I just wanted to put in a BIG THANKS to Tonia M. Fultz for getting the dialogue I used in this chapter and chapter 16 (as well as chapter 1). Thank you so much!
Rowen looked over at the driver of the black Durango. Lirin was smiling at something she was thinking about. "What are you thinking about?" he asked her.
"Ryo and Mia."
"Oh? What about them?"
"If you don’t know, then I’m not telling." she grinned at him.
"You mean, know that Ryo and Mia are head over heals in love with each other?" he grinned back.
She sighed happily. "Yes. It’s so great that they’ve found each other!" To her self she added, ‘I wish I had enough guts to tell Rowen how I feel about him, but even though one of my kanjis is courage, I still don’t have enough! Maybe someday I’ll find enough courage and strength to tell him.’
"Yep, sure is." Rowen responded. "I think they deserve to be happy."
"Everyone deserves that kind of happiness." She paused. "So, what about the rest of you guys? Any girlfriends?" she smiled.
Rowen was a unprepared for the question. "Um, uh, no. Fighting Talpa, we just didn’t have time. Sage will probably be the first to get a girl friend though, for the obvious reasons."
"Oh, I don’t know about that."
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"How’s your love life? Got a boyfriend around somewhere that you haven’t told us about?" ‘Surely she could get anyone she wanted. She’s so fun-loving and sincere and smart and not to mention drop-dead GORGEOUS!’ Rowen thought to himself.
Lirin giggled. "No. The only men in my life are my brother and you guys. Other than you all and Mia I really don’t know anyone in Japan. You see, my family moved here from America two years ago, and I’ve been home schooled for my sophomore and junior years of high school. Circumstances permitting, I’ll enroll in a high school for my senior year. But, that may not be possible if Talpa attacks then."
Rowen frowned. "But we defeated Talpa."
"Rowen, you might as well know the truth." she sighed. "Mia and I had decided to keep this from you so you wouldn’t worry and would be able to enjoy your ‘vacation,’ but I think you should know so you can be prepared for when it happens."
"When what happens?" he frowned.
"Talpa and the Warlords were not defeated completely, only banished back to the Netherworld. They will come back, but I don’t know when."
"WHAT?! Talpa’s gonna be back?!"
"Fraid so. I know it’s a little late to ask, but did I do the right thing by telling you that? Should we tell the others, or let them not have the stress of worrying about it?"
"No, you did the right thing. I’d rather know about Talpa making another attempt to conquer earth. I think we should tell the others. They’d probably rather know about it too. How did you and Mia know he was coming back?"
"Well, Mia found out about it in a prophecy in her grandfather’s data. I found out because I had a vision of us battling him. I let Mia know that I knew about it, because I sensed that she knew." Suddenly Lirin spotted a nursery that had a sign out in front that said, ‘Grand Opening Sale.’ "Oh! Could we stop there? Please?!"
"Sure, why not? We got plenty of time."
"Thank you!" she exclaimed happily and pulled into the parking lot. She parked the car and they both got out. She locked it and headed excitedly towards the front entrance. She went strait to a sales person and asked if they had any gardenias and white roses. The clerk said that they did and lead them to the gardenias first.
Lirin took in a big whiff of the heavenly smelling air. She inspected the selection of plants and picked two of the healthiest she found. She then asked the clerk to take them to the white roses. She selected a large healthy plant teeming with buds. She paid for them and carried the gardenias to the car while Rowen carried the rose bush. She lovingly set the plants inside the cargo area, getting a good whiff of each before she closed the tailgate and went back to the driver seat.
"What made you pick these two types of plants?" Rowen asked her.
"Well, the white rose is my personal favorite. I’ve always wanted to own a bush, but never got around to buying one. We had plenty of other colored roses though, but I always wanted a white one. I got the gardenias for two very sentimental reasons. One, they were the first plant that I ever planted; and two, they were both my mother’s favorite flower, and her mother’s favorite flower. All throughout the day when she was around, you would smell gardenias, because she was always gardening around them. I thought I’d keep one by my bed to remember her by. That way I’d smell her every time I woke up, and it would brighten my day. Does that sound silly?"
"Not at all." Rowen responded.
She smiled sadly, and her eye’s began to water, but no tears came. "I miss them so much. In a way I’m glad Talpa’s coming back, so I can give him one for them." She paused and then quietly whispered. "And for everyone else he’s hurt."
"And I bet you will give him one, probably more too." he said putting a hand on her shoulder. "And we’ll be there to help you do it."
She reached up and laid her hand on top of his, which was still on her shoulder, gave it a squeeze and put her cheek against it. "Thanks. That means a lot to me."
Just then Rowen’s stomach growled. "Hey, I’m pretty hungry. Did you want to get a bit to eat first, or did that pie fill you up?"
She giggled. "Nope, I still got plenty of room. I’ve actually got a huge appetite too. I just don’t broadcast it like Kento does." she smiled.
Rowen smiled back. "Yeah, same here. The guys’ll tell you I’ve got a big sweet tooth as well.
"Me too. Hey, why don’t you pick the place you want to eat at, cause I’m still a little unfamiliar with the town. I’ll eat anything so where ever you want to go is fine with me."
"There’s a hamburger place pretty close. It’s actually one of those 50’s or 60’s restaurants that have the car stuff on the wall and jukeboxes and stuff."
"That sounds good. Just point the way."
When they got there, the place was relatively crowed with people their age. Obviously this was a good place to hang out for most of them. The spotted a table for two by the window and sat down. Lirin looked around and saw that a lot of the girls were staring a Rowen in appreciation and scowled. On the other end of the table, Rowen was noticing all the guys staring a Lirin and started getting a bit jealous.
The waitress came to take their orders for drinks and give them their menus. "Um, I’ll have a vanilla milk shake, please." Lirin told her.
"Ooh, that sounds good, I’ll have the same." Rowen said.
When the waitress had left, Lirin said to Rowen, "I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back." and excused herself.
Unknown to Lirin, one girl in particular had her eyes on Rowen. She was a striking redhead with bright green eyes, although, she couldn’t hold a candle to Lirin. She had on a tight pink spaghetti strap shirt with a low neckline and short black jean hip-hugger shorts on. Her hair was straight and thick and was a few inches longer than shoulder length and was curled inward at the bottom. She walked over and sat where Lirin had been sitting.
"Hi there." she greeted with a smile. "My name’s Amber."
"Uh, I’m Rowen. Can’t I help you with anything?"
"Is that girl your girlfriend?"
Rowen was stunned by the abruptness of the question, and couldn’t say anything.
"Well, is she?" Amber asked again.
‘Where’s Sage when you actually need him?!’ Rowen thought to himself.
Lirin saved him though. She had come out of the bathroom and saw the girl looking at Rowen greedily and Rowen looking a bit…uncomfortable. She put on a fake smile and tapped the redhead on the shoulder. She cleared her throat. "Excuse me, but I was sitting here."
"Not anymore your not." the redhead replied smugly.
It was Lirin’s turn to be stunned. "Well! You’ve got a lot of nerve! Now, would you please get out of my seat?"
"There’s plenty of other seats around here. Why don’t you just go sit somewhere else? Rowen and I were having a conversation." Amber told her.
"Oh really?" Lirin looked at Rowen, who looked back at her. She could see he had never had this happen to him and was totally lost. She looked back at Amber, who was smiling snobbishly up at her. Lirin smiled deviously back at her and quick as a cat she grabbed the tender bit of skin on the back of the arm by the armpit, pinched it and twisted it and hauled the redhead up out of her seat. Lirin triumphantly sat down as the redhead hollered in pain and rubbed her arm.
Amber glared at Lirin for all she was worth. Without warning she struck Lirin’s face with her hand.
"Hey!" Rowen said standing up.
Lirin held out her hand, signaling that she would handle this. "If your smart, you’ll leave now." she told the redhead coolly. "But then again, you don’t look like a very smart person."
The redhead growled in anger and went to strike Lirin again, but this time Lirin grabbed her wrist.
Lirin sighed. "If you insist on fighting, why don’t we take it outside?"
"I do insist!"
"I thought so." Lirin sighed again, getting up.
Rowen took hold of her arm. "Lirin, I don’t think that’s a good idea."
She looked at him and smiled reassuringly. "Don’t worry, I won’t hurt her." She looked back at the redhead. "Too bad anyway. Be back in a sec. Order a cheeseburger and some fries for me would yah?"
The girls walked outside. "You know, your WAY out of your league here blonde." Amber said cockily.
Lirin threw her head back and laughed. When she had calmed down a bit, she wiped the tears from her eyes and said with a knowing smile, "You have no IDEA what your up against."
Amber growled and lunged at her clumsily with a fist. Lirin caught it. Amber screamed and tried to punch Lirin with her other fist. Again, Lirin caught it. "Looks like your out of arms." She knew that the redhead would now try to either knee her or kick her so she struck first, kicking the redhead’s feet out from under her, and the other girl landed on her butt with a thud. The redhead tried to mimic Lirin’s kick with one of her own, but Lirin jumped back out of the way. She watched the redhead standup and get ready to try and punch her again. Lirin decided that she would finish this. This brat needed to be taught a lesson. She swiftly dove in a hit the redhead with a solid punch that knocked her to the ground again. The redhead clutched her cheek and started to cry.
Lirin sighed and held out her hand to help the other girl up. "Common, we’re through here. Let’s stop this nonsense before you really get yourself hurt."
Amber just turned her head away from Lirin.
"Here, let me see." Lirin said, bending down and reaching for the other girl’s cheek with one hand.
Amber shoved Lirin’s hand roughly away. "I don’t need your help thank you very much! Just go away!"
Lirin looked at the girl debating whether or not to try again, but when the girl turned and glared at her with hate-filled eyes she knew nothing she could do would get through to this girl. "Very well then." Lirin said sadly and stood up. She turned to gaze at Amber with a sorrow-filled expression and then turned at walked back inside the diner.
Rowen was waiting for her at their table. Their food had arrived. "Well?"
"Well what?" she asked, shaking salt on her fries and biting into one. "No, I didn’t hurt her to bad. All I did was punch her in the face lightly, well, lightly for me anyway, and she was down. I offered to help her, but she didn’t want my help." Lirin said sadly. Then going back into her light-hearted mood, she asked, "So how did it feel having two girls fight over you?"
"Good actually." grinned Rowen.
"Yeah, well I hope it won’t affect your ego too much." she smiled and reached for the salt again and shook some more on.
"I don’t have an ego!" he said in mock indignation. He continued to watch Lirin pour the salt on her French fries. "Umm, would you like some fries to go with that salt?" he asked.
She giggled. "No. I like my fries SALTY, thank you."
"I’ll say. I don’t think I can even see the fries under all that salt."
"Oh, shut up. There’s not nearly that much on there." she smiled, and stuffed another fry into her mouth.
"Whatever."
After they finished their meal, Rowen insisted on paying for it. "But-" Lirin started to protest.
"No buts. I’M paying."
"B-"
"NO."
"Well, how about we-"
"NO."
"What if-"
"NO."
"Well, I’ll-"
"NO!"
Lirin crossed her arms and slumped down into the chair. She started thinking and then put on a devious grin and her eyes started to sparkle.
"Okay, I know that look. Whatever your planning, it won’t work."
She just continued to grin.
The waitress came with the check and laid it on the table. Both made a mad dash for the check. Lirin’s hand reached it first of course, but Rowen’s hand got there in time to reach hers. While holding her hand in his, he pried the check out of her fingers with his other hand. "Told you it wouldn’t work."
She stuck her tongue out at him and slumped down into the chair again. He just grinned triumphantly and got out his wallet. She hadn’t thought he would be able to move his hand quick enough to get the bill. ‘But then again,’ she thought, ‘he is the archer of the group. He’d have to have a fast hand to get out all those arrows so fast.’
"Now on to the grocery store." Rowen said as they got up and walked towards the car.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lirin and Rowen and a helper from the grocery store wheeled the three carts full of groceries to Lirin’s Durango. When they got there, she gave the boy a tip for helping out and said that they could manage from here. The boy thanked her and left. Lirin opened the tailgate and climbed in to lower the two back rows of seats so they would have enough room for all the groceries. After she had done that she hopped back out and with the help of Rowen, loaded the groceries into the car.
When they had finished Rowen looked at all the grocery bags and asked, "You know what the said part is?"
"What?" asked Lirin, closing the tailgate.
"That all this will probably only last a couple of weeks if even that."
"That is sad."
Together they both wheeled the carts to the nearest spot for them and got into the car and headed home. When Lirin pulled onto the main street she reached back behind her seat and into her purse.
"What are you getting?" Rowen asked her.
"These!" answered Lirin with a big bright smile, pulling out a bag of Jelly Bellies. "Here," she handed the bag to Rowen, "would you open them for me?" He did and handed the bag back to her. She set them in the thermos holder in front of the center council. (For those of you who aren’t lucky enough to own a Durango, like me *HUGE grin,* or know what one looks like on the inside, right in front of the center council, there are two cup holders and a thermos holder in the form of a triangle, in which the thermos holder is in the back, closes to the center council.) "These will go to my personal stash. Help yourself to as many as you’d like."
"Do you ever stop eating?" Rowen asked her with a smile.
"Nope." she smiled back. "I could probably rival Kento in an eating contest."
"Well, I don’t know about that."
"So, you don’t believe me?"
"I don’t think you realize just how much Kento can eat."
"I don’t think YOU realize just how much I can eat." she smiled. "Oh!" she just said out of nowhere, snapping her fingers.
"What?"
"I almost forgot!"
"Forgot what?" Rowen asked, curious.
"I never gave you that cooking lesson I promised! Mia and the boys tried to get me to forget about it by going to the Moonlight Palace, but I don’t forget that easily. If you still want one, I’d be more than happy to give you one."
"You bet I do! Yeah, the boys will be so disappointed when they hear you didn’t forget. I’m glad you didn’t forget though, because I did."
"You know, we’ll probably get back in time for you to make dinner tonight if you want."
"That sounds good."
"Got anything in particular in mind?"
"Naw. Just something simple."
"How about grilled cheese and soup? That’s pretty easy, and quick too."
"Yeah, that’ll work."
"Okay, grilled cheese it is then."
Rowen nodded and looked out the window. He saw a water fountain on the side of the mountain road. "Hey, Lirin. Would you stop for a minute? I could really use a drink."
"Sure." she said pulling the car off the side of the road and parking it.
"Thanks."
Lirin opened her door and watched him walk over and get a drink, then splash some water on his face. Suddenly, she felt a dark presence around her and got out of the car and started to walk towards Rowen, who hadn’t seemed to feel the presence yet.
"Ah, I needed that."
"Shh!" she said waving her arm and looking around the place.
"What’s wrong." he asked. As soon as the question had left his mouth he began to feel the dark presence too.
Suddenly, snow started falling and a furious wind storm came up. The sky turned black and dark clouds started to roll in unnaturally.
"What the?!" Rowen said, looking around
From the dark clouds a large bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of them. The ground then started to give way and a structure started to rise up.
"Huh?!" Lirin said, taking up a defensive stance and looking towards the structure.
"It’s another gateway to the dynasty!" Rowen exclaimed.
"But all the gateways should be closed by now!" Lirin told him.
"Guess again, Ronin Warriors!" a deep, evil voice says.
The gateway started to open and a dark purple-hued cloud of smoke rushes out of it. Rowen hurried over to stand beside Lirin and also took up a defensive stance.
A very evil looking form appeared as the smoke vanished. "I, Sarenbou, am your new enemy." the being said, laughing.
"Sarenbou?" Lirin asked.
Sarenbou suddenly cut the ground with his halberd and Lirin and Rowen both jumped back away from the attack. As soon as they land though, they both jump into the air again, with kanji orbs out in hand and transform into their sub-armors.
"Lirin, let’s teach this guy a lesson!" suggested Rowen.
"Yeah, one that he won’t soon forget!" agreed Lirin.
"I am not impressed by your power, Ronins." Sarenbou says to them, unamused. "Yet, two of you were able to defeat Talpa. I hope you made him suffer. I know you will find me to be better in battle."
"We’ll never stop fighting you dynasty jerks! The Ronin warriors will defeat you!" Rowen yelled.
Sarenbou laughed.
Lirin gritted her teeth and jumped high into the air. As she started to land, she aimed a her foot at Sarenbou for a jump kick. She hits him dead on, but he doesn’t budge. Instead, he gives her a nasty smack with his fist, throwing her back.
Rowen did his special flipping kick at Sarenbou, which also accomplishes nothing. Sarenbou swung his halberd at him when he jumped back. When he landed, he clutched his chest in pain where the halberd had cut him.
"Is that all you have to offer?" Sarenbou smirked, with eyes glowing red. "Show me the REAL armor!"
Lirin stood up from being knocked to the ground and looked concernedly at Rowen, who looked back at her. Then both of them returned their gazes to Sarenbou again.
Still clutching his chest, Rowen asked, "Then tell us, why do you want it?"
"I sense that the armors which killed Talpa contains many secrets. Now," he pointed his halberd at Lirin, then Rowen, and then back to Lirin, and back to Rowen, "which one of you has it? Tell me!"
Lirin brought up her hands and made herself ready to fight. "Try and guess, but be quick ‘cause you're going to get what Talpa got."
Sarenbou was still pointing at Rowen, but now moved his halberd to point at Lirin. "Do not underestimate me. My powers are greater than Talpa. I will command that armor. I will wield that power!"
Rowen crouched low, ready to lunge. " We're not afraid of scum like you!" He looks at Lirin and sees her nod. "Let's do it!" he says as he jumps into the air, with Lirin joining him.
Both Ronins try to hit him, but instead go right through him! Sarenbou laughs as they do. Lirin and Rowen turn to face Sarenbou with looks of utmost surprise and dismay on their faces. Again Sarenbou laughs as lashes out with his weapon.
"Tell me," Sarenbou strikes Rowen, leaving a red slash in his sub-armor, "which of you has my new armor!" He strikes Lirin now, also leaving a red slash in her sub-armor. Both Ronins cry out in pain.
Sarenbou’s eyes glowed red, and then darkened as they released rays of black energy. The rays hit both Lirin and Rowen and surround them in a dome, bringing forth more cries of pain. Sarenbou studies them as their armors flash on them, trying to locate the White Armor.
Sarenbou is disappointed. "Hmmm, although one of you posses one of the armors that defeated Talpa, it is not the one I crave. I must keep searching!" Sarenbou releases his hold on them and disappears as both Ronins drop to the ground.
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