FicWad

Episode 11: Fame and Misfortune

"Okay, this thing's really starting to get on my nerves!" A morphed Wendy said as she shot at the Eraser Attack Bot inside an office. The tiny eraser-themed robot laughed maniacally as it skittered across a desk, avoiding all of her projectiles. "Alright, that's it! C'mere, you little shit!"

She dashed towards the desk and increased her rate of fire, filling the air with blaster bolts. The Eraser Attack Bot cackled as it dodged her second wave, then launched a ball of light her way. Wendy was temporarily blinded, allowing the diminutive robot to launch a volley of staple-like bullets at her. As the projectiles hurtled towards the Yellow Ranger, a morphed Griffin rushed to intervene.

"WENDY!" He shouted, tackling her to the floor just before the staples made their mark.

"...Is there a reason you did that?!" Wendy shoved him off her, then added, "It kinda hurt, y'know!"

"And those staples hitting you wouldn't have?!" Griffin shot back.

"Rangers! Focus!" Doctor K chided, her voice echoing through their comms.

"Right, sorry!" Griffin hopped back up to his feet, then offered a hand to Wendy, who reluctantly allowed him to pull her up. "Let's finish him off! Attack Formation Delta!"

"Right!" The other two hollered. Kenny ran over to the Eraser Attack Bot's desk, which he used his superstrength to lift up and then slam back onto the floor. The tiny robot was sent toppling onto its back. Griffin seized the opportunity by super speeding over and hog-tying it to the wooden surface with duct tape. He and Kenny cart-wheeled out of the way, and Wendy aimed her SpyTech Aperture at their foe before twisting the dial on its barrel.

"SpyTech Aperture: Snapshot...STRIKE!" She then pulled the trigger, sending a beam of light flying towards the incapacitated Attack Bot. It screamed as it was obliterated by the attack, leaving a crater of burning splintered wood in its wake.

"This is Griffin to Doc – Eraser Attack Bot is offline, over."

"Acknowledged, Ranger Red. I'm not reading any Attack Zord signals, so I'll go ahead and give Agent Wright the all-clear for crowd control," Doctor K replied via comms. "Good work, over and out."

"Man, that was tough…!" Kenny stretched his arms, glancing out the window as emergency responders arrived and began escorting the office workers away from the parking lot. He watched them all leave, then turned his back to the window and raised his morpher to his chest. "POWER DOWN!"

He demorphed in a flash of light, then kept stretching until his bones snapped softly. "Man, am I tired…."

He let out a yawn, then walked up to Griffin and Wendy and slapped them both on the shoulders. "I'm taking off. See ya guys tomorrow!"

"Yeah, see ya," The two echoed, watching their Blue teammate leave. They ducked into a nearby cubicle, then demorphed before leaving themselves. Meanwhile, a girl with long brown hair and blue eyes crouched behind a tree outside the parking lot, clutching a camcorder in her hands…

"Well, what do you know? The Eraser Attack Bot was a failure," Control observed, feigning surprise. "Who could've guessed?"

"It was a pretty stupid plan," Delete snickered. The robot patted Alt on the shoulder before adding, "Maybe next time you should let us pick, dear sister,"

"Laugh all you want, my foolish brothers," Alt muttered, glaring at her brothers as they left the room. Once they were gone, she reached into a pocket on her vest and produced another Venjix Virus Card. "This plan may've failed, but my next Attack Bot will put your efforts to shame!"

The Next Day…

"I've got a large green tea with light sugar for Kenny!" A barista called out from behind the counter of the campus coffee shop. Kenny moved to receive his order, then carried his drink over to a nearby booth where Griffin and Wendy were sitting.

"Hey, Grif, mind scooching over?" Griffin scooted over a bit, allowing Kenny to sit down next to him. "Thanks, bud!"

"Hey, keep it down, would-ya?!" A person in the next booth over said rather rudely. "I'm trying to watch the news!"

"Sorry!" Kenny replied. He then looked up at the TV, soaking in the newscast while sipping his drink.

"…the cat was then pried off the fireman's face, allowing it to be returned safely to its owner," The anchor said, concluding his current story. "In other news, the CPU Power Rangers were recently spotted fighting an Attack Bot in a downtown office! We've since heard from an eyewitness who claims to have footage of the Blue Ranger revealing his secret identity in the aftermath of the battle!"

Upon hearing this, Kenny did a spit take, sending green tea gushing out of his mouth and onto both of his teammates…

"Ranger Blue, I must say that I am quite disappointed in you," Doctor K began, pacing back and forth while Kenny stood in front of her. She stopped walking, then looked him in the eye and added, "You've always been rather careless, but I never could've expected this."

"Aw c'mon, Doc! You're not exactly being fair here!" The Blue Ranger countered, following her as she began pacing around the room again. "I mean, it's not like I knew someone was recording me!"

"That's precisely my point, Ranger Blue. You didn't check to make sure, and now here we are."

"...Okay, fair enough, but like...there's gotta be something we can do, right?" Kenny turned to a monitor displaying a video call with Agent Wright. He continued, "Can't you figure out who has the footage and then confiscate it from them?"

"As much as I'd love to help, the CIA can't afford to reveal its affiliation with the Ranger Operators. The President's Cabinet and the UN are breathing down our necks as is," He told him. "I'm afraid you're on your own with this one."

Agent Wright ended the call, and Doctor K turned back to Kenny before saying, "This is your mess, Ranger Blue. I expect you to clean it up."

"Yes, ma'am…" The Blue Ranger grumbled, defeated. "Any idea where I should start?"

"As a matter of fact..." Doctor K plopped down in front of her computer, then clacked away at her keyboard keys for a few moments. She motioned Kenny over, then gestured to her monitor and said, "I received this email a few hours ago; it's from one of my Biochem students."

She opened the email, then scrolled through it and continued, "Her name is Milly Deno. I did some research, and I've discovered that she's a Journalism major who's participated in Starview Heights Central News' internship program over the past three summers."

"And this is relevant because…?"

"She emailed me to ask how she could contact you," Doctor K told him. "I don't gamble, but if I did, I'd bet you anything she's the one who filmed you."

"Ohhhhhh…" Kenny replied, causing Griffin and Wendy to roll their eyes.

A few hours later, Kenny made his way to a local park just off-campus. With his hands planted firmly in his pockets, he whistled a tune to himself and soaked in the warmth of the late afternoon sun.

"Hey! Over here!" A feminine voice called out, cutting through the orchestra of noise coming from kids playing in the nearby playground. Kenny looked up and spotted its owner, a young woman with long brown hair, bright blue eyes, and a radiant smile. She waved him over, then asked, "You're Kenshin, right?"

"Kenny," He replied, grimacing a bit. With a polite nod, he added, "I prefer to go by Kenny."

"I'll keep that in mind, then!" She stuck out her hand, then added, "I'm Milly! We have Biochem together!"

"Yeah, I remember you mentioned that in your email," Kenny replied, shaking her hand. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too!" She chirped. She then gestured to a nearby bench and said, "I'd like to sit down; care to join me?"

"Sure," Kenny followed her over to the bench, then plopped down next to her. "So, Milly, I-"

"So, first of all, I'd just like to say you were awesome in that fight with the Eraser Attack Bot!" Milly gushed, cutting him off mid-sentence. "You totally whooped its butt! It was great!"

"Thanks!...but actually, I-"

"It was just like, so incredible! I'm so lucky I got it all on film!" She said excitedly. "Anyway, I was thinking about our upcoming interview on the news, and I think I have some excellent ideas! I know exactly what I'm gonna ask you, and I think I know what you should wear, too!"

"Well uh, I don't know how to put this, but-"

"That reminds me, what day works best for you?" She inquired. "I still haven't finalized your appearance with my bosses, and I-"

"Actually Milly, that's kinda what I came here to talk about…." Kenny said, scratching his cheek with his index finger. She tilted her head, and he continued, "See, the thing is, I can't appear on the news...and I can't let you show that footage of me, either."

"What…?" She replied, scrunching up her nose. "But I don't understand...don't you want recognition? All of the danger, all of the sacrifices you make-"

"It's no small feat, but I do it, and I'll gladly do it for the rest of my life if it means keeping the city safe," He told her. "...I don't wanna be famous, though. In fact, it'd actually make my job a heck of a lot easier if people didn't know my identity, so...I'm kinda gonna need that footage back…"

"What?! But...I already told my bosses I had it! This is supposed to be my big break…!"

"I understand you want to be a reporter, but there must be another way, right…?" He took a breath, then continued, "I'm very sorry, but I really do need you to hand over that camcor-"

"No!" Milly shot up from the bench, clutching her purse to her chest in a death grip. "If you don't want me to interview you, that's fine, but I acquired this footage fair and square! It's mine!"

Kenny stood up and went to follow her, saying, "Milly, it's nothing personal, I just-"

"You don't understand!" She interrupted. She took a deep breath, then added, "I've spent three years trying to become a reporter...I've worked hard, and given it my all in pursuit of my dream...but it's never been enough. Do you...do you have any idea what that's like?!"

As soon as she said this, Kenny stopped dead in his tracks. He stared off into the distance, then fell silent as memories came flooding back…

"I'm SO close…!" A younger Kenny said to himself as he sat in his room, pounding away at his computer keyboard as he worked on some kind of program. "If I can just fix this one bug, the game will be PERFECT!"

"Kenshin, your recital starts in less than an hour!" A female voice called from downstairs, causing Kenny's shoulders to tense up. "I suggest you get ready!"

"Coming, ka-chan..." The young boy grumbled. He reluctantly turned off his computer, then stood from his chair and padded over to his closet. He slipped on a fancy black tuxedo, then grabbed a dusty piano book off of his desk and shook it clean before slipping it into his bag…

"I…" Kenny frowned, then looked down at his feet for a moment before looking back up at her. She shook her head, then turned around and stormed off. "Milly, wait-!"

He tried to catch up with her but tripped over a small stone and fell face-first onto the ground. He spit out a mouthful of grass, then pulled himself back up to his feet and tried in vain to find Milly. There was no sign of the young woman, so he cursed under his breath while dusting off the legs of his shorts.

"Well, THAT went well…."

"He doesn't want me to interview him? Well, FINE!" Milly grumbled as she stormed off in a huff, leaving the park and crossing into the downtown area. As she marched down the sidewalk, she continued, "This is my big break, so I guess I'll just have to do it myself…."

"Going somewhere?" A voice said from a nearby alley, startling her half to death. As the aspiring reporter turned to face the alley, Alt emerged from it and added, "You have something I want…"

"My camcorder?" Milly guessed, gesturing to her purse. She clutched it to her chest, then turned away while shouting, "Get in line!"

"I think not," Alt replied. She grabbed the young woman by the wrist, then yanked her into the alley and knocked her unconscious with one of her blaster pistols. The female Avatar scooped her up off the ground and teleported away, warping to the roof of a nearby skyscraper.

Once she was on the roof, Alt reached into Milly's purse and procured the camcorder. She then went into her own bag and produced her tablet, an Energon Storage Tank, and a Venjix Virus Card. She connected the tablet to the tank, then scanned the Card before attaching it to the camcorder. The device glowed green with energy for a few moments, then transformed into a green camera-themed robot.

"This is the Camera Attack Bot, reporting to you live!" The newborn Attack Bot hollered. "Back to you, Alt!"

"It is time...listen to me very carefully, Camera Attack Bot. I have a plan to destroy the Power Rangers once and for all, and you're going to assist me!"

"You mean to tell me that you just let her get away?" Doctor K said incredulously, folding her arms as she and Kenny stood inside her lab.

"Well, I mean, yeah! What was I supposed to do, hold her there against her will?!" The Blue Ranger countered. "I'm not a kidnapper, y'know!"

"Of course that's not what I'm suggesting! I just find it hard to believe there wasn't anything you could say to convince her." The Doctor let out a small sigh, then added, "That was most likely our only chance of talking her out of airing that footage, and you let it slip through your fingers!"

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" Alt's voice echoed through the lab out of nowhere, her face suddenly appearing on the holoscreen. "I'd hate to interrupt."

"Bugz, what's happening?" Doctor K inquired, turning her attention to the yellow Buddy-Droid.

"She's hacked into our comms feed!" Bugz informed. "I'll redo the signal encryption and kick her-"

"I wouldn't be so hasty if I were you," Alt interrupted. The camera panned to reveal a now-conscious Milly, whom she was still holding hostage. "After all, I have something of yours!"

"Milly!" Kenny shouted, clenching his fist. "Let her go!"

"Now, where would the fun in that be?" Alt replied. "That would just be too easy, Ranger Blue. If you want her back, you'll have to come and get her!"

"You're gonna regret this!" Kenny turned and made for the door, motioning to Apex as he did so. "C'mon, let's-"

"There's just one more thing you should know first," Alt said, prompting him to stop in his tracks. The camera panned again, revealing that the video feed was being transmitted by the Camera Attack Bot. The Attack Bot waved, and Alt's voice could be heard off-screen saying, "My friend here is about to release a video of his own, and I'm willing to bet you won't be fans!"

"Help me!" Milly pleaded, earning a maniacal laugh from the Camera Attack Bot. Alt mockingly waved goodbye before the feed cut out with a jolt, having panned back to her.

"That Attack Bot's doctored the footage of you somehow," Doctor K realized. "You can't let it air!"

"But what about Milly?!" Kenny replied. "We can't just leave her!"

"Hang on, I may have an idea," Doctor K slipped on her earpiece, then tapped into the comm-link and said, "Rangers Red and Yellow, come in! The Camera Attack Bot is on its way to the news tower, and it intends to air some fake and very damaging footage of Ranger Blue! Can you intercept?!"

"Grif here! I'll swing by and grab Wendy, and then we'll be on our way!"

"Excellent. Over and out!" She turned back to Kenny, then told him, "That frees you up to save her, but you've no time to waste!"

"Then it's time to motor!" Kenny hollered, rushing out of the lab with Apex following close behind…

"This is the Camera Attack Bot, reporting live from downtown!" The Camera Attack Bot trudged across a city plaza, pushing through throngs of fleeing civilians. It soon tired of this, grabbing a man and lifting him up by the collar. "Foot traffic's a bit heavy here on the way to the news tower; seems to be a bit of a pest problem!"

It balled its free hand into a fist and prepared to punch its captive in the face, but a car horn echoed from nearby, drawing its attention elsewhere. It tossed the man aside, then turned around just in time to see Griffin's red sedan barreling toward it.

"What the-?!" It braced itself as the car's hood struck it, sending it flying backward. Griffin swerved to the left, careful not to hit anyone else as he put his vehicle in park and killed the engine. As he and Wendy emerged from the car, the Attack Bot screeched, "Do you mind?!"

"Yeah, actually!" Griffin replied as he and Wendy charged into battle. He leaped up into the air, delivering a flying punch to the Attack Bot's chest. Wendy followed suit, roundhouse kicking it in the abdomen before leg sweeping it.

"This just in!" The Attack Bot rolled backward onto its hands, then pushed off the ground and sprang back to its feet. It then began to fight back, swinging its large arm-mounted camera at the pair like a makeshift club. "You're jerks!"

"Actually, we're Power Rangers!" Wendy corrected, sidestepping to avoid its swings as the last of the civilians fled to safety. She brandished her morpher, then glanced over at Griffin and said, "Let's rock!"

"Right on!" Griffin produced his own morpher, and together the two shouted, "Install: CPU!"

They morphed instantly, summoned their SpyTech Apertures, and charged forward, pelting their foe with blaster fire. Sparks leaped from its armor, and it retaliated by swinging at them with its camera arm. Griffin and Wendy dodged the attack using their respective super-abilities. Still, they were caught off-guard when it fired a massive blast from a hidden blaster.

"GRIFFIN, LOOK OUT!" Wendy shoved the Red Ranger out of the way, then yelped in fright as the attack sent her flying. She flipped backward and landed stomach-first, knocking the wind out of her.

"Wendy!" Griffin supersped over to his Yellow counterpart, crouched down next to her, and gently shook her arm. "Are you okay?!"

"And that's a wrap on our downtown coverage!" The Camera Attack Bot turned and scurried away, seizing the opportunity to escape. "Now, back to the news tower!"

"Dammit…!" Wendy swore, having regained her breath. She struggled up to her feet, then gestured to Griffin and added, "C'mon, we can't let it get away!"

Griffin jolted up after her, and the two pursued their opponent as it tore through the city towards its destination. Meanwhile...

"Helllllllllllp!" Milly cried, struggling to escape from her binds. "Somebody help me!"

"I wouldn't waste your breath if I were you; nobody's coming to save you," Alt told her, her lips curled upward in a malicious smirk. "And even if they do, they'll be no match for-"

"Wanna bet?!" Kenny boomed as he burst onto the rooftop out of nowhere, sending the door to the building's stairwell flying off its hinges. As he and Apex dashed towards the female Avatar, he brandished his morpher and hollered, "Install: CPU!"

His Ranger suit appeared around him in a flash, and the Blue Ranger wasted no time leaping into battle. He summoned his saber, then swung it wildly at Alt, who dodged his attacks with minimal effort. She produced her energy-whip, then struck him in the chest and sent him careening into a nearby railing.

"You were saying?" Alt taunted, taking slow and deliberate strides as she slunk towards her nemesis.

"Kenny!" Milly shouted in concern, watching helplessly as Alt whipped him again.

"You never should've come here!" Alt cackled as she continued her relentless assault. "This rooftop shall be your tomb! Do you have any last words…?"

"Actually, I do!" Kenny opened his left hand and thrust it forward, revealing a metal device with a glowing green light on it. The box emitted an electric pulse that harmed his foe, repelling her and causing her face to contort in pain. "You baddies really need to learn not to gloat until you've actually won!"

"Argh! What...is that?!"

"A little something Doc K whipped up," Kenny replied, bouncing the device in his palm as he straightened his stance. "It's called a signal scrambler; it locks onto the signal you're using to project your Avatar, then corrupts it and temporarily-"

"Un..acceptable!" Alt growled, mustering enough energy to whip the device out of his hand. It flew off the roof, and Kenny watched it plummet down to the ground below.

"-weakens you…" He finished awkwardly.

"This...isn't over!" Alt spat, venom dripping from her voice. She stumbled over to the other side of the roof and teleported away, leaving Kenny the victor.

"Milly!" He shouted, dashing over to the young woman once his foe had left. "Hold still!"

He broke her out of her binds, then lifted her up off the antenna she'd been tied to. He carefully set her down, then asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am. But...I don't get it. After everything I said and did, why'd you save me…?"

"Cuz it's the right thing to do," He told her without missing a beat. He then joked, "Besides, what kind of hero would I be if I left a pretty girl like you un-rescued?"

"Oh, hush!" Milly said with a laugh, slapping him lightly on the arm. Her grin faded into a more serious expression, and she quickly added, "You've still got to defeat the Camera Attack Bot, right?"

"Yeah," Kenny said with a nod. He turned to Apex, then instructed, "Get Milly outta here. Take her somewhere safe!"

"O-On it!" Apex stammered, gesturing to Milly to follow him as he made for the stairwell. "This way!"

"This...just...in!" Wendy growled as she grappled with the Camera Attack Bot, pushing it back with all her might. "You're...really starting to piss me off!"

The Attack Bot gained the upper hand, shoving her and causing her to stagger backward. It then aimed its camera arm and fired, forcing her to leap out of the way of the blast.

"This isn't working!" Griffin lamented. He lunged at the Attack Bot with his saber, gritting his teeth as he pushed against the robot with its blade. It shoved him aside with little effort, then laughed as he rolled backward on the pavement. "Ow…!"

"Kenny, did you save the hostage yet?!" Wendy inquired over the comm-link, shouting into her morpher. She bent down and helped Griffin stand back up, then added, "We could really use your-"

"Help?" The Blue Ranger cut in as he bounded up to his teammates out of nowhere. He gave his Yellow teammate a light slap on the back, then said, "Sorry I couldn't make it sooner!"

"Don't sweat it, man. Saving Milly took priority," Griffin replied. "You ready to take this guy down?"

"You know it!" Kenny hollered. "Shield Buster! CPU Blue!"

"Limit Breaker! CPU Red!"

"Climax Jumper! CPU Yellow!"

"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" Griffin spun around to Kenny's right side, making the Blue Ranger the centerpiece. The trio struck their usual group pose as they declared, "Power Rangers: CPU!"

"This just in: I'm not impressed!" The Camera Attack Bot thrust out its left hand, summoning a squadron of Xanaloids. It then pointed to the Rangers and commanded its new troops, saying, "ATTACK!"

The robotic footsoldiers obeyed, charging into battle with their weapons drawn. As the Rangers rushed to meet them, the Attack Bot slipped away and continued making its way to the news tower.

"Rangers, it's getting away!" Doctor K alerted them via comms. "Don't let it!"

"We're...a little preoccupied, Doc!" Griffin locked blades with a Xanadroid, gritting his teeth as he grappled with it. He withdrew his sword, spun around, and slashed it in the chest before saying, "Give us a minute. We're working on it!"

"Guys, watch out!" Wendy gestured to a nearby tanker truck that was barreling down the road, heading straight for them.

"...I have an idea!" Kenny snapped his fingers, then kicked a Xanadroid roughly in the sternum as it lunged toward him. "Grif, the driver!"

"Right!" Griffin supersped towards the tanker's cab, then leaped up and pulled the door open. He unbuckled, grabbed, and then pulled the driver with him as he rolled through the cab and out the other side. They landed on the other side of the vehicle with a thud, then moved across the pavement for a few seconds before stopping. "Wendy, we're clear! You know what to do!"

"On it!" Wendy twisted the dial on her blaster, then aimed it at the now-unmanned tanker as it rolled towards the Xanadroids. "SpyTech Aperture: Snapshot STRIKE!"

She pulled the trigger, firing a golden beam that pierced the tanker and caused a large explosion. The Xanadroids were caught in the blast and erupted into sparks and flame.

"That was a company vehicle…!" The driver shouted, staring at the smoldering wreckage. "You just blew up a thousand gallons of gas!"

"Sorry...!" Griffin said awkwardly, releasing the driver and hopping back up to his feet. He turned and ran after the Camera Attack Bot, gesturing to Kenny and Wendy as he did so. "C'mon, let's go!"

"Right!" The Blue and Yellow Rangers tore after their Red counterpart, and together the trio resumed the pursuit of their foe.

"Camera Attack Bot reporting! I'm being pursued by the Power Rangers!" The Attack Bot panted heavily, then skid to a halt once it reached the news tower. "I made it…!"

"Not so fast!" Kenny hollered as he and the others caught up to it. He summoned his blaster, then fired a few shots at his target. "You're going down!"

"We'll see about that!" The Attack Bot turned to face its assailants, then used its camera arm to somehow materialize a metal wall between it and the news building's entrance. "So long, Rangers!"

"Crap!" Griffin sped over to the barrier, pounding on it with his fist. "This steel is too thick; we'll never break through it!"

"...we'll have to scale the building," Wendy realized, gazing up the length of the skyscraper.

"I love this plan!" Kenny exclaimed without missing a beat. "I'm excited to be a part of it! Let's do it!"

However, before anyone could act, the ground rumbled as a mass of green clouds began to coalesce in the sky.

"Rangers! Incoming Attack Zord!" Doctor K warned. "ETA: less than thirty seconds!"

"Well, that's just perfect..." Griffin mumbled sarcastically, glancing down at his morpher as a countdown timer appeared. "Alright, here's the plan. Ken, you go after the Camera Attack Bot! Wendy and I are going to Zords!"

"On it!" Kenny took a few steps back, then ran towards the side of the building and began to climb it. He used his saber as a makeshift climbing tool, much, in the same manner one would use an ice-pick to climb a snowy mountain. Meanwhile, Griffin and Wendy ran away from the building. They made their way to a nearby road, where they waited as their Zords burst out of their hidden tunnel.

"Alright, we're online!" Griffin hollered as he boarded the Cheetah Chaser, quickly converting it to Warrior Mode as a green portal opened up in the sky. "Target's up in 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"

"RAWRRRRRR!" The Camera Attack Zord bellowed as it burst through the portal, landing on the street below with a massive thud.

"Let's do this!" Wendy converted her Rabbit Chopper to Beast Mode, then willed it to hop after the Cheetah Chaser. "You're going down!"

Together, the Red and Yellow Rangers piloted their Zords, attempting to intercept the enemy Zord as it stomped towards a nearby Energon MegaTank.

Meanwhile…

An electronic ding echoed from the news tower's service elevator, and the doors slid open, allowing the Camera Attack Bot to step out onto the building's roof. As it stepped towards the antenna, the robot lifted its camera arm up to its face, watching the doctored footage it had created via the camera's viewfinder. Said footage depicted Kenny and the other Rangers destroying the office they had fought in a few days before. They held its employees hostage, and at the end of the clip, Kenny demorphed, revealing his identity while letting out an evil laugh. The Attack Bot cackled as it reached the antenna, then deployed a USB-like plug from its camera and prepared to insert it into the device.

"Not so fast! Kenny hollered, having climbed up onto the rooftop. He aimed his blaster at the Attack Bot, then added, "I'm not letting you air that!"

"Just try and stop me!" The Camera Attack Bot spat. "Weather forecast just came in; it's cloudy with a chance of pain!"

"...That doesn't even make sense," Kenny replied, tilting his head. "And I thought some of my one-liners were bad!"

"Shut up!" The Camera Attack Bot aimed its camera arm at him and fired, sending a massive blast of energy hurtling through the air. "Die, Ranger Blue! Die!"

"Woah…!" Kenny dove out of the way, rolling to the right and nearly falling off the roof. He carefully hopped back to his feet, then charged towards his foe while pelting it with lasers. "Eat this!"

"Why're you so defiant?!" The Attack Bot exclaimed in frustration. It fired another blast at him, then another. "Fall! Fall!"

"Ah..!" Kenny gasped as one of the blasts clipped him in the shoulder, then clutched it as his Ranger suit sparked. "Damn..!"

"Ranger Blue, look out!" Doctor K's voice echoed over the comm-link, and Kenny looked back up just in time to see the Camera Attack Bot charging him.

"Oh crap!" Kenny braced for impact as the Attack Bot lunged at him but was sent flying despite his efforts. He tumbled backward and rolled off the edge of the roof, grabbing onto a railing at the last second. He hung on for dear life, waiting with bated breath as the Camera Attack Bot stomped toward him. "This isn't looking good…"

"Indeed it isn't," His foe taunted, chuckling as it towered over him. It then stomped on the Blue Ranger's hand, causing him to cry out in anguish. "Any last words, Ranger Blue?"

"Yeah...have a nice trip!" Kenny summoned his saber and gripped it in his free hand, then stabbed the Attack Bot in the chest before it had time to react. With all of his might, he pulled the robot up and over the ledge, then let go of his saber and said, "See you next fall!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" The Camera Attack Bot plummeted to its death, exploding into ones and zeroes once it hit the ground. Kenny summoned another saber and used it to hoist himself back up onto the roof, then removed his helmet.

"Whew! That was close…!" He took a series of shallow breaths, then raised his morpher and pressed the button within its dial. "Doc, this is Kenny. Camera Attack Bot is offline!"

"Excellent work, Ranger Blue!" Doctor K congratulated. "Rangers Red and Yellow, gimme a sitrep!"

"We're not doing so hot, Doc!" Griffin grit his teeth as he piloted the Cheetah Chaser, pushing against the Camera Attack Zord with its sword. It shoved him back, then charged up and fired a blast from its camera arm. "WOAH!"

"Griffin!" Wendy flew in fast and low in her Rabbit Chopper, providing her Red teammate cover fire in the form of a burst from her Zord's chain-guns. "We need to finish it off, now!"

"Agreed! Cheetor, let's do this!" Griffin twisted the dial on his morpher, then pressed its button and placed a firm grip on his controls. The Cheetah Chaser transformed from Warrior to Beast Mode, then dashed forward as Wendy covered him. It used the diversion to its advantage, sneaking around to the Attack Zord's back and leaping into the air before transforming back to Warrior Mode. "Cheetah Chaser: Claw-CLASH!"

The Cheetah Chaser delivered a flying diagonal slash with its sword, and its blade turned green mid-swing as it cleaved through the Camera Attack Zord. Volts of electricity coursed through the Attack Zord's body, and it sparked uncontrollably as it fell onto its knees. With one last guttural roar, it exploded, ending the threat that it posed.

"Rangers, I'm picking up zero signs of Attack Bot or Zord activity," Doctor K informed. "You've won!"

"Alright, we did it!" Wendy pumped her fist in excitement, then added, "Bugz, we did it again! Gimme five!"

"Shutdown: COMPLETE!" Griffin declared triumphantly, removing his helmet as his mouth curled into a grin...

"No...no...NOOOOOO!" Alt screeched, having watched all of this unfold via her tablet. Her voice echoed off the walls of Venjix's warehouse hideout, shaking the building to its very core. "I was supposed to emerge the victor! This battle was meant to be mine!"

"Well, well, well, dear sister. It appears as if though you've failed...again," Control let out an amused snort, then patted her on the shoulder. "Fret not...one of us will defeat them. It's only a matter of when...and who,"

With that, he turned and walked away. Alt glared up at him, hatred burning in her eyes as he exited the room...

"Kenny!" Milly exclaimed, running toward the now-demorphed Blue Ranger as he walked down the city streets. She gave him a big hug, then let him go before saying, "You did it! I knew you could!"

"That makes one of us," Kenny said with a laugh. "Thanks for believing in me, Milly. And about what we talked about earlier...I'm sorry being a reporter hasn't worked out for you so far. But if that's really your dream...you have to chase it, with everything you've got. Even when it all feels hopeless. I'm rooting for you!"

"...Thank you," Milly said, giving him a small smile. "I needed to hear that."

"Don't mention it. Oh, and sorry about your camera…." The Blue Ranger rubbed the back of his head, then added an awkward, "If you didn't know, once an object is turned into an Attack Bot, it can never change back, so...it's kinda gone. If you want, I can help you buy a new one…?"

"You don't have to do that," She shook her head, turning down his offer. She then reached up to play with the ends of her hair, giving him a shy smile as she continued, "But if you'd like to repay me, maybe you could buy me a coffee...?"

Kenny's eyes widened in surprise, but he smiled back and said, "Sure. I'd like that."

With that, he wrapped his arm around her as Griffin and Wendy bounded up to him. He waved to his teammates with his free hand, then said, "I'll catch up with you guys later!"

"What the…?" Wendy watched them leave with furrowed eyebrows and a tilted head. She turned to Griffin, then said, "What the hell just happened?"

"...Looks like Kenny's got himself a date," Griffin observed. "Way to go, Ken!"

"Rangers, this is Doctor K! Please report to the Lab for an immediate debrief!" Their mentor's voice echoed over the comm-link. "That includes you, Ranger Blue! ...Ranger Blue? Why aren't you responding? ...Kenny, do you copy? ...Ranger Blue, RESPOND!"

Griffin and Wendy burst into laughter, unable to contain their amusement as their mentor fruitlessly attempted to reach their Blue teammate...

– POWER RANGERS: CPU –