Categories > TV > Power Rangers > They Call Him Emperor
"It's nice to have some help around here. Not often kids your age volunteer..."
"It's for my school. Plus, I like kids."
"Well, then, Icthior... welcome to my nightmare!" Officer Grumm cackled evilly, letting out a great, menacing laugh. Several higher-pitched evil laughs joined him from around the room.
Junior swallowed hard.
"First, introductions!" Grumm took the child's hands and lead him over to a series of play structures, where several pairs of kids were playing house. One pair, two young boys, was making a plastic breakfast.
"The play houses are where most of the older kids spend their time. The two boys there are Sky, a human mutant, and Dru, a Tangarian. Watch out for Sky's forcefields and Dru's Tangarian form. Sky and Dru are inseparable."
"I see."
Grumm pointed to a pair of older kids, a beautiful little girl who was beating up a handsome, dark little boy. "CARLOTA!" Grumm roared. "We do not beat our spouses on this planet, play or no!" He picked her up roughly.
"But he wouldn't listen to me!" The little girl protested.
Grumm carried the girl over to a little stool and sat her down. "Five minutes of time out." He returned. "The humans say that the two-year-olds are the worst, but I think the three- and six- year olds are more trouble. Just look at Sky and Charlie there."
"And that boy she was beating up?"
"That's Cliff." Grumm leaned over and whispered into Icky's ear, "He probably deserved it."
"I see."
"Charlie and Cliff are both friends with Ivan and Rachel, but they're all out today, sick. Usually Ivan and Rachel play dress-up and Beevor paints. Kid's a prodigy, I tell you."
"Yeah... lots of art here."
"I work my kids hard. I don't settle for anything less than the best!" Suddenly he barked. "MORA!"
A little girl in a purple dress trotted up, clutching a large notebook to her chest.
"Show Icthior what you've done today, will you?"
The toddler shyly opened her notebook, revealing a childlike, but oddly accurate, sketch of the Daycare Operator carrying several kids.
"Wow. That's amazing."
"Mora has real talent."
"Can I go pway now Gwumm?"
"Yes, you can." He smiled, and she departed. "You may want eye protection for the next group of kids."
"Why?"
Grumm lead Icky across the room, and they walked into a warzone. Foam projectiles were flying, all in one direction. A chubby little boy with orange hair emerged from behind a chair and launched a spray of foam bullets at the book shelf. A little boy with his hair in cornrows stood in front of them, and they passed through him harmlessly. A little girl with what appeared to be a foam hand ran up to the chubby boy and began punching him ineffectually.
"Meet Boom, Jack, and Syd, my little warriors."
"Hey there..." Icky said.
"Doggie!" The blonde girl attached herself to Icky's leg.
"You should see what happens when the Supreme Commander visits."
The orange-haired boy walked up. "Syd... look over there. Diamonds!"
The little girl squealed and ran, dropping a foam dart from her foam hand. Icky chuckled.
"She really likes shiny things," Boom informed.
"I see."
"And there are just two more kids for you to meet. Come on."
Grumm lead Icky to a more secluded part of the room, where six cribs lay near each other. Each one contained a baby, except the furthest one on the left, which sat empty.
"Bridge and Z. My troublemakers."
"But there are five babies here." Icky walked over to the cribs. In one of the., a little baby clad in green waved a tiny little hand at Icky. "Hi there."
The baby giggled and squeaked.
"He likes you. He doesn't like many."
"But what about the other four babies?"
"Don't mind Z. she's just cranky today."
"That's... one baby?"
"It's her genetic power. Her father, and the parents of Bridge, Sky, Syd, and Jack, are all working on the morphers. All of them have shown a power except for Bridge. Z's is to copy herself."
Icky peered in the other crib. A sullen looking baby lay in one of them; she barked at him and three others barked in unison.
"So where would you like to start, O Volunteer? I'll be nice to you on this first day, although you'll have to cover for me later. My friend Broodwing is bringing me the playset that I ordered..."
"Can I play with the kids who had the toy guns?"
"Sure, but have fun trying to get Boom to share." Grumm lead Icky out of the baby's alcove. As soon as they emerged into the main room, Icky felt a warmth on his leg. "DOGGIE!"
"It's going to be a long day."
"It's for my school. Plus, I like kids."
"Well, then, Icthior... welcome to my nightmare!" Officer Grumm cackled evilly, letting out a great, menacing laugh. Several higher-pitched evil laughs joined him from around the room.
Junior swallowed hard.
"First, introductions!" Grumm took the child's hands and lead him over to a series of play structures, where several pairs of kids were playing house. One pair, two young boys, was making a plastic breakfast.
"The play houses are where most of the older kids spend their time. The two boys there are Sky, a human mutant, and Dru, a Tangarian. Watch out for Sky's forcefields and Dru's Tangarian form. Sky and Dru are inseparable."
"I see."
Grumm pointed to a pair of older kids, a beautiful little girl who was beating up a handsome, dark little boy. "CARLOTA!" Grumm roared. "We do not beat our spouses on this planet, play or no!" He picked her up roughly.
"But he wouldn't listen to me!" The little girl protested.
Grumm carried the girl over to a little stool and sat her down. "Five minutes of time out." He returned. "The humans say that the two-year-olds are the worst, but I think the three- and six- year olds are more trouble. Just look at Sky and Charlie there."
"And that boy she was beating up?"
"That's Cliff." Grumm leaned over and whispered into Icky's ear, "He probably deserved it."
"I see."
"Charlie and Cliff are both friends with Ivan and Rachel, but they're all out today, sick. Usually Ivan and Rachel play dress-up and Beevor paints. Kid's a prodigy, I tell you."
"Yeah... lots of art here."
"I work my kids hard. I don't settle for anything less than the best!" Suddenly he barked. "MORA!"
A little girl in a purple dress trotted up, clutching a large notebook to her chest.
"Show Icthior what you've done today, will you?"
The toddler shyly opened her notebook, revealing a childlike, but oddly accurate, sketch of the Daycare Operator carrying several kids.
"Wow. That's amazing."
"Mora has real talent."
"Can I go pway now Gwumm?"
"Yes, you can." He smiled, and she departed. "You may want eye protection for the next group of kids."
"Why?"
Grumm lead Icky across the room, and they walked into a warzone. Foam projectiles were flying, all in one direction. A chubby little boy with orange hair emerged from behind a chair and launched a spray of foam bullets at the book shelf. A little boy with his hair in cornrows stood in front of them, and they passed through him harmlessly. A little girl with what appeared to be a foam hand ran up to the chubby boy and began punching him ineffectually.
"Meet Boom, Jack, and Syd, my little warriors."
"Hey there..." Icky said.
"Doggie!" The blonde girl attached herself to Icky's leg.
"You should see what happens when the Supreme Commander visits."
The orange-haired boy walked up. "Syd... look over there. Diamonds!"
The little girl squealed and ran, dropping a foam dart from her foam hand. Icky chuckled.
"She really likes shiny things," Boom informed.
"I see."
"And there are just two more kids for you to meet. Come on."
Grumm lead Icky to a more secluded part of the room, where six cribs lay near each other. Each one contained a baby, except the furthest one on the left, which sat empty.
"Bridge and Z. My troublemakers."
"But there are five babies here." Icky walked over to the cribs. In one of the., a little baby clad in green waved a tiny little hand at Icky. "Hi there."
The baby giggled and squeaked.
"He likes you. He doesn't like many."
"But what about the other four babies?"
"Don't mind Z. she's just cranky today."
"That's... one baby?"
"It's her genetic power. Her father, and the parents of Bridge, Sky, Syd, and Jack, are all working on the morphers. All of them have shown a power except for Bridge. Z's is to copy herself."
Icky peered in the other crib. A sullen looking baby lay in one of them; she barked at him and three others barked in unison.
"So where would you like to start, O Volunteer? I'll be nice to you on this first day, although you'll have to cover for me later. My friend Broodwing is bringing me the playset that I ordered..."
"Can I play with the kids who had the toy guns?"
"Sure, but have fun trying to get Boom to share." Grumm lead Icky out of the baby's alcove. As soon as they emerged into the main room, Icky felt a warmth on his leg. "DOGGIE!"
"It's going to be a long day."
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