Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ End of Pain ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

The End of Pain

Chapter 2.

Sage tossed and turned in his bed. He had laid down about 10:30 P.M. and it was after 2 in the morning. His parents were already asleep, as were his sisters, and he did not wish to bother them. He got out of bed and sneaked down the hall and down the stairs. He glanced at the phone, debating whether he should or shouldn't. Just as he was reaching for the phone, the door opened and Sage jumped, quickly getting ready to fight whoever was coming through. Hadn't the front door been locked?

An elderly man stared almost amused at him. "Seiji, what are you doing up at this late hour?"

"I.... nothing, Grandpa," Sage answered. "I just couldn't sleep."

"Why is that?"

Sage knew there was no way his grandfather would allow him to leave until he told him everything. So Sage did just that, telling his grandfather his concern about Rowen and wishing the Police would do something.

"What can I do?" he moaned. "He runs away the Police will just go and find him and make him go back, no one knows where his mother is, and his father won't let him live with any of us."

"There's not much you can do, Seiji," the elderly man told him gently. "You will need to find someone who will believe you, or get proof of the abuse."

Sage looked up, startled, at his grandfather. "Proof?" The old man nodded. Sage suddenly brightened. "Domo, Grandfather! You're the greatest!" He hugged his grandfather and quickly went up the stairs like a shadow.

Grandpa Date watched him curiously. What was that child up to?

Rowen sneaked into the living room, and glanced toward the couch. His dad was sprawled across it, out cold, one hand still clutching a half empty beer bottle. He sneaked to the front door and quickly went out, shutting the door behind him. He paused to take a breath, then quickly shot down the steps, down the walkway, and off into the night. He ran and ran and ran until he was about six blocks away from his house. He found a payphone, and ran to it. He threw in some change into the slot, and punched in some numbers. The phone rang and rang and rang and rang. No answer. He waited more. Still there was no answer. With a defeated sigh, he hung the phone up, and received his change.

So much for that idea, he thought as he stuck his money back into his pocket. He turned unwillingly and headed for home.

Star awoke with a gasp as she sat up in bed in the middle of the night. She glanced toward her sleeping friend, and laid her head back down onto the pillow with a sigh as she folded her hands over her chest.

What was that dream anyway? Seven armors, and a..... a poem. Torch of spirit sought through seven. Drinking strength from immortal fire. The darkest prison sheds the light. Churning beneath a swirl of salt. Twirling with a burst of fire. Burning within a throne of rock. Gleaming with power in the night time sky. Floating amongst the eyes of ages unmoored in the stream of the sky.

The poem echoed in her head again and again. And then the images of seven armors flashed through her mind. A red armor, a light blue armor, a green armor, a dark blue armor, an orange armor, a pink and black armor with purple trimmings, and a baby blue armor with purple trimming.

Star sighed. Just what did this dream mean? And why does it seem so real? The questions only stopped when she drifted off to sleep.

Firestorm flew through the halls of Hana High, shrieking, "I'm late!" She zipped past fellow students, wondering why on earth History class had to be all the way on the seventh floor and Science class all the way on the first floor.

As she rounded the corner of the stairs she smacked into someone with light brown hair. Both fell, and Firestorm began to fall off the steps, when a strong slender hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her back up right until she and the person landed on the landing at the top of the stairs, with her on top of the person.

"Yikes!" Stands up, realizing what just happened. "Gomen nasai! I didn't mean to....." she trails off when he stands up, sea blue eyes flashing brightly as he smiles gently at her.

"It's all right. I'm used to getting knocked down. Cye Mouri." He held out his hand and Firestorm shook it while in a daze. "I.... uh.... I'm......" The bell rang. "LATE!" In one instant she turns and is down the stairs and out of his sight.

Cye shook his head. What a strange girl, but she was pretty though.

Star looked up when her friend burst into class with a red face and watched as she took a seat next to Ryo Sanada. She shook her head as the teacher turned to Firestorm.

"Late again, Miss Storm?" Ms. Lonoie barked. "And do you care explaining why?"

Firestorm shrugged. "I was coming to class, wishing it was my last when these aliens show up in the hall. They zapped at me, and before I could get away, I am hit and I fall. They took me on their spaceship and stripped me to examine me. I know nothing of what else occurred, since they took half my brain away."

The class whistled, Star smirked, and Ryo just shook his head with a grin. After a glare from the teacher the class quieted. Ms. Lonoie glared at Firestorm. "This is Science class, Miss Storm, not a poet's committee!"

"Some of the most educated people are poets," Firestorm muttered.

"What did you say?!"

Firestorm looked up innocently. "Nothing. Not a thing." Mutters, "Cruella."

Star only covered her mouth and Ryo just grinned. He did not know Firestorm personally, but from what he saw so far, she was a trip.

A young teenager was rushed into emergency hospital with a large gash on the back of his head. His father tried to follow but was stopped by a nurse who had a form.

"I'm sorry, sir, but your son is in good hands. Please have a seat in the waiting room and fill this out."

Grudgingly the man took it and went the waiting room.

Sage glanced worriedly at the empty desk. Rowen hadn't been in school all day. He knew it was only second period, but Rowen was never this late. Where could he be?

"Mr. Date, is there a problem?"

"Ne, nani?" He looked up at Mr. Koolus. "I'm sorry, Mr. Koolus. I'm just worried about my friend."

The teacher smiled kindly at him. "He is probably just ill, Mr. Date. He will return to class." He went to the front of the class, allowing Sage to return to his work.

Next to him Kento glanced at him worriedly. Man, he's never been this stressed before. I wonder where Rowen is?

His eyes slowly opened and pain shot through his head like a thousand swords at once. He grunted in pain and it took a few moments for everything to come into focus.

I.... I'm in the hospital. What am I doing here? he wondered as he looked around. A nurse noticed and turned to him.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked kindly.

Rowen glanced at her wearily. "Um, what.... what happened to me?"

"Oh, your father said you tripped on the basement steps at home. You cracked the back of your head open. You have twenty two stitches in the back of your head."

"Nani?" Rowen reached his hand behind his head and felt several thick bandages. He laid his arm back at his side and frowned. Now he remembered. He had been getting ready for school when his father staggered into his room. 'I know you took off during the night to call that whore of a mother of yours.' Rowen did not reply as he finished buttoning up his shirt. He turned around to grab his belt off his bed, when his father grabbed his metal baseball bat from a corner and whacked him across the back of the head.'

Rowen glanced at the nurse as she was checking him. He couldn't tell her that. Everytime, he tried to tell an adult that his father was abusing him, no one believed him. So why bother anymore? One thing for sure, Rowen was getting fed up with the abuse.

He felt a prick in his arm and glanced at the nurse quickly. "Just something to help you rest," she told him. He felt the warm substance flowing through his veins, before it put him into a deep sleep.

At lunch time Ryo walked in and passed several students standing in a group. Some said hello, and he returned the favor. He got in the lunch line, grabbed his lunch, paid for it, then joined Kento, Cye, and Sage at the table.

"Hey, where's Rowen?" he asked as he set his tray on the table and sat down next to Sage. Sage had a gloomy look to his face.

"He's not here," Kento said as he stuffed some french fries in his mouth.

"I haven't seen him all day," Cye answered as he took a drink of his chocolate milk.

"He's not in school, Ryo," Sage said softly. His voice held concern in it. The reason was clear. Rowen never missed a day of school. And if he was going to miss, he would have called one of them to let them know. So all of them were very worried and concerned about him.

Sage made a vow to himself. As soon as school let out he was going to see Rowen.