Billy sighed as he looked away from the screen. This was not what he had expected. Sure, he knew Merios was tough, but this was ridiculous. Taking Tommy's Energy Orb at full power, then simply brushing it off, is some display of power. He sighed again and rubbed his aching temples – this headache was getting worse by the minute.
"They getting their ass kicked again?" A sudden hand clutched his shoulder, startling him. He looked back to find two teen's. One with white hair and the other with strawberry-blonde.
"Who are you guys?" Billy asked, quite afraid of these newcomers.
"Oh us? I'm Kojin." He said and wrapped an arm around the girl. "And this is my girlfriend, Sierra."
Billy just stared at them, almost glaring.
"We were Power Rangers, till Tommy took our morphers from us." Kojin said as Sierra broke away from him. Billy eyed her as she retrieved a wooden box from the shelf and began to pick the lock.
"Power Rangers don't pick locks." Billy stated, ready to spring at Sierra.
A hand rested on his shoulder, holding him in his seat.
"Look, we know the Rangers have gone to save Halley and by the looks of it…" he jabbed his finger at the screen, frowning. "It doesn't look like they'll last that long."
Billy sighed and shook his head. "Do what you want. I can't stop you."
The lid popped open and the morphers burned a deep black-gold hue. Sierra retrieved the morphers and tossed Kojin's his. With a quick flick of her wrist, the suit enveloped her once more. Kojin nodded, holding the morpher up as a white light radiated from the coin. A single white glow consumed Kojin as the suit appeared around him.
Billy stood in awe at the Rangers. He could feel the massive amounts of energy radiating from them. Never before in his entire life had he felt such energy from a single ranger. He knew now why Tommy took the morphers away – too much power, too much corruption.
With a simple nod, the rangers turned away and headed for the forest entrance.
"Don't wait up." Kojin said, waving.
Trent slammed hard against the ground as Merios retracted the blade. He panted hard, clutching at his aching chest. Conner went flying overhead and crashed into the wall. His staff appeared again and moved to block a second strike. But at the last second, Merios stepped forward and reversed the attack with blinding speed.
Ethan stepped in, blocking the second attack but felt a armoured gauntlet crush into his ribs. Blood splattered against his mask he cried out, falling into the wall. Kira took his place, slashing rapidly at Merios – each attack missing. Merios dodged to the right and wrapped his fist around her neck.
"FOOLS!" Merios hissed, squeezing Kira's neck tightly, raising her nearly a foot off the ground. "You truly think you're pathetic weapons can harm ME?"
Her buried Kira hard into the wall and slammed the sword's hilt hard into Conner's stomach. Then, it was the end. Conner staggered on his feet as a red-white glow consumed him and shattered, leaving him in his human form. He fell forward onto his face and slipped into unconsciousness.
"HAHAHAHA!" Merios laughed, staring up at the ceiling. "The pathetic Power Rangers have fallen at my hands! Weaklings!"
"You forgot about us."
Merios jumped into stance, raising blade before him. His eyes went wide as he stared in stun belief at the two Power Rangers approaching. He took a step back, feeling his back press against the cold wall. The energy they possessed frighten even him.
"Leave them alone, Merios." Kojin hissed, stopping a few meters from the General. Sierra stood behind him and folded her arms. She gave Merios a once-over look and shook her head.
"He's not even a challenge." She stated and looked away. "You can play first, dear."
Kojin clenched his fist tightly, the light groaning in response. His boots scrapped across the metal floor as he eased into stance and waited. Such a simple gesture threw the General into blind rage and he raced forward, sword held high.
The Dragon Ranger side stepped the downward swing and hit him with a brutal side kick, pushing him hard into the wall. Merios screamed lividly and swung the massive blade overhead, cleaving the wall with a painful wound. Kojin lurched forward, planting a crushing fist deep into the monster's stomach. He could hear its blood splash against it's own helmet and a painful groan escape his lips.
Kojin rose to full height, peering down at the kneeling general. He could see the purple blood dripping through the air holes in its mask and trickle to the ground. He felt a shiver run down his spine, setting off the pleasure within his body. Kojin sneered at the general and stepped away, waving his hand out.
"He's all yours Sierra."
This is what it's like to be the Black Dragon Ranger.
Looking down at any being, whether it be human or alien, in pain is to be alive. To see a being of any kind suffer does not make your stomach churn, but instead to make you to feel righteous, to feel complete. Hate drives your every move, and suffering is your ultimate goal.
To murder someone is merely a technicality, something you'd choose to do for fun. To you, a weakness in a being is a strength to you; another hole for you to exploit and tear into. There is no mercy inside your body; not a single ounce when morphed. Instead of feeling sad when a friend has died, you see another way to make others suffer; another goal, or mission accomplished.
To be the Black Dragon Ranger is to be a void. You feel no pain, love, desire, compassion, or emotions period.
To be the Black Dragon Ranger is to be…nothing.
A brutal knee lift tossed the general into the air and crashing painfully onto the floor. Sierra stood over the general, her eyes burning a deep read behind the black face mask. This was the ultimate pleasure – to make another suffer. She leaned down and wrapped his hand around his throat. She brought him to eye level and peered deep into his. All she saw was fear…and his demise.
Merios met the wall again as his head snapped back and dented it. He slumped to the ground, panting hard. What had gone wrong? Where had it gone wrong? He had defeated the Dino Thunder Rangers and now…now he was about to die at their hands?
At the hands of a Power Ranger?
His fingers curled around the blades hilt, and somehow he found the strength to stand. He raised his throbbing head to stare at the Rangers, to see his maker. Clutching the blade with both hands, he summoned the last ounce of strength and…
"Stop!" Kojin hissed, standing before him. "Enough. You can send our regards to your boss…that if he wants Earth, he has to go through us."
Sierra scowled at Kojin and turned away. She leaned down, heaved Trent onto her shoulder and dragged Ethan down the hall.. He glanced back at her for a moment and then at the stunned Merios.
"Deliver that message to your boss." He whispered and turned. He knelt down, heaving Conner and Kira onto his shoulders and looked back for a final time at Merios.. "Goodbye…fool."
"Tommy!" Haley cried and threw her arms around his neck. He could feel her tears hit and soaked into his shoulder. "G-God…I was s-so frightened!"
Tommy wrapped his arms around her instinctively and smiled beneath his helmet. "It's ok now." He said, trying to calm her. "Come on, let's get out of here. I'm the sure the other Dino Rangers have finished off Merios and are escaping."
She pulled herself away from him and rubbed her red eyes. "Y-Yeah, I suppose your right…" She whispered and folded her arms. "You know a way out of here?"
"Yeah, come on!" He said and grabbed her arm.
She gasped, feeling herself be yanked nearly off her feet. She stumbled for balance and began to run. Not a few seconds into their adventure did Tommy come to an abrupt halt and she slammed hard into his back.
"T-Tommy, what d-did you do that for?" She growled, rubbing her head.
Tommy's staff snapped to his side as she fixed her gaze on the hallway. There, standing at the end was the battered and bloodied Merios; sword in one hand with his pride in the other. Tommy raised the staff into salute-formation and sank down on his knees.
"Alright you over grown hunk of junk! Lets see what you got!" Tommy hissed, preparing to charge.
But to his surprise Merios simply lowered his head. Tommy stopped mid-stride and glance back at Haley. She was just as perplexed.
"What kind of trick is this?" Tommy shouted, squeezing his staff a bit tighter. But the general was still quiet. "ANSWER ME!"
Merios glared at Tommy but shook his head. "Leave Power Ranger. I have quarrel with you any longer."
"What?" The word's at first didn't want to come to the Ranger. "W-what do you mean you have no quarrel with me?"
Merios shook his head and attached the sword to his back once more. "Leave now before Vertox finds you. I will not say this again…"
A soft hand rested on Tommy's shoulder and he looked back at Haley. She looked even more frightened, her eyes pleading with him to just go. He nodded his head and looked at Merios one more time.
"No tricks?" He asked
"No Tricks." The General answered and disappeared down the hall.
Tommy eased and glanced back at Haley. Now was not to time to even try and figure out what the hell was going on. He snatched up Haley's hand and yanked her down the hall once more.
He had a pretty good idea on what happened and he didn't like it…
- - - -
Mwahaha! Chapter 10 is done! Alright people, what do you think of it? A little anti-climactic? I guess so. But don't worry, it's going to get a bit more…golden…wink