A/N: So here we go, the big final battle. Apologies for the delay, I lost all steam for this story, so to make up for it, I will be posting another chapter including the aftermath, after this one :D
The gap sensor was expected, but no less unpleasant.
As Ji opens the map their eyes widen.
"This looks an invasion," he realises.
"I've never seen so many at once," mutters Mia.
"This means one thing, the Sanzu River is flooding our world," sighs Ji.
"Then I guess the battle for the world has begun," finishes Evie her hand resting on her stomach.
Jayden steps forwards, "Then its time to make our stand, and defeat Master Xandred, once and for all."
They all make sounds of agreement and taking Evie's hand Jayden leads them out the front door, because today do or die.
Ji watches them go with a heavy heart. "They have such strong spirit. And I pray they come back."
Because he remembered the last time a Ranger Team had returned, and he was quite certain if Evie or Jayden were lost, then the other would be as well.
The Sanzu River flooded through the city, and finally Master Xandred's ship appeared. "This world belongs to Nighlok now!"
Evie couldn't suppress the gulp that escapes her as they crest the top of the valley.
There was nothing short of a Mooger army below them, and even from here they could see the Sanzu River flooding their world.
"Look at them all," whispers Antonio in horror.
Mia nods, "This is really it."
"You still glad you decided to become a Samurai?" smirks Mike.
"Are you serious being a ranger is the best thing that even happened to me. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
"I agree," nods Mike.
"No place I'd rather be," smiles Emily.
Jayden smirks, "I guess I don't need to ask if you're all ready for this then?"
"When am I never not ready to follow my idiot boyfriend into complete and utter madness?" Evie mirrors his smirk as she looks at him.
"No one I'd rather have with me," he kisses the back of her hand.
It didn't matter if they were seen now. This was it, one way or another.
"She's right as long as we're all here together, we've got this," nods Kevin.
"Absolutely," Emily takes a deep breath.
"Boo-yah."
They see and hear the moment they're spotted, all of the Moogers turning towards them.
"Anyone else getting some serious final episode of Buffy vibes? Cause I'd love a mad ass power up right now," admits Evie.
"We have our mad ass power up, Lauren's given it to us. We just need to make it count," assures Jayden.
"Which means getting through these guys," nods Mike.
"Piece of cake," smiles Evie.
They morph, before charging down the hill.
"We can beat these Moogers, we've done it hundreds of times," reminds Jayden.
"There's so many though!" Emily ducks beneath a blow.
"I think it's all of them," admits Kevin.
"Good then we can take them all out then," retorts Mike.
They cut their way through the Moogers, but even Evie had to admit the numbers seemed never ending.
Until finally an echoing shout of "Rangers!" ricochets around them, and they reconvene together as Xandred himself appears, leaping from his ship.
"The hour of your destruction is at hand! Prepare to meet you doom!"
"Take your best shot!" retorts Jayden.
"Oh we will."
The Moogers close in then, hundreds between them and Xandred.
Jayden narrows his eyes, spotting the white patch. "There on his chest, that's where he absorbed Daiyu's humanity. That could be his only weak spot. I might only get one shot to strike him there. So I better make it count."
He loads Lauren's disk into the Black Box which he attaches to his sword, activating the box.
"Get me in close," he says.
"Flanking positions. Mia, Emily, and me in the front. Kevin and Mike, you take the side and rear and Antonio, watch our backs," orders Evie as she and the girls take the front.
"Anything quippy to say?" asks Mike.
"All for one and one for all?" she offers with a shrug.
"I'll take it," he smiles.
With angry yells they charge forwards into the fray.
Slashing and dodging as they go, keeping the formation around Jayden tight.
Evie pulls out the shark disk, attaching it to her sword, before she activates her whip.
"Down boys!"
Sending out the enhanced whip blast, she clears a chunk of the path, the others clearing the rest of it as they keep charging forwards.
"Foolish Rangers. Fighting onwards. To their doom."
They wipe out the last pocket in front of them.
"All clear!" calls Emily.
"Jayden go for it!" yells Evie.
Xandred sends out a blast but Mike and Kevin take the brunt of it for him.
Jayden races forwards, he knew he was likely only going to get one shot at this. And by God he was going to make it count.
"Super spin sword."
The flames erupted from his blade.
"My sister couldn't seal you, but I can still destroy you!" He ducks beneath Xandred's swing, turning he blocks the incoming hit, before driving his sword right into the white patch with all his strength.
Mia and Emily help Kevin and Mike up as they watch Xandred spark and burn.
But Evie wasn't going to count her chickens before they hatched.
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
Jayden watched the white part begin to break and dissolve. "I knew this would be your weak spot."
Only for Xandred to stop the blade, the flame dying out.
"I see, not a bad strategy Red Ranger, but you won't defeat me that easily."
He pulls the sword free and throws Jayden down, he goes rolling across the floor. The other six rushing forwards to help him.
"What the hell happened?" asks Mike.
They turn back to Xandred, "You really thought you could defeat me?"
"This isn't over Xandred." But as Jayden lifts his sword, the black box begins to fritz and Lauren's disk drops from it, shattered in three onto the ground.
"Oh God," whispers Emily in horror.
"We are so fucked," realises Evie.
"Your one chance at victory lies shattered on the ground."
Xandred moves forwards.
"Nether wind."
The pain that explodes over their bodies as it hits them is agonising. Jayden having just enough presence of mind to try and get in front of Evie.
The lightzord is thrown from Antonio's hand, fritzing and sparking on the ground.
"Flames of the netherworld."
And the fire that engulfs knocks them all to the ground, each one de-morphing as they do so.
"Well I'm waiting. Beg me to spare you, worthless Rangers!" cackles Xandred.
"No matter what you do we'll never bow to you!" shouts Evie.
Yet a small part of her mind screams at her to beg for the life of her child.
But she knew how this went, he'd only want them to beg to kill them anyway.
"Maybe you just lack the proper incentive. If you won't beg for your lives, maybe I'll capture the other Red Ranger and see if you'll beg for hers."
Xandred walks off, and Jayden tries to go after him, but he collapses back to the ground.
A hand takes hold of his and he looks at Evie.
"The baby?"
She shakes her head, "I don't know."
Jayden squeezes her hand; he knew what she meant. She couldn't distinguish the pain from her injuries to figure out if it extended to the baby.
God what had he done?
He slowly pushes himself up onto his knees.
"You guys can stand right? Because we have to find a way to stop Master Xandred."
"I was just taking a little siesta," dismisses Antonio as he struggles to his feet.
"Me too," agrees Emily doing the same.
"Samurai Rangers never give up," Mia winces and sways, Kevin steadying her.
Mike pushes himself up. And Evie does the same.
But as she stands, she feels something shift in her stomach. A cramp that felt definitively wrong. And while the others are distracted, she reaches into her jeans, and whispering a quick prayer pulls her hand back, only to let out a shaking gasp when her hand comes back red.
Wiping it quickly on her black jeans she turns to the others.
There was nothing they could do now; she'd always known this was a high probability in keeping this pregnancy.
And she had a job to do.
"What we do today, will be remembered forever," nods Jayden.
"Or five minutes depending on how this goes," says Mike.
Drawing their spin swords they charge through, yet each movement makes Evie more and more aware of the blood between her thighs.
Ji walks into the dojo, stopping when he sees Lauren in her training garb, her arm still in the sling. And a blank disk in front of her.
She was trying to draw a symbol.
"Lauren, are you okay?"
"Jayden spent all his time going out and defending the world. While I hid, I hid and I drew and I practised. My one job and it wasn't enough. The least I can do is give him another chance. I owe him and the world this chance."
And with a sound of pain she finishes the symbol and sends it into the disk, which promptly activates.
"You do it," smiles Ji.
Only for Lauren's legs to give out as her body crashes to the floor.
Ji catches her head before it hits the floor.
Lauren feels the weakness wash over her.
"Take the disk to my brother. Tell him I gave it everything I had left."
She'd never felt so drained in all her life.
"It has all your power?" clarifies Ji as he picks it up.
"Yes, but I can only be used once. Now go!"
Ji nods and rushes off. And Lauren collapses back to the floor, giving into the welcoming black of unconsciousness.
Evie slashes through the moogers, each of them pulling out every trick they knew.
And she channelled all of her pain and anger into each blow, unleashing everything onto the moogers that were in their way.
Only for the sound of a motorbike roar to rip through and she sees Ji pull up in Samurai armour.
And an absent part of her thought how ridiculous he looked.
As she takes down the last of the Moogers, they run towards Ji.
"We kicked those moogers butts," smiles Mike.
"Is everyone alright?" asks Ji.
They all nod, and his gaze lingers on Evie for a moment, especially when she refuses to meet his eyes.
"Don't worry Mentor, you taught us never to give up. We'll beat Xandred if it's the last thing we do," assures Emily.
Ji nods, she'd come so far, they all had.
"And after that you're going to teach me something new," smiles Mike.
"What's that?"
"To ride your motorcycle."
"And why not ask these two?" He nods to Evie and Jayden.
"Cause I'm pretty sure pregnant ladies shouldn't ride motor cycles, and Jayden's not gonna leave her side once we're done."
"A fair comment," agrees Jayden glancing at Evie who gives him a tight smile.
"Then that scares me more than any Nighlok."
He moves to Jayden then.
"This is for you."
As the disk is revealed their eyes widen.
"Another Shiba fire disk? But how could she?"
"She gave it everything she had. But I'm afraid it can only be used one time."
"I'll try not to waste it."
Ji nods before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a white disk.
"This belonged to your father. He gave this to me before his last battle. And told me to save it for a moment like this. Use it to double your power."
Jayden takes it, "It all rides on this last battle."
"We could make it more, combine those disks with the transference symbol? All of our powers doubled rather than just Jayden's?" offers Evie suddenly.
"With no practice, no training and you already weakened. Evie that's beyond dangerous it's downright suicide, never mind the risk it poses to the baby," counters Ji.
"But if this is the only way."
Jayden takes her hand, "It's not the only way, we can do this, without risking your life more than necessary. Because that's what this would be, and its entirely feasible, you won't be in control enough to use this against Xandred."
Evie sighs but nods, "I had to make the offer."
"I know you did, but we've still got this," smiles Jayden.
"Then we need to buy you the time you need. If we work as one, we can trap Xandred long enough to give Jayden the chance to hit him with everything with we have."
"I have faith in you. In all of you. Now go and kick Master Xandred's ass," he smiles.
They nod before racing off.
Running through the city it wasn't hard to locate Master Xandred, he'd gone where the destruction was highest and the misery thickest.
"Master Xandred! It's time to finish this!" shouts Jayden.
He turns and looks at them scathingly.
"I thought I told you pathetic pests to wait," he sneers.
"Sorry we became impatient," retorts Mike.
"It's an unfortunate trait," agrees Emily.
"You will fall, and we will protect this world."
"Rangers together, Samurai forever."
Xandred smirks, "Fools, forever is shorter than you think. Attack!"
The moogers surge forwards, but they were ready. And they had nothing left to lose.
Their symbol power slowly building back up as they cut them down.
Before they have enough to morph.
Xandred sends a blast at them, but their own energy discharge counters it, and out of the smoke they charge towards him.
Attacking in concert trying to chip away at his defences.
Before stumbling back to regroup. Or so it seemed to Xandred.
As he unleashed his attack, Evie focused on blocking it while the others activated their own symbols.
"Capture!"
Xandred tries to bat them away but they make it through.
"You think your ranger symbols will hold me for long?"
"Just long enough," retorts Evie.
"Double disk, fire smasher, duel mode," Jayden activates his weapons, charging forwards as he deals a series of a hits.
"You didn't think it'd be that easy?"
Jayden is blasted back, and he rolls into a crouch.
"Now!"
"Now what?"
"Attack!"
Kevin, Mike, Antonio, Mia and Emily charge forwards as one, hitting him again.
Evie spins the disk on her sword.
"Spin Sword, Shiba fire."
The blade ignites and she charges forwards.
"Blazing strike!"
She slices across Xandred's chest sending him rolling across the floor.
"Now finish him Jayden!"
"Thanks to Lauren's disk I'm hoping to do just that."
Sliding it onto his sword he activates, "Shogun mode! Power of the Ancestors!"
Using the full power he surges forwards, slashing at the white patch again, and again.
Xandred too weakened by the other attacks to stop him.
"It's the end of the line for you! Shogun strike!"
Channelling everything he has he slams it into the white patch one more time.
Xandred explodes in a flash of fire and lightening before disappearing completely.
The moment he does everyone slumps, the adrenaline and fight draining out of them.
Evie doubles over, trying to take deep breaths.
The others all looking similarly done in.
"We really did it, he's gone," smiles Jayden.
Or rather she assumes he's smiling beneath his helmet.
"That armour still looks fucking ridiculous," she manages.
"Hey don't step on our ancestors, it's the reason we won."
"What do they care, they're dead," she retorts.
"But we're not."
Evie's smile drops at that and she straightens her hand resting on her stomach.
"Jayden."
Only for a giant Master Xandred to appear.
"No he gets a second life too?"
"Samurai Rangers, now your world will end! Time for you to face my wrath!"
"No, now you get to face ours! Come on Rangers, one more combination."
They activate their swords, immediately forming the gigazord.
As they appear in the cockpit Evie is relieved to see Jayden still in shogun mode, which means they still had that extra juice.
"I hate you Samurai Rangers, take this!"
The whole cockpit rocks from the force of Xandred's hit, consoles sparking immediately.
They needed to think fast, or they weren't going to last for very long.
He sends another blast of power and it slams them backwards, their swords being dislodged from their consoles as each one of thrown about the cockpit.
Pulling themselves back to their consoles they try and push their swords back in.
"Xandred's more powerful than ever, what do we do now?" asks Emily.
"Yeah, at this rate we're not gonna last," agrees Mia.
"I can try and buy us some time," Kevin lifts his samuraiser but Jayden stops him.
"No, don't use symbol power yet."
"Why not?"
"We can't use it in small amounts, he'll win that way."
Jayden de-morphs, "Everyone de-morph and combine every last ounce of our symbol power into one grand strike."
"We beat him as a team," finishes Evie.
Jayden looks at her with a smile, "What did I say to you last night?"
"We're not just a team, we're a family."
The others all de-morph.
"One attack?" clarifies Mike.
"And what if we miss?" Mia's eyes wide.
"We have to get so close there's no chance we miss."
"We have to do it, to save the world, and each other," Emily looks at Mike who gives her a soft smile.
"Sounds risky and dangerous, I'm in," beams Antonio.
"Like I said, all for one," smiles Evie.
"No matter what, we can't retreat. We have to keep going at all cost, even if we only have one zord left. Everything will be riding on this one attack."
They all nod, though each one feels a pang at the thought of sacrificing their zords.
"Alright then."
They each plug their swords back in.
"Charge!"
Though it wasn't really a charge, the damage to the zord left them at more of a walking speed, something that didn't help them as Xandred blasted them again. Three of the zords splintering off.
But they kept coming.
"You just don't give up," sneers Xandred.
"We'll never give up!"
Holding on with all they had they continue driving forwards, even as everything sparks and bursts around them.
"Nearly there," urges Antonio.
Xandred strikes them again, three more zords flying off.
"Three more!" warns Mike.
"Keep going!" yells Jayden.
"Are you really so eager to march to your own destruction?"
Another strike blasts into them, their shield flying off as the ceiling opens above them, beams and wiring exposed and Evie ducks as part of it flies past her head.
But they were close now, close enough for it to count.
"Okay guys, this is it. And I just want to say, that no Red Ranger has ever led a better team of Samurai."
For a moment they're all quiet, only for Evie to groan.
"Oh shut up and lets hit him already. I'm no dying now."
Drawing their swords each one glowing with the strength of their power.
"Samurai! Strike!"
They slice through Xandred with everything they have, and in an almighty explosion he's blasted into nothing.
The Sanzu River and all the moogers being dragged back into the Netherworld.
Before they're all sent flying in opposite directions as the megazord broke apart.
Ji races around the corner where he'd seen the megazord go down.
"Rangers!"
A groan comes from somewhere nearby and Ji races over, finding Jayden lying on the ground, Evie sprawled on top of him. Evidently he'd managed to grab her as everyone had been thrown out of the zords.
"Jayden, Evie, can you hear me?"
Evie sits up slowly, and Ji steadies her as he helps her up.
"Are you alright?"
She looks up at him, tears pricking her eyes. "I'm bleeding."
Ji's eyes widen, looking her over, "What do you mean? How badly and since when?"
"The first fight in the valley I felt it after Xandred hit us back."
Ji checks along her legs, but doesn't feel anything wet.
"I can't feel any blood, don't lose hope yet Evie, this might not be what you think. Now lets get the others an get you all to hospital, I've already put the call in."
She nods and Ji helps Jayden up next, slowly gathering up the others and assessing them for injuries.
And he thank God none of them were seriously injured.
But his gaze remained fixed on Evie, and as the ambulances turn up, he immediately grabs the nearest EMT.
"She's three and a half months pregnant and she's bleeding and cramping."
The EMT's eyes widen but he nods and they rush towards Evie, loading her up, though she insists on staying by Jayden's side.
And as it races away from the wreck, Ji prays this wasn't as bad as they thought. Because it was be beyond cruel for her to lose the baby now.