Japan: Tokyo Prefecture, SPD Delta Base

“Something wrong?” Hattari asked as he watched Robert -with a haunted expression- take a few steps backward in shock as he gazed upon the SPD emblem in front of him.

“No… no, it’s fine,” Robert stated softly. “Everything’s okay… Just… well, it’s nothing okay?” he muttered to himself as he ran his fingers along the engraved emblem. He sighed to himself, felt like only yesterday he was just a cadet…

He could already picture himself in the uniform, standing on the training grounds outside of Delta Base, lined up with other recruits just as plucky as he was. Nothing special, he was back then, long before the days when he would have donned the morpher and be chosen as one of the Rangers. The sun beat down on him and his peers, while they all stood there, waiting for commands from their leader.

“Rookies.” The voice cut clear through the silence around the group of cadets, as a tall dog-headed person stepped forward to face them all. With rugged scales, jagged ears, and a gaze that could pierce straight through one’s heart, this was Doggie Cruger. Robert swallowed nervously to himself. The head of SPD. Or at least, this particular branch of it.

He’d wanted all his life to get here, and be noticed. Now, Robert mused, time to see if he could put his money where his mouth was. Time to see if he had what it takes to finally become a Ranger.

“Theo… TJ… You watching?” he asked, thinking back to the day of the Armada invasion and when they’d saved him. “I’m finally here now. I will wear that uniform.”

“Now, before you begin today, I want to make one thing clear,” Cruger continued. “This is not some kind of happy-go-lucky opportunity that you just saw off of the streets and thought you could take for granted. This is a serious, high-intensity training regime meant to sort the civilians from the agents. By the end of the day, we’ll decide whether or not you’re SPD material,” Doggie said. “For those of you who are, then we are honoured to have you here today. For all the rest? Well, that’s down to your performance and your performance alone. ARE WE CLEAR CADETS?”

“SIR YES SIR!” the cadets, Robert amongst them, barked back in reply.

“Sir, yes sir… How long has it been since I’ve had to say that?” Robert asked himself as he snapped back to reality, face tickled by the spitting rain. The glass skylight above him was broken, letting the rain in. “For all that it’s worth, you had a good run, SPD. No, we had a good run together… Might even have made commander, might even have made Red if I’d gotten my act together…”

Shaking himself clear, he sighed as he sat down on a nearby bench looking towards Hattari. “Okay, so the Wolfblades. What do we know about them? Aside from them being… you know, spirits? Mononoke, most likely given their violent disposition.”

Flash looked at Robert in shock.

“I thought you didn’t know much about Yokai? That you didn’t read up on them!” the pegasus stared.

“...Okay, I know a little. Not much, but a little. I did read some things you know. I’m not completely a dummkopf.” he answered. “Besides, violent ghosts are easy enough to recognize in any part of the world. ...I swear my neighborhood back home was haunted by this devil dog. Seriously. Black fur, red eyes, the works.” he said.

“You’re an odd one, you do know that right?” Flash remarked crossing his arms and raising his eyebrow.

“...Hey, you live in Equestria, you learn to accept crazy right? Pinkie’s a thing, you do know that right. I’d be more amazed if I stayed normal by now…” the orange ranger replied.

Flash sighed and shook his head before muttering: “Fair point…”

“Well, that’s the thing. It’s Summer, so the Yokai are out in full force,” Midnight explained watching Robert carefully. Despite his denials, he could tell something was… off about the twenty-something-year-old. “The Wolfblades… they’re even more dangerous than the usual Yokai. Only appear every hundred years, so we have a very small window in putting down their spirits for good.”

“Well,” Robert commented. “Nothing like a good old fashioned challenge to get one’s blood flowing right? Nobody ever said being a Ranger would be easy now would it?” he remarked cracking his knuckles.

“You say that now, but these attacks have been getting rougher and tougher recently. Kinda makes me think that there’s someone bigger than all of us orchestrating the whole thing…” Midnight rotated his hand clockwise. “I mean, the Wolfblades are just mindless beasts, so…”

“You think someone’s bossing them around?” Robert remarked. “Like an Alpha…. Do Yokai even have Alphas?” he wondered to himself before slapping himself. He was getting off-track. “When did this first start?” he asked looking towards the Ninja Steel Trio as he decided to call them.

“Okay. Well, first and foremost, there’s this little… show that just so happens to be on TV. You may not have heard of it, but it’s called Galaxy Warriors. Nothing really special when it started, but as soon as Power Rangers were thrown in the mix, the show was pretty much the most primo show on all of the channels in the cosmos,” Dragonscale explained and Robert fought back a very distinct groan. “...What?”

“...That shite’s still on the air? I thought when the original Ninja Steel Rangers gave a certain fox the boot it’d be over with…” Robert muttered. “For Christ’s sake…”

“TV, man. Mou… Reboots and reimaginings everywhere. The original concept’s done and dusted with. Now, there’s a brand new team in town running the show. And they’ve decided that their form of entertainment is basically just throwing two warriors together, see who’s the strongest. There was a signed agreement not to have fights on planets inhabited by intelligent life,” Dragonscale explained fiddling with her crescent moon-shaped earrings. “...I guess they don’t consider our planet part of the deal.”

“...Well, to be fair Solar Flare made it very hard to like your planet. Guess nobody up there got the memo she’s pushing up the daisies,” Robert remarked going for his communicator to contact Celestia. He groaned when he got only static. Must have been the weather. Too much interference to get a proper transmission to Canterlot. Swearing quietly under his breath he muttered: “...Well, there goes that route…”

“Think we should go up there, take that show off of the air forever? I mean, it’s nothing more than a drain on one’s brain. A complete waste of time and of the mind,” Hattari pointed out. “The galactic TV networks would be better off without that rubbish clogging up the schedule like some deranged zombie show…”

“Not exactly a fan of bloodsport but… Let’s be honest, sorta out of our jurisdiction,” Robert remarked. “Besides, what does this have to do with the Wolfblades and Yokai? I assume there’s a point coming up here…”

“There is. Galaxy Warriors is a show that knows neither friend nor foe. Only destruction. We just have to mess up their broadcasts with some divine intervention. Better to destroy them before they destroy the world around us, am I right?” Midnight asked, looking to his peers.

“...Somehow I would have liked it better when it was just something simple, like Yokai who just needed to be sealed away by magic…” Robert muttered. “Now you just had to go and make things complicated.”

Flash stared at Robert. He honestly considered sealing away Japanese spirits a simple matter? Yep, there was definitely something wrong with that one.

“...Still, sometimes it takes two -in this case, two ranger teams- to do the job right…” Robert trailed off.

“It takes two to make a thing go right
It takes two to make it outta sight…”

Robert found himself on the streets, with his new SPD morpher in hand, and headphones partially in his ears. A pure example that he had passed his bar exam and now worked actively for the unit. Albeit, it was just his first assignment, but he already saw himself smashing whatever task had been given to him.

“Alright, kid. Now, your crook’s on 492nd street. We’re isolating his movements, but you should be able to snag him if you just stay on his tail,” Sky said over the communicator. “Hey, you even listening to me?”

“Yeah, yeah… I can hear you just fine boss,” Robert remarked in an all too casual tone that made Sky’s eyebrow twitch. “I’m going after him now. So, what was this guy wanted for again? What, did he knock over a bank? I thought we only went after the big guys, like mentals who like to turn people into slime or something like that… I thought we left the small fry to C or D-Squad…”

“Do small fry ever demolish buildings?” Sky retorted as Robert rounded an alleyway before using a box as a springboard to leap over a sushi stand and take to the rooftops. “This kid’s asking for it. He’s torn down three office complexes already and he’s aiming for another. We’ve gotta bring him in now, or there’s gonna be no city left for SPD to enforce the law in.”

“I gotcha,” Robert replied as he jumped to another rooftop. “Just sayin’ Sky, you really need to ease up. Seriously, I know you’re the Red Ranger and all, but look at Bridge. He’s Blue and he’s probably the most laid back guy I’ve ever met!”

“Different strokes for different folks. Those different folks are gonna have to learn to work together if they stand any chance at beating this creep.” As soon as Sky finished, another explosion went off at a nearby building. Robert’s feet nearly gave out from under him and he grabbed a nearby weathervane to brace himself.

“...Jesus Christ!” Robert muttered. “Anyone know where that came from?”

“The others just landed an attack on the perp. Blew up a building as cover just so he could get a quick and easy escape. We’re not going to let that happen. Syd and Bridge… They’ve isolated him to the road. We’re already blocking that part of the city off for the safety of others. You need to get there and join the fight. Quickly, now.”

“I gotcha, I gotcha…” Robert said taking a leap off a building and sliding down an angled rooftop Jackie Chan style before rolling just before he hit the ground. Part of the job required knowing the city like the back of your hand, and Robert thankfully had Tokyo figured out to a T. Rounding another corner, he ran up a wall and over a fence before seeing the alien in question, with the rest of the team morphed and already fighting him off.

“SPD Emergency!” Robert shouted and in a green flash of light slid along the ground and kicked the monster before whipping out his pistol and shooting him in the stomach. “...First real day on the job, and I get to handle a mad bomber. Fun.” he remarked in an all too gleeful tone. Finally, something other than guys who just robbed banks and the like. Big time at last, he thought with a smile.

“It’s not just all about you, you know,” Syd said touching a nearby fountain and gaining a fist made of stone. With a powerful punch, she sent the monster -themed after a sphinx- flying backwards. “Team effort and all that.”

“Hey, first time Rangering up. Let me have a bit of fun here m’kay sweetheart?” Robert commented.

“Fun? Do you think me get in on the fun as well?” The monster lurcher, swiping at itself as it hurled another barrage of bombs out at the team. “See, now that friend here, more targets. More boom-boom! More death and lovely chaos!”

“DUCK!” Sky shouted using his abilities to throw up a shield in between the bombs and his team. Z then cloned herself, before firing on the monster knocking him back with laser shots.

“Grah! Tickle-blasters! Weak, weak, weak!” The beast leaped skyward, landed on Z and lit a fuse, pushing the bomb into her face. “This should be more than a tickle…”

Z quickly ripped the bomb off before kicking it towards the monster allowing it to explode in his face. He rolled along the ground, body smoking and fur scorched.

“Ready to give up yet, and face judgment?” Z asked holding out her Morpher.

“No! Not yet! First, game time.” The beast pointed towards a tower, before pulling out a trigger and pushing it. “Bomb is armed, and poor little people inside, cry out for their mommies and daddies. Give me what I want and bomb stops ticking. If not, graveyard gets new neighbors…”

“You bastard…” Syd snarled.

“Oh, you compliment me!” the creature said. “Call this… insurance. See, I knew you’d come a-callin, so I made a backup plan just in case you see?”

“Sky. What’s the call?” Bridge asked, looking at the tower. “This guy’s just claimed there are people inside. If someone doesn’t stop that bomb, things are gonna get ugly…”

“Ah, I can stop the bomb, but only if you give me what I want. And what I want is 100,000 Spacebullion within the hour. Otherwise… Boom boom bye-bye!” the monster cackled.

“Rrgh… Dammit!” Sky punched a wall so violently that it left a small dent in it before his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Call Commander Cruger. Tell him about the situation. You’ll have your money Thornax…” the Red Ranger sighed. During all this, nobody had noticed Robert vanish from the scene. He’d gone underground knowing exactly where the monster would have hidden the bomb to get the best possible explosion.

Going into a subway terminal, he followed the maintenance tunnels till he knew he was underneath the building Thornax had pointed at. Sure enough, in front of him was the bomb. Guarded by two hired Blueheads, they were quickly dispatched by twin kicks to the head. A distant clang marked one of the Blueheads’ heads hitting the floor somewhere off in the distance.

“Like the fella once said: ‘Ain't that a kick in the head?” Robert muttered before going for the bomb. “Now… just cut the red wire. Now how hard can it…” he suddenly trailed off as he ripped off the bomb’s casing and his eyes widened. “Oh, mama.”

All of the wires were red.

“Okay. So there’s red, rose, crimson, scarlet, ruby, and cherry wires there. Now, if my bomb-defusal class taught me anything, it’s that the red wire is always the one that has the killswitch in it, so if we cut that one, this thing is gonna blow up. Trouble is, they’re all red. ...Okay, you can do this can’t you Rob?” Robert muttered. Finally deciding that time was of the essence, he grabbed a bunch of wires in his hand and pulled. Waiting for the boom, he braced himself. Nothing came, and the beeping of the bomb fizzled out. Collapsing to the floor, Robert sighed.

“Yeah… Boss? This is Williams. Your little problem? Just dealt with it. Now go get ‘em.”

There was a sharp sound, one that Robert recognized as the confinement card before Sky sighed and Robert knew he was in for it when he got back to base.

Present Day:

“Yeah, they certainly let me have it…” Robert explained to Flash and Dragonscales as they sat in the city’s central hub, looking over footage of traffic cams for the Wolfblades. “Told me if I ever pulled a stunt like that again, they’d have my badge. ...I’ll admit, not exactly my brightest moment even if I got the job done. But all’s well that ends well, right?” he shrugged.

“...They should have taken your badge if you ask me,” Flash remarked. “That was downright moronic, suicidal even.”

“Yeah, but where would SPD be if they’d taken away their Green Ranger? Especially with how attacks just get bigger and bigger back then. Did I ever tell you, after Bridge got promoted we went through Greens fast and furious? It seemed nobody wanted the job till I came along,” Robert muttering for a moment briefly wondering who took his place. He hoped it wasn’t that lazy Syrian he had before him. “I swear, it’s like the world hates the police force and is actively trying to find ways to take it down a peg or three,” the man grumbled as he rubbed the back of his head. The coarse, rough skin that, despite being moisturized by the rain shower through his touch. “I mean, we’re just doing our jobs aren’t we?”

“Yes, SPD is, but not you. You should have followed proper procedure and let the guy get his gold, and let him free the hostages and then you arrested him.” Flash replied.

“Thing is. That’s just it. How did we know there were hostages, and if there were, how did we know he would have held up his end of the deal? He was crazy enough to blow them up anyways for the Hell of it. I took what I thought was the right call.”

“And you nearly got yourself killed doing it,” Flash pointed out. “All those wires were red, what if one was the killswitch? Boom, you’d be one dead officer. Not to mention all the other potential casualties. Why you want all attention to be on you and to be the hero is beyond me…”

Robert gave the pegasus a glare that was telling him he was verging on very dangerous territory. “Look, it’s my business why I’m the way I am, so can you just put a sock in it Sentry and keep looking for those Wolfblades?

“Are you going to be reckless here too? Just like you were back then?” Flash lifted a brow at Robert. “Because if you’re going to be reckless against these Galaxy Warrior guys, then it’s going to end with you as another prop in their televised trash-fire of a show.”

“Bit older now,” Robert stated as he subconsciously rubbed his chest feeling phantom pains from when the Barbed Wire Org had nearly ripped him open. “And I’ve learned quite a bit since I’ve landed in Equestria. Been here a year now, and things have changed. I’ve changed.”

“...You two argue like an old married couple, you know that right?” Dragonscale commented fiddling with her earrings again. “Sure you two aren’t dating?” she asked with a curious little head tilt.

“Wh-what?! Absolutely not!” Flash jumped in shock, almost landing on his keister as he looked up at Dragonscale’s innocent smile. “It’s not like I like being attracted to other… well, you know…”

“And I’m dating someone, for your information!” Robert sputtered out. “Look, Flash is a very handsome young buck, but-”

“Oh, so you admit he’s handsome?” Dragonscale’s eyes sparkled. “Ooooh! Now you just have to admit your secret love to the bishie boy!”

“...Bishie boy?” Flash murmured.

“It’s a compliment,” Robert replied as he looked over Flash. “Just go with it. And I have to admit, she’s not wrong…”

Dragonscales made a squee sound before sighing. “And here I was thinking about dating you Flashie… But it seems you’re too hung up on foxy over there.

Flash groaned to himself while Robert’s zord could only cackle at the man’s embarrassment.

“...Oh, stuff it you,” Robert told his zord with a growl before sighing. “With friends like these… who needs enemies?”

Flash, as he continued watching the cameras chuckled. “Wow, after a couple of thousand years I never would have imagined these things still worked.”

“Hey, it’s Japan. They build their things to last. Always top of the line in the techno game, really…” Robert smirked before turning back to Dragonscale. “So, Dragon, -can I call you that?- how did you and your two compadres get your powers? Just curious here.” he remarked leaning back in his chair.

“Well. The original Ninja Nexus Star is still out there, roaming the universe as it does. But the three of us decided to try and recreate the stars ourselves with some of our own gear. It worked… well, less than okay for the first part. We tried and tried again, using progressively better tech that we could scrounge for. And by the end of it, we had working replica Ninja Steel Power Stars.” Dragonscale showed off her star to Robert. “It might not be as strong, but it’s still got some surprises up its’ sleeves.”

“Explains a bit, because the Ninja Nexus Star I remember didn’t have a green Power Star in it,” Robert remarked eying the mare. Something was off about her, even if he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She seemed almost… nervous in a way. “Gold and Red, yes. But not Green.”

“You know your history, don’t you? Yes. The green star’s completely new. Hot off of the press. The other two? Staples of the Ninja Steel legacy,” the mare continued adjusting the bow in her brown mane.

“Huh, interesting. Now, if I may inquire… I heard Hattari mention you were the Princess of this Rainbow Snake Clan. What’s that about?” Flash remarked.

“Well, that’s actually something that I’m not too fond of. See, I ran away from home because of all the chaos going on with Galaxy Warriors,” she said. “Everyone thought that it would be better if we just took shelter and hid from the fights, hid from the world as it crumbled. But that’s not the way, is it? I decided to fake my own death, convincing papa and all of the others that I was gone, so that they wouldn’t come looking for me. So that they wouldn’t drag me back down with them while they festered. If I’m going to die, then I’m going to die saving this world; not letting it burn before my eyes…”

Flash laid a hand upon hers, clutching it. “Then we’ll help you drive that trash heap of a show off this planet, okay?” he said. “But first, we need to know why the Wolfblades are helping Galaxy Warriors. They’re just angry spirits, they shouldn’t care about ratings or the like. So please, tell us what you know.”

“The Wolfblades were long at war with the world; longer than I can imagine. But after many battles--many failed battles at that, the wolves were trapped in a spiritual dimension and contained by a shrine. The wolf shrine, as my people called it,” the Rainbow Snake princess recalled. “If anything on that shrine were to be desecrated, the wolves would be freed, seeking vengeance not only on the Rangers, but on anything else that crossed their paths.”

Robert ‘hmmed’ to himself. Something was off here. The lore and Hattari said that these guys were simply Yokai, only appearing every hundred years. Yet Dragonscale said differently. Unless… He snapped his fingers with a shout of: “Bingo!” and then turned to the green ranger.

“Okay, so just asking here, but are there more than just these three Wolfblades? That might explain why the lore and your story contradict each other. These yanamun, these doubutsu no ke as they’re called seem to have appearances throughout history, and yet you say your shrine seems to be intact,” Robert mused. He may have been a horrible excuse for a police officer, -he accepted that- but he wasn’t dumb. He did have at least some basic detective skills. “Am I correct?”

Dragonscale sighed to herself. Robert once again then ‘hmmed’ to himself. It seemed odd information for her to leave out, these wolves and their true origins. And her teammates were hardly stupid. They would look up the origins of these wolves and it wouldn’t take them long to figure out with their multiple appearances throughout history to figure out that this was a species of Yokai. So why was Dragonscale so intent on keeping her mouth shut? He then realized with a small: “Oh.”

“What’s with the ‘oh’?” Flash asked. “I don’t like it when you say ‘oh’ like that.”

“...Huh, so you figured it out didn’t you?” Dragonscale whispered. “Yeah, suppose it wouldn’t take long given you seem to be a Ranger otaku… Shizumu, the one who created this species of Yokai thousands of years ago… He was my great… Oh Lady Mistmane, I don’t know how many greats grandfather.” she continued looking at the floor in shame.

“If I wanted to guess, I’d say… maybe… twenty-eight times great grandfather?” Flash eyed her up from top to bottom, trying to appraise a proper age for her. “Actually, no, scratch that. It’d seem rude, asking a lady for their age,” he muttered before hugging Dragon. “And listen, not going to judge you for who you’re related to. It’s not the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are,” he said looking Dragonscale dead in the eyes and lifting up her chin. “Your grandfather… yeah, he may have been a bastard, but you are anything but. The power came to you for a reason, and here you are using it to protect the Earth. Did it not, and are you not?”

Wiping her tears away, Dragonscale smiled. “Y-Yeah… Yeah, that I am… Thanks, Flash.”

“Anytime.” Flash smiled. In Robert’s head, the Kitsune Zord gagged and muttered something about pony sappiness before Robert silenced him with a nasty glare.

“Now, let me explain to you about the connection between Galaxy Warriors and the Wolfblades…”

Back in the Delta Base, Jindrax walked with Hattari, the clown-like Duke Org and the very serious ninja making quite the odd couple indeed.

“Okay, so you seem like a knowledgeable enough fellow,” Hattari remarked. “So, tell me. How is a human from SPD manage to make it into this kind of time period? By now, everyone from SPD is pretty much dead…” he trailed off and Jindrax blinked. “Oh, don’t give me that look. I’m not stupid. I saw his reaction at the front desk. He’s definitely not from this time. SPD’s golden age, I’d dare say.”

“You sure you want to go down that particular road?” Jindrax asked. “It’s… well, not exactly a good subject if you brought it up in front of Robert’s face.”

“Which is why I’m talking to you instead,” Hattari commented. “Loopholes and all that. Now spill. I’m losing my patience.”

“Ah… It’s a bit of a tale. From what I can understand, and this is only hearsay from Zen-Aku and all that, but apparently, our orange friend went and accidentally slipped into a time portal. Wasn’t intentional, pure chance ya know?” Jindrax remarked rubbing the back of his head. “But yep, here he is, right in this time period. I don’t pretend to understand most humans, but I can only imagine being back in his old workplace… seeing it like this… It’s probably drudged up a few memories. Frankly, I’m amazed he hasn’t broken down or anything. Man’s tough, but seeing your old home like this… Yeah, I might break as well I think…” the Duke Org remarked.

“So basically he’s trying to make the best of it,” Hattari mused rubbing his chin. “But why come here? Closure?” he asked.

“...Well, that might be part of it, but I think there’s something else as well. You are aware of what this base can do, right?” Jindrax asked.

“It can turn into a giant mecha, right? I’ve heard the rumors and legends, but why would that kind of thing be needed now of all times? If Robert wanted a giant mecha, surely he could have come earlier… Unless of course there’s a threat so grave, it requires a little additional power. Am I right?” Hattari inquired.

“Man, you really are on the ball with everything, aren’t you?” Jindrax groaned. “Yeah, pretty much. Serpentera. Thrax, old Zeddy boy’s son has it. Don’t know where in the Master Org’s name he found it but… Uh, there you have it. I’m not sure the Delta Command Megazord would be able to stop it, but you can say this about Robert’s team. They never give up. It’s not in their nature.”

“Fools for going up against such impossible odds, but I still can appreciate the sentiment,” Hattari remarked before chuckling. “Yeah… Wish I shared their attitude. But been through far too many a year. Gone and turned myself cynical really… My brother… Midnight, he’s always had this get it done no matter what type of attitude, always derided him for this foolishness but I guess… Well, maybe his personality type is what holds the team together. The glue, if you will.”

“Yeah, you get types like that. Reds…” Jindrax muttered. “They seem to be the heart of the team. Don’t ask me why. Always the idealistic sort.”

“Hey, we have to be,” Midnight remarked with a distinct chirp as he leaped down from the rafters. “We’re Reds. Red Power Rangers. We’ve got a reputation to uphold. The heroes! It wouldn’t do for any Red to be all cynical and such. No, that’s just not our way. We have to inspire others, make them pick up the sword and defend the Earth and such after we’re gone. Inspire the next generation and all that, right? So who’s Robert’s Red? Or is he the…?”

“No, hardly. He’s hardly the Red of his team,” Jindrax commented. “And I don’t think he has any designs on the title. He’s no natural born leader. No, that honor goes to someone else. He’s just the Ranger History Nut or Otaku as you guys call it. The Otaku and the Gunslinger of the team. That’s all there is to it with him. Yep, all there is to say about him. The gunslinging, otakuish, fool of his team. Sorta like me, only without the nerdiness, the gunslinging and the uh… Okay, maybe nothing like me but you get the idea right?” Jindrax asked and Hattari could only facepalm before with a poof of smoke, a snake appeared in front of him. A summon creature, Hattari recognized.

“Mistress Dragonscale wants to tell you that we have them. The Wolfblades. They’re out terrorizing Odaiba, near that statue of the mecha with the horn. Seems the Galaxy Warriors want to bring us out in full exposure, put on a real show. Robert, Lady Toxica, and Mistress Dragonscale are on their way now, but they’ll need the help.”

“Then we shall provide it,” Hattari said holding up his morpher and Ninja Star. Midnight did the same.

“Ninja Spin!” they both shouted.

Odaiba Island:

“Huh, so I see some things still haven’t changed much,” Robert commented seeing the massive group of footsoldiers in front of him, Toxica and Dragonscale the full moon shining down on the threesome. “Still, it’s so refreshingly old-fashioned I say,” he remarked cracking his knuckles before unsheathing the Shadow Saber and gripping it tightly. He stared down the ashigaru-like Kudabots, the warriors gripping their yari spears tightly. Even as he charged into battle slicing his way through the hoard with Dragonscale at his heels, he thought back.

“Huh, so that’s the connection eh?” Robert remarked. “Of course it would be, it sorta figures doesn’t it?”

Lord Drayvon, the madman who had created an army of robot Rangers and tried to rule over two dimensions. Apparently, he had a son and that son had been sealed away by the Solaris Knight, just like he did to Thrax. Over the passing years and the shifting of the sands of time the son had grown in power and had finally broken free of his prison destroying the Kyuranger galaxy in the process.

Petty little bastard, from the way Dragonscale explained him. Didn’t really like the idea of Power Rangers destroying his father and so he’d come to Earth just to find the last Rangers existing. Taken command over the Galaxy Warriors program, ruling it from the shadows and had secretly used the hatred of Equus as a reason to have fights on the planet’s surface hoping to draw out the Rangers. He’d unleashed the Wolfblades as a last resort to try and drive out the descendants -power set wise- of the Ninja Steel Rangers to complete his revenge.

“So how do you know all this?” Robert had to ask and Dragonscale blushed before rubbing her arm in embarrassment.

“I… I may have sneaked aboard the Galaxy Warriors ship by accident, to see where these guys were coming from, and what their agenda was?” Dragonscale chuckled. “Regular everyday ninja, that’s me!”

It had happened while chasing some Kudabots and Basherbots away from a village. This was still an unknown time for the Rangers. They didn’t know what Galaxy Warriors was, or that it still existed. Instead, the monsters were appearing randomly and the threesome had only united to defend their villages.

“Katon: Ryūen Hōka no Jutsu!” Midnight shouted, firing flaming dragons heads from his mouth ripping through a hoard of Basherbots before leaping skywards and shouting: “You will not touch this village, ya walking trash heaps! Katon: Moeru Yōna Utau doragonkikku!”

With that, a flaming dragon engulfed his right hoof before he slammed through a hoard of Kudabots. “On your left!” Dragonscale shouted before chains of metal erupted from the ground and sliced through a final hoard of Basherbots.

The remaining foot soldiers ran like Hell itself was after them, but Dragonscale was having none of it. Teleporting in a flash of flowers, she was right on top of them. “White Fang Blade!” she barked out her star blade glowing with ethereal energy before she found herself enveloped in a blue energy beam. Next thing she knew, her blade was cutting into a metallic floor panel.

“...What… what the?” Dragonscale whispered before fading away into the background as she listened in on the conversations.

“Man, I don’t know why the boss keeps on having us come back to this planet,” one of the monsters Dragonscale had recognized chasing off from her village commented. “Look, I get Solar Flare was a right bitch when she eradicated humankind but we’re risking life and limb here for TV ratings! I dunno, but having Solar Flare come down on top of us isn’t really an appetizing prospect.”

“Makes the games more exciting doesn’t it?” another monster remarked. “Risk of death via external factors!”

Dragonscale’s eyes narrowed as she gripped the wall. So, that’s all this was to them, a game to score TV ratings? She nickered in disbelief, surely there had to be more to this. Taking to the vents, she followed the two for a while before breaking off as she heard another voice.

“Those idiots, they can’t even comprehend they’re being used. Then again, monsters are never known for being smart. They just want their five minutes of fame,” the voice muttered and Dragon looked down to see a guy dressed all in black. He sorta resembled a more ninja-fied ranger but had a red visor and ribcage-like chest armor with a belt buckle themed after a shuriken. For a while, Dragonscale stayed silent listening as this man rambled on about his motives and how Galaxy Warriors was only a front to draw out the Rangers.

Snarling briefly, Dragon then ran off down the vent as she heard the man(?) gasp in shock before ordering the Kudabots to find out what that was. Landing in what had to be the garbage disposal, Dragon allowed herself a breath of relief before the door was kicked in and the man from before stepped in.

“Greetings. So pleased to finally make your acquaintance Ninja Steel Green,” Ayakashi said politely before kissing her hand. “Dragonscale, was it? Let it never be said I’m not a gracious host. Stay all you like, I’ll treat you like the Princess you are.”

“I think I’ll pass up on that offer. Funny thing that, gracious isn’t the word I’d use for a guy who sends monster after monster down to our villages just to try and wipe us out! Release: Niji Sājihebi!” she shouted sending a flurry of prismatic snakes towards the villain who sliced them apart with a ninjato. But that was all Dragonscale needed, as she dived into the chute and summoned a giant white snake to ride all the way down…

And in the lead of the Kudabots was Ayakashi himself, going ninjato to kunai with Dragonscale.

“What makes you think you can beat me, Princess…? You’ve got the heart, but not the will!” he shouted, elbowing Dragonscale in the throat before kicking her backwards into the statue of the Unicorn Gundam.

Some vines grabbed Ayakashi and he was tossed into a nearby building, Toxica grinning smugly. “Can you still stand?” she asked Dragon, helping her up.

“Quite,” she coughed out. “But all of these Kudabots… well, they’re going to be an issue. Can’t even get close to Ayakashi without running headlong into one.”

“Hey, you’re a ninja Princess, right? Surely you’ve got some fancy-smancy techniques to clean house right?” Robert asked, slicing clean through and through a hoard of kudabots.

“And she won’t be using them alone!” Midnight’s voice shouted before red and gold blurs cut through the hoard.

“Damn you!” Ayakashi shouted. “Who the Hell do you think you are?”

“Who the Hell do you think I am?” Midnight replied in a mocking voice before confetti fired up in the air and three banners -red, gold and green respectively- rolled down from light posts. “Well, let us gladly introduce ourselves! Power of the Ninja, Ninja Steel Red!”

“Spirit of the Ninja, Ninja Steel Green!”

“Rhythm of the Ninja, Ninja Steel Gold!

“We are those who do not hide in the shadows. Ninja Rangers… fear no danger! Power Rangers… Going forth!” Midnight finished.

“Just for effect… Kitsune, Power Ranger orange!” Robert shouted raising the Shadow Saber to an orange explosion of smoke. “Hade ni Ikuze!”

“...Man, why do they always forget about us Duke Orgs? And who do we fight anyways?” Jindrax asked as the Rangers went to work. Robert fired off his Kitsune Blaster, sending homing shots out into the Kudabot crowd before slashing through several more with the Shadow Saber. A cloud of ash sprung up in the battlefield, before a series of explosions cut down the Kudabots or sent them flying like ragdolls. Both Midnight and Dragonscale high fived before cutting down several more troops.

“Anyone not wearing a primary color, doofus! And as for your first question… well, that’s our lot in life I suppose…” Toxica muttered sending a flurry of magical shots into the Kudabot crowd downing some more. She then took control over the Unicorn Gundam statue, animating it so it could squash some others flat. Atop a building, Ayakashi and Midnight went sword to sword before teleporting down back into the battlefield.

“To be forgotten?” Jindrax said as Toxica created a clone of him and the two began doing a juggling routine of daggers back and forth cutting up more Kudabots. “Talk about lame!”

“Why do you persist?” Ayakashi asked, even as he dodged a fist from the Unicorn only to be spin-kicked in the face by Midnight.

“Uh… because it’s our job to interfere?” Midnight asked before Hattari conjured up a gunbai -a type of Japanese war fan- and tossed it to his brother. “Katon: Gōka Senpū!” he roared sending whirling flames of fire towards Ayakashi who turned into a flicker of shadow before striking at Midnight from behind making him scream out in pain.

“Then you’re doing a bad job,” Ayakashi deadpanned before slicing Midnight across the chest. “You always were a reckless fool…”

And once again, Robert was sent into another flashback…

“...They called me a reckless fool!” Robert shouted, the man ranting and raving about in the common room he, Bridge and Sky shared.

“Well, to be fair, Sky does have a point,” Bridge remarked leaning back in his chair. With a piece of toast in hand of course. “Want some toast? It’s… buttery.” he remarked with that odd little finger wiggle of his.

“Er… no thanks,” Robert muttered blinking oddly. “But honestly, what’s this about me being so reckless?”

“Well, for one thing that stunt you pulled with defusing the bomb…” Bridge commented as Robert absentmindedly stroked R.I.C’s head. “You’ve got a good sense of justice, it’s just… I don’t understand why you always have to be the center of attention and play the hero…”

“...I have my reasons,” Robert sighed to himself. “It’s just they’re mine and my own to keep. Is that fair enough?”

“Look, Robert, I’m your friend,” Bridge said getting up and laying a hand on his shoulder. “Probably one of your only ones here at SPD truth be told. You can tell me what’s bothering you.”

“...Fine, I suppose it had something to do with my upbringing. Maybe a lot, actually. Always expected to meet these high standards, even after I moved out of my house. ...Suppose they’ve been getting to me these days, that’s all.”

“And so you just want to be your own man, instead of just going for the expectations everyone… well, expects of you?” Bridge asked. “I gotta say, maybe SPD isn’t for you. Too regimented.”

“No, I got this far, I’m in B-Squad now. And I have a promise to uphold,” Robert said. “During the Armada Invasion a few years back. Theo… Jungle Fury Blue saved my life. Him and Space Blue. I swore to become like them, someone people could look up to. ...In a way I suppose, I was placing expectations upon myself really…”

“And that drove you even further into trying to be this ‘uber ranger’ who everyone admires?” Bridge guessed. “...I suppose that’s sorta understandable. But you’re not going to last long here at SPD with your current mindset, you know that right?”

“Yeah, I do, and I want to change… but how…? How can I do that?” Robert wondered aloud, and for that question at least Bridge had no real answer.

“Come on Robert, quit standing around like an idiot!” Jindrax shouted as nearby, he cut down more Kudabots with his sword. “You’re making us do all the hard work! I swear, my muscles will be sore for a week after this!”

“Right… Right, sorry!” Robert shouted back shaking his head free of his memories. “Hattari, double team?” he asked the gold ranger. Robert chuckled, maybe the unicorn wasn’t as stoic as he believed himself to be. He, after all got the cowboy ninja ranger powers. Or maybe it was the Mystic Mother’s idea of a joke. God knew she had an odd sense of humor at times.

“On your lead!” Hattari shouted, his horn glowing and an Asian dragon of magic erupting from it, striking and scything through the hoards. “Ninja Superstar Mode, activate! Ninja Spin!” he shouted placing a ninja star on his sword and spinning it. A gust of wind and a poncho suddenly appeared all around him before he launched a tornado at the hoards sending them flying, the magically conjured dragon scything through whoever remained.

“May not have any fancy jutsu, but I still have this…” Robert stated drawing a certain sword and raising it skywards. “Shadow Saber: Blue Moon Strike!” he shouted the image of a moon appearing behind him before he slashed downwards finishing off the hoard.

“Ugh, two old orgs, interfering where they’re not wanted or needed!” Ayakashi shouted and in that moment you could hear a pin drop.

“...Oh no, tell me he didn’t. He did not just do that, did he?” Jindrax asked Robert who could only nod.

Toxica’s eyebrow twitched. “Oh, you so did not just call me old!” she roared before sending a lightning-fast series of punches towards Ayakashi who was sent flying back and slammed into a building leaving a visible mark. His blood red visor had been cracked slightly. A howl cut through the air and the Wolfblades leaped out from behind a rooftop.

“Ah, here they are…” Ayakashi thought as he slid down the wall in pain. The Wolfblades, for their part, blitzed through the group slicing and dicing. Blood was drawn as costumes were ripped to shreds. The gold sash on Midnight’s costume was barely hanging on as it was.

“...Alright, I’m taking suggestions. Rolled up newspaper?” Robert asked weakly gripping the Shadow Saber for dear life.

“How about one of those electric collars?” Midnight commented before throwing up a wall of flame with a shout of: “Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!”

“Niiicccceeee doggies, want to play fetch?” Jindrax asked nervously as he and Dragonscales just barely held the Wolfblades back with their swords. He yelped out as one struck at him. In the background, Ayakashi laughed like a maniac. Which one supposed he was, but that’s beside the point. “...I’m guessing that’s a no…” Jindrax murmured.

“Breathing room, Hattari, now!” Midnight commanded.

“I know what you’ve got in mind…” Hattari smirked raising his sword skywards air crackling with ozone before he looked towards Dragonscale. “A hand, if you will?”

“Raiton: Inazuma zankō!”/“Hanabira no odori!” the two shouted before flower petals sprang up to blind the wolves before a bolt of lightning was sent their direction. Yelping out in pain, the wolves smoking forms stumbled backwards.

“Careful now, you might get rabies!” Robert warned as the wolves charged forwards again, but this time the Rangers were ready, grabbing onto them and tossing them into the ground. As they recovered another strike was prepped.

“Blue Moon Strike!”/”Raiton: Raitoningu chokusetsu sutorēto!”

A blue wave of energy was sent forwards as the wolves picked themselves up off the ground before a flicker of shadow and a flash of lightning sent down back down. They tried to recover but Midnight was having none of it. “Mahō no sutairu: Aizuwaidoōpun, shuriken furenjībarianto!”

A swarm of shurikens appeared around the wolves before ‘eyes’ opened on them and sent a barrage of lasers towards them. “And down you go!” Midnight shouted before he let out a yelp as Ayakashi recovered now wielding what looked to be massive claws.

“You know what, I’ve had enough of you! Katon: Higasa no Mai!” he shouted before leaping backwards throwing kunai covered in flame.

Ayakashi easily dodged them and in flickers of light was above Midnight, before the Ranger smirked and placed his boots on either side of the man’s helmet before tossing him behind.

“And again! Katon: Higasa no Mai!” Midnight shouted before tossing a few more flaming kunai which Ayakashi easily caught in his claws before in a poof of smoke a powerful white snake grabbed him by the torso and tossed towards Dragonscale.

“Rainbow Snake Style: White Fang Blade!” she shouted before slicing him clean through and through. As for the Wolfblades? They were grown by the Warrior Dome’s laser.

“...Ugh, where’s animal control when you need ‘em?” Robert muttered in disgust before shaking his head in resignation. “I’ve had about enough of this. Red Dragon Thunderzord power, now!”

A roar cut through the sky as clouds broiled over and a massive red serpent sliced through the three wolves before transforming into a bipedal state. Robert went into Orion Mode and the Thunderzord changed with it, into the old Red Zeo Battlezord. Leaping on top of the powerful arms which were now delivering punch after punch to the Wolfblades, Dragon smiled.

“At last, time to end this once and for all,” Dragonscale said leaping on top of the Zord’s head as it delivered powerful gatling blasts to the three wolf spirits. “Fūin-jutsu, reinbōsunēkusutairu: Fināre!” she yelled and powerful snakes erupted from her sword binding themselves around the three wolves. A bright flash of light and then there was nothing remaining but a smoky substance that was brought into a small inkpot Dragonscale held in her outstretched hands.

“I believe the phrase is… show’s over, ninjas win!” she smiled before sighing in relief. At last, things were finally over.

As the new day dawned, the three saw Robert off as he walked into the Delta Base ready to face whatever lay ahead.

“You think he’ll be alright?” Dragonscale asked, and Flash smiled as he gripped her hand.

“Something tells me he’ll do just fine…” he said in return.

Author's Notes:

Okay... so, whew. Now that was a ride to write. Thank you Shadowmane, for the help on the first half. You rock man. Remind me to thank you somehow.

Now, few things to talk about. Funny thing about Dragonscale, there was an idea I sorta rejected. In the original V-Cinema, if you may remember, her counterpart was possessed by Madame Odious's counterpart. It was done in such a way it wasn't even clear she had ranger powers naturally.

So, basically I thought of Dragon being a traitor sent to infiltrate the Ninja Steel team thus explaining the new power star but I couldn't find a way to fit it in. Even had a monster form planned for her, (Which I found another way to use anyways as Ayakashi) but as I said I couldn't figure out how to do it, so it got tossed. Isn't that the way?

If you're curious, yes I did draw inspiration from a certain villain of Rider Time: Shinobi for Ayakashi's design. As seen here.

Went through a few times, most of which I found ludicrous for so many reasons before I settled on a simple Shinkenger shout-out.

Anyways, as ever, thoughts, comments, and critique are welcomed.