Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to Disney/Haim Saban

By the time they arrived at the scene, the monster had steadily marched its way to Blue Harbour Shopping Mall and was now in the outer food court, happily destroying any tables and chairs in its way while hordes of people scrambled for cover. "Do you think it's got something against tables and chairs?" David asked under his breath as they ducked into the nearest alley.

"Who cares?" Jay asked. "Let's go take care of this asshole."

"Agreed." Trev said.

"Ready?" David asked, arm braced across his chest, bracelet changing to morpher.

"Ready!" They answered.

"Dragon Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Minotaur Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Centaur Rider, Ranger Form!"

The brilliant flashes of light enveloped the boys and, when they ran out of the alley, they were clad in their Power Ranger suits. Jay viewed the monster though the limited scope of his visor. "So…it looks like this thing didn't go AWOL."

"Looks it," Trev said, eyes narrowed. "Let's get rid of it."

"With you all the way," Jay agreed and, as one, all three charged.

David hit it first, with a flying kick aimed for its chest. Trev made contact next, slamming his fists in a quick one-two snap on its jaw. Jay merely threw himself on the monster, slamming his joined hands into its belly.

They jumped back to face it again. It slammed its giant teddy bear paws together, sending off a laser straight for the guys. They leapt to avoid it, Jay rolling forward and slamming his boot into the monster's shin, then flipped back. David pulled him up and they made a quick hop back to avoid the next laser blast.

"Bastard's more aggressive," Jay panted out.

"I still wanna know why he backed off last time," Trev muttered as he surged forward, zig-zagging to avoid the various laser blasts aimed to him. He jumped, aiming a kick to the monster's head but missing – barely – and grazing its excuse for a cheek before its paw came up and swiped him away.

He landed with a sickening thump on the concrete sidewalk. David and Jay yelled – barely remembering not to use his name – and ran forward, only to be hit by consecutive laser blast, ploughing them to the concrete.

Jay was first up and running to the monster, one arm lifted to shield his face from the sparks of the laser blasts the monster sent his way. David cried out a warning seconds before one caught his cousin on the shoulder.

Eva and Ris, already powered up, arrived on the scene just in time to see Jay slam into the concrete. They took in the view in one glance. Trev, lying still on the ground. Jay, not moving from the blast. David struggling to his feet, one hand pressed to his belly.

"Crap." Ris muttered.

"I say it's time to bring out the big guns," Eva declared, pressing one hand to the gem on her glove.

"Agreed," Ris said.

"Griffin's Bow!"

"Phoenix's Daggers!"

With bright coloured flashes, their weapons appeared in their hands. Eva lifted her bow to her eye and, with her head cocked, let arrow after bright blue arrow fly. They hit their target head on, causing little explosions all over the monster's body. It stumbled back and Ris leapt over.

Eva ran to David, her bow disappearing as if sensing she no longer had need for it. "You okay?" She asked, helping him up.

"I'm fine," he replied in a curt voice. "Trev. Jay."

"You go get Trev," she said. "I'll wake Jay up."

They separated, David to Trev, Eva to Jay. She knelt over the prone black ranger. "Jay," she said, shaking his shoulder. "Damnit Jay, wake the hell up!"

As if he'd heard her, he groaned, rolled over. "Shit." He managed. "What happened? Don't tell me I fainted."

"Fine," she replied. "I'll let David say it then."

"Trev?"

She glanced over, saw him sit up, helmet in his gloved hands while David knelt beside him. "He's fine."

"Good." Jay's voice was grim as he turned to look where Ris was battling the monster. It looked like the tide was about to turn – against her. "Let's go make the asshole pay."

"You and I," Eva said, helping him up. "Are in perfect agreement.

"Minotaur's Sabre!"

"Griffin's Bow!"

Eva lifted her bow to her eyes just as Ris fell back with a cry. "Bastard," she muttered under her breath and let the arrows fly.

They rained down on the monster, making it take step after stumbled step back as explosions racked its body. Intent on only one thing – revenge – Jay surged forward, his sabre's deadly blade slashing at the monster. Slice after slice opened on the monster's body, only to close up again. Panting, Jay jumped back to join Eva and Ris. David and Trev stepped forward to make a line.

"Dragon's Sword!"

"Centaur's Staff!"

They all attacked at once, working as a team and using one's retreat to further another's attack. David sliced the monster, pulled back to let Eva shoot an arrow straight into the open wound. Jay opened it up as well, turned and gave Trev a chance to slam his staff into the same place. Ris slashed at it, opening little wounds the others could enlarge or attack in their own way.

No one noticed the giant marshmallow stuck in the monster's belly glowing until it exploded, sending them flying back. It let out a laugh – its first sound – as they crashed to the ground. Then Jeanie came running up, already suited up, with her slings flying. She let loose a stream of pink lights that hit the monster over and over.

Before she could start another stream of attack, the monster disappeared.

With varying groans of pain, the others gained their feet and stood facing her. As one, they all said; "Power down."

For a long time, no one said a word. Then Trev, with fire in his eyes, took a step forward and asked in a low vicious tone that Eva had never heard him use; "where in hell have you fucking been?"