Sai: "Whoopee!" He did a somersault over toward Kento's strong arms. Ryo and Sage observed as Sai did a full back spin, sweating from fighting each other for the next battle that is to come. But little did they all know was another dangerous, invincible war. A war, that not only Talpa was there and his brainwashed Warlords.. but with the unknown. Rowen was fishing somewhere; as he waited, he also read the newspapers.
Kento: "SAI! Com' on! Stop showing off--!" Sai hand-sprung over, grinning.
Sai: "Hey, Hardrock. Isn't that what WE wanted to do, right?" He waited as a silence passed and then asked: "Ready, Kento?"

Kento nodded: "Ready when you are, Torrent!" Sai jumped, unexpectedly toward a wall, letting a thumping rhythm go as he leaped toward Kento, into his ready hands.

Meanwhile, Talpa, the Dark Warlords (Beside Kayura. they're gone right now) and the "unknown" were discussing a cruel plan to get rid of them.

Talpa: "We should crush them mice, one by one, like a human killing an ant."

Dais: "Talpa, why don't you let each of us have a chance again! I won't fail you, again, Master Talpa!"

"SILENCE," Talpa ordered. Suddenly, as they watched the Ronins from the Mystic Mirror which Sai was performing a stunt, the unknown had this unforgettable idea: "Friends has such links. If ONE link breaks, the other falls. And we don't want to be a fool and leave the rescuer, can we? Crushing them won't do crap, Talpa."

Cale, Dais, and Sekhmet kept their stance for a reply from Talpa. Talpa cackled: "Wonderful idea and I know just who we should put the 'fall' on." He laughed, evilly, watching as the Fishie flew through the air.

Everyone clapped and cheered, tremendously. Sai, clasped to Kento's hand, was doing a one-hand handstand. Kento was now doing the movement. While Kento did the movement, Sai grabbed a banana out of his hidden back pocket, waiting for the moment. Sage: "Hey, Ryo. Look. Sai has a banana in his hand. I wonder what he's gonna do, Ryo." Ryo answered a little waver from his laughs and giggles, "Oh, you don't know Sai now, Sage. Let's go and see what ROWEN caught today." Sage giggled again.
Sai: "Hey, Ryo! I don't think you gonna leave Sai here to waste his energy! Here! Fetch the food, Kento!" He, with all his might, squirted the banana out of its peel; then, "SPLOOOSH" into Ryo's half-open mouth. Sai started laughing like crazy, unable to stop. Especially when he noticed Kento ready to fetch and eat it.

Kento: "Hey, that was my lunch, Sai! You aimed it wrong."

Sai, gasping, answered back in giggles: "Okay, catch this one!" He splattered the next one at Sage. Kento dodged for it, as Sai threw his banana peel on the ground, not meaning to trip Kento. *BLAM* He crashed into Rowen who had a salmon on the string.
Sai was, in his mind, crying: "Kento!!" But what his mouth said was laughter. He walked over to Ryo with a handkerchief. "Sorry. I wanted to have some fun. You took it well." He wiped some of the banana off Ryo's face. "At LEAST, I didn't released a ROTTEN banana. Now that would be... a problem. And if I did it like today, it'll be D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G." Forgetting about Kento, he walked over to Rowen, who was holding the salmon on the string.
Rowen: "This will be good for lunch." Sai, immediately, took it from his hand. "SAI! It's my fish, Sai. Gimme." Sai was blocking Rowen's reach to the fish: "NO. I'm gonna let my friend go." He, without given permission, took Rowen's hunting knife out and started to get the hook out of the poor fish. Kento jumped toward Sai, thinking he was playing.

Sai: "Kento... no!" *SPLASH* into the gleaming, rocky pond.

Sai: "AHHH!"

Rowen: "MY FISH! MY VERY FIRST FISH TODAY!"
Ryo: "Be careful!" He was still wiping what was left of the banana. Sage was worried. He felt something was strange that Sai didn't come out. He didn't have a proper breath. Thinking of the alternative, he thought Sai either summoned his armor or was trying to scare them. Kento came out, gasping for air. Rowen waded in and dragged Kento by the ears back to "port." Then, Kento whispered: "WHERE'S SAI?"
Sage's worries went skyrocket: "Where's SAI? He was with you Kento! You were the one who pushed him into the rocky ridge!"

Ryo confided: "Com' on, Sage. He must have decided to take a swim."

Sage: "I am not sure, guys." Sage looked into the water, studying it closely.

Kento: "What you looking in the water? You think Sai will pop out like a jack-in-a-box?"
Rowen was REALLY quiet; his left hand lay in the water.

Ryo: "Rowen? Rowen, what's in your mind?" Rowen whispered, quietly: "I think my knife stabbed him." Everyone was shocked. They knew Rowen was right; Sage wasn't much surprised either. After 5 minutes, he hasn't popped out. Now everyone thought Sai was dead.

Sage in a gasp back of tears: "You killed him, Kento! Why did you dodge at him when he had a KNIFE? You!"

Kento backed away: "I didn't mean it! I thought he was playing still!"
Ryo was really angry and confused. He dashed to the water: "SAI! You there? Speak to me! Sai?"

Suddenly, a voice answered: "Me here. Me not well,

Ryo." Ryo: 'Sai! Where are you?"

Sai: "Right here, dummy. Under whoever's foot that is..." He made an agonizing sound. Ryo dodged under the port-deck... under where Rowen stood on the port. He grabbed Sai; Rowen: "Here. Hand him to me." Sai was passed to Rowen. Rowen hurried toward their summerhouse.

Sage: "Lucky Sai is not dead."

Sai overheard and cried: "How would I be? Sai of Torrent in water will never be hurt! *ouch* MAYBE hurt but NOT killed."
Rowen went to fetch the medical kit as Ryo wetted Sai's forehead with a washcloth. Ryo whispered, softly: "Where does it hurt?" Sai mumbled something and pointed to his left rib. Ryo murmured something to Sage and Sage, the doctor now, nodded. He felt around where the knife hit. Sai gritted. Sage shook his head.
Kento blurted: "It's not MY fault! It's the banana's! Not mine!"

Sai blurted out laughing again. The minute he started to, the minute Sage grabbed the knife and punctured it out of his body, carefully… but quickly. Though Sai’s body was really weak, young, and “small” that it was a VERY risky thing to do.

Sai: “SAGE--! NO!” He suddenly fainted onto Ryo’s shoulder, as Sage blotted the wound.

Sage: “Quick! Give me that bottle in brown over there, someone! We can’t stall much longer!” He tried to twist the bottle open; being very frustrated and worried, he broke what he didn’t know was glass, and let the vicious glass tear through his skin, making his palm bloody.
Sai all the sudden became alert: “SAG—e!” but then wasn’t able to speak and laid on Ryo’s shoulder again. Ryo clasped his arms around the weak body, rocking him.

Ryo: “Sai could feel if any of his friends are hurt. We’ll have to act as if nothing happened. He needs his rest.” Sage nodded after over his shock and started to put the medicine, what was hydrogen peroxide, on Sai. He was really glad that Sai didn’t feel it. Opening the front of Sai’s shirt, he started to check and wrap the injuries, which was severe. Rowen then signaled everyone into the meeting room at the foot of Sai’s room.
Kento hissed reluctantly: “WHAT?”
Rowen: “We’ll have to plan this carefully. I mean… could it be the Dynasty?”
Sage: “YOU’RE NUTS. How could they do such…?”
Ryo: “Don’t jump so fast, Sage. I think Rowen perhaps may be right. Kento didn’t do it on purpose. As long we’re sure of that, we’re okay. But what we have to do is plan carefully.”
Rowen: “How about we divide ourselves into two parties (group). One group will stay here and guard, feed, and helps Sai and also fights as backup. The second group goes out for training and practice, so we could be a strong team. What you think, Ryo?”
Ryo: “… I don’t know. Okay. But I’ll be staying with… Sai.”
Sage: “I NEED to, guys. No if, and, or but. He needs to be under someone he could trust… someone(s). I mean, we can’t have him kidnapped or killed. He’s part of us… and is one of the most powerful warriors out of all of us… I admit though his kindness is just too much.”
Kento snorts really loudly: “Ha. Sai ain’t stronger than me. How could it be?”
Suddenly, a murmur whispered through the door: “…Kento? How could you ever SAY that to me?” Sai had crept and heard every single word they said! “Kento! How could you! You’re not Kento! You’re… Talpa’s spy or someone else! Not Kento!”
“Well com’ on there, Baby Blue! Try your best shot!” Kento fired… who was now thought a non-Kento. “Come ON!” Neither Sai nor the others could believe what they were hearing. Before Sai could voice any word, Ryo came forward and blocked ‘Kento’s’ way.

Ryo: “Hey, bozo. If you wanna get Sai, you gonna hafta deal with me!”
Sage and Rowen stepped in: “YEAH! Let’s see if you could beat the Ronin Warriors 3 against 1!” Sai shook off Ryo’s supporting arm.

Sai: “No. 1 against 1. Ronin VS Ronin. Sai against Kento. This is my fight, not yours. I could handle it.”

Sage: “NO! You’re too… injured. You won’t make it! This Kento will kill you to steak before you could put a hand on him! SAI! You’re putting yourself into a really BIG risk!” He edged closer to Sai and Ryo.
Sai shook his head: “No. If it weren’t Kento, he would have smite me by now as we jabber and argue.” Sage was shocked, again, by Sai’s firm words. “Sage, I know you meant well, but this time… I won’t be a…” Rowen grabbed Sai under Sai’s arms and wrapped his arms firmly around him. “LEMME GO, ROWEN!” He gave Rowen an accidental mean kick at the knee, which made Rowen lose support on his legs. Ryo saw how Sai struggled and how desperate Sai was. FAR too desperate if you ask him.
Ryo, gently, pushed Rowen’s grasp off of Sai. Ryo: “OKAY, Sai. Just be careful. We don’t want to find a Torrent Boy dead in the ditch.”

Sai smiled. “Thank you. I…” He thought in his mind: “I WILL anyway BE out so this’ll be my last fight before that…”

Sage scorned, teasingly: “If you die, I’ll never forgive you! REMEMBER that.”

Rowen: “Hey, Torrent. Don’t get yourself into pessimistic problems. We aren’t gonna be able to handle too many things.” Sai blushed, but then became dead, dead, dead serious.
Kento: “For once in your lifetime, stop those baby talks.”
Sai: “Say that to your own family.” (BOY, THAT WAS MEAN) Kento became furious and hot. But Sai continued: “You forget that you was once a friend. You were once a BEST friend. You forget were once someone who was always loved. You were once… who always like to eat and have fun jokes.” Kento was about to burst. “But wait… the most important is that… you have nothing that you had. And that is Justice. The support with the others won’t help… you are who you needed. And you were afraid to admit that and let DAIS of Illusion take over you, dummy. Come on, Kento. Get over that. We’re still… friends. And including your banana peel is to this case as well.” Sai took out one last Fuji apple, holding it out to Kento. “Well… I guess I’ve no one who’ll take this with all their heart in food now.”
It became tremendously silent. Everyone noticed Sai broke the spell of challenge. And Sai knew this spell well. Sai held where his trust was. The apple was the trust. Kento collapsed to the ground and covered his eyes. But unusually Sai gave up and said: “Here, Ryo. You could have it.” Sai walked off, silently. But immediately, Kento attacked, not directly. Sai ducked and swung himself to a defense pose. Kento’s attack was neatly blocked.

Rowen pushed Kento furiously: “HEY! Don’t you dare make a scratch on Sai or you become Strata’s supper!” But he then noticed Kento wasn’t after Sai now… but the APPLE! Ryo was too late. Kento had the apple. He was gently rubbing it against himself. Still Sai starting to the door, Kento suddenly hollered: “NO. DON’T… leave! NOOO!” He grabbed Sai with all his might… nearly suffocating him.

Sai grinned: “Hey. Would I ever leave a friend I knew for such a long time? You’re built with muscles… no brains.” Kento gave a playful kick. Sai smiled his everlasting smile… he started to drift off, slowing but consistently.
Sage took no time to notice the slowly releasing self. He could tell Sai knew the time was just right to kick off. Sage: “Kento. We better get him back into the room. No time to explain.” Kento, immediately, gave Sai this whoopsy-daisy-it-will-be look. He carried him, cautiously, in, making no mistaking hits or bumps. Rowen opened the door, looking out the window to make sure no intruders were outside. Shutting the door, they watched as Sai drifted away in his sleep.
(In “dream”) Sai saw before him the Ancient. Sai: “I am dead, am I? See, I’m a worthless crap and no Ronin! Not even Torrent!” He was flabbergasted. Sai of Torrent was stuck and didn’t know what to do.

The Ancient: “No, Sai. You didn’t die. I summoned you to me, by sleep. If I didn’t there WILL BE NO hope for all of us. Not even Ryo’s Inferno could save us. Only you “Sai of Torrent.” Have you, yourself, know how powerful that element is?”

Sai couldn’t answer. He was too shameful and was really unfaithful with himself now. The Ancient comforted: “I given you this for you to keep and use wisely. You did. Now it’s your turn…” He went into his cloak and came out with an object. An object, that was like a crown and a headband. Right smack in the middle was a gemstone… a birthstone to be precise. Aquamarine. And surrounded by it was small little diamonds. Sai was breathless and suddenly confused at once.

The Ancient: “You now may have what you have been waiting for, patiently.”

Talpa: “This is the perfect time. Dais I want you to put Kento into a “small” sleep. Sekhmet, that’s your cue. I want you to sneak into that Torrent’s room and kill him.” Then he turned: “And Anubis, I want you to…”

Kento paced around the room, kicking everything in his way. He really wanted to tear himself to shreds. Rowen passed him, really PO (ed). Setting himself on a chair, he wondered was it the Dynasty who made this fate or was it their own. Suddenly, he saw his orb came out of his shirt. What was this? He followed closely to where the orb will go. Yup, right into Sai’s room. “Life,” Rowen murmured. Then it popped into his head: “This is a warning! Someone is coming and I’m the one chosen to protect him right now!” Rowen went in. He went straight to Sai, where he laid untouched and peaceful the time.
He laid a hand on Sai, closing his eyes, a blue light appeared, circling around him and Sai. Rowen held it there for a moment, but then surrounded the whole shield and protection over Sai. That was when an arrow shot, flaring to Sai’s heart. Rowen, afraid that the arrow will not be blemished by the shield, expertly grabbed the arrow at mid-flight and then called out his sub-armor by throwing his orb, Life.

Soldier: “Strata! How dare you interrupt our mission! You’ll pay!”

Rowen snarled, “Tough luck when you’re around me, Iron Face.” He had himself in front of Sai and was in his stance for a fight.
“Rowen! No. Defend yourself, Ro! Stupid,” Sai called, seeing what was going on from where he was, “Rowen should’ve kept the shield around himself too!”

The Ancient observed this thought and wisely answered, “Your friend is worried and afraid that if the shield were to break because of him, the hit will also kill or give you a major injury. He doesn’t know that a protection chamber is around you already, Sai.”

Sai begged, “Ancient! Please tell me. What am I to do here? I need to know.”
The Dynasty Soldier bellowed, “Give me Torrent, boy! Torrent is worthless at your side! You know it! You told him he was useless before!” Rowen was shocked about how much knowledge the Soldier knew of what he said. He was glad that Sai couldn’t hear this… well at least he thought, “That’s not true! He’s always a friend! I just was jealous of him! Sai! SAI!”

The soldier continued, “You also hated him ever since. You only protect him by the Ancient’s will, isn’t that true? Sai is not a friend to you.” He became weakened by these statements; how was he to stand for himself? While Ro was at this state, the Dynasty soldier had plenty of time to beat Rowen down.
Rowen thought: “I’ve no heart for him! I don’t! Sai probably knows this is his time to revenge. Oh… I’m a fool.”

Sekhmet laughed from his hiding place. “Strata fell for it! He didn’t use his Strata armor to go against us! This is a piece of cake!” Then, a soldier took a spear and stabbed him straight at the back. “GAHHH-AHH!” The sound echoed.
Sai watched, seeing this; he felt really sad for Rowen. Ro was really a nice friend. He fell to his knees, his head low. Then, with all his heart and might, he shouted. The Ancient kept his place and saw the small, thin headpiece light up. Sai’s eyes became water; his attribute brightened… Trust. Ro felt the bright light swirl. Opening his eyes, he saw the same body of Sai’s on the bed with his protection shield, but this time, had a heavenly image of Sai’s face, which was screaming, “ROWEN! Forget about what you said! I know you never meant to! I was the one! You can’t punish yourself for that, RO! Use yourself… trust yourself!”
This woke up Rowen completely. Rowen noticed how much Sai knew he didn’t mean it. He also felt that his wound the spear did had vanished. Now that was something. Rowen couldn’t stand the confusion, shaking his head, turning to the enemy, he speared a Dynasty arrow, rather smothery, and it shot the enemy’s… the Dynasty Soldier’s… forehead. The Soldier made a shriek but then sunk to the ground, venom splashing out of its forehead. Sekhmet. The Warlords were there! Quickly with his fast reflexes, he gathered Sai into his shaky arms and flustered out the door. “KENTO-SAN! KENTO! Get up! We’ve to get outta here…” He saw Kento on the floor, who was shaken by illusions. Dais had done it.
Rowen felt that it was a trap.

Sekhmet cackled, loudly: “So, Strata. You thought you could escape with Torrent in your hands? Torrent is my opponent you know.”

Rowen demanded, “Sekhmet, how come you’re here to get Sai of the Torrent anyhow? He’s sick… or something, and that’s shameful to kill someone who’s not even conscious!” (Sai thought, smirking at what Ro said: “Rowen… I’m not dead. And I’ve conscious otherwise I can’t be having a heart beat!)

Sekhmet affirmed to what Ro said, but then added, “We’re not going to kill him, so hand him over.”

Rowen backed up to a locked-up wall and shook his head, “NO! I’ll never give him up. I’ll kill myself then to pardon (give up) him! I did once… but not this time, NO!” Sekhmet just snickered and pulled out his weapon.
Rowen decided it was time to summon up his armor, “Strata! Ino-chi!” But at the last phrase, nothing happened. By secondary thought, he knew that Dais had brought those Nether Spirits. Ro watched as the small body shivered lightly… though really tiny fidgets. Anubis came flashing out, taking his chain whip; he shot it, directly at Sai. Rowen raced in front of it, ready to be lashed around the neck and strangled. BLAM! He, unwarily, fell toppling headfirst onto the ground, giving a quite a dizzy headache. Recovering, he looked to see if he had tripped over something… or someONE.
Surprised, Sai had, senselessly, pulled the ankle-part hook of Ro’s sub armor just in time for Ro to be missed being hit. That was when, the other Ronins came bashing in, one by one… following Kento lastly. All laughing, Talpa pulled the three Warlords back to the castle.

Ryo took Sai into his arms, looking at him effectively, asking softly: “Ro, what happened? You all right?”

Rowen rubbed his head, twitching, “Eh, I’m okay… just maybe not my head.”

Sage, gently, felt Rowen’s head, feeling a big bump near his forehead: “Well, at least it’s not that serious. Only a minor bump.”

Ro then scolded Sage, “AND next time, be CAREFUL!”

Kento scowled, “Whoever did that to you, I’m gonna smash him to pieces.”
“You better not smash THAT person to pieces or there’ll be no Ronin Warriors,” contradicted Rowen. He patted the boy on the floor, his head on Ryo, and unconscious. Ro continued, “He saved me from a blow Anubis could of got me, easily, and kill me.” Kento got curious and asked, “How?”

Rowen answered, descriptively, “He did this unexpectedly by pulling the ankle clasp of my sub-armor, giving me this bump but saving my life. The blow was angled at Sai, so I assume Sai knew this somehow by the heat.” He touched Sai nose-to-nose with him and thanked him, “Thank you, Sai… my pal.” Again, suddenly, a tear rolled down Sai’s face, only one. It lightly dripped onto Ryo’s clasped hand.

Kento sighed, “That’s Sai.”