MMPR Revisited
Terror Part 4
In the midst of the chaos, Putties swarmed, and the terrain kept shifting, creating a hazardous environment for the countless innocent civilians trapped within the dimensional confines of the Terror Toad's stomach. Zack and Trini had reunited with Billy and Jason, and together they struggled to maintain control over the Putties. The well-being of the civilians was their utmost concern.
Trini, engaged in the battle, exclaimed, "This monster is insane!" She swiftly kicked a Putty away from a civilian, her voice remarkably calm as she aided the woman to her feet. Then, turning her attention back to the Putty, she unleashed another precise kick. "How could Rita justify creating a monster that attacks her own?"
Billy, with a focused determination, responded, "This move reeks of desperation. She must have felt she had no other option." He thrust his lance through a Putty, causing it to disintegrate. "We need to find a way out of here."
Amid the mayhem, Zack wielded his axe, cleaving a Putty in two. Just as he did, massive rock pillars shot up from the ground, surrounding him in an instant. The terrain was shifting again. "Watch out, guys!" he warned, prompting all of them to leap out of harm's way as the emerging pillars crushed the Putties. As Zack approached Jason, he couldn't help but express his doubts, "Are you sure Kim can handle this?"
Jason replied, his confidence belying any uncertainty he might have felt, "I have no doubt. If anyone can, it's her."
Outside the Youth Center, the same destruction raged on. Another squadron of SWAT officers had arrived, and Commander Trask directed his new team to combat the relentless onslaught. Kimberly arrived and observed her surroundings from the shadows. She spotted the obscure fleshy spot beneath the Terror Toad's mouth.
"How am I supposed to hit that?" she mumbled to herself, but the answer became painfully clear when the monster's tongue snaked out, dragging another officer toward its gaping maw. As it did so, the fleshy spot expanded slightly, making Kimberly's heart race. Anger and fear welled up inside her; she was angry at Jason for getting captured, and fear gnawed at her as the gravity of the situation set in. "I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, her breaths growing erratic.
"Commander, look out!" shouted a SWAT officer as he leaped over and tackled a Putty to the ground. The officer was quickly overpowered, the Putty pummeling him relentlessly. Commander Trask limped over, brandishing his electrical rod, and struck the Putty down with a forceful blow. Watching this, Kimberly summoned the strength to pull herself together.
"Kimberly, get a grip," she scolded herself with frustration. She continued to observe as the SWAT team valiantly battled Rita's forces, knowing their chances were dwindling. This wasn't their fight, but Kimberly realized she couldn't exclude them; she needed their help. "Power Bow!" She unleashed several arrows at the Putties surrounding Trask and his team, making her presence known as she sprinted toward him.
"Where the hell did you disappear to?" Trask demanded, his anger palpable.
"Sorry, I had to figure things out. I know how to defeat it," Kimberly assured him. "If I can shoot underneath its mouth, it should free everyone." Her explanation left Trask puzzled.
"Wait, they're still alive?" he inquired, surprise flickering in his eyes. Kimberly nodded in confirmation.
"What can we do?" Trask's question caught Kimberly off guard. The answer was to use someone as bait, but how fair was it to ask for such a sacrifice?
"Commander, it's now able to deflect our shots!" An officer rushed over to Trask, and both Kim and Trask turned to see that the Toad was indeed repelling their attacks.
"Terrific," Kimberly deadpanned. "It has a weakness underneath its mouth," she pointed out, "If I can get a clear shot, it'll free everyone."
"But how can you get a clear shot if it deflects everything?" Trask's question left Kimberly momentarily speechless.
"We need bait," she finally replied, her voice tinged with awkwardness.
"Bait?" Trask scoffed in mock dismay.
"It'll make the Toad vulnerable enough for me to get a clear shot. When it targets someone, the fleshy part becomes more exposed," Kim tried to explain.
"I've lost too many men already, and now you're asking for another sacrifice?" Trask was practically shouting.
"Remember, they'll all be freed. Trust me!"
As the tension mounted, an officer yelled, "Watch out! It's coming again!" Kimberly turned to see the Toad's tongue lurching toward her. With a graceful aerial flip, she narrowly avoided it, and the tongue crashed into a nearby car. Kimberly landed on her feet and sent an arrow straight into the tip of the monstrous tongue, pinning it to the vehicle.
The Toad let out a furious cry, violently thrashing its tongue back and forth in an attempt to free itself. Commander Trask swung his electric rod down onto the writhing tongue, sending jolts of electricity coursing through it. Unable to endure the pain any longer, the Toad resorted to lifting a car with its tongue, suspending it menacingly over Trask and Kimberly, preparing to bring it crashing down.
"Oh, fu—" Kimberly's reaction was swift. She delivered a powerful kick to Trask's stomach, propelling him out of harm's way, while she executed a series of three backhand springs to put some distance between herself and the impending danger. The Toad's tongue broke free, latching onto Commander Trask and pulling him towards its gaping maw. "God dammit!" he cursed.
"Hold on!" Kimberly's voice rang out with determination. She drew back her bowstring, her keen eyes locking onto the exposed, fleshy spot. With a deep breath, she released the arrow, sending it hurtling through the air. It whizzed past Trask, finding its mark on the Toad's vulnerable, pink spot.
"OWW!" The Toad howled in agony, releasing Commander Trask, who landed on his back. The Toad continued to convulse and cough.
"Let my friends go!" Kimberly shouted, firing another arrow at the same spot. The Toad belched louder, and several lights emanated from its mouth, scattering across the ground. After a few moments, the lights coalesced into the many humans the Toad had devoured, including the other four Rangers. "Oh, thank God!" Kimberly exclaimed, rushing towards them and helping Jason to his feet.
"Good job, Kim," Jason greeted her as they all regained their footing. "Okay, it's time to destroy this thing," he declared.
"Leave it to me, Jason," Billy said, activating his communicator. "Zordon, Alpha, is the Dino-Grenade ready?"
"Affirmative. Both the light and dark liquids have been injected inside it," Alpha responded.
"Teleport it to me, now!" Billy extended his hands, and the Dino-Grenade materialized within seconds. "Alright, guys, I'm going to get it into the mouth. You guys try to get everyone as far away as you can. The explosion is going to be massive. Kimberly, stay alert. I'm going to need you to make one last shot." Kimberly nodded firmly.
"This is intense," Zack remarked. "But we've got your back, bro." Zack, Trini, Jason, and Kimberly spread out, assisting people to their feet and urging them to run as far away as possible.
"All right, just you and me," Billy muttered. The Toad continued to cough uncontrollably, unable to regain its composure. "Hey, frog-face, still hungry? I hope you like your eggs over-easy!" Billy taunted.
"Why, you little pest!" the Toad hissed between coughs. Billy sprinted toward it and tossed the egg into its gaping maw. "Kimberly, now! Fire into its mouth!" Billy shouted into his communicator. Kimberly turned with her bow, pulled back the bowstring, and released her arrow, striking the egg. The ensuing explosion shattered the Toad into pieces, but the shockwave also wreaked havoc within a fifty-foot radius, blowing away cars, shattering windows at the Youth Center, and leveling plants, trees, and landscaping.
The other four Rangers managed to evacuate everyone to a safe distance, and they watched the explosion from afar, fearing for Billy's safety.
"He was still out there, right?" Trini's voice trembled with concern.
"There's no way he outran that," Zack added.
"True, thank God for teleportation," Billy said from behind them. Relief washed over the group as Trini rushed to embrace him.
"Is it gone?" Zack asked.
"Affirmative. There's no way it survived," Billy replied.
"You're such an undercover bad-ass," Zack said, giving Billy a friendly pat on the shoulder, which made Billy wince slightly.
"Finally, it's gone," Jason sighed in relief.
"Good, so we can call off aerial support," Commander Trask hobbled over, positioning himself in front of Jason. "The monster is destroyed for good?"
"Yes," Jason confirmed.
Trask offered a half-smile. People began to gather around them, expressing their gratitude with phrases like "Thank you, Power Rangers," which caught Trask off guard.
"Oh great, now they're going to make me the bad guy," Trask muttered.
"You weren't thinking of trying to arrest us still, were you?" Jason's question silenced the crowd, leaving them awaiting Trask's response with bated breath.
"You, all of you, helped protect us from an intergalactic threat that our world doesn't yet understand, and I thank you for it. However, you're not part of the U.S. Military; you're a group of vigilantes with unauthorized firearms and high-tech arsenal, posing a threat to our community. Simply letting you go would be an injustice to our country."
"Bullshit!" yelled a bystander.
"They saved your asses," another agreed.
"One thing you need to understand, Commander Trask, is that we're only here to help. We wouldn't be here if this was a threat that you alone could defeat. You can't. The Earth needs us. And we're not going to stop fighting for Earth. It would be a lot easier if you didn't try to attack us," Jason replied firmly.
"Son, regardless of what I believe, the government's involvement with you is beyond my purview to make any decisions either way. I know what I know, and that's that I was ordered to apprehend and bring you in for questioning. That being said, out of gratitude, I'm willing to give you a five-minute head start. But I'm letting you know that next time, there will be no head starts," Trask declared, folding his arms.
"Well, I appreciate that. But again, we have a job to do, with or without the government's consent. We'll be seeing you around, Trask." Jason moved forward, and the crowd parted to let them through. The other Rangers followed suit, teleporting away one by one, leaving behind cheers and applause from the grateful onlookers.
"Congratulations, Power Rangers," Zordon began, addressing the Rangers who stood before him, dressed in their regular attire. "The Terror Toad was undoubtedly the most formidable threat you've faced so far, and each of you deserves a well-earned rest."
"Easier said than done. I can't shake the feeling that the government will intensify their efforts to uncover our identities," Trini voiced her concerns.
"Yeah, I keep thinking I'll have to constantly watch my back," Kimberly agreed.
"I have complete faith in your ability to maintain secrecy. In time, your identities may become inconsequential. Remember, the Power Rangers are indispensable to them, and this realization will dawn upon them sooner rather than later," Zordon assured them.
"Well, I hope it's sooner rather than later. That Trask guy seems serious, and he could pose a significant challenge to us," Billy added.
"Ah, I wouldn't fret too much about him. I could be wrong, but I have a hunch he might be on our side as well," Jason remarked. "Regardless, I'm relieved this battle is over. We all need some time to recuperate."
"Agreed. I'd recommend all of you get as much rest as possible," Zordon's reply carried a hint of foreboding, causing the Rangers to exchange concerned glances.
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that, Zordon," Trini voiced her unease.
"Is there something we should be aware of?" Jason inquired.
"While I must concede that there are some troubling developments, all of the information we have remains inconclusive at this time. Rita is amassing a substantial amount of dark energy, and I'm uncertain of her intentions. I sense that her next move won't occur for some time, but I fear whatever she's plotting could spell catastrophe for Earth."
"And how are we supposed to relax with that looming over us?" Kimberly responded with a touch of sarcasm.
"Calm down, Kim. Zordon's right, it's all inconclusive for now, and Rita's next move may be a long way off. Let's not stress about tomorrow's problems. Remember, we just achieved a major victory, and we deserve some relaxation," Jason's reassuring words quelled the Rangers' unease, and Kimberly nodded with a smile. "Shall we head back? I'm sure Ernie could use some assistance with cleanup."
"And smoothies sound like a fantastic idea. Let's just hope Rita doesn't taint this batch," Zack quipped, glancing at Billy and Kimberly, who responded with indifferent expressions.
In the aftermath of weeks of destruction, the citizens of Angel Grove had developed a routine habit of coming together to assist in the cleanup efforts. At the Youth Center, the Rangers were pleasantly surprised by the turnout of volunteers eager to help restore order.
"How long do you think you'll be closed, Ernie?" Trini inquired while returning a broom to the utility closet.
"Hopefully no more than a day or two. I thought it would take weeks, but with all this assistance and companies offering free window and glass repairs, we might be back in business sooner than expected," Ernie replied with enthusiasm.
"That's a relief. I'd go crazy without this place for too long," Kimberly remarked. Just then, Daniel approached and handed Ernie a bucket.
"All the floors are scrubbed, Ernie. I think they're clean enough to eat off of," Daniel chuckled.
"Thanks, Daniel. Your help is much appreciated," Ernie said, heading to the utility closet to stow away the bucket. Daniel turned to Trini.
"Some pretty wild stuff happens here nowadays, huh? Thank goodness for the Power Rangers," Daniel commented, eliciting a smile from Trini.
"Yeah, they're definitely something," she agreed playfully, with Kimberly joining in the laughter. "Kimberly, this is Daniel. He was one of my best friends in middle school. He moved away before we started high school."
"Oh, hi! Nice to meet you. I think Trini's mentioned you once or twice," Kim said, extending her hand.
"Only once or twice? Shame on you," Daniel teased, sharing a laugh. "Were you guys safe today? A lot of us were hiding out here, but I didn't see any of you."
"I was at home, thankfully. No attacks came to my neighborhood," Trini replied, her words laced with a hint of deception, though Daniel took her at face value. "So, you're officially back?"
"Yeah, just got enrolled. Classes start tomorrow, and I'll be right on time for the homecoming dance," Daniel suggested, making Kimberly squeal with excitement, while Trini blushed and struggled to find words.
"I—uh," she stammered.
"No pressure. I have to run, but let me know, okay?" Trini managed to nod, and Daniel gave her a hug before walking away.
"Wow, Trini, impressive. Now I might be the one attending the dance solo," Kimberly quipped, laughing. "Maybe I'll ask Trent."
"I thought you were over him? Something about chivalry being dead?" Trini teased.
"I'm entitled to change my mind, right? Who knows if he'll even say yes."
"We'll see," Trini replied uncertainly. "Oh, look, there are the guys. Let's go," she suggested, leading Kim over to where Zack was chatting with his date, Felicia, and Jason and Billy were engaged in a conversation with Brent.
"Hey, you two," Jason greeted as they approached. "The Youth Center is starting to look better and better. The outside is nearly all cleaned up."
"Hey, Brent," Kimberly positioned herself next to him and Billy. "Sorry if this is sudden, but do you know if your brother has a date for the homecoming?"
"Kimberly!" Billy exclaimed in disbelief.
"I have no idea, but I can put in a good word for you if you'd like," Brent responded.
"Great, please do," Kimberly replied. "Are you going to the dance?"
"I'm not sure. It depends on whether I can get my grades up. I might end up spending it with Billy, buried in textbooks," Brent laughed, though Kimberly didn't share in the amusement.
"Billy's not missing the homecoming. I won't allow it!" Kimberly protested. "This is no laughing matter. Your grades will improve, right, Billy?"
"Of course…" Billy said with a flat tone.
"Hey, everyone, more news about the Power Rangers!" Ernie suddenly shouted, cranking up the volume on his remote.
"This is Cindy V., reporting for Channel Five News. About half an hour ago, Major Bloomberg announced a Cleanup Fund that will serve as the primary source for repairing the city's damages. He also confirmed discussions with the Angel Grove Police Department about bolstering defenses and implementing routine patrols throughout the city. When asked about the Power Rangers, he simply stated, and I quote, 'The Power Rangers are a group of vigilantes that we do not yet understand. Who they are and their purpose are irrelevant. We must protect our citizens and cannot place faith in five individuals who hide behind masks.'" Footage of the earlier battle played on the screen, including the helicopter explosion.
"Personally, I believe the Power Rangers are heroes," Cindy V. asserted, prompting applause from everyone in the Youth Center. "I don't know who they are or where they came from, but it's thanks to them that we're all still alive right now. That has to count for something."
"I love how she always stands up for the Power Rangers," Kimberly commented.
"Yeah, it's good to know they have allies out there," Jason agreed. "They're going to need it." They exchanged worried glances, taking Zordon's warning to heart. As much as they longed for relaxation, as long as Rita remained a threat, it seemed unlikely.
