(BANG)

The arena echoed with the gunshot from the Tartarus cannon which was pointed at the Red Ranger.

With a swing of her weapon, she deflected the shots whilst calmly approaching Patrick.

Zena had many reasons why she pushed Patrick into fighting her. It was both for herself, for him, and for the mission.

To Patrick, this battle was no different than what has become his normal lifestyle.

Zena: Ha-Za!

Leaning back, Patrick avoided a splash from Zena, who swung again immediately.

(BANG)

He stopped the momentum of her swing with one shot to the arm. Stunned, Zena was slashed by Patrick flicking the lever of the Tartarus cannon to reload and shoot her again.

(BANG)

Zena: Oough!

As soon as Patrick flicked the weapon to reload, Zena fired a bolt of lightning that knocked the temporary white ranger off balance.

Running up to him, Zena leaped up and brought her spear down on Patrick who raised the Tartarus cannon to block.

(CLANG)

Zena: You remind me of myself for a while back...

Patrick: Huh? What kind of old lady talk is this?

Zena: Hehe... It's a talk from someone who has matured.

Patrick: You calling me childish?

The two kicked each other away.

Zena: It was a few years ago...

Patrick: Ugh... Don't you dare give me a life story-

Zena: I was a hooligan.

"I had lost my parents and thus have no parental control."

"I went wild. Fighting with anyone I didn't like. From corporations to people who simply looked at me wrong."

"Got in trouble with the police from time to time."

Zena knocked the Tartarus cannon out of Patrick's hand and began bombarding him with a flurry of attacks.

"I had too much anger in me, with no outlet."

"Until my grandfather found me and threw me into a pit of bulls."

"He made me a Madator, which gave me a way to unleash my anger and the beast's anger as well."

"When I performed in the arena for the first time and heard the chanting of the crowd, I realized what I wanted to do with my life."

"I had learned to control my anger and get over all the trauma"

Patrick catches Zena's weapon stopping her attack in its track.

Patrick: What was that story supposed to accomplish?

Pulling the weapon out of her grip, Patrick turns the tides and uses Zena's thunderbolt spear with a style of mastery that Red Ranger herself couldn't perform.

Zena was now on the defensive dodging as much as she could as more and more of Patrick's anger was poured into his attacks, making them faster and more vicious.

Patrick: You want my life story?! Fine!

"I was a kid who was into martial arts, but when my sister got sick and my parents couldn't afford her treatments, I stepped in."

"I knew of tournaments that paid big cash, but since I couldn't afford lessons anymore, I challenged students and masters from every dojo I could find..."

"I copied their moves to become more skilled. I eventually found myself in the middle of some kind of dojo war where I got paid to beat up schools."

"They called me a bad boy, or villain of the martial arts world, I didn't care, I needed cash."

"I fought and fought. With no mercy."

"Even in charity fights, with people as sick as my sister was put against me, I defeated them."

"I never held back and hurt whoever was in my way, all for nothing as my sister died before I could pay for any of the treatment."

"In my bad state of mind, I drove home just to cause someone else harm."

Having knocked Zena onto her back, Patrick tried stabbing her, whilst she grabbed and geld the weapon back.

Patrick: Satisfied?

Zena: Yes. I now see the difference.

Patrick: The difference?

Zena: You and I both have anger. But my passion saved me. You corrupted yours.

Patrick:?

Zena: When you go home, will you be able to continue your martial arts with a smile?

Zena: With joy and passion!?

Patrick: Why do you care?

Zena: Someone has to care. Or who'll make sweet pies from the bitter apples?

Patrick:(scoffs)... I'm done playing your games.

Lifting the spear up with Zena still holding on, Patrick throws it and her.

Racing after them, Patrick cones across the Tartarus cannon and kicks it toward Zena who flipped to fix her position.

Zena: Ha-Za!

Swatting away the Tartarus cannon back towards Patrick, Zena watches him leap up towards her and catch the weapon.

Zena prepared to strike Patrick.

(BANG)

But with one shot of the Tartarus Cannon, Patrick changed his trajectory.

Zena:?!

Her attacks miss as Patrick lands a slash which knocks her to the ground.

She rolls to recover whilst Patrick lands on his feet to immediately rush back towards Zena, refusing to give her any room to breathe.

Thrusting her weapon and herself forward, Zena was met with resistance when Patrick did the same with his weapon.

The tips of their weapons met, stopping their momentum.

(BANG)

But with a simple pull of the trigger, Patrick launched Zena back.

Digging her spear into the ground, she slowed her momentum.

When she stopped, she immediately swatted away the Tartarus cannon which was thrown like a boomerang leaving her open to a punch across the face.

Blocking Patrick's next attack. She watched him dodge her slash.

Faking her out with a kick toward her legs which he immediately changed directions to her head, Patrick landed the attack.

The Tartarus cannon then bounced back and struck Zena in the back of the knee, making her fall back.

Zena swung her spear over her head and stabbed it into the ground so she could use it as a lever to backflip and kick Patrick who was knocked a few feet off the ground.

Landing and grabbing the Tartarus cannon, Patrick charged toward Zena who tore her spear out of the ground upheaving a wave of electrified earth towards the temporary white ranger.

(BANG)

Blasting a path through the earth wave, Patrick flicked the weapon to reload it, but the weapon was caught by Zena stopping the reload.

Zena: Heh.

Releasing the gun, Patrick allowed it to snap back into Zena's hand as he himself landed a few strikes on her.

Grabbing both weapons in Zena's hand, Patrick pulled them towards himself while dropkicking her completely disarm her.

Zena: OOF!

Getting up, Zena saw her own spear being thrown at her, with it being boosted by a shot from the Tartarus cannon.

Zena: Whoa!

Despite watching it, Zena still slid back from the sheer force of the attack.

Zena: Oh-ho-ho!

Zena: You, my friend, are a crafty little fighter! I can barely keep up!

Zena: That little trick where you somehow got that weapon to hit me from behind...

Zena:(chef's kiss) Magnificent! I couldn't predict that in a million years.

Zena: A million and two years, however...

Patrick:(aims Tartarus Cannon)

Zena: Now let us see how well you do against overwhelming power!

(KRACKAKOOOOOOOOOOM)

(Several minutes later)

Pandora and the other rangers arrived in a rush when they saw a thunderstorm over the arena come and go.

Upon arrival, they found Patrick laying on the ground, in his civilian form, and Zena sitting right beside him in her civilian gear.

Zena: Hahaha! You're unbelievable, Pat!

Patrick:... You're a lightning bolt of enthusiasm and hardheadedness...

Zena: Thank you.

Patrick: That was a statement, not a compliment.

Hannah rushed over to Zena as Pandora did with Zena.

Whilst Hannah checked Patrick for injuries, Pandora grabbed Zena by the ear like an angry mother.

Pandora: What do you think you're doing?! Using your godly power for...  Whatever this is!?

Zena:(chuckles)... Sorry. I thought I could beat the angst out of him!

Hannah: Are you alright?

Patrick says nothing as he kickflips onto his feet.

Patrick: Toasty... But I'll live.

Zena: See, he's fine!

Pandora: Why did you do this?

Zena: I thought in fighting might lure the Oracle to attack. And Patrick was being too moody.

Digging his hands in his pockets, Patrick walks away with Zena following suit, quickly wrapping an arm around his shoulder with a big grin.

Zena: You know, I think I got the fighting bug from you! That battle was something else!

Zena: You had me on my toes the whole time!

Patrick: You're too evasive. Block more and you might not get sent flying with everything attack that lands.

Zena: Is that so?

Patrick: I wouldn't say it otherwise...

Zena: Eh? Still with this grumpy attitude? Come on, you can smile, can't you? Like in our battle, I saw you cracked one!

Patrick: You didn't see squat! I was wearing a helmet.

Zena: Hmph! I saw it with my soul.

Patrick: What?! Now you're just making stuff up to push your reality!

Zena: It's a God thing, you wouldn't get it...

Zena: But if you're still grumpy let me treat you to something to eat. That should cheer you up.

She begins poking him in the stomach.

Zena: On me! What do you want? What do you want?

Patrick: I could go for some Chinese.

Zena: Chinese?! You're in Greek Freedom boy!

Patrick: Fine, a pizza will do.

Zena: That's Italy!

Patrick: Same thing genre!

Zena: It would be a shame if that pretty face of yours got bruised.....

Patrick: Pretty?

Zena: Yes. A little makeup and I might have confused you for a lesbian.

Patrick: You know, I think I actually might be on board for a round two...

Rangers/Pandora:.......

Herald: Who knew fighting could lead to friendship...

Agnes: You call that friendship?

Abigail: I'd call that an accident waiting to happen.......

Hannah: Huh? What does that mean?

Percy: Don't worry about it.

Zena: Hey! Are you all coming or what?

The team then headed out for dinner.

The sun had set, and it was only Patrick and Zena left awake watching Tv movies in the dark.

Patrick:...

Zena:... It doesn't get easier.

Patrick:?

Zena: You just get used to it. The absence of a beloved family member.

Patrick:... I see.

Zena: That's why you need to make a lot of friends. Who will have your back...

Patrick: Not easy with my rep... I have a lot of enemies.

Zena: Like it or not. I'll be your friend.

Patrick: A friend, huh?

Zena: You sound disappointed. Wanted something more~?

The two were now staring at each other.

Patrick: More? Like what? I don't need a best friend if that's what you're thinking.

Zena:!

Zena: Are you being serious?

Patrick: Yes....? What do you mean by that?

Zena:(covers mouth while snickering)

Zena: Oh nothing...

Patrick: Don't screw around. What did you mean?

Zena: I of course meant "best friends" (giggles)... Nothing else. You were exactly right.

Patrick:(glares)

Zena: Oh fine.... I'll tell you...(holds in laughter) when you're older!

Patrick: We're the same age!

Zena: Are we now?

Patrick: You got my interest. Now tell me.

Zena: I'll give you a hint. It involves my room.

Patrick:?

Patrick: Your room....?

Zena: Oooh, I see gears turning...

Patrick:...

Patrick: What? A sleepover or-

Patrick:...

Zena: There it is....! Do you get it now?

Patrick rubs the bridge of his nose.

Zena:(chuckles)

She leans on him with her arm on his shoulder.

Zena: Now that you know, what's the answer?

Hannah: I still don't get it...

Patrick/Zena:?!

They turn to Hannah who stared annoyingly at the two.

Hannah: Care to... Explain it in detail.

Patrick: Go back to sleep.

Hannah: I'm a guardian of the world. I have no bedtime!

Patrick: So you're ready for the ten-hour training session I have planned for you?

Hannah: Wh-what ten-hour training session.

Patrick: The one you'll get if you don't go to sleep right now.

Hannah:..(kicks floor) Fine...

Zena: Do you want a bedtime story?

Hannah: I'm not a kid!

Zena:(chuckles)...

Zena: I'm off to bed too. What about you, Pat?

Patrick:... Not that tired. So I'll finish the show.

Zena: Fine, don't keep me waiting though~

Patrick: Yea- hey!

Zena: Haha!

To be continued.....