The arachnid trio, having been hot on the trail of Kinro, were making their way through the snow.
"I think we should be getting closer…" Spydey muttered, putting on a serious look.
"Still hard to believe Owlio… Made him. Or atleast the metal parts…" Scorpia muttered.
"...but…why…?" Weava wondered.
The two then noticed Spydey shaking at their words.
Scorpia, frowning, wrapped an arm gently around Spydey, Weava kissing her forehead, hugging her.
"S-sorry…" Spydey said. "I'm slowing us down."
"It's ok, my little spinner..it's ok…" Weava whispered, Spydey blushing slightly at the use of her old pet name. "One of us can scout out ahead while you take a few moments."
"N-no, I'm…I'm gonna be fine. Let's just…focus on finding Kinro and worry about…about all that later."
Scorpia and Weava looked at each other before turning to Spidey again.
"Right…let's hurry up, then." Weava nodded.
The three headed off, eventually finding a place in ruins, with some fresh prints and claw marks.
There.
"...Kinro?" Spydey called out, walking around the place, eventually finding her target/friend.
Just…sitting in front of what looked like a house.
The cyborg opened the door slowly, like he was almost afraid to go in…but in he went.
In there…he saw a bunch of very old claw and teeth marks, long since scorched parts, and…some bones.
He shook at the sight, tears threatening to leave his eyes. He howled angrily and turned to leave…
"Kinro." Spydey greeted, causing Kinro to yelp. "Hey hey hey, calm down!" She said soothingly, raising her hands. "We…we just wanna know what you were talking about, what you're doing here, why'd you run off?"
Kinro stared at her a bit before nodding. "I just… you obviously think highly of him, kid."
"What…" Spydey began, taking a second to compose before continuing. "...what…happened? What did he do? Why?"
"I don't know the why. As for the what…he took several… 'Failed' monsters and made cyborgs of them."
"..." Spydey walked forward, hugging Kinro. "I'm so…so sorry…you went through that…"
"You weren't old enough to know what he was doing."
"Still…if…if he was really doing all that…" Spydey shook. "...so…" She looked up at Kinro, deciding to change the subject. "Do you…remember everything? Your life, friends, family?"
Kinro nodded sadly.
"...I promise you…if there's anything I can do…" Spydey said.
"I…I think I just wanna disappear…"
"But…why?" Spydey asked, frowning.
"I…was made to do things…"
"They weren't your fault…" Spydey argued.
"It was still me…" Kinro responded, breaking the hug. He sighed, then gave the three the Champion's Heart. "Here."
"..."
"You need it to save someone right? Just…do what I couldn't-" Kinro said before Spydey hugged him again.
"...we won't forget you. Or any of this. I promise."
"...Just don't let him make more of me, kiddo." Kinro responded. "And …don't let him know I'm still around, or that you found me."
Spydey nodded. "Cross my heart, webs to spin, lest you put me in the bin!" She made a series of hand motions before she beamed.
Kinro blinked before laughing.
Spydey smiled.
"Alright, hurry on, kid."
The empress nodded, letting go of Kinro. "By the way, what's your real name?"
Kinro shrugged. "Kinro's as real a name as any I've ever had."
"..." Spydey nodded, the trio leaving, Kinro waving goodbye.
…
As the trio continued walking towards where the vision showed the rangers fighting Niknight, Spydey clung the Heart to herself. "Scorpia…Weava…"
"Yes?" Both asked.
"...when we get back…I need an investigation going. Normally I'd confront Owlio about this, but Kinro doesn't want him knowing we found him, and besides that, if he was hiding all this from me…no guarantee he'd tell the truth. I...I don't wanna ask too much of you, but-"
Weava shushed her with a finger on the lips. She smiled. "As you wish."
Spydey blushed. "What did I do to deserve you two?"
"Be yourself. You adorable goof." Weava giggled.
Spydey blushed harder, covering her face with her hands.
The two hugged her closer.
"Let's go. We have rangers to save, don't we?" Weava asked.
Spydey nodded before the three headed off.
Back at the icicle place, Azu was knocked through several icicles of humongous size, landing on the wall before bouncing off of it to avoid a blow from RyuKabuto, while Nazu took to the skies to shoot at RyuKuuga, who deflected them with his blades.
Azu got out her weapon, bringing it down on RyuKabuto, who blocked with his own, two black and crimson clubs, each shaped like a kabuto horn, the two getting into a weapon lock.
"You don't fight like you're brainwashed." Azu noted.
"Excellent deduction, Trashu." He kicked her away, sending one of his clubs at her, jumping and performing an axe kick at her, which she blocked after batting away the club.
"Then why are you doing this?" Azu asked,
"You should know." RyuKabuto answered with a low growl. "Or does everyone you come across just blend together for you?"
Azu froze. "Wh…what? I…I haven't met either of you before…Have I?"
"Don't tell me you don't remember. An innocent woman died, years ago…" RyuKabuto narrowed his eyes, before sending a few hits her way, which she struggled to block before he sent a one-inch punch at her, slamming her into the covered entrance. "Because of you."
Azu rubbed her head, beginning to get up, before her eyes widened.
"It's beginning to come to you, isn't it?" RyuKabuto asked.
"...The Eden Crisis…" Azu realized.
"Yes."
"..." Azu shook, the sights and sounds of that day all coming back to her at once. The screams, explosions…the deaths…
…all, ultimately…by her…
"Oh…Oh Zea…"
"Ayame Hikari." RyuKabuto elaborated, opening his palm, a holographic image of…
Azu was hit with another shock.
That…that woman from the HENSHIN memorial…
The one with the purple streak…
Images flashed through her mind, of the memorial, then of each and every single one of the victims of the Eden Crisis…
Azu started 'breathing' uncontrollably, all of it coming to her at once.
Meanwhile, Nazu got knocked to the ground, kicked into the wall by RyuKuuga.
"Ugh…and you?" Nazu asked, rubbing his head.
Lowering his leg from the high kick he just did, RyuKuuga glared at him. "Why not try missing a shot again? Maybe that'll clue you in." He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe break a leg while you're at it."
Nazu's pupils shrank, instantly picking up on that…
That day…
And one particular person…who screamed and couldn't get up…
"...you…" Nazu muttered.
"As quick as ever."
"But…but how?" Nazu asked.
"Extensive treatment…but without the covert suit…I'm bound to nothing but a wheelchair…and because of that…I wasn't…" He shook. "I wasn't able to save…"
Nazu was silent.
Azu was still in shock at the revelation with RyuKabuto…and the memories along with it, so wasn't able to defend herself being clubbed up into the air, the speedster zooming up the walls before kicking her in the stomach, the butterfly-dragon ranger landing before she was put into a headlock by her attacker.
"Do you even remember her?" RyuKabuto growled at her.
"I…remember…all of them…" Azu grunted, voice shaking, sorrow filling it, the red ranger then elbowing her attacker in the stomach, forcing him to let go, Azu taking to the skies and shooting with her sidearm, firing down at Kabuto, slamming his shoulder and side before he returned fire, slamming her stomach. She took off further into the air, firing more shots at Kabuto, who narrowed his eyes and charged up a shot, dodging a blast before sending his own at one of Azu's wings, sending her careening to the ground, kneeing her in the stomach and sending her into a wall.
Azu grunted, standing up slowly, staring at him silently. She brought her sidearm and blade together, flicking the sidearm into its blade mode, performing an X slash at the ground, throwing up snow, blinding RyuKabuto as she went behind him, attempting to perform an X slash across his back before he quickly sped around and uppercutted her, knocking her weapons away. She groaned but tilted her head back, turning the recoil into a kick into RyuKabuto's chin, sending his clubs away.
RyuKabuto is sent into the air by the kick, head thrown back violently. Both rangers fell to the floor, struggling and groaning as they attempted to be the first one to stand.
They then both took notice of the weapons lying in between them. Glancing at each other for a second, they rushed forward, grabbing the other's weapon in said rush before proceeding to fight anyway, entering a clash.
Nazu fired at RyuKuuga as the navy brother sped around and deflected each shot. Nazu brought out his crossbow, firing with both it and his sidearm, slowly adapting to RyuKuuga's speed by aiming ahead of him, successfully hitting him.
Letting out a tsk, RyuKuuga used his blades to send some blasts back at Nazu, who jumped back, letting the blasts carry him back before he took to the skies, the two glaring at each other entering a series of high speed clashes, air vs ground.
Nazu swiftly spun mid-air, locking his leg around Kuuga's head in order to toss him into a wall, swiftly following up with a charged shot at Kuuga, creating a larger impact.
"Ugh…still got your skills, old timer." Kuuga commented, getting out of the hole made from the impact. "But you're still holding back."
"I'm not trying to kill you." Nazu told him. "I hurt you. I hurt a lot of people that day…I'm trying not to do that anymore." He narrowed his eyes. "However…I have a family to get back to. People who're depending on and love me. And I'll be damned if I die here today. I'm sorry you couldn't save those people…and I'm sorry for ruining your life…but I'm not the kind of man to die so easily."
Kuuga paused, thinking before nodding. "Good, I didn't want today to be easy. May the best man live, Nazu."
Nazu nodded, the two getting into stances.
Meanwhile, the three other rangers were continuing their fight against Niknight, who was fluidly dodging every move and strike of theirs with graceful ease.
Slavi bounced off of Andah's shoulder, sending a punch with her Photanus Knuckle at the toad, who seemed to allow her to hit her, her body glowing a bit.
"Okay… Either she's a masochist or…maybe… I think that glow indicates something bad." Ziga noted.
Andah's eyes widened. "Oooh! Ooh! I love this power!"
"Right!?" Niknight giggled.
"Ohohooooooooo!" Slavi grinned excitedly.
"What're you 'oh-oh'ing about?" Ziga asked, exasperated.
"Ohhh this!" She dodged past Ziga's next attack, headbutted her, and slammed her open palm into the mantis-woman's stomach, sending her flying backwards as a wave pulses from the impact, Ziga tumbling across the ground before standing up with a groan.
"Oh. That." She rubbed her head.
"She stores up hits and sends it back at us!" Slavi fangirled.
"Someone's been reading their super-powers text book!" Niknight grinned approvingly.
"Yeah, cool to see, fucking bitch to fight…" Ziga commented.
"Then all we have to do is overload that ability!" Andah punched her palm.
"You can certainly try!" Niknight sing-songs, dashing over at Ziga again since she was furthest from the other two, flipping up into a hand-stand, wrapping her legs around Ziga's helmet, and tossing her back towards the others.
Andah caught Ziga in a bridal carry, Slavi jumping and locking her legs around NiKnight's head, punching her. This just causes Niknight to giggle again as she glows more and more, running forward to slam Slavi's back into a cave-wall.
"OOF!" Slavi grunted. "Y'know, I'm into ramming, but this is ridiculous!"
"PINK!" Ziga squealed, blushing through her helmet.
"OH COME ON, IT WAS RIGHT THERE! HOW COULD I NOT!?"
"Hahaha! I like you guys!" Niknight laughs, grabbing Slavi's legs and tossing her at the other two rangers.
Ziga and Andah caught Slavi, setting her down.
"Ok," Ziga said. "What's the biggest energy output we can do?"
"From analyzing previous battles, a weapon or Morpher finisher from all three of us is the biggest output we can do." Andah told her.
"Let's do the weapons first." Ziga suggested. "May not finish her, but hopefully it'll fry her power."
"Sounds like a plan." Slavi nods, all three of them taking out their weapons, standby tunes playing as the Tonfa, Yoyo, and Knuckles charged up.
Pulling the triggers, they focused, Slavi grinning. "NOW EAT THIS, SUCKAH!" She yelled out as the three unleashed energy dragons, Niknight preparing to take it. The attacks slam into her and a large cloud is formed.
"... Eat this suckah? Really?" Ziga deadpanned.
"...you didn't get it?" Slavi asked, surprised.
"Ooh! Ooh! I love that show!" Andah fangirled.
"I got it, I'm just groaning at you."
The smoke cleared, and out walked Niknight, who looked out of breath, eyes glowing and sparking along with her marks. "Y'all got pretty close there."
"Crap, looks like we need the other two." Ziga groaned.
"Let's just hope we can endure this until they get here." Andah said determinedly.
"THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!" Niknight called out.
"Shut up, Bender." Ziga said flatly.
"WHOOO!"
Slavi and Andah stared at Ziga in surprise. The mantis woman looked at them and huffed. "I can get some references too, y'know!"
Andah simply laughs, rushing Niknight again. Niknight prepared for the winded up punch Andah seemed to make, only to get slashed with her sidearm blade. She grinned at this, elbowing Andah in the chest, moving to knee her in the face before Slavi jump-kicked her in her own.
"I got her!" Ziga had snuck up behind Niknight and attempted another strike. Niknight had formed a ball of energy, slamming it behind her, Ziga enlarging her helmet's fangs to grab onto the ball, sparks flying as the two pushed against each other. The ball explodes, sending Ziga flying away from Niknight.
Andah's Yoyo flies out, wrapping around Niknight's neck. The green ranger yanked her into a knee to the stomach, Slavi jumping and wrapping her legs around Niknight's neck, attempting to pull her onto the ground. Niknight grabbed Slavi's legs and swung her whole body to slam Slavi into Andah, knocking her away, Slavi attempting to punch Niknight in the face with her knuckles, which the toad woman took before slamming her fist into Slavi.
The pink ranger grunted, throwing Niknight to the ground, jumping and attempting to drop an elbow on her. Niknight spun on her back and jumped up with a pant of effort.
Ziga slammed a tonfa into her face, disorienting her before wrapping her lower arms around her. "Pink! Green! NOW!" Nikight gives her a sultry grin at how they were positioned "SHUDDUP YOU!"
The pink and green rangers pressed the finisher buttons on their morphers, Slavi's legs merging into a snake tail, slithering fast at Niknight before throwing a punch, Andah throwing an enhanced kick at the same time.
"SLITHERING STRIKE/HOPPER KICK!" The two rangers slammed their attacks into Niknight, the toad woman yelling in pain, sparking before sending an elbow into Ziga's stomach, sending her flying.
"We're getting there! Just a bit more!" Ziga grunted.
"N-no! Must… Burn the… Excess…." Niknight grunts with effort as she sparks.
"Simultaneous finisher again?" Andah suggested.
Niknight began to focus, forming another energy ball.
"Yeah, seems like a good idea." Ziga answered. "Attack from all sides this time!"
The rangers spread out and activate their finishers as Niknight charges the energy ball further.
Everyone pressed their buttons, getting into stances, and just as they were about to unleash the finishers, Niknight absorbed the ball unleashing a dark energy explosion at the three, knocking em back. Their suits sparked as they all struggled to their feet.
"We can still…make it through…until they get back…right?" Slavi asked.
"We… Have to… Together…" Ziga groaned, Amy and the others' faces passing through her mind.
Back with Spydey and her amazing friends, they were walking along the path, finding a collapsed structure.
"Odd… The map didn't mention this…" Spydey noted.
"Maybe it's recent?" Scorpia suggested.
"Maybe…then we should find our way around…"
"I'm on it." Weava said, jumped onto and scaled a wall, before looking at the area around the structure, seeing flashes of multicolored light in the distance. "I SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING!"
"...that must be the rangers fighting Niknight!" Spydey realized.
"We better hurry then!" Scorpia said.
"I think I spotted a path over there, let's go!" Weava called out.
The three regrouped and ran to the battle.
Azu was sent tumbling across the ground, RyuKabuto landing in front of her.
"..."
"Nothing to say? No begging for your life? Nothing?" RyuKabuto asked.
"...I'm sorry…" Azu muttered.
"..." RyuKabuto gripped his weapons tightly, glaring at her.
"I shouldn't…I shouldn't have existed…" Azu shook, trembling. "If it wasn't for me…"
RyuKabuto glared, the tips of his clubs glowing. "Too late for that." He kicked her onto her back and stomped on her.
"AZU!" Nazu called out, yelling out as he got slashed at by RyuKuuga.
"Pay attention to your opponent!" Nazu blocked the next several strikes with his sidearm, lifting his leg up to kick RyuKuuga in the stomach and knock him back.
"AZU! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Nazu yells before getting into a weapon lock with RyuKuuga.
Azu just continued taking RyuKabuto's hits, not even bothering to fight back anymore.
"AZU!" Nazu yelled. He growled, pressing a button on his weapon before slashing with his sidearm, pressing the trigger as RyuKuuga staggered back. "DRAGON SHOT!"
He fired, RyuKuuga dodging. "Ya missed. Again." He said coldly as the energy dragon broke out of the structure.
Nazu smirked internally. 'Did I?'
Meanwhile RyuKabuto continued to kick at Azu. "Fight back!"
He lifted her up by the collar, punching her across the face to the ground, kicking her in the back before punching again. "I SAID FIGHT BACK!"
Azu's silent, lifting her head to look at him…and he could swear…he saw nothing but utter remorse in her eyes. His whole arms trembled as he slammed her face into his knee, cracking her helmet, throwing her into the wall, desperate for her to lash out, to justify this, but Azu simply slumped to the floor as he readied a finisher.
The three rangers barely stood standing, cracks in their armor, soot all over their outfits.
"How much longer… do you think?..." Slavi pants.
"Can't… Keep this up… Much more…" Ziga grunts.
"Welp…" Niknight said, holding onto her side, glowing. "Guess your team won't make it…"
"Heh…too bad." Andah chuckled.
"Yeah… Gah this… sucksssss…" Slavi groans standing up more. "Just hope…they're doing alright…"
"Ziga…" Andah began. "Amy's waiting for you."
"Andah… Don't you dare…"
Andah stood protectively in front of Ziga as Niknight charged up an attack. "..." She looked back at Ziga, giving a thumbs up.
"NO! No no no nononono," Ziga tries to move, struggling from her injuries.
Just as Niknight was about to fire, three energy balls struck her back, making her miss.
"NIKNIGHT!" A voice bellowed, everyone turning to see the three arachnids in their winter gear, standing on a nearby cliff.
"Huh… Unexpected, looks like yall got rescued after all."
"RANGERS!" Spydey called out.
"Huh?" The three blinked in confusion before the spider woman held up…a familiar lookin object.
"This what you're lookin for?"
"The…champion's heart…" Ziga's eyes widened.
Niknight grinned, about to use her tongue to grab it, only for Scorpia to deflect it with her whip sword.
"Niknight." The knight spoke.
"This ends." Weava continued.
"Tonight!" Spydey concluded, the three ready for battle.