Yume- Ok, how many of you thought a new chap wouldn't come out so fast. And by fast, I mean less than for years? First, thanks for the kind reviews. They helped to motivate me (though it also helps that Golden Heart periodicaly check on my progress since the last post). This is a kinda slowish chapter in my opinion. But the action will start up soon. Please enjoy.
Inside a Box
Chapter 4- A Testing
"This is all so cool!" cried Kento, eyes darting around. The city was so a buzz with activity that even the cool and collected Sage couldn't help but stare. The roar of cars racing down the streets, the tall metal skyscrapers, the flashing lights. Just the thought of going from the feudal era to the 21st century made Ryo dizzy.
To help the ronins blend in, Dais has cast an illusion so that the boys now wore modern clothes, thanks to a few magazines the dark-haired human had found in an overstuffed mailbox.
The group was heading to a local pawn shop to sell off some items that Dr. Koji had acquired during his lifetime. Ryo felt some guilt about selling the possessions of the deceased man. However the group needed money. Each of the five boys carried a box full of items in an epic clean up they had performed the day before. There were still more artifacts waiting to be sorted through back in the large shrine.
At last they arrived at the pawn shop, a green building with gold lettering. The bell jingled as they entered. The shop keeper greeted them with a warm smile. He was perhaps in his late 20s.
"Welcome. What can I do for you?"
Rowen set his box down on the counter. "We have some interesting items to sell."
The clerk looked into the box and his eyes lit up. "My word!" He removed a small dagger from the box and examined it carefully. "This can't be! A dagger from the Hondo clan that existed over 300 years ago!"
Rowen reached in the box and pulled out a marble statue of a nine tailed fox about to strike. "And here's a youko demon statue made in the Edo era."
The man lit up again. "Oh my!" He turned and shouted over his shoulder. "Honey! Come in here and see this!" The clerk began piling more artifacts on the counter.
A petite and lovely looking woman entered from the back room, book in hand. "What is it dear?" Upon seeing the collection sprawled on the counter, the book fell forgotten from her grasp. She too began gushing over the items.
The next half hour was spent with evaluating each item, Rowen explaining the history of some items. The couple had questioned why the group hadn't brought "their grandfather's" valuable collection to a museum. Sage gave them a believable response of being turned away because the curator didn't take them seriously.
Finally able to leave and with plenty of money in hand, the group headed to their next destination; the grocery store. Gathering what was needed, they headed home. on their way back, Ryo spotted an ice cream stand.
"Guys, wanna try some ice cream?"
"What's ice cream?" questioned Sage.
"Is it good?" Kento licked his lips.
Ryo smiled. "Come on." He stepped in line behind a young boy and pointed at the menu. "Just choose whatever flavor that sounds good to you." As the for demons decided, Ryo stepped forward for his turn. "I'll take a chocolate cone, please And whatever they want."
"I'll have mint," said Sage.
"Rocky road for me." Kento.
"Vanilla please." Cye.
"Cookies and cream." Rowen
Each taking a cone, the demons took a tentative lick. Instantly their eyes lit up and they attacked the ice-cream. Well, Kento did, the other's were more controlled.
"This is amazing!" Kento cried. "It's my new favorite food."
Cye rolled his eyes. "Everything is your new favorite food."
"Hey!"
Laughter erupted around the boys.
"Look, another runaway poster."
The comment of a passerby chilled Ryo.
"It says here he's a frequent runaway."
"Makes you wonder why he's run away so many times."
"Probably rebelling."
"Dude your ice cream's melting." Kento voice brought Ryo out of his daze.
"Hey Ryo, are you feeling okay, man?" questioned Rowen.
"Maybe you're still a little under the weather," commented Cye.
Ryo waved away their concern. "I'm fine. Just spaced out a little."
At the temple, the warlords sat gathered around the kitchen table.
"So Anubis," began Dais. "I'm assuming you have come to a decision about the boy."
"I plan to test him. I need the three of you to keep the ronins occupied. I'm certain they would not approve of my methods."
Cale grunted. "They are too attached to the brat."
Shekmet swirled his drink. "It's easy for them. After all, they came after we left Tapla."
"Speaking of old metal head, do we even need the concern ourselves with the brat anyway? It's not like Tapla's going to pop out tomorrow," pointed out Cale.
"But there is a risk." Dais looked to their leader. "We will keep the children away."
Anubis nodded in thanks.
"We're home!" called Cye as the group walked through the door. The teens unloaded their cargo in the kitchen. Whiteblaze greeted Ryo with a low rumble and a rub against his leg.
"Hey, Blaze. Miss us?" The teen laughed as he saw the tiger's eyes follow some streak into the fridge. "Sorry boy, that's for us. This one is for you." Ryo reached over and opened a package of streak.
"Can you give it to him outside?" questioned Cye. "He'll make a mess in here."
"Sure. Come on Blaze." The human and tiger stepped outside. Ryo tossed the slab of meat and Whiteblaze caught it in midair, immediately tearing into it. With a smile, Ryo turned from his furry friend only to jump in surprise to find Anubis behind him.
"Oh! Uh...Hi Anubis." The warlords always intimidated him. While Anubis
wasn't mean to him like the others, his constant watching unnerved him.
Whiteblaze moved to the human's side, having finished his treat.
"Come with me, boy." The warlord turned and walked away. Ryo nervously followed with the tiger trailing behind.
He was led into a large dojo. This was his first time venturing to this side of the house since he began living there. The warlords were often using this room to spar so Ryo tended to avoid it. The walls of the dojo were covered with various weapons. Some the likes of which Ryo couldn't name.
Anubis looked to the feline that sat near the shoji door. He spoke quietly, knowing the tiger would hear him. "I'm too assume you will not interfere?"
Brown eyes stared down red, a quiet rumble rolling from the powerful beast. A warning.
Seeming to find the response acceptable, the red head turned his attention back to Ryo. "Why were you out here all alone, boy?"
The question startled the raven haired child. "What?"
"In our time, the Sanadas were a powerful and large clan. You are obviously and orphan."
Ryo turned his eyes down. Sensing the change in mood, Whiteblaze rubbed against his leg in comfort. A tan hand absently petted the fur.
"My parents died when I was young. I lived with my grandmother until she passed. I had no other family so I ended up at an orphanage."
"Then you ran away."
Silence followed.
Anubis took a sword off the wall. "Were you even trained to fight, while your father was alive?"
"Only a little. My dad started to teach me some martial arts just before he died. Why?" Ryo turned to look at Anubis. "Whoa!" He barely dodged a blow to the head. "What are you doing!"
"The blood of the greatest samurai flows in your veins. Now, defend yourself." Anubis swung again.
Ryo ran, avoiding another near miss. "But I don't know how to fight!"
A rumble drew Ryo's panicked mind to Whiteblaze. The tiger turned his head towards the wall. Blue eyes followed the movement to see a pair of kanatas.
"Ha!" Anubis was charging again.
Ryo rolled away, reaching out to grab a blade. He quickly brought the weapon up. Only when the metal collided, sending an echo throughout the entire room, did Ryo realize he wielded twin kanatas.
Anubis pulled back. "Nicely done."
Ryo stared in confusion. "What was that all about?"
At that moment, the ronins busted through dojo door, leaving a huge hole in the paper.
"What's going on!" demanded Rowen.
Cye rushed over to the human's side. "Are you okay, Ryo?"
Kento glared at Anubis. "You better have not hurt him!"
Anubis merely turned away to replace his weapon.
"Guys, I'm okay," said Ryo.
"We should have known something was up when the Warlords sprung on a surprise spar."
"You three are over reacting," commented Sage.
"What do you mean? Anubis could have killed him," cried Rowen.
"Whiteblaze was here. There's no way he'd let any harm come to Ryo."
"Which is why you idiots can now fix the giant hole you caused in the door," stated Dais, pushing the ruined shoji door open to enter the room.
"What?" whined Kento. "Just use you're magic. It's was your fault anyway."
Dais scoffed. "We weren't the one to bust through the door."
"Even if you had reason to worry, you could have just opened it," stated Shekmet.
"So get to it," ordered Cale.
"Yea yea. Hey Ryo, you know how to use those?" Kento questioned when he spotted the weapons in his friend's hands.
"Uh not really." Ryo took a moment to stare at the kanatas before carefully returning them to their place on the wall. "Come on. I'll show you how we normal people fix a door."
When the five left the room, the warlords looked to their leader.
"He is the last to carry the blood of the Sanadas," said Anubis.
Dais looked a bit surprised. "The last? The curse has gone on this long. That means..."
Anubis nodded. "The protection has been lost. The boy surely would have met his end if he hadn't found us."
"Are you going to tell the brats?" asked Cale.
Shekmet snorted. "No real need. Whether they know or not, I doubt it will change their opinion."
"But what now?'"
"We shall train him," declared Anubis. "While there might be no war on the horizon, without the protection, he will die without our presence."
Yume- I realized as I typed this chapter, Anubis doesn't talk alot. Well, he has been thinking a lot lately. As for the ending, I actually wanted to end on a happy note, but the warlords just had to have the last scene. And I know I'm going to get people wanting to know about this "curse" and "protection". Don't expect any updates until mid Sept or Oct. Why? The Anime Vegas convention is labor day weekend (been all 7 years) and the next best thing to happen, KH birth by sleep! I will be playing that in my free time.
Until next time. Ja ne!