Chapter 1 - The Red Lord

The Sanzu River

The sky above the Sanzu River was nearly as red as the waters. On the surface of the river floated a ship with a ragged sail. A strange creature paced within the hull. He was basically a robbed man with a squid for a head. He carried a staff. He was upset. Doukoku was upset. The entire Sanzu River was vibrating with his rage.

A womanly creature sat nearby playing a stringed instrument. "Dayuu," he said impatiently. "Our Lord is upset. Even in his sleep he is upset," he murmured almost to himself.

The instrument twanged oddly as a roar of rage shook the entire ship, coming from the captain's quarters of the ship. Doukoku stormed out. He was ferociously looking thing, all red, fierce scowl and teeth. "Send an Ayakashi through the gaps shootari! I want to know who the Lord Shiba is!" he shouted.

"Doukoku," Dayuu spoke in a smoky sort of voice. She stood and poured him some liquid from a bottle into a large shallow bowl. "The Lord Shiba is dead," she ventured unsurely, not wanting to prick his temper.

Doukoku growled. "There is another! shootari!" he growled at the servant.

shootari bustled to the opening in the ship. "Kagekamuro!" he called out formally. As he shuffled back out of the way, a creature known as an Ayakashi. His face was where his legs should be. "I was summoned?" he asked and bowed differentially to Doukoku.

Doukoku snarled. "Just go to the human world and tell me what you find," he said without repeating himself. He slugged down the liquid bliss of human sorrows that Dayuu had poured him. "Play," he commanded her.

Dayuu went back to her shamisen while Kagekamuro did as bade.

~*~

Tai, fully morphed, turned to his new team. Pressing another button on his Morpher and powered down. He took the pink case from one of the Stagehands and handed it to Lani with a slight smile. "As close to red as your likely to get this round," he teased her.

She smiled at him. "Some of my best friends are Pink," she said and accepted the case and hugged it close to her chest a moment before opening it and taking out the morpher, disc and Origami Zord. The circle popped open into a little hovering turtle and seemed to cuddle up to her, making her laugh.

Tai smiled at her. He took the Blue case from a Stagehand. He noticed Daiki's hopeful expression and quirked a brow. He moved to him and presented it to him. "I see no reason to separate you from your former companion," he stated.

Daiki's eyes widened. He clapped his hands together and bowed. "Tono-sama! H-How did you know?" he asked, even as he took the case and took out his disc and morpher while the Water Dragon Origami settled onto his shoulder.

Tai looked him over a moment, noting his faded jeans and blue striped shirt. "Wild guess," he said sardonically. He peered over at Kiari when she tried to hide a giggle behind her hand.

Kane shook his head. "Guy, you're a walking talking 'I'm a Blue Ranger stereotype," he declared and gestured toward Billie and her hues of blues and glasses.

She sniffed at the implication.

Daiki just blinked and smiled unsurely.

Tai just grinned and moved on. He took the Yellow case and presented it to Kiari, whose face lit up. "Uh...arigato, Tono-sama," she said and bowed as well before taking the case and quickly freeing her old companion.

Tai rubbed the back of his neck. "I think I'm going to get whiplash from all the bowing," he declared and took the Green case and presented it to Kane.

Kane pretended to pout. "Why do assume I'll blithely take Green again? Maaaybe, I'm sick of Green," he declared.

Lani aimed a smile at him. "You can always trade with me. The world could use another male Pink Ranger," she said innocently enough.

"The hell it can. One's more than enough," Billie piped up, but a smile flirted about the edge of her lips. Lani giggled.

Tai shook his head at the lot of them. "If you don't want it, I can always find someone else, I'm sure there's--"

"Bah. Give it," Kane said and took the case. He took his morpher and disc and picked up the Origami. When a bear unfolded himself to snarl at him he had to grin. He then clapped his hands together in imitation of his new teammates. "Ooooh, sankyou Tono-sama!" he said and bowed a few more times for good measure.

Just about the time Tai would have popped Kane upside the head for that; a jangling rang throughout the house. He frowned. "What was that?" he demanded.

"Oh! Lord-sama. I've had the Stagehands putting up markers throughout the city since we arrived. It is a warning system for Ayakashi," Hikomi explained and then paused looking steadily at him. "Doukoku is awake," he stated seriously and moved to a little contraption by the front door. A stick dropped out of it.

Hikomi looked at the number on the stock. "367," he said and a Stagehand appeared with a map and showed them where in Angel Grove the marker was.

Tai nodded. He looked at his new team. "Are we ready?" he asked them. They all nodded without hesitation. "Follow me," he said and used his morpher to teleport.

~*~

Kagekamuro watched the humans flee. He was well aware that they weren't in Japan anymore, but he was having way too much fun scaring humans to pay too much attention. Whatever had happened to upset Doukoku allowed them to slip into the human world.

"Run, run little humans!" he crowed. He spun when he heard a whistle.

Standing just ahead of several black clad figures shooing frightened people away were five young people. "What's this now?" he asked with a scoff.

Tai smirked. "This is the end of the road for you," he stated and opened his Morpher. The other four followed suit. "Samurai Sword Clash!" he called and drew the Fire character in the air before him.

To his right Lani drew the character for Heaven in the air in front of her.

To his left Daiki drew the character for Water in the air in the front him.

To his further right Kane drew the character for Wood in air in front of him.

To his further left Kiari drew the character for Earth.

Each pressed the red button of their Morphers. The Characters flipped around, enveloping and morphing them.

"Eh?" Kagekamuro took a few steps back. "Am I supposed to be afraid of Technicolor costumes?"

Without missing a beat, Samurai Blue stepped forward. "Authorized by Providence! I am Sh-Samurai Blue, Sin-" but was stopped by a whack on the back of his head with Tai's sword.

"Talking and grand-standing gives the enemy time to formulate an attack," he stated. "Long story short, Ug-O, we're Samurai Rangers and we're gonna cut a dog," he said and jumped at Kagekamuro, sword in hand, followed closely by Pink and Green.

Sharing a look, Blue and Yellow attacked as well. This was not what they were use to, but this was a different Lord.

Kagekamuro was attacked on every side by the Rangers. He finally stumbled back and cast a dark energy from his humongous mouth, knocking the Rangers off them feet and crashing them into the ground. "What was that about cutting someone?" he asked.

Tai got to his feet and rubbed the shoulder that he hit the ground with. "Time to amp it up a bit," he stated and opened the round pouch on his belt and pulled out his Disc. He slid it onto his Sword and spun it. "Giant Flaming Blade!" It turned into a rather large red sword. "Sora, eat your hearts out," he said. Swinging his sword, he launched a rather large fireball at Kagekamuro.

Lani got to her feet as well. "Didn't miss the getting hurt part," she said and pulled out her disc and putting it on her sword and spinning it. "Heaven Fan!" she said and spun throwing off a pink whirlwind toward the Ayakashi.

Daiki grumbled something unintelligle under his breath and pulled out his disc. He put it on his sword, spinning it. "Water Arrow!" his sword turned into a bow and he shot an arrow of water at Kagekamuro.

Kane jumped to his feet and shook it off. He got out his Disc and spun it onto his sword. "Wood Spear!" His sword turned into a long staff like weapon topped with a blade. He chucked it at Kagekamuro.

Kiari huffed, red-faced and stood. She got out her Disc and slipped it onto her sword and set it to spinning "Landu Slysa!" her sword turned into a large shuriken and she hurled it at Kagekamuro.

Unable to dodge all the attacks coming at him at once, Kagekumaro was hit all at once.

An explosion rocked the area around him as he lost his life.

Tai slung his over sized sword over his shoulder, propping it idly.

"Lord-sama. You should know--"

Tai cut Daiki off. "He's gonna get huge. It happens," he said almost casually.

With a roar of rage, Kagekamuro grew to the size of a skyscraper. "How dare you make me assume this form!" he shouted and began taking his rage out on the city.

Tai sheathed his sword. "Zord time!" he said and took out the Lion Origami Zord and his Morpher, writing the Character for Large on it. The others did the same. The Origami Zords grew in size and changed to their animal forms, their pilots appearing inside.

On the inside of this Zord, Tai stood before a console with the hilt of his sword sticking out of it. He rested his hand against it and pushed his forward. The Lion Origami charged at Kagekamuro with a blazing fury.

Inside her Turtle Origami, Lani stood before a similar console and pushed forward. The Turtle spun, creating a tornado like spiral and crashed into Kagekamuro.

Inside his Dragon Origami, Daiki charged forward, the dragon emitting a blast of blue fire.

Inside his Bear Origami, Kane attacked Kagekamuro with its claws.

Inside her Monkey Origami, Kiari scaled a building nearby and jumped, screeching into Kagekamuro and pounded him slightly with her fists.

Kagekamuro screamed with rage and unleashed an attack that sent some of them reeling.

"Ok, so how do we bring it together?" Kane said and began fiddling with things. In his haste, the square of his Origami Zord knocked into Tai and sent him spinning away.

Before Daiki could answer, and explain things, he was somehow swept up in Kane's haste.

Kagekamuro watched with a slightly confused expression as they stacked atop each other.

When Tai managed to get his tail spin under control he sighed at the sight. "Kane...now I see why Kanoi and Cam were always yelling at you," he declared and shook his head. He took out his Morpher and used it to write the Character for Uniting and activated it. After that, the Zords came together to correctly form the Origami Megazord.

"United under Providence! Origami Megazord!" Tai stated formally.

Kagekamuro, now angry again, attacked with his twins swords. The Megazord was knocked around a bit.

Tai rubbed the back of his helmet. "Ok, let's finish this once and for all and make sure the Gedoushu know what's going to become of them from now on," he declared and drew the giant sword from the 'hip' of the Megazord. The sky darkened and thunder clashed as they strode forward with the Zord and slashed a killing blow to Kagekamuro.

The Ayakashi screamed and twisted, falling to ground in an explosion.

Tai brushed off his gloved hands and crossed his arms over his chest. "That brings this chapter to a close," he declared.

Kane cocked his head at him. "Whaaat?"

Tai shrugged. "Seemed like the thing to say," he stated.

Lani leaned against him. "I like it," she assured him.

"Very nice, Lord-sama!" Daiki said approvingly while Kiari bobbed her head.

Kane slapped his open hand against the front of his helmet and shook his head.

~*~

Tai stood in front of the newly completed Watanabe Bushido Studio behind him were Hikomi and Grandpa. He looked at Lani, Kane, Kiari and Daiki. "I have accepted the role of Lord Shiba and taken on the duties of protecting the world from the Gedoushu. But, I still have to make a living. I was going to put ads in the papers and such looking for instructors, but destiny, that hateful dog, decided to be nice and present me with four of them," he stated.

Kane slapped his hand against his face. "Oi, teaching again," he muttered.

Tai chuckled. "Yes. And as I an added bonus, I want you to help Kiari with her English. You'd probably do well with the help in Japanese," he added with a slight smirk.

Kiari blushed and smiled shyly. "Thank you, Lord-sama. I will do my best," she vowed emphatically.

"Whoa. Just, Tai, please. Enough of the Lord stuff," he added giving both her and Daiki a sharp look. They nodded timidly.

Kane sighed. "Fiiine," he said but gave Kiari a smile and a wink to let her know he was just giving Tai a hard time.''

"I will do my best to teach the next generation Bushido," Daiki vowed solemnly.

Tai nodded and moved to Lani. "I'm sorry you felt you had to take the semester off for this," he told her quietly.

Lani smiled slightly. "Don't worry, saving the world comes first. Just...don't mention to my brothers, ok?" she said and kissed his cheek.

Tai nodded and turned to survey the Studio. Then he turned to the others again. "All right, come on back to the house, I'll show you all where you'll be sleeping," he said and started back that way.

"Soooo, you're going through the pretense of giving Lani her own room, hmm?" Kane asked, getting reward for that remark with a whack on the back of the head.

Tai smiled slightly, draping an arm around Lani's waist as they walked back. Destiny has a new dog, and he decided to own that and make it his. He was the Red Lord. He would protect the world from the Gedoushu.

~*End Act 1*~           

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