3. Parent's Death

A Year Later

"Emily, I'll find you!" Jayden called as he looked for his sister, as the older rangers watched with amusement.

In the last year, a lot had happened. To everyone's surprise, Emily's first word was 'Samuai' followed by 'Wayen'. She learned 'Mama' a few days later. Jayden was, at the time, six, while Emily was one. The little girl was able to walk and the two were playing Hide And Go Seek. Jayden couldn't find the girl.

"Emy!" Jayden shouted as he ran around the house. It was unknown to him that, with the help of the green ranger, she was in a cabinet above the sink. "Emy!" Jayden called as he continued to look. The rangers laughed as Jayden looked under the sink for the fifth time.

The Gap Sensor went off and the rangers stood up, irritated that they had to leave both children. The Gap Sensor had been going off a lot more frequently, and it wasn't giving the two children alone time with their parents. The green ranger went to get Emily out of the cabinet.

"Tha's cheatin'!" Jayden exclaimed, folding his arms in front of him, acting angry, as the green ranger set Emily in front of the six year old.

Emily giggled as she wobbled to Jayden and gave him a hug. "Jaywen, wove you. Meh Samuai."

Jayden couldn't be mad at her, so he hugged her back. "Me Samurai, too." The rangers smiled at the sweet scene.

Jayden's father bent down in front of them. He gave his son a smile.

"Son, we have to go," he said. "You know what to do."

Jayden nodded.

Emily looked at her brother's father and smiled.

"Stay with your brother, Em," he told the toddler, chuckling at her antics.

She nodded.

"Wye!" she said, waving.

"Love you, honey," her mother said as she bent down in front of her. She kissed both the toddlers' foreheads before leaving.

The five rangers ran out, into the battle.

A few hours later, Jayden and Emily were looking at Symbol Powers laying down on Jayden's bed.

"Twace 'et wit you fwinger," Jayden told the toddler.

He took Emily's hand and traced it. He let go and Emily traced it by herself.

Just then the door opened. The five rangers came in exhausted.

"Dad!" Jayden shouted as he helped Emily stand up.

"Ma!" Emily exclaimed.

Jayden's father picked Jayden up and turned to his team. Emily's mother scooped her up, as blew in her stomach, causing young Emily to giggle.

"I have never fought that many nighloks in my life," the green ranger whined to his team.

"It's near, isn't it?" the pink ranger asked, sadly. Looking at the two parents play with their children, not knowing it would be their last time.

Jayden's father nodded sadly.

"The next battle could be a last for some of us. Fight for our future. Fight for our children," Jayden's father said.

They nodded as they looked at their future, the next generation of samurai.

Emily giggled as her mother threw her up and caught her.

"I love you," she said.

"W-Wove Ma," she said.

The Gap Sensor went off again. The red and yellow rangers looked at each other. They knew this was the final battle. They each got their kid and talk to him.

Jayden's father told him about his future. He gave his son his zord.

Emily's mother hugged her as her life depended on it. She gave her daughter her zord. She kissed her daughter's forehead for the last time.

They ran out of the Shiba house, two, for the last time.

Jayden and Emily were on the couch asleep that night. They had waited for their parents but got tired of waiting.

The door opened, and only three rangers entered. Each, looking beat up and in agony. Jayden and Emily woke up at the sound of their door opening and looked for their parent.

"Ma?" Emily called as she looked around. "MA! MAMA!"

The pink ranger picked the crying girl up and tried to sooth her. "Shh, it's okay, Emily."

"Where's Dad?" Jayden asked, looking panicked.

The blue ranger bent in front of him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Jayden, you're father isn't going to come back," he said.

Tears welled up in Jayden's eyes, but he blinked him away. He told his father he would be strong, and he kept his word.

"M-Mrs. Pirtle?"

The blue ranger shook his head.

Jayden wiped his eyes. He needed to be strong for his sister.

"Emily," Jayden said as he looked at the pink ranger.

She nodded and let Emily hug her big brother.

"Ma?" Emily said, crying. "Jaywen."

The rangers didn't know how Emily knew what happened. She was too young to understand, but she knew when her mother wasn't around. They knew their mission was over, and now they had to leave the two kids. Emily's mother had decided to let Emily stay if she didn't make. No one would able to train Serena, but Mentor Ji could train Emily.

The next couple days were hard. The rangers had to pack and Emily kept asking for her mother. They tried to explain her mother wasn't returned, without telling her she died, but she just didn't understand. Jayden never left her side. He was always around her. He took up the role of her protector and wasn't going to let anything happen to her. The surviving rangers knew the decreased rangers would be proud.

"You'll be the best Samurai anyone would ask for," they told Jayden.

"You'll be the youngest Samurai," they told Emily.

He hugged his only family left, as the ex-rangers left that hour one by one. Jayden took Emily's hand and led her away, when there was no ranger left. They only had each other, but that was all they needed.

"Is just you an' me, Emy," he whispered.

Next Chapter: Raised To Be The Best

Now that the other left, the new generation must start their trained. How will Mentor Ji train two toddlers?