George was spending his day at the Crosslands Aquarium, observing the exotic blue tangs in their exhibit. He had chosen not to take the guided tour. He knew the layout of the building. His parents had been employees at the building back when it opened and supported it all their lives.
"Is this a private brooding session, or can anyone join in?" George turned around to see Anna sat on one of the provided cushions. "Don't worry, I'm not blowing off work to be here. If you forgot, the place is closed for repairs due to damages incurred on your watch."
"Don't remind me.", George shuddered. "Anyway, why'd you come here in particular? I thought I made my stance clear earlier."
The previous night, the Rangers had been called to the base at short notice by Kit and Mover. "Can we make this quick?", Lee yawned. "I have to get to work tomorrow."
"And I have to find a reason to avoid work tomorrow.", Bobby added.
"I promise, this will be worth your time.", Kit insisted. "For a while, I've noted that between Mover's need to run the Rangers' field operations and work on our arsenal has him stretched thin. Meaning, we need a new helper around here."
"But we can't trust anyone off the street to come in and help.", Mover continued. "Thankfully, with the AI data I got studying the RPM Engine Cell we had a few days ago, I was able to create a new assistant." He pressed a button, causing the screen to burst to life and reveal a red line. "Rangers, meet the Learning Evolution Operating System."
"You may call me 'Leo' for short.", a mechanical voice came from the computer. "Greetings, Power Rangers."
"Nice to meet you, Leo.", Lee said as he waved at the monitor. "I'm…"
"I am aware of all your designations, Leon Kent, nicknamed Lee.", Leo responded. "The rest of you are George Ford, no nickname on file, Annabelle Ketchum, nicknamed Anna…"
Bobby couldn't contain his laughter. "Annabelle? Really?"
"Yeah, I got a lot of laughs from the kids at school too.", Anna sighed. "Not to mention George when he first found out."
Leo continued its analysis of the Rangers. "Robert Peeler, nicknamed Bobby, and Christopher Boxer, nicknamed Kit. Birthname—."
"I don't think the details on my birth certificate are important.", Kit interrupted. "My point is, Leo can calculate the best possible strategy in battle, the most optimal Megazord combinations for giant battles and the locations and status of Zord modules and their giant counterparts. Which admittedly, we're down to two in tuning and one missing module, so that last part only needs to be done once."
"Monster Zords will complete their tuning process in under 5 hours.", Leo answered. "Calculations place location of Dolphin Tanker module at Crosslands Aquarium. Now calculating best Rangers for mission."
"I'll go alone.", George spoke up. "I know it like the back of my hand and I'll be able to search all over quicker than anyone else."
"Never mind.", was all Leo could offer.
Back in the present, Anna explained her presence. "Since I wasn't doing anything, I thought I might help you. And I worked here once as a tour guide, so I know the place fairly well."
"Why'd you stop?", George asked, anticipating the answer.
And sure enough, Anna responded with "I don't want to talk about it."
George sighed. "Well, I'd be fine with some help. Mover told me that Dolphin Tanker is sentient, both the Zord and the module. So we'll have to search especially hard."
On a rooftop, the Star Kats were lying back, with Grillion using his microphone staff as a pillow. "Ah, nothing like a day off to get a tan.", he said.
K.P lay down on a pillow with a similar cat pattern to her dress. "This weather is just perfect for a catnap.", she commented.
"Course layin' down ain't easy fer all of us.", Meowbile noted as he flipped himself over with effort. "But it sure is relaxin' when I succeed."
As the Star Kats began to doze off, they were scared awake by Technorg's Upgrade Engine setting off small explosions next to them. "Your break has been concluded.", Technorg stated. "I have a new plan to implement, that requires an Automonster from you three."
The Star Kats weren't paying attention, instead moving on to profuse pleading. "Please forgive us! Please forgive us! Please forgive us!"
"There is nothing to forgive.", Technorg stated dismissively as they whacked the pair on their heads. "Now get out there and find a suitable object to put the Rangers on ice."
"Sir!", the three lackeys said as they saluted, before dashing off to find an object.
It took all of a few minutes for K.P to spot a fridge-freezer on the street, that was in the midst of being loaded into a moving van. "Maybe that could be a good monster.", she said.
"Go get it quickly.", Grillion urged. K.P subsequently threw Meowbile into his hands so she could pull out the Overclock Key and run towards the fridge-freezer.
As K.P ran forward, workers loading a cupboard into the van saw her and ran away. "Nothing mentioned alien monsters in the contract.", one of them said.
K.P plugged the Overclock Key into its target, turning it. "Now for something to freeze the Rangers and their grid."
Absorbing the Key transformed the fridge-freezer into an Automobeast, whose head was a metal box with several blue tentacles emerging from it, two of which formed a moustache under a pair of red eyes. "Freezequid, at your serv-ice.", he introduced himself with a wave.
"Alright.", Grillion said as he approached the new creation. "Now then, find the Rangers and use you powers to put the freeze on them."
"They won't s-know what hit them.", Freezequid whispered as he turned and headed off.
Before the Star Kats could join him, they were stopped by Technorg. "He'll make a good distraction for part of the plan, but you'll be needing this for the main part."
They took a familiar item out of their pocket. "Ain't dat the summoner for da Negazord?", Meowbile asked. "And weren't dat thing destroyed da last time?"
"It's called the Shift Jacker.", Technorg stated. "And I have reconstructed the Negazord better than it was before. Now it can face off against the Rangers' Zords without any need to steal some for ourselves."
"Ooh, great.", K.P said as she eagerly snatched the Shift Jacker. "Now we'll show the Rangers what it feels like to be beaten by a big robot."
At the Ranger base, the alarm sounded. "Feels weird when I'm not at the console to sound that.", Mover commented.
"Automonster and Star Kats detected.", Leo sounded off. "Area in vicinity of Crosslands Aquarium."
"That's where George and Anna went to.", Mover realised. "Well, that should make things easier. Open up a comms channel for…"
"Already done.", Leo answered.
Mover sighed. "Okay, now I'm starting to feel silly." He nonetheless spoke into the communicator. "Hurry guys, there's a Mafia alert. Right near the Aquarium."
"On it.", Lee, Bobby and Kit all said in response, before setting off for the scene, morphing en-route.
But at the Aquarium, Freezequid had arrived and begun freezing the fleeing civilians. "It's time for you to chill out.", he laughed.
George and Anna showed up, already Morphed, in response to the commotion. "I don't know what's worse.", Anna commented. "The puns, or the damage he's doing."
"Probably the puns.", George nodded in response, as he pulled out his Wheel Saber in gun mode. "But well soon provide a good warm-up."
"He's not so hot.", Anna agreed, as she also pulled her weapon out. "Now let's do this."
"Hold it!" Both were interrupted by the appearance of the Star Kats. "Today, you won't just be dealing with one opponent.", Grillion announced.
"But all of us as well.", K.P added, as she took out the Shift Jacker. "Now let's get down with this thing.", she declared as she pressed the pedal on the device. Summon Negazord!
The Negazord appeared in truck form, before assuming its robot mode, as brown and orange copies of Blue Mountain and Pink Cruiser, appeared to equip it with a drill on its right arm and a claw on its left. "Negazord, assembly complete!", the three Star Kats declared from within.
"There's no stopping us now.", K.P declared.
"We're back and better than ever.", Grillion added.
The other three Rangers chose that moment to appear. "Looks like we need the big guns already.", Lee decided. "Mover, we're going to need the Zords.", he said into his Morpher.
"Already?", Mover said from the other side, clearly shocked. "Well, they say 'no peace for the wicked' and all that."
"Analysis of existing data for Negazord indicates Police Pursuit Megazord best choice to combat unknown variables of drill and claw weapons.", Leo deduced. "Also suggest division of resources to deal with Automonster attacking on ground."
"I'll handle the ugly guy.", George insisted. "You four handle the knockoff."
"Are you sure?", Bobby asked.
"Trust him.", Anna answered. "Once George sets his mind, it's hard to change."
"Let's get on with this.", Kit said as he inserted the Vision Van module into his Siren Morpher.
Within a few minutes, Mover appeared and combined with the Police Zords. "Police Pursuit Megazord, ready!" He began firing at the Negazord. "Rapid Fire Blasts!"
But the Negazord simply walked through the shots, unimpeded. "Did ya forget we had dose Zords fer a few minutes?", Meowbile asked.
"Technorg was able to create some better amour that can block your shots.", Grillion explained. He then had the Negazord dodge a swing of the guns from Mover, before throwing a kick to its foe.
Down on the ground, George spun forward to engage in battle with a Robolt, taking the time to shoot out two more that move in to attack. He then wrestled the first one to the ground, as Freezequid moved in to attack. "You're so cold to my friends.", Freezequid hissed. As George shot down another Robolt, he moved in to throw a kick at the Blue Ranger, who dodged Freezequid's attack.
George just annoyed him and continued with the Robolts. "I'll deal with you later.", he insisted as blocked an attack from Robolts, which Freezequid used as an opportunity for a second attack.
"Ice him.", Freezequid commanded as the Robolts all opened fire at George, who dodged backwards to avoid the shots.
"Acceleration Boost!" George pressed the pedal on his Morpher and generated an energy wheel, which he launched at the Robolts. It plowed through the enemy grunts, destroying them quickly.
But Freezequid was narrowly missed by the attack. "That was cold, man.", he hissed.
"More like too hot for you to handle.", George said in response.
"Ice Beam!" Freezequid fired a ray of sheer cold at George, who leapt out of the way, before preparing his attack.
"Wheel Saber: Steering Shot!" The blast stopped before it made contact and split into several lights, which George steered into crashing into his foe. "That ought to cool you down."
Unfortunately, Freezequid was able to survive by freezing himself. He then broke out. "That was barely a winter breeze."
"What the heck?", George gasped.
Back with the Megazord battle, the Negazord triggered its drill attack. This managed to disorientate Mover, before the enemy began hitting with their claw. "We're gonna get through them like a knife through butter.", Grillion laughed.
"So with great difficulty.", Kit surmised. "Because it's pretty hard to cut through butter in my experience."
"Is this really the time?", Bobby asked. "We're not making a dent with our blasts."
Before Mover could do anything else, the Negazord zoomed behind him, holding him in place. "You think we'll give you an inch?", Grillion asked.
"More like a millimetre.", Meowbile added.
"They're too strong to break free of.", Mover managed to blurt out.
Back on the ground, George continued trying to shoot at Freezequid, who kept blocking with an icy shield. "How can you support global warming with this?", Freezequid laughed as he proceeded to use punches and kicks to knock George back with ice.
"Because I just have to break the ice.", George answered as he converted the Wheel Saber to sword mode, using it to smash all of Freezequid's defences, before striking him head on. But this just caused the weapon to freeze. "What the-?"
"My whole body is at absolute zero.", Freezequid announced, before he kicked George down. "Now it's time you got iced for real." He generated a large ice ball, which he proceeded to throw at George, knocking him down and out of his Morph.
As Mover continued to struggle against the Negazord's grip, Anna got a good luck at the situation on the ground. "George is in trouble.", she told Kit, who was also in the cockpit. "I have to help him."
"Go ahead.", Kit assured her. "We can handle things here. Just remember to get some chains."
"Right.", Anna nodded as she stood up and exited their shared cockpit.
Freezequid made his way towards the aquarium. "You seemed quite keen to defend this place. Perhaps I'll freeze the whole thing, and every living creature inside it."
"Don't!", George pleaded. "The fish in there can't survive at sub-zero temperatures."
"All the more reason for me to bring a cold snap.", Freezequid laughed.
George moved forward, holding onto Freezequid. "My family and I have put a lot of work into this place. I'm not going to let you ruin it for your sick idea of fun."
It was then that Anna came in armed with a tire chain. "Don't worry, I'll salt this sucker.", she called out as she swung her makeshift weapon like a lasso, whipping Freezequid back. "Can't freeze metal so easily, can you sucker?"
"Nice work.", George wheezed as he pulled himself up. "Keep going until I can recover."
"You won't get the chance.", Freezequid hissed, as he summoned another ice ball. "You're going into cold storage." He fired it at Anna, knocking her out of her suit.
George went and picked her up. "Come on, we need to make our last stand elsewhere." They retreated towards the aquarium.
"You can't come in from the cold.", Freezequid declared. "Not when the cold is me." He then began pursuing them.
George and Anna retreated to the Aquarium car park, which was now abandoned. "Looks like everyone decided the best course of action was to get out of here.", George noted. "Too bad we're not as sensible, you in particular."
"Why do you keep picking on me?", Anna asked earnestly. "I've done nothing to you but be tolerant of your antics, and yet I'm the butt of every joke you make."
George sighed. "I suppose it's jealousy really."
"Jealousy?", Anna asked, curious. "Last I checked, you had a steady job as a mechanic, while I've changed jobs so many times it's a miracle I'm even eligible for any job or benefits."
"And right now, you're working consistently as a waitress, whereas I have to wait for people to call me.", George countered. "And even before that, you had it easy. You had a good home life, three brothers who got along with you, and we're on track to graduate with honours. Meanwhile, I lost my parents when I was 12, had to live with my single aunt as my only income and built a business up from nothing but pennies. I'd have given up anything for your life."
Anna laughed at this. "Funnily enough, I'd have given anything for your life. Yeah, I had a loving family and everyone was rich and successful. But that just put way too much pressure on me to succeed at everything. So I started acting out. Cutting classes, joining gangs and eventually dropping out and running away to Crosslands. I could've taken some money with me, but that would be suspicious and so would paying my salary into my account. I've been eking out an existence all by myself, spending what money I do get on staying alive. Until you found me and got me the waitress job. Your Aunt was really supportive of my problems and helped open a second account so I could save money."
George was confused by this. "Wait, Aunt Anita knew about this? Before any of us?"
"I suppose it was my secret to keep.", Anna answered him. "And I suppose it was great while it lasted."
It was at that point Freezequid entered. "Looks like your little session will need to cool down now that I'm here.", he announced as he began spraying his mists to freeze the entire floor.
George then pulled himself and Anna up. "I want you to promise me, that when we get out of this, you'll try to speak to your family again.", he said as he took out his Shift Morpher. He then pressed the pedal on it.
Anna took hers out, pressing it twice. "Okay, as long as you promise to tone down your mean spirited jokes."
"It's a deal.", George nodded as he and Anna pressed their pedals a third time. "Ready! Set! Morph!" They rubbed the wheels of their Shift Morphers together, as they were transformed into the Blue and Pink Rangers.
The two rolled to opposite sides of the icy floor. ""Time for a cold warning.", Freezequid hissed as he summoned up icicles to throw at the two Rangers, who handily dodged the attacks. "And again." He manifested the next batch above the pair, who noticed just in time to avoid fatal injuries.
Both Rangers were scattered by this, yet George was still able to give a suggestion. "He's given us a warm up, so let's heat things up." He pressed his foot against the wall to skate outwards onto the ice.
"Nice idea.", Anna nodded as she did likewise, the pair gracefully skating to avoid the icicles thrown their way. Hey then grabbed each other and spun around in a waltz, kicking the spears of cold water away.
"How are you soo good at that?", Freezequid hissed as he stamped his feet, causing stalagmites of ice to emerge from the ground. "Let's see you dance your way out of this."
Sure enough, the two Rangers moved out of the way as gracefully as possible. George spun Anna around so she could use her wheels to shatter the frozen obstacles. "You won't turn us into popsicles.", she commented.
She then pulled George out of the way of more ice. "Tell me, was ballet one of your past careers that ended ignomiously?", he asked.
"Actually, I just took classes for 13 years.", she answered as she spun him around before jumping with him in a twirl, both landing on their feet.
"Now we've got our shot at finishing him.", George told Anna.
"Got it.", she said as she pulled out her Wheel Saber in gun mode. The two Rangers then spun the wheel, before pressing down on the pedals of their Shift Morphers. "Acceleration Boost Strike!" The wheels on their boots began turning as they slid towards Freezequid, firing on him.
"My attacks are snow joke.", Freezequid announced as he launched projectile snowballs at the pair, only for them to slide out of the way. "Well then, I'd better have some cool-down time." He created a wall of ice in front of himself.
But George and Anna merely broke two wheel shaped holes in the ice, before leaping through to use their wheels for a kick. "Acceleration Hyper Kick!" As Freezequid recovered from this, George charged up a large ball of energy with his gun, with Anna using her Saber to launch it. "Turbo Booster Blast Strike!"
This attack was enough to fatally wound Freezequid. "The cold never bother you anyway.", he said before exploding. With Meowbile preoccupied in the Negazord, his energy simply dissipated.
"Pound it.", Anna said as George set her up for a fist bump.
In the Ranger base, the Dolphin Tanker Zord's headlights glowed. "Monster Zord tuning now complete.", Leo noted. "The Zord module should be searching for a Ranger to hold it."
George felt something in his back pocket, which he pulled out to reveal the Dolphin Tanker. "Looks like we have a complete set now."
"It must've seen you fight to defend this place and been impressed.", Anna suggested.
"The others will need our help.", George realised as he and Anna ran outside.
Once they had exited the building, George spoke into his communicator. "We've got the Dolphin Tanker in our control.", he radioed to Lee. "Now if you'd get out of there."
Mover was still struggling against the Negazord. "Wait, I forgot about these.", he realised as he used his giant form's "cape" to push Negazord back, so he could break free.
"Perhaps we should take the Monster Zords for a spin.", Lee suggested.
"Right.", George said in response as he inserted the module into his Morpher. "Summon Dolphin Tanker!"
Kit likewise inserted the module he had received from RPM Red into his Siren Morpher. "Summon Lion Bus!"
The Police Zords dispersed as Mover transformed into his portal mode. Kit drove the life sized Lion Bus through, causing its face to flip down and reveal a claw, with the top half detaching to form a second claw.
"Let's go!", George called out as he drove Dolphin Tanker through the portal, with Anna as his passenger. As the vehicle drove through, the top of the truck portion opened up like a set of jaws to reveal a fish shaped missile.
The claws equipped onto Mover's arms, while the Dolphin Tanker flipped upside down to become a new head, bearing a resemblance to a T-Rex. "Mega Monster Megazord, ready!", Mover called out, his voice now much deeper and gutteral.
The Star Lats were terrified by this. "They turned into that Dino thing again.", Grillion gasped.
"We beat it before, and we can do it again.", K.P insisted.
"Now an' den.", Meowbile added.
As the Negazord posed itself for a battle, George spoke up. "I've had it with fighting enemies today.", George said as he moved Mover forward to begin slashing at the Negazord.
"As have I.", Mover growled as he clawed into the Negazord hard enough to cause it to spark. It then continued this assault.
"Finish 'em!", K.P and Meowbile called out to Grillion.
"Erm, sure.", he nodded as he pulled back the lever and began spinning the steering wheel around. "Drill Booster Strike!"
As the drill began turning, George had Mover bite down on it. "Eat this you clowns. Or rather, we will." He then had Mover use his biting position to throw the Negazord overhead, flying through the streets and skidding on its back.
"Don't come back anytime soon.", Anna suggested.
"They won't.", George said to this, as the giant copy of the Shift Morpher appeared on Mover's back. "Let's end this now." He pressed down on his pedal three times.
The Star Kats recovered in time to see this. "Oh dear.", Grillion gulped."
"Looks like our time as champs…", K.P continued.
"Is over already.", Meowbile sighed.
"Aqua Artillery Diving Spash!" As George called out the attack, Mover launched energy projectiles resembling dolphins from his mouth, which began to dive towards the Negazord until they made contact, damaging it.
Grillion tried to steer away from danger, only to break the steering wheel. "Looks like we're stuck sleeping with the fishes."
"Eh, as long as Technorg can rebuild it again, I'm good.", K.P decided as she simply sat back and rested her head on her hands.
The robot's destruction caused an explosion, that sent the three Star Kats flying off. "We"re out in the litter.", they called out as they disappeared into the distance, Mover standing triumphant.
Later, back at the base, the Rangers held a celebration. "Is it wise to hold festivities at this point?", Leo asked. "We have attained a great victory, but not made much progress in our battle with the Galactic Mafia."
"That may be, but we do have control over every Zord now.", Lee clarified. "Which means that we"re fighting at full power."
"Well, that gun we got from the cave aside.", Mover clarified. "We still need to figure out how to make that safe to use."
"I shall devote an algorithm to the calculations.", Leo stated.
"Plus, in addition to our victory today, we got another major triumph.", Bobby pointed out, as George and Anna were awkwardly staring at each other.
"It looks like love is in the air between those two.", Kit clarified. "Finally."
"N-no it isn't!", both Rangers insisted, before turning their backs on each other, pouting. The others were so caught up in laughing at this, they failed to notice a purple dot on a screen floating through space, headed towards Earth.