Vamps and Ronins

Chapter Six: A Soul's Agony

By: Tiasha

~

So many thoughts to share

All this energy to give

Unlike those who hide the truth I tell it like it is

If the truth will set you free

I feel sorry for your soul

Can't you hear the ringing 'cause for you the bell tolls

Creed, " Freedom Fighter"

~

"Okay, so there are...three different types of gakis?" Kento asked, trying to be certain he had the information correctly. Robyn smiled, Kento wanted to make sure he knew what he was dealing with, as did the others. Robyn's smile turned into a slight frown, they were put into this situation because of her.

"Well, three that are dangerous. 'Flesh', 'Blood' and 'Soul'. We are dealing with a 'Flesh' gaki, which will make our job much easier. Unless...never mind that is irrelevant," Mariko answered and Robyn could see uncertainty in the young woman's eyes.

"What does it do?"

"You've heard of Jack the Ripper, right?" Robyn watched as Kento nodded in answer to Mariko's question.

"Flesh gakis are far more worse. They must devour the flesh of its victim while it is still alive."

Robyn felt sick. This was what she was receiving protection from? Gory Japanese vampires that mutilated a human being alive?! And what was Josh supposed to be? A Blood gaki? Robyn shifted her gaze to the golden-eyed young man near Mariko. And why was he so protective of Mariko?

"What is Josh?" Robyn heard herself ask and immediately regretted it when both Mariko and Joshua looked in her direction. Cody, Robyn noticed, was off by the bay window, staring out at something.

"I am a 'Soul' gaki," Joshua began; his voice was calm and smooth, no hint of anger, shame, regret or joy, just calm and informatively smooth. "Soul gakis devour the spirit of its victim after killing and then have the ability to assimilate appearances and personality traits of its victims. Majority find great pleasure and excitement in creating the death as violent and painful as possible."

"And you don't?" Kento asked and Robyn saw anger flash in those fascinating, gold orbs.

"No, I make the death as quick and painless as possible...unless it is one who has caused great suffering to others," came Joshua's cool reply, no anger evident, only annoyance. But Robyn knew he was furious at being accused of such actions. His golden eyes told her all she needed to know.

"Why not tell them how Joshua is? Why not tell them that not all gakis are terrible...like Julien? Tell them Mariko," came Cody's monotonous voice. Robyn shifted her gaze to the young woman beside the window. It was obvious that Cody had not meant it to sound as evil as it had. Cody held no hatred towards this Julien, only regret and sympathy...or was the sympathy for Mariko?

Mariko sighed and Robyn looked back at the young woman, head cocked to one side, curious.

"Mari...curious mind would like to know," Robyn said somewhat softly. She watched as Mariko shook her head. A frown appeared on Robyn's face as she looked to Joshua and found him supporting Mariko's decision.

"We must finish preparing you all for what is ahead. There will be time later for...personal matters to be discussed." Mariko looked back at Kento and Robyn had to suppress a giggle as the Ronin of Hardrock actually looked slightly intimidated! "Now, do you understand gakis enough for me to move on?"

Kento nodded. Mariko grinned, "Good. Now psivamps are a bit different. In fact, Scott relishes his hunts when Matt accompanies him."

Robyn cocked her head to the side again as Mariko shuddered. "Psivamps feed off of emotions but can also control your mind. However, once a psivamp has fully drained its victim of emotional energy, the victim is then a mindless husk, not recognizing any of its surroundings or who it is for that matter," Mariko stated, looking at each of them in turn.

"What does that make Matt?" Robyn asked, wondering if she really wanted to know. Matt couldn't be any of those things! He was too nice and…childish to be anything but a Ronin! To her, Matt was like another Ryo and Kento and Rowen all rolled into one.

Robyn paused her train of thought. Ryo, Kento and Rowen...all in one? She mentally shrugged, deciding that Matt wasn't quite all three.

"Matt is a plasma-vamp," answered Joshua, looking slightly concerned. "And hopefully Scott is not pressuring our youngest warrior into something stupid."

"Matt is a responsible fifteen year old. He will be just fine," Cody replied, defending the atarashii Ronin of Isis.

Robyn's eyes widened in surprise; fifteen? Matt was fifteen? But he looked like he was at least twenty-one! How...can he be fifteen?

It was not until Mariko looked at her that Robyn realized she had voiced her thought. She looked at Mariko with an apologetic smile and Mariko just laughed.

"Guardian, you need not apologize to me! I am merely providing answers to very important questions," she said. Robyn nodded in acknowledgement. "It is his armor that makes him appear older than he is."

"When you say plasma-vamp, do you mean a traditional blood vampire?" Rowen asked.

Robyn scrunched up her face when she realized she needed to use the lavatory again. She said nothing, however and continued to listen, shifting every now and then.

"Yes, plasma-vamps are affected by the sun and are usually bond by protocol and honor. They are not allowed to drink unless it is offered to them and even then there are some...interestingly odd side-effects," answered Mariko.

"So that is what we're dealing with?" Sage asked, continuing to lean against a far wall. He turned his gaze towards Robyn and shook his head. "Trouble, you really pick the most complex people as allies."

Robyn watched as Ryo, Rowen, Kento and Cye all turned and glared at their blond friend; Robyn took on an annoyed expression and pouted slightly, folding her arms across her chest.

"It's not my fault they're all after that stupid marble!" she shouted, narrowing her eyes at the bearer of Phoenix. "Mariko, what is so special about my marble?"

Mariko shrugged. Cody frowned however, "Yes Ying, what is so special about Robyn's marble?"

"That will be revealed in all due time, Yang." Mariko's tone of voice warned that dropping the subject would be a wise decision.

Cody frowned and glared at her sister before gasping, eyes widening in realization. "You have got to be joking Mari-chan! Dragon would kill himself if attempted to merge with TWO! Unless…a child…he can't be serious!"

"Hush! We still do not know why he is so intent on it! I may be wrong, for I am certainly no prophet. For all I know it could very well be a plain glass marble…which I pray that it is."

"Intent on what?" Cye asked from his seat next to Robyn. "What is this marble?"

Cody raised a brow at him, "What did you think you're armors were when you first received them?"

Robyn looked at all of their surprised faces…what was the connection between their armors and her marble? Boy, did she feel stupid when they all knew what Cody was talking about and she didn't. Yes, she was definitely in the dark on this one. "What? What's so special?"

"Nothing Robyn, I'll explain a little later," was all Cye said, obviously not wanting her to be concerned about something until he and the others spoke with Mariko and Cody. So she crossed her arms, pouted and gave Cye a sour look. Life was so not fair!

"So why did you come to the dojo then? To see if Robyn was there?" Sage inquired, glaring at Mariko. Robyn did not like the look on his face. He seemed upset and protective...of her perhaps?

She shook her head; sure Sage and her had their disagreements, usually her doing something that annoyed him, but they were still friends. And she could always count on him to back her up, no matter what. Robyn shifted again, still having to go the bathroom.

"No, but that was an added bonus. I went to the dojo because I had grown up in one. Practice was an essential in my training. I also felt like something was missing, I needed to find a dojo close by. I owe it to my father to protect the Date Dojo anyway...he would have wanted it that way," the young shorthaired woman said softly, a somewhat far away look in her eyes.

"Which father are you speaking of? Yours of Ours, Ying?" Cody asked coldly, which confused Robyn. What did Cody have against Mariko's adoptive father?

"I am talking about my father! While yours may be my blood-related father, I do not consider him to be mine! Anubis always took care of me the way a father should have!" Robyn watched Mariko shout at her sister.

"Anubis? As in the Warlord of Cruelty Anubis?" Rowen asked, eyes wide at this new fact.

"The Warlords and Lady are not as heartless as you may think," Mariko said venomously; Robyn saw that by the anger in those ice blue eyes, she loved these people very dearly.

"Of course not, you're their humanity," Ryo whispered. Robyn gave her raven-haired friend an odd look.

"Like what is that supposed to mean Pyro-boy?" she teased, using her nickname for him.

"It means nothing, just that I consider myself part of their little family as does Phoenix."

"Phoenix? You mean your armor?"

"Yes, the new armors are more or less symbiotic, another living creature. The wearer and the armor work together, though not always in harmony. Phoenix was quite upset with Talpa on a number of occasions. Luckily, I was able to spare him from Phoenix's rage so his suffering could be fulfilled by you five. I do pray that you made it worth my sacrifices and punishments?"

Robyn watched as the five of her friends nodded, unable to provide any other answer. She shifted once more before allowing herself to turn to the silent brunette next to her, eyes pleading.

"Mia," she said, catching everyone's attention. "I have to go to the bathroom."

Silence reigned for a moment before chuckles and laughter filled the hospital room. Robyn smiled as Mia helped her to the adjoining bathroom, she always did have a talent of lightening a situation when needed.

Now, perhaps I can get the guys out of this situation. This is my problem, my fight and I will take care of it myself...whether they like it or not!

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

Karasu prayed for safe passage of the young girl's soul before allowing himself to look at the young girl, his last victim for the night. At least he hoped. The young girl could not be more than seventeen, and had obviously acquired a fake I.D. to enter his boss's nightclub.

"So, should we dump her or what?" a voice asked, pulling Karasu out of his thoughts. He looked at the bodyguards emotionlessly before nodding and heading towards the fire escape attached to the nightclub. He quickly climbed the stairs, taking them two at a time and dropped to his knees, hugging himself.

He had been doing this for hundreds of years and yet he could not get over seeing the mutilated bodies. He could not bring himself to put them through so much pain...but he did. He calmed his harsh breathing and closed his eyes, remembering his friend's words.

Make it quick and take many lives...or take a few and spare many. It is your choice Karasu, not Rick's. Yours.

Karasu looked up at the midnight sky, the slight breeze ruffling his short jet-black hair. Even with all the light pollution, he could still make out a few constellations. After what seemed an eternity, he smiled and stood, steeling himself for his duties to come. She would be coming...Phoenix would be coming soon. He knew because he had fought that young Ronin brat, Isis. Mariko was protecting the girl and if he knew his boss, the upcoming mission was to kidnap the girl. And Mariko would come....

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, old friend."

With that, he pivoted on his heel and made his way down the fire escape, a slight bounce to his step.

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

Sage frowned as he glanced at Mariko next to him and watched as she quickened her pace. The two were walking back to the dojo since Mariko had to do clean up. It was only 8:15 in the evening and yet Mariko was acting as if it was three in the morning, glancing behind them every now and then.

A glint caught his eye as one of the street lamps caught something off of Mariko's wrist. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the large stone bracelet. The stone itself looked like half of a marble and the wires of the bracelet wrapped around each finger, including the thumb, around the palm of her hand and around her wrist thrice. Something appeared to be floating in the stone however, and Sage thought he'd glimpsed what looked like a kanji before Mariko shoved her hands into her pockets.

"Why the strange bracelets?" he asked her casually.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye; "Why the hairstyle?" she asked sarcastically.

He glared at her and frowned when she began to walk even faster.

"Why are you walking so fast?"

She stopped and looked at him, eyes studying him as he caught up to her. He noticed that when she was not under the facade of leader, she seemed whole lot younger. She looked eighteen instead of the twenty-three year old she normally looked like.

"From now on, the night is no longer safe. Nighttime is when the vampires come out. Gakis prefer nighttime to daylight because of the easy-to-find shadows. It is too easy for them to be caught during the day," she replied, but then frowned at him. "What are you looking at? What's the matter Halo?"

Sage shook his head, "Your bracelets....where did you get them?"

Mariko unconsciously brushed some of her forest green hair out of her eyes and started walking again but Sage grabbed her wrist, looking at the stone. Again there was what looked like a kanji floating in the depths of the stone.

Mariko yanked her wrist free and glared at him. He glared back.

"I tried to commit suicide, all right? You happy now?" she snapped at him, shoving her hands back into her pockets.

"Is that your armor orb?"

Her brows furrowed and she started walking again, shrugging her green jacket back into place. "Yeah, it split itself in half to keep me alive."

"And you can still use your armor even though it's split?" Sage asked as he brought up pace and came to walk next to her.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she whispered. "It brings back some bad memories that I would not like to remember right now."

"Is Robyn a Ronin?" he asked, placidly, but praying that she wasn't. She probably would not be able to handle being a Ronin at this point in time along with all the other things that were after her life AND graduation.

Mariko gave him an assessing look before shaking her head, "I'm not really sure, but I'm almost positive that she is a guardian, not a Ronin."

"Guardian?"

"Yeah, when an armor is in transition to a bearer, it finds a person with a relatively equal chi and uses him or her as its vessel. The person is to keep and protect the armor orb until the bearer has been found. Normally the armor will secretly lead the guardian to the bearer, but Apollo does not seem to be doing that with Robyn."

Sage studied her expression to see if she was lying about the whole thing. From what he could tell, she was quite serious about the topic but she seemed a bit uncomfortable discussing it. He frowned at that.

"Why do you not want to talk about Robyn?"

"We're out in the open, too easy for us to be overheard."

Sage nodded at the reasoning and quickly dropped the topic, allowing his mind to wander.

What kind life did she have growing up under Talpa's command? he asked himself, continuing to walk next to the bearer of Phoenixsilently.

"Were the Warlords honestly kind to you?"

Mariko looked at him, clearly taken back by the question. Her brows furrowed again.

"Well, yeah. Anubis was a great father, considering the circumstances. And the same went for Dais, Cale and Sehkmet as brothers. Dais and I had so much fun playing practical jokes on the others and the only time he was annoying to me was when he teased me. Sehkmet was just...there. He usually just listened to my problems when no one else would and would give me advice. He would also patch up my cuts and bruises and he taught me all I know about herbs, poisons and their antidotes. And I remember him giving me my first katana for my birthday...of course Talpa never knew it was my birthday. We usually kept extremely quiet about things of that nature," she explained, looking at him with a lop-sided grin. "It was as normal as a family could get, considering the circumstances."

"Didn't you get in trouble for the practical jokes?" he asked and looked at her slightly confused when she shook her head. Wouldn't Talpa have punished her for such childish games?

"No, Dais explained to Talpa that the experience would help my training. I think he said something like 'the stealth and agility and preciseness' were what helped my training. Talpa, being as stupid as he was, bought it and allowed us continue our pranks...and no one could go and complain to Talpa about them."

Sage nodded as he absorbed this newfound knowledge. She had no idea what having a mother was like no doubt and she saw nothing wrong with her childhood, with what Talpa being in control of her 'family'. And she seemed to have no problem telling him about her 'family'. Did she have any friends at all? Was it even possible for her to have friends there? And what was Cale to her?

"What about Cale?"

She smirked at him, "I was wondering if you had decided that you'd rather not know about him. He gave you a compliment...or what I would like to call a compliment. He said 'if you want a good sword fight, have Halo as your opponent'. Coming from Cale...that's about as good of a compliment as they come."

Sage raised an eyebrow at her, "He really said that?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, he really did, scout's honor! Just don't tell him I told you, he'll throttle me for sure."

"That is a joke right? About him throttling you?"

Mariko looked at him slightly confused, "Well, yeah. None of my brothers would actually throttle me. It's just an idle threat from them. All though there was that time Anubis actually hit me upside the head, but then again I called Dais a very crude name. I deserved that one...and Talpa just laughed and said I was a little spitfire."

Sage watched as she shuddered at the memory. He chuckled slightly as he realized that Mariko had totally relaxed and had obviously forgotten the present situation with gakis and vampires. She was also oblivious to the fact that she was about to step out into a busy street. He grabbed Mariko roughly and pulled her back onto the sidewalk to him as a car zoomed by closely. He saw her wide ice blue eyes looking at the street in horror before shouting a foul name at the driver of the car. He grimaced slightly at the foul language and prayed that Robyn would not pick up such words.

He let her go and crossed the street when it was safe, glancing at Mariko as she fell in step next to him. They were getting closer to the dojo and his home.

"If that floating head only knew how bad a spitfire I was," she muttered and Sage chuckled.

"If he did, he probably would have sent you to attack us," he mused but frowned when he realized something. She was never present during both battles with Talpa, not even Kayura or the Warlords mentioned her. And if she was so important to Talpa, then why did he not have her attack them towards the end?

He was about to inquire where she had been during the battles but she shook her head, smiling.

"I left before the first battle," she said. "I couldn't stand the thought of attacking the realm I was born in, so I left. Talpa was pissed, need less to say."

Sage nodded in understanding, "So where did you go?"

"Sight-seeing."

He looked at her startled, "You went sight-seeing when you could have helped us defeat Talpa?"

Mariko glared at him and he saw an ice-cold rage burning in her eyes. "Please understand. While I couldn't stand to aide Talpa in attacking the mortal realm, I could not bear to fight against my own family. Could you?"

"No, but--"

"You know, Cale begged me to just disappear for a while instead me telling Talpa that I was leaving. They all knew what pain awaited me, and so did I but it made no difference to me. Cale was always protective of his little sister. He was always protective of me and I remember that just before I had left, he had almost stood up to Talpa and faced the truth..."

"But he didn't," Sage finished the sentence for her since it was obvious she couldn't bring herself to. It was not hard to guess what happened after that, considering he had a first-hand's experience of the pain Talpa could dish out. How she could have stood for all of what Talpa had done, and then have enough courage to leave, was beyond him. He would have always assumed that she would have stayed and locked herself in her room or something of that sort.

"No, and it was so hard to leave them, knowing that they believed his lies. It was so hard to just sit back and watch him torture my family. Kayura and I would always have to sit back and watch. She and the others had gotten along really well before I had left. When I left, it seemed as if everything just went south for them."

"They acted as if each of them hated the others. I guess Ryo wasn't joking when he said you were their humanity."

"I guess I was their excuse for them to feel the way the did towards each other."

Sage only nodded. The dojo was in sight now, down at the end of the block. He glanced once more at Mariko and saw that she had slipped on the facade of 'nothing can touch or hurt me'.

All for the better, I guess. She honestly believes that they are her family, he thought. He mentally shrugged and nodded as Mariko went into the dojo and he headed on home. It was possible, he supposed and it would just take some getting used to, he guessed.

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

Arain watched as with slight trepidation as the bushes near the back fence shifted. He hoped it was a raccoon or a fawn but after what his aunt told him? A large, exotic pet was what the kid next door had and Arain was NOT looking forward to finding out how large and how exotic this pet was, especially at night.

Deciding it was time to head back inside, Arain stood, brushing some blond hair out of his eyes. As he did this, the rustling and shifting in the bushes grew louder and a flash of white caught his eye. Arain froze.

"Hello?" he called meekly, "Anybody there?"

In answer to his question, an extremely large tiger leapt out of the bushes and bounded to him. Before a scream could leave the poor fear-stricken boy's mouth, the large tiger butted his head against his hand, purring.

Arain stumbled backwards, unsure of what to do. He slowly lifted his hand and let it hang in mid-air. The tiger immediately took to rubbing its head against his hand. Arain laughed nervously as the white tiger began to sniff his clothes and face. He once again froze as the massive snout moved around his face and then proceed to lick it. Arain tried to suppress his laughter but finally gave up as the large sandpaper like tongue continued to stroke his face.

"Oh, sorry about that! He usually stays in our yard," an unfamiliar voice radiated through the yard. Arain stiffened instinctively and frowned suspiciously at the boy--no, young man at the white fence. His raven-colored hair went down to about his shoulders from what Arain could tell and his eyes were a shade of blue he had never seen before.

"It's all right signori, he was doing no harm," Arain replied timidly as the massive beast moved over to the fence and young man. The young man merely smiled apologetically.

"Are you sure?"

Arain nodded.

The young man smiled, "Good, my name's Ryo. I live here. You must be Arain. You're Aunt talks a lot about you."

Arain stood once again, shoving his hands into his pockets and frowning at the young man. It was hard for him to be trusting of anyone. Trust, he only trusted his mother....and she was gone, back in Italy.....alone.

"I tell her I'm not one she should talk about to others," Arain said placidly.

Ryo gave him an odd look. "Why is that?"

"I'm just not one who should be discussed. I have a soiled past, and I will leave it at that."

The tiger made some inarticulate noise before hopping over the fence for the night.

"It is late and I have things to do tomorrow. If you will excuse me signori, good-night," Arain said, turning to head inside.

"White Blaze has decided you're a friend, so don't be surprised if he jumps the fence to say hello," and with that the raven-haired young man was gone.

Arain sighed and entered the house, drudging up the stairs at his aunt's command. He hadn't meant to be so rude; it just came out that way. The change in culture was so drastic...Arain couldn't help but be rude sometimes. Just to let others know he hated it here. He had wanted to be at least civil but he knew he failed miserably. Maybe this Ryo was understanding? He certainly seemed to be just before.

I'm sorry........I really am............please let me make this work......................let mom come here at least.............................please Lord.......I want to protect my mother........I gotta protect.....I gotta protect someone!

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

Matt gasped and stumbled forward, clutching his chest. The pain...he had never felt such agony before! Perhaps once before, when Julien had died, Mariko's soul had pulsed with a similar agony, but this...

"Matt? Matt! What's wrong? What happened?" inquired Scott as he squatted next to the young Ronin who had curled into a fetal position.

The pain seemed to be coming from his armor, the armor he had only acquired about two and a half years ago. He cried out as the pain only grew stronger and seemed to dull all of his other senses. He was barely aware of Scott dragging him somewhere, muttering a few words every now and then.

"Sorry...Scott....I didn't know.....this......" he spoke softly, his voice suddenly hushed as Scott shook his head, his honey-chestnut ponytail swishing from side to side.

"It's okay kid, just hang in there."

Matt nodded his head and clenched his eyes shut against the terrible pain in his chest. It wouldn't go away....why? Why wouldn't the pain stop?

Matt felt his body spasm and he cried out as a blinding flash of pain ripped through his entire body.

"MARIKO!!!" he cried.

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

Mariko inhaled sharply as she dropped the katana in her hands and clattered to the floor. She clutched her hands to her as an agonizing pain pulsed through them and squeezed her eyes shut. The pain...it was so familiar yet foreign. And it only grew worse as she continued to clutch her hands to her and so she sank to her knees. She gritted her teeth as her hands suddenly began to spasm and a sharp knife-like pain shot through them.

The pain wasn't supposed to last this long! Yet, it only grew and seemed to continue to get stronger. Mariko knew that whoever's soul was in this much pain, had lost someone dear to them. She knew this feeling all to well, but her pain hadn't lasted this long. Perhaps the person was younger than her?

MARIKO!!!

Her eyes snapped open as the cry of her name suddenly slammed into her outside barriers of her mind. Mariko cursed as she struggled to stand and move without fainting from the terrible pain in her hands. She had forgotten about him! She had forgotten about Matt!

"I'm coming bud," she whispered as she somehow managed to get to the door. Matt was probably terrified by now! And he wanted her with him, to tell him everything would be all right.

I'm coming Matt, just hang in there, okay?

~*~~*~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

A shadowed figure clutched his chest as a blinding and agonizing pain pulsed through it, a pain he had felt once before. Only then he had savored it, savored the pain the bearer of Phoenix was in, but this....no.

He frowned as he watched the multi-colored laser lights and misty-smoke that swirled around the mass of moving bodies. A wicked smile tugged at his lips as he watched the bodies, all-moving in rhythm to the blaring music and the pounding of the bass. Another wicked smile appeared on his face as he watched a couple move off to one wall near one of the stairs.

Yes, this was what he lived for. His little 'whore club' as it was occasionally called, was doing very well compared to other 25 and over clubs. His was the only club that had four levels; three for dancing and the fourth for...business deals and...pleasurable persuasions or assassinations.

The pain was still there, he noticed, and it continued to pulse with determination almost. He frowned and narrowed his eyes in annoyance. Why would the pain not stop?

"Sir," he heard Karasu say almost reluctantly. "I have finished for the night."

"Very well," he said, waving his subordinate off. He waited until Karasu left before he massaged the large, green dragon tattoo on his arm. For some reason, the tattoo also pulsed with the same pain as his chest.

His body suddenly spasmed and a faint whimper escaped his lips as he fell to his knees in pain. He gritted his teeth, as the pain grew stronger.

Then the pain began to fade, slowly, still dulling the senses, but so very slowly fading into oblivion.

A sneer formed on his handsome features as he continued to clutch his chest. "Another armor is awakening......and I, Dragon, will have it," he snarled as the multi-colored laser lights shadowed his face with an array of colors.

Beware Phoenix, Gaea, Isis......the Dragon is always aware of what is going on. Dragons are all knowing.........