"Twilight Server Megazord! Online!"
The mighty combination of black and white Zords took a thunderous step forward. Still, in the midst of his rampage, No-Dice spun around, staring at the arriving challenger with a gleeful dance.
"So, here to try luck as well, huh? Well, come on, let's see how you roll!"
Lena shot Miguel a nervous look. It had been a long time since they'd taken down a monster with just two Zords. The monsters Ender had been sending at them had long surpassed it in power, and the Twilight Server lacked the punch of the bigger combinations. But they had to try. Ray and Hilary were tied up, while Abbey and Zeke were in no position to help them. This was all they had; they just had to make it count.
"You're still rolling?" Miguel taunted the cackling monster.
"This guy needs to know when to quit," Lena agreed.
With a roaring declaration, the Megazord thundered forward. But No-Dice was more than ready. As the hulking machine lumbered toward him, the monster swiftly side-stepped and slammed the die into its back with a boom of searing sparks. The Megazord went rocketing forward, stumbling from the blow. Trapped inside the cockpit, Lena and Miguel were thrown about, blown systems flaring as they scrambled to keep the Megazord standing.
But No-Dice wasn't done.
"Bad roll? Bad luck!"
With the Megazord off balance, the monster lunged in, slamming another heavy blow into the chest to send the Twilight Server stumbling further. As more bursts of sparks filled the cockpit, the two Rangers flailed to desperately shield their eyes and stay in their seats.
"Guys, he's hammering you hard!" Jess warned them. "You can't take too much more of that!"
"We have to try!" Miguel insisted. "This is all we've got right now."
"Divert power to shields and deflectors!" Lena decided. "Clamp the feet and hold steady!"
With no room for offense, the only plight was defense. And until the Rangers gained some room on the ground, Lena just had to pray that it would be enough.
The ArcKnights came at them fast, moving with perfect synchronicity as Ray and Hilary charged to meet them. Two knights and two Rangers, two warriors sharing their power to do battle with a married couple at full strength. But to their shock, ArcKnight's split position was more than enough to hold them.
Since last they'd faced him, ArcKnight had learned to leverage his multiple bodies, moving with synchronous precision to tackle both Gold and Silver Rangers at once. He didn't need to hit them hard, just enough.
And he was unrelenting.
As fast as he could, Ray ducked beneath a blow, slicing up the broadsword to parry as Hilary took the chance to strike. The Silver Ranger lunged, launching across her husband to plunge the blade into ArcKnight's chest. But the warrior was ready, his double sweeping into place to block as the target surged for a fierce and frightening counterattack. All they could do was defect and retreat, reset to a defensive stance as the Rangers reexamined their foe.
"Okay, so he's figured out teamwork," Hilary panted. "Sort of."
"He's still got to work on his trust issues, though."
But beneath their bluster, their minds were spinning in frantic search of strategy. Ray and Hilary had fought side by side for years, partners in perfect synch who could predict the other's move without a thought. And yet ArcKnight was matching them blow for blow like he'd been at it for even longer.
"Your hesitation reveals your weakness," ArcKnight growled. "But to err is to be human, and I am far superior."
Without another word, Ray and Hilary charged again, abandoning defense for a furious assault. But ArcKnight was just as ready. As the two Rangers launched high, the pair of ArcKnights braced their shields, perfectly timed for the plunging attacks as the blades clashed with the surface. Undeterred, the Rangers pressed on, spinning into a flurry of kicks to force the pair to separate. But the warriors shifted in place, swerving from the first blow before switching to parry the next. Their movement was flawless, seamless in execution as Ray and Hilary battled desperately to break a crack in the synchronous defense.
"Zeke!" They heard Abbey call through the speakers. "I've got them coming on the left!"
"I see them!" Zeke replied, "But they're flanking me on all sides here too!"
Dammit!
Ray could tell what Xaviax was up to, splitting the Rangers in all directions to isolate them. The Rangers had an advantage down on the ground, but the need for the Megazord had split them further, and two Rangers was the perfect number to swarm with as many Cyberdrones as Ender could muster. ArcKnight may have no longer been on the villain's side, but they certainly weren't complaining about his presence.
They needed to shift the numbers, and they needed to do it fast.
"Get behind him!" Ray decided. "I've got an idea!"
Without missing a beat, Hilary launched high, tucking in her knees as Ray sliced his broadsword beneath her. As the ArcKnight pair staggered to avoid the strike, Hilary's feet snapped against the flat of the blade. In the perfect position, Ray heaved with all his might, launching Hilary well out of reach as she somersaulted gracefully above their foes.
But the stylish maneuver didn't come without cost. As Ray swung to send Hilary soaring, the ArcKnights pressed with their attack, splitting the sides to force a defense on the flanks. With every blow, they forced him back down the street as Hilary landed behind them and readied her weapon.
"Go help the others!" Ray yelled after her. "I'll be fine!"
For a moment, the Silver Ranger paused, torn between rushing to their teammates and leaping to her husband's aid. But Hilary knew Ray too well; she knew that he wouldn't be insisting if he thought there was a better way. If Abbey and Zeke weren't the most in need of her help.
"Don't have too much fun without me," she warned before leaping away to join the Blue and Yellow Rangers.
"You send away aid to face us on your own," one ArcKnight chuckled.
"Foolish," the other agreed.
"Well, ArcKnight, you know me," said Ray. "I'm always keen for Round Two, but I know you'd throw in Three and Four for free."
"Excellent suggestion."
The twinned warriors stepped back, granting Ray some breathing room as their bodies began to glow once more. But it was far from the reprieve that Ray was hoping for. Moments later, two more ArcKnights appeared to surround him.
"You know," said Ray. "As a therapist, I really think we need to talk about your self-obsession."
"You can talk as much as you wish," ArcKnight chuckled.
Another agreed, "It will do nothing to forestall your demise!"
And then the four descended, attacking Ray from all sides in a furious surrounding assault. It was all Ray could do to keep up, desperate to block and parry against the perfect synchronicity. But it was only a matter of time before he missed, and ArcKnight found an opening to exploit with all his duplicates. Ray had just had to hope that the other Rangers would be able to clear their problems before he did.
With all her might, Abbey flipped over a ruined car, the volley of laser shredding the vehicle beneath as it shattered in a fiery blast. Moving fast, she twisted midflight, leveling the bow and releasing the string to unleash torrential fire. The arrow met its mark, bursting into a blazing bloom as Abbey landed and took off again.
The shot might have dealt with the nearest cluster, but now she had bigger problems. Ender had finally decided to play.
"Little Blue Ranger," the monster maker laughed as he swung in his cane. "It's sure been a while. How's it going?"
Her boots skidded on the asphalt, shifting into a bracing stance as she swung the bow and parried. "Well, I still have to talk to you," Abbey replied. "So, my day could definitely be better."
"Really? Such a shame?"
Leaping back, Ender readied another strike as Abbey switched from her bow to her saber, leveling the blade as she studied Ender's movements. They'd crossed blades enough times for the Blue Ranger to know what she was in for, and while Ender was far from the ferocity of ArcKnight, his blows were no joke. As Ender cackled with a gleeful charge, Abbey lunged to parry. The weapons connected, bouncing off each other with a thunderous boom as both combatants plunged in for another bout.
But with the two locked in combat, the remaining Cyberdrones were free to roam, all of them converging on Yellow Ranger as he desperately fought to hold the tide. His saber was in one hand with the shield in the other, stepping between attackers in a constant flux between offense and defense, striking where the openings presented before steeling up to seal his own. But as much as he was still standing, all Zeke was doing was keeping up.
And Cyberdrones just kept coming.
"There's too many of them!" he realized.
He needed help, someone to either watch his back or strike back if they were to have any hope of culling the horde. But while Abbey was tied up holding Ender at bay, there was no way she could get to him. They needed reinforcements, fast.
"Hold on!" a voice sounded over the coms. "Take cover!"
As she skidded past another of Ender's blows, Abbey watched Zeke take heed and thrust up the shield, huddling beneath the surface as the air filled with silver fire. The shots soared down, crashing like meteors into the street to send the Cyberdrones flying. With the surrounding ground clear, Hilary somersaulted into view, landing beside Zeke and offering a hand. Taking the chance, Abbey spun into a powerful kick, slamming her heel into Ender's chest before leaping away to join them.
"Ray's keeping ArcKnight busy," she explained. "We figured you guys could use the help."
But as the Rangers were regrouping, Ender was doing the same, striding to the front of the Cyberdrone horde with an expression of sinister excitement.
"Dr. Hawkins, so nice of you to join us! Now it's a party!" he laughed. "You know what they say: the bigger the party, the bigger the fun!"
At the sound of his words, more Cyberdrones descended on the street to surround them. Through gritted teeth, Abbey realized the plan. Cyberdrones alone weren't enough to stop them, but they would certainly tie them up, stealing they desperately needed as their friends battled the colossal monster above. All they could hope was that Hilary's added firepower was enough to quell the numbers fast enough for Abbey and Zeke to quell the rest. To free up some of the Rangers, any of them, in hopes of sending more Zords to support Lena and Miguel.
Ender had aimed to divide them, and either through tactical genius or a stroke of luck, he'd succeeded. Now, the team just had to survive in their split positions and hope they could make a break without support.
The light flashed around her as Erika stuck the landing, appearing just beyond the convention center to demorph away from wandering eyes. The loss of power did nothing to break her stride, and Erika raced toward the backstage door in a desperate bid to get there in time.
She'd made it, she now just had to hope that she wasn't too late.
Val was waiting for her, standing at the threshold to prop it open as her eyes lit up and saw her. Moments later, Erika snatched her in her arms and pulled her tight with grateful desperation to learn that her love was all right. As she pulled away from Val, she saw Melody and Jasmine standing behind her, looking both terrified and relieved.
She'd cut it far closer than she'd ever even dreamed of daring, but that didn't matter anymore. Behind those doors awaited her future, and Erika was determined to face it. After everything her friends had done to get her there, she owed it to see them through.
"They've moved us to the last spot," said Jasmine. "Come on, let's get your gear."
Still out of breath, Erika nodded hurriedly as she moved to follow, just as the communicator on her wrist beeped a warning. Her hand moved to it without thinking, an instinctive reaction to check the screen and see. Checking was a mistake.
The screen was flashing like a strobe, the comline silently firing messages across the channel. There was no way the line would be that active if things were going well. Off in the distance, there was a thunderous boom, the sound of a monster clashing with machine as the battle raged between the buildings. Her team was out there, fighting with all they had for her.
Without her.
It was like the world had stopped, like the door was shooting away while her sneakers remained glued to the road. At her side, Valerie's hold lessened, looking at Erika with concerned confusion as she realized that her girlfriend wasn't moving. Over at the door, Jasmine and Melody had also stopped and turned to see their frontman paralyzed with indecision.
"What's wrong?" Valerie asked her.
What was wrong with her? All Erika had to do was take the step, to pass beyond the threshold to take that chance she'd fought so hard to have. Her friends were waiting, standing at the ready, having gone through the wringer in desperate hope that she'd even arrive. They'd trusted her. They'd held out for her in hopes that she'd help them achieve their dream.
Every breath she drew was shuddered, her feet cementing to the ground like drying clay as Erika's heart pounded with every wavering thought. No matter where she went or which path she chose, someone would be let down. Jasmine and Melody had worked so hard to get this far, had weathered a changing lineup, and had taken a chance on Erika to seize the moment in front of them. They were so close, and it was just within their reach.
She owed them so much! Erika had never felt so alive as she had the day she'd first stepped onto that stage, spurred by her new friends to channel her anger into performance. The strides she'd made since, the person she'd become. All of that was because of Melody and Jasmine.
But they weren't the only friends that needed her, and if to signal the thought that Erika didn't dare speak aloud, another explosion rocked in the distance. Because Melody and Jasmine weren't the only ones she owed.
It had been because of Abbey that they'd had their audition, bravely taking to the stage in Erika's stead when she'd been needed most. Because Zeke, Miguel, and Lena had cheered her on at every performance, forever the encouraging audience that propelled her forward with every note. And because Ray had never given up on her, no matter how low or how dark she got. Because he had given her the strength and the courage to even try out at all?
Melody and Jasmine's faces slowly fell, seeing Erika's frightened dilemma as she stared at them in guilty admission. And then, with tears brimming in her eyes, Erika relented to pleading curiosity and looked back at the road she'd run from, seeing the smoke billow into the sky in signal of the Rangers' ongoing battle.
They were out there, all of them fighting evil to keep the city safe. For her. But without her, the battle could well be their last.
She couldn't let down her friends. But she couldn't bear to lose them either.
"Erika?"
The voice snapped her back to reality, yanking her from the mental haze as Erika whipped around to see its source. It wasn't Valerie; it wasn't Jasmine or Melody. It was her father.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, wiping her eyes to hide the brimming tears.
"I was worried," her Dad replied. "You hadn't taken to the stage; I thought something might have happened."
"It's all right. Please, just go inside. You'll see me out there in a second."
But Ken Nishimura stayed exactly where he was, feet planted firmly as he stared at his daughter with loving eyes. The man she'd done so much for, who'd given up so much just to give her a chance. And another. And another.
Every chance Erika had blown had cost him, had worn him down further and further. And here was her chance to make it all pay off. To show him what those sacrifices had wrought. That she was worth it. And all it would cost were the people who'd carried her along the way.
No longer able to maintain the pretense, Erika gasped a frightened sob as she buried her head in her father's chest. "I know what I have to do," she realized. "But I don't think I can do it."
Her father squeezed her tight, wrapping her in comfort that sent a pressing calm flushing through her chest. And then he said the last words she ever expected.
"Yes, you do," he said softly. "You know where you need to be. The Rangers need you."
The words snapped her straight, stifling the self-pity in an instant as Erika suddenly stared at her father in wide-eyed shock. "You know?"
"Ever since the open night," her father nodded. "I watched you and your friends transform."
She'd seen him that night; she'd recused him from a horde of Cyberdrones. She'd assumed that his stunned expression had simply been shock from the ordeal. But this whole time, he'd known.
"Erika," her dad said. "It's been a long road, but I haven't regretted a second. And I need you to know that it doesn't matter. Winning the competition, being a Ranger. None of that makes a difference." And then he slowly reached out and pulled her in, and Erika let herself fall back into his embrace as he said the words that shattered her. "Because I will always be proud of you. Always."
It was like a bursting dam, tears flowing from Erika's eyes as her arms lashed around her father's chest, and she squeezed him with all she had. The words that she'd always known but never believed. The words she'd never realized how much she needed to hear. Every step she'd ever taken, she'd been able to make because he was by her side, standing in the wings and cheering her on, even if she didn't realize it.
But he wasn't the only one.
And Melody and Jasmine weren't the only friends that needed her. Finally pulling away, Erika looked at her bandmates, only to see that they were well ahead of her.
"It's okay," said Jasmine. "We know."
"We'll try to stall for more time,' Melody confirmed. "Go help the others."
Blinking back her tears, Erika steeled her resolve, stifling the shuddered breaths as she took one last look at the friends and family who supported her. "You guys are the best."
And then she turned around and raced to save the others. Erika didn't even stop as her hand snapped into her jacket, reefing the keycard free as the Morpher appeared on her wrist. Barely breaking her stride, she rammed the card through the slot.
"SERVER FORCE! LOGIN ACCESS!"
The power surged like oxygenated flame, roaring through her as Erika gave herself over to the light. The grid poured into her like a tidal surge, torrenting freely from an opened sluice as the suit encased her body. With the light surging around her, Erika let it take her, soaring across the city with her mind guiding her to the target.
The team was split up, fighting battles on all fronts in a desperate bid to keep the city safe. But despite the rampaging monster, Erika knew where she was needed most. While Lena and Miguel fought the monster between the buildings and the others took the forces on the ground, there was one who was standing on their own.
And it was the one person Erika owed more than anyone else in the world.
As if responding to a forceful command, the grid whisked her across the city, crimson light slamming down in a blazing column to the site of Ray's battle with ArcKnight. Neither were in sight, but neither were they far. A large warehouse rose above her; one wall shattered as clashing metal sounded from inside. Without wasting a second, Erika raced toward the havoc like it was her destiny.
She didn't have to go far, and she wasn't a second too soon.
Ray was fighting a battle on all sides, trapped on the desperate backfoot as he parried the blows of the ArcKnight clones. But the warrior didn't have to hit him hard, just enough, and the unanimous barrage was overwhelming the Gold Ranger with every blow. As Ray battered one away, another struck in, slicing against his Ranger suit in a spray of painful sparks. With the united front, the ArcKnights had Ray cornered, the final blow forcing him to his knees as he looked up at his enemy with spent but defiant breaths.
"At last," an ArcKnight growled with triumphant satisfaction.
"How the mighty have fallen!" said another.
"Not today, they won't!"
With a mighty roar, Erika launched herself from the far end of the warehouse with her axe in hand. The glowing weapon crashed into the ground as she slammed between them, unleashing a concussive wave of force that sent all four copies reeling back. Surprised, the ArcKnights staggered to their feet as Erika stared them down with a withering, warning glare.
"You keep your hands off of him," she growled.
"Erika!" Ray gasped as he staggered behind her. "What are you doing here? The competition!"
"I wouldn't even be there if it weren't for you!" Erika replied tearily. "Before I met you, no one ever believed in me. No one ever thought I was worth the trouble. But you saw me, what I could be! The band, the Rangers. Everything I have now is because of you. But I will not let you be its cost!"
The day that Erika walked into Ray's office had changed her life, and it had nothing to do with powers and monsters. Everything Ray had ever done for her, every piece of sage advice and kind comfort, had made her better in a way that she could never repay.
Slowly, Ray stepped beside her, staring through the visor of his helmet in stunned disbelief. But he also knew Erika well enough to know that her mind was made. That no power on earth was going to make her leave his side now that she'd chosen to fight by it.
"Well, if that's the case," Ray said. "I guess we better get through this guy and back to that show!"
"Couldn't have put it better myself!"
"Your sentiment and reunions mean nothing," ArcKnight told them. "Two Rangers weren't enough to stop me before. Now is no different."
"Hey Ray," Erika smirked. "I need a bit of a windup, are you able to help me out?"
"It'll be my pleasure!"
Without hesitation, the Gold Ranger lunged, headstrong in a direct offensive as the broadsword folded into the blaster. He opened fire in midair, unleashing an onslaught of golden energy that blasted the middle warriors. As the pair of ArcKnights soared back, the others engaged, but Ray was already on the attack. His sword had redrawn before his boots had hit the ground, slicing wide to force both Knights back as he pressed on with an unrelenting assault.
With growling fury, the ArcKnights staggered on the defensive, ceding ground to Ray's sweeping strike as the staggered pair of ArcKnights re-engaged to stop the rampaging Ranger. They came at him all at once, swords descending as the Mainframe Broadsword carved upwards to block the four-pronged strike.
"Pathetic," of them said.
"You couldn't stop the four of us last time," said another. "What could you possibly hope to achieve be…"
But ArcKnight didn't need to finish the sentence nor see the smirk behind Ray's visor. He knew why, and he'd realized it far too late. All four Warriors spun around at once as Ray dived away, staring in horror at the position that Erika had taken.
"It's time to Battlize!"
The crimson flare erupted from her Morpher, engulfing her suit as yet more energy poured into her. Like a rising sun, it grew and grew, and the ArcKnights howled beneath shielded vision as the armor shunted around her form.
"Cyber Ronin Battle Armor!" Erika declared.
The odachi glowed with a burning white as the power cackled along the blade. Now free of his attackers, Ray leaped to her side with blaster primed and ready.
"Mainframe Defender! FIRE!"
"Cyber Armor! Lightning STRIKE!"
With fluid motion and perfect precision, the two Rangers unleashed upon the warriors, the surge of golden light heralding the slice of the crackling blade. The attacks collided at once, igniting at the ArcKnights' feet as the stream of light swept wide and through their bodies. As the warrior screamed through four different mouths, the flames consumed him, disintegrating his bodies as both the Gold and Battlized Red Ranger turned their backs. By the time the flames had subsided, both were already moving.
"Erika?" Jessica gasped through the coms. "What are you doing? You've got a set to play!"
"I'll get to it," Erika replied with a knowing smile. "But I've got a few friends to help out first."
With a mighty cheer, Erika and Ray soared across the city, back toward the battle with Ender's horde. When the two arrived, they gave no quarter, both unloading with everything they had upon the hapless swarm of Cyberdrones.
As Ray rained down from above, Erika hit the ground and charged, the blade of the armor glowing as it rocketed at top speed. The sword swiped as she reached them, unleashing a swipe of burning energy that cleaved the robots in half with a single blow. The Cyberdrones tumbled in useless halves, scattered as the remnants were blasted apart by Ray's barrage. Skidding to a stop, Erika whipped around and gave a warning glare at Ender as her teammates cheered and rushed to her side.
"Erika!" Hilary realized.
"You came back!" Abbey cheered.
"I know," Erika nodded. "And I know what I'm doing. So how about we wrap this up fast?'
"RIGHT!"
At the end of the street, Ender stood glowering with the remnants of the horde regrouping at his back. His plan may have worked when only dealing with three Rangers, but now that they were five strong, he wouldn't last longer than a snowflake in hell. Without so much a quip or snide remark, the blue-skinned monster maker sneered as his hand shot to the sky. With a flash of green, he and his minions were spirited away.
Now, one last thing to deal with.
"Lena? Miguel?" said Erika into the coms. "Hold tight. You've got reinforcements inbound!"
"Sending in at express speed!" Jessica confirmed. "Deploying Zords!"
The engines were already roaring in the distance as the Rangers took to the air, landing in their cockpits and buckling in. Putting pedal to the metal, they raced toward their teammates. The displays lit up with readings and viewscreens, bringing all other Rangers into view as Erika already began priming the convergence. Up ahead, the Twilight Server stumbled as No-Dice gleefully slammed against the armored frame. As sparks and smoke filtered through the air, Erika picked up speed as Streetcar, Truck, and all three fliers converged on the battled Megazord.
"This guy's having too much luck," she decided. "How about we even the odds!"
On her view of their cockpit, Erika saw Lena and Miguel nod gleefully as the lights of the other Zords lit up to confirm their ready status.
"Yeah!" the duo declared.
"Let's bring them together!"
As No-Dice swung in again, the Twilight Server flashed and broke apart, the individual Zords hitting the ground and burning rubber as they skidded into position with the others. With the seven Zords ready, they shifted gears and locked in place. The ground crew connected, gears whirring as the limbs unfolded and the body rocked upright. High above, the fliers took formation, docking together before soaring down to join the arsenal as all seven Rangers converged in the cockpit. Moments later, the combined machine took a thunderous step forward, Erika gripped the controls from the center console as her team sat by her side.
"Mainframe-Override Ultrazord!" they cried as one. "Online!"
"So, you got a few more tricks, big deal!" No-Dice scoffed. "No matter how the dice fall, you're still going down!"
"We'll just see about that," Erika smirked as she looked at the rest of her team. "Ready guys?"
"READY!"
The cannons whirred, barrels glowing as the targeting screen locked in on their foe. By the time No-Dice realized the hell that was about to unleash, he was out of time. And he had nowhere to run.
"Your luck's just run out," said Erika.
"Magna Deletion… OVERLOAD!"
The cannons erupted in a cavalcade of power, blazing light bursting from all barrels as they unleashed upon No-Dice in an unrelenting onslaught. The very fabric of the air rippled from the force, sound itself torn in half as the combined assault descended and consumed the monster in its radius. The flash was as bright as the sun, and the target vanished with a scream as the energy tore him apart. What followed was an earth-shattering kaboom, more forceful than that last, as the impact blasted through the monster's form. As the last of the light faded, the monster was already falling.
"I just needed one good roll!" he bemoaned.
He detonated in a furious torrent of flames, spiraling into the sky in a blazing column his systems self-destructed. With their target clear, the Ultrazord slowly turned, and the team of Rangers cheered as they surveyed the city. They'd gotten through it out, all of them, together.
And now they just had to close out the final stretch.
"BE-E-E-E-S-S-S-T Of Both Worlds!"
Whitney's voice screeched through the microphone as the audience members cringed and plugged their ears. From the edge of the stage, Valerie, Jasmine, and Melody could only wince as the girl's vocals assaulted the audience. No one had seen it coming, and no one knew what to do.
At the very least, Whitney had the sense to cut the note as security appeared in the opposite wing, bowing and thanking the audience before ripping off stage in flight.
"Sorry, that was the best I can buy you," she told them. "I guess it wasn't enough, huh?"
The girls were too stunned to say anything, shocked that their vapid classmate had done something so blatantly humiliating to buy Erika time. But valiant as it was, it wasn't enough. Already, the smarmy MC had retaken the stage to announce the event's end. The judges were deliberating; there was nothing to be done.
As the three girls sullenly returned to the greenroom and Whitney strode off to rejoin her "bandmates," the doors burst open as Erika barreled in. Ray and Abbey were right behind her, all of them panting as they raced to the rest of Electrohead.
But as she arrived and buckled to catch her desperate breaths, Erika saw the looks on their faces. The solemn message that said she could have saved her breath.
It was over.
"No!" Erika realized. "No, it can't be!"
Over in the corner, joined with the cold-faced band and sneering company, Brockman smirked at their defeat. "Sorry, kids," he said. "I guess you just weren't ready for the big leagues."
Abbey almost launched for his throat, there and would have were it not for Ray's half-hearted, interposing hand. Even then, their Ranger mentor sent Brockman a damning glare that warned of Hilary's retribution at a later time. But vindictive spite wouldn't help them, not now.
Not when their only chance was gone for good.
"They just called it," Jas confirmed. "We missed it."
"It's okay," Melody cut in. "We know it's not your fault. This city is safe because of you. No one blames you for that choice."
"They're still waiting on a decision," said Valerie. "But we'd get it if you just want to get out of here."
But Erika didn't; there was nowhere else she'd rather be. If it were her shot that she'd sacrificed, that was one thing, but she was not sacrificing Jasmine and Melody's. Erika had been forced to help one group of friends over another, but she would be damned if they paid the price as well.
As the side door opened and the MC strode out to begin congratulating the contestants, Erika knew what she needed to do. She took a deep breath, letting the oxygen fuel the simmering embers into flames, coaxing them into a crackling blaze that energized her resolve. She had all the anger she needed; she just had to use it right.
"Hey," Erika said firmly. "My band hasn't gone yet."
"Hmm?" the announcer seemed to barely notice her, turning around as if she were nothing but an annoyance. "Oh, yes. Well, unfortunately, the time expired. We would have been able to accommodate if you'd made it before curtain, but it's far too late, I'm afraid."
"The judges have only just gone in," Erika pointed out. "It's not like there isn't time for one more act. We fought like hell to be here, and we deserve our shot."
"All other acts have followed the rules of the competition, there's nothing I can do," the man replied. "If you wished to play your spot, then you should have been here at the allocated time."
"I don't know if you noticed, but there was a giant monster attacking just three blocks down. That kind of throws a wrench at the plans you've got for that day."
"And you have my sympathies, but I'm afraid that there's nothing I can do."
"Please," Ray pleaded. Erika hadn't even seen him approach, appearing behind her with a desperate appeal to reason. "It was my fault that she was late. These are good kids, and they're a talented band. Don't punish them for my mistake."
"Listen," the man said curtly. "I'm terribly, but I'm afraid the rules are very clear. There's simply nothing I can do, and nothing short of divine intervention is going to get you onto that stage."
"What's going on here?"
The voice cut through the tension like a razorblade, all heads whipping to the source with bulging eyes of surprise. Standing at the door was a man, his short hair gelled up into spikes with spacers in his ears. He wore a black leather vest over his t-shirt, worn tightly with the sleeves rolled up to show off the tattoo sleeves covering his arms.
Erika's jaw dropped, gasping at who was suddenly standing in front of her, mere feet away. She couldn't believe it, and neither can anyone else.
"Mr. Ford?" the MC gasped.
"Johnny?" said Ray.
Johnny Ford?
Erika could have fainted there and then. It nearly sent her through the roof with terrified excitement when she learned that he was on the panel. But to be standing right there in front of him? It was more than Erika could take, and it took all her effort not to let loose the most uncharacteristic squeal that she could have possibly mustered.
But then another thought hit her, one that stifled her exaltation beneath a cold blanket of dread. Erika's hero was standing right there, and all he was going to do was crush her dream for good.
"I just came back to congratulate all the acts before the panel convened," Ford explained. "It was a great show from everyone. What seems to be the problem?"
Erika's mind went blank, unable to muster a single coherent explanation. And worst of all, the obstinate MC had no problem at all.
"This act was on the schedule, but they did not present themselves for their slot," he said. "They only arrived after the show had closed and now wish to perform."
"So?"
And for the second time that day, all jaws dropped. The MC stood there, stammering as if he were unable to comprehend what the judge had just said. "Excuse me, sir?"
"They're ready to go, aren't they?" Ford confirmed. "They've got all their gear, and it's all been sound-checked?"
"Well, yes, but…"
"So, what's the problem?" Ford decided. "Let them play."
Nearby, Brad Brockman had been listening intently, at first eager to make an impression on the celebrity judge. But now he strutted over with fuming annoyance. "No, hang a second there. All the other bands here followed the rules, fair and square. Why should these amateurs get a look in when they blew it?"
"I mean, it's an amateur completion," Ford pointed out. "Or should we also consider why some amateur acts need a professional agent and manager?"
With a resigning scowl, Brockman stepped back, and Ford returned his attention to the MC.
"The way I see it, if these kids aren't going to win, it doesn't matter if they play or not. But otherwise, you could have just disqualified this year's champions. I want to see what they can do."
The MC's eyes narrowed, shooting Erika and Electrohead a despising look before nodding his head and rushing off to announce the late entrant. As he did, the other girls cheered, thrilled at the surprise rescue as Erika stood stammering before her hero.
"Mr Ford, I… I don't know what to say…"
But then the man just smirked, winking with a glint in his eye as he stepped just a little closer so that only Erika could hear. "Don't sweat it. Once a Ranger, right?"
It was like a lightbulb flashed in Erika's brain, a deduction so obvious and yet a leap she'd never made. She spun around, staring at Ray in delighted betrayal as he innocently shrugged in response to the question Erika had never asked.
Of course! How did she not see it? They were old friends, how had she never considered that Johnny Ford had been a Ranger, too?
"Thanks, Johnny," said Ray as he embraced his old friend in a hug.
"Any time," Johnny replied. "Now I better tell the other judges that we've got one more act. Good luck, guys, you're going to kill it out there."
He strode out just as swiftly to leave the stunned band in his wake. Abbey skipped out after him, gleefully spinning around to poke her tongue out at Brockman before hurrying to give the others the good news. After kissing a still speechless Erika on the cheek for good luck, Valerie went to join her.
A wall of emotion slammed into Erika, frantic and frightened, as it mixed with everything else. A swirling tempest of shock, horror, adulation, rage, and despair, all combined in a disorientating mess.
She was performing. Now. Like this!
Her breathing was tightening, her body temperature spiking as suddenly her bangs felt scratchy and annoying against her forehead and finally dawned on her that the moment she'd been dreaming of for months was at last upon her there. Without thinking, she threw off the jacket, the red leather gift of Abbey's that so often wrapped around like her comforting armor, before snapping the spare tie from her wrist to pull her hair back and out of her face. But just as the panic began to take hold, before the ground opened up beneath her and swallowed her whole, something appeared in front of her to snap her back to reality. It was her guitar, held at the neck in Ray's hand.
"You just blew a giant monster and a knight that can clone himself," he said warmly. "You've got this."
"Erika!" Jasmine warned. "We're up!"
"Hang on, this will just take a sec!"
Out of time, she took the guitar from Ray's hands. "I meant what I said back there. All of this, it's all because of you."
"Erika, you don't have to-."
"But I do," Erika insisted. "Before I met you, I was lost. I didn't think anyone believed in me. I didn't think there was anything to believe in. But you lifted me up; you showed me a path that I could walk that wouldn't end with me falling back to where I started. You showed me the truth, even when I hated it. You gave me comfort when I needed it. And I want you to know that this, this is your victory too. And I promise to make you proud."
Her arms were around him before she knew it, grabbing her guidance counselor and squeezing him as hard as she could. And for a moment that felt like it could have lasted a lifetime, Ray squeezed her back, letting Erika feel every ounce of his warming care.
"You already have," said Ray as he stepped out of her path. "Now, go on, bring it home."
With a gleeful nod, Erika took the guitar and raced to the stage door, practically skidding into place and jacking into the amp just as the stage lights flashed on. It hit them all at once, the warm, disorienting glow that shielded the audience from view as it met them with a nervous silence. Standing with her bass, Jasmine looked at Erika nervously, then further behind to where Melody sat on the drums. And then Erika smiled, nodding in full affirmation before spinning to face the audience and slamming the opening chord.
The haunting discord buzzed off the neck, trilling from the amp as she was joined by Jas' heavy bass and Melody's crashing drums. They played in perfect harmony, a synchronous symphony of discordant sound that captivated the crowd in an instant. The audience burst into a wall of cheers, infected by the band's electric energy, as they bounded into the mosh pit in immediate enjoyment. And by the time their opening finished, the crowd was already spellbound as Erika stepped to the mic to make her claim.
"Why wait 'til now to show me everything I know?
It is a fallacy,
A thing that we
Could have cured
Twenty years ago.
But oh no, I've got to do this now.
Oh no, I've got to change somehow.
But I'll get
Exactly what I wanted."
"So blind," Jas sang in support as the band readied for chorus, "for too long!"
And then, with the stage set and ready, Erika breathed in deep to give it everything she had. To show the judges why she was worth the wait. To bear her heart for the world to see.
"Honestly, it
Came to me
When I felt the fire rage within me,
Burning through my shield and makin'
What's left of me
Something I'm
Not
Acquainted with.
Medicine does wonders
For a heart like this…
My television leads me
To assume
Nothing's as it seems, and all our dreams are just
Illusions we consume.
What have I done? Why can't you see
I'm trying way too hard to be
Exactly
What's
Expected.
Honestly, it
Came to me!
When I felt the fire rage within me
Burning through my shield and makin'
What's left of me
Something I'm
Not
Acquainted with.
Medicine does wonders
For a heart like this."
The band slowed, the drum beat steadying to a constant base as Erika stood alone before the audience and judges. The pick plucked close to the strings; chords palm muted as she stood beneath the spotlight. Her friends were in the audience, looking back encouraging with awe-filled eyes. Jessica must have come over from the lab, leaning by the venue door with excited anticipation. And then she saw them, Ray and Hilary beaming with pride with smiles as wide as their faces. Standing next to her father, the proudest man in the world.
They knew her; they loved her. And now Erika needed to show the world who that was.
"No, it's not. No it's not an option
To let it go, let it go, I have been
Trying hard
Just to stare
This mountain down."
And then it built.
"Relevance living in the future"
And it built.
"Call it quits or just call it torture."
"What will it take to show you
This
Is
ALL
I
HA-A-A-A-A-AVE?"
The note bellowed from Erika's lungs as the band reached its crescendo, sounding like a wailing cry as it unleashed every ounce of sorrow, rage, and joy into the haunting declaration. The audience screamed with acclaim, their very adulation rattling halls in excited approval of Erika's range. And the judges leaned forward, all of them captivated by the girl's performance as she drew them in with naked vulnerability.
"And you can't take it from me!"
The notes slammed down again, joined by the band in a unified front. As Erika cried again, the cheering increased, the moshpit bouncing like a choppy sea in time to the stomping chords.
"This is all I HA-A-A-A-A-AVE…!"
From there, everything became a blur, Erika's body moving, playing, and singing on its own as her mind fell into blissful revelry. As the band slowed down, leading the claiming close, all they could hear was the screaming cheers, the joyous acclamation of the trio on stage. And after that, nothing else mattered.
"No, it's not; no, it's not an option
To let it go, let it go, I have been
Trying hard
Just to stare
This mountain down…"
Not the prize, not the journey. It was nothing compared to what Erika already had.
"Take it from me!"
From her perch on the stage, she could see their faces, the people who stood by her, supported her, and loved her no matter what. The people she'd have got nowhere without. She barely registered as they made their final bow, again and again as the audience screamed for an encore, and barely registered as she'd stumbled backstage past their jaw-dropped opposition in a euphoric daze.
"No, it's not, no, it's not an option
To let it go, let it go, I have been…"
She barely noticed the greenroom door burst open, her four other teammates and Valerie bounding backstage to sweep up the girls in a loving embrace. She barely registered when the announcement came to gather on the stage to announce the winners.
And she barely registered when Johnny Ford called Electrohead's name to put the trophy in her hand.
"Trying hard
just to stare
this mountain down..."
Exhausted and spent, Erika finally realized the smile that had been stretching ear to ear from the moment she'd hit the strings, the overwhelming joy roaring from inside her. Everything she'd done, she'd done with the people around her. Everything she'd gained, she owed to them. And every battle she'd fought along the way had made it all the more worth it.
"This is all I have!"
And Erika wouldn't have had it any other way.
NEXT TIME:
Learning that there's a famous programmer in town, Zeke's day is made when he lands an internship at the firm. But soon, the dream meets reality as Zeke learns the darker side of business, and the nature of his hero is a lot more than he seems.
Meanwhile, in an attempt to reclaim the stolen Digitizer technology, Ray, Hilary, and Lena launch a joint operation with the Silver Guardians to capture an important suspect. But Xaviax has his own operation in mind, and his latest scheme leaves only remaining four Rangers to protect the city against ArcKnight's assault.
Will Zeke be able to grapple with the new realities of the job of his dreams?
Can Ray, Hilary, and Lena finally uncover how Scolex got his hands on the Digitizer and Gideon's deadly Black Box?
And with the Rangers split locations, is this the perfect opportunity for Xaviax to destroy them all for good?
Find out the answers to these questions and more next time on:
POWER RANGERS
SERVER FORCE
Meet Your Heroes
Power Rangers: Server Force is a fan-made team of Rangers, and not explicitly based on any other existing Rangers or Sentai property, with artwork character models created through Hero Forge.
Power Rangers- Sever Force updates on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you like what you read, you can always drop a comment to let me know and don't forget to subscribe/ follow to find out the second I update.
Wonders (2020)
Performed by: Envoi
Written by: David Tirpak, James C Gula, Madeline Utrup, Steven Camp Perrino
Produced by: Steve Perrino