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Summaries of Second 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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Great pictures available from Toei's summary of same ep.

Case File 11
April 23rd, 2000

死闘の町
Shitou no Machi
"The city of the Struggle for Life and Death!"

The next morning, over breakfast and coffee, she gives the pics to her editor, who is ecstatic with them and pays up right away. "You're pretty much the only person who gets pictures of the Londarz!" She is happy, too, and signs her paycheck for 100,000 yen. "If there's no spies around, nothing can stop me!" Then she looks up eagerly. "How much would you pay for pictures of the real faces of the Time Rangers?" Oh, dear. The idea delights him, of course.

A strange tripod-thing stands, then pulses sending out a wave of light. People react vaguely as it passes over them. And in the night, a crowd walks, dazed and laughing maniacally. A man slashes someone in front of him. A young girl holds a kitchen blade and smiles at the reflection of light off it. Several at the lead fall. And a being, Gowagan, stands with the machine and laughs.

Morning, and our heroes listen to the news. Domon is closest to the TV. Sion leans on the table, has changed his hair and it looks like a fuzzy brown mop on his head. Yuuri's arms are folded, Ayase behind and next to her, Tatsuya next to him. The reporter Genma Tanaka (a woman) is relating anxiously. She stands outside a hospital where sirens blare as ambulances carry people in. "Last night there was a terrible riot, thirty two people were injured, and one hundred and thirty two are missing." Yuuri turns to Takku. "I remember something like this happening in our time." He agrees. In 2975 in one city something like this happened. It was the same thing every day, over and over. The morning would come and the streets would be littered with dead bodies. Sirens blaring, smoke rising from burning buildings. "It was this man." And he's been in the jail ever since then. He is prisoner number 8. "He was normally a doctor, and he loved to see people die." Sion looks revolted, says softly, "So that's why he's doing this." And Domon, next to him, looks furious, standing slowly as he says, "This guy is the enemy. He's injured thirty-two people." Takku shakes his head. "No, he doesn't kill them. He does something far worse."

Police stand guard over the entrance to the townlet where the people were injured and so many are missing. They salute each other as one leaves. Our reporter is eating, watching from hiding. "This stinks of the Londarz. And that means the Time Rangers will come! This is my chance!" She sets off a batch of firecrackers to distract the police and rushes in, through the tunnel

Domon slams his hands against the locker in frustration and spins, leaning against the doors. "This is terrible! That guy is totally evil." And Yuuri stands and says to them, "He has a machine to control the people, making them move while they're sleeping. We have to find it." Ayase steps away from the door and says softly, "We have to find it before nightfall." And Takku says from his perch, "That's so. People won't only be hurt, people will die." Sion is working, sparks fly from his many-uses pen. He has modified the Time Changers to detect the signal from the machine, but it will only activate if they are within a hundred meters of it. Tatsuya confirms and puts his on.

Two police arrive and head into the danger-zone, saluting the men who are waiting. They walk through the tunnel and set aside their uniforms, revealing themselves to be Tatsuya and Domon. The other three sneak in through a tunnel and split up. Ayase comes out a sewer entrance. The place is still. A paper ball rolls by Tatsuya's feet. He shivers, thinking, "There's no signal." Then he hears eerie laughter of children. He turns towards it. It is all around him. A blonde doll is thrown at him. He picks it up and it opens its eyes. He throws it off and it explodes, sending him flying. Then a huge kitchen knife comes flying out of nowhere and embeds itself in the tree next to his face. He sees someone racing off. "Of course!" he thinks, pursuing. Domon is walking along, unaware that above him someone is positioning a pot of daisies. But he hears something, and dodges the falling plant. Sion is running when he hears strange sounds and maniacal laughter. He listens at the door of a house whose nameplate says Kajiya, then peers through the window and sees a man pounding nails into a bat. "That's gotta be -- " he starts to think and then the bat comes smashing through the window. Ayase flees a bleeding man driving a car, and eventually turns and runs over the roof. The driver goes on, zig-zagging perilously down the narrow road as Ayase gapes from the cement. "The whole city is in a crazy dream!" he thinks. Yuuri, hiding near a building, eyes her changer. "I have to hurry and find the generator, or everyone will die." She hears a scream. And she sees far above her a struggling woman shouting, "Let me go, let go!" to a growling man. She recognizes the reporter. Exasperated, "She's getting in the way again." Yuuri goes to rescue her and knocks the growling man away. "Hurry!" She gets the reporter down and aside, hiding around a corner. The reporter is clutching her throat, so Yuuri says, "Are you all right?" "Oh, yeah, thanks." Yuuri, reassured, starts looking around alertly. "You go straight that way and get out of here." She points intently. But the reporter answers, "No, I'm not going. I've got work to do!" She stands with her camera and Yuuri gapes at her. "Are you crazy? This place is dangerous!" "I know." She looks like she is burning with zeal. "Why miss good footage?" It suddenly occurs to her, "But you'd better get out of here, I'll be okay alone." Yuuri is too stunned but snaps angrily, "You realize you could die?" These words sink in and the reporter meets her eyes in surprise and dawning fear. "Get out of the city before it gets dark. Don't forget that." She runs off, the reporter shouting after her, "Why can't I stay?" But then she sees another person, a man in an orange jacket and white hat saying, "I thought I heard a woman screaming," but the other woman has him and the two race off together. The reporter starts to mutter "What are... wait a minute!" and she follows them. Their bracelets ping, and Sion's voice calls. He is in range of the machine.

Gowagan is stroking his machine. "How many people will die today?" he laughs smugly. Now in armor, Sion is watching from above. The others catch up with him in their armor. Tatusya says, "So that's the Dream-Breaker." And Yuuri takes out her Ball Sniper to fire on the machine at full power. Just as she is about to fire, she nearly groans for there is someone right on the other side of the machine. That blasted reporter. The young woman is edging out, madly taking pictures. She sees them waving urgently at her and waves back, getting closer to Gowagan. Sion murmers anxiously, "If we don't hurry up, it'll be night!" The reporter moves and then trips with a squeak of pain, and gets the attention of Gowagen. "What are you doing here?" Our heroes race to help her and he turns and blasts them. The girl watches in horror. A moment later he has trapped them in an invisible barrier. Tatsuya launches an attack and is knocked back. "What the?!" "Crystal Cage!" Yuuri identifies it. "We can't get out!" Domon protests angrily. Their voices are distorted. Laughing, Gowagan says, "You aren't gonna stop my fun." He heads off with his machine. Yuuri orders them to pull out the cannons, and fire on one spot together. It does no good at first. And they are knocked down by the backlash. The reporter is delightedly taking photographs. Their second barrage cracks the barrier, and it is Domon who punches his way through. When it disintegrates, he sinks to his knees, cradling his fist in agony. The others gather around him as the reporter is still taking pictures and finally Yuuri turns and puts her hand in front of the lens.

"Hey! Don't get in my way!" she protests and Yuuri smacks her one. "What'd you do that for?" she exclaims, more angry than hurt. And then darkness falls abruptly with such speed, everyone is astonished. "Look over there," says Yuuri. And a crowd of people walks, and are laughing weirdly, their eyes glazed. "What..." "They're gathering to kill each other," Yuuri explains calmly. Ayase comes over to the two women. "No one killed anyone yesterday. But today they're far more under the influence of the machine." And the reporter has a good imagination, remembering the people who'd been injured, and imagining them getting attacked by the crowds with flaming torches. "They'll kill each other to the last person," says Yuuri. And they can imagine Gowagan laughing. "If we had destroyed the machine, it would be over, but..." she slams her fist in her palm. The reporter realizes and sinks to her knees in shock. But Sion says they're picking up signal. And Tatsuya says, "Great! Let's go before it's too late!" The two sides of the city will battle. And they race off. Domon is still in pain and slowly gets to his feet, then turns to see the stunned reporter. She sees a small crowd going by, a little boy towards the back of the group, and runs to him. "Wait, wait! I'm sorry!" she weeps, clinging to his arms. "It's my fault!" The boy doesn't even look at her. He slashes at her vaguely with a fork, leaving strips of blood on the back of her hand. "It was all my fault! I'm so sorry!" She covers her face and weeps, and Domon cannot help it, he comes to her. He lays his hand firmly on her shaking shoulder. "It'll be all right. We'll stop them. Don't feel bad, okay?" She gazes after him in awe as he runs off to join the others. "Time Yellow!" she whispers in admiration.

And two large crowds meet each other, soft maniacal giggles. They raise their torches, blood-lust. "I just love this!" The bandaged, bleeding people rush at each other while Gowagan cackles. But our heroes have arrived on the Time Flyer, and destroy the machine just in time. The crowd stops, staring about in astonishment, not really understanding what has happened. And our heroes confront Gowagan, Yuuri announcing, "You are under arrest for breaking the laws of time!" Gowagan snaps back, "Instead of these people, you guys are gonna die!" He pulls out a handful of bullets and drops them to become the Zenitto. Our heroes fight their way through them, to the sound of the ending theme. They are doing wonderfully with their Time Vectors. And the reporter arrives to watch the scene, admiring Time Yellow as he bashes through the Zenitto and punches out Gowagan. She watches him dive and duck, then pull out the Time Vector to slice and dice Gowagan with several well-placed strikes. A few final blasts and a Vector-Dividing take him down. The reporter has bandaged her hand and shouts to him that he is great, and gorgeous. He takes the praise well. And then Gowagan wipes the seal, "I'm not going to forgive you for this!" he shouts, and goes large. Domon calls Takku, who calls in the Time Jets. Providus sends them through the gate.

Assuming Time Robo Beta, our heroes are ready to fight! But Gowagan is dangerous. They lunge at each other and punch. They knock him flying, but he gets up and blasts them. Then he kicks, and beats them down. "I'll show you MY sword!" and is preparing to slash them to pieces with his long blade. Tatsuya calls the Time Flyer and it blasts him away. They get up and use it as the Flyer Magnum, then assume Time Robo Alpha to complete the fight. Hauling out Jikuuken, Tatsuya runs the battle. It takes a couple of shots, and then Domon announces, "Time up!" and the monster is exploded and shrunk. Time Red gathers him up, they all sigh in relief when they have it in their custody. "Got you back," crows Time Red. And Time Yellow says, "Let's go home now." And they do not notice behind them our young reporter, who sees them leaving in their civvies, knowing the woman carrying the small cell is Time Pink, and taking pictures with Time Yellow as her personal favorite.

Gien is still giggling that morning. Lira says to him, "Gien, I think you're still doing something boring." But he is not. He says happily, "I don't like money like you guys, I like death!" He is happily moving about. He had a lot of fun the last couple of days.

And in the morning, Domon is drinking coffee, and Sion gets on the computer. Ayase watches over his shoulder. Domon says cheerfully, "That camera woman is pretty cute, I think. While we were fighting, she was looking only at me the whole time!" He is grinning like the bejeebers. Ayase says mildly, "I think she's a boy and she's gay." Tatsuya coughs on his drink and snickers. Domon gets to his feet with quiet fury. "Ayase, I think you need a good whipping." Yuuri shoves between them. "STOP!" she says in English. She has Catch, the magazine and she opens it to show Domon. "These are the pictures she took a couple days ago." They are pictures of Dorunero and Lira at the restaurant. "The photographer's name is Honami Moriyama. If she comes here, she'll really get in our way. Domon, don't get involved with her." Domon says easily, "Yeah, no problem," and passes the others and looks out the window, his eyes dancing. "Yeah, but if she comes to me, there's nothing you can do about it, yes?"

Honami Moriyam sits next to her new yellow bicycle, with an envelope full of photos she would not give out for almost anything. The Time Rangers. With Ayase at the center of the picture. She remembers Time Yellow's words. "Don't feel bad, okay?" And she has decided that AYASE is Time Yellow! *tsk* Blind woman. He's too short. She zips the photos into her pack.

In next week's episode: There is a man, with silvery eyelashes, and silver flames in his eyes. Sion's voice asks, "Who are you?" And there are many children drawn to that man, and the Londarz get a plate full of money. A child says, "I have an alien friend!" The fanged monster of the week. Someone, the monster or Dorunero, saying "Arugo, all you have to do is listen to me and it'll be fine." And someone else says accusingly, "If you weren't here, my son wouldn't have been kidnapped by an alien!" Someone who will have to make a terrible choice. Sion grabs the man. "You have to go and fight the person who has your child!" Title: 星に願いを
hoshi ni negai wo "Wish upon a Star"

Sion is building a little robot, his pen flaring green. "I did it!" he jumps up and proudly displays his creation to "Tatsuya! I made if from broken parts, what do you think?" It is a tiny robot that waggles and wiggles, with a red head and all sorts of strange things sticking out. "You have a lot of free time -- " Tatsuya starts with a grin, and Ayase teases, "Yeah, I don't see you doing any work." Tatsuya's mouth drops open to protest, but then the doorbell rings and Domon, who was reading the paper, says, "There's a job for me! Welcome," he trots to the door. When he opens it, there is a moment of stunned surprise when they find a little boy at the door. The boy nods gravely to him. "A child?" he asks in astonishment. He settles down and asks gently with a friendly smile, "What can I do for you?"

The boy starts intently, "You can find me an alien, please!" Domon's mouth drops open, "An alien?!" and the boy moves into the room past him. "Please, find me an alien!" The group are all staring at each other going, huh? They turn as one and look at Sion, who holds his toy in front of him nervously. "Uhm... me?"

The boy hurries Sion through the streeets to a man sitting surrounded by children. He has a strange disk in his hands. It looks like crystal, with an image of a world. "Hold out your hands." A boy in front of him places his palms over the man's, whose eyes glow with silver fire. And when the boy takes his hands away, the disk is in the opposite hand. Sion is troubled by what he sees. And then the man reaches abruptly towards the little girl in front of him. He opens his palm and the gem is gone, to be picked from the girl's pocket. The kids applaud. The girl asks, "Wow, how'd you do that?" And the man answers with a warm, engaging smile, "An alien taught me to do that." Sion watches him, troubled. "I'm a friend of an alien. He also let me go on his UFO." The first little boy is full of doubt. "You're lying! There's no such thing as aliens!"

The boy who brought Sion dashes forward. "There are too!" He comes between them and his friend. "He's telling the truth." The other boy snaps stubbornly, "You're lying, too. There's no such thing!" And the boy looks to Sion. "That guy says he's going to find me an alien!" When all the children turn and look at him, poor Sion turns totally red. The other boy takes a look at him and says, "These guys are idiots, let's go!" The children race off together.

The youngster looks unhappily after them. "No one believes me. If we find a real alien, we can show them that my friend is telling the truth." Sion looks past him at the stranger, who is settling himself and getting up. The man says, "I guess I'll go home." "Eh? Home?" asks the little boy, upset. "Yes, I have something I have to do at home." Sion watches him going with troubled eyes and asks the boy gently, "Hayato, where does that man live?" "Oh, he lives over there." The boy points.

An abandoned warehouse district. Sion heads in. There is the man, burning a fire in an oil drum. There is a cot, and a curtain hanging to shield his sleeping place. And a flying baseball comes at him. He does not even turn his head. The baseball seems to vanish in burst of fire and only then does he turn his head slowly. But the baseball reappears in that same burst of fire, continuing it's trajectory on the other side of his head. His eyes are angry and hostile. And a young, gentle voice says, "You're really also an alien."

There is Sion, his mop of brown hair over his bright eyes. And he says eagerly, "I didn't know there were aliens here in this time." The man stands, his whole body language defensive and forbidding, but Sion comes to him, bowing anxiously. "Please don't be angry. I'm sorry I did that, it was wrong. I'm Sion. What star did you come from? What's your name?" He is eager and excited, his eyes bright. But the man says coldly, "Go home." Sion, dismayed, asks, "But..." "I don't CARE about aliens. Go home!" he tells him firmly, and turns his back, sitting. Sion looks dismayed.

And jewelry "Queen's necklace" vanishes from a display case in a burst of orange fire. The admiring crowd of women scream in shock. Next a vase in front of the eyes of the man who had just dusted it, goes and he cries out in astonishment. He reaches frantically towards the empty space. Next a man opens a vault and there ain't nothing in there! "Where' s my money?"

Zenitto are happily displaying all these goods, including a fine Katana and Wasabe set. Geemuruku, the blue tentacled being, is the latest villain. Dorunero praises him. "You got all this stuff in one day! I'm impressed!" And the guy responds, "Oh, this is too easy." But Gien knows better. "So, who's getting this stuff for you?" The monster turns mischievously, "It's my secret. You could only figure it out if you knew how to do magic." Dorunero says something.

And the newspaper reports all these thefts. Ayase is reading the headlines about all the things that have disappeared. Tatsuya over his shoulder grabs the paper and says, "No one knows who did it, witnesses report the necklace disappeared right before their eyes." Domon is delighted by this. "Right before their eyes, like a magic show? Let me see!" He bounds to the paper. Yuuri asks if Takku knows if this might be the Londarz, but he can find no creature that fits that description. The pictures flip madly on the computer screen in front of Sion. "I do not know!" They are all amazed. "It looks like this person uses teleportation, but there's no one in the records who can do that." Ayase says mildly, "There's no proof." "This is strange," mutters Yuuri. "Are you broken?" asks Domon, patting Takku gently. "I'm sorry," the little computer replies.

But Sion goes cautiously to Yuuri. "What would you think if there were aliens in this time?" She folds her arms and says thoughtfully, "We didn't find any aliens in the Twentieth Century. If we do find them, it'll be a lot of trouble." Sion is troubled, he remembers the abilities of that man. And he suspects. "Why are you asking?" Yuuri says. "Oh, no reason," he says and moves away. She watches him go sadly.

Geemuruku is there with Algol, demanding he do more work for him. "I've got another job for you, Algol. You have to get me the golden Buddha thing." Algol refuses. "WHAT?" protests Geemuruku. In a low voice, Algol says, "I won't use my powers for this. I already got you enough things!" Geemuruku stands cheerfully. "Darn, why would you say something like that?" Pacing, he stops and says with his back to the man, "Will you stop being my friend?" Then he turns abruptly. "You mean you don't care if I tell everyone?" Algol looks about, the confrontation dangerous. His face twists, as he knows he is trapped. Geemuruku laughs evilly.

Sion comes into the warehouse, and hides to watch this discussion. Algol's expression of loathing for the monster who has him under control is clear. "If everyone knows you are an alien, you won't be able to live in this world. If everyone knows, then you and your friend Hayato will die!" He pats Algol's hand and says, "Just one last job, steal the golden Kannon. And if you do, I will never bother you again! Eh? How's that?" He graps Algol's shoulders. The alien stares intently at him. "Truth?" And when Geemuruku swears "We Londarz NEVER lie!" waving his hands, all earnestness. Sion leaps forward from hiding. "Don't believe him!" The monster whirls, sees Sion and blasts him with laser beams from his eyes! Sion changes into his fighting uniform. Algol stares in surprise as the youngster in green runs at Geemuruku. Startled, Geemuruku nonethelss attacks with an energy whip and downs Sion, but turns to look at Algol. "Don't forget your job!" he shouts, and rushes away.

Algol is clearly preparing to do what he said he would, hurrying to his cot and picking up his case, and Sion rushes to him. "Wait, please!" He grabs Algol's arm and says urgently, "I'm a Time Ranger! I came to catch him! Tell me what's happening here, please!" Algol pulls loose and says, confused, "Time... Ranger?" And Sion nods.

"I came from Alekesatuosu Star. I'm a Dasouhei." They stand, Sion in his civvies, on a bridge, staring down. "A Dasouhei?" the boy repeats. Algol turns to him quietly. "There was a war, on my planet. I deserted." He remembers the fires, fleeing from his burning, crashed spaceship and falling into the river. And a boy running with a tiny dog found him, washed up on the rocks, and woke him. The boy fed him and helped him. "It warmed my heart to see him be so kind to a stranger." And the boy, in the setting sun's light, crossing a street, a car coming rushing towards him. "Look out!" shouted Algol. And then the flare and flash of his power, his silver eyes as he reached out and teleported the car, just the tiniest bit. Vanishing in fire, the driver falling to the pavement, and the car reappearing on the other side of the boy. He had run to Hayato. "Are you all right?" and they raced away together. And Geemuruku had witnessed it.

"If he hadn't seen me, I wouldn't have become a thief like this." Algol grips the barrier of the bridge, swallowing. Sion says gravely, "Please tell me where they are. I have to find the Londarz." "But..." says Algol unhappily, and Sion says urgently, "I will keep your secret, I promise! Please, just tell me where they are!" Algol looks at him unhappily. "No. If I make a mistake, I will...." Sion lunges around in front of him, grabbing his arms. "Algol-san!" he starts urgently.

"Stop it!" shouts a voice behind them. It is Hayato. He runs up and shoves Sion away from the other man. "Why are you hurting my friend?!" Sion doesn't really know what say to the boy. But Hayato snaps angrily, "Go back home! I hate you!" Sion cannot look at the child, his feelings as painful as it could be. The boy grabs Algol's hand and takes him away. The alien obliges with a brief glance back at Sion.

Early evening, and Tatsuya returns home with the groceries. Domon welcomes him back. Only the three of them are there and he asks in surprise, "Isn't Sion back yet?" "Not yet," says Domon, grabbing the grocery bag and peering inside. "It's not like he can really find an alien for the kid." Yuuri is looking sad and thoughtful as she hears this.

Algol sits staring at the stars with Hayato. He asks quietly, "What would you do if I went farther than that star?" The boy looks at him in surprise. "What are you talking about? Where are you going?" At his grave look, Hayato jumps to his feet. "If you go, then I'm going with you!" He grabs Algol's arm and shakes it sternly, bringing a smile to the man's face. "It's okay, I'm not going anywhere. It's starting to get dark, so you go home, now." The boy, reassured, agrees. They exchange kind words and he starts off. But then Geemuruku has come. Algol stares in horror, hisses "Curse you!" and is about to launch himself, but Geemuruku acts sweet to the amazed boy, "Don't be scared. I'm a friend of his. I'm a Gaymaraku seijan. Do you want to see my space ship?" The boy is astounded and delighted. This certainly IS an alien. And he sure wants to go. Algol is paralysed. Each word and each clawed caress a firm threat that he recognizes. "Just think about this cute kid," Geemuruku says. And Algol says tightly, "Yes, I know what you mean." And the monster heads off with Hayato in tow.

A building, stark and beautiful in the morning light. Algol approaches it. He pauses a moment, saying to himself. "I have to do this. I have to." He starts again, only to find Sion is standing there anxiously waiting for him. "Damn you..." he growls. But our boy is pleading, "Please, stop helping the Londarz! Think of the example you're setting for Hayato!" Algol's face twists. "Hayato? It is your fault they've taken him!" Sion swallows, and then Algol growls, "This is the last thing he'll ask of me, then he'll return Hayato. I'm going in!" But Sion grabs his arm as he passes and tries to convince him that there is no way the Londarz will keep their promises. They'll kill Hayato! Algol jerks his arm free. "So what can I do besides this?" He stalks unhappily around. "There's nothing I can do, is there?" he says hopelessly. And Sion comes around in front of him earnestly. "Then depend on me." He stares gravely at the other man. "I'm a Hummardian. An alien, like you." Algol stares at him in shock. Sion walks wearly around him, "There was a war on my world, too. And when it ended, there was only me left. So I understand how you feel." His voice becomes more urgent as he speaks. "But you can't give in to people who try to rule your life! You have to make a stand and defy them!"

"Don't take all the fun, we want to help, too!" says a cheerful voice. It is Tatsuya, and the others with him. "Sion," he says with affectionate scolding. "Tatsuya, everyone!" Sion exclaims back in relief. Domon tells him affectionately, "We missed you!" he comes up next to his friend and nudges him playfully with his shoulder. "Don't think we wouldn't hear you!" Yuuri says softly, "You are not alone." And Ayase says, "Who are you going to believe, the bad guys or us?" with warmth. Sion grins in delight. Algol watches this with a faint easing of his hostility, an impulse to tears.

Geemuruku is atop a building at the waterfront. We hear the sounds of boat horns. He has Hayato bound hand and foot, and is waiting anxiously. Algol arrives, sees the boy, calls his name. Hayato calls for Algol. And Geemuruku complains, "You're late! Where's the statue?" Algol comes towards him. "Have a look." He parts his trenchcoat as he settles down. His eyes gleam blue-white. A moment and a beautiful golden statue appears in flames. "Oh, your powers are so great!" the monster bounds to the statue. Algol studies him, then says urgently, "This is the last time! You promised. Now I'll take Hayato!" He is on his feet, hurrying for the boy and Geemuruku calls in the Zenitto. They knock Algol back and Geemuruku is very pleased with himself. He puts his arm over Algol's shoulder. "The Londarz promise is a promise to lie. You're mine until you die!" Algol hisses back at him, "You never were going to tell the truth from the beginning!" But Geemuruku is very happy. "Now you finally got it, you're mine forever!" But then the golden statue starts sliding slowly away and when he grabs for it, shouting "Wait!" the shell vanishes to reveal the little robot toy Sion had made. "What is this?" The Time Rangers are there, running to fight. They beat their way through the Zenitto and they call Algol to take Hayato out of danger. The monster shouts, "You liars!" Tatsuya yells back, "I don't like being called liar by a liar!" And Sion shouts, "Let's go!" Then they change into their fighting uniforms. And it is Sion who announces, "You are under arrest for breaking the laws of time!" And they fight.

Algol carefully releases Hayato from the ropes binding him, bundles him in his own coat and tells the astonished boy to wait here, then runs off. "But Uncle!" Hayato calls after him.

Geemuruku downs Sion and hits the rest of the group with an energy whip. But before he can attack them, the whip is teleported from his hands by Algol. "Don't think you're not going to get beaten after betraying a Londarz!" he shouts and turns and blasts Algol, who falls before their eyes. He laughs. And a furious Sion runs at him. "I'm not going to forgive you for this!" ignoring the enemy's blasts, to revenge that attack. His strikes are vicious and telling. He calls in the Bazooka, but before they have a chance to fire, the monster shouts, "I'm not going to be returned to the Escalator!!" and wipes his seal and goes large. Sion calls Takku for the jets, who relays the need and they are sent immediately. Tatsuya leads the change to Time Jet Gamma, and Sion uses the Gamma Tornado first, then firing attack. And they form Time Robo Alpha. They catch Geemuruku's energy whip and send him flying, then bring out the sword. Tatsuya slices and dices him, and he is defeated, imploding. The jets break up and return home. All over the city, the stolen items are returned.

A bandaged Algol walks away into the sunset. But Hayato is sitting sadly where he always used to visit his friend. Sion arrives and touches his shoulder. "Oniichan!" Sion smiles shyly, then points. "Hayato, look there!" Algol's UFO rises into the sky and flies off. Hayato watches it go with a mix of relief and sadness. "I wish he was here to see it, too," he says wistfully. Then there is a flare and the badge that appears in the boy's hands is Algol's, a gift left for the boy who cared for him. He picks it up in surprise.

And the others gather around Sion to touch his shoulder and reassure him that they want him with them. Yuuri says grimly, "The only thing we can do now is defeat the Londarz."

In next week's episode: Tatsuya's voiceover. "We're trying to find this person, but while looking for him get into the dark, gambling pachinko parlor. I'm not going to lose." The monster of the week rules a Pachinko parlor, in a kind of Fight Club situation. The team enters undercover to find the man they've been hired to locate. Title: Case File 13. Battle Kajino (Battle Casino)

Darkness. A room shrouded in menace. Lights blaze down, blue-white, one two men fighting. They wear black leggings and white bandages on their wrists and hands. One has a red headband, the other a black. They spin and kick at each other on the floor near a ring, while men and women use golden, square tokens to place their bets. Round tables covered in red cloths. A man with a mustache cries out in frustration as his champion misses a chot. The red manages a kick to the black's face that sends him spinning to the floor while the watchers chatter their approval. A woman smiles and tries to cheer her male companion, who winces as he sees his winnings going down the drain. The black is on his feet again, ducking and managing several punches to red's face. Supporters cry out in frustration. And an extraordinarily lovely young woman in a hostess outfit (black, strapless one piece, nylons on long legs, a white collar and black bowtie) crosses the room with two bottles of red wine. Well above the fight is an open, silver briefcase with only a few bundles of money, while the bald referee below manages the two men battling. And a man with a gray bandana on his head, screams to the fighters, "You can do it, go, go go!"

An older woman sits, her face twisted in worried agony, at Time Research's office. Her earrings shimmer violet in the light as she begins to weep. The door behind her opens. In walks Sion, with coffee and he looks at the woman in sympathetic distress. His hair is more golden, today. He offers her the cup he carries and sets it on the table for her, and the sugar behind it. He settles down as she tells of her worry and panic, for she has not heard from her husband in a long time. He had never come back. He tells her gently it's all right, he's certain the others will be able to find him and bring him back.

The Casino sits, as innocent as one can look, when Ayase drives the van there. Yuuri is in the passenger side, and eyes the building with suspicion. Domon rides in the back next to Tatsuya, in a suit and tie, and Ayase sends him out. He has no trouble with this, grinning and straightening the tie as he exits the van.

Inside, the crowd is cheering the battle. The red has worn black down and is bashing the man's face with his knee. Up above them, the woman's husband is still cheering his champion on. Black is finally flipped over and down with a flourish, and the watching crowd cheers, expecially this man. He is about to close his case, when the camera pans to the man beside him. Someone in a deep, heavy black cloak... he makes a signal. It looks like red will kill black. Just as his hands decend for the final blow, whiplike tentacles come flying and with a quick jab, he is flipped onto his back, his opponent staring in astonishment. And red moves for a moment to get up, then his eyes close and he falls like a broken doll, with a wet sound. The referee comes down beside him and starts the ten-count. The man above gets to his feet in horror as he realizes he has lost. The referee declares black the winner, the man strutting his stuff for the crowd. The graceful waitress moves upon another unhappy businessman who sits next to his drink. The woman with him has pulled away from him, losing interest. The waitress tells them it's too bad, and gathers up their chips. The woman is quite disappointed. At another table, two men appear to have won, and are smugly congratulating each other. The waittress drops the chips onto their table, to their delight. Above, the woman's husband sinks onto the couch behind him with a groan. The waiter comes to close his case and take his remaining money. He leaps forward quickly, pleading, "Wait, please!" Having lost, his misery is a struggle to plead, he needs this money. His opponent, in a strange, cold man's voice, tells him something and he rushes to stand beside the cloaked man. "Please, give me one more chance!" he begs, tearing off the bandana and bowing his head. The cloaked man gets up, standing above the piles of cash on the table in front of him. There will be no more chances. He leaves, and the desperate man pursues to plead.

Down below, something new is happening. The referee and winner turn. There is a new opponent, a man in white gi with red headband. And they prepare to fight each other, as the announces speaks about the Red Boon facing the Black Panther. And Domon walks in to see this, his hair an adorable, slightly tousled softness. He stands and listens, watches with bright interest. He is distracted by the passing of a lovely waittress, which brings a grin of joy to his face, then quickly brings out a card and hurries towards one of the patrons, "Excuse me a moment," he starts. And the bets are being laid down. Red square tokens, this time, as the two fighters square off. Domon is ignoring the fight, interested only in finding the man he seeks. The people watching the fight keep waving at him to get out of their way. After a moment of futile questioning, he holds the picture he carries up to look at it again. We see the man who had just lost the bet, and perhaps lost more. But in this picture the man is a cheerful, well-adjusted man, grinning. Domon is trying to rethink his strategy when two men in dark glasses grab him by the elbows and drag him backwards away. They bring him out the doors as he protests, "I'm just looking for this guy! Let me go!" witnessed by his three cohorts in the dark van as he protests angrily.

Yuuri looks at Ayase. "It looks like he didn't find him." Ayase turns his head to Tatsuya, behind him. "Tatsuya, it's your turn next." Tatsuya's suit is not exactly brown, over a dark-blue shirt and a black and white tie. A golden bracelet graces his right wrist as he dons stylish sunglasses and is ready to go. Meanwhile, Domon has beaten down one of the two men who had dragged him out there, then he gasps in astonishment as someone grabs him by the collar and spins him around. It is Tatsuya, looking menacing and arrogant in his getup. "What do you think you're up to here, brother?" he asks coldly. Before an astonished Domon can really respond, Tatsuya decks him with a couple of punches. Then the van pulls up and Domon flees into it with a snarl of fury. The van tears away. There are now three men, witnessing this odd incident as Tatsuya shouts after the van. But he turns around, seeing the men are headed back into the club. "Hey, wait," he calls them hurrying up. They do stop and turn to eye him. He demonstrates his speed, telling them he wants in on their fights.

And in the van, Domon is working at his poor, bruised nose as Yuuri speaks quietly, Ayase listening to her words. They are a bit worried about this plan, but Ayase thinks Tatsuya can get in. Domon thoughtfully punches into his hand. "Guess I've decided," he says calmly. Yuuri twists around to look back at him. "What?" He says quietly, "Those guys I just fought... I think they weren't humans." "Eh?" she says in horror. Ayase skids the van slightly as he hits the brakes (he still isn't good at stopping. "You think they're Londarz?" he asks, his eyes intent. Domon is not entirely certain what it was, there was just something... something small but very strange about them. Alarmed, the three Timerangers shift in the van.

Tatsuya stumbles as someone shoves him through a curtained doorway. His mouth drops open, eyes wide behind the glasses as he finds he is in a room filled with fighters, from all different cultures. The boxer. A long-haired Chinese man in gold brocade. Monks in their wicker hats. Just a crowd of fighters. He straightens and says with cold, hard tones, "Chuce Cheeney. A pleasure." The men study him, but don't seem the least impressed. There are two with red bandanas, seated. One in a tunic stands with a growl, and comes to get a better look, towering over Tatsuya. His is a strange face, both noble and savage. A man in his early thirties, by the look of it. He studies Tatsuya for a moment, then grunts again, his mouth twitching in a faint, but genuine-appearing smile. He turns and moves away. Tatsuya is shaken, but grips his glasses and looks to us, the audience, with an expression of dread.

The young salaryman stumbles to his knees as he is brought to face the cloaked man against whom he had bet, and lost miserably. A rustle as he pulls himself together and he looks up, then is too stunned to say anything. For the cloak is gone, and there stands a monster. His name is Berito. And he wants to know what this man thinks he can do for him. The horror catches up, and the human cringes back against items behind him, trying to scream and unable to force more than the beginnings of wails from his throat.

She has fallen asleep upon their couch, and Sion carefully covers her with a blanket. She seems faintly worried, even now. At that moment the door opens and in marches Yuuri. A moment later Domon follows, pulling at his collar and Ayase behind him. Sion asks them anxiously, "Is it the Londarz?" Yuuri confirms his suspicion. Domon, between them, looks down at their guest. "She's really asleep." Yes, um, well, Sion had made sure she would be when he gave her the coffee. Yuuri asks Takku to confirm what Domon had said. Sure enough, he comes straight up with Berito. Number 610 in the cells. Given twenty years in the Escalator. Sion looks anxiously at Domon.

Tatsuya stands under largely English grafitti and answers them with a gasp of astonishment. "But how do you know this is a Londarz plot?" he asks. Sion sits guiltily near the sleeping woman as Ayase is at the computer, Domon sitting backwards on a swivel chair next to Takku, and Yuuri tells him anxiously to be careful in there. "Yes, I'll hurry up and find him." He cuts the contact and pockets his Chrono Changer anxiously, near the words on the walls. "FLAPP MC LORd pougHkeepsie NY" and muttering anxiously to himself, washes his hands. But he hears someone calling behind him. It is the huge, red man, with a white gi for him. He is to fight... next. He dons his glasses and confirms.

Under the red light, a guard watching from next to the cloaked man on the balcony above. Red is facing black again. But this time... Tatsuya is Black Tiger. He bows to the crowd, blinking in the smokey atmostphere. He steps out into the arena and wonders where the Londaz are. Red is sent out, and Tatsuya realizes with a total shock, that the unhappy man he is facing is the very one he has been sent in here to retreive. Osaki. The man looks determined to face him, hands clenched anxiously at his side as he comes into the ring. Tatsuya is uncertain, drawing back fretfully. He swallows, not certain what to do. Then the referree starts the battle. With a curious, wild look, Osaki raises his fists and rushes at Tatsuya, who dodges and eventually grapples with him. As they struggle, he manages to whisper, "Osaki-san! You ARE Osaki, right?" The other is startled to hear his name and pauses a moment. That is far more than Tatsuya needs, and he brings the other man down. He whispers urgently, "You're wife hired me to find you!" The words seem to get through to the man, who seems stunned. "You have to get out of here, go home. Your wife is waiting for you!" But Osaki looks away from our hero. "Mari..." he says hopelessly. Then he moves suddenly, grabbing Tatsuya's neck and flipping him away. Tatsuya stares in amazement as the man makes some mad attack speech, then comes running at him. Tatsuya rolls out of the way and spends a little time ducking and dodging the man's un-coordinated strikes. Finally he catches the man's hand, twists his wrist and pins him, trying to get through. But Osaki is also trying to get through. He is trapped, there is no going home for him. He manages to push Tatsuya off, largely because our hero is avoiding hurting the poor pawn... er, man. Tatsuya says urgently, "I understand! I'll get you out!" Osaki hesitates uncertainly. As Tatsuya moves into a more menacing fighting stance, the appearance of battle covering their conversation as they circle. It is agreed. Tatsuya is faking a punch to the man's face. He gasps when the fist in front of his nose doesn't actually hit. Then there is another impact, a cruel tentacle that strikes the man and sends him flying. The crowd cries out as red falls, and the referree jumps over to do the count. Tatsuya is stunned. He thinks, "But I didn't even touch him!" and starts forward to protest. Before he can say anything, the referree yanks his arm up, spinning him towards the crowd to announce the winner. Tatsuya is puzzling over this, when his eyes flick upward towards the movement of the cloaked figure. His next opponent is coming out, the huge man in red.

Osaki in on his knees, begging before the golden-hued creature that has taken control of his life. That one leans arrogantly, sure of all his power. The man pleads anxiously for one more chance, while the creature is denying him, clearly amused by all of this. Osaki grips his owner's thighs, begging. Berito shoves him back, and two bodyguards grab him. Under their suits their faces are visible. They are of course Zenitto. They pick Osaki up for their master and Berito closes on him. "You're promises are worthless. You promised to make us money!" and bashes him against the wall. He slowly slumps to the floor.

The battle is over. Tatsuya wanders back, rubbing the sweat from his bruised face. He stops when he sees blue-clad legs and feet behind a crate, and rushes to look. Osaki is badly battered, as Tatsuya tries to wake him. He opens his eyes weakly and grabs at Tatsuya's collar accusing him of punching him out. Of course our boy tries to explain that he hadn't done it at all, something else had. The man wearily releases him and smiles weakly. He has realized that probably cheating was how he had lost. Tatsuya confirms with him anxiously that this place is under the Londarz Family control. And Osaki explains wearily how he got into this mess. The last time he was having fun. Laughing as he collected his winnings. And then a man with black glasses had invited him to bet against the owner. He had gone up, and witnessed fight after fight lost. Until, finally, there was nothing left. He had not had the sense to stop. His dream, to win big while betting, had come back to bite him and bit him hard. He loses consciousness in an anxious Tatsuya's hold.

And back at their base... Ayase and the others are all huddled together. "Well, that settles it," says Ayase. He and Yuuri straighten up, Domon and Sion anxious. They have to go do something, and their sleeping client is a concern. And Tatsuya drags the battered Osaki into a room to rest. He takes the red bandana and clutches it, determined.

Daylight, bright and shining, over the club. A lovely woman in a maroon dress and sliverly shawl approaches the entrance, a case in hand. It is Yuuri. She asks if she may enter, and the man on attendance gestures her in with a deep bow. Meanwhile, around the corner, Domon, Sion and Ayase have scaled a rope to get onto the balcony of one entrance. Sion rolls up the rope while Ayase leads the move inside. And in the bar, the bartender is setting up for the evening. An impact, and he falls unconscious. Ayase gathers him up, for his is only a Zenitto in a tuxedo. He drags the robot past Sion, who starts to doctor the drinks with powder from a small capsule. His golden brown hair a halo over his too-young face. And Tatsuya ties Osaki's red bandana around his own forehead with determination.

Is it day or night? There is no way to tell in the gloom and darkness. Yuuri sits at a table with a good vantage point for the fight. Tatsuya is released onto the arena. The beautiful waitress brings Yuuri her chips and receives a thank you. Yuuri glances at her as she leaves, then meets her teammate's eyes and nods faintly. He nods back. He turns his head and meets Ayase's gaze, for his friend is wandering as a waiter. They nod to each other, but Ayase looks anxious. A slim hand sets a blue drink in front of Yuuri and she meets Sion's angelic smile, before our youngster heads back to the bar. They are ready.

Tatsuya faces the Chinese man in his golden-brocade robes. Yuuri places her bet. She is putting a substantial amount of her money on red. The referee is ready to start. And they are going! Gold is no slouch, though Tatsuya evades most of the attack and finally manages to get in a few tough strikes of his own. The other man is downed swiftly, blood splattering his lips. Yuuri rakes in her winnings. Tatsuya downs another, and again the winnings go up. Yuuri watches each battle with seeming total emotionlessness. Tatsuya faces the extraordinarily muscular man in red, though this time that man wears a black bandana. The man has literally rippling pectorals, and makes Tatsuya very nervous indeed! But with all his speed and well-placed strikes, he does manage to take that power house down. Yuuri is watching as her plate is loaded with still more chips, when a man in black glasses comes to whisper in her ear. She agrees and goes with the man, exchanging again nods with Tatsuya. Ayase is watching this, and the battles, and clearly upset by the going ons. Sion exchanges anxious looks with her as she passes. Domon, in his regular clothes, peers at the goings-on from hiding.

She is there, and the man in heavy cloak joins her. She must show her real cash, to play against him. He graciously offers her first pick, and she chooses red. Of course then he must be black. And Tatsuya faces the monk, who adjusts his hat, then tosses it and readies for battle. The referee starts the fight. Tatsuya faces the man's staff. They are cautious, circling each other, but finally the man goes on the attack. Tatsuya is quick enough to catch the man's spear and launch a kick for his face. His eyes go wide as a tentacle wraps around our boy's ankle and drops him. But he does not pursue the attack, giving his young opponent a chance to recover. Both know something is wrong. But only Tatsuya thinks it. "It's so fast, no one can see it." They continue their struggle, Tatsuya allows himself to be pushed back, and then turns the tables. This time, when he goes after his enemy, his ankle is trapped and he is hit, several times, back stomach and face and he falls heavily. His opponent seems to have settled on wicked fury, while Yuuri watches all of this anxiously. After a moment of confused fury, the man goes after Tatsuya again. But our hero is only slightly slowed down, and evades the strikes at first. But then several blows connect. Tatsuya is badly staggered, then downed hard. The owner is gloating quietly. But despite his mockery, Yuuri only replies that she does not understand how he could do so well before, and suddenly be having such trouble.

She watches, wincing as blows impact on Tatsuya. Finally, they are in a clinch. Tired of being struck, Tatsuya grips the staff tight at his side and struggles to keep it there. A brutal punch, and he shatters the staff, much to his opponent's shock. And before recovery can be complete, Tatsuya moves to strike. And a tentacle blocks him and then sends him flying, while the man's defensive strike is the cover. He lands hard, but lifts his head, searching for the tentacles. And he has an idea. The referee is getting ready to count him out. His human enemy has let the staff spin away in victory greed. Tatsuya struggles to get up, while the owner starts to walk off, gloating. Yuuri says icily, "Don't you think you're leaving a bit early?" Offended by her tone, he turns. But the count stops at nine. Tatsuya is back on his feet, though barely. "I get it now," he says weakly, staring at the man across from him. "It's you." And then he whips around at the referee. "It's you!" and strikes him, hard.

The referee goes tumbling, but it is not the man who finishes, but a headless creature! Tatsuya gives a shout of victory. The man he had been fighting is stunned and gapes at the creature on the floor. And the owner is amazed. Before he can say anything, a woman says, "Oh, it's US, Berito." She pulls away the cloak and there floats the purple-skinned being. He has bizarre legs, like a starfish's, and arms. and hovers in mid-air. And his two guards fall. Ayase is there, and he deactivated the two Zenitto before they could become a problem. Yuuri keeps sharp watch on her enemy, fists raised. For the audience is all unconscious, and the Time Rangers are at no risk. The floating half goes down, to find it so, bodies slumped across every table and a young human mocking him. Sion explains what has happened, while the other fighter is still in shock, still staring. But then a blow from behind sends him into unconsciousness. It is Domon, who grins up at his friends. After laying the man down gently he stands and mocks their small opponent. A little slow on the uptake, the thing finally says, "You're Time Ranger!!" And they agree. So he sends down little lightning into the body lying below him.... It stands, and they become one unit. And then Berito RUNS! Our heroes pursue.

Out into a warehouse, where a cloth flies across his face. When he pulls it off, he finds he is facing the group, in their in-between clothing. Yuuri snarls, "Berito, you think you can run away?" then she and Tatsuya lead the change to armor. And now Berito faces the full force. And Tatsuya makes the under-arrest speech. Berito uses his lightning-fast attack-tentacles to knock our heroes, who get back up again quickly. Tatsuya uses a function called, "Chrono-Search!" and he can see the moving tentacles with this. Though the laughing Berito blasts them again, Tatsuya manages to roll, get up and use his shots to remove those tentacles. He tries to slice the enemy, but the smaller operator detaches again.... It is also dangerous, knocking our heroes until Yuuri shoots him. They bring in the Bazooka, and fire on the brains. It shrinks tight and small, but by great effort of will, has the body swipe its seal and become giant. Yuuir wastes no time in imprisoning the captured monster, but they still have this body to deal with. Tatsuya calls in the robots, and Takku signals for them. Through the Time Gate, to the present, out the Tokyo Dome. Our heroes board, and by warning from Takku, form Time Robo Beta. They are knocked by the tough monster and Yuuri has an idea. She has Tatsuya implement it, in a leap and a spinning kick. They call in the Time Flyer, and use it on the body. That's been enough. It blows, and the Beta Robo remains, still in the aftermath.

A great banner hangs from the walls of the Casino, announcing that these fights will no longer go on. The people stir from their drug-induced sleep. The warriors are helping each other out of there, confused by their throbbing heads. And a woman races into the building, searching anxiously for her husband. She finds him in the back, where he has regained consciousness to find beside him his huge case, FULL of the money he had lost. He hears a voice calling. It is his anxious wife. In tears, they throw themselves into each others' arms, he begging her forgiveness. Tatsuya watches from around the corner, and leaves the building into the sunlight. He stretches in the clean, outside air. Then he sees his four companions gathered. "Yo!" he calls them and races forward to clap hands with Sion, Ayase and Yuuri, then Domon. The group walks away together, leggy and beautiful in the light.

In next week's episode: Ayase faces an old friend. Baron. "Why are you with the Londarz?" he asks. And Lira is dressed as a human, but for that eternal pink hair. Jewelry on every finger. She is Baron's... um... well, it looks like these two are involved. And there is a young man Ayase meets, but I think it is Baron. Ayase has to face his once-friend, as the others watch him let that creature get away. And then again, when it is used to attack. And Ayase is his victim, and perhaps redemption. Case File 14. Dead Heat."

Driving down a city road. Tatsuya has shotgun (left side in Japan) and peers back over his shoulder, his eyes dancing. "Isn't it great to go on a drive, even in a rental car?" But I think the others have some objections, namely that it is very small. Yuuri is squashed between Domon and Sion in the back, practically having to sit on their laps. The three shift about uncomfortably, elbowing each other and Tatsuya snickers. For none of them can really drive but one, "We've even got a racer driving!" Ayase is driving, trying not to pay too much attention to them. Yuuri, desperate to get out of the squash, leans forward, arms on the seatbacks to ask about Ayase's career as a racer. "Even if he's a racer, in this time he just got a license! So be careful driving, beginner." Tatsuya's smile vanishes and he watches the other man empathically as Yuuri tells him to be careful and pats his shoulder. His lip twitches wryly. Sion pushes forward and asks, "So where are we going?" Domon announces emphatically, "Tatsuya! Why are you sitting in the front seat?" He shoves forward, knocking Yuuri back. "I got in first!" "Did not! It's my turn now!" He starts climbing into the front seat to several objections as there is just no room and Ayase protests angrily. With Domon practically crawling into Tatsuya's seat and knocking about, the car starts swerving wildly and Domon's hand comes down firmly on Ayase's foot over the accelerator. In no time at all the car is tearing down the empty road as Ayase struggles to get control back shouting, "Dammit, get your hand off the accelerator!" They tear through an intersection and a police officer on a motorcycle immediately comes after the car. Pulling them over, he gets off and walks to the driver's side. He taps the window and Ayase, face white, rolls it down. The officer bends to look at him and tells him he was speeding, 100 kilometers over, and gets a ticket. Domon says, "Didn't we tell you to be careful?" and Tatsuya angrily shoves his head down, growling, "This is YOUR fault!" Domon chuckles sheepishly, while Ayase sighs in exasperation.

The bright daylight streams down on Londarz Tower. Don Dorunero has caught a cold and is feverish. Two Zenitto stand holding cool water balloons against his head as he mutters, "Money, money. More money...." Lira walks over to Gien. "What's with him?" Gien explains mildly, his words interspersed with Dorunero's anxious mutterings about money. "He's complaining about not having enough money, so he's got a fever." Gien goes over and points out, "But you don't need money to do things, you can do anything you want!" The Don has happy visions of money showering down on him, into his greedy palms, his heart beating with joy, flowers all around. "But I like money! I like the smell of it!" He starts throwing a frustrated fit, and the Zenitto are unable to hold the water balloons on his head as he knocks them back with a wave of his arms. Lira, meanwhile, paces along the line of prisoners, studying each one. Gien turns and calls her as she brings one down, and she giggles charmingly at him. "I found a good boy."

The city at night, alight with neon blue and red. Someone waits, their red-gloved fingers resting atop a steering wheel, finger tapping coolly. Outside the car window we see a jewelry store, all golden light. And inside the store a saleswoman waits on a lovely woman whose hair is bright pink, in a sky-blue dress-suit. "Gorgeous!" she says of the rings adorning her fingers. "I'll take them all!" she tells the woman, who bows thankfully and asks if she wats the rings polished. But the customer stands and blows a kiss at her with a giggle, and with a cheerful wave "I'm paying with a kiss, I don't need the change." The salesclerk is still in shock for only an instant before pursuing the customer, who leaps into the open car. "Let's go!" she tells her companion, who is a shadow in the dark. He puts the car in drive and they are off, while the saleswoman tells the man behind her, "Call the police!!" The car is away, Lira laughing as she admires her new jewelry and they swerve through traffic with ease. Police cars pursue them and call them to stop. They wheel around a corner. Lira is alarmed by a tight spot but they squeeze through it, she closing her eyes and then they hit an intersection narrowly avoiding a driver going the other way, who crashes. A car ahead of them turns, blocking traffic, and their car takes flight going over the vehicle, to the amazement of the police who have to stop. And they drive on down the road until they finally stop at the edge of the bay. Lira leaps out of the car, calling "Baron!" The being who steps out is clear in the light. He is in green, gold and white, his face like an insect mask, in a way. Mad Racer Baron. Lira runs to him, singing his praises and cuddling up to him. He says he hasn't shown her his real driving talent, either. She snuggles against him, his arm around her shoulders.

Tatsuya and Sion are using each other to stretch in the morning light through the windows. Ayase and Domon are playing Othello, and Domon is losing to his dismay. Yuuri hurries to the computer and Sion slips away from Tatsuya, landing him on his bum. "Anything interesting in the paper?" he asks. Well, yes. There is the news report about the robbery last night. "Diamond Robber Evades High Speed Pursuit." Tatsuya is on his feet to listen. Yuuri asks Takku, but he is not finding anything that quite fits. Domon says, "That's gotta be really good driving technique." And he looks at Ayase, who is looking away, eyes closed. "Don't you agree? Hey!" he says sharply and Ayase jerks, startled into looking at him. Concerned, Tatsuya asks, "Do you know something about this?" Domon sips coffee as they all stare at Ayase. When he says no, Yuuri says to the others, "Let's go find out more from the police officers." But Ayase isn't listening to them. He is deeply thoughtful.

Lira and her companion, Baron, are driving down a road. Lira is dressed in gold brocade now, and she tells him, "With your technique, these jobs will be so easy!" she laughs. "I just like to see you happy, that's all the reward I need." Lira is delighted. When a blast in front of their wheels forces them to stop, to find the Time Ranger standing there with their bazookas. Time Pink says coldly, "This is as far as you go, Londarz. I knew it was you behind these robberies." Lira sneers and turns to Baron. "Ignore them, just drive." Baron looks at the five, who are preparing to fire. And then Time Blue steps between them and walks forward. Intrigued, Baron gets out of the car. Lira, surprised, says his name questioningly. He walks towards the other, who has put away his bazooka. They stand for a moment, and then Time Blue speaks in a weary voice. "Of course it was you, Baron." Startled, Baron says, "I know that voice! You're Ayase." And Ayase touches his wrist, deactivates his armor and stands before the other being, staring at him with quiet resignation. Tatsuya says in astonishment, "They know each other?" But Baron says cheerfully, "Well, it has been a long time, Ayase." But our hero will have none of this. "Why are you giving your power to the Londarz?" "Oh, well, you know me. I just have this weakness for sexy women." He hooks his thumb back at Lira in the car. Then he asks Ayase, "What about your machine? Let's drive together, just like in the old days!" But the waiting Time Rangers are disturbed. Domon moves accusingly, "Hey, he's still a beginner!" And Baron laughs in total amusement, backing towards the car. "You, still a beginner? I can't believe it!" Laughing, he gets to the car and says back at them, "You guys better be careful of Ayase. He was the one who put me in jail because of my driving! This is my skill, if you want to see!" And he gets in the car and drives at Ayase, swerving at the last minute to swing around him and get the other Time Rangers with glancing blows. Ayase does not move, even to turn, but watches the other drive off and says his name painfully.

Back at base, Ayase sits avoiding their eyes. Tatsuya watches him from the chair and Yuuri asks him, half-accusingly, half sympathetically, what happened. Domon pops in through the door, sitting cheerfully down and nudging Ayase hard with his shoulder. "You did something bad, didn't you?" bounding to his feet around Yuuri he says, "So you did have a place in you that was like a regular human. What a relief -- " but before he can go on, Tatsuya grabs him to shut him up. Yuuri watches as Tatsuya says, "Ayase couldn't have done anything bad." And Domon falls silent sheepishly, as Yuuri sits across from Ayase. "Tell us, Ayase." Calmly, Ayase manages to tell them. "In the 30th Century, we were a team of racers. Except after the race, he accidently killed somebody, driving home." Domon, sitting, Tatsuya beside him, "Killed someone?" Ayase got to his feet, walking towards the window. "I saw he'd been speeding, and I told the police." Sion blinked from his chair in surprise. "But isn't that too much, putting him in the Escalator for that?" Ayase turned slightly and said a homily about Bad hands and dead cars. Tatusya came to him anxiously, "But Ayase, you didn't do anything bad, right?" Ayase turned away from him to pull open the window frame. "He didn't think I did. But he has a grudge against me, for testifying at his trial."

And at the Londarz base, Lira is draping jewelry everywhere and sets a particularly ornate necklace and bracelet on Baron, telling him how gorgeous he looks. "A present from my heart!" She holds a mirror for him to admire himself. "I like to put jewelry on good boys! That's my hobby!" Gien crosses the room to Dorunero, who is also jingling with diamonds and feeling much better. "I didn't know Baron was so weird," muttered Gien. "Hey, let him do what he wants," said Dorunero agreeably, going back to his model of his home and the jewels draped on it. "Now that I'm free, my cold is so much better!" and he laughs. Baron suddenly starts across the room, and Lira turns in surprise. But he shimmers and changes to wear a human face. He looks like a pale, half-Japanese human, slender and with a narrow face, somewhat fragile looking, a lot like Ayase in a way, but not remotely resembling him. He turns to her. "Let's have some fun here in the 20th." Delighted, she changes into a Zebra-print dress, and they head off together. She drags him to look in a jewelry store window and lets his arm go. He is exasperated and hides around the corner. "I can't hang out with a girl like this. I'll go have fun."

He has settled at a restaurant, with a huge bowl of cherries he is eating contentedly when Ayase arrives. "Eating cherries with salt on it. I can tell you're an alien just by seeing how you eat." Finding him there, Baron sighs and tosses his head as Ayase sits, saying, "This place is famous for cherries." Baron has paler hair, is in a blue jacket and black leather pants. Arrogantly he says, "What do you want? You want to stop me from committing crimes? It means nothing. If you didn't say anything, I wouldn't have been put in the Escalator." The waittress brings water and Ayase orders coffee. Then when she's gone he leans forward sternly, "Don't dwell on it. But tell me one thing, why are you helping the Londarz? Are you really in love with Lira?" Baron sneers slightly. "It's all your fault." "Mine?" in dismay. "Did you know what I saw, dreaming my cold dreams, in the Escalator? You and I, racing together." He takes a cherry and eats it, as Ayase cannot meet his eyes. "Do you remember? In the race it was three wins and three losses?" He smiles slightly and looks at him with dancing eyes. "I'm with the Londarz. And as a Time Ranger, like you are now, you'll get close to me. So when you get close, we can race! Do you have the guts?" Ayase sighs and says wearily, "Promise me this." He stands and looks seriously at the other man. "That you won't help the Londarz win." And Baron smiles slightly back at him. "Do you have the guts to take me?" Ayase glances down, then firmly back at him. "I won't lose." And then his bracelet goes off. He answers it and Sion tells him, "The police officer sent us e-mail. You have to go to a class." Ayase nods wearily and looks up, but Baron is gone. He is outside, and waves back as he walks without turning to look.

Ayase sits in the class, as the teacher speaks sternly to the room full of quiet, serious people. "A car is a weapon. If you make a mistake, you might kill someone. So you much be careful. Careful plus careful equals very careful." But Ayase's thoughts are on Baron and his words. "Did you know what I saw, dreaming my cold dreams, in the Escalator? You and I, racing together." "You there! Are you paying attention?!" shouts the teacher. Ayase blinks in surprise as the other students look at him. The teacher checks his list and says, "Oh, so it's you who lost your driver license for speeding! I'm going to give you a special car lesson!" He gets in Ayase's face, as our poor young hero swallows and lets out a huff of exasperated breath.

They are in the car together. "Start!" says the teacher. Practically the moment they go, the teacher hits his brake. "Find your balance, boy! Steady, steady!" Ayase holds in his frustration and obeys. The constant stops are annoying, but the teacher is stern with him. "You are not a racer! One equals safety, Two equals safety!" Poor Ayase just agrees. And they drive and drive around the parking lot.

Lira comes dashing out of a jewelry store into the car, and they are off, leaving the saleman in the street. And Ayase's private lesson is almost finished. The teacher is very pleased. "Good, good. If you try, you can do it." And then the bracelet goes off, Yuuri's urgent call startling Ayase, who hits the brake and the teacher's head hits the window, cracking it (weak window). Yuuri, as the others rush for the door, says, "It's another robbery, meet us there!" and Ayase moves the car into drive as the teacher snarls, "You shouldn't be using your telephone in the car!" but he is flung about as Ayase tears out of the lot. "Stop, stop!" Ayase swerves madly around corners, pursuing the coordinates and soon cuts them off. The two cars stop side by side, Baron amazed to see him. The teacher is foaming at the mouth. And Ayase snaps, "Let's have a trial!" "Cool, I've been waiting for this." And Lira is delighted. "It's a dream. I'm dreaming," the teacher mutters.

The two cars race down the road, and Ayase shouts to Baron, for the cars are side by side, "I wanted to race you one more time! That's why I'm doing this test!" Baron snaps back, "Don't make me laugh!" But Ayase says sternly back, "No matter how many cars you use, you can still clear the whole place! No matter how many streets there are, you can easily turn on them! So you can easily turn from the Londarz road!" "Shut up!" snarls Baron. Ayase forces him to stop, and then he gets out to shake his fist at the other man. "What are you doing, racing like this?! You never cheat like that!" But Ayase steps out, too, looking intently at the man. "Yes, that's true." A yellow and black soccer ball bounces between the cars. Three little boys run to retrieve it. They take one look at Baron, cry out, "A monster! Run!" and go racing away. But Baron has an impulse to go after them, and Ayase sees it. But he says, "Ah, so you stopped me from going too fast, kept me from running over the kids. Well done." He turns to get back into the car, but Ayase calls him. And then so too does Lira, sternly. "What are you doing? We aren't finished racing yet." But he is shaken and says, "I cannot work for you anymore. The game is over." "So you're throwing me over?" "No. But every game has an end." He moves away from her. Ayase smiles in relief, as his old friend turns and chuckles at him.

"I'm not letting you stop." Lira stands and presses a button, and suddenly Baron is surrounded by red lightning, that burns him. Ayase cries out as his friend is driven to his knees. The other Time Ranger arrive as Lira says, "You're mine, forever." Time Red grabs Ayase before he can launch himself towards Baron. Sion says urgently, "It's the necklace doing this!" "Yes, you're right," agrees Lira cheerfully. And she turns. "So, you will fight, for me." And the jewels are absorbed into his skin, mutating him, and he attacks the Time Ranger and grabs Ayase to throttle him. The Zenitto come, while the others fight. Ayase is thrown to the ground and faces his growling friend, who has a sword. "I'll get this curse the pink lady put on you off!" (Ben is adding pink) And he tears his clothes away to reveal his changing outfit, and calls, "Chrono Changer!" And is in his fighting clothes. He dives and spins, kicking, fighting the maddened Baron. "You've got to remember me!" he shouts, but there is nothing to be done. They hit each other, and the sword is broken. Baron is down and Yuuri calls them the use the Bazookas to put him back in the Escalator. But Lira steps between and shoot them back, then turns and fires on Baron, breaking his Escalotor seal and sending him giant. She dashes off to enjoy the fireworks. And Ayase tells Takku to call in the ships. They come.

First formation Time Robo Alpha, and they fight Baron. Swords and giants in the city, but Baron is not an easy fight. And directing the battle, Ayase calls, "Wake up, Baron!" and his slice cuts the armor that came from Lira's jewlery. Baron's arms go limp, and he falls. They pause, and then he slowly begins to stand, calling Ayase's name, saying, "You're better than I am, Ayase. You always were. Put me back in the Escalator." Steam rising from his wounds, as he pleads. and the others look at Ayase, who pulls out his blade to run Jikuuken. "I'll take your soul with me," he says passionately, as he slices out, and Baron becomes small and frozen. And when the Robo stops and stands, it is with a faint impression of wistful sadness.

Ayase sets the cell on the edge of Baron's car in homage. The others watch him from behind as he thinks, of their races on the tracks. "When you go home to the 30th, be a champion racer." He can imagine him in the winner's circle, the crowds cheering. The trophy held high.

In next week's episode: The reporter is back, and she talks to us. "I'm looking for the Time Rangers, have you seen them?" But Yellow is standing right behind her, arms folded. "Back?" She whirls and points at him. "There you are!" He jumps in surprise. Scenes: she has an open photo album, one picture of Time Yellow, one picture of Ayase. She is captured and injured facing a female, vicious monster. Time Yellow is exploding as she begs him not to come. The Rangers try to protect her behind a fountain as the monster fires, and she has a collar about her neck. Case File 15. Search for the Sniper!"

And she is talking to us again, her arm wrapped around a shy Time Yellow's. "Watch us next week!" And Ayase pops up behind them. "Look please!" and ducks down as she whirls in confusion.

We see the Time Captain, standing there in his white uniform, staring at us with an expression somewhat softer than his usual, almost shy. And then he musses up his hair until his brightness is more like Tatsuya's. There is something feminine about the way he moves, and we see he is in the Londarz Tower. And the voice is too soft, too. "This is what Time Red looks like. There is that one woman, the tall one is yellow, blue is the cool guy and there's the little green boy." And then the voice becomes Lira's as he turns indignantly to the flowery, blue and red being leaning against the wall. "Are you listening?" she demands as she drops her disguise. The female creature is the Sniper Reihou. She steps away from the wall. "Is that all you can tell me, the colors they wear? You don't know where they live?" And Don Dorunero says, "Yeah, you got it." Gien reminds her that they know she got 5,000,000 per head for people she assassinated in the thirtieth century. She wants seven. Lira is furious. "Don't get greedy with us!" But Dorunero soothes them and asks, "Do you have the guts?" "Of course I do." "Good. Seven million per is all right, then." Lira, as the other woman heads out, grumbles, "Seven million per person, for FIVE people? We're going to pay her that!?" She is pouting, and Dorunero comes to her side to reassure her. "Now, Lira. She'll kill them, and we won't pay her." "Oh, really?" She takes his hand cheerfully and they walk together like lovers.

Morning at base. Yuuri and Ayase sit side by side, reading the papers. Domon is drinking coffee as he moves to settle down beside Tatsuya and Sion. But Sion suddenly thrusts the magazine he is holding to show them. "Look, please!" There is a picture of the photographer, shown beside several of their pictures, they read that she is the one who found the Time Rangers and got their pictures. And Yuuri grimly remembers their previous encounter with the annoying young woman. How she ended up totally in the way when they were trying to destroy the mind-control machine, and the enemy had found her. How all she cared about were her photos. Tatsuya reads, "She's going to interview them." "No, really?" asks Domon. And Ayase leans forward with quiet annoyance. "It's in the paper. Everyone is saying she's a friend of ours." but Yuuri adds that this could be a real problem. If the reporter finds them, so too might the Londarz. Ayase says quietly, "It might be too late if anything happens." Domon starts up, saying, "Okay, then I'll go and romance her." But Tatsuya pulls him back down. "If you go, you won't be looking for the Londarz, you'll be too busy with her!" "Hey, what do you mean?" But Yuuri asks, "Sion, can you find out her address?"

And the chubby editor of the magazine is blushing and embarrassed in the accusations thrown at him. "What's this all about?! I told you I wasn't going to take any more pictures of the Time Rangers!" She glares fiercely at him as he tries to soothe her. "But Honami, you're the only one who CAN get their pictures!" And she tells him she is going to quit! "Why?" he asks in astonishment. And when she just glowers and stutters, he asks, "Do you have another job?" he comes to the quite logical conclusion that she's fallen in love. He is grinning with delight. She stutters away protesting and he says, "I see by your face, it's true!" "No way!" she protests, and jumps to her feet. "I'm not taking any pictures of them!" and stomps off with her bag as he looks after her in dismay. "But Honami!" And she walks away beside a pond, then pauses. "Someone I like... well." And she pulls from her right breast pocket her wallet, opening it to show the picture of Ayase next to the picture of Time Yellow. She remembers his words to her, not to think she was bad. Thumbing up her and fighting, then destroying the monster. She giggles in warm memory. "He's so cool, and handsome and nice. And his face is just my type!" A young couple passes her and the man makes a snide remark about her being weird, standing there staring at a picture. She shrugs it off and continues home, to arrive in the evening.

She enters her dark apartment, chewing on some candy, and turns on the light. What she sees makes her drop the candy with a gasp. There is Reihou, and she's been going through Honami's collection of pictures. "Welcome home," she says, chuckling. She holds up the pictures to show Honami. Of course the pictures of their real faces are not amongst these. She drops the pictures at the frozen Honami's feet and holds up the book that was available that morning. "My, looks like you have a lot of pictures of the Time Ranger, here, yes?" When Honami turns to run, Reihou with a move of her hand blasts a small hole in the wall. Honami freezes in terror, her hands instinctively coming up to shelter her face. A clawed hand settles on her shoulder as she stares mutely at the burn in the wall. "I just want to hear a little about all this."

The Time Flyer thrums through the night air, piloted by Yuuri, alone. Arriving over a single building, she jumps down to the rooftop and looks down, trying to determine which apartment in the next building is the one. "So, what am I going to say to her?" But one apartment is brightly lit, the sliding door to the balcony open. And inside things have been knocked over. Yuuri heads into the apartment to find shelves overturned and a pack on the floor. There is no one there, and the rest of the room looks surprisingly neat for all this chaos near the entrance.

Honami runs backwards until she fetches up against a utility box. Reihou, her hand thoughtfully on her chin, looms menacingly close and then leans forward into her space. "Right, so tell me all about it. Where can I find your friends, the Time Rangers?" She cups her claws around Honami's chin and the young woman shakes her head in negation. Reihou smacks her twice and lets her fall to the floor, a trickle of blood from her swollen, lower lip. She crawls frantically backwards as Reihou approaches, reaching down.

The group is all in her apartment. Sion and Yuuri are together cleaning up the photographs. Domon is placing books back on the shelf and Ayase is picking up furniture. Tatsuya seems to be supervising (*snicker*). "There are no clues where she might be." He grumbles that of course this is the Londarz's work. Sion and Yuuri are finding lots of photos of Time Yellow amongst the many piled here, "She has all these pictures. She might have figured something out." Nothing shows a hint of who they really are. She stands, but Sion still looks disturbed and thoughtful. Ayase, moving slowly, suddenly notices the tiny hole burned into the doorframe. "Hey," he calls the others. They all stare at it and swallow in alarm.

And a computer projection of the impact sight presented by Takku on their computer back at their home, shows how the hole thinned out the further in it went. And Takku says, "There's only one who uses that type of lasergun." Of course it is Reihou he shows them. Prisoner number 296, assigned to Escalator for 150 years for killing one hundred and fifty people. A Professional Assassin. And Domon speaks, "So they're trying to find us again." But Ayase adds, folding his arms, that she must have Honami because the article had claimed the woman knew who the Time Rangers are. Tatsuya points out that Honami doesn't really know where they are, after all. She doesn't know what they look like. (HAH!) They nod agreement. So Yuuri asks Sion to do more research about Honami's mansion (apartment complex, they mean), all they can do is try to find her.

And at the lower floors of the complex, Honami cries out in pain and fear. Reihou seems about ready to slaughter her as she says frantically that she really does NOT know who the Time Rangers are. Reihou knocks Honami back against the wall, and a laser-sight appears over her right eye. A sparkle of light on her arm and the gun appears. She is about to kill her, or so Honmami believes, but instead takes a quick glance around. Seeing the elevator at the far end of the corridor with its lights registering the changing floors, Reihou turns and fires on each number-light in order. Honami swallows convulsively, but again says she does not know. And Reihou starts to beat her until her wallet falls from her pocket. Curious, Reihou stoops to see it and opens to the two pictures. "Of course. He's your boyfriend. That's why you won't tell." She throws the wallet back to Honami, who clutches it desperately. She has another plan.

As an alert goes off in the morning, Sion tells the others urgently that they've picked up a signal from the girl. She's in front of Central View Building. He is triangulating her position. Yuuri has a cup of coffee, Tatsuya and Ayase trip over themselves jumping off the couch to see what's up, Domon right behind them. And in a wide square, open area all around, Honami sits on a block. There is a collar around her neck and she has her fingers twined tight together. Her face is slightly bruised, but the blood is gone. Not enough to attract undue attention from strangers. She is breathing rapidly, and perhaps hears the signal the collar is giving off. It has a green gemstone that blinks a yellow light. She stares around, terrified of moving. There are people walking by. Innocent couples, small family groups. Kids on their way to school. An old man talking to his grand-daughter. Any one of these might become a target for the cruel Reihou. She does not see, far above her, the glow of Takku's rockets. He hovers and looks down at her, analyzing the images he perceives, the golden energy glow that his sensors pick up within her body. As he quickly flies away, Reihou watches him go, snickering. "Hurry and come to save this poor, endangered woman, Time Ranger!"

Takku returns to base and settles quickly to tell them what he saw. He shows them her image as he saw it. Tatsuya says, "But she's alone." Yuuri is not reassured. "So, she's going to try to make us go there, and then kill us while we aren't watching." And Takku explains that Reihou's lasergun can penetrate the Time suits. She could be anywhere within one kilometer of Honami's position. But if they cannot figure out where she is, they cannot stop her. "You're kidding," mutters Domon. Sion says, "Wow, she's a good assassin." "Don't admire her!" protests Domon. So they have several missions. Protect themselves from her laser and, as Ayase points out, find her. But Takku points out they haven't any time. "Look at this." And he shows them the bomb around Honami's neck. It will go off... in half an hour. They gasp and exchange nervous looks.

And Honami is getting frantic. She looks around, her face white. If they come... she can imagine Time Yellow running towards her, calling out "You okay?" and the flare of blue-white light as Reihou fires. Three shots and he falls, his uniform disappearing to reveal Ayase, writhing in agony, hand over his destroyed heart, then slumping dead on the cement. "No!" Honami cries aloud, and leaps to her feet to run. But a flash and her badge goes rolling on the ground. A warning. The assassin's voice. "If you move, I'll put a hole through your heart." She sits heavily, "No, it's okay. They don't like me. They won't come, really. Not for me."

Sion is working on his Vol-Pulsar, to modify it to fire a barrier that will temporarily hold Reihou's shots. Takku shows them a simulation of it forming the protective shield. But he warns them that it will only last so long. Perhaps long enough for them to pinpoint her location, using trajectory of her shots. Tatsuya and Ayase nod agreement. And Yuuri points out that there are only ten minutes left. But Sion has done it, his Vol-pulsar is ready to fire the special shot.

And Honami waits, while Reihou laughs and waits. "Not much time left, Time Ranger." No one notices the truck that pulls up in the distance, but it is Ayase, dressed in grey workman's clothes, who gets out the driver's side. Domon and Tatsuya, dressed the same, get out the other side. Yuuri and Sion are in the back, in their armor. Everything continues to look innocent. Tatsuya has placed himself, now in armor, high above Honami. He has a good view. On the other side, at ground level, Ayase in his armor is watching from behind a pillar. On the opposite side is Domon, barely visible behind another pillar in his armor. Yuuri calls them to tell them they will start. She carefully pulls the heavy burlap cover aside so Sion can fire. He makes certain Honami is at the center and fires. Tatsuya can see in his helmet sensors the green pour of the shield over her. Yuuri points out it takes thirty seconds for the barrier to get full strength. Sion is watching alertly, when suddenly he sees Honami turn. She has spotted Domon, who is leaning too far from behind his pillar. "Domon!" gasps Sion. And a similar gasp has broken from Honami's lips where she sits. Domon waves encouragingly at her and she tightens her lips, about ready to cry. She thinks, "Oh, he really came. He came for my sake!" and Sion, Takku behind he and Yuuri, comments, "Oh, this is bad. She's going to move!" "What?" asks a confused Yuuri. But Domon is signalling Honami that it will be all right. She smiles for an instant, before remembering what is going to happen. Panicking, she gets to her feet. Seeing her stand, Sion springs from the back of the truck, a startled Yuuri calling after him. Honami is backing hurriedly away. Domon is trying to signal her to stay but she whispers, "Oh no! Don't come! Time Yellow, don't come to me!" Anxious for her, he is edging out of hiding and she stumbles backwards. Sion is racing from the other direction and Reihou crows with delight. She fires on him but the shield glimmers green, negating the shot. "A barrier! Well that won't last long!" She fires repeatedly as Sion grabs Honami and pulls her down. Screams erupt around them as the other civilians realize they're in danger. And Yuuri knows the shield won't hold because it wasn't finished, calls Takku to pinpoint the location of the sniper, while she races out to help Sion and Honami. Sion is trying to tell Honami they have to take off the bomb, but she is in an utter panic, jerking free of him. The furious assassin is firing madly on them and the shield is breaking down. Yuuri catches up and she and Sion drag the girl behind the fountain. Tatsuya, from his high vantage point, searches madly for the sniper. And Takku pinpoints the location. He calls Yuuri quickly, "Yuuri, she's behind you at six o'clock!" Yuuri spins and sees both Reihou and the flare of light as she fires, and manages to deflect the shot with her Time Vector! But she falls, and the annoyed sniper readies another shot. "Man, they're good. They found me!" They've got Honami behind the fountain, and it is just enough protection, for the moment. But the girl struggles free of them and races away, hoping to draw the sniper's fire from them. "Don't come!" she screams back as she runs. They follow her, of course. Reihou comments on their stupidity and gets ready to fire. "WAIT!" shouts a voice behind her. And it is Time Yellow, our Domon, come round the corner with his bazooka trained on her. "Hands up!" he snarls. She obeys, acknowledging who he is. "So you're here to save your princess, are you?" He is confused by her phrasing. "Um, yeah, sure." Red and Blue catch up with the confrontation. Tatsuya says, "You should give up on this one." And Ayase says, "That's right!" and Domon says, "Yeah, you're under arrest." "I see. I'll come quietly." When they foolishly think they've got her, she starts firing on them. They are knocked down.

Honami is wearing down, her steps slowing. The bomb about her neck will go off very soon. She runs straight into Time Green and Time Pink's arms and they grab her. Hysterical, she fights them. "Time Yellow will die! He'll die! Die!" she screams. Yuuri can do nothing else. She punches Honami in the gut, knocking her out. The impact jars the collar that Sion has been frantically working at loose and it falls to the ground. "Look out!" shouts Sion and they both pull Honami behind a pillar as the collar explodes. Holding the unconscious woman, Yuuri says wryly, "She does this all the time, crazy camera-woman. Why did she try to do something like THIS?" But Sion says, "Well, she's in love with Domon." "Huh?" Yuuri looks at him, then down at their fragile, unconscious charge.

And flying Tatsuya followed by Domon and Ayase. "I'll just have to settle for three of you," Reihou says, and drops a bunch of golden pellets on the cement, calling out the Zenitto. They come marching towards our heroes, and the fight is joined. our boys are good, slicing through the crowd with their Time Vectors. But while they fight, Reihou is preparing to fire on them. But Yuuri gets in on the battle to tell her she's under arrest for breaking the laws of time. Reihou wipes her seal and goes big and starts firing on them. Tatsuya calls Takku, who calls for the Time Ships. And they are graciously, immediately, sent! Out the Tokyo Dome, to be boarded by our heroes, and Tatsuya calls for Time Robo Alpha. Assembled, they face their enemy. Their shield deflects her shots, but the resulting explosion makes her seem to have disappeared. But Yuuri spots her above them. She fires on them and they are gone. She thinks she's destroyed them, only to find they've gone to Time Robo Beta formation and are hovering above her. They catch her in the Flyer Magnum's special shot, leaving her tumbling in air, assume Time Robo Alpha again and bring out the sword to slice and dice her. "Time up!" announces Tatsuya, as she is exploded and shrunk. And the ships return home.

Yuuri tenderly lays the unconscious Honami in bed, covering her gently with her comforter. Sion is sitting at Honami's desk, rifling through all the pictures she has of Time Yellow. He shows them to Yuuri. "If she really studies these pictures, she'll know who he is. She really loves him." Grinning, he looks down. Yuuri looks away at the fragile woman. She thinks, "I never noticed it. Even though I looked at the same pictures as Sion. I didn't notice that she loved him." She steps away from the bed, sees a red wallet on the floor and picks it up tenderly. She sighs and sets it on the bedside table. She glances at Sion, who is putting a pen back in its place on Honami's desk. He is smiling. "Sion, let's go home." "Oh, right!" he replies enthusiastically. They head off together. And on the desk, one of the photos is still turned over and now there is writing on the back. Sion's e-mail address. SION@TR:future.pky

The Londarz Tower. Don Dorunero and Lira are returning from an excursion. "Oh, that was delicious!" she is saying, content and delighted. Don Dorunero answers, "That was a good store, yes," he rubs his stomach. Gien gets up, walks over to them and says, "I know you two are enjoying yourselves, but Reihou's been recaptured." "Recaptured?" repeats Dorunero in surprise. "Well, the poor thing, she had so much guts," says Lira. And Dorunero commented, "I guess we'll just have to keep trying to find them."

And Sion is reading his e-mail. Microsoft's Outlook Express. Grinning, he calls Domon over. Domon looks at the screen and reads, "To Time Yellow." With a crow of delight, he pushes Sion out of the seat and takes his place. "It's a fan letter!" Tatusya scrambles to his feet as Ayase looks rather surprised. "No, really?!" "It's gotta be someone fooling around," comments Ayase. "Shut up, stupid," Domon says but only half-heartedly. He is too busy with his letter. "It's from the Cameraman, Honami." Stunned, both the other men lean down to read. Domon notices this and shoves them back. "This is private, you guys don't read it, go away!" And Sion walks over to Yuuri and sits down shyly in front of her. "You ignored it when I gave her my address, didn't you?" Yuuri blinks and shakes her head, but she is blushing slightly. "No, really." He tries to reassure her. "It's okay. She won't be able to find us with that address." But then Domon calls him ecstatically. "Tell me how to answer her!!" and Sion comes happily to help.

And in Honami's apartment, she is warmly delighted as she reads his answer. "I guess it's real! We're in love!" She leaves the computer and rolls onto her bed, taking out her pictures and kissing the man's. "After mail comes kisses!" she rolls over happily, pressing her face into the blanket in delight.

In next week's episode: "Japanse noodles. They smell good, they taste good. He's going to teach me how to make them! I'm going to be a soba master! Except it's really too difficult." Enjoying delicious soba, Domon determines to learn to be a cook, and Sion is afraid Domon is going to leave them. But his friend's restaurant comes under attack, and he finds the man barely conscious amongst the flames. Case File 16. そばにある夢 A Dream of Noodles

At the Londarz Tower, and Don Dorunero is brushing his teeth with a huge, soft brush. Gien is behind, polishing his gun hand, Lira is watching him with a speculative look, then when he comments "I want to eat something good again!" cuddles up against his wide back, leaning on his shoulder and says, "I'm tempted to steal a great treasure!" But Gien says, "I think something better than that will happen." They turn to him, intrugued. "What?" ask the Don. "And who did you set free this time?" challenges Lira. Gien's eyes tilt in humorous amusement and he explains, "Binsento. He has the best mind for food, he can remember every kind of food."

And waiters flee a restaurant as explosions destroy it. There is the enemy, who looks kind of like a humanoid mud-skipper, cackling amongst the flames. And, at Tomorrow Research, Ayase is typing away on the computer. Tatsuya is listening to someone on the phone and writing down notes. Sion is repairing something, and there are a group of young women sitting on the couch, in deep discussion with Yuuri. In the midst of all this, Domon, still in his pajamas, walks yawning out of the boys' bedroom. Another phone rings, and Tatsuya calls over his shoulder, "Someone answer that phone!" Domon yawns and rubs his shoulder, turning towards the table to answer the phone. But he slips and falls into a young woman's lap, knocking down a vase of flowers first, then proceeding to knock everything else off the table as he crawls to get the phone. The angry women get up and stomp away, out of the office, in anger, to the horrified dismay of the other four. They fold their arms and glare at him as he tells the person on the phone he was sleeping, and to try back later and hangs up. Tatsuya, Sion and Ayase all snap at once, "DOMON!!" Blinking blearily, he looks around at them.

They practically shove him down the stairs outside after he's gotten dressed. He turns to them, still confused. "What are you doing?" Ayase and Tatsuya are at the front, Yuuri centered between them with Sion peering over their shoulders. Ayase sets his hands on his hips and explains coldly, that he's just cost them several customers, and stalks back in. Tatsuya "Don't come back until you have a good job!" and also stalks off as Domon reaches after him. Yuuri glares fiercely, "Understand?" and stalks away. "But..!" he protests, trying to follow them. But Sion moves to stop him, holding his arms fiercely and counter-balancing him to spin him around, back down the stairs. With a warm smile the youngster says, "Please keep trying!" and poor, stuttering Domon is off on his own.

Domon walks amongst the people with a sign, and a placard on his chest saying "TR", trying to talk people into coming to their office. "Tomorrow Research! We'll do anything!" Grumbling he says, "Why do I have to do this? I thought they were my friends! Hey, they threw me out!" But then his stomach growls something fierce and he decides he might as well eat lunch. There is a soba shop in front of him, and he beelines for it. The owner sets him out a tray, with the noodles, the yummy sauce, and the small plate of sliced green onions with a dollop of mustard. Domon takes a bite, then freezes and controls his face. The cook looks down at him miserably. "Of course it's terrible," he says sadly. "I used to be in a little company with one of my friends. My friend betrayed me, and I had to quit. I started this little Soba shop, but there's no heart here. It isn't good, I'm having a bad life, now." And Domon's heart goes out to him. "I know just how you feel. When your friends betray you, you can't believe it." The poor man looks up in astonishment, and Domon begs to be allowed to help, to the man's astonishment. "I'll root for you!"

They have arrived at Time Research with four people's worth of soba trays. The group sits around the table, slightly bewildered, as Domon proudly introduces his nervous friend, Tsubayashi, who bows to them. "Everyone, we have to cheer for his store, so hurry and eat!" They start eating, but of course the stuff tastes terrible and Tatsuya is the first to admit it. "Hey, but he made that with his whole heart!" Ayase responds wryly, "His whole heart? It takes four things to make soba." Domon turns questioningly to Tsubayashi, who looks helpless. Ayase continues, "Someone who doesn't know how to make soba shouldn't try." But Domon twists to his friend, who is miserable and finally flees through the door, Domon calling after him. Bur rather than being angry, Domon sits down pleadingly next to Ayase. "Please, I'm asking you. Teach Tsubayashi how to make soba." Ayase gets up, their eyes on him. He is not willing and asks Domon over his shoulder if he didn't get any work. But Domon says he's been with Tsubayashi and Ayase counters that his job was to find work, not get personally involved. Domon whirls to the others, who quickly turn their heads away, looking somewhat dismayed. Furious, Domon tosses his chopsticks down and runs from the room. They all lift their gazes after him.

Out in the night air, under a monument lit by blue and green lights, Domon and Tsubayashi cross a bridge together. "Of course, I'm just hopeless at this, I know," the man is saying sadly. Domon is trying to buck him up and to suggest they learn to make the stuff together. If it's too hard for one person to do alone, perhaps the two of them can do it together? And Tsubayashi brightens up.

Morning finds them sampling soba at a restaurant, looking weary and somewhat happy. This tastes sweet, at least. Domon asks the chef, who is wiping tables, how it is made. But he says he won't tell them. And there is another customer there, a somewhat odd looking fellow, with oddly curving eyebrows and a too-consistently red face. He is dressed in grey and talks sneeringly about people wanting to make soba, and the deficiencies of this shop's. Domon and Tsubayashi sneak out while the weird man rants, to the dismay of the chef who confronts him. And then the man stands to reveal his true face. He is the creature, Binsento (Vincent). And he sets the restaurant up in flames. Meanwhile, Domon and Tsubayashi have stopped in at another restaurant and are amazed at the taste. And yet another one, and another.

The odd, red-faced man is eating at a sushi bar, sampling the goods available. When he dislikes the taste, he goes after the poor, frightened chef and grabs the poor man's head. Domon, meanwhile, has found work at the soba restaurant they liked best. He is diligent, scrubbing the floor's under the cook's watchful eyes. Another restaurant displeases Vincent, and he destroys it while the customers run. He takes out a street-vendor's cart next, grabbing the vendor and spanking him in frustration for making such terrible food. And Domon is up in the mountains, talking to a man who has a huge basket slung across his back. Another restaurant, with little dead fish and mushrooms and all sorts of things for making a yummy, Japanese meal. Seaweed, and everything. No, not a restaurant. It is Tsubayashi at home, sampling what he's cooked and critical of the taste. Domon has a turn at mixing the flour for soba, all in a white chef's outfit. He rolls out the dough and uses a bamboo stick to thin it out in the proper style. When it is right, he carefully slices it into this strips, fries and then rinses them in a shallow basket.

And back home the others are starting to worry. Sion is at the computer, Ayase is staring out the window. Yuuri sits next to Takku, her hands folded together. Tatsuya fusses. "Really! Just where IS Domon?" But the voice that responds doesn't give him the answer he wants to hear. Takku has registered the latest attacks. "Is it the Londarz?" asks Yuuri. "Couldn't be anything else." This guy has been attacking assorted restaurants, and the most likely suspect is Vincent. He's in for a hundred and eighty years, and first...

And Lira is sitting in her regular clothing at an outdoor restaurant, with Vincent in his human disguise. Even Gien is there. There are tables clear all around them, but the customers a bit away seem to be ignoring these odd additions to their lunch hour. Vincent is countering that he is a restaurant CRITIC, to Lira's questions. The server arrives with their order and Gien suggests they start eating. They do, Vincent taking a huge bite and the taste and texture infuriates him. He upsets the table, revealing his real face to furiously attack, but the Time Rangers have arrived to fight him. Gien takes one look and asks curiously, "Where is Time Yellow?" Tatsuya looks around in dismay. When Vincent charges, Ayase is the first to attack followed right up by Tatsuya with the Vector 3 attack, and Yuuri hits him with the Vol Sniper. Tatsuya is ready to call in the Vol-tech bazooka, but Yuuri says they cannot use it and he realizes, of course, they need Domon. Gien suggests with a sneer that they return home, and Vincent tells our heroes they will meet again. In a swirl of their cloaks and a shimmer of blue light, they vanish.

Tsubayashi has worked and worked, and finally, the sauce he's made turns out just perfect. He hears the door slide open and turns to grin in ecstatic joy! "Domon!" Domon slides the door shut proudly as his friend rushes to welcome him. "I made it!" He is so proud, the journeyman returned, mission successful. "So did I! I got the sauce!" And they grab each other's arms in brotherly alliance, Domon saying, "The two of us will turn this into the best soba shop!" But at that very moment, a voice interrupts to tell them otherwise.

It is Ayase, come to retrieve Domon from this, to remind him of the more serious business of being a Time Ranger and stopping the Londarz. But Domon is dismayed to realize the Londarz remain a problem, and he hangs his head in despair as Ayase lectures. And in front of Tsubayashi points out that Domon can't just stop being a Time Ranger, they have to fight the Londarz. Domon grabs his jacket and pulls him around to face him urgently. "You didn't want to help when I asked you!" Ayase looks somewhat ashamed but points out, "It's a better dream. It's of vital importance." And Domon can only let him go and glare. Ayase says gently, "You understand." And Domon's face is frozen, eyes puffy.

Back at their base, Ayase stands staring grimly at the wall as Yuuri paces somewhat helplessly behind Sion at the computer, near to a dismayed Tatsuya. "This is really bad. If he's planning to quit being a Time Ranger..." Ayase sighs unhappily, "Maybe." Tatsuya is alarmed and Sion says softly, "Then we'll only be four." But then Ayase's eyes go wide and he bends down urgently to Takku. "I have to ask you for something." The little robot pays strict attention.

Tsubayashi has parted the chopsticks and is ready to eat. Domon brings out the soba and puts it down for him, and he scoops up a huge moutful, dips it in his sauce and starts eating. The taste is fantastic! And as Domon sits to join him, Tsubayashi points out, "With this kind of soba we'll get lots of customers! You'll bring in lots of money and your friends will stop worrying!" Domon is also pleased. They eat together.

The store is open again, and Tsubayashi puts up the sign saying so. Just then comes a man and he greets him nervously when he recognizes the cruel critic from the restaurant he and Domon had eaten at, so long ago. The man sniffs and heads inside. "Right," mutters a determined Tsubayashi, and heads in after him.

Domon stands, leaning on the fence of a bridge over a canal. He is thinking about being a Time Ranger, but not entertaining the thought of quitting, enjoying the breeze. When the screaming starts! He runs to investigate. It is Tsubayashi's restaurant, and it is up in flames. Domon finds his friend, coughing and a bit scorched, amongst the flames. Before he can really do anything, he hears sinister laughter and sees the enemy, Vincent. But he cannot pursue, he can only save his friend and listen to the distant sirens of fire trucks. And afterwards, they stand together outside the cordoned-off remains of the building, between the two police officers standing guard. Tsubayashi looks like his heart is broken. "That guy was a Londarz," confirms Domon. But his friend is murmuring, "I thought of earthquakes, I though of taste...." "There's nothing you could have done." Domon is concentrating, thinking what to do. And something he says about the months catches his confused friend's attention.

Vincent is attacking customers at a small truck-vendor selling ice cream. He opens his coat and reveals a set of silver ware. When he hauls out the fork, it becomes a huge thing in his hand as he spins to attack. But when he would have killed the vendor, a Blue Vector blocks his strike and he is knocked away. He faces the four Time Rangers and calls in the Zenitto. The battle is joined. Yuuri and Ayase wind up back to back. "Do you think Domon will come?" she asks. "Maybe."

In the remnants of the shop, there are still a couple of tables and chairs. Domon brings out food for his friend, who is sorting through chopsticks to find ones that are not burnt. And then Takku calls him urgently. He has brought a box and is telling Domon anxiously to go help the others. But Domon says "No." But Takku tells him he has brought something, something that will help. And Domon takes the box, tied with pink ribbons, from him. He shakes it and realization crosses his face. "This is...."

The others fight, and have been downed. Vincent is about to slaughter them when a voice calls him to wait. Domon is coming, in white chef's clothes, with a street-vendor's Soba cart. The others watch in confused amazement as he approaches, getting back up. And Domon offers the challenge, if Vincent likes the Soba Domon will make, he will have to surrender. If not, he is free. Tatsuya is trying to argue with this plan, but Ayase holds him back. And the challenge begins.

Domon prepares the ramen from scratch, mixing the dough, rolling it, cutting it, frying it under the amazed eyes of his friends and Vincent, who muses on the beauty of the process. Tatsuya cranes to see what Domon is doing, and now the plate is presented. "Right." Tatsuya shivers in anticipation as Vincent sits to eat, excited. He dips his soba, sets it on his huge, red tongue, and is amazed at the taste. The team watches nervously. For Vincent, it is like having a wave of deliciousness pour over him. He can do nothing but rave at the amazing, wonderful taste. But then Domon points out that Takku had brought this package, special delivery, from the 30th. It was Vincent's favorite type. And Vincent is absolutely ecstatic. They others are pleased, too. And Sion calls Domon, who switches into his armor and tells Vincent he is under arrest. Vincent kneels, and they call in the Vol-Tech Bazooka. But Vincent cannot hold it. He blasts their shot away and wipes his seal to become giant. And Takku, at Domon's call, calls in the Time Jets. Tatsuya orders Time Robo Beta and they form for battle. Vincent hides behind a building and they cannot fire at him without hurting innocent people. He laughs and blasts them. Domon orders something cool. They turn and fire, and the blast goes around to hit Vincent in the back! He falls in amazement, and they form Time Robo Alpha and bring out Jikuuken. And Domon announces after slash, the "Time up!" and Vincent is shrunk. The Time Jets return home.

Tsubayashi has a thriving outdoor cafe business, now, he even has a waittress working for him. His customers all praise him and he thanks them apologetically, his heart singing. Domon watches from around a corner, grinning with joy. The waittress makes her boss stands still long enough to pad the sweat from his brow before he picks up more noodles, and a happy Domon returns home. He opens the door to find that Tatsuya and Sion are cleaning. Sion leaps to greet him, Tatsuya fast, too. They lead him in, Tatsuya's arm about his shoulders. "You aren't going to quit Time Ranger, right?" Tatsuya asks. But he wouldn't. He slits down and stretches out on the couch, near Ayase and Yuuri. Yuuri bends down and asks Takku in a very quiet voice, "Did that Soba REALLY come from the future?" Well, um... he had found it at Minami Hankyuu. Ayase bends down to whisper, "Minami Hankyuu just started making this new type of Soba." And in surprise she looks up at him, "You knew about it?" He moves away from her, avoiding her direct, curious gaze and polishing the glass of the picture he holds. The phone rings, and Domon, content on the couch, calls Ayase to answer it. And Domon explains happily that there are all these customers now at Tsubayashi's shop, and he thinks there is a girl who likes his friend! He plays at hugging himself and making kissy faces, so Tatsuya lets a stick fall to hit him lightly in the forehead as Yuuri and Sion giggle.

In next week's episode: Tatsuya gets an older student in his Karate classes, Makoto. The boy is determined to get stronger. The reason is there are creeps at his school who beat up on him. Tatsuya is trying to sink the morals of Karate into the troubled boy, who eventually resorts to dark face makeup and dying his hair, and becoming a bully himself. And eventually the boy fights Tatsuya, who has a hard time hitting back.

With the books and the abacus out, Don Dorunero is tallying up their cash and finds, to his horror, that there is a lot less than he expected. The collections of invoices he sends flying into the air as sparks spurt from the spikes on his head. Gien comes up to aks what's wrong, and he points at the zero totals in the book. Lira, behind him, comments laughingly, that it isn't so bad. Gien says they should just hit up another bank. But Dorunero paces between them, grumbling. And Lira laughs and goes to the shelf of prisoners. She has a good one already picked out.

Dark night, and a woman is crossing a bridge on her way home. Something evil moves in the darkness, in a moment of speed it confronts the astonished woman. It strikes her and she falls. Odd creature, with either shades of pockets under yellow eyes. His name is Furan.

Morning, and Tatsuya packs his equipment to go teach, stuffing bread into his mouth even as he bids Sion farewell. As he passes towards the door, Yuuri comes in and makes room for him to pass. Domon, in his golden-peach pajamas and white cap, shakes his head in amazement. "He sure gets up early," he manages to say through a great yawn, turning to the white-pajama clad Ayase. Even as they speak, Yuuri is settling onto the couch with the morning newspaper. And she tells them he has an early class with a bright student. They are all amazed. And Tatsuya is at the dojo with his student, they are practicing together. The boy is beautiful, his hair a solid fall of black, just covering his eyebrows on an egg-shaped face. He works smoothly under Tatsuya's command, his higher, young voice in counterpoint to his teacher's. But when they turn to continue the move the other way, he suddenly sinks, sweating, to the floor. "What's up? Don't give up!" Tatsuya tells him sternly. He nods and gets back to his feet to continue the movement. And at the doors, Ayase, Sion and Domon are all peering through, curious. Sion thinks it's great and Domon scolds him for being easily impressed. But Yuuri is there, too, shoving through to tell him not to be nasty. Overbalanced, the four fall through the doorway, startling Tatsuya and his student. Tatsuya can't help but grin at his piled friends. "And what are you guys up to?" They quickly disentagle themselves, sitting on their heels seiza-style, Sion at the center front with Ayase on his left, Domon on his right and an embarassed Yuuri behind him. The other two men get to their feet. Tatsuya introduces Makoto, his student of whom he is very proud. The boy looks somewhat frozen in the spotlights but greets them formally. Sion bows back and Domon calls encouragement. And Tatsuya sets his student off on particular moves while he goes to talk to his friends. "Makoto's got guts! He practices his Karate at the dojo EVERY day." Domon asks a question about a red belt, but Tatsuya is not put off. He really enjoys teaching the boy.

Night, and Makoto practices. His knuckles are bleeding where they've been scratched on the rough rope bound around the post in front of him. He punches at it. And in the mornings, he practices with Tatsuya, smoother every day. And at school he plants beautiful flowers, wearing a blue apron. But he looks up in alarm. Ther is a small group of menacing boys approaching, shoving at other students who are too close to avoid them. Makoto makes tracks, but as the three boys round the corner, they see the empty planters and his watering can, and know he is somewhere nearby. He hides behind a bush, while they call him to come out, kicking at his things. "Let's look for him!" the leader says, and they go off. Back at the karate dojo, he and Tatsuya finish their lesson and the boy tells his teacher he is enjoying the feeling of his increasing strength. Tatsuya tousles his head fondly and they are prepared to meet the next day. Makoto is walking to school behind some girls, and this time sees the three boys sitting. They wear red bans around their left elbows over their school clothes, and he stops as they approach him, laughing.

But at home, later that night, we see now he is badly bruised. He is in front of his practice post, striking it with all the fury of his young heart. His mother shyly tries to call him in for dinner, but he tells her to leave him alone. And in the morning, Tatsuya is stretching by the river, waiting for Makoto. The boy arrives with a cheerful good morning and Tatsuya starts to scold him for being late, but as the boy apologizes, is stunned by the purple bruises and asks about them. I believe Makoto's blithe excuse does not reassure his teacher. But the boy turns and races away, as they are to run together and Tatsuya can only follow until they are side by side.

And yet, going home, he frets about those bruises and what they might mean for his student. He comes in and Yuuri informs him he has a customer. It is Makoto's mother, and she is clearly very tense. They bow and sit across from each other. She does not look at him as she talks about her son, and his recent interest in learning Karate. It seems that she's had a call from the school about the boys beating up on Makoto. She looks at Tatsuya desperately, for her child no longer talks to her and she does not know what to do. And meanwhile, Makoto is watering the plants at school, and his three enemies come out from behind the building and grin evilly. The mother is in tears, because her gentle son is becoming dark. And Tatsuya tells her yes, he will go find out what is happening.

He arrives in his regular clothers, the checkered red shirts and brick-red jeans, and a teacher leads him around. But meanwhile, the three boys have cornered Makoto. He has brought them money and brings it from his pocket with shaking hands. The leader complains angrily that our boy had told them yesterday he would bring 100,000 yen. But he had not been able to get it. And the leader throws him to the ground and they gather around him. And that is the sight the teacher and Tatsuya arrive to. The other two boys pick Makoto up as their leader prepares to punch, and the furious teacher calls them to stop. One boy has pen marks all over his face, like holes for cat's whiskers, an earring hangs from his left ear. But when they might have been defiant, they glance to the stern man in red standing behind her and their leader decides to leave, shoving Makoto aside. They come to the boy, who cannot look directly at them, new blood on his already bruised mouth. The teacher and Tatsuya tend Makoto's torn elbow in the nurse's room, and Tatsuya tries to get the boy to talk. He will only say that there is nothing adults can do. He has to do it himself. Tatsuya tries to counter that this is not what he has been teaching Makoto. The other teacher, however, explains that the three boys are part of some Yakuza gang. Tatsuya is stunned to realize there is indeed no one doing anything about this. But Makoto looks at him intently and explains that this is why he is trying to become strong. But to his horror, Tatsuya replies that he cannot teach the boy, because of that. This is not what Karate is for. He will not teach Makoto if that is why the boy wants to learn.

And Tatsuya stares out forlornly into the night rain, as Yuuri spreads out a map on the table detailing the territories of the various Yakuza youth gangs. They are troubled by this, and what it means for kids, as Tatsuya comes to watch. Sion asks if this might be another of the Londarz plots, and Domon doesn't think so. But Takku has his opinions.

And in a dark warehouse, the three boys from Makoto's school stand nervously in front of a menacing, frizzy-haired young man, as he counts the money they have brought him. He sits under a purple double-dragon flag, with guards beside him. The center boy twitches nervously and he is summoned. They had not brought enough, and the man kicks him in the gut, knocking him back against the wall. He apologizes to Shibiya (man's name). Before the man attacks, one of the boy's friends brings up another subject, squeezing the arm-band.

Makoto works the garden in the morning, thinking about what Tatsuya had said. His lips tighten and then a pot smashes beside him and without thinking, he turns and says furiously, "What are you doing?" But the three boys are there, with the young man Shibiya and some others. And when Shibiya approaches he slaps Makoto down for bringing in a stranger. And then the others start grabbing up the plants and gardening equipment to smash and kick through the garden, laughing. Makoto cries to them to stop. Shibiya leans down to mock him, but the fury is building up. Before anyone realizes it, even himself, he has reached the breaking point. "Stop!" he shouts, and then he is on his feet and decks Shibiya with on very strong puch, sending the other man tumbling to lay unconscious. The bullies stop what they are doing in shock and stare down at the fallen man. Makoto stares at his own fist in similar shock, but his astonishment is broken by clapping hands. He turns and finds the woman teacher is there, he lipstick bright red and her smile smug.

Dark night. A taxi arrives at the darkened warehouse. The woman leads Makoto in to seat him under the purple flag with a crowd of talking youngsters in front of him. They all look about as stunned as he does. She explains that, by beating Shibiya, he is now the leader. He is stunned, but the others all watch him with hard faces. When she tells the boys that they will now have to give their money to Makoto, one tells her to hold on and stands up. They are not boys, really, but young men, perhaps as old as eighteen, some of the. The man asks, "Is it true? This kid really beat Shibiya?" She assures him it is and he slips off his coat and races forwards to attack. But Makoto stands, steady, catches the man's flying fist and punches him in the face. He falls, bleeding and unconscious. Makoto is still amazed at his own strength, as the leadership is handed off to him. And the woman leaves the building and we see her shadow on the wall change, to become that of Furan.

A familiar three boys are pinning a frail, youngster against the wall, demanding his money. He takes it out for them, but it is not enough. And the familiar leader, Makoto's former nemisis, points out that it's supposed to be 30,000 yen. They are about to beat him up when a car arrives, and out steps Makoto. But he has changed. His hair is frazzled and tinted gold. He has pale golden lipstick, and his face is darker, probably from makeup. They freeze nervously as he approaches. He punches their young victim down and comes down close to him. And his high, young voice threatens the child, while his three pets gather closer.

And at the Londarz Tower, Gien is again polishing his weapon hand. Dorunero is feeling much better, his fingers filled with money. Furan is there, explaining how easy it is to turn children against each other and use them to collect money. I wonder where the kids think it is going? Lira gets up from where she is sitting to smugly comment that the Time Rangers would never catch on to what they're doing. They have no contacts at schools! Dorunero, laughing, inhales the scent of the money, as Lira congratulates Furan. He takes on his human appearance and voice, the woman's, and grins smugly back at them.

And Domon, Ayase and Sion are outside, waiting for Yuuri and Tatsuya. They are shoved out of the apartment by the young man, and we see he is Shibiya. His hair is frazzled no longer, but he is bandaged and there is a brace about his neck. He is telling them off. But meanwhile, Makoto is sitting with his hands full of cash, but stands in amazement at what he's been told. "More?!" "Yes." His teacher is praising him for being better than the previous leader. And his gang has spread their activities, to businessmen coming home off the trains. A shaking man, bleeding, pulls money from his wallet to give to Makoto and his cronies. A trembling old lady gives them hers, her husband anxiously holding her. A young woman's boyfriends holds himself protectively in front of her as they are backed against a tree. Junior High School students are backed against playground equipment and Makoto is threatening them, when a stern voice orders a stop. His eyes narrow, he turns slowly. And the five arrivals are as astonished to see him as he is to see... "Tatsuya-san," he whispers. He walks away from his former teacher, to stand. His friends are elsewhere. Tatsuya comes anxiously to him, to tell him that this is wrong. This is not what he had taught him for. "I know that," replies the boy wearily. He stares off and adds, "Now I'm the strongest." Desperately, Tatsuya says, "This isn't you!" And when the boy refuses, Tatsuya challenges him with painful determination. The other four watch nervously. And Tatsuya stands there as the boy launches his attack, a vicious right hook sending him flying. Yuuri steps forwards anxiously, but Domon holds her back. Makoto is stunned. But Tatsuya gets to his feet and tells the boy this isn't the way, and in fury, Makoto attacks again. Tatsuya struggles for balance as his former student drags him around and starts wildly punching, until our hero falls again, blood streaming from his nose. The others hold themselves back from infering as he stands again, and the boy attacks more cruelly. But Tatsuya, being himself, will not fight back and this only makes Makoto attack again. The others bite their own lips to keep from moving, though Ayase watches with more hopeless determination. Several more blows and Tatsuya falls again, to demand whey the boy is attacking. And Makoto, shaking, lets his fists fall. He collapses, exhausted and in turmoil. "Why?" Tatsuya kneels beside him. "It isn't me you're fighting. You know this isn't the way you should be using your Karate. Look at what's in front of you." And in front of him are loads of orange, white and purple flowers, stirred by the breezes. His tears drying on his face, he asks shakily, "Flowers?" "Yes. You love flowers. Because they are beautiful and growing, though they are not strong."

And Makoto returns to the gang's base, to be greeted by the supposed teacher. He says he is quitting. "Why?" But he has to, for this is not him. "Really? You think you can quit?" and she reaches out and grabs him by the throat, and then there is a shimmer of green, liquid light down her arm, and what has him is no teacher, no woman, but a laughing creature. And Makoto cries out in shock. He is a Londarz, and he will kill the boy before letting him go. But our heroes are there, and Tatsuya races through his shots to hold him and tell Makoto to take off. They get Furan out of the building, and transfer into fighting uniform. And Tatsuya announces the arrest demind. He hits them with an energy whip and catches Time Red in his chain. But our hero tickles the startled enemy and gets free. The fight goes on, Time Red punching though and when Furan whined and offered surrender (a lie, of course) our hero countered that he could not let Furan get away with what he had done to Makoto. And Furan gets loose enough to go large, and our heroes call in the TimeJets. In Time Robo Beta, they face each other, then Tatsuya uses Karate punches to direct the robot. And when their enemy is down, they change to Time Robo Alpha, in order that they can bring out Jikuuken to slice him down to size.

And Tatsuya is teaching again, only this class now includes Makoto, and several of the former gang members including the nasty trio and Shibiya. They look so clean and healthy now, rather than out on the streets bullying kids. His four compatriots watch in impressed silence against the wall, though Sion steps forwards to remark on how great Tatsuya is.The class is dimissed, the littlest kids getting out faster than the older boys, who are something of a group now. Tatsuya runs to his friends to encourage them to go outside with them and when they beg off shyly tells them not to restrain themselves and pushes them, as a group, towards the doors.

A glowing, yellow crystal. A blue, fanged monster. Ayase trapped within the building, and suffering from an attack while his four friends try to figure out how to get in. He cries out for Tatsuya even as the agony leaves him flat on the floor and Tatsuya, in his armor, struggles to get to him. And Ayase lies unconscious, while Gien gets the golden crystal.

The Londarz are eating dinner at home, and Gien is quietly giggling as he works with a hologram. Intrigued, Lira comes to peer over his shoulder. "What's that?" Amused, he responds, "It's just a hobby of mine," and turns off the hologram. "Got free time, have you?" but she ends her comment on a huge yawn and goes back to the Don. "Dorunero, you should go to sleep." He puts out his cigar and says, "Gien, don't get in any trouble." They head off to bed, but Gien goes to the shelves and chooses a prisoner. Released, it is a tall, slim, blue creature. The Terrorist, Sandoora. His chest is ringed with grenades. He struts from the size chamber, gives a jaunty wave with his weapon and says, "I know you let me out of here, but I am not going to go get money for you guys." But Gien has other plans. He speaks softly, like a conspirator. "That's not what I want of you. I just want you to get something for me." Sandoora listens with interest.

Morning and our heroes have this bloody huge hunk of meat Domon and Sion are marvelling over. Domon says, "This is the biggest hunk of meat I've seen!" As Yuuri folds the paper over it, Sion is practically slobbering saying, "This is gonna be my first barbecue!" Yuuri packs the meat in the icebox and says, businesslike, "It's like you guys only think about one thing." She picks up the icebox and heads around the table saying, "Domon, you're drooling." Hastily he wipes his mouth as Sion snickers. Yuuri heads over to where Tatsuya is sitting. "Would you take these to the car?" He heads out cheerfully. Ayase is out there loading things, when he suddenly suffers an attack of agonizing pain which brings him to his knees. Tatsuya sees him down but the attack is already passing. So he is careful to pretend he did not see, and when he brings his equipment to the truck is attempting to sound cheerful and casual, "Oh, this is going to be a really nice day!" He leans as casually as possible against the back of the truck. "Um... do you think we should tell Yuuri and the others?" Ayase looks at him in surprise. And Tatsuya flushes and says weakly, "About your... you know...." Understanding, Ayase goes back to the loading. "I've a year or two left. I regard every moment as precious." Tatsuya sinks down next to him, but before he can speak, Sion calls Ayase. "You've been hired to drive someone, are you going to?" "Yeah," Ayase replies.

A cheerful scientist has his arm in a cast and comes bouncing out of his home, looking around. He sees Ayase arriving with the distinctive Tomorrow Research blue jacket. "Are you the driver?" "Oh, yes." He needs to be driven to the Kawasaki Research Laboratory. They head off in the car. The sign at the buildings says in English "THE 3rd TOTAL R&D LAB" and they head in. "Thank you! The parking lot is nearby, please leave the car there." Ayase agrees and the man heads off. No one sees the Terrorist and a troup of Zenitto appraoching. Ayase drives into the underground lot.

The scientist enters the room and someone is talking "... and after that he fell down the stairs!" They greet him warmly and slightly teasingly, looking at his arm. He assures them his is fine and settles at his desk. A woman brings him coffee. And the attack starts. The Zenitto and Terrorist head on in. The alarms go off and they beat their way through the security guards, then hit the controls that seal the complex. Ayase startles when the doors close, and then hears their broadcast. "This building is now under Londarz control. Don't move until I tell you what to do." Meanwhile, he gets into the main room with all the scientists, frightened. They all raise their hands. The Zenitto search the parking lot. Ayase hides in a cabinet. When they pass by, he sneaks out and calls the others. His voice is soft through their bracelets. "This is Ayase. The Londarz have taken over the Lab." Tatsuya jumps to his feet anxiously, as Ayase explains, "I can't do anything until the people are safely out of here." Yuuri confirms calmly. "We'll be there as soon as we can. We'll call you. Reconnoiter and tell us the situation and what we should do." He agrees right away and hurries off. And so do they.

Meanwhile, the monster gathers the scientist while Ayase makes his way into the air ducts. Terrorist says cheerfully, as the Zenitto make the scientists face him, "I have a question for you. If you're here, then you know about the Lambda 2000. Who's working on it? Hmm? Who's going to answer me!" The head scientist stutters forward, worried about his people. "Why do you want to know?" "I want you to make something for me." The scientist asks nervously, "That it? Just that?" His two best friends are behind him, ready to drag him back. "That's all? What, you want to make something else? Don't just stand there, make it!" He rushes forward to put his gun in the scientist's face, the man's two friends torn between running and staying with him as he forces himself to be brave. He turns to them, his fingers tangling with theirs. "Okay, I'm asking you to make it." Trembling, they are taken out while the rest of the crowd is kept in the room. Ayase watches through the vent, and whispers after into his bracelet. "The lab is making something called the Lambda 2000." Tatsuya repeats the name in confusion but Ayase continues, "I have no idea what it is. But that's what they want." Yuuri whispers into her own bracelet, "Takku, do you know it?" And the little robot says, "It's a construction device they started making around this time. It can make energy for construction." "But what are they planning to do with it?" wonders Sion. Takku says he will try to find out more about the Lambda. Yuuri asks, "Ayase, do you know where the professor is?" For he is watching the men surrounded by menacing robots. In this room, he tells them, there are thirteen people and six Zenitto.

The Terrorist has brought the other two scientists into their lab. They get straight to work. "And in the Laboratory are three people. The Terrrorist and the two scientists he's forcing to make the energy source." They are gathering the seed elements for the crystal, forced ahead of schedule. Ayase watches through the air vent as they set the seeds to start work.

Yuuri stares up at the building. "So, there are two target groups. This is going to be tough." Sion beside her peers through the bushes and says anxiously, "Yes, with all the entrances and exits locked." Tatsuya murmurs, "If we try to get in, alarms will go off." Domon anxiously crawls around to Tatsuya's side and looks up at him. "How do you know?" "This building belongs to my father." Domon shifts and murmurs, "You know just about everything about the Asami Group." Ayase is still watching anxiously through the grate. He whispers, "Come to the parking lot entrance. I'm going to open the doors." Yuuri confirms. "Be careful." Ayase races through the building. And our heroes, in uniform, wait outside with their bazookas for Ayase to get to the controls and open the gate, letting them sneak in without risking discovery.

In the lab they're starting to pour energy onto the yellow seed crystals. Terrorist slams a hand on one man's shoulder. "You keep me waiting much longer, and I'll start killing your friends, one at a time. To emphasize his point, he blasts a counter. And the hostages jump back, the lead scientist clutching at his throat and holding his arm protectively in front of his colleages, swallows and stares at the Zenittos weapons. Outside, they hear the blast and jump nervously. Domon says softly, "Ayase, hurry up, man!" And the Terrorist paces behind the scientists, who try to concentrate only on what they are doing.

It's taking a long time. Sion says anxiously, "Why hasn't he come yet?" Domon starts to signal but Yuuri covers his bracelet. "We can't signal him. We don't know what is happening, we might expose him to danger." Tatsuya starts to think about how his friend had been down in pain earlier, and imagines Ayase collapsed in agony inside the building, just at the machine that would open the doors. "Oh no!" He starts to panic, jumping to his feet. Sion asks, "Tatsuya?" But he is imagining his friend limp and dying on the floor. "If he dies right now... If that's happened... If he's all alone..!" He clutches his cannon and Domon grabs his arm sternly. "Tatsuya, what's the matter?" "I'm so stupid!" "Huh?" "I should have thought about this before! I should have done it earlier!" Domon grips his shoulder, trying to calm the shivering man down. "What are you on about?" Yuuri says, "It's opening, let's go." For the gates have finally started moving. Domon stays with Tatsuya, to make sure he goes ahead. Our hero manages it, still in a sort of shock. They slip under the door.

And the lovely golden-yellow crystal is there. The scientists put it in a container and give it to the Terrorist, who is about to have all the scientists slaughtered. "This is all I wanted." But before he can kill them, Time Pink and Green storm the room. Yuuri dives under his shots and blasts him, he leaps through the window. Tatsuya and Domon destroy the Zenitto holding the other scientists. Before they can quite gloat, Yuuri calls them to help chase after the one which has headed outside. Tatsuya asks if Ayase has answered. She says no, so he takes off to hunt for the missing one, leaving a confused Domon behind. "What is he UP to? Well, nothing to be done." Tatsuya races through the corridors, tearing around corners and headed for the control boards, calling his friend's name.

Outside, the others fight and pursue the seemingly nervous Terrorist. He does not seem to have the crystal, but they don't know about it, anyway. The three surround and Yuuri demands to know what the Londarz are planning on doing with the Lambda. He snaps back, "I wouldn't know, I was only told to take it!"

And Tatsuya is still racing past strewn equipment, throwing doors open. He hears a crash and races on, down a staircase and around a corner. And he sees around the next bend a body lying, covered in the blue jacket of Tomorrow Research. And he halts, saying hoarsely his friend's name. Don't be dead, don't be dead. He walks unsteadily forward, shaking his head, when he is startled by a metallic impact, and a Zenitto comes spinning around the corner to fall. A moment later and Time Blue steps out to be satisfied by his work, and raeaches down to pick up his jacket, which was covering a fallen Zenitto. "Ayase!" His friend turns and approaches him calmly. "Sorry about being so long. The door-system -- " he stops in surprise, for Tatsuya has turned around and sank to the floor, overcome with relief. "Tatsuya?" "Thank goodness," Tatsuya says hoarsely. "Man, I was afraid you -- " but he stops himself and jumps back up. "All right! Let's go get the Londarz!" A still rather puzzled Ayase is quite agreeable on the subject.

The Terrrorist has been throwing his grenades, and taken down our heroes. But the last two arrive in time to turn the tide, and Ayase makes the arresting speech. He and Tatsuya do a double pronged attack, and the other three use their cannons. Fallen, but he gets back up and wipes his seal to go large. Ayase calls Takku, who calls in the Jets. And they come! The battle is joined amongst the wreckage of office buildings by Time Robo Beta. The Terrorist kicks rubble into their face, shoots the Flier Magnum from their hands and then they realize they are surrounded by giant grenades. Those explode and Time Robo Beta falls, but Ayase calls in the Time Flier and it holds the monster off long enough for the team to form Time Robo Alpha. They are shaken by his shots, their machines sparking with the damage, themselves shocked by feedback, but get through and slice him. He shrinks and they all sigh in relief. But they seems to be damanged. The robot is still sparking. And what they don't know, is that Gien has picked up the crystal. He chuckles and happily heads off.

Sion is flying a kite. Domon calls him affectionately to stop playing and come help. He obeys happily. Tatsuya and Ayase are unloading the car when Tatsuya confronts him gently. "Let's tell the others." When Ayase avoids his gaze to work on the barbecue, he sits and continues, "I was wrong to keep it a secret. I thought it would be better if no one knew, but it isn't. You can stop being a Time Ranger, go to a hospital, and go back to the 30th Century in the Time Jets. Even if they won't let you, we'll tie you on..!" Tatsuya's tone is rising, he's anguished. But Ayase will not have it. He finishes setting up the small barbecue and says, "Stop it. Even if I go back, I'll die soon." Tatsuya says his name painfully. But down below them they hear Sion say, "Domon, can I drink this?" "No you can't, that's oil!" "Oh, really?" He turns to watch Domon, Sion and Yuuri as she says, "How do you cut these things?" Domon knocks her back a bit, "Just bring the dishes!" He has no intention of letting their inexperience ruin the barbecue. Sion smirks and says cheerfully, "If Yuuri cuts it, we won't be able to eat!" and dives around behind Domon as she pursues him.

Ayase watches this with a lump in his throat. "I want it like this. Want to keep it like this. I can believe in this. You can just change tomorrow." Tatsuya stands quickly, "But..." But Ayase is turning to pick up the last pieces of the barbecue. "I didn't want to tell you. I didn't know that you would worry more than I do." Then he adds teasingly, "You are the one who forced me to say it." Tatsuya is both embarrassed and unable to speak, as Ayase heads off with the barbecue, then pauses, looks at him and says laughingly, "Thank you. Thank you for trying to think of ways to help me." And Tatsuya watches him wistfully as he joins the others. Sion says, "I'll do it!" Yuuri grumbles back, "No you're not!" But Ayase takes the tray and says, "I will do it." Yuuri snatches for it and in a moment the carrots are flying everywhere. Ayase chuckles, while Yuuri is totally embarrassed. Sion is drinking and an irritated Domon goes to gather up the mess, scolding her. She looks totally humiliated, but a laughing Tatsuya joins them. "Hey, Yuuri, I'll teach you how to cook this." Domon calls Sion to get the meat and he does happily. And they've made shishkebobs and delight in the taste, taking care not to burn themselves as they eat. As Tatsuya says in a voice-over, "In the end, I didn't tell about it. It's best to keep it this way, for now. It's nice, this way."

Takku is taking readings on this crystal. Investigate, the measurements and everything, and knows what it is. The Lambda 2000! Oh heavens. "It's the unfused version of Zeta-3! But what are they planning to DO with it?" And in the Londarz base, Gien has the Zenitto working on his new creation. And back at the laboratory, the scientist is walking down the hall with his two friends beside him. He is talking on the phone. "There's no problem. The Londarz are gone, the project is secure." They walk to a door marked "Off limits." It is a huge door, and they enter to stare up proudly at the gigantic tank inside. The scientist nods proudly.

And in the future, it is night. Ships pass over the lit city, the moon is huge and waning. There is a strange, mushroom-shaped thing being built. It seems to breathe with a life of its own, great tubes bringing power to it. We know what we are seeing is the head of the Time Shadow. But if we didn't know that, it would be so surreal. It is anyway.

Next episode shows on 6/25
Gien is cheering, "Kill them, destroy them, have fun! Do what you want!"

Tatsuya, "What in heck is going on?" Domon, "I saw... one more of ME!" Yuuri, "But..." This one is going to be unpleasant. Tatsuya is hiding around a corner, signalling the others and looking very alarmed. An upside-down Time Shadow's head. Domon stopping, backing away in shock from what appears to be himself (eating a pizza)! A trembling, pain-stricken Ayase looks up into a face exactly like his own. Time Pink and Time Green run through an alarmed crowd. Gien's robot fires and Time Rangers fly everywhere as he laughs. We have a clear site of Ryuuya wearing dark glasses at Provider Base, walking somewhat stiffly from the control board. The weapon made by the 20th Century scientists. Takku somewhat frantic in Sion's hands, for this would appear to be something he doesn't remember from history. The pilots of the giant tank (one reminds me of the actor who played Ryo. But it could just be the uniform). The arrival of the Time Shadow, in Stealth-formation. And Tatsuya's father will appear. Case File 19, 月下の騎士 Gekka no Kishi Rider's Banquet

The Zenitto are working in a darkened room, weilding another robot. Gien chuckles as he watches them, holding the cannister with the Lambda 2000 crystal inside. And in the year 3000, it is night. The moon is a crescent. Private shuttles pass over the lighted city, homing beacons beam into the faintly clouded air. You cannot see the stars. And below them is the room in which there is a great mushroom with eyes.

Lira is sunbathing? In sunglasses, her hair loose and incredibly bright pink. She sits up and slips the glasses off with a sigh of pleasure. And then an astonished voice interrupts. "What is this, Lira?" asks Don Dorunero. For they are in the Londarz tower. Lira is in a loose bathing dress, relaxing on a deck-chair in front of a picture of a resort-beach on a lovely day. Dorunero shies when a Zenitto holding a bright lamp turns around, and Lira scolds that one, getting it to turn back. "Why don't you just GO to a beach resort?" Dorunero asks. She is responding to that, making the Zenitto re-angle their lamps, when the power goes out. "What in..?" But a moment later Gien has turned the switch back on, walking to them with a small, red cloth in his hands as he is polishing his gun-arm. They are a bit peeved and Dorunero accuses him of behaving totally weird. While Lira rearranges the way the Zenitto are holding her bathing lamps, the other two talk. "What are you up to, anyway?" When Gien replies that this family is dreadfully important and why don't the two of them go do something together, they are surprised, and Lira eyes him , then jumps up with delight. "Right, Don let's go! Gien, you take care of the place!" She sways off to get something, leaving the Don stuttering in her wake. When he asks where they're going, she giggles happily with plans for heading to some resort. Well, he HAD suggested it earlier. He says weakly, "A resort..." then turns suspiciously to Gien. "I know you want to be alone, Gien." The robot send him off, and heads back into the dark room, eyes agleam. He goes to his creation and brings out the crystal, puts it in a machine to add its components to his creation. He is giggling with pleasure.

The Lambda 2000 is a pre-firing version of the Zeta 3, they are reading on the computer screen. Sion is puzzling over all this, his hair particularly golden today. As he reads about the development of this new type of energy, he turns quizzically to the others who are all ringed behind him holding coffee cups. From Sion's right to his left stand Ayase, Tatsuya, Domon and Yuuri. As one they sip from their cups and listen to Takku's additions to Sion's explanation. But the robot says it isn't quite time for the Zeta-3 to come into regular use. Yuuri asks what might be up with it, but he is not sure. The Londarz may use it for their own purposes. Our heroes nod thoughtfully, but Sion says brightly that this energy can be used for rescue-work. But we all know that's not the purpose the Londarz will turn it to. Tatsuya is amused and as he turns...

We leap ahead a thousand years to where a man in sheer white whirls to his feet, wearing black glasses. He stalks stiffly away from the control board of Providus base and raises his gaze to the giant robot. It launches, leaping with a flourish from one rooftop to another under the moon. It lands in the countryside, near some Shinto gates and some ancient, traditional buildings. The light of the moon is brighter, here. And the robot's great blue cutting Shadow Vectors shimmer. It moves graceful and powerful. Next stop is on a beach below an ancient castle, where giant creatures fly around, alarmed by the shadowy thing on the shores. Next stop is a city more like the ones of the 20th Century, and the robot poses in the searchlights. And it launches and moves in flames. "Shoowa!" it announces during its moves, then stands in the rain, then lands atop two huge, city buildings. Or was any of that real? For now it hanges upside down like some giant bat, Shadow Vector folded and quiet. Great, blue eyes staring at the human who stands before it. Then the lights dim. And the man shifts and takes off his glasses. And as we knew, he is the Time Captain, Ryuuya, who looks exactly like Tatsuya except his hair is smoothed back. And his expression is hard and grim. Impossible to say if he is pleased. Perhaps it is more that he is doing what he has to do.

Morning, and the harsh sound of an alarm clock splits the air. A moment later the clock itself follows, to land on the floor as Tatsuya leaps after it. "Domon!" he protests, lifting the clock to shut it off. "You're gonna break it!" They are all quite dressed but looking very much just-woken up. Domon leans against the doorjamb of the boys' room. He protests that the thing is too obnoxious sounding and couldn't they have one with a gentler voice? And he steps out into the main office, followed by Ayase who is wearily rubbing the kinks out of his neck. But Yuuri and Sion are already busy, of course. Yuuri passes out to each other them a stack of flyers, and Sion passes out lunch, with a grin of delight. "You made this? It's so small!" startles Domon. "Oh, no, I'm sorry. This is from yesterday's barbecue, there was too much." Ayase says, "You can have mine," and Domon is grinning thanks, but Tatsuya is quick to grab the next lunch Sion holds out and stuff it into Ayase's hands, scolding firmly that Ayase has to eat, and Domon should just tough it out. Ayase accepts it with an expression of mild annoyance. A quick and careful attention by Tatsuya prevents his effort to hand it off to Domon, who is left looking miserable until Sion grabs his arm and tells him they will all be working alone today. He is protesting mournfully as Sion pulls him out. Takku calls after them, "You can do it!"

And at The 3rd Total Research Lab, the three scientists have their own Lambda 200 crystal, and they are ready to use it in the Raimei. They head it out carefully, down into the hidden, underground chambers where the huge tank sits. The Raimei.

The group splits up, Domon pouting. I don't think he's had breakfast, yet. They each remark that this is their duty, and Domon is left briefly alone with Sion and eyes him craftily. But Sion goes trotting off and Domon has no choice. "Hey!"

The crystal glows white, has taken a new shape. Clear and almost cylindrical. Gien takes it and adds it to his robot, Nova. He fixes it in and the robot's eye glows red, it beeps as it powers up.

Tatsuya runs towards a building. He is surrounded by people, when something extremely strange happens. It is like he hears the beeping but that is gone. He stops in confusion, turns and looks around. But suddenly he is the only one normal, while the people around him seem to rush by, leaving afterimages of themselves trailing behind. As if time accelerates around him and he cries out, clutching his head in disorienation and pain. He falls to his knees. The pain eases and he is able to stand. But around him time has stopped. Completely. One pairing is a woman, reaching as though she has slapped the man in front of her. His can of tea is frozen in the air, in the act of spilling as it falls towards the sidewalk. Others are frozen in the act of taking a step. Tatsuya stares at the can and gasps, "This can't be!" And then he turns and finds he is staring at himself, the only difference being the man he is looking at is not wearing the Time Research jacket. The image his sees is not quite solid. But it is looking back at him, face troubled. "It's...." Tatsuya takes a stunned step towards himself, mouth open to question but cannot seem to find words. At last he asks, "Me?"

And the others are having similar experiences. Yuuri stops and backs up slowly in surprise. There is herself without the Time Research jacket. It is important to note that time is still flowing around her. Ayase sees a man in a black leather jacket stumble out from around a corner, clutching his heart, and goes to him anxiously. Only the face that looks up to meet his gaze is his own. He draws back, numbly. A rice ball falls to roll in the dirt on the sidewalk. Domon is frozen in the act of eating a pizza, for he is staring at himself, and the astonished doppelganger turns and flees. "M -- m -- me?" he gasps. Sion stares at himself with earnest puzzlement. "It's me. But what..?" he murmurs softly.

Only for Tatsuya has time stopped around him. He stares at himself, eyes asking a thousand questions. The flyer flaps in a hard wind, its great yellow question mark under the words "What's the Tomorrow Research." He is almost too stunned to hold the papers. And maybe it is the other Tatsuya who closes his eyes, for all we see are his eyes, and then he opens them. And his image flickers and disappears. "Hey!" shouts Tatsuya with the jacket. But at that moment time flicks back into gear. The can hits the ground. The woman's hand hits the man's face. "What do you mean?" she snaps and whirls off in a huff. No one else felt anything strange. A bewildered Tatsuya stares about as life moves on around him. He drops on his butt in total confusion and fear.

Takku seems to be dozing. His eyes are closed and the red gem between them blinks steadily. And then the voices shouting through the communicator alert him. "Takku! Takku!" comes Tatsuya's voice. Then Yuuri's, "Takku, can you hear me?" Domon's, "Explain this! What's happening?! Was I dreaming?" Sion's, "I saw myself!" Ayase's, "I did, too!" Confused, Takku says. "Everyone calm down, I can't understand you if you all talk at once. Tatsuya, what happened?" "I saw one more of me!" "WHAT?!"

Atop a roof, Gien moves with Nova. Below travel cars on the streets. "Let's have fun, show me what you can do!" Gien tells it, then removes the seal on the robot's leg. And far below them, an anxious Tatsuya hides near a shop whose sign says "Armani" as he tries to explain what had happened, with the weirdness of time and all. But I don't think he managed to really get anything across. He is very distressed and looks up helplessly, searching for words. And then the ground shakes and he steps out to look anxiously around. There it is, giant feet moving down the streets. Tatsuya's eyes narrow. Now THIS is something he knows how to deal with. And it turns around and begins firing in a circle, destroying office buildings. Gien cheers it on, as our Time Rangers race through the frightened crowds to try to deal with it. Yuuri points out they'll obviously need to go straight to the Time Robos, and Tatsuya obediently relays the command to Takku, who passes it on. But a thousand years from now, Providus Base remains quiet and still. Sion realizes it first and cocks his head. "They aren't coming." Ayase calls Takku for explanation, but the little robot has none to give. And Nova is destroying more buildings. Our heroes duck falling debris, as Takku continues to call the Provider Base, urgently. And Ryuuya stands, watching the screen, then finally moves away from the control panel. Our heroes fall and duck behind shelter. When Tatsuya asks why the ships aren't here, it is Ayase who suggests perhaps they were too damaged in yesterday's battle. Yuuri agrees that maybe that's true, and Tatsuya is on the verge of panicked disbelief. And Nova continues firing. Our heroes are sent flying by the blast. Gien is very, very happy.

And the head scientist answers the phone. There are two men in the giant tank, and they head it out. The controls are all marked in English. Takku arrives and our heroes gather around him asking anxiously about the Time Jets, but he still has no answer. He is wondering if perhaps this has to do with the Z-3, when the ground beneath them starts to tremble, and the air fills with a deep hum. They stand and Sion says nervously, "What is it?" Visible over the buildings are the giant cannons and Ayase sees them first and points them out to the others. In the dust from all the destruction, out rumbles the great machine. The pilots prepare to fire, under command from the excited scientists. Their blasts knock back the robot at first. Our heroes haul out their cannons to add their shots to the tank's, and between them manage to puncture holes in its armor. But their relief is short-lived. Gien laughs at this little toy the humans of the 20th have made. Its powerful laser cannons do not impress him. And now the robot has raised a shield against them. It first blasts the Time Rangers, and then kicks the tank over. The tank, Raimei, is out of order, and the scientists call urgently. The pilots abandon ship. Everyone is shaken as they hear that the thing has exploded. The scientist sinks down in shock.

Nova has vanished. Takku comes to his group to ask if they are all right. Above they can see the twisted hulk of the great tank and can hear sirens everywhere. The two pilots are pinned amongst the flames. They are all right, but not moving, and the Time Ranger come to pull them free. But Nova is back and they hurry the two men away, then fire their cannons to no avail. They run as it tries to stomp on them, and then find themselves cornered. Gien laughs as the great robot prepares to gun them down. And then....

A shadow, like that in an eclipse, begins to slide across the round sun. The robot looks about in puzzlement. Sion alerts them to look at the sun. But just before the shadow completely covers the sun, it becomes instead a tunnel and through it races a ship. They watch in amazement as the beautiful thing cuts through air like a knife through butter and bears down on the Nova robot. "Of course!" gasps Takku. The robot has no defense against those shots, and then the ship blurs and vanishes, becoming invisible. Only the shots show where it is and then it flies up, and in the gleam of the partially-eclipsed sun, transforms into a humanoid shape, with great blue blades at the ends of its arms. It settles atop a building as Takku explains to his people that this is the Time Shadow! Gien is puzzling this out himself, when Yuuri spots him and calls his name. He agrees he is himself, and directs Nova to fire on the Time Shadow. The missiles fly, but Time Shadow simply heads into the air to avoid them, and the return fire hits the Nova badly. It falls and knocks Gien's rooftop to pieces, so he falls into the great warehouse below. The Time Rangers rush in and Yuuri demands to know what he is up to, but he is only amused by her question. He's just having fun. But to Tatsuya's furious protest that his fun is very dangerous, he just calls in the Zenitto. And our heroes are glad to be in a more normal battle situation. Sion and Domon briefly trap Gien between them, but he is too tough and knocks them flying. And above, the Time Shadow fights Nove to great effect, slowly slicing it to pieces, but getting hit in return. TS resorts to Shadow Vector, and THAT attack leaves the other robot in total pieces at last. It falls. And I don't think it shrinks, being made but never imprisoned. Gien watches in dismay and Tatsuya laughingly tells him it's too bad. In response to Tatsuya's statement that he lost, he simply replies that he hasn't had so much fun in ages, and teleports away. And then the Time Shadow heads back through the hole into the future, and the sun is clear of obstruction. Sion says in amazement, "Well the Time Shadow sure is fantastic,. isn't it!" Takku comes to join them, they now in their regular clothes. He is troubles over what Gien might do now he has the Z-3. And then Sion runs up. He has a tiny cone, a scrap of the Z-3 that Gien had. But Takku is worried, for it isn't time for these things to start being used. It isn't time for them to become part of regular rescue work. Ayase points out that this thing was made by the Asami Group and asks Tatsuya what he might know about it. But our young man, embarrassed, cannot really answer. He laughs and tries to calm them, talking about it is all his father's business and he kept out of it if he could. But he turns from them so they cannot see his wistful expression as he thinks of his family.

And the scientist on the phone is explaining miserably about the failure of the Raimei. But the man on the other end of the phone is telling him to keep going with the project. And we see this is Tatsuya's father on the phone. He hangs up and heads into the next room, where there is a man who seems to me of distinctively political bent. And seeming miliatary. He reassures Mr. Asami that the project is not a failure and he should go on with it. They were happy to work with the Asami group on this. They exchange mutters about the Londarz and how they might now have started this so soon if not for this situation. And as he takes his leave, the other man asks, "How is your son? His name is Tatsuya, isn't it?" Mr. Asami freezes in the door and finally sayw, "Tatsuya is... I have no son." But his throat is tight, and outside the room he glances back grimly before leaving.

And Gien walks to the locked door of the Londarz Tower in his dark room. He is still amused and opens the door, to head in to the room with all the cells. But this room is a different one. These are particularly dangerous creatures. His eyes go red and he laughs maniacally as he looks around. One particular cell has a skull and crossbones on it.

Next episode: They face a deadly enemy. The colorful Hell's Gate? And it nearly kills Tatsuya, as well as the others. They are unable to stop it, but fighting to stay together. Domon, alone, screams his frustration to the skies. And in the future, Time Captain Ryuuya determinedly presses a button, and there is a new weapon. Delta Formation, Shadow Beta. Case File 20 新たなる絆 Aratanaru Kizuna The Bond Becomes New

The bright light of day can be deceiving. The sky is clear and clean above the tilted Londarz Tower. And inside, Gien opens a door. His eyes flare brilliant red and he cackles madly at the things before him in this cold room. There is one of the cells, and attached to it a symbol of an alien skull and crossbones. Still cackling, he takes it from the shelf.

And at the base, Takku is explaining about the Time Shadow, showing it on the computer screen under the heading "Investigate." It is a project of the Inter-City Police Department. Sion sits in front of the computer, Yuuri standing on his left and closes to Takku. Behind him sits Tatsuya, and to that one's right is Domon, then Ayase. Yuuri blinks in weak confusion. "How come I never heard about it?" While Takku is explaining it wasn't exactly public knowledge, Domon laughs forcedly. Even Sion looks somewhat white. "So, we would've found out about it in like, ten years?" But Tatsuya says scoldingly, "Takku, are you certain this information isn't wrong?" But Takku explains the information can't be. He wouldn't have it if it wasn't available to the 20th Century? But Ayase seems to be thinking ahead of them all and questions this. Takku refers to Gien's creation of the Nova robot, and their encounters with themselves. Sion's. Ayase's. Domon's. Yuuri's. Tatsuya's. The Time Shadow was specifically made to combat this odd time-distortion. To fight the Nova when the giant tank failed against it. They had of course known this would happen because... "What?" asks Domon. "History," answers Takku. And perhaps for the first time they realize...

Tatsuya turns thoughfully away. Yuuri sinks into her chair. Only Sion still stares at the little robot. Domon glances back and forth at the others, then starts laughing. "Right, you're saying they knew this was gonna happen?" But Takku's response is not reassuring. And Domon, now leaning heavily on Sion's shoulder, cuts him off angrily. He starts to pace, now the laughter is gone. "You're telling me they knew the Londarz would end up in this time, that WE would end up here, is that it?!" he snarls, slamming his fist on the table next to Yuuri. He turns away when there is no immediate answer. "I mean, history would be changed..." and he turns accusingly. "That's it, isn't it?!" He throws himself into a chair under the worried eyes of Tatsuya and Sion.

Tatsuya turns his head, looks at Ayase who is turned away. He looks back at Domon. "But... it's an improssible problem. Is it all right to change history, even a little?" Ayase turns slowly to watch him. Tatsuya is having a hard time not looking at his ill friend. Domon laughs bitterly at him as they all listen. "Yeah. It doesn't matter what happens to us, as long as the 30th Century doesn't change." Tatsuya gets up anxiously, "What are you trying to say?" But Domon is on his feet, whirling to throw his hat at Tatsuya. The harmless missile hits and falls, but our youngster is still surprised. "You don't understand how I feel!!" Ayase startles and says with anxious reproof, "Domon!" and Yuuri is on her feet between the men. "There's nothing Tatsuya can do about it. History cannot be changed. Do you want something to happen to the 30th Century?" But Takku interjects, "I'm sorry. I cannot warn you about your future."

Domon swallows that bitterly. Mussing his hair angrily, he sits back in the chair, away from them. They all turn their gazes down, and Yuuri sits, too. Sion says softly, "Though we're the Time Ranger, to keep history from changing we can't see anything." Yuuri makes an unhappy, agreeing sound. Ayase turns away from the others, towards the window. Tatsuya turns slowly and looks at him, then at Domon's hat at his feet. He picks it up, swallowing.

The bright, shining day. Deceptive day. A crowded park perhaps at lunchtime as office ladies, businessmen, all sorts of people wander through. Bright, colorful balls that suddenly come rolling across the cement. One fetches up at the feet of a man reading a newspaper. It is purple, yellow, green and red. He has a moment to stare down at it in puzzlement, before it explodes and he is sent flying. And so do the others. Bloodied people fall, some rubble. Others panic and run. Out of the smoke walks a laughing creature. The right side of his body is red, the left white. His right eye is green, left is yellow. His small mouth is full of fangs. Right shoulder spikes are green, yellow and purple. The left are green, red and purple. He reminds me a bit of a praying mantis. A street worker is unable to flee and he lifts the old man by the neck. "Human, shall I slaughter you?"

And the incident has made the news. There is a helicopter in the air, a woman reporter and her cameraman filming and broadcasting live, watching this new monster among the rubble and bodies from his grenades. "I see it! Of course it's a Londarz Family!" And we hear the killing show but do not see as we are on our heroes again. Their eyes intent on the TV screen. "It's Blaster Mad!" Takku tells them, opening the data file on this one. And he's from somewhere called Hell's Gate? Tatsuya is taking all this in and takes a moment to pronounce the word correctly. And the group is off under Yuuri's determined direction, but Domon doesn't move, huddles in his chair. Sion is first to realize, and stops to call him sternly. At last he leaps up and runs with them.

Blaster Mad is surrounded by dead bodies. He slings his weapon onto his shoulder. "What? No more humans here?" he asks musedly. Above him the helicopter holds, reporter and cameraman half out of it. He sees them, and blasts the machine. It whirls out of control, hits a concrete building and explodes as he laughs. He is heading on, when the Time Ranger arrive on the Time Flyer. They identify themselves, to his amusement. And Time Red says the arresting speech. "Oh, you guys are cute," he remarks. (impressed, isn't he?) "Shall we battle?" A furious Domon heads the attack with his vector, but Sion and Ayase leap over him only to get bounced away. Yuuri hits next and he reflects her attack. After quick making certain she's all right, Tatsuya heads in, but ends up locked with Blaster Mad, who proves to have a cannon in his chest. Tatsuya is downed, Yuuri calling his name as she and the others gather around him. She directs them to call out their cannon and they all fire on him at once. He deflects each attack with his weapon, to their amazement. But the facts sink in. Their energy attacks just won't work against him. And he tosses a grenade at them and says "Bye-bye!" walking off in the smoke of the explosion while they're down. A furious Tatsuya shouts, "WAIT!"

He walks between cars trapped in a traffic jam. Passing one vehicle containing a man so frantic to keep from getting fired, talking on the phone, who never notices what is happening until the grenade falls in his lap. The car goes up in flames. Our heroes catch up with Blaster Mad, only to get serverely beaten and hit by his flame bursts. He sees a panic stricken, fallen street worker and is about to blast the man, when Tatsuya flings himself between them and takes the strike. Yuuri moves to get the civilian out of there, while Ayase dives between Tatsuya and Blaster Mad, and then the group is around Tatusya, frantic to make certain he's all right. Yuuri sends the civilian off and Blaster Mad hits them with a grenade. Then he heads on off with a mocking comment.

Takku comes to them. "Are you all all right?" he asks anxiously. They have been blasted from their armor, and are slowly pulling themselves together, in agony. Sion comments that this is a first for them. But Domon growls angrily, his poor face dusted grey with cement. Takku is telling them they need to stop this one. Yuuri gets to her feet, limping slightly, calls them to go with her. They others obey except for Domon, who has had enough of this. "Wait." When they pause and turn to look at him he says, "It's not good. Us to be used like this." He sits on the cement and looks at them seriously. "But that's truly the way -- " starts Yuuri. "Hey, Takku!" Domon snaps, turning. "Tell us what's going to happen to us! Or we won't fight!" Takku was not expecting this. He blinks, in surprise. Domon glances at the others. "Don't you get it? This robot KNOWS about what we WILL face!" He grabs Takku and starts shaking the robot. "Tell us!" Sion dives in to try to stop this, and Domon shoves him away, Tatsuya is next to get tossed onto the ground by the furious man. "WHERE AND WHAT -- " Domon is shouting at Takku, when Yuuri walks over and smacks him. This effectively brings the hysteria to a halt, but it makes Ayase swallow sympathetically. "We know." He stares at her, not angry. Yes more bruises on an already bruised face. But he is listening. There is just the faintest hint of tears in her eyes. "Domon, you are not the only one upset about this!" Behind her Ayase lowers his gaze and says quietly, "Tastuya cannot know his future. And neither can we know ours." He takes Takku from Domon's hands.

Domon looks down at his fallen friend. Still panting from the blow that tumbled him, Tatsuya looks away, then moves to help Sion back to his feet. The youngster says sadly, "The thing is, when we return to our own time, we'll only be able to take with us our memories." He looks at Tatsuya. Shaken, Domon turns away. "If that's so, then there's nothing we can do for ourselves, right?" He turns his gaze accusingly again on Takku, held in Ayase's hands. "What's the point of our being Time Rangers?!" The rest of them are all troubled. And in the distance the sounds of explosions catch their ears. They whirl and see the fires rising into the sky, sparks flying. Takku gasps, "It's started! He's destroying the city!" Tatsuya steps forwards and stares. The city. The people. He is caught, in a web.

Another building is gone in severe eplosions. Blaster Mad rubs his chin thoughtfully. "Where've the humans gone?" He kicks his pile of grenades forward, and people are flushed from hiding running screaming. Laughing, he pursues them.

Ayase's lips firm and he sets Takku down and starts off determinedly. "Hey!" protests Domon, and he stops. Then he responds in a tone of cheerful calm, "Only now matters." He looks at his taller companion, eyes both resigned and alight. "Isn't that really the meaning? It's a long time and anything can happen. I can do what I want." And he springs into movement, long legs eating the ground as he hits the command to change. The others watch him go with varying degrees of amazement. Yuuri is next to speak. "So this is history? I wouldn't change why I'm here. To fight the Dorunero." Domon watches her mutely, remembering what he knows of her, now. She is off, changing into armor to fight.

Thus Blaster Mad, having a good time, finds he is facing Time Blue. He knocks Ayase down and is about to slice him, but Yuuri is there in time to block that shot. They face and attack together.

Sion steps forward. What he thinks, no one will know unless he says. He says into the troubled silence, "Domon. I really love being a Time Ranger, with all of you. And so..." He turns his engaging grin on his friend, light is part of him, I think. He races off, changing into his armor, even as Domon reaches half to stop him. Only the two remain. "Sion..." Domon says sadly. And then a hand closes firmly on his shoulder. When he turns his head, his cheek is poked by the finger Tatsuya kept deliberately out. The face he looks at, however, is alight with mischief. "Been rebuked, eh?" Tatsuya laughs. Furious, Domon takes a swing at him, but he ducks and dives to the opposite side. He is about to take off when Domon grabs him and turns him around. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" For a moment, Tatsuya's expression is sad, then he smiles at his friend and explains softly, "This is what we must do." Domon releases him, with an expression of faint betrayal. Tatsuya turns towards the distant fires. "But that is the one thing we all have in common: worry." Domon opens his mouth to speak, puzzling over the way Tatsuya's mind works. But his friend turns to him again and smiles, full of mischief and daring. Then he is off. And in voice-over Tatsuya says, (maybe) "No matter if it's bad or good, some people just sit and watch. I don't want to be one of those. These feelings in you are strongest, as you're from the 30th Century." Feeling, thinking, Domon screams his protest to the skies, for no one is near to listen. He slumps to the cement, fists clenched. "Not everyone can be a Time Ranger. And at least as one, you can fight to protect the people, right?" Under Takku's gaze, Domon gets to his feet and draws in a great breath. His eyes blaze with fresh determination. And then he smiles wickedly and races to join the others.

Blaster Mad has been alternately getting hit and wiping the floor with them. He captures Sion and drags our boy in close. Just when he would kill him, Domon arrives to beat Blaster Mad back, and collect his friend. "Didn't wait?" "Well you were slow!" protests Tatsuya, even as they clasp each others' hands. But their enemy is angry and first on them. Domon takes the brunt of the shot and Blaster Mad cackles. But Domon has an idea and relays a command to the others. Sion protests, but Domon overrides him. The next blast separates them, and Domon vanishes into the bushes. The other haul out their cannons to fire, which sets Blaster Mad snickering at them for trying this again. But what he doesn't know is that Domon is on the opposite side of the battle. "Go for it," he tells them, laughing. And they do. But not expecting the back shot, he is hit badly. Domon is smug but Ayase takes him down a peg. Yuuri cuts off the coming fight to call for the assembled cannon, to shrink Blaster Mad. The Vol Tec Bazooka fires, but the blast gives him time to go large. And Tatsuya tells Takku to call in the Time Jets.

And he stands at the controls, a thousand years in the future. The Time Captain, who looks as though he doesn't know the meaning of the word "joy." With grim determination, he stabs two fingers at the console to send the ships back. They come out the top of the Tokyo Dome. "Yes, they came!" crows Domon. And Time Robo Alpha is their first formation. Jikuuken is out, they face their cackling enemy. Still at the console, the Captain watches the Time Shadow move into position on the launchpad. Grim in the light, he stabs two fingers again to send it back. It flies through the Time Tunnel, hurtling between the two sides of the parted Red Sea, as a bearded, gray-haired man in white robes and holding a staff, ducks in surprise. (Moses, of course) Past a haunted castle, and a vampire assaulting a golden-haired woman who wears a pale dress. The vampire staggers as the ship passes overhead and the woman makes her escape. An astronaut places an American flag on the moon and nearly jumps out of his suit as the ship hurtles above him.

And again the sun seems to be eclipsed. The battlefield falls into shadow, startling the combatants. "Time Shadow!" exclaims Tatsuya. Yuuri calmly comments that they must need it for this battle. The ship fires on Blaster Mad, then changes from stealth to battle mode. Landing on a building, it ignores the shots fired and leaps in for a closer battle, only to be blasted down by the enemy's chest-cannon. It falls. Alarmed, our heroes attack with Jikuuken, but Blaster Mad is able to use his own weapon and slice their blade in two. The smaller one sparks and vanishes from Tatsuya's hands, as their enemy laughs and knocks them about. At Domon's urging, Tatsuya changes their formation to Time Robo Beta.

In that form they do rather better. The blue robot is faster and does considerable damage before they pull out the Flyer Magnum. They beat Blaster Mad, and Domon crows, "Yeah, now to Escalator him!" Yuuri points out wearily that they can't do it without the Jikuuken. But Takku says they can, the Time Shadow carries the equipment. Use the code, "Delta Formation" he tells them. They obey, Tatsuya calling, "Delta Formation, Shadow Beta!" Time Shadow is on its feet, turbo engines blazing as it runs towards them, moving to stealth mode. In the 30th, a gleaming weapon rises into the air and moves into position for launch. It comes out the jewel atop the Time Shadow, which then quickly breaks apart to join formation with Time Robo Beta. In moments, they have assembled and hold the huge, blazing sword. "Wow, it formed!" exclaims Sion. And Tatsuya pulls out the mini-version of the sword. They go high into the sky and lay down a firing line. Twelve pinpoints for each part of a clock, surround Blaster Mad and then their power goes in at him, to hold him immobile. And with the great cannon, Tatsuya fires. "Time up!" announces Domon. And the enemy is defeated, screaming as he is shrunk. Daylight returns. Our heroes crow in victory, but then their cockpit shudders. They are thrown from it to land, in their street cloths, and watch their ships hurtle into the future, followed by the Time Shadow.

They get back to their feet, dusting themselves off. "They always go back to tomorrow, without us," says Domon sadly. And Tatsuya again sets a firm hand on his shoulder, this time with no finger to poke him when he turns. "Hey, and who are we, then? This is our place now," he says, grinning. Sion pops up behind him with sunlit smile. "Yes! Let's go home and eat!" He rounds to Domon's right, grabbing his arm and starting to drag him. Tatsuya helps cheerfully, the three equally relieved and happy. Watching them go, Yuuri chuckles softly and glances up into Ayase's eyes. He, too, can't help but be amused at their antics. Mutual in their feelings, the two hurry to join their friends. And Sion is telling them there's something special waiting at home. "What is it?" asks Domon to be echoed by Tatsuya. "It's a secret!" and Sion races off, the others pursuing him.

And a furious Don Dorunero is home. "Gien, you IDIOT!" he shouts, punching the golden robot angrily. Thumped back against the wall, Gien's eyes flare red but with alarm. Dorunero stalks forward. "You used our trip to really do some strange stuff! Dammit, can't you like it here?" Lira steps in front of him. She is very dark, deeply tanned, her lips a bright pink and she looks rather bizarre. Moreso than usual! "Well, his destination is Hell's Gate." He is stuttering, "Well, you know it's all the stress I've been under...." "Oh, yeah. You're sure under stress," she mocks back at him, head turned hautily. But Dorunero reminds Gien that being part of a family means he has a responsibility to the others in it, and not to get in their way. And so the Don demands the key used to get into the most dangerous vault, and a promise that Gien won't pull this kind of crap again. Gien obliges. Lira takes the key with a smug laugh. She heads off, Dorunero with her, commenting appreciatively, "Lira, you are REALLY brown!" Gien is left to himself, eyes yellow with tinted laughter. For he has another key. "Key one, key production!"

Night has fallen, and this is a clean night with nothing to prove otherwise. At the table in our heroes' base, There is a pot full of sorted delicious foods. Enoki mushrooms. Noodles. Eggish things. Thin-sliced beef and more. Everyone is overjoyed with the scent of the food filling the room and Domon gasps in delight, "This week we aren't being so strict?!" Sion, handing Yuuri a bowl of eggs, explains that all this was given to them by some of the customers. Yuuri passes the eggs out to each of them, though not to Sion. "I thought, particularly after today, you all deserved something delicious to eat." Tatsuya and Domon both grab him and hug him with thanks, then with false tears shove him over and grab their plates and chopsticks. "THANKS!" they start to dig in and grab things. Ayase is starting to protest, saying they aren't children, but Domon gets him for it, telling him to grab his own chopsticks and get what he wants, that's how this meal is done. Yuuri has no sympathy. "Yes, hurry and get your meat, Ayase!" Ayase gets on the ball. Sion is drinking orange juice (maybe he doesn't need to eat as often?). "My meat!" exclaims a happy Domon.

Next episode: Don Dorunero's monster, a kind of samurai-like being with 3 eyes. And something has happened to the rangers. Aside from all being in different clothes than usual, Sion is the only one still himself. And Takku tells him he has to do it alone. Case File 21, Sion no ryuugi. Sion's Way. シオンの流儀