The Spirit Within
DJ was immediately transported to the dojo, where he was laid on top of a mattress while Ellie examined him.
Maya sat with her face in her hands while Uni knelt next to her to comfort her. Max shook her head as he paced around near Ellie with his arms crossed.
"How could this happen?" Max asked hysterically. First, Donnie and Bonnie were kidnapped by a new foe, and here is his best friend out like dim light, with a horrifying possibility that they will lose them if they don't destroy that monster within the next 18 hours.
Max approached Ellie. "Anything?"
Ellie sighed as he stood up. "Listen, I can transport you back to Kartae like before, but that's not the only catch. I am sending you on two missions. One, destroy that monster to save DJ. Two, if you see Donnie and Bonnie, save them."
Max nodded and he balled his fists. "Let's do this."
"Alright..."
"Wait!" Maya stood up and rushed over to the two. "Let me help. I will take care of that monster, you help save Bonnie and Donnie."
"Maya..."
"No!" Maya yelled out before she noticed the worried looks Ellie and Max were both giving her. She sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just...DJ has the most energy in this entire team, and I am not going to let that monster take it."
Max glanced over from behind Maya towards his sensei, who nodded at him. He sighed. "Fine, let's do it!"
Maya and Max stood side by side as they began to morph. "Karate Force!" Their morphers lit up. "Call into combat!"
The morphing sequence began. The winds blew through their bodies. It's molecular power transforming them into Rangers.
Maya was in a virtual landscape for just a moment, standing in a heap of a hard surface that was already cracking up. "Power Earth!"
Max was also in a virtual landscape, but he was standing in mid-air, with hard winds flowing around him. "Power Air!"
"SKY!" Po called out in agony. His brain was throbbing and the agony was too great for him. Buck stood by as he noticed his new boss was in serious pain.
Sky rushed over to him. "We have to get you back to the Serum Volcano for your dosage." She glanced over at Buck who nodded at her. "Watch over the lair while we are gone."
"As you wish," Buck spoke as Sky and Po teleported away. So you need a special serum to maintain your Humanitor state, huh? He snickered. The clock is ticking for when the serum finally drains out, and I will finally initiate my plan to take Earth once and for all. I maybe even destroy the Rangers' home city while I am at it.
He glanced over at Donnie and Bonnie. The ice containing them was still solid, but they were conscious and could see Buck as he approached them.
"A little update of your friends, the Blue Ranger has been put into a deep sleep, and it won't take long before that sleep becomes permanent." He snickered.
No. Bonnie thought.
This can't be. Donnie wanted to shake his head, but he couldn't.
Buck turned. "I just need to make sure those three brats don't get access to the legendary Ninja Powers. Chargericus, get over here!"
"Yes, boss!" His loyal servant approached him.
"I understand you have obtained the Blue Ranger's energy!"
Chargericus bowed and smiled. "Yes sir."
"I understand your plan, but I need you to go into the Human world and take out those other Rangers before returning. I want there to be no threats available."
Chargericus nodded before running towards a portal. "With pleasure, boss!"
Perfect. Buck began to cackle. There was nothing that could stop him from completing his plan, unless...
"Boss!" Chargericus ran back as two figures ran after him. Buck turned towards the two figures and gasp as Chargericus spoke up.
"They are here!" They, as in the Red and Yellow Rangers, and both had their blades out as they faced the two monsters.
"Max, look!" Maya pointed towards the two iced structures, where they could see Donnie and Bonnie. Though they are being kept still, both Maya and Max could see that they were both conscious and could view everything.
Max wields his sword towards Chargericus, who hissed at them in a statement. "Kendo Blade, charge up!"
"Charging!" Maya replied. Both their blade began to light up and they began to charge at the monster, who enlarged his claws, but before he could do anything, Buck appeared between them.
He swings his baton, releases a burst of light that struck the two Rangers, sending them back into the hard bare floor. Fog emanated from the floor with every impact the Rangers made within. Max got up to his feet and grunt.
Buck chuckled as he approached two slowly. "I am quite flattered that you would arrive early for Thanksgiving. Now it is time for the appetizer!" He spoke, forming multiple tiny spheres of energy between his hands before launching them towards the Rangers.
However, Max was one step ahead as he pulled out his Shield, which deflected the attack back towards Buck. Buck, realizing what was happening managed to jump out of the way, at the expense of his soldier, who was in the way. Chargericus cried out at the energized spheres that struck him, sending him backward onto the ground, smoke emanated from his body as he groaned in pain.
Maya pulled out her bow gun and rushed over to where Max was. "Max, let's combine our weapons."
"Don't you think the cannon would be less effective without DJ's ax?" Max asked.
"We'll just accept our chances and hope fate is on our side!"
Max smirked. He inserted his shield on top of Maya's weapon, amplifying its power. Max held the gun was Maya knelt to help aim it towards the monster as it struggled to get back onto its feet. Once it has, he looked over at the Rangers and hollered.
"You think that toy scares me! Try again, you brats!"
"COMBAT CANNON! AERIAL AND TERRESTRIAL POWER, ENGAGE!" Max pulled the trigger, causing an orange blast to shoot out from the cannon and towards the monster. Chargericus screamed as the blast struck him. Max silently cheered as he noticed Chargericus throwing up a ball of energy, which most likely belonged to DJ before the monster erupted into flames that quickly extinguished, thanks to the atmosphere here in Kartae.
"I guess they won't be able to revive him," Maya spoke, smirking. The two then notice DJ's energy teleporting itself through a portal that half opened up the second after Chargericus's demise.
Ellie carefully removed DJ's blue sweatshirt to tend to the injuries he had sustained from the fight against Buck and the new monster. Her cheeks flushed as she noticed DJ's tight tank top underneath, highlighting the muscles he had likely gained from his MMA training. Suddenly, a spherical ball of DJ's energy traveled through the walls and into the dojo. Ellie watched in curiosity as the sphere entered DJ's open mouth and flowed into his body. DJ gasped as he felt his body revive and rejuvenate. His eyes shot open, and he sat up, looking around in confusion.
"What happened? Where's Max? Where's Maya?" he asked, panic in his voice. He then glanced over at Ellie. "Did that monster get them?"
Ellie placed a reassuring hand on DJ's right shoulder. "You're fine, DJ. You're awake, which means the monster has been destroyed."
DJ exhaled in relief, but then he noticed Ellie staring at his chest. Realizing what she was thinking, he smirked and flexed his pectorals. "You like what you see?" he teased.
Ellie's eyes widened, and her face turned a deep shade of red. DJ blushed, taken aback by Ellie's reaction. He looked into her brown eyes, which reminded him of creamy chocolate, almost blending with her pupils. Wait, what was he thinking? DJ stood up and chuckled nervously. "I guess we should wait for the Rangers to return," he said, scratching the back of his neck.
Ellie giggled. "I guess so." She turned and walked towards the backroom, her mind racing. There was no way she could be feeling this way about DJ. She teased him, but why? Was she hiding something?
"Maya, now!" Max hollered as he and Maya both were ready to slash the ice cubes holding Donnie and Bonnie in place.
"Seismic swing!" Maya called out as she used her powers to strike Bonnie's containment cell.
"Air Gush!" Max yelled as he struck Donnie's ice cell.
Both the ice figures crumbled like glaciers. Donnie and Bonnie were now free, but were still shivering and in shock at what had occurred.
Maya winced as she grabbed Bonnie's cold arm. "Come on, we are going to get you out of here!"
"O-o-ooka-aa-ay," Bonnie continued shivering as she and her brother followed closely behind their friends.
"Oh no, you don't!" Buck appeared before them, catching them off-guard. He was just about to use his powers to take the Rangers out for good, but Max used his capabilities to set off smoke bombs that covered their tracks, giving them enough time to escape through yet another portal.
Once the smoke diminished, Buck grumbled in anger as the Rangers escaped.
He tried to get his anger in check. He stroked his baton as he spoke. "No matter, I can destroy the 5 of them another time. Besides, I have hindered the twins' powers, so they won't be able to access Ninja Mode."
DJ and Ellie immediately went to work applying towels around Donnie and Bonnie to warm them up once the four other Rangers have arrived.
DJ growled as he glared at both of the twins. "Don't you guys EVER do that to me again! I couldn't live with myself if Po got you."
Donnie chuckled as he nodded his head. Which earned both him and his sister a group hug given by the Blue Ranger.
The Tees, Garcias, and the Cruz families all gather at Maya's house for Thanksgiving, and Maya's mother was kind enough to invite the twins as well. DJ and Max watched the game with their fathers and Donnie, while Maya and Bonnie joined Maya's mother in the kitchen. Max's mother soon joined them in the cooking.
"Adana, that's too much brine for the turkey." Mary, Max's mother, reprimanded.
"I believe it is enough," Adana spoke curtly.
"Misses Cruz, I surely believe my mother knows what she is doing," Maya spoke with her arms crossed. Mary rolled her eyes and glanced over at Bonnie, who was preparing the apple pie. She smiled as she walked over to her.
"So, Bonnie, tell me more about yourself. My son seems to talk a lot about you and your brother." Mary sat next to the kids' new friend.
Bonnie looked up and smile. "Well, I am an honor's student and I am also great at gymnastics."
Mary's eyes widened in amazement. "Really? That's incredible."
Maya approached Bonnie from behind and wrapped her arm around her. "Misses Cruz, I can assure you that this girl brings light to every room she's in."
Bonnie smiled and blushed. "Thanks, Maya."
The ladies were then taken aback as they heard the 5 guys cheering in the living room.
"I guess the Packers have scored the winning touchdown," Maya's mother said with a grin. They all chuckled as the guys were already piling themselves into the kitchen table, ready to eat.
Once the food was complete, the Rangers were happily eating their dinner with their family, and friends.
Just then, Max stood up from his seat. "Everyone, I have an announcement to say."
Everyone looked at Max curiously, especially his friends.
"I just wanted to say to Misses Garcia, this is a splendid dinner."
Adana smiled and had her hand pressed against her chest.
"Also, I know a very interesting fact about my dear friend, Dean-Jamal."
DJ stopped munching on his food momentarily as he curiously looked up at the red-haired boy. Max was giving him an evil smirk as he continued. "DJ...has a CRUSH on our karate teacher's daughter!"
"OOOOOOHHHHH!" The other Rangers hollered. DJ's face turned an unbelievable shade of red as he glared at Max, who chuckled at him.
"I will murder you," he declared.
"DJ, we do not make threats in another's person's home," his father reprimanded.
DJ huffed as he grabbed his bowl and stormed out from the kitchen, ignoring the teasing smirks all of the other parents were giving him.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! For me, I honestly don't like turkey, but that doesn't mean I would mind eating turkey sandwiches, along with mashed potatoes and GRAVY!
Thank you so much for reading and I will see you in the next chapter. Let's just say Buck is going to be a regular villain for a while.