The Armor of the Cherry Blossom
By: Keila Tenshi
Part 7: A Startling Revelation
Kim woke up the next morning realizing that White Gold wasn't there. She laid in bed listening to the radio until she forced herself to get out of bed and to stop worrying about the ancient wolf. She showered slowly to lengthen the time and carefully choose her clothes. She put on a pair of jeans and a short sleeved violet/blue top with gold flower designs. A long sleeved plaid shirt she tied around her waist. She spent the morning watching TV and getting ready to ride her bike to RoninAngel's house.
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"My Shadow Knights," Rhon said from behind his prison walls.
Four flashes of light appeared and four figures came with it.
One was a man, tall and slender with light blue skin, pointed ears, ice blue eyes, and shoulder length blue hair. He wore ice blue trousers and boots and a blue tunic. A sword and a flute was strapped to his belt.
The other man that appeared was large. He was bald and had brown eyes. He wore brown leather pants and a brown leather vest. A huge double-balded ax hung on his back.
The first woman was tall and slender, her black hair hung to her waist, her gold skin shone metallic, and the gold pupil of her completely black eyes reflected light evilly. Her six arms were crossed over her midriff, sleeveless, low cut black top. Six weapons, a scimitar, a straight sword, two dirks, and two daggers, hung on the belt to her black pants.
The other woman was short and slender with silken black hair past her waist and beautiful green/blue eyes. Her costume was simple, a green/blue tunic that reached two inches above her knees along with black, knee length, high heeled boots. A gold circlet encircled her brow.
"My lord," they said in unison, kneeling before their master.
Rhon was now a swirling mass of black energy which occasionally crackled with electricity as he gathered energy. "My Shadow Knights," he repeated, "I now have enough power to escape this prison that binds me. But I need one thing done."
The ground before his prison broke open and a pedestal with a bowl full of black water on top of it rose out of the ground.
"Look into it," Rhon ordered.
The four Shadow Knights got to their feet and moved around the bowl. The water rippled and revealed Kayura as she looked over some books in the palace in the Dynasty. Beside her was the staff of the Ancient.
"Who is she?" the six armed woman hissed.
"The last of the Ancient's Clan and holder of his staff, Matarhal," Rhon said.
"What is your wish my lord?" the small beautiful woman asked.
"Releian have patience," Rhon answered.
Releian nodded her head briefly.
"This girl must be distracted while I escape so that she cannot use the Staff of the Ancient," he said the name in an exaggerated nasally voice, "to trap me again, for in the first few moments I will be venerable. So my orders are to distract her, and them."
The image in the pool shifted to the Ronins, Mia, and Yulie as they ate breakfast.
The light blue skinned man's hands tightened into fists as his eyes fell upon Sage as he ate distractedly. "Halo," he growled.
"Yes Tor, one of the two who killed your brother, Masl," Rhon said. A barely heard amused tone lined his voice.
"They don't seem so powerful," the huge man sneered.
"Boeg do not underestimate them," Rhon scolded as the scene in the water shifted to show Cale, Dais, and Sekhmet joining Kayura in the library of the palace.
"Talpa's former Warlords," Matarhal said looking them over. "The cowards."
"Hmmm, nice," Releian muttered noticing Cale.
"Do whatever you need to distract them, kill them even, but you must distract the girl."
"Halo is mine," Tor growled.
"No Tor, you will stay and help protect me for those moments," Rhon told him.
"But my lord, my brother's death must be avenged!" Tor argued. He gasped and fell to his knees as a sharp pain shot through his body.
"Never contradict me!" Rhon yelled.
"Yes...my...lord," Tor gasped.
"Releian, Matarhal, take some soldiers and go into the Earth Realm, they will all be there. Boeg you will stay and help Tor. Now go!" Rhon ordered.
"With pleasure my lord," Matarhal hissed as she teleported out.
Releian did not respond, just teleported out.
"Boeg, can you do something simple for me?" Rhon asked.
"Yes my lord?"
"Follow them, and watch Releian. Watch her only. Do not get involved or else you will pay."
"Yes my lord." Boeg teleported out.
"I do not trust her Tor, some day she will cause trouble for us." He sighed, then began to chuckle. "Soon I will be free again," he said softly. Evil laughter sounded throughout the shadowed palace.
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As Kim biked her way towards the house a dark feeling forced her to stop. She looked around as a col ominous feeling ran through her causing her to shiver. "I've got to hurry," she whispered. She started biking again. This time faster.
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Mia waited, slightly nervous, for the stranger from the Internet to arrive. The guys were outside practicing while Yulie watched. The computer offered nothing to help her and the bad memories of Talpa ran through her mind. For the hundredth time she looked at the clock. *Oh I hope this guy or girl helps!* she thought.
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Sage dodged Rowen's arrows as he moved through the forest. He ducked behind a tree out of Rowen's sight and as he passed by Sage tackled him. They rolled on the ground wrestling until Sage pinned Rowen.
Both of them froze as something white caught their eyes.
"Guys?" Ryo said as he Cye and Kento followed by Yulie riding White Blaze walked into the area. They all froze too.
Standing before them was a large pure white wolf. The wolf regarded each of them with a pair of powerful gold eyes.
Sage slowly released Rowen and stood up. He felt power coming from this creature like he had only felt from White Blaze, all of them felt it.
The white wolf met White Blaze's eyes and nodded to him. White Blaze startled everyone by nodding back.
Silently the white wolf disappeared into the forest.
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Kim slowed down enough to turn into the driveway without losing control. She vaguely recognized the van that stood next to the red jeep in front of the large mansion. She leaned her bike up against a tree and walked to the front door. *Well here goes nothing,* she thought as she reached up to ring the doorbell.
To Kim's surprise the door was opened by a young woman who had to be at least the same age if not older. "RoninAngel?" Kim asked doubtfully.
"WhiteWolf?" Mia asked surprised.
They stood looking at each other for a moment.
"Please come in," Mia said moving aside.
Kim slowly entered the house. "Wow!" she exclaimed looking around at the Japanese artifacts. *My dad would love this place!* she thought. She gasped as her eye caught a painting on the wall of a man in full samurai armor riding an impressive steed. "An authentic, not-in-a-museum painting from the Kamakura period!" she exclaimed after studying it for a few moments.
"Yes, that's right," Mia said a slow smile crossing her face. *Maybe she does know something!* she thought. "I'm Mia Koji," she introduced.
Kim returned the smile. "Kim Doris."
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"Why do you hold me back Releian?" Matarhal growled eager to fight these warriors.
"One, they're not all here; two, the Shadow Lord has not ordered us; and three, I want to study them first," Releian explained counting on her fingers.
Matarhal growled again crossing the middle pair of her six arms. She hated to admit it, but Releian was right. "So what do we do?" she asked impatiently.
"We wait and watch. I hope you are studying them."
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"What do you know about the Shadow Lord and Shadow Lands?" Mia asked as she sat on the couch in the living room. *I wonder if this is the girl the guys met yesterday. She's got the hair they described,* she thought.
"What do you know about the Ronin Warriors?" Kim countered. She stood near the back door looking out the window at the lake. *This place is near where I appeared!* she thought remembering.
Mia was briefly startled by the question. "Only what I have on the web page," Mia answered.
"Everything I know is in the poem," Kim said looking back at her.
Mia was about to say something when Yulie came through the back door at top speed.
Kim yelped and barely moved out of the way of the back of the door.
Yulie froze when he saw her. "You?" he asked through gasps for air.
"Long time no see," Kim said confused.
"What's wrong Yulie?" Mia asked.
Yulie was going to tell Mia about the white wolf, but instead said, "Nothing, just Kento trying to chase me."
"Kento? So the guys are here?" Kim asked.
"Yeah," Mia said realizing she was the girl the guys had met yesterday. "I'm their friend and they stay with me sometimes," Mia explained.
"Lucky them," Kim said her eyes straying to the painting of the samurai. She looked back at Yulie and Mia. "Where are they? I'd like to see them again."
"Sure," Mia said slowly. "Yulie run ahead and please tell them," Mia said.
Yulie nodded and ran out the door. "Guys!" he yelled as he came upon them. "Kim's here! She's coming too!" Yulie warned.
Everyone immediately transformed out of their subarmor into their street clothes. White Blaze disappeared into the nearby forest. A few moments later Kim and Mia appeared.
"Hey!" Kim greeted smiling.
"Hello Kim, nice to see you again," Ryo said.
Everyone agreed.. Sage agreed softly.
Kim noticed him looking at her and she looked down at the ground her hair falling into her face to conceal her blush. Her eyes widened as she recognized the tell-tale signs of a fight in the grass around them.
She looked up as the trees and brush rustled nearby and she nearly screamed in surprised as three men in full armor in the colors of piety, serenity, and obedience appeared. Instead she gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.
"Oh no!" Ryo whispered.
Cale, Dais, and Sekhmet froze when they saw Kim. "Who's she?" Cale asked.
*Well,* Releian thought when Cale appeared.
Kim spun around to the others as White Blaze came out of the forest at Ryo's beckoning. She gasped again and her other hand flew to her mouth. "That tiger!" she breathed.
"Ronins," Kayura said appearing. She froze when she caught sight of Kim.
Kim gasped again when she noticed the staff Kayura held. "That staff! Ronins?" she breathed looking wildly around her as the puzzle pieces fell furiously into place leaving her mind spinning.
"Lady Kayura," Ryo started.
"Kayura!" Kim exclaimed. Her hands fell away from her mouth and she stared at Kayura. "Kayura," she repeated. "You're-you're Jun's little sister."
Kayura gasped and her eyes went wide. "How do you know my brother?!" she exclaimed defensively. "He disappeared before the Ancient drove Talpa into the NeatherRealm!"
Kim stood taken aback. She could feel all of their questioning eyes on her. "I-I-" she stammered.
*Now my Shadow Knights! Now!* Rhon commanded Releian and Matarhal.
"The girl is mine!" Releian grinned meaning, Kayura, as she gathered her energy.
Kim gasped as a feeling of evil touched her outermost consciousness. She felt for it and knew exactly who the target was. "No!" she yelled moving.
Releian threw the comet-like bolt of energy at Kayura.
Kim shoved Kayura out of the way and took the blow herself. She screamed as the pain ripped through her sending her flying back into the ground. She laded unconscious.
"Kim!" Sage yelled moving to her side. He felt for a pulse and sighed with relief when he found one.
"Darn! I missed!" Releian exclaimed moving out of the forest. She held out her hand and pointed it towards Kayura. "But this time I won't."
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With a surge of evil energy the steady yellow glow of the prison became black and shattered. The formless black became the black robes of a man again. "I'm free!" he howled gleefully. He laughed.
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Everyone transformed into their subarmor as Releian threw another bolt of energy that Kayura barely missed getting hit by.
"Will you stop moving!" Releian exclaimed aggravated. She jumped high as Cale and Kento tried to tackle her. "It's not nice to try and hit a girl from behind!" she said sarcastically hovering in the air. She looked Cale in the eyes. "Although I wouldn't mind being tackled by you." She aimed another blast at them and they dodged. "Let me introduce you to someone who knows all about dirty fighting! Matarhal," she called sing-song.
Sage grabbed Kim and moved away with barely enough time to avoid a fiery death as a gold skinned woman came from behind.
Matarhal closed her mouth stopping the fire coming from it and she jumped Sage and the unconscious Kim, her six weapons at the ready.
Sekhmet, wielding his six swords, blocked Matarhal's attack. She hissed and smiled, smoke coming from the corners of her mouth. She opened it and Sekhmet was blown back in a haze of heat.
"Ronins!" Ryo yelled. "To Arms!"
Sage left Kim with Mia, Yulie, and White Blaze.
ARMOR OF WILDFIRE-TAO JIN!
ARMOR OF HALO-TAO CHI!
ARMOR OF TORRENT-TAO SHIN!
ARMOR OF STRATA-TAO INOCHI!
ARMOR OF HARDROCK-TAO GI!
As several Shadow Soldiers came up to where White Blaze stood protectively in front of Mia, Yulie, and Kim, White Gold came through the forest to stand next to White Blaze. Mia gasped.
"Don't worry. He's on our side," Yulie reassured.
White Gold and White Blaze easily took down the Shadow Soldiers before them. White Gold licked Kim's face, then, growling, he leaped in front of the Ronins and former Warlords and before Releian and Matarhal.
Releian and Matarhal tensed and looked into the wolf's eyes.
Nothing and nobody moved.
*Return to me my Shadow Knights, now!* Rhon commanded them.
Matarhal growled at them. She disappeared with a deadly glare and a flash of gold.
"That little boys is just a very brief preview. A little advice, give up while you still have time!" Releian said hovering in the air.
"I don't think so!" Kento said to her, a dead serious look on his face.
Releian chuckled. She blew a kiss to Cale. "See you later!" She disappeared in a flash of green-blue.
Sage immediately powered down into his subarmor and went to where Kim laid, still unconscious. "Kim," he said softly holding her.
"She'll be okay Sage," Rowen said after checking her briefly. "She just needs to rest."
White Gold sat next to Kim and whined softly, looking into their faces.
"She'll be okay," Ryo told the wolf. He reached down to pet the head.
White Gold licked his hand.
"Come on, let's get her to the mansion," Mia said.
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That night everyone staid in the mansion. Ryo shared a room with Rowen and Sage. Yulie shared the room with Kento and Cye. Sekhmet, Dais, and Cale shared a room. And Kim staid with Kayura and Mia.
In her dreams Kim found herself standing in a dark area in full armor with face mask on. She could feel the presence of people all around her. The darkness melted away to reveal a peaceful, flat, grassy cliff on a mountain Kim recognized to be Mt. Fuji. The full moon shone brightly down on nine other figures that formed a tight circle, the Ronins and former Warlords.
Ryo was startled by the appearance of the gold and white armor standing next to him. Ryo followed his first impulse and slowly removed his helmet and laid it at his feet. Dais next to him did the same. The others followed; Rowen, Cale, Cye, Kayura, Kento, Sekhmet, and Sage.
Kim hesitated before she too removed her helmet and placed it at her feet. Her free hair in its loose pony tail cascaded down her shoulders and back and the gold highlights shone in the moonlight.
"Kim," Sage said a little more surprised than everyone else was.
Kim smiled nervously. "Surprise," was all she could say.
"Now you know," a new voice, familiar to Kim and somewhat familiar to Kayura, but unfamiliar to everyone else said. "Respect this knowledge well."
And with that the scene faded.
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Kim awoke to White Gold's usual wake up call when she slept in too long, his tongue on her face.
Groaning she pushed him away and rolled over closing her eyes. Sensing a presence she reopened them and found herself face to face with a giant white tiger. She gasped and jerked away causing herself only to fall off the bed. She froze when she found herself face to paw with the white tiger.
Mia came out of her bathroom then, dressed and ready for breakfast. She started laughing when she saw the scene before her. "Don't worry, White Blaze won't hurt you," she said.
"Are you sure?" Kim asked. She tensed even more as the white tiger rubbed his head against hers purring.
"I'm sure."
Kim reached out and began petting the tiger. *I should've known! This was the tiger from my dream. I should've known!* she thought. "Some wake up call," she muttered leaning against the bed. White Gold rested his head on hers.
"How do you feel?" Mia asked coming over to her.
"Sore, and I have a small headache," Kim said touching her temple. Her stomach growled. "I guess I'm also hungry," she said sheepishly.
Mia chuckled. She looked Kim over and said, "You look like you're my size."
"Good," Kim said.
Some minutes later Kim was wearing a sleeveless green shirt and a pair of shorts. She had pulled her hair up into a French braid. Mia had gone downstairs to leave her to change and White Blaze had followed. White Gold had respectfully gone out of the room and waited in front of the door. He got to his feet as Kim left the room and followed her downstairs.
Kim paused in front of the door to the kitchen. She could hear talking on the other side of it. She took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing," she muttered opening the door.
All talk stopped and all eyes were on her.
Kim froze blushing nervously. *Talk about your deer in the headlights feeling!* she thought.
Finally after what seemed like forever, Kayura stepped up to her. "Thank you," she said. "You probably saved my life."
Kim smiled. "It was my pleasure. Besides I like family reunions."
"Huh?" Kayura said confused.
Kim didn't say anything she just turned towards a corner.
Everyone followed where she looked.
A soft ringing of bells that appeared brought tears to Kayura's eyes. A light appeared and disappeared leaving Jun standing there. He grinned softly. "Hello Kayura," he said softly.
"Jun!" Kayura cried out. She flung herself into his arms and he held her tightly.
After a few moments she turned to the others. "This is my brother," she explained.
White Blaze moved to his side. Jun nodded to him. "It is good to see you too." He regarded the group before him. "It is interesting to see the ones who bear the armors," he said. "It's been a long time since I've actually seen all the together. What has happened?" he asked.
"It's a very long story," Ryo said.
Kim's stomach growled again and everyone looked at her. She blushed brightly.
"A story that can be told over breakfast," Ryo said smiling at her.
Kim smiled thankfully at him. She didn't move as people started moving for chairs unsure of where to go.
Sage saw her look nervous as people went for places at the large table. He moved to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You can sit by me if you want to," he offered.
She smiled softly at him. "I'd like that."
Sage led her to the chair next to his, which was originally Rowen's, but Rowen conveniently moved to leave his chair open for her.
Cye and Mia placed plates of food onto the table. Everyone helped themselves, Kento most of all. Throughout the meal Kim and Jun listened intently to Kayura and Ryo as they told the story.
"Whoa," Kim breathed at the end of the tale. She had spent the last couple of minutes with her empty fork suspended in mid-air never taking her eyes off of Ryo and Kayura as they talked.
Jun looked at Kayura as she related the part of her possession. "I'm sorry I wasn't there," he said.
"It's okay, everything's fine now," Kayura said.
Kim snorted softly. *Hardly fine,* she thought. Out loud she said, "So what do we do now?" Without taking her eyes from Jun, Ryo, or Kayura, she smacked Kento's hand with her fork as he tried to sneak some food off her plate.
"Ow!"
Everyone laughed as Kento nursed his hand.
"Maybe you'll teach him not to do that anymore," Cye said.
Kim shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not, all I know is that is works when Margo tries it." She turned back to Ryo. "So what so we do now?" she asked again.
"You have to learn more," Jun said.
"What do you mean?" Kim asked.
"Your armor," Jun said simply.
"Anybody want to hear about my world?" Kim changed the subject. She was still sore and stiff and her headache hadn't gone away or lessened any.
"Exactly like this one only they didn't have to deal with Talpa," Jun said.
"And I was going to start with the big bang," Kim said shaking her head.
"And I thought you like practicing," Jun said.
"I do! I'm just still sore and," she said softly, "I'm worried about my dad and my friends." She looked down at her plate.
No one said anything.
Sage reached over and squeezed her hand smiling softly at her.
Kim smiled back in thanks. She turned to the others and sighed deeply. "So shall we practice after lunch?" she asked.
"I thought you were sore," Yulie said.
"I am! But I gotta deal with it like a big girl. Besides, Tylenol for the soreness, Advil for the headache, spend the morning describing my armor, or what I know of it, to Mia, wait until after lunch and I should be ready to show what I got," she said smiling slyly. *They have no idea what's going to hit them!*
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Author's Note:
Yea! I'm done!!!!! I'm writing the story out on paper as I go and right now I'm on part ten. I still got to type out parts eight and nine. ::moans and massages her fingers:: My Canterbury Tales work for English is done! Now on to Macbeth and King Lear! I love Shakespear!!!
Okay, okay, I know I promised more action this part and I didn't deliver. But, in part eight it's nothing but action! So be prepared for that. And part nine is hilarious!
Standard disclaimer:
I do not own Ronin Warriors/YST! All the characters you do not recognize do belong to me and my incredibly large imagination that all my teachers secretly wish I never developed (they all have at least told me twice to put my stories away ;P). Please ask for permission to use.
Anyway, on to parts eight-fifteen! And on to some more maybe! ::laughs manically while friends moan and plot a way to erase her memory of the Ronin Warriors finally fed up with her babbling over and over about them:: Here's something that can be put onto that 'True Ronin Fan' list:
You know you watch to much Ronin Warriors/YST if:
-You're friends run from you when you approach because they know that you're going to talk about Ronin Warriors!
See Ya!
Keila Tenshi
P.S. My name is pronounced 'Kay-la'.