A/N: Hello all! Here is the next chapter, and it takes place immediately after the next one. I'm still continuing this. Please do not worry!
Chapter 32- The Ninjetti
Xxxxx
Rock Quarry
Panorama City, CA
Dizzy.
She was dizzy. Her head pounded , as if an ongoing wrestling bout was happening in her cranial cavity, her body inflamed, as if gallons of gasoline drenched her body and lit with throngs of matches, and her breaths were shallow, as if she hadn't inhaled nor exhaled a real breath in awhile. She noticed the sky, blue, a light blue, and clumps of airy whiteness, not a single dark one in sight. To the left and right, no one, human or not, came within her vision's capacity. All she saw was more stones—Earth's pimples and blandness.
Her last memory was full of roses and chocolates, only because the scent of her brother resurrected was sweet, lively and safe, no longer death's objective.
Splashes of yellow and brown captivated her attention. Her athletic form curved, and she took a peek. An unfamiliar, young lady, stylishly dressed, if she might add, appeared to be in a deep sleep. The preteen furrowed her brows. Why on Earth would she choose this place to catch a few Z's? A bit wary, she reached, trembles stretched from her arm to her fingers, and she parted the girl's hair. Black, brown, patches of red, folding into crimson littered her face, but the way her skin color drained caused her breath to hitch. In a daze, she attempted to stand and piece together what's happened.
Her knees quaked, a couple of bones out of their comfort zone pushed her to wince. It took her a few times, her last time successful. Her vision veered from the cloudiness, a result from her stubborn attempt to stand erect before ready to, and her eyes roved. She concluded she was at the rock quarry. "How did I get here," she mumbled to herself. She inhaled salty water, bundles of feet away, and the cool wind swarmed her body and tousled her hair, as if she was photo shoot ready. She scrutinized her body, and, she, too, was bruised-purple, blue, red knitted together, and her clothes were ripped to shreds.
Down below, there was a team of familiar people. She focused her eyes on her brother, who stood out the most to her.
"Jayden," she managed to wave, her body bouncing up and down. Elation consumed her. However, her excitement scaled, in the few heart shattering seconds that followed. Her arms fell to her sides, the insides of her stomach soon twisted, and the truth was coming to light. With purpose, she watched the Samurai rangers, their bodies, in civilian clothes, caved forth, as if enthralled and waiting for her next move. Yet, Mia, the mother to her niece, was in the same condition as the woman behind her. "Oh God," she gasped.
If being the child to two legendary rangers has taught her anything, it was this: if you can't remember the last few days of your life, months in Uncle Cole's case, then, most likely, you were at the brink of a spell.
She deducted, while under the spell, whatever the spell was, she partook in incomprehensible havoc. Therefore, based on how her brother hovered over Mia, and the state of Mia along with the unknown female behind her, they were not sleeping at all. It was far worse than the naked eye could see, far worse than she could imagine. She collapsed and clenched her chest to rid herself of the guilt. Like a torturous knife though, it impaled her heart in an unbounded manner.
All she could do was sob, her cries wracking her body.
Jayden deposited an unresponsive Mia into Kevin's arms, in the gentlest way possible. Kevin accepted the task to whisk her to safety in confidence. "Get her home," he croaked through innumerable tears. He kissed her temple. He found the strength to restore some order. "I'll be home soon," he promised. He got up, although, he was clueless to the mode utilized to do so.
"Jayden," Emily called, her voice indiscernible. "Are you sure you don't need our help?" With her face unmasked, she gazed at him in earnest and waited for his response.
Antonio and Mike, dirtied with dust and sticky perspiration, knew better. Their leader needed some time with his sisters, preferably in isolation. No prying eyes were needed.
"I need to do this on my own," he replied, a sense of graveness indicted. He approached his sisters, overhearing the sound of Kevin getting them to the Shiba House.
As more tears rained, he stooped, his body towards Lauren's, and he apologized before disrespecting her body, so her back was on the ground. A measure taken to examine her. She was already cold to the touch. Her ranger powers depleting was responsible for speeding up her demise. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, grazing her face with his fingers, encountering a few bumps in the process. His body, then, twisted. He discarded his extra tears with a wisp of his hand, and his eyesight tunneled to his little sister. He staggered, a failed attempt to creep on her. His hand reached her first, before anything was said, but she back peddled, feeling unworthy of his presence or sympathy.
"Get away," she barked, aligning her back with a rock, and brought her knees to her chest—a defense mechanism. "I don't know everything, but I know did something or some things really, really wrong." With her Ninjetti powers, her healing accelerated, her bones mended themselves, and she was fit to do as she pleased. What she pleased was to distance herself from her older brother.
"You were under a spell," he updated, confirming her thought. He half-expected her to face him like she's done so previous times, but her head buried deeper in between her legs. Her body quivered in defeat, as the guilt overcame her body. "It's not your fault." He pursued to get her back to normal.
"How can you still talk to me," she yelled in aggravation. Her head whipped up, and she gawked at him with incredulity. "You know I did some horrible stuff, why are you trying to help me?!"
"Because, you're my sister." He took a step closer. Like her, his inner self was disturbed, but he forwent his poignancy for everyone's sake, especially hers. "Mom and dad are waiting, they've been worried about you. Our little brother is missing you. You haven't heard how he was without you." Not once did he provoke her, so he remembered her excitement when she found out she was going to be an aunt. "Mia, the baby, they need you." He exhaled a breath. "I need you."
"Did... did I hurt Mia?" She watched him, and when he nodded, she sobbed even louder. She didn't need to hear anything else, nor did she want to talk or hear him any longer. There was nothing that could alleviate her pain and regret. She just couldn't forgive herself.
Not dissuaded, he lunged, and grabbed her wrist with roughness. The ministration an act of tough love. He forced her to make eye contact. "Stop it... STOP IT, SOPHIA," he reprimanded her, his eyes flashed green, which made her stop. She stared, frightened for it was painted on her features. He softened, afterward, because all he vied for was her attention. "Don't beat yourself up!"
"You don't get it," she shouted.
"How can you tell me that? I've been in your shoes. I've fought my team members. I damn near destroyed several of Mia's ribs," he confessed. "What about dad and mom? Dad terrorized Angel Grove and the team of rangers. Mom took a dip in evil volcanic fire, and she had to fight dad, even he couldn't break her out of it when he took off his helmet! They, out of everyone, knows what it's like to be on the side of evil."
"But they and you didn't go as far as I did," she raged
"Sophia, the first thing they will tell you is to snap out of it and deal with it, before it consumes you to the point you can't operate in a proper manner."
"Oh fuck you," she cursed at him, her eyes altering to that Oliver green hue. She hoisted herself up, and she punched him in the face. When he didn't flinch, she became even more infuriated. Several more punches attacked him in succession, and she added powerful roundhouse kicks, left and right, to his chest. He budged, but not enough in her opinion. An impassioned cry escaped her lips, launching a full on attack, which he took in stride. She attempted a leg sweep, but he jumped up and away. She chased after him. More torrents of punches and kicks came at him like a machine gun on the fritz. "Fight me," she demanded with malice.
"I will not fight you," he countered, as he maneuvered his much larger frame to get out of harm's way. "Us fighting will not solve this!"
Again, she screeched, irritation enveloped her. She leaped in the air, her Ninjetti powers coursing through her veins, heights reached to 1,000 feet above the ground, and she was barreling down, her fist clenched.
Tapping into his own Ninjetti powers, Jayden's perception quadrupled. He zoomed to where she was in line to. At the rate and speed she was going, he knew this wasn't going to end well. He had to make a choice, and this resulted in him using his body to shield Lauren. He clutched her body next, and he rolled them out of the way swiftly.
Sophia growled over the save. She tried to stop, redirect where she was going, but it was futile. Her fist made contact, a loud boom rattled. She indented the floor, five feet deep, and she was stuck. Her legs flapped, while the rest of her body thrashed in exasperation. A war raged within in her, for she did not know how to deal with the repercussions caused by her actions. She needed help. The desperation was painfully obvious.
Jayden allowed his sister to vent her frustration. He laid Lauren down carefully, and he returned to his sister's side. He helped to liberate her hand, which took a few toggles, and he pulled her into a brotherly embrace. "Come on, we need to get you home." He reminded himself his sister was 13. A dichotomous age, where one minute the need to be an adult outweighed the necessary steps to foster into maturity, but the other minute the easy goings of being a child slipped within one's grasp.
Still wary, she agreed nonetheless because she did need her family's support. "What about her," she used her elbow to point at Lauren, while getting up. Awkwardness was exuded, while looking frazzled.
"We're gonna take her too," he assured. He went, his sister in tow, and picked Lauren up, slinging her over his shoulder. He used his phone. "Symbol power, teleport."
In a flash of light, the three of them were gone.
Xxxxx
Living Room
Panorama City, CA
"Mom, dad," Sophia rushed to their side, as soon as she materialized. They opened their arms, and they cried. Their daughter was back where she belonged, with them. As parents, who have been the targets of evil and believed anything was possible, they whispered words of encouragement to get her through this trying time. Sophia sobbed, as she listened to them. Though, her self-condemnation still evident in the way she returned the hug.
The rest of the Samurai rangers, bandaged and cleaned up, lounged in the living room too, and they watched. Mike, his arm slung across Emily's back in a comforting yet protective manner, her eyes full of shed tears and new ones forming, Antonio, his hands fidgety, and Kevin, on high alert, were happy for them, even under the circumstances.
Jayden's lips curled into a faint smile at the reunion. With his other sister's over one of his shoulders, he carried her to the medical bay. He entered and noticed Terry was inside, his hand grasping his older sister's hand. He, then, laid his sister on a free cot that was next to them. Kurokos' slippers shuffled like sandpaper on the wooden surface and picked up their pace, upon her arrival. He cemented his place between both, relieving Terry, who needed time to process the situation.
The door slid open, and, at the doorway, the Samurai Mentors stood grief stricken. Mentor Yaki stumbled to Lauren's side. He covered his body with hers and wept. The shrieks of his pain, regret and anguish were hard to stomach. Jayden ripped himself away from the sight, his concentration given to Mia. Liquid streamed down his face. He watched her chest, any sort of elevation would have granted him some relief, but there was absolutely nothing. Mentor Ji came over, his hands planted on Jayden's shoulders for comfort. No words exchanged.
Two young ladies, in their prime, were not on this Earth, or were they.
He didn't feel empty. He searched deep within himself. A faint wail of a Nightingale, his daughter's animal spirit, still lingered. There was hope. All he needed. The Phoenix marched, new found determination fueling his steps, out of the room. He stopped before his parents and little sister. Once more, he mustered strength because he knew this task was not easy. "Is it possible to bring them both back to life," he questioned. "If it was done to me, it can be done for them, right?"
His family was taken aback.
"Two, three, if you include your daughter," Tommy started, "is going to take a lot of power." He didn't want to provoke any hope in his son, unless it was guaranteed. "We need more people. It takes five to restore one body."
As Kim rocked her independent and precocious daughter, for the first time in over a decade, soothing her, she broke the lullaby she was singing. Her brain exerted itself, and she snapped her fingers. An epiphany struck her, and she did this "We call them," she figured, her head nodding profusely. Everyone's ears in the room perked up. "All. Rocky, Aisha, Adam and Billy, and the kids. All Ninjetti spirits can combine." She figured with kids assistance there would be more of a chance to resuscitate the three.
"Mrs. Oliver, is it possible," Kevin wondered. He didn't hold extensive knowledge about the Ninjetti powers, so he was concerned about how much power was necessary to perform such a feat.
"Please, let it be so," the worried blonde hoped.
"What are the repercussions," Antonio queried, looking between everyone. He wasn't there when Jayden was brought back to life.
"What are we waiting for," Mike inquired, his heart invested without being prompted. "Let's bring them back!" He pounded his fist in his hand, signaling he was serious.
Terry overheard. "Can you really do it," he received everyone's attention. He sniffled, then rubbed his eyes. "I want my sister back, but I'm afraid it won't work." He spoke of his fears.
Mentor Yaki and Mentor Ji entered the living room. The two were drained of tears and emotions. Once within the vicinity of the people congregated, a plan in hand, they were informed. They were on board and all resources they had could be used at their disposal.
"Please, this has to work," Yaki begged. He was at the mercy of the Oliver family, even Jayden, who he often treated as a ghost, and Sophia, who he blamed for this. "She's the only family I have."
Before making the phone calls, Jayden crouched, leveling himself with Sophia. "Are you going to be able to do this?" Reddened eyes anointed with the sun's temperatures came out of hiding. The fear that played in her eyes was undeniable, and he understood her apprehensiveness. "With other people coming, I'm sure..."
"... To those who possess the Great Power, anything is possible," Sophia remarked, breaking away from her parents' side. She stood in the center of the living room, her eyes gracing every single person in there. Disgust and hatred came from two people, but for one, he granted her the warmest smile, which made her heart flutter, and she accepted the kindness. "I just want to say I'm sorry for what I did. Spell or not, I did take it too far," she apologized from the bottom of her heart. That's all she could do, for now. Until she was reunited with Lauren and Mia, the people she owed her deepest of apologies to, then she would elaborate further. She resumed sitting.
Then, the imperative phone calls went out.
An hour later, the Ninjetti arrived, coming in pacts, as did Jason Scott, since Tristan was with him and his family. No questions loomed. When a friend was in trouble or in need of help, they came, no ifs, ands, or buts. They were, for all intents and purposes, a family bridged together by a deep secret.
Fourteen people were in the confines of the medical bay.
The Kurokos, spouses, who were not Ninjetti, and an ally left, after helping to set up. Hayley, Tanya and Jason assisted with conducting tests, and the Kurokos positioned the beds accordingly.
Tommy with his mastery of the 'Great Power', Billy, who was in possession of an upgraded ranger scanner, along with Adrian, Adam's son, mapped a blueprint. Their intention was equality, since they were mixing advanced but dormant Ninjetti powers with fresh yet burgeoning Ninjetti powers, the latter outmatching. The married couples were separated into one group, as were the siblings. Issues arose, however, with the Oliver children, since there were three of them, and they were bound to have two in one group, and Jayden was an active ranger. In addition, three children possessed half of the Great Power, two of which also held on to suppressed Zeo and Turbo power sources. Landon, Billy's son, his age was taken into account as well.
The trio presented their findings to everyone. Falcon, Tommy, Dove, Sophia, Eagle, Tristan, Bear, Aisha, Baboon, Rock, Frog, Adam and Salamander, Kaylani, crowded around Lauren's body. Crane, Kim, Phoenix, Jayden, Ape, Rocky, Cougar, Nadia, Wolf, Billy, Coyote, Landon, and Bullfrog, Adrian, circled Mia.
"Is this going to work," Naddy asked, after she bit her lip. She wished she was eating something to quell the bundle of nerves attacking her.
"You'll be fine," her dad reassured. His son and daughter have never participated in anything of this magnitude, but he believed in them."I know you can do this."
"Naddy, there's nothing to worry about." Aisha broke from her group to embrace her daughter and was joined by her husband. Naddy's parents wrapped their arms around her. She returned and glanced at her son. "Your dad is right. Both of you can do this."
"Alright, mom," Rock nodded with the weight of the world situating on his shoulders it seemed. Yet, his parents were to guide him, and he was receptive to it. "Nads, everything is going to be alright."
"What if we do something wrong though," Kaylani nervously posed her question. She fidgeted with her fingers. "Dad?"
"You won't, trust me," Adam swore with a comforting smile. "Your aunts and uncles will take care of you." He, too, held the same conviction as his best friend. Their kids could harness their powers, all they had to do was try.
"We are scientifically grouped, we should be okay," Adrian informed in confidence. "Uncle Billy, right?"
"Affirmative," Billy assured, as he coddled his young son against his chest, while the younger Cranston sucked on his fist. After placing his son into his car seat that was on top of a heightened stool, his special accommodation, Landon relinquished his fist, his lips parted into a smile, exposing his baby teeth. Billy grinned with pride. "We should get started. Tommy, lead your group."
"Alright, everyone ready," Tommy took up his leader position, once more. He made eye contact with his daughter, youngest son, Aisha, her son, Adam, and his daughter. Before crossing over, his gaze fell on his wife and other son. He mouthed his love to them. Then, he ordered his family and friends to raise their hands. With their fingertips touching, he also ordered them to close their eyes. White, Rose, Alabaster, Yellow, Turquoise, Black and Green streamed from their respective holders. A Falcon emerged from Tommy's chest, as did a Dove, an Eagle, a Bear, a Baboon, a Frog and a Salamander. The animals soared, stomped, or frolicked and converged above Lauren. Their shadows tinted her. They charged into her chest.
It was quite a spectacle to see.
"Are you ready," Kim questioned her son, after watching him. He nodded. "Okay, just like how they did," the Crane led. She elevated her hands enough, since there was a baby on their side. Pink, Crimson, Red, Gold, Blue, Azure, and Gray escaped in ribbons. A Crane cawed. A Phoenix, an Ape, a Cougar, a Wolf, a baby Coyote, and a Bullfrog followed. Flying, corralling or hopping, they went round and round, then plunged or sprung into Mia.
(Lauren's State of Mind)
The willowy blonde promenaded, grains of drenched and untouched sand squished beneath her feet and in between her toes. The invigorating hydration tickled her nose, and she welcomed the billowy breeze with her eyes shut. Once open, in the distance, purples, oranges, yellows, hints of blue, bloomed, night unraveling into morning. Her lips curled into a genuine smile with all the memories of her childhood, before a warrior in training, flooding her. She missed coming here and building sandcastles, swimming far distances and eating meaty sandwiches, sometimes with grains of sand because her dad carelessly dropped the picnic basket. This place served as their picturesque backdrop, and she reveled in the time spent here.
She continued, her pace sped up by carefree skips.
She stopped, several miles from where she began. A glint of quartz, florid in color, beguiled her. She went there, where the illumination amassed brighter but dulled, once she was within three feet. The most opulent Dove, wings tinged with pink, pecked ravenously. She lowered herself, her sapphires wide, opened her hand and gestured for the dainty bird to enter her palm. She examined the bird. The eyes struck her first—silk in color verging together made up the eyes. The most unusual color for a dove, or any other bird for that matter.
Then, the bird snapped at her. She dropped the bird, a reflexive action.
"What was that for," she frowned. She watched the bird fly to the height of the sky, until no longer visible. "Okay..." she said to herself, and she forged on.
The scene around her changed without notice, and she was in the ancient ruins of the Ninjetti Temple that overlooked the Neola Jungle. Quizzically, she scanned her surroundings, which were a stark contrast to the beach she loved so much and felt the most peaceful. She walked around, pocketing her hands as a nervous quirk, and she spun to a stop at two people, one male and one female. The female barely outfitted. "Who are you, both of you?"
"I am Zordon and this is my consort, Dulcea," he introduced, his voice booming. He descended down, air pushing him along. "You must be Lauren Shiba."
"How, how do you know my name?" Her feet toppled over one another and her hand gestures never stopped over the strangers, who were attempting to break the shield over her vulnerability. Something she detested.
"It was quite easy to figure out, once seeing you. Your parents talk a lot about you," Dulcea responded with a smile. She, too, came down, her powerful stick that broke down to two batons in her right hand.
"You know my parents," Lauren asked, her voice quaking.
"Yes."
Zordon, along with his consort, hunted for her, as she took several instinctive steps back. The blonde clamored for a way out of there, but she did not gain an opening, not with these two especially.
The Dove returned, and she morphed into her human form. Lauren, in shock, gazed, as a pubescent girl, no more than aged 14, attired in a plain white shirt, pink shorts, white sneakers adorned with pink stripes, her hair straightened to that of her mother's and eyes that were definitely of tiger's eyes gemstones, stood by her parents' mentor.
"Zordon, can I talk to her in private," Sophia queried, her body swiveled to them. "Please."
"Yes, but not for too long... time's running out," he replied, cryptic like usual.
"You are needed for the Nightingale," Dulcea added, and she vanished in puff of smoke with Zordon.
Brunette and blonde took a seat at the steps, where Sophia's parents, once stood and accepted their animal spirits. With the forestry of the jungle behind them, they faced once another.
"I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you," apologized Sophia with her hand rested on her lap. "Your decision wasn't an easy one to make."
"It was actually," Lauren countered.
There was a pregnant pause. She's been wanting to have a physical conversation with Sophia, since finding out he had one. Her expectations for who Sophia was upheld, for she knew the Dove did not own a callous bone in her body. She knew when she made the decision to sacrifice herself it was to save her. She wouldn't take it back.
"Why did you," Sophia wanted to know.
"Because, you didn't know what you were doing. How could you? The Nighlock's spells are powerful."
"Still, I killed you," the younger one pointed out.
"Essentially, but there's no hard feelings." Lauren smiled at her. "So you're Jayden's little sister?"
"Yup, that's me. Sophia Annabelle Hart-Oliver," she proudly stated. "And, you're Jayden's adopted sister?"
"Lauren Analeigh Shiba. You have a pretty name."
"So do you, and you're very, very pretty too," Soph complimented. This was a little surreal. "I didn't give much thought about how you looked, but was curious about your relationship with Jayden. You two seem really close."
"We are," Lauren grinned. Sadly, it was a bitter one. "Why are you here? Talking to me. Not that I don't mind, but..." She gripped her legs closer to her body with her arms.
"I wanted to speak to you," she answered, after taking some time to think. "At first, Zordon was not going to allow us to talk, but I'm stubborn. He allowed it."
"Oh," was all Lauren could reply with. "That's nice of him."
A whooshing sound provoked the two young ladies to stop talking. The blonde threw her hands over her mouth, and she bursted into tears immediately. As if she was tossed back in time, she was engulfed with love and security that was stripped from her at a very young age. She took off like the speed of light, and her parents enveloped her. "Mommy, daddy," their names rolled off her tongue. It was just too good to be true. She went from one parent to the other, when giving them individual hugs. "I must be dreaming."
"No, sweetie, we are right here," Mathew swore, as he accepted another one of her embraces. "I've missed you."
"Mommy," Lauren's voice shook at the look of her mother.
"Yes, it's me," she wrapped her arms around her daughter.
Sophia smiled at their joyous reunion. A greater appreciation for her parents resulted too. Not too long later, Zordon and Dulcea joined.
(Meanwhile...
Mia's State of Mind)
In a dance studio, Mia browsed. She passed by closed and opened doors, none piqued her interest. That was until she waltzed to the random double door one. The gleaming gild captured her attention. It was the one that stood out the most, as if it was meant for her to enter She peeked, before jarring the door wide open with a push of her hand. One person was inside. She entered careful to not attract any attention.
Mia stared for a long time. The girl looked to be in high school, light brown tresses reached to her mid-back, 5'5" in height, with a thin frame but curves at the right places. Particularly, her bottom was poked out farther. The girl was biracial, indicated by her almond shaped eyes and her bone structure, and she was dressed in a red, over sized, off the shoulder t-shirt, a black sports bra underneath, capri leggings and J's with the same color scheme.
"Hello," Mia greeted, but the young girl didn't appear to hear her, so she elevated her voice. "Hello!" Once more, the girl's regard diverted elsewhere.
In the second that followed, the teen spun on the tips of her toes, her arms, like wings, spread with eloquence laced. She hummed a soft tune, Fred Astaire's, 'I Won't Dance'. Her lines were executed perfectly. She jumped across and defied gravity. In the air, her legs parted gracefully. She landed, soft, in a plie. She twirled 360 degrees. Once stopping, her leg pointed above her head, athleticism exhibited in the way her leg arched. She faked a tumble back, then shoved the air, and stood erect. Her arms crossed her chest, and she shimmied to the left and right. She snapped her fingers next, so she could increase the tempo to the next eight counts, but halted when she saw the people that entered.
With her jaw extended to the ground, Mia realized this was a glimpse into the future, her future.
"Mom, dad," she faced them. She ran to her pile of stuff and grabbed her towel. After getting rid of her sweat, she smiled. "Oh, I have to tell you everything!" She grabbed their hands, as well as their attention and brought them to the middle of the dance floor, still unaware a figure was observing them.
"We already know you're the best dancer in town," her dad updated with a chuckle.
"I want to know," her mom playfully elbowed her husband. His arm slid around the small of their back, and the two became intertwined in a loving fashion, as they faced their daughter.
"Mrs. Rhodes said I'm in the running to be this year's main dancer," she revealed, and she jumped with exuberance. "She really thinks I have the talent to kill the audition! Oh, do you know what this means?! The possibilities to come with that title! They're endless!"
Her mom congratulated her daughter and hugged her. The dad joined in as well. This was their daughter's dream to become a prized dancer. One day, her hope was to attend Julliard. For as long as they could remember, she's been working, hard and long, to get to this point, and they were beyond grateful she was granted such an opportunity.
"And you will get the title," her dad rallied behind her. "Jayla Lauren Shiba, when you put your mind to something, there isn't anything you can't do."
Mia overheard the name.
"Do you think everyone will be just as excited as you guys," she queried, as she gathered her belongings. "I want them to come to my audition! I know Grandma and Grandpa might be busy with the Delta Base, and Auntie Sophia is out of town, and Uncle Tristan is away at college, but they won't want to miss this! They have to come! Oh, mom, call Uncle Terry, maybe the Rebel Rockers can reunite to play the background music," she rambled with so much excitement her parents hardly kept up.
"Whoa, Jayla," her mom interrupted, "one thing at a time. We will Skype later with everyone, and I doubt anyone would want to miss you dance." She allowed her daughter to leave first, her incessant speech about who to call first, exiting her mouth. She hung back with her husband. "Jayden, can you believe this?"
"She's going to do great."
"Yeah, and if she does get the title, then we have to invite everyone we can for her first recital. Your parents, my parents, your brother and sister, all the aunts and uncles. There is so many, I can't keep count!"
"We also have to place a phone call to Paris. Grand-mere and Grand-papa," he produced a French accent, "would love to see their great grandchild dance her heart out."
Mia grinned. "I love you," she declared.
"I love you more." His arm brought her flushed against him. He kissed her with passion.
Jayla escalated the stairs, when she realized her parents weren't with her. She stumbled upon her parents in a hot make out session. Her face contorted, grossed out by their public display. "Mom, Dad that' is so not cute," she snapped. "Come on! JJ is waiting," she spoke of her little brother.
(Mia and Lauren's State of Minds-Combined)
Mia's scene altered, and she, too, found herself in the Ninjetti Temple. Out her peripheral, she caught the sight of Sophia and Lauren with four adults she has never crossed paths with before. As she stepped forth, she was met by Jayden. He intercepted her body, his meeting hers.
"Jayden," Mia shrieked, happiness accompanied them, but, nonetheless, she was overwhelmed by her feelings. She wrapped him in her arm and trembled against him, her cries the most powerful because she did not think she would ever be given this opportunity again. She broke from him, her hands trailing his smooth skin, and she implored his blue eyes that often peered into her soul. "Is it really you?"
"Of course, it's me." He wallowed in her tender touches. His rough hands were at her wrists, and he combined the two to make a fist. He kissed her knuckles affectionately. "I love you."
"I love you more," she proclaimed. Her petite arms, then, locked at his neck, and she rested her forehead against his. Their euphoric stage was set in her mind. They were at the ice rink, where they decided to take their relationship a step farther. She cried, laughed and pranced with him. Both swirling together and uncaring to who was around. What mattered was she was in his arms.
"Ahem," Sophia obnoxiously disrupted, much to their chagrin. "I want a hug too, if she will allow me." She looked at Mia expectantly.
"Of course," Mia allowed, since she was the aunt to her child. "It was a spell. The baby and I are fine." She vowed.
More tears exited Sophia. She wasn't sure how that was possible and hugged tighter.
"So, that's her," Nina asked her daughter, and Lauren nodded. "He loves her so much." She found this hard to believe. Even though she was not on earth, Jayden was always going to be her little boy. It was obvious, her little boy grew up and fell in love.
Jayden parted from Mia. His hand glided back to constrain hers, and he led her to the six people. One more time, Jayden was able to meet with his adopted parents. He introduced Mia. Mathew and Nina placed a hand on Mia's stomach. A glow emitted from their hands, and their daughter's heartbeat resounded in the open. Sophia and Lauren gasped at the pounds of their niece's heartbeat.
Pretty soon, the rest of the Ninjetti appeared, as a human. They were able to listen to the baby's heart, and for Tommy and Kim, the reality set in. They were set to be grandparents. For rest of their friends, their eyes roamed at the place that held significant meaning in their hearts. This was where their animals stirred inside of them, and, at this moment, they realized this 'Great Power' surpassed any other powers bestowed upon them.
"Zordon," Aisha called, her eyes brimming. It had been close to two decades, since she last seen her mentor. Her last memory was 'a giant floating head'. He turned to her, a smile on his face. "It is you!"
"Dulcea," Adam couldn't believe his eyes, and he walked to her.
"The Frog has accepted his title, I see," she probed in a playful manner. "Who are these two?" Her eyes fell on the interracial children, who were half of him.
"I'm Adrian, the Bullfrog," he stated with pride.
"And, I'm Kaylani, but I go by Lani. I'm the Salamander," she greeted with a bow, as if in the presence of the Queen of England.
"It's very nice to meet you," Dulcea tucked her finger under Lani's chin and leveled their eyes. "All of that is not necessary."
Zordon', his face full of lively animation, became reacquainted with his group of rangers. "Oh my," he huskily said. He approached, and his eyes became even wider at the children present with them. "Can I," he questioned about holding Landon.
"Zordon, this is my son, Landon," he handed him off to Zordon. Out of his tube, he had to admit his mentor was a good looking guy.
"Billy, you should be proud of your Coyote," Dulcea cooed at the little tot, and the young boy smiled with vibrancy.
"Mom, dad, who are they," Rock wondered.
Naddy was near her brother, and she wanted to know too. "Are they important?"
"Son, Zordon was my mentor when I was a Power Ranger, and she, right there, is a warrior, the warrior, who controls these grounds, and gave me the power of the Ape," Rocky explained the significance of Zordon and Dulcea to his children.
"Wow," Rock and Naddy yelped in awe.
Tommy and Kim departed to speak to Mathew and Nina. The fathers firmly shook hands as a way of respect, while Kim administered a hug to Nina, another form of respect.
"I want to thank you for giving us the opportunity to care for a son," Mathew thanked from the bottom of his heart. "You don't know how much it meant to us."
"We never wanted to make you think we would thrust Jayden into the line of fire without consideration," Nina added sincerely. "If you don't believe us, then I place all blame on my husband."
"NINA!"
"Kidding, kidding," Lauren's mother joked, showcasing a side neither of her kids ever witnessed. "Thank you so much. Your son," she looked over at him, "was a joy, and he's done incredibly well as a ranger. But, it's time he knows who his parents are."
Tommy and Kim were touched.
"We should thank you for caring for him. He is such a wonderful person, and we can't wait to continue all of our lives together. We wish you could join us," Kim desired, but she knew it was not possible.
"And I want to apologize, there's been plenty of times I cursed you both for giving him this life, but everything happened for a reason. I'm proud of who he has become," Tommy confessed.
Between the Olivers and Shibas, there was no animosity. A thankful Jayden and Mia came their way.
"Soph," Tristan swerved his body, in and out, away from the people that reunited, and he grasped her fingers. His sister scooped him into her arms. "Who is everyone?"
"Tris, let's put it this way, a legacy," she replied for her little brother. She squeezed him closer to her body, almost to the point the boy was seeing stars. She kissed his temple. "Boy, how I've missed you."
"Yuck," Tris swatted at his face to get his sister's 'germs' off. "Don't embarrass me," he chided, quite articulately.
Sophia scratched her head, wondering how long she was under the spell, yet giggled at his immature display. She noted Lauren staring at them, a curiosity layering her blue pools. "Do you want to hold him?"
Lauren appeared deathly afraid, her pulse thumped, and shook her head at the offer. However, she couldn't deny him. His looks were indistinguishable to when Jayden was his age. "Does he bite?"
"What, no," Sophia was appalled, her mouth gaped open too.
"Well, you did," Lauren reminisced about earlier.
"Sorry," she apologized again. "No, he doesn't bite. Tris, you wanna go to her?"
He nodded, and Lauren accepted thirty five pounds of boy into her arms.
"You're pretty," he complimented, as he toyed with her necklace.
Tonight, the temple was full of people. Camaraderie flowed from conversation to conversation, and memories unleashed. Nina and Mathew opened up their trials to get Jayden potty trained. Aisha and Rocky told the story about when Naddy was born, and how she suffered through close to 48 hours of labor, and he swore his hand was about to detach that day. Adam revealed his courtship with Tanya to Zordon's and his children's delight. Billy and Kim reminisced about the infamous day they switched bodies, and Tommy was cornered about his prevalent need to take up so much power and change colors. The children laughed at stories, even teasing the adults and elders.
Though they were enjoying their time, attention was garnered to an issue, at hand.
"As much as I love seeing how my 'children' have grown and meeting my 'grandchildren', we have business to attend to." The majestic man and woman resumed their position at a fire that brewed with a wave of the native warrior's hand. "A choice needs to be made on who is going to come back to Earth."
The crowd inhaled sharp breaths at the statement. Laughter and jolliness dissipated.
Jayden's blood drained from his face, hairs on his body stood upright, and Sophia mirrored his look. Lauren and Mia glanced at one another, since this pertained to them.
"You mean, only one of them can come back to life," Lani vied for clarification. She inquisitively looked up at her dad. "I thought you said they were both able to come back to life."
"I-I didn't know," Adam whispered under his breath in surprise. His children clutched around him, scared for what was to come.
"The Phoenix was informed someone was to take his place because he was resurrected," Dulcea clarified, her staff whipped around her body, as her auburn eyes confronted theirs. "Did you not know," her accented voice plead for verification. Upon their dumbfounded and lost expressions, they did not. "Oh my."
"Well, we assumed that is was possible, since we are all together, right now," Aisha communicated, her arm gesturing to the fact. "Billy?" She bellowed-whispered his name, so he could speak on this matter and come up with a solution, where all parties were victorious.
Her husband caressed her arm, as he held her from behind, and their children gravitated towards them.
"I have to say my apologies on this matter," Billy began, his son soothed by his rocking motions, "this is a higher court's issue, I suppose." Meaning, this was God's handling. As Zordon and Dulcea were magical entities, they were only entitled to do so much in his opinion.
"Zordon, Dulcea, is there any way to bend the rules somehow, so both Mia and Lauren, can return," Tommy queried the query that was present in everyone's mind, who was in attendance. He clutched his wife's teetering hand. She didn't like this one bit either.
The blonde, who found herself a natural at handling kids, gave a tiny peck to Tristan's cheek and returned him to Sophia. She erected her body."I choose to take Jayden's place," Lauren sacrificed herself, as if she was in the 'Hunger Games' fighting for survival. However, she was renouncing survival, in favor of Mia and her brother keeping their little family in tact. She walked forward, spectators parting and bowing their heads in respect. She accepted this fate, it was her own volition.
Nina and Mathew gave a nod to their daughter. She came to this decision, long before the state of minds merged. Their daughter was selfless like that. It explained why she was willing to sacrifice herself, to bring Sophia back, in the first place.
Mia froze, but her eyes were coated with silver slivers of water. She couldn't believe what she heard. Jayden tore himself from her side, and he chased after Lauren. He begged for her to stop.
Rocky and Aisha ushered their kids to the side. Adam, along with his children, did the same, and Billy and his son followed suit. Sophia's lips quivered, and she asked her parents to join her brother and Lauren. They agreed. She placed her brother with their parents and abandoned them to join the duo.
Just a few feet from Zordon and Dulcea, the three converged. Sophia situated herself between her older brother and Lauren.
"It's all my fault," Sophia blamed herself, accepting the responsibility, her voice echoing in the depths of silence. Every single person listened to her admission of guilt. "I messed up. I became the Nighlock's next target, and I hurt them both," her shaky finger pointed to both Mia and Lauren. She paused, bit her lip in contemplation, then continued. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," she sobbed again. "Is there any way to make them both come home," she casted a look back to her parent's mentor and his love.
"Loving and intelligent far beyond your years, Sophia, you are the Dove. We understand your anguish, but I'm sorry, it cannot be," Dulcea announced to her, to everyone.
"Lauren, are you sure this is what you want," Jayden questioned her.
"Yes, I do," she replied. She took his hands into hers. "I love you. Blood doesn't need to tell me that, and I want you and Mia, and the baby to live your happily ever after," she decreed with love and affection, and the confidence he was going to be the best father his child could ask for. "I'm sad won't be able to be there, but, look," her hand unfolded to the people, various heights, colors, genders, their eyes teary and watered, but their exhibition of love laid evident for her to see, "they will all be there to help you."
"But, I want you to stay and help me too," Jayden admitted. Tears slid, as they talked. "I need my big sister."
"Baby brother, I'll be watching," she vowed. She hugged him, and when she parted she faced his little sister. "Watch after him. You will be the greatest aunt."
"Can I hug you, even though I..." Sophia's voice was unsteady, as she spoke.
Lauren deeply hugged her, a showcase of affection she hardly engaged in, unless they were family. "I'll be watching." She, then, embraced her brother. "I made this choice because I want to be with mom and dad. There's nothing else for me, and Mia has so much to live for. Your daughter is going to have such amazing parents, Booger." She giggled with a grin, then became sad all over again. "I will really watch over you," she whispered, solely for him to know. "In my room, there's a note for Yaki. Please give it to him along with my love and best wishes. You are, now, the leader to the Samurai rangers," she entrusted him. "Lead them to victory and ensure the safety for Earth just like your parents, your real ones, have done countless times." She straightened his collar, staggered away because she was moving on, even though it hurt her. She paused once near Mia. She rubbed her belly. They both wept, but remained upbeat also. "Until we meet again."
The Oliver, DeSantos, Park and Cranston families bid them adieu. Jayden slung his arm over his younger sister's shoulder and pulled her into a hug. He allowed her to cry. When Mia arrived at his side, cementing her place with him like she always would, his free arm went around her.
The Shiba family waved their goodbyes. Blown kisses strewn towards Jayden. Like she had done as a child, Lauren grabbed her parents hands, while standing in between them.
"Are you ready," Nina wondered, her pride indicated.
"Yeah, I am," Lauren nodded.
"Alright, here we go," Mathew began to walk with the two loves of his life with him.
The three disappeared into the gilded light.
(End State of Minds)
As soon as the Ninjetti and children returned to reality, the lumps in their throats formed, and their tears crashed uninhibited. Jayden sprawled his body over his adopted sister, who was now deceased. Their special link tapered, which rattled him. He wished it never came to this point. Sophia's anatomy laid on top of his, and she said her sorry countless times. She didn't know how else to make this situation any better.
Everyone else in the room wept for Lauren. It didn't matter if they just met her, they knew what she did was an act of selflessness and bravery.
That's how she was going to be remembered.