Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

    by Phoenix367
 

    Sai looks back at the dreadful night he watched his friends die.

        There's a grief that can't be spoken,

        There's a pain goes on and on;

        Empty chairs at empty tables

        Now my friends are dead and gone.

    Sai looked about the room in Mia's house that he and the others used to
share. Kento's bed still wasn't made and Nitendo games out all over. Sage's
magazine was open on the same page he left on. Rowen's desk had books that he
had read three nights ago that he had to give back to the library. Ryo's bed
was unmade like the others and had sword cases on it from when he had
practiced. Everything was to be packed up and shipped off in a week. Tears
swelled inside him. How could this happen? They were right here three nights
ago! In the kitchen there were four empty chairs that weren't to be filled at
the table again.

        Here they talked about revolution,

        Here it was they lit the flame;

        Here they sang about tomorrow

        And tomorrow never came.

    He remembered the night before the battle with Talpa. They discussed how they
were going to defeat him once and for all. Rowen was drawing out a plan with
Ryo and Sage listening intentively. Kento was finishing up his five
sandwhiches when he blurted out, "What's the point of this plan? We've kicked
his butt before without one; we can do it again."

    Ryo gave him a quirky look. "We don't know what he has up against us. So we
need a plan so we can surprise him."
 
    Sage added, "Besides we can't always run out there and rely on brute force."

    "It's worked before. I still say we don't need it."

    Rowen raised an eyebrow and smirked. "What do you plan to do? Beat him in an
eating contest?"
 
    Eveyone laughed and got ready for the fight the next day.

        From the table in the corner

       They could see a world reborn

        And they rose with voices ringing

        And I can hear them now...

    His thoughts wandered of to the fight with Talpa. He was much more powerful
than they remembered. He had quickly enslaved the human mind to provoke evil
and greed amoungst themselves at a sickening dominant rise. No one could stop
or defend from it except for the Ronins. "My Dynasty has returned more
powerful than last time," he bellowed, "You'll never be able to stop me this
time!"

    Ryo called out, "You're wrong Talpa! You'll never be able to defeat the
Ronin Warriors!"

Kento shouted, "We'll kick your butt like the last time!"

    Talpa merely laughed and pulled out Mia, unconscious, chained up. "Come get
your friend if your hearts are pure then stop talking and fight me!!"

   Ryo turned to Sai and ordered, "Get Mia and protect her with your life."
 
    Turning to Talpa he added, "We'll handle this."

    Sai began to ask, "But you guys...you'll need my help..."

    "Sai, go NOW!!"
 
    Talpa grabbed his sword and threw Mia to the side. Sai jumped up, grabbed
Mia, and flew to a nearby tree.

        The very words that they sung

        became thier last communion

        And the lonely barricades at dawn.

All he heard were the calls "FLARE UP NOW!"

    "THUNDERBOLT CUT!"

    "IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

    "ARROW SHOCK WAVE!"

    Sai watched Talpa point his sword and energy errupted from it, attacking each
of the warriors.  He watched the energy cut through thier armor, through
thier skin. He watched the armors being cut into shreads like a hot knife
through butter. His horrified look got worse when he saw them collapse and
not move. His anger grew to an uncontrollable boiling point. "SUPER WAVE
SMASHER!"
 
    Obviously it didn't have any effect on Talpa. He obviously wasn't after
Sai either for all he did was blast him into a tree. All Sai remembered was
seeing Talpa laugh and heard the ringing of what sounded like the staff, then
it all went black.
 
       Oh my friends, my friends, forgive me
 
       That I live and you are gone;

        There's a grief  that can't be spoken

        There's a pain goes on and on.

    It was totally quiet when Sai woke up. He had scanned the place with his
eyes. His friends weren't there. He soon heard what sounded like Mia's voice
shouting, "Sai! Over here!" The trees were a blur to him as he flew toward
her voice. When he got there he saw Mia crying and four lifeless Ronins. No,
they're not dead. They can't be! He heard a voice weakly say, "Sai, come
here." He walked over to Rowen and knelt beside him. His armor was in
tatters, and he was breathing slowly. Sai knew that he was dying. "Rowen, I'm
so sorry."
 
    "Don't be. You did as Ryo said. Kayura helped us." He shifted slightly
and winced from the pain. "Talpa's been defeated for good this time. I can
feel it. Now I can die with the others in peace."
 
    "No! You're not going to die! I can take you all to the hospital. You'll
be fine! Please, Rowen don't die!" Tears were streaming down Sai's face, but
he didn't care. There was nothing he could do for his friends now.
 
    "Sai, it was bound to happen someday. Ryo's last request before he died
was for you to take care of Mia. Make sure nothing happens to her. My last
request...please live for all of us. Be happy. And don't forget us." Rowen's
hand caught Sai's, and he squeezed it tightly. He smiled at his crying friend
though it hurt him to do so. "Please live and never forget us..."
 
    Then he was still.

        Phantom faces at the windows

        Phantom shadows on the floor;

        Empty chairs at empty tables

        Now my friends will meet no more.

    Sai turned and images of his friends flashed in his mind. In the bathroom, he
could see Sage trying to fix his hair to perfection. Rowen was on his bed
reading a new encyclopedia he has just bought. Ryo was reading a sword
magazine. Kento was in the kitchen raiding the fridge. He turned to his
pillow and sobbed. He was so upset. How could Rowen ever ask him to be happy
after him seeing all his friends die right in front of him. Why did Ryo want
me to save Mia? Why did no one intercede for him to help? Why did all of them
sacrifice themselves so that he would be the only one left?
 
    Sai suddenly felt alone. The house felt so lonely without Ryo's yelling
at Kento to not devour the fridge, or Sage's cheer that he finished his hair.
Or Rowen's shouting for them to be quiet.
 
    He suddenly felt better through all his crying. He remembered all the
good things that they did and were. He had always hated their fighting, now
it made him feel better. They all were friends, and friends do fight. But
they also care for one another, so much that they would sacrifice themselves
so that one may live. All of them must have decided that Sai would be the one
to live if need be. All of them, Ryo, Sage, Kento, and Rowen, died a hero's
death. Selfless, determined, caring, sacrificing deaths.  I don't know why
you guys did it. Perhaps I never will. But for you all, I will live on.

        Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me

        What your sacrifice was for;

        Empty chairs at empty tables

        Now my friends will sing no more.