Armor of the Cherry Blossom
By: Keila Tenshi
Part Nine: The Wrong Two Girls
Another World; USA
iOops...I did it again
I played with your heart
Got lost in the game/i
The music was loud, but not loud enough to drown out the singing of one of the two girls in the room and the shouting of the other.
"Margo! Turn that... that stuff down!" Joanie Carr yelled. Her dark blue eyes flashed in the light. She turned away from Margo and running her hand through her short blonde hair returned to the ancient Egyptian she was translating on her computer.
Margo Little made an annoyed growl as she complied to her friends wishes. Returning to the bed the beautiful heavy-set girl with waist length black hair and dark brown eyes began reading her magazine again. Margo sighed after a few minutes and said softly, "I wonder what's happening to Kim."
Joanie stopped typing and saved the information. The tall girl moved to the bed and said, "I bet she's having fun wherever she is."
The two had received through e-mail word of Kim's and White Gold's disappearance in Japan and both were worried.
"You think she's okay?" Margo asked.
"Kim's very strong, you know that," said a new voice from the door.
They turned to see Alice, Margo's grandmother, standing there.
"You know she'll be okay. She has power, and she'll use it for good. So will you," Alice said. Her navy blue eyes looked over her granddaughter and friend. She smiled and tossed her white hair over her shoulder. "Lunch will be ready in a few," she said and left.
"Okay, that was weird," Joanie said out loud. She turned to Margo. "What do you think?"
"Mmmmm, food," Margo drooled.
Joanie sighed and shook her head. "Margo! Ow!" she exclaimed as Margo's hand clamped painfully down on hers. She turned to Margo's pale and frightened face. "What?" she asked.
Margo didn't say anything, she just stared ahead of her.
Joanie followed her gaze and stared too as the green-blue glow that swirled from Margo's mirror. "What is it?" she asked softly.
"A portal!" a voice yelled as the hands of a black haired, beautiful woman reached through, grabbed them, and pulled them into it before they could scream.
Downstairs Alice looked up. Silently she bowed her head and wished them well.
______________________________________________________________________________
Kim woke up late in the middle of the night, sore, but rested. She silently snuck out of the room and into the house with White Gold following her. She moved downstairs and out onto the front porch. Sighing she sat on the porch swing and watched the moon and stars on the lake.
White Gold laid on the porch next to her his head on his paws. After a few moments he raised his head and growled in the direction of the forest.
Kim got to her feet and took a defensive. She relaxed when she sensed no evil and laid back down on the swing, closing her eyes.
Sage was returning from a late night walk in the forest. He usually took them whenever he couldn't sleep. This night was no exception. He was confused and worried. Confused about his feelings and worried about his friends, especially Kim.
"Kim?" he said surprised as he noticed White Gold and Kim laying on the porch.
"Hush. Listen," Kim ordered him.
Sage listened.
"Hear nothing?" Kim asked.
"Yeah."
"That's Life," she said.
"Nothing?"
"Yeah. It's just nothing because it doesn't want to be heard, it wants to work in peace with no interruptions." She opened her eyes and moved to the side to let him sit next to her.
"I've never heard it described quite like that," Sage said as he sat next to her.
"My mother told it to me."
"I could tell she was a very wise woman."
Kim nodded and smiled softly.
On impulse Sage placed his arm around her and pulled her to him.
Kim was startled at first, but relaxed and rested her head on his shoulder. She shivered as she felt his lips brush her temple gently. *iIf Margo and Joanie could see me now!/i* she thought. The thought reminded her of her situation, of her being from another dimension and returning to it when Rhon was destroyed.
Sage felt her stiffen. "What is it?" he asked.
Kim pulled away and got to her feet. "I can't do this. I can't get involved. I'm from another world, and I'll be returning to it when all this is over," she said looking down at her feet.
"What if I asked you to stay?" Sage asked. He was startled by his question but he knew she had to ask it.
Kim looked at him startled.
Sage took her hands as he got to his feet. "What if I asked you to stay?" he asked again looking into her eyes.
Kim stared for a while, a barrage of emotions flying through her. Oh! How she wanted to say yes! But.... "I couldn't, I can't; my family, my friends, my life," Kim said her voice quivering. She let go of his hands and moved to the railing pulling her robe tighter around her.
Silence.
White Gold looked from Kim to Sage and back again. He knew something was happening.
Sage moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I understand," he said softly. He gently brushed his lip against her hair and left.
A single tear fell from Kim's tear-filled eyes. "My life," she whispered.
White Gold got to his feet and rubbed his head against Kim's side. He looked into her eyes and they seemed to say, 'Everything will be all right.'
______________________________________________________________________________
"A very good plan Releian, a very good plan," Rhon commented idly.
Releian smiled smugly while the others glared at her. "Thank you my lord."
Rhon eyed the two young women standing in the middle of a circle of Shadow Soldiers.
Margo clung fearfully to Joanie who stood tall and glared as anything that met her eyes, except for Rhon. Every time she noticed him she felt helpless and scared at the situation. And not much scared Joanie.
"Boeg I want you to hold those two hostage before Cherry Blossom," Rhon said tapping the arms of his throne.
"What! My lord! This is my plan!"Releian exclaimed. She screamed as black lightning raced through her. She fell to her knees. Feelings of hatred and sadness raced through her in that brief moment and was soon gone and forgotten as the pain disappeared. "Forgive me... my lord," she whispered.
"Boeg," Rhon said simply.
"It will be done," Boeg said bowing. He moved into the circle of Shadow Soldiers. He grabbed Joanie by the arm and threw her into the arms of a Shadow Soldier who held her tightly. He grabbed Margo's arm and openly and slowly looked her over. "Very nice," he said softly.
Margo's wide, frightened eyes narrowed to dangerous, angry slits as he threw her in the arms of another Shadow Soldier. *iThe moment I get a chance he's going down!/i* she thought.
Joanie was thinking the same thing. *iThe moment I get a chance he's going down for looking at Margo like that!/i*
Boeg teleported away.
"I have another reason for sending Boeg out Releian. I have a plan that he might blab to the Ronins if given the chance," Rhon said. "I want Matarhal and Releian to lead a main raid on the city of Toyama. There are three reasons for it. One, to cause all out panic and fear. Two, to gather energy for myself. And three, to lure out the Ronins and strike them. It's a surprise attack and they will not be expecting it and will not be on their full guard. That is, of course, we will attack if Cherry Blossom somehow saves her friends."
"She will not my lord. It is impossible," Releian said. "Those two mortal girls are weak."
"I hope for your's, and Boeg's, sake you are right Releian," Rhon said. He dismissed them.
______________________________________________________________________________
Kim had moved from the railing back to the porch swing and sat there with White Gold's head in her lap while she gently rocked back and forth. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. A small smile played across her lips as she remembered her friends.
The first time she had met them was in middle school. She had seen Margo and Joanie before, but had never met them. Then one day at lunch Kim accidentally ran into the two sending their lunches all over the place. Joanie, who'd had a really bad day blamed it on Kim and then insulted her. Kim's temper had flared up and had insulted Joanie back. Then Joanie tried to throw a punch at Kim who had easily blocked it and then trapped Joanie in a hold. Margo came to the rescue of her friend and stomped down on Kim's foot causing her to release Joanie. The three had backed up glaring at each other and ready to strike again when the principle had arrived and escorted the three to his office. After talking with them he left his office for a while to speak with the secretary about something and they had started talking. Finding that they liked the same things and the reasons behind the attitude shown for the accident, they had become best friends fast, and got to know each other very well over their week long stay in detention. She giggled at the memory of the principle's and their parents faces when they had walked in to find the three laughing over a joke Margo had told them.
His ears perked, White Gold raised his head in the direction of the forest as two familiar smells and three dark smells appeared on the air.
"Scream," Boeg ordered Joanie, gripping her face tightly in his hands.
Joanie refused. She glared darkly into Boeg's eyes.
"Scream," Boeg repeated squeezing harder.
"Drop dead," Joanie spat.
Boeg released her and turned to Margo.
Margo did not at iall/i like the look in Boeg's eyes.
"Scream," he ordered her gently, taking her chin in his hand.
Margo looked defiantly at him. She hadn't the least idea what he was saying to her.
Boeg backhanded Margo.
Margo didn't scream.
Joanie grew even madder.
White Gold growled as the two familiar smells took on fearful and angry smells while he recognized the dark smells.
Kim opened her eyes. "What is it?" she asked.
White Gold jumped from the porch swing to the floor and moved to the stairs growling.
Kim let her senses flow and felt the presence of evil nearby. Before she could warn the others, White Gold threw back his head and howled.
Kim's jaw dropped and she stared at the white wolf.
The howl pierced through the night freezing the five hidden in the forest and waking those in the house.
Kim was vaguely aware of the loud thud as Kento was startled awake and fell out of his bed.
A moment later the guys appeared at her side along with Mia and Yulie.
"There," Kim said pointing towards the forest.
Mia and Yulie went back into the house while the others changed into their subarmor. They ran to where Kim had felt the evil.
Kim slid to a stop as she reached the clearing and she recognized two of the five before her. The others barely stopped from crashing into her.
"Kim!" Margo and Joanie exclaimed in complete surprise.
"Margo! Joanie!" Kim exclaimed.
"So, you ido/i know them. Releian was right," Boeg stated.
"Your friends?" Kayura asked.
Kim nodded grimly.
"Release them," Ryo ordered.
"No," Boeg said. He smirked. *iThis is going to be easier than I thought!/i*
Kim looked from Joanie to Margo, a question in her eyes.
Margo and Joanie nodded as they recognized the question.
Kim looked Boeg in the eyes.
"Surrender Cherry Blossom," Boeg said.
"Drop dead," Kim growled, her eyes narrowed.
"Surrender or they will die," Boeg repeated.
"Go ahead," Kim shrugged. She stood back and looked nonchalant.
"What!" Everyone stared at her in surprise.
"Go ahead," Kim repeated.
In a smooth fluid motion Joanie broke the hold the Shadow Soldier had on her and flipped him.
Margo broke the hold on her Shadow Soldier and spun around with a high kick to his head that sent him flying.
Boeg turned startled. "Wha-" he started when a loud shout came from behind him. He turned to see Kim's subarmored foot fly into his face. He flew back.
Joanie and Margo moved behind Kim.
"You grabbed the wrong two girls buddy! My friends!" Kim exclaimed.
Boeg got to his feet and drew his large battle ax. He was, the least to say, mad.
The others moved around Kim, Joanie, and Margo. Margo wound up next to Kento and Sekhmet wound up next to Joanie.
Boeg called for more Shadow Soldiers and they appeared.
Ryo looked around the group as the Shadow Soldiers advanced. "Sekhmet watch her!" Ryo ordered pointing at Joanie. "Kento watch her!" he said pointing at Margo.
"Gladly," Kento said looking Margo's face over.
Margo smiled, she found him quite handsome.
Joanie looked Sekhmet over as he eyed her. "Listen green-boy," she said in Japanese, "I don't need help."
Before Sekhmet could shoot back a nasty response Kim had grabbed Joanie's arm.
[Joanie, these guys are inot/i bully Bobby Whaller, who if you pinch he runs away! These are hard core, kill-you-if-they-catch-you evil spirit tin cans! Not to be fought without special abilities!] Kim exclaimed in English. [So istay/i,] she shoved her towards Sekhmet, [and act helpless, unless needed!]
Joanie just growled curses under her breath in every language she knew (25 different languages, 31 different dialects) while she moved to be by Sekhmet.
Sekhmet growled at her and Joanie glared.
Margo heard what Kim had said and her eyes were wide with fright at her words. She stuck close to Kento.
Kim turned to move next to Kayura. "What did you say to her?" Kayura asked since she didn't know English.
"Tell you later," Kim said as she eyed her opponents.
"Let's go!" Ryo yelled as he sprung at Boeg with Cale right behind him. The others jumped into battle with the Shadow Soldiers.
The battle was fierce and it seemed that every time they destroyed one Shadow Soldier, three were there to take its place.
"We've got to armor up!" Rowen yelled as he punched one and two more reached to grab him.
"Then do it! To arms!" Ryo yelled.
Armor of Wildfire-Tao Jin!
Armor of Torrent-Tao Shin!
Armor of Halo-Tao Chi!
Armor of Strata-Tao Inochi!
Armor of Hardrock-Tao Gi!
Armor of Venom-Tao Chi!
Armor of Illusions-Tao Chi!
Armor of Corruption-Tao Chi!
Armor of Cruelty-Tao Chi!
Armor of the Cherry Blossom-Tao Heiwa!
"Kim!" Margo and Joanie exclaimed together as they watched their friend transform.
[Cool!] Margo exclaimed in English.
[Oh,] and again Joanie was cursing in every language she knew, only in awe this time.
"Joanie!" Kim exclaimed as her sword easily carved through Shadow Soldiers.
Joanie kept her mouth shut.
Boeg knocked Ryo away from him and made his way towards Margo and Kento.
[Margo look out!] Joanie yelled.
Margo spun around as Kento was knocked away and Boeg reached for her.
"Margo!" Kim yelled watching vainly trying to fight through the mass of Shadow Soldiers to get to her friend.
[Not my friend!] Joanie snarled. She broke away from Sekhmet and went after Boeg.
He reached for Margo who was too frightened by the look in his eyes to fight back. Joanie grabbed his arm and dug her nails in. Boeg snarled and swung at her with his other fist. She used her Tai Chi training and used his momentum and weight to her advantage, flipping him hard into the ground. "Not my friend," she told him in Japanese.
Boeg got to his feet and Ryo, Kento, Sage, and Cye faced off against him.
Sekhmet moved to Joanie's side to protect her and Margo.
[Margo! Snap out of it! Don't be so timid! You can fight you know!] Joanie yelled at her.
Margo's mind snapped back into reality. [Sorry,] she said sheepishly, [new dimension, big trouble, kinda got to me.]
Joanie rolled her eyes.
Kim came up to them. [You two okay?] she asked as she sliced through a Shadow Soldier carrying a katana.
[Great once all of this is over,] Margo said. Her eyes darted around her looking for anything bad that came her way. Her body was tense and ready to fight.
[You have ia lot/i of explaining to do Kim Flora Doris!] Joanie scolded. She too was preparing for anything.
[Later,] Kim said.
[Let's make later now,] Sage said in English moving to her side.
Kim looked at him briefly startled then spun to stab a Shadow Soldier. [School course?] she asked him.
[Mother's half American,] Sage stated. "Ryo! Let's finish this!" he yelled in Japanese.
"Right!" Ryo linked the hilts of his katana's together, leapt up into the air, and cried out,
"FLARE UP NOW!"
A singed patch of ashes was all that was left of 1/3 of the Shadow Soldiers.
Sage moved forward to use his sure-kill when Kim stopped him.
"Let me," she said.
Sage nodded.
Kim gathered her energy.
Everyone watched her intently, including Kayura.
"BLOSSOMS BURST!"
Kim slashed at the Shadow Soldiers with her sword. A wave of gold energy bolts destroyed all those soldiers Ryo didn't take out leaving none left to protect a dumb struck Boeg.
Kim, breathing somewhat hard, turned to Boeg. She pointed her sword at him. "Nobody messes with my friends," she growled.
Without a word Boeg teleported away.
Kim turned to the others. She blushed as they looked at her awed.
They powered down into their subarmor.
[Kim Flora Doris! I want an explanation and I want it inow!/i] Joanie demanded.
[Keep your pants on Joanie Carr!] Kim exclaimed back.
"What are they saying Sage?" Kento asked.
"Joanie wants an explanation and Kim told her to wait."
Kento nodded.
Joanie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest looking away. Sekhmet met her vision.
"What do you think you were doing!?" he yelled at her. "You were supposed to stay with me!"
"I don't listen to the rules when it concerns the safety of my friends green-boy!" Joanie yelled.
"Joanie Carr!" Kim exclaimed.
"Sekhmet!" Kayura yelled.
Both of their eyes narrowed at the two arguers.
Joanie looked him over. "Sekhmet?!" she exclaimed. She started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Sekhmet growled.
"Joanie calmed down enough to tell him that, "Sekhmet is the name of the Egyptian Snake Goddess!" She burst into laughter again.
Sekhmet turned red, not from embarrassment, but from anger.
Kim grabbed Joanie and slapped her subarmored hand over Joanie's mouth. Joanie yelped and stopped laughing.
[Listen Joanie,] she growled in Gaelic in her ear, [this guy likes to play with poison and he's very deadly okay? Don't mess with or tease any of them! They are all powerful and all are better fighters than you.] Kim released Joanie and looked her in the eyes. [Please do it for me okay?] she asked slipping into French.
Margo's face lit up. Finally! A language she knew!
Joanie sighed. [Okay,] she responded in French. [But I still get to glare at green-boy okay?]
Kim nodded smiling.
[I think we should clue them in,] Margo said in French looking at the others. [And tell them my Japanese bites.]
"Did you catch any of that Rowen?" Cye whispered.
Rowen shook his head.
"Benefit of knowing other languages," Joanie commented turning away from Sekhmet without so much as another look. "You can talk in secret."
"Do you know as many languages as Kim?" Sage asked.
"Nope. More. 25 different languages and 31 different dialects, most of them ancient."
"Also a bit of a warning," Kim said putting her arm around Margo's shoulders, "Margo doesn't know Japanese."
Margo looked away and began fidgeting. She looked up and met Kento's eyes and smiled at him.
Kim looked from Margo to Kento and smiled knowingly. An idea came to mind. "Kento you know Chinese right?"
Kento nodded. "Grew up with Chinese parents and families."
[Margo knows Chinese very well,] Kim said in Chinese.
[You know Chinese?] Margo asked.
[Yeah I do,] Kento responded.
[How about you help her learn Japanese and translate for her since you both know Chinese and can converse together?] Kim suggested.
[Why can't I help her?] Joanie complained in Chinese.
[Because Mia, a friend you'll meet soon, has a piece of ancient text she needs help translating, and since you know ancient languages....]
Joanie's face lit up at the challenge. [Point me in the right direction!] she said in English.
They then noticed everyone staring at them confused. Blushing they explained what had been said.
"Then let's introduce you to Mia and Yulie and White Blaze," Ryo said.
Kento suavely offered Margo his arm with a charming smile.
Delighted Margo took it and he led her towards the mansion.
Kim looked over at Joanie with a bright smile and winked. Joanie rolled her eyes, but she was smiling too.
White Gold sniffed the air and realized that they were returning. He moved to the door and gently scratched at it wanting to be let out.
Yulie looked out the window and saw them returning. He opened the door and White Gold darted past him.
Joanie noticed the giant white wolf galloping towards her. "Noooo!" she yelled before White Gold had jumped on top of her sending her crashing to the ground and started licking her face.
Now it was Sekhmet's turn to laugh.
[What about me?] Margo complained.
White Gold got off of Joanie and jumped to Margo who knelt to pet him. He licked her face and she laughed.
Mia was introduced to Joanie and Margo and so was Yulie. They moved into the house and all the girls immediately took the couch.
After declining a glass of water that Margo accepted Joanie took a deep breath and turned to Kim. [I want an explanation and Kim Flora Doris and I want it now!] she ordered in English.
"Flora! You're middle name is Flora?" Sage asked laughing.
Kim threw a pillow at him that hit him squarely in the face. "It was my mom's name," she said simply. That shut Sage up and Kim took a deep breath then launched into an explanation of everything in English. Sage helped in explaining what was being said to the others who didn't know English.
Margo's eyes went wide as she listened. [Oh man....] she breathed at the end of it.
Joanie didn't say a word.
[Wait a minute! You said the guy's name is Jun?] Margo asked.
At the mention of her brother's name Kayura sat up a little straighter. She was wishing she knew the language.
[Yeah so?] Kim asked.
[Jun is the name of a friend of my grandma!] Margo exclaimed.
"What?" Sage and Kim yelled at the same time.
There was a bright flash and Jun appeared.
Joanie yelped and jumped to her feet taking a fighting stance at his appearance.
"What did she mean Alice knows you?" Kim asked calmly.
Jun shrugged. "I do know Alice. I didn't stay locked up forever in that temple for all that time you know. I got out and wandered some. I met Alice, Margo's grandmother, a while back. She knew what I was before she even met me. Seer's can do that."
"Seer's?" Mia questioned as Kim pulled Joanie back into a sitting position.
"They have the powers to see things most people can't," Kayura explained.
"And Alice could see what I am easily," Jun added.
Joanie whispered the conversation to Margo in English. [She could!] Margo exclaimed stunned.
[Yes young Healer, she could,] Jun stated in English smiling at her.
"Healer! What do you mean Healer!" Joanie demanded.
[Margo has the ability to heal wounds, much like Halo, only she doesn't use armor,] Jun explained in English.
[No wonder whenever Joanie or I or our teammates got hurt at a tournament it hurt less when you touched it to treat us,] Kim mused looking at a stunned Margo.
[Also explains why she quickly became an EMT and is now taking nursing courses,] Joanie added.
Ryo cleared his throat and eyed all of the English speakers.
"Oh! Sorry!" Kim exclaimed and translated the conversation.
They all eyed Margo with surprise and she blushed in embarrassment.
"Mia," Joanie said turning to her, "where's that ancient text you found? I'd like to see it now."
Mia nodded and got to her feet asking Joanie to follow her into the computer room. Everyone else followed them as well.
Mia pulled the text up from her grandfather's files and moved to let Joanie sit.
Joanie eyed the ancient text with a lot of 'huh's and 'hmm's. Then she looked over the computer set up Mia had. "Thank you," she told the sky above her.
"Huh?" Mia asked.
"Your computer set up is almost exactly like mine," Joanie said.
"What about the text?" Sekhmet demanded annoyed.
"Keep your pants on homme-vert!" Joanie exclaimed also annoyed.
Margo snorted in laughter.
Sekhmet glared at her.
Margo stopped laughing and moved closer to Kento.
"Okay it looks like a cross between ancient Phohecian and... and ancient," she paused eyeing the text again. "What the... heck!" she exclaimed catching herself.
"What?" Kim asked.
"It's a cross between ancient Phohecian and ancient Gaelic!"
"iWhat!?/i" Kim yelled. She bent over Joanie's shoulder to look the text over. "I see it now."
[What are they saying?] Margo asked in Chinese.
He told her.
[Wow!] Margo exclaimed in Chinese.
"I'm going to see if the grammar laws for Phohecian works for this first. iAfter/i I get the syllables and words distinguished," Joanie explained.
"How long?" Dais asked.
Joanie shrugged. "Depends on how pig-headed these people were. It could take from a few hours to when we're old and gray. Hope it's the first."
______________________________________________________________________________
Authors Note:
Well I did it!!! I finished Part Nine!! Geeze! How long has it been since my last part!! I don't remember and frankly, I don't want to remember! Anyway I hope you enjoy and will give me feedback! I don't own Ronin Warriors, but I do own all other chara's and will be thankful if you ask before you use!