Disclaimer: Not mine, please don't sue me, I have no money anyway.

Jenny: Karone? The purple ranger? Where'd you get that idea from:grins: I should make her like maroon or something, but I don't actually know what color that is, so yeah, she's purple.

Arwennicole: Thanks. I always update soon. Except for this weekend. :looks guiltily at large pile of unfinished homework:

Melissa: Glad you liked it. Don't worry, they'll be fine, especially with Karone to help them. I can't kill them yet. There's still too much that has to happen.

Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: Yeah, they made me take down the Author's Note that I had at the beginning, so that's why it didn't look like there was another chapter.

Chapter 22: Unbeatable Team

The Megaship-the holding bay

"Feeling better?"

Andros looked up as Aria entered, going straight to the Synthetron before even glancing in his direction.

"I'm fine," Andros assured her, almost truthfully. The cuts and bruises and all been superficial, and only his ribs still ached. "They just took me by surprise."

"Karone took the morpher," Aria said, setting her food down across from him. "But she'll only use it if she's not fighting Ecliptor."

"She took it?" Andros repeated. His face broke into a grin as Aria nodded. His smile faded as he asked, "Will it be enough?"

"Seven against five," Aria said, shrugging. "It should be."

"What's wrong?" Andros asked. "You seem unusually normal."

Aria became very busy with her food for the next several minutes, and Andros waited patiently, fixing his sister with a questioning stare. Finally, Aria sighed, and looked up at him.

"I've never fought anything that strong before," she said quietly. "Everything's always come so easily to me before, and now..."

"Oh," Andros said, understanding. "I felt that way once, too."

"What happened?" Aria asked, raising her eyes to his.

"What?"

"What happened?" Aria repeated. "To change your mind?"

"Dark Specter invaded," Andros said, thinking that he was going to make things worse. "When you're outnumbered a hundred thousand to two, everything suddenly becomes much harder."

Aria nodded thoughtfully. "I'm going to the Simudeck," she announced abruptly. "Karone and Zhane are there, if you want to see her fight."

"I've seen her fight," Andros reminded her. "And in my opinion, I've been on the receiving end of her attacks too many times. She can spar with Zhane for awhile."

Aria grinned, and left. Andros contemplated going to the Simudeck after all, but thought better of it. He'd gotten somewhat used to the fact that his best friend was dating his sister, but whenever he saw them together, he was tempted to grab Zhane, and drag him as far away from his little sister as possible.

"Andros?"

He smiled when he saw Ashley, and hopped up from his stool in order to kiss her. Ashley pulled him into a close hug. "You're going to fight today, aren't you?"

"If the Psychos show up, then yes," Andros said firmly. "And you can't talk me out of it."

"That's what I was afraid of," Ashley muttered, and her grip on him tightened. "Andros-"

"I'm fine, Ash," Andros said softly. "I'm not going to let you go down there without me."

Ashley sighed. "Promise you'll be careful?"

"I promise," Andros said. "Relax, Ash. I'm fine."

"And you'd better stay that way," Ashley warned him as Deca's alarms went off.

"The Psycho Rangers are attacking Angel Grove."

"Let's go," Andros said, pulling away from Ashley. "Deca, have the others meet us there."

Angel Grove

"Let's rocket!" seven voices cried together, but their enemies didn't falter.

"Cool, purple," Aria said, noting the color of her sister's suit.

"Two more are no matter," Psycho Red said, leading the Psychos as they advanced.

"We'll see," Andros muttered. "Ready?"

"Ready," six voices answered him. Weapons in hand, the rangers faced off against their evil counterparts.

With Zhane and Karone, they were almost evenly matched against the Psychos, but it was still a close fight. After an hour, the rangers were realizing that the Pyschos never seemed to tire.

"No!" Psycho Yellow howled suddenly. Ashley fell back, exhausted but seemingly truimphant.

"What did she just do?" Andros demanded, whirling around to look at his sister.

"She cracked Psycho Yellow's energy sphere," Karone said, the admiration in her voice evident. "It's as close to a weakness as they have."

"So what happens when we do that, exactly?" Andros was doubled over after a hard kick to the ribs.

"I'm not sure," Karone said. "But it's not good for them."

Psycho Yellow was not about to give up. Charging once again at Ashley, she landed a hard blow with her sword, and Ashley fell limply. Psycho Yellow stepped past her, and Ashley was on her feet again instantly, hitting Psycho Yellow from behind.

"Hey, Ash, I've got an idea."

Ashley jumped as Aria's voice sounded in her head.

"Get Psycho Yellow to charge at you the same time I get Psycho Pink to charge at me," Aria continued.

"You think it'll work?" Ashley asked, seeing where Aria was going, but a little dubious.

"Got a better idea?"

Ashley shrugged, and shifted several feet to the left, so she and Aria were back to back. As Aria predicted, the Psychos charged at them at the same time. Seconds before they would have been hit, Ashley and Aria dodged out of the way, leaving the Psychos to hit each other. The already damaged Psycho Yellow collapsed in flames.

"No!" Psycho Red raged. He sent his own attack at Psycho Pink, who was instantly destroyed. Psycho Blue, who apparently had some loyalty to Pyscho Pink retaliated against Psycho Red, and then Psycho Black joined in the fight.

"This is surprisingly easy," Justin commented, standing with the other rangers, watching as the Psychos destroyed themselves.

"I know," Aria agreed. "We make a better team than them, at any rate."

"Why didn't I think of this?" Karone wondered. "I built them."

"You sure know how to build a monster," Justin informed his sister. "Just don't make any more, okay?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely..."

"What do we do now?" Ashley asked. "We should celebrate."

"Vacation?"