Disclaimer: I still don't own Power Rangers
A/N: The story plunges onwards. This is based off every thought I've had about Cole and Dekker having the same actor. I've muttered off and on that I would do this to Jinx/Julian. Now it's headcanon, that makes it official.
After getting Jayden settled safely onboard the Red Dragon, Antonio met with Jason, Adam, Tanya, Cole, and Merrick in a private room at the Haven. "Sorry about that," he told Cole, "if I had known you were dragging Jayden off the planet," he glared at Jason, "I would have warned you about Dekker."
"Who is Dekker?" Cole asked.
"He was a human once," Antonio replied, remember Mia's face as she explained Dayu's dream. "On his wedding night, his home caught fire and his bride dragged him out. Desperate to save him she made a deal with Master Xandred. She became Dayu, a formidable Nighlok and he became half-Nighlok, half-human. Dayu could remember everything that happened to her and to Dekker. Dekker had no memory of what he had been. He only knew that his sword, Urumasa, drove him to seek the ultimate duel. He found it with Jayden. He also looks exceptionally like you, Cole."
"I see," Cole said, "he is dead then?"
Antonio couldn't stop the devilish smile that graced his face, "At least, that's what everyone at Shiba thinks."
"You have a plan," Jason said.
"I'm thinking," Antonio replied, "that Mikayla has no clue about Dekker and we have a green ranger on the team." He crossed his arms, "Pending approval and agreement from everyone here and your team, I'd like to use that."
"Why?" Cole asked, exchanging a glance with Merrick.
"I'm an Empath," Antonio said, "it's strongest with my team. When I spoke to and touched Mikayla, I knew she was team. I also knew she wasn't a red. I have no way to explain all of that, but there it is."
"How do we fit into this?" Merrick asked.
"Zhane has a party trick," Antonio said, "he can flair his aura and make everyone's Ranger color visible."
Adam snickered, "Remember when he did that at Julian's first birthday?"
Antonio raised an eyebrow as Jason also laughed. Tanya, seeing his expression, explained, "If Julian were ever to pick up a morpher, it would be a pink morpher."
"There's nothing wrong with that," Antonio said firmly, "I wondered if he'd be gold, but pink works too. He's already got the heart for it."
"That's why you are Julian's godfather," Tanya told him, "instead of hyena boy." She glared at Jason who calmed down after a moment.
"I can do that," Merrick said, "if that's your question."
Antonio smiled, "Then let me spin you a story." He sat back in his chair and stared at the table, "What if Cole were possessed by Dekker when he comes to visit me in a few days because Dekker only thought Jayden was his ultimate duel? What if he was seeking Mikayla for that duel, but when he made a play for it, I showed up with Merrick to stop him. Merrick uses his aura of light to cast the spirit from Cole, causing all the Ranger auras to flare up. That would reveal that Mikayla isn't meant to be a red ranger."
"You know what color she is," Merrick said after a long moment of silence.
Antonio peered through his lashes at the silver ranger and nodded slightly, "I think I do," he admitted.
"Why didn't you tell me that?" Jason asked.
Antonio hunched his shoulders a little, "I could be wrong. I didn't want to say, 'I think Mikayla is a purple,' and then be wrong because you would have done something based on that information."
A firm hand squeezed his shoulder, "It's ok, Antonio," Jason said. "I understand. Your plan is a little elaborate, isn't it?"
Antonio looked at his friend, "Mikayla doesn't like me very much; probably because I punched her. How do you think she'd take being told she wasn't a red ranger? This way, it seems like a happy accident that I can back up with research."
"What kind of research?" Cole asked.
Antonio grinned, "Cam's cousin, on his mom's side, she came through for me. She's bringing the information herself, but the Shiba Lords that locked away Xandred the longest weren't the Red Rangers." His grin faded as he met Jason's eyes squarely, "Having been a Ranger, I know, we use so much symbol power in battle that there's no way a Red could manage more than twenty years of blocking him. However, they couldn't finish the job because they didn't have enough power." He looked around the room, "My hypothesis is that a Lord of Shiba who is also a Ranger in terms of power and morphing, but not a primary team member stands the greatest chance of sealing Xandred away."
"You just need our help," Cole said, "to see if it's true." Antonio nodded.
"What if you're wrong?" Merrick asked.
Antonio turned to Merrick, "Moogers started attacking again within fifteen years of the last battle. The longest we've gone between attacks is fifty years. If I'm right, our grandchildren will be breathing easy. If I'm wrong, we'll know before we need to consider passing on the Power to the next generation and something else can be tried."
Jason nodded, "It could use some work, but it's a good plan." He turned to Cole and Merrick, "The choice is yours."
"Jayden too," Antonio said firmly. "I haven't discussed this with him, he has the right to have a say. It's Jayden's team."
"Speaking of Jayden," Jason said, "he has a morpher?"
Antonio nodded, "I didn't want him to feel vulnerable, and since I did bring the broken Samuraizer with me when we left, it just made sense." He looked from Jason to Adam and Tanya, "I didn't say anything because I don't want Xandred to go after Jayden. We all know Jayden's red enough to have ticked Xandred off quite handedly even if they've never met face to face."
Jason chuckled, "That is a red trait. We are going to talk about the things you haven't been telling us."
"If you say so," Antonio replied. He glanced around the table, "Do you need to think about this?"
Cole glanced at Merrick, "Our team is in orbit right now," he said, turning to Antonio, "we'll talk to them and let you know."
"All right," Antonio agreed.
"On that note," Tanya said, "we left Trini with all six kids when we left. We should go recue her."
"I promise Mike I'd be there tomorrow," Antonio added.
The group began to stand and split up, but Merrick caught Antonio's elbow before he could catch up with them. "She's not a purple," he said, practically breathing in Antonio's ear. "I know that much."
Antonio shifted so that his face couldn't be seen by the Earth Rangers, "Maybe she isn't," he said in an equally soft voice, "but you are one of four who can prove me right or wrong." He stepped back and smirked a little, "You just never know until you look."
