Episode 15 – Digging Deeper

When her senses first returned, all Riko was aware of was utter blackness – and that she wanted out, now. Suddenly, a soft light filtered through her lids, and to her ears came the words, "Alright, whoever's not dead, sound off." Riko's sigh of relief at recognizing her brother's voice turned into moans of discomfort upon regaining the feeling in her limbs. Nothing hurt so bad that it might be broken, but she was sure she was going to – and hopefully still could – walk away with more than a few cuts and bruises to show for her survival of the earthquake.

Earthquake! Riko's eyes flashed open, and with a grunt, she turned her head to the left. All she saw at first was distant darkness. But as she blinked her vision into focus, it turned out the black was broken by a series of dim lights, each hanging next to a stone column. The only light that was brighter glowed at the edges of her line of sight.

"Riko, Tomomi, you both okay?" Turning her head again, Riko drew in a sharp breath. Her brother was standing, holding a phone above his head. But her attention was redirected when she picked up a series of coughs coming from her sister a few feet away. Ignoring any pain she might've been in, Riko forced herself to her feet and then rushed toward the younger girl.

A layer of ash had settled over Tomomi like fine gray snow. She opened her mouth to speak, but then sneezed, sending dust everywhere in the air around her. "Tomomi!" Riko huffed nervously. "You alright? Nothing's broken?"

Tomomi shook her head. "No, I'm fine, but…" She shifted around uncomfortably, and only then did Riko realize she was sinking into a bed of rubble like it was a beanbag chair. "Mind helping me up?" Now assured she was okay, Riko didn't hesitate to haul her sister up so that she stood beside her. "Thanks," she smiled gratefully – then cried out, "Junpei! What happened to you?!"

"Nothing," Junpei shook his head vehemently, but the moment Riko spotted his afflicted wince, she knew he was lying. "Probably just pulled a muscle when we fell, if anything. At least we made it through in one piece."

Riko was about to agree, when she remembered with alarm that there should've been a fourth person with them. She looked this way and that, and her heart pounded when she didn't find him.

"Riko? What are you looking around for?" When Riko turned to face her brother, she couldn't bring a name to mind, but she clearly recalled that pair of blue puppy-dog eyes.

"The guy who was with us," she replied, then eyed Junpei critically. "The one you threatened when he tried to carry me off."

Junpei frowned just as critically. "As I should have. With that in mind, why should we care about him?"

Riko furrowed her eyebrows in disbelief. True, the guy was a stranger – at least, she believed he was – and she couldn't blame her brother for reacting the way he did. But this went beyond his usual protective streak. "Bro, it's called common decency," she stated bluntly. "Ever heard of it?" That was when something reached the corner of her vision. "Hey, let me borrow that for a minute." She took the phone from Junpei, and turned the light in the direction that'd caught her eye.

An even bigger pile of rubble than the one that'd caught her sister stood about a yard or two away, and Riko's breath grew short. She raced toward the rock pile, and her heart even more so when she saw whole chunks of concrete. Nonetheless, although she dreaded what she might find, she put down the phone and started digging.

After shoving aside some smaller rocks, Riko gripped the sides of a particularly large slab, and grit her teeth as she pulled it back. The resounding thud echoed like a slamming stone door, but she ignored it. When the phone's light illuminated the motionless form of the young man underneath, her blood ran cold.

He was coated in a layer of dust even thicker than Tomomi's. More unsettlingly, his eyes were closed. For a moment, Riko feared she'd only found his body – when a pained noise and then a few great coughs erupted from him. Feeling breathless herself, Riko gasped and called over her shoulder, "Guys, I found him! He's alive!" But that didn't mean he wasn't hurt. And that worry instantly brought his name back to Riko's memory. "Kento!" she exclaimed. "Hey, you okay?"

Kento's face contorted briefly, but as soon as he saw her, he gazed at her as if in awe. "No way… Is…is this heaven…?"

Whether it was the reassurance of finding him intact or just finding his reaction adorable, Riko laughed softly. "Sorry big guy! Actually, I'm not sorry at all!"

"Are you sure?" Kento frowned. "I could've sworn I saw a light at the end of a tun–" He paused when he spotted the phone in her hand. "Oh." All of a sudden, his eyes flashed with fear. "Wait, what about you? And the others?"

Touched by his immediate concern, Riko replied, "We're all fine. I'm pretty sure Junpei's hiding something. But other than that, we're okay."

Kento huffed rather than sighed in immense relief. "Oh, thank you! That probably would've been the most epic screw-up of my life!"

Riko's smile faltered as his words reminded her of how ominously – yet not unpleasantly – familiar he'd felt to her earlier. But then Kento tried lifting himself up, and she decided to put the matter on hold. "Here." As she helped him out, Riko groaned with effort when he proved way heavier than her sister. Once he was standing beside her, Kento gave an impressed grin.

"Thanks a lot. You're pretty strong." Though she knew it was a compliment, Riko couldn't help feeling awkward, given how much more muscle Kento had than she.

Unwilling to be rude though, she replied hastily, "Sure, no problem." Anxious for a distraction, she then noticed he was still covered head to toe with dust and grime. "No offense but, you look pretty screwed-up yourself."

Eyes sparkling with humor, Kento began brushing the dirt off of him like it was no big deal. "Oh believe me, I've been through way worse."

Still frowning, Riko remarked, "I don't know how it could get much worse than an earthquake." Unable to ward off her suspicion, she added, "Seriously, you were buried under ginormous loads of concrete. How are you not a pile of bone-dust?"

Kento's face fell at having been caught for potentially breaking the laws of human biology and physics, but he eventually shrugged. "Maybe I'm just tougher than most people – or luckier."

Though she didn't exactly buy his explanation, just as she hadn't pressed him to give his surname, Riko wasn't going to insist otherwise. Instead, having remembered those she'd kept waiting, she impulsively took Kento's hand – and did her best to ignore its warmth. "Come on. Junpei and Tomomi are over here."

As she tugged him along, she regretfully hoped Junpei's secret injury would force him to behave, as opposed to making him more inclined to needlessly lash out. With all her focus on her brother though, she soon paid for forgetting her sister. "Ooh!" Tomomi's eyes lit up mischievously. "I knew you two were a thing!"

"Wha–? We are not a thi–!" Already caught off guard, Riko and Kento only then realized they were talking at the same time, causing Riko to let go of Kento's hand.

"You'd better not be…" She heard Junpei mutter. Riko faced him, determined to set the record straight, when Tomomi shot out a finger pointed at him.

"I think Junpei's dislocated his shoulder!" she exclaimed, earning herself a glare from her brother. Yet she seemed oblivious to it. "No, I'm sure of it! We just learned about it last week in biology."

"You could also learn to mind your own business!" Junpei snapped. But now that the cat was out of the bag, Riko finally noticed how he seemed to be favoring his right shoulder.

Even so, she half-smirked at her sister. "He does have a point. You have always been a bit of a tattletale. And you," she referred more seriously to Junpei, "have always been a bit too stubborn for your own good."

"Like you?" Junpei replied sarcastically. Gesturing toward the guy next to her, he added, "Look how much you wanna help the creep who abducted you."

"Woah! Hey dude, hold on! That's not cool!" Kento raised his voice in protest. "If I'm such a creep, why'd I risk life and limb to–?!"

"Uh-uh, you two! Not here! Not now!" Riko ordered, keeping both men at bay on either side of her with outstretched arms. "We didn't just survive the earthquake of the century only to kill each other! You can do that after we find a way outta this rat-hole! Till then, we all get a grip and stick together! Got it?" While she didn't really intend for them to turn on each other, her message appeared to have gotten across. Tomomi nodded nervously, as did Junpei and Kento – if more reluctantly. "Good. For now though…" She addressed Junpei. "Bro, we need to talk, now."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I was just gonna say." He then nodded over his bad shoulder, and winced at the pain it caused. Sighing, Riko nonetheless stuck closely by his side as they headed for a corner of the cavern far away enough to grant some privacy, but near enough to keep watch on Kento and Tomomi.

When Junpei made yet another face as they sat away from any column, Riko had had enough. "Dude, will you look me in the eyes for once?" With an irritated huff, he showed her his agitated gaze, but Riko remained undaunted. "Junpei, when something's wrong with you, you tell me, alright?! You may be the oldest and my only brother, but that doesn't give you the right to get yourself killed!"

Junpei returned to his previous tactic. "Again, like you? You just said it Riko. I'm your brother. What do you want me to do? Just stand back and let any sleaze have his way with you?"

Shocked at his unreasonably harsh language, Riko raised her hand – and slapped it against her forehead when she remembered his injury. "I'm telling you," she spoke between her teeth, "he is not that kinda guy. I know he isn't!"

"So you say, when you've never even met him!" He then stilled briefly with realization, and his voice, though still low, was laced with heat when he next spoke. "You have met him before, haven't you? And you didn't tell me?!" For a moment, Riko stiffened. Junpei had always been sharp, but as was the case here, she sometimes wondered if he could read minds. Either way, there was no point in denying the truth.

Hanging her head, Riko sighed, "Yes, we have. But only once. Today – if it was today, for all we know." Suddenly indignant, she added, "How could I have told you though when the earthquake started right after? Come to think of it, why do I have to tell you every time I meet someone new?! I know you love me Junpei, and I love you too. But I'm not nine years old anymore!"

Though his mouth remained a firm line, the indirect reminder eventually caused Junpei to sigh himself. "I know; but again, what's a guy to do when a random dude makes off with his sister?"

More impatient than ever, Riko replied, "First off, his name is Kento. And I get it Junpei. I would've reacted the same if it were Tomomi. But like I said, it was in the middle of a frickin' earthquake. Maybe he was trying to get me to safety? Maybe he didn't know I had a scary big brother?" While that wasn't entirely true, she'd only mentioned Junpei in passing when she told Kento about their band. "And even after you threatened him, he put his life on the line for us. He said so himself."

"Okay, fine, you've made your point," Junpei finally conceded, until he added, "But that doesn't make you right."

"I like to think of it as being open-minded," Riko retorted. "You should try it." Wanting to end this on her terms, she then stood to her full height. "Come on, we're not gonna argue our way outta this cave." Nodding, Junpei started getting up, when he hissed in pain. "No way, man," Riko shook her head. Though he was about as heavy as Kento, she still managed to help her brother up, and together, they walked back the way they came.

Meanwhile, Riko mulled over not only what she'd told Junpei, but also what she hadn't. She too was keeping secrets – despite telling herself this was different. True, she'd told nobody about her dream. But even if she had, how could they understand Riko's intuition telling her Kento was connected to it somehow? This wasn't just a case of déjà vu, nor did he strike her as dangerous. But Riko was sure he was hiding more than just his surname – not least of which the reason for his practically miraculous survival. One way or another, sooner or later, she intended to figure him out.

At the same time, Kento sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, staring at the wall. Yet all he could see were those striking violet eyes that'd greeted him when he woke from his coma – and the bright orange kanji character that'd glowed above them. Thrilled though he was to have a new ally, Kento struggled to come up with a way to break the ice to her. He'd gone up against all sorts of demons and monsters as a Ronin Warrior, but the task ahead loomed larger than any of them.

Kento groaned in frustration. He wished he could fight his way out as he would in any other battle, but that wasn't an option this time. The mind may be the most powerful weapon of all – at least according to his mother – but it was also the one he was least familiar with. Not that he was stupid, but he was no brain-box like Sage or Rowen. Being the bearer of the Hardrock armor though, he was at least tough enough to survive a concrete wall falling on him – something Riko had already caught onto.

And then there was her family. Sure, he was glad they'd all made it out okay. Even so, he could only tell Riko the truth by getting her alone – away from her disapproving brother. But how? As soon as the question posed itself, Kento caught movement in the corner of his eye, and turned to see Riko and Junpei – still favoring his bad shoulder – returning from their little chat.

Riko gently lowered him so he could sit against the wall and rest. "Now that that's settled, I say we figure out what to do about your injury first."

Right then, as if one of the dim lights nearby had lit ten times brighter, Kento knew how to at least guarantee Riko's good graces. "Hey, you said his shoulder was dislocated, right?" Everyone stared at him, but no one denied him. "Well, this might sound crazy but…" He trailed off, hesitating, then decided to just blurt it out. "I might know how to set it back in again."

As he thought it would, his claim was immediately met with gasps of both surprise and disbelief. "You know how to do that?" Riko asked, skeptical but not accusing.

Kento could only shrug. "I mean, I'm not a medic or anything, but my mom taught me, and she knows a thing or two about this stuff."

Junpei narrowed his eyes at him, his gaze nearly burning with distrust, which was equally evident in his voice. "Have you ever done it before?"

Whether or not it would've helped, Kento wasn't one to lie. "Well, no," he reluctantly replied. More firmly, he added, "But even if it doesn't work, I'll at least have tried."

Riko pressed her lips together, apparently as wary of a less-than-desirable outcome. But she turned toward her brother. "Well, Junpei, hate to say it but, it's your shoulder."

"Or are you scared he's gonna pull the whole thing out?" Tomomi then teased. Junpei furrowed a pair of annoyed eyebrows at her.

"That's ridiculous!" he insisted. He then shot Kento yet another glare. "Still, I'd rather have it pulled than put in the hands of a kidnapper." Hearing that charge once again, Kento clenched and unclenched his hands. If this know-it-all weren't hurt, he'd have almost certainly pounded his fists into him. But then he spotted Riko's wide, pleading eyes, and he found it easier to restrain himself – slightly. At the same time, Junpei let out a heavy sigh. "Oh…alright. Let's try it. If only to stop everybody keeling over because of me."

Despite the previous heated standoff, both his sisters chuckled. As for Kento, relieved though he was that Riko's brother had backed down, all he could think about now were the potential consequences if he failed, or even made Junpei's injury worse. At least his mother's instructions remained clear in his memory. "Okay, I'm gonna need a small stick or something for Junpei to bite down on, 'cause it's gonna hurt – a lot." Junpei's eyes flashed, and Kento hastily added, "But only at first."

"Found one!" Tomomi declared, a several-inches-long stick already in hand. Anxious to get this over with, Kento only thanked her with a nod.

"Cool. Now, I need Junpei standing up straight. Riko, Tomomi, you both hold him on the same side so he doesn't move."

After both girls carefully helped Junpei up, Tomomi moved to the side opposite Kento while Riko brushed the grime from the stick. She eyed him nervously, as if saying, I seriously hope you know what you're doing.

Me too, Kento admitted silently. When he was handed the stick, Junpei didn't hesitate to bite down on it. Riko and Tomomi then tightly gripped their brother's good arm. With all eyes on him, Kento said to Junpei – as well as himself, "Alright…relax." He carefully took up the guy's bad arm, then stretched it out straight at his side. "Now…for the hard part. On three, 'kay?" Everyone nodded and held their breath – Kento most of all, as he desperately hoped he wouldn't get a black eye for his efforts. "One…two…three!"

Summoning all his strength, Kento yanked at the appendage hard as he could. A loud popping noise mixed with Junpei's howl of pain, both sounds echoing beyond the columns, before being followed by a period of somewhat eerie calm. It was only broken when Tomomi dared ask, "Did it work?"

In spite of the angst coursing through him, Kento lowered Junpei's arm as carefully as when he stretched it. With his limb back, the young man cautiously rolled his shoulder, and his eyebrows lifted in pleasant surprise. "I guess so." He repeated the test. "Yep. Still aches a little but, the pain's mostly gone."

Both Kento and Riko voiced their relief with immense sighs. But rather than Junpei, it was Riko who first expressed gratitude – which had set her face notably aglow. "Thanks a million, Kento! Seriously, you saved us a ton of trouble!"

Caught off guard, Kento just stammered, "You…y-you're welcome." Other than that, he could only stare at her. He wasn't used to such massive amounts of praise. Still, it made him all the more determined to live up to her standards. If only her brother could be just as grateful.

Yet when he looked again at Junpei, while his expression remained suspicious, he no longer looked like he wanted to wring his neck. And given he'd almost expected to be faced with his fists of fury, Kento was glad to get this much instead.

"Well," he said, his tone also more civil now, "I still don't know about you, but…" He rolled his shoulder one more time. "I can't deny the results. Thanks man." But then his frown returned. "Don't think I'm not gonna keep an eye on you though."

Kento raised his hands in a show of peace. "Hey dude, I got two younger sisters too. I know how it is." His hands and face then fell as thoughts of his own family brought a flood of fresh worry. He'd last seen his folks and grandfolk at home, but he'd been so anxious to begin his third day of searching he hadn't thought to ask after his brothers and sisters. They'd always been tighter than most. Even his fellow Ronin Warriors were like family to him. And remembering that just pushed him further toward the precipice of distress. Maybe we only got the worst of it here. Besides, I may be the strongest, but they're not short on raw power themselves.

Kento was then brought back to the present by Tomomi clearing her throat. "Uh, I hate to crash the party, but…we're still kinda trapped down here. Wherever here is, anyway."

And with that came the understanding that while he may not be in his armor right now, neither was he off duty. Nah. These three are counting on me. Getting all worked up about my own isn't gonna get us outta here any faster.

"Tomomi's right," Riko then spoke up. "We may not know exactly where we are, but we can at least get an idea. If nothing else, we must still be in Yokohama, if technically beneath it."

"Wait, hold on a minute," Junpei interrupted, his tone and expression contrary. "No offense, Riko, but, who put you in charge all of a sudden?"

"Nobody; I volunteered," Riko replied bluntly, her gaze reflecting Kento's disbelief. "And you're one to talk, Junpei. Who just got his arm reset and needs to rest?"

"Will you two just stop it already?!" Tomomi then pleaded, surprising everyone into silence. "It's bad enough we're stuck down here…with barely any light…or food…or water…" As she spoke, Kento thought he could see tears in her eyes. "Riko, please don't tell me we're gonna die here!"

Riko stepped forward, holding her shoulders back and chin high. "I won't, Tomomi. I promise – no, I swear to you, we'll all get outta this ditch the same way we fell in – alive." They may not have been the most comforting words, but Kento was impressed at Riko's defiance in the face of their situation. It reminded him of his own approach to challenges from the Dynasty, and life in general. Then again, even if she didn't know it yet, she was a Ronin Warrior like him. "Besides, it may not even be as bad as it looks. We at least have oxygen."

"I was gonna say," Junpei then agreed instead of arguing this time. "From here, I can feel a breeze or two. Not much but, the air must be coming in from somewhere."

"Good point, bro," Riko nodded. "Come to think of it, those corridors do look like tunnels." No sooner had she said so than her eyes went wide. "That's it! We must've landed near a metro railway!"

Her conclusion should've inspired new hope in Kento. But for whatever reason, it did the opposite. "Maybe, but from the looks of it, this part probably hasn't been used for a long while. Still, the columns at least look solid enough to hold the ceiling."

"In that case," Junpei said, "we'd better have a look around. Or rather, one of us should. I know, Riko," he added when she opened her mouth to object. "But I can't just sit around and do nothing!"

"So what?!" Riko butted in anyway as she hastened to stand next to him. "You don't know what's out there! What could be waiting to kill us till we're dead!"

"All the more reason to explore the tunnels," Junpei reinforced his plan, and Kento was then surprised to see the reassurance on his face. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I won't go so far you can't hear me if I call out."

Riko held his gaze, unwilling to give even an inch, until Kento felt compelled to break the stalemate. "And if it makes anybody else feel even more better, I can stay here with the girls." Junpei then shot him a look of warning, and Kento feared he'd spoken too soon.

As if she too had seen it, Riko took hold of her brother's good shoulder. "Junpei, give him a break, will ya? He's already saved you one, hasn't he? Besides, I'm not going anywhere without Tomomi."

Junpei looked first at her, then at Kento, who almost dared him to say what he really thought. In the end though, he reluctantly huffed, "Fine." Locking gazes with Kento one more time, he added, "I got eyes in the back of my head anyway." Kento didn't exactly like the answer, but he was grateful to have another chance to prove himself. "Where's that phone?" he then asked Riko. "The one you and I had earlier?"

"You mean mine?" Tomomi called from behind. All three looked to see her holding the device high in her hand. "Yeah, you're gonna need it. Especially since you lost yours…again."

Kento felt the tug of a cheeky smile at the corners of his mouth. Meanwhile, Junpei pressed his into a firm line and briefly closed his eyes, as though begging for patience. Nonetheless, he replied respectfully, "Thanks, Tomomi."

"Aw geez!" Riko exclaimed in alarm. "None of us thought to check the time and date! Who knows how long we could've been down here already?"

"Good call, Sis…! Uh, no pun intended," Tomomi commended her. She then checked her phone, and quickly voiced her bewilderment. "Oh wow! The date's the same but it's ten p.m.! That means we were out for hours!" Her face then fell. "I'm not getting a signal though."

"Then that means we can't call for help," Junpei concluded for her. Tomomi's expression sank even more, and she shivered. But Riko quickly came to the rescue, hurrying toward and then sitting down next to her sister.

With her arm around the younger girl, she spoke reassuringly, "It'll be fine, Tomomi. Look at the bright side. We'll have an epic story to tell Mom and Dad!" Despite her efforts, she too frowned, and Kento could tell she too was fearing for the rest of her family as he had his.

"In any event," Junpei said, "we'd better save as much battery life as we can. And that goes for any other phones we might have on us." He then headed over to his sisters, his hand held out for Tomomi's phone. After a few seconds' hesitation, she eventually handed it over. And with one more glance at Kento, Junpei made for the nearest tunnel. Kento watched until he finally disappeared in the shadows, then proceeded to join the girls.

Riko smiled softly as he sat down next to her, but it was her warm, violet eyes that caused him to smile back. "In all seriousness, I know I already said this but, thanks again for helping Junpei. I don't know how many people would go outta their way to help someone who hated their guts."

For Kento, however, whatever her brother thought of him, Riko's appreciation somehow made it all worth it. "Actually, to be honest…I did it more for you than for him. N-not that I wouldn't have anyway, but–"

"No, no, it's fine," Riko assured him. "I get it. He can be a bit of a cheese-grater sometimes. That said, and I'm not just saying this 'cause he's my brother, but he really is a good guy deep down. It's just…" She trailed off for a moment. "Let's just say, he's protective of me and Tomomi for a reason." In a rush, she then added, "Not that it has anything to do with you."

But Kento's curiosity had already been roused. Sure, had he seen one of his own sisters get carried off, he'd have been just as angry – even furious. Still, Junpei's accusations from earlier made his knuckles itch. At the same time though, it made him wonder what his deal was – what everyone's deal was, in fact.

"Hey, Riko?" Tomomi then addressed her sister. "You wouldn't happen to have any food with you, would you? I hate to say it, but I'm starving."

"Oh man! I hadn't thought about that either!" Riko put her head in her hands and let out a low groan. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe we are gonna die."

Kento couldn't explain it, but seeing and hearing her close to despair compelled him to put his arm around her and gently tug her close. "Hey, come on," he spoke in a tone he used to cheer up his siblings. "Where's that other girl from earlier? The one who swore to her sister we're gonna make it outta here alive? Besides, how could anyone have seen that monster of an earthquake coming?" Riko lifted her head again, and when he saw the tears forming in her pretty eyes, Kento felt his heartstrings being yanked at just as he'd done Junpei's arm.

"I know," she replied, then swept the back of her hand across her face. "I just hate it when things are outta control!" Though he felt genuine sympathy for her, Kento again wondered what was behind her words.

"Wait," Tomomi abruptly broke his train of thought. "I think I might have something in my purse. Where is it…?" She looked around. "Oh, I know I had it with me!" The younger girl then stood up and began actively searching the area – until she paused, and hastened toward a crumbled heap of debris. After carefully digging through it, she eventually pulled out a small navy blue bag with flowers on it. "Found it!"

Once she rejoined Kento and Riko, Tomomi rummaged through her purse, and exclaimed in further triumph, "I knew it!" But then her smile faltered as she added, "It's not much, but, probably enough to last us for at least a little while." Suddenly, it returned again when she found something else of value. "Look!"

When she pulled out a bottle, it was as if they'd stumbled upon an underground oasis. But Kento was even gladder to see Riko happy again. "Tomomi, you're a life-saver! For a second I thought we might have to find a puddle to drink out of!"

"Ackh!" Kento shook his head profusely. "No way! I don't wanna get poisoned!" Don't drink the water, his dad always said whenever he warned him and his siblings about earthquakes. At least, not tap water – the reason being that earthquakes, when powerful enough, could rupture the pipe system, allowing stuff to get into tap water that could very well kill a person. And judging by her hearty laugh, Riko agreed with him.

But then her face turned red and her hands flew to her mouth, as though she were embarrassed. "Sorry. I don't always laugh when it's…fitting."

Kento opened his mouth to ask what she meant, when Tomomi blurted out excitedly, "At least you made her laugh! That's pretty hard to do!"

Riko crossed her arms indignantly. "Maybe 'cause it was actually funny this time?" she suggested sarcastically.

"See?!" Tomomi teased, and dramatically waved at her sister. "Look what I have to live with!" While Kento did find all this funny, he also had the feeling he was onto something. Then again, he wouldn't have minded making her laugh again… Shortly after, Tomomi coughed. "Oh man, I was hoping to wait till later but, I am pretty thirsty."

"I was actually gonna say," Riko put in, now the practical person she was before, "we've already gone hours without food or water. That said, we'll need to ration what we can, so everyone gets one drink." Tomomi made a noise of disappointment, but she didn't argue. Both she and Kento did as Riko suggested, taking only one drink of water before Riko took hers. After which, Tomomi offered the older girl what food there'd been in her purse, and Riko in turn offered some to Kento. And yet, for all his love of food, Kento hesitated.

At first, he didn't know why. He wasn't a picky eater, and under normal circumstances, he would've dug right in. Except these were not normal circumstances. And once he remembered that, understanding dawned on him. "No thanks Riko," he shook his head. "I'm good."

"You sure?" Riko asked, her eyebrows raised in concern. "I mean, you are…bigger…than us girls." Kento smirked. He knew what she meant.

"Don't worry about me," he assured her. "I got muscle to spare." That wasn't entirely true. In fact, his gut was growling, reminding him he hadn't eaten a full meal since this morning. Even so, much as he loved food, Kento loved people more. "Really Riko, I'll be fine. If anything, given what you just said, you two probably need it more than me." Riko looked like she might insist, but instead, she took Kento at his word and ate her fill.

"You know," she said when she was done, "I was thinking. I already told you a bit about me earlier. What about you, mystery man? Got any skeletons in your closet? No, I'm just kidding!" She burst out laughing again, and despite his nerves, Kento couldn't help but join in. "Seriously though, you said to Junpei you have two sisters?"

Relieved she wasn't probing him on more secret matters, Kento happily replied, "Sure do! And two brothers." As he expected, her eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he proceeded to clear things up. "Yep! There are eight of us living under one roof!" Kento then raised his hands and lifted one finger after another for emphasis. "Me, my grandfather, my mom, my dad, and my four brothers and sisters."

"No way, man!" Riko insisted as she shook her hand at him, though there was teasing in her disbelief. "That's crazy! You're making that up!"

"Nah-ah!" Kento equally insisted. "I can prove it!" Remembering he kept his phone in his back pocket, he fished it out and was pleased to find it still intact. Going to his photos, he soon found the one he was looking for, and moved so that both Riko and Tomomi could see. "Look. That's us from last Christmas." It was true. There he was with his siblings, all of them standing next to a Christmas tree in a line, their hands on each other's shoulders. For her part, although she had proof now, Riko appeared no less impressed.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Kento grinned. "We do a picture like that every year! Oldest to youngest, starting with yours truly!"

"Really?" Riko asked, still adorably baffled. "But…I thought you were like, my age or something. And I'm nineteen!"

Kento's grin remained. "Not far off then! I'm twenty!" Without pause, he proceeded to name each of his siblings. "First after me is my sister, Rin Fi. She's seventeen. She is a bit of a stick in the mud, but she was the only girl for a long time. The three of you would probably get along great!" He then pointed to the boy next to her. "Next is my brother, Yun. He turned fifteen not too long ago."

"Oh! So he's my age!" Tomomi exclaimed happily. Leaning further over her sister's shoulder, she added, "And cute, too!"

"Cut it out, Tomomi!" Riko snapped as she shook the younger girl off, her face even redder than before.

While he couldn't guess why, Kento chose to ignore it, and pointed at a younger boy wearing braces. "Anyway, next is my other brother, Mei Ryu. He's twelve."

As if already over their exchange of awkwardness, Riko didn't hesitate to comment. "Oh wow, he looks exactly like you! Except for the obviously fake smile."

Feeling strangely flattered, Kento chuckled. "Yeah. He'd just gotten his braces, and we had to practically bargain with him to get that shot 'cause of how much he hated them already."

"No duh!" Riko replied in mock surprise, then gasped. "Aww! What's her name? She's so cute!" She pointed at Kento's youngest sibling at the very end of the line.

"Oh, that's my other sister, Chun Fa," he replied with a chuckle. "She's nine and still in elementary school."

"Sweet!" Riko continued to gush, her eyes round and alight. Shifting in her seat to face him, she added, "I'll bet she's glad to have you for a brother!" As if realizing the weight of her words, her gaze and tone then grew thoughtful. "I'll bet they all are." Kento felt her sincerity, but she went on before he could say anything. "Interesting names, by the way. I mean, not in a bad way but, they don't sound like other Japanese names."

While Kento was still wary about giving his surname, he ultimately saw no harm in discussing his family's origins. "That's 'cause we're kinda multicultural – at least on my dad's side. I think my great-great granddad came over here from China like a hundred years ago, or something."

"That…is…awesome!" Now mere inches from his face, Riko excitedly asked, "Do you live in Yokohama's Chinatown?!" When Tomomi giggled behind her, she swiftly turned around. "What's so funny?"

"Just your obsession with all things Chinese," her sister teased, though Kento could tell she wasn't being mean about it.

Nonetheless, Riko insisted, "I am not obsessed! I'm…fascinated. There's a difference! And maybe it's 'cause we're a little multicultural too." As if sensing Kento's curiosity, she turned back around and explained. "Our dad's all-Japanese. Our mom is half-Japanese and half-Chinese-American! Then again, I don't know if the American part counts. Still, we've been to America a ton of times. Ever gone?"

Thrilled they had yet another thing in common, Kento proudly replied, "Yep! Been to New York – my uncle lives there – and LA." Feeling mischievous, he asked, "Actually, you wanna know where else I've been?" Both Riko and Tomomi eagerly leaned forward. "Two years ago, I went to Africa!"

Riko's jaw dropped. Pointing in a random direction, she asked, "You mean, the continent-all-the-way-over-there-with-lions-elephants-and-zebras-Africa? What for? Business? Family stuff?"

Kento paused. There was no way he could tell her – at least, not here and now – about how he, Rowen, Mia, and Yuli – eventually followed by Cye – went to rescue Ryo and Sage after they'd been abducted by the mystical warrior Mukala. "Uh…a little bit of both."

Despite his vague reply, Riko laughed out loud with delight. "Dude! That is amazing! Your life must be wild!"

Oh, you have no idea, Kento very nearly blurted out – until another voice spoke in his stead from behind.

"Speaking of which, what's going on here?" He sighed in disappointment when he recognized it as Junpei's.

"Kento has four brothers and sisters, and they all live in Yokohama's Chinatown!" Tomomi exclaimed. "He's also been to New York, and LA, and even Africa!"

Kento shifted around, but Junpei didn't appear impressed. "Sounds a little far-fetched, don't you think?" he smirked as he sauntered over.

"It's true!" Tomomi insisted. "He showed us a picture!" While he was grateful she was backing him up, Kento couldn't shake the suspicion that Junpei was accusing him of lying.

Were it not for Riko's intervention, he would've outright said so. "Never mind that," she waved Tomomi off and stood up. "Find anything, bro?"

"What do you think?" he asked back. Once she figured it out, Riko hung her head and slumped her shoulders with a low groan of dismay. "I know. But on the bright side, I didn't meet anything or anyone dangerous either."

"Well, there's that," Riko conceded. "On the other hand, Tomomi found us some food and water in her purse. Not much, but enough to last for at least a day."

Junpei looked mildly pleased – which made Kento feel anything but. "Not bad," he congratulated his youngest sister. "Still, we'd better try and get comfortable, 'cause we're gonna be here awhile." Everyone let out noises of despondency. "I know. But we got nowhere else to go. For now anyway."

For Kento however, it was another matter. If he was right about where the earthquake came from, he didn't want to be caught with his armor off if the Dynasty – or whatever enemy was out there – chose to strike. "Well, I know what you said, man. But I think someone should stand guard. Things are already bad enough."

"Good idea, Kento," Riko briefly flashed him an appreciative grin. "But it'd probably be better if we did it in shifts."

While he'd previously agreed with her on other things, Kento wasn't willing to risk losing her. "No, Riko, it's fine. I can do it. I've stayed up a lot before."

"No way, man," Riko objected. "I'm grateful for the lengths you've already gone for us, but…if something happened to you because of that…" She paused, then ran her hand through her unkempt hair. She was clearly frustrated, but Kento felt somewhat moved that she already cared so much about him. "Fine! But I still say we take shifts."

While Kento bizarrely liked her stubbornness, his own reared its head. "Then I say we do it this way – I'll go first, then Junpei, then Riko. All agree?"

"What about me?" Tomomi called, a hint of resentment in her tone. "When do I get to be part of the fun?"

"Not a chance, sis," Riko shook her head. "I already got one sibling risking themselves…" She eyed said sibling knowingly. "Again."

Junpei rolled his eyes while Tomomi crossed her arms and muttered to herself resentfully. Still, Riko hadn't rejected Kento's offer. "So, are we all on board?"

Junpei frowned. "I don't like the idea of Riko risking herself too. But if she is, she's gonna have to let me do the same." He then stared at her sister, who held her ground as long as she could.

"Okay," she then sighed. "You got me." Undeterred, however, she added, "But not till you've had a bite to eat, Mr. Man." Before he could talk back, Riko steered Junpei toward the spot where she and her sister sat with Kento, who followed suit.

Not long after they sat down, Tomomi huffed. "I know we're all in between a rock and a hard place, but all this doom and gloom isn't helping much."

"What are you talking about?" Riko asked. "It could always be worse." She paused, frowning. "At least, that's what Mom always says. Or…" She couldn't bring herself to say the words, but Kento knew where she'd been going.

"See, that's what I'm talking about," Tomomi answered Riko's previous question. Almost immediately after, her eyes lit up. "Oh, I know! Riko, why don't you sing a song for us?"

At her suggestion, Riko looked visibly startled. "W-what? Here? Now? Without my guitar?" She briefly glanced at Kento, who just as clearly recalled the way they'd met.

"Why not?" Tomomi asked back. "Everyone knows you're the best! Oh! What was the song you sang for my birthday last year?"

"What? 'Slow Motion,' by Akina Nakamori?" When her sister nodded, Riko chuckled lightly, "Oh come on, Tomomi, that's an old one."

"So?" the younger girl persisted. "You're always saying old is gold! And we all loved it! Please, Riko?" She then made a face that Kento instantly recognized as the one his own siblings used.

But whereas Riko had mostly withstood her brother's pressure, she couldn't do the same regarding Tomomi. Still, she grinned and said, "Oh alright! Gather 'round everybody! It's showtime!"

As Riko sat down at the head of the circle, Kento remained silent in fervent anticipation. Her singing was what'd drawn him to her in the first place, but he hadn't thought he'd get to hear her again so soon. Not to mention she hadn't known then that he was listening – not at first, anyway. Now that she was aware of her audience, he was intrigued to find out if she'd sound any different, or was prone to stage-fright. After clearing her throat, she once more opened her mouth – and out came one of the most beautiful sounds anyone ever heard.

"Playing all alone
Along the sandy shoreline
I leave behind only my footprints.

But as I turn home
I see in fading sunshine
Someone headed toward me in a sprint.

Suddenly
I start to feel light and free
And I run happily
Toward true love. Not just a hint.

When we first met
It was in slow motion.
So much so, it made me
More than a bit dizzy.

When we first met
It was in slow motion.
And in your eyes I see
It was meant to be."

As Riko sang, Kento could only stare in open-mouthed awe. It was obviously the same voice he'd heard before, but this time, he almost felt as though he were entering a trance. He marveled at her vocal versatility – able to sing both hardcore punk-rock songs as well as slow and soothing ballads such as this. That led him to wonder about the two sides he'd already seen in her – tough and headstrong, yet tender and even sweet. In other words, she was the kinda girl he could easily picture himself fighting alongside.

Dude, you've only known her for like a day. The reminder made him frown. Still, there was a point to it. He hadn't yet told Riko he was a Ronin Warrior, but he couldn't shake the feeling she knew more than she was letting on. She'd already heard of the Tale of the Nine Armors – at least, he thought she'd referred to that. In any case, Kento knew he couldn't stall forever. He could only hope the truth would come out at the right place and time – and that he hadn't been wrong about Riko all along.

Reviews would be appreciated.