It was morning, and Domon yawned as he entered the kitchen.

He saw Ayase, sitting and reading the newspaper.

Domon had been meaning to bring up the subject of Honami to him. He figured it was as good a time as any to bring the subject up.

"You know, Ayase, I've been thinking."

"First time for everything."

Domon forced a laugh.

"Good one. Anyway, things are going well with me and Minamo, and Sion has that Osaka girl. Once Yuri and Tatsuya admit how they feel about each other, you're going to be the only single one here."

"Fine with me" said Ayase, not looking up from the paper.

"Well, if you don't want to be stuck home alone with Tac, there's a girl I know who-"

"Not interested."

"C'mon, hear me out, she's a great gal, you'll love her-"

Ayase suddenly sat up.

"Listen, I don't want a relationship, certainly not one with someone recommended by you!"

Ayase threw the paper on the table and stormed out.

Yeeesh. He seems to have a bigger stick up his ass than usual. Well, don't worry Honami, I won't let you down-

"Domon-"

"Dah!" yelled Domon, turning around to see Sion.

"-what do you mean about me and Osaka?"

"Oh, you know, you and her are dating?"

"We are?"

"Well yeah. Wait, are you?"

"I thought we were friends. Are we?"

"Oh boy. Well, let's figure this out. Do you like her? I mean, do you like her in the way you like Yuri? Or a, uh, "

Sion thought about it.

"Well, when she talks to me I can't think about anything else. And my heart beats faster when I'm with her, like when we're fighting the Londerz, but in a good way. And when she smiles at me, I feel so warm inside, and...and, I - I do like her in a special way! I do want her to be my girlfriend!"

"Great! Congrats Sion, I always knew you had it in you!"

Domon took Sion in a bear hug, which the young Ranger broke out of after a moment.

"But wait, how do I know Osaka feels the same? I mean, It's a girl as amazing as her, she could have anyone at school, why would she choose me?"

"Oh, that's nonsense, Sion! You're handsome, sweet, smart…why, you're just like me! Except I have a rugged masculinity while you're more of a sensitive type, but that's all right, I think 20th century women prefer that. In any case, you better talk to her and get it cleared up, believe me nothing good comes out of when a girl thinks you're in a relationship and you don't."

"Okay, I will!"

Sion felt odd, nervous yet also excited. He was eager to get to school now.

"And hey, if you're are in a relationship, there's plenty of fun stuff you can do. Ooh, we should probably ask Tac a few questions about Hubbardian physiology first, though. I know that Osaka is a weir…unique girl, but I don't know if she's going to want eggs implanted in her or whatever…"

The girls, minus two, walked into home room.

Any hope they had that the situation with Tomo had been resolved instantly died when they saw that she was nowhere to be seen, while Yomi was sitting with her head lying on her desk, looking as miserable as they had ever seen her.

"Yomi?" said Chiyo.

She didn't get up, but her eyes moved over to them.

"Hey" she said in a tired, barely audible voice.

"Yomi, what's wrong? How did it go with Tomo yesterday?" asked Kagura.

After taking a moment to work up the strength to speak, Yomi told them what happened, her confrontation with Tomo, how she reacted reacted, what she accused her of.

When she was done, her friends looked aghast. Kagura scowled and punched the wall in frustration.

"God, I knew Tomo was a moron, but not that she was fucking re-"

"Don't loose hope, Yomi!" shouted Chiyo, looking determined, pigtails pointing up. "If Tomo refuses to listen to reason, we'll find someone who will! We'll go to Miss Yukari and Miss Kurosawa and tell them what's going on!"

"Yeah, we'll get this quack away from Tomo and into prison!" said Kagura.

"You don't understand!" shouted Yomi, startling the orhers with how manic she seems compared to just a moment before.

"What don't we-"

"Tomo's missing!"

The others looked agape.

"Missing?" said Sakaki. "What do you mean-"

"Her dad called me this morning. She never came home last night."

The girls stood silent, unable to believe that the situation had grown even more dire.

"God, I should have followed her" said Yomi. "She was so weak, what if she collapsed oh the way home? She could laying in some alley unconscious, or even dea-"

"Let's not jump to conclusions!" said Kagura.

"Yeah, it ain't gonna help Tomo just assumin' the worse."

"Right!" said Kagura. "Let's do what Chiyo said! Miss Kurosawa is already here, let's go tell her now!"

"Right!" said Chiyo, she and Osaka following Kagura out.

Sakaki started to follow them, but then looked again at the despondent Yomi and stopped.

"Yomi…"

Yomi looked up at her friend.

"I don't think Tomo meant what she said. I have never fully understood your friendship, but I can tell that she cares very much for you, and I believe she must know that you feel the same about her."

Yomi looked at Sakaki silently for a moment. She stood up.

"Sakaki, I-"

Yomi suddenly broke down, falling onto Sakaki. She cried as Sakaki held her and patted her back.

Yukari had only just entered the teachers longue when she heard-

"Yukari!"

Nyamo rushed frantically over to her.

"Thank God, I've been looking for you. I think we should both go to the principal's office together-"

"Oh, now you want my help do you?! How do I know when I show up you won't have decided to skip it for a gym teacher makeout session, which I assume consists of an hour trying to figure out how to kiss before giving up-"

"Wait, Tomo is in danger and you're still upset about that?!"

"Don't try to change the subject, you- wait, what about Tomo?"

"Of course you don't know, why would the safety of one of your students concern you? She's sick, probably because of that doctor you sent her to, and now she's missing!"

"What?"

"But you don't even care, do you?! You know, all these years I've believed that despite everything you're a good person deep down. You know, maybe you're right, maybe I am just a stupid gym teacher."

Yukari could only stammer as Nyamo marched out of the room.

The commotion had attracted the attention of the other teachers there, but Yukari could care less as she sloped into her chair. It was pretty rare that Nyamo got that mad at her...She supposed she should swallow her pride, go and apologize-

"YURI!"

The new teacher had just walked in and now looked like a deer in the headlights as Yukari sat down by her.

"Hey girl! We don't chat enough, do we?"

"Actually we've talked every day since I started here-"

"You seem like you need a friend! All alone in this new school, feeling tired, cold, hungry…oh, here, try my natto!"

Yuri opened her mouth to decline, only for Yukari to stuff it in there. She reluctantly swallowed.

"Sometimes you just need a gal pal to bitch to. Like, you wouldn't believe what I just went through with Nyamo…"

The girls sat at the cafeteria table. For the first time Kagura could ever recall, they were all completely silent, eating their lunches while looking downcast. She tried desperately to think of some subject that would take their minds off Tomo even for a moment.

"So, Osaka, how are things going with Sion?"

"Oh, real good. After school today we're gonna go to Magicland and do that haunted house ride."

"Osaka, you're terrified of that ride."

"Yeah, so is he! We're going to scream so much it's going to be so fun!"

"Great! Man, you need to give me some pointers, I'm getting a little tired of the single life."

"Pointers?"

"Yeah, you know, to get a boyfriend."

"Wait, ah have a boyfriend?"

"Uh, yeah? Sion?"

"He is?"

Kagura lowered her head onto the table.

"Osaka, only you could have a boyfriend and not realize it."

"But wait" said Yomi. "You told me last night you two were 'making whoopee.'"

"Yeah, we were making our own whoopee cushion. Boy, Miss Yukari's face is going to be so red when we finish."

"…yeah I should have guessed that's what you meant."

"Well, would you want to be his girlfriend, Miss Osaka?" asked Chiyo.

"Hmmm" said Osaka. "Ah'm not sure. The way ah like him is different than the way ah like y'all, even you Kagura."

"Uh, we'll discuss that some other time. Anyway, how about this? Remember that stuff Miss Kurosawa told us about at Chiyo's?" said Kagura. "Do you want to try any of that with Sion?"

Osaka considered the matter, and her face slowly turned red.

"Yeah…yeah, ah would like that!"

Then her face turned downcast.

"Ah, but Sion's real smart. He'd want to date someone like Yomi or Chiyo-Chan, you know, someone he could have long talks 'bout science and junk."

"Let's hope he wouldn't date Chiyo-Chan" said Yomi.

"Don't be so down on yourself, Miss Osaka. You always have such fascinating observations. Isn't that right, Yomi?"

"Uhhh…yeah, sure. In any case, Sion seems pretty crazy about you. I would-"

Yomi stopped mid sentence, having seen someone walk through the hallway by the cafeteria entrance.

"What is it, Yomi?" asked Chiyo.

"That's him. That doctor, the one who did…that to Tomo" she said with barely repressed rage.

Yomi got up and left them.

"Yomi, wait!" said Kagura, but despite her and the others' protests their friend marched out of the cafeteria.

Kagura sighed. For a moment there, it was like everything was normal again, that Tomo was just home sick with a cold or something. Not for the first time in the last two days, she wondered if her and her friends' carefree days were gone for good...

"Can you believe it? Accusing me of not caring about our students! Just because I don't blubber whenever one of them manages to wipe their nose…"

Yuri was doing her best to tune out Yukari, who had been ranting for what felt like hours now, instead focusing on pleasant memories such as fighting for her life in Genbu's pocket dimension. Silently, she prayed for something, anything provide a break from this.

"Miss Yuri?"

Yuri stopped and seemed to involuntary shiver at the voice. Confused, Yukari turned and saw it was Kaorin, an eager smile on her face.

"Yes, Kaorin?" asked Yuri with a forced smile.

"Oh, there were some things in class I didn't quite understand, and I was hoping you could help me?"

"Oh I'm sorry Kaorin, but Miss Yukari and I have a teachers conference to go to. Isn't that right, Yukari?"

Yukari sad about to say she didn't know what she was talking about, when she saw the pleading look in her eyes.

"Uh, that's right Kaorin, we have a very important teachers conference to get to."

"In the middle of the school day?"

"Well we figured we're already all here so it's really the best time. Bye now" she said, grabbing Yuri by the hand and walking away.

Once they were free of her, Yuri gave a sigh of relief.

"Thank you. That girl, Kaorin. I think she has a, uh, 'crush' on me."

"Really? All this time I swore she had a crush on Osaka. Well I now how you feel. Every boy here has a crush on yours truly. I tell you, it's tough knowing all your male students are pulling their peckers thinking of you, but I suppose I can't blame them."

She checked her watch.

"Ooh, look at time, I have a class to teach. You know, I've always said this job would be perfect if it weren't for the students. Well, see you around."

Yuri nodded. She was thinking she should go on to her class as well when she heard something.

Following the sound, she saw a student arguing with a man in a white coat. She recognized her as one of the girls from the weekend…Yomi, she was fairly sure was her name. From what she knew of her, she wasn't one to get into arguments with faculty. She thought this might be worth examining further…

Akayama was reviewing notes as he walked to his room when someone stepped in his way. Managing to avoid a collision, he looked to see a student, a tall girl with glasses, glaring at him.

"Where's Tomo?"

For a split second, Akayama' eyes widened before he regained his composure.

"How should I know? I haven't seen her since our appointment on Monday."

"She's missing, and I know you're behind it!"

Akayama merely smiled.

"I see. You don't know what's happened to your friend, and so you've concocted this notion that I've abducted her for nefarious purposes. An understandable reaction, albeit one I'd expect from someone in kindergarten rather than a high schooler such as yourself."

"Cut the crap! You're not innocent; you can see what your doing to her!"

"Miss Takino was informed of all risks with this procedure, I forced her to do nothing."

"Yeah, I bet! You knew she'd say yes to anything! That's why you chose her, isn't it? You're not a doctor, you're a drug pusher!"

"What is it you think, that I'm some sort of mad scientist, holding your friend captive and performing weird experiments on her? I'd be outraged by these accusations if they weren't so laughable. I assure you miss, I have a lot invested in Miss Takino, I'd hardly want anything to happen to her."

"That's all she is to you isn't she? Just some lab rat!"

"Believe me, she's worth much more to me than that. Now, leave me be, or do I need to get the principal's office involve?"

Yomi's angry glare never wavered, but after a moment she stepped aside.

"Thank you" said Akayama, a large shit eating grin across his face.

Once he was gone, the anger drained out of Yomi, replaced by embarrassment.

God, she was an idiot. What was she thinking? That she could intimidate him, make him confess everything?

"Yomi?"

Yomi turned at the sound of her name. It was that new teacher, Miss Yuri.

"I heard you talking to that man. Tell me-"

Yomi quickly bowed.

"I'm sorry, Miss Yuri, I know I shouldn't have bothered Dr. Akayama. I'll accept whatever punishment you deem-"

"No, you misunderstand...what's happened to your friend, and why do you think he's responsible?"

Yomi was taken aback by this response. She quickly got over it, and explained what was going on, what had happened to Tomo, why she thought Akayama was involved.

All the while Miss Yuri listened carefully, looking like she was taking this completely seriously. Once she finished, the history teacher looked thoughtful.

"You go on to class, Yomi. But I promise you, I'm going to look into this, and him."

Yomi just held her mouth agape for a moment before nodding and taking off for class as she was told.

She felt a sense of relief that someone was taking her seriously; but that soon dissipated. After all, Miss Yuri was only a teacher; what could she do?

Gien walked through the school hallway. Although Iesnes had said the matter was quite urgent, he was taking his time, observing the sights, looking at the classrooms with open doors. It was all just so fascinating to him.

He wondered if 30th century schools were the same. He wouldn't have known, having never gone. He remembered as a child watching the other children head there from the alleys that were his home. Sometimes they would see him, laugh at him, throw things at him, telling him he was too stupid and smelly to go to school…

It suddenly occurred to him he could reach out and grab the student nearest to him and twist their neck. He could drop his disguise, open fire on them. He imagined the chaos, the students all screaming and running, the teachers unable to do anything to stop him, blood splattering on him as he laughed…

…No, he would resist this impulse. Dolnero would be upset, and it was important to focus on the matter at hand. Besides, there was no reason he couldn't do it in the future if he felt like it...

Yuri kicked open the vent screen and leapt down.

She scanned the classroom so as to find out what exactly Akayama was hiding. She didn't have to search further. There was Tomo, sitting with her head down on the desk, a pencil in her hand.

"Tomo?"

The girl remained still. Yuri came up to her and shook her.

"Tomo!?"

Still the girl didn't respond. Yuri felt relieved when she checked and felt a pulse.

She was to pick her up and leave when she saw the doorknob turn. She did not want to turn the school into a battleground if she could help it, which left only one other option. Looking around, she saw a closet and ran for it.

She closed the door just before hearing the door open and two people walk in.

"…I did my best to bluff but I can tell she won't let the matter drop. I have to leave today!"

"Calm down, Iesnes. A learned individual like yourself shouldn't be so excitable."

That voice…Gien!?

The robot looked down and examined Tomo.

"Your subject does not seem long for this world."

"Don't worry" said Akayama as he took out a syringe filled with a green liquid. "I can keep her alive until she's served her purpose."

He rolled down her sleeve and injected her, making her stir and murmur.

"It's risky having her here at all, I should have brought her to the factory yesterday night."

"Dolnero requires personal approval to bring captives onto his property. But it has been granted now. You can relax, Iesnes, I've already arranged for your move. The Zennits, disguised of course, will be here soon. No one, not even the Timerangers, will be able to stop our plan."

Inside the closet, Yuri felt her body tighten. The situation was worse than they had thought. She had assumed this was one of Dolnero's schemes to earn money. If this was a Gien joint, though, then the purpose was chaos and death.