In the training yard of the Shiba House, Kevin, Mike and Mia were all standing on the training mat. Kevin and Mike, through virtue of still being stuck together by Epoxor's glue, Mike and Kevin were working to prove that they could still be effective in battle. Now, almost half an hour in, both of them were covered in welts, which they knew would end up as very painful bruises.
Sparring had been a complete disaster, with either Mike or Kevin over-reaching and pulling the other off balance, meaning that Mia had a very simple time giving them a little sting with her shinai to take the point. She had found it amusing at first, but by now, she was getting a little bored, frustrated and ratty about the fact they were still continuing to be so stubborn when it was clear their situation was unworkable.
"Alright, we can do this, we just need to go right back to basics." Kevin stated.
"What? Standing up?" Antonio asked.
"Holding a sword?" Emily giggled, earning a fist-bump from him, in reference to the number of times Mia had disarmed them. Jayden just glared at them, before stroking the bridge of his nose impatiently.
"Alright, we'll try the basics." He told them. "One-step sparring, basic Kesa-Giri."
Both Kevin and Mike smiled a little. It was a pretty straightforward technique, one both of them had mastered years ago. Mia seemed a lot more reluctant, having battered them both mercilessly for some time. Nevertheless, at Jayden's signal, she lined up and prepared to begin.
As he signalled to begin, she moved forward, bringing her shinai overhead. Kevin pulled off one way, dragging Mike with him with inevitable results.
"Ow! That's my foot!" Kevin complained loudly.
"Dude, stop pulling me!" Mike protested. "If you hadn't pulled me...!"
"One more time." Jayden called out, halting the argument.
"But Jayden, they clearly can't do it like this!" Mia interjected. "I don't want to hurt..."
"Your meatloaf last week was as dry as an old boot." Kevin interrupted her. Mia just gave him a death-glare, before squaring up to go again.
This time as they went, both Mike and Kevin moved to block, but in opposite directions, crashing into each other and staggering each other. Mia responded by knocking their shinai out of their hand and catching Kevin across the backside with a particularly evil, stinging shot across the backside. Jayden held up a hand, before shaking his head sadly and heading back inside. Kevin looked to Mia apologetically.
"You know I was only joking right?" He asked her hopefully. She just turned and stormed off.
"Dude, you are so screwed when we get out of this." Mike teased him. "Come on, maybe we can still do symbol training. If we can get that, this'll all be just an extension right?"
"Right!" Kevin agreed. "Come on!"
As he raced inside, virtually dragging Mike with him, protesting all the way, Emily and Antonio just looked to each other.
"This isn't going to work is it?" She asked him.
"Nope." He replied bluntly. "You want to miss them trying?"
"Nope!" She replied. With that, they both scrambled inside to watch.
Back at the food court, Melanie and Mal were still sitting, back-to-back, connected at the neck by Epoxor's glue. They couldn't do much about the situation, given how they were joined, any time one of them moved too much, they ended up strangling the other. Mal though was starting to wonder if that was such an unappealing option.
"Damn it, what the hell kind of place is this?" He yelled, looking around. "You sell food, but there isn't one knife?"
"It's a fast-food outlet that sells fried chicken!" Melanie snapped in response. "We get all the stuff in pre-prepared and shove it in the fryer! Besides, do you think I'd ever let you near this with a knife? My hair...!"
"Oh yeah, that's the only problem you can think of with me trying to get this off isn't it? Messing up your precious sodding hair!" He snapped in response. "It's not like there's anything more important around the neck to worry about, like the carotid arteries, or the wind-pipe..."
"Screw you!" Melanie screamed, leaning forward, but being forced to lean back again as she ended up strangling them both. She let out a sigh. "God, what did I do to deserve this?"
"You?" He chortled. "I didn't do anything to deserve this. Believe me, of all the people I could be connected to, you rank below my dentist!"
He was winded as Melanie drove an elbow backwards into him, lashing out at this statement. He just took some deep breaths to recover.
"What the hell are you doing here anyway?" He asked her.
"Having the time of my life." She replied sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest.
"No, I mean the whole...you know...working thing." He clarified. "Isn't that a bit beneath someone like you?"
She didn't answer, just sulking as she thought about it.
"I mean, it wasn't so long ago you were ripping into Spike for working for his money." Mal commented.
"That was..."
"You're such a hypocrite." Mal commented. "You're working here and you get on his case for not having money? So what is it? Your daddy wanted you to learn the value of a dollar?"
"Don't talk about my dad!" She snapped at him.
"Well, what are you going to do to stop me?" Mal asked her. Melanie just elbowed him again hard.
"I said don't talk about him!" She screamed at him. Mal could detect something else in her voice as she did though. He could hear a subtle break in it. She was crying. This was confirmed as he felt her back start moving, like she was breathing rapidly, sobbing. He reached around, fumbling to take her hand, finally doing so. She just looked to their hands.
"Alright, we're stuck here, its best we learn the boundaries." He suggested. "No more talk about your dad, I promise."
With that, he felt her grip tighten a little.
"Thanks." She replied softly.
A little outside of town, Cody and Spike were keeping an impressive pace as they made their way to Kieran's house to see if he had anything that could release them. It was exhausting, far more so than a simple walk or jog, since they also had to co-ordinate their moves since their ankles were stuck together, making this pretty much the longest three-legged race they had ever been a part of.
Spike still felt awkward relying on Cody though. He had accepted that he had left it too late with Vicky. He was...alright with the fact that they would be going to the dance together. Cody was a good guy, he was...
Suddenly, they both ended up on their faces. He hadn't been paying attention, and he had gotten caught on a tree root. Cody had ended up being dragged down with him. As he looked up, Cody was already back on his feet, offering him a hand. He swiped it away.
"I'm good thanks." Spike told him. "I'll do it."
"Spike, I'm only trying to help." Cody told him.
"Yeah, you've helped enough thanks." Spike muttered. He found himself unable to move, his ankle held in place. It was only then he remembered he was connected to Cody, and apparently he wasn't moving. He looked back, seeing him glaring at him.
"OK, and what's that supposed to mean?" Cody asked him.
"It's nothing." Spike said a little sheepishly. "Now, come on, your dad..."
"No, we can talk about this here." Cody told him defiantly, sitting down and crossing his arms. "Now, unless you plan on dragging me all the way, why don't you tell me what this is about?"
Spike just took a seat next to him, also crossing his arms and looking away. If Cody could be stubborn, so could he, and he was sure Cody would quit before he would.
Back at the Shiba House, Mike and Kevin made their way awkwardly to the easel, each holding a paintbrush. Kevin took a deep breath.
"Alright Mike, let me take the lead." He told him.
"Who made you the leader?" Mike asked him.
"Whenever Jayden's not around I AM the leader!" He reminded him. "So just follow me!"
Jayden, Mia, Antonio and Emily were all watching with interest. If they could master some symbols in this state, then they could morph, and there was hope that they could fight.
Mike pulled one way, and it seemed that as he did, Kevin pulled another.
"Wait, this way!" Kevin told him.
"Kevin, it's this way!" Mike told him.
"You're facing the wrong way; you have to reverse the strokes." Kevin stated. "It's this way!"
"This definitely isn't working is it?" Mia asked.
"Uh...no." Jayden sighed. Just then, Kevin and Mike shrieked and fell to the floor as a flurry of soggy leaves shot out of the paper, plastering every surface of the room. The Rangers started sweeping the wet leaves off, seeing Mike and Kevin glaring at each other.
"Alright, what happened?" Jayden asked. Both of them rattled off loud, harsh accusations with such force and speed that no one could understand anything either of them was saying. Jayden just held up a hand to stop them.
"ENOUGH!" He roared, in a voice so loud and authoritative, it was like he had somehow morphed into being Mentor Ji. Everyone in the room just looked to him as he pointed to Kevin for an explanation.
"Mike wouldn't follow my lead." Kevin told him. "I was just tracing the spray symbol..."
"Spray?" Mike asked him. "I was tracing leaf storm!"
"Alright, that's it! You're both on the bench!" Jayden declared. They both looked to him.
"But..."
"You can't even decide a single course of action between yourselves!" Jayden reminded them. "If you aren't in synch, this won't work. We're going with plan B. You two stay here, we deal with the Nighlock when he..."
Just then, the Gap Sensor sounded. Jayden just groaned as Antonio checked it out.
"Somehow he's been keeping low key enough not to arouse our attention." He told them. "People are glued together all over the city!"
"Where is he now?" Jayden asked.
"He's heading for the Ball Park." Antonio replied. "There's a game there tonight."
"Alright, let's deal with this." Jayden told them. "We have Ji on speed dial if we need him. You two...stay here!"
As they left, Mike just shook his head. He had never been afraid of action, and if anything he felt like he let the team down whenever he couldn't join them. He looked to Kevin, seeing a pained look on his face.
"I know, I want to go too." Mike told him.
"I wish you hadn't said that." Kevin grunted. "I drank a lot of juice today."
"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding!" Mike whined. "Can't you hold it?"
"Not unless you want to help me with a mop." Kevin replied. Mike just nodded.
"Alright, but you seriously owe me!" Mike stated, realising the position they were in. There was such a thing as knowing your friends too well, and he had a feeling he was about to have one of those moments.
Spike and Cody were still sitting wordlessly, not going anywhere when Cody finally leaned over and smacked him.
"You're such a jerk!" He complained.
"What?" Spike asked. "You're the one refusing to go anywhere!"
"This isn't a recent thing Spike; don't you think I've noticed how cool you've been around me the last few days?" He asked. "I know you have a problem, so just try telling me what it is!"
"I don't have a problem..."
"Well you could have fooled me!" Cody snorted. "Seriously, you're stiff in training, you're distant when I talk to you...Vicky and I have both..."
He saw a little jerk from Spike as he said this, a little gesture, but one that he picked up on. He just stiffened up a little.
"That's it isn't it?" He asked. "Me and Vicky!"
"I don't know what you mean." Spike muttered somewhat unconvincingly. Cody just shoved him.
"Dude, I asked you!" He reminded him. "I outright asked you if you'd be cool with it if I asked her out! You said you would!"
Spike found it hard to say anything. That much was true, Cody had indeed told him that he liked Vicky, and had asked him if there was anything between them. Of course, at the time, Spike wasn't sure there was anything between him and Vicky.
"Is that what this is about? Are you sore because I'm going to the dance with her and not you?" Cody asked him. Again, Spike couldn't answer, not right away anyway. He thought of so many things that he could say, so many of the reasons he had come up with in his mind why Cody and Vicky were a bad fit, but he couldn't think of any of them that wouldn't sound bitter or like sour grapes.
"You're a Freshman." Spike reminded him, somewhat feebly. This much was true, he was actually younger than Vicky, but even as the words came out of his mouth, he could hear for himself how weak it sounded. "Do you know how much shit she'd get..."
"If she cared about that, she'd have said no!" Cody told him. They both sat silently for a moment. Cody took a deep breath.
"Look Spike, you're a friend, and I'd never do anything to deliberately hurt you." He began. "But I did ask, I did what I could. I really like Vicky, you know I do."
"I know." Spike murmured softly. "I guess...it's just like you said, I'm just sore I didn't make a move first."
He reached across, extending a handshake to Cody.
"If I'm going to lose to anyone, I guess I want it to be to you." He assured him. "It's just sour grapes, and that's something I have to deal with. It shouldn't be your deal too."
Cody accepted the handshake, at which they got up. It was then that Cody looked a little worried.
"What is it?" Spike asked him. "Look, I said I'd deal..."
"It's not that." Cody told him. "I need to go!"
"Oh." Spike replied. "Well, there are some trees over there, and I am flexible enough to give you some privacy..."
"Umm...I need to go No. 2." He told him. Spike just shook his head.
"Oh shit." He replied. "How far is your dad's place?"
"How fast can you run?" Cody replied as they took up the three-legged race position again.
Back at the food court, Melanie and Mal were both still sitting, waiting on someone to rescue them.
"You know, you could try talking." Melanie blurted out.
"Sorry, I thought I was a loser." He commented.
"What is your problem?" She asked him. He shifted to look at her, but had to pull back as he ended up strangling them both.
"Oh, I don't have much of a problem really." He commented. "Just the fact you've called us losers all year!"
"I..."
"You and your airhead friends have made Vicky's life miserable because she isn't rich or pretty enough to be one of you." He continued.
She started to shift a little, listening to his tirade.
"Not to mention that little thing where you dated one of my best friends up until you found out he didn't actually have any money."
She fell silent at that one.
"Yeah, but that wasn't all. You had to dump him in front of everyone and call him a loser!" He snapped. "You ripped his heart out and stomped on it for everyone to laugh at! You..."
"What do you want me to say? Do you want me to say I was a bitch? Fine, I was a bitch! I know I was!" She screamed passionately. He could hear her starting to tear up.
"Oh, don't go looking for sympathy, I don't care what stupid little shit you're going through." He snorted. "What are you doing here? Is it some kind of social studies project? Get to see the little people to laugh at them?"
"Shut up!" She called out.
"Oh, well maybe you need some pocket money." He suggested. "Let me guess, daddy insisted you pay for your own cell phone bills!"
"You don't know one thing about..."
"Oh, I've got it." Mal said with a snap of the fingers. "Daddy cut up your credit cards and now you need to show responsibility to get new ones!"
"You obviously don't read the newspapers do you?" She yelled at him. "My dad didn't do any of that! He can't do much of anything!"
"Oh right because..."
"Because he's in jail!" She wailed. Mal stopped short, unable to answer. He didn't know what she was talking about, but by the way that Melanie started crying, he could tell that she was serious.
"He's in jail?" He asked her. "But Spike..."
"He met my dad, but that was before." She told him. "A few weeks back, some men in suits came around. Dad had been investing money that wasn't his in businesses. They went belly-up."
He couldn't believe what she was telling him. He had heard something in the papers that sounded like this, but he wasn't paying enough attention to make the connection.
"Then the IRS came calling, saying dad hadn't paid his taxes for the last four years." She informed him. "I didn't take this job for fun; I took it because our assets are frozen."
Mal found himself reaching around, fumbling for her hand, finally finding it as she sobbed.
"Thanks to my dad playing dirty games with other people's money, they've taken our house, our cars, our money..." She told him, noticeably weakening as she continued. "We've lost everything!"