Disclaimer: I do not own the franchise, but I do own this team.

*Italic indicates thought

' ' indicates Zach using sign language

Episode XVII: Captured Sea

Chapter One: Unfortunate Battle

A/N: hey guys! I'm so happy because my marching band got a sliver medal for the first time in our school's history! Yay! It gave me the determination to fish this chapter! Please review!

"You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have." -Uknown

Zach frowned as he watched Maddie reading a book. Their social studies teacher had told them they had to read quietly when they'd finished their work. He watched as she frowned, stopping every once and a while. He'd expected that she'd be the type to read faster. She stopped at one point and stared at a word on the page, sounding it out quietly.

He shrugged and turned away, going back to his own book. He smiled when he remembered that he had gym next period. They were doing indoor soccer and that was his favorite activity. Normally, he was always picked last because nobody wanted the deaf kid on their team. But, when they played soccer, indoor and outdoor, Zach was one of the kids picked first.

He knew they just did it because he was an excellent soccer player, but that didn't matter. People in general didn't know him. Just his reputation as a soccer player.

-Olympic Force-

"My lord," Coeus said, bowing to his king. "You have a visitor."

"Oh?" Kronos asked, intrigued.

Coeus waved someone in. Kronos smiled as a familiar Titan bowed to him. "Oceanus."

"Lord Kronos," the Titan general said. "I have come up with a plan to get rid of those pesky rangers."

"Everyone says that!" Kronos yelled jumping his feet.

"Yes, my lord," Oceanus said, cowering for the kings benefit. "But I have shown success in the past."

Kronos nodded as he sat down. "Yes, this is true. You have shown yourself to be a reliable follower."

"I swear, I will rid you of those demigods."

"You've better not fail."

"Do not worry my, king." Oceanus bowed again. "I will not fail you."

-Olympic Force-

Zach saw kids getting up form their tables. He got up and grabbed his bag.

'Bye, Maddie.'

"Good-bye, Zach," Maddie said. "I look forward to seeing you once again."

'You too.' Zach left the classroom and headed for his locker to drop off his book. He wove his way through the thick tangle of kids that hurried to class. He opened his locker and started putting his books on the shelf. He suddenly gasped in pain as something hit him from behind. His face hit the edge of his locker. He hissed as it scratched his skin. He looked around to see who'd done it, but no one stood out.

His ring suddenly got hot. He sighed. Of course. He shoved his bag into his locker and slammed it shut, spinning the lock. He followed the flow of kids leaving the building. He slipped away when he saw use no one was looking and left the campus. He saw Miley running as well and joined her. The two of them ran down alleys, trying not to be seen. Miley jumped when Kyle finally caught up with them.

"Took you long enough."

"Teacher tried to keep me after," Kyle explained.

"Why?"

"Oh just something about how I'm not allowed to talk while he's trying to teach."

Miley rolled her eyes. "Such a badass."

Kyle grinned playfully and the rangers steered for the battle site. They found that titans were chasing people around.

"OLYMPIC FORCE, POWERS OF THE GODS UNLEASHED!"

"Power of Zeus, lord of the sky!"

"Power of Aphrodite, goddess of love!"

"Power of Poseidon, lord of the sea!"

"Defenders of Olympus, saviors of the world!"

Zach made a beeline for the titans. He threw his spear ahead of himself and unsheathed his sword. He hacked at titans as they came at him from every direction. He beheaded one and stabbed his sword through the head of another one. He kicked one away from him and sliced the arm off another. He stabbed it through the chest and spun around, slashing several of them.

Miley knocked one away by ramming the blunt end of her spear into its head. She stabbed three in row, then pulled her spear out. She turned it down and slashed several down their chest. She raised her shield and several swords clanged against it. The pink ranger felt something hit her form behind. She fell to the ground and raised her shield in reflex. She was forced to pull her arms closer as the titans out pressure on it.

She swiped at her legs with her feet, but she only got a few. "Kyle!"

Kyle looked over and saw Miley pinned to the ground. He took care of the last few surrounding him and ran to her aid. He kicked several to the ground, but more barred his way.

"Kyle!"

"Miley!" Kyle grunted and pinned a couple to the ground. He unsteadily his sword and managed to destroy a few more. "Miley, hang on!"

Miley managed to pull her legal up and pushed up on her shield with all her might. She threw the titans off and jumped up, swing her sword. She took out several and ducked and jumped. Man, they're aggressive today. She kicked the legs out underneath one and stabbed it into the ground. She heard Zach cry out in pain. Oh geez.

Zach flinched and dropped his shield. He managed to destroy the Titan that had stabbed his shoulder, but no he only had his sword to defend himself. He blocked a strike and swung at the Titan. It jumped away, laughing. Zach gritted his teeth and swung again. It laughed more as the blue ranger failed to reach it. Zach lost his patience and lunged forward, stabbing it. Unfortunately, this was part of their plan and as soon as he did, a Titan jumped out and slashed his arm.

Zach cried out in pain and clutched onto his sword with all his might. He kicked them away from him, trying to regain his bearings. He felt something hit him from behind. He stumbled, but managed to regain his balance. He slammed the and of his sword into the head of a Titan. He gasped in pain and fell onto one knee as something hit him in the back again, in the same spot. In desperation, he threw his sword and it pierced a few.

Zach got to his feet, once again, and took a ready stance. Then, everything happened in the blink of an eye. Zach was knocked to the ground, and was simultaneously entangled in a net. He struggled to find a way out of it, but the more he struggled, the more entangled he became. His heart rate picked up when several Titan surrounded him. Zach renewed his efforts to escape. His wrists and ankles were soon immobilized in the net as he got them stuck. He looked around desperately for help. Doing the only thing he could think to get his friends' attention, he screamed.

Kyle heard Zach scream. He turned and saw the blue ranger trapped in a net. "Zach!" He abandoned what he was doing and ran to the blue ranger's aid.

Miley saw as well, but was to surrounded to do anything. "Zach!"

Kyle felt his blood freeze when he saw the titans grab the net holding his best friend. "Zach!"

The last thing Kyle saw before the titans dragged Zach through a red crack, was the terrified look in the blue ranger's eyes. Kyle dove to the ground, trying to catch him, but Zach was gone. "No! Zach!"

Miley defeated the last monster and ran over to him as he de-morphed and sat up on his knees. "Where's Zach?"

Kyle shook his head. "Gone. They took him."

Miley couldn't breathe. "Why?"

Kyle saw something on the ground and picked it up. He turned Zach's ring over in his hands. It must've fallen off in the struggle. He clenched his opposite fist in anger as he put the ring in his pocket. "Come on, lets go back to the dojo."

"Go back?! We have to help him!"

"I know we do," Kyle replied standing. "But we need Chiron's help if we're going to find him."

Miley looked doubtful, but nodded. "I hope Zach is ok."

Kyle saw Zach's scared eyes in his mind. "Me too."

-Olympic Force-

Maddie watched the two rangers run from the battle scene. She frowned. Zach wasn't necessarily her friend. She isn't have friends. Everyone...her brothers, all her peers said so. In fact her classmates had always made sure of that. But, Zach wasn't like other people. He was a heroic person and was kind to her. But she also knew she couldn't let them just kill him. In her mind she heard screaming as flames kept around her.

She shook her head. "I need to stop that," she said to herself. "I can't help the past, or change it. So I shouldn't think about it." She headed for home. They could find Zach if they hurried. Plus it might be the diversion they'd been waiting for.