Chapter 12
The next day at the Shiba household, the rangers, Nariko and Ji were in the living room discussing about Antonio and his gold ranger powers. "He's so fast when he's the gold ranger, I'm surprised he's not here already." admitted Emily, Kevin who was reading a book sighed a bit and closed it "Just because Antonio showed off when we beat that Nighlok doesn't mean he's fast at everything." "It's true…We really don't know much about him…But at least Jayden and Nariko can vouch for him." said Mia, Jayden nodded a bit "Yeah…We were friends from the moment we met." Nariko smiled a bit and soothingly rubbed her fiancé's back while looking at the others "Antonio's father ran the local fish market the times that Jayden, Antonio even Kagu and me played together well…" "They were the only times that Nariko and I felt like a kid." finished Jayden, the princess giggled a bit and leaned against her fiancé "But it did drive mentor crazy because it distracted us from our training." "Yes…That was before Antonio had to move away." "So if he moved away how did he become the gold ranger?" asked Mia, Kevin sighed a bit and said "Wait! He's definitely got some skills…But he's not a true samurai! It doesn't run in his family and he hasn't had any formal training! Plus we have no idea what this guy is up to!" Meanwhile at the pier Antonio was there wearing a suit, currently he was looking in his handheld mirror fixing his hair. He then looked at Octozord who had popped out of the cooler "Hey there buddy, how do I look?" the zord just made some noise and in turn Antonio put his mirror away and tucked Octozord back into the cooler before slipping on his suit jacket and making his way off the pier "It's time for me to go to the Shiba house and join the samurai rangers!"
Minutes passed and everyone was still waiting for the gold ranger's arrival, Ji happened to be pacing around a bit, anxious for the new ranger's arrival "Antonio is late…Can't say I'm surprised…" the samurai mentor then looked at mike who was sitting in a chair playing a video game "Did he say he was bringing the Octozord with him?" "I don't know…Why?" "Well when Jayden was a boy…He gave it to Antonio when I wasn't looking." Emily who happened to be arranging flowers in a vase, was surprised by this and looked towards Jayden "What? You gave him a zord?" "Look I was a little kid I didn't know any better." "By the time I found out Antonio had moved away and I didn't think he'd actually figure out a way to activate it, Jayden including Nariko threatened to quit being a samurai if I tried to get it back." said Ji, Jayden just looked away admitting "Like I said I was a little kid." "Wow such a rebel." said Mike "It sounds like you guys were really good friends I bet you both missed him when he moved away." said Mia, Nariko who was standing right next to Jayden, began playing with her necklace "Yeah…We did…" Suddenly Antonio gracefully slide in with a fishing rod upon his shoulder. Everyone watched as he did some moves with it and then fully faced them "Ladies and gentlemen I would like to introduce to you the sixth samurai, the gold ranger, me, Antonio Garcia!" "And you thought I was cocky." said Mike to Ji who simply grunted as Antonio fixed the fishing rod upon his shoulder, the hook fell down a bit and attached itself to the back of his pants "Jayden…Please allow me to join you and your team to fight against the Nighlok." the gold ranger then pulled on the fishing rod only to have the hook rip the back of his pants and start pulling his underwear. "Oh that's not good…" muttered Antonio, the rangers and Nariko began to laugh a bit at the gold ranger's funny display who in turn chuckled trying to play it off "Ha, ha, ha ,ha! It's no big deal, really its happened before…N-Not a lot or anything." In between laughs Jayden managed to say to the others "Can you guys help him?" he then stood up and grabbed Nariko's hand, both leaving the room and to outside, Ji cleared his throat "I'll just be a moment." and he also took his leave following the same way the couple had left.
Once Ji arrived outside where Jayden and Nariko were, a smile was brought to his face as he saw the couple sitting on the bench still laughing a bit from Antonio's display. "He hasn't changed a bit, huh Ji?" asked Jayden, Ji laughed a bit and nodded "He's as energetic as ever, he clearly still looks up to you." "Antonio always wanted to be a samurai, trying to follow in your footsteps Jayden." said Nariko, the red ranger nodded "Yeah…And I remember it like it was yesterday…I don't know what to do Ji…" "You're too close to this…Let me handle it…Come Nariko I may need your help." the Yamada heir gently placed her hand over her fiancé "Are you going to be ok Jayden?" "Yes…for now go with Ji, I need to think over some things." "All right." she gave her red ranger a kiss on the cheek and headed back inside the household with Ji.
10 minutes passed and everyone except for Jayden had gathered into the living room for a meeting with Antonio in order to asks some questions. Right now they sat around the table and Ji was currently looking at Antonio's samurai morpher "You were able to make this from what Jayden and Nariko taught you in studying the Octozord's systems?" "It really wasn't that hard." said Antonio "So what are you, some kind of techie?" asked Mike, Antonio began messing with his hands a bit "Uh…I don't know I've just been always good with gadgets." he then accidentally knocked a bowl of peanuts but Mia managed to catch in time without even looking and placed it back on the table, thus Antonio became a bit more nervous "Oh…Uh…Well…" He then relaxed as he saw Nariko smiling at him, having Antonio to continue on "Anyways…I have always just wanted to be a samurai I know I wasn't born into it like you guys were but I just kept practicing from what Jayden and Nariko taught me I was trying to take things to a higher level but I was really stuck…But when I figured out how to talk to Octozord with texting…Everything fell into place and now I am finally ready to join you in the fight against the Nighlok." "Yeah! It'd be great to have you along!" said Emily "The more the merrier." admitted Mike who then fist bump with Antonio only to have Ji disagree "No…I'm afraid that's not possible." "No? What do you mean?" questioned Antonio, Nariko who was sitting next to the samurai mentor turned to him "Ji…" "Nariko let me handle this…Antonio it's just too dangerous to put you out there without the necessary formal training." the gold ranger quickly stood up from his seat staring straight at Ji "But I don't understand! Didn't I help you all win yesterday?" "You did but not all battles will be that simple, if you don't have the training-" "But I do! Look sure I did it by myself but I can hold my own out there and you saw it!" "Antonio I'll hold onto this, ok?" Ji then tucked away the gold ranger's morpher in his shirt only to have Antonio jump onto the table "No! Give it back!"
The rangers quickly stood up and held Antonio back from getting to Ji. "Antonio stop!" exclaimed Emily, the rangers then accidentally push Antonio off the table as they turned and looked at the Gap sensor which went off. Ji pressed the symbol on the table making the map of the city appear just as Jayden came running in. Both Antonio and Jayden stared at each other for a moment until Ji said "It's at Benton Street, the under pass!" the red ranger then looked at his team "Lets go!" but before the rangers could leave Antonio stopped them "Wait Jayden!" the gold ranger got up from the floor staring at the red ranger "I can come with you right? Tell Ji how you and Nariko made me a samurai that I'm suppose to fight by your side." everyone was silent waiting for Jayden's answer which he soon gave "Ji is right…This isn't little kid's stuff anymore…I'm so sorry but you're not really a samurai and we don't need a sixth ranger." "But!" "I'm sorry…Lets go!" and the rangers took their leave from the household, Antonio sadly sighed and began taking his leave "Yeah…I'm sorry too…" not liking how sad Antonio looked Nariko was about to go after him until Ji grabbed her shoulder "Nariko where are you going?" "To comfort Antonio." "Nariko…" "Don't you Nariko me, how could you do that to someone like Antonio?" "Because-" "Because what? He doesn't have the formal training of the samurai?" "Nariko-" "My father once told me it's not all about the training or what family you come from that makes you a samurai but the determination and dedication to fight and protect innocent lives from evil…" "I know-" "No you don't…I've had enough of this I'm going whether you like it or not." she began leaving and completely ignored Ji's call for her to not go.
15 minutes later and Nariko found Antonio at the pier just fishing away. She approached the fisherman calling out to him "Antonio?" "What are you doing here Nariko?" "I wanted to make sure you were all right." "Like I would be all right after what Jayden said back at the household." "I figured you wouldn't be…" "So what are you here tell me yourself how I'm also not a samurai too?" "No I'm not…In fact I'm here to say how you are a samurai in my eyes." "Really?" "Yes." "But how come Jayden and Ji didn't think so?" "They're just worried you'll get hurt since you haven't had any of the formal training." "But I proved that yesterday!" "I know you did but that's their way to show that they care about you and your safety Antonio." the gold ranger angrily sighed, having Nariko go over and gently grab his shoulder "This is frustrating I know that…Which is why I'm going to have talk with Jayden and try to change his mind." Antonio looked at her a bit surprised "Really? You would do that for me?" "Of course I would! I mean we've been friends since we were little right and don't you worry I'll have a really good talk with my fiancé." "Thanks Nariko…" the two gave each other a friendly hug, once they ended it Antonio lightly chuckled "You know…I'm a bit surprised that you and Jay are engaged to each other, it's kind of hard to believe with the way how you two used to act around one another." Nariko lightly tapped the gold ranger's nose with her finger "Well start believing! Look I'm gonna head back to the household…See you later?" "Definitely." the Yamada heir smiled and took her leave with the gold ranger watching her, happily smiling a bit.
When Nariko returned to the household she discovered the rangers are already back since the Nighlok: Steeleto had escape from battle. As the princess pass through the front gate, she found her fiancé in front of the household, sitting on the bench staring at Antonio's samurai morpher. Nariko then approached Jayden determined to have a talk with him "It must have been hard for you, having to send your friend away like that." the red ranger brought his attention away from the morpher and to his love one who now stood in front of him "Nariko…I had no choice…He's not a real samurai…" he then got up from the bench and brushed passed her "Like Ji said having him around could be dangerous, not just for him but for us too." Nariko turned around sighing a bit, Jayden soon grabbed two practice swords from the training rack and handed one to his fiancé. The couple got into a fighting stance, preparing for their match. "You've known Antonio forever, the idea of him getting hurt must bother you." said Nariko "Of course he's my friend!" retorted Jayden who then made the first move which Nariko blocked, they clashed swords a bit before holding it there. "Leading your team on dangerous missions is hard on you, but putting an old friend like him at risk too that's too much pressure huh?" questioned the Yamada heir, both jumped back from each other unfortunately though Nariko was quicker and she hit Jayden in the back of the leg with her sword. This caused the red ranger to fall on one knee and freeze as his fiancé held her sword at his neck. "I hit the nail on the head didn't I Jayden?" asked Nariko, the red ranger then pushed her sword away "Think what you want." he got up on his feet and started to walk away until Antonio showed up "Nariko is right and you know it." Jayden turned to his old friend just as Nariko joined the gold ranger's side. "Why do you have to be so stubborn Jayden? I know the risks you need my help." said the fisherman, Jayden sighed a bit "Antonio we've already talk about this there-" "We're saving the world here! How can an extra ranger not help?" questioned Mike who arrived in the front along with Emily and Mia, joining up with Nariko and Antonio. "Look guys…" began Jayden only to have Mia interrupt him "Jayden, Antonio accepts the risks just like all of us. You're our leader but that doesn't make you responsible for what we choose to do." "Well said pretty lady." complimented Antonio, Jayden was about to protest until Kevin showed up "Jayden he doesn't have the training…But out there we can use the help I say we give him a chance." the gold ranger nodded "That's right!….Wait I have trained myself quite-" he was cut off by the Gap sensor blaring and soon Ji came out of the household "The attack is at the Northern Peninsula construction site!" Antonio held his hand out towards Jayden "Please…Let me have my samurai morpher…I won't let you down…This has been my dream, it always has." the red ranger was silent for just a moment before smiling and handing over the gold ranger's morpher "Antonio…You are the sixth samurai ranger." "All right…You won't regret this!" "Lets go!" and the rangers darted off with Ji and Nariko who was now smiling, very happy at what she witnessed.
Not long after the rangers safely returned to the house once defeating Steeleto with megazord and Octozord. Right now Antonio was outside in the front cooking some fish on the grill. As he put a plate of freshly grilled fish on the table Mia, Emily, Mike and Kevin took their seat. "This looks almost as good as my baked beans, mustard and mint fish casserole I make." told Mia, the other 3 rangers made disgusted faces and quickly looked away before the pink ranger could see them. Nariko, Ji and Jayden happened to be a few feet away from the others, having a discussion about today. "Jayden, Nariko…I may have been wrong to exclude Antonio so quickly." told Ji "I think we both were Ji." admitted Jayden, Nariko lightly scoffed "You think?" the red ranger chuckled a bit and wrapped his arm around her "Of course you had to prove us wrong but…Things keep changing on me so fast first taking on the team now Antonio…It's not like when it was just us." "Yes…But that's what being a leader is all about." said Ji "It's not all on you Jayden, the others have chosen their path you did not choose it for them." told Nariko, the red ranger smiled a bit and nodded "You two are right, thanks…" the 3 then looked over as Antonio managed to catch their attention "Hey! Are you 3 wallflowers gonna join us?" "Yeah! Hurry before I wolf it all down!" said Mike who began stuffing his face with grilled fish. The couple laughed and made their way over to the group with Ji following while muttering "You don't need to ask us twice." once they joined up with the others, Antonio handed Jayden a plate with grilled fish. "It's good to have you back buddy, you're worth your weight in gold." declared Jayden, this made the others laugh while the two childhood friends fist bump one another.