I do not own Power Rangers. This season is fanmade.

Episode 6: Timid Ranger

The Performance Center buzzed with the sounds of fists striking pads and determined shouts as junior MMA students sparred in separate rings. Among them was DJ, clad in a tank top and navy-blue shorts. His opponent, a nervous Latin-American boy with a shaved head, stepped forward hesitantly, fists trembling as he raised them to guard his face.

"Listen, man," the boy stammered, his voice shaking. "It's my first day. Could you, uh… go easy on me?"

DJ sighed, rolling his eyes as he lowered his fists. "Sure, I'll take it easy on you."

Relief flashed across the boy's face. "Really?"

"Not a chance," DJ smirked before delivering a swift, calculated kick to the boy's abdomen, sending him sprawling to the mat with a gasp as the wind was knocked out of him.

"Now you know why I'm a two-time junior MMA champ," DJ chuckled, stripping off his gloves and walking to the bleachers. Picking up his water bottle, he took a swig and scanned the room, satisfaction evident on his face as he watched other students push their limits. Now that he was a Ranger, keeping his edge wasn't just about competition—it was about survival.

From the corner of his eye, DJ spotted his martial arts instructor, Cole, talking to someone new. The boy, roughly DJ's age, had amber hair, green eyes, and freckles. He wore a tank top and green shorts, standing with a confident posture that caught DJ's attention.

Cole approached, clapping a hand on DJ's shoulder. "DJ, meet your new sparring partner, Donnie Reef."

DJ nodded, extending a hand. "Dean-Jamal, but everyone calls me DJ."

The new kid shook firmly. "Donnie. Nice to meet you."

"You new in town?"

"Yeah, just moved here with my sister and aunt."

DJ raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more to the story, but shrugged it off. "Welcome, Donnie. Let's see what you've got."

Donnie grinned, stepping back and bending his knees. Without warning, he launched into a flawless double backflip, landing smoothly before breaking into a series of rapid high kicks. The room erupted into applause, including DJ's own, as he stared in disbelief.

"Dude, that was insane! Where'd you learn that?"

Donnie chuckled. "Practice. I'm not new to MMA."

"Man, you and I are going to get along just fine."

Far away in a shadowy lair, the Humanitor leader Po paced restlessly. The emergence of three Power Rangers was an infuriating roadblock to his plans. He needed a way to break them—one that would shatter their strength at its core.

"Sky!" he barked.

A whirlwind of dust materialized into his sister, Sky. Her red eyes glinted mischievously as she folded her arms. "What do you need, dear brother?"

"Tell me about the Rangers."

Sky activated a triangular device, scrolling through data. "The Red Ranger excels in sports. The Yellow Ranger's a top scholar, valedictorian-level perfectionist. But the Blue Ranger? He's the muscle—top of his MMA class. Self-taught toughness after losing his mother. His childhood wasn't easy."

Po grinned wickedly. "Perfect. Target his mind. Break him where he's already cracked."

Sky smirked. "Psychorica and the Globe of Nightmares, then?"

"Exactly," Po hissed. "We'll unravel his sanity until he's too crippled to fight."

The next day, DJ walked home from the gym, scrolling through his phone. As he crossed an empty football field, a gust of wind knocked him off balance. He steadied himself, scanning his surroundings—but then came the eerie chittering.

Karadracs.

The foot soldiers surrounded him, moving in. "Bring it on!" DJ challenged, dodging strikes and countering with swift knees and kicks. But two karadracs seized him from behind, locking his arms.

A sinister laugh filled the air as a purple whirlwind took form. From the swirling dust emerged Psychorica, her distorted voice grating. "Hello, Ranger."

"Who the hell are you?" DJ spat, struggling against the karadracs.

"Psychorica. And I've come to play with your mind," she purred, raising a glowing orb. A sharp beam struck DJ, and agony tore through him. His heart raced, his head pounded, and his fear surged uncontrollably.

As Psychorica and the karadracs vanished, DJ collapsed to his knees, trembling. The pain subsided, but the fear didn't. Haunted and shaken, he staggered home, only to endure a sleepless night plagued by nightmares of his fractured childhood.

The following day, Maya and Max trained in the dojo while Ellie monitored the computer. "Is DJ skipping again?" Maya asked.

"Doesn't look good," Max replied.

"You said it," Ellie chimed in, turning her chair around to face the two. "My dad isn't keen on tardiness or unexcused absences."

"No kidding, he threatened us with expulsion last time," Max replied.

"Yeah, but this is different. We are protectors of the Earth now," Maya pointed out. "This is even more crucial.

Just then, DJ stumbled in, looking disheveled and pale.

"DJ, are you okay?" Maya asked, concerned.

Before DJ could answer, the alarm blared. Ellie located the source—a Humanitor attack at East Side Beach. The Rangers prepared to morph, DJ's trembling hands barely steadying his gem.

"Call into combat!" they shouted, and the winds swirled around them as they transformed. But even as the Rangers launched into battle, DJ couldn't shake the growing shadow within. Psychorica's game had only just begun.

"A beach day full of screams and chaos—my kind of fun!" Psychorica declared, her voice ringing out over the panicked cries of beachgoers fleeing in every direction.

"Come on! What's the big deal? I was just playing!" she cackled, her maniacal laughter echoing. But her revelry was cut short as a sudden burst of sand and wind sent her flying backward.

Psychorica staggered to her feet, brushing off grains of sand, and turned toward the west side of the beach. Her fiery gaze landed on three figures standing firm against the horizon.

"Ah, so you're the Rangers everyone's been whispering about!" she sneered, an unsettling grin spreading across her face.

Without hesitation, Maya and Max charged toward the monster, weapons drawn, while DJ hung back, frozen in place.

Maya swung her blade in a wide arc from the right, but Psychorica dodged effortlessly, twisting around and slashing Maya with her own weapon. Maya tumbled backward, landing hard in the sand.

Max rushed in next, unleashing a flurry of strikes, but Psychorica countered each one with precision. With a sharp swing, she struck Max, sending him crashing beside Maya.

Both Rangers groaned in pain, struggling to rise. Maya glanced over her shoulder, her brows furrowed. DJ was still standing in the same spot, arms wrapped tightly around his knees, trembling.

"What's going on with him?" she asked through gritted teeth.

Max, clutching his ribs, shook his head in confusion. "I don't know, but something's wrong."

Psychorica laughed wickedly. "Oh, is this all you've got? Pathetic! Here, have a taste of my sharp flakes!" She unleashed a barrage of razor-sharp projectiles from her mask. The explosive impact sent Maya and Max flying into the sand once more, battered and bruised.

"Well, this has gotten boring! I'll be back when you can actually put up a fight. Ta-ta!" she sneered, folding her arms as her body shimmered and vanished into thin air.

Maya and Max staggered back to their feet, demorphing as they caught their breath.

"This is insane," Max growled, rubbing his shoulder.

Maya's eyes darted back to DJ, who hadn't moved. "We need to have a serious talk with him," she said, her voice firm yet tinged with concern.

The two approached their teammate, ready to confront him, but as they drew closer, their frustration melted into alarm. DJ wasn't just frozen—he was shaking, his breathing ragged and uneven.

Max knelt beside him, placing a steadying hand on DJ's shoulder. "Deej, what's going on? Are you okay?"

DJ flinched, his wide eyes darting to Max before recognition settled in. His voice came out in trembling bursts. "No. No, I'm not okay! I-I feel like I'm going to explode. My chest... it feels like it's caving in! I can't—I can't do this! I'm losing it, guys..." His words trailed off into broken sobs.

Max and Maya exchanged stunned glances. DJ was the strongest, most fearless person they knew—the rock of their team. Seeing him unravel like this was unlike anything they had ever imagined.

Max tightened his grip on DJ's shoulder, his tone softening. "We'll figure this out, Deej. Together."

Maya nodded. "But first, we need to talk to Sensei. He'll know what to do."

As the three huddled together, the bond they shared as Rangers felt more fragile—and more crucial—than ever.

Part two coming soon...