Mike didn't like the forest in Japan. Even with his connection to the trees and plants, he didn't know his way around like he did in the forest of Panorama City. But it was still better than nothing, and he was happy to be taking the lead. He had a feeling he was getting close to something, he just hoped it was Serena and Emily.
"This place is huge," Antonio looked around. "It'll be ages before we find anything."
"Don't talk like that," Jayden shook his head and opened his Samurai. Emily's signal was still coming from this location somewhere, which meant they were close.
"Do you guys hear that?" Mia asked, stopping for a moment to look between the trees. The boys stopped and looked around with her. Slowly their ears picked up on the sound of twigs snapping and they heard footsteps approaching.
"Emily?" Mike called just before Dayu burst from the trees, with Dekker right behind her. As the Rangers all adopted a fighting stance, drawing their swords, Jayden smirked. If Dekker had kidnapped Serena, and Dayu had kidnapped Emily, and they were together now, that meant Serena and Emily were together as well.
"Rangers?" Dayu shrieked, skidding to a stop before running into them. Dekker grabbed her arm, holding her back.
"Any fight now is useless," he said loud enough for the Rangers to hear clearly, "The Rangers have found us, Serena and the yellow Ranger got away. We've lost."
"You're a quitter now?" Dayu glared at her partner. She pointed to the group of Rangers, "The girls aren't with them. If we find them first…"
"We wanted to train Serena and we did," Dekker pulled on her arm again, trying to lead her away, "We know what it'll take to get her to fight Serrator and win. She promised me she would try."
"You were not to talk to her," Dayu growled. "I told you, Dekker, she spews nothing but lies…"
"But…"
"You left the door unlocked intentionally, didn't you?"
By now the Rangers were leaning on their swords. It was obvious that the only fight that was going to happen was between Dayu and Dekker.
Dekker shook his head at Dayu, "I have no idea what you're talking about. You saw it; Serena somehow had her Samuraizer with her. She must have…"
"The woman is a witch!" Dayu screamed at Dekker. He looked to her curiously.
"You hate her much more than the other Rangers."
Dayu frowned, "She stole something from me. And without knowing it, she's had a hold on it ever since."
"And forever will," Antonio said, smirking behind his helmet while reminding the Nighlok that he and the others were still there. He raised his hands, "Are we going to fight, or can we get on our way. We're kind of looking for someone. Two someone's actually. Have you seen them? Blonde…"
"Get out of my way," Dayu pushed through Antonio and Kevin and stormed off, obviously very unhappy. Dekker followed her, begging for her to understand he had not played a part in Serena and Emily's escape.
Though Mike didn't know the forest too well, he could tell Dekker and Dayu were headed the wrong way and fortunately so. He gestured to the Rangers to follow him as he continued down a trail. Jayden kept one eye on his Samuraizer, praying Emily's signal wouldn't drop.
The sun eventually started to set. Behind his visor, Jayden bit his lip. He wanted to call off the search for the night but he knew the others wouldn't agree, Mike especially. However, searching for them in the dark was going to be hard, and the fact that they were all tired would make it even harder.
"The Tengen Gate isn't too far from here," he spoke up. "Why don't we detour and head there for the night. We can collect food and supplies. Serena and Emily escaped, but we're not sure what state they're in."
He noticed the hesitation but the team did agree, understanding it was best to be as prepared as possible, they changed course and headed for the Tengen Gate.
-Samurai-
Serena had been welcomed back to the Tengen Gate with open arms, and the guardians wasted no time treating her and Emily's injuries and setting up a room for them to sleep. Serena was just getting ready for bed, washing off the last traces of dirt from her face when she heard a knock on the bathroom door. She looked in the mirror and saw it was Emily.
"We're not flying home, are we?"
Serena chuckled and shook her head. She dried her hands and her towel and then pulled out the Samuraizer. She gave it back to Emily.
"Hopefully the others will meet us here."
"Have you called them?"
Serena shook her head. The thought had crossed her mind, but now that she and Emily were safe she wanted to make the Samurai worry a little bit. She had figured out their plan, after all, and though it had saved her butt, she didn't like it.
"If they don't find us by morning, we'll call. For now, we sleep. I'm tired, how about you?"
Emily nodded. Serena guided her back to the bedroom and gestured to the bed. Emily shook her head and stood in the doorway. Serena groaned.
"What?"
"That's your bed."
"Eighteen years, Emily. We've shared beds for eighteen years…"
"I don't mind sharing a bed with you," Emily looked to her sister and smirked teasingly, "I just know what happened in that bed."
"I slept in it."
Emily nodded, "Yeah, you did. Do you remember who you slept in it with?"
"Dekker," Serena answered. "I slept with Dekker in this… oh."
"I love Terran," Emily gave Serena a pat on the back, "but not that much."
"The sheets were washed," Serena said, with a bit of hesitation in her voice. Emily gave her a look and she nodded her head, "Alright, yeah, it's creeping me out too."
"I call the couch!"
"Hell no!" Serena shouted. She grabbed Emily and pushed her to the ground, "I'm older. Couch is mine!"
Emily whimpered as she hit the floor, making Serena turn to see if she was okay. She didn't mean to hurt Emily. As she knelt down, Emily jumped up, giving herself a head start to the couch. Serena grumbled and rolled her eyes as she pushed herself back up and raced after Emily. Whoever didn't get the couch would have to sleep on the floor. Serena didn't want to sleep on the floor.
Emily smiled as she raced down to the living room and she saw the couch, but then something pulled her off course. The Tengen Gate was filled with guardians, but there were five people in the living room that didn't belong. Changing course, she ran away from the couch and jumped into Mike's arms.
"You found us!"
Mike nodded, holding Emily close, "Kind of by accident. Are you okay? Did Dayu hurt you?"
Emily shook her head, "Nothing I couldn't handle."
"Besides, she was with me," Serena said as she walked into the living room, happy as ever to see her friends. Mia walked over to her first, hugging her, relieved she seemed to be okay. Serena squeezed Mia tightly on purpose, hurting her sunburn. Then, she dug her nails into Mia's skin to really make a point. "Sacrifice my sister like that again," she whispered in Mia's ear, "and I'll make sure you're extra crispy. Got it, Sunshine?"
"Jayden's plan," Mia groaned. Serena let her go, then gave her a pat on the back. Serena did this to everyone, squeezing them a little too tightly to get her point across. Everyone threw Jayden under the bus like Mia did. Serena made sure to squeeze Jayden extra tight, and then let him know how the others had his back.
"Thanks, guys," Jayden coughed as Serena let him go. He looked to Serena, "So what happened? What did Dekker want?"
As Serena explained to the Samurai her time as Dekker and Dayu's prisoner, and what they wanted her for, Emily tugged on Mike's hand and gestured to the couch.
"We're not going home right away, right?" she whispered. He shook his head.
"Maybe in the morning once we're all rested. Why?"
"I called the couch," Emily pulled him over and lay down on the couch with Mike. She nestled into his chest comfortably. Mike wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"You know the house has beds, rights?"
Emily shook her head, "Terran was made in Serena's bed."
Mike's face fell, "Oh. I prefer the couch."
"Me too," Emily yawned.
When Serena finished explaining what happened, and threatened the Rangers one more time because of their plan of sacrificing Emily, she turned to the couch, "Now, Emily and I were racing so… dammit!" she noticed her sister and Mike were already passed out on the couch, taking all the room.