Dino Thunder: Return of the Eclipse: Chapter 14: Burning at Both Ends
Disclaimer: Saban owns all Power Ranger lines.
Copyright: All unrecognizable parts and characters are under December's Phoenix's copyright.
Summary: Trent faces the reality of his Dino Gem's powers.
"Dr. O, I know the suit looks good, but quit kidding around." Kira joked.
All the Ranger stared at the still morphed Dr. Oliver. "I wish I could, Kira." Dr. Oliver nodded, moving through the line of Rangers. "When Trent froze me in that amber, somehow, my dino gem and my morpher must have remolecularized."
"Remo-what?" Lucy asked.
"He's stuck," Hayley answered. "And speaking of Trent." She motioned to the screen. "Looks like he's up to no good again."
"I'm so over that poser." Conner snapped.
Dr. Oliver turned to the team. "Go. I'll see what we can figure out here."
Conner nodded. "Ready?"
"Ready."
Dino Thunder, Power Up!
Dino Power!
"That's right. You better run." Trent snarled from his Megazord.
"Fire!" Conner announced from the ground. He and the two other Rangers appeared in the plaza, riding their raptors. They fired their lasers at him. "Come on, guys! That's enough."
"I'm just getting started."
"It's zord time," Conner called.
The Thundersaurus Megazord formed in seconds, with the Parasaurzord replacing the T-Rex tail. The Eclipse Megazord stood behind them, blade drawn. The two faced the White Ranger. "Make your move." Trent challenged.
"What's he up to?" Ethan asked, eyeing the Megazord.
"I don't know, but we have to stop him." Kira bit back.
"I hate to do this to you; nothing personal," Trent told the team. A chain shot out of his Megazord. It wrapped tightly around the Rangers, locking their arms into place.
"We need dinozord help!" Conner called. The two other dinozords—the Dimetrozord and the Cephalazord—roared. They barreled down the street. Just then, two orbs floated out of the White Megazord and hit the two, trapping them in barrels. They roared and snarled. "Our dinozords! Let them go!"
"Sorry, not going to happen." Trent snarked.
"Trent, you have to stop this; you're out of control." Kira tried to reason.
"Looks more like I'm in control."
"What's he going to do with them?" The Rangers didn't have time to find out. The White Ranger hit them with a purple beam, disappearing while they stumbled back.
"The hell just happened?" Lucy asked. "I blinked, and I don't think I registered it."
"Girl, you are not the only one," Crystal added.
"What's the situation, Hayley?"
The Rangers, still morphed but helmets tucked under arms, watched Hayley rapidly type on the keyboard, her eyes on the screen before her. The dinozords struggled in the barrels under a dark forcefield. "It's not good. He's got them in a force field."
Kira glanced at the angry looks Ethan and Crystal had. "It's not Trent's fault. The gem is making him this way."
Conner groaned. "I don't care whose fault it is. We find a way to deal with him, or things will get ugly."
"Slow down," Dr. Oliver spoke up. "I was in his shoes once and wouldn't be here today if my friends had given up on me."
Crystal nodded. "Hunter and Blake would be in the same boat. Hell, Lucy would've been in the same boat."
"I was hoping you weren't going to bring it up." Lucy bit at her sister, less severe than usual. She sighed, looking at the Rangers. "Look, we can't give up. Not yet."
"Okay, so what do we do?" Ethan asked.
"Good, back to school." Dr. Oliver answered. "Keep a low profile. Hayley and I will let you know if anything changes." The Rangers turned around and headed out of the lab.
"What do you mean you got a weird text from Conner?" Kira asked, taking Lucy's phone from her hands to read the Red Ranger's message. She scanned over the two lines of text on the screen multiple times.
Lucy snagged her phone back. "Easy, Sherlock." She snapped gently. "Don't drool on my phone."
"I wasn't drooling." Kira defended. "But that was a cute message."
"The one I just got about him facing Trent?" Lucy turned to her.
Kira laughed, shaking her head. "The one above it. With the smiley face."
Lucy glanced at her phone, seeing that message above the one she had previously sent. She ducked her head to avoid Kira laughing about her cheeks turning pink. "It's nothing."
"Nothing?" Kira scoffed, not believing her best friend. "I don't get smiley faces from Conner." She turned to see Ethan walking up to them. "Ethan, do you get smiley faces from Conner when he texts you?"
Ethan shot them a look. "No?" He stopped. "Am I missing something here?"
The three started to walk through the parking lot, trailing each other. "Hey, you three." They all turned to see Randall walking across from them. "I got an email from that science teacher of yours. He's claiming to be too sick to work."
"Now that you mention it, he really didn't seem himself the last time I saw him." Kira lied.
Ethan and Lucy nodded. "Yeah." They agreed.
Randall chuckled, readjusting her glasses. "Well, I better not find out he's faking it, or he can kiss his job goodbye." She stared down the three and then walked off.
"The model of warmth and sympathy." Kira joked to Lucy.
Lucy snored. "Tell me about it." She turned to Ethan when he patted her shoulder. He pointed to where Conner motioned for them.
"What's up?" Kira asked, approaching the side of the stands where Conner stood.
"It's Trent," Conner answered.
"Now I know you're crazy." Ethan hopped over the wall, offering a hand to Kira.
Conner shook his head, holding his hand out. He helped Lucy, squeezing her hand. She threw her jean-clad leg over the wall, placing that foot down and throwing the other over, stumbling. Conner caught her around her waist, steadying her. "I know, dude, but check it out. He's reformed." He reached down, grabbing his discarded backpack. The four headed to where Trent sat.
"Really?" Kira asked, trailing the Red Ranger. "Trent? Are you in there?" She asked, stepping in front of the boys standing before Lucy.
Trent turned to them. "Hey, it's me." He stood up.
"One of Mesogog's monster attacks backfired," Conner explained.
Trent nodded. "I think it released the dino gem's hold."
"That doesn't make a lot of sense," Ethan muttered to Lucy, who nodded in agreement.
"Guys, look, I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. You gotta believe it wasn't me." Trent shook his head. "If there is anything I can do to make it up to you."
"How about returning our zords for starts," Ethan interjected, making everyone turn to him.
Trent chuckled, nodding. "Meet me in the warehouse district this afternoon. I'll give you back your zords…and I might also have a little peace offering." He nodded again, taking off from the stands.
Lucy watched him go. "That's a fat load of crap." She muttered, moving down the stadium bleachers until she stood on the field.
"He just agreed to hand everything over," Kira argued.
"Why?" Lucy whirled on them. "Because some monster attack didn't work?" She scoffed. "I don't believe it."
"Come on." Conner scoffed. "You're just afraid of being wrong."
Lucy turned to him. "I'm not afraid of being wrong, Conner." She blew out a breath. "All I'm saying is this doesn't add up,"
The Rangers stopped their bikes when they found Trent sitting in the warehouse on a set of boxes with a blanket over something next to him. He nodded, smiling. "Hey! Over here!" He called, and he climbed off to meet the six Rangers.
Dr. Oliver swung a leg off Ethan's bike. Crystal climbed from Kira's, and Lucy clamored off Conner's. "Hope you don't mind," Dr. Oliver spoke. "I tagged along just in case,"
"Dr. Oliver, you're okay." Trent smiled, shaking his hand.
"More or less." Dr. Oliver nodded.
"I hate getting to the point, but I don't see any zords around here," Ethan bit.
Trent smiled. "I thought we'd start with that peace offering I promised first." He returned to the blanket, pulling it off to reveal a black and gold ATV. "I figured you guys could use the help against Mesogog. Who wants to try it out?"
"Make way." Ethan smiled under his helmet.
Dr. Oliver caught his shoulder. "Sorry, Ethan. It's better if I try it first." He moved to the ATV, throwing a leg over it and settling into the seat.
Crystal moved to the ATV, squatting down to check the engine. "Is this a 12-stroke?"
Trent tilted his head. "Yeah, sure," He brushed it off.
Crystal turned to look at him. "They don't make 12-stroke." She stated, her voice calm and even
Trent darkly smirked at the Guardians, chuckling, "And Mesogog doesn't make a monster that turns people good."
Both Guardians' visors visibly darkened. A dark chuckle resounded from near the ATV. "I am going to smash you like a bug," Crystal threatened.
Trent turned to Crystal. "I would like to see you try, Guardian."
The metal scrapping told everyone that one of the two had pulled their blades out. "You wanna test that theory?" Lucy returned, leaning on her blade. "Because I do."
Dr. Oliver turned to him, but Trent dodged the swing while twisting around. Finally, he kicked the back of the ATV, sending the bike sparking. "Guys! It's a trap!" Dr. Oliver yelled, his bike taking off and sending all five Rangers scrambling away.
The Rangers climbed back to their feet. "Dr. O!" Conner called, watching him disappear. He turned to Trent. "You'll pay for this,"
Trent rolled his eyes, turned to the back of the warehouse, and whistled. A white and black ATV revved and appeared right where Dr. Oliver stood. He turned to the Rangers, smirking. "Later, suckers." Trent pushed off the ground, morphing. He flipped in the air and landed right on his ATV, taking off toward Dr. Oliver.
"Stop!" Conner, Kira, and Ethan tried to chase after him.
The monster and a pod of Tyrannodrones appeared before them. "Not so fast. You're not going anywhere!"
"Try and stop us." Conner challenged. "Come on, guys!" He turned around, aiming for his cycle.
"Right with ya." Ethan agreed, sliding onto his bike.
"Yeah!" Kira climbed onto her own.
The three took off, leaving Crystal and Lucy standing where they were. When he rode past a pod, Conner used boxes as a ramp, firing lasers.
Ethan sped by his pod, firing his lasers. "Out of my way, Spike." He spun around on his bike, firing more lasers.
Kira came out of nowhere, firing her lasers. "Like my fire." She stated, spinning around in her pod. She met up with Ethan at the entrance of the warehouse. They whipped around, heading to the monster. He snarled and threw his hand out, throwing a blast of purple lightning to the two Rangers. They swerved to avoid it, but Ethan had a harder time. He ended up steering his bike into a car, the force of the crash sending him out of his seat and onto the ground.
Kira managed to jump off her bike before it hit the stack of cardboard boxes. "No!" She cried out, watching her bike spark.
Conner tried to hit the monster, but the monster struck him in the stomach with lightning mid-air. The hit forced the Red Ranger off his bike and onto the ground. His bike slid and collided with stacks of barrels, exploding and sparking.
"Conner!" Ethan stumbled over to him.
"You okay?" Kira asked, kneeling by him.
Conner breathed. "Yeah."
The monster snarled. "Is that all you got?"
A blast of golden light hit the monster in the chest. The Rangers whipped around to see the Guardians standing behind them. Crystal lowered her arm, keeping it bent at her side. Lucy stood just behind her, her visor trained on the monster, a ball of silver light in her hands. Flashes of light blinded everyone for a moment. When everyone turned back to them, their suits looked different.
Crystal held a white shield on her left arm, her sword in her right. Her helmet's crest jutted more significantly, and her boots had spikes on the back. The spikes on her legs and arms protruded. Lucy's helmet's spikes grew, resembling her dinosaur more. She held a dark silver-colored shield, and her sword's blade matched. The spikes on her shoulders and the back of her boots grew.
"How about some help?" Conner rose to his feet. Kira and Ethan followed.
Super Dino Mode!
The three moved to stand next to the two charged Guardians. The monster stared at them. "Super Dino, what?" He demanded, seeing the five powered-up Rangers. "Attack!" He charged at the Rangers.
Conner kicked him in the chest, sending him back. "Tyranno power!" He called, pushing off the ground and jumping over him. The monster tried to hit him twice with his blaster, but Conner dodged both attempts. "Not this time, you crazy freak!"
Ethan threw a Tyrannodrone into the chain fence by him. He came back, but Ethan moved faster. He swung up, hitting him in the stomach with his spikes. He threw his hands out, hitting two more in the stomach. "You'll flip for this!" He grabbed the collars of the two, forcing them to flip with him. He landed on his feet while the two landed on their backs.
Kira ran a car, using it to push off and flip over her pod. She landed on a crate, hitting one in the stomach. She kicked a punch away and then dodged a swing. Turning around, she struck one with her ptera-grips.
Lucy side-stepped one, slicing up his stomach. She blocked a swing with her shield, twisting around and slicing him. She dodged a punch aimed at her head. She threw her leg up and kicked one in the chest, then whipped around and sliced another. Spinning back around, she used the spikes on her boot to hit one.
Crystal slammed the hilt of her sword into one. She rammed into another using her shield while twisting around and slicing another coming at her. She backflipped to avoid a kick. When she landed, she swept low, knocking a few out. She turned around in time to use her shield, sending a kick in that direction.
When the five were done, they gathered around each other against the monster. He snarled. "Your bikes are done. And so are we!" He growled.
Black lasers entered the building, hitting the monster. Dr. Oliver sped in on the ATV. The monster stumbled back while Dr. Oliver rounded him. "Talk about a wild ride." He muttered, climbing off.
The Rangers rounded the ATV to meet him. "Glad you're okay." Kira nodded to him.
"Thanks." Dr. Oliver returned, turning to the monster.
"Later days!" He threw his arm up, disappearing in a fit of green lightning.
Trent skidded to a stop across from the Rangers. "I see my friends have been keeping you busy." He climbed off, looking around. "Someone's been careless with their toys." He motioned to the sparking red cycle opposite of them.
The Rangers stepped forward. "You're making a mistake, Trent." Dr. Oliver tried to tell him. "Don't trust Mesogog."
"Who says I do?" Trent returned. "I got what I wanted. Goodbye, Rangers."
"What about our zords?" Ethan demanded.
"Say goodbye to them too." He laughed, climbing on his bike.
"Trent, don't do this." Dr. Oliver tried again.
Trent laughed again. "I'm out of here." He whipped his bike around, taking off from the Rangers."
Crystal groaned when her back connected with the cool tiles of the lab. Still in her Ranger suit, she left her helmet on a stack of equipment while Lucy flopped on top of her. "Get off me." She bit, but the Silver Ranger remained still. Kira took a seat on her bike while Ethan and Conner stood. "Can we go over this again?" Conner asked, moving to stand across from Ethan and Kira. "Trent made a deal with Mesogog, pretending to let Insectolite turn him back to himself as a way of tricking us into taking the rigged ATV?"
"I can't believe he made a deal with Mesogog." Kira sighed. "That's a new low."
"And risky," Ethan added. "Trent was supposed to beat us. Mesogog's not going to be happy."
Crystal shook her head on the ground. "He's burning that candle from both ends. Which means he's bound to get burned,"
Hayley turned back to the team. "And I think I know how to get the fire going." She smirked. "The ray used by Insectolite destroyed your energy shields. I bet if you could get that creep to aim his energy buster at the zords…."
"We could break through Trent's shield around them." Kira supplied.
"One problem," Lucy spoke, climbing to her feet, turning around, and helping Crystal. Once they were on her feet, Lucy turned to the team. "Trent."
"How's he going to feel about all of this?" Ethan glanced around.
"I don't care what he thinks or feels about it." Crystal bit back, a little harsher than she anticipated. She scoffed. "He got himself into this mess and can get himself out."
Hayley smirked. "Every trap needs its bait."
"Why do I sense this is going to go horribly wrong?" Crystal whispered to her sister.
"Because it is." Lucy returned.
Kira spun around, her helmeted head twisting around. "Trent!" She called. "Where are you?"
"We gotta talk, bro," Conner added.
"Trent!" Ethan hollered.
Dr. Oliver nodded. "You made a deal with Mesogog. Now it's time you made one with us."
Trent appeared behind the six. He laughed, taking off and super speeding past all the Rangers. The White Ranger forced Conner away from the others. He sliced down with his blade. Conner dodged. The Red Ranger jumped over Trent's sweeping kick. The Red Ranger threw a kick that Trent blocked. He swung again. Conner caught his arm and threw a punch that Trent had caught. "You wanted to see me?" Trent demanded, holding Conner's wrist.
"We wanted to make a little deal of our own." The Red Ranger bit.
"I don't make deals with posers."
"Take that back!" Conner snarled, throwing their arms up. He swung over, with Trent dodging. He tried for a sweeping kick.
Trent used his shoulder to push off and land on a stone pillar a few feet from him. "You just won't learn, will you?" Trent asked.
"Learn what?" Crystal ordered, her helmet turning up to see him.
"The White Ranger always wins." Trent slashed through the air, disappearing in sparks of power.
Lucy scowled under her helmet. "The White Ranger always wins." She mocked, making her voice high-pitched and nasally. "Give me a freakin' break."
The Rangers chuckled. "He is a pain in the ass," Crystal mentioned.
Everyone's morphers beeped. "It's working." Hayley grinned. "The monster is back on the other side of the warehouse."
Conner nodded. "Come on!" The Rangers told off to run around the warehouse. They stopped when they caught sight of Insectolite standing between two warehouses. "There he is!" Conner announced.
Insectolite whipped around. "Out of my way." He snarled. "I've been sent to get the white one."
The Rangers fell into stances, taking off to charge Insectolite. Conner went for the first swing. Insectolite dodged. Dr. Oliver went for a kick that Insectolite ducked under. Kira and Ethan went for a double attack that Insectolite caught and avoided. Conner went for a kick that ended with him getting thrown out of the ring. Kira and Ethan went for a coordinated kick that sent him back.
"Sabers!" The Rangers called out, handling their swords.
Insectolite sent a blast to them, sending the four scattering to the ground. Lucy and Crystal appeared from behind, slicing up the back of Insectolite and sending him to the ground. When Insectolite recovered and stood up, Crystal kicked him in the stomach before Lucy pushed off her shoulders and sliced down his front, sending him sparking to the ground.
Dr. Oliver climbed to his feet. "Brachio-staff. Energy orb." He called, making the blade glow. Then, he spun his arms around, creating a bubble he sent to Insectolite, keeping him on the ground.
The rangers climbed to their feet. "Let's help them!" Conner called. "Tyranno-staff."
"Tricera-shield."
"Ptera-grips." Kira took off first, spinning around and hitting him a few times.
Conner planted his staff, jumping up and repeatedly hitting him in the stomach. Ethan attacked last, catching the monster in the stomach. He lifted him above his head. "Going for a spin?"
"Put me down!" Insectolite demanded, screaming and spinning around.
"Okay." Ethan threw him off the shield, letting him crash against the wall closest to him. "That got him." He noted.
The Rangers lined up across from him. "Yeah, help me load him up." Dr. Oliver nodded to the team.
The sun sank below the horizon when the Rangers reached the forest, racing the daylight to reach their zords. After they loaded Insectolite onto Dr. Oliver's ATV, the Rangers called their raptors, letting the Guardians hop on before they took off. Crystal held onto Kira's raptor while Conner pulled Lucy onto his. "Come on!" Conner called out. "Faster, boy, faster."
"Hang on, zords!" Kira called out.
"We'll never make it." Ethan voiced.
"Oh, yes, we will," Crystal called.
"We have to." Dr. Oliver told the team.
Insectolite screamed when he woke up, hog-tied on the back of Dr. Oliver's ATV. The Rangers arrived at the spot overlooking their trapped zords, ignoring Insectolite's screams. "Let me go!" He cried out, wiggling around.
"This is your cue, Insectolite." Dr. Oliver hauled him up and shoved him forward. "Go on. Do it."
Before Insectolite could hit the zords, pale arrows collided with his back, sending him to the ground in sparks and screams. The Rangers turned to see Trent standing across from them. "You're too late." He snarled.
"Oh, man," Dr. Oliver muttered.
"See ya." He aimed his arrow toward the Zords. A bright flash and explosion send the ground shaking and the Rangers stumbling.
"Oh no!" Kira cried out.
"It can't be," Dr. Oliver tried.
Out of the smoke, roaring and screeching, were the two zords, both perfectly okay. "Check it out!" Ethan yelled.
"They survived!" Conner added.
The ground shaking sent the Rangers stumbling again until they saw the Drago Megazord standing across from them. "Dinozords, attach." The Megazord threw its arms out, pulling away from the body to make way for the Cephalazord and the Dimetrozord.
"That is not cool!" Lucy yelled, angrily pointing at the Megazord.
"The zords! They switched teams." Conner pointed out.
"I thought they'd make a nice addition to my collection," Trent told the team.
"No way!" Kira argued.
"The starfish device was just to reprogram them to obey me," Trent explained.
"You're not going to get away with this." Dr. Oliver practically snarled. He lifted his morpher. "Brachio!"
The primary Rangers took off, forming their Megazord in seconds. "Let's make him pay!" Conner announced.
"You can't afford it." Trent returned, repeatedly hitting the Rangers with the Cephalazord punch, making the Megazord spark with lightning. "Dimetrozord, saw blade." Finally, he lifted the blade, slicing down at the Rangers twice.
The Rangers were sent sprawling on the ground. "With our zords, he's too powerful."
"Now you're beginning to get it." Trent towered over them. "Why don't you surrender the rest of your zords to me?"
"If you think we're going to do that, you're crazier than I thought." Conner bit back. The Megazord twisted around to see the White Megazord towering over them.
"Then I'll take them." Trent lifted the saw blade again, commanding it to spin rapidly. He advanced on the Rangers. He attacked when a tail hit his chest, pushing him back. Everyone turned to see the Eclipse Megazord standing before the downed Megazord. The Eclipse Megazord swung, beating the White Megazord in the face. Trent's Megazord stumbled back. But when Trent nearly attacked, blasts hit him in the back. "Huh?" He whipped around.
Insectolite stood across from him. "I'm back!" He laughed.
"Foolish boy, you think I would let you double-cross me." Mesogog's voice appeared from the monster.
"Out of my way, insect." Trent returned. "Drago-winger, strike mode." He sent the sword at the monster, sending him crashing to the ground in a fit of sparks.
The Rangers rose to their feet, confusion filling their cockpit. They towered over the smaller Megazord. "Huh?" Conner asked.
"Another day, Rangers," Trent smirked, disappearing in a shower of sparks.
The smaller Megazord turned to face the Thundersaurus Megazord. "You guys okay?" Crystal's voice flowed from the Megazord.
"Yeah." Kira nodded.
The following morning, the Rangers were all around the lab. Kira and Ethan sat before Dr. Oliver's ATV while Conner leaned on one side with Lucy beside him. Crystal sat on some of the boxes with Hunter next to her. "Trent has got some nerve." Kira sighed, leaning on the front.
"Why can't he just give up?" Ethan asked.
Hayley walked from where she stood with the bikes. "Good thing, I never give up." That made all the Rangers turn to look at her. "You're bikes are fixed."
"Awesome." Ethan smiled.
"Hayley, you're the best," Conner told her.
"Just don't do it again, okay?" Hayley smiled when the Rangers nodded. "As a bonus, I reprogrammed the ATV. That should come in handy."
"We're gonna need all the help we can get." Dr. Oliver turned around to see the team. "If Trent and Mesogog team up for good, we'll have a real battle."
Lucy groaned, her head hitting Conner's shoulder. "Dr. O, please don't say that." She felt him wrap an arm around her waist in comfort.
Crystal and Hunter chuckled. "You're gonna jinx it, Dr. O," Hunter added. "Which neither of the sisters is going to like."
Lucy pointed to Hunter. "Damn straight."
Crystal pointed at her sister. "See, she gets it." The two pointed at each other. "Damn straight." The two high-fived.
"You two are more alike than you know." Kira pointed out, laughing.
The two sisters met each other's gaze, laughing. "We know."
After being told to head home, the Rangers headed to the cafe to relax for a few minutes after hours. They all claimed the couches, sprawling out. "Hey, Conner." Crystal laughed, leaning forward to look at the Red Ranger. "I have to ask why I was never approached about dating my baby sister."
Lucy threw her head back, groaning and standing up. "I'm gonna go pass away." She moved off, avoiding the kicks from Hunter and Crystal. The Rangers laughed as the typically graceful Lucy Brewer stumbled away from the couches. "I'm telling Mom and Dad you're bullying me."
"We are not," Hunter argued.
Crystal turned to Conner. "That was a serious question, Conner McKnight. Why wasn't I told about your first date with my sister?"
All the occupants of the couches turned to Conner, laughing. "I didn't realize that I had to ask, Crystal."
Hunter leaned forward. "When it comes to Lucy, it depends on the situation."
Crystal rolled her eyes. "I hope you know I'm messing with you, McKnight." She smiled. "Don't break her heart. And we will be just fine."
Kira blinked. "Can we go back to Conner and Lucy having a first date? When did that happen?" She climbed to her feet, aiming for the stage where Lucy sprawled herself out on.
"Now, he can stop staring at her and it being weird," Ethan smirked.
"I do not."
"Oh, Conner." Crystal laughed, reaching down to pat his shoulder before leaning against Hunter. "You so do."
Next Episode: The Missing Bone