Chapter 17
~*~ Flashback ~*~
The large dojo was filled with the sound of metal clanging against metal. The room was filled with dozens of warriors - youja alike - training and sparring with and amongst each other to increase their skill and strength. Surveying everything from his perch on the dojo's balcony, dressed in his full armor, was Kenbukyo himself.
He sighed to himself. 'Amateurs… all of them. There isn't one in the whole lot that is worth my time.'
"You seem bored, Kenbukyo-sama." Kenbukyo turned his attention from the youja below to see a young woman standing before him. She stood about 5'8" with amber colored eyes and dark crimson hair pulled back out face in a bun. She held in her a long, broad sword. Grinning at him coyly. "Perhaps you'd like to fight me?"
Kenbukyo remained silent. "I don't waste my time with amateurs." he replied quietly.
The woman blinked in surprise, before snarling angrily. "Kenbukyo-sama!" she exclaimed. "I am no amateur! I'll have you know I've been studying all of your moves for decades! I'm more than a match for you."
"Oh?" The demon swordsman sounded skeptical.
The woman grinned seductively. "I'll give you a good fight, I promise."
And so, the two drew their swords and began to battle. It appeared at first as though the battle belonged to the woman, but she soon realized that Kenbukyo was merely toying with her, seeing where her strengths lay.
She took a swing at him, only to have him sidestep her easily. Pouting playfully, she replied, "You're toying with me, aren't you?"
Kenbukyo's glowing blue eyes seemed to narrow just slightly. "Not really," he replied. "I'm just ending this battle."
"What?" Before she could even mount a counter attack, the young woman found herself not only relieved of her weapon, but down on the floor, staring down the end of Kenbukyo's sword.
The demon swordsman removed his helmet, allowing his brownish-black hair to hang freely in his face. "The battle is over." he replied softly. "I am the victor."
"Indeed." the woman replied. "But I am victorious in seeing how truly beautiful you are."
Kenbukyo eyed her skeptically. "There aren't many who have seen the face behind my mask." he told her.
"Than why did you chose me to be one of them?"
Kenbukyo shrugged, swiftly wiping his brow before putting his helmet back on. "You have potential to become a great swordsman."
The woman stood up, her eyes shining. "Do I really?" she asked eagerly. "Oh, Kenbukyo-sempai, I, Sadia, will be your most humble and greatest pupil!"
Kenbukyo laughed. "I never said anything about making you my pupil." he told her. Before the woman could object, he replied. "I have no time to teach someone something that is impossible for them to learn."
"But, you don't understand, Kenbukyo-sempai," Sadia pleaded. "I've watched you for so long! I will do anything to become your pupil! Can't you see I'm in love with you?"
"More like obsessed." the demon swordsman replied wryly. "You were a somewhat worthy opponent, but as I said before, I don't take students." With that, he turned and began to walk away. "Try Dala or perhaps Naga; I'm sure they won't mind another brainless fanatic to heed to their every whim."
Sadia stood there where she left him, hardly able to believe her ears. Her beloved Kenbukyo-sempai - her one and only - had turned her down? How dare he? How could he possibly turn down Sadia, his most loyal and faithful follower?
Clenching her fists as she went to retrieve her sword, she vowed to herself that this transgression against her would not be forgotten.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
Once again, everything was dark. No matter where she turned, all Kiyone could see was endless, opaque emptiness.
'Just like in my dream,' she thought to herself.
"Yes… exactly like your dream." a voice replied.
Kiyone felt a chill run down her spine. Again, the voice from her nightmares - and her reality - haunted her. "Who's there?" she called out. "Who are you?"
Appearing before her in the same attire that she wore facing Kenbukyo for the first time, the female youja known as Sadia appeared before Kiyone face to face, grinning devilishly. "I'm here." she answered. "And I am Sadia."
"Sadia?" Kiyone repeated. "Why did you bring me here?"
Feigning a look of hurt, Sadia replied, "Why, dear Jade, I didn't bring you anywhere."
"Liar." Kiyone frowned. "And how do you know my name?"
"I've been watching you for a very long time, Jade. I know all about you."
"Oh? What do you want from me?" Sadia only grinned. "Answer me!"
"Calm down, calm down." Sadia replied. "To start off, I knew you father--"
"You knew Kenbukyo?" Kiyone asked.
"Yes," Sadia answered. "That was, however, before he became a traitor."
"My father was no traitor." Kiyone frowned. "He was true to himself."
"Maybe so," Sadia replied. "But was he true to you and your mother? No, he left you both… betraying the both of you."
"That's not true!" Kiyone exclaimed. "He left to protect us!"
Sadia scoffed. "And look what good it did? Your dear old mother killed herself landing you in an orphanage where you left only to go gallivanting across the globe in search of him."
Paling, Kiyone asked, "How did you know about that?"
"I already told you," Sadia answered impatiently. "I've been watching you. And you've known that all along. That feeling you got whenever you felt someone was with you - even though you were all alone. A rustle in the bushes, a whisper in the darkness - that was me, Kiyone."
"Why?" Kiyone paused. "You're a youja, aren't you?"
"You seem surprised." Sadia answered. "Only, I'm merely a shadow of what I once was." She frowned darkly. "I faced Kenbukyo in combat, only to die at his sword - which brings me to why I'm here."
Had she any place to go Kiyone would have begun backing away. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "If you're dead, how can you be here?"
"Do you have any idea where we are?" Kiyone shook her head, causing Sadia's grin to widen. "Why, we are within the deepest, darkest reaches of your sub-conscious mind, Kiyone." she answered. "As a body-less spirit, this was the only place I could reach you."
"Why?" Kiyone asked. "Why did you feel the need to reach me?"
Sadia's expression turned serious, bordering on unstable. "Because I need your help, Jade Kiyone," she replied. "Before we became enemies, Kenbukyo wronged me in a way that cannot be forgiven! I loved him, I worshipped him - but he refused to return my feelings. I refuse to be a woman scorned!"
Kiyone cringed slightly. This woman was starting to scare her. "I'm sorry," she replied. "There's nothing I can do about that--"
"Oh, but there is." Sadia was eye to eye with her now. "For 900 years I tried and I tried, doing everything in my power to make myself worthy enough for Kenbukyo. I had hoped we could become partners, destroying anyone who dared to stand in the way of the Youja-kai." Her amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then, when our great emperor, Arago-sama came into power, Kenbukyo betrayed us all fleeing into the mortal world with the Soul Swords of Fervor. He gave them to Arago-sama's enemies, who in turn came to the Youja-kai and killed our emperor."
"But, that has nothing to do with me." Kiyone protested.
"Oh, but it has everything to do with you!" Sadia exclaimed. "Though you are half-mortal, you are the daughter of Kenbukyo - the only offspring of the great demon swordsman. Normally, because of your mixed heritage, you would have been killed, but I sense power in you. Not only have you inherited the strength and skill of your father, but also there is something else within you - even greater than his was. Powers as great as yours should not be wasted, no matter what the circumstances."
Sadia took Kiyone's hand within her own. "Join me, Jade Kiyone. Together, you and I can make amends for your father's past errors. With our combined strength, we can avenge great Arago-sama and crush his enemies - the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers."
Kiyone's eyes widened in terror as she snatched her hand out of the woman's grasp. "Are you insane?!" she exclaimed. "Like Hell I'd join forces with a psychopath like you! The Troopers are my friends and I'd rather die than raise my hand against them. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to find someone else."
Sadia remained silent for a moment, her head lowered. It wasn't long, however, until she raised her head again. "Well, that's too bad." she replied quietly. "I was hoping that after all I told you you'd think differently." She opened her amber eyes, now glowing blood red. "I suppose I'll just have to take things into my own hands - or better yet, yours."
Once again, Kiyone had no time to scream before she was sucked into unconsciousness.
~*~*~*~
"Oh, there you are, Byauken." The large white tiger looked up to see the warrior of virtue walking towards him. He sat up slowly, nuzzling against Ryo as he stooped down to scratch behind his ear. "I haven't seen you around in a while." The raven-haired trooper smiled sadly. "I bet you and Kokuen-oh miss Kiyone, huh?"
The white tiger only purred in response.
Ryo only smiled. "It's been pretty quiet around here without her," he mused. "Where are the guys?" Byauken got up and walked into the living room. "Well, I suppose that answers that question."
"Ryo! Come take a look at this!"
Doing as asked, Ryo got up and walked into the living room to find everyone seated around the television screen. "What's up?" he asked.
"The big game's about to start," Shin answered.
"Game?"
"You know," Shuu answered, already munching on a bowl of popcorn. "Germany vs. USA… World Cup… semi-finalists… any of this ringing a bell? You were talking about it for ages." (AN: Okay, so that's way past... it was the only thing I could think of...)
"Oh yeah," Ryo said absently, taking a seat on the couch next to Seiji. "Where's Touma?"
"Right here," he replied, entering the room with a glass of soda in his hand. "Have I missed anything yet?"
'He seems to be okay now…' Ryo mused to himself.
"No, not yet. It hasn't started yet," Nasuti replied, setting another bowl of chips on the table. "They haven't finished getting through all the pre-game commentary yet."
Ryo blinked in surprise. "Nasuti," he asked. "Since when did you get interested in Soccer?"
"Since they started WUSA," she answered with a smile. "If you ask me, Women's soccer is much more interesting."
"Say what?"
"You gotta be kidding me!"
"What, you mean you don't agree?"
"Of course not, the guys are way more kick-ass!"
"Seiji!"
"Well, it's true, isn't it?"
"Typical… egotistical males always stick together---"
"You guys, shh!" Everyone looked up at Touma, whose attention was focused on the television screen.
"What's up, Touma?"
The blue-haired warrior frowned. "Just listen." Turning their attention towards the screen, everyone noticed that the game had been interrupted by a news bulletin.
"…We interrupt this sports broadcast to report drastic weather changes occurring just recently." A view of a destroyed town area appeared on the screen. "Though there have been no reports of serious storms, areas surrounding the city of Kyoto have been destroyed by unknown causes. Many are lead to believe some sort of 'freak storm' is responsible, but there have been no definite leads thus far. What's more, meteorologists claim that there have been no reports of tornadoes, hurricanes, strong winds, or anything of that nature whatsoever; especially not so far inland on the island of Honshu--"
"Oh my," Nasuti replied worriedly. "I hope Kiyone is all right."
"What?" the other troopers chorused.
"That's where Kiyone went," Nasuti answered, her concern increasing by the minute.
"That's where her father's grave is… that's where she went."
~End of Chapter 17
~*~ Flashback ~*~
The large dojo was filled with the sound of metal clanging against metal. The room was filled with dozens of warriors - youja alike - training and sparring with and amongst each other to increase their skill and strength. Surveying everything from his perch on the dojo's balcony, dressed in his full armor, was Kenbukyo himself.
He sighed to himself. 'Amateurs… all of them. There isn't one in the whole lot that is worth my time.'
"You seem bored, Kenbukyo-sama." Kenbukyo turned his attention from the youja below to see a young woman standing before him. She stood about 5'8" with amber colored eyes and dark crimson hair pulled back out face in a bun. She held in her a long, broad sword. Grinning at him coyly. "Perhaps you'd like to fight me?"
Kenbukyo remained silent. "I don't waste my time with amateurs." he replied quietly.
The woman blinked in surprise, before snarling angrily. "Kenbukyo-sama!" she exclaimed. "I am no amateur! I'll have you know I've been studying all of your moves for decades! I'm more than a match for you."
"Oh?" The demon swordsman sounded skeptical.
The woman grinned seductively. "I'll give you a good fight, I promise."
And so, the two drew their swords and began to battle. It appeared at first as though the battle belonged to the woman, but she soon realized that Kenbukyo was merely toying with her, seeing where her strengths lay.
She took a swing at him, only to have him sidestep her easily. Pouting playfully, she replied, "You're toying with me, aren't you?"
Kenbukyo's glowing blue eyes seemed to narrow just slightly. "Not really," he replied. "I'm just ending this battle."
"What?" Before she could even mount a counter attack, the young woman found herself not only relieved of her weapon, but down on the floor, staring down the end of Kenbukyo's sword.
The demon swordsman removed his helmet, allowing his brownish-black hair to hang freely in his face. "The battle is over." he replied softly. "I am the victor."
"Indeed." the woman replied. "But I am victorious in seeing how truly beautiful you are."
Kenbukyo eyed her skeptically. "There aren't many who have seen the face behind my mask." he told her.
"Than why did you chose me to be one of them?"
Kenbukyo shrugged, swiftly wiping his brow before putting his helmet back on. "You have potential to become a great swordsman."
The woman stood up, her eyes shining. "Do I really?" she asked eagerly. "Oh, Kenbukyo-sempai, I, Sadia, will be your most humble and greatest pupil!"
Kenbukyo laughed. "I never said anything about making you my pupil." he told her. Before the woman could object, he replied. "I have no time to teach someone something that is impossible for them to learn."
"But, you don't understand, Kenbukyo-sempai," Sadia pleaded. "I've watched you for so long! I will do anything to become your pupil! Can't you see I'm in love with you?"
"More like obsessed." the demon swordsman replied wryly. "You were a somewhat worthy opponent, but as I said before, I don't take students." With that, he turned and began to walk away. "Try Dala or perhaps Naga; I'm sure they won't mind another brainless fanatic to heed to their every whim."
Sadia stood there where she left him, hardly able to believe her ears. Her beloved Kenbukyo-sempai - her one and only - had turned her down? How dare he? How could he possibly turn down Sadia, his most loyal and faithful follower?
Clenching her fists as she went to retrieve her sword, she vowed to herself that this transgression against her would not be forgotten.
~*~ End of Flashback ~*~
Once again, everything was dark. No matter where she turned, all Kiyone could see was endless, opaque emptiness.
'Just like in my dream,' she thought to herself.
"Yes… exactly like your dream." a voice replied.
Kiyone felt a chill run down her spine. Again, the voice from her nightmares - and her reality - haunted her. "Who's there?" she called out. "Who are you?"
Appearing before her in the same attire that she wore facing Kenbukyo for the first time, the female youja known as Sadia appeared before Kiyone face to face, grinning devilishly. "I'm here." she answered. "And I am Sadia."
"Sadia?" Kiyone repeated. "Why did you bring me here?"
Feigning a look of hurt, Sadia replied, "Why, dear Jade, I didn't bring you anywhere."
"Liar." Kiyone frowned. "And how do you know my name?"
"I've been watching you for a very long time, Jade. I know all about you."
"Oh? What do you want from me?" Sadia only grinned. "Answer me!"
"Calm down, calm down." Sadia replied. "To start off, I knew you father--"
"You knew Kenbukyo?" Kiyone asked.
"Yes," Sadia answered. "That was, however, before he became a traitor."
"My father was no traitor." Kiyone frowned. "He was true to himself."
"Maybe so," Sadia replied. "But was he true to you and your mother? No, he left you both… betraying the both of you."
"That's not true!" Kiyone exclaimed. "He left to protect us!"
Sadia scoffed. "And look what good it did? Your dear old mother killed herself landing you in an orphanage where you left only to go gallivanting across the globe in search of him."
Paling, Kiyone asked, "How did you know about that?"
"I already told you," Sadia answered impatiently. "I've been watching you. And you've known that all along. That feeling you got whenever you felt someone was with you - even though you were all alone. A rustle in the bushes, a whisper in the darkness - that was me, Kiyone."
"Why?" Kiyone paused. "You're a youja, aren't you?"
"You seem surprised." Sadia answered. "Only, I'm merely a shadow of what I once was." She frowned darkly. "I faced Kenbukyo in combat, only to die at his sword - which brings me to why I'm here."
Had she any place to go Kiyone would have begun backing away. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "If you're dead, how can you be here?"
"Do you have any idea where we are?" Kiyone shook her head, causing Sadia's grin to widen. "Why, we are within the deepest, darkest reaches of your sub-conscious mind, Kiyone." she answered. "As a body-less spirit, this was the only place I could reach you."
"Why?" Kiyone asked. "Why did you feel the need to reach me?"
Sadia's expression turned serious, bordering on unstable. "Because I need your help, Jade Kiyone," she replied. "Before we became enemies, Kenbukyo wronged me in a way that cannot be forgiven! I loved him, I worshipped him - but he refused to return my feelings. I refuse to be a woman scorned!"
Kiyone cringed slightly. This woman was starting to scare her. "I'm sorry," she replied. "There's nothing I can do about that--"
"Oh, but there is." Sadia was eye to eye with her now. "For 900 years I tried and I tried, doing everything in my power to make myself worthy enough for Kenbukyo. I had hoped we could become partners, destroying anyone who dared to stand in the way of the Youja-kai." Her amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "Then, when our great emperor, Arago-sama came into power, Kenbukyo betrayed us all fleeing into the mortal world with the Soul Swords of Fervor. He gave them to Arago-sama's enemies, who in turn came to the Youja-kai and killed our emperor."
"But, that has nothing to do with me." Kiyone protested.
"Oh, but it has everything to do with you!" Sadia exclaimed. "Though you are half-mortal, you are the daughter of Kenbukyo - the only offspring of the great demon swordsman. Normally, because of your mixed heritage, you would have been killed, but I sense power in you. Not only have you inherited the strength and skill of your father, but also there is something else within you - even greater than his was. Powers as great as yours should not be wasted, no matter what the circumstances."
Sadia took Kiyone's hand within her own. "Join me, Jade Kiyone. Together, you and I can make amends for your father's past errors. With our combined strength, we can avenge great Arago-sama and crush his enemies - the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers."
Kiyone's eyes widened in terror as she snatched her hand out of the woman's grasp. "Are you insane?!" she exclaimed. "Like Hell I'd join forces with a psychopath like you! The Troopers are my friends and I'd rather die than raise my hand against them. I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to find someone else."
Sadia remained silent for a moment, her head lowered. It wasn't long, however, until she raised her head again. "Well, that's too bad." she replied quietly. "I was hoping that after all I told you you'd think differently." She opened her amber eyes, now glowing blood red. "I suppose I'll just have to take things into my own hands - or better yet, yours."
Once again, Kiyone had no time to scream before she was sucked into unconsciousness.
~*~*~*~
"Oh, there you are, Byauken." The large white tiger looked up to see the warrior of virtue walking towards him. He sat up slowly, nuzzling against Ryo as he stooped down to scratch behind his ear. "I haven't seen you around in a while." The raven-haired trooper smiled sadly. "I bet you and Kokuen-oh miss Kiyone, huh?"
The white tiger only purred in response.
Ryo only smiled. "It's been pretty quiet around here without her," he mused. "Where are the guys?" Byauken got up and walked into the living room. "Well, I suppose that answers that question."
"Ryo! Come take a look at this!"
Doing as asked, Ryo got up and walked into the living room to find everyone seated around the television screen. "What's up?" he asked.
"The big game's about to start," Shin answered.
"Game?"
"You know," Shuu answered, already munching on a bowl of popcorn. "Germany vs. USA… World Cup… semi-finalists… any of this ringing a bell? You were talking about it for ages." (AN: Okay, so that's way past... it was the only thing I could think of...)
"Oh yeah," Ryo said absently, taking a seat on the couch next to Seiji. "Where's Touma?"
"Right here," he replied, entering the room with a glass of soda in his hand. "Have I missed anything yet?"
'He seems to be okay now…' Ryo mused to himself.
"No, not yet. It hasn't started yet," Nasuti replied, setting another bowl of chips on the table. "They haven't finished getting through all the pre-game commentary yet."
Ryo blinked in surprise. "Nasuti," he asked. "Since when did you get interested in Soccer?"
"Since they started WUSA," she answered with a smile. "If you ask me, Women's soccer is much more interesting."
"Say what?"
"You gotta be kidding me!"
"What, you mean you don't agree?"
"Of course not, the guys are way more kick-ass!"
"Seiji!"
"Well, it's true, isn't it?"
"Typical… egotistical males always stick together---"
"You guys, shh!" Everyone looked up at Touma, whose attention was focused on the television screen.
"What's up, Touma?"
The blue-haired warrior frowned. "Just listen." Turning their attention towards the screen, everyone noticed that the game had been interrupted by a news bulletin.
"…We interrupt this sports broadcast to report drastic weather changes occurring just recently." A view of a destroyed town area appeared on the screen. "Though there have been no reports of serious storms, areas surrounding the city of Kyoto have been destroyed by unknown causes. Many are lead to believe some sort of 'freak storm' is responsible, but there have been no definite leads thus far. What's more, meteorologists claim that there have been no reports of tornadoes, hurricanes, strong winds, or anything of that nature whatsoever; especially not so far inland on the island of Honshu--"
"Oh my," Nasuti replied worriedly. "I hope Kiyone is all right."
"What?" the other troopers chorused.
"That's where Kiyone went," Nasuti answered, her concern increasing by the minute.
"That's where her father's grave is… that's where she went."
~End of Chapter 17