The Power of Friendship

Kento sensed excitement from his friends. What was going on? he wondered. He looked up toward the door, wondering if he should go and face all of them now. There had to be a reason why they were acting the way they were. And yet, he was afraid of facing them. What would they say to him? It was his fault that Cye was in here after all.

But the spirit of the armor was just too strong, and he found himself heading back to the waiting room where he found Cye's mother and sister, and his friends all seated around a doctor with short emerald green hair.

"Kento!" Ryo called, as everyone looked toward the big warrior. Kento let his gaze settle on his friends for a second, but when his eyes met Mrs. Mouri's, they quickly lowered to the floor. Shianne stared at him sadly as she watched him sit down. She looked toward the doctor.

"Please continue, Dr. Hyamach."

"As I was saying, your son woke, Mrs. Mouri. Although, it was only for a short time, I sincerely believe that'll he pull through. He is strong, and he'll make it."

Shianne nodded. "Cye has always been strong, doctor. But can we please see him?"

"Yes, it's best if only three go in at a time. You may visit him for up to fifteen minutes each until 10:00 P.M. which is when visiting hours are over."

Everyone nodded. It was decided that Mrs. Mouri, Sayoke, and Mia should go and visit Cye first.

The three women followed the doctor into the room, and crowded around the bed. Cye looked so peaceful lying there, but it tore their hearts apart to see him so badly injured.

"Cye?" Shianne called softly. "Cye, can you hear me?" There was no response, and Sayoke turned her head away. Why oh why did this have to happen to her little brother?

Mia stared down at the youngest Ronin. He had been through so much with the battle with Talpa. He never did like fighting. He had once asked why bother to fight when it would just bring more pain and misery. But he had no choice though.

In all the time she had known him, this was the worst she had seen Cye. Not even the attacks from Talpa and the Warlords had done this much damage.

For the next fifteen minutes they visited him, speaking to him gently, hoping that he would wake up. But Cye did not wake up, and they soon had to leave.

Shianne gently kissed her son on the nose, her tears soaking his bruised and swollen face. With one last look at him, she, her daughter, Mia left the room.

Ryo stared down his friend. His face was streaked with tears, and he wished with all his heart that it was him lying on that hospital bed instead. Beside him Rowen and Sage stood numbed. Sage remembered just days ago how Cye had promised to go with him to the new Wildlife Reservoir where deer were protected from hunters and other carnivores. Now Sage knew it would be a long time before Cye would go with him.

Rowen kept blinking, just hoping that his tears would just go away, or that Cye would just wake up. Worry filled his heart. Would they lose him? Was he going to live? What if he didn't?! Then what? They would all be torn. Cye held the team together, so if he did die, they would all fall apart. Rowen did not want that. He wanted Cye to live. There were too many people who loved and cared for him to let him go just like this.

"Ryo?" Rowen said softly. Ryo turned to look at him. "Do you think that....?" his voice trailed off as a lump formed in his throat.

Ryo shook his head. "I don't get it! The doctor said that he woke up! So why won't he wake up now!"

"Ryo, he will wake up soon," Sage said. "Cye isn't going to die. His body just needs rest after what happened."

Ryo's jaw tightened and his fists clenched. "Kento knows something. Why isn't he talking to us!"

"Ryo, I don't think trying to force him into telling us would do any good. He seems the most troubled by this. We can't let our emotions take control of our friendship, and Kento is definitely worried about Cye."

Ryo relaxed some. He stared down at Cye. "I know, Rowen. It's just that I overheard Kento say it was his fault, and I wanted to find out what he was talking about."

"Yeah, we heard him too," Sage said as he looked back down at Cye. His violet eyes blinked. Was that movement?! He looked closer, his eyes narrowing slightly. Yes, there was movement!

"Hey, he's moving!" he cried.

Ryo and Rowen followed his look. Sure enough Cye's fingers were moving slightly, and his eyelids were fluttering. His mouth opened. "Kento," he said in a soft choked whisper.

The three Ronins looked at each other, then back at Cye. He had stopped moving and looked like he was unconscious again.

Ryo stepped away from the bed. "We should let Kento see Cye. Hopefully after he sees him, Kento will tell us what happened."

Sage and Rowen nodded. With one last look at the bearer of Torrent, they left the room.

In his dream filled sleep, Cye kept repeating the same thing over and over. Kento. Kento. Kento.

Kento stood near the bed, staring down at his best friend through tears. The argument kept repeating itself in his mind over and over, and it was relentless. It was not going to leave him alone.

"Cye," he began in a tear-filled voice, "I don't know if you can hear me, but please, please... oh god! I didn't mean to! It's my fault! How will you ever forgive me! You'll hate me! I shouldn't have been so selfish! Damn it! Cye, please I am so so sorry!"

His sobs filled the room as he fell to the floor and cried over his friend.

Consciousness slowly crept into Cye. He felt someone beside him. His seablue eyes slowly opened, and he found Kento crying over him.

That was weird. He could see Kento crying, but he couldn't hear him. Was he crying silently? He had to find out. "Kento?" he said in a soft strained whisper.

Kento jumped back, startled. He looked down in surprise, then relief and happiness filled his heart. "Cye!"

Cye frowned. Why was Kento's mouth moving but no sounds were coming out? He stared perplexed at his friend.

"Oh, Cye! I thought I was going to lose you! I'm so sorry! I should have never fought with you! If I hadn't, then you wouldn't be hurt like this. I'm so sorry!"

"Kento?"

Kento stopped and stared down at his friend's peculiar expression.

"You're not talking, Kento," Cye said in a strained voice.

Kento cocked an eyebrow. "Of course I'm talking, Cye. Why would you...?" And then it hit him. "Oh no!" It couldn't be! Cye deaf?

Kento ran to the door as Cye watched him. What was Kento doing?

Kento poked his head out the door. "Doctor! Guys! Anybody! Come here quick!"

Ryo, Rowen, and Sage felt Kento's distress call. Something was wrong. Mia, Shianne, and Sayoke heard it as well. All of them ran for Cye's room. A doctor came soon as well, and all of them crowded into the room.

Shianne saw her son was awake. "My baby! My baby!" She had to hold herself from hugging him. Such action might worsen his injuries.

Everyone started talking to Cye at once. Kento was trying to get their attention, but failing miserably. He was starting to lose his patience.

Finally Cye cut through the voices. "Why aren't none of you talking?"

Everyone grew quiet immediately. They stared in shock at Cye.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you guys!" Kento said angrily. They all looked at him. His face was red and tears ran down his face.

"Cye's deaf?!" Ryo couldn't believe it! But one quick check from the doctor proved it.

"I'm afraid so, Ryo," Dr. Date said sadly. "When his brain received the massive injury, the nerve endings leading to his eardrums were damaged."

"My son is deaf?!" Shianne yelled hysterically. Dr. Date nodded, the looked toward her son. Sage caught her eyes and knew what she was expecting.

After chasing everyone out, except for the Ronins, Dr. Date nodded to her son, and left.

Sage turned to Cye, and Cye was wondering whether or not he would say something. He stared at his friends with a sad look on his face. "Why aren't none of you talking to me?!" he cried, feeling quite frustrated.

Sage answered, but it wasn't the way Cye was expecting. He had opened up the mind link. 'We have been talking to you, Cye,' he said.

'No, you haven't!' Cye cried back enraged. 'Your mouths are moving, but you are not speaking!'

'Cye, we've been talking all this time,' Ryo said sadly. 'You can't hear us.'

'Cye, we really hate to say this,' Rowen said in a choked voice. 'But you're deaf.'

Cye's face paled. Deaf? No, it wasn't possible. Images of his and Kento's argument filled his mind. He remembered running away from Kento, running into the street, and then feeling intense pain soon afterward. Tears flooded his seablue eyes as pain gripped him tightly, and he finally remembered what had happened.

"No...." he whispered, shutting his eyes tightly. Kento looked away, feeling the quilt all over again. Cye would never forgive him now.

'Cye?' Sage broke through again. 'I'm going to see if I can help you get your hearing back, alright?'

Cye said nothing, but just nodded. Tears ran down his face. He felt Sage's warm hands on both ears. The kanji of Wisdom soon appeared on his forehead as his body glowed a brilliant green. The light transferred over to Cye. The kanji of Trust appeared on his forehead, and Cye glowed a light blue.

Sage signaled for the others. Ryo's kanji of Virtue appeared as he glowed red. Kento's kanji of Justice appeared as he glowed orange. Rowen's kanji of Life appeared as he glowed blue. The five lights met and interacted with one another.

The minutes ticked by. Finally Sage was the first to back off, followed by Rowen, Ryo, and then Kento.

"Did it work?" Kento asked worriedly.

Ryo shook his head. "We'll just have to wait a few minutes and see, Kento."

Cye gave Ryo a funny look. "Wait for what?"

All four stared at him in surprise. The room was silent for several seconds, and then it finally hit them.

"CYE, YOU CAN HEAR!"

Cye grimaced. "Are you guys trying to make me deaf again?"

All of them blushed and apologized. But they were all very relieved, including Kento. It had worked. Cye could hear. When the news was spread, Mrs. Mouri and Sayoke and Mia were very relieved. And Dr. Date allowed them to visit with Cye for one hour straight. She too was relieved about Cye. Finally all of them bid good-bye to him, telling him to get some rest, and promising that they would see him the next day.

Cye said good-bye to them, and yawned. He closed his eyes and drifted off in a peaceful sleep.