Self-Preservation

RJ had a plan. He had to have a plan- he wasn't just going to let Dai Shi capture him without an escape plan.

Established RJXClare/Rare/During Jungle Fury (Ghost of a Chance)/Slight angsty-ness/One shot

Disclaimer:- I only own the plot- sort of... You know what, I don't own Power Rangers- let's end it at that.

RJ wasn't particularly thrilled with his current situation (what, with being locked in a cell and all) but, oddly enough, it was not the worst place he had ever stayed.

Don't ask. He tries not to think about it.

Dai Shi's cell may have been hard and cold and with a lot of drafts, but it definitely was not the worst.

It was literally just good enough for him to meditate into astral projection. It may sound weird now but it makes sense.

The Wolf Master has a plan. He had to have a plan- he wasn't just going to let Dai Shi capture him without an escape plan. Albeit a good portion of the plan depended on how well his students listen to him and understand what he was vaguely trying to tell them.

All he had to do was make sure they had an escape route from the Spirit World and wait out dinner with an ancient, malevolent spirit bent on world destruction- basic Tuesday.

As he delved deeper into his meditative state, he could feel himself becoming weightless; his spirit had left the physical plane. Now all he had to do was search out the mind he was looking for. She should be have dozed off by now.

Clare was up later than she usually was. And that was saying a lot. Being a mystic who draws on the power of the moon could be really cool, depending on how you saw the idea of being energised by its moonbeams and staying up till the late hours of the night- and usually it was alright. It was just those nights when she'd feel extra hyper that would really just end up making her super tired during the day.

Today, however, wasn't because she felt hyper. She was more restless than anything- anxious. Something very bad had happened, or was going to happen and the moon was making sure her magic was pumped and ready to deal out what needed to be dealt. So, at almost five pm, she ended up passing out with her face in a book.

"Long night?"

"Wha- RJ?" She breathed out his name as the man appeared before her. "Wher- right. Dream. Forgot." She added sheepishly, letting out an airy giggle in embarrassment. He smiled at her and she felt feather-light.

"Hey Clare. God, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," he let out an exaggerated groan, emphasising his displeasure at the fact.

"It's been four days since we talked on the phone, two days since we talked like this and two weeks since we've seen each other, real time. It's been awhile," she concluded playfully. He took her hand and the sensation, so different from what it was like in reality but still so smile-inducing, threw her off as it always did; he led her over to a large oak tree in the grassy meadow they were in.

"Still feels like forever." She giggled again as they sat side by side against the tree, their fingers just touching in the space between them. Clare looked at the slightly older man and caught a seriousness in his gaze that he was trying to conceal.

"RJ?" He tried to smile at her reassuringly but knew she could see right through his attempt; he found it fascinating, the way she could read him so well.

"What's up?"

"What happened?"

"Nothing...too bad, I suppose..."

"RJ."

"Alright, I'll admit that this, unfortunately, was a more work-orientated visit. I need to ask you a favour."

"Of course, you don't have to ask." Her answer was sure and firm and compassionate- it was so very Clare and was the reason he hated asking her to do things like this; he knew she always would.

"It's a favour of the uh...magical sort." She nodded at him in a 'go on' sort of way and he cleared his throat before continuing. "It's the kids." She knew the kids (i.e. his students) - he spoke of them often and fondly. "Dai Shi has gotten some power up's and, at their current level, they're completely overpowered. So I've tried to...nudge them along." He met her gaze. "The training they need to undergo is with another master. Problem is, the only other masters capable of teaching them perished during the Great Battle 10,000 years ago, but they're kind of...in the Spirit World..." he trailed off. She pieced together the information he had given her.

"So...you're sending the kids to the Spirit World...?"

"Yeah that's the easy part... the difficulty lies in getting them back out. Which is why I'm asking... if you could grant them a pathway out of the Spirit World..."

"...because I'm the Gatekeeper. It makes sense since it's kind of a gateway too," she finished in understanding and mused to herself. "Alright, I'll head up to the pizza parlour after I wake up and we'll-"

"Uh you can't." She paused and looked at him, eyes slightly narrowed.

"Why not?"

"Because... I won't be there."

"Then where will you be?"

"I..." He really was not getting out of this one. "In a cell...in Dai Shi's palace." Her amethyst eyes glowed with rage and she stood abruptly.

"WHAT?! Why didn't you tell me?! What am I even doing here!? I have to go and get you out!"

"No, Clare!" He held her firmly by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eye. "I will be fine."

"But Dai Shi-"

"Can't do much to a wolf like me. What I need you to do," he gently brushed a blonde lock away from her face. "Is make sure the kids get out of there. Please Clare." She looked away from his face.

"I still don't see why I can't get you out of there." He tilted her chin up slightly and she met his jade eyes again.

"Because that would mean you put yourself in harm's way." She tried to protest but he stopped her. "If you came after me, it would only be a matter of time before Dai Shi would find out that you were the Gatekeeper. Anything after that, I don't want to think about." Her eyes seemed conflicted, wondering how to respond, before she stepped into him and wrapped her arms around his neck firmly, nuzzling his collar and fighting back tears. His own arms wrapped tightly around her middle, long fingers threading through tussled, golden hair.

Neither spoke; their grips only grew tighter, their hearts only beat faster, and their tears only fell faster.

RJ felt her lips move against his chest, whispering out words he knew were only ever meant for him. She was his reason for self-preservation; he would try to be safe for her because he knew she would do anything for him.

"Not gonna happen; I'm not gonna give you my animal spirit." RJ saw rage fill into Jared's eyes as he gathered his tainted chi.

He was worried for only a moment as the chi grew before Jared leaped up and struck him on his chest, clawed hand stuck decidedly on a spot and he could feel the chi seep into him, tainting his own, injuring his Wolf spirit.

An anguished yell escaped his lips.

Searing pain tore through his being.

Jared moved his hand away and RJ crumpled to the ground. Agonising pain beat through every nerve. RJ only hoped Clare didn't show up here, seeking vengeance on Dai Shi and his host.

Clare awoke a while later, after RJ had been pulled away for the second time from her mindscape. It took her a moment to recall the events that took place but, once she did, rage flooded through her and the lights of Rootcore flickered rapidly.

'Breathe Clare. Think of RJ. What did RJ want you to do?'

RJ.

Dai Shi.

Cell.

Palace.

RJ.

Kids.

Masters.

Spirit World.

RJ.

Inhale.

Exhale.

RJ.

She had to have faith that he'd survive.

She had to hope that he'd come out of there with minimal damage.

She had to make sure the kids got out of the Spirit World so they could beat Dai Shi into the ground for her.

She was still angry, but at least the lights had stopped flickering...? Meh.

Off to the Spirit World she went.

She took her mother's circlet from the chest it floated above (it didn't matter that she was the Gatekeeper now- it would always be her mother's circlet) and placed it on her crown. She felt her power magnify and her attire change into the traditional cotton dress and leather armour, royal purple satin partially covering her hair and the silver staff appearing in her hand.

She took a breath, adjusting herself to the power increase. It took her some focus and searching but she eventually locked down on the kids' animal spirits. Clare held the staff out and drew a circle out in the air, light streaming from the tip and, once connected to the beginning, collapsing on itself before expanding in a large glowing portal.

Clare stepped through.

"No, we can't stay! We have to go back and help our Master, RJ!" Lily tried to explain.

"That is impossible- you must remain here for eternity." The Penguin Master told them calmly.

"Eternity?" Casey questioned, incredulous. Master Guin raised a brow in affirmation.

"It's not just our Master." Theo glanced at Lily and Casey, knowing they needed to pull out the big guns if they wanted out. "We are Pai Zhua Guardians- the Chosen Three. We have to protect the world from Dai Shi."

"Dai Shi has escaped?!" Master Guin exclaimed at the revelation. The trio nodded and the three Masters looked back at each other silently. Even if this had happened, they didn't have the means to grant them access back to the physical world. It was at that moment they heard a whisper in the wind. It said they could leave. The Masters looked back at the Chosen Three.

"There are times when even unbreakable rules can be bent. You may return." Master Lope spoke, somewhat amused by the instant relief on their faces.

"Go back, knowing that your animal spirits are stronger than you've ever imagined." Master Rilla said in final parting. The Rangers' eyes slid shut and the Masters' bowed, their bodies disappearing into wisps of coloured light. "Never did I think that the fabled Gatekeeper would appear before us."

The Masters' turned around to see a young blonde woman appear with a staff in hand. She gave them a small smile but her amethyst eyes showed that she was tense. "I'll be honest; my presence was on behalf of someone else. But I am honoured to be able to meet such great warriors."

"Is it not our honour to make your acquaintance?" Master Lope said lightly and her smile grew the slightest bit more.

"Hardly." There was tension, rage and anguish dancing through her eyes.

"Was there any particular reason you came here for the Chosen Three?" Master Guin asked her and she visibly tensed for a split second before regaining her composure.

"As I have mentioned, I am here at someone else's request. Someone very dear to me."

"You care for him very much- this RJ, yes? He is the Guardians' master, he is in danger, and you are vexed."

"Of course."

"They have our animal spirit's at their side, they will succeed in their ventures." Master Rilla spoke up. Clare gave a small smile to the Masters.

"I hope so." The Masters bowed to her and she curtseyed back. "My name is Clare, by the way. It was an honour to have met you all."

"It was an honour to have met you, Gatekeeper Clare." And with a snap of her fingers, she was gone in a burst of sparkles.

The anger, anxiety and anguish did not vanish after she had returned to Rootcore.

It did not vanish after RJ called her that night.

It did not vanish when she teleported herself to his room when he did.

It did not vanish when she clung to him and tears fell down her cheeks in silence.

It did not vanish when he told her he was fine.

Fini.

Heya guys! It's Sam here with another fic- this one much more Rare (RJXClare) focused. This was actually prompted by a review from Elizabeth who mentioned something about Clare getting the trio out of the Spirit World 'cause she's the Gatekeeper. It just kinda clicked and it made sense for something like that to happen, so after a while of turning and twisting the idea in my head, I was like 'let's do this shit'.

I have been really wanting to do a more focused Rare fic and so I'm really glad to have done this and I want to say thanks to Elizabeth for prompting the idea.

So, as previously mentioned, this takes place during the episodes 'Ghost of a Chance' in the Jungle Fury era. It is established Rare so they're already a couple. This is not necessarily SOAverse but I make reference to it because EXCLUSIVE NEWS- I am currently writing a drabble series for RJ and Clare with small drabbles entailing moments from their time together, filling in the Rare gaps in between stories in the SOAverse. I don't know if it will be posted on this account or on Sam&Greg, because it will be mainly (if not fully) me writing, but keep an eye out. I will most probably make reference to this story there, but again, you guys will have to wait and watch(read).

I hope you enjoyed reading this, if you have questions, feel free to ask. Faves, follows, reviews are all welcomed and much appreciated.

So yeah, see you all next time; peace out loves~