"So, they just… attacked?" Johnny asked.
"Yeah," Hilary confirmed, "They were just waiting in the bushes like they were going to mug me for my purse. It was weird."
With Byte-Bots gone, the Rangers thought it best to head inside in case Mileena took a chance to strike again. Demorphed, they now all stood huddled around the kitchen counter trying to understand what Hilary had just experienced. So far, none of them were able to make heads or tails of it.
"I'm just glad you're okay," said Ray, placing a soft comforting hand on her shoulder. "They've never attacked us at our homes before, it can't have been easy."
A smile crept up her lips, but she forced herself to look away, determined to hide the pink that was flushing to her cheeks. But as she fought her body's instinctive elation at Ray's sudden concern, she couldn't shake the sinking feeling that was underlying everything else.
Because it had been scary, it still was. Not because she couldn't handle it; they were Byte-Bots, and she could almost walk through them in her sleep at this stage. But the strike on her doorstep had sent her reeling at a far more pressing reality, one she could tell she shared with her brother as he showed Kyle around upstairs.
It wasn't just an attack on her, it was an attack on her home.
This time they'd been lucky, but she didn't dare think of what could have happened if her parents had been home. The danger they could have been in. And if Mileena was game to try it once, she'd certainly try it again.
"Well, it looks like we scared her off for now," Jake decided, leaning out of the fridge with a carton in his hand. "You're out of milk by the way."
"By all means," Hilary growled, "help yourself."
Before she could chew him out any further, Kyle came downstairs and stepped into the kitchen.
"Well, if they come back they won't be able to get in," he explained. "Doc put together a miniature firewall outlet; I plugged it into a socket upstairs."
"You really think they'll try again?" Johnny asked.
"Well, they did once…" Ray reasoned.
"Uh, Hil?" Ben called as he came down the stairs, "Did you leave your bedroom window open?"
The question caught her off guard. She scrunched her face as she tried to recollect her moments before going hunting for Miko. The last time she'd left her room, Ben had been in it.
"Isn't there where you made your dynamic entry from?" she queried.
"No, I saw the fight from my room, next door."
But if he hadn't come from her room, and the closed window was now open, then that could only mean….
Hilary, Ray, and Kyle all looked at each other, eyes widening with realization as they bolted for the stairs, leaving a confused Johnny and Jake behind them. Hilary was the first to reach the door, leaping through the threshold and clamping eyes on the upper window. Sure enough, the pane was rolled upwards, the fine lace curtain now fluttering harmlessly in the cool evening breeze.
But to her shock, nothing else in the room had been disturbed.
"Did they take anything?" Ray asked as he entered behind her.
"Doesn't look like it," she confirmed. "Weird. Why would they bother breaking in if they weren't going to take anything?"
But an equally worrying thought occurred to her as she moved to her desk. Her computer! She'd left it logged in when she'd headed out. And if the sleep time-out hadn't kicked in, it would have been open for access when the Byte-Bots broke in.
Her heart sank as she switched off the screen saver and saw the file open on the monitor.
"Dammit," Hilary swore, "I definitely closed this."
"What is it?" asked Jake as he and Johnny entered the room.
"It's all the Ranger history that Doc asked me to compile and archive."
"That's what they must have come here for," Ray realized. "They wanted information on past Rangers."
"But why would they even want any of that?" asked Jake, "It's not like any of those teams were ever beaten."
A twisting, sinking knot was forming in Hilary's stomach, sickening her with every churn. The room was spinning, feeling her heart pound with every beat. They'd been here, in her room. In her computer.
She could feel herself going green the more she thought of it. But just before she could bolt from the room in surrender to her desire to hurl, Ray placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"Hey," he said softly. "We're not going to let them get away with this."
Without thinking, Hilary's hand slowly crawled up her arms and brushed her fingers to his, feeling her heart begin to slow. She didn't need to look at him, but she gently nodded in agreement. Her hand didn't move, and neither did his.
"Maybe they weren't after your Ranger stuff at all," Ben suggested before adding in jest. "Maybe, they were just after your college applications?"
"Yeah, real master plan there," Hilary snorted. "The best way to stop the Rangers is by messing with their entrance essays."
"Where were you thinking of applying?" asked Ray.
She could tell what they were doing; change the conversation to get her mind off the attack. But as the recollections of her earlier conversation came back to her, so too did all the plaguing doubt. The realization that to chase her dreams, she'd have to leave them.
Leave the team.
Ray…
"Well," she tried to explain, nervously. "Ben pointed out that I could apply to Stanford, but…"
"But?" Johnny interjected.
"Well, I don't know if I'm ready to leave here," Hilary replied. "I mean, what if Mom and Dad had been home tonight? They'd have been in danger even with Ben and me to protect them. But what would have happened if they were here, but we weren't? I can't just take that kind of risk. Besides, going to Stanford would leave the team a Ranger down. I couldn't do that to you guys."
For a moment, they all sat in silence, and Hilary knew they all thought the same. The fear, the uncertainty. The guilt. College was just around the corner for all of them, and all of them had to be dreading the same thing.
"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Ben pointed out. "Mom and Dad would still have one Ranger around to protect them."
"And I'm grateful for that," Hilary agreed. "But so often it feels like we're barely keeping pace. I can't make you guys lose a Ranger like that."
"And it's not like you're going to be Rangers forever," Kyle added.
His eyes widened as the words left his mouth as if realizing his careless error. One by one, they all looked at each other, somberly concluding that until now they'd never spoken that truth aloud. That one day, all this would still come to an end.
That one day, one way or another, they would no longer be Rangers. The thought should have been a comfort, that a day would come when they could stop leaping into danger, no longer getting blasted by giant monsters in the hope of keeping their home safe. And yet, the same notion seemed to carry a sense of melancholy, as if, when the day would finally come, they'd be losing a part of themselves.
"We have to keep living our lives," Ray decided, "all of us do. Being a Ranger is everything to us. But it's not all we are. And that doesn't mean we have to give everything up."
"He's right," added Johnny, "it's why I'm heading up to Reefside tomorrow morning to visit my sister."
"But that's just an hour up the highway, not a whole day's drive," Hilary pointed out. "What about Gideon?"
But at that question, Ray's back stood straight, lips parting into a cocky smile. That damned smile. "All the more reason to beat him sooner rather than later," he decided. "But whatever you choose to do, we'll support you a hundred percent of the way."
"But let's face it," Ben added. "We both know that I'm not going to college. So one of us may as well get the experience."
Hilary looked at her five friends, her eyes beginning to shake and blur, chest shivering as she realized just how much they meant to her. How much their support would carry her. How much she owed them for that, and how it was debt that she would never be able to repay.
"Thanks, guys," she said, wiping at her eyes.
"We've always got your back," Jake decided.
"Here, or anywhere else," agreed Johnny.
But the shared moment of tenderness was cut short as their Morphers suddenly beeped. Doc, no doubt, had news.
"Way to kill the mood," Hilary laughed as Ray pulled out his Morpher and opened the line.
"We're here, Doc."
"Sorry to jump on you after that house call," Doc replied. "But it looks like Mileena's acquired some expensive tastes. She and her goons are hitting the Modern Science Museum."
"What is it with them and that place?" Ben groaned, "It's not even that good."
"Say's you," retorted Hilary. Although in truth, it felt good to have a little spar with her brother. A tiny sense of returning normalcy
"We'll head over now, Doc," Ray confirmed before shutting the line.
The Rangers rushed downstairs and out the door, waiting only for Hilary and Ben to leave a note for their parents, claiming they were out getting pizza. Then, the Rangers stood together in the Hawkins' living room, Morphers live and active.
"Ready?"
"Ready!"
"Data Squad! Digitize!"
The light consumed them, flaring from their Morphers as their suits materialized around their bodies, imbuing them with the power of the grid as the visors whipped around their vision. As the sequence completed, their vehicles burst before them, all six leaping to their cycles they appeared to take off down the road.
Their tires screeched to a halt as they pulled up to the museum, Mileena and the horde of Byte-Bots spinning to see them arrive. Beside her was a fresh virus, a strange chimera of a turtle's body and bird's head, its hands curled into sharpened hooks.
"What a coincidence," Mileena noted as the Rangers dismounted their cycles, "We were just wondering when you would get here."
"Well, we can save you some wondering," Hilary shot back. "Because the butt-kicking's coming right up!"
"We'll see," Mileena snarled. "Hook-Hands, get them!"
The Byte-Bots and virus lunged forward, and the Rangers drew their weapons to do the same. Three of the boys took to the air, vaulting over the horde to engage the virus and leaving Hilary, Ben, and Johnny to contain the masses.
It suited Hilary just fine; she had a score to settle.
Her sais twirled through the air as she carved through the numbers, her palms blurring with the deadly blades as she stuck bot after bot with a furious onslaught. They came to her house; her home! It didn't matter what they wanted from the museum, not a single one was getting past her.
Something moved in the corner of her eye, so fast Hilary almost missed it. She sliced the bot in front of her with the blades and spun around, snapping her weapons into a bracing X and catching the blade that soared towards her head.
There stood Mileena, sword held in place by Hilary's parry, face scrunched with seething hatred.
"You're really getting rusty," Hilary mocked. "Saw that coming a mile away."
"Then see this!"
Mileena reefed away the sword, crashing through Hilary's guard to deliver a kick to the chest. The Yellow Ranger snapped back, pirouetting away before raising weapons into a fighting stance.
The two women stared at each other, neither willing to give an inch nor their eyes look away from the other. Then Hilary outstretched the back of her hand, curling back her fingers in a beckoning motion.
A challenge Mileena was far too proud to refuse.
When the warrior lunged, Hilary was ready, snapping back to force further commitment. With Mileena off balance, Hilary plunged the sais downwards, catching the sword and twisting, forcing Mileena to snap choose between her footing and her weapon.
She chose the latter.
A split second later, Mileena was in the air, spinning to reclaim her stance and completely exposed. An opportunity Hilary refused to let up. Whipping around, she snapped out her leg to smash her foot into the warrior's stomach. The kick hit dead-on, slamming the wind from Mileena's chest to send her barreling through the air.
The warrior crumpled across the ground as Hilary slowly lowered her leg and resumed her fighting stance.
"Ready for Round Two?"
Her head snapped up, hissing in a crouch as Mileena glared at the Yellow Ranger. "Right now, you've got bigger problems!"
She disappeared in a flash of green as Hilary heard a blast behind her.
Hook-Hands had grabbed Ray and Jake in each hook, holding them tight and tossing them around like rag dolls. Kyle had lunged in, but the virus was ready, to swing the boys around to parry the strike. Already committed, Kyle's sword sliced across them, sparks bursting from their suits as Kyle stumbled back in horror and the monster cast their captives aside. The Red and Green Rangers tumbled to the ground, suits steaming as Kyle landed in front of them.
"Careful!" the monster cackled. "Don't take to your eyes off me!"
With that, a barrage of lasers burst from its vision, peppering the three of them as the rounds exploded. Ray, Jake, and Kyle were hurled backward, the blasts throwing them from their feet as the fresh spray of sparks erupted. But the monster was too busy with its menacing glee to notice that Byte-Bots had been dismantled, and the other three Rangers were heading straight for it.
"Don't forget about us!" Ben roared, leaping into the air with his hammer at the ready.
"Watch out," Hook-Hand warned. "I've got a mean Right Hook!" With unnerving agility, it stepped from harm, its right arm flinging upwards to catch Ben's hammer at the hilt. "Look's, like I've really hooked you in!"
"Not quite!"
Now it was Johnny's turn, rushing in with his staff held back and ready. He closed the distance, feet skidding against the concrete as he brought around his staff to sweep at the legs.
"I don't think so!"
Again, the left hook came down, catching Johnny's weapon and holding it firm. The two Rangers stood on either side, struggling to maintain their grips as the Hook-Hands cackled at the capturing as their weapons. But for as long as the Black and Blue Rangers were locked in place, then so was Hook-Hands.
And that was when Hilary struck in.
She took to the sky, somersaulting into range before striking hard into the monster's chest, the twin blades carving through the soft underside of Hook-Hand's belly. It stumbled back, howling in pain as it relinquished the grip.
Then it was the rest of the Team's turn. Johnny swung low, tripping the monster from its feet right as Ben brought the hammer down on the chest. The flat face cracked into the torso, releasing a thundering shockwave that sent it flying as the Rangers leaped backward.
"Are you guys all right?" Hilary asked as she helped the others to their feet.
Ray nodded before motioning the stumbling virus. "Doing a lot better than he is right now."
"What do you guys think?" Ben suggested. "Time for this guy to be unhooked?"
"Yeah!" they all cried in agreement.
"Let's put it together!" ordered Ray.
They snapped into position, each taking their usual places as this time Kyle and Ray's swords locked into each other as well. With all six weapons in place, the team huddled around their cannon and braced for discharge.
"Data Blaster! Hyper Mode!" they called, "Fire!"
The ball of energy erupted from the barrel, skidding the Rangers back as it thundered toward the lumbering virus. Hook-Hands could only raise their arms, the hooks vainly shielding their face as the round collided and detonated. Flames surged in all directions, booming on impact as the monster burst apart and the smoldering remains scattered across the concrete.
But it wasn't time to celebrate just yet, with the usual beam of green light already descending from the sky to consume the remains, rejuvenating it to giant size.
"You're not off the hook just yet!" he bellowed, stamping his foot down as the Rangers dived from harm.
"Oh no…" Hilary chuckled sarcastically. "They made it big…. Whatever will we do?"
"I think I've got an idea," Ray laughed, the others nodded as they held their Morphers forward.
"Zord Powers! Digitize!"
The giant mechanical beasts burst into the city sky, Rangers leaping to cockpits as they whirred and shifted together. As Hook-Hands braced for battle, the two giant mecha finished their transformation and stepped forward.
"Server Patrol Megazord! Online!"
"Firewall Megazord! Online!"
"Wow, you're really hooked on me!" the monster laughed. "If you insist!"
The two machines rumbled on, feet booming as they charge into the monster. Hook-Hands laughed, bringing around his two weapons and grabbing hold of each Megazord. Spark burst throughout the cockpits as the monster suddenly squeezed, air filling with the sound of screaming metal as both machines struggled against the grip.
"Kyle!" Hilary ordered into coms, "Activate the Bison Blasters!"
"At this range, it'll hit you!"
"Just do it!"
She looked up at Ray, and even through their visors, the two locked eyes. All he needed to do was nod before spinning back to the controls.
"Kyle, on the count of three!"
"If you say so!"
"One… two… three! Eagle Wing Shield!"
"Bison Blasters!"
The Server Patrol swung down its arm, the green wings snapping in place just as the cannons Firewall snapped up its arms and opened fire. Hook-Hand's screamed at the close-range blasts, stray shots ricocheting off the shield and keeping the Server Patrol unharmed.
The virus let go, stumbling backward in pain at the two freed Megazords barred down upon it.
"How about we give this guy something new to hook into!" Ray decided.
"Yeah!"
"Terabyte Saber!"
"Data Blade!"
Thunder cracked the sky as the two swords flashed into their wielder's hands, shearing through the monster as it flailed defenselessly in vain.
"No!" Hook Hands screamed. "I didn't think that would catch on!"
But Rangers were unrelenting, the Megazords bring down their weapons, blades striking across the monster's form in a giant X. Hook-Hand's tumbled backward, sparks flying and electricity arcing around his body as the data began escaping at the seams. Then as they landed, their body detonated into a tower of flames, atoms shredding apart as last their form disintegrated. Then, with their enemy slain once more, two Megazords looked out across the city skyline, mighty and triumphant.
When Hilary and Ben arrived at the Shak the next day, Jake and Kyle were sitting at the usual table.
"You've got certainly got a spring in your step," noted Kyle as the two approached.
Hilary nodded with glee, "College applications are done and dusted!"
"That's awesome," Jake congratulated, "What did you decide to put first."
It took her a moment, breathing in deeply to steel herself as if saying it aloud would at last make it real. "Stanford."
Kyle and Jake's faces both lit up, beaming with pride.
"So, you went for it!" Kyle congratulated. "What was it that changed your mind."
"You guys were," she replied. "You're right; I'm Ranger, but that's not the only part of me. It's certainly not all I'm ever going to be. And if I let Gideon stand in front of my dreams, then he wins."
She paused, lapping up the admiration will while also conceding to the silent I told you so's.
"Although," she conceded thoughtfully. "I guess now that Stanford's almost in my reach, I'm going to have to think about where next to aim for."
"Oxford?" offered Ben jokingly, only for Hilary to roll her eyes.
"Maybe let's stick to the continent for now," she decided.
It was only then that she looked around the café and realized that their Red Ranger was nowhere to be seen.
"Hang on," she said. "Where's Ray?"
"He and the band are out back, their set's coming up," Kyle explained.
"I didn't think they were on this week," Hilary noted, "Given that Johnny's out of town.
But before they could answer her, the stage lit up, and the room was filled with applause as the band strode into view. Sure enough, there was Ray with his bright-red Stratocaster, hand already on the mic.
"Hi everybody, we're the Argonauts," he announced to the waiting crowd. "You might have noticed we're one down today. Johnny's out of town at the moment so you're stuck with me on lead, sorry. But don't worry, you're in good hands."
The crowd laughed as Ray slowly moved his grip from the microphone to the strings.
"We figured we'd start with something mellow today, this song's called 'Going Away to College'."
Hilary's eyes widened, mind flashing to the track she'd had repeating all of the previous night. The song from the album he'd leaned her, the song she'd loved the most. "You're kidding me."
His hand fell to strum the opening chords, lulling the audience into the mood as the clean notes rang out. Then, just as the intro faded Ray looked up toward their table. It was barely for a second, a snapping stolen moment, but their eyes locked across the room. A silent message of who this song was really for. And Hilary's heart screamed from within.
His cheeks flushed pink, Ray's lips twitched into a smile, and with a sparkle in his eyes, the band burst to life and launched into the opening riff. From her seat, an excited shiver tingled up her spine as Hilary felt her own grin broaden and her heart jumped to the new rhythm. With the crowd cheering, Ray stepped back to the mic to sing,
"Please take me by the hand,
It's so cold out tonight. I'll
put blankets on the bed,
I won't turn out the light. Just
don't forget to
think about me and I
won't forget you.
I'll write you once a week, she said.
"Why does it feel the same, to fall in love or break it off? And
if young love is just a game, then
I must have missed the kickoff.
Don't depend on me
to ever follow through on
anything, but I'd go through hell for you, and
"I haven't been this scared
in a long time.
And I'm so unprepared,
so here's your valentine.
Bouquet of clumsy words,
a simple melody.
This world's an ugly place,
but you're so beautiful to me.
He returned to the strumming, alone on the stage with just himself and chords. But as momentum built, energy rising in anticipation of the final chorus, Hilary could only stare. Jake, Kyle, the band, the crowd; it was like this disappeared. Even at opposite ends of the Shak, to Hilary, there could have easily been no one else in the room.
She was going to miss him when she went away to college.
"I haven't been this scared
in a long time.
And I'm so unprepared,
so here's your valentine.
Bouquet of clumsy words,
a simple melody.
This world's an ugly place,
but you're so beautiful…"
High above Cranston city, Mileena cast her gaze below with amusement. The perfect plan. She deserved an award for the part she played, and the Rangers themselves played their unwitting parts to perfection.
The doors hissed as Gideon strode into the observation chamber and lazily lounged across his throne. "Did you get it?"
"Yes, Master," Mileena confirmed as she kneeled before him. "Kelgar is already hard at work with the data he obtained."
"Excellent work," At the welcome news, Gideon's mouth split into a sinister grin. "I must thank you for swallowing your pride so dutifully Mileena. We would have been unable to acquire the information we needed if you had not distracted the Rangers. Their victory last night should leave them none the wiser."
"All for the greater purpose, my Master," Mileena agreed. "How long until we strike?"
"Not yet," he conceded. "But soon. We will need more information and more samples. And we must conserve our power. All while ensuring the Rangers do not suspect what we are up to."
Mileena's eyes flashed at the welcome thought; a chance to continue toying with her enemies. A role that would she would enjoy every single moment. "Do not worry, master," she said. "I'll make sure they're far too busy to look anywhere else."
The screen on the wall sprung to life, allowing Gideon to admire their handiwork for the previous evening. A large sword, long and black with electric green lines crisscrossing its surface. Beside it, a DNA helix spun beside the loading bar.
"The time will soon come, Mileena," Gideon promised. "Then, we will hold the power to destroy the Rangers once and for all!"
NEXT TIME:
Johnny begins his new job at the local paper but quickly learns that is not what it's cracked up to be. At the bottom of the ladder, the meaningless tasks he's assigned only leave him wondering if it's even worth his time at all. But when a monster attacks the city, he's torn between his tasks at work and his responsibility as a Ranger. Can he find a way to balance the two jobs together? Is there a way he can find value in the job he's been given? And just what is Kelgar up to, rummaging around an old quarry in Reefside?
Find out next time on:
POWER RANGERS
DATA SQUAD
Errand Boy
A/N: Power Rangers- Data Squad updates on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you like what you read, you can always drop a comment to let me know, and don't forget to subscribe/ follow to find out the second I update. Power Rangers: Data Squad is a fan-made team of Rangers, and not explicitly based on any other existing Rangers or Sentai property. Until next time, may the Power Protect You.
Going Away to College (1999)
Written by- Mark Hoppus & Tom DeLonge
Performed by- Blink 182
Courtesy of- Geffen
