Awol Rangers
The rain poured heavily across the forest. The passageway towards Karate Operations was a long way from where the Rangers fought with their newest enemy, Buckateer.
Now they were down by two players. It was a crucial situation in which the Reef Twins have been abducted by someone working for Po. The three Rangers, however, we're too exhausted and still aching from their run-in with Buck that they didn't even take any regard to their now soaked selves as they were getting drenched by the heavy rainfall.
They would simply just open a portal to Karate Operations like magic, but that would be possible if they were at 100%, and sadly, you can't be that percentage if you had just been dominated just recently. Not to mention that their morphers were completely trashed.
DJ moaned in defeat as he held up his wrist, revealing his now damaged communicator. Normally, their communicators would have a silver background with a circular button matching the rangers' respective colors that they press when they need to morph. But the dish has been slightly detached, and their gold edges have become loose as well. They couldn't even contact Ellie or her father regarding their current statuses, so they must head to the dojo quickly to evaluate what they can do to save the twins.
DJ sighed as he revealed his communicator to Max. "Ellie is going to freak when she finds out these are trashed."
Max narrowed his eyes as they continued walking. "DJ, that is the least of our concerns. God knows where that freak took Donnie and Bonnie!"
Maya crossed her arms as her gaze fell. She knew the relationship between the twins and Po, and how Po lied to them about their parents, but why only them? She wondered what value they could hold to Po now that they have held much more of a threat as the three original Rangers. Unless...
Maya's eyes widened as she snapped her fingers, turning her head towards her friends. "Guys, don't you remember what happens to the other students at Uni Academy."
DJ shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, they were all kidnapped. Why?"
Maya pouted her lips as she spoke. "Maybe Donnie and Bonnie have become their captives. There may be a chance Po doesn't want to destroy them, but rather us. Perhaps we are truly alone in the fight against evil."
Max glanced over at DJ with a sad look, which DJ returned with the same intensity. This was probably it for them.
Buck returned to Po's lair, his cousin being delighted to see both the twins held captive cubes of ice that matched their Ranger colors. Lucky for the twins, the ice was made up of the indicate that made its way through their skin, healing them, but they were still unconscious, and their frozen place was keeping it that way.
Po paced around the two captive Rangers with his arms folded. He smirked. "Well done, cousin. You served me well."
Buck approached him and only chuckled, caressing his baton. He bowed. "It was my pleasure, Po. However, the best is yet to come."
Po's scratched his chin as he spoke. "What do you mean?"
Buck stood up straight. "To initiate my plan, having two gems is not enough, and sadly, we cannot obtain the power of the other three gems as we have not hindered them at all. However, I know a Humanitor that can fulfill the remaining energy needed to give us the power we need to take Earth once and for all."
Po thought for a moment before nodding his head. "Call him over!"
Buck grinned. "With pleasure. Chargericus!"
"Well, that monster managed to destroy years of technological developments in one battle, not to mention that both Donnie and Bonnie have just been abducted." Ellie went on as she examined the now broken communicators/morphers that the Rangers have presented to her once they made it to the dojo.
She looked up and frowned at the defeated looks on all of the Rangers' faces. Maya crossed her arms as she tried to hold back the tears. DJ just put on a hard look as he had a downcast gaze, while Max gave Ellie the sad look as he stood in between his friends.
Ellie sighed. "I am just glad you guys are okay. Plus, these morphers repair themselves over time, but you guys will be left without your morphers for approximately 24 hours." She as she set the morphers down on the computer tops. She then turned to the Rangers and spoke. "I still have trouble understanding how the monster would poison their drinks but not yours."
DJ looked up at her. "Remember, those two used to work for Po. There is no telling what he has in store for them."
"But until then, we shall stand by." A voice from behind the Rangers spoke up. DJ, Max, and Maya all turned and saw Uni in front of them, holding his new, trusty black staff.
"Sensei, Bonnie, and Donnie are out there, probably in a new world. God knows what Po or that creep Buck could be doing to them right now." Max spoke with haste.
Ellie appeared next to Max. "Listen, my monitors track every one of you guys' heartbeats, and as of now, Donnie's pulse is stable, and so is Bonnie's. We need to put our minds on saving them, saving the world, and worrying about our personal lives. Thanksgiving is coming soon, you know."
Max was at a loss with words. Are they supposed to go on as nothing happened? The school is going to notice Donnie and Bonnie's absence. As for their aunt, she is on a multi-month trip. Neglectful as she is, she may not even notice their absence even soon after she returns.
Just then, DJ's phone ping. He picked it up and read the message that was sent from his father.
He groaned. "My dad wants me to cover a shift at his PR firm as he visits my grandfather at the hospital."
Maya nodded her head. "My mother is probably wondering where I am. I promised to go shopping for Thanksgiving."
Max was baffled. "Are you guys kidding me? Do you not realize the fact that your friends have gone missing? And we just got our butts kicked!"
"Max!" DJ called out. "Listen, Ellie is right. We are all exhausted and there is nothing more we can do besides relaxing as we evaluate what we can do to save the twins."
Max stared at DJ, then glanced over at Maya, who simply gave him a nod. Max groaned. "Fine..."
Uni approached the Rangers. "I merely hope you guys return to this dojo with a refreshed mindset."
Bonnie and Donnie were both hanging onto thin, weak branches as they were dangling from a cliff. Max, rushed over and put his hand out for them to reach.
"Max! Save us!" Bonnie cried, her branches starting to break apart.
"Don't worry!" Max called out. "Just grab my hand!"
Just then, a figure appeared behind Max. Max turned and his eyes widened at the monster, who looked like an ordinary man with short blond hair, but his teeth were black but straight, and his eyes glowed like a lantern. He wore a typical suit that looked bulky, and the colors were so nauseating, it looked as if orange and purple paint were smeared all over this man's clothes. In fact, this was no man, but rather yet another Humanitor. Max turned and growled. "You monster!" He yelled as he tried to lunge at Buck, but he simply diminished into the air, but his voice echoed into Max's head.
He laughed as he spoke. "Game over, Red Ranger. You failed!"
Max rushed over to the cliff after hearing the curdling sounds of Bonnie and Donnie screaming. Max's pupils shrunk as he witnessed the twins falling a hundred feet into the rushing waves and all he could he was the sound of Maya and DJ screaming and wailing their lungs off as they were being dominated by hundreds of Karadracs, not too far from where Max stood.
Max woke up with a start. He was sitting up straight and was panting, his face drenched in sweat. He looked around and realized that he was in his bedroom, and what had occurred what nothing more than a nightmare. Once he managed to calm himself down, he looked out and realized it was light out. He quickly got out of his bed and headed out the door. He might as well start off his Sunday well after his Saturday ended up in a tragedy.
But there was something up with Max. It seemed as if he was still feeling guilty about the incident that involved the twins, but that monster in his dream felt very real, could it be? He glanced over at his phone that he just pulled out from his drawer and texted Maya and DJ if they wanted to hang out. None of them had plans for the beginning of their fall break, so they decided to meet up at the mall later, a perfect place to relax ad discuss the twins.
He just continued on with his morning routine. After brushing his teeth, he got breakfast from the kitchen, grabbed his skateboard, and headed out of his house. He needed to meet up with his friends to talk about the twins, and about the dream, he had just had. Little does he know that his friends are preparing to meet up with him as well, both with exhausted expressions on their faces after the previous night, which may or may not have involved them also feeling at fault for what had occurred to Donnie and Bonnie.
DJ wore his blue sweatshirt as he walked down the neighborhood towards the mall. He looked like his presentable self, but his sunken demeanor spoke otherwise. It had been approximate 24 hours since the event involving the twins' kidnapping and he cannot escape the guilt of it all.
He nearly jumped when he heard a voice behind him. He turned and was relieved to see who it was. "Oh, hey Maya." He spoke.
Maya simply gave him a nod and a weak smile. DJ wanted to question's Maya's status, considering there were bags underneath her eyes, just like him.
He just decide to ignore Maya's tired expression as they walked towards the mall, reaching its parking lot. "Why didn't you bring your car," DJ spoke.
"Ran out of gas. My mother also thought I didn't need it for today and simply told me to walk to the mall, which I don't mind at all."
"I see...I like your sweater."
Maya looked down at her attire and smiled. "Thanks, I always wonder why I want my clothes to match my Ranger color, but I always thought yellow fits me the best."
"HEY, GUYS!" A voice called out. Both Maya and DJ turned and saw Max running up towards them. Once he reached them, he managed to quickly catch his breath before speaking up. "Ellie sent me out morphers back. She managed to fix them overnight." He pulled out the Yellow and Blue Morphers and gave them to their friends respectively.
"Nice," DJ exclaimed as he put his Morpher back onto his wrist. Just as Maya acquired her own morphers, all three of them felt their Morphers ping.
Max spoke through his Morpher. "Yes, Ellie."
"GUYS, GET INSIDE THE MALL! A monster is attacking the patrons at the food court!"
Max looked up at his friends shocked before they all nodded their heads. "We are on our way."
They all stood in front of the mall, standing side by side.
Max held up his morphers. "Ready?"
"Ready!" The other replied.
"Call into Combat!' They all called out, instantly morphing into the rangers.
Many of the shoppers were scattering around the area as the food court was being under siege by a mysterious Humanitor. Tables and chairs were scattered everywhere, and many of the restaurants has their signs and menus demolished by the monster's strikes.
He cackled as he witnessed many people running through the exit, bombarding three figures trying to get in. Once they did, it was clear to the monster that they were the Power Rangers.
The entire seating area was now clear of chairs and tables. The monster cackled. "Ah, howdy there! you must be the Rangers I have been hearing about." He spoke hysterically, his voice resembling that of a chipmunk with a southern accent."
The Rangers were stunned at the clear resemblance this monster had compared to the one that coincidentally appeared in all of their dreams. They felt the fear just looking at this monster, especially through his clear, glowing eyes that resembled that of a flashlight.
DJ balled his fists. "Your days are done for!" He spoke, pulling out his blade. He charged at the monster, whose name just so happens to be Chargericus, but just when he was about to swing, Chargericus caught him off-guard.
The monster widened his bright eyes. "Flash-stunner!" With that, his eyes flashed like a camera, blinding DJ, who screamed as he dropped his blade. Before he could gain his eyesight, the monster struck him with his long, black claws.
DJ rolled over near Maya and Max. "DJ!" Max yelled before he angrily turned his attention towards the monster. "You're done!"
"Oh yeah!" The monster replied back before charging at Max. Max did his best to fight off the monster to the best of his capabilities, but the monster dodged every one of Max's swings and would attack back by striking Max with his claws.
Max was down to the count, but Maya was still standing. She tried to avenge her friend by taking on Chargericus himself, but obviously, the monster was able to take her down with one slash with his claws.
"HEY!" DJ called out, trying to get back onto his feet. Chargericus smirked as he lunged at DJ, striking him in the chest. Once DJ was on the ground, Chargericus snickered as he pulled out a large, suction cup-like silver tool.
"Hm, you would make a great addition to the team. Team of rangers who energy we shall acquire." He pressed the cup onto a protesting DJ. The Blue Ranger gasped as he felt his life being such from him. Chargericus extracted a large, glowing ball-like material from DJ's body, which turned out to be his entire life energy, and slurp it up like it was a slushie.
DJ, feeling lifeless, collapsed onto the ground in a state of pure unconsciousness, as in there was hardly anything that could wake him up, and then so, there would be an impossibility that he would stay up.
DJ demorphed just as Max and Maya managed to reassemble their bearings. Once they noticed what the monster had done, they both yelled. "DJ!"
Chargericus laughed as he spoke. "Mmm...I have to say it, his energy was delicious. And in 24 hours, it will be mine...FOREVER!"
Max and Maya both gasped.
"Of course, if you defeat me, your friend will instantly have his energy back. But you won't have the chance, because I am heading back to Kartae!"
Max pulled out his blade. "No way!"
Maya also pulled out her blade. There was no way this monster would take out their friend like that.
Chargericus cackled. "Yes way, see ya!" He spoke running off.
"HEY!" Max and Maya ran after him, but they could reach him in time as he opened up a portal to Karate. They stopped and caught their breath.
Max was beside himself. First, Donnie and Bonnie were kidnapped, now THIS!
Maya demorphed and looked back at Max. They shared worried expressions as they glanced over to where an unconscious DJ was laying. "What are we going to do?"
Max shook his head as it bowed down to his feet. "I have no idea..."
To be continued...