Legal: I do not own Power Rangers, or the associated names, places, characters, events etc. Anything not covered by these rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.
R: T – may be some adult themes, including violence, language and adult storylines.
It was a fine day in Summer Cove, and the student body was just starting to get back into the swing of things at Summer Cove High. It wasn't long enough after their holiday that they were starting to get weary and looking forward to the next one, but it was long enough that they were out of the "mourning period" and had come to accept the reality that school was back in session.
Brody, Calvin, Hayley, Preston and Sarah came into the school lobby, laughing and joking, just taking time to enjoy the little things in life, such as the fact that it had been at least a few days since someone had tried to vaporize, eviscerate or squash them. It had also given them time to finally rebuild their arsenal. It had taken time, but since they already had the moulds, it was simple enough to re-create the old ones from the stronger Super Ninja Steel. Brody meanwhile was telling the others about a slightly different project he had in mind.
"Look, all I'm saying is that we've got Super Ninja Steel coming out our ears now." Brody explained. "We've already replaced all the stars, including our Power Stars, so I was just thinking, since dad's birthday is coming up and all, maybe it'd be nice to use the old Power Stars to re-forge dad's old ninjato."
"Well I guess it's not like we'll be using them anymore." Hayley commented. "We do have our new, shiny Super Ninja Steel stars now."
"Yeah, but…these things got us through so many weird and amazing times." Calvin said, pulling out his Ninja Steel Power Star. "I still remember the first time I used this thing…"
"And that's great, but new is always better!" Sarah reminded him. "I see the way you keep updating all the old parts in Nitro whenever you can."
"Yeah, but…I kind of get what he's saying." Preston added. "I know that we won't be using them, but after all the times they've saved our butts, I don't know, just melting them down seems kind of…mean. Ungrateful you know?"
"Look, all I'm saying is I sacrificed dad's old sword for the Lion Fire Armour Star and Lion Fire Zord Star…then dad and Mick sacrificed their Power Stars to re-create them for Viera, it might be nice to give him a little something back." Brody told them. "And with his birthday coming up, I figured he'd like something I made…"
"HE'S BROKE!" The other four chorused together, before laughing. Brody just sighed.
"OK, you try getting money to buy birthday presents when your only source of income is your allowance and your dad's an odd-job man." Brody grumbled. Principal Hastings looked up from the desk where she was talking to the receptionist.
"Ah, there you are! Just the group I was looking for!" She called out. The team all looked around each other.
"You were looking for us?" Hayley asked. Principal Hastings just nodded.
"As you know, this school is committed to making the process of enrolling in our fine school as smooth as possible. We like to provide buddies for those coming to us for the first time until they get settled in." She told them.
"Yeah, I remember Victor being a GREAT help." Sarah said a little sarcastically.
"Well, the point is, I have two new students that I'd like to see get a helping hand settling in." She told them.
"Uh, Principal Hastings, you know about our…um…extra-curricular activities." Calvin stated. "We do get kind of busy…"
"Oh, I know all about your extra-curricular activities." She commented. "I also know that after being chained up in my own basement and covering for you and all your bizarre behaviour that you might just feel like you might just feel like doing me a little favour to help out."
"She kind of does have a point." Sarah said sheepishly. "We have kind of…destroyed her school more than a few times."
"Glad you see things my way." Principal Hastings said as she turned to the desk, picking up two files. "So, I was hoping for two volunteers to…Ah, Preston, Brody! Thank you!"
The Blue and Red Ranger turned around, noticing that the other three had disappeared. They both gulped.
"Brody, there's a lovely girl named Emma here, she'll be transferring in a week so that'll give you some time to clear your schedule. It says here she likes Martial Arts movies and was hoping to study some while she was out here so I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about." Principal Hastings told him, handing over her file. "Preston, this girl Sandy has a keen interest in science and I believe you do too so that should help. She'll be here in a week too."
"Right, um…sure, that's fine." Preston said.
"Oh, Preston, there's one thing you should probably know about Sandy." Principal Hastings said. "She's…"
"Principal Hastings!" Monty called out as he and Victor came up to her. "Principal Hastings, there's something we really need to discuss!"
"In a second, I just need to…"
She turned back, seeing Brody and Preston were gone. She just sighed and turned back to them.
"Alright, what is it this time?" She asked.
On the Warrior Dome, the latest monster arrived. A truly bizarre looking creature, even by the standards of the Warrior Dome, it looked like a kind of half-opened black parasol with hooked fangs around the fringe. It had one single, huge eye about the size of a softball. As he stepped out of the transport, Cosmo came around beside him.
"Ah, Spyclops my dear boy! I do trust your trip was comfortable. Kudabots, do take his luggage to the executive suite we've prepared!" Cosmo greeted him. "Please, come with me, the Kudabots will take care of everything!"
"Wow, such service! Truly befitting a monster of my stature!" Spyclops complimented him. "Madame Odious wasn't kidding when she said I'd be treated a lot better than I was by my last manager."
"Ah, yes, you might just want to keep that little detail between us." Cosmo interrupted the creature. "Truth be told, I'm not even sure what message she sent you."
"But I thought…"
"Yes, well the one you're about to meet, Odious, she is a…oh, there's no delicate way to put this. She's a troubled creature." Cosmo continued.
"Troubled?" Spyclops asked. "How so?"
"Well, she's…I'm afraid to say she has a few…problems up here." Cosmo told him, tapping his head with his forefinger. "She's got power to spare, that's why We keeps her on the payroll, but unfortunately she's not exactly playing with a few cards short of a deck."
"She's not entirely sure what's real and what isn't. It really is terrible." Wrench added, coming to the other side. "She actually thinks SHE'S in charge!"
"I wondered why you sent me that strange message!" Spyclops stated.
"Oh yes, it is sad. However, challenging her delusions could be more harmful than it is helpful." Cosmo lied expertly. "It's probably best to just play along!"
"Aw man! I was promised a lucrative contract!" Spyclops protested. "I left a two thousand Space Bullion a match deal for this!"
"2000?" Wrench asked, before turning away, shaking his head. "Boy, someone really saw this one coming!"
"Ahem, yes, well, I assure you that you'll find the payoffs and the conditions most agreeable here." Cosmo assured him. "It's probably best you come to me for the payments. In the meantime, here's the key to your suite."
"SUITE? WOW!" Spyclops squealed excitedly. "I've never stayed in a suite before! This place really IS the best!"
"Nothing but the best for the fines talent in the universe." Cosmo told him. "Anyway, Madame Odious is just through here. Just remember what I said…keep this between us."
"You've got it!" Spyclops answered, closing its eye, in what Cosmo could only assume would have been a wink if the creature had more than one eye. Wrench returned to his side as Spyclops went into the throne room.
"Wow, that really is not the cream of the crop is it?" Wrench asked. Cosmo just grinned.
"No." He answered. "But as long as Odious thinks we're sending her serious contenders, it'll give us time to bring in the real firepower."
Down on Earth, it was coming to lunch time and Sarah was just putting her books away in her locker before joining her friends for lunch. Levi came up to her, tapping her on the shoulder, before slipping around the opposite side, causing her to look the wrong way and then back to him.
"Very funny Levi!" She groaned. "It wasn't so hilarious the first hundred and forty thousand times, but after that it just keeps getting funnier!"
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Levi asked, pressing a finger behind his ear and tilting it forward. Sarah rolled her eyes.
"Mr Weston!" She replied. Levi didn't really take the whole proper title thing that seriously truth be told, but every now and then he liked to remind the others that during school time, technically he was a teacher and they should treat him as such. "So, can I go now or are you going to write me up for something?"
"Nah, I was just going to ask if you wanted anything from the city." Levi told her. "I'm heading out for lunch today so I was wondering if there's anything I can pick up."
"Oh, well…the new copy of Ultimate Upgrades should be out." Sarah answered. "I was going to pick it up on the way home but if you're going out anyway…"
"I'll get it." Levi answered as Sarah looked out some money. "No, that's fine I'll get it."
"Oh, OK thanks." Sarah replied as Levi walked away. She saw him get to the end of the hall, where Mrs Finch was waiting, before heading out with her. She just smiled. "Well that explains why he's in a good mood!"
As she was about to head to lunch, she almost bumped into Victor and Monty. She jumped with a start.
"Whoa, um…sorry, I didn't see you there…"
"Did she send anything?" Monty rushed out, bouncing eagerly. Sarah went into her bag, pulling out a small disk. Victor and Monty now knew their secret, and in fact had kind of stumbled into being instrumental in the final battle against Galvanax. Sarah knew all about how Monty had felt for Viera, and she also knew Viera held a spot in her heart for him too. She had been delighted to see the two of them growing closer, but unfortunately one thing hadn't occurred to her until Mick came back.
"This is a message disk." Sarah told her. "Put it on something flat like a table then press that button to play it. But…uh…you might want to be somewhere private for it."
"Oh, you bet! I definitely want to be alone for this!" Monty told her, taking the disk and running off. Victor just sighed as he watched him.
"Dear John?" He asked her sadly. Sarah was a little surprised to think that Victor had thought of something like this, but as time went by it obviously occurred to him that if Viera did regain her throne, it wasn't as though she could rule the Lion Galaxy from Earth.
"I'm afraid so." Sarah answered sadly. "Viera's got her throne back which means her people need her there. Aw, he was so thrilled to hear from her, I feel so badly for him!"
"Don't worry, I'll look after him. Heartbreak always feels like the end of the world at first." Victor told her. "Then after a while, you realise you had a life before the person and it doesn't seem so hopeless. It's always darkest before the dawn as they say."
As he walked away, Sarah checked her watch and realised she was late to see her friends. She threw down her hoverboard and jumped onto it, speeding through the hall, having to swerve to avoid Clint the security guard.
"HEY! No riding that thing in the hall!" He called after her. "Or without a helmet!"
"SORRY CLINT!" She called back. Clint just scribbled down a couple of details on his citation pad.
"You will be." He responded, slipping the citation tickets through the grill of Sarah's locker. "People have no respect for the rules!"
In another part of the city, Trevor was in the local supermarket picking up a few supplies. He had some time on his hands right now, but it wasn't exactly a holiday. Right now he was on administrative leave from the police department pending an investigation into an assault.
Trevor had known for a long time that Psycho Green was trying hard to push through. He had hoped by now he'd have a better grasp on how to harness and control him, but unfortunately when he answered a routine domestic violence call, the mysterious creature had played on his fears and his anger. Before he knew it, a kid in his early twenties was in the hospital having taken a face-first trip through a, fortunately, ground-floor window!
He was grateful at least that he was still getting paid. Administrative leave was a fancy way of saying "paid suspension". The department wasn't in the habit of leaving officers unable to fend for their families while they investigated claims of improper behaviour and tended to only stop paying them once they were fired or quit. Trevor couldn't imagine doing anything else with his life; it terrified him to think that Psycho Green had taken not just a job, but a vocation from him. He loved his work, and he loved feeling like he was doing good in this world. It was one of the things that drew him to Psycho Green in the first place, feeling like he could use its power to protect the city from those that brought harm to them, including the Power Rangers.
So far, Laura still believed his story that he was taking personal time to help her recover from the car accident, but he knew he couldn't keep that lie up forever. Sooner or later she'd be back at work and he'd have to explain why he wasn't. He hoped that perhaps they could get a plea deal out of Gary or otherwise conclude the investigation before then, but knowing the way red tape worked, he knew that was a vain hope.
"TREVOR!" He heard someone calling over. He looked at the checkout and saw Aaron, Hayley's father, standing there, waving frantically. He smiled and made his way over.
"Hey Aaron, how are things?" Trevor asked him.
"Oh, they're pretty good. It's good to be back." Aaron told him. "Early days. Hayley got in pretty late and went pretty much straight to bed, but I'm sure we'll get some time to catch up properly."
"Sir, that's Eighty nine dollars and fifteen cents." The cashier said. Aaron looked a little hesitant as she said this.
"Ah, that's...a little more than I was expecting." Aaron replied. "Thank God for plastic right?"
He handed over his credit card, which the cashier swiped.
"So, how are things with work?" He asked. Trevor just sighed.
"I'm taking a little time." He lied, not wanting to explain to Aaron what had happened. "You know, just to take care of Laura."
"Well, that's nice." Aaron replied. "It's kind of like a little early anniversary isn't it?"
"You...could put it that way." Aaron sighed, before muttering under his breath. "If you want to spend your anniversary with your wife on bed-rest and waiting to hear if you still have a job."
"Sir, I'm afraid your card's been declined." The cashier told him. Aaron started to babble and search through his pockets, trying another card. Trevor could feel his temper starting to build up. This wasn't exactly a rare occurrence with Aaron sadly. He never let Hayley go without, but to say he wasn't good with money was like saying that Jack the Ripper wasn't a people person. He was so tunnel-visioned on his work that often he let everything else, even important bills, end up on the back-burner. Trevor had already lent him a lot of money because he found out Aaron had maxed out pretty much everything on some stupid drone he was building for his research. "I'm sorry, here, try this one, I'm sure this one will have something on it."
Trevor looked down to his hand, seeing it starting to glow green. He couldn't believe how irresponsible Aaron was letting himself get to this state when he knew it was his turn to look after Hayley. Gritting his teeth, he shoved Aaron aside and threw down his own credit card.
"Here, use this one." He rushed out, trying not to sound too put out.
"Oh, I couldn't ask you to..."
"You're not asking!" Trevor responded harshly. The cashier ran the card, which went through without a hitch. Aaron started packing up his groceries.
"I'm sorry; I'll pay you back I promise..."
"Just...don't even mention it." Trevor answered.
"But I wouldn't feel right..."
"I mean it, PLEASE don't mention it!" Trevor said in a very subtle growl, struggling to keep Psycho Green down. Aaron just nodded.
"Well, thanks." He responded. Trevor picked up an item.
"You forgot your..." He said, before looking at it. "Cologne?"
Aaron snatched it from him and put it away, before leaving in a hurry. Trevor just eyed him up suspiciously. Aaron wasn't the kind guy to be much into luxury items, hell most of his wardrobe was older than Hayley! It was bad enough that Trevor had to put food on Aaron's table to make sure Hayley wasn't living on packet meals and cereal but to think Aaron was wasting his money on cologne?
"SIR!" The cashier said loudly, bringing his attention back. "There's a line, is there something else I can help you with?"
"Oh, um..." He stammered. "I was looking for low-energy lightbulbs."
"Aisle seven." She replied, at which he left, thinking of the thing that seemed to be working the best at keeping Psycho Green at bay. His wife and his step-daughter. He was holding on for now, but he was starting to wonder how long he could.
Over at the Romero Farm, Redbot and Dane were taking a break from reforging all the old Ninja Stars. They were already making pretty good progress, having concentrated on some of the most important ones first to make sure the Rangers were ready if a monster came. It was all fine and well having one Megazord, but Smellephant had proven that Odious' new casting call and more lucrative prize offer had indeed attracted a higher calibre of monster. No one wanted to take any chances, and so they were eager to have everything they once had back up and running before the next monster showed up if at all possible.
Redbot didn't really need rest, being a machine he didn't suffer fatigue as humans did, at least not in the same way. He basically needed to recharge whenever his power cells were drained, but other than that he didn't really get tired or sore. He just either could function or couldn't. Still, Dane always insisted that he didn't think it was fair to expect Redbot to work whenever he was taking a rest or, as was the case right now, heading into town for some more supplies, and insisted in those times Redbot could do as he wished.
The unfortunate thing was there really wasn't much FOR Redbot to do. He did have a fair bit more freedom to move around the farm than he ever had at the school, but as for activities, there was the television, or he could read. While Redbot loved reading, the Romero's collection of literature wasn't exactly up to the standard of the school library, to which he had free reign at nights while the kids were all at home.
Sitting outside, he was just finishing up a book all about a Native American scout. Many things about that fascinated him. In some ways he could recognise some of the skills he had as traits that Brody and his friends often trained to enhance. Visual perception, observation, picking up subtle clues from the environment to be able to ascertain what had been past and how long ago. Putting the book down and realising he didn't actually have any more to read, he had a look around and decided to give some of what he learned a little try.
Redbot started looking around for tracks and signs of movement. The main yard was full of them. While it was full of footprints, so many that it looked somewhat chaotic and almost like there was nothing of value to learn, the book had shown the scout was able to pick out the smallest details, and with his heightened sensors, Redbot was sure to find something.
He was able to find the most recent tracks by their depth and the lack of erosion from the weather. Finding a set, he found multiple footfalls facing each other, one of them a relatively small foot with a light frame judging by the depth of them, and the other a larger, stockier human with a much larger foot. He could see circular motions and quick, long steps and remembered seeing Sarah and Brody sparring the day before. He looked across and found the patch where Sarah had landed and skidded along the ground, indicated by torn grass and streaked earth. Looking more closely, he even found some hair.
"This is fun!" He stated as he dusted off his hands, sending the hair into the wind. "I wonder what else I can find!"
He headed around the back of the house, looking for something a little more challenging, perhaps some animal tracks. He found some partially faded human footprints and observed them. There was again signs of struggle, but these were a lot more difficult to notice because it appeared they happened some time ago. Broken branches that were weathered to the point they almost didn't look broken anymore, footprints worn to the point they were barely noticeable. This was the kind of thing he was looking for! Something of a real challenge!
He could see one set leading up to the house from the bushes behind it. He didn't recognise the shoe prints, it was different from those he had seen in the front yard. It wasn't even a size he recognised; meaning it likely wasn't one of his friends. It took a moment for him to remember that there had been an intruder that had woken the family a short time ago. This must be the remains of his tracks.
It surprised him a little when he saw another set of prints, ones that looked distinctly like split-toed plimsolls, like the Rangers sometimes wore in training. They ended up right on top of the intruder's prints, indicating he had surprised the intruder, but Redbot couldn't recall anyone confronting him. As far as he knew everyone was in the house and the intruder had simply run off when he realised people were moving inside.
He looked around, noticing an all too brief struggle. The intruder had been completely overwhelmed, not surprising given the fact everyone in the house other than Redbot was a ninja. However, there was some signs of scrambling, like he had suddenly been released and left in a hurry. If one of the Romeros had caught an intruder why would he release them without letting the others know first?
That was when he saw some faint trails along the ground, heading under the house, like something heavy had been pushed or kicked along the ground. He went over and knelt down, looking under the house. It was dark, but thanks to his enhanced visual modes, that wasn't a problem for Redbot. He found a book under the house, and reaching in, he pulled it out.
It was a large, old book, one that didn't seem to have any writing on the cover; however there was plenty of writing on the inside. Redbot took the book, and headed off to find somewhere to read. His adventure as a Native American scout had been fun, but what was that compared to a good story?