"She"

by Tyria

Chapter one, Discovery.

As was predicted, I changed the name of this... It happens. This is My
third Ronin Warriors fic. I wanted to start this morning, but I ended up in
an ICQ conversation that lasted until 3:42!! Insane, I know.... And incase
you're reading this, Tetsuo, I STILL CAN"T FIND MY HAIRBRUSH OR MY TOE_NAIL CLIPPER!!! JEEZ!!! Ok, enough with me an' my Monkey-man, on with the fic. Or not. Minor note.... Between Doom and Dispair and "She", there is something I
can't find that I was supposed to write. Not much happenend, it was almost
entirely Kale being Idiotic, but in the end, he delivered Dais' Prophecy to
the Ronins, although they have yet to study it.... Ok, enough randomness,
Enjoy!

I must admit, I was seriously surprised when Tyria walked into homeroom
this morning. When she left in such a hurry, we all thought she was gone for
good, but apparently not.

I think Sage almost fell out of his chair when he saw her.

Now it's lunch time and I walk into the lunch room. Cye and Rowen are
saving a table while Sage consults with a flock of girls and Kento stands in
line for food. I don't see Tyria anywhere.

I walk over to the table and sit down. I put my lunch on the table.

"Brought your own lunch today?" Rowen comments.

"Yep. Turkey sandwich."

"I don't believe it." Cye remarks.

"What? I don't cook much but I CAN make a sandwich..."

"NO,not that. Kento's in line to buy his third lunch!"

"That guy has a bottomless stomach!"

Tyria sits down besides Rowen at our table and puts her lunch bag down upon
the surface. "Hi Salina."

"Yah, hi."

"Hey."

Salina Amatsuotome is Tyria's alias. She pretends to be mute because she
and Death, the symbiot who's bonded to her, they tend to slip between each
other's voice during a conversation.

Rowen is the only person in our grade that understands sign language, so he
translates for her.

"Kento's in line for his third helping and Sage is surrounded by his
admirers." He notices our confused looks. "Oh, she asked where the other
guys were."

We all nod. "Why did you leave so fast? The other day, I mean." I ask.

Tyria hesitates a moment before answering. Rowen translates. "She says that
they needed time to think."

"And why'd she hesitate, if I might ask."

"She says it's her buisness and none of ours. She adds that she would
appreciate it if we'd leave it be."

"Salina, if you or your 'friend' is in trouble, tell us and we'll help.

You're a Ronin and we'll always stick together." Tyria makes no responce.

Instead, she looks into her lunch bag.

"Please tell us, Salina."

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeease...?"

Kento plops his tray on the table next to my lunch bag and sits down next
to me. "Hey guys, what's happening?"

"Hey, Sage should be here when Salina tells us."

"What are you guys talkin' 'bout?" Kento asks.

"I'll go get Sage. Ro, you explain what we know so far to Sage." I get up,
by Rowen exclaims after me.

"We know something?"

I laugh slightly as I walk over to Sage and the Gaggle of girls surrounding
him. I can't get close enough to even talk to him, but he sees me. I
indicate for him to come over and he nods.

I nod and start to walk back to the table where the others are. I hear the
herd of girls behind me burst into flirtasious giggles.

They start complaining a moment later, but then they laugh again. In one
highly provocative voice, they cry out, "Bye, Sage!"

I shudder.

Sage joins me with a big, doppy smile on his face. The flirt-king strikes
again.

We get back to the table. I sit back down in my spot to see that Cye has
guarded my lunch in my absense. Sage sits beside Tyria, and Rowen was still
sitting on the other side of her.

Needless to say, she has the expression of a trapped rabbit on her face.
She dreads staying near Sage-who-has-obviously-centered-
his-attentions-on-her. Cye notices as well and is trying not to break out
laughing.

"So, you gonna tell us, or not?" Kento asks around a mouthfull of Fries.

"Tell us what? Huh?" Sage's woolfish smile was replaced and turned to
barely concealed worry.

"Salina _was_ going to explain what Meiun's message was about, right?"

"Salina says she thinks it would be better for her to tell us after school
today."

"Probably way-after. You have detention, right Rowen?"

"Of course." tyria makes some signs. "Heym that's an insult!"

"What'd she say?"

"I'm not telling."

"Maybe we can meet at Mia's."

"No way, we should meet at Sage's."

"Wow, Kento actually had a good Idea!"

"For once." Cye adds.

"Ok, so, we're all going to my house after school, why?" Sage asks.

Kento whispers to me. "I think his hair is finally starting to affect
him..."

Tyria throws her still un-touched lunch bag at Kento. She stands up and
starts to leave, made makes some gestures for Rowen to translate. "She says
she's not hungry."

"Whoa, what's eating her now?" Cye asks.

"I don't know, but Kento's eating her lunch."

"Sage, we're going to your house so she can TELL us what's eating her. And,
about Kento, he's not eating her lunch, he's finished."

It's after school now, but just barely. We're all waiting for Ryo to get
here.

"Hey, Ro, how'd you get off detention so quick anyway?" Cye asks.

"Mr. Avi said I could do the assignements tomorrow."

"Doesn't that mean...?"

"Yes, Kento. I have triple detention tomorrow. Or, if I get to school on
time, a double."

"Ya, it's a triple."

"That'd be so funny. For the first time in his life, Rowen is on-time for
school, only to get Double-Detention anyway!"

Everyone except me breaks out laughing. Is it just me or does Tyria's seem
a little forced? "That's it, laugh it up. I really needed that support."

Ryo fianlly arrives, "Hi guys, let's go!"

We all start walking. Ryo and Kento are at the front, talking about some
girl from home-ec, then there's Sage and Tyria, Tyria duly ignoring his
flirting, and Cye and I bringing up the rear.

We get out of the heavy populated area, and now there's a huge forest
growing out next to the road. "You could probably hide an entire army in
there..." Cye comments when he notices where I'm looking.

"Yah, or... Mia's house!!" Cye laughs in responce.

Ahead of us, Sage whispers something into Tyria's ear. She whirls, an angry
looking maring her face, and slaps hims as hard as she can across the face.

She turns and runs as fast as she can up the turn-filled road. Ryo yells,
"Damnit, what happened?"

"Sage, you can be so heartless sometimes!"

"Huh?" He looks confused at Cye and I.

"She's in a state of emotional stress and you go and act like..., well...,
like _you_!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, do most girls _like_ being comforted? Should I have yelled
at her and called her a whore instead? I can be non-flirtive if I want, and
I do care about other peoples feelings." Sage retorts.

Ryo whistles. "Guys, it doesn't matter." WhiteBlaze runs up. He must have
been following along in the bush. "WhiteBlaze and I can run Tyria down. We
don't want to leave her alone. What if whoever 'she' is comes? You guys can
catch up."

"Wait!" Sage yells as Ryo gets on WhiteBLazes back. "I'm comming too!" Sage
gets on the large tigers back behind Ryo.

WhiteBLaze runs after Tyria with the two Ronins. Kento, Cye and I chase
after.

Because it is obvious that the others will follow me, I run into the woods
after the first corner. I hear them arguing, it worked perfectly I stand
using a large tree to block me from view.

I see WhiteBlaze run by with Ryo and Sage a few moments later.

~Tyria, why did you run off like that, silly Mortal.~

~THis is not their problem, it is ours. I am no Ronin. Besides, you told me
yourself tat you did not wish to involve them.~

~True. Now, why did you hit Sage?~

~He gave me the perfect excuse to get away. His flirtasious nature will
persuade the others into thinking that he was simply flirting, and angered
me.~

~Ah. An actress, that's my Mortal! Good idea. We should continue further
into the woods, the other will be passing soon enough.~

~You're right.~

Then, from out of nowhere, we hear a strange scream, comming from deeper
nto the woods. We run towards it, and as we enter a clearing, hear "Net of
Illusion!!!"

I scream involountarily as we are wrapped up in some white, sticky
substance. ~Death?!~

~I can't move either. Not even my self!"

And then, I hear the sound of laughter. Quiet at first, then louder. My
head is beginning to throb, and the trees are getting further away...
The world blurs out of focus.

He he he. That was satisfying. I mean, which one of you honestly hasn't
felt like slapping Sage, ever? Well, that actually sucked, but i'll get
better. *Winks* Promise! C&C always appreciated, Ta!
Tyria