Disclaimer: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers is the property of Sunrise. Ronin Warriors is the property of Bandai Entertainment.

Author's Note: This is the second entry of "The Five Realms" series, and this is another story that has been in development for ages (seriously, I was in COLLEGE for my undergraduate studies when I started this particular story). I'm happy that it's complete and that I can finally share it with everyone. I'll be posting every Friday or Saturday night.

For reference, there are several original characters introduced in "The Wicked Knights." Some play a very important role going forward in this series while others will disappear once this story is complete. I'll talk more about those when we get there.

Please drop a review once you've finished reading the chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Beta's Note: Hey, Marco Cooldude here! Yeah, I'm taking over as the official proofreader for this series. And I just wanted to quickly add my two cents, and then I promise to let you get onto the first chapter. Like all of you, I am completely blind to what JakefL has planned for this story. But unlike you, I have the first five chapters, and this is getting really good. I think you're gonna like it, folks!

The Wicked Knights
by Jake the Fearless Leader

Chapter One
"Code Blue"

The weather was mild as May approached, as it usually was during the spring. The time of year known as Golden Week had finally arrived, meaning that schools were closed for the next several days. The Ronin Warriors were all looking forward to the vacation. Ryo had recently joined the Toyama Junior High's soccer team, so he wanted to spend his free time practicing. Rowen planned on reading a few Yukito Ayatsuji mystery novels, which meant he'd likely be pulling several all-nighters. Kento was just happy to be out of school in general. Sage and Cye's reasons were more personal, as they both had made arrangements to return to their hometowns.

As a member of the Date clan, Sage had obligations to fulfill at his family's dojo. His grandfather allowed him to stay with Mia and the guys on the condition that he return to Sendai at every available opportunity to continue his training as the heir to the family. Sage agreed to the terms, knowing that it meant he'd be able to attend school in Toyama and be available whenever the Ronins were needed to defend the Mortal Realm.

Cye tended to travel back to Yamaguchi whenever he had the chance. His mother had a heart condition that was taking a serious toll on her health. And after having lost his father, he was naturally overprotective of his surviving parent. Leaving home had been painful. Though he knew he had a duty as a Ronin Warrior, he was concerned about what would become of his mother in his absence. Cye hadn't wanted her to worry about him, so when he called to explain his decision to stay in Toyama, he only told her that he'd made some new friends that he didn't want to leave. She had been so happy for him that she agreed to let him stay as long as he wanted.

The trip from Toyama to Yamaguchi took about six hours. That was, if one used the conventional methods of travel. Thanks to the enhanced speed granted by the Torrent Armor, he was able to run all the way there in what seemed like no time at all. Cye thought about calling ahead to let his mom know he was on his way, but decided instead to surprise her. Despite her condition, Kamiko Mouri had always loved surprises, and her son's unannounced arrival was no exception. She pulled him into her arms the moment he stepped through the front door. After answering the obligatory questions she always asked ("How are you?" "How was the trip?" "Have you eaten yet?"), Cye was able to run upstairs to his bedroom to put his stuff away.

He had arrived just in time for dinner, and in honor of his homecoming, Kamiko insisted on making all his favorites. Cye tried to convince her to let him help with the cooking, but she was determined to do it by herself. This didn't go over well with his sister when she and her fiancé arrived. Sayoko was clearly annoyed that he was there at all, and she wasted no time in blaming him for not doing enough to stop their mother from straining herself. Her attitude wasn't unexpected. Cye knew his sister thought he was a burden. She said as much when he told her about his decision to stay in Toyama.

Things calmed down after dinner. Sayoko and Ryuusuke left to return to their apartment, leaving Cye to catch up with his mom. She wanted to hear everything about his new friends, and he certainly had a lot of stories to tell her. Kamiko had met Kento the last time Cye returned home, which was shortly after they'd defeated Talpa the first time (Kento had offered to go with him because he'd wanted to check out hagiyaki, not realizing that it wasn't food but instead a type of pottery). Rowen had, of course, been one of his few childhood friends, and Kamiko was pleased that the two had reconnected. She hadn't met Ryo or Sage, but from the stories her son told her, she could tell they were both wonderful young men.

The next morning, Cye made sure to wake up early so that he could make a healthy breakfast for his mom - some steamed rice, miso soup, tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), nori (toasted seaweed), and cucumber shoyuzuke (soy sauce pickles). By the time Kamiko made her way to the kitchen, the food was prepared and waiting on the table. While they ate, Cye talked about school. Not his favorite topic, but he knew she'd ask about it eventually, so might as well get it over with.

"It's been pretty much downhill since that first day. As soon as they knew what I was, no one wanted anything to do with me," Cye said dejectedly, picking at the food on his plate.

"What you are, Cye, is a kind and wonderful young man. If your classmates choose not to see that, then they're not worth your time," said Kamiko. She coughed harshly into her hand. "Now, eat your breakfast before it gets cold."

"I should be telling you that. You've barely touched anything," Cye said.

"I know. I haven't had much of an appetite lately," she sighed, coughing again.

Cye really wasn't liking the sound of her cough. "Are you sure you're not getting sick?"

"No, no. It's probably nothing," said Kamiko reassuringly.

"I don't know, Mom. Maybe you should call the doctor, schedule an appointment."

"Now, you sound like your sister." Kamiko looked at her son lovingly. "When did you get so grown up, huh?"

"I don't know," he said with a shrug.

Kamiko chuckled a bit, standing up to go refill her tea cup. Cye returned his attention to his plate and started eating. Talking about school always upset him, but if he didn't at least try to finish breakfast, he knew his mom would worry.

"What about your new friends? Have you told them?" asked Kamiko.

Cye snorted. "No, and I'm not going to."

Kamiko had been expecting that answer. "Baby, you should confide in them. That's what friends are for."

"They don't have to know. It doesn't matter."

Except it did matter. Cye was petrified of being rejected by his new friends. When he'd first been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, his grade school friends had teased him mercilessly. He'd been lucky to to find Faith and Rowen, but unfortunately, that hadn't been enough to convince him that he wasn't some kind of a freak of nature. It pained Kamiko that her son believed people would turn on him as soon as they learned about his learning disabilities. She wished that she could help him learn to trust again.

Suddenly, Kamiko felt the familiar tightness in her chest. She coughed harshly into her hand as she fought to breathe properly. She attempted to place her teacup on the counter, but missed. The sound of glass shattering had Cye quickly looking up at his mother.

"Mom?" he asked, watching her carefully.

"I'm… I'm okay," she managed to gasp out. The coughing fit had stopped, but she was still finding it difficult to breathe. Oddly, her hand felt wet.

Cye stood up and crossed to her side. He was about to encourage her to sit down when he caught a glimpse of her hand. Her palm was covered in blood. At first, he thought she might have cut herself on the broken cup. Then he saw that the blood was also lightly coating her bottom lip.

Panic instantly flooded him, but his instincts kicked in before the fear could overwhelm him. He grabbed the phone to call for an ambulance as he ushered Kamiko back into her chair.

It was early afternoon by the time Sayoko and Ryuusuke could make it to the hospital. Cye had called his sister immediately after the doctors and nurses had rushed his mother through the emergency room doors, but there had been no answer on her cell, so he left a message to get there as soon as possible. It was torture, being forced to sit out in the waiting room alone. At some point, he'd been joined by an older woman, probably a hospital volunteer, who offered him a cup of something hot. He wasn't thirsty, but he accepted the drink anyway to be polite.

As soon as Sayoko caught sight of him, she ran right up to him and pulled him up into a tight hug. Cye wrapped his arms around her as he buried his face into her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly as she broke the embrace to look into his eyes.

"I don't know," Cye answered honestly.

"What about Mom? How's she doing?"

"They're not telling me anything," he told her.

"Not even Dr. Hashira?" questioned Sayoko.

Cye shook his head. "I haven't seen him."

"Let me go see if I can track him down," said Ryuusuke, squeezing Sayoko's arm gently as he started towards the front desk.

Sayoko insisted that her brother sit back down, but remained standing herself. She held his hand tightly, though, and squeezed it reassuringly. A moment later, Ryuusuke returned with the doctor.

"Good afternoon, Miss Mouri," the doctor greeted. "It's good to see you again, though I certainly wish it were under better circumstances."

"Dr. Hashira, how's my mother?" Sayoko asked.

"Well, we've stabilized her, and she's resting at the moment," said Dr. Hashira.

Ryuusuke asked the question that both siblings were afraid to. "What happened?"

"I ordered a series of different tests - echocardiogram, ECG, chest x-ray, CT, MRI… The results all show that her dilated cardiomyopathy has progressed. Before, it was just her left ventricle that was enlarged, but now her right ventricle has also become enlarged. I'm sorry, but your mother is showing signs of heart failure. Under different circumstances, I'd be recommending adjusting her medication to address the issue. However, I'm afraid it won't help in her current condition."

"So, we're talking… surgery?" asked Sayoko, fighting to keep her voice steady.

"Yes," answered the doctor, not unkindly. He knew his next words wouldn't be easy for the small family to hear. "Your mother needs a heart transplant. We're already in the process of getting her name on the list, but it could take a while. In the meantime, I'd like to insert an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. It would prevent her from suddenly going into cardiac arrest and buy us time."

Cye felt his blood run cold. A heart transplant? His mother had been sick for years, had even been in the hospital several times, but never once had Dr. Hashira recommended surgery. The thought of his mother laying in a cold operating room with her chest cut open… It scared him more than he cared to admit.

"Does my mother know?" asked Sayoko.

"Yes, and she wants to go through with the ICD therapy," said Dr. Hashira. "I'm going to schedule the procedure for as soon as possible. She said that she only had tea this morning, so I'd like to get her into an operating room this evening, if possible. While you're waiting, though, I'll tell the nurses to let you visit with her."

"Thank you, Doctor," said Ryuusuke.

Dr. Hashira acknowledged him with a nod before excusing himself.

Sayoko sank down into the seat next to her brother. She was rattled, but tried her best not to let it show. She couldn't fall apart now. Her mom needed her.

After a moment, she looked up at her fiancé. "Um, Ryuu, maybe you could stay with Cye while I go in to see Mom?"

"Yeah, of course," he agreed easily.

"I want to see her, too," Cye protested.

"And you will. Once I've made sure she's okay," said Sayoko.

"We already know how she is. You just don't want me anywhere near her," accused Cye furiously. "Dad would've let me go in."

"Well, Dad's not here!" she snapped.

"Sayoko!"

She didn't need Ryuusuke to scold her. She regretted losing her temper when she saw her brother flinch and avert his gaze. Sayoko knew that Cye was just as scared as she was. And he was right, their dad wouldn't have hesitated to let him see their mom. But Sayoko didn't want to overwhelm Kamiko right away, and she was sure that she was making the right choice.

Sayoko took a deep breath before speaking. "Did you take your meds today?"

Cye shook his head without looking at her. "I forgot."

Normally, this was something she would have yelled at him for. Their dad always emphasized the importance of Cye taking his medication on time. But she didn't press the matter. Instead, she simply grabbed her purse and dug through it's contents until she found her pill container. She always had some of both Kamiko and Cye's medications on her. It made her feel better to be prepared for situations like this.

"Here," said Sayoko, handing him the appropriate dose.

"Thanks," Cye whispered, and he took his meds under his sister's watchful eye.

A nurse approached to let them know that Kamiko was ready for visitors. This time, Cye didn't argue as Sayoko left to go see their mom. Ryuusuke took her seat next to the young Ronin. Neither one of them said anything for a bit. Cye was absentmindedly fiddling with the now cold drink in his hand, staring at it without really seeing it. Ryuusuke cast a concerned look in his direction.

"I didn't know you drank coffee," he said.

"I don't," Cye told him honestly. He shook the styrofoam cup a little, swirling the liquid around. It was a minute before he spoke again. "You know, while I was waiting earlier, I started thinking about my ninth birthday."

"Oh, yeah?" Ryuusuke asked, genuinely interested.

Cye nodded. "Dad rented a yacht for the entire day and offered to take me and my classmates out on the Hagi Sea. But, they never wanted anything to do with me, so it just ended up being Faith and Rowen. Mom decided to come with us because she'd never been out on the ocean before. We all had such a great time…" He smiled at the memory, but it faded quickly. "What if the the ICD therapy fails?"

"Hey, don't think like that. You know your mom. She's as stubborn as you and your sister," reassured Ryuusuke.

Cye looked up at the older man. He looked so confident that it gave the Ronin hope. "Thanks, Ryuu."

"Anytime, kid," Ryuusuke said, ruffling the teen's hair. "Anytime."

Thirty minutes passed before Sayoko would let Cye into the room to see his mom. He wasn't thrilled with the long wait, but he let it go. It wasn't worth another argument when he was finally getting what he wanted.

Kamiko was sitting propped up on her pillows. She smiled when she saw her son enter the room. "Hi, baby," she said softly.

"Hey, Mom," Cye said, returning her grin as he approached the nearby chair that sat next to the bed. "How're you feeling?"

As he sat down, Cye missed the annoyed look on Sayoko's face. He had unknowingly sat in the chair she set up for herself. Rolling her eyes, she crossed to stand on the other side of the bed next to Ryuusuke.

"I'm doing okay. I'm sorry I scared you," she apologized.

"You didn't," Cye lied. His mom didn't believe him, if the look on her face was any indication. He decided to change the subject. "Hey, once you're discharged, maybe I can make you some ochazuke."

Kamiko chuckled. "That's what I make you when you're sick," she reminded him.

"Will you even still be here?" Sayoko asked pointedly. "We don't know how long Mom's gonna be in the hospital for. And don't you have to head back to Toyama before Sunday?"

"I don't have to leave until the weekend, Say."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it," said Kamiko quickly, knowing her children well enough to stop the oncoming argument. "When was the last time any of you had something to eat?"

"Sayoko and I haven't eaten since breakfast," said Ryuusuke.

"And I'm not hungry," Cye said with a shrug.

"Oh, baby, you need to eat. I don't want you starving yourself because you're worried about me."

"He's hardly starving himself, Mom," said Sayoko, exasperated.

"There's a food stand nearby. I can go grab everyone a bite to eat," recommended Ryuusuke.

Cye gave him a disgusted look. "You are aware those places tend to serve Shishamo Wraps with the heads still attached, right? Food like that is a crime against sea life."

Sayoko gave her mother a deadpan look. "We have Dad to blame for that little personality quirk," she stated.

Kamiko laughed as her son glared at his older sister. God, how she loved these two. Her children were the most precious things in her life. If she died tomorrow, at least Kamiko knew that she had done something right in this world.

"Listen, you three, I don't want you to feel as though you have to stay here with me the whole time. I promise, I'll be perfectly fine on my own for an hour or two."

"We don't have to go anywhere just yet. Besides, I want to be here when you go into surgery," said Sayoko.

"Me, too," Cye agreed immediately.

"Unless, of course, Dr. Hashira or the nurses kick us out, which they might do if we start to wear you out," Sayoko said.

"That's not going to happen, Say. I want you here, all of you," she added, smiling at her future son-in-law.

"Well, we're more than happy to keep you company, Kamiko," responded Ryuusuke.

Kamiko suddenly started coughing harshly, and she quickly grabbed a tissue to raise up to her mouth. Thankfully, there was no blood this time.

"Mom, are you okay?" asked Cye, concerned.

"Yeah, baby," she said, squeezing his hand reassuringly. Kamiko lifted her gaze up to his face. Her expression turned thoughtful. "Huh. That's interesting…"

"What?" asked Cye.

"It's just your eyes are changing color in these lights. It almost looks like they're glowing blue and silver," explained Kamiko.

At that moment, Dr. Hashira came into the room to inform them that he had scheduled the surgery for later that evening. Kamiko and Cye were immediately distracted, and so they missed the disquieted look that Sayoko and Ryuusuke shared.

Time passed slowly that afternoon. At one point, Ryuusuke went on a food run for himself and the Mouri siblings. Cye waited for him to return before stepping out of the room to call Rowen. Having lived in Yamaguchi for six years, he knew the entire Mouri family well. Rowen expressed his concern when he heard what was going on and offered to make the trip from Toyama so he could be there in person. Cye told him it wasn't necessary, but that he appreciated the gesture. Strata promised to pass the news along to the others before the two ended the call.

Eventually, a nurse came in to start preparing Kamiko for surgery. Sayoko promptly asked Ryuusuke to take Cye out of the room, but not before her mother had a chance to embrace her youngest. She stayed for a few minutes more before joining her brother and fiancé out in the hall. Together, the small family watched as the nurses wheeled Kamiko away towards the operating room.

Dr. Hashira had told Sayoko that the procedure could take three hours, so they knew they were in for a long night. To pass the time, Ryuusuke flipped through a few of the magazines he found lying around the waiting room. Sayoko had taken to pacing. Cye was sitting next to Ryuusuke, nervously pulling at the chain around his neck. There was a pendant dangling from the chain - twin tridents crossing over one another to form an X. It was made from a very unique metal, which seemed to have a prismatic effect. His dad had given the pendant to him on his tenth birthday, and he made Cye promise to never take it off. He kept his word, keeping it safely tucked away under his shirt.

Sudden movement to his left had the Ronin looking up. Sayoko had sat down beside him. In one hand, she held out a bottle of water. Cye took it from her with a grateful smile. He opened the bottle and took a sip as she draped her arm around his shoulders. The siblings didn't speak, simply taking comfort in each other's company.

A couple hours later, exhaustion had finally caught up to Cye. Sayoko insisted that he lay down, and he reluctantly agreed, stretching out across the chairs and resting his head on his sister's lap. He drifted off fairly quickly after that, especially once she started gently stroking his hair, providing a familiar sensation of comfort and safety. Seeing this, Ryuusuke relocated to the seat on the other side of his fiancé. His eyes kept drifting towards the clock to check the time, and he knew Sayoko was doing the same thing.

"Do you need anything? Water, maybe?" Ryuusuke asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Nah, not right now," answered Sayoko quietly. She glanced over at the clock again. "It's been almost three hours."

"That's good. Your mom should be out of surgery soon." Ryuusuke took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's almost over."

Sayoko nodded. She gave her fiancé's hand a return squeeze before pulling away to tuck her dark blonde hair behind her ears. As she did so, she spotted Dr. Hashira walking down the hall towards the waiting room, still dressed in his scrubs. Sayoko leaned over her brother, whispering his name in his ear as she gently shook him awake. Cye's sea green eyes blinked open, looking up to meet her dark blue eyes. With a nod of her head, Sayoko indicated the doctor, and he quickly sat up.

The small family got to their feet as the doctor approached them.

"The ICD is in place. We're moving your mother into recovery," he began.

"Okay, so what happens now?" asked Sayoko.

"Well, I'd like to keep her here at least overnight for observation. Monitor her vitals, keep an eye on her lungs, make sure her blood pressure remains stable."

"You mean we can take her home tomorrow?" asked Cye, hopeful.

Dr. Hashira looked at him, his gaze softening. "I can't make any promises, especially so soon after the insertion. For now, let's just continue to take it one day at a time."

Sayoko nodded. "Thank you, Dr. Hashira. For everything," she said.

"It's my pleasure, Miss Mouri," the doctor said with a grin. "Once your mom's pulse and blood pressure stabilize, she'll be moved out of the recovery room. Normally, you wouldn't be allowed in to see her until then, but since visiting hours are almost over for the day, I'll let the nurses know to give you each a few minutes to say goodnight to her."

Ryuusuke thanked Dr. Hashira again as Sayoko pulled her brother into a relieved hug. Cye returned it with fervor, trying not to cry. His mom wasn't out of the woods, not by a long shot. But Ryuusuke was right - she was a fighter. If anyone could pull through this, it was Kamiko Mouri.

When a nurse came to fetch them, Sayoko insisted on going to see their mother first. Cye expected this and didn't fight her on it. While she was gone, he took the time to finally toss out the now empty water bottle. As he turned to head back, he nearly ran right into a little boy who had been standing right behind him. He couldn't have been more than three or four.

"Oh, sorry," he said politely.

The child stared up at him in wonder. "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" Cye asked.

"You're glowing! You're blue and silver! That's so cool!" the boy exclaimed, grinning brightly. "Can you teach me how to glow?"

"Um, I — I don't…"

"Hiroshi!"

A woman about his sister's age suddenly approached them. She grabbed the little boy by the hand.

"What have I told you about wandering off?" she scolded. She looked up at Cye apologetically. "I'm sorry he bothered you."

"Hey, no harm done, right?" Ryuusuke answered for his future brother-in-law, coming up behind the teen and placing his arm around his shoulders. "Come on, Cye, let's go see your mom."

"Yeah, alright," the Ronin agreed.

Cye let Ryuusuke lead him away from the waiting room. Behind them, they could hear the mother continuing to discipline her child.

"I told you yesterday that if you left my side one more time, you'd be put in time out. Daddy won't be happy when I tell him you didn't listen again."

"But Mommy, I wanted to see the glowing boy!" whined little Hiroshi.

Ryuusuke froze mid-step. As his arm was still guiding the teen, Cye was practically jerked to a stop.

"'The glowing —?'" The woman chuckled. "Oh, Hiroshi, where do you come up with these things?"

Cye looked up at the older man as the woman and child's voices faded away. Ryuusuke's expression was almost alarmed.

"Ryuu? What's wrong?" asked Cye softly.

"Nothing. I'm okay." Ryuusuke looked over at the teenager. "What was that kid saying to you?"

"He thought I was glowing blue and silver," said Cye with a shrug. "Must have a pretty active imagination."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Ryuusuke said, chuckling nervously. He cleared his throat. "Come on, your mom and sis will be wondering where we are."

Ryuusuke kept his arm tight around Cye as the two of them headed towards the recovery room, almost as though he was trying to shield him. Cye didn't quite understand the behavior, but he was grateful for the support. It had been a long day, and there seemed to be no end in sight.

Pushing aside the incident with the kid and Ryuusuke's weird reaction, Cye managed to smile in greeting when he entered his mother's cubicle. At the moment, that was all he could do.