Chapter 10 – Pepperoni
November 27 1997 – Angel Grove Youth Center
Even though her job as the manager of the Youth Center was a cover, Aimi Miyamoto still liked to put as much effort into the business as possible. The Center was still the premier hang out spot for the teenagers of Angel Grove, especially after the closure of Ernie's beach themed restaurant down by the lake. After the closure Ernie had sold the Youth Center to an anonymous businessman under the condition that the layout and staff remain unchanged. Little did he know that he had sold the Youth Center to Captain Mitchell and the agency.
Times were tough for businesses in the city and the prospect of further months under attack from monsters did little to attract new customers or investors. To counter this, small business owners and their managers needed to get creative. After the Youth Center had closed for the day, Aimi asked her five best customers to remain behind to unveil her latest innovation. From the store room she wheeled out a trolley with something hidden under a table cloth, "Alright thanks for staying behind everyone", she greeted the rangers.
"You didn't give me much choice", Cassie grumbled.
"Just be happy that I'm paying you overtime for this", her aunt replied, "so I'm looking to diversify the type of products the Youth Center sells, so I've come up with this". She pulled off the table cloth and unveiled a medium sized metal cooker and a pizza box. The box itself was red and white with a cartoon of a stereotypical Italian Chef, "Since we already sell burgers and fries, I thought why not sell pizzas as well. I can get a supply of pre made pizzas from the wholesalers and just cook them in this", she tapped her hand on the metal cooker.
"I dunno", Ashley began, "you've got a lot of competition around here".
"Yeah everyone knows that Luigi's sells the best pizza in Angel Grove", Charlotte added.
"Plus this guy", Carlos held up the pizza, "just looks creepy".
"Gee thanks for the support everyone", the center manager replied, "can't you at least try one of the pizzas before shoot down my idea". The teens grumbled under their breath, "The pizza will be free", she added with a sing song tone.
"Go on then", TJ answered for the other rangers, "I could do with something to eat after that training session earlier on".
"Great", Aimi smiled, "I'll just go..", her voice tailed off as she remembered something, "small problem, I may have left the pizzas in the fridge at home. I'll have to go and get them".
"Aimi", Carlos exclaimed, "it's already gone seven, I've got homework to do".
"Couldn't Xander bring them down", Cassie added.
Aimi rolled her eyes, "What's wrong with teenagers these days, can't even stick around for free food". Aimi grabbed her purse from the countertop, "Xander's working on something with Billy and Angela over in the Power Chamber, plus I'll only be 20 minutes". The rangers sighed but there were no clear objections, "Awesome I'll be as quick as I can", with that she went behind the bar and left the Youth Center by the rear entrance.
"I swear she'd forget her head if it wasn't screwed on", Cassie joked, "come on I'll make you all a free shake, on the house of course". The rangers were approaching the bar when a bright flash of light illuminated the room. They turned around and saw that the cartoon character on the pizza box had been brought to life and was standing right in front of them.
"Where did that guy come from", Ashley exclaimed as she got into a fighting stance.
"I dunno", TJ replied, "looks like Divatox is trying something different this time". He produced his Turbo key and the other rangers did the same, "Shift into Turbo", he called. In a flash of light the teens morphed into their suits and faced off against the monster.
"Ah the famous Power Rangers", the monster called out, "time for Mad Mike to slice you up". He produced a giant pizza cutter and advanced on the teens.
"Ok this is getting too weird", Charlotte said as she parried a blow with her Turbo blade. She was joined by Carlos but the monster quickly blocked their blows and retaliated with one of his own. The pizza cutter caught the blue and green rangers across the chest, sending them crashing to the ground.
"My turn", Ashley cried and summoned her Turbo Star Chargers. Mad Mike swung the blade towards her but the yellow ranger ducked out the way. The pizza cutter sliced a nearby table completely in half. Dodging another swung, Ashley rammed her weapons into the abdomen of the monster, catapulting him across the room. He crashed through a couple of tables in the corner, turning them into splinters.
"Watch the merchandise", Cassie complained, "any damage will probably come out of my salary".
Mad Mike slowly got to his feet and turned back towards the rangers, who had regrouped in front of the bar, "Now you've made me mad", the monster called out. He produced several large disks that look like giant pieces of pepperoni and began firing them at the rangers. Some of the disks missed their target, smashing a few of the lights and some of the glasses behind the bar. Unfortunately for the rangers the others didn't miss. The projectiles exploded on contact with their suits, sending them flying into the walls of the Youth Center. There were several burn marks on the walls and several more tables had been turned into firewood.
"If he stays in here, he'll destroy the place", TJ groaned as he struggled to his feet.
"Oh don't worry rangers I have no intention of staying cooped up in this building", Mad Mike cried. The rangers were slow to get to their feet, however, they would soon wish they had stayed on the ground. The monster fired a sticky substance from his hands that tied the rangers together. They all struggled to get free but the grip on them was too tight.
"Ergh what is this stuff", Ashley said as she struggled to free her arms.
"I don't believe I'm about to say this", Charlotte began, "but it looks like cheese".
"Man this guy has a sick sense of humour", Carlos cried as he fought against the substance. Try as they might, the rangers couldn't break themselves free.
"The fun's only just begun rangers", Mad Mike replied. He shot a beam at the metal cooker and the device grew in size until it took up about half the space inside the Youth Center. Its appearance had also changed so it looked like a microwave, "Today's special, deep pan rangers". Mad Mike opened the cooker and inside was a pizza base covered with tomato sauce.
"I can't believe I'm about to say this", TJ began, "but I think we're about to baked into a giant pizza".
"You're a sharp one red ranger", the monster called out, "now for the topping". He shot another beam at the rangers and levitated them onto the pizza base. He produced some more giant pepperoni slices and placed them on top of the teens. "Well it's been fun rangers but I'm going to deliver some mayhem to the city". He shut the door on the cooker and activated the cook function before dashing out of the building.
"This is not how I envisioned spending my final few minutes", Cassie stated sarcastically.
"If it's any consolation the suits should protect us against the heat", Charlotte replied, "I'm not sure how long for though".
"Couldn't it have been a plain pizza", Carlos tried to joke, "I can't stand pepperoni".
"Can we focus here", TJ snapped, "can anyone reach their communicators", there was a general negative murmuring from the other rangers. "Great no way of contacting the Power Chamber, this couldn't get any worse?" Suddenly a piece of pepperoni exploded, it was a powerful blast but fortunately it wasn't near any of the rangers, "I stand corrected".
Underneath her helmet, Cassie rolled her eyes, "You just had to say it did you TJ".
The red ranger was about to response when her caught sight of a figure moving around in the Youth Center. Initially he thought that Aimi had returned early but the body shape wasn't correct. As the figure got closer TJ was able to get a better look at them. The mystery person was dressed in black spandex with various pieces of black padded armour on his arms and legs. In the middle of their chest was a glowing red sphere, held in place by a couple of silver belts. Their identity was protected by a black and silver helmet. The mystery figure opened the door and surveyed the situation, "Thank goodness I found you in time", they stated. The voice sounded vaguely male but it was too heavily synthesized to be certain.
"Who are you?" Cassie asked.
"I'm the Phantom Ranger", the stranger replied, "don't worry I'll have you out in a moment". The Phantom Ranger then began dragging the pizza out of the cooker.
Aimi chose this moment to return back into the Youth Center, "Sorry forgot my...", he voice trailed off as she saw the sight in front of her. Broken glass and shattered tables littering the Youth Center and a giant microwave taking up most of the floor space. Then there was the bizarre sight of the Power Rangers laying on a giant pizza that was being manoeuvred by a mystery person in black, "Just when I thought I had seen it all", she commented.
"I apologise for the mess madam", the Phantom Ranger began, "the rangers have gotten themselves into a spot of difficulty".
"So I see", she replied, "I'm sorry and you are?" she asked in confusion.
He nodded his head in her direction before producing a black weapon that looked like a baseball bat, "I'm the Phantom Ranger, nothing more". He aimed the weapon at the pizza and carefully cut the rangers out of the pizza, "Now if you'll excuse me I have a monster to stop".
"Wait we'll give you a hand", Ashley said as she pulled a large chunk of cheese off her suit.
"We'll catch up with you later Aunt Aimi", the pink ranger called out as she followed the others out of the building.
Aimi looked around at the devastation that the monster attack had caused to her business and she let out a deep and audible sigh. It was times like these she was grateful that the government technically owned this building now. Pulling up her cell phone, she looked up the appropriate number, "Hi this is Agent Miyamoto, I need a cleanup crew at the Youth Center", she said to the person on the other end. She knelt down and picked up some of the discarded pizza ingredients, "What type of situation do I have?", she laughed to the operator, "would you believe me if I said a giant pizza?"
The next day
The following morning Charlotte entered the Youth Center with Justin alongside her. She looked around the building and couldn't believe that someone had cleaned up the pizza and various other bit of debris left over from last night. Even the scorch marks from the walls had been cleaned off. The rangers had caught up with the Phantom Ranger who was battling with the monster. The Phantom had effortlessly defeated Mad Mike but then he grew to giant size. The rangers quickly finished him off with the Turbo Megazord but when they had returned to ground, the Phantom Ranger had completely disappeared. The rangers were so exhausted after their ordeal they had returned home and cleaned themselves up.
"I thought you said this place was trashed last night", Justin whispered to his sister.
"So did I", she replied, "looks like Aimi cleaned up the mess. Now don't say anything about it, the others don't know that you know I'm a ranger".
The Stewart's approached the bar where they were greeted by Aimi's smiling face. She certainly didn't look like she had spent all night clearing up the ranger's mess. "Hi you two, what can I get you".
"Well I was telling Justin here about your idea to sell pizza", the blue ranger began, "and he wanted to come and try some".
"Aww sorry buddy but I've had to scrap that idea", Aimi replied, "I had a problem with some of the ingredients".
"That's a shame, I could really with a slice of pepperoni right now", he replied. Aimi eyed the youngster suspiciously before switching her gaze to Charlotte. Her face though was an unreadable mask. Deciding not to push any further, she pulled out some change from the till, "Tell you what as compensation, here's a dollars worth of quarters. Why don't you play on the arcade machines?"
"Sweet thanks Aimi", he replied and dashed off to the corner of the Youth Center.
"He's easily amused", Aimi smiled.
"He likes to think he's mature but still a 12 year old", Charlotte replied before leaning in closer, "so how's this place so clean, it was a mess after we left".
"Yes thank you for leaving the clean up to me", she said, "Good thing you all had a reasonable excuse. I called in the agency's specialist clean up team, they got rid of all the mess and replaced the damaged furniture. They even replaced that wobbly bar stool I've been complaining about for ages". She finished pouring the blue ranger a soda and slid it across the counter, "So who was that phantom guy?"
"No idea, he disappeared after we finished off the pizza guy", Charlotte replied, "I thought the agency had sent him".
Aimi shook her head, "Nope nothing to do with us. I spoke with Xander and the Turbo Rangers designs only included five rangers. Whoever this Phantom Ranger is, he's acting completely by himself".
As Charlotte sipped her drink she thought about the Phantom Ranger a little more. If it wasn't for him, her and the other rangers would probably be dead. It was concerning that the agency didn't know about another ranger but the phantom appeared to be on their side. She hoped their paths would cross again, if only to keep Cassie quiet. The pink ranger hadn't stopped talking about the Phantom since last night. Thanking Aimi for the drink, Charlotte left the bar to join her brother at the arcade machines.
A/N – My favourite line ever from the Power Rangers series is TJ's at the end of Forever Red, "Did I ever tell you about the time I got baked into a giant pizza", so I had to include my own version of that episode. I had a blast writing this, once I realised there was no sensible way to tell a story about getting baked into a giant pizza.
More importantly it's the first appearance of the Phantom Ranger. Unlike the series I will reveal who's behind the helmet before the end of this story.