Can't Let Go
Disclaimer: I do not own the Power Rangers.
Pinkrangerfan: Yeah he's back. And of course they can beat the psychos with Zhane there now.
JasonLeeScottFan: Thanks! I'm happy too. Yeah that was fun to write. Andros loves her too much to hold anything against her. Thanks, I may be better at arguing scenes than love scenes though. She's remembering stuff. You'll see more in this chapter.
CJS: Yeah they are cute. Thanks!
Chapter 16: Strategy
The morphed rangers were quickly met by the psychos when they teleported to the park. Everyone went for their counterparts except for the black psycho ranger. He seemed more lost than ready to fight.
"Where is the black ranger?" Psycho black hissed.
"He isn't around, so you're just gonna have to deal with me instead." Zhane charged the psycho with silverizer in hand. Psycho black was strong, but Zhane seemed to have the upper hand in the battle.
Andros got a quick glimpse at Zhane just in time to see the silver ranger strike psycho black and send the creature stumbling backwards. The thought came to him so quickly that he mentally kicked himself for not realizing it before. Zhane. Ashley. He called out with his mind while dodging psycho red's attacks. Switch opponents now. Ashley you take psycho red I'll take psycho black and Zhane take psycho yellow.
Ashley blocked psycho red's attack on Andros and engaged the creature herself. Zhane caught psycho yellow before it could go for Ashley, leaving Andros with psycho black. "Cassie, TJ switch up." Andros called to the blue and pink rangers.
It was working; the psychos seemed confused and disoriented giving the rangers time to capitalize. But once the psychos realized what was happening, they quickly tried to get back to their counterparts.
Psycho yellow got away from Zhane and turned its sight on Ashley, but TJ stopped it, leaving Zhane to fight psycho pink. Things kept switching until finally the counterparts were back together and Zhane was fighting psycho black again. But psycho black was more than weakened and Zhane took advantage of that.
"Super Silverizer, blaster mode!" He leveled his weapon at the distraught psycho. "Let's see how you like this." Zhane taunted and fired at psycho black.
Everyone, ranger and psycho alike, stopped when the explosion sounded. Psycho black had been destroyed. The other psychos quickly vanished.
Megaship
"It is definitely good to have you back." TJ called to Zhane as he and the other rangers demorphed.
"Thanks Zhane." Cassie touched his shoulder and Zhane smiled.
"Nice job. You're not as rusty as I thought you would be." Andros teased.
"Thanks, but I doubt that thing would have gone down as easily without your game plan." Zhane responded.
"How did you know that would work?" Ashley asked.
"It's what was bugging me last night. The way they fought. They only targeted their respective color. Zhane being here just proved that theory. They're only programmed to fight their specific color. When they fight anyone else, they get confused and don't know what to do."
"So I guess that means we have a new strategy." Cassie smiled. "And they're the ones outnumbered now."
Ashley thought for a minute. "Switching up was a great idea, but they kept switching us back." She paused. "There has to be a way to keep them from sorting us out."
"You're right." Andros agreed thoughtfully.
"Yeah." TJ nodded. "The whole 'musical psychos' thing was making me dizzy." The group laughed. "But what do you guys suggest, making us all one color?"
A slow grin spread across Ashley's face. "Exactly. Could you do it?" She addressed Andros.
He nodded considering. "I think there may be a way to temporarily make us one color."
"We could all be red rangers." Zhane offered.
"No." Ashley paced. "We need to be silver rangers." She stopped and faced the others. "Think about it. Zhane is the only one of us they don't have a counterpart for. And if we're all silver, it'll just disorient them even more."
"I like the way you think Ashley." Cassie smiled at her friend. "I'm gonna go check on Carlos." She said referring to her boyfriend, who had woken up earlier that day. "He'll want to know how we did."
"Go ahead." Andros encouraged. He turned to the others once Cassie left. "We should work on the morphers, with the four of us it shouldn't take too long. And afterwards, I think we should all take a break tonight. I have a feeling Astronema won't be attacking tomorrow."
"I'm all for that." Ashley responded.
"Me too." TJ agreed.
"Let's get started." Zhane grinned.
Dark Fortress
"How could we not have seen this?" Astronema shouted. "We need to download all the rangers into each psycho."
"We can't princess." Ecliptor stated hesitantly. "It would destroy the psychos. They couldn't handle that much information."
Astronema picked up her staff and fired at a wall. "Fine." She calmed herself. "As long as the psychos exist, Dark Specter grows weaker. Once he's out of the way, I'll destroy the rangers myself." She faced Ecliptor. "Leave me."
The monster bowed. "As you wish."
Astronema sat at her console and played the footage from that day's battle once Ecliptor left the bridge. She watched all of the rangers, but her attention kept being drawn to the silver ranger.
"You must remember Karone." The being in the tube called to her.
Karone. Why did that name sound do familiar? She was Astronema, wasn't she? She watched the silver ranger again and a new name came to her. Zhane. The shock that shot through her head was more powerful than before. Astronema screamed in pain, but quickly regained her focus. Even though she stopped thinking about the silver ranger, she couldn't help but think that something wasn't right.
Medical Bay
Cassie gently rubbed Carlos's hand, waking him from his sleep. "Hey."
"Hey." He smiled at her. "How did things go?" Cassie quickly filled him in. "Wow, I wish I could have been there." With a broken arm, three broken ribs and a concussion, Carlos wouldn't be fighting for two weeks.
Cassie kissed his forehead. "It's okay. You just worry about getting better."
"But I feel so useless."
"You are not useless. I happen to find you very helpful." She grinned at him.
"Well as long as you think so." He grinned back and pulled her to him for a kiss.
"What is it about the med bay that screams 'sex'?" TJ asked sarcastically.
"TJ, we didn't hear you come in." Cassie smiled.
"Now where have I heard that before?" TJ rolled his eyes. "I just came by to see how you were, Carlos."
"I'm good." Carlos responded.
TJ walked to the door way. "Just remember, no strenuous activity." He ducked out before the cup Cassie threw hit him.
Ashley's room – The next day
It was nice to not have to fight for at least one day this week. Ashley thought as she put on her necklace. Andros was busy in the simudeck. Apparently everyone could take the day off but him, so she was going to Earth with Zhane to catch up on everything going on lately.
"Hey Zhane." Ashley called when her door slid open.
"Hey Ash." He was wearing a silver colored button down shirt over a black muscle shirt with denim jeans. "You ready to go?"
"Yep." She walked with him out of her room.
Angel Grove Park
Ashley laughed at the story Zhane was telling. "I can't believe she didn't kick you off of the ship."
"It's not my fault Tykwa can't take a joke." Zhane laughed. "Besides, they were able to get most of it out of her hair."
"Rangers!"
Ashley and Zhane turned at the sound of an all too familiar voice. "What are you doing here Astronema?" Ashley glared at her.
"Well since you destroyed one of my rangers, I only think it's fitting that I destroy one of you." She pointed her staff at them and fired.
Zhane and Ashley leaped out of the way. "Are you okay?"Ashley called to Zhane. She didn't just mean physically. She could feel his anxiety about fighting Karone.
"You should be worried about yourself." Astronema said as she attacked Ashley.
Before Zhane could think to help, he was surrounded by three quantrons. He fought and held his own against the three, but he wasn't sure how much longer Ashley could fight on the defensive. He knew that neither one of them wanted to fight Karone, even if she was Astronema again.
Ashley ducked underneath Astronema's staff and shoved her backwards. This wasn't going to work for much longer and she knew it. Astronema wasn't trying to hold back.
"Fight me yellow ranger." Astronema yelled in frustration. "Or are you too weak to really face me?"
"I won't fight you Karone." She blocked another blow.
This only seemed to upset Astronema more. "I am not Karone!" She kicked Ashley in the side hard. "I am Astronema." But looking at the yellow ranger on the ground, she couldn't help but feel like she knew the ranger. She shook the thought from her head closed in on the ranger.
"Karone no!" Zhane had managed to get away from the quantrons and shoved Astronema away before she could strike Ashley. He took on his fighting stance, but wasn't sure he could follow through with it. Luckily, he didn't have to. Astronema simply stared at him.
She couldn't take her eyes off of him. Astronema took a step forward. He was so familiar. She knew that face, those eyes. "Zhane."
His heart nearly stopped. "Karone, is it you?" He stepped towards her but she stepped back and fell to her knees, screaming in agony. He saw the sparks fly from the device on her head. He quickly kneeled down beside her. He hadn't noticed that Ashley was beside him until she spoke.
"Karone? Are you okay?" Ashley asked, her heart filled with hope.
"No!" Astronema yelled and pushed them away. "I'm Astronema!" It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. She looked longingly at Zhane before she disappeared.
Zhane stared at the spot where the woman he loved had stood.
"Zhane, are you alright?" Ashley put a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
He looked at her and smiled. "She's in there Ashley. Karone's in there. I felt her." For the first time since Karone was ripped away from him, he believed that he would have her back.
(A/N: Somewhat happy ending to this chapter huh? Stay turned to see if it last. Lol! Hope you like it! Please read and review.)