A/N: Enjoy the chapter! Sorry you guys had to wait so long.
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 versions.
~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~
"The Samurai Rangers, both old and new, face off against Master Xandred for the last time."
Better Together
Power Rangers: Samurai REDO
Previously on Power Rangers: Samurai
The six were hit by the flames immediately, and de-morphed from the pain. Xandred cackled as they all fell to the ground at his feet, the dry grass blowing in the evil breeze. They tried to get back up, but their bones felt like stone, pain pressing in on all sides.
What now?
"Well, I'm waiting," Xandred said. "Beg me to spare you, you worthless Rangers."
"No matter what you do to us," Jayden was the only one that spoke, "we will never bow to you!"
"Even now, your spirit can't be broken," Xandred was disappointed. He was hoping that that would be it, that he could claim victory just like that.
But no, the Rangers had to be defiant until the end, huh?
He scoffed, "Perhaps, you just lack the proper incentive. Perhaps seeing the other Red Ranger on the brink of death will change your minds."
Jayden tried to get up, or to warn Lauren, but his body wouldn't let him.
All he and his team could do was pass out as Xandred walked away.
~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~
Season 2, Episode 20: Extreme Prejudice
Parkside Trails, Panorama City, California
November 6, 2015
Ji's foot was out of the house as soon as he saw the Gap Sensor indicate that the six Rangers were down and not Xandred, and now an army of Marauders were headed their way. He tried to call them, any of them, but when he got no answer, he knew what he had to do.
So now, he was here, decked out full battle armor and armed with a spear, having gotten here on his motorcycle.
"Jayden! Antonio!" Ji called out, before striking down a Marauder.
No answer. They didn't even twitch.
No, no, no! This couldn't be happening! This had to be the trick of a Nighlock! One of his worst fears couldn't possibly be happening! His kids would never fall here of all places!
"Kevin! Emily! Wake up!" Ji continued, as he used his spear to take out Marauders left and right. His fighting style wasn't as effective the Rangers, but it would do. "Mike! Mia! There's no way you guys can go down now!"
Still no answer.
Ji then decided he would focus his attention on the Marauders that were here to finish off the six Rangers if they weren't already dead. Once the threat was eliminated, then he could administer first aid.
It would take a while, and he would be very exhausted by the end. But there was no way Takeru 'Ji' Tomoharu would never give up as long as he was still breathing. And not just for his kids, the Rangers.
For his dearest friend too, the Red Ranger before Lauren.
Just then, a familiar female voice called out, "Ji!"
And then jumped into the fight Lauren Shiba, brandishing her Spin Sword and elegantly chopping down Marauders left and right like they were nothing.
"Lauren!" Ji called out.
"Don't worry," Lauren replied, not taking her eyes off of her enemies. "We can handle this."
'We'?
He was then alerted to the prescence of four other people fighting on the battlefield alongside Lauren, and he realized that all four were young people he had met before through the other six Rangers.
Skyla Barnes, Kevin and Mia's friend, was wearing white. She was wielding her Spin Sword in a reverse grip and rather quick on her feet. It reminded Ji of an actual tiger in the wild.
Spike Skullovitch, one of the two who had run into Drill Sergeant Emily, was wearing orange. His fighting style reminded him of Mike's, his hits strong and precise while mixed with parkour moves.
Angela Cruz, Mike's friend and crush, was wearing aqua. While Lauren clearly used kendo while she fought, Angela used fencing, and she was really good at it. That combined with her gentle demeanor made Ji think she could use underestimation to her advantage.
And finally, last but not least, Terrence 'Terry' Watanabe, Mia's little brother, was wearing purple. His fighting style reminded Ji of Mia's, precise yet powerful strikes peppered with graceful flips.
The four Zords had chosen well, and Ji had confidence that they would help get the job done.
"Are they okay?" Spike asked, referring to the six on the ground.
"Of course they are," Lauren replied, her voice strong and confident. "Xandred is a dangerous opponent to keep busy, much less defeat, but I entrusted them with such a task for a reason." She then calmly struck down two more Marauders. "I trust them to rise again."
As if on cue, out of the corner of his eye, Ji saw Jayden's hand twitch.
Jayden's mind was groggy when he first opened his eyes, but one thing was clear: Lauren is counting on them, and they can't let her down.
"You guys can stand, right?" He asked, as he slowly got to his feet, gritting his teeth to muggle the grunts of pain that escaped his mouth. He breathed an inward sigh of relief when he saw his five friends begin to stir.
"Don't worry," Antonio moaned, his voice hoarse as he got to his feet. "I was just taking a little siesta."
"Me too," Emily replied, as she got to her knees.
"No way I'm sleeping with the fishes now," Mike got out, grunting as he stood up. "We've still got work to do."
"Four hundred years worth of Samurai Rangers have worked and waited for this moment," Mia said, as Kevin helped to her feet.
"What we do here today will be remembered forever," Kevin reminded them.
The six all pulled out their weapons before charging into the fight in front of them.
They fought like they've never fought before, as hard as they ever have in their entire lives. Flipping, dodging, hitting, they cut through them, barely aware of the other Rangers watching each other's backs.
Finally, they all give one last slash and the Marauders all fell before them. As the adrenaline wears off, the eleven Rangers look around at each other, the Marauders lying scattered and defeated on the ground all around them.
"So that's what you were hiding yesterday," Mike spoke up, and it only took one second to realize who he was talking to, because that person responded immediately.
"The Swordfish Zord, yes," Angela replied with a smile. "What do you think?"
She was referring to her now being a Ranger, they all knew that. Mike decided to be honest, like he always was with her (because he knew he could).
"Overall, glad," he said. "There's no other person I trust to have my back."
Angela's smile grew.
Meanwhile, Mia slung her arm around Terry's shoulders, "Is being a Ranger part of your dream now?"
"Nope," Terry replied, knowing what she was referring to. "But fighting alongside you is."
The two siblings shared a quick hug.
A relieved Ji finally spoke up, "Is everyone alright?"
"We're fine," Kevin replied.
"You taught us to keep moving forward no matter what," Antonio reassured him. "We'll defeat Xandred, even if it's the last thing we do."
That's what Ji was afraid of. He didn't want it to be the last thing they ever did. But he kept that to himself.
"Good," Ji said, before reaching into his robes and pulling out a white disk with the kanji for 'double' on it. "This is for you."
"What is it?" Jayden asked, as he took it.
"My own creation," Ji explained, softly. "I was saving it for a moment such as this. Use it to double your power."
"We will, Ji," Jayden replied. "Thank you."
No one noticed Antonio had left until he returned, the damaged Light Zord in his arms, "Here, Ji. Take care of him, okay?" Ji nodded as he took the lantern in his arms. Antonio adressed the lantern, "Don't worry. I'll fix you when this is over, okay?"
"Be careful," Light Zord quietly replied.
"And when this is over, Ji," Mike spoke up, "you're going to teach me something new."
"Oh yeah? What's that?" Ji challenged.
Mike smirked, "To ride your motorcycle."
"Now, that scares me more than any Nighlock," Ji's replied made everyone share a soft laugh. But he didn't say 'no'.
The light feeling was over as soon as it began, because they still had work to do.
Lauren stepped up, "This is it, the final fight." She held up a rainbow-colored Disk, "This is the Multi-Elemental Disk. It has all eleven of our Symbol Powers." It obviously took quite a bit of strength to make; they could all tell. But she remained strong. "It's very powerful, so it should be strong enough to destroy that white patch, but it can only be used once. So we have to use it wisely."
"Give it to Emily," Mia suddenly cut in. Everyone turned to her surprised.
"Why me?" Emily softly asked.
"I keep getting bothered by something that Dayu said," Mia explained. "Yesterday, when I was fighting Dayu, she was only fighing back out of self-defense. She kept trying to warn me that she needed to fight her foil, but I wouldn't listen. So when I destroyed her Harmonium, it only unleashed her misery instead of cancelling it out." She still felt guilty about causing all of this. She needed to make up for it, and the only way she could do that was to transmit Dayu's final words. "When I finally decided to humor her, she told me that she was waiting for Emily to defeat her...not me. Dayu said that Nighlock who were once human can only be defeated by their true foil."
"I'm not your 'true foil'...am I?"
"No...your Yellow Ranger is. She understands me in a way that you are not able to."
Everyone was quiet, digesting this, while Emily was having an epiphany.
That explained the feeling she was unable to shake yesterday, as she watched Xandred squeeze Dayu to death and turn her into the white patch now on his chest. That was the thing she had to do: defeat Dayu before Xandred could turn her into his Achille's Heel.
"Dayu is still alive, isn't she?" Emily finally broke the silence. As she continued to explain, the others were beginning to understand what she was trying to say. "Xandred said that she could still serve him one more purpose, and that he couldn't allow her to join Deker yet. Dayu is still alive. She just changed forms. That's why we failed just now."
"Deker was right. Foils do exist. You are mine, Yellow Ranger."
"'Foil'?"
"My equal. Similar, but also different. Because unlike me, you are so far ahead."
Because Emily had to be the one who destroyed the white patch. Not Jayden, not Mia. Emily. No one else.
"Very well," Lauren replied, as she handed over the Multi-Elemental Disk over to Emily, who took it with confidence but fear, as if it would fade to dust in her hands. It was very powerful, but it could only be used once.
Jayden held out the Black Box to Lauren, who took it before addressing the four newbies, "Skyla, Spike, Angela, Terry. Are you guys ready? Because once you say 'yes', there is no turning back. Either we defeat Xandred, or this world will be destroyed. Everything rides on this battle."
Jayden noted how she said this with mild guilt, her mind filled with her old teammates, but also with acceptance, because this was their choice, not hers.
"Yeah, we're ready," Skyla replied. Angela and Terry both nodded, and Spike gave a thumbs up.
"Good."
"I have faith in you," Ji told them. "Good luck."
The eleven all nodded, before Lauren led the way to Xandred.
~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~
Warehouses Rubble, Panorama City, California
Xandred was gleeful at the people running away from him and the Marauders around him in fear, but he stopped when he felt multiple prescences behind him, a few that he thought he had beaten already. He turned around to see, not six, but eleven Rangers, un-morphed but Spin Swords (and Barracuda Blade) out and ready to fight.
The female Red was in the middle of the group, with the male Red, Blue, Yellow, Purple, and Aqua on her right, and Gold, Green, Pink, Orange, and White on her left.
"Ah, the female Red Ranger," Xandred spoke up first. "I was looking for you. But no matter who your Zords choose as Rangers, you cannot defeat me."
"You will fall, Xandred," Lauren replied, "and this world will be protected. Even if it's the last thing we do. Samurai Thunder, Power Ranger Crimson!"
"Samurai Fire, Power Ranger Red!"
"Samurai Water, Power Ranger Blue!"
"Samurai Wind, Power Ranger Pink!"
"Samurai Forest, Power Ranger Green!"
"Samurai Earth, Power Ranger Yellow!"
"Samurai Light, Power Ranger Gold!"
Skyla went next, "Samurai Ice, Power Ranger White!"
Spike followed, "Samurai Metal, Power Ranger Orange!"
Then Angela, "Samurai Rain, Power Ranger Aqua!"
Terry held up the rear, "Samurai Sound, Power Ranger Purple!"
"Rangers Together," Lauren began.
All eleven finished with, "Samurai Forever!"
"Fools. Forever is shorter than you think," Xandred said, before ordering, "Marauders!"
The Marauders surrounding Xandred all charged, but thanks to their numbers (as well as a collective sense of determination), the foot soldiers were defeated in no time.
Now with Xandred the only Nighlock left, all eleven took out their Samuraizers and drew their Symbols (Lauren drew the kanji for 'king', Skyla the kanji for 'cold', Spike the kanji for 'metal', Angela the kanji for 'rain', and Terry the kanji for 'sound').
"Go, Go, Samurai!"
In a rainbow flash of light, the eleven Rangers stood there, full morphed.
Xandred held out his hand, and the eleven were immediately engulfed in an explosion. He stopped when he heard Crimson call out, "Shogun Mode: Power of the Ancestors!"
At the same time, Red called out, "Dino Rage Mode! Full Fury!"
When the smoke disappated, the eleven Rangers all stood there with gold armor over their spandex. It was clear that they planned to go all out.
He held out his hand, sending another explosion at them, but they all managed to avoid it by rolling to the sides, with White, Orange, Aqua, and Purple holding their Samuraizers. They each drew a kanji, before combining it.
"Symbol Power: Capture!" the four called.
Immediately, Xandred found those four sections surrounding him. He tried to use his sword to slash them away, but they remained in place before forming into the mention kanji.
Unable to move very far or fast, Xandred grunted, "You think you can hold me down for long! Just give up, Rangers! This is a fruitless venture!"
Jayden held out his Dino Sword and attached Ji's disk to it, "Double Disk," In a flash of fire, a second Dino Sword was formed. "Dual Mode!"
Jayden charged and struck at Xandred several times with both Dino Swords before slashing his chest, making an X and deliberately aiming for the white patch. The fact that Xandred was unable to move only made the strikes more powerful.
Xandred suddenly breathed his Flames of the Netherworld at Jayden, making him stumble back to the ground, with injuries added to his previous ones. But Jayden surprised the Nighlock by managing to get out, "Now!"
Crimson, Green, Blue, Pink, and Gold all suddenly rushed forward and struck at him with their Swords. Their attacks were weak, but that wasn't what they were trying to do, Xandred realized. They were using their Swords to physically hold him in place.
Xandred didn't understand for what until he heard Crimson call out, "Now, Emily!"
The Nighlock turned to the Yellow Ranger, who had just hooked up a rainbow-colored Disk to her hilt, "Spin Sword: Multi-Element Strike!" She ran forward, and just as the other five moved out of the way, she rammed her Sword directly into the white patch on his chest.
So they were trying the same strategy, Xandred realized. But this time felt different.
This time, the white patch began to glow brightly, before it broke off and evaporated into white sparkles which floated up into the air.
"Thank you, Yellow Ranger," Emily heard Dayu's voice, and she smiled underneath her helmet.
'You're welcome, Dahlia,' Emily thought to herself. She did it.
Dayu's soul had been freed.
Emily was brought back to reality when Xandred stumbled back, sparkling with rainbow-colored energy. The eleven Rangers watched as Lauren's Seal, written yesterday, suddenly reformed before destroying Xandred in a ball of fire.
Oh. That's why the white patch was Xandred's weak spot. Not only was Dayu still alive, but she was also holding onto the Seal, instead of destroying it completely. Dayu was helping them the entire time.
But just as they all breathe a collective sigh of relief, they heard a voice boom, "Samurai Rangers!"
They all looked up to see Xandred towering above them, yellow lightning crackling around him. He had a second life.
Of course he did. All Nighlock had two lives. Why would Xandred be no different?
But for some reason, it shocked the Rangers to their cores.
"What? No!"
"No!"
"How can this be?"
"No way!"
"Now, your world will end!" Xandred growled. "Time to face my wrath!"
Emily understood the fear, though. Xandred was tough enough at their size, but as a giant, his second life would be tougher.
"No, Xandred," Lauren declared, holding up the Black Box. "Time to face the wrath of the Samurai!"
The other ten Rangers each took out their Folding Zords, each of them afraid that none of them would make it out of this alive. But they had to do this.
"Ultimate Samurai Combination!" All eleven Zords stacked together into their most powerful combination, and once everyone was in the cockpit, it was time to fight, "Samurai Ultrazord, We Are United!"
"Take this!" Xandred slashed his sword at them as a blazing streak emerged from it and exploded in front of them. The Rangers all cried out as it jostled them a little, but no major harm was caused.
Hopefully.
"I hate you, Rangers," Master Xandred told them. "I'll take you down if it's the last thing I do."
It was surprising to hear that. They'd all known it but they've never had a Nighlock just come right out and say they hated them.
Xandred sent another blast at them and it forced them backwards, sliding through the streets. The blue lightning illuminates their Swords in the cockpit, throwing them all back until they almost fell. But though the Zords stay up, the Rangers don't.
Everyone was thrown against a wall or the floor of the cockpit, hard, hitting the white metal before falling back on the floor, as one by one, all eleven Rangers were forced to de-morph. Unfortunately, this only made their injures feel like they were on fire.
Blue lightning, the symbol of malfunction, glared at them from the shadows. The Zords were already weary, tired, and they weren't even close to finishing him.
Emily got up first, clutching her shoulder in one hand and her Sword in the other. "Xandred's more powerful than ever," she told the others, "but we have to keep going."
Mia grabbed onto the stand by her side to steady herself. "At this rate, we won't last long."
Kevin got out his Samuraizer, "We have to morph! Go-"
But Jayden quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him, "Wait! Don't try to use Symbol Power yet."
"Why not?" Antonio asked, still struggling to stand. He leaned heavily on the stand at his side.
Kevin looked down at his Samuraizer, as did Skyla. They couldn't use Symbol Power? Then, what were they going to do? They were de-morphed now, all of them, so what was their last hope?
"We can't use it in small amounts," Jayden tiredly explained. "He'll win that way."
"He's right," Lauren cut in. "So, let's stay de-morphed, all of us, and combine every last ounce of our Symbol Power into one grand strike."
"What?" Spike asked for clarification, his voice hoarse.
Lauren stared straight ahead, her voice calm and collected, "We have to save our power. That way, we have a better chance to stop him permanently."
"Right," Jayden and Emily both agreed immediately.
There was a short silence, during which the others came to understand and accept this.
"So, one attack?" Mike asked, almost unsure.
"What if we miss?" Terry asked quietly.
He and Mia met eyes, as the elder Watanabe said, "We have to get so close that we can't miss."
"Sounds risky, and dangerous," Antonio warned them, before smiling, "Let's do it!"
The eleven Rangers then faced forward, ready for what came next.
"Remember, no matter what happens, we cannot retreat," Lauren reminded them. "We have to keep going at all costs. Even if we only have one Zord left. Everything is riding on this one attack."
"Right!" They all answered her, before thrusting their Zords in front of them.
"Now, charge!" Lauren ordered, and the Megazord moved forward.
"So you're coming back for more, eh?" Xandred laughed, before sending another blast towards them, and it made its way into the cockpit, throwing them all off balance.
They all cried out, jostled by the blast and the Megazord stumbled in its attempt to keep going. The lightning got into the cockpit and flashed in front of their faces, throwing the whole scene into a bright perspective.
The blast made them lose Bull, Octo, and Claw, leaving the Battlewing Megazord standing there instead of the Ultrazord.
"We just lost three of our zords!" Mike cried out but they kept going. They couldn't let that stop them now.
"Keep going!" Lauren encouraged the other ten Rangers, ducking her head as a piece of debris fell close to her. "We still have eight of our Zords left!"
But is it enough?
"You just don't know when to quit!" Master Xandred sneered, throwing another blast their way. And another. And a third.
"We'll never quit!" Jayden yelled, despite the damage they were taking. The sparks flew around them and the machinery was malfunctioning, their noises becoming more despondent and less lively.
"We're almost there!" Antonio yelled, his face a mask of concentration that Lauren was sure matched the rest of theirs. They were using all the strength they had to grip their Swords, to urge their Zords to keep going until the end.
"You're making this so easy!" Xandred jabbed his sword into their lower zords, causing more smoke to emerge from them and more harm to come to them.
Tiger, Beetle, and Swordfish broke away.
"We've lost more Zords!" Kevin called out. Now it's just the Samurai Megazord, all on its own.
"Destroying you is quite fun!" Xandred taunts. "Are you really that determined to march to your own destruction?" He gave them another slash, with more smoke pouring from the Megazord, the harm apparent now, and knocked at the arm formed by Ape, throwing the shield away.
"There goes our shield!" Emily cried, unable to not point it out. The shield flew out their hands, leaving them unprotected.
But they didn't stop. They kept going.
The Megazord was almost out, its injuries very harsh. There were holes in the cockpit, giving them all a clear view of the open sky. There were wires dangling, smoke pouring from it and sparks everywhere, flying about.
But they still continued.
"This is it," Lauren quietly said, before turning her head to look at each of the others individually. "I just want to say...that no leader has ever led a better team. I'm honored to have fought beside you, and to call you...my friends..."
"Lauren," Antonio muttered, touched by her words.
"We feel the same way, Lauren," Jayden replied.
Lauren smiled, before giving the order, "Now!"
The eleven Rangers lunged their Swords forward with everything they had in their tired, bruised bodies and minds.
"Use all the Symbol Power you have left!" Lauren shouted, before holding her Sword up into the air. "It's go time!"
The others followed suit, their Swords flowing their respective colors with all the power they were forcing out.
The thunder from the malfunctions boomed loud behind them, reminding them that they couldn't turn back now.
"Katana Power!" They lifted their Swords into the air, the Megazord doing the same, with the symbols on it glowing a bright gold in the dying sunlight. "Samurai Strike!" They all screamed out, slashing their Swords down, leaving a path of sparkling colors on the way down as the Megazord's blade struck Xandred hard enough against the chest.
He let out a growl of pain as the golden blade cut right through him. "Impossible!" He stumbled backwards slightly, his frame relaxing, as the Rangers all leaned against their side-stands, each of them exhausted by how much of themselves was required to beat him. "Samurai Rangers!" He then lunged forward and grabbed the Megazord's head with both hands. The Rangers lurched inside, startled by his sudden contact. "Hear me now, ugh...you have won this battle but our quest to rule your world will never end! You may have defeated me, but the Nighlock will rise again! And you, Crimson Ranger, will be the first to fall!"
He then exploded in front of them, still holding onto the Megazord. The explosion caused the remaining Zords to unhook and scatter.
~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
Octoroo knew that Master Xandred was defeated the moment the River began to rock the boat back and forth. The red-colored waters were retreating from the human world and the Junk Ship was beginning to sink again.
"I guess living is how my story ends!" Octoroo cried as the Junk Ship sank deep into the River.
~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~
Warehouses Rubble, Panorama City, California
Ji ran to the battlefield the moment he saw the giant Xandred explode. But he stopped when all he saw was rubble, and none of it was moving.
Where were they? Did they make it? Or were they gone now?
The still damaged Light Zord, in Ji's hands, scanned the area for any lifesigns.
~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~
The Land Beyond
Lauren opened her eyes to an all white room that seemed to be endless. She was grateful that the others were there, but was confused as to where 'there' was. "Where are we?" She asked, as Jayden and Antonio helped her to her feet.
Emily, the team's clairvoyant, was the one who replied, "We died. The proximity to the explosion Xandred caused was too much for us to handle."
"What?" Spike asked. "We're dead? How can we take your word for it?"
Emily asked, "Can anyone feel their injuries?"
Spike immediately paused and felt all over his body, but not a single speck of blood or dirt was on his clothes. He looked towards the others, but their clothes were clean too, and no one appeared injured or exhausted.
"And maybe it's just me," Emily continued, "but I can also sense a disconnection with the living. Like we're not part of that world anymore."
It was indeed just her, but they believed her and her clairvoyancy. It seemed like they were really dead. Emily now sensed sadness radiating from the group, sadness mixed in...with acceptance.
"Well," Angela said, her and Mike linking arms, "if we are dead, then...that's an understandable price to pay."
"Absolutely," Kevin agreed, slinging an arm around Mia's shoulders.
The mood was ruined when an unfamiliar male voice called out, "Why aren't they celebrating?! They just won!"
"I know that voice," Lauren muttered. "Matthew?" She tried looking around, but there was no one here but her and the other ten Rangers.
A voice, female, Emily hadn't heard in years replied, "Oh, hush up! They just died! Give them time to process that!" Her heart beat in excitement as she tried to pinpoint the source of the voice.
"She's right," another voice, male, added, sounding as if he was scolding the first vice. "Can you blame them? The same thing happened to us."
"Why don't we go and greet them? I'm sure hearing our disembodied voices is only freaking them out," a fourth voice, also male, replied.
Then, four figures formed from sparkles in front of them. Emily's eyes immediately connected with the sole female of the group, whose own, gentle eyes locked with Emily's.
Lauren felt breathless as a smile started forming on her face. "I knew it," she said. "Matthew," the first voice nodded, "Daniel," the third voice nodded, "Blake," the fourth voice nodded, "and-"
Emily cut Lauren off, "Serena."
Of course. It was obvious from the start. Serena and Emily had the same blonde hair, same sense of fashion, same eyes (both color and shape), and even their vocal tones matched.
Emily suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her big sister in a bear hug, tears stinging her eyes and falling down her cheeks. After all that searching, she had finally found Serena. It was in the afterlife, but still.
And judging by Serena tightly hugging her back, it was obvious the elder Shields felt the same way.
Lauren couldn't believe it. Her old team was here to greet them. Smiling at Serena and Emily, Lauren turned to Blake, "So, we are dead?"
"You are," Blake confirmed.
"But it's not your time yet," came Serena's voice. Emily broke the hug to look at her big sister with tear-filled confusion.
"W-What?"
"You heard her," Matthew spoke up. "You eleven can't die yet. Not when there's still Nighlock out there, wanting revenge for their fallen Master. Without you guys, the world don't stand a chance."
"Then...why are we here?" Skyla asked.
Daniel nodded his head towards two familiar faces in the distance, "To escort them here."
The moment the two, one man and one woman, shared a hug of reunion, the Rangers immediately understood who they were.
Deker and Dayu's souls had latched onto Jayden and Emily, respectively, and now, Derek and Dahlia had finally reunited in the afterlife.
A set of golden gates, lined with shiny pearls, appeared and opened before the two. Derek and Dahlia stepped through the gates, ready to start their new life together, this time forever.
As the gates closed behind them before disappearing, Emily wiped the tears from her eyes and asked Serena, "Anything you want me to tell Mom?"
Serena shook her head, "Just give her those letters." The ones she wrote to them. She turned to Jayden, "Look after her for me, okay?" Jayden smiled and nodded, before Serena addressed Lauren, "And Lauren? Don't blame yourself for our deaths. Because we won't."
Lauren was speechless, letting Daniel continue, "She's right. We're at peace as long as you keep moving forward."
Lauren Shiba managed a tear-filled smile, as she finally forgave herself for her failure so long ago.
The world around them turned white, as Blake wished the Rangers one final time, "Good luck, guys!"
~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~
Warehouses Rubble, Panorama City, California
Ji and Light Zord continued searching the rubble for the next five minutes, both starting to lose hope.
But Light Zord suddenly beeped excitedly, "Life signs found! Directly ahead!"
Ji looked in that direction, and sure enough, eleven Rangers emerged from the shadows into the sunlight. He's pretty sure every single inch of their skin is covered in bruises and welts, but he doesn't care. Right now, he's just glad they're still alive.
It hurt for the Rangers to suddenly feel their injuries after not having to for at least five minutes, but it's worth it. They won, and now they can celebrate, because they're all still here.
"Rangers!" He called out, and they all turned to him. They were all supporting and leaning on each other as they walked over to him. Jayden and Emily had their arms around each other, Antonio and Lauren were holding hands, Kevin was supporting Mia as she grabbed the edge of a nearby crate trying to stand, Mike and Angela were leaning against each other, both limping, and Skyla, Spike, and Terry were holding either their arms or their torsos.
Each and every one of them let a smile slip as they laid eyes on him. They had one, and someone was there to greet them and welcome them home.
"You did it!" Ji continued. "You saved the world!" They all lifted their heads wearily, the look of surprise and relief still plain on their faces. "The Nighlock are defeated!" They all felt their mouths curve into smiles, big ones. They did do it. No matter how tired they were, no matter how hurt, they still saved the world. They still defeated the enemy.
Ji watched their faces light up as the news sunk in. They won. They all started to laugh with glee before running towards Ji, emassing in a giant group hug, all laughing and patting each other on the back. Ji wanted time to freeze right here, when they were all happy and safe and victorious.
"I'm so proud of you all!" Ji exclaimed.
Emily happily melted into the group huddle, her heart threatening to burst open with joy. They had defeated Xandred, yes, but she also finally found her sister, finally hugged her again. She was at peace now.
In that moment, she finally felt complete.
Antonio stopped, "Wait!" Everyone else looked at him, curious. He placed his hand on Jayden's shoulder, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Say it one last time!" He held up his index finger.
Jayden laughed, a light exasperation, but everybody else could tell he really wanted to.
Because if he does, then it will signal that it's really over, that their time as Samurai Rangers is complete, that they can all return home and go on with their lives.
"Let's say it together," Jayden suggested, and Antonio breathed a sigh of relief.
They all placed their hands in the middle of the circle, placing them on top of each other's as they went in a circle. Lauren, Jayden, Emily, Antonio, Kevin, Mia, Terry, Mike, Angela, Spike, Skyla, and finally Ji.
"Samurai Rangers, Victory is Ours!" They all cried, throwing their hands into the air.
~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
November 10, 2015
Ji had the Rangers take the next three days off to rest. No going out into the city, no training, no nothing. Just resting and nursing their injuries. He was glad that they not only listened to him, but also that no one had an injury that was life-threatening.
Now, on the fourth day, their injuries had all fully healed (their Ranger powers certainly helped speed up the process), and now it was the day they had all agreed to use for packing up and going home.
Ji watched as they all took a seat around the Gap Sensor table, the bags by their feet, one by one, waiting until everyone was here and ready to leave to say their goodbyes.
He personally did not want any of them to go. He knew Lauren, Antonio, and Jayden would return, as this House was their home, and he was their legal guardian, but it would be very quiet without the others.
When the last people, which were Mia and Terry arrived and sat down, Ji then asked, "So now that everything is over, what do you all plan on doing now?"
Antonio clearled his throat and held up a leaflet for what looked like a cruise, "This is where I'll be going."
"A cruise?" Kevin asked.
Antonio nodded, "Yep. My dad invited me. We'll be traveling all over the world, fishing for fish you have never heard of. And when we all come back, I'll grill some for all of you."
"Looking forward to it," Mike replied with a smile. "And I'm glad you and your dad are bonding."
"So am I," Antonio said. "He says fishing isn't his strong suit, but he's willing to learn if it makes me happy."
Spike spoke up next, "My dad and uncle are going to Hawaii. I'm going with them. I'll take lots of pictures for you guys, I promise."
"Please do," Mia said. "I'm going to a culinary academy, to sharpen up my skills."
Terry cut in, "I already told you, Sis, that you're cooking skills don't need sharpening when they're already the best." Mia playfully stuck out her tongue at him, which he returned before continuing, "I'll be going back to my band."
"And I'll be helping out," Mia finished.
"First off, Terry's right, Mia," Mike said. "Second, Angela and I will be going to college together."
"Yeah," Angela said, as the two locked hands. "We've always had the money, but now we also have the time."
"What are you studying?" Lauren asked.
"Don't know," Mike said, he and Angela sharing a glance. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see what calls out to us the loudest."
Kevin went next, "I'm going to rejoin my old swim team. I just got in contact with the coach, and he said they're willing to take me back with open arms."
The others smiled at this. They all knew (or at least had a feeling) how depressed Kevin felt when he had to quit the team, and again when he ran into them again.
"Good for you, Kev," Skyla said. "Your dream of entering the Olympics is in sight. I'm planning to take up ice-skating. It was my favorite hobby as a kid, and I want to enter the Olympics too."
"Good luck," Mia smiled. "I'll be at all of your matches, both of you." Skyla returned Mia's smile as Kevin gently grabbed Mia's hand to hold.
"What about you, Em?" Mike asked. "Where are you going?"
"Home," Emily replied. "I need to tell Mom about Serena."
"And I'll be going with her," Jayden added, as his hand slipped into hers.
"And after Montana?" Kevin asked. "What will you guys do then?"
Emily glanced over at Jayden, their eyes connecting, "Don't know. Wherever the wind takes us, I guess." He sent her a gentle smile, which she returned.
Lauren smiled at the sight before her. She had a feeling that something had sparked between them. What it was exactly was none of her business, but she approved of their relationship. Emily was the perfect girl for her brother.
Emily and Jayden then turned to Lauren, a knowing, gentle smile on both of their faces. They knew what she planned to do, and they had agreed.
"And you, Lauren?" Jayden asked. He already knew his sister's answer, but the others needed to know.
Lauren took a deep breath, "I'm going to each of my former teammates' families and explain what really happened to them, to give them closure and their possessions retrieved from the Keller House."
Each of Matthew, Serena, Blake, and Daniel's belongings had been placed in an individual, labeled box for that exact purpose. They had debated on who should go and explain to their families the truth, but that was before Lauren revealed herself to still be alive. Then, it seemed that the best idea was for all six of them to go and work together, but now that Lauren had volunteered to do it herself, it made sense that Lauren should be that person.
Lauren continued, "In fact, I'll be starting with Serena, so I'm tagging along with them."
"Good luck," Antonio sent her a reassuring smile, and Lauren immediately returned.
Angela then turned everyone's attention to the twelfth resident of the Shiba House, "What about you, Mentor?"
"I am staying here," Ji answered, before getting to his feet. The others quickly followed. "I must keep this House prepared for a Nighlock attack, even if it never comes." As Ji opened the door and led the group outside, he continued, "I strongly advise you all to keep your Samuraizers on high alert."
"Don't worry," Jayden reassured him. "We'll all keep in touch with each other."
And one by one, Ji watched them all leave, some on foot and some in cars. But he quickly noticed that one of them had stayed behind.
"Spike, do you need a ride?" he asked.
Spike merely shook his head, "Thanks, but no. I'm just waiting for my dad."
Just then, a white limo pulled up to the curb, and out stepped a fat man and a man identical to Spike, only older.
"Spikey!" the fat man called out with a smile.
"Son!" the other man said.
Spike ran up to both of them and tightly squeezed both them in a hug. "Hey, Dad. Hey, Uncle Bulk. I'm ready to go."
"Then, hop on in," Skull said. Spike got into the limo, with Bulk following. Skull then addressed Ji, "Thank you for taking care of Spike. You're welcome to come visit us any time you like."
"Thank you," Ji replied. "And you're welcome."
And he watched the limo drive away, with Skull, Bulk, and Spike in it.
Now alone, though only physically, Ji reached over the outdoor kitchen counter and brought out his electric guitar. He sat down and began strumming in contentment.
~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~PRS~REDO~
Original Shinkenger Episode: Act 49
Original PRS Episode: Samurai Forever
Note: Now, hold onto your horses, everybody. There's still the second season Christmas Special, as indicated below. In that chapter, I'll be tying up a couple of loose ends, but also setting up for something bigger.
If you're confused by the appearance of the four new Rangers, refer back to the "Sticky Situation" chapter, because I first teased it around that time. And for Angela's fighting style, refer to Kyuranger's Hammie and LuPat's Noel, and I chose fencing for Angela because "Swordfish Fencer Megazord".
Finally, The Land Beyond is a reference to my Starforce story (titled 'Sanctuary'). Yes, Samurai and Starforce will get a crossover together (just like Samurai and RPM in this story), but that will be posted in the Starforce story.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think!
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 2, Episode 20.5: "The Nightmare on Christmas"
"Xandred may be gone, but their job is far from over. A stray Marauder asks for the Samurai Rangers' help, while a hard-shelled Nighlock causes chaos."