Everyone had stayed up late last night talking about what they had all heard on the news, and about each other.  Just like Kento has said, Cye was the backbone of the group.  He knew more about them then they themselves knew, and it hurt them all when he was taken.  It was as if Red Wing had known it was like this, maybe it was the nature of the Torrent armor, and all they could do was guess.  Sarah woke up and found herself in her room, not where she last remembered being.  Figuring someone had put her to bed after she dozed off, she stood up and walked to the bathroom, but found it was locked.
    "Sage is in there.  It'll be at least a couple of hours." Ryo said as he walked by.
    "Why does it take him so long to fix his hair? I'm faster then he is." Sarah replied leaning against the wall.  Ryo stopped to look at her and saw her gazing at him.
    "You know, I don't know.  There's a lot about all of us, I don't know about." Ryo looked down; "I'm not much of a leader am I?"
    "Being a leader has nothing to do with how much you know about your friends." Sarah stated as the door to the bathroom opened and Sage walked out.  He looked to Sarah and then to Ryo.  Not wanting to get involved he shrugged his shoulders and walked on into his room.  Sarah smiled at Ryo once and then disappeared behind the door of the bathroom.

    The sun set slowly behind the distant mountains, and an evening fog rolled into the valley when four figures appeared, and disrupted the serenity in the valley, but not for long.
    "I wonder where we are now?" Shu stated looking around their new surroundings, "It looks familiar somehow."
    "Yea,  I feel as if I should know where we are." Touma agreed.
    ~ I've been here before too.  A long time ago. ~ Stardust stated.
    "Like when you were a cub?" Shu asked looking down at the tiger.
    ~ Not quite that long. ~ Stardust chuckled.
    "Wait a sec.  Did you just hear her?" Touma asked looking over at Shu.
    "Yea, why?" Shu asked looking back, "Wasn't I supposed to?"
    "I'm confused, Stardust, didn't you say you could only talk to one person at a time?" Touma asked looking down at the tiger.
    ~ That is true most of the time, but it seems this place gives me the ability to talk to you all. ~ Stardust replied.
    "Princess... oh... I mean, Katelynn, what do you think? Do you have anything to shine a light on this subject?" Shu asked walking over to her.
    "We're in your homeland." Katelynn answered turning to look at his surprise.
    "Are you sure? There's something that's not quite right." Touma asked shaking his head.
    ~ Katelynn is right. This is our homeland. ~ Stardust nodded, ~ That's why I can talk to you all. ~
    "Home... I thought I'd never make it back." Shu said breathing in the night air.
    "But why did we come here? Now?" Touma asked looking back over at Katelynn.
    "Ryo's here.  He's in the volcano." Katelynn replied pointing to a large mountain in the background.
    "But, isn't that the sacred mountain? Are you positive?" Shu asked amazed.
    "Yea, He had the Rekka, remember.  Its power comes from fire, and what greater fire is there then the molten lava of a volcano." Katelynn replied.
    "Right, it's Ryo we're after." Touma said joining them.
    "Then let's get going.  The sooner we get Ryo the sooner we get Seiji." Shu stated heading off toward the volcano.
    "And the sooner we can save Shin." Katelynn added.
    "What is she talking about?" Shu asked looking over at Touma.
    "Shin is alive.  But whoever it is that's doing this, has him.  He's turned him to their side." Touma explained quietly.  Shu nodded and looked over at Katelynn who was ignoring their conversation, and nodded.

    After breakfast everyone went their separate ways to think about things they thought they would never have to deal with alone. But finding that Shin was the only person they knew they could go to about anything, they had to find it in themselves to find that same trust in the others.  Sarah found herself sitting out on the dock.  She sat on the end with her feet dangling in the water and thought about how she was going to muster up the courage to face Cye again.  She looked down at her reflection and threw a small rock into the water.  When the ripples cleared Sarah saw Ryo looking back up over the reflection of herself.
    "A penny for your thoughts?" Ryo asked sitting down next to her.
    "Where'd you hear that?" Sarah asked moving over to let him sit.
    "Sages' mother said it at one time or another." Ryo replied, "Whatcha thinking about?"
    "Just stuff." Sarah replied throwing another rock into the water.
    "Cye stuff?" Ryo asked as he watched the ripples fade away and their reflections appear again with Sarah nodding, "We'll get him back."
    "How?  The only way is to kill him.  And I can't do that." Sarah replied looking up at him.
    "We'll find a way.  I'll find a way.  If only I had seen it." Ryo stated
    "Seen what?" Sarah asked, "Nobody saw this happen. It's not like you have some extra power to see into the future."
    "But I still feel responsible.  I feel responsible for everyone.  I'm the 'Leader' and I couldn't do anything."
    "Leader is a word..."
    "It's a position.  One of high status."
    "It's one that is usually earned also, You were given it."
    "Whether I was given it or not, it's a responsibly that I was not able to live up to!"
    "It's a responsibility no one expected you to live up to.  Ryo, being the leader doesn't mean that everything that happens is directly your fault.  It's as much your fault as it is mine.  Or Kento's, Sage's, Mia's, Rowen's, Yuli's, Whiteblaze even!"
    "A leader is responsible for the people in his group.  If they don't make it out alive, it's the leaders' fault! It should be the leader to die in place of those he's responsible for!" Ryo exclaimed.
    "Your right.  But being the leader of the Ronin Warriors calls upon different situations, and different actions.  Being the leader of this group doesn't mean that you are directly responsible for the safety of the others.  Being the leader of the Ronin Warriors means that you wear Wildfire, and when needed you wear Inferno.  You have no direct role, just by wearing those armors makes you the leader.  It's everybody's responsibility to look out for everyone else.  It's also our responsibility to make sure the others make it out alive.  Nothing would be different if you were there instead of Cye; we'd all be in the same boat. We'd all think the same thing.  We'd all do our best to get you back, and nobody would even consider killing you." Sarah stated looking him in the eyes, "Why are you so determined to make it your fault?"

    The small group of travelers finally made it to the base of the mountain when they were faced with reaching the top.
    "This is crazy!" Katelynn exclaimed, "It took us two days to make it this far! It'll take another three just to make it to the top."
    "Katelynn, we can do it.  It doesn't look like that big of a climb." Shu said as he looked for a good place to start.
    ~ He's right.  If we work together, we should make it up in time. ~ Stardust pointed out.
    "Or we don't have to walk at all." Touma yelled a ways away from the others.
    "Did you find something Touma?" Katelynn asked as she and the others ran up to him.
    "Only this crack.  It may be a way you can get in." Touma suggested.
    "How is she going to get though that tiny thing?" Shu asked looking over at Katelynn who had already pulled out the Rekka orb.
    ~ The power of  Rekka will aid her in her quest ~ Stardust explained as the orb started to glow brightly.  In response to the sudden power the crack also grew, big enough for all of them to fit though, witch they did.  They followed the tunnel for what seemed like hours when they came to an opening that led to the center of the volcano.

    "It's not that I want to blame myself.  I... I just want to be a good leader like my father was." Ryo sighed hanging his head.
    "Your father?" Sarah asked a bit confused, "I didn't know you have a father."
    "I don't anymore.  He died..." Ryo stated
    "Oh, Ryo... I'm... sorry." Sarah whispered not sure what to say.  They sat there for a bit in silence not sure what to say.  Sarah looked over at Ryo and then back to the water, "What did your father do?"
    "He was a photo journalist.  He traveled all over the world writing stories for all the big magazines." Ryo started.
    "Really? Wow, that's cool.  Did you ever get to go with him?" Sarah asked not knowing that it wasn't the thing to ask.  Ryo immediately looked down his face falling.
    "Once...  Only once." Ryo said sadly.
    "I'm sorry, I didn't...." Sarah started but Ryo ignored her and continued.
    "When I was five he was sent to Africa.  It was the first trip he let me go on, and also the last.  I was excited; I'd finally be able to see my father doing what he loved.  When we arrived he hired some natives as tour guides and for some bodyguards.  I remember at one point the guide wondered why my father didn't want extra guards for me.  My father just laughed and told the man that I had my own protection, and that was when I walked in with Whiteblaze.  The guy was shocked at first but soon found friendship with Blaze."  Ryo looked up and across the lake, "We left the next day and made our way to the Savanna.  By the time we reached the camp sight it was starting to get dark.  Camp was quickly set up and supper was made.  After supper, father took me into our tent and sat down to read me a story.  He had just started when one of the guards yelled for him.  There was a lion near the camp.  He told me to stay put and for Blaze to watch over me. He then left zipping the tent behind him.  I was curious and unzipped the door a bit and peeked out.  I could see father with his camera and the guards with their guns.  Just beyond them was a lioness, I could see her eyes glow."  Ryo stopped his knees drew up to his chest and his face buried.  Sarah didn't push him, she would of been satisfied with just what he had told her, she could see the tears run down his face even though he tried to hid them.  She put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close.
    "It's all right Ryo, you don' have to go on." Sarah stated laying her head on top of his, but he shook his head,
    "I'm all right." He stated taking a deep breath, "I'm not sure how it happened.  He hadn't taken any pictures yet, but for some reason the lioness felt threatened and attacked.  Guns went off and father yelled out directions." Ryo looked up. "He said once, during it, that he didn't care what happened to him or the others, but to do what they could to keep me safe." Ryo frowned as he let Sarah hold him; "I was scared. All I could do was sit and watch.  The lioness had already killed one of the guards and then went after my father.  I screamed and tried to run toward him, but Blaze stopped me.  I could hear my father scream, and I swear I could hear his bones break as the lioness bit into his shoulder." He stopped, not able to talk through the tears.  Sarah just held him as if she could protect him from the memories, though she knew she couldn't.  Sarah suggested that they go in, but Ryo shook his head, and forced himself to go on, "The guns shot, he yelled for someone to get me out of there.  I got free from Blaze and started to run to him, but Whiteblaze pounced on me and kept his paw on my back so I couldn't move.  I screamed  at him and hit him.  I remember Whiteblaze looked up at the lioness and roared.  She stopped in half bite and looked up at Blaze.  He took off after her into the darkness.  I started to get up to run to my father but someone stopped me.  He was still alive, so they loaded him in one of the trucks and took him back to town.  The rest of us headed back the next morning.  When we finally got to the hospital, he was still alive, but he had lost too much blood, and they didn't have the equipment to fix his wounds.  I walked up to him and took his hand in mine.  He looked over at me and smiled weakly.  I told him not to die, that I needed him.  He shook his head, and told me that shinigami (no not the gundam) was in the room waiting and that he was glad the gods let him see me one more time.  He made me promise to be good and he told Blaze to take good care of me.  The whole time he breathed heavily, and I knew it hurt.  He told me to do my best in everything. And that he'd be proud of me no matter what I did as long as I did my best.  He stopped breathing just after that.  I laid my head on his hand and cried.  They had to pry my away from him.  Whiteblaze found his way to the roof of the building and let out a roar.  I was taken to the Japanese embassy and they sent me home to live with my aunt."
    "Ryo..." Sarah whispered, "Your father sounded like a good man."
    "He was.  I miss him so much." Ryo sobbed as he wiped at his tears.
    "Cye lost his father too, when he was young." Sarah said to herself.
    "I could always go to him when I started missing him again, Cye would know, he understood." Ryo stated as he forced himself to stop crying.
    "Ryo, whether you believe it or not, you've probably gone beyond your fathers expectations.  If he could see you now, I bet you he would be very proud." Sarah said pushing him away and looking in his eyes.
    "Do you really think?" Ryo asked unsure if it could be or not.
    "Ryo, you've saved the world once already, that alone would make any father proud." Sarah grinned, Ryo thought for a second and joined her,
    "But I'm not going to give up, I'll still do my best in what ever I do."

    The floor of the volcano was molten lava, with only a few spots that had yet to melt under the extreme heat.  They all looked around trying to find where the wearer of Rekka could be.  Thorough the steam Shu spotted him, in the center hovering above the molten rock.
    "Great, now how are we supposed to get out there?" Shu asked leaning against the wall.
    "Maybe we don't have to." Touma suggested his head tilted.
    ~ Do you have an idea, Touma? ~ Stardust asked
    "Possibly, We didn't have to go down into the crevasse to get Shu, nor, am I supposing you had to be up in the air to get me..." Touma stated
    "I get it, so hopefully I should be able to revive him from here right?" Katelynn asked
    "Sounds good to me, go to it Princess." Shu laughed.  Katelynn took a deep breath and held the orb out.  The lava around them started to bubble and pop at their feet and the orb glow brighter.  Soon the light from the orb blocked their sight and the heat from the lava almost made it unbearable for them.  A few minuets later, when the light died down, they found themselves face to face with the wearer of Rekka.
    "May I help you?" He asked smugly.
    "Ryo, It's good to see you again." Katelynn said hugging him.
    "We'll fill ya in as we go find Seiji." Shu stated as he noticed Katelynn concentrate to send them all to wherever it was Seiji was.
    "Sure, whatever." Ryo stated as he also noticed Katelynn wearing an odd armor.  He shook his head knowing he'd find out whenever they got to where they were going.  Katelynn's symbol appeared on her head and the six disappeared into the night.