Grey eyes snapped open and flashed gold as Brooke surveyed her surroundings. She was far too tired to move, so she just used her sense of smell. From what she could gather, she was in the med bay. Which was somewhat concerning, because Brooke remembered wanting to kill Deker- Deker.
"Maxx," Brooke spoke aloud, her voice holding immense fear and worry. She ignored her exhaustion and swung her legs over the side of the bed, boots hitting the wooden floor with no noise. Her head pounded, and she let out a groan of pain and general annoyance as she clutched her head.
The memories came rushing back, Deker threatening to pick Maxx as an opponent instead of Brooke. That thought alone caused Brooke to launch in a slight panic, and she tried to ignore her now racing heart. She would fight Deker- and even if the team disagreed with it, so be it. She wasn't going to lose another family member, let alone her fifteen-year-old brother, to more samurai bullshit. Brooke felt like she's made enough sacrifices as it is. Speaking of, the radio static going through her head made her come to the conclusion that she wolfed out- which wasn't good at all. But, she wasn't bloody, and nothing hurt, it was just overall exhaustion, not pain. So, that was good, but she had to make sure Jayden and Antonio were okay.
Brooke stood, using the wall as a crutch to help regain her balance. She noticed her injured finger was now wrapped, and she smelt the faint smell of peaches that was fading from the room. Mia. So that was good, the others were safe, and hopefully unharmed. That fact alone caused some of the panic that Brooke felt to disperse, and the want to skewer Deker lessened. But, it was still there, and she subconsciously let out a growl at the thoughts of the half-human. God, she hated him. Still, he was going to be dealt with soon. And that was more than enough.
Meanwhile, Jayden inspected his reflection in his bathroom mirror. He looked exhausted, no wonder Mia told him that she would handle Brooke, as bags were starting to appear underneath his eyes. He knew it was due to the fact he wasn't sleeping well- and while Jayden knew he could go ask for sleeping meds from Ji, he was almost scared to do so. Because it would lead to a lecture about his physical and mental health, and he's had enough of those for a lifetime. He knew he was headed down a path of self-destruction, which always happened when things got too chaotic, and it was worrying. He was worried for himself, and Jayden stepped away from the mirror, letting out a heavy sigh.
The tension headache made it feel like his skull was getting split open, but Jayden tried to ignore it to the best of his abilities. Instead, he fished his pocket, pulling out the two promise rings. He also felt something different in his pocket, and when he pulled out the rings, he also pulled out a small polaroid picture. Raising his eyebrows, Jayden flipped over the polaroid and felt his eyes widen somewhat. It was him and Brooke- well, the dream world him and Brooke, as shown by Brooke's longer hair and normal-sized canines.
They looked happy. It was almost like something out of one of the cheesy couple pictures if Jayden wasn't asleep. They were both lying on a bed- and by the dark grey sheets and a black comforter that had white silhouettes of wolves on it, it was Brooke's. She was lying next to Jayden, and he had his face buried into the crook of her neck, a hand in his hair, and a sleepy smile on her face. Jayden recognized the flannel she was wearing- it was his red and black one, and it was somewhat worrying that his first thought was that it looked good on her. Under the picture was written "I love you so much" with a messily drawn heart and a smiley face. It was domestic, and it made Jayden long for a moment that wasn't real. He doubted it even could be real, and let out a heavy sigh as he walked out of his bathroom.
Opening a small drawer in his desk- where he usually kept the things he cared about, Jayden gently placed the polaroid in the drawer and turned his attention to the promise rings. Brooke's was bloody, due to the silver coming in contact with her skin, but it was easy to tell that these rings were a pair. There was a small moon engraved on the inner portion of the band of both of the rings, and Jayden wondered if he bought these- well if dream-him bought the rings, or Brooke did. The whole thing was surreal, as he was looking at rings that shouldn't even exist, but he was glad they did. And was that thought somewhat worrying? Yes, of course. Did he care? Somewhat. It was bittersweet, and Jayden put the two rings in the small drawer and shut it.
If those got found, along with the polaroid, questions would arise, so Jayden planned to find a better hiding spot for them later. For now, it was good enough, and he shook all thoughts pertaining to the dream world out of his head. If Brooke was awake, which, knowing her, she probably was, he knew he would have to start a meeting that he was not looking forward to. Still, it must be done, and he steeled himself for whatever the meeting was going to throw at him. He knew it wasn't going to end well, but Jayden could only hope.
--
Brooke wished for the meeting to be over as soon as it began. It was all very overwhelming, but she had to just sit through it. It seems like that's all she did now, push aside negative emotions, and pretend like everything was fine. Which, it wasn't, as the want to kill someone was a very concerning thought and Brooke didn't know if she was mentally stable anymore. It didn't seem like it, as she found herself spiraling deeper into a depressive episode as each second passed and she was left alone with her thoughts. She wished she could do what Jayden did, shut his thoughts off, and just go blank, but that wasn't a possibility. Well, at least she had Amaris.
The white wolf's presence in her mind was comforting. Brooke was too exhausted to summon her, but they still used mental communication, as it was just thinking. Their conversations were about Deker- of course they were, but more importantly how Brooke reacted to Deker. Amaris told her not to worry, as she wasn't in the right mental state to have full control over her emotions like she usually did. It was reassuring, but it didn't seem to quell some of the fear in Brooke's heart. Jayden and Antonio had to tackle her to the ground, and that already was saying enough.
Turning her attention back to the meeting, Brooke mentally steeled herself for what was going to happen. She just hoped people weren't going to raise their voices because her head felt like it was getting hit with a hammer repeatedly. She was on the brink of sensory overload, and that wasn't good. Brooke resisted the urge to just walk out, her expression hardening and eyes settling on grey-gold.
"Jayden, Brooke, it's crazy to do this. Take on Deker, and by yourselves?" Kevin questioned Jayden and Brooke, who just stayed quiet for the most part. There was no use starting unnecessary arguments. Well, this whole thing was going to turn into an unnecessary argument, but still. No use rushing that part along.
"Deker insists that's how it had to be." Antonio defended, and both Brooke and Jayden were immensely grateful for him. He seemed to be more levelheaded than both of them at the moment.
"You can't do this. A samurai only fights necessary battles." Kevin argued, and Brooke wanted to roll her eyes.
She knew that part was coming. "It is necessary, Kevin. If we don't show, Deker claimed he wouldn't "have control of his nighlok side anymore"," Brooke stated, using air quotes. Her claws were fully bared, fingernails jagged and sharp. "That puts civilians in danger, and it might just be me, but I feel like that's what we're trying to avoid. That's why we're even fighting this war in the first place." She retorted, leaving out the part that Maxx was threatened. That would make her too emotional, and Brooke didn't want to deal with those emotions right now. Or ever.
If Maxx fought him, it would be a bloodbath. Sure, the fifteen-year-old probably had some sword fighting skills, as Brooke would teach him from time to time. But against Deker? He'd get murdered. And while Brooke fought with her little brother and thought he was an asshole most of the time, she didn't want to see him dead. She didn't fight to get them out of James' house just to see Maxx die at the hands of a man that's probably lived in caves for centuries. Brooke wouldn't let him die.
"Okay, fine! We'll handle him like we have handled any other nighlok. As a team." Kevin exclaimed, and Brooke shook her head. She noticed the subtle way Jayden's eye twitched and he set his jaw, so she wanted to diffuse that ticking time-bomb.
"He wouldn't be satisfied," Brooke fired back, crossing her leg over her knee. "Deker's made it abundantly clear that he just wants Red and I to fight him. Nothing more, nothing less. I don't like following orders from him, but it's all we can really do. We have too much at stake if we don't go." Her eyes flashed again, settling on a color more gold than grey. She could feel the increasing tension in the room, somebody was going to snap. So, Brooke mentally prepared herself for that.
"Since when do we let a nighlok dictate how we battle!" Kevin's voice grew louder, and Brooke flinched somewhat.
The rest of the team noticed the way she shrunk herself back some, but Brooke tried not to look completely scared. She didn't even know why she- well, she knew why, and she thought she was over getting scared by people yelling. Apparently not, and Brooke felt a hand on her arm, her looking at Antonio, who had a raised brow. She nodded, signaling that she was fine, and was grateful that he was there. The increase in volume also made her head pound, but Brooke could deal with that better than she could deal with the trauma.
"I know now that Deker won't stop until Jayden and Brooke duel him. We have to let them go." Mia demanded, her voice almost monotone. Which was incredibly uncharacteristic for her, and Brooke's eyes flashed as she furrowed her brows at Mia. Did Dayu do something?
"Mia, how can you say that?" Kevin wondered, something akin to hurt in his tone as the blue ranger looked at the pink. "Jayden's not just our leader, and Brooke's not just our teammate. They're also the only ones who have sealing powers."
Jayden visibly tensed in his seat, his expression going from slight annoyance to something of guilt. Which was confusing for Brooke, but she pushed it aside. She knew the sealing symbol and cage symbols were going to be brought up, and that was an easy argument to debate. "You're making it seem like we're going to die, Kevin," Brooke stated, letting out a heavy sigh. "We're not going to let him win. That wasn't an option since the beginning, and there's no way in hell we're falling to Deker's blade. So, the cage and sealing symbols don't need to be worried about." I won't end up like Mom. I'm going to survive this war. Brooke didn't come all this way just to die to Deker, of all people. That just wasn't an option. One, because she made a vow to see this war through, and two, because she just hated Deker. Living a life of spite was bad, but it was what kept Brooke going.
"Jayden, Brooke, you two are the key to stopping the nighlok," Kevin stated, and both red and silver rangers bit back annoyance. For different reasons.
Brooke was just annoyed because she was tired, and she would sneak out of the Shiba House to fight Deker if push comes to shove. This argument wasn't necessary- the window in her room gave her a clear shot to the woods. And once she was in the woods, she could easily lose the team, they weren't the best at navigating it. Well, sans Mike, but still. It would be pretty easy to just leave, fight Deker, and then deal with the consequences. Jayden would surely understand- and Brooke just might get another ten-minute lecture on how she shouldn't fight alone, but that's easy to deal with.
Jayden was annoyed at this damn secret, and he wished people would stop viewing him as some sort of martyr because of a symbol he didn't even have. He didn't like being on the pedestal of "the great red ranger", it was something he detested, actually. Once Lauren left- that's all he knew. He was the red ranger. He held the sealing symbol. Which, surprise surprise, was a lie, but Jayden couldn't exactly blurt that out, could he? Sometimes he debated telling Brooke about Lauren, to see what she would say. Speaking of, he was glad the silver ranger was here, and she seemed to notice his flares in temper and step in whenever it happened. It was a nice thing to have. She could get the point across much easier than he could.
"Kev's right," Mike agreed, Brooke raising her eyebrows and Jayden setting his jaw. God damn, they were all so stubborn. "We shouldn't risk it." He added, and Brooke didn't have time to respond before Jayden spoke.
"This discussion is over." Jayden declared in a harsh tone, and even Brooke seemed to be taken aback, her eyes flashing as they widened somewhat. He didn't say another word, just leaving the meeting room.
Five pairs of eyes fell on Brooke, who just let out a tired sigh. "I'm going to bed." She muttered, rising from her seat and leaving the meeting room as well. She wanted to comfort Jayden, but Brooke didn't know how to. It's not like it would get them very far, as they were both too stressed to have a meaningful conversation anyways.
It would probably just end up like when Brooke almost got killed by Jayden on accident. She stared down at the scar on the palm of her hand, a slight frown on her lips. It wasn't the scar itself, it was the memories associated with it. It was like that with all of her scars, and Brooke let out a heavy sigh as she opened her bedroom door. She didn't even bother with the light, as she preferred to take showers in dim lighting anyway. While her scars could be viewed as "battle scars", Brooke didn't enjoy the trip down memory lane every time she looked at them. Luckily, some of them had faded over the years, she recalled summers where she wore long-sleeved shirts because she couldn't even look at her arms without having some sort of panic attack.
That was incredibly depressing, and Brooke knew that. She knew her life was going downhill, as she had gotten her joy from meeting Jayden and Antonio. Now, she could only watch as they all struggled with heavy weights on their shoulders that they couldn't really ignore. The joy came, then it left. That was a cycle Brooke knew all too well, and she blinked back tears as she used her phone flashlight to find a pair of leggings to wear. She didn't even know why she was crying, but go figure. It was bound to happen eventually, the breakdowns were becoming more and more common. Brooke knew she probably needed professional help at this point- but it couldn't happen. While she had been to a psychiatrist and therapists in the past, it wasn't like her life was easy to explain.
Brooke set her clothes on the counter and sat on the bathroom floor, which was becoming a habit. She blinked back tears before they could form, trying to ignore the shaking of her hands as she untied her boots. Kicking them off, she tried to ignore her racing thoughts and pounding head, leaning her head against the wall and letting out a sob. There's no way she could be a power ranger like this. This was a stupid weakness- unbalanced chemicals from a soldier they fucked up making. Brooke hated it. She hated that, from the ripe age of four, she was a soldier. A soldier that had panic attacks on her bathroom floor, dreading the fact that she had to fight a battle tomorrow. It was so much easier when she was younger- and Brooke wished for the nights where she and Casper would sit in his bedroom and do nothing in particular. She missed feeling normal. Sure, she was still fucked back then- with a slight addiction to alcohol, but, she didn't have to fight in a war.
"You are spiraling again, my dear. Deep breaths," Amaris murmured, appearing in a flash of silver. She was flickering like a projection, but Brooke didn't really care. She just wrapped her arms around the white wolf from where she was seated on the bathroom floor, burying her face into Amaris' fur. "You will make it through this. You always do, and I am right by your side." The white wolf reassured the silver ranger, who tightened her hold on Amaris and let out a sob.
After she had calmed down some, Brooke stood up and forced herself to take a shower. Washing the grime away from the day helped, and Brooke cleaned up her blistered finger some. She knew it would heal in a couple of days, at most, thanks to wolf healing abilities and all that. Which was a blessing and a curse, because Brooke never really got sick, but any type of med she took, whether it be a painkiller or antidepressants, she would have to double the dose. And when she had to explain that- people looked at her like she was a druggie. The perks of being wolf girl.
Jayden's hoodie was comforting, at least, and it was also warm. The only complaint Brooke had was that the smell of his cologne was fading, and it would be awkward for her to ask. Still, the red color signaled that it was Jayden's right away, and something about that made Brooke extremely happy. It was the same with Antonio's bracelet, she rarely took it off, and she now had a slight tan line from it. Which was amusing, in its own way. At least she had them by her side.
Throwing her clothes into a hamper and walking out of the bathroom, Brooke frowned at Amaris. The white wolf was asleep, but taking up most of the bed. Another interesting thing about Amaris was the fact that she radiated a faint silver light, and Brooke realized she now had a wolf made out of symbol power as her nightlight. Which wasn't bad, in any means. It was only the times when Amaris took up the bed where she got annoyed.
"Amaris, please move," Brooke urged, nudging the white wolf some. Who cracked open a violet eye and didn't say anything, which caused Brooke to run a clawed hand over her face and let out a sigh. "Amaris, you're taking up the entire bed. Please move, you can stay, just not take up the entire bed." She offered, and Amaris didn't respond vocally.
The white wolf just yawned and changed her position, curling up next to Brooke's side as she got into bed. Brooke instantly threw an arm over Amaris burying her face into the wolf's fur. At the smell of lavender, everything seemed to calm down some, Brooke falling into a light sleep fairly quickly.
--
A nightmare woke Brooke up, which wasn't unusual. She had gotten somewhat used to the feeling of raw panic as she opened her eyes. The pain-filled ones had stopped a while ago, which just left the normal trauma ones. Or so she thought. Brooke wasn't prepared to see Maxx getting cut down by Deker, and hear his cries for help. She wasn't ready to see her little brother bleed out on the sand and beg for his life. She had done everything to make sure Maxx could have some semblance of a normal life, and she wanted him to. She didn't want him growing up like her at all, because she wasn't doing well, and she wanted to see Maxx happy. She had pretty much raised him since she was twelve and he was ten- and the motherly instinct was still there. It was the urge to protect him from a world that they had been so cruelly thrust into with no recollection of their childhoods.
Stop that, Brooke chided herself, wiping away her tears with the sleeve of Jayden's hoodie. Maxx is safe. She reassured herself that he was, and Deker was going to be dealt with. Still, the underlying fear was still there, and Brooke could feel the rapid pounding of her heart.
Maybe she'll go to Jayden- well, maybe not Jayden. Antonio, most likely, since Jayden was probably still ruffled from the meeting. Brooke didn't blame him, and she calmed herself down enough so that she could take in her surroundings again, instead of being stuck with her racing thoughts. Amaris was curled at her side, her snout tucked under a fluffy white tail and her eyes closed. She was asleep, and something about it made Brooke happy, her having a weak smile on her face as she ran her hand through Amaris' fur. She knew that she was relying on Amaris too much lately, the exhaustion even seemed to be prominent in the white wolf. Brooke knew that Amaris couldn't really get tired- since the wolf was just taking energy out of the silver ranger's symbol power, but still, it made her feel guilty. She didn't know why, it just did.
Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, Brooke squinted at the clock on her desk. It wasn't that late, actually, it only being a couple of minutes to nine, but she realized she slept through dinner. Not that she really cared, she tried forcing herself to eat a granola bar and then instantly threw it up due to stress. So, that was that. It's not like she could stomach much, her stomach was in knots, and Brooke definitely couldn't muster up the willpower to eat Mia's cooking. Christ, Brooke cared for the pink ranger, but she was a horrible cook. It was almost baffling, at how a person could end up being that bad.
Brooke stood, her eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room. Which wasn't pitch black due to the silver glow of the full moon beaming through her window. Amaris being a nightlight also helped, and Brooke slipped on her vans and left her room. She shut the door behind her and let out a yawn, ruffling her hair some. She just hoped she didn't look too dead inside.
When Brooke walked towards the kitchen, she wasn't surprised when she saw Kevin and Jayden training. Brooke realized that they had both taken moves from each other, and while Jayden didn't do handsprings or anything like that, he was getting better at predicting others' movements. The moves he used to block Kevin's strikes were similar to her own, which was partly amusing and partly interesting. She remembered springing some of the same moves on Jayden when they used to spar together. That was right after she joined the team, and looking back on it, Brooke realized that everything was going by quickly. It was going far faster than she would like, which was aggravating. And overwhelming.
Blinking back stress-filled tears, Brooke let out a shaky sigh and tore her attention away from Jayden. Well, he was busy, so hopefully, Antonio wasn't out night fishing or something like that. She wanted someone to talk to, just because she could sit alone with her thoughts anymore without having a mental breakdown. Which wasn't good, and Brooke realized that as she padded towards the direction of the kitchen.
Just by smells alone, it was the four other rangers, plus Ji, and tea. Brooke just hung by the doorway, out of sight, getting ready to eavesdrop. Which was bad, yes, but she didn't know what she was walking into. She didn't want to interrupt something super serious, after all. So, she leaned against the wall, growing in her claws and willing them away over and over again. It was a tick, and what she did when she was bored. It was kind of interesting, watching her fingernails grow and shrink.
"Why are we so worried? Jayden and Brooke can beat anyone. They'll be fine." That was Antonio, and Brooke felt a pang of guilt in her heart. She didn't want the others to be worried for her and Jayden, it was all going to be fine. Hopefully.
That's what was worrying. The doubt, the falter in confidence. Brooke knew all her confidence was pretty much fake anyway, but now she couldn't even shove her worry aside. Deker was an opponent they never had truly fought before, and Brooke was just glad she wasn't doing it alone. Jayden being by her side was relieving but also worrying. She knew she shouldn't worry about him too much, Jayden could keep himself alive, but it was a worry she couldn't shake. So, she didn't necessarily blame the others for being worried, especially Antonio, but it just made Brooke feel extremely guilty.
"Yeah, I'm sure they will." Emily agreed, and Brooke had a hard time picking up the younger girl's voice. It was full of concern, and Brooke wiped away the silent tears that were rolling down her cheeks. She didn't know why she was crying anymore, she just was. She wished it would just stop.
"All I know is that Deker needs to be dealt with. And hesitating is a mistake." Mia stated, and Brooke wiped away her tears and let out a shaky sigh.
Mia was right. There could be no hesitation, and Brooke knew she had to do her job. This is what she was made for, getting thrown into battles and hoping to win. She would win.
Brooke willed away her inhumane features and moved from her hiding spot. She masked her worry with a forced smile, giving off the notion that she was confident. It was easier that way. "I hate to interrupt, but can I borrow Antonio for a bit?" She asked, and Antonio nodded without missing a beat, rising from his seat.
"Everything okay?" Antonio asked quietly as the two walked out of the kitchen.
Brooke let out a heavy sigh and nodded. "Yeah, I just can't be alone with my thoughts right now. Sorry." She apologized, and Antonio shot her a gentle and reassuring smile.
"It's alright, I'm happy to be here," Antonio reassured Brooke, and a small smile grew on her lips. "It's been a long day." He remarked, and Brooke laughed faintly.
The two were now sitting on one of the concrete benches, Brooke having her knees drawn to her chest. "You're not wrong, it's not been the easiest day today." She murmured, turning her attention to the full moon. It was quiet out here, and Brooke was thankful for that. Her headache hadn't gone away with her shower or nap, but now she felt a little better.
"You're overwhelmed, aren't you?" Antonio thought aloud, and Brooke blinked at him in surprise, quirking a brow. "You used to get overwhelmed in stressful situations when we were little. Jayden and I would get into arguments sometimes, and you always just locked yourself in your room." He didn't mention the fact that the arguments were over Brooke, Antonio noticing Jayden's jealousy hadn't changed much over seven years. It was amusing, to an extent.
"You got me," Brooke responded, shaking her head with a small smile. "I think it's the wolf senses, but I can almost feel the stress and worry. And it coming off the six of you, plus my own is a lot to handle. And I've been trying to sleep it off, but I keep having nightmares of Maxx getting killed. So, that's not going well." She confessed, her voice weak. She looked down at her shaky clawed hands, taking a deep breath and willing her claws away.
"That's understandable. But, Deker will be dealt with. You and Jayden are the strongest people I know." Antonio reassured Brooke, who nodded weakly and took his hand with her own shaky one. He let her, squeezing her hand reassuringly.
"Thanks, Goldie. It means a lot." Brooke murmured, resting her head on his arm like she did with Jayden. It was nice, just being around someone who wasn't stressed out of their mind. It was a good change of pace.
Antonio looked down at Brooke with a small smile. "Of course, Brooke. Sparkly ranger union, remember?" He joked, and a happy smile grew on Brooke's lips.
"Hell yeah, sparkly ranger union," Brooke repeated in confirmation with a tired voice, Antonio laughed, turning his gaze to the night sky.
--
Jayden put his training sword back in the rack, letting out a sigh. He felt disgusting, and his arms throbbed, but the training did help clear his head. Kevin had left a while ago, presumably going to bed, and Jayden knew he should probably get some rest as well. Tomorrow wasn't going to be easy, he knew that for a fact. At least Brooke was by his side, and it might be a slight bias, but she was a good fighter. Jayden knew she could hold her own fine, so he didn't have to worry about her, as much. He was worried about the fact that Deker got into Brooke's head so easily, but, worrying about it got him nowhere.
"Figured you would still be training," Antonio called to Jayden, brown eyes meeting blue. He had his usual cheerful glimmer in his eyes, which was good. If Jayden got one more concerned look he was going to sleep on a bench again.
"Just finished, actually. Why're you up?" Jayden questioned, subconsciously glancing down at his watch. He then let out a sigh, because it wasn't there.
"Brooke," Antonio responded, and he knew Jayden's expression of slight jealousy all too well. His brows were slightly furrowed, lips twitching into a frown. It was amusing. "She just needed someone to talk to. It's like when we were kids, she still gets overwhelmed." He explained, and Jayden's expression of jealousy turned into one of slight worry.
"It's gotten a lot more stressful now," Jayden muttered as he walked over to Antonio. He wished that wasn't the case, and they could be ten again, sword fighting with sticks. Back then they didn't have to worry about fighting stances and moves, they just had fun. Jayden, selfishly, wanted it back.
Antonio nodded, and the two walked back to their rooms, footsteps making light taps on the wooden floors. "At least it's still the three of us." He remarked, and Jayden nodded.
"I'm glad it is," Jayden replied, a hint of happiness in his voice. At least he still had them by his side, which was reassuring in a multitude of ways. "Thanks, Antonio." He thanked, and Antonio grinned.
"Well, someone has to pick up the slack here. I'm winning again." Antonio teased, nudging Jayden playfully. They both were referring to Brooke, and Jayden let out a quiet sigh.
"Yeah, yeah," Jayden grumbled, rolling his eyes at Antonio's quiet laughter. "I'm surprised you still want to keep that going. We were ten." He remarked as they stopped at Antonio's door, and Antonio shrugged.
"It's like old times, mi amigo. Plus, you still get jealous way too easily. It's funny," Antonio replied, opening his door and shooting Jayden a grin, who responded with a glare. "I'm just saying, it is. 'Night, Jay." He added, and Jayden shook his head with a small smile.
"Goodnight, Antonio," Jayden responded, walking away as Antonio closed his door.
He reached his own bedroom, shutting the door behind him and flicking on the light. Jayden let out a small groan of annoyance. He didn't want to fight Deker, he knew he was playing right into the half-human's hands, but there was no choice. It's not like he or Brooke could back out now, there was too much at stake. It was for the world.
--
The next morning passed like any other. Some of the stress and tension was still there from last night, but it was far less overwhelming. Jayden was grateful for it, and he and Brooke were the first ones up, actually. They were sitting in their usual seats in the meeting room, Brooke petting Amaris, the white wolf having a look of contentment on her face. Jayden just watched the two, a small smile on his face. At least they could go about things somewhat normally, at least for the time being.
"Are you alright? Antonio told me you had a rough night last night." Jayden asked Brooke, who nodded faintly.
"Yeah, I'm all good. It just got really overwhelming, and I was stressed about a lot of things. Feeling the stress of six samurai rangers plus my own is not a fun experience," Brooke replied, turning her attention from Amaris, who was now laying her head on her thigh, to Jayden. "Everything's good now, let's just get today over with." She added, and Jayden let out a faint laugh.
He scratched the area between Amaris' ears, and her tail wagged slowly, her closing her violet eyes. "Let's end this." Jayden agreed, partly wishing he could stay like this. With Brooke, just enjoying each other's company
"I think I'm gonna give the moon disk and my power disks to Antonio," Brooke thought aloud, her lips twitching into a frown. "I want you around, Amaris, but I don't know what Deker would think of it. He might throw a bitch fit or something." She explained, and Amaris opened her eyes, sitting up.
"It's quite alright, my dear. You are doing what you have to do," Amaris reassured Brooke, nuzzling the silver ranger's cheek. The white wolf then turned her attention to the red ranger, violet eyes shining with something akin to pride. "You are both strong warriors. If anybody has the ability to strike him down, it is you two." She stated, and Jayden felt the corners of his lips twitch.
"Thanks, Amaris. It means a lot." Jayden responded, and Amaris didn't reply, only having a happy twinkle in her violet eyes. She hopped down from her seat, bouncing twice and then leaping through the air, disappearing in a flash of silver.
"She knocked me out of bed this morning," Brooke remarked, shaking her head with a small smile.
Jayden raised his eyebrows, looking at Brooke with his own faint smile. "Oh?" He wondered, and Brooke grinned.
"She's like a dog- I let her sleep on my bed. But, she takes up almost all of it, and there have been multiple times where she's crushed me when I'm trying to sleep," Brooke explained, glad that her plan to turn the conversation to a lighter topic worked. She didn't want to be more stressed out than she already felt. "She helps with the nightmares a lot, I just feel bad waking you up." She confessed, smiling sheepishly that Jayden, who shook his head.
"It's alright, you can wake me up if you need to. I haven't been sleeping that much anyway." Jayden admitted, and Brooke nudged his shoulder with her own weakly.
"Hopefully they'll calm down after all this," Brooke murmured, and then the familiar smell of the ocean filled her nose. "'Morning, Goldie." She greeted, snickering as Antonio jumped in surprise, his eyes landing on the silver and gold rangers.
"Good morning," Antonio returned her greeting with his own. "You two having a war council first thing in the morning?" He wondered, and Jayden shook his head.
"Amaris was here for a little bit," Jayden explained, and Antonio nodded, stifling a yawn with his hand and taking his normal seat. Which was on the seat next to Jayden's, while Brooke sat on the same seat Jayden sat on.
"Speaking of Amaris, I have gifts," Brooke blurted, and Antonio knit his brows, looking at her quizzically. In a flurry of silver particles, three power disks appeared, which were the moon disk, wolf disk, and tiger disk. "The wolf and tiger disks are for the megazords, obviously, but if you wanna summon Amaris, just call her name. You can also talk to her mentally, she can read thoughts and stuff when she wants to," She explained, and when both Jayden and Antonio raised their eyebrows, she laughed. "Yeah, I don't have many secrets with her. But, it's all good. Anyways, just be careful, she uses symbol power, so don't overdo it." Brooke advised, handing the silver, white, and purple disks to Antonio.
Antonio took the three disks, the power disks disappearing in a flash of gold particles. "Thanks, Brooke. I'm sure they'll come in handy." He thanked, and Brooke smiled.
"I'm really hoping something doesn't happen but- knowing our luck, something will," Brooke muttered, her eyes flashing. She still didn't know how to feel about everything, even the day of. Well, all she knew was that there was no turning back now.
--
Brooke knocked on Jayden's door, steeling her nerves. She had spent the last couple of hours not doing much of anything, though she did get to call Casper. It was nice, and she made the mental note to see him in person soon because Brooke wanted to be around someone who wasn't the team for a little bit. Not that she disliked the team, but Casper was just normal. It was a sense of normalcy.
Jayden opened the door, and Brooke flashed him a small smile. That caused the corners of his mouth to twitch upwards, but he quickly settled back into his usual emotionless expression. "Are you ready?" He asked as he and Brooke walked side-by-side down the hall and towards the back exit.
"As I'll ever be. Let's end this." Brooke answered, but her expression of confidence turned into one of confusion when she and Jayden walked out of the Shiba House. The red and silver rangers shared a look, the two raising their eyebrows slightly, and Brooke's eyes flashing.
What the hell is this? Brooke thought, taking in the five rangers were lined up in two rows, almost like a service of some sort. They were taking it more seriously than she thought, and something about that was amusing. It was also somewhat concerning, but Brooke knew that all of the rangers had a flair for dramatics sometimes. At least, that's what she told herself because she could feel the stress and worry radiating the five others. Even if they didn't show it, it was still there.
Jayden and Brooke walked down the stairs, the red ranger having a look of determination on his face and the silver just looking somewhat confused. Her eyes were a grey-gold, brows somewhat knit. Why was this happening? Though, it was kinda funny to see Jayden and Mike share a painfully awkward fist bump.
Brooke made eye contact with Antonio, quirking a brow. He just shrugged, a faint smile on his lips, and that caused her to roll her eyes playfully, shaking her head. However, that somewhat playful mood fell when her samuraizer started beeping. Pulling the device out of the pocket of her grey cargo jacket, Brooke flipped it open. "The plaza." She stated, her eyes flashing again. Still, she tried to settle her slight worry, flipping her samuraizer shut and putting it back in her pocket. That wasn't her job right now.
The gap sensor soon started going off as well, Kevin looking at the blaring signal and then Jayden. "A nighlok attack! Jayden, what now?" He questioned, worry shining in his eyes.
"Rhinosnorus is back!" Ji warned, rushing to the door, and Brooke let out a quiet sigh. It was never-ending.
"Here," Jayden answered, holding out his lion disk. This made Brooke realize that she technically had more disks than him now- which caused a childish glee to fill her body. It was stupid, yes, but she felt it, and it was better than the stress.
"I don't understand," Kevin responded, him looking down at the red disk in Jayden's hand and then back up at Jayden with a quizzical expression.
"With this disk, you can form the megazord without me. I need you to lead the team until I get back. I know you can do this." Jayden explained, his voice hard. It was clear that he wasn't giving Kevin a choice, but the blue ranger was still conflicted.
Feeling three other pairs of eyes on her, Brooke turned to the other members of the team. "The tiger and wolf zord disks are with Antonio. So is the moon disk, and she will appear when you are all in peril- if you need her, just call Amaris' name. Just be careful, since she's now connected to Antonio's symbol power." She advised, nodding at Antonio, who gave her a thumbs up. The three others nodded as well, looks of relief washing over their faces, which caused Brooke to laugh inwardly. It seems like Amaris had become the mascot of the team.
Kevin was still having a crisis, a conflicted look on his face, and he averted his gaze for a moment. Still, he regained his composure, meeting Jayden's hard gaze. "It'll be an honor," Kevin breathed, taking the disk out of Jayden's hand. The disk disappeared in a flash of blue, and the blue ranger turned his gaze to the rest of the team. "I won't let you down, Jayden! C'mon rangers, let's go stop that nighlok!" He commanded, and Brooke gave Antonio a mock salute with two of her fingers with a grin, which caused him to smile.
With that, the five rangers were off. The silver and red rangers turned their attention to Ji, who gave them the silent nod of confirmation. With the confirmation, Brooke and Jayden started walking, the two rangers sticking close to each other.
The walk was mostly silent, but a couple of minutes in, Brooke felt Jayden nudge her arm. His emotionless expression had broken somewhat, him almost looking shy as he held out a hand. It was him silently asking if he could hold her hand, and Brooke found it cute. Taking her hand out of her pocket, she willed her claws away and took Jayden's hand with her own, giving it a reassuring squeeze, which he returned.
When the two rangers reached the beach, they dropped hands. Brooke released some of the tension in her body when she spotted Deker, as Maxx wasn't with him. The half-human was what could be called a power stance- his legs spread shoulder-width apart and his sheathed sword in his hand as he gazed off into the horizon.
Funnily enough, Jayden was walking in a power stance. He was taking long strides down the beach, his jaw set, and hands curled into his fists at his sides. Brooke found it funny but didn't say anything, only hardening her expression. It was not the time for that, but she knew it was her brain's way of coping with the stress. Her heart was beating in overdrive, and Brooke didn't know if it was adrenaline or panic. It was probably a mix of both, and she just hoped it would get her through this battle.
"It took you two long enough," Deker stated when the silver and red rangers walked up, him sounding almost bored. "Still, I knew you'd both come. Just like me, you both need this battle." He turned to face the pair, and Brooke grit her teeth while Jayden tightened his fists.
"No. We're nothing like you, the only thing we need is stopping you from hurting anyone else." Jayden spat, and Brooke let him do all the talking. Deker could get into her head way too easily- and she was trying to prevent that.
"All that matters is that you're both here." Deker chuckled, his fingers wrapping around his sheathed blade. He turned into his nighlok form and drew the blade, and Brooke's eyes flashed as she set her jaw. It was now or never.
Brooke and Jayden took their samuraizers out of their pockets, flipping the devices open. Brooke activated the brush portion on hers, she and Jayden nodding faintly at each other. "Samuraizer." They both called in unison, slowly drawing the symbols. The silver kanji for wolf and the red kanji for fire hung in front of Brooke and Jayden for a moment. They both activated the symbols, morphing into their suits.
"At last, the time has come." Deker stated, readying his blade, and Brooke narrowed her eyes underneath her silver helmet as she and Jayden settled into fighting stances. The battle was inevitable at this point, so Brooke just got into her usual soldier mindset.
The silver ranger settled into a fighting stance, drawing her katanas and holding them at the ready. Her silver boot dug into the sand, and she broke into a grin underneath her helmet. I'll strike you down. "Let's end this." Brooke challenged, her eyes blazing gold.
With that, the battle began. Jayden let Brooke take the lead, noticing the silver ranger seemed to be even faster than usual. Still, they settled into their usual routine, when Jayden blocked Deker's swing, Brooke attacked, and vice versa. It was going pretty smoothly, the two rangers hadn't managed to get hit yet, and Deker seemed to grow annoyed at that.
"You have to do better than that." Deker taunted, but he was still panting.
"It seems to be working pretty well so far." Brooke snapped back, doing a handspring to dodge Deker's wide spring. Jayden instantly took her place, and the sounds of metal hitting metal reverberated around the two rangers and the half-human.
Landing by the water, Brooke, and Jayden seemed to have the same idea. The red ranger led the skeletal nighlok out to the water, where the silver ranger took over. She liked to say she was handling it pretty well, and she thought she was. Keyword: thought. Brooke's bad ankle was starting to throb, and that slowed her movements, which Deker took advantage of. She let out a noise of pain when Deker's sword connected with her ankle. It caused Brooke to fall backwards and land in the water. The water seeped into her ranger suit, and she grit her teeth, rolling out of the way as Deker swung down, attacking the spot where she was moments earlier.
Luckily, Jayden stood in front of Brooke as she got to her feet, getting Deker's attention. She silently thanked the red ranger as her ankle buckled, but tried to ignore it to the best of her abilities. Brooke sprinted in, blocking Deker's swing before it could nick Jayden in the stomach. She retaliated by attacking with her other katana, Jayden slashing with his spin-sword. The two then fell back some, their chests heaving as they tightened their grips on their blades.
"Excellent. Both of your instincts are superb," Deker congratulated, the three readying their swords again. "Both of you are indeed proving to be my equals. I was right to choose you two." He stated, Brooke and Jayden nodding at each other, rushing forward again.
Her ankle buckled, and Brooke stumbled as she blocked Deker's swing weakly. His blade was about to come in contact with her arm when Jayden stepped in, blocking Deker's strike. They were protecting each other in the battle, keeping each other close as they defended each other's weak points. The two rangers eventually got nicked, Brooke in the stomach and Jayden in the shoulder, and it caused both of them to stumble back some. Still, they just shook it off and continued fighting. The pain turned into adrenaline, and Brooke motioned to a small incline with her thumb as she blocked Deker's attack from behind.
"Go, I'm faster than him while I'm in my wolf form," Brooke urged, her chest heaving as she sheathed her blades. When Jayden gave her a look, most likely a concerned one, but she couldn't tell because of the red helmet, she squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. "I'll be fine. Go!" She commanded, and Jayden nodded.
Brooke sprinted forward, shifting. The brown wolf lunged, sparks flying where her claws came in contact with the skeletal nighlok's chest. Gold eyes watched the red ranger sprint up the incline, and wolf-Brooke barked at Deker mockingly. She bounced around, dodging the skeletal nighlok's swings, and was glad her ankle pain didn't transfer over. When she shifted, injuries she had in her human form didn't transfer over to her wolf form, but injuries in her wolf form transferred over to her human form.
Such as now. Wolf-Brooke had successfully led Deker up the incline, but his sword connected with her shoulder. That caused wolf-Brooke to let out a whine, blood starting to stain her brown and white fur. Which was annoying, and Brooke shifted back, rolling under Deker's swing and retaliating with her own strike. The pain in her ankle returned, and she stumbled again, Jayden at her side to block Deker's strike.
"Can you still fight like that?" Jayden asked quietly, concern laced in his tone, and Brooke nodded, panting. The two regrouped, standing a couple feet away from Deker.
"Don't really have a choice. It's alright," Brooke panted, feeling the throb in her ankle and the cut on her shoulder bleeding. That wasn't great, but she had to keep fighting. "I hate to do this to you, but, take the lead. Please." She stated, and Jayden nodded.
"It's alright, you're doing great." Jayden praised, and Brooke felt herself flush underneath her helmet. She just nodded, and the fight began again.
Jayden had led Deker to the edge of the cliff. His swordsmanship was great, the lack of stable footing he had wasn't. Brooke sheathed one of her katanas, blocking Deker's attack from behind and pooling her strength into her arms, lightly tossing Jayden away from the edge. Then, Brooke spun on her heel, ducking under Deker's swing and drawing her other katana, performing two uppercuts in rapid succession. Her attacks caused him to stumble back some, and Brooke took the chance to regroup with Jayden again.
"I've waited for this ultimate duel for so long, and you have not disappointed me!" Deker had something akin to relief in his tone, and Brooke blocked his attack while Jayden retaliated.
Despite it being two-on-one, Deker was a strong opponent, and Jayden would give him that. But, that was all. "Haven't you had enough?" He spat, he and Brooke leading Deker to the cliff edge again.
Jayden surprisingly got hit in the wrist, and he made a noise of pain. Brooke blocked a most likely finishing blow, her skidding back from the knockback some. Loose rocks tumbled down the cliff into the ocean below, and she felt herself pale somewhat. One wrong step and she could end up like one of those rocks. The pain in her ankle did not make Brooke confident in her balance, but she just tried not to think about plunging to her death. Instead, she grinned when she saw an opening. Jayden seemed to notice it too, and the two rangers shared a discreet nod.
Brooke let herself get hit, both of her katanas flying out of her hand and landing in the grass. That caused her wrists to hurt some, but they weren't broken or anything like that. Right now, she just had to put her plan in motion.
"You two are truly worthy opponents, but now I shall defeat you two and bring this to an end." Deker sounded triumphant, and it made Brooke grit her teeth.
She spied Jayden out of the corner of her eye, and she nodded at him. "Let's end this, then!" Brooke yelled, and Jayden rushed forward. The red ranger blocked Deker's swing, and the silver grinned. She unsheathed her Wolf Kunai from the holder on her belt, performing an uppercut. The attack caused Deker to stumble back some, Brooke and Jayden tightening their grips on their weapons. It was almost over.
"What?" Deker choked out, and he raised his sword as a means of defense.
"Brooke!" Jayden called out, and Brooke nodded, noticing that he had his sword in his non-dominant hand. Still, he was holding his own just fine.
The silver and red rangers let out yells that were a battle cry. The two swung downward, cutting Deker's sword into three pieces. The tip flew over the cliff and into the ocean, while the main body of the sword landed on the grass. Deker was panting, and Brooke and Jayden moved back some, holding their weapons at the ready.
"A masterful move," Deker announced, breathing heavily and groaning with each step. "You made it seem like you were defenseless, allowing me to injure you so you could get close enough to attack me. While I was taken by surprise, you both used your full strength to deliver the finishing blows. Well fought, red and silver rangers. You have honored me, and freed me from my torment," He was dangerously close to the cliff, and both Brooke and Jayden knew what was going to happen next. As Deker fell, the two rangers heard him breathe his final words.
"Thank you."
The two just stood there for a couple of moments, catching their breaths. Then, Jayden and Brooke sheathed their blades, their ranger suits disappearing in flashes of red and silver. Brooke tried to walk, but she heard the faint crack and felt her ankle give out. Jayden tried to offer himself as support, but he somehow lost his balance, the two landing on the ground with dull thuds.
"Christ," Brooke groaned, feeling the adrenaline leave her body and get replaced with pain. "That's a way to end things. I feel like I should apologize for that one." She joked, pushing herself off of the ground so that she was sitting next to Jayden in an upright position.
"We won," Jayden responded with a small smile, and Brooke's eyes flashed, a genuine smile appearing on her face.
"Shit, yeah. We did, huh?" Brooke remarked, and Jayden rolled his eyes playfully. They were both covered in dirt, and Brooke was partly soaked thanks to her unwelcomed fall in the ocean.
Jayden didn't seem to mind, using his uninjured hand to cradle Brooke's cheek. He noticed the way she somewhat nuzzled into his touch, and let out a faint laugh. "You're cute." He murmured, caressing Brooke's cheek with his hand. Jayden knew he was going to be kicking himself tomorrow for this but, fuck it. He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, and Brooke made a noise of shock.
She wasn't complaining, but it was just somewhat startling. Brooke felt heat rush to her face because there was so much affection behind that one kiss to her forehead, and she wanted to cry. Why? She didn't really know, perhaps the adrenaline dump.
Jayden felt the tears and felt his eyes widen. "I didn't make you uncomfortable, did I? I'm sorry-" He started, but Brooke cut him off with a watery laugh, shaking her head.
"You're good, Red. It was nice- it's just the adrenaline dump, I think. All good things." Brooke reassured Jayden, who nodded and had a gentle smile on his face as he wiped some of her tears away.
The two then just sat in comfortable silence, Brooke resting her head on Jayden's shoulder. His arm that didn't have the injured wrist was around her waist, him feeling as Brooke's breathing evened out and surprisingly slowed. "Hey, you're falling asleep." Jayden pointed out, and Brooke opened her eyes, puffing out her cheeks slightly.
"Prime nap opportunity, Red. It's not like you can go anywhere at the moment," Brooke replied, exhaustion present in her tone, and she closed her eyes again. "I want you around for my after-battle nap, y'know? You're nice to have around." She murmured, letting out a yawn, and Jayden almost let her fall asleep on his shoulder.
But, it wasn't needed, because, in a flash of silver, Amaris appeared. The white wolf wagged her tail happily, licking Brooke and Jayden's cheeks in a greeting. "I am happy to see that you are both alright." She stated, the joy present in her tone, and Brooke raised her head, a weary smile on her face.
"Heya, Amaris. Was everything okay with the team?" Brooke asked as she pet Amaris, Jayden removing his hand from around Brooke's waist so that he could pet the wolf with his uninjured hand and wrist.
"Everything went smoothly, no injuries or anything of the sort," Amaris answered, and Jayden visibly relaxed at that. He was glad that his plan of Kevin leading the team was successful, it made him feel less guilty about having to go fight Deker. "They are on their way." She added, and if on cue, the five other rangers appeared. Antonio slid some, and that caused Brooke and Jayden to share a look of amusement.
"Jayden, Brooke!" Emily called, and Brooke quirked a brow at the concern in her tone.
"They are both injured, but nothing that could threaten their lives. There is no need to worry." Amaris answered the rangers' silent question, both Brooke and Jayden muttering "thanks, Amaris" under their breaths. The white wolf seemed to find amusement in that, as her tail wagged slowly.
"And Deker?" Mia questioned, and Brooke motioned to the cliff with her thumb. She also felt the blood coating her cut shoulder, but it was fine. She felt like bringing it up would cause the team to lose their shit even more.
"He went for a dive after we defeated him," Brooke answered, and the six other rangers raised their eyebrows at her choice of words. "Did I stutter? No. Anyways, for a more formal answer, he's gone. We won, as you can tell." She added, motioning to herself and Jayden, who nodded. They all noticed the relief that was in her tone, and the slight pride, which was somewhat concerning.
Brooke saw Antonio look at the sky, almost gratefully, and she raised a brow at him, a grin on her face. He crouched down next to her, grabbing her upper arm and helping her stand. "Gracias a Dios," Antonio remarked, only so Brooke could hear- and she didn't know Spanish, so, that was that. "Let's get you two home." He stated, holding out a hand to Jayden, who took it.
It was some struggle, but the team made it down the incline. Brooke just ended up being on Antonio's back, her falling asleep, and Amaris padded at their sides. Mike noticed this and let out a low whistle. "She's out fast. It's been like five minutes at most." He pointed out, and Jayden glanced at Brooke. She looked peaceful, and it was the first time in a while he's seen her look so stress-free. It made him happy.
"She feels relief. I am surprised you are not in the same state, Jayden." Amaris commented, and Jayden let out a faint laugh.
He wanted to be asleep, the exhaustion hit him like a freight train. "We're getting there, Amaris," Jayden replied, a weary smile on his lips. His entire body throbbed, but he felt significantly less stressed already. It was freeing.
--
After taking a shower and getting her ankle set in place by Mia, Brooke took a much-needed shower, watching the dirt and blood mix with the soap and flow down the drain. Once she felt significantly cleaner, she got dressed in a grey long-sleeved shirt and jeans, ruffling her hair some. Slipping on her vans, Brooke heard her stomach growl at the smell of fish.
Her ankle still throbbed, and Brooke didn't feel like dealing with it. So, she shifted, padding to the outdoor dojo. Wolf-Brooke instantly got intercepted by Amaris, and soon, happy barks filled the area, the brown wolf's golden eyes shining bright. The two wolves shared a greeting, Amaris nuzzling wolf-Brooke, and then the brown wolf padded over to the four male rangers.
"That's a big fish." Brooke blurted after she shifted back, raising her eyebrows at the cooked fish. She stood next to Jayden, and his arm was in a sling, but other than that, he was relatively unharmed. Which made her happy, and she flashed him a small smile, which he returned.
"Dude, that fish went megamode." Mike commented, and Antonio grinned, pride in his eyes. Which was endearing, and even Amaris seemed impressed by the fish, sitting on her haunches next to Brooke.
"Hey, when I serve a fish to my friends, it's gotta be the best. That's the gold standard," Antonio stated, and Brooke raised an eyebrow when he grinned at her. "It's no rare steak for our dear wolf, but I hope it will suffice." He teased, and she rolled her eyes with a grin.
"You should pursue a career in comedy, Goldie. I have a feeling you'll make headlines." Brooke retorted, her eyes flashing playfully, and both Amaris and Jayden watched in amusement as the two bickered playfully. It reminded Jayden of when they were ten, and he almost saw Brooke's long pigtails and grey dress again.
Eventually, the banter subsided, and as Antonio, with the help of Mike and Kevin, set up for dinner, Jayden turned his attention to Brooke. "How're you?" He asked, and Brooke hooked her thumbs on her belt loops, smiling faintly.
"Alive. Safe. Happy," Brooke answered, watching as Mike did something to make Kevin annoyed, the green ranger's laughter carrying across the dojo. She then turned her attention to Jayden, grinning. "How are you, my dear red ranger?" It was a flirtatious tease, and Brooke really hoped she didn't overstep her boundaries with that one.
Luckily, despite the pink rising to his cheeks, Jayden smiled. "The same. Happy you're here." He remarked, and Brooke winked at him before breaking into a genuine smile.
"I'm happy to be here and to have you by my side. Thanks, Red, for everything. I feel like I don't say it enough." Brooke replied, and Jayden noticed the pink that dusted her cheeks, it being barely visible.
"Of course," Jayden replied, and the two rangers turned their head to the table when Mike called their names. Mia and Emily had also helped set up for dinner, and Brooke did not like the playful look the two girls were giving her.
"Jayden! Brooke!" Mike called through a mouthful of food. That caused Kevin to smack his shoulder lightly, Brooke and Jayden raising their eyebrows. After swallowing his food, Mike continued. "Quit flirting and come eat!" He teased, with a grin, winking at Jayden, who responded with a deadpan expression.
Matching shades of pink were on Brooke and Jayden's cheeks, but still, they regained their composure and walked over. They sat in their usual seats next to each other, and after a couple of minutes, everything was back to normal. The banter at the table was light until Brooke spoke up, the silver ranger playing with her now empty cup.
"I just want to apologize for the turn of events today," Brooke started, her claws scratching the plastic cup some. "Goldie and Red know, but Deker threatened to pick my little brother as my opponent if I didn't show. That's why I was so quick to act, and I just wanted to apologize for it." She remarked, her face burning and her eyes flashed.
"It's okay, Brooke. He forced your guys' hands." Emily reassured Brooke, the yellow ranger smiling at the silver.
"You both did what you had to do." Mike agreed, and Jayden nodded.
"Maybe. But there's still much to do, and we won't jeopardize the mission again." Jayden vowed, and Brooke let him speak on her behalf. He was much better at the team talks than she was, surprisingly enough.
Kevin let out a heavy sigh, knitting his brows slightly. "Deker's gone, but Master Xandred is still out there. Until he's defeated, nobody's safe." He stated what all the rangers knew.
Ji said nothing, only pulling the black box from his robes. Antonio looked up from where he was shoving a piece of bread into his mouth and nodded confidently. Still, Brooke felt the rising stress levels and did not want to be overwhelmed again, so she knew she had to lighten the mood somehow.
"We're the generation of samurai rangers the world's been waiting for," Brooke stated confidently, breaking into a grin. "If anyone can take down Xandred, it's us." She added, and Amaris hopped onto one of the empty seats, her fluffy ears flicking.
"You are all amazing warriors in your own strengths. You all shall continue getting stronger, and overcome any hardships that are thrown at you. You seven embody the spirit of samurai rangers, which is something I haven't seen in a long time." Amaris praised, her violet eyes shining with pride, and Brooke ruffled the fur in between her ears.
"As rangers, it's our responsibility to save the world from the nighlok. I'm just grateful we don't have to do it alone," Jayden discreetly reached for Brooke's hand under the table, and she grabbed his. His thumb ran over her knuckles in a comforting sort of manner, and Brooke had a small smile of contentment on her face. They then dropped hands, Jayden's blue eyes shining with a faint joy.
"Rangers together-" Jayden started the call, and the seven samurai rangers put their fists in the middle of the table. They all shared grins and smiles with each other, finishing the call in unison.
"Samurai Forever!"
With the call, both Brooke and Jayden felt the weight they carried on their shoulders decrease somewhat. It wasn't going to be easy, but Brooke knew she would survive this war- and win. She was going to do it with the team at her side and broke into a happy smile.
For the first time in the five years that Brooke remembered- she was home.