Up on Sledge's ship, Poisandra ran through the ship, desperately searching for her loyal playmate. Following his destruction, Shearfear's spell had been broken, and all of a sudden, she couldn't remember why she was angry with Curio. She couldn't even think why they had exchanged such harsh words. They were enjoying teasing prisoners with the vain hope of their freedom, one of their favourite pastimes, when all of a sudden...
She couldn't bear to think of all the horrid things she had said to Curio. As she rounded a corner, she could already see him searching for her. All those things they had said, all the apologies she wanted to make, they all took back seat as they ran towards each other and embraced warmly.
"Oh Curio!" She greeted him gleefully. "I promise I'll never be mean again!"
"Except to prisoners!" He clarified. She just smiled brightly.
"Of course!" She agreed, taking his hand as they skipped away. "Let's go find those keys!"
As they skipped away, Sledge just shook his head in disbelief. He had only arrived in time to see that the Rangers had destroyed Shearfear, ending his first life. He had activated the Magna Beam, but after seeing how badly the monster had fouled up when it was so close. The Rangers were at each others' throats, they were practically doing Sledge's work for him...and yet somehow Shearfear had managed to mess it all up!
He turned on the comms link, bringing up Fury, all the way from New Zealand.
"This better be good Fury!" He warned him. "I am not in the mood to have my time wasted any more today."
"Believe me; this will make you very happy!" Fury told him. "There was a bank robbery over here this week..."
"BANK ROBBERY?" Sledge yelled. "What makes you think I care about...?"
"Banks have security cameras." Fury interrupted him. "Which has confirmed the suspicion we've had all along."
He pulled up some footage that Wrench had managed to hack into, showing the robbery taking place. So far, Fury had found a number of rumours, and even a blurry, distant photograph or two, but this...this was a clear picture, full colour, and in high quality. Sledge pulled in closer as he saw the Purple Ranger rush in to confront the robber.
"The...the Purple Ranger! He IS real!" Sledge stated. "So someone has bonded to the Purple Energem! Still, at least he's there alone..."
"It gets better!" Fury told him. "Watch!"
Sledge watched on further, seeing the criminal turn the shotgun on the Purple Ranger. The Ranger then did something he had never seen any of the Rangers do...ever. He held his hand up in submission. He was waving frantically; backing away...he was actually cowering?
"He...he's cowering to a mere human? He's backing down to a human with a pathetic pea-shooter of a weapon?" He asked. He watched as the shotgun went off and the Purple Ranger hit the ground. He did get up, and managed to snatch the gun from him, but by then Sledge had seen what Fury had.
"He's out here, miles away from the rest of the Rangers." He told his partner. "He has no idea what he has in his possession, or the true power he wields!"
"So getting his Energem should be no problem." Sledge said, his tone indicating a lift in his mood. "Perhaps today has not been a complete loss after all."
Back in the Embassy, the Rangers arrived to find Kendall, Margaret, Mrs Griffin, Matt and Chloe waiting for them. The clean-up from the attack had gone well, and they'd even had time to set up a little spread for the Rangers as they returned.
"I suppose it's a little late to bother saying 'Surprise.'." Matt said as he released Rubik, allowing him to run to Riley. The Green Ranger was almost as delighted as his faithful dog to be reunited, clapping him as he greeted the master he had been pining after for several months.
"It's alright; it's the thought that counts." Riley said as he looked around. "This is all great! I can't believe you all went to all this trouble!"
"We've been planning this for months!" Shelby told him. "You've been doing so great out here; we just wanted to do this for you."
"Yeah, I'm just sorry I spoiled the surprise." Chase told him.
"Chase, we were fighting..."
"Yeah, we were fighting but that's no excuse. It was a lousy thing to do." Chase told him. "Will you forgive me?"
"When you've all gone to all this trouble? How could I stay mad at you?" He asked. "This is amazing!"
"Well the only thing that's left is..." Tyler said, as he turned on the stereo, turning up the volume. He looked to Shelby. "May I have this dance?"
"Of course you can!" She responded. With that, everyone started to dance, enjoying the chance for some much-needed time to relax.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the world, a man was sitting in his jeep, listening to the police scanner he had managed to piece together out of some parts he got from a second-hand shop. From the sounds of the transmissions, it sounded like the local police force were having a quiet night. So far, he'd heard a call for someone who had dialled the emergency number because they had a possum in their house, a shoplifter on the opposite side of town, and finally, and most excitingly, an officer who had been sent to the local diner finding out what everyone's sandwich order was.
The Violet Avenger had started to become restless as of late. Since he had discovered the strange, glowing purple stone, he knew that he had power, more strength than he had ever known. He had already been using his new power to help people, stopping petty thefts and saving lost pets and children and suchlike, but only a short time ago, that had all changed.
Without thinking about it, he had run into a bank when he saw a man pulling on a balaclava. It was only when he got inside that he realised he was armed! The whole incident had been a complete misstep in judgement. Thinking back, he couldn't believe it never occurred to him the robber was armed. Banks had security guards, alarms, security cameras, emergency links to the police department. Going in to rob a bank unarmed was not a feasible option, yet he had been surprised when he saw the shotgun.
He tried to reason with the robber. His heart was racing when he saw the gun, and his life flashed before his eyes as he tried to convince him not to shoot, tried to convince him to give up without a fight. However, seeing only a man with a layer of Lycra between him and a shotgun, the robber decided to take his chances and opened fire.
That moment was one of the most painful of his life. He could never remember ever being hit so hard in his life, and yet when he was lying on the ground, staring up at lights, the only thing that occurred to him was that he had been shot. He had taken a shotgun straight to the chest at point-blank range, and he was still alive! He pulled himself to his feet, took down the robber, and ran out. He had never felt so alive! Yet, in that moment, something else changed. He knew he could no longer make his way just using this strange power to save cats from trees and returning stolen purses to their owners. This power was obviously meant for greater things.
Suddenly, his police scanner burst into life.
"Calling all broadcasting, there's been a 1310 on the corner of Eastman and Laird." The radio operator declared. The Violet Avenger pulled out his little notebook, and flicked through it. He'd been listening to the radio for a while now, and he was taking notes, figuring out what all their codes meant. He flicked through, and found it. 1310...robbery! Whatever this power was, it was obviously meant for a lot more than catching bike thieves and breaking up pub brawls. This was it! Another chance to use his power for some real good!
"An armoured car has been hijacked from the jewellery store on Eastman heading east on the highway. Red Ford, registration number..."
The Violet Avenger didn't bother to listen to the rest, turning off the radio and starting up his jeep, heading for the truck. He pulled out the purple gem and held it, transforming once more into the form that had been the hero everyone had been talking about. These crooks were about to learn that crime did not pay! Not in his city!
Back at the party, the Rangers were having a great time. Riley was overjoyed to see his mom and his brother again. Sitting with Riley, scratching him behind his ears, he was talking non-stop, catching them up on everything he was getting up to in the city. Well, as much as he could anyway.
Kendall was happy to see Matt, Riley and their mother catching up. She genuinely liked Riley, and took her position as his mentor and tutor very seriously. She saw a lot in him and his future. She also loved having Matt back in the city. It was unfortunate there were so many demands on both their time, they didn't get to spend anything like the time together they really wanted to. Mrs Griffin seemed to like her, and was happy enough with her place in her sons' lives. Kendall could admit to being closed off for a long time, and making a point of not caring if people accepted or liked her for the most part, but with the Griffins...it actually felt good that they accepted her.
She could see in the corner of the room, Phillipe heading to his office, and could only think about the way she had treated him. She knew she had a right to be angry about how he kept the Graphite Energem from them, but she had allowed that to cloud her to his efforts as a Ranger. The Energems didn't choose people for no reason. She had to admit that Phillipe had surprised her in a lot of ways, especially since he had come onto the team. She set down her cup of fruit punch and headed to Phillipe's office, but she stopped as she heard voices. She held the door open a small way, and could see that he was indeed talking to someone. Chloe was in his office, sitting on his desk.
"So, I just wanted to talk to you a little before you had to head home." Phillipe told her. The young girl just looked to him.
"I know what this is about." She told him, gulping as she said it. She looked to Phillipe. "This is the 'just friends' speech isn't it? Mrs Griffin told you...?"
"She may have had a little word with me." He replied. He looked to her. "You are a very brave, wonderful girl..."
"But you don't want a girl." She surmised. Phillipe just smiled as he looked to her.
"I know it might not feel like it right now, but it really does get better." He told her. "For what it's worth, I really am flattered."
"I just...I don't even know why I thought you'd be interested." She murmured. "I mean, I'm 8! You're..."
"I think you perhaps overestimate how great it would be anyway. My life isn't anywhere near as glamorous as people think." He answered with a little chuckle. "I'm spending tomorrow playing golf with the mayor. I can't even stand the game! And do you have any idea how much time I spend cooped up in here reading letters and e-mails? I think you'd much rather be out there on half-pipes and suchlike."
He took her hand gently in his, and looked straight at her.
"You should just have the best time you can now. There's all the time in the world to worry about things like this." He told her. "Who knows? Maybe in time you'll find someone who's in a position to give the time a relationship deserves, and who'll treat you the way you deserve to be treated. In the meantime, you do have another friend."
He handed her a business card. She just looked to him.
"That's my personal e-mail address." He told her. "Now, there will be time-zones to consider, and I may not be able to answer right away given my schedule right now, but I promise. If you write, I WILL answer."
"Thanks." She responded. Phillipe hugged her, helping her off the desk. He looked to her.
"You're a fine girl Chloe, and one day I'm sure you'll meet someone who'll make you very happy." He assured her. She wrinkled her nose.
"I'm not so sure. All the boys in my class are kind of icky." She told him. Phillipe just laughed.
"Well, speaking as someone who USED to be a boy, I can assure you we do eventually grow out of it." He told her. "In the meantime, try to enjoy your flight home tomorrow."
"Yeah, fifteen hours cramped in coach." She muttered. "That sounds like a blast."
"Coach?" He asked. "Oh no, that'll never do now. Not for official visitors to my embassy."
"I'm sorry?" She replied.
"Well, you WERE official guests of my embassy." He reminded her. "As such, I've arranged for you all to travel in a style befitting your position. My motorcade will pick your class up from the motel tomorrow, and I've already arranged for my private jet to take you home."
"A PRIVATE JET?" She shrieked in delight. He just nodded.
"And I've ensured that there'll be plenty of things to keep you all entertained on your way home." He assured her. "Just remember that if I ever need to visit New Zealand, I will be looking for a tour guide."
"It's a deal!" She agreed. With that, he guided her back towards the main party. As she left, he noticed Kendall in the doorway. She approached him, smiling.
"Well, it's always good to know you have a fan." She began. He just sat on his desk.
"It's not about the fans; it's about doing what's right for the world." He assured her. "But...yes it's good to know that I have a fan."
"You have more than one." Kendall told him. "I'm sorry about the way I've been."
"I kind of asked for..."
"No, just hear me out." She interrupted him. "I admit, I'm still not happy about how you came onto the team, but I let that cloud my judgement. I've not given you a fair chance."
"I can't say I blame you." He responded. "It's not like I did all this for entirely altruistic reasons. I can understand you not trusting my motivation."
"I didn't." Kendall replied. "But I can see I've really misjudged you. Being someone who's been misjudged more than a few times, I really should have been better at giving you a chance. But, I'm not above letting personal things get in the way either."
He just looked to her.
"My aunt, Kendrix Morgan, was the Pink Galaxy Ranger." She told him. "I've always kind of hoped that I'd get to live up to that legacy. When you got that Energem, I have to admit that I was disappointed it wasn't me."
"For what its worth I don't think grey is really your colour." He chuckled. "Thank you for giving me a chance."
He extended a hand, which Kendall took, shaking it.
"You're a great addition to the team." She told him. "Zandar will be lucky to have you."
"Not too soon I hope." He responded. "I may not have the best relationship with my father, but I'm not too desperate to see him go."
"Anyway, I believe the Birthday boy is about ready to cut his cake." She replied, gesturing to the door. "Your chef looks to have outdone himself."
"Believe me; you have not had Blackforest Gateau until you have had his." He responded as they headed back into the main party.
Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, the Violet Avenger had abandoned his jeep and gotten onto the highway on foot. He knew which way the armoured truck was heading, and now it was on the highway, that made predicting where it would end up a lot simpler. He stood, preparing for when the truck arrived.
He stood in the middle of the road, hearing the sirens in the distance. The patrol cars were considerably faster than the armoured car, but were also a lot lighter. They couldn't ram it off the road, and so he knew they'd be hoping to keep it running until the driver either gave up or ran out of fuel by blocking the exits. It would limit the potential casualties. He saw the truck coming his way and stood, holding his hand up, beckoning it to stop.
He knew this was an entirely different prospect than the shotgun. The truck had to weigh upwards of ten tons, and was travelling at speed. However, by now the story of the Violet Avenger's victory over the bank robber was all over the news. He hoped the crook would have heard of this power and give up.
The truck started to slow up, and came to a stop before him. The Violet Avenger breathed a sigh of relief and headed around the side, opening the door. He was astounded by what he saw. It was a bizarre creature, green and white, with no face, just a head that looked a lot like a mass of seaweed.
"What in the...?" The creature kicked him away from the truck, onto the highway, before leaping out of the truck. Several more like it came piling out of the back, surrounding the startled hero.
"I don't know what you are, but you don't know what you're getting into!" He warned them, trying to sound as confident as possible. "I'm more powerful than you can imagine!"
"That's funny." Fury growled as he and Wrench turned up, walking slowly towards him. "I was about to say the same thing!"
"What the devil are you?" He asked. "I don't care what silly costumes you wear, I'm not letting you get away with these jewels!"
"You think we care about shiny stones?" Wrench asked, throwing his axe for him. The Violet Avenger dodged aside, only to realise it wasn't aimed at him anyway. The axe flew through the air, neatly cleaving the whole truck in half with ease. He gulped seeing this. This was way more than he bargained for!
"Now, you have something we want." Fury told him. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way! Personally, I'm hoping for the latter!"
"I propose...OPTION C!" He yelled, before turning tail and running as fast as he could. Fury fired a blast at him that went wide, before they headed off in pursuit. The Violet Avenger could only run for his life, all the time thinking how he missed the guy with the shotgun!
