Chapter Nine

I awoke to the sound of birds singing outside. I expected to look around and see my room, but instead I found a sleeping Antonio next to me.

For a second, I nearly forgot about the big step I took last night. But once it all came back, I blushed. I was still naked and so was Antonio. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. I decided to make breakfast for everyone. I've been thinking of trying out a banana pancake recipe. After sneaking into my room, I found a note on my pillow. Cobra was sitting next to it. He beeped and I picked it up and read aloud:

"June,

Mike, Kevin and I have gone back to the cliffs to find some form of a trail. I don't know when we'll be back, but until then, take care of Antonio. Call if anything goes wrong.-Jayden".

I sighed and threw on a floor length gray sundress and threw my hair into a messy bun. As I walked down the hallways, the house seemed completely empty. Ji's bike wasn't there, so I assumed he went off to help in the search for Mia and Emily. As I went into the kitchen and began cooking, I couldn't help but cringe and hate myself. God only knows what Crysus was putting them through. I should be out there helping the guys to find Estallia, but Jayden gave me orders. I had to stay put at the mansion. The house was filled with banana and butter smell. Cobra rested on my shoulder as I flipped the pancakes.

I then felt a pair of hands wrap around my waist. Cobra slid onto the counter as the hands gripped me tighter. I turned my head to see Antonio smiling at me. He kissed my cheek and gently whispered in my ear "Good morning beautiful." I giggled as I continued to cook. "And good morning to you too," I responded. Antonio pressed his body to mine and sniffed. "What?" I asked. "You smell delicious," he complimented. I laughed and said, "Shut up. It's the food aroma." He laughed with me and spun me around for a kiss. I couldn't stop kissing him, and we made out for four minutes. Afterwards, I took out pancakes for the both of us and we sat down at the table to eat.

"I hope the guys find some sort of clue," stated Antonio. I picked at my food and sighed. "I know," I agreed "I can't help but feel guilty. Who the fuck knows what Crysus is doing to them." I angrily speared my food with my fork as Antonio said, "Maybe we'll be lucky and they'll be fine."

We continued to talk and tried effortlessly to not imagine the horrors sweet Emily and kind Mia were enduring. As we cleaned up, Antonio splashed soap water on my clothes. As I gasped, he turned away grinning. Oh it was on! I flung a bit of left over flour on his face. As we both laughed, a food fight broke out between us. After ten minutes of play, Antonio tackled me onto the couch and pinned me down, kissing the syrup on my lips and nose. "I win," he proudly announced. I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted a tongue filled kiss on him. We then heard beeping and saw Cobra, Claw, and Octo Zord watching us on the coffee table. Antonio shooed them away, proclaiming that they were a bunch of peeping toms. I laughed and kissed him again, causing him relax.

After we officially cleaned up, I changed into some jeans and a white tank top and lay out in the sun. Cobra and Claw Zord wrestled by my side as Antonio set up a TV. After a while, he put in one of his favorite movies and sat next to me. When the main titles came up, I looked at him and said, "Since when do you watch movies like The Mask of Zorro?" He laughed and explained, "It just really speaks to me."

We sat back and watched it together. We cheered Zorro when he freed the innocent men from being executed, gasped when his wife was killed, blushed at the growing romance between Alejandro and Elena, and smiled at the overall victory. As the end credits rolled on, he began chucking. "What's so funny?" I asked. "Nothing really is," he began "it's just that I realized that the character of Elena is just like you." Now he really had my attention. "What do you mean?" I asked. 'This is going to be good,' I thought. Antonio pulled his chair in front of me and looked dead into my eyes. He took my hand and began his long explanation.

"Well, for starters, you and Elena are super hot and you both have a bigger purpose in your life. Elena's future was changed when she was just a baby right? Well, that's kind of like what you went through. Only the difference was Elena's mother was killed and her father watched over her, only she didn't really know. You both were 'raised' by another man and when you learned of your past, you both became women who made, or making, a difference."

As Antonio continued on, I realized he was right. Elena is a movie translation of who I am. Although I don't think I'm as beautiful as Catherine Zeeta Jones. As I mentally compared that magnificent movie character and myself, a small quick tear escaped my eye. Without a word, I hugged Antonio. He helped me see that I'm strong and also that I should be thinking of something while the guys are out looking for Emily and Mia.

While Antonio and I cleaned up outside, I felt a strong wind blow from the west. It was strange because in the late summer, the wind blew from the east. Suddenly, I heard the flapping of wings getting closer. My spin sword was nearby, so I began to grab it slowly. I listened more, but the sound stopped. But I wasn't going to relax. As I turned around to take a blanket inside, I found the sounds source.

Estallia was perched on the roof of the house.

Her eyes stared directly into me, and her body never relaxed her crouch-like position. She smiled, and I spun my sword and ready to knock her to the ground with my cudgel. But as I did, she spoke. "No need for that Silver Ranger. I come, as you mortals say, in peace." I still didn't trust her, but even so, I didn't attack. I relaxed only a little to ask her, "Alright, I won't attack you…only if you tell me why you are here." Antonio came back outside, only to cower in fear as his eyes followed the image I was glaring at. He pulled out his morpher, but I told him to stand down. Estallia shook her head at us both.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You Samurai are so very paranoid. But I come not on my own terms, but those of my ally Crysus." I bravely asked her what it was he wanted, and she said, "He has decided to make you a deal." "And what is that?" asked Antonio. Estallia's eyes narrowed as she said, "he will trade you the two female Samurai, for your power." Antonio and I exchanged a glance. It was just as Mike said. Emily and Mia were. Once again, my well being was the cause of such turmoil and sorrow. I stepped forward to her and said, "How do I know that this isn't a trick?" She laughed, "Oh, Crysus means the truth. All you have to do is make the exchange and the plans of my master will be abolished." I hung my head and glanced again at Antonio. He was shaking his head 'no' with wide eyes. But I made my choice. "What will happen if I don't comply?" Estallia growled and answered with, "Then you're friends heads shall become the newest additions to Crysus and his collection." My heart sunk. I wasn't going to let Emily and Mia die for my stubbornness. "Alright, when and were?" I announced. "June, don't do this!" cried Antonio. Estallia hissed and said, "Tomorrow when the sun falls below the hills." And with those words, she flew into the distance and disappeared.

Once she left, I pulled out my phone and dialed Jayden's number. After two rings, he answered. "This better be extremely important June," he said sternly. "It is," I said with a hint of panic in my voice. "Estallia was here." There was a long silence. "She made me a deal for the lives of Emily and Mia," I added. After yet another silence, Jayden spoke in a low, angry voice; almost like a growl. "We're on our way back."

(DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE MASK OF ZORRO OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. OR POWER RANGERS SAMURAI. JUST JUNE, ESTALLIA, AND BLAH BLAH BLAH. YOU KNOW THE DRILL)