Power Rangers Nexus
Chapter 25: Ninjetti Storm Part 3
Tommy watched, impressed, as the Yellow Lion Zord reared back, forming the body and left arm of a Megazord. The Blue Dolphin Zord snapped on as the right arm, and the Red Hawk attached to the top, forming the head.
"What do you call this one?" he asked.
"Storm Megazord," Angel replied.
"Should we help?" Stephen asked.
"Nah, they got it," Lolli said. "Besides," she gestured towards the portal. "We have bigger problems."
"Big evil cockroach monster, running free in our dimension," Deacon added. "Yeah, I'd say that's a problem. What do you think he's after?"
"Our temples, probably," Lolli said. "That's about all that's there."
"There's nothing else besides the two temples?" Tommy asked. "Nothing at all?"
"Nope. Well….the Light Sage hinted that there used to be three, but I've checked, and there's no sign of the third one anywhere. So if it ever existed, I think it's gone now."
"Woah….cool," Fox said, her eyes on the Zord battle taking place behind them. At her words, everyone turned to watch.
The Storm Megazord has somehow slimmed down, becoming more agile and streamlined. Blades had unfolded from its ankles, and a similar pair had appeared in its hands. As they watched, the Megazord leapt up into the air, and froze there, body turned to the side, head turned to face Golemar.
With a sound not unlike that of legos snapping together, massive bars of steel began to appear from the Storm Megazord's feet, each one attaching to the last, forming a ramp that led down to the ground where Golemar stood. The blades the Zord held and the ones on its legs grew, forming a razor-sharp wheel around the massive construct.
All this happened in less than a second. Then, the Megazord began cartwheeling down the track, gaining speed and, as it reached the end, slicing Golemar cleanly in half. The two pieces fell to the sides, then exploded.
Terina squinted. "That attack took a while. Was it too big and heavy to get out of the way in time?" she asked. "Or just stupid?"
"Does it matter?" Lolli asked, as the three Rangers teleported out of their Megazord to stand with the others.
"No," the Yellow Ranger said. "I guess not."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The Rangers piled back into their pocket dimension through the still-open portal.
"So what now?" Terina asked, sitting down on a convenient rock.
"We have to find Armageddo," Tommy said.
"We should also make sure the temples are defended," Troy added. "And close the portal."
"Can't the Ninja defend the temple?" Tommy asked.
"Not on their own," Fox said. "Those aren't actually people, they're more like…magic, brought to life. They know how to fight, but not much else. They need someone to organize them."
"One from each temple will have to go," Angel observed. "The army of one temple won't take orders from a representative of the other."
Troy and Kalen exchanged a glance, knowing full well that each was the best strategist that his or her Temple had to offer.
"We're on it," Troy said, turning on his heel and marching down the mountain into the valley that contained the temples.
"Don't have too much fun without us," Kalen added, following.
"And the rest of us?" Stephen asked.
"Angel, Myk, Stephen, Lolli, you stay here. Try to get the portal closed, and stop anything else that tries to come through," Tommy instructed, lapsing into leader-mode. He'd tried to ditch that tendency, since most of the Terran Rangers tended to give him dirty looks when he started issuing orders, but sometimes, old habits were hard to break. "The rest of you, come with me. We're going hunting."
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Armageddo stopped abruptly. He was being followed. He could sense his pursuers, sense their energy. It wasn't the same energy he was tracking, but there was a similar flavor to it…And lots of it. These hunters were strong.
Well, they would see who hunted whom. He could spare some time from his hunt to pick off a few troublemakers.
Crouching, the monster flexed his powerful legs, sending him hurtling up into the branches of the trees overhead. He settled into a reasonably comfortable position and waited patiently for his followers to pass beneath him.
He was not disappointed.
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"You two seem a lot friendlier than I remember," Tommy said, trying to make conversation as the group made their way through the forest, following traces of Armageddo's passage.
Fox and Deacon exchanged a glance. They were among the only Rangers who could possibly benefit from this sort of thing, as their faceplates could open. The two had been walking a lot more closely together, and once Tommy had even thought he'd seen Fox lay her head on Deacon's shoulder.
"Yeah, well, a little thing like the world falling apart can make you re-think things," Fox said.
"Funny how that works," Deacon added, smirking.
Terina knelt down and began poking at the grass. "He came this way. We should have brought Angel, he's better at this than me."
"My old powers would have been perfect for this sort of thing," Fox lamented.
"So how come Myk doesn't use his sword anymore?" Tommy asked. "Did he lose that along with the Bronze Powers?"
"Sword?" Terina asked.
"You mean the one on his back?" Electra suggested. "Like mine?"
"No, I mean the one he got from that planet. Um…Ynarra. The shining white sword."
The other Rangers exchanged a few puzzled glances.
"Um. Tommy?" Fox asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Myk's never used a sword," Deacon said. "I don't think he knows how."
Tommy glanced sideways at Deacon. "How do you not remember the sword? You were there when he found it. You were teaching him to use it."
"Do time jumps cause brain damage?" Deacon asked as a reply.
Tommy shook his head, puzzled. Maybe time jumps DID affect memories. It had never happened before, but then, he'd never time-hopped quite like that before. If his memories of the sword were faulty, then how many of his other memories were? His memories of home…of Kat and the others….
This train of thought was quite disturbing to Tommy. It therefore came as quite a relief when Armageddo dropped from the branches above, swinging his massive paw in a backhanded blow that caught Tommy across the face, sending him flying headfirst into the trunk of a very solid tree.
Deacon and Fox fell into combat positions, their faceplates sliding closed, but before either could do anything, Armageddo grabbed both Mara and Terina by the waists and leapt back up into the foliage.
"Hey!" Electra cried. 'Give those back!"
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Oof!" Terina found herself thrown bodily to the ground at the edge of a small cliff, a wall of rock perhaps twelve feet high at the edge of the forest. Below the ridge stretched a number of jagged rocks, but beyond that was a smooth, grassy meadow. A second impact informed her that Mara, too, had just been thrown to the ground.
The two Rangers managed to stumble t their feet just as Armageddo landed between them and the edge of the forest, leaping down from the canopy with a heavy THUD.
"Elephant, cockroach, armadillo," Terina listed. "Funny how nobody noticed gorilla."
Armageddo took a few steps forward, leering at them.
"Double team?"
"Pincer attack," Terina suggested.
"Check.
Terina leapt into the air, somersaulting over Armageddo's head to land behind him, so that he was standing between the two Rangers.
"Avia Javelin!" Mara cried, a long, shining pink pole arm appearing in her open hand. With the sort of strength only a Power Ranger can muster, she threw it directly at Armageddo.
"Ursa Claws!" Terina invoked at the same time, a pair of metal claws appearing and attaching themselves to her forearms. She leapt through the air, arms outstretched, preparing to drive her claws deep into Armageddo's back…but he spun around at the last minute, stepping to the side and allowing the tiny Yellow Ranger to fly past him harmlessly, her attack missing completely. As she flew past, he grabbed her ankle and swung her through the air, throwing her directly towards Mara….and into the path of Mara's javelin.
There was a splitting pain in Terina's midsection as Mara's weapon pierced her armor, its barbed point emerging from her back. As the Yellow Ranger curled up in pain, she collided with Mara, her claws carving deep gouges in the Pink Ranger's helmet. The impact carried them both over the edge of the ridge to come crashing amongst the jagged rocks below. There was a flash of pink and yellow light as both Rangers demorphed.
Armageddo grinned, crouching in preparation to leap down to where the girls lay, but before he could move, a powerful blast struck him in the leg. The injure limb buckled, and he almost fell over. Growling, he turned to face to forest.
Fox strode purposefully out of the woods, her Crimson Blaster leveled at his head, Tommy, Deacon, and Electra trailing close behind.
"Say cheese," Fox grinned, preparing to pull the trigger again, this time aiming the blast for right between his eyes.
Armageddo roared, and, forgetting entirely his injured leg, leapt forward.
Fox's eyes went wide, and at the last possible moment she rolled aside. Unfortunately, standing right behind her was Electra.
Unfortunately for Armageddo, that is.
"Lion Hammer!"
There was a massive CLANG! as the weapon struck Armageddo's armor plating, and the impact sent the mutation flying through the air like a deformed and very ugly baseball. He fell over the edge, crashing onto the rocks below with an unpleasant crunch.
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Armageddo winced as the bony plates that protected his body cracked against the sharp rocks. He pulled himself to his feet, managing to stand on a few of the flatter and more stable stones. Making a mental note to avid giant yellow hammers in the future, he prepared to jump back up to the top of the cliff where his opponents were waiting….but paused, sniffing, as a hint of flowery perfume assaulted his nose.
Glancing over, he saw the Pink and Yellow Rangers, both barely conscious and struggling to regain their senses. A cruel smile crossed his twisted face and he took a step towards them.
"Navy Antler!"
The monster blinked as a powerful, blue metal pincer clamped itself around his midsection, causing his bony armor to crack still further. Turning, he saw the Navy Ranger standing behind him.
Giving and impatient growl, Armageddo backhanded Deacon, knocking him and his Antler back a considerable distance, then turned his attention back towards the girls.
Deacon rolled his head, cracking his neck. "Ow. Okay, now you've pissed me off."
Unsheathing the staff from his back, Deacon attached his Antler to the end, the weapon snapping into place with a bright blue flash. Rushing forward faster than the eye could follow, he thrust his weapon forward, the Antler clamping down on Armageddo once more.
Armageddo let out a scream this time as the vise-like pincer crushed his already damaged armor, driving shards of bone into his flesh.
Deacon gritted his teeth and heaved, lifting the beast up into the air on the end of his weapon, arclets of blue electricity running from him to the weapon to the monster, then, as hard as he could, flung the staff forward, sending Armageddo flying right into the rocky face of the cliff, luckily several yards to the left of the still unsteady Mara and Terina.
Armageddo groaned in pain, but refused to be defeated by these creatures. Conjuring his sword, he used it to help pull himself to his feet.
"Prima Swords!"
Something red flashed through the air, knocking his sword out from under him and causing him to fall flat onto his face. There was a second flash, though he felt this one rather than saw it as the blade cut across his back, slicing into his flesh and carving deep gouges in his bony plates.
Tommy whirled his twin swords, preparing to sever this creature's head.
Desperate to get away, Armageddo rolled, away from the rocky wall and into the field of jagged rocks. This did nothing for his already damaged armor, but it got him away from the swords. That was a start.
Struggling to his feet, the monster glowered at the assembled Rangers that stood before him, the rocky face of the cliff to their backs. Armageddo reached behind his back and produced (though no one cared to ask exactly from where) something that looked like a small silvery sphere with a much smaller silver orb embedded in the top…a bottle. Popping the stopper off, he guzzled its contents in a single gulp.
"Oh, shit," Fox said.
"What? Tommy asked. "What is it?"
"Ooze of Evolution," Deacon replied.
"Zedd received it as a gift from one of the other intergalactic supervillians as a thank you for shutting down the Morphin Grid," Electra explained. "It lets a monster…"
Armageddo let out a roar of pain as his bony plates began to rearrange, hardening and thickening until they covered his body entirely. The sharp, jagged rocks began to vibrate, shaking themselves loose from the soil, a few of them coming loose and flying directly at the chunk of bone that was Armageddo. At first the rocks simply stuck, like magnets to a refrigerator, but then they began to sink into the bone.
"Absorb part of the environment to become stronger," Electra finished, hammer held ready.
Fox fired off a blast, but it simply glanced off the rocky, bony object before them. Either the armor had become too strong, or the monster simply couldn't be damaged until the effect was complete.
Once all the rocks had been absorbed, the shell began to unfold, revealing a much improved Armageddo. His bony plates were now adorned with jagged spikes, his skin had gone from a dull brown to a polished gray, and he had become much larger. In addition to these changes, all the damage they had already done to him seemed to have been erased.
Armageddo produced his sword, which had also become larger and spikier, and aimed it at the Rangers, grinning a jagged rocky grin.
"We're screwed," Mara observed.
A shrill whistle from above drew everyone's attention, including Armageddo's. The monster glanced sharply upwards, and the Rangers all turned around to see whom atop the ridge had done it.
Standing there was a Ranger none of them had ever seen before. His armor was a deep, emerald green, and his visor was cut in the shape of a four-pointed star. A similar star was printed on his chest, the golden, vest-like shield he wore neatly cut to reveal the insignia. A strange groove ran around his helmet, almost as if the top had been sliced off and then reattached, and he carried what appeared to be a green baseball bat.
This bat he held up to his faceplate, handle to his mouth, as though he expected it to function as a megaphone.
As it turned out, it was a megaphone.
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" the Ranger cried, his voice distorted but amplified by the device, sounding for all the world like a game show host. "Monsters of all ages! Introducing, the one, the only, Green Samurai!"
The Ranger leapt down from his perch, flipping through the air and landing neatly on his feet between the Rangers and Armageddo. Twisting the handle of his bat-like contraption, he pulled a long, shining blade out of the thick sheath.
"You….you have the power…" Armageddo growled, sensing the violently vivid green surge of power for which he'd been searching living within this strange green person.
Tossing the sheath aside, the Ranger leapt into battle with Armageddo, his style seeming more showoffish than actually dangerous.
"Yes, the Green Samurai! It dices, it slices, it makes Julian fried monster six different ways! But wait, there's more! If you order now, you'll also recieve, free of charge, the Samurai Saber! This marvel of magical samurai engineering is guaranteed never to break, bend, chip, crack, or blunt, and will never, that's right, never need sharpening! Now how much would you pay?"
Deacon tilted his head to the side. "Noooo....," he said.
"Couldn't be," Fox added.
"Hello!" the mystery Ranger cried. "My name is Inigo Montoya! You killed my father! Prepare to die!" The Green Samurai ducked and feinted, stabbed and parried, neatly blocking all of the monster's attacks but not bothering with any of his own, apparently enjoying putting on a show.
"It is..." Electra whispered, a grin slowly spreading across her face beneath her helmet.
"Hello!" the Green Samurai yelled again. "My name is Inigo Montoya! You killed my father! Prepare to die! Hello! My name is Inigo Montoya! You killed my--"
"What are you talking about?" Armageddo shrieked.
"Okay, first of all,"" the Green Samurai said, as his blade crossed with Armageddo's yet again. "You're supposed to wait for your cue. Secondly, that's not your line. Your line is, "Stop saying that!". At least try to stick to the script."
Armageddo's eyes were wide with confusion. "You're a loony!" he yelled.
The Green Samurai sighed. "I can't work like this."
Armageddo made a low swipe, trying to knock the Green Samurai's feet out from under him, but the Ranger flipped over backwards, neatly dodging the attack as well as putting some distance between himself and the monster.
"Super Samurai Mode!" the Green Samurai said. Unclasping the fasteners at the sides of his belt buckle, the Ranger disconnected the golden shield he wore, the heavy metal falling to the ground with enough force to crack the stone. The black star in the center of his chest became fully revealed as the silhouette of a bird. Reaching up, the Rangers ran his hand across his faceplate, causing the entire top of his helmet to rotate. The image on top of the helmet fell down into position as his new visor, its shape that of a bird identical to the one on his chest.
"You want to fight me wearing LESS armor?" Armageddo said, puzzled. "You ARE a loony."
"I never denied that," the Green Samurai replied. "But look how much faster I am without it!" Then, with a flash of green, he was gone.
"What? Where did--" the monster began.
Flash! A green blur darted past, and a shower of sparks flew from the monster. Armageddo let out a scream as his left arm fell to the ground, clutching at the stump where it had been attached.
Flash! Flash! Flash! Thrice more the green blur shot by, more rapidly this time, and thrice more a shower of sparks flew from the monster.
Finally, the Green Samurai came to rest, crouched on the ground, sword outstretched before him, facing away from Armageddo.
And the monster, having been neatly sliced into roughly even pieces, fell apart.
Mara shook her head. "Who ARE you?" she asked.
"You never were the sharpest spoon in the shed, were you, Mara?"
With a sound not unlike that of glass shattering, the Green Samurai demorphed, his armor breaking into shards of green light that vanished as they hit the ground.
"Well?" Jareth asked. "Isn't anyone going to say 'Hi'?"