-Same Day, June 11th, 1999-

It had been a long 4 hours.  Only 4 hours previous, 5 of the Mystical Warriors had been taken by Queen Metallia, held in the clutches of an evil madwoman, being tortured.  And for the 5 men in love with them, being separated from them was torture enough.  As they lay in bed, trying to rest but failing miserably, their thoughts wandered towards the women they loved and what could happen if they didn't return to them safe and sound.

*Cye's Point of View*

I can't believe that she's gone.  Well, not permanently gone, but it's almost the same thing.  I don't know if she's even going to come back.  I hope she comes back.  There's so much I have to tell Mina, so much I left unsaid.  If I didn't get to tell her how I really felt about her, it would tear me apart from regret.  I've had so many opportunities in the last 11 months to tell her that I love her, and I mean really love her, and I haven't used them when I should have.  There's so much that I haven't gotten to do with her, kissing her included. 

Oh God, if there is one thing I want in this world, it's to have Mina back safe and sound.  As I lay in bed, thinking about my lost love, a feeling of panic washes over me.  What if she's dead by the time we go to get them out?  What if it's too late?  Well, that cinches it.  I'm going to find her.  I get out of my bed, now determined that I can do something to help her.  I don't know how I'm going to get to her, but I will find her and get her out.  If not, then I'll die trying.

*Sage's Point of View*

I wish Raye would come back and tell me that she's alright.  I can't stand knowing that I'm here, safe, and she's somewhere in the Negaverse being tortured by God knows who.  That thought entering my head, I push myself off of my bed and begin pacing the room nervously, doubts and thoughts of living without Raye running through my head.  I don't think I could live without her if I had to.  In the 11 months that I've known her, she has changed me so much.  I love her, so much in fact that I'm scared to tell her because I'm afraid of being blown off.  I'd rather spend my life knowing that she was my friend then have her stay away from me because of my feelings for her. 

As I pace, I try to reassure my self that Raye will be ok and she'll come back to me, unharmed, but, almost unbidden, the image of her getting tortured flashes through my head, only increasing my anxiety.  There has to be something I can do.  Maybe I could go after her and rescue her.  Yeah, that's it, I'll go rescue her.  Maybe I can convince Rowen to find a portal that leads into the Negaverse so I can go find her.  It shouldn't take much convincing on my part.  He probably wants to go find Ami and rescue her too.  For the first time in hours, I actually feel hope reappearing.

*Rowen's Point of View*

She has to come back, Ami just has to come back.  If she doesn't, I'll kill myself, I really will.  I can't imagine living without her and I don't picture myself trying to either.  I know Serena said that we should wait to go in and find them tomorrow, but I have a way of getting into the Negaverse without Serena and I feel like I could take on the entire Negaverse myself.  They will pay for what they've done to Ami and the others.  I can't believe Talpa is back… He'll pay most of all.  He was supposed to stay dead, not come back to life and make our lives hell again. 

But, I can't go in there alone.  I have to bring at least one person in there with me as back up and I can think of 4 willing and able people who will go with me.  It shouldn't be that hard to get them to go.  Odds are, they want to get the girls back just as much as I do.  Yeah, that's it.  I'll get the guys to go with me and before I know it, Ami will be back here where I can keep an eye on her and protect her at all costs.  Hell, maybe I'll even tell her that I love her.

*Kento's Point of View*

That creep Talpa is going down for this.  How dare he take away the most important thing in my life?  In 11 months, Lita has become the most important thing to me and I don't intend on letting the Negaverse keep her.  If I have to, I'll go in there by myself to get her out.  Why didn't Serena let us go after them then?  The longer we leave them in there, the more they'll get hurt.  And if I find out that Lita's died, heads are going to roll.  I love her so much that it hurts sometime and if I have to live with her death, others are going to suffer with me. 

Why can't I go in there by myself?  If only I could get into the Negaverse, then I would go by myself.  Hey, didn't Rowen say that he could find ways to get into the Negaverse?  Oh yeah, that's it.  I'll take Rowen with me and he'll find me a way in and we'll get the girls out of there.  Maybe I'll take the other guys with me so we can all get the girls back.  Then I'll have the girl I love back with me and knowing that she's alright will be enough for me.  I just hope I can get to her before it's too late.

*Ryo's Point of View*

Why didn't I tell Mia that I loved her a long time ago?  If she doesn't come back to me alive, I will personally kill everyone responsible for her death.  In three years, she has become the most important thing to me.  She was there for me through everything that I went through with Talpa and beyond.  She never gave up on me and she was there to rescue me even when the guys and I told her to stay where it was safe.  I'm not going back down now.  I have to give her at least that in return.  Which means that I have to go into the Negaverse to get her back, even if the odds are on the impossible side.  I am going to go in and find her.  I almost can't believe that I'm going to do this, but hey, so sue me.  I'm in love and people in love do almost anything for the person that they love and I'd do anything for Mia.  I do it because I know that she'd do the same for me. 

Now, my only problem is getting in there.  The only way I know how to get in there is if Rowen can find a portal to get me in there.  Now there's an idea.  And if I ask Rowen to come along with me, then I can bring him along and he can be Ami's knight in shining armor, which is rather fitting seeing how as he wears armor.  Yeah, I'll round the other guys up and we can save the girls together, just like the old days with the Evil Dynasty, our powers united.  Well, one thing's for sure: it's going to be a hell of a ride.  I just hope Mia can hang on long enough for me to save her.

***
All 5 of the Ronin Warriors walked out of their bedrooms and discovered their 4 comrades.  "What are you guys doing?" Cye asked, not preparing to see all of them.

"Well, I'm going to get the girls back.  I was going to go to all of you and ask you if you wanted to come with me, but now that you're all here, I can figure what you're going to do," Rowen said.  He looked around at the faces of his friends and said, "You guys all want to go after them too, huh?  You don't like the idea of them being tortured over there.  Well, neither do I.  I'm going to get them back.  Who's with me?"

"I'm in," Kento said.

"Yeah, I'm going too," Ryo said.

"Anything to rescue them," Sage said.

"I'm in too," Cye said.  Rowen nodded.

"Right," Rowen said, "Let's go."  Rowen started to walk down the hallway, the others rushing to catch up to him.

"Rowen, we don't even have a plan," Cye said.

"Yes we do," Rowen said, "I find a portal, we sneak into the Negaverse, we find the girls and we hightail it out of there.  Easy."

"Yeah, easier said than done, Rowen," Sage said, "There are many monsters and other such things in the Negaverse.  If we get attacked, we'll be way outnumbered."

"Don't you think I've taken that into consideration already?  I have.  We don't announce ourselves when we get there.  If we don't announce ourselves, then we can keep a look out for guards or whatnot that would give us away.  We're going to be sneaking around the Negaverse, not picking fights."

"Ok, fine, but what happens if we get spotted?" Ryo asked.

"And let's hope that doesn't happen," Cye contributed.

"Well, we'll have to fight and pray for the best," Rowen said.  The guys walked down the stairs and snuck out of the house through the kitchen.  Walking outside and a bit away from the house, they transformed in the middle of the woods.  "Armor of Wildfire, DAO JIN!"

"Armor of Halo, DAO CHI!"

"Armor of Torrent, DAO SHIN!"

"Armor of Hardrock, DAO GI!"

"Armor of Strata, DAO INOCHI!"  With bright flashes of light, the Ronin Warriors appeared, ready to fight and save the girls they loved.  "Now, I just have to find a portal and hope that it opens soon," Rowen said.  Rowen closed his eyes, putting his bow behind his back, and focused his power, reaching out with it at the same time. 

Using his power, he scanned for a portal with no particular boundaries in mind.  He had never done an extensive search before and now he was searching a humungous area.  As he searched, he prayed.  I hope this works.  I'm only right about half of the time.  Please let it be one of those times. Rowen thought.  Finally, after many minutes of searching, his power finally found an area where a portal would open up.  "I found one!" he exclaimed.

"Where is it?" Cye asked.

"It's a few miles north of here.  And it opens up in about 40 minutes or so.  We'd better get moving," Rowen said.

"Right, let's go.  Rowen, you lead the way," Ryo said, giving up his leadership briefly so Rowen could get them to where the portal was going to appear.  With one acknowledging look at Ryo, Rowen took off in a run through the forest and the other Ronin Warriors followed. 

They ran for about 20 minutes, Rowen, several times, having to stop to make sure that they were going the right way, and were breathless by the time they reached the spot where the portal was going to open up.  They waited a few minutes for the portal to open up and when nothing happened, the Ronin Warriors began to get nervous.  "Um, Rowen, are you sure that this is where the portal is going to open up?" Kento asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Rowen said.

"Well, are you positive?  You were the one who said that you're only right with these things about half of the time," Cye said.

"Look, I'm sure on this one.  I know that this is where it is.  Just give it a few moments."  Sage opened his mouth a few minutes later to disagree with Rowen when a slight breeze blew past them, kicking up the leaves on the ground slightly.  Rowen smiled at the first sign of an impending portal.  "Here it comes," he muttered.  Slowly, a swirling black hole appeared in front of them, gradually growing bigger until it was about 7 feet in diameter.  Rowen just continued on smiling as the other guys looked on amazed.  "Well, I guess you were right," Kento said, "Sorry I doubted you."

"It's ok.  We don't have much time to stand here and talk, though.  These portals don't like to stay open for too long.  Come on, guys.  Let's get them back."  Rowen, feeling fairly courageous, walked through the portal and disappeared.  Hesitantly, the others followed, not trusting the black hole as much as Rowen did. 

But, eventually, they all made it to the other side and found themselves in the middle of the Negaverse.  "Dismal looking place, huh?" Sage said, surveying the darkened territory.

"Definitely not high on my list of vacation spots, that's for sure," Ryo blanched.  Taking a deep breath, Cye said, "Well, enough sight-seeing, we have to go rescue the girls."

"Yeah, but where are they?" Kento said, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"How about the big castle over there," Ryo said.

"That's probably where they are," Rowen said.

"Yes, you're right.  Let's go get them," Sage said.  Those being the last words, the guys marched off, their heads high, all of them silently praying that they would get through the experience alive.

***
Inside the castle, Queen Metallia was smiling.  "I knew they'd come to me eventually," she whispered to herself.  She was looking through many of the viewing portals that were in her throne room.  Nothing moved in the Negaverse without her knowing about it.  And she knew that the Ronin Warriors had come to rescue their fellow warriors. 

Smiling at the idea that her generals had managed to capture some of the Mystical Warriors, she looked at a group of 5 viewing portals, which were all shoved together.  In one, she saw Raye's face contort into a look of pain as she was slapped in the face rather harshly by Heliodore, who had been assigned the task of torturing Raye.  All of the generals had been assigned a Warrior to torture.  Heliodore, of course, was with Raye; Almandine was now blasting Ami with her power; Cairngorm was in the middle of hitting Lita; Labradorite was using her knowledge of pressure points to exert the most amount of pain from Mina; and Talpa was gingerly feeding Mia all of his power, overloading her body with it, which delivered to her intense pain.  Metallia looked on approvingly.  Finally, things were falling into place.  Before she knew it, she would be running everything on earth.  She just needed to do one more thing. 

Turning back to the viewing portal where she could see the Ronin Warriors moving throughout the Negaverse, she gathered up her power and struck them with it.  Laughing maliciously, she watched as the Ronin Warriors fell to the ground from the power of her blow, passing out.  Letting out one more laugh, she used a little more of her power to transport the 5 warriors to her castle, sending them to different parts of her castle.  Now, things were going to get interesting.