The team stared at the giant moogers that were wreaking havoc on Panorama, annoyance radiating off the seven rangers. "Five, six, no, seven! At once?" Antonio counted the giant monsters, the sounds of the buildings crashing to the ground almost drowning out the gold ranger.
It made Brooke wonder how the city was even standing- because stuff like this happens on a daily basis. There was always a nighlok that was accompanied by destruction, and there's no way the city can just ignore it. Shaking those thoughts out of her head, the silver ranger narrowed her grey eyes underneath her helmet. Seven giant moogers were easy to deal with, in actuality. It was better than a nighlok.
"Look, the Sanzu River is seeping through!" Emily blurted, pointing to a crack in the pavement. The dark red water was emerging from it, the pavement sizzling when the Sanzu water made contact with it.
"Forbidden Kool-Aid," Brooke muttered, her eyes flashing underneath her helmet as she glanced at the Sanzu water and then Jayden.
The red ranger seemingly had gone rigid, and Jayden grit his teeth underneath his helmet. Just seeing the Sanzu River water gave him a tension headache and the sounds of the buildings crashing made it worse. His head throbbed, but Jayden just tried to push it aside as he pulled out his lion zord. "Let's go!" He commanded, and the seven rangers went into megamode power.
As Brooke waited for the original five to form the battlewing megazord, she let Jayden take the tiger disk, she was surprised to hear Antonio through the comms. "Hey, Brooke! I think you can combine your wolf zord with the clawzord." He offered, and Brooke quirked a brow.
"Alright, Goldie. Let's try," Brooke responded, taking her samuraizer out of the pouch on the belt of her megamode suit. "Zords Combine!" She called, drawing the combination symbol and activating it. In a flash of silver, the silver ranger was standing next to the gold, her folding up her megablade and sticking it into the control panel.
"Wolf Armor Claw Megazord! We are united!" Brooke and Antonio called in unison, high-fiving each other and then going to work. The battlewing and wolf armor megazords stood side to side as multiple giant moogers swarmed the two robots, who went into fighting stances.
"Woah, is this a mooger family reunion?" Antonio joked, and Brooke snickered at Jayden's disappointed sigh.
"Antonio, focus!" Jayden commanded, and Brooke and Antonio shared teasing looks underneath their helmets.
Brooke knew she could probably add on a witty comment and make things worse, but Jayden did sound stressed. So, she let him be. For now, of course, as teasing him was a hobby for her, she just didn't do it when he was even more disgruntled. She didn't want to make him angry, after all. "Let's give 'em hell!" Brooke urged, and on her call, the battlewing and wolf armor megazords ran in different directions.
The two robots were cutting down giant moogers with ease, and Brooke enjoyed having the familiarity of controlling her wolf zord. The wolf zord had somehow become a claymore, the head of the zord becoming a helmet, the silver and black contrasting the mostly gold zord. The battlewing was fun, as Brooke enjoyed flying through the air, but cutting down moogers was more satisfying. And Antonio was funny during battle, the silver and gold rangers having a quiet conversation that the others couldn't hear through the comms.
Flying moogers appeared, and Mike let out a groan that Brooke snickered at. "Aw man, the flying ones freak me out!" The green ranger complained, and the red pushed his folded megablade forward.
"We have a solution," Jayden reassured Mike as the battlewing megazord soared into the sky. "It's time for these flyboys to get their wings clipped!" He challenged, and Brooke felt the corners of her lips twitch.
The wolf armor megazord swung the claymore around as explosions happened overheard, Brooke and Antonio nodding at each other. "Let's end this!" Brooke commanded, taking her megablade out of the control panel and unfolding it.
Antonio did the same, and the blades of their megablades lit up silver and gold respectively, the two rangers grinning under their helmets. Brooke spun the megablade in her hand once, her and Antonio both slashing diagonally. "Wolf Claymore: Finishing Swing!" The silver and gold rangers yelled in unison, and the wolf armor megazord followed the two rangers' movements.
The claymore lit up a mix of gold and silver, and the megazord slashed diagonally. The attack mixed with the battlewing megazord's final strike, the two attacks hitting the moogers and successfully destroying them. The cockpit of the battlewing megazord went up in cheers, Antonio and Brooke lowering their megablades and high-fiving each other.
"Our team is as good as gold!" Antonio cheered, wrapping his arm around Brooke's shoulders playfully.
Brooke laughed and let him, mouthing along to Jayden's final line. "Samurai Rangers: Victory is Ours." She mouthed, and with that, the battle ended. It was one Brooke actually enjoyed.
Once on the ground and demorphed, Brooke playfully punched Antonio in the shoulder, grinning. "Thanks for letting me combine with you, Goldie. We're a good team." She thanked, and Antonio nodded, breaking into a happy smile.
"Of course, Brooke. You're nice to have around." Antonio replied, and Brooke smiled genuinely, the gold and silver rangers walking up to the red.
Jayden seemed to have a faint scowl on his face, and Brooke raised an eyebrow at him. He just shook his head- shoving the irrational jealousy aside. He didn't even know why he was jealous, it was like they were back to being ten, when the nighlok were just imaginary. "Good job, you two." Jayden praised, and both Brooke and Antonio smiled.
Despite the jealousy and teenage hormones, Jayden was happy to have his two childhood friends back. They were a sense of happiness in the midst of the stress, and Jayden could deal with some jealousy. Even if he felt a certain pang in his heart as Antonio slung his arm around Brooke's shoulders, the silver ranger laughing at a joke the gold made. But, he could deal with it. Possibly? Jayden had never dealt with jealousy like this before, and he didn't like it. It was almost like it hurt his pride- which it didn't, but it sure as hell felt like it.
Still, it was fine. It could be dealt with, and Jayden found himself smiling when his two childhood friends waved him over. Despite things being far more complicated now, it was still the three of them, just seventeen instead of ten.
--
Once the team, sans Antonio because he had some other things to do, reached the Shiba House, the happy mood instantly dropped. It was replaced with one of annoyance, slight worry, and stress, and Brooke could feel it. She didn't know if it was due to her wolf senses in a way, but it tacked up, and soon she felt the stress of five samurai rangers. And that wasn't an ideal situation- because being a samurai ranger wasn't a walk in the park.
Jayden's stress level was the highest, and Brooke didn't blame him. He had a lot of weight on his shoulders- and Brooke couldn't exactly have a one-on-one talk with him currently, so she just tried silent motions. Sitting next to him, she just flashed him a comforting smile. Jayden responded by the corners of his lips twitching upwards, and Brooke felt his thumb running over her knuckles in a comforting sort of manner. It was nice- he was always warm, and it was a comforting warmth, like sitting by a fire. Which made sense, given he was the ranger of fire, but still. Brooke enjoyed it.
Then, the meeting began. Jayden and Brooke went back to keeping their façade of soldiers, small smiles falling, and Brooke placing her hands in her lap.
"I don't know what to do," Mia complained, annoyance laced in her tone. "We fought so hard, but the Sanzu River keeps seeping into our world." She added, taking her seat.
"Can't believe this is happening," Mike muttered, shaking his head in disbelief slightly.
"What else can we do? We've beaten the nighlok every time." Emily wondered, and Jayden nodded slightly to Brooke, noticing that she wanted to say something.
"It's not about winning or losing. It's a game of resistance- of determination. We just have to last longer than they do," Brooke stated, willing away her inhumane features with a small sigh. "It's just being stubborn at this point- we need to keep fighting." She didn't plan on dying anytime soon, she wouldn't let the team down. The cage symbol was starting to get more and more taxing- but Brooke didn't show it. She just pushed the headache that was forming due to a lack of symbol power aside and steeled her resolve. She wouldn't be like her mother.
Kevin let out a heavy sigh, leaning forward with his hands intertwined. "Brooke's right, we can't give up, under any circumstances." He concluded, and Brooke perked when she heard Ji's footsteps.
"I'm glad to hear that," Ji greeted the six rangers, walking into the meeting room. "Because I may have found something that could help us." He placed an archive on the table, and Brooke's eyes flashed as she peered at the page with furrowed brows.
Drawn in the archive was a black box, with the Wolfe and Shiba family crests on it, all of the main animals the zords represented surrounding it. Even a wolf and Brooke's eyes landed on a grey-gold as she inspected the picture. Whatever it was- it seemed familiar. Could her mom have done something?
Jayden seemed to be going into one of his "red ranger crises", as the stress radiating off of him increased. "The black box? Ji, we can't." He stated, looking at his mentor in disbelief.
"What is it?" Emily asked, leaning forward some so she could view the page better.
"A magic talisman, created by the first red and silver rangers," Ji answered, and Brooke and Jayden shared a look. The red and silver rangers' fates had always been intertwined, it seemed like. "Created by the two rangers who hold the power to seal Master Xandred away- it is said to unite the symbol power of all rangers into one." The older man explained, and Brooke wondered if Amaris knew anything about it.
Speaking of, Brooke had learned that Amaris was the protector of those who held the moon disk. She was only supposed to appear on rare occasions- when whoever held the moon disk was in grave peril. However, she appeared from time to time when Brooke needed her, the white wolf comforting the silver ranger through her nightmares. Brooke was the first silver ranger in ten generations to hold the moon disk, and Amaris seemed rather enthusiastic about being able to leave Sweetbrier Mountain. The white wolf had been around since the moon disk was created, fifteen generations ago, so Amaris knew about ranger history. It was interesting, learning from a wolf who uses symbol power to communicate her thoughts into people's minds. Apparently the silver ranger who created the moon disk was named Amaris Wolfe, and it was a tradition for the name Amaris to be passed down through the Wolfe family, one way or another. Brooke had received it as her middle name, and it was her mother's as well. It was also fitting, translating to "child of the moon".
Mike's voice snapped Brooke out of her thoughts. "Okay cool, let's fire it up." He stated excitedly, rubbing his hands together.
"It's not as simple as that," Jayden instantly shut that idea down, his voice hard. "The red ranger never finished the talisman." He explained, and Brooke ran a clawed hand over her face, letting out a quiet groan of annoyance.
"I'm gonna go ahead and take a wild guess here, so correct me if I'm wrong. But I'm assuming that the silver ranger didn't finish it either?" Brooke wondered, and when Ji nodded, she let out a sigh. "Go figure." She muttered and wasn't really surprised, in actuality. It seems like every other generation of samurai rangers failed to do something- whether it is on purpose or not.
"Many have tried, but none have the skill and power to complete it," Ji added, and the rangers instantly looked somewhat dejected.
"What about Brooke?" Emily offered, and Brooke instantly tensed, her eyes flashing. "It's part of the Wolfe family, isn't it?" She added, the yellow ranger glancing at the silver.
"The cage symbol needs to be done, that's pretty much what I'm made for, after all," Brooke joked weakly, letting out a forced laugh. "Why not Goldie? He's a techie." She offered, knowing that Antonio would probably enjoy programming the black box. Plus it would get the attention off of her.
Mike instantly perked up. "Yeah! I mean, the guy programmed the zord like it was a coffee maker." He agreed, and Kevin let out a sigh.
"He doesn't have full mastery of symbol power like we do, you all know much it drains us as we use it," Kevin argued, and Brooke looked down at her clawed hands. He wasn't wrong, the headache that Brooke had now was due to lack of symbol power, and her head throbbed in steady tune with her heartbeat. It wasn't fun, and she wouldn't wish it on anyone.
"Kevin's right," Jayden stated. "Trying to transfer even a few of our symbol powers into the box could destroy him." He added, and Brooke furrowed her brows.
Would the wolf symbol power do something to Antonio? It was how the original shifter was made, after all. Could it turn him into one? That was worrying, so should Brooke work on the black box? Her headache increased, but her annoyance turned into mild shock when the sound of claws hitting the wooden floor sounded. All six of the rangers jumped in surprise as Amaris appeared, violet eyes scanning the team.
"Amaris," Brooke breathed out, and the team glanced at the silver ranger and the white wolf with knit brows. "Why are you here?" She asked, and Amaris padded into the room, hopping onto the seat next to Brooke and Jayden.
"I can tell you have questions, Brooke," Amaris answered, and Brooke let out a heavy sigh.
"Well, yeah, but- I'm kinda in the middle of a meeting," Brooke motioned to the team, who were all just in stunned silence. Well, Ji wasn't, he was just looking at the white wolf with a confused expression on his face. "You freaked the team out." She added, and Amaris laughed, fluffy ears flicking.
"Uh, you all can hear this too, right?" Mike asked the team, green eyes wide as he stared at Amaris. Who was rather nonchalant about the whole thing, her ears and tail only flicking slightly.
"It's pretty." Emily blurted, and Amaris seemed to smile, violet eyes sparkling with joy as she turned her attention to the yellow ranger.
Brooke felt the corners of her lips twitch as she ran her hand through Amaris' silver and white fur. "Amaris, why don't you introduce yourself?" She urged, and Amaris' tail flicked.
"I am Amaris, protector of those who holds the moon disk. I have been around for fifteen generations- I have seen battles be won and lost." Amaris introduced herself, her voice calm and even. It held its usual motherly tone, and Jayden raised his eyebrows at Brooke, who only wore a small smile. He found her expression cute but shoved that thought aside.
"How can you talk?" Mia wondered aloud, and Amaris laughed, a sound like bells ringing through the rangers', plus Ji's head.
"I am not a wolf, per se. I am a being made of symbol power, and that gives me the ability to communicate with those who hold symbol power," Amaris explained, and Brooke stopped petting her. The silver ranger felt significantly less stressed with the white wolf around- she always did.
Kevin seemed skeptical, the blue ranger's brows knit together. "Symbol power- so, you can tell which ranger we are?" He blurted, and Amaris wagged her tail in response.
"You make it easy by wearing the colors you are affiliated with as well. But I can sense the symbol power coming off of each and every one of you in this room," Amaris replied, her voice holding a somewhat teasing tone, and the six rangers looked down at their clothes. They were all proudly displaying their respective color in one way or another, Brooke with a grey hoodie under Casper's leather jacket. "I have seen your ancestors rise and fall- multiple silver rangers had died trying to receive the moon disk. Brooke is the first of ten generations." She spoke softly, nuzzling the silver ranger's cheeks.
When the team turned to Brooke, she let out a sigh, grimacing when she recalled the memories of Sweetbrier Mountain. "Believe it or not, Wolfsbane is highly poisonous to shifters. It wasn't a fun hike." She muttered, and Jayden shot her a look of concern.
"Poisonous? Brooke, you could've called." Jayden chided, and Brooke shot him a deadpan expression.
"I did, Red. I wasn't falling down the mountain for the hell of it," Brooke retorted, her eyes flashing. "Anyways, Amaris. Do you know anything about transferring symbol power to the black box?" She questioned the white wolf, whose tail flicked once.
After a couple of moments of silence, Amaris spoke. "Transferring symbol power is a fickle thing, but it's far less dangerous than Shiba is making it out to be," Amaris answered, and Jayden furrowed his brows at the wolf. "I have seen many do it over the generations- when the red and silver rangers swap disks, for example. It is transferring symbol power from one thing to another," She explained, hopping down from her seat and padding around the six rangers. "Your teammate- ranger of light, has the ability to. The action just takes immense mental strength and control. It is like Brooke working on the cage symbol, it is something that just needs to be done in moderation. Your worry for your teammate is understandable, but not necessary. From what I'm assuming, he holds immense mental strength and power to make himself a samurai ranger. He is your best candidate."
"Wait- are we really trusting a wolf?" Kevin blurted, and Amaris stopped in her tracks, ears flicking.
"If I wanted to hurt anyone, I would've let Brooke repeat the fate of many past silver rangers- dying atop of Sweetbrier Mountain," Amaris defended, her voice even and calm. She hopped back onto her seat and sat on her haunches, violet eyes shining bright. "I am not a threat. My role is to protect, and that is what I do." She stated calmly, and Mia nodded.
The pink ranger smiled at the white wolf. "I trust her. It's obvious that Brooke trusts her, too," Mia mused, and Brooke felt the corners of her lips twitch upwards. "None of us want to see Antonio hurt, but- we're talking about saving the human race." She added, Jayden's expression only hardening.
"If he's willing, give him a shot." Mike urged Jayden, the red ranger setting his jaw and letting out a sigh.
"Okay." Jayden agreed after a couple of moments of hesitation, the team instantly perking up.
"First, you need to retrieve the black box," Ji commanded, and Brooke ran her hand through Amaris' fur, the white wolf wagging her tail in contentment. "For generations, it has been protected by guardians at the Tengen Gate."
With that, the meeting ended, the rangers and Ji leaving the meeting room. Well, all except Brooke, know just pet Amaris with a slight frown, chewing on her bottom lip as her eyes flashed.
"You are in distress," Amaris pointed out, and Brooke let out a heavy sigh. "You are working yourself far too hard, my dear. Mental fatigue is taking its toll on you." She added, and Brooke let out a groan, burying her head in her clawed hands.
"I- I know that, Amaris. But I don't have any other choice." Brooke agreed hesitantly, her voice muffled by her hands.
Amaris nudged Brooke's cheek with her snout, the silver ranger raising her head to glance at the white wolf. "A life of spite will leave you burnt out, Brooke. You cannot stay angry forever." The white wolf murmured, and Brooke's eyes flashed as her claws and canines grew in.
"Don't put my insecurities on blast now, Amaris," Brooke tried joking, but the white wolf only flicked her tail once. "Listen- I know, I know. I just can't-"
"End up like Jane?" Jayden finished, and Brooke nodded weakly. Her grey-gold eyes showed slight fear and stress, but in an instant, her expression hardened.
Jayden and Amaris were like the tag team of pointing out Brooke's insecurities and fears. She didn't necessarily enjoy it. "Red, Amaris- just drop it, okay? I don't want to go down that road right now." Or ever. Brooke urged, and Amaris seemed to somehow nod.
The white wolf hopped off of her seat and padded over to the red ranger, Jayden glancing at Amaris with furrowed brows. "The fates of the Wolfe and Shiba bloodlines had always been intertwined, but I have never seen them carry such a strong bond between them. You two are interesting, very much so." She mused, and there was a hint of amusement in her tone.
"Well- we're friends. We have been for a long time," Jayden commented, sounding flustered, and Brooke found a strange sense of disappointment filling her gut. Well, that was stupid. "She means a lot to me." He added, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I am able to tell," Amaris laughed, looking back over to Brooke. "I will not join you going to the Tegen Gate- but I'll be watching over you. Call on me if you need anything, I will be right by your side, my dear." She promised, and Brooke nodded, standing up from her seat.
Her head pounded, but Brooke ignored it as she walked over and kneeled in front of Amaris. "Thanks, Amaris. I appreciate it." She murmured, running her hand through Amaris' white fur.
"It is my role, Brooke. There is no need to thank me," Amaris stated, but her voice had a hint of joy to it. "Take care of yourself, my dear. Overworking can lead to the downfall of the strongest warrior," She advised, and Brooke nodded. The silver ranger stood, and the white wolf turned her attention to the red ranger. "You two keeping each other safe is a good asset to have, take care of each other."
"We will," Jayden promised, loosely intertwining his fingers with Brooke's. "Thank you, Amaris. It was nice meeting you." He thanked, and Amaris laughed.
"Apologies that my introduction was so sudden. It was nice meeting you as well, Jayden. I have heard a lot about you from Brooke," Amaris teased, and Brooke's face flushed slightly. "Farewell." The white wolf bounced in place twice, and then leapt through the air, disappearing in a flash of silver.
"She's interesting," Jayden summarized, and Brooke hummed in response, tightening her grip on his hand slightly. "Are you doing alright? Amaris is right- you shouldn't overwork yourself." He commented, and Brooke nodded, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Yeah, I know. It's just a headache, nothing new. I'm okay," Brooke promised with a weak smile, and Jayden ran his thumb over her knuckles. "If anything happens, I'll let you know. You know that." She promised.
Jayden felt the corners of his lips twitch. "I do. We'll get through this, just like we always do." He spoke softly, and Brooke raised an eyebrow with a small smile.
"You're taking my lines now, Red. That's hardly fair," Brooke joked, and Jayden rolled his eyes with a smile. Brooke had the urge to kiss him but decided not to act on impulse. "But, you're right. We have a good track record so far, I think we can make it." She agreed, and Jayden nodded.
"We will. Are you ready to visit the Tegen Gate?" Jayden asked, the two rangers dropping hands as they walked out of the meeting room.
"Yeah, kinda. It seems kinda familiar, and I don't know why," Brooke confessed, her eyes flashing. "But, I suppose we'll find out." She let out a small sigh, really hoping that this doesn't end a clusterfuck.
--
A wooden Shinto shrine came into view as the six rangers walked towards the Tengen Gate. On top of the shrine were the Wolfe and Shiba family crests, and Brooke stopped in her tracks when a strange sense of familiarity washed over her. She had been here. But, why? For what purpose? Shaking those thoughts aside, Brooke let out a small sigh, catching up with Jayden again. He was sticking close to her side- and she didn't mind it. It was comforting to have his constant presence.
"This is the Tengen Gate? It's just a big wood thing." Mike blurted, looking at the Shinto shrine in disbelief as he walked through it.
Brooke snickered while Jayden sighed. "The Tengen Gate is an important part of ranger history, Mike." Jayden scolded, the five other rangers bowing at the shrine and then walking through it.
There was fire. And blood. Brooke stopped in her tracks, claws, and canines growing in as gold eyes inspected the area. The five other rangers stopped in their tracks, noticing how the silver ranger seemed ready to attack, her body tense and hands twitching. Emily was the first one to move, placing a comforting hand on Brooke's arm, who jumped slightly in surprise.
"Hey, Brooke, is everything okay? You seem on edge." Mia pointed out, and Brooke nodded, willing away her inhumane features and flashing Mia a smile.
"Yeah, just thought I remembered something," Brooke stated nonchalantly, her eyes flashing and returning to their original grey. It wasn't a lie, she just didn't tell them that what she presumably remembered was concerning- incredibly so. "Sorry, caught me off guard." She smiled sheepishly, noticing Jayden's quirked brow. Ah, so he knew I was lying.
"As long as you're alright," Emily stated cheerfully, and Brooke felt some of her worries disperse at the blonde's happy attitude.
Even if those memories were real- they were just memories. Brooke reminded herself that she had the team by her side, and it was just a memory. Nothing bad would happen, she assumed that the Tengen Gate probably had protection symbols since it guarded the black box. She brushed Jayden's arms with her fingertips, shooting him a reassuring smile. He didn't return it, only looking at Brooke in concern, who shook her head.
Well, this is starting out great, Brooke thought bitterly as they walked into what was presumably a memorial garden. While the five other rangers were interested in the memorial where the first samurai rangers fought with the nighlok, Brooke's gaze landed on a different statue. It was a stone statue of a wolf howling, it's eyes bronze to represent the golden color that the eyes of the shifters' wolf forms held. It was pretty, and Brooke gently ran her fingertips over the details of the wolf's fur.
"Mama, look!" A four-year-old Brooke pointed to the stone statue, tugging on her mother's hand. Her black pigtails swung, the young girl wearing an enthusiastic smile. "It's like you!" She stated confidently, and Jane Wolfe let out a small laugh.
Green eyes sparkled with a mix of joy and jealousy as Jane watched Brooke run over to the statue, the younger girl in awe. "Brooke- be careful!" Jane warned, shooting an apologetic smile at an older man who wore a necklace of large wooden beads. "I'm sorry, she's captivated by wolves, ironically enough." She apologized, and the man shook his head with a small smile.
"It is quite alright, Jane. I'm surprised she's still…" The man trailed, and Jane's eyes flashed, the woman's claws growing in.
"Alive? Me too," Jane muttered bitterly, glaring at the memorial that bore the Shiba crest. "She's still just Brooke, though, and I'm grateful for that," She stated, her mood instantly brightening as Brooke ran back over to her mother. "C'mon kiddo, let's head inside, okay? There's more stuff you can see in there." Jane urged with a small smile, willing away her claws, and holding out a hand.
Brooke nodded, taking her mother's hand with her smaller one. With that, the two silver rangers- the seventeenth and eighteenth generations', walked into the Tengen Gate.
Brooke snapped out of her flashback, her looking down at the wolf statue with knit brows. So, she had come here. Well, Jane had come here, Brooke guessing that it was before she left the team. The memory left her with a bittersweet feeling- and she didn't want to go through this whole little field trip and regain more memories. She was scared of what they could actually be. For all she knew, she could have even more trauma to add to the list. Brooke shook those thoughts out of her head as Jayden walked over to her, the red ranger inspecting the statue.
"I get a whole statue, Red. It's that something?" Brooke joked, wearing her usual grin, and Jayden rolled his eyes playfully. It was better just to pretend like feelings weren't there.
Another thing that crossed Brooke's mind was if she should be calling Jayden, well, Jayden. Would somebody get offended that she was calling "the great red ranger" an unoriginal nickname? Jayden hadn't said anything about it, so Brooke assumed it was fine.
"You're something," Jayden retorted, and Brooke snickered, her grin growing wider. "But, in actuality, I didn't know the Wolfe family had their own memorial." He admitted, and Brooke's eyes flashed as she peered at the statue again.
"Well, I do have a different crest compared to you and the others- maybe the original silver ranger was a lone wolf, no pun intended. They didn't join the Shiba Clan until later or something." Brooke thought aloud but spun on her heel when she heard footsteps lightly crossing the gravel.
The same man Brooke saw in her flashback, just older, had just started walking through the garden when he noticed the silver ranger. "I can see your sense of hearing is as good as ever, Brooke. You are also correct regarding the Wolfe family, the silver rangers did not fight alongside the Shiba Clan until the fifth generation," The man, who was bald and had a white goatee, stated, and Brooke quirked a brow as he walked over. She had questions- a lot of them, actually, but she kept quiet as the team regrouped with her and Jayden.
The elderly man walked up to the team, wearing a small, but warm, smile. "I am Daisuke- the elder guardian. Welcome to the Tengen Gate," Daisuke introduced himself, and the six rangers bowed politely in a greeting back. "Your mentor advised us that you were coming. Please." He motioned to what could only be called a servant, five of the six rangers following him.
Soon it was only Daisuke and Jayden in the memorial garden. "You two care for each other, it's a change of pace," Daisuke mused, and Jayden glanced at him, furrowing his brows. "Despite their fates being so intertwined, the silver and red rangers usually dislike each other. Your father and Brooke's mother were no different." He explained, and Jayden hummed in response, lost in thought.
Well, his dad is rolling in his grave. Jayden wondered what his dad would even say if he could see this. His son having feelings for the daughter of the woman he hated. "We've been friends for years," Jayden stated, knowing damn well that was a cop-out.
Jayden knew his sense of adoration for Brooke was getting out of hand. He knew it, but he didn't want to stop. However, while he wanted nothing more to confess his feelings- and the feelings to get reciprocated, he was scared. Because things could blow up in his face rather easily if Jayden wasn't careful, and there was also the whole ranger aspect to it. He already knew Brooke fighting beside him was risky, as the constant urge to protect her made him want to jump in front of every attack she had to bear. But, Jayden knew he couldn't do that. For multiple reasons. So, he always pushed that urge aside and stuck to the stuff he was somewhat bad at- talking to Brooke. Luckily she didn't seem to mind or notice, and Jayden tried to convey his words through physical affection. Two touch starved rangers having the ability to hold each other close was a nice feeling.
"You haven't told them your secret, have you?" Daisuke asked, and Jayden's somewhat happy mood fell. He knew that was coming- and he braced himself for the tension headache.
He hated it. Jayden felt bad about the whole thing- sometimes he felt like he wasn't even deserving of the nickname "Red" half the time. "They're my friends Daisuke, I don't like lying to them, but…" He trailed, and Jayden honestly wondered how things would be different.
Would he still be childhood friends with Brooke and Antonio? Jayden's guessing so because everything would be pretty much the same, but when they were older? He'd probably be out of the Shiba House, so he would've never met Brooke and Antonio for the second time. Or if he did, it would be for a brief moment, as there couldn't be two red rangers. He wouldn't be able to stay- and Jayden was somewhat happy about being able to stay now. He had Brooke and Antonio back, that was good, and even if he had to lie to their faces, he just shoved the guilt aside. It will turn out okay. Like it always does.
Daisuke clapping Jayden on the shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry Jayden, but it is your responsibility to be the red ranger." The older man murmured, and Jayden forced a small smile.
"I know. I won't fail them." Jayden vowed, and he could hear Brooke saying the same thing in his mind. They were similar in that regard. Speaking of, blue eyes fell on the silver ranger, and the red felt his heart leap somewhat. She was waiting for him.
Brooke was leaning against a pillar, tapping the toe of her grey military boot on the ground as she willed her claws in and willed them away again and again- a habit she did when she was bored. Or waiting for someone, because she instantly raised her head when the smell of smoke and the forest filled her nostrils. "Heya, Red. C'mon, we can't be late for our field trip." She teased, watching triumphantly as Jayden's stressed expression broke- even if it was only for a moment. It was subtle, but the corners of his lips twitched upwards for a moment, and the crease in his forehead did disappear.
Jayden said nothing, glancing to make sure Daisuke wasn't watching them, and then intertwining his fingers with hers. Appearances to be kept and all. Brooke felt like it was for the both of them, and she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, which Jayden returned. The silver and red rangers followed Daisuke through the Tengen Gate, both rangers trying to shove aside their emotions.
When the silver and red rangers walked into a room where the rest of the team was gathered and inspecting an old painting, Brooke let go of Jayden's hand. To keep the perfect soldier façade up, and so she didn't scratch him with her claws, because they were now fully bared.
"Mama!" A four-year-old Brooke screamed, tears streaming down her face as she watched a nighlok cut down another servant. Blood got splattered onto the walls and floors, the man's scream turning into a gurgle as blood filled his mouth. Things were on fire, the smell of smoke and blood causing the young girl to choke. "Mama! Please!" She begged, her face pale as the nighlok sauntered into the room, pointing its blade at Brooke.
"You naïve little girl, "Mama" isn't going to come to help you." The nighlok snickered, but an angry growl came from the doorway and cut the monster off before it could say anything else.
Jane was morphed, but her helmet was off, revealing her fully bared canines and gold eyes. "Like hell, I'm letting you touch my daughter!" She growled, a gloved hand coming up to the wolf disk on the Wolf Kunai. "Lone Wolf!" Jane screamed, and a large burst of silver energy filled the room.
"Brooke!" Mia called in concern as Brooke stumbled back and clutched her head. Jayden grabbed her wrist before she could fall, and Brooke's chest heaved as gold eyes snapped around the room.
Brooke's gaze landed on a small blood splatter on the painting that was on the back wall of the room. It could be played off as a design choice, but she had a strong feeling it wasn't. "Daisuke," Brooke muttered, turning her attention to the elder guardian. "Something happened here, with my mother, right? A nighlok attack?" She questioned, and the five other rangers shot the silver confused look.
"You are correct, Brooke. Jane did an excellent job of defending this place, of defending you," Daisuke answered, and Brooke's eyes flashed. "A nighlok was after the black box, and you and your mother were here at the time." He explained, and Mia knit her brows.
"Brooke, didn't you say your mom quit the team?" Mia asked Brooke, who nodded faintly and sucked in a sharp breath.
"I- I don't know for sure, but I think it was before that happened. Because Mom kicked the bucket right after I got turned into a shifter. Three days, actually, found that one out," Brooke sounded nonchalant, her voice almost monotone. The team found it worrying. "I'm gonna get some fresh air, sorry for that. My brain's been acting weird." She apologized, forcing a small smile and leaving the room before anyone could say anything.
Mike watched her retreating form, shaking his head slightly. "She sure knows how to play things off. If I were her, it'd be freaked." He muttered, and Emily frowned, concern etched on her face.
"I feel bad for her- it's obvious that all this is taking a toll on her," Emily spoke softly, and Jayden let out a heavy sigh. "Jayden, do you think you could talk to her?" The yellow ranger asked the red, who shook his head.
"She had that look on her face that says she wants to be alone. She'll come back." Jayden replied, reassuring the team somewhat. He was worried- he always was, but it wasn't like he could do anything.
Meanwhile, Brooke sat in the memorial garden again, just trying to turn her thoughts off. It was easier said than done, and she let out a groan of frustration and ran a clawed hand over her face. This was annoying, and Brooke would much rather be taking a nap right about now. She honestly could, just shift and hide in the garden, but Brooke knew that the team would be looking for her if she didn't come back.
"You are subconsciously summoning me, my dear," Amaris appeared in a flash of silver, violet eyes shining with worry. "This is the second time today, you need to rest, Brooke. You are working yourself too hard, and your mental state isn't what it was. Jayden would understand." She murmured, nuzzling Brooke's cheek, who didn't say anything.
The silver ranger shifted, the brown wolf laying on the gravel with her ears pressed flat to her head. Amaris didn't say anything, the white wolf laying so she was curled around the brown protectively. "It is okay to feel things, my dear. Nobody can hurt you anymore." Amaris murmured, and wolf-Brooke just closed her eyes.
--
Brooke realized she was sticking closer to Jayden than she was before. Not that he seemed to care, he just seemed mostly nonchalant and slightly worried. After she had regained her bearings- also known as taking a power nap, she had regrouped with the team, Amaris sticking in the area but out of sight. The white wolf claimed that she hadn't seen the area in generations, but Brooke guessed it was so that Amaris could keep an eye on her. Not that she really minded- Amaris was like the mother she never had, just… a wolf. And centuries-old, but still. The white wolf was extremely calming, and she smelt like lavender. It was nice.
Sitting on her knees next to Jayden, Brooke recalled another memory, a happier one. It was her trying to match her mother's posture, in the same pose, she sat in now. Like mother, like daughter- though Brooke didn't know what to think about Jane Wolfe. One part of Brooke resented her- the other just felt sad and guilty. Casper had said it was some psychology thing, she wanted the love her mother never gave her. That was causing Brooke's opinion of her mother to be almost bittersweet. It was incredibly depressing.
Jayden heard Brooke's almost silent murmurs and nudged her shoulder with his own discreetly. He quirked a brow, and she just shook her head. Drop it. He nodded faintly, noticing the way Brooke's shoulders slumped in relief some.
The red ranger tore his attention away from the silver when Daisuke sat a black wooden box in the middle of the two rangers. "The black box, the most powerful samurai weapon ever conceived. Few even know of its existence." Daisuke started, taking off the lid of the wooden box.
Inside of the box was a black talisman, which had the Wolfe family crest in silver and the Shiba family crest in gold on it. That fact alone caused the corners of Brooke's mouth to twitch. It seemed like the original Wolfe had their flair for dramatics. The silver and red rangers shared a look, blue eyes meeting grey-gold. It was the look of mutual confusion, as the two rangers didn't really know what to do. Brooke because she's never dealt with samurai bullshit to this degree, and Jayden because he was just bad at communication. Brooke just motioned to the box and shrugged discreetly, Jayden taking the silent cue and gingerly picking up the talisman.
Blue eyes scanned the talisman, and Jayden seemed transfixed, which was something Brooke found cute. Well, now she was back in that thought process- which was better than her wanting to have a mental breakdown. So, Brooke will take it. She also missed Antonio and wondered what her sparkly ranger in arms was doing now. He always lightened the mood, no pun intended, and the silver ranger wondered how the gold would react to all of this. She just looked down at the gold and black bracelet on her wrist, smiling faintly as she readjusted it. At least she had two people that could keep her level headed.
"Thank you Daisuke," Jayden breathed, snapping out of his trance and turning his attention to the elder guardian. "We shall protect it with our lives." He vowed, and Brooke raised her eyebrows slightly at the "we" comment but didn't say anything. She just hoped that it didn't come to the point of dying for a talisman.
"I hope your friend can program it, with each passing day the nighlok presence grows stronger. I fear, that soon, even this sacred place will be corrupt with their evil." Daisuke confessed, and Brooke sniffed the air, tensing somewhat.
"Amaris, can you keep a lookout?" Brooke called to the wolf, well, more like thought. It was a way of commutation without having to talk, and Amaris didn't have to be nearby. "I smell nighlok- it's extremely faint, so it might be a placebo effect, but still." She thought, waiting for Amaris' response.
After a couple of moments, Amaris responded. "Of course, my dear. Stay on guard, this place needs better protection." Brooke didn't know if that was meant to be a joke, but she still found it somewhat funny. She just focused on looking like she wasn't on edge, willing away her inhumane features as one of the servants set down a tray filled with multiple cups of tea.
Brooke didn't like tea- she never has but tried to look enthusiastic when Jayden handed her a cup. He noticed this and raised a brow with a small smile, Brooke wrinkling her nose some in response. That caused Jayden to laugh under his breath, the silent banter falling when Daisuke spoke.
"To honor the ancient rangers," Daisuke stated, and the team raised their cups in somewhat of a toast. "And for good fortune in battle." He prayed, and Brooke and Jayden were the first ones to take sips of the tea. She was somewhat fine, the tea having a weird aftertaste- but when Jayden collapsed, coughing violently, Brooke realized that they were both fucked.
"The tea- it's poisoned!" Jayden choked out, and Brooke cursed under her breath and let out a low growl. She knew the poison was probably acting slowly due to her being a shifter- but it was in her system now.
"Brooke. Front gate, a nighlok is present." Amaris warned, and Brooke snapped her head up, her eyes narrowing and turning gold.
The smell of death and rotten milk instantly assaulted her senses, and Brooke took command. "The smell of nighlok is strong- I'm guessing the front gate. Go, I'll help Red to the best of my abilities and be right there," And try not to choke to death. "Hurry!" She barked, speaking around her canines, and the five remaining rangers nodded and sprinted off.
Luckily, Brooke could keep a level head in a crisis. Living with James made her less likely to crack under pressure. Pulling her samuraizer out of the pocket of Casper's leather jacket, the silver ranger called the gold. "Hey, Antonio. We need you at the Tengen Gate, it's gone south." She forced herself to not sound like she was dying.
"Got it. Be right there." Antonio promised, and the line went dead, Brooke not bothering with putting her samuraizer back in her pocket. She just shut it and set it next to her.
Jayden's head was in Brooke's lap- and any other damn time he would've enjoyed it. His head spun, and he just forced himself to control his breathing somewhat so that he didn't cough up a lung. "Go- I'll be fine." Jayden wheezed out, and both he and Brooke knew that was a lie.
"No can do," Brooke muttered weakly, shaking her head. Then she instantly regretted that action, because it caused the room to spin and nausea to make itself present. "You and I both know the nighlok wants us, Red. Let's just keep that from happening," She added, pushing some of Jayden's sweaty bangs away from his forehead. Jayden reached for Brooke's hand, and she pulled it away. "I'll cut you. I can't will them away right now." She explained, waving her clawed hand for emphasis, and Jayden grit his teeth.
"Brooke- I don't care." Jayden hissed out in pain, and Brooke let him grab her hand, him holding it in a white knuckle grip.
After a couple of minutes, Brooke started coughing. "There it is." She joked weakly, and Jayden's eyes snapped open, his grip on Brooke's hand tightening.
The two rangers were panting, sweat causing their hair to stick to their foreheads. Brooke's head spun, and she just tried to keep her focus on Jayden, because she knew she was technically doing better than him. She stifled a cough with her elbow, ignoring the rawness of her throat. After she caught her breath to the best of her abilities, Brooke felt her senses perk as the smell of nighlok filled her senses again.
Oh, that wasn't good. Brooke was guessing it was a second nighlok- and that probably meant that the team was busy. And while Amaris could fight, Brooke didn't want the wolf fighting her battles for her. Jayden was going to have her head for her plan, and she knew it, but she had to do her job. She had to protect. The Tengen Gate and Jayden. She also knew that Antonio would be showing up soon, but she couldn't leave nighlok to its own devices. So, Brooke knew she had to do the stupidest thing she's done in a while, fight the nighlok. Alone. And poisoned.
"Amaris! I need you!" Brooke called out, her voice hoarse, and in a flash of silver, the white wolf appeared.
"I do not hold healing properties, my dear," Amaris murmured, then she presumably smelt the nighlok as well. "Brooke, you are not thinking clearly." She warned, and Brooke let out a choked laugh.
"I don't do that much anyway," Brooke joked, and Jayden furrowed his brows, coughing. "Watch over Red, I'm going to do my job." She stated, and his grip tightened on her hand.
He did not like the small smile Brooke gave him. "Brooke. Don't do this." Jayden coughed, and Brooke let go of his hand, removing his head from her lap.
This is exactly what Jayden didn't want to happen, and he shot a wide-eyed look at Amaris. She seemed to be having the same thought process, white ears pressed flat to her head, and violet eyes shining bright with worry. Jayden was terrified, and he couldn't shove it down. His body was in far too much pain for that, and he knew it was hypocritical to get mad- if roles were reversed, he'd do the exact same thing. He knew that. So, instead of anger he just felt worry and fear.
Brooke pushed herself off the ground, grabbing her samuraizer. She stumbled some, launching into a coughing fit, but she forced herself to keep walking. The entire room spun, and it was like Sweetbrier Mountain but worse because at least she didn't have to fight a nighlok on Sweetbrier. Still, the show must go on, even though Brooke knew it was going to crash and burn. She was going to make it out of this alive- she wouldn't allow herself to die, and there's no way in hell she would let Jayden die, but Brooke knew that what she was doing was incredibly rash and reckless.
"Brooke," Jayden's choked voice caused Brooke to stop in her tracks. The silver ranger turned to face the red, who had an expression of agony on his face. "Just- just stay safe." He forced out, and Brooke broke into a small, sad smile.
"Always am," Brooke muttered, not knowing if Jayden could hear her. So, she just spun on her heel and then clutched her head, letting out a groan of pain. So, quick movements made it worse. Well- that was all her fighting style was, so this battle is not going to go well. "I love you, with all the stars and the moon." She breathed out, barely audible, casting Jayden one last small smile. The look of worry mixed with pain broke her heart.
Still, Brooke knew she had to do her job. To protect. Flipping open her samuraizer, she drew the familiar symbol as she walked down the halls. The kanji for wolf shone in silver, and she activated it. The familiar suit appeared on her body, and she grit her teeth underneath her helmet. "Samurai Ranger, Ready." The silver ranger choked out, drawing her blades and breaking into an uneven sprint.
--
"I'm surprised you're still standing, silver ranger." Octoroo giggled, and Brooke tightened her grip on her katanas. She could barely make out the squid-nighlok due to the black spots decorating her vision.
Brooke knew that wasn't a good sign, and her chest heaved as she grit her teeth. A wave of pain surfaced, and it felt like it was in her blood. "Don't underestimate me." She hissed through clenched teeth. And with that, the battle began.
The silver ranger tried to hit the nighlok, but Octoroo dodged her swings with ease. Brooke stumbled some, her silver boots kicking up gravel dust, and the world was spinning far too quickly. Still, she tried her best, even when her body started giving out. Her swings became much weaker, and soon she fell to her knees. The silver ranger suit and katanas disappeared, Brooke resisting the urge to claw her throat as she coughed violently.
"I didn't even have to hit you and you're on the ground!" Octoroo exclaimed gleefully, and Brooke let out a choked growl, glaring at the nighlok. "All you need to do to save yourself and your precious red ranger is show me the symbol that you can use to seal Master Xandred away." He offered, and Brooke shook her head with a cough.
"No way in hell," Brooke growled, pushing herself up off of the ground. She stumbled some but remained standing, and Brooke knew she was going to wolf out soon if this little game kept going. So, she had to end it.
Meanwhile, Amaris was laying her head on Jayden's chest, the red ranger petting the white wolf weakly. It was strangely comforting, well, as comforting as it could be with Jayden being poisoned. The worry and fear clawed at his heart, but he knew that Brooke wouldn't have stayed anyway. He wanted her to- for himself, selfishly, and her, but, it couldn't be helped.
A pain-filled scream rang out, and both Jayden and Amaris heard it, the white wolf and red ranger spurring to action. "Can you walk?" Amaris questioned, and she let Jayden use her as a crutch to stand.
When he stood on his two feet and regained his balance, Jayden nodded. He felt like shit, but the panic soon blocked out the feeling of the poison. "Let's go." He coughed, breaking into a jog- which wasn't a jog. It was just him half running and half tripping down the hallway.
When Jayden and Amaris reached the front entrance, blue eyes widened and violet narrowed. Brooke was lying on the ground, clutching her chest and coughing weakly, it was obvious that she was on the brink of passing out. "Brooke!" Jayden heard himself scream, and he was moving without thinking, summoning his spin-sword. It was all adrenaline and pure panic, and soon the red ranger cradled the silver against his chest, holding his spin-sword in front of them both protectively.
Jayden's head instantly spun with that action, and he let out a groan. His spin-sword disappeared, and he cursed under his breath. Well, that lasted long, he thought bitterly, just tightening his grip on Brooke, who launched into another coughing fit, her body shaking with every cough. Luckily, Amaris was standing in front of the two rangers protectively, her fur bristled and snarling.
"You have done enough. I know these two, they will not give you the sealing symbols. It is a waste of breath and energy," Amaris snarled, taking slow steps forward and settling into a defensive position. "Go back to the Netherworld." She growled, and Jayden felt himself growing weaker by the second. He looked down at Brooke, and she was unconscious, clutching onto his red shirt weakly. Jayden then turned his attention to Amaris and Octoroo. The white wolf was much angrier than Jayden had seen her before, her once calm voice full of rage.
Octoroo only giggled. "They will just suffer, and is that what you really want?" He asked Amaris, who growled, baring her canines as the nighlok turned his attention to Jayden. "Just show me the sealing symbol- I'll give you the antidote. It'll save all three of us a lot of grief." The squid-nighlok stated, and Jayden grit his teeth.
Even if he wanted to, which he didn't, Jayden knew he couldn't. That wasn't his job- and he didn't even know what the symbol looked like, in actuality. He knew more about the cage symbol than his own family's sealing symbol. But, Octoroo didn't know that, and Jayden planned to keep it that way. "Never." He choked out, and Octoroo let out a bark of laughter.
"Heh, that's how you want to play? I'll force it out of you!" Octoroo threatened, pointing the tip of his staff at the white wolf, silver, and red rangers. When he fired, Jayden braced himself for the impact, squeezing his eyes shut and tightening his hold on Brooke.
It never came, instead, Amaris' voice rang out. "Praesidium!" The white wolf yelled, and a translucent purple wall appeared in front of the two poisoned rangers. Amaris' ears flicked, and violet eyes fell on the pair. "Jayden. I cannot fight- it is not my role, however, I can stay if need be." She spoke, and Jayden closed his eyes, letting the pain overtake him.
He heard Antonio's yell of "gold power", and Jayden let out a choked laugh. It seems like they were always saving one another. "It's okay, Amaris. Keep yourself safe," He muttered, hearing the sounds of Antonio battling Octoroo. "Thank you." Jayden forced out, and Amaris padded over, nuzzling Jayden and Brooke's cheeks in turn.
"I am sorry I cannot do more. As I am assigned as a protector, I am physically unable to fight," Amaris apologized, her voice filled with guilt. "You two will be alright- something is telling me that." She murmured, and with that, Jayden let his mind go blank.
The only thing he forced himself to do was keep a hold on Brooke as he fell backwards. Jayden hit the gravel, letting out a groan that turned into a weak cough. He heard Antonio, and silently thanked the gold ranger as he fell unconscious, the red ranger clutching the silver to his chest.