February 1rst
"Get back over here!" Tiana yelled as she chased after a several gangbangers.
She was currently in ranger form. Yellow spandex and all. She aimed her trumpet and fired off a round of yellow energy. Two gangbangers yelled as they were knocked off their feet and flew forward. The third one looked at her growled. Before he could grab his weapon Tiana used her telekinesis to throw him into a wall. Tiana smirked. She loved the adrenaline feeling of being an ranger.
She turned back and teleported to the temple. Standing there was her boyfriend Alex who was clapping enthusiastically.
"Well done." He said as he placed a peck on her cheek.
She smiled. "I know I'm the best."
This was new for her. The cockiness. Being a ranger gave her newfound confidence. The old Tiana wouldn't even recognize her today. She placed a kiss on his cheek.
"So what are you plans for later." He asked.
Tiana shrugged. "No clue. I was thinking of heading home, family's coming into town." She turned to face him. "Do you want to come?"
Alex laughed. "Your family hates me."
"They do not." Tiana said.
"Remember Thanksgiving when your father called me a lazy shrimpy white boy." Alex smirked.
Tiana sighed. "If you're important to me they won't care if you're white."
Alex smiled. "I have to talk with Master Famine, but I'll swing by later."
Tiana placed a kiss on her cheek and turned away.
"Took you long enough." Tiana's grandmother said.
Tiana laughed and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Hey grandma."
"Hey baby." She smiled as she embraced her granddaughter.
Tiana smelled the kitchen. "What's that smell?"
"That's your Uncle Leroy trying to make some chicken."
Tiana laughed as she smelled the smoke. It was no family secret that her uncle couldn't cook to save his life. TIana walked past the kitchen to her living room where she saw her brother yelling at Ashtin, her cousin. Also a fellow ranger. Ashtin was the Silver Zodiac Ranger who protected New China.
Tiana walked over and gave Ashtin a hug. "Hey cousin."
"Hey Ti." He smiled.
Tiana gasped. "What?" Ashtin frowned.
"You smiled. I've never seen your smile in years. Does this have to do with Katie-"
"There is no me and Katie. Well sorta. We're figuring it out. It doesn't help my best friend is also in love with her." Ashtin sighed.
"All this fuss over a white woman." Tiana's father said from the chair.
Everyone rolled their eyes. The teens were used to Tiana's father considering them sellouts if they liked anything white or involved white people. If only he knew Tiana was dating Alex, blond haired and hazel eyed boy, he would probably murder him.
"So can we get this family reunion dinner started?" Ashtin's mom said.
Ashtin's mom was beautiful. She had Ashtin at a young age making her still look beautiful today. She had this glow on her skin that Tiana wished she had.
"Girl what you rushing too, got a hot date?" Her grandma said.
"Momma please, the only man in my life is Ashtin." She said as she kissed his cheek. "And I'm glad that girl is giving you happiness. Even if she is white."
If only her father had that mindset. Tiana thought.
"Is Candace here?" Her grandma asked.
Silence spread across the room. Tiana's grandma had four children her uncle Lewis, the oldest he became a lawyer to support his family, her father, who owned a restaurant. Susana, Ashtin's mom, who was the youngest and worked several jobs to support her and her son. And Candace...Tiana didn't know much about her aunt, but she knew that whenever her name was brought up silence came over the room.
"Momma she doesn't need to be here." Aunt Susana said.
"Candace promised me she got clean." Tiana's grandma said.
"How many times have we heard that." Tiana's mom said.
Everyone sighed. It was no family secret Aunt Candance had a problem with her addiction. She once sold her car and house just to pay for the drugs.
"Anyone heard from Seven?" Aunt Susana said.
Seven was Candace's son. He was twenty and lived with his dad in New York, due to his mother's behavior.
"He's flying in tonight. We'll see him soon." Tiana's dad said.
Both of Tiana and Ashtin's morphers went off. They looked at each other.
"We have to go." Ashtin said.
Aunt Susana frowned. "Why?"
"Um…..School Project." Tiana lied.
"You guys go to different schools." Aunt Susana said.
Tiana was an awful liar and gulped. Luckily her cousin had no problem lying.
"We're applying for jobs." Ashtin said.
Ashtin didn't wait for anyone to object and grabbed Tiana's arm and went outside.
"Let's do this. Defenders of the Apocalypse! Yellow Patience." Tiana yelled.
"Zodiac Force Silver Dog, Power Ignite." Ashtin yelled.
Tiana looked up at the monster and gulped.
"We're supposed to fight that."
Ashtin groaned as he pulled out his gauntlets.
"I swear the universe is conspiring against us. Can't you call your boyfriend? You the know the wimpy white one who somehow became a leader and for some fucked up logic has the ability to control the elements."
Tiana elbowed him. "Don't talk about him like that. Besides I called them, the Defenders have a demon attack on the bridge."
Ashtin rolled his eyes. "Once you fight evil monks then you can complain."
"I have, remember? Nothing compared to demons." Tiana said.
The cousins looked at the monster. It was a mass of dark energy yet somehow it had fangs, blood red eyes, claws, and patches of silver fur.
"We're screwed," Ashtin said.
"I'm telekinetic and you have super senses. I'm sure we'll be fine." Tiana said.
"Sure I'll smell the monster to death." Ashtin said.
"Now is not the time for sarcasm." Tiana said. She aimed her blaster at the monster and fired. The monster hissed as it's body absorbed the blast.
Tiana gulped again. "Okay we're officially screwed."
"You stall it while I develop a plan." Ashtin said.
"Stall it with what?" Tiana yelled.
She turned and focused her power. She drew it out of her body until she was able to hold a globe of pure telekinetic energy. She launched it and threw the monster back into the wall.
"Did you get it?" Ashtin asked.
The monster soared upwards and hissed.
"Die!" It yelled.
Ashtin grinned. "Someday I will but not today."
He did a flip and landed next to a generator. He flipped the switch allowing the room to be bathed in bright lights. The monster hissed as it disappeared.
"We did it." Tiana cheered.
"I did." He corrected.
She sighed. "I hate you."
Suddenly an explosion happened that threw both of them back. They grunted as they demorphed and landed on the concrete. Tiana groaned as she sat up. Standing there was an African American man with dark brown skin, a shaved head, a long black beard, and wore a suit.
"Hello Tiana you have no idea how much I wanted to meet you."
"Who the hell are you?" She asked.
He chuckled. "That's not important."
He held up a golden amulet. It had topaz eyes and was shaped as a lion. He held up his hand and released a blast of yellow energy that knocked her out.
Tiana groaned as she woke up. Madison stood over her body healing her. The Zodiac Rangers and Defenders stood around her.
"Thank god she's awake." Alex said in relief.
He ran over to hug Tiana but Ashtin put his foot out to trip him.
"Sorry Red Family first." He said.
He walked over to Tiana. 'What's up Ti." He said.
"I feel like I was knocked out by a steel fist. My headache is killing me." Tiana groaned
"Sorry my powers don't work on headaches." Madison sighed.
"Can you ask the magic baby?" Josie asked.
'What baby?" Katie asked.
Madison blushed.
"No!" Andy said in shock.
"You aren't married." Aang said.
Everyone laughed at him.
"Their not." Aang frowned.
Tiana put everyone back on track. "I saw someone. A guy knocked me out. He had some magical talisman."
Jaxon frowned. "They did say that someone stole an artifact from Africa."
He pulled up a picture of it.
"That's what he had. He used it to knock me out."
Ashtin frowned when he looked at the picture.
"I've seen that before." He said.
"Wait what?" Tiana asked.
"It's from that story that Grandma told us about." Ashtin said. "Don't you remember?"
Tiana shook her head. Katie grinned as she pulled out a chair.
"Gather around kiddies it's story time."
Long ago in Africa there were nine tribes. The ninth tribe however decided to attack the other eight tribes. The eight tribes prayed to the Heavens for a solution. They were given the talismans. The talismans were the Topaz Lion of Power, Ruby Rhino if War, Sapphire Elephant of the Spirit, Amethyst Leopard of the Body, Emerald Elk of Nature, Onyx Dragon of Destruction, Opal Ape of Space, and the Diamond turtle of Time. For a while the talismans brought peace to the land. However due to slavery they were scattered around the globe.
"Wow that story is depressing." Katie said.
"Um guys I just researched the Talismans and everyone who knew about them is dead." Jaxon said.
"What do you mean?" Ashtin frowned.
"An historian who wrote an article about them ended up on a car crash, an archeologist found one of them but committed suicide, etc."
"So the same guy who has the Topaz Lion is probably the same guy that is killing anyone who knows about them." Caden realized.
Ashtin and Tiana looked at each other and gasped. "Grandma!"
Next Time: Secrets are revealed and a tragedy strikes.
I hope you guys liked it. This won't be twenty eight chapters long this chapter just happened to take course over a day.