ORION CITY – DOWNTOWN CAFÉ – AFTER SCHOOL
The sun hung low, casting golden rays across the glass storefront of Starbrew Café. Inside, music played softly. Couples laughed. Lattes steamed.
Lyra stepped through the door, dressed beautifully—casual, effortless elegance. Her hair tied with a soft ribbon. Her look: composed. Her mood? Not so much.
Across the table sat Kieran—the boy who had blackmailed her into this "date."
KIERAN(grinning nervously)Wow. You actually showed up.
LYRA(flatly)Smile too wide and I'll throw my drink in your face. Let's just get this over with.
OUTSIDE – ACROSS THE STREET – PARKED IN SUSPICIOUSLY OBVIOUS LOCATIONS
The rest of the Galaxy Sentinels were very inconspicuously watching from various spots.
Zayn sat at a bus bench with binocular glasses embedded in his lenses.
Rayna pretended to read a book but hadn't turned the page in fifteen minutes.
Jett was munching fries from a food cart while casually spying through the reflection of a spoon.
Kael and Daiki sat behind a newspaper stand, both pretending to be browsing.
DAIKI(teasingly)You know, Shin-nii-san, if you're jealous, just say the word and I'll punch him again. Harder.
KAEL :We're just teammates.
DAIKI(grinning)Uh-huh. Cold words, burning stare. Got it.
INT. CAFÉ – MOMENTS LATER
Lyra and Kieran sit in silence. She sips her tea. He fidgets.
KIERANY'know… you could've just said yes if you liked me. I wouldn't have needed to—
LYRA(quietly, cutting him off)Blackmail isn't flirting, Kieran.
He looked away, guilt creeping in—but before either could speak again...
CRASH!!!
The window exploded inward. Screams. Chaos. Plates shatter.
A MONSTER burst through the wall, wearing a massive white chef's apron, brandishing a pair of cleaver-like ladles.
CHEF VORAX – one of Karnex's elite. A beast with steam-pipe shoulders and boiling oil dripping from his mouth.
CHEF VORAXToday's special: grilled Sentinels with a side of panic!
ZAYN (through comms)We've got contact! Level 6 anomaly!
The Rangers sprang into action, tossing disguises aside, rushing across the street.
Lyra stood up immediately, eyes locked on Vorax. She turned sharply to Kieran.
LYRAGet out. Now.
KIERAN(stunned)What—what the hell is that!?
LYRAA problem that's not yours. Go!
But Vorax's aim was wild. His ladle launched toward the fleeing customers—including Kieran.
Time slowed.
Lyra's instincts took over.
She leapt in front of the attack, intercepting the blow with a spin-kick and a shimmer of pink energy. The impact slammed her back, skidding across the café floor.
KIERAN (shouting)LYRA!!
EXT. CAFÉ – MOMENTS LATER
The team arrived in a streak of color, weapons drawn.
DAIKI(already half-morphed)Shin-nii-san… permission to make this guy a smoothie?
KAEL :Granted.
They charged.
The fight lit up the block—steam blasts, Nova strikes, psychic flares. The café, once calm, became a battlefield.
Lyra pushed herself up, bruised but steady.
LYRA(whispering)I told you to leave...
KIERAN(genuinely shaken)You saved me…
TO BE CONTINUED…