*Takes big sigh of relief* Finally! I really hate revisions, don't you? But it's done. It's done! It's finally done! Now I can die happy... no, wait. I need to finish this story first! Hahaha... Now all I need to do is sit down with a nice cup of tea, computer, and imagination and write my brains out! Yeah, some of the names (and last names) sound familiar, huh? Well, I'm an anime nut like everyone else and you tend to use some of the great stuff. Plus, I had a head cold while writing this so, get off my case, will ya?
"Ronin Warriors: The Final Victor"
By Onikage
Scroll One: Random Mishaps
The clock on the classroom wall read five twenty-nine. Jusenkyo High School classes were about to end for the day and it had decided to take its sweet time getting there. Come on, you stupid bell! Ring already! thought Tori as she fidgeted at her desk as she stared at the clock. She was dimly aware of Sensei Nakao's lethargic, irksome voice droning on and on, giving some discourse about grades. Or was it grapes? Maybe spades. Whatever it was, she didn't make the effort to care.
"Tori? Are you paying attention?" Sensei Nakao stopped beside her desk and peered down at her. Her presence gave off an air of snobbery that made Tori's wavy red hair curl.
"Uhh... yes, Sensei."
"Really?" Sensei Nakao smirked and laid a stapled stack of papers face down on her desk. "Well... your grades speak otherwise," she said, continuing to walk down her row, passing back papers.
Tori breathed a sigh of relief as her strict teacher moved farther and farther from her desk. Tori flipped the paper over and hope by some miraculous act of god that she made a passing grade. She saw her grade and groaned, slamming her head on her desk. Sonofa... 'Jiisan isn't going to be pleased, Tori thought. The bell rang and she shoved her test paper into her school bag grumbling some very inappropriate phrases directed towards her science teacher. At least today's daily dose of Hell is over... Now I can go home and-
"Tori?" Sensei Nakao interrupted her thoughts.
Tori groaned inwardly. She sighed, trying to release some of the day's irritation that had built up during the day. "Yes, Sensei?" She knew what was coming. Yet another lecture on good study habits and using her time more efficiently for homework and a lot more crap that Tori already knew and was tired of hearing it.
"Tori, I've been watching you for over the past few weeks and I'm not happy with what I'm observing."
Observing?! What am I - a science experiment?! Tori thought angrily.
Her teacher continued, "Which is why I'm assigning you to come in every day after school to-"
"What?!" Tori exclaimed. "I can't do that, I-"
"Young lady!!" her teacher snapped. "Let me remind you that you're treading on thin ice! Your grades are terrible and there's no excuse for it! You will stay after school everyday, starting Monday, until your grades improve or until I see that you are fit enough to pass my class!!" Tori's brow furrowed in response. Her teacher's anger then went through the roof. "Disobeying me will only result in your suspension and absolutely no chance of passing at all!! I don't think that you can afford another bad report on your record! One more and you are out of this school! Do I make myself perfectly clear, Miss Masaki?!"
Tori winced as her teacher's voice rose slightly at the end. "Yes, Sensei..." Tori bowed and walked out of the classroom, slamming the door behind her. "Ouuu, the absolute nerve of that woman!" Tori fumed as she walked briskly down the hallway and to her locker. "I can't believe that she actually-" Tori was so furious that she couldn't even finish her sentence, much less open her locker on the first try. She slammed her head on to her locker and sighed heavily, "This has been one hell of a day..." She then glanced at her watch, realizing the time. "Oh nooo!! I'm gonna miss the last bus!!"
*****
Douji Anubis, former Warlord of Cruelty, now divine warrior of Loyalty, sat in his car waiting for the traffic light to change. He sat drumming his fingertips on the steering wheel.
What was so important that the Ancient wanted to see me so urgently for? he thought as the light finally changed. He sighed heavily as he heard the fury of thunder crash above him. Rain began to gently fall against the windshield, droning out the roar of the outside city life.
Ohh, yet another rainy afternoon... it's been a while since I've seen the sun, he thought as he tapped at the crystal ornament hanging on his rearview mirror. I wish something interesting would happen - anything! He turned right at the corner of the high school, Jusenkyo High...
*****
Ohh, pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!! Please don't lemme miss it! Tori prayed as she ran through the courtyard. "I don't wanna have to walk home!" She turned the corner and saw the bus in her sights. It was so close! "Thank you god!" she cheered, unaware of the crack in the sidewalk.
She tripped.
All her books went everywhere along with her papers. "Ohh, noo! Damn the luck! Nothing ever goes right!" She pounded her fist into the ground as the bus pulled away. "Ohh, what a cruel, cruel world..." Tori grumbled as she pulled herself up onto her knees to gather her belongings. "Man, what else can go wrong?!"
The sky rumbled with the roar of Heaven and its wet downpour of her defeat showered upon her with its mockery. Even the heavens are laughing... "Wonderful. Fucking wonderful!" Tori grabbed her bag and began to walk down the street in the rain, not even caring if she got wet or not. And she wasn't about to take another chance with the uneven sidewalk again. She checked her watch and sighed, "Maybe I can make it home before dark... if the rain lets up."
It began to rain harder and the wind began to pick up. Tori groaned and hung her head continuing on. She was unaware of what was about to happen next.
*****
Anubis flipped on his windshield wipers and sighed again, "Goodness, it's really coming down." He glanced out the window and winced as the rain began to fall in a slant. I would hate to be the poor soul walking in this acrimony... He drove on.
Suddenly, there was a flash of lighting and an explosion. A bolt of lighting struck the telephone pole and caused a nearby tree to fall right in front of Anubis' car. "GODS!" he snarled, turning the car sharply as the giant tree missed the back right end of his sports car. Just when he thought that the worst was over, he felt the front end of the car dip. "What the?!" There was a flash of fluorescent light. In those brief seconds, Anubis saw a pair of bronze eyes stare fixedly at him, surrounded by a halo of a golden copper frame.
What in the seven hells was that?! his mind exclaimed. Anubis slammed on the brakes as the light vanished. As the car skidded to a halt, the lightning flashed again. The copper figure had vanished. "Wh-what just happened?" he breathed aloud. Anubis stepped out of the car, rain immediately began to plaster his hair on his face. He looked around, "Gods, I really hope I didn't hurt anybody..."
His gaze fell upon a young woman, lying lifeless on the ground. Masses of copper strands of her hair surrounded her body. "Dammit!" Anubis exclaimed. "Watch me get sued..." He rushed to her side and touched her rain plastered forehead gently. He sighed with relief as she moved, "Thank the gods that she's still breathing... I need to get her out of this weather quickly." He gently picked her up and carried her to his car. I hope the Ancient can do something for her... he thought.
He buckled the young girl into the passenger seat and covered her with his jacket. "This is all I can do for you now, little one..." he said to her. Closing the car door carefully, he circled around the front end of his car. He saw her bag lying in the rain, picking it up it up he saw the ID tag on the buckle. "Jusenkyo High School. Student number: 289. Masaki, Tori. Grade 12," he read aloud. Then he gasped, "Masaki?! She's... Kaos' granddaughter. She must be..." That would explain why she looked the way she did. Those eyes show a lot of strength within her.
Anubis got in his car and gave his new... passenger a long look. Suddenly, he felt the warm heat of his yoroi crystal react in his jean pocket. Reaching inside, he pulled it out. It glowed with an awesome intensity. "What on Earth?" he whispered. Why is it reacting? What's it trying to tell me? It then stopped.
Tori stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Ohh... Wh-what happened?
"Good... you're coming out of it."
*****
" 'Sake? What's the matter? Something on your mind?" Nasake's ebony haired friend Megami asked.
Nasake snapped from her reverie and gave her friend a blank look. "Huh? What?"
Megami laughed, "There you go again... in your little dream world. Are you feeling okay?"
Nasake blushed lightly. "W-was I? Sorry, I'm fine. Just concerned," she finished softly.
" 'Bout what?" her other friend Sakura asked. She looked up from her schoolwork and smiled at her, eager to know.
"Tori... she's not home yet. And she said she's meet us here at six! It's almost seven-thirty!" she exclaimed.
Sakura looked at Tori's clock on the bedroom wall and gasped, "Whoa! Tori's late! Really late!"
"What the hell's keeping... oh, wait. She may have missed the bus again!" another grumbled. She had blonde hair that had a silver tint to it.
"Domo... she's always missing the bus, remember?" Megami stated with an exasperated sigh.
Domo blushed lightly, "Oh... yeah."
"Should we tell Masaki-san?" Nasake suggested.
Domo looked out the window; the recent storm front had gotten a lot fiercer. "Yeah... I hope she's okay. It's really pouring."
"It's gotten really dark, really early. Hope it doesn't mean what I think it means," Sakura said, joining her friend at the window.
Megami blinked, her green eyes were wide in amazement. "Yeah it... did. God! The sky is so black! I don't think I've ever seen it this black before!"
"You don't think that..." Sakura began.
Domo shook her head, "Nononononono... don't even think it! Remember it's just a stupid legend that Masaki-san told us..." Sakura gave her a blank look; Domo sighed, "Le-gend. L-E-G-E-N-"
Sakura frowned, "I KNOW HOW TO SPELL LEGEND, DOMO!" she snapped.
Domo snorted, "And I suppose you want a cookie now, huh?" she smiled wryly.
Sakura's sea-blue eyes narrowed. "Watch it Kyoka... I-"
Suddenly, a snow-white-haired girl, no more than three, burst into the room screaming, " 'Sake! 'Gami! Domo! Sakura!! 'Ri-san's home!"
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Yeah, this is my first attempt at a serious fic... well, actually, this is my first fic I actually wanted to put online! Sorry it's so short. The chapters get longer, I promise! Send me feedback on this, okay? Onikage84@aol.com