Chapter Nine. Cobra Cobana.
Previously On Poké Rangers Genesis Overload...
As Katie discovered a Magma Rock in a strange portal under Mount Hielo, she took it to Bill, who told her that it wasn't one of the artifacts of the Genesis Book. Meanwhile, Xavier agreed to go on TV about his win in the Verger league, something that became a problem when a monster summoned by Copper and Fuller cursed him with complete honesty. Unable to lie at all. As the other rangers desperately tried to find a way of saving him, he went to the studio. Where he was attacked by Raltorsneak, everyone converging there to battle the monster. In no time at all, they managed to destroy him twice and watch Xavier's interview. Katie revealing that she was carrying the Magma Rock around with her as a clue for the location of an artefact...
"Have you got anything yet?" Luke wondered, as Katie walked out onto the bridge of the Silver Gyarados. Dropping her soaking wet coat out onto one of the chairs, she gave him a dirty look before offering a simple reply.
"Nope."
"Okay, no need to be like that," he said. "Just asking."
"I've been walking around in the rain for the last six hours to try and find a resonance with the Magma Rock," she replied, still annoyed. "And I've got nothing. Not even sure if it's in the right city. There's a stack across this region. It might not even be in a city. I'm freaking out here."
"Aww," Duo remarked, appearing out of nowhere. Both the red and purple rangers giving him strange looks. "I think someone needs a hug."
"I think that someone who thinks that this someone needs a hug might regret it if that someone tries to do that," Katie warned. "And I just confused myself..."
"Too many someones," Luke said. "Can't you just call the said someone Duo? For instance?"
"I could, but I'm really not in the mood right now," she replied. "I just want to hit the shower, warm up a bit and then head back out again."
"Don't you think that some of us could do that job?" Duo wondered. "I mean... It's not something hard to do. A Mankey could do it. He could do it."
"Hey!" Luke protested, spotting the black ranger gesturing at him. "What's the big idea?"
"I'm not comparing you to a Mankey," Duo replied. "I'm just making a point that all sorts could do it. Making a list. You're the one who jumped to the conclusion that I was."
"Jeez, calm down you two," Katie muttered, heading for the exit. "I'm really not in the mood."
"So," Luke asked, as she vanished away. "What were you doing lurking in the corner of the room while invisible?"
"I was bored."
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!
"This is starting to get annoying. All I can tell you so far, is where it isn't," Katie said, pausing to sneeze. Letting out a following groan shortly after, the other rangers looking over at her with surprise. "And it's not in Eon City."
"Well, that does make some substantial sense," Bill commented. "I mean, if you look over to the locations close to Mount Hielo, then that is the most likely place. Of course, it would appear that this isn't the case."
"You okay, sweetie?" Nahir asked, as the red ranger let out another sneeze.
"I think so," she replied, groggily. "Just a cold. I'll get over it."
"We have extensive medical supplies on board," Bill offered. "So, if you want some sort of remedy then..."
"I'll keep that in mind," she replied. "But, where else do we have? If it's not in Eon City then..."
"There's Lassana City," Ryan offered. "Agueros Town. Holimar City's fairly close in relative terms of the region."
"Well, how hard can it be to check them all?" Xavier asked. "Without getting flu."
"Oh ha ha."
Striding into the makeshift laboratory that Arbok had set up in the location that they had found to hide out in, Dennis cleared his throat. The sound making the scientist look up from where he was bent over a crate of what looked like Pokémon eggs."
"Time to take a new approach," Dennis growled. "We need a new plan. The other Coppingers have failed in their attempts to either find the artefacts, or defeat the rangers. What we need is something that can do both things. Two Pidgeys with one Poké Ball."
"Are you sure?" Arbok asked. "Such things are in short supply. I think."
"What are those eggs you have there?" Dennis demanded, striding over to see what the big fascination was with the items in question. "What are they?"
"These are top quality Ekans eggs," Arbok announced, proudly. "I was going to raise them up and then sell them as pets. Just because we're mutants doesn't mean that we can't keep up with the demands of modern business."
"Oh, be quiet!" Dennis snapped. "What if we use these for something helpful. Like create six strong monsters."
"Hmmm..." Arbok said. "Won't that be cruel to them?"
"You might have read the book of modern business, but have you read the book of modern evil?" Dennis demanded. "Our business is cruelty. Deception. Sabotage. Immoral behaviour. So, how can we make them as strong as possible? A match for the rangers if you like?"
"Well..." the scientist replied, thoughtfully. "I can think of some chemicals that are out there. Top secret ones that could drastically improve all abilities. Strength, speed, mental prowess. I just need to get some. It's in Flash laboratories in Holimar City."
"Go and get it then," Dennis ordered. "Take some Dogbots and don't come back unless you have what we need."
"You look better," Ryan commented, as a slightly healthier looking Katie walked into the room. "What's the secret? You pop some medication? Drink something hot? Oransip?"
"Oransip?" Duo asked. "Mix up some regular pain medication, add some boiling water and some exotic tasting fruit. You could make your own."
"Nothing that simple," the red ranger replied, dropping into a seat. "Just used my ability. Heated my body up and then stood under the shower with it going as hot as it will. Think I'm getting better."
"Nice," Duo remarked. "Whatever works for you."
"So, anything going on?" she asked. "Anything at all?"
"We've got nothing," Xavier reported. "At all. Just..."
As if to prove him wrong, the alarms started to ring out around the Silver Gyarados. The sound enough to force the four of them up to their feet and towards the door.
Arriving on the bridge, they found Paige, Bill, Lance, Luke and Nahir already there and waiting for them.
"What took you so long?" Luke wondered. "We've been waiting..."
"About twenty seconds," Nahir commented. "Let's not all exaggerate."
"Anyway..." Bill said, folding his arms. "We've got the activity of Dogbots in Holimar City. Plus an unidentified mutant with them. Looks like it was human once, so it might be one of the higher echelons of the Coppingers."
"Well, let's get down there then," Ryan said. "Give them a good old fashioned beating."
"Where are they?" Xavier wondered. His question prompting Bill to tap away at a few keys, the reply coming pretty quickly.
"They're at Flash laboratories," he replied. "So... they could be after anything."
"No time to waste," Duo said. "To that strangely named building at once."
"If you want to put it like that," Katie remarked, the six of them bringing their morphers up. "Genesis Overload!"
"Good, good," Arbok muttered, rifling through an array of test tubes. "These are all very good. If I can just find the right one, then..."
Tossing one back away from him, not satisfied with its contents, he heard a Dogbot let out a mechanical snap of anger at the apparent lack of concern.
"You don't even know fear or discomfort," he snapped at the robotic soldier. "So, be quiet."
"It's true. They don't know fear. But, they should!"
Spinning around in shock, Arbok saw the rangers stood at the exit to the lab. Blocking the way out.
"Welcome, rangers," he snickered. "Can't you be bothering someone else?"
"Nah, I think we're going to bother you," Katie said, sounding bored. "Put whatever ever you're trying to steal down and back away."
"I'll pass," he replied. "I've got big plans for this stuff. Dogbots, get them!"
At the command, the mechanical foot soldiers sprang into action. Moving towards the rangers at a rapid pace to engage them. Taking them slightly by surprise, the rangers were forced back by the assault, moving the way that they had come.
Foremost at the head of the group, Katie kicked out at the Dogbot in front of her. Knocking it back into some more of the group, the five of them falling down to the ground. The new room suddenly opening up, Duo, Xavier, Luke, Nahir and Ryan taking the opportunity to jump into the newly occupied space. Without hesitating, Duo punched one twice in the stomach, before kicking it up into the air. Next to him, Xavier grabbed one by the chest, to throw it at the wall. Watching it spark up into several pieces as it crashed against the clear white tiles. Kicking another Dogbot in the leg, watching it go down, Luke spun around and hit it in the face with a back kick. Across from the purple ranger, Nahir ducked under an attack thrown at her head by a mechanically salivating Dogbot and tackled it, pushing it back into a few more of the robots. Knocking them all to the ground. Finally, jumping up into the air, Ryan bounced off the wall and easily took two of the Dogbots out with an acrobatic kick.
Behind the action, Arbok had found what he was looking for and making towards the exit. As he pushed the door open, the sound of blaster fire rang out. A scorch mark appearing on the wall next to him, the Coppinger mutant turning his head to see Katie levelling one of her Heat Blasters at him. The red ranger readjusting her aim towards him, her gloved finger making to close around the trigger...
Reacting quickly, he left through the door. Hearing a barrage of shots crash into the space where he had been moments earlier, he only barely had time to breath a sigh of relief before teleporting away with the chemicals.
"Calm it down, Katie," Xavier said, the six of them having morphed out of their ranger suits in order to make a subtle exit from the scene of the battle. "So you missed him by a quarter of an inch..."
"Which is a quarter of an inch too much," she complained. "All of this makes what happens next all my fault. Which is an annoying feeling."
"Don't beat yourself up so much about it," Ryan offered. "We all had a chance of stopping him. But none of us did. Which makes us all as culpable as you. Sure, you had a clearer shot, but any one of us could have ignored the Dogbots and..."
Not really listening to him, Katie was instead focused at the suddenly hot sensation at her thigh. Digging out into the pocket of the still slightly wet coat, she brought the Magma Rock up into the air. Wincing slightly in pain at the burning feeling running down her fingers, having in her curiosity not bothered to heat up her skin.
"What's that?" Luke wondered, glancing over. "Your big hunk of rock? That you took a swan dive into a pool of lava for. Like any sane person would do."
"It's hot," she said, tossing it over to the purple ranger. Watching him wince in pain as he caught it, quickly passing it off to Duo. Who let out a groan, before shifting it over across to Ryan. Who palmed it to Xavier who dropped it.
"Wimps," Katie muttered. "It's not that hot. Not when you consider how hot I can make my skin."
"Remind me never to high five you again," Nahir quipped, dryly. "Anyway, what does this mean? With the rock getting hot and all."
"It means..." Katie said. "That we're close to whatever that thing leads us to."
"That's a relief then," Bill said, his eyes and fingers focused upon the screen in front of him. "That we at least know where to look in Holimar City. Pity about the other thing though."
"So, you don't know what it was that he stole?" Lance asked, the six rangers sat around nursing their injuries from the battle with the Dogbots. None of them badly hurt, but still covered in scrapes and bruises that had passed through their ranger uniforms.
"Didn't have time to ask," Duo said. "And it's not like he was chatty before he made a break for it."
"Can't believe I missed him," Katie muttered. "I never miss."
"Everyone misses at least once," Lance offered. "Even my Dragonite. Someone once described it as the strongest non-legendary Pokémon alive. It was a compliment, a nice one, if slightly over the top."
"When your Dragonite misses, it often doesn't have repurcussions like this," Katie shot back. "This is... Damn, I'm annoyed."
"Flash Chemical Corp," Bill said, getting something up on his screen. "I've hacked into their server. Trying to find out what they stole. It appeared to be some sort of brand new chemical compound. Highly dangerous in the wrong hands."
"Is that what it says on there?" Luke asked, with interest. "Because that would be awesome. Quick, easy to understand... And concise."
"I'm reading between the lines," Bill said. "Seriously, this is worrying. They inject some of their monsters with this stuff, we've got really big problems on our hands. It could turn an average monster into a ferocious attacking force. If it was used on something that was already powerful..."
"Like one of the Coppinger high command?" Xavier asked, going slightly pale. "That's something that we really don't need right now."
"I guess that if something bad is coming, we're going to have to deal," Duo said. "I mean... Just because it's suicide to take it head on doesn't mean that we have a choice."
"That's surprisingly responsible of you," Nahir commented. "Where's the real Duo?"
"Hey, I have a responsible streak," Duo replied. "You just don't see it very often."
"You can say that again," Ryan quipped, folding his arms behind his head. "But..."
"You just don't see it very often," Duo said, sarcastically. "So there."
"Well, I've got to confess," Dennis remarked, watching Arbok bustle around in the makeshift laboratory. Arranging and rearranging test tubes of chemicals, mixing their contents together before filling syringes with the bright purple liquid. "I never expected you to come back from that task. Especially when the rangers showed up."
"Ah, well," Arbok replied. "Give them a damn good beating before getting out of there before they can recover."
"You gave them a beating?" Dennis asked, incredulously. "What, in the sense of running away from them, screaming?"
"Well, the Dogbots distracted them," Arbok admitted. "And I made a run for it."
"Yeah, that's more the story that I'm likely to believe," the Coppinger leader commented. "So, cut the crap in future."
"I never said..." Arbok began, before thinking better of it. "Forget it."
"So, how go these wonderful warriors?" Dennis demanded. "Are they nearly ready to be born? Because..."
"I'll inject this stuff into the eggs," Arbok explained, holding a syringe up. "All the stuff I stole has been divided up into six doses. Once that has happened, we'll use the Genesis Book on the eggs. That should be enough to do what we have planned."
"Then, what are we waiting for?" Dennis asked, his voice cold. "Because, I would very much like to get it out of the way before those pesky rangers find the rest of the artefacts."
"The rest?" Arbok wondered. "For all we know, they haven't found any yet."
"Just get going on with it!" Dennis ordered. "Right now."
At the command, Arbok picked up a few of the syringes. Going through the Ekans eggs one by one, injecting them with the chemical compound that he had created using the stolen material, he finally stood back with a sad look on his face.
"Poor little eggs," he said, sadly. "Never to be..."
"Quiet!" Dennis ordered, bringing the Genesis Book up from where he had been hiding it. Somewhere that Arbok hadn't quite been able to see. Even as he was wondering where his boss had been keeping the potent item, Dennis opened the item up. Covering the six eggs in the mutating gas, the deterent within the ancient item began to clear away as the transformation process began to complete. Six large shapes emerging from out of the smoke, followed by sharp hisses of laughter.
"You know why you were created!" Dennis growled, closing the book. Trying to get a good view of what the two of them had created, the lingering smoke preventing it from happening. "Now, go forth and destroy the Poké Rangers."
"At once!" a hiss came out of the smoke. Before six flashes of colour erupted out of the smoke, bouncing away out of the fog and towards the exit.
"What's that?" Ryan wondered, his ears pricking up at the sound of the alarms ringing out aboard the Silver Gyarados. "What's going on?"
"I'm picking up some strange energy readings," Bill reported, having jumped over to the computer to see what was happening. "Very strange. Uber strange. I think the gist of this message is that they are most unusual."
"We get it," Luke commented. "You've made your point. Easily."
"Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Xavier wondered. "Like this energy reading?"
"Well, a few times," Bill admitted. "None of them have been good."
"How bad can it be?" Nahir asked. "Whatever it is, we'll deal. We always do."
"This is where you're wrong," Bill said. "The signal isn't one thing. My computer is picking up six different energy readings. All similar, but different."
"What?" Katie asked. "What do you mean?"
"Different as in the comparison between a Quagsire and a Whiscash," Bill replied. "Similar but so so different in their essence."
"Guess we better go and check them out then," Duo said, rubbing his hands together. "This ought to be interesting."
"Let's just send you then," Paige commented. "Since you look like you're going to enjoy it the most."
"We're going as a team," Katie said, quickly. "If this is as 'strange' as Bill says, then..."
"Well, you are mixing the term strange with dangerous," Nahir pointed out. "So..."
"Either way," Xavier remarked. "We need to check this out straight away."
"You ready to go?" Lance asked. "We're all waiting."
Taking a step forward as one, the six rangers brought their morphers up. Ready to activate them.
"Genesis Overload!"
"Why is it always a warehouse?" Duo wondered, as the six of them ran into the large darkened building. Its frame scarred by rain, the liquid in question still streaming down all around them. "Why can't it be a sunny field? Where we can see what's going on around us."
"Oh grow up," Luke muttered. "Really not in the mood."
"When are you in the mood?" Nahir asked. "Because it seems like you're permanently in a bad mood lately."
"Can you blame me?" he asked. "I mean... We have to put up some crap with what we do. It gets annoying."
"Last time I checked, you didn't get cursed by something that forced you to tell the truth," Xavier pointed out. "So..."
"Or infected with something that made you turn into a Grimer," Nahir added. "So, cut the crap."
"Guys, are you going to argue all the way up to the top?" Katie asked. "Because, we're supposed to be stealthy here. No point letting whatever's after us..."
Before she could finish, something struck out across the darkened area. A blast of energy whistling through, striking against their bodies, throwing the six of them against a wall.
"Guess that's why we were being stealthy," Duo groaned, trying to pick himself up from the ground. "So that didn't happen."
As the rangers slowly got up, they heard the sound of footsteps. What sounded like six sets of heavy boots moving across the wooden floor. Peering out through the darkness...
"Holy damn!" Katie said, the six unseen figures appearing finally in view. "That's impossible..."
Each one of the figures was humanoid. Clad in a set of coloured armour, not so dissimilar to ranger armour. One was red, one was black, one was green, one was blue, one was yellow and one was purple. The belt, boots and gloves were white, the finger tips and ends on the gloves the same as the colour of the uniform. The same colouring was on a line of squares at the top of the boots, while the soles were also that same colour. On the shoulders of their uniform, there were white guards, while there was a pattern on the stomach. The same design as the pattern on an Arbok's hood. The six figures all wearing the exact same helmets, similar to the ones that the rangers wore. Rectangular visors, silver mouthpieces and an Arbok design at the top.
"What are they?" Ryan asked, taking a step back in surprise. The six shapes in front of them slowly turning to face them, each of them uttering out something. The hanging phrase spookily resembling a battle cry. Their voices more a collective hiss than clear speech.
"Cobra Red!"
"Cobra Black!"
"Cobra Blue!"
"Cobra Green!"
"Cobra Yellow!"
"Cobra Purple!"
"Are they... rangers?" Duo asked, unable to quite believe what he was seeing in front of him. "This can't be good."
"They might be friendly," Nahir said. "Is this another..."
"What do you think, Katie?" Xavier piped up. "Anything to be worried about?"
"Everything is something to be worried about," she said, a hand dropping to her waist. Her fingers closing around the holster of one of her Heat Blasters. "Until we know otherwise."
"Are you friendly?" Nahir called to the creatures in front of them. The six of them reacting to the sound of her voice, focusing in on the yellow ranger. Something that was almost enough to force Nahir into flinching back under their gaze.
"We are the Cobra Rangers," Cobra Red hissed. "And we are your worst nightmare."
"You don't know what my worst nightmare is," Ryan challenged. "So, there!"
"Shall we find out," Cobra Green shot back, one of his hand coming up to make a taunting gesture at Ryan. "Come on, green ranger. Make my day."
"We going to fight them?" Luke asked, his voice surprisingly impassive. "Just checking..."
"They don't look friendly," Katie remarked. "But..."
Interrupting her while she spoke, Cobra Red let out another battle cry. Rallying his troops, the other Cobra Rangers reacting instantly.
"Attack!"
"Rock and roll!" Katie shouted, the six enemy rangers charging towards the rangers. "Let's do it."
Meeting Cobra Black first, Duo threw a punch at his evil coloured counterpart. The evil ranger dodging the strike, ducking under it to kick the black ranger in the stomach. Thrown back by the blow, Duo let out a yelp of pain. Recovering quickly to hold another kick aimed at him, he tried to twist Cobra Black to the ground. His opponent easily preventing the attack, sweeping his hand up to grab Duo by the throat. Reacting quickly, Duo jumped up, the strike hitting him in the stomach. Doubling over in pain, he tried to tackle Cobra Black back, the evil ranger using his momentum to throw him against a wall.
Nearby, Xavier was struggling with Cobra Blue. Having punched his blue wearing opponent five times in the helmet, the Cobra shrugged every single one of them off and grabbed Xavier by the shoulders. Forcing him down to the ground, his knee came up to smash against the blue ranger's face. Xavier's head being forced back by the strike, Cobra Blue following back with a powerful roundhouse kick to the blue ranger's upper body.
Across the field, Cobra Yellow had grabbed Nahir into an arm lock. Twisting the yellow ranger around up into the air, Nahir letting out a yell of surprise, the powerful arm came up to strike the airborne yellow ranger in the stomach. The strike throwing her through the air, where she crashed against a support pillar. Cracking the stone structure slightly as she hit it, Nahir barely had time to recover before the again attacking Cobra Yellow picked her up by the throat and propped her up against the pillar. Bringing her free hand up, repeatedly throwing punches into the defenseless yellow ranger.
Meanwhile, Ryan was engaging Cobra Green. The two figures circling each other warily for a moment, before the green ranger struck out with a kick. His strike hitting Cobra Green in the stomach, the Cobra ranger growling in pain before striking out with a pair of powerful fist strikes. The twin blows sending Ryan reeling, his pain and confusion compounded by the follow up roundhouse kick. Recovering quickly as he hit the ground, he swept his leg out to try and take down Cobra Green. The enemy reacting quickly to remove his leg from striking distance, hopping over the outstretched leg and kicking Ryan in the side. The green ranger rolling across the floor, groaning in pain.
Having his hands full with Cobra Purple, Luke aimed a roundhouse kick at her head. The Cobra easily parrying the blow, pushing his leg up even higher to dislodge his balance. As he struggled to regain it, she dropped down to the ground, kicking his already unsteady legs out from underneath him. As the purple ranger hit the ground, she brought her foot up into the air, intent on slamming it down into his face. Quickly throwing himself aside, Luke heard the sound of shattering wood ring out through the warehouse. Springing up to his feet, he slammed a punch into her stomach, watching the Cobra double over in apparent pain. His momentary elation vanishing as she reached out, grabbed his arm and flipped him to the ground. Kicking him away in the side much in the way that Cobra Green had done to Ryan.
Finally, Katie was trying to deal with Cobra Red. The taunting figure evading her strikes, retaliating with swift ones of his own. As her kick passed through empty air, he reached out, pushing her leg away. Slamming a palm into her upper body, the sudden and powerful strike throwing her back through the air where she crashed against a wall. Not letting up, Cobra Red continued on to follow up with his attacks. Throwing a punch at her head, the red ranger jerked her body to the side, evading the attack. Seeing Cobra Red's strike smash through the concrete surface, the evil ranger let out a roar of pain at his predicament. Taking advantage of his situation, Katie jumped up and kicked him twice in the stomach. Watching him double over, she brought both hands down onto his back, surprised as he quickly reared up like a furious Ursaring. His fists flying out to claw her away, forcing her back. Now seething with rage, he went on the attack. More blows coming her way, Katie was finally overwhelmed by her efforts to block and dodge. Being forced back by the powerful blow, hitting the ground next to the other battered rangers.
"Everyone okay?" she asked, trying to get up to her feet. "We need to..."
"You're not so tough," Cobra Red commented, snidely. "I thought that you'd be a challenge. Oh well..."
"Time for the Terror Cannon," Cobra Black snickered, the six Cobras lining up in two lines of three. A huge purple weapon appearing in the gap between them, shaped like an outstretched Arbok. The six of them levelling the weapon at the grounded rangers.
"Aww man," Luke complained. "This isn't good."
"Terror Cannon!" Cobra Red shouted. "Fire!"
At the command, the opened mouth of the Arbok-shaped cannon began to glow with a bright purple light. Quickly firing out its load towards the rangers, all six of them being thrown back against the wall by the sheer powerful force of the blast. Hitting the stone surface, cracks being left against the sheer surface by the blast, they began to demorph out of their suits.
"Awww, look at them," Cobra Yellow said, her voice sarcastic. "They're almost too pathetic to destroy."
"Our objective was to defeat them," Cobra Purple pointed out. "We have done that."
"Heed this warning, Poké Rangers," Cobra Green demanded, pointing at them. "This time, we will let you go."
"But, if you cross our paths again, we will obliterate you," Cobra Blue finished. No sooner than had done so, the six of them began to teleport away.
"Man," Duo complained. "Those things are serious. The Cobra Rangers. Like we don't have enough to worry about."
"This is indeed a problem," Bill said. "I have heard of evil rangers before... Single evil rangers are fairly common. But, a team of them... That's less common. There was a group of them in Hoenn several months ago..."
"I think that Tara mentioned them to me," Paige piped up. "She told me that they were nasty."
"And," Bill continued, ignoring her. "Dorlinda also informed me that there will be another group in the future. I don't think that there's any sure way for you to defeat them easily. You'll just have to be as strong as possible, be compact as a team and try and find their weaknesses."
"If that's all it takes..." Luke groaned. "Jeez!"
"We can defeat them," Katie said. "It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. One defeat doesn't win you a war..."
"Unless your first attack is a good one and completely takes out all your figureheads, generals and high command," Duo pointed out. "Then..."
"That hasn't happened though," Nahir reminded him. "We're still here, aren't we?"
"For now," Ryan said, before managing a weak grin. "But, we can do this. I'm almost sure of it."
"Well, it's a relief that you're almost sure of it," Katie quipped. "Come on guys, let's all pull together and make sure that we do better the next time they strike. If you'll pardon the pun."
"You failed to destroy the rangers!" Dennis said, looking at the six Cobra Rangers in front of him. "You had them in your sight, ready and waiting to be slaughtered. And you retreated. Letting them go."
"Our powers were weakening," Cobra Purple retorted. "Over time, we will grow stronger. Stronger and stronger. Is only early days yet."
"We will destroy them soon," Cobra Blue continued, folding his arms. "Your worry is unfounded."
"If you let them go again," Dennis hissed, his voice a pretty good imitation of the voice of the Cobras. "I will personally destroy all six of you. I do not tolerate failure."
"Something that you're well used to by now, I expect," Cobra Black commented. "We were created to destroy. Which is what we'll do."
"You talk big," Dennis growled. "But, why should I believe you."
"These are fine creations, Dennis," Arbok offered. "Some of my finest work. They'll do the job."
"We'll do a job," Cobra Red snarled. "Forget it, Dennis. You don't appreciate us, we'll go our own way."
"What!" the Coppinger leader roared. "You would dare to betray me?"
"We would," Cobra Yellow said. "Because when we find those artefacts, we will come for you."
"When we create our own new world," Cobra Green snickered. "Maybe we'll even let you live. But probably not."
"Let's leave these losers alone," Cobra Red remarked, the six of them heading for the exit. "Time to get out of here."
"We created you!" Dennis roared. "We can destroy you!"
"Then do it," Cobra Blue taunted. "Personally, we don't think that you do. Being of a collective mind."
"Damn, how did they know?" Arbok wondered. Flinching slightly under the dirty look from Dennis.
"Filthy filthy traitors," the Coppinger leader muttered. "Just as I was thinking about the best way to betray them when they no longer became useful as well."
"They will be a problem," Arbok pointed out. "They are powerful. They were created that way."
"Now, I have two sets of rangers running around," Dennis groaned. "All my problems keep on growing."
Letting out a final sigh, he turned and began to head for his own part of their hideout. His final weary words ringing out through the damp air.
"I really hope they destroy each other."
Author's Notes.
Evil rangers... Yeah...
It's really not going to get any easier. Especially for the rangers, but the bad guys might have it tough as well. Especially with the Cobra's out for blood.
But, at leas they know where to go for the first artefact now. Which will be the focus next chapter...
Anyway, thanks for the review (s?). Appreciated. A lot.
For now, this is the full range of bad guys revealed for the story.
Okay, so next one is entitled Never Burn Away. Preview below, up soon.
Thanks for reading.
Don't forget to review. I mean it, please! Arbok will be replying to reviews for this chapter.
Chapter Ten, Never Burn Away, preview.
Xavier: What are we going to do about the Cobras?
Katie: Never mind them at the moment. We've got a lead.
Bill: So, it's in Holimar City.
Dennis: The Cobras have betrayed us! If they get in your way, destroy them all.
?: Will do.
Duo: Real tug of war here.
Cobra Red: Silent Strike Megazord.
Luke: Holy crap, that's not fair.
Katie: The first artefact!
Coming soon.
