Anubi-chan's gotta improvise with helmet wear in this chapter. And will some one explain to Dais-sama who the 'jolly old elf' is? Cale-kun's being kinda mean. Oh, Sekkie fans look out and send your love to your favorite green haired manly man. Poor Sekkie.*sniffle* Oh, how much would one pay for a life size RW cat... er tiger toy? In orange? The bidding starts at 1000 ¥!!
Thank you!
"Ronin Warriors: The Final Victor"
By Onikage
Scroll Ten: Frozen Enemies, Warmed Companions
Mia murmured softly before she opened her eyes. "... What?... Where am I?" she queried before she attempted to sit up in bed. She propped herself on her elbow and touched her forehead. A set of hands upon her shoulders forced her gently back against her pillows. "Hey, easy now." She recognized Dais' voice immediately.
"Dais... What happened?" she asked weakly, feeling dizzy again. His hand touched her forehead and he smiled. Her fever was gone. "You were in the kitchen and passed out. The boy came and got us quickly... You've been asleep for a week. We've all taken turns watching you." Mia sat up in bed with a jolt. "What?! A week?! Oh god!" she blustered, then moaned as she felt her head throb. Dais stroked her hair. "Sh, just rest now. You need it..." he said gently and put a glass to her lips. "Here, drink this... You'll feel better later." Mia clutched the glass in her frail hands, drinking quickly. She coughed making him chuckle softly, "Slow down, Lady Mia. It's not going anywhere!... Slowly. Drink it slowly..." Mia gasped for air as she finished.
"... Mm. What was that?" she asked with a smile. Dais bit his lip and looked down at the glass that was once filled with a deep red liquid. He was surprised that she drank it all. Now if she knew what it was... "... I-it was... cranberry juice," he lied, but felt slightly better when her face lit up. "Really? I didn't think we had any..."
We don't... That was water and some blood from Sekhmet... He swallowed hard at the thought. Mia smiled softly and yawned, "I hope the house isn't a total mess."
"It's not!" he said quickly. He was somewhat flustered that Mia would think they all live like heathens. "Some of us aren't like Hardrock and Ryo!" Mia giggled.
"I know... and I appreciate all the help that you, Cale, and Anubis do around here. I don't know what I would do without you guys," she said kissing his cheek gently, making a blush rise to Dais' skin. He wasn't used to being praised by women who weren't under the threat of death.
Cale cleared his throat in the doorway, "I'm not interrupting anything, am I? Mia smiled and stepped carefully out of bed. "Not at all, Cale. In fact we were just talking about you." She kissed his cheek as she left the room and into her bathroom "There now you're even!" she called over her shoulder. Dais watched her leave, then looked back at Cale and was surprised to still see him frowning at him. What's his problem? "Why are you glaring at me?" Cale didn't answer, he only turned his back on him and left. "... Anubis wants us to go out on patrol with him while the girls get a lesson in battle from the others." Dais followed behind him.
"Are they ready for something like that?" he asked. Cale glanced over his shoulder, sub armor forming around him and snorted, "If you were out there watching and helping instead of staying inside all day bothering Mia, you would know, wouldn't you!?" He then vanished within the shadows as he passed under one. Dais stood and frowned for a moment. This was unlike Cale to be jealous over a woman, especially how he and the others treated them in the past. It wasn't anything like that anyway, Dais was just worried about Mia. What was wrong with being concerned about some one who took them into their house and provided them with everything even after they had tried to kill her and everyone else on Earth?
*****
Kayura scratched at her neck with an annoyed groan. The itch nagged at her nerves driving her to the brink of what the younger Ronins knew as 'PMS'. "Ouu, damn it Sekhmet! Your venom makes me itch!!" she yelled up at him in the tree.
"... Fine. Then don't get frisky with Raiko again," he snapped and leapt down from the snow-covered branch. He shivered. "Damn this cold weather!"
The valley was under going insane weather patterns especially for the time of year. Last week it had been pleasantly warm. Great swimming weather. Now the temperature was below freezing and the lake was frozen with a layer of ice that was over a foot thick. The temperature was still dropping and the snow continued to fall. Anubis adjusted the dark blue winter cap Mia made him wear with an inaudible growl. The little white ball of fuzz hanging from the end was making him angry as it kept blowing in his face. Dais bit his tongue and tried not to laugh at his leader's 'misfortune'. However, Kayura began to giggle and adjusted the cap for him. "Oh, it's too bad that Strata destroyed your helmet, then you wouldn't have to where this cute little hat," she said sweetly. "Don't remind me," he grumbled as he saw the other three laughing silently behind her back. He gave them a look that would melt the ice crystals forming on their armors. Kayura sighed and yanked the cover down over his eyes, kissing his mouth gently, then skipping merrily away ahead of them. "Don't be so grumpy!" she called and hit them all with a handful of snowballs.
Anubis ripped the cap off his head and ran his armor hand through his hair angrily. "I wish she wouldn't do that!" he said in a soft growl. Dais put a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself! It's not everyday one gets... Cale, what did Wildfire call those again?"
"Uh... 'freebies'."
"Right. It's not everyday that one gets freebies from women like Kayura... Play your cards right, and you can have her in bed before you know it!" he finished in a sly whisper. Anubis flushed and stored the cap away in his armor. The flush on his cheeks from his embarrassment and rage would be enough to keep his head warm for hours. "You are one sick twisted man, Dais. You know perfectly well that I'm nothing like that!" he snapped. Cale laughed as he left the others behind to catch up to Kayura, "No, your just an innocent little elf from Santa Claus' workshop!" Dais followed him,
"Huh? Cale, who's Santa?"
Sekhmet looked behind them at the path they were taking. Anubis put his ego on hold for a moment to see what was bothering the former emperor. "What's wrong Sekhmet?" The man didn't answer and he continued to stare out into the ever-darkening forest. Slowly, he drew both of his snake-fang blades. Anubis only knew he used those swords if something was very wrong. "Sekhmet-"
"Sh!" His eyes scanned the trees carefully. His body whipped around when the brush behind them moved. Anubis armed himself and leapt back onto a stone marker. A fox scampered out and into another brush. Anubis nearly fell from the post. Sekhmet returned the blades to their place and let out a rush of captive breath. "Damned rat..."
"... You're losing your touch, Sekhmet," Anubis chucked. Sekhmet glared at him and stalked off to the others without a word. Anubis stared after him before continuing.
After all these years, he still holds hate for me?... I only did what I was made to do. I had no choice. I had no control over what happened that night in his castle's walls... None of us ever had control once we were caught...
"Black Lightning Slash!" Anubis' head jerked up and he broke off into a full sprint towards his comrades ahead of him. He found Kayura hovering in the air... no... she was hanging onto something that couldn't be seen. She drove one of her jitte into it and was rewarded with a world-shattering screech as it threw her. Thick blood splurged from the opening and fell upon the snow, melting it instantly. Cale leapt at the invisible creature from behind and sank his claw into it's back, tarring at the hardened flesh. The creature screeched again and swatted at Cale with something that may have been a tail. He flew towards the ground and his head on a rock with a sickening smack.
The creature's eyes glittered with an evil golden light that would have made Sekhmet's blood run cold if he was not cold-blooded all ready. Cale lifted himself from the ground with help from Dais as the figure separated itself from the night air revealing a long, serpentine body covered with thick scales and spikes. Red venom that scorched the ground drooled from the many rows of fangs in its mouth reeking with the scent of the dead. It almost seemed to smile at them, fully enjoying what it had so far accomplished. The tongue darted out quickly and it crouched onto its belly, slithering towards Sekhmet. Anubis stared at the familiar form and felt that Sekhmet knew it too. The former Warlord of Venom gaped at it as if he had seen a ghost. No... I-it cannot be... That form- Kayura's disgusted remark brought him back to the present. "Gods! What is that thing!?" Kayura clutched at the wound on her stomach, warm red blood escaping from her fingers. The heated fluid steamed in the cold night air along with the venom oozing from every pore and cut on the demon.
"... Looks like Wildfire's 'big ass snake'," Dais murmured. He saw the look on Sekhmet's face, then the creature's large talon come down at him knocking the warrior into a tree. "Sekhmet!!"
"Quake With Fear!" Anubis drove the weighted chain of his kusari-gama into the ground with a shriek and entangled the giant snake in its chains. Anubis pulled the chains taught with all of his immortal strength hoping to hold the beast while the others attacked it. "Kayura! This is the same creature the others fought!! Belly... is it's-" The creature broke the chains and lunged at Anubis with a talon, slicing the front of his armor open. Warm blood began to ooze from the openings and trickled onto the snow. Another blow to the head knocked him into the ground, breaking several ribs upon impact with several stones. He felt the poison in his veins and his vision blur as he stood.
The twisted creature had Kayura in its talon and enclosed it tightly around her until she screamed no longer. The beast dropped her body to the ground and Sekhmet caught her, avoiding the swift tail barely, giving Dais enough time to seize the creature's neck with the rope of his morning star. He leapt down from the branch and exposed the monster's neck. "CALE NOW!"
Cale unsheathed his no-dachi and drove the long blade into its belly. Like Hardrock's result, acid like blood began to spew from the wound and onto Cale. He had swiftly dashed away from the creature before he was sprayed in the eyes. His left arm was not as lucky; it began to sizzle loudly, but did not harm him. The monster screeched again and collapsed onto the blade of Cale's weapon, lying still. Suddenly, the beast convulsed and in a flash of light, it disappeared revealing a smaller creature, a young woman. Managi. She stood wearily on her legs, blood gushing freely from the hole in her chest and gashes on her head and back.
Managi stood as straight as she could, making a fist. It began to pulse with power and she aimed it at Cale. "You... die..." He braced himself for the blast when her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell. Sekhmet took everyone by surprise when he caught her and gently held her as he fell to his knees. "Gods..." he whispered and tore off his helmet. Brushing her long black hair from her ivory neck, he sank his fangs into her neck, reviving her. "Sekhmet what are you doing?!" Dais demanded. Managi's eyes fluttered open. For a moment she lay still, then she scrambled to her feet, clutching the new wound on her neck. "Damn you..." she snarled. Sekhmet reached for her, but she backed away, dark black sub-armor forming upon her slender form "Keep away, Ronin dog..." He snapped his hand back with a muffled cry.
"Name," Sekhmet demanded softly and stood.
"What?!" she breathed, eyeing the other Ronins carefully.
"Give me your name!" he practically shouted, on the verge of tears, balling his fists in frustration. Anubis looked away at the two of them, ashamed. He knew the warlord and remembered where his former title originated. The past had caught him in its unforgiving hands, slowly squeezing him, smothering him, until the guilt and shame burned in the pit of his stomach. And he knew from here, his bond with Sekhmet, as small as it was, would never be the same...
Managi smiled darkly, "I am Emperor Talpa's Dark Warlord of Hatred, Managi... You may as well know the name of the woman who will claim your lives." Sekhmet's eyes widened and he approached her slowly. "M-Managi... It's me, Naotoki..." he quavered.
Dais, Cale, and Kayura watched the pair in the darkness silently. Kayura felt a lump rise in her throat as the scene played out before them. The pain in her body slowly decreased, however the pain she felt for Sekhmet grew like a weed. He had told her of his past long ago, of course under the influence of hard liquor. At any other time she was lucky enough to get the time of day from him. She felt that this was the woman he spoke of and could only watch and do nothing as his all ready shattered world of glass became dust, picked up and whisked away into the cold winter air.
Managi stared at him and moved from his grasp in which he backed off quickly. "Th-that name... I..." she began, her face almost human. N-Naotoki... Emperor Nao-NO! It then turned dark. "I know not a 'Naotoki'!!" she shrieked and teleported away. Sekhmet fell to his knees and lowered his head, shoulders shaking from frustration, anger, hate, sadness, and forgotten love. Kayura slowly pulled away from Cale and touched his shoulder. He wrenched it away with a strained cry. His mouth opened wide and leaned back letting loose a demonic of pure sadness. His fangs glistened as much as the silver tears that clustered on his lashes. His voice mimicked the sound of a dying animal as he dissolved to silent tears. Kayura ignored his attempts to escape and pulled his head against her breast and stroked his hair, the only form of comfort she could offer.
It was a long while before anyone worked up the courage to speak. Sekhmet sighed heavily and gave Kayura a hidden kiss against her neck before he stood. The others waited for them patiently. Anubis didn't even look up when Cale spoke. "Sekhmet?... Are you-"
"Aye... I'm fine... Let's go."
"... Who... How do you know that woman, Sekhmet?" Dais asked. The Ronin of Piety sighed heavily and looked up at the clouded sky, hoping to see a star, but found none, only continuous falling snow. "... She... she was my wife many, many, many years ago in my empire. I'm sure you have heard of Naotoki, the Serpent King of the Underworld." He surprisingly smiled at Cale and Dais' shocked faces. "... Talpa attacked right after our union, Anubis at his side. I had to transform into something similar to what we just fought in order to save her. Unfortunately... She was to die anyway..." He turned their back on them and saw Anubis staring at him from a distance. Sekhmet lifted his chin and looked at him intensely. "What will you do if she attacks again?" Cale asked. Sekhmet did not turn, yet he continued to look at Anubis in his eyes. "She is still my wife and I will protect her even if it means fighting Wildfire and his Inferno. I won't hesitate to kill any of you if you try to stop me. I love her, and that's all that matters..." he replied. He stiffened as Cale put a hand on his shoulder,
"C'mon uh..." he stopped for a second. "... Now that we know your name, what-"
"Sekhmet is fine. Naotoki is dead... He died a long time ago," was his soft reply and he opened a portal in the night air stepping through it.
*****
Ryo bent over backwards taking full use of his incredible limber body to dodge the fireball that Tori recently learned how to use. "Wait, whadya mean she does it all the time?" she asked almost losing her arm to a katana. Ryo shrugged and swept her feet from underneath her. She met the snow-covered ground with a thud. She didn't try to get up. "Kayura's Kayura... She does whatever she likes. I can't control her or her... hormones. What man can?!" he laughed and extended his hand to her. She took it tiredly and he pulled her to her feet. "But... dontcha get kinda mad when she makes out with you, then is all over Anubis five minutes later? Isn't that a little... I dunno... wrong?" She stepped back and armed herself with a sword of fire she created in her palm.
"... Yeah... I was angry at first, then I realized that I couldn't do anything. If she likes Anubis, fine. If she likes me, sweet, but I'm not gonna tell her what to do... Ken zan!" Ryo dashed past her quickly and elbowed her in the back. She fell forward and snatched his ankle before he could kick her. He pulled him to the ground and pinned him with her body. He smiled tiredly at her, "Hey... yer pretty good." Tori looked mischievous,
"Yes, but I'm even prettier when I'm bad." Ryo arched an eyebrow and smirked.
"If I didn't know any better... I'd say you were coming on to me."
"Too late! I all ready am!" she chirped and crouched like a cat on him. "Give up?"
"... Hmm." He smiled and gestured behind her, "Uh, look behind you..." Tori huffed and frowned. "Wildfire, my spelling may suck, my cooking skills aren't exactly nifty, and sometimes when I add three and three I get seven, but do you really think I'm that dumb to fall for that?" Ryo shrugged, "No, but whatever..." Strong arms wrapped themselves around Tori's waist and hoisted her up above Kento of Hardrock's head. Tori squealed and thrashed about. "Hey Ryo, ya done with her? I need her real quick... Hey quit movin' or I'll drop you!" Tori stopped moving and winced.
"I would..." she began, "but your hand's crushing my boob!! Ow!" She saw Sai and waved at him. "Sai!! Your friend's manhandling me! Help!"
Sai looked up and as soon as he did Nasake tackled him to the ground. Bending in ways that baffled himself, he managed to move from her grip and pin her to the ground. "Hey! You cheated!!"
"Sorry, love! I'm- I'm just a tad busy- ooh, lively lit'le thing, aren't ya? he called between squirms from Nasake. Tori whimpered and started to struggle again. "Ooh! Put me down Hardrock or you won't be able to have kids!" she screeched. Kento ignored her and slung her over his shoulder much like a sack of potatoes. "Hey Ro-wen! I got her!!" he sang.
"Ryo, help me? Please?" she pleaded.
"No can do Tori. I can't have you all to myself, can I?"
"Yes, yes you can! Just help me! Anything but this- EEK!" Hardrock just delivered a hard slap on the rear and ran over to Rowen. Tori glared at Ryo, but then smirked when Sakura surprised him with a water bomb. "Ugh!!! COLD!!" he yelped, freezing water intensified in the wind. "Ohh! THAT'S NOT FAIR!" he whimpered and danced frigidly.
"Kento, put 'er down. She's not a sack of food, ya know," the archer sighed.
"Yeah, but she looks good enough to eat, don't she?" he mused hitting her butt again. Strata sighed once more, "Don't let the excitement spoil your grammar, Kento." Tori flushed when he set her down. Her face then went from shy to angry. A ball of fire appeared in her hands, "... That is the last time I let you smack my ass!" Kento gulped.
Domo frowned when she lost sight of Sage. Damn, he's quick! She felt a sharp blow to the back and stumbled. She turned and found no one there. "ERR! Where are you?!" she demanded. "Hey, no need to shout," he said calmly from behind. Domo whipped around again before he did anything. "How the hell are you that fast?!" Sage smiled,
"... That's a secret!" he whispered. She frowned and swung at him and ended up losing her balance, falling into the snow. She snarled and swept him, taking the advantage of surprise. Sage caught himself and flipped backward before she could touch him. He laughed and leaned against the tree. "Still too slow." Domo pushed her hair back angrily.
"You know, you have just a little bit more attitude than I like..." Sage gave her a handsome smile and winked at her. "Date family trait, my dear," he chuckled and slipped by another punch. She snarled, "You're pushin' it, Date..." He had disappeared again.
"Oh, but I've just begun," he purred into her ear and swept the ground from beneath her. He caught her gracefully in his arm and gave her another one of his smiles. Domo had to blush. This was sort of the first time she had been 'swept off her feet' by a very attractive man. 'Very attractive' was her lingering thought.
"HEY SAGE! YOU TRAININ' OR TEACHIN' HER TA TANGO?!" Rowen shouted smugly. Sage set her to her feet and gave his best friend an annoyed look. His annoyance soon turned to amused when he heard Kento pleading for help. Domo looked up and saw that the infamous Kento of Hardrock dangled like a fish on a hook from a very tall tree on a very high branch. Upside down no less. Tori was at the top tying the knot securely. Domo had to wonder how she had managed such a feat, or what the food loving Ronin did to deserve her wrath. She giggled and followed Sage towards the life size cat toy. The others had soon gathered for a good laugh. Kento just hung with his arms crossed and very 'not happy'.
Sai shook his head, "I told you to behave yourself, but did you listen. Nope!" Kento frowned. "I was only kiddin' around... Sheesh. How was I to know she'd go ballistic on me?! Mia doesn't mind... I think..." Ryo shoved Kento and he began to swing from the branch. "Nooo!! Ryo! Stoop!! Ahhh!! Gemme dooown!! Gemme doo-oo-oown!" he cried, waving his arms frantically. "I dunno, Kento. You do make a great tiger toy. Doesn't he, 'Blaze?" Tori purred and scratched the giant cat's head. Whiteblaze began to paw at Kento playfully, claws retracted, of course. Kento covered his face with a whimper, "I can't feel my feeet!!"
"Heh, neither can the rest of us!" Tori mused, pushing him again.
"Waaa!! I'm sorry! I won't hit you there again! I promise! I'll be good..." Tori made a fire blade in one hand and pulled Kento to a stop. "Weeelll.... OKAY!" She cut him down and smacked his bum rather hard for a girl. It actually hurt in the full armor! "... Next time you won't be so lucky." Kento rubbed his arm and sulked on the ground. Whiteblaze tackled him with a hundred kitty kisses in thanks for the playtime. "Ackpth! White-AUGH! Quit! Eww..."
"It's time like these I wished that I had been a little more playful with my illusions with him. Dangling by his feet... I have to write that one down."
"Don't get ink in yer eye, Mr. Hocus-Pocus..." he grumbled.
"Touché, Hardrock."
"How did training go...? Wildfire? Why are you soaked?" Cale asked.
"... Her." Ryo pointed to Sakura with a red face. She looked innocent. "Training was fine..."
"Any problems while transforming?"
"No... The Guardians stuck the runes inside 'em so that nothing bad happens to 'em," Rowen replied. Sakura shuddered, "Ugh... Yeah. Do not want to do that again..."
"Where's Anubis, Sekhmet, Kayura?" Sage asked.
"Uhh... There was a fairly... dangerous battle and they got a little banged up," Dais replied. "In more ways than one," Cale murmured.
"What happened?" Nasake asked. "What do you mean?" Both ancient warriors glanced at each other and told them what they knew. The lively bunch grew solemn. "Aw... Poor Sekhmet..." Sakura mumbled.
"And he won't hesitate to kill any one of us to protect her..." Cale finished. Ryo frowned, "This isn't good..."
"Bet Red's not feelin' too proud of himself now..." Tori murmured and looked up at one of the bedroom windows. Do I dare and be nice today? Hmm...
"Guys! Dinner's ready!!" Mia called from the kitchen. Megami could be seen scrambling in the kitchen to get the food ready. "MIA!! ACK! YULI! DAMMIT!" There was a loud crash.
"SORRY MEGAMI!!" When everyone looked back at each other Kento was gone.
"Figures his stomach would overpower his guilt," Sage laughed.
"That's the 'Kento of the Bottomless Pit' for ya," Rowen smirked.
"God... I hope she didn't make what I think she made," Domo groaned, thinking about what strange food Megami made this time. "Huh? What's a... meat... loaf?"
Domo just made a face.
*bam* SOLD to the white tiger for 2000 ¥! Aww... poor Sekkie! Send him hugs and love and all that good stuff! Heeey now... does anybody know what's going on in Ryo's head? Hmm... Kayura's all... promiscuous... Rekka's summoner's not.... Choices. HA! I'm NOT teeellling!! NYAAHH! *goes off to give Sekkie a big hug*