She never wanted to let him out of her sight again, despite the fact that she knew that wasn't remotely possible. He still had to go to school—he could be kept out for at least a week while he rested from what had to have been an ordeal, but then he would have to go back. It was important that Ryan get an education, no matter how often he complained of being "constantly surrounded by idiots".
Not many people there seemed to properly appreciate Ryan's irreverent sense of humor, and even fewer seemed to want to get to know him beyond the front that he put up. Ryan was a good boy, maybe a little over-enthusiastic sometimes, but everyone could use a bit of excitement in their lives. Still, the people at Ryan's school – at least from the way he described them – didn't seem to want any. To hear Ryan tell it, they were happy being boring.
"Mom! Breathing starting to become an issue here," Ryan called, his voice muffled by something.
"Oh!" Norma let go, watching as Ryan took a few deep breaths. She knew from the way he was carrying on that he was just being melodramatic, but with what he had gone through, she thought he was more than entitled. "I'm sorry about that," she said, grinning as she helped Ryan dust himself off.
"No harm done, Mom," he said, leaning in slightly as she kissed him on the crown of his skull.
"So," she started, looking over at the smaller, dark-haired boy that was standing next to her son. "Who's your new friend?"
XxXxX
As Sho watched Ryan with his parents, he began to feel a thick, hot pain radiating from the back of his throat. He would never get to have another time like this: talking with his father, having his mother comfort him after an ordeal like the one he and Ryan had gone through… He would never have anything like it ever again.
+Ryan, I think you should stay here.+
+What'd you mean by that, Sho?+
+When Agito comes, I promise I won't tell him about you,+ Sho swore, fighting not to let any of his emotions show on his face. +But you should stay here with your family; you deserve at least that much.+
+What are you going on about, Sho? What do you mean, I deserve it? You're not making any sense.+
Watching Ryan's father as he lifted his son up into an embrace and then ruffled his hair, Sho blinked rapidly to try and stifle his tears. He didn't want to worry Ryan or his parents, but he also didn't want to be responsible for taking Ryan away from the people who obviously loved him. Ryan should at least get to enjoy the kind of life that Sho had given up when he became a Guyver.
But then, he remembered that Chronos had seen Ryan's face; they had heard Ryan's voice. Mr. Murakami knew who he was!
+Ryan, maybe you should come with us.+
+Okay, now you're starting to confuse me. Do you want me to come with you or not?+
+You should come; I'll tell Agito what happened to you. I think he might even be willing to hide your family from Chronos, too.+
+And now you want me to come with you. Which is it, Sho?+ Ryan sounded annoyed and confused, but mostly confused and Sho didn't want to take the chance of making him angry.
+I want you to come, Ryan,+ Sho said. +And I think you should bring your family, too. Agito can protect them from Chronos.+
Sho, deciding not to mention his own father for fear of the memories it would bring back, looked over at Ryan. The red-haired Guyver was still in the arms of his father, still being comforted by his mother. How could he ask Ryan to give this up? How could he, when he wanted it for himself? He wanted to have both his father and mother back; he wanted to have his father look at him with such loving pride, have his mother smile at him the way Ryan's did. But his mother was dead, his father was dead, and the closest he could come was to watch Ryan's small family.
But Chronos was still a threat, and even more so since they had seen Ryan's face and been to his house. Mr. Murakami had been the one to lead them there, and with what Ryan had done to him… It was really for the best that Ryan and his family evacuate with Agito. Wasn't it?
+You said that you were in Colorado Springs, didn't you, Fukamachi?+
+Yes.+
+Good; I'll be there very soon. Have you explained to Crouger about Chronos?+
+I have,+ Sho paused for a moment, then decided to tell Agito about what had happened. All of it—maybe it would hurt less to talk about Mr. Murakami now that he'd had some time to fully absorb what had happened. +Agito, there's something else I have to tell you.+
+What is it?+
+It's— it's about Mr. Murakami.+
+Murakami? Murakami was killed back at Relics Point. He's dead, Fukamachi.+
+No, he's not,+ Sho said, feeling small and weak and miserable.
+What do you mean by that?+
+Mr. Murakami – he was— he was taken by Chronos. They… did something to him. He's a Zoalord; he— he works for them now.+
+What?!+
Sho, not feeling up to repeating what he had just said, turned back to watching Ryan and his family. But that hurt, too; it served as a reminder of what he would never – could never – be able to have again. Ryan's father loved him; that much was obvious. And his mother… Sho could just barely remember his own mother, and what memories he had were blunted by the passage of time. She had been kind – he could recall that much at least.
The focus of his memories was mostly on his father, on trying to think of the good times they'd had together. Before Chronos; before the Zoanoids; before he'd ever found the Guyver and had every possibility of a normal life destroyed. Before… everything had gone wrong.
And now it was happening all over again, to someone who'd risked his life to try and save him. Ryan was a good person, if a bit too intense for his taste at times; he didn't deserve to have his life destroyed by Chronos. Of course, there were times that Sho wondered just what he had done to deserve all of the horror that he and his friends had lived through since Chronos had come into their lives. Tetsuro and Mizuki… they probably didn't even know that he had survived that last battle. Or maybe Agito had told them already…
+Agito?+
+What is it, Fukamachi?+
+Have you been in contact with Mizuki and Tetsuro?+
+No. I haven't contacted any of them. I am certain that that would be the first thing Chronos expects us to do, and I don't want to make it any easier for them to find us than the discovery of Crouger and Murakami's information would.+
+I understand.+