Disclaimer: I do not own the Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers. Can't make it much more simpler than that can I? Sunrise and Graz own em and whoever else I can't think of right now.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long update, I've gotten way too caught up in writing Saint Seiya/Humor fics, is it just me or does anyone else have problems finding places to put everyone when there are just so many main characters in a series? Aside from that, I've been spiraling down into another cycle of depression. I really don't know why, or maybe I do, I just feel worthless right now and like everything is passing me by. You know what sucks is being a psych major and actually understanding my depression... Heck I even feel horrible for having writer's block for this story. Maybe I'll feel better after I finish this chapter.

Also, I am desperately trying not to make this into a yaoi or shounen ai story. However, you may have to forgive any slip ups as those are the only kind of stories I've been able to read or find lately for the different series I'm reading. Not that there's anything wrong with those types of stories, I just didn't want to go that way with this one. Thanks to all who reviewed last time and endured the horrible blocky paragraphing format I did in the previous chapters; I am working on spacing everything out so don't worry too much. So as always, please read and review.

Heroe's Plight

By Rekkanotara

Staring at the adolescent boys through his viewer, Avalon felt a slight psychotic laugh escape his throat. He was angry and amused at the same time. Angry that such young warriors posed any sort of threat to such a powerful sorcerer as himself and amused that they could be so simple at times. He would've at least expected the mighty ronins, whom he had heard so much about, to train more and take things more seriously.

Little did he know, not taking things too seriously was one of the ways the young warriors had learned to cope with the frightening atrocities they had seen and experienced since becoming ronin warriors.

Jabu stared at his master out of the corner of his eyes with concern. His master never laughed so much and when he did, it could only mean that his rage and power could be directed at anyone, whether they be friend or foe.

-Back at the mansion-

All the dishes had long since been dried and put away; Kento was asleep on the couch and Ryo was glued to the television still poised to break Kento's high score on their video game.

Rowen was outside in a nearby tree reading yet another educational textbook about the solar system waiting for the sun to set.

Cye was busy trying to teach White Blaze the importance of using a door mat before entering the house with muddy feet. However, all he got for his efforts was a kitchen spotted with brown paw prints and an annoyed looking tiger in the hall next to the stairs curling up to sleep as if he hadn't done anything wrong at all.

Sage was meditating a little ways away from Rowen's spot in the trees. The blonde had found a nice quiet spot on a large boulder next to a small pond. He had found this area by accident while running away from Mia who was trying to get him to be her date for some business ball of sorts. Not that he really had anything against Mia; he just didn't enjoy the stuffy people that attended those functions or the idea of having to comb his hair back so that it wasn't so wild.

Finally achieving his goal of ultimate cleanliness, Cye smiled as he had finished cleaning the mess left by one sleeping white tiger. He couldn't help but laugh as he had actually gotten the surfaces in the kitchen to shine. 'Now... What to do about that bloody tiger.' he thought to himself as he sat down at the kitchen table for a much needed break. Staring off into space; he soon found it hard to stay awake and eventually fell asleep, leaving his head which was propped up with his hand, to fall on his other arm which laid on the table.

-Bad Guy Lair-

Jabu was startled from his thoughts by his master's sudden shout...

"Jabu! Come! It is time..." came Avalon's shouts.

"Yes my lord." Jabu replied following alongside the evil sorcerer as he was led into another room containing several viles of various potions and poisons of all colors of the rainbow. He watched somewhat interested in his master's movements as the man picked up three different bottles and began to mix the contents together within a stone bowl nearby.

One of the bottles had an opaque navy blue liquid within it. Another had a thick forest green gel inside of it. And the third container held a sparkly, silver powder within it. Jabu couldn't help but think of how close the said powder came to looking like actual stardust. Knowing his master as well as he did, the glittery substance could very well be stardust...

Suddenly, a large purple cloud began to fill the small room, but was immediately sucked back into the mixture which had produced it. Jabu cringed a slightly as he felt cold on the outside and burning hot on the inside of his body. He was just glad that his exposure to that weird smokey cloud wasn't long enough to do any real damage.

Avalon couldn't help but see his servant's reaction to his concoction and laughed slightly as he tilted his head back and inhaled the deep aroma of the mixture which could only be described as rotting flesh; no matter how lived the scent was for Avalon knew that when this particular potion gained that smell, he had mixed correctly and since the smell only lasted for a minute or so, he could continue with his plans against the ronins.

Getting annoyed that Jabu still seemed in a little daze, Avalon took a handful of his servant's short black hair and pulled him closer to the stone bowl.

Stumbling against the pedistool that held up the stone bowl, Jabu winced in pain as this earned him sharp kick to his leg as Avalon yelled angrily, "Be careful you idiot or I will send you to the shadows and teach you the what real nightmares are all about! Now pay attention! This is what I want you to do with this potion for those two worthless ronins...."

Jabu didn't feel like inadvertently making his master mad again, so he just stayed as still and quiet as he could listening carefully to his master's wishes and plans...

-Back to the good guys-

Opening one of his azure eyes, Sage noticed the sun had gone down to signal that he should be heading back home and began to head back to the house. Out of reflex, the warrior of light whisked a hand through his golden blonde locks as he watched the leaves along with some white flower petals flying off of some nearby trees onto the path he was walking. It wasn't too long before he reached a semi large oak tree which unbeknownst to him was being inhabited by the ronin of the skies.

Rowen hadn't realized he was so tired until he heard a small yelp from the path below him, causing his eyes to shoot open and scan the surrounding area with intrigue. It seems that the warrior of strata had fallen asleep and allowed his book to fall from his hands onto the head of a familiar person.

"Sage!... Umm, sorry 'bout that... Guess I got a little carried away with my reading." Rowen yelled down at Sage apologetically.

"Geez, you think!?! Great just great, I'm gonna have a nasty bruise now." Sage replied bitterly as he looked up at the spot where his blue haired friend was perched.

"I said I was sorry..." Rowen countered.

"Yeah yeah yeah, anyways; it's getting late. Come down from there and we can head back together." Sage ordered crossing his arms awaiting a response from his friend and fellow ronin.

Rowen yelled down to Sage one last time, "Hold on, I'm coming..." Moving into position, Rowen placed the palm of his hand against the trunk of the tree where his back had been in an effort to get a better footing so that he could jump down with ease. Little did he know, a strange purple liquid had materialized on the tree where he had put his hand, which caused his hand to come into full contact with the liquid. His hand slipped off the tree, causing him to fall backwards off of the branch he was on and straight onto the ground below.

Sage was surprised when he heard a slight scream and before he knew it, Rowen was on the ground next to him. He couldn't help but laugh, "Wow, you really must be tired or really out of practice if you can't even use your flying powers correctly."

"Ha ha.... I slipped okay..." Rowen replied as he got up to dust himself off and stretch the kinks out of his aching back.

Extending a hand, Sage began to help Rowen steady himself. Suddenly, he caught sight of his friend's hand which incidentally was the one he was holding; the said hand had a strange wet feel to it and an even stranger purple color on the palm side.

Sage shut his eyes and shook his head slightly and reopened his eyes to look again at the substance that they were both touching, however, by the time he looked again, the color had disappeared as well as the substance itself as it had already been absorbed into its two targets.

Rubbing his eyes with his free hand, Sage yawned as he spoke up, "I guess I'm more tired than I thought, I'm starting to see things."

Picking up his book with both hands, Rowen agreed, "Yeah, I know what you mean. But at least we don't have to walk back in the dark with all this light."

Sage began walking alongside Rowen as he listened. Silently, he agreed thinking that Rowen was just talking about the light of the full moon, little did he know, Rowen was now seeing dozens of fireflies all lighted up in a yellowish green brilliance of color.

As they entered the house, they were greeted with complete silence. It had taken them some time to get back home and now it was too late for any normal person to be awake.

Checking on the others, Sage left Rowen in their bedroom to get ready for bed.

Opening the door to Kento and Cye's room, the boy was assaulted with the loud snores of one ronin of hardrock. He couldn't quite understand how Cye could stand the noise himself; that is until he saw the water ronin asleep with several small throw pillows pushing against his ears saving the Brunette from the horrendous sound coming from Kento's side of the room.

Next, Sage checked on Ryo and White Blaze. Peeking through the doorway, Sage wished he had a camera handy as it was one of the rare times when he caught White Blaze on his back with his legs in the air twitching away. Ryo was sleeping soundly and all seemed to be okay, so Sage decided that it was time for him to get some sleep now.

Heading back to the room he shared with Rowen, Sage was beginning to feel the effects of the Avalon's potion. It was taking a little longer for him to feel the effects, because Rowen had gotten most of the stuff on him when he touched it on the tree earlier.

Feeling somewhat dizzy, Sage's vision began to fade in and out. He just assumed he was just really sleepy; he had no idea the pain that their enemy had in store for them. Stumbling into their room, Sage had managed to make it over to his own bed but didn't have the strength to do anything else and at that moment, he fell into a deep sleep filled with dreams of three foot tall clowns and pink elephants.

Rowen was just as bad off, he had fallen asleep as soon as he found his bed. His dreams weren't as amusing as Sage's though; his dreams were filled dark rooms and shadows that seemed to have incredibly razor sharp fangs. Add the tortured screams of four other familiar people and it was no surprise that the blue haired ronin was now drenched sweat and thrashing about on his bed.

Author Note: Yay, I finished another chapter. What do you all think? Am I at least doing a descent job of being angsty or should I just stick to the humor end of the spectrum which doesn't seem to wanna let me go.....? Waaahhh! I can't do any separations anymore in my fics, because of ff.net's new edit option. Oh well... Hope you liked the chapter and as always, please read and review.