DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POWER RANGERS
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"Doctor O, what's the big rush here?", Kira began as soon as she stepped into Tommy's kitchen.
"I have no idea, she won't even tell me". Tommy was clearly frustrated by that fact and was also wondering why their tech whiz had called them all in at 7am.
"Nice coffee you got here Tommy", Adam added off-handedly as he swirled the liquid around his mug. The Doctor shook his head at his comment as he glanced at the three Rangers that had wandered into his house and helped themselves to breakfast at their own leisure.
"It had better be something good", Xander said through a mouthful of cereal.
"You better believe it", a voice in the doorway announced that Hayley had finally surfaced from the basement.
"So, what is it?", Tori asked as she polished off her last slice of hot toast.
"Come see for yourselves", she gestured down towards the Lab and one by one, the curious five descended the stairs.
"I kept it all secret before so that you wouldn't get distracted..." Hayley explained as they walked.
"Kept what secret?" Xander interrupted impatiently.
"You'll see in a minute!" she replied as she took a seat in front of the main computer and started typing; "Here we go...there!"
"Cool!"
"Awesome!"
"But that's-..." Kira began in awe.
"...A Megazord", Adam finished as they stared at the schematic diagram onscreen.
"It sure is – i've been working on it ever since we got the Zords back".
"How the hell did you keep this secret?" Xander asked.
Hayley shrugged in response; "It's been keeping me and Alpha busy anyway".
"So that's where he's been, we haven't seen him for weeks!" Tori concluded.
"But i'll tell you now that it isn't quite finished", Hayley warned; "Each of your Zords was built using completely different technology – i've had to reprogram everything. There's just one problem i've got with concentrating the power flow that actually forms the Megazord...so like I said, it's very nearly there, but it isn't ready...yet".
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"I have been looking forward to this all day!", Adam rubbed his hands together eagerly as one of Hayley's deluxe blueberry smoothies was placed down in front of him. His three friends merely rolled their eyes before carrying on with their interrupted conversation.
"How awesome did that thing look!" Xander stated excitedly in a hushed voice.
"I've gotta admit, i'm looking forward to the test drive", said Tori.
"Man, I think i'm gonna go conjure a super-size monster to fight", Xander continued.
"And I think that you're getting a little over-excited", Kira added with a grin; "You're acting like you've never seen a Megazord before".
"I haven't...well, not for a few years anyway", he amended.
"Join the club", Tori muttered in response.
However, Xander wasn't listening; his head was inclined towards the window, where swirling jet black clouds were rapidly closing in and a few seconds later...the skies went dark.
"Something tells me that we're in trouble", Tori slowly rose from her seat..."Ahhh!"
A sudden light pierced the dark as a flaming ball of energy stormed straight through the wall of the Cyberspace, sending the Blue Ranger hurtling into the bare wall behind her. Kira and Xander could only watch as Tori's head smacked hard against the stone before she crashed to the floor, unconscious.
"Tori!", Xander blundered through the maze of fallen chairs and tables as people scrambled for the exit. Quickly assessing the damage he propped her against one of the computer desks; "She'll be fine...she'll just have one hell of a headache in the morning", he confirmed, relieved.
"Let's see what's going on", Adam sped out of the door, covered top to toe in his otherwise untouched blueberry smoothie, quickly pursued by the others.
"Guys, i'm getting energy readings off the scale back here, you might want to keep your eyes open". Hayley's slightly stressed voice sounded out loud through the morphers.
"It's too late for that...I think we already found the problem". Kira replied as a swarm of Hornets ran towards them. "Cover up everyone!" Adam and Xander thrust their fingers in their ears just as Kira unleashed the Ptera Scream.
The sonic attack swept the first wave of Hornets away, keeping the others back and giving the Rangers sufficient time to morph into action and retaliate.
"Come on!" Adam punched the first Hornet to reach him hard in the chest before bringing his recoiling elbow back into the face of another, wincing slightly at the heat from the flames that issued from their bodies. Leapfrogging over another, he sharply stuck out his foot to trip it over before leaping into the air with a spinning kick to take out the remaining three at once.
"Too slow", Kira stated sarcastically as she was forced into doing the splits to avoid having her head taken off by one of the creature's daggers. Grabbing the offending arm she wrenched her hold before using it to pull herself to her feet whilst simultaneously slamming the Hornet into the floor. Leaping over an incoming foot, she sent a multitude of tornado kicks flying into the assembled group; smacking the forerunners into the ground. Kira smiled at the two that remained surrounding her before punching them both hard in the stomach.
"You gotta love magic!", Xander grinned as he conjured vines out of the ground that swiftly wrapped themselves around several Hornets. The dim creatures struggled in vain as Xander neatly kicked each into oblivion. "Hey!" he twisted around to see one of the Hornets trying to grab onto his arm; "I don't think so...Ha!" taking a strong hold on the monster's wrist, Xander deftly flipped the creature straight over onto hard concrete. Only one Hornet now remained facing him as it quickly whipped out its dagger, slashing through thin air as Xander ducked over backwards; almost falling over but instead turning the move into a back flip of sorts, catching the creature's weapon with his feet and sending it clattering away. Xander flashed his trademark smile towards the Hornet before roundhouse-kicking it to join its friends.
Satisfied with their work, the Rangers brushed themselves down and after making sure that there were no other visible dangers, they each reentered the Cyberspace. Xander rushed over to check on Tori, who was now slowly coming around whilst Adam and Kira surveyed the damage.
"Hayley is not going to be happy" Adam remarked as they stared at the huge hole that had been blasted into the outer wall.
"You got that right", Kira agreed, looking around at the chaos of upturned furniture and several fried computers.
"What the hell just happened?" Tori mumbled as she made her way towards the two; her arm around Xander's neck for support; "My head feels like it's about to explode".
"No idea..." Adam replied, trying hard not to stare at the very large bump that had formed on the Blue Ranger's head; "It was just like this big...fireball".
"Yeah, completely took you out", Kira added, yet unable to shed anymore light on the situation.
There was silence for a minute before Tori spoke again; "What are you all looking at?", she eyed up their curious, yet amused stares towards her.
"Oh...err...nothing", Xander answered quickly...too quickly.
"Let me see", she pushed past the others to look at her reflection in a decorated wall mirror that adorned the other wall; "What the-...I look..."
"Cute?" This comment earned Xander a smack upside the head from Kira; "What?"
"Shut up", Tori muttered through a grimace.
However, Xander's cheeky reply never made it out of his mouth as terrified screams filled the streets outside once more. The Rangers leapt out of the building through the newly-created gap in the wall to see a menacing-looking creature walking towards them who was obviously one of Osirico's many followers.
"I'd advise you to run now..." he threatened, its cold voice making the hairs on the back of the Rangers' necks stand up; "...It will save you the trouble of fighting me".
"Dream on, we're gonna stop you right here, right now", Adam retorted.
By the power of the demons, arise!
"Come up and get me!"
"With pleasure!" The group swiftly morphed into their Ranger forms.
As if on cue, the Dolphin, Ptera and Shogun Zords streamed towards them, waiting for their masters as Adam, Tori and Kira duly leapt on board.
"And here comes the Minotaur!"
Galwit Mysto Prifior!
The Rangers' Zords barely had time to look ready as the monster attacked, swiping straight across their torsos with razor-sharp claws. The Shogun Zord fell flat; holding out its arms to break the fall as Adam swung the huge machine into a roll. Springing back to its feet, the humanoid Zord swung a powerful fist in the creature's direction, but it was easily deflected – as was a similar attack from the much larger Minotaur.
"Try this on...Dolphin Lasers!" the fire barely even made its mark on the monster's armor.
"Ptera Zord, attack!" the creature growled in mild frustration before swiping the Pterodactyl out of the sky.
"Time for plan B...Shogun Zord combine!"
"Ptera Zord, combine!"
"What? A Megazord?!", the monster stammered; "...No problem!", he added, the feigned look of worry disappearing from his face as quickly as it had come.
Roaring loudly in anticipation, the huge creature charged directly towards the small Megazord. Adam and Kira immediately tensed as the Megazord held the Pterodactyl's wings in their saber-like mode.
"Ready...", the monster reached striking distance; "...And now!" the Ptera Saber flew through the air...
...Only to be caught by their adversary; "Nice try!" he gripped the blade tightly before flinging it aside and clawing the 'Mini Megazord' harshly to the ground in two powerful swipes. "So, what's your next move?" the creature positively glowed with evil triumph as it surveyed the heap of unmoving metal.
"We've got to use the Megazord", Xander reasoned to his teammates.
"But Hayley said it wasn't ready", Kira argued.
"Yes. I did!", the person in question's voice exclaimed through the intercom. "If you try combining now, then it could put weeks onto its finish date".
"That's a risk we'll just have to take", said Adam.
"This is a bad idea, I hope you all know that", Tommy's voice now joined Hayley's.
"We agree, but it's our only chance...", Adam looked at his fellow Zords; "You guys ready?"
"Oh yeah!"
"Form the Megazord!"
"Whoa!" Adam staggered slightly in his cockpit as the Shogun Zord suddenly leapt into the air; splitting itself into various different pieces that would eventually combine with the others.
Both the Dolphin and Ptera Zords followed similar procedures as Xander stood at the ready; his giant form obviously designed to be the main body of the Megazord. "This is so cool!", he exclaimed as the many sections of Zord began to combine with him; "This is...Ow!", a sudden electric charge shot through his body; "That wasn't meant to happen", he muttered.
"I'm losing power!", Kira's voice echoed through the systems.
"Me too!", Adam's stressed tone was also evident.
"Ahhhh!", a ripple of charge swept straight through each Zord as they sparked violently before a torrent of energy blasted them apart from each other.
"What's the matter Rangers?", the monster leered; "Bitten off more than you can chew?"
"All my systems are down", Tori observed as she surveyed her darkened place inside the Dolphin Zord; "I can't get back up".
"What the hell happened?" Xander asked frustratedly.
"Do I have to say I told you so?", Hayley's voice sounded through and she couldn't help but add a hint of smug satisfaction despite the Rangers' predicament.
"Point taken", said Kira; "Can you help us get back into this, because this guy is getting impatient". She nodded towards the monster, who was obviously supremely confident if he was resisting attacking the Rangers whilst they were evidently defenseless.
"Just a second...", the sound of fingers tapping on a keyboard were heard through the communications system; "...Got it – i'm activating an emergency power supply, but it won't hold for very long".
"I've had enough of this!", the giant monster relaxed his stance; "I will return when you weaklings are ready to give me a better fight!" With that, the creature turned away, disappearing in a flash of black lightning.
Just as the Zords had finally righted themselves, their enemy had gone; "He got away!" Xander stamped his foot in frustration.
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The evil force of Osirico sat calmly in his mountainous lair, his longest-serving and most loyal warrior of his army stood obediently beside him, feeding the villain as much information as was possible about his various plans - mainly the ones to rid the Earth of the newly-formed, yet possibly the greatest team of Power Rangers ever seen. Osirico had promised both his sons that the self-titled Retro Rangers would not stand in the way of their plans for world-domination. However their privacy was interrupted by the arrival of the latest monster to try its hand at the task.
"Sir, I have almost succeeded in my attempts to destroy the Power Rangers! Their Zords were out of the fight and they could have easily been destroyed".
Although the creature spoke to Ammix, it was Osirico who spoke. "So they could have 'easily been destroyed?'" he seemed to contemplate this for a second; "Then tell me...why did you not go ahead and do it!", his voice rose into a loud growl at the end of his sentence, indicating that he wasn't too pleased with progress.
"I sent you to defeat the Power Rangers...", Ammix hissed, taking over where Osirico had left off; "So go away and do not come back until you have succeeded!"
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"You're all just as stubborn as each other", Tommy shook his head wearily as he took a seat beside Hayley at the computer.
"I knew I shouldn't have said anything yet", the technician mentally kicked herself as Alpha shook his robotic head from side to side.
"I'm sorry Hayley, we should have listened to you", Adam apologized.
"It's okay, you did what you had to, otherwise, that monster could have destroyed you. I just hope that it hasn't messed up any of my programming – a serious power failure like that can easily do lots of damage".
"Aye-yai-yai, I hope we can get it fixed in time!" Alpha's lights flashed as he disappeared back to the Zord bay.
"So do I, because it looks like we're going to need them..." a loud wailing suddenly issued from the computer as Hayley brought up the surveillance cameras. "I need you to try and hold him down there as long as possible - we can't risk him growing to super-size without the Megazord being ready for battle".
"We'll do our best". Morphing into action, the four took off to the scene at speed on their super-powered bikes and racer.
"You get down there and help Alpha...i'll keep watch on the Rangers", Tommy motioned for Hayley to move to where she was needed as he took her place in front of the monitors.
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"Hey! You!"
The monster turned just in time to be bombarded with laser fire from the Raptor and Shark Cycles. After crashing to the ground, the creature regained his feet, snarling his disgust at the attack; "So...only you two think you have what it takes to bring me down?"
"In your dreams!"
"You can't forget us!"
The monster looked towards the sky, in search of the source of the voices, just in time to see a Glider and the Mystic Racer circling above him. "And I thought today was going to be boring!" he sneered before leaping skywards.
"I don't think so!", both Tori and Xander leapt from their airborne perches, weapons outstretched as they hurled themselves downwards, both slashing through the monster's armor on their way back down to earth.
The two Rangers landed calmly beside their comrades, just as the monster crashed into the concrete a few feet away. "Now you've made me mad!" flicking out his powerful hands, the creature triggered the appearance of what appeared to be extremely long yet extremely sharp claws from each of his fingertips. The talons were each about a foot long and as they glistened in the sun, the Rangers' eyes widened slightly.
With a thunderous battle cry, the monster charged, aiming its huge claws directly at the Rangers. The team each drew their own weapons and attempted to dodge and defend themselves against the attacks, but the creature was too fast and his claws too sharp as they swiped strongly across the Rangers' chests, leaving each of them wounded and despite the suits holding together, five crimson stripes were visible against the material.
"Don't say I didn't warn you!", the monster stood proudly over the Rangers like an Eagle would watch over its prey as they writhed on the floor, attempting to regain their feet. "I beat you on the ground, let's see how you do a little higher up!"
By the power of the demons, arise!
Pushing themselves upright through gritted teeth and using their weapons to balance themselves, the Rangers glanced upwards at the last thing they wanted to see.
"Uh oh...", Kira tapped into her morpher; "Hayley?"
"I read you Kira", Tommy answered.
"Can you see what we can?"
"Yeah, but thankfully, I think Hayley's finished on the Zords".
"Really?"
"There's only one way to find out", he replied before Hayley's voice came online.
"Systems are looking good, so why not?".
"Alright!" the cheers of the Rangers were audible down the communicator.
"Here goes...the Zords are on their way", Hayley confirmed, and sure enough, a nearby rumble of the ground signaled their arrival. The Rangers leapt aboard as usual, but the monster had already started on the offensive as the Shogun Zord was batted to the ground by the enormous claws.
"Dolphin Lasers, fire!"
Tori sent a stream of lasers towards the creature, which distracted it long enough for the Rangers to be able to shout the anticipated words. "Form the Megazord!"
As before, the Shogun Zord split down into various parts, as did the Ptera and Dolphin Zords whilst Xander stood stock still and the Megazord pieces combined with his enlarged form.
"We did it!" Adam sounded slightly surprised as he looked down and saw the giant Megazord for the first time.
"Woohoo!"
"Oh yeah!"
The Megazord turned to face the monster, but he was stood at the ready; "Take this!", a barrage of laser fire erupted from his eyes and thudded into the Megazord.
Taking the Rangers completely by surprise, the giant machine staggered a good few steps backwards...
"That was unexpected", Hayley's worried voice came over the intercom; "That kind of fire shouldn't even have phased you". As if on cue, the lights inside the Megazord began to flicker and spark as the systems short-circuited; "This isn't good!". The Rangers each grappled for control but all they got in return was a huge power surge straight through their bodies.
"We're going down!", Adam yelled, stating what was obvious as the Megazord slumped, before a large explosion rippled through it, blasting each individual Zord away and firing the Rangers out as an afterthought.
"Ahhhh!" the team each landed painfully back on the ground amidst a shower of smoke and sparks. Unable to hold their energy, they were each forced to demorph as they lay, defeated.
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Hayley's cursing could have been heard several miles away if it hadn't been for the walls surrounding the Dino Lab; "I can't believe it's still not right!"
"It's okay, you'll get it working...I know you will", Tommy reassured.
"I hope you're right about that", Hayley replied as she pulled up the schematics for the Megazord; "It can't be a massive glitch in the programming that's causing it, otherwise they wouldn't even have formed the Megazord...Gotcha!" she pointed at a bunch of numbers and figures in the midst of the screen that obviously meant something important.
"Rangers?", Tommy called down each of their communicators as Hayley continued to type at super-fast speeds; "Adam?..Tori?..Xander?..Kira?.."
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"We're here Tommy, we're okay", it was Adam who replied.
"Oh please!", the creature's face loomed over the defenseless Rangers; "This is deja-vu for me!" he aimed a giant foot at the team before slamming it down with force.
"Look out!", Xander cried before they all threw themselves aside. "This guy's asking for it!", the Green Ranger whipped out his Morpher; "Galwit Mysto Pri-..."
"No!", Tori's hand came out of nowhere to slam the phone shut; "You do that, then you're going to get yourself killed...we have to play it safe whilst Hayley has fixed the Megazord".
"Okay, okay", Xander caught Tori's caring eyes and re-pocketed the phone.
"Tori's right, we've got no choice but to lie low", Adam agreed.
"And let him destroy the city?" Xander nodded skywards to the huge creature that was now rampaging through Reefside.
"Put it this way...", Kira stepped in; "...He destroys us; then he destroys the world – not just the city".
The battle-planning conversation was harshly interrupted a few seconds later when a hysterical bunch of civilians ran blindly into them. Staggering hurriedly to her feet, a woman grabbed hold of Adam's shoulders; "That monster's going to kill us all!"
"Listen...", but the woman babbled on; "Listen!", Adam reiterated, finally catching her attention; "No-one's getting killed today, just go find the safest place you can...the Power Rangers will come and save us, okay?" Nodding energetically and without question, the group ran as fast as they could towards a clustered group of buildings.
"Rangers!", an evil voice boomed down towards them from the giant that was their enemy. "Do you not like my little game? It's called 'Power Ranger hunting'..."
"Uh oh...", on the plus side, the creature was no longer attacking the city, but on the down side, he was now attempting to attack them. The Rangers walked quickly backwards, trying to get out of his line of sight, but a huge fist swiped through the air moments later, causing the group to dive to the floor for cover.
"You can't get away! There's no escape for you this time!" he sneered.
"Hayley! The Zords!", Adam shouted hurriedly into his morpher.
"Just a few minutes longer, I promise", came the stressed reply.
However, negotiating was put out of the question as the huge creature stomped towards them, swatting aside anything that got in his way. The Rangers scrambled for cover, finally taking shelter in what was left of what appeared to have been a small restaurant. However, the building's roof was non-existent and the four had to make do with crouching flat against the wall in the hope of remaining unseen.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
The ground shook violently as the creature drew nearer, large chunks of brick and plaster raining down around the Rangers' heads. Shielding their faces against the debris, the group pressed even closer to the wall, hoping that they were not about to be crushed by several tonnes of falling bricks.
However, a deft swipe of a giant hand took out said wall, leaving the Rangers completely exposed as the impact knocked each of them to the ground. "Found you!", the creature growled lowly as it raised a super-size blaster in its right hand, the Rangers unable to move; "Nowhere to run now!".
He fired.
Instinctively raising their arms as a means of feeble protection, the Rangers failed to notice for a good few seconds that the blast never reached them, but instead, a giant Pterodactyl stood protectively in front of them, its wings deflecting the laser fire. Moments later, the Shogun and Dolphin Zords also came into view, determined to defend their owners.
"About time!", Xander commented jokingly and within a few seconds, the Mystic Minotaur had joined the gang.
"Thanks Hayley", Adam praised down his morpher.
"No problem...I think you know what to do", she replied suggestively.
"We're taking this guy down", he answered as the remaining Rangers leapt into their respective cockpits, morphing as they went.
"So...you're finally ready to play!", the creature leered as he stood to face them.
"Except this is one game you're going to lose", Tori retorted.
"Let's do this!", Kira added.
"Here we go!", Xander commented rather excitedly.
"Retroforce Megazord, now!"
This time around, there was no whining from the engines, no sinking feeling that everything was going to spark out, no problems...
As Xander stood stock still, knowing that his part in this formation was relatively easy, he watched as his right leg detached from the rest of his body and remoulded itself into a diamond-shaped shield.
Now the way was free for the other Zords to combine around him as the Dolphin Zord neatly folded its body upwards, allowing it to attach to the Minotaur as the new right leg.
The Ptera Zord's head meanwhile, merged with that of Xander's to form a newly styled face for the Megazord, whilst the wings secured themselves on the Minotaur's back as its new means of flight. Finally, the Shogun Zord split into several smaller fragments, each combining at various points of the Megazord to serve as a highly protective armor.
"Woohoo!", as the Megazord stood ready for battle, the Minotaur's axe rose into the air, reforming itself into a deadly-looking double-edged sword, just as each of the Rangers were transported into one larger and more central cockpit.
"I've beaten better than this in my sleep!", the creature jeered, trying to maintain his advantage.
"Well, there's a first time for everything...Mystic Sword!", the Megazord raised the huge weapon at the ready.
"Don't forget, I gave you plenty of upgrades", Hayley's voice interrupted through the intercom.
"Oh yeah?" Adam replied.
"Oh yeah", Hayley repeated; "Try this on...initiating Dual Blade Mode" she confirmed, just as the magical sword held by the Megazord visibly replicated itself and with the shield now firmly attached to the Megazord's back, both hands now held identical swords.
"Not bad", Adam teased as the monster began its charge.
"All you gotta do is light the thrusters and this guy is history".
"You got it...Thrusters, ignite!", the two swords were raised in front of the Megazord in a cross shape as it streaked towards the monster at a lightning fast speed..."Slash Attack!" the mighty machine slammed its weapons into its target as it passed by before skidding to a neat stop not far away.
"I d-don't...believe...it!" the creature gasped, staring down at his own claws as they disintegrated right in front of his eyes before, finally, his whole body became engulfed in a brilliant golden light and exploded spectacularly for all to see.
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"Ratings, people?" Xander hinted at the performance of the new Megazord as he slurped noisily from his cup.
"Ten out of ten for sure", Tori replied as she crashed down onto the comfortable sofa next to Xander, holding a large ice-pack to the enormous bump on her forehead that had just decided to start being twice as painful as before.
"Agreed", Adam nodded as he surveyed what was in front of him.
"Yeah, the power was more than incredible", Kira complimented from her seat at the table beside Adam.
"I'll say...", the Black Ranger added as he gleefully put his hands on a well-earned blueberry smoothie – seeing that the last one ended up down his clothes as opposed to in his stomach. About to place his lips around the glass, it was only right that the four morphers should ring out with their unique tones.
"What's up Dr. O?", Kira was first to answer the call.
"We've got trouble at the school Rangers!" replied Alpha's robotic voice.
"We're on our way", Tori ended the brief conversation and was first out of the door, quickly pursued by Xander.
"Nooooo...", Adam wailed childishly as Kira virtually dragged him away from his prized smoothie.
"Come on, i'll buy you another as soon as we get back, I promise", she bribed; "But we've got monsters to destroy".
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And that's the end of that chapter! Thanks to everyone who's still reading :)
Coming next...
Chapter 10: Fight or Flight?