Summary: As the fight continues, the rangers try to keep their lives as normal as possible while learning about their full powers.
Phantom Rogue: You've got it all completely right. :D And this is actually a story I'm not telling you the future about… this part at least. :P
Sasja: Glad you like the story. Though this should be finished soon… I hope.
Star Fata: Yeah, well, things have to be looking up some time if this Part and the whole series are supposed to be coming to an end somewhere. But don't worry… two more parts after this… What have I gotten myself into?
DizneeDol: Well, this is what's happening next.
Arwennicole: Glad you enjoy this so much.
The-power-of-love: Not very soon, but soon enough for you?
As The Battle Rages
Chapter 29
Megan's eyes glided over the other rangers and landed on Reese. Completely forgetting about everything else, she ran over to him in panic.
"We're got to help Reese!" She exclaimed desperately, ignoring the other's slightly baffled expressions. "Before there are any more rangers around. He'd die of shame if we'd invade with the whole team."
"Why?" Kayla asked curiously. "And personally feelings can't interfere – fate has to decide."
"I think we should have a really nice long talk once this is over. Invite Gwyn to join it, she'd like it." Dakota sighed.
"Reese, he's…" Megan sighed. "He's scared… He's scared of clowns and he's not very proud of it."
"Clowns are creepy." Ray agreed. "With those painted faces trying to get a laugh out of people by hurting themselves and smacking pies in each others' face. They are definitely not my favourite act of the circus. We can always try Reese."
"He's her brother." Dakota protested. "You couldn't wake Aurora."
"You're my cousins, I could wake you." Ray shot back, crouching down next to Reese. "And we aren't waking them up by arguing about this."
"You're right, sorry." Dakota offered humbly and the rangers quickly grabbed Ray's hand before invading Reese's mind.
There was no doubt where Reese was when they opened their eyes. A horde of clowns were crowding around and likely suffocating and taunting a crouched figure. Ray took a deep breath and shuddered a little.
"So…" He drew the word out as long as he could.
"How about we beat them up?" Dakota offered. "It's not like they'll actually feel anything being illusions and all."
"Sounds like a plan." Kayla agreed, though she looked doubtful about the 'no hurt' part.
The others nodded too and as one they launched themselves amidst the clowns, beating their way through to Reese. Megan was the first to break through the line of clowns and threw her arms around Reese without a second thought.
Reese returned the embrace, clinging to his sister. His eyes widened when the other four rangers broke the line of clowns and fought to give Reese some more breathing space.
"What are they doing here?" Reese asked, his voice lowering to a slight growl.
"This is an illusion." Megan explained. "Ray got us in here to wake you up. In reality you're in some sort of coma, everyone is and was. We have to wake up each other." Seeing the doubt in his eyes, she continued relentlessly. "Please Reese, we want to help. We need to be a team, Reese, if we aren't… we're never going to get out of here."
Reese watched the other four sceptically.
"They're not judging you." Megan told him quietly. "Can't you see they're fighting for you? That's what a team does – that's what friends do. They don't judge, they don't laugh, but they fight for you when others would laugh."
Reese's features softened and he gave his sister a quick squeeze before letting go and launching himself at a particularly nasty clown sneaking up on Ray from behind. He crashed into the clown, throwing it to the ground just as Ray whirled around.
"Thanks." The boy smiled holding out his hand.
"No problem." Reese smiled back and took the offered hand. "That's what friends are for."
The next thing he knew, Reese sat up coughing with a burning feeling in his eyes. Suddenly the burning feeling disappeared when his vision turned purple for a moment.
"We can't make the mist completely disappear." Kayla's voice offered the explanation with a smile. "But we can take it out of your eyes and lungs."
"Thanks." Reese gasped as Murtagh and Dakota helped him to his feet.
"Who's next?" Ray asked.
"Kagan." Reese replied without a thought and his eyes snapped open. "And where did that come from?"
Ray shrugged and turned to seek out Kagan.
"Somehow we all know subconsciously who we have to wake up next, or rather, the person we wake up knows. It's a chain reaction and we can't wake up one without the other. Though it took us a few times to trust instinct over rational thought. Ray explained as he crouched down next to Kagan.
"What now?" Reese asked.
"We all hold on to each other and make sure there's someone touching Ray while Ray is touching Kagan. Somehow he seems to be able to take us all with him when he invades the illusion." Dakota replied and offered Reese his hand.
Moments later they reopened their eyes and looked around with frowns on their faces.
"Kagan is scared of food?" Murtagh asked, surprised.
"Well, I'm hungry. Might as well take a bite." Dakota grinned and jauntily waltzed over to the table.
He picked up the nearest chicken wing and lifted it to his mouth to take a bite.
"Don't eat me!" A little voice shrieked and Dakota dropped the wing in shock, clutching his chest, almost certain that the strange voice had just delivered him a heart attack.
"What the…?"
A/N: Haha! Review and I'll update.
