"He's so fast when he's the gold Ranger, I'm surprised he's not here already." Emily said.
"Just because Antonio showed off when we beat that Nighlok, doesn't mean he's good at everything." Kevin said.
"It's true. We really don't know much about him." Mia agreed, "But at least Jayden and Tawny can vouch for him."
"Yeah. We were friends from the moment we met." Jayden said.
We met at the local fish market in the city. The times we played together were really the only times we've ever felt like normal kids.
Jayden explained the story of how us 3 met, "But that was before he moved away."
"If he moved away then how did he become the Gold Ranger?" Mia asked.
Jayden and I shrugged.
"Wait! He's definitely got some skills! But he's not a true Samurai!" Kevin stated, "It doesn't run in his family, and he doesn't have any formal training!"
"Shut up Kevin!" I defended, "You were chosen to become a Samurai Ranger! He is self taught, and WE couldn't even defeat that Nighlok yesterday! But he did!"
"All I'm saying is..We don't even know what this guy is up to." Kevin softened his voice.
We have been waiting for a full 17 minutes.
"Antonio is late. I can't say I'm surprised." I heard Ji mutter to himself, "Did he say he was bringing the Octo-Zord with him?"
"I don't know. Why?" Mike answered not looking up from his game.
"Well, when Jayden and Tawny were only children... they gave it to Antonio, when I wasn't looking." Ji answered.
"What?! You guys gave him a Zord?!" Emily asked in astonishment.
"Look, we were little kids. We didn't know any better." Jayden explained.
"By the time I found out Antonio had moved away, and I didn't think he'd actually figure out a way to activate it." Ji said, "Jayden threatened he'd quit being a Samurai if I try to get it back"
"Like he said. He was a little kid." I repeated, rubbing Jayden's shoulder while I stood beside him as he was seated onto one of the couch chairs.
"Wow, such a rebel." Mike mocked sarcastically.
I scrunched up my nose as a sign of, 'shut the fuck up.'
"Sounds like you 3 were really good friends." Mia stated, "I bet you both missed him when he moved away."
"Yeah." Jayden answered. At that very second, Antonio came sliding in with a fishing poll hanging on his shoulder. He was wearing black dress-shoes, Black pants with a thin gold stripe on both sides, a black tuxedo with another thin gold stripe on the edges, and a golden tie.
"Lady's and Gentlemen! I would like to introduce to you..the seventh Samurai! The Gold Ranger, me! Antonio Garcia!" He spoke saying his name in a terrible Mexican accent.
"And he thought Mike was cocky." I joked making Mike move the same annoyed scowl I made to him just a second ago, also making the rest of the Ranger team giggle.
"Jayden, please. Allow me to join you and your team in the fight against the Nighlok." Antonio offered. I noticed Antonio's fishing hook fall down and hook onto his butt.
"Antonio wait-!" I tried warning him before he tried lifting his fishing poll up. The leather on his butt ripped as the hook was dragged upwards.
I covered my mouth with both hands so I can hold in my laughter.
"Ooh thats not good." Antonio uttered as the others and I laughed, "Hahaha..It's no big deal, really. This happened before. N-not a lot or anything.."
"Can you guys help him?" Jayden laughed, standing up and walking out. He gripped my hand and dragged me to the front yard.
We sat down on the bench in pure silence.
"He hasn't changed a bit." Jayden said as he sensed Ji standing by the doorway.
"He's as energetic as ever. He clearly looks up to you." Ji answered.
"He always wanted to be a Samuai." Jayden said as I stayed quiet between the 2, "I remember like it was yesterday. I don't know what to do Ji."
"You are too close to this. Let me handle it." Ji said before walking back inside of the Shiba house. I can see Jayden slightly nod his head in the corner of my eye.
"He is self taught. Think about the disappointment in his eyes when he realizes you aren't gonna let him enter the team." I said after Ji walked away.
"It doesn't matter if you were trained to do so. You only fight if-" He tried explaining, but I interrupted him.
"'If you're willing to fight as a Samurai Power Ranger with all your heart'..Yeah yeah yeah I know the speech." I mocked, "But don't you think he would've given up already if he wasn't so committed to protect the world with a team?"
He had no response.
"Think about that." I said before getting up, and disappearing back into the house.
Back inside of the Shiba house I walk into the Map room. I see the rest of the Rangers plus Ji sitting around the Map table.
"You were able to make this from what Jayden taught you and studying the Octo Zord's systems?" Ji asked Antonio for clarification.
I took a seat between Mike and Emily because that was the only space for me to sit at.
"It really wasn't that hard." Antonio answered in a bragging tone.
"So what are you? Some kind of techie?" Mike asked moving his gaze at Antonio.
"I don't know. I just always been good with gadgets." Antonio moves his legs around a bit causing the peanuts next to him to nearly spill. Luckily, Mia caught them on time.
"Oh..well anyways." He continues trying to ignore his embarrassment, "I've always just wanted to be a Samurai. I know I wasn't born into it like you guys, but I just kept practicing like Jayden and Tawny had taught me. I was trying to take things to a higher level, but I was really stuck. But when I figured out how to talk to Octo Zord through texting..everything fell into place. And now I am finally ready to join the team to fight against the Nighlok."
"Yeah!" Mike raised a fist waving it around a bit as a cheer.
"Yeah! It'll be great to have you along!" Emily agreed.
"Right!" Antonio and Mike said at the same time while bumping their fists together.
"No." Ji said, "I'm afraid thats simply not possible."
"What?!" I stated in disbelief, angrily.
"No. What do you mean?" Antonio asked in pure shock.
"Antonio, it's just too dangerous to put you out there without the necessary formal training." Ji said.
"Ji thats not-" I tried backing Antonio up.
"But I don't understand? Didn't I help you all win yesterday?!" Antonio stood up angrily.
"You did. But not all battles will be that simple. If you don't have the training-" Ji tried explaining, but I interrupted him.
"Ji, might I just say-" I was interrupted by Ji's irritating voice.
"Tawny, this doesn't concern you." Ji said.
"This doesn't concern me? Isn't this a team decision?" I pointed my index finger upwards then circled it around quite widely, presenting the whole team.
"Tawny, would you stop acting like you're Jayden?" Ji snapped.
"What?" I asked in disbelief.
"You're not the Leader of this team, Jayden is. He always has been, and always will be-" Ji told me.
"Not if we all die." I interrupted him.
"Tawny!" Emily stated my name trying to shut me up.
"What happens then? If Antonio wasn't here yesterday, we all would've been toast!" I raised my voice louder, "And you know that! We all do!"
"Thats enough Tawny!" Ji snapped, "As for you Antonio..I'm gonna hold onto this."
Ji held onto Antonio's hand-made Samuraizer. Antonio lunged for Ji, but the other Rangers held him back. I stayed put though.
Antonio fell onto his back when the Gap sensor rung throughout the household. Instead of running with the team towards the door I held out a hand for Antonio to take so he can get up to his feet.
"Jayden! I can come with you right? Tell Ji how you made me a Samurai. That I'm supposed to fight by your side!" Antonio begged with sadness in his eyes.
I turned my gaze towards Jayden to see what he has to say.
"Ji's right. This isn't little kid stuff anymore. I'm sorry but you're not a real Samurai and we don't need a 7th ranger." Jayden answered not even glancing at the Mexican boy beside me.
"But.." Antonio trailed off in betrayal.
"I'm sorry." Jayden said again as my eyes filled with sorrow for the boy, "Lets go!"
I hesitated to run off with them. When I started running off Antonio stopped me, "Tawny?"
I stopped my tracks. I looked back at the boy and stared deeply into his red eyes, "I'm so sorry Antonio." I apologized.
I ran off behind the other Rangers to go catch the Nighlok.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Nighlok! Stop right there!" Jayden exclaimed before the Nighlok could finish the man off.
"Well, hello Rangers! Better Late than never! Time to pay you back from destroying my fellow Nighlok friend, Volpez!" The Nighlok exclaimed.
"Good luck with that!" Mike stated.
"I don't need luck!" The Nighlok exclaimed again before charging at us.
The boys jumped back giving the girls and I enough time to swing our swords at the Nighlok.
As we fought, Kevin and Mike had him cornered. Or so we thought.
"Emily! Mia! Tawny! Now!" Kevin gave us the cue. As we were about kill the damn thing, a bunch of grey blades came out of his back.
We were struck a couple feet back. We all groaned in pain as the Nighlok did the same thing to the boys, except for Jayden.
"Mike! Kevin!" Jayden said in a tone that basically yelled out, 'Are you guys okay?!'
"Don't feel left out! I didn't forget about you!" The Nighlok teased.
"Really? Well soon you'll be nothing but a memory!" Jayden fired back.
I snickered silently at that comment. I know this is everything BUT a good time to laugh but thats a comment I actually like hearing Jayden say.
Jayden charged for the Nighlok, and fought him off as hard as he could. He blocked every single attacked the Nighlok threw at him.
The Nighlok was drying out so he seeped through cracks of the cemented-ground, and back to the Netherworld.
"Are you guys okay?" Jayden asked as we all got up.
"Yeah." Mia answered.
"That Nighlok had some nasty moves." Mike said.
"Yeah, we'll have to come up with a new strategy." Jayden said.
"Maybe the new strategy for us is an extra ranger." Mia said.
"Yeah, I agree. We all know Antonio is the only one who's fast enough to block those blades." I agreed with Mia's suggestion.
"You both might be right." Jayden sighed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In order to convince Jayden to let Antonio on the team, we have to go all out. Well maybe not all out. Jayden just needs the whole Ranger team to knock some sense into him. Thats what I told the other Rangers.
Mike, Emily and I decided to pay Antonio a little visit. He was sitting down fishing, and what I can only assume is thinking back into his thoughts.
"Yo! Antonio!" Mike calls for the Mexican Ranger.
Antonio looks back at the 3 of us with furrowed eyebrows. He shuts a compartment door where the Octo-Zord was tucked in. He gets up from his spot, and strolled over to us, "What do you guys want?"
"We came to talk to you, dude." Mike answered in his sweet and assuring voice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We had Mia distract Jayden by trying to get inside of his head. I couldn't do it because he's known me long enough to know what I'll say. I'm already inside of his head, but he's also inside of mine.
It took a little while until we finally arrived back at the Shiba house. We did end up convincing Jayden. However, right when Jayden had to make a decision the Gap sensor went off. We ran into the distance of where the Nighlok could be.
Later on, We beat the Nighlok in dust. Well technically Jayden and Antonio beat the Nighlok in regular mode, but I defeated him in Mega Mode.