea would never harm him.
"Why are you here?"
She lightly brushed away a wet strand of blackish blue hair. "I… was called here." She smiled again, a bit of a soft, yet unreadable expression on her face. "I wanted to help."
Wanted… to help?
"What about you?" She blinked at him quizzically. "Why are you here?"
Cye was unprepared for the question. "I…" He closed his mouth again after a second attempt failed. She was so sincere when she answered. Why do I feel like I want to tell her the truth?
"…I wanted to help, too," he finally said, surprising him and her both with his answer.
She looked at him for a moment, and then laughed, a bell like sound seeming to be complimented by the rain. He couldn't stop his own smile, laughing a bit as well.
"So we're both here for the same reason." Her eyes danced with an unusual glimmer. "It must be fate then."
"Must be."
A smile came to her lips, one so brilliant that the rain could not hide her charm. Cye was stunned for a moment, and a content silence had passed between them. The rain, now a light shower, quietly fell through the sky.
Cye pursed his lips, shifting his weight to his other leg and breaking the stillness between them. He looked as if he was going to say something, but had taken a minute to actually speak it. "Can I, walk you home?"
She looked down, only to conceal her smile. He was so cute. She would have liked that. But… "I couldn't ask you to do that. My house is pretty far from here."
She was courteous.
"It's okay. I don't mind really."
He was sweet.
"But you'll get drenched."
"Oh? More than I am now?" Amusement flickered in his eyes. "A little more water wouldn't hurt. Besides," Cye chuckled slightly, "I wouldn't feel right if I let you walk home without some company."
Very sweet.
"Okay," she finally agreed, smiling again. "My house is this way… Oh!!" She gasped suddenly, a hand going to her mouth. She completely forgot.
Seeing his confused expression, she gave him a sort of embarrassed look. "I'm sorry. I haven't told you my name yet." She placed her feet together in a bow. "It's Nancy. Nancy Amaye."
Cye bowed as well, a bit surprised at her politeness, but easily able to adjust. "I'm Cye Mouri."
"Mouri?" She looked up. "From the noble house of Mouri?"
He blinked. "Yes."
Her face lit up. "Well that explains it!" He looked at her searchingly, waiting for an elaboration, but she had already started down the sidewalk, rather perky all of a sudden.
She spun around, motioning him to follow her. "Come on, Cye! We should hurry, while the rain's light!"
The storm had calmed down by then, now a light drizzle across the sky, like drifting snow before him. He held out his hand, feeling the soft touch of thousands of drops of water grazing his skin. Nancy Amaye… There's something about you. Something… familiar. Cye looked up to see the young teenager with her head cast to the sky once again, this time with arms wide open, spinning around in enjoyment. She caught him staring, and only smiled back at him, motioning again for him to come with her.
***
Man, what a day. Ryo sighed to himself, slouching in his chair and inclining his head back so he could stare at the ceiling. Maybe the simple whiteness of it could clear his head. What a day.
He continued to stare at the ceiling, a quiet silence entering the room until he shifted in his seat, ten minutes later. Alright, time to shuffle through all this crap floating around in my head. Sage was fine. Last time he checked, his breathing was steadier and most of his color had returned to his face. The warrior's energy supply, however, would take a while. It'd be a few days before he recovered his strength, meaning he'd be out of action in a fight. At least now he didn't need to fight. The return of all the armor orbs got rid of that problem. The armors…
Ryo shook his head, making a mental post-it note of the subject in his mind. No, I'll deal with that later. As for Sage's family… well, thankfully, that was one problem he wouldn't have to deal with as of yet. Traffic was bad on the way to Kou Seika, and the media was all over the place. It would take them a while to get in. Hopefully he'd have a believable story by then. Maybe Laura could help him out. Laura… No, he couldn't exactly depend on enlisting the ninja's help at the moment. She had enough on her mind already.
After Rowen and Kento had left, she had gone down to the bottom floor for some food. She had brought him back something, a BTL that was still sitting on the table by his side, untouched. He had lost his appetite by then.
They made small talk, but neither one was in much of a conversational mood. He had a feeling that something was bothering her, but he didn't know exactly what, and she didn't volunteer any helpful information. Right now, Laura was back in the lower level of the hospital, this time watching over Sammy and Kei, the two children having had been left in the care of the facility's daycare center when all the commotion had started.
He took a deep calming breath when his thoughts finally came across the survivors of the Kanaji fire, the few that were left. I guess I should be grateful. The guys had pulled through in the end, after all. Although counting his blessings for the living left him feeling disgusted with himself when compared to those that were dead. Fourteen alive, out of the thirty some odd people that came in the hour before. And that didn't include the people that were still going to die from severe physical injuries or the many others first lost in the fire. Nor did it include the firefighters that perished in their battle against an unknown beast. He was guessing over eighty people had died. The number left him out of breath. So many… Ryo lowered his head into his hands. We couldn't prevent it.
He forcefully snapped himself out of his depression, reminding himself exactly why he was running his mind through all that had happened so far. Right, the threat's over. We saved whom we could. I don't have to worry about the survivors anymore. For now, he just had to sit back and relax till the others got back to find out exactly how the battle went. Then it should be smooth sailing until Sage wakes up and they begin their talk with Laura. Yes, he'd wait that long. There was no way he was starting this one without Sage.
His mind cleared and his confidence renewed, Ryo took his burger in hand and started eating.
***
"This bites." Kento crossed his arms over his armored chest in distaste. Here he was, all armored up and raring to go, just waiting to get into a good rumble when he finds out that the fight's already over!!
When he and Rowen had arrived on the scene, they were surprised to find the entire place practically deserted. No fires. No demonic spirit. And more importantly, no Cye. The Ronin was nowhere to be found, although there were signs as to where he had been. Just look at all the charred sectors of the neighborhood. Cye had to have been standing there at one point in time.
But where was he now? Kento was tapping his finger against his arm, creating a dull clanging sound. And as his irritation grew, so did the speed of his tapping. This was not how he had planned to spend the evening, standing out in the cold, wet rain looking for his missing comrade who was probably, with his luck, already back inside the warm shelter of the hospital!
"This, royally, BITES!!!"
A longsuffering look passed Rowen's face, the scream having had easily reached his ears from where he stood about ten stories above his friend. He stepped onto the ledge of the building, bending over to look down for a moment before shaking his head.
"That's not going to find him any faster, Kento!" he called down to him, hoping that he heard. He got his reply a second later.
"Rowen, we've combed this area already! He ain't here!" Kento was right. Cye had left the district, but there were no sure signs as to which direction he had gone, and why. Rowen was certain he hadn't gone back to Kou Seika. They would have crossed paths if he did. Or at least sensed him. No, we wouldn't. He shook his head with a rueful sigh, recalling what he had discovered earlier. If Cye had left as a civilian, they would have not picked up his energy signature at all.
On their way towards Kanaji, Rowen had suggested going full armor before they arrived, remembering all too well the incident that had happened last week involving a demon and powering up. No chances this time. So they had donned their armor about half way there. But something was amiss. His armor was heavier. Not by much, but it was quite distracting. He was curious to see if Kento felt the same difference with Hardrock, but if the Ronin was having any difficulty with the weight of his armor, he didn't show it.
Then they arrived at the Kanaji apartment, spitting up to scope out the area, though he didn't begin his search immediately, wanting to test something out first. Rowen had taken to the roofs, drawing his bow and notching an arrow. Taking aim, he shot the arrow at the ledge across from him, quickly drew another, and fired the second one right after it. The first arrow struck the inside of the ledge; the second struck less than an inch to the left.
Rowen frowned. That wasn't a good sign. He was aiming to split the first arrow with the tip of the second, a task that normally came easy to him. But what had happened back then… Laura's words from last week came back to him.
"Power that was bestowed upon thee. Separate thyself. Manifest thyself. Come before me, I beseech you. And dissolve the bonds that bind you to thee."
He recalled each word, as if burned into his memory. That was the spell she used to steal the armor right off his back. And, unfortunately, it did more than just that. Dissolve the bonds that bind… She really did sever the ties they had with their armors. For five days, she had made them normal. But now they had the armors back in their possessions. And now… they were having problems.
Rowen crossed his arms over his chest, a hand coming to his chin in a thoughtful pose. Cye's surekill had worked. He had seen it shoot across the sky on the way to Kanaji. The armor's weight was heavier, but easy to adjust to. And his aim hadn't dropped too dramatically, although an inch was a drastic decline if he was going for precision shooting. Also, not having perfect aim irked him. Hmm… speed and power are down, but not by much. And it seems like the longer we wear the armor, the faster it regains its former strength. That would explain why the first Super Wave Smasher was considerably lacking in power compared to the second, although he was suspicious about the last attack. It seemed that the power backing Cye's surekill was a bit too much when he examined the time that had lapsed between both attacks and the rate of increase in power, which was odd considering the side effects to the incantation. But he pushed it aside to ponder on later.
Based on his judgment, so long as they have the orbs with them, they'll continue to increase in power until they reach a level or two short of their normal powers. The armors were trying to reconnect themselves with their bearers, but Laura's spell had done far too much damage than what was originally intended. Rowen also guessed that the connection between them and Ryo and Sage was almost nonexistent, on their ends. Wildfire and Halo could probably pick up on their auras, and they could still sense energies to a certain degree… But as for the link the five of them all shared… Oh this is going to be hell. Ryo's not going to take this well. But then again…
"Hey. Both of you be careful."
…He already knows. Rowen blinked, a peculiar look crossing his face before he shrugged it off. Must have sensed something was wrong when Laura returned our armors.
"HEY!!!"
Rowen looked over the roof's edge, eyes focusing on an orange blur standing on the sidewalk. "Well??" Kento demanded, hands on his hips in a very irate manner. He didn't like being ignored.
In one move, Rowen leapt over the side of the building, landing right next to Kento. He blinked, belatedly realizing that he had discarded his armor. Taking a good look at his appearance and his thoroughly soaked hair, he assumed that the boy had it off for quite some time now.
The archer willed away his armor, the rain now attacking his unprotected head, water staining his hair to an almost blackish hue in a matter of minutes. "We go back."
Though he was not in favor of searching in the rain, Kento was very ready to protest. Rowen held up a hand to stop him before he got started. "It's no use. We have no clue as to which direction he went. The only thing we do know is that he had left on his own. And it's certain that he's not currently engaged in a fight or else we would have noticed by now. Whatever he's doing, I'm sure he has a good reason and that he'll be back at the hospital soon."
"You know what." Kento was tapping his foot against the concrete, quite put out. "I hate you."
Rowen made a slight 'hmph' sound at the remark, wanting to laugh but not quite getting there as he turned, already starting to walk back to the hospital.
***
Nancy Amaye was a thirteen year old Japanese girl, ironically attending the same junior high school as Satsuki as well as a friend of the youngest of the Date children. Her mother was the curator of the city zoo; her father, a doctor at Hinaka Medical. And as for herself, she liked volunteering at the zoo (having a remarkable way with animals) and roller-blading. And how did Cye know this. Well it was rather simple, really.
He asked.
Her laughter filled the air again, making Cye smile. They had fallen into conversation easy enough. And, after hearing her speak and laugh that joyous, yet softly contained sound, he decided that he liked her voice. He liked her laugh. It made her all the more cute.
Cye mentally winced when he finally got a hold of his thoughts. What was he thinking? She was two years younger than him. Ten years from now, it wouldn't matter. But for the moment, they could very well be worlds apart. Besides, he didn't think he liked her in that way. They just met! And she was… baby cute. Not 'cute' cute.
But if it wasn't that, then why did he feel drawn to her? Something had compelled him to offer to walk her home, to spend more time with her, to find out what it was that was so familiar about her. Yet he couldn't fully grasp it. Maybe, later into the night, he'd figure out what it was, but for right now he just couldn't. Her presence had an odd effect on him, and he found himself not able to reflect on anything when she was near. She was too lively, too innocent, for him to ruin the moment with his pensive thoughts.
"Cye?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
She paused for a moment, fiddling with her hands before continuing. "Do you… think I'm odd?"
Cye blinked. Odd? "What do you mean?"
"Well…" She stretched her hands behind her back. "You know… different."
He thought about it. Nancy was different from other girls he's met. But most of his female friends were older. And he resembled Satsuki in such a way that she didn't seem that odd to him, setting aside all the other queer stuff about her that he was trying to figure out.
"Sometimes I think, I stand out from the rest," Nancy spoke, elaborating a bit more. "That maybe, I should be more like them. Have you ever felt like that, Cye?"
He nodded. Many times, actually. But his circumstance was different, and not one to be duplicated, by anyone. "You shouldn't be uncomfortable with yourself and who you are, just because you think you're different," he said. "Everyone's different if you think about it. And that variety makes everyone special."
"Yes but, what if that trait that makes you special is…" She sighed, stopping herself from finishing her question. "People are different, because a different combination of traits makes them different. You can always find something similar with someone else if you look."
Cye frowned slightly. What she just said… it was obvious to anyone that this was a topic that she has thought about constantly. Nancy had asked him if he thought she was odd. If she stood out. If she wasn't 'normal.' She was searching for acceptance. It was something that hit too close to home for him. He didn't want to see it in her.
To her amazement, Cye smiled at her. "If you have a trait that sets you off from the rest, then that's great! It means you have a gift, only bestowed to you. You should be proud of it, instead thinking it to be a burden." Cye stopped, hearing his own words. A gift instead of a burden… Maybe it was about time he started taking his own advice.
"A gift, ne?" Nancy smiled at him, seemingly content with his answer. "You're right. I guess I shouldn't be so down about it."
"You shouldn't," he nodded, lightly tapped the tip of her nose for emphasis. "You should always keep a smile on your face, like you are now."
She giggled, her smile widening, just for him. "Hai!"
The sky roared, thunder sounding a warning to the pair. A strong downpour was approaching. Nancy reached out her hands in front of her, feeling the light drizzle slowly transform before her. She flinched when a raindrop hit the back of her ear, a rather large one compared to the rest. Cye laughed at the way she reacted, causing her to giggle again, that same cheerful smile on her face, like it should.
She suddenly sprinted forward, as if racing against the rain to see who would reach her house first. "C'mon Cye!!" He soon followed after her, joining in her antics with her friend, the rain.
The storm was upon them by the time they reached the fence surrounding her front lawn, their clothes thoroughly soaked yet again. But neither took any mind. In fact, both were laughing underneath the shelter of the front porch. Out of breath, they still laughed.
"Hey, do you want to come inside?" Nancy asked once she had regained her composure, pulling out her keys and unlocking the door. "I'll make us some tea."
Oh, that sounded so good to him right about now. But he was hesitant to agree. Trust. She trusted him completely, an admirable and very rare trait to find nowadays. And although it came almost second nature to him, Cye knew how dangerous it was to be so open. I'm a stranger… and she wants me to step inside. He had almost voiced the question that was forming in his mind. Why did she display such faith in him? But instead he told her, "Sorry. But I really have to get going."
"Oh, but you're still wet. At least warm up inside."
"That's kind of you, Nancy," he tried again, although it was harder for him to deny her offer a second time. "But I really must be going."
"Oh, I see…" She sounded disappointed, looking down at the doorknob and silently turning it open when her face lit up again with a sudden thought. "Well wait here a minute, okay?" Nancy quickly stepped inside, kicking off her shoes. "I have something for you."
He moved to stop her, but decided it would have been a waste of energy. Cye sighed to himself, exasperated but amused. She definitely has a lot of energy. He turned to his watch, noticed the time, and winced. He'd been gone for over an hour. He was definitely going to get chewed out when he arrived back at Kou Seika. I hope they didn't decide to go looking for me.
"Here Cye!" Nancy was standing in the doorway, a rain jacket and umbrella in her arms. "These are for you."
He was touched by how considerate she was, but he didn't feel right in accepting. But before he had even opened his mouth, Cye surprisingly found the items already in his hands, Nancy handing them over to him in such a way that it now felt more impolite to refuse than to accept.
"So you won't get wet any more than you already are," she said cheerfully. "I hope the jacket fits you. It's my dad's. But he doesn't use it anymore."
"Thank you," he bowed slightly, slipping on the jacket and zipping it up to his neck. It was an almost perfect fit, though the sleeves were a tad bit long.
Nancy nodded approvingly. "Sorry it doesn't have a hood."
"It's alright," Cye reassured her, opening the umbrella and lifting it above his head, as if to prove that she didn't have to worry about the jacket not having a hood. "I'll be fine. Thanks again. I'll make sure to give these back to you."
"Oh, you don't need to. Dad won't know it's missing. And the umbrella was an extra." She smiled again. "Consider it a gift, for walking me home."
He returned the smile. "If you insist," he said, although he was almost certain that he'd end up returning them anyway. "Take care. Okay?"
She nodded once. "You too."
Cye started to walk down the porch steps, turning around at the fence to wave to her once again before passing through the gate. She watched him walk down the sidewalk, not retreating back into the warmth of her own house until he had long passed out of sight.
Nancy closed the door behind her, leaning her back against it for a moment, her head cast to the ceiling, wondering if what she did was right. We'll see.
Halfway to Kou Seika, Cye had reached into the borrowed jacket pocket to warm his hands when his fingers brushed against something cool and metallic cradled within the fabric's soft bed. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, pulling out the oval object and holding it up to his face, the silver chain connected to it dangling over the back of his hand.
A locket.
A rather large one at that; antique in design, resembling an old, stopwatch made of silver or something like it. Cye pressed on the button-like clasp at the top of the locket, releasing the spring that held it closed to find that, strangely enough, it held no pictures. Only more intricate designs, laced with gold and white-blue foils. And resting in the heart of the locket was a smooth gemstone. Aquamarine. It glowed, or maybe it just shined, reflecting the light of a nearby streetlamp. He couldn't exactly tell with how dark the sky was. But he saw the design embedded in the center of the stone: a simple gold crest resembling a water droplet. For some reason, he felt content just to gaze at it. How odd to find something like this in Mr. Amaye's jacket.
Forcefully pushing aside his fascination with the little trinket, Cye closed the locket shut, placed it back in his pocket, and turn around with every intention of going back to Nancy's house to return the piece of jewelry when he stopped. He looked at his watch again. 10:30.
He couldn't believe the time. I really need to get back. Cye would deal with Kou Seika first. He could return the locket with the jacket and umbrella Nancy let him use. It could wait till later, he told himself and continued walking.
At that same moment, Nancy had finally pulled away from the door, climbing up the stairs of her house to her bedroom. Before turning off the lights, she gazed out the window, a steady stream of water flowing down the glass. Quietly, she whispered a soft prayer into the night, hoping for the rain to carry it to its destination: a young man she had just met, whom she shared a similar gift with.
Cye, take care of yourself… Until fate brings us together again.
***
In the past, Mrs. Miyoko Date had sent her son to the hospital on several occasions when he was younger. Sage was a very frail child when first born. It was almost a routine experience for her to be sitting by his bedside, holding his hand and gently brushing aside the stray bangs on his face. But to be here again, when she thought for sure that she wouldn't have to… It was a frightening combination of déjà vu and renewed dread at the thought that her baby boy would not make it out alive. Why did she have to go through this again? She just wanted Sage to be safe. Why did trouble always seem to come his way?
Satsuki was watching from the door. In the dimness of the room, she could make out the silhouette of her mother sitting beside her brother's bed, both hands clasped around his in a silent prayer. There was some movement beside her, an arm coming to rest around her shoulder in reassurance.
"He'll be fine," Rowen whisper softly to her, as not to disturb Mrs. Date. "He's just tired."
She mutely nodded. Although she would have relished in the very feel of her crush being this close to her, comforting her in such an affectionate manner, the thought never came to her mind. Only that she was grateful her brother had such a great friend.
"So you and Sage got into a fight?"
Rowen turned an ear towards the conversation taking place outside between Ryo and Sage's father. Everyone else was gathered outside in the hallway. Yayoi was listening, though she did not say anything. And Grandfather Date, although also attentive to the details of the conversation, seemed more concerned with his daughter, who had strangely asked that she spend some time alone with her son. The lights were off, as if mirroring her fears.
Kento was nearby, sitting on the couch against the wall of Sage's room, right under the giant window that let everyone see in. Sammy was sitting, or rather kneeling beside him, peering over the backrest through the window, trying to see through the blackness. He wasn't listening to the Dates' reactions to Ryo's story, already knowing it beforehand. Fortunately, when the two returned, they had a few minutes to prep themselves before Sage's family arrived, Rowen being able to help Ryo come up with an elaborate lie that was ironically, closer to the truth than they would have imagined. It was a calculated move on Rowen's part, since Ryo was a terrible liar. By just stretching the truth, the Ronin leader was more comfortable speaking than if he had to remember something completely unrelated.
"…They were attacking one of our friends …We jumped in soon afterwards," he heard Ryo say. The boy was faring well, at the moment. And if he fell into a bind, Rowen and Kento were there to bail him out, although Kento wasn't following the conversation as closely as Rowen would have liked. He can't come up with a response if he doesn't know what part of the story they're talking about. But Rowen decided against drawing his attention. Something else was preoccupying Kento's mind.
He knew, despite appearances, there was always something Kento was thinking about. He hid it so well that, if Rowen was to disclose this information to anyone, they would most likely call him a liar. But, unlike the rest of the guys, he had known Kento since they were little kids. They shared a few secrets together, and Rowen knew when something was bothering him.
He was thinking of Cye. But more importantly… of Laura.
Kento had lapsed back to his 'normal' self after that outburst in the lobby earlier. But the issue was not closed just yet. He and Laura would have to resolve a few things before this whole 'Lady Sierra' thing was okay with him. But if Laura being Sierra's bothering him this much… how did Sage take it? Rowen was certain that his grudge against the girl far surpassed whatever Kento had against her.
"…He wasn't exactly up to the fight. As you know, Sage hasn't been feeling well lately."
Ryo watched as Mr. Date nodded in confirmation, but did not speak. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest in a reproachful manner. Ryo gulped at the expression Sage's father was giving him. He looked quite put out. And who wouldn't be? He just returned home from Kobe, wanting to spend some time with his family, only to find out that his son was in a fight with a local gang that was harassing one of his classmates and almost got himself killed playing the part of the heroic samurai.
Sage… He shook his head quietly. I thought you had more sense than that. "You realize that what you boys did today was reckless."
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Date lowered his tone, his expression softening at the sincerely apologetic look he saw on Ryo's face. There was no need for him to be harsh. Besides, it was his son that really needed to hear this conversation. When he's well enough. Then we'll have a long talk about pulling half-baked stunts like this one.
Rowen didn't miss the look that Ryo passed in his direction. The archer sighed, slumping against the doorframe. Looks like they got Sage into more trouble than he deserved. And he doesn't even know about it! Isn't he in for a surprise when he wakes up.
"Ne? Ne? Uncle Ken?" Sammy was pulling at Kento's sleeve, making him snap out of his thoughts in order to pay attention to the little girl. She stopped tugging on his sleeve when she had his attention, glancing over at the big window behind them before asking in a hushed whisper, "Is Nii-chan going to be okay?"
He blanked for a moment. Nii…? Oh! He rubbed the back of his head, forgetting that Sammy refers to Sage as her 'older brother.' Kento leaned in closer to the girl, who mimicked his movement so they could conduct their 'meeting' in private. Like two children discussing the plans for a top secret operation to take over the world.
"Of course, he's going to be okay! Your Nii-chan is a strong warrior, remember?"
"Hai!" she nodded enthusiastically. "Very strong! Oneesan told me so."
Kento blinked. Laura said that? "When?"
"Earlier. We were talking in the cafeteria, before we met with you and Nii-chan's family," she told him. "It was just Oneesan and me. Kei was asleep. She said that Nii-chan's strong, in more ways than one. And that he promised her he wasn't going to die. Nii-chan promised her. So she said that I don't have to worry about him. Oneesan told me that he'll keep his word."
"Damn right he will," Kento heartily agreed, reaching out a hand to rustle Sammy's hair, his smile cleverly masking his thoughts which were wandering back to Laura. He promised her… he wouldn't die? Sage promised her that? What happened between them that made them change their minds about each other so easily?
And what now? With everything out in the open… with everything changing, what did it mean for all of them? Was it certain that the Ronin warriors would fight another war again? This time against a demon race more powerful that Talpa's army? And would they fight alongside Laura, who was their enemy until today?
Kento looked around the hall. To Ryo, who he knew would put on his armor again, even more so now than ever. Then to Rowen, who he could not exactly tell where his thoughts lied on the situation. But if he had anything to say, he'd say it and put it behind him as soon as he could. Rowen wasn't the type to be problematic. Besides, I'm sure he'd want to repay her for what she tried to do for him. Then there was Cye, still missing from the Kanaji battle, who had volunteered to fight, demonstrating his determination to also get involved in the fray. And Sage… Kento didn't exactly know where he stood but…
He fought today. He didn't have to but he did. And almost died to boot. He shook his head ruefully, not understanding where Halo's mind frame was. I thought you hated her, Sage.
"Uncle Ken?"
"What is it, squirt?"
Sammy blinked up at him. "Are you okay?"
"Of course!" he scoffed, as if the notion was absurd. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because you look like you're thinking about something," she replied, and then added, "Oneesan usually looks like that."
After a moment, Kento rose from his seat, his carefree attitude returning once again. "C'mon, kiddo." He lifted Sammy onto his shoulders, his actions grabbing both Ryo and Rowen's attention. He flashed one of his usual grins at their questioning looks before looking up at Sammy who, in turn, peered over the top of his head to look down at him.
"Let's see how your sister's doing, ne?"
***
Cye folded up the umbrella, shaking off the excess water before fully stepping inside the hospital. Made it. He secured the band around the umbrella as he walked, unzipping his jacket soon after, finding the room temperature to be too warm. Wait a minute. Instinctively, he felt the inside of his shirt, finding it, as well as his jeans, to be completely dry. Well that was an unexpected surprise. Did Torrent…?
"Cye?"
He almost gave a start, not realizing that Laura was seated on one of the sofas in the lobby. "Are you alright?" she asked once he walked over to her, waving a quick hello. "What happened at Kanaji?"
"Oh, well…" He scratched the back of his head in discomfort, recalling how the battle went. "It just took longer than I would have thought." Plus he got sidetracked on the way back. But he wasn't going to mention that.
"I see." She looked him over once. "Did you go home?"
His face faltered. "Um…" Damn it! He should have left the jacket and umbrella at the door! With a resigned sigh, Cye smiled apologetically. "I'll tell you later, okay? It's been a long night."
Laura readily agreed to that. "At least you came back. The guys will be glad to see you."
Now would that be before or after they bombard me with questions? he absently wondered, looking around the lobby for some familiar faces only to find out that Ryo and the others weren't there. "Where is everyone?"
"With Sage," she replied. "His family's here."
That explained a lot, except… "Why aren't you there with them?"
As a response, she looked down into her lap. That's when Cye belatedly noticed the little girl who was sleeping besides her, her head lying snuggly on her lap. She looked possibly a year younger than Sammy, much smaller and more delicate than the energetic five year old.
"Her name's Kei," Laura answered, as if he had asked. "Kei Yukizaro. Her mother would often take care of Sammy for me while I was in detention. …I said I'd watch her, for today."
He remained silent, not knowing what to say to follow that, and what her words meant. What they implied.
Cye took the vacant seat next to her on the sofa, keeping his eyes on her face as she quietly stroked Kei's head, almost as a distraction from her thoughts. This girl… He never realized it before. The sorrow that was ever-present in her eyes. He was afraid to ask, knowing that if he did, his prodding would open up a flood of emotions that were fiercely buried behind her countenance. A wave of pain that, he didn't know if it was ready to be released yet. But if he didn't… If he just let her lapse into depression… Fall down a hole that she could never dig herself out of…
"Are you alright, Laura?"
He saw, after a moment, her body tremble. But surprisingly, it didn't last long. Laura turned to face him, eyes moist, but strong and cheerful in his opinion. The eyes of someone who had resolved not to cry anymore.
"I'm fine." She nodded once, smiling a watery smile. "Really I am. I just…" Laura turned her head forward, looking out across the emptiness of the lobby. It was late. Time for little girls like Kei to be safe in their beds, at home. "I wish it wouldn't have to be like this."
Silence. The wall clock ticked slowly, the humming of the overhead lights complementing the silence.
"Hope." It was Laura who had unexpectedly spoken up after a few minutes. "It's a nice thing to hold onto," she explained when he looked at her questioningly.
"Hai," he nodded in agreement. It was nice, to have hope. "And it's something, you shouldn't let go of."
It wasn't a suggestion. The firmness was present in his voice, for Cye wouldn't let himself waver when it came to this. Because without hope, what would there be left to hold onto?
Laura suddenly straightened up, raising her hands over her head and stretching, as if she had just risen from bed. A new day.
"I haven't let go," she told him. "That's why I'm here, waiting."
It was nice, to have hope… But dangerous as well.
"And…?" He took a moment to speak of this delicately. "If… she doesn't come?"
She didn't answer, looking down at the little girl; her future, hanging on a fragile thread. A thread that Laura herself felt she placed Kei in. The guilt came back. If only… If only she didn't…
"You can kill yourself with 'what ifs,' Laura."
"…"
"Hope is a nice thing to hold onto," Cye said, repeating the words that she had just told him. "It's a necessity that every human being needs to live. But… it's no use to you, if you have so much grief in your heart." He had to get this through to her, no matter what. "Hope is directed towards the future. And sorrow anchors you deep into the past. You can't move on… if you don't let go."
Let… go… It sounded so easy, yet…
"How can I?" Laura asked quietly, turning to face Cye. "How can I let go of today? Of what happened to my clan — my family — when it was because of me that—"
"…If I want to throw my life away then that was fine, so long as it was my choice. …The same applies if I want to save your life. My choice. My decision."
Her voice wavered. "That…"
"…You're not to blame for the fate of all those people who died protecting you."
She stopped, her hands bunching up into fists in her lap, trying to control her emotions. "I…" She sighed, the burden she had always carried on her back for the past four years surprisingly feeling lighter today. "I can't keep blaming myself for what happened. Can I?"
Cye smiled at that. Finally. "It's hard. Knowing that you can't alter the past or predict the future. But, the one think you can control, is the present." His smile broadened at the look of understanding, mixed with relief, present in her eyes. "Live in the moment, Laura," he told her. "Don't worry about anything else."
She allowed a smile to pass her face. "Why are you so good at giving advice?" she asked.
He shrugged. "I guess it's in my nature."
She laughed. "You're just like Sage… Well, not exactly like him," she explained upon noticing how his eyebrows arched up in surprise.
Laura laughed again, shaking her head. "He made me let go," she told him, meeting Cye's eyes with a grateful smile shining on her lips. "And you showed me how to live. …Thank you, Cye."
He could only nod in acceptance of her gratitude.
At that moment, Kei stirred in Laura's lap, turning her head towards the ceiling to gaze up at her babysitter, and the new friend that seemed to have joined her side.
"Hey there Kei," Laura greeted softly. "You sleep well, baby?"
She nodded, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "Where's Mommy?" she asked sleepily.
Cye saw the pain that passed before her eyes, but Laura smiled anyway. "She'll be here soon. Don't worry, Kei."
She nodded again, curling up in the girl's lap, about to doze off the sleep again when a cry rang clear in the lobby room.
"Kei?! Sweetheart! Where are you??"
Kei shot up from Laura's lap, searching around the room in excitement. "Mommy??"
Laura was speechless. There, standing at the door of Kou Seika's waiting room, was Ms. Yukizaro, unharmed. An accident on the freeway mixed in with the usual rush hour traffic had delayed her return home. She wasn't at Kanaji at the time of the fire. She was completely fine. The relief was overwhelming.
The little girl immediately ran towards her mother's open arms. "Mommy!!" she cried out, burying her face into her mother's skirt.
"Oh Kei…" Ms. Yukizaro embraced her child, finding it a miracle that she was alive. "Kei, I thought you were gone." The tears started to fall from her face as she hugged her tighter. "I thought, my baby was gone…"
"Ms. Yukizaro."
The woman looked up, surprised to find the young Kinoku girl standing a few feet away. Tired, battered, and worn. But… alive.
Ms. Yukizaro stood up and took her in her arms, hugging the teenaged girl fiercely, crying through her words. "Thank you…" she whispered, tears of joy making her voice quiver, her body weak. Yet she held onto Laura with renewed vigor, the strength of her embrace the only way she could possibly show her gratitude. "Thank you, for taking care of my child…"
***
At the opposite side of the room, Kento was watching the entire scene take place. He had come downstairs in search for answers. And this was what he saw. A reunion between mother and daughter. His eyes had softened when Ms. Yukizaro had hugged Laura in a genuine display of emotion. The girl's expression said it all.
"Ne? Ne? Uncle Ken?" Sammy peered down at him from where she still sat on his shoulders. "What are we doing, standing here?"
He smiled, looking back to the group across the lobby. "Waiting."
They had talked for a little bit before Ms. Yukizaro and Kei had to leave. Actually, Laura insisted for them to go. It was late after all. Ms. Yukizaro's sister lived not too far away from Kou Seika. She said they would stay there till everything calmed down and they found a new apartment.
Kento approached the group a minute or so after the pair had left. Cye and Laura were already seated on the couch again. Both had seen his approach, heading directly for Laura. He stopped right in front of the girl, setting Sammy down before he met her eyes squarely. Neither of them made a move nor spoke a single word.
"Kento?" Cye blinked up at his friend. What was he doing?
A few seconds later, he cracked a smile and laughed. "Now I know why I'm having so much trouble," he spoke aloud, grinning at the irony. "I met you as Lady Sierra first. Laura second… Should have been the other way around, I guess."
"Kento…"
He waved a scolding finger at her, a rakish grin on his face. "Now here's the thing. I'm okay with this whole Lady Sierra business so long as you're okay with us helping you kick demon butt. Got that?"
She didn't know what to say at first. Kento, was okay with her? He wasn't feeling resentment anymore?
Laura smiled playfully at him. "You drive a hard bargain." She then extended her hand to him. "Deal."
He grabbed her hand, grinning uncontrollably. "Yosh!!" he cried, shooting his and Laura's fist into the air in a joint rallying cry. "We're gonna rock their world!!"
"Looks like things are finally coming together," Cye laughed, glad that Kento had resolved whatever grievance he had with the ninja. Now if only the rest of their problems could be that easily solved.
"Oh, by the way Cye…" Kento turned to face his friend, an odd glint in his eyes. He should have seen it coming. Kento's sweet tone of voice was a guaranteed sign that something was wrong. "Can I ask you something?"
Unfortunately, he missed the warning. "Sure, Kento. What is it?"
"Where the hell have you been?!"
Cye's heart skipped a beat, jumping guiltily to his feet. "I, uh…" He tried back up at the irritated glare Kento was sending in his direction. "Well, you see… I…"
"You know," he crossed his arms over his chest. "Me and Rowen went out looking for you."
Oh boy. He was afraid to ask. "In the rain?"
"In the rain," he repeated flatly. "And the fact that we couldn't find you anywhere—Hey, where'd you get that jacket?" If Cye could have looked guiltier, he did right at that moment.
Kento's eyes widened as a new revelation slapped him across the face. "You went home?! Cye, I can't believe you!! We're here thinking you're dead and you went home?!"
"I'm not that irresponsible!!" he cried out indignantly. "What do you take me for??"
"Then where were you???"
"Well…"
"Cye!!"
Laura couldn't help but laugh. Not only because of how the conversation was going, but because… it felt right. All of it. Being with them… Laughing… It felt right to her. She smiled, despite the fact that Kento was relentlessly chewing out Cye for his little disappearing act. Her worse case scenario didn't happen. Everything had turned out alright.
Hope was a very precious thing to hold onto. And at that moment, she had hope… For the future.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
It is the end of January, and here's a very long chapter 36 for your viewing pleasure. Even though I said I'd take a leave of absence, I did say I'd do it after I posted the next chapter involving Cye and the demon battle so I won't keep you hanging. I ended it here, even extending the chapter longer than normal, for all you readers out there who gripe about my notorious cliffhangers. ^^;; I know I know. They're a pain sometimes. So here's a nice soft spot for you.
Now, I'm officially on vacation/therapy depending how you look at it. ^^;; Don't worry. I'll be back!! Muahahahaha!!! =)
Ja ne!
Little Ucchan =)