Ch. 4
What comes around, well it goes
around!
Nothing changes cause it's all the
same,
The more you get, the more you give
away.
And I'll just happen to get
Right down the line.
-Right down the Line,
it's either Bad Religion or Offspring. Let me beat "Crazy Taxi" again and I'll
get back to ya.
Minako sighed and picked up the
volleyball. She threw it up into the air and hit it. It went into the net. She
sighed again. Her mind wasn't really on her practice at the moment. It was on
Seiji, and how he might be doing. She sure missed him, more than she ever
thought she would. Ever since reading that letter (and she had read it over
several times to make sure she hadn't imagined it) she found that her feelings
for him grew with every day of his absence. Ami stopped reading her book and
looked up at Minako.
"Are
you okay?" she asked. Minako shrugged.
"I'm not good, if that's what you
mean." Ami nodded. "I know, I miss Touma too. Especially after the
other night.." at this, she trailed off, blushed and went hurriedly back
to reading her book. Makoto, who had been listening, slid over.
"Ami, you're not telling us you're not a
virgin anymore, are you?" Ami said nothing, but her blush deepened. Makoto
laughed.
"Ohmigod,
I can't believe it!!!" Ami turned on her, not angrily, but with a purpose.
"Oh,
and are you hymenally challenged, Makoto?" she asked. This shut Makoto up.
Makoto blushed too and slid back to where she had come from. Minako smiled a
little. Two big gossip subjects in one day. She'd have to question Shin and
Touma when they came back..if they came back. The thought tore at her heart,
for she knew if that Touma and Shin didn't come back, neither would Seiji.
Ule
screamed out in pain as electricity seared through his body. Enough to almost
kill him, but not quite. Prizma grinned, then she turned to Sh'ten, who was
grinning stupidly at her. He seemed to had developed somewhat of a crush on
her. Oh, he wasn't that bad, but she wasn't going to get wrapped up in him like
her sister had with Rajura. Just then, as if her thought had called him, Rajura
himself appeared, grinning. He looked strange, full armor and no helmet. His
long wavy white hair was damp and he looked hot but satisfied.
"Shou's
history." Prizma and Sh'ten both looked interested.
"What
do you mean?" Sh'ten asked.
"He's
convinced his armor is evil now." Rajura started, ignoring Sh'ten.
"He won't be able to transform because he'll be too afraid of hurting his
friends. And the Troopers only work at their best if all of them are in armor.
" Prizma clapped.
"I
see there IS some merit when the other warlords tell me you're intelligent,
Rajura." Rajura bowed.
"Thank
you, thank you." he said. Bertie appeared.
"Three
of them have hooked up and two are on their own." she told him. Rajura
looked at her.
"Which
two?" he asked.
"Seiji
and Ryo." Ryo. That was interesting. Capture the leader and no Hariel to
have to deal with. Rajura nodded and kissed her, thanking her for the
information. He disappeared, leaving Bertie, Prizma and Sh'ten alone in the
room. Bertie sensed where he was going and followed. Prizma followed Bertie,
and of course, Sh'ten followed Prizma.
Naaza looked up from his guarding
post at Ule's side.
"What's
up?" he asked when Rajura entered.
"Ryo's
on his own. Wanna go bring him in?" Naaza grinned.
"What about my post?" Prizma, who
had just entered, stepped up.
"I'll guard."
"I'll
help!" Sh'ten said, a little too quickly. Rajura laughed aloud.
"I'm
sure you will, Sh'ten." Naaza transformed and followed Rajura.
Ryo
glanced around uneasily. He didn't like being on his own, and he had no idea if
he was going in the right direction. He stopped and listened. He sensed he was
being watched. When he saw Rajura and Naaza appear, his last conscious thought
was that he'd have to ask Rei how he knew that. Naaza made short work of Ryo,
knocking him out in an instant.
Rei's
eyes flew open as a strong gust of cold wind blew into the shrine and nearly
put out the sacred flame.
"Ryo's
been captured." she whispered.
Usagi
popped her head into Rei's room and was disturbed to find her crying. She
walked in and laid her hand on Rei's shoulder.
"What's
wrong?" she asked. Rei looked up, tearfully.
"They've
got Ryo." she said. Usagi sat Rei up and hugged her.
"It'll be alright." Don't
worry." Rei turned to her.
"But
that's just it. I've been worried ever since they left. Chad's been hitting on
me left and right and I just KNOW Ryo's in deep shit. I miss him like crazy. I
think I...I..." Usagi patted her on the back. She thought she knew what
Rei wanted to say, and she understood why she couldn't say it. It was hard to
say that. But, she agreed with her. The Ronins might be in trouble, and she had
a gut feeling that Rei was right
.
Seiji
looked up when he saw three figures in armor coming towards him. Wait. They
were in pre-armor. COLORED pre-armor. He stood up and waved frantically. One
figure pointed towards him and all three ran towards him. Seiji was relieved to
see that he was right. Shou smiled.
"You
alright?" Seiji nodded.
"Yeah, sure. How about you?" Shou
shrugged and looked away. Seiji glanced at Touma. Touma's expression said
"Drop it." and after another moment, he dropped it. Shin sighed.
"Now all we have to do is find Ryo, right?" Seiji sighed.
"No easy task, bud. I've been lookin'
all over for him, even called his name a few times.." Seiji had to take a
moment to clear his throat as his voice started to give way. "Alright,
maybe more than a few. Nearly knocked myself out callin' him." Touma
sighed.
"Dammit,
what if they've got him?" This shut everybody up. Shou shifted uneasily.
Shin looked around. Touma and Seiji appeared to be the only ones doing any real
thinking. Seiji sighed.
"This
is NOT looking good. If they've got Ryo, and I'm beginning to believe they do,
then that's a double job, and that MORE than doubles the risk." Shou
looked up.
"Think
we should go back...get the girls' help?"
"NO!!"
Shin, Touma and Seiji all said at the same time. They each calmed down, and
Touma spoke.
"Shou,
if we were to go back and get them, and the warlords got them again..."
Touma trailed off as his voice caught. He didn't have to go any further,
though. Even Shou felt a small pang at his heart, as his feelings for Usagi
never REALLY went away. He didn't want her captured. Shou sighed.
"Okay,
okay. We don't go back. We leave them out of this. But what if we're all
captured?" Seiji grit his teeth.
"They'll have to kill me then." And
he started on. Shou hung back and sighed again.
"They
might do worse." he murmured, and he followed them.
Rubbeus
grinned. He couldn't believe this was working. Here, he had the leader of the
Ronins in his grasp, unconscious, and all because of one of Rajura' crackpot
schemes. Rajura appeared grinning with Bertie on his arm, smiling wildly.
Anubis high fived Rajura' free hand.
"You
are good." Rajura grinned wider.
"I know. I know." Bertie kissed
him.
"I always knew you could!!" Rajura
glanced over at her.
"Even
on one of your all day shopping sprees?" Bertie grinned now.
"Why
do you think I always took you?" Prizma appeared, also smiling. Of course,
Sh'ten was right behind her. Naaza laughed.
"Looks
like you've got a second half." Prizma smiled ruefully at Sh'ten behind
her.
"I noticed. Look, Rajura. Wiseman wants
to see you." Rajura stopped grinning and paled.
"Right
now?" he asked. Rubbeus shrugged.
"Not
good to keep him waiting." Bertie smiled up at him.
"Go ahead. It's probably good."
Rajura wasn't reassured much. He gulped and disappeared, reappearing before
Wiseman.
Ryo
woke up to see Ule on his right, unconscious, and Anubis grinning in his face.
Ryo immediately tried to free himself, but his hands and feet were bound good.
He then tried to knock Anubis out of his face by swinging his feet at him, but
that tactic had been tried by Makoto before on Rajura. Anubis was ready. He
ducked and went on grinning.
"Not
so tough, are you? Shrimp." Ryo grit his teeth.
"I've
whipped you before." Anubis laughed.
"Now
whatcha gonna do, sick your little priestess on me?" Ryo's anger flared.
"LEAVE
REI OUT OF THIS!!" Naaza stepped up.
"Oh, yeah. You love her, right?"
Ryo was shocked to hear his own feelings voiced so clearly by Naaza, of all
people. Rajura, maybe. But NAAZA? Naaza, unperturbed, went on.
"I
swear, I'll never fall for a girl like that as long as I'm a warlord."
Rajura appeared, much to the surprise of everyone.
"Don't
be so sure. I was sayin' that like, what, about a month ago?" Bertie
looked up.
"What
did the Wiseman want?" Rajura glanced at Ryo hatefully.
"Not
in present company." he said. Ryo sneered.
"Why?
If you're so sure I won't escape, why won't you say it here?" Rajura bent
close to Ryo, his voice full of hatred.
"Because,
RONIN, I've had too many close calls with you to know WHAT you're gonna do. I'd
rather be safe than sorry." Ryo spit at him and Rajura flinched, before
dealing Ryo a good one upside the head. Ryo nearly yelled out in pain. Ami had
told how Rajura had hit Makoto when she injured him, and he'd seen Rajura kick
Usagi. This guy had STRENGTH. Ryo NEARLY yelled out, but he was determined not
to give the others the satisfaction.
Avery
and Katzie appeared, smirking. No one had seen much of them lately. Bertie
claimed they were shopping. Naaza hadn't been so sure. He thought he'd seen
them looking at more guys than lipstick colors. But he didn't say anything. Katzie
grinned.
"Gotta
hand it to you, Rajura." Rajura grinned too.
"I've
been getting alot of that lately. Even the Wiseman told me to keep it up."
Katzie looked surprised.
"Really?"
Ryo decided to cut in.
"Wiseman'll
be singin' a different tune one I'm through." All four of the warlords,
even Sh'ten, let out a big laugh.
"Once
we take your armor," Naaza gloated, glaring at Ryo, "We'll either
kill you or make you a slave." Ryo paled. He was afraid to ask, but he
said
"What
about The Senshi?" Rajura grinned and drew his finger across his
neck..slowly. That didn't make Ryo feel any better. Not at all.