The day after the battle against Don Arkage, the Kyurangers were treated to a meal at Bistrot Jurer, that was when an irate Asaka Keiichirou stormed in, yelling for the Kyurangers.
FFN I Ao3
A/N: Special shoutout to @asknarashikari @narashikari this was also another one of her prompts that she filled and is, of course, inspired by what she has written.
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Right after the battle against Don Arkage, the Patrangers were kind enough to arrange for accommodation for the Kyurangers, one room for each member.
It does help that the Special Police Dekaranger vouched for the Kyurangers, considering they were a sentai team from another universe altogether.
Spada cooked a simple meal for everyone before they rested in their respective rooms, too exhausted from the events that transpired in the past two days.
Everyone was too exhausted that they slept away the rest of the day
The next morning, everyone was gathered at the hotel's lounge area discussing their next course of action.
"Good, everyone's awake." Noel greeted the Kyurangers.
"Good Morning to you too, Noel-san," Kotaro greeted. "We were just checking if our Kyu Voyagers could return us to our universe today."
"Unfortunately, we're stuck here for a few days," Raptor shook her head. "While we did not use them in battle, they were heavily damaged when they entered Earth's atmosphere."
"The Ryu Voyager also needs a few days to charge up before being able to fly back to the wormhole we came through." Shou offered.
"And that means we're stranded in this universe for a few days." Kotaro concluded.
"In that case, why don't I treat the saviors a meal at the Bistrot."
"Free food? Talk about lucky!"
"Lucky! We don't even know if he's going to treat us." Hammie pointed out.
"No need to worry, the Dekarangers has offered to cover your bills during your stay in this universe," Noel informed. "Commander Kruger stated that it's the least they could do for preventing Don Arkage from gaining power."
"My word, this universe does not only have two sentai teams protecting it but numerous," Tsurugi exclaimed. "That is legendary to behold!"
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"KYURANGERS!" One Asaka Keiichirou shouted. "WHY IS THERE A CHILD WITHIN YOUR RANKS?!"
Keiichirou stomped his way inside Bistrot Jurer while the other Patrangers followed him inside as the people from another universe began to sit on their chairs.
"Holy Moly, we've been found out." Tsurugi exclaimed.
Stinger subtly pulled Kotaro to his side, getting ready for the eventual reaction that will happen. From the looks of things, it will get loud.
"Wha- and you tried to hide it?!" Tsukasa gasped.
"May I ask how you found out, garu?"
"No adult in their right mind would say 'we are all adults here'" Tsukasa raised an eyebrow.
"My word! That is a legendary deduction."
"I told you, you shouldn't have let Kotaro say that line once he exited the voyager!" Raptor pointed out.
"If we could ask, why is it a problem that Kotaro's fighting on our side?" Naga asked the enraged police officers.
"A PROBLEM?" Keiichirou growled. "WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?"
"Chill out Kei-chan," Kairi was quick to try and diffuse the situation. "Remember, most of them here aren't from Earth."
"Or from this universe for that matter." Kairi couldn't help but mouth at Umika and Touma.
"How do you know that, Kairi-kun?" Sakuya asked the waiter. "Any and all reports of the people from a different universe should have been stopped by the GSPO."
"You mean to tell me, that it's perfectly human to have a skin like a snake?" Kairi rebutted before gesturing towards Naga. "A scorpion's tail, or lines that look like gills?" He raised an eyebrow as he gestured towards the other Kyurangers. "No offense."
"None taken." Stinger shook his head.
"There is a race called Zyumans who are perfectly humanoid apart from their faces and the tails or fins they sport," Noel informed. "Garu and Shou could be seen as one of those Zyumans."
"Not the point." Kairi stated as he gave Noel a look.
"My word, there are other races on Earth that are not human?" Tsurugi exclaimed. "That's a legendary discovery!"
"We're diverging from the topic," Keiichirou growled. "OF COURSE THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM WITH A CHILD IN YOUR RANKS!"
"I'm sorry if my question offended you, I do not see the harm of letting Kotaro join us in our fight against our villains." Naga asked.
"Please forgive Naga," Hammie was quick to add. "He comes from a race that has resolved to suppress their emotion."
"But he's been learning about them since." Balance nodded.
"I…I see."
"I know he is angry on Kotaro's behalf, but I do not see why he would be angry." Naga admitted.
"That anger, Naga, is an emotion born out of their perceived protective instincts for children." Kotaro decided to answer. "It's the parental instinct in most Earthlings to protect children."
"Oui, most people have this parental instinct to protect children," Noel chimed in. "Some give in to fear and hate and do the opposite of what those instincts entail."
"It's not only present in Earthlings," Stinger added. "Most sentient beings have this parental instinct of protecting the young."
"One of the many reasons why we refused you to join us in the first place," Shou remarked to Kotaro. "As you have been chosen by the Kuma Kyutamas, the sensible thing to do was to keep doing what we were doing with you in the first place."
"So you did not force him to fight by your side?" Tsukasa questioned.
"Mama Mia! No!" Spada exclaimed. "We would be no better than Don Armage if we had forced him to fight alongside us."
"That day was really lucky!" Lucky remarked. "I witnessed how Kotaro was chosen by the Kuma Kyutamas and was able to teach him some of the basics I learned when I was first chosen."
"That's Lucky for you!" Garu exclaimed.
"That was indeed lucky." Shou nodded.
"Excuse me, doing with him in the first place?" Umika voiced out.
"He was already fighting Jark Matter forces with his younger brother before he was even chosen by a Kyutama," Champ relayed. "He got himself and his brother kidnapped by the enemy forces and was about to be made an example of."
"I decided to place him inside our ship for safekeeping," Stinger supplied. "I knew that Kotaro was the one who was getting himself and his younger brother in trouble."
"Y-you kidnapped him?!" Tsukasa and Umika exclaimed in unison.
"Mou! Aniki!" Kotaro exclaimed. "It wasn't like that at all!"
"I asked to join them while they were on a mission, aniki brought me to their base before he was deployed once more, " Kotaro narrated. "Frankly speaking, everyone offered to bring me home but I always found my way inside."
"We let him stay in the base so he won't get himself kidnapped for the third time," Shou took over the narration. "And before we knew it, he was chosen."
"It was lucky that Stinger was deep undercover when they were kidnapped the first time." Lucky grinned.
"Even then, we did what we can to increase his chances of survival." Shou added.
"Commander sent him to Rebellion HQ to train him in various weapons and history." Champ supplied.
"My word, what a legendary tale you've tailored yourself, Kotaro!" Tsurugi exclaimed.
"You already know this, Tsurugi," Kotaro rolled his eyes at his fellow Earthling before turning his attention to the Patrangers. "While I appreciate, you, getting angry for my sake, please know that the circumstances of my Earth were a lot different there." Kotaro sighed. "I asked them to let me join, even stole one of their unused changers to prove a point." He smiled sheepishly.
"It all turned out okay, in the end." Shou shook his head.
"I can respect someone taking an initiative," Touma gave his comment. "Sometimes there are things that you just have to do yourself."
"Agreed there," Kairi nodded. "Sometimes you just can't depend on others to do things for you." He added bitterly.
"I guess that's the best thing we could hope for." Noel sighed.
"Something I can really depend on is you helping me out here," Umika pushed a tray onto Kairi's arms. "Stop slacking off and help me serve the food."
"Talk about luck!" Lucky exclaimed. "I'm starving!"
"You're always starving, Lucky." Hammie whined.
"Why don't we join in as well?" Noel grabbed a chair and sat on it. "It is, after all, a celebration."
"True, I haven't had breakfast this morning." Keiichiro nodded.
"None of us were able to go home for the past two days," Tsukasa shook her head. "Filing various reports about Don Arkage and the damage to the city."
Umika served the Patrangers their food before they could even order what they wanted.
"Don't worry; I had them prepare our meals beforehand." Noel pointed out. "So dig in!"
"Delizioso!" Spada exclaimed as he blew a kiss with his thumb and index fingers.
"Talk about lucky! This is the most delicious meal I tasted that's not cooked by Spada!" Lucky exclaimed.
"I'm glad the food is to your liking." Touma bowed in appreciation.
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The Kyurangers and the Patrangers left the Bistrot to tour the city they were stranded in. Under one of the plates was a card, reminiscent of the ones the Lupinrangers threw at the Ganglers.
"Your secret's safe with us. BN Thieves" Umika read.
"And I told them not to copy our notices too." Kairi smirked.
A/N: This is another one of those fics inspired by one of @asknarashikari @narashikari’s prompts. Credit where credit is due.
FFN I Ao3
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During one of the instances where every Kyuranger was inside the Orion battleship, everyone was doing their own thing. Kotaro and Stinger were busy training, mostly sparring against each other with Stinger imparting some knowledge to the youngest member.
Champ was nearby pumping some dumbbells but was also watching the sparring session between surrogate brothers.
Raptor was by the pilot seat with Shou and Tsurugi behind her.
Lucky, Hammie, and Garu were by the table eating some food that Spada was serving.
Naga and Balance were talking to each other.
"Hey, not that it's a bad thing, but aren't there more planets being attacked by Jark Matter?" Lucky asked.
"We're only one team and we only have one ship capable of traveling through wormholes," Raptor turned her back on the console and faced the inquiring member. "The Kyuvoyagers are only able to travel in short distances."
"We already covered this, Lucky, every time a new Kyuranger joins," Hammie laughed. "You're so funny."
"We're only waiting for a distress signal from a nearby planet before we can help?" Kotaro asked, wiping his sweat with his shirt's sleeve as he walked inside the bridge followed by Champ and Stinger.
"If we could visit multiple planets at once," Shou nodded somberly. "Unfortunately, we can only send one team on a planet that needs help."
"Why couldn't we send two teams?" Tsurugi asked. "We already have 12 legendary Kyurangers, we can send, at most, six teams of two members to nearby planets."
"It's too risky." Shou shook his head. "At the very least, I want to send a team of five members to mitigate the risks," He added. "Each of us is indispensable, the universe cannot afford to lose anyone of us."
"But aren't we all taking risks here?" Kotaro voiced out. "Plus you have sent Stinger on an undercover mission, and there was also the time where you sent Stinger and Champ together."
"That was…" Raptor trailed off.
"Yes, I did send them." Shou nodded. "You have to understand, Stinger and Champ are seasoned warriors, while most of us were only chosen recently, as such we don't have much experience to call to."
"You're inexperienced, commander?" Spada asked.
"As you know, I'm too old to be sent on duo, or trio missions."
"Don't worry commander, I'm sure that with Lucky, we'd all return alive." Garu offered.
"That's only applicable if Lucky is on that team, what about the other teams where Lucky's isn't with them?"
"The commander's right," Stinger agreed with the high-ranking officer. "Most of us didn't start out as warriors."
"Commander, I'd like to visit a nearby world to stock up." Spada voiced out. "We're running out of food and supplies."
Hammie opened the holographic screen by the table and zoomed out of their current location.
"Looks like the only nearby planet is one full of vegetation." Hammie pointed to the one green planet.
"I can whip up a few new dishes with vegetables and fruits." Spada cited.
"Well then, we're going to planet Lachaniko." Shou commanded.
"Grazie!" Spada grinned.
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It had been decided, via the usual Kyulette the chance, to send in six Kyurangers into the vegetation-rich planet. The Kyurangers that were selected were Spada, Hammie, Raptor, Lucky, Kotaro, and Tsurugi.
The Kyurangers has just descended to the planet's surface when they saw incoming Jark Matter ships.
Everyone immediately readied themselves to transform when things began to be launched at the Jark Matter ships, crashing them to the planet's surface. Soon after, vines began erupting from the ground and wrapped the crashed ships themselves around it, covering everything.
However, their intent to battle the Jark Matter proved to be a huge mistake as vines began attacking the Kyurangers.
"Wha- Why're they attacking us?!" Hammie exclaimed. "We're not the enemy!"
"It probably thinks we're here to destroy the planet," Kotaro offered as he dodged an incoming stone. "It probably wants to eliminate any invading species."
"I don't understand," Raptor jumped over some vines coming at her. "We landed on the planet just fine."
"Kotaro's right," Spada caught a flying wooden stake coming towards him. "The planet is just protecting itself."
"This is legendary!" Tsurugi exclaimed. "A sentient planet, I thought this only existed in manga."
"Not the time Tsurugi!"
"Talk about Lucky!" Lucky exclaimed before ducking from an incoming projectile. "We can simply ask the planet to give us what we want!"
"It doesn't work that way!" Hammie exclaimed.
"Kyaa!" Raptor screamed as her wrists were caught in the vines.
"Raptor!" Spada exclaimed in alarm before rushing towards the android's aid and cutting her restraints only to get caught himself.
Tsurugi was quick to take action as he cut vines that restrained Spada and the ones coming for everyone else. He summoned fire to his sword and spun in place, burning the vines coming at them to ashes.
"Everyone okay?" Spada heaved.
"I'm fine." Hammie's hands were on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.
"I'm fine too," Raptor nodded. "Thank you for saving me, Spada."
"Tsurugi's the real hero this time," Spada shook his head. "You were about to be captured by the vines too."
"I think this planet is too hostile to gather food." Tsurugi shared his observations. "We need to evacuate immediately."
"Wait, where's Kotaro?" Lucky questioned.
"What?!"
The deployed Kyurangers looked around, and indeed, their youngest member was missing. They were so focused on freeing themselves that they did not notice that Kotaro had been captured.
"We need to report this to the commander." Spada stated somberly.
"I don't want to know how Stinger and Champ are going to react." Hammie admitted.
"Lucky! Good that you called," Shou answered the call as Lucky held his Kyuchanger and Kyutama up. "Kotaro has just contacted us, and he said that someone wants to talk to all of us."
"Wha-"
Everyone looked at each other.
"We barely made it far from the ship, commander," Spada reported. "What did Kotaro say?"
"What's wrong?" Stinger's worried voice was heard.
"The planet's hostile to non-natives," Tsurugi reported. "We just got done defending ourselves from the planet's hostile vegetation."
"Meaning, Kotaro's been captured." Champ's voice offered.
"You said you guys barely made it far from the ship?" Balance asked.
"Yeah," Hammie voiced her affirmation. "I'm worried about Kotaro."
"Kotaro said that someone wants to meet our leaders," Shou relayed what he had heard. "We're going to have a change in personnel." The commander's voice was final. "Hammie, Raptor, you both need to return, Stinger and I will replace you both."
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The team that consisted of Lucky, Stinger, Shou, Spada, and Tsurugi walked. They had expressed their worries about Kotaro's situation and the possible trap they were being led to.
"On top of contacting us, Kotaro had sent us a map of the area," Shou informed the people who were had been deployed earlier. "He had also marked where his contact is going to meet us."
"We should be near." Stinger commented.
"We're going to get Kotaro back, I promise." Spada gave his word.
"Kotaro can take care of himself," Stinger responded. "I just hate the fact that I wasn't able to prevent this from happening."
"We all took this risk, Stinger." Shou offered. "You of all people know that."
"I know…"
"We're here." Tsurugi voiced.
Everyone was standing before a cave.
Shou, Spada, and Tsurugi debated to themselves whether to go inside the cave right then and there or have some preparations.
"Let's get inside," Lucky grinned and chose for everyone else as he went inside the cave.
"Uh, Lucky! It doesn't work…" Spada trailed off.
Lucky simply walked inside, ignoring the others.
"That way…" He finished half-heartedly before giving chase to the Red Ranger.
Stinger followed both rangers, extremely worried for Kotaro.
"What a legendary man," Tsurugi commented. "He's like one of those daredevils back in the day."
"Daredevil?" Shou couldn't help but ask.
"It's an old term for people who aren't afraid of danger." Tsurugi answered as he followed after Stinger who had already followed Lucky inside.
"A daredevil, huh," Shou commented to himself as he followed suit. "I suppose one could describe me as a daredevil back in the day." He gave a wistful smile.
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Everyone was greeted by Kotaro and a figure obscured by a sky blue light. Kotaro was dressed in a Sky-blue kimono and Haori paired with a gray Hakama. The boy's hair was green, which clashed with the boy's outfit.
"Welcome Kyurangers," Kotaro greeted.
"Kotaro?" Spada questioned.
"Can we please have Kotaro back?" Lucky immediately asked for Kotaro. "We were simply defending ourselves when you attacked us."
"Big Bear said the same," The green-haired Kotaro responded. "I just want to see for myself if those claims are true."
"Big Bear?"
"His soul was watching over the chosen of the Kuma Kyutama," The green-haired Kotaro stated. "As of now, he's waiting for when I release this boy," He gestured towards the pillar of Sky-blue light with them. "He has also given me the pleasure of being able to communicate with you, the Kyurangers, when I inhabited the boy's kyutama."
"I see, so that's what the vines on Kotaro's hands are," Lucky grinned. "You're doing the same thing as commander Big Bear did when he chose Kotaro."
"What do you mean, Lucky?" Stinger immediately asked.
"Talk about lucky!" Lucky exclaimed. "Kotaro wasn't in any danger than we had all thought."
"You still have yet to answer Stinger's question." Spada pointed out.
"Basically, when planet Lachaniko –"
"Call me Karpos as that is my name." Kotaro, no Karpos, gave their name. "That is the planet's name."
"When Karpos captured Kotaro, they immediately tried to ask him on what were our intentions were on this planet, but lack the means to do so." Lucky began to explain. "That was when Big Bear communicated with them and told them about a way to communicate with us."
"That would mean that the vines are Karpos's way of establishing a connection with their body to Kotaro's kyutama and subsequently possessed him." Shou theorized.
"That's legendary!" Tsurugi exclaimed. "Not only were we able to find a sentient planet, but we were also able to communicate with them!"
"The universe is vast," Karpos stated. "I imagine there are many more of us in this universe, in another universe, a planet named Mogo was given something that allowed him to travel through the cosmos, which has made me a bit envious of them." Kotaro's face was pouting as soon as the planet mentioned Mogo.
"Why did you attack us?" Stinger questioned, still on guard.
"I can only sense intent," Karpos admitted. "The moment I felt that you were ready to fight, I did not take any chance in order to defend myself from would-be invaders." The possessing planet explained.
"We were only here to harvest some vegetables for our dwindling food supply." Spada stepped forward.
"I gathered as much." Karpos made Kotaro's head nod.
Karpos made Kotaro's fingers snap as a number of bundled vines came in from the entrance. This made everyone in the room tense; it took everything in their power not to default to their instincts and prepare for battle.
"I appreciate the restraint," Karpos stated. "I took the liberty of harvesting food-matter for you as soon as I was sure of your intentions."
Karpos made Kotaro hand the Kyurangers basketfuls of fruits and vegetables.
"It is time we part," Karpos stated. "I have one request, please do not engage in battle while on my body, please let me deal with the invaders."
"Of course." Shou readily agreed.
"You are free to land on my surface whenever you please, even harvest some goods, my companions here cannot consume all of them on their own."
"You've got our word." Lucky grinned.
Karpos made Kotaro give Stinger the boy's clothes, which were neatly folded on top of a pedestal.
"Tell the boy he can keep the clothes I made for him, based on the traditional clothes on his home planet."
And with that, the vines that connected Kotaro's kyutama to the planet's sentience receded and Kotaro collapsed as a result.
Stinger gave his basket to Lucky and carried his surrogate younger brother on his arms.
(linebreak)
Kotaro found himself waking up inside the Orion Battleship, wearing traditional clothing from his home country. He immediately remembered the events that lead him to wear a Haori, Kimono, and Hakama, which were worn during formal occasions in his country.
Kotaro was inside the cave, being dragged by the vines that had wrapped around his body. A Sky-blue light emanated from his jacket's pocket, which was the Koguma Kyutama, and docked itself onto Kotaro's changer before his clothes turned blue.
The next thing he knew was wearing the formal garb he'd been wearing when he met with Lucky and the others.
"Are you alright?" Stinger was in Kotaro's room.
"I'm fine, aniki." Kotaro assured his surrogate older brother. "I was conscious while everything happened, Big Bear was instrumental in letting Karpos know that I gave them my consent to possess my body."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm fine." Kotaro nodded. "I'm just glad that the clothes he made using their powers and my Koguma kyutama was something from my side of Earth and not on the other side."
"You looked good in those," Stinger praised. "How bad could it be?"
"Ask Tsurugi about Greece and Togas." Kotaro shook his head. "I do not fancy being bare-skinned on other planets, thank you very much." He shivered at the thought.
