"Power Rangers Turbo/Techno Rangers"
Act 2: In Kim's Shadow"
by Aaron Thall
Divatox's Subcraft...
Porto watches as a disheartened Wendy walks out of the Youth Center.
"How unfortunate! If only Divatox, Mondo, and Zedd weren't off recovering from their encounter with Zarkon! This is a perfect opportunity!"
"What is?" asks Elgar as he walks in. He's holding several small swamp creatures.
"The original Pink Ranger has returned to Angel Grove. Gray Ranger feels second rate! I can't just let this chance pass us by!"
"So why let it pass? You're the brains of this outfit!" Elgar smacks Porto's faceplate. As he does so, several insects fall out of his hand and onto the floor. A small toad jumps out of his hand and begins chasing the insects.
"Can't you just go over their heads or something?"
"Make a monster without permission?! I could never..." Porto looks down and sees the toad shoot out it's tongue. A small dragonfly is quickly pulled into it's mouth. "Wait! You're right Elgar! It's time for me to just that!"
Porto quickly leaves the bridge, even as Elgar somehow gets stuck to the toad's tongue. As he moves frantically about, the toad swings wildly, wrapping around his head.
"And I think I've got just the monster in mind..." ***
Youth Center...
Matt watches as Wendy exits.
Why is she leaving all of a sudden?
Behind him, Kim, Tommy, and Adam continue to reminisce.
"Remember Guitardo?" asks Tommy.
"How could I forget?" responds Kim. She looks around just in time to see Matt leave to go after Wendy. "Where's he going?"
"I'm not sure."
Kim gets up. "Listen, I'll go find out what's wrong. Can we meet up later?"
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." responds Adam.
Kim runs out the door.
"Just like old times?" asks Adam.
"Just like old times."
***
Machine Empire Skybase...
Slowly, Porto, Klank, Orbus, and Finster walk into an electronics lab.
"It is indeed an inspired plan," says Finster, "but what makes you think that he shall succeed this time?"
"Because this time," begins Porto, "his weaknesses will be negated."
"And with the cybernetic additions t' his body," adds Klank, "his strength will be beyond belief!"
"Indeed!" Orbus flies over to the sheeted table. Under a white cloth, a large shape vibrates slightly. "In fact, he's ready now! Just like you wanted!"
"Excellent!" responds Porto. "This is truly our finest moment! Arise Terror Toad! Arise and begin your reign of horror anew!"
Slowly, the clothed monster rises. As he does, the cloth drops away, revealing slimy green flesh. As the Terror Toad gets off the table, a metallic device around it's horn shines. A second device rests just under his chin. Strange weapons are attached to his wrists.
"LET ME AT THOSE RANGERS! I'M HUNGRY FOR A LITTLE PAYBACK!" None of the scientifically inclined creatures bother to tell the Terror Toad that the
Rangers' lineup no longer has any of the original five members.
"As well you should be." responds Porto as he inspects the cybernetics. "Ah!
Everything is perfect! The Rangers will be in for a nasty suprise when they try to destroy you like the last time!"
Finster, Klank, and Orbus agree silently.
"And just to make sure, I've prepared a little suprise for the Techno Rangers!"
***
Angel Grove Park...
Bulk and Skull strut around proudly, wearing their new park ranger uniforms.
"Remember Skull: We can't afford to let these uniforms get dirty! If we do, we'll be fired and we'll have to fork over the money for new ones!"
"I know! So let's just be careful, all right?"
"Good idea!" They nod to each other and walk over to the lake.
"Well," begins Bulk, "everything seems quiet..."
They hear a sound like thunder. They look up and see a ball of energy streak down. Before they can react, the ball strikes the water. The resulting waves cover the hapless duo in mud and water.
"RANGERS! I'M BAAA_AAA_AAACK!" yells the Terror Toad as he walks out of the
water.
"Does he mean us?" asks Skull.
"I'm not sticking around to find out! RUN!" As Bulk and Skull run off screaming, the Terror Toad continues his rampage through the park.
***
Elsewhere in the Park...
Wendy walks alone.
"This just isn't my day." she thinks aloud. "Why can't I beat that beam?" She sits down on a rock. "And of course Kim would choose that moment to come back and make me feel a whole lot worse. At least I'm smarter..."
She sees a feathered mass out of the corner of her eye. If that wasn't enough to prepare her for a fight, the whirring of the servomotors was.
"ROBOTENGAS!" The creatures land all around her, cawing for a victory they already anticipated.
*Now I _know_ I can beat these losers!*
Wendy moves her right arm in a wide circle, gray energy trailing her hand.
She brings her hands together and thrusts them forward.
"NINJA RANGER POWER NOW!"
Instantly, Wendy is super charged with ninja energy. Her Gray Ninja Ranger uniform appears.
"Bring it on!" They do. One of the RoboTengas tries to grab her from behind, but she jabs her elbow into the creatures gut, making it double over. With a quick turn, she delivers a powerful kick to the face of the RoboTenga that she had been directly facing less than three seconds prior.
*Something is wrong here! The Tenga didn't even blink when I kicked it!*
One of the Tengas tries to get her from above, but she flashes out of the way, allowing the energy to strike one of the other Tengas.
*Not even a scratch! They _are_ different! Must be absorbing the energy used against them to increase their own power! At the rate I'm going, they'll be unstoppable within two minutes!*
And then the RoboTengas come at her again...
***
Youth Center...
"So she won?" asks Kat as Tommy relays what Kim had told them. "That's great!"
"Can't say I'm suprised." adds Tanya.
Off to the side, Justin is helping Jerome with the juice machine.
"One more wire and... There you go!" Justin hops off the counter. Jerome turns on the machine and the strawberry juice begins to bubble again.
"Thanks Justin. I don't know why this thing keeps acting up."
"Probably because you let Bulk and Skull fix it last week, remember?"
"Good point..."
The others laugh for a moment.
"So where's Kim?" asks Tanya.
"She went off with Matt to find Wendy."
"Well maybe later we can throw a welcome back party for her or-" Kat is interrupted by Tommy's communicator's sudden beeping.
"We'll have to save it for later. Come on!" The Rangers head into the storage area. Tommy activates his communicator. "What's up?"
Alpha 6's voice comes over the hidden speakers.
"YO YO YO! We've got us an emergency in Angel Grove Park! Yer not gonna believe this, but it's the Terror Toad!"
"But Kim destroyed that thing years ago! Before I even moved to Angel Grove!" exclaims Tommy.
"Well he's back! And from the looks of things, he's packin' some heavy duty artillery!"
"What about Matt and Wendy?"
"I can't reach 'em! But I'll keep tryin'! Good luck Rangers!"
"Thanks Alpha." says Adam. "Contact Blue Senturion. We'll probably need some backup."
"I'm on it!"
"SHIFT INTO TURBO!"
The Rangers bring their left arms up to their right shoulders and flick their wrists. The Turbo Morphers appear. The Turbo Keys appear in their right hands and the blades flip out. The Rangers thrust their hands forward, and then move their right hands to their upper left and left hands to lower right at the same time. They bring their arms together to form an "x". Then they take their arms apart by moving their arms slightly downwards in half circles. Then they bring the Morphers and Keys together.
"MOUNTAIN BLASTER TURBO POWER!" Justin's uniform appears and his helmet
snaps into place. He grows to adult size.
"DESERT THUNDER TURBO POWER!" Adam's uniform appears. His helmet snaps into
place.
"DUNE STAR TURBO POWER!" Tanya's uniform appears. Her helmet snaps into
place.
"WIND CHASER TURBO POWER!" Kat's uniform appears. Her helmet snaps into
place.
"RED LIGHTNING TURBO POWER!" Tommy's uniform appears. His helmet snaps into
place.
***
Wendy spins around, slamming her foot into the stomach of one of the RoboTengas. The feathered monstrosity shrugs off the blow and swipes it's talons at her, but she ducks at the last second. She begins moving at light speed, knocking the Tengas over. As she comes to a stop, she activates her communicator.
"This is Wendy to any Ranger listening! I need immediate back-up! I repeat: I need back-up!"
***
Just outside the Park...
Matt and Kimberly deactivate their communicators after picking up Wendy's message.
"Sorry Kim. This looks like a job for a Ranger."
Matt starts to rush off, but Kim grabs hold of his shoulder.
"I was a Ranger too, Matt. I'm going with you."
For a moment, Matt doesn't say anything. It was true enough that Kim had been the original Pink Ranger. The best of the best. But she wasn't a Ranger now.
He looks into her eyes and sees the conviction in them.
"Let's go."
Together, they head towards Wendy's transmitted coordinates.
***
The Rangers dodge the barrage of energy released by the Terror Toad.
"Remember guys, aim for his horn!" yelled Tommy, "It's the source of his powers!"
"RIGHT!" they yell in unison. They waste no time summoning their Turbo Blades. Justin and Kat leap up into the air, landing behind the Terror Toad.
Tommy, Tanya, and Adam stay in front. Together, they bring their blades down, forming a wall of swords that would normally force any opponent to their knees.
But the Terror Toad was no normal opponent. With an incredible display of sheer brute strength, the Terror Toad shoves his way through the Turbo Blades and responds in kind with another series of blasts from his horn.
"You Rangers are pathetic! You won't even make a good appetizer!"
"How about some indigestion instead, mutant?" asks the Blue Senturion as he lets loose with a few rounds from his Synergizer. The blasts strike the Toad, but the creature barely notices.
"I don't *like* canned food! Try this on for size Senturion!" A bubble of energy launches from the monster's horn and begins circling Blue Senturion, who changes his Synergizer to sword mode. He swings at the bubble, hoping to pop it. Instead, with every slash of the Synergizer, the bubble multiplies until the Senturion is surrounded on all sides. All at once, the bubbles reform, this time into a gigantic sphere of energy, trapping the futuristic policeman inside.
Blue Senturion pounds on his prison, but to no avail. He was trapped. He couldn't even be heard through the blasted thing.
"BLUE SENTURION! NO!" exclaims Kat as she sees their ally become helpless.
"I'll get him!" Justin leaps towards the bubble.
"DON'T!" yells Tanya, attempting to warn Justin.
"Wait for us!" adds Adam. Neither warning was of any help.
"Nice of you to make such a nice target of yourself blue boy! Come here!" The Terror Toad's tongue shoots out and snags Justin in midair. Before Justin's mind can register what's happening, the Terror Toad tugs on his tongue.
"WOOOAHHHHH!" exclaims Justin as he's pulled into the Terror Toad's gaping maw. With his arms pinned by the tongue, he was helpless. The Toad Began to swallow.
Justin was gone in seconds. A picture of his helmet appears on the Toad's massive stomach.
"He was delicious!"
"JUSTIN!" Tommy, Kat, and Adam summon their Turbo weapons, hoping to free Justin, while Tanya grabbed the Terror Toad from behind, shoving her Star Charges into the creature's back.
"Thanks for the massage Yellow, but it's time you joined little boy blue!" The Terror Toad's tongue lashes out again. It curves around and wraps around Tanya from behind. He tugs on the tongue, bringing her around in a long arc that knocks the other Rangers off their feet. With a second tug, Tanya is pulled into the Terror Toad's mouth.
"STOP IT! LET ME GO, YOU SLIMY-!" is all she can think to say as the Toad pulls her further in. Before Tommy and the others can react, Tanya is pulled completely into the Terror Toad, her helmet's picture appearing next to Justin's.
"TANYA!" exclaims Adam in shock as he leaps to his feet and fires the Thunder Cannon in retaliation for the Toad's actions. The blasts strike the monster, but the effect is negligible.
"So ya like taking potshots at me eh? TRY THESE POTSHOTS ON FOR SIZE!" More
energy globes launch, exploding around the three remaining Turbo Rangers.
"We need to regroup guys! If we don't get ourselves in gear, he's gonna have us for breakfast... literally!" Tommy fires a few blasts from his Auto Blaster as Adam and Kat retreat. "But where are Matt and Wendy?" ***
Matt and Kimberly couldn't believe what they were seeing. The RoboTengas were on all sides, surrounding Wendy. Her attacks seemed to have a dwindling effect on the cybernetic creatures.
"We've got to do something!" says Kim, even as she gets ready to attack one of the creatures.
"Be careful Kim. You don't exactly have the Power to protect you any longer."
"Right Matt."
"NINJA RANGER POWER NOW!"
Matt brings his arm around in a lazy arc, his hand trailing energy. Then he thrusts his two hands forward. Instantly, his normal clothes are replaced by the uniform of the Purple Ninja Ranger.
Within a second, Matt was in the middle of the fight, flashing from Tenga to Tenga, throwing them off balance.
"MATT! BE CAREFUL! They're absorbing our kinetic energy!" Wendy jumps up and
delivers a powerful kick to the Tenga on her far left. The attack has almost no effect whatsoever.
Behind the mob of RoboTengas, Kim took a fallen tree branch and, using it like a Bo staff, tripped up two of the Tengas. Another charges her, but she slams the tip of her makeshift weapon into the creature's gut.
"You're messing with the wrong person Tweety!"
Matt spins around, delivering a powerful low kick that trips up another creature. "This is getting us nowhere!"
"Tell me about it!" responds Wendy as she knee slams one.
Kim flips one of the Tengas over her head, but at the cost of her weapon.
She throws the broken stick aside, letting it hit one of the creatures in the face. She looks everywhere for a weapon. Then she sees something out of the corner of her eye.
A single RoboTenga not attacking. The creature was just standing there like it was watching a movie.
Even as she turned to trip up another feathered menace, a plan began to form in the back of her mind...
***
Tommy, Kat, and Adam watched the Terror Toad from the bushes. A frontal assault was definitely not the way to end this. They would have to outsmart the creature.
Tommy mentally calculated their chances of succeeding, and it looked good.
"COME OUT AND FIGHT RANGERS! I'M GETTING HUNGRY!"
"EAT THIS!" Kat leaps out of the bushes and grabs the Terror Toad's arms, letting Tommy slice the horn off cleanly with the Red Lightning Sword. The horn fell to the ground, smoking slightly.
"HEY! GET OFFA ME!" The Terror Toad frees himself from Kat and Tommy, even
as Adam leaps out and fires the Thunder Cannon full force. The energy strikes the monster, and smoke fills the air.
"Think it worked?" asks Kat before they hear the Toad laughing. "Guess not."
The Terror Toad was not injured. With great horror, Tommy saw why.
The horn had grown back instants before Adam's attack struck. Obviously, among those cybernetics had to be a molecular regenerator to keep the horn from being destroyed.
"ADAM! LOOK OUT!" Tommy's warning comes too late. From the horn, the Terror
Toad's energy tongue lashes out and wraps around Adam.
"TOMMY! KAT!" Adam exclaims in suprise before the tongue transforms him into a glowing ball of green energy. The ball flies into the Terror Toad's mouth and a picture of Adam's helmet appears on the creature's stomach.
"There ya go Greenie! Hope you're comfortable!" The creature pats it's belly, adding to the rage building inside Tommy.
"GO!" Tommy and Kat leap into the air and let loose with full force blasts from their Turbo weapons. The Terror Toad ignores the attacks and merely sends his tongue up. Tommy knocks it aside with his sword.
"We've got to stop him!" says Kat as she rebounds off a tree and turns her momentum into a flying kick that knocks the Terror Toad back. The monster slams into a tree, snapping it like a twig and kicking up dust. Slowly, an unsteady Terror Toad picks himself up. "Give it up Toad!"
"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I GIVE! TAKE THEM!" He opens his mouth wide and three
energy globes colored blue, yellow, and green float into the air. Kat smiles under her helmet. "NOT!"
"WHAT THE?!" Energy tongues fly from the three globes and wrap around Kat.
Under her helmet, Kat's eyes go wide with shock and realization before she is transformed into a sphere of energy that is quickly pulled into the Terror Toad's gigantic mouth. Her helmet appears on the creature's stomach.
"KAT!" In his mind's eye, Tommy sees the other Turbo Rangers fall to the Terror Toad. His rage mounts. This debacle ended here and now.
"Too bad about your girlfriend Tommy! Maybe I can arrange fer ya ta join her!"
Tommy's only response is a scream of rage as he leaps into the air, both his sword gleaming in the sunlight. He swings them forward, ready to strike...
***
Matt and Wendy slowly pull themselves back up onto their feet. The RoboTengas had managed to absorb and redirect all their attacks back at them.
"There-there's got to be something we're missing Matt! Some clue..."
And all at once, the RoboTengas flip backwards, as though having been struck a mortal blow. Matt and Wendy turn to see Kimberly deliver a powerful sidekick to a lone Tenga. As it recoils, so do all the others.
"Now I get it!" exclaims Matt, "They were all mentally controlled by the one that stayed out of the fight! Without minds of their own, they couldn't know pain!" Kim slams a garbage can lid into the Tenga's face, knocking it onto it's butt. As it lands, the other RoboTengas vanish. The lead Tenga tries to get up, but collapses again before being teleported away as well.
"I can't believe that worked." says Kim as she drops the dented lid.
"I can't believe I missed that." adds Wendy. Mentally, she adds, "Bad enough she could outdo me in gymnastics! Now she's outthought me too!".
Matt and Wendy send their Ninja Powers away, even as their communicators begin to beep.
"Matt here."
Alpha 6's voice comes over the device. "YO YO YO! Matt! Wendy! We've got an emergency situation here! Teleport ta the Power Chamber pronto!"
Matt turns to Kim. "Feel like coming along Kim?"
"Definitely." Matt and Wendy press the necessary buttons on their communicators and three pillars of light head towards the desert...
***
Power Chamber...
Matt, Wendy, and Kimberly rematerialize and run over to Alpha.
"What's wrong Alpha?" asks Wendy.
"Take a look at the viewing globe!" The three turn to the globe. As they do, Alpha lets out a moan of dispair. "Oh no! We're too late!"
The three teens see the Terror Toad in the viewing globe.
With five helmets pictured on it's stomach.
"It-it got all of them?!" exclaims Matt.
"Tommy..." whispers Kim.
And barely audible at all, Wendy adds, "And it's all my fault..."
END OF ACT 2
