After breakfast, Brooke found herself sitting at the head of the table in the meeting room, next to Jayden, per usual. Antonio sat across from his two childhood friends, a wooden pot full of water in front of him. In the pot, a gold zord was sitting in the water- which made Brooke wonder. Wouldn't it break the zord? Since the zords were technically robots and all. But, that obviously wasn't the case, since this zord- which was a golden lobster that Brooke found cute, was just sitting in the water. Quirking a brow, the silver ranger inspected the gold zord from her seat, grey eyes flashing and landing on a color that was similar to the zord.
Jayden noticed Brooke's curiosity and felt the corners of his lips twitch as the two watched their childhood friend present the golden zord with a flourish. "Behold!" Antonio started, motioning to the zord. "This is our new and improved friend, the clawzord." He introduced the clawzord, who chirped from its pot of water, and a faint smile appeared on Brooke's lips. It was cute.
"Where did you get this?" Jayden wondered, glancing at the golden zord and then the gold ranger.
"The claw zord was battle damaged years ago, so I hid it away," Ji answered, and Brooke raised her brows. It seemed fine, though she supposed Antonio had fixed it up some.
Antonio's pride was evident in his tone, and he radiated enthusiasm. "Ji asked to perform some on my tech whiz magic." He explained, and Jayden made a noise of confusion- which Brooke thought was cute.
"I wanted to see if he could actually do it," Ji muttered to Jayden, and Brooke pretended to not hear the older man. She found it amusing when the team forgot about her hearing- sometimes. The times where it was overwhelming? That was a different story.
"It's pretty simple," Antonio declared, flipping open his morpher and starting to text a symbol. "I just text over some samurai power symbols to reprogram him. The clawzord will be back in business soon." The gold ranger flipped his morpher shut, pride shining in his eyes.
"So you've been using electronic symbols?" Mia questioned, and Antonio beamed.
"Welcome to the 21st century," Antonio announced, pointing at Mia with a wide smile.
"Impressive, but this is the work of a computer nerd, not a samurai," Kevin stated, and the happy mood fell, Brooke and Jayden both grimacing at the change in Antonio's demeanor.
Brooke let out a sigh, running a clawed hand over her face. "Listen, we're not starting this today," She declared, crossing her leg over her knee. "Antonio has proven himself, again and again. And it really shouldn't matter how he uses symbol power because it's obviously working," She motioned to the clawzord for emphasis, and the team noticed her fully bared claws. "If it's not broken, there's no use in fixing it, y'know? We've already accepted Antonio into the team." Plus, that was extremely out of line and rude comment to make, there was no point. Eyes flashed, and Brooke radiated the "don't pick on my little brother" energy.
Both Antonio and Jayden shared a look at Brooke's words, and both of them were glad that she said something. Antonio, because someone was sticking up for him, and Jayden, because he didn't know what the fuck to do. The red and gold rangers both recalled memories of the silver ranger defending them both, and times haven't really changed since then. Well, instead of Brooke's pigtails and dresses, it was now stylishly messy hair and leather jackets. But, the girl's "take no shit" attitude when it came to her two childhood friends was the same. The two boys found it endearing.
"I said I'll give him a chance," Kevin argued, and Brooke quirked a brow. It wasn't in confusion, it was in "you're really doing this right now? I'd like to see you try", it was a mom look. "But being a true samurai involves much more than just pressing some buttons." The blue ranger declared, picking up his book off of the table and leaving the room.
"Yes, being a true samurai is what's in your heart," Antonio muttered, and this time Jayden took the lead.
"It's up to you to change his mind, Antonio," Jayden stated, and Antonio nodded, leaving the room.
Mike let out a low whistle, green eyes sliding to Brooke. "You really radiated mom energy there, Brooke." The green ranger teased, and the silver rolled her eyes with a faint smile.
"I have a little brother, it's just a habit at this point. People were intimidated by me in school for a reason," Brooke joked, standing up from her seat. Her eyes flashed, returning to their traditional grey. "Speaking of, I'm gonna go check on him. Red, you wanna join me?" She asked, and Jayden shook his head.
"You were always better at comforting people than me," Jayden remarked with a small smile. "Thanks for the offer." He added, watching as Brooke nodded faintly, a small smile growing on her lips.
"Of course." Brooke murmured, and then she left the meeting room, military boots making no noise on the wooden floors. She knew Antonio was probably at the pier, and his scent- the smell of the ocean, was still present, so the silver ranger set out to find the gold.
--
As Brooke guessed, Antonio was at the pier, practicing some of his moves with a fishing rod. She quietly walked down the dock, grinning slightly. "I'm getting a sense of deja-vu, Goldie." She greeted, leaning against one of the railings as Antonio lowered his fishing rod.
"You came to check up on me again?" Antonio joked faintly, wearing a small smile, and grey eyes slid to the gold ranger, the silver nodding.
"Yup. Big sister complex and all," Brooke joked, playing with one of the zippers on the cuff of her leather jacket. "I'm sorry I went like "mom mode", but what Kevin said was extremely out of line and it just kinda made me pissed on your behalf, y'know? I dunno if it was my place to say something- but, all's said and done, I guess." She apologized, shrugging slightly and dropping her arm. The blisters and cuts have all scabbed and started to heal- and Brooke knew they were going to leave scars, but she didn't really care. Just more to add to the collection.
Antonio stood beside her, shaking his head with a small smile. "It's alright- Jayden and I were having a deja-vu moment while you were defending me." He commented, and Brooke let out a bark of laughter.
"Christ, I guess I haven't really changed," Brooke laughed, smiling at Antonio. "I guess being the "big sister" is engraved in me, even if I can't remember." She mused, turning her gaze to the sea.
"How's that going, by the way? Have you found anything out?" Antonio asked, and Brooke shook her head, running a hand over her face.
Brooke had explained her, well, the situation with Antonio fully, regarding her missing memories, James, and the who ordeal. She had cried- multiple times, but Antonio and Jayden comforted her to the best of their abilities. The talk lasted long into the night, Brooke falling asleep on Jayden- much to the red ranger's amusement and slight endearment. The red and gold rangers had sat in silence- basking in it all. It was an extremely strange situation, the three becoming power rangers, one leading a team of rangers, the other being an amnesiac who could turn into a wolf at will, and the other being a self-made power ranger who ran a fish market on the side. So yeah, it was a little strange.
The three childhood friends sat one of the benches that the outdoor dojo offered- mirroring their ten-year-old and eleven-year-old selves. Brooke sat in the middle of Antonio and Jayden, just like she did when they were kids, but now she was sleeping on Jayden's arm, her breathing slow. Antonio was leaning back on his hands some, and both him and Jayden had turned their gaze to the sky, where a waxing gibbous moon shone brightly in silver. It cast the three rangers in a silver glow, the area illuminated by the silver glow of the moon and faint yellow glow of the wall light. It was strangely comforting and peaceful for Jayden and Antonio, who both were lost in their own thoughts- sitting in comfortable silence.
"It's changed a lot since we were kids, huh? It's not just the three of us fighting with sticks anymore," Jayden remarked quietly, glancing at Brooke, who seemed to be in a deep sleep. Her eyes were puffy, tear tracks staining her cheeks as her chest rose and fell slowly. "When I ran into Brooke for the first time- before she introduced herself, I didn't recognize her. I didn't recognize you at first. We've all grown up." He confessed with a small laugh, and Antonio smiled faintly.
"I recognized you- because of you being the red ranger, and you're still wearing those red t-shirts," Antonio teased with a grin, and Jayden rolled his eyes with a faint smile. "But Brooke, I never imagined her to hold the "leather jacket ripped jeans" aesthetic. I never imagined her to have gone through that much- and still act like she did when we were kids. It's like she's grown up, but hasn't at the same time." He mused, and Jayden laughed faintly.
"You haven't changed much either, you know. You're still energetic as ever," Jayden remarked with a small smile, and Antonio nudged his shoulder, extremely lightly since Brooke was sleeping on it. "I think Ji was worried about having both you and Brooke on the team. You two weren't the most serious people on the planet. But, I'm glad you two are here. It makes fighting this war and leading a team a little more bearable," He commented, pushing some of Brooke's hair out of her face, noticing how the girl stirred some and then quickly fell back asleep. "I have two people who view me as Jayden, not the red ranger. It's freeing."
"Well, of course, you're our friend first before anything, and I think I can safely speak for Brooke on that one," Antonio joked with a small laugh. "We'll end this war, together. It's us against the world, like when we were kids." He murmured, and Jayden smiled faintly.
"Us against the world," Jayden repeated in confirmation. The two rangers sat in a comfortable silence again for a couple of minutes, until they both yawned in unison. "It's time to go to bed." The red ranger announced, and the gold smiled.
"Well, Brooke's already out," Antonio motioned to the sleeping silver ranger, and Jayden smiled down at the girl. "I feel bad. She looks comfortable." He murmured, and Jayden hummed in response before speaking.
"Not the first time this has happened, believe it or not," Jayden remarked, remembering the night before they crashed the wedding, where Brooke had sat in his lap and the two rangers had talked. Looking back on it- that seemed forever ago now. She did look peaceful, but Jayden knew they couldn't stay like this forever, even if he wanted to. So, he gently shook the girl, watching as she stirred and cracked a grey eye open. "It's time for bed, you fell asleep on me."
Brooke blinked the sleep out of her eyes, slowly regaining her bearings. "Well, that's becoming a habit," She joked, her voice groggy. Raising her head, she smiled a weary smile at Antonio. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you guys, my bad," She murmured, turning her gaze to the moon. "It's pretty out tonight."
Both Jayden and Antonio smiled fondly at Brooke. They both found her pretty, but the red and gold rangers didn't voice that aloud. Brooke actually was the first one to stand, taking both Jayden and Antonio's hands and pulling them up with her. Then she wrapped her arms around the two, standing on her toes to give the two taller boys a hug at the same time. Both Antonio and Jayden let out small laughs, hugging her back.
"Thank you two, for everything. For being friends with me even if I can't remember you both. For listening to me," Brooke murmured when she stepped away, giving her two childhood friends a small smile. "I appreciate it, so so much. Goodnight, you guys. Sleep well, we gotta save the world tomorrow." She joked sleepily, letting out a yawn and revealing her sharper canines. Then, she raised her hand in farewell, making her way into the dark Shiba House.
Both Jayden and Antonio watched her go, the red and gold rangers sharing small smiles, walking inside.
"No, it's aggravating as hell," Brooke complained with a heavy sigh. "I'm looking through my mom's journal- and it's just weird. Like, she was cryptic as hell, and whenever I ask Mary about it she dodges the question. So, they're definitely hiding something- and I have a feeling it's something dark, y'know? It's just a sense, but that's the only reason I would think that they would erase memories from a twelve-year-old. I-I'm almost scared to find out what happened. I wanna remember the times I had with you and Red, but- I don't wanna give myself more trauma," She confessed with a nervous laugh, eyes flashing and claws growing in slightly. "I don't even know who erased my memories. It has to be someone with symbol power- but James didn't have it, and I-" Brooke came to a realization, her eyes widening slightly.
Antonio noticed Brooke's expression and raised a brow. "I take it you figured something out?" He asked, partly joking and partly curious.
Brooke nodded, sorting through her thoughts. Could Mary have? It was a possibility because usually siblings of rangers did hold some symbol power, even if it being not enough to get into the morphing grid. It would also make sense since they're related- it would probably be easier for her to do it than some random person. But still, that causes more questions to arise. Like why? When Brooke got her memories erased, her mother was already dead. It would make little to no sense. Brooke let out a sigh, running a clawed hand over her face, fighting back the tension headache that was forming. God, she wished she could just use some symbol power to get her memories back, and she had tried. There was nothing- Brooke had tried almost every damn symbol in her family's archives, and that only left her on the verge of collapsing and with migraine. So, it wasn't going well.
"I did, but that's not important," Brooke replied, waving her hand in dismissal. "What's important right now is how you're feeling." She urged, pointing a finger at Antonio.
"Kevin can't accept me because I don't do things old school," Antonio muttered, and Brooke frowned, her eyes flashing. "I mean, I've proved myself in battle." There was frustration in his tone, but it was faint. It was more disappointment, and it made Brooke's heart hurt.
"Well, to be honest, Kevin's got a stick up his ass sometimes. Don't get me wrong, I'm friendly with him, but god damn," Brooke let out a small laugh. "He's extremely dedicated, it's eat, drink, and sleep by the samurai code. It's a little worrying, actually. But, you've proved yourself to the rest of us- programming a zord is no easy feat," She announced, standing up from where she was leaning against the railing. "You're doing just fine, Goldie. I promise you."
Brooke smiled, and Antonio felt his heart rate increase some. "Thanks, Brooke. I appreciate it." He replied, the gold ranger smiling fondly at the silver.
--
After dinner, Antonio was out doing something, so Brooke and Jayden sat in the outdoor dojo, playing with their zords and chatting. The two rangers were taking turns throwing a grey tennis ball Brooke summoned using her symbol power, and the lion and wolf zords were zipping after it when either Jayden or Brooke threw it.
"How'd taking with Antonio go?" Jayden asked as his lion zord dropped the tennis ball in his hand. He threw the ball, and the zords chased after it, blurs of red and silver.
"It went well, I mean, he looked less upset," Brooke answered, whistling and calling the wolf zord back, who somehow held the tennis ball in its mouth as it flew back. The lion zord was shadowing him, rawring at the wolf playfully. "I don't blame him for being upset- it was probably embarrassing for him. But, I did my job and he seems to be doing better." She added, throwing the tennis ball.
"Thanks for stepping in, because I didn't know what to do," Jayden confessed with a small laugh, and Brooke snorted.
"It's all good. I figured as much, you had that look you wear when you don't know something." Brooke teased with a grin, and Jayden rolled his eyes with a small smile. The wolf zord was flying back with the tennis ball again, but this time, the lion zord intercepted the silver zord and the ball. It caused the wolf zord to drop the ball, and the lion zord swooped down and caught it before it hit the ground.
Jayden watched the two zords in amusement, the wolf zord growling and barking at the lion zord as it flew back at its owner. "And what look is- Ji." Blue eyes snapped to the older man, and the playful atmosphere dropped somewhat.
The tennis ball disappeared in a flash of silver, and the silver and red rangers held out their hands. Their respective zords flew into their open palms, folding back up. Brooke and Jayden turned their attention fully to Ji, who smiled faintly.
"Brooke, are you alright with hiking?" Ji asked, and Brooke's eyes flashed as nodded hesitantly and raised a brow.
"Yeah, I used to do it when I was younger and being a wolf helps. But what's this about?" Brooke answered, and she and Jayden looked at the older man quizzically.
"It's to find a disk, the moon disk. It's located on top of Sweetbrier Mountain. It was originally held by the silver rangers but got lost in battle. But, there have been rumors of the moon glowing brighter than it usually does when it's over the mountain," Ji explained, the silver and red rangers sharing a confused look. "I understand that this is a sudden request- but I would like you to retrieve the moon disk, and it needs to be done at moonrise." He urged, and Brooke made a noise of surprise.
"Sweetbrier is like, an hour from here, right? And the moonrise, uh," Brooke pulled out her phone, quickly searching and finding the time of the moonrise. "1:16 am, yikes. But, it's fine. I'll do it, I used to hike on Sweetbrier anyways- so, I'll probably have to leave here about 11ish, then that gives me an hour to hike. That should be enough time because Sweetbrier is mostly trails, worse case scenario I'll book it up a mountain." She was thinking out loud at this point, chewing on her bottom lip.
Jayden shot a worried glance at Ji, then at Brooke. "Still, what if a nighlok shows up tomorrow? You'll be exhausted- and hiking a mountain at night-" He started, but Brooke cut him off.
"Red, it'll be okay," Brooke reassured Jayden, flashing him a small smile, which he returned with a look of concern. "Night hikes are kinda fun, and I'm a wolf. I'll be okay, don't worry. If a nighlok does show up when I'm not there, I know you guys can handle it. I promise I'll be safe, and I'll be back before you know it." She murmured, and Jayden looked unconvinced but didn't argue.
"Thank you, Brooke. It will help the team out immensely." Ji thanked, and Brooke smiled faintly.
"Of course," Brooke replied. She tried to hide the slight fear and stress she felt. However, Jayden seemed to notice, because after Ji walked away, he wrapped his arms around Brooke. She welcomed him, leaning into his touch some.
Jayden was always warm, and it was nice. Brooke leaned back against his chest, closing her eyes and allowing herself to bask in the feeling of it all. She knew this was going to be the last time she felt this peaceful in a while, so she enjoyed it.
"Thank you, Red," Brooke spoke, her voice barely above a whisper, a faint smile on her lips.
Jayden looked down at the girl in his arms and smiled. "Of course, Brooke," He murmured, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I'll always be here for you."
--
It was almost ten when Brooke walked into the kitchen, lightly tossing a water bottle in the air and catching it. Mike was also in the kitchen, and he took in Brooke's hiking ensemble, which consisted of leggings with a flannel tied around her waist, a grey hoodie, and hiking boots, paired with a baseball cap.
"You goin' hiking?" Mike asked in confusion, the green ranger looking up from his phone and at the silver ranger with knit brows.
Brooke nodded, filling up her bottle. "To find a disk. Gotta get to it by moonrise, which is one in the morning, but, it's fine." She answered, and Mike let out a low whistle.
"Good luck. I suppose bein' miss werewolf does help though." Mike joked, and Brooke rolled her eyes with a smile as she screwed the cap on her water bottle.
"Yeah, it does." Brooke agreed, and Mike grinned, sliding off his stool and sticking his phone back into the pocket of his cargo pants.
"Well, I'm headin' to bed, night, Brooke," Mike stated, starting to walk out of the kitchen.
Brooke smiled faintly. "G'night," She spoke, and Mike raised his hand in farewell, leaving the kitchen. Which left Brooke alone with her thoughts for a moment, and she sighed as she glanced at the water bottle in her hand. She really didn't want to hike up a mountain at midnight- she wanted to go to bed, in all honesty. But, a disk would be nice, so Brooke just shoved her negative thoughts aside, turning her attention to Jayden. "Heya, Red." She greeted, and Jayden jumped in surprise, which caused her to snicker.
"I forget about your wolf senses," Jayden defended, walking into the kitchen, and Brooke grinned. "So, you're going?" He questioned, glancing at Brooke's hiking outfit, and she nodded.
"Yeah, it's to get a disk, after all," Brooke answered softly, tracing the woodgrains of the countertop with her fingertips. "Not ideal, but, it is what it is, I guess. I took a power nap, worst-case scenario I'll sleep in my car after I get the disk. It'll work out." She muttered, and Jayden didn't know if it was for him or herself.
Still, Jayden frowned somewhat. He was worried- from a leadership standpoint and as a friend. "I really would like you on the front lines." He blurted, and Brooke laughed.
"It'll be okay, worst-case scenario I'll be out for, like, one battle. You guys made it without me before, and you have Antonio," Brooke reassured Jayden, setting her water bottle on the counter. "Have you ever been hiking before?" She wondered, quirking a brow at Jayden, who shook his head.
"I haven't," Jayden replied. "Will you take me one day?" He asked, watching fondly as Brooke's grey eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
She beamed and nodded. "Yeah, I will. It'll be fun, and I feel like you'd be a good hiker, you have good balance," Brooke mused with a grin. "Taking a nap in a hammock on top of a mountain just hits different. You're really missing out, Red." She teased, and Jayden rolled his eyes, walking over to her.
"Then you'll have to show me," Jayden stated, readjusting Brooke's hat on her head, who flushed, her eyes flashing. "I wish I could go with you, in all honesty." He confessed, and Brooke smiled softly.
"You gotta lead, Red. Plus, I don't want your first hike to be with me stressed because I'm on a time crunch, it'll ruin the fun," Brooke replied, and Jayden felt his heart stop when she traced his jawline with her fingertips. "I'll be back before you know it, and if you need anything, call me. I'll answer when I can." She promised, watching in amusement as Jayden flushed when she poked his nose.
Jayden felt his heart rate increase but tried to ignore it as he smiled. "You're really something," He murmured, cheeks dusted pink. "Stay safe." He urged, and Brooke grinned.
"Always am," Brooke replied, grabbing her water bottle and walking out of the kitchen. However, she stopped at the doorway, her grin turning into a much more genuine smile. "Goodnight, Red. Sleep well."
"Goodnight, Brooke. Have fun." Jayden shot Brooke a small smile, which she returned, raising her hand in farewell and retreating back to her room.
--
Brooke zipped up her backpack with a sigh. It had everything she needed, water, granola bars, first aid supplies- just in case, a flashlight, and a headlamp. Grabbing a pocket knife that she found with her stuff and her car keys, she stuck the pocketknife into the side pocket of her backpack and shouldered it. Turning her light off, Brooke left her room, shutting her door behind her. Jayden's door was closed and his light was off, which was somewhat disappointing because she wanted to tell him but goodbye, but she didn't want to wake him up. So, Brooke just walked down the hall, noticing Antonio's door was slightly ajar.
Furrowing her brows, Brooke walked into the main dojo, and the smell of the ocean filled her nose. Grabbing her flashlight, she turned it on- pointing it in the direction where the smell was the most potent. "Antonio, what the fuck are you doing? It's late, go to bed." She advised, walking closer to Antonio, who had frozen, looking like a deer in headlights.
Antonio was placing the helmet back on one of the training dummies- which he had put a camera in when Brooke had caught him, and he let out a sigh. He put the helmet back on and faced the silver ranger, who had a brow quirked with a curious and concerned look on her face, her eyes a grey-gold. It seemed like she was staring into his soul.
"It's nothing," Antonio answered quickly, and Brooke pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. "Anyways, why are you going hiking?" He deflected her question with his own, and Brooke sighed, lowering her flashlight some.
"I have to go climb a mountain to get a disk," Brooke grumbled, looking annoyed and tired. "I would love to be asleep- but I gotta be up a mountain and find this disk by moonrise. But, you putting a camera in a training dummy is not "nothing", so, what's going on?" She pressed, and then realization dawned on her face. "Are you gonna watch Kevin?" Brooke questioned, and Antonio grinned somewhat.
"I'm gonna eat, drink, and sleep being a samurai- Kevin style." Antonio declared, looking rather proud of himself, and Brooke didn't have the heart to tell him that Kevin would probably notice the cameras.
So, she just let out a quiet sigh and turned off her flashlight, walking over to Antonio. "Just- get some rest, alright? I'm probably not gonna be here tomorrow, so you gotta take my place," Brooke joked, wrapping Antonio into a hug. He stiffened somewhat, and then returned the hug. "Goodnight- well, goodbye, Goldie. See you tomorrow." She murmured, resting her chin on Antonio's shoulder as she hugged him. Brooke realized that both Jayden and Antonio gave good hugs, and it was nice.
"Bye, Brooke. I assume Jayden already told you to stay safe, but stay safe." Antonio advised, and Brooke laughed as she stepped away from him.
"I got both of you guys telling me to stay safe now, aren't I lucky," Brooke joked, tucking her flashlight into the side pocket of her backpack. "But don't worry, I always am. Please, don't stress yourself out over Kevin- self-care comes first, okay? Call me if you need anything." She urged, and Antonio nodded, smiling faintly.
"Will do. Goodnight." Antonio promised, presumably walking back to his room, and Brooke looked at the camera in the training dummy, shaking her head with a faint smile.
"You're really something, Antonio," Brooke whispered, barely audible as she made her way to the front doors of the Shiba House.
Gravel crunched underneath hiking boots as Brooke made her way to Little Cloaks to get her car, her swinging her keys on her finger. She didn't want to do this- frankly, a part of her wanted to cuddle with Jayden, but that was out of the question, for multiple reasons. So, Brooke just let out a heavy sigh, walking down the streets of Panorama. It was almost empty, sans the silver ranger, and a couple of people making their way to their jobs for their night shifts. Moths fluttered around the street lamps that illuminated Brooke in yellow light as she walked underneath them, the bill of her hat casting a shadow on her face.
Reaching her car, Brooke unlocked it and opened her driver's side door, shrugging off her backpack. Setting it into the passenger seat, grey eyes flashed gold when her eyes landed on the leather jacket that was thrown over the headrest. It was Casper's, and Brooke grinned, knowing that she just gained another leather jacket- and whatever her friend had stashed in the pockets. Getting into her car, Brooke put the keys in the ignition and started the car, fastening her seatbelt. Pulling out of her parking spot, she started her hour drive to Sweetbrier Mountain, hoping that this wasn't all for nothing.
When Brooke reached the trail that led to the base of the mountain, her eyes flashed when she noticed a small house maybe 500 feet away. Something about it seemed familiar, but Brooke shoved that aside as she put her keys in her backpack and pulled out her headlamp. It was easier to deal with than a flashlight, and she put it on her head, turning it on and glancing at her cheap watch. It was almost twelve, the drive wasn't as long as Brooke expected- and she was somewhat grateful for that. Letting out a heavy sigh, the silver ranger glared at the mountain in front of her.
"Fucking kill me." Brooke groaned, putting on her backpack and starting her hike, rubbing her tired eyes.
Meanwhile, a pair of grey eyes saw the silver ranger walk down the trail- a mix of pride and joy filling the man's chest as Nate Wolfe watched his daughter. She looked around, grey eyes identical to his own flashing gold, and Nate watched as Brooke shifted, the brown wolf bouncing down the trail, disappearing into the woods at the base of the mountain.
--
Brooke shifted back when she reached a stream, her eyes flashing as she looked for a way across. Glancing down at her watch, which read 12:23 am, she let out a sigh of relief. She was almost halfway up the mountain- as being a wolf helps immensely, and Brooke decided to take the rest of the hike as a human. Spying a log that could be used as a makeshift bridge across the river, Brooke made her way over to it, hopping onto it. Then she instantly regretted that action, because the log was not as stable as she thought. It rolled underneath her feet, and her let out a string of curses as she hit the ground.
"Alright, fuck you too," Brooke grumbled, glaring at the log and then carefully climbing up onto it, sinking her claws into the softwood for good measure.
Rising up from a crouch, Brooke stuck out her arms as a way to balance herself as she carefully placed one foot in front of the other. She really didn't want to fall into a stream tonight and focused on keeping herself balanced. Reaching the end of the log, Brooke hopped down and surveyed her surroundings. Realizing the trail ended, grey eyes flashed gold as the silver ranger eyed the incline she would have to climb. Letting out a heavy sigh- Brooke was glad Jayden didn't come with her, because she wasn't in the best mood about the whole ordeal, and didn't want to lash out at him about it.
Such as now, when she halfway slid back down the incline because she lost stable footing. Brooke let out a noise of frustration, deciding to shift and bounce up the incline. It was much easier, and the brown wolf shook the dirt out of fur when she reached the top. There was a trail now, and wolf-Brooke followed that, hopping over fallen trees. She then reached another stream- well, the same stream as before, just at a different point. Spying the rocks that could be used as a way to get across, wolf-Brooke hopped from rock to rock, shaking the water out of her tail and starting to walk again.
Eventually, Brooke reached the area where she assumed was the disk- because the entire area was cast in a silver glow. She shifted back, and Brooke glanced down at her watch. It had just turned one, and the silver ranger turned her gaze to the sky. The moon had just started rising, and she broke into a weary grin. Well, at least this wasn't all for nothing. The area that was cast silver was a tunnel of trees, and fireflies danced in the air, and there were purple wolfsbane flowers in clumps around the base of the tree. Which were pretty- but also poisonous, so Brooke made sure to steer clear of the flowers to the best of her abilities.
Grey eyes scanned the area. It was like something out of a fairy tale, but Brooke felt the sensation that she was being watched wash over her. This time, she tensed, letting her claws and canines grow in, reaching for her samuraizer. Grabbing the device, she flipped it open, walking slowly and turning off her headlamp for good measure. The area was still bright enough so Brooke could see with ease, and she kept her senses alert for any sudden movements that she could hear or any scents that smelt out of place. There was nothing, and all Brooke could hear was the faint call of an owl, as she made sure her footsteps were silent- and the moss she was walking over helped with that.
The tunnel of trees- that had moss like a carpet, eventually led to a clearing, and Brooke relaxed her body. The glow was brighter now, and Brooke had to squint as her eyes adjusted. Glancing at her watch, she realized that it was almost time for the moonrise, and Brooke's eyes widened and flashed as her gaze landed on a wooden box. It was tucked away at the end of the clearing, which was a circle, surrounded by trees and wolfsbane. Brooke's head had started to pound, and she felt nauseous, and really hoped that it wasn't from the wolfsbane and just from the exhaustion. She then came to the realization that she had to hike back down the mountain, and she debated flinging herself off of it and praying.
But, she pushed that aside as she slowly walked towards the wooden box, Brooke still keeping a tight grip on her samuraizer. Which she was glad she did, because when something moved in a blur of silver in front of her, Brooke leapt back some, summoning her Wolf Kunai and pointing it at the creature in front of her. It was a wolf- who was white and silver, but more white, and had violet eyes that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Brooke relaxed some, but her chest heaved, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as a wave of nausea hit her. Still, she resisted the urge to throw up- just staring at the wolf and pointing her kunai at it.
"Silver ranger," The wolf spoke- well, not really spoke. It was more of a voice in Brooke's mind and feminine voice that was motherly and comforting. "It's not wise coming here. There's a reason this disk hasn't been retrieved, my dear." The white wolf sat on its haunches, and Brooke's head spun.
"Who- who are you? Are... are you real?" Brooke swallowed past her bile and spoke, and the wolf seemed to find some amusement out of the question.
"I am real, Brooke Wolfe. My name is Amaris, and I am the protector of those who hold the moon disk," The wolf, Amaris, answered. "Grab the disk and go, dear. I will give you the strength you need to make it down this mountain- now's not the time for questions." Amaris urged, her ears flicking as she rose, padding over to Brooke, who stumbled back and groaned, her Wolf Kunai disappearing in a flurry of silver particles.
Brooke brought a hand to her head as the world spun far too quickly, and she tried to walk forward. Instead, she tripped over her own feet and landed on the ground, letting out another groan. "Amaris- what's going- going on?" She choked out, claws sinking into the topsoil as she forced herself to her knees. Brooke then stood, swallowing back her bile as she staggered over to the box, flipping her samuraizer shut and putting it into the side pocket of her backpack.
"The wolfsbane, darling. You must hurry, I'll be at your side," Amaris' voice had a tone of urgency, and the white wolf bounced over to the wooden box and nudged it closer to Brooke. Who didn't even bother opening it, she just set her backpack down, unzipped the main compartment and shoved the thing in there. "Shifting will make things worse. Hurry." Despite the urgency, Amaris' voice was still calm, and Brooke nodded, putting her backpack back on.
She went to walk back but instantly threw up. After she was finished, Brooke didn't even reach for her water bottle. Her head felt a little better, so she followed Amaris' instructions. Speaking of, Amaris bounced beside Brooke as she sprinted through the tunnel, the silver ranger ignoring the pounding of her head. Would calling Jayden help? Brooke wondered as she half tripped, and slid down the mountain, her head spinning.
"Calling someone is wise. A distraction would help." Amaris answered, and Brooke didn't even try to think about how the white wolf answered her thoughts.
Brooke wasted no time pulling out her samuraizer, swallowing down more bile as she didn't bother with rock-hopping across the stream. Her hiking boots splashed water as she dialed Jayden's familiar number and put her samuraizer to her ear. He answered on the first ring, and Brooke tried not to throw up as she spoke. "Hey- heya Red." She choked out as she stumbled and fell again, slamming her hand against a rock.
"Brooke...?" Jayden's sleepy voice caused Brooke's fear to lessen some, and having Amaris around helped as well. The white wolf was leading Brooke down the mountain, and whenever the girl fell, the wolf would nudge Brooke's face with her muzzle and help her to her feet.
"Yeah- yeah, that's me." Brooke breathed out as she tripped again. The world was still spinning, and Amaris offered herself as support, Brooke using the white wolf to push herself up.
Jayden seemed to have woken up some because he heard Brooke's labored breathing and twigs cracking under the girl's feet. "Hey, is everything alright? Are you running from something?" He questioned, and Brooke made a choked noise in response. "Brooke? Hey, Brooke? Can you talk to me?"
Brooke fell again and made a whimper of pain, rolling some. Her backpack slammed against her back, and the box dug into the area in between her shoulder blades. "Kinda- hey, can you distra- distract me? I- I need a distraction right now." She forced out, her breathing ragged. As she got further from the wolfsbane, it was easier to breathe, but Brooke didn't want to risk it. She just kept sprinting, falling, and sliding down the mountain.
"Yeah, yeah. I can. What do you want to talk about?" Jayden asked, his voice soothing, and Brooke nearly cried in relief. Amaris was at her side, and Brooke laughed faintly.
"I uh- met a wolf," Brooke panted, and Amaris laughed, and it sounded like bells in Brooke's head. "Her name's Amaris. And I dunno if it's a hallucination but- she's nice. She's helping me down the mountain right now." She laughed breathlessly at Jayden's noise of surprise.
"Okay, Brooke. Did I hear you correctly, or is this just some weird dream?" Jayden wondered, and Brooke snorted, then proceeded to trip and fall into the first stream she had to cross.
"Son of a bitch- I'm really glad you didn't come because- it's not the best thing in the world," Brooke cursed as she rose to her feet- trying to ignore the fact that she was now soaked. "Just fell into a stream, but that's fine. I want to be in bed, I wish I never got this damm box and stupid fucking disk. But to answer your question- yeah, Amaris. I think she's really, 'cause she's solid, y'know?" She panted, and when Jayden was silent was on the other line, she sighed. Brooke glanced at Amaris, who laughed, violet eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Brooke, are you sure you're alright?" Jayden asked incredulously after a few moments of silence, and Brooke laughed.
Panting, Brooke stopped at the base of the mountain. "I'm not too sure, to be honest. I- I threw up and then ran down the mountain, and now I don't feel good. I- I'll call you back." She didn't wait for his response, only hanging up the call and putting the samuraizer back into the pocket of her backpack. Brooke then took two steps and then collapsed- and Amaris instantly stopped in her tracks from where she was running her head.
"Brooke," Amaris called, and she sprinted over to the silver ranger. The white wolf nudged and licked Brooke's face, only to get no response. She was still breathing, which was a good sign, but Amaris wasted no time. The white wolf bounced in place twice and then leapt through the air- disappearing.
--
Nate Wolfe was nursing a cup of coffee in his hands when Amaris appeared, standing on his dining room table. He knew who the wolf was- but the fact that she was here caused panic to claw at his throat. Nate set down his mug of coffee quickly. "Amaris, it's been years." He greeted, panic overtaking his voice.
"It has Nate Wolfe. But now is not the time for reconnection. Your daughter-" Amaris started, and Nate wasted no time.
Nate slipped on his black loafers, leaving his house quickly and breaking into a sprint. "Amaris, lead the way." He urged, and the white wolf did just that. Amaris seemed to glow, and Nate felt his heart stop when his gaze landed on Brooke.
"Brooke, my dear. Help has come, it will be alright," Amaris called to the unconscious silver ranger, and then turned to Nate, violet eyes shining. "I cannot stay any longer, as she is no longer in peril, Nate. I entrust her to you." Amaris murmured, and Nate nodded. With that, the white wolf disappeared in a flash of silver.
Nate never imagined he would see his daughter after five years laying face down on the forest floor. Letting out a sigh and running a hand over his face, he quickly rolled her over onto her back. "Christ, Brooke. What the fuck have you done?" He muttered, noticing the girl's wet and dirt-stained clothes, and the mud-caked on her face. As far as a reunion- fucking hell, Nate thought, picking Brooke up and carrying her bridal style, one arm supporting her back and the other under her knees.
Brooke groaned, cracking an eye open. "The fuck? Why- why do- do you look like me- fuck. Just, don't kill me- please." She choked out, falling unconscious again, and Nate smiled a small, sad smile.
"Don't worry, kiddo. I wouldn't dream of it." Nate murmured, letting out a sigh. Christ.
Making his way back to his house- Brooke's childhood home, Nate opened the door, squinting at the sudden brightness. His loafers tapped on the wooden floors as he carried Brooke through the kitchen and living room, and down the hall. It was some struggle, but he got the door open and flicked on the light. It was Brooke's childhood bedroom, the walls painted a light grey, and everything was as the same as it was before she- she left. Nate couldn't find the courage to enter- he had tried.
He had missed his daughter, and he set Brooke on the bed that now seemed too small for her. Nate gently removed the backpack off of her back and the hat off her head, setting the grey cap on the nightstand and the backpack in the corner of the room. However, Brooke's samuraizer caught his eye, and Nate pulled it out of the side pocket of her backpack, turning the device over in his hands. It was the same as he last saw it- thirteen years ago, and grey eyes flickered from the samuraizer to his unconscious daughter. Nate wanted to cry- but he didn't allow himself to. He never did anymore.
Instead, he walked slowly over to Brooke, placing the samuraizer next to her head and then shutting off the light, leaving the room. Shutting the door behind him, Nate ran a hand over his face again. Was it too early to call someone to ask why the fuck his daughter was running down a mountain at now two in the morning? Probably. So, he just dumped out his coffee and turned his gaze to the sky. Well, the ceiling.
"Jane Wolfe, what the fuck did you do to our daughter?" Nate spoke- his voice cracking. "You took her away from me, and it's been five fucking years and I find her unconscious on the forest floor. I really hope that was the life you imagined for her- and you got your damn wish." Rage seeped into his tone, but Nate knew nothing would happen. Letting out a heavy sigh, he just ran a hand over his face and padded to his room. He just hoped to get some sleep, for once in his life.
Brooke's samuraizer ringing woke her up. And she ignored it. And then it rang again, and Brooke groaned, patting the blankets for the device. She eventually felt it, and flipped it open, bringing her samuraizer to her ear.
"It better be important," Brooke groaned. "If it's a nighlok- I can't fucking fight right now." She added and heard Jayden's sigh of relief on the other line.
"Good morning. I just wanted to make sure you were alive." Jayden greeted, and Brooke felt guilty. It was just Jayden, which was good.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm alive. Sorry, just feel like shit- a lot happened. Sorry for calling you at like two in the morning or whatever it was," Brooke apologized. "Good morning, by the way." She added, and Jayden laughed faintly.
"It's alright, Brooke. I'm happy you're safe, I'll let you get some sleep." Jayden murmured, and Brooke smiled.
"Hey, Red?" Brooke called, and heard Jayden hum in response, signaling he was listening. "When- when I get back, can we cuddle?" She asked, and the line went silent.
Jayden then presumably regained his composure, coughing some. "Yeah. That sounds great- but, just focus on now, alright? Get some rest." He advised, and Brooke yawned.
"Will do, thanks, Red." Brooke murmured, shutting her samuraizer and falling back into a light sleep.
When she woke up for the second time, Brooke realized she was in bed. Which was concerning. She was in a room- that felt somewhat familiar, that was incredibly concerning. Grey-gold eyes scanned the room, which had light grey walls, and a wooden carving of two wolves running on it. Sunlight was filtering in through the window, and Brooke glanced down at her watch. It was only just now six, which was good- because she knew she needed to get back to Panorama sometime early. Still, she felt disgusting, and Brooke let out a sigh as she rolled onto her back.
Was last night even real? Brooke remembered Amaris and falling down the mountain, and someone that looked like her saying her name, but that was about it. And that was not good, this whole situation was fucking surreal and confusing to Brooke, and the only good thing that came out of it was Jayden saying that he would cuddle with her. Which was good. That was probably the only good thing because fuck the moon disk.
Brooke forced herself to sit up, wincing at the migraine that she felt. She looked down at her dirt-encrusted clothes and bruised knuckles, letting out a groan of annoyance. She freed her hair out of her ponytail- cringing when she pulled a twig out of it, but it did help with the headache some. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she stood up, grabbing the nightstand to help regain her balance. When she did, Brooke slowly made her way to the door.
Her senses slowly kicked in, and Brooke heard her stomach growl at the smell of bacon. She was hungry and sore, but she also had questions. Fumbling with the doorknob, Brooke opened the door and slowly made her way down the hall. Her gaze landed on a picture, a family portrait- it was with a younger her, and that's the only thing Brooke recognized. There was a woman with light brown hair and brown eyes, and Brooke came to the conclusion that the woman was her mother, because she looked like Mary, except with sharper facial features. Holding the younger Brooke was a man with black hair and grey eyes- the same man who said her name.
Ignoring her headache, Brooke took off in an uneven jog- and her footsteps made noise, but she didn't care. She stumbled into the kitchen, and the man raised his head from the stove- noticing Brooke's gold eyes and frantic expression.
"You- you helped me. You know me. You know Mom," Brooke choked out, her face paling. "How- who are you?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, and Nate smiled sadly.
"I'll answer any questions you have, Brooke, I promise. You don't deserve to be kept in the dark any longer," Nate murmured, watching as his daughter stared at him with wide eyes. "But first, would you like to eat?" He asked, and Brooke nodded.
"Thanks for not killing me," Brooke muttered as she sat down at the table, and Nate laughed faintly.
Nate waved his hand nonchalantly. "Wouldn't dream of it. You've been through enough," He answered, and watched as Brooke quirked a brow at him as he sat down a plate of food in front of her. Her stomach growled, and she instantly started eating. "First- I'll start with the introductions. I'm Nate Wolfe, your biological father." Nate introduced himself, and Brooke choked on a pancake.
"I remember reading your name in mom's journal," Brooke declared once she stopped choking. She didn't know why she wasn't freaking out- maybe the exhaustion? "But what about James? And Maxx?" She questioned, shoving another bite of pancake in her mouth. She couldn't remember the last time she had pancakes- because she certainly wouldn't eat Mia's. And Nate, he was a good cook.
"James is your stepfather, and Maxx is his son, so he's your stepbrother, in actuality. I also heard about James, I'm so sorry you had to endure that." Nate was sympathetic- and Brooke could tell it was genuine. He held a certain sadness to him, and Brooke could tell it was due to her, and something about the dark circles and bags under his eyes made her feel guilty.
"Let me guess, Mary wouldn't let me know about you? Was she also the one who erased my memories?" Brooke started connecting the dots, and when Nate nodded, she let out a growl. "Son of a bitch. I've been there for two fucking years now and she's told me nothing. I asked her so many fucking questions, and she's said nothing." She realized tears started falling on her pancakes and wiped them away with a paper towel that Nate offered her.
Nate watched Brooke, and it was bittersweet. A certain feeling of joy washed over him, but also sadness. "I'm sorry, Brooke. I should've tried harder-" He started, but Brooke waved her hand in dismissal, swallowing another mouthful of pancake.
"Don't worry, I get it. I'm not mad at you- I'm fucking pissed at Mary. And I don't even know if it's rational, but it's there." Brooke reassured Nate, offering a small smile at the man, looking into eyes that were almost identical to her own. Something in her head was saying to trust the man, and like how she did with Jayden and Antonio, and it didn't seem to be wrong yet. So, she did.
"Christ, you're much calmer than your mother," Nate muttered, running a hand over his face with a small laugh. So, that's where she got that from. "I take it you don't know anything about her, either?" He asked, and Brooke shook her head, finishing her breakfast.
"Other than that she was the silver ranger- and she got killed in the surprise attack- that's a lie, isn't it," Brooke cut herself off, noticing Nate's facial expression. "God damn it. Oh, fuck me." She cursed, running a clawed hand over her face. Like father, like daughter.
Nate grimaced, nodding. "I don't want to keep things from you, but you're not well enough to handle all of it, I'm sorry. I'll convince Mary to let me talk to you- I'll meet you again soon, Brooke." He urged, and Brooke nodded, rising from her seat.
"It's alright. Took me two years, and I'm finally getting answers. I can wait a little longer- the team's probably freaked anyway," Brooke laughed, and she didn't realize she was crying. They were happy tears this time, cleaning some of the dirt off of her face. "Here- I assume you have a phone? I'll give you my cell number." She offered, and Nate nodded, pushing a pen and paper across the table. Brooke quickly wrote down her contact information, blinking the tears from her vision.
"It might not be my place to say since you can't remember me, but, I'm proud to call you my daughter, Brooke. You've made it so far, and life hasn't been kind to you, I know that. You're doing amazing- and I mean that, from the bottom of my heart." Nate praised, and Brooke burst into tears, sobs wracking her body.
"Wow- I- I needed to hear that," Brooke sobbed, breaking into a watery smile. "Thank- thank you." She choked out and acted on instinct. She wrapped Nate into a tight hug, and he instantly returned it.
Nate felt tears prick his eyes, but wiped them away. "Of course, Brooke. I love you, with all the stars and the moon." He murmured, and a wail left Brooke's lips, and Nate held his daughter in his arms as she cried- an action he's not done in five years.
--
Nate had given Brooke her mother's necklace, which was stainless steel with a small compass charm, and a binder. The binder held all of Brooke's medical records, her birth certificate, and some other things that she was somewhat excited to look through. She had gotten answers, and she trusted Nate. It might be the exhaustion and trauma, but Brooke knew her father- not James, wasn't lying. His words were too genuine, and she put her full faith in the man. She also knew she had to go to Mary- Nate had told her to not get mad at Ji because he was just doing what Jane had told him to do. And Brooke didn't want to start a power ranger holy war anyways, and Ji was just doing what he was told. She honestly felt guilty for him, because he had to lie for so long.
Brooke parked her car, happy to be back in Panorama. She was happy to have answers- and an actual adult in her family that she could truly trust. Brooke was walking through the park, texting Casper, and just telling him about the mountain. She didn't tell him about Amaris- because she didn't know if that was a hallucination or not, but the rest of it was fair game. However, her happy mood fell into one of general annoyance when she smelt nighlok. It was faint, but Brooke knew damn well that there weren't gap sensors in the woods, so she let out a sigh.
Well, at least she could try out the moon disk- see if it was worth falling down a mountain for. Brooke swung her backpack over her shoulders, crouching down and pulling out the small box. It has the Wolfe family crest on it, and upon opening it, grey eyes flashed gold. Brooke gingerly picked up the disk, inspecting it. It was purple and had the phases of the moon on it, then disappearing into a flurry of silver particles. Brooke shut the box and shoved it back into her backpack, zipping the backpack up and shouldering it once again.
Then, she shifted. Eating a decent meal and getting some sleep gave Brooke enough energy to fight, and she could confidently say that. She knew the adrenaline rush would kick in after a while as well, so it was just a matter of time.
Wolf-Brooke padded through the woods- and soon it became very easy to find the nighlok, as a clear slime was covering various plants and trees in the forest. Walking up to the slime that was on the base of a tree, the brown wolf sniffed at it, letting out a whine at the smell of nighlok. Well, that's something, wolf-Brooke thought, following the slime through the woods- and soon broke into a sprint at the sounds of someone, or something, talking. Soon, she reached what seemed like a valley that held a stone well in the middle, the well being surrounded by various children's toys and stuffed animals.
Brooke shifted back, crouching behind a large rock. By the well, she saw a short nighlok that looked like a squid, who was Octoroo, one of Xandred's main nighlok. She also saw a nighlok that looked like a red ant- and she cringed at the clear slime dripping from the monster's body. The slime nighlok was holding an axe and muttering something, but Brooke's eyes flashed as she spotted Kevin and Antonio, the gold and blue rangers having the same idea as the silver. They hadn't noticed her yet, which was fine by her, and she took her samuraizer out of her backpack.
Flipping the device open, Brooke called Jayden and waited for him to pick up on the first ring, just like he always did. But, that wasn't the case, and she stared down at her samuraizer, frowning at the device. It wasn't connecting, and she didn't feel like digging her phone out of her backpack, so the silver ranger just let out a heavy sigh. "Time to pick a god and pray," Brooke muttered, summoning her Wolf Kunai and sliding the purple moon disk on the weapon. It clicked into place, and Brooke felt her heart stop when Octoroo's high pitched voice rang through the valley.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Octoroo taunted, and Brooke peered over the large rock to see the nighlok having his back towards her. Octoroo had his staff pointed at the boulder where Kevin and Antonio were hiding- and Brooke let out a snort as the gold and blue rangers instantly ducked behind the rock again as Octoroo fired.
The gold and blue rangers morphed and went to rush the nighlok, whose name was Antberry, which was fitting. The nighlok spit out a clear slime, and Brooke watched as Kevin and Antonio both lost their grips on their weapons. Well, it was a job for claws. The silver ranger didn't bother morphing and stepped out from her hiding spot.
"Your weapons are worthless! Like you!" Antberry cackled, and Brooke hopped down, spinning the moon disk on her Wolf Kunai. The leaf-shaped blade lit up a mix of silver and purple, and the silver ranger ran forward towards the nighlok and the blue and gold rangers.
The two were trying to fight Antberry hand-to-hand but were doing rather poorly since any attack they tried to land just slipped right off. "Crescent Moon Slash!" Brooke yelled, swiping with the kunai. It hit the nighlok in its back, and then Brooke let the Wolf Kunai disappear, shifting.
"Brooke!" Both Antonio and Kevin called in unison, and the brown wolf barked in response.
Wolf-Brooke attacked Antberry, and it held quite well. That was, until the nighlok landed a strong strike on the wolf's side, sending it flying towards the blue and gold rangers. The brown wolf hit the ground with a sharp whine, and Brooke shifted back, grimacing somewhat at the pain that flared in her side. Still, it could be dealt with. Brooke willed in her claws, getting ready to attack again, but felt her heart stop and eyes widen as Octoroo pointed its staff at the three rangers and fired.
The three rangers landed behind a large boulder god knows where the blue and the gold demorphing on impact. "Welcome back," Antonio greeted, and Brooke let out a groan as she picked herself up off of the ground. "You look like you've seen better days." He joked, motioning to the silver ranger's dirt-encrusted clothes, and Brooke shot him a glare.
"Yeah, yeah, you sure know how to treat a girl, Goldie," Brooke grumbled, turning her attention to Kevin- who was grumbling at his samuraizer. So, the silver ranger let out a sigh and turned her attention to the gold. "Hey, I have gauze." She offered, motioning to Antonio's wrist, him wrapping it with his hanker-chief.
Antonio nodded, smiling faintly. "Thanks, Brooke," He thanked, and Brooke hummed in response, taking off her backpack and unzipping one of the pockets. "Did you just get back?" He asked, and Brooke nodded, pulling out a roll of gauze and starting to wrap Antonio's wrist gently.
"Something like that. Took a four-hour nap in my car, but that's about it," Brooke answered, lying some. She didn't want to tell Antonio or Jayden about Nate yet- not until she had more answers. "Kevin, is there still no signal?" She asked the blue ranger, her attention unwavering from Antonio's wrist.
"Yes, but Antonio can't fight with that injury, and you're exhausted," Kevin stated, and Brooke rolled her eyes as she ripped the gauze with her teeth. "Just hide here until the coast is clear, and then go and get the others." He commanded, and Brooke's eyes flashed as she finished wrapping Antonio's wrist and heard Kevin sprint into the woods.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Brooke zipped up her backpack and readjusted it on her shoulders, willing away her claws and offering Antonio a hand. "He's going to probably get lost, or his ass kicked. Or both- so let's go." She urged, and Antonio nodded and took her hand. The silver ranger pulled the gold to his feet, the two rangers took off in the direction the blue went.
Brooke and Antonio found Kevin- getting his ass kicked, and Antonio stepped in. The gold ranger saved the blue, and while they had a heart-to-heart moment, the silver zoned out, cycling through her thoughts. Her body hurt, and Brooke wanted nothing more to take a nap, but, saving the world comes first. She only zoned back in when Kevin started walking, and Brooke raised her brows at Antonio, who grinned faintly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Brooke let him, and she felt some of the exhaustion she tried to fight hit her like a freight train.
"Let's get this nighlok over with and go home. Hopefully Red won't be so slow this time," Brooke yawned, leaning into Antonio some as they followed Kevin. "It didn't go very well." She muttered, and Antonio frowned.
"At least it's over," Antonio reassured Brooke, who mumbled something he didn't catch. "I'm sure Jay will freak when Kevin's gone, and this'll end quickly." He spoke soothingly, and Brooke yawned again.
"Let's hope, Goldie. Let's hope."
--
Brooke shifted back when she reached the top of the incline, Kevin at her heels. However, Antonio was struggling, and Brooke was somewhat surprised when Kevin offered his hand and pulled Antonio up. The three rangers stared at the small army of moogers, the trio settling into fighting stances.
"Take a deep breath, the battle's about to begin," Antonio advised, and he took his hanker-chief off of his neck, tearing the fabric into three pieces with ease. "Tie your weapons to your wrists. It'll help with the slime." He urged, handing Brooke and Kevin each a piece of his hanker-chief.
"Good thinking!" Kevin praised, and Antonio smiled some as the three rangers took out their samuraizers- and morpher, flipping the devices open. Brooke activated the brush portion of her samuraizer, steeling her nerves. It was now or never.
"Go Go Samurai!"
"Samurai Morpher!"
The three rangers morphed into their suits, tied their weapons to their wrists, and the battle commenced. The three cut through moogers with ease, sprinting to where they had originally seen Antberry and Octoroo. Antberry had his axe raised, getting ready to dice a bicycle, but before it could, the dragon zord flew over, knocking the axe out of its hands and down the well. Octoroo exclaimed something about that, but Brooke blocked it out.
She just focused on keeping herself alive, the silver ranger slashing through moogers with ease. Her body ached, but she pushed it and her exhaustion aside, ducking under a mooger's swing. Spying Octoroo and Antberry- retreating yet again, Brooke cut down one last mooger before turning to Kevin and Antonio. "Good work you two! Let's go!" She called over her shoulder, sprinting after the two nighlok, the blue and gold rangers at her heels.
The three cornered the two nighlok in a grassy clearing, Octoroo pointing a stubby finger at the silver, blue, and gold rangers. "There they are! You three just destroyed my favorite toy!" The squid nighlok spat and Antberry readied its blade.
However, before the nighlok could say anything, Brooke traded out the moon disk for the wolf disk and spun the disk, the Wolf Kunai lighting up silver. The silver ranger called out the attack, and was surprised to hear, and see, another one follow it up.
"Lone Wolf!"
"Blazing Strike!"
The silver and red attacks hit both of the nighlok and knocked them off their feet, the two monsters letting out noises of shock. Brooke snapped her attention to where the attack came from, and spying Jayden's bright red ranger suit filled her with a sense of joy. She felt herself smile widely under her helmet- and Brooke didn't know why she was this happy to see Jayden, but she was.
However, Octoroo did not share the same joy Brooke felt. "Red Ranger." The nighlok growled, Jayden just resting his spin-sword on his shoulder.
"Kevin, Antonio, Brooke! You guys okay?" Emily called down to the three rangers, and Brooke nodded, wasting no time to stand by Jayden's side.
"Fantastico now. Sure glad you guys showed up." Antonio responded, and the seven samurai rangers formed their traditional line as Jayden explained that they knew Kevin's routine. Then, Octoroo disappeared through a crack, and Brooke and Jayden nodded at each other.
The silver and red rangers brought their hands up to the disks on their weapons. "Let's end this, Red," Brooke muttered as she spun the wolf disk, and her Wolf Kunai lit up silver. "Full Pack!" She yelled, feeling the energy draining from her body as she slashed with her kunai.
"Blazing Strike!" Jayden fired off his attack as well, and soon the nighlok was ablaze, the yellow, pink, and green rangers rushing the nighlok. The three rangers landed their attacks, and the red ranger turned his attention to the blue and the gold. "Go ahead guys, put him on spin cycle."
Brooke staggered back some as Antonio and Kevin ran forward. She felt bad and wanted to throw up again. "Red, can you handle megamode without me? I- I'm sorry," She forced out and stumbled, her suit disappearing in a flash of silver. "I just... don't feel right."
Jayden took in Brooke's pale face and caught her before she fell. "Of course. Just hang on, alright?" He murmured, hearing as the nighlok exploded. He pushed aside his own worry, setting Brooke down on the grass and handling the nighlok's second form.
--
After the team, sans Brooke, defeated the nighlok's second form, the seven rangers returned to the Shiba House. Brooke had taken a much-needed shower, changing into clean clothes, and was now flipping through the binder Nate gave her. It was pretty self-explanatory to behind with, it held her birth certificate, social security card, and things like that, all of them being in sheet protectors. But, Brooke felt her heart stop when she turned to something that was very different than the others- a handwritten letter written by her mother.
Nate,
If you're reading this, I'm most likely already gone. For that, I would like to apologize. Written words mean nothing now, I know, as my actions have already been done. While my actions are, indeed, an act of cowardice, I will provide a means of explaining them. It's what you deserve- it's what Brooke deserves, even if she won't remember this at the end of all things.
You see, Brooke isn't a shifter. Well, she wasn't. When she was born, she was one hundred percent human. Which was perfect, in actuality, since all I wanted was for her to live a normal life. When she was born, I held the ignorance that I had the ability, that the rangers and I held the ability, to finally end this war. That she wouldn't need to be the silver ranger, and we would be able to go about lives with a sense of normalcy.
However, this war isn't ending with us, Nate. You and I both know that, and they'll need Brooke to be the next silver ranger. They'll need a shifter . And Brooke wasn't a shifter, but the Shiba Clan took it in their hands to make her one. The bruises near her veins weren't because of checkups. It was blood transfusion, blood experimentation. Using the blood of past silver rangers, of past shifters, they made it so Brooke is a shifter now. When she came home and I saw the changes, I realized I can't stay. I cannot look my daughter in the eyes and not see how I have damned her into a fate that will make it so she most likely dies too early, too young.
However, I have made it so that she'll forget about the fate she was thrust into. When she turns twelve, you will not have custody anymore, and she'll be in James' care, where she can live a relatively normal life with him and Maxxwell. To combat her resisting this change when she comes twelve, Mary will erase her memories leading up to that point. She will forget who she is, who we are. And, to put this plan in effect, I will die. I have made a deal with the Nighlok King, and he will kill me.
I understand this is an act of cowardice, but, once you are reading this, I'm already dead. The plan is set in motion, and nothing can stop it now. I have made it so it cannot be stopped, the plan that will give Brooke the sense of normalcy I always wanted. This is a good thing, I promise. Brooke will be safe, and this isn't for nothing.
I hope you come to understand this in due time.
Sincerely,
Jane Wolfe
Brooke saw tears fall onto the sheet protector, and she wiped them away with clawed hands- clawed. A gift that wasn't her own, something she never truly had. None of what she thought she had was hers- it was all lies. They were lies shs knew she needed to break through, she knew she needed to hear the truth. With shaky hands, Brooke reached for her phone and unlocked it, calling Mary.
"Hey Mary, I found something out. About Mom, about me," Brooke started as soon as Mary picked up the phone. "I met Nate, and I know of everything now. The plan, the fact I'm not truly a shifter, and how Mom technically killed herself. And I need answers. I need to hear it from you. I have spent two years trying to figure out who I am- and you have done nothing to help me. You have watched me struggle, and didn't help. In fact, you made things worse. You know that, don't you?" She asked, trying to keep her tone neutral, Brooke having a slight lisp due to her canines.
There was silence on the other end of the line for almost a full minute, then Mary let out a heavy sigh. "I know that, Brooke," She stated, sounding more tired than Brooke's ever heard her. "Just... come over, alright? It's better if we do this face to face. I will tell you everything- I promise." Mary promised, and Brooke willed her inhumane features away.
"I'll trust your word, Mary. Please give me something to trust." Brooke muttered, ending the call and staring down at her phone. Tears fell onto the screen, but she wiped them away.
Taking a deep breath, Brooke tried to ignore the shaking in her hands. Her heart rate went into overdrive, and she couldn't hear anything but her heartbeat in her ears. Still, Brooke tried to ignore it as she got off of her bed and shut the binder, sliding on her vans.
I got answers, but- no. This is what I've wanted. I need to uncover the truth, Brooke reassured herself, taking another deep breath and shrugged on Casper's leather jacket, shoving the normal ensemble in the pockets. Steeling her nerves, she grabbed the binder and left her room, shutting the door behind her.
The rangers, sans Kevin and Jayden, were in the kitchen, and five pairs of eyes fell on Brooke. "What's that? A school project?" Mike jokingly asked, pointing at the binder, but before Brooke could answer, Emily piped up.
"Hey Brooke, are you alright? You look a little pale." Emily pointed out, and Brooke forced a smile, nodding.
"I'm fine," Brooke responded, and Antonio raised his eyebrows, him silently calling bullshit. Still, he didn't pry. "The binder... it's just family matters. I'll be back, tell Red I'm at Little Cloaks." She didn't wait for a response, leaving the Shiba House.
As gravel crunched under her feet, Brooke felt tears roll down her face again. Still, she wiped them away with the sleeve of Casper's leather jacket. This is what she wanted, and Brooke knew there was no turning back now.
The curtains had been pulled, and Brooke had to face the music.