"Thank you for coming to help clean this place, Travis." Gamma said.
"No problem." Travis said. He was down at the command center and was helping Gamma and Zultro and was helping in organizing some stuff around the place. "You sure have a lot of stuff around here. How long have you two lived here?"
"Well, spend a couple centuries on this planet and you learn a thing or two." Zultro said.
"Did you just say "centuries"?" Travis questioned. "How old are you?" There was still much Travis didn't know. Zultro's age was one of them. Another was what he saw in a book. He saw a picture of a firebird and it caught his interest. "Hey. What's this book about?"
"That tells of a great and majestic bird your world known as the phoenix." Zultro said.
"A phoenix? I've heard about these creatures in myths and such." Travis said.
"Actually, they aren't entirely a myth." Zultro said. "There was one that lived on your planet long ago."
"Seriously?!" Travis said as he was fascinated by it. "What happened to it?"
"I'm not really sure." Zultro said. "The phoenix is actually immortal, but it seemed to have disappeared. There's really now way of knowing what happened to it." Whatever happened it, Travis was certainly interested in it.
...
Locore's Palace
"So what's the plan to destroy the rangers, this time?" Vyla said.
"Master Locore is working on it. You just need to sit tight and wait until you are given orders." Dragight said. "Do you think you can manage to do that right?"
"We might not be as powerful as you, but that doesn't mean we're useless." Zabaro said as he and Vyla couldn't take Dragight trying to bring them down like that.
"Actually do something useful and I might reconsider what I think of you." Dragight said.
"Zabaro raises a point, Dragight." Locore said as he entered the chamber and there was another monster with him. He looked like a mad scientist with a white lab coat and crazy-looking grey hair. "They might appear useless and weak, but they could have something that makes them worth keeping. Take Solcar here for example."
"Thank you, Master Locore." Solcar said.
"What makes that weakling useful?" Dragight said.
"I've actually been to this world before." Solcar said. "I uncovered something that will help destroy these rangers. Just have a look outside." The three of them took a look outside and they saw something that really could be a match for the rangers.
...
Angel Grove
Solcar and Zabaro went down to Angel Grove and began causing mayhem and chaos in the city with people running for their lives. They were trying to get the attention of the rangers. It worked as the seven of them showed up.
"Rangers! How nice to see you again." Zabaro said.
"Sorry, but we're not happy to see you." Travis said.
"What are you up to this time?" Sierra said.
"We have a surprise for you." Solcar said as he reached inside and pulled out a remote control. "I understand you hold might machines called zords. Well, I've got news for you. You're not the only one with that kind of power anymore." He used his remote and called something that the rangers didn't expect. They all saw a scrawny-looking megazord. It was red with blades on top of his hands and had a bird-like face with a curved beak and sharp eyes.
"No way!" Abby said.
"Since when do bad guys have their own zords?!" David said.
"Where did you get that?!" Valerie questioned.
"That's not important. What is important is that it's an even fight. Let's see how you do against a fellow zord." Solcar said as he had complete control of the zord with his remote. He had it attack them as it launched a fireball at the rangers and blasted them.
"This doesn't make sense." Joey said as they tried to get back up. "How is it the bad guys have zords?"
"I don't know, but we have to stop that thing." Travis said.
"We need spirit animal power now!" All of them called on their zords and formed the megazord. The megazord stepped forward to fight this evil zord, but it just stopped at after a couple moments.
"Hey. Something's going on." Robby said.
"He's right. The megazord isn't responding to anything we're doing." Valerie said.
"How can that be?" David questioned. Nothing they did would get the megazord to move. That was a bad thing for them as the evil zord attacked them and all they could do was take it.
"What's going on? Why won't it move?" Travis said.
"I don't know, but if we don't do something, we're goners." Sierra said. That evil zord kept attacking and the megazord refused to fight back. There wasn't anything the rangers could do.
"This is turning out better than I thought." Solcar said as he and Zabaro watched.
"Strange. Why won't they fight back?" Zabaro questioned.
"Who cares? This is is our chance to finish them." Solcar said. The evil zord launched energy attacks at them and the megazord was taking damage.
"Valerie, try running a system check." Travis said.
"I already did. I can't find anything." Valerie said.
"How can that be? If there's no virus, why isn't the megazord responding?" Abby said.
"Now, transform." Solcar said. The evil zord jumped into the air and it transformed into a bird-like zord. It flew right at the megazord and was encased in fire. It smashed right into the megazord and took some damage.
"Wait. That looked like a phoenix." Travis said as he thought that was rather strange.
"Guys, this is bad. If the megazord won't fight, we don't stand a chance against that thing." Robby said. "We need to get out of here."
"You might be right. See if we can get the megazord moving so we can get out of here." Travis said. That time, the megazord did respond as it pulled out of the fight. If they can't figure out how to stop that thing, the rangers could be in real danger.
...
The Command Center
"What happened back there?" Sierra said.
"The megazord didn't respond to anything until we decided to get out of there. Why?" Joey questioned. That's what Zultro and Gamma are trying to figure out, but they weren't having any luck.
"I can't seem to find anything unusual." Gamma said.
"Same here. This is rather strange." Zultro said.
"There has to be. Why else would nothing worked?" Abby questioned.
"This is only a theory I have." Zultro said. "Zords aren't just machines. They're living sentients as well. The only thing I can think of is that the zords didn't want to fight."
"They didn't want to fight? Why?" David said.
"The zords must know something we don't." Travis said. "Whatever the case, we need to figure this out."
"Travis is right. We need to destroy that thing." Joey said.
"I'm not so sure about that." Travis said as he was thinking of something else and the others didn't get it. That was when the alarm went off and they saw that zord flying through the air and causing havoc through the city.
"They're back already." Sierra said.
"Maybe we can use our original zords to fight that thing." Joey said.
"It's worth a shot." David said. All of them got moving, but Travis stayed behind.
"Travis? Aren't you coming?" Sierra asked.
"You guys go on ahead. I want to check something first." Travis said. They didn't know what he was thinking, but they went on ahead like he said. Travis went and pulled out the same book he found of the phoenix.
"Travis? What are you thinking?" Zultro asked.
"That evil zord was encased in fire and took the form of a bird. I think it's a phoenix-zord." Travis said. "I just found this book on the phoenix. That might be a coincidence, but there's always more than what meets the eye. Gamma, is there a way you can scan that zord and find similarities between it and what's in this book."
"I can certainly try." Gamma said as he took the book and got to work. Travis knows there's something wrong and he needs to figure it out fast.
...
Angel Grove
The evil zord flew around in it's phoenix-mode and was causing destruction through the city. Solcar controlled it with the remote with Zabaro guarding him.
"This is better than I thought." Solcar said. "The rangers megazord won't fight against it. Now we can destroy the city and them with it."
"Hold it right there." The two of them looked and saw the other rangers arriving to face them.
"I knew you rangers wouldn't stay away." Zabaro said, but he noticed one was missing. "Wait a minute. Where's Red Ranger?"
"Don't worry about him. We'll stop you with that thing." Joey said.
"How do you plan on doing that? Things didn't go so well last time." Solcar taunted. "Besides, with you being one ranger short, you can't form a megazord."
"That's what you think. Val and I can form our own megazord." David said.
"We can use our zords to back you up." Sierra said.
"Give it your best shot. I have a feeling the results will be the same." Zabaro said.
"We'll see about that. We need the neo zords now!" Sierra called. They called on their original dinosaur-zords and stood together to face this new zord.
"They'll be destroyed this time. Transform and destroy them, my creation." Solcar said as he used the remote The zord transformed as it's body and wings turned. The talons stretched and turned around to become legs with the tips of the wings opened up and moved over the wings for hands to come out.
"We're ready for you this time." David said. "Let's form our megazord, Val." They tired to get their zords to move, but nothing was happening.
"What? Not again!" Valerie said.
"Now our zords won't even form the megazord? What's going on?" David said.
"They won't move or do anything." Abby said.
"If we don't do something, we're sitting ducks." Sierra said. This is trouble for them as the evil zord and attacked each one of the zords. The rangers are helpless and their zords won't do a thing to help them.
...
Travis
Travis was still waiting for any kinds of results. He knows the others are in danger, but he can't help unless he discovers the truth of what's going on.
"Aye! Travis, I think I found what you're looking for!" Gamma called. Travis looked and he saw it all so clearly.
"That's it! That's why the zords won't fight. They somehow know the truth." Travis said. Now that he knows what's going on, he hurries to help the others.
...
Angel Grove
The rangers are doing their best to hold on, but the zords won't move or do anything to fight back. Solcar and Zabaro took great pleasure in what they're seeing.
"The rangers will soon be finished!" Solcar said.
"Stop!" Travis called as he arrived. He jumped at them and tried to strike him, but Zabaro used his sword and blasted Travis out of the air as he hit the ground.
"Guys, Travis is here!" Sierra said.
"We better get down and help him. Beats sitting here and getting thrashed around." Joey said. The others felt the same as they jumped out of their zords and went over to help him.
"Travis, are you okay?" Sierra said as she helped him up.
"Yeah." Travis said and kept his focus on the enemy. "What did you do to the phoenix?!" The others didn't get it, but Solcar did.
"So you know the truth, do you?" Solcar said.
"The truth of what?" Abby asked.
"That zord was once a real phoenix that Zultro told me about and disappeared one day." Travis said. "That's why the zords won't fight. They somehow know the truth."
"I'm impressed you figured it out." Solcar said. "It is true. That was once a phoenix, but I was able to capture it. Once I did, I used my intellect and turned it into the marvelous machine it is today."
"That's cruel!" David said.
"The phoenix probably doesn't even want to fight. You're just forcing it to." Travis said.
"That's right. It's my creation now and I order it to destroy your zords." Solcar said as he used the remote and his zord continued to attack the zords.
"The zords won't fight because they know it's being forced against it's will." Travis said. "We're focusing on the wrong target. We need to destroy that remote." Now that the others understand what's going on, they're with Travis.
"I don't think so. Golems!" Zabaro called as a squad of them appeared. "Get them!" The golems went on the attack as they faced the rangers. Travis fought his way through and went straight for Solcar.
"Give me that thing!" Travis called.
"I don't think so!" Zabaro said as he held out his sword and went on the attack. Travis pulled out his sword and the two of them clashed swords against each other. Travis pushed him out of the way, but Zabaro grabbed him as he ran passed him and tossed him back. Zabaro swung his sword down, but Travis blocked it and swung his leg up and kicked him off. Travis got back and went for Solcar, but Zabaro cut him off.
"Out of my way!" Travis said as he swung his sword at him, but Zabaro blocked it and was pushing him down as Travis dropped to one knee.
"Yes, my creation!" Solcar blabbed as the phoenix-zord kept attacking the other zords. Travis saw him holding out the remote and took a chance. Travis pulled out his blaster quickly and blasted the remote right out of his hands and destroyed it. "No!"
"Phoenix-Zord! You're free!" Travis called as he pushed Zabaro away. The zord stopped it's attack and something else happened. It was moving on it's own as it pulled away and the head changed with beak opening up and showing a more gentle face to it.
"No! My creation!" Solcar called.
"It was never yours." Travis said. The zord turned to him and he was quite scared. The zord took revenge as it brought it's hands together and launched a powerful fireball. Solcar got caught in it and was instantly destroyed.
"Yikes! I'm out of here!" Zabaro said as he got a little fearful and got out of there.
"Yeah. You better run." Travis said as he powered down. He looked at the new zord as he was amazed with what it could do.
"Travis!" David called as the others powered down as well.
"What happened?" Abby called.
"I think we have a new friend to help us out." Travis said as he pointed to their new Phoenix Megazord. Now they're even stronger thanks to this thing. The phoenix has returned to it's home.