The Sixth Ronin Warrior
Chapter 3
Love's First Fight
The next day started off much better. Of course I didn't have to go to school, so I slept in a little. When I finally went into the living area, only a few were up. They were in the kitchen, off to the side of the living room. Sai and Lita stood over the stove and countless items of ingredients for cooking. Kento was already sitting at the table polishing off a box of cereal. Even though she might be hungry, Serena wasn't up yet. That didn't surprise me, she's not exactly a morning person.
I smiled to myself as I leaned on my staff and sat down at the kitchen table.
"You're up," Lita declared. "I didn't think you'd be one of the few up before the crowd." She smiled broadly at me.
Sai turned around and wiped off his hands on his apron. "I don't believe anyone has introduced us yet. My name is Sai."
"I know who you are," I said softly. "My name is Lisa." I extended my hand. He grabbed it and we shook hands.
"That's strange you should know my name before I or anyone else has told you." Brushing off the thought, Sai turned to Kento, "Hey Kento! Aren't you going to say good morning?"
Kento just looked at Sai with his mouth full, then turned to me across the table and waved. I couldn't keep from laughing. He looked so silly with his cheeks puffed out like balloons. Lita turned to see what was happening and laughed along with me. He stared at us with big, gigantic puppy eyes as if to say, "Don't laugh at me." I'll bet Lita, Sai, and I laughed for two solid minutes. We needed a good laugh too.
"Hey what's with all the racket?" said a voice. Ryo stood leaning on the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest with White Blaze at his side. He had a grin on his face. "You woke me and White Blaze up."
"Sorry, Ryo, but Kento said a mouthful again," Sai announced.
By now Kento was pouting. "Why do you guys always make fun of me? You know I have to eat. I don't function too well without a full stomach."
Lita smiled sweetly at him and brought some specially made hash browns to the table. "Then this should fill you up."
He grinned greedily at the plate, but I had grabbed it before he could. "Don't worry Kento, I'll leave you the majority of what's here." I spooned some of the hash browns onto my plate that had been on the table when I had sat down. I handed the hot plate of potatoes back to Kento.
Ryo and White Blaze walked over to a place at the table. Ryo sat down and helped himself to the food set out at the table by the designated cooks, Lita and Sai. They definitely knew how to cook, I could live off of their cooking alone!
Silence filled the kitchen as Kento, Ryo, and I devoured all the food that had been set out. Lita and Sai continued to cook who knows what. They sure seemed to be having a good time making all that good food. I wouldn't try to stop them either. We certainly weren't going to starve.
* * *
By noon everyone was up and doing something. The scouts talked about how they could make their powers more useful. That was a lost cause. Their powers are meant to fight the Negaverse, while the ronin armors were meant to keep the dynasty out of our world. I was the most silent during the day while I sat on the back porch admiring the beauty of the lake. I sighed. Will I ever learn to use this armor of mine? Is it linked to me the same way the ronin armors are linked to the Ronin Warriors? Agh! I guess I better find out.
I held the sphere in my hand and stared at it for a minute. I took a deep breath and said, "Armor of the Spirit, Tao Ai!"
Light pink and hunter green subarmor appeared on my body. The "background" of the subarmor was hunter green, while the light pink was on the "foreground." I stared down at what now was a major part of me.
I leapt off the porch, which was about fifteen feet above the ground, and landed softly on the grass below. I walked to the lake's edge and saw Sai swimming in the crystal blue water. He had his subarmor on as I did. I smiled at the peace and serenity I felt here. No evil or corruption to destroy the day.
The temptation to go swimming was too much and I found myself floating on my back carelessly without any worries at all.
"Enjoying the swim?" a British accent sent me off balance and resolved to tread water. It was Sai.
"As a matter of fact I am. It's hard to believe it's so peaceful right now," I said.
"Yeah. We need to be on our full guard. The unexpectable can and will happen with the dynasty around," he said seriously. Our faces grew dim.
"I have a bad feeling. I think we need to go back to the house."
Sai looked around surveying the area, "I believe you're right. There's someone here."
We made our way out of the water and back to the house to find everyone had transformed: Ronins in subarmor and Scouts in their suits. I looked farther ahead and saw Dais, Warlord of Illusion. My blood turned cold.
"Pitiful children. There is no way you will ever defeat the dynasty or me!!" Dais boasted.
Ryo stepped foreword, "We did it once, We can do it again!"
I scowled at Dais. Everyone ran out of the house and into the street to fight. White Blaze growled at the monstrous form that threatened everything in our world.
"Web of Deception!"
Oh no! The scouts and ronins were entangled within seconds. I tried my best to avoid the growing spider web and failed. My feet were caught first and I was thrown to the ground. The web lifted me up upside down with my whole body restrained tightly.
"Agh!" I screamed in agony. The pain from the poison of the web was eating away at my skin. The more I moved the more it stung. I opened my eyes and saw everyone caught in Dais's trap. I heard their cries of pain and struggle. I couldn't stand it!! I fought my bonding harder, ignoring the pain that made my head dizzy. I could hear all of my friends trying to break free with no success. I couldn't bear it, I had to do something and fast!
"Armor of the Spirit, Tao Ai!"
My armor appeared for the first time. It resembled all the ronin armors in several aspects. The transformation had been enough to break through the web that tied me down.
"So, someone finally dares to challenge me," Dais declared.
"Well, I guess we'll see," I replied.
My armor allows me to choose my own weapon every time I fight. I had chosen the datchi, similar to Sage's weapon.
Dais peered at me with a peculiar look.
"What are you looking at?" I screamed with fury.
"A strange new armor I have never seen before. Where are you from, boy?"
"Enough! I'm not a boy!"
He laughed, "A girl!"
I readied myself as White Blaze freed himself and called upon the spirit of Black Blaze. The tiger then came to my side to help. He would've freed everyone, except that they were way out of our reach.
I held out my sword in front of me. Dais threw his Chi Lin Tou at me in an offensive attack. I dodged it with ease. He then disappeared on me. Where is he?! I can't see him. My armor seemed to tell me not to trust my senses. Black Blaze growled. I closed my eyes and raised the sword to my eyes vertically. I could see anything in the reflection of my sword. There! He was off to my right running toward me. I stepped to the side and he flew past. I saw him realize his fault and turn to face me. My eyes looked at him with a level expression.
"Web of Deception!"
Not again. I need to use a counterattack. I raised the datchi and swung it side to side as I yelled, "Soul Sword Ignite!"
A bright light and energy flamed from my sword, armor, and me as I fought Dais. My power blocked and incinerated his attack and freed my friends from their bonding. Black Blaze and I watched as Dais was enveloped in my white light. He soon collapsed not fifty feet from us. The ronins and scouts were free and they approached the unconscious warlord.
"Sailor Moon, can you heal him?" Ryo asked.
She looked at him and nodded.
"Moon Crystal Healing Activation!"
Dais's armor disappeared to reveal a human with white hair and blue eyes. He wore a patch over his left eye. The Kanji of Serenity glowed on his forehead.
White Blaze and I still stood where we had been when Dais collapsed. The tiger looked up at me trying to figure out what I was possibly thinking.
I was staring into space, trying to rationalize what had just happened. It was impossible, this just couldn't be rationalized. I had the power I had, until now, had only dreamed of and I couldn't believe it. I needed to or my powers wouldn't work to their full extent.
My subarmor was visible again and the other warriors had gathered around me. Sage and Rowen supported the unconscious former warlord on their shoulders. I smiled at every one, relieved to see that they were okay. Then my whole body felt weak and I fell to the ground suddenly. White Blaze roared. Again, my world went black. My armor had used up all the energy in my body that I needed to stay conscious and avoid fainting.
* * *