Passing through a tree, Kali quirked an eyebrow as Casey landed on the ground at her feet. "Training's going well for you, I see," she joked.
"Hey, welcome back!" said Casey, getting up and dusting himself off. "Wish I could stick and chat, but I'm doing the element of surprise tactic with the others."
"Ooh. Then let's give them a real surprise!" said Kali, taking out her sunglasses. She grinned at Casey. "Ready?"
Casey nodded.
"Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"
Kicking off from the ground, the pair burst out of the bushes and landed between the others. They each gasped, bending at the waist as either Kali or Casey punched/kicked them in the stomach and knocked them backward.
"Hey, no fair!" Lily cried.
"The exercise was element of surprise," said Kali, slapping the back of her hand and then her palm against Casey's. "What a better time to pull a double."
Casey chuckled.
Sharing looks, the four others regrouped. Lily and Theo slid their glasses onto their faces, while RJ prepared his morpher, and Dom tightened his grip on his own.
"Ready?" RJ asked.
"Ready!"
"Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"
Kali smirked as she pushed herself backward, narrowly avoiding a punch from Lily. She landed and caught Dominic's arm, as he flung it across her chest. She kicked off from the ground, pulling herself up on his forearm and kicked out, hitting Lily in the chest.
As Lily rolled across the grass, Theo jumped over and rushed at Kali. She ducked his high kick and swept his other foot out from under him.
"Woah!" Kali gasped, as hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her backward. She rolled over onto her knees and started to rise, crossing her arms over her head, and blocking a downward strike from Dom.
Dom laughed. "Haha, too slow," he said, triumphantly.
Kali shook her head and twisted her wrists down his arm, gripping it in her hands and pulling herself up. Startled, Dom tried to wrench his arm backward, only resulting in pulling Kali the rest of the way. She landed on her feet, and kicked up, colliding her knee with his side.
"Gotcha!" said Dom, reaching around and holding onto her leg. He pushed and twisted it, causing her to flip sideways.
Kali stumbled as she landed, spinning around in a full circle. "Not bad, Dom!" she said.
"Hey, you got to take every opportunity with you," said Dom, shrugging.
"I guess being a veteran has its perks," said Kali. She clenched her hands tight and held them up, almost as if she were preparing for a boxing match. "How's your foot work?" she asked, lunging toward him, and swinging her fist forward.
Dom ducked back, and brought up his arm, blocking the fist.
Kali nodded in approval. "We'll make a fighter out of you, yet," she said.
"Heh! Thanks," said Dom. He clocked Lily creeping on his from the left and ducked her incoming fist, spinning wildly to fight her.
Sensing an approach, Kali turned and pushed her fist out colliding it with RJ's.
"Damn! I should've guessed you'd hear me," said RJ, chuckling.
"I guess I should thank Sensei for the Ninja training," said Kali. She flexed her wrist around, parting RJ's arms and rushed forward, hitting him in the chest with two fingers. "Come on, Wolfie."
RJ barked out a laugh, rubbed his chest, and aimed a high kick.
~X~
Later that afternoon, Kali was tying the laces of her running shoes as Casey entered the courtyard. She furrowed her brow at the look on contemplation and straightened up. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked.
Casey glanced her over, noticing her gear. "You're going running?" he asked.
"Uh-huh. You want to come?"
"Sure. Let me get changed," said Casey.
Kali nodded and waved him off inside. She finished tying her shoes and set about warming up as other patrons entered the courtyard. While she paid them no attention, a few of them did glance in her direction.
Soon, Casey returned, wearing running shoes, pants, a t-shirt, and hoodie. "Ready," he said.
"You're not going to warm up?" Kali asked, shaking out her arms and legs.
Casey shook his head.
Kali shrugged. "Alright. But don't expect me to carry you back if you pull a muscle," she said, slapping him on the back. "Come on. We'll take the trail through the woods to the point."
The pair set off.
After a while, Kali glanced sideways. "You never did tell me what was wrong when you came back earlier," she said. "You look so… torn, for the lack of a better word. Everything okay at the Kung Fu classes?"
"Yeah. The kids are great," said Casey with a heavy sigh.
"But…" said Kali, probing.
"But," said Casey, shaking his head. "There is a kid in my class that is bullying this other kid. I'm afraid if I step in too much, I'll just escalate the situation. But, if I don't step in, the weaker kid is going to get hurt."
Kali nodded. "But who is weaker?" she asked. "The kid that is being bullied, or the kid that is bullying?"
Casey scoffed out a soft laugh. "Has anyone ever told you that you're smart?" he asked.
"Not recently, no," said Kali, smiling. She took a deep breath, slowing her run to a paced jog. "Look, Casey, stepping in is good, it shows that you care about your students, and yes, you're right, if you step in too much the kid being bullied is going to depend on you all the time, and it could make him feel insecure when he's without you. But, if you encouraged him to stand up for himself? Who knows, maybe the other kid will realise that he's not a push over."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Casey.
Kali nodded. "Tell you what? To take your mind off it, I'll race you to the point," she said, grinning. "Ready? Go!"
Casey shot ahead, and Kali laughed to herself.
As Casey disappeared, Kali stiffened as a sudden coldness washed over her. She looked around, her senses homing in on any disturbances.
"Ranger!" she heard a voice growl, then Casey's panicked, and painful yells reached down from the cliff.
Muttering a spell, Kali disappeared in a flicker of black magic, appearing nearby. She spotted Whiger, and a growl rumbled in her throat. "Hey! Zokado!" she raised her hands above her head, generating a ball of dark energy, and threw it as hard as she could at the Phantom Beast.
Whiger sneered at her as he rolled to a stop a short distance away. He then disappeared, and Kali skidded to a halt beside Casey.
"You okay?" Kali asked, helping him stand. He fell against her, his breathing heavy and laboured.
Taking shallow breaths, Casey shook his head. "I've felt better," he admitted.
"What did he do?"
"I don't know," said Casey.
Kali looked around. They were alone on the cliff, but she no longer felt safe. "Let's get you back," she said, taking hold of his arm again.
"Yeah," Casey breathed.
~X~
Back at the loft, Kali helped Casey into the nearest chair possible, receiving odd and scandalous looks from the rest of the team.
"What happened?" Rylie asked, rushing over.
"Whiger," said Kali. "He attacked while we were out running."
The others perked up and gathered around.
"You were attacked by a Phantom Beast?" Dom asked. "Out of nowhere?"
Kali nodded.
"Who is Whiger?" Lily asked, confused.
"He's the General with the spirit of the White Tiger," said Kali, remembering her lessons with the Mystics.
"Spirit of the white tiger?" Lily repeated. "Is it even possible for two individuals to have the same animal spirit."
Kali nodded. "It's not as rare as you think," she said.
"I can't believe RJ is letting you sit in his chair," said Theo, shooting the Wolf master a look.
RJ hesitated and glanced at Kali. He had wanted to say something when she had brought Casey in but had thought against it. To her, it was just a seat, and she'd never really bothered to try and understand why he was so attached to it.
Rylie sniggered.
"You alright?" Kali asked, noticing the beads of sweat forming on Casey's forehead.
"I'm fine," Casey said. "I'm just a little…"
Kali glanced at RJ.
"I'm not so sure you are fine," said RJ, shaking his head. "Try releasing your animal spirit."
Casey huffed and stood, he stumbled causing Kali and Rylie to reach for him simultaneously and steady him. He took a deep breath and raised both his hands. "Spirit of the Tiger!" he called.
Nothing happened.
"Spirit of the tiger!"
Again. Nothing.
Confusion started to set him, closely followed by fear.
"What do I do?" Casey asked, nervously.
"We get your spirit back!" said Dom. He turned to Kali and RJ. "Right?"
Kali slowly nodded; her gaze fixed on Casey. She wasn't entirely happy with the way he was looking and was silently reminding herself to message Root core asking for a Healing Potion. It may not have been able to give him back his Animal spirit, but at least she knew he'd look a lot better.
"What else do you know about Whiger?" Dom asked Kali.
Kali blinked and looked away from Casey. "Not much," she admitted. "He's one of the Phantom Beasts that managed to get resurrected by Jellica, and that, during the Beast Wars, 10,000 years ago, he tried to overthrow Dai Shi along with Snapper and Scorch."
"He tried to overthrow Dai Shi?" Lily repeated. "So, he was on our side?"
"No. He fought to defeat the humans," said Kali. "But he didn't align himself with the Dragon, either. Guess he and the other Phantom Beasts don't like sharing top spot."
Theo furrowed his brow. "If he's not a fan of Dai Shi, why are they aligning themselves with him now?" he asked.
Kali shrugged. "Could be a play," she said. "They could be waiting for him to win and then usurp him, or maybe they think that with him on their side, they will have enough power to succeed in the final fight. The possibilities are endless."
The team sighed.
"What happens if they do join him?" Casey asked.
Kali hesitated and glanced at RJ.
"If that happens, then Dai Shi could become unstoppable," said RJ.
"Could, being the keyword," said Rylie.
Theo glanced at Kali. "That's why you're here," he said. "The Hellhound, you, I mean. Aren't you powerful enough to lock Dai Shi away again?"
"Maybe," said Kali. "But I can't do it alone. So yes, Dom, you're right," she glanced at the Rhino Ranger. "We need to Casey's spirit back," she looked back at RJ, "and soon."
~X~
The next morning, Kali found herself sitting on the stage of Casey's Kung Fu class, watching as the young tiger taught the next generation to harness their Animal Spirits through training. Since Whiger had taken his Animal Spirit, none of the others felt safe letting Casey wander too far away from loft, but he had refused to call in sick or cancel his lessons, which was why Kali had volunteered to babysit him - much to his annoyance.
But, it also meant that she got to check out the class and fill in an enrolment form of Aiden. She was filling in the form while Casey addressed his class and set them to work on basic training stances, while he worked with a kid named Jimmy at the back of the room. The pair were stood in front of training poles, which Casey was carefully instructing Jimmy on how to interact with.
"What I do is follow my spirit and let that guide my moves," said Casey, steadying the stand. He glanced back at Jimmy. "Got it?"
Jimmy nodded.
Casey took a deep breath and twisted his arms left and right, each time hitting a block of wood in order. He gasped and lurched forward, grasping onto the stand to balance himself.
"Are you okay?" Jimmy asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," said Casey, breathing heavily.
"Watch it, cub," Kali called without looking up. "I'll take you home, if I have too."
Casey rolled his eyes and turned back to his class. He clapped his hands, gaining their attention, and walked back to the front of the room.
Kali watched Casey carefully from the back of the room. She had already given him a healing potion, but she had another two vials on her just in case they were needed. While he looked tons better than he had done yesterday, her mother had warned her when she picked the potions up that overexerting oneself without their animal spirit could have some serious repercussions on the body, which was why constant re-administration of the Healing Potion was required until Casey got his spirit back.
"Alright, class," Casey said, looking left and right. "Let's finishing with some sparring. Jimmy, I want you to spar with Todd. Remember, find your spirit and let it led you."
Jimmy nodded and made his way to the centre of the mat. Todd followed him, and already Kali could tell that she didn't like the kid. His arura was cold and challenging, but not completely dark like most bullies she knew. There was a flicker of light mixed into it, maybe he wasn't a complete lost cause.
As the sparring match progressed, Kali returned her attention to the form she was filling in. She finished it and signed at the bottom, looking up only when she heard the familiar thud of a body hitting the mat. Todd lay on his back, glaring up at Jimmy. He then twisted, looped his legs around Jimmy's and tugged, pulling the lad down onto the mat next to him.
Casey sighed and met Kali's gaze. She shook her head and looked down.
"Class dismissed," Casey said.
The class dispersed to change, and Casey approached the back of the room. "See my problem?"
Kali nodded. "Yeah. But it's not Todd's actions that are beating Jimmy," she said. "It's his words. This is going to sound cold and uncompassionate, and I don't mean it to be, but Jimmy has got to start taking everything Todd says with a grain of salt, or, ignoring him. If he doesn't grow a thicker skin, he's going to get walked all over repeatedly, and nothing you can do or say is going to change that."
Casey sighed. "What do I do?" he asked.
"I don't know," admitted Kali. "If it were me, I'd probably kick Todd out. But that's not helping the situation, and Todd will probably just blame Jimmy for it and go after him outside of class. You need to get Jimmy to realise that what Todd is saying, isn't true, and that he just needs to let it go over his head."
Looking up, Casey glimpsed Jimmy heading out of the exit. "I'll be right back," he said, hurrying after him.
Kali watched him disappear and jumped down from the stage. She picked up the enrolment form and wandered out to the front desk. She handed it over to the receptionist, watching as she inputted the data into the computer, and paid the start-up fee.
"Thanks," said Kali, pocketing her card. She stepped outside the building to call Nick.
~X~
"Oh, perfect timing," said RJ, as Kali and Casey walked into the restaurant. "We're almost done."
"How are you feeling?" Lily asked.
Casey nodded and took a seat on a nearby stool. He gasped and lurched forward, clutching his head as Kali grasped his shoulders. The last time she had seen this happening was when Nick had been linked to Koragg, and she knew from that experience how painful and tiring it was.
"Careful," said Kali, as Casey dropped his hands. She took a vial of clear liquid from her pocket, pulled the cork out with her teeth, and pressed it into Casey's palm. "Drink it!"
Casey did without arguing. His face grimacing in disgust.
"What did you see?" Kali asked.
"How did you -?" Casey started.
"Questions later, answers now," said Kali, shaking her head.
Casey sighed. "It was Whiger," he answered. "He was in my head. I heard him."
"What did he say?"
"He's at the quarry. He wants me to come to him," Casey stood, almost knocking his stool over in his haste. "I've got to go! I've got to get my spirit back."
Whirling around, Casey stepped forward and squeaked as he stumbled backwards. He glanced over his shoulder; his brow furrowed until he saw his hood wrapped up tightly in Kali's hand.
"Oh no you don't," said Kali, forcing him back into his seat. "You're not going anywhere!"
"But -"
"No," said Kali, shaking her head. "You're staying, we're going."
"But he -" Casey started.
"I don't care," said Kali, shaking her head.
"It's my -"
Kali folded her arms and shot Casey a stern look. "You're not going. End of story," she said. "You're going to stay here, take your Potions when you need them, and we'll try and get your spirit back," she nodded at the others.
"She's right," said RJ.
Casey huffed in annoyance.
"Fran, watch him," said Kali.
The young waitress nodded and watched as the others raced from the parlour.
~X~
Whiger growled as he squared off against the five Rangers blocking his path. He counted them, noticing that the one he wanted, wasn't present. "Where is the Red Ranger?" he demanded.
"You want one of us?" Kali asked. "You get all of us."
Whiger laughed and stalked forward. He easily batted Lily and Theo aside, and turned quickly to Dom. He blocked the flying fists and then threw his arms wide into the air, kicking him in the chest and knocking him back.
RJ lunged forward aiming a punch, then a kick, and then another punch at Whiger's shoulder, knee, and chest. The General groaned in shock and then caught RJ's third punch, lifted him off the ground, and threw him into Dom.
Jumping over Whiger, Kali spun back and raised her food, colliding it with Whiger's side. The General lowered his arm, wrapping it around her ankle and flipping her up. Kali followed the rotation and landed squarely back on her feet, stumbling only slightly. She growled and looked up, throwing herself forward and swinging her arm at Whiger's head.
He blocked, grabbed her wrist, and flipped her over. Kicking her in the stomach and chest.
Kali groaned and landed on her stomach. She looked up as Lily and Theo jumped over her, rushing at Whiger. But the General made short work of Theo, before setting his sights on the Cheetah. In the end, he twisted her arm back, kicked her knees out from under her, and then flipped her over.
With a roar, Whiger turned to RJ, meeting him blow for blow, before punching the Wolf Master in the chest and knocking him backward.
Meeting Dom's gaze from across the quarry, Kali nodded and jumped to her feet. She rushed at Whiger, dividing his attention away from the others. He caught her punch and then her kick and lifted her above his head. He threw her backward, causing her to roll across the gravel as Dom tried to sneak up on him from behind.
The stealth attack was fruitless, though, as Whiger grabbed Dom by the front of his shirt and hauled him over his shoulder,
"You are weak!" Whiger said, looking around at the team. He paused and then turned to the left, his clawed hand reaching up and resting over his heart as he bowed.
Brow furrowed, Kali glanced in the direction he was looking, and her heart dropped as she saw Dai Shi, Camille, and Generals Scorch and Snapper, overlooking the battle.
Kicking off from the ground, Whiger launched himself into the air and landed beside his fellow Generals. Back in the quarry, the Rangers pushed themselves up and regrouped.
Dai Shi laughed as he shrugged off his robes, his entire body glowing, as well as Camille's. When the light faded they were both kitted out in golden exterior.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Kali whined, her gaze tracing the Griffin and Phoenix armour.
"The Phantom Beast King has risen!" Scorch called, his voice echoing. "Soon, he will rule the world!"
Kali swallowed and glanced at RJ.
"Phantom Beast General Camille with the Spirit of the Phoenix!" Camille called.
"Camille's a General now?" Theo asked.
"Phantom Beast General Snapper, with the Spirit of the Snapping Turtle!" echoed Snapper.
"Phantom Beast General Whiger, with the Spirit of the White Tiger!"
"Phantom Beast General Scorch, with the Spirit of the Avalon Dragon!"
Kali's gaze slid from one General to the next before coming to a standstill on Dai Shi. Sensing her gaze, he looked up and smirked.
"There is no use resisting," Dai Shi called. "Our power exceeds anything that you can imagine, even your three heads, Hellhound! All bow before me."
Kali scoffed. "Hell will freeze over before I bow before anyone," she said, glancing to the others. "I don't know about you guys, but I find it incredibly rude that we weren't told this would be a costume party."
Lily smirked, despite the seriousness of the situation.
"In that case," said RJ, grinning. "Maybe we should crash it?"
"I like the way you think," said Kali. "Ready?"
"Ready!"
"Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"
Chuckling, the Phantom Beasts, apart from Scorch, kicked off from the ground and landed before the Rangers. They rushed forward, and the team split up, each one taking on a different general. Kali ducked under Whiger's arm and, popping up behind him, delivered a spin kick to his shoulder.
Whiger blocked, rolled his wrists, and cupped Kali's foot. He pulled up, flipping her over.
Kali landed on her hands and flipped back to her feet. She wobbled slightly as the blood rushed away from her brain and recovered just as Whiger blocked RJ's kicks and jab. He uppercut the Wolf Master, dragging his claws along RJ's chest and throwing him backwards.
"Woah!" RJ cried, tripping over his own two feet, and hitting the ground with a thud.
Clenching her fists, Kali rushed forward and leapt into the air. She landed on Whiger's back, her hands gripping his shoulders as he tried to shake her off. He reached back, clawing at whatever part of her he could reach, before one powerful buck backwards knocked her loose.
Kali rolled across the ground as Whiger stood over her. "Insolent brat!" he said, raising his claw above his head. Muttering a spell, Kali disappeared and Whiger struck the ground.
He growled and spun around, searching for her. She reappeared beside RJ, just as Snapper and Camille returned to Dai Shi and Scorch. Glaring one last time at the Hellhound, Whiger joined the others back on the ridge.
"Rangers, you will submit to the power of the Phantom Beasts!" Dai Shi bellowed. "Or you will be destroyed resisting us!" He threw out his hand, an energy ball accumulating between his fingers before soaring down and striking the ground beneath the teams feet.
Kali coughed and wrapped an arm around her middle as she landed, demorphed, in the centre of the Ranger pile. She looked up, her hair sweeping across her face in the wind, as Dai Shi laughed and stalked away, the others following in his wake.
~X~
Casey run a hand over his face and through his hair. He had watched the whole fight on the monitors and was more than informed when the team finally returned. "I should've been there to help," he huffed.
"To do what?" Kali asked. "Get your ass handed to you, too?"
"To help!" Casey protested.
"There was nothing you could've done differently," Kali retorted, her temper flaring. "He threw us around like rag dolls, and he would've thrown you around like one, too."
Casey's eyes narrowed and then his shoulders slumped, and he looked away. "I'm useless without my Tiger Spirit," he whispered. "I gotta go. My class is waiting for me."
"Woah, wait a minute," said RJ, intercepting Casey's departure. "Your spirit doesn't make you stronger, you make your spirit stronger. Think about it."
Casey considered RJ for a moment. He then nodded, stood, and left.
Kali took a deep, calming breath, and then followed him.
The others to watch her go.
~X~
"Would you slow down?"
"Why? So, you can shout at me again?"
Kali huffed and, after glancing around to make sure no one was watching, disappeared in a flicker of magic. She reappeared directly in front of Casey, causing him to stop suddenly so that he didn't walk into her.
"What the hell?" Casey snapped.
"This is the only way I can get you to stop walking," said Kali, she grabbed his arm as he tried to walk around her.
Wrenching his arm free, Casey narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?" he asked.
"I want to apologise," said Kali. "I shouldn't have taken your head off back at the loft. I know you want to help, and you feel useless without your spirit, and I had no right telling you what you should and shouldn't have been doing. I'm sorry."
Casey heaved a sigh and relaxed. "No, you had every right stopping me from going to that fight," he said. "If I had gone, I would've only got in the way and things could've been a lot worse with you all focusing on protecting me instead of fighting Dai Shi. I guess I'm just feeling a little… lost, right now."
"I feel you," said Kali, nodding in understanding.
"I doubt that," said Casey, shaking his head.
Kali shrugged. "Casey, I've seen, heard, and felt a lot in my time as a Ranger," she said. "I have seen countless things that have freaked me out, I have heard things that have scared me to the core, and I have felt what it is like to be powerless, so believe me when I tell you that I know how you're feeling right now."
"How did you deal with all that?"
"I relied on my friends, my teams," said Kali, "and RJ's right, you know? About your animal spirit. It doesn't make you stronger, you make it stronger. You're both two sides of the same coin, drawing on each other for strength and protection every time you're in battle. If you don't believe in yourself or your animal spirit then that is what makes you a burden."
Casey stared at Kali as she rested her hands on his shoulders. "I just feel so useless without it," he said.
"We all feel that way sometimes," said Kali. "With or without an animal spirit. But, do you know what we don't do? We don't give up!"
"You're right," said Casey, brightening.
Kali smiled and nodded. She squeezed his shoulders and released him, her hands barely dropping back to her waist as a scream echoed from around the corner.
Sharing a look of concern, the two took off a high speed, racing around the corner and stopping short as they found Whiger blocking their path.
"At last!" Whiger growled, his gaze set on Casey.
From the corner of her eye, Kali saw Casey pull out his morpher, but she pushed him back, down a side alley.
"What are you doing?" Casey asked. "You just said -"
"Audience!" said Kali, nodding over to where Todd, Jimmy and a few others from Casey's class were hiding.
Casey relaxed and lowered his arm. "What do we do?" he asked.
"Call the others," said Kali. "Then join me." She pulled out her own glasses, slid them onto her face, and tapped the side. "Jungle Beast, Spirit Unleashed!"
Disappearing in a flicker of magic, Kali reappeared behind Whiger.
"Come out, come out, Red Ranger," Whiger called.
"Hey! Looking for someone?" Kali called.
Whiger turned wildly. "Stay out of this, Hellhound," he growled, pointing at her. "This doesn't concern you."
"Maybe that is what you think," said Kali, clenching her fists. "But, like I said earlier, you come after one of us, you come after us all. Do you want the Tiger? Then go through the Hellhound!"
Whiger laughed. "Fine! Once you've fallen, your teammates will follow," he said.
"Don't bet on it," said Kali. She rushed forward, kicking up and planting her foot into his chest and using it as leverage to flip herself over. She narrowly missed a swipe from Whiger as she landed, and stumbled back and around, summoning her claw booster to hand.
Stalking forward, Whiger stopped and looked up as Theo jumped down between him and the black Ranger. He snarled and blocked a punch, flipping the Blue Ranger over and reset his sights on the Black, she had morphed once again, this time wielding her claw booster and firing her jets as she soared towards him.
Whiger raised his arms, blocking Kali's attack and, swinging his arm back and then forward again, he caught her in the side, launching her through the air and into the side of a building.
"Ha!" Lily cried, propelling herself forward using her jets and slashing twice, three times at Whiger with her Claw Booster. He blocked each swipe, and raised his foot, kicking Lily in the chest and turning to RJ and Dom as she stumbled away.
Sooner rather than later, the team of five lay in a big mass on the plaza floor. Each one clutching an aching body part, or just groaning in general pain from the beating they had just taken.
Laughing, Whiger stood over the team. "I told you, Hellhound, you and your team are powerless against me!" he taunted.
"Whiger!"
Whiger gasped and looked up, stumbling back, and raising his arms just in time to block an incoming attack from Casey.
"It's me that you want!" said Casey, kicking the General in the gut and sending him stumbling backward. He fired up his jets and soared forward, slashing up then down with his claw booster.
Startled by the attack, Whiger stumbled backward and crashed into a stone pillar, disintegrating it upon impact.
"Casey, are you alright?" Lily asked, running over.
Theo and Kali hot on her heels.
Casey sagged sideways, and Kali caught him, holding him up right. He took a deep breath and nodded weakly. "I think so," he said.
"Let's finish this and get you home," said Kali.
"Claw Cannon!"
Supporting the cannon on Lily and Theo's shoulders, Kali stood behind Casey; one hand on the top of the cannon and the other on his arm, stabilising him as he continued to stand.
Cannon beeped loud, it's lights dimming.
"What?" Theo gasped.
"It's not charging!" Lily said, stating the obvious.
Casey sighed heavily. "It's me," he said. "I don't have enough Tiger Spirit."
Delivering a quick finish to RJ and Dom, Whiger set his sights on the four Rangers and stalked forward, like an animal hunting its prey. "It's your turn, Red Ranger," he growled.
"I can help!" shouted Jimmy, running out from behind his hiding spot. "I have Tiger spirit."
"Get out of here, kid!" said Theo.
"No," said Kali, patting Casey's shoulder and nodding. "He may be able to help."
Realising that this could help both them and Jimmy in terms of his bully problem, Casey nodded. "She's right. Here," he turned to Jimmy, "place your hand on mine."
Jimmy did as he was told, his fingers clamping down on top of Casey's, and immediately the lights began to glow.
"It's working!" Theo gasped.
"Yes!" Lily cheered.
"Ready?" Kali asked.
"FIRE!" yelled Casey. He and Jimmy pushed forward on the handle, thrusting the burning energy ball at the General.
The two collided and Whiger was thrown backward.
Cheering, the team separated, and Casey turned to Jimmy. "Thanks," he said.
Jimmy smiled and nodded.
"Now you really do need to get out of here," said Kali.
"Trust me," said Casey, nudging Jimmy's shoulder. "You're better off not arguing with her. She can get pretty scary."
Kali gasped and clipped him across the back of the head.
"Hey! Ow!" Casey whined, covering himself.
Jimmy laughed. "Good luck!" he called, running off and disappearing.
Roaring in anger and frustration, Whiger started to glow with Rinzin power and only stopped when he was towering over the city.
"And he grows," said RJ, looking up.
"Well, duh," said Kali. "Isn't that what they all do?"
RJ rolled his eyes. "Ready?" he asked.
"Ready!"
"Animal Spirits, Unite!"
"Wolf Pride Megazord!"
"Jungle Master Megazord!"
"Chimera Master Megazord!"
Whiger let loose a low rumble in the back of his throat as he looked from one Megazord to the next. Each was more powerful than the last, especially the Chimera.
"Tiger attack!" Whiger called, charging forward. He slammed the back of his hand against the Wolf Pride, turned 180 degrees and dragged his claws against the Jungle Pride, he turned another 80 degrees and raised a foot, slamming it against the Chimera.
Spinning around, Kali threw out the tail of her megazord. "Venom strike!" she called, the snake's head hissing as it sunk it's fangs into Whiger's arm.
He howled and pulled backward, slashing wildly with his free hand, and striking the Chimera. The snake released, and Kali stumbled backward. She recovered quickly; her gaze fixed on Whiger.
"We're here to take the Tiger spirit back!" Kali bellowed. She moved forward, reaching her arms around him, and restraining him against her chest.
Whiger struggled, his legs flailing. He kicked back and struck the Chimera in the legs, causing her to drop him in surprise.
"We could use a hand here!" RJ called, rushing in. He grabbed Whiger, only to be flipped over his head and landing with a crash into the middle of the city.
The ground rumbled as the Rhino Zord ambled into view, Dom riding on its head. "Someone call for help?" Dom asked. "Rhino Warrior Mode!"
"Careful, Dom," RJ warned. "He has the power of two tigers."
"Yeah. He's stronger than the Hellhound right now," said Kali, "and that's saying something, to be fair."
"Noted," said Dom, raising his sword arm. He struck down, but Whiger caught the blade, twisted, and forced it towards the floor.
Whiger laughed as he blasted them four Megazord's with Rinzin, knocking them backward again.
"That is, it!" Kali yelled, clenching her hands into a fist, and staggering back to her feet. "I have been thrown around one to many times in the last two days! I am done being someone else's rag doll! Let's end it… now."
"Right!" the others echoed.
"Time for a stampede!" said Kali, bringing her fists together in front of her. "Hellhound Spirit! Chimera Spirit!"
Both spirits materalised outside of the Megazord, and soon were joined by the others as the Megazord's split apart, fusing together with the Rhino.
"Calling on Animal Spirits! Fury Fists!" the six Rangers yelled, spreading their arms, and whirling them around.
The Zords surged forward, striking Whiger one after the other.
Whiger roared as he lost power with each hit, causing him to shrink back to his smaller size and hit the ground with a thud. He huffed, glared up at them, and then disappeared.
"Yeah!" the Rangers cheered, while Casey merely sank to his knees, exhausted.
~X~
Kali sat outside the community centre. She looked up as Casey sat beside her. "Don't worry," she said reassuringly, "I'm not here to baby sit you this time."
"Okay. Then, why are you here?" Casey asked.
"I'm waiting on your new student."
"My new student?"
Kali nodded. "Yep. You don't know this about me, Case, but, unbelievably, I'm a parent," she said.
Casey laughed. "That's funny," he said.
Kali raised an eyebrow at him.
"You're not laughing," said Casey, his laughter dying. "Why aren't you laughing?"
"Because I'm not teasing or joking this time."
Casey frowned. "You're a mum?" he asked. "You've given birth."
This time, Kali did laugh. "No, not exactly," she said, shaking her head.
"Then how -?"
"Aidan's birth mother died in childbirth and his father disappeared two years ago," said Kali. "With them being part of the Mystic Realm, duty fell to me to do something. I could've easily set Aidan up with a new family, but I don't know, when I saw him, something just felt…" she shrugged, "right. And I knew that I couldn't just let him go to some random family after that."
"But you don't want kids," said Casey. "I remember you telling Rylie."
Kali nodded. "I don't want my own kids," she said. "Adopting or fostering? That's different. I have always said that I never wanted to birth my own."
"And Nick is okay with that?"
"Yep. We're both adopted," Kali said. "So, we want to do for others what was done for us."
"What if you ever get pregnant?"
Kali shrugged. "That's impossible. I'm on an IUD," she explained. "My doctor refuses to let me have my tubes tied, which pisses me off, to be honest, but I'm not going to try and fight the system when countless people before me have done so and lost; instead, I stick to an IUD which is changed every three years."
"Far too much information than I needed," said Casey.
"Meh. Think of it has a free biology lesson," said Kali, chuckling. She grew serious again as she cocked her head to the side, staring at him. "How are you feeling? You still taking the Healing potions?"
Casey nodded. "Every day like clockwork," he said. "I'm starting to get some strength back, but I still feel like something is missing."
"You're bound to," said Kali. "Losing your spirit is like losing part of yourself. But we'll get it back, I promise."
"I know we will," said Casey.
Kali smiled and nudged his shoulder with her own.
The pair looked up as the sound of an engine cut through the air and spotted a familiar black motorcycle pulling to a halt in front of them. Two people were astride it, one clearly an adult and the other a child.
"Ready to meet your new student?" Kali asked.
"Let's do it!" said Casey. He stood and followed Kali to the street.
The kid pulled off his helmet and jumped from the bike. He looked to be around eleven years old, with tanned skin, short dark hair, and deep brown eyes. He grinned and flung his arms around Kali, hugging her tightly and shrieking with laughter as she lifted him up and spun him around.
"Kali!" Aidan cried. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you, too!" Kali said, setting Aidan back on his feet and kneeling in front of him. "You been a good boy?"
Aidan nodded.
"Good. What have you been up to since I last saw you?"
"Auntie Lorna taught be how to conjure fireballs, and Auntie V showed me how to work the turn tables at the Rock Porium," said Aidan, excitedly. "Uncle Toby even gave me a guitar, and Uncle Xander showed me how to tune it. Nick says I can get guitar lessons if I want to, too."
Kali raised an eyebrow at Nick.
"Slow down, buddy," said Nick, sitting sideways on his bike. "I said we need to talk to Kali first."
Aidan's smile dropped and he looked at Kali. "Please?" he begged. "I'll do anything."
Kali chuckled. "As long as you promise to not slide in your training," she said. "I don't see why you can't do guitar lessons, too."
"Yes!" Aidan cheered. "Thank you, thank you, so much!" He threw his arms around Kali again, almost toppling her over backward.
Kali laughed and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Hey, Aidan, I want you to meet someone," she said. Aidan released her and Kali turned to Casey. "This is my friend, Casey, he teaches the Kung Fu class here in Ocean Bluff. I thought maybe you'd want to see what I'm being taught while I'm staying here."
Aidan's eyes widened. "Oh! Yes, please!" he grinned. He looked up at Casey. "Hi."
"Hey, Aidan, you're really going to enjoy this class," said Casey.
"You sound so confident," said Kali.
"I am," said Casey, turning to her. "Because in my current condition, I need to an assistant. How does 4pm everyday sound?"
Kali's face fell and Nick laughed.