Ep. 8: Samurai Surprise: Part 1
Episode(s) Adapted: The Serious Rebellion (真剣大騒動)
Joe was practicing his swordsmanship in the park, pulling off some impressive slashes with two sabres. After he was done, Doc & Vivi clapped, as they were sitting on a bench nearby, Vivi had her pup on a leash, as she was lying on the ground next to them, snacking on a chewtoy. Doc quickly got up & started to run towards Joe, but his right foot got caught on a big rock, causing him to fall forward. Joe quickly threw one of the sabres in front of him, letting Doc catch himself on it. He saw a small group of budding flowers below where he would've fallen.
"That was to protect a flower? Nicely done!" he said, standing up & put the sabre over his shoulder.
"You may seem intimidating at times, but you're quite kind," Vivi said.
"I'm just me," he said & his Mobirate rang. He answered it.
"A big ol' Armada ship just showed up!" Navi yelled.
"On the way," he replied.
The Megazord came down from the sky, then they stopped in place as some Bruisers came at them.
"Let's deal with them & then start looking for the next ultimate power," Marvelous said in the cockpit to the others.
"Understood," Joe said, then they spun their wheels.
The Megazord slashed a bruiser.
"Let's go!" Robin said as she spun.
The Megazord slashed another. Vivi spun her wheel & it did it again, then Joe.
They held & flipped up their Ranger Keys.
"Chew on this!" Doc said & they inserted the keys.
"Pirate Starburst!"
The Megazord readied its cannon & started shooting cannonballs at a Bruiser, taking care of it.
"Let's use the SPD keys next!" Marvelous said, flipping his key, then inserting it.
"Pirate Crew Full Blast!" the flap on the Megazord opened & the Delta Runner's parts took care of the second Bruiser.
"We'll finish with Mystic Force," Joe said, holding his key.
"Let's go! Magical Bind!" they all said & the dragon came out & bound the last Bruiser in a spellbinding circle, finishing it off.
On the Gigant Horse…
"Curse them, curse them, curse them!" Vekar yelled, beating on some X-Borgs. "You're all useless! Blast you, blast you, blast you! You pathetic…"
Damaras grabbed the weapon in his hand.
"Your Excellency, you must compose yourself…"
"Release me!" he yelled, then hit the X-Borg. "How many times must we be defeated before they're dealt with!?"
"Our total number of confrontations with them since coming to Earth are…" Biorg started.
"Don't actually count them, imbecile!"
"Yes, boss."
"Every Action Commander we send out gets slaughtered…" Levira interjected.
"Once more, we must come up with a new strategy!"
On the Galleon…
"Now then…" Marvelous started, sitting back in his chair. "All right, bird, get to work."
"I keep telling you I'm not a bird!" Navi retorted.
"Yeah, sure, just do it."
"All right. Let's see the future!" he said, then flew up & smacked his head on the ceiling. "I've seen a vision…'be wary of samurai'…Something like that."
"Samurai?" Robin asked. "Like, the team of rangers?"
Doc typed on the console.
"Samurai: 'Samurai were the military nobility & officer caste of medieval & early-modern Japan,'" he read off the internet. "There's also news footage on this video-sharing site," he said, going to the video.
The video showed the Samurai Rangers fighting some of the Nighlok.
"It's the Samurai Rangers. I wonder where they'd be…" he typed some more, then pulled out his green Samurai key. The map on the screen went to an island. "Shiba Bay, an island in between the West Coast of the United States & Japan, settled by both, after making amends, in the 1950s. That's where the footage comes from, maybe they're still there."
"Then on we go," Marvelous said, then Doc input the coordinates of the city & they set sail.
The team were stopped in front of a sign with the city's name.
"'Panorama City…' Well, I guess the Japanese people thought it was a cool word to use," Doc said, then they walked into the city.
"Samurai traditionally wear Kimonos & have katanas…" Robin said, reading off a tablet as they walked. "But are a thing of the past."
"Not here, they aren't," Vivi said.
"Man, look at all these street signs," Doc said. "Some in Japanese, some in English. The people here must be bilingual. Interesting...people bilingual in both languages. Wonder if they watch anime subbed or dubbed."
"You think you can download Japanese into our brains?" Marvelous asked.
"Most likely, if I have the computer on the ship download a language pack…"
"Hey, you guys!" they heard a female voice in front of them.
"Yeah?" Marvelous asked.
"Are you looking for the Samurai?"
"We're looking for info about the Greatest Treasure in the Galaxy. Today, the Samurai might help us find it."
"Follow me & I'll take you to them," she said.
Marvelous & Doc looked at each other & the others waited to see what they would do.
"What's your name?" Doc asked.
"Lauren, Lauren Shiba," she answered. "Come on," she said, then started walking the other way.
"'Shiba'…The island's named after them, so she must know where the Samurai are," Doc said.
"Maybe. Let's follow her & see where this goes," Marvelous said & they continued walking.
They walked into the gates of Shiba House. They saw a young man training with a wood sword in the nearby training area. Joe stopped & watched him.
'What are you doing!? Put more strength into it!' a voice in his head said.
"You'll never become an Armada soldier at this rate!" the voice said again as he went into a flashback.
He was training with a few others, surrounded by X-Borgs.
"You're not trying hard enough!" the voice yelled as Joe, in a black officer uniform, was being beaten by X-Borgs. "Do it! Do it! Harder!" he got beaten more, then slammed into the wall of the building they were in. He laid gasping on the floor. "Let's ditch this loser," the voice said again as three Bruisers walked away with the X-Borgs following.
Another guy ran to him after they were gone.
"You okay, Joe?" Joe looked up at him.
"Sid…my friend," he said.
Sid smiled at him. He was in the same uniform as Joe, only with an eyepatch on his left eye. it went to Joe perfecting his sword strikes with Sid watching.
"Watch this," Sid said, taking one of the blades from him. "It's a technique I came up with."
Joe stood there & watched. Sid charged up his strike by doing a circle-ish motion. He then slashed an 'X' into the air & the strike flew forth. Joe was left speechless. Sid turned to him.
"Joe, what's the matter?" Vivi asked him & he came pack to the present.
"I was just thinking about something."
"That'll do for today," the man said as he stopped, then took a sip from a water bottle. Vivi looked where Joe was.
"Come on," Lauren said, then they followed her into the house.
"Whoa! How old is this place?" Doc asked.
"A few centuries."
"Wait. I thought this island didn't get settled until the 50s…"
"It didn't. This place has been here since before that. My family's clan moved here a few centuries ago from Japan."
"Wait. Your family? You don't look Japanese."
"Our family had to adopt or marry outside of our heritage along the way. The rest of the team have mixed blood lines as well."
"Rest of the team?" Marvelous asked & Lauren pointed to a picture on the wall of all 7 of them after defeating Master Xandred. "Ah."
"Yeah."
"So you're…" Doc started.
"The former Samurai Red Ranger; Lauren Shiba," her suit flashed over her. "My brother's the one you saw outside training. He also wore the suit when he was subbing for me."
"'Samurai Red'?" Robin asked.
"That means..." Doc said.
"You're the one who can give us the greater power of your team," Joe said.
"Maybe, but that's not why I brought you all here," she said. "I'll get straight to the point. Return the Samurai Ranger Keys."
"Well, I'll get straight to your answer," Marvelous said. "Not a chance."
"You're speaking to the rightful owners of the Keys," Jayden said, entering the room.
"Hold on, Jayden."
"You leave us no choice," he said, holding an extra spin sword. "I'll take them back by force," he said, slashing at Marvelous, who dodged his strikes.
"H-hold on now!" Vivi yelled.
Marvelous rolled on the floor to avoid the next strike. He then kneeled, flipping up his key & holding his morpher.
"Oho...well dodged," Jayden complemented, getting ready to strike again.
"Nice strikes…" Marvelous said, standing up & holding his key arm out.
"Please, wait!" Vivi said, getting in the middle of them. "You two must calm yourselves!"
"That's right! They're the ones who know the secret to the Samurai's ultimate power!" Doc said.
"He's the one who came out swinging," Marvelous said. "Your swordplay is pretty impressive."
Joe came up to him & put his hand on his shoulder.
"Fine…" Marvelous said, putting his arms down.
"Why not settle this with a fight against me?" Joe said to Jayden.
"What do you mean?" Jayden said, putting his arms to his sides.
On the Gigant Horse, a purple ship docked up to it…
"What's this? What's going on!?"
Vekar scrambled as an alarm was raised. The door to the room opened & a new alien smashed his way in.
"You're in my way, move!" he said, slashing some X-Borgs.
Biorg charged in at him & quickly subdued him.
"You're Matacore!" Vekar exclaimed.
"You're one of His Supreme Majesty's Imperial Guards. Why are you here?" Damaras asked.
"Yeah."
"His Majesty ordered me to see if I could be of any help to the prince," he said, bowing. "Damaras, you've been here the entire time & still haven't subjugated a planet like Earth? Pathetic."
Damaras held his head in shame.
"I see, so my Father…" Vekar started. "With Matacore among our forces, we have nothing to fear! Launch an attack immediately!" Matacore put his hand to his chest & grunted in compliance. "I'll finally show my Father & brother what I'm capable of when this planet is conquered in one fell swoop! Yes...& I shall go as well!"
"The prince in person?" Levira asked quietly.
"Your Excellency, you must consider the consequences for the Empire if something were to happen to you..." Damaras started.
"Your caution is tedious. Biorg, you'll accompany me."
"Yes, boss."
Back at Shiba House…
"Why am I fighting you & not your captain?" Jayden asked Joe.
"You're genuinely strong. If you fought Marvelous, someone could end up dead."
"Fair enough assessment. If I win, you'll return the Samurai Ranger Keys."
Joe got out his sabre.
"And if I win, you'll both tell us about the Samurai's ultimate power."
They both stood there as the wind blew.
"What's going on?" Robin asked. "Why aren't they moving?"
"This always happens when two people fight & really know what they're doing." Marvelous answered.
They both twisted their swords & ran towards each other. They started swinging, Joe keeping on hand behind his back as he held his sabre fencing-style. Jayden turned around & caught Joe's sabre strike. Joe flipped around as Jayden swung his sword at him repeatedly. They clashed blades, then backed up several feet from each other.
Suddenly, Armada ships started shooting lasers at buildings nearby.
"Not good...we'll put this duel on hold," Jayden said, running towards the destruction.
"Jayden!" Lauren said & tailed him.
"Looks like we won't get a finish unless we deal with that first," Marvelous said.
"Let's go," Vivi said.
"Aye," Marvelous said in agreement & they started running.
Jayden ran into the city as civilians ran the opposite direction. He started slicing X-Borgs. After he did that, Vekar, Matacore, Biorg, three Bruisers, & a lot of X-Borgs beamed down from the Gigant Horse.
"Behold, Earthlings! I am the Prince of the Zangyack Galaxy's Space Empire, Prince Vekar! It's only a matter of time until your planet is mine! If you value your lives, bow down before me!"
Marvelous held up his blaster & shot at him. Biorg deflected the blasts with his sword.
"That's enough of your comedy act," Marvelous said.
"So you're the boss, huh?" Robin asked.
"The Emperor's idiot son…" Joe said.
"How dare you! You vile, pirate scum! Enjoy your sense of superiority while it lasts!" Vekar yelled.
"Right back at you!" Doc said.
"That's right. There's no way we'll be defeated by such a tyrant as you," Vivi said.
"X-Borgs! Get them!"
They charged at them.
"Let's make it showy!" Marvelous yelled & they charged in.
Marvelous fought a group of X-Borgs with fisticuffs. He flipped off a car to avoid them, then got out his morpher & key.
"It's Morphin Time!"
He avoided a few more, then held out his morpher & transformed.
"Pirate Crew!"
"Pirate Crew Red."
Joe took one of the X-Borg weapons & used it to bash them away. He flipped over another, then got his key & morpher out.
"It's Morphin Time!"
He kicked another away, then held his morpher out.
"Pirate Crew!"
"Pirate Crew Blue."
Robin was taking on some of her own.
"Come on, come on!" she said, taking one down, then did a few backflips & kicked a few more away. She got out hers.
"It's Morphin Time!"
She batted one away.
"Pirate Crew!"
"Pirate Crew Yellow!"
Doc fought a group of his own, backflipping off of one while holding on to another. The held on to two of them as a third came at him & he wrapped his legs around that one's neck & repeatedly punched it until he used his weight to throw it to the side. He got away, then got his out.
"It's Morphin Time!"
He bashed another away.
"Pirate Crew!"
"Pirate Crew Green!"
Vivi dealt with a few of her own, making one fall on the ground. She then flipped around, then got hers out.
"It's Morphin Time!"
She karate chopped another one away.
"Pirate Crew!"
"Pirate Crew Pink."
"Pirate shut up already! Defeat them!" Vekar yelled, then the Bruisers charged in.
Marvelous used his sabre & baster on some of the remaining X-Borgs. Joe then used his sabre. He then threw his sword.
"Robin!"
"Thanks!" she said after she caught it.
She took out some more X-Borgs, then sliced one of the Bruisers.
Doc was fighting some more X-Borgs. He flipped backwards on to a tarp & caught one of their weapons with his feet.
"Catch!" he said, then sent it back, then flipped back up. He then flipped over a wood crate, then shot them with his blaster.
The other Bruiser & an X-Borg were sent flying.
"Vivi!" he said, then kicked his blaster over to her.
"Right! Thank you," she said, then ran up to & jumped off the car that was parked there & shot a few. She then shot a few more who were on top of the car.
"What the…?" Matacore said.
"Thanks!" Robin & Vivi said, handing their respective weapons back to the guys.
"Sorry for the wait, it's your turn now!" Marvelous said, holding up his sabre.
"Your Excellency, leave this to me," Matacore said, then walked toward them.
"Let's use this team!" he said, flipping his belt buckle & got a ranger key out.
"Power Switch!"
"Mighty Morphin!"
They drew the weapons & charged at him. They tried to slash him, but got batted away.
"Power Daggers!" Robin said, then came at him with them. He swatted her away with his sword.
"Power Bow!" Vivi said, shooting the laser arrows at him. He deflected the shot with his sword, then slashed her away as she tried to use the bow as a blunt instrument.
Doc jumped on top of crates, then jumped & spun, then aimed.
"Power Axe!" he said, then shot at him, then got slashed away.
"Power Lance!" Joe said, then tried to hit him with the lance, but got swatted away.
"Power Sword!" Marvelous said, then clashed blades with him, only to get slashed away like the others.
"Well done, Metacore!" Vekar said, clapping. "Send those worthless pirates to the inferno!"
They regrouped.
"We're not finished!" Vivi said, then they got out more keys.
"Power Switch!"
"Zeo!"
"Let's do it! Zeo Dynamite Kick!"
They said, jumping in the air, spinning. they became a ball of energy, which he deflected & they recoiled back.
"He's definitely tougher than the other guys…" Robin said.
"Excellent, excellent," Vekar said.
"I'll take Vekar. If we can take him down, we'll have this won," Joe said as they got up.
"Take care of him," Marvelous said, then they got out more keys.
"Power Switch!"
"Lost Galaxy!"
They charged in. Doc was the first in, jumping over his sword.
"What's wrong!?" Matacore said, as he dealt with them.
Joe ran passed them, then jumped over the crates. He then charged at Vekar & Biorg.
"No you don't!" Biorg said, slashing his sword at him.
Joe got out the Transdagger.
"Get out of my way!"
"I am Prince Vekar's loyal right hand, Biorg. You will not lay a finger upon my boss."
He started fighting him. Joe flipped up a few times as Biorg swung his sword. The clashed blades, then Biorg slashed him a few times & he got batted away, returning to his regular suit. He then charged in with his sabre.
Matacore slashed the girls, then DOc came at him.
"Trans Blaster!" he yelled, shooting lasers at him. Matacore took them, then put an energy slash back at him.
Marvelous fought him next.
"Quasar Saber!" he yelled as flames shot out at Matacore while they clashed blades. Marvelous then jumped up & held on to an upper railing of a fire escape, then Matacore energy-slashed him down on to a car.
Matacore laughed, then Marvelous went back to his normal suit.
"Marvelous!" Vivi exclaimed.
"Marvelous!" Robin exclaimed.
"This is the first time we've fought someone who's put up a fight…" he said, then got up. "Bring it on!" he said, then they charged in.
Joe clashed blades with Biorg.
"I don't have any time to waste with you. Yield already!" he exclaimed.
"Not enough. Not nearly enough!" Biorg said, then punched him in the right chest, sending him back a few steps. Joe prepared his sabre.
Biorg charged his sabre in a familiar way. Joe had a flashback to Sid.
"That stance...it can't be!"
Biorg did the "X" slash at him, sending Joe way back, demorphing him. He rolled on the ground, blood on his forehead.
"Sid…my friend…" He said, getting up. "Is that you, Sid!?"
"'Sid'? I don't know who you're talking about."
"That's a lie! There's no way I could be mistaken about this. That unique sword style...it's Sid's!"
"Precisely!" Vekar interjected. "Biorg, here, is the result of turning the traitor, Sid DeFranco, into a cyborg!"
"What!?"
"He was an insolent, irritating, fool, but his swordsmanship was well worth procuring as an asset."
"Sid…my god!"
"So this is a heartwarming reunion between two former comrades."
"Now, perish with tears in your eyes!"
Biorg held his blade out, walking towards Joe.
"What are you doing, Joe!?" Marvelous yelled, running towards them.
Biorg slashed & Marvelous ran between them, taking the brunt of the attack. He demorphed as a result of the damage.
It showed Jayden & Lauren's reactions, both shocked.
"Marvelous…" Joe said. Marvelous groaned. He had a slash mark through the back of his jacket & shirt, bleeding partially. He then bent over & got his blaster out, holding on to Joe as ballast as he fired at Biorg & Vekar.
Biorg took the blasts as his sword flew off a ways as a result. Marvelous shot at them both still. Vekar then leaked a blue liquid from his hand.
"Boss?" Biorg said, walking over to him.
"Blood...I'm bleeding! Biorg!" he said, falling over. "Not even my own father has ever struck me!"
"Maybe that was the problem," Marvelous retorted.
"Move!" Matacore said, slashing the other three. "Your Excellency, we cannot risk further harm coming to you. We must retreat!"
"And we had nearly finished them," Damaras said back on the ship.
"If only someone hadn't gone down there…" Levira said, then hit a button.
"It hurts!" Vekar whined, then they were beamed up. The ships then went up high.
Marvelous then lowered his blaster, then fell unconscious. Joe caught him.
"Marvelous!" Doc, Vivi, & Robin yelled as they ran to them.
They all stopped & looked at him.
"This is bad. His wound is deep," Lauren said to Jayden.
They sat Marvelous down on one of the guest room beds in Shiba House.
"We used a salve that works wonders on sword wounds," Jayden said to Joe & Doc as they exited the room. "He should rest until the pain subsides."
"We are truly grateful," Vivi said as they walked down the hallway to the living room.
"But,...I mean, why did you—?" Doc asked.
"It wouldn't've been humane to do otherwise," Lauren said.
"But don't expect mercy when the duel resumes," Jayden said.
Marvelous moved as he slept. Joe then walked towards the door. Robin followed & stopped him outside, dusk fell.
"Joe, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Biorg here is the result of turning my old mentor, Sid DeFranco, into a cyborg," he said, then continued walking.
Ji entered through the gate as Joe was leaving, then walked passed Robin as he had brown paper bags in his hand.
"We have company?" he asked Lauren & Jayden.
"Yep," Jayden answered.
Robin entered the house.
"Where's Joe?" Doc asked.
"He's taking a walk," she said.
"You should all get some sleep," Lauren said.
"We have three extra rooms you all can sleep in."
"Thanks," Doc said.
"I have to get back to the ship," Vivi said. "I have to check on my puppy."
"All right," Lauren said.
"Call me if anything new develops," Vivi told doc & he nodded to her. She ran out the door.
The Next Day…
"Guys, trouble!" Robin said, coming in the door.
"What is it? What's going on?"
"I went back up to the ship & found this…" she said, handing Doc the note.
"'There's something I need to settle, alone.' What—?" he said, then the camera focused on Marvelous, then faded to Joe's stern expression as he walked.
END