The sun hung high above Harwood City, the last traces of the storm having vanished. In the training grounds behind the Rangers' base, Yuriko stood alone, her body gleaming with sweat. Three keychains hung neatly on a chain near her wrist: Snow, Ember, and Wade.
She closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
"Snow Tackle—freeze!" she shouted, striking forward. A blast of icy mist shot out, freezing a training dummy solid.
Switching stances, she called, "Fire Tackle!" Her form shimmered red, and fire engulfed her fists as she spun, shattering the frozen dummy into shards.
Before the shards could even fall, she snapped her hand forward again. Blue light rippled across her body. "Water Tackle!" Her whip of water lashed outward, washing away the fragments.
Panting, she dropped to her knees. "Snow. Fire. Water… each power has its own rhythm." She clenched her fist. "But I still can't hold them for long without draining my energy…"
A gentle voice called out:
"You're pushing yourself too hard again."
Yuriko turned to see Emma walking toward her, carrying something small in her palm. Her smile was warm as always, though her tone was half teasing, half concerned.
Emma knelt down and held out the object. "Here. I saw this at a shop yesterday and thought of you."
Yuriko blinked, surprised. "Another keychain?"
It was shaped like a small, fluffy cloud, white with silver linings. Light caught its surface, making it almost glow.
Yuriko's eyes softened. "Emma… thank you." She took the charm carefully, as if it were delicate glass.
Emma shrugged, though a faint blush touched her cheeks. "You've already got snow, fire, and water. Maybe… clouds will be next?"
Yuriko smiled gently. "Maybe." She clipped the charm to her chain, the four keychains glinting together.
---
Two days later, the team decided to take a rare break. For once, there were no alarms, no Armada generals, no destruction. Just peace.
Yuriko walked side by side with Emma, Gia, and Jake through Harwood Park, the evening sky painted orange by the setting sun. Children laughed in the distance, couples strolled hand-in-hand, and the calm reminded them of what they were fighting for.
Jake stretched his arms lazily. "Man, it feels good not to get blasted into a wall for once."
Gia rolled her eyes. "Don't get used to it."
Emma laughed softly, then glanced at Yuriko, who was walking quietly, her gaze drifting from the flowers to the sky. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Yuriko said, though her eyes lingered on the keychains at her side. "I just… wonder how many more of these I'll find."
---
As they passed a row of trees, something small caught Yuriko's eye. Resting on the edge of a bench was a ladybug-shaped keychain, its scarlet surface glinting in the fading sunlight.
Curious, she picked it up. It looked normal enough—round, cute, almost childish. But when she flipped it over, her breath caught.
On the back, etched in bold letters, was a single word:
ZECT.
The air seemed to still around her. She traced the letters with her thumb, a strange unease stirring in her chest.
"Yuriko?" Emma asked, noticing her sudden silence.
Gia peered at it. "Another keychain? You're like a magnet for these things."
Jake leaned closer. "Zect? What the heck does that mean?"
Yuriko shook her head slowly, her expression unreadable. "I… don't know. But this one feels… different."
She slipped the ladybug charm into her pocket, her hand lingering over it as if it might vanish if she let go.
The rest of the evening passed without conflict. They laughed, shared snacks from a park vendor, and sat by the fountain as the stars emerged overhead.
But Yuriko's mind stayed distant, her thoughts circling back to the small red charm and the word etched on its back.
Zect.
It wasn't just another keychain. She could feel it.
Something was waiting. Watching.
And deep inside, Yuriko knew—this peace wouldn't last forever.