Author's Note: Hey guys! This isn't here so much for being proper as it is for keeping the "Don is sent to X" concept alive. I have every intent on finishing "Gokaiger Vs. Akibaranger," but I don't write as often as before so it's a matter of getting back into the groove. Think of this as a kinda spin-off 'till GVA is done. Unfortunately, don't expect me to be any more frequent, as college is...well,...college. Like it or hate it, this story is here. And no, this isn't gonna be a chapter-by-chapter epic or anything, so deadlines won't be as much of an issue. It'll most likely be a Twoshot. Simple, concise, and easy to plot. As usual, thanks for all the support! :D
The Gokai Galleon's red shine was completely gone.
As Don Dogoier of the Gokaigers walked down the hallways of the Gokai Galleon, he noted the dreary black-/gray paint palette that replaced the formally vibrant red coating. The Galleon was better suited to it's original colors, Don thought. Made it stand out, almost. This black coloring was just "blecch."
Don also noted his change in attire. A gray-yellow durag-like hat and a black collared shirt that was preceded by a brown-striped parka. Did he mention a slew of unnecessary necklaces? Might've looked pretty good minus the hat. His old clothes felt better, though. Easier to fit, easier to watch, and these necklaces didn't chafe his neck. Still, given his predicament, might not be wise to stand out at the moment.
He had went to sleep like normal. The previous day had been relatively un-eventful. Of course, he had been the one to do the shopping. That and some training with Joe. (Joe insisted that everyone spar with him for at least an hour once a week, which Marvelous enforced) Aside from that, there was literally no significance to the previous day. Just more space-drifting. But when he woke up this morning, (morning being relative given the blackness of space) he found himself and the Galleon changed: color, clothing, and all; like a Television show transition.
Everything was dreary and depressing. Everything was less organized. Places that had once been clean were embodiments of filth: Dust bunnies, rusted pipes, (thankfully none particularly essential) an odd odor Don just could not identify. Ironic, given his species had powerful sense of smell.
All of that had been half an hour ago. Now?
Now Don sat with his fellow crew-mates. His family. The Gokaigers. Or were they?
They were dressed in similar colors to him, give or take some clothes. But they looked much more intimidating.
Marvelous had on an actual pirate hat with a black leather coat and brown under-clothes. The hat didn't suit him, really.
Joe wore a half-cloak over his chest and right arm, with a simple white shirt/ blue jeans ensemble. Reminded Don of an Earth anime character.
Luka and Ahim both had black-shaded clothes, (Sans Ahim's new skirt) both sporting this weird semi-goth look. Luka could rock it, but Ahim stood out like a weed.
None of them dressed like this usually, Don included.
Made them look more like mercenaries than pirates.
The thing that stood out the most was Gai's absence. He was the most enthusiastic, happy person on the ship. Why would he miss a meeting?
Their demeanor also seemed affected by the shift. The other Gokaigers kept many of their old traits, but there seemed to be this...odd under-current. Don couldn't pinpoint it but it made him uneasy, whatever it was. He knew his family like the back of his hand. He didn't like change.
"So, what's the armada status?" Asks Marvelous, adjusting his hat.
"Two-thirds of the planet have been overrun. We've yet to receive confirmation on the third." Says Joe.
"Villagers have been robbed, per usual." Says Luka casually. "We've to see actual profit, though."
"The suspects are clear." Says Ahim.
"They're dividing it amongst themselves, those back-stabbers." Says Marvelous. "We'll gut them like the rest when they try to flee. Don, how's the experiment going?"
Well, that put everything into perspective. This had been what made him uneasy. Looting? Gutting? These were definitely not the Gokaigers he knew. Maybe they were being controlled or brainwashed, perhaps. (Would explain the "Armada") He was the weakest member of the team, so trying to be a hero would just be met with a sword in his heart. Best play along.
"No progress yet." Says Don. "Our little incursion has kept me pre-occupied."
"Since when do you get involved in the field?" Asked Joe. He seemed way more suspicious than the others, but they all stared him down just as intently.
"Your battle hasn't exactly been kind to my laboratory." Says Don. "Did more cleaning than working."
"But you-" Joe starts.
"Whatever." Says Marvelous, interrupting what may have evolved into an argument. The pirate captain stood up, as everyone else in the room awaited his command. "Bacchus is coming soon. Those swindlers are still planet-side. Luka, Ahim. Find and string them up. Don, get the weapon done before Bacchus gets here. Rush if you have to, I'll take the heat. Joe, give him a hand."
"I should be down there cutting up traitors, not playing handyman!" Says Joe. "Have one of the girls do it."
"You know what happens when we don't follow the schedule. Now, stop complaining." Says the captain. "You all have your orders. Get to it."
Joe and Marvelous stare each other down for a moment, before Joe walks out of the room in a huff. Ahim and Luka snickered to themselves.
Bacchus...The name wasn't familiar to him. Sounded regal, like an authority figure.
Don had a feeling that he knew who was doing the brainwashing, but didn't want to point fingers yet. They were gone, anyway. Finished. Why open a can of worms?
As for what he was to do...A weapon? He got the feeling Bacchus wasn't the enemy they were going to use it on. In fact, the implications that were stewing in his head had made Don almost sick to his stomach. He managed to soothe his bowels however with some breathing.
Don had forgotten that Marvelous hadn't left the room.
"What's with you today?" Asks Marvelous. "Your'e way more quiet than you usually are. Something not agreeing with you?"
"Y-Yeah, that's it." Says Don nervously. Marvelous had a sheltered side, but never relied on it too much. He was generally frank was just about everybody. Don wasn't getting that from him now. "Didn't get much sleep, indigestion..."
"I hear ya. Science takes time, like you say." Says Marvelous casually. "Joe has remedies. Ask him. Go on now."
Rather cold for Marvelous. But then again, this might not be Marvelous...at the moment.
"Yes, Captain." Says Don, clutching his stomach in pretend pain.
As soon as he had drifted out of the Captain's view he returned to a normal jaunter.
Maybe this Bacchus guy was the one controlling them? Would certainly make sense. None of them acted like this usually. Still, all of these changes in the time-span of a single day? And on another note, if a Sentai was attacking other planets, (Provided Don wasn't just being overtly paranoid) wouldn't other Sentai react? Sure, the inter-dimensional teams were marooned to their home realms after Zangyack got taken down, but Timeranger? Megaranger? The Kamen Riders? The Space Sherriffs!? None of the space teams noticed a Space-faring Sentai attacking people? Something was very off...
And the fear in the back of his mind wasn't staying there anymore...
Now, being the mechanic-slash-scientist aboard the Gokai Galleon, Don had a work-space all his own aboard the ship. The basement was usually where he worked when it wasn't being used. Gai once joked and called it a "laboratory." No, it wasn't that refined at all.
And at least that was still here.
As he re-entered his "laboratory" though, he was immediately mortified.
While there was spare machinery in sparse areas, (For reserve or tinkering) other things included (but weren't limited to) a humanoid arm, various odd-looking devices, scattered clothes...One would think this was a dungeon of some kind.
Joe sat on the only chair in the room, his arms crossed. He was still angry, obviously. As Don made his presence known, Joe relinquished the chair; but said nothing.
He seemed to cool off, but Don's discomfort within the room was starting to be noticed as Joe raises an eyebrow in confusion.
"You stored the weapon in the third cabinet last I checked." Says Joe rudely. "Well? C'mon! We have less than an hour before Bacchus gets here."
Joe could be aggressive sometimes, but usually during battle or training. He barely said anything most of the time. He wasn't this overt. Whatever change had taken hold must've affected him the most.
Don looks at his desk, noticing small cabinets that hadn't been there before. They had keyholes akin to the Ranger Keys they used to have.
How could he unlock them if he didn't have-
His pocket.
Don's hands search for the right-hand pocket on the new shirt. Digging his hand inside, he felt his Ranger Key.
He shouldn't have this.
They gave the Ranger Keys back, he shouldn't have this!
Oh, crap...
"Are you TRYING to piss me off?" Asks Joe. "Because it's working!"
"Don't rush me!" Replies Don, angrier than necessary.
"Sorry, just restless." Says Joe quietly. "You know how Marvelous can get when we have company."
Now THAT was something familiar to Don. Marvelous was usually easygoing, but he always became nervous and sporadic whenever he was awaiting company.
But back to the matter at hand.
Taking the Key out of his pocket, Don Dogoier twists the Ranger Key into the keyhole. Removing the object inside, he sets it onto the work-table.
It was exactly what he was afraid of. It looked like a gun of some sort; a massive bulky-looking thing. Judging by it's weight, it was probably meant to take the place of the Gokai Galleon Buster...Or be mounted somewhere onto the Galleon with Magiranger magic. (Since they had the Ranger Keys they weren't supposed to have!)
Before even looking for any tools, he analyzed the weapon. It was already half-complete.
The wiring for the weapon was intricate. Loops and knots formed and curled with the style he uses. A few slots were there, but missing. Presumably what was needed to be done. He didn't want to build this, but a greater conflict could ensue if he doesn't at least do something. He had to, per his norm, be cautious and approach this rationally.
He was a long way from being the team coward he was when he joined, but he still wasn't as brave as the others were. So he had to be clever to progress.
The more he panicked, the worse his decisions could be. Logic. Logic would get him through this.
"Get me some spare wiring." Says Don. "You know where I keep them, I hope?"
His mind was more on his predicament than anything else, though.
Does this mean they were all brainwashed and Don was the only one free of it? Or was he on another world? Inter-dimensional travel was balls-hard to pull off, but not impossible. Plus, space had a way of messing with you now and then; sending you deity-knows-where.
"Yeah." Acknowledges Joe, walking to the other end of the laboratory. "As for your tools, they are in one of the other cabinets. I know how territorial you are about 'em. Especially after the TimeRanger incident."
"What?" Don blurts out.
Incident?
"Y'know, the thing you did to him?" Joe asks too casually.
Dons eyes went wide, but thankfully were out of Joe's line of sight.
"Oh, yeah that." Replies Don. His tone was nonchalant, but on the inside, he was scared. But, that demolishes the "brainwashed" theory like a stack of Jenga pieces.
Another Don must've done...whatever...happened to one of the Timeranger members. (Was that the owner of the arm resting above the shelf in a tube?) That means he was currently in another dimension. Don wasn't sure if he had taken the place of this world's Don or if they had swapped places. He was confident that his other version could be stopped if they were swapped. Judging by how he was approached, he wasn't much stronger, nor did he have anymore say, here than he was in the original world. He was certainly more aggressive and experimental, if the blood splotches and the arm were any indicators.
Don unlocks the first cabinet in the worktable while Jo sets the wiring on the work-table. Don finds the tools Joe had mentioned. Upon taking them out of the desk, the smell of disinfectant and cleaning sprays hit his nostrils like a punch. Very strong, and very...varied. This world's Don clearly used these for worse things than just tinkering. (The severed arm only added to the hyper-imaginative scenarios running through Don's head.)
Don made a mental note to wash his hands. THOROUGHLY.
The weapon didn't seem to require much customization. Some pliers for the excess wiring, maybe a screwdriver if anything comes undone, but was just about complete otherwise. That gave Don less time if he chose to stall.
"Oh, what's for dinner tonight?" Asks Joe.
"Dunno." Replies Don. "What are you all in the mood for?"
"Thinking a simple stew'll do." Says Joe. "Maybe you'll actually eat with us this time? We know what you eat, and we don't want it in our mouths. But that doesn't mean you should tucker away in this stuffy room. You know the drill. Just toss the body over the side when your'e done. As for the clothes, see if any of 'em fit Marv. He's looking for some real pajamas instead of that bullshit Bacchus sends. Could use any gloves if you find 'em; these are coming undone and Ahim ran out of sewing string after the last campaign.
Don couldn't hold back a dry heave at "body."
"You alright?" Asks Joe.
"Y-Yeah...Woke up with a bad stomach." Lies Don. "Must've uh...Must've slept on it wrong."
Well, that's great. So, not only does this world have evil Gokaigers working for somebody clearly evil. (Who has an army, apparently. He had a feeling as to who it is, but didn't want to assume) But his counterpart's a cannibal...Maybe. (The Gokaigers were, after all, aliens) Made the stinging smell of disinfectant and cleaning sprays stink even more. With a heavy heart, Don begins working under the watchful eye of Joe.
Marvelous sat in his chair as the other attended to their various duties.
Don wasn't acting at all like himself today. He was too quiet. He was usually the team chatterbox.
Seemed nervous, too.
Like he had something to hide.
Nah, couldn't be it.
The Gokaigers prided themselves on being the only unit in the Zangyack Empire to not have the compulsion to back-stab each other. Others were fine. Hell, maybe they'd even rule the Empire someday. But they considered each other a family, despite their quirks.
Still, considering their line of work, suspicion reared it's ugly head every now and then. Usually between Joe and one of the other members. He was so aggressive. Many a time has Marvelous tried to soothe Joe's seemingly never-ending rage only to be met with distance. The Gokaigers were a close-knit family granted, but it was extremely hard to communicate with each other sometimes. And yes, families argue, but in-fighting was very dangerous in their line of work.
Especially now that they had effectively obliterated the Super Sentai in it's entirety, their power was that much more rare.
There have been attempts on their lives at some point or another, and it's made everybody jumpy.
They had to be cautious.
Still, everything was, after all was said and done, fine until today.
Joe must've noticed it, too.
Don's odd behavior, Bacchus' visit...
That feeling began gnawing at him again.
That feeling like things are just waiting to go wrong? What did the Earthers call it? Murphy's Law?
For now, he'd just keep it in the back of his mind. After all, Bacchus was coming in an hour. He needed to maintain his composure. What little of it there was.
Don had finished the weapon an hour after he had started. He was worried what they were going to use this for.
This talk of conscripting villages and cannibalization gave Don a pretty negative idea where this whole day was headed.
He had considered a sabotage attempt when he had started, but the other Don had this half-finished, any changes to the design at this point might look suspicious, especially with the head honcho already on his way and confirmed to be examining it.
Plus, Joe was in the room with him; Who, mind, was considerably more aggressive (Thus, more prone to suspicion) than the Joe that Don knew. Besides, despite being the techie in the crew everybody in his world had a bit of knowledge in every category, so there was also the potential for that to be true here to consider.
Caution, Don. Caution.
For now, make small talk. Maybe you can learn something...
"What are we doing with this?" Asks Don. "Don't tell me we're giving this to Bacchus to keep."
"You attended the briefing last week, you should already know the answer to that." Replies Joe.
Nice going, Don. Now you stand out even more. Excellent acting!
"The Zangyack have enough weaponry." Joe continues. "This is for us. But, being the meticulous little baby he is, Bacchus has to approve it. Like he's rubbing his authority in our faces, the dick-ish twit. I swear, he's worse than Warz sometimes. Ugh, what I wouldn't give to slash his throat!"
Zangyack? The Gokaigers are Zangyack soldiers in this world? Well, the fear in the back of his mind was true, and then some. He exected this to be a Zangyack incident, but he didn't expect the Gokaigers to be their lackeys.
"Gokaigers, front and center!" Shouted a voice.
"And there's the asshole now." Says Joe. "C'mon, let's not keep him waiting."
Don was the last to enter the room as a blue-bodied humanoid monster looked over the Gokaigers, (including Luka and Ahim, who had returned) who were standing next to each other army-style.
"Mister Dogoier, the weapon." Says the monster.
Don, after a second of hesitation, hands the weapon to the monster before taking a spot in the Gokaiger line next to Ahim.
The monster eyes the weapon curiously, moving a knob or two. Similar to how an Earth critic would analyze an old antique pot or the like.
Don analyzed Bacchus to the best of his ability.
Almost resembled Basco, given his more exaggerated features. Of course, the bottle of Galactic-brand Sake and the Zangyack logo made the differences apparent.
After a minute of meaningless tinkering, Don is re-handed the weapon.
"Looks good." Says Bacchus, taking a swig from his sake bottle. "But I want a field test."
"And where will the test take place...sir?" Asks Don.
"On me." Says the monster sarcastically. "The village down there, you idiot! We secured the last of the runaways and we need an example execution. I'm feeling generous, so you can do it, being the inventor and all."
Don tensed up at that. And he for got to hide it. The monster, Don assumed was Bacchus, noticed.
"Why so nervous?" Asks Bacchus. "Hiding something?"
"No...I believe the honor should go to an esteemed superior.." Said Don. Bacchus saw through it easily.
"I appreciate the boot-licking, but nice try." Said Bacchus. "You usually try to weasel your way out of battle, but not this time. You will contribute somehow. And look at it this way, you got dinner, don'tcha, 'Zombie? A bit messier than normal, but a broken corpse has never stopped you.'"
'Zombie?' That was his nickname here? Not surprising, considering what's he's learned so far. Didn't want to make him vomit any less.
"That's it for now." Says Bacchus. "Be planet-side in twenty. And Zombie...don't chicken out."
Bacchus disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, as Don just stared, stupefied.
He couldn't say he was surprised this happened. A weapon made by cut-throats designed to kill? No! What were the fucking odds?
The Gokaigers all stared at Don suspiciously.
"What the hell was that?" Asked Marvelous matter-of-factly. He was eerily calm.
"I, uh..."Starts Don.
"You've been acting weird all day." Asks Joe. "And don't give me the indigestion excuse, you little idiot! You aren't that weak to snivel in front o' Bacchus. If something's wrong, tell us. Or is it something you can't tell us eating at you?"
If Don had been in any calmer mind-set, he'd have mistaken this for sympathy.
Yeah, the transition had NOT been kind to the Gokaigers.
Marvelous walks up to Don, placing a hand on his shoulder. Don couldn't interpret his gaze completely.
"What are you hiding, Don?" Asks Marvelous. His tone indicated sympathy, but his words were harsh. Had to wonder just how close the Gokaigers were here."Just tell us, please."
"I just haven't been feeling very good." Says Don. "I don't know if it's a cold coming on or what. I just feel...off. But I'm not hiding anything from any of you."
That wasn't the answer Marvelous was looking for, he knew. The smirk on his face was all the expression Don needed.
But it seemed to pacify him, as Marvelous turned to face all of the Gokaigers.
"Get into your usual wear. We have an execution to oversee." Says Marvelous. "And Don, don't push yourself. Just aim and fire. It's really that simple."
Just before Don left the room, he saw out of the corner of his eye Marvelous whispering something to Joe.
They were suspicious now. He had no idea how long he could keep this charade up. And what would happen when it shattered.
"We should detain him now, Marv." Joe says. "He might not like getting directly into the thick of things, but it's never stopped him from getting his hands dirty."
He and Marvelous walked ahead of the rest of the group. As Joe had expected, Don kept his distance from the others. He seemed anxious as he held the weapon.
Joe had watched him the entire day as he worked on the weapon.
Was acting so nervous.
The little guy was usually a chatterbox, and/or a mad scientist given his mood. So why'd he choose today to act like a frightened deer?
Don had a cowardly side, but he wasn't THIS pathetic.
Marvelous looked at Joe knowingly.
"We've been suspicious of each other for a long time now, and I intend on putting those feelings to rest." Says the Captain. "We can't work as friends, much less as a proper team if we're at each other's throats. Hell, Luka and Ahim get along together just fine, why can't all five of us? We've been on edge since we defeated the Super Sentai. Like we've lost amazing rivals. I know what you all are going through, but there are better outlets than each other."
Maybe Captain Marvelous was right...Maybe finishing the climactic battle with the Super Sentai had made Joe restless. He felt better in the thick of things. The middle of the fight. These incursions on lesser planets were a waste of time as far as he was concerned. Besides, everybody had their off-days, and Joe had MANY of them since the Great War.
No...No! Just because Joe was wild, that didn't mean he was stupid.
He's been a member of the Gokaigers for years now; and he knew when something was wrong.
Marv was the leader, Ahim was...Ahim, Luka was the money-woman, Don was the tinkerer and Joe was the muscle.
They had this established flow and now this...?
How could he make Marvelous understand?!
"Marvelous, your'e my friend and I trust you, but don't act all pure. I know your'e thinking the same thing the rest of us are." Says Joe. "Don is hiding something, I just know it. Y'know that TimeRanger thing he brags about? When I mentioned it, he glossed over it. The Don we know would NEVER pass up a chance to brag about that. And when I mentioned his eating habits? He almost puked. "And he even asked me what we were supposed to do with the weapon, even though he attended the briefing a week ago. And he has photographic memory! It's like he's a foreigner or something."
It took Joe a second to take a heavy breath and calm down, while Marvelous' expression became more grim after Joe's analyses. Maybe he got through to him? Marvelous and Joe understood each other better than everyone else on the crew. This made it both easier and harder for them to communicate as well. After all, Joe knew the irony of claiming to trust someone when he clearly was playing Devil's Advocate instead of ending the talk there, but he valued his friendship with Marvelous and the crew, despite his paranoia. It helped that Marvelous was understanding enough not to get on his case about it, and even humor his debates. Marvelous was the one one who understood, really. The others tried in their own ways, but couldn't reach the level of depth Marvelous had.
Joe knew the concept of trust and paranoia contradicted each other.
But it wasn't something Joe could put into words.
"Sigh...Wait till the execution. If he doesn't do as told...then that confirms our suspicions and we'll detain him. It'll be better than what Bacchus would have in store." Says Marvelous as he adjusts his hat.
"And if Bacchus has a fit?" Asks Joe.
"We'll fight back." Says Marvelous. "Like we always do. Not like we haven't defied authority before. Besides, I know you've always wanted to wipe the smile off his face."
"You'd save a spy?" Asks Joe, sounding more curious than suspicious.
"If he is a spy, then we'll know what happened to the real Don." Says Marvelous. "Now, spying on Zangyack, I don't care about. Spying on US is something else entirely. And we take care of us. That's what we agreed upon when we formed. "
"And if he's wronged us?"Asks Joe.
"Then he dies like them." Replies the Captain stoically.
Don had only attended a Zangyack execution once, and that was the one he stopped back on Earth. Well, his version of Earth. (It was Marvelous they caught. He might've seen himself as worthless, but he had to do what he could!)
There were ten villagers kneeled into the ground in a group. Each of them were hands-tied, with the Gokaigers standing behind them to make sure they didn't flee, while hoods obscured their vision. They prepped for everything, clearly.
The village itself was set on a forest planet. Wooden huts, torches...An almost medieval setting. The battle must've been a curb-stomp compared to the Zangyack's modernized, high-tech weaponry. Citizens were herded into an audience designed to watch the execution. What little weaponry they may have had was thrown into a casual pile and promptly burned. Mothers were hugging their children in sorrow as the world they know is being destroyed before their eyes.
Truthfully, Don expected much worse in terms of damage. MUCH worse. Didn't excuse it in any way, though. Still Zangyack was fond of taking lesser planets in as colonies, and destroying bigger planets to show off their power. (Wasn't economically sound, but made them more intimidating) His heart went out to all of the people here. If he could, he'd have done something to help. He's come a long way from being the team coward. Still, there were times when doing nothing was the best solution.
Casual talk among the Gormin revealed that these ten prisoners were the leaders of each of the resistance cells formed during the invasion of the planet. For some reason, the Gormin weren't nervous around Don compared the others. They spoke to him less like a superior and more like a friend. The other Don must've been pretty damn nice to them. (Nice being subjective given the Empire's name translated to "Cruelty.") A chill ran through Don's spine as he found himself more comfortable around the Gormin than the Gokaigers.
In the center of the spectacle stood Bacchus Gill. (Again, last name revealed by the Gormin)
The nephew of the Gokaiger's former enemies. Well, HIS Gokaiger's former enemies.
"As your leaders sitting before you today are exterminated, let fear enter your hearts, servitude into your minds, and submission into your beings. Note your true masters: The Zangyack Empire!"
Since they had arrived, Don saw Marv and Joe staring at him intently. He was pretty much found out at this point, he thought. But he he was too focused on the spectacle in front of him to plan ahead.
"Zombie, ready...your newest creation!" Shouts Bacchus.
Yeesh, one could almost see in between his teeth the scenery this guy was chewing.
"Uh...Yes!" Shouts Don, as he turns knobs on the weapon.
As he positions himself in front of the prisoners, he regrets not attempting a sabotage, but what could he have done with the angriest member of the team watching his every move?
Bacchus marches toward each prisoner one by one, removing their hoods to witness the killing tool in front of them. All of them avoided giving Bacchus the satisfaction of showing fear, but Don could see in their eyes that they were scared. Less of Bacchus, and more of the one holding the weapon: Don. It made him sad to be a part of what would possibly be their last haunting images. Almost all of their crimes were just "resisting assimilation," though Bacchus found a way to ham up his performance a bit more per prisoner. Then he reached the last one.
"Human immigrant from the conquered planet Earth. Resisting Assimilation, More than a hundred counts of petty theft, Attempted assassination of five Action Commanders, and sneaking out of a Zangyack colony."
Upon removing the hood, Don saw a familiar face. Gai. Gai Ikari.
In his world, Gokai Silver and close friend. Here? Apparently a political prisoner.
Tattered robes, might have a broken rib, scratches and bruises all over his arms and legs. Defeated.
It was a sad sight.
It took every ounce of Don's being and then some not to drop the weapon and run to help him off the bat.
Don's seen this a hundred times, but never in the context of not being able to do something about it.
"Go to hell, Zangyack scum!" Shouts Gai.
Gai's retort was met with a violent kick to the gut from Bacchus. Marvelous entered the fray, sat Gai back up, then went back to his crew.
"You've got some balls, Human." Says Bacchus. "Shame you didn't show 'em when we smeared your planet across the solar system!"
"Fuck you!" Shouts the Human again.
This time, Joe got involved, taking out his Gokai Saber and pointing it at the prisoner.
"You can either show some humility, or be castrated in front of your criminal friends." Joe asks angrily. "You aren't impressing anyone here. Go out with SOME dignity."
Gai replies by spitting on Joe's Gokai Sabre. Growling violently, Joe raises his weapon to strike.
But Bacchus, clearly irritable at Joe's stealing of his thunder, shoos the Blue ranger away before he can satisfy his rage, as a concerned Marvelous pats his First Mate on the back.
"Zombie, this one dies first." Says Bacchus, standing a struggling Gai up. "The weapon is ready?"
"Just about." Says Don, feigning confusion. "One of the wires is fading in and out. Give me one little second."
"It better fire." Says Bacchus threateningly.
"Oh, it will." Says Don. "Still, I don't wanna take myself with this fool."
He looked at Gai, whose face was full of fury and fear. The face was familiar, but it was a different person.
Still, anyone imprisoned under the Zangyack was done so unjustifiably.
After all, they were essentially space thugs. Thugs with money, authority, and firepower. But thugs nonetheless.
He thought about it all: The Zangyack, these evil Gokaigers, the prisoners...And then it hit him.
That could work...
It'd be a big gamble, though; and the Gokaigers might see through it.
It'd take a heck of an acting talent, too.
But it was the only way.
After all, he was in the shoes of another. Why not walk in them?
Don now visibly eyed Gai, as Bacchus was becoming increasingly more annoyed. Every eye in the area, Zangyack and otherwise, was on him.
"Quit stalling and fire, fool!" Yells Bacchus.
Don forced his mouth into an evil smile, as Bacchus became even more confused.
"Fire right now, or you'll join him!" Yells Bacchus.
"Fire, dammit!" Shouts Luka.
"I have a better idea, Sir Gill." Says Don in as evil a tone as he could muster.
"The hell do you mean?!" Shouts Gill. "This isn't the time."
"See, when we conquered Earth, my hunger hit me very hard." Says Don, pointing to Gai. "This human was going to be quite the delicacy, but got away from me."
He saw Gai look at him with confusion. Good, good. That helped.
"Inconvenient timing."Ahim says.
"Why should I give a crap about your stomach right now?" Asks Bacchus.
"Wouldn't it be a more fearful sight to see their friend torn to pieces...In the literal sense?" Asks Don. "I'm usually a solitary eater, but like you said...I've been weaseling for far too long. And after my indigestion this morning, I need something to...balance out. Think of it: Their friend being ripped to shreds and devoured. Much scarier than any type of intimidation."
Bacchus pauses for a moment, loosening his grip on Gai.
The Gokaigers meanwhile were completely floored, particularly Marvelous, who looked more irritated than anything. Everyone else was watching even more intently now.
Don didn't care if this was "out of character" anymore, he just wanted to stall as long as he could.
"Just do what you can..." Don thought to himself, heeding those wise words.
"I took you for a complete coward." Says Bacchus. "I'm impressed. Do it."
Well, that was a stroke of luck.
Don begins walking toward Gai.
"Need someone to carve the turkey?" Asks Joe, brandishing his Gokai Sabre in anticipation.
"Lovely offer, but I'm in the mood for some raw meat." Says Don. A moment after he gets to Gai, he picks Gai up off of the floor, standing him up forcefully for the sake of keeping up appearances
"I'll start with your jugular. Moisten the palette a bit..." Says Don menacingly. "After all, blood makes an excellent sauce when warm enough."
"It won't end with me! There'll be others!" Shouts Gai continuously.
Don opens his mouth as it gets closer to Gai's neck. He comes up to the skin and whispers "Run."
And immediately starts dragging Gai away as fast as he can.
Gai catches on the moment they start moving and runs along with him.
Kid was just as quick as study as the one he knew.
THAT was the biggest gamble Don had ever taken.
"I knew it!" Shouted Joe.
It takes less than a minute for Gokai Gunfire to whiz their way.
"AAAAIIIIIYYYAAA!" Screams Don as the whizzing of the bullets flying past him and his crage only encourage him to run faster. Or at least try to.
Don couldn't Gokai Change while dragging Gai along, so it all depended on luck.
Luckily, this was a forest planet, so they might be able to at least briefly have a moment to prepare.
"Why are you helping me, Zangyack?!" Shouts Gai, a Gokai Bullet barely missing his head."Gonna eat me in private?!"
"I'm not Zangyack!" Replies Don. "I'll explain later!"
"I don't believe you!" Shouts Gai.
"I don't care!" Says Don smugly.
Took two minutes, but the runners eventually find an isolated tree-stump-opening. Perfect!
Don stops, and pushes Gai into the opening violently.
"Stay there!" Shouts Don.
Don takes out his Mobirate from his pants pocket, and his Ranger Key from his shirt pocket.
"Gokai Change!" He shouts, as he twists the Key into the device.
"GGGOOOKKKAAAIIIGGGEEERRR!
Rather than a lengthy morphing sequence, Don's Gokai Armor simply engulfs Don's body after a flash of green light.
Even the Henshin voice sounded different. More sinister and menacing...
Running up to Gai, he ducks next to the captive, and begins untying the ropes restraining him. So far, they haven't been seen by anyone. (The Gormin at least haven't checked the alcove the two were in) but the Gokaigers were a crafty bunch, hero or villain. They couldn't stay here.
After untying the last of ropes, Gokai Green goes out of his way to make eye contact (Being abstract, given the helmet covering Don's face) with Gai, who was too confused to do anything at the moment.
"I'm not from this dimension." Says Gokai Green. "I think I've been swapped with the Gokai Green of this world. I dunno how to get back, so I had to blend in. I'd tell you more, but we don't have time. Now I don't expect you to believe or trust me, but if we wanna get out of this, we have to work together."
The prisoner, Gai, eyed his "ally" cautiously.
"Ok, ok. But you walk in front of me." Says Gai.
"Who said we're walking?" Asks Gokai Green.
Don summons the image of the blue Flashman key in his mind. Opening his eyes, it appears in his hands. So, he and his other were swapped.
That works.
Gokai Green inserts the Blue Flashman key and turns it.
"FFFLLLAAASSSHHHMMMAAANNNN!"
The Gokaigers usually stuck to their own colors when Gokai Changing, but this was a unique case. He had to hope they wouldn't catch on.
"How are your legs?" Asks Gokai Green.
"Strong enough for now." Said Gai.
"Hope your'e ready for a jog, then." Says Gokai Green.
Don made a note to ask Gai just what he knew about this world's Sentai later on.
"Dammit!" Shouts Marvelous, throwing his hat onto the ground in irritation.
He knew the feeling he had wasn't a coincidence! It was his fault for giving Don (Or the person playing Don) the benefit of the doubt. He should've listened to Joe earlier.
Though Marvelous had to wonder how they got their hands on Don's Mobirate. He was more territorial about that thing than even his tools! He must've put up one hell of a fight...
Marvelous had the Gokaigers stick together instead of splitting up. Considering how quickly they had lost the spy, they were clearly someone with knowledge of stealth tactics, not just infiltration...Just like the person they were pretending to be.
"I knew something was off the moment I laid my eyes on him!" Shouted Joe as the Gokaigers give chase. "When I find this asshole, I'm gonna-"
"Dammit...The hell's going on? When I find you, you WILL tell me where he is!" Says Marvelous to himself.
"Gokai Change..." Says Ahim emotionlessly.
Nodding, each of the Gokaigers take out their Mobirates, shouting "Gokai Change!" as they twist their Ranger Keys into the devices.
"GGGOOOKKKAAAIIIGGGEEERRR!"
Like before, a simple manifestation of armor replaces the stock morphing sequence.
"We stick together. Splitting up against a spy isn't a good idea, especially since they can Gokai Change, too." Says Marvelous.
"Location...?" Asks Ahim.
"This is a dense, if short, forest." Says Joe. "Not many places one could hide except the trees."
"Could use the GokaiOh." Says Joe. "Demolish the forest so he has nowhere to hide."
"That sounds good." Says Marvelous. "Oh, wait...The spy has Don's Mobirate, we can't Gattai."
"What about the Trailer?" Asks Luka. "Should be strong enough to ram the trees to the ground."
"Eh...It's size'll make navigation difficult. Not yet, but keep it ready for a last resort." Says Marvelous. "In the meantime, scour the forest. Stick together. If you see 'em, feel free to off the prisoner, but nobody harms the spy before we get the Mobirate back. Let's make a show of it!"
Blue Flash was probably about as fast as an Earth cheetah. 80 MPH. Faster than even the most athletic human could run. Well, Blue Flash wasn't Human, but did fight on Earth, so the comparison works. The gravity on this planet was almost that of Earth's, give or take a calculation. Would explain how the two were able to so fluidly move on this planet. Of course, the Gokaigers could adapt to almost any situation, so it was a brief luxury at best. Plus, Don was an alien, so gravity differences weren't something foreign to him.
"Where are we headed?" Asks Gai.
"I uh...didn't think that far ahead!" Shouts Gokai Green sheepishly.
"Your'e joking?" Replies Gai, holding Gokai Green's hand for dear life as he's dragged along for dear life by the blinding speed of Blue Flash.
"Nope!" Shouts back Don.
Shit. He didn't expect this to actually work.
An escape plan never crossed his mind, 'cause he didn't expect for any of this to work.
Tree-hiding on a forest planet would be too obvious.
"Great..." Said Gai as he began digging into one of his robe pockets.
"What are you looking for?" Shouts Don.
"A weird guy gave me this whistle." Says Gai as he holds up a swirl-shaped miniature whistle. Resembled a trumpet, by the looks of it. "He said that if I was ever in dire straits to play it. I dismissed 'em as a loon, but do we got anything to lose now?!"
Holding the device to his mouth, Gai plays as violently as he can.
Rather than a whistling tune, it played a bold, eight-note crescendo.
Don recognized the song immediately, and cursed under his breath.
"So it worked after all." Says a male voice. "Set the GPS and plot a course."