Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers Samurai
A/N: Look, it's a new story for the Not Canon Samurai Series (although I seriously need to rethink that name...) This particular bit is about the time Antonio (and Mikayla) spent on Eltare. Now, I've heard a lot of rumors about the Lady Red schedualed to appear, and this is what I'm going to say. This story is AU. I made up Mikayla because I liked the concept from the Sentai, and since I was ignoring canon anyways, I picked a name I liked. I have no intention of changing Mikayla's name to the name of the Lady Red on the show. I don't think I have anything else to add beyond that except ENJOY!
It took two hours to fly from Earth to Eltare, and Antonio stayed in the chair that Zhane had pointed to the entire time. He stared at his sneakers for the most part, sneaking glances up at the four older Rangers as they handled the bridge. At one point, he became aware of Andros speaking with Jason on the view screen, but couldn't really pay attention. In vain, he threw up every empathic shield he had to keep from being overwhelmed, but the cold anger seeped into his bones. It was only a supreme effort of will that kept Antonio from hunching over under that weight, especially when he really wanted to just curl up in a ball.
Antonio didn't like anger, between his empathy and his father there had always been a mental struggle not to metaphorically bare his throat in surrender. Especially when he knew that he was in trouble. Knowing that Mikayla, a newly activated Silver Ranger, was possibly dying because he hadn't been looking at the right moment, because he'd let his own anger overcome his good sense made it even worse.
"Antonio," Andros said and Antonio looked up, "we're here."
Antonio slung his bag over his shoulder and followed him into the lift, with Cole following him. Zhane and Merric were waiting for them at the outer hatch with the still unconscious Mikayla on a medical bed. Antonio kept his head bowed, but kept glancing at Mikayla out of the corner of his eye. He caught Zhane looking at him at one point and looked away in shame.
When Antonio's empathic abilities had awakened, Zhane had sat him down and explained about Silver Rangers. How they were unique among Rangers because they were the first color. How a Silver Ranger couldn't use another morpher unless that morpher came to them first. How using a morpher of the wrong color could kill a presumptive Silver because it created a form of Color Withdrawal. Antonio's empathy could show him the color or colors of a Ranger, making it one of his responsibilities to identify presumptive Silvers and protect them. There was no excuse for not noticing Mikayla was Silver, and Antonio was prepared to accept whatever punishment he was given.
They left the ship, Merric and Zhane were whisked off by the Eltarean Silver Ranger while Antonio followed Andros to where the rest of the Eltarean team waited. "Amarwen," Andros said with a bow.
"Andros," the red clad woman replied, "our sorrows that this meeting should begin thusly."
"Thank you," Andros replied, he reached for Antonio's shoulder, "This is Antonio of Earth, Gold Samurai Ranger."
Antonio flinched as he felt Andros's hand rest on his shoulder. "Stop," the purple clad man interrupted, shrugging off the hand of his gold clad teammate. "Back off, Andros. Hesaki, he's an Empath."
Andros's hand vanished and Antonio watched the Purple Ranger warily. "What is it, Dawion?" Amarwen asked.
The Purple Ranger spoke rapidly in a language that Antonio didn't know, eyes focused on Amarwen, who paled and nodded. The other Eltarean Rangers were also nodding, although the Gold Ranger kept looking at Antonio. Antonio put his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground, glancing up at the Eltareans and back down again whenever one of them moved.
"Andros," Amarwen said, "we must speak now. You as well, Cole of Earth. Dawion and Halon will see to Antonio while we converse."
"Of course," Andros said.
Antonio watched Andros and Cole follow Amarwen to a ground vehicle, then the other Rangers dispersed, leaving Antonio with Dawion and the Gold Ranger. If it weren't for the part where he was left facing two strangers, Antonio would have practically cried in relief as Andros and Cole's anger faded away. "I am so sorry," Dawion said, bringing Antonio out of his thoughts. "I can't believe, are you ok? Of course you're not, how could he, does anyone on Earth even have a brain?"
"Dawion," the Gold Ranger interrupted, "breathe." Dawion looked at the other Ranger and Antonio could feel his amusement, even tainted as it was by anguish and frustration. Frowning a little, Antonio tried to strengthen his shields. "I'm Halon," the Gold Ranger added.
"Antonio," Antonio replied. Something was wrong with his shields, the mental walls he had developed to keep from feeling every emotion around him.
"Here," Dawion said, again startling him. The purple ranger stepped closer to him and reached out to press two fingers to Antonio's forehead.
The emotions Antonio had been noticing faded away. "How?" He asked after a moment.
"External protections," Dawion told him, "until we can get you in shielded quarters." He muttered something under his breath. "I'll explain when we get there."
"I thought," Antonio began, and cut himself off under the twin gazes of the Eltarean Rangers.
"You want to be punished?" Halon asked bluntly, "Antonio, I'm no Empath, but at the moment, if we wanted to punish you all we'd have to do is drop you off in a crowd and have Dawion pull his shields. Since you're Gold, you're mine, and I do not punish without hearing the whole story. Now let's go."
Antonio jumped, but followed the two Eltarean Rangers to a waiting speeder. "Once we get this debacle settled," Dawion said, "I'll teach you how to shield better. I can't believe those idiots brought a half-trained Empath with them without his ground."
"I don't understand," Antonio replied as he settled in the back seat.
"Short version is," Dawion said, "Empaths who aren't trained properly use people around them to ground themselves, to keep from being overwhelmed. It's not a bond so much as a," he paused as Halon lifted off and turned the speeder away from the air field, "A touchstone. A person, or people, who calm and steady the Empath. Andros took you off planet so abruptly, and without a ground, your abilities went haywire. Your shields are almost gone and whatever control you had over your projection abilities is rapidly following."
Antonio swallowed, "I am so sorry," he said. He'd learned the hard way that if he wasn't careful he could 'encourage' people to do things.
"It's ok," Dawion replied, "you weren't really projecting much until you saw Andros reach for you."
"Besides, we Rangers have training to keep from being manipulated," Halon added.
Antonio flinched again. "Halon," Dawion said calmly, "you aren't helping." He turned back to Antonio, "Sorry. Halon forgets to think before he speaks sometimes."
"Doesn't everyone?" Antonio replied in a dry tone.
Dawion grinned in delight, then turned as the speeder dipped, "Oh good, we're here," he added. "We could have taken a ground car like the others, but Halon likes flying."
They landed on the roof of a large, three story building and Antonio was lead inside. They took a lift down to the second floor. The lift opened to a lobby that had been tastefully decorated with gold, purple, and black. Antonio would have liked to spend a moment figuring out how the three colors had been used without being garish, but found that he was being led away quickly. "The shielded quarters are here," Dawion said. "You can stay in them, or go out, as you wish, but you don't have to let anyone in that you don't want to. Including Andros, Cole, Merric or Zhane. Since you are under our protection, they can't really do anything until we get you sorted out."
"Ok," Antonio said.
Dawion stopped, "This will be your room. Lon and I are right down there. We don't have anyone else on our floor at the moment."
"Thank you," Antonio said as he opened the door to his room.
"Oh no, Antonio," Dawion replied with a gentle smile, "You don't have to thank me, it's the right thing to do."
Antonio paused, then glanced shyly at the two Rangers, "You can call me Tony," he told them, "if you want to."
