Chapter 9 – The Odd Couple (Part 1)
Dino Mansion (Formerly the Scott Residence)
It was a bright and sunny morning and the rangers had gathered in the backyard of Jason's house. With Tyler and Chase now renting rooms from the original red ranger, the current red ranger had given the house the nickname 'The Dino Mansion'. Everyone had laughed to begin with but over the last few days the name had stuck. The backyard had been cleared of all the weeds and a decent sized garden was uncovered.
Tyler had decided that the team needed to bond and to help, he had organised a few team building exercises. The one on today's agenda was a kick about with an old soccer ball he had found in the garage. Koda and Riley were a little reluctant, the green ranger told everyone that he wasn't a great soccer player, whereas the blue ranger said he had never played the game in his life. So the team building exercise had turned into Tyler and Chase passing the ball between each other.
Shelby and Kiera were relaxing on a couple of plastic chairs and watched the boys attempt to play the game. The pink ranger had really gotten the young genius to open up over the last few days. She was still a little nervous around the boys but that all changed during a monster attack. She had no trouble shouting at them when they damaged some of her precious equipment. Kiera was still reluctant to share details about her parents. She was still easing into the idea of friendship and was a little worried that telling everyone she was a Human/Aquitian hybrid born on another planet might scare them off.
The pink ranger took a sip of her water and shook her head at the antics of Tyler. He was showing off with his usual childish enthusiasm, "Do you think Tyler's a little childish?" she asked her younger friend.
Kiera shrugged, "A little but you can't deny his spirit is infectious. Does it bother you?" she replied.
Shelby didn't answer initially and thought about her response for a few moments, "I just wish he'd take things seriously. It's like he's a giant man-child".
"I've got a theory about that", Kiera began and tilted her head, "he's never really had anything bad happen to him growing up. For example Chase lost his best friend and Koda gave up his ambitions to help his sister. They were shaped by those events into the people in front of us. From what Tyler's told us he's basically been on one massive holiday since the day he was born. He probably doesn't even know how to deal with failure and rejection".
"That's very deep", Shelby replied, slightly stunned at the eloquent explanation, "ever thought about becoming a psychologist?"
Kiera laughed, "That would involve talking to strange people. In case you haven't noticed I'm not very good at that". They continued to watch the boys in silence for a few more minutes until Kiera spoke up again, "Why aren't you out there playing soccer?" she asked.
"Are you kidding", Shelby smiled, "I would totally show them up". Kiera raised a quizzical eyebrow at the pink ranger, "I'm the daughter of a pro athlete, some of his skills rubbed off on me, even if he doesn't know it". She stood up and took off her expensive looking watch and passed it to the younger girl, "Watch this", she smirked.
Tyler was dribbling around the others with a broad smile on his face. Just when he thought he had beaten everyone, he suddenly came face to face with the pink ranger. He tried to dummy around her but Shelby stood ground. As the red ranger approached, she executed a perfectly timed sliding tackle. The ball rolled away from Tyler and he crashed to the ground on top of the pink ranger. He looked a little stunned that she had gotten the best of him, "Erm Tyler", Shelby began, "you can get off me now". The red ranger mumbled something under his breath and stood up, his face blushing a bright shade of red.
From her vantage point Kiera laughed at the antics of the red and pink rangers. Just then Jason appeared from the house with Kiera's tablet in hand, "Kiera your tablet's making a strange buzzing noise", he said and handed the device to his adopted daughter. She took one look at the tablet and broke out into a broad smile.
"It's a tracking program I created", she began, "it's managed to locate one of the lost zords".
"That's fantastic", Jason replied, "do you know which one?"
"According to the readings, it matches the description of the Anklyo Zord", she replied. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at the tablet again, "Strange, its signal keeps appearing then vanishing again".
"Then we've got no time to lose", Jason said and put his fingers into his mouth. He whistled loudly to grab the attention of the rangers, who drudged slowly over to the original red ranger.
"Trouble in the city boss?" Chase asked.
"Not yet", Jason replied, "we've been able to track the location of the Anklyo Zord but its movements are very erratic. I'm going to send a couple of you to track it down".
"No problem old man", Tyler began, "who's coming with me?"
Jason was about to pick someone when an idea came into his head. He had noticed that the black and green rangers weren't really getting along with each other. This gave him an idea, "You're not going Tyler, we'll need you and the Tyranno Zord if there's trouble in the city". The red ranger looked a little disappointed but nodded in agreement, "Riley, Chase I want you to find the Anklyo Zord".
"Me, work together with him", Riley pointed at the black ranger, "I don't think so".
"What wrong with me, Farm Boy?" Chase shot back.
"Everything", Riley through his hands in the air, "you're rude, arrogant and condescending towards people. Especially me".
"Well you're hardly a barrel of sunshine either kid", Chase snorted, "would it kill you to crack a smile once in a while".
"I am not a kid!" Riley roared.
"Alright that's enough", Jason barked, "I've made my decision". Riley shook his head and barged past the black ranger. To his credit Chase didn't rise to the bait and simply shrugged his shoulders. He followed closely behind the green ranger.
Once they had left Koda turned to the original red ranger, "I don't want to question your judgement but are you sure sending them was the best idea. I mean they really hate each other".
"Like it or not, they're both on this team", Jason replied, "even if they don't like each other, I want them to show some respect to one another".
"I get that", Tyler began, "but if they mess this up, we could lose the Anklyo Zord".
Jason sighed, "When I was a ranger, I had difficulty working alongside another ranger. Tommy and I used to always try and one up each other".
Kiera giggled, "What colour was Uncle Tommy at this point?"
"Green", Jason smiled, "that reminds me, I'd better keep him away from here. Otherwise he'll end up with another colour to add to his collection". He paused to laughed at the private joke, "Anyway our mentor at the time sent us both off to retrieve some important weapons. By forcing us to work together, we learned to trust and respect each other. Since that day Tommy's been my best friend".
"That might have worked for you and Uncle Tommy", Kiera began, "but Chase and Riley are like oil and water. I don't think they'll ever get along". The others nodded but for the sake of the team, they hoped she was wrong.
The forest
The black and green ranger had been directed towards a forest a couple of miles outside the city. The tall trees blocked much of the light from the sun so if gave the forest an eerie feeling. Chase held his communicator up in front of him and was directing his younger team mate towards the last known location of the Anklyo Zord. Riley huffed as Chase made them change course for what felt the hundredth time, "Are you sure you know where you're going?" he asked.
"Did basic orienteering during my army training Farm Boy", Chase replied, "much more advanced than the stuff they taught you in the Boy Scouts".
"See you're doing it again", Riley whined.
Chase laughed, "It's so easy to wind you up Farm Boy".
"And stop calling me that", Riley shot back, "it's insulting".
"You live on a farm don't you", Chase smirked, "and you're not eighteen yet. So technically it's an accurate statement".
"Not the way you say it", Riley began but he was interrupted when Chase placed his hand in front of his mouth. "Great that's real mature of you".
"Quiet", Chase barked, "do you hear that?" Riley let his annoyance towards the black ranger go and listened closely. He could hear a faint rumbling coming from underneath his feet. The pair took a couple of steps back as the sound was coming much closer. Suddenly they were showered by rocks and dirt as something burst out of the ground. After shielding themselves from the falling debris, they turned around and caught sight of the Anklyo Zord. It was light blue in colour with silver spines on its back. Its tail was a giant silver and light blue hammer.
"That's awesome", Chase stated and moved towards the zord. "Hey big fella, we've been looking for you". The Anklyo Zord turned towards the black ranger and roared. Without warning it swung its hammer toward Chase. The black ranger was rooted to the spot in fear but before he was crushed, Riley jumped through the air and pushed him out of the way. The hammer smashed into the ground at the exact spot where Chase had been standing.
Still stunned, Chase didn't know what to say to his younger team mate. Riley dusted himself down and helped Chase to his feet, "You owe me", he said simply before turning towards the Anklyo Zord. "I don't understand why it attacked us".
"That would be my doing", a deep voice boomed. A monster stepped onto the head of the Anklyo Zord, he had a green body with red accents. His face was covered with a white gas mask and on his head were two red horns. In his hand was a red weapon in the shape of a trident. "I am Disciple Virus, one of the three great plagues of the Deboss".
"What did you do to the Anklyo Zord?" Riley called out.
"What I do best", Virus replied, "I've infected the beast so it only obeys my commands now". He tapped his trident on the head of the zord, "Attack".
The Anklyo Zord prepared his hammer again but before he could attack, a figure appeared in front of the rangers. It was a man with olive skin and waist length black hair. He had a small goatee beard and a steely look in his dark eyes. He was dressed in a white robe that went down to his knees. Protecting his chest was a light blue piece of armour. "Anky, stop this madness", the man called out with a thick Spanish accent.
The Zord stopped what he was doing and looked at the man. The zord's eyes flashed between yellow and green as it hesitated to attack. They turned back to green again and the zord roared, slamming its hammer onto the man. The rangers were sure the man was dead but when the hammer was removed, he was still standing.
"A spirit?" Chase whispered to his team mate.
"Gah, when will you learn Andreas that the Anklyo Zord obeys only me now", Virus called out to the man.
"Anky never gave up on me", the man now identified as Andreas cried out, "and I'll never give up on him and as you know, I could do this for all eternity".
Virus cackled, "Maybe but what about those two", he pointed his trident at the black and green rangers and shot a stream of green lightning at the pair. The rangers fell to the ground as the darkness of unconsciousness took hold.
Unknown cave
Riley slowly opened his eyes and stretched his aching limbs. He didn't know how long he had been out but he could see he was in a dark cave. The only light was coming from a small fire, to his surprise he could see Chase sitting next to it. The black ranger was poking the fire with a stick to try and get some more warmth from it, "Welcome back Farm Boy", he smiled at the green ranger.
Riley was too exhausted to argue and slowly moved towards the fire, "Did you bring us here?" he asked with a raspy voice.
"Nope I woke up here just like you did", Chase replied. He lifted up his grey t-shirt to reveal some bandages around his ribs, "Someone brought us here and tended to our injuries".
"That would be me", the Spanish accented voice from earlier called out from the mouth of the cave. The man walked towards the rangers and sat down next to them, "I'm sorry it's not more comfortable but it was the best I could find".
Riley eyed the man closely, "Just who are you?"
The man sighed, "My name is Andreas and I am the Aqua Dino Charge ranger, or at least I was when I was alive".
The two rangers gasped, "You're a Power Ranger?" Chase asked.
"Was", Andreas replied, "I lived six hundred years ago in the region that is now known as Spain. There was an uprising by the Legion of Deboss near my home village. That's when I found this", he opened his hand to reveal an Energem.
"One of the missing Energems", Riley said as he looked at Energem number 7 that was in Andreas' hand. He pulled out his Energem and Chase did the same.
"So you are warriors like myself", Andreas smiled, "that would explain why you were look for Anky". Andreas stood up and turned his back to the rangers, "Anky was my partner until we came under attack by Virus".
"The monster we just met?" Riley asked.
Andreas nodded, "I destroyed Virus, or at least I thought I did, unfortunately it cost me my life". He opened his robe slightly to reveal a horrible looking scar just above his heart, "The remains of my mortal injury I'm afraid".
"But if you destroyed Virus, how is he still alive and in control of your zord?" Chase replied.
"That I do not know", Andreas began, "but I'm going to need your help to release Anky from his curse. It's going to take all of us working in unison to kill Disciple Virus once and for all". Riley and Chase looked at each other, could they work well enough together for long enough?
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N – Anyone know the MMPR episode that Jason referenced?