Investigation and Discovery
Plot: Max's father heads out to discover what is troubling him.
She didn't even care if the rain was messing up her new white shirt. She didn't care if it was getting dark. The rain continued to pour down as Ellie ran through the woods towards the springs, where the Rangers had last fought with their greatest foe ever. Her heart was beating nonperiodically as her worst fears began swirling around her head like a spinning top.
Her breath was uneven as she reached the shore, where the Rangers were last located before their signals were off, indicating that they have been significantly wounded, or worse...
She screamed in utmost terror at the horrendous sight that sat before her. The Rangers were all laying on the cold and begrimed sand as they started moving in pain as their muscles becoming stiff and tiresome from the beating they endured from the Lord of the Humanitors.
Maya lifted her head above the sand and cried out. "Ellie..." she choked.
Ellie rushed over to the Yellow Ranger, while Bonnie simply limped over to where her brother was, grunting as he suddenly awoke.
DJ was the first to get up to his feet. "Let's get back to the dojo," he remarked. Ellie looked up at him and frowned at how defeated DJ looked. This wasn't the tough and ruthless Ranger she became find with. This was a broken boy along with his friends who felt destroyed spiritually.
The Rangers were now in the dojo getting patched up by Bonnie. Max managed to gather his bearings but sat at the corner of the room. His facial expression indicated that he would rather not speak to anybody as he rubbed his patched-up shoulder. Words could not describe the shame he had felt. His self-esteem had plummeted and his courage was swept under the rug after one tough battle with Po himself.
Uni approached Max and put a hand on his shoulder. "You fought well, Max...I hope you now understand the severity of this fight."
Max rolled his eyes. "Yeah, now I realized what it is like to be a Humanitor getting his butt kicked." He then cast his sensei a hateful glance. "What is up with Po anyway?"
"Well Max, he is evil."
Max scoffed. "Why?! You and he were both raised in the same environment. So how come he decided it was best to turn to the evil side and here you are, being the goody two-shoed teacher." Max mocked before blowing a raspberry.
Uni bit his lip as he felt Max hit a nerve. "Max...I don't want to cause a big conflict. I suppose if you were to train harder, you may stand a chance in defeating Po once and for all."
"Sensei, we just want answers," Bonnie spoke.
"Yeah, from what I could tell, he could have finished us off, but he didn't," DJ pointed out.
Uni glanced at each of the Rangers before looking over at his daughter. Ellie just nodded her head, silently telling her father give an explanation to the Rangers.
Uni sighed. "There is a scroll that many scholars from my community have claimed would predict monumental battle between humanity and the humanitors."
Ellie started pacing from her desk to the Rangers. "The scroll does not predict who would win, but it did predict that 'worthwhile' battle would occur and that both parties would be at full capacity before the fight."
"And based on what I have seen...you Rangers still
Max felt his anger starting to boil over. He stood up from his seat. "Training? What is your definition of training, Sensei? Because for the past year and a half that I have been a student, my 'training' involved me and my friends getting our asses kicked by you. And so far, I have not seen you on the battlefield. If you can fight off 5 fully morphed Rangers, then why don't you grow some balls and face your old friend?"
The other Rangers could not believe Max's rebellious attitude, especially DJ and Maya. Out of all the years that they have known Max, he had never retaliated against any of his past teachers. He never argued with his parents, and always respected Sensei Uni more than his friends. Now here he was, talking back at the guy who have offered them their powers. However, it wasn't like Max was speaking nonsense. As difficult as it could be to digest, Max was making a fair and honest point about this delicate situation.
Uni growled as he pointed his shaking finger at Max's nose. "You do not talk that way towards me, Max."
Max laughed lightly before slapping Uni's hand away from his face. His intense gaze penetrated the Karate Master like never before. "Do not give me that! Our world is at stake and you really believe a stupid piece of paper is going to predict reality? What would do you live in?" He turned his back as a portal opened. "I'm out of here." He spoke before he plodded away to the portal leading to his neighborhood, leaving everyone speechless.
Uni cursed to himself as he turned and walked off, giving his students the shoulder. He was beyond furious at Max's attitude. In his mind, it was unacceptable and appalling for a student to talk back to their students. However, his mind couldn't grapple with the possibility that maybe Max was right. Perhaps Sensei Uni Nakamura should better his teaching capabilities. It's not like it's doing his students, especially those who are still under Po's captivity.
The others couldn't believe the major point Max made. It wasn't some sort of bullshit from a rebellious student. This was a fair point...how come Uni hasn't shown any more commitment in stopping the Humanitors besides training 5 crazy teens to do the work for him?
"Do you guys need a ride back home?" Maya offered to her friends, who all nodded. As they exited the dojo through a different portal, they all couldn't believe Max was so rebellious. Though they had to admit, it was something they were quite fond to see, which was Max not taking crud from anybody, even his teachers.
Max made sure his red sweatshirt completely covered his wounded shoulder. He didn't want his parents to be wondering what had happened. His entire occupation as a Ranger could be in jeopardy if his parents were to try to investigate where his injuries came from, so he had to make sure that they would be too oblivious to suspect anything that would hinder their son's emotional stability. He walked into his house and was welcomed with an attractive scent as he entered the kitchen. He found his father in a white apron as he pulled an entree from the oven.
He put on a forced smile as his father looked at him and grinned. "Max, my boy! Where have you been?"
Max cleared his throat. "I...just had a private meeting with my Sensei?"
Bobby scratched his chin after he had laid the casserole on the stove. He removed his mitts and smirked. "Well, I was curious about this Sensei. How could he be teaching my son karate if I haven't heard about the other students."
Max bit his lip as he opened a cabinet for a plate. "Well, I don't know what you are speaking of, Dad..."
Bobby raised an eyebrow. "Max, there are many parents all over the state wondering where on Earth their children are. They all went to your Karate class."
"You know I am not hungry," Max stated putting the plate back in the cabinet, and stormed, grabbing his skateboard on the way towards the front door.
Bobby looked over at his son and was confused. What was up with him the past few months? It must involve that teacher Uni Nakamura, but how come Max has been acting strange only a year after joining Uni's Academy.
As a law enforcement officer, Mr. Cruz was determined to find out what was up. In all of his dedicated years in law enforcement, if he suspects anything, his stern instincts would tell him to investigate. He set the entree aside and went to fetch his keys and ran outside to stop his son before he went off on his skateboard. "Max, come on! We're heading to the mall!"
It was a peaceful day in the city of Milwaukee. Downtown was as busy as it can be, with cars trying to get to establishments and workplaces. Wind bursting, and the early December weather was kicking in, as the citizens were now traveling wearing their fair share of winter garments.
But then, the citizens scatter in fear as buildings began to implode and crumble. A monster with unusual large human feet skidded to a stop as took in satisfaction at the chaos he had caused. He was pale-skinned, with huge buck teeth and ears. He resembled that of a jack-rabbit, and his name was Speedicus.
He muttered in a scratchy voice. "First this entire city, next, the entire WORLD." He cackled until he felt a huge force sending him tumbling backward.
He turned and found 4 Rangers with their special weapons ready. He growled before calling out. "You...RANGERS!" He then began to put his speed to the test. He sprinted and used his speed to send him running at a rapid speed that he was almost invisible to the Rangers.
They all looked around as all they could hear was the sound of him skidding all over the place, like a dragonfly flying all over the place.
"Where is he?" Maya asked frantically as she had her bow gun ready and steady. Just then, her answer was given when she felt a powerful force strike her, nearly incapacitating her and sending her to the ground.
The Rangers came to her aid as Speedicus halted to a stop and turned around towards the Rangers. "Can't beat me, slowpokes!"
Donnie growled. "We have to band together." He spoke, gripping his bow, but then grunted as he felt a jolt of pain from his midsection, the exact area where Po struck him. The Rangers were still affected by their recent encounter with the Lord of the Humanitors, but they needed to get their bearings. If only Max could get her. Where is he?
Bobby sat with his son at the seating area outside of the mall, where they were devouring their meal, just near where the Rangers were battling their latest enemy. Max's stern look as he began slurping away at his drink.
"Son, I believe you are wasting your life with this whole karate nonsense," he spoke simply, which got Max to snap his head up curiously.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
Max's father sighed. "Well, son...you're not a kid anymore, and your future doesn't involve martial arts, or...skateboarding. Don't you know what you want to be when you are older?"
Max narrowed his eyes. "Dad, you know I have my eyes set on law enforcement." He then shrugged his shoulder. "Perhaps either becoming an FBI agent or joining the US Marshall. But besides that, I'm not worried about my future. I'm only 16."
"Of course you don't," Bobby inferred, which got underneath Max's skin.
"What's that supposed to mean, father?" Max asked after gulping down his lemonade.
His father scratched the back of his neck. "Well, son, you are a kid, but not for long. You must have plans for your future, you know?"
Max ground his teeth. He just suffered a ruthless assault from one of the most powerful beings in history, he looked absolutely miserable, and his father had the nerve to spew out this nonsense. "This is unreal. I come home stressed out and worn out, and you give me this lecture?!" He stood up and shook his head. "I thought you were different."
Bobby stood up and stared at his son intensely. "Listen, I am not making the rules. I just want you to follow them."
"Well, screw those rules. I can't believe you even drag me over here and start bagging on me, and you have no idea what I have been going through!"
"So tell me..." Bobby spoke sternly, crossing his arms.
Max was about to speak, but both he and his father were alarmed by the sounds of people screaming and the sight of them scattering in pure fear.
An explosion occurred from afar. Bobby grabbed his son's arms and rushed over behind a corridor where they could be safe. "We could be safe here! God, I wonder what is going on here!"
Max knew what was up. He needed to be there for his friends. He also couldn't let his dad down, but what the heck? It's not like his dad is going to chase after him if Max would run towards a monster. He broke free of his dad's grip and ran towards the cause of the danger.
"Max no!" Bobby yelled out, but his son ignored him. He then took matters into his own hands and chased after him. If only he knew what was gonna be revealed before him, and how it would impact his relationship with his son.
Max hurried over to where the Rangers were. They were all leaning against a wall of a rather tall building, all groaning in pain.
Max then turned and ground his teeth as he noticed a monster resembling a jackrabbit standing from afar. "I am not even trying hard here!" Speedicus remarked.
If only Max knew who was watching him from a corner as he pulled up his Morpher and called out. "CALL INTO COMBAT!"
Bobby's eyes widened as his son transformed into a red figure. Not just any red figure, but the Red Power Ranger.
His son is a Power Ranger.
He couldn't believe this. This was all starting to make sense as to what was going on. The monster attacks, Max's constant disappearances here and there. It all started to become clear.
But the man had to keep focused as his son was now battling the new monster along with his friends. He was distraught for what he had just witnessed: the transfiguration of his son to the Red Power Ranger. He had heard about these superheroes constantly over news media outlets over the last few months, but he would have never guessed that his son was one of the heroes.
To be continued...