(Disclaimer: Do NOT own PRMF. Just Aria. ENJOY!)
Chapter 23: The Hunter
-Thunder Academy-
Aria walked through the school, watching students of all ages train and harness the power of thunder when a familiar face appeared
"Marah?"
The former evil space ninja looked up and beamed "Aria!" she squealed bolting from the training mat and crashing into the stunned girl.
"What are you doing here?" Aria questioned, raising her hand to apologize to the sensei and excuse Marah from class "I thought you and Kapri were Wind students?"
"Oh well turns out I'm a thunder ninja" she beamed showing off her uniform and colour
"Navy huh?" Aria smirked "What about your sister?"
"Well, turns out she's a wind ninja" Marah explained "I know right?!" she said to Aria's shocked expression
Despite having been home for the past few weeks Aria ironically spent almost no time on the actual training grounds. Her time was spent on the track, Storm Chargers, and her band mates. So, seeing Marah and hearing about Kapri was quite a surprise.
"Listen," Marah started, her voice softer than usual "I'm sorry for everything my sister and I did…before y'know"
Aria smiled softly "It's okay Marah, you've turned over a new leaf. And don't think I've forgotten how you helped rescue the students that one time."
Marah smiled, grateful to have finally gotten the forgiveness from all rangers. Upon arriving to the Wind academy both she and her sister were excluded from almost everything and when Marah transferred to the Thunder Academy alone, she never felt more isolated. That was when she talked to each and everyone of the rangers and apologized for everything, she had ever done to them. Especially to Dustin. They all forgave her and Kapri and soon she was actually making friends with her fellow Thunder students.
"You have like, no idea how awesome that is" Marah almost tearing up when she wrapped her arms tight around Aria. The black ranger chuckled and peeled the navy ninja off of her "Now go to class before we both get in trouble" And with that Marah skipped back to class and resumed her training.
"Still weirds me out that she's a student here" Hunter said from behind her
"You know for head sensei you don't seem to do a lot of teaching" Aria quipped
"Well I was about to go and teach and I was going to ask you if you wanted help but if you're gonna be that way…" he began walking past her
"Well someone has to show you how its done"
Hunter pushed his laughing sister forward prompting a shoving match between the two.
-Later-
The class was going great Aria demonstrated her ability with the Thunder Whip and her fighting style. She and Hunter were overlooking the sparring students when her morpher rang.
"Aria, another Terror was spotted in town, we're gonna need backup"
"On my way"
Aria said goodbye to her brother and his student and disappeared into the shadows.
-Briarwood-
She emerged at the scene of the battle where the rangers were battling Oculous, the one-eyed Terror.
"I am Oculous the Hunter, and you are my quarry" he introduced
"You came just in time" Nick whispered to his sister
"But I'll make a deal with you." Oculous proposed
"What kind of deal?" the rangers demanded
"I only want the Black and Red rangers. If they surrender to me now, the rest of you will be spared. Interested?"
"You're kidding me, right?" Aria tried, glancing at Nick
"Just surrender and spare me the trouble."
"Forget it!" Nick called "We don't go down without a fight!"
"Okay," Oculous said darkly "I'll demolecularize your friends one by one with my lasers. If I don't have all four by sundown, I'll surrender. That's the game."
Aria and Nick drew their weapons "Then game on!" they fired back and prepared to charge. But Oculous had other plans, he blasted the ground where the rangers stood and with the smoke in their eyes he disappeared.
"Where'd he go?" Xander demanded
"He'll be back" Aria breathed "And we need to be on our A-game today."
"Rangers…" Oculous whispered "The hunt is on. I can be anywhere. I suggest you start running!"
A laser shot from a window and if it weren't for Chip's reflexes he would've been hit. "He's up in the window!" he said pointing up to a window a good few hundred feet away.
"He's not so smart after all!" Nick smirked
"Be careful of what you say bro" Aria breathed looking over her shoulder. In front of her, her friends raised their MagiStaffs to form a shield and protect themselves from Oculous' lasers but Aria knew better. She stayed behind them and saw a laser coming for Nick. She then raised her own shield and protected her brother.
"Whoa! That blast came from the other direction!" Maddie realized "How?"
Soon blasts were coming from all over. The rangers were in a circle blocking lasers from all sides
"We need to get out of here!" Aria called "Come on!"
When there was a sudden break in attacks Aria and her friends ran out of sight. However, before they could get out of the city a blast hit Xander in the back. He stood there for a second, everyone was silent as they watched the beloved green ranger slowly fade, his hand reaching out to his friends for help.
"Xander!" Nick called for his dear friend
The rangers had no time to recover watching their friend disappear Aria didn't even have time to react seeing that Oculous was relentless with his attacks
"Keep running!" Vida groaned, tired from running. Her usual steady voice cracked slightly, whether it was from exhaustion or grief was unclear. A blast came again but this time it hit the floor blowing the remaining rangers back. Luckily, there was building nearby casting a large shadow.
"Hold on!" Aria told her team. Without hesitating the other four rangers grabbed on and they melted into the shadows and appeared in the woods of the magical realm.
-Woods-
"We should make a break for Rootcore" Vida suggested
"I don't want to jeopardize the base" Nick countered "This guy can follow us anywhere"
Neither realizing their black ranger was falling behind, drained from running for her life, transporting this many people, and having shadow traveled not too long ago.
"Aria?" Maddie asked seeing that she wasn't with the group "Aria!" she called realizing how weak she looked
"Keep moving!" Aria tried, she was breathless
"Not without you" Nick declared, wrapping her arm around his shoulders to lift her up. Maddie did the same on the other side.
"If this were a role-playing game, I'd give myself a time-out" Chip said nervously
They came across a stray log "Sit," Nick told Aria "You need to rest"
"No, we have to keep going!" Aria tried, not wanting to lose anymore of her friends "Go!"
"We should be fine here" Maddie reassured "The trees give us some cover." And with that a blast fired into the woods and hit a tree behind them. Soon the trees all around them began to dematerialize. "Guess I spoke to soon" Maddie whispered shakily
"You can't hide from me!" the Hunter laughed as he aimed for Vida.
Maddie watched in horror as her best friend, her sister, her twin dematerialized before her. "Sis!" She leapt for her hoping to try and reach her, but it was too late. Vida was gone and Maddie fell to her knees. Watching another one of her friends disappear seemed to give her a boost of adrenaline as Aria got to her feet and grabbed Maddie who was currently grabbing desperately at the forest floor where her sister stood.
"Maddie, we have to go, come one" she said pulling the blue ranger to her feet. Maddie kicked and screamed wanting her sister back but she soon gave in and followed the others into the woods once more, sobbing as she ran.
"We have to find cover" Chip said leading the way.
"Grab on" Aria said, preparing herself to shadow travel for a third time today.
"Aria no" Nick began to argue when Aria's voice distorted and the others felt the surge of dark magic coming from her
"I said GRAB ON!"
Not wanting to anger her more the other three reluctantly agreed and allowed Aria to take them back in the city.
-City-
They appeared behind a small office building and Aria's footsteps became sluggish.
"Aria sit down!" Nick tried grabbing her arm
The girl ripped her arm from her brother's grasp and turned "We have to keep moving Nick, let's go" her head was spinning with how fast she turned to face him
"I'm gonna surrender." Nick stated
The other three rangers were stunned "What?"
"No, you're not" Aria said through gritted teeth, taking the opportunity to sit on the near ledge
"It's me they're after." Nick argued "If I give up, it will save Xander and Vida."
"That's bullshit and you know it" Aria fired back "Besides they want us both and I am not giving up that easily. For all we know, you giving up won't do shit and Vida and Xander will be gone for good."
"She's right," Chip said surprisingly sternly "If it's you two they're after it's you two we need to protect."
Unbeknownst to the three arguing rangers Oculous had locked eyes on the weakened Aria. Maddie saw the blast coming and pushed her way in front of her friend "Watch out!"
Maddie took the hit meant for Aria and joined Xander and her sister.
"Maddie!" they all cried. But they didn't have time the two of them picked up Aria and ran for cover. Not allowing her to shadow travel anymore seeing how drained she was.
They were all exhausted from running, so much so that they had to de-morph and continued running in their training uniforms.
-Woods-
Once again, they ended up in the woods, turns out Aria didn't take them as far as they thought as the woods were not to far from them. So, there they were, the last three rangers, Daggeron nowhere to be found, hiding against a tree.
"You know he's gonna find us" Nick said
Aria fired back "A little ball of sunshine aren't ya?"
Chip who was stuck between the two decided to change the subject "I've been thinking," he started "He's probably in another dimension which allows him to follow us wherever we go."
Aria was impressed "That actually might be it…" she though for a second "If we could make-"
"Stop!" Nick interrupted "I'm gonna give myself up. I'm not gonna lose all my friends if there's something I can do to stop it."
"Nick it's not about you anymore" Aria tried again
"If you surrender, you'll destroy everything we stand for." Chip yelled, his temper rising. "We're power rangers. Do you really think that's what Xander, Vida, and Madison want you to do?"
Chip turned, almost unable to look at Nick when he was hit. With a scream he fell to his knees and like the others faded away.
"Nick we gotta go!" Aria yelled grabbing his wrist
"You run; I'm surrendering" he argued peeling her hand off of his
"Nick you dumbass we can't do this right now. It's not just you he's after, he needs us both. If we stick together, we can beat him!"
"You're the best fighter Aria I know, you'll be able to take him down. But I'm done"
"You're really gonna give up now? What happened to us winning the war huh?"
Again, a blast was fired at the twins, but this time Phineas leapt in to save them.
Aria got up right away and thanked the Troblin for saving them, but Nick was refusing to be saved
"Let me go Phineas! I must surrender to save my friends!" he screamed
Aria helped drag her idiot brother to safety as Phineas, the calm goofy Troblin, lectured him "Interesting conundrum-" he said struggling to hold the red ranger in place "You have to save us all."
"What?" Nick questioned, confusion written all over his face "What are you talking about?"
"How are we related?" Aria interjected, pinning his arm behind his back to keep him from moving.
"You are the Light," Phineas repeated "You and the Child of Darkness are the keys to destroying the Underworld. What a burden I know. But if you surrender and leave your sister to do all the work then we are all lost. Every bird, squirrel, and fly, caterpillar, alligator, flea – well, no one really cares about the flea, except maybe another flea…"
"Phineas!" Aria snapped
"I'm the Light, we get it. But they're my friends"
Aria released her brother and made him face her "And they're not mine? It's a miracle I haven't gone AWOL by now. Keep it together"
"Well then what are we supposed to do?" the two of them were silent, unsure how to correct what's been done
"What does your heart tell you?" Phineas tried
Nick looked confused until he got an idea "Fireheart…" he whispered, "I am the Light!" he repeated and stepped out of hiding
"Wait what?" Phineas questioned
Aria shrugged "I dunno I just follow the guy in red" she sighed and joined Nick. Their morphers drawn.
Nick had morphed into his Legendary mode and Aria was suited up with him.
"Show yourself you coward!" he cried
Oculous then appeared before the two of them "I see you finally came to your senses." He boasted
"We did" Aria stepped forward, her daggers drawn "And you're going down!"
"Oh really? Rise!" Behind the two of them Hidiacs appeared, led by Necrolai. "Perhaps you should have surrendered!"
The two rangers stood back to back, Nick facing the Hunter and Aria facing Necrolai. Aria clutched her daggers tightly and waited for Nick's signal. What she did not expect was Nick calling for Fireheart
"Fireheart, Red Dragon Fire Ranger!"
In seconds Fireheart soared over their heads and roared. Nick flipped onto the dragon's back as Aria watched them take on the Hidiac army
"Fire!" Nick commanded and Fireheart easily took out half of the Hidiacs with his flames. Soon, Nick and Fireheart combined together creating a new battleizer armor
"Attack!" Oculous commanded
"Nick get the Terror, I'll handle them" Aria sneered at the Hidiacs, eager to release her anger and frustration.
"You got it!" he grinned and flew over their heads. Aria de-morphed and felt the anger and grief from watching her friends getting taken from her today. Her black eyes glowed and she rose above the Hidiacs with her hands aglow from her dark magic. Just as she'd done in Ninja Storm, she turned a stream of energy into a whip-like weapon and easily mowed down through the Hidiacs while her brother fought the big bad. Despite being attacked at all the sides their weapons didn't seem to hit her, she was moving too fast for them to recover. And when she began feeling that familiar sensation of losing control, she turned to her Thunder Ninja training. She hailed black thunder to strike the ground, electrocuting and destroying the Hidiacs around her.
"Time for the real fun to begin" she grinned and morphed, pulling out her daggers and fighting harder then before, the suit providing another energy boost. She easily sliced through her opponents and unleashed the last bit of anger and resentment. The adrenaline pumping through her veins allowed her to keep fighting As her final attack Aria summoned her dark magic and thunder and struck the ground with her daggers. Her combined powers released itself onto her attackers and they all disappeared back to the Underworld.
With the Hidiacs gone Aria turned to see how Nick was doing with his battle against Oculous. It appeared that the battle was already over. Nick had just finished his final attack having soared through the sky and put all his energy and magic into the final blow against the Hunter who exploded in a puff of red smoke. How fitting.
The two rangers de-morphed and congratulated each other on their wins when their four friends appeared before them.
"You're back!" the twins said excitedly, rushing to their friends.
-Later-
-Blue Bay-
With a quick goodbye to her friends Aria headed home. She had wanted to spend some time with Dustin, maybe go riding after his classes but with the day Aria had. It's a miracle she was able to streak all the way to Blue Bay.
She arrived at the Wind Academy and met the Earth sensei in Ops.
"Whoa, you look wrecked dude" Dustin laughed
"Thanks bro, that's what every girl wants to hear" she shot back
He got a closer look at the smaller girl. She had dark circles under her eyes, and she was dragging her feet across the floor. "Seriously dude you okay?"
She sat down on the black pillow that was still on the ground. "You would not believe that day I had today" she put her forehead on the cool table.
"That rough huh?"
She grunted in response.
"Well, I have to go to class but afterward we'll rent a movie m'kay?"
However, the girl didn't respond and upon closer inspection he had noticed that she had fallen asleep. Dustin chuckled and gently picked up Aria and placed her on her old bed from when she and her brothers lived in Ops. Before he left and headed to class, he couldn't help but worry about her. He concerned that Aria was wearing herself out; living in Reefside and Blue Bay and then traveling to help the rangers in Briarwood. He has remained supportive of her decisions, but he can't shake the feeling that she was going to overwork herself.
'It's Aria,' he told himself 'She's the strongest person I know. She'll be fine.' Even then he couldn't really believe what he was telling himself.
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