Stay Safe, Stay Hidden My Brother.

Chapter one: She's the leader

Lauren never knew what it was like to have friends. Of course she didn't, she grew up with Ji. Just Ji. He was basically the only person she knew over all the training she did. It was always lonely in the house; but she had to focus on her samurai training.

It was all she focused on. She had to make her father proud.

"Eventually protecting the world will fall to you." His head tilted up to look at Ji. "Remember. Protect the world, Stand by your allies, and never run from a battle." He placed the folded zord in her slightly curved palms.  She looked at it. Small, had the symbol on its center. She looked back up to her father. His hands were on his helmet, clipping the small while clips on the back and front. "The Nighlok are coming. We've got to move!"
Her father took another look at her, then Ji. Then turned around. "Samurai rangers. Let's finish this!"

It was all she did. And all she really wanted to do. She had trained since she was a little kid.

Lauren could recall the day she called upon the other rangers to join the team. It was when Xandred had first risen from his temporary sleep at the bottom of the Sanzu river. She had fought moogers before but new Nighlok had arrived. Ji warned her of the upcoming fight, at first she was hesitant on calling a team, 'who wouldn't be?' Was her exact thought when Ji told her. Even with that she still took on the role as leader. He pulled out his bow and arrow (which Lauren had seen him use once or twice when they trained) and colored arrows, firing them into the sky and vanished into the clouds like they had gone through a portal and somehow gotten to her future team members. Lauren collected the morphers including her own, then leaving off on her horse created by symbol power to meet them. They were nice, a bit hesitant at first, but they took on the role as their color connected with an element. Emily, Kevin, Mike, Mia. They were fantastic. Brilliant fighters.

Their first fight. That was something. Lauren helped them learn each of their abilities; but they were still great. It's like they knew what they were born for as soon as they stepped into battle.

Lauren didn't, well not at first when she started fighting the moogers at 14. She still had trouble thinking about him. He was coming back soon. He had to have been. At least 12 years, he was coming back soon. How long did it take to learn that?

Did it take that long for her father?

Of course before she was more aware of his destiny when she was older, she always knew Master Xandreds previous sleep was temporary, hence why she trained so hard. But even if it was a temporary seal, she still missed her father. He died shortly after Xandred had been sealed.

She vaguely remembered her mother. He might remember. He was older. Would he tell her when he came back? She hoped.

Did she hope he would return soon? Maybe. Maybe not. She enjoyed being a leader. She enjoyed the team. And the battle hadn't even been completed. Xandred would come to the world at some point, definitely hurting her badly since she was the one 'supposed' to seal him; but he would be dried like a prune leaving the human world. He couldn't come anytime soon even if he tried. If he did before..before he came back..what would she do?

"Lauren?" Mia was hanging by the door, holding onto the part that closed into the doorframe as if flapped in the wind. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She stood from her previous spot on the stairs, standing in front of her pink ranger. "What's going on?"

"Ji wants to talk to us. Well, you in particular." She sounded unsure. "You think you know what?"

"No." She shook her head certainly. "Is it another attack? I didn't hear the buzzer." She rolled her own eyes. She was distracted; how would she hear it? Mia made a small, kind of nervous laugh. "No. It didn't. It's only a team meeting."

Lauren was confused, maybe even curious. About her? Was it about the new threat? Lauren took no more time to wonder and followed Mia inside. They curved around the hall to the main living area. Everyone was there. Mike, Emily, Antonio, Kevin. Mia moved around her to sit next to Emily. Ji was standing at the center at the swirling map, which was now focused on one area. But these areas had plenty of small red dots. "Mentor." Lauren saw the focused worry on his face. He glanced up at her. "Lauren. Sit, please."

"Okay." Lauren didn't even stop to hesitate. By the look on Ji's face she knew it was serious. The team looked serious as well. Lauren folded her hands gently in her lap. "Thank you for coming in Lauren. I know you were probably deep in your own thoughts outside." Ji nodded to her, next to the rest of the team. "We--have noticed an increased number of mooger attacks." Ji started. "And Aracnator."

"But he hasn't been back for months." Mike unclipped his helmet. He had been skating with Emily earlier, and  they just returned shortly before Lauren had been been retrieved. She noticed them but was hardly paying attention. He took the helmet off and dropped it to the ground next to him. "Why would he be back now?" Mike questioned. "And." Antonio held up his finger to add. "Remember we haven't seen him since Lauren was kidnapped and we fought him."

Kevin shook his head at Antonios mention of the kidnapping. "Why did you have to mention it?" He gritted his teeth.

"Because. Lauren is okay. She didn't have any lasting effects from the poison. I saved her anyway."

"Back to the original topic." Emily halted them from fighting any longer. She peered at the red ranger. "Look. It's late. Maybe we should just train for a few, and investigate the spots tomorrow? There won't be any Nighlok right?"

"With the increased amount I don't know what to say." Ji said. The entire team agreed with nods and hums. Antonio cleared his throat, Lauren assumed to interject in the silence. "More the reason to work on the Black Box."

"Yes." Ji agreed. "It's the time more than ever to work on the Black Box. With the more powerful Nighlok and mooger attacks; we must focus on increasing all your powers as well."

"But how will he finish it?" Mia asked. "If we go into battle we'll be short one team member; not just that but we'll be without our power discs."

"We'll be okay." Lauren spoke quietly. "We just have to fight." She stood, picking up her folded training uniform from the square shelf behind her. "Now. Let's train."

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Thank you so so much for reading my second fanfiction! This is my very second fanfic and PRS/PRSS fanfic. I hope you like it! It's a reverse AU with Lauren in the place of Jayden, starting at the first episode of Super Samurai.  I hope you enjoy this!

This and Red and Gold will not be the only PRS And PRSS fanfic.

--MFP--