Blaze Of Shadows [A World In Embers]

Ryu's Insight

" That was awesome!" Hayato praised. They were waiting outside the medic where Kasumi was receiving First aid. During the last first, she had sustained a flesh wound and Ryu not taking any chances at infection, Ryu had insisted she take some form of treatment.

" What part of it?" Hanzo grumbled. " The part where Ryu's stress levels shot up during the cloning or...?" " Save it Hanzo, I'm still alive. aren't I?" Ryu said laughing. " Which is just as well" Kasumi cut in while she exited the room.

" Hey Kasumi, how the wound?" Hanzo asked in concern. " Fine, thank you" she said simply, " So, Ryu, do you have a limit to how many Apparitions you can create and control at a time?". " No I don't but it was painful summoning two, I don't think I want to find out."

Well, I dare say that even with your added powers I could land a solid shot or two" Hayato said, then Hanzo and Kasumi exchanged a glance before they burst out laughing." I doubt it, Ryu with his... Shall we say divine abilities is rather above your skills."

"Yes, he will crush your rather excessive bravado in the dust" Kasumi taunted, her tone warm with amusement. " However I'm all out for a challenge" with a mischievous grin " we'll make it our little tournament"

***

Kenshi smiled to himself while he watched the ongoing duel, there were times where Ryu's face and stance seemed to remind him of his sister.

His hard self imposed control usually wilts whenever he sees that similarity because it resurfaces memories he would have preferred to keep buried.

***

Forty years earlier a teenage kenshi rushed into the kitchen, startling their mother to report the latest offence of Lyra.

" Mum, Kira broke my phone, she has to get me another!". " No I didn't!" Lyra lied smoothly. " He was the one who..." Their mother held up a hand " Alright alright..."

A few hours later when the had both returned from school, Kenshi, determined to exact a little retribution for his damaged phone, ran over to his father who had just returned from a business trip.

" Dad, Lyra is meeting someone" He rushed and their father laughed " Is she? May I know who the boy is?." " It's Kael!" Kenshi beamed and their parents smile died. Kael then was already a school drop out, what happened after that was a blur; the arguments between Lyra and her parents, her running from home a week later and his parents promptly disowning her...

***

He remembered the pain and regret he felt when he heard of her death and the great urge to give Kael a slow and painful death but refrained when he heard about Ryu.

A laugh from Ryu shattered his reverie and dragged his conciousness back to the present to see that Ryu was steadily gaining upperhand.

Hayato was no match for Ryu and he knew it, but was holding on admirably as his withdrew slowly, to a normal observer it would seem that he was trying to back out of the fray but a master like Kenshi would notice that he was trying to sow the seed of a trap.

With a swift motion he transfered his weight and poised his sword's blade to the side of Ryu's neck. " Even with you added speed I can still go up against you" Hayato joked and Ryu gave a smile. " Look down Hayato." Just then he noticed it , to the exact location of his heart he felt the light tap of a metal point. " Impossible" he said under his breath and glanced down, sure enough Ryu's sword was there.

Ryu shrugged dismissively and sheathed his sword before glancing at Kenshi who gave him a nod of approval, this was normal -if you met his expectations his praise was cordial, if you didn't quite achieve it his praise was very cordial- but there was a somewhat far away look in the older man's eyes and Ryu began wondering if it had to do with him...

***

Over dinner the KoKuryūkai department heads sat at the table, the dinning room was naturally the team's cooling off point and Kenshi allows a little time for frivolities before belatedly dragging it back to work. " Ryu you're growing thin, are you eating right?" Kenshi asked in concern.

Ryu always uncomfortable when shown any paternal affection bowed his head. " Yes master" he said simply. " His digestive system has been enhanced by whatever happened to him." Kasumi taunted and the whole team erupted into a steady barrage of joyful banter, with the exception of Kenshi who rather watched and Ryu who still felt awkward indulging in a joyful conversation when he had lived an introvertive existence before his rebirth.

" Anyway, Hanzo have you gotten any feedback on the assignment I put you on" Kenshi said and leaned forward in his seat which signalled the end of their joyful banter. " Nothing on Hikari whereabouts yet Master, I'm still checking though"

" Do we..." Hayato started and swallowed a mouthful of food. " ... Have an idea of his full abilities?". " Well for now it is just plain flame throwing but that is an unsafe conclusion to draw" Hanzo started. "That is because if he is anything like Ryu then some of his abilities might only surface in certain conditions; like when he has been pushed to his limits"

" Yes and right now, Ryu haven't really achieved that yet" Hanzo agreed. " From my view it seems he's having the same problem of self-discovery" Ryu suggested and took a cup of water. " Probably... Apart from the fact that he was a plain psycho, do we have any tangible idea of his background and motivations?" Hayato inquired curious.

" Apart from what we currently know, I know very little about his background" Kenshi said after a moment hesitation. " That might be something for you to work on, once we know his motivations we can better figure out how to beat him..." Ryu began.

" Or make him see sense, however the case maybe." Kasumi finished for him and they all nodded in silent agreement while Kenshi twisted his moustache thoughtfully. " What happens now?" Hayato asked. " Now we eat and hopefully get some well deserved shut eye" Kasumi grinned.