A Dashed Shade Of Red Part 1: Hidden Mysteries

by TheSuperTransformerFan

Prologue: A Delightfully Devilish Plan

It was dusk at Grid Battleforce, and everyone was just starting to get ready to head home, to prepare for the next day. Little did everyone know that it wouldn’t be normal tomorrow.

In the training room, Nate had just finished developing the newest weapon in the Power Rangers Arsenal, and was showing Ben and Betty it. “Wow!” The twins said in awe.

“Phenomenal.” Nate said, holding it up, and proud of himself. “The Beast-X King Spin Saber is ready to test!”

“Ooh. Spintacular!” Betty said, excitedly as she took it from him. “Could I try it out?”

“Oh, I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Nate said nervously. “Well, okay...just grab the handle and spin it!”

Betty was ready to give it a go, as she shouted a war-like cry and spun the sword around her wrist. Nate and Ben were so far amazed with how she was handling it. She then turned to them, and spun it high into the air.

“You got it, sis!” Ben said in excitement, as he and Nate was watching.

Betty kept spinning the sword wildly as if she were fighting a robotron. “Not bad!” Nate said in astonishment.

Just then, she swung it so high up in the air, she started to lift off the ground like a helicopter. This started to frighten the two geniuses. “Uh oh!” Ben said, nervously. “Betty? Betty!” He and Nate raced over to her, as Ben grabbed her by the legs, and Nate by Ben’s legs. “Betty, Let go!” Ben cried out in shock.

“Or, not?” Nate said worriedly.

The two were flying around like Inspector Gadget’s Gadget Copter, like there was no tomorrow! “SIS!” Ben shouted. “I’m slipping!” Nate dodged for impact as the Burke twins landed in a pile of empty Morph-X barrels.

They both got back up, with Betty holding it up in the air, not spinning it. “It works perfectly!” She said, bravely.

“Uh, is it supposed to do that?” Ben asked in shock.

Betty decided to put it where the Rangers would use it later. “We’ll put it in the transporter case!” She said, as the twins went over to the lab to put in said case.

“See you, Nate.” Ben said as they left.

At that moment, Nate’s Beast Bot brother (AKA the Silver Power Ranger)...Steel, and everyone’s favorite Pegasus Wonderbolt (AKA the Element of Loyalty)...Rainbow Dash came in the training room just as the twins exited. “Hey, Bro!” Steel said.

“Hi, Nate!” Rainbow Dash said, waving.

“Hi, guys.” Nate said to them.

“Is there any chance you could help tweak the stabilizers on my zord?” Steel asked, curiously. “Last time it went into Scarab mode, it almost ‘bugged out’ on me.”

Rainbow Dash started to giggle. “Get it? Bug out? Because it’s part-bug, and...”

“Okay, I get it, you two.” Nate told them, getting the message. “But, it’s late and I’ve been working on the Spin Saber all day.”

“Spin Saber?” Rainbow asked, curiously.

“Yes. It’s a new piece of weaponry that I worked on today.” Nate told them. “It’s getting late for any Zord bugs.”

“Bugs...” Rainbow said, as she and Steel started to giggle.

“I got it, okay?” Nate said to them. “How about tomorrow?”

The two comedians looked at each other, and smiled. “Oh. Okay then, Nate.” Rainbow said. “See you tomorrow!”

At that moment, Zoey (AKA the Yellow Power Ranger) came in. “Hey, boys.” She said, greeting them.

“Hi, Zoey.” They all said, calmly to her.

She set her backpack down, and showed them her Zord diagnostics on her tablet. “Check out these diagnostics on the Chopper Zord’s controls.” She said. “Something’s off.”

Nate looked at the tablet, and saw the problem. “You’re right.” He said. “I’ll double check your entire system tonight.”

“Tonight? Really?” Zoey asked.

“But..you said you were exhausted.” Steel pointed out.

“Yeah.” Rainbow added. “Shouldn’t you be tired, and heading out by now?”

“Anything you need, Zoey.” Nate told her. “No problem.” He left for the lab, to fix her Zord system. “Bye.”

Rainbow and Steel both felt that something was rather a bit...off, regarding what just happened earlier. “I don’t get it.” Rainbow said to her. “Steel just asked Nate to work on his Zord, and he said he was too tired. But, you asked them same thing, and suddenly, he’s....” just then, both their minds clicked, as they slowly put the pieces together.

They both silently gasped. “Wait a sec...” Steel said in realization. “Does my brother like you? I mean...like you like you?”

“Sounds like somepony’s got a crush on someone she thinks she shouldn’t!” Rainbow joked.

“Uh, Nate?” Zoey asked, in disbelief. “Like me like me?” She playfully scoffed. “Trust me, dating is the last thing on my mind. I...I gotta go!” She grabbed her backpack, when a magazine fell out of it.

The two took notice, grabbed it. Zoey tried to grab it back. “Give me that!” She said.

“But, what is it?” Steel asked, jokingly. He held the magazine up, as he and Rainbow looked at it. Zoey was sweating with fear as she tried to snatch it back, but they held it out of her reach.

“Glitz Magazine?” Rainbow Dash asked, reading the title. “The ultimate guide to first dates?!” She cracked out in laughter, as she fell to the floor, pounding down in hysterics as Zoey blushed. “Are...are you an EGGHEAD?!” She jokingly asked. “Like Twilight?!” She continued to laugh so hard, she might burst a blood vessel.

Steel saw her laugh so hard on the floor. “I do believe Rainbow Dash has snapped.” He said to Zoey, as the Pegasus finished her round of laughing, and slowly start to get back up.

“You like Nate?” Rainbow asked her.

“Okay!” Zoey said, snatching the magazine from the laugh buddies. She looked around, to make sure no one was around to hear this. “You two can’t tell anyone.” She said seriously to them.

“Why not?” Rainbow asked.

“Because...” Zoey told them “The truth is...Nate and I both like each other.”

Rainbow gasped in excitement as Steel raised his arms up in the air. “THAT’S AWESOME!” he said a little too loud.

“I knew it!” Rainbow said as well.

Zoey grabbed Steel’s arms, and Rainbow’s wings and put them down. “SSH!” She said to them. “It isn’t awesome at all.”

“How is that not awesome?” Rainbow asked, confused. “Having a boyfriend can be really cool! It’s like that magical time of year when a young man’s fancy turns to love!” She started to flutter in excitement.

“But, that’s just it!” Zoey pointed out. “Rangers dating Rangers is against Battleforce rules!”

“What?!” Steel and Rainbow both said in shock, as Zoey put her magazine in her backpack.

“If you ask us, that’s a silly rule!” Rainbow said, seriously, smiling.

“I agree with Rainbow!” Steel agreed. “People say ‘Love is the best thing in the world’! What could possibly be the harm in dating?!”

“Who knows?” Zoey sighed. “But Nate and I aren’t going to break the rules.” She packed up her backpack and left the room.

“We hear you, Zoey.” Steel said, as they watched their friend leave. “We won’t tell the others.”

As their friend left, Steel turned to his friend. "We're not going to let Zoey keep her relationship with Nate a secret, right?" He whispered.

"But you heard her." Rainbow whispered back. “Rangers can’t date Rangers! If we were in the Crystal Empire with Cadence, it’d be a totally different story! But, this is not that story!”

"Since when we have left any of our friends hanging when they needs us, even if she didn't realize it?" Steel pointed out.

Rainbow pondered for a moment, and realized something. "Well, you do have a point." she pointed out. “Zoey has been in ‘like-like’ with Nate, and she’s been keeping it a secret for a long time, so...” a devilish smirk came across her face. “Maybe, we could bring her and Nate together, and get the Commander to drop that silly rule! It’s that simple!”

Steel grabbed her as if she were off her rocker. “We can’t tell anyone!” He said seriously.

“How come Zoey knows?” The Pegasus asked.

“Dash!” Steel said again.

“Alright.” She sighed. “I still think that’s a silly rule, though. So, are we all still up for it?" She asked.

Steel sighed. "We are.” He said. He put out his hand. "No contest."

Rainbow spat on her hand. Steel was confused, but pretended to spit on his hand, and the two formed their pact. “So, do you always do that whenever you plan stuff with Applejack?”

Rainbow blushed. “Yeah, AJ and I sort of do that whenever we plan something.” She said. “Also, I think Starlight should be coming tomorrow. She wants me to get some memories of me and Twilight.”

“Starlight’s coming tomorrow?!” Steel said in excitement. “Phenomenal! We could let her in on the plan, and...” Rainbow glared at him.

“I thought we wouldn’t tell anyone.” She said bluntly.

“Oh, sorry.” He said. “So, how’s she doing? I can’t wait to see her!”

“Me too!” Rainbow said. “So, our plan for tomorrow should be that maybe we could secretly do it without anyone noticing, and make them realize how much they’re meant for each other? It’s like us playing Cupid, or like two mini-Cadences!” She giggled.

Steel groaned. “Don’t say it like that.” He said.

"Oh, sorry. So, when do you wanna meet and discuss this over?” She asked.

“How about, tomorrow morning, at the crack of dawn, right her in the training room?” Steel suggested.

Rainbow thought that sounded like a good plan, as she beamed. “Awesome!” She said. “That should give us enough time to prepare before I run into Starlight to collect memories of me and Twilight.”

“It should be!” Steel said in agreement.

Rainbow smiled, as she yawned. “Well, I’m tired. I’ll see you tomorrow!” She flew slowly out of the base. “G’Night, Steel!” She said, sleepily.

“Good Night, Dash!” Steel said, as she left. “We’ll make sure this plan works without the others, OR Starlight even knowing it!” he snickered quietly, as he rubbed his hands together. “Delightfully devilish, Steel!” He walked out of the training room, and to the lab for his maintenance check, and to rest up.

He and Rainbow had a plan for their two ranger lovebirds, and they were about to pull it off without anyone noticing! That is...unless Starlight and Spike happened to catch wind of it. But, they could always deal with that when they found out, later on!

Author's Note:

Dash and Steel with their crazy explanations!
The commander’s gonna need her medication!
When she hears Steel and Dash’s lame exaggerations,
There’ll be trouble in town tonight!

The Element of Loyalty and the Silver Power Ranger have a plan to bring Zoey and Nate together! How can they do it without the Commander, Starlight, or their friends knowing about it? Can Rainbow discuss the plan before she meets up with Starlight? Or will Starlight meet up with Dash first? Find out in part 1!