Disclaimer: If I haven't already told you that it's mine, then it belongs to Saban, Disney, or whoever I tell you it does.
Mz. Daydream: Thanks... I just had to put in that cute scene with all of them together, or else I'd feel really bad about what I do next. :P
Jenny: You want to kill them because Skylar/Marieke is more toned down that Ximena/you. Toned down people generally don't want to kill other people. I guess I could have had neither of you wanting to kill them, but that didn't occur to me until right now. Sorry... I love pizza too. :P
Juzblue: Yeah, they're not really all that evil. Good luck on your test. :P
the-power-of-love: Thanks, here's more.
Chapter 20
Ryan looked up, frowing as Deca reported a disturbance. Nothing had happened in a month, and a funny feeling suddenly appeared in the pit of his stomach. He already knew that this wasn't going to go well.
"Deca, where are the Overlords?"
There was a long pause. "The Overlords are in the park."
"Deca, what's going on?" Now alarmed, Ryan shot up in his seat, glaring at the blinking red eye until he got a satisfactory answer, albeit one that he did not want to hear.
"The Overlords are in the park," Deca repeated, adding, "They are in command of an army assembled of Quantrons, Putties, and Piranhatrons."
Swearing loudly, Ryan leaped up, flipping open his morpher. "Deca, get the others in here!"
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Ashley looked up in alarm, clutching Seren to her chest as an explosion sounded, much too close for comfort. Andros was at her side in seconds, tugging on her arm, pulling her up.
"Let's go," he said anxiously, shouting, "Aidan!"
"What?"
"Get down here!" Andros shouted back, reaching for his communicator. "Now!"
"What's the matter?" Aidan asked, grumbling as he appeared in the room.
"There's a battle going on outside," Ashley said tersely. "Where are your sisters?"
Aidan shrugged. "Jenny was trying to get me to play tag."
"They're outside," Ashley whispered, her face paling. "Andros..."
"I'll get them," Andros said, his heart starting to pound. "You three go to the Megaship."
"No," Ashley said firmly. "We'll find them faster with the two of us." Handing month-old Seren carefully to Aidan, she also gave him her communicator. "Have Deca teleport you to the Megaship. No matter what happens, promise you'll stay there."
"I promise," Aidan said solemnly, realizing the situation. "Mom... you're going to come back, right?"
"Yes," Ashley said harshly, swallowing hard. "We're coming back. Now, go."
"We've got to hurry, Ash," Andros said, starting towards the door. "We've got to find them... before someone else does."
"Jenny!" Ashley shouted over the rising din of battle, moving closer by the second. "Marieke!"
She repeated her cry telepathically, but to no avail. The twins had quickly developed blocks as a way to ignore Aidan, and they had a bad habit of ignoring everyone else as well.
"Marieke!" Andros cried. "Where are you?"
"Aidan said they were playing tag," Ashley called over to him. "Do you think they went to the park?"
Without a word, Andros started to run, Ashley following close behind. Andros was trying to keep himself from panicking, but Ashley knew that he was trying very hard not to think about how he'd lost Karone at the same park. The thought of losing her daughters was enough to give her an extra burst of speed.
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Ciaran groaned as he missed clipping a Piranhatron upside the head and instead took a hard hit to the chest. He stumbled back against Melanie, who threw them both to the ground as a group of Quantrons charged at them.
"Thanks," he gasped, scrambling to his feet again, dodging the Putties with ease. He kicked one hard in the chest, smirking with satisfaction as it crumbled. "Someone should tell the Overlords not to use recycled footsoldiers. We already know how to beat them."
"But we haven't yet," Mira observed, standing shoulder to shoulder with him as Piranhatrons advanced.
"But we will," Tempest said stubbornly. "We are."
"Then why are we the ones surrounded by them?" Matt retorted. Tempest glared at him from behind her visor, but had to admit that he had a point. Things weren't looking so good for the rangers at the moment. They were gravely outnumbered, and with the exception of Ryan, who was miraculously still holding his own, they were quickly growing exhausted.
"We're not giving up," Damien reminded them. "We'll never give up."
"How do you feel about taking breaks?" Tempest asked lightly, leaping at a Quantron with a hurricane kick. "I could sure use one right now."
"Look out!" Ryan shouted, wincing as Tempest staggered back, winded. Damien caught her, supporting her as she gasped for air. Ryan struggled over to the rest of his team, shouting to be heard over the din of battle. "We're not going to be able to hold them off for much longer!"
"We're counting on that," Ciaran said dryly. "What do we do now?"
Before Ryan had a chance to respond, all sides charged at once, and the rangers were forced into one another as blow after blow rained down upon them. Ryan felt his powers being drained much too quickly, and knew that they wouldn't be able to hold out for more than a few moments more.
Matt shouted furiously as his silver suit grew brighter before vanishing, and he found himself fighting powerless and weaponless against an army of enemies who was neither. Melanie was soon doing the same, and Ryan knew what he had to do, before they started sustaining more serious injuries.
The word tasted bitter in his mouth, but they had no option until they had formulated a better plan. Ryan grimaced, and shouted, "Retreat!"