Angel Grove, California, Earth
20 minutes earlier…
The Youth Center was bustling with activity, as it usually was on weekday afternoons after school was out. The most popular hangout spot in town showed no signs of decline in its booming business, as one person seemed to enter the exact moment another left. Buttons were furiously mashed and joysticks jerked this way and that at arcade machines, the players either pumping their fists victoriously or hanging their heads in shame. One teen pounded wildly on a punching bag while another held it tightly, a group of friends cheering the attacker on. Another group sat at the Youth Center's bar, chatting and laughing amongst each other while a man in a Hawaiian shirt behind the counter kept the delicious drinks coming for newcomers.
At one of the many tables stationed just past the counter, a group of six teenagers dressed in various colors had their eyes on a brown-skinned boy dressed in a black leather jacket. The teen finished off his story with a knowing smile on his face. "And then he said, 'Nothing interesting ever happens around here!'"
Two girls dressed in a yellow t-shirt and a pink top erupted with laughter, followed closely by another boy wearing glasses while decked out in blue overalls. "Where's he living, under a rock?"
"That's what I said! I mean, how can you say something like that when you're standing smack-dab in the home of the Power Rangers?"
"That guy needs to watch the news more often!" The girl in yellow chuckled while attempting to regain her composure. "He's new, right?"
"Duh!" the boy in blue immediately responded. "He's got a lot to catch up on, Trini. It's not every day you move to a town that's frequently attacked by monsters."
"Y'know, that sounds like a reason you should not move there, Billy," the girl in pink countered. "It's only because of…" Her eyes darted around the center before continuing. "...certain individuals that made this place a real hotspot."
"Kim's got a point, Zack," a young man in a green jacket spoke up as he set down his smoothie. "The Power Rangers made themselves celebrities thanks to all the monsters they've beaten. And more people coming here means more people in danger. Keeping them all safe is… risky, I'll say that. But they don't let that stop them."
"That's one way of putting it, Tommy." the boy in a red Angel Grove t-shirt continued, giving his partner a satisfied nod. "The only reason some of these people are staying put is because they know they're safe. They know the Rangers are out there watching over them. But… there's something that's been bugging me."
"What's wrong, Jason?" The girl in yellow had a brief look of concern, an expression mirrored on the others' faces. The boy in red looked lost in thought for a moment before giving his explanation. "It's been a while since she made a move. And that worries me."
"A while?" the boy in black chuckled. "Those monsters attack, what, once every week?" The teen in red shook his head. "It's not a monster that's on my mind, Zack. It's the lack of one. And if nothing shows up, that can only mean…"
Deet deet deet-deet deet-deet!
All six teenagers glanced down at their wrists, noticing something they were careful not to display in public. When they turned back to each other, their eyes said the same knowing message. "...that something else is afoot." Jason finished. Tommy was already rising from his seat and gesturing for the door. "Let's not keep him waiting, guys." While the other teens finished up, Kimberly sighed as she pushed her chair away and muttered to herself. "What time is it, anyway?"
"Well, obviously, it's-"
"Zack!" she quickly hissed, instantly silencing her friend while hoping nobody had overheard. "Not what I meant!"
Jason quickly glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "Four o'clock. Perfect timing. Let's hit the lockers and make our way from there." The others followed Jason away from the table and towards the youth center's doors. He expected their absence wouldn't go unnoticed… and in a place like this, his expectations were always met.
"You guys leaving already?" The bartender called from the counter in surprise. "What's the big rush?"
"Sorry I couldn't stick around, Ernie," Jason readily apologized while his friends walked through the doors, some of them waving goodbye to the man. "I promised the guys I'd help them study for that biology test next Wednesday. I promise I'll be in for that karate class, though."
"Of course," the man smiled. "You're a good kid, Jason! Take care!" Jason returned the farewell with the best casual smile and nod he could muster before closing the door behind him. With that out of the way, Ernie resumed his work with a chuckle. "Those kids always got somewhere to be. They've got a lot on their mind after all… hey, who ordered the Tricera-Squeeze with extra blueberries?"
…
Now
Dark. Everything was dark. And everything hurt. Jason felt like he had lost focus, mistimed a kick, or forgotten to keep track of his balance. His head was on fire, his mind was spinning, and his nerves felt numb… What had happened to him?
Light shone through, urging the teen to crack open a pair of brown eyes and instinctively raise a hand to his dark hair. An exhausted groan escaped his throat and he blinked away the blinding glare of the sun… that was the sun, right? Yeah, that was fresh air he was inhaling right now. His vision came into full focus, and the first thing Jason noticed when he sat up was that he was surrounded by trees.
He was in a forest. Was he outside the city? How did he get there? The last thing he remembered was him and the other Rangers leaving the youth center. Anything and everything past that point were… hazy. Jason blinked, withdrawing his arm.
Wait.
Since when did he have a black fingerless glove with a red stripe?
Jason tore his eyes away from the woods and looked down at himself. He wasn't in his usual getup… and he wasn't in his Ranger form, either. First off, he was wearing a bright-red and black two-tone partial-zip jacket that looked rather snazzy. He spied another fingerless glove on his opposite hand, clenching his fists to test them out. A little snug, but he'd work with that. Jason caught something else from the corner of his vision: scarlet shoulder pads almost like a knight's that resembled T-Rex heads if he looked hard enough. Adding onto that look were two carmine vambraces resting on his arms. Jason flexed his arms a little, noting how the armor pieces moved flawlessly with his movements.
Upon glancing downward, Jason spotted a black leather belt lined with… crystals? Why would he have crystals? Aside from the Power Crystal he used whenever one of his friends was in danger to teleport to them or take control of his Zord, he didn't need much use for them. These crystals looked tinier than the Power Crystal; small enough to fit in the center of his palm. He'd need to find out what they were for later.
Past the belt was a pair of sleek crimson pants with a triangular white pattern that reminded Jason of teeth. They didn't feel too tight or too loose on him, so that was a plus. Finally, he noticed red-black combat boots with white laces on his feet that appeared rather durable; great for fighting or traveling long distances. Speaking of travel, Jason decided he needed to get moving. First off, he needed to contact the-
The Red Ranger paused, taking in the sight of a taught scarlet strap across his chest that went from his right shoulder to his left hip. Curiosity took over as Jason allowed his right hand to trail upwards along the strap until he felt something solid and circular. Getting a tight grip on the object, Jason pulled it out…
…and with a ring of metal, the teen was nearly shaken with surprise at what he now held: a sword. A steel blade reflected the sunlight and allowed Jason to catch his stunned reflection on its surface. A pointed crimson guard and a black-red hilt caught his eye as well, but the weapon's appearance was only part of why he was confused.
Was this supposed to be the Power Sword? He saw no emblem nor a guard that angled towards the blade, so that couldn't be right. Besides, he wasn't morphed. Jason also spied what felt like a button- probably from a poor manufacturer- along the hilt, but dismissed it. Weapons weren't his primary concern and he forced his thoughts elsewhere. Sheathing the sword, Jason turned back to his arm to see if…
The wristwatch-like device on his left arm gave him the answer he needed. The teen pressed down on his communicator and cleared his throat. "Power Rangers, report in." No response came, even after five seconds of waiting. Jason's brow furrowed and he pressed down again. "Rangers, this is Jason. Come in."
Still nothing. Maybe if he tried individual channels? Jason made the proper adjustments before speaking into it again.
"Billy, are you there? Come in, Billy." He was met with only silence.
"Zack, you copy?" Nothing.
"Trini, it's Jason. Do you read me?" No crackle, no responding voice… this wasn't looking good.
"Kimberly, come in. Kim, you read?" Nothing again. Jason took a deep breath, desperately pleading that the last contact would give him some results. "Tommy, you there? The others aren't picking up."
More silence. Maybe he hadn't heard? "Tommy? Jason to Tommy! Hello?" He tapped the communicator for good measure… but nothing came through. Jason huffed in frustration and lowered his arm. Terrific. Just terrific. Maybe his communicator was busted. The Red Ranger diverted his attention to his surroundings again. The woods and the clear sky looked familiar enough: at least he was still on Earth… right?
It was when Jason looked at the path ahead that he noticed what he was standing in. It was supposed to be a nice dirt path that cut through the woods… but a large chunk of it had been blasted away, leaving nothing but a huge crater. A crater Jason was standing smack-dab in the middle of.
"Um… oops?" Had he taken a hit? A blast to the face? Or had he been… no, he would've been a puddle if that happened. Unless he was morphed and the impact was enough to short it out, the power sparing him from the worst of it. Wait, there was something in there with him. Jason walked over and bent down, picking up a glinting object: a small device that contained a gold coin of a roaring Tyrannosaurus Rex, the words "POWER RANGERS" on display around the coin. Jason allowed himself to smile.
"Can't leave without this," he chuckled, pocketing the morpher as he stood up and moved out of the crater. With no clear destination in mind, he hiked down the dirt path and took in the sights of the woodland. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary; the trees looked normal, distant birdsong sounded normal, and a nearby deer paused from its grazing to watch the human pass by. Jason exhaled in relief; he was without a doubt still on Earth.
So where were the other Rangers? Captured, maybe? If they were, Tommy would figure something out. Jason had grown fond of his new friend, as he possessed almost all the qualities of a true leader. He wasn't there yet, but Jason didn't doubt that Tommy would make a great leader someday, perhaps if Jason himself was taken out of action or without his morpher. And the others? They'd handle whatever situation they were in just fine. But he wasn't having much luck in finding them at this rate. Maybe they were worried about him as much as he was worried about them.
Luckily, Jason had a fallback plan. If he couldn't find his friends, he'd track down some locals. The trail he was on had to lead somewhere, after all. And once he did, he'd ask the people if they saw anyone… minus the part about them being superheroes and all that. And any hints of civilization out here would either be a village or a small town, hopefully someplace welcoming. Fortune seemed to smile upon the Red Ranger when he noticed the end of the path- and the forest- giving way to a clearing…
…that replaced the now-absent birdsong with roaring and terrified screaming.
With no time to waste, Jason broke into a run towards the town, the thoughts of his friends and whereabouts now all but forgotten. A hole had been blown in the town's wall, so Jason charged right through the breach until he was surrounded by houses and fleeing citizens. Mothers cradled children, men ushered civilians inside, and he saw panic everywhere he looked.
Spotting someone nearby, Jason quickly pulled the civilian aside while taking extra care not to harm him. "What's happening here?!" The terror-stricken man was quick to shake himself free from Jason's grip before continuing his hasty retreat. "Grim! GRIM!" he screamed until his voice joined the frightened mass.
Jason, however, was utterly confused. Grim? Grim what? How was that supposed to help him?
"AAAAIIIIIIEEEE!" A terrified scream drew Jason to the town square, his fists balled and ready for attack. That stance threatened to drop when his eyes laid on… on… he didn't know where to begin with them. Monsters, dozens of monsters, were swarming the town square, monsters very different from the average Putty Patroller or another of Rita's goons. The beasts were black as night with burning red eyes, white bone structure coating them like armor, and deadly spikes protruding from their bodies. They looked like something out of a nightmare.
A petrified squeal cut through their air, alerting Jason that the square wasn't empty. A little girl had fallen and was scrambling to get away, tears leaking from her eyes as one of the monsters- a werewolf-like creature- stalked towards her like the predator it resembled. Jason didn't recognize any of the monsters in the slightest…
…but he knew trouble when he saw it.
All rational thought abandoned him as he slammed his body into full throttle, charging for the creature as fast as he could. The poor little child was too terrified to move, her frantic wails devolving into petrified whimpers. The monster's haunting jaws opened like a trapdoor, ready to snap shut around its helpless victim.
"HI-YAH!" Jason jumped into a leaping kick and smashed his foot against the beast's skull, the impact knocking the creature away. The dark creature hit the ground hard, dazed by the blow. Jason spun to face the girl, who was now staring at him with tear-stained eyes and a combination of awe and confusion.
"Get inside! Now!"
The kid didn't object to the order, already getting to her feet and running away as fast as her little legs could go. A low growl drew Jason back to the beast, the monster clutching its head with a clawed limb and shaking it. Its ilk was also beginning to notice the Ranger: an entire pack of the wolf-things and several larger ones that resembled monstrous bears, eerie smoke rising from their forms. Growls, roars, and snarls all rang out as they crept for the human, who assumed a standard karate stance.
Focus. Wait for them to make the first move. Keep your eyes peeled for which of them attacks first. Be ready for anything.
The monster he had just kicked in the face lunged at him first- understandable- with bloodthirsty fury and a savage howl. Jason weaved to the side and allowed the beast to eat dirt before sprinting into the fray. Muscle memory took full control when the horde attacked, swinging all four limbs at the snarling maws and flesh-ripping claws. If he was anyone else, going up against malicious monsters like these ugly things would be a death wish.
But Jason was a Power Ranger. And Power Rangers never back down.
Jason somersaulted over swiping claws, slid underneath snapping jaws, and struck back with powerful blows that came close to cracking the beasts' bone masks. Landing a fierce uppercut to a wolf-thing's jaw, the Red Ranger turned to nail a bear creature in the leg with a strong kick, toppling the beast and leaving it wide open for a downward smash to the skull. One of the wolf monsters struck from the side but missed badly as Jason vaulted over it.
"Oh, so you wanna play, doggie?!" he taunted, drawing his sword in midair. "How about fetch?!" Jason hurled his weapon like a javelin, the blade embedding into the monster's head with a sickening crunch. Jason easily retrieved it upon descent and yanked the blade out, the beast mysteriously disintegrating into dust. Not unlike the Putties that exploded into stony rubble, but no cleanup afterward is a win for him.
"Okay, boys!" Jason called out. "Anyone else want a piece?" More roars and snarls were the only response he got when more of the bear things moved in. "Guess you're not one for banter, huh?" He struck a ready stance, both hands gripping his weapon's hilt- which he noticed was lighter than normal, surprisingly- and staring down the horde before him. "Then bring it on."
Another wolf monster was all too willing to oblige, swiping for Jason with a shadowy limb. That appendage was swiftly severed by a quick slash, and another strike across the throat left it lying on the ground. Jason dove into his usual routine of well-practiced movements, slicing at the beasts and cutting down any who approached him easily. His enemies' movements told Jason enough about them: they acted like feral beasts, but they were no ordinary animal that was abused or diseased. Their very state of being felt unnatural; to the point where the only other word Jason could describe them as was "demons". Had Rita finally outdone herself? What kind of evil magic did she come across to spawn these nightmares of nature?
Burying his blade in a downed bear monster's skull and extracting it just as swiftly, the Red Ranger shot a ferocious look at the rest of the beasts. They had ceased their attack, presumably because their prey was depleting their numbers with ease. Several of the wolf-things were circling Jason like a pack, snarling while eying their victim hungrily. Their burning red eyes seemed to glare into Jason's very soul, but he wouldn't allow himself to be intimidated so easily.
If anything, they would be the ones intimidated by him. Never breaking his gaze from the horde of darkness that surrounded him from all sides, Jason holstered his blade before reaching behind his back…
"IT'S MORPHIN' TIME!" He cried, whipping out his morpher and swiftly holding it in front of him before any of the beasts could comprehend what he was doing. "TYRANNOSAURUS!" Pressing the switch on the side, Jason readied himself for what was about to come. The rush of energy and a surge of power would instantly spread throughout his form, granting him superhuman abilities and a sweet look to boot. And once that was done, he'd lay the hurt on these-
Jason's train of thought quickly derailed when he felt no such sensation. All he heard was the click of the device…
…and nothing else?
"What?" A sudden force tackled the stunned Ranger to the ground before he could get another word out, pinning him in place and knocking his morpher out of his reach. Jason's mind slammed back into survival mode and he grabbed the deadly maw that was now inches from his face, putting all his might into holding the snapping jaws- and the horrible stench of the creature's breath- at bay. Jason quickly responded with a strong jab to the creature's eye, then a swift kick to bash the beast away.
Springing back to his feet and drawing his sword again, Jason couldn't help but wonder what just happened. His morpher… it didn't work? How? Did it get damaged somehow? Jason didn't notice any signs before, a fact he silently chastised himself for.
No! Stop it! Strange monsters now, morpher problems later!
The Red Ranger rolled away from a bear monster slamming the ground, cutting it across the shoulder. The beast only roared in what Jason believed was a mix of pain and anger before promptly swatting the teen with that limb. All the breath still in Jason's lungs abandoned him at that moment, painfully giving him the message that these things were tougher than they looked. The world spun around him as he hit the ground, leaving his vision briefly blurred. A dazed moan left the Ranger's throat and he instinctively began to raise himself up…
…only for an inhuman hand to slam his head back down, leaving the Ranger sandwiched between the monster and the ground. Jason couldn't see much of anything, even as he thrashed around under its grip. He refused to let this be the end, even as he felt the monster's hot breath and its hungry snarl near the back of his throat. While most of his head was restricted, Jason bared his teeth to the best of his ability. If he could just free any of his limbs, he could be able to-
A sharp swish cut through the air, the noise and the wind Jason felt on his back cutting off both his current thought and the monster's vocalizations. The forces acting against him halted, finally allowing him to push his head off the ground. The first thing Jason noticed was a loud thump to his left: the headless body of the wolf-beast that was already dissipating into nothing. The second was a little more… bizarre.
Floating through the air was… Jason wasn't sure he was seeing this right… were those flower petals? He didn't see a garden anywhere in this town. So-
"Hey! You okay?"
A startled Jason spun onto his back in response to the sudden feminine voice. The curiosity that was flooding through him soon turned to confusion when he saw his rescuer. He had half a mind to expect either Trini or Kim… but that wasn't who he saw.
It was a girl that looked a year younger than Jason, who was smiling at him almost innocently. A pair of grayish eyes glinted in the sunlight as if the sight was enough to calm him down. The girl had neck-length black hair with the tips dyed red- or was that natural?- and she wore a black blouse ending in a skirt with a red cloak fastened to it. Jason also spotted a waist cincher with the emblem of a rose on it and black combat boots with red laces.
Jason opened his mouth, but the words he was about to say died in his throat when a shadow loomed over the child: a wolf-monster leaping with claws and fangs bared, ready to sink into the kid like a candy bar.
"LOOK-"
Another swoosh, this one more intense than the last, tore through the air and blew through Jason's hair. The Ranger's panic degraded into more confusion on a level that matched the monster's, which seemingly ignored Jason while it wondered where the easier victim had vanished to. More flower petals fluttered to the ground where the girl once stood…
"...out?" Jason breathed.
"Actually, hold that thought!" Both Jason and the monster jerked their heads to the side, where the mysterious girl now held… a giant red scythe? Now, Jason had an entire mind to yell at the girl to run, to get out of there while he took care of business. Plus, that thing looked twice her size, there was no way she could-
The wolf-beast lunged at the girl again with a feral snarl, only for its jaws to snap on empty air when the girl leaped over it. Landing on its back, the girl positioned her weapon beneath the monster's chin. Before both the monster or Jason could blink, there was a sharp bang and the scythe had decapitated the creature like a knife through butter.
Scrambling back to his feet, Jason blinked at the girl that he had no words for. That shouldn't have been possible thanks to the weapon's structure! How-? Again, his thoughts were silenced, this time by a chorus of roars as the entire horde of monsters charged for the girl. The Red Ranger instinctively drew his sword again and broke into a sprint. "You stay away from-!"
More slicing sounds reached his ears, followed by howls of pain and roars of agony. One of the wolf monsters was cleaved in half at the waist, allowing the girl to break through the circle of monsters and slice a wolf thing that gave chase. Five more scampered after the girl, and the girl spun her scythe as if it was nothing but a lightweight staff as they neared. In quick succession, she chopped them up and separated limbs- and heads- from black bodies. Jason swore he heard a yelp from one of the beasts before a guttural roar drew both of them to a towering bear monster.
The girl pointed her weapon at the creature, but only the top was aimed at it instead of the blade. Before she could do anything else, the monster raised its front legs, ready to smash her into the ground. The girl's eyes widened for the faintest of seconds before she retreated most unusually.
The girl didn't run or jump away but instead vanished in a shower of rose petals nearly too fast for Jason to see. The trail looped around the bear thing, revealing the girl in midair aiming the top of her scythe at the monster's nape. There was a flash of light and another "bang" noise that resulted in the beast falling flat on its face with half its head blown off, disintegrating before Jason could get a closer look at it.
Several more gunshots (Gunshots? From a scythe?) rang through the air, drawing Jason back to the girl. She moved like a flash as she sliced up the monsters with ease, dashing back and forth in a flurry of petals and firing at those farthest from her. All it took to down just one of the beasts was a single shot that acted like a high ballistic bullet of some kind. She never stopped moving either on the ground or in the air, spent shells and rose petals alike fluttering by her feet. Jason was left completely stunned as he watched her deadly dance, his sword resting forgotten at his side.
"I think I've lost my mind…" he muttered to himself. "One moment, my morpher's not working, and the next, I'm rescued by a girl who can turn herself into flowers and has a scythe twice as tall as she is… which is also a gun."
Jason debated whether or not to assist the girl- did she really need help?- until more growls reached his ears. His strange savior hadn't gotten the attention of every monster on the scene, as some of the wolf-things were prowling towards him. The Red Ranger readied his blade, hoping that cutting down some of these things would temporarily take his mind off the many, many questions swirling around in there.
"Okay, back to act-" He felt his thumb press down on the irregularity he found on the hilt- the button- and his entire weapon shifted in the blink of an eye. The blade retracted, the guard rearranged itself, and the hilt repositioned by sliding forward while the rest of the weapon angled itself into a new configuration.
Jason's earlier confusion returned tenfold, as did the question, as he realized he wasn't holding a sword anymore: he was holding what looked like a crimson assault rifle with a bayonet attached to it. "What- how-"
Another roar alerted him to the monsters, one of them already leaping for him. Jason didn't know what happened next, but he felt like his body moved on its own. All in a second, he raised his changed weapon and pulled the trigger without hesitation. The next, the beast collapsed with a hole through its chest and dissipated instantly. The rest immediately charged at the Ranger, leaving him with no time for questions. Jason dove into a roll and popped back up in a crouch, laying down fire on the beasts and mowing them down in a single sweep. It was all over so fast, even he didn't recognize it until the wisps of smoke had vanished.
Now that he wasn't in any imminent danger anymore, Jason looked over what… what his sword had just turned into. How was this even possible? Was this even real? It felt as much when he ran his fingers along the length of the rifle, but there was another pressing matter. Jason worked better with a blaster pistol… and now, he just gunned down a bunch of wolf monsters like they were nothing? With a rifle?
What the heck was happening here?
"Excuse me!" Jason was snapped out of his thoughts by the girl from earlier, who was still cleaving black beasts like paper. "Didn't mean to rain on your parade, so could you lend a hand with these last few stragglers?" She and her weapon seemed to move as one as she cut down another wolf creature behind her.
"Uh, s-sure! G-Gimme a sec!" Jason was struggling to find his voice now, but he turned his attention back to his weapon. He ran his hand over it again until he found that same button that was once on the sword's hilt, now resting on the rifle's grip. If pressing it turned it into this, then…
His thumb clicked the button, causing the entire rifle to shift and change once again. Before Jason could blink, it had reverted to the shape of a sword, filling Jason's body with relief. He picked the blade up, glad to have some sense of familiarity back with him. He looked up just in time to see the girl cartwheeling away from a bear thing that tore up the ground as it pursued. Trying his hardest to just shove the questions to the back of his mind and make them stay there, Jason put on a fierce face and marched towards the beast.
"HEY! Grizzly! Didn't anybody teach you not to pick on little girls?!"
Both monster and human spun to Jason, the latter with her mouth open in shock. "Little?! You can't be that much older than I am!" Jason ignored the girl's retort as he sprinted towards the beast, who shambled forward on all fours with another growl. The Red Ranger leaped over a paw swipe and landed right on its back, driving the blade into the creature's form with a triumphant shout. The monster immediately recoiled in pain, forcing Jason to hold onto his weapon as his only hope was to stay on. The beast reared like a bull and tossed its body in every direction to try and shake Jason off. Too many of the sudden movements proved to be unfortunate for the Ranger, whose grip slipped from his blade. He hit the ground hard, enough to knock the wind out of him again.
He was back on his feet in no time, though, staring down the monster and the few remaining others like it while the girl with the scythe stood by his side. The bear thing looked mad about the sword lodged in its back, an enraged bellow erupting from its abyssal maw. The wolves echoed with their own snarls and growls, a howl or two among the gathered pack.
Jason knew that they were trying to intimidate him. But they were failing. After what he had seen, fought, and defeated as a Power Ranger, black monsters with bony armor, glowing red eyes, and smoke coming from their bodies were nothing to him. They outnumbered him, that much was true. But they didn't overpower him. The strong, unquenchable urge to show these creatures their place burned heavily in the Red Ranger's heart and instinct threatened to take over from there.
The first step: show them he wasn't afraid of them.
Over the deafening roars of the gathered monsters that stampeded towards him, Jason stood firm… and roared back.
It was meant to be a show of dominance. A sign of defiance. A challenge, even, to give him their worst. But what was supposed to be a challenging shout that broke from Jason's throat was anything but. A rumbling sensation exploded into a powerful bellow of titanic proportions, filling the air with a primal, thunderous roar that blew the beasts off their feet, swept away by bright red sonic pulses in a cone of wind. The force was strong enough to finish off the weakened wolves, but the bear thing was unfortunate enough to land on its back where Jason's sword still rested. The impact shoved the blade in further, and the beast gave a final groan of pain before slowly breaking down into dust.
Then there was silence. No more monsters remained to challenge the Red Ranger… who now stood with wide brown eyes and two hands clasped over his mouth. The gray-eyed girl, on the other hand, stood in shock with her mouth slightly ajar and her oversized scythe hanging low.
Jason was too stunned to speak, fearful that if he did, he would blow something else away with just his voice. Another question- as if he didn't have enough- was at the forefront of his attention. Was… was that me? What did I just do? The boy slowly touched two fingers to his throat, clearing it for safe measure. It felt normal, but…
"That… was… AMAZING!" the girl practically shrieked in his ear, making Jason flinch. "I've never seen a Semblance that focuses on pure sound! And that sword! Did you make it yourself? You're a natural! For a student, I mean! I don't know many Huntsmen that can take on Grimm unarmed for as long as you did, but-" She caught herself before she could go on, giving the boy a sheepish smile. "S-sorry. I ramble when I'm excited."
Jason didn't know what to say, or even if it was safe to speak at all. The girl did nothing to help his situation other than unload a bunch more questions onto him. For the love of Zordon, enough with the questions! He mentally pleaded. At this rate, he'd explode from dying to know the answers to all of them, but demanding would get him nowhere. He wouldn't want to be rude to the girl who saved his life, after all.
"Is it safe? Are the Grimm gone?" A distant voice asked from a nearby building. Both teens turned to the village, with the girl giving the man inside a comforting smile. "Yep! You're all clear! Everyone okay?" Relieved sighs came from both the man and other civilians, who stepped out into the daylight. Congratulatory cheers and applause rang out from all around, which made the girl chuckle and slightly blush.
"Aw, it was nothing! R-really! Heh heh!"
Jason felt a smile curl on his lips when he turned to the gathered crowd, who gave an occasional thank-you and several mentions of the word "huntsmen". Instead of mentally asking what that meant, Jason just chose to accept it… while stashing it away for later. "Is anybody hurt?" he asked absentmindedly, a weight lifting off him when no sonic boom came with those words.
"The town's perimeter will need to be repaired," someone said. "But other than that, we're all fine. Thank you so much, young Huntsman!" Jason smiled again at the praise. "Please, there's no need. I'm just doing my job." Attention wasn't the primary reason he was made a Ranger, though it did feel pretty-
Rangers…
"Actually," Jason spoke up over the crowd, a thought crossing his mind. "There is something I believe you could help me with." The voices all quieted and all eyes were on him in an instant. "I'm looking for my team. We got separated and I don't know where they could be."
"Ooh! I can help with that!" The girl immediately replied, giving Jason a warm smile. Her weapon was nowhere to be seen now, leaving the Red Ranger wondering where she kept such a thing concealed on her person. "Ruby Rose, Huntress-to-be!"
Ruby. That was a nice name. He held out his hand in a welcoming manner. "I'm Jason." For a moment, he thought he saw perplexedness on the girl's face, but that quickly vanished when she took his hand and shook it more vigorously than he would have preferred. "What kind of… never mind! Nice to meet you, Jason! What team do you belong to?"
"Uh…" Jason began with a chuckle. "It's kind of a long story." Another pent-up thought revealed itself while the crowd dispersed, already set on repairs. "Listen… Ruby, was it?" The sun looked the same, the terrain was the same, the people and animals were the same… but the monsters, the weapons, and the girl that could turn into flowers and fly around? He needed to know for sure now.
"Do you know of a place called Angel Grove?"
The girl raised an eyebrow with childish curiosity. "Um… no? Why?"
Dang it. Definitely not Earth. Jason needed a plan… and maybe it involved this energetic girl somehow. "I'll explain later. Right now, I need to find my friends. You said you wanted to help, right?"
"Of course I can!" Her cheerful demeanor was back. "So, what do your friends look like, Jason?"
"I've got five," he immediately explained. "Three boys in blue, black, and green, and two girls in yellow and pink." Ruby's smile dropped again suspiciously. "Waaaiiiit… what kind of Huntsman team has more than-" She inhaled sharply and her twinkling eyes went wide. "Ohmigosh, are you an elite strike force?! Like the Ace Ops?! What do you call yourselves?!"
"Whoa, whoa, easy!" Jason interjected. "Like I said, I'll explain later! I promise! But for now, do you know of someplace you can take me? Like a hangout spot or a…"
"Well…" Ruby began as she tapped her foot. "If you're looking for a little rest and recovery, I can take you to my house on Patch! I mean, I just started semester break, but that doesn't mean I can't get a little more extracurricular activities in if you know what I mean!"
Jason didn't know what she meant, but he didn't bother to say so out loud. "Okay, so… lead the way, I guess." Ruby was all too happy to oblige. "You bet! Oh, my friends are so gonna hear about you, Jason!" She turned and sprinted away, beckoning the Red Ranger to follow. He followed in a light jog, picking up his discarded weapon on the way… until something else caught his eye.
His morpher lay on the ground, prompting Jason to walk over and scoop up the device. The strange occurrence that had happened earlier replayed itself over and over as he followed Ruby out of the town. Making sure to pocket the morpher before the girl could notice it, Jason recalled everything that had happened since he had woken up.
So, he found himself in a strange place with no memory of how he got there, the only clue being the crater where he had regained consciousness. His friends were missing and he couldn't contact them, and there was little he could do about that. His clothes and his weapon were different, with his sword now being able to turn into a gun. His morpher wasn't working for some reason, and he didn't dare try to morph again in front of another person lest he break the rule. And what was the strangest of all was that he could now roar like a T-Rex.
Jason had questions; questions he had to answer in time. And he had the feeling that this new girl he just met- Ruby Rose- could give him the answers he needed. Feeling confident already, the Red Ranger jogged after the cloaked girl that threatened to vanish into the woods at any time, occasionally calling out for her to wait or slow down. Find the others, find out where they are… and find a way to get back. Simple, right?
Well, if Jason knew anything about being a Ranger… it was that nothing was ever as simple as it appeared.
