Ryo hadn't been home in a while. It's funny, he had an apartment but the small room in the mansion from all those years ago felt more like home than that after the long trip he had. He knew Mia wouldn't be home, she was off doing who knows what with her husband. She didn't come back very much either and had said it was fine for home to stay the month while he was was waiting for his apartment.

He would have called the guys, but since things were quiet for such a long time. He was afraid a call would stir up something….he had hope they had moved on with their lives too.

He came up the drive way and saw a note on the door:

Hey Ryo,

My friend is house sitting while I'm out of the country. She knows you're coming. I'll be back in December.

Ps. DONT LET WB in the house. she doesn't know about him.

"House sitter," he mumbled as he scratched his head. How long was her honeymoon going to be????? He sighed and opened the door with his key he had forever, "where is that cat?"

He took a step in and heard loud bussling music in English. He put down his bag and said "hello" quite loudly. He also smelled something spiced on the air as he slipped off his shoes.

There was no response and he slipped on his house shoes and wandered to the kitchen. He knew it was a popular song, he just didn't know the name of the boy band the sang it. He heard the soft chuffing of white blaze and a girl singing. He peered around the corner of the kitchen.

His large white tiger who was not supposed to be in the house has somehow made friends with the house sitter. She was cute as she danced around cooking and singing and he couldn't help but smirk.

She was short, lower than five feet with soft round hips. Her silver hair cut in a bob that swished around her cute round face but was cut to cover one eye. Her skin was pale and eyes blue. She wore a cute shirt blue pleated skirt with a sporty bra like top and matching tennis. He saw scars on her right side, down her back and stomach, and shoulder that looked like burns. She took a spoonful of the sauce was cooking, "picoso, senior Blanco!" She said happily and pet white blazes head and he chirped happily. She spun around and yelped as she saw the man.

She grabbed a knife from the counter, as she brandished it at him, "don't you dare come any closer! I know capoera!"

White blaze perked up and ran to Ryo as he laughed, "I thought Mia told you I was coming today?"

"Today?" She paused as she dropped the knife and looked at the calendar and gasped. "omg it's Saturday. I completely forgot you were coming. Ryo, right??????"

"Yeah," he chuckled as she put the knife in the sink and turned the burner down. She was her hands real quick and he said, "Ryo Sanada. And I see youve met white blaze.".

"Hoshi. Hoshi De La Cruz." She said shaking his hand. She felt the tiger bump his head against her. "oh you mean senior Blanco?"

"Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?" He said as he put his bag down on a chair. He was confused. She looked Japanese. Her first name was Japanese. She sang in English perfectly but her last name was in Spanish and she was speaking Spanish.

"Oh yeah, bet that's confusing," she laughed as she went back to stir the food. "My cousin was the best man at the marriage between Mia and Juan. I came to the wedding as my cousin's plus one. We just hit it off as friends. My biological parents are Japanese American I guess. Put me up for adoption and I was adopted by the De La Cruz family. So…Mia thought it would be good to get in touch with my birth culture while her and Juan went on their world wide tour….."

He nodded. That did sound like Mia. "she said u didn't know about him…."

"Oh he was moping outside day one like a stray street cat. So I gave him some steak and he's been my best friend. " white blaze flopped next to Ryo and almost grinned at him.

Ryo sighed, "he is a house cat at this point."

She giggled. He smirked to himself. She was cute. Been a long time since he had thought that about a girl. He saw her grab a spoon and come back over, "do you like spicy?"

"Yes," He grinned.

"Oh good.My moms recipe for Mole," she said as he handed it to him to taste.

He took the taste. A complex flavor that he could only describe as similar to curry but vastly different. Hot and sweet, creamy. He smirked, "I think I'm in love."

She giggled again, "with me or the food?"

He was gonna go for it, "and what if I said both?"

He saw he turn bright red, "behave."

She didn't say no…

Meeting women was hard for him or any of the guys as far as he knew. The last girl he had any feelings for had died and it took a long time for him to get over that. Women were also fairly perceptive that his life was complex…

Hoshi tried to change subject as white blaze rubbed on her, "I still have to make the chicken, rice and tortillas…. About another hour. If you want go get cleaned up…"

"Sure," he said as he got up and white blaze pushed him along over to her. Was he trying to hook them up to? Maybe it was meant to be? The tiger had instincts.

Hoshi lost her balance because of the tiger's tail. And he caught her against his chest. He was warm. So warm. Hoshi could feel such strong heat from him the warmed her. Her heart was racing as she looked up at him. He was so handsome. He had dark sun kissed skin and blue tiger eyes with wild unruly curls. She found her mouth dry when she spoke, "sorry .."

He stood her up, and pet her head, "it's all good."

She watched him grab his bag and leave for upstairs. Blaze huffed at her as she she winced at her arm sting. She saw the kanji for heart light up and she looked at blaze as she rubbed it away, "you wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

He chuffed and rolled in his back, as she got the chicken out. She also got a steak for him, "is he like him …I can't do that again…."

She felt tears sting her eyes. And the white blaze bumped her arm and she shook it off. "you're right, that was a long time ago."

She continued singing to songs from the USA and it wasn't long before she heard steps coming down. He was nice enough. And handsome. Could she start living her life again?

She plates up two plates and set them at the table. And heard white blaze growl, "your steak is coming…"

She turned and gulped. Her heart was hammering as she fell back trying to turn to run.

She didn't recognize what it was but she could feel what it was. Similar to things she had seen in her past even if it looked different. It was armor seven to 8 feet tall that oozed and seethed darkness as it stared her down.

White Blaze stood between her and the other worldly being as it chuckled, "I will be rewarded well for returning you to the Nether Realm."

No matter what power she had, it was defensive and highly valued. If she used it more would come, she could only defend against one…

"Hey asshole, leave the girl alone," said a loud male voice.

She looked around the armor and saw Ryo. "Don't, you'll get hurt!"

"Don't worry about me, hot stuff."

She felt her cheeks flush, "this is not the time to flirt dumbass!"

He laughed as the armor chuckled and turned at him and she screamed. Closing her eyes. She heard a loud clang and when she opened them she saw Ryo adorned in an armor like none she had ever seen before. It was like a modern version of an old samurai armor but made out of some beautiful white and red alloy. Her heart beat fast as she watched him exchange blows with armor and her face was hot. What was this feeling?

Ryo slashed the armor in half but not before it nicked him. It has been a bit since a shadow soldier had come out for him to fight.

He shed his armor and his arm dropped in blood. Blaze ran over as he walked over to Hoshi, "are you okay?"

"Am I ok?" She squeezed as she hopped up, "you're bleeding!"

He laughed, "just a little…"

"Dumbass," she grumbled as she placed her hands on it. She closed her eyes and he saw a kanji for heart glow on her arm glow in a ruby red. The wound on his arm slowed and slowly closed.

She collapsed against him and he grabbed her. He sighed and looked at blaze, "well did Mia know about this?"

He scooped her up. He didn't know which room she was in. He would lay her in his room until she woke up. Who was this girl? Did she have armor? That was definitely a virtue. Why did that shadow soldier try to grab her and why did she not try to put on her armor then? He was so curious.

He laid her on the bed and laid across from her on the other side. She was so cute and peaceful looking.

He saw her eye flutter open and she sat up, "aye dios…."

He laid on his back and put his hands behind his head, "you okay? What was that?"

She looked him up and down, "you have armor?"

He held up his orb, "yep. You?"

She shook her head, "No more like an armor healer."

"Never heard of that," he said sitting up intrigued.

"Neither had Mia," Hoshi said as she pulled her knees to her. "I was in an accident about five years ago …that's when I met her. Her grandpa was friends with Juan." She paused as she hid her face, "there was a bad fight and we lost. Juan had called for your grandfather but ended up reaching Mia and she came out ….she helped my remaining friends win."

"So Juan has armor," Ryo asked.

Hoshi nodded.

"There's more of us. She hasn't told us that," Ryo grumbled. He touched the burn on her side. "is that how this happened?"

She flinched but his touch was so warm, "yes…"

"You don't have to tell me. I'll protect you tho."

"Why? We just met?!!!!! I could be a terrible person?"

He laughed at her little tantrum, and touched her face. "I've met terrible people. You have had a lot happen but no. You are not bad," he chuckled. "Besides, what kind of man would let a hot girl get hurt?"

"Hot?" She flushed bright red.

"Hot," he grinned. He likes how she blushed at his crazy compliments. She was so cute. He decided to flirt a little more, "I'll keep saving you if you end up in my bed too…"

She squealed and hid her face. He laughed loudly and she realized he was trying to get a reaction. She realized he was only wearing shorts. Had he run out of the shower to save her? She blushed, he had so many muscles. There were also so many scars.

She asked, "you've been hurt in battle before?"

"Yeah, I heal fast cuz of the armor though."

She reached out to touch one on his abdomen and felt her the warmth again. "There's 9 of you. Your armors came from one but then forged into 9. It only takes five to make the original though…."

He touched his hand on hers, "that's a neat trick…"

"That's why I'm dangerous. I can tell almost anything about those I heal."

He smirked, "can you tell what else I'm thinking?"

She blushed even redder, and scrambled out of the bed, "pervert."

"Nice ass!"

"Get dressed and come eat dumbass."

She stomped out and he laughed. She was feisty. But yeah that was dangerous. He reached for his new Nokia phone and sent a text to Mia, "call me when you have a chance."

Hoshi came downstairs to find the plates empty and the steak gone and white blaze licking his paws clean. She groaned, "you mongrel.. "

Ryo came down a few minutes ago later to see her washing dishes, "where's the food?"

"Senior Blanco ate it all. "

"BLAZE!"

She sighed, "I have some instant ramen."

"That's fine," he laughed as she turned on the kettle. He liked watching her move. She was graceful with her short little legs. She had powers. Knew of armors. Could it work out? He was gonna flirt when he and see where it would go.

She got a couple of ramen bowls out of the cupboard and filled them with hot water as he sat at the table. She brought the bowls over and sat next to him.

"Thank you again."

He just smirked, "anything for you pretty lady."

She slurped some noodles, "really?"

"Hm?"

"You think I'm pretty?"

He looked at her confused as he swirled his noodles, "yeah?"

She touched her burns, "really?"

He reached out and touched her face, he had gotten less blunt over the years. The burns were soft but waxy, "we all have our scars. Yours don't make you any less pretty."

She turned bright red, eyes stinging with tears. "Thank you…." She leaned over and pecked his cheek.

They finished their noodles quietly. She sighed, "been a long day. I'm going to bed early. I do have left overs in the fridge. Please help yourself."

He watched her walk away, her butt was so cute. White Blaze looked at him, "what, I'm a man with needs."

White blaze chuffed and sauntered off to who knew where.

He got up and threw out his ramen bowl and heard a buzzing and then soft ringing. She had left her cell phone down stairs. He picked it up and went up stairs, he guess it was the room with light and music on. "Hey Hoshi you left your phone…."

He looked up as she dropped her towel. She was gorgeous. Small body with soft curves and perky tits that were pierced. His face felt hot as he froze and she scrambled for her towel. He didn't really hear what she yelled at him as she grabbed the phone and pushed him out while closing the door.

He smirked to himself as he sauntered off to his room. He needed to relieve himself after seeing such a gorgeous sight.

Hoshi flopped on her bed and buried her face in her pillow to scream after she got out of her shower. It has been such a long day… she didn't need to end with some random guy seeing her naked… she screamed even louder but the pillow muffled. She had been so used to her and white blaze.

She felt a cold nose on her and pet his head, he probably came in through the window. "He's your friend."

White Blaze chuffed and she hugged his head as he laid it next to her for comfort, "it's been almost ten years….will I ever be ready to open my heart again…."

He licked her cheeks and whined, and she continued, "I know he's your friend….do you trust him that much?"

Blaze nodded and she sighed. And buried her face in his fur again, "I believed in the last man too …he could protect me .."

She felt a soft chuffing of annoyance.

"Ryo is not him, huh?"

She smirked. "Still, I am not easy. I'm going to take it slow …"

The tiger licked her cheek and curled up next to her. She laid back and sighed. It was time to move on.