Quick Note: Yes I know it's been a while but I've been so busy with college that I haven't really had time to sit down and work on this series. That and I've been working on other Samurai Troopers stories when I should've been working on my Chibi Troopers stories. I'm hoping to get that all fixed up and continue to work steadily on this when I can. Thank you to those who have been patient with me!

~*~

Chibi Rekka no Ryo slept for what seemed like an eternity. He was laying on his stomach and his arms and legs were stretched before him lifelessly. It almost appeared as if he had fallen from a great height and his poor body had been battered upon its impact on the ground. Though an indication of life was detected as one of Chibi Rekka's fingers twitched. His eyes remained closed as he gradually rose from the ground and lifted his head. Opening one blue eye, and then the other, he discovered himself before a large gingerbread house decorated with delicious looking sweets and candy. Surrounding himself and the house was a vast, gloomy forest that simply reeked of isolation and mystification. Shadows danced amongst the trees and the skies above, giving Chibi Rekka a nervous feeling.

"Where are we?" a tiny voice whispered beside him.

Chibi Rekka screamed in fright and fell onto his stomach once more. Scrambling to his feet, he panting heavily and then sighed in relief as he discovered Chibi Suiko no Shin sitting on his knees a few feet away.

"Don't do that!" Chibi Rekka admonished with a wag of his finger.

"Sorry," Chibi Suiko mumbled shyly. He moved his head from left to right and eventually noticed the candy house before him. "What's that? And where are the others?"

"I don't know. Maybe they're in the house. Let's go see!"

"Wait a minute!" Chibi Suiko jumped to his feet and tugged on his friend's hand impatiently, a worried expression clouding his youthful face. "We can't just go in there. We don't even know if the guys are there or not."

"But we can't just stand here!" Chibi Rekka retorted as he pulled his hand away from the other boy. "We have to find out by going! And we might even find that witch, Sachiriku, inside! So are you coming or not?"

Before Chibi Suiko could give his answer, the front door of the candy house silently flew open. The two Chibi Troopers turned and stood side by side as they witnessed the delights within the house: cotton candy clouds hovered above the ceilings, a chocolate table with peppermint legs, walls made of jelly beans, gum balls, and ginger bread. This was simply a child's paradise!

Chibi Rekka and Chibi Suiko's eyes were wide in awe, though at the same time became distant and faint, as if they were pulled into a abstruse dreamlike state. The boys hollered for joy as they raced towards the house, eager for some candy. Meanwhile a Shadowling sat on the house's rooftop, a wicked gleam in its eye. It giggled maliciously before it vanished, only to reappear in the child form of Suzunagi, a former enemy of the Samurai Troopers.

Inside the little boys were devouring whatever yummy sweets they could shovel into their mouths. With a mouth full of jellybeans, Chibi Rekka scrambled over to the closet. He turned the knob and squealed with joy as a wave of chocolate balls poured out of the cramped room and covered Chibi Rekka and the floor he stood on. Meanwhile Chibi Shin was devouring much of the white chocolate and what gingerbread his tiny hands could collect. He was so absorbed by the sweets that he didn't notice the red haired girl standing before him.

"Aren't they just good to eat?" Chibi Suzunagi asked sweetly as she knelt down before him wearing an innocent smile on her face.

Chibi Suiko nodded without answering her verbally. A sugar high Chibi Rekka bounced over and landed beside the Chibi Trooper of the Water Margin. Together the two started to collect more candy for themselves, their movements almost eerily identical towards one another.

Chibi Suzunagi giggled. "Wouldn't it be so fun if you two could stay here forever?"

Chibi Rekka and Suiko lifted their heads and gazed at the girl curiously, their mouths covered in chocolate. "Stay here?" they asked in unison.

"Yes that's right. Sachiriku-sama will make sure that you can have all of this forever... that is, if you allow her to take your souls and armors."

~*~

"Children are so gullible and stupid," Sachiriku snorted as she brushed her hair, staring at her reflection in the mirror. She reached over with one of her arms and adjusted the mirror, so that it revealed the counterpart of a fragile looking Kayura. "Don't you agree, child?"

Kayura was huddled against the corner of her cell, her outfit torn and bloodied from the demoness's battering. Sachiriku was slowly but surely draining her energy so she wouldn't be able to help the Samurai Troopers. Gentle locks of blue hair fell and caressed her dirty cheek, as if offering her comfort and ease from her aching body. Not only was she in pain, but also extremely exhausted...

"Soon they shall be mine," Sachiriku scoffed. "Not only that but Arago will be sorry he did what he did to me! He'll pay!" She narrowed her pupil-less eyes at her own reflection. With a shaking hand, she touched the surface of the glass and sighed wearily. "He'll pay... He'll pay for making me a freak. He will suffer!"

"You are... working on an ambition... that cannot come true."

Sachiriku glanced over her shoulder and frowned at Kayura. The blue haired priestess was using the wall for support as she weakly lifted herself from the ground and stood on her own two feet. Her body shook slightly from her bodily pain but she refused to show anymore weakness to this insane woman.

"Don't you realize that Arago is no more? He has been banished forever! The Samurai Troopers have defeated him long ago! What is it that you cannot understand? Kayura's eyes flickered momentarily; instead of seeing Sachiriku sitting by the mirror, she saw Seoul looking at her with those haunting, confused eyes. Suddenly, that image vanished and another woman sat before Kayura, her expression showing that of pity and sadness.

The woman mouthed the words, "Help me."

Sachiriku and Seoul are really one after all, Kayura thought in horror. Something is preventing them from becoming the real woman that they consist of.

"SHUT UP!"

Kayura screamed as Sachiriku backhanded her. It felt like a giant rock slamming on the side of her face, it was so horrible that she almost felt her bones cracking. She crashed against the wall and slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Sachiriku rose to her feet and looked at the hand in which struck Kayura. She noticed a faint trace of blood on her palm.

"She thought she could read me like a book," she hissed under her breath. She clenched her hand and made it into a fist. "She doesn't know... doesn't know of my pain... How dare she!"

~*~

"Sachiriku-sama will take good care of you," Chibi Suzunagi explained to Chibi Rekka and Chibi Suiko slowly so they could understand what she was saying. She hopped onto the chocolate table and twirled on her tiptoe, giggling. "Just give in to her and you'll have eternal happiness."

Chibi Rekka blinked a few times and lowered his head. "Happiness?" he whispered softly to himself.

It sounded like a good thing. To always be happy, he wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore! He wouldn't have to worry about whether his father would come home or not, about the armors, about any threats that could possibly threaten the existence of the Ningenkai. He recalled the hard battles he fought in the past he had been through in order to achieve his goals. He had suffered through so much and all he wanted to do now was be content with his life.

Chibi Suiko's eyes were filled with concern. Eternal happiness? Could that really happen? Memories of his family came to him: his mother smiling sweetly at him, his older sister playing with him on the shores of the beach, and his father giving him a ride on his shoulders before he died... Maybe if we were to be happy, he wouldn't have to worry about the sad things anymore. It didn't seem so bad... to be happy...

Hopping down from the table, Chibi Suzunagi held out a hand to the boys. She said to them, "Take my hand and let me take you to Sachiriku-sama. She's waiting for you and your friends." Friends?

Without warning, the images of the other three Chibi Troopers appeared before Chibi Rekka and Chibi Suiko. Chibi Tenku, Korin, and Kongo were smiling cheerfully at them.

"Let's go you guys!" Chibi Tenku no Touma laughed.

"We have to be together if we want to help everyone!" Chibi Korin no Seiji winked.

"Ryo! Shin! Don't fall behind!" Chibi Kongo no Shu cried eagerly.

"Touma! Seiji! Shu!" Chibi Rekka exclaimed. His eyes reverted back to their normal state and he drew his hand away before Chibi Suzunagi could claim it. He shook his head and glared at her. "I'm not going!"

"Me neither!" Chibi Suiko declared as he and Chibi Rekka stepped away from her, his eyes also having lapsed to their normal state once again. "We can't go because we want to be with our friends. We're sorry."

The red haired girl stood there in bewilderment. How was it possible that they were able to break free from her control? She had them right where she wanted and there was no way that either the other Troopers or anybody else could have been able to sway their decision!

"Why you vicious little brats!" she shrieked. "How dare you! You will come with me to Sachiriku-sama, dead or alive!"

"No way!" both Chibi Troopers shouted in defiance.

"That's what you think!"

The little girl levitated into the air, her arms stretched out before her. Her eyes widen as they flashed with colors of hatred. The two Chibi Troopers drew out their weapons and charged towards the enemy. Even though an invisible barrier sent them bouncing back quite a ways from Suzunagi, they weren't about to give up that easily.

The faint images of the future Ryo and Shin appeared before the two children like haunting visions. Both men were wearing their silver armors and their respected colors. Ryo spoke to them first and Shin followed afterwards.

Do not let the armor do things for you... Work together as one. Open your heart and feed it the desire to grow strong. Mind, body, and soul. Use the strength within you and teamwork! Take down those of evil intent!

JIN appeared on Chibi Rekka's forehead while SHIN burned bright on Chibi Suiko's forehead. Suzunagi landed back on the ground and gasped as she felt a raw power fill the room. She realized that she could not win against the Chibi Troopers now, but she refused to give up!

"Double Trooper Attack!" Chibi Rekka and Chibi Suiko yelled. Chibi Rekka leaped backwards and landed on top of Chibi Suiko's shoulders. He twirled his joined Rekka Ken together while Chibi Suiko spun his spear like a wand until he stopped with its sharp end pointing at Suzunagi.

"CHORYUU..."

"SO EN..."

"HAAAA!"

"ZAAAN!"

Suzunagi shrieked in fear as two beams of energy came hurling her way. The combined attacks of Chibi Rekka and Chibi Suiko transformed into one massive attack: a blast of fire with water swirling around it rapidly. It slammed into Suzunagi on impact and blew everything else behind her away. The forest and landscape in which surrounded the house mysterious vanished, melting into the darkness and void. The broken candy house burst into flames before it too dissolved. The only ones left were Chibi Rekka, Chibi Suiko, and Suzunagi.

"NO!" Suzunagi screamed, her body bruised and hammered beyond belief. A thin red line of blood fell down her temple and dripped onto the ground. She doubled over before she transformed back to her true form, that of a Shadowling.

The little warriors of fire and water calmly witnessed their enemy's final act: the Shadowling fell to the ground face first and shattering into thousands of pieces like a dainty china doll. The mystical armors were willed away and the boys looked at one another.

"What now?" Chibi Shin asked, his voice steady and relaxed. Chibi Ryo replied, "We go find the others! But first we have to find a way out of this weird place."

Congratulations, little ones.

Mirai Ryo appeared before them, remaining in his ghostly form. "You did well," he said to them with a friendly smile. "Do not let anything get in your way of your goals. Strength and determination will guide you safely."

Chibi Ryo made his way over and reached out to his future self. As expected, his little hand went through the ghost, though he did not seem disappointed. All the while, Chibi Shin merely gazed in stupefaction at Mirai Ryo, wondering if they really could succeed in their goals.

"Never lose faith," Mirai Ryo said with a grin.

"Wait!" Chibi Ryo cried out as he noticed the ghost fading away. He lunged forward but he flew right through and crashed onto the ground. He got to his hands and knees and looked over his shoulder, but by the time he did so Mirai Ryo was gone.

"Good-bye... and thank you."

Chibi Shin made his way over to aid his friend. Once getting to his feet, Chibi Ryo turned around and pointed. "Look over there!" he shouted.

A shimmering pillar of light materialized ahead of them. Without hesitation, they realized that this was their golden opportunity and they sprinted over. Once they set foot within the pier, the two Chibi Troopers closed their eyes and concentrated on finding their friends. In a matter of moments, they vanished.

~*~

"No!"

Kaijin rammed his gold plated fist into the viewing mirror. Piercing shards flew past the masked man and all over the place. Drawing his fist back, he turned away and stormed out of the room. He walked down the long, sinister hallway before he paused and lifted a hand to his face.

"Next time," he whispered, "they won't be so fortunate. I will please Sachiriku-sama by getting rid of them."

Lelani!

Akira! HELP!

Kaijin fell to his knees and clutched his head in pain after hearing those accursed voices filling his mind with sorrow and grief.

"No!" he sobbed. "No, no, no! Those voices again... why are you doing this to me? WHY?!"

~*~

Chibi Shu: Hi everyone! Kongo no Shu here! It looks like Chibi Ryo and Chibi Shin are in trouble once again--what's this? Why is this man attacking us? I thought he was dead! See you in the next episode of Choroiden-Chamurai Troopers: "The Oni's Fury! The Power of Three!"