Disclaimer: 'Power Rangers' is copyright of Buena Vista Entertainment and others of that ilk. No infringement is intended.

RESTLESS WARRIORS

Chapter Three: Letters

Trini waved her hand over the fire a third time. The image of Kira dissolved and left in its wake the image of a woman with blonde hair tied back in a severe bun with stern blue eyes. She was wearing some kind of military uniform and sitting behind a desk. Overall, she did not look like the world's most friendly person.

"This is Taylor Earhardt," Trini explained. "She was the Wild Force Yellow Ranger. She will also be the hardest to contact. She lives and works in Colorado."

Maya thought for a moment. That would be a problem. "I could send her a letter," she suggested.

Trini nodded. "Just make sure it gets there quickly."


Captain Taylor Earhardt was used to some of the stranger things that went on around the military base. Of course, most of it could be chalked up a normal bureaucracy that every establishment put up with. However, she drew the line at strange letters from people she had heard of, never met and was supposedly on another planet. The day had started out normal enough, until one of her clerks brought in the mail. She never got same-day FedEx envelopes, but there was one in the mail.

And the contents of the letter had given her a reason to pause:

Dear Taylor,

I am Maya, the Yellow Galaxy Rangers. You were the Yellow Wild Force Ranger. Leo told me that, because I asked him who all the yellow rangers had been. He went on this mission to the moon with some of the other red rangers and he got some of the updated ranger history. Trini told me that this mission needed yellow rangers and which yellow rangers there would be. Of course, she also told me that Dustin already knew, but he didn't contact any of us. It's okay. I'll talk to Trini tonight to be sure and I'll see Dustin tomorrow morning.

Taylor's first question had been 'who in the world were Leo, Trini and Dustin?' The woman wrote the letter like she should know who all these people were. And she didn't sound like she was sure she needed to be writing to her. Perhaps she was just one of those crazies who liked to write crank letters. Of course, most cranks would not have known her identity as a Power Ranger. That was enough to make her think twice.

I need your help. There are demons who are trying to destroy the gates between the mortal realm and the spirit realm. If this happens, there will be chaos, war and eventually the destruction of both realms. The ancient ninjas foresaw that this task would be completed by us—me, you, Dustin, Kelsey and Kira. We are the only ones who can help the Earth and the universe.

Why? Why were they the only ones who could stop this? Couldn't there be other rangers, other military types, other religious types who could stop this? She thought that this sounded like a good time for Christian leaders who preached the Apocalypse and fire and brimstone to step in and shed some light on the world. Supernatural spirits and other realms of existence just did not seem logical to her. And who were all these people? They had to be other Power Rangers, but from where?

The rest of the letter had outlined where she needed to be and how to get there. The situation seemed more ridiculous when she realized she had to get to California and find a secret ninja academy with a secret entrance in the woods. There was only one person to call and confirm the details with—Cole, the king of believing every weird, supernatural thing he came across.

She picked up the phone and dialed his number. The phone rang twice, before a familiar voice said, "Hello?"

Never before would she have imagined she'd be so glad to hear Cole's voice. "Hey, Cole," she said shortly. "It's Taylor."

"Oh, hey Taylor!" he said in his warm, enthusiastic voice. "How's it going?"

"Fine, listen, were there other rangers named-" She glanced at the letter. "-Leo, Trini, Dustin, Kelsey, Kira and Maya?"

There was silence on the other line. "I think so," Cole replied slowly. "I'm not sure who Kira is, but Dustin was the Yellow Ninja Storm Ranger. Leo and Maya were Galaxy Rangers. Trini was one of the original rangers and Kelsey is a Lightspeed Ranger."

Leave it to Cole to know all that. "Okay," she said. "Thanks. That's all I needed to know."

"Hey, wait!" Cole protested. "What's going on?"

"When I find out, I'll let you know," she snapped and hung up the phone.

This was weird. But it sounded like important ranger business. Ordinarily, if another ranger or Princess Shayla had asked her to do something, she would have done it without blinking an eye. However, this Maya character was seeming more and more like she was slightly insane. Either that, or she had not matured beyond a trusting child. Taylor honestly did not know and did not feel like puzzling it out. She had work to do.

And yet, it kept nagging at the back of her mind. Hadn't she been expecting a call from another ranger, telling her something dire was going on? But that was stupid. Any bad feeling she got came from being in the military and being on guard for so long. Cole had known who they were and what team they came from. There had been a lot of yellow rangers on that list. There had been almost too many yellow rangers on that list for it to be a coincidence. Should she go to Blue Bay Harbor and see what was going on?

It wouldn't take too long to get there if she got permission to use one of the aircrafts at her base and took it to the base in Berkley. That would take some finagling and pulling of strings, but she was pretty sure that it could be done. And this secret meeting was supposed to take place tomorrow at noon. Could she get it done in that short period of time?

No. It was impossible.

But a little voice in the back of her head told her that she had done it once and she could do it again. Of course, that last time had been when Eric had been injured in the line of duty and no one thought he would make it. He had and now… well, he wasn't her boyfriend. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure what he was to her. But… she had gotten a plane to Silver Hills when that happened.

Fine, she inwardly growled. She would go to Blue Bay Harbor and find this ridiculous secret ninja academy and see what this Maya character thought was so important. It was against her better judgment. Perhaps she was getting soft in her old age. Old age… she snorted. She was barely thirty and already acting like an old spinster. Still fuming at her soft decision, she picked up the phone on her desk.

"Get me Major Baker," she snapped.

After a few seconds of clicks and hold music, a female, annoyed voice said. "Major Baker."

"Hey, Ginger," she said. "It's Taylor. I need a favor."

"What sort of a favor?"

"I need a plane."

"To where?"

"Berkley."

There was a pause. "Take a leave day and you can tag along with Biendorf. He's taking a small team out there to help with maintenance."

That was Ginger's way of giving her a way to go without making a splash about 'non-sanctioned' use of military aircrafts. And being in a plane for an hour with Biendorf and his bunch of nerdy mechanics wouldn't be so bad. Plus, it would ease her conscience to go see what Maya wanted.

"Thanks, Ginger!" she replied.

"Just be back in a week. That's when they come back. You aren't there by then and you have to find your own way back and then explain that to Elmo."

Elmo Zumwalt was their commanding officer and he didn't like excuses.

"Sure, thanks again."

"Don't mention it."

Ginger hung up. Taylor hung up her phone and began to rummage around in her desk for the proper paperwork. Paperwork made Elmo happy and it would be good to ease his temper before he found out she was hitching a ride with Biendorf to California.


The night air was cool. Maya shivered to herself. It was her second night on Earth. No one would be at the Wind Ninja Academy at this hour of the night. Or no one would want to be disturbed. She was sure the head sensei and his family at least lived there. Trini had told her the names of the others last night, but that Dustin had the scroll of destiny. Others had seen that scroll and had copies of it. She circled the large fire she had built. The bluff was the perfect place for this sort of thing. It faced the mountains, giving strength and stability, but it also faced the infinite sea that gave grace and change.

Taking in a long breath, she pushed up the sleeves of the light pink sweater she was wearing—Kendrix's sweater. She pulled a small leather bag from her belt, opened it and threw a handful of the dust onto the fire. The fire flared up in shades of blue and purple before settling back down to the warm yellow glow. The dust was combination of herbs, ground to a fine powder that protected the bluff and the spirit she was about to summon. Putting the bag back on her belt, she pulled a small pocket knife out of her pocket and made a cut in her index finger. She held the finger over the fire until one drop of blood fell.

"I call on the spirit of the yellow ranger that has gone beyond. I call on her for guidance in this moment of confusion."

Small lights—sparkles as she had called them from her childhood—rose off of the flames and spiraled up into the air. They settled on the opposite side of the fire from herself and took the rough shape of a human. In a burst of blue light, a woman became visible, but still transparent. She was a pretty, young Asian woman—as she had been when she died. Her robes were yellow and a smile graced her lips.

"A wish made with blood is an offering to those who have gone beyond." Trini paused after the initial intonation. "How are you, Maya?"

Maya smiled. "I'm fine." She took a deep breath. "Trini… I need to know exactly what is happening here. You've told me who I need to contact, but what is going on?"

Trini sighed. "The signs are unclear. Someone refuses to stay in the grave."

"Like the demons that the Lightspeed Rangers had to fight?"

"Some are a different kind of demon, but a demon, yes." She paused. "A war is coming and no one in your world is aware of it. And no one would believe you if you said something."

"But there must be some way I can stop this!"

"There is, but you will not be alone."

Maya stopped, remembering the others, the ones that had been assigned to this task. But there had been a scroll of destiny. Didn't that mean the ninjas had known? "But what about the ninjas?"

Trini smiled sadly. "The ninjas live their lives and practice their arts in secret. They cannot go to the world now with an ancient scroll and claim it is destiny. They understand what must be done."

"I've contacted Kelsey and Taylor."

"Good." Trini paused. "You are the Yellow Galaxy Ranger. You know the others who share your color and share the ancient animal spirits."

"The ancient animal spirits?"

"These are not like the other animal spirits that previous teams of Power Rangers have used. These are not the Ninjetti or the Wild Force spirits of the Earth. These are powerful and ancient animals to which ancient peoples aspired."

"Mythological creatures?"

"Yes." Trini smiled sadly. "Come. I will show you the others and the animal spirit that dwells with each of them." She beckoned Maya closer to the fire. Maya took a step towards the yellow flames that were licking the night sky. Trini waved a transparent hand over the fire. An image appeared like last night.

The image was of a young woman, no older than Maya herself, with brown hair in a high ponytail and bright blue eyes. She was rollerblading through a park, wearing a light yellow halter top with her skate gear. Maya recognized her. She was Kelsey Winslow, the Yellow Lightspeed Rescue Ranger. And she always seemed to be rollerblading.

"This one you know—you have fought alongside her," Trini said. "The spirit of the Pegasus is with her. She must learn to rise above the guilt that she feels and learn to dwell in the present, not on what could have been. She is the one who knows where the demons will try to enter from."

Trini waved her hand again and the image changed. This time it was of another young woman, only slightly younger than herself. She had blonde hair that was pulled back into a severe bun and ice blue eyes. She was wearing an Air Force uniform and sitting at a desk, filling out some kind of paperwork. Taylor Earhardt… the one she had sent the letter to…

"Taylor," she whispered.

Trini nodded. "She has the ability to lead you in this battle. The spirit of the Sphinx is with her. She must learn to connect with others while striking the balance between that and freedom. There is one person in particular she must reach out to."

The image dissolved and changed again. Maya did not even register that Trini had moved to change the image. A young man appeared this time. He had chocolate brown hair that was wavy and curled at the ends. His eyes were a warm, friendly light brown. He was wearing a yellow plaid shirt and cleaning some kind of bike. He looked young, no more than twenty at the most. Dustin Brooks… the Wind Ninja Academy teacher… the one she would meet in the morning…

"He was the Yellow Ninja Storm Ranger. He was a Wind Ranger and called on the power of Earth. The spirit of the Griffin is with him. He is the one who will hold this mission together. He must learn to love and open his heart to the one he has loved from afar for many years."

Dustin disappeared. He was replaced by the image of a young woman, perhaps the same age as him or a little younger. She had dark blonde hair that fell in waves to her shoulders. Her eyes were hazel and studied sheet music before plucking out a tune on her acoustic guitar. She was wearing a yellow sweater and almost looked lonely. Kira Ford… she was the one that Dustin would contact…

"The spirit of the Unicorn is with her. She has the talent to find clues and ultimately lead the mission to success. Her logical mind is astounding when she uses it. She must learn to live noble dreams always. Her dreams have fallen from their original lofty heights."

The image disappeared. "Will they help me?" Maya asked, fearfully.

Trini smiled gently and nodded. "They will, but some will take more persuading than others. You already have Dustin on your side. He possessed the scroll of destiny and is awaiting your arrival. Kira and Kelsey will most probably help you without much question. Taylor is the only one that may be stubborn at first."

"What should I do when we're all together?"

"Bring them here," Trini said. "Call upon me when all five of you are together and I will explain what has been happening in more detail. I will tell them of their roles and their ancient animal spirits."

"What if they don't want to come or they don't believe me?"

Trini smiled. "They will come. Do not let initial rejection be the final factor." She paused, reaching out, over the fire to Maya. "You are strong. The spirit of the Phoenix is with you."

"The Phoenix?"

"The Phoenix rises from the ashes to begin a new life. Remember that happy endings are nothing more than new beginnings. The Earth will be given a new beginning if the five of you can work together and overcome your personal obstacles."

Maya nodded. "I'll do my best."

"You will not fail. Trust your instincts and follow your heart."


The sun was just coming over the horizon when Dustin parked his car in a secluded clearing near the secret entrance portal to the school. Cam had designated a parking area some time ago, when the police had started towing cars that were parked along the edge of the dirt road with no apparent owners or people coming back to them. It worked well. Dustin got out of his car and spent a few moments fumbling with his keys to lock it. It was a beat-up '65 Beetle that had once been yellow and worked intermittently. However, it was all he could afford. Never mind the fact that he had two jobs…

"Sensei!"

Dustin turned to the sound of one his students. That particular student was on the Academy Guard—they patrolled the forest at all times to make sure the portal and the woods around it remained hidden and safe from intruders. The Guard had been stepped up a couple notches after Lothor invaded and stole most of the old buildings and students.

"What's up?" he asked, shouldering his backpack and heading towards the waterfall entrance and the students.

The students gave him strange looks. He frowned and looked down at his clothing—and was met by a bright yellow t-shirt. Oops, forgot to change into his ninja outfit after getting out of the car. Not like it would matter unless Sensei or Cam saw him.

"We caught this intruder," one of the water students Dustin didn't recognize said.

"Okay," he said slowly.

The students brought forward a bedraggled looking woman. Her brown hair was long and on the messy side, especially since it was loose. She had on dirty brown cargo pants, hiking boots that were caked in mud and a surprisingly clean pink sweater. She looked extremely familiar too, but he couldn't place from where.

"Do I know you?" he asked her.

The woman looked up and he was surprised by the look in her brown eyes. It was a wild, almost pleading look. "I'm Maya," she replied.

Maya… she was the Yellow Galaxy Ranger. She was the one who Cam said might show up at the Academy. He looked to the students. "Let her go," he ordered.

"You know her, Sensei?" one of the air students asked.

"Yes," he snapped. "Now get back on the patrol or whatever it is that you guys do!"

The students ninja streaked away. Their abrupt departure threw Maya off balance and she threw out her arms to break her fall. Moving quickly, Dustin intercepted the fall and she ended up sprawled in his arms. Trying not to blush, Dustin quickly righted her and picked up the small knapsack she had dropped.

"Sorry about them," he apologized quickly. "They're a little crazy." He smiled and laughed, but the laugh quickly died when he saw the bewildered look on her face.

"I'm Dustin," he said, hoping for some recognition from her.

"I made it," she whispered.

"Yeah…" he trailed off. She looked pale and had dark smudges under her eyes. "Listen, you don't look so good. Why don't you come with me? I'm sure Cam will get you something to eat and find some place for you to crash."

Maya squeezed her eyes shut like she was trying to remember something. "You're the Yellow Wind Ranger?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

Without warning, Maya pitched forward and Dustin sprang up to catch her before she hit the ground again. "I'm sorry," she muttered into his chest.

"It's okay," he breathed. "When's the last time you slept or ate anything?"

She shrugged. He sighed.

"Okay… when did you get off the shuttle from Mirinoi?"

"Day before yesterday."

"I see…" He paused. "Can you walk?"

She nodded. "I think so. Call Kira. The others are coming today," she added quickly.

"I'll have the Guard keep an eye out for them." He set her down on her feet and took her arm. "Come on. Cam'll give you some food and a bed, maybe a shower."

Maya smiled at him, but allowed him to lead her to the secret portal. Thank God for small blessings…

To Be Continued...


Author's Note: A big thank-you goes out to everyone who has reviewed-- you guys rock! Well, onward and upwards with the story! --EK