Chapter Thirteen: It's Raining Torrent and Tidal Force

   Selene looked out at the view of Toyama City from the bridge. It was night, Sai had armored himself and went down to see if he could find her armor. If he found it, then he would come back and get her. Right now, waiting was all she could do. She sighed and shifted her head to her other hand. It was a full moon tonight and the view from the bridge, with the sky and its image in the river, made the night beautiful.

   "Where is he?" asked Sekhmet, breaking Selene's train of thought.

   "Thanks a lot," she said.

   "What did I do?" he asked.

  "Nothing. Look, there he is!" Selene said excitedly as the moon's image began rippling from someone breaking the surface. Selene, in flip flops and sweat pants and a bathing suit, ran down to hear what Sai had to say. Sekhmet followed, in his armor. He had been placed on watch duty, to see if any soldiers or dynasty jerks had shown up. He reached Selene as Sai flipped up his visor and began to speak.

  "I check all over the river's floor. Nothing. I checked all four whirlpools and even between them. No luck. But I did find a underwater cavern. There is air in there, but I can't fit through the tunnel. Selene, you're the smallest. How long can you hold your breath?" asked Sai.

  "About five minutes. Swim team requirements," said Selene. Sai flipped down his visor and said,

   "Then let's go!" Selene flipped off her shoes and slid out of Lita's sweat pants. She pushed her hair back behind her ear and noticed Sai and Sekhmet staring.

  "What? Never seen a girl in a bathing suit?" she asked, smiling slyly. Her golden blond hair shined and looked even more golden against her light blue bathing suit. She walked over to Sai, who motioned for her to wrap her arms around his neck once they were in the water. Sai dove in and waited for Selene. She walked into the water and dunked her head. After getting used to the cold, she wrapped her arms around Sai's neck. Before going under, Selene motioned for Sekhmet to follow. He did. Sai dived under and swam toward the bottom of the river. Sekhmet swam behind Sai and Selene, keeping an eye out for trouble.

   Back on the river bank, a dark figure stands in the shadows. He holds in his hand a long pole with a long silver blade attached to one end. Moonlight escapes from the clouds that are rolling in, reveling the man. His eyes glow red and a small smile escapes his lips.

   "Go ahead, Torrent. Take her to the cavern. By the time she gets out, you will be dead." He laughs evilly as he walks into the river and slowly swims after Sai, Selene, and Sekhmet.

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   "Shouldn't we go back for Kayura?" I asked Sage once we had stopped for a breather. Sage looked at me with his one visible eye and said,

  "She's a big girl. She can take care of herself." I sighed. We had been running for what seemed like hours. The sun had set and night had fallen. We hadn't heard a sound of any soldiers being nearby, so we decided to rest. I sat down on a rock and pulled my sweater on tighter. It had gotten colder since the sun had set, and I was not dressed for it. I looked at Sage. The moonlight reflected off his hair, making it seem to have an angelic look. He also looked like he had something on his mind.

  "What's up?" I asked him. He turned his to look at me. My black hair was blowing across my face from a light breeze. The moonlight highlighted my hair. I pushed it out of my face as I waited for an answer.

   "I was wondering why you don't use your psychic powers to teleport us to the top of the mountain," he said.

   "I'd love to, but my powers aren't that strong. The dynasty increased it when they had control of me. I can only move small items and teleport myself short distances," I said. I explained to him how I found out about my powers and how I had started training.

  "It would take a year at least til I am that good. That would be around my 18th birthday," I finished.

   "Oh," said Sage, not knowing what to say. We sat in silence for a few minutes. I was about to say something when I noticed Sage getting tense. He had heard something. His eyes scanned the shadows. He stared at the darkness behind me. I slowly turned around. In the darkness, white eyes glowed. I stopped counting at around twenty pairs. I got up slowly and said,

  "Do we run?"

  "Yes," said Sage as we turned and ran up the mountain side.

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  Sai pointed toward a cave opening a few feet from the bottom of the river.

   "That's it. Swim in and up. Good luck," said Sai as Selene let go and started swimming into the cavern. She disappeared as she swam up the cave and darkness surrounded her. Sai and Sekhmet turned as they heard an evil laugh.

   "Wave of Destruction!" said the figure as a massive wave shot out and hit the rocks above the cave entrance. Large chunks broke off and blocked the entrance to the cavern. Sai and Sekhmet turned around fully as the creature swam toward them. Sai recognized the figure.

  "Saranbo!" Sai yelled out in surprise.

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  Selene surfaced and gulped in air. After catching her breath, she swam to the bank. She pulled out her body and rested on her elbows.

  "What was that explosion?" she asked herself. She looked around at the small tunnel that led into the dark. She slid herself out of the water and, after taking a deep breath, began to crawl foreword. Selene crawled around, following the tunnel, for about five minutes. She saw light up ahead and crawled faster. Breaking through the light, she fell head first into a pool of water, not ten feet from the hole.

   "Wow, this place is beautiful," said Selene as she looked around. The cave had a smooth circular roof and a hole in the center. She looked up and through the hole, could see the moon. There was a circle of light in the center of the pool. Selene walked over to it. In the light was a silver ball that had a light blue glow to it. She reached out and grabbed the orb.

  "Creativity," she said as she closed her fist around it. In a flash, she was wearing white and light-blue sub armor. Looks like Sai's, she said to herself. She stood up and said,

  "Armor of Tidal Force, Tao Chi!" The water in the pool rose up and poured down on Selene. When it left, Selene stood in blue armor, fit to her size, and similar to Sai's. Using her Tidal Wave Smash attack, she propelled herself up through the hole in the ceiling. She landed on her feet and noticed that she was on the opposite side of the river. Selene looked up at the black clouds that were rolling in.

   "I hope the guys are all right, but I think they'll need my help anyway," she said. Walking over to the river edge, she walked in, flipped her visor down, and began to swim down.

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   Sai dodged another attack from Saranbo. Pulling out his man catcher, he charge up for an attack. Water gathered at its tip and Sai said,

   "Super Wave Smasher!" Water blasted out at Saranbo, who dodged it easily.

   "Snake Fang Strike!" said Sekhmet, who lunged at Saranbo with his swords drawn. Saranbo used the pole of his weapon to block the swords. He kicked up with his foot, sending Sekhmet torpedoing back toward Sai.

   "You're going to have to be more creative then that to destroy me. Wave of Destruction!" said Saranbo as a massive wave of water slammed into Sai and Sekhmet. Sai collided with Sekhmet and both fighters slammed into the ground. They tried to stagger up, but Saranbo hit them again with another Wave. He laughed evilly at how easy this was.

  "How creative do you want me to be, Saranbo?" asked Selene as she swam toward the fight. Saranbo turned and in surprise said,

  "How did you get out?"

  "I found a secret exit, and now you can take a permanent honeymoon to dynasty heaven," said Selene. Saranbo said in response,

  "We'll see. Wave of Destruction!" Selene dodged it and said,

   "Tidal Wave Smash!" Blue energy gathered at the tip of her triton and shot out at Saranbo. It was a direct hit. As the bubbles rose to the surface, Saranbo was still standing.

   "What not even a scratch!" said Selene in shock. Selene looked at him. For some reason she looked up toward the surface of the water. There, she saw the real Saranbo.

   "So, you've figured out my little trick," he said. Selene watched as the two became one. Sai and Sekhmet swam up to her. She looked at Sekhmet and whispered something in his ear. Then, turning to Sai, she repeated what she had told Sekhmet. She looked at Saranbo, took a deep breath, and started swimming rapidly toward him. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was doing. He propelled himself to the side of her, but Selene grabbed him with her triton at the wrist. Slowly, she dragged him out of the water and onto the shore. Sai and Sekhmet joined Selene and faced off against Saranbo.

   "Now, Sai!" said Selene.

   "Super Wave Smasher!" said Sai, as water shot out of his man catcher at Saranbo. It went right through him.

   "Snake Fang Strike!" said Sekhmet, as he connected his swords. They glowed red and he twirled them above his head. He struck them out toward the sky, where the real Saranbo was hiding. Saranbo screamed and fell to the ground.

   "How could you?" he asked, his voice filled with pain.

  "It's called creativity. Now, watch and learn," said Selene. She pointed her triton at Saranbo. Her armor began to glow and Sai and Sekhmet stepped back. Water began to gather at the tip of her triton.

  "Tidal Typhoon!" said Selene. A bolt of lightning shot out of the sky and hit the point of her triton. Then, the lightning shot out, with the water swirling around it. It hit Saranbo and a white flash exploded. As the light subsided, Selene, Sai, and Sekhmet checked to see that Saranbo was destroyed. They all powered down.

   "Let's hit the road," said Sai as he, Selene, and Sekhmet started the walk back to the meeting point.