At Grid Battleforce, Commander Shaw was watching the footage of how Zoey saved Nate, after he almost sacrificed himself to save his friends during the fight with Robo-Blaze and Grubber. She thought about what she said, and realized that she might have been a little too hard on Nate and Zoey...and especially Rainbow Dash, who along with Steel, had worked so hard and so secretly to bring them together.
She saw the others come in, with Rainbow’s body lowered dejectedly, wondering what she was going to say next. The Mayor came in too, although he started to cough a little bit.
“Well done, team.” She finally said to them. “I’m relieved everyone is safe.”
Zoey and Nate looked at each other, and decided to tell her. Nate walked up to her.
Cozy looked at Rainbow, and gestured her to come forward too. “Go on.” She said, pushing her kindly. “Go, and tell her what happened.” Rainbow saw her friends look at her solemnly, and she took a deep breath, and decided to step up and prepare for the worst, as she walked up to Nate’s side.
Nate looked at her confused, but she patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry.” She said, smiling. “I’ve got this. Besides, it’s pretty much all on me, and I was the one who roped you into this.” Nate smiled at her, and the two were ready to tell her.
Nate spoke up. “Commander, we haven’t been dating.” He said, calmly. “We may not agree with the rules. But, we’re not going to break it, if it means jeopardizing the team.”
“And, we should’ve thought about this all the way through, when really...one thing would lead to another, and...” Rainbow sighed. “You know the rest.” She bowed her head down. “I’m ready to face whatever punishment you hand down to us.”
The commander looked at them for a second. “I believe you both.” She said, taking a deep breath, to prepare for what she would say next. “I saw the way you all fought together today...especially Zoey and Nate.”
What she said next, nobody had ever expected to hear. “...and, It’s clear to me now that you’re a great team because of your relationships...not in spite of them.”
“Oh, I knew it!” Rainbow said dramatically. “I knew you would never approve of us dating, and...wait, what?”
The commander nodded, as Zoey and Nate looked at each other, smiling. “I don’t change the rules often. But when I do, it’s only for a good reason.” She said.
Rainbow and Steel both looked at each other in surprise and wonder, as they smiled huge smiles. The Wonderbolt’s and best bot’s faces lit up like Christmas trees. “Does THAT mean?!” She and Steel both asked in shock.
“Yes, you two. It does.” Commander Shaw confirmed. “The rule is...toast, as you might say.”
Rainbow and Steel wanted to scream like fangirls. They couldn’t believe that the rangers’s mentor had actually now allowed Rangers to date Rangers. She couldn’t believe it! “Is this a dream? Anybody? Can you please pinch us to see if this is a dream?”
But, Starlight and the others smiled, and nodded ‘no.’ “Sorry, Dash.” Starlight said happily. “But, it looks like this is all real.”
“As real as real can be!” Cozy said, nodding as well.
Rainbow and Steel were excited and relieved that their mission was technically a success, despite it falling through a little bit.
“AW, YEAH!” They both shouted in victory.
“THAT...IS...AWESOME!!!” Rainbow squealed in pure happiness, in their celebratory moment. “We did it! We finally did it!”
“Do you know what this means?” Steel asked, happily. “You two can be together!”
Zoey and Nate looked at each other, and smiled, as the others shared a kind laugh during this one moment to celebrate.
“Yes, Rainbow.” Starlight said, smiling. “You two did do it.”
“And, speaking for Starlight here, we’re all glad that you two had managed to pull it off.” Spike said, while the others nodded. “Except for one thing...next time...” he went to their faces, as he said the next words. “Would you mind telling ME about it?!”
Rainbow and Steel both jumped back in shock, but then brought themselves back to focus, as they smiled at their friend. “Absolutely!” She said, as Steel nodded.
“You can count on it!” Steel added.
“Good!” Spike said, smiling at them.
They all smiled, as Zoey took Nate’s hand. “So...” she asked him. “You want to see a movie tonight?”
Nate smiled as he took her hand as well. “Affirmative.” He said. “It’s a date.”
Rainbow, Cozy and Spike sighed in relief as they heard this. “Well, that’s ONE less thing that we have to worry about!” The wonderbolt said happily.
“Testify!” Spike said in victory.
“Oh, yeah!” Cozy added as well. The heroes were happy that their villains were defeated, the Mayor was safe, and the commander changed the rules...which meant that Zoey and Nate could no longer hide their relationship and could now date. What could possibly spoil their one moment of happiness?
“I knew we could do it!” Rainbow said, giving her a pat on the back. “I knew we were the best!”
However, the Mayor started coughing more violently than ever, making the heroes turn their attention to him, as they rushed over to him. “Dad?” Devon asked him.
“Mayor Daniels!” Rainbow said in shock. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not well!” Mayor Daniels said, as he pushed his son away, and ran out of the lab.
The others started to go after him. “Dad!” Devon said as they chased him.
“After him!” Starlight said, as they followed suit.
Mayor Daniels had already made it outside to the entrance to the base. He started to collapse, as the heroes rushed over to him. “Dad!” Devon said again, as he tried to confort him.
“GET AWAY FROM ME!” Mayor Daniels said, worriedly as he shoved Devon away back to the group. He yelled inarticulately, as blue energy surged though him quickly.
“Dad?!” Devon asked in shock as he watch his father start to change. The blue energy transformed him into his evil alter-ego...the Storm King, as he took the Mayor’s own place.
“What the WHAT?!” Rainbow asked in complete horror!
The others gasped in shock. “The STORM KING?!” Starlight, Zoey, Cozy and Steel all said in astonishment and fright.
Once the Storm King finished his transformation, he got up and growled toward the heroes. “NO!” He shouted at them. “I’M NOT YOUR FATHER!”
Devon was horrified upon seeing the Storm King here, as were the others. The Storm King aimed his Staff of Sarcanas and fired it at the Rangers and Ponies, making them fall to the ground. However, they were unharmed...but rather shocked at they saw what just happened. “The Mayor is gone.” He said. “Best you forget about him.” He laughed evilly, as the hero’s watched with a shock of anger, shock, horror and surprise on their faces.
“You may have learned my secret, but soon, the Morphin' Grid will be mine!” He roared, as he teleported away, just as the heroes were about to get him!
Devon was crestfallen and shocked at what he saw unfold before his eyes. “The Storm King and my dad are...in the same body?!” He asked, trying to process what happened.
The others were horrified as well, upon seeing this. Rainbow Dash gasped, and gulped in shock. “I was wrong.” She said, scared. “That’s WAY worse!”
“You think?” Devon asked her, as he looked at his ally, and them back at the spot where his dad...now their public enemy no. 1, once stood. One of their most vilest villains had possessed an ally of the Rangers, and a family member of his. He was speechless, and in disbelief at what happened.
He turned back to the speedy Pegasus, who was gobsmaked as well. “What do we do now, Rainbow?" He asked her.
Not even the most coolest Wonderbolt could find the light in a situation like this, as she was extremely troubled that her friend’s father was under the control of their opponent, and that they had an entirely NEW problem on their hands! “I don't know, Devon.” She said, sadly and aghast. “I just don't know!”
Grid Battleforce, and the heroes had a TON of Morph-X available for the Storm King to steal, and they had to come up with a plan to not only trap him, but also save Devon’s dad. But, how?!
TO BE CONTINUED...