On Fire (Power Rangers Samurai)

84 - Pistol / Jen

Naturally, anyone would be terrified when a gun is pointed in their direction.

Mia was surprised to find that she wasn't all that afraid. To her, the danger and cold sweat was just another day as a power ranger.

She prepared to step out of the closet and be cooperative, but instead jumped with fright when a sharp bursting sound filled the room.

Everything happened within milliseconds so there was no way to make sense of it.

Mia realized there was a hole through the closet door before the trickles of blood down her arm.

"Who the fuck are you?" The woman's voice quivered as her adjusted her sweaty grip on her pistol.

"The pink ranger." Mia knew that her status would save her. A ranger was not to be injured under any circumstance.

However, the single bullet that drilled a hole through the closet door miraculously grazed Mia's right forearm, rather than piercing her body.

Blood was split, but Mia was fine.

"Step out." The woman commanded. Her voice still wavered.

As Mia stepped out of the closet with her hands up, the woman's pistol followed her head.

Mia took a deep breath, letting the woman look up and down her body in search of anything suspicious.

"You have 10 seconds to prove yourself." The woman ended her investigation and aimed the gun between Mia's eyes.

Trying to remain as cool as a cucumber, Mia pulled out her samuraizer. She also let out her little turtle zord, which floated above her hand.

The woman was shocked and immediately tucked away her gun, safely.

"My sincerest apologies... could've shot you dead a second ago." The woman bowed her head slightly in respect to the ranger before her.

"You have to understand... everyone in this house is to lay their lives down for Lauren. A stranger in her room is considered a great threat." She explained apologetically, watching Mia kneel to the floor after the stress.

"My name is Jen Shiba." She took Mia's hands and guided her to the chair by Lauren's desk.

"I know what you're thinking. Shiba, right?" Jen quickly noticed that Mia was intrigued by her last name. "I'm not closely related to Lauren at all. I'm just somewhere along the vast Shiba line."

"Right... I'm Mia Watanabe." She took deep breaths while slouching on Lauren's chair.

While Mia was processing that her life could've ended a minute ago, Jen went through Lauren's desk drawers and pulled out a gauze.

As Mia watched Jen, she noticed once again that she was smoking.

"Please put away your cigarette." Mia couldn't hide the annoyance in her voice.

"Oh, forgot. It's been a while since Lauren was around." Jen tossed the cigar into a cup of water. "It's impressive how you didn't freak out just now."

The reason for her calm demeanor was obvious to Mia. Consistently facing nighlok naturally desensitized her.

"Are you Lauren's caretaker?" Mia asked, diverting the topic.

"Ever since she was 7." Jen replied as she began to wrap Mia's wound with the gauze. "I assume you're here to take her away?"

Before Mia could answer, Mike fell through the window, falling flat on his ass.

"Mike?" Mia couldn't believe he climbed all the way up as well.

"You know those other two are scaredy cats." Mike referred to the blue and gold ranger. "What happened? We heard a gunshot. Who is she?"

"Umm, this is Lauren's caretaker, Jen." Mia awkwardly introduced Jen as she was wrapping her arm.

"If you take Lauren, it will start a lot of drama with the monks." Jen patted Mia's wound jokingly, causing Mia to flinch from the pain.

"What the hell?" Mike reacted to Jen's rude humor. He had just realized that blood ran down Mia's arm and rushed to her side.

"That should do it for now, but make sure to take care of it when you get home." Jen didn't seem bothered at all.

Mike grumbled.

"We knew that taking Lauren would cause trouble." Mike replied. "We just want her back."

Though Mike couldn't understand Lauren half of the time, she was still a part of their ranger family. He truly did want her back.

"Will you get in our way?" Mia asked.

There was a moment of silence with the two rangers observing Jen's reaction. They were surprised to see a tiny smile grow on the corner of Jen's lips.

"I'll help you, but there's no time." Jen handed Mia her gun. "Those who heard the gunshot are rushing to this room right now."

"Why are you giving me this?" Mia took the gun hesitantly.

"It's a sorry gift." Jen's face scrunched into a sweet smile. A smile that said she was lying.

"Alright green boy, pick up Lauren." Jen ordered Mike, to which he reluctantly complied.

"This girl can sleep through gunshots??" Mike tried to heave her onto his back.

"I don't think those crazy monks made the right decision in having her come back here. I've never seen Lauren so miserable before.  She doesn't eat or get up..." Jen spoke as she helped Lauren onto Mike's back.

Only Mia noticed as Jen ran one of her hands through Lauren's hair, clearing a spot for a tiny kiss on the side of her head.

Seriously, how was Mia supposed to feel about Jen? Her sincerity was touching, but she seemed just as insensitive as she was kind.

"What do we do now? Run out of here?" Mia asked.

"You're going to have to." Jen shrugged. "I'm sure two rangers can outrun the martial arts students downstairs."

Students! Mia thought to herself, satisfied by her little realization. The other purpose to the large building Lauren was isolated in was to teach martial arts.

"Thank you for letting us take her." Mia took a second to wave goodbye before she followed Mike out of the door.

Mike bolted as if he had been dying to get the hell out and put as much distance between him and Jen as possible.

But as Mia was rushing to catch up, her mind was occupied by how loving Jen appeared to be towards Lauren.

She also couldn't help but wonder why Jen's face looked so pained as they left.