A/N: Gahhhh! What is with this long season break? Seriously, with a season this awesome, it's driving me nuts! Sorry for the lack of updates, but hopefully this little story will help pass some time.

Legal: I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, characters, places etc. Anything not covered by these rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.

Rating: T – May be some adult themes.

Serena's visit was still having a positive effect on the Rangers, something that made Mentor Ji very happy. He had to admit that things had gotten more than a little tense around the house, and that cracks had started to show up in the team. However, having Serena around was a positive influence on all of them.

Mia and Serena had gone on more than a few trips together, and it seemed to bring her out of her shell a little. While he knew she cared deeply about Emily, she and Serena were a lot closer in age, and she seemed to love having someone to talk to as an equal, as opposed to her self-imposed role of den mother. As he saw her sitting with the others, seeing the way she sat so closely with Kevin, he appreciated that there were some things in the house she really couldn't talk about with the others, something that made her relationship with Kevin a lot harder.

Kevin seemed to be a lot happier and more confident in the house. One of the things that worried him about Jayden's decision to step aside and let Kevin take the reins while he figured things out was the effect it would have on Kevin, the pressure it would put him under, but it seemed like Serena and Mia had been there to support him as he found his stride, giving him equal measures of comfort, and guidance when his enthusiasm started to get the better of him and remind him that his team was only human. He had to admit being impressed with Kevin so far in his new role. So far, Mike and Antonio weren't getting under his skin quite as much, he felt better about the idea that Jayden was willing to act subservient to him, and he was gaining confidence in himself as a person. He had hidden behind his rules and regulations and codes of practice his whole life, but it seemed like the slightly greater leeway offered to him by making the decisions was having positive results.

Jayden seemed a little happier too, something that delighted Mentor Ji. He still maintained a distance from his team mates, and Antonio still insisted on sleeping in the gym, but he was beginning to feel more comfortable around them. Jayden had admitted to him that Serena had spoken with him and he had told her the truth. He could understand that it had been easier for him to talk to Serena, he didn't really know her as well as he did the others. She was trustworthy, and he was sure she would keep his confidence and allow him to tell the others on his own, but knowing that there was someone else that knew, and that hadn't judged him for it, just made things seem a little less daunting.

Serena had loved her break, and between some rest, and a few herbal treatments, she was almost completely healed. He knew that soon they would need to send her away again, but this time, he wasn't sending her after some random lead. Now, he knew that he had to send her somewhere to get the full story and understand exactly how important the quest really was.

Serena got up and made her way to her room, giving Mike a playful slap across the back of the head as she passed him on a porch chair, huddling Emily into himself. He knew she didn't have any serious problems with Mike and her little sister, but he never objected to anything that kept Mike in check, and he knew that their cuddling was always kept to a strictly PG 13 level whenever Serena reminded him she was there. She came over to him, handing him a dish.

"This sushi of yours is great." She told him. "You're seriously going to have to give me the recipe."

"If you think that's good, wait till you get to your next stop." He told her. Her smile slipped slightly, and she moved inside, closing the door over a little.

"I guess I knew this was too good to last." She commented. "At least I got a few days. So where am I off to?"

"We still haven't tracked down any new swords, but there's somewhere you need to go." He told her. He handed her a plane ticket, which she just looked at a little curiously.

"Japan?" She asked him. "Wait, if I'm not going after a sword..."

"You're going to the Tengen Gate." He interrupted her. "My old friend Daisuke and I have discussed it at length, and we agree that we haven't been fair to you."

He looked to her regretfully.

"With Kenzo and Octoroo after the sword too..."

"Wait, Octoroo?" She asked him. "You mean Master Xandred's major brainiac is on the case?"

"We believe it is a project independent of Master Xandred's wishes." He told her. "So far we have seen no indication Master Xandred is even aware."

"Well that's one thing at least." Serena sighed. "I doubt I'm up to the body count that would follow if he went after it."

"You fly out the day after tomorrow." He continued. "I felt that would give you a little time to say your goodbyes and pack."

"Thank you." Serena replied, taking the ticket from him. "Mom told me about the Tengen Gate when I was a kid, and Emily told me about the trip they took out there. I guess now I get a chance to see it for myself."

"We cannot thank you enough for all you have done." Mentor Ji told her with a kind smile, placing a hand softly on her cheek. "You are an amazing young woman. Your parents and your sister should be very proud."

Serena just nodded and left him. Mentor Ji never wanted to ask so much of her, but he knew that he had no choice.

"That looked serious." Antonio commented as he came in, taking an apple out of the fruit bowl, beginning to shine it on his shirt.

"Have you made any progress on The Black Box?" Mentor Ji asked him. Antonio just took this to mean he wasn't going to get any answers from Mentor Ji about what he had seen. He always accepted that the old man had a habit of deflecting, something a little odd from a man who always spoke so readily of trust. He took out his Baracuda Blade and took a slice of apple, crunching it.

"Emily's ape was a little more trouble than I would have liked, but it's programmed." He told Mentor Ji, leaning casually on the counter as he continued to eat. "So we've got the dragon, ape and turtle all programmed. I hope the bear's going to be easier. I have a feeling the Lion might resist quite a bit, but I have a unique relationship with Octozord. I'm sure he'll be only too happy to join his friends."

"I am pleased with the progress you are making. Keep up the good work Antonio." He told him, beginning to walk away. He paused for a second and turned back to The Gold Ranger. "Oh, and Antonio one more thing."

"Yeah?" Antonio asked him.

"We do have kitchen knives." He reminded him, gesturing to the Baracuda Blade. "Please try not to use the weapons as cutlery in future."

With that, he walked out, leaving Antonio alone in the kitchen. Little did he notice a glowing red crack at the bottom of one of the kitchen cabinets.

In the Netherworld, Dayu had an all-too-rare opportunity to leave the Junk and take a walk by herself on the desolate shores of the Sanzu River. She hated it here, the dark, lifeless trees and the choppy shoreline were not a pleasant environment, but all things considered, it was preferable to the Junk.

Her time with Dekker had brought back all the memories, all the feelings she had for him. The love she carried for centuries weighed on her, especially since she knew that one day, Master Xandred would finally expect her to fulfil his instruction to eliminate him. It was no simple task; indeed, Xandred himself had already failed once. The power of Urumasa was no easy thing to overcome, probably why he wanted her to do it, hoping she could use subterfuge to destroy him.

As she rounded a dark tree, she noticed Octoroo a little way off, acting a little strangely. She kept back out of sight, but kept an eye on him as he cast his gaze up and down the riverbank. It was clear that wherever he was going, given the way he was acting, that he did not want to be followed. Octoroo was a sneaky and devious creature, constantly plotting something. That, combined with his cowardice and reluctance to engage in battle himself made him ideal as Master Xandred's tactical advisor, however, she never trusted him.

"What are you up to?" She asked herself as she followed him from a safe distance. If he was so intent on not being followed, then she was sure he had to be up to no good. She saw him finally entering a cave, far from prying eyes.

She made her way quietly in behind him, taking a hiding spot a little way from him, finding him approaching an orange glow, indicating a camp fire of some description. From here, she could see another figure pacing by the rear wall. It astounded her that it was not a Nighlock, but appeared to be a human.

"Am I supposed to remain in this God forsaken cave forever?" Kenzo snapped as he saw Octoroo approaching. "What kept you?"

"You would do well to remember who you are speaking to." Octoroo chastised him. "After all, were it not for me, you would still be rotting away in that temple, learning skills you are taught never to use. You would still be wasting your life playing with wooden dummies and honing fangs that would never be bared in anger."

"Instead, I am languishing in this cave awaiting word from you about this damned quest!" Kenzo roared, kicking the fire and casting up some embers. The flare allowed Dayu to see in the darkness a little better, and she could confirm that he was, indeed, human. She knew that humans could not live in the Sanzu River for long, not without becoming Nighlocks at any rate. This man had said he had been here for a while. He turned into his Nighlock form, bearing his venomous fangs at him. "You promised me glory and triumph, not to trade one damned temple for another!"

"I gave you those fangs, and I can take them away again just as easily!" Octoroo reminded him. "Let's see how far you get when you do not have a home to go back to."

Octoroo moved around the fire, and used his power to cause it to flare up a little more brightly, illuminating the cave. Dayu pulled further into cover.

"I have been observing the girl." Octoroo told him. "She visited with the Rangers. She has rested..."

"Perhaps if I had gone after her instead of sitting in here..."

"You have failed twice already." Octoroo reminded him. "If you confronted her with the Rangers, you will fall as surely as everyone else has."

"Dekker has not fallen." Kenzo stated. "Nor has Arachtheor, that mindless spider!"

"You are nowhere near in their league." Octoroo told him dismissively. "The girl departs tomorrow, destined for the Tengen Gate."

"You would see me return home." Kenzo sneered. "For what purpose? I have been there my whole life. If Kasamune was there, I would know."

Dayu paused as she heard this. She had not heard much of the legend, but she had heard enough to know the name. In all the centuries since Dekker had taken up Urumasa, only one had ever driven him from the land, and it was the warrior who bore the sword known as Kasamune.

"Perhaps not, but that is where she is going." Octoroo told him, using his power to cast some shadows on the cave, recreating the scene in the kitchen for him to see. "The Mentor said something about her finding out the truth of the legend. Perhaps they hope that will provide her with a clue."

"Or perhaps like you, they think shadow puppet theatres will be amusing." Kenzo scoffed. "This is a waste of time. Now, if perhaps you can find that sword, I can bring it back for you and we'll both be rid of him."

Dayu had heard enough, she now knew what Octoroo wanted. He wanted this Nighlock to find Kasamune, hoping that with it, they could destroy Dekker. She couldn't bear to think that there was such a plot against the man she loved. He had already been defeated by Kasamune once, and it was only down to the compassionate nature of The Blessed Warrior that he had been sent away and not killed. She doubted that was Octoroo's plan.

She left the cave, thoughts racing through her mind. She didn't know why Octoroo hadn't told Master Xandred about his plan, indeed, by the sound of things, he had a similar goal to Xandred in ridding himself of the threat Dekker posed. It occurred to her that if she exposed his deception, Master Xandred would not be happy, and may even destroy him, but how could she convince him she told the truth?

It was as she reached a gap, that she got another plan and disappeared into it.