Captain Blues: Enjoy a Blue Episode!
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Final Mix
Episode Six: A Former Friend and a Mythical Mask(Part One)
[Location: Cranston Residence
POV: Billy Cranston]
"Dear Katherine,
I hope everything is going well with you because things haven't been so easy lately.
It's been two weeks since Trini and Zack's huge argument and things had become a lot more strained. Now that Zack knew how Trini had felt about him, he had been spending less time with us. Not because he was mad at anyone, but because he wanted to keep the peace with his friends and opted to be the one to leave.
Everyone, of course, was devastated by this but after that, Jason lost his cool and yelled at Trini for what she had done but Kimberly and I defended her, telling him that she wasn't in her right mind during their argument. Which was true mind you.
She was overcome with rage and bitterness over something that had occurred between the two of them and the medication she was taking exacerbated her emotions to uncontrollable degrees.
Thankfully, Jason understood after we set up some choice examples for him.
But that didn't change the fact that Kim and I were upset with her and to a lesser extent, Zack as well. We are still unaware of what caused this situation and while Zack is unaware, Trini is keeping it quiet, and close to her chest once again.
Watching those two like this brings back the phantom pains of my parents' bitter divorce and the dissolution of my friendship with my first best friend. But somehow, this feels so much worse because I can see the agony on both Kim and Jason's faces as we are forced between the two people they view as siblings.
Whatever is going on between them is honestly breaking apart our "family" and I can't stand to see us shattered like this…
Honestly…I wish you were here to help me with all of this and to bring that brand of blunt honesty I know you employ but I do know that you're in Australia and while you can't help me by my side, you'll find a way to help me from there. Meanwhile, how have you been?
I know you've been practicing your high diving for your Pan Global tryout and I think you'll make it just fine but be careful. I don't want you practicing too hard now. You nearly knocked yourself silly when you did that last.
Well, that's all I have to tell you this time. And thanks for the boomerang. I have never really seen one like this before. I'll have to send you something next time. Well, I have to get ready for my event tonight. I hope you sleep well and take care…
So until next time,
-William Cranston."
After writing the letter, Billy took it to the mailbox and slipped it inside before patting the top of the blue box.
A year ago, his school had some sort of Pen-Pal exchange with Australia and he was paired up with a rather cute girl named Katherine "Kat" Hillard.
He was only doing it for an assignment but after trading a few letters back and forth, it turned out they had a lot in common and despite the program's end, they continued to speak to each other.
She was like his private confidant when he really needed to speak to someone about his troubles but of course, he did have to omit some things out of course in his letters (like being a ranger) but that didn't change anything.
He just hoped the letter got there safe and sound.
But now that he managed to finish it, he had some time to think about all that transpired.
At first, he was truly upset that his friend Trini could do something like that to Zack but when he realized that she might have thought he was Swan Song, It made it easier to deal with but Kimberly told him something that worried him.
She believed that Trini knew it was Zack the entire time.
Kimberly had overheard Trini saying something to Zack at the end of the bout and it made him curious.
They all knew that they had been friends since they were born but their friendship was severely strained due to some mysterious matter and while Zack seemed to not know, Trini continued to despise him for whatever it was.
"Enough of this mindless thinking," Billy muttered to himself, a negative tone at the edge of his voice. He didn't want to spend time dwelling on this sad matter between his two friends because tonight, he had the third match at his high school's pro-wrestling event which made him happier.
When he told the others that he would join the Angel Grove wrestling Circuit a few weeks back, they were stunned, to say the least.
As he theorized before, the power coins may have been subconsciously bringing up moves and skills that he had seen before in the countless wrestling shows that he watched and used that knowledge to increase his combat skills, effectively using him as a puppet to protect him.
While this was unnerving, he couldn't say that it wasn't needed as his skills are subpar outside of the suit. Which is why he decided to do this. He needed to better his wrestling skills and this would be the place to do it.
Not only to protect himself but his friends as well.
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open at the thought of his event, and looked down at his watch and nearly gasped.
He was late!
[Location: Angel Grove High School Locker Room
POV: Billy Cranston]
"What took you so long, Cranston?! You're late!"
A haggard-looking Billy came running into the gym locker room to see the head coach in there with his arms crossed.
"I apologize, coach, I had a lot of other things I had to attend too and I lost track of ti-" Billy stopped when he saw the older man hold up his hand, halting his apology.
"It's quite alright, Cranston," The coach said with a friendly smile. "You're still pretty early. Like always."
"T-That's good," Billy stammered as he adjusted his glasses bashfully.
"Your match is coming up in a little bit. Are you excited, or nervous?" The couch questioned.
"A little," Billy admitted. "But I am r-ready to give it my all, like always."
"That's the spirit," The coach said as he smacked Billy on the back, making him stumble forward slightly.
"Now, go in there and get changed," the coach told him as he gave Billy his attire, a simple blue wrestling singlet with white trim along the edges of the singlet. "Your first match is with "The Adonis" Matthew Cook," The older man told him.
Billy was barely able to catch the name of his opponent and felt his heart drop in his stomach. "W-What?" Billy whispered.
"Matthew Cook is your first opponent," The coach repeatedly kindly. "He just transferred back from Stone Canyon last week."
"I-I see…." Billy murmured. "I-I better get ready, excuse me."
Without waiting for a response, Billy quickly walked away from the coach and entered the changing room, his heart beating to almost panic attack levels.
Billy closed the changing room door and shut his eyes as he panted heavily, clenching the singlet in his hand tightly as he placed it on his chest.
Tears slowly fell down his cheeks as he bit his bottom lip until blood drew and dribbled down his chin.
"You don't have t-to do this, Matt…." Billy heard his voice echo in his mind in turmoil as he began to sob.
[Location: Cook Residence (Flashback – Two Years Ago)
POV: Billy Cranston]
Rain fell around them as Billy stood before his former best friend, a rather tall, well-built, white teenage male with short brown hair, a blue t-shirt with the open Angel Grove football team letterman jacket above it, blue jeans, and blue sneakers.
"You don't have to do this," Billy repeated as the black-eyed boy stared at him with saddened eyes.
"Billy, what do you want me to say?" The teen across from him softly asked. "I was given a choice I couldn't refuse."
"We could have found another way, Matt!" Billy exclaimed. "We both know what they will do to you when you leave. They'll warp you into what they want you to be! They'll take everything they did to you and brush it under the rug."
"I know…." Matt whispered. "But they're my folks, Billy…."
Billy's eyes watered as sorrow filled his heart. "Kim and I help you. Just give us more time."
"I wish I could…." Matt told him with a sad smile. "Can you promise me something?"
"Anything," Billy weakly replied.
"Don't let your mother do this to you. Don't let her whittle you down into nothing as my folks did to me…." Matt urged him. "You may not see it, but you're worth more than just your brains."
"Just like you're worth more than your skills as an athlete!" Billy yelled.
Matt gave a sorrow-filled smile and said, "Being your best friend, even if it was a short time, was the best time I've ever had in my life. Thank you for giving me that…."
[Location: Angel Grove High School Locker Room (Present Time)
POV: Billy Cranston]
"Cranston, it's showtime! You still in there?"
With a tear-streaked face, Billy sat on the changing room floor, his face red and his eyes puffy.
"I'll be out soon c-coach," Billy said, his voice cracking and weak.
"Cranston? Are you alright in there?" The coach questioned.
Billy nodded before he remembered that the coach couldn't see this and replied, "Yeah, I'll be alright," with a stronger voice.
He just prayed that the damage that his old friend's parents hadn't been too severe.
For his heart couldn't stand to see his former best friend be ruined.
[Location: Angel Grove High School Gym
POV: Billy Cranston]
Dressed in his singlet, Billy walked towards the gym doors.
He took a deep breath to calm his nerves as he heard the announcer's voice shout "And on the way to the ring. From Angel Grove…Weighing in one hundred and fifty-five pounds, He is Billy "The Cyborg" Cranston!"
The crowd seemed to cheer their heads off as Billy came walking out wearing the white and blue singlet, blue knee pads, and white wrestling boots walked out of the double doors into the gym with what he hoped was a confident smile on his face.
For a moment, he took stock of everything around him. There were a lot more people than Billy had originally anticipated that sat in the stands on each side and above him. The gym was dark, with the only light being the spotlights that shined down on him and the squared circle ring sitting a distance away.
Billy's heart broke as he saw the familiar sight of his former best friend in the ring.
Matthew looked taller and more muscular than as he hopped from foot to foot, his hair was slightly longer and he wore a navy-blue singlet with white sneakers and white wrist tape.
Billy was aware that music was blaring in the background as he stared at his former friend in the ring, but for the life of him, Billy couldn't make out the words due to the combination of the rather ravenous crowd and the sound of his heart in his ears.
Billy took a deep breath, walked down to the square ring where he rolled beneath the bottom rope, sprang up to his feet inside the ring, and raised his hand as the large crowd of people cheered his name.
It was truly strange to have so many people cheering for him. He did make an impressive debut in his first match two weeks back and even though people had taken a shine to him which only made him happy when he won his first, second, and third match, with the last one which put him in a match with Adonis, who had been undefeated since the club started, beating twenty other people before him.
"Go, Billy!" A rather familiar voice shouted out, causing Billy to look to where it came from, and smiled when he saw Jason, Kimberly, and Zack there cheering for him.
But Billy noticed that Trini wasn't there, which made him turn away to hide the disappointed look on his face but regardless, three of his four friends were there to cheer him on, and that made him smile again.
The good mood died away as Billy saw his opponent staring at him with a cocky look on his face, which caused Billy to bite back the frown that formed on his face.
"Well, well, well, if it ain't Cranston. Been a long while," Matt began. "Still as skinny and dorky as always. You sure you want to be in the ring with someone as big as me?"
Billy almost sighed in disappointment.
If there was one thing Billy hated about both being a wrestler and a genius was that there was always someone who underestimated him, whether it be because he was not bulky enough to fight or because he was too young to be classified as a genius.
And Matt knew this….Which meant that whatever his parents did to him must have worked.
The Matt he knew would have never said something like that, nor would he hit on that nerve.
Despite the disappointment and fleeting annoyance, Billy held out his hand to his opponent and said, "We might be opponents tonight, Matthew, but that does not mean we can't show each other respect. Let's give it our all."
"Same old Cranston," Matt muttered with a smirk before he smacked Billy's hand away, causing Billy's frown to deepen."First thing's first: The name's "Adonis," Cranston!" The teen snapped back with such venom, it made Billy take a step back in alarm. "And just because I shared a past with your pasty, small, four-eyed ass doesn't mean I'm going to take it easy on you."
Well, that was uncalled for.
"And you'd best remember that, wimp. Now, let's start this match so I can beat you from post to post, pin you in three, and go home," the teen said with a large smirk on his face, his tan skin glistening with sweat and his black eyes staring down menacingly at the smaller teen, who was frowning from the rude air he was exuding.
"Very well…Good luck then Adonis and let the best man win," Billy responded as he tried to summon up a kind smile, despite the sorrow in his heart.
As soon as the bell rang, the two clenched up before Billy pulled his opponent to the ropes and once Adonis bounced off the ring, Billy lifted him with both arms around his waist, spun his body around, and slammed his opponent down on the ring hard.
Seeing his opponent down, Billy ran towards the ropes and rebounded off of it to build momentum but when he was running back to prepare for a leaping elbow, his opponent leaped up and delivered a stiff clothesline, causing Billy to slam down onto the mat.
His opponent forced Billy up to his feet with a headlock attached but Billy quickly grabbed him by the waist and hoisted Adonis up into the air and bent backward, slamming Adonis on his back with a german suplex, getting the cocky teen to release his head.
Billy rolled away from him, stood up on his two feet, and began to walk over to the still-rising teen but was caught off guard when the teen sprang up and drop-kicked Billy's right leg, causing Billy to fall to the side, holding his right leg as a searing pain shoots through it.
Adonis smirked and slowly got Billy to his feet, smacking the teen's head twice as he taunted, "You've never been cut out for this. Go back to playing dolls with Kim. Incensed at the insult to his friend, Billy got to his feet, where he outright smacked Adonis hard in the face, causing the crowd to audibly wince from the impact.
Adonis recoiled from the strike and quickly to tried punch him but Billy ducked it, and ran to the ropes behind him. When Adonis turned around, Billy jumped onto the middle ring and used it as a springboard as he nailed Adonis in the head with his forearm, where the two then fell to the ground.
Billy turned his body onto his stomach and used the ring ropes to get him to his feet and once he was, he limped to the corner of the ring and leaned back against it to rethink his game plan.
Adonis was a large guy and while he was able to get him off of his feet, it was going to take more than that to keep him down for the count.
Seeing Adonis get back up to his feet, Billy limped over to him and slowly pulled him up to his feet but was suddenly pushed back rather hard by Adonis, causing Billy's back to hit the turnbuckle hard enough to rebound off of it.
Once Billy rebounded from it, Adonis wrapped his arms around Billy and practically flung him backward across the ring, causing Billy to slam into the mat hard to cause him to gasp out in pain before slowly rolling out of the ring and onto the covered ground below.
Billy heard the boos coming from the audience as Adonis was heard taunting them and after a few moments, Billy felt himself being picked up off the ground again.
But this time, Billy found the strength to push Adonis back hard enough to get the larger teen to slam into the steel steps behind him, causing Adonis to roll backward and land on the ground hard.
Billy saw Adonis slowly stand and frowned as he wiped the sweat from his glasses-less eyes, the ranger knew that this next move was going to be risky but he decided to throw it to the wind.
Despite his injured leg, Billy ran up to the steel steps and jumped over it while wrapping his arm around Adonis' neck, twisted his body, and drove Adonis' head to the ground in a DDT, which sent them both to the ground on their backs.
The crowd was truly cheering now as Billy clawed his way onto his feet, Just as Adonis was getting to his, and before he could do anything, Adonis lunged forward and slammed his back into the steel steps.
When Billy took a step forward, Adonis slid his head between his legs, and wrapped his arms around Billy's waist, before Billy was hoisted up over his shoulders and into the air. Adonis then slammed with a vicious powerbomb on the steel steps, knocking the air out of Billy's lungs.
Adonis smirked and took a step back as Billy rolled down the steps and lay on the ground.
While he would recover from this due to his ranger powers, he wasn't invincible and the pain was agonizing.
With blurry eyes, he watched as Adonis slid into the ring and raised his arms in victory as the ref continued to count down to ten. Billy gritted his teeth and dragged himself into the ring at the count of nine, causing the crowd to cheer.
But like a vulture, Adonis covered Billy's body with one arm and flexed with the other with a cocky smirk but when Billy forced his shoulder off the mat, officially breaking the pin at 2.9 seconds.
It didn't take a genius like him to know that Adonis was shocked by his refusal to give up but then he heard the larger teen hiss out, "Just give up, Cranston."
A few seconds later, Billy felt Adonis hoist him up to his feet, where Adonis grabbed both sides of Billy's face and shouted, "Fucking lose!" before shoving Billy backward into the turnbuckle behind him, where Billy leaned on in exhaustion.
He watched as Adonis sauntered to the other side of the ring, on the right turnbuckle where he raised his hand in victory before charging towards him like a wild bull.
Eyes widening, Bill flung himself from the corner just as his opponent tried to flatten him like a pancake, causing his overzealous opponent to bounce off the turnbuckle chest first.
When his opponent slammed into the turnbuckles and slowly turned around in a daze, Billy rolled as far away as he could and slid on one knee.
Billy scrambled to his feet and then dashed towards his dazed opponent before tackling him as hard as he could, causing the larger teen to slam down against the mat hard, leaving Adonis groaning in pain on the ring mat.
As Adonis groaned in pain, Billy lifted his arm, planted his arm on Adonis' large chest, and panted slowly as the referee slammed his hand down on the mat three times before the bell rang.
"Here's you're winner….Billy "The Cyborg" Cranston!" The announcer yelled as music blared from the speakers that were placed at the corners of the room. This time, Billy was able to make it out as "Cosmic Castaway," which was his favorite song of all time.
Billy rolled away from Adonis and raised his right arm in the air as the audience cheered his name before the arm fell.
Billy sat up and stared at the now teen, lying on the ground, and looked around at the crowd, and to his absolute horror, he saw the parents of Adonis in the front row, both of them looking on with anger on their faces, which Billy lower his head.
The victory over his former friend who had treated him like trash the entire match was supposed to taste sweet.
But as he looked at his former friend's parents and then back to Adonis, who had crawled away from him and sat in the corner with horror in his eyes as he covered his mouth in shock, Billy knew otherwise.
All he tasted was ash.
But had he been paying more attention, in the darkest corner of the gym, two monsters were watching the whole thing for their mistress, Rita, in human form.
[Location: Cook Residence (Flashback/Dream – Two Years Ago)
POV: Matthew "Adonis" Cook]
"I had a really great time tonight at the house of horrors tonight," Billy said with a bright smile as he stood in front of Matthew in front of Matthew's door, both of them soaked from the pouring rain. "Despite the fishmen…."Billy shuddered, which made Matthew smile in amusement at his best friend.
"Anytime, Billy," Matthew replied. "Besides, you helped me when those clowns popped up. Thank goodness our mutual fears didn't combine into one."
"Could you imagine?" Billy laughed, with Matthew joining in.
Matthew slowly stopped laughing and saw Billy's bright blue eyes shining up at him. "This was the most fun I've had in a long time. Thanks for hanging out with me," Matthew whispered with a smile.
"Honestly, you don't need to thank me," Billy shyly replied as he adjusted his glasses, his cheeks reddening. "You managed to get me out of my home while Mother is there and kept my mind off of it. I truly appreciate you and your friendship. I wish I could repay you for this somehow…."
"You kiddin' me? You don't have to repay me for anything," Matthew told him with a smile. "You're my best friend….I'd do anything for you."
Billy's smile widened, and without warning, Billy leaned on his tippy-toes and kissed Matthew on the cheek, surprising the teen. "Thank you," Billy said before he moved back with red cheeks before he ran off, leaving a stunned Matthew behind.
Matthew touched his cheek and smiled.
[Location: Cook Residence – Present Time
POV: Matthew "Adonis" Cook]
Matthew opened his eyes and found himself in his bedroom, which was nothing but a bed, a wooden desk with a lamp on it, and a closet.
His walls and floor were completely bare, as his parents did not allow him to decorate the room. They didn't want him to be too comfortable if he failed to achieve his purpose.
And in this case, he already did.
It had been a day since his match with his old friend, and his parents had given him the silent treatment for the entire night. It had gotten so unbearable that he didn't even bother to eat. He just went right to his bedroom and went directly to sleep.
He knew that a storm was coming, and he was not ready to face it. But maybe if he got ready quickly and ran off, he could hold off on the confrontation.
After a quick shower, Matthew slipped on a blue t-shirt, a pair of jeans, and blue sneakers before quietly walking downstairs.
The house was tranquil, and Adonis started to feel that his mission would succeed.
But right when Adonis thought he was free to go to school without confronting them, he found himself proven wrong when he saw them standing at the front door. Resigned to his fate, Adonis sat down on the couch and said, "Well, let's hear it…."
His parents walked towards the couch and stood in front of him, both of their arms crossed and an expression of disgust on their faces."Do you know why we moved to Stone Canyon?" his mother asked.
Adonis sighed as he sat in between his mother and father, both of them glaring at him in disgust.
"I figured it was to bump shoulders with Mr. Park. Y'know? Cozy up to the rich," Adonis grumbled, only for his father to smack the table in front of him, causing Adonis to flinch.
"We sent you there to become better than what you are," his father hissed out. "We put so much time and money into you, and the minute we allow you to come back, in a moment of kindness, you blow it! And not only do you blow it, but you also do it by losing to that little freak."
"His name is Billy," Adonis defended.
"I don't give a good goddamn what his name is!" His mother cut in with a yell. "You promised us that you could deliver on being the best. This means getting the top grades, becoming the top player on all sports teams to secure a scholarship, and becoming the premier athlete. You can't keep your word by losing!"
Adonis bit his tongue and looked down at the table.
"Now, we didn't even want you to join the wrestling team, as there is no future in it, but we decided to be charitable and allow you to do something you enjoy. Just like we were charitable in moving back so you can be with your little friend, Alecia," his father said.
"Her name is Angela," Adonis corrected, but both parents' glare caused him to sigh.
"We were charitable in allowing you to deviate from the plans slightly, but if you don't fix up, we will take those things away," his mother told him. "We will force you to break up with Angela, and we will pack up and move back to Silver Hills, so we can continue with our goal of making you part of the elite. Are we clear?"
"Crystal…." Adonis whispered.
"Now, we convinced coach Deville to give you a rematch against that skinny little freak tonight," his father said. "You better do everything you can to win, or else we will be harder on you. Am I clear?"
"Yes, sir," Adonis softly answered.
"Because of your loss, you're grounded for a week. So you are to return home straight after school," his mother told him. "You're dismissed."
"Yes, ma'am," Adonis said as he stood up and walked out of the living room and into the outside world.
He walked to his car, closed the door, and placed his head against the steering wheel. Adonis closed his eyes, his body trembling as he held back the urge to scream. He had to keep himself calm, no matter how much he wanted to rage out. His parents and grandparents needed him to be better.
He was their ticket to success. And Cranston, his former best friend, someone he used to care about, was standing in the way of that.
He had to deal with him.
He couldn't afford to go back to Stone Canyon, and he couldn't afford to leave Angela again.
[Location: Angel Grove High – Lunch Room
POV: Billy Cranston]
"Seeing his parents look so irate and Ma—I mean, Adonis, looking like his whole world has ended at my victory. I just feel terrible about this entire situation," Billy concluded as he sat with Kimberly and Zack, a milkshake in his hand.
"I can understand that all too well," Kimberly told him with a supportive hand on his shoulder. "It sucks what his parents did to him…."
"Maybe Jason and I should talk to him," Zack contemplated. "We were all on the basketball team together before he left. And he just recently joined the team again."
"N-No, that's quite alright," Billy said with a small smile. "I don't want you and Jason to go out of your way for me."
"You kidding me? You're my bro, Billy," Zack said with a smile as he nudged Billy's shoulder. "Besides, he's been acting like a dick, and unless he wants everyone to hate him, he needs a reality check."
"Maybe we should have a softer hand deal with this," Kimberly told Zack, who immediately caught on to what she was saying.
"Angela?" Zack asked.
"Angela," Kimberly confirmed.
At Billy's confusion, Zack explained, "She's our homegirl and the female half of the WDE."
"Wait, Angela's the one who you had the worst date ever with?" Billy asked with shock before he looked to Kimberly and then Zack. "I-I sincerely believed it was Kimberly you had that date with three years ago."
Zack and Kimberly exploded into laughter. "What?" The two questioned in unison before the two pointed at each other and asked, "Me on a date with—" The two couldn't even speak as their laughter doubled as Billy stared on in disbelief.
"Billy, Zack is like a brother to me," Kimberly giggled out.
"And I tease Kimberly too much to see her as anything but my bratty little sister," Zack added. "No, Angela was the one I had the WDE with. Hell, it was the WDE where she met Matt."
"Wasn't the WDE also when you and Trini went on that 'Not-date?'" Kimberly asked.
Zack nodded with a faint smile. "I had fun that night," he said before coughing. "Anyways, let us handle it, alright?"
Billy looked unsure, but with a supportive grin from Zack and Kimberly, Billy finally nodded. "Okay," Billy agreed. Just then, Jason and Trini walked into the room, both of them in their martial arts gi with sweat dripping down their faces.
"Well, that's my cue to book it," Zack said as he stood up and ruffled Billy's hair. "I'll catch you guys later."
Billy and Kimberly frowned but nodded.
Billy watched as Zack walked to the exit behind them as Trini and Jason sat down at the table. Jason looked displeased, no doubt seeing Zack leaving.
"Hey, Jase," Kimberly greeted before staring at Trini and saying, "Trinity."
"Kimberly," Trini replied.
Billy sighed.
While Kimberly had defended Trini with him when Jason laid into her regarding the incident with Swan Song, Kimberly had not yet forgiven Trini for her actions either.
Kimberly had revealed to Billy the entire context of their conversation. While Trini felt guilty about nearly killing Zack when he was framed, Kimberly felt that Trini wasn't remorseful about her feelings regarding Zack.
Kimberly had been Zack's friend before Billy came into the picture and saw him as her twin in many ways
"Guys, can we not?" Jason asked. "It's already bad enough that Zack can't even be in the same room as Trini, but I don't need you both to be feuding too."
"I know, Jase," Kimberly said as she stood up. "But I have to go talk to Angela. I'll catch you all later." Before Billy could offer his goodbyes, Kimberly walked away, not sparing a single glance to Trini, who sighed.
"It will get better," Billy told Trini.
"I'm sure it won't, but thanks, Billy," Trini told him with a wry smile. "I heard your first wrestling match went well. Congrats."
Not wanting to go through the entire tale again due to the exhaustion he felt, Billy merely smiled and replied, "Thanks…."
But as he began to converse with his two friends, Billy couldn't shake the sadness he felt regarding Adonis.
[Location: Angel Grove High School
POV: General]
"Well, if it isn't Team KZ. Been a little bit since we last talked," a dark-skinned teenage female with flowing black hair, dark brown eyes, and a dazzling smile said as Kimberly and Zack walked over to her.
The teenage girl wore the Angel Grove Cheerleading outfit, which was a white top and white skirt with golden piping against the edges of the two-piece outfit, with the letters "A.G.H" in gold lettering in the middle of the top, with a pair of wings on the sides of the letters and a halo above the letters.
She also wore white Nike sneakers, white wrist tape on each wrist, and a white left elbow pad.
"We've been hella busy, Ange," Kimberly said as she shared a high-five with Angela, who grinned before she gave another high-five to Zack.
"Got that right. Every time I see you guys, you're always running off," Angela replied before she asked, "So, what's up?"
"We wanted to talk about Matthew," Kimberly said. "I know he just came back recently, and I know that he's your best friend, but he's been a pretty big jerk."
"Yeah. Not only to us on the basketball team but to Billy," Zack said. "And as a friend or a past friend, we're concerned about him."
The smile that Angela had melted away as she sighed. "We don't mean to interfere, but—" Kimberly began, but Angela shook her head and stopped her with a raise of her hand.
"Kim, Zack, I know you guys were all friends with Matt until shit hit the fan with his folks and Billy," Angela told him. "Truth be told, I'm worried too…."
"Has he done anything?" Zack asked.
Angela sighed and looked around. When the close was clear, she said, "I can't talk about it here…."
Zack opened his mouth, but Angela quickly added, "Why don't you both come over to my place tonight, and I can explain it better? Alright?"
Before Zack and Kimberly could answer, the duo heard, "Ange!"
The two turned around to see Adonis walking towards them, his face holding a frustrated expression. "Taylor, Hart," Adonis greeted.
"Matt," the two chorused out in unison.
Adonis scowled but shook his head. "You two are still friends with Cranston, right?" he asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Zack asked.
"Tell him that Coach Deville wants to meet with us," Adonis relayed to them with a frown.
"We'll let him know," Kimberly promised.
"Good," Adonis said as he brushed past them and slung an arm around Angela's shoulders. "Come on, Ange. Let's go grab a bite before the first class starts."
Angela nodded, and the two walked off, leaving Zack and Kimberly watching them go.
[Location: Angel Grove High School Gym
POV: Billy Cranston]
"You sure that you don't want us to come with you?" Jason asked Billy with concern as he stood with Trini, Jason, and Kimberly in front of the Coach's office.
The bespectacled teen nodded and answered, "I-I need to do this on my own. Hopefully, both of them will understand."
Trini nodded and told Billy, "If you need us, we'll be right here, alright?"
With a supportive smile from Jason and Kimberly, Billy finally smiled and nodded. With renewed courage, Billy turned and walked into the coach's office, where he saw Adonis sitting in front of the coach's desk, with Coach Deville behind the desk.
"Thank you for coming, Cranston," Coach Deville thanked as Billy sat down beside Adonis, who looked away from Billy. "Recently, the challenger to our Angel Grove Wrestling Alliance's World Champion went down with an injury, leaving our champion without a challenger. You both with me so far?"
Adonis and Billy nodded.
"Due to how popular your match-up was yesterday, a lot of people want a rematch between you two. If you two accept having a rematch, this time, you two will be fighting for a number one contender's spot for the Angel Grove Wrestling Alliance's World Championship," Coach Deville announced with a proud smile. "The match will take place tonight, if you both accept."
"That sounds fantastic!" Adonis exclaimed. "A chance to redeem my loss and excel into the big picture already? Count me in!"
"Excellent! And you, Cranston?" the coach asked.
Billy stared at Adonis and then his coach before he replied, "I apologize. But I decline."
"W-What?" The coach stammered while Adonis looked incensed.
"Are you serious right now, Cranston?!" Adonis exclaimed.
"I am. I do not wish to fight you again, Adonis," Billy replied as he stood up. "I appreciate the opportunity, but I refuse to fight him again. My apologies." Billy turned around and walked out of the room.
He could hear Adonis tell the coach something as he walked up to his group of friends and said, "Let's get out of here."
The three nodded, and the foursome walked towards the door leading outside, only for Adonis to yell, "Cranston!"
Billy shut his eyes, sighed, and turned around to face his former best friend. "You can't just deny me a rematch like this! Are you afraid that you'll lose?!" Adonis screamed.
Billy's eyes softened, and slowly, he shook his head. "No," Billy replied. "I'm terrified of beating you again."
"Cranston," Adonis warned as he took a step forward.
Billy saw Jason step forward, but he immediately stopped Jason with a hand to his chest. "No," Billy told him. "Can you three go outside? I'll be there in a second."
Jason, Trini, and Kimberly looked unsure but trusting Billy's judgment, the trio walked outside, leaving Billy alone with Adonis.
"I saw your face and their faces when I won that match," Billy told Adonis. "They were so angry and you….You were so horrified. How could I even want to face you again, knowing that if I win again, what you'll face when you're at home."
"That's my problem to face, Cranston," Adonis told him with anger in his voice. "And I've been facing it for two years since you last saw me."
Adonis took another step forward as he said, "Two years, I worked to have them be proud of me, and in less than one day, they're treating me like they were before we moved. Because I lost to you."
Adonis continued to advance as he told Billy, "The only way I can get back on their good side is to beat you. I don't care how good you think you are, and I don't care about what we shared in the past. My goal is to defeat you and get everything back on track. And I cannot do that if you refuse to fight me."
Adonis now stood in front of Billy, and just like that day, Billy found himself staring up at Adonis' brown eyes. But instead of seeing warmth, he saw frustration within them.
"So, let me fight you. Let me redeem myself in their eyes, and everything would be cool," Adonis told him.
"I guess that's all that matters to you now, isn't it?" Billy asked him, hurt. "Being what they want you to be?"
"It's what I have to be," Adonis softly replied.
Staring into Adonis' eyes, it was the first time he saw Matthew, his best friend and his first love.
And it only broke Billy's heart more.
Adonis had done precisely what he warned Billy not to do on that fateful day.
"Fine…." Billy whispered. "I'll give you your rematch."
"Good, and don't hold back, Cranston," Adonis told him as he turned around and walked away. "Because I won't."
[Location: AG High School Training Room (Timeskip – Later that night)
POV: Matthew "Adonis" Cook]
Adonis was in a state of turmoil as he kicked open the door to the training room in his school.
Once again, he faced off against his former friend and former first love, and once again, he lost.
The loss was as close as the first one. The match was brutal, and Adonis could taste victory, but one mistake, one single mistake, cost him everything.
And once again, his parents had watched him lose to the one person they despised the most.
All of that work he did try to remain on their good side and be the person they needed him to be, all gone due to the person he once cared for.
A burst of anger filled his veins for a moment at how powerless he had honestly been, and with a shout, he smacked his bottle off the bench he was sitting on and flipped it over before completely losing himself and trashing the area he was in.
The silver barbell punctured punching bags, mirrors were shattered by the thrown dumbbells, and things were tossed all over the room until he fell to his knees in the middle of the chaos.
It wasn't fair!
He was the best at what he did, and that damn, blue-eyed boy had taken it all away from him!
Adonis punched the ground and gave an earth-shattering yell before he began to sob.
He had failed.
"Matt?" a soft voice spoke out, causing Adonis to turn to see Angela in the doorway.
"Go away," Adonis croaked out as he motioned for her to leave.
Angela took a step into the room as she said, "I am not leaving you like this….I made you a promise before you moved to Stone Canyon, remember? That I would stick by you, through thick and thin. And for the past two years, I kept that word."
"You can't see me like this!" Adonis screamed as he tossed the remains of a punching bag at Angela, who took a step back. "Just go!"
Angela traversed the messy training room and knelt before Adonis, who looked at her with grief in his eyes. Slowly, she grabbed his face and told him, "If you want me to leave you….If y-you want me to go, then you know how to do it."
"Angela, please," Adonis begged.
"If you want me to leave, you know how to do it," Angela firmly told him.
Adonis lowered his head, shame filling his veins as the words died in his throat.
His father would call him a coward because he could not cut this chord. He couldn't allow himself to cut off the second person he had fallen in love with. "I'm sorry," Adonis told her.
"It's okay," Angela replied as she embraced him tightly, which he returned.
But had he been paying attention, in the reflection of the broken glass wasn't the reflection of Angela, but it was a reflection of a woman.
The woman in the reflection was a gorgeous long silver-haired Asian woman who looked as if she was in her late twenties/early thirties.
"Because I have a way for you to defeat your adversary," Angela whispered, and before Adonis could register her words, he felt something heavy hit him in the back of the head, leaving him unconscious.
[Location: Cranston Residence
POV: Billy Cranston]
Billy lay on his bed as he stared at his ceiling.
He had done it. He defeated Adonis again, and like before; he was left wondering if it was the right call.
Just then, Billy's dad walked into the room and said, "I don't mean to interrupt kiddo. But you have mail." Billy's dad emphasized this by waving the envelope in his hand.
Billy offered his father a small smile as he took the envelope. "Thank you…." Billy thanked before he stared at the mail.
Despite the sadness he felt, Billy's heart soared as he saw the familiar name of "Katherine Hillard" in the center of the envelope.
He opened the mail and began to read.
"Dear Billy,
I have to keep this short because there's not much time left, but I got some fantastic news!
My parents just told me they got a job down in Angel Grove at some high-tech agency, so we'll be moving there a week after you get this. I can't wait to meet you face to face finally!
Again, so sorry I kept this short, but I have so much to pack!
Until we meet next week,
-Katherine Hillard "
Billy smiled in excitement as he let out an excited yell. Despite the gloom he felt regarding Adonis, the fact that Katherine, the girl he had a healthy crush on was moving to Angel Grove excited him.
His friend was coming to Angel Grove and he couldn't wait!
No one and nothing could wipe this happiness from him.
[Location: Angel Grove High School
POV: Billy Cranston]
"Man…I can't believe Adonis went missing."
Those were the words the guilt-ridden Billy had heard since he walked into the halls of the school. It had been one day since his rematch with Adonis, and since then, the teen had been missing.
'I should have just lost the second match and let him have his redemption….' Billy guiltily thought as he leaned his head against his locker.
He had to make this right, no matter what the cost.
"Yo Cranston!"
Hearing his last name from a familiar voice, Billy turned around to see Bulk and Skull walking towards him with smiles on their faces, making Billy quirk a brow in confusion.
Billy thought these two were nice but just a little lost in what they were trying to be in life despite their rough exterior.
For example, last week, they were trying to learn martial arts from Jason, and this week, they were reporters for the school newspaper. To his surprise, while the two looked uneducated and acted like buffoons, they were talented in the various articles they wrote.
"Hello, Bulk, hello Skull, what are you two doing here?" Billy asked with a tilt of his head with a polite smile on his face which nearly morphed into a frown when Skull whipped out a notepad before glancing at Bulk and then at him with narrowed eyes.
"We're doing a report on the missing wrestling star Matthew "Adonis" Cook, and we wanted to get your statement about the entire thing as well as ask you some questions as well," Bulk answered with a somewhat goofy inquisitive look on his face. At the same time, Skull nodded vigorously, making Billy sigh.
He should have known.
Putting his books away, Billy shut his locker door and said with a small smile, "I'd love to assist you two in this quest. Ask any question, and I will answer accordingly." Billy knew he didn't have to do this, but Bulk and Skull were nice but lost fellows and if this would help them get on the right path instead of being "bullies, " he would do it.
"Thanks, man," Skull said with a genuine smile on his face before he became serious and started with, "Well, we heard you were looking for Adonis and were leading the search parties for him since he went missing a day after you two fought again. How do you feel about that?"
"I feel terrible, to be honest," Billy answered rather honestly. "I mean, I only joined the wrestling circuit to find my own fighting style for when my friends and I sparred and also to have fun. I wasn't expecting to win against a juggernaut like him."
"And yet you did. Not just once, but in the rematch as well," Bulk added while pointing the end of his pen at the ranger, who frowned heavily.
"Yes, but only due to him requesting the rematch. Admittedly, I am worried that beating him twice was the catalyst of his currently being missing. I feel personally reasonable for this, which is why I'm trying to find him and make things right," Billy responded softly before sipping his water.
Bulk nodded at this answer before he looked to Skull and asked, "Honorable guy, ain't he?"
"I certainly think so," Skull responded before turning to Billy and saying, "Now we heard from our sources that Adonis' longtime girlfriend and cheer captain Angela had dumped him after his loss against you. How do you feel about that?"
Billy was even more saddened now by this news.
"No, that is something I didn't know, and I feel awful that it happened. I may have to talk to her later to see what I can do to fix this," Billy responded, his tone going from remorse to more determined than before.
"And regarding the search for him, has any new information come up?" Bulk questioned.
Billy nodded at this and replied, "Yes. There were a few sightings from Adonis the night of our rematch. Adonis came right to the training room, judging from the sign-in sheet, and the coach stated that there may have been someone with him that abducted him from the damages in the room. Hopefully, that is not the case."
"Alright…That's all the questions we have for now. We'll be back to speak to ya," Bulk said with a gruff nod before he motioned for Skull to follow him. Skull nodded and thanked Billy before following his friend, leaving the troubled Billy alone.
"I should speak to Angela to see why she would leave him like this…." Billy murmured before he heard the familiar jingle of his communicator. Billy frowned and mumbled, "After answering this call…."
[Location: Rita's Palace
POV: Matthew "Adonis" Cook]
It had been two days since he had been stuck in this cell, and Matthew was getting sick of it. How long would these monsters keep him here, and why had he been taking in the first place?
Just then, he heard the cell doors open and saw the imposing figure of a monster in golden armor at the doorway.
"Grab him," the knight demanded.
The two grey monsters walked from behind the knight, grabbed Matthew by his arms, and hoisted him off the ground. With the knight leading the way, Matthew was dragged from the cell and through the castle's halls until he was brought to a large room, where he could see someone sitting on a throne.
The person was a gorgeous long silver-haired Asian woman who looked like she was in her late twenties/early thirties.
But she was dressed similarly to a character from a fantasy movie he had seen recently. "Forgive me for keeping you waiting, Matthew Cook," the woman began as her hair lifted and twirled into two spikes at the sides of her head.
"W-Who are you?" Matthew fearfully asked.
"My name is Rita Repulsa, future conquer of Earth, and I have come to burden you with a glorious purpose," Rita replied with a small smile, causing Adonis to stare at her.
"Wait…You said future conquer? A-Are you the one responsible for all those damn monster attacks?" Matthew asked with a stammer in his voice, his heart beating furiously in his chest.
And he damn near had a heart attack when she smirked and nodded. "Yes…I came here to take over this world for my Emperor, Lord Zedd but do not fret; I am not here to hurt you."
"Not here to hurt me?" Matthew had to scoff at this. "You locked me up for two days, and while you fed me well and didn't torture me, you still locked me up. Besides, aren't you here to destroy the human race?"
This woman was responsible for all the strange shit that's been happening in this city, and she was not here to hurt him? But then he was curious. Why was she here in front of him of all people instead of destroying the world?
As if she read his mind, Rita said, "No…Instead, I am here to help you with your situation regarding a previous flame of yours."
Now Matthew was curious.
"What does Billy have to do with any of this?" Matthew asked her.
Rita turned her head, murmured something under her breath, then slowly, blue energy began to swirl into existence, and it was then he saw something that surprised him.
On the image was the Blue Ranger battling against two putties, and for a moment, he was confused as to why she would show him this warrior. Like many, Matthew appreciated the group of heroes protecting their city from Rita's forces, and he was a massive fan of them, but out of the five rangers, he liked the Blue Ranger the most.
He loved how the Blue one incorporated wrestling moves into his fights, and whenever the news showed them, it was always Blue that was on the screen first spearing a putty in the chest but then something seemed to connect.
She said she was there to help him with his problem with Cranston, and yet she showed him the Blue Ranger.
It was then that Adonis felt his eyes widen.
Was Rita implying what he thought she was implying?
"Ok, hold up. You're showing me the Blue Ranger, yet you're stating you can help me with Billy. Why?" Matthew asked with narrowed eyes.
Rita smirked at this and said, "You are smarter than you appear, human. I can see it in your eyes that you see the connection, but now I will show you that reality." And with those words, Rita whispered something, and without warning, the two of them disappeared.
[Location: Angel Grove Park
POV: Matthew "Adonis" Cook]
With a roar, Blue savagely clotheslined a putty that was trying to attack Pink from behind, sending it off of its feet and onto the ground.
Pink turned around to see this and smiled beneath her helmet before notching her Power Bow and firing an energy arrow, nailing another putty that was going to strike Blue from the side.
Meanwhile, Yellow slashed down the chest of another putty with her Power Dagger, then twisted her body and blasted another in the chest with her blade blaster.
At the same time, Black was behind Yellow, blasting a group of putties with his Power Ax.
And finally, Red was seen punching a putty in the face before kneeing the second one in the stomach. He then swung his Power Sword upwards to slice the putty in half, causing it to explode in clay, and with a twist, he sliced off the head of the putty he had punched before.
But as the rangers fought, Rita and Matthew appeared watching behind a tree, and Adonis felt slightly geeked out at watching the rangers fight in real life.
Then Matthew remembered who he was currently standing next to and dialed his excitement back.
Blue was kneeing a putty in the face three times before grabbing its head and slamming it into a tree, causing it to explode into clay, finishing off the final putty. With a sigh, a very familiar voice said, "They are getting tougher…."
Matthew took a step back in shock at the voice.
It couldn't be.
Black walked over to Blue and patted his shoulder as he replied, "Yeah, but you're getting so much better as well. It looks like joining that wrestling league at school helped you, man."
Blue nodded and said, "Yeah...But I barely was functioning during this fight. Knowing that Matthew is missing is messing with my head. Perhaps, I need some rest before continuing my efforts to locate him."
Red nodded at this and said, "I think that's a good idea. The downside to that is that we still have school."
"Yeah," Yellow agreed. "Now, let's go. We're going to be late to Mr. Wilson's class."
Blue nodded before the rangers were transported away.
But none of them saw Matthew or Rita watching them from afar, and with a flash, the two disappeared.
[Location: Rita's Palace
POV: Matthew "Adonis" Cook]
With a flash, Matthew found himself in the same spot he was in before Rita had appeared, but instead of being angered, he was stunned. The fucking Blue Ranger, his favorite ranger was Billy.
The shy nerd he used to have feelings for in the past was a Power Ranger.
And Billy's friends, the very same friends he had seen walking around in the halls, were rangers as well?! Matthew couldn't believe it. He just couldn't allow himself to, yet there was the proof.
But shock then formed into fury.
Matthew was more than willing to accept his loss to Billy since the shy teen was using his own abilities to do so, but now that he found out that Billy was the Blue Ranger, he could have been using his ranger skills to defeat him and thus cheating him out of his rightful victories.
Matthew not only felt insulted, but he also felt hurt by this reveal.
"Now, do you see?" Rita said with a chuckle. "You want to defeat him, but he is a power ranger…The only way to defeat a ranger is to have power similar to them."
Matthew heard her words and looked down at the ground, unaware that Rita's staff's ruby had started to glow. Matthew could feel his anger growing into a blinding rage as he balled his hands into a tight fist.
"What do you say, Matthew?" Rita began. "We have a common enemy. Help me take out the Blue Ranger, and you will regain the honor and respect that you lost…."
Matthew glanced at Rita with bright red eyes and looked at her long and hard before nodding. Billy wanted to cheat his way into victory, causing all of this turmoil in his life. Then he could do the same!
"Help me show him the sorrow I felt after losing the respect of my parents and peers…Help me crush him…." Matthew begged.
Rita smiled and said, "It's time for me to set the stage…."
[Location: Angel Grove High School
POV: Billy Cranston]
"Okay, class," Principal Appleby began as Billy, Jason, and Kimberly sat down at their desks. "Since Mr. Wilson has decided to retire, he will no longer be teaching this class."
Billy couldn't help but chuckle as the class exploded into raucous cheers, with Jason whooping and Kimberly cheering.
Mr. Wilson was a notoriously strict teacher who accepted no excuses and doled out homework with every breath he took. It was no wonder everyone would celebrate him leaving.
"However, that doesn't mean that we're going to let the inmates run the asylum," Principal Appleby continued after calming the class down with a wave of her hands.
"So today, I am here to introduce your new teacher, Ozu Houka," Principal Appleby announced before the door opened to reveal a twenty-seven-year-old Japanese woman with long, wavy dark brown hair and a friendly smile.
She wore a white dress with a pink cardigan over her shoulders, a pair of pink butterfly earrings, a pink bracelet on her left wrist, and white heels.
"Good afternoon, class! My name is Ozu Houka, and I'll be teaching you all from here on out. I won't let you down," Houka said with a wide smile. Principal Appleby smiled and left the room, but as she did, Billy noticed a glint of pink in the older woman's eyes.
Before he could focus on it more, Ms. Ozu asked, "So, can anyone share with me the page Mr. Wilson left off on?"
Seeing as no one else was biting, Billy raised his hand and said, "We were on page twenty-three."
"Perfect! Well, let's start th—" Ms. Ozu was interrupted when three familiar chimes rang out, prompting the kids to look around in confusion. "I wasn't aware pagers were allowed in class," Ms. Ozu said with amusement before she turned to the board behind her. "Well, quiet it down so I can begin with the lesson."
Jason, Kimberly, and Billy exchanged looks before Billy raised his hand. "Ms. Ozu? May I go to the restroom?"
Ms. Ozu turned around and said, "You sure can. Grab a bathroom pass."
"Actually, can I go as well?" Jason asked with a raised hand. "Coach ran class long so I wasn't able to go during the class change."
"Of course. I'm not going to hold that against any of you. If anyone needs to go to the restroom, just grab a pass and go," Ms. Ozu told the class.
"Thank goodness," Kimberly said as she stood up. The trio grabbed their bathroom passes and quickly left the classroom, with Billy aware that Ms. Ozu's eyes were on them the entire way out.
[Location: Electric plant
POV: General]
With a flip, Black landed on his feet and kicked two putties off of the railing before launching himself shoulder-first into a group of putties running up the stairs towards him, causing him to tumble above the clay-gray bodies of the putties until he reached the ground.
Once he made it onto the ground, Black summoned his Power Ax, changed it into its cannon mode, and began to fire multiple shots, causing some of the grounded putties to explode into harmless clay.
Yellow launched herself into the air with her blade blaster in her hand and fired her blaster at the remaining putties before landing on the stairs.
"We need to keep moving. Alpha said a monster was spotted here," Yellow stated with a cold tone in her voice as she looked around the large area, which was filled with endless stairs and buildings.
"Yeah," Black replied as he placed his ax on his shoulder, his voice just as emotionless as hers.
Before the two could move, the familiar sound of rushing electricity filled their ears from behind. The two turned around to see Blue, Pink, and Red landing behind them.
"Sorry we took so long," Blue said with a slight wave toward the two rangers while leading Red and Pink to the two rangers. "We had to find a way to leave. I think Ms. Ozu was suspicious."
"Ms. Ozu?" Black questioned.
"Yeah, she replaced Mr. Wilson today as our Algebra teacher," Red explained.
"Tha's fine. As long as you three got here, it's no skin off my back," Yellow stated with a nod towards Blue and Red.
"Of course, wouldn't want to make you mad if we were late," Pink said with a little bit of heat in her voice, causing Yellow's head to snap towards her, and from the quickness of it, the three males knew she was glaring behind her helmet.
"We don't have time for this," Red cut in before Yellow could retort.
"We need to find that monster before it attacks us," Blue added with a gentle but stern voice, causing both Pink and Yellow to nod at their friends' words, despite still glaring at one another.
But after he finished speaking, many putties appeared in blue swirls and landed on the ground, causing all of the rangers to get on guard immediately.
"You don't need to worry about finding me," A dark voice rang out around the area, causing all the rangers to look around in concern.
"You should worry about me finding you, Cranston!" A voice yelled before the ground began to rumble, causing both the rangers and the putties to stumble. Seconds later, Blue was speared by a white and red blur that exploded from the ground, taking Blue away from the ensuing battle
"Blue!" The three rangers screamed
"Shit! It's happening again!" Black yelled in horror.
[Location: Electric plant
POV: Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger]
Blue's back collided against a large van with a scream as blue sparks flew from his chest and back. The ranger then fell to the ground on his chest, where he lay there, dazed by the suddenness of that brutal attack.
"W-What attacked me?" Blue asked with a groan filled with pain.
"I did," The dark voice answered.
Turning his head, Blue saw a large white humanoid male with a large number of muscles on its body, and it was wearing a pair of steel boots, steel-colored wrestling underwear, and steel arm wrappings.
And on its unnaturally white body were glowing red flame tattoos spreading up its arms and legs and on its face was wearing a blue mask, but the mask was too small, so it left its mouth uncovered and finally, the being had flowing burning red hair that seemed alive like fire.
But the last bit that was on his chest was a glowing phoenix.
"Now stand up and face the Mythical Gigas like the man you wish you were, Cranston," The Mythical Gigas ordered while pointing at Blue with its index and middle fingers.
Blue was instantly alarmed that this monster knew his last name, but he would not let that worry him right now.
Blue got on his hands and knees, then onto his feet, and not a moment too soon because the second he did, he twisted his body to the side to avoid the sizeable white fist that was now embedded in the large vehicle.
Blue dashed backward away from the van and pulled out his blade blaster to fire it, but to his shock, the monster lifted the van with its embedded arm and swung it towards Blue.
Blue lifted both arms to the right to block the van, but the swing was too fast too slow. Blue was swatted into another car, which bent in half from the force of the collision while sparks flew from his side.
Blue forced himself from the wreckage with a grunt of pain, but as he looked up, he saw Gigas charging towards him with the remains of the van in both hands, armed and ready to use it as a crushing tool in his victory.
Blue grabbed the remains of the car and gripped it tightly before swinging it off the ground and launching it towards Gigas before falling on one knee and watching it explode upon impact.
"I sure am thankful that this suit can up our strength like this," Blue whispered as he stood up on shaky legs. But just as he did, Gigas came flying out of the smoke and flames with a wide smirk on his face, and his right arm bent back.
Blue barely had time to cover his head with his arms before the giant fist slammed into them, which caused him to crash through the wall behind him, sending Blue tumbling into a room filled with tables, a sink, and four vending machines within them.
Blue got up on his feet and watched as Gigas walked into the room and immediately leaped towards him with his left arm bent back. Gigas avoided the Superman punch by jumping into the air and tackling Blue hard, sending the ranger slamming into three steel tables that bowed under their unified might.
"Not done yet!" Gigas said while he wrapped his arms around Blue's waist and lifted him off of the steel table beneath him, twisted his body, then launched Blue out of his arms and against the vending machine.
Blue bounced off of the machine briefly only to have a charging Gigas tackle him against the vending machine, not only causing the glass to explode around Blue's body but causing the machine to bend around Blue and be sent through the wall into the men's bathroom.
Blue forced his body out of the machine and fell onto one knee, unaware that Gigas was walking as far away as he could from the second hole he had caused.
Blue heard his opponent's loud and rapid footsteps and quickly looked up to see his enemy charging for him.
In a desperate move, Blue sprang to his feet when Gigas got close and reached back to grab the edge of the vending machine. Then with a scream, Blue swung the machine overhead and smashed it against the top of Gigas head hard enough to send him to one knee.
Keeping the grip on the remains of the vending machine, Blue twisted his body to gain momentum and then swung it against the monster's face, sending it sliding through the steel tables behind it.
Blue tossed the remains to the side and dashed towards the still-down Gigas, leaped into the air, and drop-kicked its face, causing the monster's head to slam against the wall.
Blue then rolled back onto his feet, threw his whole body weight into his shoulder, and bashed it against Gigas' face, sending the top half of this giant's body through the wall where Blue rolled onto the cement ground beneath him and onto his feet.
Blue staggered forward as pain blossomed in his chest, causing him to grasp it briefly.
He needed to get to the others.
Unfortunately, Blue then heard the dark, rough laughter of his opponent as Gigas slowly rose from the ground, its shoulders shaking from the laughter that was scraping free from its mouth.
"And to think, she told me you would be a challenge as a ranger! I am sorely disappointed!" Gigas shouted while rising to its feet and walking out of the hole, a cocky smirk on its face.
It was then that Blue knew that he was in for a fight.