Power Rangers: The First and Last Hope
Chapter 10: Green with Power, Part 1
The five Power Rangers stood around the Command Center, their helmets lining in a row on one of the consoles, all looking quite exhausted from the last battle.
"You did very well, Power Rangers." Zordon said proudly. "I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Drilliago is destroyed."
"For real this time?" Jerrelle asked. "Cause the last time he looked dead, he didn't, y'know, stay dead."
"His energy has completely disappeared from this world, Jerrelle." Alpha-5 chimed in. "Zordon asked me to do a scan after what happened last time."
"Any idea yet what that strange black orb was?" Michi wondered.
"Unfortunately, no." Zordon said, sounding more than a little disappointed. "But we're working on it."
"Great, you're working on it." Ada repeated sarcastically. "In the meantime, we have yet another thing to worry about. On top of the evil super-warrior, Araken, the supreme bitch, Neresa, a strange Power Ranger ten times stronger than we are put together, and strange monsters created out of our own planet's energy, now we have to worry about glowing black orbs that can not only revive the monsters we've blown up, but enlarge them as well. What's next!"
Mia, once again having morphed into the Green Ranger, ran forward across the grass, and then leaped into the air, executing a picture-perfect spinning roundhouse kick before landing back on the ground. From behind her, the Scarlet Ranger began a slow, methodical clapping.
"You do that move just as well as your father did." the Scarlet Ranger said proudly.
"You keep mentioning my father." Mia replied, turning to face her coach of sorts. "You knew him?"
"Well...you could say that." the Scarlet Ranger said as she walked towards Mia. "He was the strongest of all the Power Rangers, stronger than the other five put together, just like you are now."
"So why did he fail to destroy them?" Mia asked her, legitimately curious. "How could someone with so much power lose to those with so little?"
"They couldn't." the Scarlet Ranger replied simply. "The problem wasn't that he lost, Mia. The problem was that he lacked the power inside of him. The strength to do what would have put him in the history books forever."
"He couldn't do it?" Mia asked her. "You're saying he had the opportunity to destroy the Power Rangers, but refused?"
"Yes." the Scarlet Ranger replied. "He had the chance, but he couldn't do it."
There was silence for a moment, both Rangers looking away. Finally, the Scarlet Ranger spoke.
"If you have the chance, will you do it?" the Scarlet Ranger asked.
Mia looked up at the sky, black rain clouds giving way to a few specs of sunlight. She smiled beneath her helmet as she gazed up at the sun, trying its hardest to come out of hiding.
"In an instant." Mia said as she turned back to face her. "My goal is to prove to everyone that I am the strongest, and I will not be deterred."
"Not even by natural human compassion?" the Scarlet Ranger asked, curious.
"Compassion is secondary to the goal." the Green Ranger said. "Wouldn't you agree?"
"Completely." the Scarlet Ranger nodded, smirking under her mask. "I have to say, you and I are very much alike."
"Are we now?"
"Compassion, empathy, feelings, they're all something that we have to deal with everyday." the Scarlet Ranger said as she turned her gaze from the Green Ranger's helmet to the ground. "We're not immoral robots, spellcasters of pure evil and malice, or anything of the sort. But we all have something that's more important to us than our morals, something that's more important to us than 'doing the right thing'. You know what yours is, just like I know what mine is. We do what we have to do."
"As fascinating as this has been, I think it's about time I meet the Power Rangers." Mia said after a moment of awkward silence. "Wouldn't you?"
The Scarlet Ranger watched as Mia leaped into the air with another roundhouse kick, then pulled her Blade Blaster out of her holster in a split-second and fired upon a tree, leaving a deep scorch mark in the bark.
"Definitely." the Scarlet Ranger grinned. "It's definitely time."
"So how do you think I should go about introducing myself?" Mia wondered.
"Oh, I have a few ideas." the Scarlet Ranger said grinning to herself. "Want to see something cool?"
The Scarlet Ranger walked into the center of the street, then stretched her arms to either side of her body. Soon, her entire body began glowing with scarlet-colored energy.
"What exactly are you-" Mia began, but was cut off by the Scarlet Ranger's yell.
"SCARLET RANGER...MEGA MODE!" she screamed, and suddenly the glow of energy became much brighter. Within seconds, she began expanding, growing larger and larger, until she became the same size as Drilliago had been.
"Well...that's handy." Mia said as she stumbled backwards from the Scarlet Ranger's enlarged foot. "Hmm...maybe she's stronger than she made me believe..."
The now-gigantic Scarlet Ranger looked down at the still-tiny Green Ranger and spoke.
"WAIT UNTIL I SIGNAL YOU." the Scarlet Ranger boomed. "THEN, YOU CAN SAY HELLO."
"Sounds good to me." Mia yelled up at her. "What are you going to do in the meantime?"
"GET THEIR ATTENTION." the Scarlet Ranger grinned beneath her helmet.
She then turned her head away from Mia and began walking further into the city, crushing a car beneath her foot. Looking around her, she released a storm of energy upon the city from her out-stretched arms, the scarlet-colored energy tearing through the nearby buildings and causing a rain of debris to come down upon the city.
"THAT SHOULD DO IT." the Scarlet Ranger boomed.
"Well, as fun as this has been, we've all been out this for almost a full 24 hours without sleep now." Andrew pointed out back in the Command Center.
"Yeah, first Michi's awakening, then Andrew's, then Drilliago's attacks...we haven't gotten a bit of rest in quite a while." Tristan said.
"Well, you're the leader bro, order us to take some time off!" Ada whined.
Suddenly, the Command Center's sirens began going off.
"I'm afraid you'll have to hold that thought, Rangers." Zordon said. "Turn to the Viewing Globe."
"I hate it when he says that." Ada muttered as all five Rangers turned to face the image...of the Scarlet Ranger, enlarged and trashing a city.
"Wow, since when did she turn into a giant monster?" Michi wondered.
"It's her Mega Mode, Rangers." Zordon replied. "One of her abilities."
"That's real fair." Jerrelle said dryly.
"...actually, I think it kinda is fair, Jerrelle." Tristan said.
"Yeah, like, we have the zords, she should be able to fight us at the giant scale too, shouldn't she?" Michi asked.
"Huh...I never looked at it that way." Jerrelle admitted.
"What are you guys talking about!" Andrew asked in a huff. "She's a bad guy, the only thing she should be able to do is explode! In a big boom!"
"So let's go to Miami and make her go boom, so I can go to bed." Ada snapped.
Tristan nodded, and reached for his helmet on the console.
"Wait, how'd you know that's Miami?" Jerrelle whispered to Ada.
"The big billboard that says 'Welcome to Miami'...oh, she just blew it up." Ada whispered back.
Tristan rolled his eyes as he stuck his helmet under his armpit and placed his hands on his morpher.
"Back to action!" Tristan shouted.
Back in Miami, the Scarlet Ranger looked on proudly as she saw the Megazord, still in tank mode, approaching the city.
"About time you guys got here." the Scarlet Ranger said, hands at her hips as she watched the Megazord roll towards her. "You Rangers sure do know how to make a late entrance. Although, I wouldn't call it 'fashionably late' unless you think all the dead people is somehow 'fashionable'."
"Fire the cannons!" Tristan yelled from the Megazord's cockpit, ignoring her taunting.
The two huge cannons fired blasts of energy, and when the smoke cleared...the Scarlet Ranger was just standing there, giggling girlishly.
"That almost tickled." the Scarlet Ranger giggled. "But I guarantee you this won't."
The Scarlet Ranger extended her right hand and let loose a blast of energy back at them, causing sparks to fly inside the Megazord's cockpit.
"Tristan, we gotta go up to fighting mode!" Andrew yelled as the five battered Rangers attempted to recollect themselves in the cockpit.
"Yeah, that seems like a good idea, let's do it!" Tristan agreed, pressing down on the button to complete the Megazord's transformation.
The Scarlet Ranger looked on with anticipation as the Megazord began heading upwards. Meanwhile, the Green Ranger stood on one of the rooftops, watching the Megazord from afar.
Why doesn't she just blast it now? Mia wondered, more than a little annoyed. Seems kinda pointless to just stand there and let it transform. Oh well...I'd better get my signal soon, this is starting to get kinda dull.
The Pterodactyl came in for a landing, forming the Megazord's shield and completing the transformation. The Megazord stood, ready for battle once again.
"About time." the Scarlet Ranger snapped.
She quickly charged at the Megazord, throwing a hard right hand. The Megazord put up its left hand and blocked the attempted punch, so the Scarlet Ranger replied by trying a jab with her left. Again, the Megazord blocked it with its opposite hand, and the two of them were locked in a face-to-face stand-off. The Scarlet Ranger quickly moved her arms up and out of the Megazord's grasp, however, and then succeeded in punching right into the center of the Megazord's shield, sending sparks flying. She followed up with another punch, sending more sparks flying and the Megazord stumbling backwards.
"This isn't working." Tristan said from within the Megazord's cockpit.
"Well, duh!" Ada said. "We need that Power Sword thingy!"
"Of course, why didn't I think of that?"
"Because you're stupid?" Ada offered with fake sweetness.
"Power Sword, descend!" Tristan yelled, ignoring his big sister's insult.
The Power Sword flew out of the sky and landed on the ground, where the Megazord pulled it out. They quickly charged forward and went for a slash. The Scarlet Ranger brought her hands up to grab the Megazord's arms before they could complete the slash, but the Megazord used that opportunity to kick the Scarlet Ranger square in the sternum, causing her to double over in pain and release her grip. As she moved herself back up, the Megazord got its elusive slash, bring the sword down across her armor-plated Ranger suit, sparks flying as she fell to the ground with a loud boom.
"You know, your little Megazord relies on that stupid sword way too much." the Scarlet Ranger said annoyed as she slowly stood back up, holding her chest in pain. "Now, I could pull my whip out and even this fight up a little, but I'm a little more creative than that. I've got another idea. NOW, GREENIE!"
What a subtle signal that was. Mia thought as she rolled her eyes beneath her helmet.
The Green Ranger leaped upwards, off of the building, flying onto the head of the Megazord, where she landed. As a Power Ranger, she was able to open the hatch and enter, and soon she was inside the cockpit.
"What the...who the hell are you!" Jerrelle shouted, first to notice the intruder.
"Hate to sound so cliché, but I'm your worst nightmare!" Mia laughed, and then nailed Jerrelle with a hard punch that send him flying backwards.
She pulled out her Blade Blaster and blasted the control consoles of the Megazord before any of them could stop her. Sparks began to fly from the Megazord's head as it shook and jerked violently, the Scarlet Ranger looking on outside and liking what she saw. Soon, the Megazord de-materialized, disappearing and returning to its holding bay for repairs, and leaving all five Rangers to fall, screaming, to the ground. The Green Ranger fell downwards as well, but quickly gained control and landed on her feet in front of the other five, landing in the middle of a street.
The other five Rangers were more than a little confused as they pulled themselves up off the ground.
"What's going on?" Tristan asked as he stood up first. "Who are you, and why did you attack us?"
"I think it should be pretty obvious who I am, genius." Mia replied. "I'm the Green Ranger, and it's pretty much like I said before everything went boom. I'm here to do one thing, and one thing only- and that's destroy you."
Mia suddenly rushed forward, attacking Tristan first. He attempted to block her shots, but she soon sent him falling to the ground, sparks flying, with a solid roundhouse kick. She turned to the other four Rangers, who nodded to each other and pulled their Blade Blasters out and fired. But Mia's shield glowed with green energy as it absorbed their shots.
"Wow, that was cool." Mia laughed. "Now it's my turn!"
Mia pulled out a Blade Blaster of her own and fired, blasting each of them backwards. She then turned it into blade mode and leaped into the air, stretching out her limbs so she caught the Black Ranger with a blade across the chest while kicking the Yellow Ranger down to the ground at the same time. Only the Blue and Pink Rangers were still up, and Mia turned it back into Blaster mode and fired, sending them both to the ground as well.
"This is far too easy." she taunted them as she looked down at them. "Come on, Power Rangers, give me all you've got!"
Tristan stood up to his feet behind her, pulling out his Blade Blaster and preparing to shoot her in the back. However, he was stopped by a loud boom, as the Scarlet Ranger's still-enlarged boot crashed into the ground behind him, knocking him on his backside.
"TSK TSK RED RANGER, FIRING ON A GIRL FROM BEHIND, THAT'S NOT VERY NICE." the Scarlet Ranger taunted from high above.
Mia turned to her giant coach, and looked up at her with annoyance.
"Get out of here!" Mia screamed up towards her. "This is my fight!"
"BUT..."
"I don't care what you have to say, it'll prove nothing if I destroy the Power Rangers with another, giant Ranger assisting!" Mia yelled.
"FINE, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY WANT." the Scarlet Ranger boomed, then disappeared in a flash of scarlet energy.
Pretty unreal to have something so big just suddenly be gone like that. Mia thought.
She turned around, seeing that the Red Ranger had rejoined his group, and all five were slowly standing up to face her.
"Well, it's nice you're still able to stand." the Green Ranger taunted them. "Not for long."
Closing her eyes beneath her helmet and focusing, Mia channeled all the power she could muster into her hands. Soon, a ball of green-and-black energy appeared in her hands, and she opened her eyes, smirked beneath her helmet, and sent it flying towards the Rangers. The energy collided into them with a powerful blast, and sent them all flailing back to the ground, sparks flying everywhere.
Mia walked towards them, admiring her handiwork, as she saw there were scorch marks in their Ranger suits.
"I have to say, truly a disappointment." she admitted as she looked down at the, shaking her head. "It's too bad I'll have to finish you off so soon. I was hoping for a much longer, much more exciting fight. But hey, like they say...you win some you lose some."
But before the Green Ranger could finish them off, suddenly they disappeared, teleporting away in flashes of their respective colors. Mia reacted with shock, running into the spot they had just been laying in...and then anger, turning her head upwards and screaming.
"You cowards!" she screamed. "Come back and face your fate! Come back here!"
But the only thing Mia could see as she stared upwards into the sky was the sun, once again finding another hole in the clouds to poke out of. Balling her hands into fists, and pointing one of them upwards, she screamed out with renewed passion.
"This isn't over, Power Rangers! The next time, there won't be any escape from me!"
The five Power Rangers teleported into the Command Center in a heap, falling onto the ground.
"What...where...how?" was all Tristan managed to stutter out.
"Very concise, bro." Ada remarked dryly as she pulled herself up using one of the consoles. "But I've got the same questions."
"It was me, Power Rangers." Zordon said from above them. "I brought you back."
"But why, Zordon!" Andrew said with more than a little panic in his tone. "We have to stop that Green Ranger!"
"Yes, you will have to eventually, but not today." Zordon replied. "You're too physically weak and tired, and your powers were giving out on you as well. If I had left you there, you would have died."
"But what if the Green Ranger attacks innocent people, and we're not there to stop her?" Michi asked softly.
"The immediate threat to them, the enlarged Scarlet Ranger, was gone." Zordon said.
"But maybe she can make herself grow too!" Andrew yelled. "We don't know that she can't!"
"Uh, guys, I don't know about you, but I'm happy not to be dead." Ada said.
"Yeah, we can probably do a lot more good for all the 'innocent people' as living, breathing people, than we can as badly burned corpses." Jerrelle added.
"Always thinking of yourselves, you two!" Andrew yelled, suddenly overcame with rage. "People might die and you don't care about anything but your own pathetic little lives!"
"At least I don't have a hero complex because my daddy uses life-threatening situations as bedtime stories!" Jerrelle shot back.
"Enough you two!" Michi yelled, stepping between them. "We've got enough problems as it is without the two of you adding to it."
Andrew and Jerrelle turned away from each other, each looking in the opposite direction. There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment, before Tristan looked up at Zordon and spoke up.
"Speaking of our new problem, why didn't you know about his awakening, Zordon?" Tristan asked.
"Yeah, my brother's right...for once...you knew about all of our awakenings, shouldn't you have known about hers?" Ada added.
"Yes, I should have." Zordon agreed. "But I didn't. I can only guess that something- or someone- prevented me from sensing it."
"This is great. Just great." Ada moaned. "As if the deck wasn't stacked against us enough, now we've got another evil, stronger Ranger who wants to kill us. And on top of that, we know absolutely nothing about her!"
"Now Ada, I never said that." Zordon corrected her. "I know plenty about the Green Ranger. Perhaps it's time all of you started listening."
Meanwhile, Mia walked into a darkened cave, de-morphing as she entered it.
"Scarlet? You here?" Mia called.
"I am." the Scarlet Ranger replied from inside the darkened cavern.
"Okay, so what's with the hiding yourself in the shadows thing?" Mia asked.
"I can't sustain my morph after going into Mega Mode." the Scarlet Ranger replied.
"And you don't want me to see you demorphed, do you?" Mia asked, piecing things together.
"Correct."
"Well, whatever, I don't particularly care how ugly you are under that helmet or anything." Mia laughed to herself.
"Perhaps you should at least care about what I say, Mia." the Scarlet Ranger snapped. "I was trying to warn you back there that if I went away, Zordon would teleport them out, because the big threat to the city was gone. No pun intended."
"Zordon? Who is that?" Mia wondered.
"A thorn in your side." the Scarlet Ranger answered. "A mentor of sorts to them."
"Well, if this Zordon character is a thorn, shouldn't I just...pull it out?" Mia asked, a smirk appearing on her face.
"NO!" the Scarlet Ranger yelled with force. Then, she quickly lowered her voice and added, "I mean, you can't. Only the five original Power Rangers can enter his location."
"Uh, okay." Mia replied. "Well, what should I do then?"
"Prepare for battle." the Scarlet Ranger replied. "We'll strike again when the time is right. And this time, they won't be able to escape."
"Sounds like a plan." Mia smirked to herself.
Unbeknownst to them, Araken watched them from outside the cave's entrance, peering in from the side of the cavern's opening. And with his improved eyesight, he saw through the darkness and saw the demorphed Scarlet Ranger all too well.
"No...that can't be." Araken said, his eyes going wide. "The Scarlet Ranger...is HER!"
(Hehehe, like all the hints as to the Scarlet Ranger's identity? It'll be revealed sooner rather than later, so if you want to start guessing, I'd get to it! Of course, I can't tell any of you if you're right, but I do want to see if you're picking up on it. Have fun and thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing too. .)