Chapter 9

    In the middle of a great desert the wind slowly picked up, the beginnings of a sandstorm.  In the middle of this wind a bright light appeared and deposited three figures onto the sand.  They stood up protecting their faces from the sand that blew around them.
    "Prin... Katelynn are you all right?" Touma asked over the wind as he tried to protect her from the storm.
    "Yea, where are we?" Katelynn asked looking around as best as she could.
    ~ A desert, the biggest in the world. ~ Stardust stated.
    "Touma, isn't there anything you can do about the wind?" Katelynn yelled over the roar.
    "I can try." Touma yelled back.  He closed his eyes and concentrated.  The symbol of life appeared on his forehead, the wind slowed down to a breeze and then to nothing at all.  The sun appeared an threw it's rays on them with no mercy.
    "If it isn't a sand storm it's the sun" Katelynn snapped as she flipped the hot heavy clock off from around her.  She brought out the orange orb and watched it as it slowly began to glow, and followed in the direction it took her.

    Sarah and Kento were sent up to the house to retrieve things that they needed as they decided to stay down at the cabin.  While she had the chance Sarah decided to do some cooking and to show the guys some American food and snacks.
    "Let's see, four, eggs, sugar, butter, chocolate chips.  I think that's all." Sarah stated packing the things carefully into a backpack. "Kento! Hurry up!" Sarah yelled up the stairs.
    "I'm right here." Kento said walking down said stairs, three bags in hand.
    "Why do you have so much stuff.  Mia said only the necessities." Sarah blinked helping him unload a bit.
    "Well, Sage had to have his styling stuff and Touma had to have some books.  That's this bag.  Mia needed her laptop, witch is in this bag along with clothes and that's in the third bag too." Kento explained.
    "Well, I guess we are packing for five people." Sarah nodded.
    "Shoot.  I forgot something. I'll be back down in a second." Sarah set the food bag down next to the others and flipped on the TV for a sec.  When Kento came back down he found Sarah staring at the TV her mouth wide open.  He flopped down next to her and listened to what was playing on the news.

    Kento switched off the TV and looked to Sarah who had tears about to run down her face.
    "Come on, Let's go tell the others." Kento stated standing up and offering his hand, "they'll want to know." Sarah nodded and took his hand.  They grabbed a couple bags each and headed out the back door.

    The three figures walked over sand dune and valley searching for their lost friend and comrade, but to no avail.  The orb stayed constant the whole time, growing neither brighter nor dimmer.
    "It's going to take us forever to search for him this way." Katelynn exclaimed looking around the endless expanse of the desert.
    ~ You mustn't give up hope ~ Stardust stated looking back at the other two.
    "I know Stardust, I don't plan on giving up hope.  That's the last thing I plan to do" Katelynn stated as she started again picking yet another direction.
    "Katelynn, look at the orb." Touma stated catching up to her.  Katelynn looked down at the orb, which had stopped glowing.
    "What the..." Katelynn turned back around and started back in the other direction.  It glowed again for a second and the stopped.  Katelynn took a step back and the orb started to pulsate in her hand.
    "We must be on top of him." Touma reasoned.
    "But how do we get down?" Katelynn asked looking at the sand beneath her feet.
    ~ The same way you opened that crevasse ~ Stardust replied, ~ Concentrate on the orb and your armor and look for him ~ Katelynn nodded and closed her eyes, the orb pulsated even more then it was and the sand around them started to swirl and move under their feet.  Touma grabbed Katelynn so he wouldn't lose her as the sinking sand engulfed all three.

    Sarah and Kento walked down the path to the cabin.  Neither of them said a word, but they both had the same thing on their minds.  They both thought about all they had gone through, and wondered how it was all going to end.  Kento looked over at Sarah who was looking up into the sky lost in her thoughts.  He debated with himself whether he should say something or if he should just leave her alone, but he was worried about her.
    "Ya thinking about Cye?"
    "Yea, you?"
    "Yea.  I mean, all we have to do is break the spell right?" Kento asked as he watched a bird fly over them.
    "I wish.  I found out that the only way to break the spell would be to kill them." Sarah explained
    "Kill him? How'd you find that out?" Kento choked out.
    "That girl, told me.  And when I fought him, I could tell Red Wing had the hold on him." Sarah sighed.
    "It doesn't matter.  We'll get him back.  Alive." Kento stated nodding.
    "Kento, I've noticed, out of all the guys, you and Cye seem to have a special friendship."
    "Yea, I can tell him anything.  Actually,  I bet Cye knows more about any of us then we do!" Kento laughed.
    "Even though you don't show it, it hurts you that he's gone." Sarah stated carefully.
    "Nothing gets past you.  He's like the backbone of us all.  He understands us.  He's the only one that truly understands me." Kento sighed and sat down on a rock.  Sarah stopped and looked at him worried.  "I've lied to you and the others.  My life is not as happy as I make you believe..."
    "Kento, You don't have to tell me." Sarah interrupted.
    "No, I want to.  I trust you." Kento said forcing a small smile on his face.  Sarah nodded and sat down on the ground next to him, "My life was a living hell before I met the guys.  No one trusted me, everyone hated me."
    "Kento I doubt that's true." Sarah said putting her hand on his knee.
    "It is.  You see my rep in China Town is not even close to being acceptable.  When I was young I would steal fruit from a stand, and it got to be such a ritual, Mama would purposely overpay for her fruit to cover me.  The grocer didn't even care, it was one piece of fruit every other day, and truthfully that's was the worst I ever did.
    "Growing up I was a bit chubby, but most of it was muscle as it is now.  I had friends at school, but no one in my neighborhood wanted to play with me, so I played by myself.  When I was fourteen I came home for supper and found the police waiting.  Mama was crying, Papa wasn't to be seen, but Grandfather was there.  The police said that two girls claimed I beat them up.  But it wasn't me, and I think Grandfather knew it, but I had no alibi, so they gave me a warning and let me go." Kento looked up into the sky tears about ready to fall, "Two weeks later the police were back. The girls were hurt again, hospitalized this time.  I was sent to a Juvenile center for a little over a month.  After I got out, no one would look me in the face.  I was a disgrace to my family and my clan.  I tried to stay at home, but I was convicted several times of theft, money mainly.  Somebody was watching my movements.  Even through all this, Grandpa didn't give up on me, and mama tried hard not to either.
    "After we defeated Talpa I asked if I could stay with Mia so I couldn't bring harm to my family any more.  And when I left the trouble stopped.  They let me come back every now and then to visit Mama and Papa, but they limit even those visits."
    "Oh, Kento...  That explains why everyone was telling me to be careful." Sarah sighed and looked up at the wearer of Hardrock to see a solitary tear roll down his cheek.  Sarah sat upon her knees and gave him a hug, "I believe you.  I'll help you clear your name.  After everything is done of course."
    "Thank you.  That means a lot." Kento said wiping his eyes.
    "There you two are!" Ryo yelled as he approached on White Blaze, "We were worried about you."
    "Sorry, we just got to talking and lost track of time." Sarah said as she picked up a couple of bags.
    "Talking about what?" Ryo asked helping with the bags.
    "Oh, just stuff.  Race you back!" Kento yelled as he started off.
    "Hey, no fair!" Sarah yelled as she ran after him.
    "Ya know, I think we missed something boy." Ryo replied as he picked up the last bag and followed them down to the lake.

    When the last grain of sand disappeared from under their feet they began to free fall to the floor below.  About half way 'Life' flared on Tenku's head and he eased them to the ground.
    "Where are we?" Touma asked looking round.  Katelynn opened her eyes and the opening they had fallen threw closed, but instead of the cavern becoming dark it lit up in an orange light.
    ~ This is where the warier of the Kongo armor is ~ Stardust replied to Touma, and Touma nodded.  Katelynn walked over to the crevice in the floor where the light source was to be found.  Deep inside the crevasse was Shu.  Katelynn lifted the orb up and closed her eyes.  The orb lit up to challenge the other light till it engulfed the cave.  When the light died down, Shu joined them.
    "Man, Touma, Princess, I thought I'd never see you again!" Shu exclaimed hugging both of them.
    "We're glad to see you too." Touma stated.
    "How are we supposed to get out of here?" Sarah asked looking up and around the cavern.
    "Leave that to us." Shu exclaimed grinning.  He closed his eyes as Justice flared to life.  The ceiling about them opened up as it had before. Touma then closed his eyes, and lifted them all out of the cavern to the surface.