The thumping of feet echoed through the now deserted city square as 4 young samurai's raced for the distinctive crack in a concrete pillar, an entrance to the underworld, a place only of despair and a never ending sea of grief owned by their enemy, the Gendoshu.
The image of their comrade Kotoha, plagued their brains,
She lies there lifeless and soulless but not dead,
Her heart empty with her skin, pale and deprived of that innocent blush and her cheer and joy put out like a blow to flame.
"COME OUT GENDOSHU" shouts Chiaki at the top of his lungs, his legs now stopped running as he reached the entrance first.
He wildly slashed at it with his Kendama and chips of concrete and fire flew off as the swords sharp edge and the wall touched.
"Calm down Chiaki" shouted Ruynosuke.
"Yes, this won't bring Kotoha back. It won't help at all" yelled Mako.
"Calm down" they both begged.
Mako and Ruynosuke held tightly at Chiaki's arms to stop his wild attacks at the wall, seeming to have no effect when suddenly Chiaki gave up letting himself be dragged away from the wall.
Having enough of being manhandled he thrashed out of their hold and shouted again at the wall when he landed on the floor.
The argument continued as Takeru walked closer to the huddle of angry comrades but a sudden appearance of Juzo stopped him as he appeared in between Takeru and the group.
"Juzo?" Takeru was surprised and even more annoyed at his arrival, just wishing for him to leave but by the look in Juzo's eyes he could see that was not his plan.
"I thought we could finish our battle but you seem to be too busy for that" Juzo said cooly.
"If you know that then leave" Takeru commanded and walked past Juzo who took a step after Takeru to follow.
"There is a way for humans to enter the Sanzu River" Juzo said.
"Is there" Chiaki asked, now confused, 'why is he helping us?' Was all he thought.
"Yes, give yourself to the Gedoshu, that would give you power like no other, and would make our battles more interesting" Juzo laughed evilly, he arms raised high to show his delight in the thought and disappeared leaving the evil but helpful suggestion.
It lingered there for a while and soon was interrupted by Chiaki's resolve, "I will do it" he stated whilst standing up.
"Chiaki?" Asked Takeru, "I know your trying to be brave however, we need to protect everyone in the country and the world, not sacrificing all our chances of winning to get some power to save one", Takeru tried to advice him however Chiaki answered defiantly, "the only person I want to save is Kotoha".
Mako and Ruynosuke seemed to agree to this.
"We may be samurai" Ruynosuke admitted, "however Kotoha is the one we need to save, it's how we all feel".
Mako nodded, "even if we become Gendoshu, I'm sure we can save everyone else also with the new powers".
Takeru was shocked. He was angry at their resolve and didn't accept it. "You are samurai; you are Hero's and people who have protected everyone. You're not Gendoshu and Your giving up your heart of bravery and goodness for one comrade".
"Tono".
"I admit Kotoha is important to me. And to everyone, but I can't risk it, do we actually know that will work. That we won't die of the fumes in the underworld. It's never been done before" Takeru insisted.
"Well, surprisingly enough, Juzo suggested it and he wants the ultimate fight with you" Chiaki admitted.
"He wouldn't want to kill you, Tono" Ruynosuke said.
"And do you think we have a chance of beating that soul catching Gendoshu anyway" Chiaki asked getting angry.
"Takeru, trust us that we will get through this, seriously" Mako pleaded before facing the crack with Chiaki and Ruynosuke behind.
"Do as you please but I will not follow you" Takeru said defiantly, shocking his samurais.
"Tono?", Ruynoske looked disappointingly to his lord.
"Because I have a duty as a samurai. And that matter of me fighting Juzo, I will defeat him with my own powers, my own strength" and with that he walked away back to the direction of the mansion.
"Takeru" Mako said quietly, sad and disappointed but she knew he meant well, as his duty as a samurai, but she knew this was right for her and the other 2 males. "Let's go" she said and led the way back to the crack.
"Ok, 3..2.." Ruynosuke started but hesitated on the last number, "Chiaki, you do it first ok" he insisted.
"Are you scared?"
"No, nothing like that, just you should enter first, you want to save her the most, you should do the honours".
"Ha, you're scared" Chiaki said and walked forwards leaving Ruynosuke trying to insist his innocence.
Mako looked at Ryunosuke as he did the same, and then looked behind at Takeru who had rested on the stairs behind them, waiting for something to happen.
"Tono?"
"I'm waiting to see your resolve" he shouted to Ruynosuke.
A sound of electrified sizzling came suddenly behind them and they saw Chiaki be pushed back with great force.
Mako and Ruynoske looked in his direction and sort of caught him before he landed on the floor heavily.
"Damn it, I'm giving up myself to you" he shouted, "can't you hear my plea, let me in".
Chiaki ran again at the wall and soon Mako and Ruynosuke joined in, trying to force their way in also.
Bang, another electrified sizzle came again and the 3 were thrown to the ground.
"Please let us in, please. We need to save Kotoha" they begged while getting up and trying for the 3rd time.
"Stop, you guys" Takeru shouted as they continued their attempt. "You won't get in, don't you get it", but they didn't listen.
Bang, another time they were thrown back.
Takeru got sick of this, seeing them tired on the floor, gasping for breath and trying to stand up and fight against the barrier. He ran in front of them to stop their efforts.
"You guys, don't you get it?"
"Get out.. of My ... Way" Chiaki breathed heavily and continued to rage forward to collapse and be caught in Takeru's arms.
"Chiaki, don't you get it, you won't get in" he calmly said to his ear.
"Why not?".
"Because you have too good a heart".
This shocked them.
"You too, Ruynosuke and Mako, all of you. Instead of actually giving yourself to the ways of the Gendoshu, you want to get power to save Kotoha, forgetting yourself, giving everything up for one person. That's bravery and loyalty but not the Gedoshu way that would leave and kill their own kind for power".
"So we can't save Kotoha, is that what you mean?" Chiaki asked and a tear fell as he scrunched his eyes together in disbelief.
"Do you really believe that I will let them take her soul, you don't know me very well if so".
"Tono", Ruynosuke said loudly and cried dramatically on Mako's shoulder, "that was beautiful my lord".
"Seriously Ruynosuke" Takeru and Chiaki both said and laughed when they notice what they had done in sync.
"AWWWWWW, STOP PLEASE, its too much for me to handle" he continued.
"We'll let's go and think about this back at the Mansion" Takeru said picking up Chiaki from his fall and patted his back.
"TAKE-CHAN" Genta yelled as he made his entrance, and everyone looked quickly to the figure rushing in their direction with his sushi cart around his waist.
"Take-chan, take-chan, I've worked out how to .." but was stopped when Juzo appeared again but just behind Takeru.
"Take-chan, look out" he yelled when Juzo attacked Takeru from behind, holding him with his arm around his neck with takeru down on his knees.
"Juzo" Takeru spat his name and struggled against his arm, slightly choking as Juzo's human arm tightened.
"Juzo, you lied to us. Didn't you?" Chiaki shouted.
"No I didn't, if you fully gave yourselves to our ways, you would be accepted but because you were still good and pure to think of your dying yellow ranger, you were rejected, you fault not mine" he said in-a-matter-of-fact way.
"So what's your purpose to appear now".
"I left something" he indicated to the struggling figure in his grasp, "and I don't intend to leave it again" he said and slowly started to drag Takeru's weakening body along with him.
"But Takeru can't go through the gate, you already said" Chiaki shouted at him. He looked at his Lords eyes that were staring straight at him. His eyes rolled to the back of his head in pain and Chiaki had enough of the suffering he could see on his master's face.
"Well, shall we see" Juzo chuckled slightly and soon stopped dragging Takeru and threw him to the portal.
Time seemed to stop, so did their breaths as Takeru now breathless and limp was flung viciously at the portal gate, as if he was a feather.
The space between them decreased by the slow seconds and soon he was inches away from the portals opening and he hung there. As if the portal couldn't except him nor let him go. But soon, with a flash of sizzling electric static, Takeru was gone, vanished before their very eyes, excepted into the underworld.
Everyone was silenced and still.
"Takeru" Mako called to him but obviously there was no reply, only the sound of static left over swirled behind the crack and the sound of a sea, swishing quietly.
"Damn it Juzo, what have you done" Chiaki demanded an answer, "huh?".
"Well as you see, the gate accepted the unconscious lord, seems my plan is going according to plan" he laughed and continued to follow Takeru, forgetting the rest there.
"So Tono-Sama had no righteous heart, no will to save Kotoha and the world" Ruynosuke sank to his knees and they all felt utterly betrayed.
"No, he wanted to save them, couldn't you tell" Juzo said, his shoulders shifted and he tapped his foot in annoyance.
"What are you spouting?" Chiaki shouted again, having enough of his half-explanation.
"The gate had trouble excepting him, meaning he has some good left in him" he reassured them but his face crooked an evil toothy grin, "but not much left" with that he laughed loudly as he left the others and continued through the crack.
Chiaki made a last attempt, running to the portal, "TAKERUUUUU".
Booom, Sizzlee, sizzle.