It was snowing outside as a boy with black hair walked up to the volcano side. He slipped on some ice, but caught himself before he fell too far down. He looked around, then started up the volcano once again. When he reached the top he looked around. Then, he shouted, "Armor of the Wildfire! Tao Jin!" He jumped into the volcano.

* * * * *

A boy with blond hair came down the stairs, then looked around; he then asked the boy in the kitchen that had sandy brown hair, "He, Cye, have you seen Ryo? I need to talk to him."

Cye turned around and said, "Yeah, he went up to the volcano.

The finals are making him so on the edge. I told him to go on down the volcano to relax for a little bit. Once his armor is hot and powerful enough, he'll come back. What do you need to talk to him about, Sage?"

Sage smiled to himself, "For a second there I thought you were going to say he'll come back when he's hungry."

"Hey, he's not Kento," Cye said, pointing a fork at him. The two boys both started laughing.

"Hey, what's so funny down here?" a boy with bright blue hair said as he came down the stairs.

"Oh, just talking about Ryo," Sage told him.

"Oh, is that all?" Rowen rolled his eyes. "Sage, have you seen my book on Strata? I can't find it anywhere."

"Ah. . . let me think. Did you leave it in the car?" Sage asked him.

"Yeah, now that I think about it, I think I did. I'll go get it right now."

"Don't bother, Rowen. Kento went out to get dinner. We'll be lucky if we get anything. That is, if he even comes back TONIGHT. He went to his favorite restaurant," Cye said, shaking his head.

Which one would that be, Cye? I didn't know Kento had just one favorite restaurant!"

"He doesn't, we didn't tell him just one restaurant to go to."

* * * * *

Kento stood staring at the buffet. "Food, food, food. . . so much food. . . what to get . . . HA HA HA! Foood! HE HE HE!"

"Excuse me, sir, but we're going to have to ask you to leave," a young woman asked with her head down.

What? Why? What did I do?"

"Well, sir, you've run around are restaurant for almost an hour yelling, 'food'. You're disturbing other customers."

"Fine, I'll get food from somewhere else, then!"

"Well, we don't want you to go away mad, so. . . we'll let you buy a party plate. It can serve up to ten people, and it's only ten-fifty," she said hopefully.

"Okay, whatever. Here you go. Bye. . ." Kento walked out to his car. "Hm, I better put this in the back so I can make it home with it, otherwise my friends will kill me!"

* * * * *

Ryo sat at the bottom of the volcano, meditating. Huh? How long have I been down here? I'd better get home before the guys start to worry. Hey, what was that? It couldn't be, could it? Nah, it's not possible, is it? It felt like Talpa, but that's. . . but he's dead, Ryo thought to himself

"Oh, Ryo of the Wildfire, you are funny!" came a female voice. "So you're the one who killed my brother. My brother, Talpa, that is. Well, I'm here to take revenge for him. And of course Inferno, too! HE HE HA!"

"Man, you laugh as bad as Kayura! Try all you want, lady, but all you'll get is what Talpa got! Death!" Ryo said, still trying to find her.

"We shall see, Wildfire, we shall see. No go and tell your little friends about me! HA HA HA!" The girl's voice faded out but just before it was all gone he saw a thin woman with spiked brown hair.

"Hey, where is she? Dammit, she left! How am I supposed to tell the guys this?! Ahhhhhhh! This sucks!"

Ryo headed down the volcano with his head down (too far down) . Then he was pushed over, to his surprise. He looked up to see a beautiful girl looking at him. She looked about the same age as him but a lot more frail. She had her long blond-brownish hair in a high ponytail. She had green eyes, the prettiest he had ever seen, and she was about 5 ' 6", a little shorter than him, but not much.

"Ooh, I'm sooo sorry, sir, I wasn't watching where I was going. You see, my little sister has run off, and I can't find her. I thought I saw her run over here, but I guess that was you and not her. Oh, I'm so sorry, are you all right?" Said the girl

"Yea, and it was my fault not yours I wasn't watching where I was going. I'm Ryo, and who are you?"

"Katie, but call me Kat."

"Kay, do you need help finding your sister?"

"Oh, would you? Her name is Ally. It's not like her to run like this, it really isn't. It's just my parents and. . . "

"That's enough, I get the point. " Ryo said stopping her, from going on.

"Thanks again, you don't know how much this means to me, really." He is really hot! Really really hot, and so sweet.
He's so sweet that maybe I should tell him that . . . I'm . . . no, I can't, it could put him in danger. But he is so sweet, and I have this feeling that I should tell him. . . No! I can't. But he is hot!

"Do you have an idea where she'd go? Any favorite hiding places, anything?"

* * * *

"Okay, now I'm starting to worry; where the hell is Ryo, excuse my language." Rowen said putting his book down

"Calm down, man you look like a really mad pig of some sort. And plus, I'm sure Ryo has a really good reason to be taking so long at the volcano." Sage said in a calm voice but then he clamped his teeth down. "OR AT LEAST HE BETTER!"

"Now who needs to calm down, SAGE?" Rowen said in a mocking voice

"Rowen, SHUT UP ! ! Hey, what about Kento? He hasn't come back either, but I have this feeling Kento's fine, but Ryo, ahh, I don't like this not one bit. Going to the volcano for an hour or two, even three, fine. But eight? Ahhhh, he better have a really good excuse!" Cye said then took a drink of his soda.

"I'm home and I have food!" Kento yelled as he came throw the door.

"Hey, Kento, what did you get?" Cye said trying to change the subject.

"I think it's hot dogs." Kento said, looking in the bag. "Cye, do we have any pop?" Kento looked around then frowned. "What, where's Ryo?"

"Yes, we have pop, and no, we have no idea where Ryo is. He went up to the volcano eight hours ago. Tell you the truth I don't think even his armor could take all that power in without blowing up!" Cye said throwing his empty glass down on to the ground

Kento raised his eye brow. "Well, did you check the volcano?"

"No." Said Sage biting his bottom lip

"Why not, isn't that where he's supposed to be!? And you call me stupid sometimes. I really wonder." Kento said putting the food on the table and taking out a hotdog and some chips.

* * * * *

"Yeeeeeeeee, help!" Came a little voice

"Ally?!" Kat yelled

"Come on, it came from over here." Ryo grabbed Kat's hand and pulled her over toward scream.

"HA HA HA! Well, look what the cat dragged in! HA HA HA! I'm sorry, does this belong to you?" 'Talpa's sister' held up the little girl.

"Put her down. . . ahhh. . . Talpa's sister. Now that is unless you want to have face left!" Ryo threatened.

"HA HA HA HA! Oh, silly me, did I forget you my name? It's Trots, remember it well, for it shall be your doom! "Trots said swinging her arms (and Ally) all around

"One, stop that laugh! Two, why is the world does every single evil thing say to remember their name cause it will be our doom, but it never is! Just a question." Ryo said rolling his eyes

"Ally turned around and bit 'Trots' in the arm. Trots, not ready for that, dropped the little girl, but Ryo, of course, was ready and caught the little girl and set her down. He looked up to see the all and mighty powerful holding her arm and wimpering!

"You'll pay for that, you brat! But another day, and that goes for you too, RYO! So long! HA HA HA HA. . . Ha. . . Ha. . . ha!"

"Ally, are you all right, sweetie? Why did you run off like that? You scared me. You almost scared Kit out of her wits; you know how she is!" Kat lectured.

"I'm sorry, but I thought I saw Mommy and Daddy. " Ally said looking down with tears in her eyes. Kat sighed.

"It's all right, but Mommy and Daddy can never come back, sweetie; you know that, don't you?" Kat said holding her close

"Woo, hold it, why can't they?" Ryo said butting in.

"Well, they died in a car; it was head-on, they never had a chance. They even didn't have their seatbelts on!" Kat explained without making eye contact

"I'm sorry," Ryo said remembering his own parents death "but you told me they were fighting?"

"I know, but I thought that you would help me if I started out like that and -" Kat tried to explain

"Okay, I get it, but who's Kit?" Ryo said changing the subject

"She's my twin sister."

* * * * *

Okay, that's long enough, let's eat without him. Maybe then he'll learn not to stay out all hours of the night!" Kento said crossing his arms.

"Kento, I said it once, and I'll say it again THAT we're not eating without RYO!" Cye said, not looking up

"But I'm hungryyyy, I need food, and it's his problem, not ours. He shouldn't be out at, what is it, ten! Most people eat at six! ! CYE! !"

"Kento, you didn't even come back till eight! Plus you already ate half of it!"

"What's your point, Sage!" Kento said stomping around the room

"Shut up, just shut up, everyone shut-up, got it, SHUT UP!!" Cye yelled standing up, and throwing his magazine on the ground

"Okay, Cye, calm down, breathe in and out. " Sage said as he put his arms up.

"Don't tell me to calm down. Ryo is out there somewhere, probably lost! And you tell Me to calm down! !"

* * * * *

"So, you and your sisters do have a place to stay, right?" Ryo asked

"Well, kinda, if you count the bridge as a place to call home sweet home. " kAt said with a smile

"A bridge, you live under a bridge?" Ryo said in shock

"YES, we do , do you have a problem with that, cause if you do get over it right now." Came a new voice

Ryo turned to where the voice came from to see another Kat, except this one had dyed red hair.

"Ryo, this is my twin Kit ; as you can probably tell, she's dyed her hair red! He he he!"

"Yep, so why don't you stay with as, we have a lot of room and I'm sure we'd all love to have you?"

"Who's we, pretty boy?"

"Well, KIT, we is my friends and I."

"Fine, one more question, though. How did you that. . . girl?"

Long story, too long!"

"Oh okay, but if I were you I'd stay away from her; you have no idea who you're dealing with. Little boy!"

"Really, and you do? She said something about her brother, do you know who that brother is? No, I don't think you do."

"Kit, Kat, stop. Think about it, Trots knew Ryo, remember Kat, that means he knows her!"

"Ally's right, Kit, she did know him and I don't think she liked him very well. In fact, if I'm not mistaking she down right hated him!"

"Is this true, little boy?"

"One, you ever call me little boy again I'm going to beat you down. Two, yes, it is."

"Well, then she'll probably come after him, and of course that means we have to defend him. Great, I'm stuck with a no-good pig-headed freak!"

"One, what do you mean you have to defend ME? Two, I am not a no-good pig-headed freak!" Ryo yelled.

"Ryo, I'm not going to get on your back, but you have no idea what you're dealing with. This thing is far more than gang members at a local bar." Kit said trying to calm down.

"Look, Kit I know what I'm dealing with better then you could ever know!"

"Ryo, I hate to do this, but I'm going to have to side with my sister. She's right, and plus you don't even have the proper gear to fight her. "Kat said standing up

"And you do?" Kit said crossing her arms

"Well, yes. We have armors. My armor is the Armor of the Jungle, and Kat's is the Armor of the Forest, and even little Ally has an armor, the Armor of the Flower. They have a magical power so we can defeat the evil."

"Arm. . . where did you get these armors?" Ryo’s eyes went big.

"Oh you know, at the nearest 7-11. There's still some there if you want one." Kit said pointing backwards

"Ha ha ha, very funny. I'm not kidding." Ryo said with no smile on his face

"A guy named Anubis gave them to us." Kat broke in

"ANUBIS! ! Oh great, this is just great. Ha, great, now what do I do?" Ryo started pacing

"You go home, forget you ever met us, and get on with your life." Kit said

"Did Anubis tell you anything about what you're going to be doing in the next mouth or so? Like tell you the legend of your armor?" Ryo asked

"Well, yes he did. You see, there was this guy who created the Ronin and Warlord armor. The Ronins were-" Kat started to explain

"I know that legend!" Ryo broke in

"Oh, okay, well, after he created their armors, a guy told everyone he could do the same thing. Of course no one believed him, so he would spend all his time working on them. He did it, believe it or not, three armors, but the third was different. It could be worn by anyone, not just one size, it would grow with that person, powers and all. The Armor of the Flower, little Ally's armor." Kat finished.

"Well, one question, what about the Ronin and Warlord armors, what did Anubis have to say about them?" Ryo asked with curiosity

"Not much; he just told us the legend of them and Inferno. Inferno is really powerful."

"Yea, I know. For fighting us at one time he didn't tell you much." Ryo said under his breath

"You fought against Anubis?" Kit broke in

"Yea, when he was evil but he turned good along with the other Warlords." Ryo said kinda in a daze

"Who are you, no really, who are?" Kat asked

"I am Ryo of the Wildfire, also of the Inferno. I am the leader the Ronin Warriors. I am the one who defeated Talpa and I'll probably be the one who defeats Trots."

"Well. . . I. . ." Kit started

"Ryo, is that you? Ryo, are you out here? Ryo?"

"Other Ronin Warriors you should meet."

"Ryo where have you been? We were worried sick." Sage said putting his arm on Ryo's shoulder

"Yea, " Kento started then looked at the girls "and who are these really strange girls that are giving me a dirty look?"

"No, Kento, they're giving me a dirty look, not you they're mad at, me cause I didn't tell them that I was Ryo of the Wildfire."

"What, you told them that you are Ryo of the. . ." Sage yelled

"Sage, calm down and let them introduce themselves." Ryo said putting a hand up

"Hi, I'm Ally. I'm five years old. Guess what, I'm also known as Ally of the Flower. That's because that's the armor I wear." Ally said walking up to Sage

"Kat of the Forest, happy to meet you."

"Kit of the Jungle, and I don't like you?"

"Kit stop it, they're here to help!" Kat said glaring at him.

"Well, they know who I am but, not you, introduce." Ryo said putting his hand out.

"Sage of the Halo."

"Cye of the Torrent."

"Rowen of the Strata."

"Kento of the Hardrock."

"There's of course White Blaze too, he's my tiger. Well, let's go home now. Oh, by the way, they're staying with us."

"What?!" all the other Ronins said at the same time while the girls gave them smug looks.