Disclaimer is in part 1. Really.
New Year's Celebrations
by Smittysgirl
The two of them disappeared down an invisiportal to the place Trent had once been. However, the drivers were on the move once again - it was clear the delinquent had been there and left. Elsa growled.
Zeltrax groaned. "At this rate we'll be searching for him until February!"
"Mesogog will notice we're gone before then. Think, you tinhead... where would he go?"
"Um... we could send a monster down and wait until he engages it," Zeltrax said.
She whapped him on the side of the head. "Idiot! Mesogog's in the base right now. What are we supposed to tell him?"
"We could go to his former place of employment," Zeltrax suggested.
Elsa took a deep, steadying breath. "All right. It stands to reason the boy might," the breath caught in her throat and she looked up with fresh panic in her eyes. "Zeltrax, is that concubine of Dr. Oliver's hosting her own New Years celebration for the teenagers of Reefside?"
"I belive that is where Dr. Oliver will be, acting as a chaperone." His tone indicated why he was interested in that particular subject.
"Then I can infiltrate the festivities in my human identity," she said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "We'll have no trouble bringing the boy back to Mesogog before midnight."
"Er, we?" Zeltrax asked.
"You'll just have to hope you have a good career as a cardboard standup," Elsa said. "There's no way your ugly mug can pass as human. You just hope we can isolate the boy."
"I CAN remove my helmet," Zeltrax huffed. The impudence his object of affections was demonstrating cut him far deeper than he'd ever admit, and he was damned if he'd be excluded from yet another one of her schemes. "Dressed properly, I could pass for human."
"And be recognized by Dr. Oliver?" she sneered. "Not going to happen!"
"So, what are you proposing that I do?" Zeltrax asked.
Elsa rolled her eyes. "Stand at attention at the front of the entrance while I get him out of there."
"Fine," he sighed. The two made their way to the nearest connecting invisiportal to the cyber cafe.
Elsa shimmered into her Principal Randall disguise and assaulted the nearest teenager. "Have you seen Trent Fernandez? His father is looking for him!"
The kid laughed. "I'd hope so! At the rate he's giving out money the Mercers are going to be bankrupt by Monday!"
Elsa looked disgusted. "Where?"
He pointed. "The stage of the Cyberspace. There's a line."
The teen grabbed her arm as she started toward the door. "But hey, no cutting! He's got strong policies."
"I'll strong policy him," Elsa muttered, wishing she could force-teleport Trent out of there.
Barging through the double doors she was unsurprised to see the line winding its way throughout the restaurant in a serpentine fashion. Dr. Oliver and his ... his WOMAN stood off to the side, soaking in the improbability of this and periodically affirming the other with a glance that seemed to say "yes, this is happening."
She pushed through the kids, earning her a few glares until the glarer realized who he or she was glaring at and shied away, obviously not wanting to risk detention. She wispered into her comm device, "Zeltrax, move towards the back of the building."
Elsa reached Trent. "Trent, dearest? Your father wants you to come home. Now."
Trent waved her off. "Principal Randall, I appreciate your concern. Truly. But I felt that I needed to mend bridges with my peers before I saw 2004 out. You yourself have noted my continued - problems fitting in."
"Buying people's affections is hardly a way to ensure genuine loyalty, Mr. Fernandez."
Trent laughed. "Then call it my own personal karmic debt being repaid. I'll be glad to come back with you in an hour or so. Until then why don't you mingle with the other chaperones?"
His voice lowered conspiratorially. "I believe Dr. Oliver's dance card is wide open, Elsa."
Elsa stiffened in a way that would have made Zeltrax proud. "You're not suggesting... that's it, back home right this minute, young man!"
Trent laughed - no, that wasn't accurate. He giggled. "We're not on school grounds, ma'am, and you're not the boss of me here. Why don't you relax and enjoy yourself? I'd say this place is certainly nicer than the location of my father's party."
"Trent, I know you're trying to be nice here, but your father is going to be very upset at you very shortly if he finds out where you are and what you're doing. It would be very... painful for you to stay here.".
He giggled again. "Ten minutes, I promise. By the time you finish your milkshake I'll be well on my way back home. Deal?"
He whistled before she could answer. "Hayley, a Chocolate Memory for our good friend Principal Randall if you please!"
His voice lowered again. "Do you think we should get Terrance anything?"
Elsa growled, just as softly. "Ten minutes. That's it. You're up next for karaoke."
"Whatever." He motioned her towards the counter where Dr. Oliver's concubine was making the drink.
Elsa sighed as she slumped onto the barstool. Dr. Oliver laughed. "Anton's been riding you pretty hard tonight, hasn't he? I'm surprised he didn't come to get Trent himself."
"He's busy with several projects. We're just fortunate he's managed to put in an appearance at his own party," she murmured by route.
"I know. Anton works pretty hard," he said, sympathy in his tone.
"What's worse is that his son is having some sort of... rection to something he drank, and unfortunately, relocated himself out of there."
Oliver nodded. "Something about Trent has seemed... out of sorts tonight. Though he doesn't really strike me as the type to swipe from a liquor cabinet."
Elsa laughed ruefully. "Can you ever really tell? I tell you, there are days when it's like night and day with this one. You can't imagine the strain it puts on An - Dr. Mercer."
"I know," Oliver responded. "Trent's a good kid, though."
"That's the problem," Elsa said, sipping at the milkshake and counting the seconds until she and Zeltrax could shuffle him out of there. Maybe the damned spell would wear off at the stroke of midnight.
Oliver seemed to think about something for a moment, his eyes taking on a faraway cast. "Would you care to stick around after escorting Trent back to his father's? I can understand if you're busy, but we haven't really had a chance to talk since my, ah, ailment."
The doctor's woman, to her faint credit, seemed to pay the two of them no mind as she continued her duties.
"I'm sorry, but as soon as I can get Trent out of here, I promised his father that I'd return to the party," she said, false regret in her voice. "I really doubt that Trent got into the alcohol, but I'd like to get Trent back before he causes any... problems."
He nodded. "Understood."
Thinking back on what he'd said, she suddenly took the initiative. "You're looking quite hale and hearty tonight, you know. Has your illness begun to subside? I would need to inform Dr. Mercer when his tenure as substitute is winding down."
Dr. Oliver coughed, catching the eye of his concubine in desperation. "This being my first public appearance in a couple months, I'm afraid I might have... overstepped my limits."
"Ah, too bad. Though Dr. Mercer is... quite enthralling." She watched Trent and sipped at the milkshake. It wasn't too bad; the woman knew her stuff. Unfortunately, Mesogog might start to wonder where all his generals were shortly.
.
.
.
This was easily the worst holiday Zeltrax had ever experienced. He groaned in frustration as he upended a garbage can, sending stray cats fleeing for their lives. He should have opted out of fighting the monster and left himself to enjoy a delicious, and no doubt long congealed, pizza. Now he'd managed to misplace Mesogog's son, caused said son to be enspelled by a legendary creature, and had left Elsa to be seduced by that cad Oliver.
And, because of Elsa's strictures, all he could do was wait outside. And still wait outside.
Finally, he decided to act. He barged in the emergency door, intent on physically picking up the White Ranger and taking him out of there before anything else happened.
A giddy chittering stopped him from coming in from stage right. He knew that sound all too well...
He spun, unsurprised to see Chipper Chupacabra prancing and clapping in delight.
this is my chance to prove to Elsa I can handle things without her OR the White Ranger!
He slammed his sword in the monster's direction.
The creature dodged the blade like a seasoned boxer, slipping out into the alley. Zeltrax tore off after it, stopping only to tear his sword out of the wall.
.
.
.
In the meantime, the noise didn't go unnoticed, but thankfully for Zeltrax, neither Oliver nor his bimbette saw him hulking about. Elsa made her way up to the stage. "Trent, dearest, it's time to go. You've done your good deed for the night, but your father is expecting you."
thank Dezu that lunkhead actually managed to remember his instructions before this got even more out of hand!
Trent sighed heavily, waving to the various unpaid teenagers. "See ya at school, everybody! I'm pretty good with faces, so I think I can remember who still needs their monetary gift package!"
The teenagers groaned. Elsa grunted. The teen wasn't putting up a fight, but he wasn't making it any easier to bodily remove him from the stage.
"Come on, Trent, let's go out this way before you're mugged by one of your... admirers," she said, making a note to ask Mesogog to home school his son. It would be safer.
"Bye!" he called, finally permitting himself to be removed.
She breathed easier the instant they were in the alleyway. "All right, Zeltrax, I got him to come along peaceably. Let's get back to the lair."
She looked around. "Zeltrax?"
The lug was nowhere to be found. "Aargh. Come on, Trent. There's a nice invisiportal this way. Why don't you go? I guess Zeltrax had... something to take care of."
Trent's eyes widened. "Do you think he might be in some trouble?"
"Maybe," Elsa allowed.
"Then let's go rescue him!" Trent announced, heading down the alley.
"ARGH!" Elsa cried. She chased after him.
As they ran the sounds of a battle became more and more apparent. It seemed that Zeltrax really had run into some trouble. Wasn't that just like the idiot?
"White Ranger! Dino Thunder!" Trent called. "Come on, Elsa!"
The twosome rounded a corner only to find Zeltrax locked in heated combat with Chipper Chupacabra. Her opinion of Zeltrax raised infinitesimally.
"HANG ON, SMITTY!" The White Ranger called, calling on his super-speed to attack the creature before it could further injure the cyborg.
Elsa, cursing, followed the White Ranger into battle.
"I don't suppose you could have tried to subdue him in the actual VICINITY of the Cyberspace, could you?!" she yelled.
Zeltrax rose to his feet stiffly. "What do you think I was trying to do? Elsa, you must get out of here. Trent has already been enspelled, and my armor protects me, but you are helpless to the monster's ravages!"
"Just grab Trent and let's get out of here!" Elsa screamed.
tbc
New Year's Celebrations
by Smittysgirl
The two of them disappeared down an invisiportal to the place Trent had once been. However, the drivers were on the move once again - it was clear the delinquent had been there and left. Elsa growled.
Zeltrax groaned. "At this rate we'll be searching for him until February!"
"Mesogog will notice we're gone before then. Think, you tinhead... where would he go?"
"Um... we could send a monster down and wait until he engages it," Zeltrax said.
She whapped him on the side of the head. "Idiot! Mesogog's in the base right now. What are we supposed to tell him?"
"We could go to his former place of employment," Zeltrax suggested.
Elsa took a deep, steadying breath. "All right. It stands to reason the boy might," the breath caught in her throat and she looked up with fresh panic in her eyes. "Zeltrax, is that concubine of Dr. Oliver's hosting her own New Years celebration for the teenagers of Reefside?"
"I belive that is where Dr. Oliver will be, acting as a chaperone." His tone indicated why he was interested in that particular subject.
"Then I can infiltrate the festivities in my human identity," she said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "We'll have no trouble bringing the boy back to Mesogog before midnight."
"Er, we?" Zeltrax asked.
"You'll just have to hope you have a good career as a cardboard standup," Elsa said. "There's no way your ugly mug can pass as human. You just hope we can isolate the boy."
"I CAN remove my helmet," Zeltrax huffed. The impudence his object of affections was demonstrating cut him far deeper than he'd ever admit, and he was damned if he'd be excluded from yet another one of her schemes. "Dressed properly, I could pass for human."
"And be recognized by Dr. Oliver?" she sneered. "Not going to happen!"
"So, what are you proposing that I do?" Zeltrax asked.
Elsa rolled her eyes. "Stand at attention at the front of the entrance while I get him out of there."
"Fine," he sighed. The two made their way to the nearest connecting invisiportal to the cyber cafe.
Elsa shimmered into her Principal Randall disguise and assaulted the nearest teenager. "Have you seen Trent Fernandez? His father is looking for him!"
The kid laughed. "I'd hope so! At the rate he's giving out money the Mercers are going to be bankrupt by Monday!"
Elsa looked disgusted. "Where?"
He pointed. "The stage of the Cyberspace. There's a line."
The teen grabbed her arm as she started toward the door. "But hey, no cutting! He's got strong policies."
"I'll strong policy him," Elsa muttered, wishing she could force-teleport Trent out of there.
Barging through the double doors she was unsurprised to see the line winding its way throughout the restaurant in a serpentine fashion. Dr. Oliver and his ... his WOMAN stood off to the side, soaking in the improbability of this and periodically affirming the other with a glance that seemed to say "yes, this is happening."
She pushed through the kids, earning her a few glares until the glarer realized who he or she was glaring at and shied away, obviously not wanting to risk detention. She wispered into her comm device, "Zeltrax, move towards the back of the building."
Elsa reached Trent. "Trent, dearest? Your father wants you to come home. Now."
Trent waved her off. "Principal Randall, I appreciate your concern. Truly. But I felt that I needed to mend bridges with my peers before I saw 2004 out. You yourself have noted my continued - problems fitting in."
"Buying people's affections is hardly a way to ensure genuine loyalty, Mr. Fernandez."
Trent laughed. "Then call it my own personal karmic debt being repaid. I'll be glad to come back with you in an hour or so. Until then why don't you mingle with the other chaperones?"
His voice lowered conspiratorially. "I believe Dr. Oliver's dance card is wide open, Elsa."
Elsa stiffened in a way that would have made Zeltrax proud. "You're not suggesting... that's it, back home right this minute, young man!"
Trent laughed - no, that wasn't accurate. He giggled. "We're not on school grounds, ma'am, and you're not the boss of me here. Why don't you relax and enjoy yourself? I'd say this place is certainly nicer than the location of my father's party."
"Trent, I know you're trying to be nice here, but your father is going to be very upset at you very shortly if he finds out where you are and what you're doing. It would be very... painful for you to stay here.".
He giggled again. "Ten minutes, I promise. By the time you finish your milkshake I'll be well on my way back home. Deal?"
He whistled before she could answer. "Hayley, a Chocolate Memory for our good friend Principal Randall if you please!"
His voice lowered again. "Do you think we should get Terrance anything?"
Elsa growled, just as softly. "Ten minutes. That's it. You're up next for karaoke."
"Whatever." He motioned her towards the counter where Dr. Oliver's concubine was making the drink.
Elsa sighed as she slumped onto the barstool. Dr. Oliver laughed. "Anton's been riding you pretty hard tonight, hasn't he? I'm surprised he didn't come to get Trent himself."
"He's busy with several projects. We're just fortunate he's managed to put in an appearance at his own party," she murmured by route.
"I know. Anton works pretty hard," he said, sympathy in his tone.
"What's worse is that his son is having some sort of... rection to something he drank, and unfortunately, relocated himself out of there."
Oliver nodded. "Something about Trent has seemed... out of sorts tonight. Though he doesn't really strike me as the type to swipe from a liquor cabinet."
Elsa laughed ruefully. "Can you ever really tell? I tell you, there are days when it's like night and day with this one. You can't imagine the strain it puts on An - Dr. Mercer."
"I know," Oliver responded. "Trent's a good kid, though."
"That's the problem," Elsa said, sipping at the milkshake and counting the seconds until she and Zeltrax could shuffle him out of there. Maybe the damned spell would wear off at the stroke of midnight.
Oliver seemed to think about something for a moment, his eyes taking on a faraway cast. "Would you care to stick around after escorting Trent back to his father's? I can understand if you're busy, but we haven't really had a chance to talk since my, ah, ailment."
The doctor's woman, to her faint credit, seemed to pay the two of them no mind as she continued her duties.
"I'm sorry, but as soon as I can get Trent out of here, I promised his father that I'd return to the party," she said, false regret in her voice. "I really doubt that Trent got into the alcohol, but I'd like to get Trent back before he causes any... problems."
He nodded. "Understood."
Thinking back on what he'd said, she suddenly took the initiative. "You're looking quite hale and hearty tonight, you know. Has your illness begun to subside? I would need to inform Dr. Mercer when his tenure as substitute is winding down."
Dr. Oliver coughed, catching the eye of his concubine in desperation. "This being my first public appearance in a couple months, I'm afraid I might have... overstepped my limits."
"Ah, too bad. Though Dr. Mercer is... quite enthralling." She watched Trent and sipped at the milkshake. It wasn't too bad; the woman knew her stuff. Unfortunately, Mesogog might start to wonder where all his generals were shortly.
.
.
.
This was easily the worst holiday Zeltrax had ever experienced. He groaned in frustration as he upended a garbage can, sending stray cats fleeing for their lives. He should have opted out of fighting the monster and left himself to enjoy a delicious, and no doubt long congealed, pizza. Now he'd managed to misplace Mesogog's son, caused said son to be enspelled by a legendary creature, and had left Elsa to be seduced by that cad Oliver.
And, because of Elsa's strictures, all he could do was wait outside. And still wait outside.
Finally, he decided to act. He barged in the emergency door, intent on physically picking up the White Ranger and taking him out of there before anything else happened.
A giddy chittering stopped him from coming in from stage right. He knew that sound all too well...
He spun, unsurprised to see Chipper Chupacabra prancing and clapping in delight.
this is my chance to prove to Elsa I can handle things without her OR the White Ranger!
He slammed his sword in the monster's direction.
The creature dodged the blade like a seasoned boxer, slipping out into the alley. Zeltrax tore off after it, stopping only to tear his sword out of the wall.
.
.
.
In the meantime, the noise didn't go unnoticed, but thankfully for Zeltrax, neither Oliver nor his bimbette saw him hulking about. Elsa made her way up to the stage. "Trent, dearest, it's time to go. You've done your good deed for the night, but your father is expecting you."
thank Dezu that lunkhead actually managed to remember his instructions before this got even more out of hand!
Trent sighed heavily, waving to the various unpaid teenagers. "See ya at school, everybody! I'm pretty good with faces, so I think I can remember who still needs their monetary gift package!"
The teenagers groaned. Elsa grunted. The teen wasn't putting up a fight, but he wasn't making it any easier to bodily remove him from the stage.
"Come on, Trent, let's go out this way before you're mugged by one of your... admirers," she said, making a note to ask Mesogog to home school his son. It would be safer.
"Bye!" he called, finally permitting himself to be removed.
She breathed easier the instant they were in the alleyway. "All right, Zeltrax, I got him to come along peaceably. Let's get back to the lair."
She looked around. "Zeltrax?"
The lug was nowhere to be found. "Aargh. Come on, Trent. There's a nice invisiportal this way. Why don't you go? I guess Zeltrax had... something to take care of."
Trent's eyes widened. "Do you think he might be in some trouble?"
"Maybe," Elsa allowed.
"Then let's go rescue him!" Trent announced, heading down the alley.
"ARGH!" Elsa cried. She chased after him.
As they ran the sounds of a battle became more and more apparent. It seemed that Zeltrax really had run into some trouble. Wasn't that just like the idiot?
"White Ranger! Dino Thunder!" Trent called. "Come on, Elsa!"
The twosome rounded a corner only to find Zeltrax locked in heated combat with Chipper Chupacabra. Her opinion of Zeltrax raised infinitesimally.
"HANG ON, SMITTY!" The White Ranger called, calling on his super-speed to attack the creature before it could further injure the cyborg.
Elsa, cursing, followed the White Ranger into battle.
"I don't suppose you could have tried to subdue him in the actual VICINITY of the Cyberspace, could you?!" she yelled.
Zeltrax rose to his feet stiffly. "What do you think I was trying to do? Elsa, you must get out of here. Trent has already been enspelled, and my armor protects me, but you are helpless to the monster's ravages!"
"Just grab Trent and let's get out of here!" Elsa screamed.
tbc