"So with the strength and determination, Rekka no Ryo was able to gain power and in the process, undergo a somewhat rapid growth spur. Through this he was able to push past the poison inflicting his body and become stronger." Kayura concluded her explanation of the Chibi Troopers' current state and she paused before speaking further. "Of course none of us were there at the time so this is merely my own theory."

She, the Chibi Troopers, the Masho, Nasuti, Byakuen, and Kokuen-Oh were gathered in the dining area where they were discussing what had supposedly happened to everyone prior to them meeting once more. Earlier she explained what had happened to herself and to the Masho during their ventures in Sachiriku's domain. It was rather sketchy because everything had happened so fast, it was almost overwhelming.

"Sounds good to me!" Chibi Ryo remarked on Kayura's rationale. He beamed at her, his four friends and himself sitting around the reformed villain formally known as Kaijin (whose real name was Akira, though everyone continued to call him Kaijin). Kaijin was sitting cross-legged and allowing the children to inspect him closely. He didn't mind appearing as some new creature they had never seen before.

"Are you sure you're human?" Chibi Shin asked as he poked Kaijin's right cheek. "Hmm, feels kinda scratchy."

Chibi Touma hummed to himself as he tugged on Kaijin's left earlobe. The man yelped and sweatdropped. "W-What are you all doing?!" Kaijin snapped. "Don't pull so hard!"

"Just making sure you really aren't a bad guy anymore," Chibi Shu replied as he tugged on a lock of Kaijin's salt and pepper colored hair. Kaijin winced and sweatdropped even more. "People who are bad aren't really people. Right, Seiji?"

Chibi Seiji nodded as he whipped out Korin Ken from out of nowhere. Kaijin couldn't help but become pale when he saw Chibi Seiji's left eye twitching. He recalled Sachiriku doing this before slicing something in half with her swords...

"Hold him steady!" the blonde child shouted. "I'm gonna make sure with my sword to see if he really isn't a bad guy!"

Kaijin's eyes bulged out and he screamed silly while the other four Chibi Troopers tried to hold him down. But before Chibi Seiji could do anything, Anubisu grabbed the child by the back of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Chibi Seiji wiggled his arms and legs in the air as his sword slipped from his grasp.

"Aww, jeez, Anubisu-papa, leggo of me!" Chibi Seiji whined.

Chibi Ryo and the others groaned in disappointment as Naaza and Rajura pulled them away from poor Kaijin. Kaijin slowly sat up and rubbed the back of his neck. He wore an apprehensive grin on his face. The Chibi Troopers were as curious as kittens about him.

"Thank you all," Kaijin said, looking up at the three Masho. "I mean it wasn't necessary but..."

"Don't think you can worm your way so easily into our sides," Anubisu snapped, a dark expression appearing over his face.

Naaza snorted as Chibi Shin and Chibi Shu tugged on his hands, trying to ask him a question. "We don't trust you just yet, Kaijin," he said to the former minion of Sachiriku.

Kaijin paled a bit. "I-I told you the truth," he acknowledged sadly. "What Kayura-san has said in her explanation is very correct. I cannot harm you even if I wanted to. I have no powers. The mask that helped enhanced me my demonic powers is gone."

Rajura leaned against the wall with his hands jammed in his pockets. "We shall see, Kaijin," he murmured dryly under his breath. "We shall see."

"Enough!" Kayura rose from her seat at the dining table and slapped her palms on the smooth, wooden surface. "You three should be sympathizing with him, not the opposite!" She straightened herself and grasped the shakujo with both hands as she spoke to the three men. "Have you forgotten that you three as myself were once pawns for Arago to play with? If it hadn't been for the Samurai Troopers, who knows what fates would have fallen upon us!"

"With Kaijin-san on our side," Byakuen supplied from the table, "it should be easier to hunt down Sachiriku. Am I correct?"

Naaza brushed something from his dark sweater and shrugged. He batted Chibi Shu and Chibi Shin away from him before sitting down at the table once more. "I suppose you are right," he sighed heavily.

Chibi Ryo picked at the carpet, grimacing. The Masho weren't really ready to trust Kaijin just yet. Why were he and his friends able to trust Kaijin after they defeated him in battle? In all honesty, he could've destroyed the Chibi Troopers if he had anymore evil desire within him. Or was all the power he had within that gold mask he wore? They would never know yet deep down, Chibi Ryo knew that everyone was capable of doing good. Nobody was born to be mean or wicked.

"What shall we do in the time between events?" Seoul asked as she suddenly materialized from out of nowhere and sat between Chibi Touma and Chibi Shin. The two boys screamed and scrambled away from their seats. During the abrupt craziness, they knocked heads and fell to the ground with stars spinning about their faces.

Everyone in the room sweatdropped while Seoul blinked innocently. "Are the children all right?" she asked with slight concern. "Seoul did not mean to cause trouble."

"Where have you been?" Kokuen-Oh asked as he put his hands behind his head. He had kept quiet throughout the entire conversation centering the Chibi Troopers and Kaijin, causing Byakuen to become somewhat suspicious over his behavior.

"Seoul apologizes," the woman responded as she rose to her feet. "Seoul has discovered the whereabouts of her 'sister' Sachiriku."

"Really?" At this point everyone was focusing their attention to Seoul, all except Kaijin that is. He had taken one look at Seoul and turned his head away, as if he were afraid to even look at her.

Nasuti cleared her throat and asked, "Where is she, Seoul-san?"

Weaving her hand through the air before her, Seoul's fingertips began to glow. Moments later a sort of viewing mirror magically appeared. The Chibi Troopers were in awe of this "magic trick" of Seoul's and gathered close together to watch. The scene shown before them was that of the Shinjuku prefecture. Buildings, streets, and other obstacles were becoming overlaid with bizarre, inky gossamer.

"Just like Rajura-papa's spider webs!" Chibi Shu commented in a soft whisper. "But it's all black and shining. Much cooler looking than his."

Suddenly Rajura slid over and hit Chibi Shu over the head with his fist. "Don't compare me with that psychotic witch," he spat in displeasure.

Chibi Shu held his hands on top of his head and cried. He howled in pain before jumping to his feet and tackling Rajura to the ground, calling him a "stingy old man"; Rajura countered by calling Chibi Shu a "stubborn little runt." The two of them wrestled in the background while the others continued to focus on task.

"Sachiriku has entered this world and is seeking blood," Seoul announced as the scene shifted to an image of Sachiriku. The six-armed demoness was seen standing in the midst of her black webs, the wind playing with her wispy white hair. Her face was a dark reflection of Seoul's; Sachiriku was apparently laughing at something for her pupil-less eyes were narrowed and her lips were curved into a nasty smile, baring her white fangs. "Seoul believes she will use the residence living in the city to force the Chibi Troopers to come to her. Seoul and friends must hurry if Seoul's 'sister' is to be stopped. Sister does not know of the pain she is causing to others and to herself."

"So let us deal with her," Rajura said as he approached the others once more. Tied up, gagged, and slung over his shoulder was Chibi Shu. The child was anxiously struggling to free himself from his bonds while the gag muffled his yelling. "The children will stay here with Nasuti and Kaijin."

Chibi Ryo gasped as did the others. Even Chibi Shu stopped to glare at Rajura in annoyance. "Wait a minute!" Chibi Ryo exclaimed as he stood up and faced the former Phantom Demon General. "People are gonna get hurt if we don't go to Sachiriku!"

"You'll get yourselves killed if you go," Naaza implied sternly. "It's exactly what Sachiriku wants. Are you forgetting that you're only children? You aren't the warriors you used to be."

"But we're the Samurai Troopers!" Chibi Shin protested as he positioned himself next to Chibi Ryo. Chibi Touma and Chibi Seiji stood alongside their friends and were facing the adults with equal set expressions of bravery and determination. "It's our job to save people and to protect this world!" Chibi Shin insisted.

Anubisu sighed. "If you want to do all that hero business, fine, but not this time. You're going to stay here and that's that. The subject is closed."

Nasuti, Kayura, and Byakuen were astonished by the Masho's take on this situation. They were genuinely worried about the Chibi Troopers' welfare. They didn't want them to die. Despite the courage and boldness the boys were exhibiting, they knew they weren't going anywhere.

"Faith alone cannot help win a battle," Kayura said delicately, her eyes casting over at the Chibi Troopers. "I'm sorry but it would be best if you stayed here."

Chibi Ryo growled and scrunched his hands together, balling them up into tight fists. "It's not fair!" he shouted. "It's just not fair!"

Pushing past the Masho, Chibi Ryo dashed upstairs, ignoring the calls of his friends. Darn it, he wanted to do something! He didn't want to stand around and wait for the unknown to happen. He was a Samurai Trooper! He didn't want people to get hurt because of him. It just wasn't fair!

Arriving inside his room, Chibi Ryo closed the door behind him and locked it. He realized he was tall enough to reach the doorknob without having to go on his tiptoes. He shuffled across the room until he arrived at his bed. Climbing on top of it, he fell face first into his pillow and sighed. He suddenly felt so tired and drained. He was too frustrated to cry anymore but his mind wouldn't rest.

I have to do something, he thought to himself as he turned his face away from the pillow and rested on his side. He found himself gazing at a small framed photo of himself and his friends when they were in New York a few years ago.

From the right were Seiji and Touma looking calm and cool as ever. Next to Touma was Nasuti who had her hands on young Yamano Jun's shoulders. Chibi Ryo found himself, or rather his original adult self, standing beside Nasuti and looking curiously over at a comical looking Shu and Shin. The two of them had one arm around each other's shoulders while waving the Japanese and American flags. Sitting in front of them was poor Byakuen with a sign around his neck that read "Air Mail Cargo."

Aren't I a warrior just like the others? It's because we're kids. I mean... We are adults sort of but we're being treated like kids. It's not fair. Dumb Masho...

Chibi Ryo closed his eyes and sighed. Maybe he'd feel better after taking a nap. Naps always made him feel much better.

"Ryo-kun?"

The boy gasped and bolted up in bed. He blinked a couple of times as he noticed how dark the room was. Glancing at the digital alarm clock, he saw it was nearly 5:30 PM. He had been asleep for a few hours but it sure didn't feel like it. He was still tired and groggy.

The doorknob turned but the lock prevented it to go any further. "Ryo-kun, it's me. Byakuen."

"Yaku-chan..." Chibi Ryo slid off the bed and padded to the door. After a few moments, he unlocked the door and turned the knob. He stepped back as Byakuen entered the room quietly. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry about what happened downstairs," the man replied as he kneeled before the child. "I should've said something but..."

Chibi Ryo shook his head. "It's okay... I guess I was just mad. I still am kinda." He paused for a moment. "Um, where are the Masho?"

"Resting in their rooms. They're going to head off to Tokyo in the morning."

"Oh."

"Ryo, I know you. You have good intentions about going after Sachiriku but they did have a point. You and the others are still physically children. Sachiriku is a crazed warrior who doesn't know what to do with herself. You could get killed."

"I know!" Chibi Ryo cried. "I know! But I hate not being able to do anything! It's 'cause of Sachiriku that we're like this! Her and that Kiyemon person! I wanna have everything the way it was before they did this!" He used the back of his sleeve to rub his teary eyes.

Byakuen stroked the boy's hair and shook his head. "Kiyemon did this for a good reason. If she hadn't changed us... Ryo-kun, we're alive in these forms. I understand how you're feeling though. Believe me, I do." I just wish I knew what she was doing right now. We haven't heard anything from her for quite some time. I wonder what's going on?

"As I do," another voice said. Chibi Ryo and Byakuen turned to find Kaijin standing at the doorway. He was dressed in a clean pair of slacks and a white sweater. He stepped inside of the room and placed his hand on the doorknob. "Rekka no Ryo-san, Byakuen-san, we must hurry to Sachiriku. I believe I can talk to her without blood being shed." He bit his lower lip and added, "I want my beloved to return."

Chibi Ryo blinked. "Beloved? What're you talking about?"

Kaijin closed the door as he stepped inside the bedroom. A faint click was heard, indicating that the door was locked. Chibi Ryo and Byakuen watched as Kaijin eased himself on the floor, sitting cross-legged and propping his back up against the door. Chibi Ryo looked over at Byakuen and saw that the man made no move to sit near Kaijin. With a small shrug the child decided to sit on the bed next to Byakuen. Kaijin was just a few feet away so it wasn't as if they really had to sit so close.

"It was over 500 years ago," Kaijin began as he pulled one knee to his chest and fixed his eyes upon the floor, "that Lelani and I were in love. At the time, the two of us lived in a small village in Kyoto. Lelani was a sweet girl with dark hair, dark eyes, and smelled of sweet cherry blossoms. The two of us were to be married when she would turn 16 in the following winter. I was the happiest man alive and I thought nothing could ruin this moment... But... That was when the youja arrived. From out of nowhere they attacked the villagers, killing them with no mercy what so ever. Not even the local swordsmen could hold them off. They were slaughtered just like the others. Lelani and I tried to escape but we were separated by the fires that broke out."

Kaijin wrapped an arm around his knee and he relaxed his forehead on top of his knee. "I thought we were going to die," he continued, "when I saw the leader of the attack. He was so large and colossal. I heard the youja address him as 'Arago-sama' and having heard that name before, I realized that he was the most powerful youja king from the Youjakai--he was there! I couldn't understand what he was doing terrorizing us, and to this day I still don't know. At any rate, I had been kidnapped by the soldiers and brought to Arago. I was forced to watch as my fallen Lelani, my beloved, was contaminated by the youja's dark magic. Arago used some kind of spell to split my Lelani into two beings, though only one of them seemed to have survived."

He lifted his head and looking straight at Chibi Ryo, he said to him, "The mad woman who threatens to kill the Samurai Troopers is Sachiriku. One half of my beloved Lelani."

"That's really bad," Chibi Ryo replied, biting his lip and looking worried. "What about...?"

Kaijin chuckled lightly as he drew his head back until it touched the door, his eyes fixed upon the dark ceiling. "The other part is the woman you see floating about this house, the one who tends to speak in third person sometimes: Seoul."

"I remember her or someone else mentioning the split," Byakuen said as he rubbed the back of his head, ruffling his own white hair. Well doesn't this just complicate matters further? The two women were actually one whole woman and the former follower of Sachiriku was really the lover of this whole woman, Lelani. And here he thought his own relationship with Kokuen-Oh was strange enough. "But what about the mask you wore? Did she force you to wear it?"

"She did." Kaijin's answer was sharp and curt. "After Arago took his youja back to their world, along with Sachiriku, I was alone. I was the sole survivor of the attack. I don't know why they let me live. Perhaps I was to warn the humans of what was to come... Anyway, I tried to search for the other half of my precious Lelani but she was nowhere to be found. Thinking she had been killed, sadness and hatred filled my heart. Understand that it is humans who create the youja. It is from the human's hearts that determine the fate of a human in the after life. If one's heart is filled with negative emotions upon death, that person will be created into a youja and either live in the Youjakai or remain in the Ningenkai. Even though I call myself a human being, I am actually a youja."

He sighed. "Unable to cope with my loss, I killed myself outside the remains of my destroyed village. With the pain in my heart, I changed into a youja and found myself in the Youjakai, with little memory of my previous life. Years passed and I found myself working under the Lord of the Jiryoushuu, Badamon. It was thanks to Badamon that I learned arcane magic and the history of the Youjakai."

Chibi Ryo and Byakuen watched as Kaijin lifted a hand to massage one of his shoulders. "To make a long story short," he said, "I discovered Sachiriku during an exploration of Arago's castle. It was upon my helping her out of her chains that she was somehow able to create a sort of 'brand' upon my body, a mask, ensuring I would never leave her. She had been alone for so long that... She wanted me to serve her and to keep her company..." He placed his palms on the carpet and unfolded his legs. Pressing his back against the door, he gradually pushed himself from the ground and to a standing position. "It was under the influence of Arago's magic that gnaws away her mind and, well, made her... just a little crazy. Ever since we came together, she's had a sick obsession over killing her tormentor. No matter how many times I've told her he was gone, destroyed by you Samurai Troopers, she wouldn't believe me. Just a little insane, mind you."

"JUST a little?" Chibi Ryo asked sarcastically. He received a admonishing glare from Byakuen and he quickly, but quietly, apologized. "So it's because of Arago that she's like this... Can't we help her?"

"Sympathy for the devil." Byakuen's statement caused Kaijin to turn around and face the locked door. Rising from the bed, the white haired man folded his arms across his chest and said, "Your story sounds believable and despite all the trouble you've caused my friends and myself, I'm going to trust you, Kaijin. Just tell me something: how are we supposed to save Sachiriku and turn her back into a normal person? Is it even possible?"

"I know!" Chibi Ryo piped up, wanting to be a part of the conversation. He slid off the bed and made his way over to the door. After politely pushing Kaijin aside, he unlocked the door and told the two men to stay where they were. Flinging the door open (and knocking Kaijin into the wall with it) he raced outside and down the hall. Moments later his footsteps pounded throughout the hallway as he came back and closed the door shut.

"What's going on, Ryo-kun?" Byakuen asked as he treated Kaijin's busted nose with an ice-pack over by the bed. "Where did you go?"

Reaching into his pocket, Chibi Ryo produced the Inochi no Magatama, one of the key items that helped destroy Arago in the final battle. "Here!" he shouted happily. "We can use the jewel to maybe fix Sachiriku and Seoul back together!"

"AHH!" Kaijin gasped in complete surprise. He pushed Byakuen aside and fell to his knees in front of Chibi Ryo, gazing candidly at the jewel. His eyes were sparkling with excitement and his black and blue nose was bleeding. Chibi Ryo sweatdropped and he couldn't help but notice how Kaijin looked like some pervert ogling over a dirty magazine.

"The Inochi no Magatama!" Kaijin exclaimed. "Yes! Its power proves equal to either good or evil. In your hands it should work with no problem!"

Meanwhile, Byakuen sat up from the floor, an aggravated look on his face. Why was Kaijin so serious for one moment and now acting like some child in a candy store? The framed picture of himself and the Troopers in New York fell on top of his head, causing him to scowl.

Kaijin reached over and folded Chibi Ryo's fingers over the jewel, becoming somber once more. "Take good care of this, Rekka no Ryo-san," he instructed the 10-year old boy. "I would ask you if I could use it but I wouldn't be able to help my beloved properly. My heart is confused and full of angst. You are the one I can trust to use it."

"Sure, no problem," Chibi Ryo said optimistically as he fashioned the jewel around his neck. The jewel rested comfortably against his sweater with the rays of the setting sun shining on it through the nearby window. "Are we gonna go now?"

"Wait," Byakuen objected as he joined the other two. "Just the three of us?"

Kaijin shook his head as he stood up once more, smoothing out his pant legs. "Seoul has to come with us if we are to stop Sachiriku," he explained. "She can teleport us to Sachiriku. Before either of you ask, while Arago took one part of Lelani and warping her into his own creation--her 'bad' side, her other side is essentially her 'good' side. She has her own set of magical powers opposite to that of Sachiriku but conceivably weaker. If she can go about this household in silence, she can surely take us to our destination without alarming the others. I just know it."

Byakuen sighed but he didn't argue with Kaijin's logic. During this time Chibi Ryo summoned his under armor and quickly checked to make sure the Inochi no Magatama was still around his neck. His hand clasped around the jewel itself and he grinned.

"We're gonna do this!" Chibi Ryo assured. Holding a fist in the air, the Japanese flag suddenly appeared flowing behind him as he shouted, "To Tokyo to stop Sachiriku, get her to change the Samurai Troopers back to adults, and bring back Kaijin's love!" Suddenly he fell down and whined, "That last part made me sound like something a whiny, magical anime girl would say!"

Byakuen hung his head while Kaijin stood there, clueless. "What's a whiny magical anime girl?" he asked as he scratched his head. Byakuen groaned and simply told him to just forget about it.

"Let's just prepare ourselves for battle," the white haired man advised. Holding out his arm, he held up his hand as one pair of the Koretsu Ken miraculously appeared out of thin air. Once his fingers grasped the sword's handle, his white and black under armor appeared over his clothing.

Almost instantly afterwards, the jewel around Chibi Ryo's neck began to burnish a maroon colored glow. The entire bedroom was lit with this mysterious glow. It washed over Chibi Ryo, Byakuen, and Kaijin like a thin, warm blanket. Thereafter they vanished from the household only to come into view of the Shinjuku prefecture. Their feet touched the hard gravel and they took a few moments to collect themselves.

"Whoa!" Chibi Ryo gasped as he stretched his arms and legs. "That was so cool! How'd we do that, Yaku-chan?"

"I'm not too sure," Byakuen acclaimed as he studied his environment. He realized that the street they were standing on was where the Samurai Troopers first met and fought their first battle together. Eerily enough it maintained the same setting as it appeared years ago: dark skies with black clouds dotting the atmosphere, abandoned sidewalks, deserted vehicles parked to the side... Yet to add flavor, black lacework covered the windows, blocked the doorways to buildings, and stretched from rooftop to rooftop. It was like they were trapped in a giant spider's web.

Kaijin brushed his sleeves with the back of his hand as he turned around. He faltered at the sight of the other four Chibi Troopers along with Seoul standing before himself, Chibi Ryo, and Byakuen. The Chibi Troopers were dressed in their under armors while Seoul remained behind the boys with her hands behind her head.

"Guys!" Chibi Ryo cried out, surprised by their appearance but never the less happy. "What're you all doing here?"

"We just knew you'd do something like this," Chibi Touma answered with a smirk.

"You're always so rash, Ryo," Chibi Shin pointed out while waving his index finger at him. "But you are you, Ryo. We can't change it." He gave Chibi Ryo a charming wink.

"Seoul-san told us what was going on," Chibi Seiji explained as he glanced over his shoulder at Seoul. "So she used her magical powers to take us here."

Floating just inches off the ground, Seoul flew over to Kaijin and threw her arms around his neck, embracing him. "Seoul wishes to be with the one she loves again," she whispered against Kaijin's cheek as her glossy hair slowly flew past her shoulders. "Seoul wants everything the way it used to be... Akira."

"As I do," Kaijin replied earnestly as he put his arms around Seoul, returning her gentle hug. "As I do, beloved. I'm sorry I couldn't look at you earlier today... But because you reminded me so much of Lelani that I... I couldn't..."

Chibi Shu gagged at the sight of the two lovers holding one another. Jeez, why did adults have to get so mushy around each other? It was so annoying! Whirling around, he waved his fists about and shouted, "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! Let's go, people! Enough with the yucky, spongy, love stuff! I wanna grow up again!!"

The other Chibi Troopers and Byakuen laughed in amusement. No matter how old Shu was, he would always carry about the same, lovable attitude. Kaijin and Seoul rejoined the others and together they all stared ahead, looking towards their next destination. They all knew that Sachiriku was waiting for them. There was no turning back.

~*~

Chibi Ryo: Not only do we have to find Sachiriku so she can turn back to adults but we also have to reunite her with Seoul. When they come together, they become Kaijin-san's true love, Lelani! It's a lot of work being a Samurai Trooper, especially when you're small! Even when Arago's long gone he still makes trouble for us! In the next episode of Choroiden-Chamurai Troopers: "The Power of Children! Aggression on the Demoness Sachiriku!" Don't you miss it!