Lucy opened her eyes; she had been stripped of her clothes and strapped down to some kind of cold, metal table. It became frighteningly clear, very quickly, the table she was strapped down to was an operating table and she was in an operating theatre. She never thought there'd be a point in her life where she was thankful they hadn't begun operating yet. Fighting back a scream, she tried to piece together how exactly she got here.
She was driving home from school; she took a lot of the back roads to get the most out of her jeep, she may have been passionate about photography but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy throwing her jeep around when she got the chance.
However her fun was quickly spoiled when there was a bright flash of light. She swerved to avoid it, almost crashing in the process. Flustered and dazed, she looked around to make sure she had hit nothing, when the tip of a katana was suddenly in her face.
"You've got two options." The holder of the blade was a beautiful, dark skinned woman with long thick dreads, she was clad in leather armour and had war paint on her face, "You come with me, or I'll kill you."
Lucy was no fighter, no warrior, hell she couldn't even fight her tears and as she softly wept she nodded slowly, "I'll come."
Lucy remembered, she remembered how she got here and that only made her cry harder. As the room filled with the same light that caused her arrival here, she didn't even blink, she just screamed but to her surprise a hand went over her mouth, followed by a, "Sssh!"
She slowly opened her eyes and she almost started screaming in surprise when it was…The Black Ranger!
"You gonna stop screaming now?" He asked.
She nodded and he took his hand away, "You're the Black Ranger."
He nodded, "Yup that is me."
"Then why are you here?"
"Shouldn't that be obvious?" He said with a cock of the head, "To rescue you."
"Oh." She seemed surprised that wasn't obvious, "I guess you don't ever expect a Power Ranger to come rescue you singularly."
At that, the sound of a door opening on the other side of the room began to rattle around them.
"Don't worry." James promised, drawing his axe from his back.
The person who stepped into the room was the same woman that captured Lucy at the road.
"Well, my my, our security must be bad." She said at the sight of the morphed James, "But I've been itching to fight me a Power Ranger." She grinned and drew her katana.
"We don't have to fight." James promised, "But I will take the girl by force, if I have to."
"Oh." The woman smiled, "You have to." And charged.
Elle and John's backs connected, they had backed into each other, no matter how many androids they took down, another one would appear and they were getting very, very exhausted. That is when John noticed it, Elle was glowing and so was he.
"Hey, are you a Super Saiyan?" John asked as the strange, yellow light, bled out from Elle.
"What?" When she looked around at John her eyes grew wide, "You're glowing!"
"Yeah so are you!"
She looked down and her eyes were wide, "No way."
At that moment, the ground beneath their feet shook and eventually split open, a brilliant light erupted from the crack as matching gold boxes and keys floated down and into their hands. Elle's fashioned with a beautiful yellow stone and John's with a blue one.
"What is this?" John said, studying the box. Elle was more interested in the fact that the remaining androids were now backing away.
"I dunno, but those androids seem terrified." She pointed out, letting her headphones slip around her neck, bleeding out metalcore around them.
John looked up, she was right – then there was a second bright flash, "Although maybe they aren't scared of us."
The androids were a hodgepodge of scrap metal and weapons, stuck together in a vaguely humanoid shape but the android that appeared before them…it was different. It was refined, modern…new looking plus it was armed with a sword and shield rather than being oddly stuck on.
"You have two options." It commanded, its eyes flashing as it spoke a voice that sounded oddly auto-tuned, "Come with me or I'll kill you."
"Don't listen to that asshole." At that moment the morphed Adam dropped down from the sky in the middle of all of them.
"So they weren't lying!" Elle said with surprise at the Red Ranger, who had drawn his sword and was backing towards them.
"The Ancients have picked you to be Power Rangers." Adam informed them.
"What?" John asked.
"I don't really know either." Adam admitted.
"What kind of Red Ranger are you?!" Elle groaned.
"A new one," Adam admitted, "Look its super cheesy but you need to command…"
Before he could finish, the Android 2.0 was charging towards them.
"Crap!" Adam cursed, as he parried the androids blade, "Say it with me…" he continued as he struggled with the Androids blade.
"No!" The android squeaked.
He informed them of the command to which John and Elle looked to one another, shrugged and commanded, "Ancients, grant me the power to guard the Earth..." The remaining 1.0 androids tried to stop them, but as they unlocked their boxes the light seemed to literally force them back, sending them flying in all directions, "...Guardian Ranger, BLUE! YELLOW!"
Both John's and Elle's suits were like Adam's, rather than James'. Black, not white, white stripes, not gold, no shoulder pads, no fin, no weapon holstered on the back and of course John's jacket and helmet were blue and Elle's yellow. It was now clear that every Ranger had a unique symbol as well, emblazoned on the back of Adam's jacket and the front of his helmet was a phoenix head, framed with huge, fire wings, John, a shark, framed by a huge wave and Elle, a tiger, framed by huge claws.
Hanging from John's belt was a blaster, and a folded, blue and gold compound bow, as he took it from his belt it folded out, as he pulled on it, a blue arrow materialised, "Man…this is cooler than any video game."
Elle's weapon, hanging on the other side of her blaster, was a pair of gold and yellow tonfa, she drew them, and "I can't say I've ever used one of these before…but it feels right, somehow."
"We can enjoy all this later, can you help me please?" Adam groaned, barely managing to parry off another sword strike from the android.
"Right," John nodded, "Jump!"
Adam didn't question, he parried back another strike and launched himself in the air, as he did one of John's blue energy arrows shot through the space he once filled. The android managed to get his shield up in time, but the destructive force of the arrow on impact was utterly explosive and sent the android flying anyway.
"Nice move." Adam nodded with a thumbs up as he landed on his feet.
"I had no idea that would actually work." John admitted, rubbing the back of his helmet.
"That's…reassuring." Adam laughed.
"Let's not celebrate yet, guys; our robotic friend is getting back up." Elle pointed out. Sure enough, damaged, loose wires and jerky movement didn't seem to stop the Android from forcing himself to stand.
"I will not fail…my mission." It commanded, swiping its sword through the air before charging forward. It was sentient, unlike the other androids; it had a name, Xerdan and it new the price of failure. An obsolete model is easily replaced and he liked that a heart still beats in his metal chest.
This time, it was Elle's turn to fight; she dashed forward, parrying Xerdan's sword strike with one tonfa, then launching into the air with a twirl, slamming her second tonfa right into the side of the Xerdan's head with a hideous crack, sending him careening through the air.
Adam and John looked at one another, "Whoa."
Elle landed on her feet and seemed satisfied with her attack.
"Remind me to never get on her bad side." John quipped.
"Only if you remind me as well." Adam responded in a bemused fashion.
"This is not over." The android growled, he hated that he had to retreat but his death was certain in this fight, Cog could choose to upgrade him…not kill him, it was a risk he was willing to take and vanished in a bright flash.
"Wow, she even scared the villain away." John laughed.
"I'm still debating whether I should run away." Adam joked.
"What can I say," Elle poked, "I am awesome."
Adam powered down still chuckling as he did, John and Elle copied him.
"No way!" John said, at seeing Adam.
"I'm a surprised as you buddy." Adam replied with honesty, "Don't worry, we need to be a team, not friends."
As Adam, John and Elle returned to the base, they never expected to find James standing next to a Pink Ranger. She was the only other Ranger to have the same design and colour scheme as James, minus the pink helmet and jacket of course, even her weapon was holstered on her back.
"Just in time." James smiled. He powered down and the Pink Ranger copied him…to reveal Lucy!
"Hi guys…" Lucy smiled shyly.
"Hey I know you…" Elle said, trying to place her.
"Yeah we used to be pretty close when we were kids but the older I got, the more I loved being on my own." Lucy admitted.
"Oh my God, I remember, I'm sorry it's been years!" Elle gave Lucy a hug.
"Don't worry, it was my fault." Lucy nodded.
Adam had been studying Lucy the entire time, "What is wrong with you?"
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked.
"You seem…deeply-" Before he could finish he noticed James pulling a 'cut it' motion with his hands, confused, he did as he was commanded, "Nothing…it's nothing."
"Okay?" Lucy said, even more confused.
"Wow, so four kids in the same maths class are the Power Rangers along with their maths teacher?" John chuckled at the concept.
"Yeah, I suppose that is the case, huh?" James laughed.
As the three of them got acquainted, James pulled Adam aside.
"There a problem?" Adam quizzed.
"No." James smiled, "You just seem to have a talent for reading souls."
"I have no idea what that means."
"The Ancients may have picked Lucy to complete our team but she is different to all of us…the fear in her very being…being captured by Cog clearly scared her in a deeper way than any of us could perceive, well except you…which makes you perfect for our leader." James explained, "We need to look after each other."
Adam nodded, "Of course, Old Man."
James smiled and patted Adam's shoulder, "Call me Old Man one time... but look Adam, I know that is all you ever do, you care for people, you protect them, even when they think you're some kind of monster. But we need to look after each other, that means we need to look after you too."
"The first time I've heard that."
"That was what I was worried about."
They were silent for a while.
"So what exactly happened, at Cog's place?" Adam enquired breaking the silence.
"Well…"
The katana hit James' axe with enough force to send him crashing over Lucy on the table and before he was even up the woman was launching herself over Lucy for a second attack. James barely managed to get his axe up in time to block it, not skipping a beat the woman sunk her knee deep under James rib cage, sending him crashing and wheezing across the floor.
"Had enough?" The woman inquired, slashing the air before her.
"A Power Ranger never gives up…" James forced himself to his feet, clutching his chest. He drew his blaster and began to fire off a series of shots, all of which the woman deflected with her blade, "You've got some crazy strength lady." James admitted, "So I'm going to get serious…"
At this the woman smiled, bracing herself in a defensive position.
James held out his blaster with both hands, "Black Guardian Power, Guardian Bite!" black energy began to gather and form at the tip of the blaster, eventually taking the shape of a lion's head, James squeezed the trigger and the head fired out, roaring and clamping its teeth down on the air as it went.
"Oh God!" The woman screamed, before she was caught in a gigantic explosion.
With the assassin defeated, James broke Lucy's shackles and returned her clothes, turning round so she could get dressed, only instead he felt her weight land against his back, which Lucy used to stifle her violent sobbing.
"I was so scared." She admitted.
James turned to her and held her in close and tight and she let all her fears drain out, almost literally as her body was encased in a beautiful pink glow…
"And so I waited for Lucy to get dressed, then we rode one of Cog's Relative Tubes with one new morpher and got out of there." James finished the story, to his surprise Adam was shaking, his fists clenched tight enough for his knuckles to go completely white.
"I hate Cog so much." He said through gritted teeth, "I won't ever let him make Lucy cry again…I won't let anyone make anyone else cry ever again."
"I know you won't, Adam."
"One of Cog's warships is attacking downtown." Tay informed.
"Oh man…this is what I have been waiting for, Megazord time!" John squeed.
"Damn straight!" James commanded, "Let's morph, Tay will summon our zords to meet us outside."
"This is so lame…" Adam lied, trying his best to cool off.
The five morphed rangers ran out to the forest above the base, far behind James house at which five zords stood before them.
"The phoenix is yours, Adam." James started, "Because the fire that burns within you will never die."
The phoenix zord lowered its head, so Adam could clamber into the cockpit, it looked complicated but somehow…Adam knew how to fly the thing, just by sitting in the cockpit.
"The shark is yours, John." James continued, "Because you have the strength to control your fear, deep within."
John entered the shark zord, finding himself in what looked a complicated submarine, yet he somehow knew how to pilot it.
"The tiger is yours, Elle." James carried on, "Your ferocity for what you are passionate about is unmatched by any."
The interior of the tiger zord seemed like that of some kind of sports car, Elle didn't know how to drive, but she knew how to drive this, somehow.
"And finally the stallion is yours, Lucy." James finished, "Grace, beauty and pure power may be three things you hide behind your camera but they are no less apparent."
And with that James and Lucy entered their own zords, James being a black lion zord.
"Okay!" James commanded, "Let's put them together!"
Elle's tiger zord became the torso for the Megazord, each one of its limbs like a connector for the other zords to latch to. Adam's phoenix zord became the right arm, the wings disconnecting from the rest of the zord that formed the arm. The two wings instead folded together to form the shape of one, big red and gold curved blade. John's shark zord became the left arm. Lucy's Stallion Zord became the legs, as it folded together and connected to the bottom of the formed torso and arms, then finally James lion zord slotted into the centre, folding over the torso as black and gold armour and providing the head that looked like a knight in a black and gold helmet.
"Alright, The Mega Guardian Megazord is complete!" James fist pumped, as the five of them were moved to the central control room, which was a small, brightly lit room were each one of them was given a touchscreen to control their respective part of the zord.
"This is seriously the best day of my life." John admitted.
The warship was flying over the city, raining down terror as it fired lasers and rockets randomly down into the streets. Adam swiped across his screen and his Megazord arm slashed at the warship with his sword connecting with a dramatic explosion, causing the warship to spin through the air.
"I've gotta admit, this is pretty sweet." Adam admitted.
"Nice shot, Adam!" John smiled, swiping at his own screen. His arm was armed by the shark head on the end, and as the arm flew through the air, John swiped up and down on the screen causing the jaws to bite chunks out of the warship, "So awesome!"
"Alright, let's finish this." James informed, this is for Lucy and may my emotion guide it… he placed his palm flat on his screen and commanded, "Final Attack, Phoenix Ash Strike!" At this command, the Mega Guardian held its phoenix sword aloft, at which it caught fire, it then swiped the burning blade down; utterly destroy the warship in the process.
"That was awesome Mr. Philo!" Elle cheered.
"We make a pretty great Team." Lucy admitted.
Meanwhile, Cog was watching the entire battle on a monitor, at which he growled in frustration and punched his chair, turning Xerdan before him.
"Let me get this straight Xerdan, the Black Ranger breaks into my laboratory landing the only human I trust in a coma. Then your failure leaves my warship decimated by a Megazord?"
At this Xerdan bowed, "Upgrade me sir…give me more of my humanity back…that will give me the power I need to satisfy and complete your every command, I promise I will never fail you again sir. I will destroy the Power Rangers for you and they will not get in the way of your perfection."
"That is the correct answer, Xerdan!" Cog laughed.
The Power Rangers returned to base.
"I don't believe this; I became a Power Ranger and piloted a megazord…in the same day!" John's excitement hadn't calmed down once.
"Yeah, I admit, even I thought the whole giant robot fighting was pretty cool." Adam admitted.
"I thought you were too cool to admit those kinds of things?" Elle poked.
"Well if you can't say it in front of your team…" Adam responded, embarrassed.
James turned to the four of them as they entered the base, "Look, I know none of you chose to be Power Rangers…you got picked…and although it may seem really exciting now, being a Power Ranger is hard and dangerous. Your lives will never be the same again and you don't have a choice in this. With that in mind, I hope we can save the planet a thousand times over."
The five of them smiled, put their hands in together and threw them in the air.