Chapter Text
Jayden Shiba and I met when we were really young. My parents had died when I was around six years old, and so I ended up at the Shiba House, with Jayden being the same age as me.
My duty as the White Samurai Ranger was always lingering in my head, but I didn’t think I would have to be thrown into the responsibility so quickly and early in life. At least the others get to live a normal life; I have had to stay with Jayden and be his primary protector ever since I joined the Shiba House. At first we didn’t get along very well, and I think that’s because of Jayden’s solitaire nature. But we managed to get through our differences and built a strong friendship, I just didn’t think it would later develop into a crush on my part. When we both hit puberty, I started seeing Jayden as someone very strong, very capable of getting through whatever he came across with. Living under the same roof didn’t help dealing with that feeling. I tried my best to hide it, to make sure none of my feelings got in the way of our mission: to defeat the Nighlok once and for all.
My alarm I had set last night woke me up, but I dismissed it with one click on the top side of the clock. I groaned and opened my eyes to see it was six a.m. already. I decided to go back to sleep. Five minutes later, someone knocked on my door before entering with absolutely no respect for my personal space. I instantly knew it was Jayden.
“Freya. You´re five minutes late for breakfast.” He complained with his serious voice.
“Just… five more minutes.” I said with a lazy voice, without even opening my eyes.
“Okay then, I guess I’m gonna have to train alone.” He threatened, and I groaned in response. He knows how much I hate training alone, especially because I don’t manage to measure my abilities that well. Fighting with Jayden was always such a rush, it made my heart pound due to both the effort and the chemistry we had while fighting, especially because we knew each other’s fighting style very well. I liked training with him, so I opened my eyes and sat on the bed.
“You’re a jerk.” I said while looking away from him. Jayden was already wearing his Samurai uniform.
“And you’re still late for breakfast, come on.” He said as he left the room to hurry me.
I sighed and quickly walked towards the kitchen, where Mentor Ji was waiting for us.
“Good morning, Freya. I wish not to send Jayden again to wake you up, but I see it’s becoming a habit of yours.” Ji said. I rolled my eyes.
“It has happened less than thrice! I deserve some days off, too.”
“The Samurai lifestyle is filled with training. You must not forget that discipline is the hardest ability of them all.”
“I’m sorry.” I said, knowing I was oversleeping way too much. Ji is almost always right, anyways. He has been my father figure ever since my parents died and he took the responsibility to train me. I took a bowl from the countertop and filled it with milk and cereal. Even though that was not enough food to keep me up for the rest of the day, I still managed. “Alright, what are we training for today? Symbol power? One round of kicking Jayden’s butt again?”
“Let me remind you that you are mostly the one who ends up on the floor.” Jayden said between munches.
“I still manage to take you down from time to time.” I counter-attacked, squinting my eyes while looking at him.
“You both need to learn how to control your emotions while fighting. Especially you, Freya. You have grown to be a strong woman, but your emotions control you more than you control them.” Ji explained.
I sighed in defeat and looked down to my bowl of cereal.
“I’ll be better. I know what I must do.” I said with determination while looking up to him sitting in front of the countertop. I looked at Jayden, knowing that he was the reason I was always so hesitant while fighting.
***
Once I finished eating breakfast, I took a shower and got dressed with the Samurai uniform. I quickly dried my hair and took a look at myself in the mirror, clearing the steam from it with a hand. My black hair falling down my shoulders, my brown eyes with a slight hint of eyebags surrounding them, and my general physique made me know I was where I wanted to be. Even though I didn’t have my parents.
My parents were good people, as Ji always says. I don’t remember them much, I try not to anyways, due to the fact that they are just another bad memory of mine. My dad was the one to die first, at the hands of Master Xandred. They say my mom died due to heartbreak, but I know the truth. And no matter what I did to avoid it, it was always there, in my head, as another secret I had to keep.
I sighed and shook my head to free myself from my thoughts, just to get out of the bathroom and walk towards the dojo with enough determination to beat Jayden this time.
Jayden was already waiting for me with a wooden practice sword in his dominant hand, as expected. The challenge was easy: the one who managed to defeat the other, gained a point. Best of two wins.
I quickly grabbed with my dominant hand a practice sword from the pile, and got in position, with the sword against my left forearm, pointing at the enemy, my typical stance. Jayden got in position too, with the sword against his right shoulder, while Mentor was watching with his gaze deeply on me, expectant.
I got ready for Jayden’s attack with a defensive position. Our swords collided, making an “X”. We spun around for some talk, knowing that one wrong move and the other would be toast.
“Why are you so hesitant?” Jayden said, squinting his eyes and clenching his jaw. With anger and frustration, I grasped my sword and pushed Jayden, stunning him while he protected himself from each of the attacks I threw, making our swords collide each time… until I managed to get to his weak spot. I quickly attacked him from his right, distracting him just to spin around and duck to grab my sword with my left hand and almost hitting his legs, leaving my sword just a few inches from hitting him, making me win a point.
“Point.” I said, while breathing rapidly. I didn’t even look at Ji for his approval, I knew I was letting my emotions get in the way again, but I angrily got to my position once again, steadying my breathing and my heartbeat in the process. I looked at Jayden, who looked at me like he was trying to figure me out. This time, he took an offensive stance, with his sword pointing towards me. He looked focused on trying to read my next move.
This time, I took a typical Samurai stance known as kamae, which Ji taught me a bunch of years ago. It was meant to be neither defensive nor offensive, it was meant to be both. My legs were still, expecting Jayden’s attack. Once he took the chance, I quickly protected myself with my sword from his rapid attacks, moving it from side to side so as to not lose the point. I swung my sword defensively, but then a side kick came unexpectedly, hitting me on my abs and making me drop to the ground on my butt, letting my sword leave my hand, with Jayden threatening me with the tip of his sword right before my eyes.
“Point.” He said, leaving to go to his position for the final round. I scoffed in frustration, and got up from the ground by myself. I grabbed my sword on the ground, and grasped it with so much force I thought it would break.
I took the same stance he did the last round, testing if it could give me an advantage. Jayden took the same position as me. We both looked at the other, knowing this round would determine everything. Even though I’ve trained with him for years, I’ve never been able to get out of my head the way we both were alike in our fighting styles. The stances, the way of attacking… Most of it all made me know that Jayden and I had grown fond of the other, almost like… a couple. I got distracted by the imaginary scenario, and Jayden quickly took the shot to attack me right upfront. I protected myself, trying my best not to succumb to his attacks filled with unimaginable willpower. In one quick move, Jayden got me in a position where it was a strength fight, me holding my sword with both hands and Jayden pressing his sword perpendicular against mine. Even though my arms were trembling, I managed to push him away and deliver a few kicks, and when I had the chance to do it, I took a turn with my sword in hand and managed to get it against Jayden’s neck, but he managed to do the same with me.
We looked at the other, hidden anger behind both of our eyes. We stayed in position for a few seconds, before Ji decided to intervene. I took three steps back and left the sword in its place, without looking away from Jayden’s eyes. I looked towards Ji for his conclusion.
Ji congratulated, “Well, I would call this a tie! You both did a great job.”
“Thank you, Ji.” I said, and offered Jayden my hand. He quickly received it with his own, ending the fight in a handshake. My cheeks burned because of the touch, I hid it by looking any other way but his eyes.
When we went to go practice our symbol power, walking side by side with Jayden made my heart beat rapidly.
“Good fight,” he acknowledged. “You did well.”
“You did too. I still can’t manage to beat you completely, though.” I said as seriously as possible, trying to sound nonchalant. He placed an arm on both of my shoulders, surrounding my neck. The actions just brought us closer to one another.
“You’ll manage eventually, Freya.” He said with a smile. I couldn’t resist but to smile back. We stopped drastically on the way outside, just for him to pat my head like I was a little girl.
“Yeah… eventually.” I sighed, attempting to figure out a way to get over my feelings for Jayden, knowing it will only hurt us both if I don’t do so.
***
Ji had sent both me and Jayden to buy some groceries. It wasn’t something rare to happen, especially because Ji believes that cooperation is the key to succeed in working as a team. So he sent us both. While we were looking for vegetables at the greengrocery, I noticed there was still some tension from the fight that happened just a few hours ago, but I tried making a quick remark to make the weight leave my shoulders.
“Ji is never going to send me alone to buy groceries, is he?”
“Nah, I don't think so.” He answered, then, back to silence. Jayden was sometimes impossible to handle, given the fact that he grew up to be a quiet person. But with time, I think I managed to get through his defenses. I guess we both have the necessity to be accompanied, and by who else than the one you grew up with? It became a routine, both of us training together, eating together, etc. We had grown used to it. Or I guess… I did. Jayden insists on training alone most of the time, and whenever he wants a real deal, he comes to me to train. When we both hit puberty, his desire to be alone grew even stronger. There were times where he wouldn’t say one single word to me, not even a “good morning”. Just… pure silence. Of course, being a teenager, I thought that it had to do with me, because you take everything personal once you reach that age.
I was frozen in place, not noticing Jayden’s voice calling out my name. “Freya… Freya… Freya!” Until he screamed to get me out of my trance.
“Oh sorry, what were you saying?” I asked.
“I’m telling you that’s enough cabbage.” He said, scoffing in amusement. I looked down at my plastic bag of groceries, seeing that I had placed three cabbages in there and had another one in my hand.
“Oh, sorry. I— didn’t even notice.” I said in a faint of a whisper, getting some cabbage out of the bag and putting them in their respective place.
“Just… gimme that.” He grabbed the plastic bag and carried it himself. Jayden sighed and looked down at me. I guess this is how short people feel. “Look, if this is about that training fight… You won, okay? Fair and square.”
“I’m not pissed about that, Jayden. There’s just—a lot going in my head. Plus, you beat me fair and square. I know I need to get better.” I explained, trying to sound as sincere as possible.
“Then tell me, what’s going on in your head?” He crossed his arms on his chest, the handle of the bag hanging on for dear life on his wrist.
“Do you remember that one time where you told me we needed to keep our distance from the other?”
“I said that while mad, okay? It didn’t mean anything. I wanted to protect you.” Jayden explained. I bit the inside of my cheek.
“What if I don’t want to?” I asked, knowing I was about to make a dumb decision.
“Want to what?”
“Keep my distance.” I explained, leaving the words hanging in the air. Jayden opened his mouth to answer, but the sound of his Samuraizer ringing interrupted him. He instantly grabbed it from his pocket and answered it. Right. There were priorities, and we had to fulfill our duty.
“I’m on my way.” Jayden said, giving me the bag of groceries and running away from it all. I sighed in defeat and continued shopping, knowing Jayden would take care of whatever was going on. I looked down, not knowing that in a few more days I would have to fake not knowing Jayden at all, a secret that would affect our relationship forever. We didn’t talk about what happened at the greengrocery when Jayden got home, and I instantly thought he had just… forgotten.