Phillipe was in his gym, working hard on his training regime. He didn't know why Sledge and his crew had been so uncharacteristically quiet as of late. In fact...they had been quiet for a good while now. When the Rangers went to New Zealand, he had been left in Amber Beach as the sole Ranger charged with keeping the city safe. While he was nervous about the prospect of dealing with all that danger himself, he was also kind of a little disappointed that he hadn't had more of a chance to get out into the action. So far, since he had gotten the Graphite Energem, he had only had the call to action on two occasions.

"Phillipe!" Margaret called out as she came into the room. Phillipe stopped his work against the heavy bag, turning to face her.

"Margaret!" He responded, picking up a towel and beginning to mop himself down. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You asked me to bring any business to your attention." Margaret reminded him as she came wandered over, picking up a water bottle as she went. She threw it to him, before getting her palm pilot out, calling it up. "The Mayor would like you to dedicate a new hospital wing. The ribbon cutting is on Monday at 10 AM..."

"Put it on the schedule." Phillipe told her.

"But that would clash with your trade association meeting..."

"They'll re-schedule." Phillipe assured her. "Book the French restaurant the chairman likes for lunch that day."

"But they want to discuss private..."

"I meant book the restaurant." Phillipe clarified. He was learning a lot about politics in his new role as an ambassador. While he knew he was going to one day rule all of Zandar, he and his father had very different ideas how to do so. His father had a very insular view, and concerned himself only with the interior of the nation, and so he had never really bothered to learn much about international politics. Phillipe knew he would have to learn, but he was quickly figuring out that balancing the wants and egos of several dignitaries was a full-time job. To Phillipe, a hospital was more important than a business meeting, he just hoped bribing the chairman with his favourite restaurant would convince him to agree. "So what else is on the agenda?"

"We have a few more sightings." She told him, handing him an envelope. He looked to the photographs inside. This was something of a side-project he was working on. He had certain resources that the others didn't have, and was trying to find any potential sightings of Neil Nevarro. "I'm afraid there's nothing of any real use though, just the usual blurry and inconclusive shots."

"This man doesn't look much like a 40-year-old to me." Phillipe commented, handing the photographs back to her.

"There's also a small thing...Mr Watkins is in the lobby." She told him. Phillipe almost spat out the water he was drinking as he heard this. While he had recently done a deal with Mr Watkins for the export of his ice cream bars to Zandar, he wasn't really sure why he would come to see him unannounced.

"He is?" Phillipe asked. "What does he want?"

"He wouldn't say, but he did indicate that he wants to see you quite urgently." She told him. "He was most insistent."

"Really...well...I suppose I should probably see what he wants." Phillipe responded. As he was heading out the door, Margaret just coughed to attract his attention.

"You should probably shower and change." She told him. He looked down at his sweaty clothing and smiled.

"That would probably be a good idea." He agreed, pulling off his shirt and heading to his room. As he left, Margaret just shook her head.

"God, I wish he would stop doing that." She remarked to herself, before trying to get back to concentrating on her other duties.

Over in Millport, enough time had passed that the mud on Kendall's clothes had dried up enough that she was able to dust the worst of it off. Mrs Griffin had offered to take her back to the farm to wash up and get changed, but since none of the other residents were missing any of the party, Kendall was willing to just make do. Most of the camps she had been in at dig sites were hardly salubrious, and it wasn't the first time she, along with members of her team had spent days at a time in the same clothing with little access to hot water.

The celebration was well under way, and now that the majority of the food was long since gone and the games were over, the guests were starting to enjoy the music and the drink, beginning to partake of the dancing. Matt limped over to Kendall, taking a seat with her and handing her a beer.

"Are you alright?" Kendall asked him, gesturing to a bunch of kids that had crowded around him after his run on the bronco. "I hope your fan club wasn't too rough with you." Matt just chuckled.

"Retaining my championship helps ease the pain a little." He said as he came closer. "Though I can think of something else that might just help."

"I think I might know as well." She replied, pulling in closer and kissing him softly. As they sat with each other, Kendall looked around and noticed that for the first time all day, no one else was paying any attention to them. The band was playing, and just about everyone was up dancing. Kendall looked to Matt and gestured aside. "Matt, can we go somewhere a little quieter?"

"Really?" He asked her, his eyebrow raising a little. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just come with me will you?" She asked him. She got up and started to make her way towards the general store. Matt followed her around the back, which was remarkably quiet all things considered. Kendall took one last look around to make sure no one was around.

"So, you wanted to talk about something, I guess now we have some time alone." He remarked. Kendall just nodded in response.

"Matt, I don't know if Riley told you, but recently they went to New Zealand." She started to tell him. Matt didn't say anything, instead just letting her tell him what she had to say. She reached into her pocket, pulling something out. "While they were there, they found out that the Purple Energem had been discovered and bonded."

"It was kind of hard to miss the news reports." Matt told her. "So you have a new Ranger?"

"Not exactly." Kendall told him. "Albert, the man the Energem bonded to...he decided he didn't want to leave New Zealand."

"He can do that?" Matt asked her. "I thought that the guys didn't get much of a choice in the matter."

"It was news to me too, but according to Keeper because he really wanted to stay, the bond was weakened enough that he could use his own power to sever the bond." Kendall told him. "Unfortunately, that means that we have the Energem and the Zord...we just no longer have a Purple Ranger."

She opened her hand, showing him the Purple Energem.

"The Energem is in kind of a limbo state. Since its previous owner isn't dead, it doesn't reject anyone, that makes it really dangerous since anyone can handle it." Kendall told him. "So, we need someone else. We need someone heroic for it to bond to. We need a new Purple Ranger."

Matt stared at her for a moment, before he realised what she was getting at. He just pointed to himself.

"Me?" He asked. "You want me to become the Purple Ranger?"

"Matt, think about it, you're perfect for the role!" She told him. "You are the most selfless person I know. You are heroic to a fault...you ran into a burning building for God's sake! You already know about us..."

"Kendall, are you really sure?" He asked her. Kendall presented the Energem to him.

"Please, take this." She told him. "I can't think of anyone else that's better suited."

Matt took a deep breath, reaching out and taking the Energem from her. Kendall waited with baited breath, a huge smile on her face, but it quickly faded when she realised that something was wrong. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. He just stood there, holding the Energem like it was a meaningless pebble.

"I don't understand." Kendall said, looking to the Energem. "Are you having visions? Feeling energy...anything?"

"Not really." Matt responded. "If anything this thing feels a little colder than I expected."

Kendall took the Energem from him and started to inspect it.

"I don't understand, maybe it's damaged or something." Kendall said, trying to find any signs of damage. "I don't understand. Why isn't it bonding to you?"

"You said that the Energems don't just look for heroism, that they take other things into account like why someone would want the power. That's why the graphite Energem bond to Phillipe right?"

"It wouldn't bond to him because his motives were selfish." Kendall responded. "It only changed its mind when he proved he was selfless by saving Chloe."

"Well, you also said Albert's connection to the Energem was weakened because he didn't want to be a Ranger anymore." Matt said, taking a seat on a crate. He took a deep breath as he broached the next question. "What if the person never wanted to be a Ranger in the first place?"

"Matt, I don't think most of the guys wanted to be Rangers..."

"Kendall, you're not listening to me." He interrupted her. "I REALLY don't want to be a Ranger."

Kendall just stood, staring at him wordlessly, unable to believe what she had just heard.

Back at the Embassy, Phillipe came into the main hall, finding Mr Watkins waiting patiently for him.

"Mr Watkins, this is a pleasant surprise." Phillipe said as he approached him, shaking his hand. He gestured to his hair, which was still damp from the shower. "Sorry about this, you did catch me unexpectedly in the middle of a workout."

"Sorry, I think my workout days are well and truly behind me." Mr Watkins replied.

"Come in to the parlour." Phillipe invited him, gesturing him inside. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure? Is there some issue with your first delivery?"

"Actually production has been going better than ever. I'm afraid this is more of a private matter I wanted to talk to you about." Mr Watkins continued as Phillipe poured them both a drink from his bar.

"Oh, well...now you have me intrigued." Phillipe responded. "What can I help you with?"

"It came to my attention as a result of a recent discussion with my daughter that you two know each other." Mr Watkins responded. "Shelby?"

"Oh, yes, Shelby. I met her through my donation to the local museum." Phillipe said, carefully trying to be as sparing with the details as he could be. "She's a remarkable girl."

"She's a little more headstrong than I'd like, but between me and her mother that isn't really much of a surprise." Mr Watkins answered.

"So, I'm afraid you have me at a loss." Phillipe responded. "What exactly would you like me to do?"

"Her current path, this palaeontology thing, I understand she likes it, but I just don't see a future in it." He told him honestly. "I wanted to give it a fair chance, but she's been working so hard there and yet...I just don't see any tangible progression."

"I'm afraid I still don't understand." Phillipe replied. Mr Watkins took a deep breath.

"I'd like you to talk to her, to try and convince her that this path she's on isn't going anywhere." Mr Watkins told him. "You know her; she's closer to your age. She might listen to you. Can you talk to her?"

"I...think I might need something a little stronger." Phillipe responded, putting down his wine and picking up a decanter. "Lagavulin?"

"I've never been much of a Scotch man myself." Mr Watkins responded. "But if you have any more of that Cognac, I wouldn't say no."

Phillipe turned back to the bar and poured the drinks.

Back in Millport, Kendall and Matt were still sitting quietly. Kendall could not believe what she had heard from Matt.

"Matt...what do you mean you don't want to be a Ranger?" Kendall asked him. "Don't you realise what I'm offering you?"

"Kendall, what you guys do is amazing. I can't say anything else!" He told her as he struggled to explain what he meant. "Riley, he's always loved all that adventure and stuff. It would have been naive to think that he'd want to stay in Millport. But...my life is here."

"Matt, I understand you don't want to go. I know you feel like you have to be here and help your mom, but Anton will be only too happy to hire people to help her!" Kendall responded. "You're the local hero, but you could be a hero to the whole world! Matt, you don't have to be trapped here!"

"Trapped? TRAPPED?" Matt answered, suddenly looking decidedly angry with her. "Is that what you think?"

"Matt, I know you want to help your mom, but you don't have to live your life..."

"Kendall, don't you think I know I don't have to stay?" Matt asked her. "I'm a grown man Kendall! If I wanted to leave, there's not a damn thing anyone could do to stop me!"

"But...why...?"

"Kendall, I don't stay here because I feel trapped. I stay here because I want to stay here!" Matt told her. "I like it here! I like the fact that I know everyone here! I like the fact that when I go to the store tomorrow to get the paper I can take the Tupperware mom borrowed from Mrs Milne because she's worked the same shift every week for the last 20 years!"

He looked to her as he tried to settle down. While he knew she didn't mean to insult him or his home town.

"I want to take over the farm some day. I want to stay here." Matt told her. "My whole life is here, I'd like to raise my kids here..."

"Kids?" Kendall asked with a shudder. Matt couldn't help noticing this.

"You...don't want kids?"

"Matt, I've never wanted kids! They keep getting into everything, they need constant attention." She told him. "I want to advance my career. I want to make new discoveries, I want to develop new techniques, maybe even get to name something some day. I'm not going to be running a museum forever, I can't do any of that without travelling and I definitely can't do that while I'm dragging a couple of kids along for the ride."

She looked to him, seeing the look on his face as she finished what she had said. She wasn't much of a people person, but she couldn't mistake the disappointment in his face. She felt her chest tightening as she realised what had happened themselves.

"These...these are some pretty big issues aren't they?" She asked him.

"I...guess they are." Matt replied quietly. They had been together some time now, but in that time they hadn't had as much time together as they would have liked. The times they had spent together they hadn't talked out a lot about what they wanted from life. Some tears stared to form up in Kendall's eyes.

"We...we have an expiration date, don't we?" She asked him. Matt was about to say something when Mrs Griffin came around the corner.

"There you both are!" She declared out loud. "Come on! You've been elected harvest king and queen! You have to dance!"

She left to get back to the party, leaving Matt and Kendall alone. Kendall looked to Matt as she came closer.

"So, what do we do now?" She asked. Matt stroked away some of her tears as he struggled to keep in his own.

"For now...I guess we dance."