Title: To Help or Not To Help

Author: Tigergirl

Rated: T for language

Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors. However, I do own Kylie and any other characters found in here but not in the RW series.

Summary: Life has been relatively quiet for the Ronin Warriors with no attacks from the dynasty. One afternoon, White Blaze comes back to the house with a mysterious young woman who knows everything about their armors and the dynasty. She is in dire need of their help, but will they help her when she reveals who she is and what other secrets she holds?

CHAPTER ONE

Life was quiet at the Koji household. Lately, the dynasty had been quiet with no soldiers attacking the city or the warlords stirring up trouble. Ryo stretched out his arms before falling back against a tree and closing his eyes. Rowen was sitting next to him with his eyes closed.

"Hey, Ro?" Ryo said.

Rowen made a low grunt noise in the back of his throat. That was the only indication Ryo was going to get that his friend was still awake.

"Why do you think they haven't attacked in a while?" Ryo asked.

Rowen groaned as he turned his head towards his friend and opened his eyes.

"Truthfully, I don't care, Ryo. They're leaving us alone and letting us pretend we actually have normal lives," Rowen answered before closing his eyes and turning away.

A loud chuckle burst out of Ryo. Because of the close proximity, it shook Rowen a little who smiled in response.

"Rowen, we all know that our lives have never been normal. And I doubt they ever will be," Ryo laughed.

The obvious statement caused Rowen to let out a small chuckle himself. No truer statement was ever spoken. Their laughter died down just as they heard Cye's voice calling them from the house.

"Dinner!"

In a flash, Rowen was on his feet, across the yard, and in the house. Ryo choked back a laugh as he calmly stood up and made his way slowly towards the house. He knew the reason for Rowen's rush was Kento. He was known for dishing out more food on his plate than the others, leaving whoever was last at the table with very little to eat.

Ryo didn't mind. He had eaten a large lunch so he wasn't too hungry at the moment. Glancing around, the Wildfire bearer didn't see his large feline companion. He wasn't worried about White Blaze, though. The tiger was known for disappearing for a few days at a time.

Ryo entered the kitchen where he found his four buddies sitting at dinner table. Cye and Sage were politely waiting for him while Rowen and Kento had already started eating. Ryo wasn't surprised to see Mia with them. The older woman was out of the town for the weekend at a conference.

Another night with the guys, Ryo thought happily. How could life get better?

/…/

It was the middle of the night when a young woman moved about her room quietly. She picked up her bag in which she stuffed a few set of clothes in. She walked around her room using the small amount of light given off from a single candle.

Glancing at the clock on her bed stand, the young woman knew now was the best time to leave. The others were fast asleep and wouldn't wake until morning. Pulling the strap over her head, she let it rest against her chest while her bag rested against her right hip. Bending down with a cupped hand, the young female blew out the candle.

She quietly locked her door behind her before strolling slowly and quietly down a long hallway. She was careful to pass by the other four doors in the hallway without making any noise. She came out into a living room where she froze.

There was a lit candle on the coffee table and a body laid out on the couch. She held her breath as she snuck around to the back of the couch. Peeking over the couch, she realized who was on the couch and let out a quiet snort.

"Again? I swear you never sleep in your room," she mumbled.

She picked up a blanket that was across the back of the couch and dropped it over the resting body. The person showed no awareness of the blanket being dropped on them. The young woman shook her head as she walked over and blew out the candle.

"You sleep like the dead," she told the prone body.

Whispering a quiet goodbye to the sleeping body, she snuck outside and started leaving the one

place she had called home for a long time. It tore at her heart to leave, but to not leave would spell doom. Using the moonlight to guide her, the young woman made her way down a pathway towards a tall weeping willow.

I can't go the same way they would or they'll know instantly where I am, she thought.

She stopped at the base of the weeping willow. Looking over her shoulder to stare momentarily at her home, she released a loud sigh.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing," she murmured.

When she turned back around, she walked through the tree and disappeared.

/…/

White Blaze stood up and stretched, letting out a small roar when doing so. The tiger walked away from his resting place and down to the lake. He stopped to lap up some water before moving on. White Blaze wandered around for a little bit before stopping by a large cherry blossom tree.

The tiger spooked when a person walked around from the other side of the tree. It was a young woman a little smaller than his human companion. Her long brown hair reminded him briefly of Mia, but her amber colored eyes are what really caught his attention. The golden colored eyes seemed to find him just as fascinating.

"Hello. What a handsome tiger, you are," she said, holding out a flat open palm.

White Blaze crept forward to sniff at the offered hand. The tiger could detect that there was something different about the young woman. He ducked his head under the hand and instead bumped his head gently into her stomach.

"Oof! Gentle, please. My stomach's a little sensitive," she whispered, reaching her hand down to pat him on the head.

White Blaze felt there was something pressing about the girl he should know as he took in her scent. She giggled softly while scratching him behind the ears.

"I wish I knew your name, handsome boy. All I know is that you're the Ryo of the Wildfire's companion."

Her last statement caused the tiger to snap his head up in alarm. The tiger let out a warning growl. The young woman held her hands up in defense.

"I mean him no harm. I need his help. Him and his friends," she explained.

The young woman started to say something else, but a sudden bout of coughing momentarily stopping her. After a few seconds of coughing, she was able to calm the hacking down and could speak again.

"Can you please take me to them?" she asked.

White Blaze didn't have to think twice before wrapping around behind her and nudging her in the direction he had come from. He had heard the sincerity in her voice. Plus, what could a girl do to five young men who possessed mystical armors?

/…/

It was early the next morning when Ryo stepped outside. He did a few exercises in the yard before jogging a few laps around the area. He was taking a sip from the hose outside when White Blaze came walking out of the forest with a young woman he had never seen before.

The girl didn't appear to be frightened by the tiger and smiled when she spotted him. Ryo turned off the hose before standing up.

"Who have you got here, White Blaze?" Ryo mumbled more to himself as the two came closer.

It was unusual for the tiger to have come across someone in his wanderings in the forest. It was even more unusual that he had led her back to the house. Ryo stepped forward with an apologetic smile on his face.

"I'm sorry about White Blaze," Ryo said. "He doesn't usually bring people around. I hope he didn't frighten you."

She smiled softly and looked at the tiger fondly.

"He's a good companion. A nice name for a wonderful creature. It suits him," she said.

Ryo stopped in front of her as his face fell into a frown. There was a feeling in the back of his head niggling at him.

"Have we met before?" he asked.

The young woman shook her head with a quiet laugh.

"Sadly, no. This is our first time meeting. But I feel as though I know you very well." She paused. "Ryo of the Wildfire."

He startled. The feeling had just intensified and he doubted very much that it was the presence of his armor. What did someone say to something like that? Thankfully, she saved him from having to respond by continuing.

"My name is Kylie and I need your help. I need the help of the Ronin Warriors."

I think life just became a little less dull, Ryo thought.

END OF CHAPTER ONE

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