Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Pain, Joy, Life ❯ Ryuken: Dragon Sword ( Chapter 11 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Pain, Joy, Life


Chapter 11
Ryuken: The Dragon Sword



Ryo-






Seiji wouldn't take the necklace Sister Helen had given Ryo. "Consider your debt paid if you come back to school."

"I can't." Ryo told him. "I-I've gotta get a j-job." He had to find work to take care of granma. This wasn't like before when they had the shelter to rely on for food and a roof over their heads. Now, Ryo was going to have to go back to taking care of them both.

"Have you had any luck?" Seiji asked sharply. "How many jobs have you found so far?"

Ryo blushed and was glad for the darkness of Seiji's bedroom so Seiji wouldn't see it. "One." The only job Ryo had found was the one working for Seiji's family.

Seiji, thankfully, didn't point that out to Ryo. "Then you've got nothing to lose, Ryo. Your granma can come here to stay during the day, I know my family wouldn't mind..."

"That won't be necessary, young man."

The bedroom lights flashed on suddenly and both boys turned to find Ryo's granma standing in the doorway with her coat all ready on. Seiji came closer, making his way around the bed and coming closer to Ryo than he had been since Ryo had woken him up. 'I will NOT think about that! Seiji wasn't coming onto me, he just thought I was Xiu.'

"Sanada-san, are you sure..."

Ryo's granma, looking far more possessed than she had just a few hours ago, stepped into the bedroom, though her steps were slightly halting and she moved slowly, her eyes held the steel Ryo hadn't seen in months. She looked nice, with her hair all piled up into a neat bun on her head and her clothes had been recently washed by Dr. Date. "I'm quite sure. Ryo and I are fully able to take care of ourselves." Her voice was not as strong as Ryo remembered it, but it was more confident and sure than it had been in a long time.

Ryo quickly went to his granma's side and she put an arm on his shoulder for support. Ryo was used to being used as a walking stick for his granma. "W-we have to go now?"

She nodded. "Yes. We should get moving or Kanto will try to convince us to stay another day."

"But, ma'am," Seiji said, concerned. "It's the middle of the night. Surely it would safer for you both to wait until daylight." Seiji cast a fast look at his alarm clock and Ryo followed his look. It was only barely four in the morning and, Seiji was right that the sun wouldn't rise for a few hours yet.

"We will be fine, but thank you for your concern." She put a hand on Ryo's hair and turned towards him. "Have you repaid his family's kindness, yet?"

Ryo sighed and showed her the necklace. "I tried, but he w-won't take it."

"If you're both so intent on repaying kindness," Seiji spoke up quickly. "I'd like more than anything for Ryo to come back to school. Our friends miss him a lot and they're going through some hard times."

That caught Ryo's attention sharply. "What happened?"

Seiji turned his look back to Ryo and Ryo got the distinct impression that he'd fallen into a trap that Seiji had laid. "Shin got arrested for something that Touma did and we don't know what's going on with them. The last thing I heard was that Touma went to the police station to see Shin, but I haven't heard a word since then. They're going to need all the friends they have, now."

"What is it that this Touma boy is said to have done?" Ryo's granma asked.

"He stabbed his dad and his dad's in the hospital." Seiji didn't sound at all upset by this. "He hasn't woken up, from the last I heard, but he is still alive and Shin told everyone HE did it."

Ryo felt awful. This was another of those times when he wanted to help, but had no idea how to do it. 'I still have to find Joji and Yoko to make sure they're all right. I have to get money for food and medicine. I have to find somewhere for Yaku-chan to hunt. I have to see if Touma and Shin are all right.' The list seemed to get longer with each passing day and Ryo was starting to feel the weight gathering on his shoulders.

Deep inside Ryo's mind, a soft voice whispered, 'I can make it all better.' It was a smooth voice, seductive in the way that the words seemed to worm through Ryo's troubled mind and soothe him. 'I can help make your pain go away and give you a better life. Just give me a little freedom.'

'This pain IS my life!' Ryo retorted almost bitterly. 'Without the pain, I wouldn't have a life.' Now, that was depressing, yet true, thought. He tried not to listen to the voice. 'I can handle this. I don't need you!'

'Yes, you do. We are apart of each other.'

The flame in Ryo's mind grew brighter, warming him nicely. 'I can make Shit Face tell you where our friends are and then I can make him dead. I can make sure Bishop Brannon never hurts another child again. I can force the police to let our friends go. I can make sure our granma is never without a home, or food, or medicine. Everything will be better for us if you will let me out, Ryo.'

'They're my friends, not yours.' Ryo told the voice possessively.

'We are the same. What belongs to you, belongs to me.'

'No!' Ryo remembered the last time he'd lost control. It had been after the...incident with Bishop Brannon and Ryo managed to get himself surrounded by a gang of young men and women. He'd been alone and they had weapons, knives and brass knuckles, along with chains and very unfriendly expressions. Ryo had been so scared that he let the fire out, he'd listened to the sensual voice in his mind. Moments later, the alley they'd trapped Ryo in was engulfed in flames and six people were dead. 'I'm not going to do that again!'

So Ryo pushed the voice and fire back down, with a bit of concentration, before focusing again on what his granma was saying to Seiji.

"Ryo and I will be on our way before anyone wakes up. Please, give our regards to your family, Seiji. As for the repayment," She looked at Ryo sternly. "Your request will be granted. Ryo will be returning to school in the morning."

"What?!" Ryo nearly shouted, turning on his granma. 'She can't be serious! I've got to much to do, to much to worry about. I can't leave her alone all day and Yaku-Chan has to hunt sometime so he can't always be with her. What if someone tries to hurt her?'

"Did you say something?" Ryo's granma turned to Ryo and her eyes narrowed slightly.

"No, ma'am." Ryo answered, remembering the fight granma had in her. There simply was no denying her what she wanted. "I-I'll go." 'But I don't have to be happy about it.' He swallowed hard and followed his granma out of Seiji's bedroom.

'You make this much harder than it needs to be, Ryo.' The voice whispered. It was always with him. Always.






The next day-






Ryo was still not happy about leaving his granma at the abandoned gas station all alone, but he had little choice. Most of his life he'd been trained to obey her without question as well as to uphold his and his family's honor. Right now, his honor now depended on giving into Seiji's request.

"You stay here." Ryo told Byakuen while he was getting ready to leave for school. Unfortunately, he'd all ready turned in his ill-fitting uniform and all the books he'd gotten from his last, short, stay in school. Today would mean the hassle of going back through all the aggravation again.

Byakuen grumbled his irritation at the order, showing that he didn't like being told what to do by batting at Ryo with one of his massive paws. He hadn't liked staying at the shelter and he didn't like this.

Ryo let the paw strike him, not even bothering to move out of the way when Byakuen pinned him to the ground. He knew Byakuen would never really hurt him. "G-granma needs you." Ryo explained, placating his friend by rubbing Byakuen's belly with a hand.

Reluctantly, Byakuen let Ryo get up, but he whined again with displeasure.

"I-I'll bring back meat, I p-promise." Ryo vowed, though he had a sinking feeling about where he'd be getting the meat. It would mean he'd have to go pick pocketing after school to buy some meat or go hunting for strays. Frankly, pick pocketing was easier. Then again, hunting didn't hurt his honor like stealing did.

The promised meat raised Byakuen's spirits a little and he licked Ryo's face in a forgiving manner. Ryo laughed and stood up, just briefly looking to where his granma was still asleep. The gas station was basically empty, except for the things Sister Jo had given them before the Holy Shepherd had been closed down, but there was some food, carefully hidden away. Under an old tarp, behind a stack of tires, Ryo had hidden the treasures from Sister Jo. Several cans and boxes of food along with a few changes of clothes and blankets were the most important riches, but there was also the katana.

Ryo looked at the dragon katana for just a minute. It was very important, his mom had given it to him and she'd been given it by granma. 'Our family has had that katana for many, many generations.' His mom had told Ryo long ago. 'There is a legend of where the katana came from and someday I'll tell you the story. We must find the twin, one-day. It's very important, the happiness and well being of our family depends on it, Ryo. You must always keep the Ryuken (Dragon Sword) safe.'

Ryo shook his head, freeing himself of the memories of his mom's last days. Those words had been deranged ramblings while she was trapped in a fever dream and meant nothing. After all, Ryo's mom had never said anything about a legend or keeping the katana safe when she had been well and his granma never said anything about the Ryuken at all, except that they couldn't get rid of it. 'She probably just likes it because it reminds her of mom.' Ryo told himself, picking one of the cans of soup. 'She wants me to keep up the tradition of passing the katana down through the family.'

Ryo went to Byakuen and held out the can of soup with a smile. "Please?"

Byakuen gave Ryo a long-suffering look before obligingly clamping his jaws gently down on the can just enough to pop one of his teeth through the top of the can.

Ryo smiled, "Thanks." With that, Ryo poured the soup from the hole in the can into a metal bowl, also given to him by Sister Jo, and tossed the can over his shoulder. The metal bowl was perfect for heating things and Ryo had discovered that this was the best way to put his strange...talent to use. He held the bowl in both hands and concentrated, the tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth. 'Come on, you wanted to do something.'

The silken voice came forward. 'Heating soup isn't enough. I want to do more.'

'I don't care what you want. You said you're apart of me and I want my granma to eat, so you can help her eat.' Ryo forced the fire into his hands and the soup heated up to the point that it began boiling. 'That's enough.'

The fire obediently retreated, but the voice lingered. 'We could do more. This is a gas station, after all. Imagine what would happen if we put just a tiny spark in the right place.'

'A lot of people would be hurt, that's what.' Ryo replied as he set the bowl down on the floor near where his granma was sleeping. 'I'm not going to do that.'

'I could make things easier for us.'

'You all ready said that. Lots of times, you said that. I don't want to listen anymore. It's time for school.'

'That's to bad, Ryo, because you can't stop listening. I've always been with you and I always will be with you. You can't get rid of me.'

"Yaku-Chan, make sure granma e-eats." Ryo told his friend, setting a spoon down next to the bowl. "She should eat it a-all and it'll be c-cool enough when she w-w-wakes up."

Byakuen nodded and went to lay down next to Ryo's granma, settling in by draping his tail over her and closing his eyes to get some sleep.

'If you were always with me, then where were you when I needed you?' Ryo asked the voice as he started walking to school. It was an old argument Ryo had had to often with the voice of the fire. 'Where were you when I got raped?' Ryo cringed even at the thought of the word. He didn't even like the word; it made him feel sick to his stomach.

The voice almost sounded apologetic and it warmed him softly, as if to soften Ryo's harsh words. 'I was here, but you weren't strong enough to use me. I had to wait until you were old enough to wield my power and your mind was strong enough not to break under the pressure.'

'I'm still just a kid.'

'You are so much more. If only you'd let me show you what you're capable of.'

"Ryo!"

Ryo looked up sharply at his name. There, only a few meters ahead of him, were Shin and Touma. Ryo hadn't realized that he'd come so far while talking to the voice, but he was now in the better area of the city, somewhat near the school. Touma had his hands stuck in his pockets and flashed Ryo a quick, sad, smile. Shin, however, was waving enthusiastically.

"Seiji called this morning and said you were coming back to school." Touma said, his voice a lot more depressed than the last time Ryo had seen him. "We weren't sure you'd come." His eyes were questioning and Ryo thought that maybe he should get Touma alone to tell him what was going on so Shin wouldn't find out, but realized that Seiji knew everything and if he'd called Touma this morning, Touma probably knew everything all ready. If Touma knew, then Shin probably knew, also. If Seiji knew, then Xiu was sure to know what was going on.

Ryo sighed. 'So much for keeping my home life a secret.'

Shin grinned broadly. "Touma is a pessimist. I knew you would come!" He looked happy enough that he might actually hug Ryo, but Ryo kept his distance. What with the memories of Bishop Brannon, Shit Faces' little visit, being pulling into Seiji's bathtub, and Seiji's unintended kiss, Ryo had had enough physical contact to last him a lifetime. "You get new uniform now."

Ryo shook his head while the three of them walked together. "No. I s-still don't have the m-money." He'd have to go back to wearing that God-awful one the school had lent him before.

Touma gave him a surprised look. "Seiji didn't tell you? His mom dug out one of his uniforms and said you could have it. It should fit since it was Seiji's last year and he grew a couple of inches so his mom had to buy him a new one. It should fit you pretty well, though. Seiji always takes good care of his clothes so it'll be in good condition."

A gift? Ryo's mind reflexively focused on the hated word: charity.

Then, Shin said, "Seiji said it was an apology, so you not refuse."

"Apology? For w-w-what?" Ryo asked, confused.

Shin shrugged. "Don't know. You better not refuse until you ask Seiji, though." Shin told him in a warning tone. "You are proud, but so is Seiji. If you insult him, he will get pissy. He likes to repay for insults." Shin said this with a slight blush, as if he knew first hand what Seiji did to repay people who were rude to him.

Touma snorted. "Yeah, then you'll have Xiu hunting for you. He hates it when someone upsets Seiji. Kind of like someone else I know." He gave a pointed look to Shin who didn't even acknowledge it.

"Some people need protecting," Shin replied loftily as they started to walk the rest of the way to school. "But not like it when others try to help."

"Some people can take care of themselves and have been doing so for a very long time." Touma sounded like he was starting to get angry and Ryo had the distinct impression that the two were fighting and trying to keep it civilized.

Shin shrugged. "I take care of all. Whether they want or not." He smiled at Touma. "I always take care of you. No matter what."

Touma blushed and looked very uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Ryo, aren't you wondering what we're talking about? You see," He put an arm around Ryo's shoulders so he could pretend he was whispering. Ryo paled at bit at the touch, but didn't pull away. He knew Touma wouldn't hurt him. "You see, I tried to kill my dad last night when he attacked Shin. Shin's an idiot so he tried to take the blame and I wouldn't let him. The result is that I'm out on bail and living at Shin's place so his mom's can keep an eye on me and Shin hasn't let me out of his sight since I got out."

Shin stepped closer to Ryo's other side, giving him the terrible feeling of being boxed in. "Touma defended himself from his awful dad and he think he should get punished for it." Shin sniffed disdainfully. "He save my life, Touma is a hero!" Shin proclaimed with a proud smile. "But he is guilty feeling for his dad." This made him give Touma a disapproving scowl, but he didn't say anymore.

Touma looked at his feet as they walked and both boys stayed on opposite sides of Ryo.

'So, life gets back to normal.' Ryo thought ruefully. He stayed trapped between the two bickering friends the whole way to school. Frankly, Ryo was just glad both of his friends were out of jail and safe.

At the front gates, Seiji and Xiu were waiting for them. Xiu was crouched with his back against the school's tall barred fence with Seiji leaning against it next to him. Even at a distance, Ryo could see the two talking pleasantly, watching other students pass by them, but not really paying much attention to them.

Then, Seiji turned and saw Ryo. He said something to Xiu and Xiu quickly stood up, turning to Ryo with a smile. Xiu waved, "Hey!" He shouted happily. "Welcome back, you slacker!" Xiu bound forward, stopping just short of knocking Ryo over, and grinned. "Soooooo. I hear you've been taking baths with Seiji and giving him kisses." His sweet smile turned just a tiny bit menacing and Ryo hear both Shin and Touma gasp at the thought.

Ryo's mouth fell open. Just what had Seiji been telling everyone?!

"You know," Xiu continued softly, getting very close to Ryo's face. Ryo could almost swear his saw a hateful black aura surround Xiu. "I don't like it when people get to close to Seiji. I'm a jealous friend. Very, very jealous."

Ryo gulped and for the first time he was almost afraid of Xiu. He would have backed away except that Shin suddenly put a hand on Ryo's back.

"Leave him alone, Xiu!" Shin commanded, waving a finger at Xiu. "You know Seiji flirt with anything on two legs! Is not his fault if Seiji got frisky."

"I resent that." Seiji said, quietly coming up behind Xiu and putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I don't flirt with anyone on two legs."

Shin sniffed. "You try to kiss me on my first day here! I think you was a pervert."

"And you've been trying to steal a kiss from me for years." Touma added helpfully.

Ryo paled, listening to that. What if the kiss last night hadn't been an accident? What if Seiji was really as much of a flirt as Shin seemed to think and was just looking to steal a kiss? And now Seiji had made Xiu mad at him!

"But," Seiji said, almost smiling, "Have you EVER seen me flirt with anyone else?"

There was a general round of head shaking and Seiji looked triumphant. "There. You see? I limit my flirting to friends, so there's no need for anyone to get upset. Xiu," He turned to Xiu, who still didn't look entirely happy. "I pulled Ryo into the bathtub and you know I take baths with our friends, so it's no big deal. I stole a kiss from him, I all ready told you that. Shin, yes, I was flirting with Ryo, but you know I'd never really do anything about it. I'd never hurt my one love by going behind his back like that." He cast a glance at Xiu who blushed sweetly.

Xiu slapped him upside the head. "What did I tell you about embarrassing me in public?!"

"Would you rather I do it in private?"

"You idiot." Xiu's tone softened and he smiled.

Ryo shook his head. 'Those two have a really weird relationship.' But it was comforting to hear that Seiji was only teasing when he flirted. Strange, though, that he only do it with very close friends. With everyone else in the world, he was so cold and distant.






Joji-




Joji lay in the cell, the same as he had for the passed few days, just staring at the ceiling. 'There's no reason for me to live anymore. Why won't they let me kill myself.'

He kept having flashbacks, seeing the nightmare of Yoko with a bullet though her chest. The blood that splattered on the brick wall behind Yoko and had smeared down when she'd fallen was still shining in the moonlight when Joji had found her.

Joji closed his eyes and turned his head toward the now empty cell that the two boys had been in before. So young they'd both still been in their school uniforms. First the brown haired boy, Shin, and then Touma, the boy he and Yoko had met a while ago. It wasn't very puzzling, from what Joji had overheard. Touma had tried to kill his father and Shin was trying to protect him but Touma didn't want his friend to get in trouble.

'I can't cry for Touma and I know he's in so much pain.'

Yoko was dead and Joji couldn't even cry for her. Joji wished he could cry for Yoko, but he hadn't been able to cry in such a long time. Even now, with the one person he loved dead, Joji couldn't cry. More than anything else, Joji wanted to be with Yoko. He wanted to free his arms and reopen the wounds on his wrists, but the police had tied him up well and Joji couldn't move more than a few inches in any direction, anyway. He'd given up trying a long while ago and now just lay still, hoping that he'd starve to death before anyone noticed him.

-Joji, I'm just going to the corner shop for some smokes. I'll be right back.-

-I'll go with you.-

-Don't be silly. What could possibly happen? There's no one out at this time of night, anyway.-

The memory was to strong to hold back and Joji felt it wash over him like the tide, unstoppable.





Flashback-





Joji heard the gunshot after she left their small apartment. It was like his heart were being ripping in half, Joji felt her pain and fear when Yoko died. It was so sudden, just out of the blue. Joji ran out of the apartment, yelling for Yoko at the top of his lungs until he found her.

Slumped against the bloodstained brick wall of the corner with her own blood spilling down onto her lap and her hands limp at her side, Yoko stared into empty space, though her eternal smile was still on her face. "J-joji? My fallen angel?" One arm moved slightly, but Yoko seemed to weak to move it towards him so Joji took her hand. "I...didn't...expect this." Her breath was starting to come in gasps as she forced herself to keep breathing.

"Rest." Joji told her. He wanted to tell her that he'd save her and that it would be all right. That would be a lie, though, and he never lied to her. She'd lost so much blood and her eyes all ready had a far-away look, as if she were seeing something Joji couldn't. "I'm with you."

Yoko's hand was growing cold in his, but she held onto him tightly. "You...won't...leave?"

"Never. I'll never leave you." How could he let this happen? He was supposed to protect her, make sure this never happened.

Yoko smiled softly as her eyes started to look foggy. "So...faithful. I have to...go. I'll...wait...for..." She never finished. Yoko's breath stopped it's painful heaving. The blood stopped running and she stared ahead at whatever the afterlife offered. Dead.

Joji sat there with her, just holding her hand for what seemed like hours. 'She's gone. She really gone. What do I do now?' Joji had no memory of his life before Yoko. There was only a mass of blackness and pain before Yoko. Only she brought any light into his life and made him want to live. 'What do I do?' Joji reached into his pocket where he kept a box cutter knife. He said he'd always be with her and he'd never been afraid to keep a promise.

Joji put the blade to his wrist and quickly did it. He sliced deeply into his wrist and blood instantly rose to overflow and drip down to the sidewalk.

"You shouldn't have done that. She was getting old."

Joji was suddenly alert to the familiar voice behind him and turned quickly to face Shit Face who held a small gun in one hand and looked at him with disapproval.

Shit Face 'tsked' at Joji. "She turned twenty seven this week, you know. The price goes down for old hookers, so she really wasn't worth much to me. You, though," He gave Joji an appraising look. "You'll be worth money to me for a long, long time. Yoko was right, you know. You really are much prettier than she was. There's no reason to take your own life. She's not worth your devotion to her."

Joji launched himself at Shit Face, heedless of the gun still loosely held in the man's grip. Shit Face grabbed a chuck of Joji's pink hair, trying to use it to pull Joji off him, but Joji didn't care about the pain. His own blood was getting everywhere, but Joji wasn't going to be distracted.

There was a faint ripping sound and Shit Face's hand came away from Joji's head, bringing a hunk of hair, skin, and blood with it.

Shit Face managed to get away when blood leaked into Joji's one good eyes, blinding him and Joji heard him say, "Fool. You don't have to survive. I can keep my business going with or without you. You're little friend, Ryo? Remember him?"

Joji froze at Ryo's name. He didn't even know that Shit Face knew Ryo.

"How about the bluebird, Touma? Yeah, I was pretty sure it was you who knocked me out that night. You should have killed me. I'll bet you're thinking that right now. Those two boys will be worth money. They'll need someone to teach them the ropes. Don't you want to protect them, like you did Yoko? How can you protect them if you're dead? Live, Joji! Live and take care of my little money-makers for me." He laughed. "With you around, I know my people don't have to worry about being hurt out here."

Joji's eye finally cleared enough for him to see Shit Face and he rushed the man again. 'No! Ryo can't get involved with this kind of life! Touma's to innocent! I won't let this happen!'

Joji managed to get his hand around Shit Face's gun and they wrestled for it for a moment until Shit Face let it go. Joji threw the gun a few feet away and turned back to Shit Face. 'I don't want to touch the thing that killed Yoko!'
Though he was starting to feel weak from the loss of blood; Joji was still stronger than Shit Face and overpowered him. He turned Shit Face onto his back and straddled the man's waist. Joji managed to get his hands around Shit Face's throat and he started to squeeze. 'He killed Yoko, he killed her!!' Joji's thoughts were starting to become hysterical. 'He killed her!'

Just when Shit Face was starting to turn a satisfying shade of blue, hands grabbed Joji by the arms and started to pull him away from Shit Face. 'No! I'm not done, not yet!' Something hit Joji over the head hard and his vision blurred. 'Not yet.' Stars danced in front of Joji's eyes and he felt himself being pulled away from Shit Face.

Distantly, Joji heard the voices, "Are you all right, sir? What happened here?"

Shit Face answered, "I'm fine." He made his voice sound frightened and panicked. "I don't know what happened. I heard a gunshot and when I rounded the corner, this guy was standing over that poor woman. I...I managed to get his gun away from him, but I was just to late." For added affect, Shit Face let out a sob.

Joji's vision cleared he saw blue flashing lights and lots of people around. Shit Face was talking to someone in a blue uniform. 'Police.' Someone was doing something to his wrist and Joji blinked to find one of the police officers tying a bandage around his slit wrist.

"You're damned lucky you lived." The police officer told him harshly. "You're under arrest for the murder of that woman." He gestured with his head towards Yoko's body that was now being covered with a white sheet. "Do you have anything to say?"

Joji turned his head to see Shit Face walking away down the sidewalk with his usual confident swagger. 'They...they let him go?' Shit Face turned and looked at Joji when none of the police were watching him. With a smirk, Shit Face pulled the chunk of Joji's hair he'd pulled of Joji during the fight out of his pocket. Shit Face held it up long enough to make sure that Joji saw his trophy before hiding it away in his pocket and walking away again.

"I said, do you have anything to say?" The police officer repeated himself. "Can you hear me?"

Joji didn't answer the question. They handcuffed him and put Joji in the back of one of the police cars. Joji watched Shit Face's retreated back until the man turned a corner and vanished. When he looked away, the first thing Joji saw was two men lifting Yoko's body, still covered in a white sheet, onto a stretcher and loading it into the back of a hearse. 'I'm alone, now.'





End flashback-





Joji pulled himself back to the present and found himself staring at the ceiling again. 'Touma was here.' Joji frowned. All the blood loss had taken its toll and he was still having trouble thinking straight. 'I should have warned him. Shit Face will be after him. He could have found Ryo. But, I don't know where Ryo is. The shelter closed and Ryo could be anywhere.'

Joji's one eye narrowed as he found his only remaining reason for staying alive. 'I have to get out of here. I won't let him hurt the boys.'







Ryo-


So, life went on-






Ryo kept up his job at Seiji's dojo, though Dr. Date had managed to find an excuse to increase his pay by just a bit. 'Just an extra job for me, Ryo. It's nothing big.' 'Please, I'd love to have the floor mopped, if you don't mind, dear.' 'Will you take the garbage on the way out?' Simple, easy little jobs that made it easy for Ryo to accept the little bits of extra money she gave him. They both knew she was just making busy work for Ryo, work that Seiji could have done with out effort, just so she could give him a little more money without hurting his dignity, but so long as he was working for it, Ryo didn't mind.






The weapons wall was Ryo's favorite part of the Date Dojo. He had always been hard pressed, even on his first day working for the Date family, to keep his eyes off the wall that was liberally decorated with traditional and some foreign weapons. These were not practicing weapons, but antiques Seiji's grandfather collected and displayed for the admiration of his students. It held a kind of mystique to look at the weapons, which Seiji had once assured him had all been used in battles, and know that great warriors had once held them.

'Maybe one of them belonged to my family.' Ryo thought wistfully. Granma had told him that long ago the Sanada family had been famous for it's great warriors. 'We were a ninga clan, granma said. I wonder if any of these came from my family.' It was a vain thought, though. There was no way any of these could ever be traced to Ryo's family.

Ryo's eyes traveled along with collected weapons, the various styles of swords, to several shurikens (throwing stars), a massive iron staff, shields, and a set of ornate helmets. It was so incredible that Ryo just wanted to stand there and admire the sight. The katanas were the most fascinating, though. Nothing like the beautiful Ryuken, still safely hidden back with granma and Byakuen, but incredible, nonetheless. Two in particular caught Ryo's attention. They were a matched set, both with black and yellow hilts that showed wear form years of use.

Seiji walked in as Ryo ran his finger down the blade of one of the katanas from the matched set. "Be careful." Seiji warned him. "Those are very sharp. Grandfather doesn't like letting anything get dull so he keeps them in usable condition."

Ryo nodded, not taking his eyes off the set of katanas. "Yeah." Ryo was able to speak reasonable well, now, but habit kept him from speaking very much. It had been about two weeks since he'd started back at school and life was settling back pretty much the way it had been before, except that now Ryo had started to steal again for money. It was the only way, really.

Seiji walked over to Ryo and stood next to him, looking at the swords, also. "Do you use weapons? You're looking at those like you're dying to try them."

"My m-mom taught me." Ryo told Seiji. He spoke slowly and carefully as Seiji had taught him. Ryo remembered his mom's patient hands showing him how to hold the Ryuken and helping him to move in the careful patterns of a kata. "It was a long time ago." Ryo had been so little and the Ryuken had seemed immense, far to heavy to hold on his own, so his mom had helped him. Ryo couldn't have been much more than eight. If Ryo remembered properly, that had been just before she got sick and died.

"Do you want to try them?" Seiji easily took the katana's off the wall and held them out to Ryo. "Grandfather won't mind so long as you're careful, I'm sure."

"I'm not strong enough." Ryo had given up trying to practice with the Ryuken long ago, it was just to heavy since he wasn't eating right and his muscles had been taken away by malnutrition.

Seiji shrugged. "You'll never know until you try."

Ryo's eyes widened with hope. These swords DID look a bit smaller than the Ryuken, maybe it would be possible. Ryo reached for the swords without thinking. "You t-think so?"

"Sure. You know, Ryo, grandfather's very fond of you. I'm sure he'd even give you some lessons if you asked."

Ryo didn't answer, but took the katanas. They were indeed much lighter than the Ryuken, so Ryo thought that he might actually be able handle them.

Stepping away from Seiji, Ryo walked to the center of the empty dojo and just held the katanas at his side with his eyes closed.

-Very good, Ryo-chan!-

Ryo could hear his mom's voice, now almost forgotten and he could almost feel her warm hands take his wrists.

-Just let me show you the moves.-

Ryo swung the katanas to the side, like his mom had once shown him using two sticks instead of real katanas. She wanted him to be ready to use two if he had to, instead of just the one Ryuken.

-Nice, now just keep your arms loose. It's just like you practiced before.-

Invisible hands guided Ryo into his favorite kata, the one he hadn't done in almost three years. Jumping and twirling, spinning and kicking, he danced over the dojo floor while attacking the imaginary enemies with the katana's. With his eyes still closed Ryo remembered his mom and one morning when they'd practiced in the glade in front of the cabin. He'd always thought she was so beautiful, her long hair tied into simple braids that hung down her back and the way she was always smiling so happily. He remembered her love of life and how much energy she always had.

When it was over, Ryo imagined a soft kiss on the top of his head like mom always gave him. -That was beautiful, my Ryo-Chan. My little warrior.- Then she was gone and the hands holding Ryo's wrists vanished as quickly as they'd come.

Ryo felt a wave of grief that was almost as powerful as it had been the first time he'd realized his mom was never coming back to him. It hurt so badly that Ryo almost started crying.

"Ryo!"

Ryo looked over to find Seiji staring at him in open-mouthed shock. Ryo went over to him and handed back the swords.

'I shouldn't be wasting time like this.' Ryo berated himself. 'Daydreaming won't get granma food or her heart medicine.' Come to think of that, it was medicine day and that meant Ryo had to do extra work after he left the dojo. More stealing.

"That was incredible!" Seiji exclaimed, taking the katanas. "I never knew you could do that!" He was so excited, Ryo was almost afraid Seiji was going to insist that he put on another show. "Let me get grandfather, he'd love to see what you can do. I'll bet none of his students, not even the advanced ones, could manage that!" Seiji paused and looked thoughtful. "Well, except me, that it."






To be continued...





ELgoW: What's with all this sappy crap?! Where's my pain?! I DEMAND to torture someone! Where's my whip? Let me get the thumb screws!

Cousin D: You had almost ten full chapters all to yourself. This one's to relieve a little of the angst. We don't want the readers to get to depressed, right? Besides, you killed Yoko.

ELgoW: Lil' Demoness has been at you again, hasn't she? That one piddly little scene wasn't enough. I want the readers to break down in tears, but she won't let me be that evil. That goody-two-shoes, if I had her here right now, I'd...

Lil' Demoness: You'd what?

ELgoW: Err..Nothing. What are you getting all sappy for, anyway? This is MY story! Cousin D said you could have Labyrinth and I could have this one. It was all arranged and now you go sneaking behind my back and corrupting Cousin D.

Lil' Demoness: It's just for every now and again, I promise. Hey, how about I let you help with my Labyrinth fic? I'll suffer and let you hurt someone if I can take away just a little pain in this story.

ElgoW: Well...