Chapter Three. Leader Of The Pack.
Previously On Poké Rangers Genesis Overload...
As Katie opened up a package, a white rock fell out of it, revealing a reborn Paige. As Bill examined her, it became clear that she had returned from death as a ghost. Meanwhile, the Coppingers awoke to find themselves heavily mutated after the corrosive effect of the Genesis Book upon them. As Dennis used it on a Drowzee, it created the Soulguzzler monster who was sent to attack Cuellar City. With the rangers miles out from land, still on board the Silver Gyarados, Bill and Lance unveiled the Hover Chasers, a way of getting around quickly. As the rangers raced into battle, they managed to destroy Soulguzzler twice and save the people whose souls he had devoured. Watching the battle, Dennis ordered that the rest of the Coppinger Elites be brought before him to recieve the same treatment as the others. Meanwhile, Lance and Bill became part of the team, everyone agreeing to use the Silver Gyarados as a base of operations.
"Ah, Eon City," Katie said, as the six rangers came out from an alley within the city. Having just jumped off their Hover Chasers and demorphed out of their costumes. "Home sweet home."
"It sure has been a while," Duo commented. "I mean... Last time I was here, a huge mutant was trying to wreck everything. Actually, that's a lie. I came here to do some apprentice work with Ethan."
"Never been here before," Luke remarked, looking around the streets with distaste. "Not so impressed. Name me one good thing to have come out of this city."
"Errr... Katie," Xavier replied, rolling his eyes. "She's their most famous export. That and Eevee eggs."
"I see..." Luke replied. "And whose this Katie?"
"Don't make me toss a fire ball at you," she warned. "Because I will. Be as insulting as you want any other town in the entire world but not my own home town."
"That makes no sense," he remarked. "But, okay. On pain of death by fire."
"Smart man," she replied, craning her head back to take a deep breath. "Ah, this city smells exactly the same as the last time I was here."
"Is that a good thing?" Ryan wondered. "I mean..."
"So, Bill wants us to pick up a few items for the Silver Gyarados?" Nahir asked, interrupting him before Katie could snap at the green ranger. "Where do we even start?"
"The Poké Mart?" Luke suggested. "Simple when you think about it."
Gen-esis Over-load.
Season logo appears. Lightning crackles in the background, followed by rain and then fire. The Psychic, Grass and Dark symbols appear behind them.
Poké Rangers! Go!
Cities and towns of Verger appear. Peace occurs throughout.
Coming together to fight the evil
G-Force rangers face Regli. SDI rangers face Queen Misteria.
They will always save the day.
Katie flips through the air, firing Heat Blasters. Other rangers pose with weapons.
Poké Rangers! Go!
The Overload Megazord falls through the air, battling Garbot.
But then they lost their edge!
Rangers fall to the ground, old costumes vanish away. Dogbots celebrate their victory.
Poké Rangers! No!
The Coppinger logo appears on the horizon. Shadows fall across the land.
Gen-esis Over-load
Lance appears with his Dragonite. Bill and the Silver Gyarados appears behind him.
It's time to battle...
The rangers arrive on Ragnar Island. Rock shows them to the temple.
Poke Rangers! Go!
Xavier picks up the Water Stone. Xavier Jackson. Blue Genesis Ranger. Created by Blazin' Saddles.
Power of the Eevee!
Ryan picks up the Leaf Stone. Ryan Leopard. Green Genesis Ranger. Created by Hotrod198.
Poké Rangers! Go!
Nahir picks up the Thunder Stone. Nahir Moon. Yellow Genesis Ranger. Created by Famousgirl01.
Power of the Eevee!
Katie picks up the Fire Stone. Katie Myers. Red Genesis Ranger. Created by Blue Bongo.
Genesis Overload!
Duo picks up the Dusk Stone. Duo Roronoa. Black Genesis Ranger. Created by JMB2NAMI.
Poké Rangers!
Luke picks up the Sun Shard. Luke Sunderland, Purple Genesis Ranger. Created by MakubeDaKiddX.
Genesis Overload!
Paige sticks her head through a wall, smiling. Paige Martinez. Created by Famousgirl01.
Power of the Eevee!
The six rangers morph on the Coppinger Aerial Platform. Dogbots attack, and lose the fight.
Poké Rangers! Go!
The Hover Chasers carry the rangers into battle. Explosions occur behind them.
Verger needs you!
Mal and Tim look around, inanely. Before being chased by Golbat.
To fight that evil!
Dennis, Arbok and other enemies appear. Dennis holds the Genesis Book up high.
And save the day!
Rangers search for artefact's. Dorlinda appears.
Poké Rangers! Go!
The six rangers transform into their Eevee forms. Then, they transform into their Zords.
Power of the Eevee!
The former rangers wave at the camera, before fading away.
Fight! Fight! Fight! Win!
The Overload Megazord begins to form. It fires the Genesis Blaster.
Power of the Eevee!
The Coppinger Aerial Platform crashes to the ground and explodes.
Poké Rangers! Go!
Camera pans out to show the rangers relaxing on the Silver Gyarados. Dorlinda watches over them.
Genesis Overload!
Poké Rangers Genesis Overload created by Blue Bongo. Verger region created by Blue Bongo. All other rights reserved.
Poké Rangers! Go!
"Nice jacket," Xavier remarked, as Duo came over to where he, Luke and Ryan were sat in the Pokémon Centre cafe section. The black ranger having acquired a black leather jacket with a huge Umbreon emblazoned on the back. Under the coat, he wore a white shirt and black jeans complete with a pair of white trainers. "Not at all subtle though."
"Ah, you can get these things all over the city," Duo replied. "Eevee's like the national Pokémon. You wear one of these and they know where've you been."
"Tasteless," Luke commented, having replaced his original clothes with a purple shirt and a pair of black pants. "You'd never catch me wearing an Espeon one."
Out of all of them, Ryan was the only one not to have changed his clothes to compensate for the new colour. Xavier had replaced his black sweat pants with blue ones and his red sweat shirt with a blue and white striped one. Otherwise, he was still wearing the same thing.
"I'm not really a coat person," the blue ranger commented. "Just a quirk really."
"Yeah, you're insane, we get it," Luke remarked, looking at the bags by his feet. "Wonder if those two managed to find what they were looking for."
"Couldn't tell you," Ryan offered. "But... They're just coming in, so we'll soon find out."
Looking around, the four male rangers saw Katie and Nahir coming into the Pokémon Centre. Both of them wearing some new attire, much in the same way as the rest of them. Nahir was wearing a pair of designer jeans with pink stripes down the side, and a yellow short sleeved shirt. Katie had opted for a red dress, black leggings and a pair of black shoes. Duo letting out a slight whistle, much to the surprise of the people around them who instantly looked at them.
"Could you draw any more attention to us?" Xavier wondered, rolling his eyes. "Jeez."
"I could, but do you really want me to?" the black ranger asked. "I mean..."
"What's going on?" Katie asked, slipping into a chair. "You guys arguing again."
"Again?" Xavier asked. "We don't do it that often. Just when Duo wears a tacky coat."
"What's tacky about this jacket?" Duo insisted. "It's awesome."
"Nah, it looks nice," Katie said, a smile fluttering across her face. "There is just one little thing wrong with it."
"And, what's that?" the black ranger asked, not really listening.
"Errr... That's the woman's version," she replied. "They're really really similar, so..."
"You're joking, right?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. "I just spent forty bucks on the coat."
"Hope you kept your receipt," Nahir offered, smiling at him sweetly. "Because..."
Without hesitating, Duo got to his feet and began to run out of the Pokémon Centre. Much to the laughter of the two female rangers.
"What?" Ryan asked. "What did you...?"
"Can't believe he bought that," Katie snickered. "We were winding him up."
As one, Luke and Xavier both burst out into laughter. The concept amusing both of them.
"Can't believe that you did that," Duo grumbled, as they walked through the corridors of the Silver Gyarados. "I really thought that I'd been conned for a moment there."
"Oh lighten up," Katie said. "Thought that you could take a joke."
"No, I can give a joke," he replied. "I'm surprisingly neutral on taking them."
"Typical," Nahir muttered. "I shouldn't be surprised. Really, I shouldn't."
"But, you are," Duo remarked, smirking. "I have that effect of people."
"I have to wonder though," Xavier said. "Was it really necessary to send the whole team over to Eon City? What if something had happened?"
"It didn't though," Katie replied. "Everything's fine. Plus, there's a lot of stuff."
"I probably would have kept two or three of us behind just in case," Xavier remarked. "Just because Bill needs some of this crap doesn't mean that we have to put the region at risk."
"Yeah, but it's not up to you," the red ranger replied, her voice taking on a frosty overtone. "So..."
"Wow," Luke commented. "This could not get more awkward."
"Anyway," Katie said, pushing the doors to the bridge open. Where Bill, Lance and Paige looked over in anticipation, as the six of them deposited the bags on the table. "We got the stuff."
"Great," Bill remarked. "I need these things. Few minor repairs around the place and..."
"I think most of the sleeping areas are in pretty bad condition," Ryan remarked. "I tried to sleep last night, and I could hear the wind coming through my port hole."
As both Duo and Luke snickered, Nahir rolled her eyes at them.
"Yeah, because they don't have windows on them," she said. "That's why."
"I got around it," Luke remarked. "I just moved my chest of drawers in front of it. All with the power of my mind."
"I guess that some of the stuff in the rooms are a little..." Bill started to say, rubbing the back of his head. "A little worn and old. Which is why I had you pick up some boards and nails."
"I might just get a plant to cover it," Ryan commented. "Sounds like less hard work."
"Anyway," Katie said. "I'm heading downstairs to the target range. Need to get sharper with the Heat Blasters. I'm still getting used to them, so..."
As she walked out of the room, Xavier looked at some of the items in the bags that they had picked up from Eon City.
"What else is it that you need these for?" he wondered. "I mean, this place isn't in that much of a bad condition. Some of the rooms are a bit dodgy, but the majority aren't."
"Oh, then I'll just switch," Ryan said. "Screw manual labour."
"Since you ask," Bill replied. "I'm working on a machine that might be able to bring Paige back to her previous glory."
"Really?" the ghost asked. "Because that would be awesome. Can you really do that?"
"Of course," Bill said. "All I need is to defy most of the laws of physics and it'll be a piece of cake."
"Nice to see you're optimistic," Duo commented. "What's next, a time machine?"
"Maybe."
Feeling the rush of heat soar over him, Xavier began to approach the red ranger. Watching her fire at several targets across the range, most of her shots finding the targets up ahead.
"How's it going?" he asked, seeing her concentration barely waver as he spoke. "Guess you've remembered most of the target practice they made us do at SDI."
"You practice so much for so long, it becomes part of you," she replied. "Not really something you can lose over six months. Six years maybe. Six decades, definitely."
"True," he replied. "So, I'm just wanting to check this out. How you doing? Since you were appointed leader by Clarence? No stress, pressure, worry, etcetera?"
"Are you kidding?" she asked, downing another target. "This rocks."
"Glad you're enjoying leadership so much," Xavier remarked. "I mean... You haven't had to put up with Luke and Nahir sniping at each other like I did."
"Ah, they're only trying to ignore how much they like each other," Katie said. "Trust me, that's exactly what they're doing."
"What's your base for that theory?" the blue ranger wondered.
"Feminine intuition," she replied. "It's a gift."
"Well," he said. "Don't tell him I told you this, but several months ago, Luke came into the sleeping quarters in the Aquabase and confessed that he was in love with Nahir."
"Really?" she asked, only slightly surprised. "Well... I knew it."
"Feminine intuition again?"
"You got it," she replied. "Why are you really down here? You can't have just wanted to gossip about Luke and Nahir."
"Errr... I wanted to get away from Bill," Xavier replied. "He's claiming that he can re-solidify Paige again. All he has to do are break most of the laws of physics."
"That's ambitious," she said. "I suppose he's already kind of done it with the Hover Chasers though."
"Hovering fifty feet above the ground in a glorified flying saucer while moving eight hundred miles an hour is a bit different to what he has planned," Xavier pointed out. "Scratch that, a lot."
"So, why are you telling me this," she wondered, squeezing several final shots into the last set of targets, watching them go down. "I'm sure that Bill would have let me know in his own time."
"Well, I was trying to get away from the action," Xavier replied. "Bill's making boasts, and Luke and Duo are trying to ridicule him."
"Why am I not surprised," she said, rolling her eyes. "See, you didn't have to deal with Duo."
"I might have done though," he replied. "Remember when SDI tried to give him the gold ranger powers. That would have been incredibly awkward when he broke up with Danni."
Later in the day, with Bill trying to fix up his brand new machine, Katie looked around at her fellow rangers, ready to say what she had been thinking ever since her conversation with Xavier earlier.
"So, talking to Xavier earlier reminded me of something," she said. "I need to sort someone out as my second in command."
"Ooh ooh, pick me," Luke remarked, sarcastically waving his hand up in the air.
"Normally, in the past," she said. "We've gone by circumstances. I know Crane had Mitzi in that role in G-Force because at some point in the future, the other green ranger had filled that role. I was Xavier's second in command because of the numbers on our zords..."
"That seems strange," Lance commented. "And slightly irresponsible."
"It worked, didn't it?" Nahir asked.
"So, I've made an executive decision," she replied. "That it will be one of Xavier or Duo."
"But, which one?" Duo wondered. "I mean..."
"Well, you've both got the experience," Katie continued. "And I can't split you. So, you have to decide between the two of you as to who should get the role."
"You're joking, right?" Xavier asked, shocked. "Oh for the love of..."
"She did what?" Ryan asked. "She's forcing you to decide between yourselves as to who the second in command should be?"
"Is she insane?" Lance wondered. "That's... Reckless and irresponsible."
"Ah, it sort of makes sense," Nahir said. "I don't think you should write her off just yet. She probably knows what she's doing."
"And I'm still here," Katie replied, annoyed. "Honestly, I don't remember anyone questioning Xavier when he was in charge. Also, Paige, you can help me on this, did Duo ever question Crane?"
"Actually, he didn't," Paige offered, before Duo let out a harsh exclamation.
"I'm not the one complaining about your leadership, am I?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "I've got faith in you."
"Me too," Ryan said. "I was just a bit surprised as to what you had planned, but it doesn't mean I'm not backing you one hundred percent."
"Don't make me say something like that, but yeah," Luke offered.
"And I'm always ready to follow you," Nahir finished. "I believe in you and your ability to lead."
As they all turned as one to look at Xavier, the blue ranger shrugged his shoulders in distaste.
"Whatever," he replied, before turning to head to the door. "Keep at it."
Letting out a furious growl of anger, Katie instantly went after him. An expression of rage etched into her face.
"Man, he's going to get a verbal volley," Duo remarked. "Glad I'm not on the end of that."
"The Poké Rangers." Dennis mused. "What might be the best way to get rid of them? Suggestions, thoughts, comments?"
"Well," Fuller offered. "We could use the Genesis Book again. Only this time on them."
"We don't know who they are, moron," Noland muttered. "So, what would be the point."
"Also," Arbok remarked. "I have a theory that they would be able to resist the stuff. It wouldn't mutate them. Because their 'morphers' gave off a similar energy reading to that of the Genesis Book."
"When did you have a chance to measure that?" Jake wondered, narrowing his eyes at the scientist.
"I'm very sensitive to stuff like this," Arbok replied. "I can sense it."
"Yeah, right," Noland smirked. "Sensitive my ass."
"Other plans!" Dennis demanded. "Any more sensible ones?"
"What about another monster?" Jake asked. "How about that?"
"Well, we've got nothing else to go on," Dennis said. "So, let's see..."
As he looked around for a Pokémon to use the item on, a cell phone in Noland's pocket began to ring. The former Frontier Brain instantly answering it, he listened for a few seconds before hanging up.
"The other Coppinger Elites are on their way," he said. "Harley, Copper, Hawk, Mitchell and Jewels."
"Good, good," Dennis muttered, absentmindedly, spotting a male Nidoran wandering into the cave where they had taken up refuge for the moment. "That should do."
Striding over, he opened the book up, watching the grey smoke erupt out and mutate the Pokémon in front of him. It instantly rising up to the size and shape of a Nidoking. As the smoke cleared, they saw it in detail for the first time. It had the purple body and horn of a Nidoking, the head of a Nidoqueen and the arms and tail of a Rhyperior.
"Wow," Jake commented. "That looks..."
"I am Monarcrusher," the monster growled, narrowing its eyes at Dennis. "You have summoned me!"
"Correct," Dennis replied. "I need you to go out and destroy the Poké Rangers. Once you have torn them to pieces, then I want you to do the same to the region to find those artefact's."
"Sounds like fun," the monster replied, as Noland placed one of the black and silver Pokéballs on the monster's arm. "What you playing at, asshole?"
"Some help, if you need it," Noland said. "Contains a squad of Dogbots."
"I don't need any help to trash this place," the monster replied, before vanishing.
As the four rangers remaining on the bridge began their wait for Xavier and Katie to return, the alarms erupted out of the speaker system, alerting to them to the presence of an attack.
"Errr..." Bill said, looking over to the console. "Hate to break it to you, but there's some sort of Nido... Hybrid attacking Red Moon City."
"Sounds about right," Duo remarked, looking around at Ryan, Luke and Nahir. "Time to take the initiative. Let's go."
"Shouldn't we wait for Xavier and Katie?" Ryan wondered. "I mean..."
"Nah, we can take them," Duo said. "We're all experienced rangers. Apart from Ryan, but..."
"Hey, I can take what you guys can take," the green ranger replied. "I'm with you. Let's go. Who the heck is afraid of a Nido-vite?"
"A Nido-vite?" Nahir wondered. "What are you...? I don't want to know."
"Come on," Duo said, his morpher appearing. "Let's go."
The other three did the same, the black ranger opening his mouth to give the command.
"Genesis Overload!"
Dropping down out of the Hover Chasers, the quadrant of rangers saw Monarcrusher firing Hyper Beams up at the surrounding area. Duo instantly going into the action, rushing forward with his Shadow Sabre.
"Come on, asshole," he shouted, slashing at the monster's back. Monarcrusher roaring in pain as he spun around to try and hit the black ranger with his fist. Duo stepping back, parrying the blows with the flat end of his blade. "Take it like a monster."
"I'll destroy you!" Monarcrusher bellowed, trying to hit him again. Duo again ducking back, striking out with his sword. The blows bouncing off the tough skin, Monarcrusher taking the moment to spin around and strike Duo with his tail. The blow throwing him back through the air.
"Let's get him!" Luke yelled, the other three running towards the attacking monster. All of them with their weapons out, ready to strike. First, Ryan and Nahir went in with the Fauna Hammer and the Storm Staff. Both attacks doing minimal damage to the monster, who smashed out at them with his tail. The strike throwing them both back, crashing against a wall. Smashing his fist into the ground, Monarcrusher watched the two fallen rangers become encased in stones. Within seconds, the stones solidified into shape, trapping Nahir and Ryan in pillars of stone.
"Holy crap!" Luke shouted, brandishing the Psycho Spear at Monarcrusher. "Did you see that?"
"Yeah," Duo replied, using his sword to climb up to his feet. "Guess we're going to have to..."
Cutting him off in the middle of his sentence, Monarcrusher again smashed his fist down into the ground. This time throwing out a sudden shock wave, throwing both the black and purple rangers to the ground in surprise. As they struggled to get up, the fist came down again, the stones encasing Luke and Duo in the same fashion as they had got Nahir and Ryan. Within moments, they were trapped, the monster laughing insanely at his own handiwork.
"Where the heck were you?" Lance demanded, as Katie and Xavier came out onto the bridge of the Silver Gyarados, just in time to see Luke and Duo become captured by the attack froom Monarcrusher. "There was an attack."
"Yeah, we heard," Katie replied. "So, what are we waiting for."
"Huh," Xavier commented, shaking his head at the video footage. "Wondered how long it'd take for some of us to get captured."
"That's not helping," Katie replied, trying to shrug off his comment. "We have to save them."
"Oh, now you want my help," the blue ranger said, nastily. "Funny how it's suddenly coming out right now."
"And the way that you're acting, can you blame me?" she demanded. "I'm just trying to feel my way into the roll. So, I'm getting stuff wrong. So, I'm not doing things the way you would have done. Because I'm not you! I'm doing things my own way now!"
"And look where it's got you," Xavier retorted. "Four members of the team captured. I've got to give you credit, that's a lot sooner than I expected."
"Xavier, that's enough!"
Looking around, the two of them saw Lance stood at the doorway. Watching them.
"You've got no business disrespecting your leader like that, you should be asham..."
"Back off, Lance," Katie said. "I don't need your help. Xavier, if you don't like the way that I'm doing this, then hand your morpher right over. You're free to leave."
"You know I can't do that," he replied. "Tied to my DNA. Nobody else will be able to use it."
"Then make yourself useful then," she snapped. "Honestly, I don't care. You know, this is the reason why I did it. Because I wanted to see the real you. How you'd react in a situation like this. Guess I got my answer. Now, get out of my way, I'm going to help the others."
"Yeah, that's it," he said, just as snappily. "Walk away. That's really going to solve everything."
"Probably more help than what you're going to provide," she said, before bringing up her morpher. "Genesis Overload!"
Still laughing at the four pillars of rock in front of him, each containing a trapped Genesis ranger, Monarcrusher thought that he could hear something. A thought that was quickly compounded as several red hot blasts of plasma energy struck him in the back. Spinning around on the spot, he saw the morphed red ranger charging towards him, the twin Heat Blasters in her hands. As she tore even closer to him, she leaped up from a running start, planting a flying kick into his stomach. A blow that barely fazed him, as he spun to try and nail her with his tail. Something that she ducked, punching him twice in the stomach. Grunting in pain, this attack having hurt slightly more, he swung out with his fist to try and blast her with a stream of rocks. Throwing herself to the side, she sent a snap kick into the same area, constantly targeting the same area with all her blows. Bruise marks appearing on the spot, giving her something to aim at.
"You think you can defeat me?" he roared, as another kick crashed into his stomach. This time his arm shooting out, grabbing the limb. As he swung her up into the air, she let out a yell of surprise as she hit the ground. Hard.
"You in here?" Bill asked, looking into the training room. Seeing Xavier whack a football against the wall several times, each time increasingly harder.
"You already know that I am," Xavier said, angrily. "What the hell do you want?"
"Xavier, can I just remind you that you're a guest on my home," the PokéManiac remarked. "So, at least try and show some..."
Quickly, the blue ranger remembered himself.
"Sorry, Bill," he said, stopping to control the ball with his foot. "Guess I'm still a bit annoyed."
"Good skill," Bill commented. "Heh, you could probably show a few of the Pokémon in the CSKA Cerulean team a few things. Every single year, they get thrashed by Inter Saffron in the derby. I really really dislike that Pikachu who coaches them. The Special One. Total piece of arrogant cr..."
"Bill, do you want something in particular?" Xavier asked, his patience going again. "Because..."
"Why are you here?" Bill interrupted. "Four of your friends are encased in big rocks. Katie's having her ass kicked on her own. You're a team. Or you were."
Instead of replying, Xavier let him continue.
"What's really eating you, Xavier?" Bill asked. "Because, it's a bit out of character for you to be..."
"Bill, how long have you known me?" Xavier wondered. "Because, don't even presume to judge..."
"You're right," he replied. "But, I'm willing to guess that only one of us has seen your SDI psych profile."
"So, you've been looking at that?" Xavier replied, only slightly angry with the confession. "Why?"
"Because, I'm curious at heart," Bill admitted. "You'll have to forgive me on that."
"Free country," Xavier said, kicking the ball back up. Heading it across to the wall, not able to generate much power onto it. Much to his anger. "I mean... I..."
"Does it really annoy you that Katie's now the leader of the team?" Bill asked. "Because..."
"It doesn't bother me," Xavier insisted. "Seriously, it doesn't. Why do people keep thinking that?"
"Maybe because you're acting like it," Bill offered. "What is it, if it's not that."
"It doesn't bother me that she's the leader," Xavier repeated. "It's just more the realisation that... that I might not be as valued any more. Back when I was the red ranger for SDI... I had a reason to keep on going. To be the best that I can be, to set an example to others. Now... Where do I go? What's my motivation?"
"Doing the right thing," Bill replied. "You might not feel valued, but you are appreciated. You ever think that because of all that, Katie might have had trouble deciding whether you or Duo is better suited to the role? She's seen the way that you performed as leader and knows that you'll give your all whether you're second in command or last. Which is why she did respect you. Whether or not she does now is another question. I think that you're going to have to walk a hard road to win back that trust and respect."
"Let me guess, you saw her profile as well," Xavier said. "And gleaned all of that from it."
"It's not what you know, it's what you do with it," Bill replied. "The question is, what are you going to do with it?"
Kicking the football up into his hands, Xavier tossed it over to the corner of the room. Turning to head for the door.
"I've got some redeeming to do," he said, softly. "Wish me luck."
As she hit the ground again, choking up some blood inside her helmet, Katie heard the laugh of Monarcrusher above her. Could see him getting ready to slam his fist into the ground, trapping her in stone...
Only for a figure to leap above her, hitting the monster in the impacted area of his stomach, Monarcrusher staggering back in pain. The next thing Katie knew, an unmorphed Xavier was helping her to her feet.
"I've been an asshole," he admitted. "But, I'm here now and ready to help."
"Then why are you out of your costume?" she asked, grinning slightly. "Or are you..."
Not hesitating, Xavier brought his morpher up.
"Genesis Overload!"
Transforming into his blue ranger costume, he held out a hand to summon the Tidal Trident. Levelling the weapon at the monster, he let loose a rip of laughter.
"You're going down!" he shouted, the weapon starting to glow with a blue wave of energy. Sweeping out with it, he saw that wave of blue energy strike out, throwing Monarcrusher up into the air, roaring in pain.
"Waterfall!" he shouted, for good effect as the monster hit the ground. "How does that feel?"
Yanking both Heat Blasters up out of their holsters, Katie levelled them at the fallen monster.
"You're going down," she said, seconds before the twin weapons began to glow with a shining white light. "Woah, what's going on here?"
As if to answer her question, images began to race through her head. Much in the same way that they had when the six of them had formed the Megazord for the first time, back on the Coppinger Aerial Platform. And finally, she knew what it was that she had to do.
"Oh, sweet," the red ranger exclaimed, looking at her two weapons. "From two to one."
Folding the hilt of one blaster up onto a level with the barrel, she combined it with the other blaster. Twisting it round, it quickly became apparent that an entire new weapon had been formed.
"What the heck is that?" Xavier wondered, looking at the new weapon in Katie's gloved hands.
"Flareon Battle Rifle," she replied, aiming the weapon at Monarcrusher. "You got any last words? Because you're quite literally about to go in front of a firing squad."
Pulling the trigger, she let out the battle cry as a massive fireball erupted from the barrel. Tearing through the air towards the monster.
"Flareon Fury!"
Travelling out through the air, the fireball transformed into a glowing red mystical Flareon, the fiery spirit growing by the second until it smashed against Monarcrusher. Instantly forcing him back, his body exploding into thousands of pieces.
"Oh yeah!" she shouted, as the rock shapes trapping the other rangers shattered. Letting them breath freely again.
"Thanks for that," Ryan gasped. "That was cramped."
"It might not be over yet," Duo warned, looking at the remains of Monarcrusher. For several seconds they waited. And nothing happened. After a minute, still nothing had happened.
"Guess we got off lucky this time," Nahir commented.
"This is the third time that they have now foiled our plans," Dennis said, his voice soft with anger at the irritance that they were causing him. "It is now time for a different plan."
"Oh hallelujah," Noland muttered, sarcastically. The prone figures at the feet of the Coppingers starting to groan and stir as they gradually began to awake from their Genesis Book induced coma.
"This different plan," Dennis continued, folding his arms. "Involves splitting up. Arbok and I will stay here. The rest of you join up and try to get the information to find what we need. These... nine artefact's. I want teams of two or three, scouring the region. That's the best way to go. If the rangers try to stop you, then find a way to destroy them."
"But, if you're keeping the Genesis Book, then how...?" Arbok started to ask, before getting a dark look from his leader.
"You don't need to worry about that," he said. "You're sticking with me. The rest of you will have to find your own way to go about it."
"On brilliant," Jake commented, sarcastically. "Nice to know that..."
"Go! Now!"
"Hey, Katie."
Looking up from where she was doing laps of the pool, the current red ranger saw the previous red ranger walk over to her, kneeling down next to her to look her in the eyes.
"What's up?" she asked, pausing to hold Xavier's gaze. "What do you want?"
"I... I just want to apologise for the way that I acted," he said. "It was out of order the way that I behaved."
"I know," she replied, spikily. "But, I suppose that it's a bit strange for you. Going from leader to not even second in command. Maybe I should have thought about that a bit more..."
"I think you should have Duo as your second in command," Xavier admitted. "Despite all his... I'm going to be polite and say tendencies... He does have a lot of experience. He's been a ranger longer than any of us here. So..."
"That's big of you," she commented. "But, I just want you to know. I do value your opinion. Anytime you've got something to say about the mission, pipe up. I'll listen. Intently."
Holding up one of her hands, Katie shot him a smile.
"Friends again?" she asked, the grin growing by the second. Especially as Xavier reached out and shook it...
Only for her to yank him down into the pool, the blue ranger gasping for breath as he crashed under the surface of the water.
"That's your informal warning," Katie said, still smiling as he surfaced. "Don't ever try and undermine me again."
Still choking slightly from the sudden shock of the water, Xavier could only nod as he watched her climb out of the pool and offer him a hand up out of it.
Author's Notes.
Whew. Got to say, I enjoyed writing the conflict between Katie and Xavier in this chapter. Because, I think Xavier would realistically have some hangups about his situation.
Admit it, you saw it coming. Xavier getting yanked into the pool.
Thanks for the reviews. All appreciated completely.
Yeah, so it's going on strong. Next several chapters will be more in the same vein, the hunt for the oft-mentioned artefact's starting slowly. Always a problem when you don't know where to start looking.
Anyway, the next one is entitled Who, Me. Preview below and it should be up soon.
Errr... Thanks for reading.
Don't forget to review. I think Katie will be replying to them today. Okay!
Chapter Four, Who, Me, preview.
Ryan: I just... You guys have this great ranger prestige. What have I got?
Nahir: That's not your fault.
?: Hmmm... The green ranger feels doubt. How can we exploit this?
Fuller: I found these stones. They feel strange.
Xavier: This thing's getting stronger by the second.
Bill: It's feeding off your doubt. Only you can beat it.
Ryan: You and me! Let's do this!
Coming soon.