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Summaries of first 10 episodes of Time Ranger

Most episodes expanded and corrected by Ben who, by the way, says this is the best Sentai show he's seen since Dairanger, which is his favorite when he admits to liking any of them. He was born in 1988. He speaks more Japanese than I ever will, I'm sure.

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February 13th, 2000!

How do you describe the beginning of a series that is intended to be a break from same-old-same-old? Well, I'll do my best. It starts with that new logo for the Sentai Series, then fades into the whapping wings of a white dove, which fades into an image of a flock of doves, over the city of the year 3000. And the TIME-GATE! Beautifully simple, along with a view of the five jets, waiting. Our heroes stand in the gate. And then we move in to the Time Ranger Logo, and the new theme song. Talk about different.

Falling through time into the present, fighting their enemies, beautiful and quick. Riding the Flyer into battle, and whirling, calling in their jets, changing into armor, fighting the giant monsters. And we watch Providus as it prepares to launch Time Jet 1. Commercial Break!

It is the year 3000, and a pale-haired alien child, a girl, watches in delight as a flight of white pigeons rises into the air, her pointed ears and ridge on her forehead feel the breeze of their wings. It is February 13, 3000. The child runs happily into her parents' arms, and people watch without fear as the Providus robot moves into position.

And the tall, youngish man in white stands without a hint of bending, inflexible, indomnitable, as he lectures for the men in dark, purplish clothing. "Welcome, we're the Company of Time. We assembled a new team of people. We help save Time. If the year 3000 is under threat... there are evil people around us now, so be careful." Two Asian, one African, one alien of a different type than the child we saw earlier. An alien women with silver hair sits at the monitor station as the man speaks. The Ranger Captain, Ryuuya. His image is being projected in 3-D hologram to a group that contains several aliens, some humans (one caucasian, a few Africans, a few Asians). They are all young, and all dressed in the same white. During the lecture, the tallest of the Asians is watching the lovely woman standing in front of him with great interest.

And a transport arrives at a prison out in the ocean. There is a robot and man, guarding the faintly frog-like being between them. I'm reminded of Baron Harkonnen from the Dune movie, folks. A furious, tentacled, blue being struggles in a cell, enraged. After a moment silence falls, and a armored guard steps in to lift the now-miniaturized and frozen being, and place it in a special tube. He tosses aside the chains that had held it earlier, and places the tube next to several others. The commander calls in the next one, as the young guard turns, a smile faint on his lips. "Next, 35273. Dorunero." The robots escort that one in.

The captain's hologram is visible, along with those of the four people near him, to the young people in white. He says he is finished, then cuts communication and they vanish. The young people relax at once, stretching to ease the kinks in their necks. The lovely young Asian woman folds her arms, thinking, and the tall young Asian man behind her approaches eagerly to drop an arm over her shoulder in all friendliness. "Hey miss, after this is over, how about lunch?" She shrugs off his arm with an expression of annoyance and glowers at him, giving him the cold shoulder and telling him with frosty politeness, "No, thank you." He acts hurt at her rejection, but another man leaning against a pillar across the room, teases him. "There's no way you could get a girl of our time. You could only pick one up in the stone age!" He is about to get all indignant when a delicate young alien with greenish pale hair steps between them, staring up at him with awe. "Are you Pro-fighter Domon?" he asks shyly. Startled, Domon stops and confirms. The starry-eyed youngster pulls out a pen and asks for his autograph.

And on the prison in the ocean... Dorunero is prepared for shrinkage. The commander is gloating over the capture of this criminal and mocking him, "This is gonna hurt!" but Dorunero is very cool and relaxed about it. Yes, he is going into suspension for a thousand years, for his crimes. The commander closes the cell and prepares to start the process, when the young guard behind him calls to him, then strikes! He falls, and the guard releases Dorunero from the cell. "What the hell..?!" starts the commander. But the guard looks back at him with a mocking, cool expression. As Dorunero waddles out, the guard changes, his clothing and appearance giving way to reveal a golden, metal being. Gien, who confirms that they are heading back to the year 2000. The robot and human guard charge forward, but Gien morphs his hand into a blaster and takes them down. And then Dorunero pulls out a laser and they start firing on anything that moves. Guards fall as they come charging into the room.

Sion, of the pale green hair, is delighted that his white jacket now has Domon's signature on the back, and he is paying attention to that rather than their debriefing on the Chrono-Changer, shown in hologram in front of them. Domon yawns, while the other members pay strict attention. Or seem to. The debriefing stops as lights turn red, and an English voice announces a red-alert. Outside the room, startled people race up and down escalators to their posts. In the main room, the white haired female alien announces the break-out at the jail. Emergency ships take off. The young Provider-people look anxiously out the window when their commander walks in, and they snap to attention. He has come to choose a team for this trip. His decisions seem totally arbitrary. He points at Ayase, whose mouth drops in surprise at being chosen. "You." Then to a startled Domon who stutters, "You're kidding!" Then he chooses Sion, who reacts with obediance but wide-eyed amazement at being chosen. "The last one..." he murmers, glancing around. But the lovely girl steps forward, her face serious and determined, she stares up at him. "Please put me on the team." He nods after a brief moment. And a hologram of another man, one of his superiors, appears beside him. "They're all cadets! What are you going to do?" "It's a good choice. Set the machinery on standby!" he orders the white haired alien woman at the controls. She obeys. And the huge, yellow ship raises onto the launch pad. A voice announces in English, "Chrono-Ship Yglieg (Igureggu), stand by to scramble. Please hold in scramble positions."

Aboard the prison ship, Don Dorunero tosses his weapon to the floor with a clatter, and turns from the dead bodies scattered about. "That was good. Let's go." He peels off the label that would have allowed his body to be shrunk and frozen. Gien sets a strange, small thing on a counter, and it shimmers, then the ship shimmers too and vanishes from it's place on the island.

And the people in white are rushing hither and yon, as the alien woman announces this new development. The camera closes in on the Time Captain, and for just a moment we see his lips curl in an unpleasant, mischievous smile, before he turns to the four people he has chosen. "Let's go." The alien commander joins his watching companion to question the wisdom of going now, with this trouble brewing, "Wait! We don't know if we can use the time machine, yet! We haven't received clearance! If we do this, we could all lose our jobs!" but the Captain says it has to be done. He leads his chosen four from the room, Domon still stuttering protests. And outside, the great yellow robot moves into position. "Release docking clamps. Providus, stand by for catapult." The Captain leads his group into a room, telling them they have to dress for the year 2000. There are five alcoves with clothes. Domon skitters about in confusion, before finally snatching the orange coat from Sion and directing him to take the next alcove. The room fills with smoke, startling everyone but the Captain. They are teleported and seated with virtual reality goggles. Images are transmitted into their minds, of the world of 2000. Baseball, skyscrapers, the Statue of Liberty. They shudder when it is over, and then they are teleported to the command room of the ship. The English voice says, "T-minus one minute, and counting." A hum, and suddenly a small machine, resembling an owl in design, appears from the central podium. He says, "I am Navigator Robot, Takku." He has an adult's voice, and is very collected. It is time.

The gate is charging up. Providus extends its catapult arm as the English voice makes the countdown. The command unit in the ship says 3000 AD, 2/13. And blastoff! Providus' arm hits the back of the ship, and it hurtles towards the gate. The acceleration is weighing the passengers down, but the woman, Yuuri, sees the sudden appearance of the prison ship, between them and the gate. On the ship, Don Doruneru is anticipating success. On the time ship, Takku is about to abort the mission, when the Captain pulls out a laser and shoots the little robot. Before the others can quite react, the time-ship hits the prison ship, and together they go through the gate! And it is not a fun experience, by the way. The passage through the tunnel is disorienting, and frightening. It is a swirl of pastel violet and pink lights. Commercial Break.

In the console room, sparks fly everywhere. Our heroes are unconscious. Ayase is the first to wake, lying bruised on the floor. He manages his way to his feet and reads the date. 2000AD 2/13. Stunned, he looks around and goes to the portal to stare out at the waves washing up on the shore outside. The sky is blue, plants cling to a rocky shore. "We're here," he murmers in shock. And outside, the smoke rising from the crashed ship is blue and has strange highlights. Before Ayase has quite adjusted, there is a click, and the cold press of a gun at the back of his neck. He freezes. "Too bad you won't have time to appreciate it," says the man behind him coldly. "Captain?" he asks uncertainly. Then Yuuri speaks. "Hold it!" before either man has time to react, she has kicked the weapon from the captain's hand. It hits the console and bounces on Domon, who wakes with a cry of surprise, then cringes away from the weapon. Sion, beside him, stirs in confusion. Yuuri manages to pin the captain, who glares impotently at her as she cuffs him to the console. He is startled, but she hauls out her badge identifying herself as a cop, to Domon's shock. Yes, she was undercover. They knew that Dorunero's people had infiltrated the Time Saver project to break the balance of time. "Everybody was talking about it, so we knew about it." But he is less than cowed, his expression crafty and arrogant as he turns to face her. "Yeah, you were all wrong!" and he snaps the cuffs and backhands her, sending her falling against the other three men. He sneers at her, then holds up an arm. With a hum of power, the disguise is dropped to reveal a woman with bright red hair, in strange clothing. "You! Lira!" Yuuri identifies her. But before they can do anything, she has them.

In the woods, the crashed prison ship lies among heavy, green foliage. Dorunero and Gien have come out, looking around. Gien jumps in surprise, hearing something coming. His eyes glow red and they both turn. It is only Lira, very pleased with herself. Gien greets her, commends her speedy arrival and asks about the Rangers. Smugly, she replies that pretty soon they're going to blow up. Dorunero is very pleased. "We have total freedom!" The three laugh together.

And aboard the ship the young people struggle, bound arms and legs as they hear the countdown to the ship's self-destruction. While Domon is panicking, Sion is working with his small tool, trying to repair Takku without being able to see what he is doing. Ayase sees, though, and is amazed. Sion replies that he knows this type of robot. A moment later, Takku is able to stand upright, blinking in surprise. "What are you doing?" he asks them in confusion. Domon urgently tells him to save them. But the count has reached zero and the explosions start. The heavy blue smoke rising from the ship is dispelled by the explosion, as the freed heroes scream.

And waves splash against the rocks, the green moss growing down the sides. Someone jogs confidently through a tunnel, long legs moving, practicing karate moves playfully. Coming out of the tunnel he sees a cloud of silver-grey smoke, that shines bizarrly in the clouded afternoon. He stops and pulls off his hood, wiping his sweaty face. Then he jogs towards the smoke. It takes him a bit to get close enough to see bodies amongst the smoking debris. The closest is a young woman dressed in brown leather, lying on her stomach. He can see she is breathing, and pushes gently at her shoulders, afraid to move her. "Hey, you all right? Answer me!" She slowly begins to stir, blinking blearily, her face bruised.

Yuuri looks up towards the voice speaking urgently to her, and sees the Captain's face. His words are a blur, but she remembers fighting and finding he was actually Lira. A surge of adrenaline and she is on her feet, kicking him swiftly in the solar plexus. The confused young man falls. The sound of the fighting stirs the others awake, and they see her beating up on a strangely dressed man before they recognize him, and Domon and Ayase rush to help her. He manages to break free of her and brings to fore his karate skills as two men, one in an orange jacket and one in a black leather jacket, attack him. "Hold it! What's this about?" he tries to ask them as he defends himself. But they are not listening. He manages to hold his own against them, though Domon briefly pins him in the sand he beats his way out of that and flips the man away. The three gather together to face him, and he is trying to speak to them, when a hand taps him lightly on the shoulder. He turns to find himself facing a small young man with odd, white and blue hair, who smiles cheerfully at him and asks for his autograph. "Huh?" he manages in startlement, before there is a brilliant, blinding flash and that is the last thing he sees.

Lila looks up at the wrecked tower, then enters. Gien has a case open and kicks out its contents of little golden pellets and other strange odds and ends. While she and Don Dorunero watch, the pellets rise into the air and form a humanoid shape which solidifies. "What is it?" Lira asks. "It's a Junk Droid Zenitto," Gien cheerfully replies. Something about the left hand being good for making this sort of thing. The droid's movement are stiff, and Lira says an appreciative, "Interesting!" with a giggle in her voice. Don Dorunero is delighted. The time has come to start gathering money.

And at a bank, people are contentedly going about their daily business. The teller looks up and sees these bizarre things approaching the entry. No fool, she screams and ducks as they shoot their way in, dancing along in formation. The junk droids are of two types, one golden, one more yellow in appearance. The golds are soldiers, perhaps. They fight their way through startled people, while the others grab bags of money. They head out, crossing streets heedless of traffic, until they decide to attack honking cars. The drivers run. In jewelry stores, they smash their way into cases. Don Dorunero rides his vehicle with an honor guard of gold junk droids, Lira and Gien. They are deeply amused as police arrive and challenge the junk droids, who fire on them, causing all manner of havoc and surely some deaths. Lira, watching, is delighted. They laugh as humans run, or struggle in fear against junk droids.

And on the beach, "No, really, I'm Asami Tatsuya!" the poor young man is protesting, as Domon makes certain his bonds are secure. He is pinned under Yuuri's stern gaze, and Sion's more gentle, interested one, squatting near him. Ayase is off to the side, looking through the wreckage. "I'm not this non-human captain you're on about! This is really my face! What will it take to convince you?!" They've apparently been questioning him for a while. Sion stands and looks at Domon. "I think he's telling the truth." Domon stretches his strained shoulders, "Yeah, but we believed the captain, too." Tatsuya has not given up yet, but then they hear the sound of emergency sirens, and turn in puzzlement.

The sound triggers Takku, who activates and lifts into the air, frightening Tatsuya when he passes in front of him. "What's THAT?!" And the question is left unanswered, as Takku projects an image for them. "Oh no, everyone! The Dorunero are in the city!" Takku says. They can see their three enemies, and the junk droids, in his image. "God, more strange weirdos!" exclaims Tatsuya. And Yuuri whispers hoarsely, "There's nothing we can do." But Takku spins in the air and looks around. His sensors pick up something and he hurries down, relieved. "Over here!" he calls them, and Yuuri is first to rush. "The Chrono-changers are here!" in this orange box. The five changers sit, along with something that looks like a gun. The four gaze in amazement. But Takku indicates that this will not work unless there are five of them. They are dismayed, but Yuuri gathers up the changers. She hands one to Sion, then to a startled Domon, then a resigned Ayase. And then she walks past them, to the young man they have prisoner. Afraid of being hit again, he cringes back. Ayase is equally doubtful. "You're planning on using some 20th Century guy?" he asks. She does not answer at once, but releases Tatsuya. "It's our only chance." Tatsuya scrambles back from her, but she offers him the bracelet. "Please help us. We're trying to get those monsters," she says. "Eh?" he gasps. She comes and crouches to his eye level, pleading with him as she pushes the changer into his right hand, telling him to put it on his left. "If we don't stop them in the city, they'll destroy the world." He scrambles to his feet, backing away further but holds the Changer. "Why ME?" he demands. She gets to her feet. "What? Ah, I see. You're going to act like you don't understand, and don't want to save the city." She turns away from him, nodding as the others watch her uncertainly. She looks back at him over her shoulder, beautiful, her expression a mix of disappointment and hope. He is stuttering, "I understand! I caught a burglar once!" and waves the Changer over his wrist, but to his surprise it fastens itself on. She grins in relief, and puts hers on. They are all ready, or as ready as they will ever be. Domon is the least sure. But Takku tells them they need to use this to be the Time Ranger. The four nod at each other. "Chrono Changer!" Tatsuya is a beat behind them in his confusion.

He finds himself in different clothing, a gray and red bodysuit, and then around him decends a wall of data, black against green in alien symbols. Instinct moves him as his armor assembles, and when the world becomes normal again, he is shocked to find himself in new clothing. The others are amazed, too, for this is their first time. "Wow!" says Domon. And Takku orders the "Time Flyer, take off!" and the thing that looks like a gun abruptly pulls loose of its casing and rises into the air, growing as it does until it is large enough to ride. And Yuuri grabs Tatsuya's arm and takes him with her up onto the vehicle. I think he is at the center more so they can protect him in his confusion, at this point. But then he has taken the place meant for their Captain. "Wow!" he stutters. And they ride the Flyer into the city.

Lila laughs as the Zenitto bring paintings and all sorts of other things they've found. And on the streets civilians, wounded and bleeding, call for help as the junk droids tromp around them. Gien giggles with joy until a sudden explosion catches their attention. The arrival of the Time Flyer is unexpected, but it is Tatsuya who fires on the monsters, first. They leap from the flyer, and Gien recognizes the Time Ranger suits. "Why?" growls Lira. She had thought them dead. But Yuuri steps forward and says, "You're under arrest." Unimpressed, Don Dorunero returns the challenge and Gien sets the Zenitto on the heroes. The four duck the flying bullets, in moves we will recognize from The Matrix. However, Tatsuya is hit. His armor protects him from permanent damage, and he heads the attack into a fight against the Zenitto. Sion is doing a wonderful job with his crafy fighting. Domon punches his hand through the chest of one of the droids, it is impressive. Ayase spins and kicks his way through the crowd. And Yuuri... well, she wreaks total havoc with ease and fire.

Takku comes and calls them to use their bracelets. They have more power available to them. They obey and out comes the Arrow Vector and Spark Vector, which by the way, are meant to resemble the hands on a clock! These beautiful weapons look so fragile, but then Domon and Sion bring out their cannons, and the Zennito fall at a lovely rate. Our heroes were doing well before, but now they are totally getting through all the enemies. And Yuuri faces Don Dorunero, who launches himself at her with his rockets, which sound like giant farts. They collide and she falls, but she manages to kick him back into a bunch of cans. Gien shoots her down and Lira tries to kill her, but the other four dive between and dispell the shot. Domon fires his Vol Vulcan, Sion his Vol Pulsar, and the villains are knocked back. Yuuri uses a deadly attack and explosions seriously stagger the villains. She orders them to surrender, but Don Dorunero has no intention of complying. "We'll give up today, but..!" and Gien teleports them out of there.

Helpless with fury, Yuuri snarls, "They got away!" The others also sag, and Tatsuya drops to sit cross-legged on the road. Sion approaches Yuuri shyly. "I didn't think we would be so powerful." What will they do now? Domon says to him, "You're really strong," which totally embarrasses the youngster. But Tatsuya asks them hopelessly to please explain one more time, what are they? And Ayase comes to Yuuri's side. "I guess it's time we answered." And yet they turn at a flight of pigeons before answering him. The world under the wings is still the one Yuuri, Sion, Domon and Ayase knew, however different it is on

The city of the future, with the shining Tokyo Tower at the center of strange buildings that remind me of nuclear plant towers. Our heroes in the Provider whites, smile at each other, then are startled as they change into their clothing of the year 2000. And the city fades around them to the buildings of the present. Then they smile and wave to their fifth, the young man of the present. Running together through the crowded, overwhelming scenes, the beauty of parks, the sunsets, the world under their protection. The others vanish, Tatsuya startles. Sion appears amongst a crowd of salarymen, squats nervously. Ayase appears near children playing basketball, Yuuri with him a moment later. They smile and walk off together. Domon is on a playground, cheering on happy kids who wave at him. He sees his friends across the way, and they are together again, runing through a flock of white pigeons, carrying their thoughts to the future.

February 20th, 2000!
The sweet scent of a thick cigar fills the air. Don Dorunero speaks. "I ran away from that crazy 30th Century, but this 20th Century is worse!" Gien replied soothingly, "You don't have to worry. We've got the Jail Tower, it's a good base." Lira, adjusting her hair, says "Except the damned Time Rangers were there before we knew it!"

"Thirtieth Century??!" Tatsuya exclaims. They are in an abandoned cement-walled place. Outside they can see the bushes and trees. He is pacing and stares down, digesting the idea, then spins around and moves towards them excitedly, pointing at them as they watch him unhappily. "Which means these monsters came from the future?" He starts giggling. This is too much to believe. Businesslike, Yuuri steps up to him, "You didn't know what to do, all we needed you for was to turn into the Time Rangers," and takes his bracelet before he has a chance to react. "You helped us, thank you. It's over." She walks away as he is pulling himself together. "But you gave that to me!" Takku says agreeably, "All we needed was five people. We can't let someone from the Twentieth Century hold it." Yuuri places the bracelet back in its casing and turns back to the men. Tatsuya echoes, "Person from the Twentieth Century..?" outraged. Ayase says mildly, "Don't worry about it," and Sion says, "We can't let you have it, because your people haven't developed time travel." Domon pulls to his feet and folds his arms angrily. "The only thing they have is teleportation," but Takku shakes his head. "Not that, either." Yuuri looks at him, her face unreadable. And Tatsuya sees a flash of white as he realizes and says, stunned, "It's really true."

Gien hauls out one of the small containers holding a villain. Lira eyes him and steps close. "Gien, what are you up to?" Laughing, he answers, "We've got some friends here. Let's bring them back!" He sets it in the size-chamber as Don Dorunero approaches. A tangle of genetic construction uncoiling, and the being appears in the chamber. "He can live a hundred and twenty years. The bomber, Jeka!" and in the mist Jeka moves. He steps out of the chamber. "Hey, thanks for helping me out, here." Don Dorunero invites him to join the Londarz Family, at first getting a "Huh?" from the villain. "All we have to do is use this building's name!" Lira grins, delighted by the irony. "Londarz Family?" (the name of the company that had owned that building). Delighted, they all laugh as Jeka moves away from his confinement.

Out in the woods gathering tinder, Ayase sighs. He heads back into the building. Sion has given Tatsuya a drink, and watches him wonderingly as he drinks it down. When the other man thanks him, he smiles like an angel and accepts the cup back, before moving away. Tatsuya asks anxiously, "If there is a Thirtieth Century, do you have a lot of new things, really technological things?" Sion blinks hesitantly at him. Yuuri, however, is bringing old chairs over to where Domon sits and says, "Yes, you're right." Tatsuya gets to his feet anxiously, "What about my future?" and Domon says absently, "No one would remember something like that." A sort of restless sigh, a knot in his throat, and Tatsuya says softly, "Nothing like that, huh." He moves towards the opening out of the building. "Yeah. No one would." Yuuri feels something for his obvious unhappiness, and nudges Domon to his feet. They eye Tatsuya as he stares out. He says, "So, my future's decided, is it?" He turns away and heads towards the exit. Takku says, attempting to soothe him, "You don't have to worry about that, your future won't change. We'll keep it." Sion unhappily follows him, but he turns around and looks at them. "If the future's not going to change, then I don't have to be here. If that's it, then goodbye," and he trots away down the stairs, Sion watches him go anxiously, opening his mouth but he has no idea what to say. So he turns and looks helplessly at Domon, who finds this all a bit odd. "If our future changed, I wouldn't like it, would you?" he looks at Yuuri, who sighs. Ayase sets the wood for the fire down saying, "Hard-heads can't think of anything." Domon takes affront at that and starts towards him, but Sion is between, pushing him back anxiously. "Stop fighting..!" Yuuri is quick to agree. "Sion's right, we have to work together." Domon, trapped between them, protests, "Ah! I forgot! How are we going to get back home?!" Takku answers him. "I'm trying to contact base."

And Jeka arrives in the city, in the dark of 7:06 pm, placing a translucent green gemstone atop a building and then flying off to place more all over the city.

Tatsuya arrives home. He is a rich boy, lives in a mansion, but it is to an argument with his waiting father, who is ferociously determined. "I want you to work for my company." Tatsuya says angrily, "Don't make that decision for me! You promised I could choose for myself! Four years ago, you promised!" His father has conveniently forgotten that. "You said if I won that Karate match I could keep doing Karate, except I lost!" He admits that and they meet each other's eyes reluctantly. "So I haven't done Karate for FOUR years, and now you say I have to work for you?" His father stands up stubbornly. "You will work for my company!" he says sternly, and "Make THAT your goal!" Tatsuya jumps to his feet, calling his father as the man leaves the room. Clenching his fists stubbornly, he walks to the window. "He's got to be kidding." He opens the drapes, then the window, and says, "It is I who will decide my future!"

And at 8 am the rising sun shines down upon the crystal atop the tall building. It shimmers, it flares, and the building explodes violently outwards, people who are not killed instantly scream as the debris rains down.

In the morning, Tatsuya is coming downstairs and hears his father say, "What? A monster?" and the news on the television behind him is about the destroyed building. He is still in his heavy, green robe. He dials the phone to his office and says, "Give me the bad news."The man answering the phone is in a room where there is something on the desk that projects in green light a hologram of Jeka. The man axiously replies, "The weird monster put a crystal on your desk," and we hear Jeka saying, "Bring one hundred million yen to me down here or I'll blow up the whole city." The police find him and fire on him frantically. "Are you the bomber?!" Paraphrase at Ben's suggestion: "What do I look like, the tooth fairy?" They are unable to damage him and he blasts them back, cackling as they fall.

Tatsuya's father is hurrying into his car with the briefcase full of money, and Tatsuya runs after him. "Make another deal with me!" "What?" his father says, pausing in confusion. "If the buildings don't blow up and I can save your money, then please don't try to decide my future!" His father says angrily, "I don't have time to play!" and he says firmly back, "This is not a game." They stare at each other for a long moment, then his father says, "If you don't get it back within an hour, I'll give the real money to the monster." He hands the briefcase to his son. "If you don't, then I'll never let you choose again." He walks away, his panic-stricken second in command trying to get him to change his mind.

Tatsuya runs along the road thinking, "The monster must be one of the bad guys I saw yesterday. If I get that bracelet, then the future of this city will stay the same. It won't be destroyed." He is running silently up the stairs when he hears Domon saying, "He really said that?! We can't go back?" And Takku answers, "That is what the Time Officer said. Because the Dorunero are in this time with us, the future will change. All we have to do is catch them all, then we can go home." Ayase comes closer to stir the fire gravely, saying "You make it sound so easy." Yuuri asks about the Zoin (?) and Takku says, "We don't have it. If the balance of the Zoin disappears, time will stop, forever." Alarmed, Domon gets to his feet. "Which means we might never be able to go back to our time?!" A moment of silent horror for them all. This is a savage, strange place. Takku speaks into their despair. "We can't go back, but you mustn't give up! Endure!" But they are badly shaken. "I know it's hard to see, but it's easier in the 20th Century than in the 30th. We need you because our own existence is at stake." Domon, furious, kicks a heavy, empty can, and it goes tumbling past the stairs where Tatsuya listens gravely. Yuuri, her arms folded, paces closer to the fire. "I guess it's good. We have to fight the Dorunero." Sion gets to his feet, looking around at all of them. "I think if I'm with all of you, nothing can kill me." Domon spins and points around at them angrily, "Are you all crazy? Even if we're all together, you think we can win?!" Ayase pats him on the shoulder. "It's okay, nothing can change the 30th except an angel or some other great being, not you. Enjoy it." He walks to stare out at the world. "There's a lot of futures that you can't change." Domon is furious and starts at him, "Don't say that, you stupid -- " but before he can strike, Sion is there to pull him away from Ayase. "Save your power to fight the Dorunero! We can do it if we're together!" Domon pulls his arm from Sion's grasp and protests, "But there are only the four of us!"

"No, here I am, the fifth," Tatsuya announces, finally coming out to talk to them. They are all shocked and gape at him. "You!" exclaims Yuuri. He sets down the briefcase and talks to them earnestly. "You were also told that you can't do what you want to do. You can't return to the future. Even if you can't save the future, let's just save tomorrow." Ayase turns his head away, and the others think about it mournfully and he says urgently, "We can do it. How can we pick what we'll do the next second? We have to decide for ourselves." He snatches up a stone from the floor and flings it way out the opening. "Like this rock!" he says as it sails out of sight. "It's not the past, and it's not the future. You understand?" He turns and looks at them earnestly.

Looking shell-shocked, Ayase murmers, "Change tomorrow." Yuuri's grim silence is slightly warmer than before, and Sion's normal smile is blossoming back on his face. Even Domon is perking up. Tatsuya steps closer to them and holds out his right hand, palm up. Yuuri moves away suddenly, and Sion is grinning with joy. Domon is smiling too, at last. "We can do it!" he exclaims. And Sion comes closer to Tatsuya, even as Yuuri rounds Ayase with the bracelet. She shows it to him and takes his wrist in her hand to put it back on him. It fits, and feels right. Tatsuya nods his satisfaction as they all gather close to him, though Ayase is half turned away, unable to let go of his doubts. Tatsuya says, "That's why we have to do it."

Jeku is counting the money in the cases spread around him, but it is not enough. Furious, he turns on the police and spectators, and blows them up. Turning away from their screams, he is about to set off the explosions when a young voice calls, "I'm sorry!" He turns in surprise. "Sorry for keeping you waiting," announces the human in red clothes arriving with another case. "You're late!" Jeku tells him. The human sets the case down, announcing that it contains one hundred million yen. Jeku is apparently willing to take him at his word, picking up the case. As Jeku turns away and drops the case, putting his foot on it, Tatsuya asks, "Are you going to leave my building alone?" Well, because he was late and last, Jeku says he is going to blow it up. As he is reaching to set off the bombs, Tatsuya says calmly, "Stop," holding out a hand. "You'll go, too." Startled, Jeku looks at him. Hurriedly he opens the case. It is loaded with the crystals! "My bombs!" And a woman's voice cuts through his stunned surprise. Stepping out from between the train cars are the other four, and above them sits Takku.

Takku says, "It wasn't hard to find your bombs." Furious, Jeku says, "You're only human!" but they are out to prove him wrong, at least about the "only." Following Yuuri's command, they move. A sweep and their civilians clothes are gone, to reveal body suits of gray and striped with their colors. Jeku only has time for a gasp of surprise before they change into their armor. "Damn you!" he says when they confront him and announce themselves. Yuuri leads with the arresting speech. Furious, he challenges them and they attack. He fires, taking down Ayase to the others' dismay, but they are all caught in the next blast. He attacks, the jets on his back fire with a sound like a fart. "Die!" he says. Tatsuya is up first and gets hit full on, momentum carrying them back so our young hero calls in the Double Vector. He is able to do quite a bit of damage, until he slices the badge the monster wears. It shudders, then the flesh begins to bubble and expand until Jeku becomes a giant!

Takku explains to the startled Time Rangers what had happened when Tatsuya broke the seal, about the shrinkage and increase technology. "You got that sort of thing in the Thirtieth?" exclaims Tatsuya. And Jeku fires his jets, delighted by this turn of events. Tatsuya ducks behind Domon as the firing begins and they run for shelter behind a small building. Takku is knocked back, Ayase asks him what they can do. "We can ask," replies Takku. And he signals, "Provider Base! Answer please!"

In the dark room of the Provider base, near a seemingly inactive panel of controls, sits a man dressed all in white. We do not see his face, only the back of his head, as the lights on the panels brighten and come to life. He listens to Takku's urgent voice. "Send us the equipment! The 3-D transformation system! We need it!" The man's eyes narrow, his lips tighten. And in the base, the five jets sit. "Answer, please. It won't work. No one's answering." And explosions terrify our trapped heroes. And then a firm voice echoes in Takku's receivers.

Ships clear the area above the launch bad at Provider Base, year 3000. Providus approaches, carrying a heavy pack, and puts its feet in clamps. The pack unfolds to become the componants of the Time Gate. And the jets come up into the light of day, beautiful and shining. Takku hears the voice announce that all systems are go. "Yes!" he cheers. "The Time Jets are coming!" he tells our heroes. A respite from the bombing, they all turn in confusion and dawning hope.

Providus extends his strike arm, Time Jet 1 moves onto the launching dock, being turned to face the gate. Providus winds up, spinning its torso about to ultimate torque. The Gate activates, and Providus sends Time Jet 1 through. Another windup, Time Jet 2 and 3, then 4 and 5 are sent on. In formation, they race through all times. A brontosaurus roars its surprise as the jets pass nearby. By the Pyramids in the Egyptian desert, a crowd of astonished people dive and throw up shields as the strange things pass overhead. A shogun's castle in Japan, a ninja and a warrior woman spin to watch the strange things pass over. And the gate finds its anchor, releasing the ships through a great ring into the year 2000 AD.

Takku urgently tells them what they need to do, and Yuuri calls in the Time Flier. They leap together onto it and it brings them up, so they can leap down to land in their jets. As soon as they are in, their helmets begin downloading the information they need to enable them to control the machines, and Tatsuya announces their first goal, "3D Formation! Time Robo Beta!" And the jets obey, shedding some of their outer trappings. Right leg Yellow, left leg Pink, body Red, right arm Green, left arm Blue. And they are together in the control room, all equally amazed. Yuuri reacts to the signal from their helmets first, and directs Tatsuya to grab the stick in front of him, as they all can, to channel their control. Their Time Flier becomes the Time Magnum, and they leap to attack Jeku. He flings them back, and they flip, then bounce off of a CLOUD (it's hilarious). Time halts, they are in mid air and the only thing still moving is the bullets they fire at each other, and a slowly building cloud of smoke and flame. The spell is broken and they fall apart, Jeku lands on a building, smashing it. Our heroes are badly shaken. Jeku is back on his feet and after them, so Takku calls them to change formation. Tatsuya hears him and, determined, they break up into the jets, fly around Jeku almost knocking him down, and then form Time Robo Alpha. Again, Red forms the chest. Blue and Green are the right and left legs, Yellow and Pink the arms. And Tatsuya finds in his data that he can summon Jikuuken through the Time Tunnel in Time Robo Alpha's chest. Jeku is not impressed and fires on them, but they simply step from his blasts. The city is in flames where they are, but they are unharmed. Startled, Jeku spears an office building and throws it at them. Domon pulls the Chrono Shield in front and the building smashes against it, to their amazement. "Incredible!" gasps Sion. But Yuuri tells Tatsuya to take the next step. The command rod he holds doubles as a blade, and what he does when he pulls it out is what the robot does. The smaller blades unfold to a 180 degree angle, 9 and 3 o'clock. Jeku is uncertain, but faces them. When he attacks, Tatsuya slices and dices him. He is frozen, the explosion starting, while they are still moving and able to get clear of him. The open blade closes like the ticking of a clock, when both hands reach 12 the monster explodes and becomes the tiny, frozen thing it was before it was released. The Time Jets seperate into their components. Yuuri encases Jeku in a cannister just like the one he had been in before. And in the year 3000, the man in white stands and leaves the control room.

Tatsuya's father is leaving his home, all relieved that the monster is gone, when they find the case he had given his son resting in front of the gate. There is a note taped to it and the father tears it off. It says, "I win."

Tatsuya jogs ahead of his four new friends, who look about uncertainly even as they follow him. He is leading them to a building and heads up the stairs. As they eye him doubtfully he turns, grinning. "Hey, come on! Hurry!" They follow and he leads them into an empty, white suite. Sion looks around in amazement, and even Ayase seems impressed. "Well, what do you think?" Tatsuya asks the group happily. "No one's using this place, I thought it would be great for you. This is my city, after all." He opens the window and in comes Takku. "We'll be staying here?" the little thing asks. Yuuri gives a half hearted, "I guess so. It isn't like a house." Ayase agrees. Domon settles down, but is clearly less than impressed. Tatsuya is hurt, "Hey, don't talk like that -- " Behind him, Sion is still gazing about, his hair very green in this lighting. Sion says as if he hasn't heard a word the others have said, "This is wonderful! It's a great place for us!" He turns and looks at the delighted Tatsuya, who puts a brotherly arm around his shoulder, "Sion, you are terrific!" And Takku flexes his wings, wondering almost to himself, "But who sent the ships to us?"

February 27th, 2000!

Tatsuya arrives in a large moving van, grinning in delight in the fresh morning air. He jumps out and opens the back, "Okay, let's bring all this in!" and moves. Yuuri carries a little yellow lamp, Domon is moving chairs, Sion adapting a computer. "Sion, can you make that work?" asks Yuuri. He says yes, with Takku's help he should be able to adapt it. Domon comments rudely, "I didn't know you were so good at stuff like this! You'd have to be a rich boy, like I guess Tatsuya is." Yuuri agrees that probably is true. With mild contempt, he continues, "Even if he runs away from home, he'll still be taken care of. If he doesn't have anything to eat, he can buy a house of food." Ayase, setting a box atop lockers, says, "If I'm going to live with a bully, I'd rather live in a toilet." "What?" says Domon, but before it before it can break into a fight, Tatsuya makes it through the door with two, heavy tatami, which Domon helps him with. Yuuri asks in confusion, "What are those for?" He answers, "Well, you have to take off your shoes in a place you live." Domon eyes the tatami mat he holds and says doubtfully, "What kind of interior sense do you have?"

And at the villains' base, Gien brings out another cannister. Leaning against a boulder that had torn through the wall, Lira complains, "This time it has to be a better one." Gien replies that the one here is in for fifty years and his name is Kiisu. He puts the thing in the machine. Lira lays her hand on Don Dorunero's shoulder, and they watch with speculative interest as Kiisu is released. He sounds strange, like a bee humming, as he stretches and moves from his confinement. "I'm finally out," he says, enjoying it. "How do you feel, Kiisu?" asks the Don. "Terrible," answers that one angrily. "My head hurt all the time I was in that little capsule! Assholes. I'd rather be back inside that capsule than out here with you!" but when he reaches to tear the badge off, Gien stops him. "If you pull that off, your body will be twenty times bigger than it is, now." Startled, he looks around and lowers his hand. Lira continues, "You'll be so big, there'll be nowhere for you to live." Furious, Kiisu snarls, "You assholes, you make it so hard for me!" Don Dorunero said calmly, "Kiisu, if you want to go back to Mars, you have to use your anger to kill our enemies."

It is late, now. Yuuri puts the container holding Jeka in a cabinet, turning back to the others. "Work?" she says doubtfully. Tatsuya is tying to explain, "If all you do is fight the Dorunero, you won't be able to get any money. We need jobs! So, you could be a detective, Yuuri." He turns to Sion, passing Ayase who is sketching on a piece of paper. "You can be a computer troubleshooter..." "Oh, yeah, I can do that!" Yuuri is murmuring, "Yes, being a detective might be good. I might even learn more secrets of the Doruneros." Delighted by her interest, Tatsuya says, "Yeah! And I can be a..." a chance to do something he's dreamed of "a Karate instructor!" He does a kick move, and Sion near him says, "Domon can do that, too. He was a pro-fighter!" Domon, pleased, stands and says it's true. Curious, Tatsuya asks, "So why are you a Time Ranger?" Embarrassed, Domon says, "I lost a big fight, so I decided to try a different job." Ayase stares down at the table and says quietly, "So you weren't able to do what you wanted most." Domon, startled and hurt asks, "Is there something wrong with that?" then when Ayase seems to ignore him, gets angry and starts to leap at him. Tatsuya holds him back anxiously and says over his shoulder, "And you, Ayase?" Startled to be asked, Ayase looks up at him. "Oh, I'm fine." But Domon pushes Tatsuya off, glaring, and says mockingly, "Does that mean you can do anything?" Tatsuya shoves down between them, reading the emptiness in Ayase's eyes, searching for a light. "There must be something that you can do especially. Are you still in school? Do you have something you want to do? Just give me a hint, and I can tell you what kind of work you want." But Ayase's attention is fixed on the paper, drawing Tatsuya's eyes to it. "What's this?" Ayase snatches it quickly and stands. Swallowing, he scrunches up the paper. "All I want to do is get the Dorunero, and go home. Just because we're living together, don't choose for me." He heads heavily out the door, after tossing his paper in the garbage. Domon grumbles, "Man, what is WITH him?! Do I really have to put up with this?" walking off. Yuuri says, "What are we going to do then, stay like this or get jobs?" Tatsuya picks the paper out of the garbage to unfold it, and sees an elegent, quick sketch of a lovely car. He goes outside and sees Ayase, who is standing wistfully next to an elegant red car, staring at the vehicle. What he did not see was Ayase reach trembling for the handle, and then withdraw his hand, staring at it. Tatsuya sighs sympathetically. Oh yes, I know how you feel.

A white car driven by two security men, an explosion and Zenitto appear to terrify the men. Before a real fight can get underway, a voice says amusedly, "Give me the money." There is a strange creature sprawled out on top of their car, looking at them. The Zenitto attack, and while they're busy, the creature spears the car with tentacles which go into the metal. The Zenitto collect the money from the car.

SNN News reports an attack by the Londarz family. It shows an picture of the car, and the strange, red residue left upon it. "What is THAT stuff?" asks Tatsuya, as they watch the report anxiously. Takku says, "That must be the prints of the tentacles of..." he plugs in to the computer and starts outputting data, until the readouts settle on the monster that would have done this attack. They have a picture of the last time this one broke into a vault, the prints left by it. When they are puzzling out to do, Takku continues, "He's good at opening locks and getting data from computers." Yuuri folds her arms thoughtfully. "He won't stop there," she says. She sets Sion to look for more information on the computers.

Yuuri, Sion and Domon are dressed as security guards, taking cases from a bank and putting them in a car that Ayase and Tatsuya are driving, rather than the security van. "I'm counting on you," she tells Tatsuya. And then, "Let's go," to the others. Riding in the back of the van, and the bankers are watching their own readouts. The man in charge says, "I hope the criminals will be fooled by this." They do not see the thin, red tentacles in the back of their computer, copying their data and then slipping out through the vents leaving a trail of red slime. It is Kiisu on the roof. "Morons. Do you think you can fool me?"

Tatsuya is driving when an explosion goes off in front of the car. They stop, and find Kiisu on top of them. "So I see you underestimate me," he says cheerfully. Tatsuya hits the accelerator and Kiisu rolls over the top of the car to fall on his face. "Ouch," he says as the Zenitto chase after the car. They catch on, smashing the windows and tring to slash our heroes. One is scraped off against something, the other Ayase manages to knock loose. And Kiisu adapts a car to his use and pursues them. Tatsuya utters a small gasp of pain, "You okay?" asks Ayase. "I don't know, but..." staring in the rearview mirror "I think he's still behind us." He hooks his thumb back and Ayase looks out the window. There is a vehicle pursuing them, with Kiisu flattened and part of the thing! "Damn him," growls Ayase. Tatsuya puts his foot down.

He rear-ends them and tries to drive them off the road. Tatsuya is starting to lose control of the car when Ayase suddenly lunges across the seat and takes the wheel. He slips them out of the way and into a truck yard, where Kiisu's car overturns. They get out of the car and watch as it blows up. Tatsuya starts to say in bewilderment, "You -- " to Ayase when Kiisu's angry voice interrupts. from the flames. "You idiots!" With a horrified glance at the fire, Tatsuya says, "Let's get out of here!" But Ayase rounds the car. "Change with me. Let me drive. Hurry up." "But I thought you couldn't drive -- " starts Tatsuya. "Believe me. I was a professional racer." Tatsuya's lips tighten as he realizes, and he is in the car and they are off.

The monster takes over a truck and pursues them. Tatsuya uses his teeth to finish tying a binding on his bleeding arm, watching Ayase from the corner of his eye. "I know, I didn't tell you I was a professional. I just don't want to touch the handle of a car anymore." Tatsuya regards him quietly. "A professional racer." Ayase gives a pained sound of agreement. "You don't need to tell me anything else." He is thinking, what to do, what to say, when he hears wheels squealing behind them. He looks out the window and there is this big truck, with Kiisu attached. Ayase gasps, "Tatsuya, hold on tight!" and puts the pedal to the metal! The truck is having a hard time keeping up with the turns and they lose him. Tatsuya exclaims, "Wow, that was great!" It forces a pleased smile despite everything, and Ayase says, "It's just classical racing. All I have to do is trick the enemy, then their -- " he stops speaking, glancing painfully over at Tatsuya. Tatsuya regards him gently. "But you still like cars." He holds out the piece of paper with the drawing, and Ayase takes it. He says slowly, "It's hard to say what I want to tell you. Didn't you say you were going to change the future?" Before they can continue, the truck comes out in front of them and they have to do some mad driving to avoid a crash. It chases them into a valley. "Don't think I'm stupid, you assholes!" shouts Kiisu. He blasts them and the car spins out of control, Ayase and Tatsuya flying out of the doors. Kiisu's truck hits them a glancing blow as it passes them, knocking them falling. Ayase is on his feet and about to change into armor, but Tatsuya grabs his arm, saying it is too early. When they are knocked by the monster's blast and Tatsuya is injured, Ayase tells him, "I'll get him! You run!" and jumps in a mad attack right onto Kiisu's head, but is shocked away. Tatsuya grabs his fallen companion, "Don't try to do the impossible!" he says and Ayase replies, "If you don't get out of here, we'll both die! I'll get him, RUN!" He is on his feet, lunging at the monster but Tatsuya grabs his arm, spins him around and decks him with a right hook. Stunned, Ayase stares up at him from the ground and he says, "Ayase, don't give up! Even if the thing you love is gone, do NOT give up!" He looks very much the commander as he glares fiercely down at the shaken man. He reaches down to offer his hand, Ayase blinks in shock. "Tatsuya..." and accepts the assistance. The truck is coming at them and they don't have time to get out of the way. Then it is hit by an explosion, which seperates Kiisu from the vehicle and sends him tumbling.

The others have arrived with their cannons, in their armor. Yuuri greets our two. "Thanks for waiting, Tatsuya, Ayase, we got here just in time." "Yeah, now we can do it!" Tatsuya cheers. And Ayase, at Kiisu's startled recognition of them, moves over to the cases in the back of the car they were driving. "Thanks for being a sucker," he comments. He opens one case and out pour rocks! Domon mocks Kiisu, "Gold should be in a bank, don't you think?" And Sion adds, "Just an hour ago, it got safely delivered to the bank." And Tatsuya leads Ayase into the change. "Chrono Changer!" Tatsuya announces, "Kiisu, for breaking the rule of time, you're under arrest!" and Kiisu's response is to drop golden bullets on the ground that become Zenitto! Tatsuya and Ayase bring out their Double Vectors, while the others use the cannons, and the fight is on! Domon is wading through Zenitto, blasting them. Ayase is tearing with enthusiasm. Sion and Yuuri are back to back, blasting effectively with their cannons. Kiisu catches Tatsuya in his tentacles, but Ayase cuts him free. Together, the two manage a double attack, cutting Kiisu to pieces, and are quite pleased with themselves when he falls, shaking each other's hands. Takku signals them and tells them to pull out all of the blasters, and form the big Vol Tech Bazooka. They obey with enthusiasm. Their blast is powerful, and a furious Kiisu growls, "Mommy, bring me back to life!" he tears his band and becomes large, adapting heavy armor. They call in the robots.

Takku passes the command, and the man in white starts the sequence. Once again, we watch the launch of the Time Jets from Provider Base, by Providus. They are on their way! As before, they travel through the same points in time, but this time appear out of the top of the Tokyo Dome, whose roof bulges like a bubble before returning to normal. Our heroes call in the Time Flier, land in their Jets and Tatsuya leads the formation into Time Robo Beta. This is a really cool sequence, by the way. They attack with the Flier Magnum, but Kiisu is armored and just laughs. They do a spinning kick. He catches them in his tentacles. "I got the robot!" he announces happily. Ayase says "He's trying to combine with us!" Domon cries out, "He'll get on us!" and Yuuri urges a change. They break up, getting loose of his tentacles and then forming Time Robo Alpha. Again, a really cool sequence. They call their sword through the Time Tunnel on the robot's chest, and Tatsuya opens the blades. They begin the mad slashing that destroys the monster's armor. Ayase announces cheerfully, "Time up!" and the monster falls as the blade closes. The ships break up, eject their pilots, and return through the tunnel into the future. Our heroes pretty much land on their faces below. "Damned ships threw us on the ground," grumbles Domon. Sion, on his feet, shrugs, "And we still don't know who's accessing the Time Robots." Tatsuya says, "Who cares? We'll find out, someday." He gets up. Yuuri agrees, "All we have to do is win," and gathers up the captured Kiisu.

They return to base, and see the gold and white plaque Tatsuya has made. Tomorrow Research. "Tomorrow Research?" Yuuri reads. And Tatsuya replies, "It'll be something like a 'whatever you want' shop. Except the big one will be my Karate Training School!" Delighted, he punches, then looks at Domon. "Domon and I will run it together!" The other man nods in pleased agreement. "Sion's computer repairs. Yuuri's detective agency." He sets his hand on her shoulder and she eyes it but doesn't let it bother her. "And Ayase..." Ayase looks up, startled, to meet Tatsuya's mischief-filled, light gaze. "Ayase's driving service." Ayase blinks and stares blankly away. "Is that okay?" Tatsuya asks him nervously. After a second he says, "Yes, it's good," getting to his feet. Tatsuya's delighted smile returns and Ayase walks around into the main office. Domon, asks in surprise, "Oh, so you're happier that you were before?" Laughing, Yuuri claps him on the shoulder. It is good!

In the office, Domon grumbles, "I don't trust him yet," and Yuuri shoves him on. "It's all right, already. But how are you going to open the driving shop?" Takku, by the computer, answers, "Sion and I will get all the cars that are good." Sion grins in delight and thumbs-up him. He looks over, saying, "So now we know what we'll do." But Tatsuya is hauling out a box and says, "I used all my allowance to get something like this!" He sets the box down and pulls out a gorgeous blue jacket with red lining. Sion jumps for it. "Oh, it's a uniform!" And Tatsuya tosses one to Ayase, hands one to thoughtful Yuuri. Domon, watching in surprise, gets to his feet. "We don't need these!" "I didn't get you one," Tatsuya says. "What?!" he scrambles to look. "Just kidding!" Tatsuya grins and springs out with one. Domon turns away, "Never mind, I don't want one." But Tatsuya is shoving Domon's onto his back, "But aren't you happy?" He grins down at him and Domon smiles back but then scrambles out. "I really don't need it," and gets caught between Sion and Ayase, who pin him at Tatsuya's call as the tall man chases him with the jacket. Watching all this, Takku says "I'm scared about the future."

March 5th, 2000!

Two happy little boys are on their way home, "What do you want to play when we get home?" "Lets play soccer!" "No, let's play baseball!" and they pass a spot out of which appears in a ripple a strange creature, Nabaru, who walks after them, snickering, and morphs into a human shape. He waylays the two boys and asks them "Do you want to play a new game, that no one's played?" Later, he rides a push-board over to a little girl who is reading, kneels down next to her and asks if she would like to be on TV. Later, her mother, Mrs Hanada, receives a phone call, demanding a ransom. "I've taken your child" He shoves the little girl down onto a bench next to two crying little boys. She glares impotently at him. "I wonder if your parents will pay for you?" he asks her, before turning back into his true shape. She screams.

Ten thousand yen bills, one thousand yen bills. Lira picks up a small coin, eyes it with contempt. Tossing it behind her, she stands and snaps, "Gien! Wasn't the 20th Century supposed to be a pushover? It's just like being in jail!!" She whirls her cape in dramatic frustration. "Just wait a little longer," he replies. "Nabaru is the one who made the Escalator stickers." She is not impressed, and folds her arms angrily. Dorunero tries to spike her spirits, "We'll be the Londarz family from now on. Nabaru will get the money for us. And if we get all the money we want, let's make a big laser, blow up Earth and live happily ever after!" Lira smiles pleasantly. "That's such a wonderful dream."

Sion has hung the Open sign over their placard and got it just perfect. He utters a pleased sigh, then heads into the office and looks about eagerly. Seeing Ayase intent upon a booklet (I believe it is a pamphlet on driving rules) he trots over. "Can I help you with anything, Ayase?" But the other only vaguely acknowledges him, muttering in astonishment at some of what he's reading. Sion turns to see Yuuri, sitting staring intently at the TV, and asks her the same question. She doesn't turn. "Sorry, but I want to watch the news. Be quiet, please." "Sorry." He sees Tatsuya sitting at the kotatsu, pain-stakingly writing a sign, and hops down next to him, knocking him aside. Startled, Tatusya stares at him as he sits and looks around intently at the paper, then smiles charmingly. Tatsuya sits back up to start writing again, and Sion reaches past him for another brush. "I'll help you!" Tatsuya gets a somewhat strangled expression, grabbing Sion's arm before ink can be spilled everywhere. "Let me help!" "Oh, no, that's okay. I'm fine, here." Sion considers as Tatsuya settles back to writing, then says, "I know! I'll go help Domon!" Tatsuya turns his head to watch Sion leave, and cannot help but smile at the eager youngster. "I wonder why he's trying so hard to help everyone?" Yuuri says suddenly, "Hey, look at this." Even Ayase glances up from the book he is studying. The news shows parents rushing their children home, and police and news cameras following them. Tatsuya comes to stand over her, frowning at the report. Yuuri says, "It's weird, kidnapping three kids in such a short time. Let's check this out." She dashes out, the two men watching her go, somewhat bewildered.

Out in the city, Domon certainly is passing out fliers to every pretty girl he sees. "Hey, Miss! About your safety... do you have a boyfriend? Lately, there are a lot of mashers out there. I am an instructor, I can teach you ways to beat them off! Come to our Karate class!" The current woman takes the flier, smiles coolly and crunches it up. As she walks off, he grumbles, "These darned 20th Century women don't understand the danger they're in from men." "Yes, they don't understand," says a soft, familiar voice at his side." He turns in a circle to find Sion there, staring in puzzlement after the woman. "They don't even know how strong they could be if they were taught by you." "What? Oh, it's you." But Sion is staring off into space dreamily. "Domon is so cool. When he needs weapons, he has them right in his hands." Thoroughly embarrassed, Domon slips past him after another girl. Sion notices and pursues, puzzling. "Domon, why are you only going to girls?" The poor woman currently in front of him manages to get away. Domon draws him aside. "C'mere. Look, I love everyone, except girls are so poor and cute, so I have to help them! It doesn't matter who loves who." Domon is rhapsodizing, his eyes shining. "Oh, of course," Sion says as Domon dashes off after another girl. He whirls after him, "If that's true then I love you, Domon!" This shouted statement is enough to halt everyone near them, who turn to see these two men. To Domon's intense dismay and embarrassment, Sion continues, "I like you!" and grabs his arm. The young lady currently trapped sees this as rather bizarre. Domon notes the expression on her face and says weakly to her, "No, it's not like that!" but she is already gone. He tries to lunge after her, but Sion won't let go of his arm, intent upon getting his point across. Furious, Domon turns and tosses poor Sion over a ledge, then jumps quickly after him, to catch him before he can hit the pavement below. "Wow!" Sion gasps. "Come HERE!" grumbles Domon, starting to pull him away, but Sion turns to him anxiously, pleading. "Oh, I know! Could you teach me how to fight well? As a Time Ranger, I want to be strong." Domon jumps on that. "Sure, yes, of course, but the first thing to do is go back home! You're REALLY in the way!" And he spins Sion around and shoves him into a walk away. Before Sion can turn back, Domon ducks out of sight. "But Domon.!" and runs to search for him.

And a man huddles against a stairwell in agony, talking to two little boys. "Oooh, my stomach's started to hurt!"

Sion is looking around, puzzled. "Where did Domon go?"

The man glances down at his bags. "Could you, please, carry my bags for me?" The taller boy says to his concerned friend, "Hey, our teacher told us to watch out, kids are getting kidnapped a lot." His friend agrees and looks kindly down at the man. "Just wait a moment, we'll get an adult to help you," And the two dash off. The man looks after them with exasperation. But at that moment Sion arrives. "I'll help you." The man turns his head and sees this very young fellow with an angel's smile gather up his bags. "Uh..." The boy starts off. "Do we go this way?" he asks. The man eyes him, then points the other direction. "It's this way."

And at the building the Time Rangers are living in... "I'm back," says a weary Domon. Tatsuya looks past him as he comes in. "Where's Sion?" Closing the door Domon asks, "Eh? Ah, I told him to go. He isn't back yet?" And Yuuri rushes in, slamming the door open into poor Domon's stomach (just a little lower and..). "You guys, it's terrible! I was right, it's the Londarz Family behind this! The kids said the guy who kidnapped them turned into a monster!" "Really?" asks a startled Tatsuya. Ayase folds his arms and says thoughtfully, "This means a lot of people will be kidnapped." Then the phone rings, and Yuuri picks it up. "Tomorrow Research." She stiffens in surprise, then puts the phone on speaker and they hear, "Pay 1,000,000,000 yen, and bring the money to Ayame Park at 12 o'clock. I'll get your money. You have two choices." And with a laugh, the man hangs up. The others stare in confusion as Yuuri slowly sets the receiver down. "What is it, now?" asks Domon. She says quietly, "Sion's been kidnapped." Tatsuya gasps, "What?!" Takku identifies their enemy from his voice-print, Nabaru, who made his money kidnapping children. Ayase says, "He must not have realized Sion is a Time Ranger. If the Dorunero stole our business card and know this phone number, we may get attacked here!" Domon growls in frustration.

Sion, thrown against the sofa, next to two weeping little boys, asks, "What are you doing?" Amused, the man takes his chin in its hand. "You don't understand yet? You were kidnapped." Laughing, he changes form and says, "You're here until the money comes!" And he leaves the cell.

In Tomorrow Research, their bracelets go off, their lost member signally anxiously. "It's Sion. I'm sorry I was kidnapped." Domon shouts into his communicator, "Idiot! You -- " Sion quickly puts his hand over his communicator to cut off the sound. Blinking unhappily, he whispers, "Please, keep your voice down! If he finds out I'm a Time Ranger, that'll mean trouble for Tomorrow Research..." "Do you have any idea how much trouble this is?!" Domon snarls back. "I'm REALLY sorry. I'm not alone, there are also two children. Can you help them?" And Yuuri answers. "We're coming." She turns to Takku and asks him to pinpoint where Sion is. And Sion hides his Chrono Changer in his pocket, then turns to the weeping children. "It'll be all right, help is on the way. My friends -- " but he has to be silent. He thinks sadly, "But they're not my friends. What can I do?"

They are a bit bewildered by Sion's behavior, Tatsuya asking, "Is he very smart, or really stupid?" and Takku explains that Sion is from Hummard's Star. They all react to that statement, but why? "What is Hummard's Star? Is he an alien?" asks Tatsuya. Domon explains that it's not really a word they use. They're all aliens, all citizens of the Universe. "Well, um, yes but... " Ayase steps up to say, "And so are the Dorunero." Tatsuya is dreamily muttering about there being aliens, and an annoyed Domon tries to point out, "Anyway don't call him an alien!" Yuuri asks, "Didn't Hummard's Star..?" "Yes. Hummard's Star blew up in a war. His parents sent him out in a evacuation capsule. Except no one knew where he came from. Which means he was way different from human people, so he was hard to take care of. He was raised in a laboratory, with only adults around. He was lonely and bored, and helped all the time. He couldn't bear it, so he ran away from the lab." Sion had been raised in an isolation room, with small toys like a chess game. Scientist were always watching from far above to see what he was doing. It was a miserable, lonely life. And Sion stands up against the bars, remembering Domon's words. "You are really in the way!" And Domon, running with the others, also remembers how Sion said, "I like you." And he has to stop and punch something, as he realizes he had left this practical child on his own, exposed in a world none of them could understand. The other three stop, but it is Tatsuya who recognizes his agony and comes to him. "Let's hurry up and save him. Sion is waiting." Domon looks at him, shaken, then at the others who nod. And together they race on.

The monster has come to one of the boys. "Your mother is too late, so I get to kill you." Cackling, he starts to collect the frightened child. Sion launches himself to the rescue, yelling at the little boys to run. They race screaming from the cell and the furious monster beats up on Sion. He throws our boy, tearing his skin and bruising him badly. He advances on him, "So how shall I kill you?" but Sion pulls out his flash-pen and the monster is momentarily blinded. He recovers quickly though, and pushes Sion outside and smashes him against the window of a car, sends him tumbling over another car. Sion starts to pull out the Changer, but then thinks, "I can't, the Londarz will find out about Tomorrow Research." The monster advances on him and pins him painfully under its heavy foot, then says, "Your mother will be very happy to give me the money, and then find out that you're dead!" Sion replies in an effort at mocking, "I don't have a family!" "What?" "It's too bad," our boy sneers. And Nabaru tries to crush Sion, who cries out in agony. And is about to deal the killing blow, when a furious fist decends between them and a growling Domon has punched the monster away. The group assembles around their fallen member, Domon gathering him in his arms. "Why didn't you change into your armor?" "I don't want to make any more trouble for you." "Idiot! If you die, you'll make trouble!" "You're our friend, you should have changed," Tatsuya adds. And Yuuri says, "Fight with us." Together they stand, and change into their fighting armor.

The monster now faces the combined force of the Time Ranger! Domon starts it, "You're under arrest for breaking the rules of time!" "I'm under arrest? You're not taking me in, coppers!" He blasts them. On their feet, Domon says, "Hold on, I'll do this." Tatsuya protests, "But I'm already in my armor!" Domon speaks to Sion. "Didn't you ask me to show you how to fight? Watch." And he braces himself, then stalks challengingly towards the mocking monster. They challenge each other officially and it is a grand duel. The others watch with concern, when the monster takes him down. But Domon is back up and fighting, spinning the monster in circles. Then he punches the critter out, to the delighted amazement of his watching companions. Domon finally leaves the playing field, but the furious monster tries to slice his back. Sion comes between them with the Double Vector and saves him. And then Domon allows Sion to join him to attack the monster. They call in their cannons to fire on him before he can go large. Locking on target, they blow him but he pulls off the seal and goes large anyway, his blade out and our heroes call Takku, who signals Provider Base. The mysterious man in white sends out the ships. We watch the launch sequence. As always, the ships are sent in order through the gate. Through the usual times and places to appear, once again, from the top of the Tokyo Dome.

Tatsuya orders the formation of Time Robo Beta and they face the monster but are knocked badly. Sion calls for the Virtual Turn, bouncing off a cloud. Domon calls for the Magnum fire, and then Sion starts the breakup of formation, Tatsuya obediently leading the change to Time Robo Alpha. They fight and soon Tatsuya pulls out Jikuuken to slice and dice. It is Domon who announces, "Time up," as the blades close, and the monster explodes before becoming tiny. And the time-ships return to the future.

Yuuri secures the monster in the cabinet and joins the others. Domon is tending Sion's bruises with a careful hand while Tatsuya is studying the youngster with great interest, peering at the roots of his hair and all. Ayase says affectionately, "You're good at that." Domon says half-belligerently, "Pro-fighters are good at fixing hurts." Tatsuya says in awe, "No matter where I look at him, he doesn't look like an alien -- " Domon growls, "He's not an alien, he's from Hummard." "An alien," Sion twists to look up at Tatsuya. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," "No, it's okay. Your hair is so cool! I thought you were dying it." "Well, I am actually. I've been dying it since I was three. I thought it would look cool. Does it?" Tatsuya is unable to answer in his surprise, so Shion turns to Yuuri, who smiles weakly and nods half-convincingly. Domon stands and mutters, "Well actually, it does look kind of weird." Tatsuya is still saying dreamily, "Alien boy!" and the two wander off in opposite directions as Sion pets Takku, then turns in surprise. "Domon? Tatsuya? Where are you going?"

March 12, 2000

Golden lights shine in the broken tower. It is a black night. Inside the half-sleeping tower, Gien pulls out one of the cannisters and takes it to the chamber. He chuckles as he activates. What it releases is somewhat like a catfish, and an angry one at that. MadBlast. He says, "I didn't know it would be so painful in that capsule!" He spins on his heel and then suddenly puts his weapon in Gien's gut. "Did Dorunero order you to kill me?" Gien shrugs heartily. "Don't be stupid. He forgot all about you." MadBlast turns away. "I don't like stealing money, it's boring." Gien comes up beside him. "But you like to kill, don't you? In the Twentieth, there're lots of people to kill. It'll be fun. Why don't you just kill for us? You don't even have to hide." He pats him on the shoulder, but MadBlast pulls away and says, "You're right. Here there's no need for me to hide."

The Closed sign is up, and the morning is arriving. Sion is playing a game on the computer, wherein he is a dolphin, going through an obstacle course. When Tatsuya,Domon and Ayase come out of their room, and he says "Good morning!" Tatsuya comes to sit next to him with a smile. "You're up early, Sion!" Domon lays his hand on Tatsuya's shoulder. "He only has to sleep once a year." Tatsuya is utterly delighted. "REALLY?! Wow, he's a fantastic alien!" Domon glares and bends down. "He's a HUMMARDIAN!" Tatsuya's eyes twinkle, though he look abashed, and he says back, "Sorry." And Ayase asks about Yuuri. Sion says she's gone off to work. "She's working already?" asks Domon. "Yes, she's cleaning." Ayase says, "Cleaning? She's supposed to be a detective." Domon looks down at Tatsuya, "It's because you put Yuuri's job above 'and other things'. So it's your fault." Tatsuya jumps up indigantly out from under his arm. "We can't just live with only five different types of jobs! Where is she cleaning?" And Sion says at Downhill's Lobby. "WHAT?! By herself?"

She is enjoying some peace and quiet, and effeciently cleaning up mopping the floors of this HUGE lobby. She has to sop sweat from her brow, for this is hard work. The others arrive to offer to help. She is rather surprised to see them. "What's the matter?" But Domon says she shouldn't have to do this by herself. She stares at them in surprise then it takes some effort to politely accept their offer. So they are cleaning together, Sion blazing around with the mop playing and saying, "Whee!" Domon, next to Tatsuya, says, "Isn't she cute?" "Yuuri?" "Yeah! Couldn't she say, 'Hey, could you help me? Oh thank you,' or something like that." Ayase says, "Girls like you're dreaming about don't exist." Which manages to insult Domon again. He drops his mop angrily and says, "Ayase, if you want to fight, then tell me! I'll be ready for you anytime!" but Ayase isn't really trying to fight, with Tatsuya shoving between them to stop this from getting out of hand. And Sion is playing with the mop until he trips over the bucket and sends water everywhere. Annoyed, Yuuri turns off the vacuum cleaner and snaps, "I thought you guys offered to help!" They all end up blushing and apologetic.

There is a lovely, pink haired woman wandering the stores with her manservants, buying everything she fancies, sexy and playful as they open the doors for her. "This and this and this, when you use money, my chest swells like it's gonna blow!" And she continues to be very happy, until she hears screaming and sees people running. "What's going on?" and then the heroes hear the screaming in the lobby, and MadBlast blasts the windows out. People are falling dead, and the madman is collecting watches. The woman sees the attacker and says poutingly, "Who is this guy?" But then she finds herself under attack by him. His blast destroys her boxes, and drops her servants, who are revealed to be Junk Droids. She wails "All my stuff! You ruined my STUFF!" And she drops her own disguise. Yes, it is Lira! She is about to attack when the Timeranger arrive. Lira clears off and our heroes fight the monster.

Yuuri demands he drop his weapons and put his hands up. "Darn, I was having so much fun, now I'm caught," he complains and turns his back to them, hands up. Yuuri lowers her gun but he spins around calling them idiots and says, "Are you ready to die?" He blasts them down. As he approaches them, the jingle of his spurs triggers Yuuri's memory, huddled terrified under her father's body as that sound approaches. She is frozen while the other fight. And she sees a familiar bracelet hanging fron his trophy belt, remembers her father, mother and sister. Then with mad fury she pulls out her Time Vector and attacks. "It's him!" The others have to clear the path. Sion asks, "Isn't Yuuri being a little odd?" She is tearing through him and knocks him down, has out her blaster and the boys gather around to stop her, Tatsuya pulling her blaster around. "What is it?" he shouts. She knocks them away and prepares to fire a deadly round. "Let go of me! Spark Power up!" Ayase lunges to stop her. "If you do that high level, you'll kill him!" She knocks him away and fires, but Ayase manages to deflect the shot and the monster runs as they all try to stop her. Sion says, "He's escaped." And an angry Ayase demands an explanation. Seeing her enemy gone, Yuuri falls to her knees on the pavement. "It was him! He's the one who murdered my family!" And she punches at the ground, too furious to make sense.

She huddles on the couch, refusing to speak or to answer their questions. Tatsuya asks softly, "What do you mean by that, your family was killed?" Domon is about to speak, when Takku asks equally gently, "Yuuri, may I tell them?" She nods, fractionally. They turn to him. "Yuuri's father was in the same police company she was in. In 2988 when she was 10, she went to meet her family." Her father had seen at the top of the stairs behind her, a gatling gun and shouted, "Yuuri, behind you!" and raced to her and thrown his body over hers, saving her life. They fell and later Yuuri crawled out from under her dead father's body. She tried to wake them, but they were all dead. And she had been left, alone. Sister, mother and father dead. "After that, a lot of people starting trying to kill the Doruneros, one by one. In revenge. But we still don't have any proof that it was him."

But she cuts him off angrily. "But I have some proof. It's gotta be him." And Takku shows the info about MadBlast and warns them, "But he'd been in the Asukulator at that time." Angry, Yuuri says it has to be him, no matter what they say. She knows. "I heard him, that time. I heard his voice." While she had lain in frozen terror under her father's dead body, the killer had come to them and gathered her father's bracelet as a trophy. "This is what happens when you try to kill the Dorunero. And this is for my new collection." And she says, "I saw the bracelet my father always wore. He's the criminal who did it!" She will fight this creature alone, and possibly die or become a murderer, if they don't stop her. Takku says, "Wait! You can't just kill him, we don't have enough evidence, yet. And just trying to kill someone is not appropriate behaviour for a police officer." She says gravely, "I know. Whenever I remember what happened to my family, I can't stop myself." Takku says sadly, "We don't have the right to kill him." And Ayase says, sympathetically something about Yuuri's family. They watch her, then Domon gets to his feet and says sternly, "You don't have to worry about it. We only have to arrest him." She reacts to his statement, trying to smile. "Oh, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She hurries into her room, shoulders huddled, leans against the door and remembers her family, laughing together. The sound of guns, the laughter of the enemies, and her suddenly all alone. She spins and hits the door with her fists.

Hearing this, they jump. Domon growls, "What do you mean you're okay? You're not okay. You can't do this alone." And Ayase says, "It's got to be something she always does, because she's always alone." And Tatsuya looks grim and sad. "But she doesn't have to be alone." Sion turns and looks up at him, sad eyes. "There's nothing we can do for her." But Tatsuya, all of them, wish there was. And outside, the sun is setting. Yuuri hides in her room, unable to do anything but remember her family, and her father's promise. "Papa, I'm going to be a police officer just like you!" He smiles and answers, "If you can do that, I'll give you my shining bracelet, I promise."

Morning, and heavy footsteps echo in the air. And Sion comes into the room the men share, to wake everyone, for MadBlast is in the city. He heard about it on the Internet. They scramble out of bed. They are too late. Yuuri is already out the door, and she changes swiftly, and summons the Time Flier. They see her flying away, Ayase says, "She's going to kill MadBlast!"and they change into their armor to pursue.

And the monster is at Korakuen Amusement Park, firing on helpless, running people. He has a group trapped and is about to slaughter them as his climax, when Yuuri arrives and lands atop him, prepared to shoot him. "You fight well," he acknowledges in surprise. She says, "The spark is at full power, I'm going to blow your head off." And he knows he is in mortal danger. She tells the civilians to get out of there and they run. "Hey, you gotta be kidding. Are you going to shoot me? Is this what you do with a mere suspect?" The others arrive, panic stricken. Sion shouts desperately, "If you shoot him, you'll be a murderer!" But she is aware of them, turning her head slightly. Then she says, "I'll shoot. I won't let him get away." And he asks why she hates him and she says, "Don't you remember? They were all my family. And you killed them. That bracelet was my father's." "It wasn't me!" he screams! "I was ordered to!" She stops. He pulls out a gem from his mouth. "It wasn't my fault! Look at this!" A hologram from the gem. It was the command of Dorunero. "Blast, I want you to kill one of these cops. If they're with their family, kill them too." But Yuuri is enraged. And Tatsuya shouts, "I understand how you feel! I UNDERSTAND!" A long moment, then a subtle relaxing of her shoulders. She takes the gemstone. Evidence. "That's all I wanted to know. Who wanted my family dead." She had never been that mad, just out to make sure of who really had slaughtered her family. Tatsuya sinks to the ground. "Geez, you scared me to death!" Sion, who had also sank beside him says, "I really thought you were gonna do it!" and Ayase and Domon stretch with sighs of relief. But MadBlast knocks Yuuri away and they face him together, Yuuri heading the attack. "You are under arrest for breaking the rules of time!" She is GOOD. And she demands her father's bracelet back. It goes flying, and she collects it.

He wipes the sticker to go giant, and Takku calls in the ships. There is never any question, as Providus launches them into the gate and again they come out of the Tokyo Dome and into our time. Our heroes join their ships and form Time Robo Beta. They use the Flier Magnum, MadBlast blasts them back, they are shaken by the attack and then, Takku tells them to assume Time Jet Gamma! They obey and the compact ship is hard to hit, they do Gamma Tornado, forming a tunnel of wind which totally confuses the enemy. Then they form Time Robo Alpha, and Tatsuya offers command of the sword to Yuuri, to her pleased surprise. "This is your job." And they slice and dice it, and the battle is over.

Yuuri collects MadBlast in a containment unit, and then stands. She still holds her father's bracelet, staring at it, and the others watch her. "So she finally got her revenge," murmurs Tatsuya. Domon is still immensely impressed with her. "She's so strong. She doesn't even need us!" he says sadly, looking at Ayase, who agrees wearily. But Yuuri turns to them "We still need to clean that building, will you help me?" Sion jumps forward immediately "Sure!" Domon says delightedly, "Hurry up and tell us!" and nudges Tatsuya, who agrees. Yuuri turns away, then says, "Thank you, for worrying about me." And they are delighted. Sion is forward fastest to walk beside her. "Never give up, Yuuri." They walk back together.

March 19, 2000

Dark evening at the Londarz Tower. The group is dining contentedly on buttered bread, wine poured by a junk droid and cheese but Dorunero, standing across from Gien, has a bone to pick. "If the Time Ranger keep in our way, we'll never get any money." Gien shrugs slightly, "We can think of other things." Lira starts giggling and Dorunero asks, "What are you laughing about?" She stands happily, "I'm not laughing at you." and indicates to Gien she has an idea. He says, "Looks like somebody was just trying to find this prisoner who got away." "It is Ruje." The female has been released, and silently stalks a young woman who's just left an office. Good evening, she says, and when the startled woman turns, she walks through her, assuming her identity. Touching her lip in a characteristic gesture, she turns. The real woman stands frozen, and Ruje pushes her down, then enters the building. A startled guard surprises her and asks her why she is back. She claims something forgotten.

Domon stares doubtfully at his breakfast. "It's the same every day," he complains, taking a big bite. Ayase says with a tired shrug, "You get more food than money." So Domon goes to Tatsuya, "Your family is rich. Do something!" Tatsuya says angrily, "No. My family is nothing to do with us."

Takku watches the SNN news and we all see how last night a very famous diamond store was robbed by a woman who just walked in, not worrying about security cameras, touched her lip before breaking into the vault and stealing a famous diamond necklace. Takku recognizes what he is seeing and alerts the team, who gather around the computer. Upon hearing the information, Tatsuya says, "Even robbers get put in this jail?" Yuuri confirms with a slight nod. "It's a light crime, but if she's a repeat offender, the third time they go to jail." Because this one only robs, she never kills. She takes the identities of women, but the tatoo-like bird on her neck is the giveaway.

Lila is ecstatic at the gorgeous diamond necklace Ruje has brought her. She is admiring it happily. Ruje says, "That's a thank you present for releasing me!" Dorunero comments, "We're family, now, so share it with us." Lira looks back at Ruje. "I don't care if you want it, it's mine." Ruje says, "I can steal something better." The two women have rather similar characters, it seems.

Our team is discussing how to catch this new one. "Moon Queen?" Tatsuya asks. Sion confirms. He thinks Ruje will want this famous diamond. "It's the same size as the one they just stole. I think they'll go after it, next." Domon stands restlessly, "Do you know who has the diamond?" and Yuuri answers, "The Shinnihonkaiyu's president's wife bought it, recently. They'll have a big party on a fancy yacht this afternoon." Ayase stands, troubled. "We'll have to search the guests, but it's a party...." But Yuuri turns to Tatsuya, "Help us get in the party, Tatsuya, please." He is ... er, shall we say... reluctant. Sion jumps up, excited, "Yeah, that would be a great idea! Tatsuya can do it!" Tatsuya is strangling on his tongue. "But... it's about my father and this isn't my thing." Domon stares at him, annoyed. "It IS your job. Don't think about your family problems." Tatsuya is seriously reluctant, "But -- " Yuuri glares and says angrily, "Do you have any other suggestions?!" They all look at him, Ayase with quiet grimness. And he has to back down.

The five are in very nice suits and ties, when they arrive. The young men who are guarding the entrance ask, "Please show us your invitation." Tatsuya steps forward awkwardly, "I didn't bring it. My father..." Domon jumps forward, "He's Tatsuya Asami." They repeat the name and, while he is wincing, the men are delighted, Tatsuya is about as embarrassed as it is possible to be. Especially when the people begin to gather around him led by the excited hostess of the party the moment she recognizes him. Left to the side, the others stare. Domon gawks and says, "He's really rich. Just what kind of family is his?" And a nearby guest says in amazement, "Don't you know? The Asami Group family is number one in Japan! His father is the leader of the economic world and Tatsuya is his son, so everybody wants to meet him." He adjusts his tie, while the others are still gaping. "I have to greet him," and dashes off to toady to our poor young hero. Sion comments, "Tatsuya's really incredible!" Yuuri reminds them to look for the woman with the bird on her neck. Ayase wanders slowly, his eyes skiming the necks of every woman he passes. Nothing. Sion finds one long-haired woman out on the deck, and can't figure out what to do, until he says, "There's a bug on your neck!" But she is not the one. Domon is admiring his reflection in a mirror, when a woman is red passes him. Yuuri searches the toilet, passes the red woman and leaves the bathroom. Then the girl encounters Ruje in the stall, and that is who leaves, with a scarf. She bites her thumbnail in her characteristic gesture.

Ayase wanders down the stairs and sees Domon in front of the mirror. "Staring at your own face again, eh?" With half exasperation, Domon says, "Looks are really important to women." Ayase sighs and says, "You can't hide your true self, so relax." Domon glares, "It's fun." He and Ayase are starting their usual, not noticing the woman in red passing them. "If you want to say something, just say it!" Sion sees her wander into the dining hall and tells her there's a bug on her neck, but she only laughs at him and walks on. He starts to pursue, but collides with a waiter and she is gone.

Tatsuya's parents arrive in a limo, dressed to kill, and are of two different opinions on the fact that their son is there. His mother is delighted, they haven't seen him in some time.

Sion tells the team that he couldn't check one woman and lost track of her. Tatsuya arrives apologetically, panting, and Domon teases him, "You're so popular! Hey, Mister!" Tatsuya blushes and says angrily, "This is why I left my home, I hate this! I always have to present an image for my father's company!" Yuuri and Sion feel some sympathy, and Ayase shoves Domon reprovingly. Then Sion sees the woman. Yuuri takes one look at her and has to agree, for when she had seen the woman, there was no scarf.

Tatsuya's mother calls him then, and she is a beautiful older woman, and so pleased to see her son there. "How are you, you look wonderful!" He swallows, but her husband is angry. "You left my house recently, so how is it you're rich enough to attend this party?! You're just playing around," and Tatsuya cannot answer him. Domon starts to say something, but Yuuri stops him. They have to go. The woman is moving. Tatsuya has to stay and confront his father. Boy, would he rather be with them. As his father takes him to the bridge, his mother looks on sympathetically.

Ruje stalks the party, and targets the woman with the Moon Queen. She is about to steal it, when Sion pours his drink on her. The others gather around supposedly to wipe her off, but Yuuri uses the opportunity to pull the scarf down and reveal the bird. Domon and Ayase immediately grab Ruje's arms and essentially carry her away from the civilians. She has no idea what is going on. "Don't make such a fuss," says Ayase!" "Don't WORRY?!" she snaps back. In fury, she stamps on their feet and runs away. They all pursue and corner her, and Yuuri identifies her. Startled, she asks who they are. They drop their disguises and stand revealed in the under clothes. A moment later they are switching into ther armor and the four Time Rangers face her. "You are under arrest for breaking the laws of time!" She wails angrily, "You're in my way!" and drops her disguise. And the fight is joined!

Tatsuya's father stares out the windows. "How did you get into this party? You used my name, which you claim to hate, didn't you?" "Yes, but.. it's not because I like it..." what can he say? He cannot tell his father the truth. His father glares and says, "Everyone came to the Asami name, not to you!" His mother watches sympathetically. "Everyone has a way of life, and it's really difficult to change to another way of life." He is trying to be understanding, I think. "If you don't understand our family, don't use our name." He stalks away to the door, then stops and says, "If you want to come back home now, you can. I forgive you." He leaves the room. Tatsuya can only say "Do you think I didn't understand?!" His father stops, then looks back at him. "I've understood ever since I was a child!" He comes to stand at his father's side and then in front of him and stares into his eyes. "So I will change! There is nothing that I can't change by myself! Never!" And he turns and breaks into a run. Stalking through the party he has to explain to the hostess that he is no longer a part of his father's company, and hands her his tie, coat and then his business card. "This is my business." She reads, "Tomorrow Research... eh?" And he is gone as fast as he can run. His parents watch him run, with a mixture of pain and pride. His father says grimly to his wife, "A long, long time ago I ran from the gate of the ship. But, I couldn't get away from my family." She looks away from him after their son. Mr Asami adds gruffly, "Will he be able to?"

And Tatsuya reaches a free area, changes into his armor and goes with joy to his teammates. Domon catches Ruje around her neck, but she says he hurts her and he lets her go, whereupon she knocks him back. He cannot fight her hard, for she is very feminine. Ayase and Yuuri have to fight her themselves and get knocked down, but then Tatsuya gets to them and blasts her away. They said, "We were afraid you'd never come!" and he says, "Where else would I go but here?" But the furious Ruje blasts them, and Domon pins her, won't be distracted. But then she knocks him away and he blasts her, and the sticker is gone! And she is a furious giant!

She throws a thorough fit, and they have Takku call in the Time Jets. Which are sent immediately. And a new 3D formation song introduced this episode! Providus sends the ships, again they travel through the usual times, to appear out of the Tokyo Dome. This time they form Time Robo Alpha first. Confronted with this giant robot, Ruje whimpers in terror. She protests, "You're so stupid! I'm just a little monster, I don't want this! Do something!" They try to calm her down and say they'll fix it. When she finishes her time in jail, she will be her normal size. So just go back to jail. "Really?" She says she can handle it. And they haul out the sword. Terrified, she blasts them but their shield holds against her. Tatsuya says, "Hey! Don't you want to go back to your normal size?" She does, but she's frightened. "We'll be gentle," he promises. And she with great trepidation agrees. So they open the blade and slice her, and she is frozen. The blades close slowly, and she flares into light.

Tatsuya's parents are returning to the limozine, but the mother is prepared to confront her husband on this issue. She shows him the business card. "The other wife gave me this card," she says firmly. He tries not to look at it, and tells the driver to go.

Tatsuya gently takes up the small, frozen Ruje into the holder. He stands slowly, and stares off into the sky. "What are you doing now?" asks Domon with a grin. They are all back in the tuxedos, smiling at him. He blushes as he turns. "From now on, let's fight as Time Rangers." Sion enthusiastically agrees. And Domon says affectionately, "Yes, but I'll do it whether you say so or not." Tatsuya grins and points at him, "Oh, that's mean!" and Yuuri chuckles. Then she stares. "Tatsuya, where's your jacket?" Startled, he says, "I left it!" And Sion protests, "But it's a rental!" And Domon leaps to grab him and spin him, "You idiot!" They push him towards the ship as Yuuri says, "Well, go get it!"

Domon is passing out flyers, sticking them in apartment mailboxes. He stops in the street to stare into the golden light of the setting sun, and swallows sadly. An instant later Tatsuya is there, calling him to go with him. "What'cha thinking about? Let's go!" he says, cheerfully, butting shoulders with a reflective Domon, who doesn't follow as Tatsuya heads off. Instead he says, "When you concentrate on the sun, it looks big." His quiet tone haults Tatsuya, and brings him back to study his face. "The sky and everything. It looks big." Then he wheels on his heel and starts off, but his shoulders are down . Tatsuya stares in puzzlement at the sky until Domon calls him, then hurries.

It is dark, and the two have settled down to eat at a ramen cart's small dining area. Domon has questions about family. "You've no siblings at all? I've got SEVEN! And if you include my grandma and grandpa, we have a biiiig family. That's so bad, but sometimes it's a lot of fun, us playing together," and yet he is more teasing than anything. Tatsuya is concentrating on eating his ramen, with a strong urge to avoid this subject. Domon is talking about having a big family and says, "It's fun." People are still collecting their ramen and Tatsuya sort of sighs. "Aren't you going to eat?" For Domon has been too busy talking to do so. While Domon waxes on, "And in battling, my punches are so strong!" Tatsuya goes to pay thus he misses it when his friend's face goes sad and painful. "Except I got fired. But it was a lot of fun." He falls silent. Tatsuya comes back to him and breaks him from his contemplation. It's time to go.

A Zenitto opens the trunk for Don Dorunero. At the bottom is a thin layer of money, and the Don squawks angrily, striking at the hapless droid. At that moment the door opens and in walks Lira, who's been out shopping and has a number of parcels, as well as a new fur coat. "I'm baack!" she says happily. Don turns and drops his cigar in shock. "What do you think? Isn't it great?" she asks him, showing off the shimmery dress she is wearing. Gien has also turned, but goes back to what he was doing as Don Dorunero steams. "Lila! You're using all our money! You can't spend just like we're in the 30th Century!" His complaints fall on deaf ears as she settles down with the droids to go through her new purchases. Gien has another prison box in his hands. "I think we should see what this one can do," he says.

And an ambulance hurries through the night. At the hospital, a gentle nurse tucks the unconscious Domon in as a doctor looks on in thoughtful silence, and Tatsuya is staring at the form he is to fill out, anxiously. "There's nothing physically wrong, but tomorrow we can do a brain-scan." The nurse smiles and Tatsuya bows thankfully. The doctor leaves, and the nurse tells Tatsuya not to worry. Domon should wake up in the morning. She reminds him to finish the paperwork and leaves the room. And Tatsuya is stuck, for what can he write on this? He knows nothing of Domon. So he fills in a name picked out of the hat, so to speak.

Yuuri is standing, wrapped in an orange blanket, while Sion sits nearby backwards on a rolling chair, and Ayase is on the couch. "Before you moved back in time, you had to receive input. Each person is different. Some people will have problems with their memory." Ayase crosses his arms. "Of course. The Domon we saw right now was the Domon of a long time ago." Sion adds softly, "I'm worried." There is not much Takku can say to that, "But it normally doesn't get that bad."

And in the hospital, things are still and silent. There is a poster about AIDS on the wall of the waiting room. Some rooms are empty, the blankets all folded on the beds. Tatsuya calls home, "So, he was brainwashed." Then he looks around and sees the doctor go by, so he nods politely. Cautious, he watches until the doctor is gone, then says, "So I'll stay here." The doctor passes a room, does not notice the shadow looming. He passes a faucet that's been left running. He passes a checkpoint and does not notice the nurse who falls as though dead. He enters another office, where two other nurses are working, and rubs his stiff shoulders. The nurse who had been there when Tatsuya came turns and there is something still in her face as he settles at his desk and asks, "Is there any tea?" A new shadow looms behind a curtain and a strange voice says silkily, "This is a nice hospital you have here, Doctor." And the two nurses grab his arms and pin the astonished man. There is a third nurse, and she holds something that puts gas in his face as he screams. And he falls to the floor. And behind the curtain, the shadowy form is laughing with glee. It has a needle and syringe, and there is something so menacing in the way it pumps fluid from there. "This hospital will be mine, from tomorrow on!" And the life-size model of a human male lies on the floor now, its pieces scattered. Oh, this is gonna be bad. The creature's laughter echoes down the hall, but is not loud enough to penetrate the door of the room where Domon sleeps, helpless.

The doorknob turns, the doors swing open. But it is only Tatsuya, come to stare at his still friend. Domon shifts in his sleep, troubled dreams. He is in a stadium, the crowds are cheering all around. The announcer says, "This is the title match, and this is today's stage!" His opponent is a kind of insect being, and they are both in their battle armor. They face each other. His opponent has a blade, mongolian type. They move to start the fight, and their surroundings become trees and outside, blue sky. Ignoring the change, they challenge each other. Domon is fast, uses his armor to effect, gets the blade and destroys it, then gives his opponent a knock-out punch. The other lies insensate, and the background becomes that of the darkness of the ring, the other disappears in green fire and Domon is the champion. The crowd roars. A voice from the darkness asks him what he is happy about. Gleefully he replies, for all his fans, and that he won. And he is waving when the crowd dissolves in a fall of light like the whirl of the time portal, and he is alone and frightened in the darkness. Colored lights flash and he cries out, ducking.

And he wakes, the morning sun bright in the room as he sits up, gasping. He calms quickly and looks about. There is Tatsuya asleep in the corner of the room, wrapped in a blanket. Domon calls him and he wakes, stretching in the blanket. "Hey, glad to see you've opened your eyes." He comes and sits on the side of the bed, to stare with concern at his bewildered friend who asks, "Where are we? What happened?" Tatsuya closes his eyes a moment, and says, "Nothing happened, you got data-overload," he finally says. Domon's eyes go wide in suprise and doubt.

The figure behind the curtain chuckles as the doctor brings him a chart. "And the next woman?" it asks him. "Domon Tarou. Male." He hands the chart over. The creature pumps its syringe alarmingly.

Domon is staring out the window and Tatsuya asks him anxiously "Are you all right? Do you know what century it is?" Domon replies indignantly "What do you mean, what century? You would know just by looking outside! It's the Twentieth! I know it's not the 30th!" He gets back into bed and hides under the covers. Tatsuya doesn't know what to say. This behaviour is totally not like Domon. But then the doors open and the nurses walk in, saying Domon's name. In the lead is the nurse who was so kind last night, but now her face is empty, and rather white. Domon looks back over the blankets in doubt. "Tarou?" "Er, that's you. You have to go with them," Tatsuya says and helps him up. Leaning carefully close to the bewildered man he whispers, "What century is it?" "It's the 20th Century." With relief, Tatsuya says, "Right, they're calling you." "Oh." Docily, Domon allows himself to be handed off to the blank-faced nurses. The second hands Tatsuya the bill and he gapes at it after she's left. One million yen! "Wait!" he rushes out the door and almost runs over a woman in a wheelchair, who is in agony, crying, "No, I don't want you to put eyes in me!" Her white-faced attendant pushing her seems not to notice. Tatsuya stops in confusion at the wailing, and as the nurse pushes her patient away, he sees other anxious people in the halls, furious about their bills. And there is one nurse dragging an angry little boy down the hall, the mother anxious and upset by this behaviour of the nurse's. Tatsuya gapes at all this, and all the noise. "What in..?"

The only quiet is where Domon is going. He walks into the doctor's office, and the thing behind the curtain gets up in delight. "You've come! Quickly now, you need a medical examination." It is named Doc. And Domon, though stuck in the 20th Century, is from the 30th and not exactly all right. He does not recognize how wrong this thing's presence is. "A Therapist robot? Of course, it's the 30th Century!" He smiles in relief.

And Tatsuya is talking to Yuuri through his Chrono Changer, telling her how bizarre things are. He hides behind a door as anxious people wait in the waiting room or ask nurses about things. Is there something in the records that might make them suspect Dorunero? And Takku answers, yes. There is one. (from Miko) He is in jail on a five-hundred year sentence for using unethical procedures and medicines on his patients. He swindled patients. Then he would cut them in pieces and kill them, so no one was left to complain about those large hospital bills.(end from Miko) Hearing that, a panic-stricken Tatsuya goes to search, while other people are demanding explanations of the nurses.

Domon is settling on the examination table, talking to the robot. He lies down saying, "Doctor, yesterday I hurt my back in battle," and Doc strikes him hard, and he loses consciousness. It has intentions with a scalpel over the helpless man. "It looks like your bones are really broken." And Tatsuya races through the halls to demand of the attendant, "Where is Domon Tarou?" She does not know. He hurries on, past a man whose arms have been manacled to a walker. The man says, "Run away, hurry! This place's gone freaky!" Tatsuya breaks through another door and goes in. At that moment, the doctor and nurses wheel Domon across the hall. Tatsuya continues his search. And Doc is about to operate, the nurse obediently handing him a scalpel. But he knocks it away and snickers. No, he is going to use a chainsaw. Tatsuya is back, he sees the doctor and one nurse standing in the hall and asks them about Domon. They immediately shift to stand in front of the door, above which the in operation sign is flashing. "Open that door!" Tatsuya says and hurries forward. The nurse grabs him and the doctor is about to inject him with something, but he slips out of their hold and the nurse is injected instead. At that moment the others arrive, Ayase, Yuuri and Sion, in time to turn the tide before things can get bad.

And in the operating room, Doc is about to cut open Domon's head, the breeze from the chainsaw stirring his hair, when the others break into the room. They take in the sight and Sion cries out, "Domon!" Ayase throws something off a shelf, knocking the chainsaw from Doc's hand and Tatsuya attacks, kicking him back against the motionless nurse. As Sion bends anxiously over Domon, Yuuri growls, "Of course it's you, Doc." "What?" he exclaims. And then he realizes who he is facing. "You're Time Ranger!" And Tatsuya accuses angrily his use of the hospital as they all glare furious. Just that moment, Domon sits up, his face blank. They all gasp but the relief is short lived. "I have to go to school! If I don't, my teacher's gonna get mad at me!" His face twists in anguish, tears beginning to form. Tatsuya leaps to him, grabbing his shoulders. "Man, this is bad timing! He's a kid, now!" for there is no time to explain the reality as Domon covers his face, shaking. Doc moves quickly, squirting his syringe at them. Tatsuya narrowly throws the blanket up as Yuuri cries warning, and Doc is off, Yuuri fastest in pursuit. Tatsuya is slowest, he has to pull a weeping Domon with him. Out into the hall past the unconscious doctor and nurse. "School?" asks Domon plaintively. "This way!" and Tatsuya drags him along.

Outside, the others have to stop to help an ambulance driver and some people who've been injured by Doc as he passed. The people point towards where Doc is running, at the top of some stairs. He's just hit another person and the Time Rangers hurry after him. "Wait up!" calls Tatsuya as they hit the top of the stairs. He is still pulling the confused Domon with him. "Let's go!" calls Yuuri and they start off. But Domon yanks free, "Stop it!" and huddles down. Tatsuya is closest and grips his shoulders, pulling him to his feet, while the others come back to him frantically. "Listen to me! This is the Twentieth Century! You are TWENTY-TWO years old!" Domon lifts his red, frightened eyes to meet Tatsuya's in pained confusion. "REMEMBER!"

A flash in his head. The blue de-briefing chamber, the arrival of their tall captain who chooses Domon for the team. Domon's vision clears and he is looking straight into Tatsuya's eyes, but he has not yet connected with the present. He's only gone far enough to realize, "YOU!" he shouts and decks him with a powerful right cross. As Domon leaps to try to throttle Tatsuya, Ayase grabs him and tries to stop him. "Let me go!" shouts Domon and shoves Ayase back into Yuuri and Sion's arms. Tatsuya is on his feet and evades Domon's next wild swing. Sion cries out for his friend, but Tatsuya turns to them and tells them they have to go. He will stay and try to get through to the furious Domon. They are torn, then Yuuri says, "I understand. Let's go!" The others race off as Domon turns, his furious attention blind to anything but the man who ruined his life.

An old building. Small trees with early spring blossoms. Panting, Doc hides until he is sure he's escaped. Angrily, he turns away. "I gotta find me another hospital," he says cheerily. But Yuuri says no he won't. Astonished, he finds he is facing the three Time Rangers. They transfer into their fighting armor at once and Yuuri announces that Doc is under arrest for violating the laws of time. Doc throws a bomb at them sending them tumbling.

Tatsuya, too, is tumbling down onto the sandy beach. Scrambling to his feet he shouts, "Domon, I am ME! Remember!" "It's your fault! You're the one who brought us here!" But Tatsuya gets an expression of dismayed realization on his face as Domon continues. "I'll never be able to see my friends or my people, or my family again!" And Tatsuya winces in sympathy, but then Domon leaps at him and they grapple, fighting. Tatsuya does not want to hurt his friend, remembers all the things he had not entirely been listening to. All the wistful expressions on Domon's face. "There are seven in my family. It must be pretty dull being an only child. It was a lot of fun. Everything looks big when you concentrate on it." And he knows, the problem is not so much the time, as the loss. "You're right, you're supposed to be in the Thirtieth Century," he thinks. He stops fighting. Does not duck three powerful blows that drive him to his knees, the kick that tumbles him, but he is on his feet, ignoring the pain. "I know you want to go back, it's natural," he says breathlessly. Domon growls in rage and leaps at him again, this strike, which Tatsuya doesn't even attempt to avoid, is vicious and sends him spinning to the ground. He lets it happen. Domon pants, and then his eyes begin to calm, as his attention is caught by the shining Chrono Changer on the left wrist of the man he is fighting. And then Tatsuya collapses, eyes closing in pain as he stops fighting entirely.

Domon gives himself a slight shake. What... what is going on? This boy lying helpless at his feet is... "Ta... Tatsuya...." He moves, dazed, but his eyes are clear, filled only with innocent confusion. He steps forward to help, then is caught, once again in the golden light of the setting sun. He stares at it, as the wind ruffles his hospital robe. Forgetting his friend, he walks towards the edge of the water. Tatsuya slowly lifts his head, bruises all over his face, lower lip swollen and bloody. He watches uneasily as Domon sinks to the ground near the water's edge and slowly begins to speak. "It's the same. I used to watch the sun set from my home, it's the same." The factory fades from his vision and the scene becomes that he remembers, of the tall, conical buildings of the 30th Century, beyond the trees that lined the far edges of the bay. "They're the same," he breaks off, beginning to choke. Tatsuya watches him, afraid to break the spell of this sudden calm. But Domon begins to weep painful, heartbroken sobs.

Doc fights the three Time Rangers. He knocks Ayase away and fires a syringe at him. It explodes. His next attack sends Ayase flying out of the broken building, and Doc jumps after him, landing to pin him under a heavy foot. He'll break Ayase's back! "I'll slowly give you the death shot, as a present!" He has another syringe out and is about to inject the helpless Ayase, when clothes fly into his face, covering his sensors. Just as he gets them clear, he is in time to see the two racing men, dressed in their between-clothes. Just in time to get hit by Domon and knocked away from their other friend. They pull Ayase to his feet and stand protectively in front of him as Sion and Yuuri arrive, Sion calling out Domon's name in relief and hope. "Are you okay?" Domon stutters to answer him and Tatsuya says quickly, "He's okay! He's just a l -- " Domon quickly moves one arm to punch Tatsuya and shut him up (poor Tatsuya!) with a mildy annoyed expression. But before anything more can happen there, Doc has finally freed himself from the annoying hospital gown and challenges them. Tatsuya wipes his poor nose and calls Domon to change with him. They transfer into their fighting armor, and call out all of their names. When Doc throws a blast at them, it is Domon who has out his Time Vector and deflects the blast with ease, before returning the attack. And then he and Tatsuya use a spinning attack, working together to do considerable damage to Doc, before Domon takes the final shots that slice the creatures to pieces. And they use the Vol-tech Bazooka. The blast will get him, but he wipes his sticker off before he can be defeated, and becomes giant. Domon tells Takku to call in the Time Jets, and he does. At the Provider Base, Providus assembles the Gate and launches the jets, one and two, and two. Through the gate, through time, through the usual scenes and out the roof of the Tokyo Dome. Our heroes land in their ships and Tatsuya calls for Time Jet Gamma. They use the Gamma Tornado attack and send Doc flying, before they fire. And Domon calls for Time Robo Alpha, a cool change sequence, I tell you. I HAVE to get this thing! Sorry. It is Domon who leads this battle with the sword. In one instant they have Doc, and the countdown ends, he is shrunk small. The Jets return and Yuuri locks Doc's case in the cabinet with all the others.

Ayase holds a cup of coffee and wants to know, though, "How did he get all right so fast?" And Tatsuya, a cold pack of ice held to his battered face, laughs and looks at Domon, who sits under tight self-control near the windows. Annoyed by the scrutiny, he says, "It's fine now, Especially." He turns away from them stubbornly. Sion, working on building a small, toy car, lifts his eyes to watch Domon with concern. Yuuri steps forward to say, "But it was so bad..?" Indignant, Domon gets back to his feet and comes towards her. "What? Am I not allowed to get healthy again!" But Tatsuya, almost giggling, says "Yeah, fixed. It wasn't really the data so much as home -- " Domon leaps and pins him, clamping a palm over his mouth, grinning sheepishly at the others. But Ayase has figured it out. "You were homesick, eh?" Domon releases Tatsuya and leaps up defensively. "It was NOT homesickness -- " But Takku says. "Of course. You want to return home and think you cannot. It wasn't the data-download." Domon can't exactly punch the robot, but is anguishedly protesting the statement when Sion says, "It's good." When Domon turns hopefully to him he says, eyes twinkling, "Homesick." Dismayed, Domon straightens up. "Sion!" he half-whines. But Tatsuya says, "It's okay, really. You cried, and cried..." He is snickering, and poor Domon's face twists. He is really out of things to say, and there is nothing to be done about this humiliation! And Sion looks up at him with that wide-eyed innocence. "Oh, Domon you cried?" And Yuuri can't help it, she starts to giggle. Sion snickers, too. And Ayase says mildly, his smile fading, "Cried like a baby, huh?" This seems to stop Domon's outrage for a moment, then his face twists and he turns slowly, his voice menacing. "Tatsuya. I only told this to YOU." Under this just, fierce gaze, Tatsuya begins edging back on his mat, his eyes wide. "Er, eh, it um... well it was really funny and... don't you think it's funny?" he tries, helplessly. "Be quiet! I'll show you pain, one more time!" and Domon starts at him, ready to punch. Tastuya dives and kicks Domon's legs out from under him, so that he falls on his face in embarrassment as the others look on with both amusement and some sympathy.

A bright, sunny spring day. Yuuri is calling the others to her, grinning in delight. Everyone has their work-jackets on. Domon asks what it is, but she says it's work and hands them the flyers she holds. "We have to find a dog." They glance at each other and all repeat, "Find a dog?!" They are all trying to figure out what the image on it it, a dog? A what? For it is a lovely, bizarre picture in black and white, drawn like a blob with a black nose. Everyone is guessing playfully at what it might be. Domon starts with, "A lion?" Tatsuya offers, "Crocodile!" Shion's vote I have no idea but he looks deeply amused. Maybe amoeba. Half-annoyed, Yuuri replies that it's a dog. Tatsuya can't see how they can possibly find the animal if THIS is the picture. But then the sound of a jet-pack catches their attention, and a Londarz creature goes flying by, and they all race after it.

A lovely, artificial pond. People relaxing in the sun. A young man is painting a landscape when the creature lands, unfolding from jet form to standing form, startling him. People scream and the boy falls. The creature is Nabokov. "Are you Kenji Toba?" Upon confirmation, the Zenitto steal up the painting, the boy crying, "That's my painting! What are you doing with it?! My painting!" and he lunges after it, only to find Nabokov blocking him. "You're coming with me," the monster says and reaches out, and the yong man falls into the pond trying to get away. The Time Rangers arrive and get blasted, but their return shots damage him, and he flees. The Rangers find themselves dealing with a young man who is in the water, and panicking. They turn into their civvies and Domon, Sion and Tatsuya pull him out of the water, Tatsuya putting his coat over the poor, shivering wet boy. He is hyperventilating. Ayase and Yuuri have taken a quick look around, but they have no clue why the Londarz were there, nor where they've gone. Takku signals our heroes to tell them which prisoner they have faced and they wonder why he's gone after this boy.

Yuuri presses her lips in a thin line and moves to where the others have the young man, who is totally dazed. She gets in among them and pulls him up a bit. "What's your name? Why were they after you?" He stares at her for a moment, then gets a faint, strange smile, and then falls forward on her. Startled, they pull him up but he is only weak as they ask what's the matter. "I'm so hungry," he says feebly. "Huh?" stutters Yuuri.

They take him home and try to figure out why the Londarz are after him. They've hung his clothes up to dry and wrapped him in a blanket. Takku wants to question him, but Tatsuya throws his coat over the little robot quickly. The young man is on his third bowl of ramen, Ayase, Sion and Domon watching him in astonishment. When Domon remarks upon the amount, he apologizes and says he hasn't eaten in THREE days!! "REALLY?" asks Tatsuya. And he says he has been drawing. He just has to finish the picture. While they mutter about that, his gaze drifts over to Yuuri, where she is working on the computer. He forces his attention back to the ramen. Ayase goes to ask what she's doing, and she counters that she's accessing a particular server to find out what's up with the Londarz. Listening to her speak, the young artist again drifts into a dreamy state. But then she looks directly at him. "You -- " she starts, and astonished at being addressed, he drops his bowl, to Domon's dismay. As Domon bends to clean it up, the boy scrambles to his feet, loses hold of his blanket and ends up standing only in his underwear. Yuuri covers her eyes quickly while he frantically pulls the blanket back on. When things are quiet again, she asks his name. "Kenji Toba," he answers her, his voice high and nervous. Domon pauses in his cleaning. "Kenji Toba. Where have I heard that name before?" He stands, folding his arms, as Tatsuya gathers up the last bits of the fallen meal. Then Domon and Sion gape with cries of astonishment, pointing at each other, further frightening their young guest and totally confusing Tatsuya who asks, "What? What?!" Then they turn and gape at the artist. Even Ayase comes closer, his mouth open in amazement. Yuuri only says firmly, "Of course. That's why they went after him." And Sion pulls out his pen. "May I have your autograph?" Kenji gapes back and forth at them.

Lila is completing repairs to Nabokov's damaged lasers while a Zenitto polishes his shell. She strokes his head soothingly. "There now, that's taken care of all the damage those nasty people did you." He is basking in the attention and says that he would do it for her. She giggles back at him. Gien is, I think, slightly peeved. For this Nabokov is a famous hijacker and failed to collect the boy. Indignant at the slight, Nabokov is on his feet and moving at Gien, who has turned his back contemptuously, but Don Dorunero heads the fight off at the pass. He wants to know more about their target, this unfinished picture in his hands seems pointless and he lets it fall to the floor. Lira picks it up gracefully. "Ah, but this was painted by Kenji Toba." Even Gien reacts in surprise. "You mean the greatest artist of the Twenty-first Century?" he is on his feet, anxious to see the painting. When Dorunero needs more information, Gien tells him how much these paintings are worth in the Thirtieth, to which he counters that they are not IN the Thirtieth, remember? But Lira says, "It's not about money." Gien and Dorunero react identically. "Say what?!" She walks to the porthole and stares out it, her eyes alight and warm. "I want him to do a painting of me! I'll be famous! Isn't that fantastic?" she turns to them, grinning.

Kenji has brought his new friends home with him. Staring around at them he asks shyly, "You really want to see my paintings?" Sion crows, "Yes, I want to see them!" and grabs his arm to pull him towards the apartment, Tatsuya on their heels. The other three are less eager, at least in appearance. But Yuuri is right behind them followed by Ayase and Domon. They head up the stairs but Yuuri stops and turns to the other two. "Let's have a look around, the Londarz could be anywhere." As she, Ayase and Domon move off, Kenji turns anxiously, calling her name. But Tatsuya and Sion hurry him on. The apartment is a royal mess, for Kenji is indeed at this stage a starving artist. He leads them in and it proves Ayase and Domon are with them after all, as Kenji quickly rolls up his futon. Sion gathers up the little dog in the apartment, which yelps in surprise. It is in fact the one in the flyer, and Kenji had stolen it to look at the colors. "Wow, we found it!"

The beautiful paintings, now THEY are important. Tatsuya sees one magnificent painting of the spires of a building amongst trees and is delighted by it. Kenji is going to give it to him, but Ayase grabs him up and tells him he can't accept the painting, it'll screw up history. Unhappily, Tatsuya has to refuse. This, however, hurts Kenji deeply. "Yeah, no one would want MY paintings." Horrified, Tatsuya is trying to tell him otherwise and the others are all anxiously trying to soothe him, while Sion holds the stolen puppy. He is starting to brighten up but when they ask him what he would most like to draw, he says dreamily, "I want to do a portrait of Yuuri!" The boys go into shock, as he goes on about how beautiful and fascinating she is. They go into a huddle, Shion, Domon, Tatsuya and Ayase with their heads all together. "He wants Yuuri to model for him?" mutters Domon doubtfully. "Pretty unreasonable," agrees Ayase. But Yuuri says she'll do it. Stunned, the boys all back up against the laundry line, staring at her and clearing the room between her and Kenji. "REALLY?!" he asks in delight. "Please," she tells him, bowing deeply. Sion stutters, "Well, this has turned my world upside down."

The puppy gets to stay in and watch as Kenji sketches with charcoal on a blank, white canvas, Yuuri sitting across from him. The essentials of her face are there quickly as he works. The rest of them are outside at the bottom of the stairs. They stop together to look back up at the apartment, Tatsuya questioning Sion and Ayase about this wisdom of this. Domon says, arms folded, "She probably likes that guy," and a mild complaint, I think, involving himself being better. Ayase remarks that's not so, and before Domon can catch up with the insult, he, Sion and Tatsuya race away from him, laughing.

Kenji is concentrated only on his subject, but she keeps turning her head, focused only on the certainty of the Londarz coming. He asks her to please hold still, and she tries. A shadow moves outside and the curtains flutter, she jumps up to look out but it is only the wind on his laundry, hanging out there. Kenji asks, "What's the matter?" "Oh, nothing, it's okay." She can see the boys down there, playing. Tatsuya is boxing against Ayase's palms. Sion calls Domon to look at the Koi in the canal under the bridge. Yuuri sighs and closes the curtain to get back to modeling. Kenji chews on his lips, his concentration disturbed, but gets back to work.

Ayase and Tatsuya are down to laughing, while Domon and Sion hang over the bridge guard-rail. Domon is still wondering what might go on in that apartment. So Tatsuya says, "Shion, go look and see!" Sion's eyes go wide as he and Domon turn to the others. "Me?" They have a quick rock-scissors-paper contest to determine which of them has to go inside the apartment with Kenji Toba and Yuuri, and Tatsuya loses with paper against their scissors. "I win?" asks Sion, and the others grin as Tatsuya groans. Ayase shoves him towards the apartment. He looks back soulfully at them, and they wave happily and tell him to hurry back. What they don't see is Lira, around the corner of the bridge, watching.

Yuuri is trying gamely to hold still, but a sound outside gets her to her feet and to the door, fist ready to punch. Kenji nearly groans. "Who is it?" she demands. But only Tatsuya enters, Kenji is quite frustrated with her lack of attention to the modeling at hand. And he lets them know it in no uncertain terms. "I can't see you!" he protests. For it is her spirit he is trying to capture in his portrait. He is on his feet, anguished that she won't hold still long enough and she realizes she's hurt him, but before she can explain or try anything, they hear a cry outside, "Zenitto!" they are about to race out when Nobokov smashes through the wall. But before they have a chance, he takes off with Kenji. They race outside only to see Lira laughing at them, and she teleports away.

Kenji wakes in a clean, white room. He looks about. The room is, in reality, beautiful, with odd design and on a raised area there is a red loveseat with a white and pink blanket thrown across half of it. "Where am I?" Then he hears someone laughing and a strange woman in white, with bizarre pink hair, walks in followed by an even more bizarre armored monster. He skuttles backwards with a hoarse cry of terror as they approach. She apologizes, sort of, for stealing him away like this. She bends down to look him in the eye and says he will be a great master painter in the future. This distracts him from his terror. "Me? A great master?" She moves away from him, talking about all the things she has brought him. Seat, canvas, supplies. "And of course, food." He is still hungry as the Zenitto wheel trays of croissants to him. "Please paint a portrait of me, yes?"

Back at the apartment, they are all looking around. Sion is holding Kenji's shirt for the little dog to sniff. Yuuri is miserable. She says this is all her fault. Domon lays his hand on her shoulder and tells her that's not true, it isn't her responsibility alone, but she knocks his hand away. "It IS! I knew they would come and still they took him!" Tatsuya, beside her, says in surprise, "Is that the only reason you modelled for him? Because you knew the Londarz would come? You used him like that?" She is too angry with herself to register what he means. "The only thing that matters is protecting the future!" Furious, he shouts, "That's stupid!" The others stare in amazement as the two confront each other. "You cannot operate like that! Don't you understand about people's feelings?!" He touches his heart as he speaks, and Yuuri is shaken, dropping her eyes. It is hard to look at him. Tatsuya is determined. "That guy looks into people hearts, he wanted to look into yours, to see the real you, but you never gave him a chance!" Yuuri's thoughts are drawn to what she briefly noticed, how Kenji's eyes looked at her, into her, then back to the canvas. But she had not thought of that at the time. She swallows and hangs her head.

Kenji is at the drawing board. He has two, one bigger one he has abandoned in favor of a smaller. Lira is relaxed on the red couch for him to draw her, and Nabokov is nearby, watching and faintly resembling a bizarre coatrack. The shape of Lira is on the canvas and Kenji is trying, struggling, but he cannot do it and finally says so unhappily. "I can't draw you." Surprised, Lira sits up and asks gently, "What's the matter?" He stands, shoulders sagging. But his explanation, that he can draw the outline but cannot draw the feeling that is really her, pisses her off no end. And Nabokov steps forward and strikes Kenji in the face, sending the frail young man falling. "I can't do it!" Kenji wails to their accusations. Lira stands, arms akimbo, and snarls "What?" "What use is he?" demands Nabokov. And she agrees. "If you can't draw, you mean nothing to me." And as Nabokov opens his blasters to fire she says, "Goodbye, future master!" Kenji scrambles back with a cry of terror, but before they can blast him, the Time Rangers have arrived, headed by Yuuri. Kenji is ecstatic to see her. They've got the dog with them on a leash, and to Lira's astonished question, Sion replies that the dog led them here. And Tatsuya says they are going to stop her.

This is a triple shock, actually, being the first time Lira's ever seen his face. "You! The Ranger Captain!!" Tatsuya has suffered quite enough from being told that. "What, you say that TOO?!" But Yuuri leads them all to stand between Kenji and Lira. She turns to Kenji, her face softening. She apologizes for not understanding about how he paints, for not being still enough for him. He says her name, not sure what else he should say but has no chance, for she turns, her face determined. "But I will protect your future." And a smile of utter joy blossoms on his face, as he understands her at last. "What?" snaps Lira in a fury. In a move they ditch their civvies for the underclothes, and change into their armor. Kenji gapes while they announce themselve. Yuuri says, "Lila, Nabokov, you are under arrest for breaking the laws of time!" While she and Lira confront each other, Kenji crawls frantically to a drawing pad, nothing matters except the image he has to draw. Lira snaps, "You don't matter. You can't stop me!"

And our heroes fight the Zenitto and Yuuri bashes through them in concentrated fury, until Lira fires several shots to get her down. "You're mine, girl." She is on her feet. And Kenji is ecstatic, for his drawing is capturing Yuuri's extraordinary determination and courage. He continues drawing madly. Outside, the battle rages on. Lira puts up an energy wall which blocks the shot from Yuuri's powerful blaster, but Yuuri comes in close and manages to disarm her, then leaps to attack with the Double Vector. Nabukov comes between them, his armor guarding Lira's life. "Lila, clear out of here!" She smiles victoriously and says calmly, "I love you, Nabokov." She dashes away. "And now you're mine!" He blasts them and they are stunned and frightened. "Now, die!" But Yuuri has them call in their blasters and they use the Voltech Bazooka and fire it on him. He wipes the seal and goes large, and Yuuri has Takku call in the ships. Providus launches them from the future. I'd swear, they've made yet another theme for this part! I can't wait for the album.

When the ships arrive, they form Time Robo Beta immediately! And the Flier Magnum is in their hands. They fly circles around the laser bolts of their enemy, and get a good shot in before changing formation to Time Robo Alpha. My guess is they have to weaken their enemy before they can pull out Jikuuken to slice him and return him to shrink-wrapped size. When they strike, and he knows he is lost, he calls Lira's name. And he is small again, and frozen. The Time Jets return to the future.

And our heroes race down the steps of a platform at Ueno Station, where Yuuri is walking with Kenji. Sion almost goes to them, but the others all grab him and pull him back, so they can watch from around the corner. "You're really going home?" Yuuri asks Kenji. His pack is slung over his shoulder, and he is smiling. He can draw anything, now. She asks him to keep the Time Rangers a secret. He looks sheepish and then hauls out a sketchbook. He has something for her, a gift. She is hesitant, then he moves closer to her to open the book. When she gapes at the portrait he says shyly, "I drew your fighting spirit." This is the picture he drew of Yuuri, and she totally blushes and holds the sketchbook tight against her chest, grinning at him. He is about to tell her something, possibly that he loves her, and the boys hiding around the corner all freeze with potential excitement, though Ayase's expression is more tense than the others'. Before anything can happen, the leaving alarm goes off and he has to board the train. Yuuri pushes him to it quickly. Once he's on she says to him not to give up. That she can't wait to see his paintings. And she holds out her free hand for him to shake. They both laugh, and he clasps his fingers shyly. And then the door slides closed. They continue to stare at each other, and wave until they can no longer see each other. And the train is gone.

She goes back home, her hands tight on the painting, passes a familiar group of men without seeing them until Domon remarks, "That was pretty," and she turns. "You guys came?" They gather around her, all grinning with delight. Tatsuya teasingly accuses her of liking Kenji. She looks back at him seriously and slightly pouting. "Just what do you think you saw?" And Ayase comes around her, not completely straight-faced, "Well, you were insensitive before...." She looks at him and cocks her head in puzzlement. But Sion comes up, "What did he give you?" For him, her smile returns in joy. "It's a secret." Domon comes up on the other side, "Come on, let us have just a little look!" But she is grinning playfully and moves away. "No way. This is my treasure." They follow her and Sion protests, "But this is a matter of history!" and they all tighten about her as Tatsuya tries to grab the sketchbook. She ducks down under their arms, grinning, and runs for it. "NO WAY!"

And humans created the daily news. And it was full of pictures. We follow a young man to the local convenient store, where he picks up a copy of "Catch", a thick magazine following the developments about these bizarre new attackers. Cover story about the Londarz Family. Complete with pictures and headlines from the initial attack! And our heroes are all gathered about the coffee table to stare at the magazine, Sion next to Tatsuya, Ayase across from him and Yuuri on HIS left. Takku is watching from a perch opposite the TV. Domon hurries to join them at the table. Is this one of the reasons the Time group had known about this risk to the past? But sure enough, there are pictures of the Time Rangers, too. Tatsuya, Sion and Domon crow in delight. Tatsuya clutches the magazine close, but Domon makes him pull it out and asks if Sion will cut out his picture. "Sure!" But Ayase tells them sternly this is not good. Yuuri stands, lecturing uneasily that they have to be careful not to disrupt the future. Crestfallen, Sion apologizes. Then Tatsuya suddenly remembers he has a class about to begin. And Ayase realizes he has to head for his drivers test. For once Domon gets him about not knowing how to drive. Ayase sighs and comments that all these rules for today are difficult and heads off. But Yuuri points out, standing over by Domon, that our young fighter doesn't have any students yet. He gets to his feet in embarrassment, while Sion watches with a grin.

Tatsuya has a class full of little children, all in white gi with a red symbol over their hearts. The class is underway. They are so darned cute. He paces back and forth correcting their stances and generally being teacher-ish. Meanwhile, Domon is passing out flyers and finally one young woman stops and clearly is considering it. Domon is telling her with gentle urgency how important these things are, to be able to protect herself. She has a beautiful smile. Ayase arrives at the licensing departement. Yuuri is interviewing a young girl, and Sion is hard at work repairing an antique clock. Success. He smiles as the cuckoo whistles.

And at the Londarz Tower, Gien is being tended by a Zenitto who is polishing his claw, and chuckling (perhaps it tickles). Lira sniffs in exasperation and paces, speaking to Don Dorunero. "They are always getting in our way. What are you going to do about the Time Rangers?!" Dorunero stands next to a table and he is building an intricate model set atop the curve of the Earth. It is quite lovely, actually. And he answers he's designing his house, that's what. Furious, Lira turns on him. In frustration, she slams her fists on the table and parts of his model fall. "This is not the time to be planning your HOUSE!" Parts go flying away, and the tower hits a prisoner's cell lying on the floor. Intrigued by the sound, Gien bends down and picks it up. "Oh, this looks interesting," he says as he peers at it. He heads for the machine. Laden in gold, Dorunero lifts his head in surprise. "Him?" And the creature is made big, while Dorunero waddles excitedly over to stand beside Lira.

His seal is on his right thigh. One hand is a pistol, the other a cuff. He looks like a freakish police officer, something sharkish about him. And that is what he was. Recognition crosses Lira's face, an expression of disgust. "Arnold K," she identifies him. But he sees Dorunero and it's like, "Yo Bro! Long time I've been waiting!" he goes to Dorunero with joy. "Hey, I could never forget you!" "We're a family!" Lira, arms akimbo, watches in annoyance as the pair hug and chatter. Gien interrupts to inquire, "You know this person?" "Yeah, he was my family before you!" He introduces them and explains that this is the 20th century. Lira turns her back and struts angrily across the room. Gien and Lira both find him annoying, as he chatters cheerily on. They turn their noses up at him. At Lira's challenge, he is going to go out and help the family. Laughing, he leaves. Both Lira and Gien have the same thoughts. What a dweeb. They are both sneering and glare jealously at Dorunero. But he is not bothered. He says his man is really bad. They are confused, but Dorunero is back to building his model.

Ayase is driving for his test. The man in the passenger seat watches critically as he uses a break in traffic to pass a truck. Ayase looks somewhat pale, though there are no overt signs of nervousness. The man with him is impressed with his smooth driving. They are approaching a crosswalk, where people are moving across the street. But for all the smooth driving, it is harder for Ayase to make a smooth stop and he is terribly nervous and sure he'll fail when the man glares at him after he jerks to a halt.

Another car driving along, stops at an intersection. Just as the driver is about to start forward, a huge, blue being lands heavily on his hood, slips and slides down the front. Logically, he shouts in shock. The bizarre being (Arnold K, of course) demands his money. He's trying frantically to say he hasn't any, but is not believed. Arnold K starts to destroy the car and the man flees, shouting for help. Another car has pulled up behind them, the driver too shocked to flee when Arnold K turns on him. At that moment, Ayase arrives on the other street and sees all this. A third car has pulled up in the line. "That -- " starts a startled Ayase. His passenger finishes "Is it one of those Londarz Family?!" terrified. The driver of the second car is fleeing the other side, and Ayase is also getting out of the car, to the dismay of his passenger. "What are you..?" "Take the car and get out of here!" The frightened man asks, "What are you going to do?" "Don't worry about it, now hurry!" and slams the door. The man heeds him, and as he goes, Ayase hits the button and changes into his armor. And the others all jump as their bracelets flash the alarm. For Tatsuya, in the middle of class, this is particularly upsetting. Takku alerts them as Sion and Yuuri exchange alarmed looks. Domon has one thoughtful woman studying the flyer when his goes off, which is frustrating, to say the least. Nothing else for it but to tell the woman with a desperate smile to please consider it, and that he has to run.

And Arnold K is chasing crowds of people, while Ayase arrives to fight him alone. Ends up pinned, and in danger. Arnold K is about to shoot him in the head when the others arrive just in time. Firing their cannons, they force him off, but he sets off an explosion and teleports away. Before they can search for him, Yuuri notices the flashing of a multitude of cameras and tells them "Let's go!" and they race off. An excited reporter leaps fastest out from behind the building and calls after them, but they are gone. She groans at the lost opportunity.

The model is nearly complete. He has done a fine work, here. The Zenitto are tending to Arnold K, buffing his skin, repairing his pistol. Lira and Gien are watching from across the room. And Lira has her opinions about his ability, and is happy to share them. Annoyed, he pulls his pistol off and tosses it to Gien. "Repair it, eh, glitter-boy," Arnold K orders. Gien starts to snap, "You do your OWN -- " but Dorunero cuts him off. "Gien, Arnold's an old friend. Do it." With a furious grunt, Gien glares at Arnold. His eyes glow bright yellow and narrow to slits as the other yawns and stretches. He turns his gaze to Dorunero. At last he turns away to do the repairs. Arnold K snickers and then turns to the Don. "What's that there, brother?" "Ah, when I rule the world, this will be my palace!" "Do I get my own room, eh?" Lira rolls her eyes towards the ceiling and turns her back. "Cool," she snaps (as in weather). "Well, we are old friends. and soon we'll have everything together!" Lira is alerted by his words and whirls quickly. "And what about me?" she asks with deceptive softness. Insecure, she is. Gien is also alerted, and turns. "And I want to know about me," he demands quietly. Before Dorunero can quite answer, Arnold K says something which I have a feeling amounted to, "Well, you may as well just clear off." Lira is totally furious. "CLEAR OFF?!" And Gien's eyes are wide and round, flashing red. He hisses and slams the pistol down on the table. He stands angrily and may even attack, but Don Dorunero slams a hand on the table and makes them stop long enough to listen.

He paces forward, speaking gravely. "Gien, Lira. This kind of back-biting is the thing I hate most in my house." He turns sternly on Arnold K. "You watch what you say." Arnold sheepishly says, "Well I just think the older guys are more important, y'know? Seniority and all that. I mean, these two are like too prickly." But Gien and Lira are not remotely mollified, and Gien turns his back. Lira glares, her lower lip puffed out. And the day goes on. Outside, the forest still just is, over the broken tower. Gien and Lira are walking together out in the woods, both still furious, and of like minds. Dorunero watches them go by, fretting. There is nothing he can do about this jealousy. He takes a puff of his cigar. And Arnold has repaired his gun himself, practicing moves by the door. The walls still have the burns from the lazer battle between the guards and the criminals, so little time ago. The doors slide open and Don Dorunero walks in. He is greeted with great joy by Arnold K. But he is a bit angry, and he carries a weapon. He has an assignment for his old friend, who is happy to do anything for him.

Cars driving along are re-directed by policemen at a road-block. Their clothes are baggy, but no one really notices. When another pair of policemen stop the car, and the taxi behind they re-directed, the man gets out to ask them what is going on. And then they toss their uniforms away and reveal they are Zenitto! The man cries out and starts to flee, only to fall right into Arnold K's hands. Other Zenitto are forcing passenger and driver out of the taxi. Sion is wearing headphones, appears to be listening to a radio he's been repairing, when he hears about the attack. He dumps the headphones, is on his feet and telling the others, who are all gathered at the coffee table, what's happening. The team nods and hurries off. There are a large number of cars, and the Zenitto are gathering the frightened drivers together where Arnold K can demand their money or their lives. And then he is called.

The Time Ranger arrive, calling out who they are. And holding their badges out firmly, it is Yuuri speaking for all of them. "For violating the laws of time..." and Tatsuya finishes it, "You are under arrest!" Furious, Arnold K sets the Zenitto at them. Tatsuya, Yuuri and Ayase call out the double vectors, Sion and Domon the cannons. They make short work of the Zenitto, and eventually it is Tatsuya who faces Arnold K. But the deadly pistol injures him. He is staggering, and barely on his feet, when Gien (who has been watching) moves to a better observing position, and seems to be preparing to fire. As Arnold tells Tatsuya, "Die!" Gien says with a very bizarre tone, "It's you." His eyes are yellow slits again. And suddenly Arnold begins exploding. The astonishment is total for everyone. Lira comes up behind Gien, possibly to congratulate him, while he turns to her, "Did you do that?" in appreciation. And she can only answer that, much as she would have like to, it wasn't her. They turn back to watch. Arnold K is dismayed that there was a bomb in his gun. The Time Ranger are not going to let this chance pass them by. Tatsuya is still shaken, but getting steadier on his feet. Domon touches his shoulder, knows he is okay and asks, "Where did that come from?" "I don't know!" But Yuuri reminds them they have to hurry and get the criminal back in imprisonment. They put their cannons together and fire.

He shrieks as he is hit, then wipes the seal from his body and grows big. Tatsuya calls Takku, who calls the base. And again Providus sends out the ships. I have GOT to get this music. The jets move into position. And it's a hit! Off goes Time Jet One. Then Two and Three. Then Four and Five. Through the gate, through the regular times. Past the Kaku Ranger (joke) and the Time Flier brings the pilots to their ships. They form Time Robo Beta first. They use the Flier Magnum to good effect, but their enemy vanishes amongst the wreckage of buildings. Wary and worried, they move carefully, the Magnum ready to fire. There is nothing, and then something hits their leg and they fall. Arnold K starts beating on them with his club, but they are able to lift the Magnum and fire on him, driving him back long enough to get to their feet. They assume Time Robo Alpha and bring out Jikuuken, Tatsuya directing the fight. And in one hit, Arnold K is frozen. The blades close and as he implodes he cries out, "Brother, I'm sorry!" And the Time Robo stands in the light of the blazing fire. The jets separate and return to their own time.

And Gien and Lira return to the base to confront Dorunero. I am not sure what to make of their body language. It is both accusing and confused as they march upon him and Gien says sternly, "Dorunero!" and Lira says, "Did you..?" He stands next to the model of the home he wishes to build and confronts them. "Yes, it was me." Stunned, they gape at each other. "I told you I hate that kind of back-biting." He turns slightly away. "I had to choose between the old family and the new. The new is better." (I'm seriously guessing, here) And at what he has said, Lira starts laughing. Even Gien is pleased. Together they walk away. And he turns and walks to his model. He feels for Arnold K. But what will the future bring?

And Time Red gathers up the tiny, frozen Arnold K in the prison. "We got him." The others are also pleased. But the snapping of a camera lens catches their attention and they are seriously glad, I'm sure, that they are still in their armor. For that young woman reporter is there, having braved the battle. She runs to them, begging for an interview, begging to know who they are, and Yuuri moves quickly to pull Tatsuya away as he stutters, "Um, no comment! I'm sorry!" he shouts back at the young woman as he is pulled away. They run. Tatsuya shouts, "It would be bad!" And then they go in a flash of colored light. But she says with a pleased grin, "That's what I thought!"

And somewhere, in a large room, there sit six grim men in business suits. They are high-officials in the police departments, and speak of these Time Rangers. It troubles them that they have no idea who these people are, and no control of them. It troubles them that the press and civilians are calling and begging for information that they have none to give. The music becomes ominous!

And at home, Ayase, Yuuri, Sion and Domon are flipping through that magazine. Sion reads, "'The identities of the Time Rangers are secret.' Wow, that's cool!" Domon responds that it's all very exaggerated, though. And Yuuri says it is much better this way. Takku flaps his wings and comments, but the Tatsuya is there and says firmly, "I have great news! The driving school can open, Ayase's got his license!" He starts applauding. The others get up to applaud, too. Tatsuya sets of a little exploding party-favor. Domon says "Guess we'll have to hire a secretary now," and Yuuri punches him lightly in the stomach, shutting him up. Ayase is taking the praise with some sheepishness and Tatsuya calls them to make a toast. Sion has orange juice, and gives Ayase his wine. But there is something strangled in Ayase's face, a pain he is losing control of as he holds the stem of the wine glass too tightly and his hands shake violently, the glass falls and shatters on the floor. The others move anxiously, watching him. His face is an unhealthy color, and he is having trouble speaking. He looks like he's about to throw up. "I'll -- I'll be right back." He makes his way shakily around the others. Sion asks softly, "What's wrong with him?" Domon says with some annoyance, "That's dumb, I figured it. He's way too sensitive." "Oh," says Sion. And perhaps Yuuri thinks so, too. But Tatsuya is sure there is much more to this than that.

Ayase pushes hard through the door out into the cold, night air. He clutches at his heart, with a sound of pain, and staggers down the stairs. He makes it around the corner to slide down against the wall, in obvious agony though he fights to muffle the sounds that escape his lips. Something in his chest hurts so terribly.

The others sit together at the table, again deeply into that magazine. While Domon and Sion are discussing the pictures, Tatsuya gets up, worrying. Yuuri watches him. He knows something must be very wrong, but if he knew that Ayase was way below them, in physical agony, he would not stay there. And Ayase's eyes bug out but finally the worst of the pain is passing. He lies half-conscious against the wall.

The pain finally passes, and Ayase slowly gets to his feet, leaning weakly against the wall. The breeze is cold on his sweat-drenched face. "Ayase!" calls a voice from above, and he jerks, startled. "What's the matter?" It is Tatsuya, come worrying about him. But Ayase says there is nothing wrong, and heads back in. Tatsuya cannot believe him, and watches him go worriedly.

The mist and smoke of the chamber boils, shifts. Above the abandoned containment jar there is movement. The Londarz watch in pleased excitement as a vicious-looking creature steps from the chamber. It is all spikes and armor, looking like some ancient Roman fighter from the Colosseum. The flesh that can be seen through the holes in his mask looks to be covered in massive burn scars. The eyes are wild and mad. His chest pulses. Lira smirks and says, "He looks like he'll come in handy."

Morning, Tatsuya crosses to where Ayase is staring out the window and lays a hand on his shoulder. "I need a moment, later." Ayase shrugs away and turns to Sion. "Hey, if you have any free time today, would you come with me? I rented a car." "Uh, sure, I'll go." Tatsuya is still watching him intently, worried that he's being avoided, instinct too powerful to accept Ayase's word. And Takku suddenly alerts them about something going on. Yuuri asks him what it is and he says he's detected a powerful time-space pulse. Domon yawns from the couch and asks what that means. Takku explains, "There are only two possible causes for this time-pulse. It could be a natural occurence, or something's signaling across time. But there is no one in this time who can contact the future." Side by side, Tatsuya and Ayase listen worriedly, as Sion looks disturbed. Domon shrugs slightly and says, "Then it must be natural." But Yuuri says pensively, "We'd better check if it's the Londarz." Takku is quite agreeing with her. "I'll tell you where the point of the signal is." They are all getting ready to go and Yuuri says firmly, "It's too dangerous for all of us to go, so only two of us should go and the others should stay here." Domon sits back down and says happily, "Ayase, you were going out today, so you go ahead." "Sure." And Yuuri says to him, "Okay, let's go." They are starting to the door and Tatsuya says quickly, "I'll go with Ayase. Okay?" "Sure," Yuuri says. And Ayase leads the way with a resigned sigh.

Together they get in the car, Ayase driving. When Tatsuya starts to ask something, Ayase turns on the stereo and Tatsuya swallows his words. He had once told the other man it was not necessary to say anything. But now he thinks he was wrong. They enter a still warehouse and go carefully inside a room, but there is nothing there. They see an open room and nod to each other, crossing into it. Again nothing, and Ayase says so with mild calm. "Yeah, I guess it was natural." Then their bracelets start a warning signal and lead them to a box, and when they get too close, their bracelets suddenly short out. "It's broken!" exclaims Tatsuya in dismay. Ayase cautiously opens the box to find something that makes his eyes go wide. There is a block inside, with a glowing blue rod sticking out of it. Ayase pulls the lid all the way off. "What is that?" asks Tatsuya. And Ayase says, "It's a transmitter. Maybe it's what sent out the time-pulse. And it shorted out the changers." "Why is it here?" And Ayase strolls away from him. "I don't know, but it must belong to the Londarz. We should contact Yuuri and the others." But when he lifts his wrist automatically, they remember the equipment is broken. They won't be able to call the others. But Tatsuya decides to try his keitai (cell-phone), for it was not affected by the pulse. Unfortunately, he can't get through. His dismayed expression gets Ayase's attention. "What's wrong?" His service has been disconnected, as he has not paid his phone bill. Ayase glances down. "I have a bad feeling about this." And then the door slides shut, though they run and try to stop it. And then the block opens (for it is a box) and there is a bomb inside. "Get over here!" Ayase drags Tatsuya against the wall by a pillar and pins him, protecting him with his body. Tatsuya shouts, "But you'll die!" And Ayase snaps "Don't move!" "But -- " "It's okay!" And as the bomb flashes Ayase pushes Tatsuya's head down, protecting him as best he can when the bomb goes off.

And the rest of the group is getting nervous, for there has been no word. Yuuri moves restlessly. "It's time to call them." And Sion looks at Takku anxiously. The robot says frantically, "There was another time-pulse! The Crono-changers are broken!" Domon pops over. "What's that mean?" He tries to signal them, but there is no response. Sion suggests trying Tatsuya's telephone, but of course that is what Yuuri is doing. With an expression of annoyance, she lowers the receiver. "I tried, but it's not working, because he hasn't paid his bill." And Domon lifts his head in surprise, "And that means what?" Then he frowns. "We have no way to contact them." Yuuri comes over to him, "We'll have to check it out." She turns to Sion and tells him to pay Tatsuya's bill and call him as soon as he can. Sion will.

Flames still. Tatsuya slowly pushes the rubble off and starts digging Ayase out. "Be all right," he begs. Ayase stirs, then starts trying to disentangle himself. "You okay?" "Oh, yeah. Fine." He is covered in dust and moving slowly. Swallowing, Tatsuya says gently, "You saved me. But... I can't stand seeing you do this to yourself." Ayase opens his eyes wearily, "No, it's really okay. I thought it would be all right." Tatsuya helps him up, but there is another explosion. And the spiked being steps through the wall. "Here I was expecting to find dead bodies. You guys are lucky, Time Ranger." Ayase gasps, "Unreal!" and Tatsuya stutters, "He knows us!" He is Oogu, and his chest pulses. "The Dorunero have offered a pretty prize for your necks." "A prize?" repeats Ayase, "For US?" adds Tatsuya. "Don't take this personally, but I'm going to kill you now," and he attacks, coming between them. They circle, Tatsuya leads the attack and is knocked into boxes, leaving Ayase to be beaten pretty badly. Tatsuya tries to stand his shield and change into armor, but he cannot. They flee the building and, pacing after them, Oogu says, "There's no escape. Five million for one."

And in the warehouse area, over the sound of ships. Ayase is sitting wearily against some things, saying hopelessly, "It was a trap for us, from the very first time-pulse." "I just can't believe it," replies Tatsuaya, watching around for the enemy. The sound of aluminum cans falling catches his ear and they look around desperately. He sighs in relief and starts to stand, then they hear the sinister laughter echoing all around them. They throw themselves back to back and look frantically around. "You thought you could get away, eh?" Oogu strikes at them with his club, driving them apart. They are hit by his firepower, Tatsuya's leg is torn around the knee and he huddles in agony, and Ayase gathers him up and they run to hide.

Meanwhile, Domon and Yuuri are investigating the area. Exasperated with not being able to find their friends, Domon growls, "This looks bad. What happened here?" Yuuri is also upset and angry. "This isn't normal. Let's search for them." They run out.

Ayase is helping a hobbling Tatsuya, whose bleeding knee he's bandaged. Oogu cuts them off to their despair. "I memorized the area earlier. There's no place you can hide from me." He lashes out with two long energy whips, and Ayase throws Tatsuya behind him and makes himself a target. Oogu drags him around a bit, knocks him into boxes and leaves him for dead. As Tatsuya calls for his friend, Oogu turns slowly and then charges with a grunt, grabbing up our hero by his collar, saying, "You're the first five million," he throws him against a wall. He is approaching to do terrible things to our hero, who is trying to crawl away, when Ayase calls. He has gotten up to a high point, and come back with a rope. He tosses one end to Tatsuya who grabs it, and with a haul Ayase pulls him up. He kicks himself off of Oogu's shoulder as he passes. Oogu blasts them.

Yuuri and Domon hear the blast and she shouts, "This way!" and they run towards the sound of fighting. Together Ayase and Tatsuya hurry away as fast as they can, which is not very with Tatsuya's injured leg. When he can no longer support himself, legs sliding out from under him, Ayase drags him into a room and closes the door. Unfortunately, this was a very bad idea. The monster comes to the door and locks it, then starts the machinery going. They jump and look around as freezing fog seeps into the room. Ayase gives a dismayed cry. "Oh, no." He tries to open the door, but there is no way. And Oogu says smugly, "Now all I have to do is wait. This is an easy ten million."

And Time Yellow and Time Pink arrive to fight. He looks at them, pulls out his sword, his eyes gleaming red. "Well now, the money's just pouring in. Your heads are mine." He clenches his fist. And Domon says, "This is not a game!" He and Yuuri move to fight, firing their cannons. Ayase and Tatsuya hear the fighting. They scream their friends' names, and Ayase pounds on the door with a pipe. "We're here!" shouts Tatsuya. And Oogu is driving the fight away. When silence falls, Tatsuya starts to collapse, huddling over his injured knee. Ayase drops the pipe in despair.

The Londarz settle down to wine and cake, smug over their success. Lira says, "It would be pretty grand here, if the Time Ranger are really dead." Gien replies calmly, "Well, Oogu is a professional assassin. He will do it." And Dorunero waves expansively. "Let's salute the Time Ranger's impending demise," he says, snickering. And they all click their glasses together in mocking salutation.

And in the freezer, Ayase sees how terribly his friend is shivering, and tries to get Tatsuya to wear his coat, for the injured man is suffering the cold worse than he is. "No. Why do you always do stuff like this?" he demands, giving the coat back. "Okay, but you have to keep talking. If you lose consciousness, you'll die." He doesn't want Tatsuya to succumb to freezing. Tatsuya looks up at that. "Then there something I want to ask you." Ayase freezes where he stands, not looking at his friend. "What are you hiding?" "It's nothing," Ayase says hoarsely. "Don't lie." Ayase closes his eyes hopelessly as Tatsuya continues. "Why have you been avoiding me since yesterday? What happened last night, don't tell me it was nothing, it must be something!" And finally the truth comes out. Ayase swallows again and says mildly, "I told you I wanted to be a car racer. And I had a physical checkup. In one or two years..." he trails off. Tatsuya stares at him, dawning realization. "I have Oshirisu Syndrome. And there is no cure in this time. Once the symptoms show, there's only a year or two left. The heart will stop. There's no treatment." And Tatsuya remembers all the mysterious fatality of Ayase's behavior. The sudden twisted agony that had driven him from their place the night before, the insistance that he was all right when Tatsuya questioned him later. The painful staring at the gorgeous red sports car, and then lifting a trembling hand away. The silent deadness in his eyes when Tatsuya confronted him with the drawing he had made of a car. The will to throw himself between Tatsuya and any danger approaching. What does a man who knows he is dying have to fear? And for a time there is nothing to say. Shuddering in the cold, their lips blue and skin going white, Tatsuya finally speaks again, panting. "I get it. Because you only have a year or two left, you care about everybody but yourself. That's it." Ayase looks half-hopeless. "Not really." And he remembers, "When I first learned about my illness, I couldn't tell anyone. Not my parents, not my friends. And I let my life go to hell." Ayase fighting in the night, on the outskirts of the lighted city. "Every day, every night, I fought because I didn't care when I would die." Beaten down by a gang, instinctively shielding his head from their kicks. He is left to watch the sun rise the next morning, blood on his lips. "But one day I realized I really wanted to live." He turns to look at Tatsuya, they are both so ghastly in this light. "It's not such a self-sacrifice, to help other people. I know what's important in life." He sits down now, shoulder to shoulder with Tatsuya. "When you said you could change tomorrow, I really believed you. If I am a Time Ranger, I can do this. Change tomorrow."

And outside, Domon and Yuuri are still madly fighting Oogu. But he is taking them down. Tough creature. They fall.

Tatsuya, shuddering in the cold, says through near-frozen lips, "I didn't feel it that strongly. Change." "Yes." "I didn't know how horrible it might be, to die." Ayase leans back against him, smiling faintly. But Tatsuya turns and grabs his shoulder, "You feel like this always..." The horrible expression in his eyes turns Ayase's attention fully on him, and the dying man says firmly, "Don't give in. We'll get out of this." Tatsuya scrambles for his courage in the strength of his friend, and nods agreement. Their eyes burn as they hold onto their strengths. They shudder again and huddle closer, and suddenly Tatsuya's keitai rings. It is Sion asking franticaly where they are and he races through the area, searching as they explain. And Tatsuya and Ayase are shaking so badly, their skin gone white with the cold, braced against each other. They can no longer talk and are only waiting for it to end. But the sound of the door opening wakes them, and Sion comes hurrying in. When he gets to them, "Are you all right?" Tatsuya falls into his arms. Ayase turns worriedly, but when they haul Tatsuya up, Sion says frantically, "Open your eyes. It's all right now, I paid your phone bill!" The two look at each other and start to chuckle. Sion looks bewildered back and forth. Tatsuya pulls it together enough to reassure him and say thankyou. And then Ayase asks him to please fix their changers. Still bewildered, he says yes.

Oogu has taken down Domon and Yuuri. They lie in agony on the ground. He stalks towards them, "Now you go to Hell. The other two are waiting for you." Driven by his statement, they struggle to get up, "What?" gasps Domon. "Tatsuya and Ayase?!" asks Yuuri in horror. He laughs. "Now just a moment," says a carefree voice from his left. He turns and there is Tatsuya, leaning nonchalantly againt the back of a truck. Our boy raises his eyebrows, "Who's gone to hell?" And Ayase comes out next to him, and so does Sion. While the others gasp in relief, Oogu says, "Why you little worms!" "Why, thanks," says Sion, smiling proudly. Ayase says, "You are under arrest..." and Tatsuya finishes it, "for breaking the laws of time." They change into their battle armor, all three. Tatsuya and Ayase work together downing Oogu and Sion takes the next shot. They slice him a few good ones. As a group they are about to fire their cannon, but he snaps, "Five of you, that makes twenty-five million." He wipes his seal off and goes huge. At Tatsuya's command, Takku calls in the Time Jets. They are sent immediately. Our heroes board and form Time Robo Alpha. Taking out the sword right away, they face the monster and race at each other. But for all the danger he had presented, it only takes one slice. He stands frozen. "Time up!" calls Tatsuya. The blades close, and the monster falls. The Time Jets return.

And so do our heroes, Tatsuya this time placing their captive in the chest. The others are gathered at the computer desk. Takku says the Dorunero are trying to kill them now. Yuuri nods. "It's what he does, if someone's in his way." Takku says urgently, "Please be careful, always." They nod serious agreement. Yuuri suddenly pulls a little paper out of her coat. "Tatsuya, you owe Sion this much money for paying your phone bill." It is for 23,864 yen. Horrified, Tatsuya says, "I have to pay this much?" He looks at Sion hopefully, "Can I give you it in increments?" "Oh, it's okay, I don't care." Tatsuya is grinning in relief when Yuuri says icily, "Don't go easy on him." Tatsuya flinches, and Domon looks almost sympathetic. Until Tatsuya turns and puts an arm on his shoulder. "Hey Domon, sometimes you use my telephone -- " And Domon pulls away with a glare, "I don't know." Ayase is snickering at the side. Tatsuya touches his shoulder pleadingly. "Ayase, the keitai saved out lives. Would you pay half the bill?" Behind them, Sion is grinning. "It's your bill, why ask me?" Smirking, he turns away while Tatsuya resorts to pleading. Domon is eying him and Tatsuya turns to him again, "But you use it, right?" and Domon pulls away, glaring over his shoulder. Desperately, Tatsuya comes back to Sion, "Please can I p -- " "NO!!" snaps Yuuri. Sion, trapped between them, looks back and forth with a shy smile. Finally giving up, Tatsuya punches the air.

In next week's episode: Tatsuya's voice over: "Someone's targeting this town. A lot of strange things are happening, people are killing each other." Strange things going on. Yuuri hides behind a building. A man in a car chases Ayase. Sion (whose hair is currently brownish) is getting blasted. Tatsuya has to duck a kitchen knife. A mob of people with torches is attacking and beating people into the ground. People are down. Another man gets walked over by a woman who laughs or weeps madly. A strange monster stands somewhere, the reporter is taking pictures and getting a scoop, until Time Pink smacks her one. Yuuri (I suspect unknown to reporter) is yelling at her later, and she weeps. And the team faces the monster. And under the applause of the reporter, for Domon shouting "We'll save this town's future!" Title: 死闘の町 Shitou no Machi "The city of the Struggle for Life and Death!"