Ch

Ch. 6

It doesn't matter now what happens,

I will never give up the fight,

There's no way I will run away from

All of my frights,

As long as a voice in me says "go"

I will always keep on running.

There's no way to stop me

From going the very top.

It doesn't matter who is wrong or who is right..

-It doesn't matter, Sonic's theme

The Ancient One looked at these five girls who had befriended the Ronins. The one with black hair seemed to have extraordinary sensory powers. He glanced at his staff. The rings were jingling like crazy. He was surprised that the girls didn't hear it. But these girls were needed to get Ule out of the Dynasty, whether the Ronins liked it or not. He contemplated how to tell them...

Rei couldn't shake the feeling that Ryo needed her now. But she had no way to get to him. She still sensed that she was being watched, but she shook it off when the girls arrived. She told them of her feelings, and all the girls seemed to agree. Even Mia, who had stuck around, seemed to feel that things were off. Whiteblaze snuggled up beside Minako, while Artemis, a little perturbed by the presence of the white tiger, moved to Ami. Minako stroked his head gently.

"You know Seiji's in trouble too, don't you boy?"

"More like Ryo." Mia put in. "They have a very special bond." Rei was about to reply curtly that SHE had a special bond with Ryo too when a soft voice chimed in

"Indeed they do." The voice came from above. Everyone's heads whipped upwards when a man with long white hair looking almost exactly like Sh'ten's jumped down from the treetops. Not even Mia, who had seen him before, could tell if he was an old man or a young one, for the hat he wore was so low it covered the better half of his face. But he looked very strange, dressed in the attire of a Buddhist monk But the staff he carried was the most puzzling of all, and now Rei recognized the sound it made, or rather, the large metal rings on it made. They jingled softly, moving on their own.

"Who are YOU??" Makoto, Ami and Minako all asked at the same time.

"I am known as the Ancient One." he began. "Friend of the Ronins and also of you, Senshi." Makoto got defensive right away.

"How did you know we were Senshi?" she asked. He smiled.

"I know more than you can imagine. Like the fact that you are right. The Ronins DO need your help." Rei stepped forward.

"How are they doing?" she asked. His smile faded.

"I will show you."

Touma felt at the scar that went down his face. It was deep, and just starting to harden. It went from his forehead, down past his left eye, and down onto his cheek. He had gotten it when he was ambushed on the other side of the warphole. The only other one of the Ronins who escaped was Shou, but not without a deep gash on his arm. Shin and Seiji had been captured. Shou thought the scar gave Touma a rough, rugged look. Shou had tried to fight, but when he tried to transform, nothing happened. He remembered it glumly. He had tried twice. When nothing happened, Rajura started to laugh his fool head off. Touma stared at him.

"Shou, transform!!" Shou's face showed horror and fear, and a little knowing.

"I-I can't!!" he said frantically, just before he was hit across the room by Sh'ten. Touma glared at Rajura and lunged at him. Rajura had dodged and slashed at Touma. Anubis took on Seiji, leaving Naaza with Shin. The Ronins appeared to be winning when Anubis turned from Seiji and struck Shin square in the head with the butt of his sword. Not even armor can withstand that. Shin crumpled. Seiji had rushed to his aid when Naaza and Anubis ganged up on him too, knocking him out. Touma had lost his head and lunged wildly at Anubis, but Anubis hit him with a blast so hard, his helmet was blown off, leaving Rajura the opportunity to slash him. Shou feared that he was the cause of their defeat. Touma walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault." he said, sensing what Shou was thinking. Shou shook his head.

"Yeah, it is. If I coulda transformed, you wouldn't look like a carbon copy of Anubis." Touma laughed a little at this, but secretly he wondered how Ami would react when she saw his battle scar.

"OH MY GOD!!!" Ami fairly shouted and ran towards Touma.

"Wait." The Ancient One's voice rang out clearly and Ami stopped dead in her tracks. "He cannot see you nor hear you. Just as he cannot see nor hear me, or any of us. I said I would show you. Ami looked tearfully at Touma.

"Can I touch?" she asked. The Ancient One fairly smiled.

"Try it and see." Ami reached towards Touma's face, but her hand went through it. She pulled back, part horrified, part frightened, and part mystified. Touma was talking again.

"We're inside the castle I know that much. Now, we have to find Ule...and the guys." Makoto stared. What had happened to Shin? She was suddenly very afraid.

"I want to see Shin." she blurted out. The Ancient One nodded, and they were no longer looking at Touma and Shou, but at Shin, Seiji and Ryo. Rei broke down in tears right there and then at seeing Ryo's condition. Ryo's head was bent, his back was all scars, his face was also scarred. It was obvious he had been through some serious torture. Next to him were Shin and Seiji, newly captured, but still unconscious. On the other side of Ryo was

"ULE!!" Mia cried out and ran to him despite herself. She was a little shocked to see that she had passed right through him, even though she had heard that the Ancient One had said. She looked up fearfully as The warlords entered the room, but they passed through her, not even aware of her. They went over and punched Shin and Seiji in the ribs, causing them both to awaken. If Makoto had been solid at that moment, Anubis would have ended up with a second scar, at least. Shin awakened, and like Ryo, tried immediately to free himself, but Rajura hit him across the face. Ryo looked up weakly, and looked directly at Rei, or so she thought. The way he looked as if he knew someone were there made her want to run to him, kiss him, cry out and kick some warlord ass all at the same time. She turned to the Ancient.

"He can't see-" The Ancient One held up his hand.

"Ryo is very special. It appears he has picked up some of your habits. It is not known if he can see us or not." If Ryo DID see them, he gave no sign at that time. He glared up at Rajura. Rajura laughed.

"And look who's finally awake." he said, kicking Ryo upside the head. Shin cringed then he spoke up.

"Ye bastards have no honor." Naaza turned savagely on him.

"WHAT??" he roared. Shin looked him full in the eye.

"If ye had any honor, ye'd let Ule go. It's us ye want, not him." Naaza looked at this shrimp of a man, barely past puberty, and yet, he knew he was right. That was Rajura' decision, however. Naaza looked expectantly at Rajura, as did all the other warlords. Rajura shook his head.

"We keep the kid until we have all the Ronins." Shin went almost completely berserk.

"COWARD!!! IF YE WERE HALF THE WARRIORS YE CLAIM TO BE YE WOULD NEVER KEEP A DEFENSELESS CHILD-" Naaza hit Shin so hard he went out immediately. Makoto stared. That couldn't have happened. It couldn't...

Makoto stared at the Ancient One once they were back at the temple. So did all the other girls. Rei was still sobbing, and Ami was rubbing her back, though she was pretty shaken up herself.

"Why did you show us? What can we do?" The Ancient one turned to look at her.

"You can help them."

"How?" Minako asked. It was the first time she had spoken since the Ancient One had appeared. The Ancient One turned to look at her.

"Do not worry. I will get you where you need to be. Just transform." The girls nodded and all fished out their transformation stick/locket.

Talpa looked up suddenly. He was not happy. He sensed the Ancient One was about to interfere in his plans..again. And that was NOT something he could have. Not when he was so close to victory. The Ancient One would have to be exterminated.