MMPR Revisited
Homecoming Part 3
The emergence of the Zords from their concealed locations, forming a protective ring around the city, presented a remarkable spectacle. The towering, robotic dinosaurs stood in stark contrast to the bustling urban landscape of Angel Grove. Nevertheless, the Rangers had no choice but to deploy their Zords in response to Rita's enlargement of the Dark Warrior.
"Let's go, team!" Jason exclaimed as he leaped into the air and teleported into his Zord's cockpit. His fellow Rangers followed suit, summoning their power crystals to activate the full potential of their Zords. "Be cautious, everyone. We can't afford more damage to the city than necessary."
"Sounds easier than it looks, Jason," Zack remarked. The Zords struggled to navigate the crowded streets of Angel Grove Central Square, with the exception of Kimberly, who soared freely above the city. "Should we consider the Megazord?"
"Negative," Billy interjected. "I'm currently analyzing Daniel's energy readings, and combining our strength in the Megazord might overpower him too quickly." He refrained from stating the obvious—that such a scenario could prove fatal to Daniel.
Kimberly inquired, "Any alternative strategies?"
"Perhaps if we weaken him, we can reduce his size and have a better chance of reaching him," Billy suggested as he entered a code into his dashboard to communicate with the command center. "Alpha, how's the antidote progressing?"
"Ayi yi yi yi yi! It's more complex than anticipated, Billy. I'm trying to match it with your formula, but it's proving tricky," Alpha nervously reported.
"It's all right, Alpha. Take your time. I believe in you," Billy reassured the anxious robot. The last thing they needed was for the antidote to fail; Trini had endured enough bad news.
However, Daniel wasted no time in launching an assault on the Rangers. Brandishing his sword, he struck the Tyrannosaurus Zord, with Jason unable to evade the blow. Sparks erupted from the Zord's shoulder.
"Jason!" Kimberly called out.
"Damn it!" Jason grunted as smoke enveloped him. "I'm okay, team," he reassured them, pushing his controls to repel Daniel.
Ignoring the chaos below, Daniel prepared for another attack.
"Forgive me, Trini," Kimberly murmured to herself, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts from her Zord, which caused Daniel to recoil in pain.
"Daniel!" Trini cried out.
"He's unharmed, Trini!" Billy reported. "I'm monitoring his energy levels. Remember, he's not himself right now. To save him, we must succeed."
Jason directed his Zord forward, its claws striking Daniel's chest plate. He then swung the Tyrannosaurus Zord's mighty tail, sending Daniel crashing to the ground. Zack attempted to tackle Daniel with his Mastodon Zord, but Daniel agilely evaded the attack, delivering a powerful kick to the Zord's side, resulting in sparks flying as it toppled.
"Zack!" Jason exclaimed in alarm as his Zord approached Daniel. "Try this on for size!" Jason input a sequence into his mainframe, causing the Tyrannosaurus Zord to spew a fireball that struck Daniel's armor, eliciting a pained cry.
Amidst the fiery onslaught, Zack managed to right his Zord and put some distance between himself and the Dark Warrior. As the flames dissipated, Daniel raised his sword, conjuring a golden beam of energy at its tip. The Rangers watched in apprehension, unsure of his intentions. Billy attempted to gauge the energy levels, only to find them off the charts.
"This can't be right…" Billy muttered, perplexed by the energy readings. "Team, we may have a problem." The ominous declaration unsettled them.
"For Rita!" Daniel's voice boomed, echoing across the city.
"According to my sensors, that energy beam could level half the city!" Billy urgently warned. "We must prevent him from unleashing that attack!" Kimberly unleashed another salvo of energy beams from her Zord, each shot hitting its mark. "It's not enough!"
"There has to be another way!" Jason declared as he closed in on Daniel.
"Jason, what are you doing?" Billy's voice quivered with panic, knowing that a close-range hit could prove catastrophic.
"Someone has to act!" Jason replied.
"I concur, but I've devised a plan," Billy explained. "The horns on my Triceratops Zord can serve as energy conductors. If I can detach them and ensnare him, I might drain the power from his attack." Billy maneuvered the Triceratops Zord closer.
"Brilliant idea, Billy!" Jason exclaimed. "In the meantime, I'll ensure he doesn't unleash that attack." Jason continued to advance toward Daniel, his Zord's jaws wide open.
"Here goes nothing!" Billy pressed a button, and two horns shot out from his Zord, connected by a chain, ensnaring each of Daniel's arms. "Locked on target!" Billy input more code into his dashboard, causing blue light and surges of electricity to flow back to the Triceratops Zord. "This is more energy than I expected…"
"Are you all right?" Kimberly called out.
"I should be fine; I just need to adjust my energy intake, I think," Billy replied. Jason bit down on Daniel's shoulder with his Zord, prompting Daniel to struggle in an attempt to dislodge him. Each violent movement disrupted Billy's energy receptors.
"Keep him still!" Billy urged.
"I'm doing my best!" Jason responded.
"I've got this, team!" Zack declared. He activated the Mastodon's trunk and encased Daniel's legs in a sheet of ice, restraining him.
"Stay away from me!" Daniel's voice sounded malevolent and unrecognizable. Trini watched from a distance, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white as snow. Her emotions churned as she fought the urge to intervene in the struggle between Daniel and Jason.
"No," she whispered to herself repeatedly. Billy's plan would succeed. The golden energy emanating from Daniel's sword gradually weakened.
"Daniel, this is for your own good!" Jason insisted, his Zord still clamped onto Daniel's shoulder. Despite his frozen lower body, Daniel continued to struggle, causing cracks to form in the ice. Zack worked tirelessly to reinforce the ice, but it was clear it wouldn't hold for much longer.
"Billy, how's the draining going?" Zack urgently inquired.
"His energy levels have dropped significantly, but it's not safe yet," Billy replied. "Just a bit longer, team. Just a bit longer!"
Billy struggled to contain his anxiety as he watched Jason desperately cling to his Zord's controls, keeping its massive jaws clamped on Daniel's shoulder. The situation was reaching a breaking point, and their efforts were beginning to falter.
The Dark Warrior, possessed by an unrelenting darkness, taunted the Rangers from within. His voice resonated with malevolence as he asserted the futility of their endeavors. His grip on his mighty sword loosened ominously as he prepared to unleash a devastating attack.
"He's about to release it!" Kimberly cried out, alarmed. Billy swiftly detached his Triceratops Zord from Daniel and reeled in his energy-conducting horns.
"Jason, you need to get out of there immediately!" Billy urged, his voice tinged with urgency. The sword slipped from Daniel's grasp, its tip striking the ground between Daniel and Jason, unleashing a surge of golden energy that enveloped them both. Then came the cataclysmic explosion, sending shockwaves through the city, lifting roads, and launching concrete debris high into the air, shrouding the area in a thick fog.
"Holy—" Jason began to exclaim but was cut off as he and his Zord were propelled hundreds of feet away, skidding across the ground, collecting cars and streetlights before coming to a halt.
"Jason!" The other Rangers called out in unison, their voices filled with concern. As the dust settled, they witnessed the Tyrannosaurus Zord lying on its side, sparks flying. Meanwhile, Daniel had been flung several hundred feet and collided with one of Angel Grove's tallest skyscrapers.
"He's damaged the foundation of the event center!" Kimberly exclaimed with alarm, realizing that the lives of people within the building were now at risk.
"Whoa," Billy muttered under his breath, scrutinizing his instruments. "Daniel's energy levels are critical. He won't be able to maintain his current size much longer."
"I'm okay," Jason finally responded, his voice strained. "But my Zord… I'm afraid it's in pretty bad shape."
"I doubt it. It would take more than that to destroy your Zord. Alpha and I will work on getting it operational again," Billy reassured Jason, bringing some relief to his worried teammate. The Rangers refocused their attention on Daniel, who emitted a haunting, agonized sound before being enveloped by darkness and reappearing in Central Square at his normal height.
"Oh my God, those people!" Kimberly cried out. With Daniel no longer supporting the building, it was only a matter of time before it collapsed, endangering the lives of those inside.
"My sensors indicate at least fifteen people on the top floor of the building who couldn't evacuate with the rest of the city. And, oh no," Billy added with dread, "I detect half a dozen Putties terrorizing them!"
"Rangers, it's a rescue mission. We must help those civilians!" Jason ordered.
"Trini, I need to check on Daniel," Trini interjected, her voice filled with concern for her possessed friend.
"Trini," Jason's voice carried a note of urgency, suggesting that he believed their priority should be the civilians' safety at this moment.
"No, Jason. I'm sorry, but this might be our chance to save him," Trini insisted, stepping out of her Zord and teleporting to the ground below.
"Damn it," Jason muttered under his breath. "Zack, Billy, Kim, I'm going to assist Trini with Daniel. He might still pose a threat to her."
"Understood. We'll handle the civilians," Kimberly replied.
"Jason, once you leave your Zord, Alpha will teleport it to its hiding place for repairs," Billy informed him.
"Great, see you soon, guys!" Jason teleported out of his Zord, and the Tyrannosaurus Zord vanished in a brilliant red light moments later.
"All right, everyone, we have a brief window of opportunity!" Billy declared as he maneuvered his Zord into the exact spot where Daniel had stood to prevent the building from toppling over. "Zack, freeze the foundation and maintain its stability as long as possible!"
"Got it, Billy!" Zack responded. The Mastodon Zord approached and released a spray of ice, enveloping the building's foundation in a thick layer.
"Kimberly, they're on the top floor. Can you position yourself just outside it?" Billy asked. Kimberly circled the building from above, assessing the best location for her Zord.
"Yeah, I think so," Kimberly replied. She descended a few hundred feet and hovered, maintaining a position just outside the top floor. She activated hover mode and had a clear view of the terrified civilians inside, attempting to fend off the Putties. "Billy, they're under attack! We have to stop those Putties!"
"Indeed, maybe I can teleport to the top floor and—" Billy began, but Kimberly cut him off.
"No, I'm the fighter and the better shot," Kimberly asserted. "Billy, teleport to my Zord and help me keep it steady. If I position myself on the wing, I might be able to eliminate them all with my Power Bow."
"Okay," Billy agreed. He parked his Zord and teleported into the cockpit of the Pterodactyl Zord. Kimberly unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up, allowing Billy to take her place.
"All right, just hold it steady like this—perfect," Kimberly instructed, teleporting out of the cockpit and landing on the left wing of her Zord. The building's windows were heavily tinted, making it difficult to discern the occupants' positions. "Time to use some high-tech tools," she muttered, tapping on the left side of her visor. "Heat signature mode enabled." This enabled her to identify the heat signatures of humans and Putties within.
Suddenly, the building's foundation shifted slightly, and Kimberly looked down to see the ice cracking.
"We don't have much time, guys!" Zack yelled as he applied another layer of ice.
"Power Bow!" Kimberly summoned her bow, nocked an arrow, and released it. The arrow sliced through the glass, shattering the window and striking a Putty in the chest, causing it to disintegrate.
"It's the Pink Ranger!" one of the civilians exclaimed. Kimberly adjusted her visor again, no longer needing the heat signature detection, and began to take aim at the remaining Putties. She dispatched one, then another, and another. When a Putty attempted to grab a civilian and use her as a shield, Kimberly managed to land an arrow in its head.
"Okay, Billy, move slightly to the left to connect the wing with the floor!" Kimberly instructed as she ran to the side of her Zord and opened a door that appeared to be extra storage. "We can secure them in here and transport them to safety afterward." Billy adjusted the Zord's position as Kimberly had directed. "A bit more… yes, okay, stop, that's perfect!"
"Ready when you are, Kim!" Billy affirmed. Kimberly leaped from the wing into the building, where civilians anxiously circled around her.
"Thank you, Pink Ranger," many of them said, expressing their gratitude.
"All right, everyone, I need you to be brave," Kimberly encouraged them. "We're going to get you to safety, but we have to work together." She pointed to the open door on her Zord. "You can all fit inside there; you just need to walk along the wing to get there. Okay?" Their faces reflected confusion, but the building's shudders and the terrified screams of the people inside prompted urgency. "We don't have time for this; the building might collapse any moment! Come on, a human chain!" Kimberly linked arms with one civilian, and the others followed suit.
Step by step, Kimberly led them onto the wing and toward the storage bay. The first few entered without issue, but as she reached the eleventh person, a Putty suddenly appeared on the wing, seizing the last civilian.
"No!" Kimberly shouted, and the woman struggled to push the Putty away. In her attempt to break free, the woman lost her balance and fell from the wing. "No!" Kimberly leaped off the wing without hesitation, mid-air turning around and delivering a precise arrow to the Putty's head.
"Kim! What are you doing?!" Billy exclaimed in alarm.
"Billy, take off and transport them to the safe zone. I'll handle this!" Kimberly directed, her gaze fixed on the falling civilian. She activated her teleportation device, accelerating to catch up with the woman in freefall. Just before impact, she reached out, grabbed the woman, and redirected them both to the top of the Triceratops Zord.
"What—what just happened?" the woman stammered in shock.
"You're safe. You're perfectly safe," Kimberly reassured her. "Alpha, teleport this woman to one of the safe zones."
"Affirmative," Alpha replied, and moments later, the woman disappeared.
"Nice going, Kim!" Zack cheered.
"That was a close call," Kimberly admitted, nearly breathless, as she leaned against the Triceratops.
"Let's find Trini and Jason; they'll need our help," Zack suggested.
Angel Grove Central Square lay in ruins, a desolate battleground scarred by the Zord battle that had unfolded. With the exception of Trini, Jason, and the relentless Daniel, the square stood eerily devoid of human presence.
Trini, clad in her Ranger suit, valiantly attempted to deflect Daniel's relentless barrage of punches and kicks. Her determination drove her to try and restrain him, if only briefly, to find a way to reach him. However, every time she closed in, Daniel's swift and forceful blows sent her reeling.
"Trini!" Jason's voice rang out, laden with concern. He charged forward, wielding his Power Sword with unwavering resolve. Daniel pivoted to face Jason, his own Sword at the ready, and the two engaged in a fierce battle. The clash of their blades echoed through the battered square as Jason swung his sword, but Daniel skillfully parried it. In retaliation, Daniel attempted to sweep Jason's legs, but Jason agilely leaped, delivering a powerful kick that sent Daniel sprawling.
"I will have your head for Rita!" Daniel seethed with anger.
"You mean nothing to Rita," Jason retorted, his voice firm. "You're nothing but a pawn. Once she's done with you, do you honestly think you'll survive?"
"I'm dead anyway," Daniel's unexpected response momentarily caught Jason off guard. It was all the opening Daniel needed to unleash a golden energy beam from the tip of his Sword, sending Jason spiraling backward to land heavily on the hood of a nearby car, shattering the windshield in the process.
"Daniel, you have to stop this!" Trini stepped forward, her Power Daggers poised for action.
"You gonna cut me again, bitch?" Daniel scoffed, but his words fell flat as Trini's eyes held a deep, unspoken sorrow.
"Damn it, Daniel! Stop this crap! If you'd just stop fighting us, you'd realize that we can help you. We want to help. I need to help you!" Trini's voice quivered with emotion, her throat tightening as she fought back tears.
"Stop lying to me. There's nothing you can do. I sold my soul to evil. I'm indebted to Rita. She is my Queen, and I serve her until my dying day," Daniel declared, his voice laced with conviction.
"I can help you! Daniel, please," Trini pleaded urgently.
"Stop calling me Daniel! You don't know me! I am the Dark Warrior! Daniel is gone, and he will never return!" Daniel roared defiantly.
"You're not gone, I refuse to believe it. If you're gone, then my heart will be shattered," Trini whispered, her words hanging heavily in the air. Suspicion flickered in the Dark Warrior's eyes as he watched her closely. Trini lowered her daggers, letting them fall to her feet. "I can't fight you any longer."
"Good. This will be quick," Daniel replied, his voice tinged with cold determination. He swiftly closed the distance between them, striking her with a knee to the stomach, causing her to gasp in pain. Then, he delivered a backhand across her face, followed by a powerful jump-kick to her chest that sent her hurtling backward, crashing to the ground.
"You're no match for me," Daniel declared triumphantly.
"Daniel, please," Trini whispered as she struggled to rise to her feet. Her plea seemed to enrage him further, and he rushed at her once more, launching a relentless assault of punches into her stomach and a brutal kick to her side, sending her sprawling to the ground again.
"I am not Daniel!" he thundered.
"Yes, you are. You're my Daniel," Trini asserted defiantly. She summoned every ounce of strength to stand, her hands trembling as she reached for the sides of her helmet. "You have to understand that I want to help you. You need to know the truth." In the distance, Jason regained his senses, realizing what Trini was about to reveal.
"No, don't do it!" Jason shouted, but his warning came too late. Trini unfastened her helmet and slowly removed it, allowing her long, ebony hair to cascade down her shoulders. With deliberate care, she lowered her helmet from her face and eventually let it fall to the ground beside her.
Stunned, Daniel fell silent for a few moments, unable to comprehend the revelation before him. "It can't be," he breathed, his voice trembling. "Trini?"
