"One more link," said Ethan, moving his cursor across the screen. He grinned and turned to Conner. "What do you think?"
"Manchester United on a web cast," Conner said, his eyes wide with excitement. "I take back every bad thing I ever said about the internet."
It had been a week since Zeltrax had tried to use her mother has bait against her and Doctor Oliver, resulting in Zoey Brookes' having to take leave of absence from the mayor's office to finish off her re-election campaign from a much safer location. That location was confidential, and therefore only known by a select few people, Anabel included.
"What's a web cast?" Circe asked, leaning over Ethan's shoulder, and peering at the screen. She had been loving her time as Anabel's protection detail, especially since she was getting the chance to see the human realm from the eyes of a human. She had been called back to the Mystic Realm a few times, to just give a report on any situations that had arisen, the biggest being the abduction of Mayor Brookes.'
"It's a live online broadcast of audio or a video feed," Ethan asked. "You can interact with it, and so can the people on the other side, but they can't hear or see us and vice versa."
"Uh," Circe said, pulling back. She returned to her seat and pulled up her own laptop. Opposite her, staring at the screen of her personal laptop, was Anabel.
"So where is your mother exactly?" Conner asked, turning away from Ethan to face the two girls.' His question was directed at Anabel, who blinked as she tore her attention away from the screen.
"Sorry, what?" Anabel asked.
Conner shared a look with Ethan. "I asked, where is your mother exactly?" he asked. "I mean, I knew about your home in Beverly Hills and the one in Long Beach, but you never told me about no gated property."
"It's a new estate that Mom decided to buy last fall," said Anabel. "I can't tell you where it is since that is the whole point of safe house. But she's safe, at least."
"Is that why you head is in the clouds?" Ethan asked.
Anabel smiled sheepishly. "That obvious, huh?" she asked.
Ethan shrugged. "You've been staring at the same screen for almost twenty minutes," he said. "You haven't touched the drink that Hayley set down, and the only words we got out of you when you arrived here 'hi' and 'thanks. So, yeah, pretty obvious."
"Sorry. I just can't stop thinking about Zeltrax," said Anabel. "What would possess him to go after my mother?"
"I'm more curious why he would target you in the first place," said Conner. "What does he gain from taking you? And what did you mean when you said to him about 'using you wouldn't get to him'? Did you mean Doctor Oliver?"
Anabel lowered her gaze. She and Doctor Oliver had agreed to keep their distance from one another. Meaning, she was to spend as much time with the others in public, and not at the lab with him. Therefore, to not arouse suspicion.
"Guys, check it out!" Kira called, running toward them from the door. She was brandishing a piece of paper in her hand with the word "accepted" stamped across it in block red letters. "I got it! I got it! I got it!"
"It's not contagious, is it?" Conner joked.
Kira rolled her eyes while Circe, Anabel, and Ethan bit back amused smiles.
"Funny," Kira replied, dryly.
"Sorry," Conner apologised. He swivelled around in his seat, giving Kira his full attention. "What is it?"
"I applied for an intern ship with Channel Three, and I'm in," Kira said, handing the paper to Anabel.
"Well done, Kira!" Circe beamed. Anabel had explained the intern ship programme when it had first appeared on the school news boards, and while she was fascinated by it, she wasn't interested in a job that took her away from Anabel. At least not at this very moment.
Ethan's jaw dropped. "That's impressive!" he congratulated. "A lot of kids at school applied for that."
"They only accepted two this semester," Kira answered.
"Yeah, something about cuts being made within the company," said Anabel, handing the acceptance letter back to Kira. "Mom knows the owner - Mr Anthony Cormier, and he's struggling with funding to take on volunteers."
"What's he like?" Circe asked.
Anabel shrugged. "He's a good enough guy, I guess," she said. "I mean, he cares more about the news than anything. He's very sarcastic, but he doesn't like sarcasm. Figure that one out." She shrugged.
"Good thing I won't be working that closely with him," said Kira.
"What show are you working on?" Anabel asked.
"The Funky Fisherman Cartoon Cavalcade," Kira answered.
"No way!" Ethan gasped. "That's my favourite show! I mean, it was, when I was a kid…" he trailed off lamely as Anabel, Circe, and Conner looked his way. His grin then returned, as his eyes glazed over in memory. "I can still hear the song now - It's the funky fisherman cartoon show, so grab your gear and we'll all go. Look, it's Marty the Mackerel. He'll hook us the cartoons big -" he started to rise from his seat.
Eyes wide, Conner slapped his hand down on Ethan's shoulder and arm, forcing him back into his seat. "Whoa, whoa, stop!" he said. "Dude, it's songs like that that make me want to go outside and play soccer."
"Yeah, I gotta go," said Kira, awkwardly. "I got to get down to the station. See ya."
Anabel smiled and waved her off as Ethan started to mutter the theme under his breath. "Marty the Mackerel was terrifying as a kid," she said.
"You didn't like Marty?" Ethan asked, his eyes wide.
"Nope. I'm not a big lover of fish, anyway."
"But he's not real!"
Anabel shrugged. "Marty is the Blobby of the States," she said shuddering.
Conner snorted.
Anabel glared. "Say nothing, Barney Dinosaur," she shot.
"Urgh!" Conner shuddered.
Circe furrowed her brow and cocked her head. Once again, she was lost.
~X~
"Guys, we may have a problem."
Sharing concerned looks, Anabel, Conner, Ethan, and Circe rose from their seats at the cafe and headed out back. Being good friends with the owner gained them special privileges that most customers did not have, and with Hayley knowing their secret identities made for them answer the call even better.
"What's up, Kira?" Anabel asked, raising her morpher.
"Can you meet me at the TV station?"
Anabel looked up at the others. They nodded. "Sure, we'll be there as soon as we can," she replied.
"Great. Meet me at the back entrance."
"See you soon." Anabel lowered her arm and headed back outside. The others in tow. She waved Hayley down as the others shut down their laptops and packed away their belongings, stashing them behind the bar.
"Good luck!" Hayley said, watching them leave through the main doors. She sighed and then went back to work.
Outside, Circe climbed into Anabel's car while Ethan followed Conner toward the Mustang. Both engines turned over and peeled out of the lot behind the Cybercafe and headed downtown to where Kira was waiting for them.
Kira peered through the backstage door, her face brightening as two familiar cars pulled a stop side-by-side in the loading dock and her friends climbed out. "Quick, in here!" she called, waving them toward her.
The four ducked inside. The door closed behind them, basking them in darkness, and followed Kira down the narrow hallway to the set of the Funky Fisherman.
Circe looked around. She kicked a rubber floatie and watched as it slipped across the ground. "I get why you think this is creepy, Anabel," she said.
"You haven't seen the Mackerel yet," said Anabel. She turned to Kira. "What's the emergency?"
"Over here," said Kira, leading them to an alcove. She stepped inside, crowding around a small TV box that was stored there and knelt. With all her might, she pushed it around, so that the screen was staring at the others.
Anabel's eyes widened as the Funky Fisherman thumped his fists against the glass.
"This is bad," said Ethan, glancing around.
"You think?" Kira asked. "What are we going to do?"
"I think we need to get him to the lab," said Circe. "Hayley could figure out what's wrong, and possibly give an explanation."
The nodded their agreement.
Anabel nudged Conner. "Come on then, Soccer star, you're one the strongest here," she said. "Pick him up."
Conner rolled his eyes and stooped. Bending at the knees and hauling the TV into his arms. He stepped back, feeling Anabel's bad on his back and forearm to steady him.
"Lead the way," Conner told Kira.
The plan was to take the Funky Fisherman back along the narrow corridor to the backstage door. It was the most logical plan especially since that is where their cars were parked.
"Wait," said Kira, stopped short of the outside corridor. It was the only break between the Funky Fisherman set and the back door. Voices were heard approaching, and the five teens pulled back in the dark to avoid being caught.
"Sorry, Devin, but until our two stars decide to show up again, the show is on hold," said the Funky Fisherman director. He was walking from the office with Devin.
Anabel slapped her hand over her mouth, muffling a scoff. Devin got the other internship. Cassidy was going to hit the roof when she found it.
"Aw, I was just starting to enjoy my menial role," Devin whined.
The director clapped him on the back, and they passed the corridor where the others were hiding. Once they were gone, Kira stepped into the light and motioned for the others to follow her.
"I demand to know where you are taking me!" the Funky Fisherman called from inside the TV. "Someone is going to pay if I miss my ginseng facial scrub!"
Ethan glanced at Kira and Anabel. "Maybe we should cover this thing up encase he can see out," he said, reaching for a thick black blanket hanging on the wall. He draped it over the front of the TV, while the Funky Fisherman continued to yell.
~X~
"I brought your stuff, guys," said Hayley, indicating to the pile of bags, laptops, and coats she had set down in a corner of the Dino lab.
"Thanks, Hayley," said Ethan.
Conner set the hidden TV down on a pedestal that had been set up and shook feeling back into his arms. While the TV hadn't been heavy, heavy, it was still a weight when carrying from the Funky Fisherman set to the car, and then from the car into the base.
"This could be the end of one of the most popular shows ever made," Ethan whined, as Hayley collected her scanner and run it over the TV.
"That would be such a tragedy," said Anabel.
Ethan scowled at her.
"We'll figure it out, Ethan. Don't worry," Hayley reassured him.
Leaning down, Doctor Oliver tapped the screen the blanket. "Are you alright in there?" he asked.
"Am I alright? Do I look alright? I'm six inches tall!" the Funky Fisherman yelled.
"People are so different in TV than they are in person," said Kira.
"Fame goes to the head of some people," said Circe. "We have this issue in the Magical Realm, too. My great-great-great uncle on my mother's side was featured in this movie that's supposedly really popular in that human world, and he now thinks he is better than everyone because he's a star." She rolled her eyes.
Anabel smirked with amusement.
"What was the movie?" Conner asked.
"Uh, the Lord of the Rings, I think?"
Anabel's eyes widened. "I loved the Lord of the Rings," she said. "Granted, I preferred the book, but the films aren't too bad."
"Yeah. Didn't we see them about five times when they were first released?" Conner asked.
Anabel scowled at him. "Shut up!" she whined, her cheeks tainting red.
Ethan and Kira frowned.
"She had this massive crush on Orlando Bloom," said Conner, earning a whack across the arm from Anabel.
"Who wouldn't have a crush on Orlando Bloom?" Hayley asked.
Anabel smiled at the older woman. "Thank you, Hayley," she said, sticking her tongue out at Conner.
"Wait, you said your great-great-great uncle?" Ethan asked, turning to Circe. "Lord of the Rings isn't that old a movie. How is that possible?"
"Elves age differently to humans," Circe replied.
Anabel pursed her lips. "So, like, a twenty-year-old elf is a seven-year-old human?" she asked
Circe nodded.
"J. R. R. Tolkien described the elves in his series as aging differently to the race of men," said Anabel. "He said that their bodies developed slower than those of men, but their minds developed more swiftly."
Again, Circe nodded.
"How much of Lord of the Rings is actually based on the Mystic Realm?" Ethan asked.
Circe shrugged. "My family forbade me from reading anything to do with the human realm," she answered. "I'm not even allowed to use my magical abilities unless it's deemed a reasonable emergency. Mother and Father will not be happy that I used them against Zeltrax to help you, Anabel."
"Your parents sound charming," Anabel muttered.
"Who are you people?" the Funky Fisherman asked, bringing everyone's attention back to the topic at hand. "Where am I? Why can't I see anything?"
Folding his arms, Conner shifted from one foot to the other and turned to Hayley. "What do you think they wanted with Marty the Mackerel in the first place?"
"Sushi?" Ethan suggested.
Anabel, Kira, and Circe shot him odd looks.
"What?" Ethan asked, shrugging.
The computer beeped, and a small square in the top right corner showed a fish monster attacking the city.
"At least it's not a shark this time," said Anabel.
The others nodded.
"There's your answer, Conner," said Hayley.
"I smell something fishy," said Doctor Oliver.
Anabel shut her eyes with a groan. "Really, fish jokes?" she asked, turning to her teacher. She felt a rush of blood to her core and turned away abruptly. After agreeing to stay away from each other for all intents and purposes, being this close right now was harder than expected.
Doctor Oliver gave a small, inaudible sigh, and turned to Hayley. "See if you can get our friend here back to normal," he gave the TV a light pat. "We'll see if we can net the big fish."
The others nodded and headed for the exit.
~X~
"Whoa, check that out!" said Kira, pointing into the air where Cassidy and Devin had just been caught on a line. There was a flash of light, and the pair disappeared.
The monster stood on the highest rooftop, looking over the city. "Whoo-hoo! They're really biting today," he chortled, hooking two more people, and hauling them into the air.
"You guys ready?" Doctor Oliver asked.
The others nodded.
"Ready! Dino Thunder, Power Up!"
Once transformed, the team took a running jump, pulling themselves up, one-by-one, onto the fire escape that lined the side of the building. They climbed it to the rooftop, appearing behind the fish monster.
"You won't get a line on me," said the monster, turning to face them.
"We're going to scale back your operation," said Ethan.
"We're here to fillet you," added Kira.
Anabel groaned and with a shake of her head, turned to Doctor Oliver. Despite the rush of emotions, she felt when she was near him, these fish jokes had started with him. "Look what you've done," she accused.
"My bad," Doctor Oliver said, apologetically.
"Wait until you taste my tuna surprise!" the monster hissed, opening its mouth wide and blasting them with medium-sized fish.
Anabel ducked and rolled aside, unsheathing her Thunder blaster, and firing it back at the monster. "No thanks, I'm not keen on seafood," she said.
Tossing back his rod, the monster threw it at the team, unleashing its reel and hooking it around Kira's collar.
"Hey," Kira cried, her feet leaving the ground.
"Kira!" Ethan gasped, catching onto her feet, and trying to pull her back down.
Dashing forward, Conner caught onto Ethan's ankles and tugged backwards. "I got you!" he said, sliding across the rooftop.
"Whoa!" Anabel squealed, as Conner wrapped his ankles around her as he passed. She flayed around for a second, her feet trying to find purchase on the rooftop, before Doctor Oliver slid his arms around her waist and pulled her against him.
Struggling with his larger catch, the monster released the line and the Rangers hit the ground with similar thuds.
Anabel breathed heavily as she felt Doctor Oliver's weight against her back, pinning her against the roof. She propped herself up, turned sightly to look at him, and was about to ask him to let her up when she felt Conner tug forward. Instinctively, she tightened her hold on the Red Ranger's ankles.
"My arm pits hurt!" Conner moaned.
"Stress levels increasing!" Doctor Oliver panted. His arms firmly locked around Anabel while his feet barely hooked the edge of the ventilation shaft. He could feel himself slipping with each tug of the rod.
Snap.
Under the pressure of five Rangers, the fishing rod snapped, and the team hit the ground again as the monster toppled backwards.
Conner moaned as he pulled his arms back to his side, moving them feebly as he tried to work some feeling back into his underarms.
"Oh no!" the fish monster wailed, staring at his line. "My graphite-soaked water pole is busted!"
"What a shame," Anabel muttered, sarcastically. She had released Conner and, as Doctor Oliver released her, rolled over onto her back and stood up. She refused to raise her gaze, and instead turned away from the black ranger, despite feeling his closeness through her suit.
With a growl, the fish narrowed his beady eyes at the team. "I'll be back!" he swore, "and angling for another attack."
He vanished.
~X~
As soon as the team returned, Circe rushed over to Anabel. She had witnessed the whole fiasco on the mainframe, and several times had wanted to rush out and help. If Hayley hadn't been with her, stopping her at every interval, she would have.
"He's one tough fish," said Circe.
"You can say that again," said Anabel, looking around at the others.
"What did you find out, Hayley?" Doctor Oliver asked.
Hayley set down her scanner and approached the still covered TV. "The energy Marty the Mackerel is using to capture people in his bait box is the same as the energy used to put the Funny Fisherman here in the TV."
"That's Funky Fisherman," the actor inside the screen yelled.
"Whatever," Hayley scoffed.
Anabel bit back a grin.
"All you have to do is get him to fire his capture ray at the monitor," Hayley continued. "Then deflect it with this reversal shield." She set a black and gold cylinder with a large handle down on top of the TV.
"Well, at least we know who Hayley's favourite Ranger is," Anabel teased, noticing the colour.
Hayley stuck her tongue out and Anabel playfully wrinkled her nose in return.
Doctor Oliver cleared his throat has he took the device. "Thanks, Hayley," he said.
"What about Marty?" Kira asked.
"He's still inside the Mad Mackerel somewhere," said Hayley. "The only way to free him is to destroy the Geno-Randomiser's configuration."
Anabel tilted her head to the side. "Could we actually call it a randomised configuration?" she asked. "I mean, I understand they used the Geneo-Randomiser to make the Mad Mackerel, but he's not, you know, random parts of different fish, he is an actual Mackerel."
"Maybe we can get into that discussion later," Doctor Oliver suggested.
"Okay," said Anabel, shrugging half-heartedly.
"Where's that fish?" boomed the Funky Fisherman. "I heard that! That two faced hangers on, fish face freak deserves to suffer for every bit of misery he's caused me!"
"Hey, that freak made you star," said Ethan.
"Yeah, and more importantly, he's your friend," said Kira. "Or don't you know what that means anymore?"
The Funky Fisherman fell silent.
"You may not deserve it," said Doctor Oliver. "But you're about to get a second chance." He looked to his students. "Ready?"
The others nodded.
~X~
Arriving downtown, the Rangers found the Mad Mackerel hooking and reeling in civilians from near the docks.
"Come on, guys," said Doctor Oliver, dismounting his ATV. Perched on the back, was the TV monitor that housed the Funky Fisherman.
"Time to get us a fish," said Conner, drawing his Thundermax Sabre. He leapt into the air, locked his blade against the fishing rod, and flipped backwards.
The fish laughed before realising that, as the Red Ranger distracted him, the others had surrounded him on all sides. His laughter died as they each hit him with their own sabres. He laughed, flapped his fins, and threw them off.
Raising his rod, the Mackerel swung down at Conner. He missed as the Red Ranger fired back at him, hitting in the chest and stomach with several blasts. The Mackerel jumped backward, dancing just out of reach of the team.
Scrambling to their feet, the five Rangers transformed their Sabres into Thundermax blasters and opened fire. The Mackerel laughed as he shook off the initial attack.
"Again!" Conner said.
They fired several more times. But it had no effect.
"How?!" Anabel cried. She was sure that, if she wasn't seeing it first-hand for herself, she never would've believed anyone if they had tried to tell her.
"Stop!" the Mackerel called, holding up his fins. "Or the bait's fish paste." He held up a green flash inside a black leather holder.
"We've got to get that bait jar," said Doctor Oliver.
"You're all fish food!" the Mackerel laughed, firing tuna fish at them again. He stalked forward, watching with great pleasure as the five Rangers before him tried to scramble as far back as they could.
"Back off!" Ethan growled.
"Marty, are you in there?" Kira pleaded.
The Mackerel shook his great head. "Marty's not here anymore," he said.
Struggling to his feet, Doctor Oliver stepped in front of his students, one hand wrapped tightly around his sabre, the other itching at his side, desperate to reach for the reversal device that Hayley had created. "Give me your best shot!" he goaded.
"What? No!" Anabel cried. She knew his intentions were clear, but what if something went wrong? He'd already suffered at the hands of the White Ranger, and the repercussions were being stuck in his Ranger form. She dared not think what the punishment of this failed attempt would mean.
The Mackerel chortled. "Gladly!" he said, firing at the Black Ranger.
"Doctor Oliver!" Anabel yelled.
Reaching behind him, Doctor Oliver removed the reversal device from his belt and held it up in front of him. The beam if energy hit one side, and when Doctor Oliver flipped it over, the same beam soared toward the ATV, smashing into the screen of the TV.
There was a heavy pause, before, with a flash, the Funky Fisherman appeared in the on the field.
"It's a trick!" the Mackerel cried.
"That's my bait jar!" said Kira. She pushed off from the ground, flipped over the Mackerel, and kicked the jar from his grasp.
The Mackerel yelled as the jar sailed through the air and then hit the ground. The lid smashed open, and several little balls of light scattered into the air.
"Nice going, Kira!" Ethan applauded, running over.
"That's it," the Mackerel cried, stumbling away. "I'm out of here!"
As the Mackerel tried to flee the scene, Conner called on the others as he summoned his Tyranno Staff from his belt.
"Let's put 'em together! Z-Rex Blaster! Fire!"
The ball of light hit the Mackerel, causing him to explode. Amidst the explosion, a large green, yellow, and white rubber suit appeared. Marty coughed and looked around the area, his eyes landing on the Funky Fisherman who was stood nearby, looking equally as confused.
"Funky?"
With a beaming smile, the Funky Fisherman run toward his friend. "Marty, why do I get the strangest feeling that I owe you an apology?" he asked.
"I don't know," said Marty, smiling. "But I could sure use a tuna sandwich. Join me?"
Funky nodded and the pair walked away.
Ethan grinned. "Yes! Boy, am I glad we saved the day," he said.
Anabel rolled her eyes, her arms folding across her chest. "Sure, we do all the hard work and save the day, and we don't even get a thank you," she said.
"The draw backs of amenity," said Doctor Oliver, his arm automatically winding around Anabel and squeezing her to his side.
"Whatever. Marty is still a freaky fish that scares me," Anabel whined, resting her head against Doctor Oliver's shoulder.
Neither one cared they were in public, or that the others could see them, and while for now it didn't seem to matter, they'd regret the notion later.
"Let's go home," said Kira. "Now that Marty and Funky are back to normal, I have work in the morning."
"Aren't you glad you didn't quit?" Ethan asked.
Kira shrugged. "Let's just see what tomorrow brings," she said. "I'll decide then."
With a light chuckle, the team turned and headed for home.