Sorry all for the late update all my wonderful followers! And yes, using writer's block as an excuse is the lamest thing ever, but what do you expect? When you get it, you get it and you have to fight through it no matter how long it lasts. But at least it's gone and you get to read another chapter!
DISCLAIMER: Do not own Power Rangers. Saban does.
Power Rangers: Dino Thunder
Maroon Thunder
Chapter 7-A Turn of Tides
The next day at Reefside High, the four experienced Rangers were walking through the hallways when they saw their new friend and new team member walking towards them, a notebook in hand and a pen tangled in her fingers, apparently rereading her work as she maneuvered without a mistake through the sea of teenagers. Taking a moment to look up Adrianne noticed that she was moving towards her friends, which lit up her face and quickly walked, almost sprinting, over and telling them, "Oh, hey guys. Sorry for taking off like that yesterday. When Kira said that she had the idea of using our missions as inspiration for her songs, it gave me the idea of a new story and I just had to get home and get to work on it right away. Wanna hear the plot?"
"Sure," the aspiring musician agreed, her voice sounding a bit skeptical. "Actually we were wondering why you ran out so fast without telling us what you were up to."
"Oh, sorry, I tend to get that way when I get a big idea like I did," the maroon-themed girl apologized, explaining the lesser part of her personality. "Well, it's the story of four warriors, much like yourselves, who fight with massive titans, the zords, while being mentored by a wise sage who rejoins the fight after being in retirement for so long, and since Dr. Oliver is a teacher I thought it be fitting to make him a sage, who have been fighting the forces of evil for some time but are now in need of a sixth fighter when the side of darkness suddenly grows in power and hope seems to be all lost. They soon find who they are looking for in a young woman with no memories to her past and who she is and by joining the team goes on an adventure of a lifetime to find out who she is and what she is destined to be."
When the writer was finished explaining her new project, all four were blown away by what she had come up with. Seeing that she had made quite the impression the new fighter of evil added, "Basically it's about us but without any hint that it's about our identities as Rangers."
"Wow, I never thought that being one of us would make such an impact," Conner surmised his mind still blown. "I'm sure that it's the one thing that will make your parents see that this is what you're meant to do."
"You really think so?," the Stego Ranger inquired, her voice showing the slightest hint of courage that instantly started to swell as soon as the Tyranno Ranger said it.
"Of course," the soccer star said, smiling. "All you need is the right time to show them your work and tell them that this is where you want to go in life. Then just talk with them to see what steps are needed to take to make your dream come true."
Her green eyes lighting up, the newest crime fighter exhuberated, "Thanks for the advice, Conner. I'm definitely sure that this will get them to change their mind."
Just then, the bell rang which meant that it was time for their science class, so with a collective sigh they all walked together for what was sure to be a rather interesting lesson. As they arrived, Dr. Mercer acknowledged them when they sat down together then began by saying, "Well, class, today's lesson will actually take place on the beach rather than here in the room. There is a bus waiting for us outside to take us to Reefside Beach to explore the sciences of the ocean and what makes it so unique. So if you will all gather your belongings, we can get going."
As the other students were collecting their things, the main three Rangers were getting a very uneasy feeling that this trip was just going to be like the last one they went on with Dr. Oliver. Both the other two saw the grimaces on their friends' faces and started to worry themselves as to what was making them get a bad mood all of a sudden. Either way the class filed out of the school and onto the awaiting mode of transportation.
After arriving on the sandy shores of Reefside Beach the students gathered around their substitute teacher who told them, "Alright, for now take notes on everything you see, especially how things interact with each other. We're only going to be here for forty minutes so try to get as much info as possible before it's time to leave."
Once he finished explaining Mercer released them to work on their assignments and most either just went off to hang out or a few just went to write what they saw. The Rangers banded together to work with each other to get their work done with ease. As they headed off in the opposite direction, Adrianne kept hearing something off in the distance but she merely thought that she was just hearing things and continued her work. But the sounds just kept coming closer and closer and it was keeping her from concentrating on the assignment. It was when the familiar growls of the enemy's lackeys did the young writer realized that they were soon to be under attack. Looking at her friends she warned, "Uh, guys, I think I hear trouble coming this way. And I think that it's the kind of trouble we have to deal with."
Looking at the young woman with a confused expression they had no idea what she was talking about until a voice that came from high atop a cliff above the quintet cried, "Oh kiiiiiddddsss! It time for a little lesson of my own! I'm going to teach you how to fear me and my friends!"
Quickly reacting to where that came from the five Rangers saw that Razorteeth and a platoon of Tyrannodrones standing atop the formation and knew now that the Stego Ranger was right all along. When the other students saw that a monster was attacking the usual screaming in panic and running for their lives ensued as they tried to make a break for the bus. Watching the humans flee the mutant shark continued to cackle with evil glee when he noticed five teenagers not running in terror. Figuring that these were the heroes that he was informed of beforehand he taunted, "Well, these must be the Rangers that I've heard so much about. Well then, time for a little oceanside battlefront. Tyrannodrones, attack!"
Hearing the order the creatures ran and jumped off the edge landing on the sandy/rocky shore and quickly began their fight with the protectors of the world. Seeing that they had a battle on their hands the heroes instantly jumped to the occasion and started to counter the mutants' attacks. They were glad that the other students had run away or there would be a lot of suspicion if one of them saw the defenders fighting. Meanwhile, watching from above, the abnormal ocean fish and the White Dino Clone were observing the onslaught and seeing that their enemies were starting to get into a bit of a pickle the Ranger double said to its companion, "Go in and join the fray. The more we put against them the easier they will fall."
"Right," the oversized aquatic predator agreed, jumping off the cliff and inserting himself into the conflict.
Watching the cohort go and make the challenge a bit tougher the doppleganger was closely eying the young woman that he was meant to capture being paitent for the right moment to get its fight on itself and saw the opportunity when a few of the monsters had separated her from the others just like it ordered them to. Leaping towards the ground and landing in a crouch he slowly stood up and walked over the Stego Ranger who was fighting off the mutants that had suddenly separated her from her fellow teammates. Noticing the flash of white in the corner of her eye Adrianne could only guess that it was her number one enemy coming to fight her once again. Defeating the last of the cronies she turned and faced her new opponent, snarkly remarking, "Oh, if it isn't my one and only major enemy come to annoy me for the infinite time. Why don't go and have an obession with someone else for a change?"
"Sorry to say that I have no choice in the matter," the duplicate disagreed, starting to walk around his target in question. "My master wants me to capture you at any costs and any means necessary, so how else than with a full-scale assult to separate you from the rest of those excuses of Power Rangers and take you while they're busy fighting my monster. So, do you wish to surrender with no harm coming to you or do you wish to be brought before Mesagog with your body broken and mangled beyond repair?"
Striking a battle stance the maroon-themed hero answered, "I say I send you back to that creep of a master in crumpled heap. Broken helmet and all."
Growling a bit of a snarl it drew its sword and made the first attack which the newest defender was able to dodge by and managed to deliver a kick to the Clone's back making it stumble forward a few feet. Restancing herself to get in another strike the writer watched her attacker regain its balance and face her again the body language clearly indicating that he was ready for more. The others had noticed the fight occuring but they were too caught up with their battle with Razorteeth and his minions to assist their friend. However they were sure that she would be successful like she did the first time she fought him. Keeping her focus on her conflict the Maroon Ranger was doing all that she could to keep up with the onslaught that the evil creation was bringing against her. The duplicate was surprised by the girl's endurance and determination which only made him want to bring every ounce of his power down against her and finally put her into submission. Just as the two brought both of their left wrists down on each other, a strange phenomenon transpired. As her Dino Gem and his morpher struck each other the young woman's emotional energy was somehow transferred into its molecular structure giving the doppleganger the ability to feel emotions while at the same time retaining his evil nature that he was created with. When the connection was broken it severely weakened the Clone leaving it stumbling around unbalanced from the event. Seeing the need to retreat before getting on the losing end the Ranger double snarled, "Whatever you did to me I will make sure to lash back at you with double the force, I guarantee it. For now, savor your victory for it will be your last."
Wobbling past her he called for his companions, "Razorteeth, Tyrannodrones, fall back! We have to fall back!"
Hearing the order the mutated shark and the goons quickly broke off the fight from the other Rangers and met up with their counterpart who summoned an Invisi-portal and teleported the platoon away. Once the smoke cleared the five regrouped to make sure that everyone was okay. Seeing the perplexed expression on their newest teammate's face Kira asked her, "Adrianne, is everything okay? Did something happen?"
"I guess you could say that," the other girl replied, looking down at her bracelet. "While I was fighting that excuse of a clone we both made the same strike against each other and something occurred. This strange energy flowed out from me through my Gem and went into it, causing to go all haywire and retreat like it did. We had better go tell this to Dr. Oliver and see what he has to say about this."
The others agreeing they rejoined the class who were hiding behind the bus and didn't see a single thing happen, even Cassidy Cornell the aspiring news reporter and her assistant/friend Devin Del Valle didn't get a chance to see what was going on. When Mercer heard the quiet sounds of the ocean overlapping the shore he figured that everything was okay and brought the students out from safety and told them, "Alright, I do believe that's enough for today. Everyone back on the bus we can't be late for your next class."
Quickly filing onto the bus the heroes managed to slip on without being noticed by their substitute and sat down near each other with the same thoughts running through their minds: What was going to happen now and how they were going to stop this modified evil?
Back at the fortress, the Clone was going absolutely berserk at all the new emotions that it was experiencing for the first time since its creation. It had no idea what he was expressing or how to express. It feared, for the first time of course, that if Mesagog learned that the doppleganger couldn't control this new addition to its form it would be destroyed on the spot. Hearing what had happened Elsa walked into the lab and casually asked, "Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events. What happened to make you so unstable like you are now?"
"How should I know?!," the Dino Clone almost howled out. "All that happened was that when our wrists collided with each other this strange energy flowed out from her Gem and into me and all of a sudden this overwhelming...feeling took over, severely draining me of my energy and power. Elsa, please you have to do something!"
Almost shocked that the duplicate had asked her for her help the scientist sighed and replied, "Alright, fine. Let me see the video footage of what happened, analyze it, and see what I can do."
Walking over to her laptop the black clad minion pulled up the necessary files and went to work her eyes darting all over the screen while the wheels in her mind whirled at an insane speed. A few minutes later she piped up, "By what I see, when it happened an intense amount of emotional energy was charged up and somehow passed through the Gem and into your morpher. So to keep it in simple terms during the fight you just gained the ability to express emotions. Congratulations."
"The ability to do what?," the double repeated, completely dumbfound. "How am I going to be able to complete my mission with this obstacle in my way?"
"Oh, please," the woman scoffed. "Why do you have to worry your oversized helmet over when I have the perfect solution already in the works? If you just use this 'obstacle' as you so put it as an advantage you just might find that it will work for us in capturing our target with much more ease."
Moving her computer over to a console Elsa plugged the device in and started typing away, explaining as she worked, "If I can insert a program into the Geno-Randomizer that will disguise you as anything, for instance a human teenager, you can trick her into coming with you to a secluded place then you could just knock her out and escape through an Invisi-portal and bring her here. It's as simple as that."
Impressed by the plan the Clone agreed, "If you can do that, I will be more than obliged to carry out this scheme to its fullest extent. Let's begin."
Grinning a malice grin the scientist uploaded the program into the machine then gave the signal to the White Ranger double to step in and activated the system, transforming the evil twin's appearance to that of a male teenager with dark brown hair, handsome features, dark blue eyes, and wearing a white hoodie with white gym shorts with black trim. After stepping out and looking himself over he complimented, "Certainly not what I was expecting to look like. You really must have outdone yourself this time around. "
"Well, if that was a compliment by your standards, then I'll just have to take it," the woman thanked, a bit put off by how it came out. "Now that part one is complete, part two will go off without a hitch."
Well, things are certainly getting interesting now, arent' they? I apologize once again for taking this long to get the chapter up and everything but don't worry there is more coming from me in the very near future, I can promise you that (Such as a third Power Rangers story with Megaforce! ;) ) See you all next time!
