Legal: I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, places etc. Anything not covered by these rights should be presumed to be purely the creation of the author.
Rating: T
Timeline: Somewhere between "Jayden's Challenge" and the new episode which will be airing this weekend.
The Rangers were in the training yard of the Shiba House, working hard on their technique. Jayden didn't want to push them so hard, but lately things had been escalating a lot more quickly than they had anticipated. Master Xandred, the Lord of the Nighlocks, had now figured out that the seal trapping him in the Netherworld was tied to the Shiba bloodline, meaning that now he had refocused his efforts. Now instead of simply sending forces against the Samurai in general, he was sending them after Jayden in particular.
While the war had never been expected to be easy, or lacking in danger, now it was different. He had tried initially to distance himself from the others, not wanting to put them in danger to protect him, but now he realised that wasn't an option. Not only were they his friends, willing to throw themselves in harms' way without any thought for themselves out of loyalty and camaraderie, they also took their responsibility to their duty seriously. They would protect him whether he wanted them to or not.
However, he also knew that they would not be safe, even if he turned them away. Master Xandred knew who they were, and he knew that they cared for him, and he cared for them in return. He would likely target them, trying to get to him through his friends whether they were a team or not. In the end, he had learned his lesson on that front. Splitting up would only serve to put them all in more danger. They were stronger together than they were apart.
The situation had also been complicated by the arrival of Dekker, The Cursed Warrior. He didn't know his story, beyond the few scattered legends he had heard about Urumasa and the bloody path it had carved through history.
In the short time he had been in the picture, he had shown himself to be a dangerous, and driven, even obsessive opponent. He had intervened in their battle with Dayu, saving her from destruction at his hands, a move he still didn't understand. He had told them himself that he had no interest in Xandred's war. All he wanted was to face him in a duel. He didn't know exactly why he would go out of his way to save a Nighlock, one of Xandred's closest generals no less.
They were yet to confirm it, but he had to believe that once Dekker had interjected himself into the battle, saving him from a Nighlock to preserve him for their own duel that Xandred would be far from happy. It was not in his best interest to save anyone that Xandred may end up sending against him. He had to know that while they started out aligned, sooner or later their agendas would oppose each other. It made his decision to protect Dayu all the more baffling.
He had also shown that his obsession with Jayden was enough to cause him to attack those close to them. He had already kidnapped Emily, and he had fought Cam and Mike. He had even targeted Spike, a kid whose only connection to the Rangers was a chance meeting and an adolescent fantasy that had inadvertently caused Dekker to believe he was connected to them. They needed to be ready for anything at any time. Between Dekker and Xandred, the forces arranged before them were amassing in power, and he had to admit that while so far they had succeeded, increasing their own symbol power, and even recovering three of the lost Zords, at times it seemed like they were still a step behind in terms of progress. The monsters grew stronger each time they came, and it was only a matter of time before Dekker would manoeuvre Jayden into the duel he sought so desperately.
He watched the others working on their techniques, and smiled as he saw them improving. Mike was getting better with a sword every day. His technique was still somewhat ugly, and lacking in the refinement of Emily's or Mia's, but he had to admit that it was effective. While he wasn't doing everything exactly right on a technical level, sometimes his natural form and bizarre technique would lead to positive results. Sometimes the problem with technique was that since it was practiced, it was predictable. People were trained in the same forms, the same stances. That meant they could recognise them in their opponents.
Mia had improved greatly ever since she got together with Kevin. While initially he worried that their relationship would make it harder for them to concentrate if they took lessons together, if anything it seemed to motivate her, like she was working to impress him and become an equal in his eyes. He had seen her do things in the last week alone that she had never even attempted before she got together with Kevin. Her confidence in her worth and value to the team had also increased. She had only doubted her worth to take up the Beetle Disk because she didn't think she was worthy of it. Now, he had to wonder if things would have gone differently if that incident had occurred now, only a couple of weeks later.
Kevin had taken something of a leaf out of Mike's book, pardoning the pun. Since his duel with Jayden, and the time he had been wounded in a training bout with Mia because he wasn't concentrating, he had started to take to heart the criticism that he placed far too much faith and emphasis on technique and form, becoming too predictable. He was training with Mike whenever he had the opportunity, finding the value in unexpected manoeuvres. He had even found value in both Mia and Emily's differing styles.
Emily was the real enigma. She had a lot weighing on her right now. The others had all finished their education, and they were all the first choice, in some cases the only choice for their responsibility as Samurai. They all had a lot weighing on them right now, but it was different for her. She had never expected to be part of any of this. That was always Serena's destiny.
Dekker was watching from a little way off, studying the form of the Rangers, and smiled to himself. He too could see their improvement. In time, most of them could become a potential test to Urumasa. He was there to keep an eye on things. He knew that his time was coming, that soon he would have an opportunity to face the Red Ranger. He was still reeling from his humiliation at being fooled by the fake pictures he had seen on that device. In some ways, he had enjoyed meeting Spike and Bulk. In another time, and in another place, he had a feeling they could even be friends.
He watched as someone approached the gate of the Shiba House. While he was still occasionally struggling with modern practices, he had noticed these men before. Their uniforms marked them as some form of messenger, and they seemed to come around most days, like the professional messengers that existed in his home back before he took up the curse of immortality. This time seemed different though, unlike what usually happened, when they would leave the mail at the door and leave, this time the man went in. Dekker watched more closely as Mentor Ji held up a hand, calling the Rangers to stop what they were doing.
The mailman looked around at the young people in the yard, carrying practice swords as he made his way to Mentor Ji.
"I have a special delivery." He told him, wondering exactly what he had walked into. From the outside, it was an unusual house, but inside, it looked like some form of dojo. He showed the docket to Mentor Ji who just read it as the man fetched out an envelope.
"Emily." He called out, gesturing to the Yellow Ranger, waving her over. She came across a little curiously. She couldn't imagine who would be sending her something via special delivery. She signed the docket, taking the envelope from the mail man, and tore it open.
"What is it Em?" Mike asked her, noticing that she suddenly became very quiet. Her eyes were beginning to sparkle as she read the letter.
"Emily?" Mentor Ji asked her. She didn't say another word, just pushing her way past her friends and rushing inside. Mike and the others filed in after her. Dekker watched on in interest, wondering what this could mean. Whatever the message was, it was clearly something that affected the Yellow Ranger deeply.
In the Netherworld, Master Xandred was taking more of his medicine, while Dayu soothed him with music from her Harmonium, while Octoroo checked up the archives. He was growing impatient with the way things were progressing. The Rangers were getting stronger, and yet he was still sealed down here in the accursed Netherworld, where his rage would only cause him constant pain.
To make things worse, Dekker had disappeared since the last time he had faced him. He now knew The Cursed Warrior was pursuing his own agenda, and now it seemed that was placing him in opposition to his own plans. He had already interfered once in his affairs; breaking up a battle it seemed likely was going to result in his victory over the Samurai Rangers once and for all.
Since he had confronted Dekker though, he had disappeared. Being half-human, he could move between the Netherworld and the Human World without restriction. He could hide beyond Master Xandred's reach indefinitely. Unless he could destroy the seal, he would be sealed in the Netherworld forever.
He looked to Octoroo, wondering if there was something he was working on that could help.
"What news do you have of Dekker?" Master Xandred asked him as he approached his tactical advisor.
"Dekker? Aren't you after the Red Ranger?" He asked. Xandred just growled, showing his disapproval. He did not appreciate being questioned.
"That treacherous half-human scum has dared to defy me!" He roared in his rage, kicking a support beam, causing the ship to rock dangerously, throwing his advisors around ominously. "The last Cursed Warrior knew his place."
"We haven't found any sign of him in some time." Octoroo told him. "We've been searching, but he is slippery."
"He is a coward!" Xandred snapped, grabbing more medicine, quaffing it in large quantities. "I want him eliminated!"
"We'll do what we can." Octoroo assured him, bowing as he went back to his books.
Mike, Mia, Kevin and Jayden were sitting in the Living Room, having been waiting there while Mentor Ji went to talk to Emily. She had locked herself in her room ever since she had received it. They were all starting to get a little worried about her. The door sounded, causing them all to look around.
"I wonder what that is." Jayden commented. He went to the door, opening it to find a courier standing there. He just looked at him a little confused.
"Can I help you?" Jayden asked him.
"I'm here to collect a message." He told him. Just then, Jayden felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned, seeing Mentor Ji behind him. He handed the courier a letter, and some money.
"Take this with all speed." He told him in a serious tone. He closed the door, heading back through to the Living Room. Emily joined them, as silent as she had been since she got the letter. Mike sat with her, putting his arm around her to comfort her.
"What's wrong Mentor?" Jayden asked him.
"Emily must leave us for a short time." He told them. Mike and Mia looked to the Yellow Ranger, whose eyes were still red and puffy from her tears. She looked around the room as they all stared at her.
"I recognised the handwriting on the envelope." She began. "The letter was from my mom."
"Your mom?" Kevin asked her. He knew that Emily missed her home dreadfully, and that she more than the others had a hard time dealing with being away from home. While the others missed their families, they knew that they would likely see them again eventually. Emily though had to leave while her sister was critically ill. They all knew the strict rules against contacting their homes, so it was clear that if Emily's parents had contacted her, then it had to be important news.
"Is it about Serena?" Mia asked her. She knew how close Emily was to her sister. She talked about her a lot. She knew how much she looked up to Serena and idolised her. Emily just nodded her head as she looked back to them.
"She's getting worse." Emily told them. "Mom wrote to tell me the doctors have examined her and run some more tests."
She sobbed a little as Mia and Mike held her.
"They don't think she has long left." She explained. Mentor Ji rested a hand on her shoulder sympathetically as he looked to the others.
"She is going home to see her." He said. They all knew what he meant by that. Their responsibility was so important that they were forbidden from even writing or calling home. They would only be allowing her to go home for one reason. She was going to say goodbye.
"I'm sorry." She told them. "I want to stay, really I do..."
"We understand Emily, this is your family." Jayden assured her. Of all the others, he understood the most what she was going through. He never got the chance to say goodbye to his father. He had died suddenly in battle, leaving Mentor Ji to raise him. "You'll be back when the time is right."
"Kevin, help me prepare the truck for her journey." Mentor Ji told him. "We will be leaving after dinner."
Meanwhile, on the road out of town, the courier was carrying Mentor Ji's message out of town. Emily's family was a long way from the city, and he had been paid handsomely, well above the odds by Mentor Ji for taking a delivery out with normal business hours to ensure the letter got there tonight.
As he headed onto the freeway, he found himself behind a big rig. He looked at it curiously as he noticed a red glow starting to emanate from between the cab and the trailer. At first, he wondered if there was a mechanical fault, but then his thoughts strayed to another thought. Perhaps it was a fire. Either way, it didn't bode well.
He honked his horn, hoping to attract the drivers' attention. Just as he was about to try and pull alongside to indicate the need to pull over, he saw something that freaked him out. A mysterious white figure with a blazing red skull climbed onto the roof of the trailer. He held a glowing sword in his hand. The courier watched as he leapt from the trailer, landing on the hood of his car. He ducked as The Cursed Warrior swung Urumasa with all his might, slicing the roof from the car, sending it spinning across the freeway and showering the area with glass.
The courier swerved harshly, trying in vain to regain control before smashing through the guard rail into a ditch. Dekker leapt off the car before impact, landing close to the site of the crash. The bloody and bruised courier started to fumble with the seatbelt, unable to release himself as Dekker approached. He sliced him out of his seat, grabbing the terrified man and hauling him from the vehicle.
"You have a message." Dekker announced. "I want it!"
The man reached inside his coat, taking the envelope and presented it to The Cursed Warrior. Dekker threw him to the ground, before snatching the envelope from his hands. He powered up Urumasa, casting an energy wave in the direction of the car, destroying it in a massive explosion.
"Go with your life! You have served your purpose!" He announced. The courier struggled back to his feet, hobbling away as quickly as he could, not needing a second invitation to take the opportunity to leave. Dekker turned his attention to the envelope and opened it, reading the letter inside. He turned back into his human form and smiled.
"The Yellow Ranger's family is expecting this message." He said to himself. "Perhaps I should see that it gets there."
