Spike came to, alongside Mal and his Uncle Bulk, looking around completely delighted to be back. Bulk let out a huge screech of elation.
"I didn't get recycled!" He screamed joyfully. "God, and I thought it was bad when I was a chimp."
"At least you weren't a newspaper." Spike muttered.
"You think you had it bad? I was a bacon cheeseburger!" He told them. "Do you know how much my mom would freak if she found out I broke two Kosher rules!"
"It could have been worse, someone could have eaten you." Spike reminded him. Just then, Jimmy and Vicky came back, looking a little too pale compared to normal, coming from the direction of the public bathrooms. Spike came over, looking between them.
"Uh...are you two alright?" He asked them.
"Yeah, fine." Vicky told him.
"Totally." Jimmy agreed. Spike was confused.
"So...what happened to you?" Spike asked them. "I ended up lining a bird cage and getting pooped on."
"I learned way too much about my little brother." Vicky told him.
"Ditto for my sister." Jimmy responded. "Can we go home and agree never to talk about this again?"
"Not a problem." Vicky replied as they walked away together. Spike just watched them go as Bulk came over.
"What was that about?" He asked his nephew. Spike just shook his head.
"I have no idea." He replied. "Man, the recycling truck took all our stuff! They must have thought it was garbage!"
"Here, take this." Bulk told him, handing him a hundred dollars. "Don't argue, after today you can use it. Go see if that girl still wants to go out."
Spike just took the money and ran, hoping that he wasn't so late Melanie would notice.
Over at the Arena, Dekker took a hard shot in the ribs, before The Judge smashed him in the face with the hilt of one of his swords, sending him falling to the sands. He had faced many powerful opponents in the centuries he had been around, but The Judge was on another level altogether. Although he was ten feet tall, and armoured, he moved with a speed and fluidity that defied logic. Everything that Dekker tried, he seemed to have an answer for.
The Judge turned to the crowd, throwing up his arms and accepting their adulation. Dekker watched him revelling in the noise of the crowd, and gesturing wildly with his swords, taking in their cheers. He looked to the box, and smiled as he saw that Dayu was not there. He pulled himself up to his feet and called out, drawing The Judge's attention back to him.
"You actually got up?" The Judge asked him. "Have you not seen that I am more powerful than you can imagine?"
"I believe in fighting until the fight is done." Dekker replied, rushing for him. The Judge didn't even try to block, holding his swords aside as Dekker brought Urumasa down on the crown of his helmet, but instead of finding impact, it found nothing as The Judge turned into black smoke, swirling around him, before reforming behind Dekker and slicing him across the back, sending him to the sands once more. He laughed as Dekker rolled back to his feet, snatching up Urumasa as he did so.
"Are you afraid to face me without tricks?" Dekker asked him. The Judge just gestured to the crowd.
"They don't seem to mind." He responded, gesturing back to the crowd. Dekker pulled back into a guard, before attacking again.
Mike and Emily called forth all the Zords, using the power of the Black Box to bring them to their aid. Forming up the Claw Armour Megazord, they found themselves in the cockpit, taking their places by their control consoles.
"Wow, this place seems huge without the others." Emily commented.
"Yeah, it definitely feels better having them with us." He agreed, clipping the Black Box to his Spin Sword. "Wow, this feels incredible, but we've only got two of us powering this. Let's make it quick."
"I'll make it quick for you alright." Switchbeast announced, powering up a blast. He launched it their way, but they deflected it, saving the Zords.
They smashed him a few times with the Claw Armour Megazord's katana, before shoving him to the ground, taking care to limit how much damage he would do. Seeing no buildings behind him, Mike pulled out his Spin Sword, and nodding to Emily as she did the same.
"Alright, we're not going to get a better shot at this." Mike told her, flicking out his Super Sabre.
"Double Katana Strike!" They called out together. Switchbeast let out one last scream as he fell to the ground, exploding on impact. Mike and Emily both fell to their knees inside the cockpit, completely drained. They couldn't remember ever feeling so tired or weak. With only two of them to power the attack, it had taken almost everything they had.
"Wow, that was...awesome." Mike said in laboured gasps as he tried to regain his breath.
"Yeah." Emily agreed, nodding her head wearily, also feeling the strain and breathing hard. "Let's never do that again."
"Now we just have one problem." Emily stated. "We're miles from the Shiba House, and we're both exhausted. How are we meant to get home?"
"I think this is one time Mentor won't mind us hitting up Jayden for cab fare." Mike assured her. "Power Down."
Back at the arena, The Judge had taken to playing with Dekker. Every time he swung his blade, The Judge would turn to smoke, making it impossible for Dekker to land a blow. Unfortunately, he could strike at will, taking Dekker apart one superficial cut at a time.
Dekker fell to his knees, clutching at a deep wound in his chest. He looked up to The Judge as he reformed, bringing his swords to bear, placing them like a pair of scissor blades across Dekker's neck.
"This has been fun. It has been a long time since I graced the sands." The Judge told him. "However, I fear it is time for the match to end. I shall enjoy seeing all the matches you provide in..."
His words tailed off as his hands started to quiver. He looked to his arms, feeling them beginning to strain with the weight of his own weapons. He looked to Dekker in horror as The Cursed Warrior just shoved him off.
It was as he got space that he heard screaming up in the stands and looked up to the audience. The other gladiators had somehow gotten free and were now running amuck, cutting down the audience as they fled for their lives. He looked to Dekker, who had Urumasa across his shoulders.
"You're weakening aren't you?" Dekker asked him. "I figured out your secret. The reason you hold these games. You get your power from the audience. Their cheers and bloodlust fuel your powers."
He started to shrink down, reducing the strain on his powers as he could feel it waning. He had been expending a vast amount of energy powering his awesome powers. Now that the crowd were running for their lives, he was not renewing the power he had lost.
"I had Dayu free the gladiators from their cells." Dekker informed him. "Now perhaps we can have a fair fight!"
Dekker swung wildly, smashing his swords aside before raking it across his chest, cutting an opening in the chest plate. The Judge was astounded that anyone could actually injure him.
He raised an arm, attempting to block Dekker's next attack, only to have his arm sliced from his body. Dekker raised his sword, preparing for the final strike, but The Judge fired a red bolt, which struck him, turning him into his human form. Dayu ran into the arena beside him.
"You fool; do you really think that you'll ever be free of the curse?" He asked. "You do not understand the nature of Urumasa's curse."
"I understand it better than anyone." Dekker replied curtly. "I have lived with it for centuries. I have taken up the Cursed Blade once more, but once I find one who can..."
"Really? Then answer me this. If the curse is purely on the blade, then how were you able to turn into a Nighlock without it?" The Judge asked him. Dekker paused as he heard this. He had wondered that himself. The curse was on Urumasa. It used him as a vessel to wield it, but he was not a Nighlock when he was cursed to carry it. He had only become a Nighlock after he defeated its previous owner.
He then fired another blast from his eyes. Dekker blocked it, but as he did so, Urumasa vanished.
"Finish me if you will." The Judge told him. "I have cursed you once more. Your memory will fade, and you will wander the earth as this cursed soul forever!"
"I'll take my chances." Dekker responded, snatching up one of The Judge's own swords. He used it to strike his head from his shoulders. In a flash of light, the remaining power within him flashed outward.
Dekker saw his restraining bracelet fall from his wrist, and Dayu's did the same. Looking around the arena, all the gladiators either crumbled to dust, returned to their original fate, or their bracelets released them. Jindrax leapt to Dekker's side.
"We're free, but there's just one problem." He stated. "How do we get home?"
Dekker threw the sword, lodging it in one of the arena walls, before pulling it out. Having created a gap, he gestured to Jindrax.
"We can give you a lift as far as Earth." Dekker told him, offering his hand. Jindrax took his hand, and with that, the three of them disappeared, leaving the arena behind.
Back in the mortal realm, Spike arrived at Melanie's house, and stood by the door. He knocked gently, waiting for an answer. A little while later, a large man in a Princeton jersey showed up. He towered over Spike, and looked like something from a WWE ring. He was bald, and had cold, blue eyes.
"Um...I'm here to pick up Melanie?" Spike stammered out.
"Oh, you are now are you?" The man asked judgementally. He glared at him.
"Leave him alone dad." Melanie said with a giggle as she arrived. She hugged him, before turning to Spike. "You came! I thought with the monster attack you might reschedule. I guess you got into cover."
"I got covered alright." Spike muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Melanie asked. "I didn't hear...?"
"It's nothing." Spike assured her. "Look, I know it's later than we agreed, but there's an evening showing of the same movie starting in an hour and a half..."
"That sounds great!" She called out, pulling on her jacket. "I know a great place you can take me on the way."
"Uh...alright." Spike replied as he kept an eye on her dad, who was still giving him the stink eye. She hugged him. "I'll be back later daddy."
"Call me when the movie ends." He warned her. "I'll pick you up."
Melanie took Spike by the arm and started to march him up the path.
"So, what burger joint...?"
"Burger joints are so last decade." She told him. "I prefer the Italian place near the theatre."
Back at the Shiba House, Mike and Emily arrived, finding the others waiting for them in the yard. Antonio had already regained consciousness and had fired up the grill to make them dinner. Mike smiled to see them all waiting for them.
"Mentor, we...uh...needed to get a cab." Mike told him. "I'm a little short."
Mentor Ji just sighed and went out to pay the cab driver as Mike and Emily came to the table to sit down. Mike arrived just as Antonio placed a burger down in front of him.
"Burgers?" Mike asked. "I thought, you'd be making..."
"Well, I still owe you a jalapeno burger from earlier." Antonio stammered. "Besides, I still have loads of stock that's going to go to waste if we don't use it."
"Antonio, are you OK?" Emily asked, noticing that he was acting a little jittery.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He told her, gesturing back to the grill. "I have some wieners that need my attention."
"You guys did great today." Jayden said with an impressed tone as Antonio left the table. "You really pulled it off."
"Yeah, the way you took down that Nighlock rocked!" Kevin agreed. "Way to go."
"You really made a great team." Serena complimented them, hugging her sister.
"It was mostly Mike." Emily stated. "He figured out the plan."
"No, we were a team." He told her, taking her hand softly. "I couldn't have done it without you."
They leaned in, kissing each other softly, before Mike looked back to the table.
"By the way, you guys have GOT to try that Black Box!" He announced. "That was sick!"
"I'm definitely looking forward to my turn." Mia agreed.
"Well, speaking of cool outfits..." Mike stated, flipping open his Samuraizer. Emily, Mia, Jayden, Serena and Stephen started to laugh, at which he turned it to show Kevin. His face fell as he saw what was on the screen.
"You took pictures?" He screamed. In the excitement of the victory, and being grateful at being back to normal, he had almost forgiven Mike for the tutu incident.
"Yup." Mike said with a mischievous grin. "And these are so going on Twitter!"
"Oh no you don't!" Kevin called out as Mike got up and started to run. "Come back here!"
"I thought you and Mike would be tired after controlling the Zords." Mia commented.
"You know Mike." Emily giggled. "He's never too tired to cause trouble."
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Dekker, Jindrax and Dayu arrived through a gap. Dekker turned to Jindrax.
"Well, I guess I should be going." Jindrax told them. "There's a lady out there who's probably still looking for me."
"I hope you find her." Dekker assured him. Jindrax put an arm around him and held him closely.
"She's quite a woman." He told him. "You do right by her."
"I plan to." Dekker assured him. Jindrax walked away, bidding his friends farewell as he went off on his journey. Dayu came to Dekker's side, putting an arm around her, but was stunned as he threw it off aggressively.
"Dekker, what are you doing?" She asked him.
"What does it look like?" He asked her. "Leave my sight."
He could see the pain on her face as he said this. It was only eclipsed by the pain in his heart as he faced her. The Judge, in a final act of spite, had cursed him. He could already feel his memories beginning to leave him. While he still felt his heart racing as he looked at her, he knew that it would not be long before he once more saw her as nothing but another Nighlock.
"Dekker..."
"I did not ask for you to follow me!" He snarled at her. "I did not ask for you to intervene in my fate!"
"I couldn't watch you die!" She screamed. "When I found out you were in that place..."
"You should have left me there!" Dekker roared at her. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he glared at her.
"But...you fought for me." She reminded him. "You fought to free me."
"I fought because I saw the means to face an opponent who might have finally ended my existence." Dekker spat. "An existence that was cursed by your selfish love!"
"Dekker, you can't mean that!" Dayu protested. He just turned from her.
"Leave." He told her, struggling to keep himself from shedding tears. He knew that before the sun rose, he would no longer see her as the woman he loved with all his heart. He now knew that he was a Nighlock, even without Urumasa. With the drive for battle of his Nighlock form, and no memory, he could think of no other way to ensure he would not eventually destroy her. "If we cross paths again, I will kill you."
"Dekker!" She called out one more time as he started to walk away. He stopped in his tracks. "I love you."
He tightened his hands into fists, and sniffed back some tears. He had hoped that she would just leave, and every moment tore his heart apart. He knew that he only had one way to make her leave.
"Your love has cursed us for eternity." Dekker told her. "I want no part of it."
"Please." She begged him. "I know you love me too."
Dekker wiped away his tears and steeled himself as he turned to face her. He straightened up, giving her a cold, hard glare that went straight her. He could see her tears and it tore his heart into pieces as he told the lie that he knew he had to, the one that would keep her from her fools' errand.
"I do not love you." He told her coldly. "Do what you will, but stay from my sight."
With that, he turned and walked away, just as his tears began to fall. Dayu fell to her knees behind him, turning back into her Nighlock form, her heart completely destroyed. All she had was Dekker, and the hopes of having him returned to her. Now, that hope was gone, and she was alone in her cursed existence forever.
In the Netherworld, Master Xandred flew into a rage as the Rangers had prevailed once again. His anger was terrifying, and he shook the Junk harshly as he rampaged around.
"Sire, you must calm down!" Octoroo begged him. He tried to think of something to appease him, but could only think of one thing. "Switchbeast was not even one of your followers. This has cost you nothing!"
"Are you that stupid?" Master Xandred asked him. "Why do you think I am so angry?"
"I don't understand." Octoroo answered.
"He worked for another master." Xandred reminded him. "How many other Nighlock do you know foolish enough not to acknowledge me as their master?"
"You really think...?" Octoroo asked. Xandred just picked up a flask of his medicine and started to drink.
"Can there be any doubt?" Xandred asked as the Furry Worts came down and started to chatter, irritating him. He ripped one off and launched it out the window in rage. "We will not be alone much longer."
Back in the human realm, Dayu was walking by a lake, completely devastated by what had transpired. Dekker was gone, and she was alone in the world. She looked up as a Furry Wort washed up on the show. She came across and picked it up.
"You poor thing." She whispered. "Are you alone like me?"
"Missed you, missed you!" It chattered. She just sighed.
"Master Xandred has banished you as he has banished me." She told him. "I have no place in the human realm, or the Netherworld. Now, I don't even have Dekker."
She looked to it as another feeling came over her.
"The accursed Nighlock have taken everything from me." She told it. "I vow to do anything I can to make them all pay, even if it means I am destroyed in the process."
"Pay, pay, pay!" the Furry Wort giggled. She cradled it closely.
"Until then, at least I have you to talk to." She responded as she continued on her journey, taking the first steps on her road to vengeance.