Hello everyone, Secretive Writer here finally back with another chapter.
DISCLAIMER: DUE CREDIT TO SABAN AS USUAL
'PR LIGHTSPEED RESCUE: ON AND OFF THE SCREEN'
Last time on PR LIGHTSPEED RESCUE: ON AND OFF THE SCREEN:
With the press conference now over and the rangers learning a lesson in being rangers, the fight with the demons now truly begins. There are still many things for the rangers to learn and the demons won't be waiting. That means it's time to train and learn.
Chapter / Episode 4: Trial By Fire
Carter entered the galley ready for breakfast with the others. The Red Ranger had been up around 6:30 AM and had gone out for a run like he does every morning. He had run a shorter time today because he wanted to get in some martial arts practice. Carter was actually thinking about how he can adjust his training schedule now that he had more training to do. He didn't really need to add training to his own personal schedule because Captain Mitchell organized enough mandatory training sessions for the rangers, but Carter wanted to. He wanted to be at his very best.
"Morning," Carter greeted joining the other rangers who were already at the table.
"Morning, Carter," Dana greeted.
Joel picked up a bit of omelet and placed it in his mouth. "Hey Carter. Where did you go? We were looking for you for breakfast."
Carter stuck his fork into the pasta he got. "Oh. I'm up at 6:30, and out for a run before 7 so you guys won't see me until I come back for breakfast after my run since I leave before you guys are up. I do it every day."
"We have four and a half hours of training everyday excluding the battles that we fight virtually every day, and you still train?" Joel asked.
"Maybe if you weren't only thinking of how to win Ms. Fairweather's heart, you can be more like him," Dana joked.
Joel shook his head. "I don't think I have that kind of drive to go that far."
"I take a swim in the morning 3 to 4 times a week," Chad said backing Carter up.
Kelsey took a bite of her salad. "I go skating instead."
"Yeah, I remember you knocking over a few people when you got back from one of your skating sessions yesterday," Joel reminded them.
The others got a laugh at this while Kelsey let out a chuckle of embarrassment.
"I've always had an afternoon training schedule, but I'm thinking of doing some morning training too so I'm working out a schedule," Dana told them.
"Do you want to be my sparring partner then?" Carter asked Dana.
"Sounds good to me", Dana answered.
Joel shook his head. "You guys make me look lazy. I know I don't get up early or put in the extra training you guys do, but that doesn't mean I don't take our training and battling the demons seriously."
"Hey, it's ok. Everybody has their own routine, whatever works for you," Kelsey pointed out.
"As long as you can take down the bad guys," Dana added.
"It's almost time for training. Let's go." Carter told the group getting up as the group finished their breakfast.
"Alright then, let's go," Kelsey said.
The group continued talking as they made their way down the halls towards their quarters to get their training equipment.
"Any idea what today's training will be?" Kelsey asked Dana curiously.
"I don't know. I may have been at Lightspeed practically my entire life, but I don't know everything. I thought I was trained to just be an operative. I didn't even realize dad had chosen me to be the Pink Ranger until a week ago."
"What was it like growing up at Lightspeed?" Chad asked.
"Very busy and hectic, but I loved being able to work with my dad. I didn't really get to make friends though. I thought I would be starting school with my friend from next door, but I didn't even go to school. I was schooled right here at Lightspeed, and at a fast pace too. Why do you think I'm already a doctor? Most people would have only graduated college not too long ago at my age. I was taught everything here and took specialized examinations. I was 16 when I started a special six-year medical program. I was about to start my residency, but it looks like that will have to wait."
"Wow. That must have been tough, I thought you looked young to be a doctor." Carter said.
"It took some effort, but it was alright. I actually got to spend a lot of time with dad training so I wouldn't change it for the world."
"I don't think I could have done that." Joel commented.
"Depends on the person I guess. I wanted to be a doctor, I remember playing doctor when I was just a little girl." Dana pointed out.
"True, I had to put some effort into learning how to fly too," Joel agreed.
"What made you decide to be a stunt pilot?" Kelsey asked Joel picking up the conversion.
"Ever since I can remember, I wanted to become a pilot. I got some exposure to it from an uncle of mine when I was young and I was hooked and knew that flying was meant for me. It was a calling." Joel answered.
"It's nice to do something you enjoy. I have always been fond of the water although I wouldn't say that I had a goal to be an aquatic mammal trainer. It was something I just fell into." Chad told them stopping to code in and open the door to the boys' quarters.
"So then, what's it like training whales and dolphins?" Kelsey asked as the group entered their quarters, the girls opening the connecting wall-door, and stepping to their side, leaving it opened.
The rangers headed for their lockers on the wall, grabbing their training gear as they continued the conversation.
"I really enjoyed it. Training them was like playing with them for me." Chad told them.
"That sounds fun, as long as you don't accidentally drown," Dana commented.
"I've always been a pretty strong swimmer. The danger is of course there, but that's life." Chad responded thoughtfully.
"I just never want to get into a flying accident." Joel commented as the other rangers listened and packed their stuff.
"I think sports accidents happen much more, Joel. Those can be deadly too, but I've always been very active, and enjoy sports." Kelsey commented.
"Oh yeah, you're active alright, and your sports, they're extreme and on the dangerous side." Joel retorted.
"Yeah, but I enjoy them. Others; not so much. I started to climb at a very young age. It sort of scared people, even my parents," Kelsey said with a laugh.
"So what did your family say?" Dana asked Kelsey.
"What are you, crazy? Everybody said that to me, ever since I was a kid. I always answer, you have no idea. I mean, it's such a rush hanging up a thousand feet off a cliff." Kelsey replied as she flopped down on the couch with her bag of packed equipment between Chad and Joel.
"Well, check this out," Joel told them jokingly as he got up and spread his arms out a bit. "When I was eight, all I wanted more than anything was to fly like a bird, so I built me a set of wings, and jumped out my second floor window."
"That's not just crazy," Carter commented laughingly placing Joel's cowboy hat on the Green Ranger's head. "That's stupid."
Everyone agreed and laughed at what Joel just said grabbing their packed equipment bags and heading out the door and down the hall.
"What about you Carter? Did you always want to be a firefighter?" Dana asked Carter giving the firefighter his turn to talk about his chosen line of work.
"No, not really. Well, not until one night when I uh…" Carter started, but then trailed off, a flashback coming to his mind.
Flashback
Flames were everywhere and the heat and smoke were suffocating. As a door in front closed, a figure in a firefighter's uniform on the other side was taking off the oxygen mask that was being worn, but the door closed before the fire fighter's face could be seen.
End Flashback
"When what?" Chad's voice came, snapping Carter out of his thoughts.
"Oh uh, nothing." Carter said, deciding not to finish his story after all.
Dana was skeptical. "Nothing?"
Chad and Kelsey started to talk over each other urging Carter to finish his story, Joel and Dana chiming in a second later, but Carter was saved by Captain Mitchell's announcement over the PA system.
"Rangers to the training area; double time."
Carter gave the other rangers an "Oh, well" look before running off ahead, causing the others to groan in disappointment, stamping their feet and shaking their heads before they ran off after him. Now they could only wonder what the Red Ranger was going to say before he stopped, and if they would ever find out. As the rangers loaded their equipment into the Rescue Rover, Dana took the note she found on the Rescue Rover's windshield.
"Looks like we have our assignments here, guys," Dana told them.
"So what are we suppose to do?" Kelsey asked.
Dana read the instructions aloud as Carter drove to the training area. "Alright. It looks like we'll do an hour and a half of combat training first, then we have training assignments. Chad and Joel, you guys have the obstacle course. You guys have to do it together though, no lagging behind. Kelsey, you and I are doing a baby rescue. You'll be getting a dummy baby out of the second floor of the training house and handing it over to me for first aid, but no stairs. Carter, you've got target practice at the target shack. We will be graded by both time and score. Everybody got it?"
"Got it," all four of the other rangers replied.
- / - / - / - / - / -
"ATTENTION, PRESENT ARMS" Carter called out as the rangers formed a line standing at attention and saluted to Captain Mitchell when the rangers arrived at the training area. For the next hour and a half, the rangers practiced their punches and kicks. Captain Mitchell watched the rangers as they practiced. The rangers' combat skills were progressing nicely. When the combat training was over, the rangers lined up, ready for their training assignments. The first up was Chad and Joel.
Captain Mitchell held up a stopwatch ready to start the count. "Ready… GO!"
Chad and Joel immediately ran off to do the obstacle course that they were assigned. Chad and Joel jumped over a wall, Chad making it first, and then ran before dropping down and crawling under a net, coming up on a bunch of tires spread flat on the ground that the two rangers sped through jumping their foot in the respective tires, and ran to the finish line before turning around and saluting finished.
"A minute thirty, good," Captain Mitchell told them proudly before stepping away.
Joel hunched over looking like he needed to catch his breath while Chad groaned aloud, his tone slightly angry and in agony, his arm over his stomach. Breakfast didn't seem to agree with all the training, but Chad was alright after a few moments.
Next up was Kelsey and Dana. Kelsey was on the second floor, running down an external path on the building, wall one side and railing on the other, to hooks that were placed on the railing, a dummy baby in hand. After securing herself and holding the baby firmly, she slid down the ropes, and Dana came running up, first aid equipment in hand. Taking the dummy baby, Dana checked the baby before performing several chest compressions as Kelsey unhooked herself. Nodding that the baby was suppose to be alright, Dana and Kelsey saluted done to Captain Mitchell, who stopped the stopwatch.
"Two minutes, not bad," Captain Mitchell encouraged proudly, once again stepping away as Dana and Kelsey gave each other a high-five and clapped their right hands together in triumph.
Inside the target house, Carter's eyes peered for enemies. As a cardboard monster figure came up, Carter shot at the cut-out with the glob shooter he had in his hands a few times before it went down and Carter started shooting at another one that came up. Spotting one that had just slid into place off at the side; Carter rolled across a table and started shooting at it, several shots missing the target before the cardboard cut-out fell down as well. Noticing no others, Carter nodded to himself before running out the room and saluting done as he let out a huff of breath.
"Fifty two seconds," Captain Mitchell called the time slightly surprised before heading inside the target shack for a survey.
Carter pumped his fist lightly in victory as he headed back to the Rescue Rover just a few steps away and the others cheered. "YES."
As Carter tossed his equipment over to Chad, Kelsey reached her arms over to Carter in excitement. Carter reached his arms over in return, but had to pick her up slightly and twirled her around before placing her down when Kelsey jumped.
"Uh, Best time so far, huh?" Carter spoke modestly as he clapped hands with Chad and the cheering came to an end.
Inside, Captain Mitchell took a look around, a knowing look crossed his face, before stepping out.
"Carter." Captain Mitchell called out waving Carter to come over with two fingers.
Carter, still smiling, ran up to Captain Mitchell and saluted. "Yes Sir.
"You may have had the fastest time, but you got the lowest score." Captain Mitchell told Carter quietly, a slight disappointment in his voice, leaning on the rail.
Carter's face twisted in confusion as the other rangers watched on. "The lowest? I… I don't understand."
"You have to take time to use this," Captain Mitchell said pointing to Carter's head with anger in his voice. "…before you ever use a blaster."
"But sir, I… I hit every target," Carter replied the confusion and confidence still in his voice.
"Which means nothing. You didn't think the situation through. Sometimes the obvious choice is the wrong choice."
With that, Captain Mitchell stepped away ordering the assistants to break down the gears and head back to the Aquabase, effectively ending the conversation. The other rangers only looked at each other wondering what that was about.
- / - / - / - / - / -
Within the darkness of of the realm that housed the Skull Cavern, its occupants were discussing their battle plan.
"We must defeat those pesky rangers and their megazord fast if we want to destroy the city and get our palace back," Loki said.
"Queen Bansheera will be quite unhappy if she returns to see the city still standing" Diabolico added.
At the mention of Queen Bansheera, the baby Impus cooed.
"Look, now you got Impus all upset", Jinxer said.
Jinxer immediately tended to the baby while the absent Vypra sent a message through their visual communication channel. She was in Mariner Bay and had what looked like a spike in her hands.
"You want to destroy a city, you do it from the ground up," she said.
- / - / - / - / - / -
The peaceful day Mariner Bay was experiencing was cut short when the ground suddenly shook. The shaking reached all the way to the Lightspeed Aquabase.
Captain Mitchell looked at the seismic meter. "That's no earthquake. Go to alert status."
The operatives immediately followed the order and the alarm went off blaring as the PA system called for the rangers to head for transport.
"Ready to roll, guys?" Carter asked enthusiastically as the rangers got into the Rescue Rover.
"Always, but when am I going to get to drive this thing?" Joel responded with the question.
- / - / - / - / - / -
At an empty section of a parking lot, Vypra was ordering the batlings to hammer a rotating spike. The ground shook with each hit.
"Faster. I'll destroy Mariner Bay with an earthquake."
"Not if we can help it," Carter's voice called out.
The colored heroes had arrived on the scene and their plans were to foil Vypra's.
"Well, well. If it isn't the Power Rangers. I'm Vypra. I'm glad we finally met, so that I can destroy you. BATLINGS, ATTACK." Vypra ordered the underlings after the brief introduction.
In mere seconds, it turned into a chaotic scene of punches, kicks, and blasts as the colorful heroes fought the batlings. Chad tornado kicked one batling and spun around to kick two more. Dana flipped and rolled punching a batling before blasting two more. Kelsey low swept two batlings before back kicking another one. Joel blasted a batling as he cartwheeled. Vypra wasn't planning on staying still. She jumped down, sword in hand and went straight for Carter.
Carter and Vypra entered into an exchange of punches and kicks with Vypra trying to slash Carter with her sword. Carter managed to kick Vypra's sword out of her hand, but Vypra was able to land 3 punches to Carter's abdomen pushing him back. Vypra grabbed her sword and ran up the stairs to the next level. On the next level, however, Vypra ran into a small group of pedestrians.
Vypra aimed her sword. "Get out of my way."
Vypra was launched a blast at the pedestrians before Carter caught up with her and blocked her. Carter and Vypra entered a second exchange of punches, kicks, and slashes. When Vypra launched her next blast, Carter kicked the blast right back at her causing some rubble to fall. Vypra was now cornered with Carter ready to blast her with his Rescue Blaster.
"Put down your weapon, nice and easy," Carter told her as he backed her to the wall.
"I said put it down, Vypra," Carter told her again.
Backed up against the wall, Vypra spotted something out of the corner of her eyes. She looked back at Carter.
"I'm not going to tell you again," Carter repeated.
Vypra smirked and sent out another blast that started a fire. "Take this."
The fire made Carter back off for a bit and Vypra took the chance to retreat. Vypra got away, but a cracking sound took Carter's attention away from the fire and Vypra. The ceiling above the pedestrians was about to come down.
"The ceiling's coming down, those people are in trouble. They need my help", Carter reported.
Carter was about to go help the pedestrians when Captain Mitchell stopped him.
"No, put out the fire first," Captain Mitchell ordered.
"Negative, Sir. There's no time. I have to get these people out of here before it's too late. I have got to help them," Carter replied.
Captain Mitchell's voice was harsh. "Just do it."
Carter relented and switched his blaster to extinguish mode. "Alright"
Carter quickly put out the fire, but it was too late. The cracking sound got louder and the debris from the ceiling came down on a mother and her son as Carter raced over yelling "out of the way". The mother came out alright, but the boy was hit and even the little toy airplane the boy had broke.
Carter stopped in his tracks. "Oh no, what have I done?"
The mom leaned over the boy brushing his hair. "Say something, say something."
The boy only groaned as the other rangers caught up. Dana immediately tended to the little boy as Carter turned around and left in anger even as Chad and Kelsey called after him.
- / - / - / - / - / -
Carter stormed in Captain Mitchell's office completely furious at what had happened. The little boy was now hurt. Carter had trusted Captain Mitchell's judgment, and this was the result.
"YOU TOLD ME TO PUT OUT THE FIRE," Carter said in controlled anger thumping his palms on the Captain's desk. "YOU WERE WRONG!"
Captain Mitchell didn't even look up and showed nothing. "I wasn't wrong."
"Of course you were," Carter retorted angrily. "I should have gotten those people to safety first,"
Captain Mitchell looked up at Carter. "You did the right thing."
"NO! Because I listened to you, that little boy got hurt." Carter retorted angrily.
Captain Mitchell looked at Carter letting out a sigh. Carter still didn't get it. Carter only turned around and stormed out angrily. Captain Mitchell wasn't happy about the little boy getting hurt either, but it happened and the sad fact was that it was still the right thing to do. The fire needed to be put out first, even though the little boy got hurt because of it. Captain Mitchell knew that time wasn't on their side, and that putting out the fire first might cause somebody to get hurt, but it was necessary to prevent even more danger, and more people from getting hurt.
- / - / - / - / - / -
Inside a hospital room, the little boy was lying in bed asleep, with a pressure bandage wrapped around his head, the beeping of the machine was the only noise present in the room until a knock on the door broke the silence. Carter opened the door to the room looking at the little boy on the bed sadly shaking his head.
Carter took the seat and held the little boy's hand. "I...I'm so sorry. This never should have happened to you."
"If only I could have been like him." Carter started, flashbacks coming into his mind.
Carter's heart was heavy as he told the sleeping boy of that night all those years ago. Carter would never forget that night, the night that changed him.
"I was about your age. I don't know how it happened, but the place was on fire. It was so hot, I couldn't breathe. I was so scared, I… I didn't know what do to. But then suddenly, he was there. Then out of nowhere, a beam fell from the ceiling. Thanks to him, I made it out just in time. He saved my life. I never knew his name, but ever since that day, all I wanted was to be just like him. He would have made sure you were safe. I'll never be that good. He would have rescued you, just like he did me."
- / - / - / - / - / -
Back at the Aquabase, Carter entered the boys' common room, Chad and Joel seeing his depressed face.
"Hey Carter, you okay?" Joel asked.
"Yeah, just fine." Carter said quietly, obviously lying and headed back inside his room just as Dana entered the girls' common room spotting him through the opened connecting wall doors.
Dana looked over to Chad and Joel. "Is Carter okay?"
"He's lying." Joel said simply and Chad nodded in agreement.
"Let me try." Dana told them stepping over and headed for Carter's door, knocking on it. "Carter? It's Dana. Can I come in?"
Receiving no response, Dana entered on her own accord, and saw Carter lying on his bed.
Dana took a seat on the edge of Carter's bed. "Carter? You alright?"
Receiving no response, Dana changed tactics. "Don't worry, the little boy will be alright"
"He's hurt, and it's all my fault."
"Don't blame yourself."
"I hesitated. If I hadn't hesitated and was quick enough, I could have stopped the little boy from getting hurt," Carter berated himself. "I...Nothing seems to be going right for me today, ever since this morning's training exercise."
"It's normal to have a bad day."
"But people can get hurt because of that, just like the little boy got hurt today."
"Even Power Rangers can't do two things at once."
"I should have gotten those people to safety first," Carter said plainly.
"But father told you to put out the fire," Dana finished.
"Yeah," Carter admitted.
"You don't think you did the right thing?" Dana questioned.
"I...I don't know. I trusted his judgment, but the little boy got hurt because of it," Carter responded.
"If you really believed that you should have gotten those people to safety first, why did you follow dad's orders and put out the fire first?" Dana pushed.
"Because... I don't know. I followed orders, I… I trusted his judgment"
"Let me tell you something. Once, when I just starting training to be a doctor, dad asked me "Do you save someone lying on the ground or someone standing first?" Why don't you answer that question right now?" Dana told Carter.
"The person lying on the ground of course," Carter answered.
"That's what I answered too. Most people would have, but do you know what dad told me next?" Dana asked Carter.
"What?" Carter asked not bothering to give it a second thought.
"He said, the person standing is choking, and the person lying on the ground is was just sleeping and is waking up," Dana told him.
"So then, you're saying that..." Carter started realizing he had answered too quickly.
"We both answered wrong. That's because 9 times out of 10, we would be saving the person on lying on the ground because the person standing up is just fine. We automatically assume that the person lying on the ground is in immediate danger and the person standing up is not. That question always reminded me to be careful and don't overlook details that may change the entire situation." Dana explained to Carter.
"You think Captain Mitchell noticed something I didn't?" Carter asked.
"I don't know, but the father I know never does anything without a valid reason. Maybe you should try and see if you can find a reason." Dana suggested gently telling Carter what she knew of her dad.
Carter thought about what Dana told him. Dana was Captain Mitchell's daughter and grew up with him. She would definitely know Captain Mitchell better than Carter, who had only met Captain Mitchell a week ago.
"What reason would he have?" Carter asked Dana unsure.
"I can't answer that because I don't know. You'll have to look for the answers. Why don't you go back to the target shack and take a look? Maybe you'll find something," Dana encouraged.
"You think so?" Carter asked Dana.
"You never know until you try," Dana encouraged.
Carter contemplated what Dana said. During the training exercise, Captain Mitchell gave him the lowest score even though Carter had the fastest time, and it obviously didn't have anything to do with missing targets. The ceiling was going to come down on those people, but Captain Mitchell said to put out the fire first. Even in the short time Carter had known Captain Mitchell, what Dana said about Captain Mitchell having a reason for what he does sound correct. Deciding he did needed to take a closer look at what happened, Carter made up his mind and nodded to Dana before exiting his room, Dana following him out with a small smile on her face.
As they exited Carter's room, and the Red Ranger left the rangers' quarter without a word, Chad and Joel looked over at Dana, raising their eyebrows. What had she said to Carter and where was he going?
Joel narrowed his eyebrows. "What did you do?"
Dana turned to Joel, a knowing smile on her face. "Nothing at all."
Joel and Chad looked at each other in confusion as Dana went back into her personal room. Just what in the world had happened?
- / - / - / - / - / -
Carter looked through the targets he had hit in the target shack as he made his way through, Dana and Captain Mitchell's voice going through his mind. Dana had said Captain Mitchell has reasons for his actions, and Captain Mitchell had said Carter didn't think the situation through and that Carter needed to use his brain before ever using a blaster. Walking past the table he had rolled over during the exercise, and looking at the downed cardboard monster cut-out, Carter turned and took a step without looking, his legs hitting something that rolled. Carter looked down at the blue canister, a red and yellow label catching his eyes.
"Explosive." Carter thought out loud in mild shock and surprise, backing up.
Turning his head looking at the row of canisters right next to the doorway the cut-out had come from, Carter spotted the glob from the training blaster he had used during the training exercise on the canister. One of the shots he had missed had hit the canister. If that had been a real blaster... Carter's mind shifted back to the battle. Before Vypra has set the fire off, she had looked to her left and smirked as she set the fire off. She knew that Carter could have easily avoided her attack, he had her cornered. What if she wasn't aiming for her attack to hit him? Carter immediately ran out of the training shack heading towards the parking lot where the battle had taken place.
- / - / - / - / - / -
At the parking lot, Carter looked around spotting the spot where Vypra had set the fire, and a fleece like blanket obviously covering something. Carter walked over towards whatever it was, his heart beating and pulled the blanket down. A big red flammable liquid sign stared back at him as the slight smell of a well-known flammable liquid was picked up by his nose.
"Gasoline," Carter breathed as realization dawned on him.
'If I hadn't put out the fire first, the whole place would have exploded, and everyone would have been hurt.'
Images of what could have happened played through Carter's mind and none of them good. Carter would be helping those people get out of there as the flames burned at the wall behind him. The sound of a large explosion would then happen, and a huge fireball of flame would engulf the entire place.
"Sometimes the obvious choice is the wrong choice."
Captain Mitchell's voice snapped Carter out of his trance causing Carter to turn around.
"The training exercise," Carter said in realization. "You knew the canisters could explode."
Captain Mitchell walked past Carter towards the gasoline canisters. "It isn't easy being a leader. You learn tough lessons, every single day."
Suddenly, the ground shook almost throwing Carter and Captain Mitchell off balance. Carter's morpher beeped, Joel's voice coming on requesting Carter's help.
Carter wasn't so confident anymore. "I'm not sure I'm cut out to be a ranger."
"I am." Captain Mitchell assured walking back toward Carter. "I'm more sure now than ever. Your friends need your help. Get going."
Carter turned toward the Captain who nodded. Making up his mind to keep this experience in mind and not let the captain down, Carter nodded decisively before calling the others on his morpher.
"I'm on my way."
Captain Mitchell looked the retreating back of the Red Ranger and smiled. There was no doubt in Captain Mitchell's mind that Carter Grayson was the correct choice for being the Red Ranger.
- / - / - / - / - / -
A chaotic exchange of punches, kicks, flips and turns was taking place as four rangers were battling batlings with Vypra watching. Vypra blew a thin trail of blue flame towards her hands and thrust her hand out towards the four rangers unleashing a blue fireball blast that knocked the four rangers off their feet. Vypra stepped over towards a spike and took the hammer the batlings handed to her.
"No, don't do it," Joel called out.
Vypra paid no heed and was about to hit the spike when a blast knocked the hammer out of her hand. The four rangers stood back up.
"Alright," Dana cheered.
Carter aimed his blaster. "I have had enough of your ground shaking days Vypra. We're putting an end to this."
Vypra aimed her sword and ran towards Carter ready for a fight. "Red Ranger"
Carter dodged her slash and aimed his blaster at her. "Freeze"
Carter holstered his blaster even as Vypra was preparing to fight him. "I know what you're up to, Vypra"
Vypra tried to provoke him. "Come on, Red Ranger."
"Now is not the time," Carter replied.
Vypra launched a slash anyways, but Carter paid her no heed and ran towards the nearest spike fighting off several batlings along the way. Carter flipped and rolled grabbing the spike and throwing the spike into the air. Carter grabbed his blaster and blasted the spike, destroying it.
"Guys, we have to destroy the spikes," Carter told the other rangers.
"Right," Chad responded.
"I knew that," Joel answered.
Kelsey flipped and grabbed a spike, back-kicking a batling that tried to stop her. Joel tornado-kicked a batling and grabbed a spike. Dana flipped and pried a spike out of the ground with her feet. Chad grabbed the spike with a second one in his hand. In mere minutes all of the spikes were in a pile.
"Rescue blasters, now," called out Carter.
Vypra aimed her sword. "Stop them," she called out.
But it was too late; the rangers blasted the spikes to smithereens.
"Destroy them all," Vypra ordered.
The real fight now began. The rangers ran into battle with the batlings.
- / - / - / - / - / -
Back at the Skull Cavern, the other demons were watching the fight.
Loki handed Jinxer a card. "Those annoying rangers have destroyed all of Vypra's quake spikes. Perhaps she could use a little help, Jinxer."
Jinxer took the card. "Good idea, excellent choice."
Jinxer threw the card into the void of the bat-like structure and chanted. "From the fouls of evil light, create a monster the rangers must fight."
- / - / - / - / - / -
Back at the cave where the battle was taking place, Vypra left the batlings to their own devices and decided to retreat.
Carter wasn't about to let her get away. "I'm going after her."
Carter followed Vypra out of the cave, but his chase was interrupted by a neckless golden-brown monster with sharp claws.
"I am your opponent, Quakemon." the monster said.
Quakemon charged towards Carter and a series of punches and kicks were exchanged between them. The other rangers soon caught up and joined in the fight. Quakemon blocked a punch from Chad and slashed at Joel who came flying in with a kick. Kelsey blasted Quakemon with her blaster and Dana followed up with a low sweep kick knocking Quakemon off his feet. Quakemon got back up though and slashed at the rangers knocking the rangers down. The rangers also got back up and blasted Quakemon with their blasters.
Carter made the call on his rescue morpher. "Rescue Bird."
The Rescue Bird came and the rangers set it to unilaser mode ready to launch the attack.
"Ready," Chad and Joel called out.
"Aim," Kelsey and Dana called out.
"And Fire," Carter finished.
The blast was launched towards Quakemon and the monster was destroyed. That wasn't the end of it though. Jinxer worked his magic and Quakemon returned larger than ever.
"Rocks and tumble down below, I call upon you to grow," Jinxer chanted.
"Rescue zords, mobilize," Carter ordered.
The Rail Rescue containing the Rescue Zords arrived and the rangers activated and put together the Lightspeed Megazord. Quakemon tried to slash at the megazord, but the megazord blocked the slash and side punched Quakemon several time knocking Quakemon off his feet. The rangers power-uped the ladder arms and back kicked Quakemon several times.
Carter inserted his controller. "Lightspeed Megazord Saber, ignite."
The megazord slashed Quakemon and Quakemon was no more.
- / - / - / - / - / -
After the battle and post-battle survey was completed, Carter separated from the others and headed back to the hospital to check on the little boy. Along the way, Carter spotted a little toy plane in the window of a shop and he purchased it, wrapping it up as a present for the little boy. When he got to the hospital though, the little boy wasn't in bed.
'Oh, no. He's gone,' Carter thought.
Carter tipped his head down in disappointment, but heard the sound of a child behind him, just outside the door. Carter stepped out the room and found the little boy standing there.
Carter bent down and looked at the boy. "You're okay."
The boy smiled. "Thanks to you. Someday, when I grow up, I'm going to be just like you."
Carter smiled and handed the boy his present. "This is for you."
The boy took and shook the present trying to guess what was inside. "Thanks."
Carter picked the boy up in his arms.
"You're awesome," the little boy said sharing a high-five with Carter.
No one noticed Captain Mitchell watching the exchange. Seeing the boy's recovery going well, Captain Mitchell was relieved and headed back to the Aquabase.
Next time on PR LIGHTSPEED RESUCE: ON AND OFF THE SCENE:
A whirlwind monster has got the space shuttle and Kelsey's new friend in trouble. How can the rangers defeat the monster and get the space shuttle to safety? The rangers had better figure this one out quick.
My Comments:
I'm sorry this chapter is shorter than the other chapters after over a year's worth of waiting, but I got everything in that I needed to. I do feel as if the chapter could have turned out better although I already followed the episode "Trial by Fire". I actually felt this was a good episode. I was able to build on the why the rangers were in their careers and it gave Carter some character development. Let me know what you think. I gave Carter and Dana another private moment here not because I wanted to so early on, but because Carter needed that talk and Dana was the best person to do it since Captain Mitchell is her father and she knows him best.
I'm also sorry to say that I don't know when I'll be putting up the next chapter. I don't think it will be for a while so please be patient with me. I hope all of you are enjoying this elaboration rewrite. Please review. Until next time...
~Secretive Writer