She really should've seen this coming. Brooke knew her mental state was not stable enough to cut someone like Jayden, a person who had a large positive impact on her life, out of her life. He was stubborn, which was a good thing, and he was still in her life despite everything. She knew trying was fundamentally useless, but she tried and failed miserably. Not that she minded that she failed, it was nice having someone like him in her life. It was nice to rely on someone, it was nice to be relied on.
A warm arm was wrapped around her torso, one of Jayden's hands buried in her hair. He didn't speak, he conveyed everything he needed to say through his actions. His actions stated things such as "you're safe" and "I'm here for you" as his hold was not tight enough to suffocate Brooke, but tight enough to show that it was genuine. He smelt like spice and smoke, his heart beating rhythmically that she deemed as calm. As safe.
His actions were safe even as her sobs caused her chest to heave and his grey overcoat was no doubtedly being stained with tears, which wasn't something new, Jayden still stood there. So, Brooke held onto him tightly, her tear-stained face buried into his shoulder as her body shook. She didn't know how long she cried for, but Jayden only moved when her breathing evened out and she stopped shaking. Even then, his hand only dropped from her hair to her upper back, and he moved his head and pressed a light kiss to her temple. The action almost made Brooke cry again, so she buried her face further into his shoulder to prevent herself from doing so.
"... Sorry," Brooke sniffled, her voice muffled by Jayden's overcoat. She grabbed a fistful of the grey fabric and held onto it like it was a lifeline, taking caution to make sure she didn't accidentally prick him with her fully bared claws. "I'm a wreck." She added, her voice wavering.
"No, you're not. Everyone has bad days." Jayden chided, his voice soft. He gently pried Brooke's face away from his shoulder, blue eyes scanning tear-streaked cheeks and watery gold eyes. He didn't say anything else, instead offered a small but reassuring smile as a replacement.
His fingertips brushed Brooke's tears away, who didn't necessarily agree with him but stopped herself from saying more. She knew it would be a waste of energy. Nevertheless, she knew she had to talk about her feelings, and specifically explain why she wanted to push Jayden out of her life and failed miserably in doing so. Her stomach churned at the thought, or maybe it was just the withdrawals, but Brooke swallowed down her bile and started to talk. She didn't process what she was saying, the words falling from her tongue as she thought of them.
So, she told him everything. Brooke found herself speaking about the actions that she shamed herself for, the times where she was at the lowest points in her life. She told Jayden about Alex, her problems with alcohol, every action that she regretted. It wasn't an easy process, she almost vomited on his shoes as she grew more and more nauseous; she also broke into a new mess of snot and tears. To admit, to both herself and Jayden, that she fucked herself up, that she made herself into the mess that she had become, was one of the hardest things she had done in a while. She never liked having emotional weaknesses, they were always harder to overcome compared to physical. She never liked admitting that she couldn't overcome her weaknesses as easily as she thought she should, she loathed the fact that she wasn't as brave or as strong as she let herself out to be.
Brooke remembered the last time she felt this small, and the memory made her sick to her stomach. It was one of the earliest memories she had after she shifted for the first time when she was thirteen. She recalled picking herself up off of the floor, almost choking on her tears, as her cheek stung and was hot to the touch. It was a time where she truly hated herself, but back then she could always blame it on James, that it was his fault, he made her hate herself. Now, however, it was all her.
"Brooke? Hey, Brooke?" Jayden's gentle voice snapped her out of her thoughts. His blue eyes shone with concern and a certain kindness and love that she couldn't place. However, whatever his expression truly was, it caused a certain warmth to fill her chest.
She then realized she had fallen silent, a weak and watery laugh falling from her lips. "Sorry," Brooke mumbled as she wiped away her tears with the back of her fur-covered hand, the brown and white fur surprisingly soft. "Got caught up in my own head, I guess." She admitted, sniffling and shrugging weakly.
"You're alright, you don't have to keep talking if you don't want to. Either one you chose, I'm here for you." Jayden responded, reaching out and cupping Brooke's cheek in his hand, stroking her fur-covered cheek with his thumb. The corners of his lips twitched upwards as she nuzzled into his touch without a second thought, and he let out a quiet laugh at her actions.
His laugh caused Brooke to frown but she didn't shy away from his touch. "Shuddup," She huffed, puffing out her cheeks as her eyes flashed. When Jayden merely smiled in response, she averted her gaze. "Dunno how you can even see this," She gestured to her wolf-like features, which included, but was not limited to, her fully bared canines and fur-covered cheeks. "And think, "ah, yes, let me comfort her". Natural selection's gonna catch up to you one day, y'know that, right?" Brooke questioned, her eyes flashing as Jayden's hand dropped to his side.
The red ranger raised his eyebrows at his childhood friend's statement, a frown working its way onto his lips. "Don't talk about yourself like that," Jayden scolded, Brooke's eyes widening in response. "You're not a monster, I'm not afraid of you. If anything, you're less intimidating now than when we were kids." Plus, I love you. He refrained from conveying his true feelings, or all of his feelings because he knew that the night had already been emotionally taxing for Brooke. At least that was Jayden's excuse, as he knew his cowardice played a large role in involving his feelings of affection.
"...I've cried enough today." It was a simple deflection, they both knew that, but they both spoke nothing more about the topic.
Instead, the two stood in silence for a couple of moments, Brooke's features returning to her human-like appearance. When they did so, Jayden turned his attention to the barely-scabbed gashes on her palms. "I'm going to help you with that." He decided, and Brooke looked down at her hands, her eyes flashing.
It was true that the gashes should be dealt with, as the wounds looked swollen and raw, with the surrounding skin an inflamed pink color. Dried blood was encrusted on the palms of her hands, plus Brooke knew she shouldn't risk the wounds getting infected. Not that this was a one-time thing, she didn't even know if they could get infected. The thought of Jayden helping her was nice, but she knew she should push him away. Not even for herself, for the fact that she had told Ji that she would.
"I can-" She started, only to be cut off by Jayden shaking his head.
"No, I'm helping you." He argued, the familiar sense of stubbornness shining in his eyes.
Brooke knew it was fundamentally useless, Jayden had his mindset. So, she let out a quiet sigh and shook her head faintly. "Fine, just let me take a shower first. There's no use in cleaning it and then getting in the shower," She mumbled, but she stayed rooted in her spot. Her eyes flashed multiple times, which Jayden noticed and raised an eyebrow at. His silent question of "are you alright" caused Brooke to let out another sigh.
"No- I don't know anymore, I guess. It's just... I told Ji that I'd make an effort to stop hanging around you, so that "our relationship won't get in the way of the mission" or whatever. And it's not like I don't want you here- I appreciate everything you do and you're a positive presence in my life, but... I don't wanna get you in trouble- I mean, I'm fine with it, but it's just, I dunno, awkward I guess? It just makes me feel... I don't know, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, I understand your concern," Jayden started with a sigh. He ran his hand through his hair and knit his brows, the usual crease appearing above his eyebrow. "...We'll deal with that at another time." He decided after a couple of moments of silence, which caused Brooke to snort.
"Those are famous last words if I've ever heard them," Her statement was met with a slight glare, which she responded with a nonchalant wave of her hand and an eye-roll. "Listen, I'm not wrong. I am offended that you even think that I am," Brooke teased, placing her hand over her heart dramatically. Her arm then dropped to her side as her eyes flashed. "Heya, Red?"
"What's up? Are you alright?" Jayden responded, his tone quickly turning into one of concern for what seemed like the umpteenth time.
Something about it made Brooke's heart hurt, but it didn't hurt in the traditional sense, in the way her heart would usually hurt. It wasn't guilt, she knew it was irrational to feel guilty due to someone's compassion, especially Jayden's. Her heart hurt in an almost bittersweet way, what would once be a sharp pain was replaced by a dull throb. It was a feeling Brooke wasn't used to, a completely new experience that she didn't mind. She enjoyed the feeling, as strange as it was. She didn't want it to stop, a part of her hoped- no, wanted Jayden to feel the same way. Perhaps he did, by the way, his gaze was soft, his body language and expression giving off the notion of comfort, the notion of safety.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't look so worried," Brooke teased with a wry smile. It turned into a more genuine smile as her eyes flashed, the color returning to their original grey. She managed to release the tension and stress in her body as she spoke, a weight she didn't know she carried being lifted from her shoulders. "I just wanted to thank you, for everything. If you weren't here- god knows where I'd be, how I'd be. You've... you make me happy, and you saved my life. Directly and indirectly. So... Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you." She thanked, and the smile Jayden wore made her heart ache more, the shade of pink that dusted his cheeks made butterflies dance in her stomach.
"Of course," His response was quick, a weak laugh falling from his lips as he grew more flustered. "I mean- you've done the same for me, more than you even know. Or remember," Jayden smiled when Brooke snorted, his blue eyes shining with adoration. "I mean it."
Brooke didn't respond directly, she opted to wrap him into a hug instead. He didn't seem to mind, as one of his hands buried itself into her hair without a second thought, his hand seemingly disappearing in the black strands. She wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her face into the crook of his neck, the smell of spice and smoke washing over her. It was a smell that was specifically his, a smell that only Jayden carried, a smell that only he could carry.
When she discovered her heightened sense of smell, she had always associated emotions with certain smells. Before her dance recitals, it was always perfume and hairspray, the smells had made her confident and filled her body with a subconscious excitement. Casper's cologne, and now Nate's, had always smelt like home. They provided comfort, not in the same way Jayden's did, but comfort nonetheless. Jayden carried the same things, but it was warmer, the warmth provided a sense of safety. It was a sense that she didn't want to lose.
She nuzzled her face into his neck, receiving a faint laugh in response. "You're cute," Jayden murmured and Brooke just hummed in response.
After that, the two didn't speak. What had needed to be said was already said, everything else could be conveyed through actions. Jayden didn't mind it, he didn't mind standing and holding Brooke. He felt her soft breaths against his neck, her fluffy black hair brushed against and tickled his neck as he readjusted her position in his arms. Which, he only did when he felt the arms around his torso loosen as her breathing started to even out. She was falling asleep in his arms again, while a part of that made Jayden rather happy, the feeling of happiness was replaced by concern rather quickly. Yes, she was falling asleep in his arms, but she was doing so as she stood. He had reached points like that before. It was mostly when he had thrown himself heavily into his training before the original four other rangers arrived and he became the leader of the eighteenth generation's samurai rangers. It was an experience that he didn't wish on most people.
So, while he didn't want to wake her, he shook Brooke awake. "You're falling asleep standing," Jayden murmured, instantly being met with a noise of protest. "Sorry, but you can sleep after you get cleaned up. You'll feel better." He added and pressed a kiss to Brooke's temple as a silent apology.
She then raised her head, grey eyes half-lidded and partially glossed over. "...Don't apologize," Brooke mumbled with a yawn, blinking slowly as she regained her bearings. "Thanks for wakin' me up. First time I pulled that, surprisingly enough. Shit." She shook her head faintly as she ran a hand over her face, her eyes flashing.
Jayden watched her with a small smile as his arm dropped to his side. However, it wasn't long until the smile fell as his gaze landed on her neck. The grey turtleneck that Brooke was wearing had slid down her neck a couple of centimeters, which revealed the purple bruises that were in the shape of fingerprints. "Did Deker strangle you?" He wondered aloud and knit his brows, gently reaching out.
Brooke instinctively slapped his hand away without a second thought as his fingertips brushed the side of her neck. She took a couple of cautious steps back and pulled the turtleneck back up her neck, her claws snagging the fabric as she did so. "No- NO." She responded quickly with a nervous laugh. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, her face pale and gold eyes wide. She looked like a caged animal as she recalled her night with Alex, or what she could remember of it.
It would be easier to lie, she knew that. It would've been much easier to deal with, plus it would've been far less awkward, but she couldn't. Not with the way she obtained the bruises. "No- not Deker. I- I... didn't get strangled, either." Brooke mumbled as her cheeks grew redder, gold eyes landing anywhere besides Jayden's confused expression. Her grave was more than three-quarters dug at this point she was ready to be buried. The pain of skewering herself with her katanas was much better than her embarrassment. It wasn't even just the embarrassment to tell someone that she enjoyed being choked as a kink, but to admit it to Jayden, of all people. A part of her even wanted him to choke her out, but Brooke shoved that thought to the back of her mind as soon as it formed.
A deafening silence fell over the two as Jayden seemed to be lost in thought. "Then... what..." He muttered, but his blue eyes soon grew wide. He stared dumbly at his childhood friend, his tone being full of suspicion and slight concern as he spoke again. "You... do you like being-" He started, his voice soon muffled as Brooke slapped a clawed hand over his mouth.
Both rangers' cheeks were different shades of red and pink, a subconscious growl reverberating in the back of Brooke's throat. "Don't say it. Don't go there," She hissed as her entire body shook. "I'm serious. Why- how do you- I thought you were sheltered." She stammered as Jayden pried her hand from over his mouth, his cheeks a light pink.
"...I know enough," He replied with a shrug as he tried to appear nonchalant. However, how he truly felt was given away by the way he awkwardly shifted his weight from one leg to another as blue eyes met gold. "I mean... it's really not surprising- it's you." Jayden added with a slight cough. His eyes shone with a certain emotion Brooke couldn't place, but at this point, she didn't even want to know what emotion it truly was.
"Respectfully: choke on glass," She retorted. The whole direction of the conversation caught her off-guard, but it was easier to deal with and slightly less embarrassing. "Thought you'd be flustered or somethin'. Where'd the Red I actually enjoy talking to go?" Brooke questioned, but she didn't give him time to respond before she shifted.
"Ouch," Jayden made a noise of faux hurt, watching as the brown wolf hopped onto her bed. "I take it that the conversation's over now," He added as she proceeded to lie down on her stomach, her brown and white ears and tail flicking in response. So, he grabbed his flannel and hoodie from where they laid on her desk chair and offered her a smile. "I found a cardigan that you can have, I kind of need these back. I'll come back with it." He explained, raising the two red articles of clothing for emphasis. He received a tail wag in approval, which caused him to smile. Then, he left the room, shutting the door behind himself.
After he did so, Brooke shifted back. She repositioned herself to lay on her back, grey-gold eyes glued to the white ceiling. While her talk with Jayden made her feel a little better, she felt generally bad overall, as nausea and soreness didn't go away in a short amount of time. It seemed to be worse than before, as now the exhaustion hit her at full force, along with the usual fatigue that she felt after she cried. However, a part of her did feel lighter. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and while her problems weren't fixed, talking about them had been helpful.
"I am proud of you, my dear," Amaris appeared in a flash of silver on the bed, the white wolf then sat on her haunches and looked down at Brooke. Her violet eyes and tone of voice held something akin to motherly love, the white comforter that covered the bed rustling slightly as she wagged her tail. "I know it is not an easy task, especially for you. You did the right thing." She praised and nuzzled Brooke's cheek, which caused her to let out a weak laugh.
"...Thanks. I swear I'm trying now," Brooke murmured, her gaze still locked on the ceiling. However, her eyes then flickered to Amaris as they flashed and returned to their original grey, her breaking into a smile laced with exhaustion. "I know you're tired. I most definitely am." She added with a yawn, her eyelids heavy and eyes half-lidded.
Amaris' ears flicked as she laid on her stomach neck to Brooke, her body pressed close to the silver ranger's in a protective manner. "I will not lie. Exhaustion is a prominent feeling with you." She replied as she closed her eyes, Brooke reaching over to pet the back of her head.
"Hopefully that'll fix itself soon enough." She sighed, watching the silver strands of Amaris' fur reflect in the overhead light. Brooke was truly grateful for the white wolf, she knew she didn't have to say it directly. It was clear Amaris got the message by the subtle wag of her tail.
--
It took some effort, but after she almost fell asleep for the second time, Brooke forced herself to take a shower. Jayden's words from earlier were right, as he usually was, she did feel significantly better. Well, she also threw up, but that was beside the point. What mattered most was that she felt like she had enough energy to get her through as she waited for Jayden. It seemed like he was taking longer than he usually did, but that may just be the fact that the seconds seemed to tick by slower than they usually did.
As a way to prevent herself from falling asleep again, Brooke stood in the middle of her room and tried to keep herself busy on her phone. She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet and hummed to herself; while she probably looked insane doing so, it did work as a means of staying awake. Still, she found herself being envious of Amaris when her tired eyes fell onto the white wolf, who was peacefully asleep. She was curled up into a ball like how she usually slept, and without her usual glow in the dark, she almost blended in with the white comforter. Her snout rested on her tail, her eyes closed. She was extremely still, to the point where Brooke thought that something had happened to her once she stepped out of her bathroom, but the slight flick of the wolf's ears let her know that she was fine.
The fear of losing Amaris was a very present one. Brooke knew she wouldn't get very far without her, other than Jayden, she had been one of the most positive things to come out of this war. If something happened to her...
"No. Everyone's fine. Don't think about that," Brooke scolded herself with a slight shake of her head. Everything was fine, everything would turn out fine. Now wasn't the time for worrying about something in the future or something incredibly unlikely. "Get a grip, Brooke." She sighed, turning her attention to the door when the doorknob turned and the door slowly opened.
The open door revealed Jayden, whose hair was damp. He wore his usual pajama ensemble, which consisted of a pair of sweatpants and a red t-shirt, but Brooke found herself interested in the cream and red article of clothing he had in his hand. Her eyes flashed as he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him, he held out the cardigan as soon as he did so.
"Figured you might like it. I'll give the hoodie back once I wash it." Jayden explained as Brooke took the cardigan from his hand, who hummed in approval.
The smell of spice and smoke instantly washed over her as she grabbed the cardigan by both shoulders and held it up to eye level. "Smells good," Brooke mumbled and overall, she wasn't disappointed. The cardigan was a warm cream color with a red argyle pattern, which caused it to give off a cozy, log cabin vibe. "I'm getting more and more impressed, Red. Thought you only bought, like, fifty red t-shirts in bulk and called it a day." She teased, which caused Jayden to snort as she shrugged the cardigan on.
"I'll give you that one, because I can understand why'd you think that," He retorted, stepping forward. He silently helped Brooke roll up the sleeves and fix the collar of the cardigan, but stopped when he noticed the bruises along the side of her neck again. "...The only one who should be able to do this to you is me." Jayden muttered as he brushed some of her hair away from her neck, she didn't slap his hand away this time, either.
Brooke felt her heart pound in her ears as his fingertips brushed over one of the bruises. He applied pressure, not enough pressure to cause any damage or worsen the bruising, but as if to wipe away the bruises that stood out against her pale skin. Jayden's fingertips then stopped at her pulse point, he undoubtedly felt as her pulse drummed against his touch. He didn't say anything about his actions as his hand dropped to his side, he instead raised an eyebrow when Brooke blinked at him repeatedly.
"What in the fuck was that?" She questioned as her cheeks grew redder, her eyes flashing. When Jayden didn't respond, Brooke furrowed her brows at him with a scowl. "Don't play dumb with me." She growled, her embarrassment and exhaustion turning into anger quickly. She knew this wasn't right, she should probably stop before they fought and the history of their strained relationship, when they were under the hypnobolts, repeated itself.
However, they both knew how their personalities were, once the fire was started, it was hard to stop. The two were too tired, the emotions that Jayden had tried to hold back, mostly jealousy, bubbled to the surface rather quickly.
"I'm not playing dumb."
"Oh yeah, then what was that, Jayden? 'The only one who should be able to do this to you is me'? Care to explain?"
"Because I care about you, you dumbass," Jayden started, his tone turning into the one he used when he commanded the team. It was stern and no-nonsense, it meant he was completely serious. "And I, personally, don't like it when you come back and I know someone choked you because you're into it! It just doesn't sit right with me, another guy doing this to you doesn't sit right with me." He argued and Brooke's eyes flashed dangerously as she grabbed fistfuls of the front of his shirt.
She pulled him down so that they were eye-level with each other, her lips curled into a sneer, which revealed her elongated canines. Brown and white fur started to sprout on her cheeks as well, and while it was a standard intimidation tactic, Brooke noticed the way Jayden's eyes widened slightly. It was barely noticeable, but the slight shock, the slight fear, at her sudden actions made her realize what she was doing. She instantly released his shirt and stepped back, her features returning to their human-like appearance as gold eyes met blue.
"Sorry- uh, I'm sorry," Brooke mumbled as she hugged herself. Her claws snagged the knit fabric of the cardigan, and the way she felt her emotions spike made her wonder if it was going to be her final straw; she wouldn't necessarily be surprised if it was. "I'm sorry, I'm not fully in control of everything right now, and being tired doesn't help. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She apologized, her voice barely above a whisper.
She was ready to burst into tears again, her talk with Nate replaying in her mind. Specifically, it was the question of "why did they have to do this to me?", as it was the most prominent one in her head. Brooke realized that she asked herself that question more and more after she found out that she wasn't a shifter genetically, that she was made into the creature she was. The fact that she had a taste of humanity, a chance to live a normal life and be fully human, but had to throw it all away, sickened her. The fact that she couldn't even remember what that freedom was like, the freedom that she subconsciously wished for every time something caused her to lose sight of her humanity, was sickening.
It sickened her to the point where she found herself sitting on her knees, bent over the toilet bowl as she threw up again. Luckily, this time Jayden was there to hold back her damp hair, but Brooke found herself not being able to focus on that for very long. Instead, she felt as the stomach acid burnt her throat and tears pricked her eyes, all while a part of her wondered if the current moment was when her body finally had enough. She almost wished it was, but she knew she had done this to herself. It was the consequences for her actions, and while they were incredibly shitty consequences, they were consequences nonetheless.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This is all on you. Brooke thought to herself as she used toilet paper to wipe her mouth, then flushing the toilet. As she felt Jayden let go of her hair, she closed her eyes and took a moment to regain her thoughts, her chest heaving as she did so.
"Are you okay?" Jayden asked, his voice gentle and barely above a whisper. When he received an unintelligible noise paired with a thumbs up in response, he awkwardly cleared his throat. "I know this probably sounds stupid, but, you're not... pregnant... right? 'Cause I know-" He started and inwardly cringed as his voice rose in pitch and his face flushed red, but was quickly cut off with a groan.
"Red- Red. The thought alone makes me wanna vomit again, so, to answer your question: fuck no. I'd kill myself if I reached that point," Brooke muttered as she rose her head and opened her eyes, making direct eye contact with Jayden. When she noticed his red cheeks and flustered expression, she let out a small bark of laughter, a tired version of her usual grin then worked itself onto her face. "It's not something you need to be embarrassed about, either. I mean, I'm surprised you even know the basics of sex-ed, so more power to ya." She teased, fully laughing when Jayden groaned and his face flushed an even deeper red.
He almost put his ranger suit to shame, and he knew that. He knew Brooke knew that, by a faint hint of amusement that glimmered in her, now grey, eyes and a small grin. However, other than that, she looked half dead. The paleness in her face made her dark circles and eye bags more prominent, and it reminded Jayden of when they were at the Tengen Gate. Specifically, the scene of her weak body collapsing face-first into a lake, and he felt the fear and worry he had felt back then bubble to the surface.
That was the first time where the fear of death really sunk in. He knew that death was inevitable, he came to terms with that when he was six and his father never returned home from the battle against Master Xandred. Jayden also knew that he might die in a battle against a nighlok, he had accepted it, even. Lauren was always there, the world wasn't damned, she could save the day. That's what he told himself, at least.
The thought of the people he cared about dying was one he didn't want to accept. As he looked at Brooke, Jayden realized the toll the war had on others. The toll the war had on her, especially, because if it weren't for his family, she wouldn't be who she was. Perhaps she would be the girl he remembered, the one with the wide smile and genuine excitement for the world. Not the seventeen-year-old who destroyed her health and mental state to cope.
"Heya... Red?" Brooke's worried voice snapped Jayden out of his thoughts, and he shifted his attention to her. Worry was clear in her expression as she poked him in the chest weakly, but she visibly relaxed when a small smile appeared on his face. "Oh, good. You had me worried that I had pushed you past your breaking point." She joked, but her sigh of relief didn't go unnoticed.
"No, don't worry, I was just thinking," Jayden reassured her as he stood up from where he had kneeled on the bathroom floor. He winced slightly when his knees screamed in protest, but instead opted to ignore it and offered Brooke a hand.
She gratefully took it and rose to her feet, not before stumbling in place, and Jayden was quick to help her regain her balance. Brooke then looked up at him, their height difference much greater when her platforms didn't give her the extra four inches, but her small smile from before fell. While Jayden was good at keeping his true emotions hidden, she now knew him better. She could see the guilt that he tried to mask with a small smile. She knew that the guilt was directed towards her.
"Red, whatever you're thinking, it's not your fault. Please don't look guilty when you look at me. You're okay, none of this is your fault," Brooke stated, her voice soft. "The way I ended up, the mistakes I've made, and the ones I'll probably make, are not your fault. Don't blame yourself." She reassured him, then stepped forward and hugged him for what seemed like the hundredth time that night.
Jayden felt her heartbeat, it was slow and even. He returned the hug without a second thought, but he didn't say anything else on the matter. Instead, he pressed a kiss to her temple and stepped away from her slightly. "Let's get you cleaned up, so we can go to bed. I think... we're both just tired." He speculated with a slight laugh that was mostly directed at himself to try to lighten his mood.
Luckily, lightening the mood was a thing Brooke was good at after she practically choked on mouthwash. He soon found himself wearing a faint smile as he treated the gashes on her palms; he still wore it as he got into bed next to her and turned off the lamp on her nightstand. The room fell dark, sans Amaris, per usual. As Jayden pulled the blankets around them both, the white wolf decided to move and curl up at Brooke's side, who made a hum of contentment.
However, before she fell asleep, Brooke peered up at Jayden from where she rested her head against his chest, smiling when she felt his hand thread itself through her hair. "You're special to me, you know that, right? I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. I- I lo- I appreciate you, so, so much." She caught herself before she told him anything, it wasn't the night for that. At least, that's what she told herself.
"I know. I hope so," Jayden replied with a yawn. He then kissed the top of Brooke's head and moved his hand from her hair to her upper back, drawing her as close to his body as he could. "Get some rest, I'm right here if you need me." He mumbled as he closed his tired eyes, he then finally let the exhaustion fully wash over him. However, before he fully fell asleep, he found himself saying the words that he wanted to say for over six months since the war began.
"I love you too."
--
The soft acoustics of an alarm was what woke Jayden up. At first, he had forgotten where he was and wondered as to why there was even music in the first place, but he remembered as soon as he opened his groggy eyes. He glanced over to Brooke's phone, then Brooke herself, who was still fast asleep. Careful not to wake her, Jayden gently reached over both her and Amaris and shut off the alarm, placing her phone back on her nightstand after he did so. He then rolled back onto his back, his gaze falling on Brooke once again. He didn't know how she managed to sleep through the alarm, as she was the one with the heightened sense of hearing, but didn't blame her. She looked rather comfortable.
Brooke had rolled over to her side sometime in the night, her arms wrapped around Amaris. Her face was buried into the white wolf's fur, so she appeared as a mop of fluffy black hair and nothing more. She didn't stir, only twitched and murmured in her sleep randomly, and Jayden made sure not to wake her. She usually woke up at the same time he did to talk before he left her room, but this time, he didn't mind. He knew she needed the sleep more than anyone, and it was almost peaceful. She looked peaceful, as faint sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, and Jayden wore a smile without even realizing it.
He truly did love her; he longed for mornings where they could both stay as they currently were. The thought of those days made Jayden incredibly happy, even if they were far off, or impossible, to reach. He didn't have a set picture in mind, as he knew he shouldn't wish for the future and instead focus on the present, but he knew that it would be peaceful. That's all he needed, the sense of peace and safety that seemed so close yet so far at the same time. He promised himself he would reach them, even if it took some time. It was a motivation for him to keep fighting, at least.
He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Brooke stir and watched as she raised her head from Amaris' fur. She seemed to take a moment to regain her bearings, as she mumbled something unintelligible that Jayden could barely hear. However, she soon turned her attention to him, her grey eyes half-lidded and glossed over.
Jayden broke into a smile when she did so, his voice gentle as he spoke. "Good morning, you slept through the alarm." He greeted, which was responded with another unintelligible sound. Brooke then curled up next to him again and buried her face into the crook of his neck, which he buried a hand into her hair again without a second thought. It was only after a couple of minutes she spoke again, but she didn't raise her head to do so.
"Can you stay for today?" Brooke's voice was muffled by his neck, and Jayden let out a sigh.
"I was just thinking about that, actually. While I want to, I can't, you know that."
"Screw that. It's not fair."
She raised her head just to pout at him, her eyes flashing as she did so. Jayden just smiled, which was something he usually did when he was too tired to deal with her antics, and stroked the top of her head in a calming manner. Brooke didn't mind his nonverbal responses, as he looked peaceful and that's what mattered most to her. The fact that he was happy to be with her, and he was happy to share a bed with her, was more than enough. It was a nice feeling, a feeling that she always wanted to carry with her.
So, she buried her face into the crook of his neck again, the familiar warmth and the smell of spice and smoke washing over her. Brooke instantly felt herself get tired as she did so, she wouldn't necessarily be surprised if she somehow conditioned herself to associate Jayden's cologne with sleep. Hell, every time she was around him when it wasn't during a battle or training, she seemed to fall asleep anyway. It was probably the fact that she felt constantly exhausted and drained, but she knew he had a part in it. She genuinely felt safe around him, safe enough to let her guard down and fall asleep as well.
She was just about to doze off when she felt Jayden gently push her away, along with the rustle of the white comforter. Brooke found herself subconsciously letting out a whine as she grabbed onto him as he sat up, she hoped it would act as a means to prevent him from leaving.
It didn't work very well. Jayden was physically stronger than Brooke when she didn't rely on the strength that came with her wolf form, let alone when she was half asleep. It was a very poor attempt to get him to say, but the thought was there. It made Jayden smile, even as grey eyes glared at him, Brooke's arms loosely wrapped around his waist.
"Glad to see you're feeling better from last night," Jayden stated, and a part of him was glad that the bruises on her neck were already fading. He knew he had no right to control what Brooke did, she was her own person and he knew she lived a vastly different life than him before she started fighting beside him, but the bruises did make him jealous. He'll admit that one to himself, at least.
"I am, yeah. That being said..." Brooke trailed with a grin. It was a grin that grew wider as Jayden raised an eyebrow, a faint hint of amusement shining in his eyes. "I'd feel better if you would stay with me a little longer. Or, the whole morning- I'll choose to ignore your eye roll, for your sake." She cut herself off when he playfully rolled his eyes, him meeting her gaze with an expression of faux annoyance.
"We do this almost every morning."
"Well, yeah, it's fun. Or at least, it is for me. You're just along for the ride."
"Get some sleep while you still can," Jayden responded as he gently pried Brooke's arms away from his waist. "You need it, we don't know what's going to happen today. I know you've had a taxing couple of days." He added, then fully got out of bed.
He honestly wanted to stay, but he wouldn't admit that to anyone but himself. Mostly because he would be admitting it to Brooke, who somehow wouldn't let him live it down. Not that she makes leaving easy, she hardly made anything easy for Jayden. Sometimes he felt like she annoyed him or was extra stubborn on purpose, but she eventually gave up. Such as now, she silently admitted defeat as she readjusted her position in bed so that she was laying on her side, and pulled the white comforter around herself again.
"You gonna read me a bedtime story?" Brooke teased with a snort, and at that point, Jayden had to hold back his laughter.
"Hmm... Maybe another time. Remind me tonight, maybe." Jayden retorted with a laugh. He pressed a kiss to Brooke's temple, who then rolled over on her back so that she was looking directly at him again.
She poked his cheek, grey eyes shining with adoration when Jayden broke into a full smile. "I like hearing you laugh, it's cute. I'm happy I can make you laugh." Brooke admitted with a yawn and the pink that dusted his cheeks didn't go unnoticed.
However, she chose to show him mercy. While 'I like seeing you blush, too' was a good way to flirt, she didn't want to scare him off. Brooke decided to save it for another day, a day where they had more time to talk and she felt better. Because while she did feel better overall, her head was still fuzzy and her body was sore. She also knew that the withdrawal symptoms would catch back up to her eventually, so she knew Jayden was right. They didn't know what sort of nighlok Master Xandred would send to unleash havoc on Panorama City, she knew she needed all the energy she could get. So, she closed her eyes as she heard Jayden tell her goodbye and leave her bedroom, falling back into a light sleep.
—
The nighlok wasn't in Panorama. Well, the disturbance wasn't located in Panorama, it instead was located on some remote island that Brooke didn't even know existed until now. Dressed in her street clothes, she stood next to Jayden and stared down at the map, her brows knit. The location genuinely confused her, as no nighlok has ever attacked outside Panorama before. There was her prom night with Casper, but that was on the city's border, and she figured the nighlok was specifically sent to hunt her down. The current was different from then because it wasn't an attack that specifically made the rangers the target.
"...This isn't for us," Brooke voiced her thoughts aloud as her eyes flashed, she kept her grey-gold eyes glued on the map as she did so. When she raised her head and found the six others staring at her with looks of slight confusion, she motioned to the map with a partially clawed hand for emphasis. "Think about it- yeah, we're pretty much first responders when it comes to shit like this, but it's always been in Panorama. I dunno how to explain this correctly, I just don't get why the nighlok would be in such a remote location if it wanted to harm the team." She explained, struggling to find the right words and talking with her hands as a replacement.
"You mean, it's an attack directed to the island itself," Kevin replied, and Brooke nodded, a small smile appearing on her lips.
"Thanks for making that make sense," Brooke joked, but her small smile quickly fell. She turned her attention back to the map again and furrowed her brows. "Why are they attacking the island and not us?" She mumbled, her eyes flashing. However, the question fell on deaf ears, as everyone had equally confused expressions on their faces.
"That's what I want you all to figure out. I tried to call in, but I got no response. We can't reach anyone," Ji responded, the seven rangers turning their attention to the older man. "There's a ferry not far from here, you can use that as a means to get to the island." He added when Jayden knit his brows, answering the red ranger's question before he asked it.
"We'll go and check it out," Jayden responded with a curt nod, blue eyes flickering over to his six teammates. When the six others nodded, the corners of his lips twitched upward. "Let's go." He commanded, and with that, the rangers set off.
It was a brisk walk to the ferry, but Brooke nearly stopped in her tracks when a wave of nausea hit her at full force. Not now, she thought as she gritted her teeth.
It wasn't a good time for that. She knew she needed to be on her a-game, she didn't know what this island had in store for her and the others. She also couldn't have her wolf features visible, because she knew the ferry driver wouldn't understand if she strolled up on his boat looking like a human-wolf hybrid. Even though she technically was one, but still. It was easier to pretend like she was fully human. So, she shoved nausea down the best she could and let Jayden take charge when they reached the dock the ferry was parked at.
It was a relatively easy process, the red ranger and the ferry driver exchanged a few words and then they were off. The ferry itself was small and wooden, with a row of wooden benches that lined each side of the boat. The rangers each took a seat and chatted absentmindedly with each other, except Brooke. The smell of salt caused her to wrinkle her nose, and with no surprise, the rocking of the small ferry did not help her nausea. It made it worse, but she tried to ignore it. She kept her grey-gold eyes locked on the horizon as she subconsciously slid the compass charm of her necklace back and forth on its chain. If it were any other time, she would've probably enjoyed it, but now she kicked herself for relapsing. She always regretted it, even more so now, as her life was literally on the line.
"Hey, Brooke? Are you okay? You're unusually quiet." Mia's concerned tone snapped Brooke out of her thoughts. The silver ranger turned her attention to the pink and raised a brow in response, whose expression showed slight concern.
Here we go. Brooke knew she had to lie, which wasn't something new when it came to her problems with alcohol and withdrawals. She used to keep it hidden quite well until she shook so badly in the middle of class one day that Casper and her teachers had thought that she had a seizure. Mary had to come to pick her up then, her green eyes shone with the same concern that Mia showed, only far greater. Brooke remembered confessing everything, when she got home, she remembered as she sobbed doing so.
After that, it was all history. She had stopped seeing Alex regularly, which did wonders for her mental health as well as physical health, and started taking care of herself for once. Brooke had gotten better, which did wonders for herself and the people around her, but now she found herself at square one again. But, she got through it then, she could get through it now. She had things to keep herself busy, at least.
"Yeah, no, I'm fine. I just get seasick, that's all," Brooke reassured Mia with a small smile and a nonchalant wave of her hand. At least her excuse could explain the nausea. "I'm alright, thanks for the concern." She added, releasing a tension she didn't know she was holding when Mia nodded and went back to her conversation with Emily.
The rest of the ferry ride then went on without a hitch. The seven rangers arrived at the island, only to find it deserted. Instead of people, there were discarded bikes, boxes, oil drums, and countless other objects that could only be assumed as trash. Brooke wrinkled her nose, not at the sight, but rather the smell. The smell of nighlok lingered in the air, but it wasn't in the usual way.
"What do you smell? You have that look on your face." Mike questioned, and Brooke shook her head with a sigh.
"It's... weird. I mean, with a nighlok there's usually a source if that makes sense? Like there's one big pool of the smell," Brooke replied as her eyes scanned the area in front of her. She saw a flash of silver in her peripheral vision, and the smell of lavender replaced the smell of nighlok rather quickly. "But this- there's no source. It's just everywhere, and while it's faint, it's still here. Something must've happened, but not a nighlok." She added as she shoved her clawed hands into the pockets of the grey hoodie she wore, turning back towards the team.
"I smell it as well. Brooke is correct, in her regard of there seemingly being no source," Amaris agreed as she sniffed the air, her ears and tail flicking once. "Your, or rather, our objective is to find the source of the scent. Since the island currently seems rather desolate, I can offer my assistance." The white wolf seemed rather pleased at the fact she could be out in the open, as her violet eyes shone with slight happiness that made the corners of Brooke's mouth twitch upwards.
However, both Amaris and Brooke grew more serious as they sniffed the air again. Grey-gold eyes and violet eyes fell on Jayden, who blinked in surprise and pointed at himself in confusion.
"Have you used your symbol power lately? A lot of it?" Brooke questioned, and Jayden shook his head in response. "That's what I thought." She mumbled, but it wasn't an explanation. However, she didn't seem to want to explain, as she was engrossed in her surroundings.
Jayden almost found it cute. He couldn't explain it, and he didn't necessarily want to, so he shifted his attention to Amaris. The crease above his eyebrow showed his confusion as he knit his brows, the white wolf looking almost amused at his expression. "...No. What's the matter?" He asked as Amaris sniffed the air again.
"There is also the smell of ash along with the scent the nighlok carry. At first, I assumed it was you- we both did." The wolf explained, and Brooke nodded in agreement.
"That makes sense, but I haven't used much symbol power lately."
It was the truth, Jayden didn't necessarily have a use for it outside of battle. He didn't have anything to work on that used symbol power, that was Lauren's job. He was only tasked with starting small fires to light the fireplace when he was little, and now morphing into his ranger suit. Which was simple enough, so he didn't mind it.
"Anyways, we better split up into teams. It'll make exploration easier," Jayden changed the topic quickly, performing a subconscious head-count. Everyone was in fighting condition, which made things easier. "Stay safe, everyone." He added with a small nod, and with that, the rangers, plus Amaris, were off in their separate directions.
Once Brooke made her way into the woods and safely away from any people who could have lingered in the area, she shifted. It was the first time she shifted for something that wasn't combat or preventing some sort of panic attack, so it was a nice change of pace to just... walk. She didn't hate being able to turn into a wolf, it was just everything else that came with the ability. If being a shifter was just turning into a wolf, maybe she wouldn't hate it. She wouldn't hate who, or what, she was. While Brooke knew that she wouldn't be the epitome of positive mental health, the thought was nice, plus rather saddening. However, she forced herself to stop thinking about that. It wasn't the time, there was never the time for self-depreciation. She needed to focus on the task at hand.
"The scent of ash is becoming more prominent as we reach the base of the mountain," Amaris concluded. The white wolf sniffed the air and then turned her attention to the other wolf at her side, whose golden eyes blinked slowly. "I am able to tell you that you are not in a positive state, my dear. If we need to rest for a moment, we can." She offered, the brown and white wolf flicking her ears in what seemed like an annoyance in response.
"I'm fine," Brooke thought as she sniffed the air. She then shifted back and took her samuraizer out of her pocket, flipping the device open. As it made its familiar sound she scrolled through her contacts until she landed on the one labeled Red, not before she turned her attention to Amaris. "Good observation on the source though, you're right. If a nighlok performed some sort of magic on the mountain, it would be easier to affect the whole island." She thought aloud, but she felt her face pale when the smell of nighlok hit her in the face.
It was strong, far stronger than whatever magic controlled the island. Brooke whipped around quickly and exited her contacts when her gold eyes met the glowing eyes of Serrator, flipping the brush portion of her samuraizer active. Amaris also took the defensive, the white wolf's fur bristled as her hackles rose, her snout curling back into a snarl, which revealed dull canines. She wasn't ready to fight, she and Brooke both knew that she was physically unable to, she was ready to defend. At least the action put Brooke's heart at ease.
"Right you are, silver ranger. I must say, I'm impressed. You're far smarter than how you first come across... or your mother ever was," Serrator chuckled. He spread out his arms as both Brooke and Amaris growled and settled into fighting stances, the nighlok seemingly unphased by the unspoken threat. "You feel it, don't you? The fear creeping down your spines, the feeling of knowing you walked right into a trap, one that there's no escape from." He taunted, and Brooke swallowed down her bile.
She didn't feel fear from the trap itself, she knew how to get out of traps. It wasn't like she was completely alone either, as she knew Amaris could track down any of the rangers' locations easily and regroup them all herself if needed. It was fear from the thought that she knew she needed to run from Serrator. The last true fight she had with him, she almost bled out in her zord, it was one of her worst moments. Brooke knew she was at her top strength then, so fighting Serrator now, when waves of nausea almost brought her to her knees? It wouldn't be a victory, that's for sure.
However, it wasn't in her nature to run. Brooke found herself already on a losing streak, so one more loss couldn't hurt. Well, it probably would hurt immensely, but she ignored that. She'd get through it, she wasn't alone. "Bluffing already, huh? I see you're already overcompensating for when your plan does go to shit. In fact, I'll be happy to overthrow it myself," She spat as she threw her samuraizer in the air. She caught the device with ease and relied on her muscle memory to draw the familiar symbol for wolf, morphing into her suit quickly. When the silver ranger suit appeared on her body, she quickly drew her Wolf Kunai with a snarl.
"Let's dance."
The fight went quite well. Brooke didn't know if it was adrenaline or just determination to power through her withdrawal symptoms, but she managed to avoid getting hit. Amaris was also a huge help, like she almost always was, even when she disappeared from the battlefield. It was for both of their safeties, plus she was still active and awake in Brooke's mind, creating shields and teleporting the silver ranger out of Serrator's line of fire when she needed it. However, the two didn't want to jinx themselves, especially when Serrator started talking again. He and Deker had an excellent way to get under their opponent's skin, the nighlok and half-human had a way to find out their opponent's biggest insecurities.
Brooke slashed with her kunai when she found an opening, only for Serrator to bring up his staff in the nick of time. The two weapons clashed together and caused sparks to fly, the silver ranger gritting her teeth underneath her helmet as she pushed her kunai against his staff with all of the strength she had.
"Ha! Still attacking me with common blades?" Serrator taunted as he lifted his staff once again. He swung as Brooke disappeared in a flash of silver, reappearing a couple of feet away from him. "Haven't you heard? A new era has begun, and it starts... right now." He started with a flick of his staff as she raised her kunai once again and settled back into a fighting stance.
"What're you on-" Brooke started with a growl, but soon cut herself off with a yelp of surprise. Her arms became forcibly pinned to her sides, which rendered her immovable, and she felt herself as she was lifted higher into the air, coming to hover a foot or so above Serrator. The warning bells in her mind instantly started blaring as she struggled against the invisible restraints, which were undoubtedly some kind of magic.
"Do not struggle. It will tighten the restraints and worsen your situation," Amaris interjected Brooke's worried thoughts, the white wolf's voice carrying its normal calm tone. "I am still able to protect you, you are not defenseless. I am able to tell that this is a game to him; he will not do anything truly harmful." She added, and Brooke nodded faintly and forced herself to follow the wolf's instructions.
Amaris, like most times, wasn't wrong. After she stopped trying to break free of Serrator's magic, Brooke noticed that the restraints weren't harmful. Instead, they just acted as a means to keep her suspended in the air, meaning that she couldn't swing her blade or make a move to wound the nighlok. It wasn't ideal for her nausea, but it was better than being blown up or killed. So, she'll take it, being restrained and suspended in the air was much better than what she usually had to face.
"Think of this as your apocalypse," Serrator chuckled. "You fight well, but eventually, all creatures reach their limits. Their bodies start to collapse in on themselves, they start breaking down. That's what is happening to you, isn't it, silver ranger? I can tell you're losing steam." He pointed out, and Brooke felt her eyes widen underneath her helmet.
A part of her mind always knew she'd break down eventually due to the choices she made. However, Brooke usually blocked that out with the fact that she was a shifter; she was a supernatural creature whose body could surpass that of a human. She wasn't human, so she couldn't break down like a human. Or rather, she shouldn't. Yet here she was, but Brooke tried not to let it show. She'd work until her body broke itself down, she couldn't stop now. Too much relied on her, she'd see the war to the end. She had to.
"You'll find that I'm not as breakable as I appear to be," Brooke responded. A part of her knew she was partially lying through her teeth, mentally, she was the weakest link of the team. However, she could fake it, she had done it for years. "I'll strike you down, we'll see who's breakable then." She stated, and Serrator didn't respond verbally.
Instead, with a flick of his staff, he released the restraints and flung her through the air a couple of feet, then disappearing himself. Brooke rolled backward to prevent collision with the ground and performed a backward handspring to land on her feet. A sudden wave of nausea hit her afterward, she demorphed quickly and clutched her head with a groan as her world spun far too quickly, crouching as a way to lower her center of gravity so that she didn't fall over. She squeezed her eyes shut as she swallowed down bile, and soon felt as Amaris' wet nose touched her cheek as a means of comfort.
"Ugh... I keep forgetting about that." Brooke mumbled as she opened her eyes. She took a couple of moments to make sure she didn't suddenly throw up before standing again, making a mental checklist in her mind. They needed to get to the base of the mountain, but before doing so, she went back to her original plan before Serrator decided to arrive.
She felt Amaris as Amaris watched her, mostly in concern, as she dug her samuraizer out of her pocket and flipped the device open. Brooke opened her contact log and scrolled through the small number of contacts she had, which were just her teammates and Ji, landing on Jayden's contact. As her samuraizer automatically dialed his number, she nodded to Amaris, the two starting to walk towards the base of the mountain once again. To her surprise, the call went through, but it went unanswered. Which was out-of-character for Jayden, he usually answered on the first ring.
So, Brooke looked down at her samuraizer with furrowed brows before closing it with a shrug. It was either bad service or he was busy, she wouldn't be surprised if Serrator paid him and Mia a visit as well. He could handle himself, she wasn't too worried. She knew she had other things to worry about as well, far more important things, so she didn't focus on it for very long. With a heavy sigh, she tucked her samuraizer back into her pocket and kept walking.
--
Jayden knew he screwed up. He was usually more level-headed, he didn't rush into battles just to prove something. Everything he read, every ounce of training he had drilled into his head since he was a child, told him that what he was doing was exactly what not to do. As the books put it, to run into a battle because of a rush of emotions was practically suicide. Let alone without teammates and injured. His wrist throbbed, luckily he trained to wield a sword with both hands for that exact reason, and so did his body, but it was soon replaced with a rush of adrenaline and slight rage he knew he shouldn't have. As his feet carried him, his mind screamed at him to stop, to reevaluate what he was doing and make sure that this was the right choice; if this was the right action to take, when he knew that it wasn't going to end well. He thought he got over his phase of rushing into things by himself without a plan, but here he was.
He desperately tried to tell himself to stop. Every time he did, his, rather pathetic, fight with Deker resurfaced in his mind, along with the half-human's voice echoing in his head. Jayden knew it was just taunts, words that he shouldn't take so seriously, but the taunts wounded his pride. He was his father's son, and as he looked back on the fuzzy memories he had, he knew that's why his father ran into that lost battle. His pride was wounded by Jane Wolfe, so he went out in a blaze of glory instead of admitting defeat. Jayden was the same way, his pride was wounded and he wasn't going to admit defeat. Especially to Deker, who stated he was pathetic, he was nothing when he didn't have someone to save him. Jayden didn't need to have someone by his side, he grew up alone and he could defeat Deker alone.
So, Jayden skidded to a stop when he reached a small plateau, his leather boots kicking up gravel dust and dirt. Deker and Dayu were there, which is what he wanted, along with a small shrine that had a fire pit located in the center. His eyes flickered to the shrine as soon as he noticed the smoke that rose into the air, it must've been the source of the smell that both Brooke and Amaris had both noticed before. So, maybe rushing into a battle without a plan was a good idea, he found the shrine, which probably would've taken much longer if he was actively looking for it.
"...And that's as close as you'll get to it," Dayu's voice broke Jayden out of his thoughts, her seemingly reading his thoughts. The female nighlok twirled a curved blade in her hand as she strolled towards the red ranger, stopping when there was a small amount of distance between them, with six moogers that stood behind her. "He's all yours." She announced with a small nod to Deker, who appeared almost bored.
"He's not worth fighting anymore." Deker replied, the half-human sitting on a small rock with his replacement sword propped up beside him.
"Fine," Dayu chuckled as she raised her blade. "Then I'll finish him myself." She threatened, rushing forward with a yell.
It was at that moment when Jayden realized the books on leadership and how to win battles were right. He was injured and his reaction time wasn't as fast as it usually was, or Dayu was faster than he anticipated. Nevertheless, he ended up having to dodge her slashes and swings with his open samuraizer in his hand, a well-timed kick to the chest knocked him onto the ground, his samuraizer flying out of his hand and landing somewhere random in the process. All of the air forcibly left his lungs as both his back and ribs throbbed from the impact, a part of him accepted his fate and waited for the blade to make contact with his body and finally end the cycle of never-ending battles and pain he found himself in. But, it never came. Instead, there was a yell and the sound of metal clashing against metal, and Jayden forced himself to sit upright. It was Mia, the pink ranger's spin-sword clashing against Dayu's blade.
"Mia, it's too-" Jayden started, but was instantly cut off by another voice as he heard another pair of footsteps beside him.
"You're really warning her when you can't even morph in time. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but... she's doing better than you," Brooke teased with a grin, ignoring Jayden's glare. She was demorphed, as shown by her messy hair and pale face, with her katanas sheathed on her back and her kunai at her hip, it was clear that she had been ready to fight on his behalf. However, she left the battle to Mia. Instead, she wrapped an arm around his waist and hoisted him to his feet with ease; he noticed the brown and white fur that sprouted on her hands as she did so. "One thing I've told myself over the years is that the crises always come after the important event. So, get to fighting, Red. I personally want off this island." She commanded as she quickly threw him his samuraizer and drew her own out of her pocket, flipping the device open.
"You're so insufferable sometimes," Jayden grumbled in response, which Brooke snorted at.
"Tough love, my friend. But, I'm serious, I want off this damn island. Go go samurai!" There was a quick burst of silver as Brooke morphed into her ranger suit, both Jayden and Mia then followed suit.
The three drew their blades, but it wasn't long until the four other rangers arrived as well, and the seven regrouped quickly. The rangers raised their blades and readied themselves, only to be stopped when Serrator decided to make his presence known, once again. Just the sight of the nighlok made Brooke want to sigh, let alone Deker being in the vicinity as well. Compared to the two at once, Master Xandred seemed far less annoying, as the nighlok probably relied on brute strength rather than poking at his opponent's insecurities, but Brook didn't want to find out anytime soon. She shook those thoughts out of her head and narrowed her eyes at Serrator underneath her helmet because she knew the nighlok had to have something up his sleeve. It wouldn't be Serrator otherwise.
"You can put away those pathetic weapons; no need for a messy sword fight," Serrator stated as he appeared. "Haven't you heard? The common blade is obsolete. Isn't that right, Maldan?" The nighlok shifted his attention away from the seven rangers when there was a flash of dark red as the second nighlok, or fifth if you counted Deker as a full nighlok, appeared.
"Indeed, the era of the laser blaster is here." Maldan agreed, the red and black nighlok being shadowed by ten moogers.
Brooke did a double-take at the name laser blaster, as it was incredibly cheesy, but she soon wrinkled her nose at the smell of nighlok mixed with gunpowder. The five moogers, which now stood next to Maldan, were the ones that wielded the laser blasters, as shown by the gun in each of the monster's hands. It seemed as though the laser blasters had been designed to resemble traditional matchlock guns, which were Japanese firearms used in battle during the Sengoku period. However, she snapped herself out of her thoughts when the moogers raised their blasters on Maldan's call, the barrels of the weapons pointed straight at the seven rangers. She heard her heart pound in her ears as Amaris stirred in her mind, subconsciously tightening her grip on her katanas
"Laser blasters: fire!"
"Amaris!"
The translucent purple shield appeared as the moogers pulled the triggers of their weapons. The shield intercepted the red blasts that came from the weapons and left the rangers unscathed. However, the seven rangers knew it was only a matter of time before they fired again, so they got to work. Brooke watched as Jayden morphed into Super Samurai Mode and ran forward on his command, but the first thing she noticed was that he gave her little time to catch up with him. They usually fought beside each other, as a way to protect each other, and now was supposed to be no different. But now, the red ranger moved quicker than he did just moments ago, and the anger behind his strikes didn't go unnoticed to Brooke.
She knew why he was angry, as she had caught Mia when the pink ranger had chased after him. It was Deker, it was almost always Deker. Brooke knew Jayden would be annoyed with being called pathetic, especially when it involved her, that he was pathetic without her around. Which she knew was far from the truth, he was a far better swordsman than his teammates combined, but it was obvious that he was insecure about relying on someone. She didn't know why, it was almost hypocritical when he preached "I'm always here for you" to her. Brooke couldn't figure out his thought process, but she usually didn't question it. It's not like she had a rational thought process, either. So, she just noted to corner him later and get him to talk.
With that thought in mind, she switched her attention back to the battle at hand. It wasn't long until the moogers were defeated, she had yet to meet one that wasn't anything other than blade fodder, and Antonio had started to deal with Maldan himself. Which was fine, the gold ranger could usually hold his own, but Brooke heard the warning bells in her mind start to blare as Antonio knocked Maldan back.
"So much for "the era of the laser blaster"! You guys can't hit us-" Antonio started, and Brooke relied on instinct as she saw movement in her peripheral vision. Without saying a word, she took off in a sprint and flung herself at him, the two disappeared in a flash of silver seconds before red blasts came in contact where he stood moments before.
The two reappeared a couple of feet away, closer to the team, and the silver ranger instantly swatted the gold's helmet lightly. "You're welcome. Make sure you're clear before you start taunting next time, okay?" She lectured as he lightly patted her on the back as a silent thanks, to which she pointed her kunai at him in response. Brooke then turned her attention to the cliffs that surrounded the plateau, she felt as her eyes widened and face paled underneath her helmet. "Reinforcements? They're too kind." She joked weakly under her breath.
Moogers armed with laser blasters lined the edges of the cliffs, the barrel of each blaster pointed at the seven rangers, who stood in a small group. The monsters waited on the seven to make the first move, to give them the advantage before they pulled the trigger and turned the rangers to dust. Brooke muttered under her breath as she tried to come up with her own plan, her eyes unable to settle on a color. Both the protection symbol and Amaris' shield could only withstand so much, they'd break underneath the assault of the countless blasts that came from the laser blasters. She couldn't teleport everyone away, either, as she didn't have enough symbol power to do so and she wouldn't get very far even if she could. Brooke realized she had nothing, so her eyes slid to Jayden, who stared at the moogers that surrounded them.
It was her way of asking if he had a plan, to which he had none. "There are laser blasters all around us." Jayden found himself stating the obvious as the gears in his mind turned, mostly for himself. He tried to come up with a battle plan, but everything he thought of resulted in himself and his teammates being blasted to death. This was not the way he wanted to go out, so he cursed under his breath and resorted to calculating how many shots he could take before it killed him. He knew it had to be a few, as the ranger suits were surprisingly protective, maybe enough to take out Deker and then die in peace. Lauren was strong enough, she could probably win the war by herself if she had to. At least the world wouldn't completely be doomed if this was his end.
"As I said, the era of the laser blaster has begun. These blasters will sap your strength until there's nothing left." Maldan threatened, but Brooke didn't focus on the nighlok for very long.
Instead, her sense of hearing perked when she heard the sound of a motorcycle engine. She turned her head, somehow not surprised to see Ji as he rode in on his motorcycle. The older man had some sort of bulky weapon strapped to his back, he quickly stopped his motorcycle and kicked down the kickstand as moogers rushed him on Maldan's command. However, Ji had no trouble defending himself, as it wasn't long until the last mooger fell onto the ground with a loud squeal.
"You call this a blaster?" Ji held a laser blaster in his hand as he questioned a fallen mooger, but he soon threw the weapon aside. He shrugged the bulky weapon off of his back, which resembled a large gun with bull horns adorned at the end of the barrel. "Now, this is a blaster," He stated and quickly threw the blaster to Jayden, who caught it with ease. The red ranger looked down at the large blaster in his hands and then at his mentor in confusion, who smiled wryly. "It's a gift from Cody, it's called a Bullzooka. Fire it up." The older man commanded, throwing a white disk towards the red ranger as well.
With a "thank you" directed at his mentor, Jayden did just that. Brooke watched as the Bullzooka let out a roar and as her childhood friend shot down the moogers that surrounded them with ease; while she noticed he started to fight the entire battle by himself again, she let him. He couldn't be stopped now, plus she was rather envious of him, the Bullzooka seemed like fun. But nevertheless, Brooke just decided to listen to orders for the rest of the battle. It was rather easy with a new weapon at their disposal, and Maldan's second form fell quickly with the combined efforts of the Samurai Megazord and the Wolf and Claw Armor Megazord. But while the nighlok was defeated, the fire wasn't put out.
So, as soon as Maldan went up in a large explosion, Brooke demorphed out of her megamode suit and ran. When she noticed both Deker and Jayden, the half-human saying something that caused the red ranger's body to tense, her mind went on autopilot. She skidded to a stop a couple of feet behind Jayden as Deker spread out his arms and the red ranger readied the Bullzooka, her eyes widening and flashing. She knew Jayden wouldn't kill Deker just with the Bullzooka and call it a day. He lived by the samurai code, and while she didn't know the code verbatim, she knew it had something in it about killing unarmed opponents. So, Jayden was fine, he wouldn't live with the blood that would figuratively coat his hands.
That being said, the worry was still there. So she watched, not that she would intercept the Bullzooka's blast if it was fired at Deker, but just to make sure Jayden didn't have a lapse in judgment that left him with nothing but regret. He didn't, which caused her to let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding as the shrine went up in flames. Everything was fine, even as Serrator summoned Papyrox for the umpteenth time. After the first run-in, the overgrown snowflake was easy to deal with as well. With a couple of well-aimed attacks, there was a large explosion, and Brooke stood in the cockpit of her wolf zord as Jayden spoke through the comms.
"Samurai Rangers: Victory is Ours."
--
Back on the ferry, which now included Ji and his motorcycle, Brooke sat across from Jayden. As the others shared their experiences on the island, she took the time to inspect him fully. He held his wrist, which sported a large gash, and it was obvious he had been on the losing end of a battle. He smelt like sweat, smoke, dirt, and the faint hint of blood, and the smell made her subconsciously wrinkle his nose. It would make sense as to why he didn't smell like his usual combination of spice and smoke, hell, he was coated in dirt, Brooke knew she didn't smell the best either. While her wolf form did make things easier, running up a mountain was still a difficult task. The bandages that covered her own hands were stained brown with dirt from where she had tripped over her own feet after a particularly strong wave of nausea caused her to stumble, so she wasn't one to judge. It would be hypocritical to do so. Instead, she turned her attention to Amaris and stroked the top of her head with her thumb. The white wolf barely fit on the bench, but she slept peacefully with her head on Brooke's thigh.
"How're you feeling? You look better than you did on the ride here." Jayden's voice snapped Brooke out of her thoughts, and she raised her head from Amaris as her eyes flashed.
"Didn't know you paid that close attention to me, Red. I'm flattered," Brooke teased with a grin, instantly receiving a glare in response. With a snicker, her grin then fell, and she shrugged nonchalantly. "But, to answer your question, I'm doing fine, it's just one of those things that comes and goes. It has to get worse before it gets better, y'know?" She nudged his foot with her own and watched as the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. "But, are you doing okay? You seemed off during the battle."
"...I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," Jayden replied, his blue eyes meeting a skeptical grey-gold. Brooke said nothing on the matter but raised her eyebrows, which caused him to sigh. It was no use to keep things from her, he knew that she would find out eventually. "I'll tell you later. It's not worth it to talk about it now." He added with a discreet nod towards Ji.
Brooke noticed the older man's eyes on her and hummed as she turned her attention back to Jayden. "I'll keep you to that. You better deliver," She replied, stretching her arms over her head with a yawn when Jayden nodded. "Now, I'm gonna try to take a nap, wake me up when we're almost there." She yawned as she closed her eyes and readjusted her position so that she was more comfortable.
"I'll throw you overboard instead. I know you can swim."
"As if I wouldn't take you with me, dumbass. Both Casper and Maxx have pulled that on me and they haven't gotten very far to this day. So, with all due respect, you'll probably fail."
"I can try."
"Yeah, yeah. Try all you want, doesn't mean you'll be successful." Brooke grumbled as she opened her eyes again, only to find Jayden smiling at her. It was a complete one-eighty from his earlier mood, but she didn't complain. She liked it when he smiled, soon she found herself wearing a smile almost identical to his.