Legal: I do not own Power Rangers, or the associated names, places, events etc. Anything not covered by the above rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.
Rating: T – may be some mild adult themes and language.
Chase pulled up in his jeep, turning off the road into a long, gravel path. Koda was in the seat beside him, still not really sure where exactly they were going. Chase had only told him that they were leaving the museum for the afternoon.
It wasn't the first time Chase encouraged Koda to leave the museum. He had taken Koda to the park a few times, all to show him around, to let him see the world around him. Koda knew the world had changed. People no longer lived in caves they found in mountainsides or rock formations, they were able to build homes. They were able to make rock into liquid that they could shape into smooth walls instead of rough, rocky affairs. They were able to make homes with windows that they could see through, but that didn't let all the heat out, or any of the rain in. They were even able to make buildings that stretched high into the sky, allowing dozens, even hundreds of people to live in a single building!
He was following Chase through the parking lot, towards a large, white building, surrounded by green lawns in all directions. Chase had to hold him back, as he was so distracted that he was almost run over by a car leaving the parking lot. Koda knew he was taking a long time to get used to things in this new world. He had already accepted there was no way for him to for him to go back to his own time. His tribe, his way of life, all of it was long since gone. Kendall had done all she could to give him a place he felt safe, to give him an environment in the caves beneath the museum that were familiar to him, but he knew that eventually he would need to find his way in this new world. It seemed that Chase was trying to help him with that.
"This not park." Koda commented. "New park?"
"Not quite mate." Chase told him, heading to the back of the jeep, and fetching out a large, cylindrical bag, with a number of strange looking metal instruments sticking out the top. "It's a golf course."
"Golf Course?" He asked, clearly a little confused. Chase just smiled.
"It's a game mate." He told him. "It's a great way to get outside for some fresh air and exercise. Trust me, you'll love it."
He took Koda towards the club house, taking him inside. Koda just looked around in complete confusion. It reminded him a little of the museum, but instead of dinosaur bones, there were various metal implements just like the ones in Chase's bag. There was a whole wall filled with pictures of people, bearing plaques underneath that seemed to show them carrying trophies. It reminded Koda a lot of the way his people would paint pictures on the walls of their caves whenever a member of his tribe came back with a particularly impressive prize from a hunt. There was a large, glass container in the corner, holding many of those very same trophies. Chase approached the desk, where a man in a green polo shirt was waiting. He smiled as he saw them.
"Well, I haven't seen you two here before, welcome!" He greeted them warmly. "What can I do for you?"
"I was hoping for a couple of single round passes." Chase told him. He was a little tentative asking. A lot of golf clubs would only allow members to play on their greens. He really didn't want to spend the money on a membership for him and Koda until he'd had a chance to check it out. After all, there wasn't much point in Koda getting a membership until they figured out if he even liked the game. The man at the desk just smiled.
"Well of course, that's absolutely fine! We're not one of those stuffy places that insists on a dress code or a membership or anything like that." He told them. "Our memberships are quite reasonable, and do offer preferential rates, but we can discuss that later. For non-members it's fifty dollars for the round, but we will have to insist on a one hundred dollar deposit in case of damage to the green."
"That's fine." Chase said, seeing the look on Koda's face. Koda didn't really understand why anyone would charge him to walk around in a park when there was one much closer to his home where he could go for free. "I'll also need to rent a set of clubs for my friend Koda here."
"Oh...a novice?" He asked.
"It'll be his first game." Chase confirmed. The man just looked to Koda for a moment, trying to get an idea of his height so that he could find a set of clubs that would suit him.
"I think I have just the thing." He announced as he went into the back. He came out a few minutes later with a small bag. It wasn't exactly a comprehensive collection of clubs, rental sets rarely were, but it had the basic tools, a driver, a sand wedge, a putter and nine iron. He handed the bag to Koda.
"It's twenty dollars to rent the clubs, but a hundred dollar deposit." The man behind the desk told them. Koda could hardly believe his ears, this was quickly sounding like a very expensive pastime. Chase just handed over the cash, before heading for the door. After ringing up the sale, the man handed each of them a sheet of paper.
"These are your score cards, my name it Bert. When you're finished, feel free to talk to me if you'd be interested in a membership." He told them. "Be careful of the dog-leg on the eighth, and the water trap on the tenth is pretty deceptive. Enjoy your round!"
"Thanks Bert." Chase replied as he took Koda out onto the course. It was now that Koda could see why they made such a fuss about this place.
It was a beautiful place, there was no doubt about that. The fairway was expertly maintained, a completely uniform and neatly trimmed length, lined with slightly rougher grassland, ending in trees and bushes. There were a few small lakes dotted around, as well as small pits with sand in them. Chase just smiled.
"I bet you never had anything like this back home." Chase surmised. Koda just nodded. "Alright Koda, this is golf 101, your instructor is Chase Randall. Here, take this."
Chase handed him a ball. Koda looked at the little white thing, and seemed confused. It was the most bizarre thing he'd seen, but he just shrugged and shoved it into his mouth, trying to bite down on it.
"Koda, no!" Chase rushed out as Koda just looked decidedly unamused, stroking his jaw as he spit it out. "What were you doing?"
"Hungry." Koda told him. "Not like these eggs."
"This isn't an egg mate. It's a ball." Chase told him. "I promise we'll get something to eat later alright?"
Koda just nodded as Chase looked around, getting the bearings of the first hole.
"Alright, you see that flag down there with the number one on it?" Chase asked him. Koda looked up, seeing the flag in the middle of a small, round patch of bright green grass.
"I see." He responded.
"Well, on the first shot, known as the drive, the objective is to get the ball as close to that flag as possible. Don't worry, it's a par four, so it'll probably take at least two shots to get onto the green." Chase explained as he pulled out a little plastic spike. "On the drive, you're allowed to use one of these, it's called a tee. It holds the ball a little off the ground to make it easier to hit it further."
Chase pressed the tee into the ground, and placed his ball on it. He set down his bag and pulled out a club.
"Now, this is a club..."
"Club?" Koda asked. He pulled one out of his bag, and inspected it. He gripped it at the end. "Very light for club. It..."
He swung it in a downward arc, and then smiled.
"It strong and swing fast." Koda commented. "Would be good for small prey."
"It's...not that kind of club mate." Chase told him. He took his driver, and set up beside the ball, preparing for his shot. He looked down on the ball.
"Now, there are a few things you need to remember about making a good golf shot." He told Koda. "You need to stand a little back, feet apart like this, and get a good grip on the end of the club."
He lined up his shot, lifting the club back a little to line up the swing.
"Now, you need to keep your eye on the ball, don't lose sight of it." Chase told him. "Then you just bring the club back like so, nice smooth swing and as you follow through..."
He swung the club, sending the ball sailing into the distance with a picture-perfect drive.
"...keep your eye on the ball and see where it lands." He replied. The ball bounced once, and came to rest around three hundred metres down the fairway. Chase just smiled. "And the Hotshot does it again! That is how you drive!"
"Look difficult." Koda commented. Chase just took him by the arm, lining him up with the tee.
"Don't worry Koda, I'll guide you through it." Chase assured him, setting up a tee and a ball. "Now, remember what I said, just stand right here, feet apart...a little further, that's it."
He handed Koda a club, and started to position his hands on it.
"Now, a nice grip, not quite so tight...that's it. Just line up your shot." Chase told him. "Now, just let me get a safe distance, you don't want to hit me with your swing. Now, keep an eye on it and..."
Koda swung for all he was worth, but with a loud swoosh, the club went scything through the air. He looked confused as he couldn't see the ball.
"Where ball go?" Koda asked him.
"It's um...it's right in the same place." Chase told him. "You took your eye off it, you missed."
Koda set up again, but stopped as he saw Chase writing something down.
"What writing?" Koda asked.
"I'm writing the score." Chase told him. "We both took one swing."
"But ball not move." Koda protested.
"That doesn't matter mate, you still took a swing." Chase answered. "Now, it's a par four so you have another three shots so..."
Before he could say anything else though, Koda had taken his second swing. Chase could only stare open-mouthed as the ball sailed into the distance. It bounced once, and only once, right on the green, running to a few inches short of the flag. Koda just smiled.
"Near flag, good shot?" He asked.
"Uh...yeah, good shot there." Chase replied, patting his shoulder. "Now, since I'm furthest from the flag, I'm the next to go. Let's find my ball."
With that, they headed off down the fairway.
Back at the museum, in the lab, Kendall was working on preparing a sample that would work to create the Gold Dino Charger. She was just about to finish up as she heard her cell phone ringing.
She pulled it out, holding it to her ear.
"Kendall Morgan, how can I help you?" She asked.
"Are you always so formal?" She heard someone asking. She recognised the voice, and her face split into a wide, bright grin.
"Matt?" She asked. "Are you back in Burnside already? I'd have thought..."
"The traffic on the freeway was pretty light." He answered. "I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer."
"Well, like I said, I'm sure we could arrange something, just let me know when you're free." She answered.
"That's really kind of you. Which is why I was hoping to make you the same offer." He replied. Kendall just gulped.
"Um...you...you were?" She asked him.
"There's a big fair out here a week on Friday." He informed her. "There's all sorts of market stalls and great food..."
"I really appreciate the offer, but I'm kind of busy..."
"How busy can you really be? You have a broken leg." Matt reminded her. "I'm sure the others can spare you for a day or so."
"Riley..."
"Well, I know Riley isn't going anywhere...but then it isn't Riley I asked to see is it?" Matt asked her. Kendall almost dropped her cell phone. "I wasn't there too long this time around, I was hoping we could get to know each other a little."
Kendall felt her mouth drying up, and she was struggling to think of anything to say, much less say anything in response. She was about to say something when she heard something on the other end...it was a faint sound, but it sounded like another voice. Matt's mother perhaps? But that didn't explain why it sounded like they were trying to suppress laughter.
"Well, that's a really nice offer." Kendall said, checking her cell phone. It showed the caller ID, something she'd never thought to check. She quickly realised what was going on. She attached her cell phone to the E-Tracer, aligning it to search for the signal. "But I'm not too sure about travelling all that way..."
"You don't need to worry about that, I'm sure I could pick you up." Matt replied. Kendall picked up a small electrical component, before throwing it across the room, over a bench. "I would love to...OW! Hey!"
Kendall turned on her stool, staring in the direction of the yell, seeing Tyler standing up, rubbing the top of his head, where a noticeable lump was forming. Shelby was next to him, looking a little alarmed.
"Hey, that hurt!" Tyler complained, but as they both looked to Kendall, they could see she was far from amused. Shelby looked to Tyler.
"Uh...run!" She rushed out, at which they both took to heel.
"You better run!" She called after them. As she turned back to her work, turning off her cell phone, she continued to prepare the Gold Charger...but the smile on her face indicated her mind was already working on another project altogether.
Back at the golf course, Koda and Chase were coming to the eighteenth hole. Koda was looking a little fed up with the game as they got to the final fairway. He liked the course, the landscape was pretty impressive, and it wasn't as if he couldn't appreciate the skill involved. The accuracy involved in getting the ball to go where it was meant to go reminded him a lot of hunting, but it was far too slow-paced for him. They just seemed to wander around in the grass for most of the day. Not to mention there were way too many rules, rules he didn't understand. Most prominently, that he had to play the ball from where it landed. He didn't understand why. Back when he was hunting, if he missed his prey, he'd retrieve his spear or his arrow, and he'd move into a better position to have another shot. He'd managed to bend one of his clubs hitting a tree root, trying to hit a ball out from under a tree, and on the last hole, he'd spent nearly ten minutes sending sand flying out of a sand trap, looking more like he was digging to China than trying to hit a golf ball.
"Alright Koda, this is the last hole, the 18th." Chase told him as he set down his bag.
"Go first." Koda said gruffly. "Want to go home."
"Don't worry about it mate, you did well for your first game." Chase assured him. "You're only 27 over par...one over par per hole is considered pretty exceptional for a novice...you're not doing too badly."
Koda just snorted impatiently. Chase realised that he wasn't convinced.
"Well, at least you gave it a chance." Chase stated. "Now, let's finish the round. Set up the tee."
Koda set up his tee, and the ball, looking down the fairway.
"Alright, now this one looks tricky, you see the water trap there?" He asked. Koda just nodded. It was kind of hard to miss. The green was an island in the middle of a miniature moat, completely surrounded. It would require a precise shot to land on it. "Alright, it's par 3, so you only need..."
His words tailed off as Koda took a swing, but only succeeded in sending a large clod of Earth flying, and the ball just tipped off his tee. Chase just sighed.
"Alright, we'll try that..."
"Must play ball were it lies." Koda reiterated the rule he'd learned as he picked up the divet, replacing it in the ground and stomping it down. Chase just nodded.
"Hey, nice shot!" Someone called out. "You'd find it easier with a shovel!"
"Hey, it's his first game." Chase told the stranger. The guy was waiting with another golfer, looking a little impatient. They had obviously caught up to Chase and Koda, and were hoping to play through. "We'll be out of your way in a minute."
Chase lined up his shot, and fired off a perfect drive, landing right on the green, mere inches from the flag.
"Alright Koda, your second shot." Chase told him. "Now, remember, you need a pretty accurate shot, not too..."
Koda fired off his shot, which landed anti-climatically in the water trap. The two guys behind them just burst out laughing.
"Hey, nice one shaggy!" One of them guffawed, holding his sides.
"Hey, lay off it mate, he's just learning." Chase warned him. He then looked to Koda. "Now, you can't play from the water trap, so you take a drop. Here."
He placed down a ball. Koda lined up, at which the two other golfers just started talking. Chase looked to them.
"Can I help you with something?" He asked.
"Nothing, just a private joke." One of them stated. Chase knew damn fine they were making fun of Koda. It seemed Koda knew it too. He lined up, and started a huge swing.
"Koda, it's only a par 3, you don't need...!"
Too late, the ball flew from its spot and soared way over the hole. It also soared over the water trap on the other side...and a fence...they both winced as they heard the unmistakable sound of breaking glass as it disappeared from sight right around the club house building.
"Uh...what now?" Koda asked. Chase took the rental clubs from him, and dumped them on the green.
"Now...we run!" Chase told him. The both broke into a run, heading for the fence, and vaulted over it, into the parking lot just as people started pouring out of the club house, looking decidedly less than happy. Chase threw his bag into the back of the jeep as Koda leapt into the passenger seat. They pulled away, leaving a cloud of dust, not to mention a lot of unhappy golfers behind them.
"Koda decide, not like golf." Koda told him. "Not Koda's thing."
"No worries mate." Chase answered. "I think it's pretty safe to say we won't be back."