A/N: The next couple of chapters will coincide with the episode "True Friends, True Spirits", again with slight variations to make it fit my storyline (I loved this episode, but it really did throw a lot of challenges to overcome my way. Oh well, the sooner I start, the sooner I finish.) Again where the script overlaps with the episode, Disney owns the rights.
Also, a little apology for how long this took to go up. As some of you may know, I had a small problem with my E-mail. I think I've now replied to all my reviews, if I missed anyone, sorry, it wasn't personal, just an oversight. Hope you all like it.
Early the following morning, Fran and Camille were sitting in the Lotus position, concentrating deeply on their meditation as Camille continued with her lesson in channelling the animal spirit. She still wasn't sure that it was wise for Fran to be attempting it, but her fears had been allayed a little by her dedication to the task at hand. As part of her training, Theo had taught her some meditation techniques, so at least she wasn't starting from scratch.
"You need to go deep into your centre." Camille told her softly as she sat with her young student, guiding her through her consciousness. "You need to go much deeper than you've ever gone."
Fran reached through the planes of consciousness in her thoughts, attempting to search for her ever-elusive animal spirit. She had already begun to reach into areas she had never accessed before, but she couldn't see anything. Camille could see the thought and frustration in her face as her brows furrowed a little unconsciously.
"You're not looking with your eyes; you're looking with your mind." Camille reminded her, taking her hands in her own. "Try to stay calm and concentrate."
Fran tried to comply, but the pounding in her head was becoming more aggressive. The effort of her exertion was already beginning to tell on her physically. She tried hard to shallow her breathing, but she had already lost her concentration. Camille could see the disappointment in Fran's face as she snapped back into consciousness, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"I couldn't see anything." Fran told her, taking a sip of water.
"The first time you won't see it, you'll feel it." Camille told her with authority. "You'll not see it for a while."
Fran sighed a little in disappointment as Camille helped her back to her feet. "I know this takes a lot of time and training, but it's still hard." Fran commented.
"You'll find out it's worth it in the end." Camille told her. "The first time you see it in your mind, it's an amazing experience. But it's nothing compared to the first time you see it manifest in its physical form."
"It sounds like it's worth the effort." Fran replied, gathering her belongings. "I'll keep trying."
Camille smiled at her a little, feeling better about the whole deal. She could see a lot of herself in Fran, in many ways she was just like herself when she was younger. Despite her nervousness and her jitters, she had a certain strength about her. Once she set her mind on something, she kept going until she accomplished it. Of course, unlike her, Fran had her friends and Theo to help her train, so she would not be swayed into doing things she shouldn't because of another's ulterior motives.
"Hey, look over there!" Flit screamed as he burst forth from Camille's mouth. "The Megazords!"
Turning to face into the city, they could see the gigantic Zords towering over the buildings, doing battle with some form of fish monster.
"I'm going for a closer look!" He yelped with excitement as he flew off in the direction of the battle.
"Flit, wait!" Camille implored him, but he was already heading away from them at impressive speed. Camille groaned and gestured to Fran to follow her. "Come on, before he gets into trouble."
"What's his deal anyway?" Fran asked as the sprinted after the fly. "Is he another animal spirit or something?"
"Not exactly, it's a long story." Camille replied. Fran detected a little note of regret in Camille's voice as she said this. For some reason Flit seemed to be a touchy subject for her.
"Does the commentary get annoying?" Fran asked her.
"Only if he's rooting for the other side," Camille sniggered slightly as they reached a fire escape, making their way up to the roof of the building Flit had chosen as his vantage point for the battle, "once you get used to it, he can be pretty funny."
"I suppose after living with him as long as you have you'd get used to it." Fran suggested. She noticed, however, that Camille didn't answer. As they took up their vantage point to watch the battle, Fran couldn't help getting the feeling again that something about the connection between Camille and Flit was a source of great regret for her.
Grizzaka had called Dai Shi and the other Overlords into the throne room early that day. Dai Shi once again humbled himself by taking a knee before the more powerful Grizzaka. Bile rose in him once again as he struggled to remain calm despite his humiliation. He had not yet found the map to the Rhino Nexus, so making his move now would be nothing short of foolish.
"Grizzaka, you promised us a great victory, where is it?" Carnisoar snapped as he strode into the room.
"You'll get it. My Barrakuza in battling the Rangers as we speak!" He announced in response.
"You asked for a spirit Lord Grizzaka," Jellica stated as she arrived in the room, carrying a terracotta pot, "one that could possess a human."
Dai Shi snapped to his feet, looking at the Overlords in disbelief. "You're giving him my spirits?" He asked incredulously. He knew it wasn't a good sign that Jellica and Carnisoar were willing to go into his private chambers to bring his weapons for Grizzaka. If they were no longer backing him, then he was in serious trouble.
"Ha! They're my spirits now!" Grizzaka sneered in response. "Now see what MY spirits can do!"
He opened the pot allowing the spirit to escape. I t swirled and writhed in the air before him awaiting his command. "Ill winds, blow to the Wolf Ranger!" He commanded, causing the spirit to fly from the room. Dai Shi couldn't be sure what his plan was, but right now he wasn't concerned with that. Right now, he was more concerned with how he was going to get Camille to help him find the map. Without her, it could take weeks, even months to find it, and if his suspicions were correct, then he didn't have that long before Grizzaka would turn on him.
Meanwhile across the city, the Jungle Master Megazord and the Wolf Pride Megazord were deeply embroiled in battle RJ was pressing home the attack as a bright flash entered the cockpit and struck him solidly in the chest, causing him to collapse. The others saw that his Zord had fallen and came to his side.
"RJ, are you OK?" Casey asked, seeing the Zord slumped on the ground. Without warning it launched into a furious assault on the other Rangers. Camille, Fran ad Flit looked on in disbelief from their vantage point a little way off. They didn't notice that another unexpected spectator was watching with interest.
"I see your plan now Grizzaka, possessing the Wolf Ranger will certainly occupy the Rangers." He complimented his foe. Shifting his gaze, he saw his true quarry on the nearby rooftop. "Of course it'll also distract you enough to blind you to my intentions."
"RJ, what are you doing?" Theo shrieked as the Jungle Master Megazord reeled from the attack.
"Did we just get blindsided by our own team mate?" Casey asked as they prepared to defend themselves against the unexpected assault.
"RJ, it's us!" Lily implored him. "Please, stop this!"
The two zords continued to battle, allowing Barakuzza to leave without incident.
"What's happening?" Fran yelled at Camille from their vantage point near the battle. "Why's RJ acting like this? He regained control of his wolf spirit."
"Something else has to be going on." Flit surmised. The two Zords finally ended their stalemate by striking each other down. The resulting explosion levelled the building Camille and Fran were using as a viewing spot, separating Flit from the other two as it collapsed.
RJ came to, realising that he was now de-morphed and lying among shattered concrete. He heard Flit's high-pitched screams for help, lifting a slab of concrete and finding him underneath.
"Flit, what are you doing here?" He asked the fly as he lifted him from the rubble.
"Camille, Fran and I were in the area." He explained. "We were watching from the nearby building when your Zord went haywire."
RJ's eyes darted back and forth as he recalled what he could remember. He was helping the Rangers in their battle, then he saw a bright light, following which he was attacking them. He could recall seeing his hands sprouting fur once more.
"I changed." He gasped as he remembered what had happened. "Somehow I lost control again."
"Where's Camille?" Flit asked him. "Where are Camille and Fran?"
RJ's thoughts left the Wolf transformation as he looked around for any sign of his friends. He couldn't find them anywhere, but he could hear sirens coming his way.
"The emergency services are on their way." He stated, tucking Flit into his tunic and running from the scene. "The others will most likely have made their way back to the restaurant. If not, we're going to have to leave it to the authorities."
Flit couldn't help worrying about the others, but RJ had a point. Hanging round would only lead to awkward questions, so reluctantly they left the area quickly. RJ was right; the Rangers had been well briefed that if they were ever isolated after a battle they were to regroup at the restaurant, unless they were badly hurt, they would all have fled the area once the authorities started to show up. He hoped to see them all safe again soon, especially Camille. He was already hurt, and he could already feel his strength starting to fade.
Fran came to in a back alley a short way from Camille. She tried to hoist herself to her feet to check on Camille, glad that at least she appeared to be moving. Obviously she was also coming around. She felt a hand on her arm helping her up. She figured that one of the emergency workers coming to clear the area must have found her. She was quickly proven wrong as she was rammed forcefully against a wall and her arms were twisted painfully behind her back. She felt her hands being tied tightly together, before her captor turned her to face Camille. She recognised his voice instantly, and the expression of horror on Camille's face only confirmed her fears.
"I need your help Camille." Dai Shi explained, gripping Fran roughly around the throat. "Come with me unless you want your friend to die."
"Dai Shi please let her go." Camille pleaded with him. "She's worth nothing to you; she's no danger to you..."
"I have revived Grizzaka!" He interrupted her. "He is more powerful than me, he's deposed me."
"You released Grizzaka?" Camille gasped, realising the error of his plan. "You know he blamed you for losing the Great War. What were you thinking?"
"I needed to bolster my power after the Red Ranger injured me." He replied. "He has somehow mastered the Zukado power."
Camille realised how bad this was for the Rangers. She had heard the legends of the strength of the Zukado powers. "What do you plan to do?" She asked.
"I have tried to harness the Zukado powers, but I cannot master them." He explained, gripping Fran tighter, causing her to whimper a little in pain. "Master Mao tried to reach that fool Jarrod. He told me that the nexus between Jarrod and the lion spirit cannot be broken because I do not have the power.
Camille realised where this was going. "You're looking for a nexus with more power." She gasped in realisation of his plan. "You want me to help you find it."
"I need you to help me find the map to the Rhino Nexus." He confirmed regally.
"You can't help him." Fran shrieked. "Camille, forget about me, you can't..."
Dai Shi silenced her by squeezing her windpipe tightly. Camille prepared to rush him, but she stopped as Dai Shi cinched the hold in tighter. Fran's face flashed red and she was now completely incapable of breathing.
"Perhaps I'll be kind and break her neck." He suggested. "Or perhaps I'll just crush her windpipe and leave you to watch her suffocate."
Camille weighed up her options and realised that he had her right where he wanted her. Even if she changed into her beast form as she had promised herself she'd never do again, she would never make it over to him and overpower him before he killed Fran. She held her hands up in submission, causing Dai Shi to release the hold enough to allow her to breathe. Fran coughed and wheezed loudly as she tried to regain her breath.
"I'm glad you're seeing sense." He responded, teleporting the two women with him back to his bedchamber in the fortress. He waved a hand, opening a section of wall to reveal a secret chamber. He untied Fran's hands and shoved her inside.
"I warn you, Grizzaka is not as tolerant of humans as I am if you catch my drift." He told her, shoving her to the floor. "It would be in your interests to stay quiet and not attract attention to your presence." With that, he waved a hand, closing the wall over behind him. He turned back to Camille.
"You know what will happen to her if Grizzaka finds her." He stated bluntly. "I will open the chamber and leave her to her fate if you do not find the map for me."
Camille nodded in understanding, before cloaking herself. She knew that the Overlords were aware of her defection, so she and Fran would be in as much danger if she was seen as they were if they found Fran. Dai Shi gave a satisfied little smile. He knew that it would not be long before he would go on his quest for the Rhino Nexus.
Back in JKP, the Rangers arrived back in the back room, finding RJ sitting with his head in his hands.
"What happened RJ, why did you attack us?" Casey yelled as he arrived. RJ looked over to Lily, connecting with her eyes.
"Guys, I'm really sorry, I was sure Dr. Hartford's procedure had worked." He told them sadly. "I was sure I had control of my wolf spirit."
Lily came to his side, wrapping her arms around the man she loved. It broke her heart to see him putting himself through this again.
"Where are Camille and Fran?" Theo asked, noting their absence. "The restaurant was closed when we came back."
"We were nearby when the battle started." Flit told them sadly. "We got split up when the Zords disabled each other."
"Maybe they're hurt." Casey shouted, rushing to the phone. "I'll call the hospital and..."
"RJ already called, they haven't been picked up by the ambulances." Flit told them. Casey noticed that the fly seemed to be lacking his usual energy.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked crossing over to the fly.
"It's a long story, and one that isn't really comfortable for either of us." He explained. Casey was going to press the matter, but they were interrupted by a savage snarl as Lily flew across the room. Turning round, they saw that RJ had once again taken on his beast form. Casey and Theo rushed him, grabbing him and trying to restrain him.
"Don't hurt him!" Lily screamed as she returned to the fray. RJ broke free, leaping through one of the tunnels to freedom.
"We have to stop him!" Casey called out grabbing his vine. The others followed suit, leaving the back room in a panic, hoping to stop him before someone got hurt.
"Wait for me!" Flit yelled as he flew after them. He suspected that something else was going on with RJ. With the exception of Camille, he was more in tune with his animal spirit than any of the others; it just didn't make sense that he lost control of the wolf spirit. He had healed his injury, and he had been fine for weeks. Something just didn't sit right with the way things had gone down. He shook loose a few cobwebs as he made his way into the fresh air. He was weakening, and he knew why. He could only hope that everyone would return safely soon.
Fran had spent several minutes inspecting the inside of her concrete cell, hoping to find some way out, but found none. There were no doors or windows. She could only be thankful that enough light filtered through the cracks in the stone that the room wasn't completely pitch black. She sat down thinking about her predicament. Her position was hopeless. She couldn't open the room, and even if she could, she had no idea how to make it out of the Fortress without attracting attention, and as much as she was learning from Theo, she would be no match for any of the monsters she would likely face here. As she sat, thinking about Theo, and how much she wished he would somehow know of her plight and come to her aid, she suddenly became aware of a pale blue glow behind her. Turning on the spot, she saw an older man in a red tunic standing before her.
"I can see why he cares so much for you Fran." He told her. Fran shuffled away to him in panic, trying to figure out how long she had been there. The figure chuckled.
"No, you're not hallucinating. I'm Master Mao." He told her. "You have a strong, kind and compassionate heart, as well as a keen and focussed mind."
"Master Mao?" She asked. She knew the name; Theo had talked of him many times. "But...but you're..."
"Yes Fran, I'm dead." He told her, sitting down in the lotus position in front of her. Fran was a little freaked by this, but she got the feeling that he meant her no harm, and returned the gesture. "Of course, I never let little details like that stop me having the occasional little chat."
"Uh, I don't mean to sound rude, but why are you here?" She asked him. "I thought you only advised..."
"The advantage of being dead is that there's nothing to distract you when you want to do something." He told her. "You have a lot more time on your hands when you don't have to worry about eating, and if you want to ignore someone, you just disappear. Now, I understand you're trying to learn to channel your animal spirit."
"Oh, I understand." She sighed. "You're here to tell me..."
"I'll teach you." He interrupted her. "Now, shall we begin the meditation?"
"I thought you were going to tell me not to go into this..."
"When you first wanted to learn, you wanted to learn for all the wrong reasons." He interrupted her again. "It was just to understand Theo and the others so you wouldn't feel left out."
"And now?" She asked him.
"I think you have a greater understanding of how important the work of the Order of the Claw is." He told her. "I think you respect the nature of the animal spirit, and the seriousness of the conflict, and so I'd like to teach you. Now, shall we begin?"
"Now?" She asked him a little incredulously. "But I'm being held prisoner, I..."
"It's not like you have anything more important to do." He interjected. "You'll have no distractions to keep you from your lesson. Now..."
"But I have to get out of here!" She shrieked. "I have to escape, I have to..."
"Can you break through concrete?" He asked her. Fran shook her head. "Can you fight hundreds of Rinshi Warriors and monsters single handed?" Again she shook her head.
He took her hands in his. Fran was shocked that he could still physically touch anyone, but his touch was unexpectedly warm and reassuring, her fears started to melt away.
"Trust in your friends, they will release you, and everything will be fine." He told her. Fran's thoughts drifted to Theo. She smiled as she felt in her heart that despite her fear, everything was going to be fine. "Now, let's begin."