Episode 4: Turn Up the Volume
"Come on, you gotta see this!" Maria pulled Matt by the arm into Capeside Museum. "Jeez. For such a small girl, you're really strong," complained Matt. Maria just smirked at him. "There. That's it." She pointed at a small stone incased in glass. It had the image of a snake carved onto it. "A Talisman!" exclaimed Matt. Maria covered his mouth right about the same time he realized he was in a museum. "We've gotta tell the others," he said, much more quietly. "My thoughts exactly," agreed Maria.
"Ah, excellent work, pink ranger," laughed Scurgious, "you've located the third Talisman. Now to summon the perfect demon to steal it from the museum. Come to me, dark demon of the night!" A demon which resembled a large bat appeared in the Dark Temple. "Take a team of shadow-kahn and bring me that Talisman!" A little ways away, Flario listened in on the conversation. "Another demon grunt? Scurgious, you've grown too predictable," the demon general laughed. "Luckily, I've got my own plans to retrieve the next Talisman," he laughed maniacally as he disappeared into the shadows.
"You're right, guys, it's definitely the snake Talisman," said Maya at the Power Chamber. "This one gives its holder the power of invisibility." "Well that's great," complained Sadie, "how the heck are we supposed to get it out of the museum?" "Yeah," agreed Brandon, "it's not like the Power Rangers can just walk into the museum and be all 'excuse us, but we need to steal this real quick!'" "This is a tricky situation," Tyler said. "What do you think, Matt?" Matt pondered for a moment. "Hmm. Okay, I've got an idea, but it's risky." The others nodded for him to continue. "Odds are, if we know the Talisman is there, Scurgious isn't far behind with some monster. Tonight, we'll stake out, and wait for a demon to show up and take it. We jump the demon and take it from him. The museum won't want it if it'll put them in danger of being attacked by monsters." The others thought to themselves for a moment. Tyler broke the silence. "It looks like our only option." The rangers worked out the details to their plan. That night, they would execute it.
Matt and Maria walked through the commons back at campus that afternoon. "So how do you like Capeside, so far?" Maria asked. "It's great. The classes, the campus, and," he paused, smiling at her, "and the people here, they're all great." Maria blushed. "So," Matt went on, "if you're not busy, tomorrow, maybe," he was cut short by a familiar voice. "Hey guys! Fancy meeting you here, huh?" Brandon ran up to them, wedging himself between them and putting one arm around each of their shoulders. "Yeah man," Matt said, unenthusiastically, "imagine that." "So what're we talkin about?" he asked. As Matt struggled to come up with something to say, Maria lost her patience with her friend's crush on her. "I was just telling Matt what time I'd meet him tomorrow for our date," she said, brushing Brandon's arm off her shoulder, walking over to Matt, and kissing him on the cheek. "That's what we were talking about," she said, smirking at her longtime friend. Brandon's innocent expression changed to a frown. "Oh, well, I, uh," he didn't know what to say. "I didn't know you guys were, uh, like that," was all he could come up with. Matt opened his mouth to say something, but Maria spoke first. "He just asked me and I said 'yes.' Right, Matt?" They both looked at him. "Uhh, yeah. I just asked her out just before you, uh, got here." "Well," Brandon said, flatly, "sorry for interrupting." He walked away quickly. "I hope that's really what you were about to ask me," Maria laughed. "As a matter of fact, it was," Matt said, grinning. "Good. Tomorrow, five O'clock, at The Shack. We can celebrate whooping some demon butt," she giggled, winking at him as she ran off, undoubtedly to tell Sadie.
Later that night, outside the museum, the bat demon leapt out of the shadows, accompanied by the shadow-kahn. "Ahahaha! Time to turn up the volume!" He let out a loud, high-pitched, screech, causing the glass doors to the museum to shatter. He walked in, and a few moments later, walked out, Talisman in hand. Just then, he heard the morphing cry from five kids. "Spirit evolution!" The five rangers jumped out in front of the bat demon. You're not going anywhere with that, pal!" said Matt. "Oh yeah? Try and stop me!" He held up the Talisman, activating its power. All of a sudden, the demon disappeared. "Crap! Invisibility," Sadie pointed out, "we should've seen that coming!" An attack came out of nowhere, striking the rangers. "How do we fight something we can't see?" asked Maria. "Matt, any bright ideas?" Brandon mocked. "Actually, yeah, and it involves you," Matt replied. "Your static blaster, you can light up the whole area at once with it, can't you?" "Well, yeah, but what about you guys?" "As soon as we get out of the way, open fire!" Brandon thought for a moment. "Brandon, we're counting on you!" Maria said. "Fine, I'll do it." "Alright guys on my signal…NOW!" The other four rangers leapt out of the scene. Brandon called on his static blaster. "Full charge! Fire!" The blast incinerated all the shadow-kahn, and caused the bat demon to reveal his location. "Now, guys!" The other four, from the top of a building, pulled their blasters and shot at the demon, loosening his grip on the Talisman. "Got it!" shouted Brandon. "Don't be so sure," declared Scurgious, just arriving on the scene. "Rise, fallen beast!" His bolt of green light hit the bat demons body, enhancing its size tremendously. The rangers called on their zords. "We need Spirit Force Megazord power, now!" The zords arose from their hiding places and formed the Megazord. The bat demon released a supersonic screech, shorting out the Megazord. "Man! We're sitting duck, like this!" Tyler pointed out. "Don't worry, guys," said Brandon, "I got this! Thunder zord! Electro charge!" The Megazord's left arm radiated energy, recharging the whole body. Once it regained mobility, it drew its sword, and cut the bat demon down, defeating it. "And that's how it's done," bragged Brandon.
Scurgious returned to the Dark Temple. "Shendu is going to roast you alive, Scurgious." The sorcerer demon turned to see his general, Flario. "You're up and about, again, are you? As I remember, Shendu had plans for your punishment, as well." "He did, but I've got a plan of my own. Hear me out…" Scurgious leaned in and listened to Flario's plan.
Brandon sat alone at a booth at The Shack. "Why so sulky?" asked Maria. "I think you know," Brandon said. "You made it pretty clear yesterday that you know how I feel about you." Maria sighed. "Brandon, you know I'll always love you, as a friend. You, Tyler and Sadie are my best friends." "And Matt?" "I really like Matt, and you would, too, if you gave him a chance." "Yeah, he did have some good ideas, yesterday," Brandon agreed. "You need to know, though, that I really am going out on a date with him, tonight, and you need to be okay with that." "I'm okay with it. I don't know if I'll ever like it, but yeah, I'm okay with it." "Good," Maria said, smiling. She hugged her friend, who sighed as he watched her go off to meet her date.
