Speed Limit

To say that Max's team was pissed would be the understatement of the century. It had just been a week since Max's unexpected resignation from his position as the Red Power Ranger and they have yet to process the fact that their leader willingly been extracted from the group. The twins would hardly even show up to practice, instead, make excuses such as the extracurricular activities that they promised to join, but it was clear to both Maya and DJ that Donnie and Bonnie were just tired of looking at their Sensei without feeling the twinge of hatred towards him for driving Max to quit.

Speaking of DJ and Maya, they were combatting against still figures made entirely out of unbreakable kevlar, with a metal head on top. They were in their Blue and Yellow Karate suits as they used kendo sticks to strike their respective dummy in multiple directions.

After his intense workout, which consisted of striking his dummy from numerous areas, DJ ruffled his deep, dark brown hair which had grown a bit in the past couple of months. He glanced over at Maya as he spoke. "Have you heard from Max at all this past week?'

Maya froze and looked concerned as she looked back at DJ. "No, have you?"

DJ held the kendo stick against his front shoulder and shrugged. "Not a trace." His eyebrows then furrowed as he thought about Uni. "Can't believe he would drive him away..." he muttered loud enough for Maya to hear.

Maya sighed as she rubbed DJ's arm. "I get it, Deej. Honestly, Max's decision got me thinking about something."

DJ looked questioningly at Maya. "What do you mean?"

"DJ, both you and I have dreams and goals. I want to become a journalist or start my own business in advertising, while you want to become a famous mixed martial artist, which is quite different than Karate. I thought being a Power Ranger was all fun and games, but to be honest, the stress is starting to get to me. We have the fate of the whole world on our shoulders, and with Max dealing with his parents, I can honestly see how he would have snapped."

DJ's gaze fell as he deep into thought. Maya just made a crucial point about this entire situation. In all honestly, the Rangers felt sort of obliged to fight evil now that all of the other students were captured. They felt as if they had no choice but to put their lives at risk for the sake of the planet, and the most outrageous detail is that these folks are TEENAGERS! They should be focused on their future. They get enough stress from school, work, and family. It's not like being a Ranger is making things easier for them, especially with these intense training schedules which make their already busy schedule more hectic than they should be.

DJ just drop his kendo stick as he looked up at Maya with a grim face. "Maya, do you even want to do this anymore?"

"What do you mean?" Maya asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I have my issues to deal with. I...don't think this superhero stuff can work anymore."

A deep, stern voice then spoke from behind the teens. "What is this I hear about?"

The two teens turned and were stunned to see Uni standing before them with his arms crossed. He was in his traditional uniform and had his arms crossed. His facial expression showed that he was peeved.

"Maya, Dean-Jamal, are you questioning your role as Power Rangers?" He asked.

DJ bit his lip as his mind ran into a mental speedbump. Thankfully, Maya spoke up with a sarcastic, enthusiastic voice. "No, of course not...right, Deej?"

DJ remained quiet. Maya frowned before caving in. "Fine, yes, you heard what we said, Sensei," she scoffed.

Uni's facial expression softened as he sighed, slowly approaching the Rangers. He had his hands behind his back as he spoke. "I understand you guys feel like you have lost interest and determination in your duties as Power Rangers."

"It's not that we are not interested," DJ stuttered before coming up with a valid explanation. "It's just that...we want to do more with our lives, and this job as superheroes is sort of...what's the word."

"Stressful," Maya answered nonchalantly, rolling her eyes.

Uni took a deep breath in as he gave DJ and Maya and sympathetic look. "You guys were never meant to be Power Rangers, so for the past few months, it had been an honor to watch you guys make a comeback from average student to pure superheroes. Although becoming a Power Ranger means you must make sacrifices, it was never my intention to deprive any of you of life experiences such as school and family."

DJ looked surprised. "Wow, you...you mean it."

Uni gave a small smile as patted DJ's shoulder. "What other reason would you believe I let Maxwell walk out without stopping him? Being a Power Ranger should be 100 percent voluntarily, even with what is stacked against us."

Maya grinned. "Honestly, Uni, and that knowledge, I am willing to be a Ranger."

DJ's smile fell into a small frown as his gaze fell once again. "Yeah...I just wished Max felt the same way."

"I wonder how he is doing right now..."

Uni wondered the same thing. With the knowledge, Max's father had obtained about Max being a Ranger, their family could still be a liability, even with Max resigning as the Red Ranger.

Max's eyes fluttered as the bright sunlight beamed through the blinds towards where he was sleeping. He moaned sat upon his bed, rubbing his eyes and letting out a defeated sigh. He hopped off his bed and slowly walked out of his room. He was still in his sleepwear, which consisted of a red shirt and brown sweatpants, as he walked down the hall and into the kitchen. His red hair was a mess, but he could care less. In fact, for the past week, he couldn't care about anything besides of course...his parents.

The schoolwork was starting to pile over, even though Max had only been absent for a week. They only had one last week before winter finals, so he should probably get started because a bad GPA would ruin his reputation and also prevent him from joining any sports in the spring.

Just then, a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman enter the kitchen with her pink robe and was delighted to see the young boy already awake.

"Hey, sweetie," Max's mother Mary greeted, kissing her son on the cheek, causing Max to groan but give his mother an embarrassed smile. He was glad to see her early this morning, as his father was already our on an early morning shift. He needed someone to talk to.

"Mom, there is something I should talk to you about."

Mary looked confused as her hands fell on her hips. "What is it, hon'?"

Max sighed before finally caving in. "I quit my Karate classes."

Mary gasp. She never knew about Max's double-life as a Ranger, but she knew about the Karate lesson he would receive from Uni from the very beginning. Max continued as his gaze fell towards the ground. "I can't help but feel like I made the wrong decision, you know? I mean, it is time-consuming, and I wanted to spend more time with you and dad, but it felt as if I let my friends down because of it."

Mary gave her son a sympathetic look before pulling her son in for a hug. "Sweetie, if you felt as if you made the right choice, then there is nothing to worry about. However, if you truly believe that quitting Uni's Karate class was a mistake, then you should reconsider your decision."

"I just wanted to spend more time with you, because who knows when I would lose you." Max felt tears form in his eyes. He had the impossible choice as of that moment. Either let his friends down and leave the team just to be with his parents or be the hero the Red Ranger should be and most likely never see his parents again. If he could change anything in the past, he would have never made contact with his father the very day he and the others fought that Rabbit monster, but the one thing Max learned is that changing the past has its consequences in the future.

"Max, baby, if your friends need you, then I would suggest you be by their side. If this is stressful for you, then it may be stressful for them, but it would mean a lot if you guys all went through a challenge together, no matter the circumstances. Honey, you are the noblest and courageous boy I know, and I know you would make the right choice." Mary pulled away and looked deep into her son's blue eyes, which were just as bright as hers.

Max smiled at his mother as he firmly gripped her hands. "Thanks, mom." He spoke, a tear sliding down his cheek as the stress from being a Ranger, a student at school, and a valuable son at home starting to wear him down. That combined with the realization that he may never be dropped off at school by his parents again, probably never taste the sweet cuisine that is his mother's cooking, and probably never hang with his father anymore that was the catalyst that nearly opened the floodgates of Max's emotions, but he tried his best to keep it shut.

His mother kissed his cheek before walking over to the stove to make breakfast. Max knew that he had to decide as he sat down at the kitchen table.

Speedicus had returned, but Sky decided to ante up his speed. As the monster terrorized the citizens downtown, Sky appeared near him as they stood by a large fountain.

"Sky, what brings you here?" Speedicus asked with confusion.

Sky chuckled. "Oh nothing, just giving you a hand. TAKE FAST!" She yelled out before an aquatic ball formed between her hands. She chucked it over towards Speedicus, causing him to shriek with shock. The ball splashed all over him and he felt his powers intensify, and his entire body began to enlarge.

Speedicus, now gigantified, began using his speed to rampage through the city at rapid speed. "Man, that fertilizer was better than any carrot I have ever had!" He cackled, but then felt a hard strike of what felt like a shark's teeth through his body, stopping him and in tracks and sending him tumbling to the ground, thankfully not crushing any bystanders who were watching with awe. Many news outlets were trying to broadcast the latest fight of the mysterious Power Rangers with yet another monster.

Speedicus groaned as he looked up and sure enough, the Shark Zord was floating around him, taunting him, with the Blue Ranger piloting it.

"You just never get tired, do you," DJ said bitterly from his cockpit.

"Never. In fact, I am in a need of more speed." Speedicus then sped around the perimeter of the city. The Bat, Bear, and Shark Zords could barely catch up. It was clear that they needed something that could give them a boost.

But then their prayers were answered once a certain Zord sped past them at an alarming speed, getting closer and closer to catching up to Speedicus.

"Yeah, Maya!" Bonnie called out from the cockpit of her Bear Zord.

Maya pressed her to foot harder against the accelerator, giving her Cheetah Zord more speed. It was a blessing her zord was based on the fastest land animal on the planet. Since Speedicus was based on a jackrabbit, it was no wonder a mechanical cheetah would be fast enough to catch up to him.

Speedicus began to panic as he ran through the outskirts of the city and towards the forests. The Cheetah Zord was getting closer, and closer, and closer, until...

"Cheetah Zord, claw strike!" Maya called out. Her Cheetah Zord lunged at Speedicus, stopping him as both landed through the woods. Speedicus managed to gather his bearings after chucking the Cheetah Zord off of him. He stood up as he growled.

"That's impossible! How could you have caught me?" He demanded.

"Never underestimate the power of a Cheetah! Now let's end this!" She slammed her foot on the gas pedal, before pressing the palm of her hand firmly against the steering. "Cheetah Zord, Accelerate!"

Her Cheetah Zord's eyes and teeth began to power up, lights illuminating the entire scene as Speedicus backed up, a bit frightened as to what is about to occur.

Before he knew it, the Cheetah Zord lunged towards him, causing him to shriek. "Cheetah Zord, Earth Final Strike!" Maya called out as her Zord torpedoed through Speedicus, causing sparks to fly out and smoke to emanate from his entire body.

The Cheetah Zord skitted to a stop as Speedicus cried out from behind. "Well, I had a good run!" He spoke his last words before collapsing to the ground, imploding as Maya cheered from her cockpit.

"Yeah!" She sprung from her seat, with her fist in the air. "United We Stand, Divided We Fall!"

The other Zords caught up to her as they all cheered.

"Yeah, girl!" Bonnie called out from her Zord.

"You go, Maya!" Donnie said from his cockpit.

DJ had remained silent as he spoke through his communicator. "Maya, now that this is over, we need to find Max."

Both of Max's parents were concerned about their son, especially his father since he had not told Max's mother of their son's identity as a Ranger. They walked hand-in-hand up the stairs towards their son's room. In Bobby's right hand, he gripped on a 6-pack of Max's favorite soda: Mountain Dew. He always seemed to be put in a better mood after drinking it, so Bobby thought this would help his son out.

They carefully entered their son's dim-lit room. They were stunned to see that his bed was vacant, save for a note that was laid in the middle of the bed.

Mary felt her blood run cold. Where was her son? Where was her baby? She walked over and picked up the note. She read its contents carefully...and fearfully.

Mom...Dad,

I'm sorry, you guys become had aware of my double-life as a superhero. Yes, Mom, I am the Red Power Ranger. If you don't believe me, ask Dad.

That's not the point. The point is that it is not safe for me to be around you guys anymore. I can't risk you guys getting hurt now that my identity has been compromised.

I love you both with every drop of blood in my body, and I will be back soon...I promise.

Your dear son, Max

Mary's hands began shaking as she slowly turned towards her husband. Tears of shock and sadness escaped her eyes, and once her husband embraced her, she broke down into tears. Bobby glanced over at the note and read it from a distance. He thought to himself that this could not be.

How could they go along without their son? Just...how?

To be continued...