"Preston," Nym yawned, rubbing her eyes tiredly. It was barely 12pm on a Saturday. She had had a late night catching up on her Mystic Defender training, and she wished to be still curled up in bed, not climbing a steeping slope to gods only knew where in the middle of Summer Cove park.
Preston, panting alongside her, smiled and shook his head. "We're almost there," he promised. "You'll see in just a moment."
"This better be worth it," Nym grumbled.
Aidan chuckled. He too was tired, but unlike Nym, he was more of a morning person. Like his mother, who was always awake at the crack of dawn, he had been awake, had breakfast, and finished early training with Kali and Nick.
Brody, also a morning person, had already completed a four-mile jog with other Mystic Defenders. At first he had been sceptical of the route. Half expecting it to be around multiple dimensions and was more than surprised to see that they had included many cities within the human realm too - Blue Bay Harbour, Briarwood, and Summer Cove being the main three. On the run, he had met up with Preston, who had joined the run and returned to Rootcore with him, stating he had a surprise to show everyone.
"Hey, is that the Ribbon Tree?" Calvin asked. He had broken the top of the slope first, with Hayley hanging onto his hand. The pair grinned and raced forward, disappearing briefly from their friends view.
Nym furrowed her brow. A Ribbon Tree? What on earth was a - she broke off mid thought as the tree in question came into view. The branches first, then the trunk, and finally the base. It was as you'd expect, a tree covered in brightly coloured Ribbons. Some were huge, and she could see flecks of glitter or writing on the tendrils, others were small and just colourful.
"What's the Ribbon Tree?" Nym asked Aidan.
Aidan wrapped an arm around her. "It's what you see," he said, grinning giddily. "I haven't been here since Brody and I were kids. I'm pretty sure we put a ribbon on here," he scanned the many colours, hoping to pick out the one he and Brody had added ten years ago. "Anyway, people come from all over the state to add a ribbon to the tree. It symbolises achievements and declarations."
"Declarations?" Nym asked.
"You know, of love, friendship, that sort of thing," said Aidan.
Nym nodded. She still felt like she was missing the point. As a Dragonborn, and still a young one at that, she was still grasping to understand human actions. How did hanging a ribbon to a tree symbolise something important? She understood that actions spoke louder than words, but she couldn't see the action behind defaming nature with human application.
"What about the animals that live in the tree?" Nym asked. "Or, you know, the tree itself? Don't the Ribbons harm it?"
"Nah. They're void of any toxins and poisons that are harmful," said Aidan. "And critters still move freely back and forth. You should see it in the spring, there are multiple squirrels here."
Nym watched Aidan's face. He was staring at the tree with a look of admiration. She smiled. Tearing her gaze away, Nym found Preston. "Not that it is a lovely surprise," she said. "Why are we here?"
"Well, everyone here knows about this tree," said Preston. "Except for you, and since we don't have much time to show you around, what with school and training, I thought we could show you something that is important to Summer Cove now that Kali's given us the day off."
Nym couldn't help but smile. How did she land such a good group of friends - she knew how, logically, but there was no way just any group of friends would think of her on a day off. She had seen many defenders argue over how to spend a day off, their bickering resulting in them not enjoying it as much as they should have, or Kali stepping him and diffusing the situation by withdrawing their request and sending them back to the Academy.
Dissent in the ranks, no matter how small, could cause problems on the field, Kali had explained. Secrets was another issue; and she had warned the Rangers that they needed to be open and honest with her and each other in order to succeed in their mission. She had secluded truth training for next week, and to say Nym was nervous was an understatement. What exactly did 'truth training' entail? Had any other Ranger team undergone truth training? Maybe she could reach out and ask.
"I told Kali about this place," Preston continued. "Told her the symbolism of it, and she agrees that commemorating our friendship could solidify, not only our bond as friends, but as teammates, too. She helped me put this together." He reached into his pocket and pulled out five ribbons, each one the same colour as their Ranger status, and their name embedded onto it.
"Oh! It's a Ranger Ribbon!" said Brody.
"Well let's put it up!" said Calvin. He took the ribbon from Preston, only to pause as Hayley touched his arm. He glanced at her and then back at Nym. With a nod he turned to the pink ranger and held the ribbon out. "Why don't you do the honours?"
Nym looked around at the others. "You sure?" she asked.
"You're Summer Cove's newest resident," said Hayley. "And, like Preston said, this is about showing you something we all love. Go on."
Nym smiled and took the ribbon. Stepping up to the tree she searched for a place to hang theirs, finding it just out of her reach. She tried to jump but landed back on her feet as she failed to find purchase.
"I got you," said Aidan, his hands settling on her waist. He glanced at her. "Ready?"
Nym nodded and pushed up from the ground again. With Aidan hoisting her from behind, and holding her when she got into position, she was able to pin part of the ribbon to one side of the tree, and the second to another part.
"You can put me down now," said Nym, and Aidan dropped her back down. He kept his hands on her sides as they all backed away, surveying the ribbon fluttering in the light breeze.
Preston smiled, a light blush colouring his face as Nym reached over and hugged him.
"Thank you for showing me your special place," said Nym. "I really appreciate you taking the time to include and integrate me into your lives. You're not only the best friends I have, but you're also the only friends I have."
Hayley laughed and slung her arm around Nym's shoulders. "We're glad to have you, too," she said.
"I'm your favourite, though, right?" Aidan asked, teasing.
Nym eyed him curiously. She knew he wasn't serious, and she only knew that from spending the last few weeks with the team; without them, she would have assumed him serious. "Well," she said, shrugging. "I've known you longer. It wouldn't be fair to say yes."
Aidan laughed. "I guess that's fair," he said.
"Careful, Aidan, you could be replaced before the school year is through," said Calvin.
"I guess that goes for you, too," Aidan added, nodding at the two girls. "We both may get replaced."
Calvin eyed the pair cautiously. "Well, if I were to lose Hayley to anyone, she could do a whole lot lose worse than Nym," he said.
Nym turned to Hayley. "Is that a good thing?" she asked.
"Yes," Hayley nodded. "He is saying there are worse people than you out there."
"Oh. I get it…" Nym rubbed her neck. "I think."
The others chuckled at her confusion.
"What's the noise?" Brody asked, turning to the sound of a beeping horn. A truck, followed by a workers van, and two back SUVs pulled to a halt a short distance away.
"What's going on?" Calvin asked, looking from each vehicle to the next. He recognised the construction truck. It was a Summer Cove local business. But why were they here?
A group of workers in hard hats and bright orange jackets climbed down from the cab of each truck, seizing machines from the bed, and approaching the tree. Nym thought they looked menacing, but she'd never encountered construction workers before. Their chainsaws looked like dragon teeth on a thin piece of petal, attached to a battery.
"Out of the way, kids," said the one at the front. The main man in charge if she had to guess. "This tree's comin' down to make way for a new building."
Nym cocked her head. "I thought this tree was a prized landmark," she said, her voice carrying in the silence. "Why would you want to cut it down?"
"We don't ask questions," the man said. "We just follow orders. The boss says he wants the tree cut down."
Nym glanced up at Aidan. Technically, Summer Cove fell within the Mystic Realm boundaries, did that mean that the Ribbon Tree was under the Hellhounds protection?
Aidan reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Unless you want to put a ribbon on it," said Preston, stepping forward. "You can't touch this tree."
The men started their machines. The sound, a loud grinding noise, startled Nym and she jumped, clutching tightly at Aidan's arm.
"We'll go through you, if we have too," the lead worker said.
Another car arrived. Pulling to a halt behind the other vehicles. This car had tinted windows, so that no one could see through to who was inside.
"The boss is here," said the leader worker. He lowered his chainsaw and turned away.
Preston turned his back the workers and glanced at his friends. "We can't let them near this tree," he said.
"But what can we do?" Hayley asked.
"We could stage a protest," said Calvin. "Maybe get others involved?"
"How are we going to get them involved if we can't leave here?" Nym asked.
Hayley took out her phone. "We can post on social media," she suggested.
"I know someone who can help," said Aidan. He turned to Nym. "Anabel and Cassidy. They work for Reefside News."
Brody furrowed his brow. "Why would anyone from Reefside care about Summer Cove?" he asked.
"Anabel cares about anything," said Nym. She had met Anabel a few months ago at her wedding to Doctor Thomas Oliver. Kali had been invited to the union, and the invitation had extended to her husband and children, too. Kali had decided to leave Aziva, Aviva, and Joe at her home with Eithne, but Nym and Aidan had been in attendance.
"Plus," added Aidan, "she authored an article on tree saving back when she was in high school. There was a tree on her school grounds that someone wanted to save, Anabel had rallied her cheer squad as well as half the school to come out and protest. Granted, it didn't go as intended, the tree was destroyed by Zeltrax, but a new tree was planted in its place."
Hayley's eyes widened. "Oh, I remember that" she said. "My aunt lived in Reefside at the time. She was an alumni of the school. She said the social media pages were calling for all students, old and new, that wanted to protest the injustice. An "A Brookes" drafted the article."
"That's Anabel," said Aidan. "She has a way with words. She'll probably want to interview people, and Cassidy is a newswoman. She and her husband will do a live broadcasting of the tree and protest, probably ask questions on camera."
"The more coverage the better," said Preston. "It'll-" he cut off as his name was called from across the clearing. His eyes widened and his smile dropped before he spun around to face the older man - the boss as the workers had called him - storming across the field.
Nym rolled her eyes. Of course, Victor and Monty where with him. Why did she even think that they would be on the side of the tree? And she had considered messaging them both, asking for help.
Victor hesitated in his step as he spotted Nym. He should've guessed she would be here, but it was still hard to see her on the opposing side all the time. It really put a strain on their relationship… friendship… whatever they wanted to call it. He'd sometimes wondered how he was so attracted to a girl who didn't care about popularity, everyone else he had dated had wanted to be popular.
"Dad…" Preston murmured.
"That's your dad?" Hayley asked.
Preston nodded. He looked and sounded scared as he faced his father.
"Don't tell me you have something to do with this?" Mr Tien snapped, hand on his hip in what he believed to be an intimidating pose. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Well, we were just putting a ribbon on -"
"A ribbon? That's stupid! All these ribbons are gonna be trashed!" said Mr Tien. He paused, staring at hard at his son. "This is about that girl you don't shut up about, isn't it? What was her name… Nin? Nym?"
Nym ducked her head and hide behind Aidan to hide the warm blush that coloured her face. Preston talked about her at home.
"This tree is coming down today!" said Mr Tien, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Hey!" a voice from overhead yelled.
Nym looked up, surprised to find Hayley and Calvin perched in the ribbon tree.
"You can't do that," said Hayley. "These ribbons represent important memories to so many people."
"Young lady, the skyscraper that I'm going to build here is also important," Mr Tien shouted back. "To my bank account!"
"But dad -" Preston tried.
"Enough," Mr Tien interrupted. "Wait in the car."
Preston looked like he wanted to argue, but one stern look from his father caused him to falter and walk away.
"Preston," Nym called.
Preston shook his head at her and returned to his father's car. With his son out of the way, Mr Tien turned back to the others. "You can either leave quietly," he said, voice dropping in tone, "or my new assistants will remove you."
Nym turned to Victor. He avoided her gaze.
"We're not going anywhere," said Brody, folding his arms in an act of defiance.
Mr Tien turned to Victor and Monty. "You boys want to me like me some day, huh?" he asked. "Show me what you got. Get them off my property."
"Yessiree." The pair turned and walked away, straight over to a construction worker unravelling a hose pipe.
Nym's eyes widened and she felt Aidan back up, pushing her closer to the tree as she still stood behind him. "Victor don't!" she pleaded. "Please!"
Victor ignored her. Mr Tien had given him an order, and he wanted to be as powerful as the older man, to be the one to give orders rather than the one expected to take them. He wanted her to like him, but this was always something of which he had dreamt. She could either accept him for who he was and was going to be; or he'd treat her like everyone else. Regardless of his own feelings.
"Victor!" Nym tried again.
Victor and Monty held up the hose, nozzle facing the team. They turned it on, but instead of water showering the Rangers; the hose was ripped from their hands and turned on them, as if invisible people were targeting them instead. Their howls and screams echoed across the field.
The attack only lasted a few minutes before the hose hit the ground, limp, still, and waterless.
Nym, Brody, and Aidan smothered their giggles as Mr Tien turned back to face them. "I don't have time for this nonsense," he said. "But mark my words, this tree will be coming down today." He stormed over to his son, shouting at him to get into the car.
Preston did without question.
"How can his dad be so cold?" Hayley asked. "We have to stop him!"
Aidan took out his phone. "I'll call mum," he said. "See if she can contact Anabel. I know she'd love to cover this."
"We could make flyers, too," said Brody. "Put them up all over town. A lot of people put these ribbons on the tree, if they know they're in trouble of being removed, they're bound to come out and help us."
Nym nodded. "Maybe Kali can do something, too?" she offered. "Summer Cove falls within the boundaries of the Mystic Realm. This tree is protected because of that."
"She's right," said Aidan.
"Alright. You guys do that," said Calvin. "Hayley and I will stay here and start posting online."
~X~
Anabel Brookes looked up as her door opened and long-time friend and business partner, Cassidy Cornell walked in. Behind her came her husband, Devin, his camera tucked under his arm.
"You wanted to see us?" Cassidy asked.
Anabel handed her a slip of paper. "Up for a road trip?" she asked.
"Summer Cove?" Cassidy asked, reading the area. "What's happening in Summer Cove that is of interest to us?"
Anabel added the finishing touches to her article, saved, and closed the laptop before turning her full attention to Cassidy. "A one Mr Tien wants to cut down a tree, fondly called 'The Ribbon Tree' to put up a new skyscraper."
"The Ribbon Tree?" Devin asked. "I know of that. We went there last year, remember?" he turned to Cassidy.
Cassidy nodded. For their fourth anniversary, Devin had suggested commemorating it on a ribbon. It was similar to the {bridge} in France. But since they couldn't travel internationally, Summer Cove was the next best thing for them.
"You're coming, too?" Cassidy asked.
Anabel nodded.
"How did this come across your desk?" Devin questioned. Summer Cove news wasn't usually something they covered in Reefside, the only way Anabel would consider this story was if she were asked for personally.
Anabel met his gaze. She was in the process of collecting her notebooks, pens, and adding them all to her bag. "I was invited," she said. "I've already reached out to the Summer Cove news outlet, they're sending someone from their own studio down, and are more than happy with us running our own story."
"Who can say no to you, huh?" Cassidy asked.
"Exactly."
Devin considered the story. "Is this part of the Mystic Realm thing you were telling us about?" he asked. "Kali Briar, is she involved?"
Cassidy looked excited. She had been trying to get an exclusive interview to Kali Briar for almost ten years, but the older woman was expertly elusive when it came to appearing on camera; and finding her in Briarwood was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
"She is," said Anabel, "but she's not going to be at the tree. Her kids will be though."
"She has kids?" Cassidy asked.
Anabel nodded. "Four - five, technically - three girls, two boys," she answered.
"And two of those kids are in Summer Cove?"
"High school, yeah."
"How old is she?"
Anabel shrugged. The first time she had met Kali, the summer of '06 in Blue Bay Harbour, the older woman had been in her early twenties, then they had met the four years later in Reefside, when Lothor had returned and teamed up with Mesogog, and then again a few weeks ago. If Anabel didn't know any better, she'd have said Kali hadn't aged a day in the last ten years; but she was half elf, and therefore her ageing process was different to that of the average human.
"When do we leave?" Devin asked.
"Now," said Anabel. "It's at least a three-hour drive. The sooner we leave, the sooner we get there." She slung her back over her shoulder and grabbed her phone from its charger. "I need to make a call, but I'll meet you outside."
Devin and Cassidy nodded and left the office.
Anabel dialled a familiar number and waited for the call to connect. When it did, a familiar voice echoed across the line.
"Anabel, what a pleasant surprise."
Anabel smiled. "Hey Dad, you busy?" she asked.
~X~
Hayley and Calvin looked down as a green car pulled to a halt in front of the tree. Compared to the SUV and construction crews vehicles whomever owned this car was clearly wealthy.
Calvin whistled under his breath as he took in the sleek body of the car. "That's the [insert model]," he said. "The highest grossing car on the market. You think they're here to help?"
Hayley shrugged. Anyone with large amounts of money couldn't have cared much for the tree, in her opinion. Mr Tien was from silly money and he wanted to tear it down.
The doors glided upwards, earning a second excited gasp from Calvin, and a blonde-haired female stepped out. She was wearing black pants, heeled sandals, and a green shirt covered by a black jacket. She reached over to the passenger seat and pulled out a leather shoulder bag, from inside which she took a notepad and pen.
A second car pulled to a halt opposite, and a two-manned camera crew climbed out. The duo was a gangly man with long brown hair, and a well-put together woman. The three regrouped, talking quietly amongst themselves.
"Oh, look, the others are back," said Hayley, noticing Aidan and Nym running towards them. "Let's jump down!"
The couple descended and greeted their friends.
"Aidan!"
Aidan turned to the sound of his name and smiled. "Anabel," he called, waving to the blonde who had climbed out of the green car.
"You know her?" Calvin asked.
Aidan nodded. "Hayley, Calvin, this is Anabel Brookes," he introduced. "Anabel, these are my friends. Hayley Forrester and Calvin Maxwell. They're the new Power Rangers of Summer Cove."
Hayley and Calvin stared, slack-jawed at their friend. Kali had been adamant that no one know the truth about them.
"Anabel used to be a Power Ranger," Nym said. "Green Dino Thunder."
"Oh, cool!" Calvin said. "I used to watch them on the TV all the time. Green was my favourite."
"You have good tastes," said Anabel.
Calvin beamed. "So do you," he added. "The [insert car] is the best model of the year. I've never seen one up close."
Anabel glanced back at her car. "You want to test drive?" she asked, fishing her keys from her pocket.
"Seriously?" Calvin asked, eyes wide.
"Sure," said Anabel. She tossed Calvin the keys. "Keep them for safe keeping. When this is over, you can take it for a spin before I head home."
Calvin looked like he would pass out for sheer excitement.
Hayley and Nym laughed.
Anabel turned to Aidan. "Tell me what else you've done to rally the local people to help the tree," she said.
"Well, we put up flyers," said Aidan. "Brody should be back soon. Mum called you, and she said something about coming down when she's finished in Briarwood."
"I called my dad, too," said Anabel. "He knows a thing or two about trying to take something valuable and turning it into something it's not. Tell me, did you contact the local council?"
Aidan shook his head.
Anabel took out her phone. "Does anyone know the number?" she asked.
"It's on their website," said Hayley. She watched as Anabel searched for the specific page and then loaded the number into her call log. "What are you doing?"
"Well, you need to own the land before you can work on it," said Anabel. "It's how my dad tried to bulldoze down the cyberspace. He bought the land the cafe resided on. My mother, she's the mayor of Reefside, she was able to stop the lease going through, which meant my dad didn't own squat and therefore couldn't rebuild."
Nym stared at the former ranger. "You're going to stop the lease?" she asked.
"I'm going to try," Anabel nodded. The call connected and Anabel held up one finger to the teens. She moved off, putting enough distance between her and them to continue the conversation.
Cassidy and Devin walked up. The former holding a microphone while the latter supported a camera on his shoulder.
"Do you guys mind a few questions?" Cassidy asked.
Hayley glanced at the others. "Sure. If it'll help, I'm game," she said.
"Great. Why don't we stand over here, near the tree?" Cassidy suggested. She laid a hand on Hayley's back and directed her in front of the tree and camera.
Devin focused the camera lens. "Okay. In three…two…one…" he pointed his finger at the pair.
"This is Cassidy Cornell with Reefside News," said Cassidy, happy, chipper. She smiled as the wind blew the ribbons enticingly behind her.
It looked amazing on camera, and Devin could tell it would catch the attention of whomever had tuned in.
"Today we are broadcasting from Summer Cove," Cassidy continued. "Where the locals are staging a peaceful protest to protect a beloved landmark dubbed The Ribbon Tree. With me, is local teenager Hayley Forrester, and one of the instigators for the protest. Hayley, why don't you tell us in your own words what's happening here?"
Cassidy presented Hayley with the mic, and for a few seconds, the teenager looked terrified. Nym swept forward, smiling as the camera turned to take her in, and seized Hayley's arm.
"This tree means a lot to Summer Cove residents," she said. "The numerous ribbons prove that it is a much-loved landmark and seeing it teared down is bound to destroy a lot of people's hearts. The ribbons represent everything that the locals hold dear - friends, family, even achievements they have accomplished over the years."
Aidan stepped up behind Nym. "I, personally, haven't lived in Summer Cove for a few years now, but I can remember visiting the Ribbon Tree with my father and brother when I was a child. We put a ribbon on it to signify the love we had as a family, and the promise that we would always be there for each other."
Calvin seized Hayley's hand as Devin stepped back, panning the camera's view to take in the whole group. "We put a ribbon up just this year to commemorate our fourth anniversary," he said, smiling at Hayley.
The girl in white rested her head on his shoulder and turned back to the tree. "Even non-locals have visited the tree to hang a ribbon," she said. "And now, because of one individual, all those ribbons are going to be thrown in the rubbish. All those memories, gone forever. This tree deserves to be protected."
Devin panned the camera back to Cassidy. "There you have it folks," she said. "If you have a ribbon on this tree, or you wish to keep the memory of the Ribbon Tree alive for generations to come. Then come down and join us at Summer Cove park. Show us your support in protecting a local monument that means so much to so many people."
"And… cut!" Devin called. He switched off the camera and offered the team a thumbs up.
Cassidy turned to the others. "Sorry," she apologised to Hayley. "I need to remember that not everyone is ready for the camera straight away."
"It's okay," said Hayley.
Anabel returned.
"Any luck?" Devin asked.
"Well, I caught them just in time," said Anabel. "They're going to recall the lease. Mr Tien's not going to be happy, though. It seems he paid a lot of money to fast track the lease."
"He doesn't strike me as a happy person in general," said Nym.
Anabel offered her a small smile. "Tell you what, while we wait for more supporters, why don't I interview each of you? You can tell me what the tree means to you and I can incorporate it in my article."
The teens shared a look.
"Sure, sounds like a plan," said Hayley.
Anabel held up a notebook and pen. "Why don't we start with you two," she said to Hayley and Calvin.
~X~
As Anabel moved through the group, more and more supporters had started to arrive. Cassidy called on them for interviews, a few turned down, not wanting to be on camera for some reason or another, while Anabel soon joined them giving faceless interviews and promising she would maintain their anonymity. As Nym rejoined Aidan, Brody had returned. He was nursing his shoulder and panting, like he had been fighting.
"What happened to you?" Calvin asked.
"I was attacked my Ripcon."
"What? Are you okay?" Aidan asked.
"Yeah, but we have to be careful," said Brody, nodding. "He's sent a monster."
"Oh great," said Nym. That was the last thing they needed.
"Hey, you're still here," said Preston, rushing up.
"Yep. We also rallied all these people," said Calvin. "There is no way your dad can tear down the tree now. Plus…" he cut off as Preston sighed heavily.
Hayley cocked her head. "What's up, Preston?" she asked.
"Maybe we should just give up on the tree?" Preston asked. "It's easier than going up against my dad."
Wandering over, Anabel cradled her notebook to her chest. "You're Preston Tien," she said.
"Yeah, how did you know?"
"Anabel Brookes," said Anabel, holding out a hand. "Your father has worked with mine in the past."
"Your father?"
"Anton Mercer."
Preston's eyes widened.
Anabel laughed. "I take it you remember him," she said. "Yeah, he can be as stubborn as your dad. Difference being my dad was humbled when his plan for bulldozing down a local safe place was derailed."
"No, it's not that," said Preston. "I mean, yeah, I heard about that, but your dad is with my dad right now."
"I know," said Anabel. "I told my dad what was going on. My dad was funding the construction for your dad's latest business attempt. He's threatening to pull that funding."
Calvin turned to Anabel. "How rich are you?" he asked.
Anabel laughed as Hayley hit her boyfriend. "The term is 'influential'," she said. "But I am one of the richest people in California. Next to my brother, of course."
"Who's your brother?"
"Trent Fernandez."
"The artist?" Hayley asked. "I love his stuff."
"I've read his comics," said Preston. "You're related to him?"
Anabel nodded.
"Wicked!"
Anabel smiled. She fixed Preston with a stare. "Feel up to an interview?"
"Um," Preston hesitated. Given his relationship with his dad, and how his father wanted him to deter his friends from saving the tree, he didn't think an interview would go down all that well.
But, before he could any answer - yes or no - his father arrived at the scene. His car screeched to a halt not that far away, and out of the back came both Mr Tien and Anton Mercer. They were arguing loudly as they stalked towards the tree.
"Without my funding or the city's lease, Marcus, you're removal of this tree is illegal!" Anton was saying.
But Mr Tien wasn't listening.
"Which was you did it?" Mr Tien demanded, stopping short of the teenagers. "Which of you is responsible for pulling my lease?" He didn't want to believe that teenagers could interfere with his hard work, but they were the only ones capable of doing such a thing.
Anabel stepped forward. "I did," she said. "Anabel Brookes. Reefside News."
"Reefside?" Mr Tien repeated. "What business do you have here?"
"This tree is a remarkable story," said Anabel. "The numerous of people that has come out for this tree, their stories. If you would just listen to them then you'd understand why tearing down this tree is a bad idea. You can construct your skyscraper literally anywhere else in the city."
Mr Tien looked like he wanted to argue, but the appearance of another person caught his attention.
"Mum," Aidan grinned as Kali stepped around the Ribbon Tree. She placed her hand against the trunk, testing the sturdiness and looking it over, as if examining in like some precious heirloom.
"This tree is over a hundred years old," said Kali, pushing away from the trunk. She patted it affectionately and turned her attention to Mr Tien. "Kali Briar," she said, introducing herself by holding out her hand. "You've probably heard of me."
Mr Tien nodded. Of course he had. Who hadn't? The Mystic Force from Briarwood were legends all over California. From Briarwood to Ocean Bluff, to Paranoma, and Summer Cove. The Mystic Realm was also well known because of the Briarwood Power Rangers, and Mr Tien knew that Kali Briar was a force to be reckoned with in whatever she set her mind, too.
"I hear you want to tear down this tree, Mr Tien," said Kali, dropping the offered hand which had been rejected. She didn't care. She wasn't here as a friend.
"What's it to you?" Mr Tien asked.
"Well, as you know who I am and were I am from, it should come as no surprise that this tree falls under Mystic Realm protection," said Kali. "As I said, it is over a hundred years old. Meaning it was here long before Summer Cove existed, long before you and your enterprise existed. That's an impressive lifespan for a tree, it rivals only Rootcore in comparison."
"Rootcore?" Mr Tien repeated.
"My home," said Kali. "Now, I protect Rootcore with an iron fist. It's only ever fell once. What makes you think that I won't do the same for the Ribbon Tree?"
Mr Tien floundered for words. From the sheer number of protestors that were still appearing, to Anton Mercer pulling his funding for a new business enterprise, to Anabel Brookes interrupting his land lease at the local office. He really didn't stand a chance of getting what he wanted this day.
He glared at those around him, his gaze finally finding his son. "Preston!" he barked.
"Yes, sir!" Preston yelped, jumping to his feet.
"I'm very disappointed in you," Mr Tien said.
Kali stepped away from the tree, closer to the teens. She wrapped her arms around Preston and squeezed him. "Well, I for one and proud of you," she said. "You're standing up for what you believe in, and standing up an authority figure, especially one that is your parents, is never an easy thing. I speak from experience on that."
Preston tried to hide the smile that crept onto his lips.
"This isn't over," said Mr Tien. "Mark my words."
He turned to leave, just as a light breeze lifted one of the ribbons from the tree and deposited over his shoulder. Kali glanced back, smiling as she spotted Vida standing nearby. Chip was also present, sitting on his shoulders was their son, Tristan.
"January third," said Mr Tien, reading the blue silk ribbon. "Marcus and Ellen Tien. Love their son… Preston."
"That's you and mom," said Preston.
Mr Tien stared at his son. "I'd forgotten," he said, tears in his eyes. "Your mother and I placed this ribbon the tree on the way home from the hospital. I must have buried it, and a lot of other memories after she died."
As the Tien's shared their moment, Kali met Aidan's gaze and winked as he smiled in return.
"The Ribbon Tree isn't going anywhere," Mr Tien said, speaking now to the crowd of protestors and construction workers. "It's staying right here with every last ribbon!"
The crowd cheered.
"You did it, Preston!" Nym said, hugging her friend. Despite the dull blush colouring his face, he hugged her back.
The good feelings didn't last long and Kali felt herself tense as the feeling of danger grew closer.
"Everyone needs to get out of here," said Kali, her gaze distant and her voice grave.
"What? Why?" Calvin asked.
Aidan clapped him on the shoulder. "Something's coming," he said, having learned a long time ago that his mother's connection to darkness only got stronger with age. "She can sense danger."
Kali whipped around. "Vida, Chip, Anabel!" she barked. "Crowd control!"
The trio didn't argue. As soon as Kali had given the orders they dispersed. Chip put Tristan back through the tree, returning him carefully to the Mystic Realm and telling him to head for Rootcore, he then headed toward a small portion of the crowd that his wife and Anabel couldn't cover.
Panic was rising as more and more Mystic Force Rangers started to appear, herding the crowd towards the city and away from the scene.
"Tristan raised the alarm," said Nick, appearing beside Kali.
"What's going on?" asked Xander. Beside him, pulling on the hood of her defender outfit, was his wife Lorna.
"Where do you need us?" Lorna asked.
Kali craned her neck, pointing at the appearance of Kudabots nestled amongst the branches of nearby trees.
"Got 'em," said Lorna. She run off, scaled the trees efficiently, and tossed the foot soldiers onto the ground. Alerted to their comrades distress, more Kudabots dropped from the trees and attacked those left behind. It was obvious they didn't know that those remaining where no civilians.
Anabel returned to Kali. "I'm not active," she said. "But I can help."
"No. Take your dad, friends, and Mr Tien to safety," said Anabel.
"But…"
"Please, Anabel," said Kali. "I can't afford to have any injuries on my hands. Your family needs you."
Anabel stared at Kali and then nodded. "Alright." She turned to her group and herded them towards their cars. They had barely cleared the fighting area when a monster stomped into view.
"I set a trap nearby but nobody's falling into it," the monster whined. He looked like a cross between a rat and a mechanical saw. "It's got something to do with this stupid tree. Maybe I'll just cut it down!"
"After everything we just went through?" Nym asked. "Not a chance!"
The others nodded.
"Ready?" Brody asked.
"Ready!" the others echoed.
"Ninja Spin!"
Trapsaw gasped and tripped backwards. "Power Rangers?!" he exclaimed. "Oh!" He picked himself up and rushed off.
"Go after him," said Kali. "We'll clean up here."
The rangers nodded and took off, leaving the Kudabot clean up to Kali and the others.
~X~
Trapsaw whined as he raced into a shipping yard full of containers. He couldn't remember where he had set his trap and knew that Ripcon, when he found out, would not be impressed by his lack of judgement.
"Surprise!" Brody shouted, arriving with the others.
Trapsaw huffed. "I'll cut you down to size!" he threatened, rolling his saws as the Kudabots behind him charged forward. As the Rangers divided, Preston and Nym charged the giant ratsaw, ducking, rolling, and dodging his attacks just enough to wear him down.
"Stay still so I can cut you!" Trapsaw demanded.
"No can do, rat face!" said Preston. He dodged backwards, ducking under trapsaws' arm, and twisting around as he popped up beside Nym. She ducked under his second arm, kicking up with one leg and forcing the saw down toward the ground with her boot. She rolled her sword up, stabbing it into Trapsaws shoulder.
Trapsaw arched back, catching Nym's sword in his hand and twisting it to the side. She winced and followed through, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. Nym gasped as Trapsaw tried to stamp on her, but missed as she released her sword and rolled away.
"Mind if I cut in!" Aidan said, jumping over Preston and slicing down with his own sword. The blade traced down Trapsaws chest and stomach, causing little sparks to explode from him.
Trapsaw whined and staggered back.
"You okay?" Preston asked, helping Nym back to her feet and offering her back her sword.
Nym nodded.
"Look out!" Aidan shouted as Trapsaw made a beeline for the pair. They separated, twisting away from one another, and kicking off from the ground. The two rose into the air, slashing and slicing with their swords, and hitting whatever part of Trapsaw they could.
The rat groaned as he soared backward, crashing into four water containers.
"Kudabots, help me up!" Trapsaw demanded.
The foot soldiers did as requested.
"Now, where were we?" Trapsaw asked.
Nym turned to Preston. "Let's finish this rat face and his friends," she said.
Preston nodded in agreement.
"Battle morpher, hyper mode!" said Brody, taking the lead. He attacked his power star to the side of the bow, the others doing the same, save for Aidan who opted to attack with his rock storm sword mode.
"FINAL ATTACK!" the six echoed, unleashing five arrows and one electrical attack onto the monsters.
They grunted and exploded, leaving behind a relatively empty shipping dock.
"Whoo! Yeah!" the team cheered.
"We did it!"
"Ninja's win!"
~X~
By the time the rangers had returned to park, Marcus Tien, Anton Mercer, and Kali Briar were all standing in a small circle shaking hands and talking in hushed voices. Anabel Brookes was leaning against her car and looked up as they approached. She pushed away and approached them, Cassidy and Devin had already headed back to Reefside, and she had intended to join them before remembering she'd given Calvin her keys.
"Congratulations," said Anabel. "You're team did a magnificent job destroying that monster."
"You know?" Brody asked.
"She was a Power Ranger herself," said Nym. "Dino Thunder Green."
Brody looked thoughtful. "Reefside. Two Thousand and Six, right?" he asked. "Renegade dinosaur named Mesogog."
"That's the one," said Anabel, nodding. "Anyway, I got enough material to write two articles today. One of the Ribbon Tree and the outcome of its destruction, and the Ninja Rangers that protect Summer Cove from the newest threat to Earth. You guys are heroes on two fronts today. You should be proud."
The team shared happy glances.
Aidan nodded towards his mother and the two men. "What they talking about?" he asked.
"Oh, they're just discussing ways to protect the tree and the surrounding area," said Anabel. "Come look." She led them over a large sign that had been erected and stuck into the ground a short distance away from the tree. It read: RIBBON TREE PARK.
The rangers beamed at fruits of their labour. Their hard work of protecting the tree had paid off, and now it really was a historical landmark and not just random tree of ribbons in the middle of Summer Cove park.
"Like I said, you guys should be proud of yourselves," said Anabel. "Heroes of the city … on all fronts."
The group laughed.
"Thank you, Anabel," said Aidan. "When I asked mum to reach out, I didn't think you'd accept."
"Nonsense," said Anabel, shaking her head. "The Rangers are a family, and whether we're active or inactive, when one needs help the others are there. Besides, fighting injustice is something I have always done. Even before I was a Ranger. I have no doubt that when I go home and tell my kids about this place, they'll want to visit, and maybe even add their own ribbons. My husband and I are always looking for new things to do with them."
Aidan grinned.
"We're gonna need a new tree with all the attention this one's gonna get," said Nym. "Hey, maybe we could create a Ranger Ribbon tree in the Mystic Realm." She tilted her head back to look at Aidan. "We should ask Kali."
Aidan squeezed her tightly.
Anabel smiled at them. "Anyway," she turned to Calvin. "You ready for that test drive?"
"Am I ever!" Calvin said. He dug Anabel's keys out of his pocket. "You sure I can do this? I don't want to…"
Anabel turned to Hayley. "Is he always like this?" she asked.
"Only when the car costs more than his whole allowance," said Hayley.
"Fair point," said Anabel. She turned to Calvin. "I promise you. I wouldn't give you the keys if I didn't trust you."
"You barely know me."
Anabel shrugged. "You're a Power Ranger," she said. "If you can be trusted to protect the world and the Mystic Realm. I can trust you with my car. Come on."
Giddy with excitement, Calvin followed Anabel away from his friends.
"Preston?" Mr Tien said, approaching. "Can I talk to you?"
Preston nodded and followed his father away from the group. Leaving Kali commandeer the attention of the rest. "You guys did amazing today," she said. "I'm so proud of you all."
"Thanks, Mum," said Aidan. "For a while, I didn't think you'd make it."
Kali smiled. "You were in good hands, even if I didn't," she said. "Anabel is very good at what she does. Her influence in the human world goes a long, long way."
"She's great," said Hayley.
"I think Calvin's died had gone to heaven," said Brody.
"Oh, most definitely," said Hayley, laughing.
Kali smiled. "I saw him leaving with Anabel," she said. "I should've guessed he'd be taken in by her car."
"He's lucky I'm not the jealous type," Hayley said.
Kali hugged her. "Nick's the same with his bike," she said. "If he hadn't have married me, and marrying a vehicle was permitted, I hundred percent think he would've married his bike."
"Like you're any different with your bike," said Aidan.
"True," Kali agreed.
The team laughed.
"Kali?"
Kali turned to the sound of her name, eyes widening at the sight that waited for her. "Morthill?" she questioned.
Morthill nodded. He was clutching his chest, blood was splattered all up his neck and face. He was covered in cuts, some of which were deep and exposed, and there were bruises running down his neck and beneath his collar.
He fell to one knee, hand pressed against the grass to keep himself steady and upright.
Kali squatted down before him. "What happened? Where's Circe?" she asked.
Morthill took a deep breath. The darkness on the edge of his vision threatened to overwhelm him, but he was determined to answer his captain before that happened. He looked up, meeting Kali's gaze, "Circe's gone," he said. "Galvanax destroyed her."
Message received, Morthill collapsed into the grass, eyes closed.