Chapter 26: Legendary Rangers
7760 BC - Frontier Lab - Planet 0117 - Galaxy A4 - Land Without Magic
The Power Rangers fight their way through the monsters
"Rhian, what's the plan?" the Green Ranger asked
"Yeah" the Black Ranger said "these suits are killer, but who knows how long we can hold them off!"
"I'm working on it!" the Red Ranger said
"Anyone else feel that?" the Blue Ranger asked "a heavy feeling in your head, like you're slowly sinking…"
"Dark Specter" the Morphinaut said
"And that's our cue to leave" Blue Ranger said
"They're blocking our path" the Red Ranger said as more monsters appear
"Wait!" the Blue Ranger said "I've got this… I think. ZEO SPINNING POWER PUNCH!" and he destroys the monsters
"I know the whole point is to get away" the Pink Ranger said "but I feel like I could do this all day!" as she summons a sword
"New moves, new skills, new knowledge of weapons all of a sudden?" the Black Ranger said as an axe appears in his hands "if you axe me, I think the Grid gave us more than just a power up"
"Too bad it didn't give you a better sense of humor" the Green Ranger said
"I'll keep them distracted with this… Power Sword!" the Red Ranger said as a sword appears in her hands. She swings it at a monster, who catches it "Go!". The Red Ranger then transforms into a different Red Ranger with a different sword in her hands. However, she is overwhelmed by the Power and drops the sword and then drops to her knees.
"No!" the Yellow Ranger screamed, causing a sonic blast of energy to come from his helmet, destroying the monster and leaving everyone else's ears ringing "I… I don't know what that was"
"Whatever it was, a little warning next time, yeah?" the Green Ranger asked
"We can't stay here, they may come back" the Red Ranger said
"Go" the Morphinaut said "I will hold Dark Specter's forces at bay while you get to the Arch!"
"What? Why?" the Green Ranger asked "do you have a death wish?!"
"I just want to get you home" the Morphinaut said
"Absolutely not!" the Pink Ranger exclaimed "we're all getting out of here, you included. We don't leave friends behind"
"Besides" the Blue Ranger said "with how unstable this energy is, who knows how long these suits will last… we should get to safety before they dissipate completely"
Command Center - North America - Land Without Magic
"Alpha 2" Zordon said "I've detected someone using the Zeo Crystal"
"Ay yi yi yi" Alpha said "if the wrong person got ahold of the Zeo Crystal, things could get very bad, very quickly"
"Indeed" Zordon said "please check the sensors I place there"
"Checking" Alpha said "sensors indicate that the Zeo Crystal is still there"
"Strange" Zordon said "I feel the Zeo Crystal being used… or at least a part of it. I will see what else I can sense in the Morphing Grid that can provide more of an explanation"
Hall of Legends
"What is going on with that new Ranger team?" Zeus asked "Lord Simultaneous, Lord Ninjor, you have more experience with the Morphing Grid than anyone else besides Zordon, what do you make of it?"
"I make of it that someone else copied my Red Ranger design" Ninjor said
"I don't think this one was copied, Lord Ninjor" Simultaneous said "look at the suits, they're all in completely different styles with completely different weapons. That combined, with the fact that the Red Ranger was able to completely change forms tells me that they've somehow managed to copy Zordon's trick of being able to access Ranger Powers besides their own, even Ranger Powers that haven't been invented yet. Taking a little sneak peak into the future, I see these are the suits of the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger, who then transformed into the Red Mystic Ranger, the Blue Zeo Ranger, the Green Samurai Ranger, the Yellow Super Dino Ranger, the Pink Time Force Ranger, and the Black Wild Force Ranger"
"If they've copied Zordon's trick, shouldn't they also have a base form?" Ninjor asked
"They do, they just have to access them" Simultaneous said
"Who are these people if they're able to replicate Morphing technology that only Zordon, the creator of the Morphing Grid, was able to figure out?" Daimyo asked
"I think it's a combination of the Blue one's brains and dumb luck" Simultaneous said "young Orisonth's intelligence shouldn't be discounted, but most of it has to do with the Morphing Grid energy spilling off the Morphinaut. And note… they didn't manage to perfectly replicate his trick… notice how they don't have Morphers…. well that raw energy is eating away at them, slowly but surely, if they don't cease using their Powers immediately the energy will rip them apart… it may be too late already…"
Planet 0117 - Galaxy A4 - Land Without Magic
The teens and the Morphinaut are recovering in someone's house
"Just give me a minute" Rhian said "I'll be fine"
"You need your strength" Orisonth said "we still have ground to cover to get to the Proto Arch, so rest for now"
"About that though" Xev said "why are we in such a rush to leave? When the lines went dead and the skies darkened… there was nothing left but panic. I'm ready to fight back. If there's even a chance of saving anyone… this is the first time I've felt something that isn't despair since the invasion"
"Halloch was taken as well" Phiro said "she could be out there, Rhian"
"Phiro…" Rhian said
"But what about our families?" Aleia asked
"They're already safe, far away" Telosi said "but if we use the Proto Arch to follow them and Dark Specter's forces follow us before we can destroy it…:
"Will the Proto Arch even work as a teleporter?" Xev asked
"You know who this is right?" Orisonth asked, pointing at the Morphinaut "he built a portal into the Morphing Grid itself… turning it into a simple teleporter should be much easier in comparison"
"Ori's right" Rhian said
"I'm gonna savor that one" Orisonth quipped
"After everything we've gone through" Aleia said "this feels like a real chance of all of us getting home" and she looks at the Morphinaut "and I mean all of us"
"Fine" the Morphinaut said "all of us"
"That sentiment is good and all" Phiro said "but what are supposed to do if we can't stay morphed?"
"Phiro's right" Rhian said "our suits barely lasted the fight"
"The Power Crystals are meant to provide energy from the Morphing Grid, not siphon energy back to it" Orisonth said "sure, they can siphon energy for a short period of time, but any sustained use could have dire consequences"
"Where do those suits even come from?" Rhian asked "I felt so powerful. I had a sword! I even knew it had a name. How is that possible, Ori?"
"I know" Orisonth said "I felt the same thing when I suddenly knew how to take those monsters out. I need to do more tests"
"Aren't you an expert on all this?" Xev asked the Morphinaut
"I was an expert" the Morphinaut said "but my thesis revolved around the Morphing Grid itself. That the Grid was a real, physical dimension, that could be reached. That's why I developed the Arch in the first place"
"But why would we change when connecting to it?" Orisonth asked
"Perhaps it's time I told you everything" the Morphinaut said "I'm sure you've heard of the magic of old"
"Yes" Orisonth said "travelers from another realm spoke of worlds where magic flowed freely, where someone gifted with magic could perform all sorts of wonders without the aid of a wand"
"Those stories are true" the Morphinaut said "those travelers came from a realm called the Land of Magic. Something happened, I'm not quite sure what, but the Land of Magic ceased to be and survivors somehow find themselves in our Land Without Magic. Among these survivors were Dark Specter's and Master Vile's forces. To help us combat them, a wizard named Zordon of Eltar created the Morphing Grid, it transcends space and time, tied to all places at all time. Zordon could then create mighty warriors called Power Rangers that could access the Grid to be able to morph into suits like the ones you had. The Grid could also store weapons that could be summoned. It could even store knowledge of how to use the weapons. Now, to my knowledge, you got one suit, you couldn't shift between multiple like Rhian did. You also needed a device to transform"
"We used the Power Crystals" Orisonth said
"Those are directly connected to the Morphing Grid" the Morphinaut said "Zordon's Rangers had devices that were used to tap into whatever artifact that was connected to the Morphing Grid"
"Maybe those were used to regulate the energy, so it could be controlled" Orisonth theorized
"Perhaps" the Morphinaut said "Zordon's Rangers could control when they morphed and demorphed. Anyways, Zordon went missing, the Council of Eltar refusing to even comment to his whereabouts. I think he was trying to do something similar to me and ended up trapped in the Grid"
"Well, you spent a couple of decades stuck in the Grid, did you find him?" Rhian asked
"No" the Morphinaut said
"Wait" Orisonth said "back up a second… you said that the Morphing Grid connects all places and times?"
"That is correct" the Morphinaut said
"So if Dark Specter manages to destroy the Morphing Grid… all the realms will be destroyed?" Orisonth asked
"I'm not sure, but that is my assumption" the Morphinaut said
"Well" Rhian said "then I think it's time to get to work. Those suits might give us Powers, but we can't count on them. Time to learn to fight back" and she trains the others in martial arts
Dark Specter's Command Ship above Planet 0117
"Find them and bring them to me. Alive" Dark Specter's general said
"General" Dark Specter said within his head
"My liege" the General said
"Find the Arch" Dark Specter said "stop at nothing. I care not for what stands in your way. Even if you must burn this entire star, do so until that Arch is in my control. Do not disappoint me. Remember…"
'I remember our deal" the General said "leave it to me
Planet 0117
Aleia goes outside to check on Orisonth
"What are you doing out here?" Aleia asked
"I'm designing Morphers for us" Orisonth said "like the other Power Rangers have. I'm hoping they will stabilize our Powers so we can control them better and so what happened to Rhian doesn't happen again"
The next morning, Orisonth presents prototype Morphers to the others
"Remember, these are just prototypes" Orisonth said "but they should at least allow us to use our Powers longer, if nothing else" and they take the Morphers and strap them on "now insert your Power Crystal into the Morphers and you should transform" and they do and transform into Power Rangers, but different Rangers than before
"Remember" the Red Ranger said "Telosi spotted those Spectoids two clicks away. We need to move before they catch up to us. Everybody be ready… we've already got company" and a bunch of Spectoids rush up
"By the stars, they got here fast" the Pink Ranger said
"Ok, team like we practiced" the Red Ranger said "Squadron formation"
"Behind you, Xev" the Green Ranger said "Space, Phantom… whatever your name is… your ten!"
"I have a name, it's" the Morphinaut began
"Less talking, more running" the Pink Ranger said
"You've got this, Squadron" the Red Ranger said
"Alley oop!" the Pink Ranger said as she jumps over a Spectoid. The Blue Ranger feels a surge of Power and morphs into a different Blue Ranger
"I was just getting used to that suit" the Blue Ranger said
"We're almost there" the Red Ranger said "just another half cli…" and she's cut off by a Spectoid riding a Spectoid dinosaur.
"Aw, come on!" the Yellow Ranger said "they get to ride dinosaurs now?"
"Do not lose them" the Spectoid General said to his troops "they will lead us to the Arch"
"Go for the sidesweep push again?" the Green Ranger asked as the Spectoids surround them
"That doesn't work when we're surrounded" the Red Ranger said
"I always wanted fans, but not like this" the Green Ranger said as he fought off some Spectoids
"Hold you ground!" the Red Ranger said. The Morphinaut shoots some Grid energy at the Spectoids, forcing them to back off. However, more take their place and begin to overwhelm the Rangers
"Invincibility shield!" the Black Ranger said and through up a shield between the Rangers and Spectoids "I can't… I can't hold it too long!"
"Concentrate, Xev" the Yellow Ranger said "you've got this"
"When I move, you…" the Black Ranger began
"No" the Green Ranger cut him off "I'm ending this. DeltaMax Striker!" and he channels as much energy as possible from the Morphing Grid through his weapon, shifting through several different Green Ranger suits, and sending out a massive wave of energy that destroys all the Spectoids in the area. The Green Ranger, stuck between two different Green Rangers, collapses
"We just reunited and now you're trying to leave me?" the Black Ranger asked "you try that again and I'm definitely telling mom"
'"Wow" the Green Ranger weakly said "guilt tripping an injured man. I missed you too, Xev"
"We need to move. Now" the Morphinaut said
"I think we lost them" the Blue Ranger said "but not for long" and the rush towards the lab
Frontier Lab - Planet 0117
The Rangers arrive at the Lab and enter. The Morphinaut hears Dark Specter's voice in his head
"You…" Dark Specter said "you did this to them… you've doomed them all… you've doomed them all…"
"No…" the Morphinaut said to himself "what have I done?"