A/N: I hereby present to you all my own version (yes, another one) of Power Rangers: Samurai. It does have a much darker theme to it than Saban's version (which I do not hate, as you can obviously tell by my other PR stories). There were some flaws, yes, and I'm still going to use some terms you are familiar with.
Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers Samurai or Samurai Sentai Shinkenger. I just own most of the plot and the characters and things you don't recognize from the original version.
I AM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE!
~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~
"All Mike wanted was someone to tell him he was good enough, but the only one who could help him was the one he fought with the most."
Better Together
Power Rangers: Samurai REDO
Season 1, Episode 10: Under The Weather
Shiba House, Gianni Forest, Panorama City, California
June 2, 2014
Mike was just outside the kitchen, on his personal, forest green-colored iPhone. "How is he now?"
"Michael, honey, you asked me that thirty seconds ago," his mom, Carmen, replied. "And the answer is still the same. His fever is still pretty high, but he can keep down water."
"I know," Mike replied, pinching the bridge of his nose out of stress. "I'm just worried. If David hadn't been waiting for me last night in the rain, or better yet, if I had actually been there-"
"Don't blame yourself, honey," Carmen was quick to answer. She didn't like it when her sons put themselves down. It probably stemmed from their dad always talking down to them like they were maggots and he was the exterminator (one of the many reasons Carmen had divorced him). "You were busy."
"I should've called him," Mike cut in, "to let him know, at least."
Last night, David was counting on Mike to pick him up from daycare, so he stood out in the rain, for an hour and a half, before Mike remembered about it during Ji's after-dinner training. He then swiftly called his mom to say that he was busy and couldn't pick David up.
It was his fault David was sick. It was his fault that David would start out his summer break in bed with a fever.
"Don't feel guilty," Carmen replied, as if sensing her oldest son's thoughts. "There was a bug going around at his school. He probably caught it."
"I'm sorry," Mike said, after taking a deep breath to ease his stress. "I really am."
"Mike," the said Green Ranger jumped out of his skin. He turned to face Mentor Ji.
"Hold on a minute," Mike said into the phone before placing his hand over the speaker and turned to Ji. "Yeah?"
"There's a meeting I need everyone to be apart of," Ji replied. "You're the only one who's not there."
"Just one minute, please?" Mike asked Ji, referring to his phone call.
"Now." Ji's order was solid and absolute. He stood there as Mike turned back to his phone.
"I'll call you back," Mike said before hanging up. He walked past Ji with a solid glare on his face.
Ji was unfazed by Mike's stink eye as he followed the Green Ranger to the Gap Sensor table, where the other five residents were already seated. Mike took the only open seat next to Mia and (at one of the heads of the table) Antonio. Kevin sat at the other head with Jayden and Emily on the other side.
"Sorry, I was late," Mike said.
Ji made a quick note that Mike's apology was gentle and genuine, which meant that Mike's glare was directed at him (which made Ji a little confused; what about him was Mike so mad about?).
"It's alright," Jayden replied. (He knew something, Ji thought. Jayden knew something about Mike.)
"So, what's with this meeting so early in the day?" Antonio asked, after yawning. They hadn't even had breakfast yet.
Ji shrugged off his worries about Mike, and began his explanation. "Congratulations, all six of you, for finding three of the lost Zords. We now have the three Zords necessary to form the Samurai Battlewing."
"The what?" Kevin asked.
"The Samurai Battlewing," Ji repeated, as he opened one of the many ancient books to a page with a sketch of the mentioned mecha. "The Beetle, Tiger, and Swordfish Zords combine to form the Samurai Battlewing. It requires the three Rangers of these Zords to pilot it."
"But...they don't have Rangers," Emily pointed out.
"I know," Ji replied. "That's why you six are here. All of the Zords can appoint OverSeers until they find Rangers to bond with."
"OverSeers," Kevin said, slowly. "Or temporary pilots. Right?"
Ji nodded. "Correct, but the Zords must choose who OverSee them. I had Jayden use the Lion Zord to translate. The Tiger Zord has chosen Jayden and Emily both," Emily looked up in mild surprise as Ji handed Jayden the Tiger Disk, "because you two were the only ones who heard her cry of distress. Swordfish has chosen Kevin and, surprisingly, Antonio," Antonio was definitely surprised (because he was not a Ranger), as Ji gave Kevin the Swordfish Disk, "because you two helped her find her way back home." Ji now only held the Beetle Disk in his hand.
"What about the Beetle Zord?" Mia asked.
"That's the problem," Ji explained. "Beetle hasn't chosen an OverSeer yet, so I need you all to do some homework. You Rangers need to prove yourselves worthy of the Beetle Zord."
There was a silence as the group of teens digested that. Mike broke it, asking, "We'll work on it. Now, can I continue my phone conversation?"
"Mike!" Ji seemed to explode. "This is more important than you having a meaningless conversation with a girl!"
Mike had a very hurt look on his face when Ji said 'meaningless'. Jayden was quick to notice and was quick to speak up. "He's calling his mom, Ji. David's in bed sick due to yesterday's storm, and Mike wants to make sure he recovers."
Ji felt rather silly now. He remembered when David got injured and how strong Mike's big brother instincts were. He went after Rofer without remorse.
And that was the deal with the glare Mike gave him.
Ji had interrupted his 'meaningless' call with his mother, who was telling him how David was doing and feeling.
"I'm sorry, Mike," Ji replied after a moment of silence. "But my point still stands."
And the six teens watched Ji leave the room.
"Why do I have the feeling he didn't really mean that apology?" Mike asked, his teeth gritted.
"Ji has never really found it easy to apologize," Antonio was quick to explain, his voice sympathetic for Mike's situation at home. "Sincerely at least. He has a surprisingly big ego."
"Okay, then," Mike replied, in light of that bit of news, "I guess I won't hold it against him. By the way, Jayden, thanks for sticking up for me."
"No problem at all," Jayden said, with a gentle smile on his face. "I had an older sister, so I can put myself in your brother's shoes."
Antonio cautiously glanced at Jayden when he mentioned her. Ever since the incident, Jayden refused to talk about her or even bring her up, not even simply by 'sibling', much less 'older sister'.
"Had?" Emily asked, a look of worry clear on her face. "You mean she's not around anymore?"
Jayden refused to meet Emily's hazel eyes. "I don't feel like talking about it." He turned back to Mike, his voice sounding more confident, "Anyways, Mike, Ji also has a point. You need to find a way to balance both worlds, so to speak."
As Mike dialed his mom's phone number, he replied, "Believe me, I'm working on it."
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
Shiba House, Gianni Forest, Panorama City, California
Emily found the kitchen more cramped than she'd like (right now, she'd prefer it empty). She wanted to be alone (she'd accept Antonio, though). She needed to recover from what just happened.
She had been training in hand-to-hand combat with Antonio outside, when that forest house flashed through her mind. Not expecting it (up to this point, the visions only came when she was asleep), Emily stumbled backwards before quickly finding her balance again. When Jayden asked her if she was okay, Emily had shrugged it all off as a "dizzy spell". Ji spoke up, saying Emily was probably dehydrated, and sent her inside to get some water.
Emily didn't want to admit it, but it was possible that these visions of hers were getting worse.
And since it was all most likely just her imagination, she was at a loss of what to do.
But Mike (the one in the kitchen with her) obviously had his own problems right now. He was pacing, suffering from something Emily couldn't see.
"Mike?"
The Green Ranger's heart jumped when he heard her voice. He turned and sighed in relief when he saw who it was, "Oh. Emily. It's just you."
"Yep. It's me," Emily replied. She wanted to be alone, but Mike was clearly dealing with something. She couldn't ignore him when he obviously needed help. "Are you okay?"
She knew he wasn't. She was asking him that to see if he would lie to her or not.
It turned out that he didn't answer that specific question at all. He answered it with another question, one aimed at her.
"Em? What do you know about Symbol Power?"
What? That was not a question she was expecting.
"Well," Emily paused as she racked her brain for the information Antonio gave her when she first got her Samuraizer (he had explained Symbol Power briefly then), "our first morph with our Zords is what first unlocks it, and it's channeled through Symbols from within us." Emily paused again as she studied Mike's slightly confused expression. "At least, that's what Antonio told me." Emily decided to jump and ask a risky question. "Why?"
"Because you guys are all so good at it, and I'm not," Mike answered (for a moment, Emily thought that he'd dodge this question too). "You and Jayden were both accepted by the Tiger Zord. Swordfish chose Kevin and Antonio, the latter of whom is not even a Ranger." (Yet, Emily mentally added.) "And if you look outside, you'll notice that Mia is practicing her Symbol Power and it's amazing, probably the best out of all of us."
Mike was right. Well, right in the sense that Mia was out there, perfecting her Symbol Power. (And it was rather impressive.)
"Mike, it's okay," Emily quickly jumped in. Her gut was telling her that something bad was about to happen. "Everyone has a different method of learning, at different paces. It could be that Mia is a quick learner while you have a very different method of learning that Ji hasn't touched on yet. So it's taking you a bit longer to learn than the rest of us."
"Em, I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but it's not going to work."
"Huh?" This is what really confused her. Yes, she was trying to help him, but she was speaking the truth. "Mike, what are you going on about?"
"You can come out and say it. I'm not good enough for this team, am I?" His question sounded like he was confident.
"Mike, you are good enough," Emily immediately replied. "Who said that you weren't?"
Mike was quiet, making Emily severely concerned for him. When he finally spoke, he was quiet, "I let Rofer hurt David and yesterday, I forgot to pick him up and left him to stand out in the rain. Now he's sick and it's all my fault."
Emily was quiet, as well, as she let his words sink in. "Mike, people make mistakes all the time, but that doesn't mean you're a bad person. True strength is realizing your flaws, admitting them out loud, and resolving to fix them and become a better person. That's what makes a real difference."
Mike was quiet as he digested this, but to Emily, even if Mike believed her, it was obvious that he still held some doubt towards her words.
"I think I need some air," Mike eventually spoke. "If anybody needs me, tell them I'll be out in the city."
Emily could only nod as she watched him leave. It's obvious he didn't believe her.
Did Mike really have self-esteem issues worse than hers?
Emily thought back to the vision of the forest house she just had (the one that brought her in here). One section of the forest house was burning, but not the whole thing. In real life, as far as Emily knew, one section of the forest house was burned and in disrepair (so she was obviously seeing some form of its past).
But the house as a whole was not burning, just one section.
As a team, they all worked together, like a well-oiled machine. If one part was malfunctioning (or on fire, in this case), then the machine didn't work right (or the house didn't stand strong and perfectly upright).
But if the fire spread far enough, the entire house could burn down.
Oh, dear. This was bad.
Emily didn't know she was shaking until a hand was placed on her shoulder and a familiar baritone asked her, "You okay, Em? You're trembling."
Emily turned to meet Jayden's blue eyes.
"Me? I'm fine. I think it's Mike you need to be concerned about."
"Mike?" Jayden asked incredulously, as if he didn't believe her. "How so?" But he was still willing to listen to her.
Emily paused, not sure how to explain Mike's problems to someone who wasn't there to witness the conversation that just went down. "Well...he just asked me about Symbol Power and how it worked, because he was watching Mia practice hers and, because he's bad at it, debating whether or not he belongs on this team. Then, he ran away into the city to think. I think this all came about after what happened with David yesterday, and it only got worse when Ji mentioned the Beetle Disk situation."
"It does makes sense, actually," Jayden surprised her with his response (she expected him to tell her not to worry about it, that it was Mike's problem, not hers). "I don't know if he's told you this or not, but his dad wasn't exactly the best dad in the world. In basic terms, he was a bully and Mike and David were his constant victims, until Mike's mom found the courage to get a divorce."
"Oh." (It did actually make a whole lot more sense now.) "He told you?"
"I figured it out on my own, actually," Jayden replied, "and when I confronted him about it, he confirmed that it was true and dove a little more into the details."
"I see," Emily glanced down at the ground, tears stinging her hazel eyes. "So, Mike is actually afraid of..."
"Turning into his dad," Jayden finished softly.
And to think, Emily wanted to emulate her dad because she thought he was the bravest man ever to live, when, all this time, she was blind to other people whose own dads were...not so nice.
Emily would never forgive herself for her insensitivity.
She didn't realize she was crying until Jayden placed a gentle hand on her head and said, "Don't blame yourself for Mike's problems. He's been dealing with this way before he became a Ranger."
Emily nodded, but responded with, "Doesn't mean we shouldn't help him."
Jayden opened his mouth to say something, probably to agree with her (he looked like he did), but he was cut off.
Because that's when the Gap Sensor started blaring.
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
City Square, Panorama City, California
Mike's (meant to be) peaceful walk through the city (to clear his head) was interrupted when he saw a little girl, soaking wet, sitting on the edge of the sidewalk, crying her eyes out.
He jogged up to her, kneeled, and asked, "Hey there, what's wrong?"
"Why didn't I bring an umbrella? I'm so dumb!"
He wouldn't admit this out loud to anyone, but Mike didn't like people being so hard on themselves (despite him doing so all the time).
"It's alright," Mike was quick to speak up. "Today's a very sunny day. You didn't know it would rain."
Wait a minute...rain? In the middle of a hot summer day? Very unlikely.
"Exactly. I should be prepared for any type of weather!" the girl replied, not letting this go. "Ugh! So dumb, dumb, dumb!"
Mike glanced around the plaza to see a business man in the exact same situation: soaking wet and putting himself down for something. Now that Mike took a much closer look at the area around him, he found that a lot of people were like this (which really broke his heart). That could only mean one thing.
Mike drew his Symbol and quietly morphed.
"Nighlock!" Mike yelled out, his heart filled with the need to get justice for all these people.
"Oh, hello, Green Ranger," the Nighlock replied. "Quiet lovely, isn't it? My harmony of delightful despair?"
"So, it was you," Mike muttered angrily. "The one who made those people lose all hope and basically turned them into Kevin?"
"Hey! I take offense to that, Hernandez!"
Mike was inwardly relieved to see that his four teammates had arrived, morphed and ready to kick some Nighlock butt, standing in usual formation.
"Relax, Cupcake, it was a joke," Mike replied, not taking his eyes off the enemy.
"Enough chatter, I suppose," the Nighlock spoke up. "Let's get down to the business at hand, shall we? I am Action Commander Desperaino. Long story short, my rain makes people feel sorrow and despair. Those people you saw have no hope anymore."
'I knew it,' Mike thought.
"That's horrible!" Emily gasped.
"That's why he's going down," Jayden responded, his voice hard and determined. "Spin Sword!"
Jayden drew his Sword and the other four quickly followed.
"Now that would too easy," he said, raising his staff, blasting the Rangers back and onto the ground behind them, hard.
So hard, Mike could definitely feel some bruises forming.
Kevin immediately got up and drew the Swordfish Disk. "Mia, we have to use our new Disks!"
"Right!" Mia replied, holding up the Beetle Disk.
Mike's world, right then, seemed to stop.
Mia already won the right to OverSee the Beetle Disk? But...Mike didn't even get a chance to prove himself. What gave Ji the right to swoop that low and twist Mike's heart out and smash it into pieces?
He understood why Swordfish had chosen Kevin and Antonio, because those two were the ones who helped her find her way back to them, back to where she truly belonged and always would (and Antonio really did deserve to be a Ranger after all he'd done for them).
He understood why Tiger had chosen Jayden and Emily, because those two were (not only obviously the ultimate power couple and hearts of the entire team, but also) the ones who heard her cry of distress, who helped her fight off the spell and defeat Madimot, the Nighlock responsible.
And, believe it or not, he understood why Beetle chose Mia, because her Symbol Power was perfect, the best of all of them. She was also kind and well-determined, her emotions well balanced.
He wasn't mad at the other Rangers, Antonio, or the Zords. He was mad at Ji, because Ji didn't even give him a chance.
Kevin hooked up the Swordfish Disk to his Hydro Bow, but before Mia hook the Beetle Disk up to her Sky Fan, Desperaino blasted it out of her hand, crying out, "No! Wrong as rain!"
Mia wrung her hand to shake off the pain as Mike quickly jumped into action and caught the Beetle Disk before it could hit the ground and (possibly) shatter into a million pieces.
"Nice catch, Mike!" Mia called, running up to him. "Thanks for the assist!" He then held out her hand, waiting for him to give it to her.
But Mike didn't. He just glanced at it.
This was his chance to prove that he wasn't the weakest link of the team.
"I'm sorry, Mia," he muttered, his words leaving Mia confused. Mike refused to meet her chocolate brown eyes eyes.
"Huh?"
Mia wasn't the only one who was shocked when Mike instead hooked the Disk up to his Forest Spear. Kevin, Jayden, and Emily were too.
"Mike! What are you doing?!" Kevin immediately exclaimed, grabbing the Green Ranger's wrist, the one that was closest to where the Disk was locked in.
Emily realized with a sudden start that this is what her vision was warning her about. That one side of the forest house on fire, one cog in that well-oiled machine malfunctioning…it was happening right now.
Emily didn't need anyone to tell her that she was trembling this time. This time, it was obvious.
She knew Mentor Ji made a mistake giving Mia the Beetle Disk without Mike's consent. She could literally feel Mike's anger radiating from his body (a power only she seemed to possess, which was another weird thing about her).
Mia tried to break up the fight. "Kevin, just let him use the Disk. Let him try, at least. Maybe he holds more power over it than me."
"No way! Do you even see him, Mia?! He never took his training seriously!"
"So that's what this is all about, huh?!" Mike retorted at Kevin, his voice hot with anger.
"Well, consider it Ji's fault for not consulting Mike on his decision!" Mia yelled back, at Kevin.
Mike's heart jumped out of his chest. He didn't mean to start a fight between Mia and Kevin (childhood friends who obviously cared a lot about each other and obviously had some sparks between them).
Just another reason why he was the weak link...
Despairino pouted. "Now this is no fun. I'll come back to fight you all," he said, opening the umbrella attached to his head and leapt up into the air, "when you're not fighting yourselves."
While watching the trio argue, Emily and Jayden stood there, the former of whom was at a loss of what to do, and no matter what, Emily could not shake the worry she felt. A strong, sturdy hand fell on her shoulder, and she immediately felt some of the worry subside.
"Guys, now is not the time for an argument!" Jayden yelled beside her, scaring the wits out of the other three. "Get him now!"
Because even if she didn't know what to do, she felt a lot better knowing that Jayden did and was not hesitant to do it.
As Mia hooked the Turtle Disk up to her Sky Fan instead, Kevin started shooting Swordfish-Charged arrows at the Nighlock, who dodged every single one without any amount of effort (Emily noted that he was more maneuverable in the air, which was becoming rather annoying).
Mike went to strike with the Beetle-Charged Forest Spear, but...nothing.
It didn't work.
"What?! Why isn't it working?!" Mike cried out after he tried it again.
Kevin immediately turned to Mike. He didn't need to take his helmet off to show his anger. They could all feel it. "Mike!"
"I'm trying!" Mike called back.
Mia threw a strong wind at Desperaino before turning to the two males beside her. "Guys, cut it out!"
"Why you–?!" Desperaino had recovered quickly and threw a couple more blasts at the trio, but this time, they didn't see it coming.
Until it was too late to dodge it.
"Earth Slicer!"
Mia, Kevin, and Mike all glanced up in time to see a Tiger-Charged Earth Slicer block Desperaino's blasts and then send it back twice as strong, hitting Desperaino square in the chest as a drill attack. The trio's eyes followed the trail of the Earth Slicer as it trailed back to Emily's hand.
"Great shot, Em," Jayden said, before calling back to the other three, "Guys, Emily's brought him down. Quit fighting and get him now!"
Emily's Tiger-Charged attack had knocked Desperaino back onto the ground, but he opened his umbrella again and flew straight up into the air.
"Not this time, Rangers!" The Nighlock now sounded extremely pissed off. "That was a good shot, Yellow Ranger. You made me dry out. Later, losers!"
The five could only watch as Desperaino flew off, probably to a gap and then the Sanzu River to dehydrate.
"Mike! What were you thinking?!" Kevin demanded answers, which Mike was certain the others wanted as well.
Mike refused to look at any one of his teammates. He could feel their anger (in some) and disappointment (in others).
"I just wanted to...to help..." he trailed off.
He was the weak link of the team. All of this just solidified it.
Michael Hernandez felt lost, like he was in a void of darkness.
First his brother and now his team.
Who was next on Mike's list of people to disappoint?
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
Shiba House, Gianni Forest, Panorama City, California
"Mike! I am so disappointed in you!" To say that Ji was angry beyond reason (and Antonio confused and concerned) was an understatement. "I thought you were actually listening to me and working hard to become an irreplaceable part of the team! I never thought you'd actually pull a stunt like that!"
This seemed to set off Mike's already blazing temper.
"I could say the same thing about you!"
"What?" Ji asked, confused.
"You gave Mia the Beetle Disk!"
"Yes, I did," Ji admitted the truth in this. "Why? Are you jealous?"
"No," Mike's answer surprised the other residents of the Shiba House, as well as the fact that he sounded extremely sincere.
"Y-You're not?" Mia asked.
"Of course not," Mike turned to her, guilt and sincerity clear in his eyes. "Your Symbol Power is probably the best of us all, and it's definitely better than mine. If anyone deserves the Beetle Disk, it's you, Mia. I'm pissed off because Ji didn't even give me a chance to try to prove my worthiness!" Before Ji could speak up, Mike continued with his rant. "Just because I didn't express interest in it, Ji, doesn't mean I wasn't interested. I was working out my guilt from what happened to David yesterday, as well as checking up on him every hour to make sure he wasn't getting worse, so I was preoccupied and already busy with something else. I don't know if you already forgot, but to me, problems with my little brother always come first." The room was quiet as they all remembered Rofer's attack on the Hernandez brothers. Justice for his brother was the reason Mike chose to join the team, to keep the same thing from happening to others. "I have nothing against Antonio or my fellow Rangers, but you, Ji, never give me a chance to explain my side and you never take the time to understand my side. I am so sick and tired of being misunderstood by you and I will not to stand for it anymore!"
The entire room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop from outside. Mike turned to his team, his green-brown eyes filled with unshed tears he didn't care about hiding.
"I'm sorry I let you guys down," Mike whispered to them before grabbing his jacket from one of the seats, leaving behind his Samuraizer and the Bear Zord. And on his way out the door, his jacket accidentally snagged Ji's prized potted bamboo plant and knocked it to the ground.
But Mike was already gone.
Emily realized then that, by leaving both of his morphing items behind, Mike basically told them that he did not intend on coming back.
The forest house...it was burning again, the entire thing this time...
Ji was taken back when he took a good look at Emily's face. Mike's death glare this morning and his rant just now barely fazed him, but Emily's tear-filled eyes somehow shook him to the core. And her gaze wasn't even aimed at him, but at the ground, at nobody in particular.
As Emily kneeled to help Antonio clean up the mess of dirt and broken pottery, and Kevin and Mia quickly ran off with the plant to replant it in the garden outside, Jayden turned to Ji.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Ji," Jayden spoke up quietly, being the first person to speak aloud since Mike left. "You handled that in literally the worst way possible."
"Then what should I have done?" Ji asked.
"Definitely not yell at him," Jayden replied. "Mike was courageous enough to admit his mistake out loud in front of us and you, as well as apologize and mean it. Not only did you yell at him after he came clean about his mistakes, but not once did you make an effort to hear him out. All you were concerned about was making your own feelings known. Sorry for saying this, and yes, I do have Mike's permission to talk about this, but you were acting exactly how Mike described his dad to me."
Ji was quiet, digesting this. "Mike's dad…abused him and David?"
"Mentally and emotionally, yes," Jayden confirmed. "Physically, Mike didn't say. But, listen to me, Ji. Way before becoming our Green Ranger, Mike had vowed to himself that he wouldn't turn into his dad. That's why he always puts his family and friends first. Yes, Mike has flaws and yes, he did make a mistake, but you, Ji, had an equal part in it."
Ji was quiet still. Jayden was right. There was certainly more to Mike than meets the eye.
"Then, what do you suggest I do?" Ji asked, sincerity lacing his voice. (Also, it was a little strange. Jayden was usually the one asking Ji for help/advice, rare was the situation switched around.)
"Go after him," Jayden said, holding out Mike's Samuraizer and the Bear Zord to Ji, "and tell him how to use Symbol Power."
"Symbol Power?" Ji asked for confirmation.
"Also apologize and mean it," Jayden replied, "but yes. He mentioned his Symbol Power being the worst of all of ours, and it's clear he has a different method of learning things. It's the only way to atone for this, Ji. After all, 'push a door that's meant to be pulled and it will never open'. You taught me that."
Ji was quiet as he digested this. He then grabbed the items (belonging to Mike) in Jayden's hands, nodding and agreeing with him.
Jayden truly did deserve to be the leader of this team.
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
Central Park, Panorama City, California
Mike had no idea when he passed out, but he realized that he did pass out when he woke up to Ji gently jostling him.
"Mike, wake up," Ji was saying, gently.
"Ji?" Mike asked, as his mind eventually got itself together and digested the currently situation.
He was lying down on a park bench (he remembered walking over here), and he remembered feeling sicker and sicker as he got farther away from the Shiba House (which left him confused). But now that Ji was here, he was feeling much better than before.
"Hello, Mike," Ji replied as he helped Mike sit up. "I know you're mad at me, but I need you to come with me. I need to tell you something."
"What?" Mike asked, before Ji tossed him a motorcycle helmet.
Wait! Ji had a motorcycle?!
"I always thought you'd have something like a horse," Mike confessed. "You know, like old school."
"Have you ever had to clean up after a motorcycle?" Ji asked.
"No."
Ji just smiled, "Keep it that way."
And Mike found himself smiling too.
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
Junk Ship, Sanzu River, Netherworld
Desperaino stood of the Junk Ship, his umbrella open and soaking wet with River water. He shook off the water to get rid of it. "Ahh...much better. Is Master Xandred still asleep?"
"Yes, he's in a bad mood," Dayu replied, hunching over her Harmonium. "Now, leave! All this water is knocking my Harmonium out of tune."
"Fine," Desperaino said, moving towards the Ship's exit. "Though, I think it's an improvement..."
"BEAT IT!" Dayu yelled, clearly ticked off, and that jab at her music had pushed her over the edge. After Desperaino left, Dayu turned to Octoroo, who was hunched over the ancient texts. "What's eating at you, Noodle Face?"
"Oh, nothing," Octoroo replied. "Just thinking about what Deker said."
"I see you're still suffering from the Grand Shoguns' six-part Seal from four hundred years ago, the Seal that trapped you down here," Deker commented. "Go on and take your medicine, Master Xandred. You need it."
"Are you calling me weak?!" Xandred was enraged.
"Not at all," Deker calmly answered as he headed towards the exit. "Just stating a fact."
Six-part Seal?
What did that mean?
Deker definitely knew something they and Master Xandred didn't.
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
Stardust Forest, Panorama City, California
With the motorcycle off in the distance, Ji led Mike through the forest.
"So, why are we here?" Mike asked. "What did you need to tell me?"
"Symbol Power is at the center of all nature," Ji began, surprising Mike. "It's been around since the birth of the universe. But how to use it? It's not about how strong your muscles are, how well you can take stress, or how good your calligraphy is, although those traits help you control it. It's all about heart."
"Heart?" Mike asked. He didn't expect that.
"Yes, Symbol Power comes from within us. For Samurai Rangers, your Zords are what give you the ability to use it, however raw and uncontrolled it will be. The Samuraizers, designed and created by Antonio, are meant to help you control it," Ji explained. "Just look inside yourself, Mike, and connect with what the forest means to you."
Mike glanced up at the hundred year old trees around them. Everything made sense now. He eventually turned back to Ji and was surprised to see Ji holding out his Samurai to them.
"W-What are you doing?" Mike asked.
"I'm sorry, Mike," Ji replied, his apology honest and sincere. "There's no excuse I can give to make you forgive me, so I won't ask for forgiveness. I have been under quite a bit of stress lately, but it's my fault for snapping at you. I also apologize for not taking the time to understand you and your side."
Mike took his Samuraizer back. "I'm sorry, too, for yelling at you. And also, knocking over your plant. The only thing running through my mind then was 'get your point across but avoid yelling at your teammates'."
"Well, mission accomplished," Ji replied. "You did get your point across, with Jayden's assistance. Did you actually give him permission to divulge your past?"
Mike nodded, "When push comes to shove, yes, he is allowed. Basically, only if he sees it necessary."
Made sense. "In the context of your rant and the situation at hand, it was necessary. I was just checking."
Mike cracked a smile, "Did you really doubt your godson?"
"A little bit," Ji confessed, before correcting, "and Antonio is my godson. Jayden is my great-nephew. Technically."
"Oh, right. Sorry. I got confused."
"It's alright," Ji replied. "Although, both boys are like sons to me, so it's easy to see why you would mix them up."
Mike was quiet before changing the subject, "Hey, Ji. The farther I got away from the House, the sicker I felt, but when you showed up at the park, I immediately felt better. Why?"
Ji held out the Bear Zord (in Defense Mode). "Because proximity to the Zord one is bonded with effects both the Ranger's and the Zord's physical health. At least, for the Samurai Rangers. It's unknown if that's how it is for other Ranger teams."
"So, I felt better when you showed up because you had the Bear Zord with you," Mike grabbed the Bear Zord from Ji's hand. The Zord roared before resuming its usual square shape, feeling much now that he and Mike were reunited.
Ji nodded. "In a nutshell."
"Huh. I didn't know that."
"The other Rangers don't either, aside from Jayden. The topic doesn't usually come up," Ji explained.
Mike's Samuraizer suddenly went off and Mike immediately picked up.
"What's up?"
Jayden was on the other end. "Mike, the Nighlock has returned. We need you."
"I'll be right there," Mike hung up.
Ji watched as Mike ran off towards the battlefield.
"Good luck."
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
City Square, Panorama City, California
Jayden, Emily, Kevin, and Mia all stood morphed in Havoc Mode, trying to hit Desperaino, who was, once again, flying in the air, easily dodging Kevin and Mia's arrows (Kevin via the Hydro Bow and Mia via the Windstorm Arrow).
Emily threw the Tiger-Charged Earth Slicer, trying to use Kevin and Mia's arrow barrage as a distraction so she herself could land at least one hit.
But it didn't happen that way.
"Not this time, Yellow!" Desperaino saw her attack coming way before she threw her shuriken at him. He used his staff to block her shuriken and send it back at the Rangers with twice the fury.
All four Rangers were knocked backwards by the explosion caused by the Tiger-Charged Earth Slicer hitting.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" Tiger called out as the four Rangers struggled to get up.
"It's okay, Tiger," Emily muttered. "It wasn't your fault."
"Emily's right, Tiger, so don't blame yourself," Jayden told Tiger before addressing his words to the others, "What we're doing isn't working. We need a new strategy."
"Guys!" The four heard Mike call out.
Mike could swear he felt his heart stop when he saw his teammates, his friends, on the ground, hurt and losing the fight (again, the first time being no thanks to him). He ran up them, kneeling next to Emily. They couldn't even stop this guy in Havoc Mode.
"You guys okay?" Mike asked, worry etched on his face.
Desperaino answered Mike before the other Rangers could. "Hello, Greenie. Would you like to meet the same delicious defeat your friends did?"
Mike stood up and directly in front of his friends. "You're gonna regret that. I'll make you pay."
"You really think you can do that?" Desperaino taunted.
"Try me," was all Mike said. "Samuraizer! Go, Go, Samurai!" He morphed after drawing his Symbol and flipping it.
Emily coughed before calling out, "Go for it, Mike!"
Mike hooked up the standard Black Power Disk up to his Spin Sword and unsheathed his Sword, "Samurai Forest, Power Ranger Green!"
He recalled Ji's words from earlier: "Look inside yourself and connect with what the forest means to you."
The forest...it was ancient, strong, and wild. And at its core, it stood for growth, renewal, and freedom.
Everything Mike was.
As Mike was surrounded with a green aura, he spun the Power Disk on his Spin Sword. "Forest Spear!"
"Hah! Yeah right!" Desperaino guffawed. "What a lame plan!"
"Lame?" Mike asked. "My Symbol Power grows as big as whatever I dream up." So I better dream big, Mike finished in his thoughts.
Desperaino threw some blasts at him with his staff. Mike just ran through them, swinging his forest spear and after the blade hit the pavement, Mike used it to raise himself to the Nighlock's level, morphing into Havoc Mode for the first time on the way.
"Forest Hammer!"
"Oww!" Desperaino yelped in pain as Mike's new weapon hit him square on the head and sent him crashing to the ground, in the exact same fashion as the other Rangers earlier.
The Rangers watched in awe as a Havoc Mode-morphed Mike landed and turned his Hammer back into his Spin Sword.
Mike spun the Green Bear Disk, "I'm afraid there's been a change in the weather forecast, Nighlock. Scattered leaves and an end to your sad showers once and for all. Spin Sword: Tree Kanji Strike!"
A series of green colored slashes in the form of Mike's helmet kanji struck Desperaino and quickly ended his first life.
"Mike! You did it!" Emily said, as she and Kevin ran up to Mike.
"Amazing!" Kevin exclaimed. "Where did you get Symbol Power like that?"
"I always had it," Mike said, slinging an arm around both their shoulders. "I just needed some help to find it."
"Great job, Mike," Jayden said, right as there was a booming voice above them.
"You Rangers will pay!" Desperaino cried out in rage.
"Samuraizers!"
"Lion Folding Zord!"
"Dragon Folding Zord!"
"Turtle Folding Zord!"
"Bear Folding Zord!"
"Ape Folding Zord!"
"Ready! Zords Combine! Samurai Megazord, We Are United!"
The five stood in usual formation, all in Havoc Mode. Within in the Megazord cockpit, Jayden began the rollcall, "Samurai Fire, Havoc Mode Red!"
"Samurai Water, Havoc Mode Blue!"
"Samurai Wind, Havoc Mode Pink!"
"Samurai Forest, Havoc Mode Green!"
"Samurai Earth, Havoc Mode Yellow!"
"Rangers Together–" Mike called.
"Samurai Forever!" The five finished together.
Desperaino groaned. "You Rangers are really starting to get on my nerves!" He opened his umbrella and flew up into the air. "At least, I know you guys don't have a Megazord that can fly! Now, feel the delicious despair of defeat!" More blasts were shot at them.
The Rangers barely managed to unsheathe their Swords before they were hit by his blasts without mercy. The Rangers, and ultimately the Megazord, fell to their knees.
"We can't just let him take shots from above us," Jayden said.
"We need to find some way to destroy that umbrella of his," Kevin said. "It obviously is what's allowing to fly in the first place."
"Good plan, Kev," Mia said. "But how?"
"The Samurai Battlewing," Emily pointed out, holding up the Tiger Disk. "I know it's risky to try it now without us testing it out first, but it could be what gives us the edge here."
"Emily's right," Jayden admitted. "Kevin, Mia, let's go."
"Right," Kevin said, as Emily handed Jayden the Tiger Disk. Kevin hooked the Swordfish Disk to his Spin Sword, as Jayden did the same with the Tiger Disk.
But Mia nudged Mike and held up the Beetle Disk. "Here."
"W-Wait, what?" Mike asked. "But Ji gave it to you."
"Beetle's chosen both of us," Mia revealed, a gentle smile on under her helmet. "Go for it."
"Right, I won't let you down, Mia," Mike said, taking the Beetle Disk from her and hooking it up to his Spin Sword.
"Let's do it," Jayden ordered. "Emily, you and Mia hold down the fort, okay?"
"Right," Emily said. "Good luck, you guys."
"Thanks. Summon Tiger Zord!"
"Summon Swordfish Zord!"
"Summon Beetle Zord!"
Before Desperaino knew it, the three mentioned Zords were coming at him, rage and fury evident in their mechanical eyes. Meanwhile, Jayden, Kevin, and Mike all appeared in their mentioned cockpits.
"It's now or never," Jayden said, before writing the 'unity' kanji, which caused the three Zords to combine exactly how the Rangers hoped they would, exactly how Ji's book depicted they would.
"Samurai Battlewing! We Are United!"
Inside the Battlewing cockpit, the stands were directly in front of them and the Swords were inserted and used like joysticks.
Desperaino was immediately taken back. "What? They turned into a bird?"
Inside the Samurai Megazord cockpit, the two girls cheered. "Yes! They did it!" Emily said.
"They sure did," Mia said. "Now, we know it's possible."
"Very possible," Emily followed up.
The Nighlock quickly steeled up as the Battlewing began to pursue him. "You'd be wise to fly away, bird brains. You can't weather this storm!" He shot more blasts at them, but Battlewing easily dodged them, having free movement in the air just like their opponent.
Once Desperaino realized this, he flew at the Rangers himself.
"Punch it!" Jayden ordered, the Battlewing flying at the Nighlock and using one of its wings to scratch the Nighlock in the stomach as it flew by.
As the Nighlock cried in pain, Mike turned back, saying, "That's right, Nighlock. A new storm's rolling in, and it's gonna blow you away."
"You fools are becoming tiresome! I am undefeated in the air, and that's not going to change today!"
But since Desperaino was flying backwards, trying to hit the Battlewing (one hit did get them, but it just bounced off of them), he flew directly into a building, hitting him square in the back and catching him off guard.
"Vortex Spin!" Jayden ordered, and while the Battlewing did so, he turned to the girls in the Megazord. "Emily!"
"Roger that!" Emily called out, letting him know she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Ready, Mia?"
"Ready!"
"Girl Power!"
The two arms of the Megazord resumed their usual shapes (the circle and the triangle) and released their energy in the shape of their respective kanjis, both of which hit the Nighlock square in the chest.
"Strike!" The Battlewing charged up their own energy blast, which effectively cut off the Nighlock's umbrella.
Now Desperaino was flying out of control. "This is despair?! This isn't delightful at all!"
"One final attack should do the job," Jayden told the other two Rangers with him.
"Right!"
"Roger that, Jay!"
The Battlewing released some energy, which took the form of the three main Power Disks used for it. The three 'Disks' flew in between them and the Nighlock.
"Katana Power: Charging Strike!"
The Battlewing used the three energy 'Disks' as a guide rail for their final attack, a simple super-speed charge, which ultimately got rid of Desperaino once and for all.
The two girls cheered again in victory.
"Yes!"
"Very possible and very effective," Emily corrected. Mia nodded.
"Samurai Rangers, Victory is Ours!" Jayden said, as the Battlewing reunited with the Megazord.
~B~E~T~T~E~R~~T~O~G~E~T~H~E~R~~~P~O~W~E~R~~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~~R~E~D~O~
Shiba House, Gianni Forest, Panorama City, California
As soon as Mike stepped foot on the property, he was immediately greeted by a tight hug from Antonio.
"I was so worried, mi amigo!"
Mike chuckled before giving his Latino friend a gentle pat on the back, while his other hand stayed behind his back. "I'm okay, Antonio. I'm okay, and I'm not going anywhere."
"Good, because if you actually did leave, I would have…" And Antonio's English words were lost in a long line of Spanish words.
While the others were confused, not understanding a word he was saying, Jayden only smiled and shook his head.
"Antonio!" He called, not losing the smile. When his childhood friend did so and looked at him, Jayden merely said, "Calm down and speak English."
Antonio immediately covered his mouth. "Oh! Sorry."
Ji then came out. "Welcome back, Rangers. Mike, that was an excellent performance you gave."
"Thanks, Ji," Mike said. "Also, I, uh, have something for you."
Ji looked at Jayden in confusion, who told him, "Hear him out."
Mike pulled out, from behind his back, a new potted bamboo plant. "For you."
"Me?" Ji asked, as he took it from Mike's hands. "Whatever for?"
"My thank you for teaching me about Symbol Power," Mike replied. "Without it, I wouldn't have won against that Nighlock or won the Beetle Zord's favor."
"Mike, Mia, the Beetle Zord chose you two because of your loyalty to your families and to this team, and Mike, you unlocked Havoc Mode for the exact same reason," Ji revealed. "Not because of your Symbol Power."
Mike smiled before turning to Mia. "Way to go, Mia."
"You too, Mike," Mia replied as the two shared a fist bump.
Emily snuck a glance at Jayden, which he was obviously expecting, as he turned his head towards her at the exact same time. The two shared a smile, knowing that all was well now.
TO BE CONTINUED...
~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~
Original Shinkenger Episode: Act 10
Original PRS Episode: Forest for the Trees
Note: Mike's Havoc Mode rollcall (I'm imagining) is similar to Kyoryu Gray's (II; the one in Kyoryuger VS. ToGger). Also, there was a Star Trek (the newer version) reference in this chapter. If anyone correctly tells me what it was, I'll give you a free cake of your choice.
A/N: Do review, please. If you guys have any ideas you want me to consider adding, please PM me. A preview for the next chapter:
Season 1, Episode 11: "Test of the Leader"
"Emily finally reaches her stress limit for her visions, leading them to a secret that Xandred just so happens to find out at the same time."
Here are some stories that are currently running around in my mind-brain. Let me know which ones you guys find interesting and would like to read the most:
Mother Mae-Eye: Emily could have sworn that Jii was the only adult in the Shiba House. Apparently, she was wrong. Or is she?
Redemption: When she said, 'I'm sorry I let the team down,' what she was really saying was 'I'm sorry for being so weak.' Deeper insight of Emily's apology in Origins, Part 2.
The Angel with the Shotgun: Serena was hurting inside. The other Rangers could see that, and the root of Serena's problems is her baby sister, Emily, who has been diagnosed with deadly illness. Day after day, Serena is holding on by a single strand of hope that her sister is still alive. Emily is the driving point to everything she does, the reason she lives. Is her hope meaningless? Is there more to all of this than they first thought? AU
Just Believe: She knew something was wrong with her, but she never expected that she would catch Serena's illness for herself. Now, she's broken. The others are counting on her and Jii expects her to be alive and well enough to fight, but she just can't bring herself to tell them that she won't be alive for very long.
Lean on Me: 'What about you, Jayden? What's your family like?' He thinks of his father, Jonathon, as he dies sealing Master Xandred away. He thinks of his mother, Alison, as she finally loses her battle against cancer. He thinks of his sister, Lauren, as she is taken away from him, possibly never to be seen again. 'Don't even get me started, Mike.' Because friends are only temporary, but family is forever.
Let It Go: He realized it when it was too late. She was already in another guy's arms. Jayden loved Emily. Post-Finale
In the Dead of Night: Jayden starts noticing some changes in Emily, who he realizes is a vampire, and she's attracted to his blood. AU
Don't Touch That Dial: Thanks to his addiction to TV, Mike leads the hunt for a Nighlock inside the TVs themselves.
The Quest: After losing the fight with the mutated Arachnitor, Jayden seeks training from the "True Master" to boost his skills up, despite Emily's protests not to.
Switched: The seven Samurai Rangers find themselves in a pickle when their elements are switched around, but it proves to be a very effective bonding experience.