[Sentai]

Emily screamed. She shot straight up in her bed, hand clutching the blanket at her chest attempting to catch her breath. The window was open, it was barely fifty outside, and she had on her yellow flimsy tank top. And she could still feel the layer of sweat covering her. Holding her face in her hand she tried shaking the dream loose. The same dream she’s had now for three weeks.
A deep sigh and she threw her legs over the side of her bed, hands holding onto her mattress so tight her knuckles became stark white. Almost as if she wanted to make sure she was awake. Not that she wanted to be. According to the clock glaring beside her it was only three in the morning, an hour longer than she’s used to sleeping. That was something. Right?
Not if she couldn’t shake this feeling. It took her several minutes but she made it into the shower. The warm water helped, the scented shower gel helped more. And the smell of fresh coffee brewing a couple minutes after was exactly what she needed. Both hands held her cup as she leaned herself against the wall of her home. Standing on the balcony overlooking the mountains just outside the Shiba House. The cool breeze made her wish she had on something more than her bathrobe, but the view made up for that.
“You’re awake.” She wasn’t surprised Mike didn’t sound surprised, but couldn’t he have pretended to be surprised? Just once for her sake? “Was it the same dream?”
Emily could only nod. But she still kept her attention off towards the light fog rolling down from off the mountains. “You all are dead, the Shiba House is in flames, and Kyoko is laughing at me. Because I lost my powers…”
She should’ve been comforted by Mike standing there. Leaned against the rail, arms folded, watching her without leering. Which he could’ve. But all she felt was small. Exactly how she felt ever since she woke up from the attack.. And realized she lost all her power. “We’ll find out what they did and reverse it, Em.. Ji…”
“Doesn’t have a clue.” Emily interrupted. She’s heard this before. And she knew he was just trying to help, but it was starting to make her angry more than anything else. “Master Ji has been searching for three weeks. Meanwhile Kyoko’s been doing what she wants, Daiyu and Deker have been helping Serrator do Lord knows what, and I’m stuck here watching.”
And instantly she felt horrible. “Sorry, Mike..” Even offering him her best apologetic smile. “I know everyone’s trying, and I love you all for it.. But let’s be honest. She took my powers away, none of us know how, or if she can do it to someone else.”
Is it horrible she was almost happy the Gap Sensor had started blaring? But now both of them were running. Mike arrived first, Emily stopped back inside her room and slipped into something a little less revealing before joining everyone inside the main room. Just in time to watch everyone else rush from the room without so much a second look as they went off to fight the bad guys. Is this what Ji felt like whenever they rushed out on him?
Almost as if he knew what she was thinking Emily felt a strong, almost fatherly, hand grasp her shoulder. “They did not mean to hurt your feelings, Emily. They are all hoping this is Kyoko so they can reverse what she has done. In the meantime.. Please get dressed. I have someone I want you to meet, someone who might be able to help you.”

Least the morning sun felt nice. Warm. Emily was leaned against one of the trees on the property, hands cushioning her rear against the tree. And her bare feet crossed. Wearing her favorite pair of flared blue jeans and a loose tank, in her usual Yellow. She may not’ve been a Ranger anymore but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t still dress like one.
.. Someone who could help her. Those words kept rolling around her head like an old log caught on the riverbank. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Ji, it’s just.. She didn’t believe him. Why did that somehow feel worse? This whole thing just felt like Ji trying to give her hope. False hope, but hope none the less.
She was almost grateful when she heard the rumble of an engine. Her eyes narrowed, fighting off the sun and through the growing dust cloud lifting from the road, trying to see who was driving.
The Military styled Humvee was silver. With two broad dark blue stripes running down the length of the top, and a brilliant white symbol on the hood. With two more of the doors. Each of them reading Terra Venture.. The woman who stepped out the Jeep though certainly didn’t look military. She looked more Me Tarzan, You Jane!. “You must be Emily, my name’s Maya. I’m here to help.”