LIGHTSPEED SEASON 2:
Disclaimer: If it were mine I wouldn't need to write about it would I? If it were mine a whole lot would have been happening.
Rating: PG-13 -- This is violent compared to the real show and has death and blood from murder and disasters.
Summary: New villains arise to cause Havoc! The Rangers must face them head on
A/N: Thanks to Dawn of Destiny, Tiner Put and () they helped me realize something. I let my friend take over this story a lot actually. She intended for Dana to get paired with an OC (the cranky technician) and the same for Carter (a police woman called Kylie). She made Sera a Mary Sue and I didn't want that. I tried to make her happy with my story by changing who Sera was (she argued Sera was too elaborate originally) and didn't let me be myself be censuring the sequences I wanted. My ideas were there but blunted. I just had to tweak it. Though so () knows I didn't like the fact they had to turn in their morphers, after all they were a great way to save lives. So here's the story just me and so my "friend" knows I don't care what people think of me I am who I am and what my life has made me don't try change me again.
Want some summery on that? Check my bio.
Thanks to the reviewers (though 31 reviews of the same three was another reason to repost). This little speech sounds OC for a psycho like me so let me state for the record: I WILL WIPE OUT MANKIND
*** Episode 1: The Trouble with Evil (1)
'Where's Carter?' Dana shouted hoarsely. 'I can't see him!'
The Skull Cavern was coming down around them. Kelsey pulled her friend out of the way of a falling boulder. 'He'll be okay!' she shouted. The Yellow Ranger dodged a collapsing pillar. 'Just watch for him!'
'Guys! Let's not pussyfoot around!' Joel called. 'Dang! This looks bad!'
***
'The Cavern's collapsing
'What! How can that be?'
'The Rangers!'
'Oh this sucks like a blow fish!'
'Shut up, what else can you sense Cami?'
'I'm not getting much...damn stupid connection.'
'Yes you should have gone digital...Back to what you can get?'
'The Red Rangers in Mortal peril'
'Then life is good'
***
Bansheera's grip was like a shackle. His grip was slipping and he was not going to be able to hold on, he would drop straight into the demon underworld...and be trapped there in hell forever.
'Die Ranger! Die!' hissed Bansheera as she flailed her long nailed hand for his other leg. 'Come with me to hell!'
The golden form of Diabolico rose up, staff in hands, eyes glowing and shape shimmering like a mirage. 'Strike him Diabolico! Strike him!' spat Bansheera outlined against the dark chasm below them. Diabolico raised his staff.
***
'Oh...Oh yeah! Diabolico's spirit's just come into play!'
'The Ranger is toast'
'Shut up and lets hear the girl out!'
'Yes o fearless leader'
'You know full well what he's scared of'
'Shut up and tell us what's happening!'
'Tetchy, Tetchy'
***
Carter's eyes widened in terror as Diabolico raised the staff...and brought it down. The sparks flew as Bansheera's hand burst into flames and she released the hero's ankle. 'DIABOLICO!' she shrieked as she plunged into the darkness and vanished in a flash.
'Run Ranger, your work with us is done...but beware of the progeny...' and with that Diabolico vanished. Ryan's hands gripped Carters.
'I think we should leave, the demon's made up for their numbers with really tragic foundations! The whole place is coming down!'
Carter cast one last look into the tomb as he was pulled up and followed Ryan out.
***
'He did what?' the leader said flatly.
'Smashed Bansheera's hand' came the sighed reply from Cami. 'Wow...guess no one wins the pool.'
'I need to go break something' the leader grunted.
***
The rangers rushed from the skull cavern as it crumbled, the dust caught up by the wind and scattered across the city in glowing cloud of gold. 'That's impressive' Joel said.
'I'll give them that much, when they go out, they go out big' Kelsey said. Carter ran a hand through his hair. 'And Mariner Bay gets safety...I think' Everyone looked at him. 'What do you mean "You Think"?' asked Chad.
Carter bit his lip. 'Diabolico mentioned something...unpleasant...'
'He's a demon he is unpleasant, unpleasant is him!' Joel exclaimed loudly, waving his arms a little for emphasis.
'He warned me after he whacked Bansheera...'
***
'We don't have any proof' Captain Mitchell said. The rangers stood in the park their rescue ranger jackets on. Kelsey was nursing a painful arm, Ryan's ribs were hurt, Carter had a strained arm, Joel's head was bandaged, Dana had a bruised cheek and Chad was limping a little. But they were alive. 'The LightSpeedNet had no sign of any demonic activity anywhere in the world...'
It was a sober moment. Everyone held his or her morphers like cherished pets. Without them they weren't the same team anymore. 'You know we have to turn them over' Ryan said aloud. 'If we don't give them up we may never live normal lives.'
'I suppose I'll be a fireman full time again' Carter said. He handed his morpher back slowly to a rather misty eyed Captain.
'I haven't even finished my first year of med school' Dana smiled. 'I really should get down and apologize to my professors.' Her morpher sat beside Carters in the case.
'I'm going to go see my Sensei, there's some life guarding out there I should do that like I've always wanted to...' Chad added. 'Sometimes the sea is an unfriendly place.'
'My old boss wants me back' Joel said. He couldn't say anymore, he just put his morpher back.
'Guess this ends my connection to Diabolico' breathed Ryan placing his morpher back. 'I...I want to help rebuild the Aquabase...after all, that one access tunnel... it isn't enough for the place to function properly'.
'I'm going with Grandma to see my family in Maine' Kelsey said. 'Distant relatives I've never really met before'
All the morphers were back. The captain closed the case like a lid on a coffin... a slow sombre thud. 'Lightspeed forever' Dana murmured. Kelsey put her hand out between them. Ryan put his hand next, then Chad, then Joel, then Dana and then Carter. 'Lightspeed' they said one last time.
There was a shriek of tires and a red convertible pulled up. Ms Fairweather rose and shook her hair out. 'Joel!' she called. Joel's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. 'Did you forget our date?'
'Go for it' Kelsey said as Dana shut his mouth. He grinned and hurried forwards; his bumped head apparently better 125% now.
'So, is anyone going to Roma Avenue?' Kelsey asked.
'That's my way' Ryan said. 'I'll drop you at your grandmothers'.
'I'm heading to the beach' Chad said. 'My Sensei does Tai Chi there...I'll see you all sometime'. He turned and limped towards his silver car parked beyond the park.
Captain Mitchell waved his son off as well as his rangers. 'I should bring these back to the Aquabase' he said. 'One entrance working and the zords down...they wouldn't have been much use...the morphers'
'Daddy' sighed Dana hugging her father. 'I'll see you at the weekend...I...I have to move back to the campus now...'
'I know' Captain Mitchell nodded. 'I'll see you around...'
Carter and Dana watched the leader walk away. 'What now?' Dana asked. 'The Aquabase would need major work to be anymore use. That single tunnel, no zords and half the weapons toast...Lightspeed really is dead.'
'We're alive' Carter said. 'Well Ms Paramedic...I'll see you around...'
'We can still stay in touch' Dana said with a great deal of hope in her voice. Maybe a tad too much. 'All of us...the rangers...'
'Naturally' nodded Carter, he moved forwards and looked into her serene eyes. 'Friends forever.' He hugged her with warm friendship and she hugged him back stifling her tears. 'Now get going' she smiled. 'We've all got lives to get back on track...'
Dana turned and hurried off. Carter watched for a minute before heading in the direction of the Fire station. The one he'd been stationed at when Dana had asked him to follow her.
***
Ryan sipped the coffee and smiled at Kelsey. She smiled back. 'Thanks' she said sloshing her espresso. 'I don't know when I began obsessing about caffeine! I just needed a cup of the java juice or I'd have been-'
'Overwhelmed?'
She gave a sigh. 'Yeah' she mumbled. 'I just don't feel like it's the same thing without the morphers...we're not...Rangers Anymore...'
'In a way were always were' Ryan said. 'We were chosen as rangers for a reason. Well except for me...'
'Maybe you weren't handpicked but the Captain was always proud of you for breaking the hold Diabolico had...he knew you had what it took to be a ranger'.
Ryan gave a faint smile, like he always did, and sipped his coffee. Just then he heard the shouting. 'Let Me Go!'
The girl was the stereotypical geek of a school. Messy hair, thick glasses, heavy sweater and baggy jeans with scuffed trainers jutting out from the blue folds. Her satchel was being wrenched away by a man.
'What have we here?' he snapped. 'Well, well wallets! We got a pickpocket!'
Ryan looked up with second smile (that's two more then Kelsey had ever seen in one day) as blushing people came to retrieve their possessions. 'Man embarrassing, getting pick pocketed by a little girl!'
'Ryan Mitchell?' called the man. The colour drained from the ex-Titanium rangers face then spread up in a red tide. 'Yeah here' he mumbled as he accepted his wallet back. 'This is mine'
'Would you mind coming down to the station with us? You're the last person to accept a wallet and we'd like you to say you saw us apprehend this little leech'
'Uhh...Kelsey? Can we take a detour?' Ryan asked his friend as she came up behind him. The girl was struggling out of the handcuffs. The plainclothes officers showed their badges to the people and reassured them justice would be done.
'There's no such thing as justice with you over-fed yahoos! I've seen police from all over the world and you're all the same!' the girl shouted. She slammed a foot into the widest target on the officer holding her. Namely his gut. The plainclothes man staggered back in surprise as the girl leapt and swung her arms under her legs. 'I won't go to another juvenile centre!'
She turned to run. The other officer grabbed her and wrapped his arms around the girl's arms and body. 'This might take a while' he said.
***
The iron-grey sea swirled, the wind pelted down from the overcast sky, swooping in at the people standing on the top of the lighthouse. 'This is a very Aran Sweater, red nose and mug of tea by the fire kind of day' the girl said. 'So why aren't we at least wearing an Aran sweater?'
'Because we're on the coast of Dublin, opposite side of Ireland from there' the first boy said. They leaned on the railing.
'Diu mind? I'm waiting!' the other boy snapped. 'Our spy is bliddy late!'
'He's doing a mission' was the cool reply. 'We're here for the scenery'
They looked out on the cast iron waters. 'What scenery?' the other too asked him.
*****
Captain Mitchell patted the box at his side as the armoured truck trundled along the road towards the base. Ms Fairweather had been able to get the scientists mobilized to clear it with a glued-together rescue bird... that had sadly fallen apart seconds later. What was the point Lightspeed was over...
The blast hit the side of the truck shaking it and knocking the captain off the wall. He staggered to his feet with a frown. The doors were wrenched off the truck. He turned and stared. A demon! It had dark red flesh with a flesh coloured diamond on the chest and large ram horns. 'Ahoy captain!' it rasped as the purple flecked pink of the diamond blasted out and hit him...everything went dark.
*******
Mariner Bay 12th Precinct was busy as always. The girl was handcuffed to the radiator twice with oven gloves on. She buried herself in the turtleneck of her sweater and sat near the corner and edge of the chair.
'Okay look just give us your full name' the officer said as she kneeled by the girl. 'Age? 15 or 16?'
'17 the girl snapped. 'Now back off!'
Kelsey bit her lip. 'Can I try?' she asked the officer. 'Maybe I can get her to cooperate? A little?'
The woman just handed the clipboard over and walked back to her desk.
'Hey' Kelsey said. 'Uhh...Can you just help? It'll only make it worse if you don't...'
'It doesn't matter they'll stick me back in care, or the juvenile centre!' the girl said with a shuddering gasp. 'And I'll go through hell again'.
'Look...what's your name?' Kelsey asked.
'Sera Reye' the girl said finally. 'I'm 16 going on seventeen on the 13th of February, in case you were wondering, that's a Friday the Thirteenth 16 years ago. I'm of Filipino-Korean nationality. My full name is not up for discussion in case you were wondering. I was raised in Ireland and Japan. I came her two years ago, I have citizenship and I steal to survive'. She folded her arms and turned away again.
Her dark brown hair was tied up messily by a clip and fell across her face. She brushed a strand off her glasses and turned the dark blue eyes to Kelsey from behind the lenses. 'I have to get out of here, I have to get back to Ireland'
'You want to go home?' Kelsey asked.
The girl bobbed her head around. 'Only for a while I have to stop a disaster' she said slowly. 'Then I'll come back and possibly consider maybe turning myself in!'
Kelsey shook her head. 'So...where do you live?'
'Here there everywhere' grumbled Sera in a rather mad way. 'Its all relevant to absolutely nothing don't you think?'
Kelsey blinked. She was wondering when the cuckoo would start popping out of the girl's head. Sera blew at her fringe. 'If I touch a person I see things, the future, past the present. They're psychometric visions and I can control them sometimes...please let me prove it! I have to stop them!'
Kelsey gingerly took the outstretched hands of the girl. The world went white and suddenly she was seeing her past.
Her grandmother telling her off...her first morph...the battle with Trakeena... the meteor episode...Bansheeras tidal wave...her Tai Chi classes with Chad...the goodbye of the team.
'Wow the yellow ranger' Sera said. 'Lucky me. Now do you believe me?'
'What's the danger?' Kelsey asked, shaken by the force the visions had hit her with, her head pounded, her ears were ringing and everything seemed sharper and brighter.
'Demon sorcerers, your satellites won't pick up...please I need to get to Ireland! PLEASE!'
Kelsey just blinked. The girl shook her head. 'Fine, then I'll do this the hard way...'
Sera closed her eyes and focused. She karate chopped the flimsy wood of the bench and shattered it. She shook her fingers out as she sprinted towards the doors. 'STOP her!' shouted the officer behind the desk. Two men darted in front of the doors and Sera skidded to a halt. She turned and took a run at the staircase...Ryan caught her. She kicked at him and swung a punch or three.
'Calm down' exclaimed Ryan. Kelsey leaned over and whispered in his ear. 'Uhh hey officer, we need to take this girl to a place...umm the Aquabase.'
The officer just looked sceptical.
*******
Carter was still staring at his phone as he entered the base. //I don't get it// he thought. //We turned in the morphers what do they want with us? //
He found the others in the control room. 'Everyone' Ms Fairweather said loudly, getting attention. 'I have bad news...Captain Mitchell's just be found severely injured...in what eyewitness reports say was a demon attack'
Dana gave a loud gasp and covered her mouth as Ryan caught his sister in a backwards stagger. 'What? How?' he murmured. 'We killed all the demons!'
'No' a voice said nervously from the door. The girl stepped forwards. 'My name is Sera Reye...I'm a psychic...No Joel I did not bring a crystal ball. See?' She had a pleading look on her face. 'I touched the wreckage and saw the attack.'
'The demon got the morphers' Ms Fairweather said carefully. The rangers were taken aback. 'Luckily a DNA lock will prevent non-humans from using them in anyway'.
Sera gave a slight "laugh" to cut in. 'Actually that's the problem...' she opened her sticker covered black and red laptop. 'The villains are demon sorcerers but the reason they can't be detected by your satellites is because they're half-human.'
'Sera says that the demons are Celtic demons who were exiled by Bansheera for gathering too much magical powers. They were trapped in a portal dolmen but escaped by making themselves corporeal. They had descendants and this is the thirteenth generation and so...'
'The most powerful' nodded Chad. 'What is it with demons and the number 13?'
'It's an arcane number' Sera shrugged. 'Now...what resources do you have to get to Ireland?'
'The LASER-J' Ms Fairweather exclaimed. 'Lightspeed Airborne Supersonic Emergency Rescue Jet. It's in the airfield! It wasn't destroyed...or tested...'
'That's just peachy' sniffed Joel. 'We get to fly an untested bird.'
'it should fly, and get you across the seas in under an hour.'
'The demon I saw was Alvader' Sera explained showing them the illustration on the computer. It was like the pages were from ancient browned parchment with wiry old writing around it. 'He's able to store things in his body and capture things there. He's used as a courier but he's got only short- range teleportation...in short he may have a head start but if the jet is fast enough we can make it to the...'
'We?' Carter said. 'Look, you obviously know a lot about demons. But we can't put you in danger from this demon.'
'You have no idea' Sera said. 'I've been around his bosses, you'll need me to help!'
'You can stay in contact over the communications link' Ryan said.
Sera said nothing for a few minutes. 'Fine' she relented at last. 'Better get moving'.
AN HOUR LATER
The silver and blue jet was like a stealth bomber, it shot over the city of Dublin and dropped its cargo. The Ranger Rover was inside a silver crate, a parachute erupted from the top and it descended to the ground.
'St Michaels Reformatory School is on this road' confirmed Sera. 'Ms Fairweathers checking on the Captain...umm be careful.'
'Who are we looking for in a secondary level school?' Joel asked.
'Teachers!' guessed Ryan.
Dana just let the wind flow through her hair. It was smog clotted and the rivers stank around here... //because no one cares about the environment anymore// Dana sighed. 'Ryan...do you remember Mom took us to Donegal every year?'
Ryan gave a sad smile. 'She spent her time in the garden of the little house...'
They smiled and Carter turned down the driveway to the school under the dark shadows of the trees. It was lunchtime, the students were standing around, now interested in what was happening with a rather banged up SUV pulling up and people jumping out.
'Okay, who are we looking for?' Carter asked.
'Three people, one female two males' Ms Fairweather said. 'According to Sera's files at least though it looks like there's some stuff missing. Maybe a but/if/and or so.'
Carter nodded. 'Right lets go guys!'
There was a crackled of light and the rangers staggered away. Three students strode forwards. They were sixth years in the dark blue uniform of the Catholic school. The first was male, he had brown hair and blue eyes, and he didn't look different to anyone else, his face coated in acne and greasy hair wasn't that easy to notice either. The girl had short dusty blonde hair and thin glasses. Her skin was pale and she skimmed them with strangely coloured eyes, sort of blue but almost purple. The last person was a boy with sallow skin and black hair.
'Rangers' sneered the brown haired boy. 'Well, this is a surprise...just not a pleasant one!' He extended his hand, there was a hiss and silver and black light formed a staff in his hands. 'Oh well' He pointed the staff and a blast of black and green lightening shot at the rangers. The students screamed as the rangers were tossed in the air. 'Oh look I hurt them' he smirked. 'Cami, shouldn't we help them?'
'Why would we do that?' she sneered. 'Now...about the rangers?'
'Oh yes...' he yawned. He pointed the staff at a group of students and in a flash they were stone. 'Now that my torturers have been given a body to match what they had for brains...I'll destroy the rangers!'
'That's what you think!' Carter exclaimed.
'And what do you intend to do without...these?' the girl asked. The demon appeared, the box jutted from his chest at an angle. 'Good demon' she said patting the creature.
'Lets go!' snapped
The ranger attacked. Cami cartwheeled away from Kelsey and Chad's attacks landing and firing a blast of purple lightening from her fist. The boy with the accent dispersed into a cloud of dark blue smoke as Joel and Ryan took swings at him. The "leader" turned into shining black stone, defending against the swiping punches and kicks. Finally three blasts of light knocked the rangers away.
'Everyone inside!' commanded Carter to the students, casting an eye at the petrified group. Their faces frozen in surprise and awe. The still moving ones were shoving their way through the main doors of the school...the trio stood. The leader at the head standing with his arms at his side, his staff in his left hand crossing up across his back to reappear at his right shoulder. His legs were shoulder distance apart and his head was cocked to one side. The other boy with the odd accent had his arms folded, standing to the leaders right, back a little and facing the Rangers side on. The girl had her arms folded too but was resting her head daintily on the fingers of her raised left hand, an amused look on the cold features.
The leader yawned as they charged. 'I don't have time to hang around...have fun with this...' the top of his staff blazed with flame and he hurled the orb of fire into the building. The front door collapsed on itself.
'We'll see you soon' he said. 'Ciao'
In a flare of black smoke and green lightening he was gone. The other boy raised his hand and vanished in a shimmer of blue smoke that curled in on its self and burst into a white spark. The girl blew a kiss. 'Catch you on the flipside' she grinned. The air rippled around her and in a cloud of black and purple energy smoke she was gone. The demon flickered with a laugh and
Carter looked at the others. 'Ms Fairweather! Call the local fire brigade! I'm going in!'
'I advise against that Carter' ms Fairweather warned. 'But if you must then be careful all of you!'
Carter removed his jacket and looked around. 'Joel grab that bench' he said pointing at a long wooden bench. 'We'll break the windows down!'
Joel and Carter caught the bench between them while Ryan and Kelsey herded the people from the other buildings of the school and Dana and Chad tore apart the chemistry lab for any kind of supply they could use for medical supplies. Carter leapt into the building with Chad through a shattered window and stayed low to the floor in search of survivors. The flames were intense and veined with black. The sounds of the sirens came after three people had been gotten out.
Joel and Carter heard the firemen enter. Carter was trying to free a girl from a room that was now blocked by a shelf. Joel was shouting. He felt a pounding in his ears and then collapsed.
******
With a smirk the demons closed the parchment. 'Dorian' their technically- leader male said. 'Was that a nice happening?'
'Yeah' grinned the other boy. 'Nick, in case yer wondering I like the sunshine here then the bliddy liquid torture of Ireland in Winter.'
'Technically its Spring' Cami said. 'But mariner bay is prime real estate!'
'And we're going to cash in' grinned Nick. 'With big refurbishment!'
NEXT TIME:
'Breathe! Carter! Breathe!' Dana gasped pressing her lips to his and working to frantically administer the best CPR she could.
The morphers were so close...Kelsey looked to Sera. She was unconscious but alive and that was good...Sera groaned and distracted the demon.
'Excellent Idea Conjura' smirked Dorian. 'Mortighasts! Attack!'
The three cards looked like Tarot cards, but on the front was a bizarre picture and writing beneath it. All three glowed and the illustrations sprang to life. They were covered in neon green and black with bizarre green helmets on their faces forming a skull like head. They brandished warped clubs, swords and axes, there was a skull on each ones chest. They surged forwards at the rangers.
'I feel so bored' Nick smirked. 'Hey! Let's remodel! THE CITY!'
Disclaimer: If it were mine I wouldn't need to write about it would I? If it were mine a whole lot would have been happening.
Rating: PG-13 -- This is violent compared to the real show and has death and blood from murder and disasters.
Summary: New villains arise to cause Havoc! The Rangers must face them head on
A/N: Thanks to Dawn of Destiny, Tiner Put and () they helped me realize something. I let my friend take over this story a lot actually. She intended for Dana to get paired with an OC (the cranky technician) and the same for Carter (a police woman called Kylie). She made Sera a Mary Sue and I didn't want that. I tried to make her happy with my story by changing who Sera was (she argued Sera was too elaborate originally) and didn't let me be myself be censuring the sequences I wanted. My ideas were there but blunted. I just had to tweak it. Though so () knows I didn't like the fact they had to turn in their morphers, after all they were a great way to save lives. So here's the story just me and so my "friend" knows I don't care what people think of me I am who I am and what my life has made me don't try change me again.
Want some summery on that? Check my bio.
Thanks to the reviewers (though 31 reviews of the same three was another reason to repost). This little speech sounds OC for a psycho like me so let me state for the record: I WILL WIPE OUT MANKIND
*** Episode 1: The Trouble with Evil (1)
'Where's Carter?' Dana shouted hoarsely. 'I can't see him!'
The Skull Cavern was coming down around them. Kelsey pulled her friend out of the way of a falling boulder. 'He'll be okay!' she shouted. The Yellow Ranger dodged a collapsing pillar. 'Just watch for him!'
'Guys! Let's not pussyfoot around!' Joel called. 'Dang! This looks bad!'
***
'The Cavern's collapsing
'What! How can that be?'
'The Rangers!'
'Oh this sucks like a blow fish!'
'Shut up, what else can you sense Cami?'
'I'm not getting much...damn stupid connection.'
'Yes you should have gone digital...Back to what you can get?'
'The Red Rangers in Mortal peril'
'Then life is good'
***
Bansheera's grip was like a shackle. His grip was slipping and he was not going to be able to hold on, he would drop straight into the demon underworld...and be trapped there in hell forever.
'Die Ranger! Die!' hissed Bansheera as she flailed her long nailed hand for his other leg. 'Come with me to hell!'
The golden form of Diabolico rose up, staff in hands, eyes glowing and shape shimmering like a mirage. 'Strike him Diabolico! Strike him!' spat Bansheera outlined against the dark chasm below them. Diabolico raised his staff.
***
'Oh...Oh yeah! Diabolico's spirit's just come into play!'
'The Ranger is toast'
'Shut up and lets hear the girl out!'
'Yes o fearless leader'
'You know full well what he's scared of'
'Shut up and tell us what's happening!'
'Tetchy, Tetchy'
***
Carter's eyes widened in terror as Diabolico raised the staff...and brought it down. The sparks flew as Bansheera's hand burst into flames and she released the hero's ankle. 'DIABOLICO!' she shrieked as she plunged into the darkness and vanished in a flash.
'Run Ranger, your work with us is done...but beware of the progeny...' and with that Diabolico vanished. Ryan's hands gripped Carters.
'I think we should leave, the demon's made up for their numbers with really tragic foundations! The whole place is coming down!'
Carter cast one last look into the tomb as he was pulled up and followed Ryan out.
***
'He did what?' the leader said flatly.
'Smashed Bansheera's hand' came the sighed reply from Cami. 'Wow...guess no one wins the pool.'
'I need to go break something' the leader grunted.
***
The rangers rushed from the skull cavern as it crumbled, the dust caught up by the wind and scattered across the city in glowing cloud of gold. 'That's impressive' Joel said.
'I'll give them that much, when they go out, they go out big' Kelsey said. Carter ran a hand through his hair. 'And Mariner Bay gets safety...I think' Everyone looked at him. 'What do you mean "You Think"?' asked Chad.
Carter bit his lip. 'Diabolico mentioned something...unpleasant...'
'He's a demon he is unpleasant, unpleasant is him!' Joel exclaimed loudly, waving his arms a little for emphasis.
'He warned me after he whacked Bansheera...'
***
'We don't have any proof' Captain Mitchell said. The rangers stood in the park their rescue ranger jackets on. Kelsey was nursing a painful arm, Ryan's ribs were hurt, Carter had a strained arm, Joel's head was bandaged, Dana had a bruised cheek and Chad was limping a little. But they were alive. 'The LightSpeedNet had no sign of any demonic activity anywhere in the world...'
It was a sober moment. Everyone held his or her morphers like cherished pets. Without them they weren't the same team anymore. 'You know we have to turn them over' Ryan said aloud. 'If we don't give them up we may never live normal lives.'
'I suppose I'll be a fireman full time again' Carter said. He handed his morpher back slowly to a rather misty eyed Captain.
'I haven't even finished my first year of med school' Dana smiled. 'I really should get down and apologize to my professors.' Her morpher sat beside Carters in the case.
'I'm going to go see my Sensei, there's some life guarding out there I should do that like I've always wanted to...' Chad added. 'Sometimes the sea is an unfriendly place.'
'My old boss wants me back' Joel said. He couldn't say anymore, he just put his morpher back.
'Guess this ends my connection to Diabolico' breathed Ryan placing his morpher back. 'I...I want to help rebuild the Aquabase...after all, that one access tunnel... it isn't enough for the place to function properly'.
'I'm going with Grandma to see my family in Maine' Kelsey said. 'Distant relatives I've never really met before'
All the morphers were back. The captain closed the case like a lid on a coffin... a slow sombre thud. 'Lightspeed forever' Dana murmured. Kelsey put her hand out between them. Ryan put his hand next, then Chad, then Joel, then Dana and then Carter. 'Lightspeed' they said one last time.
There was a shriek of tires and a red convertible pulled up. Ms Fairweather rose and shook her hair out. 'Joel!' she called. Joel's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. 'Did you forget our date?'
'Go for it' Kelsey said as Dana shut his mouth. He grinned and hurried forwards; his bumped head apparently better 125% now.
'So, is anyone going to Roma Avenue?' Kelsey asked.
'That's my way' Ryan said. 'I'll drop you at your grandmothers'.
'I'm heading to the beach' Chad said. 'My Sensei does Tai Chi there...I'll see you all sometime'. He turned and limped towards his silver car parked beyond the park.
Captain Mitchell waved his son off as well as his rangers. 'I should bring these back to the Aquabase' he said. 'One entrance working and the zords down...they wouldn't have been much use...the morphers'
'Daddy' sighed Dana hugging her father. 'I'll see you at the weekend...I...I have to move back to the campus now...'
'I know' Captain Mitchell nodded. 'I'll see you around...'
Carter and Dana watched the leader walk away. 'What now?' Dana asked. 'The Aquabase would need major work to be anymore use. That single tunnel, no zords and half the weapons toast...Lightspeed really is dead.'
'We're alive' Carter said. 'Well Ms Paramedic...I'll see you around...'
'We can still stay in touch' Dana said with a great deal of hope in her voice. Maybe a tad too much. 'All of us...the rangers...'
'Naturally' nodded Carter, he moved forwards and looked into her serene eyes. 'Friends forever.' He hugged her with warm friendship and she hugged him back stifling her tears. 'Now get going' she smiled. 'We've all got lives to get back on track...'
Dana turned and hurried off. Carter watched for a minute before heading in the direction of the Fire station. The one he'd been stationed at when Dana had asked him to follow her.
***
Ryan sipped the coffee and smiled at Kelsey. She smiled back. 'Thanks' she said sloshing her espresso. 'I don't know when I began obsessing about caffeine! I just needed a cup of the java juice or I'd have been-'
'Overwhelmed?'
She gave a sigh. 'Yeah' she mumbled. 'I just don't feel like it's the same thing without the morphers...we're not...Rangers Anymore...'
'In a way were always were' Ryan said. 'We were chosen as rangers for a reason. Well except for me...'
'Maybe you weren't handpicked but the Captain was always proud of you for breaking the hold Diabolico had...he knew you had what it took to be a ranger'.
Ryan gave a faint smile, like he always did, and sipped his coffee. Just then he heard the shouting. 'Let Me Go!'
The girl was the stereotypical geek of a school. Messy hair, thick glasses, heavy sweater and baggy jeans with scuffed trainers jutting out from the blue folds. Her satchel was being wrenched away by a man.
'What have we here?' he snapped. 'Well, well wallets! We got a pickpocket!'
Ryan looked up with second smile (that's two more then Kelsey had ever seen in one day) as blushing people came to retrieve their possessions. 'Man embarrassing, getting pick pocketed by a little girl!'
'Ryan Mitchell?' called the man. The colour drained from the ex-Titanium rangers face then spread up in a red tide. 'Yeah here' he mumbled as he accepted his wallet back. 'This is mine'
'Would you mind coming down to the station with us? You're the last person to accept a wallet and we'd like you to say you saw us apprehend this little leech'
'Uhh...Kelsey? Can we take a detour?' Ryan asked his friend as she came up behind him. The girl was struggling out of the handcuffs. The plainclothes officers showed their badges to the people and reassured them justice would be done.
'There's no such thing as justice with you over-fed yahoos! I've seen police from all over the world and you're all the same!' the girl shouted. She slammed a foot into the widest target on the officer holding her. Namely his gut. The plainclothes man staggered back in surprise as the girl leapt and swung her arms under her legs. 'I won't go to another juvenile centre!'
She turned to run. The other officer grabbed her and wrapped his arms around the girl's arms and body. 'This might take a while' he said.
***
The iron-grey sea swirled, the wind pelted down from the overcast sky, swooping in at the people standing on the top of the lighthouse. 'This is a very Aran Sweater, red nose and mug of tea by the fire kind of day' the girl said. 'So why aren't we at least wearing an Aran sweater?'
'Because we're on the coast of Dublin, opposite side of Ireland from there' the first boy said. They leaned on the railing.
'Diu mind? I'm waiting!' the other boy snapped. 'Our spy is bliddy late!'
'He's doing a mission' was the cool reply. 'We're here for the scenery'
They looked out on the cast iron waters. 'What scenery?' the other too asked him.
*****
Captain Mitchell patted the box at his side as the armoured truck trundled along the road towards the base. Ms Fairweather had been able to get the scientists mobilized to clear it with a glued-together rescue bird... that had sadly fallen apart seconds later. What was the point Lightspeed was over...
The blast hit the side of the truck shaking it and knocking the captain off the wall. He staggered to his feet with a frown. The doors were wrenched off the truck. He turned and stared. A demon! It had dark red flesh with a flesh coloured diamond on the chest and large ram horns. 'Ahoy captain!' it rasped as the purple flecked pink of the diamond blasted out and hit him...everything went dark.
*******
Mariner Bay 12th Precinct was busy as always. The girl was handcuffed to the radiator twice with oven gloves on. She buried herself in the turtleneck of her sweater and sat near the corner and edge of the chair.
'Okay look just give us your full name' the officer said as she kneeled by the girl. 'Age? 15 or 16?'
'17 the girl snapped. 'Now back off!'
Kelsey bit her lip. 'Can I try?' she asked the officer. 'Maybe I can get her to cooperate? A little?'
The woman just handed the clipboard over and walked back to her desk.
'Hey' Kelsey said. 'Uhh...Can you just help? It'll only make it worse if you don't...'
'It doesn't matter they'll stick me back in care, or the juvenile centre!' the girl said with a shuddering gasp. 'And I'll go through hell again'.
'Look...what's your name?' Kelsey asked.
'Sera Reye' the girl said finally. 'I'm 16 going on seventeen on the 13th of February, in case you were wondering, that's a Friday the Thirteenth 16 years ago. I'm of Filipino-Korean nationality. My full name is not up for discussion in case you were wondering. I was raised in Ireland and Japan. I came her two years ago, I have citizenship and I steal to survive'. She folded her arms and turned away again.
Her dark brown hair was tied up messily by a clip and fell across her face. She brushed a strand off her glasses and turned the dark blue eyes to Kelsey from behind the lenses. 'I have to get out of here, I have to get back to Ireland'
'You want to go home?' Kelsey asked.
The girl bobbed her head around. 'Only for a while I have to stop a disaster' she said slowly. 'Then I'll come back and possibly consider maybe turning myself in!'
Kelsey shook her head. 'So...where do you live?'
'Here there everywhere' grumbled Sera in a rather mad way. 'Its all relevant to absolutely nothing don't you think?'
Kelsey blinked. She was wondering when the cuckoo would start popping out of the girl's head. Sera blew at her fringe. 'If I touch a person I see things, the future, past the present. They're psychometric visions and I can control them sometimes...please let me prove it! I have to stop them!'
Kelsey gingerly took the outstretched hands of the girl. The world went white and suddenly she was seeing her past.
Her grandmother telling her off...her first morph...the battle with Trakeena... the meteor episode...Bansheeras tidal wave...her Tai Chi classes with Chad...the goodbye of the team.
'Wow the yellow ranger' Sera said. 'Lucky me. Now do you believe me?'
'What's the danger?' Kelsey asked, shaken by the force the visions had hit her with, her head pounded, her ears were ringing and everything seemed sharper and brighter.
'Demon sorcerers, your satellites won't pick up...please I need to get to Ireland! PLEASE!'
Kelsey just blinked. The girl shook her head. 'Fine, then I'll do this the hard way...'
Sera closed her eyes and focused. She karate chopped the flimsy wood of the bench and shattered it. She shook her fingers out as she sprinted towards the doors. 'STOP her!' shouted the officer behind the desk. Two men darted in front of the doors and Sera skidded to a halt. She turned and took a run at the staircase...Ryan caught her. She kicked at him and swung a punch or three.
'Calm down' exclaimed Ryan. Kelsey leaned over and whispered in his ear. 'Uhh hey officer, we need to take this girl to a place...umm the Aquabase.'
The officer just looked sceptical.
*******
Carter was still staring at his phone as he entered the base. //I don't get it// he thought. //We turned in the morphers what do they want with us? //
He found the others in the control room. 'Everyone' Ms Fairweather said loudly, getting attention. 'I have bad news...Captain Mitchell's just be found severely injured...in what eyewitness reports say was a demon attack'
Dana gave a loud gasp and covered her mouth as Ryan caught his sister in a backwards stagger. 'What? How?' he murmured. 'We killed all the demons!'
'No' a voice said nervously from the door. The girl stepped forwards. 'My name is Sera Reye...I'm a psychic...No Joel I did not bring a crystal ball. See?' She had a pleading look on her face. 'I touched the wreckage and saw the attack.'
'The demon got the morphers' Ms Fairweather said carefully. The rangers were taken aback. 'Luckily a DNA lock will prevent non-humans from using them in anyway'.
Sera gave a slight "laugh" to cut in. 'Actually that's the problem...' she opened her sticker covered black and red laptop. 'The villains are demon sorcerers but the reason they can't be detected by your satellites is because they're half-human.'
'Sera says that the demons are Celtic demons who were exiled by Bansheera for gathering too much magical powers. They were trapped in a portal dolmen but escaped by making themselves corporeal. They had descendants and this is the thirteenth generation and so...'
'The most powerful' nodded Chad. 'What is it with demons and the number 13?'
'It's an arcane number' Sera shrugged. 'Now...what resources do you have to get to Ireland?'
'The LASER-J' Ms Fairweather exclaimed. 'Lightspeed Airborne Supersonic Emergency Rescue Jet. It's in the airfield! It wasn't destroyed...or tested...'
'That's just peachy' sniffed Joel. 'We get to fly an untested bird.'
'it should fly, and get you across the seas in under an hour.'
'The demon I saw was Alvader' Sera explained showing them the illustration on the computer. It was like the pages were from ancient browned parchment with wiry old writing around it. 'He's able to store things in his body and capture things there. He's used as a courier but he's got only short- range teleportation...in short he may have a head start but if the jet is fast enough we can make it to the...'
'We?' Carter said. 'Look, you obviously know a lot about demons. But we can't put you in danger from this demon.'
'You have no idea' Sera said. 'I've been around his bosses, you'll need me to help!'
'You can stay in contact over the communications link' Ryan said.
Sera said nothing for a few minutes. 'Fine' she relented at last. 'Better get moving'.
AN HOUR LATER
The silver and blue jet was like a stealth bomber, it shot over the city of Dublin and dropped its cargo. The Ranger Rover was inside a silver crate, a parachute erupted from the top and it descended to the ground.
'St Michaels Reformatory School is on this road' confirmed Sera. 'Ms Fairweathers checking on the Captain...umm be careful.'
'Who are we looking for in a secondary level school?' Joel asked.
'Teachers!' guessed Ryan.
Dana just let the wind flow through her hair. It was smog clotted and the rivers stank around here... //because no one cares about the environment anymore// Dana sighed. 'Ryan...do you remember Mom took us to Donegal every year?'
Ryan gave a sad smile. 'She spent her time in the garden of the little house...'
They smiled and Carter turned down the driveway to the school under the dark shadows of the trees. It was lunchtime, the students were standing around, now interested in what was happening with a rather banged up SUV pulling up and people jumping out.
'Okay, who are we looking for?' Carter asked.
'Three people, one female two males' Ms Fairweather said. 'According to Sera's files at least though it looks like there's some stuff missing. Maybe a but/if/and or so.'
Carter nodded. 'Right lets go guys!'
There was a crackled of light and the rangers staggered away. Three students strode forwards. They were sixth years in the dark blue uniform of the Catholic school. The first was male, he had brown hair and blue eyes, and he didn't look different to anyone else, his face coated in acne and greasy hair wasn't that easy to notice either. The girl had short dusty blonde hair and thin glasses. Her skin was pale and she skimmed them with strangely coloured eyes, sort of blue but almost purple. The last person was a boy with sallow skin and black hair.
'Rangers' sneered the brown haired boy. 'Well, this is a surprise...just not a pleasant one!' He extended his hand, there was a hiss and silver and black light formed a staff in his hands. 'Oh well' He pointed the staff and a blast of black and green lightening shot at the rangers. The students screamed as the rangers were tossed in the air. 'Oh look I hurt them' he smirked. 'Cami, shouldn't we help them?'
'Why would we do that?' she sneered. 'Now...about the rangers?'
'Oh yes...' he yawned. He pointed the staff at a group of students and in a flash they were stone. 'Now that my torturers have been given a body to match what they had for brains...I'll destroy the rangers!'
'That's what you think!' Carter exclaimed.
'And what do you intend to do without...these?' the girl asked. The demon appeared, the box jutted from his chest at an angle. 'Good demon' she said patting the creature.
'Lets go!' snapped
The ranger attacked. Cami cartwheeled away from Kelsey and Chad's attacks landing and firing a blast of purple lightening from her fist. The boy with the accent dispersed into a cloud of dark blue smoke as Joel and Ryan took swings at him. The "leader" turned into shining black stone, defending against the swiping punches and kicks. Finally three blasts of light knocked the rangers away.
'Everyone inside!' commanded Carter to the students, casting an eye at the petrified group. Their faces frozen in surprise and awe. The still moving ones were shoving their way through the main doors of the school...the trio stood. The leader at the head standing with his arms at his side, his staff in his left hand crossing up across his back to reappear at his right shoulder. His legs were shoulder distance apart and his head was cocked to one side. The other boy with the odd accent had his arms folded, standing to the leaders right, back a little and facing the Rangers side on. The girl had her arms folded too but was resting her head daintily on the fingers of her raised left hand, an amused look on the cold features.
The leader yawned as they charged. 'I don't have time to hang around...have fun with this...' the top of his staff blazed with flame and he hurled the orb of fire into the building. The front door collapsed on itself.
'We'll see you soon' he said. 'Ciao'
In a flare of black smoke and green lightening he was gone. The other boy raised his hand and vanished in a shimmer of blue smoke that curled in on its self and burst into a white spark. The girl blew a kiss. 'Catch you on the flipside' she grinned. The air rippled around her and in a cloud of black and purple energy smoke she was gone. The demon flickered with a laugh and
Carter looked at the others. 'Ms Fairweather! Call the local fire brigade! I'm going in!'
'I advise against that Carter' ms Fairweather warned. 'But if you must then be careful all of you!'
Carter removed his jacket and looked around. 'Joel grab that bench' he said pointing at a long wooden bench. 'We'll break the windows down!'
Joel and Carter caught the bench between them while Ryan and Kelsey herded the people from the other buildings of the school and Dana and Chad tore apart the chemistry lab for any kind of supply they could use for medical supplies. Carter leapt into the building with Chad through a shattered window and stayed low to the floor in search of survivors. The flames were intense and veined with black. The sounds of the sirens came after three people had been gotten out.
Joel and Carter heard the firemen enter. Carter was trying to free a girl from a room that was now blocked by a shelf. Joel was shouting. He felt a pounding in his ears and then collapsed.
******
With a smirk the demons closed the parchment. 'Dorian' their technically- leader male said. 'Was that a nice happening?'
'Yeah' grinned the other boy. 'Nick, in case yer wondering I like the sunshine here then the bliddy liquid torture of Ireland in Winter.'
'Technically its Spring' Cami said. 'But mariner bay is prime real estate!'
'And we're going to cash in' grinned Nick. 'With big refurbishment!'
NEXT TIME:
'Breathe! Carter! Breathe!' Dana gasped pressing her lips to his and working to frantically administer the best CPR she could.
The morphers were so close...Kelsey looked to Sera. She was unconscious but alive and that was good...Sera groaned and distracted the demon.
'Excellent Idea Conjura' smirked Dorian. 'Mortighasts! Attack!'
The three cards looked like Tarot cards, but on the front was a bizarre picture and writing beneath it. All three glowed and the illustrations sprang to life. They were covered in neon green and black with bizarre green helmets on their faces forming a skull like head. They brandished warped clubs, swords and axes, there was a skull on each ones chest. They surged forwards at the rangers.
'I feel so bored' Nick smirked. 'Hey! Let's remodel! THE CITY!'