Disclaimer:  I own nothing.  My personal universe is back.

Author's Note:  After this story, you will be seeing the Rangers crossing over with the Justice League, the X-Men, and maybe the Transformers.  Those will be two (maybe three) different stories, unrelated to each other.

Added Power

It has been two weeks since the destruction of Serpenterra.  The eight Power Rangers have enjoyed a well-deserved break and are now getting ready to start school again.  Seven of them already know that they're going to be juniors.  But Jenny Oliver, the Green Ranger and the youngest of the group, doesn't yet know where she's going to end up.

Katherine Hillard and Aisha Campbell were sitting at their usual table at the Youth Center drinking smoothies while Adam Park and Rocky DeSantos sparred.  "Where are the others?" asked Aisha.

"Tommy's going to be picking up Jenny from the high school when she finishes her placement exam," explained Kat.  "She expects it to be graded immediately.  Then, they'll head over here and tell us what grade she'll be in.  Billy and Trini are at the Command Center helping Alpha with something, but they wouldn't say what it was."

"Speaking of school," said Aisha, "I'm sure glad we registered early this year.  I don't even want to think of the hassle it would be otherwise!"

"I know what you mean," nodded Kat in agreement.  "School registration was no different in Australia."

Soon, Adam and Rocky joined them with drinks of their own.  "That was a good workout," said the Black Ranger as he sat beside his girlfriend.

"You didn't do so bad yourself, Froggy," said Rocky with a smirk.  Adam blushed as Kat and Aisha giggled.

"Would you stop calling me that?" asked Adam with embarrassment.  He then looked around before whispering, "My zord isn't a frog anymore."

"Maybe, but the frog is always going to be your spirit animal," the Red Ranger whispered back.  Kat and Aisha giggled again as Adam blushed, knowing that he'd lost this argument.

"Hey, guys," came the voice of Tommy Oliver as he and Jenny joined their friends.

"Hey," said Kat as her boyfriend gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"How'd your exam go," asked the Yellow Ranger.

Jenny had a wide smile on her face.  She said, "I'm gonna be skippin' a couple of grades and join the rest of you as an incoming freshman!"

"Congratulations!" said Rocky.

"That's great!" said Adam with a soft smile.

"You go, girl!" said Aisha cheerfully, causing Jenny to blush.  Tommy and Kat just smiled.

At the Command Center, Billy Cranston and Trini Kwan were helping Alpha 5 with a new weapon.  Or rather, modifying an old one.  "How strong are we talking here?" asked the Gold Ranger.

"It's hard to say," said Alpha, "but I can tell you that the new and improved Power Cannon will be stronger than before now that there are eight Rangers."

"That's good," said the Blue Ranger.  "The team could always use a little more power."  Trini nodded in agreement.

Suddenly the alarms began blaring.  As the Blue and Gold Rangers approached the Viewing Globe, Trini said, "Rita and Zedd just had to pick now to attack."

As Trini, Billy, and Alpha observed the Globe, Zordon said, "THIS IS THE METAL ABSORBER.  ANY KIND OF METAL HE COMES IN CONTACT WITH MAKES HIM STRONGER.  HE IS HEADING FOR THE STEEL MILL.  BILLY AND TRINI, YOU GO AND TRY TO KEEP HIS POWER FROM INCREASING.  I'LL HAVE THE OTHERS JOIN YOU SHORTLY."

Alpha turned away and said, "I'll try and finish the modifications on the Power Cannon."

Billy called, "It's Morphin Time!"

"TRICERATOPS!"

"PYRAMIDAS!"

The metal-bodied Metal Absorber was absorbing the metallic objects in cars as civilians scattered or drove away as fast as they could.  He said in a robotic voice, "I've already got enough power to tear this city apart!  But once I've absorbed everything in the steel mill, I'll be invincible!"

"We'll see about that!" said a male voice.  He looked up as the Blue Ranger landed a flying kick to his chest.  He fell down, but got right back up.

The Metal Absorber looked at his opponent, laughed and said, "You think you can stop me, pathetic Ranger?"

"Not by himself anyway," said a female voice.  Metal Absorber turned, only to meet a roundhouse kick from the Gold Ranger.  He stumbled back and Billy kicked him in the back.

Back at the Youth Center, the others were laughing and joking when their communicators beeped.  They snuck off to their usual spot.  Tommy said, "What is it, Zordon?"

"BILLY AND TRINI NEED YOUR HELP.  A MONSTER CALLED THE METAL ABSORBER IS HEADING FOR THE STEEL MILL."

"We're on our way."  Tommy then made the call.

"It's Morphin Time!"

"PTERODACTYL!"

"TYRANNOSAURUS!"

"MASTODON!"

"SABER-TOOTHED TIGER!"

"DRAGON!"

"WHITE TIGER!"

Back at the battlefield, Billy fell down to the ground.  "Man, he's strong!" he said to himself. 

Trini ducked under a wild punch from the Metal Absorber but wasn't quick enough to move as his other hand touched her helmet.  She screamed as the Absorber began to absorb her helmet.  "No!" cried Billy as he kicked the monster in the back, freeing his girlfriend.  "Trini, are you alright?"

Trini had somehow been weakened by the absorption.  She said, "I'll be fine."

"Oh, no you won't!" cried the Absorber as he charged.  He was planning to absorb Billy's helmet, but he was stopped when Tommy kicked him in the side.

As Tommy, Kat, Adam, Rocky, and Aisha took on the Absorber, Jenny approached Billy and Trini.  "Are you guys alright?"

"We'll be fine," answered the Blue Ranger.  "But if he gets to the steel mill, there may be no stopping him."

The Metal Absorber knocked down all of his attackers except Tommy.  He managed to knock him down, but right next to a parked car.  He immediately began absorbing it.  Billy and Trini, ran past their teammates, who were watching, not knowing what to do.  Jenny said, "Absorbing metal makes him stronger!  We can't let him get to the steel mill!"

Billy and Trini were approaching the Absorber, but he quickly punched them away and began running towards the steel mill.  "He's heading for the mill!" yelled Aisha.

"Let's take the Shark Cycles, guys," suggested Tommy.

"Right," said the others.

The Shark Cycles were teleported in.  The Rangers immediately got on and started speeding towards the Metal Absorber.  The Gold Shark Cycle took the lead and knocked him down from behind.  As he got up, he said, "Why you . . ."

He never got to finish.  He heard the roar of another cycle and saw the Blue Shark Cycle heading right for him.  There was nothing he could do as he was knocked down.  'Good thing these aren't made of metal,' Billy thought to himself. 

The Absorber got up and heard the Pink Ranger ask, "Do you smoke?"  He was immediately treated to a smokescreen, courtesy of the Pink and Green Shark Cycles.  He coughed and was defenseless as the Red Cycle swiped him in the side, followed by the Black Cycle on the other side.

"That oughtta teach him not to smoke!" joked Jenny.

The smoke cleared and the Absorber was barely able to avoid the Yellow Shark Cycle.  As Aisha pulled to a stop, the Absorber said, "You're not getting me, Yellow Ranger!"

"Sorry," said Aisha.  "I was just the distraction."

"Huh?" asked the Absorber confused.  He heard an engine roar and saw the White Shark Cycle on a wheelie and headed right for him!  He screamed as he was run over.

The Rangers regrouped and stepped off their Shark Cycles.  As they were teleported away, Trini said, "Those Shark Cycles are amazing!"  Her communicator then beeped.  She held it up and asked, "What is it, Alpha?"

"The modifications on the Power Cannon are complete!" came Alpha's clearly excited voice.  "Prepare to receive it!"

"Gotcha!" said the Gold Ranger as she broke contact.

"You've been working on the Power Cannon?" asked Rocky.

"Yep," answered Billy.  "It should be stronger than ever."

An instant later, the new and improved Power Cannon appeared in their hands.  Tommy, Kat, Billy, and Rocky took up the right side while Trini, Jenny, Adam, and Aisha took up the other.  They then inserted their individual Power Spheres.

"White charge!"

"Pink charge!"

"Blue charge!"

"Red charge!"

"Gold charge!"

"Green charge!"

"Black charge!"

"Yellow charge!"

Once the spheres were inserted, the cannon began to charge.  "Fire!" they all cried in unison.  The blast tore a hole in the Metal Absorber as he writhed in agony, fell, and exploded.  The Metal Absorber had been defeated.

At the Lunar Palace, Lord Zedd was furious!  "Curse those Rangers!  We throw our best monsters at them, we even send out Serpenterra, and we still can't beat them!"  All Rita did was moan.  He sat down on his throne and growled, "One of these days, Rangers, your luck will run out.  And when I'm through, there won't be enough left of any of you to bury!"

Later that evening, Jenny was helping her mom set the dinner table.  Jenny said, "I can't believe I'm gonna be in high school!  I'll graduate when I'm 16!"

Mrs. Oliver smiled and said, "I'm proud of you, Jenny.  I know you're gonna do well."

Just as they were almost ready to eat, Kat entered the house followed by Tommy.  "Mom, we're here!" called Tommy.

"Come on to the table!" Mrs. Oliver called back.  "We're about ready to eat!"

As they ate, Kat said, "Thanks for letting me come over, Mrs. Oliver.  With me mum and dad on a date tonight, I'm glad I didn't have to spend the whole evening by myself."

Mrs. Oliver smiled and said, "You're welcome to come over here any time, Katherine."

Kat smiled as she and the Olivers continued to eat.