Disclaimer: I don't own any characters


Chapter 2: Driving Lesson

The Following Day, Ernie's BrainFreeze

"Hey, Troy, have you seen Orion?" Ernie asked as he handed Troy his smoothie.

Troy, ashamed that he let his friends get captured by Zilas, had downed his third smoothie to soothe his inner pain.

"No, Ernie, I haven't seen him since yesterday." Troy replied before taking another sip of his smoothie.

Ernie went back into the kitchen, muttering something about hiring more help.

"What am I going to do?" Troy thought to himself as he drank his smoothies. "I can't beat Zilas in a race. Even if I did have a something to drive with, I'd still lose to him. Man, I really wish Gosei was still here."

"Um, excuse me, can I get strawberry smoothie to go, please?" A voice asked.

"Coming right up!" Ernie replied from the kitchen.

The voice's speaker sat down on the barstool two seats away from Troy. It was a young African American man wearing black leather pants and jacket over a red shirt. His brownish black hair was puffed out in a retro looking hairstyle.

After Ernie served him his smoothie, the stranger noticed the depressed Troy slowly drinking his smoothie.

"Hey, everything okay, dude?" The man asked taking a seat next to Troy.

Troy swallowed what remained in his mouth before answering. "Yeah, just trying to figure some stuff out."

"Oh, okay." The stranger shrugged. Then he noticed Troy's driving instructing manual. "Hey, you about take your behind the wheel test?"

"Actually, this will be my third and final time." Troy informed him. "I've taken it twice already and I failed both times."

"Okay, do you know where you struggle at?" The stranger inquired.

"Everything." Troy groaned. "And to top it off, I have to compete in a race tomorrow and…." Troy hesitated for a second. "Let's just say that the stakes are pretty high."

Troy drank the rest of his smoothie while the stranger was deep in thought.

"You know, I think you just need some private tutoring." The stranger concluded. "And I know just the guy who can help." The man dug into his pocket and pulled out a card.

"Go to this address." The man said as he handed Troy the card. "Tell him Scott sent you."

"Thanks!" Troy told him.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Scott urged. "Your race is tomorrow!"

"Oh right!" Troy remembered. He placed his money for the smoothies on the table and took off out of the building.

Scott smiled as he watched Troy left the building. Once the teen was out of hearing range, the Man held his right arm to his mouth. "The Red Ranger is on his way." (Ranger Shift: Ranger Operator Series Red)


Across town, Troy had finally found the location the mysterious man told him about. What he found was something he was not expecting: An auto repair shop.

Troy held up the card to make sure the addresses matched.

"Blue Racer." Troy read aloud. "This is the place."

He went inside the shop. The only things around were several cars, some intact, some broken apart. Grease and oil stains covered the floor. Troy almost tripped over one of the many tires around the place.

"Is anyone here?" Troy called.

"No need to yell kid." A voice behind him said.

Troy turned to face a late-twenties Caucasian man wearing blue coveralls holding a socket wrench. His originally gelled brown hair was a sloppy mess, making it look spikey. He sported a thin layer of facial hair, which formed around his mouth and ended at his chin, forming a box shape beard.

"Who are you?" Troy asked cautiously.

"I'm Mr. J." The man answered. "What can I do for you, kid?"

"My name is Troy." Troy explained. "And well, um, I've been having trouble learning to drive and someone told me you could tutor me."

"Oh, a new driver, huh?" Mr. J nodded. "Well, you've come to the right place. Driving has been my life since I was not much younger than you. So what is that you need help with?"

"Well…..ummm….Everything." Troy stammered with a laugh.

"Oh, looks like I'm going to have to clear my schedule." Mr. J said clearing his throat as he pulled out his notepad and crossed out several pages. "Alright, let me get cleaned up and I'll meet you in a few minutes."

"Okay." Troy nodded.

Mr. J departed into the office.

While he waited, Troy decided to have a look at the cars. Although he loved being able to pilot the Zords, having one's car was something that seemed to represent freedom in a teen's life.

Suddenly, Troy heard something coming from the back of the garage. Deciding not to interrupt Mr. J, Troy went back to investigate. What he found were two sheet covered objects. One of them had two lights flashing under it.

Troy was about to see what was under it when a firm hand grabbed his should, causing him to gasp in shock.

"Whoa, it's just me, kid." Mr. J gasped.

"Sorry, I just noticed something weird under this sheet." Troy said pointing to the object.

"Ah, he's getting restless." Mr. J chuckled. He then pulled off the sheet to reveal a blue jeep.

"Wow, that's a nice set of wheels, sir." Troy exclaimed as he admired the sleek vehicle.

"Believe it or not kid, this jeep was actually my first car." Mr. J informed him.

"Wow, you've had it for that long?" Troy asked.

"Well, it was stolen from me once a couple years back." Mr. J noted. "But I guess you could say it kinda found its way back to me."

Troy didn't take in what the man said, for he was in awe of the jeep.

"Now, for your tutoring, kid." Mr. J said hoping to steer the conversation. "We're going to need a car for you to practice on. This is where my other car comes in."

Mr. J pulled the sheet off from the second vehicle, revealing a red racing themed car.

"Wow!" Troy wowed. "Are you sure I should drive that?"

"It's okay, kid." Mr. J affirmed tossing Troy the keys.

Troy sat in the driver's seat as Mr. J got into the passenger seat.

"Now, Troy, tell me what do you before you start your car?" Mr. J asked.

"Um, fasten your seatbelts and check your mirrors." Troy answered.

"Good." Mr. J said as they both fasten their seatbelts. "But there's one thing other you should do."

"What's that?" Troy inquired.

"Make sure the car trusts you." Mr. J answered.

Troy scowled. "'The car trusts me?' You say that like you think cars have feelings, sir."

"But they do, Troy." Mr. J explained. "You have to earn the car's trust. It's like riding a horse. If an unfamiliar person attempts to ride it, the horse will go crazy. The same goes for cars. That's why most adults are better at driving their cars because they've bonded with it for so long."

Troy wasn't buying into it, but probed further. "Alright, how do I gain the car's trust?"

"Well, for one thing, you could clean him." Mr. J quipped. "And I have just the supplies to do it."

"I'm not sure I see how washing a car has anything to do with driving one, Mr. J." Troy argued.

"Well, alright." Mr. J shrugged. "If you think you have what takes to lead the car, then go ahead. Start him up."

"Him? I thought all cars are girls." Troy put in.

"Not this car." Mr. J told him. "Now start him up."

Troy turned the key into the ignition, and the engine revved up.

"Alright, Troy, it's all you." Mr. J instructed.

Troy gave the car some gas, and the car sped out of the shop at racing speed.

"Whoa!" Troy gasped in shock as the car raced into the forest. "What's going on!"

"Just avoid the trees and keep a steady speed." Justin replied in a calm voice as he read a car magazine.

"Whoa!" Troy shouted as he barely managed to steer the car away from an incoming tree.

The car was totally out of control. Troy barely had any control of it as it raced through the forest. It went into the rough path of the woods, barely missing several hikers. Troy managed to steer it past the park, but in doing so, he led the car straight into the swampy area of the woods.

"Mr. J, a little help, please!" Troy yelled as the car was about to drive right into the swamp.

Mr. J sighed in slight annoyance. "Amateurs." He reached down and pulled the emergency break, forcing the car to come to an abrupt stop at the edge of the swamp.

Troy sighed with relief.

"That was close." Troy said he wiped his forehead with his hand.


Fifteen minutes later, Mr. J drove Troy back to the Auto shop with the car, which had been dirtied from its trip into the swamp.

Mr. J parked the car right outside the shop.

"I hate to say I told you so, Troy." Mr. J told the boy. "But I guess you're just not cut out to drive."

"No wait, sir." Troy begged. "You said that I needed to get the car to trust me. How do I do that?"

"You can start by cleaning him." Mr. J answered, handing Troy a cloth and bucket. "Make him shine."

Troy groaned as he got out of the car and ran to fill the bucket.


Troy began cleaning off the dirt and grime the car had sustained from their drive through the swamp. He carefully made sure that not a spot was untouched. He then quickly cleaned the glass windows and replaced the broken hubcaps on the tires. By this time, Troy was half damp and covered with suds. Mr. J came back about thirty minutes later to check on Troy.

"Good job, Troy." Mr. J commended Troy as he saw the boy's results. "I haven't seen him that clean in years. Now give him a wax."

"Really?" Troy groaned.

"Hey, you should treat a car just like you would a person." Mr. J advised as he handed him the waxer.


It was about 6:00 when Troy finished waxing the car. He already called his parents to tell him he'd be late for dinner. They didn't mind since they were eager for him to make friends around town.

"Done, Mr. J." Troy said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Alright, now you have one more job to do." Mr. J told him as he held up a gas tank. "Feed him."

"Whatever you say, sir." Troy said as he took the tank and approached the car again. He opened the nozzle and began pouring the gasoline into the car. Once the car was full, Troy went back to Mr. J.

"Good job. Let's see if he trusts you this time." Mr. J told Troy.

Like before, Troy got into the driver's seat as Mr. J got into the passenger's seat.

"Alright, if this car trusts you, then you should be able to drive us to Ernie's Brainfreeze." Mr. J told him.

"Are you sure I can do it?" Troy asked with a sense of doubt.

"Don't ask me; ask the car." Mr. J reminded him.

Troy turned his attention to the car's dashboard. Inhaling then exhaling to calm himself, he placed the keys into ignition and slowly started the car. The car revved again and Troy gave it some gas. This time the car gradually picked up speed as it drove onto the road.

"You're doing it, Troy." Mr. J laughed in amusement. "Now just follow all the rules of the road and take us to Ernie's."

Troy continued to drive the car into the city, carefully obeying the rules of the road. Finally, he managed to drive the car on the street where Ernie's Brainfreeze was at. Thankfully, the place was deserted.

"Congratulations, Troy." Mr. J applauded. "You did it. And if you use what I teach you at Driver's Ed you'll do fine." Mr. J held out his hand to Troy

"Thanks, Mr. J." Troy told him shaking the man's hand. "You were a big help. I guess I'll see you around."

"Hold on." Mr. J stopped him. "You said something about needing a car for the big race tomorrow. How about you use this baby?"

"Oh, no, I can't ask you do that." Troy replied, shaking his head.

"Go on, take it." Mr. J insisted.

"Alright, but I'm bringing it right back after the race." Troy promised.

"Deal." Mr. J agreed, smiling at the young man. "Well, you better get home."

"You're right." Troy nodded. "Do you want me to drive you back to the shop?"

Mr. J shook his head. "No, thanks. I think I'll just walk."

"Alright, see you." Troy waved goodbye as Mr. J got out of the car. Troy then peeled the car out and drove down the street.

Mr. J watched the red car vanish into the night, proud of what he had done to help another Ranger.

"So do you think he's got what it takes?" A voice asked.

Mr. J turned around to see Scott standing behind him.

"I'm sure he'll win, Scott." Mr. J replied. "Thanks for sending him to me."

"No problem, Justin." Scott smiled.

"Well, we better get going." Justin suggested. (Legend Shift: Blue Turbo Ranger)

Just then, Justin's blue jeep pulled up.


End Notes: Next Chapter will feature the big race and the fight against Zilas Birdman form.

I always knew Justin had to be the one of the rangers I needed to have a tribute on. I really think he should have been in Super Megaforce.

So I've decided that each story will feature two legendary rangers in it, but the tribute episodes will mainly focus on one Legendary ranger, with the other being more or less a cameo appearance or something else.

I already have an idea for the next tribute which will be hinted at the end of this one, so keep your eyes peeled for clues.

End Notes: I had to replace Ziggy with Scott because I already have a Black and a Green Legendary Ranger appearing in other tributes and I needed another red ranger to even the number out.

Remember, please RRCS (Rate, Review, Comment, and Speculate)