A/N: I finally have a face claim for Trent so go check it out! Enjoy the chapter!

edited on may 24th, 2022 @ 11:04am

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - THE BLAME GAME

𝓣𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃

"YO, COMING THROUGH!"

I was currently at a park with the others plus Dacoda wearing a black button up shirt as we were tossing a football around. I tossed the ball over towards Steel as he made a touchdown.

Nearby, a father and his daughter were sitting down on a bench as the young girl threw her trash onto the ground. The father then notices.

"What do you think you're doing, young lady? You can't just toss your trash on the ground. I want you to pick up three extra pieces of trash. Right now. Go on."

"Aww, Dad!"

"Wow, that's one mean father, punishing the poor kid." Steel commented.

"Not at all. He's just teaching her a lesson so next time she won't litter." Nate explained.

"So it's a good thing?" Steel questioned.

"It's called discipline." Ravi replied.

"Been there, done that." Devon claimed. "When I acted up, my parents punished me by making me pull up weeds in the yard. Straightened me up fast."

"Pulling weeds doesn't seem all that bad. When I was younger, my Dad's way of discipline was giving me extra ninja training, and I got punished a lot." I stated.

"Guess having one of the Earth's greatest ninjas as a parent isn't all sunshine and rainbows." Devon joked, making me roll my eyes as I stole the football from his hands.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

We all arrived at Grid Battleforce to see Ben and Betty struggling with a leaf blower at the front entrance.

"Hey, y'all." Devon greeted.

"Hi!" Betty greeted him back.

We were soon in line where visitors were being scanned. "Thanks." The security guard, Cole, said. "Next, please."

Cole gestured his head to let a female worker who was carrying a package through. "Whoa, hold up. What do you think you're doing?" Steel asked.

"I'm sorry, is something wrong?" Cole asked.

"You were going to let this worker walk in without scanning her package. That is against the rules." Steel pointed out.

"No, Toni works here, and that's just her lunch." Cole argued.

"We'll see about that." Steel says as the female opens her package to reveal a sandwich cut in half, an apple, and a banana. "Oh, right. We were lucky this time. But Battleforce rules clearly state that all packages must be inspected. . ." He paused to look at his badge. "Cole."

"You're right, Mr Steel. I'm really sorry." Cole apologized sincerely.

"Sorry isn't gonna cut it. To learn your lesson, you need a punishment." Steel points towards the window. "Go and sweep the plaza outside the building, right now!"

Cole does what he's told as he goes to get a rake. "Um, maybe you're being a little harsh." Zoey informed.

"Z's right. He did apologize. That should've been enough." I agreed, making Zoey nod at my words.

"Hey, Steel has a point. Rules are rules." Ravi pointed out.

Cole comes back with the rake in his hand. "It's okay, I accept my punishment. Working at Grid Battleforce is a dream come true for me, so I promise I won't make the same mistake again." He said.

"Good." Steel said as Cole headed outside.

"I'm not so sure that was necessary." Devon spoke up.

"Nonsense. I call it a lesson learned." Steel disagreed as we all followed him.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

I was at Riptide Gym with Devon, Ravi, Zoey. "Hey, guys." Steel greeted.

"Where've you been?" Ravi asked.

"Where's Nate?" Zoey questioned.

"He's working in the lab. And I've been very busy helping to better my fellow humans." Steel replied as we all sat down.

"Meaning what, exactly?" Zoey asked.

"Well, let's see. First, I caught some technicians driving their cart too fast through the base. Then another technician had untied shoelaces." Steel responded.

"And how'd you punish her?" Devon asked. "Clean your Zord with a cotton swab?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I told her to use a sponge." Steel answered.

The waiter soon came by with our drinks, setting them down on the table. "Well, I never. Is that gum in your mouth?" Steel questioned.

"Uh, yeah." The waiter responded, not seeing the problem — because there wasn't one.

"It's against the rules to chew gum in the gym." Steel hands the waiter a green napkin. "Spit it out. Go on."

The waiter takes the napkin and does so. "Sorry. . . ?" He said, his reply coming out more of a question.

"Sorry isn't enough. As a punishment, how about you—" Steel started to say.

"Okay, Steel." Devon interrupted. "That'll be all, thanks."

"I think you might be enforcing the rules a little too much." I informed.

"What are you talking about? I'm teaching important lessons about rules and safety." Steel said.

Before any of us could reply, Devon's wrist comm beeped, getting our attention.

"Rangers, a Robotron has been spotted behind the base." Commander Shaw informed.

"Got it. Have Nate meet us there." Devon said.

"Nate's not answering his comms, but I've sent someone to find him." Commander Shaw said.

"Copy that, Commander." Devon stated as we headed out.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

All of us arrived behind the base, getting out of the car. "There's Nate." Devon pointed out as we saw Nate already morphed.

"Look!"

"Hey, bro."

"Whoa, a Robotron!" Devon announced.

"Watch out!" Steel warned.

That's when Nate bowed to Controlatron. "Hey, what are you doing?" Steel questioned.

"He'll do whatever I tell him to, just like a good little puppet!" Controlatron replied.

"I'm a good little puppet." Nate repeated.

"What are you talking about?" Steel asked.

"It's showtime!" Controlatron exclaimed.

Nate then headed forwards as he began fighting us. "Don't hurt him!" Zoey yelled.

"Stop, bro!" Steel added on.

"And a punch and a kick!" Controlatron said.

"Ha. . . Yah!" Nate shouted as he kicked us all back.

"There's no point, Rangers. I pull the strings around here now." Controlatron laughed.

"It's the hand puppet. It's controlling Nate's moves!" Zoey pointed out.

"Let's put on our own show. It's morphin' time!" Devon shouted as our morphers appeared.

"Activate Beast Power! Ha!" We all shouted as we morphed.

"Unleash the Beast!"

"Tronics!" Nate shouted, raising a fist in the air as Tronics appeared.

"You heard the golden boy. Fight!" Controlatron said.

"Go, Rangers!" Devon told us as we began fighting the Tronics.

Steel and I dodged an attack from Nate. "Calm down, bro!" Steel exclaimed.

"He can't control himself." I reminded Steel as I got tossed to the ground by Nate.

"Nate!" I called out as he swung at us and I grabbed his arm. "Gotcha!"

"Trent!" Steel tried to help me but got kicked aside by Nate. We then got thrown to the ground.

"Guys!"

"Are you okay?" Zoey asked Steel.

"Sorry, but it's time for intermission! Come with me. Master Evox has got bigger plans for you!" Controlatron told Nate before they disappeared.

"No!" Devon exclaimed.

"Oh man, Nate's completely under that Robotron's control." Ravi informed.

"We need to figure out how to stop it." Steel added on.

"Let's find out what happened." Devon said.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"I really think that maybe we should talk about this, Steel." Zoey said as we were all walking with Cole.

"No talk. The commander needs to know." Steel told her.

"What's going on?" Commander Shaw questioned as we entered.

"Commander, we have security footage of Cole taking an unscanned package into the building. It's the second time today." Steel responded. "Only this time the package came from Evox."

"It's true. Watch." Ravi confirmed as he pulled up the security footage that showed Cole holding a package.

"Look, in his hands!" Steel pointed out. "See that? Cole walked through security without getting that package scanned."

"And that's how Nate fell under their control." Zoey said as the footage showed Nate opening the package.

"A hand puppet?" Nate questioned as the puppet immediately disappeared and he got controlled as the footage cut.

"I see. How do you explain this?" Commander Shaw asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember. My mind's gone blank. It-It's like a fog." Cole answered.

"Weak excuse. Cole, you're fired!" Steel announced.

"Fired? Hold on." Zoey began to protest.

"No, Steel's right. You repeatedly broke the rule that requires inspections, and that has put a Ranger in serious danger. You're relieved of your duties." Commander Shaw stated.

"I failed you and the agency. And I'm so sorry." Cole apologized.

"Please see yourself out." Steel ordered as Cole left the room and the alarm blared. "What now?"

"A pair of Gigadrones incoming. Sector Tango-Five-Five." Ravi announced.

"You four, get to your Zords." Commander Shaw told us.

"Copy." Steel replied as we headed out of the room.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Ravi, Steel, Zoey, and I got into our Zords as we faced the Gigadrones.

"The detector's picked up two Gigadrones on approach. Let's keep an eye out." Ravi informed.

"Got it."

"Okey-dokey."

"Right."

Steel then headed for the first Gigadrone as Zoey and I fired at it from the air. Ravi charged forward and punched the Gigadrone, sending it back.

"Whoa, great punch!" Steel complimented.

We continued to fire at the Gigadrone. "You like that?" Ravi asked.

"Nice, team!" Zoey praised.

Something suddenly appeared behind Ravi. "Smash, what's that behind us?" He asked.

"No! It's taken control of our systems." Smash informed as Controladrone appeared with Ravi next to it.

"Oh no. That's one big puppet!" Steel commented as Ravi fired at him and then attacking him. "Dude!"

"Sorry, I can't stop it." Ravi said.

"Me neither!" Smash added on.

Ravi attacked Steel again as he fell to the ground. "Sorry, Steel." He apologized.

"This is rough!" Steel exclaimed.

"Smash, try and override the system!" Ravi told him.

"I did! It's not working!" Smash responded.

"Rapid Blast!" Zoey and I shouted as we fired at the Gigadrone, destroying the puppet in the process.

"Back in control!" Smash informed.

"Thanks, Zoey, Trent." Ravi thanked us.

Devon eventually arrived just in time. "Coming in hot!" He announced.

"Roger." Ravi, Zoey, and I said in unison as we formed the Megazord.

"In position." Nate said.

"Good to have you back, brother!" Steel told him.

"Striker Hyperblast!" Steel and Nate shouted.

"Transport Cheetah Beast Blaster!" Devon shouted as the blaster appeared in his hands.

"Beast-X Hyperstrike!" Devon exclaimed as the two Gigadrones were eventually destroyed.

"Virus Eliminated!"

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"I'm sorry for giving you guys such a hard time. Thanks for not giving up on me." Nate told Devon.

"Nate, none of us would ever give up on you." Devon reassured him.

"The worst part is I have no memory of the time I was under that Robotron's control. My mind is completely blank. Everything's foggy." Nate informed.

"Hold on." Steel realized Cole had said the exact same thing. "Foggy? Oh no! That's why Cole couldn't remember anything."

"Of course. He must have been mind-controlled to bring the puppet to Nate." Zoey said.

"Then it wasn't his fault at all." Steel claimed. "Commander, I've made a terrible mistake."

"And how would you like to make things right?" Commander Shaw questioned.

"There's only one thing to do." Steel answered.

All of us were outside of the Grid Battleforce entrance. Ben and Betty greeted us as they saw us walk out.

"Cole should be here any minute. I've told him it's important." Commander Shaw said.

"Thanks." Steel told her. "Oh, hey, here he is."

We saw Cole coming up on a X-Bike. He cleared his throat as he walked up to us.

"Uh, Commander, you wanted to see me?" Cole asked.

"Actually, I did." Steel corrected. "I was wrong to be so hard on you. Taking that evil package to Nate wasn't your fault. You were being puppeteered by a Robotron."

"I was?" Cole questioned.

"Yep. And the thing with the lunchbox, well, I may have overreacted a little bit. Everybody makes mistakes." Steel replied, patting Cole on the shoulder. "They don't all deserve punishment."

"We'd like you to come back and work with us at Grid Battleforce." Commander Shaw added on.

"Really? Well, of course. Thank you! Thank you so much." Cole said. "And I promise I'll remember to scan every single package from now on. Even my own lunchbox."

His comment made us all laugh. "Thank you!" Cole said once again.

"What a wild day." Steel commented. "It really couldn't get any crazier."

We suddenly heard creaking as Ben and Betty began to yell. We looked over to see a tree grow at a rapid pace.

"I take it back. That's bananas!" Steel exclaimed.

"We did it! It's a brand-new tree!" Betty said as we all shook our heads in disbelief.

"Uh, could you guys give us a hand?" Ben questioned, causing us all to laugh.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

A/N: Another chapter is completed! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2162 words.