It hadn't been more than a few hours since Billy's departure and Sensei had already begun Robert's new training.
"You will clean every inch of Ninja Ops," said Sensei as he pointed to a mop and bucket that Cam brought in. Cam sheepishly mouthed sorry to Robert as he placed a broom against the back wall.
"Excuse me Sensei Watanabe, but I do not understand how helping you clean Ninja Ops will enhance my training," said Robert as he stared at the mop and broom.
"Exactly, it's because you don't understand that you must do it. I will check on your progress in a few hours. I expect to be able eat off the floors and walls when I return," said Sensei as he exited Ninja Ops.
Robert heard Billy's words once more in his head and grabbed the broom and began to sweep away the dust and dirt on the floor.
"I should be training, I should not be cleaning the floors" said Robert beneath his breath.
"I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better at least you're not doing the entire academy's laundry like Billy did," said Cam as he returned to work on his computer.
After a few hours of pain staking moping and sweeping, Robert had finally finished cleaning Ninja Ops. It was almost time for supper when Sensei returned.
"I see you exceeded my expectations," said Sensei as he entered the room. Robert couldn't contain the smile that now spread across his face.
"Does this mean you will begin my training?" asked Robert.
"Absolutely, as soon as you single handedly finish washing all of the Academy's laundry," said Sensei with a smile.
The smile on Robert's face quickly faded.
"Oh I should mention that the washing machines are broken. I guess you'll be doing all the laundry by hand. I'm sure Cam can find you a washboard and some soap in the supply closet," said Sensei as he left Ninja Ops.
It was dusk by the time Billy reached the Command Center. As he walked through the main door he heard the familiar noises of machines running. He first checked on the new Ranger team. They appeared to have technology far more advanced than anything he had created yet. He hoped that he wouldn't have to step in and assist them like he did Lightspeed Rescue. He shut down the diagnostic systems and placed them on standby.
He stopped for a second and looked up at the large blue tube that hugged the left corner of the Power Chamber. Billy had avoided looking at it since he had it installed. He knew it wouldn't be the Power Chamber let alone the Command Center without it, but the sheer emptiness of it all finally hit home. Zordon would never be coming back, he would have to figure this out all alone.
Billy then made his way to the back wall of the main power chamber. There he placed his hand on a secret panel. The LCD screen registered his palm print and granted him access to a hidden room. As he crossed the threshold lights illuminated five different sections of the room. To his right was a display case with six damaged power coins, and next to them in its own special case lay Saba and the white power coin. On his left was the Zeo crystals in five pieces. Adjacent to them were the Ninja coins. Lastly the Turbo keys were all locked into a large steering wheel.
He made his way to the Ninja case and studies the six distinct coins. He placed his hand on the display case and began to feel the energy that surrounded them. You could faintly hear the animals within the coins stirring. He stood there for a moment as he focused on the wolf coin. The energy around him began to change. He could feel an electric charge surge through his body.
As he turned around he saw the Triceratops Power Suit stand before him. It was difficult for Billy to see his old suit filled out, like if someone was wearing it. The last time he had seen his suit on someone it happened to be a putty. But the person within the suit felt familiar.
"Who are you, and how did you get past my security systems?" yelled Billy as he took a defensive stance.
The Blue Ranger mimicked Billy's stance. They sized each other up and waited for the other to make the first move. Suddenly the blue ranger launched into his first assault. Billy was caught by surprise as he defended against the attack. He tried to move away, but was caught by a kick to the gut.
"I thought you would have put up more of a fight. Maybe a triceratops can beat a wolf after all," said the Blue ranger as he summoned his Power Lance.
The blue ranger began to swing wildly towards Billy, almost slamming an end of the lance with his head. With a single motion of his hand Billy caught the lance and relieved it of its owner.
"You think you can beat me with my own weapon?" said Billy as the lance flew graciously from one hand to the other. "I mastered this weapon when I was fifteen. I destroyed numerous amounts of monsters with this weapon. You will be no difference."
Billy used the lance to make large sweeping arcs around him, each one closing in on the blue ranger. The final three arcs connected and threw the ranger suited individual into the right corner of the room. He jammed the end of the lance beneath the helmet.
"Now tell me who you are!" yelled Billy.
"I'm someone you use to be. But I am nothing compared to what you could have become," said the blue ranger as he pushed Billy back and assumed a new position. "Triceratops-Unicorn Thunder Power!"
Blue lightning bolts shot in every direction. Billy used the lance to deflect many of the shots heading his way. What stood before him was a new ranger suit. Its chest and upper torso were white while its legs and arms were blue. The helmet resembled a unicorns forehead above the visor. It was a design Billy had never seen before.
"I am the Blue Unicorn Ranger. The true master of the Unicorn Thunderzord," said the new figure from behind his helmet.
"That's impossible. Zordon never completed the construction of the Thunder Rangers. The emergency transformation of our Dinozords and the creation of the White Tiger ranger left none of the residual energy to create the new rangers forms," said Billy as he studied the new ranger.
"Just because Zordon never activated us, does not mean the Morhping Grid wasn't prepared to use us. It works in mysterious ways Billy Cranston," said the Unicorn Ranger.
Out of nowhere two large blue nunchucks materialized in the Ranger's hands. His ability to maneuver them surprised Billy.
"Now let me show you what a true Unicorn Thunder master can do," said the Ranger as he lunged at Billy.
Billy's first instinct was to use the lance to block the attacks, but the Ranger had anticipated his maneuver and countered by striking his legs and midsection. Billy tried next to place distance between them. However, the Ranger would not let up. With a single swift blow of his nunchucks, the Unicorn Ranger broke the lance in two. Leaving Billy with just enough of the weapon to fight back.
"Alright I've finished all the laundry. It took me the rest of the day but I'm done!" exclaimed Robert as he collapsed on a pillow near the foot of Cam's computer.
"Great, now you can get started on tonight's laundry before dinner," said Sensei Watanabe as he walked into Ninja Ops.
"Of course Sensei," said Robert as he stood up and bowed.
Sensei made his way back out and into the open field to supervise another lesson.
"I don't know why your father hates me so much," said Robert as he let himself fall freely on the pillows once more. The softness was something reassuring compared to the coarse leathers and cloths he had been washing.
"It's not you Robert, it's just the way he trains. You'll get used to it soon," said Cam as he continued to type away at this keyboard.
"Cam, you'd consider me a friend right?" asked Robert.
"For what little time I've known you, I guess you and Billy are the closest thing to friends I have here. I mean you're the only non-ninja people in this whole school," said Cam with a smile.
"Thanks, I guess I need a friend here too," said Robert smiling.
"Cool?" asked Cam playfully.
"Yeah, I guess you've earned the right to call me RJ. I'm kind of getting tired of people calling me Robert," said RJ as he nodded off to sleep.
Billy used the two separated lance pieces as maces to ward off the Unicorn Ranger. He managed to evade many of the deadly blows aimed his way. However, a few of the sneak attacks had made contact.
"For a Wolf Ranger, you're kind of pathetic aren't you?" asked the Ranger as he made his way towards Billy. "I don't know how I ever allowed you to take command of my zord. Good thing you were never permitted to wear my suit."
With a swift flick of his wrists the Unicorn Ranger was able to separate Billy from his lance and topple him to floor.
"You forget one thing Unicorn Ranger. I am not only a Wolf Ranger, I'm a Wolf Master!" and with that Billy summoned Rogan to his side. "Rogan, Wolf Spirit Unleashed!"
With Billy's command Rogan launched into an attack against the Unicorn Ranger. Billy soon followed with an advance of his own. The ranger made his way out of the secret room and into the Power Chamber. There he unleashed another barrage of attacks on Rogan and Billy.
A mighty howl then ripped through the room. Blue energy spread from Billy and Rogan, mingling in the areas where they touched. From the brightness emerged Billy cladded in blue robes from head to toe.
"Now I will show you what a Wolf Master can do," said Billy as he took up a new fighting stance. He pummeled his way through the Ranger's defense and managed to knock him to the floor multiple times. The Ranger regained his footing and made his way across the room to rest against a large tube. Billy then extended his arms and placed his hands together in the shape of snout, summoning an enormous amount of energy. Every system in the Power Chamber began to fluctuate due to the power drain. Then with a single thrust of his wrist, his hands opened and released a pure beam of light that enveloped the Unicorn Ranger and the large blue tube behind it. When the energy beam faded the Unicorn Ranger was nowhere to be found. However, the tube began to pulsate and glow, growing in intensity second by second. An image of a smiling face filled the tube, but disappeared as suddenly as it had become visible.
"Zordon?" whispered Billy through the mask covering his mouth and face.
The energy dissipated and the room came back to life.
"We are sorry Billy, but it was the only way for you to achieve what you were searching for," said the Unicorn Ranger.
"You have now reached the next level of your potential," said the Triceratops Ranger.
"What does this mean?" asked Billy angrily.
"It means you are now a Master of your animal spirit," said the Triceratops Ranger.
"You are now Master Howl," said the Unicorn Ranger as he touched Billy's robes shifting back into the ninja uniform Cam had made. "Make Zordon proud."
Then they vanished, leaving Billy alone in the darken Power Chamber.