Chapt. 4. The Shiner.

Sage awoke at 5 in the morning. Rowen was still asleep, his comforter half way off him, an open book laid beside him. Sage smiled at his friend, took the book, closed it, and set it on Rowen’s book shelf. He recovered Rowen, then grabbed some clothes from his dresser and went to take a shower.

After he was dressed, he was downstairs in the kitchen, muncing on a donut, and writing a note. ‘Guys, I had to help my Grandfather. Don’t know what time I’ll be back. See you all later. Sage.’

He left the note on the kitchen table, then walked out into the living room. Anubis was still sound asleep, and Sage walked quietly passed him. He left the house, and was just about to go get his mountain bike when he noticed a figure lying down on the dock. Curiosity got the better of him and he headed down to see who it was.

Cye laid sleeping on the dock. Sage stared at the young Ronin in surprise. He quickly checked him, but found no injuries. He shook him awake. "Cye. Cye?"

Cye slowly stirred. "Uh, Sage?"

"Yeah, it’s me."

Cye sat up, blinking. He rubbed his eyes. "How’d I get out here?" he wondered.

Sage shrugged. "I don’t know. Maybe you slept walked. Go back inside and back to bed."

Cye nodded tiredly and trudged off. Sage walked behind him, just to make sure Cye did go inside. Once the door closed behind him, Sage turned, grabbed his back, and left for his grandfather’s.

Ryo awoke around 9 in the morning. He found himself alone in the room, and wondered where Whiteblaze went to. He got dressed and went downstairs, where he found Kento and Mia sitting at the kitchen table, eating breakfast, White Blaze eating from his bowl, and Anubis cooking. They were all talking.

"Oh, morning Ryo," Mia said, finally noticing him.

"Morning. Where is everybody?" he asked, as Anubis handed him a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast. "Domo, Anubis." Anubis nodded and went back to cooking.

"Well, Rowen’s still asleep, Sage went to his grandfather according to this note, and Cye’s still in bed."

Ryo sat down to eat, a bit surprised. "Cye’s still in bed?"

Kento nodded as he stuffed some bacon into his mouth. "Yep. Tried waking him, he told me to get lost."

"Kento, don’t talk while you’re eating," Mia admonished.

"Sorry."

Ryo began to eat. His thoughts turned to Cye. Cye had been acting strange ever since they had brought him home. He slept more, kept having nightmares, and he wasn’t smiling or playing anymore. Mia had called it just a phase, to give him time to get over it. He was trying to be patient, but it was just so hard when he was worried about him. He’d hope he’d be better soon.

"So, Wildfire, you are concerned about your friend are you? Well, your concern will soon turn to despair and then to agony." Talpa laughed like a hyena. He turned to Badamon. "How are things going?"

"Good, my lord," (author pauses to gag herself.) Badamon replied. "Torrent is having a difficult time focusing on his normal activity. He went outside and fell asleep at the docks near that lake of theirs after he woke from his nightmare I gave him."

Sekhmet looked up. "Torrent was outside, alone, and sleeping? Why didn’t anyone tell me?! I could have brought him here!"

Talpa raised on hand, silencing him. "Now is not the time, Sekhmet. Torrent will be brought here when I desire him to. Is that understood?" Sekhmet nodded.

Talpa turned to Badamon. "Send another nightmare to Torrent. I want him to suffer. He suffers, the Ronins suffer. We break Torrent, the Ronins break, and we win." Badamon nodded and left to do his work.

Rowen was awake now, and heading down the hall, just freshly showered. He heard a scream coming from Cye’s and Kento’s room, and quickly ran for it. Cye was lying in bed, tossing and screaming. Rowen hurried over and began to shake him. "Cye! Come on, man! Wake up! You’re having a….." POW! Rowen’s hand flew to his eye where Cye’s arm had struck him. No time to think of pain right now. He grabbed Cye’s flying arms and pinned them down, giving them a firm shake. "CYE, GET UP!!!!!"

Cye’s eyes snapped open as he bolted upright. He let out a gasp and clung to Rowen like there was no tomorrow.

The others suddenly came in. "Another nightmare?" Ryo asked.

Rowen nodded as he held Cye. "Yeah, they keep bothering him. I wish I knew why."

"It would be better if he talked to us," Ryo said.

"Don’t push him if he’s not ready, Ryo," Anubis said.

Kento walked over to his friend. "Cye, you OK?"

Cye nodded meekly, letting his tears come down his cheeks.

Mia noticed Rowen’s eye. "Rowen, what happened?"

Rowen looked at her. "Uh?"

The others stared too. "Whoa, what a shiner!" Kento said, his eyes wide. Rowen glared at him and quickly covered it. Kento quickly looked away, red-faced.

"Rowen, how’d that happen?" Ryo asked.

"It was an accident, Ryo. Cye accidentally hit me. He didn’t mean to." Ryo just nodded, and stared down at Cye. Making Cye talk was exactly what he wanted to do, but he was going to push it. At least not yet.

Mia watched Cye for a little bit, then turned to Rowen. "I’m going to get ice for that eye. I’ll be back."

She left the room.

Rowen sat in the recliner sometime after that, holding an icepack to his eye. On his knees was his book, which he found difficult to read with only one eye open. I wonder if this is how Dias feels, he thought to himself.

Cye sat across from him on the couch. He felt bad that he had given Rowen a black eye, but Mia had assured him it would heal soon, and that it wasn’t his fault. His thoughts turned to his nightmares. This makes what the third nightmare I’ve had? And it’s always the same. A misty forest I’m lost in, and then out of nowhere, something black always reaches out to grab me. This is driving me crazy! He narrowed his eyes. That’s it. I’m not sleeping anymore.

Badamon stayed hidden within the shadows watching him. He heard every thought. That’s what you think, Torrent! He vanished to report to Talpa

Chapt. 5. The Argument.

Kania was in a sound sleep. She had been up all night, listening to the Warlords wish how they could go after the Ronins again. Delia said she wanted Wildfire personally. She wanted to make the boy suffer for what he did to her during their last battle. How could Delia be so cold? she had wondered. We had attacked them first and kidnapped their friend. Of course they’re going to be angry.

She turned over in her sleep. It was peaceful. She began to dream…..

Talpa stared at Badamon with an amused look on his face. "So Torrent is going to try to stay awake is he? Doesn’t he know that will cause him more problems?"

"I don’t think he cares, my lord," Badamon replied.

Talpa laughed out loud. "Oh, he’ll care alright. We are not done with the fish just yet. I want to see that trust of his broken."

"And just how are you going to do that, Master Talpa?" Dias asked. (yeah, I know it’s spelled the wrong way. Live with it!)

"Torrent will continue to dream these nightmares. He’ll become more scared. The other Ronin Warriors will in no doubt try to help him, but I will snatch him right from under their noses. They will not find him in time, and while I am holding him, I will enjoy watching the others suffer without him. And then, we capture the other Ronins, and kill them all before Torrent’s eyes."

"Why are you only picking on Torrent?" Cale asked. "What about the other Ronin whelps?"

Talpa narrowed his eyes as they glowed red. "Torrent has that innocent look in his eyes which I detest so much. I want that destroyed. And I want to watch it as it is."

"I could always rape him," Delia offered seriously.

Talpa, Badamon, and the Warlords gaped at her. Talpa scratched under his chin, thinking. "That might not be a bad idea. But wait until I give the order."

Delia nodded and bowed. "As you wish, Master Talpa."

Cye sat at the dinner table, picking at his food and twirling it around on his fork. One hand was propped up under the side of his head.

Ryo glanced over at him. "Cye, you alright?"

"I feel fine, Ryo," Cye replied a little testily. Ryo frowned, watching his friend play with his food.

"You don’t seem all right to me," Rowen said. "You look like shit."

Cye rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks."

"Cye, why don’t you talk to us? These dreams look like they’re really bothering you."

Cye let out a deep sigh. "Look, I don’t want to talk about them, Kento. I’d rather just forget about them." He pushed his plate away and left the table.

Mia stared at the plate. He hadn’t even touched it.

Anubis sighed and glanced over at Ryo. "Ryo, sit down. He doesn’t need you going after him right now."

"Well, he needs something!" Ryo snapped. "He’s been like this long enough! I can’t just sit here and pretend there’s nothing wrong with him!"

"If you force him, you’ll only make it worse! Let him come to you when he’s ready."

Ryo glared at Anubis. "At the rate he’s going he’ll never tell us anything, and you know it! I don’t want to see my friend hide inside himself, damn it!"

"Forcing him will not help, Ryo! I don’t know why you don’t get that through your thick skull! Your temper is blinding you!"

"I don’t give a shit about my temper, Anubis!" Ryo slammed his fist against the table. Mia jumped, Rowen grabbed his drink before it could spill, and Kento just stared.

Upstairs in his room, Cye sat on his bed, holding his stuffed whale. He could hear Ryo and Anubis arguing like crazy, and it was about him. He let out a miserable sigh. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? He wanted to forget about what happened to him in the Dynasty, and Ryo wanted him to talk about it. But he couldn’t. It hurt too much. The pain he had experienced was nothing like he had ever felt before. All he wanted to was to be left alone.

Chapt 6. Taking Off

Cye listened to them go on and on, his ears nearly bursting with the shouting. He cringed. It was all about him. Why? Why couldn’t they just leave him alone? Why were they trying to force this out of him? Didn’t they know it was hard for him? He couldn’t just walk up to them and say, hi guys, guess what? I’m letting my captivity in the Dynasty get to me, and I’ve been having weird nightmares about something very black and evil grabbing me. Nice, huh?

No, he couldn’t tell them. He wasn’t ready for it. He suddenly jumped when he heard someone pound the table. Most likely it had been Ryo. Cye cringed and hugged his whale closer to him. Please stop fighting! he begged silently. But the argument continued. He could take no more.

He got off his bed and went to his window that led out to the balcony. He went out, vaulted over the balcony, landed on the ground, and took off running as fast as he could. He did not look back.

Mia had enough. Ryo and Anubis were practically at each other’s throats now, and she was afraid Ryo’s temper would send him over the edge. "ENOUGH!!!!"

Ryo, Rowen, Kento, and Anubis all jumped in surprise. White Blaze ducked under the table, putting his head underneath his paws. All looked at Mia. She was standing, her chair pushed out, her palms pressed angrily against the table. Her look was almost deadly.

Both Ryo and Anubis sat down immediately, quiet as feathers. (it’s usually quiet as a mouse/mice, but trust me, mice aren’t quiet!) Mia stared at them hard. "Thank you," she said as calmly as she could. Ryo lowered his head. He felt terrible now. Apparently so did Anubis.

"Mia, I am sorry," Anubis apologized sincerely.

"Me too," Ryo said firmly.

Mia sighed. "Look, I know you’re both concerned about Cye. We all are. But he just got back. Understand that what Talpa did to him was the worst thing that ever happened to him. He needs time to heal, Ryo. When he’s ready he’ll talk to you, alright?"

Ryo nodded meekly, then looked over at Anubis. Kento and Rowen glanced at each other, wondering what Ryo was going to say or do. Kento agreed with Ryo, that Cye should just tell them, and then they could all help them. That was what friends are for right? Rowen agreed with Anubis and Mia. He should come to them when he was ready.

"Anubis, I’m sorry. You’re right. I should learn to control my temper."

"And I should not have yelled at you, Ryo. I’m sorry too."

Ryo nodded just as the door opened. Sage stared at the scene before him as he closed the door. "Um, didn’t anyone hear me knocking at the front door?" he asked.

They all gaped at him.

"The front door was locked?" Mia asked in surprise. Sage nodded, coming closer to the table.

"I locked it, Mia," Anubis said. "I’m sorry, I forgot about it."

Mia nodded tiredly. Sage sensed something was wrong.

"What’s the matter with all of you guys?" he asked as he went and got himself a drink of water. After that long bike ride, he was incredibly thirsty. Hr gulped the drink down, and waited for an answer.

"We were arguing about Cye," Ryo said shamefully. "About making him tell us what was wrong and all that."

Sage set his empty cup down on the counter next to the bread. "Oh, yeah, Cye. I almost forgot to tell you. I just saw him when I got here. He was running down the hill."

All of them stood, eyes wide. "You sure, Sage?" Rowen asked.

Sage nodded firmly. "Hai. I asked where he was going, but he didn’t even look at me. He just kept on running."

They looked at each other, worry clouding their hearts. "I wonder where he was going," Kento murmured, tempted to just run out that door and after Cye.

Sage shook his head. "I don’t know.

And silence filled the room.