Author's Note: Yay! The original "Knights and Ronins" has finally been reached!
Going Out?
It was a lovely, early spring night at the Koji mansion. The lake was pristine and calm, reflecting the last soft pastel rays of the retreating sun as it bent to kiss the world goodnight. The woods were just beginning to bloom behind a tall form, curled comfortably in the lotus position. He wore a cream shirt under a loose, green jacket. His long, kaki clad legs balanced perfectly on a smooth rock as a soft breeze ruffled his lovely blond hair. He opened his lavender eyes to gaze once more at the quiet scene, and saw also the silhouette of another spectator to nature's wonder. His auburn haired friend was dangling his legs in the newly thawed lake, the hems of his knee-length blue jean shorts wet from the rippling water.Cye didn't even seem to notice the chill in the air, or the water, as he sat straight and relaxed against the fading light. His robin's-egg-blue zip-up hoodie was open, allowing the white tee-shirt beneath to be fanned by the twilight breeze along with his rusty hair.
Above the peaceful vista, a tall boy in a light, navy sweat suit gazed at the sky, eagerly awaiting the first stars. He lay atop the roof of the only human structure in sight -- a large, wooden home -- his unruly, azure hair held out of his long face and sparkling cerulean eyes by his customary indigo band. All was right with the world. Nothing was unnatural or threatening, nothing could go wrong. Tomorrow, the world could go to hell and they might die defending it, but tonight was wonderfully, perfectly theirs to enjoy. Or so they thought.
"RYO!" A small boy's large voice squeaked. It was a harbinger of doom all present knew far, far too well. They had learned early to abhor that sound.
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Ryo had been setting the last fire of the season, his long sleeve red and white shirt comfortably tight on his nimble frame, as were his faded blue jeans. His mop of obsidian hair still reached his shoulders as his bright, blue eyes shone in the newly kindled blaze.
"Come on, Kento, leave the twerp alone."
"Hey! I am not a twerp! Kento, put me down!"
"Aw, come on, you make such a good dumbbell!"
"KENTO! hahaha RYO, HELP ME! hahaha I'M TICKLISH!"
CRASH!!!!!!
Kento, in his yellow shirt and dark blue jeans, his sapphire eyes sparkling beneath a saffron band holding back his cobalt hair, had caught Yuli up during a video game and had been tickling him while swinging him around when a lovely porcelain vase hit the floor. Hard. At which point Yuli, likewise, hit the ground, though his was a little softer landing than that of the vase.
"Kento! Yuli! RYO!!"
"Hey, what're ya yellin' at me for, Mia? I didn't do anything." The fire ronin yelped in supplication.
"EXACTLY! Besides, I have to yell at you, it's tradition, I always yell your name!"
"She's got ya there, bro." Kento whispered, thinking himself off the hook as he snickered and inched toward the door, away from the mess.
"NOT SO FAST! Kento!! RYO!!!" As she had turned back to the retreating form, the very air seemed to tremble, and Kento suddenly disappeared! She stared in shock for a second before shifting her gaze to Ryo in disbelief and supplication just to find him falling backwards, towards the fire. Before she could react the young leader was swallowed by the flames, leaving a small puff of black smoke above the flickering fire.
Silence reigned over the house for a moment, but then was broken by a muffled cry from the roof. Yuli, eyes streaming, tore out the door in time to watch a dark shape against the veiled sky slip silently towards the lake, but no splash confirmed any entry into that murky world.
Sage gave a cry of his own once he had seen Rowen had not made it off of his perch save to vanish, literally, into thin air. Then Sage, in his turn, still openmouthed in shock, was also gone. Yuli fell to his knees, calling the guys as Mia came behind him with shaky steps and supported herself upon his slumped shoulders, staring with unseeing eyes.
But the events of the night had not quite played out, as Yuli's attention was torn from his grief to his glowing t-shirt! He reached up a tiny hand to try to encompass the oddly shaped jewel around his neck, but it too vanished with his touch, like sand grasped too tightly.
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All was as it should be at the Kido mansion. An unusually warm spring day found Hyoga and Ikki sparring, and although the fight was just getting interesting, no one was watching except Seiya, who got to take on the winner. Princess Sienna was napping in an armchair, her white gown flowing around her and her purple hair cascading down the delicate arm which supported her head. Shun was meditatively staring out the window from his reclined position on his bed, his accustomed green shirt and suspenders stretched as one arm was bent under his slightly tussled emerald hair. Shiryu sat dozing in his white mandarin suit, a small olive-colored book held open on his lap by his limp thumb. But, as all good things must end, the silence was short lived.
"Hey, you little monster!" The lilting accents rang through the house. Sienna was unceremoniously yanked from her beach vacation with her grandfather. Hyoga's flying kick became unbalanced, and when Ikki's now distracted block didn't work quite as well as intended, they ended up a heap on the floor. Seiya, too, was on the floor, with laughter. Shiryu dropped his book on the table, saving his place by leaving the binding up, and simply rubbed his temples in exasperation. Shun, however, barely avoided falling off the bed in his surprise. Almost as one, five annoyed voices took up the tired refrain as Seiya still lay giggling and catching his breath.
"Kiki! Leave Tatsumi ALONE!" Most of them adding what they'd prefer have happen to the block-headed bodyguard under their breath, and all returned to their business. Then, things got a little weird. Tatsumi had brushed himself off and collected his pompous self while escaping a certain "little nuisance" when he came across the fading figures of Swan and Phoenix!
"Ikki, what are ya doin', man?" Hyoga's accent was trembling slightly as he surveyed the strange dark aura which had suddenly enveloped him.
"It's not me, I swear!" And, as if to prove this point, the Swan and Phoenix clothes simply appeared around their owners!
"Wha. . ." Seiya's confused cries were cut off as the Pegasus cloth came flying, unbidden, to him, and he simply. . . ceased to be there!
"Princess! Princess!" All self importance gone, Tatsumi let out a rather high scream for so big a man and scrambled out of the room as a now very awake Sienna came running. Kiki, in his turn, rushed to the study for solace, but arrived too late.
"SHIRYU!" The redheaded tike could do nothing. No sooner had he reached the doorway, the fully armored Dragon had just flickered out! Kiki ran back to Athena and Tatsumi to find out that Shun, too, was gone. And it would be a very long time before his questions could be answered.
----
A tired female voice cut the darkness, dying on the still air of her prison "They're here." She stated simply.
"Well, so much for our little plan. They got caught just as we did." A male voice growled irritably.
"Actually, this is working out perfectly. Except that these bars are driving me crazy!" Another higher masculine grumbled.
"A web that can hold a spider. This is a twist. Is her spell really so hard to break?" A deeper voice hissed.
"Of course it is, Sekhmet, or we wouldn't still be here!"
"Relax, Dais. We have to trust the Ronins and the Knights. I'm certain they can defeat this witch. We've seen how tough all of them are! Besides, how can she stand against forces that have defeated Tulpa, and a god?!" The girl's voice rejoined confidently.
"Easily, considering she's a goddess. Or at least has the powers of one." Dais snapped, then lowered his voice as he continued to mutter to himself into the stunned silence. "I've never seen a riddle I can't solve, and soon I will have all the answers I require about her, as well. Once I do, I'll have a better idea of what must be done. But there are several things that don't add up!"
Any further attempt at conversation was ceased by a creaking from afar and the room was suddenly choked by illumination. Finally, those captives other than the Warlord of Corruption were able to see they had been held in black, individual cells, each suspended from the ceiling by a thick steel cable. Also for the first time they were able to note the ebony ceiling and walls, and guess at the dark, quickly receding floor.
"It appears the pleasantries are over. She is making her move at last." A green haired man hissed.
"Yes, now the fun begins." Dais replied, a mischievous smirk spread across his angular face. It was the first time he'd had occasion to give any look save one of simmering rage, Cale noted, in quite some time.
"Why don't I like the way you say that?" The wolf warlord asked the Warlord of Illusion as the latter feigned innocence.
"Because while we're counting on the other's, we have a part to play as well." Kayura replied grimly.
"So we're going through with it." Sekhmet stated rather than asked.
"Of course. We might as well assist. It's not like we have anything better to do." Dais grinned maliciously.
"Oh dear." Cale replied under his breath. This smile, he quickly decided, was far more fearsome than any death glare the white-haired Warlord had given yet.
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There you go. I'll rearrange the story a little bit, and it looks like it's heading in a different direction than I originally planned, but it's still the original, more or less.