It wasn't long before the foursome met up with the rest of the Rangers. In almost no time at all Tommy had taken the lead and was navigating them through the best places in Angel Grove. The boys sped ahead, showing off their impressive ability and performing tricks whenever the opportunity presented itself. They were sliding down stairs backwards and jumping off ramps and curbs. The girls, a little less adventurous, hung back behind. They too performed tricks, though they weren't going out of their way to do them like the guys. Instead they spent the lull in between jumps laughing with each other and chattering away.
They all whooped excitedly as one by one they filed off a particularly steep drop, all landing perfectly thanks to the training they all undertook to keep themselves at the top of their abilities. Ever since they had started saving the world it had become harder and harder to find new ways to find that kind of thrill.
"Let's take a short cut!" The call came from the front where Tommy ducked into an ally way. Kim, having eventually gotten more ambitious in her rollerblading, quickly followed him through. The rest of the gang sped off after them through the narrow passageway.
They emerged in a construction field they likely weren't allowed to be in, but there were definitely thrills to be had here that couldn't be found on the pedestrian walkways and bike paths. Tommy, Billy, Rocky and Adam vaulted over a low wall while Kim, Aisha and Emily rocketed down a steep ramp. They weaved through the construction workers and couldn't help but laugh and call out to each other as a group of men paused in their work to watch the teenagers careen by.
Tommy lead them from the construction site back onto the main street. In the distance they could see Ernie's Juice Bar still crowded with people from the benefit. The site of that many people may have damped some spirits, but not Rocky's. "Hey!" he called forward to the others "Let's get something to eat!"
"How can you be hungry?" Emily spun around, skating backward so she could look at him.
"How can you not?" The other Rangers laughed at the friendly ribbing between the two. The moment was cut short as a chime from their wrists cut off any retort Em might have had.
Immediately they clustered together as a group, furtively looking around them to see if anyone had noticed. No one ever did, but they couldn't help the feeling that one day Alpha's handiwork would fail and someone not trained to hear the soft distress signal would hear it. "Let's go over there," Tommy motioned to a small grouping of shrubs and trees that would keep them from prying eyes and eavesdropping ears. They quickly followed their leader, still casting glances at passers-by from the corner of their eyes.
"What's up Alpha?"
"Rangers, Zordon need you at the command centre. It's urgent!" Emily cast a worried look at Adam and Rocky. It wasn't often the small robot got its circuits fired up about nothing and he sounded particularly distressed.
The three weren't the only ones feeling that something major was coming. "We're on our way." Tommy's voice was solemn and serious as he spoke into the communicator, casting a worried glance over his team. The seven placed their hands on their communicators and waited for Alpha to teleport them back to receive Zordon's orders.
All seven Rangers stood in front of Zordon's projection in stunned silence. Their high spirits and laughs had been completely silenced with the news of the new impending evil, Ivan Ooze. They had managed to fend off Zedd and Rita's constant attacks, but Emily had a feeling that Ivan Ooze would be much harder to defend against.
"Use extreme caution Rangers. You are dealing with an evil here that is beyond all imagination."
The Rangers exchanged nervous glances; they had never seen Alpha so worked up over a single enemy, or heard Zordon caution them so insistently. They couldn't help but feel the gravity of the situation settle over them as they looked at their fellow Rangers wondering if all of them would be able to make it through a battle with such a force of evil. Or if they were finally facing a battle they wouldn't ever be ready for.
