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Peace Is Threatened

Chapter 7.

Thunder was dreaming again. It was the same horrendous dream he had been having for months since his captivity in Tophet. He remembered the battle they had, then mostly everyone got knocked out including himself. When he had awoken, he found himself in a cold damp cell that was no bigger than a walk in closet. The floor had been harder than ground itself and in some places it was wet. It was dark with very little light in the cell at all. He remembered wearing a cast iron collar, which he was chained to the wall by. His wrists bore manacles, which kept his arms from stretching far apart, and his ankles bore shackles, which kept his feet from stretching far apart. He couldn't move very far at all. It hadn't been long after he had awoken when Tutock appeared. And he just as ugly as Thunder remembered him.

"Finally awake I see," Tutock's eyes flashed as he stared down at the Warrior. Thunder glared at him with hatred and tried to get loose. But it was futile to do so. Tutock had laughed a cold cruel laugh that still rings in Thunder's ears today. Not long after Tutock had first appeared then when the real terror began. He had been beaten with chains, sticks, and whips. He had been attacked by what Guardians that had been not been injured and out cold, he had been forced to heal those that had been knocked out, only to receive beatings from them as well. And the beatings would usually last for two hours straight in which afterward Thunder would gladly welcome unconsciousness. He hardly got sleep, as he would always be forced awake and beaten more. He had been fed only stale bread and stale water, and a night when he was finally left alone; he would shiver violently in his cell and try to reach his friends through the mind link, only to discover that Tutock had somehow blocked him. For days on end he had suffered countless tortures, from being hanged, stretched apart, covered in rubber and electrocuted as rubber was his weakness, to being drowned, beaten, thrown to the wild creatures, to almost every cruel treatment imaginable. And always the dreams seem to get worse and worse.

Thunder tossed and turned on his bed, wanting to wake up from this dream to get away from it all, but somehow he was unable to get awake. Then suddenly his eyes snapped open and he was gasping heavily, hearing the loud thumping of his heart against his chest. It was dark all around him, and he was near panic, as he couldn't remember where he was and was still thinking he was in Tutock's dungeon. It took a few minutes to realize he was actually safe, but still he could not calm down.

He glanced toward his right and saw that Flash was asleep. He didn't want to wake her up with his nightmare. Why bother telling her the same dream again? He climbed out of bed, realizing he was trembling and took a few deep breaths to calm himself. When he felt he was able to stand up right without shaking he slowly headed out the door, moving very silently as he did so. He glanced around the darkened hall, then found the stairs and headed down them and went right out the door and stood on the porch.

It was becoming dawn, as the sun slowly began to peek over the horizon. The air was a bit chilly, but he didn't pay any attention to it. Dew covered the ground and everything seemed peaceful as a few birds began to chirp their morning song. But he could not join in the peacefulness. He let a sigh out, thinking that some meditation would be good right now and was wondering just where a good spot would be. He looked around, and then he saw Rekino jogging standing a few feet away from the house, doing some leg stretches. He watched her for a few minutes, not really thinking of anything. He watched her straighten up and then suddenly began to jog around the property.

Thunder let out a sigh and slowly walked down the steps. The need to meditate was strong now, and so he let his spirit guide him to a place where he could.

*~*

Rekino was half way around the house now when she noticed a figure walking alone away from the house. She blinked and frowned as she recognized it was Thunder. Where was he going? She wondered. Didn't he know they had school in one hour? Then she was worried. Was he okay? He looked so downcast. She bit her lip, watching him disappear over the hill.

*~*

At 6:30 A.M. everyone started to get up. Sage and Hana both called first on both bathrooms and it was a wrestling match between Hana and Josephine and for Sage and Kento. In the event it turned out that Mia got in one bathroom, and Cye got in the other bathroom, leaving the other four to groan.

Rekino walked into the front door, and up the steps. She sweatdropped when she saw her four friends fighting over the bathroom again. She heard the water running in one, and figured Mia or Cye got it to before they did, "Guys …what are you doing?" They were now playing rock, papers, and scissors.

"Well," Hana started, "Mia and Cye got to the bathrooms before we did. So, when they get out, we're seeing who's gonna go next."

"Yeah," Sage said, "And it's going to be me!"

"No me!" Josephine said.

"I wanna go in though! I need it!" Kento whined.

"Kento," Rekino said, "What you need is some beauty sleep, not a bath."

Everyone stopped playing their game to look at Rekino. She was laughing at their faces. Amaya came out of her room when she heard Rekino tell that to Kento, "Rekino, he's just fine the way he is."

"Thank you Amaya!" Kento said.

Rekino sighed, and walked down the hall, leaving her friends to finish their game. She peeked in to check on Rowen, who was still asleep. She smiled to herself, and made her way to her bedroom to get dressed.

*~*

Not long after Rekino had gone upstairs, Thunder returned to the house, feeling semi better. He didn't see Flash around, but figured she was either practicing or doing something else. He saw mostly everyone in uniforms and remembered that he and Flash had left their uniforms at their hotel. They would have to get them soon. Then the front door open and Flash walked in. She had gotten up not long ago and had raced down to the motel. Thunder was relieved to see their duffle bags with everything they would need.

"Good thing you have a good memory," Thunder said as he took his black duffle bag from her. It was the second time he had spoken since being there which shocked the others, but Flash.

Flash just smirked. "My memory's like an elephant's. I never forget."

"Sometimes," Thunder said quietly, "sometimes, I wish I could forget." He turned and headed up the stairs, leaving Flash to frown after him.

*~*

At seven in the morning, it seems that everyone had woken up. Josephine, Kento, Sage, and Hana seemed to get the bathroom, Cye, Mia, and Amaya were cooking breakfast, Flash and Thunder were sitting at the table with Ryo, who was studying for a health test, and Rowen was still in the bed. Rekino came down the stairs in her white blouse and black skirt. She had her tennis shoes in her hand, and a white ribbon in her other hand. She jumped down the stairs with her book bag across her back. The Lady of Wildfire walked into the kitchen, and sat at the table to put on her shoes.

"Hey sis," Ryo said looking up from his book, "Ready for school?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Rekino said. She looked at what her brother was doing, and she laughed, "Weren't you suppose to study that this weekend?"

"Hey! I didn't have time!" Ryo said, "Besides, you never study."

"I can't help that I pass all my classes without studying. It's just a gift," Rekino said, and fixed the ribbon in her hair. Some of her hair got tangled in Rowen's class ring that was on her left finger.

"Breakfast is served," Cye said, and placed the plates with eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes on the table, "Eat up."

At the mention of food, Josephine and Kento came bounding down the stairs and into the kitchen. The pulled their chairs out, and dug into the food.

"Whoa! Slow down their sonic the hedgehog!" Flash said, "Leave some for other people."

Everyone, except Rowen, sat down and had a decent breakfast. Rekino didn't eat much. She never really had the stomach for breakfast. When 7:15 A.M. rolled around, everyone was almost ready to go. Flash looked at Rekino with an eyebrow raised.

"Where's Rowen?" Flash asked, "Shouldn't he be down here?"

Everyone laughed. Mia spoke for the warrior she was destined to guard, "Rowen gets up on his own time. That's why he has his own car. He usually slows us down of a morning."

Flash grinned. The gears in her head started to turn, and a light bulb appeared above her, "Well, that's about to change," She headed up the stairs.

The others just looked at each other confusingly. They sat down on the couch to wait for Flash, and then it hit them. She was attempting to wake Rowen up. May the Ancients help be with her. No one could get Rowen Hashiba up in the morning.

*~*

Flash walked silently into Rowen's room, seeing him asleep on the bed. He looked so peaceful there. But that peacefulness would come to an end. She silently walked over to him and stood there for several seconds, and then suddenly she pounced. "BONZAI!!!!!" She jumped right on his bed with the strength of a tiger, and Rowen went flying out of bed and right into the dirty laundry basket in the room. Flash calmly hopped down off the bed, as Rowen's eyes were wide open with shock. He felt as if he had been blown across the room, but without injury. He found himself slumped in the clothesbasket with the blanket around him. He watched in shock as Flash walked past him and out the door.

"Okay, Rowen's up!"

Downstairs, the Ronins and Lady Ronin Guardians all looked at one another in disbelief. No way Rowen could be up. They watched her come downstairs, followed by Rowen a few minutes later. The blue haired genius was more than wide-awake which was a shock to all of them.

"Morning, Rowen," Rekino said sweetly at him. Then she leaned toward Flash and asked quietly, "How did you do it?"

"I jumped on the bed," Flash answered truthfully. Rekino blinked, then wondered out of everything they had tried why none of them had ever thought of that. Flash looked at her and grinned. "You think Rowen is bad, you should meet Shades. Anytime someone would wake her up, they would end up with a broken jaw or broken arm. Thunder and I were the only Warriors brave enough to wake her."

Rekino was shocked. "Yes, this Shades did seem worse than Rowen," She didn't ask any further questions. They had only so much time to get to school.

By the time it was 7:15 A.M., everyone was dressed and ready to leave for school. Mia, Ryo, Cye, and Amaya were all riding in Mia's jeep. Rekino and Rowen were taking Rekino's red 4-Runner, and Hana, Sage, Kento, and Josephine was riding in Hana's Green Explorer Sport, while, Flash and Thunder were riding their motorcycles. Flash's motorcycle was a 1998 blue and white BMW, while Thunder's was a 1997 red and black BMW. Each motorcycle had matching helmets and a saddlebag on one side, perfect for carrying important things. As soon as they were all ready, they all drove off to Hana High School.