Season 1, Episode 25
"The Doormat and the Coach"
Poor Fluttershy was never really the most assertive out of the team. She's not so much of a fighter so much more than she's a supportive member that can help push the others into victory. So, can a person who is specialized in making a more assertive person out of some have a chance in making her better?
Well, if you know how this one goes, then you know that this is already a bad idea. But wait! There's more! There are several rangers within the team that has some kind of problem that they are dealing with. And when he sees someone with a personal problem...well you could guess what happens next from here on out now could you?
Inspired by the following episodes: "Putting Your Hoof Down" (FiM S2, E19)...Sort of.
This place needed a marketplace, said Sonic. The main street seems to be the perfect place to place a market. Makes him wonder why the town didn't bother building one in the first place, considering that this place has existed for years.
So the rangers went to work and built several shops out of nothing but wood and fabrics. The monsters weren't going to attack in a couple of days, so why not? They're going for it. After an entire week of building, and several construction fails, the rangers finally did it. This town now has a marketplace.
"And...we're done!" Rainbow said as she slides the market stand into position. "That should be the last of them. Finally, the marketplace is complete! Now residents can buy goods without having to leave the village and travel potentially a long way from home if they want something."
The rangers look at their work, admiring the effort that they put into making this a reality.
Sonic leaned on one of the stands. "Man, can you believe how painful setting up all these shops is?" He recalls the several fails he has experienced while constructing these market stands. "Some of them collapsed while I was constructing them, and Shadow insulted me for 'shoddy craftsmanship' every time they fall."
Applejack scratched the back of her head. "Well, at least I have a place where I can sell all mah apples. Great job, sugahcubes."
Sonic crosses his arms "I think we deserve some praise from the villagers. I'm sure that they'll appreciate a marketplace in the village, right?" The team look at where they last saw the villagers. And the results they got were not pretty. They appear to be fighting over each other, presumably for privileges to use these stands. "Okay, I take it back. They're not thanking us. They're fighting each other."
"Fighting over shops when not all of them are even merchants?" Rainbow said. "Okay, that's just plain dumb."
The rangers only stand there and watch as the fighting continued. Sure, they can break it up. But then again, they will be pulled into the fight, whether they like it or not. What a jerk.
The next day, all the chaos has died down and its back to business as usual. With the opening of the new marketplace, salespeople have moved to this location to help support the population.
Fluttershy is sent out to get the food today. She walks down main street looking for a place to get food. "All that hard work has made my friends hungry," she monologues. "They've spent so much time and effort into making this marketplace a reality. Too bad that we are running out of food. I better go get some before sundown." After some looking she stumbles upon an on site butcher's shop. A nauseating feeling went down her stomach as she looks. "Ugg...I know that I don't eat meat, but some of my friends eat them. This makes me nauseous but...I'm going there first." She walks toward the butcher's shop.
Walking up to the counter, she asks for some meat. "Excuse me?" she begins to asks. "Can I have-"
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, a random civilian of the town shoves her out of the way to make his offering. "Two pounds of steak, good sir.
"That'll be ten dollars," the butcher calculates. The civilian pulls out his wallet to fish for his currency.
Fluttershy sets up to her feet and looks at the fool who shoved her. "Hey. I was there first," she complained. "Would you mind if I"-
The civilian makes his payment and the butcher hands over what his customer asked for. "Have a good day," he says to the civilian.
"You too," the civilian said back. And then he leaves.
"Who's next?" the butcher asks. He stares at his next customer.
Fluttershy, still feeling a little nauseous, decides to step forward towards the counter. Right before a lady slides right in front of her.
"Hey, can I get some pork?" the lady said. "I'm kind of hungry."
The butcher was quite confused about what the lady meant. "Two questions," the butcher asks. "One, how much meat do you want? Two, I'm sure that girl behind you came first, so would you please let this girl come first?" The butcher leans over to the lady's shoulder to Fluttershy. "Young lady? Are you okay?"
The lady turned back and sees Fluttershy there looking quite a bit annoyed. "Oh, was she there all this time? I didn't see her."
The butcher was about to let Fluttershy to come here. Until he saw a device that the keeps on seeing from those news reports and pictures that were floating about. It looks quite like the one seen by people. And that hair and face...there is no mistaking it. "Wait a moment...she's...she's a ranger?" The butcher redirected his vision to the lady that cut in front of her. Then he slams his hands on the counter. "How dare you mess with a ranger? You know how powerful they can be, right?"
"Mister, I can assure you that I did not see her there," the lady tries to cover up her actions. "Would you understand?"
"How could you do this to her?" the butcher said as he raised his tone. "I'll get you for this."
"Sir! Can you-" the lady tries to compromise.
But it was too late. The butcher was not happy to see that a ranger was getting poor treatment. He leaped over the counter and attacked the lady. They are now trading blows.
Fluttershy backs off form the fight, not willing to be a part of it. "Okay, maybe I shouldn't go for the meats. How about some bread to satisfy-"
"Coming through!" someone yells.
Fluttershy takes a look towards the source. Smack! She is shoved to another shop by a shoplifter.
"Hey! Catch that whipper snapper would you?" a angry lady demanded.
"Ow...my back," Fluttershy groans.
The rest of the shopping trip did not bold well for Fluttershy. One time, she got into an argument with a shopkeeper over the price of things. She paid the correct amount as stated by the sign but is soon told about a price change. She tries to talk it out, before pulling her payment away and going to another store.
Another time, she walked away from the store simply because they don't have any more vegetables on sale. Except that they still have some in stock. Fluttershy was shocked to see that the food that she wanted is no longer available. But when she walked away, the shopkeeper simply pulled the extra supplies he had from under the counter. She wasn't alone. Other shoppers realized that they have been lied to and promptly attacked the shopkeeper for lying about how much items he had available. She would come in to stop it, but is too afraid to join in, so she walks away again.
Giving up, Fluttershy tried to leave the marketplace to give the responsibility to another person. But then, she bumped into someone. When she looked up to she who she bumped into, all she got was a evil grin. He put his hand down as if asking for payment to let her past. Scared Fluttershy backed off, not willing to stand up against this person. She could try to talk him out, but chances are, she's going to have her body tossed around.
That's when Applejack, who happens to be one of the shopkeepers, finally cannot hold her anger for much longer. "Hey! What do you think you're doing to poor Fluttershy" she yells at the offending person. "Don't make me whip you up! Out! Out!" The mean, big guy suddenly turned into a scared cat and ran away, pushing aside the others he had blocked. Applejack leaped over the counted and walked to her friend. "You okay, Fluttershy? You look like you're having a rough day."
"No...I'm not okay," Fluttershy replied.
"Why? What happened during your shopping trip?"
Fluttershy clutched to her arm. "Well..I tried to visit multiple shops around this marketplace, but everyone else just keeps pushing me. It's like they don't even know that I'm even here!"
"Are you wearing camouflage?" Pinkie said, popping out of nowhere.
Pinkie's appearance scared Applejack. "Wha-Pinkie?" she asks.
Pinkie then went into rapid talk mode. "If you are wearing camouflage, then that means that you are very hard to see. But since you're not wearing camouflage and the background colors are clearly not mostly green, that means that they should be able to see you. But since they're not seeing you and you kept on being pushed away that means that you're kind of being a doormat right no-"
Applejack, having heard everything she needs to know, decides to cover Pinkie's mouth with her hand. "Uhh...yeah...that pretty much sums it up."
"I don't know what to do," Fluttershy admitted. "I just can't seem to stand up for myself."
"Yah clearly having some confident issues right now," Applejack concluded. "What you'll need is a little confidence boost." Applejack leaped over the counter and looked through her shelf. She pulls out a pamphlet and hand it to Fluttershy free of charge. "Here, I heard of a guy who might just be able to help you in your current situation. His name is Iron Will, and judging from the pamphlets he gave out, this person might just be the one." Applejack then looks around, only to notice that Pinkie is now gone. "Hey, where did Pinkie go?"
"Umm...I think she went right over-" Fluttershy tries to answer.
"Oh well. Probably left for the base," Applejack passes off. "Okay, so, when you're ready just call his number. He'll be there soon. I promise."
Fluttershy looks at the pamphlet. It depicts a picture of Iron Will, complete with his phone number placed at the bottom. She flips it over. There was strangely nothing there. Normally, there would be a profile describing who the person is on the back of a advice column. This is not one of those cases, but who knows? This guy might just be the one thing that she needs to get though life without being a doormat to everyone else. Well, everyone except her friends and allies.
Back at the base, Fluttershy is at the cafeteria typing the phone number onto her phone. Her friends typically communicate via their devices, but to contact other people, they have to use their phones. Not the easiest task, or the most optimal, but at least it's always available. Meanwhile, the ranger devices always transmit a loud and clear voice every time, but only for the rangers and no one else.
"Fluttershy, are you sure that this is a good idea?" Median asked after seeing the pamphlet that she brought in.
"Let me think about it," Fluttershy told to Median. Then, she presses the call button after the number is made and places her phone to her ear. She waits for a response. "Hello? Is this Iron Will that I speaking to?" she spoke to a phone. A garbled voice responded back. "Hi, this is Fluttershy, calling from the ranger base in the mountains." She waits for a response again. "10 seconds? Well, that's per-"
"Iron Will coming through!" the new mentor announces as he lands at the ranger base. "Here to make your day better!"
The rangers stand in a line wondering what business this Iron Will person has.
"Seriously?" Median said with an annoyed tone. "You invited this guy over to our base?"
Fluttershy answers to Median. "Well, I called him over because Applejack said that I have some...assertive issues," she explains, glaring at the ground.
Knuckles, having an idea pop up in his head, starts to approach Iron Will. "This guy?" he asks. "He looks like the kind of guy that would be the perfect opponent for me to fight." He then gets into a fighting stance.
"Um, Knuckles?" Applejack asks. "I think he's just there for Fluttershy. Would you please leave him-"
"Don't make me pass up a potential fight, farm girl," Knuckles rudely interrupts. "What kind of fighter does not pass up a potential fight like-" Slam! Knuckles is rammed by Iron Will. "That...was a bad...idea..." Knuckles mumbles as he lay there on the ground.
"So, Fluttershy," Iron Will began. "It's the girl who summoned me here. Are you ready for some assurance from me?"
Fluttershy nervously nudged a lock of hair as she tries to answer.
Iron Will impaciently waits for a responce.
"Come on. I'm waiting," he said. "I can guarantee that you'll be satisfied. Come on. Iron Will is not willing to wait. Say something!"
After thinking about it for a while, Fluttershy relunctly agrees to get to his lecture. She called him to this for a reason, after all.
Back at the down, Fluttershy and Iron Will walked down the streets of the nearby village.
"So, what's the point of this walk?" Fluttershy asks, looking at Iron WIll. Then she turns her gaze and...
"Ahh!"
...She encounters a line of people that spands across the street. There were two other stands on each side of this stand that have lines of people spanning parallel to the street.
"That scared me!" Fluttershy said. "I don't want to be in this!"
That's when Iron Will began his lecture. "When someone get's in the way and is not willing to move, what do you do?" he asks. He waits for a responce from Fluttershy, "Hey! Don't just stand there! Do something!"
Fluttershy walked up to one of the people in line. "Um...excuse me? Can you move a bit?" she asks politely. "I am just passing through." The person she was talking to ignored her. "Excuse me?" she continued. "Are you there? Are you listening to me?" The person still did not move.
"That one is a stubborn little fellow," Iron Will comments. "A little asking won't convince this person to move. SO, what do you do now?"
"Try again?" Fluttershy guesses.
"Wrong answer!" Iron WIll replies. "If that person is too stubborn to move, try yelling at them! And ram though them at the same time!" Iron Will takes a few stops backwards, before charging forward. "Out of my way, barricade!" he plows into the person and knocks him into the ground, causing everyone around him to recoil in shock.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" the knocked person complained.
"We are standing in line, you fools!" a woman nearby yells.
Fluttershy listens to the responce made by the civilians. She went up to the knocked person. "Sorry about that," she said. "Are you ok-"
Iron WIll slaps Fluttershy in the face. She shrieks as she is hit.
"WHy aplolgize, when you can crititize!" Iron WIll advises.
"Hey, what's with the disruption?" the stand over leans over. "We are just handing out tickets."
Iron WIll looks at Fluttershy as she covers her slapped area. "What that? Are you scared?" he asks.
"Um..." Fluttershy began, nervously. "This does not suit me very well." She takes a few steps away from Iron WIll. "I'll just...bail myself out." She makes a run for it away from Iron Will, disappearing into the streets.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Iron Will yells. "This lecture is still going! We still have to continue on. So, are you willing to stick with me?" No responce can be heard from Fluttershy, as she is too far away to even hear what he is saying. "Hey! Come back you coward!" Still no responce. Iron WIll then gives up. "Ugg. It's too late. She's gone. Time for me to take my lessons someplace else."
The following day, the morning sun shines its light down on the rooms. Rainbow and Sonic are sleeping away after a long day of work. Facing the pillows, Rainbow slept at the left-hand, softer side, while Sonic slept at the right-hand, slightly more firm side. It was only a few more minutes before the alarm clock goes off, but they were rudely woken by a yelling voice.
"WAKE UP, SOLDIERS!" Iron Will yelled through the door. Sonic and Rainobw both jumped awake as soon as they heard that.
"Ahh!" Sonic screamed. "Who said that?!"
"Today is a new day, comrades!" Iron WIll said. "Time go get up and get some military training!" A clap is heard from behind the door.
The two speedsters both rubbed the sleep off their eyes as they both prepare for the day ahead. They out on their normal clothing, leather suits included, and put on their gem-powered devices.
"I swear that this isn't a military training camp..." Rainbow moaned.
"What's going on?" Median spoke from the devices. "I can see that you are shocked awake. Is there something wrong? Does it have something to do with our new visitor? Am I missing some-"
It appears that Sonic is forced into confronting his fear of deep water, something that he never asked for. Rainbow, probably here to keep her could-be-boyfriend company, is pulled onto the experience as well.
The two leaders, and Iron Will, are in a boat in the middle of the lake wearing fisherman's clothes.
"Oh, this was a terrible idea," Sonic said, leaning over the boat. "Deep water and I do not mix very well."
"Listen up, blue boy!" Iron Will yelled at Sonic. "When you are faced with your greatest fear, what do you do?"
Sonic gave a nervous look at Iron Will, afraid to give an answer. It's as if he's out of his brave attitude for a moment.
"You just have to aviod it," Rainbow gave a response. "Trust me, I tried it once and it did not-"
"Nope. Not exactly," Iron Will replied.
Sonic stopped leaning on the edge of the boat and turned towards Iron Will. "What? Do you want me to do something stupid?" he asks.
"When you are faced with your greatest fear, tackle it directly," Iron Will advices. "Like this!" He then proceeds to shove Sonic into the water, who screams as he fell and disappears below the surface.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Rainbow yells at Iron Will.
"I shoved him into the water, Ms. Dash," Iron Will explains.
This sends Rainbow Dash into a growling rage. "You...you idiot!" she berates. "Don't you realize that Sonic can't swim? He's afraid of-Gah! Now I'm the one that'll have to save my friend." Rainbow reaches for her device to activate her ranger mode, but Iron Will grabs her hand before she could transform.
"You stay out of this!" Iron Will shouts.
"But he trusts me more!" Rainbow protested as she and Iron Will continued to struggle.
"Iron Will is not letting you to save your friend," Iron Will said.
"But he's...about to...drown!" Rainbow grunts.
Soon after, the boat that the two were on tips over and dumps them both into the water.
After that trip to the lake, Sonic has been transported back to his room in the base, still shivering after nearly drowning. Rainbow is sitting on the bad next to him, trying to help him calm down. Apparently, there appears to be hostile fish hiding in the lake, as they are covered in bandages from arms to legs. They express minor pain as they move the affected areas.
Outside the base, Iron Will is talked to Shadow about his...memories.
"Those events happen a long time ago," Iron Will said to Shadow after hearing his traumatic backstory. "You need to get rid of those thoughts and shape up."
"But Iron Will!" Shadow whined. "It doesn't work like that! Significant events don't just disappear naturally! They linger for a long time! And I have to learn that the hard way!"
"Shape up, black boy," Iron Will replied. "You need to forget about your past and look towards the future." As Iron Will continued, he slowly went up to Shadow's face, intimidating even the broody boy. "You are not in the past. You need to get rid of those thoughts. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" His voice turns into a gale force sound.
Shadow has transformed into a whimpering mess. Sounds of explosions, screaming people, and collapsing structures echo through his ears and mind as he blanks out.
"I'll take that as a yes," Iron Will observes. And then he walks away.
Shadow stands there, unmoving, stuck in his thoughts. Then, Sunset comes along, relieved that one of her allies is safe. "Oh, thank goodness that you're safe," she sighs in relief. "Imagine what would happen if that coach of ours beat you down. Oh, that'll be unsettling." Then she notices that Shadow is not responding. "Shadow? Are you there?" she asks. Then she tries to get his attention. "Shadow? Hello? Don't tell me that you're experiencing these flashbacks again." With both of her hands, she grabs on to Shadow's arms. After a brief moment has passed, Sunset freaks out and lets go of Shadow's arms.
"Oh, that scared me," Sunset said. "My secondary ability is not looking quite as useful as it looks."
Back at the residential building, Espio walked up the stairs and looks toward the front window, located on the opposite wall of the lunchroom viewing window. Only, there was not a window there at all. It has been covered up by shades. Standing close to the wall are Pinkie and Manic, both with their ears up against the wall. Some grunting and thuds can be heard from outside.
"Huh? What are you two goofballs doing up here?" Espio asks, walking up to them.
"We are hearing noises coming from outside," Manic replied.
"And these don't sound like very good signs," Pinkie added.
"Can I listen?"
"Go ahead," Manic responded. "We won't stop you."
Espio crouched down between Manic and Pinkie and positioned himself to just under the windowsill. He presses his hears close to the wall. "Okay, what is going on outside?"
Coming from below, it sounds like Thunder and Knuckles are confronting Iron Will, just in front of the main entrance.
"...okay, just calm down here," they hear Thunder said. "If you can just listen to us, then we could be-oh snap!" The sound of footsteps soon followed. The trio chuthed their teeth at the pain they were about to witness. "Nononono please stay away from-"
A series of three punches is heard from below, before a loud thud is heard. It appears that one section of the outsdie walls have been dented.
"Hahaha ha!" they hear Iron Will say."
"Ow...my bones..." Thunder groans.
"That's what you get for trying to confront Iron Will," Iron Will taunted. "And now...you're next."
Thunder cried out to warn his friend. "Knuckles! Watch ou-"
There was then the sound of someone blocking someone else's attacks. Judging by what they've heard, they could tell that Iron Will is making the attack while Knuckles blocked it. "You call that breaking my bones? You mean beef machines wouldn't know how to break some bones if-" Then, while Knuckles is distracted, a loud boom, presumably an attack from Iron Will, is heard. "Not againnnnnn..." they heard Knuckles scream.
The three rangers were horrified at what they've heard. Especially the part where Knuckles was being flung out. Again.
"And that'll teach you to fight back," Iron Will finishes off. "You call yourself rangers? Well, you're weaklings. How did you even manage to take down those monsters. Well, Iron Will is done with all of you here. This person will see you later."
Espio, after hearing all of this, pulls his ears from the wall. "Oh dear...this can't be good. This isn't healthy."
"This is getting way out of control, man," Manic concluded. "We hired Iron Will to make one of our friends more assertive when she is treated like a doormat. But now, she's left, and he's taking his lessons to our friends when they clearly don't need them from him."
"And he proceeded to beat them to within an inch of their life," Pinkie added. "I knew I got suspicious the moment I saw that pamphlet."
"Does it have something to do with his missing profile?" Manic asks. "It feels quite strange for a probably well known person to not have a profile that describes them and what they do."
Espio gets up to his feet and looks away from the window. "We need to get rid of Iron Will. He's clearly doing more harm than good."
The rangers have arrived at the command center and already there are several problems visible. Sonic is shivering like a poorly supported building during an earthquake, Shadow is stiff in fear while several people tried to get him to move, and Thunder and Knuckles are covered in bandages.
"Okay rangers, let me get this straight," Median began. "This Iron Will that you've hired yesterday had taken one of the leader's confidence to abysmal levels quite literally, froze a member solid after trying to convince him into overcoming his past, and then proceeded to knock two of the rangers to within an inch of their life. What is wrong with that guy?"
Applejack covers her eyes with her hat in shame. "I think it's my fault that I caused all this unintentional pain," she admitted. Everyone gasped and looked at her. "I thought that bringing him over was a good idea because of what his profession is: making people more assertive. Poor Fluttershy was being treated like she wasn't there at all. I handed his flyer to her and...caused all this damage to y'all." Applejack sighs. "I regret this."
Median brought up something. "Did any of you managed to get his track record?" he asked. "Because that tells a whole lot about the person we're dealing with."
Espio gave a helping hand. "I looked through every possible resource and archives I was able to get my hands on...and I'm unable to find Iron Will's profile."
"Suspicious!" Pinkie blurted out.
"Something tells me that this guy shouldn't be trusted," Median concluded. "I mean, when he's shoving lesson into people who clearly don't need them and beating people to near death if they dare challenge them, then that's a clear sign that he's not the most trustworthy of mentors."
And then the map made a loud beeping noise warning the rangers that there is yet another monster attach coming. It is located just outside the town.
"Oh dear," Median notices. "There is yet another monster attack coming. And it's just outside the town limits. And our top fighters are unable to go due to...this man that we hired. Who wants to go?:
Espio stood up. "I'm going out." He then points to both Pinkie and Manic. "You two, you're going with me."
"What?" Manic stopped poking at Shadow. "Why?"
Espio explained the numbers. "Out of the sixteen of us," he counted, "two of them are shell-shocked, another two are injured, yet another two have to comfort their partners, and one is absent." Espio makes a break for the door followed by Pinkie and Manic. Espio stops just before exiting the building, while his two partners continued on. "Oh, and while I'm at it, I'm taking our two scientists and our two bow users along for the ride."
"What about the rest of the available rangers?" Amy asks.
"Amy? Applejack?" Espio called out. "If Iron Will ever showed his face, make sure to beat him for all the trouble that he caused to four of the boys. Hope all of you have a great time in here. Especially you, Shadow." he then left the building.
"Good luck," Rainbow wished.
Minutes later, they kept on tracking the monster their friends are currently fighting. It moves through the town as time passes.
Suddenly, there was a sound coming from the entrance. "Umm...rangers?" Median said. "Did you hear something? I'm pretty sure that it's-"
"I'm back for more!" Iron Will yelled as he burst through the door, catching everyone off guard,
A brief moment of silence filled the room. Then Applejack stood out of her chair and approached Iron Will. "Iron Will, we seriously need a talk," she began, marching closer to the "mentor". "Because what in tarnation are you thinking? You were supposed to take care of Fluttershy, not the others. Besides, they're confident enough. They don't need lessons from you." She cleaned her hands as she talked.
"Oh, you're looking for a fight, lady?" Iron Will said. "Well, then let's do it. I'm beat you around like that strong muscle man that I beat earlier." He gets into a battle stance.
"Oh yeah?" Applejack replied. "Well then this is for Knuckles." She then roundhouse kicks Iron Will out the door. After he landed, she then charges toward him.
"What is this? The war room?" Median asks as he watched the fight. "Where we plan out battles and fight over the table?"
"If that's the case, then we'll have to consider renaming this to the tracking room," Rainbow said. "War Room does not sound like a fitting name."
Applejack continued to spar with Iron Will, punching and kicking her way through his defenses. Iron Will responded with more punches and kicks. He knocks Applejack to the ground and gets ready to pin her down, but Applejack rolled out of the way moments after she landed, causing Iron Will to fall flat on his chest. Applejack runs up to give him a beating after what he as done to her allies, but Iron Will gets up and grabs her leg just before impact.
This continues on for a while until...
"You two!" a timid girl's voice yelled. "Stop fighting now!" Iron Will and Applejack turned to the source of the voice. It was Fluttershy.
"What in-Fluttershy?" Applejack said.
"What are you doing here interrupting our fight?" Iron Will asks.
Fluttershy approached Iron Will, wearing her mad face. "You've done way more than we asked for," she explains in a more angry tone. "You've tried to give us more confidence, even though we are satisfied with the confidence we had. And in trying to shape us up, you've made some of us even less confident because you're so menacing."
"Hey!" Iron Will yelled. "How did you get that information?"
"I called her," Rainbow tells from far away.
The others turned their heads to one of the leaders.
"You," Iron Will growled.
Rainbow let go of the door and walked up to her friends outside. "We communicate. A lot," she tells Iron Will. "When we get information, we make sure that everyone gets it as soon as possible. As rangers and friends, we strive to keep each other informed about what's going on."
"It's official, Iron Will," Fluttershy announced. "We can no longer trust you. Your contract is over."
Iron Will and Applejack stopped their fighting and stood up straight.
"Wait. Why?" Iron Will continued to ask. "Why must you do this?"
"Some of us got suspicious when we can't find information about you," Rainbow explained. "When we discovered that you have no existing track record, we decided that you shouldn't be trusted."
"That's because I destroyed it," Iron Will said. "I don't want people discovering my true colors."
"Oh, we know," Rainbow replied with a strong voice. "We know your true colors."
Iron Will starts to feel tense in his body. "Wait? Are you saying that I'm getting-"
"You are faced with several charges," A police officer said, stepping up to the girls and Iron Will. "Including trying to drown someone, beating someone to near death, and worsening someone's mental condition. In the current code of law, that is unacceptable."
This shocked Iron Will. He is then sent into a stuttering voice. "But what about them?" he asks. "They beat people to death and they don't get punished."
"That's because they're trying to protect their home," The officer countered. "They fight when they see that their home is being threatened. The threats are either a monster or one of Eggman's robots. And once they see a threat, they won't rest until they win. You on the other hand, just beat people to the brink of death just because. Come with us. You have a long story to tell."
The officers handcuffed Iron Will and escort him out of the ranger base.
Rainbow patted her friend on the back. "Great job, Fluttershy," she congratulates. "You talk that bully into submission."
"I had to," Fluttershy replied. "I just don't want to see you suffer under him any longer."
"Man, why do I think that bringing him over was a good idea?" Applejack asks. "We don't even have information about him in the first place."
"Maybe because..." Rainbow ponders. "Oh, right! You have some trust issues?"
Applejack nervously nodded, admitting that she has made the mistake of trusting someone they have no public information of.
"Okay, guys," Rainbow walked back to the command center. "Let's head back to the command center and how our friends are doing against that monster." Rainbow walked back to the command center, with Fluttershy and Applejack following soon.
Back at the command center-err, tracking room(?)-the rangers took a look at the map on the table while Fluttershy treats the injuries some of their friends have sustained.
"You know rangers," Median brought up.
"What is it?" Fluttershy asks.
"There is a difference between a good mentor, and a bad mentor," he explains. "Good mentors care for their students. They will train them to their fullest potential and teach them meaningful lessons, even if those don't get remembered forever. Bad mentors, on the other hand, well, I'm not entirely sure on what constitutes as a bad mentor. You could throw in making their student's life miserable if you want."
Several soft footsteps can be heard from outside the doors. They open up to reveal Espio and all the rangers that he brought along.
"Oh man!" Espio said. "You won't believe how long that took. Even with the seven of us, it still to several minutes. Still, all worth the effort! Phew!" He then takes a look around only to find that Iron Will is gone. "Um...where is Iron Will?"
"We kicked him out," Sonic explains. "He was more trouble than helpful."
"Oh, that guy!" Espio remembers. "Yeah. I knew he was trouble as soon as I saw that pamphlet. But seriously. Who needs more mentors when you have one as awesome as Median?"
"And don't forget," Median added. "All the ranger team mentors."
The episode ends with several of the rangers laughing. Espio did chuckle for a while, though not for long. Still, you can't deny that this large pack of rangers don't need more mentors. They've got one and that's all that they need.
[End of Episode]
From the Author:
It's been a long time since we saw any new episodes come out of this series. And by that, I do not mean all those rewrites of those old episodes. If you do not know that this happened, then congratulations! You watched this fanfic series past that weird time where I go back and rewrite all those old episodes.
Anyway, back to the episode. So this thing is a bit like "Putting Your Hoof Down". Thing definitely deserves some revisions such as who to put the blame on or how the others react to the new version of the once timid friend. This episode takes that concept, and then asks "What if our timid friend decides to bail out of the lesson after she saw what her hired mentor does to people? What if that hired mentor decides to take his lessons to other people besides the one he was specifically hired to teach?" This is what you get. An episode, about a mentor, doing more harm to his students than teaching them lessons.
Oh, and that fight scene between Thunder, Knuckles, and Iron Will? That scene is based on the TF2 short, "Meet the Sandvich". Who what happened between the three mercenaries. Most gruesome "Meet The Team" short we've seen. Not entirely sure on what happened between these three people outside the residential building. Not entirely sure.
Sonic the Hedgehog characters property of Sega
My Little Pony characters property of Hasbro
Series inspired by Super Sentai/Power Rangers by Toei Company/Saban Brands