Speed of Weakness

News?

Sage was arguing with the others when Lapis finally came out. His Minun led the way as he came out with a quiet noise.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Lapis shot a glare at him. "Listen... you, me and Cedar are going to a meeting after I win this." Lapis blinked as the rangers chuckled.

"Lapis, side with us. Sage is hiding something in the storage room." Lapis blinked before going to get food. The room lost it at Sage's shout.

"Are you using your needs against us!?"

"Yes!" Sage sat back in his chair as Lapis came out with some oatmeal. "To be honest, I'd be on your side anyways because you still have yet to find what I'm hiding." Sage paused as he sat down.

"It's in the guitar, isn't it?"

"For the last time since you've started, no. I wouldn't be an idiot to put it in the guitar. Can someone figure it out?" Sage growled.

"Guys, change the fight." Cedar busted out laughing as Lapis scoffed.

"Getting reinforcements?"

"You are annoying."

"Sven's worse."

"We'll be talking to him in about an hour." Lapis stopped what he was doing to look at him.

"On second thought..."

"The storage room won't save you."

"But-"

"No."

The others finally grabbed air as Lapis finished his food. He went to clean up and paused.

"Then I get to throw a water balloon at him."

"That I will allow."

~!_!~

Lapis wasn't exactly kidding. The minute he was able to, he threw a water balloon at the taller ranger's head.

"Bullseye!" The male sighed.

"Lapis... really?"

"Take your leave now."

"No."Sage laughed as Fearow put the box down. Elita giggled.

"Why did no one think of that until now? We could've given it to the runners."

"No and no and no and no and no." Joel huffed.

"I'm sad to say this, but I like his answer." The others laughed as Aria stretched.

"What are we doing here?" Sage glanced at out the door for any wandering Information Runners. None, which surprised him.

"You guys are not allowed to tell the Information Runners."

"Why?"

"Just no." Joel let a slow clap out.

"Why does Sage have the best answers right now?"

"Why are you such a jerk?"

"Has anyone found the exact number?" Sage fell quiet.

"Uh.... 4?"

"29 would be closer."

Sage cracked a steady smile as he looked at the box.

"I personally think that the box is worse than the number of times we went down there. Shut up." Joel huffed as he brought something out of his pocket.

"First of all.... Has anyone grabbed the matches?" Elita lost it as a smaller boy raised his hand.

"Oui. Me brought ultimate kind. Flamethrower." The newer ones gulped as Sage frowned.

"Do realize that the old base leader will come out of the grave to strangle us, right?"

"Nope." The others giggled as Sage gulped.

"For those who don't know, you are looking at the original group of rangers that made history of Fiore. Minus Joel."

"Minus Sage." Joel countered. Sage huffed as he continued.

"Inside that box is just about everything this group has been destroyed by. We'll call it the apocalypse of the greats. But inside that disaster is the file no one actually likes." Joel held up the key he had brought out.

"So who's brave enough to open it while Sage takes off out the door?" Sage scoffed as Aria took the key. Lapis gulped.

"There's more than a key..." Sage kicked him.

"No! We only needed a key to hold a demon. What are you thinking!?" Lapis growled as the others lost it.

"That's not funny."

"Sure. I have nothing, so..." Sven placed an envelope in Cedar's hand while a card appeared in Percy's hand and a paper in Freddy's. "Take you time."

~!_!~

"So that's what you guys are hiding...?"

Sage nodded as the others stared.

"We decided to tell you guys alone because you were there when the operation went south." Sage sighed. "You'll be the first rangers to see that file because you are going to be in there. Promise to not tell a soul or let anyone know about this. It's a very traumatizing file that will no doubt crumble in the back of the storage room after this. But the real question is are you guys willing to join us in keeping it down?"

Silence followed before Lapis nodded.

"With what's in there..." He trembled as the others nodded in agreement. Sage smiled.

"Thanks guys." Joel chuckled.

"I want to see the Information runners try to get it now. Let's split up and put the demon away."

~!_!~

Sage was up rather early as he gulped. The Chairperson was on the phone and he couldn't think straight.

"Yes... I understand. Of course. I mean... I've been there. Yeah... alright... bye." He hung up and trembled. Cedar and Lapis came down and noticed.

"Captain...?" Lapis whispered. Sage gulped.

"You guys aren't going to like the news I have."

"What...?" Sage turned around and gulped.

"Remember... the one Information Runner that came...?" Cedar growled.

"Scarlet or Malov?" Sage gripped the desk to keep his ground.

"Both work, but Scarlet is the one I'm more referring to. The Information Runners just lost their captain and operator." The duo stopped. "Scarlet's transferring into our ranks."