"The Trinity Spiral"
By Jasson Knight
Prologue
For all intents and purposes it was a normal day for me. I felt no connection to the people standing around me; most of whom I’d never see again. Nor did I have any feelings toward the establishment I was leaving. Maybe I’ve become too much like my father or too much a Dark Warlord; either way, I honestly felt nothing that day.
The forest green tassels brushed my cheek as I walked and my open robe flapped gently against my charcoal gray suit. My ear felt too light; I’d removed my usual earring. I reached up just to assure myself that the pin-prick sized emerald was still there.
It was.
I relaxed, knowing that the gift from my father was securely in place. I was honestly frightened to discover just how much the tiny earring had cost him.
My former classmates shouted my name as I passed by. I’d finally earned their acceptance about the time I’d become a hot-head like the guys.
I hear my name once more, but it’s a child’s squeal. With a grin, I’d turned and scooped up the fast moving bundle of toddler. My baby sister, Tia, shrieked and giggled as I swung her around and settled her on my arm.
My step-mom ran up as fast as fast as she could and took Tia back with a hurried apology. Then in yet another bout of well-meaning fussiness, made me zip my robe up; then adjusted the lay of my lapels and the hang of the sash over my shoulders. Then she gave me a quick hug and hurried away with Tia as fast as a very pregnant woman can.
I found the front of the line and stood there, waiting. All around me, people chatted about their past and their imagined futures. I let my mind literally wander, picking up the surface thoughts of the people around me. To be honest, I can usually pick up on a girl intent on grafting her lips to my cheek. However, Sanada Rahne isn’t your normal girl. Her lips quickly brushed my cheek and with a giggle she ran off to get the others before we walked out across the stage.
I watched her retreat for as long as I could see her and then with my telepathy until she’d slipped back into her place in line.
I was about to call back to Date Sage to tell him something, when a fanfare blared from the auditorium, then led directly into the song that signaled the culmination of the past years' studies.
My guide led me down a long dark hallway to a stage. Across its length stood Hashiba Rowen. He screwed his face at me, forcing a quiet laugh from me before I returned it.
One of the teachers signaled us and we walked to the center of the stage. “Hashiba Rowen, Valedictorian. Koma Alexander, salutatorian,” the superintendent announced to the packed room.
We walked out to applause and turned right, with a precision usually reserved for the military. We found our seats and remained standing, watching as our friends and former classmates came into the room. As they reached their seats, they remained standing as we did.
The rest of the ceremony was, frankly, a blur. My psi still managed to record it, and I know from that, that I must have been bored silly.
Finally, Rowen and I had to give our speech. I looked across the crowd and easily found the five other people who make up the Ronin Warriors. “Well, everyone, this is it. This part of the battle what we call life is finally over,” Rowen began.
Justice.
He continued, “It’s time for us to enter a new battle--”
“Or a new adventure,” I finished. “It all depends on a certain point of view. Which do you see it as?”
Wisdom.
Rowen took the floor again, “If nothing else, it’s both a beginning and an end. We aren’t kids anymore. We’re on the eve of the rest of our lives.”
Trust.
I took a deep breath. “We’ve tried our best, and we succeeded. We’ve made it past our childhood, and most of us are now ready for a new challenge.”
Virtue.
“Today, we’re still a body. Tomorrow, most of us will be going our separate ways. All we can do is look to the sunrise and not forget the past.”
Hope.
Rowen, thankfully, took the floor to end it. “Now, friends, it has come to an end. Don’t forget where you’ve been, but don’t ever go back. Good luck...”
Life and Loyalty.
He continued with an odd look on his face. “And in the words of the Great One...” Rowen smirked. “May the Force be with you.”
I guess he had to say something to send his girlfriend into a giggle fit. It worked, sending Rahne and most of the auditorium into a mass laughter fit.
Diplomas were handed out and then the mortar boards were thrown. I watched as seven kanji symbols tied onto each Ronin’s board sparkled in the air as they fell back to the ground.
We were all together, even here.
-Alexander “Shuten” Koma
***
***Three Days Later***
It was hard leaving; I didn’t want to go. It was like I was taking a gun and blowing away all those wasted years we spent fighting. Now, in what seemed like a flash, it was over. Eighteen years over like that. I guess I shouldn’t be too upset, because those years were some of the best years of my life. I’m glad we didn’t decide to separate, I don’t think I’d have been able to take that big a change.
Never before had I been so accepted, found people who knew me as if they had been born by brothers and sisters. Nothing like the false friendship I’d had before. No, they were friends who didn’t care what I looked like, or that I wasn’t wearing the “in” clothes. Hell, I could have been wearing clothes that looked like they came out of a dumpster and they wouldn’t have cared. If my hair wasn’t perfect, they’d never notice.
I was so hungry (I skipped breakfast and lunch to meditate) but I didn’t want to stop. If I stopped, I was afraid the good-bye will only be harder. And then, I think I’d have rather passed out than have Mia fuss over me like I was still the awkward kid I had been. She has kids to take care of now, and shouldn’t have to spend her time worrying abut me.
God, it doesn’t seem possible: four, almost five years ago, a group of fourteen-year-old kids wandered in here after that first long and painful battle against Talpa. We only wanted to rest, to lick our wounds, and to figure out if we’d made it through alive and whole. Maybe not whole. We’d touched the face of evil with our hearts and souls and had walked away the victors.
Ryo had found that his kindness and love of life wasn’t enough when faced with an evil that went deep into a person’s heart. He discovered that it ate away at people’s goodness like a tree rots from within.
Rowen had been the coolest of all of us. He often thought his way through things, but just as often let his instincts and emotions lead him through. But we all knew how betrayed and lost he felt when he discovered Anubis was human.
Cye had battled his innocence and trust while fighting someone who only wanted to dump his limp body in acid until all that was left was bleached bones. He had been so innocent, so childlike; he trusted and believed everyone was fundamentally good. Talpa destroyed that.
Kento’s someone who wants to believe no one lies. In ways he was the most mature of us, and then the next instant he seemed even more naive than Cye. Maybe even more so than Yuli. He doesn’t admit it, but all of us know his self confidence isn’t all there anymore. Dais destroyed a lot of what our good old Kento was with his illusions.
Me. I think I still doubt myself. Am I still walking the path of heroes when I used to blatantly walk into school and break girls’ hearts and destroy relationships even without trying? Even then, it had to be on my terms; if it wasn’t, I’d reveal just how insecure I was.
Why did we have to fight that?
I’d reached up and touch my still wet hair in the half vain/half unconscious gesture I picked up growing up. I don’t even like the thoughts I’m having.
“Sage?” A voice, so quiet it was more like a abrupt change in air pressure than words, touched my mind as floor boards under my feet had creaked. It was like being dragged though icy water. I didn’t even need to turn around to know who she was. “Seiji... It’s time to go...”
Then I did.
Sanada Rahne was trying hard to hold back tears, but wasn’t succeeding. The other guys were behind her, all of them looking lost. None of them were willing to stray from their little group; each and every one of them close enough that they would touch accidentally.
“I know,” I’d said, reaching over to put my hand on her thin shoulder.
“Just think, we won’t have to put up with another crying baby,” Kento had said brightly, disguising a break in his voice with a cough.
We laughed, but it was a half-hearted style of laughter.
Finally, Alex said ever so softly, “Guys, if we don’t leave now, we never will.”
We walked out to the cars, forcing ourselves not to look back. I prayed Yuli and Morgan kept playing in the back yard, that Saen would be too engrossed in his video game to notice us leaving, that little Tia stayed asleep; that Mia and Anubis wouldn’t stop us to say good-bye.
We passed Anubis, none of us looking at him. All he did was nod. No one stopped us until we reached the cars.
Saen was perched on my jeep’s hood, watching us with bright eyes. He leaped off the car and bolted right over to Cye. God, please don’t cry, kid... we’re all feeling lost now... Please, don’t say good-bye!
“Don’t. Go!” he cried into Cye’s shirt, his small fists grabbed handfuls of Cye’s khakis and refused to let go.
I don’t know where Cye got the patience or the strength to tell the kid that we had to go and to send him back inside. But he did.
We all got into our cars; Alex and me in my jeep, Kento, Cye, and Rowen in his jeep, and the Sanada twins on Ryo’s motorcycle. Within minutes, we’d left the mansion were we’d spent the last few years of our lives.
After long moments, Alex finally spoke, “Just think, Sage... A new adventure...”
I had to smile. Even now, the word adventure still sends a thrill of excitement down my spine.
A roar of high performance engines caught my ear. An instant later the twins flew past at a speed that had to be near eighty. Rahne’s shriek of joy and excitement could be heard over the roar of their engines.
Yeah, there was only one thing this is gonna be: An adventure.
Little did I know how big an adventure this was going to be.
- Sage Date
End Prologue
I’d like to thank all the people who bugged me into doing this, my first solo fic. And next: Thanks ,Sharra, you know why! Thanks Jinx & Sis, for letting me use your characters. The Ronins you recognize are properties of Sunrise. Anyone new, they belong to Jinx&Jedi.
Please let me know what you think!
- Jasson Knight
May the Ronin Force be with you! ICQ#: 31295446!