Wow, interesting batch of reviews from my landslide of chapters... wow...
And now, we've gotta go save a cliffhanger.
Universal Disclaimer: I don't own a bit of power rangers, though I own sugimori and his Ranger armors, and his sword. General-joseph-dickson owns the armorizer, and the new characters i'm introducing this chapter are mine.
And going with the theme of jungle fury of having song inspired titles, So will this fic, at least throughout the Jungle Fury part of it.
Like TBG, this is gonna be a big fic...
But enough of that...
Takes place after RJ gets the Wolf Morpber.
Oh, this story has a good bit of mythology in it, including japanese Foxfolk. If you see references to Kitsune-bito, don't go right towards the Magic: The Gathering version... for this fic, translate it as Fox Person.
Chapter 2: For those about to Morph (We Salute You)
As Kevin sugimori entered the cave, he knew that some bad shit was about to happen.
"Why do I feel like I just opened Pandora's panty drawer?" Sugimori said, gripping serenity tighter, "There's so many bad vibes here I feel like I walked into a stone hewn theremin."
Sugimori could hear slow grumbles coming from a room ahead.
"I think it would be safe to say that that rumbling ain't coming from pooh bear's tummy."
As Sugimori walked, he came to a door with intricate symbols on it.
"I feel like Ali-Baba... lemme guess, Open Says me?"
The door opened, which startled the former starfleet captain for a second.
As sugimori walked into the room, he felt the temperature drop as a huge being awakened.
"Who DARES disturb my sleep..." The huge monster said, it's body a good 18 feet tall, black with 2-foot claws and red veins coarsing through it's thick skin.
"Arsene Lupin III, Master thief," Sugimori said, trying to stay calm, "I don't guess you know a Zenigata."
"I am Drenacouloshan," the beast said, "The master of this cavern... You hold the Sacred Sword... and you have opened my way... For your going through all that trouble... I'll kill you quickly."
Sugimori raised his blade just in time to parry a fairly vicious blow from the monster's claws. As the fight continued, the former admiral proved his worth, parrying blows with his skills, honed from many years of training by the most esteemed Foxfolk and other beings...
"Hey, Idea..." Sugimori said, "Dragon Heart, Power Up!"
As the fight turned in favor of Sugimori, drenacouloshan denoted the best course of action. He had lost this battle, but he still had the upper hand.
Sugimori de-Armorized, thinking that he was done.
"You have won, Halfbreed," Drenacouloshan said, "However, One battle doesn't translate to a war."
A black cloud of anti energy surrounded Sugimori, stopping any movement the seasoned swordsman could have attempted.
"However, You have opened my prison, which I must thank you for in a way... You're lucky... No One has ever defeated me in a battle of that scale before... So..."
The beasts eyes glowed an evil red, and the anti energy coarsed through the body of the son of Tetrarch. As the cloud floated away from sugimori, a faint golden glow could be seen...
"What did you do to me?!" Sugimori said, falling to the ground, feeling as half of his spirit had been torn away.
In a way it had.
"I have removed your inferior half... Now, you are no longer a Halfbreed..."
Sugimori ran a shaky hand through his hair and gasped as the realization hit him.
"I swear, Give it back," Sugimori said, struggling to get up, "Or--"
Sugimori's energy gave out at that time.
Drenacouloshan knelt near the now Kitsune-Bito (Foxfolk) Sugimori. "You're lucky I didn't strip away your humanity fully... at least you can hide your ears and tail."
"I'll kill you," Sugimori said, spitting out blood, "I'll get my revenge."
Drenacouloshan cackled as he walked out of the cave, "Good, Warrior, I look forward to it."
Sugimori got past the door to the now blood covered room before his get up and go got up and went. His last action before succumbing to his injuries was to type something into his Phazr.
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Deep in the Heart of the the great forest was a Villiage that skirts San Angeles. In this village, named Briar Vale, a fairly large community of Fey Folk, Elves to be more exact, thrived. However, not all was well in the main palace, home of the Elven Queen.
A youngish woman of about 24 human years sat in a room that elves would call spartan at best, though humans would call it extravagant. The woman wore a simple dress that was accentuated by leather bracers and a sword belt, with pouches along the belt. The woman wore a simple hair ornamentation that denoted her as Syleria, Elven Queen.
"My lady," Ceylia, the queen's most trusted Handmaiden said, "What is wrong?"
"I feel a verdance in the natural energies of the planet... and I feel something has happened to the Youngest son of Tetrarch." Syleria said, the words coming out of her mouth sounding no less than poetry, "Could you get in touch with Master Remus Taiel... he lives in the main part of town... tell him that the time has come."
"Yes, my queen," Ceylia said, "Where can I find him?"
"He frequents the SapSeep Tavern. Besides," Syleria said, a grin on her face as she allowed herself a giggle, "He stands out."
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3 weeks later
RJ sighed.
"What's wrong?" Lily asked.
"This dude filled an application, and now he's apparently fallen off the face of the earth."
"Huh... Kevin Sugimori, eh?" Lily said, a thoughtful look on her face, "If you can't get ahold of him, then something's terribly wrong. Do you got any references for him?"
"First, how do you know about sugimori?"
"My Adopted mom works at SugimoriCorp." Lily said, "I've never met him myself, but ma's always said that he's good people."
"Ah, He put one non family reference... a Syleria... But it has a weird number."
"Hmmm," The voice of the Spectral Master Mao said, "There is a verdance in the Natural order."
"Master Mao," RJ said, "What's going on? And why do I have a suspicion that this has to do with Kevin Sugimori?"
"I always knew you were a smart one, RJ," Mao said, "The evil Djinn Drenacouloshan has been released."
"Drenacouloshan?" Casey and Theo said, walking into the main loft area.
"A Powerful Djinn locked away by Zordon thousands of years ago... it's said that there is a treasire meant solely for those who protect the planet," Mao said, "And somehow, Drenacouloshan has escaped."
"Master Mao," Casey said, "What's wrong?"
"I sense evil heading towards San Angeles, the Forest of Briar Vale to be exact."
"Briar Vale," RJ said, "That's where Master Taiel lives."
"A Pai Zhuq master, in that Forest of Elves?" Theo said, "Cool."
"Let's go."
"Be careful."
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It had been three weeks since Syleria and a group of her hunters had found Sugimori badly injured, and now the former Admiral was dodging arrows shot by an old man.
"Is this needed?" Sugimori said, "You've had me meditate 5 hours a day, train to do moves that only a month ago I was too inflexible to do, and now you're shooting pointys my way. If my friend dickson was here, he'd be telling me to take it easy."
"You have learned much, young one," Master Taiel said, "But when that Djinn used his magic on you, he must have given you a bit of cockyness."
"Nope, always had it," Sugimori said, catching the last arrow, "But I tend to keep it hidden."
"Master Taiel," Syleria said, running into the training area with her sword drawn, a contingent of warriors entering with her, "The Forces of Dai Shi have attacked, Is Lord Sugimori's training complete?"
"He's recovered fully, Yes," Taiel said, "However, Thre isn't much time... I fear that there are more than just minions of Daishi on their way... we need to get out of here."
"Take Lord Sugimori to the safehold, and may the power protect you." Syleria said, "Let's GO! Let's Rout them away from the Village!"
As Taiel and Sugimori ran through the forest, Sugimori felt a pang of guilt.
"Don't Worry, Other Pai Zhuq members are on their way... A Cheetah, a Tiger, a Leopard, and a Wolf..."
"Still, I should be out there, I'm not useless."
"At least follow me--"
Sugimori caught the old master as he fell, the old man's ankle broken.
"You're hurt." Sugimori said, "I think I can carry you."
"Don't worry, the Forest will take care of me, young one, Keep on going in this direction, and you'll reach my hut... There you will find a morpher, a conduit for your Spirit Beast."
"Alright," Sugimori said, sighing at his inability to Not be a power ranger, "Will you be ok?"
"Don't worry about me. I'm old, not invalid."
Sugimori nodded and ran, turning back to see Taiel blend in with some trees.
"Be careful, old fox." Sugimori said, pouring on the speed.
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"I've found him," Camille said, "Lady Valkyra, would you like the honor?"
"At least let him get in the hut," Valkyra said, "Besides, He's been training under a Pai Zhuq, I really doubt that an explosion would kill him."
Camille prepared to chuck the bomb, not noticing five figures closing in on sugimori's location.
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When the Elvish war party got to where the Renshi and the renshi beasts were heading towards, the renshi suddenly got a strong push... into the air.
"Looks like we're reinforcements, My Queen," Ceylia said, "On your orders."
"ATTACK THE RENSHI!"
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As sugimori entered the hut, he found his armorizer and a gold and black morpher, sitting on top of a black jacket with gold accents and a gold claw symbol on it. As he grabbed the morpher, the area around him became a Firestorm for a moment, before five warriors covered him as the flames died.
"Quin'Tarra," Sugimori said, "Fancy seeing you here. Thought Joe would come, but you're just as good an omen as any."
"Always hitting on married women" Allory Brunsen said.
The Knights laughed.
"It's been a while, Kevin," Quin'Tarra said, "You seem well."
"Yeh, i'm just wondering why this thing ain't working," Sugimori said, "Stopped working after I fought hueg Genie..."
"You, the Sugimori that General Dickson talks about," Anthony Trachsel, Black dragon Knight said, "Got your ass kicked by aladdin's genie?"
"Nope, I kicked his ass, he cheated and stripped me of my Draconic heritage." Sugimori said, "And I can still kick your ass."
"Enough," Alexis said.
"Yeah," sugimori said, "I smell Psychotics..."
"Lead the way," Quin'Tarra said.
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As the Rangers Fought the Renshi, black monsters with red veins and sharp claws stormed the battlefield, slaughtering Elf and Renshi alike.
"What the hell?" Theo said, demorphing with one hit, "Guys! Fall back!"
RJ, Casey, and Theo fell back, but Lily seemed to be hitting her groove.
After a while though, Lily fell back as well.
"Man, I wish that armored dude was here," RJ said as a huge monster stormed the area.
"Wow," Casey said as fifteen of the beasts fell due to weapons fire.
"HEY," All turned to see a man in a black and gold Pai Zhuq uniform, with five warriors in something similar to Ranger Armor, "I want some, Can I join?"
Syleria grinned, and an injured Taiel grinned from the shadows.
"I take that as a yes," Sugimori said, arming a morpher that looked similar to the old Zeonizers, "Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"
When the golden light died down, a ranger in gold ranger armor stood there. The armor had a few stripes down the side, and the helmet had what looked to be Fox ears, and the visor sported a fox mouth motif.
"Oh, Hai," the Gold ranger said, "My turn... Jungle Beast, Arise, Fox Spirit Zord!!"
As the Massive Zord appeared, the Renshi started to back away.
"Alright," Sugimori said, "Full Speed aheads!"
As the Zord plowed through the monsters and the renshi, Casey clenched his teeth. Theo seemed to be doing the same.
"Hey, Lookit that," RJ said as the Fox zord looked down at the larger monster.
"Staredown." Lily said, "I think the zord would win."
As she said that, a huge sonic scream hit the area, revealing Valkyra in a huge form.
"I'll get this," Sugimori said, "Fox Spirit Zord, Kitsune Warrior mode."
As the Fox Zord became a bipedal warrior, it armed it's tail like a sword.
"Alright, BirdGirl, It's about time you flew the coup."
"And I thought cats hated birds," RJ said from the ground, "Rangers, I doubt he needs it, but let's help him."
"Right," the others said, only one of them enthusiastic about it."
As the Jungle Pride megazord formed, Sugimori looked towards the other zord, and with a nod of the Zord's head, started the attack.
After a few minutes, however, Valkyra had enough, and left.
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As the Rangers made it back down to the solid ground, sugimori demorphed,
"It's you," RJ said, demorphing, "Hi again. The woman in yellow is Lily, The dude in red is Casey.. The dude in blue--"
""We could have handled that bitch!" Casey said, Venom in his voice, "And How dare you wear one of our uniforms? You're..."
"An Oppourtunist, an asshole, the guy who just saved your bacon, the gold ranger, sexier than you, and someone who can help you guys more than you think," Sugimori replied.
That left both Casey and Theo steaming.
"Did i leave something out?" Sugimori said, getting a chuckle from Lily and RJ.
"You don't deserve to be here," Theo said.
Sugimori raised his eyebrow, and had to stop himself from ripping out theo's throat "You don't know anything about me, Theo Martin, And you have NO right to tell me that i have no right to do anything... I was fighting injustice since you were in primary school, and i've seen shit that would make you run back to your little cave and whimper to your momma."
"Yeah right.. We were doing good against them, then you come along and steal the show!"
"Jealous?" Quin'tarra said, chuckling, "Frankly, i'd quit while I still had a head. If Sugi's temper is anything like it was all those years ago, there could be a mass extinction in a bit."
"Frankly, i know more about this world than you could ever dream of, and if it wouldn't have been for me having some semblance of friends, you'd be dead right now. Face it, Casey, theo, You guys have been thrown into a war that no one wants to fight. it's a fight for this and other universes. We may die, we may live, but face it, you guys are stuck with me. but luckily, i make a mean pizza."
Casey backed up and sighed. Sugimori was right. Without his help, and the help of these black knights, his team would be toast. "I Just wish you would have given us some sense of warning."
"If i had given you warning, you'd be dead" Sugimori said, "You won't always get a chance to be warned. Part of being a good ranger is improvisation."
"You've done this before, haven't you?" Lily asked
"They don't call me Technicolor 2 for nothing." Sugimori said, grinning.
"Well, We're out here in the wilderness, and it's getting dark," RJ said, "And... Since you're a ranger, and rangers hafta stick together, I guess you're hired... but it's gonna take a while to get back to Ocean Bluff."
"You can stay at The Palace," Syleria said, "You are all my guests tonight... Sonu, Help Taiel get to the palace and tend to his wounds."
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Sugimori stood out on the balcony of the living quarters he got for the night.
"Hey," Theo said, walking out on the adjacent balcony, "Sorry for that."
"it's cool." Sugimori said, "One of the things about being a ranger is that you can never harbor a grudge... it hurts performance in battle."
"Hey," Theo said, "You got any advice for being a ranger?"
"One piece, and you would be well to remember this," Sugimori said, "It's commonly known as Murphy's Law. What can go wrong, will."
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A week later.
Sugimori had finally started work at Jungle Karma Pizza, and it didn't hurt that he was somewhat of a household name.
However, sugimori wasn't expecting his old friend to come walk in the front door, instead of the normal portal.
"Sorry," Sugimori said, looking to Joseph Dickson, his good friend and mentor, "We don't serve your kind."
"Hey, that's not fair, you work here," Dickson said, grinning.
"I'm not a Shadow." Sugimori said, thinking he had the comeback war won.
"Nope, but you're an asshole." Dickson said, winning the war.
"What's up, man" Sugimori said, "Restaurant closes in five minutes, and I still have to count the money."
"I just wanted to give you the good news... I'm gonna be a father again."
"I thought so... I sensed a presence in Tarra's womb... Congratulations."
"Thankya," Dickson said, "Kev... I need to ask you a favor."
"If it's what I think it is, the answer's yes. I told you that a long time ago, and I don't think I stuttered then, buddy."
"Thank you, old friend."
"Dude, after all that you've done for me, it's my turn to help you out."
"Thanks man."
"Don't mention it."
"Hey, Kev," The rangers came in, pretty much at the same time.
"Sorry sir," Casey said, "We're closed."
"He's a friend." Sugimori said, hoping that Dickson wouldn't do what he knew his former mentor was about to do.
"Needs laid," Dickson said, pointing down the line, going next to lily, then theo, then RJ, "Needs fucked, are you a chink? And nice hat."
The rangers glared at Dickson with an almost Sugimori like intent to kill, but they were averted by a cackle by sugimori.
"He's not prejudiced, he insults equally," Sugimori said, "Rangers, meet my friend, surrogate father, and mentor, General Joseph Dickson."
Theo looked like he was going to strike, but he soon found sugimori's arms around his neck, and himself in a well performed Sleeper hold.
"I can put more pressure, hell I could even go to break your fucking neck. Don't attack him. He's something of a planeswalker. You'd not survive the encounter."
Theo gave up, right as he lost consciousness.
Casey shook his head as he looked out the window, not in anger but in disbelief.
"Hey, Guys," Casey said, "Did you just see an old 1950's british police box just teleport out of existence?"
"No," Sugimori said, "you must be seeing things. "
"Well," Dickson said, "I gotta go...take care of yourself... oh yeah, I had some tests done on your armorizer, kev... As long as you're in this non dragon form, you'll not be able to use it... it's programmed for Full Sug, not half sug."
"Damnit."
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Wow... k... the black knights belong to general-joseph-dickson. I own Drenacouloshan, and all that shit.
I apologise if parts of this chapter is harder to understand, wave after wave of tragedy has crashed. It's all I can do to keep writing.
Ah, here's a preview:
When tragedy befalls a former ranger, one current ranger must live with the deeds of his past, and, in a way, pave the way to the future.
Chapter 3: Daddy?