Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, but hey I can dream can't I?

*Italic indicates thought

Chapter Nine: Not A Good Morning

A/N: Bonjour! Ok, now things are getting interesting...as if they aren't already. Please read and review! Pretty please!

"We've all got both light a dark inside of us. What matters is the part we chose to act on, that's who we really are." -Sirius Black

The next morning Antonio walked into the living room with the biggest smile on his face.

"What're you so happy about?" Mike grumbled, tired after their late night.

Antonio shrugged. "I dunno. I just am."

"Ok then."

Antonio sat down and started eating. Mia and Emily came in.

"Hey Antonio," Mia said. "Feeling better after last night?"

"Oh yeah. Loads better. I can't even remember why I was so scared."

"That's good," Emily sad brightly.

Jayden came in with Kevin and Lauren.

"See anymore shadows last night?" the blue ranger asked teasingly. Mia elbowed him in the ribs. "What-"

"What shadows?" Antonio asked.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

"Excuse me?" Lauren asked.

"I said what shadows?"

"He's kidding right?" Mike asked looking around.

"No, I'm not kidding."

Jayden looked at him suspiciously. He saw pure confusion behind his friend's smile.

"The shadows you supposedly saw last night," Mia said.

"You know, the ones that gave you a heart attack," Mike said.

Antonio shook his head. "Nope. Doesn't ring a bell."

"Ok then," Jayden said, deciding not to push the topic further.

The rangers finished eating then went to train.

"Antonio," Jayden said. "Be careful."

"Always, amigo," Antonio said leaving to go fishing. As he walked he whistled and looked around. Everything was so bright, it was like darkness had never exsisted. He felt so happy and carefree. He smiled to no one and headed for the docks.

-Light and Dark-

A few hours later the rangers were still training in the yard. Mike ducked as Kevin sent a swing at his head. He laughed and jumped back, avoiding another blow.

"Stop moving!" the blue ranger said in exasperation. "It's bad enough Antonio does it!"

"So you just want me to stand there and-" He stopped as Kevin looked at the sky behind him, eyes widening. Mike turned around and looked at the sky.

A black circle was passing over the sun. At this point everyone in the yard dropped their arms and practice katanas to look up. Even Ji, who had been overseeing them looked at the sky.

They watched as the black circle covered the sun completely, casting a shadow over the yard.

"I didn't know there was a solar eclipse today," Mike said.

"Something tells me this isn't an eclipse," replied Kevin.

Jayden's samuraizer went off. "Hello?"

"Do you guys see the solar eclipse too!" Antonio asked.

"Yup."

"Isn't it cool!"

"No...because I don't think it's a-" He was cut off as the gap sensor went off. "Now I'm sure it isn't."

"At the docks!" Ji shouted, after checking the map.

"Antonio!" Lauren said as they ran to the battle.

"Antonio! Antonio listen!" Jaydne shouted, cutting off his friend's senseless rambling about how cool the "solar eclipse" was. "There's a nighlock at the docks. Be on your guard!"

"You got it Amigo!" Antonio said, cheerfully.

If he could've Jayden would've smacked the gold ranger. "Don't sound to excited."

"Why?"

Jayden really wanted to smack him. Just once. "Never mind. Just look for the nighlock and be careful."

"Ok!" Antonio said hanging up.

Jayden sighed and shut his samuraizer.

"You tell Antonio?" Mia asked.

"Yup."

"And?"

"I think he's under a spell."

"Why?" Lauren asked, starting to get concerned.

"Because he sounds like he's on drugs!" Jayden said. Mike burst out laughing.

-Light and Dark-

Antonio looked around. It hadn't really occurred to him that the situation was serious. He stopped smiling and looked around some more. He dropped his fishing pole onto the ground. "Who...who are you?" He asked the black ranger standing a few yards away.

The black ranger laughed. "You're the gold ranger, no?"

"Yes." Strangely enough there wasn't any part of Antonio's brain wondering why he wasn't morphing.

He laughed. "I was warned you would be like this."

Had Antonio been in his right right frame of mind he would've noticed how similar the black ranger was to himself. The black ranger's suit had the same look as Antonio's. All the places his suit was gold, the other's was black. All the places Antonio's suit was blue, the evil samurai's was a darkish kind of gray. His helmet was pure black with the symbol for darkness on it.

Had Antonio been acting the way he should've, he would've started to get scared. But he didn't feel scared. Only...accepting. Like he'd seen this person before. No! Nighlock! Pretty sure this is a nighlock. He crossed his arms and titled his head. The black ranger mirrored him. Antonio should've also noticed that the black ranger was the same height and build as him.

"Antonio!" Jayden shouted as the others ran towards him.

"Later, Samurai of Light," The samurai of Darkness said. "I think I'll introduce myself to your...friends..." he said the word with contempt in his voice. "some other time."

"Stay away from my friends," Antonio said threateningly, suddenly protective.

The black ranger laughed. "Protective. Very interesting. I look forward to meeting you more." He disappeared through a gap.

"Antonio!" Jayden said stopping in front of him. "Are you ok?"

Antonio nodded. "Yeah."

"Guys," Mike said. "I guess I'll bring up the elephant in the room. Did everybody else see the black ranger too?"

They all nodded. "What did he want?" Lauren asked.

Antonio shrugged. "Nothing really. Just wanted to meet me I guess."

"Oh well in that case he can do it when there's witnesses," Kevin said.

"Kevin's right," Mia said.

"I'm gonna suggest we continue this conversation at the house," Jayden said.

The others, minus Antonio, who was still acting like the encounter had been no big deal, nodded in agreement.

-Light and Dark-

"That's was fast," Ji said when they got back.

"We didn't need to fight," Emily said as they sat down.

"Whaty not?"

"Oh because the nighlock just wanted to talk to Antonio, oh and the monster was a black samurai ranger by the way," Mike said.

"Thank you for that Mike," Lauren said sarcastically.

"A...a black ranger?" Ji asked. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely," Jayden said.

"Why did he want to talk to Antonio?"

They all looked at the gold ranger. "Oh, he just wanted to meet me."

"Why?" Jayden asked.

Antonio shrugged. "I dunno. But who wouldn't want to meet me!" Jayden resisted the urge to smack him. Lauren however, did not. "Hey!"

"So obviously this guy wants something to do with Antonio," Jayden said.

"What could he want?" Emily asked.

"No clue, but we need to be careful. Especially you," he added looking at Antonio. "I don't want you to leave the house without your morpher, and stay in areas with more people."

"So I can put more people in danger?" Antonio asked, confused.

"Fine. Just make sure we can contact you, and vise versa, at all times. Understand?"

"Everything but vise versa."

This time both red rangers couldn't resist the urge to smack him.