Happy New Year, my dear readers!
~Part 4:War & Reese~
"Ayame...Kikuo..." Laila said as she stood there in shock.
Babatcheed was saying, "We battled the Zangyack here and won, and you won't stand a chance, de aru!"
"Laila! Snap out of it!" said Joe.
Suddenly, a young man wearing a grass-green tunic and a red woven shawl sprinted over to the little group, a familiar-looking Tormian Space Monkey in tow. "Laila-kun!" he exclaimed. "I'm so, so, so glad that ye arrived! A demolition derby 'appened, an' Oonten-san lost big time. That Dale lady's unstoppable, I say! She's like the Dominic Toretto o' those Gaiark scurvy dogs..."
"Basco, now is so not the time—!" Laila snarled, trying to improvise but everyone had already seen what was going on here.
"Wait, isn't that Laila's coworker?" asked Sosuke. "I didn't know he watched Fast & Furious too!"
"Sosuke-san, that's not the important thing here!" said a panicked Gai. "That's the privateer Basco Ta Jolokia, Marvelous-san's arch-nemesis and one of our worst enemies! He's downright evil, I say! If there was something akin to a Cipher in the pirate community, that would be Basco."
"But Laila definitely introduced him as her coworker when we first met..." said a confused Sosuke.
"What? No! There's no way someone as righteous as her would ever work with him!" said Ahim, then suddenly had a realization. "Unless...?"
"She's been lying to us all along!" Luka said, clearly quaking with anger.
Doc was close to bursting into tears. "All this time, I thought you were an amazing person..."
"You're not getting away with this." Marvelous growled.
But out of all the faces, Joe's looked the most angry. "How could you?" asked the Lwian.
"Joe, I...I'm sorry." said Laila, clearly looking guilty.
"Shut up." said the blue pirate coldly. "I was such a fool for thinking I could find love again. You betrayed your own blood, and even worse, you actually got me to care about you! Why are you so evil? Tricking me! What could you possibly hoped to gain?"
"It was a commission." said Laila. "The Zangyack ordered me to seduce and kill you. But...my feelings, they were real."
"What?" Basco said, a shocked look on his face.
"Wait a minute. Uhhh! I don't believe this. Do you really think that I would ever be with you?" Joe spat.
"No." said Laila, before activating her wheel-discs and zooming away sadly, leaving a stunned Sosuke Esumi and six very angry pirates behind.
"'Ey, wait fer me!" said Basco as he sprang after her with Sally in tow.
LATER...
"Well done, Ishihara." said Insarn. "Although you failed in your initial task, at least you eliminated the potential threat to His Highness's love life by figuring out that GokaiBlue is heterosexual."
"Shut up, Insarn." said the half-Engine. "I'm going to participate in the Demolition Derby, and it's gonna be the last thing I do as an asset for you and the Zangyack."
"What do you mean by that?" Insarn inquired.
"Never mind." Laila grumped. "Just get that idiot boss of yours to prepare a second audience with the Gaiark Pollution President."
And per request, Laila did get to meet Babatcheed. "Who are you, de aru?" he asked.
"I'm a privateer for the Zangyack, First Officer Ishihara of the Free Joker." said Laila. "I request a rematch, between me and your drivers, in that death-match of yours. If I win, then let your prisoners go, but if you win, you may continue the Earth invasion."
"Granted, de aru!" said Babatcheed, and the half-Engine was escorted to her pit.
Once inside, Laila took her time, getting ready for the derby when Basco entered, having been picked as her only pit crew member. Sally he had left in the Free Joker—the monkey did little to no help, after all.
"'Ey, Laila-kun, His Nibs asked what car would ye like to drive." said the kaijin.
"Thanks, Basco. Tell His Highness that I don't need a car. I am the car." Laila flashed him a confident smirk, and when the time came for her to enter the arena, she entered it with a straight face. "Alright, Laila, focus. One winner, 42 losers. I eat losers for breakfast." she said as she waited for the cue, ignoring the lingering ache in her heart. From the driver's seat of her car, Dale sent her a mocking grin, which asked "hey, where's your car?"
"43 cars enter, only one survives." said a female announcer, different from last time since Dale was up against Laila as one of her 42 opponents, and therefore, unavailable. "Ready, get set...go!"
"I eat losers for breakfast." Laila repeated, then shot down one of the Ugatz-driven cars with a missile from her left arm, and the audience ooh'd and aah'd. Smirking, Laila whizzed next to another car and jammed one of her sword arms in its side, then accelerated, leaving a deep gash in the car's side, then shot one of the damaged car's wheels, rendering it immobile. Soon, it, too, exploded, and Laila maneuvered herself to drive on a nearby ramp-like structure and got on another car, shredding its roof with her leg wheel-discs, and jumping off just in time as it exploded. Another car charged at her, only to be sliced in half by her wrist laser. Even though she was half-human, she was still an Engine, which meant she was not one to be trifled with and with all the upgrades Insarn gave her, she was unstoppable.
Soon, the only ones left standing were her and Dale. "What's the matter, little missy? Cat got your car?" Dale taunted, still so confident.
"I've got nothing left." said Laila. "Either way, only one of us will make it out alive today."
And the two accelerated at each other. Laila shaped one of her arms into a gun and fired at Dale, who dodged it with minimum effort and revealed a machine gun from the left side of her car, then began firing at Laila. The half-Engine had to spend some of her energy avoiding the shots, until both her and Dale skidded to a halt, facing each other again. Laila activated her back laser cannon, while Dale activated her plasma cannon as well.
"Blackstar Railgun!"
"Plasma Strike!"
The two streams of energy collided in the middle, the force sending both participants flying towards walls. "Oh...you...fight like a...girl..." Dale huffed as she crawled out of her crippled car.
"So do...you..." Laila huffed as she struggled to get up.
The half-Engine and the Gaiark warrior staggered towards each other, both damaged significantly. Laila directed the power left in herself to form an energy blade around her right hand, while a dagger shot out of Dale's left wrist. The audience watched as the tension in the air continued to grow, then the two suddenly lunged at each other, with a clear murderous intent.
When the dust settled, Laila had beheaded Dale with her energy blade before Dale could stab Laila with her wrist dagger. The Gaiark side of spectators gasped, unwilling to accept the fact that Dale was dead. Laila felt her vision go fuzzy, then she passed out.
"Ugh..." Laila groaned as she woke up to the sight of several engineers fixing her, Insarn among them.
"Are you awake?" asked the Kartan. "You had been shut down for a long time."
"The Demolition Derby..." Laila said. "How'd it go?"
"You won, and Oonten was released." Insarn replied.
"That's not important!" Laila snapped. "What happened to Ayame and Kikuo?"
"The girls in silver armor?" said Insarn. "We didn't do anything to them, so fear not. On a second note, the return of the pirates messed things up, and now we've decided to withhold, letting them fight the Gaiark so we can weaken both sides at once. Also, good news, your repairment is almost complete. Hold on for three more hours, and you'll be up and running again."
"Just...just show me what's going on down there." Laila said.
"Granted." Insarn said, and gave her a clear visual of where the Gokaigers were fighting the Gaiark as well as leftover Gormin, with the help of the freed Ayame and Kikuo.
"I'm in the silver spotlight!" said Gai, as he swung his GokaiSpear around.
"You sure got game, eh?" asked Ayame as she dropped a flying kick on one of the Gormin.
"Yeah, you shine!" Kikuo added.
Gai squee'd. "Thanks!" he said, and the three silvers continued fighting the Ugatz and the Gormin. The other five did quite well too, slashing and shooting at the enemies. Then Marvelous fired at Babatcheed a few times, angering the Pollution President.
"You lot are cheeky brats, de aru!" yelled Babatcheed, then fired at the pirates and Ayame and Kikuo with the revolver-like device on his waist. The eight deflected the shots with ease, and the pirates pulled out their Go-On Ranger Keys.
"Gokai Change!"
"Go~Onger!"
~cue the Go-Onger opening theme (instrumental)~
"No way!" the Pollution President exclaimed, as the Gokaigers turned into the Go-Ongers in front of his eyes. "Get them! Now!"
"Engine Sentai! Go-Onger!" said the six pirates, as the Go-Ongers.
Frantic, Babatcheed ordered the Ugatz and the Gormin to "go and get them", and the pirates jumped into action. "Mind if I just pull out the showstopper?" Joe asked.
"Sure!" said Ayame. "Uncle Renn's gonna be so proud!"
The Lwian smiled behind his 'met, and smashed several Ugatz into nearby barrels.
"Off with your innards!" said Luka as she kicked and punched a lot of Ugatz.
"Yes!" Ahim exclaimed, fighting right next to her girlfriend.
"Yay! Boom-boom-bang-bang!" said Gai, slashing at the Ugatz and Gormin with his Rocket Daggers. "Slicing at Mach speed!"
"Ow!" said Doc as one of the combatmen hit him on the head, but then the one who hit him was suddenly bisected by a silver blade.
"You OK, green guy?" asked Kikuo.
"Gee, thanks!" said Doc.
"Get a grip already." said Marvelous as he flew in with Go-On Red's Road Saber.
"You damn pests!" Babatcheed said, angered.
"You're the only one left, Mr. Pollution President!" said Gai.
"Don't think I'll go down as easy as my minions, de aru!" said Babatcheed. "Babatcheed Spiral!" With that, the Pollution President unleashed a lot of energy cogs from his body, and the pirates were taken down but Joe and Ahim got back up, wielding Go-On Blue's Garage Launcher and Go-On Black's Cowl Laser respectively. Using the weapons, they countered the energy blasts Babatcheed sent their way, and Luka flung Go-On Yellow's Racing Bullet at the Pollution President, incapacitating him.
"Mission 6:Full Power!"
"Yippee-kay-yay!" Gai said as he attacked Babatcheed with his Rocket Daggers. Next was Marvelous with the Road Saber and Doc with Go-On Green's Bridge Axe.
"Saber Straight!"
"Axe Touring!"
The attacks sent Babatcheed flying, and the pirates became themselves again and Marvelous brought out the Gokai Galleon Buster. The pirates all set their keys in.
"Reeeed Chaaaaaaaaaarge!"
"Riiiiiiising Striiiiiiiiiiiiike!"
"Onee-san, it's our turn!" said Kikuo. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Of course, little sis!" said Ayame. Metal wings shot out of the twins' backs, and they shifted their arms into missile launchers as they soared up into the air. While the Pollution President was still recovering from the Red Charge, they shot missiles at him.
"Double Twin Airstrike!"
"I'm not done yet!" said a gravely wounded Babatcheed. "I'll see my term through, no matter what happens to me, de aru! Industrial Revolution!" And with that, he enlarged himself.
"Who the hell voted for you, I do not know but you're scrap metal!" said Marvelous as he called the Gokai Galleon.
"From beyond the future, come forth! GoZyu Drill!" said Gai, and the GoZyu Drill appeared.
Soon, the Galleon and the GoZyu Drill shifted into GokaiOh and GoZyuJin respectively. "You think you can beat me?" asked Babatcheed as he glared at the two mechas. "Babatcheed Vulcan!" With that, the revolver-like device on his waist fired again, and the attack was followed by another Babatcheed Spiral.
"I guess they didn't make him Pollution President for nothing!" said Luka.
"He's got a good offense." Joe added.
Suddenly, the pirates saw Sosuke hurrying up to them. "Hey, fellas! Now's the time to make use of our Greater Power!" said the former Go-On Red.
"But when we attempted to use it, nothing happened..." Ahim trailed off.
"It's fine! You have a partner now, so it'll work perfectly!" said Sosuke. "A bond between two partners is like the strongest magnet in the whole entire universe, no matter how many walls stand in your way, you'll always find a way back to each other! That's what the Go-Ongers' Greater Power is all about!"
"That's it, huh?" asked Marvelous.
"What are you babbling about now, de aru?!" Babatcheed demanded, and fired another Babatcheed Vulcan at the mechas, but Gai deflected it with the Shield Mode of GoZyuJin's drill.
"Fellas, now's your chance!" said Gai.
"Alright!" said Marvelous, as he and the other four inserted the Go-On Ranger Keys in the slots just under their wheels, and GokaiOh spat out a very familiar-looking vehicle as well as a vaguely rectangular chip.
The Shezaran was shocked to see his Engine partner lying in GokaiOh's hand. "Machalcon?!"
"When Engines are in Human World, they're split into Souls and Casts. Place the Engine Soul in the Cast!" Sosuke instructed.
"Yes!" Marvelous said, and GokaiOh put Machalcon's Soul into his Cast.
"Bari-bari!" said Machalcon as he revved to life. "Y'all took so long to pick me up so I just came here on my own!"
"You came!" said Sosuke, as Machalcon shot red lasers at Babatcheed, and then rammed into him, knocking him off balance.
"You know what to do, partner." said Marvelous.
"Got it, partner! Bari-bari!" said Machalcon, and let GokaiOh combine with him. Both of the pirate mecha's legs came off, allowing the crimson Engine to replace them.
When a pirate's heart and an Engine's soul become one, the roar of an engine signals the arrival of a dynamic king!
"Go-On GokaiOh, ready!"
"Let's make this showy!" said Machalcon as he accelerated, sending Go-On GokaiOh propelling directly towards Babatcheed, and the Pollution President's Babatcheed Vulcan did nothing to stop her. "I'm all revved up!" said the Engine as he went airborne, taking the rest of Go-On GokaiOh with him, and landed as the mecha slashed at Babatcheed with one of her GokaiSabers.
"Well done, partner! Now let's scrap him!" said Marvelous, and Go-On GokaiOh once again flew up into the air, as five pirates and one Engine prepared their final strike.
"Gokai Go-On Grand Prix!"
One of Go-On GokaiOh's GokaiSaber glowed a bright gold, and it struck Babatcheed in a clear vertical slash. "It's best to retire before the public opinion turns against you, de aru! I resign!" said Babatcheed before falling down dead, his body going off in a huge explosion.
"Bari-bari! It's a checkered flag!" said Machalcon.
LATER...
"Machalcon, you were awesome today!" said Ayame as she and Kikuo congratulated the crimson Engine.
"Gee, thanks, Silverhawk!" said Machalcon. "Now where's Blackstar? It'd be perfect if she was here with us right now..."
"Um, Machalcon, the thing is..." Marvelous swallowed hard. He had no idea how to convey Laila's treachery to his partner.