So I was pretty bored, and remembered it had been a whole since I had actually written anything for this. So, here's a chapter on Ari returning home shortly after becoming an Overdrive Ranger!
Hope you like it!
Recruited by Andrew Hartford to join Operation Overdrive, Ari must leave Briarwood and stay in San Angeles to help locate the five Jewels of the Corona Aurora. But first, she has to pack up and say goodbye to her family, for now.
Set after Heart of Blue.
Leaving Home
By the time Ari returned home to Briarwood, she was exhausted. It had been almost a fortnight since she had gone to meet Andrew Hartford, the billionaire explorer who had left a message for her in a skateboarding trophy. During that time, she had been recruited for a global treasure hunt, and become a Power Ranger for the four time, to help fight off two vicious monsters determined to gain the Jewels of the Corona Aurora for themselves. She had helped discover Atlantis, and encountered a Moon Ninja wanting the Jewels for herself.
"I should just not leave the house," she mused to herself as she walked into her house, dropping her bag and stretching in the hallway.
"Ari, is that you?" her mother's voice echoed from the kitchen.
"Hi mum," Ari called back, walking through the sitting room and through to the kitchen, where her mother was sitting with a cup of coffee. Elizabeth smiled widely and stood up, walking over to embrace her daughter in a hug.
"How was San Angeles?" she asked as Ari hugged her back.
"Pretty fun. Pretty uh, intense," Ari gave a small chuckle. Elizabeth released her, taking a seat as Ari grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
"And Andrew Hartford? How did it go with him?" she asked, her tone amused as Ari paused.
"You don't need to play dumb, I know you know," the Gold Overdrive Ranger told her, rolling her eyes as she shut the fridge and took a seat. She gestured to the newspaper on the table in front of her mother, where there was a large picture of the Overdrive Power Rangers standing together after another victory. "Everyone knows that Mr. Hartford is involved with these new Rangers," she sighed, sitting down at the table.
"Yes, but the Gold Ranger is a complete mystery to everyone," Elizabeth smirked, and Ari blushed. "So I'm guessing that this is going to be a brief visit?" she asked, and Ari's blush intensified.
"Ok yeah...I've got to be back there tonight," she admitted. Elizabeth laughed. "What?" Ari frowned.
"Your father owes Althea money," Elizabeth smirked. Ari rolled her eyes, unsure how her blushing could get any worse.
"Haha. Very funny," she folded her arms, before Elizabeth rolled up the newspaper and batted her on the head. "Hey! What was that for?" Ari frowned, putting a hand to her head.
"For not telling me that you were a Power Ranger in Blue Bay Harbour and Reefside," Elizabeth tried to look stern, but she started to laugh when she saw Ari's alarmed face. "What? You thought I wouldn't figure it out?" she laughed. "It's everywhere," she gestured to the papers.
"It's just a rumour..." Ari mumbled.
"Yes, but when I remembered that you were in both cities when the Power Rangers were around, and then left around the time they defeated the monsters attacking, I put the pieces together. Your father near enough had a heart attack when I said to him," Ari groaned, putting her face in her hands as her mother laughed. "It's quite amusing, I must say," Elizabeth commented, looking to her daughter in amusement. "And it does make sense of why you were in Blue Bay Harbour so long," she added.
"I was telling the truth though, it was to do with my school," Ari insisted.
"Ari you have been finding ways around the truth since you were little," Elizabeth laughed even harder. "And also ways around doing what you were told, but that's besides the point," she added. "So I'm guessing you're not going to be around much for a while?" her laughter finally faded.
"Yeah...there's a lot to do for this one," Ari sighed, shaking her head. Elizabeth rapped her head again, only much lighter.
"Then you better go pack," she told her daughter, who nodded and stood up. She hugged her mother tightly.
"Thanks mum," she mumbled, and Elizabeth hugged her back just as tight. She kissed the side of her head, before releasing her.
"And for heaven's sake, be careful. I've seen footage of you, you know," she scolded.
"I know, I know," Ari sighed, escaping before her mother could continue.
Humming to herself, Ari tossed the last of the clothes she was bringing with her to San Angeles into the large black hold-all that was lined with gold.
"At least I got the same colour," Ari mused to herself.
"You know talking to yourself is the first sign of madness," she looked around to see Xander sitting smirking on her windowsill.
"I'm going to push you out that window," Ari walked over to him. "I told you not to be growing trees in my garden," she scolded him, and he laughed, catching her wrists as she pushed him.
"It'll be fine," he told her, using her as leverage to pull himself into her room. Ari huffed, seeing the large tree out her window. "Everyone knows about magic now, so it's not gonna be a big surprise that there's a big tree outside all of a sudden," Xander messed with her hair, and Ari rolled her eyes.
"Well stop. I'm gonna get in trouble," she folded her arms and pouted.
"And stop you reacting like this? Never," Xander smirked back, pulling her close and kissing her gently. "I missed you," he murmured as they pulled away.
"Me too," Ari mumbled, burying her face into his chest.
"What was that? You missed me too?" Xander tilted his head, grinning widely.
"What? No!" Ari scoffed, moving away quickly. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she told him, returning to what she was doing before he had arrived.
"Uhuh..." Xander didn't look convinced as Ari grabbed several books and dumped them into the bag as well. "Don't forget the kitchen sink," he snorted, earning a dirty look from the Sun Ninja.
"You're so funny," after dropping in another, she walked over to him and hugged him again.
"I know," Xander smirked, and Ari punched him before he pulled her in close again. "How long are you gonna be away?" he asked quietly.
"I dunno. It all depends on how quickly we can find the Jewels...but in fairness, we're pretty close to finding the first already," Ari looked up and smiled widely at him. "And we found Atlantis dude," Ari practically bounced with excitement, before there was a knock and her door opened.
"I thought I heard you talking to someone who wasn't yourself," Elizabeth smirked, and Ari blushed as she stepped away from Xander. "Hi Xander," she smiled to the Earth Mystic, who grinned back. "I'm guessing that's one of yours? Or has the memory of a large tree outside the house just been wiped from my memory?" she asked, and Ari shot Xander another glare.
"So, treasuring hunting is your next career choice?" Bernard asked at the table between mouthfuls of Elizabeth and Althea's cooking.
"Only for now," Ari speared a piece of meat that she hoped was chicken and not the strange creature Daggeron and Althea had been hunting that had been terrorising the Riverside Village in the magical realm. "I'll be helping Mr. Hartford locate the Jewels of the Corona Aurora," she explained.
"Isn't that a fairy tale?" Hannah asked, looking up from her own plate.
"Like unicorns and ogres," Mal snorted, and was slapped with a spoon by his mother.
"The Corona Aurora is indeed a legend," Daggeron agreed. "But one that did stem from truth, from centuries ago," he explained.
"Never heard of it," Jessie shrugged, her attention more on her phone as she texted Dustin.
"It's powerful enough to destroy worlds," Joe spoke before shoving a spoonful of mash into his mouth. "Or so the legends say," he shrugged after swallowing, noticing several looks.
"And the Sentinel Knight can't just tell you where the Jewels are?" Xander asked Ari.
"Apparently there's a series of clues that will lead us to them that we need to unlock them. Or something like that," Ari rolled her eyes.
"Well I suppose hunting legendary Jewels that could destroy the world shouldn't be easy," Charlotte, Xander's mother, smiled in amusement.
"Could be easier," Ari muttered irritably, but was secretly amused. It was bizarre that they were all sitting around the table, eating dinner and discussing the hunt for the Jewels that she had been recruited for as if it were all entirely normal.
But then again, it was becoming normal to them. The people of Briarwood now knew of the magical realm on the borders of the woods, and that they were friendly, for the most part. Magical creatures often came through to see the human world for themselves, and many of the people in Briarwood ventured into the woods - guided by those who knew them well of course. Elizabeth and Bernard, both doctors, had spent a month helping the magical creatures injured in the final few attacks, and Joe was learning magical healing from Althea to try and implement it.
"So where are you off to next then on your search Ari?" William, Xander's father, snapped Ari from her thoughts.
"Oh, uh, we're supposed to be leaving for St. Lucia in the morning," Ari told them.
"St. Lucia? Wow," Charlotte breathed. "I've always wanted to go there, what a beautiful place," she sighed wistfully.
"That's in the caribbean, right?" Jessie finally looked up, her blue eyes sparkling at the mention of the island. "You don't happen to need another Ranger for your team, do you?" she asked, making the others laugh quietly as Ari grinned.
"I dunno, can you fight vicious monsters and find legendary Jewels hidden around the world?" she asked, and Jessie deflated slightly.
"Not as well as the mysterious Gold Power Ranger I bet," Mal smirked, and Ari went red.
"Did you have to bring that up?" she groaned.
"Yes, I would like to know why you didn't let us know about that," Bernard looked sternly at his daughter, who blushed and stared at her food as if it were fascinating.
"You didn't know?" Althea asked, surprised. Joe covered his mouth to stop his laughter, and Hannah nudged him as Krista looked up at them, confused by the conversation going on.
"Ok," Bernard leaned back in his seat. "Hands up who knew," he instructed. Ari put her face in her hands as Xander, Daggeron and Althea raised their hands. Xander shot Joe a look, and the man, still laughing, raised his hand slowly.
"Wait, you mean Ari was also the Gold Power Ranger in Blue Bay Harbour and Reefside?" Charlotte asked in shock.
"It's supposed to be a secret!" Ari whined. Xander patted her head sympathetically.
"You were out there fighting monsters at 15. Ridiculous," Bernard shook his head.
"Oh Bernard, leave her be," Elizabeth laughed. "She did fine - for the most part," she shot Ari a stern look.
"See? Everyone thinks you're too reckless," Xander commented, earning a glare. Joe's laughter only grew.
"Goodbye sweetheart," Elizabeth hugged her daughter as she hoisted her now very heavy hold-all bag onto her shoulder. Everyone else had left shortly before, with Althea and Daggeron fussing over her and ensuring she'd be ok, before leaving. Xander and Joe had found it all hilarious, as had William.
"Be careful," Bernard told her, and hugged her just as tightly.
"I'll try my best," Ari told him. Bernard frowned at her, before sighing.
"I suppose that's the best I can expect from you," he relented. Elizabeth chuckled as Ari grinned. "And just know, we are proud of you," Ari's grin dropped and she looked up at her father in surprise. "All this time I've been telling you to be more responsible, and here you are saving the world several times," he laughed lightly, and Ari blushed.
"In fairness, it's how most people never figured me out," she grinned widely. "I gotta go, need to be up early to head to St. Lucia with the others. Thanks for tonight," Ari smiled, and they hugged her again before releasing her.
"Try not to stay away as long as you did before," Elizabeth commented, and Ari nodded. Feeling her eyes start to burn, she quickly turned away and began walking, calling out another quick goodbye as she made her way back to San Angeles to continue the search for the Jewels of the Corona Aurora. Even after a third time leaving Briarwood, she hoped it wouldn't take as long to complete their search and defeat Moltor, Flurious, and anyone else who would come looking for the Jewels.