Chapter 6- How to Say Hello To Villians Downtown

“Uh, look Cass, I like going on these Ranger excursions as much as you do, but do we have to do ‘em on our Thanksgiving break?” Devin asked as he lugged his camera bag on one arm and his camcorder in the other.

“It’s called commitment, Devin.” Cassidy Cornell replied to her cameraman counterpart. “Mr. Cormier has been breathing down both our necks about trying to find more information about the Power Rangers and so far we’ve come up with absolutely nothing. If we don’t dig up some more information than what we already have, it might give Mr. Cormier a crazy enough reason to kick us out of his TV station.”

Besides, thinking about it, the only reason I even got the chance to work there was because of Kira. She thought. A while back Kira had learned that Mr. Cormier was short one reporter and asked Cassidy if she would like to give it a shot. Cassidy went with her and was given an assignment to check out a farm. As a result, things didn’t go so well and she had begun to contemplate giving up journalism. However, just then a fight between the Rangers and a monster named Jupitor had erupted. Cassidy, with some help from Devin, had reported the whole fight and had footage of it to boot. Mr. Cormier was impressed and gave her the empty slot. Ever since then, whenever there was a monster attack Cassidy would be called on to report.

“True, but that still doesn’t explain what we’re doing downtown.” Devin replied.

“This is where the Rangers were last seen.” Cassidy said. “In addition, this area of Reefside is where most of the fighting takes place.”

“Hmmm. Makes sense.” Devin replied. Suddenly a thought came to him and he smiled. “Although can you imagine what it would be like to film the action from the cockpit of those giant zords?”

“How about filming from the corner of a cell?”

“Uh…Cassidy, that doesn’t sound like your voice.” Devin said nervously.

“Devin…that’s because it’s NOT!!” Cassidy yelled as she pointed behind him. Devin turned around and saw Elsa, the White Ranger clone, and a giant Black Panther with emerald wings staring him and Cassidy down; along with the usual Tyrannodrones flanking the three of them.

“Umm…I don’t suppose you guys would be interested in having an interview, would you?” Devin asked nervously.

“Unfortunately, we would have to get that cleared through our agents.” Elsa said wickedly. “But seeing as how we don’t have any of the sort, we’ll just settle for reporters instead.” She then drew her sword and pointed it at the both of them. “My master Mesogog has asked that the two of you come to his island fortress. It seems that he has a new plan in mind and fortunately for the two of you he needs a reporter and a cameraman to cover it.”

“I’m sorry to say this, whatever-your-name-is, but me and Devin here already work for a TV station and I really don’t think covering a psycho Dino-mutant’s ‘master-plan-to-take-over-the-world’ would make the 6 o’ clock news.” Cassidy said calmly. “Especially when the Power Rangers botch it up everytime.”

Elsa’s eyes narrowed, but she maintained her evil smirk. “You act like I’m giving you a choice in the matter,” she said. “But I’m not.” She then nodded her head slightly.

As if on cue, Felectro Falclaws drew back his arm and thrusted it forward, shooting out electrical energy from his scythe-like claws. As it reached Cassidy and Devin, the energy then enveloped the two, but it didn’t harm them. Instead it formed a net around them and kept the two of them binded together.

“My master has an exclusive coming up,” Elsa said in a conversational tone. “And whether you like it or not, you’re going to help him cover it.”

TSEEEW! TSEEEW!

Colored laser shots hit Elsa, Felectro, and the Ranger clone, blinding them for a few seconds. When the smoke cleared Elsa and her comrades, along with Cassidy and Devin saw the five Dino-Thunder Rangers roaring onto the scene in their Raptor cycles and ATV’s.

“The only help Mesogog’s gonna need is him patchin’ up your sorry asses once we get through kicking ‘em from Reefside to his island fortress and back!” Ethan said as he dismounted his Raptor cycle.

Elsa smiled broadly, “I would like to see you try this time.” She then took a battle stance, “Attack!”

The Tyrannodrones charged towards the Rangers, but it was completely one-sided for they were dispatched pretty quickly.

Conner had felled the last Tyrannodrone when he saw the White clone do his dash-attack on him. He barely leaped out of the way when the clone was closing on him. When he turned around he saw it put it’s Drago Sword back in its holster.

“What’s the matter? Playing chicken now?” Conner taunted.

The White Ranger clone sneered. “You’re the one who’s going to be playing chicken once our newest creation is finished with you, Red Ranger.”

Conner wondered what he was talking about when he saw the panther creature leap at him from the corner of his eye. He tried to dodge, but Felectro was too quick for him. He slashed Conner viscously across his suit, then he tornado-kicked him several feet into the air.

“I cannot believe this!” Cassidy exclaimed. “Here we are seeing the biggest Ranger-monster slug fest and we can’t even report the action because we can’t move in this net!”

“This net’s got us good, I can’t reach my camera.” Devin said as he tried to raise it but the net was too constrictive for him to do so.

“Conner! Hold on!” Tommy yelled as he, Kira and Ethan rushed to help him. Trent followed, but Elsa quickly blocked his path.

“Going somewhere, Trent?” Elsa cackled as she drew her sword.

“As a matter of fact I was, but I didn’t remember planning on meeting a Matrix reject.” Trent quipped. He then took out his Drago sword and began twirling it in the air, making energy arrows as he twirled it. He then shot them at Elsa, but she deflected them all with ease using her sword. However, this kept her from seeing him come at her with his trademark dash-attack.

Elsa reeled, but she just sneered at Trent and charged at him, engaging him in single combat while the others dealt with Felectro.

“Uh…you wouldn’t happen to be a fugitive from MegaMan Zero 2 by any chance, would you?” Ethan joked as he looked at the monster up and down.

“And who exactly would that be?” Felectro asked as he leaped blindingly fast into the air, somersaulted, and then did a flying kick that was so fast Ethan didn’t have time to react. The blow knocked him into the air and he fell facedown on the pavement.

“Ethan, you all right?” Kira asked as she helped him to his feet.

“I’m alive, if that’s what you mean,” Ethan answered. “But I don’t remember being hit that hard before.” He winced a little as he rose to his feet.

“Okay, now I’m really pissed.” Tommy said. “Conner, you with me?”

“You got it, Dr. O!” Conner replied as he drew his weapon. “Tyranno Staff!”

Felectro stood completely still, not moving at all as he saw the Red and Black Rangers charge at him. He grinned as his emerald wings opened and then just as Conner and Tommy got close, he rocketed into the air. As he rose high enough his claws began to glow and crackle with electricity. He then swung his arms and shot two giant energy balls at the duo. Tommy and Conner tried to dodge, but they got hit all the same. Felectro then saw Ethan and Kira rushing over to help. He then flared his wings and dove toward them like a guided missile.

Meanwhile, Trent and Elsa were still going at it. She shot an energy blast at him, but he leaped out of the way.

“My turn.” Trent said as he pointed the handle with the Dragozord’s head at Elsa, firing a barrage of lasers at her, hitting her point-blank.

“You may have gotten me this time yet again White Ranger, but once Felectro gets through shredding up your friends into Ranger spaghetti, we’ll see who has the last laugh.” She sneered as she and the White Ranger clone disappeared through an invisiportal.

Trent then turned and saw Felectro knock over Ethan and Kira like they were bowling pins.

“Guys! Hang on!” He yelled as he rushed over to where the others were. “Kira, guys, are you all right?”

“We will be once that guy’s permanently stuffed.” Conner said as he used his Tyranno Staff to prop himself up. He then saw Felectro do a U-turn right back at them. “He’s coming back.”

“Then it’s time to clip his wings.” Trent said as he helped Kira to her feet. Once she was able to stand on her own, he then took a few steps ahead of the group and drew his Drago Sword.

“Trent, what are you gonna do?” Conner asked.

“I got an idea.” Trent said as he saw Felectro complete his U-turn and head straight towards them. He then twirled his sword, creating energy arrows as before. As soon as he had several, he then shot them right at Felectro. Since the Falcon-Panther hybrid was moving so fast, he didn’t have time to dodge, let alone see them. The arrows hit their mark, causing him to fall and scrape across the ground. Trent quickly took his chance and did his dash-attack before Felectro could get up completely.

“OK, guys. I think that softened him up a little bit.”

“Good job, Trent.” Conner said. “OK guys, let’s put ‘em together!”

The fivesome then took their respective weapons and then combined them into one awesome weapon.

“Z-Rex blaster ready!”

“Aim!” Tommy and Trent yelled.

“Fire!” Conner, Ethan, and Kira commanded.

The Z-Rex blaster then shot a giant blast of energy at Felectro, but even though he was a little dazed, he wasn’t out yet. He then drew back his arms, his scythe-like claws glowing with energy. As the blast came close he then lunged out his arms and caught the blast in his claws, gathering it all in one big energy ball. He then focused it at the Rangers and flung it right back at them. There was a huge explosion, with the five Rangers crying out. Once the smoke cleared, the Rangers were lying on the ground, writhing in pain as they struggled to get back on their feet.

“Did you prepubescents think you could get rid of me that easily with that big toy blaster of yours?” Felectro said. “A shame, really. I was expecting more than that out of you.”

“You want more?!” Conner snapped. “You got it!” He then raised his Triassic Shield of Triumph and got ready to power up.

“Ah, ah, ahhh.” Felectro said. “Somehow I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Red Ranger.” He then raised his right arm and the net that had Cassidy and Devin trapped came to him. He then put the net in front of him, using the two as a shield. Conner then stopped himself, “What are you doing with them?” he demanded angrily.

“It’s called seizing the upper hand.” Felectro replied casually. “And judging from the looks of things, the cards are in my favor.” He then sneered at Conner and the other Rangers. “You can go ahead and power up or do whatever it is you were gonna do, you can even attack me right now if you want, but what if two innocent bystanders got caught in the crossfire?”

“You wouldn’t…” Ethan said angrily.

“Oh, look who’s acting hostile now?” Felectro said mockingly. “As I said before, feel free to attack me if you want, but it’ll be these reporter’s lives on your hands if you do.”

Conner looked at the creature, then to Cassidy and Devin, not really knowing what to do. He wanted to turn this monster into a panther casserole, but he didn’t want to risk Devin or Cassidy getting hurt.

“Don’t listen to him, Red!” Devin yelled out. “Just do it!”

Conner then took a battle stance, and raised his Triassic Shield, but Tommy put his hand on his wrist, shaking his head slightly. Conner felt like saying “What?” but then he nodded and lowered his shield.

“Amazing.” Felectro said. “You Rangers can be all gung-ho when it comes to fighting Tyrannodrones or even creatures like myself, but when it comes to innocent lives, you can be so sentimental it’s pathetic.” The claw on his left hand began to glow, and then he drew back his arm and flung an energy boomerang at them.

“I think I’ll let you guys stay conscious for now, but the next time I bump into you Rainbow boy/girl-scouts, I won’t be as friendly.” Felectro then released his grip on the net and pushed Cassidy and Devin away. “Catch you on the flip side.” He sneered as he disappeared into an invisiportal.

“Are you guys OK?” Ethan asked as he walked over to Cassidy and Devin.

“Yeah, just a little whizzed out, but we’re all right.” Devin replied.

“I still can’t believe we weren’t able to get all that.” Cassidy whined.

“At least you’re OK, that’s what counts the most.” Ethan said.

“C’ mon, we better get back.” Tommy said.

“Right.” The other Rangers replied.

Ethan took one last look at the duo before he took off after the others.

“Y’ know something Cass?” Devin asked. “Those are some real heroes is I ever saw one.”

Cassidy smiled one of her rare smiles. “I know what you mean Devin. I know what you mean.”