Hi everyone, I hoped you enjoyed chapter 4. Here's chapter 5, please read and review.
Chapter 5: Learning From One Another
Phoebus angrily slammed his fist against the wall.
"They foiled me again!" He paced back and forth. "What am I supposed to do? Now, one of the Senshi has grown stronger. Bringing back Ann and Allen was supposed to destroy them."
A black cat with yellow markings on its body sat up and stretched lazily. "At least now you know what they look like in their human forms."
Phoebus stopped and said. "Yes, I do. I think now is the time to switch my focus from the Senshi."
"To who?"
"The Knights."
AT REI'S TEMPLE
The Senshi and Knights were meeting at the temple to discuss what they have recently found out about their enemy.
"So, we know his name's Phoebus. Luna, Artemis, do you know of any enemies named Phoebus?" Kyle asked.
Luna shook her head no, and Ben spoke up. "Mercury, you are good with research. Have you dug up anything?"
"No, I haven't found out anything."
Serentiy sighed. "All I know is that I'm happy to have you powered up Mercury."
Endymion and his Knights nodded. "We're grateful too," Kyle said. "With all the fighing we've been geting weaker and weaker, and it's been getting harder to fight. You've certainly eased things up a bit."
"Well, it doesn't seem as if this meeting is getting us anywhere, and I know Minako has a photo shoot. I'm sure everyone else has things to do too, so why don't we just call it quits for now?" Artemis said. Everyone agreed, and the meeting adjourned.
THE KNIGHTS APARTMENT
The Knights lived in the same apartment building as Endymion, on the same floor as him, across the hall. It was two bedrooms, so they shared bedrooms. Kyle and Mark shared, and Ben and Curtis shared. None of the four particurarly cooked well, so most of their meals they took with Endymion, who did cook. As for keeping the apartment clean, at first it was no one's responsiblity and things got very messy. Curtis in particular was annoyed, so they divided jobs. Most of their time, however, was not spent at the apartment. They were either with Endymion or at their jobs.
Kyle was in entertainment and worked at at a film company. Mark was a photographer, and had been a part of many of Minako's photo shoots. Kyle and Mark had been best friends since elementary school. They had always been inseperable, and felt more like close brothers than friends. Kyle was always the more outgoing one growing up. He always wanted the attention on him. He used to joke about becoming an actor, thought that never happened. He was fiercely loyal, and got into more than a few fights growing up over comments said about friends or family. Mark was more calm, though just as loyal to friends as Kyle. He was always confidant, though felt more comfortable behind the lens of a camera than in front of it. He was the thinker in their relationship. Kyle often reacted with his heart, not thinking. Mark would often calm him down and think things through. The two together made a good team, even in terms of their powers, fire and ice.
Ben and Curtis were not friends before becoming Knights, though the four became fast friends once they found out their destiny. Ben, of the four, was the most athletic and aggressive. This made him a top soccer coach in the states for a college. Now in Japan, he was a coach for the best high school in Tokyo. Ben was very blunt and outspoken, as he believed that it did no good to keep things hidden. He had a hatred for liers, and felt guilt ridden over all the lies he had told since becoming a Knight. This was the one thing he never voiced, and when it really bothered him he could become angry and snappish to his friends. Curtis was definitely the shyest of the four. With people he did not know so well, this translated to quietness. He was the most insecure and lacked the confidence the other three had always had. He was also the most intelligent. For a job, he taught English at the top high school in Tokyo, and also was the track coach there. Growing up he had been a sprinter, and that was what he coached. He sometimes felt a little out of place with the other Knights. It took him a long time to feel comfortable with anyone, and even after all these years he was not totally comfortable with the Knights. The answer lies with the fact that had they not been Knights, he never would have made friends with Kyle, Mark, or Ben. They were not like the normal people he hung out with, and this bothered him. The others sensed this, and there was always an aloofness surrounding their relationship with him.
"BEN!" Kyle shouted angrily. He stormed into the kitchen where Ben was getting a snack. "Why is the bathroom always a mess after you take a shower. I walk in there and slip from all the water on the floor. Shaving cream all over the place! Your cloth and towel are laying on the ground. And would it kill you to put your razer away!?"
Ben looked up. "Hey, why so angry. Just move things over."
"Just move things over! You've got to be kidding me. It's not the responsibility of everyone else to clean up after you."
"I don't know why you're tripping, you clean the bathroom once a week anyway. It's your job."
"That's besides the point! Look, the least you can do is show some respect for the three other people living here and clean up after your self. Talk about having no class!"
Ben was angry now. "Hey, sissy, what did you say?"
Now Kyle was doubly angry. "How dare you call me a sissy? You're nothing but a spoiled brat who can't even pick up after himself. And when are you going to get a real job?"
"Coaching is a real job!"
"No it's not. If you ask me, you're the real sissy."
"You wanna bet?" Bolts of lightning exploded around his hands.
Kyle made flames appear over his hands too. They were ready to fight, when Mark intervened. "That's enough you two."
Ben rolled his eyes. "Great, Mark the mediator to the rescue." This made Mark flush angrily, but he didn't let his temper get the best of him. Kyle, however, had no such qualms. He lunged at Ben, shooting fire. Ben attacked back with bolts of lightning.
"Stop! You guys will destroy the apartment!" Mark yelled. "Just chill out!" When they continued fighting, he shot a stream of ice at both their feet, locking them in place.
They looked at him angrily. "Hey!"
"You guys are ridiculous. You're always fighting. Ben, just clean up after yourself, will you!?" Ben muttered an all right. Kyle melted the ice.
Curtis went back to grading the papers he had started before the fight.
Such was a typical weekend afternoon in the lives of the Knights.
ON TOP OF THEIR APARTMENT BUILDING
"Ha! So the Knights don't get along. Very interesting." This was Phoebus, who had been spying on the Knights. He looked at the cat next to him. "I think I have a plan."
LATER THAT NIGHT
Phoebus appeared outside the Knights' window, looking in on them. "You know what to do," he told his cat. Phoebus blasted open the windows, not to quietly. The cat jumped into the apartment, raised his head, and began screeching. Kyle, Mark, Ben, and Curtis came running out of their bedrooms. The cat jumped onto the couch, grabbed the television remote, and jumped out hte window. Let's see if they follow me, he thought.
"Hey, come back here, you little furball!" Mark yelled. He jumped out the window, and flew off. The others followed.
"That cat is fast," Ben gasped, as they watched it sprint down the street.
"Did you guys notice its yellow markings? They seem a bit strange to me." Curtis spoke up.
They followed the cat to the park, where it stopped and began to groom itself. Making sure no one was around, they landed.
"Here, kitty kitty kitty," Curtis said softly, reaching for the cat. The cat looked up, dropped the remote, then ran away.
"What was that all about?" Kyle asked. Mark shrugged. Suddenly, a blinding white light surrounded the Knights.
"Whats going on!?" Ben yelled. The Knights floated into the air. Suddenly, the light cleared, and they found themselves in a large empty space. In front of them was a figure, covered completely in a grey robe. "Who are you!" Ben demanded to know.
"I," said a voice that was low and dry, "am your tester. I'm here to test your abilities and decide if you are worthy to be Knights, before you receive a higher power."
"A higher power?" Mark did not sound too convinced.
"Yes. I will send you on a series of tasks that you must complete. I will evaluate you as you perfform these tasks."
"What happens if we do not perform well?" Kyle dared to ask.
"You will forfeit the right to stay Knights."
"What happens if only one of us fail, and the rest pass." Ben asked this question.
"You all fail and pass together. One is enough to hold you all back. No more questions, it's time to start! Your first task is this: you must dual one another."
"What!? What kind of task is that?" Kyle asked.
"Yours is not ot question. You must dual to your best ability. Kyle and Mark, you will dual. Ben and Curtis you will dual next. Kyle and Mark, go over there and face one another."
Kyle looked at Mark. "I don't wanna dual you, man. You're like my brother."
Mark looked at Kyle. "I know, but we have to."
"Start!"
Kyle began throwing fire at Mark unmercifully. Mark responded in kind with ice.
AN HOUR LATER
The Knights were exhausted. The "tester" had had them each fight for a half hour each.
"Your next task is to answer my questions truthfully. In order to ensure this, each of you will wear these bracelets. If you lie, they glow bright red,and someone else will receive a bolt of electric energy through their body."
Ben grew angry. "You think that any of us here would lie."
"Yes, I do think you would, if it mant staying a Knight. Now here's the first question, for Kyle. Have you ever, at any time in your life, made fun of or joined in the teasing of Mark?"
Kyle gaped at him. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question!"
"Of course not!" At that moment, Kyle's bracelet glowed red, and Mark received a jolt of electricity.
The tester angrily said, "Telling the truth is a virtue that Knights must possess." Ben looked angrily at Kyle, that he would lie and make Mark bear the consequences.
"I don't know what you mean, I would never make fun of Mark"
"Was it not you who joined in and laughed at jokes told by others about Mark?"
Kyle's mind raced. He had done it. But the two had been fighting. And it was not recent, it was in middle school! And they weren't teasing Mark in particular, rather gossiping about a lot of people as a whole, as kids often did. He said yes, then opened his mouth to explain and apologize to Mark, but the tester cut him off.
"Next question! Curtis is it true that you don't like the other Knghts?"
"No, of course not!" His bracelet glowed, and this time all the other Knights received electrical jolts. The three looked at Curtis in horror.
Curtis protested, "I do like them."
The tester shook his covered head. "Curis, more lying. How can Knights work together when they dislike eachother."
Ben said angrliy, "I always knew the little turd disliked us."
Curtis thought, it's not really true that I dislike them. I dislike their personalitys at times and the ways the act, but as a whole I do like them. But he never got to explain, as the tester moved on.
By now the Knights were feeling pretty angry. Everyone was mad at Curtis and Mark and Ben were mad at Kyle.
"Mark, is it true that you feel that Kyle iacts stupidly."
"Yes, but--" He was cut off not by the tester, but by Kyle.
"You think I'm WHAT!?"
Mark wanted to explain that he thought that Kyle's temper was stupid and the way he was in fights was stupid. But Kyle was no letting him, angrily shouting out all of the things he hated about him.
"Calm down," the tester shouted. "Comradeship is an important part about being a Knight. You guys obviously don't seem to have it. rather, you seem to possess betrayel. The last question is for Ben. Is it true that you hate being a Knight?"
Ben paled and said, "I don't hate being a Knight, I hate--" His bracelet glowed, and once again the other Knights were shocked.
"How can you be a Knight when you hate it?" The tester asked. He knew just as well as Ben did that he hated having to lie to be a Knight, but not actually being one. "Well, it seems to me that you men should not be Knights. I'm sorry but you failed."
Kyle turned angrily to Mark. "This is all your fault!"
"No, it's yours!"Mark angrily knudged him.
"If you ask me, it's Curtis's fault, seeing as he hates everyone!" Ben yelled.
"No one asked you!" Curtis snapped. "And anyway, it's your fault, you don't even want to be a Knight!"
"You guys all are liers anyway, why would I want to be apart of this!" Ben screamed.
Soon, it turned into an indistinguishable mess of fighting. The same men who had been so reluctant to dual each other before were now willingly attacking one another.
WATCHING FROM ABOVE
"This is great!" Phoebus said. "There's no way they'll be able to defend themselves now. They're too tired, and angry at one another! I think its time to send in the monster."
DOWN BELOW
The ground began to shake.
"What's that!" Mark gasped. Rising up out of the ground was a huge dragon.
"What is this? What's going on?" Ben yelled. With a roar, the dragon swept it's tail and knocked over the Knights.
"We've gotta power up!" Yelled Kyle. In seconds, the Knights were in Knight form.
"I don't need you weaklings, I can handle the dragon myself," Bolt sneered. He began shooting lightning at the dragon, but to no effect. Ben realized just how weak he really was. His eyes widened as the dragon shot blasts of fire right at him. He went flying into the air, and landed hard. The others barely glanced at him, their eyes widening as the dragon's attention turned to them. They ran, but there was no where to hide.
In the air, Fireside said in his mind to the others, forgetting his anger. Crest and and Chill took to the air. They glanced down and saw Bolt slowly flying to them. Aburst of air from the dragon sent them spinning out of control through the air. They caught their balance and went back to flying full speed, with the dragon right behind them. Crest focused his power over energy and created a shield around them.
Fireside looked at Crest surprised. You're creating a shield over all of us?"
Ya. You should know that I don't hate you guys. I just don't always understand you and dislike some of you're actions, but I always considered myself your friend.
And I never thought you were stupid, Fireside. I thought that some of the fights you got into were stupid, and your temper was a bit ridiculous, but I never thought you were stupid.
The dragon striked at them with his paws, breaking the shield of hte weakened Crest. Chill turned and shot a stream of ice at the dragon's wings, not enough to completely freeze them, but enought to slow him down.
Chill, the only time I ever made fun of you was once in middle school when we were fighting. It's not like I've been going behind your back and saying stuff. I'm really sorry for some things I said ack then, but that was years ago and I haven't been that mad at you in such a long time.
Guys, I don't hate being a Knight, not one bit.
Then why'd you say so.
I'll tell you guys later, now is not the time.
The dragon was dangerously close. He breathed a stream of fire on them, and the Knights fell screaming to the ground.
"Guys, we can't win!" gasped Crest.
"Yes we can!" Fireside stood up. He held out his hands. "Come on! We've gotta used the Knights combined power."
Bolt said, "Fireside we're too weak for that."
"We've got too!"
The dragon shot another round of fire at them, the Knights just barely dodging.
"Crest, form a shield," Fireside shouted. Crest did so as the dragon swooped low. He set to work, trying to break the shield with fire.
"The dragon's too strong, I can't hold up the shield for more than a few seconds."
The Knights joined hands.
"Power of Sun!"
"Power of Ice!"
"Power of Lightning!"
"Power of Energy!"
"Earth that gives us strength protect us!" Please Endymion, lend us your energy.
Endymion, in his apartment heard, and passed along his strength.
As the dragon broke through the shield, white light emanating from the Knights shot up and engulfed the dragon. As the dragon was destroyed, the Knights were transported back to the park, weakened and shaking.
"I will destroy you!" Phoebus appeared, and launched negative energy toward the Knight.
Endymion sent the last bit of his strength into Crest, who set up a shield that reflected Phoebus's attack at him, stronger than before. Phoebus screamed and disappeared.
The Knights panted, and caught their breath. Fireside turned to Bolt. "Explain. If you don't want to be a Knight, then don't."
Bolt sighed. "I do. I love being a Knight.I just hate lying in order to be one. When I was younger, me step father abused me. I tried telling my mom, but she would not believe me because he inisted he hadn't. I found an adult who would believe me, a family member, and we took him to court. My stepfather lied and came up with all this evidence about why I was lying. I was twelve at the time. My stepfather won. Shorlty after, he divorced my mom, and my mom always blamed me. Ever since, I've always had this hatred for lying and liers. I felt like being a Knight turned me into one." Tears sprang to his eyes. Fireside silently walked over, and embraced him. Chill and Crest weren;t far behind.
"Thanks." The others nodded.
"I guess we have a lot to learn about eachother, to keep this from happening again."
They began to share, about their past and where theycame from. And their feelings towards one another. It was at times harsh, what they learned about what others thought of them. But it brought them closer together than ever before.
That was a nice long chapter. I hoped every one liked it. I decided I wanted to devote some time to the Knights, since peole don't really know them. Please review.