Episode 5 – Courage in the Firestorm

Ryo sighed for probably the hundredth time – he'd lost count long ago – as he stared out the window of his room, where he'd stayed ever since returning immediately after his clash with Akane last night. He hadn't seen her since, and he knew why – she was avoiding him. Not that he blamed her. And yet Ryo's dilemma remained. Clearing his amnesia was still as strong a priority as ever; yet for reasons that were just as out of reach as his memories, it was upsetting Akane. But why? What is she so afraid of?

Ryo groaned. He knew Akane wanted him to recover as much as he did. He'd come to care for her far too much not to feel for her distress. But he also knew she held the key to unlocking his memories – if only she'd give it to him. "Oh, Akane…" Ryo breathed wistfully. "I wish I knew how to help…"

Having expected no answer, he nearly fell out of his seat when excited screams suddenly echoed through the house. Despite his initial shock, wanting to discover what'd caused such commotion – which he hoped didn't involve any ill befalling Akane – Ryo shot from his chair, out his door, and down the hall. After nearly tumbling from descending the stairs so fast, he froze upon seeing Akane's aunt and cousins gathered together in the living room. Though they seemed more than alright – in fact, their faces were all but glowing – Ryo still asked breathlessly, "What happened?"

Anzu gave an embarrassed but hearty chuckle. "Sorry, Ryo! We forgot you were still in the house!"

Atsumi then cut in, her eyes lit with unabashed joy. "But how could we help ourselves?! Dad's okay! He's stuck in a relief shelter but he's alive and in one piece, and he'll be home ASAP!"

Ryo's own eyes lit up in return. Even if he was still technically a stranger, this family had done so much for him, he wished he could share in their celebratory relief more fully. Nonetheless, he didn't hesitate to congratulate them. "Oh wow! That's wonderful news!" Ryo then frowned as he realized only then that someone was missing. "Wait; where's Akane?"

"She said she wanted to take Ikezuki for a ride," Mrs. Otani replied, her smile reaching her eyes for the first time he'd seen. "But someone needs to go find her; she needs to hear this as well."

Ryo wholeheartedly agreed, when he wondered if this could be a chance to have his wish to help Akane granted. Although he knew their little dispute wasn't exactly a secret, he still managed to muster up his courage and ask, "Can I go tell her?" Akane's family reflected his frown back at him, but Ryo was already prepared to back himself up. "I know she and I had a falling out, but… Even if it is a little late, I've known a long time now it was my fault, and I'm sorry. I only–"

"Ryo," Anzu interrupted, firm yet understanding, "we've known just as long how sorry you are. I love Akane like she's my sister, and I hate it when anyone upsets her, even me. But I can tell how much you care about her, whatever happened between you."

"Yes," Mrs. Otani concurred, "I should know, and not just because I used to be a nurse. You risked your life to bring not just one but three daughters back to me."

Atsumi nodded eagerly at her sister's and mother's words. "I know I'll never forget that stunt you pulled to save Akane. It was so romantic!" She was then abruptly silenced when Anzu elbowed her in the side.

Ignoring for the moment what was going on between her girls, Mrs. Otani spoke further. "Ryo, the point is, Akane is the one you should apologize to, not us. And however she takes it is up to her. Although…" She trailed off when her eyes began inspecting Ryo's temple wound. "It is getting to be about time for those stitches to come out." Eventually though, she gave an approving smile as though she'd thought better of it. "But I suppose it can wait."

Ryo grinned back in gratitude. "Thanks a lot for understanding, all of you." Then he remembered Akane's imminent departure. "Hope I'm not too late." Mrs. Otani and her daughters moved aside, allowing him to hurry to the back door and out into the cool, early evening air.

Ignoring all reminders of what'd transpired the previous night, Ryo hastened down the trail, following the still-fresh footprints before they could be blown away, and all the while silently imploring Akane to wait for him. Before too long, he gasped in delight when he came near the stable and adjoining fields and saw she had – if inadvertently.

She stood with Ikezuki in front of the stable entrance, looking like she was about to mount the white mare – with no saddle, Ryo noted in brief puzzlement. Still, he'd made it in time, and didn't hesitate to call out to her. "Akane!" At the sound of his voice, Ikezuki swiveled her ears toward Ryo and whinnied a greeting. At least she was happy to see him. As for Akane, one brief glance at Ryo, and she promptly turned away again. "Akane, wait!" he called again as he ran to join her.

"I told you Ryo," she warned without facing him, "I have nothing to say to you." Thankful that she wasn't being openly hostile to him, Ryo reached for Akane's shoulder, but quickly decided not to push his luck.

"What about me?" he instead asked her back, unable to keep the excitement from his own voice. "Your family sent me. Your uncle is alive and well!"

Just as she'd done when he faced her last night, Ryo flinched when Akane spun around, her deep magenta eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in disbelief. "No!" she gasped.

"I mean it!" Ryo nodded enthusiastically. "He's in a shelter but he'll be home as soon as he can!" Right then, Ryo was literally taken aback when Akane made a shout of joyous relief and threw her arms around him. He knew he should be polite by returning her hug, but he was so startled by Akane's sudden change of mood that all he could do was stand motionless. When he didn't react, she pulled away, and Ryo took brief solace in how her face looked just as warm as his felt.

"S-sorry," she stammered, clearly as surprised – and embarrassed – as he. She turned to leave again, when Ryo took his previous dare and laid a gentle but staying hand on her shoulder. Though she jumped slightly, she faced him once more.

"Akane, please," Ryo urged. "I know you've been avoiding me. But more than that, I know what I said and did, and…" He trailed off, briefly hung his head with a sigh, then raised it again, his eyes pleading with the girl in front of him. "I'm sorry, Akane. I still wish you'd talk to me, but I went way outta line last night. I was so dead-set on getting my memories back that I…" Ryo shook his head. He'd come here to apologize, not excuse himself. "I won't go behind your back again."

"Ryo…" Akane breathed. He made the bold choice to look directly at her, and at the sight of her now gentle gaze, Ryo wanted to throw his own arms around her. Instead, he nodded understandingly when Akane clarified with a firmness in her eyes and tone, "I'll still say only what I want." She then softened again, adding, "And what I want to say now is…I forgive you. And I'm sorry, too, for walking out on you during the bonfire." Ryo smiled softly, happy that she seemed to know he was over that, until she asked, "Actually, would you like to come riding with me?"

Ryo's eyebrows lifted in surprise. Though not opposed to the invitation, he hadn't expected it at all. "A-are you sure?" He glanced at Ikezuki, her deep brown eyes just as soulful as her mistress's. "And besides, don't you need a saddle?"

With a look that suggested she understood, Akane replied, "I'm usually the only one who rides her. She'll let others ride her if I ask her, though in your case, I don't think that's necessary. As for the saddle, she doesn't mind it, but I like to ride her without it as much as possible."

Ryo's eyebrows lifted even further in yet more surprise. Akane had to be a skilled rider if she didn't need a saddle. But he needed to tell her before he forgot. "There's one more thing." He smirked slightly at how he was the one bringing it up now. "Your aunt said my stitches will have to be removed soon."

"Oh, that's right," Akane's thoughtful eyes rested briefly on his temple just as Mrs. Otani's had. Eventually, she declared, "Well, given how well you've improved in just the past couple days, I don't see why you can't come." Immediately, Ryo felt baffled at what she was suggesting, which wasn't too far from what he'd attempted to do last night. Akane herself looked sheepish upon reaching the same conclusion. Still, she added, "You know what, though? If you are thinking what I'm thinking, you'll at least be with me this time."

Ryo didn't know what to say. He wanted to join Akane as much as she did; he simply didn't want to get her into trouble with her aunt. Suddenly, Ikezuki tossed her head and snorted impatiently. "Okay! I know, girl!" Akane chuckled. "We need to make up our minds." Then, with a sparkle in her eyes, she asked, "Actually, why don't you help us?" Ikezuki needed no further prompting. The white mare took a step toward Ryo, and just as she had yesterday, she nudged her muzzle under his hand.

"Alright then!" Akane smiled in satisfaction. "Guess you are coming with us, Ryo!" And yet even after she mounted her horse and held her hand out toward him, Ryo hesitated. Akane sighed in agitation. "Ryo, if my aunt wants to fuss, let her. I'll take the blame. It was my idea anyway. Besides, we're losing daylight."

Though the sky was still far from turning black, Ryo could see by the lengthening shadows that she had a point. But more than that, this invite was far more than a simple peace offering – it was another opportunity to be alone with Akane. That was enough for Ryo to shove aside all his misgivings and take her hand.

At first, mounting Ikezuki proved harder than he'd initially thought. Still, he soon managed to settle behind Akane without falling even once. "Ever ridden before?" she asked as she gathered the reins in her hands, when her face fell, as though fearing she'd made a mistake in posing that question.

But Ryo wasn't offended. "Well, if I haven't I would've known," he replied cheerfully. "Otherwise I'll say it's been awhile, to say the least."

Akane's smile returned at his answer. She then looked toward the path ahead of them and instructed, "Just keep your feet and knees locked into Ikezuki's sides and sit as straight as you can, so you don't lose your balance."

Ryo put the crash course to memory, and instinctively wrapped his arms around Akane's waist, only to stop when she stiffened. "Oh, uh…is this okay?" he asked, his face heating up again as he feared he'd been too bold. To his relief, Akane didn't seem to think so.

"Y-yeah," she replied in a voice just above a whisper. "That helps, too." After a moment, she recovered herself, and added in a loud and clear tone, "Hold on!" At once, Akane nudged Ikezuki with her heels and clicked her tongue, making the mare whinny in excitement and take off in a canter. Had Ryo not paid attention to Akane's instructions, both horse and rider likely would've shot out from beneath him. But he did heed her words, and the three were soon traveling a well-beaten trail through the woods.

As he and Akane enjoyed a surprisingly smooth ride for the next half hour, Ryo knew that whether he recalled his memories either a day or year from now, he'd always look back on this time as one of if not the happiest he'd spent with Akane. And yet, as committed as he was to living in this moment, he looked every now and then for anything that might jog his memory. Not that he was desperate like yesterday.

While he didn't recognize any particular area, the familiar sights of trees and foliage and the occasional stream – sounds of defiant singing from the few birds still out and the crickets trying to outdo them – and feel of the wind in his face and hair all kindled some hope within Ryo that he was very much on the verge of clearing his amnesia…if only he could receive the proper stimulus to actually make the leap. And though his apology for sneaking off had been genuine, he also held out hope that they'd encounter that creature he'd seen in the forest.

In any event, Ryo was about to ask Akane if they could rest, when she said over her shoulder, "I'll bet you're getting tired. Luckily, we're about to reach the perfect pit stop!" She directed Ikezuki off course and onto a less beaten but still evident path. Though the angle wasn't too steep, the two riders instinctively leaned forward as they then traveled up the inclining slope of a hill.

Before long, they reached the summit, and Ikezuki was slowed to a complete halt. "What'd you think?" Akane then asked as she dismounted. "Hope it wasn't too rough."

"Not a chance!" Ryo emphatically shook his head as he dropped down beside her. "That was probably the most fun I've had in days!" Just as they had two days prior, he and Akane shared a laugh, both glad that they enjoyed the ride as much as the other. Then, while Ikezuki went off to graze, Ryo slowly looked around and gave voice to his curiosity. "What is this place, exactly?"

Immediately, Akane grabbed his hand and began all but dragging him forward. "Wait'll you see this!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "It's my favorite spot in the world!" At first, Ryo thought to ask what made it any different from all the others. But Akane's excitement proved contagious, and he did his best to keep up as she guided him, until they finally stopped and beheld a sight that rendered Ryo momentarily speechless.

"I know, right?!" Akane's voice echoed as though from a distance. "There's Kōfu, and there's Mount Fuji! We go hiking there once a year, every year. Isn't it amazing?!" Ryo nodded that he'd heard her, but remained transfixed as he continued to gaze at the mesmerizing view.

The city lay spread out miles below and wide, a mini metropolis in the midst of an otherwise rural landscape, twinkling in such a way as to resemble a light-show teeming with life. Given the earthquake that'd occurred only three days ago, the sights and sounds of life carrying on in spite of such a catastrophe became all the more poignant. And to top it all off, the magnificent sunset cast brilliant shades of yellow, red, and purple across an expanse of dark blue sky, and crowned the snowy peak of Mount Fuji with a sparkling layer of crimson and gold.

"Woah…" Ryo eventually breathed. "Akane…how'd you find this place?" He turned toward her, only to instead look halfway up a small tree several feet away, and behold yet another sight that took his breath away. Akane gave him a beaming smile from where she sat in the crook of a branch. The way she appeared to have made herself right at home in the tree, the way the wind made her sakura-colored tresses fly, and the way the waning sunlight cast a near heavenly glow to her hair, skin, and eyes all made her look like a forest sprite.

"I've known about it for years," she replied. "It's a great place to watch not only sunsets but sunrises, too. And, of course…" Akane paused to slip down from the tree, and Ryo was disappointed to see her smile slip slightly as well as she strode toward him. "It's a good place to come when I've got heavy things on my mind, and I want to think through them alone." Ryo frowned as he wondered what she was getting at, when she looked up at him with eyes that seemed poised to make him melt right then and there. "Ryo…"

"Akane…?" he encouraged her. Dare he hope she was thinking what he was? That she'd somehow come to feel for him the same way he had her in the few days they'd known each other? Everything around them, including time itself, seemed to slow as they gazed at each other…when Ryo caught something at the corner of his eye. As he turned to face it, he picked up an ominous scent that reminded him of…smoke? And was that a very faint yet still conspicuous plume of it in the distance?

Before Akane could ask what was wrong, Ryo turned her in the direction he was facing, behind the cityscape and toward the density of the wood. "Akane, look," he urged her, his tone heavy. "Can you see or smell anything?"

It didn't take her long to discover what he was talking about. "Oh no!" she gasped, then spun around to face him again with wide, fearful eyes. "The forest is on fire! Or it will be soon!"

Ryo kept staring straight ahead. Even as Akane spoke, the smoke that sailed up to the sky became clearer and darker, and the smell more potent. "Yeah," he agreed. "That's no bonfire like last night."

He stepped forward, but was quickly stopped when Akane blocked his way. "You're not actually gonna go to it, are you?" she asked in incredulous disbelief. "Not after you apologized for doing the same thing last night?!"

Even so, Ryo couldn't deny the inexplicable force that seemed to draw him like a moth to a literal flame. He knew Akane had a serious point, but he felt compelled to try and get her to see things his way too. Taking care to be less confrontational than before, Ryo looked directly at her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Akane, I know this'll sound crazy, and I'm still sorry for what I did yesterday. But something about this fire feels too familiar for me to ignore. Besides, you yourself said I'm special in some way. I think it's time I found out in what way."

"And the only way to do that is to leave me behind and go toward the fire rather than away from it?!" Akane demanded in desperation. It really did pain Ryo, but the scene playing out around him gave him the vaguest recollection of another similar one, which had a result he wished to avoid if his instincts proved right.

"This isn't like the earthquake," he shook his head, his tone pleading yet still adamant. "This is an avoidable fire. I can risk myself but I can't risk you. Please, don't make this harder for me!" Ryo then gently pushed her out of the way and nearly made a run for it down the hill, when Akane grabbed his wrist from behind, forcing him to look back at her.

"Ryo, you can't go!" she all but begged, and he felt a prick in his heart when he saw she might cry. "What if you don't come back?! What if you're gone for good and I'm left all alone again?!" More than her tears, her words hit Ryo with a force he couldn't have expected. For a moment, he wondered what was behind them, and what had happened to Akane that would make her talk like this. But that train of thought soon led Ryo to the exact words he should say, and the confidence that whatever Akane had faced in her past, it would not repeat itself here.

Daring to reach out and gently brush away the tears that threatened to fall from her right eye, he spoke steadily. "Whatever happens, I promise you I will come back, Akane. I've done it twice already – yesterday, and the day before. I can do it a third time." Without giving Akane another chance to stop him, Ryo spun around and swiftly descended the hill, refusing to look back even as he felt her despondent gaze bore into him. The only thing that kept him going was reminding himself that he was a man of his word; he would keep his promise to Akane, no matter what.

Despite having just spent a half hour on horseback, Ryo somehow found the energy to run as he followed the scent trail left by the smoke through the trees, past clearings, and over streams and ditches. Though he quickly lost track of how much time had passed, all that mattered now was reaching the source of the fire, and whatever well of remembrance might be there waiting for him. Eventually, he became confident that he wasn't too far off, when suddenly, the smoke scent disappeared entirely, and he stumbled into a clearing larger than any he'd seen previously.

With far less light than before, the shadows stretched even longer now, and the trees soaring above stood like silent spectators. But there was only one matter on Ryo's mind. Where had the fire gone? He was certain the trail led here. Why had it suddenly ceased? Yet even as he asked these questions, Ryo's other senses were on the alert. Although he hadn't passed any other people and couldn't see any here, he knew he wasn't alone. And he wasn't about to be mistaken for a coward. "Who's there?!" he demanded as he turned slowly in place. "Come out and show yourself!"

In spite of his self-preparation, Ryo gasped when a circle of fire blazed up out of nowhere in an instant, oppressing him with its heat and trapping him in the clearing. But more than that, it served to fuel his determination. "Who are you?!" This time, he was met with a sinister chorus of laughter from not one but several individuals, all of whom answered his previous demand and showed themselves, slinking out of the darkness and into the exposing light one by one like predators encircling prey.

At the sight of their dark and heavy armor, Ryo was shocked to realize he'd seen their ilk before, not just in dreams but in his forgotten life. Yet he still didn't know when he'd seen them or who they even were. Before he could howl his frustration, Ryo was given one more clue when he felt wave upon wave of what could only be pure evil sweep over him in a repulsive assault that sent him to his knees. At the same time, he hissed as he felt a hot but not unpleasant sensation at his forehead, and breathed the first word that came to mind. "Virtue…?"

Ryo paid for lowering his guard when an exceedingly strong and massive pair of arms grabbed him on either side, and shoved his face into the ground. When he did manage to look up again, he was furious to see two of the armored demons pinning him down. A third stood tall above him, his gaze gloating. "Well, look what we have here!" he taunted in a deep and vile voice. "Thought you'd gotten rid of us, didn't you?!" Though Ryo didn't know what he was talking about, he strongly believed he should. If only he could get these two thugs off of him.

"Don't even try!" the leader taunted again as he struggled. "We're stronger than ever before!" Ryo couldn't see much of his face past his helmet – if he had a face at all – but he did see the grave glint in his eyes. "Enough playing around, though," the leader moved on. "It's time we get down to business. We know you're hiding something from us – rather, someone. And I'm only going to ask once." He knelt in front of his captive. Yet in spite of the evil pulsing from his presence, Ryo didn't so much as flinch, even as the leader shouted in a booming tone. "WHERE IS SHE?!"

If he'd hoped Ryo would give in, he was met with disappointment. For one thing, Ryo had no idea who this guy was asking for – even as he wondered with secret dread if he could possibly be referring to Akane. But whatever the case, and whatever they wanted with this person or him, there was only one answer Ryo could give. "Even if I knew who 'she' was, what makes you think I'm gonna rat her out to the likes of you?!" The demon leader's eyes sparked with malice, and Ryo felt even more dread as he feared he'd said the wrong thing.

"Glad you asked," the leader replied. He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Ryo then turned his head toward a gigantic boulder, behind which he heard a vicious commotion…and growling? He soon saw the reason for the latter – and thought he felt his heart stop – when two more armored demons dragged out a massive white tiger, bound in chains and looking for any means of escape, until his eyes met Ryo's.

"That's right! We have your precious little kitty!" But Ryo barely heard the demon leader, spellbound as he was with his gaze and the tiger's fixed on each other. There was no doubt whatsoever in his mind now – this was the animal he'd spotted last night. And yet, much to his increasing agony, Ryo still couldn't recall how he knew this great beast, which wouldn't help him at all if he was going to get them both out of here alive.

"If you're finished playing dumb," the demon leader then sneered, "I'd like to know who you're hiding from me and where. Otherwise…" At their superior's signal, the two soldiers pinned the tiger to the ground just as Ryo had been. But their treatment of the tiger was far worse. One soldier summoned a torch of demonic fire, and swiftly shoved it hard into the tiger's side, causing him to let out a great roar of pain that tore past every one of Ryo's emotional defenses.

"Stop!" he shouted. "Stop it now! You're killing him!" But the armored demon ignored him, continuing instead to torture the poor animal. Ryo knew that once he got free of these monsters, he'd unleash his own fire on them. But how?! I know there's something I can do, but I still can't remember what! Come on stupid memories! Come back to me, please! Yet the harder Ryo tried to remember, the more it seemed to be in vain. It seemed all he could hope for was a miracle, one that was nowhere in sight.

Akane gasped at a sudden pain in her chest. Anyone else might've taken such as a sign of an impending heart attack, but she knew better. Ryo had been gone far too long. He needed help – her help. Luckily, Akane herself wasn't without aid. She quickly found Ikezuki where she'd left her, grazing at the edge of the summit, until she lifted her head at her mistress's approach. Akane grasped her muzzle and gazed imploringly into her brown eyes.

"Girl, I know what Ryo said," she began, her pounding heart now in her throat. "But something's wrong – really wrong! Ryo's in danger; I don't know how, but he is!"

In that instant, Akane found herself in the same position she was ten years ago. On the outside, looking at a devouring inferno, wanting against all reason to dive into it and save those she loved, only to be forcefully held back – except this time by her own fear. Could she truly find it within herself to descend into those flaming depths and risk getting burned alive? Just as she asked that question, Akane heard the words of the ghostly redheaded woman in her dream echo from what felt like a lifetime ago.

"You survived the fire, Akane. Now, let it refine you into the courageous fighter you were meant to be."

It was just the answer Akane needed, never mind where it came from. For all she cared, the fire could've come from hell itself. It wouldn't have stopped her from what she did next. One more time, she faced her horse, and boldly declared, "I may be scared of the fire, Ikezuki, but I'm more scared of losing Ryo." Akane then stared at the now gigantic plume of smoke, which she could smell as though she were in the midst of it, and added with complete resolve, "Not again. Never again!" Never again would she lose a loved one to a consuming blaze – not if she could help it!

Not wasting another second, Akane mounted her mare and gathered the reins. As horses tend to do, Ikezuki quickly picked up her mistress's desperation. But Akane stretched forward and spoke softly yet urgently to her. "Okay, Ikezuki, I'm gonna need you to run the fastest you've ever run in your life. Not just for me, but for Ryo. Can you do that?" Suddenly, perhaps at the mention of Ryo, her horse gave a snort of agreement. Akane shouted, "Let's go!" And with a nudge from her mistress's heels, Ikezuki reared with a neigh and took off.

Akane held her breath as she leaned forward, with her heels buried in Ikezuki's sides and hands gripping the reins and the mare's mane, taking in air only when she absolutely needed to. In obedience to her mistress's wishes, Ikezuki raced as fast as any forest fire through the trees. Though there was increasingly little light, the horse seemed to know instinctively where to go, as though she were a bloodhound tracking Ryo's scent. For her part, Akane could only hope her thoughts would somehow reach him. I'm coming for you, Ryo! Just hang on for me like you did after the earthquake!

Suddenly, it was as if she'd entered a warzone. But instead of the usual shootout, Akane found herself trying to fend off near-constant sensations that were devoid of all things good. And judging by her frightened neighs, Ikezuki was too. Just then, Akane spotted movement out of the corners of both her eyes. Daring to look, her eyes went wide and her heart started to bang rather than pound. Imposing humanoid beings wearing armor from bygone years pursued her on either side, their gazes seeming to bore into her very soul even when she turned away from them.

Who are these guys?! Akane demanded in vain, then wondered wildly, Are these the evil enemies Ryo dreamed about?! She couldn't think of any other explanation. Whoever they were, these were not ordinary soldiers, and their steeds more resembled hideous monstrosities than horses. Yet in spite of the danger that was greater than any she'd known, Akane knew she was close to Ryo. She could hear him screaming, and could only beg that, whatever was going on, she wasn't too late. "Run, Ikezuki!" she shouted, wishing her mare could fly. "Run!"

This has gone on long enough! Though he knew it wouldn't do much good, Ryo gave the leader of the armored demons his most hateful death glare. "I swear," he growled, "if I knew what to do I'd–" One of the soldiers pinning him down cut him off with a swipe across the jaw, causing him to echo the tiger's continued roars of agony.

"You'd what?!" the demon leader laughed in cruel mockery. "And they said you were the scourge of the Dynasty?! Pathetic! So much for being a R–" This time, the leader was cut off, and by a sound that made Ryo's heart start again. It was the neighing of a horse; and not just any horse – it was Ikezuki! Ryo needed no other sign to tell him who'd arrived, even when he saw through the fire the shadow of the mare's mistress climb to the top of the boulder.

"Let him go, buckethead!" she shouted through the crackle of the flames, only to be met with confused chatter. "I said let him go!" Ryo meanwhile seemed to finally find the strength to at least get to his knees, with the soldiers now really having to try hard to restrain him. But as glad as he was to see the girl he'd come to feel so much for, he still wasn't about to let her needlessly risk her life, even as she yelled at him through the fire, "Hang on, Ryo! I'm coming in!"

"Akane, no!" Ryo yelled back. "What are you doing?!" He received an answer when Akane gathered her strength and leaped right into the burning blaze. A bright flash was then expelled from her, forcing Ryo to close his eyes briefly. And what he saw next paralyzed him with utter shock.

Akane had landed at the far side of the clearing on one knee, her entire being on fire. But rather than burning her, the flames appeared to be protecting her. In place of her previous clothes was a sort of red sub-armor. And on her forehead, the kanji character for "courage" glowed in brilliant red light.

The very next instant, Ryo felt his mind being flooded, and he learned what it meant to have your life flash before your eyes. The comradery with his best friends in the world, the struggle they shared, the ferocity of battle after battle in their war against the most evil Dynasty the world had ever seen. He remembered it all, finally, in that moment. He wasn't just Ryo Sanada. He was Ryo of the Wildfire. He was a Ronin Warrior.

Better yet, right in front of him was the girl he'd seen in his dream from Suzunagi, the one he'd spent so long searching for, the one who at last revealed – if unknowingly – why she was so special. I don't believe it! Ryo thought in amazement. Akane is a Ronin Warrior! "Akane! Armor up!" he shouted encouragement. When she gave him a bewildered look, he added at the top of his lungs, "You're a Ronin Warrior, Akane!"

I'm a what? Akane didn't really know what Ryo was saying, but her decision to leap into the fire that now enveloped her obviously came from some sort of fighting instinct… Suddenly, she knew at last what the ghost woman in her dream had meant. This was the courageous fighter she was meant to be! And to Akane's further surprise, she'd figured out the hidden meaning in something else the woman had said.

"Not all fire is evil. Indeed, you have yet to discover the fiercest of all fires."

And now she had. That fiercest of all fires…was love. More, it was love that burned within her for one specific person… Ryo.

"So this is the girl we've been searching for." She heard the leader of the demon army as though from a distance. Then she saw the soldiers under his command, standing all around her in the circle of fire, raise their weapons. "Destroy her!" their superior shouted.

"NO!" Ryo's scream rang in her ears. But instead of panicking, Akane felt remarkably calm. Indeed, with the fire raging around her, she felt the most alive and at home she'd ever been. She'd found her element, her purpose. The scene she beheld in her dream had become reality. And she knew exactly what to do, and say.

"Armor of Firestorm! DAO YUU!" With these words, an orb of divine red light formed in Akane's fist, which she immediately raised before closing her eyes. The light then merged with her, spreading from her legs to her arms to her head. When Akane opened her eyes again, the entire army and even Ryo gazed at her in utter astonishment, making her smile. She'd tapped into the spirit of the samurai warriors of old. "I am Akane of the Firestorm!" she declared confidently. "With courage in my heart, I'll fight you till you go down in flames!"

"Akane…" Ryo breathed in awe at her transformation. Though her armor wasn't identical to his, it was still armor, protecting her arms, legs, chest, and shoulders. The robes of a kimono flew behind her in the wind that fed the fire. The red paint spread across her eyelids made her eyes blaze. Instead of a helmet, she wore a headband bearing the crest of the new armor of Firestorm. And just as Ryo had seen in his most recent dream, Akane held her hands out, and the two flames that flew to her turned into a pair of formidable tantō blades.

Suddenly, Ryo remembered he was still being restrained by the two bucketheads on either side of him, and decided Akane could use a little help in that department. "To arms!" he shouted, and with a burst of light, he sent the two soldiers flying behind him, while he'd replaced his clothes with his own sub-armor. Catching Akane's eye again, he nodded reassuringly. "You can do this, Akane!"

At the same time, the leader of the demon army shouted, "Idiots! Attack!" At their superior's command, the soldiers on the frontline threw swords made of pure demonic fire at their target. But she was ready for them.

Raising one of her swords, Akane caught all the projectiles in the blade, and threw them behind her in an exploding fireball, incapacitating the soldiers at the far side of the clearing. Her unblinking gaze remained locked on her foes as she walked forward, and the army leader shouted, "Keep firing until you get a shot!"

But it was literally trying to fight fire with fire. The demon soldiers sent a second, then a third, then a fourth wave of flaming swords. But Akane deflected them all, one after the other, each exploding behind her in a way that didn't seem to faze her at all. And all the while, she progressed further and further. When she stopped in the very center of the clearing, Ryo held his breath. The corners of Akane's mouth lifted, and she said, "My turn."

Ryo watched as Akane then knelt down on one knee, her blades crisscrossed in front of her chest and held firmly in both hands. Suddenly, a massive heat wave rippled from her, one that Ryo would've felt swamped by were he not used to such. Then she spoke with a raised voice that echoed in all directions.

"FLAMING PASSION!" Her swords now glowing as though they'd just emerged from a furnace, Akane leaped into the air, and her blades sang as she unleashed a conflagration that burned with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns.

"Oh man!" Ryo yelled as he witnessed the astounding display of power that rivaled his own. The tormented screaming of the entire army of demons echoed in his ears, and he was immediately glad he and Akane were on the same side. When it was over, there was no trace of the army left. It'd been utterly annihilated. And when Ryo next saw Akane – with her ruby red armor, the passion that seemed to radiate from her, and the flames she stood among blazing all around her – it was like looking at a living embodiment of a volcano – beautiful and terrifying all at once.

Soon, the flames disappeared, and the forest was once again shrouded in the veil of early nighttime, with no evidence that any fire had ever even sparked. Ryo was then reminded that Akane, though a Ronin Warrior like him, was also mortal as he was. She dropped her swords to the grassy floor and slumped to her knees with a tired groan. Ryo hurried over to her, knelt down, and supported her panting form with his arms so she wouldn't completely collapse. "Akane," he spoke as soothingly as possible, "are you alright?"

Akane moved her hands upward until they grasped his shoulders. She looked up at him with exhausted but relieved eyes. "If you are, then so am I," she replied, her painted eyelids half-closed.

Ryo's gaze quickly turned sympathetic. "I'm fine," he chuckled. "Thanks to you." He then frowned, still worried about her condition. "But what about you? Do you need to lie down?"

"No," Akane shook her head insistently. "I just need a minute." With pleading in her eyes, she added, "Just…don't leave me like that again."

Ryo's heart went out to her. "I'm not going anywhere." Though he still didn't know what she wasn't telling him, he held her close, his chin resting on the top of her head. Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him, and Akane gasped in alarm. Ryo looked over his shoulder, and immediately relaxed when he saw it was only his tiger, whose name he finally remembered and whom he'd never been happier to see, especially now that he appeared alright. "White Blaze," he smiled warmly at the big cat.

White Blaze purred loudly in greeting. Ryo then felt Akane stiffen underneath him, and he realized he hadn't yet introduced them. "It's okay, Akane," he assured her. He then moved slightly so she and the magnanimous beast could better face each other. "This is my tiger, White Blaze. He's harmless, at least to us good guys. And he's been my friend for a long, long time." Akane still looked uncertain, not that he blamed her.

But then, out of the shadows came Ikezuki, as if wanting to make sure her mistress was okay. White Blaze turned, and when the gazes of horse and tiger met, Ryo was surprised at how there seemed to be no hostility at all between them. Indeed, a sort of understanding that they were on the same side seemed to pass between the two animals. And it hadn't escaped Akane's notice either. "At least they seem to be on good terms," she sighed with relief. Her eyes then went wide, and she asked Ryo, "Did I seriously hear you right just now?"

Ryo quickly figured out what she meant, and couldn't help but grin as he nodded. "That's right. I remember everything now. It all came back to me when you jumped through the fire."

Now it was Akane's turn to stare in utter amazement. "Oh, Ryo I'm so happy for you!" She then looked at his temple and gasped more loudly than before. "Your wound! It looks healed! The stitches are gone!"

This time wanting to know if he had heard her right, Ryo's hand went to the spot where he'd been hit in the head, and realized upon feeling it that Akane was right. "Well, what do you know?" his grin widened. "It's like it never happened!"

"And you really do remember everything?" Akane asked again, then added, "What do you remember, exactly? What did you say I was just now? When I jumped through the fire, I mean."

Once again, Ryo couldn't have been more glad that he'd found not only the girl from Suzunagi's dream but a new comrade-in-arms. Of course, there was much to explain, but he had to start somewhere. "You're a Ronin Warrior, Akane, just like me. And the others!"

"Others?" Akane asked, her tone of voice and wide eyes utterly baffled. "You mean, there are more like me and you?"

"Uh-huh!" Ryo nodded, happy that she was catching on. "It's kind of a long story, but remember those four guys from my last dream? They aren't just my friends; they're my fellow warriors. I wear the armor of Wildfire, kinda like how you wear the armor of Firestorm. Sage wears the armor of Halo; Cye, the armor of Torrent; Kento, the armor of Hardrock; and Rowen, the armor of Strata. We use these armors to fight the forces of evil, like that demon army you just faced. Just recently, we learned there are five female warriors as well, and so we decided to look for them."

Akane listened intently to every word. "So…I'm one of these female warriors?" Before Ryo could answer, understanding dawned on her face. "No wonder we had that connection from the moment we first met! I knew you were special! And now so am I!" For a moment, she seemed elated, until her face fell in such a despondent way, he immediately wanted to know why. "Actually, Ryo, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. But I didn't know how to say it till now."

Though he still didn't want to press her, Ryo nonetheless seized his chance to learn what'd been bothering Akane ever since the bonfire. "What is it?"

Akane took a deep breath. As nervous as she was, she owed Ryo the truth at this point. "Three days before I met you, I had a dream a lot like the one you told me about yesterday. I guess you could say it was a sort of premonition. I saw a scene a lot like the one that just happened. It wasn't until it actually became reality that I knew what it was. And it was shown to me by a ghostly woman with scarlet red hair. It was really weird. She wore these long white robes and carried a rosary."

"No way!" Ryo interrupted her suddenly and excitedly. "I know who visited you, Akane! Her name is Suzunagi. She may be a ghost but she gave me and my friends our current armors! She can also see into the future. That's how she learned about the five female warriors and then told us!" Akane felt her eyes light up, relieved that she now knew what to call the woman who'd given her the words she must've known would inspire her.

But the hard work wasn't done, and Ryo knew it, his exhilaration having faded. "Wait, if you did know all this before we even met, why didn't you tell me what you knew when I told you about my dream yesterday?"

"I was gonna tell you," Akane replied. "But when you told me about your dream, there were so many similarities, I didn't know what to say." She bit her lip, then forced herself to continue, unable to use that excuse this time. "I did think I could've been the woman you saw, but I didn't know what it meant, until now. Plus, you got really angry." Ryo's blue eyes remained soft, and even appeared regretful for a moment. Even so, now came the hardest part of all.

"But, more than that, that girl you heard screaming in the fire…" She paused when her voice cracked with a vulnerability she hadn't known in the longest time. "That was…me…"

At her confession, Ryo's gaze transformed into a mixture of horror, confusion, and concern. Akane then directed hers to the wood, as though the distant past would soon emerge from its depths. "It happened ten years ago, when I was nine years old." She gulped down the old grief, but it quickly resurfaced. "I was having a nice, normal evening with my mom and dad…" She pulled her knees to her chest. "But then, I think an important electrical current exploded…" She tried in vain to blink away the tears now stinging the backs of her eyes. "The next thing I knew…everything was on fire…"

Despite her efforts, Akane felt the tears flow, but she was determined to finish the story. "It was like a furnace in there… I was screaming for my parents…and I could hear them screaming, too…" She sniffled as her heart broke in the same places it had all those years ago. "At one point, some burning timber fell on me…" Akane reached for the top of her kimono's right sleeve, and heard Ryo's sharp intake of breath when she pulled it down to reveal the scarring on her shoulder. "Before I knew it, I was outside…but my parents weren't…" Her voice cracked again as she pulled her sleeve back up.

"I wanted to go back in and find them…but the firefighters held me back…" She felt utterly numb now that her tale was ending. "I didn't see them die…but I didn't need to… The house collapsed…and I never saw them alive again…" Her head now too heavy to hold up, Akane buried her face in her knees and broke into sobs. Ryo's hesitant hand hovered over her back, but she leaned into it, allowing him to wrap his arms around her while she cried. She finished only when she had no tears left. "That was when my uncle and his family took me in… After all, my dad was his brother…"

Just as Ryo's recounting of his dream had left Akane speechless, so did her tale of the terrible trauma she experienced at such a young age do to him. When he looked back on her behavior from last night, he marveled at how dense he'd been. And yet, in spite of what she'd endured, in spite of her fear of fire that was now obvious in hindsight, she still came to his rescue, awakening her power as a Ronin Warrior and helping him regain his memories of his own life as one in the process.

In that moment, Ryo knew he'd never known a more extraordinary and valiant lady. Neither had he ever loved one nearly as much as he loved her – nor had he ever felt so unworthy. "Man, I screwed up royally this time."

Akane lifted a pair of baffled eyes to meet his. "Don't do that to yourself, Ryo," she shook her head before gaining her feet. "How could you have known, anyway?"

Ryo too rose to his full height. "Still, when I think about what I said and did…" No way was he going to let himself off the hook as easily as she did. "…I…I'm so sorry, Akane," he sighed. "For everything." His eyes then widened as he realized they had a potentially serious problem on their hands. "But…you're still a Ronin Warrior, and your power source is fire. So is mine…" He gasped lightly as a terrible thought struck him. "You're not… Are you afraid of me?"

Rather than shrink from him, Akane smiled rather boldly. "Really? If I were, would I have ridden Ikezuki toward the fire – toward you? Would I have discovered my calling to be a Ronin Warrior? Would you have recovered your memories?" The answer quickly presented itself to Ryo, and he felt more relieved than he had in the longest time. "Besides," Akane spoke further, "Suzunagi told me all fire isn't the same. Now I get it. The fire I used just now was different from the fire that took my parents. And far different from what I feel for you."

She then rested a palm on his cheek, causing him to raise his own hand to lay over hers. "You don't need to protect me from the bad fires, Ryo," she added encouragingly. "I want to fight them with you as a fellow Ronin Warrior. More than that…" She hesitated briefly, then dared to say the words he knew were on her lips. "I want to fight them with you, because…I love you."

Ryo couldn't have said it better himself, nor could he have grinned wider at the following words that came as naturally as breathing. "I love you, too, Akane. I could never thank you enough for helping me back there. Not just with the demon army but my memories, too." He then finally dared to do what he'd wanted for a long time now, and ran his fingers through her fine pink hair. "Whatever's coming, I can't wait for the others to meet you – and I can't wait to fight at your side!"

Immediately after, they finally gave in to what they'd denied themselves and each other, and embraced as two flames do upon meeting. Both knew many challenges were already lying in wait to try and extinguish the resulting fire. But both also knew that as long as they kept it burning, none would ever come close.

Reviews would be appreciated.

Picture I drew of Akane's armor!: maskedlady710/art/Akane-of-the-Firestorm-840076550