Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Midnight In Montgomery ❯ Midnight In Montgomery ( One-Shot )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer-I will never own Cale and/or Anubis. Everyone belongs to his or her respective owners, producers, voice actors, etc. The title of this story is from the song Midnight In Montgomery, which comes from Alan Jackson's CD Don't Rock The Jukebox. Don't Rock The Jukebox belongs to its respective producers, singers, etc.

A gentle night wind blew through the trees, scattering green foliage across a well-beaten path that appeared to absorb the light of the full moon. If one were to walk the trail of trees, green grass, and leaves, he or she would eventually come to an immaculately kept lawn outside of a white three-story mansion with red roofing.

It was in this household, the Koji Manor, that an eight-year-old child and a seventeen-year-old woman slept the night away.

On the third floor of the mansion, however, Anubis, disciple of the Ancient One, and Talpa's former Warlord of Cruelty, let out a small sigh as he watched the stars light up the purple-black sky.

'So many things have changed since I left the Mortal Realm,' Anubis thought as he gazed at the sky, absently pushing a strand of crimson hair away from his face. 'Humans have cars, trucks, computers, telephones, light bulbs, and even these uncomfortable wooden beds. How can Mia and Yulie sleep on these confounded things? They hurt my back.'

Yet the comfort of a modern bed was the least of Anubis' worries; earlier this morning, accompanied by the other two residents of this address, the fledgling monk had found himself at some place Mia had called the "train tracks." It seemed like a good spot to seek a few minutes rest from the war against Talpa, but all the former commander of the Nether World's army found was a reprieve from some of his past mistakes and a very pissed off Warlord of Illusion.

'What was Dais thinking?' The man sighed, trying to make sense of all that had happened. As he rubbed his tired eyes, the former solider thought, 'I would have killed him with my own hands only because he could not keep his emotions in check. He knows that allowing one's emotions to get the better of you in a battle can be deadly, so how did he manage to botch three attacks?'

Anubis shook his head. "This questioning is getting me nowhere. I might as well get some sleep before Mia wakes up and asks me if something is wrong."

Turning away from the window, the monk walked over to the queen-sized bed, pulled the covers away from the headboard, and curled up under the sheets. Once he had settled in, the man did not sleep, but stared at the walls in his room as the night light threw ethereal shadows across the walls and ceiling, creating creatures that hovered just out of the edges of his vision.

Midway through the hour of the Rat, the sound of a grandfather clock's chiming roused the disciple of The Ancient One from his sleep. He had been tossing and turning for most of the night, until the low peal sounded, growing louder and louder as the seconds passed. Upon forcing his eyes open, Anubis soon noticed that the nightlight had gone out and that the shadows in the room seemed to be concentrated in one corner, in the form of a humanoid shape. The chest area seemed to have two long protrusions, while head area looked a like a helmet with two horns adorning the top. "Have you missed me my old friend?" A male voice sneered, using a tone that sounded like a mix of joy and anger. "Did you think you could walk away from this war as if it never happened?"

Anubis knew who it was even before the shadow had spoken. "Cale, what are you doing here?"

"I'm hurt Anubis," Cale pouted in a mocking voice, partially coming out of the darkness so that patches of his brown armor and red cape could be viewed via the moonlight. "I came here to visit you...and to see if Dais and Kayura's reports were true."

Anubis said nothing; what was Cale doing? He was risking punishment by coming here without permission. In fact, he was leaving himself open for the accusation of treason. "What makes you think I would listen to someone who is a traitor to his own soul?" He asked at length.

The Warlord of Corruption smiled, baring his elongated canines in disdain. "Still fiery and smart-mouthed as ever Anubis. All right, if you want a reason to take note of what I say, then think about that girl and child. Do you know how eager I am to 'paint their rooms red'?"

"Yes, I am aware," said Anubis, briefly closing his eyes and repressing a shudder. "You enjoy holding the power of life and death over others, but if you go near either of them, then I will stop you."

"You can't save them, Anubis," said Cale coldly. "They have interfered with Master Talpa's plans for far too long. In addition to that, let me say that my fingers are impatient to have their blood smeared all over these walls."

Anubis' mind began to race even as his face remained expressionless. He had heard that tone of voice before - that fiery, angry tone dripping with hatred, rage, and jealousy. It did not take long for him to realize that Cale was looking for an excuse to act out his personal feelings. "Very well, I will hear your words."

The darkness demon smiled. "The five Ronin pests, the girl, and that boy will never understand you. They are green children who would turn on you the moment they discovered your gory past. What makes you think they will accept you as one of their own?"

Now it was the redhead's turn to furrow his eyebrows in anger. "They do not have to; I follow the will of the staff. Besides, even if they did support me, are you asking me to choose between them and the three of you?"

"You are dodging the point, Anubis. These individuals will despise you the moment they hear the truth. They are naïve - they believe that the world exists in absolutes. We are different. We know that reality is never black and white, and in battle, glory comes through the slaughter of your enemies. Furthermore...well, you know how humans feel about killing."

"You have said the same thing twice," Anubis growled, "now answer my previous question. Are you here to force me to choose between the five Ronin Warriors and the three Dark Warlords?"

"Yes...and no. The choice to take a side must be yours, but remember this: you can choose the five Ronin Warriors, but we will force you to watch them die a slow and painful death. On the other hand, you can choose your brethren, and we will welcome you back to the Dynasty with open arms. In fact, you can still have the wealth and power that you..."

"Is this your final word Cale?"

"It is, Anubis."

"Then we have nothing more to say."

"I see," the helmeted warlord sighed, melting back into the shadows. "We will meet again young ogre, but remember my words; Dais, Sekhmet and I will hunt you down. We will chain you to the wall in the castle dungeons, and everything in the new life you have made will be gone in an instant. You will watch the girl and the boy die, and we will enjoy listening to their screams. If you care about those whelps, then you will choose us. This is not a threat, it's a promise."

The next thing Anubis heard was silence.

End Notes-The term, "the hour of the Rat," is a direct reference to how Koreans traditional label their hours. The hour of the Rat is from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, thus midnight would fall on the hour of the Rat. If you wish to know more about the hours of a Traditional Korean day, then please read The Royal Diaries: Sondok, Princess of the Moon and Stars by Sheri Holman. Many thanks also go out to Kumo, Meliantha, and to everyone else who looked over this fan fiction.