The Ancient, who was silent the entire time, gently laid the sleeping warlord onto the soft grass. Ryo stared not-quite-friendly at Anubis, wondering why the hell the Ancient hadn't just dumped his cargo back in some ditch. Sage set a barely awake Cye next to a tree and joined Ryo's side, thinking the same but knowing there had to be a damn good reason behind all this. Kento, who was more...well Kento-ish, had his staff ready to kick the questionable warlord back to the Netherworld.
Rowen stood in the back of the group with Amariie, his left arm around her waist as a precaution since her tango with Anubis (hehe...precaution my ass..).
The Ancient stood over Anubis for a second, then proceeded to walk straight to Rain. She took a step back, not sure why he had pointed her out.
Stopping a foot or so away from her, he smiled. "I believe that is mine," he said softly as he pointed towards the staff Rain still had in her hands.
Blushing, she handed it to him. "Oh um..here ya go..heh."
He gazed at Rain and Amariie for a few moments. "I am very sorry that you two got involved in this war. Yet without you, the Ronin Warriors would still be lost. For that, I thank you."
Amariie grinned widely. "Well of course," she said while flipping her hair over her shoulder. "By the way, do you have a name? I feel weird calling you ‘The Ancient’ all the time. You don’t look too old.”
The Ancient nodded and gave her a smirk. "Call me Bob."
Rowen would have burst out laughing if it wasn't for the fact that it may piss off...Bob...
The Ancient turned back towards Anubis, stopping to confront the lads. "You all have done very well in exploring your armors. I commend you."
Kento gave a goofy grin to Ryo, who smiled back. "But wait. What about...him?" Kento asked, giving Anubis a hard point.
"It would have been foolish of me to simply give Talpa back Anubis' armor. Why not have another of ours on our side?" When Bob got a few confused looks, he continued on. "His armor is the same as yours. All nine armors were created from the same source."
Sage's jaw promptly dropped and Ryo burst out, "What?!! Like HELL!!"
The Ancient stared at the sleeping Anubis. "It is true whether you believe it or not. Now I ask you to leave Anubis and I alone for a while. I must speak with him and make him see the light."
Kento was about to argue, but Ryo clamped his hand over chubby's mouth and dragged him into the wooded area. The others obediently followed, yet Rain stayed behind, hiding in a nearby bush.
The Ancient raised his staff and muttered under his breath a few ancient phrases. Within moments, it burst into light, making Rain cover her eyes. When she opened them, she saw a black/red mist seeping out of Anubis' body and levitate above him. She tried not to make any noise as the Ancient's words got louder and the light shone brighter. Then a spot of light, brighter than ever, pulled itself away from the top of the staff and floated to the middle of the mist. There was a soundless explosion and the dark mist was gone, banished into the void forever. When the light finally died down, Anubis stirred.
Rain's wide eyes were locked on the warlord as he slowly raised himself to his knees, obviously not knowing where the hell he was.
His mouth opened to demand what was going on, but his mind remembered the torture he underwent for Talpa and how an evil spirit possessed him. Suddenly feeling disgusted at himself for allowing hundreds of years of manipulation and deceit, he looked to the Ancient for answers.
The Ancient gazed at him sympathetically. "Anubis...why do you let Talpa use you?"
Getting the slight feeling that it was alright to trust this man, he replied, "Talpa is my master."
"You are loyal, Anubis, yet you do have the right to choose what master you serve.”
Anubis then flipped out. "What the FRICK?! The contract never said ANYTHING about that!" :grabs Talpa's contract out of thin air and flips through it: "See! It says nothing!"
The Ancient then took the 15-inch book and flipped to page 6,325. "You always read the fine print before you sign."
Anubis took the book and read quickly: Any warlords, bodiless minions, Netherworld spirits, or any servant of master Talpa are not necessarily bound to their master forever, but it is highly recommended. Yet under the Amendment 12, page 14, paragraph 398, section 2.4, sentence 7, it is stated that any warlord, bodiless minion, Netherworld spirit, or any servant of master Talpa has the right to choose their own master, yet in cases where a warlord, bodiless minion, Netherworld spirit, or any servant of master Talpa had refused to work for the great and mighty Talpa, there was a high percentage that have died due to an accident in the bathroom concerning a hair dryer and a case of Skintimate Pear Passion shaving gel.
After carrot-top had read the paragraph, the Ancient then smacked his staff, making it glow a faint blue color, and said, "Oh yeah, you have a virtue, too."
Stunned by the sudden light, Anubis got up and walked in a general direction, looking for something to lean against. His hand found a bridge rail. Opening his eyes wearily, he saw his reflection in a small pond. On his forehead glowed the kanji "Chu" (translation: loyalty...duh...). Taken back by this new epiphany, he turned to the old (?) man.
"What do I do?"
The Ancient grinned, walked to Anubis' side, placed his hand on the warlord's shoulder, and said, "That is for you to decide. This is your path, make it a journey." He then raised his head in the direction of Rain's hiding place and gave a quick smile, then turned around to walk to where the Ronins were. "See ya."
Ryo and Rowen stood up simultaneously when they heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Once they saw the staff and the ridiculously large hat, they offered the Ancient a seat by a small fire they made.
Amariie looked around. “Where’s Rain? I thought she was with you, Ancie-“
“Bob,” he insisted.
“Er..Bob.”
The Ancient smiled and said calmly, “She is with Anubis.”
Amariie laughed loudly. “Woohoo! Go Rainey!”
Ryo leaned towards the Ancient and said lowly, “Do you think it’s safe?”
The Ancient paused for a moment and replied, “I think it’s just what Anubis needs.”
Rain, still hidden behind a thick bush, watched Anubis lean over the side of the bridge, gazing into his reflection. He was confused...no make that freaking lost. How could he have spent his entire life with Talpa, the one who tortured him endlessly and gave him nothing in return except a few lousy paychecks. Even when he asked for a raise after 500 years in service, all he was given was a burnt backside and a Tootsie roll. Maybe he was blinded for all those years and now he was actually seeing the light. Perhaps-
His thoughts stopped and he spun to the left, hearing someone in the woods. “Come out! I know you’re there!” he called out, not wanting to be spied on at the moment.
Rain gulped hard. Her damn foot had caught on a small twig, causing it to snap quite loudly. Slowly, she stood up, revealing herself to him. Yet the reaction she saw wasn’t the reaction she thought she’d see. His eyes widened but he quickly turned his face to normal.
“What are you doing here?” he asked quickly.
Rain stepped out of the brush. “Um...looking for wood,” she lied badly.
Anubis snorted. “Yea. Sure. So you heard all?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Rain hesitated. “And I’m sorry,” she said while walking up to him, no longer afraid of his presence.
“What?” he questioned while staring into her jade-silver eyes.
She turned to look into the water at their two reflections. She could see him still staring at her and she blushed. “I don’t know what you’re feeling right now, but I’m sure you can move on away from Talpa and the other warlords. You could stay here with us.”
Anubis blinked at her, wondering why she was telling him this. Then he realized that she cared about him. How could this girl care for a warlord who’s tried to kill her and her friends quite a few times. Then he conscious poked him. He hadn’t ever tried to kill her. He threw her into the volcano, knowing Wildfire would rescue her. Every time he had confronted her, he’d subconsciously make sure she’d get away. He didn’t realize he was still staring at her until he found himself looking into her eyes. Everything in his mind suddenly vanished. He didn’t care about Talpa, Dais, Sekhmet, or Cale anymore. Hell, he didn’t care that they’d probably kill him in his sleep tonight. All he cared about were the two greenish silver orbs looking into his soul. (GOD THAT IS SO SAPPY)
“I’m lost right now,” he said softly to her.
Rain blushed brightly and said, “Then find your way back.”
Not completely realizing what he was doing, he raised his armored hand and cupped her jaw, letting her dark silver hair become entwined in his fingers. Not completely realizing what she was doing, she wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling safe for the first time in a very long time. Perfectly in sync, they wrapped themselves around another and kissed for the first time.
~Meanwhile~
Talpa giggled girlishly while balancing a bowl of popcorn on his knee. “Hehe!!! That is so SWEET!”
Dais was looking around the room, not really caring about watching the love fest before him. Sekhmet had already excused him to go throw up while Cale was grinning lecherously at the wide screen as if it was a porno.
Daisy-man sighed loudly, obviously bored. “Er..Master Talpa? Shouldn’t we go retrieve him? He would be helpful for us.”
Talpa unglued his eyes from his precious ‘Rain and Anubis Soap Opera’ to kill Dais for interrupting. But then he thought Dais was probably right, as usual, the girly twit. “Hmph. Fine, fine, go get him. He’s the best foot masseuse I’ve ever had.”
Just before the two love-birds deepened the kiss, Anubis pulled away. He stared deep into her eyes, thinking how this would end up and if Rain would survive the war. Not wanting to let anything break the moment, he became content resting his head on her shoulder. As Rain was stroking his nifty hair, three dark presences became known.
Anubis straightened himself and looked around frantically. “No, not them.”
He shoved Rain behind him and tried to find out where his former comrades were.
Rain yelled as she felt a large arm grab her and she was slammed up against a breastplate. Anubis whipped around to see a grinning Cale holding a struggling Rain. “Let her GO!” he screamed, but was cut off as Dais punched him in the gut. He fell to the ground and Rain yelled a few choice words at his attacker. Anubis looked up to see a pissed off Dais and Sekhmet leering above him.
"I won't serve Talpa anymore!" Anubis snarled at his three former comrades. He found his path, and Talpa wasn't gonna screw him into massaging his smelly feet any longer.
Sekhmet returned his hefty glare. "Hey, if we don't get any action, then either do you."
Anubis' face went as red as his hair. Dais grabbed a handfull of silky crimson strands and began to drag him to his feet, only to let him fall back down again. Spinning his head around, he saw why. A golden arrow struck the spider-dude in the shoulder, causing Dais to lose his hold on him.
"Sorry guys, he crashing at our place tonight," Rowen smirked, standing a good 10 feet above their heads, perched nicely on a tree branch.
::THWACK::
Kento's staff swiped Sekhmet clean off his feet and relocated him into the water, face down of course. Dais' jock strap was once again put to the test, compliments of a pissed red-head's elbow. It failed. Oh dear God did it fail.
Cye jabbed his trident at Cale's kneecap, avoiding the squirming Rain he was currently attached to. Cale relinquished his hold and drew his sword. Unfortunetly for him, before he could duel and redeam his long-long macho pride, Talpa sent forth one of his light beams, sucking up a fiesty red-head, a wet freak-show, a whiny-voiced scarred man and an anguished cyclops.
~BACK AT TALPA'S CASTLE~
Royally pissed at his latest loss, Talpa snarled at the three armoured men in front of him. "This freaking sucks. ARGH!"
Cale chewed his lip nervously before meekly inquiring, "Can I have his room then?"
"NO! And I'm not done bitching, so stand there and look like you're interested!"
"..."
"Anyways, my new perm TOTALLY did not turn out the way I wanted it to! That stupid woman PROMISED I'd look like Sarah Jessica Parker, but I look like Ronald McDonald with heroine withdrawn symptoms!" Talpa wailed, stomping his armoured foot in a temper tantrum.
Dais, almost recovered from the definitte loss of ability to produce children, let his jaw drop to the floor. "*big sweatdrop* Master Talpa.... I thought you were angry with Anubis' betrayal?"
Talpa continued to whine. "Who can think of trivial stuff like that when my hair is a disaster! MOMMMMIIIEEEEE!!!!!'
~...AHEM, YES ANYWAYS~
The Ronins were seated around the long-dead fire, all listening intently to the Ancient's explanation of the nine armours. All except Rain. Her mind was still clinging to a moment. A moment in which she wasn't sure would ever happen again. A soft, sweet kiss, held with such a pure and innocent love. A moment that she'd...
::SMACK::
Rain turned a surly face to the equally surly female beside her. If she wasn't feeling such a high from the kiss right now, Amariie would be SOOOOO fucking dead in a gutter. Covered in rats, ... and stale chewing gum, ... and cigarette butts.
"You're not even listening to what Bob has to say! I mean, I know its boring as hell, but if I gotta put up with it, so can you," she hissed defiantly, not wanting to get another scolding glare from Bob Almighty for making her impatience clear to all. It wasn't fair that Rain got some up-close-and-personal time with cover boy of Warlord's Exposed, and she was stuck staring at embers for Christ's sake.
Early in the morning, all were asleep except one. Rain couldn’t go to sleep at all, so she found herself content to stargazing while sitting on the small pond bridge. As dawn appeared and faded, she still sat there, thinking of Anubis. Feeling a presence behind her, she turned her head to see the Ancient standing on the bank behind her. She smiled slightly and looked back at tiny fish swimming in the pond. She felt footsteps on the bridge and didn’t need to look up to see “Bob” standing silently besides her. A minute or so passed before either exchanged words.
“Will I ever see him again?” she asked hesitantly.
The Ancient looked down at her and replied, “You will see.”
Rain looked up and he smiled at her comfortingly. Returning it, she stood up next to him. “I guess mopping around won’t do much. Are we leaving now?”
Bob nodded and sighed. “You and the others will enter Talpa’s castle today. I pray you and Amariie to be watchful.” Knowing what she’d ask next, he continued. “I will be the bridge for you to pass upon.”
Receiving a confused look from Rain, he remained quiet.
“Shall we go back now?”
Rain muttered a ‘yes’ and followed him back to the campsite. The others were still somewhat asleep, so she sat on a log nearby and patiently waited for them to get up.
~Five minutes later...~
“GET UP NOW!” :WHACK: “GET YOUR LAZY ASSES UP!”
Ryo sat up, obviously angered slightly. “LIKE HELL I AM! GO TO SLEEP!”
The Ancient almost laughed at the warriors before him. Kento was snoring loudly and drooling while Sage was kicking him in the gut. Rowen was cuddled next to an unconscious Amariie and White Blaze was nearly suffocating Cye.
Cye opened his eyes to see white fur. “ARGH! White Blaze! Go take a bath!” he yelled as he shoved the large furball off of him.
Ryo looked up at the Ancient laughing but then realized the Ancient was...well gone. He forced his lazy butt to get up and walked a little ways into the park clearing, knowing the others wouldn’t miss him one bit. Coming into the pond area, he saw the Ancient standing in the middle of a grassy knoll. When he was about to say something, an enormous gust of wind came spiraling through the area. The Ancient held his staff up high and screamed out an incantation. Within seconds, a blue light crept from his body, swirling around him and growing larger. Ryo tried to call out but his voice was drowned in the loud winds.
Suddenly, a large, bright blue column of light exploded from the Ancient and the small figure in the middle was gone. Several footsteps behind him let him know the others also saw/heard what was going on.
Rain ran to the head and cried out, “No!”
Kento scratched his head, not knowing what to think, as usual. “Um...what’s that?”
“It’s a bridge,” Rain said, suddenly remembering the Ancient’s words.
Amariie cocked her head. “Huh?”
Rain glanced at her then back at the large blue pillar. “He said he’d become the bridge into Talpa’s castle.”
“The energy to create that must have been everything he had,” Sage said solemnly.
It became silent for a few moments, then Ryo spoke up. “Well, we can’t let his sacrifice be wasted. Let’s go!”
