Noah dashes through the dense forest, his ranger suit blending with the earthy surroundings as he frantically searches for Jordan. Through the dense forest, his book bag bounced on his shoulders. The urgency in his voice echoes through the trees as he calls out for his name.

"Jordan? Jordan?!" Noah yelled out.

"Over here!" As Jordan suddenly emerges from behind a tree, the blue ranger instinctively drops his backpack and rushes over to greet him. Unbeknownst to him, his bag remains visible, unnoticed by the eager duo caught up in their reunion.

"You alright? Did someone hurt you?" Noah asked.

"No, I'm fine," Jordan assured, alleviating Noah's concern. However, Noah's dissatisfaction stemmed from Jordan's misuse of a valuable resource he had provided—the Megaforce pin. Despite Jordan's safety, Noah couldn't help but feel disappointed that the pin had been wasted in a situation where it wasn't necessary.

"What did you call me for? I told you that pin is only for emergencies." Noah's voice carried a hint of frustration.

"It is an emergency." Jordan then pulls out the card from his back pocket.

"It appeared out of nowhere, I thought you guys took the card already," Jordan handed the card to the Blue Megaforce Ranger.

As Noah examined it, he was surprised to see that Jordan still had a power card after Troy's card had been returned to him.

A sense of bewilderment washed over him as he grappled with this newfound discovery. His mind raced, trying to make sense of the puzzle before him. "Okay, um, I'm going to talk to Gosei. Just wait to hear back from me."

"...Is that your bag on the floor?" A brief exchange of glances passed between Jordan and the blue ranger, their eyes locking for a moment. It was then that Jordan spotted Noah's bag, left carelessly near a tree. Noah followed Jordan's gaze and noticed his bag as well, but instead of immediately retrieving it, he turned his focus back to Jordan.

"Umm, do you have somewhere to be right now?" Noah delicately tapped the card in his hand, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

"Yeah, I'm starting at a new school, I kept getting bullied at my old one, so my parents transferred me out."

"Alright, stay there, okay? We'll figure this out." Noah nodded his head, hurriedly, stepping back slowly as he pointed towards Jordan before rushing off. Jordan stood there, a mix of awe and confusion swirling within him. The sudden appearance of the book bag only added to his bewilderment, leaving him wondering where exactly Noah needed to be in such a hurry.

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Emma stands in the open space of her locker. The sticker design of cherry blossoms line the internal walls and her many photographs of nature bring everything to life. As Emma glances around at other students she notices that some of them have the school paper in their hands. She was pleased to of made the deadline in time for release. She checked the metrics of her website and readership was steadily going up.

"Emma!" The voice of a female called out.

Emma pivoted to find a member of her publishing team hurtling towards her, urgency evident.

"Oh, Hi Stacy, is everything okay?"

Stacy breathed an exhausted breath, "I just read your piece on the wrestling team and I was completely blown away. Just how do you come up with this stuff?!"

"It all really depends on the questions you ask," Emma said.

"I couldn't have said it better myself, the way I see it you have the potential to be the best novice reporter in the history of this school! I'm dying to know what your next piece is going to be on?"

"I'm not sure yet, I haven't been super inspired by anything just yet but I'll be sure to let you know," Emma said.

"You should really consider finishing that piece you started on that new kid, Troy. I've read some of your drafts and was instantly captivated. I'm sure our readers would love to learn more about him. You didn't hear this from me but a lot of us have been seeing the two of you spend a lot of time together. Is there anything else you want to report?" Stacy leaned close with a suspecting eyebrow.

"It's nothing like that," Emma said.

"That's how news is made! You should seriously consider it," Stacy said.

"I'll think about it," Emma said softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Well hey if you do write anything send it to me sometime this weekend. If it's good we might just be able to print it in Monday's paper."

"I can't this weekend, I have already made plans."

Stacy paused for a moment to think when the realization finally hit her.

"Oh snap I totally forgot. You can take all the time you need. I'll see if Marvin has anything worth publishing, although I wouldn't hold my breath. Catch you later Emma!"

"See you around, Stacy," Emma watched with a bittersweet smile as the girl walked away. Beneath her composed exterior, a whirlwind of emotions churned. Tomorrow marked her Mom's birthday, a day of celebration that now carried the weight of grief as it had been six months since her passing. It was hard to believe how time had flown by, yet the ache of loss still lingered, raw and palpable. As she watched the girl disappear into the distance, Emma couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for the comforting presence of her mother.

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Noah hurries through the bustling halls of the school, his eyes fixed on the clock ticking down the minutes until class begins. With a sense of urgency, he weaves through the sea of students, narrowly avoiding collisions left and right. However, in his haste, he inadvertently collides with another student, causing them both to momentarily stumble before regaining their balance.

"Oh sorry," As he and the other student gather his papers, he adjusts his glasses. Noah's expression softens with recognition as he stands up, ready to offer another apology when he notices the familiar face before him.

"..You're good, I wasn't paying attention. Sorry about that." It was Jordan.

After the chaotic commotion, Jordan strides towards his first class, a bundle of nerves tingling beneath his skin as he approaches the unfamiliar territory of his new school. But just as he reaches the door of his classroom, his heart skips a beat when Roy, a towering figure, blocks his path with a firm hand, his eyes scanning Jordan from head to toe with a scrutinizing gaze before he speaks.

"Who are you? I've never seen you before," Roy says, his tone dripping with intimidation.

Jordan meets Roy's gaze with a steady stare, refusing to show his own unease. Inside the classroom, the teacher's voice breaks the tension. "Roy, get inside already." With a begrudging sigh, Roy lowers his hand, granting Jordan entry, though not without a final act of intimidation—a feigned punch that sends a shiver down Jordan's spine.

Annoyed by the encounter, Jordan enters the classroom, his hopes of a fresh start at the new school already dimming. It seems, to his disappointment, that this school offers no respite from the challenges he faced at his previous one.

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Nearing the end of the day, Jordan settled into his seat, a sense of isolation enveloping him as the other students filtered into the classroom for the final period, English class. He felt a pang of emptiness as he watched them chatting and laughing, feeling like an outsider.

As Jordan scanned the room, his eyes widened in shock when he noticed Troy sitting right beside him. Troy calmly placed his book bag on the desk, his expression remaining impassive as he faced the front of the classroom. Sensing the weight of someone's gaze, Troy reluctantly glanced to his left and was taken aback to see Jordan staring back at him. Quickly averting his eyes, Troy tried to focus on the front of the room, but the unexpected encounter had left him rattled.

Jordan couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions—shock, confusion, and a hint of excitement at the unexpected proximity. "Hey.."

Jordan scooted his chair closer thinking Troy could not hear him, but soon realized that Troy was deliberately ignoring him. Before Jordan could get another word in, the teacher entered the room calling the class to order.

"Okay class, today we're going to be reviewing Act 1 of Othello by Shakespeare, now you should have already read Scene 2&3, and if you didn't you better hope I don't call on you."

The teacher pans around the room, "Ah I see we have a new student. Mr. Burrows, how about you tell us who are some of the lead characters in this play?"

Troy sat in his seat, pretending not to hear the teacher calling his last name. He didn't want Jordan, who was sitting nearby, to realize it was him. Despite the teacher's repeated attempts, Troy remained silent, avoiding eye contact. It wasn't until a classmate tapped him on the shoulder from behind that he finally acknowledged the teacher's call.

"Hey Troy, he's talking to you-"

"I know that!" Troy abruptly turned to face the student, his voice sharp as he snapped at him. Startled, the student slowly sank back into his chair, raising a hand in a gesture of apology. Troy's eyes shifted forward, meeting the disappointed gaze of his teacher. The other students around him looked on in fear as he finally reached his breaking point. At that moment, Jordan learned his name, a detail Troy had been desperately trying to keep hidden.

____________________________________________________

As the school bell resounded throughout the halls, signaling the end of the day, Troy burst out of the classroom with Jordan hot on his heels.

"Hey, " Jordan gently whispered to Troy, hoping to get his attention without disturbing anyone else.

They reached Troy's locker, and he deliberately avoided making eye contact with Jordan, knowing a tense conversation was about to unfold.

"Thanks for saving me the other day. I uh, the rangers took me to their base afterwards. I-I thought you were a goner."

Troy's indifference towards him only deepens as he retrieves the books from his bag, his expression hard and unyielding.

"Hey, look I met the blue ranger. And he gave me this." Jordan held out the pin for Troy to see, but Troy's attention remained fixed on his locker as he carefully stowed away his books. Though he paused for a moment, acknowledging Jordan's gesture, his gaze never left the task at hand.

As Troy neatly arranged his books on the shelf, Jordan's gaze drifted to the small pin nestled on the stoic gentleman's collar. It caught his attention, drawing his curiosity with its subtle presence.

"You got one too?" Jordan asked.

Troy felt his jaw clench as he glanced down at his communicator pin. Despite his silent plea, the red ranger remained still and silent.

"So are you the red ranger?" Jordan inquired, his voice trailing after Troy as the locker door echoed shut with a resounding clang. Troy, without turning back, simply walked away without a word.

"Hey, Hey, hey, Troy.....Troy!" Jordan attempted to catch the attention of the red ranger, but his efforts were in vain as Troy simply ignored him and continued on his way. Meanwhile, Gia and Jake coincidentally converged in the bustling hall, drawn by the commotion. They were curious to see what was troubling their friend. As the commotion grew louder, Jordan finally turned around, revealing his distressed face.

Jordan simply walked away without introducing himself, leaving Jake and Gia in stunned silence as Noah appeared behind them.

"We may have a problem..." Noah sighed as he walked up to his two teammates.

_______________________

Emma races her bike through the woods, the sun has just begun its ascent into the sky, the early rays igniting the sky in orange and red. Today was going to be a tough day for her. She parked her bike just on the edge of the clearing, near the spot where she first encountered Creepox, the day her world changed. Some of the wildflowers in the field were just starting to bloom and the fragrant scent brought Emma back to a peaceful time with her mother.

As she reminisced, Emma couldn't help but hum the tune to the familiar melody that was passed to her by her matriarchal loved one. It was a song talking about the unity of life and how everything was connected.

____________________________

In the heart of the warstar ship, the mothrin in Admiral Malkor stands with his trusted ally; the scientist, Vrak.

"To think, that after all these years Creepox would be the one to betray us. I should have sniffed him out from the start!" The admiral grumbled.

"It is always those whom we least expect, that cuts the deepest admiral. You can rest assured that my loyalty cannot be swayed." Vrak said bowing slightly.

"You honor me Vrak, now tell me what new terror have you come up with."

"I'm glad you asked, I have noticed that the humans have very sensitive ears. I figure with the right frequency we can easily enslave the masses. May I present to you, Dizchord!"

The doors to the bridge slid open permitting a new figure to take center stage. Across his chest were the twin necks of electric guitars.

Dizchord's fingers flew up and down the neck of one of his guitars as he shredded an ear-splitting solo.

"That's enough Dizchord, save some for the humans!" Vrak said nursing a headache.

"Apologies master Vrak, but when you rock so good it's hard to keep it under wraps," Dizchord said.

"Well then, why don't you share your talents with the Power Rangers? I'm sure they'd absolutely love to hear you play," Malkor said.

"I'll make fans out of them for sure just leave it all to me!"

And with that Dizchord left the ship.

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Que the Intro!

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

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Jogging through the serene forest, Troy savored the crisp, refreshing morning air filling his lungs. However, his mind was far from tranquil as thoughts of the ranger war, a haunting specter, loomed over him once more. The scar left by Creepox's vicious attack throbbed irritably, a constant reminder of the battles fought. The impending reunion with Jordan also loomed large in his mind, contributing to his troubled thoughts.

Seeking solace in the rhythm of his jog, Troy followed the winding path through the woods. As he ascended a steep hill, the strain on his muscles was palpable. Yet, amidst the physical exertion, his eyes caught sight of a surprising detail—a pink bike parked near the edge of the flower-filled meadow he often passed.

Curiosity piqued, Troy slowed his pace, the vibrant blooms beckoning him closer. To his curiosity, the sound of music can be heard reverberating. Troy stood at the edge of the field and watched.

Emma was lost in her own world, the music flowed so freely from her lips as if she was a princess. It was as if her very melody was causing the flowers to bloom and grow at an accelerated pace. As Emma continued her concert, she did not notice that someone new had joined in her audience.

Troy was completely speechless, he did not realize how musically talented Emma was. He stood in complete captivation just listening to her tune. As Troy watched he almost felt like he shouldn't be there. This meadow that Emma found herself in seemed sacred in a sense. Yet the more he listened to her sing, the less he felt the urge to leave. In Truth, he silently hoped that her song wouldn't end. Troy was crippled by the possibility of being discovered too, he wouldn't know how to respond if Emma were to spot him.

When Emma finally turned, her solo concert came to an abrupt halt. She had no idea how long Troy had been monitoring her.

"Troy?" Emma was in utter shock as Troy walked towards her. "What are you doing here? How long have you been standing there?"

"I was just out for a jog when I saw you go by.....Sorry if I startled you." Troy responded.

Emma nodded but slowly started to raise her walls, she never seemed to fully know what to do when it came to interacting with Troy. Although their relationship had gotten better this was one area that was still off-limits.

"What are you doing out here?" Troy asked trying to break the ice, "I would have guessed some type of photography but I don't see your camera."

"You know not everything about me revolves around a camera. I do get out from behind the lens every once in a while." Emma retorted.

This was the first time Troy has ever heard mention of Emma's home life, For as long as they've been partnered together she's never really divulged much about her family.

"...I didn't know you could sing. That was incredible." Troy admitted.

"Thanks.." Emma felt a jolt of surprise when Troy complimented her. Though she intended to keep her guard up, his unexpected kindness softened her resolve, making it difficult for her to maintain the tension in the encounter. "I get that from my mom."

"Well tell your mom that I liked the song, you guys should really record it or something." Troy said feeling very awkward and hollow.

"I'll let her know...I'm surprised to find you out here. Do you normally jog this early?" Emma asked.

"Just when I have something on my mind. This scar that Creepox gave me is incredibly itchy, I figured this would be a good way to get my mind off of it." Troy said.

Emma remembered the gruesome details of the ugly wound and the adverse effect it had on Troy and his powers. It was a complete miracle that he even managed to survive.

"Well, my mom used to say that nothing clears your head more than a breath of fresh air. I like to come here every once in a while just to take in the natural beauty. It's places like this that make me want to fight harder to preserve. I'd like to one day share this place with my own kids.," Emma said with a dreamy smile.

Troy took in the fragrant scent of the wildflowers, the wind gently caressing the tall grass, creating a mesmerizing dance reminiscent of ocean waves. When Emma mentioned her mother's past visits to the same spot, Troy couldn't help but sense her absence, a pang of sympathy tugging at his heart. Uncertain of what to say, he entertained fleeting thoughts—perhaps suggesting they head to school as the day was advancing. But he dismissed the idea as trivial. Similarly, mentioning Jordan's presence at Hardwood High seemed insensitive in the moment. Troy stood in silence, grappling with his own awkwardness and feeling a twinge of guilt over Emma's loss.

Yet, amidst the swirling emotions, a remarkable calm settled over Troy. In that tranquil moment, it was as though the weight of his uncertainties lifted, allowing a newfound equilibrium to take hold within him.

"This is a really nice space, I feel like I can think here," Troy said as he and Emma stood at the edge of the hill overlooking the suburban Harwood County.

_____________________________________________________

Meanwhile, in the plaza down below, the insectoid invader Dizchord took point on the roof of a tall skyscraper. The day of his debut concert has finally arrived and his guitars were tuned and ready.

"Good morning humans, today's morning playlist is brought to you by Dizchord!" His fingers flew up and down the neck of his right guitar sending ear-splitting sound waves across the entire town. The morning traffic commute came to a halt as drivers could barely focus, patrons of a local cafe were completely paralyzed in their seats, and through the halls of the local high school students could not drown out the noise. The only one who seemed to enjoy the ruckus was the science teacher Mr. Burley who danced through the halls.

"People say that I'm tone-death, but I know what I like, and this music rocks! Woohoo!"

Gia, Jake, and Noah regrouped in the halls of the school, the noise completely overbearing. They could barely hear the chimes of their pins. Jordan entered the school at the same time his new classmates were leaving.

"Ugh! What's with this music?!" Gia quickly went to her locker. Retrieving her leather coat which held her Megaforce communicator pin.

Troy and Emma were on their way to school when the noise hit. It was like a game of pinball was being played in their brains and the player was earning an incredibly high score. Troy could barely reach his pin when the voice of tensou came.

"Rangers there's a monster attack at the city plaza." Tensou cried.

"We're here, right next to the plaza," Troy's voice cut through the tumult, his grimace betraying the pain he fought to ignore. Hurrying over to Emma, he found her barely on her knees, hands pressed firmly against her ears, the cacophony of the plaza still reverberating in her head.

"Troy, Emma! Troy, it's too loud, can you hear me?" Gia yelled through their communicators.

"Just meet us at the plaza!" Troy responded.

"Meet you there!"

Running headfirst towards the source of the sound, all five rangers conceal themselves with the power of the morphin grid. "GO GO MEGA FORCE!"

Still perched atop the high rise, Dizchord continues his disruptive solo enjoying the torment of the humans down below.

"Now check out this sweet move!"

The twin necks of the guitar begin to flutter amplifying the irritating sound waves. By the time the rangers arrived Troy and Emma could barely stand. The explosive noise left them completely disorientated.

"We need to get the people out of here!" Troy exclaimed, pushing through the pain as he and Emma hurried toward the nearest café table.

"This sound is unbearable!" Emma shouted, her frustration showing.

"Really? It just sounds loud to me." Gia grimaced, clutching her helmet-covered ears.

"Yeah, it's bad, but not that bad," Jake commented, wincing as he covered one ear to muffle the noise.

"Why is it affecting us more?" Emma lamented, her distress echoing in her voice.

"Turn off that noise!" Noah bellowed spotting the monster.

The horrid harmony paused allowing a brief moment of respite. Although Jake, Gia, and Noah were finally able to find peace, Troy and Emma were still experiencing a heavy ringing in their ears.

"Noise! You think you can disrupt my solo? Let's see how you Rangers deal with my staunchest supporters, get em Loogies!" Dizchord yelled as the lime green henchmen took to the field. "And as an added bonus this little melody should give my groupies a boost!"

Dizchord strummed away at his guitar kicking up his ear-splitting riff. Troy and Emma dropped to their knees in agony as they tried to shield their ears, Jake, Gia, and Noah stood their ground mildly annoyed. The loogies began to dance to the wretched rhythm pumping themselves up as they engaged the five heroes. Fighting against the grain the rangers called forth their weapons hoping to level the field but the odds were not in their favor.

Due to the music the loogies were swifter and more fluid in their motions dodging blows that would have otherwise taken them down. The few lucky strikes the rangers were able to get off meant nothing as more loogies filled the gap. Troy and Emma were receiving the worst punishment as they could barely even stand.

Emma pointed her phoenix shot and fired but her misguided aim served to only hit air. Taking advantage a mob of loogies swarm over the pink ranger, assaulting her with their side arms. Emma tried to defend herself but her efforts were in vain due to the volume of the music.

"I got you, Emma!" Noah calls dispatching the quintuplets with bolts from his bow gun.

Troy could hardly keep his dragon sword up as he struggled to fight off the loogies. His reflexes were much slower and his cuts were too shallow. It's funny, he had just got over a handicap and now he's suffering through another. Unbeknownst to Troy a loogie managed to surprise him and grab him from behind. This brave act created an opening for two more to get effective hits off.

"Hang tight, Troy!" Jake yelled with his snake axe raised high and in a matter of moments the red ranger was freed.

Not wanting to miss out on the fun Dizchord leapt into battle the surviving loogies rallying around him. Feeding off the support of the loogies Dizchord couldn't help but perform a personal concert.

"Guys, this is our chance, let's use the Megaforce blaster!" Noah exclaimed.

"Megaforce blaster, combine!" The rangers said in unison.

As the rangers combined their weapons, forming their ultimate combination, Troy and Emma seized the opportunity. With Dizchord and the loogies distracted, this was their perfect chance to eliminate them all with one decisive shot.

"Dynamic Victory Charge!" However, as they aimed the blaster, their hands trembled with nerves. When they finally fired, the shot veered wildly off target, missing by a mile and disappearing into the sky.

"Troy, are you okay?" Gia called out, as she and the other rangers noticed their comrades struggling to withstand the onslaught of the sonic sound.

"Thank you! And now for my encore and extra special something from me. Straight to you! I'll demorph you! " From the wrists of the foe, golden energy disks flew forward.

"Watch out!" Jake warned his comrades as they jumped out of the way but Emma and Troy weren't so lucky as their suits dematerialized.

"Ohhhh Yeah! Thank you, rangers," Dizchord jeered triumphantly, his grating voice echoing through the chaos. "My power cords knocked you out. Now it's time to rock and roll over some more humans!" With a sinister laugh, he skipped off, accompanied by the loogies, leaving the rangers reeling from their defeat.

"You guys okay?" Gia rushed over to her fallen comrades.

"Troy!"

"Emma!"

"Ugh! We let that monster get away!" Troy exclaimed, frustration evident as he clenched his fist against the unforgiving concrete floor, the throbbing pain in his ears a constant reminder of their failure.

"We'll get him next time man," Jake said with reassurance.

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Until next time! Don't worry, the next part is coming out way sooner than the usual chapters.