Title: White Blaze Adopts Four More Cubs
Fandom: Ronin Warriors
Characters/Pairing: All five Ronins, Cye/Kento implied.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine
Warnings: Mentions of canonical familial death, brief allusions to past trauma. The boys also tell ghost stories which get a little grisly. Nothing worse than a PG-13 rating IMO, but if you want to skip Cye Mouri's horror podcast, stop at "All's right with the world," and skip until you see "I am going to stargaze some more now!".
Notes: More slice-of-life/remake AU!

The weather was getting colder, which meant that eating lunch outside was no longer feasible. This meant that Ryo and the others usually ate in their classroom and missed Cye and the snacks he always provided. For Ryo, it was a new experience. He had only really known these guys for a couple of months. In Sage’s case, it was a few days. Yet not only did it feel like the most natural thing in the world to spend time with them, things felt off if one of them couldn’t make it.

Of course, silly things like school schedules could not keep Kento Rei Fang from Cye Mouri very long. As the weather had cooled and they had retreated indoors, Kento became very good at excuses to leave class briefly. Cye must have been getting good at excuses as well, since Kento would always return as the bell rang, chowing down on onigiri. Ryo suspected that Ms. Akagi knew, but she was one of those rare teachers who didn’t mind bending the school rules as long as you weren’t doing anything horrible. None of them minded since Cye was a much-needed calming influence on Kento (that was another reason Ryo suspected that Ms. Akagi knew but was letting it slide).

So, yeah, everyone knew that Cye and Kento were hanging out when everyone was supposed to be in their respective classrooms eating lunch. Yet they had been oddly secretive lately. Kento was getting closer and closer to being late getting back. When they walked out of school, Kento and Cye would hang in the back, laughing over something. Ryo would ask Cye about it as Sayoko drove them home, but Cye was tight-lipped.

Ryo didn’t consider himself a nosy person, but it was starting to bother him. So, five minutes after Kento excused himself, Ryo raised his hand. “Ms. Akagi? May I be excused?”

Ms. Akagi didn’t look up from her manga. “Sure, Sanada. Just come back on time. And if you see Fang, remind him of the same thing.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Sage gave Ryo a knowing smirk.

Rowen put his hand on Ryo’s arm. “Tell Kento I said hi. Also, please ask Cye if he has any leftovers from his lunch to share.”

--

Ryo’s first hunch where his friends were was correct. He could hear Kento and Cye’s voices in the direction of the tiny kitchen where they had baking club meetings. His first impulse was to just walk in, but he decided to listen to what they were talking about it. Not because he was an eavesdrop, but rather if it did turn out it was a private conversation, he could leave before he accidentally learned too much.

“It needs to be in the next week,” Cye said. “After that, I’m heading to the UK with Sayoko and Mum for New Year’s. You’ll be in New York visiting your family there with Rowen and his mother.”

“Yeah, I know,” Kento grumbled. “Problem is, while my Uncle Shuu trusts me and will be out of town, but my apartment is the size of a shoebox. There’s no way I can host five guys.”

“My apartment can host five guys,” Cye added. “But Sayoko will be in town. And I love her, but the whole point of a party is that you’re getting away from parental authority.”

“Tell me about it. Wait, wouldn’t Ms. Sayoko have sisterly authority?”

“All I know is that she won’t let me rent scary movies because Mum still thinks I’m too young for that stuff, and what’s the point of a sleepover if you’re not too scared to sleep?”

Fairly sure at this point he wasn’t listening to sensitive information, Ryo stepped into the kitchen. “Hi, guys.”

Kento grimaced. “Aw, man, it was gonna be a surprise, Ryo.”

Ryo blinked. “Seriously? I’m sorry.”

Cye shrugged. “It’s fine. We’re running into a roadblock anyways.” He hummed thoughtfully as he perched himself on the counter. “Since it’s not a secret anymore, maybe you could ask Rowen.”

Kento shook his head. “Rowen’s dad is doing these really sensitive experiments.” Kento rubbed the back of his neck. “And I don’t know, man, but I think it’s pretty stressful for both of them? I haven’t even seen Prof Hashiba in ages. Usually, he at least waves goodbye from the window. And Rowen’s been tense on the walks to school.”

Cye frowned, eyes dark. “I have sensed something off about him lately. Well, now we need to have this party even more. Maybe it’ll get him relaxed enough to talk about it. Problem is, all we have left to ask for possible hosting duties is Sage, but I’m not sure where he lives.”

“Well, what about me?” Ryo offered.

Cye gave him a questioning look. “We didn’t think you would agree. You’re a private person, right?”

“I’m private, not a hermit,” Ryo countered. “My cabin’s a little old, mind you, but it’s big enough for five guys to party all night. Although, Cye, I’m sorry to tell you that I don’t have a VCR.”

“Well, that’s what telling ghost stories are for, Ryo! Hey, Kento, we did it! We found a place for our party!” Cye and Kento did that weird extended high five/fist bump/thumbs up they had invented recently. “Thanks, Ryo. I’ll bring my grill and make burgers for everyone.”

“We’re gonna have the best time, ever, bro!”

Startled (but happy), Ryo felt his face heat up. “No problem. Speaking of food, Rowen asked me to ask Cye something.”

Cye groaned as he hopped off the counter. “He is worse than Kento sometimes! But hold on.” He handed Ryo a neatly wrapped bag. “There’s enough onigiri in there for you, Sage, and Rowen.” Because even if Cye was grouchy about it at times, he lived to nurture those he cared for.

Ryo smiled. He really did have good friends now, and that was something he would never take for granted. “Thanks, Cye.”

--

It wasn’t until school was over and he’d ironed out the details of the sleepover with Cye on the ride home that Ryo remembered that he was in a… very unique situation. In theory, his grandfather was his guardian. But his grandfather was always on some scouting mission keeping an eye on the Dynasty. White Blaze and the Ancient One were more guardians in the traditional sense (especially White Blaze), but he couldn’t exactly introduce them to his friends. There was just too much to explain. They wouldn’t understand.

Still, he had promised his friends that they could visit him. They all needed this break, especially Rowen. And with everyone else splitting up soon to see friends and family before school started again, this was the closest they would get to a big holiday party.

Also, selfishly, he wanted to be with his friends one more time before they left him all alone in his cabin for the break.

Ryo turned off the lights and locked the front door. White Blaze, who was sleeping on the porch, followed him as they wandered off into the woods together. In Ryo’s experience, this was the easiest way to contact the Ancient One. Go out into the night with a problem, and he would do his best to help you.

Sure enough, he heard the familiar sound of the staff. “Ryo.”

“Good evening, Ancient One.”

“You seem troubled.”

“I’m not. Well, maybe a little. You know those new friends I mentioned?”

The Ancient One smiled slightly. “The young men you keep speaking of. Sage Date. Cye Mouri. Kento Rei Fang. Rowen Hashiba. They sound nice.”

It was so weird that the Ancient One was talking almost like a dad about this, but White Blaze couldn’t talk, so he would have to do. “I may have invited them to spend the night next week. I’m sorry, I didn’t even think about the… complicating circumstances that come with being Ryo of the Wildfire.”

“Well, I think it is a wonderful idea.”

“Seriously?”

“Why would I not? If you don’t enjoy what this life has to offer, then why fight to protect it?”

“Hm.” Ryo scritched White Blaze’s ear thoughtfully. “I never thought of it that way, Ancient One. And don’t worry. I’ll make sure anything even vaguely mystic is hidden from view.” He knelt down to hug White Blaze. “Which means you’ll need to sleep outside that night, buddy, sorry.” Thankfully, White Blaze didn’t seem to mind, since he started purring.

The Ancient One was still smiling as he disappeared into the night. “Enjoy your time with your friends, Ryo of the Wildfire.”

--

Ryo wasn’t a messy person, so it didn’t take much time to clean his cabin. It did take some time hiding the various artifacts Grandfather and the Ancient One had brought him to study and the weapons he used to train. The one thing that didn’t get hidden away was his sphere. That always stayed in his pocket.

The last thing to do was to say goodbye to White Blaze. “Okay, buddy,” he said as he stroked White Blaze’s fur. Cye and Kento will be here any minute. You need to go to that little cave with all those nice blankets and meat I left for you earlier today, okay?” White Blazed yawned and sauntered off.

And that was a good thing since just a few minutes later Sayoko’s station wagon was now on the gravel that served as a parking space when needed. “We’re here!” Cye proclaimed as he, his sister, Kento… and Rowen, who said he was going to arrive later with his father, but okay, all emerged from the car.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to play mom,” Sayoko promised. “I’m just going to help set the grill up and get the supplies out. Then I’m off so you cool kids can do whatever the cool kids do these days.”

“Sayoko, cut it out!” Cye begged his sister. “You sound like some middle-aged parent.” Rowen stared at Cye intensely, but if that comment bothered him, he didn’t say anything.

“I spent my morning driving teenagers to a party, why wouldn’t I sound like a middle-aged parent?” Sayoko reminded her little brother.

Cye groaned. “C’mon, Kento. Let’s get the groceries inside.” Kento saluted his friend and followed him.

“I’ll help you with the grill, Ms. Sayoko,” Rowen offered.

“Thanks, Rowen.” Sayoko popped open the back door to the station wagon. “These portable grills stress me out, so I appreciate the help.”

“Anytime, Ms. Sayoko. Cye is incredibly lucky to have you as his sister. And I’m so glad you were there for me today.”

Sayoko laughed out loud. “Flattery like that will get you everywhere, Rowen! Now c’mon, let’s get this bad boy set up before you and Kento get too hangry.”

Hm. Rowen was being quite emotive. Well, by Rowen standards at least.

But for now, Ryo went to help Kento and Cye. Both of them were chatting as they put away the various vegetables, cheeses, and condiments for dinner.

“Ryo, where do you want me to put the chips?” Cye asked.

“The kitchen table is fine.” Ryo moved to help Kento unload the remaining veggies in the fridge.

“Cool.” His hands no longer full, Ryo could get a better look at his outfit. Cye was clad in a bright pink shirt with a baggy turquoise cardigan (most likely something he knitted himself) with buttons the same shade as the shirt and white jeans. He topped off the look with a straw hat with a bright pink ribbon. It was a little too colorful for Ryo’s tastes, but somehow Cye made it work. He beamed at Ryo. “I can’t wait to start cooking.”

“Well, I can’t wait to start eating!” Kento was dressed in a grey sweatshirt and blue jeans, which wasn’t too different from what Ryo and Rowen were wearing. “Hey, Cye, do you want the meat in the fridge or ready to go?”

“Ready to go. As soon as Sayoko and Rowen are done, that grill is all mine,” Cye smirked. “But for now, I’m going to put my things away.” Cye breezed from the tiny kitchen to the tiny living room. He placed his sleeping bag neatly on the floor. His latest knitting project was placed on top of the bag a moment later. “Wow, your house is so cute, Ryo! I wish I could live somewhere charming and rustic like this.” He went to the couch, picking up his navy-blue bag with rose and silvery-white fish decorations. “Hey, where’s your bathroom? I want to put my toiletries away. I’d also like to warm up with a hot shower if that’s all right.”

“There is no bathroom. We do have a stream and an outhouse, though!”

Cye froze mid-step. “Oh,” he said in the same tone as if someone had told him he would also have to clean and empty the outhouse.

Kento burst out laughing, and so did Ryo. “Sorry, man, I couldn’t resist. Don’t worry, a bathroom with full indoor plumbing and space for your stuff is down the hall and to your left. There’s lots of hot water, too.”

Cye cleared his throat as he slung his bag over his shoulder. “Yes. Well. I’ll go do that while I still have a shred of dignity left.”

“Aw, man, that was hilarious.” Kento wiped at his eyes. “I think Prince Cye was this close to fleeing the cottage and running back to his castle if you really didn’t have indoor plumbing, bro.”

“You weren’t, though,” Ryo noted.

“Yeah, well, I’ve done a lot of traveling and hiking and fighting and stuff. You kind of have to get used to roughing it, you know?”

Ryo nodded. “But Cye hasn’t.” Cye was about as far from Kento as you could get. Kento liked to fight and wrestle and acted before he thought. Cye was gentle (albeit with an acerbic tongue), delicate in appearance and mannerisms, and tended to think too much for his own good. “He is very different from you. If you don’t mind my asking, how did…”

“A rough and tumble guy with a heart of gold like me become pals with the prince of tacky fashion?” Kento grinned. “Well, we met this summer. We just kind of hit it off, you know? And well,” Kento sighed deeply. “As you may have noticed, I have a pretty bad temper. I get in fights, it’s hard for me to let things go. But Cye… I don’t know. He always seems to find the silver lining in my cloudy personality. He makes me feel like I’m more than I am. Also, he makes me laugh. That is extremely important.”

“Definitely,” Ryo agreed. “Oh, hey, Cye. Were you able to put everything away?”

Skin still slightly flushed from the shower, Cye nodded. “Yes, but apologies for eating up so much of your medicine cabinet space. C’mon, Kento, let’s check on the grill.” Kento grinned and followed Cye.

Ryo smiled as his friends headed into the front yard. Kento and Cye differed in clothes and hobbies, but they were both kind and giving. All the things that really mattered. No wonder they got along so well.

--

The grill was up, Sayoko had left with a final warning to be careful with said grill, and Cye was getting the first round of burgers ready when an all too familiar red car sped into the spot where the station wagon had been parked just a few minutes ago. Ryo’s jaw dropped. “You have got to be kidding me!”

Cye looked up in alarm. “It’s the speed demon that tried to kill us! He’s back for revenge!”

“How can the demon get revenge if we did nothing to him?” Ryo asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” Kento growled as he held an arm protectively in front of Cye, Rowen, and the burgers. “No demon’s getting my bros.”

The car door opened, revealing a glowering Sage, clad in a three-piece suit, sword in hand. “You guys are weird.”

“You! How?!” Kento screamed at the top of his lungs.

“I drove,” Sage informed him. “That’s what one does when they have a car, usually.”

“B-but you’re only thirteen! You’re breaking the law!”

“Whose law?”

“The law of Japan, the country you live in, bro!”

“Doesn’t matter. It’s a foolish law.” Sage shut the door. “I paid for this car with my own money. I’m clearly a competent driver.”

“Don’t let my sister hear that,” Cye said under his breath as he returned to grilling.

“Frankly, the issue is with society, not me.” Sage removed his driving gloves, placing them in his pocket. His sword was at his side. “Those burgers smell good, Cye.”

“Oh, thanks, it’s the seasoning that brings out the flavor—”

“No,” Kento said firmly. “We are not changing this conversation. I need to know what kind of job pays a thirteen-year-old enough to buy a freaking Jaguar, and I want to know why your dad, a detective, is letting you drive it.”

“That’s classified information. As for my father,” Sage said with more than a hint of pride, “I’m his favorite guy, as he has assured me many times. He was proud of me for getting this car.”

Kento glared at him. “And what did you say when he asked you why you were driving it?”

“I, um, told him I got my license overseas.”

“Uh-huh.” Despite his objections, Kento gave the car an appreciative look over. “Man, if my dad knew you had this type of car, he’d be begging you to tell you where you bought it. Pa’s in love with fast cars.”

“My father is as well,” Sage said, grinning at Kento. “We’re dissimilar when it comes to personalities, but this is something we have always bonded over.”

“Oh, that’s nice. My Pa and I go to a lot of rugby games—”

“No one cares about your dads!”

It wasn’t so much the words that made everyone freeze, or even the raw tone, but rather that it was Rowen who was yelling at them.

Rowen was already in the process of collecting himself/closing himself off from the others. “I apologize. I’ll be in the backyard.” He walked away quickly.

“I’ll take care of Sage and Kento,” Cye said to Ryo. The two were arguing about how to approach and comfort Rowen. “You take care of Rowen.”

“Yes, sir,” Ryo said as he headed to the backyard.

--

Rowen was pacing in the backyard, his hands balled up into fists. Ryo was wondering if he needed some space until Rowen noticed him. “I’m sorry for earlier.”

“Rowen, it’s cool. Besides, we all know you. You wouldn’t get that mad unless you have a good reason. If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”

“No. Wait. Actually, I think I do want to talk.” Rowen sighed heavily. “You have a right to know. My father and I had a fight today.”

“Okay.”

“I asked him to drive me here as soon as you invited me last week. He agreed. I was naively looking forward to the trip since we haven’t been able to spend much time together due to his work lately. So, this morning, I’m dressed and ready to go and I tell him that. He tells me that he forgot and that there’s no way he can take me now because he needs to stay in his lab. So, when Sage and Kento kept going on about how wonderful and amazing their fathers are, I guess I let my emotions get the better of me.”

“That’s totally understandable, Rowen. And I’m sorry about your dad breaking his promise to you.”

Rowen gazed out to the woods surrounding Ryo’s cabin, eyes shadowed. “I know I have a right to be angry with him for forgetting something that mattered to me, but I also said things that I shouldn’t have. He, um, retreated to his lab after that. I then made a panicked call to the Mouri residence.” Rowen took a breath. “Ms. Sayoko and my father couldn’t be more different. Not only did she agree to pick me up without a moment’s hesitation, but she also apologized to me for getting stuck in traffic and being later than she expected.”

Rowen let out a sigh that sounded more like a growl, looking as if he wanted to escape to those woods he couldn’t seem to stop looking at. “I don’t understand it, Ryo. She’s not Cye’s mother. She’s just his older sister. But she’s everything a parent is supposed to be, while my Mom and Dad are… I feel like I’m their parent most of the time.” He smiled darkly at Ryo. “When Cye was being a brat to Ms. Sayoko earlier, I was this close to asking if he wanted to trade lives and see what the other extreme is like.”

Ryo laughed at that. “I’m sure even you would get frustrated with Mama Bear Sayoko after a while, though.”

Rowen also laughed. “Maybe. On days like this, though, I’m willing to give it a try. But… my father isn’t a bad person. Just flaky. Very, very flaky. However, that’s not enough of a reason to hold a grudge. I’ll make up with him when I get back home.”

Ryo wasn’t sure if he was cool with Rowen assuming all the responsibility to reconcile with his father, but… he didn’t know Rowen’s father well enough to make assumptions. And he had to let Rowen make his own choice. “Okay. But don’t forget, you have friends to help you. You don’t have to be the mature one all the time.”

“Well, after that outburst I would wager that it’s abundantly clear that I’m not always mature all the time, but thanks.” Then Rowen frowned. “Do you have a cat or something?”

“… No. Why?”

Rowen’s frown deepened. “I could have sworn that I heard purring. Not to mention some branches rustling.”

“Yes, well, I smell burgers,” Ryo said as he grabbed Rowen by the arm. “Let’s eat.”

--

Dinner was chaos in the best sense. Cye and Kento argued and joked over the burgers. Occasionally, Sage would get in a verbal barb himself. Rowen was mostly focused on the food but chortled at Kento’s comments. As for Ryo, he was fine just eating and listening. He had never had friends his age before, so all this was wonderfully new to him. He wanted to soak in every sensation, every word.

“Ta-da,” Cye said as he put his hat on Ryo’s head. “Now you’re beautiful.”

Ryo promptly laughed so hard that he knew that he had scared his poor friends, but he couldn’t help it. He loved them all so much. He hoped that they would be together forever.

--

That evening, while Rowen was showing Sage and Kento the constellations (Ryo wasn’t worried about them bumping into White Blaze after Rowen had assured him that they would stay on the porch, and White Blaze only patrolled the perimeter in the wee hours of the morning, when all of them would be safely indoors), Ryo stood behind Cye, who was doing the dishes, cardigan sleeves pushed up to his elbows. “I think I’ve had enough of being beautiful, thanks.” He placed the hat back on Cye’s head where it belonged. “Here, let me help you with the dishes.”

Cye gave him a look. “Ryo, you’re the host. You shouldn’t have to do anything.”

“I’m pretty sure that the opposite is true. Besides, it’s not fair that you cook and then have to clean up after Kento and Rowen combined. At least let me dry stuff.”

“Well, okay.” Cye handed him a plate. “Talk about a wild afternoon, huh?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rowen get that mad.”

Cye nodded. “I can’t relate to any of that, since my father passed when I was little. So little that I can’t even really remember him. I can recollect bits and pieces, but that’s about it.” He gazed at Ryo thoughtfully. “What about your father? I mean, if you don’t mind my asking.”

“My dad’s a photographer. I get letters sometimes, but I haven’t seen him since I was six.”

Now Cye handed him a glass. “What about your mother?”

Ryo started drying the aforementioned glass. “Oh, she died about that time. And don’t worry, I’m fine talking about it,” he added when Cye’s eyes grew wide with horror. “If you’re cool with listening, that is.”

“I am always cool with listening to my friends,” Cye promised him. “How did she… you know.”

There was only so much Ryo could tell Cye. About how his mother was trained to fight the Dynasty and stayed to keep fighting even when her husband gave up on that to live his own life. How she and his grandfather left one night to protect Ryo, but only his grandfather returned.

But he wanted to tell Cye this. His grandfather and White Blaze and the Ancient One were amazing, but talking to Cye just somehow always made you feel better, no matter what. “She died saving my life.”

The saucer Cye had been gripping fell to the ground, shattering in what seemed like a thousand pieces.

Cye fell down as well only a moment after that. The hat flew away with the sudden movement. “I’m so sorry,” he breathed, fingertips brushing through the jagged remains of the saucer. How he didn’t accidentally cut himself, Ryo never knew. Cye’s skin was pale, and Ryo wasn’t sure if he actually saw the fragments, seeing how he would immediately drop any ceramic shards he picked up with his shaking hands. “I’ll clean this up right now. I’m good at cleaning things up—”

“Cye, stop.” Ryo’s tone was gentle but left no room for argument. To his relief, Cye stilled. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I’m sorry.” Cye’s voice was small and sick. He wouldn’t look at Ryo. “We were talking about your mother. I need to be kinder.”

“Dude.” Ryo put a hand on Cye’s back. “You are the kindest person I know. And I’ve processed my mom’s death. As much as anyone can process their mother’s death, at least. So, give me a chance to be kind to you and tell me what just happened.”

“You… you know how sometimes; you forget things for ages, but then the memory comes back and surprises you?”

“Sure,” Ryo said, his hand not leaving Cye’s back.

“That just happened to me.” Cye sniffled. “And it was a pretty intense one.”

“Tell me about it,” Ryo beseeched him gently.

“My dad. I remembered that he died saving someone, too.”

Oh. Oh, of course. If Cye didn’t remember much about his father, even the smallest sliver of a recalled memory would be enough to floor him. “Do you recall anything beyond that?”

“There… there was a storm.” Cye sounded so far away right now. “And someone was hurt.” He sighed softly in frustration. “That’s all my brain is willing to give me.”

“Maybe you could talk to Ms. Sayoko or your mother. I’m sure they’d tell you everything.”

“No.” Cye sounded sad, but more like himself now. He turned to face Ryo; eyes red-rimmed but his expression was calmer than the sea on a clear day. “Mum’s health is poor. I don’t want to do anything that might upset her. And as for Sayoko, I don’t think she ever completely recovered from Dad dying. The few times I’ve asked her questions about when and why he died have not gone well.” Cye huffed. “And of course, Mortimer won’t share anything if Sayoko hasn’t given the okay.”

“Who’s Mortimer?”

“He’s our butler. He’s been working for our family longer than I’ve been alive.”

Hunh. Maybe Kento’s joke about Prince Cye wasn’t that far off from the truth after all. “Cye, listen. I’m sorry you don’t feel like you can talk to family about this. But whatever skills I have to help you learn more about your father, if you want, are yours.”

“Thanks. Maybe one day, I’ll take you up on that.” Then, without warning, Cye grabbed him in a hug. It was awkward since they were both still kneeling, but Ryo hugged him back. “Thank you, Ryo.”

“For what?”

Cye made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “All my life, I’ve wanted a good memory of my dad. Now I remember that he was a noble man who died to save someone else.” Then he pulled away gently. “I better clean up this mess.” He sighed at the sight before him. “We’re going to need a broom. I don’t know what I was thinking earlier trying to get this all up by hand.”

“The broom is in the hallway,” Ryo informed him. “I’ll get it. You grab the dustpan on the wall and get ready, okay?”

It didn’t take too long to sweep. Cye was tossing the remains of the saucer as Ryo grabbed the hat from the floor, snuck up behind Cye, and placed it on his head. “Ta-da. Now you’re beautiful.”

Cye chuckled softly. “Who taught you that corny line?”

Ryo smiled at Cye. “You know, Cye, I was wrong about you.”

Cye eyed him quizzically, folding his arms across his chest. “How so?”

“Well, when I first met you, I thought you were eccentric and a little delicate. But after getting to know you—the real you—I can say that you’re also one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.” Cye had just gone through something that had shaken him to his core, but his concerns had been for his mother and sister, and even Ryo. He put a hand on Cye’s shoulder. “You’re a good guy.”

Cye grinned back, shrugging. “Well, if I’ve taught you that it’s possible to be eccentric and a little delicate and strong all the same time, I can consider this a good day.” He placed the dustpan back where it belonged. “I don’t know why I’m all over the place tonight. Things just feel different here. It must be all this fresh air. It’s doing things to a city boy like me.”

“Good things, I hope.”

“Definitely good things. Now, c’mon. I want to do a little star gazing before it’s scary story time.”

--

“Hey, Cye,” Kento said as his friend took a seat next to him on the porch swing. “You okay? You look a little tired.” Sage and Rowen also looked concerned but remained silent.

“I’m fine,” Cye promised, placing his head on Kento’s shoulder. “Now teach me what Rowen’s been teaching you about the constellations.”

“He’s snuggling with Kento, that’s usually a sign that all is right with the world,” Rowen said to Sage.

“Yeah,” Ryo said as he sat next to Rowen. “All’s right with the world.”

--

The only light in the room was the flashlight illuminating Sage’s face. He had always been pale, and the lighting made his face look even more ghostly. “One time, I was walking, and a ghost died right in front of me. Its guts were everywhere.”

“Oh my God,” Kento groaned. “You are so bad at this, bro.”

Cye frowned. “How can a ghost die?”

Ryo ran a hand through his hair. “And how can a ghost have guts?”

“Silence!” Sage commanded. “The guts were very gory and hyper-realistic. I was terrified.”

“Sage, my dude.” Kento placed a hand on Sage’s shoulder. “You’re obviously good at driving and swords, but not so much at storytelling.”

“Fine, then,” Sage said huffily as he tossed Kento the flashlight. “Show me how it’s done.”

Ryo was glad that it was dark so Sage couldn’t see him grinning. Usually, Sage was so composed. So focused and bright. There was something almost arcane in his bearing, to the point where Ryo sometimes suspected that Sage would have some role in fighting the Dynasty (not every warrior had armor, after all). He hoped not. But right now? Sage was just a typical teenage boy like the rest of them.

“Guys, I have an even better idea. We could all go to bed, right now,” Rowen suggested.

Cye gave Rowen a concerned glance. “Rowen, are the ghost stories bothering you?”

“No! No. I am a logical, realistic man who knows that ghosts are not real.” Rowen laughed a little too loudly. “In fact, never mind. I love scary stories! Let’s hear more.”

Cye gave him a look. “Well, okay, but full disclosure, Kento’s better at scary stuff than Sage.”

Rowen did his best not to shudder.

“Okay, guys, get ready to, like, die and stuff because you’re so scared!” Kento assured each of them enthusiastically as he held the flashlight to his face. “Okay, so these kids. They’re in school. But there are demons in the computers and stuff.” Rowen gasped at this revelation. “They gotta fight the demons. So, the main kid is like this total war god and can summon demons at will, even sexy ones, and make new ones, and anyone can summon demons, even cats and dogs and old dads—”

“Okay, now you’re just giving us the plot of a video game,” Cye grumbled. “Thanks for making me look like a fool earlier saying that your stories are scarier than Sage’s. At least he had some gore in his story.”

“Well, excuse me!” Kento handed Cye the flashlight. “You’re the horror fan here anyways, you may as well try.”

“Thank you.” Cye cleared his throat and removed his hat. “I think I was nine when I heard this story. Maybe ten?” His voice was almost supernaturally calm as if he was speaking from the other side. “I couldn’t sleep that night and I was wandering the hallways when my mother found me and told me to go to bed. I was feeling rebellious and told her I wasn’t sleepy. I’ll never forget how haunted Mum looked when she told me that all children in the Mouri house had to be in bed when it was dark, or Nana would come for them.”

Kento leaned in. Sage and Ryo were both silent. Rowen asked in a hushed voice. “Who is Nana?”

“Who was Nana is the more appropriate phrase, Rowen. Nana was a young woman who married into our family about roughly a century ago. She didn’t love her husband, and she loathed living near the sea, so far away from the small town that she had grown up in. Yet Nana took her duties as a wife and mother seriously, bearing her husband three boys. The boys eventually became men and were like their father, cold and cruel, even as she sacrificed her youth, spirit, and beauty to raise them and support her husband. Then one day, her husband realized that there were younger, prettier girls to marry and believed that his wife could do nothing to stop him if he cast her out.”

“That’s terrible,” Ryo whispered. “What happened next?”

“Well, Nana’s husband had a flair for the dramatic. He decided to tell her while they were on a cliff facing the ocean on a cold night with a full moon. Her sons stood behind him in a calculated bid for his power instead of helping her as they should have. With these intentional reminders that the Mouri clan held absolute dominion over her, he then falsely accused her of having an affair. He said that she had to leave immediately. Nana had done nothing wrong, so she refused. He told her that if she did not submit, he would have her own sons kill her. Horrified, Nana begged her boys to save her. The sons responded by swearing fealty to their father, one by one. Such a betrayal should have broken her, and yet…”

“And yet?” Sage breathed.

“She stood before her husband, one finger extended, judging him. All of them. She told him that she had honored her vows. She had been a good wife and given everything to his sons. If he was going to betray his vows, and his sons betray their bond with their mother, then all of them would pay the price.”

“That is so cool,” Kento said. “Then what?”

“There was something in her blue-green eyes that frightened Nana’s husband, and without thinking, he shoved her off the cliff. Her scream was so terrible that it shook her sons to their cores, even though they had betrayed their mother to earn their father’s favor. The father had to order his sons to find the body, reminding them that they would be arrested alongside him if they didn’t hide the evidence of their crime. The sons were all strong swimmers, as to be expected from those who share my name. Yet they never found her. And as days became months, and months became a year, the promised vengeance never manifested. The father began his search for a younger wife while the sons returned to their respective homes and spouses and children. Until…”

Rowen gulped. “Until?”

“The father’s second wife was named Aiko, a gentle but naïve girl who knew nothing about Nana or her fate. She just thought she was helping her family by marrying a wealthy man. One day, she woke up and discovered her husband was not in bed. She left her room to investigate, only to find his lifeless body by their bedroom door. Understandably panicked, she informed the servants. When they told her what they suspected had happened, Aiko fled back home and never remarried. The sons were worried, but between their father pushing ninety and arguments over how to split his inheritance, they soon dismissed his death as nothing more than natural causes.

“The next month, the wife of the eldest son woke up and discovered that he was dead, collapsed in their hallway. Roughly a week after that, the wife of the second son found his body, only a few meters away from their bedroom. Now, the youngest son was as cruel as his father and brothers. However, he had more sense and had sought out a priest even before the father had died. The priest told him that if he and his heirs wanted to stay alive, they needed to stay in their rooms at night. To put it bluntly, they needed to be the good children Nana had tried to raise. The son immediately swore that he and his wife would never leave their room after dark ever again. He ordered his guards to make sure his daughter—who was old enough to be wed to a wealthy man herself soon—were shut away as soon as the sun set. He never told his father or brothers, however. As a result, the youngest son outlived both his parents and siblings and reaped the financial rewards that followed. He refused to lose any money he would get from marrying his daughters off.

Feeling satisfied with himself, since it seemed like all he had to do to avoid his mother’s wrath was to stay in when it was dark, he enjoyed many safe nights. Then one night, he heard crying. The youngest son stilled since the weeping sounded like his brothers when they scraped their knees as children before their mother would find them and soothe their hurts. But… but that was impossible. He realized that his daughter must have snuck out somehow instead. Realizing that if his daughter died, he could never marry her off and make even more money, the youngest son bolted out his bedroom door, not realizing he had sealed his fate… until he saw the full moon in the sky in the hallway window. And then he heard the scream—”

“I am going to go stargaze some more now!” Rowen announced to everyone, bolting upright. “Goodbye.”

“I’m sorry if it was too scary,” Cye offered, tone shifting from ghoulish to guilty with shocking speed.

“It wasn’t. I am just, um, going to go outside while you finish the rest of the story. That’s all.”

Cye shrugged after Rowen left. “Enh, maybe I’ll just end it there. I’m not really sure what to do with the youngest son. All I can think of is to kill him off, and that is so cliché.”

“Wait, that’s not a real story?” Kento scooted closer to Cye. “You made it sound so real.”

“Thanks, Kento! But I just thought all of that up as I was talking.” Cye’s blue-green eyes were mirthful. “I’m surprised that no one said anything about me and my Mum not dying at the beginning because we were out of our rooms when it was dark.”

“That’s because everything after that was so intense,” Sage said. “Well done, Cye. I concede defeat, at least when it comes to storytelling.”

Rowen’s blood-curdling scream filled the night air.

The four of them bolted out the door with the same speed as Cye’s character in his story. However, they were not greeted by a ghost, but rather Rowen cornered by a white tiger.

Oh, no. Ryo had been so involved with his friends, he forgot that White Blaze liked to wander the front yard late at night. Yes, White Blaze had known that other people would be here, but he must have understandably assumed that they’d be inside at this point. And now, well, Ryo had to figure out what he would do next.

“Tiger,” Rowen breathed.

“Do we grab Rowen or wait for the tiger to leave or what?” Kento whispered, panicked.

“Tiger,” Rowen breathed.

“I-I don’t know,” Cye admitted, just as panicked. “This is a new situation for me.”

“Tiger,” Rowen breathed.

“I’m on it,” Sage said as he grabbed his sword.

And okay, Ryo had to act or the headlines in the newspapers tomorrow would be all about the teenager who was killed trying to stab a tiger. “Guys!” Thankfully, they all stopped to look at him. “That’s… that’s my tiger. His name is White Blaze.”

Sage didn’t put down his sword. “A boy with a pet tiger? Ridiculous.”

“You’re a thirteen-year-old boy with some super-secret job and a sports car. Don’t tell me what is and isn’t ridiculous!” Ryo took a breath. Now was not the time to let his emotions get the better of him. Not when his friends were too scared to think because of his mistake. “Guys, if White Blaze wanted to eat you, trust me, you’d all be digesting in his belly right now.” Kento made a face. Rowen somehow turned even paler. Sage’s hand was still on his sword.

Cye, however, looked thoughtful. “He has a point. All White Blaze has done so far is look at Rowen and purr really loudly.”

“Y-yeah.” Rowen was understandably still scared, but his logical nature remained. “Cats don’t usually do that to their prey. Right?”

“White Blaze only purrs if he’s happy.” Ryo strode over to his tiger and gave him a scritch behind the ears. “Rowen, you try petting him.”

Haltingly, Rowen held up a hand. “I hope you’re right about this, Ryo…” He ran a trembling hand against White Blaze’s cheek. White Blaze purred even more loudly, leaning heavily into Rowen’s touch.

And that seemed to win Rowen over. “His fur is so soft.” He even smiled. “Hey, guys! Ryo was right. He’s just like a cat. A big cat, but a cat nonetheless.”

“Hey, I wanna pet White Blaze, too!” Kento shouted.

“No way, me first!” Cye countered.

As good as it was that things were going well, guilt still washed over Ryo. “Everyone, I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you, and White Blaze wanted to meet all of you, but I thought you’d be scared.” And they had been.

“Are you kidding?” Rowen said. “This is the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“I… but wasn’t this terrifying for you?”

“Yeah, at first, because I didn’t know better.” Rowen’s face lit up, joy overriding any remaining composure. “But now I’m friends with a tiger! That’s something you daydream about as a kid, but now it’s my reality.”

“Aw, man his fur is soft.” Kento promptly buried his face in White Blaze’s neck.

“Who’s a good kitty? You’re a good kitty,” Cye cooed as he stroked White Blaze’s back.

Sage nodded at White Blaze. White Blaze blinked slowly at Sage twice.

“Hey, Ryo. This really is awesome. Thanks for trusting us with this,” Rowen smiled at his friend. “And don’t worry. Your secret is safe with us.”

--

When Ryo woke up, everyone was about where he expected them to be. Sage was sleeping on his back, sword nearby. Cye and Kento had put their sleeping bags next to each other so they could talk during the night but were now both deeply asleep, faces centimeters apart from each other. However, he could hear a voice from the kitchen where the phone was. He stood up, stretched, and discovered Rowen on the phone, White Blaze curled up next to his feet.

“Dad, I’m really sorry about what I said. No, it’s fine, although I do wish… I do wish that sometimes you’d remember me in amongst everything else. I know from personal experience that’s not easy, but I want both of us to try to do that from now on. … Okay, okay. I’ll give you more reminders, and you’ll make more time for me. That seems like a good compromise. … You can? That’d be fantastic! Bye, Dad. Love you, too.”

Ryo leaned against the kitchen. “So, you made up with your dad a little earlier than originally planned?”

“And then some. He said he’s going to pick me up.” Rowen bent down to pet White Blaze. “I’m looking forward to telling him about my adventure, with one adorable exclusion, of course.”

Somehow, White Blaze’s purr sounded a lot like a chuckle.

--

“Well, almost everyone is on their way home,” Ryo said to himself as he waved goodbye to the Hashibas. Sayoko had picked up Cye and Kento about an hour earlier. “Guess I better see if Sage needs anything before he leaves.” Once Professor Hashiba’s tiny car was out of sight, White Blaze strode over to Ryo, and Ryo gave him the pets he so richly deserved. “Last night was pretty scary, boy. I know you’d never hurt anyone, but the guys didn’t. They probably have only seen tigers in the zoo or pictures before.” White Blaze nuzzled his hand. “They sure did warm up to you fast, though. One second, I thought Rowen was going to faint from fright at the sight of you, the next he’s deciding you’re his new friend. I’m glad, of course, but it’s a little weird how fast that happened.”

“There might be a reason for that,” Sage said as he approached Ryo. “I’ve heard legends about animals that were born in the space between our world and the supernatural. They may look fierce, but they are friendly creatures, and anyone with a good heart cannot help but love them.” Awkwardly yet sincerely, Sage petted White Blaze twice. White Blaze nuzzled Sage and then wandered off into the woods. “That would explain why Rowen and the rest of us bonded with your tiger so quickly.”

“Yes, I suppose it would.” Ryo eyed Sage thoughtfully. “Not many people know of those legends, you know.” Not unless they were versed in the other realms. It was time to confirm his suspicions. “Sage, not many people know of those legends because my family has gone out of their way to keep them hidden. I want to know why you know them.”

“For the same reason you do, Ryo of the Wildfire. To stop the Dynasty from destroying our world.”

Ryo closed his eyes, attuning himself to Sage’s energy like his mother had taught him so long ago. Sage was bright, brighter than Ryo could have ever imagined. He opened his eyes, and it was so clear who Sage really was. “Well, it’s nice to know that I’m not alone in the fight anymore, Sage of the Halo.”

Sage grinned. “You are good. How long have you had your armor?”

“Since I was twelve. I awakened to my armor while scouting with my grandfather, and I’ve been training with White Blaze and the Ancient One since. Although both of them basically raised me before then as well.”

“Who is the Ancient One?”

“Don’t worry. He’ll introduce himself to you soon enough. How long have you had your armor?”

“I was twelve as well when I awakened. My grandfather knows a professor who’s been researching the armor and the Dynasty all his life. I contacted the Professor, and he employed me to scout and provide data for him. That was the job I was talking about earlier.”

Ryo took in Sage’s suit and car. “That job must pay really well.”

“Well, that and I still have a lot of the winnings from the race I won this summer.”

“You’re thirteen and you—you know what, never mind.” If Sage could fight evil, as far as Ryo was concerned, he could race cars in his off time. “So, how were you able to tell that I’m Wildfire?”

Sage closed his eyes, smirking as he folded his arms across his chest. “Wisdom.”

“No, dude, seriously, I wanna know.”

“You did an admirable job of hiding anything mystical, not counting your cat. But the energies those objects possess are still detectable by even a moderately powerful psychic. At the risk of hubris, my abilities have always been sharp. Training and wearing my armor have made them sharper. And meeting White Blaze—and eventually realizing that he is no ordinary tiger confirmed my suspicions.” Sage stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I’m surprised Cye didn’t notice anything, but then again he’s not as invested in this sort of thing as I am.”

“Why would Cye notice anything?”

“Forget what I said,” Sage replied quickly. “I just wanted you to know that you are longer alone in your fight. And I’m not your only ally.” He gave Ryo a business card. “Call Professor Koji tomorrow morning. He and Mia will fill you in on what to do next. We can also figure out a training schedule.” He smiled a little. “I wish the circumstances were better, but I am glad that I have a reason to be with you over the break. I won’t be seeing my family this year, and the other three are leaving the county until January. It gets lonely, sometimes.”

“Tell me about it. So… do you think we’re ready to take on the Dynasty?”

“We have to be. I refuse to let anything happen to Rowen, Cye, or Kento.”

Ryo nodded, placing a hand on Sage’s back. There were only two Ronin Warriors right now, but they were united in their cause to do anything for their friends. Because if they didn’t, they’d be alone again.

If they didn’t, Ryo would be alone again, and he would not let that happen.

--

Final Notes: If there's anything Fire Emblem and Persona have taught me, it's that the one that seems least threatening in the cast is also the one who is a horror fan. So, that's why Cye is the only one with a least a little talent with ghost stories. Also, yes, everything from Kento's story is SMT/Persona.

I tried to pay homage to Cye's more, um, interesting outfits (what an icon) in the official art as well. The hat is from the Gaiden art where they're all kids. I headcanon that he borrowed it from his sister and just never gave it back.