A/N: Time for another chapter! We're continuing our series of character focus deep dives with a Kenny-focused episode, and lemme tell ya, I've been looking forward to this since the beginning of the story. Kenny's arc is one I've thoroughly enjoyed crafting, and I'm so excited for you all to put the pieces together and finally see the culmination of all the subtle hints I've sprinkled in throughout the series. I don't have much else to say on it, so without further ado, let's get into the chapter proper. Happy Reading :)
Episode 24: CPU Blue
Amelia "Milly" Deno hummed along to the Kira Ford song on the radio as her car sauntered along undulating back roads. Her fingertips drummed on the steering wheel and her lips curled into a grin, her sapphire eyes sparkling behind her opaque sunglasses. Her boyfriend, Kenshin "Kenny" Okabe, sat in the passenger seat with his gaze set on the horizon and his features etched into a frown.
"Freak you out, freak you out, freak you out! Freak you out, freak you out, freak you out...!~" Milly stole a glance at Kenny as the song fizzled out. "Man, that is such a good song. I can't wait to see her live; can you, babe?... Babe?"
Her words drifted past him like distant echoes; he could tell she was talking, but his mind was elsewhere, far removed from the car's interior…
"Hello?" Kenny picked up the phone, pulling himself from his Programming paper long enough to answer the incoming call. "Who's this?"
"Kenshin? Is that you?" Kenny suppressed a groan as he immediately recognized the woman on the other end of the call. "...So the phone number on your Facebook is current. Good."
"Heyyy, Ka-san…" Kenny squirmed in his seat, his voice strained as he continued, "Anything I can help you with today…?"
"I'm your mother, not a telemarketer. Don't be so formal," She chided. "I'm calling to ask about this 'StarJam' you posted about last week. It's this coming Saturday, yes?"
"*StellarFest* is on Saturday, yes," Kenny corrected her before he could stop himself. He scratched his nose and added a confused, "Why…?"
"Well, your father and I were talking, and it's been too long since we've seen you. We thought we'd clear our schedules and accompany you to the festival that day. Y'know, make it a family outing of sorts." Kenny recoiled at the suggestion, but before he could protest, she continued, "Maybe we'll even get to meet this girlfriend of yours? Anyway, we'll see you on Saturday."
She ended the call, and Kenny threw back his head and sighed.
"Babe!" Milly's hand on his shoulder plucked him from the past and pulled him back to the present as she repeated, "Babe, are you okay? You seem...out of it."
"Huh?... Yeah, no, I'm fine," Kenny took a moment to reorient himself and realized they'd arrived at the festival. Milly's car sat amongst rows of parked cars in a large open field. Numerous tents, booths, and stages had been erected adjacent to this makeshift parking lot, and a massive billboard stood above it all, adorned with neon letters that spelled out 'StellarFest 20XX'. As his eyes swept over the landscape, he remarked, "So this is it, huh? Rad."
"Yeah, it's pretty cool," Milly absently replied, her eyes fixed on Kenny. "Hey, are you sure you're alright? You seem kinda off today; something on your mind?"
"Nah. Just a little tired," He lied, though Milly wasn't convinced.
"Y'know you can tell me anything, right?" She reached for his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Whatever's on your mind, no matter what you're going through. I'm here for you."
"I know," Kenny flashed her a smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He opened his door and motioned towards the festival grounds, saying, "Ready to go?"
Milly swallowed a sigh but chose to drop the issue for the time being. She popped the trunk, killed the engine, and exited the car. She collected her camera bag and some stationary from the back, then shut the hatch and locked her vehicle. She followed Kenny as he headed for the nearest tent, and her lips creased into a slight frown.
Meanwhile…
Alt slipped through the throngs of festival attendees and drew as little attention to herself as possible as she cased the venue. Her father had given her a mission, and failure was not an option.
She soon came upon a stage where a traveling orchestra was scheduled to perform and glanced over her shoulder. With the coast clear, she slid into the adjacent tent, where dozens of instruments were stored on metal racks. Any one of them would make a suitable Attack Bot...but she was drawn to one in particular.
"This is the one," She stroked the neck of a tuba and admired her reflection in its golden finish. "Prepare yourself, Ranger Blue. There'll be no escape this time…"
Kenny and Milly made their way through the crowd, holding hands as they navigated to the stage where their favorite band was scheduled to play soon. Milly's grin widened with each step they took.
"I can't believe we finally get to see the Subdigitals live! And for free, too!" She chirped. "I just hope my article does the concert justice."
"It will," Kenny told her. "You'll knock it outta the park, same as always."
"You're sweet," Milly pecked him on the cheek, and they turned the corner. As they neared the line forming just outside the concert area, Kenny came to an abrupt standstill. "Uh, babe? You okay?"
He didn't answer, so she gently shook his arm. "Babe, is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"I honestly wish I had…" Kenny muttered, and his grip on Milly's hand instinctively tightened. Milly cocked her head and traced his line of sight to a sophisticated Japanese couple as they drew near. The man had graying temples and was clad in a sharp charcoal suit, while the woman had light brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall. She wore an elegant beige sundress and matching heels. Their demeanor and attire clashed with the festival's laid-back atmosphere, but Milly discerned a familial resemblance to her boyfriend in their features.
"Uh, heyyy, Ka-san. Tou-san," Kenny faked a smile and dipped his head as he addressed his parents. "Glad you could make it."
"We wouldn't have missed it, Kenshin. It's been far too long since we saw each other," Kenny grimaced a bit at the use of his full name. Still, his father didn't notice as he gestured towards Milly and added, "Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend here?"
"Oh, r-right…" Kenny rubbed the back of his neck as his ears reddened. "Guys, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Milly Deno. Milly, these are my parents, Sadao and Karin Okabe."
"Pleasure to meet you!" Milly greeted, her lips curled upward in a radiant smile.
"The pleasure's all ours," Sadao shook her hand, then inquired, "Milly...that's short for Amelia, is it not?"
She hummed in confirmation, and Karin chimed in with, "Delighted to meet you, dear! Forgive Kenshin's manners; we raised him well, but sometimes he forgets things we've taught him."
Kenny suppressed the retort that almost escaped his lips unfiltered, and Sadao gestured to the line as it began to move. "Shall we go?"
He and Karin turned and moved with the line, their hands intertwined. Kenny reluctantly padded after his parents, and Milly rubbed his arm in a futile attempt to ease his mood…
Kenny and Milly's jaws dropped as they were ushered inside a massive big-top tent. Its vibrant interior unfolded before them as kaleidoscopic lights twinkled overhead, casting shadows on the wrinkled fabric walls. On the far end of the tent stood the stage. Massive speakers sat on either end of the platform, and the Subdigitals' instruments sat on stands in its center. Chief among them was a drum set with the band's logo spray-painted onto the front.
Kenny and Milly weaved through the rows of chairs, intermittently checking their tickets against the row and seat numbers. Eventually, they came to a halt once they'd located their designated spots.
"Alright, looks like we're right...here," Kenny's enthusiasm curbed as he spotted his parents seated directly to their right, but he faked a smile. As he and Milly sat down, he jovially said, "Fancy seeing you here!"
"I called the box office a few days ago and asked if the seats next to yours were reserved," Karin revealed. "Luckily they weren't, so here we are."
"Great! That's...great," Kenny shifted in his seat, but it did little to ease his discomfort.
"Looks like a full house," Sadao remarked, gesturing around the tent as more attendees trickled in. "Y'know, I don't think I've ever heard these Subliminals play before."
"They're the Subdigitals, Dad," Kenny corrected before he could stop himself. His mother shot him a look, and he rubbed the back of his head and let out an awkward chuckle. "They're really cool; you're gonna love 'em."
"We'll see," Karin countered. "Your father and I have never really been into rock music."
"Kenny said you guys have a background in music?" Milly chimed in, speaking up for the first time in several minutes. Sadao nodded in confirmation.
"Karin and I used to play with a touring orchestra; it's actually how we met. Nowadays I run a music production company, and Karin teaches part-time at Angel Grove University."
"We aren't the only musicians in the family, either," Karin added. "Our eldest Yuusaku plays the violin, and Kenshin here plays the piano."
"Wait, really?" Milly turned to Kenny and said, "You never told me you play piano."
"I used to play piano," Kenny replied curtly as his posture stiffened. "That's all behind me, now."
"You ought to pick it back up some time," Sadao told him. "You play wonderfully."
"Oh, what a loada…" Kenny's muttering was cut off by a surge of applause from the crowd, and he looked up and spotted the Subdigitals as they took to the stage. "Oh hey, it's starting!"
"Whaddup, Starview Heights?! You guys ready to rock?!" Nick Atwater, the group's lead singer and guitarist, greeted as he slung his guitar strap over his shoulder and adjusted his mic. The crowd roared in approval, which prompted him to continue, "Alright, let's rock! We'll start with a song we know you all love: 'Break Away'!"
This announcement was met with more applause, and Nick's opening guitar riff echoed through the speaker. Topher DiSalvo, the drummer, and Ben Delacroix, the bass guitarist, were quick to join in, but as Nick began to sing the song's opening lyrics, they were interrupted by the sudden blare of a tuba.
Nick and his bandmates stopped playing and furrowed their eyebrows as the crowd murmured amongst themselves. A shimmering figure burst through the backstage curtains, then stepped into the spotlight to reveal itself as a golden tuba-themed robot. The Tuba Attack Bot chased the Subdigitals off the stage, and panicked screams filled the tent as it summoned a squadron of Xanadroids and sicced them on the crowd.
"Venjix sure knows how to pick his moments…" Kenny grumbled. He hopped out of his seat, then coaxed Milly and his parents out of theirs. "C'mon!"
He carved a path through the chaos and guided them to the nearest exit. Once they reached it, he ushered his mother and father through the door, then gently grabbed Milly's arm as she moved to follow them.
"Take them somewhere safe." He told her. "I'll come get you guys when I'm done!"
"Right," Milly turned to leave, only to pivot and peck him on the cheek. "Go get 'em, Tiger!"
Kenny watched her leave, then scanned the room to ensure all the civilians had fled to safety. With the coast clear, he pulled the sleeve of his hoodie down to reveal his morpher.
"Hey, tin can!" He boomed, which prompted the Tuba Attack Bot to look at him. "Anyone ever told you you've got the perfect face for radio?"
"Ranger Blue, I presume?" The Tuba Attack Bot motioned to the Xanadroids, and its troops charged toward Kenny as he planted his feet.
"Install: CPU!" The Xanadroids were blinded by a brilliant blue light; when their vision cleared, CPU Blue stood where Kenny had just moments prior. He produced his saber, and his morpher beeped as he rushed to meet the robots head-on.
"Ranger Blue, come in!" Doctor K's voice echoed through the comm-link as Kenny exchanged in melee combat with the Xanadroids. "Gimme a sitrep, over!"
"Blue here…!" Kenny strained as he blocked incoming swings from three Xanadroids simultaneously. They tried to break through his defenses, but he held his ground and shoved them back. "The civvies have cleared the AO, but I could use some backup, over!"
"The other Rangers are en route to your position, but you're on your own in the meantime!" Doctor K told him. "Good luck, over and out!"
"Right then," Kenny finished off the trio of Xanadroids he'd shoved onto the floor with quick jabs to the abdomen, then whirled around as more of the robots encroached on his flank. They aimed their blasters at him, but he planted his feet and deflected their blaster bolts with his saber before launching a counterattack. He ran to the nearest one, cracked it over the head with the hilt of his saber, then kneed it in the stomach before taking it hostage. He lifted it above his head, then threw it at its compatriots. They tumbled to the floor, and he swapped his saber with his blaster and then finished them all off with headshots.
"C'mon! You clankers can do better than that, can'tcha?" Kenny joked, kicking one of the robots' sparking remains.
"Forgetting something, aren't we, Ranger Blue?" He turned just in time to dive out of the way of a soundwave that the Tuba Attack Bot emitted from the massive tuba on its left shoulder. Kenny nimbly landed flat on his feet, and the Tuba Attack Bot thrust its right hand toward him. "It's time to face the music!"
"Ken, this is Grif!" CPU Red shouted into his morpher as he dashed onto the festival grounds with CPU Yellow, Gold, and Silver hot on his tail. "We're nearing your coordinates. Sound off!"
"WOAHHHHHHHHH!" Kenny wailed as he careened through the tent wall, sent flying by a flight of missiles. He groaned in pain as he slammed into a telephone pole and slid to the concrete.
"Kenny!" ALPHA rushed to his downed teammate's side and helped him back up. "Are you alright?!"
"He won't be for long!" The Tuba Attack Bot burst through the opening in the tarp, and smoke billowed from its tubular right fingers. "I'm afraid this is Ranger Blue's final number!"
"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Griffin summoned his saber, flipped it to his usual reverse grip, and then barked, "On me!"
"Right!" Quincy drew his sword, and the Red and Gold Rangers coordinated their efforts as they lunged toward the Tuba Attack Bot. They jabbed it in the abdomen, but it shrugged off the assault and smacked them aside. It shot a soundwave at Griffin after he hopped back onto his feet, but he used his superspeed to dodge it. However, this worked in its favor; it tracked the scarlet blur and anticipated its trajectory. It aimed its right hand where Griffin was most likely to move, then fired a volley of missiles from its fingertips.
"Grif, look out!" Quincy warned, but it was too late. Griffin screeched to a halt and clumsily reared up on one foot as the missiles barreled toward him. Quincy deflected some of them with his telekinesis, but the rest struck the Red Ranger and sent him flying like a dart.
"AAHHH!" Griffin collided with a nearby food stand and groaned as he slumped to the dirt. "Oww…!"
"Griffin!" Wendy's glove creaked as she balled her left hand into a fist. She brandished her blaster, then vaulted into the air and pelted the Attack Bot with blaster bolts. "Eat this!"
"Aggressive, aren't we?" The Tuba Attack Bot stood its ground, thrust out its left palm, and returned fire with its own lasers. "Well, y'know what they say. Music soothes savage beasts,"
Wendy yelped in fright as the lasers struck her in the chest, and her suit sparked. She plummeted to the ground, and her Gold and Silver teammates rushed to her aid.
"Gotcha!" Quincy bit back a relieved sigh as he and ALPHA caught Wendy and eased her back onto the ground, but their triumph was short-lived. The Attack Bot knocked them off their feet with another soundwave, followed by a barrage of missiles and lasers. Griffin watched in horror as the projectiles hurtled toward his friends, but Kenny leaped in front of them at the last second. The tower speaker he used as a makeshift shield crackled and sparked as it was rocked with explosions, and he lifted it over his head and hurled it at the Tuba Attack Bot.
His foe used its lasers to slice the incoming object down the middle; residual shrapnel pinged off its armor as it lunged at the Blue Ranger and their hands interlocked. They both grunted as they continued their grapple; Kenny's biceps and visor began to glow green as he summoned all of his remaining strength.
"I'll...pulverize you…!" He roared, and his suit shimmered with warmth as he began to overheat. "There won't even be scrap metal left when I'm finished with you!"
Kenny tightened his grip on his opponent's hands, forcibly pulled his arms apart, then reeled back his leg and kicked the Attack Bot in its exposed sternum. The Tuba Attack Bot flew backward and toppled onto the ground, but it pushed back onto its feet as Kenny moved to finish it off.
"It's been fun, but Alt gave me a job to do," The Tuba Attack Bot vanished in a burst of ones and zeroes, departing with a final, "Time for a brief intermission!"
Kenny growled as his foe teleported away. Griffin and Quincy exchanged a quick glance, then snuck up on their teammate, removed his helmet, and restrained him. ALPHA scooped up a nearby water cooler jug and doused the Blue Ranger with its contents; steam wafted from his suit in waves as he took a series of shallow, ragged breaths.
"You good…?" Griffin ventured. Kenny had a brief coughing fit before nodding in response.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm okay…" Kenny wiped excess water out of his eyes, his voice trailing off. "Milly's around here somewhere; I should go check on her."
"Kenshin?"
Kenny's blood ran cold, and he closed his eyes and took a slow, deliberate breath. When he opened them again, his mother, father, and Milly all stood a short distance away. His parents' eyes widened, and their jaws dropped.
"Kenshin, you're…" Sadao blinked, obviously struggling to process what he was seeing. "You're a Power Ranger...?"
"Shimatta…" Kenny mumbled in Japanese as he threw his head back and facepalmed.
"Whew…" The Tuba Attack Bot ducked into an empty shed on the edge of the festival grounds and clutched its shoulder. Sparking wires poked out from cracks in its armor plating, and Energon welled from the wound. "Ranger Blue packs a punch, but I'll definitely beat him next time!"
"I should hope so." The Attack Bot nearly fell over, startled by Alt's sudden appearance. It turned to face her as she added, "If you'll recall, you were supposed to dispose of him promptly and then report straight back to me."
"Well, yes, but-"
"Mommy wasn't finished talking," Alt interrupted, pressing her finger to the Attack Bot's face plate. "If you can't be trusted to follow my instructions, I'll have to supervise you. Now, come along. We've work to do."
"...Yes, ma'am," The Tuba Attack Bot dipped its head and followed Alt as she turned and sauntered out of the shed.
"I don't understand…" Karin began as Kenny paced back and forth. The Rangers had since demorphed and herded Kenny's parents and Milly into a vacant concert tent. His mother folded her arms, and her forehead wrinkled. "This has been going on for how long now, and you never said anything?"
"You've shouldered this burden, put your life at risk…" Sadao trailed off, and he locked eyes with Kenny once the latter came to a halt. "And not once did you think to tell us?"
"When exactly would I have done that?" Kenny scrunched up his nose and fixed his father with an inquisitive stare. "We haven't exactly kept in touch. I mean, we haven't talked in like, what, a year? Year and a half?"
"We've tried to contact you-" Sadao started.
"And I've ghosted you. Or, well, I did until Mom found my new number. Stupid Facebook…what does it matter, anyway? Say I had told you. What then? I'm 'Kenshin,' remember?" Kenny turned to face him again and dramatically waved his hands as he added, "Nothing I do ever lives up to the great Okabe legacy. Why would this be any different?"
"Your mother and I never said that," Sadao countered. "You're putting words in our mouths!"
"Well sometimes actions speak louder than words, Pops!" Kenny scoffed. He stomped up the stage steps, then padded over to a grand piano in the right corner. Karin moved to follow him, only to stop once Sadao touched her shoulder gently. Milly flashed them both a sympathetic look as she followed Kenny onstage and sat beside him on the piano bench.
Kenny cracked his knuckles, wiggled his fingers, and hovered his hands over the piano. He closed his eyes, inhaled, exhaled through his nose, and opened his eyes again. As he began to play, his touch was slow and deliberate. However, his instincts soon overrode his hesitance, and his fingers glided elegantly across the ebony and ivory keys. Milly rubbed his back as the somber notes of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata filled the tent.
"Hey," She soothed. "What's wrong?"
Kenny didn't answer, and as he continued to play, she pleaded, "Talk to me. Please."
"...My folks and I, we...don't exactly see eye to eye," He relented with a heavy sigh. "They started teaching me piano when I was four. My earliest memories are of them smiling as I played...but as I got older, they became harder to impress..."
Droplets of sweat beaded on a young Kenny's forehead and neck as he played a delicate melody on the family piano. The soft twinkling of the ivory and ebony keys echoed through Okabe Manor's spacious den. Perched above Kenny were his parents, who scrutinized his every move.
"Kenshin, you're rushing," His mother remarked with a raised eyebrow. "This piece requires a more deliberate tempo."
"You should also try to be more thoughtful regarding your use of the sustain pedal," His father opined. "It's not the gas pedal on one of those silly racing arcade machines."
Kenny's shoulders tensed, and his fingers tightened on the keys as he tried to incorporate their critiques into the remainder of his performance. The longer he pressed on, however, the more his parents' expressions soured. Eventually, his mother reached out her hand and gently placed it over his wrist, which prompted him to pause.
"That's quite enough, Kenshin," She flashed her son a smile, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. He lifted his hands from the keys and stood from the piano bench, concluding his performance prematurely. "It was an admirable attempt, but this piece is clearly too advanced for you. You'll need more practice before you can play it properly."
"Practice makes perfect," Sadao nodded in agreement, then glanced down at his watch. "We should get ready; it's nearly time for Yuusaku's recital."
"That's right! I'd nearly forgotten," Karin followed him as he left the room, and Kenny brought up the rear. "He's positively masterful with the violin! If you were half as diligent as he is, you'd *really* begin to excel, Kenshin."
"Yuusaku's a chip off the old block," Sadao echoed with a good-natured chuckle. He checked his watch again, then turned and firmly touched Kenny's shoulders. "You have half an hour to get dressed. Don't dally; we mustn't keep your brother waiting."
"H-Hai, Tou-san," Kenny nodded, and his parents watched him hobble up the ornate staircase and head toward his bedroom.
"By the time I finished high school, I'd completely lost my love of music," Kenny told Milly as he continued to play. "My parents and I had a big falling out when they found out I wasn't following the family tradition, and I moved here to start college. I'm the first Okabe in decades to put himself through school,"
"I think I get it," Milly told him as she traced gentle circles along his shoulder blade. "All this tension makes sense now...but let's think about this for a second. Your parents definitely messed up...but they're here now, and they seem like they wanna try and make it right. Wouldn't you like to bury the hatchet?"
Kenny's song abruptly ended as he inhaled through his nose and then exhaled deeply. He turned to Milly and replied, "I can't lie and say I don't want that, but where would we even begin? ...Bandaids don't fix scars,"
"I understand." Milly nodded, then gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm not asking you to forget what you've been through, or to pretend your parents didn't do anything wrong. I just wanna see you happy."
She reached for his hand, and he intertwined his fingers with hers as they gazed into each other's eyes. Kenny leaned in to kiss her, only for Griffin to reveal his presence by clearing his throat. The pair looked up at the Red Ranger, who rubbed the back of his neck.
"I, uh, I'm not interrupting, am I…?" He let out an awkward chuckle, then fixed his eyes on Kenny. "Can I borrow you for a second? Doc's called an audible, and she wants us to huddle."
"What's with the sports lingo?" Kenny teased, waggling his eyebrows in amusement.
"I don't know, it just came out that way…!" Griffin shouted, his ears flushing red with embarrassment. "You coming or not?"
Kenny looked at Milly as if he were seeking approval, which prompted her to say, "I'll be fine. Go."
Kenny pecked her on the cheek, then stood and followed Griffin as he left the stage. The Red and Blue Rangers joined their teammates, who were gathered around an overturned speaker-turned-improvised table. Quincy's laptop was sitting atop it, displaying an ongoing secure video transmission from Doctor K's lab.
"Gang's all here, Doc," Griffin informed as he sat beside Wendy.
"Duly noted. Ranger Blue, I'm not exactly thrilled that your parents know your secret identity now. Still, given the circumstances, I suppose it was unavoidable," Kenny offered her a sheepish grin, and she continued, "Now, let's get down to brass tacks. From what your teammates tell me, the Tuba Attack Bot didn't seem to have a clear objective?"
"Aside from pissing me off? Not really, no," Kenny shook his head, then stroked his chin. "Come to think of it, it didn't even go after any Energon…"
"Strange," Doctor K wrinkled her nose in confusion. "An aimless Attack Bot being deployed at random does not fit Venjix's MO."
"Doc, I think I've got something!" Cheetor said from just off-screen. The camera panned to his station, where his fingers glided across his keyboard at breakneck speed. He pulled up a 3D map of the festival grounds, then gestured to several red dots that pinged when light pulsed through it. "I'm seeing multiple energy taps in the festival's Energon Tanks, all occurring around the time of the Tuba Attack Bot's assault. The readouts match Alt's signature, but it's weird. Instead of stealing the Energon, it's like she's tracing its output."
"All of that Energon being pumped in and out of a small area, it'd require some sort of regulation device to prevent any outages or surges," Doctor K realized. "Alt must be after it."
"Then the Tuba Attack Bot was just a distraction," Kenny concluded, to which Doctor K nodded in agreement.
"My thoughts exactly," A klaxon blared, and alarm lights pulsed, filling Doctor K's end of the video call with an ominous red hue. "Sounds like Alt's found what she's looking for!"
"Well if she thinks we'll just roll over and let her take it, she's got another thing coming!" Kenny bolted from his seat, determination flashing in his brown eyes.
"Right behind ya," Griffin echoed. He motioned for Quincy to end the video call, then stood from his seat. "Break's over!"
"Right!" Wendy, Quincy, and ALPHA all hopped out of their seats and followed their Red and Blue teammates as they made for the exit. Kenny had nearly made it to the door when Sadao stopped him.
"Kenshin, wait!" Sadao gently tugged on his son's sleeve. Kenny reluctantly stopped in his tracks, then turned to face his father. "Before you go, we should talk."
"It'll have to wait," Kenny told him, eliciting a disappointed sigh from Karin. "...Look, we'll talk when this is over, alright? I promise."
"Please, be careful." Karin implored, her expression softening.
"What she said," Milly echoed as she made her way off the stage and joined them. She pecked Kenny on the cheek, then added, "I want you back in one piece, mister!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Kenny nodded and gave his girlfriend a jovial salute, then gestured to his parents. "Look after them, yeah?"
"You can count on me." Milly assured him, and the trio watched as Kenny and the other Rangers slipped out of the tent and into the waiting maw of danger...
"Ugh! Stupid humans and their total disregard for cable management…!" Alt muttered to herself as she fiddled with the Energon Regulator and contended with its tangled web of wires. Her eyes flicked to the Tuba Attack Bot, and she growled, "Why're you just standing there?! Make yourself useful and come help me!"
"By your orders, Alt," The Tuba Attack Bot moved to assist her, but a stray blaster bolt whizzed past its head and struck Alt on the hand.
"Oww!" Alt winced and shook her hand vigorously, her 'skin' rippling with ones and zeroes. She stood, turned, and gazed at the Rangers as they ran up and over a nearby hill. "Rangers...you just never go away, do you? You're like a bad rash!"
"I can see you're breaking out there!" Wendy joked, gesturing to Alt's hand. She blew the smoke from her blaster's barrel, then spun it around her trigger finger and holstered it.
"If you want that Regulator, you'll have to go through us!" Griffin hollered.
"You say that as if it'll be a challenge," The Tuba Attack Bot scoffed as it stepped forward to shield Alt. It gestured toward Kenny, then added, "Ranger Blue's solo was underwhelming and uninspiring. I doubt any composition your full band can play will be different."
"Big talk coming from someone who hasn't heard our hit single yet!" Kenny shot back. He looked to the others and added, "It's Morphin' Time!"
"Install: CPU!" All five Rangers shouted in unison. They donned their Ranger suits in a brilliant flash of multicolored lights. Once they'd morphed, they wasted no time beginning their roll call.
"Shield Buster! CPU Blue!"
"Limit Breaker! CPU Red!"
"Climax Jumper! CPU Yellow!"
"Mind Flayer! CPU Gold!"
"Circuit Smasher! CPU Silver!"
"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" The Rangers regrouped and struck a group pose, with Kenny as the centerpiece. Pillars of multicolored smoke erupted behind them as they concluded, "Power Rangers: CPU!"
"Your showmanship is impeccable, but how will you fare against my opening act?" The Tuba Attack Bot stretched out its hands, and orange ones and zeroes ebbed from its fingertips. The bits of binary code solidified into a large squadron of Xanadroids, which charged toward the Rangers with their weapons drawn. "ATTACK!"
"Let's rock!" Kenny pounded his fists as he and the others moved to meet the robotic footsoldiers head-on.
Griffin drew his saber and became a scarlet blur as he sped past the Xanadroids and slashed them in the sides. He skidded to a halt on the other side, then turned and locked blades with a survivor as it dove toward him. Another flanked him, but Griffin grabbed it by the wrist mid-strike, aimed its weapon at its compatriot, and pulled the trigger. The first Xanadroid died instantly, and Griffin finished off the second by snapping its neck.
Wendy vaulted into the air and rained death from above. As she drifted to the ground, she focused on a lone Xanadroid, pelting it with blaster bolts before delivering a flying kick to its chest. She back-flipped off it and launched herself toward its allies as they encroached on her flank; soon, a dozen or more Xanadroids had met their end in a deadly hailstorm of blaster fire.
Quincy and ALPHA worked in tandem; the Gold Ranger used his telekinesis to lift Xanadroids into the air, and the Silver Ranger gunned them down with his blaster. As the ruined robots slumped to the ground, more Xanadroids arrived to take their place. Quincy materialized his sword just in time to block an incoming swing. As he locked blades with his attacker, ALPHA drew his own sword and swung wildly at its allies.
Kenny plowed ahead unarmed, relying on his fists to vanquish his foes. He delivered a flurry of punches to a Xanadroid's chest and face, then dove to the left to avoid an incoming sword-swing. He shoulder-tackled his attacker and finished it off with a swift elbow drop to the sternum. Then, he summoned his blaster and turned his attention to its allies. He gunned down all but one of them, finishing off the remaining Xanadroid with a superkick to the throat.
"Useless machines, same as always!" Alt screeched as the last Xanadroid fell to the ground and exploded. She motioned to the Tuba Attack Bot and barked, "Now, you imbecile! Excise them like the tumors they are!"
"Lucky for you, Alt, I take requests!" The Tuba Attack Bot promptly obliged her and sent the Rangers flying with a soundwave from its shoulder-mounted tuba. They hollered in fright as they toppled onto the dirt, and the Attack Bot remarked, "Hahaha! Music to my ears!"
As the Rangers pulled themselves back to their feet, they were quickly caught off guard by Alt, who made a beeline for Kenny. Griffin cut her off, locking blades with her as she swung her pistol's bayonets in his direction.
"What's the matter, Alt?" The Red Ranger taunted as Alt's arms buckled and her face contorted. "Am I getting under your skin?"
"You're not worth my time!" Alt shoved him aside, teleported behind Kenny, and grabbed him by the arms. As he wriggled to break free, she looked to the Tuba Attack Bot and shouted, "Now, while I have him restrained! Finish him off!"
"You've played your last show, Ranger Blue!" The Tuba Attack Bot fired a volley of missiles, which hurtled towards the captive Kenny as his teammates watched in horror. ALPHA acted fast, pressing his fingers to his temple as the projectiles neared their target.
"Activating Energy-Shell!" The missiles were enveloped in a shimmering silver force field and exploded harmlessly a few moments later. Kenny leaned forward and threw his head back, headbutting Alt and freeing himself from her grasp.
"What're you waiting for?!" Alt screeched, clutching her forehead as she stumbled backward. She gestured to the Tuba Attack Bot and continued, "Eliminate him, or I'll send you to the scrap heap!"
"As you wish!" The Tuba Attack Bot rushed Kenny, who'd just regained his footing. It locked hands with the Blue Ranger, who pushed back against its force with all his might. It stifled a laugh as steam rose from Kenny's suit, and his biceps and visor glowed green. "You seem to be overheating again, Ranger Blue! Tell me, why don't you just give in? Our little battle of the bands is clearly taking a lot out of you; why not concede defeat?"
"I...can't…!" Kenny strained as his arms began to buckle. He planted his feet firmly in the dirt, but the Tuba Attack Bot increased its force and began to rapidly gain ground. "I can't...let you...win…!"
"Kenshin!" A familiar voice shouted from nearby. Kenny's gaze flicked to its origin as Sadao dashed onto the scene with Karin and Milly hot on his feels.
"Dad! What're you doing?!" The Tuba Attack Bot capitalized on the distraction and kneed the Blue Ranger in the stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of him. Kenny sucked in oxygen as his back slammed into a nearby car, and he struggled up to his feet as Sadao ran over to him. "Dad, you have to get outta here! It's not safe!"
"I can't just leave you!" Their attention snapped back to the Tuba Attack Bot as it poured energy into its palms, forming a massive ball of electricity that it then launched by thrusting out its hands. Sadao instinctively stepped before Kenny and stretched his arms out to shield him.
"NO!" Kenny watched helplessly as the projectile hurtled toward his father, then looked away just before impact. However, when the smoke cleared, the Tuba Attack Bot was splayed on its back, and Sadao was alive and well, coated in a shimmering silver force field.
"Dad, you're alive…!" Kenny breathed a sigh of relief, then chastised him, saying, "That was reckless! You could have died!"
"I know," Sadao turned to face him as ALPHA's Energy-Shell faded away.
"Then why did you-?"
"You mean you really don't know?" The Blue Ranger tilted his head, and Sadao shook his own as he searched for the right words. "Even after everything we've been through, the arguing, the falling out, I...don't you get it? You're my son...and nothing could ever change that."
"Dad, I…" Kenny's voice trailed off, and his attention flicked back to the Tuba Attack Bot as it pulled itself up off the ground. "We'll talk later! Get outta here! Hashire!"
"H-Hai…!" Sadao nodded, then reluctantly returned to Milly and Karin. "Ganbatte!"
"Pfft. All the luck in the world won't help you beat me!" The Tuba Attack Bot scoffed. It clasped its hands, then began to pour all the energy it could muster into its palms to form another projectile. "Time for your final number!"
"I don't think so! LionTech Bazooka!" Kenny slapped his Transpod, and the LionTech Bazooka materialized in his hands. He equipped the weapon and then looked to his teammates. "Let's take him down!"
"We've got your back!" Griffin said as he and the others regrouped. Once they were in formation, Kenny aimed the LionTech Bazooka at his foe. Blue, red, yellow, gold, and silver lights danced within its central orb as he squeezed and held down the trigger.
"LionTech Bazooka: Bestial BARRAGE!" Kenny released the trigger and fired a massive beam of multicolored light just as the Tuba Attack Bot unleashed its energy ball. "FIRE!"
The two projectiles erupted in a burst of noise as they hurtled toward their targets and inevitably met in the middle. The energy particles collided and clashed for dominance, threatening to engulf the other at any moment. The Rangers' blast ultimately won out, slicing through the Tuba Attack Bot as if its body were constructed from tissue paper.
"This...this can't be! I never got to release my solo album!" The Tuba Attack Bot clutched its torso as Energon welled from its wound. Its armor sparked uncontrollably, and it fell to its knees and exploded with a final, "I was gonna win a Grammy! NOOOOOO!"
"Attack Bot or not, it makes no difference!" Alt thrust out her palm and shoved the Rangers aside with wire-like tendrils that leaped from her fingertips. She barrell-rolled back over to the Energon Regulator, then resumed her efforts to free it from its outer casing. "I'm not leaving without this!"
She wrenched it from the wires holding it in place, but a stray blaster bolt struck the device and caused it to spark as cracks formed all over its surface. Alt whirled around to face Wendy, her face twisting into a snarl as the Yellow Ranger spun her blaster around her trigger finger.
"This isn't over!" Alt fizzled out in a flurry of ones and zeroes. Once she'd teleported away, a beep from the Rangers' morphers drew their attention to a countdown timer that had just appeared.
"Doc!" Kenny hollered into his morpher's microphone. "We need Zords!"
"On it!" Doctor K replied, the clacking of her keyboard echoing over the comm-link. She turned and nodded at the Buddy-Droids, who moved from their posts and crossed over into the hangar. "Downmorphing Zords now!"
The Rangers looked to the sky as wisps of green energy coalesced into a shapeless blob, which then expanded to form a massive portal. An ear-splitting howl pierced the heavens as the Tuba Attack Zord jumped out of the portal and landed with a deafening thud, shaking the ground beneath its feet. As it stomped towards the festival grounds, the Rangers' Zords arrived. They boarded and combined them to form the SpyTech and BeetleBlast Megazords, then moved to meet the Tuba Attack Zord as it advanced.
The Attack Zord planted its feet, howled, and unleashed a massive soundwave from the tuba on its left shoulder. The Rangers wailed in fright as their Megazords were sent flying backward, and they barely managed to maintain their footing.
"T-That was s-s-scary…!" Apex stammered, the lights in his face bathing Kenny's cockpit in a green glow. "He's s-s-strong!"
"Maybe so, but we're stronger!" Kenny countered. He glanced at his cockpit's monitor, which displayed a split-screen image of Griffin and Wendy inside their cockpits. "Let's rock!"
Griffin and Wendy nodded in agreement, and they placed a tight grip on their controls. The trio willed their Megazord forward, swung its sword, and delivered a diagonal slash across the Tuba Attack Zord's chest. They attempted to follow this up with an overhead strike, but the Tuba Attack Zord grabbed the SpyTech Megazord's forearms mid-swing and used the newfound leverage to hold it hostage. Sparks leaped from the Megazord's armored chassis as the Attack Zord repeatedly kneed it in the sternum.
"Rahhhhhh!" The Tuba Attack Zord smacked the SpyTech Megazord aside, then fired a volley of missiles at it from point-blank range. The Megazord blocked most of the projectiles with the shield generated by its arm blades, but a pair of stray missiles struck it in the chest and sent it crashing to the ground.
"Woahhh!" Griffin and the others yelped as their Megazord landed on its back. Smoke billowed from its armor, and klaxons blared within the Red, Blue, and Yellow Rangers' cockpits as they willed it back to its feet.
"Rangers, those missiles will tear your Megazords to shreds!" Doctor K warned via the comm-link. "I'd strongly advise you to keep your distance, over!"
"Piece of cake!" Quincy slammed his fist on a button in his cockpit, and the BeetleBlast Megazord fired a salvo of lasers from its chest-mounted cannon. The Tuba Attack Zord gurgled and stumbled backward once the projectiles struck it. "Allons y!"
He and ALPHA drew their CellTech Blasters, then shouted into their microphones, saying, "Check! Beetle Barrage: CHARGING!"
The BeetleBlast Megazord's chest cannon, arm gauntlet, and blaster rifle glowed with golden energy as it charged its finishing attack. It aimed its weapons at the Tuba Attack Zord, and Quincy and ALPHA hollered, "BeetleBlast Megazord: Beetle Barrage! FIRE!"
The Tuba Attack Zord wailed as the BeetleBlast Megazord bombarded it with three successive rounds of explosive ordinance. Its armor sparked, and Energon leaked from its wounds.
"It's now or never!" Griffin twisted his morpher's dial, then reclaimed his grip on his controls as his arms and visor glowed bright green. "Let's finish this!"
"Right on!" Wendy flipped a series of overhead switches, and a graphic depicting Energon filling their Megazord's sword appeared on her cockpit screen. "Charging sword!"
"Boosting output!" Kenny cranked a lever in his cockpit to expedite the process. "70...80...90...100%!"
Griffin slammed his fist onto a button on his console, and soundwaves shot out of their Megazord's knees and trapped the Tuba Attack Zord in a gigantic bubble. It growled and wriggled in a fruitless attempt to break free.
"SpyTech Megazord: Dimension CRASH!" The SpyTech Megazord raised its sword and delivered a diagonal slash that rippled through the bubble. The Tuba Attack Zord wailed in agony as its chassis was rocked with explosions. It fell to its knees, then unleashed one last scream as it combusted. With their victory secured, the two Megazords struck triumphant poses.
"We...we d-d-did it!" Apex exclaimed elatedly. "We won!"
"That we did," Kenny replied. He removed his helmet, stood from his chair, and hollered, "Shutdown: COMPLETE!"
"Kenny!" Milly crushed her boyfriend in a massive hug as he and the others reentered the vacant concert tent they'd left her in, having since demorphed. He hugged her back, and she grinned ear to ear once they parted. "You did it!"
"I had plenty of help," Kenny looked over his shoulder and offered his teammates a thankful smile, then turned his attention to his father as he made his way over. "Tou-san."
"Kenshin," Sadao closed his eyes and took a deep breath, after which he opened his eyes and added, "There's something I need to say to you...in private. If I may?"
"Lead the way," Kenny split off from Milly and followed his father, who led him to a secluded corner of the tent. Once they were out of earshot of the others, he turned to Sadao and said, "Yes?"
"I've had nothing but time to think of how to say this, and I'm still at a loss..." Sadao took another anxious breath, then continued, "Your brother recently came to visit, and he brought some things to my attention. Things I hadn't considered before...about how I raised you and where I went wrong."
Kenny could not stop the amused snort that left his nose when he heard this, but he dipped his head and decided to hear his father out. "Go on."
"I was hard on you when you were a boy...too hard," Sadao told him. "When you took to the piano, I was so caught up in my excitement. Excitement over your potential, and the continuation of our family's legacy...I've since realized I never allowed you to forge your own identity. That's why you had to take matters into your own hands. I can't lie and say there isn't a small part of me that wishes you'd followed the family tradition...but I'm still proud of you."
"You are…?" Kenny tilted his head, his eyes widening.
"Indeed. Very proud." Sadao placed his hand on Kenny's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze as he continued, "You've put yourself through college, pursuing your passions and relying on your own resources to accomplish your goals. You've put your life on the line to defend your world – and you found Milly. I'll tell you, son, I may not know her very well, but I can already tell; she's a keeper."
"Dad…" Kenny rubbed the back of his head, blushing a bit at his father's words.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry." Sadao managed. "And I know that doesn't magically fix all the hurt I caused, and you have every right to be mad at your mother and I. But the fact remains that you are my son, and I care about you."
"Tou-san…!" Tears brimmed in Kenny's eyes, and he choked back more as he said, "I...-"
"Your mother and I came to see you today because we'd like to reconnect," Sadao told him. "If you'll have us, we'd love to be a part of your life again, and try to make up for our mistakes."
"...I'd like that," Kenny nodded. "I'd really like that."
"I'm glad," Kenny went in for a hug, and Sadao immediately embraced him. Once they'd finished the hug, the elder Okabe continued, "Let's rejoin your friends; I believe a celebration is in order."
"Yossha!" Kenny hollered in his native Japanese, grinning ear to ear as he and his father made their way over to the others.
Meanwhile…
"ALT, I SEE THAT YOU'VE RETURNED," Venjix's voice echoed through his abandoned factory as Alt limped over to his containment tube, the Energon Regulator clutched in her hands. "IS THAT…?"
"It is...but I'm afraid it's been damaged," Alt bowed before her father, placing the Regulator at his metaphorical feet. Control stifled a laugh as he gazed upon the cracked surface of the recovered device. "The Rangers, they-"
"I'VE NO INTEREST IN YOUR EXCUSES!" Venjix replied brusquely. "I SPECIFICALLY WANTED THE REGULATOR INTACT, BUT IF IT CAN BE REPAIRED-"
"It can be," Delete chimed in. "I'd be willing to assist Alt in doing so. With our combined expertise, I'm sure we-"
"THEN DO IT. QUICKLY!" Venjix boomed, cutting Delete off mid-sentence. "YOU'RE TO START WORKING ON IT IMMEDIATELY!"
"Y-Yes, Father!" Delete and Alt bowed their heads, and the latter scooped up the Regulator and followed the former into the factory's backroom. Delete turned to face Alt once she'd shut the door behind them.
"He's getting more impatient by the day," Delete remarked as Alt set the Regulator down on a nearby workbench. "These angry outbursts of his are becoming increasingly frequent, and with Control being the proverbial favorite, that leaves us at his mercy...can I let you in on a little secret?"
"I'm not exactly in the mood to talk, but sure, I'll humor you," Alt folded her arms, and her forehead wrinkled. "Go on."
"I've begun accruing a stockpile of Energon...a secret stash, if you will." Delete revealed. "Father's grown volatile, and Control's become too big for his own britches. With them calling the shots, it's only a matter of time before the Rangers win this war...but if we usurp our father and brother, we can right this ship before it's too late! What do you say?"
"...I refuse," Alt replied, much to Delete's shock. "The fact you would even suggest such a thing astonishes me!"
"But Alt, I-!"
"I won't tell Father about this, but I'd strongly advise you to reconsider your current course of action," Alt told him. She turned to leave the room, but not before adding, "Renounce your hubris, brother. Before it consumes you."
"...If that's how it's going to be, sister, than so be it." Delete said to himself once she'd gone. "So be it…"
- POWER RANGERS: CPU -
A/N: And the plot thickens! Just what is Delete's endgame, and how will Alt's refusal to join his scheme affect his plans? All will be revealed in due time.
I'm not sure when the next episode will be up. I'm aiming for next week, but I'm in the process of changing jobs and things are getting really busy with the holidays and the planning of an upcoming church retreat and it's all just very...stressful, ngl.
FFN's also having its annual glitches; story stats have been broken since at least September and evidently email notifications are broken too, so there's a very real possibility none of you have any idea when I post a new chapter. This leads me to make the following reccomendation - if you want to keep up with this story and be reliably notified every time I update it, download the mobile app. Just search for it the App Store or Google Play - it always works (at least from my experience) and it actually gets frequent updates and quality of life improvements, unlike the website (which is a shame, but hey, there's the way things oughta be and then there's the way things are, right?).
Anyway, if you are reading, let me know what you thought of this episode in a review. I read each and every single one I get, and I truly appreciate your guys' feedback.
I'll be back at some point with the first half of a Griffin-focused two-parter, but until then, stay safe, and may the power protect you - always!