Chapter 1: No rest for the Weary
Hello. My name is Ryo Sanada. I used to be the unofficial
leader of the Ronin Warriors, but ever since we defeated Talpa, we kinda
split up to go back to our old lives.
Anyway, something strange has been happening. For the past few weeks,
every once in a while, I suddenly see a bright crimson light. I told the
other Ronins at school and what they told me only freaked me out.
They've each been seeing the same thing, only in their own armor's
colours.
Could Talpa still be alive? We've all ready killed him twice. And if
he is still alive, than what happened to Kayura, Dais, Sekhtmet and
Kale? Are they o.k.?
It's happening again. Whenever I think about our armors, or Talpa, or
the Dynasty, I wonder what's happened to Mia and Uli. It's been a month
since the guys and I haven't seen either of them in over a month.
Right now? I'm walking back home after school. WhiteBlaze, my
pet/friend white tiger is supposed to meet me at the next street, like
always.
Wait! It's the light again. That's it, I'm getting tired of this.
Patience is not my virtue and right now I've run out of it. I whistle
sharply, summoning my friend. Just as we walk into the brush when I
hear a voice that I haven't heard in a long time.
"Ryo, WhiteBlaze, it's really you!" the voice yells. Uli
glides over on his skateboard. "Ryo, why are you walking into a
bush?"
"No time to explain Uli," I state hurriedly, "I see it again.
We've got to hurry." I start to leave.
"Ryo, can I come with you, please?"
How can I refuse? Besides, he's saved the lives of the Ronin
Warriors more times than I can remember. I simply nod and continue
walking into the brush.
Uli picks up his skateboard, and, cradling it under his right arm, he
climbs onto WhiteBlaze's back. Like old times. I wish Mia was here.
"There, there it is again!" I exclaim, "Didn't either of you see it?"
Uli shakes his head. WhiteBlaze begins growling "Ryo, I hate
to say it, but, maybe you should put on your Yoroi."
I sigh. "I guess so. It's been so long since I've had to..."
I extend my hand and the glowing red orb appears a few inches above my
outstretched palm.
I close my fist and the under-armor suit appears on my well-toned body.
Sometimes I wish it wasn't skin-tight, but it helps for maneuverability.
In this suit I could win every event in the summer Olympics. It bolsters
my strength, speed, agility and stamina beyond that of any normal human.
The suit is mostly white, and ends at my neck. The red plates are on my
chest & back, my shoulders, my elbows, my knees and my shins. There are
fingerless red metal gloves and boots made of the same material with
attachments on the back to increase my balance.
As Uli and I walk through the woods, I try to make small talk. I mean,
hey, I haven't seen this kid in a month and a half.
"So, Uli, looks like you've grown a lot."
"Mm-hmm."
"It's been a long time. How are your parents?"
Poor kid, when Talpa came, his parents were captured by the Dynasty.
"They're fine, but they don't remember anything. And you know
mom's flowers? They're alive again. Guess my watering them helped
after-all."
"Yeah, I guess they did." When Uli found out that his parents
were captured, it was at his house. His mom's indoor plants were all
dead but he insisted on watering them, saying his mom would be happy
that he'd taken care of her flowers. I tried to tell him that it was
pointless to water plants when they were all ready dead but Mia stopped
me.
When we defeated Talpa, everyone was returned to their normal lives,
and had forgotten everything about the evil Dynasty. Everything
destroyed was also returned to normal. The subway, the carnival, the
sub-terrainian mall... all these places aren't like they used to be.
Once you've had a battle and seen someplace totally destroyed, then you
come back the next day and it's like nothing ever happened, it's just
scary to go there.
"What do you see anyway, Ryo?"
"A crimson light, every few minutes." I explain.
Suddenly, WhiteBlaze growls loudly, then snarls ferociously. The ground
opens up beneath us and we fall.
Hi! I'm Sage Date. Perfect last name for the most popular guy
at school and I'm not just bragging. Now, there's one thing you have to
know about me, I'm a bit of a flirt. If any of the guys heard me say
that, they'd laugh and say, "That's an understatement!" Then Kento would
make some comment like, "You should change your Kanji from wisdom to
flirtatiousness. Then, of course, my usual retort of, "And maybe you
should change yours from Justice to Hunger."
It's not hard to win an argument with Kento. His armor describes his
skull; HardRock.
Ha-ha-ha.
Anyway, when Ryo told the guys and me that he'd been seeing a strange
light, I got serious goose-bumps. I thought I was the only one. And then
all the other guys admitted to it too.
Well it's after school and I'm slowly making my way home to my dad's
dojo, up on, no-pun-intended, Mt. Dojo. I'm walking slow 'cause I'm
trying to hitch a ride, it's a long way home. With my Yoroi I could get
there quickly but I can't use it for a stupid thing like that.
Oh good, a car's stopping. It's a red jeep with a tan colored tarp roof
and a black spare tire on the back. Wait a minute, I recognize that U.V.
The door opens and out steps a woman with light brown hair.
"Sage, what are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. I'm on my way to my
dad's Dojo, y'know, where I live."
"Oh. I'm heading up to the waterfall, you know the one. I'm
starting to get good at Photography and I want to take some pictures of
it."
"Cool. Can I catch a ride with you?"
"What about your Yoroi?"
"Mia, that's only for battles, not every day stuff."
"Not even showing off for the ladies?"
I blush. I once read a survey that said it was easier to make a
blond blush. I'm no exception. "Mia, come on, even flirts have morals."
"Hey, I was just teasing, don't be sore. About the ride, hop in,
it's not like I'm in a hurry."
Mia gets back inside her U.V. and I walk over to the passenger
side and open the door but instead of getting in, I stop. I see the
light. It's in the opposite direction of my house. Uh oh, Mia noticed my
hesitation.
"Sage, What is it."
"Uh Mia, never mind about the ride, things just changed." I
close the door and start walking away from Mt. Dojo. I've got to see
where this light is coming from.
"Sage!" She gets out of her car, runs over and spins me
around by my arm. "Where are you going?"
"I... don't know."
"Since when does the biggest flirt in all of Toyama turn down a
ride with a girl to go wandering?"
"Since now, I guess."
"Well then, is there any problem with me driving you wherever
you're going?"
"Mia, I'd be seriously side tracking you. In case you hadn't
noticed, I'm walking directly away from the waterfall."
"Sage, the Waterfall isn't going to dry up tomorrow. Maybe where
you're going has something to do with your armor. If so, Then maybe I
can help."
Mia, always the expert on our armors. "Fine."
We both walk back over to her jeep and get inside. "Just tell me
where to go."
After about fifteen minutes, I realize something. "Hey, Mia,
it's coming from somewhere around your house."
"What's coming from my house?"
"The light."
The U.V. pulls into Mia's driveway and we both stare openly at what we
find. "Are you not seeing what I'm not seeing?"
"My house, it's... gone!"
The three story mansion is, as Mia said, gone. The light is
right in the middle of where her house should be. "Mia, the light's
right there, in the middle of where your kitchen table used to be. Can't
you see it?"
"No, I can't."
We both get out of the Jeep and walk onto the flat ground where
the foundation used to be. "I always said Kento would eat you out of
house and home."
"Sage, this is no time for jokes. Where exactly do you see the
light?"
I walk over and touch it lightly with my hand. Mia walks over.
"It's right he-"
I never get a chance to finish my sentence; the ground beneath Mia and
I opens up and we fall.
Hi, I'm Rowen Hashiba, the smartest guy at school. Also
the unluckiest; I haven't made it to school on time once this year. I
study or read almost all night long, then wake up late.
And so I'm spending my after-school time where I have every day this
year, Old building, room 206, Detention, when all of a sudden, the
school up and disappears on me. Unfortunately, so did my chair. "Ow."
Hey, wait, the entire school didn't disappear, the principal's office
is still here. Through its window I see a dark blue light, aw man, not
the light again!
It's probably not the smart thing to do, but I have to go see what it
is. Besides, what if M. Avi, the principal is still in there?
Everything always seems to be some evil Dynasty lot, now-a-days. "My
cat got run over." It's an evil Dynasty plot! Or "I got grounded."
It's an evil dynasty plot! Or, I know this is pathetic, but, "I can't go
to the prom with you, I'm going with Sage Date." It's an evil Dynasty
plot. (I personally thing that ones the worst.)
And then there's the suspicion. "I lost my pencil-case." It's one of
Dais' illusions, be careful! "We have to cancel to picnic because of the
rain." Talpa's up to something, watch out! I can't even eat a meatball
for fear it's an evil Dynasty Matrix of Power, A.K.A. a giant flying
meatball of Death!! Don't laugh, Ryo and I almost got killed by one of
those things. Sage likes calling it the creepy Dynasty equivalent of
NASA. I don't think that's funny.
Y'know, it's creepy. Think about it, right now I'm walking through what
should be the science lab. If the school came back right now, I'd be
standing on one of the dissection tables!
Why am I going so slow? Usually the light goes away in about five
minutes, but now I feel unhurried.
Hmm, this may sound corny, but... this could be... an EVIL DYNASTY
PLOT!!!!!
Better safe than sorry. I extend my hand and the glowing Dark Blue
Yoroi appears above it. I close my hand and my Dark-blue-and-white suit
appears.
Okay, I'm at the principal's office's door. I turn the knob and, what?
The office and the ground beneath disappear! As I fall, I try to
transform so I can use my armor's ability to create a floating bubble
around myself but it won't work! I can't transform. I fall.
Hello, I'm Cye Mouri. It's after school and I'm about to
do my Fave a-s activity; swimming. I know I'm not supposed to use my
Yoroi for stupid things like this but it's easier then bringing a
bathing suit.
I transform into my suit and then step into the water. Even though it's
almost winter, I don't feel the chill in the water because it is my
element. Then I see the light.
Suddenly, a whirlpool just appears out of nothing a few feet away from
the shore. I try to transform to my armor of the Torrent which would allow
me to escape the current but I can't, it won't work.
There was a big hole in the earth and he water was swirling into it.
The light was floating in the middle of the vortex. I grabbed the edge
of the precipice and held on. Then, the light looked at me. It didn't
have eyes or anything but I just knew it was looking at me, as if
changing it's mind. It turned white for a little while, then returned to
light blue. The water flowed back out of the hole and I was carried to
the shore. It followed me. It was floating above my shoulder and to the
left of my head. "What are you? What's happening?"
It ignores me and floats on ahead. "Hey, where are you going?"
It stops. It bobs slowly up and down. I take a step towards it and it
resumes floating. I hesitate and it stops. I start walking and it
continues moving, leading my head. "Well, guess I'm stuck following you,
I just wish I knew where we were headin'!"
Yo! I'm Kento. Kento Rei Fuan. Got any food? No? Oh well, it
was worth a try. You've gotta expect that from me. I've got the most
brute strength of all the Ronin Warriors and man! have I got an
appetite! Plus, Sage Date and I are in a bit of a fight. 'Kay, that's
almost as much as an understatement as Sage being a bit of a flirt. We
haven't spoken in a week and a half. Mostly 'cause he's the biggest
flirt in all of Toyama, if not the world. He should change his kanji
from wisdom to flirtatiousness!
Ha-ha-ha.
I'm at the friendly neighbour hood Burger-Ville, waiting in line for my
triple paddie burger, when suddenly I see an orange light and the ground
beneath me disappears. No! My burger! I fall.
Poor Ronin Warriors. My old friends and older enemies. How I
wish there was an easier way. And to involve Mia and Uli? I hope the
ancient knows what he is doing, but surely he does. We shall see.
Hello. My name is Ryo Sanada. I used to be the unofficial
leader of the Ronin Warriors, but ever since we defeated Talpa, we kinda
split up to go back to our old lives.
Anyway, something strange has been happening. For the past few weeks,
every once in a while, I suddenly see a bright crimson light. I told the
other Ronins at school and what they told me only freaked me out.
They've each been seeing the same thing, only in their own armor's
colours.
Could Talpa still be alive? We've all ready killed him twice. And if
he is still alive, than what happened to Kayura, Dais, Sekhtmet and
Kale? Are they o.k.?
It's happening again. Whenever I think about our armors, or Talpa, or
the Dynasty, I wonder what's happened to Mia and Uli. It's been a month
since the guys and I haven't seen either of them in over a month.
Right now? I'm walking back home after school. WhiteBlaze, my
pet/friend white tiger is supposed to meet me at the next street, like
always.
Wait! It's the light again. That's it, I'm getting tired of this.
Patience is not my virtue and right now I've run out of it. I whistle
sharply, summoning my friend. Just as we walk into the brush when I
hear a voice that I haven't heard in a long time.
"Ryo, WhiteBlaze, it's really you!" the voice yells. Uli
glides over on his skateboard. "Ryo, why are you walking into a
bush?"
"No time to explain Uli," I state hurriedly, "I see it again.
We've got to hurry." I start to leave.
"Ryo, can I come with you, please?"
How can I refuse? Besides, he's saved the lives of the Ronin
Warriors more times than I can remember. I simply nod and continue
walking into the brush.
Uli picks up his skateboard, and, cradling it under his right arm, he
climbs onto WhiteBlaze's back. Like old times. I wish Mia was here.
"There, there it is again!" I exclaim, "Didn't either of you see it?"
Uli shakes his head. WhiteBlaze begins growling "Ryo, I hate
to say it, but, maybe you should put on your Yoroi."
I sigh. "I guess so. It's been so long since I've had to..."
I extend my hand and the glowing red orb appears a few inches above my
outstretched palm.
I close my fist and the under-armor suit appears on my well-toned body.
Sometimes I wish it wasn't skin-tight, but it helps for maneuverability.
In this suit I could win every event in the summer Olympics. It bolsters
my strength, speed, agility and stamina beyond that of any normal human.
The suit is mostly white, and ends at my neck. The red plates are on my
chest & back, my shoulders, my elbows, my knees and my shins. There are
fingerless red metal gloves and boots made of the same material with
attachments on the back to increase my balance.
As Uli and I walk through the woods, I try to make small talk. I mean,
hey, I haven't seen this kid in a month and a half.
"So, Uli, looks like you've grown a lot."
"Mm-hmm."
"It's been a long time. How are your parents?"
Poor kid, when Talpa came, his parents were captured by the Dynasty.
"They're fine, but they don't remember anything. And you know
mom's flowers? They're alive again. Guess my watering them helped
after-all."
"Yeah, I guess they did." When Uli found out that his parents
were captured, it was at his house. His mom's indoor plants were all
dead but he insisted on watering them, saying his mom would be happy
that he'd taken care of her flowers. I tried to tell him that it was
pointless to water plants when they were all ready dead but Mia stopped
me.
When we defeated Talpa, everyone was returned to their normal lives,
and had forgotten everything about the evil Dynasty. Everything
destroyed was also returned to normal. The subway, the carnival, the
sub-terrainian mall... all these places aren't like they used to be.
Once you've had a battle and seen someplace totally destroyed, then you
come back the next day and it's like nothing ever happened, it's just
scary to go there.
"What do you see anyway, Ryo?"
"A crimson light, every few minutes." I explain.
Suddenly, WhiteBlaze growls loudly, then snarls ferociously. The ground
opens up beneath us and we fall.
Hi! I'm Sage Date. Perfect last name for the most popular guy
at school and I'm not just bragging. Now, there's one thing you have to
know about me, I'm a bit of a flirt. If any of the guys heard me say
that, they'd laugh and say, "That's an understatement!" Then Kento would
make some comment like, "You should change your Kanji from wisdom to
flirtatiousness. Then, of course, my usual retort of, "And maybe you
should change yours from Justice to Hunger."
It's not hard to win an argument with Kento. His armor describes his
skull; HardRock.
Ha-ha-ha.
Anyway, when Ryo told the guys and me that he'd been seeing a strange
light, I got serious goose-bumps. I thought I was the only one. And then
all the other guys admitted to it too.
Well it's after school and I'm slowly making my way home to my dad's
dojo, up on, no-pun-intended, Mt. Dojo. I'm walking slow 'cause I'm
trying to hitch a ride, it's a long way home. With my Yoroi I could get
there quickly but I can't use it for a stupid thing like that.
Oh good, a car's stopping. It's a red jeep with a tan colored tarp roof
and a black spare tire on the back. Wait a minute, I recognize that U.V.
The door opens and out steps a woman with light brown hair.
"Sage, what are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing. I'm on my way to my
dad's Dojo, y'know, where I live."
"Oh. I'm heading up to the waterfall, you know the one. I'm
starting to get good at Photography and I want to take some pictures of
it."
"Cool. Can I catch a ride with you?"
"What about your Yoroi?"
"Mia, that's only for battles, not every day stuff."
"Not even showing off for the ladies?"
I blush. I once read a survey that said it was easier to make a
blond blush. I'm no exception. "Mia, come on, even flirts have morals."
"Hey, I was just teasing, don't be sore. About the ride, hop in,
it's not like I'm in a hurry."
Mia gets back inside her U.V. and I walk over to the passenger
side and open the door but instead of getting in, I stop. I see the
light. It's in the opposite direction of my house. Uh oh, Mia noticed my
hesitation.
"Sage, What is it."
"Uh Mia, never mind about the ride, things just changed." I
close the door and start walking away from Mt. Dojo. I've got to see
where this light is coming from.
"Sage!" She gets out of her car, runs over and spins me
around by my arm. "Where are you going?"
"I... don't know."
"Since when does the biggest flirt in all of Toyama turn down a
ride with a girl to go wandering?"
"Since now, I guess."
"Well then, is there any problem with me driving you wherever
you're going?"
"Mia, I'd be seriously side tracking you. In case you hadn't
noticed, I'm walking directly away from the waterfall."
"Sage, the Waterfall isn't going to dry up tomorrow. Maybe where
you're going has something to do with your armor. If so, Then maybe I
can help."
Mia, always the expert on our armors. "Fine."
We both walk back over to her jeep and get inside. "Just tell me
where to go."
After about fifteen minutes, I realize something. "Hey, Mia,
it's coming from somewhere around your house."
"What's coming from my house?"
"The light."
The U.V. pulls into Mia's driveway and we both stare openly at what we
find. "Are you not seeing what I'm not seeing?"
"My house, it's... gone!"
The three story mansion is, as Mia said, gone. The light is
right in the middle of where her house should be. "Mia, the light's
right there, in the middle of where your kitchen table used to be. Can't
you see it?"
"No, I can't."
We both get out of the Jeep and walk onto the flat ground where
the foundation used to be. "I always said Kento would eat you out of
house and home."
"Sage, this is no time for jokes. Where exactly do you see the
light?"
I walk over and touch it lightly with my hand. Mia walks over.
"It's right he-"
I never get a chance to finish my sentence; the ground beneath Mia and
I opens up and we fall.
Hi, I'm Rowen Hashiba, the smartest guy at school. Also
the unluckiest; I haven't made it to school on time once this year. I
study or read almost all night long, then wake up late.
And so I'm spending my after-school time where I have every day this
year, Old building, room 206, Detention, when all of a sudden, the
school up and disappears on me. Unfortunately, so did my chair. "Ow."
Hey, wait, the entire school didn't disappear, the principal's office
is still here. Through its window I see a dark blue light, aw man, not
the light again!
It's probably not the smart thing to do, but I have to go see what it
is. Besides, what if M. Avi, the principal is still in there?
Everything always seems to be some evil Dynasty lot, now-a-days. "My
cat got run over." It's an evil Dynasty plot! Or "I got grounded."
It's an evil dynasty plot! Or, I know this is pathetic, but, "I can't go
to the prom with you, I'm going with Sage Date." It's an evil Dynasty
plot. (I personally thing that ones the worst.)
And then there's the suspicion. "I lost my pencil-case." It's one of
Dais' illusions, be careful! "We have to cancel to picnic because of the
rain." Talpa's up to something, watch out! I can't even eat a meatball
for fear it's an evil Dynasty Matrix of Power, A.K.A. a giant flying
meatball of Death!! Don't laugh, Ryo and I almost got killed by one of
those things. Sage likes calling it the creepy Dynasty equivalent of
NASA. I don't think that's funny.
Y'know, it's creepy. Think about it, right now I'm walking through what
should be the science lab. If the school came back right now, I'd be
standing on one of the dissection tables!
Why am I going so slow? Usually the light goes away in about five
minutes, but now I feel unhurried.
Hmm, this may sound corny, but... this could be... an EVIL DYNASTY
PLOT!!!!!
Better safe than sorry. I extend my hand and the glowing Dark Blue
Yoroi appears above it. I close my hand and my Dark-blue-and-white suit
appears.
Okay, I'm at the principal's office's door. I turn the knob and, what?
The office and the ground beneath disappear! As I fall, I try to
transform so I can use my armor's ability to create a floating bubble
around myself but it won't work! I can't transform. I fall.
Hello, I'm Cye Mouri. It's after school and I'm about to
do my Fave a-s activity; swimming. I know I'm not supposed to use my
Yoroi for stupid things like this but it's easier then bringing a
bathing suit.
I transform into my suit and then step into the water. Even though it's
almost winter, I don't feel the chill in the water because it is my
element. Then I see the light.
Suddenly, a whirlpool just appears out of nothing a few feet away from
the shore. I try to transform to my armor of the Torrent which would allow
me to escape the current but I can't, it won't work.
There was a big hole in the earth and he water was swirling into it.
The light was floating in the middle of the vortex. I grabbed the edge
of the precipice and held on. Then, the light looked at me. It didn't
have eyes or anything but I just knew it was looking at me, as if
changing it's mind. It turned white for a little while, then returned to
light blue. The water flowed back out of the hole and I was carried to
the shore. It followed me. It was floating above my shoulder and to the
left of my head. "What are you? What's happening?"
It ignores me and floats on ahead. "Hey, where are you going?"
It stops. It bobs slowly up and down. I take a step towards it and it
resumes floating. I hesitate and it stops. I start walking and it
continues moving, leading my head. "Well, guess I'm stuck following you,
I just wish I knew where we were headin'!"
Yo! I'm Kento. Kento Rei Fuan. Got any food? No? Oh well, it
was worth a try. You've gotta expect that from me. I've got the most
brute strength of all the Ronin Warriors and man! have I got an
appetite! Plus, Sage Date and I are in a bit of a fight. 'Kay, that's
almost as much as an understatement as Sage being a bit of a flirt. We
haven't spoken in a week and a half. Mostly 'cause he's the biggest
flirt in all of Toyama, if not the world. He should change his kanji
from wisdom to flirtatiousness!
Ha-ha-ha.
I'm at the friendly neighbour hood Burger-Ville, waiting in line for my
triple paddie burger, when suddenly I see an orange light and the ground
beneath me disappears. No! My burger! I fall.
Poor Ronin Warriors. My old friends and older enemies. How I
wish there was an easier way. And to involve Mia and Uli? I hope the
ancient knows what he is doing, but surely he does. We shall see.