Everyone was silent as they stared at Ziga's new form.
Yellow lightning sparked from it, which was the only sound that could be heard aside from the breathing of everyone there.
Lunatsuki eyed her up, taking in the sight as Ziga stood there, glaring at her through her visor.
"Holy…" Azu muttered, feeling the IMMENSE power emanating from this form.
"I think holy is right…" Andah grinned widely at the sight.
"No shit…" Nazu blinked.
Back at HENSHIN's base, Shizuka and Amy looked on in awe at the readings and footage of the events occurring.
"Power levels still being calculated, but…wow." Shizuka grinned, looking through the various stats and analytics. "Transformation is stabilized, the Chrysalis Heart is doing its job!"
Amy looked on, pride filling her eyes for her old friend. Pride…and that emotion she and Ziga had denied for far too long.
"You got it working!?" Spydey grinned excitedly as Weava brought up the viewing orb, a large projection of what had been going on now viewable in the air to the three.
"Power surge…and I think I can see what caused it." Weava gestured to RyuMantis' new form.
"...Whoa…" Spydey stared in awe.
"That…is it weird I can feel the power from here? Because I can feel the power from here." Scorpia asked.
"She's… tapping way further into her Godly Partner's energy than I thought was possible…" Weava mused.
"What happened?" Owlio asked, walking in. "Many machines just suffered a massive power surge."
"Your answer's right there." Weava gestured to the screen.
Owlio looked upon it, and saw the yellow mantis' Chrysalis form. "So…it's begun."
"You know what this is?" Spidey asked.
"Well of course I do, I've had to do research when we're fighting the resistance." Owlio answered. "It seems they got the Champion's Heart working, and have begun getting their Chrysalis forms…This could prove troublesome…" He said with a neutral look, rubbing his chin.
"How uh…powerful, exactly, are they?" Scorpia asked.
"Have you ever heard of Tinadus the Giant Terror?" Owlio asked.
"No…?"
"One Ryumushinger accessing this power is the reason you haven't heard of him." Owlio told her bluntly.
"..." Scorpia paled.
"...This is fucking awesome…" Spydey whispered.
"... Spydey, time and place…" Weava facepalmed.
"What, it is!" Spydey protested.
"Hmmph…" Owlio stared at the footage a bit more in thought before walking off.
As Ziga stood there, time seemed frozen, and in her mind, she saw herself in…a village.
A village full of mantis people, like her, black and yellow seeming to be the favored colors of the architecture.
"...Hello?" She called out.
Then…she felt a presence.
Huge like Suzesaki's but…familiar. Warm. Loving.
A gentle storm appeared overhead, yellow lightning striking down…and forming a gigantic figure of a dragon-mantis creature, like her zord…
And the creature stared down at her, shrinking down to a humanoid form just a bit taller than her.
She was a Dragrealma Mantisapien, a humanoid mantis woman that was mainly a shade of yellow often found in bumble bees, with patterns across her face and body in a darker brown-ish yellow, lined in black, with green eyes, spikey brown storm cloud hair with yellow streaks literally made of lightning.
She also wore a yellow stealth suit, gloves, and boots, with a brownish-yellow tactical vest, with royal coattails streaming behind her, lightning mantis blades on her arms.
"W-woahhhh..." Ziga stared at her.
The mantis woman smiled, and it felt like all of Ziga's worries…didn't exist. "Hello, my champion!"
"...Ch-Chrysogladia?" Ziga asked in shock.
"Like the new look?!" Her goddess asked excitedly, now in her face and oh wow she was pretty and so energetic and she did NOT expect this from her.
"U-uh, yeah-wait is that based on outfits from that one ninja anime?" Ziga asked upon observing the outfit a bit more.
"Mmmmmmaybbbeee~ Why, is it tacky?" Chrysogladia did a small twirl, looking herself over with slight concern.
"N-no, it's just…you're…my goddess, I…I didn't expect something like this." Ziga blinked.
"You wouldn't stop watching the show, I thought this'd be fun!"
"You based this appearance off of my anime tastes?" Ziga asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"Partially, If it was purely your taste it'd be that massive-mammoried blonde's outfit." She teased with a grin.
"HEY THEY TONED IT DOWN IN THE SEQUEL BESIDES SHE WAS NEVER THAT PRETTY-" Ziga paused, then face-palmed. "Fucking hell…"
"Heheh. Anyways, enough teasing, we're in a battle!"
"Huh?" Ziga looked to a screen that showed the battlefield from her POV. "Right." She looked to Chrysogladia. "Is…but…I have so many questions about how this works, why're you meeting me here, are there any drawbacks, how long do I have in this form-"
"Questions later, I can only speed your thoughts up so much, DODGE!"
Ziga leaned to her right, grabbing the ice-lightning bolt thrown at her, turning it to a bright yellow lightning bolt and tossing it at Lunatsuki, who deflected it behind herself, the rangers having to jump out of the way.
"Ziga, can you hear us!?" Shizuka asked excitedly.
"Loud and clear." Ziga confirmed.
"Ok, this is important, so listen up-"
"Whoa whoa whoa, slow down, what-" Azu asked. "What the fuck is happening!?"
"Yeah! Red's supposed to get her power up first! It's tradition!" Slavi protested.
"Pink, not helping!" Azu told her, groaning.
"I'm just saying!"
"To answer your question, Ziga has unlocked her Chrysalis form, an example of what is known as Grid Beast State." Shizuka explained. "A phenomena in which a Henshin Hero bonds with their Grid Beast, a creature or typically somewhat sentient part of their arsenal, usually mechanical, typically a vehicle, that is bonded to the hero's respective part of the Henshin Grid, becoming one with it in some way or another, usually a power up form, like AbareMax, KyoryuRed Carnival, Drive Type Tridoron, etc."
"So, that's what's happening with Yellow?" Slavi asked.
"Her soul has synchronized with Chrysogladia's. She's become one with her in a sense and tapped directly into her power which, combined with her own skills and strength…resulted in this." Shizuka explained.
"How long does she have? Big power ups like this usually come at a price." Azu asked.
"The devices made from the heart were to ensure you all could safely tap into it. However, you won't be able to use it long. You have to play fast and smart with it. In short…longer than Kiramager Go, but unless you want aftereffects as bad as the King-Ohger's Fangs of Defiance's, don't push it."
"Roger that." Azu nodded with the others. "We'll continue keeping the Thunderbird busy, then help out however we can."
"Oh I don't think you'll be interfering at all." Lunatsuki spoke, snapping her fingers.
The Thunderbird screeched, which sounded like it was boosted with thunder sounds before flying off.
"...Wait…" Azu blinked. "Where he's going?"
"...Guys, have we seen Sealifea in a bit?" Slavi asked.
Everyone looked around.
"...Oh fuck-"
A tortured scream echoed throughout the cave.
A moment passed, then another, and another.
Then another.
Then thunderous sounds echoed outside, the waves started getting wilder, the winds picked up…
The other four core rangers ran outside the cave…and saw a gigantic monster.
It was some grotesque fusion of the Thunderbird and Sealifea, the yellow and blue mixing into an ugly, unnatural green in the middle, the head a fusion of both kaijin's, though Sealifea's eyes seemed like they were begging, SCREAMING for help.
"... Oh god that looks unpleasant." Andah gagged.
"..." Lunatsuki blinked. "That…wasn't supposed to happen…" She muttered.
"..." Azu stared in horror…the fear in Sealifea's eyes seeming painfully familiar…and she clenched her fists, eyes steeling with resolve. "Everyone, zords!"
"Right!" Everyone started after getting over their disgust, bringing out their Ryubiters in blade mode.
"Azu," Ziga spoke simply, tossing her own Ryubiter to the red ranger, who caught it, Lunatsuki amazed at the speed.
Azu nodded. "Everyone,"
"SIGNALING ZEA!" They brought the small blades together.
A portal opened up behind the grotesque monster, the creature turning around to view the new threat before the Draginsects zoomed past it, knocking it into the ocean, sending a ton of water into the air, making it rain on the cliff.
"Let's do it!" Azu called out, everyone jumping into their zords.
Ziga and Lunatsuki meanwhile, continued their staredown, Lunatsuki getting over her shock at her Thunderbird's actions before eyeing Ziga up.
"...You got the opportunity to do that. To become one with her. How does it feel?" She asked.
"...Like there's a companion I can always trust to have my back…embracing me…filling me with absolute trust, confidence, love…" The ranger answered, looking over her armor, bringing her top right hand over her heart.
Luna stared silently. "...She told me she had that for me too. And yet, when I went to avenge my family…where was she?"
"She is not your personal attack dog." Ziga said sternly.
"No. She is supposed to be a protector. Yet where was she when my eldest had her sister taken without word or warning? Where was she when my granddaughter's father went missing? Where was she when my sister was dragged from her bed, writing in blood her cries for help for me to find? Tell me, my lady, WHERE WERE YOU!?" Luna demanded, eyes flaring with anger.
"She doesn't have a physical body Luna, that's why SHE HAD YOU!" Ziga rushed in and slammed her fist across Lunatsuki's jaw, sending her flying, the goddess tumbling before catching herself, creating trenches in the ground.
"What good is a goddess…" Luna spoke, eyes glowing, a bit of sorrow evident in them…but not entirely aimed at the goddess. "If she can't protect those she cares for!?"
She zoomed in a burst of ice and lightning, punching Ziga in the stomach, sending her skidding back, Ziga digging yellow lightning mantis blades into the ground, flipping into the air and sending a kick down at her foe, a yellow lightning strike following, a minor explosion of yellow energy happening.
Ziga stood up in the rubble out of the smoke cloud, Luna rising up herself. "As good as any other hero, trying their best! You used to know that!" Ziga launched back at Lunatsuki, striking her nose this time, Luna using the momentum and leaning backwards, grabbing Ziga with her legs and throwing her behind her, Ziga catching herself.
"Maybe…but it's too late now." Luna growled, eyes sparking with ice lightning.
"Then it's your move, Senior." Ziga beckoned.
Luna rushed in like a lightning bolt…only to be caught by Ziga's hand, who slammed her into the ground, kicking her into another wall when she bounced up from the ricochet. "S-...still too slow!" Luna blurred further, darting around Ziga randomly. Ziga lifted her foot and slammed it down, lightning erupting around her and sending Lunatsuki flying back into a pillar of Ice.
Luna took a second to register the attack…
Then ROARED, ice coating the ground.
Ziga vanished, the goddess looking around for her, looking up and attempting to catch a strike from her successor, only for Ziga to vanish and punch her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
Lunatsuki released wind and ice around her, trying to force Ziga back.
Ziga vanished again, and divine thunder echoed through Luna's being, looking up and seeing a storm cloud above her, raining down yellow lightning as the storm span around, the lightning striking Lunatsuki in a circle, creating smoke clouds.
As she tried blocking or dodging the strikes, frustration grew. "H-how…!? It's only been a few minutes, how are you able to use this much POWER!?"
"Because I'm trying to save my friend, and save the soul of someone my goddess cares about deeply, you're just having a temper tantrum." Ziga spoke from within the clouds.
"You'll never win. Not in a way that lasts." Luna growled.
"Neither will those we fight." Ziga spoke without hesitation. "And as history has shown, we win more often than not."
Luna roared, unleashing a swirling dome blast of energy to try to disperse the clouds. Ziga slid on the ice on the ground to gain momentum, slamming into Luna and launching them both over the cliff behind Luna, a massive storm starting in the skies above them both. Luna looked shocked as Ziga's visor glowed yellow and she unleashed a flurry of lightning punches.
"Stormantis Barrage!"
Each impact was accompanied by a thunder sound that could be heard for MILES, Luna doing her best to block each attack with an ice shield, which Ziga quickly broke through as she built up energy before-
BOOM!
A giant yellow lightning explosion erupted.
…
Meanwhile, the other four had combined their zords into Ryumushi-Ohi, doing battle with the Thunderbird-Sealifea frankenstein fusion, blocking an attack by its claws resembling a mix of bird talons and shark fangs, following up with a punch from the megazord's left arm, Slavi flashing the beast with her Draginsect's photokinesis to distract it enough for the attack to hit.
"What is this thing made of?!" Azu shouted, the attack doing noticeable damage but not destroying the creature.
"Obviously a fusion of the Thunderbird and Sealifea, but…even then it feels like it's way tougher to damage than it seems like it should be." Nazu noted.
"Corruption…" Slavi realized.
"What?" Azu blinked.
"...In a lot of Pythonian magic classes, we're taught emotions can influence your magic, even accidentally. Maybe it's the same for the stuff Lunatsuki did? Her emotions are out of control, so they ended up creating this thing, and boosting it a bit more than the combination should've led to." Slavi explained.
"Well we need something to help us penetrate it!" Azu groaned before suddenly, the coms beeped.
"New Zord inbound!" Shizuka announced.
"Huh?" Azu blinked. "You mean-"
A roar mixed with a buzzing that shook the heavens and the ocean echoed throughout the area, the Megazord and kaijin looking up through the clouds as flashes of purple-grey light flickered.
Suddenly, it seemed like the clouds started to…swirl downwards from far away, but as they shot forward, and the heroes got a good look at them as they shot into the kaijin, they noticed…
It was swarms of energy hornet dragons.
"Meet Suzesaki! The Hornet Draginsect and Goddess of the Hunt!" Shizuka announced proudly, before a figure descended from the heavens.
The figure was largely black, with grey highlights along with purple-grey trimming, being a mix between a European dragon and a hornet, with an insectoid-dragonic main body, dragon claws along the ends of the insectoid scaled limbs, a mix between dragon and hornet wings, and a hornet's head with purple-grey eyes, antennae-horns, and a dragonic jaw.
"Hahaha! Ziga really did it!" Azu shouted in amazement.
Suzesaki looked towards the five rangers, and the core team looked with bated breath as another goddess eyed them up for judgment…
Then nodded, everyone breathing out sighs of relief. She let out a buzz-roar, and nodded towards the right arm of Ryumushi-Ohi.
"I…think she wants us to join with her." Azu noted. "So uh…how does this work, do we swap out an arm or…?"
Suzesaki rolled her eyes and flew over to the Megazord, folding her legs in, clamping onto the dragonfly right arm, her tail folding out to attach over the fist like a gauntlet weapon, her stinger spinning like a drill.
"...Oh…yeah." Azu grinned widely.
The kaijin roared as it got up, thunder cracking overhead with its noise.
"You guys ready!?" Azu called out.
"READY!" The other three shouted back. The two giants rushed towards each other, creating giant splashes in the ocean as they punched at each other, Ryumushi-Ohi punching with her right hand, the drill spinning wildly as it pierced the creature's taloned hand, the kaijin squawking before grabbing onto it with its talons to try to stop it…
Only for the talons to SHRED before its eyes.
"..." Everyone blinked.
"That is the most metal thing I have ever seen." Andah said simply.
The hornet Draginsect buzz-roared in appreciation.
"You ol' charmer~" Andah giggled.
"..." Azu blinked. "...Are you…" She sighed, shaking her head. "Nevermind."
Ryumushi-Ohi punched the kaijin in the face with its drill, drawing blood and knocking it away.
"Alright, score one for us! Zero for…uh…" Nazu muttered.
"...What DO we call this?" Azu asked.
"Ampfibian?" Slavi suggested.
"That's taken." Azu pointed out. Slavi's face broke out into a teasing smirk.
"Oh really, and how do you know that?~"
Azu blushed, turning pink through her helmet's cheeks. "I-I may have…taken notice of some names from that show we watched…"
"You two watched shows together?" Nazu asked in confusion before being smacked upside the head by Andah.
"Shut up, this is a cute moment!" She whispered.
"Right." He agreed, the two nodding.
"An-anyways! What about… Aqua-Shock?" Azu suggested, trying to change the subject.
"...Hmm. I like it!" Slavi beamed.
"R-really?"
"Yeah! Totally sounds like a Ben 10 alien too~" She teased.
"Oh shaddup." Azu groaned. "...Does it?" She asked after a moment.
"Yeah but in a good way! Fun and memorable!" Slavi smiled despite the helmet.
Azu blushed, looking away.
Suzesaki buzz-roared, annoyed, to get their attention.
The four looked ahead, and saw the newly named Aqua-Shock get up, flashes of lightning flickering across the ocean floor as a gigantic thunderclap echoed under the water, sending a MASSIVE jet of water towards Ryumushi-Ohi, who quickly blocked with the drill, spraying the water all around themselves, creating bright rainbows in their colors.
"Hell yea! A few more hits like that and we'll have this thing!" Nazu called out.
Azu, Slavi, and Andah slowly turned to him.
"...What?" Nazu asked.
"..." Azu groaned, facepalming. "You had to fucking jinx it."
"I didn't jinx it!" Nazu replied indignantly.
The Megazord was covered in shadow, and they all looked up to see Aqua-Shock dive bombing them.
"Well motherf-"
They raised the drill up towards the dive-bombing Kaiju, causing Aqua-Shock to spin in the air above the Megazord as it landed on the tip.
Chrysogladia shrieked, and the others looked to the right leg of the Megazord, seeing the mantis leg sparking with divine lightning.
"What in the…" Azu muttered.
"She's trying to tell you she's enhanced thanks to us joining!" Ziga said over comms, the sounds of fighting making it through. "Try combining her with Suzesaki!"
As she said that, Chrysogladia began changing.
The blades on the foot became sharper, shining with lightning as her black and yellow body turned metallic yellow with glowing yellow lightning patterns, her eyes the same shade and sparking with energy.
"A ZORD CHANGING WITH A POWER UP FORM!?" Slavi squealed.
"That…has this ever happened?" Azu asked. "I knew about power ups granting NEW zords, but…"
"This is a first for me!" Slavi said, Andah nodding as well.
"Something surprising a Sentai Otaku like you?" Azu teased.
"I don't think this has happened before?" Andah said, rubbing her head.
"Wow." Azu said, surprised. "So, what should we try here?"
Chrysogladia shrieked eagerly, Suzesaki letting out a buzz that sounded like a giggle.
Azu blinked. "...what was that?"
"Huh. Well chalk that up to something I didn't know about the Draginsects' relationships." Ziga noted over comms.
"What, what did they say?" Azu asked.
"Oooohohoho!" Slavi grinned in realization. "Chryssi and Suze?"
"... Not thinking about that, let's just attach her to the leg?" Nazu suggested.
"Good idea." Azu agreed. Suzesaki throwing Aqua Shock into the air before detaching from the arm and going onto the mantis leg, Ryumushi-Ohi compressing her hopper leg before LEAPING into the air, aiming her right leg, drill covering her foot, at the falling kaijin fusion.
"SHOCKING DRILL KICK!" The team declared, the storm clouds above swirling around to join the drill kick, turning purple and flashing with purple energy, the kick blasting them through the kaijin fusion, creating a magnificent thunderclap accompanied by divine insectoid roars.
With a massive BOOM, Sealifa was sent flying out of the monster.
Catching her in their arms, the Megazord landed, Azu staring in surprise. "Huh. Didn't expect that to happen…wait so what happened to the Thunderbird, don't our stuff usually like…capture them in energy cubes to be transported to prison?"
"It depends on a case by case basis." Shizuka explained. "Besides that, I think the Draginsects sensed her corruption and wanted to help."
"Ah."
The drill buzzed again, the mantis leg screeching back.
"Oh! She says she has the Thunderbird. And that my partner will have to come over if she wants it?" Ziga said over comms.
"So now even our zords are joining in on this…" Azu sighed, resting her forehead on her console.
"I didn't even say they were flirting, you interpreted that." Ziga stated.
"And are they?" Azu raised an eyebrow.
"...Maybe."
"Point stands, then."
The rest of the team chuckled a little.
"So how you doing back there, Z?" Azu asked.
…
"Oh just peachy."
Lunatsuki groaned, the two panting as energy aura flared around them.
"Ready…to give up?" Ziga asked, eye glowing through her visor.
"Never!" Luna growled, her body starting to shift and morph.
"Uh, Z, we're picking up huge energy spikes. You gonna need any help?" Azu asked over comms.
"No. You'd only get in the way." Ziga told her. "I got this." She growled, aura flaring brighter.
Luna took on a darker color scheme, a dark crystal blue for the main body, with energy blue icy spikes growing like arm and leg spines across her limbs and her back, her mask fusing to her face like an exoskeleton.
The two of them dash towards each other, clashing over and over, looking like lightning bolts amidst the storm as their fight took them out of the cave and towards the sky so fast their auras made them look like comets shooting upwards.
"...E-even…even the Beetle Bros I think would struggle to reach those speeds…" Azu said in awe.
"Well that just proves if we meet them again we CAN catch up to them!" Slavi said excitedly.
"..." Andah breathed heavily, blushing through her helmet as she watched the yellow streak of lightning.
"...Uh…Andah?" Azu asked.
Andah blinked, seeing the other three staring at her. "...What? Am I have an anime nosebleed or something?" She asked, tilting her head.
"...Is there something going on between you two?" Nazu asked.
"Yesn't." Andah cheerfully said unhelpfully.
"...That answers nothing."
"Enough talking, enjoy the insanely awesome anime fight." Andah pointed to the sky.
Nazu rolled his eyes and returned to watching Ziga and Luna fight.
Back in the sky, the two's silhouettes were seen clashing with each flash of lightning and thunder, a punch from Ziga, a kick from Luna, the two locking blades, moving at such incredible speeds with such power that massive winds picked up.
The two then fell from the clouds, Luna freezing part of the ocean and landing, while Ziga…
Covered another portion of the ocean in yellow lightning, and SKATED across it, to the astonishment of the others, dodging and weaving around Luna's ice attacks, picking up a piece of the electrified body of water and making hand motions before bringing out a lightning scythe, limboing under an ice bolt before jumping into the air, turning into a spinning saw with her scythe, Luna catching the blade before Ziga flipped away from it, blasting lightning to launch herself into a kick towards the handle just as the scythe turned into a sword, kicking the new weapon into Luna, who roared as it pierced her chest.
"Okay now they're both just showing off…" Azu grumbled.
"Mmm indeed~" Andah all but purred, resting her cheeks on her hands as she watched with half lidded, entranced eyes beneath her helmet.
Ziga slammed her weapon into Luna's chest, knocking her into the air.
Ziga crossed her arms, her energy arm blades crackling with lightning as she leapt forward, SLASHING through her, flipping and sending a kick down towards her, Luna blocking by crossing her arms.
Lunatsuki roared, sending a blast of energy at Ziga that looked roughly like a frozen mantis.
Ziga blocked it, only for that to let Luna grab her leg and slam her down into the ground on her ice platform, the mantis energy construct stabbing into her and exploding, several glaciers forming around Ziga that Luna used to pinball herself into her multiple times.
Ziga then formed a new weapon, black with yellow techno patterns, two barrels stacked on top of eachother, both attached to Ziga's arm.
"BLADE BLASTER!" A mechanical voice called as she unloaded into Luna's chest.
Luna screeched as she was launched into one of the glaciers, Ziga firing a yellow energy bolt into another glacier that bounced into Luna, continuing to do this…
Until she finished drawing a picture of Chrysogladia. With a roar from Lunatsuki, the blizzard grew and took on an icey mantis form to match the Chrysogladia lightning storm.
Both images grew giant sized until they resembled dragon-mantises, Ziga's more closely resembling the goddess's true form and made of storm clouds with yellow lightning, and Luna's made of lighter storm clouds with ice blue lightning.
The two beasts roared, clashing, thunderclaps sending shockwaves through the ocean, the dragon goddess clawing and biting as the mantis slashed and dodged.
Their blades clashed as their mistresses shot lightning at each other, creating giant lightning bolts to throw or slash at each other, sparks of energy being created with each impact. Finally the two drove their bladed arms into each other's chests, causing an explosion of ice and lightning.
…
"Did…did she get her?" Azu asked, using their mecha's sensors to try to find their friend.
Everyone immediately turned to Azu with the "Really?" almost out their mouths before Lunatsuki grew to massive size, forcing the Megazord to take a few steps back.
"...In my defense I was worried for my friend rather than thinking it was easy." Azu said through gritted teeth, Ziga appearing in the cockpit with a groan.
"Ziga, you ok!?" Azu asked, holding onto her.
"She still has some fight in her." Ziga explained. "But I can feel it. One more powerful attack directed at the mask should do it!"
"Let's do it then, lead the way, Z!" Azu called.
"Got it, boss!" Ziga nodded, flashing outside of the Megazord, landing on the left shoulder. "Tip, using the right leg'll be more effective while me and Chrysogladia are like this. Her divine power's increased and sharing it with me. It'll be more effective considering she's mine and Luna's goddess." The team got ready to use the drill with the leg again.
Luna glared, rumblings heard before she leaned back and roared, a massive blizzard staring before Ziga roared back with Chrysogladia, the lightning storm from before increasing to match.
The two sides glared before rushing each other, Luna slashing with her arm blades, Ryumushi-Ohi blocking with their sword, the drill on the leg spinning before they kicked, sending the drill into her stomach as Ziga sent a kick at her face, sending her back. The Megazord jumped into the air, the drill whirring to life with lightning again. Ryumushi-Ohi sent a flurry of kicks, the drill adding to the damage as sparks flew from Luna's body, Ziga sending lightning strikes from the storm towards her.
Lunatsuki cried out in pain as she flew back from the strikes, Ziga directing the storm into the leg.
"Oh wow…" Azu muttered.
"READY!?" Ziga called out.
"READY!" Everyone called back.
Ziga jumped up, Ryumushi-Ohi getting into a kicking position, sending a POWERFUL kick into Lunatsuki's mask, the drill spinning fiercely, storm clouds swirling around it, lightning added to it.
"STORMING CLOUD KICK!" The team shouted.
They yelled out, adding power to the kick as Luna's mask started cracking.
Lunatsuki roared in pain…
And she began seeing…
No, that couldn't be…
She saw…several mantises and yuki onnas…
These…these were no ordinary ones…they were…?
…Her wife…
Her children and grandchildren, both blood and by marriages…the ones she lost…
She wept, silent sobs racking her chest as tears fell down her face, freezing before they hit the ground.
She could feel it…the divine power from her goddess…
The bond she had…the one her mask granted her over Subazerra…her descendent…
Shattering bit by bit…
Lunatsuki shrunk back down to normal.
She slowly lost her monstrous form, feeling her power weaken as the mask slowly broke…
Then just as the mecha went past her, Ziga lunged at her with a kick, the two locking eyes briefly, Lunatsuki going limp before the yellow ranger-
BOOM!
Landed on the Megazord's shoulder, a huge explosion going off where Lunatsuki was.
…
Ziga appeared back on the cliff, carrying the goddess back there, laying her on the ground, huge glowing cracks across her mask.
"...Congrats…" Luna said, voice distorting. "...You'll be seeing…your friend…again…soon…"
"...We can take you back to HENSHIN." Ziga offered. "Help you properly revive…"
Lunatsuki reached up towards her mask. "... No, it's too late… maybe you're more worthy than me after all… Good luck, kid." With a snap, Lunatsuki crushed her own mask, the remains shattering into bits of light as her host, Subazerra, collapsed.
"...Suba?" Ziga asked after a moment of silent prayer for Luna's soul, one which Chryssi happily answered.
"..." Suba blinked, eyes opening slowly. "H-hey Zi…? What're ya doin' in my dream…?" She muttered before passing out.
"..." Ziga held her in her arms…
Then chuckled.
That turned to laughter as the others arrived.
"Z, you ok!?" Azu asked as the Order came out of hiding.
"..." Ziga turned to them, her helmet vanishing as she gave an exasperated, relieved and tearful smile. "...I'm more than ok…" She said, joy filling her voice as she held her teammate in her arms. "I'm good…"
With that, she collapsed, demorphing, panting.
"Yeah, that happens a lot with power up forms the first time around." Azu noted, chuckling in relief.
"Yeah…good…I'mma nap with Suba now…" Ziga muttered, holding Suba close as she passed out, the voices of her friends the last thing she heard before succumbing to unconsciousness.
Back with the arachnid trio…things were a bit heated.
"Suba's ok, we found her, why can't we just go and tell her family!?" Spydey asked incredulously to Owlio.
"She's been captured." Owlio intoned incredulously.
"Still, she's ALIVE, and her family has been SUFFERING while thinking they'd lost her for good!" Spydey argued.
"Do you really think it'll lessen their suffering to know our enemies have her?!" Owlia argued back.
"Even if by a bit, YES!"
As the two argued, Scorpia and Weava watched from the corner of the room.
"They've been at this for a bit…" Scorpia muttered to Weava.
"... Owlio's heart isn't in it, he'll give soon, he just hates being wrong." Weava responded.
Scorpia looked to the two arguing.
"You know as well as I do that if it turned out mom and dad were alive, BOTH of us would wanna know as soon as possible!" Spydey snapped.
"...Fine, tell them." Owlio said after a moment, turning away.
"..." Spydey walked off, her friends accompanying her.
"You ok?" Scorpia asked.
"..." Spydey sighed. "That man is so stubborn…" She muttered as they went out of the castle.
"He's just overprotective." Weava patted Spydey's shoulder.
"I know…" Spydey sighed, rubbing her face. "So…what do we do about Sealifea?"
"She'll be put wherever they've put the other monsters they've captured, I'm not too worried." Weava said.
"You sure?"
"Yes I'm sure."
"..." Spydey rubbed her head. "Alright…so uh…that was an adventure."
"It was! I had fun." Scorpia said. "Feels like it took a year, though, is that just me?"
"I thought I was alone on that!" Spydey agreed.
"You're both being silly." Weava told them, hugging them close, the two blushing. "Scorpia, how bout you fetch us some drinks for the road?"
"Oh. uhhh. sure?" Scorpia rushed off.
"...Weava, did you just wanna talk?" Spydey asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know me too well.~" Weava giggled.
"Ok so…what ya wanna talk about?"
"Scorpia wants to ask you out but is chicken, so I thought I'd tell you~"
Spydey turned red. "W-w-w-w-ww-w-w-haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!?"
Weava chuckled. "Soooo you gonna be chicken too and make me do all the work?~" She teased.
"B-b-b-but what do you mean, sh-she couldn't possibly seriously like me like that-" Spydey stammered adorably.
"Spydey, breath, and why couldn't she?" Weava told her, hands on her shoulders.
"...Sh-she's a badass ninja knight warrior and I'm just some nerdy goody two shoes princess…"
"Well to use one of your stories against you, who do the badass warriors always fall for in them?"
"You dare use my own spells against me?" Spydey deadpanned, blushing.
Weava rolled her eyes, flicking her forehead gently. "Talk to her. See where it goes."
Spydey blushed. "Ok…"
"Go, girl!" Weava pushed gently, Spydey yelping before walking off to find Scorpia.
Weava smiled softly, rubbing her right upper arm with her left.
Confidence boost for Scorpia with that kiss, plus encouragement to Spydey…
Should at least start something.
…
So why did she still feel a bit empty?
…
As Scorpia was walking back with some beverages, she unexpectedly walked into someone.
"OOF!"
Scorpia yelped as the cups went flying out of her hands, only for Spydey to use all six arms to catch em.
"HI!" Spydey greeted.
"Is something the matter?"
"U-um uh…" Spydey handed the beverages back to Scorpia. "Well, Weava recently had a talk with me about…um, well…"
"Yesss?" Scorpia tilted her head.
"Um…she may have mentioned you…felt a bit…strongly about me, so to speak." Spydey said, trying to break the ice as gently as possible.
"What kind of strongly?"
"..." Spydey blushed. "Um…how do I put this, she says you want to be the…Sir M'rio to my Princess Petunia if you will."
"Ohhhhhhh!" Scorpia nodded, understanding.
…
Both blushed.
"So uh…do you uh…wanna…get lunch in a…slightly less platonic way at some point?" Spydey asked, nervous as all hell.
"YES!" Scorpia squealed, echoing throughout the hallways.
…
"Uh…" Scorpia blushed, shaking her head. "I mean, uh…yeah, s-sure!"
Spydey, face just as red, smiled like a goofball. "R-really? S-sweet, h-how does tomorrow night sound?"
"Lunch isn't typically at night."
"R-right, tomorrow AFTERNOON! Stupid Spydey…"
"See you then!" Scorpia said, trying to contain her excitement as she walked off.
Spydey blushed. 'Holy shit I just asked out Scorpia I DID IT I DID IT I DID IT!'
…
Then she remembered something.
"WAIT SCORPIA THE BEVERAGES-"