Power Rangers: Forest Rage

by: Shamrock Holmes

Rated: 13+

Simon

Disclaimer: Power Rangers and all its related logos are property of Disney Entertainment and/or Saban Entertainment, and are being used without permission on a non-profit basis. Any original characters belong to me.


Previously on Power Rangers Forest Rage...

-

Once we were alone, my saviour handed me a towel, "Better stick with me for a while, just to be safe."

"I believe I will, I appreciate the offer," I said, taking the towel and using it to dry off.

"Not a problem," he said. "I'm always happy to help a newbie. What's your name anyway?"

"I am Simon Regis," he replied.

"Nice to meet you, Simon," he replied, offering me a hand to help me up. "My name's Jacob Brock..."

"Corrupting another 'lost puppy'?" asked a female voice from behind us. I turned around and saw that two girls, both about my own age, were standing behind us. The first was an athletic long-haired redhead, and the second, was a black girl, who eyeing Jacob with a grin on her face. Both were medium height and dressed casually, the red-head and taller of the two in leggings, a pink shirt and a hoodie, the black girl in a black t-shirt and denim.

"Mikaela Cassidy, but most people call me Kay." The black girl told me.

"I am Simon Regis. I am a Xybrian, from Xybria."

"Let me guess..." said Kay. "The toilet wasn't your idea or an accident, Simon?"

"No, it was not." I confirmed.

"There they are... Get them!" yelled Carton and the group started running towards us.

"Uh, guys... They've seen us."

"What should we do, Jacob?"

"Well Simon, I was thinking... RUN!" Jacob replied and took off, with Kay match him nearly step for step initially, and Kay's friend Melissa and I not far behind.

"My name is Dr Ted Barrington... We need yer help. The creatures yeh encountered are called Adexe, servants o' Lathlic, an extra-dimensional warlord who seeks to not only destroy the world, but to subvert the populace from within. The Pai Zhua call him 'The Abomination'."

"What do you need from us?" asked Jacob.

"These are Solar Morphers. If yeh agree, they will allow yeh to harness yer animal spirits, to become the Forest Rage Power Rangers an' protect the city from Lathlic an' his Adexe."


"Let's go, guys!"

"Right behind you!" Kay and I told him, then jumped out too, and joined him in front of the vehicle, which then backed out and drove out of the danger area.

"Let's do it, guys!"

"Ready!"

"Forest Beasts, Spirit Unleashed!" Jacob yelled, and Kay and I repeated it a beat later.

"With the Growl of the Badger, Forest Rage Crimson Ranger!"

"With the Howl of the Jackal, Forest Rage Navy Ranger!"

"With the Yowl of the Lynx, Forest Rage Amber Ranger!"

"We call on the Spirits from Within, Power Rangers Forest Rage!"




"Good job, kids," said Doctor Barrington after chatting briefly with his police contact. "Yeh did a good job. Over twenty people were injured, six severely, but there were only five deaths, includin' three constables."

"That's good?!" Kay said, horrified.

"Aye," he said grimly. "It could've been a lot worse, an' it probably will be in the future. When you was on the way back, I checked the other seals protectin' Roycton an' most o' 'em are badly decayed."

"Can they be repaired?" asked Jacob.

"No, they're all or nothin'," said Doctor Barrington. "But I've got someone comin' to replace the broken seal. He'll be here tomorrow."

"So the castle's safe?" asked Jacob, a little more urgently.

I nodded, after what we just went through, I wanted that answer too.

"It will be, yeah," Doctor Barrington confirmed. "But I – we – will have to be on the lookout fer more breaches. The next one might not be as dramatic an' obvious, but there will be another."

"Count us in," said Jacob.


It was fairly late by the time I got back to St Jadwiga's, but fortunately the workers don't pay much attention to the comings and goings of the older kids, so I was able to slip in without explanation and head up to bed to get some sleep.

I woke a few hours later to an odd beeping sound coming from my locker, fortunately my room-mate was staying with his girlfriend so he hadn't been disturbed. I jumped out of bed, unlocked the locker and looked in, quickly discovering that the beeping sound was coming from my Solar Morpher. I flipped open the glasses and slipped them on, "What's up, Doc?"

"Very funny," replied Doctor Barrington. "Have yeh got any plans fer today?"

"Not really," I replied after thinking for a moment. "Did you want me to come over?"

"Yes, please. I want to start yer trainin' if yer up to it."

"I am."

"Good. Mikaela an' Jacob won' be here till mid mornin', she's got some stuff to do fer her parents, but yer welcome to come over sooner if yeh'd like. My wife's breakfast is a lot better than anythin' tha' yer place offers."

"That would not be difficult," I agreed. "I accept."

"Good, Isabel is looking forward to meeting the three of you, and Melissa too, once she stops sulking about being 'left out of the fun'."

"Fun is not the word I would have used to describe last night's events," I suggested.

"Me neither," agreed Doctor Barrington, "But accordin' to Mikaela, Melissa has always been a bit o' an independent thinker."

"Should I bring anything?"

"Just some wash things if yeh think yeh'll want a shower after training."

"Understood, I shall be with you in about half-an-hour," I said and reached for my backpack, intending to put some clean clothes and a towel in it.

"I'll see yeh then," said Doctor Barrington and hung up.

I took off the glasses and returned them to the breast pocket of my jacket and quickly dressed in the same clothes I'd worn yesterday, then picked up my bag and left the room, stopping briefly to make sure the door was locked before heading down the corridor. I was almost at the stairs when one of the other 'inmates' – a large, brutish seventeen-year old that more than one worker was known to be 'looking forward to being rid of' – bumped into me, sending me flying. Unfortunately, the Morpher flew out of my pocket and slid across the corridor.

Before I could scramble to my feet, the bully walked over to them and picked them up. "Pretty fancy shades, Alien Boy. Where'd you steal them from?" he asked and then put them on. "Do they suit me?"

"Give those back, Eric," I said and walked towards him.

"Let's think... no."

"Please..."

"Make me!"

Something about his sneering tone made me want to lash out, "Give them back... now!"

To my surprise, possibly because of the snarling tone, he actually did and backed off seemingly in fear. Decided not to 'look a gift horse in the mouth' as some humans say about such things, I headed down the stairs but made a mental note to ask Doctor Barrington about it if I got the chance.

When I arrived at Doc's, I used the key he'd given each of us last night to enter through the old receiving area and then walked up through the cell block as we had yesterday. Doc was still in the middle of his own workout, so I skirted the training area and entered the kitchen, where his wife – who I'd seen around the college a few times – had just started putting together the ingredients for breakfast. "Hi," she said, smiling. "Simon, isn't it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're a very serious person, aren't you?" she said, making a face that I couldn't quite figure out. "You can call me Isabel, Simon. Or Mrs B, some of the Cubs call me that."

"Cubs?"

"The exchange students from the Academy," she explained. "The Pai Zhua call their students "Cubs". I think it's because the Grand Master is usually a Cat Technique user of some sort."

"That would make sense," I agreed.

"Would you prefer pancakes or eggs and toast?"

"I do not recall ever having had pancakes," I admitted. "The culinary selection at the Relocation Centre and the orphanage are..." I paused, struggling for the politest term.

"Basic?" offered Isabel.

"An acceptable and accurate description."

"Pancakes, it is then," Isabel said, and began to whisk together several ingredients, including an egg, milk and something that smelled a little like vinegar into a bowl and mixed it thoroughly, then poured a little of the resulting thick yellowy liquid onto a flat pan and began to cook it.

I was going to watch a little more, but was distracted by Doc entering the kitchen. The tall albino man was again dressed in black trousers and a green high-necked top and his hair was now tied back in a ponytail. "Morning Simon. Not too tired from your battle last night I hope?"

"No, Doctor," I assured him. "I slept well."

"Would you like some bacon, Simon?"

"Yes please, Mrs B," I replied, then turned back to Doc. "There was one thing I wanted to ask you?"

"Sure. I'll help if I can."

I explained about the incident at the Orphanage. Doc didn't look surprised by this, but didn't look entirely happy either. "I was afraid o' somethin' like this. If yeh force the Animal Spirit too fast, if yeh don' get 'balance' it can bleed through, in extreme cases even take over."

"And that's what happened?"

"Only a minor bleed through most likely," Doc assured me. "Yeh'd've noticed changes if it was anythin' more than tha'."

"Changes?"

"Stop scaring him, Theo," said Isabel as she set a plate down in front of each of us. "The meditation you're going to teach them today will stop that."

"Yeah, it should..." Doc agreed. "It all, there was only the one..."

"So eat up," she told him. "And stop worrying about it for now."

After breakfast, Doc showed me around his personal workshop and then once he was satisfied I understood the basics, asked me I would mind helping with some of the repairs. I agreed and he put me to work on a Home Server that had been brought in a few days before. Then he crossed over to the other side of the workshop and began working on a high-tech looking device. "What's that?"

"Somethin' fer the three of yeh to use as Rangers. I might not be able to keep up in battle – what with my dodgy knee – but I'm still goin' to do the best I can to help yeh."

"Sounds good," I agreed. "What is it?"

"You'll see," he said, smiling slightly. "I want it to be a surprise."

We'd been working on our projects for about an hour, and I'd just traced the problem to a faulty stick of RAM and was about to replace it when Jacob and Kay walked in. "Hi guys," I said, then slotted the new stick in place and hit the power button to boot up the computer again.

"Hi Simon," said Kay. "Are you all right?"

"I am fine," I assured her. "I was rather tired when we left here last night, but I was able to get enough sleep to recover."

Kay smiled, she seemed pleased, but I could sense that her night's sleep hadn't been as restful. "And you?"

"I wish I could say the same," she said, and yawned widely. "I couldn't switch off for ages, it took me 'til nearly two to get any sleep and then I kept waking with the oddest dream..."

"Really?" asked Jacob, he looked in the best of the three of us, but was clearly concerned about Kay. "What about?"

"Hunting," said Kay. "It felt like I was my animal spirit, hunting through dense woods."

"Tha's not unusual," said Doc, as he came up behind the couple. "Yer mind an' body is still strugglin' with the new sensations an' power tha' unleashin' yer animal spirit has caused. Yer subconscious may be particularly disturbed fer a while. I'll be teachin' yeh mediation techniques tha' will hopefully help."

Kay relaxed a little, then frowned. "I hope so, I kept waking up every time I caught that sheep."

Doc frowned, "Yeh caught somethin'?"

"Is that bad?"

"Not really, might even be very good. As long as..."

"What?" said Kay, who I could tell was feeling a little scared now.

"It's probably nothin', should be fine," Doc assured her, and she relaxed again, though she was still fairly tense. "But, let me know if the mediation doesn' help."

"Can we get started on that?" asked Kay anxiously.

"O' course," said Doc. "Get changed into the clothes I gave yeh yesterday an' we can get started."

The server had finished rebooting so I set another test program running to make sure there were no other errors or faults and then followed my friends down to the old cell-block to get changed.

Doc spent the next hour or so teaching us a basic meditative technique that resembled some of the exercises that I remember from martial arts movies and dim childhood memories of demonstrations by Xybrian religious adepts. Then once he was happy with our performance, he suggested that we practise at home.

I glanced at my friends, Kay was looking a lot better now, and nodded vigorously at the suggestion.

Then Doc said that to finish off he wanted to see what our fighting technique was like without the protection of our Ranger suits. He paired me with Kay and asked Bill, who had just arrived, if he would mind pairing with Jacob, both agreed and we took our places on the mats.

"Begin!" declared Doc.

I circled the practice area, eyeing my opponent warily as she mirrored my movements. "In your own time."

"No, you first," replied Kay. "I insist." After a moment, I decided that she wasn't going to budge, so I lunged towards her. I almost made it, but at the last second she ducked under my lunge and then pushed upwards, knocking me off balance.

I rolled over and flipped back to my feet just in time to block a punch aimed at my torso, and reply with a punch of my own which she blocked with her other free arm. Then, before I could extricate myself, she took the opportunity to head-butt me. I blinked and when she released me, I staggered backwards, momentarily stunned from the blow.

After Kay's initial victory, we traded blows for what seemed like hours, until with both of us sweating and out of breath, Doctor Barrington stood up and came over to us and suggested that we'd done enough for one day, I wasn't inclined to disagree so we broke off and went to get changed.

After a shower and changing back into the clothes we'd been wearing previously, we came back up to the main level and were greeted by some very interesting smells.

"I hope yeh all like pizza," said Doc. "Isabel's made a couple fer lunch an' I don' plan on eatin' 'em all myself."

We laughed, though I'm not entirely sure he was joking, even after several years here, some human humour eludes me.

"Is there vegetarian?" asked Kay.

"Probably, Isabel doesn' like meat on her own pizzas," said Doc. "Yeh're not vegetarian fer religious reasons are yeh?"

"No, why?"

"Nothin' really, yeh jus' might find it a bit harder to stick to now, as yer animal spirit becomes stronger."

Kay shrugged, and followed Jay into the kitchen.

I was just about to join them, when an alarm sounded from the workshop, I looked over at Doc.

"Go in an' get started," he said. "It's only the Ranger comm-line, not the seals. I'll check it out an' come an' get yeh if it's urgent."

"Yes, sir." I said and headed in, and took the seat at the table I had used earlier, which was between Bill's chair and Doc's empty one, noting that my new team-mates had chosen to sit beside each other on the other long side of the table and appeared to have unconsciously moved the chairs closer together. "Doc will be a few moments, he wanted to check on the call that just came in."

Isabel nodded and after depositing the last of the three pizzas on the table took her own seat, "Tuck in everyone," she said, reaching over and taking two slices of the vegetarian one herself. "They're better hot."

None of us needed a second invitation and reached for a couple of slices each.

I was half-way through a slice of the meat pizza when Doc came back in. I glanced over at him, he was clearly unhappy about something, but I couldn't feel any urgency in him, so it wasn't another monster attack.

"What's wrong, my love?" asked Isabel.

"A massive freak storm jus' blew through the US North East, all flights from the disaster area are grounded an' Jayden is stuck in New Tech City. It'll be at least a week before he can get a flight out here."

"Is it safe for the seal to be broken for that long?"

"Not really," said Doc and grabbed a slice of the mixed topping pizza and took a large bite out of it. "I've talked to Ji an' he's goin' to see if he can locate Lauren. He thinks she's visitin' Kevin an' Mia in Florida."

"How does that help if the flights are grounded?" I asked.

"Apparently Ji thinks tha' Ronnie, one o' the Overdrive Rangers is drivin' in the Ford 500 later this month, so it's not unlikely she's headin' tha' way. If she is, an' she's willin' to help, then she can get Mac to send the SHARC from San Angeles, it's perfectly capable o' flyin' through even the storm itself."

"Well, there's nothing we can do about at the moment," said Isabel. "So eat up everyone, if there is another monster attack, you'll need your strength."

I nodded, and although Doc's news had dulled my appetite somewhat I still managed to finished about a third of one of the pizzas, with Jay finishing the extra slice.

After lunch, Kay suggested that we go back to the Fayre as apparently I had missed a lot of the fun. I countered by saying that I'd be fine with staying at the lab and suggesting they might want some 'alone time' – although their mutual attraction to each other was apparently unknown to them it was obvious to me once I thought about it. However, my friends ignored my suggestion and dragged me out of the lab despite my protests and by the time we were back at the Castle I'd given up arguing and mostly agreed with Kay's assertion that the closer and stronger all three of our friendships were, then the easier our task would be.

Despite my initial reservations, once we were back in 'the swing of things' as Jacob called it, my presence did not seem to make things awkward at all and we had a lot of fun over the next few hours. I was just beginning to feel a little hungry again when Kay's mobile went off. She plucked it from her pocket, glanced at the screen briefly, then answered it. "What's up, Mum?" she paused, listening to her mother's reply. "They've got some in stock?" Another pause, then she spoke again. "I'll go and get it now, I'll be about an hour, tops. Love you Mum. Bye."

"Problem?" asked Jacob as Kay pocketed her phone again.

"Yeah, kinda," Kay admitted. "Mum's run out of some stuff she needs to treat one of the horses, and Zhengdao's delivery man is out with the flu."

"So your mum needs you to pick up the stuff for her?" Jacob asked.

Kay nodded, "We got an account with them, so I won't need to use my own money."

Jacob appeared to think something over for a moment. "Zhengdao's is down by the harbour, right?"

"On West Avenue."

"Let's go then, I'll grab the car from Doc's while you're in the shop and then drop you back home."

"Thanks Jacob."

"Anything you need, Kay. You know that," he said, then turned to me. "Coming Simon?"

"I have no other plans," I replied, ignoring the irony that they were now asking me, rather than insisting on my presence.

"Plenty of room," Jacob responded, and he apparently believed this settled the issue as he headed towards the Castle's exit, clearly intending us to follow him.

About ten minutes later, we came out the other side of Castlefields and headed down West Avenue towards the harbour. A few seconds later, we reached the herbalists and Kay was about to enter when our Morpher's comm-links went off. Kay and I both looked at Jay, and after a moment's consideration he fished his Morpher out of a pocket in his jacket and slipped them on. "What's up, Doc?" he asked, and then listened to Doc's reply. "We're on it!"

"What's wrong?" asked Kay. "What did Doc want?"

"His scanners have picked up some odd readings in the park," Jacob replied. "The Chief Inspector is off-duty and his replacement is being difficult so Doc wants us to check it out, while he tries to get some CCTV of the area. Sorry Kay, but..."

"It's all right, I understand," said Kay. "Mum's supplies can wait for a while. The people in the park are more important."

"Glad you agree," said Jacob and we set off at a run towards the park, which was a little way round the harbour from our current location.

By the time we arrived at the park a few minutes later, it was sounding highly likely that the readings were showing another attack as we could hear screams coming from at least two separate areas. There were heavy crowds and some regular police at the entrance, so we climbed over the fence a little way to the side. Once we were back on the ground, it took Jacob only a moment to come to a decision. "Guys, we have to split up. You two take the playground, I've got the football pitches."

"Will do!" Kay replied for both of us and we set off.

The playground wasn't far from the entrance, so we were in sight of the playground within a minute and as we feared, the Adexe were back. About a dozen of them were roaming the playground, chasing and terrorising the people – mostly little kids – that were in the area. Kay motioned me behind one of the larger bushes surrounding the area and slipped on her Morpher. "Doc, they're back," she said once our mentor replied, then after a moment, she slipped them off and turned to me. "Jay's found another group by the pitches. Doc needs us to keep this bunch occupied while the kids and their parents get clear."

I nodded, "Any word on the ARU?"

"Inspector Carton is still stone-walling Doc," Kay replied. "And yes, he is related to your, friend, from yesterday."

"Clearly stupidity runs in the family," I quipped. "We'll have to do the best we can."

"Agreed," said Kay, and slipped her Morpher back on. I followed suit, moving into my morphing stance. "Forest Beasts, Spirits Unleashed!"

Once transformed, we split up and crossed the short distance to the playground itself.

The Adexe spotted us almost immediately, and three of them broke off their attempt to get at two pre-teens hiding up one of the trees and headed my way. I waited until they were almost in range and then lunged for one of them, knocking it backwards and into the tree it had been attacking. "I suggest to leave quickly!" I shouted to the kids, I will hold them off!"

"Okay, mister. Thanks!" said one of the kids as the surviving pair lunged at me from either side. I ducked under their strikes and then rolled away. As I came back to my feet, I glimpsed Kay destroying a trio of Adexe with her sonic attack. I wonder if I could...

Feel your inner spirit, let it guide your hand...

"I know what I need to do now," I declared to the two Adexe, who had recovered from their injuries and were about to attack me again, this time positioned so as not to hit each other. I raised both hands, the fingers splayed in a claw shape. "Yowling Lynx... Spirit Slash!" I declared and swung first my right arm, then my left in the general direction to one of the Adexe, causing two sets of claw marks to appear briefly on its chest before it evaporated, then spun quickly towards the other Adexe, and opened my arms out in a double backhand strike that banished it in a wave of yellow-orange energy.

As the last whisps of Adexe dissipated, I looked around for another target and spotted a lone Adexe menacing a young mother – the last remaining adult in the playground and one of few remaining civilians – who was desperately trying to shield herself and her baby from the creature. I wasn't sure what to do though, I couldn't make the distance on foot before it saw me move, and it was too far for an energy attack... Then I spotted the swing a little to the side. Muttering a prayer to any deities that might be listening, I leapt for the swing, using the chain to change the angle of my attack and allow me to land a double-footed kick at just the right angle to knock the beast clear of the mother and her baby. "Go now!" I shouted as I scrambled to my feet, not stopping to see if she did. I refocused my attack, delivering two spirit-fuelled jabs to the beast's torso and overloading it, causing it to disintegrate.

"That's the last of them," said Kay from off to my right. "And the park's clear. Jay's finished up too, only a handful of them came up there."

I turned to look at her. "You you all right?" I asked. She had already demorphed and was looking a little tired. "Power down."

"I've been better," she admitted. "I think that flight cost me whatever energy boost I got from today's practice."

"Well, hopefully you will sleep better tonight," I offered. "You'll feel better then."

Kay nodded, "I'll also feel better when Lauren Shiba gets here and the protections are back up."

"I wouldn't rely on that," I suggested. "I have a feeling that it's not going to be that easy..."

"I wish you hadn't said that."

"Why?"

"Because I was hoping it was just me..."

Humans have a saying, 'Be careful what you wish for.' I'd heard it before, but I never really understood it until now. My fondest wish since I arrived in Roycton was to find a friend who could help me adjust to life on Earth. And my wish came true beyond my wildest imaginings, I know have two, maybe even three, of the best friends Icould ever have, and adult mentors who I can go to for advice. Unfortunately, everything comes with a price, my friends and I met our mentors after almost being killed by monstrous invaders from another dimension, and now Jacob, Kay and I must defend our city and planet against them, as the newest team... of Power Rangers.


A/N: Phew! That took just a 'little' bit longer than I had hoped! I'm not going to give any firm commitments as to when the next chapter will be up as like this it will be most 'whole cloth' and not re-writes of the previous chapters. However, the project is still ongoing, and I hope to have at least one more chapter posted over 2013. As before my thanks go to my 'team' of Alex Riven Collins and Harley McCoy who help me make the story the best that it can be.