"Later, guys." A man said as he was walking in the middle of the night. He was on his way down the street and was passing through an alleyway.
"Hello, big boy." He looked down the passage and saw someone standing there.
"Hello? Can I help you, Miss?" The guy said. Thinking it might be a pretty lady, he turned on the charm. "I'm sure I would be glad to..." He turned off the charm when he saw she wasn't human. This figured was purple and scaly with what looked like green snakes for wavy short hair and had a set of horns coming out of her forehead.
"I'll be glad to do this." The monster fired beams from her eyes and hit the man with him being turned to solid stone.
"Excellent work." Vanica laughed as she joined with her. "I love your style, Gorica. I can't wait to see what you do to the rangers."
"They'll be perfect additions to my collection." Gorica said as she was snake on the hunt.
...
Timeless Meals
The rangers maintained their cover as they were at work at Timeless Meals. While they were working, Vanessa was looking over the news about mysterious statues.
"Check it out. There was another attack last night." Vanessa said. "Some people believe that these statues are the work of a strange artist, but others are convinced people have been turned to stone."
"You think those Dark Triads are behind this?" Luck questioned.
"It has to be. Who else would be low enough to turn people to stone?" Asta said. While they all continued with work, Mimosa came walking in.
"Hi, Noelle." Mimosa greeted.
"Hi, Mimosa. You're here again?" Noelle questioned as she thought it was a little weird how Mimosa keeps coming around.
"You're the only one complaining, Noelle." Finral said as he pulled out a seat for Mimosa. "Milady..."
"Thank you." Mimosa said as she had a seat.
"So, what will this fine princess as beautiful as a flower would like to have today?" Finral asked as he was trying to flirt with her. "If you like, I don't mind keeping you company." Mimosa thought that was sweet, but she was getting a little uncomfortable.
"Oh please." Noelle said as she thought Finral was unreal. "Mimosa just shoot this guy down already. I'm getting nauseated from listening to this."
"Excuse me?" Finral said. "Is there some sort of problem? There's no reason for you to be jealous."
"I'm not jealous." Noelle said. "Now that you mention it, I'll just say what Mimosa is too nice to say. You don't have a chance with her, you flirtatious playboy. I feel sorry for any girl that would go out with you."
"What did you just say?" Finral said as he felt offended.
"You heard me." Noelle said as she had no trouble.
"I don't flirt with every pretty girl." Finral claimed, but Noelle proved him wrong. She had him turn to the door and saw a pretty blonde girl right outside. "Hello, beautiful! Want lunch? I can hook you up with a great meal."
"See?" Noelle claimed with Finral feeling like a moron. "All you do is flirt around with every pretty girl you see. How is a girl suppose to take you serious in a relationship when you do that? You're really all talk and no action, Finral, and I can't imagine why any girl would want to go out with you." Those words hit pretty hard for it made Finral think of something else.
"Uh... Tell Julius I'm taking a break. I need some air." Finral said as he stepped outside and just left.
"Noelle, don't you think that was a little mean?" Mimosa said.
"He'll be fine." Noelle said as she thinks she didn't do anything wrong.
"Noelle!" Julius called as he got his employees' attention. He motioned for all of them to come upstairs. All of them headed up, but Mimosa thought that was weird.
"Where's everyone going?" Mimosa said.
"Uh... Staff meeting." Noelle said, but Mimosa wasn't buying that. All of them gathered up in their base for this meeting.
"What's up?" Asta asked
"I've detected dark forces just outside Clover Meadows." Julius said. "It might be the same thing that's been turning people to stone. You need to investigate." He was ready to sent them out, but he didn't see Finral. "Where is Finral?"
"Yeah, where'd he go?" Vanessa said. "We'll get there much faster with his powers."
"He's just moping. We can handle this without him." Noelle said. The others weren't sure about that, but it sounds like Finral won't be able to help them now. Leaving it at them, the rest of them went off to see what was happening.
...
Finral
'I can't believe Noelle thinks I can't commit, or that a girl would be unfortunate to go out with me.' Finral thought was he was hit pretty hard by what Noelle said. He just walked around the park to try and clear his head. "What does she know anyway?" Finral tried to put the whole thing behind him. It was easy when he spotted the same girl he saw earlier with her friends as they tried playing a little soccer. "Hey, girls. Mind if I play too?"
"You want to play soccer?" The blonde girl questioned as she had the sense that something was up.
"I like to. Maybe we can show each other a few moves." Finral said as he tried to be charming. That was when he realized what he was really doing. Especially when he heard her friends laughing at him 'Oh man. I think Noelle is right. I'm pathetic.' "You know what, never mind. Sorry to bother you." Seeing as how he's just humiliating himself, he decided to just quit and leave.
"Hey, wait!" The girl called. "You don't have to play, but you can still hang around, if you want." She offered, and the way she smiled told Finral he might have a shot. "I'm Jessica by the way."
"Finral." He introduced, feeling like himself again.
...
The Rangers
As for the other rangers, they morphed and headed for where those dark powers were detected. When they go there, they spotted a campsite and saw the people camping there were turned to stone like others.
"Oh no. We're too late." Vanessa said.
"We need to find whatever is doing this and fast." Asta said.
"Hello, rangers." All of them went on alert and spotted Gorica up in a tree. "I can see that you found a sample of my collection."
"So you're the one who has been turning all these people to stone!" Noelle claimed.
"Turn them all back to normal!" Asta demanded.
"I don't think so." Gorica said as she jumped down and faced them. "Especially since the most valuable pieces are about to be added." The four them readied themselves for whatever she does, but they were attacked from behind instead.
"Vanica!" Noelle said as she spotted her.
"I knew you rangers wouldn't be able to stay away, but it looks like one of you isn't here." Vanica said. "It looks like the green one isn't here, and that's the one with spatial magic." Seeing that gave her an idea.
"You better take some nice poses." Gorica said as she was ready to turn the rangers to stone.
"Wait, Gorica!" Vanica said as she stopped her. "A lone ranger is a better target, especially since his powers are the most annoying, and no one to help him."
"I see what you're saying. Let's get going." Gorica said as they both just pulled out.
"They're going after Finral." Luck said.
"We gotta go!" Asta said. Knowing their friend is in danger, the rangers booked it.
...
Finral
"So, do you and your friends come around here often?" Finral said as it seemed like things were going well between him and Jessica. "If you ever get hungry, I work at Timeless Meals. I could treat you to a meal."
"That does sound nice." Jessica said as things appeared to be going well. Finral was a perfect gentleman with all the girls and he was starting to feel better. However, it was cut short when they all saw people running in terror and being turned to stone. "What's happening?"
"I am!" Gorica said as she showed herself.
"Get out of here!" Finral said as he pushed the girls to run for it. They took off, but he couldn't save himself. Gorica fired a beam at him and he was turned to stone and the girls getting freaked as they kept running.
"Excellent work, Gorica." Vanica said as their plan worked.
"Finral!" The other rangers found him and arrived, but they were too late. "Oh no!" Vanessa said as they were all horrified at the state Finral is in.
"Too late, rangers." Vanica taunted.
"You witch!" Vanessa said. "You'll pay for this!" Vanessa thrusted her saber forward and fired off threads that tried to pierce the two villains, but they were still standing.
"Don't you see that you can't beat us? Especially now that you're down a ranger." Vanica taunted as the two of them retreated for now. The rangers had to do something, but is there really a way to free Finral?
...
The Rangers' Base
The four of them brought Finral back to their base. They had hope that Julius could do something, but it wasn't looking good. Julius kept trying to restore Finral, but his magic was having no effect.
"It's no use. This spell is very strong." Julius said as he had no idea what to do. "I believe that destroying this devil might be the only way to free Finral."
"No problem." Luck claimed.
"Yeah. No one does this to our friend." Asta said as almost all of them were willing to destroy him.
"Easy, guys." Noelle said. "Finral got himself into this mess. He was probably trying to show off for those girls."
"What are you talking about?" Vanessa questioned as she didn't like what Noelle was implying.
"Finral was probably trying to impress some girls. That's all he ever does." Noelle claimed. "All he does is flirt around with girls, and now it's gotten him in this mess rather than just being rejected or playing a girl."
"You don't have a clue, Noelle. There's more to Finral than you think." Vanessa claimed. "He's a good guy that comes from a tough background. You and he have a lot more in common than you think." Noelle didn't quite understand. "Let me show." Using her knowledge on magic, Vanessa used it to show images on the crystal ball for everyone to see. She began by showing images of a few people and a company. "This is the Vaude Family, Finral's family."
"I thought his last name was Roulacase?" Asta said.
"It is. That's his mother's maiden name, but this woman is his stepmother." Vanessa said. "His family owns a pretty big company. Finral's father had high expectations out of him, but Finral couldn't meet them. His family deems him a failure." Hearing that, Noelle felt sympathetic as she knows what's that like. "When an heir had to be named, they went with Finral's smug younger half-brother: Langris. There's also this girl." She showed an image of a young lady with black hair. "This is Finesse Calmreich. Finral's crazy about her, but she's been arranged to marry Langris. This Finral acts the way he does. It's to cope with the one thing he wants, but can't have and came to accept it." Noelle was starting to see it all now.
"Everyone deals with the harshness of reality in their own ways, Noelle. Perhaps this is how Finral deals with it." Julius told her. "Finral is a truly kind person, but his family seems to resent him for it. You and he have more in common than you think."
"You're right." Noelle said as she felt guilty. "I had no clue." Now that she does, she needs to make this right. She promised that as she spoke to Finral. "I'll get you out of this, Finral. I promise." She'll get her chance soon. The crystal ball alerted them of danger in town and saw Gorica causing havoc.
"She's back!" Luck said.
"Let's get this one for Finral." Noelle said. The rangers certainly agreed to that. The three of them got moving and hurried to save their friend.
...
Gorica
"Run! Run!" Gorica called as humans ran in fear. Vanica joined her in the chaos as she loved it all.
"I love seeing these pathetic humans running in terror!" Vanica said.
"I think it's time you did the running!" Both of them looked to see the rangers arrived and were ready for them this time.
"Again? When will you learn?" Vancia said. She unleashed her armor and readied herself for battle. She jumped out ahead and faced the four of them.
"You three hold off Vanica. I'll take care of the snake." Noelle said as she plans to make it up to Finral. She jumped right over Vanica and went right at Gorica. Vanica was going to stop her, but the three of them grabbed a hold of her and kept her away. "You're mine!"
"Don't count on it!" Gorica said as the two fought. Noelle kept trying to strike her with her blade, but she blocked each attack. Gorica was a tough one. She gave Noelle a powerful kick and knocked her to the ground. "Time to rock your world!" She fired her beams again, but Noelle moved out of the way with a chair being turned to stone. Noelle could see she's in real trouble now. "Hold still!" She kept firing her attacks at Noelle, but Noelle kept moving and flipping away from her attacks. When she dodged another attack, the beam reflected off a window and came back at her until she ducked out of the way. "Close one."
"That's it!" Noelle said as she knew what to do.
"I have you now!" Gorica unleashed another beam at her, but Noelle was ready. She called on her water magic and formed a mirror out of it. The beam was reflected off the water. "No!" She ended up getting a taste of her own medicine as she was turned to stone.
"Time to fulfill the promise. Tidal Wave Slash!" Noelle used her powers and smashed Gorica to pieces.
...
Finral
With Gorica destroyed, all those who were under her spell were being released. Finral too was free from that stone prison.
"Finral! You're back!" Julius said as he was glad to see him.
"What just happened?" Finral questioned.
"No time to explain. The other rangers are going to need your help." Julius said. Finral noticed that his friends are in need of his help and had to move fast.
...
The Fight
Meanwhile, Vanica continued to fight off the other three rangers. When she saw Gorica fell, she moved away from the three of them.
"You haven't won yet! Urae Methros Cataros!" Vanica cast that spell and it restored Gorica to normal and turned her into a giant. The rangers saw they might be in big trouble, but Finral morphed and showed up just in time.
"Finral! You're back to normal!" Asta said as they were all glad to see him.
"Yeah. Looks like I made it just in time." Finral said.
"Listen, Finral... About earlier..." Noelle was trying to apologize for before, but Finral didn't want to hear it now.
"Don't worry about it. We can talk about it later, but we have work to do." Finral said and Noelle certainly agreed to that.
"Creation Magic: Titan Power!" All of them call on their magic and transformed into their zord forms. "Collaboration Magic: Megazord!" They all combined into the megazord and was ready for this fight now.
"That won't be enough to beat me!" Gorica said as she tried turning the megazord to stone.
"Let's fly!" Finral said. They took off into the sky as they avoided Gorica's beam. They flew straight at her and kicked her multiple times. They gave Gorica one more powerful kick before they landed down. "Let's end this before she gets another chance."
"Mana Strike!" They gathered magic power around their sword and gave it a good swing. They slashed against Gorica and did some massive damage against her.
"I guess my world ended up getting rocked." Gorica claimed before she collapsed and ended up destroyed. The only ones that really rock around here are the rangers themselves.
...
Timeless Meals
Another day, another enemy was beaten. That also means another day for the rangers to work. Finral did his job well and added his service with a smile. As for Noelle, she did feel bad about the whole thing and still wanted to apologize.
"Hey, Finral. Got a minute?" Noelle asked.
"Sure. What's up?" Finral asked.
"I'm... I'm sorry about before." Noelle said, but still not use to apologizing. "I shouldn't have said what I said earlier. Vanessa told me about your family." That was surely a sensitive subject for Finral.
"It's fine." Finral said. "It's better this way. Langris is better than me at just about everything."
"Hey! You can be just as great as he is." Noelle supported. "Even if you don't end up with this Finesse, there's a girl out there that would love to be with you." Finral really appreciated Noelle saying that. "In fact..." She pointed to the entrance and saw Jessica was there. Jessica spotted Finral and was glad to see him again.
"Hello again." Finral said as he tried putting the charm back on.
"Get over there before you scare her away." Noelle said as she gave him a gentle push. Finral is Finral, a kind man that has a strong heart for his friends and the girls.