Chapter 21 – Chase

"I am certain that they would run that way!" Trey pointed to the right, towards the lamp lit street. Simple houses lined the far side of the street, normally neat lawns strewn with bright yellow and orange leaves. Dozens of small, tidy bushes lined the walkway. If the Rangers had wanted too, they could feel the distinct chill in the air; fall was already well on its way to winter. When the Galaxy Rangers had first peeked their heads outside it had been in the midst of a very warm summer. So much time had passed since then.

"No, they went this way," Flynn said pointing to the left, where Arthur's backyard was. A tall wooden fence blocked their view of the yard itself but they knew what it looked like. A pair of evergreens hiding among a dozen or so beautifully red oak trees.

"Why can't you just admit it? We've lost their trail." Kira sat down on a smooth rock, "We've been at this for an hour now and we haven't seen a single glimpse of them."

"Maybe if we go around the house one more time," Danny suggested. They had already gone around once, but it had taken most of the hour they had been searching. It wasn't that they took a long time to get places, although that was a problem. There had been a particularly vicious bluebird that had swooped down from nowhere and flew away with Corcus in its claws. They had been forced to climb up a tree and rescue poor Corcus. They don't think that the bird hadn't meant any harm, it flew away as soon as they got close. It had dropped Corcus into open air, he had been lucky to grab onto a thin twig and pull himself up to a branch. This had shown them that they had to watch out for animals now that they were so much smaller than they were used to.

"Ugh," Dana shook her head, "If I climb over that fence one more time, I'm going to tear it down."

"You had it easy," Corcus said with a snort. "I had to fly over it."

"Then what should we do," Danny asked. "Go back?"

"Start walking." Kira stood, "Maybe we'll find a clue."

"Wait," Trey said, quickly crouching next to clump of dying weeds. "Look." Across the street a group of shadows and one really bright red light were flitting from bush to bush. Trey grinned, "I told you they would be across the street."

Flynn frowned, "Yeah, just rub it in…"

"They're quicker than us," Danny said. Even with Vinjix to lug around, the group in front of them outmatched the Rangers at full speed. They were having a hard time keeping up, much less gain any ground. "I don't know if we can catch them."

"Then let's run faster," Kira said as she ran easily through the open grass.

"That's easy for you to say," Trey muttered. He sighed silently and forced his legs to move faster.

"How," Corcus asked, panting, as they stopped for a quick rest break. "How are they moving so quickly? If I had a two ton column of condescending metal, I'd have dropped to the ground in exhaustion by now."

"We're getting closer I think," Danny noted, watching to make sure the red light they had been following wasn't moving. "It's a good thing they've stopped as well."

"We could just attack them now," Trey suggested even though he seemed to be having a harder time than the rest. "They must be as tired as we are."

Kira disagreed. "But we wouldn't be able to do anything while we're this tired. We'll have to take the Sword by stealth anyways, we couldn't take them head to head."

"So what, we just follow them? At the pace they're setting, we wouldn't last another hour. We can't keep this up." He couldn't keep this up but he kept that part unsaid.

They had been running so long that the sun was beginning to rise and the streetlights were beginning to flicker off. The Rangers almost wished it would stay dark. Tracking the red light that emanated from Venjix's column was a lot easier in the dark. Now they would have to follow the small breaks in branches that the villains left while pushing through the bushes. They weren't the best at tracking, giant monsters were usually pretty easy to find, but they were getting better. The houses and lawns had over time given way to empty dirt roads and clumping trees. They were beginning to notice how leaves looked when something had been hauled across it or how over a dozen tiny feet broke the streams of grass.

Seeing the small red dot begin to move again, Danny let the others know and they wearily climbed to their feet. They may not have muscles to get sore anymore but they still felt the strain of having to move at high speeds for a long time.

Dana sighed, "If only we knew where they were going, we could find some other way there. A way that required a lot less running."

"How much further," A-Squad Blue asked. "I'm really getting tired of pulling this useless tin can around."

Venjix growled, "I am the only one in this group that can talk to machines. Without me, you would be lost in a day."

"Quiet, both of you," Astronema commanded, annoyed at their constant bickering. She turned to Psycho Red, "Are they still following us?"

Psycho Red smirked, "Yes, they think they staying hidden but a child could spot them without really trying."

"Do you think they'll try and follow us the whole way?"

"Or try and reclaim the Sword before then, yes."

Charlie snorted, "Oh, let's just get rid of them. I could take my team and take them out. Twenty seconds, tops."

"No," Astronema said. "We will let them follow us, and fend them off if they try to take the Sword. Once we find out what we were missing to make this stupid Sword work, we'll need a few Rangers around anyway."

Venjix spoke up, "And my body?"

"Yes Venjix, we know." Astronema sighed, this was about the fourth time he'd asked about his promised body. They were getting more than a bit annoyed. "We'll find you with a body when we get there. I have no doubt that you'll like one where we're going. From what you heard through that computer, this kid has the largest of toys in the area. Something will catch your fancy." She motioned for the others to keep going, "According to the map, we've still got a few hours journey." She paused, stroking the Sword of Light and smiling, "And let's slow down. We wouldn't want the Rangers to lose interest."

Red Psycho glanced at the Sword in Astronema's hand, noting how the color of the blade had darkened ever so slightly since leaving the child's house. Curious. But then, he reasoned, glancing at the moon lit sky, maybe it was simply the change in light. "All right everybody, move out."

"Ok, let's try and get that Sword now." Trey was tired. He was tired of walking, tired of running but most of all he was tired of letting these villains dictate his life. They needed the Sword back and they were going to get it. If only because it meant he wouldn't have to run anymore.

"Are you sure? Because I really don't feel like being tossed into a tree." Flynn had been tossed into many things, cars mostly, but he had never wanted a repeat performance of that particular pain.

"Well they've been stopping more and more so either they're fighting amongst each other, which would be great, or they're getting closer to where they're going and they're planning something. Either way, now is the time, I think."

"So it's a win win," Kira asked.

"Exactly."

"Hey," Dana commented, stretching her strangely sore arms, "I don't mean to be the one with the common sense here but Eric, Bridge, Shane, Karone and one of the original Power Rangers couldn't beat them. We really don't have a chance of taking them on."

"Well we're already here," Danny said as he kept watch on the Psycho Rangers through the thick trees. "And we promised Zordon that we would get that Sword back."

"Does anybody have a plan then?"

"Not really," Kira admitted. "I'm not really the planning type. That's Ethan's territory."

Corcus grinned, "Sooooo, wing it?"

"Sure, why not."

"Can we at least plan something," Trey asked, daunted by the idea of blindly charging forward. "Winging it doesn't always work. Please?"

Kira shook her head, "But none of us are very good at it."

"Well, I'm not exactly up to Dr. K's standards of planning," Flynn said with a shrug. He grinned, "But I have to admit, I've had my moments."

"So you have a plan," Trey asked, relieved.

Flynn's grin faltered, "Well…not yet."

"If they don't do it soon," Charlie complained, "I'm going to go find back there and make sure they haven't died." Venjix's red light lit up but Charlie cut him off, "And if you tell me, the best plans require patience, one more time, I'm going to take that column of yours and throw it in a lake. Or ocean. Whichever's closer."

"Shhh," Astronema hissed. The group tensed, hearing a leaf crack somewhere around them. Astronema nodded subtly and they tried to act normal. Charlie and Venjix continued to fight, A-Squad Green and Blue continued to play rock-paper-scissors while the rest laid back on the piles of leaves, napping to all appearances.

They waited this way for a full minute before they heard another leaf crackle and numerous something's fell from the sky.

A-Squad Yellow kicked one with his foot in confusion, "Acorns?"

Then they were attacked. Sharp claws and brown fur. Furry brown tails and dark, beady black eyes. They were being swarmed and were quickly overwhelmed.

"What are these monsters," Psycho Yellow screamed, fighting away one of the beasts. She tried to run but an acorn hit her square in the head and the thing behind her clawed her aside to reach it.

"They're squirrels," A-Squad Blue shouted back, leaping gracefully over a log to get away from the pack. "But I've never seen them attack people before!" He ducked down into a hole in the log, hiding.

Psycho Yellow screamed, desperately trying to keep away from the sharp claws, "Well I'm betting it's because we aren't really people anymore!" She tried to join A-Squad Blue but he shoved her back into the open where the same squirrel clawed her into a tree.

They fought, harder than then they had ever fought the Rangers. These animals were larger than them, stronger than them and, even worse, determined. Squirrels are cute creatures but in the months leading up to winter, if there's food involved, they can turn nasty and territorial. The Psycho Rangers had never seen these furry animals before but they soon learned to respect them.

The pair of Green's teamed up back to back but were unable to keep a single speedy squirrel at bay but failed when A-Squad Pink stumbled into them, tossed by one of the other animals. Psycho Black joined them and the four of them were able to keep on the offensive, forcing one squirrel to turn and run.

"Gah!" Astronema tried to shove one of the giant beasts away but it was so much larger than her that she failed and was clawed across the face for her trouble. As she struggled to her feet, she called out to Psycho Red, who appeared as if teleported.

He scowled and stared at the hungry animal, eyes bright and burning with rage. He focused his ever burning hatred into one single word, "No."

Overwhelmed, the poor squirrel instantly wilted and fled. It had never before encountered a force like that thing behind it. All its little brain knew was that figure was bad news and it needed to get far, far away.

It was another five minutes before the group could run the three other squirrels off. During the process of ridding their area of the many acorns that had caused the attack, they noticed that the reason for their flight was missing. The Sword of Light had been stolen. Again.

The Rangers laughed as they ran, their spirits buoyed by their sudden and unexpected victory.

"Did you see the way they folded? That Blue one hid while the others tried to fight. I bet they're still back there fighting." Dana laughed, "Squirrels…brilliant Flynn, really brilliant."

"Thank you, thank you," Flynn said, attempting to bow while jumping a large fallen branch.

"And," Corcus added, turning his head to talk to the other Rangers behind him, "when Kira threw that acorn and hit the Yellow one…priceless!"

Kira grinned, "It was the least I could do. She's a disgrace to the color yellow!"

"This thing is really sweet," Danny said as he swung it in front of him, taking off a thin branch without any effort. "I wonder if Zordon could make me one too."

"Doubt it," Trey said, breathlessly. "He acted like it was one of a kind."

Corcus dropped back from the front of the group to join the conversation, "Naw. I bet there's tons of these things." He leaned in closer to examine the Sword, "It looks like any other sword. Maybe a bit shinier."

"Well, we should be able to get this back of Zordon," Kira said. "We have a head start."

"Yeah," Trey said, through his gulps for air, "but so did they when they first started and we had trouble catching them."

There was a long pause after this observation while the Rangers let this information process. "Sooo," Corcus drawled, "run faster?"

The Rangers exchanged glances and sped up. They all knew that if it came down to a face to face fight, without squirrels to assist them, they would lose.

Kira watched Trey begin to fall behind, he was obviously reaching the end of his rope and wouldn't be able to keep up with them much longer. They weren't going to make it back at this rate. "We'll have to stop and hide."

Flynn who had been running next to Trey, making sure he didn't just drop from exhaustion, nodded. "We'll slow down and find somewhere."

"Why?" Corcus hadn't seen Trey slowing down.

Kira fumbled to come up with a reason. She couldn't draw attention to Trey's inability to keep up, it would be rude.

Danny leaped in, "I'm tired and I don't think I can go much further."

Corcus rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

The group dashed quickly to the left, away from the straight path they'd been following, and slowed down to a walk, looking for any place to hide.

"Are we ready to go now?" Trent was eager to get going but one member of their group seemed determined to slow them down.

Gemma grinned at him, "Yeah, yeah, I'm ready now." She shifted her backpack on her shoulders, "I just had to get a few things."

"Toys," Karone asked, curious.

Gemma's grinned widened, "A few."

"Come on," Trent urged, shifting impatiently. He glanced back at Arthurs room, suddenly feeling nervous. This was a whole new world and this room was the only place he'd been. Supposedly it was similar to his own world but who was to say the trees actually ate people in this world?

Carter clapped him on the back, "Calm down kid. We're going."

"We need to go faster!"

"Then let's go!" Carter and Trent looked around but Gemma and Karone were nowhere around them. They leaned out the window and saw the pair on the ground, Gemma waved up at them, "I thought you were in a hurry!"

Trent stared at them, "How did they get down there so fast?" He turned to Carter to get his assessment but found he wasn't there either. Instead he found Carter plummeting to the ground, yelling in delight. He landed, stumbled a bit, then caught his footing.

Carter looked back up the window, "There are some advantages to being plastic. Coming slow-poke?"

Flashing a quick grin, Trent leapt out the window.

*AN*

Will the Rangers be able to keep the Sword out of evil's hands? Will Team 2 be able to catch up and find them? Or will Psycho Red and Astronema discover the Sword's true power and destroy the universe?

Odds(in order asked): 15%, 10%, 75%

Hm….don't like the look of those odds. Here's hoping something finally goes right for the Rangers in the next chapter!

*CL*

Search and Destroy Team 1

Dana – Pink Lightspeed Ranger

Corcus – Black Alien Ranger

Danny – Black Wild Force Ranger

Flynn – Blue RPM Ranger

Trey – original Gold Zeo Ranger

Kira – Yellow Dino Thunder Ranger

The Competent Crew(CC)

Red Psycho Ranger – Villain from In Space

Pink Psycho Ranger

Blue Psycho Ranger

Black Psycho Ranger

Yellow Psycho Ranger

Astronema – Villain from In Space

Ecliptor – Villain from In Space

Venjix - Villain from RPM

A-Squad Red(Charlie) – Villain from SPD

A-Squad Blue

A-Squad Green

A-Squad Yellow

A-Squad Pink.

Search and Destory Team 2

Karone – Pink Galaxy Ranger

Gemma – Silver RPM Ranger

Trent – White Dino Thunder Ranger

Carter – Red Lightspeed Ranger