New Girl
Chapter 12: General Deception
A/N: So last time, not much happened. I only have a few more chapters left in this story before I move on to Dino Thunder. The rangers faced their fears and Kennedi's uncle and aunt discovered her ranger status. She met her future stepbrother, and you guys saw the poll results. Now, just because I have Gia as their cousin doesn't mean I'm going to do a Megaforce story for this series. What'll happen now when the rangers go camping?
This chapter might be short and may act as more of a filler.
Also, to MF 22, I do have Casey being that old. I know he's not meant to portray a twenty something year old in Jungle Fury, but in most of my AU series, such as this one, he's in his early twenties, as are the rest of the rangers. Basically, my thinking is that if the season doesn't show them in school or something like Dino Thunder, MMPR, and MegaForce do, then they're either meant to seem as if they're in college or not in school (may not be the case, but that's how my mind takes it).Also, the actor who played Casey was in his early twenties when he filmed Jungle Fury. I do love your supportive comments, and he won't be already in his early twenties for JF stories in other series I plan to write, but for this one, since it is kind of AU, he is. Other than that, I appreciate you bringing up that point and I thank you for being a constant reviewer.
And though I don't always thank/recognize/respond to reviews personally, I do want you to know that I do read each review I get, and I do appreciate the reviews and I do appreciate those who just read and don't review for reading my stories. So thank you, for reading and/or reviewing.
Disclaimer: I only own things not originally in the show.
A week later and summer vacation had started up. There had yet to be an attack from Lothor since the nightmare collar one, and the rangers had planned a camping trip. Tori was going to be driving them to the camp site. Kennedi was going with the boys, but she and her sister had volunteered to take their young cousin camping along with one of her friends. At the moment, the boys were loading up Tori's van with their gear.
While the guys were doing that, Kennedi and Kira were already at the campsite. They had set up the tent for them and their cousin and their cousin's friend. They had promised the mothers they would keep the girls from harm, since they had heard about the attacks going on. Gia and her friend, Emma, were sitting by the stream. They had gotten here early so they could spend the day in nature.
"Girls, be careful," Kira warned as she saw they were by the stream. "We don't want you getting hurt."
"Your mothers will kill us if you do," Kennedi added before her phone went off. "Yeah?"
"Had a little encounter with Kelzaks," Hunter's voice spoke.
"And you didn't think to call me to help?" the dirty blonde raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry," Hunter apologized. "But we handled it. We're on our way there now."
Kennedi sighed. "We'll see you when you get here." She hung up and Kira looked to her questioningly. "They ran into a little Kelzak trouble. They're heading here now."
"Great," Kira rolled her eyes.
Soon enough, Tori arrived with the guys. Kira and Kenned helped them set up their stuff while keeping an eye on the two little girls with them. Once everything was set up, the girls stepped back and noticed the campsite looked nothing like a camp. To them, it looked more like a resort in the woods, homemade style. "You've got to be kidding," Tori demanded as Shane set up the TV.
"Now this," Shane grinned. "Is the life."
"This isn't camping," Kira frowned. "This is a resort."
"All you need is a water slide and a luau," Kennedi added.
"That would be cool," Dustin commented, turning on the TV.
Hunter stood. "Hey, anyone wanna order a pizza?"
"Yeah, I'm in," Blake agreed. "Except none of that ham and pineapple stuff."
"Fine," Hunter grabbed his cell phone. "No signal. Looks like we're having hamburgers.
"I think you guys are missing the point," Tori huffed.
"The point is to have fun," Blake corrected. "You sure you don't want to stay?"
"Thanks, but I gotta get back," Tori declined. "Cam needs some help at Ninja Ops." She moved to her van. "I'll be back to pick you guys up the day after tomorrow. Bye."
"See ya Tor," the others waved.
Kennedi and Kira headed back over to the girls as Tori got in her van.
Tori stayed back for a bit as the boys cleaned up. The van had been stuck, and the guys had gotten it out only for the blonde to run over their generator and cause the boys to be all muddy. The five girls were sitting by the stream, watching the sodas cool down and talking. Emma, Gia's friend, was taking pictures of the scenery with her camera. Gia was pointing out things to take pictures of. Tori had also put burgers on the grill for the guys.
"Aw man," Dustin groaned as the boys reappeared. The girls stood and faced them. "I haven't had that much mud in my eyes since I ran out of tear-offs last week."
"You guys, I'm so sorry about the generator," Tori apologized.
"It's not your fault," the navy ranger assured. "Things happen."
"How was the shower?" Kennedi asked.
"You could say it was refreshing…"
Hunter interrupted the red ranger. "But cold would be more accurate."
"Well, I know this doesn't make it up to you," the water ninja sighed. "But your burgers are on the grill, and your sodas are getting cold in the stream."
"Sounds good to me," Blake grinned, opening the grill. "You're forgiven."
They all looked up as a strange sound caught their attention.
"Come on," Shane ordered. The ninjas followed it, disappearing from sight.
Gia looked up at her cousin. "Kira, what just happened?"
"Kennedi went to go find out," Kira sighed. "Come on. Let's get you girls inside the tent where it's safe."
The rangers came to a quarry, where Vexacus and Shimazu were waiting for them. The six rangers found it to be no surprise. Kennedi was glad she could help out this time instead of sitting back and waiting. She knew she would have to explain to her sister what was going on and come up with an excuse for the girls, but she could make something believable. "I thought I smelled garbage," Hunter commented.
"Oh, we'll see who gets trashed," Vexacus challenged.
"Hey, uh, no offense," Kennedi spoke up. "But you two don't seem like the outdoor types."
"We're not," Vexacus agreed. "We just came to watch your ultimate demise."
"Don't you mean cause our ultimate demise?" Tori frowned.
Vexacus smirked. "Okay. I like your way better." He fired at the six, causing them to duck out of the way.
"Just when you thought it was safe to have a day off," Shane muttered. "Ready?"
"Ready," they all got into formation.
"Ninja Storm…"
"Thunder Storm…"
"Ember Storm…"
"Ranger Form! Ninja Ranger Power!"
Shane, Dustin, and Tori set off on fighting Vexacus while Hunter, Blake, and Kennedi took on Shimazu. All of them were using their swords, but the two villains were proving to be tougher than the rangers originally thought. Vexacus kept knocking the wind rangers down, but they kept getting back up to attack. They formed the Storm Striker, only for Vexacus to shoot it out of their hands and knock them around a bit.
Blake, Kennedi, and Hunter all had their own weapons drawn. Blake attacked first with his antlers, only for Shimazu to throw him off with a few punches. Hunter put his thunder staff into the tornado star mode and fired. Shimazu vanished as he was hit, reappearing as a giant floating head that attacked them. He shot them down, and Kennedi used her bow to shoot him.
Vexacus and Shimazu stood side by side, facing the rangers. "It seems you have met your match," the clown cackled.
"You are finished, rangers," Vexacus added. Before they could do anything, the two aliens were shot down. The rangers looked to see Cam joining them, already morphed.
"I've picked up something on the radar heading this way," he warned.
"Worse than these two super freaks?" Shane wondered.
"Yeah," the green ranger nodded. "Way worse."
Vexacus spoke up. "Hey, rangers. Nobody's worse than we are."
"I would have to agree," Shimazu added.
"No one messes up my weekend," Kennedi huffed. Combining all their weapons, the rangers formed the bigger one. They all got ready and fired it. The villains deflected it, causing it to hit the rangers. Cam moved to check on them.
The ground began shaking and they all looked up to see some sort of megazord. "It's Zurgane," Cam realized.
"Aw, not again," Shane groaned.
"Fight me if you dare," Zurgane challenged.
"Haven't you had enough failure for one day?" Shimazu called up to the villain.
The rangers with zords got into their megazord, leaving Kennedi to deal with Shimazu and Vexacus.
"What the hell was that?" Kira asked as soon as she saw Kennedi make it back to the campsite. The orange ranger had left her teammates to fight off Zurgane, since Vexacus and Shimazu had vanished after she fought them off. Her teammates were still fighting Zurgane, but where she didn't have a zord, there was nothing she could do to help.
"What do you think?" Kennedi retorted. "Nothing unusual that hasn't happened before."
"They getting stronger?" Kira frowned.
"Three generals attacked us," Kennedi nodded. "I stopped two once the others got locked in that." She pointed over her shoulder to where they could barely see the megazords standing.
"Yikes," the other dirty blonde winced. "Well, hopefully, this'll work out."
Kennedi agreed. "Now, where are Gia and Emma?"
"Girls, come on!" Kira called, drawing them out of the tent. Emma had her camera with her, ready to go on the hike they were promised. "We're gonna have to take a different hiking trail around here."
"Why?" Emma wondered. "What's wrong with the other one?"
"There's something going on down there, and it's not a sight for young girls like you two," Kennedi answered. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. "The path we're going to take is even better, anyway."
"Then let's go," Gia suggested. "It's going to get dark soon, isn't it?"
Kira shrugged. "She's got a point."
The girls reached the campsite as night fell, seeing the guys there all worn out. Tori had gone back to Ninja Ops with Cam once the fight was over. From what the four girls could see, the boys' side of the campsite was pretty trashed. The boys looked like they had tried finding food but it didn't turn out too well. Gia and Emma headed for the girls tent to get out the hot dogs for dinner while Kira and Kennedi walked over to the boys.
"How's the whole nature thing working out for ya?" Kennedi smirked.
"It sucks," Dustin huffed. "The campsite was trashed when we got back. Stupid birds…"
"And trying to find food didn't do anything to help?" Kira raised an eyebrow.
"I'm surprised they actually went looking for food," Kennedi grinned.
"Hey!" Blake cried. "We do know how to survive out here!"
Kira rolled her eyes. "Sure. That's why you needed a portable generator. None of you would last a day on the show Survivor."
"Well what are you guys doing for food?" Shane challenged. "We didn't see you guys come prepared."
"Roasting hot dogs over an open fire," Kennedi answered. "Classic camping thing. If you're that hungry, you're welcome to join us. God knows you won't make it to breakfast without eating something."
Come morning, the girls woke to hearing a megazord fight going on. Kennedi made a discreet call to Ninja Ops, where Sensei had told her there was nothing she could do at the moment but make sure her sister, Gia, and Emma didn't somehow get caught in it. Kennedi wished she could do more to help, since she hadn't been a ranger as long as the others and hadn't done a lot yet, but she knew that in a megazord fight all she could do was watch and help from wherever she was.
After eating something for breakfast, Kira and Kennedi took the younger girls on a hike down the original path they had found. Kennedi got a call on her morpher and had made an excuse to get away. When she was gone, she was teleported into Ninja Ops, where the others were already there. On the mainframe screen was Zurgane in his zord, attacking the city.
"He's using our powers to attack the city," Shane observed.
"We've got to get back out there," Hunter added.
"I need more time before the zords will be ready to battle again," Cam stated as Sensei jumped on Dustin's head before landing on the desk.
Tori frowned. "How are we going to fight that thing without the zords?"
"Think, rangers," Sensei advised. "What other resources are at your disposal?"
"What about the gliders?" Dustin suggested.
"And the tsunami cycles," Blake agreed.
"Excellent thinking," Sensei nodded. "Individually your weapons would be overpowered, but together, your resources will be significant. Kennedi, you will stay here and help Cam get the zords running again."
Kennedi nodded as the others made their way to leave. When they had morphed and left, the green and orange rangers got to work on the zords.
"We'd better work fast," Cam muttered.
By the end of the day, the rangers had managed to stop Zurgane's attack and destroy his zord. Kennedi watched the zord portion of the fight from Ninja Ops, advising the rangers on different combinations they could try. It had worked out in the end, and those who were on the camping trip went back to it for the night. The next morning, the four girls were up to greet Tori and Cam as the two ninjas pulled onto the sight. The four boys were all sleeping in chairs, blankets wrapped around them.
"I can't believe you all still wanted to go camping after all this," Tori remarked to Kennedi. "I just want to go to sleep."
"Me too," Cam agreed. "I just didn't want them thinking I was…"
"Lame?" Kira and Kennedi finished. "They beat you to it." They pointed to the guys.
"I bet Zurgane's in worse shape than them," Cam chuckled.
"No doubt," the girls agreed.
A/N: Not the best chapter, but it works. Two more left before I move on to Dino Thunder, where there will probably be a lot more drama. What'll happen next?
