A/N: Hey, guys! That's right, I'm not dead! Sorry this chapter is so gosh-darn late! I highly implore you guys read "Top of the World" first, as it will have some clues to that story in here, and this is basically a sequel to that story. But, I suppose you could read this by itself. Some parts will be utterly confusing, but you could.

Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers. Mr. Saban does and always will. I own just own the characters you don't recognize from the actual show. Also, the Ryuho-Tenji and its references, plus the jellyfish creature and the transwatch, the idea and concept, and whatnot, are actually from the show Code Lyoko.

And I'm so sorry this is so late!

~PRS~PRS~PRS~PRS~

"It's Halloween, the time where the barrier between the physical and spiritual worlds is at its weakest. Long story short, anything can happen."

Power Rangers: Samurai Legends

Top of the World ~ Sequel: Comebacks and Intermissions

Chapter 21: Halloween Town

October 31, 2015

Sanzu River, Junk Ship

"You'll definitely enjoy it here," Rikel told his and Octoroo's new female companion, the unborn Nighlock King's new retainer. "Well, you do have a Nighlock blood in you, like me, so you definitely will."

The two shared a laugh.

"Ahh, Raida," Octoroo came aboard, warmly greeting their new female companion. "You're here. I sent Rikel to pick you up, and I see he's done his job."

"Ouch," Rikel softly joked. "You doubt me, Master Octoroo."

Raida finally spoke aloud, "Now, you have two half-Nighlocks on your side, Master Octoroo."

"I know, it's perfect," Octoroo interrupted. "That way the Rangers won't know what hit 'em!"

"If you'll excuse me," Raida continued, as if Octoroo had not said anything, "I have an idea for an attack. Today is Halloween, after all, the day of the Nighlock."

"An attack that's sure to wipe out the Rangers for good?" Octoroo asked, his hopes getting up pretty high.

"And the Keys in our hands in no time," Raida finished. She brought her thumb and middle fingers on her right hand to her mouth and whistled loudly. "Ghouliam!"

A ghoul-ish looking monster rose from the red waters of the Sanzu River. "You rang, Miss Raida?"

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Shiba House, Kitchen

With Mike, Angela, Ryan, and Kaitlyn still working on their Halloween costumes for the party later (one that Jii was throwing, surprisingly), Terry, Mia, and Kevin taking naps to rest their eyes, and Serena and Emily out in town for some groceries that Kevin and Mike forgot earlier this morning, that left Jayden, Antonio, and Lauren to converse together in the kitchen.

"You're what?" Antonio asked his friend for clarification. He turned to Lauren, "Did I hear that right?"

Lauren replied, "Depends on what you heard."

"I said," Jayden repeated, "that I'm thinking about proposing to Emily."

Antonio immediately jumped out his seat with excitement, pumping his fists in the air, as if celebrating a great victory. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I did hear you right!" After taking a deep breath, the enthusiastic Samurai sat back down next to Lauren, asking his best friend, "So, when are you going to pop the question?"

Jayden paused and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure yet. I was thinking around Christmas time, maybe?"

"Maybe you could propose to her as a Christmas present," Lauren suggested.

Jayden paused again, thinking about this idea. "I...actually really like that idea. Thanks, Lauren."

"No problem," she responded with a gentle smile. "Always happy to help."

"I like that idea too," Antonio commented. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Lauren and Jayden merely shrugged, right as an alarm blared throughout the house.

The Gap Sensor.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Main Street, Panorama City

Serena slowly came to, quickly coming to the realization that there was a fight going on around her.

Or was there?

The streets were empty, people eventually beginning to come back out.

Oh, yeah.

The last thing she remembered was the other six Rangers coming to her sister's aid. Then the monster (who looked like a ghoul costume kids wore on Halloween, just a lot scarier) somehow opened up three dimensional rifts, each of them sucking in a group of Rangers. Then, she blacked out.

She couldn't remember which Rangers were paired up, but she clearly remembered Jayden and Emily reaching for each other before both were sucked into their respective rifts.

And she couldn't get the terrified yells Emily cried as she got separated from Jayden out of her head.

Serena reached into her back pocket, pulled out her phone, and called Ryan. She was sitting with her back to the wall, but she didn't really feel like moving. Her left leg really hurt, as did her side, and she had cuts and bruises all over her body. (She also remembered that she was attempting to fight off the Moogers so Emily wouldn't have to.)

But she wasn't the only one who had been injured. A lot of civilians nearby had been caught up the Nighlock attack.

"Ryan? Yeah, I'm alright," she spoke into the phone. "You and the others better get down here, and bring all the first aid kits we have. We've got work to do."

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Illusional Dimension, Sparkling Sea

"Lower the anchor!" the Captain ordered. It was mid-afternoon, and the sun was bearing down on him and his pirate crew. As the crew scrambled to obey his orders, he turned to the woman beside him. "There's another lead that the treasure should be here. Who do you want to take with you on the landing party, Your Majesty?"

The Pirate "King" looked up at the male Captain. "You and the navigator."

"Garcia?"

"All the leads we've picked up have just been rumors, but he's always correctly led us to every location we need to be, exactly when we need to be there. And you are my brother and the only ship under my command that's picked up anything on the treasure. I trust both of you with my life."

"Alright. Garcia!" the Captain called.

Immediately, the said pirate came running to them. "Captain Shiba, Your Majesty. What can I do for you?"

"You are coming with us to the shore," the female Pirate King said.

Then, an explosion sounded in the distance. Garcia, the Navigator, was facing it, so he was the one who caught sight of it.

The Pirate King saw it out of the corner of her eyes.

"Strange," she muttered, as Captain Shiba turned to look at where the smoke was now piling up.

"'Strange', how?" the Captain asked her.

"Garcia, didn't that explosion have yellow-ish light to it, or was that just me?"

"No, Your Majesty, I saw it, too," Garcia answered. "It's coming from the forest. Your orders?"

The woman went silent, thinking, before replying, "Continue with the landing party, us three. We'll go check it out. It might be where the treasure is."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Captain Shiba added in a low voice.

"Let's go!"

The Pirate King's order was clear and precise.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Illusional Dimension, Feudal Japanese Forest

"Milady, are you certain you would like to continue?" the young Samurai inquired of his princess. "You must rest."

"Hamasaki-san," the young Japanese princess calmly interrupted him, "there is no limit to your loyalty. I appreciate it, but yes, I am certain. We must continue. We both saw an explosion in this direction, and it may be were the amulet is."

The two continued to trudge forward.

"I apologize about not being able to protect your family heirloom, milady," the Samurai apologized. He was tasked with guarding it, after all, but it was stolen by a theif in the night.

"That is quite alright, Hamasaki-san."

Through a clearing in the trees, the two could see a fight up ahead. The two glanced at each other and nodded, both thinking the same thing.

It could be where the amulet is.

The two raced ahead, finally coming upon an open clearing, where after a couple of miles, another forest stood, signifying another kingdom, one that didn't belong to the Japanese princess. In the midst of that other forest stood a futuristic castle.

The two halted their sprint when they heard a gun click in their direction. The young Samurai immediately stood in front of his princess, protecting her from the three pirates that had arrived right when they did. The pirate captain held his gun at them, not lowering it, even glaring at them.

Meanwhile, the Japanese princess and the Pirate "King" immediately knew what kingdom this, both from maps.

They were right on the border of the legendary kingdom of Bellewoode.

And someone clearly wasn't happy here.

There was also a girl here, wearing a silver tiara that had her look like she was always mad, dressed in black and silver futuristic style clothing, in a pair of handcuffs that wrapped around both of her entire arms, up to the elbow (and her hands were covered too).

Such tight security for one blonde haired girl.

Then again, she was smacking her arms and hands against trees and boulders nearby. She was clearly a prisoner that had escaped the castle and wanted to be set free.

But the guard, wearing the same type of clothing as the prisoner, same age as the prisoner, was not having it. He was here to re-capture her.

The Samurai rushed to help the guard with the prisoner, while the princess stayed behind with the pirates, the pirate captain's gun still pointed at her head.

"Stay back!" The guard immediately yelled, causing the young Samurai to stop in his tracks.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Illusional Dimension, Dark Forest

The young Bellewoode guard held out his hand, wanting to face this prisoner alone. "Stay back!" The Samurai halted in his tracks, and the pirate captain lowered his gun, but didn't put it away. "She's a lot stronger than she looks," the guard warned. He turned back to the blonde haired prisoner and took a deep breath. "Calm down, okay? It's me."

The prisoner had just gotten off the hand guards, freeing her hands, when he had said this. But she did not believe his words one bit. She only lowered her hazel eyes at him and growled.

"Emily," he said again, this time, almost pleading. "Remember me? I'm Mike, your personal Knight and childhood friend. I pledged my loyalty to you, not to Rae. I will never betray you."

The prisoner paused, her hands and arms shaking. A stray tear fell down her cheek, which was eventually joined by more tears falling down her cheeks.

The Knight, Mike (apparently that's who he was), revealed a key, walking forward to the prisoner, and unlocking her cuffs, setting her free altogether.

As soon as the blonde's arms were free (apparently her name was Emily. Wait, wasn't there a princess named Emily in Bellewoode?), she immediately wrapped Mike in a tight hug, shaking and seemingly sobbing. He hugged her back.

"Sorry," she muttered into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mike..."

"You don't have to apologize, Em," Mike said, calmly and gently to her. "After a betrayal like that, I would've doubted my closest friends too."

The five witnesses stayed quiet, but when they heard the word 'betrayal', they became curious as to what was going on.

"Excuse me," the Japanese princess politely spoke aloud, and the two broke up their hug and turned towards their unexpected companions. "But what, if I may ask, are you doing two out here?"

"Oh, my apologies, milady," Mike quickly said, "but may I introduce Emily Suzuki, Princess of Bellewoode and currently the only rightful heir to the throne."

Really?

This blonde prisoner was the princess?

"What happened, mate?" the pirate navigator asked. "Trouble in paradise? I mean, how'd you become a captive of your own kingdom?"

"Uprising," Mike replied for her. Not because he wanted to be rude, but because he knew she was still traumatized by it. "Princess Emily's friend, Rae, betrayed her and went behind her back in order to usurp the throne from her Highness's older sister, Serena."

Emily's fists clenched at the last name mentioned in Mike's explanation.

"After Queen Serena was executed, Emily here escaped by a stroke of luck, and I volunteered to chase after her, in order to come up with a plan to get the throne back. You five may go about your business," Mike continued. "This is just between us two."

But the two feudal Japanese city residents looked at each other, both thinking the same thing, once again, before turning back to the two residents of legendary Bellewoode.

"If we may," the Japanese princess said, "we would like to help, in return for safe passage across your country, in order to search for a stolen heirloom." Her Samurai knight nodded politely, agreeing with her.

Mike turned to Emily, who merely asked, "Your names, please?"

"Mia Watanabe," the Japanese princess replied, "and this is my loyal retainer, Kevin Hamasaki."

Emily nodded. "Of course."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Mia bowed slightly, as did Kevin.

"Rae's army had swept through the neighboring towns a couple nights ago and stole many precious items from various citizens," Mike added.

Emily heard this and said, "If you like, you may start your search for your heirloom at the castle."

"Thank you."

Mike then turned to the three pirates. "And what do you three want?" He said this rather rudely.

Emily put a hand on his shoulder. "Now, now, Mike. They are pirates, yes, but they are still guests to our kingdom." She turned to the three pirates. "My deepest apologies for my Knight's behavior. His duty is to protect me from harm, not to speak for me." She aimed that last bit at Mike himself. "Welcome to Bellewoode."

"Thank you," the Pirate 'King' replied. "This is Captain Jayden Shiba, my little brother, and his navigator, Antonio Garcia. I am the Pirate King Lauren Shiba. We are here to search for a treasure. Any leads?"

Emily thought long and hard, "What does this treasure look like?"

"It is a medallion, about a medium size, gold with a crown-like symbol in the middle of it," Jayden replied. "The symbol would be of something you don't recognize. It is very important to my sister."

"Our father hid it in a secret location fifteen years ago in order to protect it from others' greed," Lauren added. "Many have tried to decipher his map, but none have succeeded. Antonio here has been the closest person who has ever gotten to doing so."

"We have a few medallions in our treasury. If you agree to help us take back the throne, I will guarantee you safe passage there."

The other six people looked at Emily as if she were crazy asking pirates for help regarding a matter of the throne, Mike especially, but she stood firm.

"I realize," Emily spoke aloud, noticing everyone's stares, "that we may not be the most obvious rebellion, but I believe we can succeed. Besides, if we allow Rae to continue ruling, she will continue to spread her empire. All neighboring countries, and even the seas themselves, are in danger. We need your help."

The two Shiba siblings glanced at each other, seemingly knowing what the other was about to say/do. The female Pirate silently nodded, conceding and giving the vote to her brother. The Pirate Captain turned back to Bellewoode's Princess.

"I like you," Jayden said to her, his blue eyes soft yet determined. "You've got guts." Emily's face brightened a bit with red, but her expression did not change. "We accept."

Emily finally smiled at him. Mike stepped forward, attempting to show these Pirates that he did not fully trust them, not yet at least.

"I will concede with Emily's wishes," Mike said to the three. "But if you betray her as Rae did, I won't let you get away with it."

Emily could see the angry sparks that clashed between them, and she quickly stepped in between them. "Now, now, that's not how allies should act. Please, solve your differences now, or hide them until we've succeeded. Yes, that is an order," she quickly added the end part when she saw Mike open his mouth to protest.

It was silent while Jayden held out his hand for Mike to shake it. After a few long seconds, Mike finally held out his own hand, and the two shook on the promise of being allies for now, and enemies later.

Emily smiled at this. She just wanted everyone to be friends. She really couldn't stand any fighting between friends/allies right now. She had just been betrayed by one of her best friends, and her older sister had just been killed right before her eyes and all of the people of Bellewoode.

Navigator Antonio calmly cut in, "If I may interject, I have an idea on how we can infiltrate the castle."

Mike and Emily piped up, intrigued. "Yes?" Emily calmly urged him to continue.

"Sir Mike, were you sent here to recapture her?" Antonio asked.

"Indeed. Rae still believes I am on her side, and not Emily's," Mike replied.

"Good, just making sure," Antonio smiled. "Then my plan will work perfectly."

The other six merely looked on him with varying degrees of confusion and anxiety.

"Garcia, what is going on through your head?" Captain Shiba asked, his blue eyes bright and almost glaring underneath his pirate hat. His voice tone almost suggested that he was...protective.

Or was that just Emily's imagination?

Antonio immediately stepped back, as if he was aware of what Jayden was capable of if and when he was mad. "Nothing risky...well...kinda risky." Jayden and Lauren both quirked an eyebrow at him, not buying a word he was saying, and clearly not amused. "Okay, fine, it's very risky. Someone might be executed if Rae finds out, maybe even all of us, but if it works, then we'll all have our way and a happy ending. But it's up to the Princess, only if she wants to take the risk."

"What exactly does this plan contain, Garcia?" Jayden asked again, still glaring and still forceful.

"Woah, rather protective, aren't we?" Antonio asked his captain, teasing him like a friend would. "You just met her."

"Answer the question," was all Jayden said, his jaw tight and face dead set against showing any emotion.

Emily couldn't keep her eyes off of the Pirate Captain. Was he really being protective? Or did someone set off his temper? Did she set off his temper?

Was she...developing a crush on him?

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Illusional Dimension, Pearl Castle, Great Hall

Mike, leading Emily through the halls, stopped in front of Rae's throne. He glanced back at Emily, back in her cuffs.

Despite everything that had happened and was still happening, Mike was surprised at the fact that she had a determined look in her eyes. But he also admired her for keeping on a brave face in this time of trouble.

"Ahh! Emily, my dearest friend!" Wearing the designated Queen's tiara, Rae practically greeted the imprisoned princess with open arms. "How are you?"

Upon silent orders, Mike stepped back and stood with the other knights off to the side. Emily replied, "Better, now that I'm not in prison anymore."

"Well," Rae spoke aloud. "I've had a change of heart. Good news, you are no longer a prisoner."

Mike and Emily's eyebrows rose as a guard produced a key and took off Emily's cuffs. Rae came down from her throne ledge to take off Emily's silver tiara (the one that made her look like she was always mad) herself.

"No longer a prisoner?" Emily asked.

"Of course," Rae explained. "You have no longer been declared a criminal to this kingdom, but a friend."

Emily felt herself crack a small, real smile.

"Ah, but at a price." Emily felt her smile begin to fade, prompting Rae's to grow. "All your crimes against this kingdom will be erased and forgotten only if you marry my brother here."

A dark-haired man, with white pasty skin and bright hazel eyes, though handsome, entered the room. And immediately, Emily felt her heart skip a beat.

Mike's heart and mind were killed with dread. If Emily married this guy, then the throne was no longer rightfully hers.

"His name is Milo," Rae continued. "And he has taken quite a liking to you." She leaned into Emily and quietly whispered so that only Emily could hear her say, "And for your sake and your Knight's, you better say yes."

Rae knew.

Rae knew that Mike had never allied with her, and was still pledged to Emily and only Emily.

Rae stepped back as Emily turned around to face Mike.

Mike saw the extremely apologetic look on Emily's face. He was confused, especially when she turned back, faced Rae and said, "I accept."

"What a wonderful day! Everyone's invited! Tonight, at dusk, the entire kingdom shall celebrate the union of Milo and Emily!"

Mike noticed Emily hanging her head while Rae was shouting this to the entire hall.

And he was immediately worried about what Rae had said to her to make her look at him in such an apologetic way.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Illusional Dimension, Pearl Castle, Emily's Room

Emily had just picked out a dress for her wedding that night when she heard a knock on her door.

"Who is it?" She called.

In response, she heard a familiar voice say, "Just a little nobody."

She smiled at the reference to one of their many inside jokes, before replying, "Come in, Mike."

Carrying Emily's silver wedding tiara, Mike slowly opened the door, entered Emily's large room, and closed the door behind him.

The minute he laid his eyes on Emily, he stopped all actions and thoughts. "Wow," he muttered.

"You like it?" Emily asked, showing off the dress she had picked.

It was long white, with a silver collar and a silver, triple-layered, V-shaped belt. Emily had finally had the chance to wash and brush her hair, as well as her body, and she was wearing white flats on her feet and silver van-braces on her arms.

"It's missing something," was Mike's reply. Emily raised an eyebrow, daring him to tell her what exactly was missing. His response to her eyebrow tick was putting the silver wedding tiara on her head, the sides perfectly framing her face. "There. Now, you look perfect."

Emily smiled her first real smile in a long time. She absolutely loved that Mike was so honest with her and he wasn't afraid to be so.

"Thank you, Mike. Listen, I need to tell you something."

This was what really caught his attention.

"I need to tell you something too."

"You first," Emily said.

"Rae's sent me on another mission," Mike replied. "My job now is to bomb that pirate ship out in the bay."

"That's Jayden, Lauren, and Antonio's ship," Emily pointed out. "You can't, but...you have to, in order to regain Rae's trust."

"What?" Mike was incredibly confused at this.

"Rae knows you're still on my side," Emily revealed. "If I don't marry Milo, then both you and I will be arrested, imprisoned, and executed."

That explained the apologetic look she had given him in the Hall a few hours ago.

"I see," was all Mike said about this.

"And I also felt something weird in the hall earlier," Emily revealed. "We shouldn't be here."

"You're right," Mike said. "We shouldn't be in this situation, Em, but we are."

"Not that!" Emily exclaimed. "We shouldn't be here!" She lowered her voice the second she realized she was shouting. "You, me...Jayden, Lauren, Antonio, Kevin, and Mia...we seven should not be here. This is not the universe we live in."

"Why do you have such a feeling?" Mike asked, curious as to what her answer was.

"I don't know," Emily answered with complete honesty. "But Milo and Rae shouldn't be here either. I got that feeling the moment Milo entered the Hall earlier."

Mike held up a hand to calm her and then asked, "Do you think that fate itself knows we do not belong in this world and is making it so we get to go back home?"

Emily merely shrugged. "I don't know. All I do know is that technically, this is still my kingdom, and I will still fight for it. Maybe if I take back the throne from Rae and the Shibas retrieve their father's medallion and Lady Watanabe her family jewel, everything will reset itself, and we seven will be able to escape this place."

"Maybe..."

Mike was about to say more, but he was interrupted by a guard outside Emily's door, saying, "Princess Emily, the wedding is about to start! Queen Rae is calling you down to the Great Hall now!"

Emily took a deep breath before replying, "I will be out in a moment." She leaned over and whispered to Mike, "Make sure you get the other five inside the castle, before I'm forced to say 'I do'."

Mike nodded, before opening the door for them both.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Illusional Dimension, Pearl Castle, Great Hall

Eight guards stood at attention, four on either side of the Great Hall doors, not saying a word. However, when Emily approached them, all of them turned to them, one saying, "You look beautiful, Your Majesty."

Emily was standing there, waiting for Rae to announce the start of the wedding. "Thank you," she replied softly. "But I'm not the Queen." That similar title for a princess was 'Your Highness'.

"You are to us," another guard quietly replied.

Emily was caught off-guard by his answer. But it was in this moment that she realized that she and Mike were not alone in wanting to overthrow Rae.

"We believe in you, Your Majesty," a third guard. "Do what you feel is right."

Emily's heart skipped a beat as that feeling came back, the feeling that told her she didn't belong here.

'I trust you, Emily Suzuki, to do what you believe is right.'

She knew that memory from somewhere. She couldn't place her finger on it, but it was then that she knew that no matter which universe she came from, she was the same person in each and every one of them.

And Emily smiled and vowed, "I will. Rae shall be overthrown before the night's end. I promise."

Now, she truly had something to fight for.

Then, Emily and the eight guards heard the music starting from within the Hall. It was showtime.

The doors opened, revealing the Great Hall, all decorated with fancy white and gold decor just for this evening.

Rae was standing in front of the throne, waiting to say the fateful words that would join together Milo and Emily and ensure that Emily would never again be Bellewoode's rightful heir.

Milo was standing below his sister, off to Emily's right. Both siblings were waiting for Emily to go down the aisle.

One of the older knights, one that Mike trusted and looked up to, came up to Emily's side, gave her a sympathetic look, and allowed to her take his elbow.

Emily, grateful that not every knight was on Rae's side, allowed him to walk her down the aisle, in place of her deceased father, the beloved, peacemaker King Thomas.

As Emily walked down the aisle, she was quick to note the scared and sorrowful, but slightly happy looks on her subjects' faces.

Scared due to Rae's iron and frightening fist.

Sorrowful due to being forced to watch the warm-hearted Queen Serena's forced execution.

And happy due to the fact that they were seeing their beloved princess, who was still alive, with their own eyes.

And Emily's heart was filled with happiness too.

All of this was on account of Rae. Serena was executed all and only because of Rae's orders. Emily was made a prisoner and an outlaw all because of Rae. Mike was being forced to blow that pirate ship, and possibly kill their allies in taking back the throne, all on account of Rae. Emily was being forced to say 'I do' to a man she did not want to marry for multiple reasons all because of Rae.

None of this was Emily's fault, or her subjects'. It was all Rae's.

And Emily's eyes lowered at Rae and Milo with determination.

'You, me...Jayden, Lauren, Antonio, Kevin, and Mia...we seven should not be here. This is not the universe we live in.'

But it was because of Rae that she and Mike possibly found new friends, in both high and low places.

When Emily reached the end of the aisle, Milo held out his hand to her.

Emily shared one frightened last look at the knight who walked her down here before hesitantly, reluctantly taking Milo's hand.

And as Rae began the fateful event, another memory jumped through her mind.

"Welcome, all of Bellewoode, to this lovely evening, where we will all have a front row seat to watch the union of Milo, my brother, and Emily, our beloved Princess."

'I've felt this way about you for a really long time. I'm not quite sure when I started feeling this way, but I've known it for a little over a year.'

Emily could hardly focus on what Rae was saying. All she could focus on was the voice that was speaking to her in the memory she was witnessing.

"Does anyone have any reason as to why these two should not be joined together in holy matrimony?" No answer. "Didn't think so."

In Emily's mind, the familiar voice continued, 'I don't know what caused me to fall for you, exactly, but I love everything about you. I don't care that you were Xandred's Gem. I don't care that you're not perfect. To me, you are. None of the things you did under Xandred's control mean anything to me, because I love you, Emily...and I always will.'

"Milo, do you take this girl and vow to be together with her forever, 'till death do you part?"

"I do," was his immediate answer.

The memory in Emily's mind continued with her own voice, and the answer as to who the familiar voice belonged to, 'I love you, too, Jayden.'

"Emily, do you take my brother and vow to be together with him forever, 'till death do you part?"

Emily couldn't find it in herself to speak.

Jayden, the Pirate Captain? Was that why she felt so close to him when they first met, that she could trust him no matter what was going on? Was that why he was so protective of her when Antonio volunteered his plan?

Did he know that too?

"I..." Emily finally regained her voice and made her decision, not just for herself and Jayden, her apparent love, but for her subjects, as well as her friends and allies that were hopefully on their way inside the castle right now. Her hazel eyes lowered with the fire of determination. "I do not."

"WHAT?!" Rae was infuriated. "How dare you!? Treason!"

Even if the others were not on their way right now, Emily vowed to do everything she could to take back the throne by herself.

Rae got even angrier when she saw Emily glaring at her.

After all she put Emily through, the girl still had the nerve to stand up against her?

Rae snapped her fingers, creating a spark and then surrounding her hand with fire. "You will pay for your crimes!" Rae waved her hand, sending a wave of fire at Emily.

But it never hit the Princess.

Emily opened her eyes and glanced up to see who had saved her from the wave of fire.

She immediately smiled. "Jayden!"

"Hey," he replied, returning her bubbly smile with a soft one of his own.

"Sorry we were late. Mike's shortcut wasn't quite as short as he made it out to be," Kevin said, standing beside them.

A quick look around made Emily theorize that Mike was leading the other three deep inside the castle, in order to search for their respective treasures.

"Sir Michael, of the Forest," Rae said. "I knew he wasn't to be trusted."

"Because he knows who you truly are," Emily retorted, as Jayden gently set her down. "And he's not afraid to stand up and fight for what's right!" Emily took off the bride tiara Mike gave to her and threw it off to the side, landing on the ground with a light clank (as it was metal). "And neither am I!"

"You dare to challenge me, Little Emmy?" The nickname was meant to be condescending, Rae hoping it would put Emily back in her 'place'. But to no avail.

"In fact, I do," Emily replied. "I challenge you for the crown!"

"That would be unwise, dear Emily," Rae pointed to a jewel she was wearing around her neck.

Kevin's eyes widened with recognition. "That's Lady Mia's family heirloom!"

"This jewel grants great power to anyone who wields it. It doesn't matter if it was stolen," Rae said, "because it's mine now."

"Don't worry, Kevin," Emily calmly said to the African-American. "I'll get it back for you."

And Emily charged, ready and willing (if not physically able) to take all the third degree burns of Rae's fire if it meant getting Mia's heirloom back and winning back the throne.

Jayden noticed a familiar gold medallion on a string around Milo's neck, so he stepped in front of him, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I like that medallion around your neck."

Because it had a special symbol on it: the crown-like symbol Lauren had described earlier. She and Jayden would recognize that symbol anywhere.

"Are you going to kill me and steal it, pirate?" Milo asked, a nasty smirk across his face.

"Technically, it's not stealing if it's rightfully yours," was Jayden's stoically angry reply.

"You would be right," Milo admitted. "This is rightfully yours, but ever since Rae and I found it, it's ours now. Finder's keepers, you know."

"And loser's weepers," Jayden replied. "So get ready to cry."

"And what does that mean?" Milo asked, slightly angry at how this guy was showing hardly any anger whatsoever.

"Just try and fight me," Jayden said, "and find out."

Kevin's heart skipped a beat when Rae landed a fiery hit on Emily's chest. Kevin stepped forward to help, but Mike's knight friend surprisingly held him back.

"Don't," he said. "As part of our culture, if anyone interferes in their fight, to help either one of them, the challenge is rendered null and void. If you try to help the Princess now, she will lose, and you will lose your own life, as well as the rest of your friends'."

"He's right, Kevin," Mike said, surprising the two. "Besides, Emily can handle herself."

"But–!"

"Just watch," was all Mike said.

Kevin was forced to watch Emily get hurt by Rae's fire even more, and he was unable to relax.

Antonio and Lauren, as well as Mia, were also back, and the two Pirates turned to Jayden, who had just sent Milo pinned to the ground, without the need for his sword.

"Jayden, the medallion, we couldn't find it," Lauren regretfully informed.

"No need to panic, dear sister," Jayden replied, turning to the two and holding up their father's medallion, the one Milo had been wearing just a minute prior.

"You found it?" Antonio asked.

"Milo and Rae did all the dirty work for us, it seems," Jayden explained. "And Milo here was about to use it for evil purposes," he added, as he handed the medallion over to his sister.

"Finally," Lauren said, holding the medallion gently in her hand. "Father's treasure is back in the hands on the Shiba Family."

"And Emily?" Antonio asked.

The three pirates turned back to Emily and Rae's fiery fight, and it looked like Emily was losing. Antonio stepped forward, intent on helping. But Jayden held him back.

"We can't help her now," Jayden informed. "According to her culture, either she fights alone or she immediately loses the challenge. Besides, this is her fight. Not ours. All we can do is give her moral support."

"But we pirates are not good at that kind of thing," Antonio pointed out. "In fact, we're the worst."

"But as friends," Lauren cut in softly, "we're the best."

So the three pirates committed themselves to watching over Milo, to make sure he stayed down, at least, until this fight was over.

Mia stood by Kevin's side. "My heirloom, Kevin–"

"Rae has it," Kevin pointed to Rae's necklace. He turned back to Mia with a warm smile. "But Emily promised to get it for us."

"But she's defenseless against that fire," Antonio protested. "How can she ever win?"

"Just watch," Mike repeated.

Every one inside the Great Hall watched as a heavily burnt Emily fell onto her hands and knees, obviously in pain from all the burns and sprained bones and joints Rae's strikes had caused.

"That's right," Rae stood in front of Emily, her hands on her hips. "Bow before your Queen!"

And with that, Emily's head immediately snapped up, "I will never bow to you!"

Now, Emily appeared to be surrounded by a bright yellow aura.

Rae formed a giant fire ball and threw it at Emily, who easily jumped over it, making it crash into the wall behind her. Emily threw her hand forward into the aura of fire surrounding Rae and grabbed Mia's jewel.

But the yellow aura surrounding Emily appeared to not only be protecting her from the fire, but also healing her burns as well.

"She's not using any special powers like Rae is with her fire," Mia pointed out. "How is she doing that?"

Mike replied, smiling, "Emily's family has a special ability to form a shield around their bodies when their lives are being severely threatened, to protect them. But it has to grow over a period of time in order to work properly. Because of this, Rae didn't announce the news of Serena's execution until it was too late to protest."

Rae was shoved back a powerful force (Emily's body shield), and she was convinced that she was fine and still able to win. At least, until she looked down and saw that the jewel was missing.

Rae looked back up at Emily, who had Mia's jewel in her hand, safe and in one piece, before she threw it back to Mia (who caught it perfectly) and charged forward at Rae again.

One last powerful right hook to Rae's jaw sent her to the ground and temporarily knocked her out.

When Rae came to a few seconds later, she was witnessing Emily grabbing the Queen's tiara, the one that Rae was wearing and had fallen off her head, and placing it on her own head.

"The challenge is complete!" Emily announced, and the Great Hall, Emily's subjects, erupted in a great roar of victory.

"All hail Queen Emily!" began the chant, before Emily spoke up again, this time to Milo.

"Sorry, Milo, but there will be no wedding." Emily turned to Rae. "And henceforth, Rae is hereby banished from Bellewoode."

Mike and the other five rushed forward to congratulate her, but the minute Mia and Lauren stepped closer to each other, there was a bright light and a strong wind. And when they stepped farther away from each other, it stopped.

"What was that?" Mike asked.

"I think that's our way home," Emily calmly replied. The others looked at her in confusion, at least until Emily said, "Can't you feel it? That little tug in your heart that's telling you we don't belong here?"

Mia and Lauren stepped closer to each other, as did everyone else, recreating that light and wind. Lauren's medallion and Mia's jewel magnetically combined, forming the light and wind into a tunnel-like portal with Milo standing at the other end, but this time, no one flinched.

They truly did feel like Emily was right.

Emily smiled at them. "After you guys."

Lauren went in first, followed by Antonio, then Kevin, Mia, Mike, and finally Jayden and Emily joined hands and went in together.

It was when they were getting closer to Milo, who was morphing into a black cloaked human-like figure, with a white ghost mask and red eyes, did they remember what was happened before the seven woke up in the illusional dimension.

Ghouliam.

They were fighting this Nighlock, Ghouliam, and they had just defeated his first life when they were sent there.

Morphing back into their Ranger forms on the way, each Samurai Ranger drew their sword, the blades swirled in their own elemental energy.

"Spin Sword!"

"Uh-oh!"

"Seven Element Strike!"

And with that Ghouliam was gone for good.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Main Street, Panorama City

The second Emily stepped foot back into the dimension she truly belonged in, she was met with a giant bear hug from her older sister.

"You guys are back!" Serena exclaimed, the seven Rangers all de-morphed now.

"We were so worried about you guys," Terry added, giving Mia a gentle hug, who returned it without a second thought.

Mike was the first to notice all the defeated Moogers lying on the ground. As far as he knew, the Rangers only fought Ghouliam and very few foot soldiers.

"Did you guys...defeat all of these Moogers?" Mike asked.

"Of course," Angela replied, as Mike quickly noticed her bruised knuckles. "Don't worry, we're fine." Mike quickly went over to her and held her injured hands gently in his own.

Cody closed up the medic kit he had been carrying, "Yeah, we beat them quite a while ago, and we were taking the last half hour to heal up ourselves."

"The civilians that were hurt?" Lauren asked.

"All treated and sent back to their homes," Ryan reassured them, obviously having bruised ribs, as he was being supported by Kaitlyn.

"Don't worry about a thing," Jii revealed himself after he closed up his own first aid kit. "We took care of it all."

Jayden helped Cody to his feet. "You all did a good job. Thank you."

"Emily?" Serena asked, worried about why Emily just gently shoved her off. This caught the others' attention.

Emily pointed her Spin Sword at the only stranger in the area.

"Rae?" Mike asked. "What are you still doing here? You belong in the other dimension, don't you?"

"She wouldn't be here," Emily replied, her voice cold as she glared at Rae, "unless she belonged in this world too, like us." She turned to Rae. "Who are you really?"

Rae's 'Queen' dress turned into a kimono, stylized and weaponized for fighting, with two kunais holding her bun in place. "I am Raida," she replied, just as coldly as Emily. "The partner-in-crime of Rikel and Octoroo's new general. You may have won this battle, Rangers, but this isn't the last time you'll hear from me."

And Raida retreated into a gap, leaving the Rangers to ponder over the fact that the Nighlock really were getting stronger.

~P~O~W~E~R~R~A~N~G~E~R~S~S~A~M~U~R~A~I~L~E~G~E~N~D~S~

Shiba House, Meeting Room

It was after the party now, and the allies were gently told to go to bed and rest, especially Ryan, whose ribs would take a while to heal. They wanted to hear about the Rangers' adventures in the other dimension, but tomorrow would give them more time, as it was a long story.

The only ally who was permitted to remain in the room was Mentor Jii, who had a feeling that Lauren had something very important to say.

"Jayden and I have devised a plan," Lauren announced when all was quiet and she had everyone's undivided attention. "As you know, Antonio and I are engaged. Of course, this also means that currently, the Fire is being transferred over to Jayden, and transfer will be complete when we say our vows."

"We're happy for you two," Mike said with complete honesty. "Really, we are, but what does your wedding have to do with your plan?"

"Everything," Lauren replied. "Antonio and I have set the date for December 24. That will give Jayden plenty of time to perfect the Sealing Symbol, as much as he can. After the transfer is complete, Jayden will write the Seal and activate it."

"I can feel the pros and cons coming," Kevin commented.

"Of course," Lauren could only add before continuing, "The con is that since Jayden is not the first born, it will not be permanent. The pro is that it will be stronger than mine two years ago, where it only weakened Xandred for a few hours instead of completely sealing him away."

"So," Mia had to ask, "What is your strategy? I mean, why plan all of this if the Seal will only be temporary?"

"Because the Seal has been estimated to last at least twenty to twenty-five years," Lauren finally revealed the reason behind her plan. "Just enough time to raise the 19th Generation into fully-fledged Samurai."

Silence came upon the group as they fully pondered over what Lauren just said.

'Just enough time to raise the 19th Generation into fully-fledged Samurai...'

Lauren continued and ended on this note, "I believe it's time we put the future of this world into the hands of the next generation."

~PRS~PRS~PRS~PRS~

A/N: Review, please! Reviews are my motivation. Well? What do you think? Tell me how I did! Review, please! Here's a little preview for the next Chapter:

Chapter 22: Snowed In

"Things could not get any worse. There was a blizzard outside, caused by a Nighlock on a battlefield that they could not get to, and if Emily got any colder, she would die. So Jayden had no choice. He had to do it."

I also have a side-story for Top of the World and this one is out and ready to read. Lately, I've noticed that certain scenes are missing from the story, ones that I omitted but shouldn't have, so I have written them out. Go check it out. It's called "Reading Between the Lines".