Episodes: 'The Blue and The Gold' to 'Boxed In'

Chapter 14- The Job

Xxxxx

The Blue and Gold
Sanzu River

Master Xandred's interest was piqued.

He overheard her. She was playing her prized harmonium, a possession from her human life that she retained as a cherished keepsake, and making angst and heart wrenching filled music that could make any human being cry. Instead, this served as medicine for when he was angered, his plans against the Power Rangers were foiled, or a way to further stake his claim on her.

Octoroo, the brains behind him, was shuffling delicately, as he didn't want a tongue lashing or possible abuse. He kept his eyes open vertically and wide horizontally. He wasn't going to disclose the happenings aboard this ship, though he knew. Dayu was the object of Master Xandred's affection. That was none of his business, and Master Xandred never admitted his infatuation with Dayu, as that would distract them from their true goal, and she has never let go of her one and true love. From what the brains behind this operation has seen, the true Deker wasn't coming back.. He left to assist Antberry with next plan of attack—using Antberry's slime to steal toys and make children cry.

With sorrow, Dayu plucked the strings producing this tune that helped to alleviate her master's burgeoning headache. She continued to play, until she couldn't anymore. She's never wanted this life, but she knew there was no other way to save her newlywed husband and the bastard she called her father in law. With whatever heart she still had, she blamed all of her indignity and this cursed form on him. She actually regretted this decision, and one day, she'd get her hands on him and kill him herself.

"Dayu, why have you stopped playing," Master Xandred asked, as he came around the corner.

"Stopped playing, stopped playing, stopped playing," the Furry Warts chirped annoyingly.

Growling, Master Xandred grasped one ball covered with yellow hair and easily demolished the thing. Every other one retracted to the top of the ship, each strand of hair on its body pointed straight up in fright. He domineeringly sauntered over to her, and he used a long index finger's nail, which actually resembled a vulture's talon, and he made her rise her head. He looked at the beauty that he's always known she's had. If he could breathe, he knew that air would be caught in his throat.

"My fingers are tired," her human side replied dishonestly. The truth was: not too long ago she finally got a chance to speak to Deker, if he could even be called that. Of course, she could never confess that to the king of Nighlocks. She subtly looked into the brightness of this demon, who took her in, wondering if he used to be human like her. There wasn't a hint of soul, unless the soul contained pure hatred only. "Can I take a break? Do you need me to play some more?"

"The prominent melody," he requested, almost wanting to vomit. She wreaked of him, and he waited for her to speak the truth of her treachery. "Why is your music different?"

"Uh, um," she began to stutter, not wanting to say, while having a mini flashback. That would upset him to his core even more.

"Play the requested melody," he gravely ordered, releasing her head freely. "Don't even think about it," he sensed the Furry Warts were ready to descend. He wasn't even sure how these damn things came onto the ship. He turned; he wasn't going to hurt her, at least not yet. "Consult me before you see him by yourself." He finally walked away, furiously demanding a Mooger give him sake.

She whimpered, and once he was out of sight, she played the dreadful music to his liking. She desperately wished to get out of there, even if she had to reclaim some sanity by speaking to that retainer.

Xxxxx

Team Spirit
Shiba House- Living Room

Mia received the text message. The rest of the house was ready for Emily's birthday. Her smile could illuminate a Christmas Tree that's how happy she was. After the day her best friend had, this would be the perfect ending and a birthday to remember. She was also positive the men of the house did a wonderful job.

"Emily, you need to come to the living room," Mia relayed fervently, and she held out her hand for Emily to take.

The Yellow ranger quizzically observed Mia's offered hand. All she wanted was rest. Her spirit was given back to her about two hours ago, and everyone has relentlessly asked if she was alright. Of course she was because they defeated Splitface with ease thanks to the newest addition, the Clawzord. "Mia, I don't know if I'm up for anything as of right now," Emily replied sleepily and a bit warily. "Maybe, tomorrow."

"Oh, come on," Mia wasn't taking no for an answer. She nodded that everything was going to be okay.

Emily obliged, and they zoomed out of their quarters. She felt the anxious tugs from her best friend. "Mia, what's up? I'm fine now."

"I know, but you're about to get even better," Mia promised, and she led her to the living room where the rest of the guys plus Mentor were waiting for her.

"What is all of this," the Yellow ranger's face brightened instantly upon seeing the yellow, black, and white decorations, gold streamers, a table full of presents, another table topped with delicious food, and a 'happy birthday, Emily' banner. She looked around in surprise, yet immense happiness that they went through all this trouble just for her.

"Surprise," the guys exclaimed, jumping from each side, and showering her with gold confetti.

Emily blushed and couldn't believe she didn't have the slightest clue. On the other hand, she couldn't see any other people to spend her 18th birthday with.

Mike nervously broke away from the group and approached Emily. Earlier in the day, he was vastly worried about the Yellow ranger, and he was even thinking about giving up his human life and entering the Sanzu River just to secure hers. She was the best of them, in his opinion, and he cared about her so much already. The way she looked on the cot, the blood no longer fueling circulation, and the paleness of her caused him great distress. And now, he was beyond happy to see her like this—overfilled with glee.

"Here," the Green ranger handed her a specialized greeting card. "It's from your sister."

Mentor stood in the back with an emotion filled smile. He received the card, while Emily was still under Splitface's spell. The touching card actually brought a tear to his eye. He wasn't one for being in touch with his emotions, but lately he has. To see her lifeless, her 18th birthday being today, and seeing the birthday card, it was quite too much for him. Before the party started, he handed the birthday card to Mike, so he could hand it off.

The looks between Mike and Emily didn't go unnoticed.

Emily wanted to cry upon receiving the card. The front displayed a picture of her and Serena from when they were younger and enjoying the sun setting at the beach. She opened the card. "'Happy Birthday my darling sister! Miss you heaps... All my love, Serena,'" she read for everyone.

Antonio took it upon himself to introduce Emily to the cake. He placed his hand over her eyes. "And, what's a birthday without a cake," he led her to a chair.

Mentor gently took the giant, circular cake with yellow icing and multicolored decorations off the food table. He brought it to the present table. "Happy Birthday," he sincerely wished.

The cake read, 'Happy Birthday Emily and Clawzord!'.

Kevin, from his position, bent his head a bit to get a better look at the cake. At first, he thought he read the silver icing wrong. "Clawzord," he said aloud with some confusion in his tone.

Antonio was quickly appointed to get the birthday cake, so Mia couldn't bake one. After the battle, he returned to the bakery to pick it up, but he felt something was missing and requested an extra name be added to the traditional dessert on one's birthday. He just wanted to commemorate Clawzord's awakening. "It's his birthday too." He pointed to the zord, who overheard and peeked out of its container and peeped nosily.

Everyone else ended up loving the idea too and began to laugh.

"You guys are the best," she graciously complimented them with her big heart and an even bigger grin.

"No, Mike was right," Jayden interjected with some kinds words. "You're the best."

"We're just so happy to see you're okay," Mike added, as he looked at her with admiration, and he saw her blush once more. His cheeks became a rosy hue too.

Mia picked up the lone knife on the table. "Who wants cake," she asked.

"Oh, ah, you baked me a cake," Emily nervously wondered, hoping Mia really didn't do such a thing.

"No, sorry," Mia believed Emily was just as disappointed as she was. She did want to make the birthday cake for her, since it would've been special to have a homemade one instead. The guys convinced her not to do so because Antonio already ordered one for her. "We picked up this cake at the bakery."

Greatly relieved, Emily calmed down. "I understand, you were busy," she quickly figured, which caused everyone else in the room to toss knowing glances and thankful nods. "Let's dig in!"

"Blow out your candles," Kevin eagerly wished over everyone else.

"Make a wish first," Mia reminded her, since that was usually the first thing to do.

Antonio grabbed a present for Emily to open. "Here, Em, open this one first," he handed it over to her, while smiling. She was the first one to welcome him to the team, which he thought was pretty cool of her.

When Antonio Garcia, Gold Samurai ranger, first came back to Panorama City, his appearance was slightly less than well received. First of all, he shot an arrow over the protective barrier of the Shiba House. Secondly, when confronted by the rangers minus Jayden, he caused crushed ice to fall and made them slip, so they wouldn't obstruct his golden moment. Finally, he arrogantly yet courageously interrupted the fight with Vulpes—a Nighlock with mirror spells.

The Samurai rangers thought this was some random guy, who wanted to cause havoc and make the the fight even worse than what it was. Yet, once morphed, his Barracuda Blade literally gutted Moogers and even paralyzed Vulpes. When he commanded the Octozord, his Octo-Ink Cloud helped the rangers destroy him. Jayden was the only one to recognize the weapon and Zord. He was stunned to see them appear once more. In the midst of the curious questions, the Red ranger powered down and welcomed Antonio back. They hadn't seen each other in about a decade. Their time spent together gave Jayden a little taste of a childhood. Antonio had to move due to his dad acquiring a permanent job as a top sushi chef in a prestigious hotel. As a going away present, Jayden gave him the Octozord.

Anotonio was the first Gold Samurai ranger ever, and he wasn't the average Samurai ranger too. While his counterparts used Symbol Power via their Samuraizers, he programmed his power with electronic symbols in the form of text messages. He worked daily on perfecting this, along with training in martial arts. He decided to come back to Panorama City because of the recent attacks and to build his own business empire. He only wanted to help.

He really did butt heads with Kevin, who was very strict about this lifestyle, and Mentor, who believed he was given the Zord by mistake. Even for a moment, Jayden was even reluctant to have him on the team, but he was coaxed by everyone else. And now, the gaudy Antonio Garcia was very much accepted. Kevin understood that anyone could be a Samurai, and Mentor trusted him to program Clawzord, which was an obvious success.

Now, the Gold ranger was seen as a valuable asset.

Emily was wowed by all the presents. Mia and Mentor bought her a jade, flute holder, Jayden gave her a box of her favorite chocolates, Kevin purchased an annual pass for Rainbow's End, and Antonio paid for a gift card to a local store and also bought her a yellow, babydoll shirt. Mike had a present for her, but he didn't want anyone but Emily to see it.

The rangers began to eat the array of delectable delights. There even was made from scratch lemonade, Shirley Temples, and fruit punch. Everyone was having a great time and the day's horrible events disappeared.

When he saw she was free, Mike whispered into Emily's ear. "Take a walk with me outside," he requested. She quickly nodded and placed her plate of food on the table. She trailed Mike. He appeared to be going to the training yard. Mike also made sure to have the light switch flipped upward.

Their departure was obviously seen by everyone else.

"Mentor, is that okay," Kevin questioned, since he knew the rules, while looking over his shoulder. He watched them head outside. Mike already confessed to him about his little crush on Emily, but Kevin always reminded him that's not something Mentor would like.

"Yeah, I don't see any harm," Ji replied truthfully. He also believed Mike was a little ashamed of his gift, but he shouldn't have anything to worry about. "Oh, crudites," he changed the subject quickly and grabbed a few cherry tomatoes.

Mia smiled and clued Antonio in. "Mentor said there's no fraternization amongst the rangers, but as you can see, Mike and Emily have a lot of chemistry. It would be hard for them to upkeep that rule," she disclosed, as she took a sip of her drink.

Antonio finished his bite of cake. "Senorita," he smoothly began, "they're not the only ones." He chose to remain ambiguous about his statement, but there was another budding romance in this house. Somebody would have to be blind to not see it. He believed Mia was smart in the books, but clueless when it came to love.

"Huh," Mia asked, as she watched Antonio walk to the table to get more food. He, then, struck up a conversation with Kevin.

After departing from Ji's side, he saw Mia alone, thinking to herself. "Is this seat taken," Jayden questioned her. She shook her head. "I'll sit here then."

"There's other seats, you know," she pointed out around a bite of chips and dip. Her cheeks quickly flushed upon seeing him. Lately, there wasn't a day where she didn't blush around him. She smiled to herself about it.

"Yes, but they're not this close to you," the Red ranger boldly opposed. "I like being close to you." He actually needed to talk to her about something, but eyes seemed to be everywhere.

"Me too," she agreed, and she scooted closer to his right side. She wondered if this was what Antonio was hinting to. She spoke to him privately.

Meanwhile, outside, Mike wasn't sure how to give this gift to Emily. He was nervous, which was hardly a characteristic of him, but the present was out of the ordinary. Unlike the others, he was pretty careless when it came to money. So, as of right now, his bank account was sitting pretty low. He didn't even have a lot of time to figure out what to get her.

"Mike," Emily wondered why he seemed to be stalling. She looked even smaller standing next to him, but she didn't care.

"Um, here," he took out a homemade and haphazardly put together booklet from his pocket. He watched her flip through the 'coupon book', each page turn with no comment made his heart chip a bit. "Oh, no, you hate it," he wanted to slap himself for making this.

"No... that's far from the truth," she shook her head adamantly. The 'coupons' were cute, and there were about twenty of them for various things: a free skateboarding lesson, a walk around the beach, a cup of frozen yogurt on the house, one home cooked meal of her choice, a trip to the arcade and others. She couldn't believe Mike actually came up with this. It was cute, quirky, and something she'd treasure. "I-I don't know what to say. It's pretty creative."

"So... you do like it," he asked inquisitively, admiring how the light hit her features just right.

"I love it," she responded, as she lovingly wrapped her arms around his neck. He reciprocated swiftly, and she stayed in his arms for some time. This was extremely relaxing to her. "Thank you," she acknowledged honestly. "I've never been given anything like this."

"Hey," he finally opened his mouth. This felt right to him too. She felt great in his burly arms. "You deserve it, but..." He knew Kevin would rag on him later.

"But what," she didn't want this to end, and she looked up to him concerned. "Mike, is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all. I actually wish we could stay like this for the rest of the night, but Mentor and the rules. I think we should head back inside before the SWAT Team shows up. I'm already sure Kevin's wondering what's happened," he dreadfully responded, hating to do this.

All Emily could do was nod. She agreed, but it still didn't make her feel better. "Alright, thanks for my gift," she said again, and she stepped in first. She headed to the living room, and she saw Mentor cleaning, Kevin and Antonio talking, and Mia and Jayden sitting awfully close. She returned to eating. "This was an amazing birthday," she said to them. "Thank you."

Mentor was the first to speak. "You're welcome, and I'm glad you're on this team. When you took your sister's spot, that was very amicable. I wouldn't see it any other way," he continued picking up the stray trash.

"And of course you've become like a sister to me," Mia beamed, "Without you, I don't think I would be able to survive," she playfully quipped.

Mike didn't like that comment. "What's that supposed to mean, huh," he questioned with an eyebrow raised. "If anything, we wouldn't know how to survive with your-" His green eyes hardened at the Gold ranger.

Antonio silenced Mike from making a fool out of himself. He glared at the Green ranger and turned his attention to Emily. "You're golden," he happily pointed at her. "Thank you for accepting me into this team so quickly."

"You are an amazing Yellow," Kevin commented genuinely, wanting to slap Mike across the face. He obviously didn't.

The rangers grabbed their cups filled with a drink. They rose their glasses midway.

"To Emily," Jayden dedicated the toast, while warmly smiling at her.

"To Emily," the rangers chorused, and they clanked their cups together.

Pretty soon, the birthday party was coming to an end. Emily was able to sneak off to bed first. Since she was still the birthday girl, Mentor excused her from cleaning. The rest of the rangers helped Mentor and in no time at all, the house was once again spotless. Antonio said bye to everyone. Currently, he lived in an apartment in downtown. Mentor left to his room, the next to retreat was Mia, followed by Kevin, Mike, and eventually Jayden turned off everything in the house.

There was a practice session in the morning.

Xxxxx

Two Hours Later
Jayden's Room

He awoke, his face sweaty, his breathing in duress, and he looked at the time. It was 1:43 AM, but he couldn't go back to bed. He didn't feel like he could. The dreams were happening again, but this time, they seemed be more like nightmares. He always seemed to wake at the part when his sister was about to get slaughtered. At least, he thought it was his sister. He heard intense streaks coming from a female, a female calling his name in a chilling manner, and he saw long hair flowing in the sea of rage. The only thing clear was a reddened monster with armor, wielding a large saber hovering.

He closed his eyes, trying to forget the images. They were quite hard to digest. He sent a quick text message to Mia because he believed he could open up to her. He hoped she wasn't in a deep sleep. In a few minutes, he received a surprising reply. He waited.

She gently knocked on his door. She groggily yawned and looked at him with confusion, once he opened it for her. "What's going on," she lowly whispered, while tip toeing inside. She hoped no one heard her coming here.

Jayden helped her inside of his room. He climbed onto his bed and patted for her to sit next to him. "It's okay," he told her, although, he was kind of nervous to have her on his bed. All she was wearing was a spaghetti strap and very, very short shorts. It was summer time, and the air conditioner could only do so much; he thought.

She thought she was dreaming. "Are you sure," she asked curiously. She surveyed Jayden's room. She had never been here before. There wasn't much in there, but a closet, a nightstand, and a desk. The walls were pretty bare minus traditional Japanese paintings. Looking at Jayden, she saw he was only wearing a red, wife beater and black basketball shorts.

"As a heart attack," he answered earnestly, as he cleared the spot for her to lie. Once she was on top of his bed, he grabbed the covers and secured it over them. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah," she answered. She felt a slight shiver go up her spine upon brushing her leg against his. "Um..."

"It's okay. I just wanted to talk about... these dreams I've been having,'' he started.

"I'm listening."

And, he told her about the dreams in full. He also explained how he felt a connection to the sole survivor from the island explosion all those years ago. He spoke for about an hour. He also described how he wanted them to stop, then he missed them, and now, he was wanting them to go away because they were slowly turning into these nightmares.

Mia listened. She let him talk, and she didn't even interrupt at all. She really was there, if that's what he wanted, to help him.

"I don't know what to make of them. The Lion, the Dove, and now this, um..." he couldn't exactly say his sister was coming into his dreams, so he made a up a lie, "and Master Xandred wanting to kill me... Some of the dreams I like; others I believe are omens and I want them to stop."

"Do you think that 'red monster' could possibly be Deker," she asked, caressing his soaked, ash, blonde hair. She never knew about this until now. The ones lately seemed to mess with his psyche. He was vulnerable, looked worn down, and she hoped he would snap out of it.

He yawned, while listening to the rhythmic thumps of her heart beating. She felt comfy, and he was actually relaxed for the first time in awhile. He continued laying against her chest and smelling her delicate perfume. He knew she was the right person to admit these to. "I never thought that could be him," he answered, while dozing off.

She giggled, as she heard him snoring. "Jayden," she called for him. "Wake up," she thought she was here to talk, listen about these dreams and offer advice. She didn't want to be his pillow.

"Uh, yeah, you're right, Mia," he rambled lazily, while cuddling with her.

"If we get caught," she warned him, but she felt herself finding a comfortable position too. She didn't want to leave either, and she would only do so if he told her to.

"We won't. Goodnight, Mia," he wished, and he sensed her arms fully wrap around his body. He smiled and protectively cradled her. This was wrong, but felt so right. Pretty soon, the two fell asleep.

Just that easily.

Xxxxx

The Tengen Gate
Downtown Panorama City
Hart the Boutique

"Beautiful, where do you want your lunch," Tommy held up her smoothie and hot bagged food for her. He saw the hustle and bustle. The store was coming along great, but he could see she was getting tired and teetering on fine edge.

"No, no, no. I want white and pink roses for the grand opening party," she argued over the phone, getting very angry. She pointed to the counter that would house the cash register. She kissed her husband on the lips, and she was thankful he was there. "Do I need to go to another florist? I will be perfectly happy with that, and I will make sure they will have the roses I want!"

Leo Corbett, former Red Galaxy ranger, overheard from his spot. He had been helping Kim get this place together. He walked away from his task of making extra shelves and went straight to Tommy, who was wiping down the back of his neck with some force. "Sheesh, does she always get like this," he asked.

Tommy wanted to strangle Leo. "What do you think," he questioned dangerously. "If she got mad about us heading to the Moon, and this place is like her baby, of course she wants everything to go right," he hissed heatedly.

Leo placed his hands in the air. "I never wanted to do the moon battle anyways," he swore on his family's life. "It's your fault you got caught. You and Andros got caught. It's your guys' fault," he hissed.

Rocky, Jason''s successor, Ape Ninjetti, past Blue Zeo ranger, overheard and hoisted himself up from his spot. "You never wanted to do it?! I never got to do it," he reminded them gruffly.

"Is it our fault Aisha went into labor," Tommy signaled for Rocky to keep it calm. Not everyone in the shop, as of that moment, was a past ranger. A majority of them were from a building company. He had to keep their talks as discreet as possible, but with an over zealous Rocky and Leo, he knew it would be easier said than done.

"Let me keep a mental note, since I know you will always forget," Rocky snapped, while failing to remain private. "Note to self, make sure to get my wife pregnant possibly ten months before a mission comes up."

TJ, second Red Turbo ranger and past Blue In Space ranger, hauled in a few plywood boards. He noticed Rocky, Tommy and Leo speaking privately. "If I were you three, I'd get straight to work," he knew Kim's wrath and powers. "She's already stressed as it is, and if she sees us just standing around, we might as well shoot ourselves in the foot!"

Kim immediately ended the phone call. She blew out a hot breath. She looked around the place. "Um, TJ, what are you doing," she instantly glared at him just standing there. Her hands were firmly planted on her hips, and she swore she would spar with him right then and there.

"What," TJ questioned, shocked that she was singling him out. "I just brought these in..."

"Those were supposed to be here an hour ago," she complained exasperatedly. There were about fifteen other people in this place, and she wanted to fire them all. She was beginning to feel the pressure of making another store.

"It's not my fault traffic to here is such a bitch," Cassie's husband muttered with frustration, and he headed to the back to start building all the cupboards Kim's wanted. He felt he'd be safer back there with a nail gun and hot glue.

Tommy, Rocky and Leo snickered upon hearing Kim.

"Leonard 'Leo' Marty Corbett, I will call your wife, Kendrix, and tell her about your random rendezvous at the strip clubs. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she isn't sexy! And to top it off, I will throw you over a rail and make you eat dirt, if you don't get back to work," Kim threatened with malice.

"Shit," Leo followed her command and went back to his assigned task.

"And, oh, Rockford 'Rocky' Luis DeSantos, don't get me started on you. I can call Aisha, and she'll be here before you can take a shit," was all Kim had to say before Mr. DeSantos jumped and returned to work.

"Anyone else want to try me," she asked the workers, who all began to whistle suddenly. They continued with their jobs. "That's what I thought."

Dr. Oliver, as his students called him, waltzed up to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her, and she instantly softened at his touch. "You need a break," he began to rub soothing circles on her back. "How about we take one, huh? I'll get Hayley and Billy to take over for you, I'll send Sophia and Tristan to Jase and Trini's, and we can go to the Bahamas," he offered, while keeping her close to him.

She loved the idea. "Oh, that sounds nice," she practically purred upon feeling his rough hands go and up and down her back.

"Great, I'll set it up now," he thought that was almost too easy, but he wasn't going to say anything.

Kim's phone rang. She answered after the first cheep. "Hello," she greeted. On the phone was her mom, Charlotte, who was in town with her husband, Pierre, for a showing at the Getty Museum. While in town, she wanted her grandchildren, which Kim and Tommy were very thankful for the helping hand. "Tristan has diarrhea," she almost screamed in frustration. "Oh, come on, now!" She wondered what else God was trying to throw at her. She walked off to speak in privacy.

Tommy rubbed his temples very slowly. He knew his wife like the back of his hand. She didn't the trip after all.

The door to the place opened. In walked a Hispanic kid with his rolling, blue, round edged cooler, fishing poles tucked in, upright, and different fishes decorating the outside, along with the large Shiba crest. He browsed the inside, and he saw the workers diligently getting this place together. It was a far cry from when he first saw this place. He looked around for the owner, since he had an appointment with her.

While passing out flyers, he actually gave one to Kimberly Ann Hart-Oliver, and they struck up a casual conversation. She spoke of how she wanted her opening to be, and well, Antonio offered his services. She had to quirk an eyebrow because he didn't have a restaurant or a cart even, so she wanted him to come by one day and cook for her.

"Who's the kid," Rocky pointed with his elbow, while leaning into Leo.

Leo shrugged. "I don't know. Never seen him before, but what's in the cooler? I hope it's food. Kim's bitch over here," he pointed gingerly at Tommy, "only seemed to buy food for her." Tommy shoved his middle finger up in the air. "I believe my wife handles that!"

The Ape's stomach began to rumble like there was a fight going on in there. He was extremely hungry, and he hoped this guy did have food.

"Excuse me," Antonio tapped Tommy on the shoulder. Tommy turned and gave the fisherman a once over. "Is Kimberly Oliver here?"

"She's on the phone," Tommy replied, and he held out his hand. "I'm Dr. Thomas Oliver. Kim is my wife. You can call me Dr. Oliver though."

"Fantastico! It's wonderful to meet you Dr. Oliver. I am Antonio Garcia," he mentioned with his arms flailing everywhere in a flashy way. "Call me Antonio if you want."

"I believe that I would," Kim's husband dryly replied, just a tad bit puzzled by him. "What do you need to talk to my wife about?"

"The catering for the opening. I want to show her I can handle the job," the Gold ranger eagerly answered, unknown he was in the presence of past rangers.

"Do you happen to have a sample of what you can cook," Rocky impatiently interrupted. "I'm starving over here!"

"Of course! There's this baby barracuda fish kebobs recipe I've been meaning to try," Antonio kissed his fingers to show how tasty they were going to be.

Aisha's husband didn't like that sound of that. "How about less baby-ish, more delicious," he was elbowed in the stomach by Leo. "What's that for?!"

Leo rolled his eyes. "Give the kid a chance," he stuck up for Antonio. "I'm sure whatever you cook, will be great," he was being supportive.

Kim got off the phone with her mom. She authorized for her mom to take Tristan to a local hospital, and she also mentioned they'd be home in an hour or so. She returned to Tommy's side, and she met with Antonio.

"Oh, my goodness. I almost forgot about our meeting," she quickly gave him a welcoming hug.

"Mrs. Oliver, it's quite alright. I almost forgot too," he muttered, since he's been consumed with fighting evil and trying to assimilate into the Samurai way of living. He blew out a breath. "Can I cook for you?"

"Of course, of course," she eagerly responded, and she looked at the stuff he was carrying. "Is it already cooked, or..."

"Come outside, and I'll show you," he accompanied her to his makeshift table and mini barbecue. "I've learned from my dad it's petty easy to cook on the go," he explained, while beginning to fry some tilapia. He also began to mold raw fish, fresh vegetables, sticky rice, and seaweed together for several rolls of sushi. As far as the baby barracuda fish kebobs were concerned, he'd save those for the other fisherman. He also incorporated several jazzy tricks for his 'audition'. He made sure to keep it interesting for her.

With joy, the Crane watched. He was amazing, and she could definitely see him at her opening. She received her plate of food. "Antonio," she called, her mouth erupting in hapiness, "this food is amazing. I want to hire you as one of my caterers," she grabbed for another piece of sushi and popped it into her mouth. Again, her eyes rolled into the back of her head in delight.

He bowed, accepting his job. "Thank you, thank you," he graciously acknowledged with a brighter smile.

"I can't wait. Everyone is going to talk about your good eats. Are there gonna be others with you? You know, to help."

Antonio pondered. "Yeah, I can think of a few," he answered, as he tried to think of a way to make sure Mia doesn't get a hold of a knife. "They'll be with me."

"Wonderful... Are you currently working? If you aren't, I have connections and can get you to work with a very reputable sushi chef. He could definitely use someone like you," she thought of Chad Lee, past Blue Lightspeed ranger. He recently became a Benihanas franchise owner.

"Mrs. Oliver, that's very kind of you, but right now I'm extremely busy. Maybe, when my life is a little less hectic," he was humble about the situation. The opportunity sounded great and was quite generous. Suddenly his phone rang, and he answered. "You got it," he quickly hung up, packed away the food for her take back to the others, and cleaned up his equipment in a flash. "Enjoy your meal, I really have to go," he rushed out of there.

Kim frowned for a bit, and then she thought about it. "There's no way," she let go that Antonio could be a Power Ranger. She managed to carry all food back and let go of the preposterous thought.

Xxxxx

Two Hours Later
Tengen Gate
Undisclosed Location

"This is the Tengen Gate," Mike incredulously asked, while walking forward, failing to show respect. "It's just a big wood thing." He wasn't too impressed with his surroundings.

"The Tengen Gate is a big part of ranger history, Mike," Jayden explained and stopped shy of the entrance. He reverently bowed like he always did.

Master Xandred's vengeance and vendetta against Jayden had spilled over to Earth, earlier in the day. The rangers fought hard against the very large Moogers. Usually, they were able to defeat them with just the Megazord, but they needed the Battlewing, Octozord and Clawzord to destroy them. They retreated to the Shiba House and were at a loss. This fight went up a notch in the difficult department overnight. Mentor mentioned they use a magic talisman created by the first Red Samurai ranger that could combine all of their Symbol Powers, known as the Black Box.

Jayden opposed the idea because the Black Box has never been completed. The task was laborious and required an unbounded amount of power. Overuse of their power could potentially have a deadly consequence, as his dad has proven.

Then, Antonio was thrown out there like easy prey for a wolf. He should be able to combine all of their Symbol Power and program the Black Box, in Emily's opinion. Kevin defended Antonio, since he thought about the logistics—Antonio didn't possess mastery of Symbol Power like the others. Mike sided with Emily along with Mia.

After hearing their reasons, Jayden agreed to ask Antonio to do this. Mentor believed they were the only team, who could be successful. He immediately sent them to the Tengen Gate, where, for generations, the Black Box has been kept safely.

Already notified, Daisuke headed to the front, and he met with the rangers. He happily greeted them, especially Jayden. Upon one look though, he knew Mentor hadn't done what's expected of him, or he missed his sister. He ignored that for now. He said a little anecdote and promptly introduced himself to the rangers, who didn't know him. A Senior Guardian led the Pink, Yellow, Green, and Blue ranger to the tea room, and Daisuke stayed with Jayden.

"Penny for your thoughts, Jayden," he asked, curious as to why Jayden stayed at the rock with Japanese letters longer than the others.

"It's nothing," Jayden half smiled and returned to looking at the monument of the first Nighlock attack.

"You haven't told them your secret, have you..." he wasn't pleased Mentor hadn't told his either.

Jayden faced Daisuke. "They're my friends, Daisuke. I don't like lying to them, and with everything that's occurred, I believe I need to keep up with the rouse," he replied truthfully, while pocketing his hands nervously.

When returning to the Shiba House after running away, he asked for forgiveness from his team, who were his first set of friends. They gladly welcomed him back and proclaimed there was no need for an apology. They had faith, understood he needed some time to himself, and they knew there was a lot on his mind. They weren't going to abandon him, at least not that easily. He chuckled at them, and they were off to the movies, since Mentor believed they deserved it.

The past several months have changed dramatically for him. He never expected to be this welcoming to Lauren's team, nor did he even think Antonio would show up like he did. However, he was thankful, glad, and experiencing several things he never thought he would.

"I'm sorry, Jayden. It is your duty to be the Red ranger," he apologized himself, while placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. His statement could be taken more ways than one. "You haven't spoken to Mentor about anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, is there something I need to know," Jayden asked inquisitively, while examining the older gentleman.

"Nothing right now," the Elder Guardian faked a smile. He opened his arm, signaling Jayden to stroll first. "Let's join your friends."

Jayden obliged and headed to the tea room. Daisuke trailed, and he saw the Pink and Blue ranger closely looking at the painting depicted on the side, bamboo wall: deep in the forest, there looked to be 100 Moogers, a woman in a traditional kimono, dragging a man in traditional Japense garbs away from a house that was burning severely. Not too many feet away, the same man was held victoriously in the Nighlock's arms while the young woman bowed in defeat. The powerful picture caused Mia to sympathize.

"It's an old folktale," Daisuke began. "A young woman made a deal with the Nighlock King to save the lives of her beloved and his father. The King tricked her and turned everyone into Nighlock."

"Sure sounds like something a Nighlock would do," Kevin instantly glared upon hearing the dishonesty of the evil. He wasn't too surprised that they played that dirty.

"The King took away one man's memory and cursed the other to live with his fate in an unconventional way. If both came together, it would be a deadly combination," the Elder Guardian finished. He partly explained the history behind Dayu, Deker, and Urumasa.

Mia's fingers softly touched the portrayal of Dayu and Deker. "It's strange... it's like I met this woman before," she described, entranced.

"Daisuke, rangers, the tea is ready," the Senior Guardian updated, and he opened the door for them to enter. He placed the tea in the middle of circle they had formed, unbeknownst to him these drinks were poisoned by Octoroo.

"We shall drink to honor this occasion," Daisuke rose his glass.

Jayden smiled and nodded and took the first drink. The drink tasted rancid, and that made him swallow roughly. Not too long after, he was overcame with the poison. He could feel his insides closing tautly, his breathing becoming shallow, perspiration forming around his exterior, and he felt like he was drowning in the Mariana Trench—the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean, unable to swim to the top.

"The drink is poisoned," he managed to say in the middle of coming in and out of consciousness.

The rangers speedily rushed to his side, while Daisuke was awfully concerned.

"Daisuke, there are Nighlock attacking the garden," a Junior Guardian alerted urgently. He spoke how the residents of this place were trying their best to fight.

Without a second thought, Kevin, Mia, Mike, and Emily ran to the front and morphed into their power suits. They grabbed their swords and physically navigated their way through the clumps of foot soldiers. All the while, Daisuke encountered the little miscreant named, Octoroo.

"Ooh, ah, ooh," the Nighlock with tentacles on his face systematically stated, while looking at the broken Red ranger. He finally did something right. He directed Arachnitor, a treacherous Nighlock, who wanted Master Xandred's throne, to fight the rangers, while he stayed here to convince the Red ranger to hand over the secret. "Red ranger, I want the Sealing Symbol," he unveiled his ulterior motive.

Another Junior Guardian bravely stood in front of Daisuke and Jayden, but he was easily defeated by a beam of energy from Octoroo.

"Your forces were defeated here before, Nighlock," Daisuke fiercely reminded the puny Octoroo.

"Ooh, ah, ooh, I'm not here for a history lesson. My only concern is the Red ranger and the Sealing power he has," Octoroo approached the struggling Jayden. "That poison will kill you eventually. I have the anitdote that will help, as long as you show me the Sealing Symbol."

"Jayden, don't do it," Daisuke ordered with force. He was about to jump on the Nighlock, but an energy shot caused him to fall to the ground. He convulsed at the unnatural feeling exploding from within.

"Dai-suke," Jayden almost strangled his vocal cords. He moved, using the rest of his strength to get out of there. He was obviously having a hard time, and he kept hearing the pestering taunts from Octoroo. He prayed to get away, and he hoped his team was doing okay. He crept in a lurching way. He went over pebbles that pierced his chest. He was fighting against the force pulling him down. He would find his way, despite his vision going from light to dark.

"Come on, Red ranger," Octoroo beckoned and kicked his chin. "I don't have all day for an answer."

Out the blue, Antonio showed up and instantly morphed. He jumped into the fight against Octoroo. He summoned his blade and was in an heated fight with the octopus demon from hell. They perilously fought and disrespectful quips were tossed around. The Gold ranger became entangled in the smaller demon's strings of a mouth and went for a wild ride in the air and flew towards the ground. Becoming angry, the Gold ranger used his blade and slashed the tentacles, several time. Once on the ground, they continued in their fight and eventually they became a stalemate.

In his human form, Deker appeared.

"We'll help him and battle him later."

"Hey fisherman," Deker called, announcing his arrival.

"Huh, what are you doing here," Antonio almost panicked, thinking he left him in the forest with his lunch.

"Relax," Deker transformed into his Nighlock form and slung Jayden over his shoulder. "I'll take care of the Red ranger from here," he vowed, and he escaped not too long after.

"Uh oh, time to go," Octoroo discontinued the battle and escaped in a tiny crevice.

"Jayden, aye, dos mio," the Gold ranger cried, very distraught. He had gotten carried away with today's events. The interview with Kimberly Oliver, his encounters with the fisherman, who was actually a Nighlock, and fighting Octoroo had proved to be distractions. He fell to the ground. "What have I done," he asked himself. He struggled to get up and went to find his friends He stumbled upon them, hidden in the forest, and their bodies were demorphed and riddled with injuries. He didn't know who to check on first, but he made a phone call. "Mentor. We have a problem or several," he began.

Xxxxx

Three Weeks Later
Boxed In
Shiba House

"I'll get him some water," Emily informed the others, while she briskly walked to the refrigerator. She grabbed the large carafe, and she got his Red cup. She poured some for him.

"And I'll get a wash cloth," Mia hurriedly offered, and she grabbed a free one and went to the sink. As she was wringing out the excess water, she stared at her leader with a lot of worry. Things weren't getting any better, she thought to herself.

Mike and Kevin were on each side of Jayden.

Mike intercepted the cup from Emily. "Here you go, drink up," he advised. He watched Jayden gulp down the beverage. "Don't do that to us ever again," he ordered earnestly. He patted Jayden on the back.

Kevin examined Jayden. "You're fine," he updated, and he sat across from the Red ranger. "What possessed you to work out like that," he questioned Jayden like he was a baby. "Was it Deker? Is it the Sealing Symbol? Do you need help?"

"No, I don't need help," Jayden gravely denied, his head facing the floor. Even if he did accept the help, he wouldn't even know what the first stroke would be. He closed his eyes, ignoring the chatter from them. He just wanted to crawl in his bed and sleep.

He submerged himself in today's workout. His head looked like a dirty mop, perspiration clung to his body, and the only time he took a break was to get a new kendo stick. In this practice alone, he broke three of them. His teammates wished for him to stop, take it easy, and work with them. Instead, he worked alone.

The thought of the Sealing Symbol, still missing Lauren, and actually having a talk with Deker culminated in him wanting to invest his pent up frustration in a workout. He remembered the half human, half Nighlock spoke so passionately about an impending duel, yet Jayden was never attacked. Maybe it was because Antonio showed up in the nick of time.

(Flashback)

Deker's acquired strength made carrying Jayden a breeze. He must've walked over a hundred miles and tossed the Red ranger into the stream. Immediately, Jayden's body shuddered at the unannounced immersion. Completely soaked from head to toe, he rose. The Red ranger felt like he sparred with Mia for over a couple of hours, his head was throbbing, and he his stomach was still torn to pieces.

"Stay under. The water will purge the poison from your system," Deker commanded, listening to his dad's wishes. "Trust me, there's nothing we want more than you in top form. The sooner you recover, the sooner we'll be able to duel you," he intently watched him.

Jayden could do nothing else. He quickly dunked his body, allowing the purifying waters to wash over him.

Three hours later, Jayden came to once more. He sat against a large boulder. Deker looked to be pacing back and forth.

"I don't want to fight him," Deker yelled, his body becoming torn from the inside all over again.

"You will! This is what I want. I need this to happen."

"His body is weak. It's still poisoned. The fight will not be fair," Deker wanted this to stop. The human in him wanted this to stop.

"He's fine. Just ask. My son, you will do this for me."

The Red ranger thought Deker had gone mad. There was no one else inside the cave with them. Deker appeared to be talking to himself, which caused Jayden to think this Nighlock was definitely 'off his rocker'.

"Why do you care so much about fighting me," Jayden interjected, which caused Deker to immediately grab for Urumasa. "There are other good warriors in the world."

"Yes, but like me, you have a secret festering inside of you," Deker broke free from talking on behalf of Urumasa. He grunted before continuing. "We're warped, twisted even."

"What do you mean," Jayden took a step closer, getting angrier by the second. His eyes reverted to hardened diamonds and stared into the eyes of Deker. Oddly, the other man's eyes shifted from auburn to cool blue. He curiously examined.

"You would've sacrificed everything before giving that damn Ocotoroo the Sealing power. There's a spirit inside of you I've never found before in any other Samurai... I don't think I've found a fighting spirit like yours since him."

"Him?"

"Yes, him—the Legend. He's battled countless armies throughout the galaxy. He's fearless, and his power is known to everyone, which is why he's often targeted."

"Who the hell are you talking about?!"

"Silence," Deker ordered, feeling the immense pain all over again.

"Are you talking to yourself," Jayden had to ask, very curious about Deker's sporadic speeches to no one.

"Don't worry who I'm talking about... You're the perfect opponent, at least he thinks so..." Immediately, the half Nighlock, half human took his Urumasa out the holder and took the appropriate battle stance against Jayden.

Jayden reciprocated and summoned his Spinsword, and he circled with Deker. The thoughts in his head wouldn't stop. He had so many questions to ask this person, but their fight was set to happen now. He had no more to think.

Unexpectedly, Antonio jumped in between and stopped them from fighting.

(End Flashback)

He sighed, as he had four pairs of eyes on him. They were worried about him. It was clear. "I'm fine everyone. Seriously. And thanks," he smiled small but didn't sound too convincing.

"Are you sure," the Green ranger asked because he genuinely cared. He hoped to be on Jayden's level, and that's why he diligently worked so hard to master anything and everything related to the forest. "You just passed out on us."

"Trust, I'm okay," he faked a smile, keeping his true feelings within himself. Being a leader was beginning to get a little too tedious now.

The rest of the rangers dropped this. He was being stubborn. It was apparent, and they weren't going to fight him. He's already been through so much today and all other days. They knew he wasn't going to catch a break anytime soon.

"Where's Mentor," Emilly asked, as she looked around the room. "I haven't seen him since we started practice, and it's getting close to dinner time."

"Oh," Mia intervened, "I'll cook." She found herself by the cabinets. She scrounged around, thinking of what she could prepare for everyone else.

Emily, Mike, and Kevin glanced at each other so quickly they could've strained their neck. Mia and the stove were like oil and water. They just didn't mix. They escaped, making sure to take Jayden with them.

"Huh," Jayden yelped, while he was whisked out of there. He gave grateful looks to the others though.

"Hey, guys, I thought we were," Antonio was quickly silenced by Emily. He watched a finger planted firmly in front of her lips. "What's going on," he whispered.

"Our lovely Pink ranger is in the kitchen," Mike supplemented, and he saw Antonio vomit in his mouth. "You can say your thanks later by making dinner."

Antonio nodded, and they all retreated to the living room.

Still in the kitchen, Mia picked out a few things. "Maybe I can," she turned back around and found no one to be there. "Guys? Guys? Hello?" She furrowed her brows and returned to the cabinet. She put all of her pickings back. Oatmeal and dried mango on the bottom shelf, red pepper flakes, evaporated milk, chicken bouillon cubes and almond extract on the middle shelf.

Kevin slipped back in unnoticed. He hastily grabbed an apple, banana, an orange, and a bag of chips for Mike. He almost had to somersault out of there, so the Pink ranger didn't see him.

Mia hummed to herself, and she exited the kitchen soon after. She thought they weren't that hungry.

A/N: The next chapter will have my interpretation of Dayu, Deker, and Urumasa explained in full. Just an FYI. ;)