Author's notes - Hey Ranger fans! Sorry about the delay. I meant to put this chapter up, yesterday, but I was having some issues with my account, which thankfully seem to have been resolved. Of course it would happen right in the middle of the story. Anyway, on with the show!
Part Four
Chapter Two
The Rangers shot out of the sky and materialised in the carpark facing the amusement park's locked gates. The fence was wrought-iron, gothic and imposing, and extended away from them as far as they could see. Behind them, more and more police cars and ambulances were pulling into the carpark, while all around was a crowd of angry people. Seeing the five bolts of lightning touch down before them, the crowd surged towards the Rangers.
As the police struggled to keep the crowd back, one of the officers turned to the teens. He had grizzled stubble and silver hair, and Trini glanced to his name badge.
"Senior Sergeant Holdsworth," she said. "We got here as soon as we could."
"It's bloody good to see you," Sergeant Holdsworth replied. "I was hoping this would end up on your radar. That fence is alive, I can't explain it any other way. We tried to use a pair of bolt cutters on the padlock," and he pointed to the gate, "but it snapped them clean in half."
"We're heading in there now," Trini replied.
"Before we go in," Kim began. "We need to know. When was the park built? Like, how long has it been here?"
"I'm not sure," the officer shrugged. "It's been here as long as I can remember."
Zac turned to the crowd, and nodded to a woman standing nearby. "What about you?" he said. "Do you know when this place was built?"
"I'm not sure," she replied, her voice matching Sergeant Holdsworth's. "It's been here as long as I can remember."
The crowd grew silent as they realised what they'd just heard. The Rangers glanced to each other, and Sarah stepped over to one of the paramedics. "So how long has the park been here?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," the young man replied. "It's been here as long as…" but his voice trailed off as he realised what he was saying.
"Okay, I'm even more freaked out," Ian said.
Trini raised her wrist. "Alpha, we need you to check the city's property records," she said. "What was on this block before the park was built? And how long has the park been here?"
"I'm on it!" Alpha replied.
Just then, a commotion in the crowd caught everybody's attention, and a man and woman pushed their way through the crush of people. Both looked angry and distressed.
"Rangers?" the man began. "We saw you arrive. One of the four children is our daughter Lily. She's all alone in there! We're going in with you!"
The Rangers glanced to each other. "That's not a good idea," Kim said. "Trust us. Stay here and stay safe."
"But she's our daughter!" the woman pleaded.
"We know," Trini said. "That's why we're going to get her back."
"Or die trying," Zac added.
"No," Trini said. "Nobody dies today. C'mon."
The crowd backed away as the Rangers reached for their blasters and approached the gate. Using the weapons, the Rangers sliced through the bars of the fence and ducked through into the park. All the sound from outside died as suddenly as if someone had switched off a radio. The sudden silence was unnerving. Behind them, the police officers tried to follow them through, but the broken bars regrew in a second, leaving the Rangers alone in the eerie silence.
Finding themselves in a small garden, the Rangers climbed around the nearby ticket office to emerge onto a wide avenue that led further into the park. On one side was a restaurant and gift shop, both deserted, while on the other side sat an abandoned merry-go-round. The horses looked friendly and welcoming at first, but the longer the Rangers stared at them, the more their expressions became angry sneers. Kimberly blinked. One of the horses had started growling.
"How do we play this?" Sarah asked, as they followed the path into the park.
"We do this fast but carefully," Trini replied. "Something about this whole place feels wrong."
"It takes a lot of effort to grab four civilians and then evict everybody," Zac said. "There has to be some kind of magic at play."
"Agreed," Trini said. "Whoever kidnapped them needed them for something. That'll buy us time, but not much."
"Zordon said the kids went missing near the central pavilion," Ian began. "That's a good place to start looking."
Passing an overgrown garden of snapping Venus fly traps, the Rangers stepped onto a wide abandoned plaza. A nearby railway line led into a signposted 'Haunted Tunnel' where glowing sets of eyes peered out of the darkness. Opposite was a small lagoon with duck-shaped paddle boats in the water. But as Kim peered into the pool, she could see a dark shape swimming around the murky depths.
"Sea monster in the duck pond," Kim breathed. "What is this place?"
The silence was broken by a familiar six note chime. Trini quickly raised her communicator. "Zordon, we're here," she said. "Have you found anything about this Toyland that could help us?"
"We checked the city's property records and we've found some answers," Zordon replied. "But you're not going to like them."
"That's ominous," murmured Kim. "Go on."
"Some time ago," Zordon began, "the city set aside the block of land you're standing on to build a new stadium and training facility. Alpha found newspaper photos of construction equipment arriving onsite, with local bureaucrats turning over the first sods of dirt."
"When were the photos taken?" Ian asked.
There was a pause. "Three days ago," Zordon replied.
The Rangers were instantly back-to-back in a defensive circle. "You know what this means?" Kim asked.
"We thought the energy signature was a monster somewhere in the park," Trini said. "But the monster is the park!"
Her voice faded away as footsteps began to reach them, and four dark figures emerged from the shadows of the nearby attractions. Trini's face fell. The park was fighting back. Facing them was a rodeo clown with twin laser pistols and a bull's skull as a helmet, while beside him was a second clown juggling two serrated daggers. On the other side was a twisted-nightmare of a fire-juggler with reptilian yellow eyes, and next to him stood a mascot wearing a bear costume, with razor teeth and matted dark fur. Even as the Rangers watched, silver claws grew from the mascot's hands.
"Oh hell no," Zac breathed, as the monsters closed in.
The Rangers raised their arms defensively, ready for battle. Kim glanced to Trini. "The park's trying to stall us," the Pink Ranger said. "We'll deal with the clowns. You find those kids."
"I'm not sure I want to deal with this place on my own," Trini murmured.
"C'mon," Kim said. "We both know you don't need any back-up."
"Okay," Trini nodded. "Let's break!" And the Rangers charged towards their enemies.
Kim raced across the plaza towards the dagger-wielding clown. As the Pink Ranger approached, the clown lashed out, the twin blades flashing through the air like solid lightning, but Kim ducked the blades and danced around them when the clown swung again. Striking his right hand away, Kim blocked the clown's left then swung a powerful blow for his wrist. The blade clattered to the ground and Kim kicked it away, before aiming another blow for his right arm. There was a loud 'crack' and the second dagger flew away, before Kim spun around on the spot and took her adversary to the ground with a spinning high kick.
A few metres away, Ian had summoned his Power Blasters and was engaged in a running gun battle with the rodeo clown. The clown's twin revolvers flashed, and Ian took to the air, leaping safely over the blasts. Finding his footing, the Grey Ranger fired back. The clown dived behind an overturned picnic bench, but looked up to see the Grey Ranger rapidly approaching. With a clear shot, the clown raised his guns and fired, but nothing happened. In the second the clown took to realise the guns had been destroyed in the last exchange, Ian closed the distance between them and kicked clean through the bench, launching the clown backwards into a wall.
On the far side of the plaza, the reptilian fire thrower opened his mouth and sent a blast of flame scorching across the battlefield towards Sarah. The Purple Ranger held her ground and summoned her Power Mace, striking the blast out of the air before thundering towards her opponent. The creature's eyes went wide and it punched the air with its fists, launching more flame bursts for the approaching Ranger. Without breaking stride, Sarah struck the blasts away with her mace, before reaching the fire thrower and slamming the weapon into its stomach with all her strength. Air rushed from the creature's lungs, and it coughed out a plume of black smoke as it stumbled away.
Nearby, Zac closed in on the deranged bear mascot as the creature raised its claws menacingly. Making the first move, the demonic beast charged forward with surprising speed, shaking the ground with every step. It slashed out wildly for the Black Ranger, but Zac struck the bear's arm away, blocking a second swipe and smashing his fist into the bear's stomach. The bear grunted and lunged for Zac with its teeth, but Zac stepped around the move and sent the creature stumbling with a powerful uppercut. While the bear was off-balance, Zac reached for the mascot's head and tore at the costume, wrenching the mask free to reveal a clanking animatronic head.
"Cool, a robot," Zac said, and shattered the bear's head with a punch.
As the plaza filled with sounds of frenzied combat, Trini sprinted past, leaving the battles behind her as she raced ever deeper into the amusement park. Turning a corner, she came face-to-face with the hedge maze. Strange animal cries were echoing out of the tangled labyrinth. Even as she watched, thorny vines began reaching out to grasp her.
With no time to navigate the maze, Trini held out her hands and summoned her twin Power Daggers, slashing at the vines and charging straight through the maze walls. Making short work of the hostile plant life, Trini cleared a direct path through the maze and emerged into a small square on the other side a minute later. But as the Yellow Ranger stepped clear of the maze, she looked ahead and froze. The tented pavilion was right in front of her, with the duck lagoon over to the right, but standing before her was a monster straight out of a nightmare, and a particularly personal one at that.
Trini grit her teeth and raised her daggers.
"Pineoctopus," she said.
To be continued.