A/N: Time for Part 2! I don't have much to say, so I'll just let you get straight to the chapter. See ya in the second author's note!
Episode 22: When Earths Collide, Part II
"You cannot stop what has already been set in motion!" Empress Dioda boomed, sending ALPHA and Steel flying onto their backs with a sudden burst of energy. She threw her head back, unleashing a maniacal laugh that echoed off the base's walls. "Your destruction is the will of god, and I am its instrument!"
She thrust out her hands, ensnaring the pair in thick cables that pinned them to the floor. She spun on her heels, shattered the glass case with her double-edged blade, and then snatched the gauntlet from inside.
"It's been lovely, but I really must be going," She teleported away, but not before adding, "Until next time!"
Back at the NASADA base, Nate tried vainly to break through Maintanner's defense as he repeatedly blocked his sword using his twin boomerangs. Meanwhile, Quincy dug in his heels and steadied his aim. He fired multiple blaster bolts at Delete, who narrowly swatted the projectiles away with his energy whip. The two robots knocked the Gold Rangers back with a burst of energy, then cackled as they toppled over.
"ACCESS GRANTED," Maintanner's ICE-pick emitted an electronic 'click,' and the door to the storage room slid open.
"Finally!" Maintanner holstered his wrenches, then turned and entered the storage room. Sitting atop a pillar in the center of the room was a metal sphere with a radar dish, which Maintanner grabbed before teleporting away.
"So long, Rangers!" Delete taunted, teleporting away a few moments after his compatriot.
Alt stood her ground as Wendy and Zoey rushed her, filling the plant with blaster bolts. She effortlessly swatted the projectiles away with her pistols' bayonets, then returned fire. The Yellow Rangers hollered clumsily as they were launched backward by a large explosion, and Alt turned and made her way to a massive piece of machinery behind her. She thrust out her hands, and energy tendrils shot out of her fingers and latched onto the machine. A tank on her back glowed green as it filled with Energon, and Alt turned back around as Wendy and Zoey pulled themselves up to their feet.
"Looks like our girl's night just came to an end," She taunted, teleporting away. "Later, ladies!"
"I tire of your senseless babble!" Shovelloader roared, smacking Kenny aside with his shovel arm. He deflected a blaster-bolt Ravi shot at him, then retaliated by firing a volley of screw-esque bullets. As the two Blue Rangers toppled onto the ground, the Mechalius general turned and motioned to his troops. "Tronics, secure the payload for transport!"
The robotic footsoldiers promptly obeyed his command, attaching a series of transmitters to the carts filled with scrap metal. They vanished in a flurry of ones and zeroes, as did the Tronics. Shovelloader clenched his fist as Kenny and Ravi climbed back onto their feet.
"I'd end your pathetic lives here and now, but that would be redundant. The W'rkncacnter's return is at hand!" With that, Shovelloader teleported away, leaving the two Blue Rangers alone.
"ACCESS GRANTED," The ICE-pick Vargoyle set up emitted an electronic 'click,' drawing the Mechalius general's attention as he continued to spar with Devon.
"Control! The computer!" Vargoyle called out.
"I'm a little preoccupied at the moment!" Control scoffed as he blocked another saber strike from Griffin. He kicked the Red Ranger in the sternum, then teleported over to the terminal and typed a string of commands into its keyboard. He slotted a thumb drive into its USB port, then copied a file in its database onto the storage device and ejected it. "I've got what we need. Let's go!"
"Very well!" Vargoyle launched Devon into the wall with a powerful energy blast, then vanished in a flash of light.
"Adieu~!" Control waved to Griffin as he teleported away in a flurry of ones and zeroes.
"Crap! That's not good," Griffin clenched his fist as he and Devon demorphed. He raised his morpher to his face, then spoke into the comm-link. "Doc, this is Grif! Vargoyle and Control got away, over!"
"Reading you loud and clear, Ranger Red. I've received similar reports from the other Operators; recommend you and Devon return to base for an immediate debrief."
"Roger that. Over and out!" Griffin pressed a button on his morpher, and he and Devon vanished in a flash of red light.
"Alright…" Agent Wright began, inhaling deeply and exhaling through his nose. He turned to Doctor K, who stopped pacing around the lab to look at him. "What's the damage?"
"A prototype force-field generator, a dimensional probe, a tank full of Energon, a couple tons of scrap metal, and an equation for precise interdimensional travel," Doctor K replied, reading a list off her tablet. She turned to the holoscreen before adding, "Sounds like enough pieces to build a portal to me."
"I'm afraid I can't argue with you, Doctor K," Commander Shaw told her, a grim expression forming on her face. "It won't be long now."
"So...what, we just give up?" Ravi made his way to the holoscreen, then said, "We can't just let them win, Mom! There's too much at stake!"
"I'm well aware of the stakes Ravi, but until they activate the device, we have no way of tracking them." Commander Shaw lamented. "Like it or not, the ball's in their court now."
"Any idea where they might set up shop?" Agent Wright asked Doctor K, who shrugged her shoulders.
"A few locations come to mind, but I ultimately have to agree with the Commander. Until they switch it on, there's no way to know for sure," She checked her watch, then noted, "It's getting late…"
"Dioda basically has us on-call at this point," Kenny said. He looked at the others before adding, "We should all probably stick together, huh?"
"You raise a good point, Ranger Blue," Doctor K agreed. "However, I'm afraid I just don't have that kind of space."
"We could all stay at my place," Quincy suggested, stroking his chin. "It's not exactly the Hilton, but there's plenty of room."
"Seems as good a solution as any," Doctor K gestured to her wrist as she added, "I'll contact you through your morphers if the sensors detect an energy surge. I don't yet know exactly what it'll look like, but chances are, we'll know when we see it."
Elsewhere, on the edge of town…
Metal clanging repeatedly echoed through the quarry as Tronics hammered away at scrap metal, shaping the warped and fading steel into reinforced beams. Shovelloader hoisted the beams over his shoulder one at a time and carried them to a raised platform, where he pieced together a ring-like arch that framed it. Maintanner plugged Control's thumb drive into a laptop and opened its contents, while Alt took the prototype force-field generator Dioda had stolen and attached it to the portal. Delete oversaw the work, and he occasionally glanced down at a blueprint he'd mocked up and splayed over a makeshift workbench.
Dioda surveyed the construction from afar, mumbling something to herself in a reverent cadence.
"In primordial space, timeless creatures made waves. These waves created us and others. Waves were the battles, and the battles were waves." She clasped her hands together, then bowed her head as she continued, "Fleeing all Mechalius, Yrro and Pthia settled upon Eltar, and when the W'rkncacnter came, Pthia was killed. In his anger, Yrro flung the W'rkncacnter into the sun. The sun burned our god, but our god swam on its surface…"
"Pardon?" Control interjected, ripping the Empress from her trance. "If you'd quit reciting that meaningless drivel for a moment, I could use your help with the dimensional probe."
"That 'meaningless drivel' is a passage of holy scriptures passed down from generation to generation!" She whirled around to face him, anger flashing in her eyes. "My people have waited for this day since before you were even a twinkle in Venjix's eye! I'd strongly advise you to watch your tongue; I don't take kindly to heretics."
"And I'd strongly advise you to remember who you're working with," Control countered. "My Father could care less whether you're summoning a god or ordering extra-dimensional takeout – you promised you could dispose of the Rangers, and you'd better make good on that promise!"
"Believe me, I will," Empress Dioda scoffed, folding her arms and sticking up her nose. "Mightier warriors than they have fallen to my imperial might, and when the W'rkncacnter returns, I'll be unstoppable!"
"We'll see about that…" Control muttered under his breath, turning his back to her as he moved to rejoin the construction efforts.
Meanwhile – Quincy's Hideout
The Rangers' snores filled the dilapidated factory Quincy called home as they sprawled out in sleeping bags in a semi-circle. Empty cans of soda and Energon littered the floor, along with open snack packages and other trash created by this impromptu slumber party.
Griffin tossed and turned in his sleep, his breathing heavy and ragged. He awoke with a start, sweat trickling down his forehead as he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. His heart rate climbed back down, and his breathing evened out to an average pace once he remembered where he was. He unzipped his sleeping bag and took care not to wake the others as he crept into an office Quincy had converted into a makeshift living room.
He sat down on a worn sofa, then clasped his hands together as he bowed his head. He closed his eyes, but opened them again when he felt someone standing above him.
"Wendy…?" He whispered, scrunching up his nose. "What're you doing up?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing," She replied. She gestured to the couch and added, "Mind if I sit?"
Griffin shook his head and patted the cushion next to him. Wendy sat down, and he shifted a bit to make more room for her.
"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?" She asked. Griffin shook his head.
"No, I just...well, I couldn't sleep, and I was about to pray," He told her, rubbing the back of his head.
"You're nervous about tomorrow," Wendy realized. "I can't say I blame you. We've seen a lot of battles, but I never thought we'd be fighting a god."
"I don't know if I'd call this W'rkncacnter a 'god.' Sounds more like a demon, if I'm being honest," Griffin avoided her gaze, her pale blue eyes burned in his brain as his nightmare replayed itself in his head. "...I guess I'm just worried about what'll happen if we fail."
"I was thinking the same thing," Wendy admitted, frowning slightly. "We've never faced anything like this...almost seems surreal when you stop and think about it. I mean, we've known about the multiverse all this time. Still, I never even considered the possibility that there were other evils besides Venjix or the Psi-Borgs…"
"It was bound to happen eventually, I guess," Griffin posited. "But hey, every cloud has its silver lining, right? Venjix may not be the only bad guy out there, but we know we're not the only Rangers now. That's gotta count for something...right?"
"Certainly can't hurt," Wendy let out an amused snort, but her frown deepened, and her eyes clouded. She took a deep breath, then looked at Griffin. "Whatever happens, I...I know it'll be okay. As long as we're together."
"Yeah," Griffin nodded, offering her a small smile to reassure her. She smiled back, and they both averted eye contact as their cheeks turned pink. Eventually, Wendy looked at him again and noticed the bags under his eyes. "Hey, you look exhausted. Do you need a sleeping pill? I've got some in my purse somewhere."
"Uh, nah, I'm good," Griffin replied, politely declining her offer. "Wouldn't want you to go without. I'll be fine; I'm just gonna pray real quick, and then I'll lay down and try to get some more sleep."
"...Okay," Wendy said reluctantly. She stood up and turned to leave, but not before adding, "Put in a good word for us with the Man Upstairs, would ya? We're gonna need all the help we can get."
"Yeah, I'll do that. Goodnight…" Griffin watched her leave, then bowed his head again and closed his eyes. "Dear Lord Jesus...if there's any way this cup can pass from us, let it be so…but above all else, not my will, but Thine be done. I ask all these things and more in Your precious name - in Jesus' name. Amen..."
A Few Hours Later – The Quarry
Daylight broke, and the sun slowly rose over the dawn sky, casting a ring-shaped shadow over the dirt as its light hit the portal. The sound of nails being driven into metal echoed through the area as the Tronics put their finishing touches on the device.
Dioda took a step back and admired the monolith. Her eyes widened, and her lips curled into a wicked grin; finally, it was complete.
As she continued to survey the completed portal, Maintanner approached her, his tablet in hand. "Empress? It's ready now."
"Good," She turned to Maintanner and gave him a firm nod. "You know what to do."
"Yes, ma'am," Maintanner nodded back at her, then turned to the others and shouted, "Activate the portal!"
Shovelloader connected a power cable hooked up to Alt's Energon pack to another wire leading to the portal. He then gave Delete a thumbs up, prompting him to hit a button on his laptop. Wisps of green energy flowed through the portal frame, creating four bolts of lightning that met in the center to form an 'X.' A tiny orb appeared in the middle, then expanded exponentially until it filled the entire frame. Everyone stopped and stared at the activated portal as it shuddered and whirred, their eyes and optics widening in awe.
"Excellent," Dioda turned to Vargoyle, then gestured to the portal and said, "Launch the probe!"
"As you wish, Empress!" Vargoyle switched on the probe, then used a remote control to pilot it inside the portal frame. It disappeared in a flash of light, teleporting to another dimension as it began its search for The W'rkncacnter…
A klaxon blared through Doctor K's lab, shattering the morning calm and rousing Agent Wright from his sleep. He nearly fell out of the chair he'd been napping on, only just maintaining his balance as Cheetor and the other Buddy Droids jolted out of sleep mode and rushed to their stations.
"Doc, I'm picking up a major energy spike in a quarry on the edge of town!" Cheetor informed Doctor K, who ran out of her room, still wearing her pajamas and bunny slippers. "Looks like Dioda's activated her portal!"
"Then it's now or never," Doctor K put on her headset, then typed a string of commands into the nearest computer terminal before speaking into her earpiece. "Rangers, wake up! We need you!"
The portal rippled like water, and the others waited with bated breath as Vargoyle continued to probe the multiverse.
"I've managed to narrow the list of universes down to half a dozen," Vargoyle informed Dioda, who nodded in acknowledgment. "It won't be much longer, now."
Dioda clasped her hands together and grinned ear to ear. This grin was short-lived, however, as it was replaced by a confused expression when the sound of a guitar riff echoed from nearby.
This guitar riff was accompanied by the rumbling of an engine and the sound of rolling tires as Griffin's sedan climbed onto the overlooking hill, Rainbow's "Since You Been Gone" spilling from its internal speakers. Quincy was driving, with Nate in the passenger seat and Kenny, Zoey, and Ravi sitting in the back. They were soon joined by Griffin and Wendy, who rode in on Cheetor's Motorcycle Mode. Devon followed closely behind on Cruise's Motorcycle Mode, and ALPHA and Steel brought up the rear on foot.
Griffin and Devon swerved to a halt, and Quincy eased on the brake and put Griffin's car into park. The music abruptly stopped as he shut off the engine, and everyone piled out and regrouped on the hilltop.
"Rangers!" Dioda growled as she whipped around to face them. "I don't remember inviting you,"
"We got wind of the party and invited ourselves," Kenny joked. "We couldn't bear the thought of missing your guest of honor!"
"This may be a different Earth, but some things never change – you Rangers are just as annoying no matter where I go!" She snarled. "If you came here to stop me, you're too late! We've launched the probe, and when it finds The W'rkncacnter, your fates are as good as sealed!"
"If you think we're gonna just sit back and let you end the world, you've got another thing coming!" Griffin defied as he pointed at Dioda. He readied his morpher, then turned to Devon. "You ready?"
Devon nodded, and the Red Rangers shouted in unison. "It's Morphin' Time!"
"Install: CPU!" Griffin, Kenny, Wendy, Quincy, and ALPHA hollered as they activated their morphers.
"Activate: Beast Power!" Devon, Ravi, Zoey, Nate, and Steel declared as they slotted their Morph-X Keys into their own morphers.
Rings of binary code appeared at the CPU Rangers' feet and formed their suits as they slowly rose up their bodies. A second set of rings materialized above their heads, then created their helmets as they cascaded downwards.
Meanwhile, energy incarnations of the Beast Morphers' respective animals appeared above Devon and the others. They swallowed them whole, then spat them back out to reveal their morphed forms.
With both teams morphed and at the ready, Griffin led his team as they performed their rollcall:
"Limit Breaker! CPU Red!"
"Shield Buster! CPU Blue!"
"Climax Jumper! CPU Yellow!"
"Mind Flayer! CPU Gold!"
"Circuit Smasher! CPU Silver!"
"Covertly protecting the universe from evil!" Griffin and the others hollered triumphantly. They posed together, and pillars of multicolored smoke erupted behind them as they concluded, "Power Rangers: CPU!"
As the CPU Rangers finished their rollcall, Devon rallied his team, and they began one of their own:
"Savannah Hunter! Red Cheetah!"
"Jungle Warrior! Blue Gorilla!"
"Field Hopper! Yellow Jackrabbit!"
"Grassland Predator! Gold Mantis!"
"Desert Monarch! Silver Scarab!"
"Unleash the beast!" Devon and his team shouted, posing together as they concluded, "Power Rangers: Beast Morphers!"
Griffin and Devon summoned their sabers and dropped into a runner's stance, saying, "Rangers, ready…?"
"GO!" All ten Rangers shouted in unison, dashing into battle with their weapons drawn.
"Tronics, attack!" Dioda motioned to the robotic footsoldiers, who swiftly obeyed her command. They rushed to meet the Rangers halfway, and the battle began.
Griffin and Devon zigzagged across the battlefield, becoming twin scarlet blurs that caused Tronics to spontaneously erupt into sparks as they blitzed past. They skidded to a halt on the other side of them, spinning their sabers in their hands as the Tronics behind them fell to their knees and exploded.
"Y'know, they can call you guys whatever they want," Griffin remarked, locking blades with another Tronic that lunged toward him. He kicked it in the sternum, which stunned it, then slashed it across the chest. "Either way, you're still too slow!"
"Don't get cocky; we aren't outta the woods yet," Devon gestured to the remaining Tronics and added, "There must be a thousand of 'em!"
"I know...Dioda should've brought more," Griffin elbowed Devon, then rushed to rejoin the fight. "Let's go!"
Kenny and Ravi worked in tandem, using their superstrength to punch and kick the robotic footsoldiers into submission. Two of the Tronics managed to flank Kenny, sneaking up on him and raising their weapons as they prepared to strike.
"Oh no, you don't!" Ravi hollered, diving in between them and his counterpart. He grabbed the first Tronic by the neck and spun around, putting it into a headlock. He turned to face the other Tronic, using its comrade as an improvised shield as he advanced. The captive Tronic sparked and spasmed as the second Tronic senselessly pelted it with blaster bolts in a vain attempt to hit Ravi; once it was dead, Ravi tossed it aside and tackled the other Tronic to the ground. It reeled back its legs and knocked Ravi back with a swift kick to the sternum, but Kenny retaliated by shooting it in the head with his blaster.
"Nice save," Ravi fist-bumped Kenny, who shrugged his shoulders.
"They don't call it true blue loyalty for nothing," Ravi rolled his eyes inside his helmet, and Kenny turned to a large group of Tronics that had encroached on their flank. "Let's show 'em how Blue Rangers throw down!"
"Right on!" Ravi followed Kenny as he dove headfirst into combat and caught two of the Tronics with a swift lariat.
"Eat this, clankers!" Wendy hollered, using her superagility to vault into the air before pelting the Tronics below with blaster bolts. Zoey remained crouched on one knee, taking several potshots at the Tronics. One of them dodged her projectiles, then ran up and swung its weapon toward her. Zoey rolled out of the way of the attack, then retaliated with a leaping knee before performing a superagility-powered backflip and finishing it off with a headshot.
"Nice shot!" Wendy said as she landed back on the ground. She high-fived Zoey, then added, "There's nothing deadlier than a Yellow Ranger with a blaster!"
"You've got that right," Zoey laughed. She then gestured to the remaining Tronics, who had formed a phalanx on the other side of the battlefield. As they aimed their blasters at the pair and opened fire, she said, "Looks like they need a reminder!"
The duo soared into the air to avoid the incoming wall of blaster fire, then returned fire as they descended. They moved as a team, pushing through the battlefield and eliminating the robots with pinpoint accuracy.
Meanwhile, Quincy and Nate found themselves surrounded by Tronics on all sides. However, Quincy was undeterred; he deflected their incoming projectiles with his sword, then lifted them off their feet using his telekinesis.
"I set 'em up, you knock 'em down!" He sent them soaring towards Nate, who cleaved them all in half. Another Tronic moved to their flank and leaped through the air in an attempted counterattack, but Nate spun around and used his sword like a baseball bat, swatting it with the broad end of the blade. It was sent hurtling through the air, crumbling into pieces once it landed on the far end of the quarry.
"Woah!" Quincy boomed, slapping his fellow Gold Ranger lightly on the back. "Swing, batter batter, swing!"
"Thanks," Nate turned his attention to the other Tronics, who had regrouped several yards away and had begun to charge toward them. He ran to meet them, saying, "Race you to home plate!"
As Quincy ran after him, ALPHA and Steel worked to further thin the Tronics' ranks. ALPHA gunned them down one at a time with his blaster while Steel jumped, ducked, and slid to avoid incoming swings and then countered with slashes from his sword.
"I think those scoundrels got the point!" Steel declared triumphantly, holstering his sword as the Tronics behind him fell to their knees and exploded.
"Steel, watch out!" ALPHA warned, noticing a group of stragglers that had managed to flank the overconfident robot. He activated his Energy-Shell and used it on Steel, covering him in a shimmering energy field that protected him from the Tronics' incoming slashes. The trio writhed in agony as their arms were shattered by the force field, and Steel followed this up by swiftly cutting them to pieces.
"Thanks, friend!"
"No problem," ALPHA replied, running up to his counterpart and slapping him on the shoulder. "None may hurt you, for I am here!"
The pair threw themselves back into the fight, and before long, the Tronics were nothing but a distant memory. Dioda watched as the Rangers disposed of the last of her footsoldiers, and she clenched her fist until her knuckles turned white.
"Enough fooling around!" She growled, looking to her generals. "Hold the Rangers off! Buy Vargoyle time to find the W'rkncacnter!"
"Yes, Empress!" Maintanner and Shovelloader bowed and then turned their attention to the Rangers. As they leapt into the fray, Dioda whipped around to face Control, who furrowed his eyebrows.
"And you!" She bellowed, her eyes glowing with anger. "Don't just stand there! Do something!"
"Calmez-vous," Control said in French, shrugging her off. He looked at Alt and Delete, then brandished his morpher. "Install: CPU…"
He morphed into CPU CTRL and drew his rapier, gripping it tightly as he followed his siblings into battle. He teleported over to Griffin and swung wildly at his nemesis, who was caught unawares.
"How does it feel knowing you're powerless to save your pathetic race?" Control taunted as he locked blades with the Red Ranger. Griffin's arms buckled as he struggled to hold him back, and the morphed Avatar threw his head back and laughed. "Our little back and forth was fun while it lasted, but I'm afraid I've started to outgrow you, Ranger Red! It's high time I disposed of you,"
"Not gonna happen!" Devon used his superspeed to blindside Control, tackling him to the ground. He drew his blaster and aimed it at the downed Avatar, but Control teleported away before he could pull the trigger. He swapped to his saber and used it to narrowly block an incoming swing from Control.
"Do you mind?!" Control growled in frustration, breaking through Devon's defense. He swung wildly at Devon, but he blocked each swing with one of his own. "We were having a private conversation!"
"I, for one, don't mind the interruption," Griffin remarked, super speeding his way over and joining Devon as he continued to spar with Control. The pair locked blades with the Avatar, turning the tables on him and causing his arms to start shaking as he struggled to hold them back. "Now, about that whole disposal thing…"
Shovelloader scooped up a boulder with his shovel arm, tossing it into the air and spiking it. He pelted it with bullets from his finger guns, shattering it and creating a cluster of debris that hurtled toward Kenny and Ravi. Kenny acted quickly, slamming his fists into the ground and making his own boulder that he used as a makeshift shield. Ravi used his super strength to lift a rusted-out mine cart up and over his head. He winged it at the Mechalius general, who toppled onto his back as it struck him in the chest. "Oof!"
"Niiice!" Kenny and Ravi exchanged a high-five, then drew their sabers and ran towards Shovelloader once he hopped back up to his feet.
Alt trained her dual pistols on Wendy as she stomped towards her, firing a rapid barrage of blaster bolts at the Yellow Ranger. Wendy used her reflexes to dodge most of the projectiles but grew tired as Alt continued her advance. Alt had nearly closed the gap when she was blindsided by Zoey, who pistol-whipped her in the shoulder before firing at her chest point-blank.
"Gah!" Alt clutched her chest, her artificial skin shimmering with sparks. She retaliated by kicking Zoey in the sternum, sending her stumbling backward. She pointed one blaster at Zoey and the other at Wendy, her eyes snapping from one Yellow Ranger to the other.
"You two are really starting to annoy me!" She growled.
"It's the least we can do!" Wendy and Zoey shared a nod, then vaulted into the air and performed a front flip. They delivered a superagility-powered flying kick to the female Avatar's chest, sending her slamming into a broken-down crane sitting behind her.
"Oww!" Her face contorted as the 'skin' on her back rippled and flickered. Wendy and Zoey brandished their blasters and closed in on the female Avatar, ready to resume their assault.
Maintanner stood his ground as Quincy and Nate rushed him, using his wrenches to deflect their attacks as they slashed at him with their swords. They broke through his defenses and cut him across the chest, causing his armor to spark. This enraged the robotic general, who sent them flying backward with an energy attack before reaching for two improvised explosives on his waist. He drew them, pulled the pins, and tossed them at the Gold Rangers as they pulled themselves back up to their feet.
Nate looked at Quincy, saying, "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Of course I am," Quincy replied. "I'm a telepath, remember?"
Quincy used his telekinesis to grab the bombs in mid-air, then held them there as Nate ran at them. He hit them with the flat end of his sword, sending them arcing back towards Maintanner as their timers neared zero.
"NO!" Maintanner screamed as the bombs exploded in his face, sending him flying. He wailed in fright as he soared over the portal, landing on his back somewhere on the far side of it. He tried to get up but fell back onto the ground with an exhausted groan.
Delete endured an all-out assault from ALPHA, who lunged at him with his sword as he attempted to back away. He unfurled his energy whip, then spun it around before swinging it at ALPHA and ensnaring him.
"HA!" He laughed, reveling in his triumph as ALPHA squirmed and wriggled in an attempt to free himself. "I've got you right where I want you, now!"
"Think again, robotic life form of inferior intelligence!" Steel came to ALPHA's rescue, slicing the whip with his sword and breaking his counterpart out of Delete's trap. He and ALPHA swapped to their blasters, which they aimed at Delete before simultaneously pulling the triggers. "Now, reap the harvest of your errors!"
"Ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!" Delete squelched as they pelted him with blaster bolts, causing his body to spark. He turned and dove behind the nearest piece of cover while shouting, "No fair! That's cheating...!"
"ENOUGH!" Control mustered enough strength to shove Griffin and Devon back, sending them tumbling to the ground. He teleported over to Devon as he hopped back up to his feet, slashing the Red Ranger repeatedly with his rapier. "You shouldn't have interrupted me!"
Griffin watched from his spot on the dirt, his gaze drifting to Control's left wrist. He pushed off the ground, supersped over to his foe, and slashed his morpher with his saber.
"ERROR," Smoke billowed from Control's morpher as it sparked uncontrollably, diverting the Avatar's attention. Control backed away from Devon and frantically fiddled with his morpher in an attempt to fix it.
"Non!" His Ranger suit fizzled out and faded away, leaving him demorphed. "Non non non!"
"Here, have a signal jammer," Griffin casually tossed one of the devices at Control, who recoiled as his face contorted in pain. The Avatar stumbled backward and tripped over a rock, and Griffin ran over to Devon and helped him up. "You good, man?"
"Yeah," Devon nodded. "Thanks."
An electronic beep suddenly echoed through the quarry, drawing everyone's attention to the probe remote. Vargoyle fiddled with it, his hands shaking with anticipation as he turned to Dioda.
"Empress, I've found it…!" He exclaimed triumphantly. Dioda peered into the portal, her lips stretching into an enraptured grin as a massive orange orb drifted into view just beyond the sea of green. "I've found the W'rkncacnter!"
"Finally!" Dioda clasped her hands together, gazing at the orb as it drifted closer into view. Just beneath its surface, some sort of creature with a bony visage could be seen wading through the flames like it was swimming through the ocean. "Vargoyle, recall the probe!" She commanded, motioning to her subordinate. "Our deliverance is at hand!"
"At your word, Empress," Vargoyle began to pilot the probe back to the portal but was interrupted when Griffin and Devon supersped over to him and slashed the remote out of his hands. He turned to face them, saying, "What the?!"
"Not gonna happen!" Griffin shouted defiantly. He and Devon reeled back their fists and struck the Mechalius general with a swift punch to the sternum, sending him flying backward. Vargoyle hollered clumsily as he was flung into the portal and disappeared in a green flash.
"Vargoyle!" Empress Dioda called out, reaching her hand out towards the portal as her general's voice was suddenly silenced. She turned to the Red Rangers, her eyes glowing with anger. "How dare you?!
"Oh, we're just getting started!" Devon gestured behind her, and she spun on her heels just in time to watch Kenny and Ravi run up to her. They raised their arms above their heads and brought them crashing into the platform beneath her, creating a super strength-powered shock wave that sent her flying. She landed on the other side of the portal with a thud, and the other Rangers ran to join their teammates.
Quincy and Nate hacked the force-field generator apart with their swords, and the shimmering energy-field coating the portal vanished into thin air as it crackled and sparked. The remaining Rangers readied their blasters, aiming them at the portal frame and pelting it with blaster bolts now that it was unprotected. Dioda pulled herself up to her feet and dove towards the portal, her eyes glued to the W'rkncacnter as it broke free of the artificial sun and floated towards the portal.
"No…!" Her eyes widened in horror as the portal fizzled out, disappearing as the frame around it collapsed. She fell to her knees, gripping her head and unleashing an almighty scream. "NOOOOOO!"
Her gaze snapped back to the Rangers, and she clenched her fist until her knuckles whitened. Dioda leaped back up to her feet, drawing her pistols and firing wildly at the Rangers, who narrowly dove away from her incoming blaster bolts. "You've ruined everything! Millennia of planning, dashed to nothing in one fell swoop!"
"We're Power Rangers, lady," Kenny folded his arms, letting out an amused snort. "Don't act so surprised!"
"You insolent worm…!" She combined her pistols to form her double-edged sword, which she gripped tightly as she lunged for the Blue Ranger. "You'll all pay for what you've done!"
Meanwhile…
"AHHHHHH…!" Vargoyle's screams pierced the heavens as he was spat out the other side of the portal and sent hurtling through the clouds. He continued to scream as he plummeted to the ground, crashing into a set of railroad tracks and creating a massive crater on impact. He groaned in pain, struggling to his feet as he surveyed his new surroundings. "Where...am I?"
He opened his holographic wrist computer and studied the readout on its screen. "It says I'm still on Earth-1, but six months in the future...I just came from there, and the anomaly transports through space, not time! How is that even possible?!
A train whistle echoed from nearby, and his gaze snapped to a train barreling down the tracks. Its cars were each a different color – red, blue, yellow, green, and pink – and its construction had an otherworldly air he couldn't quite place. It slowed to a halt once it reached the crater, and a pipe on the nose of its lead car hissed steam. Its door slid open, and five teenagers spilled out of it.
"You...you're Power Rangers!" Vargoyle realized, gesturing to the teens once they stopped a stone's throw away from him. "I'm certain of it…!"
"Lucky guess," remarked one of the teens, a Japanese American boy with short, neatly combed black hair wearing a white button-down over a red t-shirt. "How'd you figure that out?"
"It couldn't have been that hard, Isamu," A second boy – a Mexican American teen with messy brown hair wearing a blue and white striped polo – cut in. He gestured to the holster on Vargoyle's belt, then added, "After all, he looks pretty sharp!... Get it? Y'know, cuz he's got a knife!"
"Emile…!" An Irish American boy with frizzy copper hair wearing a green tee under a brown leather jacket groaned and threw his head back. He removed his aviator shades and rubbed his eyes before putting them back on. "What have we told you about the puns?"
"Yeah, what Steven said," A Russian American girl with long brown hair agreed as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her ruffled yellow blouse. "They're never as funny as you think they are...or funny at all, to be honest."
"Y'know, it's weird," The fifth and final teen, a Korean American girl with shoulder-length black hair adorned in a pale pink beanie, chimed in, stroking her chin. "Ana, you always agree with whatever Steven says…"
"What?!" Ana's face flushed, and she whirled around to face the other girl. "I do not, Raon!"
"Enough!" Vargoyle bellowed. "I've had it up to here with Power Rangers today!"
"In that case, why don't we roll up our sleeves and get to work?" Isamu rolled up his left sleeve, revealing a wrist device resembling a railroad crossing. "Station Morpher!"
He raised the gate on his morpher, and a white line appeared on the ground between them and Vargoyle.
"You're gonna wanna stand back," He told the robotic general, who heeded his warning. Isamu reached into the pocket of his black khakis, producing a red trinket resembling the lead car. He looked at the others and shouted, "Minna, ikouze!"
"You heard the man," Steven told the others. They each produced a train of their own – blue for Emile, yellow for Ana, green for Steven, and pink for Raon. Steven then hollered, "Showtime, a-holes!"
Ana was momentarily shocked by his crassness, but she shook it off. They all lifted the gates on their morphers before slotting their trains onto the tracks.
"It's Morphin' Time!" They hollered in unison. Vargoyle looked on as they raised their right hands before the gates. "Spirits: Awaken!"
They slammed the gates closed, initiating their transformation. Their tiny trains rolled off their morphers and spun around them. Threads of fabric trailed behind them, forming their suits as they orbited their bodies. The trains stopped at their necks, and an ethereal representation of their respective train cars materialized over their heads to form their helmets.
Their suits were spandex, unlike their predecessors'. The design was fairly simplistic, primarily cast in their respective Ranger colors aside from the gloves and boots. Silver bands circled the tops of their gloves and boots, which were white, and a silver belt adorned with a square black belt buckle separated their shirts from their pants. Ana and Raon's shirts flowed into a small skirt.
Each of their chests had an insignia of a number (one through five) surrounded by three checkered lines that met in the middle to form a ring. Their helmets were shaped like the fronts of their respective train cars, with a black visor encircled by a silver train-track piece. Their numbers appeared again in a black section on their foreheads, which varied in size and shape depending on the Ranger.
"You're obviously not a Shadow, but it's still our job to take you down!" Isamu told Vargoyle. The newly morphed Red Ranger turned to his teammates and added, "Let's tell him who we are, gang!"
"Engine of Courage!" Isamu shouted. "Spirit Red!"
"Bolt of Endurance!" Emile hollered. "Spirit Blue!"
"Rail of Wisdom!" Ana bellowed. "Spirit Yellow!"
"Strut of Faith!" Steven boomed. "Spirit Green!"
"Wheel of Devotion!" Raon said coolly. "Spirit Pink!"
"Blotting out fear with imagination!" The five regrouped, then struck a group pose. "Power Rangers: Spirit Tracks!"
"All aboard…?" Isamu called out, rallying his team.
"FULL STEAM AHEAD!" They all five hollered in unison. Multicolored pillars of smoke erupted into the air behind them.
"I can see it in here…" Isamu tapped his temple with his left forefinger, then pumped his right fist. "We're gonna win this!"
"I don't have the patience for this!" Vargoyle thrust out his hands, and orange binary code streamed from his fingertips. A large squadron of Tronics materialized before him, and they rushed towards the Rangers with their weapons drawn. "Tronics, dispose of these pests!"
"There sure are a lot of these things!" Isamu remarked, blocking their incoming swings with a gray sword resembling a subway station turnstile. "I don't know if my Spirit Saber will cut it! Hezron, heed my call!"
"Right here, Isamu!" Isamu's Spirit Saber glowed red, transforming into a large red broadsword with a silver train track running along both ends of the blade. "You ready?"
"Un," Isamu replied in his native Japanese, gripping his new weapon tightly. "Ikouze, aibo!"
He ran towards the Tronics, hacking them to pieces with his Courage Buster. Meanwhile, Emile found himself surrounded. He converted his Spirit Saber into a gun-like Blaster Mode, but with every Tronic he gunned down, two more seemed to take their place.
"This isn't looking good…!" He exclaimed. "Gorubark, you in there?"
"You rang?" His Spirit Blaster glowed blue, transforming into a blue blaster pistol resembling a train platform. "Oh my! Seems we're outnumbered ten to one!"
"Not for long, we aren't!" Emile crouched down and began rapidly firing at the Tronics with his Endurance Sniper. They fell left and right in a hail of blaster fire. "This fight's only just begun!"
"Emile!" Steven hollered, distracting Ana from the group of Tronics she'd been fighting. She shrieked in fright as one of them fired a blaster bolt that she narrowly avoided. She locked blades with another one as it lunged at her with its sword, and her arms buckled as she struggled to hold it back.
"Uh, Randalf, I could use a little help here…!" Her arms buckled, and she grit her teeth inside her helmet as the Tronic began to push back with all its might.
"Here I am, Madame Ana!" Ana's Spirit Saber glowed yellow, transforming into a yellow war-hammer resembling a traffic signal. She raised it above her head, then slammed it into the ground. Yellow lightning surged through the dirt, electrocuting the Tronics and damaging their circuits beyond repair. As they fell to their knees and exploded, Randalf said, "Well, that was shocking!... Oh wait, puns are Sir Emile's shtick. My apologies,"
"Ugh..." Ana rolled her eyes inside her helmet, gripping her Wisdom Smasher tightly as she ran to fight more Tronics.
"You tin cans are really starting to get on my nerves!" Steven grappled with a group of Tronics, blocking their swings with his Spirit Saber. He jumped to avoid an incoming blaster bolt, then nearly lost his footing when one of the robots lunged toward him with its blade. "Birch, I'm kinda in a jam here!"
"Here to help as always!" Steven's sword glowed green, transforming into a green two-sided axe. Its head resembled a train tunnel split in half. "Let's show these robots how a rogue fights!"
"Right on," Steven gripped his Faith Slasher with both hands, raising it above his head and bringing it crashing down into his opponent's armor. The Tronic exploded into metal debris, and he rushed to rejoin the fray, cleaving through Tronics left and right. "Eat battleaxe, clankers!"
"This is taking too long," Raon said in a monotone voice, casually blocking a Tronic's swings with her Spirit Saber. "Solisa, let's get this over with."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Her Spirit Saber glowed pink, transforming into a tiny pink two-pronged claw that resembled a train bridge. "Ready for action!"
"Perfect," Raon gripped her Devotion Claw in her right hand, using it to chip away at the Tronic's armor as if it were made of tissue paper. It sparked uncontrollably, then fell to its knees and exploded. "Piece of cake."
"I've been made a fool of by Power Rangers for the last time!" Vargoyle growled, clenching his fists as he watched the Rangers dispose of the last of his troops. He charged twin orbs of golden energy in his palms, which grew dramatically in size with each passing moment. "Get ready to meet your maker, brats!"
"I don't think so!" Isamu motioned to his teammates, who gathered around him. They combined their weapons, forming a giant cannon that Isamu aimed at Vargoyle. "Spiritzooka!"
The other four lifted the weapon, supporting its weight as Isamu produced a silver train trinket with a transparent middle. Wisps of golden lightning flashed from within its core.
"Power Train: Set!" Isamu slotted the train onto the weapon's tracks, then aimed it at Vargoyle as he continued charging his attack. "Soul Salvo: Charging!"
"Eat this!" Vargoyle thrust out his palms, launching both of his energy orbs. They hurtled towards the Rangers, who held their ground.
"FIRE!" The five teens hollered in unison. Isamu pulled the trigger, sending the Energy Power Train speeding down the tracks towards the Spiritzooka's tunnel. A silver ball of lightning shot out of the barrel, engulfing Vargoyle's projectiles and absorbing their energy. It struck the Mechalius general in the torso, causing his chassis to spark uncontrollably.
"NO!" Vargoyle clutched his chest and fell to his knees, his armor cracking and splitting open to reveal his inner circuitry and wiring. "NOOOOOO!"
He exploded with one final scream, sending metal debris flying in all directions. Isamu and the others stood up straight, with the former shouldering the Spiritzooka.
"End of the line!" The Red Ranger hollered. He and the others then demorphed, shouting, "Power Down!"
"That takes care of him," Steven remarked. He gestured to the crater in the tracks before adding, "Halupiens is still gonna have to fix that before we can leave, though."
"Mr. Hat n' Clogs'll have that taken care of in no time," Isamu waved him off, then turned and made his way back towards the train. "C'mon, let's get outta here!"
"Man, we really did a number on him," Emile gestured to Vargoyle's smoldering remains. His lips curled into a mischievous smile, and he turned to the others and added, "Hey, that reminds me! Did you hear about the cheese factory explosion in France? De brie went everywhere!"
"Emile!" Steven facepalmed, and Isamu and Ana groaned. "God, they just keep getting worse!"
"I don't get it," Raon blinked, her expression blank.
"It's just a dumb joke," Steven told her as they scanned their Spirit Passes. "Emile, don't quit your day job."
"Tough crowd," Emile shrugged off their criticism and stuffed his hands in his pockets as they boarded the Spirit Express...
Present Day - The Quarry
Dioda swung wildly at Kenny, who narrowly blocked each one of her swings with his saber. Their blades repeatedly clashed in a shower of sparks, but Dioda ultimately gained the upper hand. She sent the Blue Ranger flying with a swift kick to the midsection, then unleashed her wrath on Griffin, who was standing nearby.
"You Rangers will pay for your insolence!" She seethed, locking blades with the Red Ranger. She broke through his defense with a diagonal slash, then sent him and Devon flying as the latter ran to the former's aid. "DIE!"
"Griffin!" Wendy ran over to her downed teammate, who groaned in pain as he landed roughly on his back. She clenched her fist, stood up, and ran at Dioda while firing wildly with her blaster. "Eat this!"
"You still don't realize what you're dealing with?" Dioda scoffed, dodging her projectiles with ease. She split her double-bladed sword back into its dual pistol configuration, then returned fire on Wendy, who fell to the ground as a blaster bolt struck her in the stomach. As Zoey rushed to her side, Dioda threw her head back and laughed. "You may have prevented our god's ascension, but the will of the Empire cannot be stopped! One way or another, I shall bring about your demise! The sun has set on the Power Rangers!"
"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Devon and his team drew their blasters and aimed them at Dioda, firing a concentrated burst of lasers that stunned her and caused her armor to spark. Devon and Zoey helped Griffin and Wendy back up as Dioda struggled to maintain her footing. Dioda growled, then snapped her pistols together to form her double-edged sword as all ten Rangers regrouped.
"Your insolence knows no bounds!" She snarled, her blades charging with golden light. "It's time I disposed of you once and for all!"
Griffin and Devon shared a nod, then slapped their Transpods. The LionTech Bazooka materialized in front of Griffin, while a very similar weapon appeared in the air before Devon. They both equipped their respective cannons, then aimed them at Dioda as their teammates gathered around them on either side.
"LionTech Bazooka: Bestial Barrage!"
"Beast-X Buster: Beast-X Salvo!"
Red, blue, yellow, gold, and silver lights shimmered in the central orbs of their weapons, and green energy pooled in their barrels. Golden lightning crackled along the edge of Dioda's dual blades, and she swung at them as they held and then released their triggers.
"FIRE!" The Rangers shouted in unison as they unleashed their attacks. Two balls of green energy hurtled toward Dioda while a golden wave of energy surged toward them. Their attacks met in the middle in a brilliant flash of light, and lightning crackled as they struggled for dominance. The Rangers' attacks ultimately won out, absorbing the energy from Dioda's attack as they hurtled toward her. Dioda let out an almighty wail as the attack struck her, sending her flying backward. Her armor sparked and Energon welled from her wounds, but she survived. She was promptly helped up by Maintanner and Shovelloader, who had since recovered from their ill-fated duels with the Rangers.
"Empress, I strongly advise that we make a tactical retreat!" Maintanner opined. "The W'rkncacnter may be gone, but the Empire still stands!"
"...Fine. Maintanner, ready us for transport!" Empress Dioda shifted her gaze to the Rangers, her eyes glowing with hatred. "Mark my words, Rangers – your insolence will not go unpunished!"
The trio then vanished in a flash of light. With them gone, Control, Alt, and Delete pulled themselves together and regrouped, licking their wounds as they weighed the odds.
"What a waste," Alt scoffed. "I knew this plan was a wash."
"He destroyed my morpher," Control gestured towards what remained of his VenjixTech Brace, then squelched, "That petulant brat destroyed my morpher!"
"Well, it could be worse," Delete pointed out. "We're still standing, and now we can live to fight another day – provided we leave. Now."
"I must concur, brother," As they began to fizzle into binary code, Control turned to Griffin and said, "Savor this victory, Ranger Red. It will be your last!"
"We...we did it…!" Griffin realized, their victory sinking in as the villains teleported away. He fist-bumped Devon, then turned and high-fived Wendy. "We won!"
"Congratulations, Rangers," Doctor K's voice echoed from their morphers. "Devon, Commander Shaw and I are working on a way to send you and your team home. In the meantime, I believe a celebration is in order."
"Woohoo…!" Kenny shouted ebulliently, pumping his fist. "Party time, boys and girls!"
Over the next few hours, the Rangers celebrated their victory inside Doctor K's lab. Laughter and loud music echoed off the sterile white walls, and many gallons of soda and Energon were guzzled down, along with heaping servings of pizza.
All good parties must come to an end, however, and as Doctor K finished modifying her lab's teleporters, the Rangers prepared to go their separate ways.
"Just a few more lines of code, and...done," Doctor K stood from her chair, then turned to the Rangers and said, "Devon, I'd like to thank you and your teammates for your assistance. We couldn't have done it without you."
"Don't even mention it, Doc," Devon told her. "It's what Rangers do."
"I don't wanna rain on your parade, but with the W'rkncacnter gone, there's no telling how long the anomaly will continue to bridge our dimensions," Commander Shaw pointed out. "I'd suggest you return to base ASAP."
"Affirmative!" Steel saluted his commanding officer through the holoscreen. He then turned to ALPHA, who he high-fived. "I'll cherish our time together, brief as it was. After all, it's not every day you get to fight alongside your machine brother from another mother!"
"Neither of us have mothers, but I echo your sentiment!" ALPHA slapped Steel lightly on the shoulder, his optics glowing warmly. "Stay cool, Steel!"
"Hey. Take care, man," Quincy told Nate, giving him a small hug and patting him on the back. He subtly gestured to Zoey, then whispered, "Oh, and don't worry too much about Zoey. Just be yourself; you've got this."
"Me? Nah," Nate shook his head, then said, "She barely knows I exist,"
"Did you see how Nate sent that Tronic flying like a baseball?!" Zoey shouted animatedly as she and Wendy exchanged stories from the battle. "It was so cool!"
Quincy's lips curled into a knowing smile, and Nate conceded by throwing up his hands. "Okay okay, maybe you're onto something…"
"It was really nice meeting you," Zoey and Wendy shook hands, and then Zoey went in for a hug. "Remember what I said last night. Life's not a race; just take it one step at a time."
"I know," Wendy said as she hugged Zoey back. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," They broke the hug, after which Zoey whispered, "Oh, and about Griffin..."
"Shut up!" Wendy's face flushed, and she slugged Zoey on the arm. This earned her a hearty laugh from her counterpart.
"I really enjoyed working with you, man," Ravi clasped hands with Kenny and gave him a warm smile. "Sorry again for writing you off at first."
"It's cool, man. Don't even worry about it," Kenny reassured him. He gestured to Devon and the others, then added, "I know you're scared of opening up, but take my advice: don't be. Being a Ranger's tough; being a Ranger without friends is impossible."
"...You're right," Ravi nodded. "Thanks."
"Well, I guess this is it," Griffin told Devon. He swallowed thickly as he held back tears. "I know it's stupid, but...I've always sucked at goodbyes."
"Me too, man. But hey, this isn't goodbye – it's see you later," Devon slapped him lightly on the shoulder, then added, "If you ever need me, I'm only one inter-dimensional phone call away,"
Griffin laughed, his lips curling upwards into a smile. "If you're ever on Earth-1 again, drop me a line. We can play Halo or something,"
"Sounds like a plan, man," They shook hands, and Devon turned and followed his teammates over to the teleporter. They stood on it, and Devon looked to Doctor K before saying, "Ready when you are, Doc."
"Right then," Doctor K nodded, then returned to her computer. She typed in a long string of commands, saying, "Transporting you to Earth-3...now."
She hit the enter key, and Devon and his team teleported away in a flash of binary code. Within moments, they appeared on the holoscreen alongside Commander Shaw, having safely arrived at Grid Battleforce HQ.
"Looks like it worked," Commander Shaw told her. "Goodbye. And good luck, Doctor K."
"To you as well, Commander Shaw," Doctor K hung up the video call, then turned to Agent Wright as he made his way over to her desk. "Well?"
"This is gonna make for one long report," Agent Wright said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Guess I'd better go home and get started."
As he approached the exit, Doctor K looked up and said, "What'll you tell your superiors?"
Agent Wright stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. A small smile tugged at his lips, and he enthusiastically replied, "I'll tell 'em the truth. The CPU Rangers are back!"
Doctor K returned his smile, and as he ran up the stairs and exited the lab, she turned to her Rangers and said, "Another job well done, Series Operators. Now, it's high time I finished grading those papers…"
"I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT OUR ALLIANCE WITH THE MECHALIUS PROVED FRUITLESS. HOWEVER, IT HAS NOT DULLED MY RESOLVE." Venjix's voice echoed through the warehouse, the central light in his pillar filling the room with an ominous red haze. "OUR ENERGON STOCKPILE REMAINS PLENTIFUL, AND IF WE CONTINUE TO ADD TO OUR RECENT ACQUISITIONS, MY ASCENSION WILL BE INEVITABLE!"
"Of course, Father," Delete replied, dipping his head in respect.
"We are the instrument of your will," Alt echoed. "It shall be done."
"GOOD," Venjix's pillar pivoted, turning to face the back corner of his throne room. Control sat in a worn leather chair, studying a readout on his laptop. An image of the interdimensional portal filled the screen, red text flashing on and off at the bottom of the page. "MAY I ASK WHAT HAS YOU SO ENTHRALLED, SON?"
"...It's nothing," Control lied, shaking his head and closing his laptop. He stowed it in his bag, then slung it over his shoulder as he feigned a yawn. "If it's alright with you Father, I'd like to retire to my room. I exerted a lot of energy during the battle, and I'd like to rest."
"VERY WELL. GET AS MUCH REST AS YOU CAN, MY SON," Venjix told him. As Control turned and made his way to his 'living' quarters, Venjix added, "ALT, DELETE, I SUGGEST YOU DO THE SAME. THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE IN THE COMING DAYS. MUCH TO BE DONE INDEED..."
- POWER RANGERS: CPU -
A/N: Annnnd that's the team up, over and done with! What'd you think? Feel free to leave me some feedback in the form of a review; positive, negative, or anything in-between, I'd love to hear from ya!
Oh and in case you're wondering, yes, I'm planning a ToQger adaptation fic as an eventual follow up to CPU. "Power Rangers: Spirit Tracks" won't begin until after CPU is finished, but I wanted to give you guys a sneak peek at the series, hence their cameo here. What'd you think of Isamu and friends? I'd love to hear your takes on their characters so far.
Next week we'll continue the main plot of CPU with a Wendy-focused episode, but in the meantime, stay safe and may the power protect you - always!