"Well, after a lot of drama concerning the Power Rangers, we have a group who can finally claim they knew it all along," a reporter announced on the TV in Ninja Ops. "New footage from two separate attacks has come to light, showing the Rangers in action and it's glaringly obvious what the Rangers are here for."
"Just a few weeks ago," the reporter continued, "High School student, Sarah Thompson was outed by media outlets across the world, as being the Pink Ranger in the latest team of rainbow coloured super heroes. The reveal of the pink Ranger's identity sparked outrage, especially in her home town, with many concerned that Ranger powers were too much to leave in the hands of a few, unaccountable individuals. However, Thompson, and her team of Rangers, didn't let that stop them from doing what they believed was the right thing. Despite losing her powers publicly, and being left as defenseless to the monsters as everyone else in the city, new footage shows Thompson arriving to the scene of a monster attack and distracting the monster long enough for a crowd of people to flee. Once the rest of the Rangers show up, footage reveals Thompson didn't leave, but instead worked on trying to convince onlookers to get to safety. Suddenly, the Rangers lose control in their fight against the monster, and for one little boy, all seems lost. However, Thompson, seeing the danger, jumps to save the boy, taking a blast meant for him."
As the reporter spoke, Tommy's footage played on screen. Here, the video paused, showing the still of the burn on Sarah's back as she shielded the boy from danger. When the video played again, it was obvious Sarah's concern wasn't with herself, but on the boy's wellbeing.
"Despite what appears to be serious injuries, Thompson ensures the boys safety, even after he is returned to his father, who lashes out at the pink Ranger. Then, only a few hours later, another recording of Thompson, and this time the white Ranger from Panorama is released. Summer Cove High, the site of a recent and deadly monster attack, finds itself in trouble again when another High School senior, Harley Cook, shoots the school. Though no one is killed in the horrific incident, Thompson and the white Ranger make an appearance. Their run in with Cook is one no one would expect as Thompson, armed with only a vest, tries to talk Cook out of shooting his gun while her teammate, the white Ranger, sets down what she claims in her only weapon. Thompson and the white Ranger make no attempt to escalate the matter with Cook and instead, appear to be trying to solve things peacefully."
An obvious effort is made to show Harley with his gun, pointed at Sarah whose hands could been seen throughout the video – showing she has no gun or weapon of any kind on her. There's just a brief glance at Serena and her sword on the ground, just out of reach.
"Despite having a gun pointed at her, and no Ranger powers to speak of to protect her, Thompson springs into action again when the city's latest monster problem, a bee with what sounds like a French accent, shoots at Cook. The white Ranger rushes to collect her sword while Thompson, still without powers, risks her own life to save Cook. While the bee's attack caused some severe damage to the school, and left many students who were still hiding, wondering whether this was the end or not, no one was severely harmed in the attack. Thompson managed to push Cook out of the way in time to avoid the shot, and the white Ranger swiftly took care of the bee."
"I hate bees," Kelly muttered.
"It seems, powers or not, Sarah Thompson's intentions are clear. She's here to protect this city. The identities of her teammates are still a mystery, but as long as these Rangers continue to protect us, the least we can do is afford them a little privacy."
"I can't believe you filmed that," Hayley said to Preston. She turned off the TV and looked to the blue Ranger. "I mean, I'm happy you did but… what part of school shooting made you want to take out your camera?"
"I just… I had a feeling I should," Preston said. "And you saw the video, it's not like I did much anyway. I saw that gun and I froze."
"I probably would have done the same thing," Kelly assured him, and Preston felt a little better hearing this. He would always wish he had been able to do something to help Sarah and Serena, even though it seemed freezing up had been exactly what was needed. Serena and Sarah were able to keep Harley distracted long enough for Venoma to show up, and as Venoma was being taken down, Rebecca and the Silver Guardians arrived. They took Harley, helped to evacuate the rest of the school, and helped the students who had been shot by Harley.
"It's something about the gun."
"Something about a nut and a gun," Kelly nodded her head. "Does anyone know where he got it from?"
The Rangers all shrugged. Until Rebecca and the Silver Guardians completed their report, there was no telling where Harley could have obtained the gun, and if the process was legal or not.
"I'm a little disappointed they didn't mention Harley shot me three times," Sarah said with a sigh. "I mean, I'm a good guy again and the Rangers are good and everything's right with the world now… mostly. But… I mean, would it be really that hard to just mention that while I was saving his ass, Harley shot me three times?"
"It was a sweet shot of your burn," Calvin stated. He, Brody and Levi were finally back to normal from Venoma's spell. When Serena destroyed her, the spell had worn off. The boys were confused, and Hayley and Kelly promised to fill them in on what happened once things calmed down a little bit.
"Yeah, but…" Sarah rubbed her chest, where she had been shot. Gia's vest had done what it needed to do to protect her, but the former yellow Ranger hadn't lied at all when she said getting shot would still hurt. Sarah would have three dark, heavy bruises as proof for a long time. "I guess it's for the best."
As the others continued to discuss what might happen now that the media, at least, wasn't painting Sarah as the villain, Preston stepped away. He knew everything had worked out well, and that the video had been probably the best thing he could have done in hindsight, but he still wasn't feeling right.
Seeing Preston stepping out of the base, Kelly followed him. She rolled outside the Ribbon Tree and found Preston sitting on the grass. She made her way over to him and then asked him to help her sit. While she already had a seat in the chair, she didn't like being much higher or lower than anyone else when it could be prevented. Preston carefully helped her out of the chair and helped her to sit up on the grass. Kelly leaned against the Ribbon Tree and turned to her friend.
"You okay, Presto?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm just… thinking, I guess."
"Thinking about?"
"What happened."
"Getting that footage was a good idea," Kelly told him. "I mean, we know Sarah enough to trust that she would do something good, maybe even heroic, but now everyone else kind of knows it too."
"We trust Sarah will do the right thing," Preston nodded again. "But we couldn't trust that it would all work out."
"What do you mean?"
"What if Serena hadn't been able to reach her sword fast enough?" Preston asked. "Or what if Harley's aim wasn't just right and he shot Sarah in the arm, or the leg, or the head? What if Venoma anticipated Serena's strength and kicked our asses? Or what if Rebecca didn't show up when she did? Harley was pretty stunned by it all but he still had the gun. He could have shot Sarah a fourth time. Somewhere a little more lethal."
"It could have ended poorly," Kelly admitted. "That's why I have no fingernails right now. We were worried. We all were."
"And I did nothing to help. I froze up, Kel. Sarah didn't even have her Ranger powers and she stood facing down the barrel of a gun without showing a trace of fear."
"Yeah…" Kelly said with a heavy sigh. "She tends to do that. It's like the part of her brain that says 'be scared' doesn't work."
"I feel like the same can be said for all of you," Preston said. He looked to the Ribbon Tree, where his friends were inside Ninja Ops, then back to Kelly. The green Ranger gave him a baffled look.
"You think my fear center is broken?"
Preston pointed to her chair, "Normal people don't just hop right into a wheelchair and join a fight."
"Okay, I didn't hop, that why I have the chair," Kelly chuckled. "And Preston, if you think I wasn't scared… you're a seriously bad judge of character. I mean, maybe I was okay with needing the wheelchair but… things could have been much worse for me. If my injury had been even just a little bit higher, I'd be quadriplegic."
"That sucks."
"I could even be dead," Kelly said. "So, the wheelchair isn't as scary as that but… Harley's a pretty scary guy."
"Sarah and Serena didn't seem to think so."
"Okay, we've talked about Sarah's fear center and I really think Serena's doesn't look much different," Kelly said. "And that's not normal."
"Neither is being a Ranger. And you and Hayley were ready to face Harley…"
"Yeah, because I was scared," Kelly said. "Sarah was going to do it and I couldn't stop her. I was scared Harley would get one look at her, shoot her between the eyes and I'd be attending yet another funeral."
"I'm just… sometimes, I really question if I'm cut out for this Ranger business," Preston said. "I'm not the strongest fighter, I'm not the bravest or the strongest."
"No, you're not," Kelly agreed. Preston looked hurt. She shrugged. "Well, it's true. Everyone inside can beat you up. Hell, I beat you up the other day in training and I can't even use my legs. You aren't exactly the toughest guy around."
"You're really hurting my feelings."
"Oh, did me telling the sweater vest wearing magician he isn't tough hurt his feelings?"
"I don't wear sweater vests."
"You dress pretty nice," Kelly shrugged. "Look, Presto, I'm not actually trying to make fun of you."
"Then your sense of humour center is broken."
"You're not any of those things because… the team doesn't really need them. I had the same doubts as you, once. Remember when Sarah's brother kidnapped her."
"You kept your cool."
"I threw up. A lot. Serena set me straight. I wasn't strong like Sarah and I never will be. Sarah is… well, she's pretty damn fit."
"So."
"I thought I needed to be like Sarah in order to help her. Serena told me that wasn't the case. Sarah's already like Sarah and that wasn't helping her get out of trouble. Clearly, being tough, strong, fit… hot.."
"Kel?"
"Sorry. Clearly, that wasn't helping," Kelly told Preston. "Who I am, and my strengths, was what Sarah needed. And ever since I learned that, Sarah and I have been… like… a perfect duo."
"You're a couple."
"Sarah's strong, brave, tough," Kelly acknowledged. "So are most of the guys in there. But Sarah… she can also be a bit impulsive. Sometimes, it helps that she has me, someone who hesitates, who stops to think more than acts, to help remind her to slow down a little. Just like how sometimes, she pushes me to stop overthinking and act."
"But she did stop. She did slow down, she thought about what to say to Harley and…"
"Okay, comparing ourselves to Sarah isn't fair," Kelly shook her head. "And you know what, beating around the bush isn't helping. Preston, you're not tough, strong, brave… when I describe the Rangers, that's not how I describe you."
"So how do you describe me, then?"
"You're the opposite of Sarah. You're calm, you're careful, you like thinking through a plan before you execute it. You like to sit back and watch before diving into a situation. You take your time with things."
"How does that help as a Ranger? Madam Oedius isn't going to give us time to…"
"You make time. You second guess things when you think our first idea isn't going to work. You make those jocks in there think twice about life-threatening situations. You almost force us to come up with a safer, more effective plan."
"Because I'm scared."
"No one said scared was bad," Kelly shook her head.
"I did."
"You're wrong," she told him. "Presto, maybe you didn't stop Harley. Maybe you didn't stop Venoma either. But when you hesitated, you got the idea to record the drama and… you stopped the news turning Sarah into a villain."
"I think Dr. Oliver…"
"Maybe his video would have worked, but yours? Yours showed that Sarah helping people isn't a one-time thing. I don't know if it's going to make a difference for Sarah appearing in public again but… if it does, that'll be thanks to you. Maybe the Prism picked you because it knew the team would need someone to help balance out the strong and the brave."
"I wish I could have done more," Preston sighed. "Regardless of how I helped, I wish I could have done something more than hold up a camera."
"I know how you feel," Kelly nodded her head. "But you did exactly what needed to be done. No one else would have thought to take out their camera."
"Perfect, just who I wanted to see," Tommy announced as he made his way up the hill. "Are the others inside?"
"You released the video?" Kelly asked.
"Figured in the midst of all the panic, the city needed a hero," Tommy nodded his head. "How is everyone doing?"
"Well, everyone's in love with the right person," Preston answered. "Sarah's got bullet bruises, instead of bullet holes."
"Gia's leg is still broken," Kelly added. "But it's not worse."
"I'll say we're doing good, then," Tommy nodded. "Can I come in?"
Kelly and Preston nodded their heads and after Kelly got back in her chair, they brought Tommy inside Ninja Ops. His arrival made everyone stop what they were doing and they took a seat on the couch and chairs around Ninja Ops.
"The video release seems to have gone well," Tommy announced to the Rangers, then he looked to Preston, "Having your video helped a lot, too. We could see that Sarah, and all the Rangers, do exactly what we say we want to do."
"See," Kelly whispered to Preston and gave him a slight nudge.
"Any idea what public opinion is like?" Sarah asked. "I'd really like to go to school, or see the new house Shane bought... or… leave this place in general."
"Well, I can't promise one way or the other," Tommy said. "But from what I could tell it looks like people who were angry with you because of what the news reports were saying have changed their minds."
"So, they aren't mad because people told them not to be mad anymore?"
"Journalists have a lot more power than people realize," Kelly told Brody. "I mean, you remember what happened when my dad posted one article, right? And it's not even like too many people agreed with him."
"Back to why I'm here," Tommy said. "While the media changing its mind helped to change the minds of most people, some people who were already harbouring tough feelings towards the Rangers are still… well, upset."
"Is it safe to leave?" Sarah asked. She wanted a straight answer. "Can I go out in public? Can I go to school?"
"No to the school thing," Tommy said. "But only because school's cancelled until the investigation is complete. Heading out into public… I think is pretty safe."
"Yes!" Sarah cheered and threw her hands up in the air and the other Rangers celebrated with her. While their identities hadn't been revealed, simply being known for being friends with Sarah had caused them quite a bit of grief. They had to assume that if it was safe for Sarah to leave Ninja Ops without causing a riot or risking personal harm, it would be safe for them to be with their friend without people questioning or condemning them.
As they celebrated and planned what they were going to do with their freedom, Serena, Gia, Mick and RedBot made their way to Tommy.
"You know, we would have figured this out," Gia said. "We didn't need an eleventh hour save from Tommy Oliver."
"I help where I can," Tommy assured them. "It's what Rangers do."
"Thank you," Serena smiled.
"You're doing a good job with them," Tommy said as he looked to the newest team. "They're all great Rangers. Word on the Ranger street is that these guys have what it takes to save the world."
"Don't we always?" Gia asked. Tommy looked to her.
"How many Rangers did it take to stop the Armada again?"
Gia frowned and pretended to look insulted. She knew Tommy was only teasing, but if that was the game he wanted to play, she was more than happy to join in.
"Uh, how many freaking Armada invasions did your teams have to handle?"
"My team never let it get to the point of invasion," Tommy smirked.
"Yeah? Who got himself stuck in his own Ranger suit?" Gia smirked. "Or, is someone forgetting I'm good friends with his red Ranger?"
"Which red?" Serena asked.
"Conner."
Tommy frowned, "At least I didn't allow a full-scale invasion."
"I mean, you were around at the time it happened so… technically, you did," Gia smirked.
"I lead the team that helped you stop it."
"But my team actually did stop it," Gia smirked.
"Okay, the egos aren't fitting in the room anymore," Serena said as she put herself between Gia and Tommy to stop their playful banter, as she looked to the Rangers. "What if we head out for ice-cream?"