In the Face of Defeat

Chapter 2

Coping

Six months later…

At the Wind Ninja Academy Tori Bradley was sitting on the floor playing with her five year old son Simon when her husband came in. The look on his face told her that he had news, now the only question is which kind was it. He looked around the small room they all three shared and felt a small sting of sadness. His son should be outside playing in a big back yard and put to bed in his own room at night, but here he was sharing a small room at a martial arts academy with his parents who live in fear everyday that monsters were going to break through the walls.

"Cam received a transmission this morning", he said to his wife, "There are survivors on the east coast."

"That's great news", Tori said as she tried standing up. Once she got up she placed a hand on her back to support her seven month pregnant form, "What are we going to do to help them?"

"Nothing", he said eliciting a stern look from his wife, "From what we can tell, they are safe. They've even had a team of rangers come into being recently."

"New Rangers", she said thoughtfully, "Maybe they'll end this and we can go back to our lives."

Blake took his wife into an embrace, "I hope so, I really do."

It was a very somber day at the Animaruim. The people who called it home always worried when the rangers went down to the city to look for supplies. Alyssa's son Richard along with Eric and Taylor's twins Kate and Collin and Danny's son Elizabeth waited at the teleportation point for their parent's safe return. Their eyes widened as they saw a ripple effect, which signaled that the system had been activated, but their hopes fell when they saw the twin's mother fall to the ground unconscious and bloody. Her husband rushed to her side and picked her up.

"We need to get her to the infirmary now", he shouted, running through the crowd of people.

A few hours later Eric saw Alyssa sitting on a bench outside the medical tent they had constructed. "Hey", he said as he sat down next to her, "Doctor says that she'll be alright, she just needs to rest for right now."

"I can't deal with this anymore", she said through her sobs, "First I lose my husband then today I almost lost my best friend. How can we keep out there, all the while we know that we may not come back?"

"We knew the risks when we took the job", he said somberly, "It nearly kills me every time we go out there. I hate putting my wife in situations like today, and my biggest fear is that the kids will lose one or both of their parents."

Eric's communicator beeped on his wrist, and he gave Alyssa a slight smile as he answered, "This had better be good, I'm not a big fan of leaving my wife when I'm needed."

"We got a signal", Wes' voice came through the device, "and you'll want to hear it."

"On my way", Eric said with a tone of annoyance in his voice.

When he arrived at the operations area he walked over to his friend and looked at him sternly. "My wife almost died today, and the kids are worried sick."

"I know, and I'm sorry", Wes said sincerely, "But the signal we received has a ranger signature."

Eric perked his head up when he heard this, "Visual?" he asked.

Wes shook his head, "Audio only." He pressed the play on the console and a crackly voice sounded over the speakers.

"This is Tom… Oliver, I.. br…casting to any that can hear my voice. We ha.. five hundred refugees in the caverns undern…. The original command center. I am sending a series of frequenc…. so that any who receive this can keep in contact. Everything since the initial attack has been laid wasted, but there is hope. We have confirmed that there is a city of survivors and they have rangers that are fighting Venjix. I … to talk to you soon, Dr. Oliver out."

"At least we know they're alive", Eric said, "I'm going back to my family; let me know when you establish contact."

Wes nodded as Eric left the area heading back to the infirmary.

Nick Russell sat on a bench outside Root Core with his wife Madison while their daughter Anna played with the other children. Somehow someone named Dr. Tommy Oliver had broken through the magical barrier of the forest to get a message through to the rangers. When his father told him, he was ready to go on a trek to find those people, but was forbidden by his mother Udonna. She told him that these people were safe for the time being and didn't require help, but he still wanted to go. It was actually his wife who convinced him to stay.

"It's not fair", he grumbled quietly.

"What's not" Madison asked.

"We're safe here; we have food, water, shelter, and the means to meet most of our desires. They live in caves under some old building. We should be out there helping them, not sitting here twiddling our thumbs."

"Sweetheart", Madison said, "For the time being they're safe, and we would endanger everyone by leaving the forest."

"No, I would take Fireheart"

"Nick, please wait till your parents establish contact", Madison begged.

Nick nodded as he kissed her and went back to watching his daughter play.

Several hours later Nick was called into the tree by his mother. When he got there he was greeted by his father and Mystic Mother. He looked up on the screen that had been set up and saw a stern looking man with glasses looking at him. Nick gulped when he saw him because even through the screen he could see that this man commanded a ridiculous amount of power.

"You're sure you don't need any help?" Udonna said to the screen.

"We're ok; we have food and water, and have scavenged anything else we need from the ruins of Angel Grove."

"Hello Thomas", Mystic Mother said to the screen, "I'm glad to see that you are alright."

The man on the screen looked at her as if she had grown a second head before regaining his composure. "Thanks Rita", he said shakily, "You're looking much better than the last time I saw you. What exactly is the situation there?"

"Well thank you." Mystic Mother replied, "And before we go any further, I want to apologize for everything my husband and I put you through in the past. I know twenty years is a long time, but we really have changed. As far as the town goes, it was evacuated without incident, and we have plenty of food and water."

"Good", Tommy said, "We will be able to keep in contact now, so if the situation changes we'll let you know."

"I don't get it", Nick butted in, "Are you so proud that you don't want our help? We have everything we need here, there's no reason to stay in those caves."

Tommy paused for a second and, looking directly at Nick, replied "That may be, but we have all the supplies we need, and we are well protected here. To move the over 500 people that we have in these caves would almost certainly draw unwanted attention to both of our locations, and we definitely don't need that right now, on top of that this Command Center is the only link that those of us in hiding can use to communicate with each other."

Nick accepted this and nodded his head, "I'm sorry", he said somberly.

Tommy smirked, "I know how powerful the urge to help others can be for a ranger, especially a Red."

"How did you know I'm a red?" Nick asked.

"Son, I have been a ranger five times, and two of them were as a red… and the bright red shirt is a dead giveaway too."

Conner, Kimberly and Kat entered the McKnight quarters to bring Shannon home for bed. They were about to leave for a gathering mission into the ruins of Angel Grove and Conner wanted to make sure they were asleep before he left. When they got there he found Kira sitting on their bed crying. He knew that she liked getting out every so often just so she could see the sun, but being six and a half months pregnant, it wasn't an option. Ever since she was told that she couldn't morph she did mainly "Office" duties which consisted of monitoring sensors, communications, and the ranger bio signs while they were out in the field. Many days she felt depressed because she hadn't been outside the shielded area in months.

"Hey Rockstar", Conner said hoping to receive a small smile.

"Hey", she replied in a downtrodden voice.

"What's wrong babe?" he asked.

Kira sighed as she placed a hand on her stomach, "I just want to go outside."

"You can go outside whenever you want"

Again she sighed, "It's not the same when there's an energy barrier blocking you off from everything."

"I know it's hard, but it's going to be OK", he said trying to cheer her up.

"OK", she said with a touch of anger in her voice, "The world's been pretty much devastated, we're cut off from so many people we care about, and we live in a damned cave. So tell me Conner, how is it going to be Ok?" Once it dawned on her how badly she snapped at Conner she fell back on the bed and started sobbing.

Conner rushed to her and pulled her into his arms, "It's going to be Ok because we have each other, our family, friends, and so many other people who depend on us. It's going to be OK because we have to give our kids the perfect life and if we need to endure hardships to make that a reality, then that's what we'll do.

Kira slowed her tears and returned her husband's embrace, "I'm sorry, I just feel so useless sometimes."

"Don't", Kim said as she sat down on the bed next to them, "Besides, you're not the only one who has been pulled from active duty."

Kira's eyes widened at the revelation, "You mean?"

"Yup", Kim said with a wink, "Seven weeks now."

"That's great", Kira said pulling Kim into the hug as well.

"The best part is, since I have some pull with the boss, we'll have matching shifts in the Command Center."

Kira got off the bed, and put her shoes on when she heard a knock on the door, "Must be Crystal", Kim said, "She volunteered to stay with Shannon tonight while we work."

Kat opened the door, and sure enough Kim's 11 year old daughter was standing there with her arms full of games and toys.

"I know I'm helping and all, but Mom when do I get to work up in the Command Center?" Crystal asked Kim.

"You know the reason why your father hasn't let you", Kim said sternly.

"I know, Dad tells me constantly that he needs me to help with some of the younger children while the rangers keep up safe and retrieve the supplies we need."

"You should listen to him", Kat said, "I'm sure that you're in line to make ranger one day, but in the mean time you have to prove you're ready by being where you're needed."

Once everything was Taken care of, the four adults bid goodbye to the kids and headed for the main Command Center. When they got there Tommy, Billy, Trent, and Ethan were already waiting. Kim and Kira took their positions at the computers as Tommy filled them in on his nightly safety check.

"Remember that's it's dangerous out there, stay morphed at all times, and if you come across any people that are in need place a teleporter tag on them so we can get them back here immediately. This is a supply run only, if you see grinders or attackbots do not engage, do I make myself clear? I want everyone to come home tonight."

The five other rangers nodded before morphing and teleporting out as a group.

A/N: Here is chapter 2. I hope you like and as always read and review.