Kanji rang the bell, still trying to catch his breath. There was no answer. No Senpai or little Nanako coming to the door. I don't have time for this, Kanji thought I got all them cuddly toys to make. Kanji raised his fist and started to pound the door "Come on man, open up! I got placed to be!"
The door opened. "Heya Kanji-kun!"
"Teddie? The hell are you doing here?"
"Sensei invited us all over. Wow, you're really late Kanji-kun." Teddie stepped back and waved his arm into the room where the rest of the Investigation Team, sans Yu, were sat.
"Well some of us had stuff to do." Kanji said as he pushed his way past Teddie into the room.
"Hey, so was I! He called me up halfway through a shift and told me it was an emergency. I could only get away by promising to work the whole weekend. What a drag." Yosuke said. Sure enough, he was still wearing his Junes uniform.
"Like you're the only busy one. I was training, y'know!" Chie said, twisting to scowl at Yosuke.
"Yeah, 'cause it's not like you can't do that any time." Yosuke replied, rolling his eyes and slouching back on the couch.
"I have a very strict regime! And at least I train, not goof off and play videogames!" Chie yelled back, standing up in order to loom over Yosuke.
"This is getting us nowhere. Perhaps we should try to work out why Yu-san called us all here." Naoto said, in a rather firm tone. Chie and Yosuke looked each other in the eye for a moment.
"Fine." Chie said, sinking back to the floor.
"Well, Yu-kun told me it was an emergency too," Yukiko said. "But he's not here. Maybe something's happened."
"That seems unlikely. Nanako was still here to let me in when I arrived, and she wasn't worried. If Yu-san really thought that whatever has drawn him away was so important, I imagine he'd have left some kind of message for us." Naoto said, closing her eyes and furrowing her brow in thought.
"Then maybe Senpai's got some kind of surprise for us?" Rise ventured.
"And that whole emergency thing was just a ruse?," Chie asked "Man that's low, making us all worry like that."
"We should not judge his intentions without first establishing why we were called her." Naoto answered. The Investigation Team fell silent, each following their own particular train of thought.
"Where is Nanako anyway?" Kanji asked.
Naoto turned to Kanji "Kanji-kun, you're sweating. You should sit down and rest. Here, there is room next to me."
"Wha-uh. Thanks. I'll er-do that." Kanji walked over to the table and sat down next to Naoto, very conscious of the distance between them and very worried whether Naoto would think he was too close or too far away.
"Hey! That was my seat!," Teddie said. The gang turned to look at him, and saw he was now holding a juice box.
"Well you weren't using it. Where the hell'd that juice box come from anyway? I want some." Kanji replied.
"Too bad. I found it in Sensei's fridge, which makes it mine." Teddie said with one of his winning smiles.
"Dude, those things were probably for Nanako." Yosuke said.
A look of horror crept over Teddie's face. "I've been drinking Nana-chan's juice boxes this whole time!"
"Wait, boxes? How many of those have you had, Teddie?" Yukiko asked.
"A whole bunch! This is the last one." Teddie stared at the juice box in his hand, lower lip trembling.
"Gimme that," Kanji said, snatching the box from his hands. "And find your own place to sit." Kanji caught a whiff of his armpits as he did so, and immediately clamped his arms to his sides.
"Can I sit with you, Rise-chan?" Teddie asked.
Rise pouted and turned her head, letting out a "Hmph"
"Yuki-chan?"
"Sorry, I don't sit with juice thieves." She answered, doing her best to look legitimately sorry.
"Why do you even have a rule for that?" Yosuke asked.
"I can sit with you, right, Chie-chan?" Teddie asked, tears welling in his eyes.
"Hey, why am I your last choice?"
Yosuke groaned. "Just sit on the couch with me. There's plenty of room."
"Ah, I knew you wouldn't let me down Yosuke!"Teddie said, skipping over to the couch and flopping down.
"Looks like you weren't Teddie's last choice after all, Chie." Yukiko said with a smile.
"I don't think that's what she meant, Yukiko-senpai..." Rise whispered to her.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Yukiko answered.
"Now that we've all chosen seats," Naoto interjected "Perhaps we can try to decipher what to do next?"
"Have you tried calling him?" Kanji asked.
"Oh! Of Course! Senpai's cell phone!" Rise said, face lighting up.
"You mean you guys haven't even tried his cell? Man, and I thought I was the dumb one." Kanji shook his head.
"I'll call him." Yosuke said, reaching into his pocket for his phone.
"It's OK, I have Senpai on speed dial," Rise said, already flipping her phone open. She dialled and held the phone to her ear. "Senpai? Where are you? We've all been waiting."
"I'm upstairs," Yu answered "I've been waiting for you to call."
"What? Why?" Rise asked.
"Hang on, I'll come down." Yu said, then hung up.
"He hung up on me!" Rise said, frowning at her phone.
"Did he say where he is or why he called us here?" Naoto asked.
"Yeah, he said he'd been upstairs waiting for us this whole time." Rise answered.
"What? He can be seriously weird sometimes." Yosuke moaned.
"Shut up! He'll hear you." Chie chided him. As she spoke came down the stairs Yu stepped into the room, carrying a large cardboard box.
"It's too late Chie, I heard him," Yu said. If he was upset at being called weird, his face didn't show it. "And don't worry Yosuke, this will always make perfect sense in a moment."
"Oh Sensei! I'm so sorry! I drank all Nanako's juice boxes!," Teddie flung himself at Yu, burying his face in Yu's shoulder. "Will you ever forgive me?"
"Huh? Nanako's? I bought those for you guys."
"The hell? You mean I could have been drinking this all along?" Kanji shouted, staring at the half-drunk juice box in his hand. He ripped out the straw and upended the juice box, squeezing it tightly. The top of the box burst open and the juice fell into Kanji's waiting mouth in one giant stream.
"Are-are you alright Kanji-kun?" Yukiko asked. The whole group was staring at him. Kanji looked around, noticing their stares.
"I'm fine. I was just a little thirsty is all." He said defensively.
"If Kanji-kun and Teddie-san are quite finished, perhaps we could get down to why Yu-senpai called us all here." Naoto said, a note of annoyance in her voice.
"Yeah, why did he have to meet here instead of the food court? How am I meant to focus without steak?" Chie asked.
"Like I said, this box will clear everything up. It's not exactly something we could open up in the food court." Yu answered, face as blank as ever.
"What, like new weapons?," Yosuke asked. "Is there something in there for me?"
"No. No weapons." Yu answered.
"I'm gonna be using these same damn knives forever." Yosuke moaned, sinking down into the couch.
"So what is it, senpai?" Rise asked.
"I'm glad you asked. Now, it's time for the grand unveiling!"He drew his sword from its scabbard and help it aloft, brow furrowed.
"Did-did he have that when he came into the room?" Kanji asked. Nobody answered, they all stared, transfixed as Yu sliced the tape keeping the box shut in one clean swipe of his sword.
"I give you, the ultimate armour of heroes!" Yu shouted, sliding his sword back into its scabbard.
Rise giggled "You're so cool when you pose like that senpai."
Teddie dove into the box and started to tear apart the wrapping. He pulled out two costumes, one bright green and the other bright yellow. "Woohoo! I love it! What are they?"
"Are those...Phoenix Ranger Featherman R costumes?" Yosuke asked.
"They...sure look like it." Chie answered.
"In fact, those two costumes are for the two of you." Yu told them, sword now gone from his hands.
"What?" Chie and Yosuke shouted in unison.
"Yosuke will be the Yellow Ranger, and Chie the Green Ranger." Yu answered.
"Hey, where'd the sword go?" Kanji asked.
"I realise you are both our leader and in charge of our funds, Yu-senpai, but was this really the best choice?" Naoto asked, trying to regain her composure.
"Which costume is mine, senpai? Ooh, am I the Pink Ranger?" Rise asked.
"I didn't get you one. There's only seven Rangers and, well, you don't fight." Yu said, turning to her.
"What? How could you leave me out? Besides, don't these shows normally have some sort of wise mentor that gives advice and information to the team?" Rise demanded, slamming her hands down on the table.
"No, the Blue Ranger does all that in Phoenix Ranger." Kanji said.
"Wow Kanji! You sure know a lot about kid's shows!" Teddie said, a big goofy grin on his face.
"Sh-shut up." was all Kanji could muster in response.
"So who is it senpai? Who's your precious Blue Ranger?" Rise asked, face puffing up in something between anger and upset.
"Naoto, of course. She's the brains of the group so she's the brainy Ranger." Yu answered.
"I-I'm flattered senpai, but I don't think I can wear one of those costumes."
"It's OK, it's a boy costume." He told her.
"Even so..." Naoto said, unable to find the words. Yukiko had spent the entire exchange staring at her hands. But then she stood, one arm stretched out in front of her.
"Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!" she shouted!
"Yukiko, what are you doing?" Chie asked, trying to pull her back down.
"Oh come on, like you never wanted to be a Sentai hero when you were young." Yukiko said, looking down at Chie.
Before Chie could answer, Kanji stood, striking a pose of his own. "Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!"
"Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!" Teddie shouted, throwing his arms up into the air.
"Ugh fine," Chie said, climbing to her feet. "Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!"
"Ph-Phoenix Ranger Featherman R?" Naoto said, standing slowly but throwing up no pose.
"This is ridiculous." Yosuke said, remaining firmly embedded in the couch.
"Dude, don't be that guy." Kanji said.
"Alright, if you insist," Yosuke said. Then he sprung to his feet and struck a pose "Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!"
At that moment, the front door opened and Nanako stepped into the room. "What are you guys doing?" she asked.
"Oh! Nana-chan! Sensei bought us these really cool Phoenix Ranger costumes." Teddie said, facing lighting up at the sight of her.
"Wow, big bro's so generous. Are you all gonna go play? Can I play too?" Nanako asked, walking further into the room.
The entire gang was taken aback for a moment, nobody knew what to tell her. It was Yu that spoke up first. "Sure. We were going to suit up and go play out in the garden."
"Yay!," Nanako smile was bright and sincere enough that nobody could muster and objection to this new plan. "What's wrong Rise? You don't look happy."
"There's no costume for me." She said, face falling again.
"You can wear my Loveline costume if you want. It's just the hat and wand, though." Nanako said, walking over to comfort Rise.
"Aw, Nana-chan. You're the coolest," Rise said, putting her arm around Nanako. "It's OK, we can be the big scary monsters! And if I ever do want a costume, I can always just dress up as Risette!"
"Yeah! Risette's the coolest." Nanako smiled.
Over the other side of the room, Yu was handing out the costumes. "Here Kanji, you're the Black Ranger. And the white one's for you, Teddie."
"Uh oh! Sensei, this won't fit over my bear suit." Teddie said, face breaking out in worry as he held the costume in front of him.
"I'll alter it for you later," Kanji said "For now, just play in the damn thing so we can keep Nanako happy."