Episode 24: Part 2
Claire Li panted as she carried the large tank of water across the field and placed it down near the soil plots that Dr. Feldman and a few other agriculture students were busy preparing. As she set town the water and wiped her brow for a moment, she let the brisk autumn air cool her down.
In spite of her situation, Claire had done her best to try and adjust to walking in the shoes of her friend Nick for the day. She had to admit, it was a new and interesting experience being taller, stronger, and more athletic than she had ever been before. Still, she hadn't really considered how Nick often used that size and strength to help others, whether it was retrieving things from high shelves, or helping to carry the heavier equipment around.
Growing up on a farm, he had always been used to hard work that sometimes felt a little thankless. The fact that she rarely heard him complain made her feel a little guilty for taking his good hard working attitude for granted a few days ago. Sure, he could be a little hot-headed, stubborn, and impulsive… traits that she still couldn't understand, but she also knew he was a fiercely loyal friend who was gentle and kind at heart.
"Nick, is everything ok?" she heard Dr. Maggie Feldman call in concern as she walked over to take some water from the fresh tank. "We're going to be spreading the new seeds and taking soil samples soon."
"I… I'm fine," Claire replied shaking her arms out, "Sorry, I just needed another minute to catch my breath. How else can I help?"
Meanwhile, Nick sat in Claire's Physics class staring dumbly at the quiz in front of him. Despite having been exposed to some of the concepts and equations from his high school classes, he might as well have been trying to read ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics now. While Nick wasn't a dumb person by any means, he had never been an extremely diligent or detail oriented student either. He never saw the need to focus so hard and try considering every single angle when approaching abstract problems. Why do that, when a straightforward practical solution could normally work just as well?
As he sat continuing to look at the blank paper in front of him, Nick began to realize that it was a trait he sometimes overlooked in his own dealings with the White Ranger. Of course she was his friend and he felt protective of her, but he often didn't consider how her mind would always be working to solve her friends' problems, both on and off the battlefield too. Even if she lacked Nick's physical size and strength, that was still Claire's way of helping to protect the others, and he began feeling bad that he was going to fail her quiz miserably.
His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the professor call out with a curious look, "Miss Li? Is something wrong?"
Nick looked up to see the other students around him furiously working on their quiz. "Oh… um… no. I'm fine. Everything's fine," he replied picking up his pencil and beginning to fill in random multiple choice answers.
"Sorry Claire," he muttered to himself quietly, "Here goes nothing."
Later that day, the Rangers met after class at their usual hangout spot in the Mugshot café. When both Claire and Nick entered, they found the others already seated talking amongst themselves.
"Any sign of the monster while we were in class?" Izzy asked the Gold Ranger as the others sat down and drinks came to the table.
Kara shook her head, "I am afraid not. Everything was quiet this morning, and I had been patrolling from the air all afternoon."
Everyone glanced over as Claire and Nick took a sip of the drinks they normally ordered without thinking before exchanging the mugs back to the rightful person.
"So… on that note. How are you two holding up?" Joe asked trying to sound positive and encouraging.
He was met with animated responses from both of his switched friends trying to talk over each other. Claire stopped a minute and cleared her throat, "Wait a second. This is silly. Nick, I actually realized a few new things while being you today, but I'll wait. You go first."
The Green Ranger shook his head and adjusted his glasses, "No. The truth is, I learned quite a bit too. Please Claire, you go."
As the two began to politely argue over who should speak first, Joe rolled his eyes with a gentle sigh as Izzy put a sympathetic hand on his arm, "I think we've got the start of another battle coming on here."
"You've got that right," Danny interrupted pointing to a nearby television, "Looks like Pazuzu just showed up for an encore performance."
The Rangers stopped and watched the screen seeing the demonic harlequin make his way down the streets of Hyperion Falls causing more panic among the civilians.
"All right everyone, now's our chance," Joe said rising from his seat, "Let's stow the arguments for now and get everything back to normal around here."
Before the others could respond, both the Green and White Rangers were already rushing for the door, eager for some payback.
A little while later, the Cambion Jester Pazuzu skipped down the streets of the city, blasting an occasional beam of energy from his scepter to cause fires or destroy buildings. Amid a crowd of terrified people who fled in his wake, a few brave police officers stood their ground and aimed their pistols at him.
"And just what do you intend to do with those?" the demon smiled in amusement waving his scepter about.
Without waiting, the officers fired their guns but stared in shock as small bouquets of flowers and butterflies popped out of the barrels. Pazuzu only laughed louder as the officers dropped their weapons and fled until six young people rushed from a side alley and confronted the monster on the now empty street.
"All right demon, let's see if you'll still be laughing when I plant my boot up your ass this time!" Nick called out in a challenge with Claire's voice.
"Oh, you're back. What an unpleasant surprise," Pazuzu retorted, "And I see you've brought friends."
"You haven't seen anything yet," Claire called drawing her now Green Keyrune, "Everyone?"
In an instant, the Rangers morphed… everyone except for Nick and Claire. Both Rangers exchanged surprised looks with the others while the harlequin cackled in glee, "Oh, that's too funny! What a failure of a transformation!"
Joe growled at the taunt and drew his gladius, "Nick? Claire? Just sit tight you two. We'll take care of this clown. Rangers?"
The others drew their weapons and charged forward to try and stop Pazuzu, leaving the other two unmorphed Rangers staring dumbly at each other.
"Crap! What now?" Claire asked aloud before Nick snapped his fingers.
"Hey, wait a second! You know how our Keyrunes are connected with the old Archangels, and now to us? Maybe our Keyrunes can still recognize the real us."
Claire stopped and turned to her friend, "Nick, that's… actually a pretty good deduction. Wanna try switching it up?"
Both Rangers exchanged Keyrunes and tried morphing again, this time succeeding in a bright light. Both Pazuzu and the Rangers stopped for a moment to stare as two odd looking Rangers stood ready to join the fight. A tall burly White Ranger cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms. Beside him, was a short Green Ranger with a feminine form wearing a short Ranger skirt.
"This is just way too weird now," Izzy muttered quietly to herself again before the other Rangers were caught off guard. Pazuzu waved his scepter creating a magic blast that swept the other four Rangers away and knocked them down.
"Are you ready to try this again short-stuff?" Nick grinned looking up at his now taller ally.
"Let's go all out and kick his ass!" Claire smiled giving a thumbs up.
As Pazuzu began taunting the two mismatched Rangers, they used their Keyrunes and traced the sigils of Archangels Hashmael and Sandalaphon, summoning their golden powers.
Upon seeing the two super powered Rangers, the harlequin stopped and gulped as they came charging at him. The Jester gasped as he dodged their first charge and tumbled clear, allowing the two Rangers time enough to summon their weapons.
The large male White Ranger held his bow out, aiming at the demon before surprising Pazuzu and firing an icy bolt at the monster's feet. The Jester moved to dodge, but realized too late that as the bolt struck the ground, it turned the soil into a slick sheet of ice. With a cry, Pazuzu slipped on the ice and fell over, suddenly helpless and immobile on the slippery ground.
The shorter female Green Ranger charged forward next and struggled to heft her large warhammer over her head, before bringing it down with a two handed blow. Amid the thundering strike, a wave of jagged slabs of rock erupted in a line, pummeling the demon and hindering his terrain even further.
"All right! Nice work Claire!" Nick cheered pumping a fist and shifting his grip on his hammer.
"You ready to pull the curtain on this two-bit joker?" Claire asked readying her aim again with her bow.
While the other stunned Rangers recovered their senses and rose to their feet, they watched as the harlequin emerged from the rubble and shook off the dust from its bells.
Just then, a bright icy blue bolt erupted from the White Ranger's bow and struck the harlequin dead center. Pazuzu gave a panicked gasp as the arrow erupted and quickly spread, freezing the entire monster in a solid block of ice.
One moment later, the little Green Ranger charged from behind and vaulted off Claire's shoulders with a wing assisted leap. As he reached the peak of his jump, Nick gave a triumphant cry as he brought his warhammer down in a two handed strike. The blow struck the slab of ice with a loud peal causing the ice to crack and shatter, completely destroying the demonic Jester and his scepter within.
As the demon's remains dissipated into black smoke, Nick and Claire exchanged a fist bump before freezing in place. In one dizzying moment, the reversal spell dissipated and both Rangers swayed for a moment, feeling themselves be returned to their own rightful bodies.
The other Rangers hurried over as Nick and Claire both demorphed and stood blinking at each other.
"Nick? Is that you, big guy?" Claire asked hesitantly checking for the glasses over her eyes and her longer hair again.
"Yeah… I'm back," he grinned patting himself down and looking at his hands. "We did it!"
As the others approached, they watched in surprise as the Green and White Rangers began to laugh hysterically in giddy joy while exchanging a hug.
"After all Nick and Claire's bickering these past few days… and now this?" Joe sighed in confusion.
"I'm with Iz on this one," Danny added with a laugh, patting the Red Ranger's shoulder, "This is all way too weird… even for us."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, dying fires gave off a dim glow in the fading light as trails of black smoke curled from the bombed out ruins of the former town. Only the sound of a hollow wind whistled through the ruins as the sound of hooves from four horses made their way through the desolate skeleton of the desert town.
As four shrouded horseman slowly trotted through the streets, the one in black calling himself Death hefted its scythe and seemed to breathe deeply of the air, "The call of this land seems strong brothers. There is much Death, War, Famine, and Disease being spread here."
Just then the Red Horseman calling himself War stopped the others and drew a fearsome axe, "Wait brothers! We are not alone. Show yourself!"
The ghastly horsemen stopped and waited as two entities melted out of the growing shadows and stood before them.
"I must admit, despite the chaos in this war torn place, your four were not easy to find," Shemhazai smiled giving a gracious gesture with her hand. "My fellow demons, I bring you greetings."
"Who are you and what do you want from us?" the White Rider called Pestilence hissed impatiently.
General Abaddon tensed and reached for his weapon, but Shemhazai raised a hand to calm both sides, "I am Lady Shemhazai and this is my companion General Abaddon. We come representing the might of the Cambion Legions in Lord Gideon's name."
"And what does this Lord Gideon want with us?" Death answered calmly, his body language stiff and unreadable.
Shemhazai gave another diabolical smile, "Lord Gideon feels that we may be able to establish a sort of cooperative relationship, or at the very least… a mutual understanding. Would you riders be willing to spare a few moments and listen to my words?"
The Four Horsemen exchanged curious glances before Death nodded slowly, "Speak then Lady Shemhazai, and pray that you don't make us regret giving you our time."
Later that week, Nick, Claire, and Joe all sat outside on the quad by the Student Union eating lunch together. While the cool autumn air was setting in more, the weather that day was sunny, clear, and mild.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm just glad things are back to normal," Claire sighed as she finished her sandwich and tucked her lunchbag into her backpack.
"I know what you mean," Nick replied as he finished peeling an orange, "Even though I'm glad to be myself again, I have to admit, I learned quite a bit about being in your shoes Claire."
The White Ranger glanced over with a gentle smile as he continued, "You know, I've never really been one to think too much about complex problems or consider things from a very different position than my own... both in a physical and mental sense… I guess I'm just glad we have someone who does… and I'm really sorry if I bombed that Physics quiz for you too."
Claire shook her head laughing gently, "That's ok. It turns out your random guessing actually got me a C grade after all. Not ideal, but I can work with that."
Nick gave a sigh of relief as she spoke again, "You know, I learned a lot from this little experience too. I didn't know what it was like to be relied on by others the same way as you are. I really shouldn't have taken you for granted either when I had you go into the city with me earlier in the week, so I'm sorry too."
"Water under the bridge," Nick answered giving her a little nudge with his elbow.
Glancing at his orange, he said, "Come to think of it, didn't you say you and Joe were going apple picking this afternoon since your classes got cancelled?"
The Red Ranger rose to his feet and helped Claire up too, "Yeah… after what happened a few days ago, we thought it would be best if we just spent a little extra time hanging out together so that we don't feel weird anymore… you know, get things back to normal too?"
Nick smirked a little to himself and playfully rolled his eyes before Joe turned to Claire and said, "You know, even though I didn't do anything wrong, I still kinda feel like I should be apologizing to you too."
"No need to apologize," Claire said with a playful little wink, "To be really honest… your boxers were cute and I kinda liked the view anyway."
Before Joe could sputter out a reply, the White Ranger took his arm and began dragging him back toward the dorms leaving Nick still sitting on the lawn, roaring in laughter.
A/N:
Hey everyone, I just wanted to squeeze one more episode of Vanguard out this week. More chapters will be on the way after the holidays but in the mean time, here's wishing all of you a safe and happy Christmas and New Years days!