Nearly a week had passed since the sudden disappearance of Cye and Kento, and the rest of the group was on pins and needles. They spent the first three days scouring the numerous beaches nearby on foot, and the past two on a boat with the coast guard. The group had already spent four hours on the water, and there was still no sign of their friends. Ryo sighed and leaned against the rail, staring out at the empty, glistening water. They'd circled three islands and were now on their way back to the port… in disappointment. Binoculars bumped roughly against the ronin's chest as the boat bounced on the water, but the leader paid it no mind. This, and the sad emotions circling the group for the past week made Mia frown. She hated seeing the guys worry so much, and she knew there wasn't much she could to help, but still, she knew she had to do something, so she put on a reassuring smile and brought a cup of coffee to her lover. Ryo was almost startled by her sudden appearance, but he was grateful for the drink.

"Thanks, Mia…" He took a drink and tried to smile- he knew she was trying her best, too…

"Has anyone seen anything yet?" She was sad to have to shake her head.

"The coast guard said we have to go back now. When it gets dark, we wont be able to navigate safely through the islands."

"I see… so they're giving up." The young man hung his head.

"Ryo…"

"I want to believe that they're still alive out there, Mia… they've just gotta be!"

"I want to believe that, too, Ryo. But…"

She paused a minute, and Ryo already knew what she was going to say. He already knew, anyway. Looking back, Mia spotted Sage as he sat on a crate near the back of the boat, and Rowen, who was up on the observation deck still searching. They knew the possibilities, but they were still all looking. Turning her head back to Ryo, Mia smiled softly and set a hand on his shoulder, bringing his head back up.

"Don't give up, Ryo! Kento and Cye have been in some tough situations before… I'm positive we'll find them!"

"Thanks, Mia… I hope you're right."

Ryo then looked back out at the water and took another drink of his coffee before setting it down on the deck. He wanted to believe Mia, he really did, but her words could not replace words he'd heard earlier the day before from the coast guard officers. They haunted him to no end.

'That storm was sudden and deadly- the worst they'd seen in several years. Even if some poor, unfortunate soul had been caught in it while out at sea, there was very little chance they could have survived. Even if they had, surviving without food or shelter and with no drinkable water, nobody would last more than two days at the most.'

How could they just blurt something out like that? Even though his friends weren't just anybody, he knew the odds… and as he hung his head, he tried to ignore them. Absently, he fingered the armor orb in his pocket, marveled at its ever-present warmth. It helped to bring calm to his mind, almost like the wildfire armor was trying to provide comfort. He pulled it out of his jacket pocket and held it up against the background of the glittering water. It looked beautiful… but it wasn't enough to bring a steady calm to the distressed ronin. However, as he turned to g back to the cabin to sulk, the orb flashed.

Ryo paused a moment and stared at it. Had he imagined it? Was he going insane?! No… he had to be sure he'd seen right, so he held it up again. Nothing happened when he held it there, but as they passed by an island they'd gone by earlier, it flashed again, this time several times. Ryo was sure his armor was telling him something. It was only then that he noticed a thin line of smoke rising up from the far end of the island's beach. He fumbled to put his orb back in his pocket and rose the binoculars to see. Yes, it was smoke! It'd been so rainy that a fire couldn't have started up all on its own, and that lifted Ryo's spirits and brought a great big smile back to his face.

He nearly got whiplash as he turned his head to face the others again. Mia was sitting next to Sage, now, and they nearly jumped at his yells.

"Guys! Sage, Mia, Rowen! I can sense them now! I know where they are!!"

Ryo pointed out the smoke and the ronins concentrated. Within seconds their eyes flew open, virtues also flashing, and Rowen hurried to tell the coastguard where to go. Ryo stayed at the edge looking over at the island with hope.

'Hang in there, you two! We're FINALLY on our way!'

--

Meanwhile, on said island, Cye was sitting upright against a rough palm tree, not moving or talking, and Kento was sitting out on the sand playing with some random little rocks. He'd long since grown tired of staring out at an empty ocean, so he tried to busy his mind to keep from losing it, completely. He seemed content playing with them and talking. Well, he'd wanted to hold a conversation with Cye, but since the water bearer wasn't responding, it was more like he was talking to himself.

"It's been a while since that boat came by. I wonder where it was going… Think the guys were really on there? …I know, we felt them, right? But Ryo can be a bit spacey, sometimes… maybe he didn't see our signal." The slimming ronin glanced over at said signal, seeing as it was starting to go out. "Te fire's sure getting small. Think we should build it up a bit more?" He waited a moment before looking up. "Yeah, it might start raining again at any time, and that would suck."

He sighed and looked back down at the rocks and sand. He could feel the energy he'd gathered earlier starting to leak out of him, already, but he dared not go back to the cave on his own. He hated this… he hated this place, the whole situation… He felt weak, helpless, and hungry on top of it all! It felt as though he hadn't eaten anything in forever! Feeling his stomach complain, Kento decided to follow Cye's example and pulled his knees to his chest, hoping to silence his complaining body. Slowly, he could feel his eyes falling closed as the last bit of his strength left him.

"Well, buddy…. Looks like this is it. I really wish we could have made it back, together… but at least we still have each…other."

"Kento… s-sorry…"

"'Sokay, buddy. Not your fault. Man… so tired…"

"Kento…"

"Kento…!"

The ronin of hard rock could have sworn he heard someone calling for him, but the voices sounded so far away from him. Who was it?

"Kento…! Cye…!"

Calling for Cye, too? Who was it? Who was calling? Trying not to exhaust himself, the warrior lifted his heavy head up off of his knees and weakly glanced out at the open sea. At first, he thought he'd gone nuts, but then, though a blurry haze, he saw it. A boat. Not just any boat, a speed boat! Then it hit him, and a strength he didn't know he had came forth; he stood right up and rubbed his eyes.

"That's not just a speedboat! It's the GUYS on a speedboat! GUUUUUYS!!" He shouted at the top of his hurting lungs. The commotion brought Cye's head up, too, though more weakly. Just offshore, the sounds of their friend's calls echoed on the tides, and the ronins didn't even wait until they reached the shore before jumping out of the slowing boat and running towards their friends on shore. Ryo was out in front, and Kento couldn't have been happier… unless they'd brought food with them. The tired Kento walked briskly towards the leader of the group and they threw their arms around each other, nearly crying tears of joy and relief.

"Kento, I can't believe it! You're really here!"

"Yeah! Hey, what took you so long? We've been waiting, you know!" No matter how tired he had been before, he managed to find time to joke about, and his humor was calming. Although, Rowen was just a bit too excited as he ran at them, nearly knocking the two of them over as he, also hugged Kento.

"MAN, Kento! You look a mess! You okay?"

"I will be, once I get some food in me! I am STARVING!"

"I bet! So how about I take ya out to an all-you-can-eat restaurant all week long?"

"WOO-HOO!"

Sage and Mia finally reached them and they were smiling. Kento was still tearing, slightly, but seeing the caring faces of his friends, he wiped his tears and turned.

"Cye, your fire idea worked! …Cye?"

Everyone followed his gaze to the boy sitting up against the tree. The eldest ronin's head was up a little, resting atop his crossed arms, but he hadn't made any move towards them. Cautiously, Sage and Ryo moved over to him as Rowen followed, supporting Kento. Sage knelt by the boy and immediately noticed his ragged appearance, as well as his infected cuts. He set a hand on the boy's forehead, and getting a feeling, Rowen did the same for Kento. Both had feverish skin, but at least they were alive.

"Guys, we kinda got in a brawl with a bear the other day, which SUCKED. I think he hurt Cye's ribs up pretty bad."

"That's awful!" Mia said with a frown, but the others knew things would be okay. Carefully, Ryo and Sage each took an arm and slowly lifted Cye to his feet. He winced, but for the first in a long time, he smiled, anyway.

"Making a fire… am I a genius or what?"

"You're brilliant, Cye! Just hang in there…"

"Okay…"

The ronins helped their weary friends into the boat, then, and though they had gone through hell, they managed to fall into easy rest, now that they were back in the comfort of their own. But, for some, the memory of this event may not fade so easily.