The late morning sun cast warm light over Angel Grove Park, where volunteers bustled about with trash bags, rakes, and work gloves. The air carried the scent of freshly turned earth and cut grass as people worked together to restore the park after yet another battle had left it in disarray.

Hal Elliot arrived, glancing around as he took in the scene. Plenty of people were scattered across the park, doing their part. It was good to see.

Before finding Kat, he noticed a table set up with a clipboard and a pen, where people were stopping to sign a petition.

Curious, he stepped closer and read the heading:

Support the Angel Grove Barbecue Pit and Community Revitalization Project!

Hal skimmed through the details. Profits would go toward a new Little League complex, trail maintenance, bird feeders, a small community garden, and improvements to the Youth Center.

Made sense to him.

He picked up the pen and signed his name.

Just as he finished, he spotted Kat a few feet away, pulling on a pair of work gloves. She looked up and smiled, waving him over.

Hal walked up with a grin. "Sorry for the delay. Got a little distracted."

Kat tilted her head. "By what?"

Hal shrugged, keeping it vague. "Just saw something interesting."

Kat gave him a curious look but let it slide. "Well, since you're here, we've got plenty to do."

Hal smirked. "Give me the toughest job. I can handle it."

Kat laughed. "Careful what you wish for."

Hal did get a tough job—hauling broken branches and debris into a compost pile—but he worked through it without complaint. He wasn't one to slack off, especially when there was real work to be done.

Kat's friends—Tanya, Billy, Adam, Rocky, and Tommy—were all spread out, doing their part as well. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits.

Of course, it wouldn't be a public event without Bulk and Skull finding themselves in trouble.

"Skull, hold it steady!"

"I am holding it steady, Bulk! You're the one wobbling!"

Hal turned just in time to see Bulk at the top of a shaky ladder, attempting to hang a banner that read: KEEP ANGEL GROVE BEAUTIFUL!

Skull, who was supposed to be steadying the ladder, had momentarily gotten distracted by a passing girl, and the next thing anyone knew—

CRASH!

Bulk hit the ground with a yelp, tangled in the banner, while Skull stumbled back into a trash can, knocking it over.

A moment of silence.

Then Rocky—because of course—couldn't hold it in.

"Well, that's one way to keep Angel Grove beautiful."

The volunteers burst into laughter, even as Ernie walked over, shaking his head. "Bulk, Skull, do I even want to ask?"

Bulk groaned. "It was his fault."

Skull sat up, rubbing his head. "Yeah, but it looked cool, right?"

Hal shook his head, chuckling.

Kat grinned. "They try to help."

"I'll give them credit for enthusiasm," Hal said.

After the clean-up, Hal and Kat headed to the Youth Center for lunch. They found a table, setting down their trays—each one very different from the other.

Hal's meal? A bacon triple cheeseburger, onion rings, chili cheese fries, and a chocolate shake.

Kat's meal? Oven-roasted chicken with lettuce and tomato on a whole-grain pita, carrot sticks, a fruit cup, and Gatorade to rehydrate.

Kat raised an eyebrow. "I'm not judging, but… that meal is a lot."

Hal smirked, unwrapping his burger. "Hey, I burn a lot of calories."

Kat chuckled. "I'm sure, but that entire plate looks like a heart attack waiting to happen."

Hal held up a fry. "Nah, this is just proper fuel for a long, glorious life."

Kat shook her head playfully. "If you say so."

As she took a bite of her pita, Tommy walked by, stopping at their table. He looked at Hal's tray and raised an eyebrow.

"You do know your body is a temple, right?" Tommy said, his usual martial arts instructor tone creeping in.

Kat felt an odd moment of awkwardness—should she defend Hal, or was Tommy right?

Before she could say anything, Hal grinned and leaned back in his chair.

"True," he said. "But I'm a test pilot. And there's a nonzero chance that one day, something I'm flying is going to stop working very suddenly. So, you know… eat, drink, and be merry."

Tommy blinked, thrown off by the morbid joke. "…That's an odd philosophy."

Kat shook her head but smiled. Well, that's one way to handle it.

Then, the news broke in, with a story of a Tenga being shot and killed by a homeowner.

"Least tragic outcome," Hal said. "Homeowner and his family safe, only injury to the bad guy – well, bird in this case."

"But still tragic," Kat said, recalling how the Rangers had responded to that. Three rounds from the shotgun had killed the Tenga instantly.

That evening, as she was about to start writing in her diary, Kat's phone rang.

"Trini?"

Trini didn't even say hello. "He signed it."

Kat blinked. "Wait… what?"

"The barbecue pit petition!" Trini snapped, her frustration clear. "Hal signed it."

Kat sat up straighter. "Oh."

"Oh? Oh?" Trini repeated. "Kat, I know you like him, but come on! He signed onto the project that's trying to move the Forest Spirit Statue!"

Kat bit her lip. "I… didn't know."

"Well, now you do," Trini muttered. "I swear, Bulk and Skull have shown more growth lately."

Kat sighed. "I'll talk to him."

Trini sighed on the other end. "…Thanks. Sorry for just dropping that on you. It's been a week."

"I get it," Kat said gently.

Trini muttered something under her breath before hanging up.

Kat set the phone down, running a hand through her hair. So Hal signed the petition.

She knew he hadn't done it maliciously. He probably thought he was doing something good.

Because, in fairness… the projects the barbecue pit's profits would fund were good for the community. The Youth Center needed funding, and the community garden was a great idea.

But Trini wasn't wrong, either.

She sighed, flipping back to the blank diary page, finally putting pen to paper.