The Rangers were surrounded, fighting on all sides against the awesome power of the forces Evox had resurrected.
Each one had been a major threat to the Rangers before, each one had almost destroyed their respective teams on more than one occasion, but together they made a formidable force that caused the Dino Charge and Beast Morphers teams no end of trouble.
"Man, this is intense." Chase commented as he kept Scorpina at bay with his Para Chopper. "No wonder the past teams had so many problems with these guys."
"Evox and his goons are still nowhere in sight." Steel pointed out.
"And that's a problem?" Riley asked in response as he battled back and forth with Fury, alongside Ivan. "We've got plenty of these guys to deal with up here!"
"Has anyone seen Goldar?" Tyler asked. "He looked different than he did in the database."
"Something tells me he was the one Evox supercharged." Zoey chipped in, helping Shelby against Sledge. "Like the original wasn't bad enough."
"I've got eyes on him!" Devon told them, seeing him landing a little way off. "I'm going for him!"
"Devon, don't take him on your own!" Zoey called after him.
"I can handle it!" Devon stated, running straight for him.
"Devon, you need a strategy!" Nate added.
"I have one!" Devon told them. "Melt him before he..."
He didn't finish, as soon as Goldar saw him coming, he sent out a shockwave that blasted him into a rock face a little way off. Devon just groaned.
"OK, maybe I need a new..." He started to say, before seeing Goldar's sword coming right for him. "...oh SHIT!"
He rolled aside just as Goldar sliced the rock behind him in half with ease. He flipped away to get some distance.
"Guys, I've got eyes on Evox!" Nate told them. "He's booking out with Blaze and Roxy."
"That's one thing at least." Chase complained, just as he was finally blasted down by Scorpina's boomerang. The other Rangers were all quickly batted down by their opponents, ending up gathered in the middle of the quarry. They started to get up, taking up a defensive perimeter.
"This not good." Koda grunted. "They very strong!"
"It's fine, we can take them!" Devon declared.
Just then, Heckyl appeared in a flash of light.
"May I suggest an alternative plan?" He asked.
"Heckyl, what are you doing?" Devon demanded. He clicked his fingers, at which they all disappeared in a bright flash. They reappeared some way from the quarry, deep in the woods.
"Heckyl, what the Hell do you think you're doing?" Devon demanded, shoving him.
"Saving your lives." Heckyl replied. "The words you're looking for are 'thank you'."
"You pulled us out of that fight before we could even take one of those freaks down!" Devon yelled at him. "Now we just have to start all over..."
"Devon, I appreciate the enthusiasm but we were getting nailed." Ravi interrupted him. "Better to run away and fight another day, right?"
"But there might not be another day!" Devon snapped. "If we don't end this now, Evox can just raise more monsters..."
"Devon, we need to take those monsters, but we also need to know what Evox is up to." Zoey told him.
"Well, while you all sort this out, I have something I need to do." Heckyl told them, before blinking away again. They all just slumped to the ground, taking the chance for a rest while they were briefly safe. They didn't doubt that Evox's forces were looking for them, but for now they could at least catch their breath.
"So, any idea what Evox might be up to out here?" Devon asked.
"I think I might know." Shelby gulped. "I saw him running, but I also saw what they were carrying."
"What were they carrying?" Devon asked her.
"A geode!" Shelby stated. Ravi chuckled.
"They stole a geode?" He asked dismissively. "My mom has one of those on her desk, she uses it as a paperweight!"
None of the Dino Charge Rangers were laughing though. If anything they all looked worried.
"What?" Ravi asked. "So, apparently he likes crystals, what's the big deal?"
"Keeper told us how the Dino Zords were created." Shelby informed them. "I tried to make one when we were active. They need dinosaur DNA, a crystal, a geode and a bone."
"This is Amber Beach, they can get dino DNA and bones just about anywhere out here." Riley pointed out. "And now they have a geode."
"But they still need a crystal..."
Nate suddenly paused as he finally got the horrible thought.
"The Purple Dino Gem!" He gasped. They all nodded.
"It looks like he has everything he needs to make his own Zord." Devon said, suddenly realising how serious the situation had gotten. "We need to stop him."
"Yeah, but he's kind of got this army of bad dudes between us and him!" Chase reminded them. "Not to mention that Goldar kind of punted us around."
Just then, Heckyl reappeared.
"Heckyl!" Shelby called out. "Where did you get to?"
"Well, I figured that you needed some help, which is why I got these guys." He said, gesturing to the Beast Morphers Rangers. "But, I think I might have underestimated what we're up against, so I went for a few...reinforcements!"
With that, three portals opened up behind him, and a whole bunch of people stepped out. Ravi's eyes opened wide.
"Are those...who I think they are?" He asked. "Guys, I think the odds just looked up for us!"
"OK, so we go after Evox." Devon stated. "The rest of you guys, you take care of Goldar and his goons."
"Goldar...that's a name I didn't think I'd hear again." A man in a black shirt, with spiky hair replied. "But if he wants his butt kicked again, we're up for the job!"
In another area of the woods, Evox was standing with Blaze and Roxy, while Scrozzle gathered the materials they needed. Roxy was just sorting through some fossils.
"So, this is going to be your new doomsday weapon?" She asked.
"The Dino Zords were among some of the most powerful weapons ever created, and the Purple Ranger was kind enough to tell me exactly what we needed to make one." He stated as he watched Scrozzle working. "With a few modifications of course. One dinosaur made some of the most powerful zords ever created. Imagine how much more powerful a zord created from SIX would be!"
"There seems to be more than six samples here." Blaze pointed out.
"I only need those!" Evox said, pointing to some samples by Scrozzle's work station. "The rest are just useless to me!"
"This one looks different." Roxy commented. "Are you sure you don't need this one?"
"I have all I need right here!" He told her. Roxy just shrugged, before shoving the fossil away.
"Waste not, want not!" She said to herself as she tucked the fossil away inside her clothing, before joining them. "So, what's the problem Scrozzie? What's taking so long?"
"We need to open this geode, but it's taking a lot longer than..."
Blaze rolled his eyes, before summoning up his sword and slicing the geode in half. Scrozzle just stared at him.
"You're welcome!" Blaze stated, putting his sword away.
"Alright, now we just need to put these samples inside, along with the Purple Energem..."
Scrozzle let out a yelp as he was blasted away from the geode. He turned in time to see the Beast Morphers Rangers arriving on the scene.
"Those don't belong to you!" Devon called out. Evox just sneered.
"I need to charge this up." Evox told them, putting the samples and the Energem inside the geode, before holding the two halves together. "You two, keep them busy!"
"With pleasure!" Roxy stated as she and Blaze morphed.
Meanwhile, back in the quarry, Goldar Maximus was waiting while his comrades looked for the Rangers. They all started to arrive back, but he could see they had returned empty-handed.
"You dare to return empty-handed?" Goldar growled. Sledge just got into his face.
"I didn't see you doing anything to help look for them!" He complained as his crew formed up behind him. "Besides, who put you in charge?"
"Evox!" Goldar reminded him.
"You should learn to pull your weight." Scorpina snorted. "I used to hear all these legends of the great Sledge, the bounty hunter! What a joke!"
"You shut up about my sledgeums or I'll pull your legs off, you little bug!" Poisandra squealed.
Zeltrax was at their side as they all drew weapons, standing off against each other. They didn't even notice as the very people they were looking for arrived.
"Hey, are we interrupting?" Tyler asked. "I mean, I don't mind coming back in a few minutes while you all beat each others' brains out."
"Minutes?" Ivan scoffed. "There are so few brains between them I imagine that'd only take them seconds!"
"Oh, that's funny!" Scorpina stated as she rounded on them. "But you were getting beaten when you had your little friends with you, what makes you think you have any better chance now?"
"Because we got a whole bunch of new friends!" Riley answered. Just then, more Rangers started to step out of the undergrowth. One team looked to be around college age, two women and three guys. The second group was the Dino Thunder team, while a third group showed up, the only team that was already morphed, ready for action. All in, a total of sixteen new Rangers had shown up, bringing their numbers up to 21 in all.
"Is that...Tommy Oliver?" Goldar growled.
"Goldar, you look uglier than I remember." Tommy answered. "That upgrade didn't do anything for your looks."
"THAT'S Goldar?" One of the teenagers asked. "Man, your universe is different. Our Goldar was a walking heap of molten gold!"
"You should have stayed retired!" Zeltrax yelled, pointing at the Dino Charge team.
"Oh, this is a temporary thing, don't worry." Kira assured him. "I kicked your butt once, I'll do it again and still be back in time for my concert."
"So, what's with them?" Sledge asked, pointing to the morphed team.
"Let's just say...we're the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come." The Red Rangers stated. "We can't reveal our identities because we've not yet been called in this dimension, but...we're still happy to help out any Ranger that needs us!"
"Alright, what do you say we show them what Dino Power is all about?" Tommy called out. "IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!"
With that, all the remaining Rangers morphed, powering up as they charged into battle with Evox's resurrected forces, while Goldar summoned an army of putties, tyrannodrones and viviks.
"Bring as many Rangers as you want!" Goldar Maximus beckoned them. "I will destroy you all!"
"Yeah, everyone should have an ambition!" Tommy replied as he leapt high into the air, raising his Brachio Staff high over his shoulder.
The Beast Morphers Rangers were busy with their own battle, fighting to get past Blaze and Roxy, while Evox powered up the geode, aiming to get his new Zord online. They had no idea what this new zord would be like, but frankly none of them really wanted to give him the time to find out.
Roxy took a hit, staggering away from Zoey, scowling at her in anger. She looked towards Blaze.
"Blaze, do you still have the reanimiser?" She asked him.
"Yeah!" He called out, fending off Ravi, Nate and Devon with his sword. "Why?"
She pulled out the fossil.
"I've got an idea!" She told him. "Hit me with it!"
"What?" He asked.
"Do it!" She called out again. Blaze just shrugged, pulling out the reanimizer and aiming it at her, firing it off. Roxy was hit full on, and fell to her knees, screaming out in pain as she was bathed in energy.
"What did you do?" Evox demanded.
"I don't know...it was her idea!" Blaze protested, pointing the re-animizer her way. Nate took the opportunity to rush forward, slicing it apart with his Beast X Sabre. "NO!"
"You FOOL!" Evox reprimanded him. Blaze immediately realised his mistake, and in his anger he went after the Rangers, rushing towards them with a renewed energy. He knew that if he survived the battle, he'd have to have done something spectacular to avoid whatever horrendous fate Evox had in mind for him. He had not only incapacitated Roxy, but he had lost the reanimizer in the process. Nate and Ravi both dodged aside, while Devon parried his blow, coming in to attack Blaze from both sides.
Ravi hacked at one of Blaze's legs, bringing him to one knee, while Nate grabbed his sword arm, holding his sword out. Ravi quickly got to the other side and held the other arm.
"Beast X Mode!" Devon called out as he powered up. "Just a couple more seconds guys! Cheetah Dash!"
Devon powered up, rushing through Blaze, hitting him with his full power. Blaze exploded in a devastating fire ball as Ravi and Nate were left holding his arms. Ravi held up one of his hands, at which Nate just chuckled, lifting up the other and high-fiving the two hands together before they both discarded them.
"One down, one to go!" Steel commented, before Roxy disappeared in a bright flash. "OK, make that none to go!"
"Looks like you're all alone now!" Zoey said to Evox. There was a huge pulse of energy, at which he backed off, letting the geode go. They all watched as the sky went dark, and purple energy shot out of the geode into the air. It started to form up into a nightmarish abomination, several times larger than their own zords, with six heads in total. Evox cackled insanely as he saw it.
"You're too late, Rangers, I've got what I came for!" He stated. "You will face my Chimera Zord in your own doomed dimension!"
With that, he teleported away, along with the new zord. Devon just gulped.
"OK, I am NOT looking forward to facing that thing!" He stated, before looking to the geode. He reached in, pulling out the Purple Energem. "At least we can get this thing back to Kendall."
"Come on, the others might need our help." Zoey stated. With that, they all ran off, heading back towards the quarry.
Meanwhile, in the quarry, the battle raged on, the forces throwing powerful attacks at each other. The Rangers rarely had the luxury of numbers on this scale, but when they did, it really made a difference.
Zeltrax fell to the ground, exploding as Kira and Trent spun around, bracing themselves from the explosion.
"I know they say third time's the charm, but I'd just as soon NOT see an encore!" She stated. "How are things looking there, Conner?"
"A pillow's never seen a beating like this since the dude that keeps making deadlines for conspiracy evidence that never comes to pass!" Conner chuckled he and Ethan destroyed Curio.
"No need to be 'Snyde' about it." Chase said as he, Koda and Tyler finished off the evil warrior.
"How are the new guys doing?" Shelby asked.
"They seem to be holding their own." Tommy said as he watched the armoured Rangers facing off against his super powered former enemy. "Weird thing is, they seem strangely familiar!"
"We're nearly done!" Riley called out as Fury went down. "Keep it up!"
They were starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, as more and more of the evil forces fell. They were clearing out more and more of them, the quarry now clearing out, giving them room to move.
Goldar Maximus battled on all sides against the Armoured Rangers, parrying massive swipes from a sword coming from the Red Rangers' fist.
"I have no idea who you are, but one Ranger is much like another!" Goldar roared.
"Guys, he's way stronger than our Goldar." Zack stated. "Our strongest attacks aren't bringing him down!"
"It's not about the power of any one attack." Tommy told them as the other Rangers all formed up behind him. "It's about the power of ALL OF US!"
Jason nodded in understanding.
"Guys, let's finish this!" He yelled. With that, he began the charge. Each of the Rangers in turn rushed right for Goldar, unleashing all the energy within them as they struck, each of them demorphing as they got to the other side. One by one they hit him until finally, the last of them, the mysterious future Red Ranger leapt high in the air, bringing his sword down right on Goldar's head.
He started to glow ominously, before the Red Ranger had to retreat. They were all thrown to the ground as he exploded devastatingly, almost levelling the whole quarry. They started to get up slowly.
"Man, that was...that was tense." Chase stated.
"You said it." Shelby replied.
Heckyl appeared, standing among them as they all started to come to.
"I saw the blast, I was just coming to make sure..." He started to say, before smiling. "You've done it! You really did it!"
"Yeah, but barely." Jason said breathlessly.
"Well, the important thing is you all did it, and you're all alive." Heckyl stated, before turning to the future team. "Which reminds me, you all need to get going before the Beast Morphers team get back."
"They do?" Jason asked. "Why?"
"Because we're from the future in THIS dimension." Their Red Ranger replied. "So, we can't risk them knowing..."
"Oh, don't worry, I know the story." Kira said, holding her hands up. "Had my memory wiped twice because of time travel stuff."
"Sorry we couldn't stay for the celebration." The future Green Ranger said apologetically as Heckyl opened their portal. "I guess...see you around?"
"If there's one thing I've learned, it's that being a Ranger is never a one-time gig." Tommy assured them. With that, they all headed through their portal and disappeared. Shortly afterwards, the Beast Morphers Rangers arrived.
"We got here as soon as we could." Devon said, before looking around. "Wait, there were more of you...did the others...?"
"Don't worry, I just had to send them back to their time." Heckyl assured them. "Everyone's tired, beaten, more than a little dirty but...otherwise everyone is alive and well."
"Well, that's good." Nate answered. "We thought you could use a hand, but it seems like you had this handled."
"We had our moments." Tommy replied. "Goldar Maximus did NOT go down as easily as our version did."
"Or our version." Jason added. Tommy did a double-take. "What?"
"I will never get used to dimension hopping." Tommy answered. Devon stepped forward, handing the Purple Energem to Tyler.
"Here." He said, turning it over. "Evox got his new Zord, but he left this behind. I have a feeling Kendall will be happy to see it again."
"Oh, she definitely will." Tyler said with a smile. "So, he made his new zord?"
"He did, but I don't think he's ready to use it just yet." Devon replied.
"It was really great fighting alongside you all." Tommy said. "The future's in really good hands."
"Yeah, it is." Kira agreed, looking in the direction the future team had gone.
"Well, with all that, I think it's time you all made your way home." Heckyl said, clapping his hands.
He waved his arms with a flourish, at which portals opened all around them. He looked to the armoured Rangers.
"You all go through that one." He told them. "Don't want anyone going to the wrong place, now do we?"
"Yeah, Angel Grove, here we come!" Kimberly said with a rather strange lack of enthusiasm. As they disappeared, Tommy just shook his head.
"They are WAY different from the Angel Grove team I remember." He commented. "OK, which one for us, Heckyl?"
"That one!" He said, pointing. As they headed through, Zoey was rifling through her pockets.
"No, not yet, wait!" She screamed, but it was too late. They all disappeared, just as she got out some paper and a pen. "Damn it, I really wanted Kira's autograph!"
"Well, we're already home so I guess it's just you guys left." Tyler said.
"I guess so." Devon sighed. "It really was great seeing you guys again."
With that, they all bid their farewells and turned towards the portal, heading through. Tyler looked to the Purple Energem.
"I really wish we could help out with that Zord. It sounds like really bad news." He stated. "Come on, we need to get this back to Kendall."
In the Crystal Dimension, Evox stood, observing the new Chimera Zord as it got used to its new home, standing among some energy crystals, powering up.
"That new Zord is magnificent!" Scrozzle simpered. "Once he's ready, the Rangers will be destroyed for sure!"
"That fool Blaze cost me a great deal." Evox ranted. "Without the reanimizer, I have nothing left to keep the Rangers busy while the Chimera Zord powers up!"
"I wouldn't say you have 'nothing'." They heard a voice say. They both turned around, and Scrozzle recoiled as he saw what was standing before him.
"Roxy?" He asked. "What...what have you done to yourself?"
Back in their own dimension, the Beast Morphers team appeared in the hangar, startling Commander Shaw, Starlight and Chakku, who were all there, preparing a ship for departure.
"What did you...?"
"Trust me, it would take WAY too long to explain right now." Devon interrupted her. "With respect, can we debrief later?"
"Fine." She said, shaking her head. She gestured to Chakku. "Captain Chakku has elected not to remain with us after all."
"You're leaving so soon?" Zoey asked. He just nodded.
"I think I've been a cop long enough." He said, lifting up Starlight. "It's time I made Starlight my number one priority."
"We'll be sad to see you go." Ravi said, thinking about Roxy. "But it's family, we understand."
"So, you're not finishing the treatments?" Nate asked. Steel just started to shuffle a little.
"Yeah, well...I have a night shift starting soon." He replied. "Good luck."
With that, he walked away. The other Rangers all looked back to Chakku.
"So, I guess this is it then." Zoey said with a smile, looking to Starlight. "You look after your dad for us, alright?"
"I will." She assured them. They all stood and watched as they both boarded the ship, before blasting off, heading back to their own planet.
In one of the corridors, Betty was standing by a vending machine, trying to get a snack before her shift, but as Steel got to her, she was banging her fist on the machine and shaking it.
"Hey, Steel." She greeted him. "Stupid machine!"
"Excuse me?" He asked bad-temperedly.
"Not you, this thing!" She snapped. "It just swallowed my dollar! I just wanted a candy bar..."
Steel grabbed her by the shoulders and moved her aside, before punching straight through the vending machine. He ripped the entire front off it, throwing it down the hall, before grabbing a bunch of candy bars and slapping them in Betty's hands.
"There." Steel blurted out, before storming away. Betty just looked at the scene in bewilderment, before running after Steel.
"Steel, I didn't mean you when I said..."
"You've got your candy, that's the main thing!" Steel interrupted her. "Now, we have a shift!"
"Steel, what's wrong?" She asked him.
"Nothing!" Steel yelled. Betty looked to the wreckage all around them.
"Uh...this would all suggest otherwise." She said. Steel picked up one of the candy bars and looked at it.
"What does this taste like?" He asked her. She just shrugged.
"I don't know, sweet." She said, looking at the label. "It's got nuts in it, so there's some kind of salty parts..."
"And all of that means nothing since I have no idea what sugar or salt taste like!" Steel yelled as he squashed it in his hand, throwing it down the hall. He started to storm away, but Betty came in front of him.
"Steel, calm down." She begged him, stroking his arm. "Please, whatever it is, you can tell me."
"I just saw Chakku." He told her. "He and his daughter are going home."
"Yeah, I heard." She answered. "That's a good thing, though."
"Turns out he's not getting all his implants out." Steel continued. She just nodded.
"Yeah, he decided he would just live with the rest of them." She told him. "He figured it didn't matter to his daughter, so it didn't matter to him."
"Yeah, that's real good for him." Steel responded, making to leave again. Betty held onto him.
"Steel, what's going on?" She asked him.
"Everyone's so stoked for him, because he has some bionics and he decided to keep them and isn't it so great for him?" Steel ranted.
"Yeah, it is." Betty answered.
"Well, what about me?" He asked. She just blinked.
"I'm not sure I follow." She answered.
"I was hoping maybe if they could do something for him, then maybe they could do something for me!" Steel told her. "I see all of you going around, enjoying hugs and high fives..."
He paused as he saw Betty looking at him, wide-eyed.
"I see what Nate has with Zoey and what Ravi has with Roxy...what your brother has with Cole and..."
"Steel, I didn't know you even thought about stuff like that." She admitted.
"I do, but who'd want me like this?" He asked her. "And I hate that you all get to talk about all the great meals you have, when you talk about how it feels to be cold when you walk around in snow and..."
"Steel, not all of that's good." Betty told him. "Like when I poke my eye or stub my toe..."
"But I WANT to experience those things, even the stuff that sucks like stubbing my toe!" Steel told her.
"Steel, I..."
"I was hoping that if they could do something for Chakku, if they could return him to the way he was, maybe they might be able to do that for me." Steel admitted. She looked a little saddened hearing this.
"Steel, I don't even know if that's possible." She told him. "And...Chakku learned that it doesn't matter that he has machine parts in him, he is just the same as..."
"And the difference is he CHOSE to have those implants!" Steel snapped at her bitterly. "He might have had reasons and things pushing him, but he CHOSE to end up the way he did. No one ever asked me if I wanted any of this, I just woke up and this was how I was!"
"Steel, what are you saying?" She asked him.
"I'm saying that I hate this life. I don't feel right, I don't feel like I am what I'm meant to be." He told her. "Betty, I want to be fully human!"
A/N: OK, so sorry about the hiatus, a month between updates? Yikes! I really can't apologise enough for that!
I've changed a few things up, and I'm truncating the timeline a little as you can see. I'm really hoping to round out this story, but no promises as to when that'll be.
Also, yes, as a couple of choices, the MMPR team I did switch out for the 2017 movie team, and yes indeed, the Dino Fury team were there too! I'm not going to be doing any more full season fics and so I really wanted to give them a little time in the sun.
Hope you all enjoyed it the latest chapter.