Chapter 41 -The Christmas Conundrum
Dino Mansion
Christmas Day; a time for peace on Earth and good will to all men. At least that what the Dino Charge rangers hoped that 25 December would bring for them this year. It was a case of so far, so good as the Deboss had been quiet for the last couple of days. Hopefully this would extend to Christmas Day as well. Over the last six months, the rangers had come to think of each other as one big family so a huge celebration was planned. Everyone had spent several hours decorating the Mansion, a large tree stood in front of the window and it was covered in tinsel and numerous strings of bright lights. Underneath the tree were a number of presents wrapped up different coloured paper.
Kristy had been the first one awake, not too long after the sun had come up. After dragging everyone else out of bed, they had let the young girl open her presents. She was currently out in the back yard playing with her new bike, courtesy of her new favourite Uncle's Tyler and Koda. Everyone else was in the front room waiting to open their presents, "Chase do you have to have chocolate at this time of the morning?" Shelby groaned.
"It's Christmas Day so yeah", he replied, fishing out another handful of sweets in the process.
"Well I say we get started on the presents", Tyler clapped his hands together.
"Shouldn't we wait for Riley, Matt and Ivan?" Chloe asked the others.
"I've just got a text from Riley, they should be here in a minute but he said start without them", Jason began, "I actually don't know where Ivan is?"
"He took the Ptera Zord out somewhere", Shelby replied, "he had to pick up his present but I'm sure he won't mind us making a start".
To avoid having to buy everyone a present, the rangers had agreed only to buy one gift for one of the others. As there were so many couples and siblings it ended up that each couple brought a present for their significant other or sibling, "Ooh we'll go first", Kiera reached over and grabbed a box with her name on it. She opened it up and inside was an expensive looking leather jacket, "Chase this is amazing", she gushed.
"You can thank Chris for that", Chase replied, "she helped me pick it out". He chuckled, "Somehow she knew your size just by looking at you".
Kiera pulled the jacket on over her pyjamas. It stopped just around her waist and had a few purple stripes around the arms, "It's perfect", she leant down and gave Chase a kiss.
"Hey, do you have to do that in front of me", Jason groaned.
"Lighten up Uncle Jason, it's Christmas", Kiera smiled and threw the rubbish at her adopted father. The purple ranger grabbed another package from under the tree and gave it to Chase, "I hope you like this, I had to call in a special favour".
The black ranger opened the gift and held it up in the air, "A Niner's jersey", he stated, "that's really great Kiera". He tried to supress his slightly disappointment as he already had one of these in his closet.
"Turn it over, there's something written on the back", Koda said.
Chase did as he was told and read out the message, "Dear Chase, thanks for the support, all the best", he paused and his hands began to shake, "Joe Montana", he added with a small voice.
"How the hell did you get Joe Montana's signature?" Jason asked.
"Well my good friend and former babysitter Kira Ford performed before a recent 49ers game", the purple ranger replied, "he was there as well so I asked Kira to get his autograph".
Chase still hadn't recovered from the shock when the front door opened. Riley and Matt walked into the front room, the grey ranger was carrying something in a metal dish, "Happy Christmas everyone", Riley greeted. He looked over at the black ranger, "What's up with Chase?"
"He's just a little star struck over some football player", Chloe shrugged. The black ranger shot the older woman at sharp look at her blasphemy.
Matt read the autograph on the jersey, "Montana, nice", he stated. "Sorry we couldn't afford any gift this year", he continued, "so we decided bring the best present of all". He pulled back the foil on the dish to reveal a glazed ham, "Straight from the farm this one, I hope you all enjoy it".
"Its food, of course we will", Tyler smiled and grabbed the dish from the grey ranger. "I think it's time for the team's other siblings to exchange gifts".
"Good idea", Chloe smiled and handed her brother an envelope. He opened it up and looked at the stack of papers inside, "Congratulations little brother, you're now an official partner in Valley Repairs".
Koda looked at his older sister, "Wasn't this Yousaike's half of the business?"
She nodded, "He set up the business so it could be run as a family so it's seems only right that you're an official partner now".
The blue ranger smiled, "Thanks sis, it's probably a bad time to tell you that I'm quitting as a repair man but I'll think you'll really appreciate this". He handed over his own envelope, "I've accepted an offer to work as an engineer on the new Trans-America rail network".
Chase, who had finally snapped out of his star struck daze, looked over the aqua ranger's shoulder at the brightly coloured employee's manual, "Isn't that the thing the press have nicknamed The Rainbow Line?"
"Yeah mostly because of the brightly coloured lines on the network map", Koda replied. "I'll be responsible for the new tracks in California".
"A proper job?" Chloe smiled and hugged her brother, "this is the best present you've ever given me". She thought about this for a moment, "It does mean that I'm going to have to hire some more staff".
"Sorry about that Chloe", he replied, "although I do have a proposal in my first act as business partner". He turned towards Matt, "Thanks to the recent surge in business, Valley Repairs has some spare equity to invest. Now we like to support local industry so we would like to invest it in your farm". Koda found a spare piece of paper and wrote a number down. He showed to Chloe who nodded in agreement, "I'll think you'll find this offer acceptable".
The grey ranger looked at the figure on the piece of paper and his jaw dropped. He was completely speechless for a few moments, "I don't know what to say"
"Yes would be a good start", Koda smiled, "bear in mind this an investment but we can discuss the terms in more detail later". Matt nodded and gave the blue ranger a firm handshake.
Just then the rangers heard the familiar screech of the Ptera Zord. A few moments later the back door flew open and Ivan strode in the front room. He was carrying a long, thin package and had a Santa hat fixed to his head, "Merry Christmas", he said with a broad smile. "I'm so excited, this is the best holiday I've ever experienced".
"Slow down Ivan, you sound like you've never experienced Christmas before", Matt stated.
"Yeah he's worse than Kristy was this morning", Tyler added.
"Well this is my first Christmas", he replied, "didn't have anything similar in seventeenth century Russia". He placed his package on an empty seat and pulled out a list, "There so many things I want to try, like eggnog and carolling".
Kiera snorted with laughter, "Looks like he's had too much festive spirit already".
"Ooh but first", Ivan grabbed his present again and gave it to Riley, "the first Christmas gift I've ever given.
The green ranger smiled and tore off the brown packaging. Inside was a sword, still sheathed in its golden accented scabbard. He removed the sword and let out an audible gasp when he saw the blade. It was extremely ornate and the blade was so thin you could practically see through it. Despite this, it looked extremely sharp, "There was an old tradition back where I came from", Ivan began, "when a master felt that he had taught his apprentice everything he could, the master would gift his pupil his sword".
"This was yours?" Riley asked.
"Fished it straight out of my tomb this morning", Ivan smiled.
The others groaned in revulsion, "You robbed your own grave?" Tyler gasped.
"Well there's no one buried in it", Ivan shrugged, "plus it is my own tomb so I don't think it really counts".
Riley smiled and placed the sword back in its scabbard, "Despite the creepy nature of its origin, it's a wonderful gift Ivan".
"Now I think it's time for your present Ivan", Jason said, causing the gold ranger to bounce up and down on the balls of his feet like a small child. The original red ranger handed over a present and Ivan tore the paper off quickly, "Welcome to the twenty first century Ivan", Jason smiled. Inside the box was the most state of the art laptop that he could afford.
"Wow I don't know what to say", Ivan wiped away a tear from his face.
"Dude are you crying?" Riley asked.
"No, I've just got something in my eye", Ivan replied and wiped the corner of his eye, "I promise not to damage this in any way".
"You'd better not", Kiera began, "because I'm not fixing it. I remember the first time you tried to use a computer, cost me a new motherboard and processer".
"Yeah but he's gotten better since then", Koda stood up for the gold ranger.
"Indeed he has", Jason replied before turning to the red and pink rangers, "Just you two left I believe"
Tyler nodded and grabbed a small box from under the tree and gave it to Shelby. The pink ranger opened the box up to reveal a silver bracelet with a number of little charms attached, "I thought it could replace those tatty looking pieces of string you like to wear".
"Hey they're not tatty", Shelby replied with a tone of mock annoyance. She passed the delicate looking bracelet between her hands again, "It's beautiful, thanks Tyler", she then grabbed her present for the red ranger and handed it over.
Tyler pulled off the bow and tore off the red wrapping paper, revealing a metal box. He opened it up to reveal as fossilised tooth attached to a red and black leather necklace, "I thought it could replace the one you got rid of a few months ago", the pink ranger said nervously. "If it reminds you too much of your Dad, I can always take it back".
"No don't", Tyler replied quickly, "it's amazing, thanks Shel". He leaned towards the pink ranger and gave her a quick kiss and a hug.
"Well I think that's everyone sorted", Jason began, "I just wanted to add my personal thank you for the fantastic job you've all done as rangers over the last few months. I'll admit that I had my doubts that you could all work together but you've proven me wrong. I think that you're the finest team of rangers I've mentored".
"We're the only team you've mentored old man", Tyler smiled.
"It's still not too late for me to evict you rookie", Jason shot back.
"Alright all this good will has made me hungry", Chase called out, "I say we start roasting this tasty looking ham". He grabbed Kiera by the hand and hauled the purple ranger to her feet.
"Can I use the cooker this time?" Ivan asked, "I think I've gotten the hang of it", he added as everyone began trooping towards the kitchen.
"Any other day I'd say yes", Jason replied, "but I don't want Christmas dinner ruined". He slapped the gold ranger on the back, "Maybe next time", he said to the slightly dejected looking Ivan.
Shelby was about to stand up when she saw one last present sitting under the tree. Initially she thought that it belonged to Kristy and the young girl had missed it earlier that morning. When she checked the label she noticed that it was for Tyler. She didn't recognise the handwriting and it was wrapped up in plain parcel paper, "Hey Tyler you've got another present", she called out.
"Aww Shel, you shouldn't have", he smiled as he took the present from the pink ranger.
"I didn't", she shook her head and Tyler looked at the present inquisitively. He tore off the paper to reveal a plain black cardboard box. The red ranger opened the lid and was greeted with a load of cotton wool. He removed the packaging and gasped when he saw the contents of the box. He carefully lifted out a black leather necklace with a medium sized amber pendant. Inside the amber was a dinosaur tooth, "That looks like the necklace your Dad gave you", Shelby said.
"But I threw it away", Tyler replied. He remembered that the amber got chipped when he fell off his bike a few years ago. He carefully inspected the pendant and saw the same chip, "It can't be the same one", he shook his head and dropped it back into the box.
"What does this mean?" Shelby asked the red ranger.
Tyler thought about this for a moment before responding, "It means that someone's been following me". He looked at the pendant again, "I think it's a message, it means that my Dad's coming back".
"So he's found whatever he was looking for?" Shelby gasped.
"Looks like it", Tyler sighed, "the question is whether he's going to hand it over to the Deboss or to us". The red and pink ranger looked at each other for a few moments. Whatever the Deboss had commissioned Bastian Navarro to find, it was probably extremely powerful and would be dangerous in the wrong hands. All of a sudden, they didn't feel like celebrating Christmas any more.
A/N – The eagle eyed amongst you might have spotted a reference to the next (potentially) team of rangers. A couple of action free chapters but things are about to change. With just 8 chapters to go, it's nearly time for the finalbattle. But first we need to complete our team...