Changing Series Episode 6

Sai’s Inner Battle

Narrator:  The Ronin Warriors seemed to have defeated the Dynasty during their last encounter, but did they?  Or was it a trick?

            Sage and Sai waited by the doors to Han’a High School, discussing their plans for the upcoming weekend.  “And we can stay up late at the fire,” Sai said.

            “And tell ghost stories, and roast stuff,” Sage added, grinning.  They both laughed and then caught sight of a blue-haired boy shuffling toward the school with downcast eyes.  “Rowen!” Sage called out to him.  Rowen paused and looked over at Sage and Sai who were waving to him.  Reluctantly, he walked over to the pair.  “Hey, we were…” Sage began, but his words died off as he saw Rowen’s face.  It was covered in bruises, and he kept tipping his head toward the ground, attempting to hide it.   “Rowen, what happened?” Sage asked, gently grabbing Rowen’s chin and pulling his head straight. 

            “Was it the Dynasty?” Sai whispered with panic-stricken eyes.  Rowen shook his head.

            “No it’s nothing like that, I’m just a klutz,” he said with a nervous laugh which gave away the lie.  “Listen, I have to study a little for my physics class today, I was supposed to do it last night but…” Rowen stopped, for a moment an odd shadow came over his eyes, as if he was lost in thought, then he snapped back to reality.  “Yeah, so I’m going to go to homeroom, see you guys later!”  He turned quickly and walked through the doors to the school without looking back.  Sage and Sai watched in amazement.

            “He really is the worst liar,” Sai said sadly.

            “I’m going to go follow him, see you later Sai,” Sage said, and followed Rowen’s path into the school. 

            Sage managed to catch up with Rowen at his locker.  “Hey, you sort of took off on me earlier,” Sage said, taking the books Rowen was balancing on his knee in his hands.  “You want to tell me what happened last night?”

            “It’s not a big deal Sage,” Rowen responded.

            “I think it is,” Sage responded as Rowen’s gaze met his.  Sage felt such a burst of compassion at the sight of Rowen’s stormy eyes looking hurt and sad.  Sage looked up and down the hallway, and then, certain that it was sufficiently empty, rested his hand on Rowen’s face.  The healing power exuded from Sage’s hand and into Rowen, healing all of his bruises.  When he pulled his hand away Rowen’s face was the same unblemished ivory it always was. 

            “Thanks,” Rowen murmured.  “But it’s not a big deal, and you don’t need to get worried about it alright?” 

            He said the words with such seriousness and conviction that Sage found himself nodding.  “But Ro, are you sure you don’t want to go away with us this weekend?” he asked.  “It should be fun, I know you said no before but…”

            “You guys go, I have a lot of work to do,” Rowen responded with a smile.  “I’ve already promised to go to Kento’s on Friday to help him with his math homework and have dinner.” 

            “Alright then, see you later,” Sage said as Rowen took the books back.

            “Yeah, bye.”

            Friday afternoon, Sage pulled into Mia’s driveway in a shiny, green, aerodynamic car.  He stepped out in a cream sweatshirt, dark blue jeans, and black boots.  He leaned against his car, waiting.  Sai and Ryo exited Mia’s house, Sai carrying firewood and a backpack, and Ryo with a duffle bag, a pillow, and an unassembled tent.  Ryo was wearing a grayish-blue long-sleeved shirt, faded blue jeans, and dirty sneakers.  Sai was clothes in a long-sleeved brown shirt with white stripes at the cuffs, and light blue jeans and white sneakers.

            “We’ve got everything,” Sai said.  They tossed their burdens in the trunk and closed it.  “Ready to go?”

            “Wait, I just want to say something first,” Sage began, as if preparing himself for some sort of ritual.  “I’ve had my driver’s license for a while now, and I’ve saved up some money.  Well, you see this car?  It’s mine, it’s my very own car,” Sage said happily while Ryo and Sai’s mouths dropped open.

            “How come you didn’t tell me that this was your car?  I thought it was your parents’ or something,” Sai said, admiring the car.

            “Wow, it looks great, Sage,” Ryo said, examining the vehicle.

            “Thanks, I fixed it up myself.  It’s didn’t run a weeks ago.”

            “Amazing!  Can I go in it?” Ryo asked, becoming more excited.

            “Of course you can, I’m not going to make you walk to the campsite.  I just wanted you all to know that her first trip out as my car will be on our trip.”  They nodded and then got into the car.

            “Man, they’re probably on their way to the woods right now,” Kento sighed as Rowen checked over his math homework.

            “Why didn’t you go with them?” Rowen asked, casting a glance at Kento, who was staring dreamily at the ceiling.

            “My mom wouldn’t let me,” Kento replied.  “She said I had to do better in school, bring my friends over more, and be more responsible before I could go camping with friends.”

            “So basically, my presence here is to help you with the first two demands,” Rowen said, his voice was uncharacteristically cold.

            “Well not just that, but you didn’t go either, and I’ve been kind of lonely since we moved out, haven’t you?”

            “Well my father is home this week,” he said. 

            “Oh, well that’s good right?  You always say he’s away too much,” Kento said, hoping to pull Rowen out of his sour mood.

            “Yeah, but I always forget the things I don’t like until he gets back,” Rowen responded quietly.

            “Like what?” Kento asked.

            “Just having someone else in the apartment when I’m used to being there alone, and he interrupts my schedule sometimes,” Rowen responded, not taking his eyes off of the paper before him.

            “He interrupts your schedule?  How, what does he do?” Kento inquired.

            “Never mind, it’s not important.”  Kento was about to protest, but then Rowen spoke again.  “Numbers 10 – 15 are all wrong, do them again.”  Rowen handed the paper back to Kento, who groaned and reluctantly took it from him.  Rowen pulled out a large book and began to read, sending the clear message to Kento that their conversation was over.

            Sage drove down a dirt road surrounded by dense forest on both sides.  He pulled his car to the side of the road and parked.  “Okay, we just have to walk a little further and then we’ll be there,” he announced.  They took their equipment out of the car and began to walk through the woods.  They came upon a large clearing with a stream running through the middle of it.  The sun was beginning to set, and the entire sky was blue, pink, and purple.

            “Wow, look at the sky!” Ryo exclaimed.

            “It’s beautiful!” Sai agreed.

            “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight,” Sage said.

            Sai joined in with the second half, “Red sky at morn, sailors be warned.”

            “Perfect!” Ryo said inspecting the clearing.  “Now, let’s set up camp!”

            In the Dynasty, a very alive Empress Katie stood in a field, practicing battle techniques.  She busied herself throwing fireballs into a forcefield that immediately absorbed them.  Her tiara and shoulder-guard floated in the air next to air.  She paused from the fire throwing to kick the air and practice some impressive flips and artful dodges. 

            “Katie,” the living Warlady Sarah said, walking up to her.  Katie paused in her training.  A towel appeared and she wiped the perspiration from her face, then the towel disappeared.

            “Is it time?” Katie asked, all smiled.

            “Almost,” Sarah responded.

            Sarah stood before a line of formidable looking Warlords and Warladies.  She paced up and down the line, looking all of them over.  “Right, Emperor Kubi has a special mission planned.  One that involves glory if our side is victorious.  Empress Katie will arrive shortly to select that lucky Warlord, or Warlady,” she said with a nod to the females in the line.  Then Katie appeared before her.  “Well sister, these are my best warriors, so take your pick.”  Katie walked up and down the line, clearly wanting to be apprised of each candidate before one was selected.

            Kubi and Katie sat in their thrones before the fire, Sarah standing regally between them.  Katie and Sarah were now wearing elegant kimonos with their tiaras.  A female warrior in iridescent blue armor walked into the throne room.

            “Yoja, Warlord of Ice,” Kubi said as she approached.

            “Yes,” she said, and bowed.

            “The time is now to destroy the power of five.  You must kill Ryo of Wildfire, Sai of Torrent, and Sage of Halo.  Do not fail me, understand?” Emperor Kubi said forcefully.

            “Katie, why did you choose her out of all of the Warlords?” Kubi inquired.

            “She has an obsession with the mountain that Torrent, Halo, and Wildfire are staying on.  It was her home before she joined the Dynasty.  She has always planned to coat it with ice to preserve it from humans, and now’s her chance,” Katie answered.

            “Dinner Kento!” a small girl shouted, racing into the room.  Rowen looked up from his book and began to put it down as Kento picked up the girl and spun her around in his arms. 

            “Come on Rowen, don’t want to miss this!” he shouted, putting Chun Fa under his arm and racing out of the room.  Rowen followed closely behind.  When he entered the dining area he found all of the Rei Fuan family already assembled.  Kento headed toward his seat and then, remembering the guest turned to his family to announce him properly.

            “This is my good friend Rowen Hashiba,” he said with a small bow to his family.  Rowen bowed politely as well.  Then Kento led him to his seat. 

            Then Kento pointed out each member of his family to Rowen.  “And that dazzling woman on the other side of the table is my beloved mother.  You can call her ‘Mamma Rei Fuan’ like everyone else if you like,” he said to Rowen.

            “Very nice to meet all of you,” Rowen said formally.

            “Well, you certainly know your manners,” Mamma Rei Fuan said with a laugh.  “But you don’t need to be so formal around here, we’re more easygoing.”  She smiled warmly at him.

            “I’ll try to remember that,” Rowen responded, his bad mood still lingering and making it impossible for him to return her smile.

            “You’ll have to excuse my friend here if he seems distracted or glum, he’s been in a bad mood all week,” Kento said, beginning to devour the sweet and sour chicken Mamma Rei Fuan had made.  Rowen glanced at him angrily.

            “Well, bad moods are understandable and completely forgivable,” Kento’s father said.  “He’s probably frustrated from helping you with your homework,” he added.

            “How is it coming along?  Almost done I hope?” Mamma Rei Fuan said eagerly.

            “Well Mamma, you know how math is, it takes a lot of practice, over a long span of time,” Kento replied, grinning.

            “How long of a span?” she asked, grinning back.

            “Well for me, I’d say we should give it, 70, 80 years, that way I’ll be able to do algebra from within my urn,” he laughed.  The entire table joined in the laughter, even Rowen, though a bit nervously.

            Dinner was a lighthearted, happy affair.  The family laughed, scolded, told jokes, discussed their day, and all were quite happy by the time it had ended; everyone except for Rowen Hashiba.

            Rowen sat in Kento’s room, pushing books into his small bag.  “Hey,” Kento said, sitting down on his bed and watching Rowen.  It was Kento’s turn to clean up after dinner, and he had just finished that task.

            “Hey,” Rowen responded, not looking up at him.

            “You were really quiet at dinner, is anything wrong?” Kento asked, with real concern.  Rowen still refused to look at him.  Kento’s family had evoked a feeling that Rowen despised more than anything, jealousy.  To him it did not seem fair that Kento had such a loving, warm hearted family, when all he had was a far off mother and an emotionally cold and distant father.  However, he would sooner die then tell Kento that his bad mood had persisted due to envy. 

            “No, nothing’s wrong,” he answered coldly.

            “I don’t get you Rowen!  Ever since you moved out of Mia’s you’ve been in a bad mood!  What is it?  What’s changed since then?  What’s made you so angry and cold?!” Kento demanded, grasping Rowen firmly by the shoulders and forcing him to look at him. 

            “Did Sage put you up to this?!” Rowen shouted, not even realizing that he had raised his voice.

            “What?!”

            “So what, I come to school with bruises on my face and suddenly the whole world thinks there’s something wrong with me!  And you all think it’s your business too!  Well guess what, there is something wrong alright?!  But it’s been that way for a long time, and no amount of feigned compassion will change that!” Rowen shouted.

            “Bruises?  What…?  Rowen, calm down, I don’t understand what you’re talking about!” Kento said calmly.

            “All the better!” Rowen yelled.  He grabbed his bag and stormed out of the house.

            At the makeshift campsite, the three Ronin Warriors sat around a campfire, even though it was around seven p.m. and not yet dark.  Sage was reading scary stories out of a book, Ryo was roasting three marshmallows on one stick, and Sai was poking at the fire with a stick.

            “…and no one ever saw them again,” Sage said in a spooky voice.  Ryo watched Sage, his mouth wide open.

            “Yeah Sage, you’re right, that is pretty scary,” Sai said.  Ryo continued to stare at Sage.  Suddenly, his marshmallows all caught on fire.

            “AK!” Ryo shouted, and pulled the stick out of the fire.  He began to wave the stick up and down, which Sage and Sai backed away from him.

            “Ryo watch it!” Sage said as the flaming stick came towards him.

            Ryo attempted to blow them out, and after three tries finally succeeded.  They were all completely charred.  “Mmm,” Ryo said.

            “You’re not going to eat that now, are you?” Sai asked.

            “Of course I am, I like them burnt!” Ryo said as he began to eat them.  Sai shook his head, then they all sat down.

            “Sage, what if, like in your book, a crazy man attacked us?  I mean, you took us out in the middle of nowhere,” Sai said.

            “Yeah, why didn’t we just go to a campground like normal people?” Ryo asked through mouthfuls of marshmallow.

            “Relax, we could fight him, or run to my car and drive away,” Sage said.  “And Ryo, isn’t this place much better than some campground?”

            “Oh, I get it!  SAGE is the crazy guy!” Ryo said, and then burst out laughing, followed by laughter from Sai.

            “Very funny Ryo!” Sage said, struggling against a fit of laughter.  He threw the bag of marshmallows at Ryo, who caught them, still enjoying his joke.

            Yoja, the Warlord of Ice, hid behind a tree, watching them with an evil smile.  A wind began to blow.  The wind extinguished the fire and everything began to freeze.  The three Ronins jumped into the air and donned their undergear.

            “Is it the Dynasty?  Are they back again?!” Ryo shouted.  Then, Yoja appeaed before them.  “Who are you?” Ryo demanded.

            “I am Yoja, Warlord of Ice!  I suggest that you leave, unless you want to be a popsicle!” she said.

            “What?” Sai asked, confused.  Then Yoja raised a pale blue staff with a thin blade at the top over her head with both hands.  A blue light emitted from it, and froze everything around her.  The ice formed on the ground and headed toward the three warriors.  They jumped out of the way, but upon landing on the ground again slid a little bit.

            “ARMOR OF WILDFIRE!  TOU JIN!”

            “ARMOR OF HALO!  TOU CHI!”

            “ARMOR OF TORRENT!  TOU SHIN!” 

            They all donned their full armor.

            “This place will be beautiful forever beneath my ice!  Hahahaha!” Yoja laughed.

            “I don’t think so!  FLARE UP NOW!”  Ryo’s attack hit the ice, but did not affect anything.  Ryo collapsed to the ground, completely worn out.  “I guess I’m still recovering from the last Dynasty battle,” Ryo said, trying to catch his breath.  Sage lunged at Yoja with his sword.  His sword hit her staff, but then ice formed on his blade, and she managed to push him back thirty feet.

            Sage raised his sword in the air.  “THUNDER BOLT CUT!”  The attack hitYoha, but was reflected back at Sage.  He screamed as it threw him to the ground.  Yoja’s staff glowed purple, and then Sage’s legs began to freeze, completely covered with ice.  The ice moved slowly up to his waist.

            “Let me try!  SUPER WAVE SMASHER!”  Sai’s power froze midair, and his the ground.  Ryo stood up.

            “Ryo, it’s useless, you can’t do it!  Sai can!” Sage shouted to him.

            “Uh-huh.  Sai, together!” Ryo shouted.

            ‘What is he doing?!’ Sage thought angrily.  Ryo was too worn out to fight, and there was no point in wearing him out further, their only hope was Sai.

            “FLARE UP NOW!”

            “SUPER WAVE SMASHER!”  Their powers twisted together and headed straight for the smirking Yoja.  However, as before the powers did not make contact, but reflected back to Ryo.  Ryo screamed in pain.

            “ICE!  FREEZE!” Yoja shouted, sending sheets of ice from her staff.  The ice shot at Ryo and Sage.  The ice around Sage gave way at the force of the new attack, and he was pulled into the air.  Ryo and Sage screamed as their feet hit the ground and they became completely enclosed in ice.

            “How beautiful they are now,” Yoja said, looking at the two.  “Your turn,” she said, turning to Sai.

            “NO!  SAGE!  RYO!!” Sai shouted.

            “What’s the matter?  Why don’t you just escape?” Yoja asked.

            “I can’t run, I won’t run!  They believe in me!” Sai said fiercely, becoming more forceful with every word.

            “You think that you can save the world, but you can’t.  You don’t have the power!” Yoja shouted, her eyes shining maliciously.

            “We won’t give up as long as evil is here.  This is a battle for life!” Sai responded.

            “Well said, but how can you beat ice?!”

            Sai closed his eyes and concentrated.  ‘Ryo, Kento, Rowen, Sage, am I truly a Ronin Warrior?  I’ve always felt so unsure…  I believe in all of you, but do I have the power?  I want to save you, Ryo, Sage, so everyone can live, I want to be powerful enough to save each one of you if needed.  Yet…  How?  I’m not strong…  Oh Sage, Ryo, what can I do?’ Sai thought hopelessly, his brown eyes brimming with tears.

            “What do you plan to do Ronin?  Your powers won’t work.  So why don’t you stop thinking and face your defeat?!” Yoja shouted.

            “Sai, listen to your heart, it won’t lie,” Sai heard Sage’s voice say, even though Sage was frozen and unable to speak.

            “You can do it!” Ryo’s voice said, speaking directly to Sai’s heart.

            “I’ll defeat you even if it costs my life!” Sai shouted to Yoja, who was not convinced.  “SUPER WAVE SMASHER!”  Yoja counterattacked with her ice blade.  Their attacks met in the iced area before them.  Sai concentrated on the image of his friends in his mind.  ‘No, I won’t give up, I won’t run, you all mean too much to me!  I’ll do whatever it takes!  I will defeat this Warlord!’  Sai’s attack suddenly broke through the ice.  Yoja stared back, a terrified and surprised expression on her face.  “I can do anything I put my mind to!  I can’t forgive you for trying to kill everything!  Let’s do this!  SUPER WAVE SMASHER!”

            “ICE, FREEZE!”  Sai’s Super Wave Smasher cut through the ice freeze easily, and hit Yoja head on.  Yoja screamed and collapsed, her eyes filled with fury and fear.  Then her body faded away and all of the ice disappeared.  Sage and Ryo fell to the ground face-first and moaned.  Sai raced over to them.

            “Sage!  Ryo!” Sai yelled, kneeling next to Sage.

            “Good job Sai, you won,” Sage said weakly.

            “Go SAI!” Ryo added, his tone weak as well.  Sage stood up, very slowly.

            Sage turned to Sai.  “Let’s go home.”  Then Sage turned to Ryo, who attempted to nod.

            For the ride back Sai drove.  Sage sat next to him while Ryo napped in the back.  Sai’s heart was brimming with confidence and happiness as he drove back down the mountain.

            The following Monday Sage, Sai, and Ryo followed their usual routine of waiting outside the school for the other Ronin Warriors to arrive.  Kento arrived next, smiling and waving.  “How was the trip?” he asked as he neared them.

            “A complete bust,” Ryo replied.  “The Dynasty is not gone,” he added.

            “Oh no… and attack on your trip?” Kento asked.

            “Yep, Warlord of Ice, very nasty, Sai saved us though,” Sage said.

            “Wish I was there to help, instead of being stuck with Mr. I-have-a-problem-so-I-will-shout-incoherently,” Kento fumed.

            “So you and Rowen enjoyed your time together then?” Sage asked sarcastically. 

            “Oh yes, he’s such a happy-go-lucky guy,” Kento responded.  “He was in this horrible mood the whole day, he barely spoke to me when he was correcting my homework, then at dinner he didn’t say a word, and after that he packed up his stuff, shouted some stuff that didn’t make any sense, and stormed out!”

            “It’s always something with him,” Sai said wearily.  Then they caught sight of Rowen walking across the yard toward them.  His head was bowed again, but this time it was because he was reading.  He paused just in front of Sage and looked up at the group. 

            “Hey guys,” he said, closing the book.  His mood had softened a little, but he seemed more distracted than ever. 

            “Hey Rowen, how have you been?” Sage asked.

            “Fine, hey I’ve got to go to homeroom, see you guys later,” he said, and without waiting for a response walked away toward the school.  Only Sage noticed how strangely he held onto his left arm, and how drawn out he seemed.  The others had begun to discuss the battle with Yoja, but Sage stayed silent, staring at the doorway.

            “Sage?  What’re you thinking about?” Ryo asked, looking up at the blonde warrior.

            “Just that some things could be worse than the Dynasty,” he said.

            “What?  Sage what are you talking about?  Some other kind of demon or something?” Kento asked urgently.

            “Not exactly,” Sage responded.  “But something that’s not so easy to attack, or defeat.”  He turned to the others.  “I’m going to homeroom, see you later.”  Then, with a serious expression on his pale face he stepped through the door of Han’a High School.

Narrator:  The trip awakened a great power in Sai’s heart, and in his armor.  It may prove helpful in the battle against the Dynasty.  What is going to be Katie’s next evil plan.  Will the Ronin Warriors defeat the Dynasty for good?  And what was Sage thinking about outside of the school?