Okay uhh... I made a tiny mistake.*sweat drop* Last chapter's title is all screwed up. Found out by watching the DVDs that are out (buy them!!! buy them all!!) and Tokyo and Shinjuku are the same place and Shinjuku is just a downtown district... Then there's this thing with Toyama, I think that's also another district... But the Toyama that I'M talking about is actually a province (or state) in Japan aways from Tokyo. That's where this is all taking place. So if you all were confused, SORRY and if I've further confused you, SORRY again. Umm... yeah enjoy some of the ins and outs of good ol' bishonen in form fitting armor. You know you want it... ^.^
"Ronin Warriors: The Final Victor"
By Onikage
Scroll Nine: Out of My Head
Rowen flipped expertly upon the roof of the house throwing a superior grin down to his pursuers in golden clad armor. Suddenly he turned around and gave the samurai his most action stopping face...
"Nyahh!" and spit a huge raspberry down at them.
Just then flushed as he realized how ridiculous he looked with his tongue hanging out of his wide open mouth and the fact that he'd lose it trying to dodge half of the Dynasty's artillery that was being thrown at him; however, he did manage to stop the barrage of weapons coming at him briefly. His carefree nature and 'who gives a shit?' attitude had always proved to take someone by surprise, be they living or just a bunch of evil spirits running amuck in some armor. He looked down at the samurai with a smug grin on his handsome face; there they stood looking up at him also waiting for... something. Rowen then noticed that they had depleted their arsenal of weaponry; it all currently was stuck in the roof, the nearby tree or had completely cleared the house and lay in the backyard. His smile grew. "What's th' matter? Is that all ya got?! You can't hit nuthin'!! Man, you guys are losing it!... Psh, what am I sayin'?! Ya never had 'it'!" he laughed. The small unit of soldiers looked at each other, then around them, and returned to look up at Rowen who taunted them again with his 'face'. At that point he didn't care how dumb he looked, he was having a great time. He stopped his ridiculing little dance as the samurai quickly dispersed. Hey, where're they goin'? Don't tell me that they left because of my face!!... This is a first. Usually I get a few whaps from the guys, but-
A rock hit him upside the head; his helmet began to ring. He fell backward and groaned. "OW! The hell?!" he exclaimed as he picked up the softball size stone. Another one came and missed him. "Rocks? But-" Suddenly he was attacked by a shower of many stones varying in size. "Ow!! Shit!" He stood and managed to glance down off the roof before getting hit again. "Dammit!!" The samurai had returned with an arms load of stones from Mia's garden and began to attack the Ronin with no mercy. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me!!" Suddenly the shower stopped and Rowen opened his eyes, looking down at them. They didn't look very pleased at him, but suddenly, for some strange reason, they began to cheer. Rowen frowned in confusion. What are they up to now? First the rocks, now this... The Ronin of Life received his answer as an arrow flew past him barely grazing his nose. With a short yip, he fell backwards, eyes wide, and craned his head to get an upside-down view of an answer. "Oh..."
There were about two-dozen soldiers surrounding his only exit.
All of which had an assortment of weapons, mostly arrows, pointed at his head. He slid to his feet slowly, grinning nervously. "Heh, heh... Hey guys... Fancy meetin' you up here." Something in the tree branches behind the soldiers caught his eye causing him to smile. "What are you smiling at, boy?" Rowen groaned and rolled his eyes.
"God, ya know you'd think you guys would have come up with somethin' a lot better by now! I'm not exactly a kid anymore, ya know..." The soldiers looked at him confusedly. "Hey, you guys like cats?" Rowen asked. The samurai remained confused which seriously annoyed the blue haired Ronin. Apparently they all shared that common trait. Must be all related to Kayura, who confuses easily. "... Look behind you," he sighed.
Whiteblaze catapulted himself onto the group of soldiers, claiming several heads and arms in the process. The ancient cat hadn't had this much fun since the last time Talpa tried to take over the Mortal Realm; Strata stood by and shook his head with a chuckle.
"Iron Rock Crusher!!" Rowen snapped his head towards the backyard; Kento was having entirely way too much fun, but he wasn't about to stop him. Hardrock just wiped out half of the soldiers in one sure kill and he knew that he had definitely not warmed up yet. In fact, Kento seemed to have become much more leveled headed, Rowen noted as he watched Kento from the tree.
"Huh?! Yeah, ya like that?! You can tell Talpa he can kiss my white ass th' next time ya see him!" Rowen chuckled to himself.
Maybe not... It was like old times again. Head bashing of some sort was always fun whether it was one of the Dynasty or a lecherous drunk at a bar harassing their Mia, but he had to admit he that missed it. It seemed so long ago since he and the others 'killed' Talpa. Now the Ronin was almost relieved that they hadn't; life was beginning to suck again. His letters from his mother had stopped and Lord knew where his father was. Probably off on another space hunt somewhere in the U.S... Maybe I'll go visit sometime.
"Ha!! You think that hurt?! Wait until I come over there!! Hey Sekh! Watch your six, man!!" Sekhmet took a sickening blow to the back of his head and fell to one knee. Kento winced, "... I tried to warn ya!!"
"Hardrock, shut up!" Rowen shook his head.
Like old times...
"Annoying pest, let... GO!!" the former snake emperor snarled and dug his claws into the armored arm choking his neck. With his other he took the soldier's head clear off of his shoulders and launched it at another. Rowen stared at him in shock. Damn! Remind me never to give that man a noogie...
A small yelp came from the giant dome shield created by the monstrous Earth Guardian, Kongo. The younger teens sat in a circle trying hard to concentrate with the barrage of Raiko and Zeal along with a few samurai. Two of them he noticed shook violently. He wasn't sure if it was out of fear or pain. Megami's face flinched every time the shield was hit with a beam of energy from Raiko and Zeal. Was Kongo using her life energy to help protect them or was it something else? She screamed again; now he knew that sound all too well. As for the other, Nasake, she just shook scared out of her mind. The other Guardian beasts, with the exception of Suiko, had gone out to aid the Ronins in the onslaught of what seemed to be an endless amount of Dynasty warriors.
Looking over at the remaining warrior clad in dark armor similar to theirs, he frowned. Other than the horny feral demon, Raiko, and another he did not know, the last one had not moved. It looked like he, she was waiting for something to happen. He figured that Anubis was thinking the same thing because he was fighting his way over there, which wasn't the smartest thing to do considering the number of soldiers that they brought and the intense power radiating from the three new warlords. Rowen frowned and slipped off the roof to aid the older warrior.
*****
Yuli had his face pressed up against the window and watched in awe as his friends sliced through the Dynasty's soldiers one after another. Wow... I can't wait until I can do that.
"Boy, get away from the window! It's dangerous!" Dais snapped. Yuli fell backward in shock as the former warlord entered the room with his armor. Dais still sent chills down the younger child's spine whenever he was near while the boy was alone. His armor only made it worse. He wasn't sure why he was afraid of the ancient man. Maybe it was that day they met face to face inside that ancient shrine when he, Ryo, and Sai were doing there best to solve Rowen's part of the poem to find him in space. Or was it because he was the only one of the former warlords that mainly kept to himself? He just wasn't sure, but he never thought twice about disobeying him lest feel the unknown wrath of the warrior. Like lightning, Yuli scrambled away from the window and out of the room, nearly colliding with Sage. "Whoa, slow down!"
"S-sorry Sage... I-I... I'll go keep an eye on Kiku," he stuttered and ran away quickly. Sage blinked, What spooked him? ... Besides the obvious, of course. He entered the room and found Dais and Cale looking over a sleeping Mia. "How she doing?" he asked. Cale touched her forehead and sighed; it was a long moment before he looked up and finally answered the violet-eyed teen. "... She has a high fever, but other than that she just needs to rest a while," he replied and stood. Dais caught his eye as he stood at the far end of the room with an absent stare at the clashing of age-old enemies outside in his one eye. His thoughts though appeared elsewhere, making Cale grow uneasy with this uncertainty. Whenever Dais became quiet and distant, he knew that something was churning inside that dark mind that screamed and ached to be released; it wasn't wise to be around him when it happened.
Sage looked up at this unblessed silence and watched both warriors with interest. He had known them evil and good, but there were still many things that he still didn't know about any of them. Kayura always seemed to be so cheerful and optimistic most of the time, but then she would just disappear for days on end and return changed in someway. And as soon as he would take notice, the mask she knew she wore would return and he left in the dark...
Anubis was always sort of a space case ever since he had been called back from what he knew to be as 'Heaven'. The young blonde often wondered of asking the silent Ronin of his unique 'spiritual journey', but whenever he would get the nerve, a sad look inside the warrior's eyes would silence him. It was an empty look that made Sage feel glad that he had his friends around all the time...
As for Sekhmet, the lech, the pervert, the all around more mature version of Kento, if possible, the person whose human form only served the purpose for human breeding, was a very lonely soul despite all of the women he had 'known'. However, Sage didn't believe that he had always been like that. Perhaps the need for these 'one night stands' was something merely to fill in a void that had been ripped from him. There was only one thing he had to go by and that was this woman, Managi...
The former Warlord of Illusion was a mystery to everyone. Everything about the oldest Ronin was a mystery: the missing eye was only one of them. Dais had always been somewhat secluded from the others. He often saw that the only joy that he got in life now was when he was practicing his all ready perfect kata or when he was around Mia and Kayura. Women seemed to bring out the best in him, if there was anything inside at all...
And finally his alter ego, Cale he found to be somewhat eerie in existence. Since he first heard his name, he had always felt that there was something about this man that he knew. That and the mysterious reason why he had a crossed scar over his left eye. It sent chills down the young healer's spine every time he thought about it. He continued to think about each persona for some reason until Dais' voice broke the silence. "... We need to get back out there. Kongo is weakening..." he warned and picked up his helmet. Cale looked back at Mia, then nodded. Sage stood quickly,
"What do we do? We can't just leave her and no one knows where the Ancient or Kayura are-"
"Halo, Dais, Cale... Go on and aid your friends. I will take care of Mia." Sage stumbled backwards when the voice surprised him. He picked himself up and flushed. ... What's wrong with me? I'm never this jumpy! He lifted his eyes and found the Ancient in the doorway. "Where's Lady Kayura?" he asked.
"... Outside. She insisted that she help the... 'less fortunate' fighters," Kaos replied with a sigh. Cale smirked, "... I knew she didn't like Sekhmet or Hardrock that much, but she needs to-"
"Lighten up?" Sage finished. "... She'll change her tune when it's her that has a regiment of troops down her throat. Come on... Dais? You coming?" The silent Ronin adjusted his helmet and looked at the Ancient without a word, then at Mia. He didn't look up at either Cale or Sage. He merely just vanished in a dark fuchsia light. Sage took leave through the open window. Dais... What's gotten into you? Cale thought before vanishing into the dark shadows of the hallway...
*****
My body feels hot. So hot!... I'm burning up! Megami thought feeling another jolt of pain pass through her. The sweat had begun to bead upon her brow and travel down her face and neck, saturating the collar of her shirt. How could it be so hot? She could only imagine what Tori was experiencing, her element being fire and all. What the hell was going on around them? She kept on hearing the cries of other warriors. Many of them did not sound human at all. She heard Kento and Sai lash out curses and weird phrases that were followed by a large quake and or waves crashing., then there were the shrieks and snarls of the two warlords pounding away at the dome Kongo held. She could feel him weakening. Her arms were growing heavy and sore, yet she hadn't even lifted them since the battle began. A low moan came from the giant minotaur as he fell to one knee. Megami, frustrated, tired, scared, and thoroughly pissed off because she had no idea what the fuck was going on, opened her eyes and with a growl stood next to her Guardian. He turned his head to her as she glared out at the two attackers. Lady Summoner... What are you doing?... Get away from there... Kongo commanded tiredly, though not trying to sound that way. Megami frowned and began to shout in an outburst that stopped Raiko and Zeal in their onslaught. "NO!" she gripped the rune tightly in her hand. "Dammit! I'm not just gonna sit here and wait for, for, for-" she glanced at Raiko wondering what the hell he was gazing at and what he was, "for Fuzz Ball over there to come in here and do god knows what to us while the guys are all out there killing a bunch of... of... retards in tin cans!! Dammit I wanna help kill something!!" Her voice boomed over the clash of swords, screams, curses, and laughter from Kento. Anger boiled inside her until at last it was released in the form of a bright flash of orange light.
When the light subsided, she stood wearing the familiar looking black sub-armor that the Ronins wore and cloaked in a dark orange cloth. Megami fell to her rear in shock. "Duuude... I feel weeeeird!" she grinned and stood on weary legs. She felt an intense power in her hands and arms and her palms began to pulse. "Cool... Very cool..."
Watch out!! Kongo warned her too late as the shield fell and Megami was hit in the stomach with a blast of dark green and black energy from Raiko. She skidded into a tree and severed it, hearing her name being screamed from her friends' throats. She pushed the giant mammoth oak off of her with ease and growled. "Now I'm gettin' maaad!" she snarled. Raiko looked back at the other girls. Domo had transformed all ready and was trying to veer off fly by soldiers that literally flew in their direction. He began to chuckle at her. "You... I do not appreciate being called a... 'fuzz ball'," he said in a dark, but friendly voice that Megami didn't quite care for.
"Why? That's what you are a giant, fuzzy, cat... thing," she stated calmly. "Now go clean your whiskers before I get angry..." Raiko frowned and unsheathed the giant sabre from his back. "C'mon you over grown ball of fluff'n'stuff... I never did like cats. Too stuck up and arrogant for my tastes." Raiko let loose a fear-striking roar from his throat, making lions seem like kittens. Megami screamed at him back just before he crouched to pounce on her and tear the flesh from her face. Kongo appeared and back kicked the warlord in the ribs, sending him into several trees. Megami frowned and stomped her foot, "Hey! What didja do that for?! I was doing fiiiiine!!! Hey, put me down you overgrown excuse for hamburger meat!!" Kongo had hefted the petite girl over his shoulder and carried her back to the other girls. Stay here, he commanded and galloped off towards a bunch of soldiers. Megami fumed and started beating on the unconscious soldier next to them. He wasn't asleep for long and the samurai covered his head to avoid her angry blows. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!!" she snarled. Tori, Sakura, and Nasake looked at their friend, then at each other. "ARRGH! Die!" she hefted a giant boulder and threw it on the 'poor' soldier. She then wiped her hands and grinned. The girls gave her a weird look. "What?"
"Nothing," they sighed. Sakura pulled out her rune again. "Hey how did you do that?" Megami shrugged, "I dunno. I was really mad though..." Tori snarled as a samurai came up behind her and tried choking her with his arm. In a bright flash of red light, she wore the black armor and a cloak the color of bright, red rubies. She threw the samurai easily into a bunch of soldiers coming at them. Nasake gulped as she went off to beat up things. "... Tori, you, and Domo have it easy. You guys have issues though."
"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Megami demanded.
*****
Sai huffed as the last of the soldiers fell to his Super Wave Smasher. "God!... There... have never been... that... many... before!" he gasped. Ryo fell to the ground with a grunt,
"Y-yeah... Ooh, ughh," He was out of shape. No more pot stickers for me... He turned his head towards Dais who approached them in a run. "Hey! Wildfire! Are you all right?!" If Ryo tried hard enough, he could see Sekhmet and Cale running behind him. He felt strong arms pull him to his feet. Kento. "Ugh... Gonna... hurl..." Ryo mumbled. What is wrong with us? We can't be that out of practice! Geez... ooh... I can feel the cereal churn...
"Hey guys!" Tori called and ran up to them. Domo was right behind her. All the Ronins present stared at the outfit they had. "What?"
"Where did that-" Cale began, then stopped when it hit him. "No, wait. I got it. The runes gave it to you!" Sekhmet smirked,
"Careful, Cale. Don't think too much; you'll kill yourself..." The older warrior frowned and punched his arm. Sai smiled at the two girls, "Where did you two learn to fight like that?!" Tori and Domo grinned. "School," they answered happily. Tori grinned, "Mostly during lunch period, though." Sai thought it was rather weird that they sounded so proud of such a... terrible thing. So he just smiled.
Cale slapped Ryo's back hard. "So Wildfire! Got any words of wisdom for the ladies?!" he laughed. Ryo looked sick. "Y-yeah... Never eat Rowen's cooking... ever!" Wildfire then fell to his knees with a drunken grin. Sai and Kento picked him up. "Ryo? Hey buddy, you alive?" Kento asked. "... No, I'm Space Cadet Ryo of the Twelfth Moon of Zarbon. Beware of the Evil Dust Bunnies From Central Venus!!... Load proton torpedoes... "
"Oh, this is jus' lovely," Sai huffed giving the delirious Ronin a slap to the face. "WAKE UP, RYO!! THERE ARE NO DUST BUNNIES FROM VENUS!!" Sai hollered at him. Ryo sputtered a bit, then began to stand on his own. "Ow... that hurt, man..." Sai flushed,
"Sorry."
"Where're the others?" Kento asked.
There was a scream from Kayura for his answer.
*****
Kayura shrieked in agony as large, knifelike claws bore deep into her back, shredding the flesh clear from her spine until another powerful hand clamped hard around her throat, rendering her to whimpering gurgles. Raiko's fangs glinted in the sunlight as a grin curled on his lips. "Hmmm ... Such energy you have. The old ghoul was right," he sneered. Jerking and thrashing her body around desperate to be free from the feral demon's deadly grip. She dug her own nails into his arm, drawing dark blue blood. Blood oozed from her thin lips as he squeezed her neck harder. "Now, now. That isn't nice, Kayura..." He brought her body close to him and slid his clawed hand along a breast, groping it firmly. "Mmm... Such a firm body you have," he whispered silkily into her ear and began to suck lightly upon her earlobe. His grip loosened on her neck and tore the front of her clothing open with a finger; her will to keep her armor on lost inside the searing pain her body suffered. Tears leaked from the young woman's eyes. She could do nothing in-between pain and fear. Her body was thrashed almost beyond healing and she felt so weak, her energy gone from her. Not even enough to scream anymore. Raiko then threw her onto her stomach and leered over her, running his animal like hands all over her. Kayura did not move.
She heard the chuckles of a voice she knew well, Zeal. Enemies since the beginning when Talpa first kidnapped Kayura, she hated Zeal for whoring her about within the camps of besotted and greedy soldiers hungry for a new virgin to tare into. Zeal hated Kayura for being favored by Lord Talpa. Kayura's eyes met Zeal's in a hard, but tired glare. "... You were never much of a fighter, Kayura... next to me, of course. You were better off as a whore when His Majesty found you," she said lightly. Her eyes fell on the quieter warlord, Fou-Lu. He simply stood there and spectated. His eyes were cold and merciless teal, like Anubis' once were. For some reason, he smirked at her, hate and darkness gone from his eyes. "Raiko. Desist," he commanded. Raiko's ears twitched and looked up, "What?"
"Stop. Leave the woman be." Raiko stood and opened his mouth to protest, but a flash from Fou-Lu's eyes silenced him. He stooped to lift Kayura in his arms. She could only gaze up at him. Zeal's eyes darkened. "Milord, may I ask what you are doing? She is the enemy!" she spat as her superior gave Kayura a healing boost of energy and set her to her feet. Kayura backed away from them slowly nearly tripping over the empty shell of a samurai's armor. She eyed the warlord cautiously. Is he letting me go? "Why are you... helping me?" she dared to ask. Fou-Lu gave her no answer. He simply turned to face his two warriors. "Return to the castle..."
"What?!" Zeal spat in shock.
"Master Fou-Lu!"
"Do as I say!" she shouted. Kayura observed the other two physically flinch in fright of their leader's sudden outburst of anger. She took this opportunity to flee, hopefully that was what he intended to let her do.
"Anubis!" Rowen huffed as he finally caught up to the man. He doubled over to catch his breath. Anubis was equally exhausted after the raid had ended. "Don't... go up there... alone..." he finished. Rowen plopped down on the ground, a pained look on his face. "... Sorry..." the other breathed and leaned against the massive trunk of the tree. "... Are they... all gone?" Rowen asked standing up. Anubis nodded. He turned his head to the trees as he heard Hardrock crashing through. "Hey! I found 'em!!" Kento followed by everyone else gathered in the large clearing.
"Geez Ro'... I know ya need yer sleep, but this isn't the time!" he said and lifted the younger man up by the back of his armor. Rowen groaned. His face went from pained to shock once he saw the girls in their new 'clothes'. "What th' hell are they doin' here?! It's not safe!!" Sage supported Rowen as he began to sway on his feet, Ryo was the same way and had to be held up by Dais. "Relax, Strata... They claimed more heads today than I did today. Literally."
"Ooh. Whasa matter, Rowen-kun?" Megami asked. She cupped his cheeks in her hands making him blush. "Have too much fun today?"
"Uh, k-kinda..."
Tori began to laugh alongside Kento. He glared at them and Kento cleared his throat. "Hey, have you found Kayura? We heard her screams-" There was a rustling sound in the bushes and Kayura practically dragged herself to them. Her skin was smoking from the feral poison from Raiko. "Unn..." Kayura moaned as she collapsed just a few feet shy of them. Cale and Sekhmet moved to catch her in their arms. Nasake nearly screamed at the sight of her mangled back. Her clothing was scorched and hung from her body in shreds. Cale looked down at her, limbs shaking. She was fast, faster than all of them. Whatever did this to her made the warrior very nervous. "Kayura, what happened?!"
She murmured something intelligible in reply. Her eyes glazed over with a black film as the poison took effect. Her body began to convulse severely, causing frightened whimpers from Nasake and Megami. Sekhmet ripped of his helmet quickly. "Halo come here!" he ordered before sinking his fangs deep into her neck. Kayura's body then fell limp as Sage bent over and healed her. Sekhmet lifted the young woman gently and caressed her cheek. "... A second later and she would have been changed into a Dark Spirit," he said with relief. Domo swallowed hard,
"W-what did you do? Her wounds are-" Sakura removed her sky blue cloak and helped Sekhmet and Cale wrap her warmly. "Halo has healing powers. I can kill or cure with the venom that is inside my body," the snake man replied. "She'll be all right in a few hours." Tori shuddered, rubbing her neck nervously. "Ooh... Creepy..." Anubis tickled the back of her neck with his fingers causing Tori to scream. "Scared of snakes, are we?" he chuckled. Tori slapped his arm and glared at him, moving away from him and stood next to Ryo. "Jerk."
"Hey, quit kiddin' around Anubis," Kento frowned. He was mad that the former warlord didn't follow his own damn advice.
Domo's head snapped up, scanning the surroundings carefully. "... Something's coming." As soon as those words left her lips, the former warlord screamed as they were being electrocuted by dark energy. Anubis, Dais, Sekhmet, and Cale crumpled to the ground trying desperately not to let their bodies give into the energy's darkness. Domo and Tori dropped down to them in an attempt to help. "Guys!" Anubis and Cale merely pushed the two away.
"No!... Don't... you'll be...Arrgh effected... AH GODS!" Cale lashed out. The energy then stopped and left the four men breathing heavily, bodies pulsing with Nether Energy. "... Go... get back!!" Anubis warned.
"What the fuck is going on?!" Sai snapped.
"They're... trying to control... us..." Dais gritted out, literally forcing himself to stay on the ground. "Can't we do something?!" Nasake pleaded to Ryo.
"Just get back! This... he's tried this... before!!" Dais grunted out. Sekhmet and Cale tossed their weapons away from them. Suddenly, almost a wolf like growl resonated from the scarred warrior. With his claw he swiped at Halo from his knees. "Halo," Cale said nearly snarling. He eyes looked at Sage with hate, but then he screamed in pain and clutched his skull. "NO!... Damn it all! I.. won't let you... GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!"
Tori screamed as Anubis choked her from behind with the handle of his kusari-gama. "Red!! What are you doing?!"
"Shut up!" he snarled, snagging her hair in his fingers. Ryo approached him slowly,
"Anubis! Stop! Look what your doing! Talpa's is trying to control you!! FIGHT BACK!" Anubis groaned as his head began to pound again. *Kill them... kill the girl!!* NO!! Never again will I listen to you!! Anubis shrieked loudly fell to the ground, taking Tori with him. She scrambled away from him and towards Ryo's feet, coughing.
Touch them with your power, summoners... A voice inside her head rang. Like lighting Tori and the other girls grasped the warriors heads in their heads not sure if what they heard was real. Instantly, their bodies relaxed, asleep. Tori gulped and poked Anubis in the forehead after a moment. His brow wrinkled and he sat up quickly, snatching her hand. "Stop that," he grumbled and rubbed his temples. Tori tried to pull away, still somewhat scared, his grip was hurting her. Anubis looked at her, realizing what happened. He released her quickly the numbness of shame and guilt settling in. "I-I I'm sorry," he whispered and stood. The others followed.
"Mmm... Fuck the devil!" Sekhmet snarled, his head throbbing, thankfully that he had taken off his helmet. "What... what was that?" Sai gaped, still weary when they all reached for their weapons. Dais groaned and threw his helmet down. "Talpa... He was inside my head..."
"Are... are you guys okay?" Nasake whispered as she helped Cale to his feet. Sakura removed his helmet for him, surprised that she could lift it easily. "Ugh... I think so..."
Tori swallowed hard as she picked up Anubis' weapon. As light as it looked, she could barely lift it. Cautiously, she gave him his weapon. Anubis grabbed her hand, "I... I didn't hurt you, did I?" Tori shook her head slowly and pulled away, obviously still spooked. Anubis felt awful as well as the pounding in his head. "Did any of us do anything?"
"Nah. Everything's cool," Kento replied. "How's your head feeling?" A groan, a grumble, a moan, and a loud 'fuck!' was his answer from all four men.
Sage picked up Sekhmet's helmet and looked around. "Come on. We need to get back to the house..."
"Leaving?" an ancient voice asked from the shadows. Anubis made a snarl when he recognized it. "Come out Fou-Lu..." he ordered. Fou-Lu chuckled and emerged from the shadow, his arms folded and in his full armor. His cold eyes gleamed from his helmet, looking directly at Tori. "How did thee like mine 'Dark Circle' technique? Electrifying, yes?" he smiled. Tori swallowed hard and was surprised that Anubis pulled her back to him with his arm.
Ryo stepped forward, "Guys, don't let him get near the girls..."
"We gotcha covered, Ryo..." Rowen said. Fou-Lu began to laugh.
"Thou must be Wildfire... A boy? Thou alone beat Talpa?!" he sneered as if it were hard to believe. Ryo felt the anger boiling. He didn't like being laughed at or to be called a boy for that matter. He had grown a lot in three years. "... No, we, all nine of us beat Talpa and we'll do it again too..." he smiled through the anger.
"Once the Emperor as succeed in attaining Kurai, thou will not be so enthusiastic..." Kento frowned. "Man! Again with this Kurai bullshit! We'll beat whatever you guys can pull outta yer ass. You can tell ol' 'Fathead' that were not gonna stand for anymore of his fu-"
"Hardrock, shut up," Sekhmet snapped. Fou-Lu shook his head and removed his helmet. Rowen gasped, "You... you're a-"
"Don't say it, Strata..." Anubis interrupted, remembering the first time Rowen saw him without his helmet. Fou-Lu merely smiled at the nine Ronins. He then saw the four other girls along with Tori. "... All five are here? Hmm... Talpa will be pleased... You tell thine Guardians to take care of thine precious Ronins..." His eyes then fell to Domo. "The light will be consumed by his darkness, Summoner... and you all with it!" Tori frowned.
"Go back to your master, Fou-Lu..." she ordered hoping that he would still be like he was in her dream. He sighed and stepped toward her. "How are thee slumbering at night? Wond-" Anubis thrust the blade of his weapon to Fou-Lu's neck, halting him. "Another step and I take your head..." he whispered, his arm folding around her tightly. She flushed at his strength and the way the bulk of his arm made her feel. Fou-Lu glared at him, then smiled. "I shall tell Zeal I saw thee... How pleased she will be!" Then in a burst of black flames he vanished. Anubis stood there dumbfounded. Zeal? Alive? No... She's been dead for-
"Red?" Tori yanked him from his thoughts. He looked down at her, resting his other arm against her. "What?"
"You can let go of me now..." she mumbled. They both blushed as he released her. Sekhmet created a portal in the air. "DUUDE!"
"How'd you do that?!" He sighed and beckoned them through,
"Come... It's dangerous here..."
Ryo stood at the spot where Fou-Lu was and looked out into the forest with a glare. Sai shook him. "Ryo? Something wrong?" He didn't answer right away. He turned around.
"Thought I heard something..."
"... Let's go. Kaos must be worried..."
*poof* Hi!! Sorry that this was soooo long.... but I needed to give some characters personality and some background stuff on Kayura. Yeah, she was a whore. Not her fault tho!! I like Kay! *dodges flames from Kayura fans* Oh well... every one's a critic, ne?
Feedback? Please? Oh did anybody catch Rowen's great power of stating the obvious at the end? I had to use it... Sorry to all the Rowen fans out there!
Jane minna!!