Deep within Mt. Silver...
"Perfect." Mewtwovanni lowered his hand tiredly. He had spent the past several hours telekinetically rearranging this hidden cave into a new base for his organization. And now, it was done. A steel-walled facility built into the depths of the most dangerous mountain in Kanto or Johto, fully sustained by its own power supply. "The Rangers will never find us here."
"Nobody could." Rhynix agreed.
A revving noise caught their attention. Turning, they looked down the hallway from which it was echoing out. A pair of grunts stepped forward to investigate.
With a yell of exhileration, a large, bulky bald man on a motorcycle came racing down the corridor. Two more followed a short distance behind. The leader bowled straight pass the Team Rocket Grunts, knocking them off their feet as he went. The two behind him swerved and weaved between the floored underlings, laughing as they sailed past Metwovanni and Rhynix.
"Hey!" Rhynix yelled after them. "What are you doing in our base?"
Holding out a hand, Mewtwovanni telekinetically stopped the bikes and the riders pitched forward off of them, rolling to a halt. With a groan, the leader sat up.
"Hey, what's the matter with you, man!?" he yelled at Mewtwovanni..
"Who are you?" the Team Rocket boss asked. "And how did you find us?"
"We're the rough and rugged Raticate Riders!" the leader declared as he and his friends stood, turning to display his jacket and its design of an angry Raticate bearing its teeth. "And we've been riding these caves for years!" Glancing around, he frowned at the base around him. "This wasn't here a few days ago."
"We're new to the area." Mewtwovanni told him. "We are Team Rocket."
"Yeah, I heard of you." the leader nodded. "You're criminal legends!"
"My brother works for you." One of the others put in. "You may have known him as a fencer? We used to practice together." He frowned. "Haven't heard from him in some time..."
"That guy?" Rhynix asked. "He was killed in action a while back."
"What?" the biker growled in anger. "By who? Who killed my little bro!?"
"The Poké Rangers." Rhynix said simply. Glaring, the biker turned to his boss.
"Do you think we could..." he began.
"No, we are not going after the Rangers." the leader snapped. "Do you know what they could do to normal people like you and me? We don't stand a chance!"
"Well..." The three turned as Mewtwovanni narrowed his eyes. "I may be able to help you with that."
"How so?" the leader wondered.
"If you let me mutate you into creatures like us..." He gestured towards himself and Rhynix. "You could take a run at the Rangers and take them down."
"You can do that?" the biker with the dead brother stepped forward. "No strings attached?"
"Well, you would have to swear loyalty to me." Mewtwovanni added. "But other than that, no. I'll even let you choose what Pokémon we use."
The trio whispered amongst themselves for several minutes. Finally, the leader turned and stepped forward.
"How about this, we swear loyalty to you AFTER we defeat the Rangers?" he suggested.
Clearly, that had no plans to actually do so. Mewtwovanni thought for a moment.
"Sure." he agreed.
'Either the Rangers destroy them, or they destroy the Rangers and I deal with them later. Either way, I win.' he thought to himself as he led his new not-quite-recruits to the Fuser.
(Theme song inspired by Power Rangers Zeo Opening)
Kanto, go! (Kanto!) (All 6 Rangers show off their Morphers)
Rockets at the door, (Go, Kanto!) (Ryan stands in a Pokémon arena as the Red Ranger & Charizard Zord are shown)
Stronger than before! (Go, Kanto!) (Brent is training with his Pokémon in Pallet Town as the Blue Ranger & Blastoise Zord are shown)
Powered up for war, (Ginger is playing guitar as the Green Ranger & Venusaur Zord are shown)
Kanto, Poké Rangers! (Go, Kanto!) (Allison is healing her Pokémon in the forest as the Yellow Ranger & Pikachu Zord are shown)
Higher they can soar, (Go, Kanto!) (Rick turns to walk away from Pewter Gym as the Black Ranger & Golem Zord are shown)
Even up the score! (Go, Kanto!) (Jessica stands with her arms folded in the lab as the Violet Ranger & Arbok Zord are shown)
Go go, Poké Rangers! (Mewtwovanni, Rhynix, and Persia shown)
Go go, Poké Rangers! (Rangers fight off a collection of G-Spliced before firing Poké Blaster)
Go go, Poké Rangers! (Pokémon Megazord and Onix Venomzord stand together)
Kanto Poké Rangers! (All 6 Rangers pose in front of explosion)
In the forest near Fuji's Lab...
Allison walked through the trees, following the sounds of Ryan's voice. After a bit, she found him standing alone in a small clearing, morphed, with his weapon drawn.
With a yell, Ryan swung his Charizard Saber, sending a blade of air flying from the weapon. Whirling, he swung again, for another blast. And again. And again. Another swing, another blade of air.
As Allison watched him train, she wasn't sure if she should say something or not. Ryan hadn't been the same ever since the incident in Celadon. He was distant and driven, always on his own training. She shuddered, remembering the look in his eyes when he swore to take Team Rocket down.
As Ryan stilled, panting from exertion, she made up her mind and stepped forward.
"Hey." she said softly. Ryan glanced over at her.
"Hey..." He cracked his neck before raising his sword and swinging again.
"You know, we have a simulator for this stuff." she suggested.
"Didn't want to talk to anyone." Ryan said as he swung once more. "Wanted to train by myself."
After a moment of hesitation, Allison continued.
"Are you...okay?" she asked tentatively.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Ryan swung his blade so hard that the blast of air sliced through a tree at the edge of the clearing, sending it toppling over. "I finally found my mom and she ended up turned into a monster trying to kill me, but I'm fine."
"Look, I know it's hard..." Allison started.
"Don't." He interupted, turning to face her. "I already got the 'it's hard, but we have to move on' speech from Fuji. I AM moving on. Moving on with our job to destroy Team Rocket before they hurt anyone else."
"Yes, we all want to take them down." the Yellow Ranger agreed. "But you just...you just seem like you're about to go off on some one-man vengeance quest or something."
"Maybe I am." Ryan said, demorphing. "If that's what it takes to get the job done."
"Oh my god, you actually are thinking about it." Allison realized. Ryan turned to walk away. "Look, Ryan, you're a great fighter and all, but you can't take on Team Rocket by yourself!" she called, running after him.
"I can try." he muttered.
"Look, if you would just talk to me about this..." she tried.
"I don't want to talk about it!" Ryan snapped, whirling around. "Do I try to drag the story behind all of your issues out!? Just leave me alone!" Backing away, he held out his arms. "You can't heal everyone, Allison."
As Ryan walked away again, a new voice spoke up behind the Yellow Ranger.
"That's rough." Allison turned to find Jessica standing nearby, hidden in the shadow of the trees.
"How long have you been there?" Allison asked as she stepped out.
"Long enough." she said.
"What am I going to do with him?" Allison pondered.
"I don't know." Jessica said. "I don't do this whole emotion...I'm just not good at it, okay? I don't know what to do."
"How are you?" Allison asked. "She was your mom too."
"I'm okay." Jessica said.
"You're not..." Allison started.
"Angry? Yes. Determined to stop it from happening again, yes. But not..." She nodded in the direction Ryan had walked off in. "That."
"Right. Well, if you ever wanna talk about it..." Allison started.
"I know, 'you're always there.'" Jessica finished for her with a smile. "It's nice to have the option for once."
At that moment, the two's Morphers beeped.
"Rangers, we have a situation on Cycling Road." Fuji told them. After a brief moment of off-call conference, his voice came back. "We're picking up three different mutated DNA strands. Be on the lookout for multiple monsters."
"Got it." Allison agreed. "Call the others and get them on their way." she added. Ending the call, she and Jessica dashed off for Cycling Road.
Shortly, on Cycling Road...
As the Rangers arrived on the popular bike path, they were greeted with the sight of several dazed bikers, laying beside their toppled cycles and looking around in confusion.
"What happened here?" Ginger asked one as she wearily stood.
"A couple of weirdos." The lady told them, pointing off to the north. "Came flying through here like nothing I've ever seen. They headed that way."
"Thanks." The Green Ranger nodded and the team raced off in pursuit.
Before too long, they reached the northern end of Cycling Road.
"Still no sign of them..." Rick said, moments before a trio of lasers blasted the ground at their feet and sent them all flying.
"You had to say something." Brent groaned as he rose.
"Rangers!" Three figures approached the group as they got back to their feet. "Prepare to be crushed by the rough and rugged Raticate Riders!"
The creature on the right had the general appearance of a humanoid Arcanine, wearing a biker's outfit and with an oversized helmet on his head. Motorcycle parts were attached to several parts of his body, including a collection of exhaust pipes jutting from his back.
"Machanine!" He declared himself.
The middle monster was taller and bulkier, with a Gengar's face floating in a flicking blue fire where his head should be. He had dark purple skin and also wore a biker's outfit, with a small bit of an odd blue mist escaping from his body.
"Gengron!" He introduced himself.
The final monster had yellow skin and a Kadabra-like face, with a ponytail that looked oddly similar to a Kadabra's tail. Two glowing swords were strapped to his hips and spoons poked out from most of his joints.
"And Kabhora!" He gave his name.
"Kabhora?" Brent raised an eyebrow. "What are you, Abhora's uglier older brother?" Growling, Kabhora drew his blades.
"You're going to regret that remark." he snarled. Roaring, the three rushed forward to meet the Rangers.
Brent and Rick found themselves going up against Kabhora. The Black Ranger swung his Golem Mace down and Kabhora crossed his swords, catching the weapon by the handle. Brent moved behind him and fired his Blastoise Cannons, but Kabhora vanished, teleporting behind the Blue Ranger and slicing him in the back, sending him rolling forward.
"Psycho Cut!" Swinging one of his swords, a blade of psychic energy was fired out, the two Rangers rolling aside as it sailed past. As Kabhora leaped at him, Brent crossed his cannons.
"Protect!" Kabhora's blade stopped against the barrier, and he held his other ready in a defensive stance, keeping an eye on Rick as he tried to find an opening.
"Surprised?" he asked. "I'm not so easy to counter as my brother." Vanishing, he reappeared beside Rick and slashed him with both blades, knocking him off his feet. As Brent took the chance to fire at him, Kabhora whirled and caught the shots on his blade, spinning and flinging them back.
Meanwhile, Allison and Ginger were facing the Gengron, the leader of the group. Reaching up, he grabbed small pieces of the ever-burning fire on his head and hurled them, the Rangers dodging as they exploded around them.
"Thunderbolt!" Allison pointed her Pikachu Striker and fired, but Gengron dodged aside with a laugh.
"You'll have to try better than that, girls!" he grinned, hurling another, even larger fireball that managed to knock the two to the ground as it blew up between them. Pulling herself up, Ginger leaped over Gengron's head, throwing down her Venusaur Whip to wrap around him.
"I got him!" she called. "Go for it!"
"Thunderbolt!" As the Yellow Ranger fired again, Gengron turned intangible, floating free of his bindings and leaving the attack to shoot past and strike Ginger in the chest. "Ginger! I'm sor..." Gengron fired a fireball straight into her before she could finish apologizing, sending her flying back.
Elsewhere, Ryan and Jessica were dealing with Machanine. The Arcanine mutant caught both of their weapons as they swung at him and used them to fling the Rangers away. As the two flipped upright to land on their feet, Machanine was already beside them, swinging his fists.
Rolling under the punch, Ryan came up behind Machanine and swung his blade, but a jet of fire blasted from the pipes there to knocking him away. At the same time, it propelled Machanine forward and he raised his foot to slam a rocket-powered kick into the Violet Ranger.
"What's wrong?" he asked, dashing behind Ryan and grabbing him. "Can't keep up?" Lifting the Red Ranger up, he hurled him forward and raced after, punching him before he could land and sending him rolling to his sister's feet. As she helped Ryan up, Machanine fired a powerful fireball from his mouth, exploding around the Rangers and sending them flying with a yell.
Gathering together, the Raticate Riders high-fived each other as the Rangers staggered back into a group as well.
"Let's show them what we can really do." Gengron suggested. The others nodded and all three held up their hands, three motorcycles appearing in front of them. Each had a Raticate face on the front and a back to match their rider; flaming exhaust pipes for Machanine, glowing sword-shaped antennae for Kabhora, and a burning blue flame for Gengron.
Leaping on, the trio raced towards the Rangers, laughing wildly.
"Look out!" Ginger yelled, and the team rolled aside as the bikers rode past. Spinning, the three aimed as the Raticate mouths on their bike started to glow.
"Fire!" they all yelled, and the blast struck the Rangers and sent them to the ground, demorphing.
Laughing, Kabhora drew his blades.
"Time for my revenge!" he grinned. Before he could ride forward, Gengron grabbed his arm.
"Hold on." he said. "They're no match for us. Let's destroy them another time."
"What?" Kabhora glared at him. "Why?"
"You must learn to savor your victories, my friend." Gengron said, slapping him on the back. Leaning in, he whispered, "And as soon as we kill them, we'll have to deal with Mewtwovanni trying to make us his. Why don't we stretch out our time a little before then, huh?"
"Fine." Sheathing his sword, Kabhora revved his bike. "You got off lucky this time, Rangers. But I will be back to finish the job." Turning, the three took off into the distance.
Staggering to his feet, Ryan marched forward in the same direction.
"Where are you going?" Allison called.
"After them." he said. "You guys get back to the lab and report to Fuji."
"There's no way you'll catch them on foot." she pointed out. As Ryan turned back to glare at her, she looked down. "But if you somehow do, will you please call the rest of us?" Ryan said nothing as he turned and walked away.
Soon, at Fuji's Lab...
"What are we going to do, guys?" Allison asked she walked back in. "Ryan is..."
"Ryan will be fine." Brent told her. "Just give him time."
"I don't kow about that, Brent." Ginger said. "He's different now. He just seems so distant and angry all the time."
"He's in a lot of pain right now." Jessica said. "We both are. I just wish he would talk to somebody."
"He hasn't talked to you either?" Allison asked. Jessica shook her head sadly.
"I tried, believe me." She said with a sigh. "I just got my brother back and now I feel like I'm losing him again."
"Guys, trust me." Brent said. "I've known Ryan a long time and he always pulls through. Just give him some space and he'll work it out."
"But what if he can't?" Allison asked. "What if he needs our help and support and just won't admit it?"
"Rangers." Fuji greeted as he arrived up from the sub-lab. His face was smeared with grease. "Where's Ryan?"
"Out looking for those monsters." Allison told him.
"Alone?" Fuji raised an eyebrow.
"That's what he wanted." she said.
"Mmm." Fuji walked over to the computer and sat down. "Well, that's exceedingly reckless, given how they handled all of you."
"It's fine." Brent said. "He'll call us if he finds them."
"If you say so..." Fuji frowned as he pulled up Ryan's Morpher and tracked its location. "I get the feeling he's not searching though."
"Why?" Allison stepped forward and Fuji indicated the screen.
"He's in Celadon City." Fuji said. "Specifically..."
"Where it happened?" Allison sighed. "That can't be healthy."
"His search probably just led him towards it." Brent argued. "It's only natural he stop for a moment."
"You know, I would think you'd be more worried about your best friend." Allison said as she turned to face him.
"And I would think you'd have more faith in our leader." he fired back.
"Being leader doesn't make him perfect!" Allison snapped.
"And knowing him for maybe a month doesn't mean you know what's best for him!" Brent yelled.
"Enough, both of you!" Fuji stepped in. "Look, I've whipped together something that should even the odds against these new foes."
"Does it have anything to do with..." Ginger indicated his cheek, trying to lighten the mood. Fuji reached up and wiped it off.
"Yeah. Ryan won't answer his Morpher. I need somebody to go out there and get him so I can show you all." he told them.
"I'll go." Allison said.
"How about no, you've tried bothering him enough already?" Brent told her.
"Brent, I swear..." Allison growled.
"I'LL go." Jessica said before they could go any further. "You both need to calm down, and if anyone's going to talk to Ryan at that place, it's gonna be me."
Shortly, in Celadon City...
Ryan sat on the sidewalk, glaring at the spot where he and Jessica had faced off with Dr. Morrow. It had all been cleaned up, nothing remained to indicate the exact spot where anything had happened, but Ryan could tell. It was all etched in his memory forever.
Nearby, the Game Corner stood silent. The Rangers had ventured to the base hidden underneath it not long after, but it was empty. The whole group had cleared out, and now nobody knew where they were. Jessica had given them the location of several other bases, but they all turned up empty too.
The Elite Four had stepped in to shut down the gambling establishment after it was exposed as a front for Team Rocket. The group had been effectively forced out of the city, but it was nothing but a small victory.
"Hey." Ryan glanced up as Jessica sat down beside him. "You doing alright?" After a moment, Ryan closed his eyes.
"No." he admitted. "We've got to stop them, Jess."
"I know." she agreed. "But skulking around like this, going around on your own, isn't going to do it."
"You don't know that." he responded.
"I do know that." Jessica said. "I fought just two of them by myself and it nearly cost me my life. And I've seen Mewtwovanni's power firsthand. You haven't." She forced him to turn and face her. "It's going to take all of us to take them down."
"I don't..." Ryan started.
"Why, Ryan?" Jessica interrupted. "Why this lone wolf attitude? More than one of us are trying to be there for you and you just won't let us."
"I...I don't want any of you to get hurt." Ryan admitted. "I don't think it really dawned on me until everything that happened with our mom just how much is at stake. Team Rocket wants to kill us, all of us. If something were to happen to you, or Brent, or Allison, any of them...I don't know if I could forgive myself."
"It's not all about you, Ryan." Jessica told him. "Your friends know the risk. They decided to fight anyway. I knew the risk when I made the decision to join you. I decided to do so anyway." She stood and looked down at him. "Yes, we could die, but..."
Before she could finish, something raced by and knocked her off her feet.
"Jess!" Ryan helped her up as Machanine came to a halt nearby.
"You sure can!" he laughed. As Ryan and Jessica reached for their Morphers, he held up a hand. "Don't bother. I just wanted to offer a challenge."
"And what might that be?" Ryan snarled.
"I feel great, pretty much invincible." Machanine grinned, jogging in place. "And I'm just curious, is this mutation better than your powers?"
"Not a chance." Ryan said. Jessica nodded as well.
"Well then, I'm giving you the chance to prove it." he grinned. "One on one, in one hour. Send your best fighter. I'll be waiting on Cinnabar Island." Turning, he dashed off without waiting for them to accept.
"Come on, we've gotta get back." Jessica told her brother. "We need to tell the others."
"No." Ryan told her. "He wants a one-on-one, I'll give it to him."
"Ryan..." Jessica started to protest.
"Jess, please." Ryan grabbed her arm. "I can handle this. Just let me take him."
"If you think you can handle him alone, then why wouldn't we all be able to handle him together?" she asked.
"I'd rather not take the risk. Please!" There was real fear in his voice. Jessica gave him a long look.
"Fine." she said at last. "But first, I need you to come back to the lab. Fuji made something that he thinks will help us against these guys."
Shortly, in Fuji's Lab...
"Ryan." Fuji nodded as he and Jessica walked into the lab. "Are we..."
"We're good." Jessica spoke up.
"Good." Fuji stood up. "Then everyone, follow me downstairs." Fuji led the team down into the sub-lab, where a tarp covered a line of something. Gripping it, he turned to face them. "I give you, your new Pokémon Riders."
Fuji whipped away the tarp to reveal six motorcyles, each custom made to fit a specific ranger. Rick's had a Golem head front and hard stone armor like a Golem's body across it. Allison's had a lightning bolt shaped front and a Pikachu-like tail jutting from the back. Ginger's had a front shaped like a Venusaur's head and a Venusaur flower on the back. Brent's had twin Blastoise-style cannons on the front and shell-style armor across it. Ryan's had a Charizard head front and folded wings at the back. Jessica's had an Arbok head on the front and an Arbok tail on the back.
"Sweet." Rick walked up to his and ran his hand along it. "Did you just make these today?"
"I'm just that good." Fuji grinned. After a moment, he laughed. "No, I've been working on them for a while. These babies are fitted with everything a Ranger will need." He tapped the closest one, Jessica's. "They can drive at supersonic speeds and are outfitted with elemental abilities similar to your Ranger powers, electron attraction in the wheels that allows them to ride up and along vertical surfaces, and..." He flipped a switch on Jessica's and its wheels shifted, turning horizontal and spinning, making it hover in place. "A gyro mode that allows them to float right over difficult terrain and even across water."
"That's amazing." Ginger knelt and looked at the floating vehicle. "You've outdone yourself on this one."
"Thank you." he nodded proudly. "So the next time those biker monsters attack, you'll have a new ace up your sleeve."
Ryan and Jessica shared a quick look, the Red Ranger shaking his head.
"Right." Jessica agreed. "They have to show themselves again at some point."
A little bit later, as Ryan left the room with his bike, Jessica pulled Allison aside.
"You might want to get to Cinnabar Island." she told her.
"Why?" Allison asked. Jessica explained to her about how they encountered Machanine and he challenged them to a one-on-one.
"Ryan's going." she said. "I just want somebody watching his back. I'd go myself, but he's probably expecting that."
"Right." Allison nodded. "Thank you for telling me."
Meanwhile, out in the forests of Kanto...
"You what!?" Gengron snarled
"I have challenged the Rangers to send their best to face me one on one." Machanine declared.
"We're supposed to destroy the Rangers together!" Kabhora said angrily.
"You guys can have the rest." Machanine laughed. "But I'm going to take down the strongest of them."
"And which one would that be?" Gengron asked.
"I don't know." Machanine shrugged. "We'll see who they pick."
"Why?" Gengron asked. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because of you guys!" Machanine growled. "You've always treated me like I'm just the third guy of our group, like I'm the weakest. Well no more!" He waved his hand. "I feel more powerful than ever and I'm going to prove myself."
"You're risking your life just to be proud of yourself!?" Kabhora said in disbelief.
"What you're saying just isn't true." Gengron said. "We never thought of you as any lesser than us. We're the rough and rugged Raticate Riders." He indicated his insignia. "We have to stick together."
"Not a chance." Machanine shook his head. "You say that all you like, but your actions speak louder. I never get to do anything but tag along behind you two, but this time, I'm taking the lead, my way."
"Machanine..." Gengron started.
"Don't. Do not interrupt this battle." Machanine snarled. "If you do, I'm leaving, because I'll know you truly don't care in the slightest."
As Machanine ran off to his battle, Kabhora shook his head.
"Idiot." he muttered.
"Let him have his fight." Gengron decided. "We'll go keep an eye on it, but we'll let him have it." The two set off in pursuit of their third member. "If that's what it takes to prove ourselves to him."
Cinnabar Island, after the hour is up...
"Red Ranger." Machanine grinned as Ryan arrived to accept his challenge. "So you are the best of your team?"
"You'll see just how true that is." Ryan said, holding up his Morpher. "Poké Power, unleash! Charizard!"
"Let's see you back up that claim!" Machanine charged forward and Ryan drew his Charizard Saber.
"Air Slash!" Swiping, he hurled a blade of air low. As Machanine leaped over it, Ryan leaped as well and slammed his foot into the mutant's chest, knocking him back.
Rolling as he landed, Machanine caught Ryan's sword as he swung it down at him.
"Not bad." he grinned. "But still not a match for me!" Twisting the blade aside, he doubled Ryan over by kicking him in the stomach before stepping past and kicking him in the back to knock him away. As Ryan stood, Machanine spit a fireball at him.
Rolling aside from the blast, Ryan came up and pointed his blade.
"Flamethrower!" A jet of fire blasted from his weapon as Machanine dodged aside. Ryan adjusted the shot and followed him, but the Arcanine monster was easily keeping ahead of it. Springing off a building, he flipped over the Red Ranger and landed behind him.
"You'll have to do better than that." Machanine chuckled as he pinned Ryan's arms to his body. "Because I'm not even warmed up!" Breathing in, he blasted a fireball into Ryan's back point-blank, making the Red Ranger yell in pain as he was sent flying forward.
Holding out a hand, Machanine summoned his bike and hopped on. As Ryan pulled himself up, Machanine raced at him and fired a shot from the Raticate's mouth.
"Whoa!" Ryan leaped away as the blast exploded behind him. "Pokémon Rider!" His new cycle came zooming up and the Red Ranger landed on it, taking off after Machanine.
Looking back over his shoulder, Machanine grinned.
"Sweet ride." He swerved and turned towards Pokémon Mansion. "But let's see it keep up with me."
As Machanine neared the building, he tilted his bike back and a blast of flame emerged from the rear, shooting it up onto the roof. Ryan tilted back in a wheelie as well and ran for the wall, activating his tires' electron attaction.
Racing up the wall, he arrived on the roof with Charizard Saber drawn, slicing past Machanine. The monster skidded his bike to a halt.
"Not bad." He rubbed his arm where he had been hit. "You are good." Revving up, he rode for the edge. "Try to follow this!" Flying off, he landed on the water, driving at such speed that he was traveling across it without sinking. Ryan drove off after him, switching to Gyro Mode as he landed and sailing across the water's surface.
"Fire Blast!" The kanji appeared in front of Ryan's bike as he rode, shooting forward. Machanine twisted to the side as the attack exploded next to him, sending up a spray that rained down on him.
"Two fire types on the water." he laughed as he continued on. "What could go wrong?" Turning, he skidded in a semicircle, firing shots from his bike back. Ryan weaved between them, fountains of sea spray being kicked up all around him.
"Air Slash!" A blade of air fired across the ocean's surface from the bike's wings, kicking up a wave as it approached Machanine. Tilting back, he rocketed up above it and came down towards Ryan.
"You shouldn't try to outride an expert." he called as he passed by. His bike sped up as it continued on, going fast enough that flames flickered around it and steam was kicked up in its wake. Machanine circled, surrounding Ryan in a thick layer of steaming clouds before racing into it.
Ryan gasped in pain as he felt Machanine's bike slam into him, leaping into the air and twisting so that its back wheel hit him square in the chest. He was sent flying from his bike, skidding to a stop in shallow water near the island. As he pulled himself out onto the shore, Ryan turned to find Machanine racing straight at him.
"Goodbye, Red Ranger." Machanine grinned, barreling towards him.
"Ryan!" He turned as Allison rode up on her own Pokémon Rider. Aiming it towards the sea, she fired. "Thunderbolt!"
The electric attack struck the water near Machanine, spreading out through the water and into his bike. The Arcanine monster screamed as his motorcycle exploded beneath him, sending him flying onto the shore.
"You okay?" Allison asked, pulling to a stop beside Ryan.
"Thanks." He accepted her outstretched hand and she pulled him up. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking out for a friend. Jessica told me about it." Allison said.
"But, I told her..." Ryan started.
"Don't be mad." Allison told him. "She was just watching your back same as me. That's what we do."
"I didn't want you to risk it." Ryan said.
"You don't get to make that choice." Allison said firmly. "I know you don't want to lose anyone else, but neither do I! Do you think I want to lose you because you wouldn't let me help?" As Ryan looked down, feeling quite ashamed of himself at the worry in her voice, Machanine rose to his feet.
"You bastards!" he roared. "You destroyed my bike!" Turning to face, him Allison revved up.
"That's not all we're gonna destroy." she said, racing for him. Turning, Machanine made to dash away, weaving between buildings on the island. Allison kept close behind him until they finally reached an opening on the other side. "Thunderbolt!" The attack sent Machanine flipping off his feet and crashing to the ground.
"Hey." Ryan pulled up next to her on his Rider. "I'm sorry about, you know, the way I've been acting." he said. "Take him down together?"
"Of course." Allison smiled at him and the two raced for their foe as she staggered up dizzily.
"Let's combine elements." Ryan suggested, pulling their bikes closer. Allison nodded.
"Dual Burn: Plasma Storm!" They called. Ryan's bike fired a tremendous ball of fire, Allison's electricity sparking around it as it was conducted throughout. Machanine roared as the attack crashed into him and he exploded, the two Rangers riding straght through the flames and skidding to a halt on the other side.
Not far away...
"Machanine, no!" Gengron yelled as they watched the blast.
"I told you we should've destroyed those Rangers before." Kabhora growled, drawing his blades. "Let's get out there and take them down!"
"Agreed." Gengron nodded.
"Well boys..." The two turned as Mewtwovanni approached them. "It seems you're down a member and there are no Rangers destroyed."
"A mistake we are about to correct." Gengron said as he made to summon his bike.
"I could bring him back, you know." Mewtwovanni told them, holding up his hand as a green sphere formed in it. "I could bring your friend back to life."
"You can?" Gengron looked at him in surprise. He and Kabhora glanced at each other.
"All you have to do is swear loyalty to me." Mewtwovanni grinned. "Do that, and Machanine will be reborn." There was silence as the two considered it.
"Yes, fine." Gengron said at last.
"We will serve you, master Mewtwovanni." Kabhora nodded.
"Now bring our stupid friend back." Gengron added.
"Very well. Come with me; he's still got a fight to finish. Grow!"
Back with the Rangers...
"Whoa!" Machanine looked at himself as the Growth Ball reformed him at skyscraper size. "I'm huge!"
"We better get the others." Allison suggested.
"On it." Ryan agreed, pressing his Morpher. "Guys, we need help on Cinnabar Island. Get here as fast as you can. Also, Onix Carrier Zord!"
The Onix dug its way onto the surface and released the Zords, Ryan and Allison jumping into theirs.
Machanine blasted a fireball and Ryan swerved his Charizard Zord aside, circling towards him.
"Wing Attack!" Machanine dodged away as the Charizard Zord narrowly missed wiith its attack and soared past.
"Pokémon Megazord!" Ryan called. The Zords combined and Allison and Ryan transferred to its cockpit, the others arriving just in time to join them.
"You took this guy on alone!?" Brent asked in shock. "Come on, Ryan; I thought you knew better than that!"
"Sorry." Ryan cringed. "But we're all here now."
"Onix Venomzord!" Jessica combined her Zords with the Onix's connecting segments and stood beside them. "Yes, we are." she added as her screen popped up near the Rangers' controls.
"Thanks, by the way." Ryan told her. "Thanks for being smarter than I was."
"No problem." she brushed it aside. "Now, let's take this guy down for good."
"You think those sluggish tin cans are a match for me?" Machanine scoffed. Dashing around the Megazords, he punched and kicked from multiple directions as they struggled to turn and strike him before he moved.
"He's too fast!" Ryan said. "Our Megazords can't keep up with him!"
"But I know what can." Ginger stepped back from her controls. "Scyther Zord!" The Onix released her other Zord and she jumped over into it. "Agility to max!"
As Machanine ran through the town, Ginger chased after him in her Zord, easily catching up.
"Cut!" Raising the Sycther's blades, she leaped and slashed across Machanine's leg, sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Nice work." Ryan called as the Megazord arrived, Machanine rising and clutching his leg. "Let's finish him off."
"Jessica, mind if I join you?" Ginger called.
"Sure thing." Jessica separated the Onix Drill and the Scyther Zord split in two, attaching to the Megazord's arms. The Scyther's head clicked over the Tentacruel's face as a mask.
"Onix Venomzord: Blade Mode!" the two called as Ginger joined the Violet Ranger in her cockpit. Machanine growled and spit a fireball at the two Megazords.
"Hydro Pump!" The Pokémon Megazord fired its cannons and pushed through the attack, striking Machanine as he roared in pain.
"X Scissor!" Raising its arms as the Scyther Blades glowed, the Onix Venomzord slashed down at opposite angles, slicing Machanine between them.
"I may have fallen..." Machanine growled as he fell to one knee, sparks flying from his body. "But I will be avenged!" Pitching forward, he exploded into nothingness once more.
"Excellent work, everyone." Ryan congratulated his team as the two Megazords stood victorious.
Later, at Fuji's lab...
"Hey, Allison?" Brent approached the Yellow Ranger as she was bandaging up Ryan. He'd gotten a nasty cut and a cracked rib when Machanine's bike slammed into him. At the time, he'd been too pumped full of adrenaline to notice.
"Yeah?" She looked up at him.
"I just wanted to say, I'm sorry for what I said before." he said. "I didn't realize just how much Ryan needed us until I found out he'd gone off on his own for real. I should've been there."
"Nah, it's okay. I would've just pushed you away too." Ryan told him. He turned to Allison. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. I never should've..." Allison pressed a finger to his lips.
"Shush. You guys are both fine." she said. "I'll always be there for you guys, just like I know you'll always be there for me. That's what friends are for."
"Yeah..." Ryan looked away. "Friends."
"Right." Allison nodded. "Now please, no more nearly killing yourself."
"Okay." Ryan smiled. "Promise."
As Allison walked away and headed downstairs, Jessica, who was standing nearby, smirked.
"She's a sweetheart, and damned cute too." she told Ryan. "You should go for it."
"Don't you start." Ryan muttered as Jessica and Brent burst out laughing at his flabbergasted experession.
Next Time: An old friend of Rick's shows up with a lot of disappointment at him leaving his Gym Leader position. Can he prove that he's still dedicated to Pokémon Training in his new life? Find out next time in "On Safari"
(A/N: Couple days early this week, as I won't be able to be online my usual time on Friday. Character Q&A (in its new form) will be up next week alongside Chapter 20. Not much else to say right now; I don't have much time while uploading this, but I hope you all enjoyed. Mewtwo, out!)