To the north of Tokyo along the Pacific coast of Japan is the large city of Sendai.  Built up from a small village by the famous Date Masamune, it is the home of his descendent the warrior of spirit, the wielder of Korin, Date Seiji.  Upon arriving home from Africa Seiji took up the classes of his family dojo.  With the teachings of Grandfather Date, Seiji began his long journey to reclaim his title he had lost when he first accepted the fate of wearing the yoroi of Korin.  Seiji knew that there would be no point in searching for a life outside of the yoroi, it would now and forever rule his life.  He knew that all he could do was to live his life from day to day, waiting for the time that the yoroi would be needed again.  With his mother’s wishes Seiji attends school though he no longer sees the point in doing so.  He has made no plans to attend collage and plans only to continue on the family dojo since his grandfather has been growing too old to actively participate in the lessons.  This will be how Seiji will live out his life, until the day he dies protecting the Earth.
 
Just the south of Tokyo in the middle of some of the most fertile land in Japan is the city of Yokohama.  It is here that the warrior of earth, wielder of Kongo, Shu Lei Fuan lives in Yokohama’s China Town with his large family. Having four younger siblings Shu has little time to think of the consequences of the yoroi.  Actually it is really his mother’s doing.  She knows all too well that if her Lei Fuan was left alone too long he would fall into deep thought and a deep depression.  She, who is affectionately known as Mama by all, made sure that he would not have time to broad over their fate.  Indeed while Shu was awake he was much too busy to worry about anything.  Since returning home he found his family’s restaurant had become very popular and his help was needed not only there, but in taking care of his brothers and sisters.  While at school he was busy studying with plans to enter the prestigious Tokyo University.  Shu was unaware of the happenings of his friends.  Mama thought it best not to be bothered by news of the yoroi until absolutely necessary so she held onto all the letters sent by Ryo.  However, Mama was not all powerful, and in the time before Shu would drift off to sleep he would think of nothing but this fate.  He would then dream about it and wake in a cold sweat only to think about it some more.  At first mama slipped him sleeping pills just before bed, but Shu found out and there was an uproar in the Shu house that had not been see for, well nothing like had ever been seen before.  Since then Mama hasn’t been as forceful, but she hasn’t given up either.
 
To the west of Yokohama, deep within the Japanese Alps lives the warrior of fire, wielder of Rekka, Sanada Ryo.  It was in Ryo’s character to blame himself for everything that has happened to himself and his friends.  And this has been his habit and it always will be.  Ryo’s father is a photojournalist and is gone for weeks at a time. He loves his son much and is very worried about him.  He has come to rely on Byakuen to keep watch on his son, and Byakuen does so without question.  Ryo writes his friends everyday, but only Touma replies to his letters.  Ryo’s hopes are raised by Touma’s efforts, but he knows there is little he can do otherwise.  So, Ryo lives his life for the next battle hoping it will never come.  He attends high school and plays on the schools soccer team even though he no longer enjoys it.
 
Just south of the Japanese Alps, to the east of Kobe along the inland sea sits the port town of Osaka.  The wielder of Tenku, the warrior of air, Hashiba Touma relented to his mother’s plea to return home.  Touma’s life returned to what it had been before he had first accepted his fate with the yoroi.  He spends much of his time alone, immersed in his books.  Many of his friends from school praise him and assure him that he will be just as famous as his father.  What they didn’t realize was exactly how Touma’s father had become so famous.  Locking himself in his lab for days and even weeks at a time, ignoring his wife and son, and eventually losing them both.  Touma’s parents never divorced, but they haven’t seen each other since Touma was five.  When Touma does see his father not a word is shared.  They each pretend the other doesn’t exist.  Touma spends his time researching the yoroi with Nasuti.  He travels to her home on the weekends to help in figuring out the secrets of the yoroi.  He knows, however, that it will be difficult to find the truth that lies within them.  He also knows that they are not done fighting, and that future battles will be met with uncertainty by the wearers.  Not because of the yoroi, but because of their own feelings for the yoroi.  By the time they had come face to face with the Black Kikotei, they had fully joined their hearts to control the White Kikotei; they had also thought that it would be their last battle.  The kikoteis had been destroyed, but their yoroi remained.  As long as the yoroi existed they could never live normal lives.  They had come to that conclusion.  Touma felt the same way.  His only hope would be to truly find out about the yoroi, and then maybe, just maybe the yoroi will stop ruling their lives.
 
South of Kyoto and Osaka, at the southern end of the main island facing the Sea of Japan is the city of Hagi. It is the home of the warrior of water, bearer of Suiko, Mouri Shin.  Upon his return home he finished his senior year of high school and prepared for collage.  However, the day of graduation Shin’s mother was rushed to the hospital.  Shin had left home early that morning, and unknowing of his mother he preceded with his graduation.  When the ceremony was over, Shin joined some old friend in celebrating their luck in the past and in the future. He returned to a darkened home that night.  Confused he entered his home and found his older sister sitting in the dark living room.  Shin turned on the lights to find her eyes bloodshot and her face streaked with tears.  She looked up at him and fresh tears fell.  Shin didn’t have to ask.  He knew what had happened.  His soul would not lie to him.  His mother, who had been cursed with a weak heart her entire life had cheated death more than once.  He knew his mother had died.  Shin turned the light off and joined his sister on the couch.  Shin couldn’t cry; he found he no longer could.  Shin decided then that he would not move to Tokyo to attend Tokyo University.  He decided to attend a local collage near Hagi. He could then help out with the family pottery business with his sister and brother-in-law.  With permission from the Dean of this new collage Shin was allowed to miss the opening ceremonies to aid in his mother’s funeral.  It was not fair, Shin thought, that he should live out his dreams because of the yoroi and that his sister be forced to run the business.  And that is how he has accepted his life.
 
A warm breeze wafted into the small store that sat on the main road in the city of Hagi.  A white porcelain cat, one paw in the air greeted customers as they entered the shop.  Behind the counter surrounded by all kinds of pottery sat a woman reading a magazine.  Strapped to her back was a small black haired baby sound a sleep.  She wiped some sweat from her brow as she turned the page in her magazine.
“Sayako, I just heard on the radio that a typhoon is heading our way,” A man around the same age as the woman stepped from behind a piece of cloth that hung halfway down the doorway behind the counter.
“Not a surprise, with all this humidity,” Sayako sighed as she watched the few people stroll along the streets outside, “It’s just been too hot lately.  No body wants to be out in this.”
“Are we going to close up early?”
“It won’t hurt to keep it open just a little longer.  Maybe we’ll get a straggler, some gaijin who doesn’t know better.”
“The prey of the people of Hagi,” Kenji laughed as he ducked back behind the partition.
“Sayako-chan, staying open for the typhoon?” An elderly man chuckled as he ambled into the shop using a cane for balance.  He took the brown derby off his white head and hung it on the coat rack that sat in the corner.
“Grandfather, what are you doing out in this weather?” Sayako exclaimed jumping from her seat waking the baby on her back.
“This is the time that Hagi is at her best!” Grandfather Mouri stated as he brushed the wrinkles from his fresh brown suit.
“But its not the best time for you to be out and about!” Sayako fumed.
“Ne-san, is something wrong?” A younger man emerged from the back room; his red brown hair was damp and hung in his sea green eyes, “Ah, Grandfather, you made it in time.”
“You knew he was coming?”
“I asked him over for dinner.  Sorry, I forgot to tell you, but Kenji grabbed me to help him in the kiln.”
“Well, as long as he made it before the typhoon,” Sayako sighed.  Within seconds the cloudless sky had suddenly turned black and a wall of rain descended upon them, “Grandfather, get away from that door! Shin shut it will you?” Shin followed his sister’s order and sprinted over to the door way.  He stepped outside and took down the fabric that hung over the door inviting customers to enter.  Rain slapped against his skin, dripping off his chin.  The wind blew fiercely as he pulled the door shut and locked it from the inside.
“It looks like it is going to be one fierce storm.  One of the strongest we’ve had in a while.”
“I think you may be right,” Kenji agreed as he emerged into the store, “The typhoon came a lot quicker than was expected.  The wind alone put out the fire in the kiln.  I’m not sure yet, but I think some rain made its way in as well.”
“How many did you have in there?”
“Luckily only three, but they were three big ones.”
“I guess that’s better than the normal load of over a dozen,” Sayako nodded, “Well, I guess we’re all done for today.  Why don’t we go upstairs and eat this dinner Shin’s prepared for us.”
“That sounds like a wonderful idea,” Grandfather Mouri nodded as he followed his daughter up the stairs hidden behind the curtained doorway followed by his grandson.
 
The typhoon had passed in a day’s time and the skies over Hagi were clear.  The ground was still damp from the torrential rain that had pounded the city, but people were out and about enjoying the otherwise peaceful day.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” A round faced man asked as he and his friend walked down the streets of Hagi.
“What are you talking about? It was your idea.” His blue haired friend replied as he looked back down at the map he held.
“That didn’t mean you had to agree to it,” the first grumbled as he dodged out of the way of some camera toting tourists.
“I talked to his sister the other day and she said that he’s been really depressed since his mother died.  She can’t seem to get him out of it at all,” Touma replied as he led Shu down another street.
“It’s not like he’s the only one though.”
“No, but you’ve got your family.  I’ve visited Ryo, and I visit Nasuti regularly.  And Seiji’s just not the type to let this bother him entirely,” Touma replied, “Shin’s like this.  He never wanted to fight in the first place.  He’s lost all hope of life.  I think a visit from us would do him good.”
“If your this worried about him, then he must be really bad off.”
“This is it,” Touma stated ignoring Shu’s comment.
“What? This? Are you sure?” Shu asked looking up at the closed up building.
“That’s what the map says.”
“But it’s all closed up.  In the middle of the day no less.”  Touma looked at the stores around the one they were standing in front of.  They were all open with tourists coming and going freely.  He left Shu standing in front of the closed store and walked into the one to the right of it.  It was just a small knick knack place where people could buy cheap souvenirs.  He walked up to the older lady behind the counter.
“Welcome to my store, how may I help you?” The lady bowed politely to Touma and Shu who had followed him.
“We were wondering if you know why the shop next door was closed,” Touma asked.  They watched as the woman’s smiling face faded into a frown.
“I’m afraid they had an illness in the family.”
“It wasn’t the baby was it?” Shu asked concerned.
“No.  The baby is fine.  Do you know that family?” The lady asked cautious about giving out too much information.
“We’re friends of Shin’s.  We came down to surprise him,” Shu interrupted worry etched on his normally gentle face.
“I do not wish to worry you too much for I do not know the full story,” The woman started, “Why don’t you follow me into the back.  There is to much of a crowd to announce this type of information.”  Shu and Touma looked at each other the same thought crossing their minds, was something up with Suiko?  They followed the lady into the back room of the store.  The walls were covered with the same knick knacks that were displayed up front, and a small table sat in the middle.  The lady sat stiffly down on one of the chairs at the western style table and motioned for them to do the same.  “From what I understand it was just after the typhoon had arrived.  Shin had gone out for only a moment to take down the sign and close the door, but it was enough to soak him through.  I saw him, I was doing the same.  I had just spoken with the elder Mouri yesterday about it, but things may have changed since then,” The woman hesitated.
“Please tell us,” Touma tried to encourage her to speak.
“Well, Shin had prepared them all a fine supper and had invited the elder Mouri to join them.  Shin had attempted to dry off a bit but being a boy who grew up in the ocean being a little soaked wasn’t going to bother him.  He was carrying the main dish to the table.  It wasn’t heavy, and it had cooled down enough that he didn’t even need oven mitts or anything,” The woman had started to wring her hands, her eyes darted around the room avoiding the two men before her, “The dish broke on the floor.  And… Shin fell.  He fainted.”
“Fainted?!” Shu jumped from his seat and leaned over the table.
“Shu sit down!” Touma pulled on Shu’s arm to get him back on his side of the table.
“Like I said I don’t know exactly what happened.  I just know that he’s still in the hospital,” the woman explained.
“Where is the hospital?” Touma asked pulling his map and a pen from his small bag he had with him.  The lady answered Touma’s question and he thanked her for telling them what she knew.  Shu apologized and thanked her as well as they left the store and headed for the hospital.