Up on the Warrior Dome, The production staff were working in the wings, preparing for the broadcast. After two straight weeks of somewhat questionable monsters, Cosmo had gone out of his way to build up the latest broadcast in the hopes of tipping the scales back firmly in his favour. Vignettes had aired all week, articles had been posted in multiple sources, and he had set the rumour mill alight with the prospect of Ripcon's official return to the arena.
Wrench oversaw work behind the scenes, making sure everything was perfect. Cosmo had declared that no expense was to be spared for the broadcast. Lighting, effects, music, pyro, even an army of Basher Bots were commissioned to ensure that the main event, Ripcon and the Red Ranger, would be the only thing anyone was talking about.
"How are they looking out there?" Cosmo asked as he took up position just off the curtain. Wrench looked out for him, seeing the crowd working themselves into a frenzy. They all knew what they were there to see, and they were all frothing at the mouth to see the action start. The Rangers had built up quite a following in the crowd, and about half the audience were brandishing signs and merchandise for the Red Ranger.
The other half of the crowd were die-hard Ripcon fans, itching to see him return after a long absence from the arena. The two sides were very vocal, and the division was beginning to move from mere heckling and jostling to screams and outright shoving matches. It looked almost like there was going to be a battle right there in the stands!
"They're really worked up!" Wrench told him, sounding worried. "If we don't start soon, we'll have bloodshed before the show even starts!"
"Perfect!" Cosmo said with an evil smile. "Play me out boys!"
Cosmo strode out onto the stage, his cane in hand, commanding the audience's attention like a deity descending from on high to deliver a message. The music blared as the audience cheered, clapped their hands and stomped their feet, waving signs and declaring their unwavering love for the show and the mastermind behind it. Cosmo let them get it out of their system, basking in his adulation, until he managed to silence the entire audience by simply placing a finger to his lips. Such was his presence and showmanship that he could command an audience from the point of a riot to silence at will. The hush came down, and Cosmo began.
"Tonight, we have a very special night!" He began, his voice carrying from the stage right throughout the studio effortlessly. "Tonight, we end one of the greatest rivalries you have ever seen. Tonight, we finally answer who is the greatest? Tonight, is the night, when two enter, and one leaves…This is…RIPCON VS. RED RANGER, THE WAR TO SETTLE THE SCORE!"
The crowd erupted once more, like their lives had no meaning outside of this one moment. Cosmo settled them down again with a gesture, before a video package played.
"This is one of the great rivalries, a hatred so deep, that it cannot be contained by merely one meeting!" Cosmo declared, gesturing to the screen behind them. "In their first encounter, when Badpipes was struggling, Ripcon and the Red Ranger stole the show with the ferocity of their battle. The Red Ranger was lucky to leave with his life as his friends interrupted a massacre!"
He paced the stage as he recounted the grudge between the two. Although they all knew the story, he was there to hype it into something special.
"When next they met, the result was a stalemate, with neither gaining the decisive victory they both longed for, then, in their most recent encounter, it was the Red Ranger that took a piece of Ripcon, literally, taking his horn!" Cosmo reminded them all as he built it up. "Now, tonight, in the event you've all been waiting for, please welcome him back into the arena, the Scourge of the Sword, the Master of Mutilation, the Surgeon of Suffering, RIPCON!"
A hatch opened up in the floor, and smoke billowed out from it as the spotlight hit. Ripcon was raised up through the floor and onto the stage as his fans started to chant his name. He cared little for the pageantry, but to know that this was his moment, he was all too happy to give them their show. He saluted the audience, at which his cheer section went insane with delight. Ripcon was a legend on the show, one that many believed should have challenged for the title some time ago, but his career path took him elsewhere. Cosmo came over, presenting the mic to him.
"Ripcon, it has been some time since you were selected for the show. What words do you have for our audience tonight?" Cosmo asked him. Ripcon just looked to the microphone.
"The Rangers fall tonight!" He declared. Cosmo didn't expect much from Ripcon. He never bothered much for the interviews or promotion of a match, he let his action do the talking.
"There it is folks, you heard it yourself. Now let's see if he has what it takes!" Cosmo called out as he headed for his control console. "THE WAR TO SETTLE THE SCORE!"
With that, he hit the button and in a flash of light, Ripcon disappeared.
In the school, the morning was coming to an end, and the afternoon classes had been cancelled to allow the kids to prepare for the show. While most of them were simple things like musical acts or dramatic readings, things that didn't really require much more set up than bringing a script or setting up instruments, some of the students had pretty elaborate acts that did require quite a bit of set-up. Some...more than others.
"What do you mean I can't do my act?" Victor whined as he followed Mrs Finch through the school. He was dressed as a matador, and carrying a long, red cape. Monty was following him, dressed as a clown. "Mrs Finch, this could be my fiftieth trophy!"
"I warned you earlier in the week Victor that you couldn't do it." Mrs Finch told him as she checked on other students. "It's not my fault you didn't listen!"
"But I've been practicing all week!" He complained.
"Victor, your act simply isn't appropriate!" She told him.
"Why not? What's the big deal?" He asked, looking around. He saw Hayley with Kody, practicing some tricks. Sarah was watching her, holding her new pet rabbit, cuddling her tightly and stroking her fur as Hayley went over the tricks with Kody. "She's allowed an animal!"
"There's a bit of a difference between a dog and an eight hundred pound bull!" She snapped at him. "It's too dangerous!"
"What about Preston? He uses explosives in his act all the time!" He protested.
"I've gotten a full safety report on all of Preston's tricks. They present no danger whatsoever." She assured him. "Now I am NOT letting you bull-fight in the school and that is FINAL!"
"Oh, right, I...guess I can guess that bull outside is something to do with you Victor." Levi said as he arrived.
"Well, yes, it's part of my act..."
"And unless your initials are MG, according to that brand it isn't even your bull." Levi commented. Mrs Finch just turned to glare at Victor.
"Really Victor?" She asked.
"Well...um..." He stammered. "I just borrowed it for a little while..."
"Did you ask first?" She asked. Victor and Monty just looked to each other, but didn't say anything. Their silence spoke volumes.
"Um...well..." Victor stammered.
"He was just standing in that field all alone." Monty told them. "We didn't think anyone would miss him."
"You know, they call that cattle rustling Victor." Levi told him. "That's still a pretty serious crime out here."
"Crime?" Monty asked. "As in...juvie?"
"As in if that farmer had caught you he'd have been entitled to shoot you." Levi informed them. Mrs Finch just groaned.
"You two are taking that bull back where you found it right now!" She ordered them.
"But the farm is miles away! Even if we leave now we'll miss the talent show!" Victor whined.
"You can take that bull back yourselves or I can call the police and they can take it back!" She warned them. Victor and Monty just both hung their heads and trudged out of the school, knowing that she would carry out her threat without a second thought. Levi just smiled and shook his head.
"It's always something with those two isn't it?" He asked.
"You have no idea!" She sighed. "Say, are you sure you don't want to be a judge? I could always..."
"Nah, I think I'd be happier just watching." Levi told her.
"Oh...well at very least would you like a little lunch first?" She asked him.
"Now that, that does sound pretty good." Levi said. As he was about to go with her, Mick ran out of the Shop Class, heading right for him.
"Levi!" He called out. "Um...Mr Weston? I was wondering if I could have your help with something."
"Is it important?" Levi asked. "I'm kind of in the middle of something..."
"It's that special project we were working on." Mick told him. "I've gotten the other donations I need; I just need your contribution."
"Oh...right." Levi said, looking to Mrs Finch apologetically. "Um...I'm sorry, we've been working on this for a while, and...I really need..."
"It's fine." She assured him. "We'll call it a rain check."
"Alright Mick, lead the way." Levi told him. With that, they headed out. Hayley and Sarah saw them going as Hayley cuddled Kody and gave him a treat, his reward for how well he was performing his tricks.
"It looks like Mick finally managed to get a hold of Levi." Sarah stated. "Have you...?"
"I put my power into it earlier." She stated. "You?"
"This morning." She answered. "I can't believe Mick believes he might have found a way to combine all our powers in one star."
"Yeah, it sounds pretty wild alright." Hayley answered. "We might just need it soon too. Ripcon's been showing up a lot more often lately and I know I'd like something a little more potent if we corner him again."
"That is one face I know I won't miss if I never see it again." Sarah said, lifting up the rabbit and cuddling it tightly. "Not like you though right? You gorgeous little..."
Her words tailed off into a kind of nonsensical baby noises. Hayley smiled to see this.
"I guess you liked that present then." Hayley said as she watched Sarah fawning over her new pet.
"How could anyone not fall in love with this face?" Sarah gushed.
"Oh...I think someone already might have." Hayley commented. Sarah just looked at her a little curiously.
"What's that meant to mean?" She asked her. Hayley just gave her a knowing look. "Hayley?"
"It was a pretty sweet thing of Preston to do to get her for you." Hayley commented.
"Yeah, it really was." Sarah answered. "Wait, do you think...? Hayley, we're friends!"
"Yeah, and so were me and Calvin." She reminded her.
"Hayley, it isn't like that!" Sarah protested. "Preston and I are friends! We're..."
"So, how long exactly did it take you to pick out that dress for the show?" Hayley asked her.
"Not long at all! I found it within about an hour of going to that shop..."
"Oh, so you actually went out shopping specifically for a dress for his show?" Hayley asked her. "And it only took you an hour?"
"Yeah, I had to figure out something that wouldn't interfere with his tricks and all the moving parts..."
"So what you're saying is you spent a lot of time and effort picking out that outfit just for him?" Hayley commented. "I'll bet it wasn't that expensive though right?"
"Well...I needed it to look good for the show so I might have dipped into my savings a little..." Sarah said, only to see the way Hayley was staring at her. "Would you quit that? Just because you started necking your best friend every chance you got doesn't mean everyone does."
"OK, if you insist." Hayley said.
"I mean it Hayley." Sarah put down flatly.
"Oh...oh yeah, I totally believe you." Hayley replied. "Totally."
Sarah just rolled her eyes. Why was it that everyone thought if a guy and a girl couldn't just be friends without there being anything going on between them? She remembered back in Amber Beach briefly getting a bit of an icy reception from Riley's girlfriend Leanne because she thought they were getting a little too close. She didn't have any designs on Riley at all. Why couldn't people see it was possible to just be friends with people you hung out with?
Sure, out of all the guys she probably hung out more with Preston than the others, but that was because they enjoyed each other's company. Preston wasn't as confident or outgoing as the others, and so she always made a little more effort to be supportive of him. When he started sharing some of his tricks with her, she was pretty impressed with the ingenuity behind them, she'd even come up with some ideas he could incorporate into some of his tricks to help. She just liked being a part of it.
Just then, their Ninja-Comms bleeped, and they quickly got up, looking for the others. Calvin, Preston and Mick quickly joined them in looking for Brody, finding him in a side room, practicing with Aiden.
"Together we are family." They sang together, strumming away on their guitars. "Every day now, we grow stronger..."
They looked up as the others burst in.
"Ripcon's attacking the city!" Mick informed them.
"Ripcon?" Brody asked, looking a little worried about this. He had faced Ripcon now a couple of times in battle, and while a couple of times he had sent him on his way, he had yet to have a decisive victory over him. The fact was as strong as Brody was, Ripcon had been a powerful warrior from long before Brody was even born and there were whole civilisations that could attest to his might. Entire armies had fallen at his feet.
"I did a quick scan and there's no one else." Mick told him. "I also checked...there are buzz-cams. A lot of them. It looks like this is the big one. It looks like this time it's Ripcon they've sent."
"He's strong. The last time we fought, I barely got away." Brody admitted. While he was confident in his skills, overconfidence was a failing a ninja could not afford. Pride was only a good thing if it didn't lead to delusion. Even Brody had to face the harsh reality that he had lucked out a couple of times with Ripcon either being pulled away by his superiors or his friends interrupting their battles. A couple of times now, Ripcon by all rights should have been measuring him up for a permanent mahogany overcoat.
"I've been working on the Ninja Fusion Star." Mick told him. "I've gotten the power transfer from all of you, Levi's in the base now putting his power into it. When it's ready it should harness the power of all six of your power stars."
"Then I guess we'll have to buy you guys some time while you finish the Ninja Fusion Star." Brody told him. Sarah handed her rabbit to Mick, while Hayley got down on one knee, telling Kody to go with him too. "Aiden, you go with Mick. Keep safe until we get back."
"I will." Aiden told him. "Just be safe Brody."
With that, the Rangers all rushed out, leaving Aiden with Mick, Kody and the rabbit. Aiden grabbed the two guitars, and was about to follow Mick, when Kody started barking at him.
"Hey!" Aiden shouted at him.
"Easy there boy!" Mick said in a soothing voice, reaching for Kody's collar. The dog was responsive to his touch, and obeyed the instruction, but he continued to growl, glaring in Aiden's direction. Mick looked between Kody and Aiden, leaving Aiden to worry about what he was thinking.
"I'm sorry about that; I've never seen Kody like that before." Mick commented.
"I guess he just doesn't like strangers." Aiden commented. There was a long pause, and Aiden waited for Mick to answer. His hand was starting to stray behind his back, when Mick finally seemed to answer.
"I guess he is a rescue dog." He commented. "None of us know what his old home was like, Hayley found him on the streets. I guess you must just remind him of someone that treated him badly."
"I guess so." Aiden answered, his hand straying back from behind his back. Mick gestured to the door.
"Come on, let's go to the base." Mick told him. "But stay in cover when you do. I have to warn you, when the Ninja Nexus Prism creates new power stars, they do come out pretty damn fast."
"Don't worry." Aiden answered as Mick led the way, a smirk crossing his face. "I know when to keep my head down."
He followed on, knowing that so far, with only a minor potential setback, his plan was working perfectly. Now Ripcon was in the city, and the Rangers' attention would all be on him. Creating the Ninja Fusion Star would give the Rangers a powerful new weapon, but soon that wouldn't matter. Once it was ready and they rushed out to meet Ripcon, they would leave the base, the Nexus Prism, and the Ninja Steel all unprotected. They would leave with one new weapon, and come home to find the rest of their armoury had been snatched from under their noses. The only thing he needed to decide was who to eliminate first, the dog or the alien.