18th Changing Series Episode

Dialogue is written in slate.

Singing is written in blue.

Background information is written in black.

A New Beginning Part I

Narrator:

    Sai opened his eyes in the darkness of night.   It was almost a full moon and the light was coming in through the window.   Everyone else (Ryo and Kento) in the bedroom was sleeping.  Sai turned onto his back and took the Jewel of Life out from around his neck and held it up to the light, sparkling.  "The Jewel of Life is our last hope to save Katie and Sarah," Sai thought to himself.  Then he said outloud, "It has to work, just has to."

    Ryo and Sai were walking into the school building, talking about their english classes when Ryo stopped dead in his tracks.  "Ryo, what's wrong?" Sai asked.

    "Something... I feel something not right."

    "Have an old bagel this morning or something?" Sai questioned. "Hey, look.  I haven't seen him before.  Think he's new here?"  Sai pointed to a guy with his back against the wall and his knees bent.  His arms were crossed portraying his tough-guy additude.  He had short spiked black hair and his eyes were gray and angrily squinting.

   "Yeah, I think he's new too.  Wanna go say hi?"  Then the bell rang.  "Ack!  We're late!!!"

        Later at Mia's house:  

    "Hey, did you guys run into the new guy?" Kento asked everyone.

   "You mean Tray?  That guy's a jerk!  He's in my history class.  He walked in and almost pushed my desk over so I said 'You got a problem?' and you know what he said?  He said 'No, but you do.'  I mean, what kind of behavior is that for a new kid in an accelorated school, hm?  AND!  Besides all that, he stole my pen!  It was a good pen, you know," Rowen answered.  Then, the phone rang.

    Sai answered it, "Hello?  Oh, let me get him," Sai said and put the reciever on the table.  "Hey guys, where's Sage at?"

    "He's outside, washing his car," Kento said.

    "We just got back from school.  He does that before his homework?" Sai remarked in astonishment as he walked to the door.

    "Wheels come before homework, man.  They need a lot of love and care," Kento said.

    Sage walked inside, following Sai, while drying his hands with a cloth.  "Do you know who it is?" Sage asked as he walked through the door.

    Sai answered, "Mindy."   Sage's face contorted to a look of terror and surprise. 

    "Tell her I'm not here," he urged.

    "Oh, just answer it," Rowen said with disinterest. 

    Sage reluctantly picked up the phone, his hand shaking.  "Hello?"  Immediately following was torrent of words that were coming so fast that no one could make out what Mindy was saying.  Sage slowly hung up.

    "Why'd you hang up on your girlfriend?" Kento asked.

    "She's not my girlfriend anymore.  I broke it off a few days ago."

    Rowen looked satisfied.  "Ah, so she called to tell you off."

    "Yeah, for like the sixth time."

    "Well, why'd you dump her?" Kento questioned.

    "She was spreading rumors about me."

    "Like what?" Ryo asked walking into the room.

    "Like that I begged her to date me and-" Sage was cut off by Rowen's words.

    "And that you were great in the bedroom!"

    "I didn't even hear that one," Sage said, with anger slightly showing.

    "Of course you didn't.  They always make sure of that," Rowen answered.

    Sage stood up.  "You mean to tell me that more girls than just Mindy have been saying that?!"

    "All the time.  Why?  You're not?" Rowen asked calmly.

    Sage stared at him, mouth wide and forming unheard words.  Then, "You actually believe all that garbage?!  I've never even kissed a girl!"  Sai, Ryo, Rowen and Kento burst into laughter.

    "That's a good one!" Ryo managed to say through his laughing.  Sage curled his hands into fists and walked out, hunched over a little.

    Sai stopped laughing suddenly.  "Wait, he was joking, right?"  The room's laughter faded away.

    "There's no way..." Rowen said confused.

    "He isn't a player?" Kento asked everyone.

            In the Dynasty:

    Kubi's sitting in his throne when Katie appeared in front of him.  "This is it!  I've had it with your failures!"

    "Well, if you would just let us do our job, the Ronin Warriors would be dead and you'd be ruling the mortal world!  However!!!  You keep changing your orders!!  '(Katie made her voice deeper to mock him)Test them, kill them, wait, capture them instead.  Wait, I changed my mind AGAIN.  Kill Anubis, no wait, get the jewel.'  We're sick of it all!  Make up your mind!!  What do you want us to do?!!!" Katie yelled at the Emperor.  He was shocked.

    He fought to regain his authoritative expression.  "Get the Jewel of Life!"

    "Yes sir," Katie said as she disappeared.

        In Sage and Rowen's bedroom:

    Sage's sitting indian style on his bed, playing his electric guitar and singing along with a few papers and a pencil in next to him.  "Toki no naifu ni osarete yume ga hiza o tsuku..." he stopped playing and wrote something on the paper.  "Sousa kimi mo mou toui dekigoto-" Sage stopped singing and playing when he heard someone clearing their throat in the doorway.  He turned to see Rowen. 

    "It's getting late, and it's our turn to cook.  So, a, what are we having?" Rowen asked.

    "I don't know.  You decide."

    "Hey, I'm just the fries man.  That's all I know."

    "Fine, burgers it is.  I'll be down in a minute."

    Rowen started to leave, but then popped his head back in.  "By the way, 'pushed by time's knife?'   What kind of music do you listen to?  Depressing."

    "Not all my stuff is depressing," Sage answered, paying little attention to Rowen.

    "Your stuff, like you wrote it?" Sage nodded.  "So.. that pile of papers is your lyrics, I presume?" Rowen asked as he began slowly entering the room.  He snatched the papers off the bed. 

    "Rowen!!  Don't read that!  Give them back!" Sage shouted over Rowen's voice.

    " 'From that time I haven't loved anyone, Last Lady Last Lady.  As those wind colored eyes are now faraway.'  I didn't know you liked that love dribble.  I was expecting some hardcore stuff.  I'm so disappointed..." Rowen said as he gave the music back and left the room.  Sage stared at the door for a second, as if to make sure that Rowen wasn't coming back in.  Then he turned back to his stack of papers.

        In a Dynasty hut:

    Sarah was practicing her fighting tecniques when Katie appeared.  Katie turned to face Sarah and exclaimed, "Guess what?!" Sarah jumped at the sound, turned and noticed Katie standing next to her.  "We finally have clear orders.  Get the Jewel.  AND the best part is, these orders are final.  Kubi's too embarassed to change them again this time. hehe," Katie laughed.

    "So when do we head out?" Sarah asked.

    Everyone was eating in the dining room.  Kento piled french fries on his plate.  "Kento, that's your third helping," Sai stated. 

    "Same some for me!" Ryo added.

    "Man, you have to be quick in this house.  It's every man for himself at meal times!" Kento protested.

    "Wow, I'm a good cook, huh?" Rowen added.

    A Dynasty soldier appeared in front of Katie and Sarah in the hut.  He knealt before them and said, "Everyone was eating."

    Sarah looked at Katie.  "Good enough for me," Sarah said.

    "Alright, lets go."  Katie and Sarah were covered by pink light coming from the sky and they disappeared.

    The sky began to storm.  White Blaze, who was standing outside began to roar at the sky and lightning.  The sky was completely black.  Lightning flashed twice in the same spot, near the lake.  On the second flash, Katie and Sarah's sillouettes were revealed.  Inside the house, the ronins were sitting on the edge of their seats.

    "Looks like it's show time," Sage said.

    "This time, we'll win, for good.  Are you ready boys?!" Ryo asked.

    "Ready as I'll ever be," Sai added. 

    "Lets do it!" Rowen said as they ran out.

    Kento, still at the table, said, "Right behind you guys," as he stuffed everyone's food into his mouth.  He grabbed another burger on his way out.

    Once they were all outside, and Kento was secretly just finishing his burger, Ryo yelled, "Wildfire!"

    Rowen followed, jumping in the air, "Strata!"

    "Halo!"

    "Torrent!"

    "Hardrock!"

    Then Ryo yelled, "Tou jin!!!" as he seemingly led the rest of the guys through the transformation.   As soon as they all finished putting their armor on, they all disappeared, looking shocked.

   "I just love that part," Katie said, smiling.  Sarah laughed as they both disappeared.

    Sarah reappeared in front of Sai and Kento in a forest.  "How'd we get here?  Sarah!" Sai said.

    "Sai," Kento said, taken back a bit from the harsh sound in his voice.

    "Kento.  Now that we know everyone's names, lets get to business."  Sarah moved into fighting stance.  "You can make this easy on yourselves."

    "There's no way we're going to lay down and die for you," Kento said.

    Sarah said with a confused smirk, "Okay.  Sure."  Then she added, "The Jewel.  The Jewel of Life.  I want it, and you know where it is."

    Sai glanced down, then at Kento. "Fine then, I'll find out for myself!"  She lunged at Sai, but he dodged and her staff was stabbed into a tree.  Kento attacked, but she flipped over her weapon and kicked him in the chest.  She flipped back the other way and knocked Sai to the ground.  Then she stood and yanked her staff out of the tree's bark.

    Katie lunged at Rowen and slammed her sword into his chest plate.  Rowen was forced back by the attack, and luckliy, Katie's weapon didn't penetrate the armor.  "That was close," Rowen said, checking his armor. 

    Sage lifted his sword and attacked Katie.  They smashed their swords together and held the position.  Sage was beginning to overpower her when she split her sword into two swords and attacked with the new one.  Sage barely dodged the blade. 

    "I've got her, Sage," Ryo said as he jumped into the fight, basically pushing Sage to the side.  They locked swords, then attacked again.  Katie knocked one of his swords from his hand, and it landed next to Rowen. 

    Rowen picked it up and threw it in Ryo's direction, "Ryo!"  It landed next to him and he rushed to pick it up.  Katie stepped in front of it and attacked Ryo. 

    Rowen shot arrows at Katie, all of which missed as she dodged while still attacking Ryo.  She knocked Ryo's other sword out of his hand and it clattered as it hit the ground.  Katie melded her swords into one and grabbed Ryo's helmet with her free hand. She thrust him to the ground and he screamed in pain.  Katie's sword disappeared (and reappeared on her back as two swords) and she grabbed the other horn of his helmet too.  Katie spun a 360 and threw Ryo.  He landed on his stomach and didn't move. 

    Katie turned towards Sage who moved into a cool fighting stance.  Rowen shot arrows at Katie from behind and one hit her shoulder armor, cracking the tip.  Katie turned to look at him as the coloring around her turned blue and fiery purple.  The view wavered from the intense heat she was emiting.  Rowen shot another arrow at her and it melted before it even came close to her.  Katie took her swords into her hands.  She spun around and blue flames surrounded her, coming from her swords, "Fiery Scream of Death!!!"  The flames shot out at Sage and Rowen.  They grit their teeth and them started to scream.

    Sarah said, "My Solar Staff has the power to vaporise both of you in an instant.  So, if you would like to stay in one piece, I suggest you tell me where the jewel is!"

    "We're not giving into your empty threats, chick, so lets fight!" Kento yelled.  Sarah sprung into action.  She tripped him with her staff, and knocked Sai in the face in a matter of seconds. 

    As Sai's head hit the ground and he saw Katie's attack not too far off.  "What?"  He hopped to his feet, "Super Wave Smasher!!!!!!!!"

    Sarah dodged, but that led her into the path of Kento's attack.  He tried to hit her with his bo, and wrapped the chain around her wrist, "I've gotcha now, babe!" Kento said proudly.  He tried to yank on it, but Sarah didn't move.  She whipped her wrist back and spun Kento around in the air.  He hit three trees when he let go of his weapon.  He was flung from sight.

   "Kento!" Sai yelled to his friend.  Sarah turned her attention to him.

    "I know, Sai," she said.  Sai swallowed hard. "You're the most responsible of the Ronin Warriors.  You must know.  Where's the Jewel of Life?"  Just then, Kento jumped out of nowhere at Sarah.  She dodged just in time.  "Back so soon?"

    Sarah attacked him and Kento pushed her to the ground. "Ow!!" Sarah said.  "Must have lost my footing."

    "Iron Rock CRUSHER!!!"  Kento's attack rushed at Sarah and she scrambled to dodge it.  She moved just in time.

    Sai got up and stumbled over to Kento.  He whispered, "I know where the others are..."

    Kento pressed, "Where?!"