Chapter 11 - Animosity Rises
Katrina stepped out of her home dressed in a pink V neck shirt she tied in the front, showing off her toned stomach. She slung her bag over her shoulder as she walked down her few steps and started towards the dojo. It's been really calm these last few weeks, she thought to herself as she strut down the street. The weather began to break. She only needed to wear her sky blue jeans that hugged her curves, her high top Converse sneakers and a thick material plaid jacket that was notably too big for her. As she approached the back door to her home away from home, she noticed the door unlocked. She opened it slowly, stepping in to see Hez wielding dual short swords. He was in a low stance, one blade above his head in a defensive position while the other was out in front of him, ready to strike. As she drew closer he stopped, twirling both swords before sliding them back into their sheith.
"You heard me come in?" Katrina asked.
"Could always hear you from a mile away love," Hez said with a sigh of relaxation. He turned to her with a warming smile.
"How long have you been here? You're literally soaked in sweat." She asked as she looked him up and down, fighting back to blood rushing to her cheeks.
"A couple of hours maybe, I haven't kept track I just wanted to get early morning practice in."
"Early morning? Babe I left my house at seven." She looked at him concerned as he walked past her.
"I left mine at three." He said as he continued. She watched him enter the basement and hesitated before following. When she reached the bottom of the steps Hez was mid way through pulling his compression shirt off over his head. Her face instantly reddened at the sight of his toned body. Katrina covered her face and turned to face the stairway. "Just gonna stand there or are you going to change?"
"Uhhh.." Katrina could barely formulate a word. Hez smiled to himself and sat on the bench against the far wall sighing. Katrina turned and mustered the strength to sit beside him. Hez engulfed her in his arms, taking Katrina by complete surprise. "Is… Something wrong?"
"I have barely heard from you in weeks. I've just… Needed you." Hez took in her scent, remembering every detail about without looking at her.
"Hez I'm sorry but… I just can't do this." Katrina spoke without conviction.
"You can't do what?" Hez pulled himself from her, fear in his eyes at her words and worry for what was to come.
"Us, I just can't do it anymore." Katrina held back her tears and hurt to do what she felt she must.
"You disappear for weeks and now this? What have I done wrong? Talk to me." Hez could feel tears forming in his eyes as the hurt built up within.
"I just… don't want to be with you." Her words stung. He felt as if he was punched in the chest at full force. For a moment, Hez only looked into her eyes. His eyes showed shock, fear, hurt and finally, acceptance. He stood to his feet and returned to changing his clothes in silence. Once he was dressed he ascended the stairs, not looking back with his head hung low. Katrina head her head between her hands, letting the tears flow freely.
A loud thud was heard before Aj came rushing down the stairs. He saw Katrina crying as he paused. He was frozen, unknowing of what to do. "So you did it?" He asked her. Through her whimpers, she nodded her head. "You did what you had to, he will understand it when the war is over," Aj said as he sat beside her. "As Zordon said, no outside attachments. We can't give Zed anything to use against us.
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"Rangers, I trust you have loosened your outside attachments," Zordon spoke. The team sat in silence as they could feel the sadness radiating off of Katrina. It had only been a day since the break up. Her face was void of emotion but everyone could read her like a book. They knew she was hurt and angry and knew she was in the mood for a fight.
"Yes we have," Brian answered. "So how long are we supposed to wait for Zed's goons to show up? We are asked to leave so much behind for a war that seemingly is a waiting game."
"The more he makes us wait, the more devious his actions will become." Zordon answered. "We must find a way to locate his lair and ultimately destroy it and him."
"I think I have some of that covered," NC said as he slid into the chair at his desk. "See I've been triangulating the attacks. If you look at them at first glance, it seems like it's random but they all are in a controlled area near the woods downtown. If we start our search there, we are bound to find something."
"That's my little bro, we got a general area, let's go find us some bad guys." Neil said in delight.
"He's right, we should get a move on and strike before they have a chance to attack anyone else." Donna said as she looked at Katrina. A fire burned in her eyes that only the team could see the true meaning behind. Donna looked to Brian who stood in silent agreement. He nodded his head at her before fixing his lips into a smirk only she could notice.
"Then go my rangers, put an end to this tyranny once and for all." Zordon commanded as the team teleported out of the command center. They landed in a parking garage that overlooked the woods.
"The sun is still up, I think this would work best if done before dark." Aj said.
"Good point, let's get a move on," Brian added.
Three cloaked figures watched from the trees in silence while Chromium Gold Beetle stood below. "So they found us, it doesn't matter but they are in for a nice surprise. Behind him stood a man in silver armor. His helmet had two silver horns protruding from it. The visor was a mixture of a diamond with a rectangle spreading from one end to the other. The visor was lined in white and then silver while the remaining space of the helmet was black. The large chest plate was designed with a black diamond in the center lined in white and silver. His bulky shoulder pads were also silver and black. His armor much resembled that of Chromium Gold's. To the left of the silver armored man was armored woman cladded in a lighter purple armor. Her visor was a wide stretched oval with a point dipping into the middle. Her armor was lined in silver and black and decoration and notably less bulky. Her helmet dawned a silver emblem of four connected horns sprouting from the forehead. Her shoulder padding was thicker than the other two with a thick black line running across them. Her breastplate was silver from the collared neck down to just above the breasts then gave way to the light purple which in turn gave way to black.
"Titanium Silver Beetle, Platinum Purple Beetle, prepare the putty and our newest warriors for battle. I will insure they walk right in to our trap." The two nodded at their orders and backed away.
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Ren could almost feel the anger seething from Hez as he sat in silence. Ren was putting the finishing touches on the newly installed computer while Hez checked the last of the workout equipment that he set up. He sighed to himself before looking at the place. "Never expected this place to become a whole base." Hez said as he sat on the bench.
"Won't Aj find out about the changes to this place?" Ren asked.
"Before maybe but we haven't used it in years. Plus, he's been distant. Along with the guys and Donna." Ren noticed he hadn't mentioned Katrina and found it beat not a speak on the subject. Just as he finished the computer set up, an alarm sounded.
"Motion detector going off, someone's coming." Hez said as he shot over to a second monitor mounted to the wall. They set up cameras within a couple hundred feet radios to insure if anyone came thy knew. They cameras are.motion activated, they set off an alarm when the security system inside the garage is active.
"I have no," Ren said as he looked to the screen seeing Ann familiar face.
"She's your girl now dude, don't deny her now," Hez joked as he watched Arianna on the screen. He was happy Ren was dating her. Although an awkward match, he found her to be a balance to his attitude. Hez silenced the alarm by deactivating the security system and pressed attitude button on a remote that caused the monitor screen to be covered by a picture of Muhammad Ali dodging a side kick from Bruce Lee.
"Nice touch," Ren said before opening the door and having his body consumed by Arianna's hug.
"Hey guys!" She yelled in excitement before kissing Ren. Hez smiled and walked to the pull up bar, biting back the pain of seeing their happiness.
"Hey, thought you would be out with your friends by now." Ren said before planting another kiss on her lips.
"I am, they just dropped me off so I can say hi. I gotta run." She said with a smile. Another kiss between the two was exchanged before Arianna ran off. Hez placed his hand on Ren's shoulder.
"Perfect timing, we have a lot of activity in the woods." Hez said.
"How do you know?" Ren asked.
"Well my friend you're not the only one technologically sound. Spent last night using remote controlled cars with cameras on them to place them in certain points. The deeper I went, the more of those rock monsters I saw asked and not to mention that gold guy we almost found." Hez pulled out his phone and flipped through different monitoring views. "Also, he has friends."
"Well what are we waiting for?" Ren asked asked as he pulled the tarp from his silver motorcycle.
Hez pulled off the tarp from his and felt his belt form across his waist. "Henshin!" The two yelled as the garage doors opened. As they road through the large door, they were clad in their armor as Kamen Rider Chalice and Kamen Rider Blade.
"Let's ride!" Hez yelled as the sound of their bikes engines roared.
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The rangers stood a the entrance of the woods. "I don't like this," Aj said.
"Neither do I but let's go," Brian said in response. The team proceeded in a tight formation. Aj and Brian walked in front with Donna and Katrina behind them in single file. Neil and NC were in the back as all of their eyes shifted through the thick woods.
"You guys hear that?" NC asked as he turned to face south.
"Yea, a whole lot of movement," Donna said as the bushes rustled. They could hear the sound of snapped twigs and blades of grass being flattened by heavy feet.
"We're surrounded," Katrina pointed out.
"That's just lovely isn't it," Aj said with total sarcasm. The putty came rushing from the trees in large numbers. "Shit!" Aj yelled as he readied himself. Brian and Aj broke off by charging forwards. Neil and NC stood their ground as Donna and Katrina shifted to cover the rear. Aj ducked a punch and connected with a body hook then a rear elbow to the head. He thrusted his leg backwards, slamming his heel into the chest of a putty and sending it flying into a tree. As he turned, a fist almost connected either his face but was blocked by Brian's forearm. Using the blocking hand he struck with a back fist and spun to deliver a side kick. The two stood back to back as they faced down great numbers.
"Still having fun?" Brian teased.
"Shut up," Aj said before charging forward.
Donna slipped between putty, avoiding attacks with parries and footwork. She backed into a tree. She slipped the punch a putty threw and watched its fist penetrate the thick bark of the tree. She gripped the nape of its neck and pulled it into a clinched before driving her knee into the chest then head. She dashed forward at the next putty, wrapping her arm around the neck as she slid under the arm, flipping to pin the putty down. She held it still until another slammed its fist downwards. She evaded the attack, watching one putty destroy another before round kicking its head. Katrina pressed her foot into a tree to assist her by pushing off and landing a flying round kick to a putty. Her anger flowing through every strike she landed as she worried not for defense. She slipped punches and parried kicks, countering with heavy blows. She side kicked a putty in the gut, dropping it to its knees before using the same leg to round kick another coming from her opposite side. As the two sat on their knees, Katrina brought her leg straight up and drove it down on the putty's head. She quickly.turned to the other, thrusting her knee into its face.
Neil thrusted his foot into the chest of a putty before dropping to a knee, avoiding the simultaneous punches of two putty from his left and right sides. NC leaped over his brother, shooting his legs out to both sides landing a split kick on the two putty. Neil turned as he rose, slamming his fist into the air putty's jaw as he stood. The upper cut knocked the putty off its feet. Neil landed a side kick before it could fall, sending it crashing into others. Neil started throwing combinations as the numbers piled up on him. They tried to tackle him down but his brute strength kept him standing ass he landed blow for blow. NC swept the left of a putty before rising and landing a jumping inside crescent kick to the putty trying to sneak up behind him. He turned to see his brother being hurled in his direction. Neil crashed into NC as the two slammed into a wall.
Aj took a side kick in the back of his knee before he felt a fist slam into his face. "Bitch!" He yelled before throwing an elbow that was blocked. He slammed the blocking hand away and doubled his elbow strike slamming it into the face. The numbers grew greater as he took more damage. Brian jumped up, wrapping his legs around the head of a putty before leaning back and swinging his body to flip it over. Before he could scramble to his feet, he was kicked in the side and sent rolling through the grass into a tree near Neil and NC. "Shit Brian!" Aj yelled, as he was distracted he was struck by both the feet of a putty that,leapt into the air. Aj crashed to the ground and rolled out into the open ground.
"Guys?!" Donna yelled as she held a putty in a stalemate. She brought her left arm under the putty's and swung it downward before head biting it. "Ouch, bad idea," Donna said as she stumbled backwards. As her vision focused, she could see a fist as it slammed into her face.
"Dammit!" Katrina yelled as she fought harder. She felt herself leaving the ground. She couldn't even tell what hit her as she violently twisted in the air and crashed down towards her friends. As she looked up, the number of putty seemed to triple.
"Any ideas here?" NC asked.
"Only one," Brian replied as he put his hand behind his back. The others followed suit.
"It's morphin time!" They yelled in unison before a bright light flashed. As the light faded, there stood the Power Rangers.
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As the riders road deeper into the woods they could hear the sounds of movement. "Here they come!" Blade yelled as he drew his sword. Chalice wielded his bow in one hand, slashing through the ranks of putty. He turned his motorcycle in a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn, kicking up dirt and knocking putty to the ground. As he set his kickstand, he whirled his leg over the side of the motorcycle, landing a wheel kick that spun the putty he struck.
"I'm in a fowl mood, I was hoping there would be more of you," Hez said tauntingly. As he spoke more putty rushed from the trees. "That's more like it!" Hez charged forward leading with his bow. He swung low, sliding a putty at the knees before turning and delivering a side kick that set its body crashing to a tree and shattering. He drew back on his bow, releasing arrows at few of the many putty.
Blade slashed through putty, swinging his sword in downward and upward slashes. He jumped from his motorcycle, allowing it to crash through another small group off putty. Blade landed in a crouched poison as he was surrounded. "So many monsters and I little time," he said before rising with an upward slash then round kick to the head. He dropped to a knee as he rotated his body and cut two putty clean in half through the stomach. He continued the rotation as he swung out his leg landing a heavy wheel kick. He looked to the sky to see putty falling from the tall trees. A slight bend in his knees before leaping into the air, slicing the putty as they fall.
Chalice took a punch to the face but was unphased. As the putty went for a second attempt, Chalice blocked the punch to the inside with his bow before turning it sideways and impaling the rock monster. "This is getting boring," Hez said as he pulled as card for his deck. He slide it through his belt buckle and drew back on his bow again, this time energy particles gathered to the arrows in as large quantity. As he released the energy build up, it fired a large array of arrows into the mass of putty.
Blade drew a card from his deck and slide it through his belt buckle. "Since we aren't playing games anymore," he said as his sword's blade began to glow. He rushed through the remaining putty, slashing through them at an unimaginable speed. As he stopped, their bodies fell to the ground in clean cut pieces of rock.
"Well I would call that mighty impressive." A voice called out. Chalice and Ren looked to a large rock that sat between two trees. Their bodies were darkened by the light of the moon but it was easy to see the three of them were clad in armor.
"We are here to kill…"
"Look, if it's a fight you want, shut up and fight!" Chalice yelled as he and Blade charged the rock.