I don't own Power Rangers or Cross Ange; those belong to their creators. This is for fun, not profit.
Chapter 3: The Not so Perfect World
Dean continues to stare at the Dracunium reactor in awe and shock. He then remembers how the people of his time had fought over control of the reactors for years, and how he tried to stop Embryo and failed.
Dean closes his eyes as he lowered his head in frustration to remember that he then heard Pixel's voice through his Morpher.
"D-Dean…! C-Can you hear me?!" Pixel calls out with a mix of static in her voice.
Dean blinks before he looks at his Morpher static appears on the screen.
"Pixel? Yeah, just barely. Hang on, I'll adjust the frequency." Dean said as he pressed the left button and holographic screen appeared above his Morpher along with a bar meter, he then adjusted the meter to a point that the static was now gone showing Pixel's face. "Okay, how's that? Can you hear me?"
"Yep, loud and clear. Good thing the interdimensional coms still work." Pixel said. "But are you alright? You were silent for a while."
"Yeah…I'm fine." Dean said before he looked at the reactor. "I was just a bit shaken right now."
"I see. But if you're not up for this then maybe you should come back." Pixel advice.
"Thanks, but it's fine. Besides, I just got here, I can't just turn back now." Dean said.
"Alright. But if anything happens just let me know, and good luck." Pixel said before she ended the transmission and the holographic screen soon closed and disappeared.
Dean then turns to the Dracunium reactor and looks down at the city around it.
"Well, I won't learn anything just standing here. Better get moving." Dean said before he heads to the town to see what awaits him in this world that Embryo had created.
(Meanwhile)
Inside of an arena were two teams one wearing blue sports uniforms the other wearing hot pink, they were riding on small hovercrafts with lacrosse sticks and a ball.
"The sweet and blood of youth!" AD said. "The Light of Mana clashes!"
The two teams were engaging in catching the ball, until it flew out of reach, one of them threw the ball towards the goal but missed.
"It's the Iaria championship!"
Both teams got into positions.
"Will the grand prize be won by Floria Academy, of the Kingdom of Rosenblum? Or the Empire of Misurugi's Ho-o Institute?"
Inside a private area of the arena watching the game, was a young man with shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a white shirt under a long tailcoat purple shirt with pants and brown shoes, drinking a glass of wine. The other was a 12-year-old girl with twin tail blond hair and blue eyes wearing a royal light pink dress, on a hover wheelchair.
These two were First Prince Julio Ikaruga Misurugi and the Second Princess Sylvia Ikaruga Misurugi.
One of the Ho-o team members throws the ball.
The one who got it was a 15-year-old girl with long-haired blonde wearing a blue ribbon tied behind her hair and had pink eyes, with a short violet-haired girl with orange eyes seated behind her.
This was First Princess Angelise Ikaruga Misurugi.
"I'll take back the lead!" Angelise swore to her teammates, which had railed their spirits.
A whistle was soon blown. Both teams engage one of another.
Angelise soon throws the ball to one of her teammates in the air, while one of Floria members was about to intercept.
She was about to catch it but the two of them bump into each other, letting her fall off her craft to the ground.
"Momoka!" Anglise called out.
"Right!" Momoka channeled energy into the craft heading to their falling teammate.
Angelise soon jumps off her craft and catches her teammate as they safely land on the ground.
"Are you alright?" Angelise asked. Her teammate blushed.
"Lady Angelise!"
Angelise soon helped her up and was about to get back into the game, but the whistle was soon heard, and the game was now over with Floria as the winner.
"And the game is over! One point decides this fierce battle! The winner of this year's Iaria Championship goes to Floria Academy! For Ho-o Institute, it's an unfortunate end."
In the private area, Julio and Sylvia were applauding to the game.
"First Prince Julio and Second Princess Sylvia give a warm round of applause, to both teams, for their passionate fight."
Angelise was looking at the scoreboard.
"I'm sorry!" Angelise looked and saw her team having disappointed faces. "Layd Angelise, if only we hadn't gotten in your way…"
"Remember the promise we made that day?" Angelise asked before the cameras hover around her and her team. "That we'll aspire to something more important than winning. We formed stronger bonds than any other teams. That is our true victory here."
"Oh, Princess!" She said which had touched her and the rest of the team.
"Truly inspiring," They looked and saw the captain of Floria academy walking towards Anglise and clapping her hands as she was also touched by her words. "You've taught us all something more beautiful and noble than victory."
Angelise soon reaches out her hand for a handshake, which was accepted.
"We'll make up for today in the fall competition." Angelise swore before turning to her team. "I'll be back after my Baptism Ritual, no matter how busy I become. Please take care of the team until then."
"Yes, captain!" They nodded.
Back at the private area, while Sylvia was admiring her older sister, Julio had this dark look on his face.
"How laughable." He scoffed quietly.
(Play: Believe in Nexus by Masaaki Endoh)
(Instrumental) (As the song starts, two Earths appear one at a time before they collide against each other creating a flash of light which blinded the screen.)
(Sono te nobashi te mabayui ashita o tsukamitore! Mugen no sora hamatake Believe in Nexus!) (Five of the Nexus Zords had appeared as the Racer, Wolf, and Dozer Zords were racing on a large road while the Chopper and Falcon Zords were flying above them before they turned into a flash of light and flew into the vast open sky before the story's title appeared on screen.)
(Araburu kono shoudo daremino tomiranai!) (The Nexus Rangers were standing on a hill as they looked at the town where the Children of Aura resides as some of them in DRAGON form flew above them as they watched them in awe.)
(Hiri asa mi kirikou o taka maru kono Heart Beat!) (Then it changes to a split screen with Salamandinay looking at her Enryugo as it was still incomplete, and Ange who was in her room in Arzenal as she was seated on her bed while looking at her ring, before it changes to Embryo and behind him was a man hidden in darkness holding a Morpher in his hand.)
(Bi chinai sou o natato sekawaerai!) (Then it changes showing an army of Xedroids and behind them were Prince Crimson, General Swartz, and Cyber.)
(Koko de oarasatakunai Go For It!) (Next the screen changes to the Rangers commencing their Morphin Sequence as they Morph into their suits before their helmets appeared.)
(Tachiagare kodoku ni obiekuru e naide!) (The screen changes showing a fleet of Xe-Fighters and an army of Xe-Bots charging forward to attack, then changes to the Nexus Rangers loading their Zord Cards into their Morphers as they soon appear, and the Rangers jump into them.)
(Nakama ma batte irukoto mou ichido omoidase!) (In his cockpit, the Nexus Red inserts his Battle Mode Card into his Morpher and his Racer Zord changes into the said mode.)
(Kowaku wa naisa akirame wa shinai donna tsugoi yatsu ni mo make wa shinai itsudatte o kino yuuki de Believe In Nexus!) (Then each of the Nexus Zord launch respective attacks on their enemies before the Kaiser Sphere in the sky. Then the Zords combine forming the Nexus Prime Megazord, and then energy appears around the Megazord before it flies at the Kaiser Sphere to attack and when it collides against the Sphere a large flash of light appears blinding the screen. Then it changes to both Earths before the Nexus Rangers along with the villain leaders appeared as they faced each other.)
After walking for a while Dean soon arrived at the town and he was amazed at what he found. Everywhere he looked, he saw things that are beyond amazing.
There were holographic screens everywhere on buildings, roads, and even on windows and around fountains.
He even saw people who were walking around reading newspapers as holographic screens, some were even a green light to levitate their briefcases and cups of coffee or drinks.
He even saw some people in a park building a stage using the same green light to levitate the parts to construct it.
"This place is amazing…" Dean mutters as he continues to walk forward and look around. "I bet Shin would be mind blown to see this."
Dean then accidentally bumps into someone who was drinking some coffee as it spilled all over his clothes.
"Oh! I'm sorry, sir." Dean said.
"Don't worry, it's alright. Light of Mana." He said as a green light appeared around his hand and around his clothes before they changed into a new pair of clean and fresh clothes.
Dean was once again surprised to see that before the man blinked at him.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, and Dean shook his head.
"No…It's nothing." Dean assured him before he left. "I have to be more careful than that. Can't have people figuring out that I don't belong here."
Dean then stops as he sees some flying cars moving above the road.
"Flying cars…That's something." Dean said to himself.
Dean then went back to walking before his nose picked up a smell that is very familiar to him. Dean looked and saw it was coming from a food stand and could see hot dogs cooking on the grill as they sizzled.
Dean gulps to see those before his stomach begins to growl and place a hand on it.
"Great…It just occurred to me I hadn't had lunch yet." He mutters to himself.
The stand's owner soon notices him before he calls out to Dean.
"Hey, kid, are you hungry?" He asked, and Dean flinched before he looked at him and that's when he heard his stomach growling. Dean lowered his head as the cook chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Hang on, I'll whip you up something."
The stand's owner was preparing to make Dean a hot dog, making the Red Ranger lift up his head and waved his hand.
"Oh no, sir, you don't have to do that. I'm fine really, besides I don't have any money right now." Dean said, but the food stand owner blinks in confusion before he turns to the Red Ranger.
"Money? What's that?" He asked, and Dean was confused to hear that.
"Huh? Money, you know cash. You don't know what that is?" Dean asked and the owner shook his head.
"No, should I?" He asked before he decided to pay it no mind.
The food stand owner then uses the Light of Mana to levitate a hot dog, a bun, a bottle of ketchup and mustard along with some cabbage, he then uses it to put the hot dog together and bright it towards Dean.
"Well anyway, just take it. There's no reason for you to hold back." He told him.
While Dean was still confused and a bit reluctant about it, he accepted the hot dog that was made for him.
"In that case…thank you." Dean said before he leaves, and the owner waves him goodbye.
As Dean was walking, he was eating his hotdog while thinking about his conversation with that food stand owner.
'That was weird. It was like he didn't know what money was. Something must be going on here.' Dean thought to himself as he finished his hotdog and wiped off some ketchup on his lip.
Dean then stops at what appears to be a clothing store, he then hides beside the door to look through it. He saw a little girl with her mother speaking to the shop's tailor.
The girl was pointing at a picture of Angelise wearing a fancy and expensive dress. Then with a snap from the tailor's fingers, the girl's clothes change into their very dress which was the perfect size and fit for her.
After saying their thanks to the tailor, the mother and daughter left the store and Dean noticed that they hadn't paid for that dress. Curious about that, Dean calls out to the mother and daughter as he walks to them.
"Excuse me!" The mother and daughter stop as they turn to Dean as he stops walking. "Pardon me for a moment, but can I take a moment of your time?"
The mother blinked before she nodded.
"Yes, how can we help you, young man?" She asked.
"Well…This may sound strange, but isn't a dress like that expensive? Are you sure you can afford it?" Dean asked.
Both mother and daughter blink in confusion.
"What do you mean? I'm afraid I don't understand." The mother said.
"Yeah. I mean getting a dress like this is pretty normal." The daughter told him.
Dean blinks to hear that.
"Really? You're used to getting something like that for free and no one would expect anything in return?" Dean asked and they nodded.
"Yes. That's how it always works here. Don't you know that?" The mother asked, and Dean flinched before he rubbed the back of his head and nervously chuckled.
"Oh, yeah. Of course, sorry for that. I must have forgotten." Dean told them before he leaves as the mother and daughter look at him in confusion.
"That man is weird. Right, Mommy?" She asked her mother.
"Hey! You shouldn't say something like that." The mother scolded her daughter before she looked at Dean. "Though, I do agree that he is odd."
Dean soon arrived at a park and was now seated on a bench to help collect his thoughts about what he learned so far.
'Okay, let's review here. Based on what I've seen, the people here are used to getting whatever they want and won't expect anything in return. Then it must be safe to assume that there's no currency system here, which would explain that man not knowing what money was. I guess Embryo didn't like the notion of 'money is power'. In other words, humans fighting over land or resources must be nonexistent here. In their minds, this world must be a perfect utopia free of war, violence, and poverty.'
Dean then spotted a few kids playing a game with a floating and high-tech ball. Dean smiles to see that before he lowered his head as he knows too well that this world isn't what it seems to be.
'But still, knowing Embryo, this world can't be perfect. All of this must be a front, there has to be a dark shadow behind it.' Dean thought before he stood up.
"I think I've seen enough so far. I should probably head back." Dean said.
Dean soon arrived in an alleyway that was devoid of people, he soon brings out the Transportal Device to open a portal but stops as he heard some police sirens and could tell that it was close from here.
Curious about it, Dean walks out of the alleyway and spotted about five police cars on the road forming a circle with a holographic sign saying 'stop', and close to the police cars were a group of people.
"Now what's going on there?" Dean said before he heads to the crime scene while moving past the people who were close to it. "Sorry, burden me. Excuse me."
Dean then heard a woman's voice.
"No! Please let me go!"
Now growing concerned about this, Dean finally arrived at the front with several police officers blocking his path along with the other people around him.
Dean then saw a woman being held back by two police officers holding her arms, and then spotted a baby crying on the ground.
"What the hell?" Dean mutters before an officer wearing a coat pointed his hands at the baby.
"Barrier." He said as a pyramid shaped barrier appeared around the crying baby.
Wondering what was going on here, Dean talks to a person beside him.
"Ummm…Excuse me, sir." The said person turns to the Red Ranger. "Can you tell me what's going on?"
"Oh that?" He said as they saw the officer touching the barrier with his hand which slightly stung him, and the woman knelt down to her baby daughter to save her but the cops continued to hold her back. "That woman's daughter is under suspicion of being a Norma."
"A Norma?" Dean said in confusion before the man turned to him.
"What? You don't know what a Norma is?" He asked, and Dean shook his head which caused him to chuckle. "Seriously? Come on, man, even little kids know that."
"I see…Sorry, I don't keep in touch these days." Dean said.
"Well, you're in luck. You're about to see your very first Norma." He told him.
The mother turns to the officers beside before she turns back to her baby who continues to cry, she then crawls to her mother.
"Don't! Serra!" She told her daughter.
The moment that the baby touches the barrier in front of it, it shatters into pieces like it was nothing to her.
Dean was shocked to see that especially since it just stung that officer earlier.
"And that's a Norma. Nothing but freaks who destroy the Light of Mana with a single touch. In other words, they're nothing but monsters." He told him.
Dean grits his teeth to hear that.
'So all of this is nothing for a crying baby?!' Dean thought in disgust.
The Norma baby cries as one of the cops holds her in his arms while the officer with a coat brings out a holographic screen of a written document.
"Under the Norma Control Act, article one, section three. I designate this Norma, Number 1203-76." He reads out loud.
"My Serra…You can't take my baby!" The mother exclaimed as she broke free and rushed to her daughter and managed to pull in her arms.
Some of the officers moved in to take that Norma away from her as the mother held her daughter closely.
"It's a mistake! She isn't a Norma! She just hasn't learned to use her Mana yet! I swear…" She pleaded to the police officers.
Dean looks at her in pity before he turns to the people around him as they just stand there and continue to watch.
'What's going on? Shouldn't these people at least try to help her!' Dean thought.
"It proves that it is."
Dean and everyone looked and saw that the First Princess Angelise had arrived with her maid, Momoka beside her.
'That girl…' Dean said as he remembers seeing pictures of her on every screen around town.
"Lady Angelise…" The mother mutters.
"It's Princess Angelise!"
"Wow…It is her."
'She's a princess? So, she's a leading authority here.' Dean thought.
Angelise along with her maid walks to the pleading mother holding her daughter in her arms.
"Humankind has evolved to gain the Light of Mana. But Norma rejects it to live on their own strength. They are violent, coldblooded monsters. Therefore, they must be purged from this world immediately." Angelise told the mother.
Hearing that shocked Dean and the mother as the latter turned to her daughter. The mother then cries as she holds her daughter.
"I beg of you…Lady Angelise…I can raise her not to be a monster!" She pleaded to the princess, but Angelise sadly looked at her.
"You cannot. A Norma is not a human being." Angelise told her shocking Dean and the mother once again.
Dean then heard the crowd silently whispering to themselves as they agreed with the princess.
'How can that baby be a threat to anyone?! She can't even walk!' Dean thought.
After seeing that the princess had no intention in helping her, the mother looks at her baby daughter before Angelise spoke to her once again.
"Rid your memory of this creature." She turns to the princess as Angelise smiles and brings her hands together. "And bear your second child. An acceptable daughter who isn't a Norma."
The mother grits her teeth before she screams and throws her daughter's bottle at Angelise.
"Forcefield!" Momoka said as she brought out a forcefield to protect her lady as the bottle splashed in front of it.
Having enough of this, the officers begin to surround the mother to take her daughter away. The mother tried to resist, but they were able to pry the baby out of her arms.
After being put in a containment box, the officers brought the crying Serra in a police car as her mother tried to reach out to save her, but the other officers held her back.
"Serra! Serra!" The mother cries out as the police car drives away taking her daughter away as well.
The mother then begins to cry in despair over the loss of her daughter.
"Man…that poor woman, but it was her fault for giving birth to a monster. Am I right?" The man asked as he turned to Dean who was silent and had lowered his head. "Hey, kid, are you alright?"
"I'm…fine…" Dean mutters. "I was just wondering what's going to happen to her."
The man then turns to the crying mother.
"Oh that. Don't worry, she'll only receive a fine along with a warning. She'll be alright." He told him.
"And her daughter. What's going to happen to her?" Dean asked.
"Hmmm…Hard to say. We don't really know what happened to Norma once they're taken away. But chances are they'll probably dispose of her like garbage." He said before he chuckled.
Dean then punches on a nearby wall which makes him stop as he and some others turn to him. To their shock, Dean had punched the wall so far that it left a small crack on it, but Dean's hand showed no sign of injuries.
"Ummm…Hey, kid, are you alright?" He asked before Dean lowered his hand.
"I'm fine. Just needed to let out some frustration. I'm going back home." Dean said before he left.
Unknown to Dean, is that Angelise was watching after he punched the wall.
As they were riding in their car, the policemen soon arrived at the outskirts of the city and in her box, the Norma baby known as Serra continued to cry for her mother which only annoyed the policeman who was holding the box.
"Won't you just shut up?!" The cop demanded but the baby only cried more. "I swear…this is why I hate dealing with Norma. Especially the barts."
"Just bear with it until we arrive at the station. Then we won't have to listen to it whine anymore." The cop beside him told him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." He said.
"But still, I'm worried about that woman. Do you think she'll be alright?"
"Oh, she'll be fine. This thing is still a Norma. Just give her some time and she'll forget about it in no time." He told him.
"And hopefully she'll have a human baby next time." One of them said, causing his co-worker to chuckle.
"Yeah, here's hoping." He said.
The officer with the coat turns to them.
"Alright, that's enough. We still have a job to do, let's stay focused on that." He told them.
"Yes, sir." They said before they began to whisper to each other.
"Man, the commander is uptight as always."
"Well, what do you expect? He graduated from the top of his class and is all about the books."
The commander was able to hear them whispering and let their comments slide just this once.
As they were driving on the road, someone soon walks in front of their car which forces the driver to hit the brake which makes the driver and the other occupants to hunch forward while the cop who was holding the glass box that Serra was in tightens his hold on it.
"What the…What happened? Why did you stop?" The commander asked.
"Well…Sir, someone's in our way." The driver answered.
Everyone looked and saw it was Dean as he was standing in front of the car.
"A kid? What the hell is he doing?" One of them asked.
"I'll go find out." The commander said as he walked out of the car and faced Dean.
"Excuse me, sir, but you're currently in our way." He told him. "Care to explain what you're doing?"
Dean smiles as he rubs the back of his head.
"Oh, sorry about that. It's just that my car broke down and I've been trying to hitch a ride for a while." Dean told him.
"I see." The officer said in some confusion. "But I'm afraid we can't help you at the moment. We're busy dealing with a Norma."
Dean narrows his eyes to hear that.
"You mean the baby, right?" Dean asked.
The commander blinks in confusion.
"No, sir, it's not a baby, it's a Norma. It's not even human to begin with." He told him, and Dean clenched his hand to hear that.
"How can you just say that? Don't you have any feelings?" Dean asked.
Now on edge about him, the commander signals his subordinates to come out of the car and assist him, they quickly do so as they step out of the car while the cop holding the baby remain inside.
The officers then faced Dean holding a baton in their hands.
"I don't know what's gotten over you, sir. But I'm going to give you one last warning, step away now." He warned him.
Dean ignored his warning and took a step forward.
"Barrier!" The commander said as he brought out a barrier around Dean. "I warned you. Move in and arrest him."
The officers move towards Dean, the Red Ranger then taps his hand on the barrier around him.
"What did you call this again? The Light of Mana?" Dean asked which confused them.
"Why would you ask that?" The commander asked.
"Tell me, is this barrier durable?" Dean asked.
"What? Of course, it is, it can even stop a car in its tracks." He told him.
"Really?" Dean said as he clenched his hand and swung his arm to his side. "Then let's put that to the test."
While the cops were confused by what he meant, a red aura of light appeared around his fist and with a swing of his arm, Dean shattered the barrier like it was glass.
The officers were in shock by this while Dean flicked his hand.
"Yeoch! Really felt that one." Dean said before he blew on his hand.
"W-What the hell? Is he a Norma?" One of the cops said in shock.
"No, it couldn't be! It didn't shatter when he first touched it!" The commander said.
Dean then turns his attention back to the police officers.
"Okay, listen, I understand you're just doing your duty, but I can't stand by and let you take that baby away. So, you have two options, one is that you give her to me or two…" Dean said before he punches his hand and pops his knuckles. "We do this the hard way. What's it going to be?"
The commander clicks his tongue before he gives his order.
"What are you waiting for? Attack!"
The cops then charge at Dean to attack him.
"Hard way it is." Dean said.
One of the officers swings his batons at Dean, he dodges it and punches him in the stomach and slams his elbow on the cop's back sending him to the ground.
Two officers then swing their batons at Dean, but he blocks them and grabs onto their arms and throws them to the ground.
Dean then dodges another cop's baton and sweep kicks on his legs sending him to the ground before he lands on another kick on his stomach knocking some air out of him.
As Dean stood up, another cop charged at him to attack but Dean stopped him by throwing a punch in front of his face, he then showed off by throwing a few more punches in front his face followed by two jumping spin kicks before he assumed a martial arts stance and shouted a battle cry.
The cop blinks before Dean smirks and points his finger at the ground, the cop nodded in understanding and pretends to be hit and falls to the ground, Dean chuckles to see that.
"That never gets old." Dean said.
One of the fallen cops behind him quietly stood up and was about to attack Dean while he wasn't looking, but Dean easily notices him and backhand punches him in the face knocking him out as he falls to the ground.
Dean then heard a gun firing, he then turned to the commander as he held the said gun in hand before he pointed it at him.
"That's far enough! What you're doing is an obstruction of the law! Stand down now!" He told him.
Dean narrows his eyes before he walks to the commander.
"I-I said, stand down!" He said as he fires at Dean, and the Red Ranger dodges it.
The commander blinks in shock before he fires at Dean a few more times, but Dean keeps dodging his gunfire with ease, and when he was close enough, he tightly grabbed onto his shooting hand which made the commander stop as he winced.
"Now, that will be enough of that." Dean said before he pulled the gun out of his hand and looked at it. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that guns are dangerous?"
His red aura appeared around his hand and Dean crushed the gun with it as it shattered into pieces and fell to the ground.
The commander was shocked to see that before Dean let go of his arm and he stepped away from him.
"W-What are you?!" He said.
"Just a guy who's really strong." Dean simply answered.
The commander grits his teeth before he turns to the officer who was still inside of the car and holding Serra.
"Take the car and g-!" He said.
Then a red aura appeared around Dean's arm before he used to punch straight into the car's hood disabling it as its green lights turned off and fell to the ground.
Seeing that surprised the cops as Dean coldly stared at them.
"Looks like your ride is in need of some repairs." Dean said as he pulled his arm out.
Dean then looked around for something and saw something that caught his eye.
"That could work." Dean said before he walked to the said object which was a large rock.
Dean then grabs onto the rock and uses his enhanced strength to lift it up over his head, seeing that shock the commander before Dean turns to him and he soon realizes what he was going to do.
"W-Wait!" The commander pleaded before Dean threw the rock at him.
The commander screams in fear as the rock…lands right in front of him as he was now on his rear.
Dean then lifts up the large rock once again and looks down at the now frightened commander as he looks at him in fear.
"That was your only warning shot. I strongly suggest you take it, otherwise…" Dean said as he was ready to slam the rock right on top of him.
The commander screams in fear as he stands up and runs away. Dean sighed as he put the rock down.
"You should've taken option one." Dean said.
The cop who was still in the car and holding the Norma baby tried to open the door to escape, but then suddenly the door was crushed by a hand and was torn off of the car.
The cop saw that it was Dean, while he was sweating and looking at him in fear, the Red Ranger smiles before he coughs at the officer and reaches out his hand to him.
"The baby please?" Dean requested.
The fearful officer soon hands him the baby as he grabs onto the containment box before he turns back to the officer.
"You can run now." Dean told him.
The officer manages to open the door as he crawls out of the car and falls to the ground, he quickly stands up and runs away while screaming in fear.
"He's a monster!"
Dean narrows his eyes to hear that.
"Well, that's just hurtful." Dean said to himself before he turned back to the crying Serra. "Okay, how about we get you out of there."
After getting the baby out of the box, Dean held the Norma in his arms as she continued to cry as the Red Ranger tried to calm her down.
"Shhh-Shhhh…Hey, hey, it's okay. Calm down, there's no reason to cry." Dean told her as Serra began to calm down and began to sleep in his arms. "Okay. Now how about we get you back to your mom?"
Dean was about to set out to bring Serra back to her mother but stopped as he soon realized something.
"Wait a minute…I don't know where she lives." Dean said before he looked around for the police officers but saw they were now gone. "Probably should've asked them where I can find her."
Unknown to Dean, is that someone was spying on him from a long distance and was using binoculars before they lowered them as they were surprised at what he just did.
(Later at night)
After the police had let her off with a warning, Serra's mother Sayla, had returned to her home.
But the moment she returned and being consumed with the grief and despair of her daughter being taken away, Sayla went on a rampage breaking and tearing everything in the room.
Her curtains were torn to shreds, her picture frames, vases, and furniture were broken into pieces and were on the floor. The only things she left untouched were her daughter's cradle and clothes.
After venting out all of her rage and grief, Sayla was crying on the couch while holding her daughter's clothes close to her chest.
"Serra…Serra…" Sayla mutters.
When Sayla lifts up her head, she soon spots a knife on the floor. She was about to reach out and pick it up but stopped as she heard someone knocking on her home's back door.
She then turned to it and saw a man standing on the balcony. Sayla blinks in wonder at how he is standing there, since she lives on the second floor.
"Ummm…excuse me." He calls out. "Is someone in there? I'm looking for a woman who lost her daughter."
Sayla blinked before she lowered her head, there wasn't a chance in hell that he was talking about…She then heard a baby crying, and she could recognize that cry.
"Hey…Settle down. We'll find your mom, I promise." He told the crying baby.
Now hopeful about this, Sayla uses the Light of Mana to turn on the lights and opens the backdoor, and standing behind them was Dean who was holding a baby in his arms.
Dean looks at her and smiles.
"Alright! I finally found you." Dean said.
"W-Who are…?" Sayla said before she heard the baby crying again and her eyes widened.
Dean smiles before he shows her baby daughter, Serra, in his arms. Sayla's eyes widened in shock.
"S-Serra?" Sayla mutters as tears begin to fall from her eyes.
Serra stops crying as she notices her mother and reaches out to her. Dean then walks to the crying mother and knelt down to hand Serra to her. Sayla took her daughter and held her in her arms as she smiled at her, Sayla then cried out in joy as she held her daughter close.
"Serra! Serra!" Sayla cries out in joy with Dean smiling at her.
After crying for a while, Sayla was now seated on the couch while carrying her sleeping daughter in her arms with Dean standing in front of her.
"Thank you…I don't know how to repay you for this, mister…"
"Dean. My name is Dean Reilly. But please, don't call me mister. It makes me sound old." Dean requested.
"Thank you, Dean. I'm really grateful for this." Sayla told him.
"You're welcome. And you don't have to repay me for anything. I was just happy to help." Dean said before he walks to the backdoor to look for any police cars. "But look, we don't have much time. The police will come after us soon. Do you have any place you can go to that you can be safe?"
Sayla sadly shook her head.
"No, I don't." Dean was surprised by this.
"Really? Don't you have any family or friends who might be able to help?" He asked, and Sayla shook her head once again.
"No. And even if I do, they'll never even consider helping me, because…" Sayla said as she looked at her daughter.
Dean understood as he looked at her in sympathy. He then tries to think of something.
'What can I do? If the police had gone to this much trouble for one baby, they might come after her again. If they already found her once, there's a good chance they'll find her again no matter where she runs. What's the best place where she can be safe?' Dean thought before he had an idea. 'No…I can't do that. And even if I did, chances are she'll be faced with hostility. But…'
Dean then hears Serra crying, and Sayla cries to calm down her daughter.
"Calm down, Serra. Don't worry, Mommy is here." Sayla said.
Seeing them like that, Dean remembers a certain memory involving a car crash. Dean then heard a police siren and saw a few police cars had stopped close to the building.
Sayla's eyes widened in fear to hear that as she held her daughter close.
"Dammit…" Dean said before he turns to Sayla as she begins to shake in fear. Dean sighed. "Guess I have no choice now."
Dean then knelt down in front of Salya and grabbed hold of her shoulders.
"Listen, Miss Sayla, right?" Dean asked and Salya nodded. "Tell me, do you really love your daughter?"
"What? Why would you…?"
"Just answer the question!" Dean shouted, and Sayla nodded.
"Yes, of course! I love Serra with all my heart!" Dean smiles to hear that.
"Okay. Listen, I know a place where the both of you can be safe and where you'll never be separated again." Dean told her, and Sayla was surprised by that.
"You do?" She asked and Dean nodded.
"Yes. But there's a price to pay. If you do this, you'll never be able to use Mana again, and you'll never return here. In short, you'll be forced to leave everything and everyone you know behind. Are you still willing to make that sacrifice?" Dean asked.
While Sayla doubted it, she could tell that Dean wasn't lying. She then thought about his offer and wondered what to do before she looked down at her daughter. She then turns to Dean as she makes her decision.
In the base, Pixel was seen flying back and forth with Salamandinay and the others looking at her.
Dean had been gone for several hours, and he hadn't made contact since. Pixel was beginning to worry about him.
"Are you worried about, Sir Dean?" Salamandinay asked.
"Of course, I am! It's been over seven hours now, and he hasn't contacted us yet." Pixel said.
"Calm yourself, Pixel. I'm sure he's just fine." Salamandinay assured the AI.
"We don't even know that for sure! I'm an AI! I just can't go with my hunches!" Pixel said in worry.
Before Salamandinay could speak, they soon saw a portal opening close to them.
"Never mind! I'll go with hunches from now on!" Pixel said, which caused Salamandinay to chuckle in amusement.
Stepping out of the portal was Dean. Pixel then flew close to the Red Ranger.
"Dean, you're back! Are you alright?! Did something happen?! Did you receive any injuries?!" Pixel said, and Dean raised his hand.
"Yes, Pix. I'm just fine." Dean told her, and Pixel sighed in relief.
Dean then turns to Salamandinay and her subordinates.
"I'm glad that you returned. But what happened? You hadn't contacted us for hours." Salamandinay said.
"Well…I've been busy." Dean said before he raised his hands. "But look, before she shows up, try not to overreact."
They blink in confusion.
"What do you mean? Before whom shows up?" Salamandinay asked.
Before Dean could answer, they soon saw another person stepping out of the portal before it closed.
Dean turns to her as the others look as well. It was Sayla, who was still holding her baby Serra in her arms.
Pixel, Salamandinay, Naga, and Kaname were surprised to see her as Sayla looked around the base before she turned to Dean.
"Dean…Where am I?" Sayla asked.
Dean rubs the back of his head.
"Well…That's a bit complicated." He said as the Red Ranger knows that he has a lot of explaining to do for both his friends and to Sayla.
To be continued...Understanding
There you have it, hope you like it. Review to tell me what you think of the story.