Chapter 25: Survivor's Guilt
The academy that housed the Crystal Soldiers were shown. Shining Armor was fighting in one of the training areas as he held one of the dual-wielding clubs. He was currently sparring with one of the men he commanded as he was having fun with them. The newly appointed Captain ensured his men were in tip-top shape to combat the monsters they would be facing. Others were walking around as they were doing other preparations.
A pair of legs were shown as it belonged to someone watching the Captain brawl. Shining Armor swept his opponent off his legs as he was declared the winner.
"Delta Squadron report to training area B. Units 4, 5, and 12 begin combat simulation!" spoke the person over the P.A. system.
Shining Armor tossed his club at one of the other men when he looked up. He saw the person standing by a van as their purple hair with a pink stripe was a dead giveaway at who it was. The Captain smiled as he began to approach them.
"I was wondering when you were going to show up," stated Shining Armor, as he hadn't seen his sister since he acquired the power. "Nice to see you, Twily."
"Big brother," spoke Twilight as she hugged her older sibling, to which Shining Armor did the same.
The two Sparkle siblings had smiles on their faces as they enjoyed holding the other in their arms.
"So what brings you here, LSBFF?" asked Shining Armor.
"It's not just me," Twilight hesitantly said.
At that moment, Ash and the others emerged from behind the van. Upon seeing that, Shining Armor realized that the group of teens was here as he now had a serious expression.
"Figures," scoffed the Captain of the Crystal Soldiers.
The group of six was now shown on the roof of the building as Shining Armor was in front and walking. The others were behind him as the Captain turned to address the teens.
"You can forget it. The Crystal Quartz power is mine," said Shining Armor showing off the Morpher on his wrist. He knew the group would talk to him about relinquishing the power, but he wouldn't have it.
"Captain, it doesn't belong to you," said Ash as he tried to reason with the young man.
"What's the old saying? Finders keepers." responded Shining Armor with a smug smile.
"Listen, you don't understand the power it holds. Or what it could do to you!" said Sunset as she put her hand on Ash's shoulder to show she was backing up her leader.
"Oh, I understand. Much more than you think," said the Captain as that got the group, minus Twilight, to look at each other.
"And who says that it's controlling me. I'm the one in control. This gave me power and respect, something I'm owed. You think I'm happy seeing my little sister be dragged into your problems, Ash. Because of you, she's now involved with something she shouldn't have been. Something dangerous that might end up getting her killed. She's still a kid. She should be having fun. Focusing on her studies, getting good grades, going to college, and living her dreams. But she can't have that now because of you and your bullshit! Now she's stuck fighting your war because you couldn't finish it yourself."
"That's not true!" stated Rainbow.
"Is it? Tell me, do you still regret what you said to your teammates?" snickered Shining Armor.
Rainbow gasped as she was stunned by what Shining Armor was referring to.
"She told me everything," said Shining Armor.
"Twilight?" said Rainbow as she looked at her bookworm friend.
"You gave up your dreams of being a professional athlete. You're now stuck fighting the same war as my sister when you could be working hard to achieve the dreams you had. And all of that is taken away because of Ash and his gems. Now you're stuck with a burden you have no idea how to handle. You're teenagers trying to be adults when you should be kids and enjoy the last moments of freedom you have before entering the real world and all its issues." said Shining Armor, as he knew the responsibilities one had as an adult.
"We made a choice to fight," stated Applejack.
"And how many friendships have you had to end because of that. How much time have you missed spending with your family because you're a ranger?" countered Shining Armor as that got Applejack right in the feelings.
To put things into perspective, the farm girl couldn't remember the last time she spent with her family. And it wasn't just helping around the farm; for Applejack, she couldn't remember the last time she could sit around the couch with her siblings and grandma and look through their old scrapbook of memories. To cook together, go swimming in the lake, fishing, or even sit down and talk. It had been so long that Aj was distancing herself from her loved ones because of her duty as a ranger in some ways. And that really tugged at the heartstrings of the country gal.
"I know my path. I know where I stand. This is what I want, and I won't let anyone else take it from me." stated Shining Armor as he showed off his Morpher and all it represented to him as a protector of the law and the citizens of his home.
"We're done here."
"We're not finished with..."
"Sunset, it's okay," said Ash as he put his arm in front of the girl addressing the Captain. "Besides, we have other things to do. Let's go, guys."
The girls and Ash began to leave as Shining Armor turned his back and leaned over the railing. Twilight stayed back to see her brother as she wanted to say something but chose not to as she went off with her friends. Shining Armor was watching the city as he then looked at his Morpher.
Sombra was shown in his meditation room in the lair of the Dark Lords. The mighty warrior was surrounded by a dark aura as magic flowed through him.
"What's he doing?" asked Starlight.
"He's trying to get back the power he once had. The moon was able to give him powers to rival that of the rangers after being weakened for so long. But for our lord to achieve his ultimate form, he must regain all the strength lost when Ash's mother and her teammates stripped him as their final act." stated Thorax as he had a tablet in his hands as was keeping an eye on scanners.
"So, we're just gonna wait around for him to finish off the rangers?" said Pharynx as he felt impatient.
"Fear not. I have a plan. While our lord finishes gathering his power, I'll make an attempt to swipe back our stolen artifact." said Chrysalis as she appeared before them.
"And how are you going to do that? The Crystal Quartz ranger won't be swayed so easily," said Starlight.
"Sometimes all you need is a woman's touch," snickered Chrysalis.
The general then began to chant as her hands started to glow. Soon the mutant found her body engulfed in a pink aura glowing. Within a blink of an eye, Chrysalis' entire body began to change as she was now a human. Her new appearance was a young woman who wore a fancy suit. Her eyes were pale, light grayish-purple eyes. Her hair was moderate violet with brilliant rose and pale gold streaks.
"Impressive," said Phayrnx as he took in Chrysalis' new appearance.
"Time for some sweet talking," said Chrysalis as her voice changed to match her new appearance.
Shining Armor was leaving the academy as he was dismissed for the day. He walked over to his car and tossed his bags into the backseat. Just as he was about to enter, he noticed something. A woman was on her phone; however, she wasn't paying attention as she was about to walk into some oncoming traffic. The Captain quickly took off as he ran toward the young woman.
The lady was about to step onto the street where cars were crossing nonstop. She jerked as Shining Armor made it just in time to grab her arm and pull her back. A car honked as it rolled by, as the woman saw what would have happened to her.
"You gotta pay attention to your surroundings," said Shining Armor.
"Oh, thank you. One more step and I would've been flattened like a pancake," said the woman.
Shining Armor reached down to grab the woman's purse from the floor, and he gave it to her.
"Thank you. Is there any way I can repay?" asked the woman.
"It's no trouble," responded Shining Armor.
"But I insist," said the woman.
"Really, it's fine," stated the Captain as he began to turn to leave.
"Please, let me buy you a coffee. My treat." smiled the woman.
"Fine," sighed Shining Armor as he could tell this girl wasn't going to take no for an answer.
The young woman smiled as the pair began to walk.
"By the way, my name is Shining Armor," said the Captain as he stuck his hand out.
"Nice to meet you," said the woman as she shook the Captain's hand as they walked.
"What's your?" asked Shining Armor.
"My name is Mi Amore Cadenza. But you can call me Cadance," said the young woman.
"Cadance. Nice name," smiled Shining Armor at the woman.
The Captain didn't realize that Cadance was actually Chrysalis, as she was in disguise. Watching from some nearby bushes were Starlight and Pharynx as they kept an eye on their comrade as she walked with the Captain.
"Seems she's got things under control," said Starlight.
"I still don't trust this plan," said Pharynx as he leaned against a pillar.
Thorax was in the base, trying to figure out his next plan. He exited his lab while walking in their lair's hallways. As he passed the meditation room, he saw that Sombra wasn't in. The general then began to look about as Sombra was sitting on his throne when he passed the throne room.
"Oh, my lord. I trust your meditation was a success," asked Thorax as he took a knee.
"Yes, my power is stronger than ever. However, while I was gaining my strength to what it once was, you and the others still haven't dealt with Ash and his friends. If you want a job done correctly, you must do it yourself."
"My lord?" said Thorax as he was concerned about what Sombra was saying.
"I'm going to finish the rangers myself!" declared Sombra as he stood up and slammed his sword on the ground.
In the ranger's hideout, Ash was shown on the roof of the command center. The boy was overlooking the city in the distance as he held a juice box. He was trying to figure out how to handle all the problems that life seemed to be throwing his way. The death of his family and former teammates, the return of Sombra, Shining Armor's blaming him for taking away the girls' lives. For Ash, he became a ranger at a very young age, it wasn't his choice per se, but it seemed fate had said otherwise.
"If only you were here, Mom, Dad. I sure as hell could use some advice," muttered Ash as he looked up at the sky.
"..."
"It's not like that, guys. I swear it. Any love I once had...has been tossed aside. Only hatred remains. If I could tear that son of bitch to shreds right now, I would. It's no different than killing anyone else. So I beg you...all of you... Do not worry about my resolve. Please, Dad... And you too, Mom... Do not gaze at me with that look in your eyes... I will bring you justice soon. And when I do, you may finally rest in peace. I know it... Yes, I know it..."
The boy was currently talking to the air in front of him. While there was nothing there, in Ash's mind, he was talking to his parents' spirits. Any other person present would see the boy as delusional for talking with dead ghosts, but they were real to him for the teen. Soon he was snapped out of it when he heard a sound.
The door to the roof was heard as Ash looked to see who it was.
"Hey," said Sunset.
"Hey, Sunny," spoke Ash as he turned back to lean over the railing.
"Enjoying the view?" asked the bacon-haired girl as she leaned back while looking at the city.
"You could say that?" said Ash.
"Are you okay?" asked Sunset.
"Of course."
"Ash, please don't lie to me. I know about your nightmares."
The boy let out a sigh. For Ash, one thing that constantly haunted his mind was the image of him seeing his mother and teammates being killed. The fact that he was the sole survivor of not just his team but of his home, his dimension, his world. And as the survivor, he had to watch all that he loved to be slaughtered by Sombra. And now the guilt and burden all fell on him.
"Ash, please. All I want to do is help. The others and I don't regret that our lives will never return to how they were. We were given a choice, and why we made the choice knowing that this was what we would give up. We know the sacrifices we need to make; we're still willing to fight by your side."
Ash stood up and looked away.
"Ash, please! You're in pain, all that stress that you're holding in. The nightmares I hear from Rachel of you constantly torturing yourself of seeing your family and friends die. Do you really think that will appease the dead?"
"Silence!" shouted Ash as he threw his box on the floor and stepped forward.
Sunset was taken aback by her leader's sudden tone change. Ash was now approaching the bacon-haired teen. Sunset felt herself against the railing as Ash stood with their faces meters apart.
"You have no idea what you're talking about. Death is the end. No matter how much lingering regret a person has, after death, they are powerless. They cannot even wish for revenge, much less seek it out. Hatred. Regret. Those burdens fall on the shoulders of those who are left behind. And so I must continue down this path! I already told you as much! It is far too late to stop."
"You're wrong," spoke Sunset.
"Do not waste your breath with some nonsense about how I should move on with my life for their sake. That is merely the logic of the living. It's meaningless. Those who died with lingering regret... They will not loose their hold on me so easily. But you seem to have all the answers... So tell me, Sunset. Please, tell me... How do I silence their desperate pleas? How do I... How do I save them? Ever since that day five years ago... I have lived only to avenge the fallen. Even my time training as a ranger was all so that I could secure my revenge and clear away the regret of the dead. It was the only thing that kept me alive... My only reason to keep moving forward..."
Ash looked away from Sunset's cyan eyes to see the city as the wind blew in their direction.
"You must forgive yourself," said Sunset to her friend as he got him to look at her.
"Hmph. But then who... or what... should I live for?"
"Live for what you believe in."
"What I believe in... my parents said the same thing. But is it
possible? Could one such as I truly hope for such a life? As the sole survivor of that day, do I... Do I have the right to live for myself?" wondered Ash.
Sunset then brought her hand up to cusp Ash's cheek. She turned the boy to look directly into his brown eyes. The girl began to caress and stroke his cheek.
"Your hands are so warm. Have they always been?" spoke Ash as he felt the stroking from Sunset.
The girl gave a smile as it added to the warmness and comfort. Sunset began to lean in closer to Ash. She was looking to close her eyes and seal the distance between her and Ash's lips when a sudden beeping went off.
"Go ahead, Rach," said Ash as he brought his bracelet to his mouth.
"Master Ash. We have an emergency," said Rachel as it got both him and Sunset to be concerned.
Downtown, near the transit station, people were shown running. All around, explosions occurred. Emerging from the rubble was Sombra, as the Dark Lord himself had arrived to cause destruction. He powered up his sword and pointed it at a nearby building, where it blew to pieces. Rubble and metal fell around him as he stomped through the fire in front of him.
Ash and the girls were shown running along the pavement. They zipped past the people running in the opposite direction. Eventually, the group came to a halt. They were at the bottom of a stairway as they looked up. Sitting at the top was Sombra himself as he had his sword on his knee as it banged. The banging sound kept getting louder and louder, and soon, the great villain opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at the teens.
"Glad you could make it, rangers," spoke Sombra in an evil, low, chilling voice.
The girls all gasped as they looked at the great lord. The flashback of what happened that night in the woods came rushing to their minds. The night that Sombra manhandled and injured all of them within seconds.
"To challenge me is one thing. I can respect that. But to die foolishly. You must know that feeling personally. Don't you, Ash." smiled Sombra.
"You took everything away from me!" shouted the boy.
"Did I, now? To think, you should be grateful. I was merely ridding the world of the infested sin for all I did. But I should known...that one day...you would be haunting me as well." said Sombra as he stood up.
The girls and Ash took a defensive stance as Sombra slowly began walking down the stairs. Each step the Dark Lord took could be heard with a huge thud. The presence of the great villain walking struck fear a bit in our heroes. Even the other three and Rachel, watching what was going down on the screen, all felt scared, despite being safe. Sombra then stopped midway as he began to sniff the air.
"Do you not smell that? Filthy rats. Everywhere. And traces of those who were here long ago. And thieves, crawling from the woodwork, attracted by the promise of treasure. Heh. Vile thieves run rampant. They pillage and loot to their heart's content. I must kill them. Every last one."
"What do you plan to do?" shouted Rainbow.
"I told you. I will kill them all," said Sombra, menacing in a low tone. "Someone must put a stop to this cycle of the strong trampling the weak. Or do you condone their actions? It is reprehensible, and they must be put down! I intend to give them a taste of the pain they have inflicted on others. Even if it means becoming a rat myself."
"What are you talking about?" stated Twilight.
"It doesn't matter. All that matters is killing those who deserve to die," said Sombra as he lifted his sword and pointed it at the teens.
"It's Morphin Time!" shouted Ash as he and the girls had their bracelets turn into their Morphers.
"Harmony Gem, power up!" shouted all five.
All five began to transform as their morphed into their suits. They each pulled out their weapons as they all charged forward. Sombra walked as he ducked Ash's initial swing before using his elbow to swat the teen away. The girls all tried for their swings as Sombra ducked and leaned back. He soon swung his sword as he took out Aj and Rainbow in one hit before turning to block an attack by Twilight. Sunset went for a strike as she was kicked away by Sombra and crashed into some barrels.
"You can't possibly defeat me. My powers exceed yours!" stated Sombra as he swept Twilight off her feet and kicked her in the side when she landed.
Sombra noticed Ash coming in for a swing; he blocked it with his blade. The two looked at each other as Ash was glaring under his helmet. Aj and Dash saw their opportunity to strike as the two were locked in place. They both leaped into the air and brought their weapons down. They struck Sombra in the back as they expected to get a reaction from the Dark Lord. But to their surprise, he didn't feel any pain; their attacks didn't do anything as they remained on his back.
The girls were shocked as Sombra smiled. In the blink of an eye, Sombra pushed Ash's sword away and spun in a circle as he sliced at all three while returning to his original position. All three were thrown back as sparks flew from their chests when they were hit.
"These are the rangers that have defeated my soldiers," taunted Sombra as he saw Sunset aiming her bow at him.
The girl fired show arrows of red light as the Dark Lord swatted them away without much effort. Sunset then charged and leaped into the air to do a kick as he caught her foot on his chest. He flipped Sunset off, who was able to recover and land on her feet before Sombra struck her down with his sword. He didn't give her any time to recover as he lifted her up by her shoulder and tossed her over him.
"Pathetic," scoffed Sombra, dragging his sword on the ground behind him.
"Charge!" shouted Twilight to the girls as they all ran forward.
Sombra merely had his sword charge up as he spiked it into the ground. The shockwaves and magical energy from it shot out as they struck the girls. Sombra pulled it out as he side-steaked Ash, who went for a sneak attack. Ash went for a kick as Sombra moved out of the way and swung his sword as the boy ducked under and leaned his head back. The teen quickly popped up and went for a back kick as Sombra blocked it with his blade. Ash then did a back-spinning kick as Sombra put his arms up to block it before giving the boy a kick as he flew to where the girls were on the floor.
"Beating you all has been surprisingly easy," snickered Sombra as he approached the rangers.
"Very good show. I should have brought some popcorn," said Starlight.
She and Pharynx were watching from atop a nearby building. After getting the call from Thorax, the pair split from watching Chrysalis to seeing their leader in action. They were dumbfounded when they learned that Sombra wanted to end the rangers. But to see how powerless Ash and the girls were against him, they started to feel pretty good about this idea.
"I still think we should help him," said Pharynx.
"Let Sombra have his fun. After all, he said so himself. He wants to take care of this." said Starlight as the two went back to watching Sombra kick the rangers' ass.
While Ash and the girls were dealing with Sombra on the other side of the city, Shining Armor was currently with Chrysalis. The Captain didn't know that in disguise was one of the Dark Lords as she had disguised herself as a beautiful young woman named Cadance. And to give credit to her plan, it was working.
The pair were sitting in front of a coffee shop, talking like normal people.
"So, Captain, mind telling me a bit about yourself?" asked Cadance with a sinister smile that was well hidden.
"Heh. I'm nothing special," stated Shining Armor, as he didn't feel like his life was that interesting, especially for a woman like Cadance.
"Come now. I don't believe that. A handsome young guy such as yourself. Truly you must have something worth talking about. Perhaps... a secret?"
"Well, if you must know..." said Shining Armor as he took a deep breath. He leaned forward a bit as Cadance saw his right wrist.
Like Ash and the girls, Shining Armor's gem changed into a wristband for convenience. Chrysalis could sense its power as she knew it was the artifact taken.
"I'm an officer of the law."
"Ooh, a man in uniform. The ladies find that... sexy," said Cadance.
"So you think. In any case, I'm currently part of an elite organization. I'm tasked with handling these recent monster attacks."
"So, you're a ranger?" said Cadance.
"Not... really..." lied Shining Armor. "I'm just someone who can't stand to see their home destroyed. Not to mention my family. They're a big reason why I do what I do. They're my sole motivation for my line of work. Especially my little sister."
"Who is she?" asked Cadance.
"Her name is Twilight. She's the smartest girl you can ever hope to meet. Stellar in academia. I feel like she could apply and get into almost any college she wanted. She's that determined. Not to mention has a great group of friends. She has everything anyone could ever want. But... recently... I've been concerned about her."
"I see. Let me guess, she's getting involved with something rather harmful or dangerous? And you, like the big brother is to his little siblings, feel like she is putting herself at harm's risk." said Cadance.
"Yeah, how do you know?" asked Shining Armor.
"Girls can tell," smiled Cadance as she took a sip.
"But, you are right. I feel like she should focus on ensuring her life is how she wants it to be. Leave the dangerous stuff to me. I... I love my little sister so much. I don't want to lose her... or... worse, " the Captain said as his voice trailed off.
"I get it. When you care for someone you hold dear, you can't help but want to keep them safe. It's a natural instinct. But in my experience, if you truly love someone, trust them that they will make the right decisions. After all, nobody likes to be watched and kept safe all the time." spoke Cadance. "Whether we are against them, you must have faith in them. That's what family is there for. To give support when others won't."
Shining Armor looked at Cadance as the words from the young woman sitting next to him seemed to resonate with him.
"Have faith, huh?" repeated the Captain as he looked at his coffee.
"Exactly, have faith that your sister will be okay. Besides, I doubt she likes having her older brother constantly worry about her. Though, most women like that part of a man." flirted Cadance as she began to make her move.
The woman began to move her hands toward Shining Armor. She saw the wristband on his right hand and was slowly getting close to it. Just as she was above it, Shining Armor moved his hand while taking a sip of his coffee. The Captain drank a gulp as he let out a sigh.
"So, what about you? Tell me about yourself?" asked Shining Armor.
"Ooh, me... well..." Chrysalis, a bit flustered, mainly cause she didn't think this far ahead of her plan.
"You really want to keep fighting me?" asked Sombra as the teens got back up from their latest knockdown.
"You're damn right!" shouted Rainbow.
The girl tapped into her power as her superspeed activated. Sombra saw this as his eyes flashed yellow before he took off. Two zipping lights flashed across the screen as blue and black crashed into one another. Soon the blue light was tossed out of the air as Rainbow crashed into some wooden pallets.
"Time to hog tie this bull!" shouted Applejack as her lasso appeared and spun it above her head.
The green ranger tossed it as Sombra lifted his left arm as it wrapped around it. The girl planted her feet as she looked to take the Dark Lord off his feet. Sombra merely stood there as he smirked at the country gal's attempt.
"Silly hillbilly!" taunted Sombra as he pulled his arm back and made Aj soar over him and crash into the ground.
"Fire!" shouted Sunset and Twilight as they leaped into the air and pulled out their blasters.
Sombra ricocheted them back to the girls as they fell to the side in pain. A yellow mirage-like wolf appeared as it charged at the Dark Lord; Sombra saw it as he brought his sword down and collided with the front of the animal spirit. Sombra's feet dragged a bit before the Dark Lord overpowered it and absorbed it. At that moment, Ash appeared and began swinging his sword wildly as Sombra deflected and blocked them. He kicked Ash into a nearby wall as the boy ducked his swing. Sombra turned around as Ash ducked his swing once more as he kicked and flipped off the wall; however, Sombra sensed that as he leaped off the wall and threw out a kick so that when Ash landed, he was thrown to the floor.
"Ash, are you okay?" asked Sunset to their leader, who tumbled along the ground. The others were all near them as they held their bodies from pain.
"Not for long!" stated Sombra as he made his sword shine. "Shadow Slash!" The Dark Lord threw his attack out as it hit every one of the rangers; they flew in separate directions.
The attack sent out the most pain each of the teens had ever experienced.
"And now, to end this," stated Sombra.
The Dark Lord was now walking menacingly forward with his weapon dragging along the floor as it made a sound. Applejack was shown in pain as she clutched her side. She lifted her head as the Dark Lord had her in his sights and was getting closer. The green ranger began to back up slowly in fear as she was legit scared. Sombra was feeding on the country gal's terror as he raised his weapon to point as he inched ever closer.
"No, Aj!" grunted Ash as he couldn't stand to protect her.
Sombra now caught up as he loomed over the fallen girl who was looked up and was frozen in fear. As he looked to end Applejack's life, the Dark Lord quickly brought his sword down. At that moment, a blur of blue zipped into frame as Rainbow stood before her fallen comrade. The girl had the sword digging into her shoulder as she tried to hold back the attack.
"Rainbow!" shouted Applejack after seeing her friend stand before her.
"Step aside. If you try to protect your friend, you too will be destroyed," warned Sombra to Rainbow as he looked down on her.
"I'll take that chance for my best friend. I'm not moving!" shouted Rainbow as she was showing her loyalty. The girl was on a knee as she started to get up.
"Then you will also die!" shouted Sombra as he quickly slashed at Rainbow, who fell to the side before she could stand up.
"Ruby Strike!" shouted Sunset as she pulled back on her bow.
The weapon had a red arrow appear as it was released. It traveled through the air like a rocket as it caught on fire. Sombra put his hand out as he kept the attack at bay.
"Better. But not good enough!" stated Sombra as he thrust attack back at Sunset, who fell from the pile of wood metal she was on to the ground.
A shield then hit Sombra in the chest as he stumbled back. It then returned to Twilight, who kept throwing the round thing at the general, being pushed back by every attack as Twilight juggled kicking and throwing the shield at her foe. Sombra deflected an incoming shield attack as he flicked the weapon into the air. Twilight then went for a lunging strike as Sombra ducked and tried to attack. Twilight did a split to avoid it. She then used his arm to pull herself up as she spun around it. Once she landed, she was struck in the chest as Sombra leaped to do a corkscrew in midair. The shield was coming back down as, during his mid-rotation, Sombra stuck his leg out to kick the shield as it was sent with such force and power. It collided with Twilight as the purple ranger let out a scream of pain and fell like the others.
"We're not finished yet!" declared Ash with his sword pointed at Sombra.
"Oh, you're finished, alright. You just don't know it yet. Your pathetic weapons pale in comparison to the invincibility of my powers. Which will soon disintegrate your civilization." stated Sombra.
"I won't let you!" shouted Ash.
"Ha! Now you're just a source of amusement," snickered the great villain.
"You may be strong, but your superpowers don't stand a chance against our ingenuity and will!"
"Oh, Ash. You're just trying to save face at this point. Not to mention trying my patience." Sombra said in his sinister voice.
"We're Power Rangers, and we never give up!"
The boy ran at Sombra as the girls also ran behind him. Sombra stood in place as he punched Ash away. He quickly turned one by one and did the same with the girls. They all were knocked to the ground with one punch as Sombra showed off how much stronger he was.
"I warned you," stated Sombra.
"Battle Armor! Online!" shouted all five rangers.
They all began to respective transform as they dawned their capes and their suit changed.
"Warrior Mode!" shouted the teens in unison, now in their power-up form.
Once more, they all charged as they hoped that with their new power levels, they could make a dent in Sombra's defense. The Dark Lord held his ground as he used his hands to deflect the rangers and their attacks before he thrust them out to the rangers knocking them back.
"I told you before, your weapons won't work on me," said Sombra.
"All together!" instructed Ash.
The five of them all stood in a line as their bodies glowed.
"Sacred Aura!"
"Earthbreaker!"
"Rainbow Blitz!"
"Inferno Fury!"
"Topaz Incisor Shred!"
The rangers all executed their attacks as they collided with Sombra. The Dark Lord was he raised his arm to block the attacks, as they didn't pierce through his defense. He then flung his arm back as the rangers were all hit. They tumbled into some pillars as the return attack from Sombra made them lose power, as they reverted back to their original forms.
"A bold effort, but useless."
Ash and the girls all winced in pain as they were being shoved once again by Sombra.
"How many times must I defeat you? A hundred? A thousand?" taunted Sombra.
"Keep counting, bitch!" growled Ash.
The boy quickly got up with his sword as he charged at Sombra. He went for a slash as Sombra blocked it with his arm. He then grabbed ahold of Ash as he began to wail on his chest with stiff punches. The boy was tossed back as the girls were still on the ground in pain.
"Stay down, pest!" scoffed Sombra.
"Never!" yelled the boy as his anger started to take hold.
"Ash!" shouted the girls as they saw their leader push through his pain and charge again.
He spun while running as he looked for an attack. Sombra once again defended it before sweeping Ash off his feet. The boy got up, but Sombra did an upward slash. Ash was thrown into the air as he flipped onto his back. Sombra immediately brought his blade down as he looked to drive his sword into his foe to end his life. Before connecting, the girls all put their weapons above Ash as they blocked Sombra's attack.
The girls all released a collective shove as they threw Sombra's blade back to where Aj and Twilight struck him and got a hit. Followed by Sunset and Rainbow getting a swing in as Ash got to a knee and swung his sword at Sombra's chest.
"What?!" yelled Sombra as he stumbled back and felt pain from the attacks.
"Our cause is just, and that's what gives us our power!" stated Ash as the girls helped him up.
"You dumbasses! You don't know what's coming your way!" shouted Sombra as the teens charged at him.
The rangers were now working together as they were attacking Sombra from both range and close combat, as they were now getting some good attacks that were hurting the Dark Lord. While they may have been damaging Sombra, he still held his ground. He swung wildly as he dealt heavy blows to them and threw them back.
"All together!" instructed Ash.
"Harmony Cannon!" said the rangers as they combined their weapons. "Fire!"
Their weapon charged up as a rainbow sphere shot out. It collided with Sombra, who stood there. He pushed through the attack as it split around him. He swung his sword as his charge attack collided with the rangers, causing an explosion. Soon emerging from the explosion were the rangers as even being hit by a powerful, they pushed through the pain and charged. Sombra was shocked to see them charge after being hit by one of his most powerful moves.
"Give it everything you got!" shouted Ash to the girls as they charged ahead.
Sombra fired more slash attacks; they exploded all around the teens as they ran. It was like a landmine field going off as the rangers willed themselves to press forward, some taking direct hits from Sombra's attack but ignored it and continued to charge.
"Harmony Bow!" shouted Sunset as she jumped into the air.
"Harmony Lance!" yelled Rainbow as well.
Both girls pointed their weapons as Sunset threw an arrow while Rainbow threw her weapon. They traveled with power that pierced Sombra and dealt a critical hit.
"Harmony Ax!"
"Harmony Shield!"
Aj and Twilight were on the ground as they each did a passing-by slash and targeted the area where their friends' attacks hit. Ash then leaped over the two as he was in the air.
"Harmony Sword! Topaz Slash!" shouted the boy as his voice echoed.
Ash's blade shined a bright yellow as it gained power. The boy was tapping into his gem's power as his levels shot through the roof. He brought his weapon down on a diagonal slash as Sombra felt it. Ash didn't stop as he drove the tip of his blade into the spot where the girls hit; a small crack in his armor was shown. Ash yelled as his power continued to grow as made a cross-attack that affected Sombra.
The Dark Lord was thrown back a fair distance as he tumbled to the ground. He got to a knee and grunted in pain. Ash and the girls stood their ground, all panting, all tired. But yet, their will kept their adrenaline pumping. Sombra brought his hand up to where the rangers hit him as he winced in pain. Something that hadn't been done to him in a long, long time. He then began to laugh out loud.
At that moment, Starlight and Pharynx appeared before their master. They each turned as Ash and the girls weren't backing down.
"My lord, please, retreat," pleaded Starlight to Sombra as Pharynx held a fighting stance in front of them.
"Well played, rangers. But a wise leader knows when to fall back. We will meet again. So say goodbye to your world. Cause it won't be here for long." warned Sombra as Starlight held his arm.
She then opened a portal, and all three turned into sparkles and disappeared into the vortex in the blink of an eye. The rangers lowered their weapons and soon fell to their knees before falling to the ground. They all demorphed as they had gone way past their limit. Each of the teens tried to move, but their bodies still reeled from the beating they had taken from Sombra.
Ash was looking at his Morpher as he tried to bring it to his mouth. The boy grunted in pain as he eventually positioned it near his mouth.
"Rachel... teleport."
"Right away, Master Ash," replied the A.I.
Within seconds, five flashing lights appeared as the rangers were zipping back to the command center.
Shining Armor and Cadance were shown walking to the Captain's parked vehicle.
"Thanks for saving me again, Captain."
"Promise me that you'll be careful next time. And you don't have to call me Captain. Just Shining is fine." winked the young man.
"I'll keep that in mind," winked Cadance.
"So, can I give you a ride home?" offered the young man as he opened the passenger side.
"Oh, no need to worry. I don't live far from here," said Cadance, waving her hand.
"You sure. It's no trouble," said Shining Armor as, in a way, he wanted to spend a bit more time with the young woman.
"Really, it's no biggie," assured Cadance.
"Alright then. Will... I... see you again?" asked the man as he rubbed his neck.
"Maybe," winked Cadance. "Well, I best be going. Take care, Shining."
"You as well, Cadance," said the young man as he watched her leave until she was out of sight.
Shining Armor had a smile as he then entered his car. He started up the engine as he drove down the street. Cadance was watching from behind a wall as she saw the Captain left. Her eyes flashed as a portal opened, and she disappeared into it.
In the lair, Thorax was doing his job of patching up Sombra. Starlight and Pharynx were also present when they saw the portal open, and there stood Chrysalis. The general changed from her disguise as she stood in her original form.
"Did you succeed, Mother?" asked Pharynx.
"Patience, my son. Sometimes the long game is worth the wait," snickered Chrysalis as she started to earn his trust while failing to get Shining Armor's power.
"You guys sure took a beating," said Pinkie as she, Fluttershy, and Rarity were patching up and putting some bandages on their friends.
"No doubt, darlings. That Sombra fella is one nasty monster."
"That's his whole persona, Rarity," said Ash as he moved and rotated his right arm.
"So, can we expect him to return?" asked Rainbow.
"Not any time soon. The damage you all did to his armor will take a while to mend. He may have his powers back, but even Sombra knows not to fight when he's not at 100%." stated Rachel.
"Even if he does show up, we'll do what we did to him again. He learned the hard way that we're not gonna take this lying down. If he wants a fight, we'll give him a fight!" stated Sunset.
The girls had all left as Ash was at the central computer sometime later. He and Rachel were looking at the world map as they were trying to find the three remaining zords as they knew they would need all the help they could find.
"Any luck?" asked Sunset as she appeared by her leader's side and crossed her arms to look at the screen.
"Nothing. Quiet like the last time we checked," said Ash as he sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"We'll find them," assured Sunset as she put her hand on the boy's shoulder to show her support. "I'm heading out."
"Sunny, wait!"
Ash extended his arm as he managed to catch Sunset's hand. The girl felt her friend's touch as she looked at the teen, who turned in his chair to look at her.
"I want to say thank you. Thanks for the talk we had the other day."
Sunset recalled the conversation on the roof.
(Flashback)
"You have no idea what you're talking about. Death is the end. No matter how much lingering regret a person has, after death, they are powerless. They cannot even wish for revenge, much less seek it out. Hatred. Regret. Those burdens fall on the shoulders of those who are left behind. And so I must continue down this path! I already told you as much! It is far too late to stop."
"You're wrong," spoke Sunset.
"Do not waste your breath with some nonsense about how I should move on with my life for their sake. That is merely the logic of the living. It's meaningless. Those who died with lingering regret... They will not loose their hold on me so easily. But you seem to have all the answers... So tell me, Sunset. Please, tell me... How do I silence their desperate pleas? How do I... How do I save them? Ever since that day five years ago... I have lived only to avenge the fallen. Even my time training as a ranger was all so that I could secure my revenge and clear away the regret of the dead. It was the only thing that kept me alive... My only reason to keep moving forward..."
Ash looked away from Sunset's cyan eyes to see the city as the wind blew in their direction.
"You must forgive yourself," said Sunset to her friend as he got him to look at her.
"Hmph. But then who... or what... should I live for?"
"Live for what you believe in."
"What I believe in... my parents said the same thing. But is it
possible? Could one such as I truly hope for such a life? As the sole survivor of that day, do I... Do I have the right to live for myself?" wondered Ash.
(End of Flashback)
"Thanks for the talk. That battle with Sombra really got me to see things clearly. I've learned to let go of the guilt that has haunted me." spoke Ash.
"No problem, that's what friends are for," spoke the bacon-haired girl as she looked at the boy who still held her hand. "See ya tomorrow."
"Get home safe," smiled Ash as he saw the girl walking away.
Sunset touched her bracelet as she flashed a wink before teleporting away.
Author's Note: The speech that Ash gave when he was talking with Sunset, can't express how much power it has. How the dead die with lingering regret and how that burden is passed onto those who are still alive. Not to mention, it seems Chrysalis had some kind of effect on Shining Armor. And of course, the rangers having their second run-in with Sombra. If there's any indication of how tough and powerful he is; it seems that our heroes have a long way to go before they're full confident in taking him down. But they left a mark and a reminderthat it's possible. As always leave a review expressing your thoughts and comments. Especially, about that speech Ash gave about revenge and death.