Wild Force Power Rangers: Ancient Warrior Saga

Episode 32 (A) Monitoring Earth

The sun poured through the windows of Willie's Roadhouse. Still early morning, the empty chairs and tables cast long shadows across the hardwood floor. Willie strolled to the front door to flip the sign from Closed to Open and prepare for another business day. He had just taken his hand off the lock when Merrick silently appeared and breezed past him, on his way out the door.

"Where you headed to?" Willie asked.

"Nowhere, just outside. I need to make that girl something longer to paint with before she breaks her neck."

"What girl?"

Merrick stopped just outside the door. Wordlessly, he pointed directly upwards. Willie stepped out and looked up. He squinted through the sunlight to find Lila, happily laid out on his roof. She had climbed all the way up to hand paint a spot too difficult to reach with a ladder. She noticed Willie and waved to him, flashing him a large smile.

"Good morning!" she called down. Willie raised one eyebrow, partially out of both question and amusement. Merrick just gestured, having no explanation. Willie simply walked back inside, shaking his head and muttering something about heart palpitations.

"Hey, you. You're early today," Merrick called up to Lila.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I couldn't sleep- wanted to paint. Actually, do me a favor?"

Lila was known for not sleeping much. Her brain ran too fast sometimes, and her workload had usually encumbered her mind, resulting in her struggling to rest.

"Yeah, what do you need?"

"I think I knocked my ladder over getting up here," she apologized with another smile.

Merrick walked around the side of the Roadhouse to find the metal ladder exactly where it was supposed to be, folded up and placed neatly against the back shed. He gave an exasperated sigh, picking the ladder up and carrying it out front.

"You didn't even get it out. You're killing me, Lila."

"Well, getting up here was no problem," she contended, "but I thought you guys would appreciate me getting back down the proper way."

"See, it's that side of you that gets you in trouble."

Merrick leaned the ladder securely against the building. Lila grasped each side and zipped down to the grass with gusto. She grinned at him, attempting to be endearing.

"So, do you climb out your window real stealthy? Or do you have a key and have to creep back in here while Willie's still asleep?" she asked abruptly, questioning how he left the Roadhouse every morning to sing with Princess Shayla.

Merrick paused for a moment, unprepared for the question. "Neither. I told him I like to go running during sunrise."

"He doesn't believe you," she pointed out, walking past him.

"I know," he admitted.

He followed behind as she walked back to the shed. Lila rooted through to dig out a fresh, full can of paint while Merrick grabbed a tool bag, a paint roller and a discarded broom handle. Lila regarded him curiously.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you," he mimed painting the wall with the broom.

"Aww, you're building me something?" she said, half-mocking, half flattered.

"Yep, also, if you fell off the roof, Princess Shayla would kill me."