MMPR Revisited
Teamwork Part 3
The Zords roared with more life than any of the Rangers had anticipated. The metal plates glistened on their massive robotic beasts, but it felt as if these machines possessed genuine spirits within them. Jason gazed up at the Tyrannosaurus Dino-Zord and lifted his arm toward it.
"Guys, let's do this!" In the blink of an eye, Jason leaped into the air and was teleported into his Zord. Amazement filled the eyes of the other Rangers as they followed suit. Jason materialized in the cockpit of his Zord, marveling at everything before him. "Billy must be going nuts right now," he quipped. "Alright, Rangers, let's take these guys down."
"Zack here, ready to go," Zack responded as he arrived in his Zord.
"Billy here, all systems go," Billy exclaimed with extreme enthusiasm.
"Trini here, ready to rock!" Trini declared.
"Kimberly here. Hey, nice stereo!" Kim remarked.
"Alright, guys, spread out!" Jason commanded as King Sphinx bore down on them, his shepherd-staff extended. Jason manipulated his control pad, causing his Zord to swing its mighty tail, successfully knocking King Sphinx away.
Goldar appeared to strike at Jason, but he countered by having his Zord grab Goldar's sword with its claw and pushing him back. Jason pressed a couple of buttons, and a fireball shot from his Zord's mouth, knocking Goldar backward and causing him to trip over the Mastodon Zord, sprawling onto the ground.
"Nice!" Zack cheered through the intercoms.
"Rangers, now is the time to figure out your Zords. I'm starting to think all of them have some pretty cool abilities," Jason observed.
"You don't gotta tell me twice," Zack said, fiddling with his controls and figuring out how to make his Zord move forward. "Alright, Mastodon, let's kick some ass." He pushed the controls, and the Mastodon moved forward, releasing a powerful gust of air from its mighty trunk. Goldar got up and charged toward Zack, striking down the Mastodon Zord with his sword. Sparks and circuits began to go off in the cockpit around Zack. "Oh hell no," Zack retorted.
"Zack! Are you okay?" Kimberly's voice came through the intercom. "What can I do to help?"
"This guy just needs to chill," Zack replied. He entered a code into the controls, and the Mastodon released an icy wind that began to freeze Goldar's arm.
"What are you doing to me?" Goldar shouted. The ice continued to spread, freezing part of his abdomen as well. From above, Kimberly soared over Goldar, almost making direct impact, but she pulled up at the last minute and performed a loop in the sky.
"Okay, you can do this, Kim," Kimberly encouraged herself. "You just got your license; you can handle a...jet." She managed to fly over Goldar again, this time without performing a loop. "Okay, what kind of firepower do I have? What does this button do?" She pressed an ominous red button below her steering wheel, and two red laser beams fired from the Pterodactyl's wings, blasting Goldar back and breaking through the ice.
"Nice shot, Kim!" Trini called out. "I'll bet we all have some firepower."
"Affirmative. Trini, what do you say we dethrone this Sphinx?" Billy suggested. The Triceratops rolled toward King Sphinx, and Billy began examining his systems, familiarizing himself with his Zord's weapon mechanisms. "Oooh, this'll be good," he cooed. He entered a code, and the horns of the Triceratops blasted off, with chains connected to them that wrapped around King Sphinx, holding him in place.
"Let go of me, you fool!" King Sphinx yelled.
"I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that," Billy taunted. He then entered another code that sent an electrical current through the chains, electrocuting the monster.
"Nice job, Billy," Trini cheered. She also started entering a code after discovering that her Zord had a cannon in its tail. "Clever," she mused. Once the code was fully entered, Trini pressed a yellow button below her control panel, and the tail of the Saber-Toothed Tiger extended and turned 120 degrees. "Too cool," a golden surge of energy blasted from the tip of the tail and hit King Sphinx right in the chest.
"This ends here!" Goldar declared as he appeared behind King Sphinx and cut through the chains binding him. Billy retracted his Zord's horns and attempted to back up, but not before Goldar managed to kick the Triceratops in the face, sending it rolling back into a hill. The Triceratops roared in protest, and Billy let out a dismayed cry.
"Billy! Are you alright?" Jason yelled.
"Yeah, I think so," Billy responded.
"I got this," Trini declared with determination. She pushed her controls forward, and her Zord leaped into the air, slashing at Goldar with its clawed appendage. She attempted the same maneuver again, but this time Goldar was ready, and he swatted her Zord away, causing Trini and her machine to crash onto the ground.
"Oh, no! Trini!" Kimberly called out in concern.
"I'm fine," Trini responded as her Zord slowly began to rise.
"We're losing our momentum here, guys. We need to switch it up a bit," Jason said, his voice laced with urgency.
"Rangers, remember that you can combine your Zords!" Zordon's voice came through the intercom. "Utilize your Power Crystals!"
"Oh yeah! The Megazord!" Billy exclaimed.
"It's worth a shot. Rangers, power up your crystals!" Jason commanded. He held his hand up, and his red Power Crystal materialized, which he then inserted into its designated slot, causing the entire Zord to light up. The others followed Jason's lead, and their Zords began to glow as well. The colossal machines charged towards each other and began to transform. The Triceratops and Saber-Toothed Tiger formed the base. The Mastodon became the center and revealed two imposing cannons, while the Tyrannosaurus became the main body, resting atop the Mastodon, with the Pterodactyl settling on the Tyrannosaurus's back. The main cockpit enlarged, and all the Rangers teleported into it.
"This is so incredibly amazing," Billy marveled.
"Oh man, this is gonna be intense!" Zack agreed. Both Goldar and King Sphinx approached the new Megazord, their weapons at the ready.
"Alright, guys, let's see what this thing can do!" Jason said. He pressed a red button, launching two massive cannon blasts at both monsters, sending them spiraling through the air.
"I know we've got more than that, guys," Billy said, his fingers dancing over the controls. "Oh yeah, we've got way more than that." Goldar rose to his feet and charged towards them.
"This has gone on for long enough!" Goldar shouted.
"We've led him into a trap," Billy noted as he entered a complex code. Suddenly, laser beams shot from the eyes of all the Zords, blasting Goldar away. "Alright, guys, I think it's time to utilize our Megazord mode to finish this."
"I agree. Megazord mode, now!" Jason commanded, activating the final transformation sequence. The Megazord morphed once more, with the Saber-Toothed Tiger and Triceratops forming the feet, the Mastodon the arms, the Tyrannosaurus becoming the main body and face, and the Pterodactyl serving as the chest plate.
"Megazord activated!" An automated voice reminiscent of Alpha sounded off.
"I will still make you all scream!" King Sphinx threatened as he charged forward. "Your blood will rain upon this earth."
"Ew, sick," Kim replied.
King Sphinx swung his staff at the Megazord, but the colossal machine countered with a powerful fist. It retaliated with a punch directly to King Sphinx's face, causing a strange blue liquid to ooze from his nose.
"You'll pay for that!" he screamed. His great wings extended outward, and he began to flap them excessively, causing the Megazord to lose its footing and slide backward.
"Rangers, try to hold your ground!" Jason commanded, but it proved futile. The Megazord continued to ascend into the air, ultimately crashing into the side of a rocky cliff. The impact was so powerful that it caused a cascade of rocks to crumble around them, sparks flew, and smoke filled the cockpit. Alarms blared, and none of the Rangers' input seemed to get the Zord back on its feet.
"Our systems seem to be overloaded, and it's struggling to access its reserve power supply," Billy explained.
"Any solutions?" Jason asked.
"I'm still figuring it out. But it looks like there might be a connection problem. One of us needs to get down there, and by one of us, I mean me." Billy volunteered, determination in his voice.
"Billy, that's really dangerous," Trini voiced her concern.
"I know, but I'm the only one who'll know what to look for," Billy replied, determination in his eyes.
"Alright, we'll keep trying to get us off the ground. Let us know what you need us to do. And be careful, Billy; I'm sure King Sphinx is looking for us," Jason said, his leadership shining through. Billy got up from his seat and exited through the back door, leading to the neck of the Megazord. He quickly ducked back inside as giant rocks began to slide down the neck.
Taking in a deep breath, Billy jumped down from the neck and landed on the right shoulder. He scaled down from the shoulder, sliding down the arm that was conveniently positioned next to the abdomen area. However, the height made him a little nervous, and he couldn't help but glance down at the rocky abyss below.
"Okay, Billy, you can do this," he muttered to himself. With a leap, he managed to grab onto a ledge with his hands and pulled himself up.
"There you are!" King Sphinx's voice boomed from above the cliffs, and he landed right in front of them. He rained punches onto the Megazord's chest repeatedly, causing more sparks to fly and Billy to lose his balance a few times. "Okay, I gotta hurry!"
"Billy, are you alright?" Jason's voice echoed through the communicator-link.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Almost there!" Billy reached the back of the Megazord, only to find the passage blocked by a heap of rocks. "I don't have time for this!" He swiftly pulled out his laser and began firing, turning the rocks into rubble and clearing the way. With determination, Billy reattached the main power cord to the reserve power outlet, restoring full power to the Megazord.
"Billy, did it work?" Jason inquired.
"Yeah, you should be all good. Try it!" Billy responded. Jason inputted the codes, and the blaring alarms finally fell silent.
"Great job, Billy!" Trini cheered. Jason pushed the controls forward, but King Sphinx's relentless punches made getting back up a struggle.
"Damn it. He's keeping us down," Jason growled in frustration.
"Don't worry, Jason. I'll handle it," Billy assured him.
"What do you mean?" Jason asked, but Billy didn't respond. "Billy, what are you doing?" There was still no response. Billy maintained his balance and managed to move to the front of the Megazord, unnoticed by King Sphinx. With his laser in hand, Billy took careful aim at King Sphinx's face. When he had the perfect shot, he squeezed the trigger, and a red beam struck King Sphinx directly in the eye, causing the same blue blood to gush out and the monster to stagger backward.
"Head shot for the win!" Billy laughed.
"Thanks, Billy. Hold on tight, we're getting up," Jason said as he pushed the controls forward again, gradually bringing the Megazord back to an upright position.
"I'm going to rip you apart, Zord by Zord!" King Sphinx roared in fury. He extended his hand, not to punch, but to grab Billy. "But I'll start by biting this one's head off!"
"Oh no! Billy!" Kim shouted in horror. "Jason, we have to do something!"
"We have to be careful; anything we do could hurt Billy!" Zack cautioned. King Sphinx tightened his grip on Billy, causing him to cry out in pain.
"Yes, scream for me!" King Sphinx gloated.
"You first!" Billy retorted. In a daring move, Billy freed one of his arms from King Sphinx's grasp. In his hand, he held the blaster, which he swiftly transformed into a blade and stabbed into King Sphinx's hand repeatedly. King Sphinx howled in pain and released Billy, sending him free-falling through the air.
"Hang on, buddy! Get ready for teleportation!" Jason swiftly pressed a button, and a blue light enveloped Billy, bringing him back into the Megazord cockpit. The Rangers turned in their seats to assess their friend.
"You alright, man?" Jason asked with genuine concern.
"Let's just destroy him already," Billy sighed. Jason nodded in agreement and returned to his front-facing position, determination burning in his eyes.
"Alright, guys, it's time to summon the Power Sword!" Jason instructed. With swift movements on the control panel, he entered a code and pressed a button. A brilliant beam of light pierced the sky, touching the ground as the silhouette of a mighty sword took form. The Megazord reached out and firmly grasped the weapon.
"I WILL KILL YOU ALL IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" King Sphinx's anger had reached a fever pitch, and he began to attack erratically. However, his fury made him unfocused, and all of his attacks were easily countered by the Megazord's precision.
"I'm so over you," Kimberly sighed. "Can we end this now?"
"Yes," Jason replied with determination. He entered more code into the system, and an electrical current surged through the Power Sword. "Good riddance, King Sphinx!" The Megazord raised the sword high into the sky and swung it down with all its might, cutting King Sphinx in half and causing him to explode in a gruesome display of ichor and entrails.
"Oh, I'm gonna be sick," Kim gagged.
"One down, one to go," Jason declared as Goldar approached. When Goldar witnessed what had befallen his comrade, he paused in disbelief.
"You didn't!" he yelled.
"You're next, Goldar!" Jason warned.
"Goldar, return to me. Your job here is done. The rest is up to the Minotaur!" Rita's voice echoed through the darkening sky as ominous clouds began to form around Goldar.
"But, my Queen, I must avenge King Sphinx," Goldar protested.
"You dare argue with me, Goldar? Return to me now!" she thundered, causing lightning to streak across the heavens.
"You got lucky this time, Rangers. Just remember, we have another creature for you to worry about," Goldar taunted before disappearing in a golden light.
"Oh man, he got away!" Zack exclaimed, frustration evident in his voice.
"I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him, Zack," Jason replied. Turning to Zordon, he asked, "Zordon, can you guide us to the Minotaur?"
"Yes, Jason. However, you must do it without your Zords," Zordon replied.
"What? We could crush him easily!" Zack protested.
"Your Zords need time to replenish their energy," Zordon explained.
"I don't think that's our only problem…" Billy pointed to the sky, where fighter jets streaked overhead. One after another, they appeared. And then, on an adjacent cliff, two tanks were poised, their barrels aimed menacingly.
"Wait, are those military?" Jason asked in disbelief.
"Yes. And not just that, look over there!" Billy pointed to the adjacent cliff where two tanks were set up, ready to fire.
"Damn, we just can't catch a break. How long will it take for them to realize that we're the good guys?" Zack grumbled. Suddenly, an unfamiliar frequency interrupted their conversation through the communication intercom.
"Billy, what is that?" Trini asked.
"Some kind of message, hold on." Billy started entering a series of codes and adjusting dials until the message became clear.
"This is General Jacobs of the United States Air Force," the voice began.
"Oh my god…" Kim sighed.
"Disarm yourselves, Power Rangers, and surrender to the United States Government. If you refuse to do so, we will open fire upon you. Do not make this harder than it needs to be. I repeat, surrender, and no one will get hurt." General Jacobs's message came to an end, leaving them all silent and bewildered, their eyes turning to Jason for guidance. But he found himself at a loss for words.
"Jason, what should we do?" Trini asked, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
"We can't surrender," Jason replied, his determination unwavering.
"Jason, you're not seriously suggesting that we fight the United States Military, are you?" Trini questioned, her eyes filled with worry. The silence that followed was heavy, anxiety and fear taking hold of them all.