DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POWER RANGERS
AN: So thanks once again to everyone for your very kind reviews and here we go with chapter 4...
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"Welcome back Alpha", Tommy patted the robot on the shoulder like an old friend as it came to life.
"Thank you Tommy, i'm glad to be of use again", the metallic arms moved instinctively; "Just tell me how I can help".
"Well...", Tommy hoped for the best answer; "Can you access the timeline?", he jumped straight in.
"Of course, my new circuitry allows me to do so", Alpha tilted his head curiously.
"This might be a bit of a long-shot, but is there any chance of finding the Black Shogun Zord?", he asked.
"The Shogun Zords are only floating around in time itself, it never landed anywhere, so compared to many things, it will be easy to recover it", the robot replied.
"That's great!", Adam was overjoyed to hear that he would be reunited with his old partner in crime before long.
"That might be great, but I don't know how long it's gonna take me to regenerate the other Zords", Hayley sighed from the other side of the room as she watched the machines hard at work in the Zord bay from the surveillance cameras. They had been programmed to harness residual energy left behind in the morphing grid in order to rebuild the Zords from scratch and so far, they were less than half complete.
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"You sure you've got everything?", Kira asked as Xander dumped the last of his belongings into the back of Tori's van. The Green Ranger ran to take one last look around his house in Briarwood before shutting the door behind him.
"Nah, that's the lot", he hopped into the van beside Tori and Kira as they set off back to Reefside.
Becoming Rangers again had prompted Xander to move closer to where he was needed and live in Reefside, with Adam also having the same ideas, though he had politely declined the offer to do the trip which Tori had suggested where they stopped off at everyone's houses to pick up their belongings; his reason being that his were already on location.
Tori already lived close enough to the town anyway, with Blue Bay being literally a mile away, so in the end there was only the one stop in Briarwood before they made their way home. Kira had opted to come along for the ride only to stop the likely event of Xander driving Tori insane.
A couple of hours and various bizarre conversations later, the blue camper van rolled to a stop outside the place that Xander was now to call home. The Yellow and Blue Rangers helped him inside with his things until they dumped the last box in the lounge.
"Man, I need a drink...", Xander hinted at his dry throat.
"Hayley's?", Kira suggested.
"Works for me", the Green Ranger rubbed his hands together in anticipation; "You coming?", he looked towards Tori.
Something flicked on a light bulb in Tori's head as the question sparked a memory with her; "I forgot my board!", she slapped a hand to her head in frustration; "I'll just shoot back and fetch it...i'm gonna catch the last of the waves before the tide changes".
"Well, are you gonna meet us there when you're done?"
"Sure, i'll catch you later", she climbed back into the van and started the engine.
"Okay, see you later", the two waved her off as they turned to walk in the direction of the Cyberspace.
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"Is it really good for you to stay away from Angel Grove?", Tommy frowned as he realized that Adam had left his Martial Arts business unattended.
"Relax, i've got a guy looking after the academy, it's cool".
"So won't you need clothes and all that stuff if you're staying here?", he questioned again.
"Sure, I already got that covered", Adam answered calmly.
"Oh...", the two began to walk back up the stairs and into the house, intending to leave Hayley in peace whilst she worked on the Zords. "So, you got a place to stay then?"
"Yeah, but I can't move in until tomorrow, so i'm staying with a friend".
"Alright, well i'm starving...", Tommy made his way towards the kitchen, he approached the lounge door; "You want an-...". His question remained unasked as he stared into the room where a dozen large suitcases lay on the floor. The former Black Ranger looked between the cases and Adam; who was trying to suppress a grin.
"What?", Adam said innocently; "I said I was staying with a friend".
"Yeah, but normally you ask first".
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Tori finished securing her surfboard to the roof of her van as she prepared for the short drive back into Reefside. She quickly grabbed a pair of shorts and threw them onto the passenger seat as she got behind the wheel.
Gunning the engine, the van began to cruise down the streets, which were eerily quiet for this time of the day. Tori peered ahead suspiciously, starting to wonder about the lack of other vehicles.
With only half her mind focused on driving, Tori failed to notice the obstruction ahead...all of a sudden, she came back to her senses and slammed on the brakes; the tyres screeching to a halt, just short of the would-be victim.
The Blue Ranger stared uncomprehendingly for a moment at the figure in the road before it turned to face her, a smirk evident on it's face. Stark realization washed through her mind as she exited the van and glared at the monster before her. "Don't you creeps know when to give up?"
"Only when people like you get in the way of my Master's plans!", he growled lowly; "Now, prepare to bow down to the Oceanator!", the creature brought up his hands and thrust them towards Tori, propelling a tidal wave of water towards her.
The Blue Ranger groaned as she hit the floor, now dripping wet. She righted herself again before shaking her hands free of water; "I'll teach you to mess with a Power Ranger...", she glowered at the monster; "NINJA STORM, RANGER FORM, HA!".
"I'll show you who's got the real power of water!", the Oceanator threatened before charging towards the Blue Ranger, a saber drawn in his hand.
"Bring it on! Ninja Sword, combat mode!", Tori countered the move with her own weapon as the two enemies headed straight towards each other.
The silent afternoon air in Reefside was suddenly filled with the sound of clashing metal as the two combatants met with full fury, their swords outstretched. As they pushed away from each other, the Oceanator tried a sneaky swipe towards the Blue Ranger's head, but she ducked under it with relative ease and responded by attempting to sweep the legs out from under the creature.
The monster side-stepped the move before launching on the offense once more and lashing out with huge amounts of brute strength all put into action behind his saber. He swung powerfully and Tori had to put both hands behind her own weapon just to keep him at bay
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"How's it coming Hayley?", Tommy called through the comms down into the Zord bay, where the scientist was now configuring the operation systems of the Zords.
"We're ahead of schedule...they're almost done", she replied, an air of triumph in her voice. "And Alpha's got the Shogun on it's way too".
"Great, i'll-..." a familiar loud beeping erupted around Tommy; "Oh man...", he glanced at the video feed on the screen in front of him; "Tori's in trouble, i'll call the others...but I get the feeling that we're gonna need those Zords", he hinted.
"I'm working as fast as I can...they'll be ready".
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Tori was swiftly jabbed in the stomach with the hilt of the Oceanator's sword as she briefly wondered where her teammates were. As she hit the floor, and given her current situation, she spoke into her morpher; "Guys, i've run into company, any chance of a little help?"
"Look behind you..."
The Blue Ranger regained her feet and looked over her shoulder to see the rest of the team running towards her. But she didn't have time to wait for them as the sound of rushing water grew louder...the Oceanator thrust forward his hand to release the torrent and Tori barely had chance to retaliate; "Ninja Water Blast!", she sent her own water attack surging forwards, but it couldn't hold back the attempt from the monster as, once again, the Blue Ranger was washed away, stopping just short of her newly-arrived friends.
"You okay?", Adam asked as he helped her back on her feet.
"What took you so long?", she joked as she accepted Adam's hand.
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but...I don't remember being taught how to Ninja Streak like you...", Kira commented.
"Surprise!", the Oceanator seemed to suddenly appear out of nowhere and he deftly struck all the Rangers in the stomach with a powerful fist, before standing back to admire his handiwork. "And you're supposed to be the legendary Power Rangers...this is a joke!"
"You're not going to beat us!", Adam retorted.
"You're going down!", Xander threatened as the creature slowly made it's way back towards them, leering at them with malicious intent.
"Yeah, we've barely even started!", Tori added.
"Let's put that to the test then...and take it up a level!", the Oceanator let out a defiant roar before rapidly shooting upwards; growing at an alarming rate into it's giant size.
"Why do they always have to do that?", Kira sighed.
Adam shared the notion as he tapped into his morpher; "Tommy? Hayley? Those Zords could sure come in handy".
"Already?", Hayley replied from her position in the cockpit of the newly-regenerated Ptera Zord.
"Afraid so".
"Give me...10 minutes and they're all yours...sorry guys, but I need the time..."
"It's okay...", Adam turned to the Green Ranger; "He's all yours...", he gestured upwards; "For now", he added with a smirk.
"Thought you'd never ask...It's Titan Time!", Xander pulled out the Mystic Morpher and punched in the code; 1...2...5...
"Galwit Mysto Prifior!"
"Ancient Power, Mystic Minotaur!"
"Take your best shot!", the Oceanator growled towards the enlarged Xander.
The Minotaur took him up on the offer and ran at full speed towards the enemy, grabbing hold of whatever he could and slamming the creature to the floor. The ground shook visibly with the impact as the three helpless Rangers struggled to stay on their feet.
The ginormous Titan pinned the Oceanator down flat to the floor, but even with his strength, he could not resist the next move from the monster as it balled it's fists in front of itself...suddenly they exploded outwards, sending Xander flying high into the air before he crashed back down to Earth with a very large thud.
"Hang on Xander!", the Rangers encouraged him from the ground as they saw his current state.
The Minotaur was slowly getting beaten as the Oceanator unleashed another familiar water attack upon him as distraction before it assaulted him with a series of punches and kicks to the torso.
Adam, Tori and Kira watched on anxiously, but their attention was soon distracted by a sudden movement in the skies...
"What is that?", Kira stared up as the clouds seemed to twist and turn, before they started spin into a giant vortex that almost resembled a tornado as it reached the ground. The odd clap of thunder and bolt of lightning shot across the sky and loud, distorted roars could also be heard as the Rangers prepared for the worst...
"I haven't got a good feeling about this...", Adam voiced his suspicions.
The clouds parted slightly and faded as a very large, black object slowly became visible... The Rangers' eyes widened as the clouds disappeared completely to reveal a very familiar friend...
"Welcome back...", was all Adam managed to say and he grinned uncontrollably behind his helmet.
"Alpha did it!", Tori gazed up at the Black Shogun Zord as it stood in all of it's former glory.
"It's been a long time", Adam admitted.
"Guys?", Hayley's voice sounded through the morphers.
"Hayley! Please tell us it's good news...", Kira replied anxiously.
"Take a look behind you and find out..."
A loud screech accompanied by a large black shadow could only mean one thing; "Alright! You did it!", Kira stared up at her Pterodactyl like an old friend as it circled the skies.
"The Dolphin Zord's back too!", Tori exclaimed as the blue machine swam through the air to join its new teammates.
"Then let's take this guy down!", with a new vote of confidence the Rangers transported themselves into the cockpits of their respective animals.
The Zords maneuvered themselves towards the Oceanator as he stood over Xander; "Stop right there!", Adam shouted towards him as the Shogun Zord charged, flinging the monster aside like a toy, using its powerful arms.
The Pterodactyl was next in line as it swooped down upon the creature, slicing through it's armor using the razor-sharp tips of it's wings.
The Dolphin soon followed up with a barrage of laser fire that sent the Oceanator crashing back down to the ground. "Any last words?", Tori glared at the creature from the cockpit of the Zord.
"I-...", the monster was struggling to speak as it clutched at its battered body that was rapidly starting to combust.
"Xander, he's all yours..."
"It'll be my pleasure...", he uncovered the mighty axe that accompanied the Titan power. The Minotaur raised the weapon and two herculean strikes straight across it's chest made sure that the Oceanator would not get up again.
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"How awesome is that?!", Xander seemed just as excited at the return of the other Zords as they descended the stairs into the Dino Lab.
"I'm just a little worried about the lack of firepower...", Tommy explained; "I'll ask Hayley to see what she can do".
"It really does feel like old times now", commented Adam; "Except Tommy's not parading around in the Dragon Zord...", he glanced towards the Doctor for his reaction.
"Hey, I saved your asses more times than I can remember!", he retorted smugly.
"Whatever".
"Tommy?", Hayley called over to the group from her seat at the main computer.
"Yeah?"
"Have you been on this computer by any chance?", she asked calmly.
"Well...", he chose his answer carefully; "I was kinda bored when you were configuring the Zords so I had a...err...little...play around..."
The scientist swiveled in her chair to reveal a facial expression that did not bode well for the former Black Ranger; "A 'little play around'?", her voice remained calm, but there was fire in her eyes.
"Yeah", Tommy replied uneasily as the Rangers watched on in amusement.
"So how did you manage to change the monster alarm tone into the 'Stars and Stripes'?", she grilled him as she slowly stood from her chair.
"Err...well...I was...err...", he backed away slightly as she made her way towards him, picking up a spray bottle of coolant from a table as she went.
"I'll teach you to 'play' on my computer!".
Tommy quickly turned and bolted for the stairs, hotly pursued by Hayley .
"Get back here Oliver!"
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AN: Well, that's chapter 4 done and dusted, I hope you enjoyed it!
And just to let you know, I fly out to Egypt tomorrow for a weeks holiday and my laptop isn't coming with me, so the next update won't be posted until I get back.