On Fire (Power Rangers Samurai)

35 - The Theory / Picky

As Mia spoke about her experience as a hostage, she tried hard not to tear up over the memories.

She explained what happened sequentially, from when she was ambushed to when she last passed out on the ship. She gave the details on how she was tortured and taken in and out of the real world.

The rangers gritted their teeth and tightened their fists as they silently listened.

Afterward, Mia went to her room to be alone, the rangers sat in silence.

"Humans who go to the other world risk turning into nighloks." Emily spoke up after thinking to himself. "But Mia didn't."

"But she was taken in and out of the real world, especially when she was injured." Jayden mentioned. "Maybe that was done to keep her human."

"Why would they want to keep her human? Wouldn't they want more nighlok in their army?" Mike stroked his chin.

"After she becomes a nighlok, she is no longer has her powers as a ranger. Plus, she's more useful and manageable as a human. She could've been used to bait us too." Kevin answered.

"I think symbol power has something to do with it. There are cases where ordinary humans winded up in the other world and they immediately become nighlok." Lauren crossed her legs to sit in a pretzel on the couch. "Mia's symbol power must've protected her. If that theory is correct, samurai rangers can go into the other world for a while without turning into a nighlok."

~~~

"Stop." Antonio caught the chains of Lauren's kusarigama before she began to swing them around.

The kusarigama she used to train with had metal chains but wooden poles and a wooden blade. It wasn't as heavy as her night chains.

"Let go." She wanted to get back to training.

"Lauren, I know that you've been feeling weak since you used that symbol." Antonio told her. "You were the one who used more of your power. You even healed my shoulder, and it was pretty messed up."

"I'm not tired." Lauren couldn't read his seriousness.

"The only reason why you still feel weak is that you haven't taken it easy." Antonio let go of her chain and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Eat or rest."

Lauren reluctantly put down her chains and left Antonio in the dojo.

Antonio shook his head. To him, Lauren seemed like the rigid and difficult type. Kind of like Kevin. He wondered how the rangers would get along with her.

~~~

"You can cook?" Lauren watched Mike in amazement as he multitasked in the kitchen.

He had a soup going on in a pot and fried rice about to come together in a pan.

"I'm the best one here believe it or not." Mike answered proudly. "Don't tell Antonio though."

"Wow. I'd expect you to be the worst."

"Ouch!" Mike laughed at her brutal honesty. 

Lauren was easy to talk to. Mike could say anything to her and she would just say whatever was on her mind. 

"How come two different meals?" Lauren asked.

"We have picky eaters. Kevin doesn't eat carbs at night. Emily and Antonio are particular about their vegetables. Emily won't eat soup but loves fried rice. But Antonio doesn't like the way I make fried rice. He's probably just jealous. Also, Jayden seems to hate soup for some reason. I've never seen the kid use a spoon. But Mia really likes soup and rice. I wanted to make things she'd like." Mike rambled as he shuffled around the kitchen.

"Jayden still hates soup huh." Lauren shook her head.

"You know why? Tell me!"

"When we were 7, he threw a bowl of soup at me. I threw mine back and the bowl crack on his head and the spices in the soup burned his eyes." Lauren chuckled as she remembered how Gi held Jayden's head under a running sink faucet.

Mike chuckled at her story.

Her smile quickly faded as she remembered it was the same day she was separated from Jayden. Her twin brother was deemed a distraction to her training after the soup incident.

Jayden didn't hold a grudge against soup because of the fiery pain in his eyes. But had he not have thrown a damn bowl of soup, Lauren could've stayed with him longer.

Soup brought back that painful memory of waking up only to notice his sister's disappearance.

Both of them didn't apologize to each other, assuming that they would always have the next day to do so.

After their separation, the brief moments Jayden visited her became valuable and they never fought.

"What do you like to eat Lauren?" Mike asked.

"Fruit."