Green with Evil
Eclipse Part 2
The air was thick with tension as the Power Rangers teleported onto the scene. The school bus lay in the center of chaos, putties surrounding it, their grey forms menacing and relentless. The children inside the bus screamed in terror, pressing against the windows as the putties hammered against the sides.
Jason's command cut through the chaos. "Rangers, let's take these putties down and get those kids to safety!" The team sprang into action. Jason charged at a group of putties, his Power Sword appearing before him in a brilliant red color, slicing through the air. With a swift, precise motion, he cut down two putties, then spun and delivered a powerful kick to another, sending it flying. He landed in front of the bus door, protecting the children inside. "Stay calm, kids! We're here to help!" A putty grabbed him and pulled him back, he quickly ducked a hit and cut it down.
Each of the rangers immediately took to the area, summoning their own weapons.
Kimberly leapt onto the roof of the bus. Drawing her Power Bow, she fired a series of arrows that struck putties with pinpoint accuracy. As a putty climbed up to challenge her, she flipped off the bus, landing on it and taking it down with a quick kick. "Jason, I've got the top covered!" She leapt to the top of the bus once more and readied her bow to keep lookout and offer aerial support.
Zack moved and dodged between the putties toward the back of the bus. His Power Axe crashed down with explosive force. Each swing was a perfect blend of strength and style, taking out putty after putty.
Trini and Billy focused on the perimeter. Trini, with her Power Daggers armed, cut through the putties with surgical accuracy. She flipped over one, landing behind it and delivering a powerful strike that shattered it to pieces. "Thank goodness we weren't too late!"
Billy lured a group of putties into a tight cluster, then used his Power Lance to vault over them, delivering a powerful spin attack that took them all down in one fell swoop. "Jason, we need to get the bus moving. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it gets!"
Jason nodded, turning to the bus driver and banging on the door to get his attention. "Start the engine and get ready to move as soon as we clear the area!"
"I'm trying – I can't get it to start!" the bus driver called back, more than startled. The hood of the vehicle was smoking, probably because of damage taken from Rita's minions.
Jason's face tightened – this was just what they needed. "Billy, see if you can help with the engine! Trini, cover him!"
Billy dashed to the front of the bus, lifting the hood and quickly scanning the components. He saw the radiator steaming and the battery connections looking loose. "Suboptimal. The radiator's overheated and the battery connections need tightened," he diagnosed. Billy's mind raced, calculating the quickest way to fix both issues under pressure.
Trini stood guard, her daggers flashing as she took down any putties that dared approach. "Billy, time isn't exactly on our side!" A putty tackled her to the ground, and she stuck both daggers into its head, causing it to crumble all over her.
Billy activated his communicator. "Triceratops Tool Kit, now!" In a flash of blue light, a toolkit teleported into his hands. His hands moved quickly, tightening the battery connections with a wrench, ensuring they were secure. "That should restore power," he thought. He then turned his attention to the radiator. "I need to cool this down fast," he realized, pulling out a small coolant canister from the kit. He carefully poured it into the radiator, watching the steam dissipate. "Morphinominal!"
As Billy worked, the putties intensified their assault as another wave materialized in a dark energy that permeated from the ground beneath them.
"You guys! Second wave!" Jason called out.
One of them shattered a window and reached inside, grabbing a child by the arm. The child screamed in terror, their small body being pulled towards the broken glass by their classmates. Zack saw this and immediately sprang into action. He dashed over, swinging his Power Axe with precision, severing the putty's arm and pulling the child back to safety.
"Stay away from the windows!" he instructed the children, his voice firm but reassuring.
Kimberly moved to cover the other side of the bus, firing arrows that struck putties with pinpoint accuracy. Zack changed his axe from melee mode to ranged, and together Zack and Kimberly coordinated their attacks, fending them off from the reaching the bus.
Billy secured the last connection and slammed the hood shut. "Try it now!"
The bus driver turned the key, and the engine roared to life. "Oh thank goodness," Trini said, kicking another putty off of her. Zack ran over to help her up off the ground. Then, there was a cruel laughter that carried around the air, and several energy strikes hit the ground. Wherever the rangers stood, they collapsed when the energy hit them.
Just then, the Green Ranger appeared, his presence commanding and ominous. The air grew colder, and the tension thickened. With a swift motion, he summoned the Sword of Darkness, its blade crackling with dark energy. Jason got to his feet, kicking away a Putty rushing forward and banging on the bus door.
"Get out of here now!" Jason yelled back at the driver, placing himself between the bus and his enemy. The other rangers still had putties to contend with, "clear a path guys! Focus on that!" he instructed. "This one – he's mine."
The Green Ranger's voice was cold and mocking. "You think you can stop me? You're nothing compared to the power Rita has given me!"
Jason stepped forward, his eyes locked on the Green Ranger. "We'll see about that!"
The air crackled with tension as Jason and the Green Ranger locked eyes, both poised for battle. Jason gripped his Power Sword tightly, his muscles coiled and ready. With a fierce yell, they charged toward each other, their blades clashing in a shower of sparks. Jason swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for the Green Ranger's midsection, but the Green Ranger parried effortlessly, countering with a swift kick that Jason barely dodged.
Their movements were nearly equal, strike met with an equally powerful block. Jason's frustration grew with every failed attempt to land a decisive blow. The Green Ranger was relentless, his attacks filled with a brutal efficiency that left little room for error. He had to fight harder. It wasn't hard – he felt his own anger building toward the Green Ranger. The pain he caused them. Even if the Green Ranger was human, he wanted to take him down.
Jason swung a kick that managed to hit – this momentum pushed him to fight harder, with his strikes and swings becoming more aggressive. It seemed like the Green Ranger was enjoying this, letting out sinister laugher with each hit.
"Something funny?" Jason asked, kicking his opponent back.
"Just didn't realize how weak you were," the Green Ranger replied, before unleashing his own more aggressive strikes. He broke through Jason's defensive posture and slashed down on Jason's suit with his sword of darkness, causing sparks to spray everywhere. "To think Zordon could have chosen anyone in the world and he settled on you."
Jason wasn't surprised by this banter – it wasn't unlike their encounter in the Dark Dimension, but this time, the odds were even. Still, his words stung. "Yeah, and Rita had no criteria for choosing her champion," Jason spat back. The Green Ranger grunted and delivered a kick so powerful to Jason's gut that he felt the wind knocked out of him and sparks continued to unleash.
Just as the Green Ranger seemed to gain the upper hand, Kimberly joined leapt in, her Power Bow at the ready. She fired a volley of arrows, forcing the Green Ranger to back off momentarily.
"Are you okay?!" Kimberly asked, rushing toward Jason's side.
"Yeah, but we need to be careful," Jason said. "And take him down." Kimberly was hesitant at this command, still grappling with their earlier argument. The Green Ranger didn't hesitate though and charged forward blade first. She tried to parry it with her bow and her attacks seemed hesitant at times, her emotions clearly conflicted as she struggled with the chaos around her. The Green Ranger, sensing her hesitation, focused his attacks on her, attempting to exploit this weakness.
"Kim, stay focused!" Jason shouted; his voice edged with concern as he parried a powerful strike from the Green Ranger.
Kimberly took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I'm trying!" she replied.
The Green Ranger taunted them. "Is this the best you've got? Pathetic!"
Jason's frustration boiled over. "We're just getting started!"
Kimberly unleashed a few arrows, aiming to disarm, but wasn't hitting her targets. She couldn't focus. "Stay back!" She ducked under a strike and aimed an arrow right at his chest plate, unleashing it. It landed, but his shield seemed to absorb it right away. "What the crap?!"
The Green Ranger's response was a powerful strike that sent Kimberly sprawling across the battlefield. "You're weak!"
Jason moved to defend Kimberly, anger flashing in his eyes. "You'll pay for that!" His sword clashing with the Sword of Darkness. They exchanged powerful blows, neither of them gaining an upper hand. Sparks flew as their blades met, each strike sending shockwaves through the air. Jason's determination was palpable, every muscle in his body straining with the effort to overpower the Green Ranger.
Struggling, Kimberly got back to her feet, her eyes filled with a fierce resolve. "I don't know who you are, but we're going to stop you!" She aimed her Power Bow, firing a volley of arrows that the Green Ranger deflected with ease.
The Green Ranger's eyes narrowed behind his visor. "Big talk for someone who can barely stand." With a swift motion, he raised the Sword of Darkness and unleashed a blast of dark energy. The bolt streaked through the air, its ominous glow illuminating the battlefield. As the blast reached its climax, Jason realized they weren't the target – and it was too late.
The dark energy blast struck the bus, blowing out a tire and causing it to swerve wildly. The children inside screamed as the vehicle careened off the road, finally crashing into a nearby ditch. Metal crunched and glass shattered, the bus coming to a jarring halt.
"NO!" Jason shouted, his heart sinking as he saw the children lurch from the impact. The sight fueled his anger.
Zack, still fending off putties, saw the crash and yelled out, "We need to get those kids out of there, now!" He swung his Power Axe with renewed vigor, cutting through the putties that blocked his path to the bus.
Kimberly, her heart pounding, darted towards the bus, dodging putties and debris. She reached the emergency door, wrenching it open and helping the terrified children out. "Come on, hurry!" she urged, her voice steady despite the chaos.
Trini and Billy, having dealt with the putties near the front, rushed to assist. Trini used her Power Daggers to clear a path, while Billy guided the children to safety. "Keep moving, we've got you!" Billy instructed, matching Kimberly's tone. "Alpha – we need to get these kids out of here. Can we get them ready for teleportation?"
"Affirmative, but you'll have to do it in waves. I'm afraid the teleportation frequency can't manage all of it at once," Alpha replied through the communicator.
"Understood – Trini, it's you and me. Let's get these kids to safety. Zack, Kim – watch our backs, we're gonna be coming in and out. Keep the kids safe until we get them all out." Billy said. And he took two kids and then teleported them out.
"Hold on tight," Trini said, taking another two out.
As this plan continued, Jason and the Green Ranger continued their intense duel. "We won't let you win!" Jason declared, his sword clashing against the dark blade of his opponent.
The Green Ranger sneered. "You're already losing, and it's pathetic watching you try."
Jason's grip tightened on his sword. "Why are you doing this? Who are you?"
The Green Ranger's voice dripped with venom. "I'm your worst nightmare, and I'll tear your world apart piece by piece."
Jason's eyes burned with rage. "You're nothing but a pawn for Rita. We'll stop you."
The Green Ranger laughed darkly. "You can try, but you'll fail just like you always do."
Just then, the skies began to darken unnaturally, and a sinister voice echoed through the battlefield. Rita's voice, filled with malice, announced, "Let it begin!" Clouds surrounded the sky and Rita's wand descended upon the ground, her voice radiating through the air.
"Magic Wands, make my monsters grow!" And moments later, Goldar and a monstrous form of Scorpina appeared before them, their sights set on the heart Angel Grove.